Oct. 28, 2021 By Allie Griffin Queens Community Board 6 will host a public hearing next Wednesday on a developer’s plan to build a mixed-use tower where a popular diner and synagogue in Rego Park are located. Development company RJ Capital Holdings plans to demolish a number of Queens Boulevard buildings including Tower Diner and… Read more »
Oct. 27, 2021 By Allie Griffin The state has rejected a controversial proposal put forward by a Houston-based energy company to build a natural gas power plant in Astoria. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation denied permits sought by NRG Energy to revamp its 50-year-old Astoria Generating Station on 20th Avenue by replacing… Read more »
Oct. 27, 2021 By Christian Murray A Bronx man who allegedly shot three men—one fatally—outside a Kew Gardens hotel in the early hours of Jan. 1 has been indicted on murder and attempted-murder charges, according to the Queens District Attorney’s office. Richard Swgert, 19, allegedly killed a 20-year-old Rosedale man and injured two others after… Read more »
Oct. 26, 2021 By Christian Murray A 3-acre park in Elmhurst is going to be getting a facelift—with funds coming via a city program that invests in neglected parks and playgrounds. The mayor announced Tuesday that the city will be investing $425 million over the next 10 years in the Community Parks Initiative, a program… Read more »
Oct. 26, 2021 By Allie Griffin A beloved music teacher at an Astoria Catholic school was fired from his teaching position earlier this month after the diocese learned he married his longtime boyfriend. Matthew LaBanca was let go from both his teaching position at St. Joseph Catholic Academy and his position as the music director… Read more »
Oct. 26, 2021 By Christian Murray The police arrested a teacher at a special needs school in Elmhurst Friday for a number of sex crimes involving a student, according to the NYPD. Leudis Espinal, 23, allegedly Facetimed a female student and then masturbated while she was on the phone. He was arrested by officers at… Read more »
Oct. 25, 2021 By Michael Dorgan A 2-year-old girl was fatally struck by her family’s SUV after she wandered in front of the vehicle in Bayside Sunday night. The toddler, Leilani Rosales, was standing next to her mother – who was unloading packages from the rear of the SUV outside their house at 38-12 216th… Read more »
Oct. 22, 2021 By Allie Griffin A Queens grand jury indicted a Jamaica man on hate crime charges for allegedly attacking Muslim New Yorkers in three separate incidents over the summer. Naved Durrni, 30, was indicted and arraigned Friday on robbery, assault as a hate crime and other charges in Queens Supreme Court. Durrni, of… Read more »
Oct. 22, 2021 By Christian Murray Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Tuesday that her office filed a motion to overturn a 1995 conviction of a man found guilty of robbery. Katz filed the motion after her Conviction Integrity Unit discovered that the Assistant District Attorney at the time tainted the jury pool by improperly… Read more »
This article was originally published by The CITY on Oct. 5, 2021, 7:45 p.m. BY Rachel Holliday Smith and Samantha Maldonado The city is not just choosing a new mayor in November. This fall, New York voters must also decide on five proposed changes to the state constitution. Five ballot proposals are up for a vote… Read more »