Serving New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Garden City Park, North Hills, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park
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Friday, March 13, 2020
Vol. 69, No. 11
N E W H Y D E PA R K
TOMMY JAMES SURVIVES F. PARK RESIDENT WHO HELPED CURRAN MAKES PICK LEGAL HANKY PANKY FOR VICTIMS ADVOCATE PUT MEN ON MOON DIES PAGE 27
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F.P. goes to the polls Fitzgerald, Chang run unopposed BY E M M A J ON ES Floral Park Trustees Kevin M. Fitzgerald and Archie T. Cheng are running unopposed in Wednesday’s village elections. Fitzgerald, who is running for his fifth term, was appointed to the board in 2011 and served as deputy mayor after the death of Deputy Mayor James Rhatigan in 2016. Prior to his election to the board, he was a member of the Third Track Task Force, opposing the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s proposal to build a third track on the Long Island Rail Road’s main line. More recently, Fitzgerald has drawn attention to the alleged lack of transparency surrounding the Belmont Park redevelopment project. Cheng has voiced frustration with the project as well, particularly regarding traffic concerns and environmental impact. Cheng has been a Floral Park resident since 1978. He joined the board following Rhatigan’s death. He previously served as the president of the Floral ParkBellerose and Sewanhaka school Continued on Page 22
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHWELL HEALTH
From left, New York State Commissioner of Health Howard Zucker and Gov. Andrew Cuomo tour Northwell Health’s laboratory with President and CEO Michael Dowling (far right).
Nassau coronavirus cases hit 25 First county case treated at Winthrop Hospital; testing begins at Northwell BY R O S E WELDON AND ROBERT PELAEZ
some local colleges canceled classes and Northwell Health stepped up its ability to test for the COVID-19 virus, which has Nassau County has 25 con- spread around the world since firmed cases of novel corona- originating in China. In Nassau County, two cases virus, County Executive Laura Curran said Wednesday, less than were reported in the Town of a week after the first case was re- North Hempstead and two in the Town of Oyster Bay. The other ported in the county. The announcement came af- 21 were reported in the Town ter Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared of Hempstead. Ten tests for the a state of emergency in New York, virus are pending. Six of the patients with confirmed cases were hospitalized. One hundred fifty-three Nassau residents are under mandatory quarantine, while 79 are under precautionary quarantine.
At a news conference at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Garden City, Curran did not give any details about those who were infected. Some local school districts, while avoiding closing schools altogether, said some families with students have had contact with confirmed coronavirus patients. THE FIRST CASE An unnamed 42-year-old man who lives in Uniondale and works at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre was being treated for coronavirus at NYU Winthrop Medical Center in Mineola, it was announced on March 5 at a news conference held by Cuomo.
“What is going to happen is the number will continue to go up. It must because we are continuing to test more and more,” he said. “The more you test, the higher number you will have.” Curran, who was present at the governor’s second news conference that day, said the patient tested positive at Wadsworth Labs in Albany. “When we got the positive result, we immediately took the next step and the Department of Health launched a contact investigation, where the patient is interviewed and we have investigators who go out, look at the Continued on Page 50
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