July 1, 2020 By Michael Dorgan The MTA has rolled out vending machines across select city subway stations that dispense COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE). The new machines offers face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes. There are 10 machines in Manhattan and just one machine in both Queens and Brooklyn. The agency wants… Read more »
June 30, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Mayor Bill de Blasio is looking to reduce funding to the NYPD by up to $1.5 billion in the city’s 2021 fiscal budget. The mayor is calling for a $1 billion cut from the NYPD’s operating budget and another $500 million cut in capital funding. The lost capital funds… Read more »
June 30, 2020 By Michael Dorgan The New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) has announced that it will not reopen until the middle of next year due to concerns surrounding COVID-19. NYSCI will only reopen when it is safe to do so — and when additional preventative measures become available, Margaret Honey, President, and CEO… Read more »
June 27, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Several Queens lawmakers have called on the mayor to redistribute NYPD funds into the Parks Department in order to increase the role of Park Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officers at city parks. The legislators want the NYPD – whose relationship with the public has been strained in recent weeks –… Read more »
June 25, 2020 By Michael Dorgan The Queens Public Library (QPL) has announced that it will reopen some of its local branches on July 13 with restrictions. Seven locations will be open to the public for pickups and returns while nine additional sites will accept returns, President and CEO of Queens Public Library Dennis Walcott… Read more »
June 24, 2020 By Michael Dorgan City beaches will be open to the public for swimming from July 1, Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced. Public beaches have remained closed all summer due to the coronavirus pandemic but the number of cases continues to fall. “It is now safe to open the city’s 14 miles… Read more »
June 23, 2020, By Michael Dorgan Western Queens residents have been subject to a barrage of illegal fireworks in recent weeks that are being set off at all hours of the day and night. Residents who live near the Long Island City waterfront or by Astoria Park say they are being kept awake by the… Read more »
June 23, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced the establishment of a multi-agency task force to crack down on illegal fireworks sales. The move comes after a spike in illegal fireworks usage that has plagued city neighborhoods in recent weeks. The new task force will be made up of NYPD Intelligence Bureau… Read more »
June 23, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced that a virtual graduation ceremony will take place for the city’s high school students next week. The ceremony for the class of 2020 will be held on June 30 at 7 p.m. and will be streamed online and broadcast on local TV, the… Read more »
June 19, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Council Member Danny Dromm has condemned the actions of a large group of protesters who demonstrated outside his home Thursday afternoon. Around 100 Democratic Socialists converged outside his apartment building in Jackson Heights and demanded that the NYPD budget be slashed in half, Dromm said. The protesters were yelling… Read more »