Queens News - Local News

By Jahanara Ullah, PhD,  Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Montefiore School Health Program  Queens Voice  August 20, 2025 NEW YORK  - The transition from summer to school routine is an adjustment that can lead to conflict or trigger anxiety.  Children might be anticipating big changes, such as going to a new school or meeting new teachers. Kids who learn differently might become anxious about keeping up with their academics or fitting in with their peers. Caregivers often struggle to get kids back on an earlier sleep and wake schedule.  Montefiore School Health Program supports caregivers in the back-to-school transition to support the overall well-being of kids and families. Here are some tips that can help you and your child lay the foundation for a successful school year.  1. Start the transition to school-mode e...

  The new Portland Loo bathroom at Joyce Kilmer Park has opened at a cost of $1 million as seen in this. -Photo by David Greene By David Greene  Queens Voice August 13, 2025 NEW YORK - The Parks Department has announced a new pilot program where five new public bathrooms will open across the city. The one Bronx bathroom at Joyce Kilmer Park has opened to mixed reviews—especially after residents learned of the $1 million price tag and patrons could be observed by sickos from outside the bathroom. On July 1, Mayor Eric Adams and NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa announced the installation of five new “Portland Loos” at a cost of $6 million as part of the “ We Outside Summer ” pilot program. A press release about the new program states that the bathrooms “get built faster and for a fraction of the cost.” The Adams Administration plans to spend $150 million in the construction of 46 new bathrooms and renovating 36 existin...

United in Grief - City mourns slain immigrant cop A police officer approaches heckler and pro-Palestinian activist Aldo Rafael Perez at a memorial service for slain NYPD Detective Didarul Islam outside of the 47th Precinct on Laconia Avenue on August 1. -Photo by David Greene By David Greene  Queens Voice  August 12, 2025 NEW YORK  - A somber crowd estimated at 15,000 gathered in Parkchester to say goodbye to Detective First Grade Didarul Islam , 36, who was shot and killed after a deranged man entered a Midtown office building on July 28. Days after the first Muslim NYPD officer to be killed was laid to rest, a pro-Palestinian protester claimed he was arrested at Islam’s memorial—but the NYPD had no record of the arrest. On July 31, members of multiple law enforcement agencies joined members of the NYPD, the Bangladeshi and Parkchester communities as they surrounded Islam’s family who silently walked behin...