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BaBylon _______________
HERALD BEaCon
Town celebrates Black History Month Page 3 VOL. 75 NO. 12
MARCH 20 - 26, 2025
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Lindenhurst residents split on fate of aging pool at high school By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirad@liherald.com
Carolyn James/Herald
Police arrested and charged two women with prostitution at Foot Spa in Lindenhurst last week.
Police shutter another massage parlor in Babylon Town; prostitution charged By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
A woman working at the New Sunny Foot Spa in Lindenhurst was arrested and charged with prostitution on March 12. Suffolk County Police Crime Section officers and First Squad detectives arrested the woman following an investigation initiated by numerous community complaints about the activity at the business, at 141 North Wellwood Ave. Charged in that incident was Peimin Pan, 47, of Centereach and shut down the business. The arrest followed two others in Suffolk County last week, one in Amityville Village and the other in Setauket. In both those incidents, also prompted by community complaints, the women were charged with unauthorized practice of a profession and prostitution. Unauthorized practice of a profession applies to individuals providing services without the required New York State license. In this case, they falsely represented themselves as licensed massage professionals, according to the police.
BABYLON TAKING ACTION
In 2024, Suffolk County recorded 95 inci-
dents of alleged prostitution, unauthorized practice of a profession, and permitting or promoting prostitution, resulting in the arrest of 60 individuals. The Town of Babylon has taken action in recent months to address the issue. Last fall, the town investigated six businesses, including motels and massage parlors, for facilitating such illegal activities as drug use and prostitution. In January, a seventh location, in Copiague, was also targeted. “We believe these motels and businesses promote prostitution and drug use, lowering our quality of life in Babylon,” said Supervisor Rich Schaffer. “We are putting them on notice that we are not stopping. They need to change their business models, or we will shut them down.” Sgt. James Johnson of the First Precinct, who worked with the FBI Human Trafficking Unit, testified at a town hearing that one such site was being used for sex and drugs. In 2011, former Town Supervisor Steve Bellone initiated efforts to combat illegal massage parlors, often used as fronts for prostitution, by requiring them to register with the town and obtain an operating CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
Despite heavy rainfall, a large crowd of Lindenhurst School District residents attended a recent Board of Education meeting to essentially clash over the future of the high school’s pool, a community fixture for 56 years. Lindenhurst Board of Education President Donna Hochman emphasized that the meeting was for community input only, and the board would not be making an immediate decision on the aging facility, which is in need of repair. The district estimates the cost of needed repairs at approximately $2.7 million. Residents expressed differing views on whether to proceed with the work or dismantle the facility. Some attendees supported repairing the pool, while others opposed the idea, concerned about the financial burden it could place on school taxes. Anthony Amesti, who is the director of health, physical education and athletics for the district, first outlined the current use of the facility, which includes curriculum use, lifeguard training, swim and diving teams, pool rental from Island Aquatics, adult education programs, public swim and a learn-to-swim program that serves approximately 160 elementary children a session
Christie Babirad/HERALD
Longtime resident Jennifer Ryan wants the pool repaired. with multiple daily sessions running on weekends yearround. “It’s a tremendous amount of kids we serve,” Amesti noted, adding that the district employs approximately 25 to 30 students as lifeguards or learn-to-swim instructors through their pool programs. Additionally, he said that many of their student-athletes have gone on to receive scholarships and win awards through their swim and diving team over the years. Richard Snyder, interim assistant superintendent for business operations and finance, presented a breakdown of three potential budget scenarios for the pool. The most urgent repairs in the pool’s mechanical room, along with CONTINUED ON PAGE 2