Dec. 6, 2021 By Allie Griffin Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday a major expansion of the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Children will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to go to a restaurant or movie starting later this month. All private-sector employees will also be mandated to get the shot. The city… Read more »
Dec. 3, 2021 By Allie Griffin The parent-teacher association at a Long Island City public school is hosting a “Winter Wonderland” event to inspire some holiday cheer in the neighborhood this Saturday. The PTA at P.S./I.S. 78 is hosting the activity-packed event and holiday toy drive from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Culture… Read more »
Dec. 3, 2021 By Allie Griffin Two cases of the COVID-19 variant known as Omicron have been detected in Queens, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday. Two Queens residents are among five New York state residents who have confirmed cases of the Omicron variant, which was first identified in South Africa last month. Health officials are… Read more »
Dec. 2, 2021 By Allie Griffin Tiffany Cabán was sworn into the City Council yesterday and announced Thursday that she has already signed on as a co-sponsor of 20 bills. Cabán was officially sworn in as the council member for 22nd Council District — becoming the first woman, first Latina and first queer person to… Read more »
Nov. 30, 2021 By Allie Griffin Tiffany Cabán will be sworn into the City Council Wednesday to fill the vacant Astoria seat. Cabán, a former public defender, will be sworn in by the City Clerk at noon — a month ahead of other council members-elect in order to fill the District 22 vacancy left by… Read more »
Nov. 29, 2021 By Allie Griffin A 60-year-old woman who fatally struck a 37-year-old delivery worker in Astoria with her car this spring will not face charges, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office. The Queens DA issued a memo Nov. 15 stating that there is “insufficient evidence” to prosecute the woman who struck and… Read more »
Nov. 29, 2021 By Allie Griffin NRG, the Houston-based energy company, is refusing to back down on its plans to overhaul its 50-year-old peaker plant in Astoria. The company said the state’s decision to reject its plan to rebuild its Astoria plant was “short-sighted and politically driven.” Now, it hopes a judge will agree. NRG… Read more »
Nov. 24, 2021 By Allie Griffin New York City is on track to allow noncitizens the right to vote in local elections. City lawmakers will likely pass legislation next month that will give the city’s more than 800,000 green card holders and authorized workers the right to partake in municipal elections. The bill’s prime sponsor… Read more »
Nov. 22, 2021 By Allie Griffin A group of “anarchists” shattered car windows, tore down American flags and scrawled expletives on property in Middle Village Friday night, local officials and police said. Nearly 50 rioters dressed in all black stormed into the neighborhood around 8:30 p.m. and wreaked havoc following the “not guilty” verdict in… Read more »
Nov. 19, 2021 By Allie Griffin Queens officials largely condemned a jury’s “not guilty” verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial Friday. Rittenhouse, who fatally shot two men and injured a third in Kenosha last year, was found not guilty on all charges including homicide after a jury deliberated for about 26 hours. Rittenhouse, who was… Read more »