Oct 29, 2021, By Alex Zimmerman, Chalkbeat New York Enrollment in the nation’s largest school system has dropped roughly 1.9 percent this school year, according to preliminary figures released Friday by the education department. Roughly 938,000 students are enrolled in New York City’s public schools, down from about 955,000 last school year, when the system… Read more »
Nov. 1, 2021 By Allie Griffin More than 2,000 firefighters have called in ‘sick’ as the city’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate took effect Monday. More than half of the 2,300 who didn’t show up for work are believed to be unvaccinated, NBC News reported, and are apparently protesting the city’s vaccine mandate for its public workers…. Read more »
Oct. 29, 2021 By Allie Griffin Council Member Robert Holden has called on the NYPD to become more proactive in towing illegally parked cars in western Queens. Holden penned a letter to Police Commissioner Dermot Shea Thursday demanding that the NYPD step up its enforcement in his district that covers Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood… Read more »
Oct. 29, 2021 By Michael Dorgan Queens Tech Night, a free networking and community-building event for techies, will return for a meet-up in Long Island City next month – with a slightly different twist. The event will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 3 at a new advanced manufacturing facility inside… Read more »
Oct. 27, 2021 By Christian Murray A Bronx man who allegedly shot three men—one fatally—outside a Kew Gardens hotel in the early hours of Jan. 1 has been indicted on murder and attempted-murder charges, according to the Queens District Attorney’s office. Richard Swgert, 19, allegedly killed a 20-year-old Rosedale man and injured two others after… Read more »
Oct. 26, 2021 By Christian Murray A 3-acre park in Elmhurst is going to be getting a facelift—with funds coming via a city program that invests in neglected parks and playgrounds. The mayor announced Tuesday that the city will be investing $425 million over the next 10 years in the Community Parks Initiative, a program… Read more »
Oct. 26, 2021 By Allie Griffin A beloved music teacher at an Astoria Catholic school was fired from his teaching position earlier this month after the diocese learned he married his longtime boyfriend. Matthew LaBanca was let go from both his teaching position at St. Joseph Catholic Academy and his position as the music director… Read more »
Oct. 22, 2021 By Allie Griffin A Queens grand jury indicted a Jamaica man on hate crime charges for allegedly attacking Muslim New Yorkers in three separate incidents over the summer. Naved Durrni, 30, was indicted and arraigned Friday on robbery, assault as a hate crime and other charges in Queens Supreme Court. Durrni, of… Read more »
This article was originally published by The CITY on Oct. 5, 2021, 7:45 p.m. BY Rachel Holliday Smith and Samantha Maldonado The city is not just choosing a new mayor in November. This fall, New York voters must also decide on five proposed changes to the state constitution. Five ballot proposals are up for a vote… Read more »
Oct 20, 2021 By Michael Dorgan A Brooklyn man whose attempted robbery of a T-Mobile store in Richmond Hill resulted in a cop being shot dead pleaded guilty to manslaughter Wednesday, according to the Queens District Attorney’s office. Christopher Ransom, 30, was holding up the store with another suspect in 2019 when police were called… Read more »