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AMITYvIlle _____________
HERALD ReCORD
Also serving Amityville, North Amityville, Amity Harbor, Copiague, and East Massapequa
VOL. 130 NO. 21
Meet your school board candidates
Amity Kiwanis holds craft fair
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MAY 14 - 20, 2025
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Proposition to extend busing on ballot in ASD By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
Courtesy/Town of Babylon
At the grand opening of the Babylon Town Hall of Fame are Councilman Tony Martinez; Warren Fuller; Kia Wright; Danny Greene; Tom Gargiulo; Christopher Vaccaro, President of the S.C. Sports Hall of Fame; Babylon Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer; Councilman DuWayne Gregory and S.C. Exec. Ed Romaine.
New exhibit celebrates legacy of legendary local sports heroes By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
The Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame has unveiled a new satellite exhibit at the Town of Babylon Annex, spotlighting hometown heroes whose athletic accomplishments have left an enduring mark on the Greater Babylon area. The exhibit, installed just outside the newly dedicated Tom Gargiulo Gymnasium on Phelps Lane, features more than 40 inductees connected to local communities — from sandlots to stadiums — each etched into the fabric of Suffolk County’s rich sports legacy. “This wall isn’t just a celebration of the
past—it’s a spark for the future,” said Chris R. Vaccaro, president of the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame. “We want every kid who walks through the annex to see those names and faces and to believe that greatness is within reach—and that they, too, can leave their mark on this community.” Among those featured are NBA champion Danny Green (North Babylon), MLB All-Star Billy Koch (West Babylon), NFL player Darryl Young, MLS veteran Chris Wingert (Babylon), and WNBA guard Bria Hartley (North Babylon). Hall of Famers Kia Wright of Copiague and Warren Fuller of Wyandanch, both basketball standouts, attended the unveiling. “This exhibit is a proud reminder that CONTINUED ON PAGE 11
When Angela Florie’s 13-year-old son, Alec, decided to attend Chaminade High School in Mineola after graduating from Bridges Academy in West Islip this June, the Amityville resident enrolled him and submitted the required transportation paperwork to the Amityville Union Free School District on time. But when Florie followed up about a month later, she was told that the district would no longer provide bus service to Chaminade starting in September. The reason: The school is approximately two miles beyond the 15-mile maximum busing limit allowed under New York state law. Previously, the district had been able to transport students to Chaminade because at least one “anchor” student lived within the 15-mile radius. Under the law, other students outside that range were permitted to meet at a central location to ride the same bus. However, that student graduated several years ago, and the district continued to provide the service — a violation of state regulations, according to officials. To comply with the law, the district would need voter approval to extend the maximum mileage limit, officials said. That’s exactly what Florie and other local parents are asking their neighbors to support. Proposition 2 on next week’s school budget and trustee election ballot seeks voter approval to increase the mileage limit from 15 to 17 miles. If approved, the district could resume busing for Alec and approximately 17 other Amityville students who
attend private schools like Chaminade. Parents advocating for the measure launched a website, yesto17miles.com, to explain the issue and urge voters to approve Prop. # 2. Also supporting the measure is Todd Brice, an Amityville High School graduate who has two boys going to Chaminade. Brice believes the decision by district officials to cut the service was driven more by the district’s goal to reduce a large budget gap than to come into compliance with the law. With the district facing a significant budget gap, eliminating private school busing would save the district approximately $400,000, plus an additional $75,000 in anticipated increases in charges from the bus company for the coming year, said Brice. “Year after year, I have paid school district taxes without using the schools at all,” said Brice pointing out that the busing is the only service the district provides him and his family. “There are approximately 700 kids in Amityville who go to private school, which saves the district millions of dollars every year, yet they want to pull the rug out from under us and take away the one service they do provide— the busing.” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Gina Talbert rejected that saying the focus in leaving the issue to voters was to bring the district in full compliance with the law. “This budget item ensures transparency and full compliance with state law,” she said. “The decision to extend transportation services beyond the statutory 15-mile limit rests with the voters of the Amityville community.”