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Vol. 72 No. 34
AUGUST 15 - 21, 2024
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What voters need to know about the ERA By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
Courtesy Town of Hempstead
Chris Schneider, right, a 44-year-old from Seaford, was sworn in as a Hempstead town councilman on Aug. 6, succeeding Chris Carini, who died last month. Former State Sen. Charles Fuschillo, left, swore Schneider in with his family by his side.
Carrying on Carini’s legacy Schneider is appointed Town of Hempstead councilman By CHARlES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com
Chris Schneider, a Seaford resident who dedicates much of his time to giving back to the community, is a newly appointed Hempstead town councilman. Schneider, a Republican, was appointed to the seat at an Aug. 6 Town Board meeting. He was approved unanimously with a vote of 6-0, and was sworn in to represent the 5th Councilmanic District, which encompasses Lido Beach, Point Lookout and parts of Bellmore, Merrick, Wantagh, Seaford and Freeport. The appointment comes after Councilman Chris Carini died unexpectedly on July 14, at age 49, while visiting family in Florida. Carini was serving his second term after winning re-election last November. There will be a special election in November for a full
term beginning next year. “I am proud to welcome Chris Schneider as the newest member of the town board,” Supervisor Don Clavin stated in a news release. “Although the Town of Hempstead suffered a great loss with the passing of Councilman Chris Carini, the town board and I truly believe that Chris Schneider is the perfect person to carry on Carini’s legacy.” Schneider, 44, has been active in the Wantagh and Seaford communities for over two decades. He has represented Seaford on the Nassau County Police Commissioner’s Community Council since 2022, and has served on the 5th District Graffiti Watch Task Force. Carini, a Seaford resident, had long been involved with the Wantagh/Seaford Homeowners Association, which often focused on Continued on pAge 10
This November, voters in New York will have the opportunity to vote on an amendment to the state’s Constitution, aimed at ensuring equal rights to all under law. The current Equal Protection Clause in the state’s constitution already prohibits discrimination based on “race, color, creed or religion.” The amendment would allow New York voters to include additional classifications that people cannot be discriminated ag ainst, such as ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sex, pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The decision to include the amendment on this year’s ballot came in mid-June. State Attorney General Letitia James said it was “a huge victory in our efforts to protect our basics rights and freedoms.” “The ERA was advanced to protect access to abortion care, enshrine this basic right in our Constitution, and protect peop l e f ro m d i s c r i m i n at i o n , ” James said. “We will continue to do everything in our power to protect these rights and ensure everyone can live safely
and freely in the great state of New York.” Advocacy groups at both the state and local levels are beginning to spread the word about what the amendment entails. The League of Women Voters of Central Nassau recently held an Appetizer & Postcard Party aimed at educating neighbors on what the ERA is. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights. It defends democracy through advocacy, education and litigation at various levels of government, and there are s eve r a l ch ap t e r s o n L o n g Island. Susan Cushman, the advocacy chair for the Central Nassau division, said the idea was to bring people together at the Appetizer & Postcard Party, so the community and members of the league could learn about the amendment, and if they support it, write postcards that were mailed to addresses provided by New Yorkers for Equal Rights, a coalition that supports the amendment. At the event, which took place at the Baldwin Diner last month, attendees wrote on their postcards, “On Nov. 5, Continued on pAge 4