Queens News - Local News

By Mayor Eric Adams Op-Ed  Queens Voice  November 4, 2024  NEW YORK - Recently, I was with community leaders and senior officials in our administration on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, which is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in our city. It is where New Yorkers from all over the world come to live, work, raise their families, and strive for the American Dream.  However, Roosevelt Avenue — a major thoroughfare with the 7 train running above it — has become a site of crime, disorder, and exploitation as illegal brothels, illicit vendors, and unlicensed food carts have taken over and quality-of-life offenses have skyrocketed.   It was not my first-time visiting the neighborhood. In January, I was there as we shut down 12 illegal brothels. And year to date, the NYPD has made over 3,000 arrests and issued over 9,500 summonses in the area. But we know arrests and summonses alone won’t get the job done, and that we must bring together partners from across government to address the chall

By Julia Morrill  Queens Voice  November 3, 2024 An infectious disease expert explains the symptoms of Mycoplasma pneumonia, which has seen an unusual uptick among young kids. This article originally in NewYork-Presbyterian Health Matters. NEW YORK - A surge in cases of Mycoplasma pneumonia, commonly known as walking pneumonia, among young kids has raised concern about the respiratory infection.  An advisory from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week reported a rise in all age groups since the late spring through the fall, with a notable increase in the percentage of children between ages 2 and 4 (from 1% to 7.2%). In previous years, most infections were observed among school-aged children and adolescents. Mycoplasma pneumonia is caused by a type of bacteria called Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and it typically spreads in the spring and summer. An estimated 2 million infections occur each year in the U.S., according to the CDC. It is sometimes referred to as walking

Gunman Opens Fire on Quiet Block The NYPD is searching for this man in connection with a shooting on a quiet block in Hollis. -Photo by NYPD By Dan Gesslein Queens Voice November 2, 2024 QUEENS - Cops are looking for a shooter who is no slave to fashion. The suspected gunman who opened fire on a residential street, was wearing a jacket that looked like a Hefty Bag.  The NYPD released surveillance video of a man who opened fire on a quiet street in Hollis, Queens.  At around 8:45 pm on October 26, a man dressed in black pulled out a gun and fired across the street from 191-24 Hollis Avenue, cops said. The gunman then ran away.  Investigators did not state who the intended target was. 

Sheriff Anthony Miranda has repeatedly overruled a city tribunal that rejected cases alleging stores illegally sold pot. A Queens Supreme Court justice ruled both the enforcement law and his actions unconstitutional. By Rosalind Adams , and Haidee Chu This article originally appeared in The City. NEW YORK - Scores of shuttered cannabis shops across New York City may have a new opportunity to challenge closure orders issued by Sheriff Anthony Miranda and potentially reopen, after a judge ruled on Tuesday that a recently enacted local padlock law didn’t provide sufficient due process. City and state officials vowed shut-downs will continue and, in interviews, lawyers and officials agreed that the ruling won’t do much to challenge the law in its entirety in the short term.  Operation Padlock to Protect, launched in May, sent sheriff and NYPD officers to inspect stores and order them closed for as long as a year for unlicensed cannabis sales.  Under the law authorizing the operat

Preliminary design work is next step for a new light rail line championed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. By Jose Martinez This article originally appeared in The City. NEW YORK - The next step for a proposed light-rail transit line between Brooklyn and Queens along 14 miles of existing freight tracks will be preliminary design work, MTA officials said Tuesday. The Interborough Express, a rail link between Bay Ridge and Jackson Heights, would have 19 stops and connect to 17 subway lines and the Long Island Rail Road. The MTA also said it is looking at potentially using an existing tunnel beneath a Queens cemetery instead of running street-level service in Middle Village. “We’re taking an underutilized train line, [which] basically gets one freight train a day, and turning it into something which is transformative for so many New Yorkers,” said MTA CEO Janno Lieber in announcing the request for design proposals. “It makes no sense that the 5 million people who live in Brooklyn and Queens

Polls are Open! By Eric Adams  OpEd  Manhattan Voice  October 30, 2024   NEW YORK - Voting is the bedrock of our democracy — it shapes the kind of city, state, and nation we become. The stakes of this year's election could not be higher, and New Yorkers have the chance to make their voices heard on Tuesday November 5 th .   The polls will be open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM on Election Day. If you can’t make it on Tuesday the 5 th to vote, you can vote early in-person! Early voting has already started at 155 locations in New York City, and polls will be open through Sunday, November 3 rd .  Your poll site may have changed, so it’s important to check your location and its hours before you vote online at nycvotes.org .   The outcome of these elections will affect you and your family’s future, our economy, education, health care, and so much more. And in every single race, your vote matters — from president and vice president to your members of Congress and state representat