INCORPORATING THE WEST HEMPSTEAD BEACON VOL. 75 No. 51
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December 18 - 24, 2025
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Board of Appeals delays decision on Wantagh mosque’s zoning case
Town hearing becomes heated over Islamic Center’s plan for fence, trailer ing to town zoning rules, may obstruct the line of sight at a neighboring driveway. The mosque offers prayer services, religious functions, spiritual guidance and The Town of Hempstead Board of Appeals has reserved its decision on an counseling, children’s activities, and application by the Islamic Center of Nas- serves as a general community center for sau in Wantagh after a tense public hear- Muslims of the area. Ali said that since ing that lasted more than acquiring the property six hours and drew over 200 people to Hempstead Town almost five years ago, the Hall on Dec. 3. center’s congregation Mohammad Ali, a trusthas faced repeated inciee of the mosque, presented dents of harassment and the center’s application to trespassing. the board, requesting “There’s been dumpapproval to relocate a sixing of beer bottles and foot-tall fence on the propertrash onto the property,” ty and maintain the on-site he said. “Trespassers storage of two HVAC units have entered the premisand a commercial trailer. MOHAMMAd ALI es, including individuals The property, at 2856 Jeru- Trustee, Islamic Center of who made videos while salem Ave., sits on the Nassau inside. Children have southwest corner of Oaktripped and have fallen.” field Avenue and is zoned as The Town of Hempa Residence B district, which generally stead landmarked the building in 2019, limits such uses. recognizing its historic significance as the Ali argued that the current placement former home of St. Matthias’ Episcopal of the fence creates a “significant safety Church. Built in 1904, the church was and security risk,” especially for members founded by members of the “Brush” comattending services and activities at the munity — composed of freed African center. American slaves, Native Americans, and “For the last four years,” Ali told the their families. The Episcopal Diocese board, “our congregation has lived with a oversaw the church from 1994 until 2009, level of hostility and fear that no religious when services ended abruptly due to poor community anywhere in this town should attendance. The Islamic Center acquired ever have to endure.” the long-vacant building in 2021. According to the zoning application, Throughout his presentation, Ali was the Islamic Center is seeking a use vari- repeatedly interrupted by outbursts from ance to allow storage of commercial the crowd, including an obscenity, a racial mechanical equipment and a trailer on slur, and an anti-Muslim comment. John the residentially zoned lot. The applica- Ragano, chairman of the Board of tion also requests side and rear yard vari- Appeals, warned attendees that continued ances, and approval to install a six-foot- disruptions would result in removal by high fence in front of the building line on public safety officers. Despite repeated Oakfield Avenue — a location that, accordCOntinued On Page 4
By LUKE FEENEY
lfeeney@liherald.com
O
Courtesy Reine Bethany
don Ryan, fourth from left, was honored by a having terrace avenue in Hempstead village dedicated as Honorable don Ryan Way on dec. 10.
Applauding Don Ryan’s amazing 65 years of service Hon. Don Ryan Way designated on Terrace Avenue for decades of work By REINE BETHANY Special to the Herald
The Village of Hempstead was planning to designate Terrace Avenue Honorable Donald L. Ryan Way. But when a crowd of 150 braved a frigid wind to gather at the corner of Terrace and Atlantic avenues on Dec. 10, nobody spoke of the man they were honoring as anything but Don — as has been the village’s custom at least since 1961. So when Ryan’s youngest goddaughter pulled away the covering over the new street sign, revealing the words Hon. Don Ryan Way, the attendees clapped, shouted and stomped their approval. Sedgwick Easley, executive assistant to Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr., began the ceremony by expressing what everyone in attendance felt.
“This renaming is more than a symbolic gesture,” Easley said. “We are recognizing the extraordinary legacy of our former mayor, a teacher, a coach, a mentor, but most of all, a public servant whose impact spans over six decades here in the Village of Hempstead.” The crowd was filled with a Hempstead Who’s Who of elected officials, educators, community leaders and mentors who had worked with Ryan across the decades. And his own brother, John Eugene Ryan Jr., surprised him by arriving from sunny Florida. During a luncheon at Kennedy Memorial Park after the ceremony, Ryan’s friends and mentees took turns speaking into a microphone to thank him for all he had done. Among them were James Garner, the village’s first Black mayor, under COntinued On Page 3
ur congregation has lived with a level of hostility and fear that no religious community … should ever have to endure.