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Friday, December 1, 2017
Vol. 66, No. 48
HOLIDAY GIFT, PARTY GUIDE
WINTHROP GETS $4.2M FOR DIABETES STUDY
NIFA EYES IMPOSING BUDGET CUTS
PAGES 33-40
PAGE 2
PAGE 6
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Campaign leads
to Center St. crossing guard Parent complaints of dangers at elementary school results in change BY R E B ECC A K L A R A crossing guard will be placed at Center Street School after almost 20 months of parental requests. The guard will be placed beginning Nov. 27, according to Superintendent Fino Celano’s oďŹƒce. It’s a welcome response to a long awaited process for parents, like Kostas Katsavdakis, a father of two Center Street students. “On behalf of the community, we’re all very pleased and welcome the idea of the crossing guard and thank everyone involved with this eort,â€? said Katsavdakis. A recent online petition for a crossing guard received 120 signatures in about six weeks, Katsavdakis said. He also led a letter writing campaign regarding the matter to the police and local elected oďŹƒcials about 20 months ago, when he said he noticed the speeding
and “disregard of all traďŹƒc rulesâ€? getting worse. Katsavdakis said it got to the point where students would only cross if they were clearly signaled by the drivers. “I think there’s something fundamentally wrong with that,â€? he said. “It’s a crossing location at an elementary school.â€? The district and Nassau County Police Department were all cooperative throughout the process, Katsavdakis said. The police completed a survey and concluded a crossing guard was necessary at the location, he said. However, at the time there was not a crossing guard available for to be placed at Center Street, according to Katsavdakis. A police spokesman said that there are many factors that determine if a location qualiďŹ es for a crossing guard, including traďŹƒc at the location, traďŹƒc signals lights, Continued on Page 59
PHOTO BY MARK SELIGER
Tackling the competition East Williston resident and Chaminade alumnus Teddy Capsis was named All-Patriot League second team for his performance as College of Holy Cross defensive lineman. See story on page 3.
Richie Cavallaro to live on through scholarship Born four months premature and weighing just one pound, Rosemarie said Richie When Richie Cavallaro was fought to stay alive. Though born blind, Richie born, his mother Rosemarie called him “our little miracle lived a life full of music, faith and family and was aectionguy.â€?
BY A M E L I A C A M U R AT I
ately known as “our piano man,� his mother said. Richie died on Nov. 17 at age 28 from a virus that attacked his lungs and heart. Richie is survived by his Continued on Page 71
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