June 23, 2020 By Allie Griffin Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Monday that her office has formed a violent crimes bureau to prosecute street gangs, drug traffickers and firearms dealers. The newly-created Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau combines the former Narcotics Investigations and Gang Violence bureaus. The unit focuses on identifying organized criminal activity in… Read more »
June 22, 2020 By Allie Griffin Playgrounds opened for New York City children today, but Big Apple pups will have to wait longer to play inside public dog runs. Playgrounds reopened today as the city entered Phase Two of the reopening plan, while other defined spaces inside city parks remain closed — including dog runs… Read more »
June 22, 2020 Staff Report New York City entered Phase 2 of its reopening plan today. Restaurants, barbershops, retail stores and offices are all able to reopen, although subject to restrictions. Up to 300,000 more people are expected to return to work starting today. This is in addition to the hundreds of thousands who were… Read more »
June 19, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Council Member Danny Dromm has condemned the actions of a large group of protesters who demonstrated outside his home Thursday afternoon. Around 100 Democratic Socialists converged outside his apartment building in Jackson Heights and demanded that the NYPD budget be slashed in half, Dromm said. The protesters were yelling… Read more »
June 19, 2020 By Allie Griffin A street safety advocacy group is calling on the mayor to redistribute a portion of the NYPD budget to the Department of Transportation (DOT) and shift traffic enforcement away from police officers. Transportation Alternatives released a report Friday in which its members argue that police enforcement of traffic laws… Read more »
June 19, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Police are searching for a driver who struck a 26-year-old pedestrian in Glendale early Thursday morning. The hit-and-run happened around 1:15 a.m. when the victim was crossing from east to west on Woodhaven Boulevard, near the intersection with Myrtle Avenue, police said. The victim was struck by an unidentified… Read more »
June 18, 2020 By Christian Murray Two resolutions were introduced before the city council Thursday calling for the governor to remove Mayor Bill de Blasio from office. Council Member Eric Ulrich, a Queens Republican, introduced a resolution seeking the mayor’s ouster for allegedly not keeping the city safe during recent protests. Meanwhile, Carlos Menchaca, a… Read more »
June 18, 2020 By Allie Griffin Queens leaders celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision today blocking President Donald Trump from ending the DACA program. The Court ruled, 5-4, that Trump cannot terminate the “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” or DACA program that protects people unlawfully brought into the country as young children from deportation. The news… Read more »
June 18, 2020 By Christian Murray New York State faces a $14 billion deficit and more than 100 state legislators—including 18 from Queens—have pledged that they will not approve spending cuts unless taxes are raised on the wealthy. The legislators are upset that Governor Andrew Cuomo does not want to raise taxes on the wealthy… Read more »
June 18, 2020 By Allie Griffin New Yorkers will be able to dine out at their local restaurants Monday, as New York City begins the next phase of reopening. Mayor Bill de Blasio confirmed today that the five boroughs will enter Phase Two of the state’s reopening plan Monday, noting that restaurants will be able… Read more »