Serving New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Garden City Park, North Hills, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park
$1.50
Friday, July 26, 2024
Vol. 73, No. 30
N E W H Y D E PA R K
SUMMER DINING
GIFT OF LIFE TO OPEN STOREFRONT
DEMS, D’ESPOSITO REACT TO BIDEN BOWING OUT
PAGES 21-28
PAGE 10
PAGE 6
NHP’s Liu touts performance in first 6 months
SUMMER ENRICHMENT
Cites Bombay Palace demolition, multiple squatter evictions BY C A M E RY N O A K ES Town of North Hempstead District 4 Councilmember Christine Liu’s first six months in office have been marked by highlights like finally demolishing the old Bombay Palace and aiding in the eviction of squatters, but her momentum is not stopping as she seeks multiple other projects to deliver to her constituency. “You have to realize that there is just going to be a lot of work ahead and we have to roll up our sleeves and get down to it,” Liu said. Liu, the town’s first Asian American elected to the town board, began her councilmember role in January after defeating James Gounaris in the November election. She represents the town’s 4th District, which includes the Village of Great Neck Plaza, University Gardens, Russell Gardens, Lake Success, Great Neck Manor, Spinney Hill, North New Hyde Park, and parts of Herricks. Highlights Liu made note of from her first six months in office include various senior programs, leading initiatives to bring in businesses, establishing an environmental pilot program using solar lights to relocate geese at Herricks Ball Field and introducing legislation declaring May Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
For Liu, the first six months of being in office have been defined by steep learning curves and her commitment to carry out the hard work she said she has done. “The learning curve was very steep, the issues were very wide and deep and probably hadn’t been addressed in a long time,” Liu said. “Coming in I had to understand and navigate through all of that.” Being a new face on the town board, a major aspect of her job was finding the best route required to carry out actions, she said. This involved getting to know thetown’s various commissioners and department heads. Understanding the different roles within town government and seeking out collaboration among departments to carry out action has been the biggest lesson she said she’s learned thus far. “Christine has gone above and beyond the amount of hours she has put in to know how to do this job properly and effectively,” Liu’s legislative aide, Jane Russell, said. Projects brought to fruition, Liu said, including the demolition of Bombay Palace after an 18-year stalemate and the removal of squatters from New Hyde Park homes after months of issues. She said collaboration was key to having resolutions. Continued on Page 37
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FLORAL PARK-BELLEROSE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Students participate in the Summer Enrichment Program at the Floral Park-Bellerose School.
County advances Las Vegas Sands casino bid BY M I C H A E L MALASZCZYK The Nassau County Legislature’s Rules Committee on Monday voted in favor of allowing Las Vegas Sands to operate the Nassau Coliseum for the next 42 years and approved the start of an environmental review for a possible casino resort on the property. The committee’s vote came days after the Nassau County Planning Commission voted unanimously
Thursday in favor of the lease. Both votes came amid protests in favor and against the lease needed for the Nevada-based corporation’s has planned $6 billion project for the 72-acre, county-owned Coliseum site in Uniondale. The full project requires the Las Vegas Sands to win one of three state gambling licenses next year. The 42-year lease, which still requires approval by the full county Legislature and County Executive Bruce Blakeman, gives the Sands
control of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. This includes booking events and maintaining the property but not the right to develop the site. In addition to approving the lease, Rule Committee members agreed to be the lead agency on a state-mandated environmental review. Once the environmental review is complete, a separate 99-year lease that would allow Sands to build on Continued on Page 38