WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES MARCH 3, 2022 7
NYC’s #1 Source for Political & Election News
City to lift mask mandate in schools March 7
BY KEVIN DUGGAN
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
The statewide mask mandate in schools expired on
Wednesday, March 2, and New York City plans to
lift its requirement on March 7 if cases remain low,
the governor and mayor said Sunday, Feb. 27.
Governor Kathy Hochul first announced her plans to
drop the rules for face coverings as COVID-19 infections
and hospitalizations have dropped over the past month
and following new guidance from Washington.
“My friends, the day has come. Today we are going to
be announcing that we’ll be lifting the statewide mask
requirement in schools,” Hochul said during a Feb. 27
press conference Sunday morning in Albany.
State officials chose to give schools and PTAs enough
time to get ready for the changes after the federal
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dropped its
new guidance Friday to determine COVID-19 prevention
measures.
The state will leave it up to local counties whether they
still want to keep masks on inside schools, the governor
said, especially in those areas of the Empire State where
infection rates remain higher.
“We will allow them the flexibility to determine what’s
best for their county,” Hochul said. “We would encourage
them to take a look at this and follow the CDC but this will
no longer be a mandate.”
Pulling out the key?
Mayor Eric Adams released a statement saying that
the city plans to end both indoor masking for schools
and its requirements to show proof of vaccination at
businesses — also known as Key2NYC — if case counts
remain low this week.
“At the end of this week, we will evaluate the numbers
and make a final announcement on Friday,” Adams
said. “If we see no unforeseen spikes and our numbers
continue to show a low level of risk, New York City will
remove the indoor mask mandate for public schoolchildren,
effective next Monday, March 7.”
“Additionally, New York City’s numbers continue to
go down day after day, so, as long as COVID indicators
show a low level of risk and we see no surprises this
week, on Monday, March 7, we will also lift Key2NYC
requirements,” hizzoner said. “This will give business
owners the time to adapt and will allow us to ensure
we are making the best public health decisions for the
people of New York.”
New York City lifted the outdoor mask mandate for
schools Monday, Feb. 28.
Read more on PoliticsNY.com.
BY BILL PARRY
BPARRY@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Former Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley
launched her campaign for the state Senate in
an email message to her supporters.
The candidate made it offi cial aft er recently fi ling
to run for the newly created 17th Senate District,
which encompasses large parts of western Queens
and part of Brooklyn.
The Glendale resident said she was running to
ensure that “New York comes back stronger” from
the pandemic.
“As a single mom who is raising her children in the
district and one with the experience and proven track
record, we need a fi ghter who will address aff ordability
and build opportunity,” Crowley wrote.
During her two terms on the City Council, Crowley
represented the 30th District which is largely contained
in the newly drawn Senate seat.
“This district unites Brooklyn and Queens,” she
wrote. “As senator of the newly formed district, which
covers the neighborhoods of Greenpoint, Long Island
City, Sunnyside, Ridgewood, Woodside, Maspeth,
Glendale, Woodhaven and Richmond Hill, I will focus
on jobs, expanded transit, housing and improving our
schools.”
Crowley told QNS that she always championed
policies that benefi t families and workers, and that
her record speaks for itself.
“In the Council, I addressed the challenge of being
in the most overcrowded school district in the city
by partnering to build the most robust local school
capacity plan,” Crowley said. “Together we created
over 6,000 new classroom seats in nine years, which
was the fi rst school built in Ridgewood in 100 years.”
Among her other accomplishments while on the
Council, Crowley points to two signifi cant victories
in the Ridgewood area.
“I secured a NYC Landmarks designation of 1100
buildings in Ridgewood, creating three contiguous
historic districts and the largest in Queens,” Crowley
said. “I partnered with NYC Parks and NYS Environmental
Conservation to restore and preserve the
Ridgewood Reservoir, now a 50-plus-acre destination.”
Crowley lost her bid for a third term when she
went against current Councilman Robert Holden in
2017. She came in second in the 2020 special election
to replace Queens Borough President Melinda Katz
when she stepped down to become Queens district attorney.
Current Queens Borough President Donovan
Richards won that special election and then held off
Crowley last year to win a full term at Borough Hall.
“This Senate seat is an opportunity to bring muchneeded
resources to a district that unites Brooklyn
and Queens, and as senator, I will focus on jobs, expanded
transit, housing and improving our schools,”
Former Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley
announced she would run for the state Senate
in the newly created 17th District, which
includes much of western Queens.
QNS fi le photo
Crowley said.
Democratic Socialists of America member Kristen
Gonzalez was the fi rst to announce a run for the newly
drawn Senate District 17.
The Democratic primary is scheduled for June 28,
2022.
Governor Kathy Hochul announces
the end of the indoor mask
mandate in schools during a press
conference in Albany on Feb. 27.
Photo by Mike Groll/Offi ce of Governor
Kathy Hochul
Crowley announces state Senate bid
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