Oct. 14, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City tested more than 1,500 public school students and educators for COVID-19 last week and found just one positive case — a student. The Department of Education (DOE) began its random testing program in schools on Friday at 56 schools — including seven in Queens — and… Read more »
Oct. 13, 2020 By Allie Griffin The Queens Public Library (QPL) is launching a free online book club so bookworms can connect safely to discuss their latest reads. Members of the book club will read one book every two to three months — with the first being “Hotel Angeline: A Novel in 36 Voices.” QPL… Read more »
Oct. 12, 2020 By Allie Griffin Police are looking for a man who was allegedly involved in three break-ins in Flushing and Whitestone last month. The man allegedly hit two homes in Flushing on Sept. 15 and a third in Whitestone on Sept. 22, police said. He first got inside a home at 23-37 Whitestone… Read more »
Oct. 9, 2020 By Allie Griffin Astoria-native and New York Yankees pitching great Whitey Ford died Thursday night at his home on Long Island. Ford grew up playing ball in the sandlots of Astoria with the neighborhood’s 34th Avenue Boys and went on to spend his entire 16-year professional baseball career as a New York… Read more »
Oct. 9, 2020 By Allie Griffin U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng is concerned that the Jewish community will be targeted by bigots following the outbreak of COVID-19 in a number of ultra-orthodox neighborhoods across the city. Meng — who has herself been subject to anti-Asian vitriol related to the coronavirus outbreak — said leaders must prevent… Read more »
Oct. 9, 2020 By Allie Griffin The Diocese of Brooklyn — which also covers Queens — has slapped Governor Andrew Cuomo and the State of New York with a lawsuit for allegedly violating its First Amendment right to practice religion. The Diocese filed the lawsuit Thursday in Brooklyn federal court in response to Cuomo’s order… Read more »
Oct. 8, 2020 By Allie Griffin City Hall has launched a searchable map where New Yorkers can plug in the address of their home, school, job or favorite local business and find out whether they are located within a COVID shutdown zone. The city created the “COVID-19 Zone Finder” after Governor Andrew Cuomo unveiled a… Read more »
Oct. 8, 2020 By Allie Griffin An additional 33 New York City public schools in parts of Queens and Brooklyn were shut down Thursday for at least two weeks in an eleventh hour move by the city and state. The schools are located within COVID-19 hotpots and were ordered to close by Governor Andrew Cuomo… Read more »
Oct. 8, 2020 By Allie Griffin Forest Hills residents and community leaders are condemning the mixed messages from the city and state on the COVID-19 outbreak in the area. The local community board, Queens Community Board 6, which covers Forest Hills and Rego Park, criticized the lack of clarity — and often conflicting messages —… Read more »
Oct. 7, 2020 By Allie Griffin Nonessential businesses must close tomorrow in specific sections of Queens and Brooklyn that are undergoing a spike in COVID-19 cases, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. The businesses in the coronavirus hotspots must shut their doors–and restaurants are only permitted to be open for takeout–for at least two weeks…. Read more »