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UNIONDALE _____________
HERALD BEACON
Park plea goes unheard
Southern State series
Students become envision scholars
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MAY 29 - JUNE 4, 2025
Town ponders rezone of land for casino site In April, the Las Vegas Sands Corporation pulled out of a plan to transform the 72-acre site into The Town of Hempstead is a resort complex that included a moving forward with a proposed casino, hotel and restaurants. On May 19, the Nassau Counrezoning of the Nassau Colisety Legislature um site, originally voted unanimously sought by Las to release the enviVegas Sands for a ronmental study now-withdrawn that the Sands casino project, undertook. On which could nearly Tuesday, the town double in price held two public from the original $4 hearing sessions to $7.6 billion based concerning its poson a recently sible rezoning to unveiled environallow for gaming mental impact and a casino. study. Any new develThe costs for opment would likeconstruction, labor ly carry higher and materials, costs due to tariffs along with traffic and labor expenses. mitigation up“My group, pergrades and fees sonally, we’re bafrelated to construcfled and frustrated tion financing the that they’re moving state application for ALLISON O’BRIEN forward with this, a gaming license SILVA getting all the have also risen Say No to the Casino approvals without since last estimatan owner — Sands ed. walked away,” Alli“We are reviewing a massive FEIS” — final son O’Brien Silva, a member of environmental impact study — Say No to the Casino, said. “We believe Sands and the “for a project that currently has no sponsor, no operator, and no county are looking for a partner valid lease,” Ed Finneran, the that is willing to just drop in and mayor of Garden City, said.
By STACY DRIKS
sdriks@liherald.com
M
Stacy Driks/Herald
John Schneider, left, worked on Wall Street, a job that was waiting for him when he came home from Vietnam in 1967. Tony Sparaco graduated from Freeport High School in 1966, and two years later, he was drafted and went to Pace College, where he didn’t graduate due to complications of the war.
Military veterans face the trauma of their past to teach students By STACY DRIKS sdriks@liherald.com
Eighth graders at Lawrence Road Middle School in the Uniondale School District recently found themselves shaking hands with three Vietnam War veterans, thanking them for their service. During the May 21 event, the veterans, John Schneider, 76, Tony Sparaco, 77, and Francisco Muñiz III, 83, all from Nassau County, stood in front of the students, sharing their stories and honoring those veterans who were lost — which the vets thought was the hardest part. The three men are determined veteran advocates and members of the Vietnam Veterans of America. They were drafted by the U.S. Army and served with honor — each
with different stories and experiences. Students listened to their stories, and the eight-grade class asked them several questions, including what memories they hold of Vietnam, what the terrain was like and what they might have learned from their experience. The students learned that U.S. citizens who were drafted in the Army served two years and volunteers served four years. “One of the first things I learned was respect,” Sparaco said. During the Vietnam War, they employed the military code of justice, which everyone had to learn and study. During one mission, Sparaco and his new commander were making their way back through the rice paddies, he said. During wars like the Vietnam and Korean Wars, rice CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
y group, personally, we’re baffled and frustrated that they’re moving forward with this, getting all the approvals without an owner — Sands walked away.”
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