June 15, 2020 By Allie Griffin Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has launched a new bureau dedicated to combating hate crimes. The announcement comes amid a national discussion on systemic racism following the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, as well as a recent uptick in biased attacks against Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic…. Read more »
June 14, 2020 By Christian Murray Former Council Member Elizabeth Crowley, who represented the 30th district in western Queens from 2009-2017, is running to be the next Queens Borough President. We spoke to Crowley last week. The focus of the discussion dealt with police reform, COVID-19, community boards and jobs. Crowley is one of several… Read more »
June 12, 2020 By Allie Griffin Queens residents can enjoy a drive-in movie in Long Island Sunday, while supporting their neighbors in need. The nonprofit Commonpoint Queens is hosting a drive-in screening of the 1996 hit Space Jam in Great Neck Sunday. Tickets cost $35 per car, with all proceeds going towards the Commonpoint Queens… Read more »
June 12, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a package of police reform bills into law Friday that seeks to improve relations between cops and the general public. The legislation, which was hurried through the state legislature earlier this week, will make police disciplinary records public, ban cops from using chokeholds on civilians… Read more »
June 11, 2020 By Allie Griffin Two school advocacy groups are calling out the mayor for his refusal to pull police officers out of public schools. Yesterday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said that the more than 5,000 NYPD school safety agents should remain at city schools, when asked at a daily press briefing. “I personally… Read more »
June 11, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City is offering $3 million in grants to local restaurants struggling to stay afloat given the coronavirus shutdown. The grants will help restaurants in neighborhoods hit particularly hard by the virus to employ and pay their workers, Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray announced… Read more »
June 10, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Homeless New Yorkers have been dying at a higher rate from COVID-19 than the general public, according to a new report. Homeless people “living in shelters” died at a 61 percent higher rate from COVID-19 than the city average from March 1 through May 31. For the three-month period,… Read more »
June 10, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York state lawmakers passed a bill yesterday to repeal a law that cloaks police records in secrecy. The lawmakers overwhelming voted in favor of the bill to repeal the law known as 50-A, as calls for police reforms are sweeping the nation. The bill disbands the decades-old law… Read more »
June 9, 2020 By Christian Murray A street in Queens is going to be co-named and painted to commemorate the Black Lives Matter movement, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. The mayor said that a street in each borough will be co-named after the movement and the city will work with community activists to paint… Read more »
June 9, 2020 By Allie Griffin The Queens District Attorney’s office has launched a Major Economic Crimes Bureau to investigate and prosecute a variety of large-scale financial crimes, Queens DA Melinda Katz announced today. The bureau will target organized groups engaging in check-cashing and credit card fraud, fishing and identity theft schemes, auto theft, insurance… Read more »