Author: michaeldorgan

WATCH: Owner Sets Fire to Own Hookah Lounge in Astoria

Jan. 25, 2021 By Michael Dorgan The owner of a hookah lounge in Astoria was arrested for setting his own restaurant on fire after authorities got their hands on video that captured the incident. Asif Raja, 54, was caught on CCTV footage lighting multiple fires inside Ignited Restaurant and Lounge, located at 30-27 Steinway St.,… Read more »

City’s Restaurant Week Kicks Off Today, 45 Queens Businesses Participating

Jan. 25, 2021 By Michael Dorgan A citywide initiative kicks off Monday to help struggling restaurants generate some much-needed cash in the midst of ongoing coronavirus lockdowns. The initiative, called Restaurant Week To Go, features 45 restaurants in Queens as part of the 570 eateries that are participating. The event runs from Jan. 25 through… Read more »

New Data Reveals the Toll COVID-19 is Having on Queens Hospitals

Jan. 20, 2021 By Michael Dorgan  The number of residents being admitted to Queens hospitals with COVID-19 has steadily increased over the past three months and new data sheds a light on the toll the influx of patients is having on the borough’s hospitals. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began releasing hospital… Read more »

Forum on The State of Queens Media To Take Place Tuesday

Jan. 18, 2021 By Michael Dorgan  A public forum discussing the current state of the news media in Queens – and its outlook for the future – will take place on Jan. 19 from 2 p.m. The forum, which is being organized by the Queens Chamber of Commerce via Zoom, will feature some of the… Read more »

GoFundMe For Donovan’s Irish Pub Raises More Than $30,000 in 72 Hours

Jan. 18, 2021 By Michael Dorgan A GoFundMe page set up to support Donovan’s Irish Pub in Woodside was launched Thursday and more than $30,000 has already been raised. The bar, located at 57-24 Roosevelt Ave., has been a neighborhood staple for more than 50 years but its owners are struggling to stay afloat and… Read more »

Trader Joe’s Expected to Open Long Island City Store By End of Summer

Jan. 14, 2021 By Michael Dorgan The Trader Joe’s store planned for Long Island City is expected to open before the end of the summer, according to a company spokesperson. The grocery store chain is poised to move into a mixed-use building currently being constructed at 22-43 Jackson Ave. Trader Joe’s will take up a… Read more »

Another Long Island City Restaurant To Shutter, A Casualty of COVID-19

Jan. 13, 2021 By Michael Dorgan Another Long Island City restaurant is about to close due to COVID-19 restrictions. Corazon de Mexico, a Mexican restaurant located at 10-09 50th Ave., will shutter on Jan. 22 after a near 3-year run, according to its owners. Cynthia Shephard, who owns the restaurant with her mother Maria Iglesias,… Read more »

Local Civic Leaders Launch Toolkit to Help Small Business Survive The Economic Crisis

Jan. 6, 2021 By Michael Dorgan A group of neighborhood civic leaders have come together to set up a digital tool kit to help struggling small businesses survive the economic crisis. The Queens Small Business Alliance, which was co-founded by City Council candidate Julie Won, local leaders Morry Galonoy, Charley Mills, Jamie Walsh, Danielle Brecker, and… Read more »