WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES DECEMBER 30, 2021 15
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 RANKEDCHOICE
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.
The 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
ranked-choice 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. The 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.
The 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 first-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
hard-hit communities of color, the
state opened a mass vaccination hub
Selvena Brooks-Powers cast her ballot at Pilgrim Church in Arverne on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021.
Photo by Gabriele Holtermann
at York College in Jamaica.
The 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.
The new strain, known as B1526,
was identifi ed by a team of researchers
at Caltech and Columbia University.
The 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 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, officers found 26
cellphones, digital scales, sifters,
grinders and around 1,000 blue pills
with markings similar to pharmaceutically
produced oxycodone.
The suspects were charged with
criminal possession of a controlled
substance and criminally using
drug paraphernalia.
POLICE ARREST MAN
WHO ALLEGEDLY
ASSAULTED WOMAN
OUTSIDE FLUSHING
BAKERY
A Flushing man was apprehended
in February for violently shoving
a 52-year-old Asian woman to the
ground outside of bakery.
The 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.
The rise of anti-Asian attacks
amid the COVID-19 pandemic had
prompted local elected officials and
the NYPD to denounce the violent
unprovoked attacks.
“We’ve seen attacks against
Asians on the rise in NYC and across
the country. These latest trends are
indeed disturbing. We must speak
out and come together to stop the
senseless hate,” Councilman Peter
Koo said on Twitter.
YEAR IN REVIEW
Dr. Dave Chokshi Screenshot from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s press conference
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