June 23, 2020, By Michael Dorgan Western Queens residents have been subject to a barrage of illegal fireworks in recent weeks that are being set off at all hours of the day and night. Residents who live near the Long Island City waterfront or by Astoria Park say they are being kept awake by the… Read more »
June 23, 2020 By Christian Murray A Queens man was exonerated today after spending 25 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. Samuel Brownridge, 45, was cleared of the crime after being convicted in 1995 for an execution-style shooting in St. Albans. The murder conviction was vacated this afternoon after the Queens… Read more »
June 23, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced the establishment of a multi-agency task force to crack down on illegal fireworks sales. The move comes after a spike in illegal fireworks usage that has plagued city neighborhoods in recent weeks. The new task force will be made up of NYPD Intelligence Bureau… Read more »
June 23, 2020 By Allie Griffin Alternate side parking rules will be cut to once per week across the entire city for a one-week pilot beginning Monday — in what could well become a permanent change. The city will cut street cleaning and alternate side parking rules to once a week on streets where they… Read more »
June 23, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced that a virtual graduation ceremony will take place for the city’s high school students next week. The ceremony for the class of 2020 will be held on June 30 at 7 p.m. and will be streamed online and broadcast on local TV, the… Read more »
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 »