Local Politics · Queens County
Queens residents vote in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. The ballot includes the governor's race between incumbent Kathy Hochul and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, 11 state and five congressional contests, judicial races, and five charter amendment proposals from the Commission on Government Efficiency. Early voting saw 95,982 Queens residents cast ballots in the first six days, roughly 4,500 more than the same period in the last general election. Voters can find their polling sites at findmypollsite.vote.nyc.
Local Politics · New York, NY
Mayor Zohran Mamdani sent a letter Monday to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and ICE officials demanding federal agents stop using city-owned parking lots in the Bronx and Queens for immigration enforcement staging without authorization. Reports identified agent activity at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx and along 111th Street near Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, where lots sit adjacent to a city-run preschool and cultural institutions. Mamdani cited a February executive order barring non-city law enforcement from using municipal parking lots as staging grounds without a judicial warrant. The administration also announced new Parks Department protocols requiring workers to verify federal agents' credentials, contact agency attorneys, and refrain from granting access to restricted areas absent proper authorization.
Crime · Queens County
Ashram Lochan, 32, of Beach 45th Street in Edgemere was sentenced Oct. 30 to 19 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter for directing his cousin Jovan Young to shoot at neighbor Kyle Forrester during a dispute over a shared driveway on June 5, 2021. The gunfire struck Forrester and killed his 10-year-old nephew Justin Wallace, who was standing inside the doorway of his uncle's home. Young, 34, of Beach Channel Drive, was sentenced Oct. 23 to 24 years for firing the shots. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz called the killing "a profoundly senseless act of gun violence" and expressed hope the sentences bring closure to Wallace's family and community.
Crime · Queens County
The NYPD padlocked a building at 37-45 75th St. in Jackson Heights on Oct. 28 after a court found it violated New York’s nuisance abatement law. The alleged brothel, located across from Councilmember Shekar Krishnan’s office, had been operating despite previous police raids and community protests. Following the closure, 13 individuals were arrested for patronizing sex workers nearby. Local officials and the Restore Roosevelt Avenue coalition continue to advocate for stricter enforcement mechanisms against prostitution in Western Queens.
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Community News · Queens County
Queens Botanical Garden in Downtown Flushing received $12 million in state funding to construct two new greenhouses, replacing 1960s-era structures that lost heat during a January 2026 cold snap and killed hundreds of tropical plants. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie committed $10 million initially, with an additional $2 million announced at an Oct. 30 event organized by Assembly Member Nily Rozic. The new greenhouses will be relocated to the park's boundary, feature state-of-the-art climate technology, and be partially open to the public and ADA-accessible. QBG Executive Director Evie Hantzopolous said the aging structures posed safety hazards for staff, including tripping risks from cracked pathways.
Local Politics · Queens County
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined Gov. Kathy Hochul at Murphy's sports bar in Astoria on Sunday afternoon to watch the first half of a Buffalo Bills game and reach out to Queens voters two days before Tuesday's gubernatorial election. The event marked the first time Ocasio-Cortez campaigned in person with Hochul during her re-election bid against Republican nominee Bruce Blakeman. Inside the bar, where most press members were prevented from entering, the lawmakers discussed party unity and criticized Rep. Haley Stevens' endorsement of a Michigan Republican Senate candidate. Mamdani said he has not discussed tax increases with Hochul but expressed concern that a Blakeman victory would reverse City Hall progress.
Education · New York, NY
In a column published Monday, CUNY Chancellor Matos Rodríguez reported fourth consecutive enrollment growth of 3.2% this fall, adding nearly 27,000 students over four years. The university extended its fee-free application period for nearly 70,000 NYC Public Schools high school seniors until Nov. 16. Governor Hochul's CUNY Reconnect program is serving nearly 10,000 adults ages 25-55 with tuition, fees, and books covered for associate degrees in high-demand fields, now expanded to three additional colleges beyond the seven community colleges. Rodríguez also announced $4 million in new grants from Ascendium Education Group and ECMC Foundation to expand career-preparation work through CUNY Beyond.
Crime · Queens County
The NYPD is seeking a truck driver wanted in connection with an assault on a 76-year-old man during a road rage incident on the Long Island Expressway near Alley Pond Park in Bayside, Queens. The collision occurred Monday, Aug. 17, at approximately 11:20 a.m. as both vehicles traveled westbound approaching the Cross Island Parkway exit; the suspect allegedly grabbed the elderly man and threw him to the ground before driving off in his blue tractor-trailer. The victim was transported to New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital in stable condition with minor injuries. NYPD released a suspect description on Saturday, Oct. 31, and is offering a reward of up to $3,500 for information leading to arrest.
