Serving Great Neck, G.N. Plaza, G.N. Estates, Kensington, Kings Point, Lake Success, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock and Thomaston
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Friday, May 10, 2024
Vol. 99, No. 19
GUIDE TO MOTHER’S DAY
PALESTINIAN CHILD TREATED AT COHEN’S
CLAVIN SUES MTA
PAGES 21-24
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Yogurt shop to open soon Plaza OKs permits for new storefront BY C A M E RY N O A K ES
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREAT NECK WATER POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT
Great Neck Water Pollution Control District Chairman Steve Reiter, far left, Commissioners Mark Berger and Patty Katz; as well as Superintendent Christopher Murphy, far right; were joined by Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, third from right, and New York State Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti in collecting pharmaceuticals during the District’s Spring 2024 Shed the Meds event. See story on page 36.
State aid restored, problems remain School officials say inflation not properly addressed resulting in shortfall BY C A M E RY N O A K ES New York State finalized its school aid allocation after many school districts had already adopted their budgets as it restored foundation funding to all districts prepared to see a reduction. Yet while foundation aid was considered restored through the state’s
hold harmless policy, which ensures districts receive the same amount or more in foundation aid from year to year, final totals still came in lower than anticipated due to changes in the formula. Port Washington Assistant Superintendent of Business Kathleen Manuel said that while at face value foundation aid was restored, it wasn’t actually in
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A new drinkable yogurt business, Hey Yogurt, is taking steps to open in Great Neck Plaza, garnering the official OK from the village to set up shop on Great Neck Road. Hey Yogurt is a drinkable yogurt chain that also sells cheesecakes, mini croffles and other baked goods. Owners Joseph Yoon and Helen Kim, a brother and sister-in-law duo, will be opening it at 3 Great Neck Road. The Great Neck Plaza Board of Trustees approved the shop’s conditional use permit Wednesday night to permit them to open in the village. “Welcome to Great Neck Plaza,” Mayor Ted Rosen said. “We’re very happy to have you here and we wish you all the success.” Yoon described the drinkable yogurts as a mixture of bubble tea and frozen yogurt, coming in different flavors. He said the drinks provide health benefits like probiotics. Hey Yogurt has other locations in Queens, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. While it is not a franchise, Yoon said the company is in the midst of being designated as one with plans to open more locations nationally. While Yoon compared the drinkable yogurts to frozen yogurt, he said frozen yogurt will not be sold. Deputy Mayor Pamela Marksheid Continued on Page 33
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its entirety. “Schools should have actually received more in aid if [Gov. Kathy Hochul] had let the formula run the way it should,” Manuel said. Despite this change, a majority of school districts on the North Shore are keeping their budgets as is. Multiple school district administrators said the inflationary increase per-
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centage used to calculate the amount of foundation aid awarded was lower than the inflationary factor that should have been used – leading to lower amounts of foundational aid being handed out. Inflationary increases were estimated at about 4.1% while the governor used a 2.8% increase in foundation aid calculations. Continued on Page 34
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WHO WILL BE THE FAVORITES IN 2024? https://theisland360.com/bonscontest/