Sep. 12, 2025 By Shane O’Brien The Diocese of Brooklyn has announced that the Church of the Transfiguration in Maspeth will remain open on a “limited basis” following reports that the church was set to be closed down earlier in the summer. The church, located at 64-25 Perry Ave., has stood as a historic…
Sep. 8, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Wonder, a “fast-fine” virtual food hall aiming to connect New Yorkers with high-quality restaurants from around the country, is set to open its doors in Ridgewood later this month, provoking a flurry of criticism from local residents who contend that the location will impact independent businesses in the…
Aug. 25, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Council Member Robert Holden has condemned anti-ICE graffiti that appeared on the Kosciuszko Bridge last week, warning that “dangerous rhetoric will end in tragedy.” The graffiti, which appeared on a pedestrian walkway on the Kosciuszko Bridge on Friday, Aug. 22, promoted “death to all ICE agents,” prompting a…
Jul. 31, 2025 By Athena Dawson Residents of Middle Village are reeling after a four-alarm fire destroyed a strip of local businesses. On the evening of July 28, firefighters battled the fire on Dry Harbor Road, which ripped through seven one-story commercial buildings. The fire was believed to have started in the cockloft of 64-76…
Jul. 23, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Council Member Robert Holden described the acquittal of New York City carriage driver Ian McKeever as a “travesty of justice” after McKeever was cleared of animal cruelty charges related to the collapse of a horse in August 2022. Prosecutors had argued that McKeever relentlessly drove the horse —…
Jul. 22, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Community Education Council 24 (CEC 24) is set to vote on a resolution that would call on the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to deny an application for a new cannabis dispensary in Maspeth, which CEC members contend is slated to open within 500 feet of an entrance…
Jul. 18, 2025 By Shane O’Brien More than 700 people have signed an online petition opposing the proposed closure of Maspeth’s Church of the Transformation, while others are currently attempting to prevent any sale by securing landmark status for the Roman Catholic church built by the Lithuanian community in the 1960s. The church, also…
Jul. 10, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Council Member Robert Holden has strongly criticized the city’s Charter Revision Commission (CRC) after the commission outlined a series of proposals that would “fast track” affordable housing across the city and “simplify” reviews of housing and infrastructure projects in an interim report released at the beginning of July.…
Jul. 7, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Elected officials across Queens have criticized the Trump Administration and Republican lawmakers for passing the “One Big Beautiful Bill” last week, stating that the federal budget bill will have “dangerous and rippling effects” across New York City and State. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law on…
Jul. 2, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Council Member Robert Holden has criticized Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Council Finance Chair Justin Brannan for “neglecting” veterans in the recently passed FY2026 Budget. Holden, Chair of the City’s Committee on Veterans, criticized the budget for not allocating a “single dollar in additional investment” to veterans services…