Nov. 23, 2020 By Allie Griffin A Queens council member introduced a bill Thursday that would allow restaurants to add a 15 percent surcharge to the tab if they pay all their employees a base wage of at least $15 per hour. Council Member Antonio Reynoso, who represents parts of Ridgewood, Bushwick and Williamsburg, introduced… Read more »
Nov. 19, 2020 By Allie Griffin Indoor dining will likely end and gyms will likely close in the next week or two as New York City looks to combat a second wave of the coronavirus, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday morning. The closures will come if New York City enters a state-mandated “orange zone,”… Read more »
Nov. 18, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City public schools will close in-person classes starting Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. Public schools will switch to fully remote classes beginning tomorrow — until further notice. The move comes as New York City’s COVID-19 positivity rate reached 3 percent over a seven-day rolling average,… Read more »
Nov. 16, 2020 By Allie Griffin Catholic schools in Queens and Brooklyn will remain open for in-person learning even if New York City public schools shutter due to a spike in COVID-19 cases, the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for Brooklyn and Queens announced Sunday. Queens and Brooklyn Catholic schools will continue to provide in-person instruction… Read more »
Nov. 15, 2020 By Allie Griffin The future of an ambitious 13-tower, mixed-use development along the Flushing Creek remains uncertain as the City Council begins to weigh in. The fate of the “Special Flushing Waterfront District” project lies in the hands of the City Council and many members have expressed misgivings about the plan over… Read more »
Nov. 13, 2020 By Christian Murray Mayor Bill De Blasio warned today that New York City schools could close for in-person learning as soon as Monday amid a spike in COVID-19 infections. The mayor told parents to brace themselves for closures during an appearance on WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show this morning. He said parents with… Read more »
Nov. 11, 2020 By Allie Griffin Restaurants, bars and gyms across New York State must close by 10 p.m. beginning Friday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today. Cuomo said the new mandates were needed since the COVID-19 infection rate continues to rise across the state. He told reporters that bars and restaurants play an outsized role… Read more »
Nov. 10, 2020 By Allie Griffin Mental health experts will be sent out next year instead of police officers in response to 911 calls involving non-violent people experiencing mental illness problems, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday. The new plan, which will be piloted in a number of neighborhoods next year, involves dispatching FDNY Emergency Medical… Read more »
Nov. 10, 2020 By Allie Griffin State Sen. Michael Gianaris introduced a bill Monday that would speed up the counting of absentee ballots in New York State to ensure elections are called quickly. The bill would require local boards of elections across the state to begin tallying absentee ballots on Election Day as opposed to… Read more »
Nov. 9, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City has “one last chance” to stop a second wave of the coronavirus as new cases continue to surge, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. The number of new cases on a seven-day average — as of Saturday — increased to 779 citywide, up from 593 a… Read more »