Author: Allie Griffin

Congresswoman Meng Receives Barrage of Racist Voicemails After Condemning Anti-Asian Rhetoric

Sept. 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin Queens Congresswoman Grace Meng has received a barrage of racist and anti-Asian voicemails after passing a resolution in the House of Representatives earlier this month condemning such behavior. Meng introduced the resolution to denounce anti-Asian sentiment related to the coronavirus pandemic in March and the House passed it on… Read more »

COVID-19 Cases Continue to Surge in Cluster Neighborhoods, Including Kew Gardens

Sept. 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin Coronavirus cases are continuing to surge at an alarming rate in Kew Gardens and have now begun to spread into adjacent neighborhoods such as Rego Park and Kew Garden Hills, new data shows. City health officials identified Kew Gardens, Far Rockaway as well as six Brooklyn neighborhoods as COVID-19… Read more »

City’s Outdoor Dining Program Now Permanent and Year-Round

Sept. 25, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City’s popular outdoor dining initiative will now be year-round and permanent, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. The “Open Restaurants” program, where restaurants can set up outdoor dining on sidewalks and streets, will continue into the fall and winter months, de Blasio said. The “Open Streets: Restaurants”… Read more »

State Sen. Ramos and Comptroller Stringer Call for Year-Round Open Streets

Sept. 24, 2020 By Allie Griffin Queens State Sen. Jessica Ramos and City Comptroller Scott Stringer are calling on the city to make its Open Streets program a year-round initiative. The officials penned a letter to the mayor Thursday asking him to extend the program that turns specific streets over to pedestrians and restaurants beyond… Read more »

Queens Memory Project Celebrates 10 Years of Collecting Borough Memories

Sept. 24, 2020 By Allie Griffin The Queens Memory Project, an ongoing community archiving program supported by the Queens Public Library and Queens College Library, will celebrate its 10-year anniversary next week with a Facebook Live event. The project, in which volunteers record interviews with Queens residents, has collected more than 600 oral histories of… Read more »

De Blasio Announces Furloughs for Another 9,000 City Employees

Sept. 23, 2020 By Allie Griffin More than 9,000 city employees will be furloughed as the city faces a major budget deficit spurred by the coronavirus shutdown, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. Thousands of managerial and non-union city employees must take five days of furlough between October and March, which will save the city… Read more »