Serving Williston Park, East Williston, Mineola, Albertson and Searingtown
$1.50
Friday, August 25, 2023
Vol. 72, No. 34
SCHOOLS & EDUCATION
TOWN COMPTROLLER RESIGNS SUDDENLY
BLAKEMAN SAYS NO MIGRANTS IN COLISEUM
PAGES 21-28
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GOP mailers turn local races nasty early Republican state committee targets Democrats Lafazan and Kaiman BY C A M E RY N O A K ES With a little more than two months before the Nov. 7 election, campaigns have begun to heat up as a series of mailers – targeting both Democrat and Republican candidates – have been sent out to homes locally. The main candidates targeted through these mailers are the two Town of North Hempstead Supervisor candidates, incumbent Jennifer DeSena and Jon Kaiman, as well as Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan (D–Woodbury) – who is running for re-election in District 18 and in the race for New York’s Third Congressional District in 2024. A mailer produced by Kaiman’s campaign claimed that DeSena runs a “negative campaign” and is backed by anti-choice and pro-gun conservative and Republican parties. The mailer states that she “defines herself on day one throwing dirt, lies, and smears,” alongside a photo of her with Rep. George Santos (NY-03) with a quote expressing her support for the embattled representative. The reverse side of the mailer includes supportive claims for Kaiman’s candidacy. With a statement at the top that “Democrats choose honors, integrity and experience.” It’s followed by initiatives that Kaiman has achieved during his tenure in politics, political offices he
has held over the past 25 years and issues supported on his platform. DeSena’s campaign provided a statement to Blank Slate regarding the mailer from Kaiman’s campaign targeting her. “Jon Kaiman is a ‘serial tax-hiker’ who voted himself a massive taxpayerfunded salary increase, and he presided over one of the most corruption-riddled towns in the history of municipal government,” the statement said. “He can run to Suffolk for his latest taxpayer-funded job, but he can’t hide from his shameful record as supervisor.” Kaiman also fell subject to a series of political mailers paid for by the New York Republican State Committee, which claimed he was soft on crime and presided over corruption while he previously served as North Hempstead’s supervisor. Included on one of the mailers is a list of where they sourced their information, attributing it to local news sources and legal case documents. Kaiman said at the opening of the Democratic campaign headquarters in Great Neck on Sunday that four mailers in total targeted his campaign just in the month of August. He said that the committee spent $100,000 on the mailers. He called the mailers a “badge of honor” as they are attempting to bring him down in the polls, which he claimed the democratic party is ahead in. Continued on Page 41
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW KOEHLER
Mezzo Theatrical Productions recently debuted their first production, Into the Woods, from Aug. 4-12.
Living a dream with a walk ‘Into the Woods’ BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y The musical “Into the Woods,” with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and based on the book of the same name by James Lapine— the original director—has held a special place in the hearts of Mineola’s John and Cathryn Mezzo. After premiering on Broadway in 1987, the same year the two met, it was a production they both fell in love with. “It’s something that has such
a beautiful story, a great message, beautiful music and has stayed with us through our married life,” said John. Some 36 years later, “Into the Woods” debuted earlier this month at the Long Island Children’s Museum in Garden City, except this time the Mezzos weren’t in the audience, but behind the curtain. It was the first play under Mezzo Theatrical Productions, a venture between John and Cathryn, a Williston Park native, that has allowed
them the creative freedom and a certain level of professionalism to explore their passion. John, a Brooklyn native, has been a lifelong theatre junkie since he saw the musicals “Grease” and “Annie” on Broadway. Locally, John, with a number of regional credits, was a Herricks Players veteran and performed with the community group on and off since 1991. Cathryn, the artistic director who designed and put together all Continued on Page 42