10 THE QUEENS COURIER • YEAR IN REVIEW • DECEMBER 30, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
year in review
Queens’ top stories from February 2021
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
As 2021 comes to an end, QNS has
compiled a list of the biggest stories,
events and people of Queens that grabbed
our attention this year.
Here’s a look back at the top stories for
the month of February.
City Council District 31
special election decided
by ranked-choice voting
Queens residents utilized the new
ranked-choice voting system as they
headed to the polls to vote for their next
City Council representative for Council
District 31 in southeast Queens.
Th e Feb. 23 race was too close to call
between Selvena Brooks-Powers and her
opponent Pesach Osina. None of the candidates
in the race had secured more than
50% of the vote, triggering a rankedchoice
voting recount.
Earlier in the month, residents in
Council District 24 also used rankedchoice
voting. Councilman James
Gennaro received around 60% of the vote
during the special election on Feb. 2,
negating the need for a second round of
counting. Th e results of the race were certifi
ed on Feb. 18 and Gennaro was sworn
in to the seat he held from 2001 until 2013
that same day.
City launches campaign
to support Black-owned
businesses impacted by COVID
As Black-owned businesses in southeast
Queens and the rest of the city struggled
in the past year during the COVID-
19 pandemic, the city introduced a new
initiative, called Shop Your City: BE NYC,
which rolled out during Black History
Month.
Th e initiative generated attention and
support for Black businesses, which was
spotlighted on social media, provided
resources and encouraged New Yorkers to
tag Black-owned businesses they’re supporting
using an Instagram template.
BE NYC was a fi rst-of-its-kind model
in a major American city to help address
the racial wealth gap, while working to
address the needs of struggling Black
business owners during the pandemic
and beyond.
State opens new COVID-19 vaccination
hub at York College in Jamaica
As part of the eff ort to inoculate as
many New Yorkers as possible to curb the
spread of COVID-19, especially in hardhit
communities of color, the state opened
a mass vaccination hub at York College
in Jamaica.
Th e vaccine site became the largest
distribution center in the state, issuing
approximately 3,000 shots per day.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo had ensured
fair and equitable distribution of the vaccine
as a priority for communities of color
that had suff ered the most during the
pandemic.
York College President Berenecea Eanes
had thanked Cuomo for “recognizing
York as an important resource” to help in
the fi ght against the coronavirus.
NYC Health Commissioner urges
New Yorkers to not be alarmed
over new COVID-19 variant
A new strain of the coronavirus became
a cause for concern among city offi cials,
who were encouraging New Yorkers to
social distance, mask up, wash their hands
and get vaccinated when they’re eligible.
Th e new strain, known as B1526,
was identifi ed by a team of researchers
at Caltech and Columbia University.
Th e virus had raised concerns among
researchers that it could adversely impact
the eff ectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.
However, city Department Health
Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi had
said that all current research showed that
the available vaccines are eff ective against
diff erent variants.
Police arrest man who
allegedly assaulted woman
outside Flushing bakery
A Flushing man was apprehended in
February for violently shoving a 52-yearold
Asian woman to the ground outside
of bakery.
Th e victim had sustained minor injuries
and was transported by EMS to NewYork-
Presbyterian Queens Hospital in stable
condition.
Following posts on social media to
track down the attacker, police had
apprehended the man who was charged
with assault and harassment, according
to the 109th Precinct. Th e rise of
anti-Asian attacks amid the COVID-19
pandemic had prompted local elected
offi cials and the NYPD to denounce the
violent unprovoked attacks.
“We’ve seen attacks against Asians on
the rise in NYC and across the country.
Th ese latest trends are indeed disturbing.
We must speak out and come together to
stop the senseless hate,” Councilman Peter
Koo said on Twitter.
Police task force busts
suspected Ridgewood
heroin mill
Four Queens residents were busted in
a major heroin mill in Ridgewood when
a team of DEA special agents, NYPD
detectives and New York State Police
investigators raided the home.
Authorities found around 39 kilograms
of suspected heroin, 1,000 pills of fentanyl
and $200,000 in cash inside the house,
located at 63-16 Forest Ave. In addition
to the alleged heroin, offi cers found 26
cellphones, digital scales, sift ers, grinders
and around 1,000 blue pills with markings
similar to pharmaceutically produced
oxycodone.
Th e suspects were charged with criminal
possession of a controlled substance
and criminally using drug paraphernalia.
Photos via Twitter/@NYPD104Pct
Photo by Gabriele Holtermann
Selvena Brooks-Powers cast her ballot at Pilgrim Church in Arverne on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021.
link
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
