________________ LONG BEACH _______________
HERALD Also serving Point Lookout & East Atlantic Beach
VOl. 35 NO. 38
Michelle O’Neill takes the sand
Surfing’s new king and queen
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SEPTEMBER 12 - 18, 2024
$1.00
School district responds to state audit million at the end of 2020-21 and $9.5 million at the end of 2021-22. The transfer was not The Long Beach School Dis- disclosed in the annual budgets trict responded in August to an presented to voters, according audit conducted by State Comp- to DiNapoli’s office. troller Thomas DiNapoli’s The report also stated that office of the district’s finances the district overestimated from the 2018-19 appropriations by through 2021-22 about $2.5 million school years, and a n n u a l l y, a n d district administraunderestimated tors took issue with revenues by about several of DiNapo$1.6 million annualli’s key findings. ly, over the course The audit raised of three academic concerns about the years, 2018-19 district’s financial through 2020-21. management and Additionally, the transparency, and audit pointed out claimed that its that the adopted reported sur plus long Beach budgets for those fund balance ex- School District years, which ceeded the statuto- administrators included the approry 4 percent limit priations from the by as much as 5 fund balance, sugpercentage points in three of gested that the district was the four years reviewed, but the operating at a deficit. district provided detailed explaInstead, the district had surnations of its financial deci- pluses ranging from $1.7 milsions, notably in the wake of lion to $4.1 million in each of Hurricane Sandy and the coro- those three years, a total of navirus pandemic. more than $8.5 million. The audit report noted that According to the officials, the district transferred a total one of the reasons Long Beach of $17.3 million in surplus maintained a surplus fund balfunds from its general fund to ance greater than the state’s 4 its capital projects fund, $7.8 Continued on page 4
By ANGElINA ZINGARIEllO
azingariello@liherald.com
Tim Baker/Herald
After 23 years, we still remember Long Islanders from near and far gathered at Town Park in Lido Beach on Wednesday to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. More photos, Page 7.
Hispanic Heritage celebration will begin with a sky full of color By BRENDAN CARPENTER bcarpenter@liherald.com
Each year, the United States celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month. Half of September and half of October are dedicated to recognizing the rich histories, diverse cultures and notable contributions of American citizens with ancestral roots in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Spain. The festivities begin this weekend. As in past years, the Long Beach Latino Civic Association will host a number of events that will draw people from across Nassau County to the celebration, whether they are Hispanic or not.
The group will hold its third annual Hispanic Heritage Kite Festival on Saturday, from noon to 2 p.m., on the Laurelton Boulevard beach. Kites will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. “It’s really important, because Long Beach Latino continues to find ways to bring the community together in a healthy environment, taking advantage of the beautiful landscape and ocean that we are so blessed to live near,” Helen Dorado-Alessi, the civic association’s president, said. “The idea of kites and propulsion — and the stem of the idea, of young people getting exercise, spending family time — is all very Continued on page 13
K
eeping taxes as low as possible is certainly a high priority for us.