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 »
March 15, 2021 By Allie Griffin The New York Blood Center is hosting a series of blood drives across the five boroughs this month in honor of two young brothers from Queens Village — who were both born with a rare blood disease. The drives, which run from March 13 through March 31, will be… Read more »
March 15, 2021 By Christina Santucci Queens Borough President Donovan Richards joined the growing chorus of New York officials calling for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to step down — following allegations that the governor harassed several women. Richards, in a joint statement issued with Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, said Saturday that Cuomo should resign. The… Read more »
March 15, 2021 By Michael Dorgan A pedestrian is dead after being struck by a turning vehicle on Queens Boulevard on Friday. Jaipaul Persaud, 55, died Sunday two days after being hit by a driver of a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, as he tried to cross at the intersection of Queens Boulevard and 84th Drive at… Read more »
March 15, 2021 By Christina Santucci St. Patrick’s Day is this week and the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District has partnered with a neighborhood group to highlight what local bars and restaurants will be offering on the big day. The promotion includes a series of videos, in which Sunnyside resident Ty Sullivan interviews the owners… Read more »
March 15, 2021 By Christina Santucci Police are looking for a knife-wielding assailant who slashed and stabbed a 24-year-old man in Woodside Friday evening. The attacker approached the victim near 67-18 Roosevelt Ave. at about 5:30 p.m. and then pulled out a knife. He then slashed the 24-year-old in the hand and stabbed him in… Read more »
March 14, 2021 By Christina Santucci The family of a woman shot and killed in Astoria Friday night has received a massive outpouring of support with more than $23,000 raised for them in less than a day A GoFundMe page was launched by the family of Gudelia Vallinas, 37, who was tragically killed by a… Read more »
March 12, 2021 By Christian Murray Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, a candidate for Queens Borough President, will change the make-up of community boards by appointing younger, more diverse members–if elected. He said that nearly two-thirds of the members on the 14 community boards in Queens are over the age of 55, and the boards… Read more »
March 12, 2021 By Allie Griffin Governor Andrew Cuomo refused to step down Friday despite mounting calls for his resignation from powerful federal lawmakers after six women accused him of sexual harassment. The vast majority of the Democratic members of New York’s congressional delegation — including several from Queens — called for Cuomo to resign… Read more »