Body Found Floating In Waters Off Saddle Rock

Male found in Little Neck Bay is as yet unidentified

The body of a man was discovered floating in Little Neck Bay (off the shore of Saddle Rock) early last Friday afternoon, May 25. Nassau County police detectives report that homicide detectives are investigating what they already term a “homicide.”

The body was found at 1:50 p.m. last Friday, floating in the rear dock area behind a Bayport Lane North residence in the Village of Saddle Rock. Police describe the unidentified male as being 5’ 11” tall, 177 pounds, with brown eyes and graying hair. Detectives further report that the man was wearing a white-collared golf shirt with the word “Collegiate” and two crossed tennis rackets, embroidered in blue, as well as sweatpants and Adidas sneakers.

Kings Point Mayor And Trustees Face Contested Elections

No contests in the Village of Great Neck and in Lake Success

(Editor’s Note: As with all village elections, immediately following the last date to file a petition to run for office, the Great Neck Record contacts each village’s clerk/treasurer, asking for the names of the candidates. And, as well, we ask that the village contact each candidate, asking for a biography, a photograph and a statement as to why the candidate is running for office. Some villages, and some candidates, do comply. In the weeks to come, we will publish all such election materials.)

It looks to be a hotly contested election in the Village of Kings Point. On June 19, voters will choose between two slates, one with the incumbent mayor and two incumbent trustees, and the other slate with three newcomers. Mayor Michael Kalnick and trustees Sheldon Kwiat and David Harounian are being challenged by Moigan Sasson, running for mayor, and David Schifer and Freydoun Elenkaveh, running for trustee positions.

Jesse Friedman, Resolutely Maintains Innocence

Seeks transparency in district attorney’s review of his case

The Friedman child abuse case that gripped Great Neck, and the nation, almost 25 years ago continues to reverberate. Jesse Friedman, who served 13 years in prison and was paroled in 2001, has continued to assert his innocence and to fight to overturn his conviction. He and his father, Arnold, were accused of multiple counts of child sexual abuse in computer classes run from their home. Both eventually pled guilty avoiding trials. Arnold committed suicide in prison in 1995.

Jesse Friedman’s most recent lawyer, Ron Kuby, who is well known as a civil rights attorney, has enlisted former NYPD detective Jay Salpeter, now a private investigator, to independently seek more evidence in the case. A confidential hotline has been established so that anyone with information, no matter how seemingly inconsequential, can call 516-660-4385.

School Budget, BOE Election Results

On Tuesday, May 15, the 2012-2013 Great Neck Public Schools budget passed 1098 to 305.

The 2012-2013 Great Neck Library budget passed 949 to 366.

Mark Schimel Will Not Challenge Michelle Schimel For Assembly Seat

Mark Schimel withdraws his candidacy days after his initial acceptance announcement

Just days after announcing his nomination as the Republican candidate for New York State’s 16th Assembly District, Mark Schimel withdrew his candidacy. A flurry of controversy surrounded this upcoming election as Mr. Schimel’s nomination meant that he would challenge his estranged wife, Michelle Schimel, the Democratic incumbent.

88th Annual Great Neck Memorial Day Parade

Judge Jack Weinstein honored as grand marshal

Great Neck’s own Judge Jack Weinstein will lead the 88th Annual Great Neck Memorial Day Parade on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28. The parade, sponsored by the Great Neck communities, will step off, rain or shine, at 9:30 a.m. from Middle Neck Road (south of the LIRR station) and continue north along Middle Neck Road to the Village Green for the Remembrance Service. The Remembrance Service will begin about 10:15 a.m.

KP Mayor And Trustees Address Civic Association Questions

Review of budget, ambulance, plume from ExxonMobil, parkland lawsuit

While last year’s Village of Kings Point budget, with over a 9 percent rise in expenditures, prompted a packed house and rambunctious tone at a civic association meeting, this year’s meeting drew fewer, less vocal and upset residents. Mayor Michael Kalnick assured the attendees that every effort has been made to trim the budget as much as possible which has resulted in a total budget of $15,072,650 for the 2012-2013 year. After subtracting the village’s revenues and cash surplus from last year’s budget, the amount to be raised by taxation is $13,496,384 which is $263,000 more than last year’s amount.

Civic Association President Marsha Rotman announced that since there will be a contested election for the position of mayor and trustee, the association will host and the League of Women Voters will conduct a Meet the Candidates night on Monday, June 11 at 7 p.m. at JFK Elementary School. She emphasized that the association is nonpartisan and is only concerned with making sure that voters are informed about the issues.

LIPA Electric Shorts Cause Smoke And Burning Wires

Several Lake Success homes experienced electric sparks and smoke

Several Lake Success residents were stunned last week when they suddenly heard a loud explosion and soon smelled smoke in their homes. Last Tuesday, May 1, shortly after noon, residents of the Meadow Woods section of the Village of Lake Success heard a “boom,” a loud explosion that many quickly identified as a not-so-uncommon electric transformer “blowing.” Immediately following the explosion some residents saw smoke in their homes, while at least one resident saw electronic equipment sparking. All who reported a problem smelled smoke and burning plastic.

According to LIPA, the problem was indeed a transformer issue. Mark Gross, LIPA acting communications director, told the Great Neck Record that the harness on transformers serving part of the Meadow Woods area broke and the wires touched. Mr. Gross said if the wires are not separated by a harness they can touch and this, he said, will cause “irregular voltage” such as flickering lights. Some residents had already been complaining of flickering lights. Prior to this latest incident, one resident had called LIPA reporting that his lights were often too bright. Mr. Gross said that this is another result of wires touching.

Great Neck Villages Address Sewer Issue

Local officials discuss the operation of separate storm water systems

It might not be the most interesting, eye-catching topic, but storm sewer systems and their regulations are important to each municipality that operates its own separate storm sewer system. And at the Great Neck Village Officials meeting last Wednesday evening, April 25, the peninsula’s mayors and trustees were offered an overview of the operations of such systems and what is required of each system. Eileen Keenan, manager of the NY Sea Grant NEMO Program, briefed the local officials on the MS4 (municipal separate storm sewer system), the regulations, basic requirements, effectiveness evaluation and special requirements relating to impaired water bodies in the area.

Chamber of Commerce Honors Community Leaders

Seeking a unified Great Neck with everyone working together

A Great Neck where everyone works together! That is what Great Neck Chamber of Commerce President Hooshang Nematzadeh called for at the Chamber’s annual awards dinner last Wednesday evening, April 25. In the beautiful waterfront setting at Melville Hall at the United States Merchant Marine Academy, the chamber presented four awards to members of the local community who consistently support the Chamber of Commerce and work together for the benefit of the entire Great Neck community.

Mr. Nematzadeh said that the honorees “have demonstrated that they are leaders in their fields and continue to contribute to the overall economic growth and development of Great Neck.”