Author: sobrien

LaGuardia Community College awards over $500,000 in named scholarships

Recipients of named scholarships at LaGuardia Community College. Photo: LaGuardia Community College.

Jan. 15, 2025 By Shane O’Brien  The LaGuardia Community College Foundation has awarded more than $500,000 in named scholarships for the 2024/25 academic year, helping hundreds of students overcome financial barriers and focus on their studies. LaGuardia Community College, located at 31-10 Thomson Ave. in Long Island City, is part of the CUNY system and… Read more »

Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani sets fundraising record in 2025 NYC mayoral race

Jan. 15, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign has raised $642,339 from 6,502 unique donors in its first 80 days, the most money raised by any candidate in a single filing period for the 2025 New York City mayoral election. Mamdani, who represents New York’s 36th Assembly District including portions of… Read more »

LIC-based events company finds success by focusing on connections and creativity

Jessica Ellis operates a Velvet Turtle Events photobooth at an event in New York. Photo: Jessica Ellis

  Jan. 14, 2025 By Shane O’Brien  The founders of Velvet Turtle Events, a Long Island City-based events and photography company, have attributed their exponential growth in 2024 to partnerships with community-based organizations and non-profits. Over the past 12 months, these collaborations have fueled their success, allowing the company to triple its business despite challenges… Read more »

Honey Fitz opens in Astoria, blending Irish tradition with a modern vibe

Exterior of Honey Fitz at 30-09 Broadway. Photo: Shane O'Brien

Jan. 14, 2025 By Shane O’Brien A new bar offering a modern take on the classic Irish pub has opened its doors on Broadway in the former location of Broadway Station Bar and Grill. Honey Fitz, a joint venture by Irish bartenders Sean Doran and Andy Collins and Jack Jones owner Jerry Foley, opened at… Read more »

Mayor Adams announces 13 new shelter closures, including one in Long Island City

Jan. 10, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Mayor Eric Adams has announced a new round of shelter closures across New York City, including one in Queens. Among the closures is the Hotel Nedia shelter, located at 38-04 11th St. in Long Island City. This decision comes after 27 consecutive weeks of declining shelter populations across the… Read more »

González-Rojas applauds Hochul’s proposal for universal school meals in New York

Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas at Westbury Middle School on Friday. Photo: Office of Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas

Jan. 10, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas joined Gov. Kathy Hochul at Long Island’s Westbury Middle School Friday to announce the inclusion of free breakfast and lunch for all of New York State’s 2.7 million students in the State of the State budget proposal. González-Rojas, a prime sponsor of the Universal School… Read more »

U.S. Rep Velázquez introduces bill to penalize landlords for income discrimination and warehousing practices

Jan. 10, 2024 By Shane O’Brien U.S. Rep Nydia Velázquez has introduced a new bill aiming to protect tenants from “unscrupulous” landlords, creating new violations under federal law for discrimination based on a tenant’s source of income. The Landlord Accountability Act of 2025, the first bill introduced by Velázquez in the 119th Congress, would allow… Read more »

Radio documentary explores lingering loss of beloved Sunnyside joint Alpha Donuts

Alpha Donuts (Photo by Michael Dorgan)

Jan. 9, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Over a year after neighborhood institution Alpha Donuts abruptly shuttered on Queens Boulevard, a Sunnyside resident explored the lingering loss of the old-school coffee shop and the impact of losing beloved neighborhood institutions. Claire Kinnen, a student at Hunter College’s Integrated Media Arts Graduate Program who has lived in… Read more »