Serving Port Washington, Manorhaven, Flower Hill, Baxter Estates, Port Washington North and Sands Point
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Friday, May 7, 2021
Vol. 6, No. 19
Port WashingtonTimes Port Washington
PORT WASHINGTON MANORHAVEN FLOWER HILL BAXTER ESTATES PORT WASHINGTON NORTH SANDS POINT
F. HILL EYES GUIDE TO TOWN EXTENDS PORT WASHINGTON MARIJUANA SALE BAN OUTDOOR USES PAGES S1-S64
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Section • May 7, 2021 A Blank Slate Media Special
Protests hurt fall reopening: incumbents
A C T I O N AT G I N O ’ S
Sitting prez, V.P., trustee claim petitions complicated decisions BY R O S E W E L D ON Port Washington school board President Nora Johnson, Vice President Elizabeth Weisburd and Trustee Larry Greenstein say they are prepared to take on new terms following a hectic year, and say that claims by their opponents may have hindered back-to-school plans in the fall. The three incumbents are being challenged for their seats in the May 18 election! by a competing slate, comprising parents Adam Smith, Adam Block and Justin Renna, and by Nanette Melkonian, who is unaffiliated with a slate. In a joint Zoom interview of the three incumbents with Blank Slate Media, Johnson touted three recently launched district initiatives: a partnership with NYU Metro’s Innovations in Equity Inclusion and Social Change, the district’s pursuing of vision and
mission work, and the district’s RULER program, which focuses on emotional science for students and faculty. “We are doing like a deep dive to look at the equity and to improve the equity in our school district for all students,” Johnson said. “And I say the thing that I am most proud of overall, is [that] my only agenda has always been what’s best for every student in the community. And it’s always a balancing [act], because there’s a lot of competing interests, of course, but I’m very proud of the fact that I’ve never had an agenda other than what’s best for all the kids.” Johnson is a 19-year Port Washington resident, a registered nurse and practicing attorney who has been on the board since 2012. She was elected president two years ago, having previously served as president of the Sousa Elementary Home School AssociaContinued on Page 50
PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK
Crew members film a scene for “Law and Order: Organized Crime” at Gino’s Pizzeria and Restaurant in Port Washington.
Boy charged with hate crime in swastika case BY R O S E W E L D ON
him with a hate crime, officials said. The boy, whom Port WashPolice arrested a boy who is suspected of spray-painting ington police and school oftwo swastikas on Port Wash- ficials did not identify, was ington’s John Philip Sousa El- charged with first-degree agementary School and charged gravated harassment and third-
degree criminal mischief as a hate-crime in connection with the anti-Semitic vandalism. Port Washington School Superintendent Michael Hynes announced the boy’s arrest last Continued on Page 60
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