Flushing is getting a little sweeter — and a whole lot pinker.
The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck, a popular mobile pop-up known for its signature pink aesthetic and themed desserts, will make its only New York City appearance in Flushing on Saturday, May 3, as part of its 2025 national tour.
The truck will be parked outside The Shops at Skyview, located at 40-24 College Point Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., near the mall’s main entrance. The Flushing stop is expected to draw Hello Kitty fans from all five boroughs eager to enjoy exclusive merchandise and photo-friendly sweet treats.
Fans can line up outside The Shops at Skyview for exclusive Hello Kitty desserts and collectibles during the truck’s Queens visit. Photo courtesy of FWD PR/Hello Kitty Cafe
This year’s tour celebrates Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary and marks 10 years of the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck, bringing with it a brand-new line of limited-edition collectibles, including iridescent tote bags, anniversary hoodies, pins, keychains and more.
Photo courtesy of FWD PR/Hello Kitty Cafe
Photo courtesy of FWD PR/Hello Kitty Cafe
Visitors can also expect popular desserts like oversized chef cookies, 5-piece macaron sets, and Hello Kitty Madeleines, along with pastel-themed merchandise such as ceramic mugs, thermal bottles and ringer tees.
Photo courtesy of FWD PR/Hello Kitty Cafe
Photo courtesy of FWD PR/Hello Kitty Cafe
All purchases are credit or debit card only as the truck does not accept cash.
In addition to the Flushing event, the truck will visit Menlo Park Mall in Edison, N.J., on April 26 and Bridgewater Commons in Bridgewater, N.J., on May 10, but Flushing remains the only scheduled stop within New York City.
Photo courtesy of FWD PR/Hello Kitty Cafe
Hello Kitty fans are encouraged to arrive early, as the truck has developed a devoted following since its debut. Its visits often attract long lines of fans seeking a taste of Sanrio nostalgia and Instagram-ready moments.
More details about the tour and product offerings can be found at hellokittycafe.com.
A free community concert spotlighting the vibrant voices of living American composers will be held in Forest Hills on Saturday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m., presented by Quintet of the Americas, Queens’ acclaimed woodwind ensemble. The performance, titled “Living American Composers,” will take place at The Church-in-the-Gardens, located at 50 Ascan Ave.
The Church-in-the-Gardens in Forest Hills will host the Quintet of the Americas’ free community concert, “Living American Composers,” on Saturday, May 10.Via Google Maps
The program will feature two world premieres: Three American Folk Tunes (2024) by Allen Schulz and Satchmo in New Orleans (2025) by Sunny Knable, the latter commissioned by the Quintet with funding from the New York State Council on the Arts.
Additional works include Woodwind Quintet Op. 87 (2023) by Joseph Jones and Red Clay & Mississippi Delta (2009) by Valerie Coleman, known for its bold rhythms and tribute to American roots music.
The ensemble includes Kim Bonacorsa (flute), Andres Ayola (oboe), David Valbuena (clarinet), Barbara Oldham (horn), and Alexander Davis (bassoon). They will be joined by guest soprano Jay St. Flono, adding a vocal dimension to the concert’s contemporary flair.
Founded in 1976 in Bogotá, Colombia, and based in New York City since 1979, Quintet of the Americas has performed on prestigious stages including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, and the Library of Congress, while also touring across Latin America and Eastern Europe.
This concert is supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the backing of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, as well as by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the Music Performance Trust Fund of the A.F. of M., and private donors including the Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation.
Special thanks were extended to Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and the Queens Delegation to the New York City Council for their continued support of the ensemble’s work in the borough.
The event is part of the Quintet’s ongoing mission to provide accessible cultural experiences. The venue is ADA-accessible and easily reachable by public transportation. Attendees are encouraged to use the MTA Trip Planner. For more information, call 718-230-5189 or visit the Quintet’s official website.
Rescue Company 4 LT Todd Smith with Rocky, a husky that he rescued from a two-alarm fire in Elmhurst Tuesday. Photos by Lloyd Mitchell
April 23, 2025 By Lloyd Mitchell and Czarinna Andres
A Queens firefighter is being hailed as a hero after rescuing an unconscious dog from a burning home during a two-alarm fire in Elmhurst on Tuesday afternoon.
The fire broke out at around 3:30 p.m. at 86-05 57th St., where Squad Company 288 arrived to find heavy flames pouring from the second and third floors of the residential building. The FDNY’s 46th Battalion quickly transmitted a second alarm as the fire spread into the cockloft and extended through the roof.
Firefighters battled a two-alarm fire at 86-05 57 St.. Units had fire on the second, third and through the roof of multiple homes. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
Firefighters were forced to cut open the roof using saws and hooks to ventilate the structure and contain the blaze. More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene, using five hoselines to knock down the main body of the fire.
Amid the chaos, FDNY Lt. Todd Smith of Rescue Company is credited with saving the life of a husky named Rocky, who had run back into the smoke-filled building. Smith found the dog unconscious and covered in soot during a search of the premises and helped revive the animal outside the home.
A pair of Huskies were rescued from a two alarm fire at 86-05 57 Street. Units had fire on the second, third and through the roof of multiple homes. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
Nearby resident Stephanie Rodriguez, who also jumped in to help the family evacuate, said she witnessed smoke pouring from the third-floor balcony.
“I saw the smoke and ran over to help the family and their dogs—Rocky and Sky,” Rodriguez said. “But the dog ran back inside. It was terrifying.”
Firefighters battled a two-alarm fire at 86-05 57 Street. Units had fire on the second, third and through the roof of multiple homes. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
Smith and other responders worked to bring the husky back to life, and the dog was successfully revived at the scene.
Three firefighters suffered minor injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition, according to FDNY officials. Searches throughout the building for residents proved negative, and no civilians were injured.
Three firefighters suffered minor injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
The fire was placed under control by 4:55 p.m., and the FDNY Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the blaze.
The day is fast approaching. Starting on May 7, in order to board a domestic flight or enter a federal building in the U.S., you will have to show a form of “REAL ID compliant” identification.
What does that mean? You’re forgiven if you don’t know, or forgot. The law mandating the change was passed 20 years ago during the Bush administration as a response to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
“The idea was we would stop terrorism by having stricter licensing requirements,” said Jay Stanley, a privacy-focused policy analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union, which has long opposed the law. “I don’t know if anybody really thinks that having stricter documentary requirements at the DMV is going to stop a terrorist attack, but nonetheless, that notion took hold.”
The enforcement of REAL ID policies has been repeatedly delayed over the last two decades, partially due to political pushback — at one point, 25 states, controlled by Democrats and Republicans, legislatively rejected the law because they saw it as moving the country closer to a national ID system.
“Americans have never supported the idea of a national identity card, going back to World War II when it was thought of as something that Nazis would ask for,” explained Stanley.
The Department of Homeland Security maintains that REAL ID is not a national ID, but rather a “national set of standards.” The federal agency insists it won’t create a federal database of Americans’ information.
The new type of ID raises the bar on how much information you need to provide in order to get a driver’s license that allows you to fly domestically. And that change is causing a lot of confusion.
“We did a virtual town hall on this topic about a month ago — it was the most popular virtual town hall we’ve ever had, since we started them in 2020,” said Justin Flagg, the director of communications for State Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan). Normally, Krueger’s town halls get a few hundred attendees, Flagg said; this one got almost 1,400.
If you’re worried about complying with the new identification requirements, here’s what you need to know:
What Is a REAL ID?
A REAL ID is a state-issued driver’s license or non-driver ID card that is compliant with the rules of the REAL ID Act, which is a federal law.
A standard driver’s license will still be recognized for things like driving, voter registration and applying for benefits, but you’ll need a REAL ID if you want to fly in the U.S. without showing your passport. You can’t just show your standard driver’s license to the TSA anymore.
If you have a New York driver’s license, you can tell if it’s REAL ID-compliant by checking for a star on the upper right corner. Standard IDs will be blank there. Enhanced IDs, which allow you to cross into Canada and Mexico without a passport and cost $30, are also REAL ID compliant: They have a waving American flag image in the top or bottom right corner.
This brings us to an important clarification: You don’t need to have a REAL ID (aka a REAL ID driver’s license) in order for your form of identification to be REAL ID compliant. Along with the Enhanced ID, you’re also REAL ID compliant if you have a U.S. permanent resident card or a U.S. passport.
Travelers pass through security at JFK airport, May 19, 2018. Credit: David Tran/Shutterstock
Sometimes, you’ll hear “REAL ID” casually referring to one of these other methods of identification: For example, New York Department of Motor Vehicles spokesperson Walter McClure told CNN “an Enhanced ID is a REAL ID. Well, REAL ID compliant.”
To recap, the following are REAL ID compliant documents that can be used in the place of a REAL ID:
Enhanced ID
Permanent resident card
U.S. Passport
What will happen if I don’t get a REAL ID?
Starting May 7, a REAL ID compliant form of identification will be needed in order to board domestic flights and to enter certain federal buildings like courthouses, as well as military bases and nuclear power plants.
As long as you have a U.S. passport, you do not need a REAL ID. But if you’re someone who frequently flies within the U.S., or regularly visits federal buildings, it may make more sense to just update your driver’s license to a REAL ID rather than carrying around your passport.
If you try to board a plane without REAL ID after May 7, you may still be allowed on — but not without additional security screening and delays, according to the TSA guidelines. And it’s not a guarantee.
How Do You Get One?
To get a REAL ID, you have to visit the DMV in person and bring documents that verify your identity, citizenship or lawful status, Social Security number, and two proofs of residency in New York. This interactive guide from the New York DMV can help you figure out the exact documentation you’ll need.
Depending on who you are — your citizenship status, whether you already have a New York State driver’s license and/or a passport — you’ll have to provide different documents.
Notably, for a REAL ID you need a Social Security number or a letter from the Social Security office stating that you’re ineligible for a number, like if you’re here on a student visa. If you don’t already have a New York State license, you’ll need to bring in your physical Social Security card — otherwise, you can bring in a tax form like a W-2 or 1099.
After you go through the process at the DMV, you’ll be given a temporary REAL ID, and should receive the real thing in the mail a couple of weeks later. However, this temporary license will not allow you to board a flight, so be prepared with your passport, green card, or other TSA-approved forms of identification.
Do I really Need a REAL ID?
If you’re a U.S. citizen with a U.S. passport — and you’re down with bringing it to the airport, even for domestic travel — not really.
“You do have the option, if you have a passport,” said Krueger in her Feb. 21 town hall. “Just remember to keep it with you more often.”
However, there are still many reasons why you may want to use a REAL ID driver’s license instead. For one, losing your passport has bigger implications than losing a REAL ID. It’s costly to replace (around $165) and can take four to six weeks to get a new one, whereas replacing your driver’s license costs $17.50 and should arrive in less than two weeks.
Renewing passports has also posed challenges for transgender and intersex Americans, whose gender markers sometimes have been reverted to their sex assigned at birth on their new passports under the Trump administration.
Unlike a passport, a state ID doesn’t require any sort of medical verification or court order for your gender: you can just choose between M, F or X at the DMV.
“I got the sense that there is a lot of misinformation circulating right now, because people are very fearful,” said Ethan Lin with Legal Aid’s LGBTQ Law and Policy Unit. “If you don’t need to travel internationally, it’s fine to get the ID, and you can absolutely change your gender marker in any state issued documents,” he said.
For those who don’t have citizenship but do have legal status, immigration attorneys encourage getting a REAL ID.
“A lot of our clients do have employment authorization docs, work permits — those are also REAL IDs, so they would be able to use those,” explained Andrés Santamaria Cortes, an attorney at Make the Road, a New York-based immigrant rights group. “The issue with those documents is they expire,” whereas a REAL ID may last longer.
Cortes added that due to the administration’s attacks on Temporary Protected Status, people could lose access to their work authorization documents.
“It’s just good practice to have a REAL ID from the state where you live so that you can have that form of identification,” he said.
Murad Awawdeh, the president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, agrees that people who are eligible for REAL IDs should get them. However, he advises non-citizens to exercise caution before flying.
“Even if you are a green card holder and you are flying and you’re coming back into the country, you should know what your rights are at a port of entry,” he said. “You have protections as a green card holder or a visa holder, but border patrol has ultimate authority at a point of entry.”
Awawdeh advised that if you’re not a citizen, you should speak with an immigration attorney before taking any trips, or if you have questions about your ability to get a REAL ID.
“If you don’t need to make a trip, you shouldn’t make it,” he said.
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The Economic Development Corporation and Con Agg Global, a Bronx-based urban logistics and construction company, announced on Tuesday the impending arrival of a so-called blue highway at the Fulton Fish Market in Hunts Point. A new barge on the East River, directly outside the market, will let food and other supplies reach their final destinations by boat, instead of truck.
The two-phase plan for a new “blue highway,” utilizing the city’s waterways rather than its roads, will mean at least 1,000 fewer trucks a month on the road, according to the EDC.
A barge, mostly handling construction materials, will be placed in the water at the southern tip of the Fish Market in the coming weeks. That will be followed later this year by a second barge for food and beverages — provided that the City Council approves an underwater lease allowing for its permanent operation. The land underwater is owned by the city.
Workers will use e-cargo bikes to transfer products to and from the barges.
Con Agg Global CEO Paul Granito told THE CITY the permanent facility will be a more robust version of the initial setup, which he described as a floating crane.
“It just floats in. It does its job, and then it leaves. And when we’re out operating in a more robust manner, there’ll be a physical structure in the water that doesn’t leave,” he said.
Economic Development Corporation CEO Andrew Kimball and ConAgg Global announced a waterborne freight at the Fulton Fish Market in Hunts Point that would reduce traffic congestion by an estimated 1,000 trucks per day, April 22, 2025. Credit: Jonathan Custodio/THE CITY
Andrew Kimball, CEO of the Economic Development Corporation, said at the press conference that once the Council approves the underwater lease, “the plan is that there will be one barge focused entirely on food, one separately on construction materials like aggregate. And we expect that approval to get through the Council no later than six months from now.”
That plan is part of a larger push to make more use of the city’s waterways centered around the Brooklyn Marine Terminal.
Hunts Point, also home to the city’s biggest produce market, is a delivery hub for food, products and construction materials that attracts thousands of truck drivers a day making “last-mile” deliveries of products consumers need quickly.
At the Fulton Fish Market Cooperative, which handles about 45% of the city’s seafood and is the largest in the country, the current process involves truck drivers “delivering products between about 10 p.m. and midnight,” its CEO Nicole Ackerina told THE CITY, noting that about 500 of the market’s 1,200 employees are Bronx residents.
“All the product gets loaded at our loading docks here, and then it gets distributed to folks throughout the market, and then it gets sold. And then trucks take it out.”
“For years, we’ve whispered about blue highways. We’ve talked about ‘here are all these businesses have to be on the water, yet we don’t use the water.’ We have all these truck trips coming in and out every day, the pollutants and all of those things,” recalled Maria Torres, president of the youth and community development organization The Point.
The long process of getting community board members and other neighbors on board with the project “was gratifying, and it was good,” said Torres. “I was glad that we had positive outcomes. We’re able to see this come through.”
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For Staten Islanders lined up for MTA buses outside the St. George Terminal on a recent evening, the occasional announcements during their waits sounded familiar.
“There will be no S40 for this boat,” a voice said over a loudspeaker.
A few minutes later, the voice piped up again, instructing riders, “Do not wait for the [S]81, it will not show for this boat.”
Commuters on the island’s local bus routes, which last month carried close to 100,000 riders on weekdays, said they have grudgingly grown accustomed to such unwelcome service alerts.
“It’s bad, you’re tired, you want to get home,” said Roberto Velez, 60, who was on line for a bus to Bull’s Head after taking the subway from his job in Kips Bay, Manhattan, to the Staten Island Ferry. “And you have to stand here, which is especially bad in the wintertime.”
The scenes at the ferry terminal illustrate what riders describe as long-running frustrations with Staten Island’s 19 local bus routes, which last year delivered on 90.6% of peak-hours trips, according to MTA numbers, compared to 95.9% in the other boroughs.
“The service out here is very unpredictable, it’s unreliable,” True Brunner, 33, told THE CITY as he waited for a bus ride home to New Brighton at the ferry terminal. “There are times where I have to require myself to be up twice as early just to make sure that I’m going to get a ride on one of these buses to the ferry.”
THE CITY’s analysis of MTA data also shows that Staten Island local bus riders’ excess wait times — which measure how long riders are at a stop beyond the scheduled wait time — were nearly double the citywide average in 2024.
On Staten Island, the excess wait time averaged 4.1 minutes, compared with 2.2 minutes elsewhere in the city.
The spotty local service has led to protests from Borough President Vito Fossella and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 726, which represents New York City Transit bus operators on Staten Island, over what they say is a shortage of buses that are in working order.
“The end result is the commuter is stranded, waiting longer than they need to be and taking more time to get from work to home or vice versa,” Fossella told THE CITY last week.
The MTA’s Customers Count Survey last fall showed that customer satisfaction among local bus riders declined in each borough except The Bronx from the spring. On Staten Island, 44% of local bus riders reported being “satisfied” with the service, a 7% drop and the lowest among the five boroughs.
“We feel abandoned,” said Filippa Grisafi, a rider advocate who commutes between Staten Island and Manhattan.
At MTA board meetings in recent months, students from the College of Staten Island as well as a priest from an Episcopal church in Rosebank have spoken out, saying that unreliable bus service is keeping students and churchgoers from arriving on time for class and services.
The Rev. Hank Tuell, rector of Saint John’s Episcopal Church, declined to comment for this story, but he told MTA board members in December that his concerns over bus service have “gone largely unaddressed.”
“I am losing church members because they cannot get to church,” he said at the time. “They cannot wait for an hour or more for buses that simply don’t show up.”
MTA officials pointed out that Staten Island’s local buses averaged 12.4 miles per hour in February, up from a citywide average of 7.8 mph and that service delivery on local routes ticked up to 92.9% between January and March, an increase credited, in part, to the hiring of 2,000 new bus operators last year.
True Brunner waits for a bus at the St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island, April 16, 2025. Credit: Jose Martinez/THE CITY
Additionally, the MTA has plans to tweak schedules on the S46/96 routes between St. George and the West Shore Plaza shopping center in Travis, as well as on the S79 Select Bus Service that links the Staten Island Mall with Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
The agency is also planning to enhance service on four Staten Island express bus routes that run to and from Manhattan. An MTA spokesperson said the changes grew out of the January launch of congestion pricing, which put new tolls on motorists entering Manhattan south of 60th Street.
“With the implementation of congestion pricing, the MTA identified opportunities to further improve service on key local and express routes on Staten Island that will roll out in the spring and summer,” MTA spokesperson Kayla Shults said in a statement. “We remain committed to delivering fast and reliable service to all Staten Island bus riders.”
Brunner — whose daily commute between New Brighton and the Brooklyn Navy Yard involves local buses, the Staten Island Ferry and the subway — said the uncertainty of local bus service has repeatedly put him and other commuters in a bind.
“You really do have to stay 10 steps ahead and make sure you can have contingency plans or call an audible so you can be able to be where you need to be,” he said.
Our nonprofit newsroom relies on donations from readers to sustain our local reporting and keep it free for all New Yorkers. Donate to THE CITY today.
For the past year and a half, I’ve been exploring the octave ukulele, a unique instrument that has brought me great joy. An octave ukulele is essentially a baritone ukulele fitted with octave strings. While you can’t yet buy one in stores, its rich, deep tone reminds me of a viola—quite different from the high-pitched sound typically associated with ukuleles. My setup cost $149 for the amplifier-ready instrument, $25 for the strings (available from Starlight Ukes), and $15 for professional string installation.
During my successful liver transplant surgery last year, I brought my octave uke to the hospital and created several YouTube music videos from my bed. You can watch my favorite recording here. I hope to see octave ukes become widely available in stores and online—they could offer an accessible, affordable entry point into music-making for both young people and adults.
As a maker, I find endless joy in exploring this instrument’s capabilities. For guitar players seeking a new musical dimension, the octave uke offers an exciting opportunity. You can learn the basics in under 20 minutes, and you might find yourself eager to play first thing every morning.
New York Mets great Mike Piazza showed off some of the new apparel. Photo courtesy of New York or Nowhere
Photo courtesy of New York or Nowhere
“This collaboration with the New York Mets and New York or Nowhere brings us back to our roots in baseball while also boldly pushing forward into new possibilities for fans,” New Era Cap Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Mark Maidment said. “New Era Cap was proud to do our part to provide Mets fans with a fresh look for gameday and every day.”
Photo courtesy of New York or Nowhere
The collection consists of 52 different pieces, each of which was carefully curated for kids and adults alike. These items combine the style of NYON with the Mets brand.
Photo courtesy of New York or Nowhere
Photo courtesy of New York or Nowhere
“As we continue to elevate the Mets brand and become more embedded in fashion culture, we’re excited to be partnering with an iconic brand like New York or Nowhere,” New York Mets Vice President of Ballpark Experience James Benesh said. “Our fans have been asking about a collaboration with New York or Nowhere for quite some time, and we’re happy we can deliver with such an extensive collection. We can’t wait to see these iconic pieces in our ballpark and on the streets of New York City.”
Photo courtesy of New York or Nowhere
New York Mets legend and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Piazza provided a preview by modeling for some of the items. Those interested in purchasing from the collection can find the items at select locations, including Mets House at 1 Union Square W. in Union Square, NYON’s flagship store at 250 Lafayette St. in Nolita, online through newyorkornowhere.com and at Citi Field, beginning with ticketed fans attending the game on April 22.
Photo courtesy of New York or Nowhere
Photo courtesy of New York or Nowhere
“It’s been a tremendous honor to collaborate with the Mets on this project,” NYON Creative Director Quincy Moore said. “We approached this partnership with a deep sense of respect for the team and its legacy, which extends far beyond baseball and even New York herself. The resulting collection is one of NYON’s best – from the product to the content and everything in between. I’m really excited for people to see it.”
The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is looking for this woman who shouted anti-Asian slurs at an R train rider before kicking her multiple times in an unprovoked attack. NYPD
April 22, 2025 By Bill Parry
The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating an anti-Asian assault that occurred on board an R train in Long Island City on the night of Wednesday, April 16.
A 29-year-old woman was riding a northbound R train approaching Queens Plaza subway station just before 7 p.m. when an unidentified woman sat down across from her and started calling her racial slurs, police said Tuesday.
The assailant allegedly shouted, “You Chinese bitch,” according to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation. The stranger then kicked the victim multiple times in the legs before running off the train in an unknown direction.
Police from the 108th Precinct in Long Island City and Transit District 20 responded to the location and reported that the victim sustained minor injuries but refused medical attention at the scene.
The NYPD released a surveillance image of the suspect on Tuesday and described her as having a dark complexion. She was last seen wearing a red, black, and white hooded jacket, gray sweatpants, and white sneakers.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are confidential.
The attack is the first hate crime reported by the 108th Precinct so far this year after five were reported through April 20 last year, according to the latest CompStat report. The precinct also reported 24 transit crimes so far in 2025, double the dozen reported at the same point last year, an increase of 100%, according to CompStat.
4x3 is a Connections-like game invented by Hank Green where you sort 9 words into 4 categories. Crucially, “one special word belongs to all 4 categories”.
“In just a few days, the mayor will present his executive budget for the coming fiscal year. It must prepare us for the storm ahead—something his preliminary budget proposal, released in January, unfortunately failed to do.”
A city budget deal is due July 1. (Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)
New York City’s economic and fiscal health is under assault by the Trump administration. We need to strengthen our city budget to withstand the attack.
In just a few days, the mayor will present his executive budget for the coming fiscal year. It must prepare us for the storm ahead—something his preliminary budget proposal, released in January, unfortunately failed to do.
Even before Trump’s second inauguration, it was clear that New York would be a prime target. Now, just three months in, the damage is already mounting.
Trump’s chaotic policies—on tariffs, immigration, and the rule of law—are rattling the global economy and hitting New York City especially hard. International tourists are canceling trips at alarming rates, whether from Canada, Europe, or Latin America. With tourism standing as one of the city’s largest economic sectors, this drop-off threatens thousands of jobs and millions in tax revenue.
Few cities are as exposed to global trends as New York. From Wall Street to Broadway, from hotel workers to food vendors, our economy depends on international engagement—and Trump is actively unraveling it.
Businesses here are already pausing investment, faced with skyrocketing prices for everything from steel to avocados. Small businesses, especially restaurants, are being squeezed by supply chain disruptions, unpredictable costs, and the chilling effect of a crackdown on immigrant workers.
Then there are the direct hits to our city budget. The Trump administration has already slashed $100 million from our health department and $188 million from our migrant shelter system. That’s just a fraction of the nearly $8 billion we receive in direct federal aid—funding that supports everything from public schools to affordable housing to subway service. All of it is now at risk.
And worse may be coming. Republicans in Washington are pushing a federal budget that promises tax cuts for billionaires, paid for by gutting Medicaid, food stamps, early childhood education, and other programs critical to low-income New Yorkers.
Meanwhile, the broader economy is showing signs of strain. A growing number of experts now warn that Trump’s chaos could push the U.S. into a recession—something New York City cannot afford to be unprepared for.
That’s why we need to act decisively in the city’s upcoming budget. We need to do three things:
First, increase our reserves. We should add at least $1 billion to the General Reserve Fund and another $1 billion to the Rainy Day Fund. These are our buffers—the tools we’ll need to cushion the impact of either federal cuts or declining revenues. Failure to strengthen them is like going into a fight with one hand tied behind your back.
Second, stop playing budget games. Every year, the city under-budgets for known costs like overtime, rental assistance, and special education. These are not surprises—they are recurring obligations. Pretending they don’t exist only weakens our ability to respond to real emergencies. This year, we need honest, accurate projections from the start.
Third, make targeted investments to protect vital services. That means plugging the holes that Trump has already blown in our budget, such as in public health programs, and preparing a plan to shore up vital services in education, housing and more.
If we fail to move quickly, we’ll be forced into more painful, reactive choices later. Acting now means minimizing the harm down the road.
New York City has tremendous strengths: a vast and diverse economy, an unmatched workforce, and a proven culture of resilience. Every time we’ve been tested, from 9/11 to the COVID pandemic, we’ve fought our way back and emerged stronger.
But resilience isn’t just about grit. It’s about preparation. We owe it to the people of this city to meet this moment with clarity, discipline, and resolve.
Donald Trump may think he can beat us. But he can’t. New Yorkers don’t flinch. We plan. We fight smart. And we win.
Mark Levine is the Manhattan borough president, a former City Council member and a candidate for New York City comptroller.
The blaze ignited inside a three-story mixed-use building at 21-33 31st Ave. shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 20, before spreading to the adjacent two-story residential building at 21-31 31st. Ave.
More than 180 firefighters and at least 33 units rushed to the scene to battle the blaze, which was brought under control shortly before noon on Sunday.
Deputy Chief Assistant Mike Woods said residents in both buildings self-evacuated, with one resident and three firefighters suffering minor injuries.
Photos by Ramy Mahmoud
Both buildings suffered extensive damage, forcing families living in both families to seek temporary shelter.
Astoria residents have responded by donating substantial sums to two separate online fundraisers in aid of residents of both buildings.
One fundraiser, organized by Astoria resident Kaitlyn Kilpatrick, has raised more than $30,000 in just over 24 hours in aid of two families living in the corner building at 21-33 31st Ave. Kilpatrick said on crowdfunding website GoFundMe that the Yoshido and Fukumoto families lost nearly all of their belongings when the fire ripped through their building.
Photos by Ramy Mahmoud
Kilpatrick, who did not respond to a request for comment, said both families had children of school age, adding that both families also lost “beloved pets” in the blaze.
Meanwhile, a separate fundraiser has raised over $15,000 in aid of another family living next door who also lost their home in the blaze.
Georgia Maldonado, who organized the second fundraiser, said her husband’s mother, sister and niece were living at the home at 21-31 31st Ave. when the fire broke out.
Maldonado said her husband’s grandfather had built the house over 100 years ago and said a fire was the family’s “worst nightmare.”
Rosemarie Mondello, who owns the home, was at home with her daughter Jennifer Acosta and her granddaughter Madison Acosta when two neighbors knocked on the door to inform them that their house was on fire, Maldonado said.
Photos by Ramy Mahmoud
She praised the two residents for helping the wheelchair-bound Mondello to safely leave the property and said the response from the local community has been “overwhelming” over the past two days.
The response has not been limited to GoFundMe, either. Maldonado said neighbors have been donating clothing, food, and technology to the family, while one person even donated a replacement wheelchair for Mondello after hers was lost in the fire.
“That was a huge relief,” Maldonado said. “It’s just been an outpouring of stuff and they don’t really know how to deal with it, because it’s more than they could ever expect.”
Maldonado said Mondello’s pain was added to that, as she grew up in the house and moved back to take care of her parents.
“She was going to stay there forever,” Maldonado said.
Mondello was diagnosed with a serious illness three months ago and requires surgery, Maldonado said.
“It’s a really bad time because she’s very sick. She has a tumor and she needs to get operated on,” Maldonado said. “Everything is just falling on her and the family, and this is just happening in the matter of about three months… how much worse can it get?”
Photos by Ramy Mahmoud
A third fundraiser launched on behalf of the Yoshida family at 21-33 31st Ave. has raised just shy of $45,000.
“We are heartbroken to share that our dear friends, the Yoshida family, recently lost their home in a tragic fire,” the fundraiser organizers said on GoFundMe.
The organizers have not yet responded to a request for comment. However, in an update on GoFundMe, they said the Yoshida family is currently living in a hotel as a means of temporary housing.
“It’s been an incredibly emotional and overwhelming time, but your messages of love and support have brought them comfort and strength,” the fundraiser organizers said.
“The family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of kindness and generosity from everyone.”
Primer is an introduction to oscilloscope music, a genre and art form where vector visuals are formed by the music itself. The image is produced by using the left audio channel to control the beam on the X axis, and the right audio channel to control the beam on the Y axis.
Once I wrapped my brain around what was happening here, I found this to be quite an impressive achievement: creating beautiful & coherent visuals from non-discordant music. (via waxy)
Tool libraries offer community members access to “power washers, hammers, drills, cameras, lawn mowers, pet carriers, grills” and such to help with project. “There are no tariffs on sharing. The more we share, the more we have.”
After a three-day strike that disrupted beverage distribution across the New York metropolitan area, unionized beer delivery drivers and warehouse workers at Manhattan Beer & Beverage Distributors (MBBD) — including those from Ridgewood — have emerged victorious, securing a new union contract with improved pension benefits.
The strike began early Tuesday, April 15, when more than 600 employees across four MBBD facilities walked off the job to protest what their union described as unfair labor practices during contract negotiations.
Workers are represented by the Laundry, Distribution, and Food Service Joint Board, Workers United/SEIU (LDFS Union), and have been operating without a contract since that morning when their previous agreement expired.
Workers set up picket lines at four key locations: the company’s headquarters at 955 East 149th St. in the Bronx, as well as MBBD facilities in Ridgewood (47-47 Metropolitan Ave.), Wyandanch, and Suffern.
The Ridgewood facility played a crucial role with its drivers joining fellow union members on the picket lines to demand respect and a fair contract that would preserve their pension plans.
The union accused MBBD of violating federal labor laws by attempting to negotiate directly with workers and bypass the union. The alleged unfair labor practices (ULPs) centered on the company’s push to exit the employees’ pension fund — a move that could drastically reduce retirement benefits for current workers and eliminate pension coverage altogether for newer employees.
Photo by Dean Moses
“We’re the backbone of Manhattan Beer & Beverage. We’ve helped it succeed. We deserve real retirement security, fair wages, and respect on the job. We’re angry that they have been trying to sidestep our union and our bargaining committee on the critical issue of our pensions,” said Joe Gonzalez, Jr., a beer delivery worker.
He accused Manhattan Beer & Beverage of violating federal labor laws, undermining their union, and threatening workers’ pensions, urging customers to support their push for a fair contract.
During the next strike, which began at 4:30 a.m. on April 15, thousands of bars, restaurants, supermarkets, and bodegas throughout New York City and surrounding areas were impacted. MBBD operates more than 350 delivery trucks and over one million square feet of warehouse space, distributing more than 300 beverage brands — including popular names like Corona, Coors, Blue Moon, Samuel Adams, and Modelo.
The union insisted that the company’s actions during negotiations were not only illegal but also fundamentally unjust.
“Manhattan Beer has provoked this and brought us to a strike by trying to get around the union and bargaining directly with the workers,” said Alberto Arroyo, Co-Manager of the LDFS Union.
“This is disrespectful, an unlawful slap in the face to these workers, and has made negotiations harder. The company should know better than to commit unfair labor practices. And, at the bargaining table, the company is demanding that these workers agree to allow the company to leave the pension fund.”
The union warned that proposed cuts would jeopardize workers’ retirement security. It called on Manhattan Beer & Beverage to contribute an extra $1.50 per hour to protect and improve future pension benefits, arguing the company can afford it.
After several days of picketing and public pressure, workers ended their strike on Thursday, April 17, having secured a tentative agreement on a new union contract that includes stronger pension protections. The deal covers 600 workers across the Bronx, Ridgewood, Wyandanch, and Suffern facilities, and is expected to be ratified by the union membership in the coming days.
The outcome is a clear demonstration of the power of worker solidarity, especially as Ridgewood drivers and others stood united in the face of what they viewed as corporate overreach.
Advocacy groups Housing Justice for All and JustFix launched an online tool this week where tenants can enter their address and answer a series of short questions to help determine if their apartments are likely to qualify for protections under the ‘Good Cause’ law.
A rental building in Brooklyn. (Adi Talwar/City Limits)
It’s been just more than a year since New York adopted “Good Cause” protections, giving eligible renters extra defense against eviction without cause, as well as a chance to challenge rent hikes over a certain threshold.
But that’s only if they’re actually covered by the law. The final version of Good Cause, adopted as part of last year’s state budget negotiations, included a number of carveouts, excluding tenants based on how many units their landlord owns or when the property was built, among other conditions.
That can make it hard for renters to tell if their units fall under the protections—though a new website is trying to help.
Advocacy groups Housing Justice for All and JustFix launched an online tool this week where tenants can enter their address and answer a series of short questions to help determine if their apartments meet the Good Cause criteria.
“Good Cause Eviction is a powerful tool to prevent evictions and price-gouging, but only if tenants know they have rights,” Joel Stillman, director of JustFix, said in a statement announcing the website Monday.“This tool uses public data gathered from multiple sources to sort through the law’s overlapping exemptions that make Good Cause hard to use, giving tenants the confidence that they have rights to stay in their homes.”
The site uses city building records as well as information supplied by the tenant to determine possible eligibility. Good Cause only applies to unregulated apartments (since rent stabilized units and other subsidized housing programs, like NYCHA, come with their own set of tenant protections) and those built after 2009. It exempts high-priced units renting for more than $6,005 a month, as well as smaller landlord-occupied buildings.
But perhaps the most difficult-to-determine criteria is portfolio size: the law only applies to tenants whose landlords own more than 10 apartments. This can be hard to gauge, since many owners register their properties under generically-named limited liability companies (LLCs). The Good Cause NYC tool advises renters to check the city’s property records database as well as search their landlord’s name on Who Owns What, another site created by JustFix which seeks out other properties an owner may be associated with.
“Good Cause Eviction is a historic expansion of tenants rights—but only informed and organized tenants are able to use it to defend their homes,” Cea Weaver, director of Housing Justice for All said in a statement.
Empanadas from I love Paraguay Restaurant (Photo: Instagram @iloveparaguayrestaurant)
April 22, 2025 By Shane O’Brien
The annual Sunnyside Restaurant Week officially kicks off Tuesday, April 22, featuring deals at more than 50 local restaurants to showcase the neighborhood as a true culinary destination.
The two-week culinary celebration, running through Sunday, May 4, allows Sunnyside residents and out-of-towners alike to try new restaurants throughout the neighborhood. Three-course meals are available for $35.
A wide variety of restaurants are participating in the event, offering everything from Latin American and South Asian fare to European bistros and classic American comfort food.
Photo: Instagram Bar 43
Participating favorites this year include Ariyoshi, a beloved Japanese mainstay; Bar 43, a neighborhood hub for hearty American bites; Bliss 46 Bistro, serving French-inspired plates; Cardamom Indian Cuisine; De Mole, a go-to for authentic Mexican dishes; and Soleluna, offering classic Italian flavors.
Other establishments, such as bakeries and ice cream parlors, are taking part in the event by offering special offers and deals throughout Restaurant Week.
Sushi and sashimi from Takesushi restaurant. Photo credit: Takesushi
Dirk McCall de Palomá, executive director of Sunnyside Shines, said the event plays a critical role in allowing restaurants and businesses to meet new customers in the neighborhood at a time when owners are faced with rising costs and challenges.
“Times are harder than ever,” McCall de Palomá said. “Costs are going up, times are harder, and it’s not that easy. Owners definitely want more people in seats, and they want more people coming through the door.”
He added that there is also a sense of optimism among local businesses now that summer is on the horizon and outdoor dining has returned. However, he said Sunnyside Shines is “determined” to get as many people through the doors of local businesses as possible.
Masa Madre storefront. Photo: Shane O’Brien
McCall de Palomá said Restaurant Week provides a particular opportunity for businesses that have opened their doors in the last 12 months, since the 2024 event, including Cousin Larry’s, Masa Madre, and Curley’s Bagels, which are all participating in the upcoming event.
Earlier this year, Sunnyside Shines collaborated with Woodside on the Move for the inaugural Restaurant Week of the Sides, offering deals at dozens of Sunnyside and Woodside establishments.
However, McCall de Palomá said it was not difficult to convince Sunnyside restaurants to sign up for a second Restaurant Week of 2025 due to the popularity of the event among local businesses and its success in raising the profile of local restaurants.
He said he is “excited” for the upcoming event, stating that Restaurant Week showcases Sunnyside as a culinary destination by highlighting “how many different options there are, and how affordable things are, and how close everything is to each other.”
via Sunnyside Shines
Full list of restaurants participating in Restaurant Week 2025
A Corona man was arrested and charged with first-degree murder for allegedly stabbing a cyclist to death near the Junction Boulevard 7 train station on Roosevelt Avenue during a beef over a stolen bike. he dead cyclist was identified as 22-year-old Anderson Archila-Martinez who lived on Roosevelt Avenue in Spring Valley, NY. Via Citizen/ Inset Courtesy of GoFundMe
April 22, 2025 By Bill Parry
A Corona man is being held without bail for allegedly stabbing a Rockland County man to death during an altercation over a stolen bicycle just after midnight on Monday, April 14.
Nelson Torres, 33, of 37th Avenue, was initially taken into custody as a person of interest in the homicide investigation by police from the 115th Precinct near the crime scene shortly after the fatal stabbing. He later admitted during questioning that he killed 22-year-old Anderson Archila-Martinez, of Spring Valley, near the 7 train subway station at Junction Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue.
Torres was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court the following day on a complaint charging him with murder in the first degree, robbery, and other related crimes in the killing of Archila-Martinez, who happened to live on a different Roosevelt Avenue west of the Hudson River in Rockland County.
According to the criminal complaint, between 12:10 a.m. and 12:20 a.m. on April 14, Torres approached Archila-Martinez as he rode a bike on the sidewalk along Junction Boulevard and pushed him off the bicycle, mounted it, and rode away. When the victim chased after him and attempted to get his bike back, an argument turned physical. During the fight, Torres pulled out a knife and stabbed him in his abdomen before riding off.
EMS responded to the location and rushed Archila-Martinez to Elmhurst Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short while later.
Based on eyewitness accounts given to detectives from the 115th Precinct and the Queens District Attorney’s office, and a review of video surveillance recovered at the crime scene, Torres was taken into custody. During questioning, Torres told a detective from the 115th Precinct that he stabbed the victim with a knife, causing his death.
Queens Criminal Court Judge Glenda Hernandez remanded Torres into custody without bail.
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