Sept. 21, 2021 By Allie Griffin The city will require weekly COVID-19 testing of students and staff at public schools beginning next week, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday. The Department of Education will increase testing from biweekly to weekly at all public schools beginning Sept. 27. As such, 10 percent of unvaccinated students will… Read more »
Sept. 20, 2021 By Allie Griffin The New York City Department of Transportation has banned Revel scooters from the Queensboro Bridge, the agency confirmed Monday. The DOT informed the scooter-sharing app that it must end its users’ short-lived access to the bridge following safety concerns. In July, Revel permitted its riders with more than 25… Read more »
Sept. 20, 201 By Allie Griffin A block in Astoria now bears the name of legendary, Astoria-raised Yankees player Whitey Ford. A stretch of 43rd Street between 34th and 35th Avenues was co-named “Edward Charles ‘Whitey’ Ford Way” at a ceremony hosted by Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer Saturday. The Yankees pitcher, who died nearly… Read more »
Sept. 17, 2021 By Allie Griffin The organizers of a Queens-based film festival will present an $8,000 check to Elmhurst Hospital Monday. The organizers of the annual Queens World Film Festival will donate the money — proceeds from the sale of “hero tickets” to its 11th annual festival held in June — during a ceremony… Read more »
Sept. 16, 2021 By Allie Griffin An acclaimed Queens-based artist has begun painting a mural on Steinway Street that celebrates Astoria. Zeehan Wazed, painter, graffiti artist and performer, is creating a 175-foot mural reading “Welcome to Astoria” on the east side of the P.C. Richard and Son building, located at 35-18 Steinway St. Wazed, a… Read more »
Sept 16, 2021 By Allie Griffin The Queens Night Market will open for the fall season in Flushing Meadows Corona Park Saturday with a Hurricane Ida relief fundraiser. The organizer of the popular nighttime food festival will collect donations at the door during the season opener to support Queens flood survivors who are unable to… Read more »
Sept. 15, 2021 By Allie Griffin Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will introduce a bill in the House of Representatives this week to extend federal unemployment insurance through February, she announced Tuesday. The federal unemployment benefits expired Sept. 6 — leaving millions of Americans without income as they look for work. An estimated 800,000 New York City… Read more »
Sept. 14, 2021 By Allie Griffin Catholic school students in Queens and Brooklyn have the option to learn fully online, the Diocese said Monday — the same day public school students returned to school with no remote option at all. Elementary and middle school students at Catholic academies across Queens and Brooklyn can attend school… Read more »
Sept. 14, 2021 By Allie Griffin Unemployed New Yorkers will gather in Long Island City tonight to call on the federal government to extend federal unemployment benefits that expired on Labor Day. The jobless, along with activists, will rally at Gantry Plaza State Park at 8 p.m. Tuesday to demand legislators extend the pandemic-era benefits after… Read more »
Sept. 14, 2021 By Allie Griffin Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer wants to make a pandemic-era program that allows performers to host ticketed events on city streets a permanent fixture in the city. Van Bramer introduced a bill last week to make the temporary “Open Culture” permit program permanent and year-round. The Council’s Committee on… Read more »