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, July 26, 2024
Vol. 99, No. 30
SUMMER DINING
GIFT OF LIFE TO OPEN STOREFRONT
DEMS, D’ESPOSITO REACT TO BIDEN BOWING OUT
PAGES 21-28
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PAGE 6
Liu wraps up first 6 months
F U N D AY M O N D AY
Plans to deliver more to G.N. BY C A M E RY N O A K ES Town of North Hempstead District 4 Councilmember Christine Liu’s first six months in office have been marked by highlights like finally demolishing the old Bombay Palace and aiding in the eviction of squatters, but her momentum is not stopping as she seeks multiple other projects to deliver to her constituency. “You have to realize that there is just going to be a lot of work ahead and we have to roll up our sleeves and get down to it,” Liu said. Liu, the town’s first Asian American elected to the town board, began her councilmember role in January after defeating James Gounaris in the November election. She represents the town’s 4th District, which includes the Village of Great Neck Plaza, University Gardens, Russell Gardens, Lake Success, Great Neck Manor, Spinney Hill, North New Hyde Park, and parts of Herricks. Highlights Liu made note of from her first six months in office include various senior programs, leading initiatives to bring in businesses, establishing an environmental pilot program using solar lights to relocate geese at Herricks Ball Field and introducing legislation declaring May Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Continued on Page 37
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEAD
North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena dances with a resident during the town’s Funday Monday event at North Hempstead Beach Park. The event was part of the town’s Project Independence for senior citizens.
County advances Sands casino bid Protestors rally against development’s potential harm to community BY M I C H A E L MALASZCZYK The Nassau County Legislature’s Rules Committee on Monday voted in favor of allowing Las Vegas Sands to operate the Nassau Coliseum for the next 42 years and approved the start of an environmental review for a possible casino resort on the property.
The committee’s vote came days after the Nassau County Planning Commission voted unanimously Thursday in favor of the lease. Both votes came amid protests in favor and against the lease needed for the Nevada-based corporation’s has planned $6 billion project for the 72-acre, county-owned Coliseum site in Uniondale. The full project requires the Las Vegas Sands to win one of three state gambling licenses next year. The 42-year lease, which still requires approval by the full county Legislature and County Executive Bruce Blakeman, gives the Sands control of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. This includes
booking events and maintaining the property but not the right to develop the site. In addition to approving the lease, Rule Committee members agreed to be the lead agency on a state-mandated environmental review. Once the environmental review is complete, a separate 99-year lease that would allow Sands to build on the site would be presented to legislators for another vote. Labor activists with green signs reading “Say Yes to Sands” gathered at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola to support the county’s move forward with the plan in anticipation of Las
Vegas Sands potentially winning a state contract. “The casino has no implication on what we’re doing today,” Grant Newburger, director of communications of the AFL-CIO-affiliated Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk counties, said Friday. “Sands is the employer who is going to keep paying for our people that are unionized, local Long Islanders. This is the entity that is trying to take over the Coliseum right now. We all live on Long Island. And we just want to feed our families and I want to make sure they can go to work tomorrow.” Anti-casino advocates rallied outside of the building as well, stressing Continued on Page 38