Fatal accident at Jericho construction site

A construction worker who was helping build a new building at the Jericho Water District facility on Stillwell Lane was killed in an accident on Thursday, August 3, and a second worker was injured.

According to Nassau County Police, at 8:52 a.m. two construction workers were working on scaffolding thirty feet in the air while erecting a roof to the new building. While working, the roofing structure began to collapse, injuring a 24-year-old male and a 49-year-old male.

The 24-year-old male suffered a laceration to his face, and was transport- ed to a local hospital where he was treated and released. The 49-year-old male, Donaldo Duque of Roosevelt, was crushed against the concrete wall of the building by the collapsing roof. ing 63 years old, and Gaughran is now looking to enter a fifth decade of holding public office.

Nassau County Police Department Emergency Service Unit, in coordination with Syosset Fire Department and private crane operators worked for six and a half hours to extricate Duque. He was pronounced deceased at scene by ambulance personnel.

The Congressional campaign has organized a new website, JimGaughran. com, which details the former state senator’s extensive career.

Gaughran is a native of Dix Hills who graduated from Half Hollow Hills High School, as well as SUNY Stony Brook, later earning his JD at Hofstra Law School. He currently resides in Northport with his wife Carol, a library media specialist. The couple are parents to a daughter, Kaitlin, a graduate of George Washington University and a son, Michael, a graduate of Whittier College.

As a member of Huntington’s Town Board he wrote one of the State’s first ethics laws requiring local officials to disclose all sources of outside income and exposing any possible conflicts of interest. The announcement of Gaughran’s bid for Congress this week came with a jab at the current Congressman representing Syosset, his former state senatorial district, the controversial George Santos.

“Instead of focusing on the issues that matter to Long Islanders, Congressman LaLota has spent his time in Washington fighting to take away people’s rights and shielding conman George Santos from accountability,” said Jim Gaughran in a press release on August 7.

“We don’t need a Congressman who is trying to cut reproductive health- care access while nothing has been accomplished to reinstate our local tax deductions or protect our environment. In Congress, I will focus on helping Long Islanders instead of dividing us,” Gaughran commented.

Gaughran was elected to the Suffolk County Legislature in 1987, serving for five years (1988 through 1993). He later chaired the county’s Public Safety Committee, helping reformed the Suffolk County Police Department with new community-oriented police policies.

As a Suffolk Legislator Gaughran co-sponsored the Suffolk Water Protection Act which helped initiate preservation of the Central Pine Barrens and other critical watershed areas in Suffolk County.

Former Sen. Gaughran also served as chairman of the Suffolk County Water Authority from 2010-2018.

On August 7, Gaughran’s campaign chairwoman Linda Beigl-Schulman announced, “There is so much excitement for Jim’s candidacy because he’s shown time and again that he is the real deal and a man of his word. He passed gun safety measures, he protected women’s reproductive rights, and he delivered for Long Island from protecting our environment to securing record funding for our schools. Jim will make an excellent Congressman, and he will bring his experience and commitment to Long Island to Congress.”