Here in the twilight of 2025, QNS takes a look back at your favorite stories this past year. Our unusually hot September slowly and painfully gave way to fall and QNS’s best stories surrounded the incoming school year, City Hall and the last of the summer street festivals.
School Construction Authority cuts ribbon at massive 3,066-seat Queens Innovation Center high school
The School Construction Authority (SCA), in charge of constructing and maintaining the many public schools across the city, eagerly cut the ribbon on a brand new education center in Woodside: Queens Innovation Center High School.
Officially opened on Sept. 4, the center is now home to four separate high schools; Gotham Tech High School, Motion Picture Technical High School, Northwell School of Health Science and P993Q, It cost a gran total of $173 million dollars for the nearly 100 classrooms, auditorium, gymnasium and other accommodations.
The center is unique in the SCA’s 35 year long tenure, and made history as its largest school ever constructed. The project’s construction took several years to come to fruition, so the ribbon cutting event was attended by many notable figures in Queens and across the city including SCA President and CEO Nina Kubota, NYC Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos and Deputy Mayor of Operations Jeffrey Roth, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, State Sen. Michael Gianaris and Assembly Member Steven Raga with other officials sending representatives to celebrate the achievement in their stead.
City Hall to provide homeowners with automatic rebate checks for NYC Bins
This was a landmark year for New York sanitation as, at the behest of Mayor Eric Adams, the city’s garbage was finally going to be placed in bins to curb the rat population. Adams made the push to remove trash from sidewalks in an effort to cutback on our rodents’ favorite meal. Though the economic cost of purchasing these new bins has hit each borough differently, Queens owners of one and two-family homes, who receive Basic or Enhanced School Tax Relief (STAR or E-STAR) credits, received a $60 check for the cost of their bins.
Adams was initially hesitant to sign the bill, even though it passed the City Council with a veto-proof majority, calling it “fiscally irresponsible.” However, he came around in August and eventually approved the $14.5 million program.
“NYC Bins are delivering cleaner streets and sidewalks and fewer rats, and I encourage those who have not yet ordered their bin to use this check to make their purchase in the coming weeks,” said NYC Sanitation Commissioner Javier Lojan in a statement.
Whitestone man killed after crashing into Mini Cooper, two other vehicles: NYPD
A young Whitestone motorcyclist was killed in a fatal collision in early September. According to the NYPD, 21-year-old James Korakis, of 9th Avenue in Whitestone, was riding a BMW motorcycle northbound on the Cross Island Parkway service road near 157th Street just after 7 p.m. when he collided with a Mini Cooper driven by a 28-year-old man who was also traveling northbound on the service road.
No arrests were made by the 109th Precinct and a funeral was held for Korakis shortly thereafter. The news of the tragic accident spread from friends and family to the entire community, and his online obituary received many donations and messages from loved ones.
“Gone too soon, but never forgotten. You had the gift of making people smile, may you ride in peace,” wrote one friend.
Photos: Fresh Pond Road Street Festival kicks off in Ridgewood
The Fresh Pond Road Street Festival is an annual draw to many in both Queens and Brooklyn. This year beginning on Sept. 4 from Woodbine Street to Menahan Street, the light rain didn’t dissuade many from attending and the street festival saw hundreds enjoying the food, rides and music in the cool summer air.
Organized by the Federazione Italo-Americana Di Brooklyn and Queens, the festival brings out dozens of local vendors who open their own food stands to serve the attendees. Originally intended as a way to celebrate Italian-American culture, festival goers got to enjoy pizza and Italian sausage, but could still find locals selling other foods, such as tacos and Latin barbeque.
The Ferris wheel was the highlight of the event, and many stopped by for a ride once they’d finished their fun at the many carnival games spotted around in their tents.
