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BaBylon _______________
HERALD BEaCon
Also serving Babylon, Bay Shore, Copiague, Deer Park, Farmingdale, Lindenhurst, North Babylon, West Babylon, West Islip and Wyandanch
Dan Kiernan advances in “The Voice” Page 10 VOL. 74 NO. 8
Kevin Catalina sworn in as SCPD Commissioner Page 12 FEBRUARY 19-25, 2025
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New bill proposes adding heart checks to school physicals By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
Carolyn James/Herald
Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer addresses crowd of supporters at his election kickoff event.
Hundreds attend Schaffer Team’s reelection campaign kick-off By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
Several hundred supporters attended the kickoff for the Schaffer Team’s reelection campaign on Sat. Feb. 8. Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer is running for reelection in November, joined on the ballot by Councilmen Anthony Manetta and Tony Martinez and Town Clerk Gerry Compitello. The event took place at the Lindenhurst Fireman’s Pavilion, 555 Heling Blvd., Lin-
denhurst, the same location where Schaffer announced his first run for public office 38 years ago. Throughout the lively event, supporters were asked, “Are you on the team?” They enthusiastically responded, many raising their arms, shouting, “I’m on the team.” The party’s slogan, “Safe, Strong, Resilient Babylon,” also echoed through the crowd. Rev. Keith Hayward, senior pastor of Bethel AME Church in Copiague, delivered the invocation, asking that Schaffer, his team, and CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Babylon Village Mayor Mary Adams, trustees seeking reelection on March 18 By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirad@liherald.com
Babylon Village Mayor Mary Adams, Trustees Frank Seibert, Dominic Bencivenga and newly appointed Trustee Sean Goodwin are all running unopposed for reelection on Tuesday, March 18. So too is Village Court Justice John T. Rafter.
The incumbents, running on the Better Babylon party line, are focused on preserving the village’s small-town charm, which residents consider unique and community driven. By the filing deadline on Feb. 11, no challengers had filed to run against any of the candidates. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
A new bill introduced by Assemblyman Michael Durso and Senator Alexis Weik would require New York schools to include an EKG as part of regular sports physicals. An EKG is a non-invasive procedure that uses ultrasound to assess the heart’s structure and function. If abnormalities are detected, doctors typically recommend a more invasive test, an electrocardiogram. The bill, known as Connor’s Law, is named in memory of Connor Kasin, a 17-year-old athlete from the Massapequa School District who died during a charity hockey game in Bethpage. Connor collapsed on the ice during an intermission at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center. Bystanders performed CPR until paramedics arrived and transported him to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Connor, a senior, was an avid hockey player. At the time of his death, he was participating in a memorial game for Sabrina Navaretta, a 19-year-old Syosset graduate who died in a car crash in 2023. “It turned out that Connor had a heart irregularity that might have been detected by an EKG,” Durso said. “Adding an EKG to a student’s physi-
A state bill in memory of Connor Kasin of Massapequa High School has been proposed. cal—especially for studentathletes—could uncover these issues sooner and possibly save lives.” Durso noted that most of the costs for these procedures are covered by insurance. He also said the bill would increase awareness and evaluation of student health, particularly for athletes. He added that Assembly Bill A2718 has been well received in Albany and has several cosponsors in both the Senate and Assembly.