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Friday, February 21, 2020
Vol. 69, No. 8
GUIDE TO SPECIAL OCCASIONS
HUEGLIN, EX-DEM TOWN CHAIR, DIES
REASSESSMENT SUIT MOVES FORWARD
PAGES 27-38
PAGE 11
PAGE 6
Dems announce Sillitti as nom for D’Urso seat
SUPER STUDENTS
Manorhaven resident has spent two decades working in town, county gov. BY R O S E W E L D ON Manorhaven resident Gina Sillitti will be the Democratic nominee for the 16th Assembly District seat being vacated by Assemblyman Anthony D’Urso (D-Port Washington), the Nassau County Democratic Party said Monday. D’Urso, 80, whose district includes Great Neck, Port Washington, Manhasset, Roslyn Heights, North Hills, Flower Hill, Lake Success, Baxter Estates, Manorhaven and Sands Point, announced last month that he would retire after two terms in office. Sillitti, 41, who has worked in town and county government for the past 20 years, was chosen as the nominee at the Nassau County Democratic Committee Convention on Feb. 11, where the party selected candidates to run on all levels in 2020. The Republicans have not yet named their candidate. Sillitti’s career in politics began in the Nassau County Legislature in
the early 2000s, working for former Nassau County Legislator Dave Mejias, who represented parts of Plainview and Farmingdale, among other areas. “We were a Democratic official in a Republican area, and it was there I learned the value of constituent service,” Sillitti said. “Our constituents came first, and I worked for them.” Sillitti later worked in the Department of Community Services for the Town of North Hempstead, where she organized “constituentbased” community events. She later worked for Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman as his director of legislator affairs and deputy chief of staff. “I worked with the Town Board members on resolutions for the public agenda, vetting items, and was the primary point of contact for town’s lobbying in Washington and Albany,” Sillitti said. “It was a good position to learn all the little details and what it takes to run an official, smart government.” Continued on Page 51
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE EAST WILLISTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
During SPARK week, Willets Road students were Powered by Kindness as they dressed up as their favorite superhero. See story on page 20.
Alleged anti-Semitism at contest in Mineola BY R OB E RT PELAEZ
at the event, according to a Newsday article. Yan Vilensky’s 14-yearThe father of a student old son, Ariel, was one of 10 competing at a Mineola robot- Woodmere Middle School stuics competition claims a judge dents competing in the FIRST made an anti-Semitic remark Lego League regional event at
Mineola High School on Sunday, Feb. 9. Vilensky told Newsday that he recorded their presentation on his cellphone “for the memories, for personal use.” Continued on Page 52
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