April 29, 2021 Op-Ed By Julie Won Prior to the pandemic, small businesses in Western Queens were already caught between a rock and hard place. Rising rents, predatory landlords, and displaced residents presented serious challenges to the businesses that have called Queens home for years or even decades. Then, COVID-19 hit and the bottom fell… Read more »
April 29, 2021 By Allie Griffin New York City plans to “fully reopen” on July 1, more than a year after the pandemic halted life in the city that never sleeps. “It’s time to set a goal for a full reopening in New York City and that goal is July 1,” Mayor Bill de Blasio… Read more »
April 29, 2021 By Ryan Songalia Two men have been indicted on a long list of charges involving the sex trafficking of teenagers at two Queens hotels. Lawrence Winslow and Alan Velvett, both 27, face up to life in prison on two indictments for allegedly raping and trafficking their young victims in February. Winslow and… Read more »
April 27, 2021 By Allie Griffin Mayor Bill de Blasio released the city’s executive budget for Fiscal Year 2022 Monday and included millions of dollars in funding for speed cameras, open streets and bike lanes among other items. The $98.6 billion “Recovery Budget” has been padded with federal stimulus money to help New York City… Read more »
April 29, 2021 By Michael Dorgan Food and fun! That’s the concept behind a new outdoor barbeque restaurant that opened in Astoria earlier this month that features a large games area. Backyard Smokehouse, located at 25-22 Astoria Blvd., opened on April 15 and is serving barbequed meats that are cooked with Korean ingredients. It also… Read more »
April 28, 2021 By Allie Griffin A slew of state-imposed COVID-19 restrictions on bars and restaurants will be lifted next month. Previous executive orders that Governor Andrew Cuomo imposed on the businesses at the height of the pandemic — such as curfews, the required food with alcohol purchase rule, and the suspension of bar service… Read more »
April 28, 2021 By Ryan Songalia Police released video footage Tuesday of a shooting that took place on Northern Boulevard in Long Island City earlier this month that left a man hospitalized. The police said that two unidentified suspects approached a 44-year-old man at approximately 8:40 p.m. on April 9 in front of 30-25 Northern… Read more »
April 28, 2021 By Christina Santucci Real estate development company TF Cornerstone announced Tuesday that it is now leasing market rate apartments at one of its new towers at Hunters Point South in Long Island City. The apartments on offer are in its 45-story building at 52-41 Center Blvd. — part of TF Cornerstone’s two-tower… Read more »
April 28, 2021 By Michael Dorgan A 16-year-old girl was beaten and robbed by three people while she was inside her apartment at Queensbridge Houses last month. The victim had let her boyfriend into her apartment, located at 41-05 10th St., on March 27 at around 5:45 p.m. before three female suspects busted into the… Read more »
April 27, 2021 By Allie Griffin A bill that would ban the sale of cats and dogs at pet stores in New York is making headway in the state legislature. The legislation — sponsored by Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal and State Sen. Michael Gianaris — is set to move for a full vote on the… Read more »