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HERALD pOsT
Also serving Farmingdale, Massapequa, Massapequa Park and Plainedge
Five in a row for Massapequa
Massapequa wins thrilling final
Chiefs capture softball crown
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VOL. 74 NO. 24
JUNE 4 - 10, 2025
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Massapequa Park ranked ‘No. 1 Place to Live’ in New York State By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
Mike Polansky/Herald
U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon speaks at press conference at Massapequa High School as Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Massapequa School District Board President Kerry Wachter, right, listen.
U.S. Education Secretary McMahon backs Massapequa in mascot dispute By MIKE POLANSKY Senior Correspondent
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited Massapequa High School last week and declared that New York State’s ban on indigenous mascot names violates federal civil rights law In addressing the ongoing dispute between local school districts and the state over the use of Native American logos and symbols, McMahon said her office reviewed the Massapequa School District argument that the state mandate violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and vowed federal support. “The president took this issue seriously. I am taking this issue seriously, and we will not
tolerate a civil rights violation by New York State,” McMahon said. She announced a 10-day window for the state to pass a resolution allowing Massapequa and other districts to retain their chosen mascots. If not, McMahon said the matter would be referred to the U.S. Department of Justice for enforcement. The fight over the Chiefs name in Massapequa rose to national prominence in April after President Donald Trump backed the school district’s stance. At the press conference with McMahon, N.C. Exec. Bruce Blakeman criticized the state’s policy as an overreach. “Long Island has some of the best schools CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Massapequa Park Village was named the best place to live in New York and ranked No. 140 nationally, according to U.S. News & World Report. That comes as no surprise to John O’Brien, who has been a resident of the village for 71 years. “I came here as a kid and attended Massapequa schools,” said O’Brien, a former Village Board member.. “Over the years, I’ve seen how electing the right public officials who made the right decisions has helped the village evolve and remain a wonderful place to live and raise a family.” Mayor Dan Pearl echoed the sentiment and credited the community’s long-standing civic engagement. “Those who have served the village in an official capacity couldn’t have been successful without the support and dedication of the community,” Pearl said. “They give us the ability to do what we do—whether it’s volunteering for Little League, joining Kiwanis or participating in local events. They are what make this village thrive.” “Our residents love the community. There’s so much to be had in the downtown, how close it is to the railroad, how great the school district is,” said Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph
Saladino. Former Congressman Peter King, whose district include Massapequa Park and who served that community in Washington, said he was not surprised about the designation. “I was privileged to represent Massapequa Park for the entire 28 years that I was in Congress,” said King in a social media posting. “Massapequa is an outstanding community with outstanding hardworking, patriotic people. America at its best!” Massapequa Park will celebrate its 100th anniversary of incorporation in 2031, and planning for the centennial is already underway. The village’s history dates to the late 1800s, when families of German descent moved to the area, many from Brooklyn. Among its early landmarks was the Woodcastle Hotel, a rooming house and summer resort built in 1868 on Front Street. The hotel was destroyed by fire in 1952 and the site is now home to residential properties. In 1928, developers Michael J. Brady, Frank Cryan and Peter Colleran began advertising in The New York Times to attract city dwellers to the area. The Irish American developers described the neighborhood as “a bit of Old Erin,” a nod to its Irishthemed marketing. Many streets between Sunrise Highway and CONTINUED ON PAGE 2