Serving Williston Park, East Williston, Mineola, Albertson and Searingtown
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Friday, November 22, 2019
Vol. 68, No. 47
HOLIDAY DINING & GIFT GUIDE
CELL METERS EYED IN E.W.
CUOMO THREATENS NATIONAL GRID’S LICENSE
PAGES 29-36
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Mineola awaits 3rd track Willis Ave. to be closed for 6 mos. BY TOM M CC A RT HY Work for the LIRR’s third track project in Mineola will involve closing Willis Avenue between 2nd Street and Front Street for six months to eliminate a grade crossing, finishing a parking garage on Harrison Avenue and starting work on an enhanced LIRR station next year, MTA spokesman Travis Brennan said. The third track project will be coming to Mineola in 2020 in a major way, Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss said after hosting a presentation by Brennan at a village board meeting last Wednesday. “We have some challenges ahead of us. Obviously, the third track program is coming into the village in force in January,” Strauss said. Strauss said that the village will continue to host representatives like Brennan at village board work sessions to keep the community informed. Continued on Page 50
PHOTO BY TOM MCCARTHY
Trustee Michael Uttaro’s son Matthew usurped Williston Park Mayor Paul Ehrbar and the village board for a day along with other fourth-graders after winning an essay writing contest.
4th-graders take over Williston Park Winners of annual essay contest at helm of village board Saturday BY TOM M CC A RT HY
had to write about what they loved about Williston Park. Trustee Michael Uttaro’s Fourth-graders took over the Williston Park village board son Matthew usurped Mayor for a day Saturday after winning Paul Ehrbar along with other an annual essay writing contest. fourth-graders from the St. For the essay, the children Aidan School, Center Street School and Jackson Avenue School. Sarah Martin filled in as deputy mayor, replacing Kevin Rynne. Libby McDermott stood in for Trustee William Carr, Claire Condon
replaced Trustee Uttaro, Peter Rolston replaced Trustee Bill O’Brien and Tabitha Shelley replaced Julie Kain as the village clerk. “Hello, Mr. Mayor!” Ehrbar said to Matthew when he entered the village board room during a workshop meeting before the public meeting. As the children came into the village board room they met the officials they were filling in for.
The mayor and the trustees coached the fourth-graders on how to make motions on agenda items and prepared them with the trustee’s reports. Attendees got the usual reports from the village trustees, except they were read by the students. Ehrbar said the tradition started in the late 1990s when his wife, Doreen, was mayor. Continued on Page 50
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