Serving New Hyde Park, Floral Park, Garden City Park, North Hills, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park
$1.50
Friday, March 25, 2022
Vol. 71, No. 12
N E W H Y D E PA R K
LIVING 50+
PARENTS OF ACID ATTACK VIC SLAM POLICE
DEMS CALL FOR COUNTY GAS TAX HOLIDAY
PAGES 25-32
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Rice endorses Gillen to fill her seat in CD4
S E WA N H A- CO N
Backs ex-Hempstead supervisor in crowded Democratic primary field BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City) endorsed former Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen to fill her seat in Congress. Rice, who announced earlier this year that she would not run for re-election this year, said Gillen “is the best choice” to represent the 4th Congressional District. “Laura Gillen is a lifelong Long Islander who has already proven her political tenacity with a strong record of getting things done,” Rice said in her endorsement, announced by Gillen on Monday. The 4th Congressional District takes in central and southern Nassau County, including Floral Park, Garden City, Hempstead, Mineola, Carle Place, New Hyde Park and Westbury. Under newly drawn redistricting maps, it also takes in the villages of East Williston, Williston Park, Lake Success and some unincorporated parts of the Town of North Hempstead. Gillen, who served as supervisor for the largest township in the United States from 2018 to 2019, was the first Democrat elected to the position in a century in an upset over incumbent Anthony Santino. Now shifting her focus to a congressional campaign, Gillen said, some of her focus will be on aid-
ing Nassau County’s middle-class families and addressing issues such as gun violence and climate change. “As the first Democrat to serve as Hempstead town supervisor in a century, she has been a vocal advocate for women’s rights, common-sense gun safety measures and lowering taxes in Nassau County,” Rice said about Gillen. Gillen lauded Rice’s work for the district, saying she hopes to “follow her model as a public servant” and prioritize bipartisan work “to achieve results for Nassau County and for our nation.” “Kathleen has been a tireless advocate for New York’s Fourth Congressional District and Long Island families her whole career,” Gillen continued. “She has delivered for our communities every year she’s served in Congress – bringing federal dollars back home, defending women’s reproductive rights, and safeguarding our democracy. I’m deeply honored that she believes I’m the best candidate to carry on in this seat.” Rice, who was first elected to Congress in 2014 and is in the midst of her fourth term, said in a tweet that elected officials “must give all we have and then know when it is time to allow others to serve.” “Though I will not be running for re-election to Congress this year, I will Continued on Page 41
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SEWANHAKA CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Over 100 students participated in Sewanhaka Central High School District’s Sewanha-Con, its annual pop culture convention, on March 12.
Chain of command in town broken: DeSena BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y
partment heads are being asked to report to Jeanine Dillon, the current During a virtual town hall with chief research assistant to the Town Blank Slate Media, North Hemp- Board and previous chief of staff for stead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena ex-Supervisor Judi Bosworth. DeSena’s comments came when said that commissioners and de-
she was asked about the Town Board and whether it is asserting authority not previously used. Since DeSena took office in January, conflicts have erupted at Continued on Page 42
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