Queens Ledger - Brooklyn Star News

08/11/2026

Sunnyside residents looking for a little rest, relaxation and pampering this summer have plenty of opportunities to treat themselves during the 2026 Sunnyside Self-Care Fest.

Organized by the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District, the annual celebration highlights local beauty, wellness and personal-care businesses while encouraging residents to shop locally.

The 2026 Self-Care Fest runs through August 18, with participating businesses offering special promotions and discounts on services. Residents can take advantage of the offers while discovering some of the neighborhood businesses that help make Sunnyside a vibrant place to live, work and visit.

Sunnyside residents looking for a little rest, relaxation and pampering this summer have plenty of opportunities to treat themselves during the 2026 Sunnyside Self-Care Fest. Organized by the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District, the annual celebration highlights local beauty, wellness and...

08/11/2026

Located in the heart of Maspeth, Queens, Ocean Prime has become a neighborhood favorite for catching the big game, enjoying great food and drinks, singing karaoke with friends, or simply unwinding after a long day.

But behind every game on the TVs and every plate served is a story that began long before the restaurant opened.

José Fuentes arrived in New York from El Salvador when he was just 17 years old.

07/02/2026

Community leaders, elected officials, business owners and residents gathered at Sunnyside Community Services on June 25 as Sunnyside Shines celebrated its 18th Annual Meeting, highlighting another year of neighborhood revitalization while recognizing longtime public servants and outlining initiatives aimed at supporting local businesses.

The annual event featured keynote remarks from NYC Comptroller Mark Levine, who praised Sunnyside’s thriving commercial district and noted that the neighborhood continues to maintain one of the city’s lowest storefront vacancy rates.

One of the afternoon’s highlights came as Sunnyside Shines presented its Sunnyside Hero Award to outgoing New York State Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris in recognition of his decades of service to Sunnyside and Western Queens.

06/30/2026

Thousands of business owners across the country paid IRS tax penalties during the COVID-19 pandemic, often while struggling to keep their businesses afloat. What many don’t realize is that the IRS has provided penalty relief for certain qualifying taxpayers, allowing eligible businesses to recover penalties they previously paid.

According to the tax professionals at AccuTax Firm, located in Maspeth and Ozone Park, many businesses may still have an opportunity to claim these funds—but they must act quickly. The deadline to request eligible relief is July 10.

Thousands of business owners across the country paid IRS tax penalties during the COVID-19 pandemic, often while struggling to keep their businesses afloat. What many don’t realize is that the IRS has provided penalty relief for certain qualifying taxpayers, allowing eligible businesses to recover...

06/22/2026

Major League Pickleball is coming to New York City!

From June 25–28, some of the top professional pickleball players in the world will take the court at Randall’s Island as Major League Pickleball (MLP) returns to the Big Apple for one of the most exciting stops on the 2026 schedule.

A special shoutout to the Brooklyn Pickleball Team, the host team for this incredible event, and to COO Adam Behnke for helping grow the sport and build one of the league’s most passionate fan bases.

Through a partnership facilitated by BQE Media & Marketing, the Brooklyn Pickleball Team recently teamed up with 42 Hotel in Williamsburg to launch an exciting fan giveaway. One lucky winner will receive two tickets to the event along with a complimentary one-night stay at 42 Hotel, creating the ultimate New York City sports getaway experience. Enter the giveaway by engaging with the collaboration post on 's Instagram page.

The world’s top professional pickleball players are set to take over New York City later this summer as Major League Pickleball (MLP) heads to SPORTIME Randall’s Island from June 25 through June 28 for one of the league’s premier events of the season. The multi-day Major League Pickleball Tour...

05/14/2026

In a borough known for bold flavors and late-night food culture, Pookie Bakery is quickly becoming one of Brooklyn’s sweetest success stories.

Tucked inside a longtime neighborhood café on Coney Island Avenue, the cookie shop has built a loyal following with oversized gourmet cookies, molten cookie tins, and a family-centered story rooted in community.

The bakery was founded by Muheed Ali, a Brooklyn entrepreneur who grew up watching his family operate Gyro Cafe for nearly two decades. Ali first started baking cookies at home for friends and relatives before his brother encouraged him to offer them at the Gyro Café. Customers immediately responded, returning for more and spreading the word throughout the neighborhood.

In a borough known for bold flavors and late-night food culture, Pookie Bakery is quickly becoming one of Brooklyn’s sweetest success stories. Tucked inside a longtime neighborhood café on Coney Island Avenue, the cookie shop has built a loyal following with oversized gourmet cookies, molten cook...

05/14/2026

Community Board #5 took quick action at last night’s meeting at Christ the King HS in Middle Village, to lobby the Parks Department for ‘getting the play-lights sports lighting timers right,’ at Principe Park, an 8-acre ‘active park’ situated along the LIE and Maurice Avenue.

The park has synthetic turf soccer and baseball fields, tennis courts, basketball and a hard surface softball field, which is used as six pickle ball courts. The pickle ball area is heavily used, as there is a self-controlled systematic coordinated use of the courts for players. It’s not unusual to see fifty or more pickle ballers at the park at any given time.

The basketball courts are also heavily used, but according to testimony at the public forum Wednesday from Kyle Beauchamp, a hoopster from Glendale who frequents the park during evening hours, he wonders why the lights shut off at 8:35, when the lights at the other two lighted sports areas are shut off at 9:30 or 9:35? “It’s about safety for those who play until the posted time of the park’s closing,” said Beauchamp.

05/13/2026

Scroll for hyper-realistic portraits, bar scenes worthy of Edward Hopper, and even a fruit fly in a diaper!

On Friday, May 8, more than fifty senior art majors from Frank Sinatra School of the Arts had an opportunity to show their work in a communal show at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, to the delight of friends, family, and curious museum-goers.

The collaboration between FSSA and MoMI started in 2022, as the school was searching for a larger venue for its end-of-year showcases. “When we have all four grades together on stage, it’s too stuffed,” explains art teacher Laura Blau. “Here, the seniors get to show everything.”

Many of the students have been recognized with Scholastic Awards, and senior Jenascia Fernandez has a painting hanging in the Met as part of a temporary exhibition.

“There’s nothing more important than letting the student go with the thing they’re gravitating towards,” says Blau. “Even if that means they have to dig themselves deep into a hole and crawl out of it in a way where they’re forced to engage in higher-order thinking.”

Read more online at queensledger.com!

05/08/2026

In a preliminary vote, the Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) set up a possible rent freeze on all rent stabilized units at a public hearing Thursday night in Long Island City, while rejecting a motion that would have guaranteed it.

Seven board members voted in favor of a 0 to 2% range for proposals to increase rents on one-year leases, and 0 to 4% for two-year leases. Landlord representative Christina Smyth voted no, while Mamdani appointee Maksim Wynn abstained.
The vote marks the first time that the RGB has considered a rent freeze for two-year leases, and kicks off a series of public hearings ahead of the final vote in June.

Hundreds of protesters with tenants advocacy groups flooded the sidewalk for a rally before packing into the LaGuardia Community College Performing Arts Center, holding signs and shouting “freeze the rent” as the board voted.