Serving Roslyn, Roslyn Heights and Old Westbury
Guide to
$1
Friday, January 12, 2018
Vol. 6, No. 2
+0#0%'
'#. 56#6'X #0-+0) n
REAL ESTATE, ROSLYN FAMILY TAKES SCHNIRMAN SWORN IN AS COUNTY COMPTROLLER BANKING & FINANCE AID TO PUERTO RICO PAGES 31-34 .#0- . #6' '&+# f +6/14
7$.+%#6+1 05 2'%+# . '%6+10 ˜
PAGE 2
PAGE 7
#07#4; E FX FNEL
Nicolello gets top spot in Legislature
L E A R N I N G E A R LY
NHP Republican elected county presiding officer in party-line vote BY LU K E TOR R A N C E Richard Nicolello, a longtime county legislator from New Hyde Park, was elected as the new presiding oďŹƒcer of the Nassau County Legislature on Friday. He said he wanted to reduce the county’s debt and end state oversight of its ďŹ nances. “It’s very exciting, and I’m looking forward to working with all my colleagues,â€? Nicolello, a Republican, said after the meeting. He defeated Kevan Abrahams, the Democratic minority leader, on an 11-8 vote along party lines, as many had expected. Nicolello takes over the position from Norma Gonsalves, who retired when her term expired last year. Nicolello has served as the legislator for the 9th District, which now snakes south from Manhasset down to Mineola and then west to New Hyde Park, since
the county Legislature was established in 1996. He previously served as the deputy presiding oďŹƒcer under Gonsalves, a position he had held since 2012. That position will now be ďŹ lled by Howard Kopel (R-Lawrence), who previously served as alternate deputy presiding oďŹƒcer. Denise Ford (D-Long Beach) was appointed by Nicolello to serve as the new alternate deputy presiding oďŹƒcer. Nicolello said that, as the presiding oďŹƒcer, he wants to cut down on shouting matches that have occasionally overwhelmed the chamber in the past. “What I want to focus on is getting business done in this chamber,â€? he said. “I think, the last couple of years especially, we tended to get sidetracked in these lengthy debates that really went around in circles.â€? Continued on Page 53
PHOTO COURTESY OF TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Mother Margo Clark reads to children in the Trinity Episcopal Church’s Childcare Center in Roslyn. See story on page 45.
Lafazan vows to focus on addiction in 1st term ďŹ rst two weeks in oďŹƒce. During his inauguration ceremony at Jericho High As the youngest-ever Nas- School Tuesday, Nassau County sau County legislator, Joshua Executive Laura Curran said Lafazan (D-Syosset) has al- she had already seen Lafazan ready been hard at work in his working with the Heroin Pre-
BY A M E L I A C A M U R AT I
vention Task Force, which was one of the main issues of Lafazan’s campaign. Lafazan said during his two-year term he wants to help Nassau County become “the Continued on Page 54
For the latest news visit us at www.theislandnow.com D on’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Theislandnow and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow