Jan. 3, 2022 By Allie Griffin Applications to serve on one of Queens’ 14 community boards are now open, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards announced Monday. Residents interested in becoming community board members must submit their applications online by Feb. 16. This is the second year that the borough president’s office has offered the application… Read more »
Dec. 30, 2021 By Allie Griffin More than a dozen Queens residents died of COVID-19 Tuesday — the highest number of fatalities among the 62 counties in New York State. Altogether, 97 New Yorkers died from COVID-19 Tuesday including 13 Queens residents as the number of cases reached the highest level on record amid a… Read more »
Dec. 29, 2021 By Allie Griffin Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a Queens legislator’s bill into law Tuesday that requires the MTA to prioritize bicycle access on MTA bridges and in commuter train stations. The legislation sponsored by Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas requires the MTA to develop a strategic plan to promote both bike and pedestrian access… Read more »
Dec. 28, 2021 Staff Report The Hunters Point Parks Conservancy is making an end-of-year push to raise money to help aid its mission to keep Long Island City’s parks clean, vibrant and engaging. HPPC hopes to raise funds in order to continue its park conservancy efforts into the new year. The nonprofit is now halfway… Read more »
Dec. 27, 2021 By Allie Griffin Governor Kathy Hochul signed two bills into law last week that were sponsored by state Senator Michael Gianaris that aim to improve the voting system. One bill requires absentee ballots to be counted by election night, while the other requires the state to increase the number of early voting… Read more »
Dec. 23, 2021 By Allie Griffin The federal government has opened three COVID-19 testing sites in Queens as officials from all levels of government rush to raise testing capacity amid a surge of cases. The first site run by the CDC opened in Travers Park in Jackson Heights Wednesday. Two more mobile test sites —… Read more »
Dec 23, 2021 By Allie Griffin Police have charged a 62-year-old man for sexual assault and attempted robbery in relation to a knifepoint attack that took place in a Forest Hills elevator last week. Ralph Toro, of Corona, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly attacking a 51-year-old woman inside an apartment building near 62nd Drive and… Read more »
Dec. 22, 2021 By Allie Griffin Queens Community Board 6 rejected a developer’s rezoning application that seeks to replace a popular Rego Park diner and synagogue on Queens Boulevard with a 15-story mixed-use building. The board, which represents the neighborhoods of Rego Park and Forest Hills, voted 20 to 19 against the plan during a… Read more »
Dec. 22, 2021 By Allie Griffin CityMD, a popular chain of urgent care clinics, has temporarily closed 13 locations across the city — including three in Queens. The chain, which has been a go-to spot for many to get both rapid and PCR tests for COVID-19 during the pandemic, has temporarily closed select locations in… Read more »
Dec. 21, 2021 By Allie Griffin Queens officials are calling on the mayor to add more COVID-19 testing sites in western Queens — especially sites capable of testing children too young to receive the vaccine. Nine elected officials from Queens held various press conferences Tuesday to demand the city open more COVID-19 testing sites in… Read more »