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Friday, March 5, 2021
Vol. 70, No. 10
HOME AND DESIGN GUIDE
WATER BOND APPROVED
METZGER COMBINES BUSINESS, PHILANTHROPY
PAGES 19-30
PAGE 2
PAGE 8
LIRR crossing on Main Street eliminated Eighth, final location where cars crossed tracks in third track project BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z The Main Street railroad crossing in Mineola was closed on Saturday, the eighth and final one as part of the Long Island Rail Road expansion project. The crossing, like others throughout the area, is being rebuilt as a pedestrian overpass with elevators and is scheduled to open sometime this spring. The elimination of the crossing was the latest on the LIRR’s Main Line as part of the project to add a third track from Floral Park to Hicksville. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the closure of the Main Street crossing and said that it brought excessive train horn sounds into the homes of nearby residents and traffic backups. Safety has also been a concern with railroad crossings in general. Cuomo referred to an incident in 1982 when nine teenagers died when their van and a train collided at the former Herricks Road crossing in Mineola.
“New York’s economic growth depends on a modern and reliable transportation network to support the safe flow of people and goods across our state,” Cuomo said. “This marks a total of eight grade crossings removed on time and on budget since 2019 and is emblematic of our commitment to enhancing public safety, while also improving the quality of life for Long Islanders by reducing noise, air and traffic pollution.” The closing of the Main Street crossing follows the closure of two other crossings at Willis Avenue on Nov. 30, 2020. The two Willis Avenue crossings are being rebuilt as an underpass and are scheduled to reopen in the fall, according to officials. In New Hyde Park, the Covert Avenue crossing closed and reopened as a pedestrian underpass in 2019. The New Hyde Park crossing took just over six months to transform into a pedestrian underpass. Continued on Page 35
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MINEOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT
Mineola freshmen Michaela Palumbo (left) and Kelsey Morrison (right) placed in the top five in the county’s individual bowling championships last week. Story on page 2.
Russell to run for town clerk, Troiano council BY R O S E W E L D ON North Hempstead Councilwoman Viviana L. Russell (D-New Cassel) has officially announced her bid for North Hempstead town clerk in the
November election, and the Nassau County Democratic Party has announced that former Councilman Robert Troiano, whom she replaced in the role, will run for her council seat. The councilwoman seeks
to succeed Town Clerk Wayne Wink, who is running for town supervisor in the wake of sitting Supervisor Judi Bosworth’s announcement that she would not try for a fourth term of office. Continued on Page 36
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