Oct. 20, 2021 By Allie Griffin All city workers must get vaccinated for COVID-19 or face unpaid leave under a new mandate Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday. The mandate requires city employees — including police officers, firefighters and sanitation workers — to get at least one dose by 5 p.m. on Oct. 29. It… Read more »
Author: Allie Griffin
LaGuardia Community College Launches Campaign to Raise $15 Million for Student Grants and Scholarships
Oct. 18, 2021 By Allie Griffin LaGuardia Community College has launched a fundraising campaign with a $15 million goal to help pay for student grants and scholarships. The “Tomorrow Campaign” aims to help current and future students at the two-year college in Long Island City get the education and training they need to advance their… Read more »
House Prices in Queens Grew at Highest Rate Among Five Boroughs in Third Quarter: Report
Oct. 14, 2021 By Allie Griffin Residential sales prices across Queens grew at the highest rate among the five boroughs over the past year, according to a new report. The median sales price in Queens was $580,000 in the third quarter of 2021, a 17 percent increase from the third quarter of 2020 — representing… Read more »
6 Million NYC Residents Have Gotten at Least One Shot of the COVID-19 Vaccine
Oct. 14, 2021 By Allie Griffin Six million New York City residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday. “This is unbelievable,” de Blasio said during his morning press briefing. “Six million people who have gone and done the right thing for themselves and their families,… Read more »
More Than 200 Incarcerated Women and Trans Individuals to be Transferred from Rikers to State Jails
Oct. 13, 2021 By Allie Griffin More than 200 women and trans individuals incarcerated at Rikers Island will be moved to state-run jails starting next week, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday. About 230 individuals will be moved to two facilities in Westchester both to protect them and help alleviate ongoing… Read more »
Port Authority Puts LaGuardia AirTrain Project on Hold
Oct. 13, 2021 By Allie Griffin The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is putting the the controversial LaGuardia AirTrain project on hold. The agency announced Tuesday that it will pause its $2 billion plan to build a 1.5-mile rail line from Willets Point to LaGuardia Airport at the direction of Gov. Kathy… Read more »
Early Voting Begins Oct. 23, BOE Increases Number of Early Voting Sites in Queens
Oct. 12, 2021 By Allie Griffin The NYC Board of Elections has increased the number of early voting sites to open in Queens this month ahead of the general election. There will be 22 early voting poll sites across the borough — an increase from the 18 sites that were available to residents ahead of… Read more »
Man Fatally Shot Near Queensbridge Houses Early Sunday
Oct. 11, 2021 By Allie Griffin A 37-year-old man was fatally shot outside the Queensbridge Houses in Long Island City early Sunday. Police got a 911 call of a man shot at 10th Street and 40th Avenue a few minutes before 2 a.m. Officers found the 37-year-old laying in front of 10-16 41st Ave. with… Read more »
Several Queens Legislators Criticize Mayor’s Decision to Phase Out the Gifted & Talented Program
Oct. 8, 2021 By Allie Griffin Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Friday that the city will phase out the gifted and talented program at city public schools — sparking criticism from several elected officials in Queens. The highly competitive program, which requires kindergarteners to take a screening test, has been criticized by experts for exacerbating… Read more »
Council Candidate Julie Won to Host Donation Drive for National Period Day
Oct. 8, 2021 By Allie Griffin A city council candidate running for office in western Queens is hosting a menstrual product drive in Sunnyside Sunday on National Period Day. Julie Won, the Democratic nominee for Council District 26, is hosting a drive for tampons, pads and other menstrual products from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m…. Read more »