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VOL. 71 NO. 8
MARCH 4 - 10, 2026
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TOBAY, MPK cope with the Blizzard of ‘26 By MIKE POLANSKY Senior Correspondent
A major blizzard on Feb. 22–23 buried the Town of Oyster Bay and Massapequa Park Village under heavy snow, creating widespread disruptions and a massive cleanup effort. The Town of Oyster Bay, which spans 104.4 square miles and maintains roughly 750 miles of local roads, faced the largest share of snow removal responsibilities within its borders, beyond state and county roadways. Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino opened the Feb. 24 Town Board meeting by thanking town employees who plowed roads, driveways and municipal parking lots. The storm blanketed the area with more than 20-inches of snow over the two days. “Since all of our personnel are out in their vehicles continuing to clear away the snow, sanitation services would be delayed through the week,” said Saladino.
Saladino called it the most snow the town has seen in 30 years and described the storm as “both a blizzard and a hurricane.” He urged residents to clear snow from around fire hydrants on their property, noting that “the home you save may be your home or your neighbor’s home.” As a final note, Saladino stated that “we appreciate people’s patience,” adding that “it is all very helpful when we all work together, and in the Town of Oyster Bay we’re known for just that.” The Village of Massapequa Park, which covers 2.25 square miles and maintains about 30 miles of roads, also faced significant cleanup challenges despite its smaller size and workforce. Village workers began preparing early Sunday morning and worked through 11 a.m. Monday, according to Mayor Daniel Pearl. “Within 24 hours all roads in the Village were open,” Pearl said. He thanked residents for keeping cars off the streets and for not pushing snow back into roadways after clearing their driveways. Pearl said the village also focused on clearing access to its three elementary
Oyster Bay Town Board approves 2026 lineup of charity events By MIKE POLANSKY Senior Correspondent
Oyster Bay Town Board on Feb. 24 unanimously approved a slate of charitable and community events scheduled throughout 2026, several of which will take in the Massapequas. Among the first events on the calendar is the Town of Oyster Bay Special Olympics “Polar Plunge,” set for March 28 at TOBAY Beach. Last year’s event raised $130,000 to support Special Olympics New York, which provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino led participants into the water in 2025 and is expected to do so again this year. The Special Olympics Spring Games will be held May 2 at Berner Middle School. More than 500 Long Island ath-
letes are expected to compete in track and field events designed to promote physical fitness and inclusion. John J. Burns Park will host several events later in the year, including the Shootout for Soldiers lacrosse tournament on July 8 and 9. Held in cooperation with USA Lacrosse, the event honors American veterans and has raised more than $1.9 million for veterans organizations since its inception. One game is reserved exclusively for veterans, who participate free of charge. The Challenger Jamboree Baseball Tournament, a Little League-sanctioned adaptive program for children with physical and intellectual challenges, is scheduled for Oct. 4 at Burns Park. The U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Toy Drive will take place Dec. 5 at CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Carolyn James/Herald photos
Long Islanders were blanketed in snow during the recent blizzard. schools, plowing close to curbs and widening lanes for school buses. Buried fire hydrants again posed a problem, as they had during a January storm. Pearl said county plows clearing Sunrise Highway buried four or five hydrants along the south side of the roadway. Local fire departments faced additional challenges. Unsure whether volunteers would be able to make it to the firehouses from their homes to answer calls, they maintained standby crews who staffed stations from Sunday afternoon to Monday night. Both Massapequa and North Massapequa fire departments were on standbys at their firehouses. “These were very dangerous conditions and we wanted to ensure a rapid response for our community,” said North Massapequa Fire Chief Joseph G. Ferrante who added that both the main headquarters on Broadway and substation on Hicksville Road were manned from Sunday through Tuesday. “I can’t thank the volunteers enough—and their families,” said Ferrante. “They did an outstanding job.” Massapequa Fire Chief Jeffrey Friedland said standby was from 5 p.m., Sunday until 3 p.m. Monday. “We did not want to jeopardize the volunteers’ ability to navigate the streets and respond to calls for
help as quickly as possible,” he said. “The volunteers did a great—and awesome— job.” During those hours crews responded to calls for a natural gas leaks, CO alarm and other automatic alarms and were able to respond quickly. “The volunteers always go above and beyond and we can’t thank them enough,” he said. The storm also affected the Massapequa School District, though timing helped. Superintendent of Schools Dr. William Brennan said that during February recess, buildings and grounds crews removed snow mounds left from the January storm to make room for additional accumulation. By Wednesday, when another two inches of snow, schools were open and people were able to navigate the roadways safely. “I would like to extend my sincere thanks, and I know our entire community joins me, in expressing deep appreciation to our grounds crew, custodians, facilities staff and leadership who worked around the clock to clear our campuses, prepare our buildings, and ensure our buses are ready to roll,” Brennan said. “Their dedication and quiet commitment truly represent the very best of Massapequa – service, teamwork, and heart.” - Carolyn James contributed to this story