Queens Week

Welcome back to the QNS Podcast, a weekly look at the week’s biggest Queens news. Hosted by Jacob Kaye and reporter Angélica Acevedo, each show will take a look at the week’s most important stories from across the borough and across topics.

This week, we recap yet another protest against Mayor Bill de Blasio’s borough-based jail plan. Queens-based advocacy group Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM) called for Rikers Island to close without the construction of any new jails. They argued that there’s a connection between criminal justice reform and racial profiling, among other issues that “black and brown communities” in Queens have to face every day.

Shaniyat Chowdhury, leftwing candidate challenging Rep. Gregory Meeks in the Democratic primary for Jamaica’s Congressional District, was at the rally and spoke to QNS about why he believes NYC needs to “abolish the prison system for good.”

Kaye and reporter Max Parrott spoke in depth about what took place at Oct. 7’s combative community meeting on the proposed homeless shelter on Cooper Avenue. Parrott addressed Community Board 5 Chair Vincent Arcuri’s claim that some of the people at the meeting were “plantees.”

Acevedo then gave a report on Community Board 1’s meeting on Oct. 10 in which residents and community board members spoke passionately for and against a proposed new eight-story housing and theater building in Astoria.

And if you’re looking for fun things to do around the “World’s Borough,” check out some of the “happenings” this weekend, including an early Halloween event.

The QNS Podcast will be back next week, on Oct. 21.

This episode was written by Jacob Kaye and Angélica Acevedo. Jacob Kaye and Angélica Acevedo are the co-hosts. Jacob Kaye edited the episode. Our reporters include Bill Parry, Carlotta Mohammed, Emily Davenport, Jacob Kaye, Jenna Bagcal, Max Parrott and Angélica Acevedo. Our editor is Zach Gewelb. Music by Blue Dot Sessions. Published by Schneps Media.

This week on the QNS Podcast, we’re talking about Willets Point, its displaced workers, the development’s history, and how the city’s neglect of the Iron Triangle has served one artist who takes full advantage of the urban decay.

Then we’ll talk about how an open letter to Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer penned by a Democratic Socialists of America co-chair may have been more representative of a personal beef than the opinions of progressives toward the borough presidential hopeful.

This show was hosted and written by Mark Hallum and Jacob Kaye. Ethan Stark-Miller co-produced, co-wrote and co-hosted our story on Willets Point. Max Parrott contributed to this podcast. Our reporters include Mark Hallum, Carlotta Mohammed, Jenna Bagcal, Emily Davenport, Max Parrot and Bill Parry. Our editor is Robert Pozarycki. This show was edited by Jacob Kaye. Music by blue dot sessions. This podcast is brought to you by Schneps Media.