Serving New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Garden City Park, North Hills, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park
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Friday, October 25, 2019
Vol. 68, No. 43
N E W H Y D E PA R K
ELECTION GUIDE
G.N. LIBRARY ELECTIONS
STATE AID PROPOSED FOR NASSAU TAX OVERPAYERS
PAGES 35-54
PAGE 3
PAGE 6
Road work delayed
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Project put on hold indefinitely BY TOM M CC A RT HY Work expected to start on the New Hyde Park Road grade crossing elimination for the LIRR’s third track project has been delayed indefinitely, Trustee Rainer Berger said at a New Hyde Park Board of Trustees meeting last Thursday. “Last board meeting, I briefed that the New Hyde Park Road construction would start Nov. 18. That, however, has been delayed. We don’t have a date,” Berger said. Berger said he and Mayor Lawrence Montreuil were set to meet with the developers hired for the project, 3rd Track Constructors (3TC), this week to discuss the project. Berger said the project could be delayed until the new year. 3TC completed a traffic detour plan for New Hyde Park Road and the village board plans to review it, Berger said. He said that a major spot to watch out for in the village is 12th Street, which suffered from Continued on Page 75
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MTA LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD / TRENT REEVES
County Executive Laura Curran, pictured holding the “railroad crossing” sign with the MTA’s Chief Development Officer Janno Lieber, said Covert Avenue reopening is “another milestone” reached for the LIRR third track project. See story on page 2.
NHP teen killed in Iceland crash Honored by school, scout troop; sister still recovering with return date unclear BY TOM M CC A RT HY New Hyde Park teenager Zachary Zabatta died from injuries sustained in a car crash while vacationing with his family in Iceland Oct. 12, and his family is still recovering from the
accident, village Trustee Rainer Berger said last Thursday. Zabatta’s aunt Arlene Zabatta has started a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for the Zabatta family. Zabatta did not respond to requests for comment. According to Zabatta’s GoFundMe page, what started out as a family vacation in Iceland turned into “unfathomable tragedy.” The family was involved in a car accident that led to critical
injuries to their youngest daughter, Sophia, and Zachary’s death. Zachary’s father, James, mother, Barbara, and sister Gabriella are still overseas recovering from injuries as well, Zabatta wrote. The entire family is hospitalized and it is not clear when they will be able to return home, Zabatta wrote. At a village meeting, Berger said that he has known Zachary, a 17-year-old senior at St. Mary’s High School in Manhasset, since
he was in kindergarten and he was a member of Boy Scout Troop 298, where Berger was a scoutmaster. Berger said that Zachary recently completed his Eagle Scout project and his final paperwork for the rank was submitted Oct. 11, the night before the accident. Berger said that he was on the phone with Zachary and his father the night before the accident as well. He said all that was Continued on Page 75
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