Island Trees Board of Education Holds Last Summer Meeting

Beautification Project Underway at

William Henighan Memorial Site

On Tuesday, Aug 24, the Island Trees Board of Education held the final special meeting of the summer. Seven parents and community members were in attendance.

The five-year plan contract has been awarded to BBS Architects & Engineers of Patchogue. The contract award encompasses the building conditions survey, where BBS will identify the varying degrees in which aspects of the district’s buildings need repair and improvement.

Nassau County Displays Its New Optical Scanner Voting Machines

NC Elections Commissioner Questions Validity

The Nassau County Board of Elections has been doing a “trunk show” at venues all over the area to show voters how the new optical scanner machines work. Nassau County is following the new guidelines of the Help Americans Vote Act (HAVA) that was passed by the federal government in Oct. 2002 when then-President George W. Bush signed it into law.

The aim of the legislation was to enhance voter access, prevent fraud, and modernize elections. Each state was to set up its own system.

“The agreement reached in the joint conference committee represents the first major overhaul of New York State’s election process in over 50 years,” said Senator John Flanagan (R-East Northport), chair of the Senate Elections Committee.

Amato Family Joins Forces With DKMS

Bone Marrow Donor Drive Set for Sunday

Trains, trucks, baseball. Sounds like the list of a few things any normal 8-year-old boy would love and it is the list of things Jake Amato loves most. Jake is entering third grade this year at Northside Elementary in Farmingdale, but his plight with childhood leukemia keeps him from school and playtime on most days. He was diagnosed with cancer when he was only four years old.

His family had some relief last year when they believed it had gone into remission, but it has returned. Although childhood leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, is the most common cancer among children and mostly curable, Jake is in the eight percent of all relapse cases. He is presently undergoing chemotherapy treatments at Cohen Children’s Medical Center (formerly Schneider’s) in New Hyde Park. The chemotherapy treatment could sustain him for two to three years and keep his leukemia in remission.

New Provision to Leandra’s Law in Effect

Governor Paterson Mandates

Ignition Interlock for DWI Offenders

On Thursday, Aug. 12, Governor David Paterson held a news conference at the Nassau County Police Academy in Massapequa Park to announce a new provision to Leandra’s Law, requiring that all individuals convicted of a DWI, even first time offenders with, or without a child in the vehicle to install an ignition interlock system on any vehicle they operate. The provision went into effect on Sunday, Aug. 15.

This is a triumph for the advocates of ignition interlocks, including the local Long Island chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) who have lobbied tirelessly in Albany to remove it from judicial discretion, an optional condition assigned to those convicted of drunken driving.  

Marty Lyons Foundation Hosts Bowling for Wishes

On Friday, Aug. 13 the Marty Lyons Foundation hosted its 16th annual Nassau County Bowling for Wishes event at North Levittown Lanes. Pictured: President of Metro and NJ Chapters Marisa Canapi, Luke Lyons, office intern Brittany Canapi, Cynthia Canapi, office intern Ashley Canapi, Dillon Massaro, with founder and chairman Marty Lyons (back) and John Gordon, event chairman of the Nassau Bowling for Wishes (right). The Levittown event raised $20,000 to enable the foundation to fulfill many wishes. For additional information on supporting the foundation’s mission, call (516) 804-0820.    

Photo by Christy Hinko

Attorney General Warns LI About Health Care Lending

Discusses Investigation Into Predatory Credit Cards

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo addressed Long Islanders this week, speaking at the Glen Cove Senior Center about health care-related credit card schemes targeting seniors and vulnerable patients. AG Cuomo said he has subpoenaed health care clinics and credit card companies including Chase Health Advance, Citi Health, and GE Money’s CareCredit.

The attorney general was joined in Glen Cove by a young woman named Miriam Simon, who said she was the victim of a $14,000 scheme relevant to this investigation. Simon said that she went to the dentist for an examination and her dentist told her she needed extensive work. He offered her a payment plan for the $14,000, but she said she had to go home and think it over.

Mangano Announces New Natural Gas Purchase

ESCO to Provide Service to

Cedar Creek Sewage Treatment Plant

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano has announced he will save taxpayers as much as $4 million through an agreement with energy service company (ESCO) for natural gas service at the Cedar Creek and Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plants.

“It is time to think differently and break the mold of typical government spending,” said Mangano. “It is a sign of things to come as we reform the way Nassau County serves the people.”

MTA and Nassau County Continue Fight Over Busing

Nassau Files Suit Over Tax,

MTA Says ‘Pay for Your Own Bus’

It became official last week that the MTA plans to cut its funding to Long Island Bus, a move that will effectively eliminate all bus service to over 100,000 Nassau County residents who rely on it daily. A war of words between Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano and the MTA has now escalated to a legal battle, with the county filing suit over the controversial MTA employer payroll tax.

“I will not stand by and allow the MTA to eliminate service to the people of Nassau County,” announced Mangano. “This is the first of many steps we will take to fight the MTA on behalf of the 30 million riders who rely on bus service to get to their jobs, visit their doctors and live their lives.”

Nassau Contracted Health Care Workers Win Full Raise

Legislature Hears Employers’ Protest -

Dismisses Plea

On July 26, a special session of the Nassau County Legislature was held to vote on the one dollar per hour salary raise promised to home health care workers employed by agencies that have contracts with the county, as per Nassau’s Living Wage Law. After debating a bill to put off the raise, legislators voted to leave the increase intact as scheduled for August.

In 2006, the Living Wage Law was unanimously passed by the Legislature. The law provided for a phased-in salary increase from $9.50 per hour to $12.50. The last one dollar increment had been scheduled to go into effect on Aug. 1, however, there has been much opposition from health care employers, who claim that the increase in cost will be unmanageable for them, and will result in layoffs.

‘Dragon Path’ Will Welcome Visitors to Athletic Complex

Student Council Encourages
Community to Order Engraved Bricks

The student council at Division Avenue High School has been working hard to fundraise for and get the word out about their “Dragon Path.” The path, as it exists right now, is just a dirt walkway leading up to the athletic complex. But give them a few more months and the student council and its advisors will have enough bricks to build the path that will welcome spectators to the new turf field.

The Dragon Path, when finished, will consist of engraved bricks with names, sayings and accomplishments of students, local businesses and anyone who calls Levittown School District their home.