May 7, 2020 By Allie Griffin The public will be able to head to Long Island City to be tested for coronavirus antibodies free of charge next week, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. The neighborhood is one of five initial testing sites across the five boroughs that will launch next week. The city aims… Read more »
May 7, 2020 By Christian Murray The operator of a well-known Long Island City theater company announced Tuesday that he is closing his doors for good. Richard Mazda, who founded the Secret Theatre in Long Island City more than 10 years ago, took to social media Tuesday to notify residents and the arts community that… Read more »
May 6, 2020 By Allie Griffin A stretch of 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights will close to traffic–starting tomorrow–as part of the city’s open streets initiative spurred on by the coronavirus pandemic. Nearly half a mile of 34th Avenue from 69th Street to 77th Street will close to traffic from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m…. Read more »
May 6, 2020 By Allie Griffin City workers convinced 139 homeless New Yorkers sleeping in subway cars and stations last night to take refuge at city shelters. NYPD and MTA officers, along with outreach workers, found 242 homeless people in the subways and stations when trains were closed early this morning from 1 a.m. to… Read more »
May 6, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Queens Taste, the popular annual food-and-networking festival, has been canceled for 2020 due to issues pertaining to COVID-19. The event had already been postponed from May 5 to Oct. 6 but organizers have decided to terminate the gathering for this year. Safety concerns surrounding COVID-19 along with ongoing economic… Read more »
May 6, 2020 By Christian Murray Mayor Bill de Blasio said that he may be forced to cut frontline workers and other municipal employees if the federal government does not provide funding. He said that New York City is in a big financial hole and may lack the funds to pay people such as health… Read more »
May 6, 2020 By Allie Griffin Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today that his office is forming several advisory councils to aid New York City’s reopening when the coronavirus pandemic recedes. The City is rolling out six councils on specific sectors of city life today with four more on the way in the coming days,… Read more »
May 6, 2020, By Michael Dorgan Three people were arrested at a crowded vigil for a dead rapper in Queensbridge yesterday after violating social distancing rules, police said. Police said that they tried to break up a crowd of about 75 people just before 2 p.m. in the vicinity of 40th Avenue and 10th Street…. Read more »
May 6, 2020 By Allie Griffin The Queens District Attorney’s office, which opened a unit to investigate potential wrongful convictions in January, announced yesterday that it has reopened 10 such cases. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz established the Conviction Integrity Unit when she took office on January 1 — making good on one of her… Read more »
May 6, 2020, By Michael Dorgan Police are looking for a 44-year-old Whitestone man who was last seen nearly two weeks ago. German Avelar, who lives on 14th Avenue, was last seen inside his home on April 23 at around 8 p.m., according to the NYPD. Police describe Avelar as a Hispanic man of medium… Read more »