Crime Rears Its Ugly Head in Sections of New Hyde Park

Police Commissioner Mulvey Holds Press Conference on Sexual Assault

Nassau County Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey held a press conference at police headquarters in Mineola on Friday, October 9 to describe a sexual assault that occurred in New Hyde Park at the “Stop and Shop” at 653 Hillside Avenue, on Oct. 8 at 10:50 p.m.

According to police detectives, two witnesses parked in their vehicle outside the shopping center reported seeing a man wearing a ski mask acting suspiciously and they called 911. The subject was observed by the witnesses confronting a woman who exited the store and forced her, apparently at gunpoint, into her vehicle, detectives said. The detectives went on to say that the subject ordered the female victim into the passenger seat as he entered the driver’s seat.

Police said the witnesses then indicated that the Honda drove around to the rear of the shopping center and parked with its lights off. A short time later, the witnesses observed the Honda drive away from the shopping center and stop at the traffic light that leads onto Hillside Avenue.

Superintendent Bierwirth Announces AP Results, College Acceptances

Herricks School Superintendent, Dr. John Bierwirth gave a summary of the 2009 AP Results and College Acceptances Report. In 2008, within the district only 974 exams were given in AP History. In 2009, that three-year plateau was broken with 1,100 exams having been given.

This includes the total number of students involved in the AP History exam, which shows a 23 percent increase from the previous school year, with 544 students attempting the exam. The percentage of a grade 3 or higher was lower than in previous years, at 76.6 percent, but Dr. Bierwirth noted the results were still above most districts nationally and on Long Island.

Bierwirth said, “Our students did significantly better than the national percentages despite the fact that they were 10-graders where as most of the students across the country would have been 12- graders, maybe 11graders.”

Restaurant Public Hearing Dominates Williston Park Meeting

The last meeting of the Williston Park Village Board was dominated by a public hearing, but not before there was a moment of silence in memory of former mayor Thomas Muldoon.

The proposal was for a special permit by International Ventures Group, Ltd. for a restaurant to be called Uncle Pepe’s at 29 Hillside Avenue, Williston Park.

The restaurant is to have approximately 112 seats, including a bar area, dining room and party room with off street parking spaces of approximately 40 spaces to be located in the municipal parking lot. Plans and specification for this application are on file at Williston Park Village Hall, 494 Willis Avenue, Williston Park.

Annual Walk-A-Thon Held in Memory of Jack Garofalo, Jr.

Recently, the Long Island Riding for the Handicapped Association, Inc. (LIRHA) held its Annual Walk-a-Thon at Jones Beach in memory of New Hyde Park resident Jack Garofalo, Jr. He was a longtime worker in AHRC’s Vocational Training Center, a resident of AHRC Nassau and a student of the LIRHA program.

The Garofalo family, staunch supporters of AHRC and LIRHA and friends of Jack, Jr., walked in celebration of his life while raising needed funds for LIRHA’s program.

Resident Praises New Hyde Park Village for Fast Action

At the last meeting of the New Hyde Park Village, a resident, at the start of the meeting, said she would like to praise the village for quick and efficient action in response to a problem.

She said, “Last Thursday, the street light on my block was out. So, I called village hall and spoke to someone who took my name, the address of the outage. I asked him if I should get another phone number to call and he said no, we’ll take care of it. Then, Thurday night the bulb was replaced. ”

New Hyde Park Deputy Mayor Robert Lofaro, who was chairing the meeting, thanked the resident for her praise. Trustee Donald Barbieri jokingly said to the resident, “Next time I want something done in the village, in a hurry, I’m calling you.”

Senator Craig Johnson Presents $100,000 Checks to Williston Park

At the last Village of Williston Park meeting, Williston Park Mayor Ludwig Odierna stopped a hearing so that New York State Senator Craig Johnson could present two large checks to the village.

The first check he presented, in the amount of $100,000, was to the Williston Park Fire Department and fire chief William Shannon was on hand to accept the check.

Former Mayor Dies

The former mayor of Williston Park, Thomas Muldoon, died suddenly, at home, on September 17, 2009.

Muldoon, a familiar figure in the Village of Williston Park, could always be seen, with camera around his neck, since leaving office, taking pictures at key events in the village.

Muldoon and his wife Carole have been residents of Williston Park for the past 35 years. They have three children, Kevin, Carolyn Andrews (John) and Christopher (Denise) and he was the grandfather of Audrey, Timothy and Conor.

Takes a Chance On Rain... and Wins

In spite of the dire predictions of rain for the entire day, the New Hyde Park Village went ahead with its scheduled fair last Saturday and their luck held…it was a great day, a great fair, packed and everyone had a marvelous time.

Everybody Out of the Pool…And Back to School...

Most of the schools in the New Hyde Park area opened this week to repainted classrooms and shiny floors as students flocked into their respective buildings and classrooms.

For the most part there were smiles on every student’s face as they faced the excitement and anticipation of a new year, perhaps new friends and maybe new teachers.

New Hyde Park/Garden City Park students went back on Tuesday, Sept. 8 and the Herricks students went back on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

The Town of North Hempstead Never Forgets….

Although it was 8:30 a.m on a rainy, dank and chilly day, for September, the meeting room of Clark Gardens on I.U. Willets Road, Albertson, in the Town of North Hempstead, was packed as county, town and local officials jammed in to be part of the eighth September 11 Memorial Service.

The day was so unlike that horrible day eight years ago that dawned to a bright, crisp and clear September.

The service was run by North Hempstead Town Clerk Leslie Gross, who opened with touching remarks. She said, “9/11 now jumps from the calendar page just as vividly as the 4th of July or Jan. 1t. Each year it reminds us where we were and what we were doing when we heard the news of the two towers falling, or when the plane crashed into the Pentagon or into a field in Pennsylvania.