Youth Services Coalition Rallies To Restore Funding

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Youth Services Coalition Rallies To Restore Funding

Written by Joe Scotchie: jscotchie@antonnews.com Friday, 13 July 2012 00:00

Monies eliminated for numerous county agencies

With no budget agreement in sight and numerous agencies now defunded, the Nassau County Youth Services Coalition once again rallied on Friday, July 6, at the Theodore Roosevelt Legislative Executive Building in Mineola to both protest the lack of inaction and to seek the restoration of lost funds.

In June, numerous youth agencies received notice that their county contracts would be cancelled and funding eliminated on July 5 if Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano’s fiscal recovery plan was not approved.

Peter Levy addresses the crowd. That is what has happened and in the rally that took place in 90-degree plus weather, speakers invoked Abraham Lincoln, Robert F. Kennedy and Roosevelt himself as they vowed to continue their resistance. And while those speakers criticized both County Executive Mangano and the Nassau County Legislature, one speaker reserved his main scorn for the bosses of both parties.

A flier distributed before the rally singled out Jay Jacobs, the Democratic Party chairman and Joe Mondello, longtime Republican Party chairman as the culprits for a lack of agreement between the legislature and the county executive’s office.

The audience listens to Joe Smith. “Nineteen legislatures and a county executive are beholden only to two men who sit in the shadows,” said Andrew Malekoff of the Old Westbury-based North Shore Guidance Center. Declaring that Jacobs and Mondello have “power and control” over elected officials, Malekoff further denounced them for making youth agencies “pawns and hostages in their political war.”

“On this dark day, we are their collateral damage,” Malekoff claimed.

Before and after each speaker, Peter Levy, president of the coalition, listed some of the numerous agencies that have lost funding, including Concerned Citizens for Roslyn Youth, YES Community Counseling, Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club, Hicksville Teenage Center, Hempstead Youth Council, North Shore Boys & Girls Club, Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Uniondale Community Center and Nassau County Office of Youth Services.

Sergio Argueta makes a point. “Every year, we are placed on the chopping block,” said Joe Smith, executive director of Long Beach Reach, Inc. “This year they have sunk to a new low.” Smith said that the savings from eliminating such programs are estimated at $4 million, all out of a country budget that stands at over $2.7 billion.

Prior to the rally, numerous protestors lined Franklin Avenue carrying such signs as “Social Services Are Not Political Pawns” and “Keep Kids Out Of Politics.” The protestors implored motorists to honk their horns in support and many of them were glad to oblige.

The event billed itself as nonpartisan and the comments from county officials struck a conciliatory note of their own.

“It’s unfortunate, but it’s part of the county executive’s necessary cutbacks,” said Presiding Officer Peter J. Schmitt (R – Massapequa).

“It was the decision by the County Executive and the Republican majority to rescind the money from the red light camera fund that was intended to fund these programs,” said Mike Florio, a spokesman for Democratic Party legislators. “We are continuing to talk with the County Executive and hope an agreement can be made to keep these programs running.”

“We continue to have healthy conversations with Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams to address youth board funding,” added County Executive Mangano.

News

Hicksville Native Wins FIT Award

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

Hicksville native Jae Lee recently rose to the top of his senior class at New York Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), winning the Critic Award for sportswear. But fashion wasn’t the path that Lee originally chose.

In high school, Lee excelled in art classes and thought that he wanted to go to college and major in fine arts. However, he said, it was while watching an episode of “Project Runway” that he had a revelation. “All of a sudden I was thinking that it was something I could/should do and that’s what kind of led to it,” he said. He made up his mind that he was going to apply to fashion school and enlisted the help of one of his art teachers in school to help him. “We really scrambled and put together this presentation in about two weeks, where other people, I’m sure, worked on theirs for months,” he said. Lee said that when he went to present his portfolio, he didn’t think the meeting went well at all. “Everyone was really well prepared,” he said. But, he admitted, it must have gone better than he thought, because he was accepted to FIT.

WWII Armor Museum Opens

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

In the face of cancelled air shows and the downgrading of NYC’s Fleet Week, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano announced on May 9, that American soldiers will be forever honored on Long Island through the creation of the Museum of American Armor to be built at Old Bethpage Village Restoration thanks, in part, to a million dollar gift from Lawrence Kadish.

“We are watching powerful tributes to our American military reduced or eliminated across the nation and its just plain wrong,” stated County Executive Mangano. “Fortunately, the Memorial Day weekend air show at Jones Beach will be held regardless of the loss of the Thunderbirds, but Fleet Week in New York City will be greatly diminished and across the country air shows are being cancelled weekly. Nassau County is moving in another direction. An armor museum that honors every American soldier will be created on county property this year which will not only pay tribute to those who have defended our nation but will also strengthen the county’s tourism and destination industry and provide a new source of revenue.”

Sports

For The Love Of Tennis

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

Hicksville residents honored by tennis association

The U.S. Tennis Association Long Island Region has recognized several Hicksville residents for their tennis playing or volunteering achievements. The group was honored at the USTA Long Island Region’s 23rd Annual Awards Dinner, which recognizes superior efforts both on and off the tennis court.

Terry Fontana received the Vitas Gerulaitis for the Love of Tennis award. She has been a longtime fixture in the Hicksville tennis community and is the driving force behind the Hicksville Community Tennis Association (CTA), which, since 1995, has been promoting the development of tennis as a means of healthy recreation and physical fitness and to create a community resource for physical activity throughout the area.

Lady Comets Honor Departing Seniors

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

It was a cold season for softball this year, colder than usual. Anyone who knows the sport recognizes that the weather can be changeable, but this softball season was fraught with snow, pouring rain, cancelled games, frigid temperatures, and blowing winds that would cause any team to crave the warmth of indoors.

That wasn’t the case with the Hicksville High School Lady Comets Varsity Softball team. They played through it all like champions, and endured the rough weather like superstars.