March 17, 2021 By Allie Griffin The city is deploying members of the NYPD counter-terrorism unit to Asian neighborhoods across the city after a gunman shot and killed eight people–including six Asian Americans–at three Georgia spas Tuesday night. Mayor Bill de Blasio — who called the mass shooting “nothing less than domestic terrorism” — said… Read more »
March 17, 2021 By Christian Murray Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, who is running for Queens Borough President, has tested positive for COVID-19 and believes that he contracted the virus while petitioning over the weekend. Van Bramer said that he was tested for the virus Monday and got word Tuesday that he was infected. He… Read more »
March 17, 2021 By Allie Griffin JetBlue is considering pulling its headquarters from Long Island City, where it’s been for roughly a decade, according to a new report. The airline, which brands itself as “New York’s Hometown Airline,” has been headquartered in Queens since its founding in 1999. JetBlue, however, may move jobs out of… Read more »
March 17, 2021 By Michael Dorgan WeWork, the shared-office leasing company, announced Tuesday that it has entered into a partnership with the Queens Chamber of Commerce to offer its members discounted rent. The company has also entered into a similar deal with the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx Chambers of Commerce as part… Read more »
March 16, 2021 By Christina Santucci A Queens-based non-profit will hold its annual Evening of Fine Food event virtually this year, but attendees will still be able to feast on cuisine from some of borough’s favorite eateries – just at home. The Queens Center for Progress, which serves people with developmental disabilities, has arranged for… Read more »
March 16, 2021 By Christina Santucci A Queens judge dismissed nearly 700 open prostitution cases at the request of District Attorney Melinda Katz Tuesday morning. Queens Acting Supreme Court Justice Toko Serita granted Katz’s request to vacate the open warrants and dismiss the cases pertaining to people who have been charged with loitering for the… Read more »
March 16, 2021 By Allie Griffin Elected officials in Jackson Heights and Elmhurst appear to be divided as to who they want as their next council member. State Senator Jessica Ramos endorsed candidate Carolyn Tran, a single mom and former council staffer, for the District 25 city council race last week. Meanwhile, about a month… Read more »
March 16, 2021 By Michael Dorgan The police have released video footage of a gunman firing off shots into an apartment building in Jackson Heights early Sunday. The video footage captures the suspect entering the courtyard of the building, located in the vicinity of 91st Street and 35th Avenue, he is seen carrying a gun… Read more »
March 16, 2021 By Christina Santucci (updated) Corona, the Queens neighborhood once dubbed “the epicenter of the epicenter” of the pandemic, has the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate in all of New York City. Assemblymembers Catalina Cruz, Jeffrion Aubry and Jessica González-Rojas held a news conference Friday to highlight the disparity in vaccination rates and to… Read more »
March 15, 2021 By Allie Griffin The city is launching a new community-based pilot program to prevent gun violence in five precincts across the city–including the Queens precinct where a 37-year-old woman was killed Friday by a stray bullet. The program, called the Advance Peace Model, will start in July and pair at-risk youth with… Read more »