Serving Port Washington, Manorhaven, Flower Hill, Baxter Estates, Port Washington North and Sands Point
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Friday, April 16, 2021
Vol. 6, No. 16
Port WashingtonTimes GUIDE TO HOME & DESIGN
AUTISM ACTIVIST TO SPEAK OVER ZOOM
SCHUMER PUSHES FOR MENTAL HEALTH FUNDS
PAGES 23-34
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F LY I N G H I G H
Port North board OKs movie studio project Saga ends as trustees unanimously approve plans BY R O S E W E L D ON Following over a year of hearings and meetings, the trustees of the Village of Port Washington North have formally approved a plan to construct a TV and film production studio. An article of the village’s code lists offices, laboratories, food establishments, storage facilities, health clubs and similar businesses as permitted uses. The village board unanimously approved adding a “movie and film studio” to the list in September, clearing
a path for 101 Channel LLC to renovate a 100,000-squarefoot former Publishers Clearing House building into a state-of-the-art film studio. The owner, Parviz Farahzad, who spearheaded the Grumman Studios project in Bethpage, plans to turn the vacant property into six film production studios modeled on the Grumman layout. The board unanimously voted to approve the project’s site plan at a Zoom meeting on April 7, and Mayor Robert Weitzner thanked all those involved in the endeavor.
“I really do want to thank everybody who’s contributed to this process for the past two years,” Weitzner said. “I hope that the community recognizes that this was the antithesis of rushing something through. I do think in the long run, it is best for [their] business, and for our community. And we’re excited.” The Nassau County Industrial Development Agency also approved support for the $15 million investment in September and said that it expected the project to create 400 jobs Continued on Page 38
Port to vote on $167M school budget in May PHOTO VIA INSTAGRAM, @PWCHEERLEADING
A flyer on the Schreiber High School cheerleading team rehearses lifts at a recent practice.
BY R O S E W E L D ON A $167 million budget has been proposed for the 2021-22 school year in the Port Washington school district and is scheduled to be voted on by the community next month. The proposed $167,268,942 budget is an increase of 2.48 percent, or
$4,054,079, from the 2020-21 school year’s $163,215,663. The resulting tax levy would increase by 2.067 percent. Two teaching positions, one staff developer role and five cleaner positions were added as part of the budget, and over $1 million of the budget additions will account for construction to roofs in schools
throughout the district, Mary Callahan, the district clerk, said at last week’s Board of Trustees meeting. Callahan also said that the district would receive $4.1 million as part of the American Rescue Plan, though the state will keep 10 percent, bringing the district’s total received Continued on Page 38
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