Author: schnepsrestagent

Queens elected officials secure $70 million from New York State Budget for school safety equipment in religious and independent schools

queens

May. 17, 2024 By Anthony Medina Religious and independent schools throughout the city will soon receive additional funding for school safety equipment, thanks to Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi and State Senator Michael Gianaris, who, after extensive advocacy efforts, successfully secured $70 million from the New York State Budget for 2024-25 for Non-Public School Safety Equipment (NPSE)…
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Queens lawmakers demand MTA include the borough in express bus service expansion

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May. 17, 2024 By Iryna Shkurhan Queens lawmakers are calling on the MTA to expand express bus service in the borough after it was excluded from a recently announced pilot program focused on Brooklyn and Staten Island.   Seventeen state elected officials collectively penned a letter to MTA Chief Janno Lieber on May 15, calling on…
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Hundreds of Pro-Palestine supporters rally in Astoria on anniversary of Nakba

May. 16, 2024 By Czarinna Andres May 16, 2024 By Iryna Shkurhan Hundreds of Pro-Palestine protesters took to the streets of Astoria on Wednesday, May 15, for what is known as Nakba Day.  Nakba, which translates to ‘catastrophe’ in Arabic, refers to the ethnic cleansing and forced expulsion of 700,000 people from what is now… Read more »

Rep. Meng moves to ban civilian use of body armor on the anniversary of Buffalo mass shooting

body armor

May. 16, 2024 By Iryna Shkurhan On the two-year anniversary of a racially motivated mass shooting that killed ten people in Buffalo, Queens Congresswoman Grace Meng reintroduced legislation to ban the body armor worn by the shooter.  The Aaron Salter Jr. Responsible Body Armor Possession Act would prohibit the possession, sale or transfer of enhanced…
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NYC DOT invites commuters to join the citywide Bike-to-Work Day tomorrow

DOT

May. 16, 2024 By Anthony Medina The New York City Department of Transportation is inviting New Yorkers to ditch their rides and grab their bikes tomorrow, May 17, for a citywide Bike-to-Work Day.  DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, who heads the citywide department, shared the invitation with city riders at the height of Bike Month. Earlier…
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$2.7M settlement for wage violations reached for 332 NYC Health + Hospitals contracted temporary workers

Woman taking batch of hundred dollar bills

May. 16, 2024 By Ethan Marshall A $2.7 million settlement was reached for prevailing wage violations involving 332 temporary office workers at hospitals and medical centers contracted by NYC Health + Hospitals Corporation and the staffing provider, Winston Support Services, LLC. In total, $2,730,526.06 was paid to the workers, which accounts for back wages, civil…
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NY Foundation for the Arts awards $457K to over 130 Queens arts projects

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May. 16, 2024 By Athena Dawson The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) and the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) have announced a list of 138 recipients of the 2024 Queens Arts Fund. The awarded projects span various creative disciplines, including music, poetry, book art, painting, photography and sculpture. The selected…
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Astoria’s 31st Ave Open Street Collective secures more stable future with nonprofit status

May. 15, 2024 By ishkurhan May 15, 2024 By Iryna Shkurhan  Initially created with emergency authorization from the city during the pandemic, the 31st Ave Open Street Collective is cementing its status as a permanent fixture in the Astoria community.  After a year-long effort, the organization recently obtained a tax-exempt nonprofit status just as its… Read more »

State lawmakers introduce workforce development bill to help low-income New Yorkers land high-paying tech jobs

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May. 15, 2024 By Iryna Shkurhan Astoria State Senator Michael Gianaris and Fresh Meadows Assembly Member Nily Rozic introduced the Good Jobs Guarantee Act in Albany this month, which could unlock $1 billion in private funding for workforce development.  The legislation was introduced in partnership with Pursuit, a workforce development company based in Long Island…
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