May. 16, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Nearly 1,000 people have signed an online petition opposing plans to convert a former Catholic convent in East Elmhurst into a mental health crisis facility for children and teenagers, citing concerns over safety, communication missteps and potential future use of the site. The petition was launched in March…
May. 15, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas has welcomed the inclusion of universal school meals in the recently-approved state budget, stating that every New York student will now have access to free breakfast and lunch regardless of their family’s income. The recently-approved New York State Budget allocates $340 million for school…
Apr. 23, 2025 By sobrien April 23, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas joined fellow lawmakers, legal experts and survivors of sexual assault on Tuesday to call for the passage of the Speak Your Truth Act, legislation aimed at protecting survivors who speak publicly about abuse from retaliatory defamation lawsuits. At a…
Mar. 3, 2025 By sobrien March 3, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas joined fellow lawmakers and anti-hunger groups in Albany on Tuesday to call for a state budget that addresses New York’s hunger crisis by increasing minimum SNAP benefits and funding healthy school meals for all students, among other initiatives. González-Rojas…
Feb. 18, 2025 By sobrien Feb. 18, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas joined advocates and fellow legislators at a rally urging the passage of legislation to combat SNAP fraud by creating a victims’ compensation fund and transitioning New York State to chip-enabled EBT cards. González-Rojas, who represents New York’s 34th District—including Astoria, Corona, East… Read more »
Feb. 14, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Following the dismissal of federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, elected officials across Queens have called for his removal from office. The Department of Justice’s decision to drop the case has raised concerns among prominent Democrats, who allege that President Donald Trump now holds…
Feb. 10, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Elected officials, unions and community organizations across Queens have slammed Mayor Eric Adams in response to reports that the Mayor’s office distributed a memo to city agencies suggesting that they should let ICE agents enter municipal facilities without a warrant if staff “reasonably feel threatened” or fear for…
Jan. 29, 2025 By Shane O’Brien A number of Queens officials have criticized the Trump administration for introducing a funding freeze for many federal assistance programs, including aid to nonprofits, universities, small business loans, and government grants. The federal funding freeze, which was temporarily blocked by U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan minutes before…
Jan. 24, 2025 By sobrien Jan. 24, 2025 By Shane O’Brien A coalition of New York social workers rallied in Albany on Wednesday in support of the Social Work Workforce Act, sponsored by Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas. The legislation seeks to repeal the exam requirement for applicants pursuing licensure as master social workers. The Social… Read more »
Jan. 21, 2025 By sobrien Jan. 21, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Elected officials in Queens have sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s first day in office, condemning the flurry of executive orders he signed immediately after his inauguration. The sweeping directives, many of which target immigration, environmental policy, and social issues, have sparked outrage from the… Read more »