By Rosa Goldensohn, THE CITY This story was originally published on 4/22/20 by THE CITY The list of “essential” construction projects and permitted work has ballooned sixfold since Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a virtual construction shutdown last month, Department of Buildings data shows. Some 4,936 job sites are now allowed to be worked on, up… Read more »
April 23, 2020 By Michael Dorgan McDonald’s restaurants are offering free meals to healthcare workers and first responders as a token of appreciation for their efforts during COVID-19. The fast-food chain is dishing out one free meal per day to medical staff, police officers and firefighters at its stores in Queens and across the country… Read more »
April 23, 2020 By Christian Murray The city council passed legislation yesterday that will see the Flushing Business Improvement District get a whole lot bigger. The Flushing BID, which currently incorporates properties along Main Street from Northern Boulevard to Sanford Avenue, will now include properties along Roosevelt Avenue—from College Point to Union Street. The BID… Read more »
April 22, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Council Member Costa Constantinides is backing state legislation that would cancel the rent for tenants who are unable to meet their monthly obligation as a result of the COVID-19 shutdown. Constantinides introduced a resolution in the city council Wednesday seeking the support of his colleagues to put pressure on… Read more »
April 22, 2020 By Christian Murray A federal loan program designed to help small businesses stay afloat is likely to get a $310 billion injection in cash in coming days—but critics argue that it will not do much to save Queens businesses. The Payment Protection Program, which essentially provides business owners with a forgivable loan… Read more »
April 22, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Congresswoman Grace Meng has called on grocery stores to allocate special delivery slots for senior citizens and other vulnerable members of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shopping at stores during COVID-19 can put the lives of at-risk residents in danger and the move would limit their exposure to… Read more »
April 21, 2020 By Michael Dorgan The organizers of the Queens Pride Parade have announced that they are canceling the popular June celebration in compliance with the Mayor’s decision Monday to suspend all June events. The annual event was expected to take place in Jackson Heights on June 7 but organizers have confirmed that plans… Read more »
April 21, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Nursing home providers will soon be required to notify the families of patients within 12 hours if a staff member or a resident at a home tests positive or dies from COVID-19. The announcement made by the Trump administration on Sunday follows calls from Congresswoman Grace Meng urging the… Read more »
April 21, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Trader Joe’s has confirmed that five of its staff at the Rego Park store have tested positive for COVID-19 – just weeks after a worker there raised concerns that the company was not doing enough to keep its staff and customers safe in the face of the pandemic. The… Read more »
April 20, 2020 By Christian Murray The Queens Public Library and Queens College have come together to document people’s experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic–and are calling on residents to share their stories. Queens Memory, a community archiving program supported by the Queens Library and Queens College, has launched the COVID-19 Project that aims to create… Read more »