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Friday, August 16, 2024
Vol. 84, No. 33
SERVING PLAINVIEW, HICKSVILLE, AND LEVITTOWN
Knights of Columbus picnic New study on Bethpage plume requested
BY GARY SIMEONE
On July 21, New York State Senator Steve Rhoads visited the Knights of Columbus Picnic at Plainview Old Bethpage Park organized in collaboration with St. Pius Church. This gathering not only celebrated the Knights commitment to fellowship and community service, but also the role of St. Pius Church as a cornerstone of the local community.
Woman dies after attack
A Levittown woman has died as the result of an attack in her own home in June, according to Nassau County Police. Police say that the woman, Linda Levy, 64, was asleep in her bed on June 9 at 2:30 a.m. when she was awakened by an
unknown person striking her in the face with an unknown object. According to the police, the assailant fled the home and Levy was transported to a local hospital. On August 8, she passed away from injuries sustained in the attack. The
investigation is ongoing. Detectives request anyone with information regarding the above listed incident to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS or call 911. All callers will remain anonymous.
The Mid-Island Times & Levittown Times is Published every Friday by Litmor Publishing Corp. Periodical Postage paid at Hicksville, N.Y. 11801 Tel 931-0012. USPS 3467-68 Postmaster: Send Address Changes to: The Mid Island & Levittown Times 821 Franklin Ave., Suite 208, Garden City, N.Y. 11530. Meg Norris Publisher
Several Town of Oyster Bay officials, including Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino, have formally requested an updated health study in the area impacted by the Grumman Navy Bethpage plume. The request was done as part of an overall health and community impact study in the area. Town Supervisor Saladino, State Senator Steven Rhoads and State Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz sent an official document to Dr. James McDonald, New York State DOH Commissioner, asking his office to investigate health impacts in the community as a whole. Saladino said that the contamination of local soil has been a public health concern for many years, and despite previous attempts to address the issue there has been little done to remedy the situation. “Despite previous attempts, there remains a pressing need for a thorough evaluation of the current health impacts on residents,” said Saladino. “The persistence of toxic substances has led to a range of potential health risks including but not limited to cancer and other chronic illnesses and health conditions in our overall community.” Saladino added that even though state officials have made claims that there’s no immediate danger to the public, intervention is still warranted.
“Although New York State Health Department officials have claimed that there is no immediate danger to the public, the continued discovery of Grumman contaminants in the ground along with the growing plume warrant an updated and expanded health study,” said Saladino. The letter to the state outlined four sticking points for the mess for a followup health study in the area. The points included current health impacts to assess the present health status of the Bethpage community, longterm effects due to exposure of contaminants, mitigation measures to determine effectiveness of current remediation strategies and transparency and accountability to provide the community with accurate and up to date information. Senator Rhoads said that the recent discovery of chemical drums and other contaminants in Bethpage Park is further evidence of the need for a comprehensive health study. “Given the extensive duration of this contamination and the recent discovery of these drums buried in the ground in the Bethpage Community Park, we urge the New York State Department of Health to complete a more comprehensive and updated health study in the community,” said Rhoads. “Unlike with previous studies, we ask that you greatly extend your geographic scope.”
New communication boards in parks PAGE 4 Drives collect supplies for students PAGE 8