Oct. 13, 2021 Staff Report Governor Kathy Hochul announced a major milestone last week in the Kew Gardens Interchange Phase 4 project in Queens. Construction has been completed on two newly reconfigured ramps that aim to enhance safety and reduce congestion along the heavily traveled commuter corridor used by hundreds of thousands of commuters each… Read more »
Oct. 13, 2021 By Michael Dorgan A Flushing couple has been accused of duping hundreds of Chinese nationals out of millions of dollars, by luring them into buying into two failed development projects in Queens — with the promise that their investments would help secure them residency in the United States. Yi “Richard” Xia and… Read more »
Oct. 13, 2021 By Christian Murray Three Congressional lawmakers—including two who represent neighborhoods in Queens—visited Rikers Island Tuesday and called the facility inhumane and urged local and state officials to take corrective action. Representatives Carolyn Maloney, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ritchie Torres said the conditions that inmates are living under and prison staff face each day… Read more »
Oct. 13, 2021 By Allie Griffin The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is putting the the controversial LaGuardia AirTrain project on hold. The agency announced Tuesday that it will pause its $2 billion plan to build a 1.5-mile rail line from Willets Point to LaGuardia Airport at the direction of Gov. Kathy… Read more »
Oct. 12, 2021 By Allie Griffin The NYC Board of Elections has increased the number of early voting sites to open in Queens this month ahead of the general election. There will be 22 early voting poll sites across the borough — an increase from the 18 sites that were available to residents ahead of… Read more »
This article was originally published by The CITY on Oct. 12, 2021, 5 a.m. BY GABRIEL SANDOVAL Fewer than half of the Open Streets touted by Mayor Bill de Blasio and his Department of Transportation are off limits to motor vehicles as advertised, a new survey finds. The review from the advocacy group Transportation Alternatives also… Read more »
Oct. 11, 2021 By Allie Griffin New York State has closed applications for the Excluded Workers Fund as the $2.1 billion fund is running out. The state department of labor stopped accepting new applications Friday night to the program, which provides monetary aid to undocumented New Yorkers who lost their jobs during the pandemic and… Read more »
Oct. 8, 2021 By Christian Murray The Queens Commissioner of the Department of Transportation told residents during a Community Board 2 meeting Thursday that the controversial 39th Avenue Bike Boulevard remains “a work in progress” and asked for “patience.” “This is a creative, innovative treatment–the first of its kind in the borough,” said Queens DOT… Read more »
Oct. 8, 2021 By Allie Griffin Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Friday that the city will phase out the gifted and talented program at city public schools — sparking criticism from several elected officials in Queens. The highly competitive program, which requires kindergarteners to take a screening test, has been criticized by experts for exacerbating… Read more »
Oct. 8, 2021 By Max Parrott A new challenger has entered the ring to fight against Jackson Heights’ 34th Avenue Open Streets program. The 34OS Resisters United group, a new hardline organization, is fighting to eliminate the Open Streets plan altogether. Some of its members splintered from the 34th Avenue Compromise, a group that formed… Read more »