{"id":82856,"date":"2025-12-28T17:18:27","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T17:18:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/82856\/"},"modified":"2025-12-28T17:18:27","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T17:18:27","slug":"queens-top-stories-from-june-2025-qns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/82856\/","title":{"rendered":"Queens\u2019 top stories from June 2025 \u2013 QNS"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Resorts\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Resorts World\u2019s efforts to secure a downstate gaming license was one of the biggest stories of the year. <\/p>\n

Photo by John Schilling<\/p>\n

As 2025 rolls into 2026, QNS is looking back at some of the top stories from the year.\n<\/p>\n

In June, Queens Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani made citywide headlines with a stunning victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary, but Mamdani\u2019s victory surprisingly did not feature among the most-read stories on QNS for June. Instead, power outages in Southeast Queens and a new bill requiring stores to accept cash payments piqued the interest of QNS readers.<\/p>\n

Thousands without power in Southeast Queens; Con Edison urges energy conservation
\n\"conCon Edison works to restore service in Queens. Via Con Edison on X<\/p>\n

Con Edison<\/a> restored electricity to almost 8,000 customers in Southeast Queens amid an intense heat wave straining the city\u2019s power grid on June 23.<\/p>\n

The impacted zone stretched from Grand Central Parkway in the north to Jamaica Bay in the south, and from the Nassau County line in the east to Queens Boulevard and the Van Wyck Expressway in the west. It included neighborhoods such as Bellaire, Bellerose, Cambria Heights, Floral Park, Glen Oaks, Hollis, Jamaica, Laurelton, Queens Village, Springfield Gardens, St. Albans and South Jamaica\u2014home to approximately 166,000 customers.<\/p>\n

New York Times names 14 Queens spots among city\u2019s best restaurants of 2025
\n\"bestHellbender in Ridgewood earned a spot on The New York Times\u2019 2025 list of the 100 Best Restaurants in NYC for its bold flavors and inventive dishes. Via Instagram @hellbendernyc<\/p>\n

Fourteen Queens eateries earned spots on\u00a0The New York Times\u2019\u00a0annual list of the 100 Best Restaurants in New York City, which highlights the most compelling and dynamic culinary destinations across the five boroughs.<\/p>\n

Returning to the list this year were AbuQir Seafood<\/a>\u00a0in Astoria,\u00a0Birria-Landia<\/a>\u00a0in Jackson Heights,\u00a0Chongqing Lao Zao<\/a>\u00a0in Flushing,\u00a0Temple Canteen<\/a>\u00a0in Flushing,\u00a0Zaab Zaab<\/a>\u00a0in Elmhurst,\u00a0Trinciti Roti Shop<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Don Peppe<\/a>\u00a0in South Ozone Park, and\u00a0White Bear<\/a>\u00a0in Flushing.<\/p>\n

New entries included Dera Restaurant<\/a> in Jackson Heights, Hellbender<\/a> in Ridgewood, Levant<\/a> in Astoria, Old Sport Food<\/a> in Forest Hills, Salty Lunch Lady\u2019s Little Luncheonette<\/a> in Ridgewood and Taiwanese Gourmet<\/a> in Elmhurst.<\/p>\n

Two Queens establishments that appeared on the 2024 list did not return this year: Papa Paplean in Elmhurst and Adda Indian Canteen in Long Island City.\n<\/p>\n

New York passes bill requiring stores to accept cash payments, protecting unbanked and low-income shoppers
\n\"cashNY lawmakers pass bill requiring retailers and food stores to accept cash. Via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The New York State Legislature passed legislation introduced by Assembly Member Catalina Cruz and State Sen. James Sanders prohibiting food stores and retail establishments from declining cash payments.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0legislation<\/a>, which aims to make sure that cash remains a valid form of payment in New York State, passed both houses of the state legislature at the end of May. Gov. Kathy Hochul since signed the bill into law in November.<\/p>\n

Sanders who represents Queens neighborhoods in\u00a0South Jamaica<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Far Rockaway<\/a>,\u00a0 said the bill reaffirms that access to the marketplace remains a \u201cfundamental right\u201d and not a \u201cluxury reserved for the digitally connected.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCash is still king for many New Yorkers who live paycheck to paycheck or who simply don\u2019t have access to credit or banking services,\u201d Sanders said in a statement. \u201cNo one should be denied a sandwich, a bottle of water, or a loaf of bread because they don\u2019t have a debit card. This bill is about fairness and basic dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cruz, who represents \u00a0Corona<\/a>,\u00a0Elmhurst<\/a>,\u00a0Jackson Heights<\/a>, meanwhile, said cashless stores \u201cshut out\u201d seniors, immigrants and working-class New Yorkers.<\/p>\n

Resorts World officially submits bid to expand Queens casino into $5.5B full-scale resort
\n\"RenderingsRenderings for the planned Resorts World integrated resort in South Ozone Park. Courtesy of RWNYC<\/p>\n

The race to obtain a downstate gaming license was undoubtedly one of the most persistent stories of 2025, so it is no surprise to see an element of that race featured in the top stories for June.<\/p>\n

Resorts World, an existing \u201cracino\u201d in South Ozone Park which recently received a license from the state Gaming Commission, officially submitted its bid to the Commission hours ahead of the June 27 deadline.<\/p>\n

The bid outlined plans for a $5.5 billion integrated resort in South Ozone Park, including a 500,000-square-foot gaming floor with more than 6,000 slots and 800 table games; 2,000 hotel rooms; and a 7,000-seat entertainment venue.<\/p>\n

Home prices more than doubled in 7 Queens neighborhoods in 10 years: report
\n\"\"Hamilton Beach Park. Via Google Maps<\/p>\n

A report released in June by real estate research site\u00a0PropertyShark<\/a> found that home prices more than doubled in 24 neighborhoods across New York City between 2014 and 2024, with seven of those neighborhoods located in Queens.<\/p>\n

The Queens neighborhoods to experience this change included\u00a0Breezy Point<\/a>, Hamilton Beach,\u00a0Long Island City<\/a>, Brookville,\u00a0Jamaica<\/a>,\u00a0Hollis<\/a>\u00a0and Rochdale. Only Brooklyn accounted for more neighborhoods among the list of 24, with eight.<\/p>\n

Breezy Point had the second-highest price growth among all New York City neighborhoods over the ten-year period, with a 192% increase, trailing only Two Bridges in Manhattan, which had a 288% jump. The median sales price in Breezy Point went up from $248,000 in 2014 to $725,000 in 2024.<\/p>\n

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