Women in Astoria and Elmhurst are paying closer attention to their surroundings after a woman was followed into her building at 31st Avenue and 29h Street and choked into unconsciousness and then sexually assaulted. The October 20 incident was the second to take place in Queens; a woman was assaulted in the same way in the vicinity of 50th Avenue and 96th Street in Elmhurst on October 1. The first assault happened at about 9:50 p.m. and the second at about 11:45 p.m. More...

Mayor Michael Bloomberg won the chance to run for a third term Thursday when the City Council, in a 29-to-22 vote opted to change the law that would have forced Bloomberg and many councilmembers out of office at the end of 2009. The council vote means that as well as Bloomberg, most of the 51 councilmembers, the public advocate, the comptroller and four of the five borough presidents will be able to seek a third four-year term. More...