Sept. 25, 2020 By Allie Griffin The public has another month to respond to the 2020 Census, thanks to a federal court ruling Thursday. Judge Lucy Koh issued a preliminary injunction in a California court yesterday that prevents President Donald Trump from ending the count on Sept. 30, a month before the scheduled end date… Read more »
Sept. 25, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City’s popular outdoor dining initiative will now be year-round and permanent, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. The “Open Restaurants” program, where restaurants can set up outdoor dining on sidewalks and streets, will continue into the fall and winter months, de Blasio said. The “Open Streets: Restaurants”… Read more »
Sept. 25, 2020 By Allie Griffin The city is threatening to shut down nonessential businesses and limit gatherings in neighborhoods with coronavirus clusters if cases continue to rise. Kew Gardens and Far Rockaway, along with several neighborhoods in Brooklyn, are in danger of a second shutdown if the cases don’t decline by Monday, the Health… Read more »
Sept. 24, 2020 By Allie Griffin Queens State Sen. Jessica Ramos and City Comptroller Scott Stringer are calling on the city to make its Open Streets program a year-round initiative. The officials penned a letter to the mayor Thursday asking him to extend the program that turns specific streets over to pedestrians and restaurants beyond… Read more »
Sept. 24, 2020 By Christian Murray The Queens Public Library announced today that seven additional branches are slated to reopen for “to-go” service Monday. The library system currently has 15 branches open for to-got service and after Monday it will have 22 up and running. The latest branches to be added include the Arverne Library,… Read more »
Sept. 24, 2020 By Allie Griffin The Queens Memory Project, an ongoing community archiving program supported by the Queens Public Library and Queens College Library, will celebrate its 10-year anniversary next week with a Facebook Live event. The project, in which volunteers record interviews with Queens residents, has collected more than 600 oral histories of… Read more »
Sept. 23, 2020 By Allie Griffin More than 9,000 city employees will be furloughed as the city faces a major budget deficit spurred by the coronavirus shutdown, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. Thousands of managerial and non-union city employees must take five days of furlough between October and March, which will save the city… Read more »
Sept. 22, 2022 By Christian Murray Drag racing is a problem throughout Queens—from Sunnyside to Fresh Meadows–and a Flushing legislator is looking to clamp down on the problem. Assemblywoman Nily Rozic is introducing legislation that would authorize the city to extend the hours that existing speed cameras are in operation in areas known for drag… Read more »
Sept. 18, 2020 By Allie Griffin Community compost and food scraps drop-off sites are back up and running in Queens after the sites were shuttered for months due to pandemic-related budget cuts. The sites were reopened after the city’s executive budget restored $2.8 million to community composting for Fiscal Year 2021 last minute, the Department… Read more »
Sept. 17, 2020 By Allie Griffin The City Council passed a bill Wednesday that will require the city to explore the use of drones for building facade inspections. The bill, co-sponsored by Northeast Queens Council Member Paul Vallone, will require the Department of Buildings (DOB) to study the safety and feasibility of using drones to… Read more »