Author: Allie Griffin

Flushing Bed Bath & Beyond to Close by End of Year

Sept. 22, 2020 By Allie Griffin The Bed Bath & Beyond in Flushing will close by the end of the year along with more than 60 other locations across the country as the company restructures after COVID-19 delivered a blow to the business. The Flushing store inside the Shops at Skyview mall, located at 40-24… Read more »

Community Compost Sites Back Up and Running in Queens

Sept. 18, 2020 By Allie Griffin Community compost and food scraps drop-off sites are back up and running in Queens after the sites were shuttered for months due to pandemic-related budget cuts. The sites were reopened after the city’s executive budget restored $2.8 million to community composting for Fiscal Year 2021 last minute, the Department… Read more »

City Council Passes Bill to Study Use of Drones for Building Facade Inspections

Sept. 17, 2020 By Allie Griffin The City Council passed a bill Wednesday that will require the city to explore the use of drones for building facade inspections. The bill, co-sponsored by Northeast Queens Council Member Paul Vallone, will require the Department of Buildings (DOB) to study the safety and feasibility of using drones to… Read more »

These 10 Queens Public Schools Have Had Positive COVID-19 Cases Since Reopening

Sept. 16, 2020 By Allie Griffin Staffers at 10 Queens public schools have tested positive for COVID-19 since teachers and administrators returned to schools across the city on Sept. 8. The 10 schools are among 56 citywide, where positive coronavirus cases have been confirmed, according to a list the Department of Education provided from Sept…. Read more »

City to Ramp Up Sanitation Efforts to Keep Streets Trash-Free Amid Budget Cuts

Sept. 16, 2020 By Allie Griffin The city will ramp up its sanitation efforts to keep streets trash-free after having cut the Department of Sanitation’s budget by $106 million. Residents have been complaining of overflowing trash bins since the Sanitation budget took a hit and the department’s commissioner Kathryn Garcia even resigned over the cuts…. Read more »

Ridgewood Civic Group Protests 17-Story Luxury Tower Outside Developer’s Home Early Sunday

Sept. 16, 2020 By Allie Griffin A Queens civic group traveled to a developer’s Jamaica Estates home Sunday to protest a 17-story luxury tower he is building in Ridgewood. Members the Ridgewood Tenants Union, a local anti-gentrification and tenants right group, protested outside the upscale home of Meir Babaev, president of AB Capstone, at around… Read more »

City Launches Special Team to Address COVID-19 Cases at Public Schools

Sept. 15, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City launches a special multi-agency team to address COVID-19 cases at city schools, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday. De Blasio unveiled the “DOE COVID Response Situation Room” that brings together the Department of Education, the Department of Health and the Test & Trace Corps to create… Read more »