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UNIONDALE _____________
HERALD BEACON
A trailblazing post commander
Maidenbaum enters new era
Italian American night celebration
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VOL. 76 NO. 30
JuLy 23 - 29, 2026
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Ex-employee aims lawsuit at Walmart litigation,” Walmart’s representation responded when asked for comment. The lawsuit includes allegaA former Walmart team lead who worked at the company’s tions against White’s former Uniondale and Valley Stream manager at the Uniondale locastores has filed a federal lawsuit tion, Robin Ford, said to be in alleging that the company failed her 40s and a resident of Nassau to protect him after he repeated- County. ly reported workplace harassAs of press time, the Herald ment at the Uniondale location was unable to locate Ford for and later retaliated comment. against him by firFord is neither a ing him. defendant nor a Shawn White, 38, plantiff. White said of the Hempstead his goal is not to area, who worked focus on one indifor Walmart from vidual, but rather March 2019 until on what he believes June 2023, filed the were systemic faillawsuit May 6 in ures in Walmart’s U.S. District Court reporting and for the Eastern Dis- JENNIfER MONdINO investigation protrict of New York. Senior director, Time’s cess. T h e c o m p l a i n t Up Legal Defense Fund, “Ultimately, I names Wal-Mart National Women’s Law just want Walmart Stores East LP as to do better,” White Center the defendant, and said. “They have alleges violations of systems and things Title VII of the Civil Rights Act in place, or they claim to, but I of 1964 and the New York State wasn’t helped by that system.” Human Rights Law. The suit According to the complaint, claims that Walmart failed to W h i t e b e g a n w o r k i n g a t adequately investigate White’s Walmart’s Uniondale location in complaints, failed to enforce its March 2019 as a sales associate. own workplace policies and ulti- After taking part in a store mately retaliated against him for remodeling project, he was proreporting alleged harassment. moted to department manager, “We do not comment on active Continued on page 11
By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO
azingariello@liherald.com
Holden Leeds/Herald
His low-profile ride Saul Berrios, owner of Viper Collision, in Uniondale, organized the first ever Viper Collision Car and Bike Show on Sunday at the John J. Byrne Community Center in Uniondale. Funds raised during the inaugural event were donated to community programs. One of the 40 cars showcased in the community center parking lot was a 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe, one of the collision shop’s commercial vehicles. Berrios said he enjoys taking the car out and attracting the attention of pedestrians and other drivers. Story, more photos, Page 3.
New group focuses on beautification By MASHIAT AZMI Correspondent
Calls to beautify Uniondale’s downtown are being heard once more, years after Nassau County and the Town of Hempstead announced a multimillion-dollar streetscape project along Uniondale Avenue. Business leaders say the street is still not attractive enough to draw customers. The Hamlet of Uniondale Chamber of Commerce held its first meeting on July 14 at the American Legion Hall, where members called for streetscape improvements to follow up on a $1.5 million beautification project for Uniondale Avenue, from Front Street to Jerusalem Avenue, that was completed six years ago. The Uniondale Avenue initiative, announced in 2019, was a yearlong project highlighted by the
addition of new sidewalks, streetlights, trees and benches, financed by federal and state grants and county capital funding. “Why can’t we have cobblestones like Garden City? Why can’t we have flowerpots hanging like Garden City?” asked Stacey Richardson, president of the Uniondale Empowerment Resource Center, who is helping lead the effort to promote the new organization in the community. Unlike neighboring Garden City, which is an incorporated village with its own municipal government, Uniondale is a hamlet within the Town of Hempstead, and relies on the town and Nassau County for many public services and infrastructure improvements. “It’s not something you can’t accomplish,” Richardson told community members. “If Continued on page 9
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almart must answer when they fail to protect their workers.