Author: sobrien

Culture Lab LIC celebrates five years with outdoor season launch at The Lot in May

Crowds at the recent Korea Fest at Culture Lab. The festival was one of the most popular events of Culture Lab's 2024 outdoor season. Photo: Culture Lab

April 18, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Culture Lab LIC will celebrate the launch of its outdoor season at the beginning of May, ushering in a season of outdoor live music performances, cultural festivals and dog-friendly events. The outdoor space, officially rebranded as “The Lot” for the 2025 summer outdoor season, will launch with a grand… Read more »

NBA legend Carmelo Anthony brings STAYME7O cannabis brand to Astoria’s Terp Bros

Carmelo Anthony poses with Terp Bros staff and customers on Wednesday evening. Photo: Ramy Mahmoud.

April 17, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Over 100 New Yorkers flocked to Ditmars Boulevard Wednesday evening as Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony visited local cannabis dispensary Terp Bros as part of the New York launch of his cannabis brand “STAYME7O.” Anthony, a 10-time NBA All-Star widely regarded as one of the best players to have never… Read more »

Community rallies behind Queens nonprofit facing ‘eviction’ from donated space

Connected Chef co-founded Kim Calichio speaks at Thursday's press conference. Photo: Shane O'Brien

April 16, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Connected Chef, a LIC-based nonprofit that provides fresh produce to families in Queens, held a press conference last week to announce that it is being “evicted” from its current location and seeks support from elected officials and the local community to find a new home. The organization, founded by… Read more »

Won, Gianaris hold “people’s ribbon-cutting” at delayed Queensboro Bridge Pedestrian Path

Council Member Julie Won speaks at Saturday's "people's ribbon-cutting". Photo courtesy of office of State Sen. Mike Gianaris.

  April 15, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Council Member Julie Won and State Sen. Mike Gianaris joined Transportation Alternatives Saturday for a “people’s ribbon-cutting” at the Queensboro Bridge to demand that Mayor Eric Adams opens the now-completed Pedestrian Path across the bridge. Gianaris, Won and Transportation Alternatives representatives raised concerns Saturday that pedestrians and cyclists are still… Read more »

Rainey Park delays spark protest in Astoria as residents demand access before summer

Protesters outside the shuttered Rainey Park on Saturday morning. Photo: Shane O'Brien

April 15, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Vernon Boulevard was a cacophony of horns, bells, and whistles Saturday morning as a group of Astoria residents staged a six-hour “honk to reopen Rainey Park Protest.” The park, located at 34-24 Vernon Blvd., has been shuttered since September 2023 for extensive $8.5 million renovations, including improvements to the park’s… Read more »

New Mediterranean market ALBmini opens in Astoria with Albanian specialty items

April 11, 2025 By Shane O’Brien There’s a new flavor in town — and it’s Albanian. Astoria is now home to ALBmini, a new Mediterranean market offering a wide selection of imported goods from Albania and the greater Balkan region. Located at 31-04 35th St., the specialty store celebrated its grand opening on Saturday, March… Read more »

Queens and Manhattan lawmakers press Mayor Adams to open delayed pedestrian path on Queensboro Bridge

Queensboro bridge bike lane (Photo by Michael Dorgan, Queens Post, taken on March 16, 2022)

April 10, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Elected officials in Queens and Manhattan have penned an open letter to Mayor Eric Adams and Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez to express concerns over delays in opening a dedicated pedestrian walkway across the Queensboro Bridge. State Senators Mike Gianaris, Kristen Gonzalez and Liz Krueger, Assembly Members Zohran Mamdani and… Read more »

Over 2,000 sign petition opposing 31st Street bike lane plan in Astoria

DOT proposal image for 31st Street, showcasing protected bicycle lanes and floating parking spaces. Via Change.org

April 9, 2025 By Shane O’Brien More than 2,000 people have signed an online petition calling on the Department of Transportation (DOT) to scrap a proposed bike lane underneath the elevated N/W subway tracks on 31st Street in Astoria, arguing that a bike lane would pose significant safety risks for road users while causing “irreversible”… Read more »