Serving New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Garden City Park, North Hills, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park
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Friday, September 29, 2023
Vol. 72, No. 39
N E W H Y D E PA R K
GUIDE TO MINEOLA STREET FAIR PAGES 21-32
DENTON AVENUE NAMED BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL
CRICKET WORLD CUP COMES TO NASSAU
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Teacher leaves Herricks after video surfaces Middle school instructor allegedly featured in ‘disturbing and upsetting’ online post BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y The Herricks School District and Nassau County District Attorney’s Office are investigating an incident regarding a former teacher who was removed from the district after a “disturbing and upsetting” video surfaced online. Residents expressed concern during the Thursday night board of education meeting over the well-being of students and the next steps for the jazz band, which parents said the removed teacher was involved with. Superintendent Tony Sinanis said the district was informed after 9 p.m. Tuesday night of a video circulating online that allegedly featured a Herricks teacher. “The following morning, we informed legal authorities and continued investigating in an effort to ensure the safety of our students,” Sinanis said in a statement Thursday night and in an email to the district. “We also took steps to ensure that our students and staff were supported and had access to counselors if necessary.” Sinanis said the teacher is no longer employed by the district. The Nassau County District Attorney’s office is also investigating the matter with their law enforcement partners,
officials confirmed to Blank Slate Media. “I moved to this district specifically for the music program,” said Linda, the mother of an eighth-grade trombone player. “For this to happen now was just heartbreaking and shocking.” Sinanis told the mother and other parents who inquired that the district offers counseling in both group and individual settings. Board of Education President James Gounaris said one person does not make the entire district win or lose, commending the students and parents who reported the incident to the district. “We thank you for that, because without them we may not have known until the day after or the day after that,” Gounaris said. “It’s a testimony to the entire family unit in this district and also the staff members who reported it.” “No one stands for this, no one thinks it’s tolerable,” Gounaris said. Catalin Wong, a senior at Herricks High School, said she and her friends were shocked by the news and asked to board about the process of replacing the teacher, who parents said was involved in the jazz band. “To every degree possible there Continued on Page 45
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MANHASSET-LAKEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT
Firefighters provide an attack line on a trailer carrying tires engulfed in flames on the Long Island Expressway in North Hills. See story on page 4.
DeSena, Kaiman spar in first meet-and-greet BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y The Lakeville Estates Civic Association held the first meet and greet for candidates running in the Town of North Hempstead and Nassau County Legislature Wednesday night in North New Hyde Park. Republican Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and Democrat challenger Jon Kaiman, who was supervisor from 2004 to 2013, each answered questions posted by civic members related to their resumes, ideas for
the town and issues pertaining to the association specifically. The two candidates for the county’s 10th Legislative District, incumbent Mazi Melesa Pilip, a Republican, and Democrat challenger Weihua Yang also gave brief introductions on their backgrounds and platforms to civic members at the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department Company No. 5 firehouse. The first question for DeSena and Kaiman referred to their times as supervisors. DeSena, who was
elected in 2021, was asked about possibly taking credit for the 5% tax cut the seven-member town board, which has a majority of four Democrats, approved for this year’s budget after she submitted a tentative budget that had a 2.1% tax raise. DeSena said she discovered large town reserves after submitting her tentative budget and resubmitted a new budget proposal with an 11% tax cut, which was not passed. The supervisor said it’s part of the Continued on Page 46