________ Franklin square/elmont _______
HERALD Caribbean music in the park
Italian heritage honored at church
Families honor civic pride
Page 3
Page 6
Page 10
Vol. 27 No. 30
JUlY 24 - 30, 2025
$1.00
Parents say district lacks transparency ents to discuss the district’s plan to address racial incidents during sports events at a parent Parents and alumni of the meeting on July 2, it was only S e w a n h a k a C e n t r a l H i g h then, parents said, that she told School District are criticizing them of the April incident, but its leadership for lack of trans- offering few details. In a statement parency and failure emailed to the Herto notify them of an a l d o n Ju l y 1 7 , alleged racist inciAg rusa acknowldent during a e d g e d t h e Ap r i l lacrosse game incident but did not b e t we e n E l m o n t offer details — only Memorial High that it did not School and an involve an opposing unidentified school team from the Bellsometime in April. more-Merrick The incident was school district, as reported to school the February incia u t h o r i t i e s t h at dent had. She month, but parents claimed that the were not notified TamaR PaolI incident was still until July 2. under investigation A district par- BaIlEY when the board met ent, Mickheila Jas- Alumna and former in May, which is min-Beamon, had substitute teacher, why she did not questioned Super- Elmont Memorial acknowledge it pubintendent Regina High School licly. Agrusa at the May “I was not pre27 Board of Education meeting about whether pared to make precipitous statea n y r a c i s t i n c i d e n t s h a d ments which might have uninoccurred at sports events since tended consequences for the a board meeting in February — parties involved,” Agrusa wrote. the last time an incident had “There was never any intention been publicly reported. Agrusa to mislead the public.” She said that Sewanhaka said no. When Agrusa invited parContinued on page 11
By RENEE DeloRENZo
rdelorenzo@liherald.com
T
Renee DeLorenzo/Herald
elmont residents and civic leaders continue to push for additional streets to be added to the parking permit system, citing ongoing traffic and parking issues around uBS arena and concerns over increased congestion when the Belmont park racetrack reopens in 2026.
Parking permit zone grows near UBS amid complaints By RENEE DeloRENZo rdelorenzo@liherald.com
Elmont residents argue the parking permit system near UBS Arena must be expanded to prevent arena visitors from clogging up residential streets and blocking them from parking in front of their homes. The push comes after the remaining portion of Sussex Road, south of 109th Street, was added to the permit system following legislation, sponsored by Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, that passed the state senate and assembly on June 9. The bill was introduced in January in response to ongoing resident complaints
that visitors attending arena events are parking their motor vehicles on nearby streets to avoid paying for parking in one of the arena’s lots or the Belmont Park Garage, across from the arena, on Hempstead Turnpike. The Town of Hempstead must wait until Gov. Kathy Hochul signs the bill before the town can enforce it. Local advocates, along with Solages, say more residential streets need to be included ahead of the Belmont Park racetrack’s reopening in fall 2026, which they say will only escalate the parking problem. Bob Barker, president of the Locustwood Continued on page 8
hey try to make it seem like everything is OK and fine, but that’s not true at all.