Julio Escobar left El Salvador eight years ago and is unable to return for fear of not being permitted re-entry into the United States. The new immigration bill would give him, and others like him, immediate work authorization, but both Democrats and Republicans agree that changes need to be made to the bill before it comes into practice. more>

For Janice Jenkins, 47, the cut in her workday will make her a part-time employee. Because she is paid hourly, she will lose one-fourth of her salary, as well as medical coverage for her two kids. more>

Community leaders held an informative discussion on the presence of gangs in Queens. Among the topics broached were common gang identifiers so families are better prepared for catching warning signs. more>

“When you have 27, 28, 29 kids in a class, it is just impossible to cater to the whole class,” said Nick Comaianni, president of District 24 Community Education Council, which has the worst overcrowding in the city. more>