Sept. 9, 2021 By Allie Griffin A group of Queens officials who have lived in basement apartments themselves said Wednesday that calls to remove such units are not realistic. Critics who want the city to crack down on illegal basement apartments and end their use say the units are unsafe and lead to overcrowding. They… Read more »
Sept. 9, 2021 By Allie Griffin The NYPD released a gruesome video today of a brazen daylight murder that took place in South Ozone Park Monday. The video shows the fatal shooting of a 46-year-old man who was ambushed and shot in the head by a gunman on South Conduit Avenue Monday morning. The footage… Read more »
Sept. 8, 2021 By Allie Griffin The New York City Sheriff’s Office seized dozens of vehicles with bogus and expired paper license plates in Queens last week. Deputy sheriffs impounded 53 vehicles with counterfeit paper plates on streets in Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood, Woodhaven and Woodside Friday as part of a citywide crackdown. The… Read more »
Sept. 7, 2021 By Allie Griffin President Joseph Biden visited Queens Tuesday to assess the damage from Hurricane Ida and speak to families afflicted by the destructive storm. Biden met with local elected officials in the borough, where 11 people were killed last week when homes, businesses and streets were flooded with several feet of… Read more »
Sept. 7, 2021 By Allie Griffin Thousands of New York City public school students will be able to get vaccinated against COVID-19 right inside their school buildings when classes begin next week. The city is placing pop-up vaccination sites at roughly 700 middle and high schools during the first week of classes, starting Sept. 13…. Read more »
Sept. 7, 2021 By Allie Griffin Community boards can continue to hold their meetings online—at least until January. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law last week that allows boards to hold public meetings and hearings virtually in lieu of the ongoing pandemic. The legislation creates an exception to the state’s Open Meetings Law,… Read more »
Sept. 3, 2021 By Allie Griffin The city will mandate evacuations of basement apartments ahead of future storms after nearly a dozen people drowned in such homes Wednesday. The city will send teams door-to-door to help evacuate New Yorkers living in basements in order to prevent loss of life in future storms, Mayor Bill de… Read more »
Sept. 3, 2021 By Allie Griffin The death toll of Hurricane Ida rose to 13 citywide — including 11 fatalities in Queens — after more bodies were discovered Thursday. The NYPD confirmed the deaths of three more people in a flooded basement apartment in East Flushing just before noon Thursday. Their deaths brought the number… Read more »
Sept. 2, 2021 By Allie Griffin The remnants of Hurricane Ida pummeled Queens with record-shattering rainfall Wednesday night, resulting in the death of eight residents and flood damage to countless homes and businesses across the borough. The storm turned roadways into rivers, created gushing waterfalls in the subway system and filled apartment buildings and businesses… Read more »
Sept. 1, 2021 By Allie Griffin Rental prices in Queens have shot back up to near pre-pandemic levels, according to a new report. The average amount paid to rent a studio, one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartment in the borough was close to what was charged in February 2020 — the last full month prior to the… Read more »