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Friday, February 4, 2022
Vol. 10, No. 5
VALENTINE’S DAY GUIDE
REDISTRICTING PLAN SUOZZI BLASTS SHAKES UP L.I. HOCHUL AGAIN
PAGES 31-42
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Indoor masking may remain until March 2 Mandate granted a reprieve by court BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE’S OFFICE
Parents and children advocating for making masks optional in school gathered at the Nassau County Legislative Building on Monday with County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
New York’s mask mandate, issued by Gov. Kathy Hochul, was granted a reprieve by a state appellate court on Monday, which could result in protective face coverings remaining in schools and indoor settings until March 2. Officials said the mandate, which expires Feb. 10 for indoor settings and Feb. 21 for schools, can stay in effect until at least March 2, the deadline for the state to file documents for its appeal of a lawsuit filed by a group of 14 parents. The lawsuit, filed on Jan. 24, claims Hochul’s
mask mandate was unconstitutional. “I commend the Appellate Division, Second Department for granting a full stay to keep our masking regulations in place for the duration of our appeal,” Hochul said in a statement following the court’s ruling Monday. “My primary responsibility as Governor is to keep New Yorkers safe. Mask regulations keep our schools and businesses safe and open, protect vulnerable New Yorkers, and are critical tools as we work to get through this winter surge.” On Jan. 24, Judge Thomas Rademaker of State Supreme Court in Continued on Page 55
David Chiang named county treasurer BY R OB E RT PELAEZ
Executive Bruce Blakeman last week. Chiang, 52, a Republican, Manhasset resident David ran an unsuccessful campaign Chiang was appointed county to represent the Town of North treasurer by Nassau County Hempstead’s 4th District in
2019, losing to current Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey. Before his appointment and campaign for town councilman, Chiang served as a research analyst and a Wall Street investment banker for almost 20 years before becoming a stay-at-home father. Before his work on Wall Street, Chiang worked at a Manhattan sweatshop at 9
years old, then worked another three jobs to put himself through NYU’s Stern School of Business. Chiang has also been president of the Chinese-American Association of North Hempstead. Efforts to reach Chiang for comment on his appointment were unavailing. Chiang succeeded Beaumont Jefferson, who now serves as deputy county comptroller, as
treasurer. Blakeman also appointed Justice Stephen Bucaria to lead the county’s Assessment Review Commission, an area in county government that Blakeman strongly criticized during his campaign against his predecessor, Laura Curran. Bucaria, a Republican who has served on the Supreme Court Continued on Page 56
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