Serving Williston Park, East Williston, Mineola, Albertson and Searingtown
$1.50
Friday, July 15, 2022
Vol. 71, No. 28
SCHOOLS & EDUCATION
BIDEN HONORS PORT NURSE
MANGANO SENTENCING DELAYED
PAGES 23-26
PAGE 4
PAGE 9
RAMBLIN’ ON
New ownership saves Hildebrandt’s G.N. natives Singer, Sarf purchase iconic eatery BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y The threat for Hildebrandt’s Restaurant in Williston Park to close has ended with the recent purchase of the famed eatery by Spencer Singer and Randy Sarf, Singer announced in an instagram post. “Established in 1927 and familyowned since 1974. I am honored to be part of such an iconic establishment,” Singer partly said in his post on Thursday. “I look forward to sharing this special place with you and your families. Singer and Sarf, friends from growing up in Great Neck, told Newsday they negotiated a 10-year lease and secured assurances from the cur-
rent staff they will stay on for at least a year. On Feb. 2, the restaurant’s Facebook page posted an update saying that the new landlord is looking to increase monthly rent from $4,500 to $6,700. With nearly 100 years in business, the business has urged all former and current village residents to help the store gain landmark status and preserve the Hildebrandt’s name. “Even if our current ownership has to release their control, we would like to keep the sign and store open to the public so future generations can enjoy the purity of our store,” the post read. The post, so far, has been shared
more than 300 times and features more than 160 comments from residents sharing memories and expressing their support to help protect the restaurant. First opened by Henry Hildebrandt in the late 1920s, the restaurant was sold to Alma Steffens in the 1950s. Steffens then sold it to Helen Baum in 1974, and Baum sold it to Alfred and Joanne Strano in 1975. The Stranos later sold it to their daughter Susan, who owned and operated it with her husband, Bryan Acosta, from 2007 until her death in 2015. Since then, Acosta has kept the store going with his and Susan’s daughter, Hunter. Continued on Page 38
DeSena requests audit of building department Considering ‘every possible way’ to remedy issues BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE VILLAGE OF MINEOLA
Misty Mountain, a Led Zeppelin tribute band, played at the Mineola Memorial Park Amphitheater Saturday.
“The Building Department has been an ineffectual mess for more North Hempstead Supervisor than 15 years now,” DeSena said Jennifer DeSena announced Monday Monday at a news conference in front that she has sent a letter requesting an of the town’s Building Department. audit into the town’s “broken” Build- “It’s time we finally stopped paying ing Department to Nassau Comptrol- lip service to the problem. Instead, we must be willing to consider every posler Elaine Philips.
sible way to fix the problem.” DeSena, elected as a Republican, was joined by Democratic Councilmembers Mariann Dalimonte and Veronica Lurvey, who voiced their support for fixing and reviewing the Building Department. Continued on Page 38
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