Serving New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Garden City Park, North Hills, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park
$1.50
Friday, May 19, 2023
Vol. 72, No. 20
N E W H Y D E PA R K
LIVING 50+
GILLEN, HUGHES RUNNING FOR CD4
SON OF N. HEMPSTEAD TRUSTEE ARRESTED
PAGES 21-32
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BLOWING BUBBLES
Gounaris, Zanetti re-elected to board Herricks’ $134.7M budget for 2023-24 passes BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y Herricks Board of Education President Jim Gounaris defeated challenger Bhajan Ratra to defend his trustee seat as district residents also re-elected incumbent Trustee Henry Zannetti and the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Gounaris, a Manhasset Hills resident, received 850 total votes out of 1,065 compared to Ratra’s 215, or 79.81%. The president thanked the district for his support and administration for presenting a “student-centered” budget. “I would like to thank all the vot-
ers of the Herricks School District for their support of the budget and for my reelection. I also want to thank Dr. Sinanis and the admin team on putting forth such a thoughtful and student-centered budget,” Gounaris said in a statement to Blank Slate Media. “My vote total serves to affirm my 24 years of dedication, transparency, and continued volunteerism to the Herricks community. It has been my honor over the last 12 years to serve on the Herricks Board of Education delivering positive change, academic excellence, transparency, and continued educational improvement to every member of our community while being mind-
ful of the tax burden shared by our residents. Together we continue set new goals and protect our ever rising educational integrity for all our Herricks families.” Zanetti, a Williston Park resident who served on the Herricks PTA for over a decade, was first elected to the board in 2017. He secured reelection with 863 total votes. Both trustees will each serve a three-year term. Residents also approved the $134.7 million budget for the 20232024 fiscal year. The budget received 836 votes out of 1,194 total, or 70%. Continued on Page 45
Santos pleads not guilty to 13-count indictment Rep. faces wire fraud, theft of public funds charges BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FLORAL PARK-BELLEROSE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Floral Park-Bellerose school held its pre-K Teddy Bear Picnic last week.
U.S. Rep. George Santos pleaded not guilty on Wednesday afternoon to a 13-count indictment, which includes allegations of wire fraud, theft of public funds and making false statements to Congress.
The charges against Santos, whose fraudulent resume was exposed by the New York Times and other media outlets earlier this year, include seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds and two counts of making materially
false statements to Congress, officials announced Wednesday. He was arrested Wednesday morning and pleaded not guilty to U.S. Magistrate Judge Arlene R. Lindsay at the federal courthouse in Central Islip. Continued on Page 46
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