District Attorney Addresses Mineola Chamber Of Commerce JANET BURNS

jburns@antonmediagroup.com

Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly spoke to local business owners and community members about crime and safety during February’s Mineola Chamber of Commerce dinner meeting.

On February 21, members of the Chamber of Commerce gathered at Jonathan’s Restaurant in Garden City Park for their monthly discussion and networking event, where District Attorney Donnelly gave the keynote address for about two dozen Chamber members just as the salad course was being served.

Donnelly addressed several topical items from her work as Nassau District Attorney, including ongoing, seemingly coordinated thefts of catalytic converters from cars. She also advised those present to follow common-sense practices to protect their homes and businesses: getting a security system; not posting vacation photos online until you’ve returned home; locking all doors in your home, business, and vehicles.

Donnelly also spoke about the continuing problem of gun violence nationwide and in Nassau County, and particularly the increase in unregistered ‘ghost guns,’ which can be assembled from parts purchased online.

Donnelly emphasized that ‘ghost guns’ can be found almost anywhere, including in Nassau County. “Last year, we arrested a [Nassau County] dentist and a New York City firefighter with them,” she noted.

Donnelly went on to discuss the importance of cybersecurity in public and private organizations, among other topics, before taking several questions from the audience.

The evening’s ‘MC’ was Mineola Chamber of Commerce President Louis Panacciulli, who passed around the microphone at one point during dinner so that both new and old members of the Chamber could introduce themselves.

New Chamber members who were on hand included Mark Koehler, Northeast Regional Sales Manager for Proactive Tech Group, and brothers Jon, Jeff, and Brian Finkelstein of Barnwell House of Tires.

The dinner itself, prepared and served by staff at Jonathan’s in a spacious, well-lit private room, included a salad course and fresh breads, a choice of meat, fish or vegetarian main course (with Italian and Greek themes), coffee, and a slice of lightweight, whipped cream-topped chocolate crunch cake. All of the main courses looked very good, and the eggplant parmigiana was excellent.