Serving Roslyn, East Hills, Roslyn Estates, Roslyn Harbor, Roslyn Heights, Greenvale, Old Westbury and North Hills
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Friday, March 1, 2024
Vol. 12, No. 9
HOME & DESIGN
O. WESTBURY STARBUCKS EYES UNION
COUNTY FREEZES ASSESSMENTS AGAIN
PAGES 23-30
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PAGE 12
Dems blast Blakeman trans ban Question legality of executive order BY C A M E RY N O A K ES
PHOTO BY KAREN RUBIN
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed an executive order Thursday that bars transgender girls and women from competing on female sports teams at county facilities.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signed an executive order Thursday morning barring transgender girls and women from competing on female sports teams that play at county facilities. “It’s very important to me as county executive that we set a tone and tenor of respect for all people,” Blakeman said. “However, what we are finding out in the last few months is that there is a movement for biological males to bully their way into competing in sports or leagues or teams that
identity themselves or advertise themselves as girls or female or women’s teams or leagues. We find that unacceptable.” Surrounded by young girls holding signs reading “protect women’s sports,” some wearing athletic attire and most elementary school-aged, Blakeman announced and signed his executive order Thursday morning. The county executive said all sports teams using Nassau County facilities have to register under three categories, men’s and boys’, women’s and girls’ and co-ed. Continued on Page 42
R. Estates residents decry cell towers BY TAY L O R H E R Z L I C H Tensions came to a boiling point at a Roslyn Estates board of trustees meeting Monday during public discussion about the proposed installation of additional cell antennas by Dish Wireless on top of a building at 1044 Northern Blvd. At its most tense, board mem-
bers and residents yelled and pointed their fingers at one another. Yet the end of the meeting took an idealistic turn, with one resident declaring the importance of working together as neighbors and friends. Roslyn Estates residents have been arguing against the new cellular antennas for months. Dish Wireless cellphone service
is proposing to install wireless communications equipment on top of the building at 1044 Northern Blvd., which already houses cellphone antennas for three other cellphone service providers. Dish is proposing three sets of two antennas, with two located on the northeast corner of the building and one on the southeast. Dish Wireless has modified its plans since the initial public hearing in November to address residential complaints, according to Daniel Patrick, the attorney representing Dish. The new plans include moving equipment to make it less visible from the south side of the building,
where residential homes are located, Patrick said at a meeting on Jan. 22. Patrick said Dish tends to seek out existing facilities as locations for their own telecommunications equipment. Patrick also assured residents that the equipment will not extend the height of the building. At Monday’s meeting, Mayor Paul Leone Peters re-opened a public hearing on the antennas that had been adjourned. Peters implored residents to speak up only if they had new information to share. Chris Prior, the village attorney, said the board had received no new material from the counsel for the neighbors or from Dish Wireless.
Jacob Turner, a supervising attorney at Heilig Branigran representing a number of Roslyn Estates residents, questioned the board’s authority. “This board lacks jurisdiction to approve this [new equipment] on that building,” said Turner. “The telecommunications article in the zoning code expressly authorizes the installation of this kind of equipment on a building like this,” replied Prior. “The trustees have that authority.” Turner and Prior bounced back and forth on the legality of the proposed antennas. Turner argued that the zoning Continued on Page 43