Serving New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Garden City Park, North Hills, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park
$1
Friday, October 5, 2018
Vol. 67, No. 40
N E W H Y D E PA R K
!"#
!" # $ % & ' " ( $ % ) * " + * , - %
./-)012"345$-6%)-1&7
"(8*6-%$"(*6)-1&"9":
SCHOOLS & SEARCHING FOR EDUCATION SEARS’ REPLACEMENT
TOWN UNVEILS $105.72M BUDGET
PAGES 33-48
PAGE 6
PAGE 2
6)15*2";<"=>?@
Activists protest NRA friends event Gather at Inn at New Hyde Park to decry NRA BY J E D HENDRIXSON
PHOTO BY JED HENDRIXSON
Protesters held signs outside the Inn at New Hyde Park.
Community activists protested at the corner of the New Hyde Park Inn on Thursday in response to the Nassau County Friends of the National Rifle Association dinner and auction. Randi Levine, of Bayside, said she was “totally against everything going on inside” the Inn that evening. “It’s a common cause,” Levine said. “I think it’s sad that in this day and age, you can’t go to school, or a concert, or stand in a crowd and not worry about something horrible happening.” Alfred Vacchiano, chairman of the Nassau County Friends of the NRA, released
a statement before the event detailing the evening’s mission and the objective of events like this one. “This organization was established with the goal to educate men, women, and children on gun safety and help make local communities safer and better,” Vacchiano said. “To those of us working for true gun safety education and training, we fail to understand why anyone would work against the Friends of NRA program.” Before the event, a flyer said it would feature! a raffle and auction with prizes including a! shotgun.! Levine was joined by around 10 protesters holding signs up next to Jericho Turnpike. Protests were peaceful
and overseen by Nassau County police officers standing next to the inn. Jim Ansel, a 75-year-old resident of Port Washington, donned a poster draped over his front and back that read in capital letters: “NRA MERCHANTS OF DEATH.” “How many more must die?” Ansel said. The general manager of the Inn, Cynthia Osswald, said that the business was completely neutral in the matter and that its services are available to everyone in the community. Several attendees declined to comment on the event or the controversy before heading into the dinner. Attempts to speak to event organizers Continued on Page 66
Manhasset Hills resident pleads guilty BY J E D HENDRIXSON
and former president of the United Industrial and Service Employees Union Local 122 A Manhasset Hills resident pleaded guilty in federal court
in Manhattan last Wednesday to embezzlement and kickback schemes that defrauded the small union he headed of $1.3 million. Rocco Fazzolari, 58,! was charged with embezzlement and defrauding the local, which provided benefit plans for
industrial and service workers. He is currently out on bail, and sentencing has been scheduled for Jan. 28 before U.S. District Judge Annalise Torres. Prosecutors said Fazzolari embezzled $128,000 for personal expenses like designer clothing, spa treatments, a car
and medical expenses. He admitted participating in a kickback scheme with Acclaim Administrators Inc. that saw over $1 million funneled through the company and back to him. As part of his plea deal, Fazzolari is banned from labor Continued on Page 67
For the latest news visit us at www.theislandnow.com D on’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Theislandnow and Facebook at facebo ok.com/theislandnow