Sept. 21, 2021 By Allie Griffin The city will require weekly COVID-19 testing of students and staff at public schools beginning next week, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday. The Department of Education will increase testing from biweekly to weekly at all public schools beginning Sept. 27. As such, 10 percent of unvaccinated students will… Read more »
Sept. 17, 2021 By Allie Griffin The organizers of a Queens-based film festival will present an $8,000 check to Elmhurst Hospital Monday. The organizers of the annual Queens World Film Festival will donate the money — proceeds from the sale of “hero tickets” to its 11th annual festival held in June — during a ceremony… Read more »
Sept. 17, 2021 By Allie Griffin Con Edison has started a $4 million pilot program in Middle Village that involves moving overhead power lines below ground — as a means to prevent future outages. The energy company announced the program during a Community Board 5 meeting Tuesday and said that it had started work on… Read more »
Sept 16, 2021 By Allie Griffin The Queens Night Market will open for the fall season in Flushing Meadows Corona Park Saturday with a Hurricane Ida relief fundraiser. The organizer of the popular nighttime food festival will collect donations at the door during the season opener to support Queens flood survivors who are unable to… Read more »
Sept. 15, 2021 By Allie Griffin Police exchanged several rounds of fire with a man who was holding his wife—an off-duty NYPD officer—hostage in South Ozone Park Tuesday. Cops shot and wounded the irate man who used his wife’s service weapon to threaten her inside their home on 133rd Avenue near 130th Street. The off-duty… Read more »
Sept. 14, 2021 By Allie Griffin Catholic school students in Queens and Brooklyn have the option to learn fully online, the Diocese said Monday — the same day public school students returned to school with no remote option at all. Elementary and middle school students at Catholic academies across Queens and Brooklyn can attend school… Read more »
Sept. 14, 2021 By Allie Griffin Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer wants to make a pandemic-era program that allows performers to host ticketed events on city streets a permanent fixture in the city. Van Bramer introduced a bill last week to make the temporary “Open Culture” permit program permanent and year-round. The Council’s Committee on… Read more »
Sept. 13, 2021 By Allie Griffin A 23-year-old woman is facing hate crime charges after she was arrested Friday for smashing two statues outside a Forest Hills Catholic Church in July. Officers cuffed local resident Jacqueline Nikiena on charges of criminal mischief as a hate crime and aggravated harassment Friday. Nikiena was caught on camera… Read more »
Sept. 10, 2021 By Allie Griffin The LaGuardia AirTrain project is likely to be the world’s most expensive transit project per rider in history, according to a new report. The $2.1 billion project — a 1.5 mile rail line linking LaGuardia Airport to the 7 train and Long Island Rail Road at Willets Point —… Read more »
Sept. 10, 2021 By Allie Griffin Saturday marks two decades since the collapse of the Twin Towers and the loss of 2,977 people on a day forever etched into New Yorkers’ memories. Many organizations are hosting ceremonies and vigils to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and honor the lives lost that day. Here’s where… Read more »