Author: schnepsrestagent

Welcome To The World’s Borough! Say hello to Queens’ newest residents born in 2025

queens

Jan. 6, 2025 By Athena Dawson The ball-drop babies are here! A handful of Queens families celebrated their bundle of joys as the world’s borough’s newest- and tiniest- residents swaddled their way into the  New Year. In the Rockaways, Inwood residents  Olibia Barrios Cifuentes and Marlon Rabanales welcomed their newborn baby girl, Jimena Sulemia.…

Council Member Holden accuses Gov. Hochul of ‘gaslighting’ over mental health crisis plan

gaslighting

Jan. 6, 2025 By Colum Motherway Council Member Robert Holden has accused Gov. Kathy Hochul of “gaslighting the public” after she issued a plan to tackle the mental health crisis in New York. Hochul believes many crimes are linked to untreated mental illness and plans to introduce legislation to make it easier to commit…

Flushing Bay’s temporary docks to shut down, leaving dragon-boating community adrift

docks

Jan. 6, 2025 By Shane O’Brien In a blow to Queens’ vibrant dragon-boating community, NYC Parks has announced that the temporary docks at Flushing Bay’s World’s Fair Marina, a hub for the centuries-old sport, will close indefinitely starting in May 2025. Dragon-boating, an ancient Chinese team sport featuring large canoe-like boats adorned with dragon…

Keeping the beat: the universal appeal of line dancing

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Jan. 6, 2025 By Christy Hinko Line dancing, a vibrant and inclusive form of social dancing, continues to captivate enthusiasts across generations and genres. Rooted in American folk traditions, it gained widespread prominence during the country music boom of the 1970s and has since evolved to include a diverse array of musical styles. On…

Congestion pricing gets the green light: What Queens drivers need to know

Congestion pricing will introduce tolls for motorists traveling south of 60th Street in Manhattan.

Jan. 3, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Congestion pricing will come into effect at midnight on Sunday after a federal judge greenlighted the toll following an 11th-hour hearing on Friday evening. The toll, which will charge motorists who enter Manhattan south of 60th Street, has provoked significant debate and several lawsuits. Federal Judge Leo Gordon…

Sidewalk e-bike charging comes to Queensbridge: DOT opens applications for property owners

e-bike

Jan. 3, 2025 By Athena Dawson The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on Thursday, Jan. 2, a groundbreaking initiative to expand access to safe e-bike battery charging on sidewalks across the city. The program includes new rules that will allow the installation of charging cabinets and storage stations at key locations,…

Virtual book talks return: Queens Public Library launches 2025 Literary Thursdays

queens public library

Jan. 3, 2025 By Colum Motherway The Queens Public Library is continuing its ‘Literary Thursdays’ program for 2025 with a host of talented authors ready to give virtual talks about their work. Every Thursday at 6 p.m., hour-long online book talks, which are free and open to the public, will take place to enrich…

Queens kids score big at Mets annual holiday party with gifts and new coats

kids

Jan. 3, 2025 By Ethan Marshall The New York Mets hosted more than 125 Queens elementary school students for their annual holiday party on Thursday, Dec. 19, in the Piazza Club at Citi Field. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the kids got to play games with each other, have lunch and take part…

Central Queens waste zone rollout: What businesses need to know

central queens

Jan. 3, 2025 By Colum Motherway New York City has taken a major step toward modernizing its waste management system with the launch of its first fully operational commercial waste zone in Central Queens, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) announced Thursday, Jan. 2. The program, mandated by Local Law 199 of 2019, aims to…