July 2, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City public schools will reopen for the new school year in September, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. City schools have been closed since March and instruction was moved online given the coronavirus pandemic. School buildings will reopen for in-person classes on the first day of school…. Read more »
July 1, 2020 By Christian Murray A development team plans to rezone five city blocks on the border of Long Island City and Astoria in order to erect more than a dozen buildings that would consist of 2,700 apartments, a school, as well as retail and office space. The real estate team—comprised of Silverstein Properties,… Read more »
July 1, 2020 By Allie Griffin New Yorkers will have to wait a little longer to grab a bite to eat indoors. The reopening of indoor dining at New York City restaurants has been postponed indefinitely, both Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today. New York City was poised to reopen indoor… Read more »
July 1, 2020 By Allie Griffin The City Council passed the mayor’s executive budget that included deep cuts to the NYPD last night, as protesters cried to “defund the NYPD” outside City Hall. The council passed the $88.1 billion budget with a 32-to-17 vote around midnight, just before the July 1, 2021 fiscal year began…. Read more »
July 1, 2020 By Michael Dorgan A hit-and-run driver who fled the scene of a fatal crash in Middle Village Wednesday has been arrested for manslaughter and other charges. Ramon Pena, 37, drove a stolen 2006 Isuzu box truck and crashed into another vehicle just before 1 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Metropolitan Avenue… Read more »
July 1, 2020 By Michael Dorgan The MTA has rolled out vending machines across select city subway stations that dispense COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE). The new machines offers face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes. There are 10 machines in Manhattan and just one machine in both Queens and Brooklyn. The agency wants… Read more »
June 30, 2020 By Allie Griffin Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a municipal budget deal that would cut NYPD funding by $1 billion and redistribute much of it to support youth services and public housing residents. The City Council will vote on the new $88.1 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2021 — which begins July… Read more »
June 30, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Mayor Bill de Blasio is looking to reduce funding to the NYPD by up to $1.5 billion in the city’s 2021 fiscal budget. The mayor is calling for a $1 billion cut from the NYPD’s operating budget and another $500 million cut in capital funding. The lost capital funds… Read more »
June 29, 2020 By Christian Murray The city’s plan to allow bars and restaurants to reopen their indoor space next week is now being called in question. The sudden uptick in COVID-19 cases in other U.S. states has been linked to indoor dining, causing the mayor and governor to rethink the reopening timeline in New… Read more »
June 29, 2020 By Christian Murray The city has released a new map that provides the public with a list of restaurants across the five boroughs offering outdoor dining. The Department of Transportation has posted the map online–called “NYC Open Restaurants“—that provides a growing list of the more than 6,200 restaurants now offer outdoor dining…. Read more »