Serving Williston Park, East Williston, Mineola, Albertson and Searingtown
$1.50
Friday, March 8, 2024
Vol. 73, No. 10
3 TITLE RUNS COME TO END
LANGONE SUIT AGAINST NORTHWELL TOSSED
SUOZZI DISTRICT TO CHANGE IN FALL
PAGES 34-35
PAGE 4
PAGE 6
Blakeman, AG trans ban fight court bound
S T . PAT R I C K ’ S D AY PA R A D E
County exec to file federal lawsuit after James issues cease and desist BY C A M E RY N O A K ES New York State Attorney General Letitia James issued a cease-and-desist order against Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman Friday, demanding he rescind his executive order banning transgender girls and women from playing on female sports teams at county facilities. “The law is perfectly clear: you cannot discriminate against a person because of their gender identity or expression. We have no room for hate or bigotry in New York,” James said. “This executive order is transphobic and blatantly illegal. Nassau County must immediately rescind the order or we will not hesitate to take decisive legal action.” Blakeman said James’ order is “contrary to the law” and stood his ground, claiming the executive order is legal, constitutional and protects women’s rights. “We believe that not only is the law on our side, but the facts are on our side as well,” Blakeman said, expressing confidence in the order’s legal standing. He said he is willing to discuss the matter further with James and her office. Blakeman signed an executive order Feb. 22 barring transgender girls
and women from competing on female sports teams that play at county facilities. Under the executive order, transgender girl and women athletes will now be forced to compete in the leagues that correlate with their sex assigned at birth, limited to competing only on boys’ and men’s teams or co-ed teams. The county executive said the purpose of the executive order is to protect women’s and girls’ sports in the county by preventing transgender girls and women athletes from competing, saying transgender women and girls present an unfair advantage. The ban only applies to transgender girls and women, as Blakeman said there is no advantage for transgender boys and men to compete on boys’ and men’s teams. Blakeman said that he is not aware of any incidents involving transgender athletes in Nassau County, but that the order is to get the county “ahead of the curve.” The cease-and-desist letter, signed by the attorney general’s Civil Rights Bureau Chief Sandra Park, said the executive order violates New York State anti-discrimination laws in discriminating against transgender women and girls. Continued on Page 22
PHOTO COURTESY OF VILLAGE OF MINEOLA MAYOR PAUL PEREIRA
Irish step dancers jig around Mineola in the St. Patrick’s Day town parade.
E. Williston lone village with contested races B Y T A Y L O R H E R Z L I C H the village justice position serve four elected to the board in 2020 as vilVillage of East Williston East Williston will be holding a contested election for two trustee positions as well as one village justice position. Incumbent Trustee Anthony Gallo, incumbent Trustee James Lark and challenger Rushi Vaidya are running for two trustee positions. Incumbent Emil Samuels is running unopposed for village justice. Both of the trustee positions and
year terms. Gallo was first elected as a trustee in 2020, while Lark was first elected as a trustee in 2019. Both Gallo and Lark are running with the Community Party. Rushi Vaidya, an East Williston resident and project manager at an advisory firm, is running for a trustee position. Vaidya is with the Family Party. Emil Samuels became acting village justice in 2008. Then he was
lage justice. Samuels is running for village justice again with the Community Party. The election will be held on March 19 from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. at East Williston Village Hall at 2 Prospect St., East Williston. Village of Mineola Mineola will be holding an election for two trustee positions. Both Paul Cusato and Donna Solosky are running unopposed for their seats. Continued on Page 23