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MPK Village to receive $1.5M grant By MIKE POLANSKY Senior Correspondent
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Edward T. Bonahue, President, Suffolk County Community College, Labor Commissionre Roberta Reardon and Mike Fabrizio, director of SCC College’s CNC program.
State labor chief spotlights trades training, child care on visit to LI By CAROLYN JAMES & CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cjames@liherald.com
As employers across Long Island struggle to fill open positions, New York State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon visited Suffolk County Community College’s Michael J. Grant Campus in Brentwood on Feb. 17 to spotlight workforce training programs and emphasize the lack of child care access as a critical barrier to employment. “There are many pathways leading to middle-class, family-sustaining jobs right now, and many of them lead through community college programs,” said Edward T. Bonahue, president of Suffolk County Community College. “—an apprenticeship, an industry-recognized certification or license, or a two-year degree. Eventually, many of them can also lead to bachelor’s degrees as well, and I appreciate Commissioner Reardon helping to shine
a light on these opportunities.” During her visit, Reardon toured the college’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Center and met with students and educators. She also highlighted several workforce development and child care initiatives included in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget. Long Island faces ongoing shortages in skilled trades, including electrical work, heating and air conditioning, plumbing and advanced manufacturing. Nassau and Suffolk community colleges offer workforce training in those areas, as well as in health care. The Long Island Educational Opportunity Center, sponsored by SUNY Farmingdale, provides tuition-free vocational training to regional residents. Officials said the programs help create a pipeline of locally trained workers who can remain in their communities. CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
The Village of Massapequa Park will receive $1.5 million in federal funding for local infrastructure projects, thanks to U.S. Congressman Andrew Garbarino. The funds are part of the fiscal year 2026 Community Project Funding included in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill signed into law Feb. 3. Village Mayor Daniel Pearl said he is “tremendously excited” about the award. The primary focus will likely be a complete overhaul of Municipal Field No. 1, the Village’s largest parking lot, which runs south from the IGA Supermarket on the west side of Park Boulevard to Front Street. Plans call for resurfacing the lot, updating the lighting, and adding
more parking spaces for veterans. “Among other things, we will be providing more parking spots for people who are coming in to see what the Village has to offer,” Pearl said. Pearl added that any leftover funds from the Municipal Field No. 1 project could go toward major roadwork on Park Boulevard north of Clark Boulevard. He said he will review project details with Village Superintendent of Public Works Bob Macri, who Pearl described as “fantastic” at maximizing infrastructure funding. When the Village applied for the FY 2026 Community Project Funding in May 2025, it requested $5 million. Pearl said he was still pleased with the $1.5 million award. “I didn’t think that we would get much of anything, so getting $1.5 million was terrific,” he said.
Mike Polansky/Herald
Federal funds will help Massapequa Park Village complete improvements at Field 1.