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MAssApequA ___________ pOsT
Also serving Farmingdale, Massapequa, Massapequa Park and Plainedge
VOL. 74 NO. 28
Breakfast at Brady Park
Historic document exhibit in NYC
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JULY 2 - 8, 2025
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Firecracker 5K run was truly a hot one By MIKE POLANSKY Senior Correspondent
Mike Polansly/Herald
A determined field of 336 runners crossed the finish line at the 43rd annual Massapequa Firecracker 5K Run on the evening of June 22, persevering through the 87-degree heat that marked the beginning of Long Island’s first heat wave in two years. Seventeen-year-old Michael Ventricelli of Massapequa took first place overall, finishing in 18 minutes, 37 seconds—26 seconds ahead of runner-up Christopher Hirsch, 46,
AND THEY ARE OFF!!! Young runners head out eagerly at the start of the 1/4 mile Fun Run
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Oyster Bay joins LI fight against state’s even-year election law By MIKE POLANSKY Senior Correspondent The Oyster Bay Town Board is joining eight other Long Island entities to challenge a new state law that mandates most town and county elections must be held alongside federal and state races. The board approved a resolution at its June 24 meeting to retain Brewer, Attorneys and Counselors, to evaluate and pursue potential legal action in federal court that would question the constitutionality of the legislation, which was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul in De-
cember 2023. Oyster Bay joins Nassau and Suffolk counties, along with the towns of North Hempstead, Hempstead, Islip, Huntington, Smithtown and Brookhaven in retaining the Dallas- and New York-based firm. Currently federal and state elections are held in even-numbered years, while county, town and village elections are held in oddnumbered years. The new law, set to take effect for the 2025 election cycle, moves most local elections—including those for county executives, legislators, town supervisors and
board members—to evennumbered years to align with federal and statewide races. Certain offices, such as district attorneys and county clerks, are exempt because of provisions in the state constitution. Under the law, all local officials elected in 2025 will serve shortened terms and must run again in 2026, unless courts intervene. The legislation has already faced legal challenges from upstate counties and several Long Island municipalities, including Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and the Town of Hempstead. A lower court
initially sided with the plaintiffs, but the Appellate Division, Fourth Department, overturned that decision on May 7, ruling the law constitutional. The case is now before the state’s highest court, with oral arguments scheduled for Sept. 8. Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino voiced strong opposition to the law.
“Moving local elections to coincide with federal races eclipses community issues under national politics and silences local voices,” Saladino said. “Voters deserve to focus on local priorities — like roads, parks, public safety and taxes — not have them overshadowed by national debates and partisan CONTINUED ON PAGE 12