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TIMESLEDGER | QNS.2 COM | APRIL 3-APRIL 9, 2020
BY BILL PARRY
The special election for
Queens borough president
will be held on June 23, according
to an executive order
signed by Governor Andrew
Cuomo on Monday.
The special election will
be held on the same day that
Cuomo set for the Democratic
presidential primary.
Mayor Bill de Blasio, who
postponed the original date
of March 24 due to the coronavirus
pandemic, was going to
set a new date for the special
election, but the governor’s
emergency powers supersede
City Hall’s in this instance.
“We thank Governor
Cuomo for endorsing the
mayor’s recommendation to
consolidate the presidential
primary to June 23 to protect
the health of voters and poll
workers,” de Blasio spokesman
Jose Bayona said. “We
look forward to working together
with the governor and
the Legislature to expand
absentee voting to ensure
the essential functions of our
democratic process continue
to operate amid a public
health crisis.”
Early voting will begin on
June 13. Candidates on the
ballot include Councilmen
Donovan Richards and Costa
Constantinides, former
Councilwoman Elizabeth
Crowley, retired NYPD sergeant
Anthony Miranda, Yao
Din, Councilman Jimmy Van
Bramer, who suspended his
campaign in January, and
former Jim Quinn.
“I am pleased the governor
signed an executive order
to reschedule the special
election for Queens borough
president for June 23,” Quinn
said. “This is an incredibly
trying time for our nation,
our city, and in particular,
our home borough of Queens,
which continues to be a hot
spot for the coronavirus outbreak.”
“More than 10,000 of
our friends, family and
neighbors have contracted
COVID-19 and more than
200 Queens residents have
lost their lives,” he added.
“Our thoughts and prayers
are with everyone affected
by this virus. As we navigate
this ‘new normal,’ we will
continue to make the health
and safety of New Yorkers
our top priority and do our
part to stop the spread. I have
no doubt we will emerge from
this stronger than ever and
more united in support of a
strong, safe and healthy New
York.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at
(718) 260–4538.
BY BENJAMIN MANDILE
“Fuel the Frontlines,” a
Queens-based initiative to feed
hospital workers in Queens,
will bring pre-cooked meals
to those working to fight the
coronavirus.
The joint-initiative organized
by the Queens borough
president’s office, Entrepreneur
Space and Queens Night
Market will deliver thousands
of meals over the course of a
week starting Sunday, March
29.
A total of 250 meals, which
can be refrigerated and eaten
at workers’ convenience, will
be delivered to each hospital
and will be packaged individually.
“The COVID-19 pandemic
has produced two-front battles
waged by heroic frontline
workers and business owners,”
said acting Queens Borough
President Sharon Lee.
“‘Fuel the Frontlines’ is one
hyper-local yet immediate step
to support those trying to stem
the tide and bend the curves
of this unprecedented public
health and economic crisis.”
Meals will be prepared by
small businesses either enrolled
in the Queens Economic
Development Corporation’s
Entrepreneur Space or the
Queens Night Market, with
many meals being delivered
by the Port Authority of New
York and New Jersey to local
hospitals.
Participating vendors of
QEDC and Queens Night Market
initiative include the following:
• Arepalicious of Ozone
Park: www.arepalicious.com,
@arepaliciousny
• Caribbean Street Eats:
@caribbeanstreeteats
• Cooking with Corey: www.
cookingwi thcor ey.com,
@cookingwithcorey
• Dotty’s Norwegian
Kitchen: www.pinkys.space,
@pinkysspace
• KINI of Long Island
City: www.eatkini.com,
@kini_lic
• La’Maoli: @lamaoli_
• Magnolia Café:
@magnoliacafepf
• The Malaysian
Project: www.themal
a y s i a n p r o j e c t . c om,
@themalaysianproject
• Quiaufa’s Kitchen:
@chefsherriscatering
• Roastnco of Forest
Hills: www.roastnco.com,
@roastnco
• Treat Yourself Jerk Chicken:
www.tyjerk.comTwo Tablespoons:
www.twotbsp.com,
@twotbsp
By using local businesses,
the initiative strives to help
not only those working in
hospitals, but also small businesses,
many of which are
struggling during this pandemic.
Unemployment claims
filed last week were historic,
with about 80,000 claims filed
in New York state and 3.28 million
nationwide in the week
ending March 21.
The initiative comes at a
time when Queens hospitals,
most notably NYC Health +
Hospitals/Elmhurst, are facing
a surge in the amount
of COVID-19 cases coming
through their doors.
Queens hospitals are currently
“under-bedded” with
1.66 beds per 1,000 residents
and nine acute care hospitals
serving 2.34 million residents,
according to a fiscal year budget
response sent to Mayor Bill
de Blasio’s office.
“Queens is by far the most
under-bedded borough in the
city,” Lee wrote in the Queens
Borough Board’s response to
the mayor’s fiscal year 2021
preliminary budget.
QNS fi le photo
Cuomo sets June
23 date for Queens
borough president
special election
‘Fuel the Frontlines’ initiative will
support Queens hospital workers
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