The voting for the fourth year of participatory budgeting in northeast Queens officially begins running Saturday, April 7 through Sunday, April 15. In last year’s cycle, Council Member Vallone was proud to allocate over $1 million in funding to projects that the community determined and voted for. For a second straight year, Council Member Vallone’s district brought in the most […]
Tenants’ Rights Roundtable
Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx) was joined by New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman on March 26 to discuss tenants’ rights with local renters and activists at Woodside on the Move in Woodside. During the roundtable, participants asked Crowley and Schneiderman about their efforts to combat the practices of predatory landlords and expand […]
QCYD Announces Change in Leadership
Queens County Young Democrats (QCYD) has announced, effective immediately, its new leadership with Dori Ann Pliska as president and Breeana Mulligan as executive vice president. Adrian Drepaul, who was elected president with the rest of the board in an uncontested race last month (see QGazette.com, March 7, 2018 issue), has resigned due to personal reasons. QCYD is now one of […]
Rape Kit Preservation Bill Is Now Law
The 2018-2019 State Budget finalized in the early morning hours of April 1 included Assembly Member Aravella Simotas’ legislation ensuring sexual assault survivors greater opportunity to seek justice by preventing the premature destruction of sexual assault evidence kits, commonly referred to as rape kits. Under the new law, the rape kits must be preserved for 20 years. Assembly Member Simotas […]
How to Choose a Memory Care Unit
Dear Savvy Senior, My mom has Alzheimer’s disease and has gotten to the point that she can’t live at home any longer. I need to find a good memory care residential unit for her but could use some help. Any suggestions? Exhausted Daughter Dear Exhausted, Choosing a good memory care residential unit for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease is […]
Student Forum On Gun Safety Held At Local High School
Congress Member Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) joined gun violence prevention advocates and New York City students for a listening session on gun safety in schools. The students voiced their concerns and asked a panel of experts questions about how to get involved in the fight against gun violence. The panel included Debbie Weir, Senior Managing Director at Everytown for Gun […]
Happy Orthodox Easter!
Orthodox Christians, and many Greeks in particular, have not yet celebrated Easter—not until this Sunday, April 8, which is Eastern Orthodox Easter. The Orthodox community in Queens is largely represented by Greeks, who, as we discussed in a recent editorial, just celebrated Greece’s independence, which was timed to coincide with another major Christian holiday, the Annunciation. Compared to Western Christian […]
Our New ‘Angel In The Infield’
Fans were still anxiously awaiting the Mets’ Opening Day even though it came a bit earlier than usual, on Thursday, March 29, because the Mets will have a few more days off this season. The game was an auspicious opener, considering the Mets defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 9-4. However, it was bittersweet in that we simultaneously had to say […]
Letters to the Editor
Benefits Hotel Owners To The Editor: I cannot believe the Mayor’s administration still talks about the use of hotel rooms as a means of helping homeless individuals, including children. Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision to spend $1.1 billion of taxpayer money over the next three years to continue to house homeless New Yorkers in commercial hotels is not only wrong, […]
MTA’S Freedom Ticket A Classic Bait-And-Switch
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) “Freedom Ticket” program is gearing up to become a broken promise that represents a classic bait-and-switch on Queens. In a transit desert like Queens, residents greatly rely on buses and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to get around. The problem is that New York City buses—at $2.75 a ride—are notoriously unreliable and overburdened. The […]