June 8, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City started Phase 1 of its reopening today and city officials are calling on all New Yorkers to get tested. The city has significantly ramped up its testing capacity–as officials works toward a full reopening. Previously, only the elderly, those with underlying conditions, first responders and health… Read more »
June 8, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Mayor Bill de Blasio has vowed to slash funding to the NYPD and implement a series of reforms within the department. The killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis cop last month coupled with a series of recent NYPD beatings at protests has led to calls to defund the… Read more »
June 8, 2020 By Allie Griffin The Department of Transportation (DOT) will create four new bus lanes and five new busways throughout the city in the next few months — with the first to begin construction this month in Queens, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. A .3-mile northbound stretch of Main Street in Flushing… Read more »
June 8, 2020 By Christian Murray Burglars have not been quarantining in many parts of northern Queens in recent months. The number of burglaries in many precincts in Queens North has undergone a significant spike this year, according to NYPD data. Reported burglaries from Jan. 1 through May 31 have jumped 46 percent compared to… Read more »
June 8, 2020 By Allie Griffin A 22-year-old Astoria woman was killed in a car crash on the Grand Central Parkway Sunday. Michelle Garcia was sitting in the front passenger seat of a 2002 Subaru Impreza when the vehicle crashed near Exit 10 by 51st Avenue around 1:22 p.m. on the parkway, police said. Police… Read more »
June 7, 2020 By Christian Murray Two people were stabbed—one fatally—outside the Astoria Houses NYCHA complex this morning. Police received a 911 call at 6:36 a.m. Sunday of an assault in front of 28-02 8th St. Upon arrival, the responding officers discovered a 37-year-old man with stab wounds to the chest and a 34-year-old woman… Read more »
June 6, 2020 Staff Report Large protests against racial injustice went off peacefully across Queens on Friday and Saturday. Thousands of protesters took to the streets at various locations throughout the World’s Borough – replicating the mass protests seen throughout the country since the killing of George Floyd on May 25. Hundreds of people marched… Read more »
June 6, 2020 By Michael Dorgan The Queens Pride virtual parade will take place online this Sunday, June 8. The physical parade, which was expected to go ahead in Jackson Heights tomorrow, is being replaced by a live-streamed event starting at noon to celebrate Pride Month and the LGBTQ community. The online event will feature… Read more »
June 6, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Council Member Robert Holden has called on the city to reopen parks and other public spaces as part of Phase 1. The lawmaker wrote to Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver Thursday demanding that public parks, beaches, tennis courts and golf courses be made available to the public from June 8…. Read more »
June 5, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City will finally reopen Monday, but it comes nearly three months after the shutdown and the death of more that 20,000 New Yorkers — about 6,500 of whom are from Queens. The city will enter phase one of reopening Monday, with construction, agriculture, hunting, manufacturing and wholesale… Read more »