Serving Williston Park, East Williston, Mineola, Albertson and Searingtown
$1
Friday, June 4, 2021
Vol. 70, No. 23
HOME, DESIGN AND GARDEN
NHP TO HOLD STREET FAIR
COUNTY POLICE GET BODY CAMERAS, MONEY
PAGES 25-32
PAGE 2
PAGE 9
Veterans groups call for funding due to COVID-19 VFWs, American Legions officials say monies needed for repairs BY S A M U E L E PETRUCCELLI As the coronavirus pandemic wanes, veterans groups on the North Shore say they are still struggling financially. American Legion organizations across Long Island said they are barely surviving after months without any income from hosting community events or receiving substantial government relief. Among those struggling is American Legion Post 144 in Williston Park. Bob Guastella was a post commander and now works as a trustee and oversees facilities for Post 144. He canceled his own salary at the start of the pandemic and has helped organize its finances with an accountant, staying afloat by rotating the payment of bills. “Every month he would have National Grid, PSEG, the gardener, the water bill and all of the bills that would come in,” Guastella said. “He
would go – let’s pay National Grid this week and we’ll pay the gardener this month, and next month we’ll pay the other three.” Combined with this strategy, the post cut back on certain recurring monthly payments with the help of the mayor of Williston Park. Dumpster collection, normally $500 monthly, was canceled and garbage was collected by the village, since the quantity was minimal without hosting any gatherings. Now, with physical distancing at gatherings becoming less restrictive, Guastella is still limited in the size of events he is able to host given the shrunken size of a volunteer staff. “There’s nobody anymore,” Guastella said. “All I’m asking for is a little bit more help, but right now I know they can’t afford it.” John Incremona, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5253 in Albertson, described a similar financial situation. Continued on Page 41
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COMPTROLLER’S OFFICE
Town of Hempstead Councilman Peter Zuckerman (left) state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli (center) and Town Clerk Wayne Wink (right) were in attendance at the Albertson Memorial Day ceremony. See story on page 6.
A Williston Park girl’s fight against cancer BY S A M U E L E PETRUCCELLI
be the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Long Island man of the year, raising money on behalf of After over two months of his cousin’s daughter and a Wilfundraising, the relative of a child- liston Park native. Daniela Conte, the niece of hood cancer victim will soon cross the finish line in his campaign to Joe Filosa, died in March 2020
from a blood cancer called embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. When two of his business partners approached him to campaign a few months later, he decided to run in memory of Daniela and in honor Continued on Page 42
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