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Friday, May 15, 2026
Vol. 86, No. 20
SERVING BETHPAGE, OLD BETHPAGE, AND PLAINVIEW
Town launches “History Hunt” for America’s 250th
Hicksville officials outline downtown transformation BY RIKKI MASSAND
Members of the Town Board of Oyster Bay in front of the Raynham Hall Museum. The Town of Oyster Bay invites history enthusiasts to participate in The Long Island History Hunt, a special summerlong event that will run from Brooklyn to Montauk featuring 26 historical locations where selfie challenges can be completed. This epic adventure, sponsored by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, runs from May 23rd through September 30th. Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Town Clerk Rich LaMarca were
joined at the announcement of the program by Town Receiver of Taxes Jeff Pravato, director of Education and Public Programs at Raynham Hall Museum Justinne Lake-Jedzinak, Deputy Director Theresa Skvarla and Oyster Bay East Norwich Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Amy Reilly. Supervisor Saladino stated, “This year’s ‘hunt’ has a special twist, turning the American Revolution into an epic adventure, where participants
can visit sites from Brooklyn all the way out to Montauk, to see where history was made. It will feature 26 museums, landmarks and historical sites throughout the region with ties to the Revolutionary War, just like Oyster Bay’s own Raynham Hall Museum.” Participants can visit lihistoryhunt.com to register and then visit a designated museum, landmark, monument, historic home, park or colonial tavern. See page 10
The Bethpage Newsgram is published every Friday by Litmor Publishing Corp. Periodical Postage paid at Hicksville, N.Y. 11801 Telephone 931-0012 - USPS 3467-68. Postmaster: Send Address Change to: The Bethpage Newsgram, 821 Franklin Ave., Suite 208, Garden City, N.Y. 11530 • Meg Norris Publisher
More than 75 businesspeople from across Long Island gathered at IKEA in the Broadway Commons mall in Hicksville for a special networking night on Wednesday, April 29, hosted by the Hicksville Chamber of Commerce. Attendees, ranging from corporate executives and education leaders to small business owners and entrepreneurs, heard from the IKEA team about the company’s latest furniture and design innovations for customized workspaces and homes, including new workstation options. Guest speakers included Town of Oyster Bay Councilwoman Vicki Walsh and the Town’s Deputy Commissioner for Economic Development, James McCaffrey. The officials recognized the strong collaboration among attendees, including leaders from several other local chambers of commerce, including Seaford, Syosset-Woodbury, Melville and Plainview-Old Bethpage. Those in attendance also received updates on the ongoing transformation and revitalization of downtown Hicksville near the LIRR hub south of Broadway Commons. Charlie Razenson, president of the Hicksville Chamber and
owner of Unique Impressions Inc., announced plans for nearly 600 new apartments in the area. “Hicksville has been going through some major changes as we’re going to see many apartments coming into the town. The Broadway Mall here is going to see major changes to the property,” he said. McCaffrey shared updates on several development projects planned for Hicksville, first offering a joke that resonated with many local residents. “IKEA and Costco are the two places that I go to, and I need to call my wife to ask ‘Where are you?’ in the store. There’s so much going on and this is a great place – especially if you have college-age kids, you live at IKEA,” he said. The deputy commissioner said the Hicksville redevelopment includes more than 500 residential units through private-sector multi-family housing projects. He also discussed the area’s Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) vision and noted that a variety of housing types will be constructed. “There are three major projects underway and another three are in the works. For the See page 8
Levittown teacher wins award PAGE 4 LISG rises to fight hunger PAGE 3