Serving Port Washington, Manorhaven, Flower Hill, Baxter Estates, Port Washington North and Sands Point
$1
Friday, July 9, 2021
Vol. 6, No. 28
Port WashingtonTimes LIVING 50 PLUS
CONGREGATION AWARDS MAJOR CRIME EMERGENCY FUNDING DECREASES
PAGE 21-28
PAGE 2
PAGE 6
Biden honors Port nurse for vaccine first Prez salutes Sandra Lindsay BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z
PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHWELL HEALTH
Northwell Health nurse Sandra Lindsay was honored by President Joe Biden on Friday.
The Northwell Health nurse who received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccination in the United States was honored by President Joe Biden last Friday. Sandra Lindsay, an intensive care nurse at Northwell Health’s Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, received the Pfizer vaccine on the morning of Dec. 14. Lindsay, a Port Washington resident, was awarded the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Outstanding
Americans by Choice recognition at the White House on Friday. “During the height of the pandemic, Sandra poured her heart and soul, working with patients and keeping her fellow nurses safe,” Biden said. “When the time came she became the first person in America to get fully vaccinated outside the trials. She can now hug her grandson. She’s out there making sure her patients and folks in the community get vaccinated.” Biden said Lindsay’s vaccination Continued on Page 34
EWSD defends handling of speech BY S A M U E L E PETRUCCELLI Facing criticism over a student’s graduation speech that set off a furor by referring to the
violence between Israelis and Palestinians as ethnic cleansing, the East Williston Board of Education declined to address the contents of the speech. But at a public meeting on
Tuesday, the board president, Mark Kamberg, said the district was safe and welcoming for all races and ethnicities. The student who gave the speech on June 20, Huda Ayaz, was confronted by an adult who shouted “go back to Pakistan” at the commencement ceremony, according to Ahmed M. Mohamed, legal director at the Council
on American-Islamic Relations. Members of the public got the chance to speak to trustees during a near hour-long session of open time, which at times took a combative tone and led people to speak at one another rather than address the trustees. After speaking, one adult made an inappropriate hand gesture directed at Mohamed. Though speaking at board
meetings is usually restricted to district residents, an exception was made to allow all members of the public to offer comments. Before the first session of open time, Kamberg offered a statement on behalf of the district in response to what he called demands to either condemn or condone the contents of Ayaz’s speech at the Wheatley Continued on Page 35
Support local journalism and get real news Subscribe to the Blank Slate Media newspaper of your community https://theislandnow.com/subscription/