March 17, 2022 By Allie Griffin Nearly a dozen council members, including three from Queens, along with scores of community-based groups are pushing back against cuts proposed by the mayor in the preliminary budget he introduced last month. The elected officials and groups said Mayor Eric Adams’ $98.5 billion budget cuts funding to important services… Read more »
March 17, 2022 By Michael Dorgan A large fire tore through a Flushing shopping mall early Thursday that houses around 30 kiosks, according to the FDNY. Firefighters responded to a report of a fire taking place at the one-story mall, located at 40-10 Main St. at around 6 a.m. and quickly upgraded the blaze to… Read more »
March 17, 2022 By Michael Dorgan A 73-year-old Flushing scholar — who helped establish a pro-democracy group in Queens — is one of five defendants who have been charged with spying on Chinese dissidents in the United States. Shujun Wang was arrested Wednesday and charged in Brooklyn federal court for secretly working with the Chinese… Read more »
March 17, 2022 By Christian Murray Several MoneyGram agents—including agents in Flushing—have allegedly processed millions of dollars worth of transactions between New York and China in violation of anti money laundering laws, according to authorities. MoneyGram, a Dallas-based financial services company, has now found itself in the crosshairs of New York State regulators for allegedly… Read more »
This article was originally published by The CITY on March 16, 2022 at 10:05 p.m. By Greg David, THE CITY To the Citizens Budget Commission, the controversial property tax break called 421-a for developers of new rental buildings, including affordable apartments, is essential to increase the city’s too-small housing supply. “Allowing 421-a to lapse would… Read more »
March 16, 2022 By Michael Dorgan A woman who was arrested in Flushing Monday following the fatal stabbing of a well-known Tiananmen Square activist turned immigration lawyer has been charged with murder. Xiao Ning Zhang, 25, was charged at Queens Criminal Court Wednesday for allegedly stabbing attorney Jim Li to death inside his law firm… Read more »
March 16, 2022 By Christian Murray A 75-year-old woman is dead after an octogenarian in a BMW struck her in Oakland Gardens Tuesday while backing out of a garage in a residential parking lot. Georgiana Belfiore, who lived just blocks from the crash site, was killed when an 83-year-old man in a 2021 E350 Mercedes… Read more »
March 15, 2022 By Allie Griffin The twice-convicted politician Hiram Monserrate has launched another run for State Assembly. Monserrate announced earlier this month on Facebook that he is running again for State Assembly District 35 — covering Elmhurst, East Elmhurst and Corona. “I’m on a mission to make sure our voices are heard,” he shared… Read more »
March 15, 2022 By Allie Griffin A Chinese man whose mother died last month after she was brutally assaulted on a North Corona street has secured a visa to the U.S. that will allow him to attend his mom’s funeral. Congress Members Grace Meng and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez both worked on the behalf of Yang Gao,… Read more »
March 15, 2022 By Christian Murray A Japanese restaurant popular for their specialty ramen opened in Bayside last week. Tamashii Ramen–which has restaurants in Astoria, Long Island City and Forest Hills–opened at 40-09 Bell Blvd. on Wednesday taking the space that had been occupied by Mi Tea, which was known for its unique blend of… Read more »