Vol. 2, No. 1
Friday, January 3, 2025
THE GATEWAY TO NASSAU COUNTY SERVING FLORAL PARK, BELLEROSE AND STEWART MANOR
A Bench for Readers
A bench was recently dedicated at the Floral Park-Bellerose School, in memory Margaret Merle, a treasured and much-loved early educator and administrator from FPBS. Margaret taught kindergarten for many years and supervised the Pre-K program since its inception. The bench was donated by the Jamie & Paige Malone Foundation. Jamie and Paige were former students of FPBS, who were read many wonderful stories at FPBS! It is adjacent to the Little Blue Library, donated by the Hance Foundation. Parents and children can be found enjoying books on Margaret’s bench everyday. Come read a book on Margaret’s bench! Nothing would make Margaret happier!
Town secures a legal victory against congestion pricing
The Town of Hempstead announced a significant legal victory in its battle against New York State’s proposed congestion pricing plan. A federal judge ruled on December 19th that the State's attempt to move the Town's lawsuit to federal court was inappropriate, allowing the case to proceed as originally filed in state court. “New York State’s attempt to remand our lawsuit to federal court is nothing more than a stall tactic that attempts to run out the clock on 2024 and prohibit hard-working New Yorkers’ from publicly speaking out against this unconstitutional congestion pricing plan,” said Town Supervisor Donald Clavin. “While the Town of Hempstead is working through the holidays to fight back against this tax on Long Island commuters, ‘Governor Grinch’ and her cronies in the MTA are doing everything in their power to silence residents and ram through this legislation.” During a press conference to announce the win, Clavin was joined by Councilmembers Dennis Dunne, Tom Muscarella, Laura Ryder, and members of the Town’s legal team as they reiterated their opposition to the congestion pricing plan. The Town alleges that the State adopted the policy through a flawed process that failed to comply with legal requirements, including not listing the proposal on the New York State Register and skipping the mandatory 45-day public comment period. The congestion pricing plan, which had been suspended earlier this year amid bipartisan criticism, was revived shortly after the November election. Town officials speculated that the move might have been aimed at preempting any action by President-elect Donald Trump, who has publicly opposed the measure. Clavin commented, “In all my years in public service, I have never seen a more blatant disregard for the voices of hard-working New Yorkers, nor a more concerted effort to ignore the rules and laws associated with the democratic process.” The Town’s legal case centers on allegations that the State’s actions violate both procedural and constitutional laws. Hempstead officials vowed to keep up their legal efforts throughout the holidays, confident that their challenge will ultimately halt what they described as an unfair burden on Long Island commuters.
Hempstead Town plans 'mulchfest' PAGE 3 Holiday pageant at Holy Trinity PAGE4