April 2, 2020 By Christian Murray The New York State legislature reached a budget agreement yesterday that includes a provision that will legalize the operation of most e-bicycles and e-scooters. The new legislation is similar to what State Sen. Jessica Ramos and Assembly Member Nily Rozic championed in 2019 that Governor Andrew Cuomo did not… Read more »
April 2, 2020 By Allie Griffin Corona, the Queens neighborhood that shares the same name as the horrid virus, has the most COVID-19 cases in New York City — with nearly 1,000 cases in its zip code, according to newly released data. Elmhurst has the second greatest number of cases and Jackson Heights is high… Read more »
April 1, 2020 By Allie Griffin Governor Andrew Cuomo will shut down all New York City playgrounds to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, he announced today. The order comes after Mayor Bill de Blasio resisted a mass closure and opted to shut down specific playgrounds where social distancing was not being observed. However, at… Read more »
Op-ed: April 1, 2020 By State Sen. Mike Gianaris America is facing an unprecedented public health crisis which will soon become an unprecedented economic and housing crisis. With rents due April 1 and jobless claims expected to pass 3.5 million this week, we could see millions evicted from apartments, homes foreclosed upon, and small businesses… Read more »
April 1, 2020 By Michael Dorgan A New York City artist has erected “Thank You” signs outside various city hospitals – including Elmhurst Hospital – to show his appreciation for frontline staff battling the COVID-19 spread. Scott LoBaido, a Staten Island native who has been creating patriotic art for 25 years, said he wanted to… Read more »
March 31, 2020 By Allie Griffin The 350-bed temporary hospital that will takeover a portion of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will be used as an overflow facility to specifically help the heavily-burdened Elmhurst Hospital. The beds will begin serving non-ICU coronavirus patients next week, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today at the… Read more »
March 31, 2020 By Allie Griffin A portion of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the home of the U.S. Open, will be converted into a 350-bed temporary hospital as the coronavirus pandemic strains New York City’s hospital system. The Flushing Meadows Corona Park arena will begin its conversion Tuesday, a spokesperson for the… Read more »
March 31, 2020, By Michael Dorgan Mayor Bill De Blasio has announced that the city – in partnership with FEMA – will get an additional 250 ambulances and around 500 extra EMTs and paramedics to help meet the spike in demand for emergency services. The extra resources will increase medical transport capacity between medical sites… Read more »
March 31, 2020 By Allie Griffin The Queens Borough President special election finally has a set date — June 23, 2020. The election, which was originally slated for March 24, was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, but wasn’t given a new date until yesterday when Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order. June 23… Read more »
March 30, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York’s five district attorneys and the special narcotics prosecutor said the mayor’s office has put forward the names of several dangerous inmates for release–in his attempt to stop the outbreak of coronavirus in city jails. The head prosecutors said the mayor and the Department of Corrections had suggested… Read more »