Author: Allie Griffin

Queens Public Library Eliminates Late Fees

Queens Public Library at Ridgewood (Google Maps)

Oct. 5, 2021 By Allie Griffin The city’s three public library systems—Queens, Brooklyn and New York—are eliminating late fees and scraping all users’ existing balances. The libraries have suspended late fees since March 2020 due to the pandemic and announced Tuesday that they will permanently end late charges — which have been in place since… Read more »

Dozens of Queens Residents Rally for Reproductive Rights Outside Borough Hall

Oct. 4, 2021 By Allie Griffin Dozens of Queens residents rallied for reproductive rights outside Queens Borough Hall Saturday as part of a nationwide day of action for abortion justice. The rally — and more than 600 similar protests across the country — was organized in response to the recent Texas law that effectively bans… Read more »

Queens Student Fights to Make Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha State Holidays

Oct. 4, 2021 By Allie Griffin A Queens college student and organizer is fighting for New York state to make Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha public holidays. Tanbir Chowdhury, a 20-year-old Jamaica resident and John Jay College student, is calling on state legislators to sign onto to a bill to make the Muslim holidays —… Read more »

Popular Manhattan BBQ Restaurant to Open First Queens Location in Forest Hills

Sept. 29, 2021 By Allie Griffin A Long Island resident is bringing a popular Manhattan barbeque restaurant to several locations In Queens with the first opening in Forest Hills this year. Michael Dolan, who left his corporate job in 2019 after working 14 years in finance to break into the restaurant industry, is opening a… Read more »

Public School Teachers and Staff Must Get Vaccinated by End of Friday: Mayor

Sept. 28, 2021 By Allie Griffin New York City public school teachers and staff must get at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of Friday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday. De Blasio moved the deadline to 5 p.m. Friday after a federal appeals court lifted an injunction that had temporarily… Read more »

City Invests $26 Million to Finish Queens Museum Expansion Project

Sept. 23, 2021 By Allie Griffin The city has allocated $26.4 million for the Queens Museum to complete its expansion project which includes a children’s museum space, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday. The investment enables the Queens Museum to create a dedicated children’s museum space, secure artwork storage and additional classrooms — all features… Read more »