Dec. 21, 2021 By Allie Griffin Queens officials are calling on the mayor to add more COVID-19 testing sites in western Queens — especially sites capable of testing children too young to receive the vaccine. Nine elected officials from Queens held various press conferences Tuesday to demand the city open more COVID-19 testing sites in… Read more »
Author: Allie Griffin
Pod of Dolphins Spotted Swimming in Flushing Bay
Dec. 21, 2021 By Allie Griffin Dolphins were spotted off the coast of Queens Sunday. A pod of at least six dolphins was seen swimming in the Flushing Bay by the NYPD Harbor Unit. The department posted a video of the pod on Twitter and joked that the marine mammals are holiday tourists visiting the… Read more »
Participatory Budgeting Returns, Astoria Residents Get to Pitch Ideas on How to Spend Over $1 Million in the Neighborhood
Dec. 20, 2021 By Allie Griffin Astoria residents will once again have a direct say on how $1 million in city funds will be spent in the district. Council Member Tiffany Cabán, who was sworn into office last month, is asking residents of the 22nd Council district how they want to spend more than one… Read more »
Man Sexually Assaults 51-Year-Old Woman at Knifepoint in Elevator of Forest Hills Building: NYPD
Dec. 20, 2021 by Allie Griffin A 51-year-old woman was sexually assaulted by a man at knifepoint in the elevator of her own building in Forest Hills Friday. The suspect followed the victim onto an elevator inside an apartment building near 62nd Drive and 108th Street at about 12:10 p.m. He allegedly brandished a knife… Read more »
Queens Council Member Adrienne Adams Set to be the City’s First Black Council Speaker
Dec. 17, 2021 By Allie Griffin Southeast Queens Council Member Adrienne Adams has — once again — declared victory in the council speaker race. Adams announced Friday that she expects to have a majority of votes when the new council casts its ballots for speaker early next month. She has secured at least 33 members’… Read more »
City to Distribute 500,000 At-Home Rapid Tests and One Million Masks as COVID Cases Rise
Dec. 17, 2021 By Allie Griffin The city will distribute 500,000 at-home rapid tests and one million masks to residents across the five boroughs as COVID-19 cases climb rapidly, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday. The announcement came at the same time that health officials released data showing that the seven-day average for new cases… Read more »
City Council Officially Recognizes ‘Common Sense’ Caucus of Moderate Council Members
Dec. 16, 2021 By Allie Griffin A number of so-called “moderate” City Council members have officially created their own caucus just weeks before a new set of members are to be sworn in. The City Council officially recognized the formation of the “Common Sense” caucus, which consists of a number of moderate Democrats and Republican… Read more »
MTA to Release Revised Plan for Queens Bus Network Early 2022
Dec. 16, 2021 By Allie Griffin The MTA is redesigning the entire bus network in Queens and will release its latest plan early next year, agency officials said Wednesday. The new plan will replace an initial bus redesign plan that the MTA put out two years ago. The agency has scrapped that original, pre-pandemic plan… Read more »
Mayor-Elect Eric Adams Names Queens Native as City’s Next, and First Female, NYPD Commissioner
Dec. 15, 2021 By Allie Griffin Mayor-elect Eric Adams has named a Queens native as the city’s first female NYPD Commissioner. Adams announced Wednesday that Keechant Sewell, the Nassau County chief of detectives, will become the top cop of the country’s largest police force next month. “I’m proud to tell you personally that the 45th… Read more »
Two Queens Council Members Declare Victory in Speaker Race in Confusing Kerfuffle
Dec. 15, 2021 By Allie Griffin The next City Council speaker will apparently be from Queens, but the question as to who it will be remains a mystery as two Queens members declared victory Tuesday in a confusing kerfuffle played out over social media. Both Council Member Francisco Moya and Council Member Adrienne Adams said… Read more »