Franklin Square/Elmont
Fireworks annoy residents
eateries open in F.s., elmont
liJ survives pandemic
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Vol. 22 No. 27
JUlY 2 - 8, 2020
A ‘constant and disturbing’ noise Elmonters complain of din of Belmont construction
noise can last until 10 p.m., and added, “We all moved here to get away from the city, and get away For the past few weeks, from the hustle and bustle.” George Magliore has been wakMany other Elmont residents ing up in the wee hours of the have complained about the conmorning to the sound of trucks struction noise at Belmont Park, dropping off supplies at Bel- where developers are building mont Park. Then a few hours an 18,000-seat arena for the New later, another Elmont resident, York Islanders, a 250-room hotel, Andrew Ogboe, a community censays, he will hear ter, commercial construction workoffice space and ers banging on the 350,000 square feet iron beams that of retail space, have been erected according to Nasat Belmont Park sau County Legiswhile he’s getting lator Carrié Solaghis father ready for es. On June 12, his dialysis Solages woke up to appointments. a text messa g e “ Wa k i n g u p from another conwith that noise is stituent who alertre a l ly i n c o nve ed him to the racknient,” Ogboe, who MarK DreiFUs et, and he emailed l i v e s d i r e c t l y Resident Gov. Andrew Cuoacross from the mo’s office to ask Park, said, describif construction on ing the din as “constant and dis- the redevelopment could be limturbing.” ited to after 9 a.m. Solages had Magliore added that those not heard back from the goverwho work during the day in his nor as the Herald went to press home on Wellington Road often on Monday. don’t get enough sleep, and for Representatives of Empire those who work night shifts, State Development, the state “It’s hard for them to fall agency that promotes developasleep.” ment, and the project’s developMark Dreifus, who lives on ers, New York Arena Partners, a Hathaway Avenue, said that the Continued on page 2
By Melissa KoeNig mkoenig@liherald.com
W
Courtesy Frank Hrbek
Carol HrBeK, CeNter, was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in January. A GoFundMe page was set up in June for her family, Nick, Frank and Samantha.
Helping good people
Community members raise money for family By Melissa KoeNig mkoenig@liherald.com
After her father succumbed to cancer in December, Carol Hrbek, 55, went to her doctor and discovered that she had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. She is now “pretty much bedridden,” her husband, Frank, says, and her family is now “trying to make her life as comfortable as possible.” To help with those efforts, community members have
been visiting Carol at her Elmont home and raising money to help with her medical expenses. The effort began with members of the Elmont Fire Department and their friends, but eventually they realized they could reach more people if they created an online fundraiser. So, Maria Testaverde-Mellen, who has known Frank Hrbek since they were children growing up in the neighborhood, created a GoFundMe page for the family on
June 18. Within the first hour she had raised over $1,000, and by that night, the fundraiser had reached $10,000 in donations. Three days later, it surpassed $15,000, and Testaverde-Mellen has since increased the goal. “The more we get, the better off for this family,” she said, explaining that the website takes 30 cents from every donation, but if they raise enough money, the Hrbeks’ two teenagers, Samantha, 18, Continued on page 4
e all moved here to get away from the city, and get away from the hustle and bustle.