Sept. 10, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City straphangers who refuse to wear a mask or face covering will soon face fines of $50, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday. NYPD and MTA officers can begin issuing fines to commuters who refuse to cover their mouth or nose onboard city subways, buses, Long Island Rail… Read more »
Sept. 10, 2020 By Allie Griffin The cost to rent an apartment in Queens has dropped by more than 5 percent from a year ago, according to a new report. The average amount paid to rent a studio, one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartment was down across the board, compared to the same time last year, according… Read more »
Sept. 9, 2020 By Allie Griffin Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) riders will be able to avoid crowded trains by tapping into a new feature on the rail system’s app. LIRR officials unveiled the new feature to the TrainTime app Tuesday that predicts how crowded a specific train will be on a scale of one… Read more »
Sept. 9, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City restaurants will be able to serve patrons indoors at the end of the month, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday. Indoor dining will resume in the city beginning Sept. 30 at a reduced capacity, Cuomo said. Restaurants will be able to seat patrons inside at 25 percent… Read more »
Sep. 9, 2020 By Michael Dorgan A new art project paying homage to public service workers has gone up at subway stations across the city and at the Queens Museum in Corona. The art initiative displays a message of thanks aimed at city staff – particularly sanitation and transit workers – who have kept basic… Read more »
Sept. 9, 2020 By Allie Griffin Governor Andrew Cuomo said New York City must create an enforcement mechanism before indoor dining can make a return. The city must create a plan to enforce and inspect restaurants for COVID-19 compliance before indoor dining can reopen in the Big Apple, he said Tuesday. “If we have the enforcement… Read more »
Sep. 8, 2020 By Michael Dorgan City Comptroller Scott Stringer has announced that he will run in the Democratic Primary for New York City Mayor in 2021. The city’s top fiscal watchdog made the announcement Tuesday and offered a vision for the city’s economic recovery–with a focus on riving small businesses, trimming the budget and… Read more »
Sept. 8, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City has fallen behind on its goal to offer 100,000 free childcare seats when schools reopen for blending learning — with the mayor now saying only 30,000 seats will be available on Sept. 21, the first day of school. The city will build out the program to… Read more »
Sept. 8, 2020 By Allie Griffin Three Queens public schools have been closed for ventilation issues and will remain closed until the systems are made safe for children and teachers, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza announced Tuesday. The schools are among 21 schools spread throughout 10 buildings citywide that were shuttered… Read more »
Sept. 8, 2020 By Allie Griffin A Catholic elementary school in Astoria has hired a new principal with deep ties to the institution who is tasked with reopening the school in the midst of the pandemic. Immaculate Conception Catholic Academy, located at 21-63 29th St, has named Brother Joseph Rocco as its new principal. Rocco… Read more »