The Nassau County Department of Assessment in Mineola Taxpayers come to the office if they have questions about their property taxes The vast majority of Nassau County homeowners who challenged their property assessments won settlements — 80% last year compared with nearly 70% the year before — thereby shifting the tax burden to remaining taxpayers Nearly 60% of Nassau homeowners last year — about 227,000 — filed a "grievance,” a formal appeal of their property assessment according to data from Nassau’s Assessment Review Commission obtained by Newsday through a public records request Officials gave settlements to about 46% of homeowners — or about 180,000 — lowering their property values by an average of 7% Grievance settlements are part of what critics call an outdated tax assessment system where officials multiply the value of a home by a "level of assessment" — 0.1% — that’s been frozen for years Homeowners frustrated with this assessment can file a grievance to the county’s Assessment Review Commission which looks at recent home sales and then uses a lower rate — 0.066% — to assess property values The last time such a high proportion of homeowners received a settlement was in the 2019-20 tax year Former Nassau County Executive Laura Curran ordered a countywide reassessment of more than 400,000 Nassau properties updating tax rolls that had been frozen for nearly a decade The settlement rate then dropped to 26% for the 2020-21 tax year Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s administration froze the rolls for a fifth straight year chairman of the Assessment Review Commission the agency that reviews grievance applications did not answer questions about why officials are doling out more settlements but said they are doing so more quickly "to keep costs down to our taxpayers." "We have accelerated the negotiation of tax [grievance] claims in order to avoid payment of claims and interest that have crippled county finances in the past," Bucaria wrote in a statement to Newsday referring to the costly court process for unresolved appeals The Assessment Review Commission has lowered its assessment rate in recent years. In the 2023-2024 tax year, the rate was 0.08%. For the 2024-25 tax year, it was 0.072% With home values being assessed at a lower rate more homeowners who file an appeal automatically receive a settlement The high settlement rate comes amid soaring Nassau home prices which have jumped more than 12% in the last year and brought the median sale price for a single-family home to $820,000 Researchers say as homes gain value in the market Nassau’s practice of freezing tax rolls and instituting settlements means its tax system falls farther behind "There needs to be regular reassessments done," said Mark Sunderman a professor at the University of Memphis Tennessee and expert who studies real estate and property taxes "That allows for any changes in the market to be captured." When one group of homeowners successfully challenge their property taxes that shifts a sizable tax burden onto homeowners who did not file a grievance former commissioner of the Nassau County Assessment Review Commission Nassau homeowners who don’t file a grievance — or who file one and fail — are paying for those who do It’s worse than it’s ever been," he said Nassau homeowners can either file a grievance on their own or hire a professional who charges between 30% to 50% of the tax reduction Data provided by ARC dating back more than a decade shows attempts to overhaul Nassau’s tax assessment system have been futile Tax grievance firms have long-standing political influence donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to Republican campaign committees The firms also contribute in smaller amounts to their Democratic counterparts — a cycle that critics say helps keep the tax system in place such firms earned $500 million in client fees according to an audit by the comptroller’s office who is running against Blakeman in November’s county executive race vowed to eliminate the county’s Department of Assessment and punt assessment responsibility onto towns and cities for "fairer" property valuations Koslow also promised to cap firms’ fees to 25% of tax reductions "Let the towns and the cities make the determinations to ensure fair market values," Koslow said in a news conference last month "That’s the way it’s done throughout the rest of the counties in New York State and the rest of the country." Blakeman has kept property taxes flat since taking office "Our homeowners have realized an unprecedented increase in home values," Chris Boyle adding that higher sale prices also prompt officials to lower the ARC assessment rate from local elections and legislation to reaction to national events By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy Get more on these and other NewsdayTV stories The Newsday app makes it easier to access content without having to log in Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months Attorney for the Eastern District of New York by United States Chief District Judge Margo K Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced the appointment on Monday of Nassau Family Court Judge Joseph Nocella Jr attorney for the Eastern District of New York who sought to block the judge’s nomination was sworn in Monday afternoon by Chief District Judge Margo Brodie in a private ceremony Attorney's Office for the Eastern District "I am deeply honored that President Donald J Trump and Attorney General Pamela Bondi have appointed me United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York," Nocella said in a statement "It is especially gratifying to return to the very district where I began my prosecutorial career .. I look forward to prosecuting zealously the narcotics-traffickers human-traffickers and other criminals who have plagued the people of Nassau The announcement puts to bed speculation that Nocella’s appointment to the role was in jeopardy Trump posted a message on Truth Social endorsing the judge a longtime Nassau County Republican stalwart to be the chief federal prosecutor in the Eastern District Follow the latest developments in the Gilgo Beach killings investigation who had taken on withering criticism for helping push through a Republican government funding bill posted on social media that he would block the appointment of Nocella and the Southern District of New York appointment of Jay Clayton who served as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission in the first Trump administration "I will not let the Senate move forward on President Trump’s nominees for U.S Attorney for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York," Schumer said on X at the end of April The president has the authority to appoint all 93 federal prosecutors; however federal prosecutor nominees must get a response on a blue form from the home state senator before their appointment can proceed Schumer said that he would not return the blue slip for Clayton or Nocella "Donald Trump has made clear he has no fidelity to the law and intends to use the Justice Department Attorney offices and law enforcement as weapons to go after his perceived enemies," Schumer said in his social media post "Such blatant and depraved political motivations are deeply corrosive to the rule of law and leaves me deeply skeptical of Donald Trump's intentions for these important positions I will not return the blue slip for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York." In the event of a vacancy in a federal prosecutor’s office the attorney general also has the authority to appoint an interim U.S Last week, Bondi appointed Clayton to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan on an interim basis, but did not tap Nocella to the Eastern District office This set off a swirl of speculation that the judge’s nomination was not going to happen and the acting officeholder John Durham would remain in the position Nocella gave a nod to Durham after being sworn in  "I would also like to thank Acting United States Attorney John J Durham for his service and leadership," he said in a statement interim appointments can remain in office for 120 days the judges in the district can vote to approve the officeholder to be the permanent officeholder Schumer did not respond to calls for comment who graduated from Columbia Law School in 1989 and worked in private practice before becoming a federal prosecutor for the Eastern District from 1991 to 1995 He served in private practice in New York and California from 1995 to 2010 but also worked in local government beginning in 2006 He led the Nassau County Attorney's Office and was counsel to County Executive Edward Mangano from 2011 to 2014 He was counsel to the Office of Housing and Community Development from 2014 to 2017 He also served as the Oyster Bay town attorney from 2017 until 2020 chief of staff and town attorney after that until 2022 when he became an acting judge He was elected to the Nassau County Family Court in the fall of 2024 The county budget for 2024 allocated more than $48 million for police overtime but the department spent an additional $31 million last year figures from the Office of Legislative Budget Review show The Nassau County Police Department spent about $80 million on overtime last year preliminary figures obtained by Newsday show the figures from the Office of Legislative Budget Review show Nassau police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, in an interview, defended the spending as necessary to protect residents and visitors when attending large-scale events, such as a highly attended cricket tournament in Eisenhower Park and visits from then-presidential candidate Donald Trump during an especially challenging security climate But he said the department has already seen a 22% decline in the number of overtime hours worked in the first quarter of this year according to figures provided by the department "The budget responsibility is on me; I'm responsible for it," Ryder said But I also know that the responsibility of safety and security of the people is on me So when we have events and concerts in the park and protests and unrest that goes on and threats that are made it's my decision on what kind of security I will put in place because of the threat level that was out there because of everything going on in the world a spokesman for Nassau Executive Bruce Blakeman said in a statement: "County Executive Blakeman made Nassau County the safest county in America and ended the year with a budgetary surplus even as the police department was forced to expend more resources to combat the state's woke laws that give more rights to criminals than victims and the Biden administration's open border policies that made our communities less safe." At least one critic said the county executive is "misleading the public" about the police budget "He boasts about hiring new officers but conveniently ignores that retirements and resignations are outpacing new hires and stretching our detectives dangerously thin," said Democratic Legis the ranking member of the legislature's public safety committee who is running for county executive against Blakeman A skyrocketing overtime budget and a force pushed to its breaking point." High overtime costs have been a consistent issue for both the Nassau and the Suffolk County police departments Newsday has reported that hundreds of county employees mostly police officers and employees of the sheriff's departments made in excess of $100,000 in overtime in 2022 with a veteran Suffolk police officer who made almost $242,000 in overtime in a single year Nassau has attempted to hire new recruits to mitigate its overtime costs which has been exacerbated by a steady stream of retirements in the department Experts have attributed mass retirements to a nationwide disinterest in a career as a police officer in the post-George Floyd era But Ryder said Nassau has not been impacted by any anti-police sentiment He said the last police test drew some 15,000 applicants — for just about 500 jobs which he attributed to good working conditions and support for law enforcement in government and the general populace more than 1,000 officers have left the police department according to a recent Office of Legislative Review public safety report The county hired about 117 new police officers in fiscal year 2019 to offset those losses but the COVID-19 pandemic upended the hiring plan though the county hired 178 new recruits in 2020 The department hired 320 more in the next two years The department hired 102 recruits last year a retired NYPD sergeant and an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan said overtime costs can quickly balloon when dealing with timely investigations and big public events Giacalone cited potential overtime costs from visits by Trump, then a candidate, and Nassau police's work on the Gilgo Beach Homicide Task Force which recently resulted in authorities publicly identifying the remains of Tanya Jackson and her young daughter was there something that required the police department to spend extra money to keep the public safe?" Giacalone said 'Good police work costs money,' and sometimes you can’t put it in the budget you don’t know what you’re going to spend money on." Ryder attributed last year's overtime costs including two high-profile events featuring Trump Ryder said the police department gets reimbursed for police personnel provided at private events Political candidates pay for their own security inside venues but police must still deal with traffic and crowd control outside venues Secret Service handles security for presidential candidates local police departments work with the agency while also coordinating the overall security for attendees and traffic near the events Trump held a campaign rally at the Nassau Coliseum last September He also attended an awards ceremony in December at Long Island University Post's Brookville campus so right away security gets heightened," Ryder said We had two attempts at killing the president last September India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indian diaspora at Nassau Coliseum and MTV held the MTV Video Music Awards at the UBS Arena in Elmont in September Ryder said the department investigated three credible threats to Modi "I'm getting reimbursed for the inside but I got traffic conditions I got to deal with on Hempstead Turnpike," Ryder said "I can't have people charging the UBS Arena because they see Taylor Swift." Ryder said the department was reimbursed for about $1 million for the cricket tournament and received a 100% reimbursement for the VMA's Ryder also said the department's overtime will be offset by about $2.5 million in state grants that pay for traffic enforcement details A Florida Department of Law Enforcement study cited overtime as a source of fatigue and potential safety issue for officers "Overtime and off-duty work have become a necessary part of police work but it has taken a tremendous toll on the officers," the study said "The price paid is fatigued officers who often work many consecutive days without the appropriate time off to recuperate Officers become tired and overworked which directly affects their performance as well as public safety." Messages left with two police department labor unions representing officers and detectives went unanswered politics and crime stories in Nassau County Las Vegas Sands chairman and CEO Rob Goldstein (seated) signs an agreement alongside Nassau County Executive Bruce A Blakeman (right) for the future of the Nassau Hub in the Ceremonial Chamber at the County Executive Building in Mineola in April 2023 Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman stood next to Las Vegas Sands CEO Robert Goldstein before members of Long Island's business and construction community announcing an agreement to bring a casino resort to the Coliseum site Blakeman used the Nassau Community College commencement ceremony to announce a tentative agreement with NYU Langone to build a teaching hospital on the campus The two projects — a $6 billion casino resort and a $3 billion medical center — would bring thousands of temporary and permanent jobs in construction contributing to the tax base and stimulating the local economy both proposals and the nearly $9 billion of private investment that would bring jobs is threatened in Nassau County six months before Blakeman asks voters to reelect him to a second term While some stakeholders say it may be too soon to tell whether it will have a major impact on the county executive's race others say Blakeman could be perceived as not fulfilling his promise of bringing "transformative" development to the center of the county Blakeman in his first term has held the line on county property taxes and has brought international attention and tourism dollars by hosting large-scale events such as the Cricket World Cup at Eisenhower Park "When you have a one-two gut punch like this right before an election it looks like Blakeman has lost his potential promises to voters that he's making good on economic activity," said Christopher Malone political science professor and associate provost at Farmingdale State College the perception is that he's not going to be able to deliver the goods." Malone said "it's not a good position for Blakeman to be in," particularly when coupled with his staunch support of President Donald Trump, who is polling lower among independent voters He says Blakeman's "momentum has really slowed down when compared to the 2021 election when Republicans were really on the upswing on Long Island." Blakeman won the county executive's race that year Political consultant Michael Dawidziak said he doesn't believe the fate of these development projects means much to voters "People vote on their quality of life It's hard to see how these projects really affect directly somebody's quality of life," said Dawidziak who has worked on several Republican campaigns including Blakeman's unsuccessful bids for New York City mayor in 2008 and U.S if you're in the building trades or something like that you might be disappointed that this didn't happen but other than somebody who's directly impacted it seems like these just aren't issues that come up." Blakeman in late March issued a statement saying the county and NYU Langone "mutually agree to pause further negotiations as a result of external factors that have presented issues that may prove to be too burdensome to overcome."  a major Manhattan-based health system with several outpatient facilities in Nassau and a 591-bed hospital in Mineola had been looking to build on a 40-acre parcel on the campus providing educational and internship opportunities to students pursuing allied health and nursing degrees previously told Newsday they were surveying other properties in Suffolk because the NCC site was "too complicated."  Blakeman said he remains "open to any proposal to improve the area surrounding Nassau Community College and to provide opportunities to NCC students and graduates." Last month, Las Vegas Sands president Patrick Dumont told investors in an earnings call that the company would no longer pursue a New York State gaming license and is looking to a third party within the next month to replace them in the June application process in developing the county-owned Dumont said the company felt the threat of online gambling and would subsequently buy back stocks and invest more in its resorts in Asia aiming for better returns for the company's shareholders The Nevada-based company had billed the "integrated resort" it was planning at the Coliseum as its return to the U.S market with a New York flagship property that would produce $2 billion in annual revenue from some 20,000 visitors daily Millions were to go into the county budget and to surrounding community programs Many who have watched the Coliseum site and surrounding area executive director of the regional development group Association for a Better Long Island said the property "has been buffeted by a wide spectrum of issues," including regional and national economics and "the reinvention of business models within sectors ranging from health to sports to gaming." all of which are out of the control of any county administration it should come as no surprise that we may be starting with a clean sheet of paper at The Nassau Hub," Strober said president of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce said he is "hopeful" that the Blakeman administration will develop the area "I don’t think anyone will hold it against him I think there will still be something in that spot Long Island is unsustainable without building something big there," Andrews said Blakeman in a statement to Newsday remained confident in the Coliseum's future calling the site a "valuable piece of real estate that many are clamoring to develop."  the Sands project remains on the table both as a casino and without will be exciting and will create jobs and revenue," he said Nassau County Republican Committee Chairman Joseph Cairo said he doesn't see any of the change of direction as political "negatives" for Blakeman He said Blakeman's campaign will highlight issues voters care about: keeping property taxes and crime low major developments in Hempstead and large municipalities — they change," Cairo said "That's normal that these changes take place Because Bruce approaches things from a business point of view He's very creative and I think working with someone of the stature of the Sands or whomever they bring in will ultimately be a success." Blakeman's Democratic challenger seized the spotlight the morning after Sands announced it would be pulling out of Nassau the county legislator from Merrick running against Blakeman in November called it a "collapse of another multimillion dollar deal" and "more smoke and mirrors."  "Even if they find a new casino operator that company isn't bound to honor a single promise Sands made Anyone saying otherwise is either misinformed or lying," said Koslow who in August joined all but one Democrat in his caucus in approving a 42-year lease giving Sands the authority to operate the Coliseum and rights to the property That information was incorrect in an earlier version of this story Jasmine Laws is a US News Reporter at Newsweek based in London Her focus is reporting on health insurance Jasmine joined Newsweek in 2024 from News UK and had previously written for the Metro The Human Perspective magazine and The Express She has previously extensively covered stories within the U.K She was one of the nominees for Best News Piece at the U.K's Anti-Slavery Day 2023 Awards in Parliament She is a graduate of Durham University and completed her NCTJ at News Associates You can get in touch with Jasmine by emailing jasmine.laws@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content has issued a new security alert for American citizens visiting the beach holiday hotspot following a series of sexual assaults tied to jet ski operators Newsweek has contacted the embassy for comment outside of regular working hours more than 7.2 million people visited The Bahamas with a large proportion of these travelers coming from the U.S The new warning from the U.S. embassy comes just over a week after the State Department updated its Level 2 travel advisory for The Bahamas on March 31 cautioning travelers to "exercise increased caution" due to crime and unsafe conditions The advisory singled out travelers headed to New Providence and Grand Bahama—home to Nassau and Freeport—where the majority of violent crimes have been reported noted that there had been a number of recent incidents where U.S citizens had reported being raped by jet ski operators who picked them up from public beaches around Nassau and Paradise Island Two American women were reportedly raped in the past month The crimes are reported to have occurred in areas including Junkanoo Beach The perpetrators allegedly transported victims to isolated islands near New Providence before assaulting them four Americans have been hospitalized since August following jet ski accidents with two requiring emergency evacuation to the U.S government employees are now prohibited from renting or using jet skis on New Providence and Paradise islands Last month, the U.S. State Department updated its advisory for the country emphasizing the increase in violent crimes including armed robberies and sexual assaults Particular concern was noted for areas including the "Over the Hill" neighborhood in Nassau which has experienced gang-related killings Travelers were also warned to never swim alone and remain vigilant on beaches near downtown Nassau The March advisory also reminded travelers about the strict firearm laws in The Bahamas "Travelers with firearms or ammunition can face arrest Embassy in Nassau advised tourists in its statement: "Avoid renting jet skis in The Bahamas Stay alert in public restrooms near Nassau beaches Always follow local weather and marine alerts." Travelers in the Bahamas are encouraged to monitor updates from the U.S Embassy in Nassau on its website and to follow all safety recommendations Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Newsletters in your inbox See all Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Las Vegas Sands will no longer pursue a $6 billion plan to build a casino-resort at the Nassau Coliseum company executives told investors Wednesday "We are in the process of attempting to secure an agreement with a third party to whom we can transact the opportunity to bid for a casino license on the Nassau Coliseum site This would include those that may be able to address both land-based and digital markets in New York," Sands president Patrick Dumont said on the call announcing the company's earnings in the first quarter of 2025 He added: "Sands has decided not to bid for a casino license in New York." Sands CEO Robert Goldstein and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman brokered the deal three years ago to build the casino-resort on the 72-acre county-owned Coliseum property in Uniondale The company holds a 42-year operating lease and is in the middle of the land-use approval process to gain a 99-year development lease Blakeman, a Republican running for reelection in November had championed the project as an economic stimulus that promised to create thousands of temporary and permanent jobs Blakeman spokesman Chris Boyle in a statement said there is "strong interest" from other casino companies looking to replace Sands at the Coliseum and take over the licensing application process "Nassau County will crystallize within the next 30 days whether or not to entertain a casino component or develop the site without In either event there will be an exciting new development that will create jobs and positive economic activity," Boyle said The proposal was one of the largest private development projects on Long Island and had wide-ranging bipartisan support from county lawmakers as well as a cross section of business groups It also prompted legal battles and rowdy, overcrowded meetings during the state-mandated environmental review process Hofstra University and residents from communities surrounding the Coliseum The company was near completion of its final environment impact statement, which would have included widening the Meadowbrook Parkway and building a new water tower that would draw from the underground aquifer says they are against transferring the bid and will continue to fight against any casino on the Coliseum property “We are thrilled that Las Vegas Sands has stepped away Our group has fought hard to show that dropping a mega casino in the middle of our suburban community would be a wholly destructive choice," the group's statement said "There will never be support for a casino in Nassau County Now the focus can shift to defining a future for the site that benefits rather than exploits our community." president of the Long Island Federation of Labor "The broad-based support for development of a transformational project at the Nassau Coliseum is evident by the massive support over the last several years," Durso said in a text message "We remain optimistic Sands is successful in securing an agreement with a third party who shares our vision focused on strengthening our communities and making sound local investments that will deliver for generations."  government lawyer in residence at Albany Law School who served as Gov Cuomo’s deputy secretary for gaming and racing huge surprise” for Sands to drop out of consideration Sands’ proposal would likely have had less impact on surrounding communities than other proposals and the company is “generally considered one of the top five firms in the casino industry.” probably stands to gain the most from the Sands move Cohen’s group “lost a very strong competitor.” The state Gaming Facility Location Board in December 2021 issued a request for proposals the state set a deadline for casino companies and their development partners to submit an application by June 27 with a decision on who would get the licenses by the end of this year A state gaming license allows for casino operators to offer traditional in-person table games such as poker and blackjack Sands officials estimated a revenue of $2 billion a year from the Coliseum site Steigman & Mackauf secured a $60,033,041.23 unanimous verdict for a 65-year-old electrical mechanic who was left permanently paralyzed following a routine epidural steroid injection the victim underwent a routine lumbar epidural steroid injection procedure performed by Dr Robert Iadevaio at the Pain Institute of Long Island (currently Catholic Health Long Island)  Within minutes of awakening from sedation the plaintiff suffered a massive spinal cord infarction resulting in permanent paraplegia The plaintiffs presented evidence that the findings of a spinal angiogram conducted after the injury was inconsistent with the medication listed in the physician's notes they alleged that a different medication — one not recommended for use and commonly known to cause spinal infarcts if inadvertently injected into an artery leading to the spinal cord— was used suggesting a grievous medical error during the procedure.  The plaintiffs called experts in the field of Interventional Pain Medicine and Interventional Neuroradiology who testified that based upon the spinal imaging and known mechanisms of spinal infarct the physician's procedure note could not have been accurate.  Plaintiffs also called experts in the fields of Neurology Psychiatry and Forensic Economics to present evidence of plaintiff's irreversible and profound damages.  the plaintiff was a 60-year-old electrical mechanic at a local airport and was the primary provider for his wife and their two sons The three-week trial in Nassau County Supreme Court concluded with a unanimous jury verdict awarding more than $60 million to the victim.  Bruce Brady of Dorf Nelson & Zauderer represented the defendants "This was a routine outpatient procedure that should never have led to catastrophic injury," said Ms "The jury's verdict recognizes the irreparable harm caused to the victim and his family and holds the physician accountable for the negligent conduct." Adimey is an award-winning trial attorney with a long history of success in medical malpractice and personal injury litigation she holds an AV rating from "Martindale-Hubbell" and has been named to "Super Lawyers" every year since 2013. She serves on the Medical Malpractice Advisory Committee for New York County Supreme Court and the Board of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association Adimey has secured multiple multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements including two top verdicts in a single year  In addition to her achievements in the courtroom she is the co-author of the authoritative legal guide New York Medical Malpractice 2025 Her contributions to this widely respected publication reflect her deep expertise in case strategy and the complexities of New York medical malpractice law Steigman & Mackauf at 212-943-1090 Steigman & Mackauf is thrilled to announce the release of.. Steigman & Mackauf proudly announce its support for the Grieving Families Act (GFA) Health Care & Hospitals Awards Do not sell or share my personal information: Extended Search Nassau County Property Appraiser Office employees Tim Williams Will Wood and Samantha Brandt assist residents at the Callahan office New extended hours begin Monday in an effort to better meet citizens’ needs Nassau County Property Appraiser Kevin Lilly announces the expansion of office hours at the Callahan branch located in the Walter “Junior” Boatright Building on Mickler Street.  the Callahan office will be open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m This modification of office days and hours will provide western Nassau County citizens with more convenient access to the services the office provides Customer Service Special-ist Samantha Brandt along with residential appraisers Tim Williams and Will Wood will be available to assist citizens with filing for property tax exemptions and agricultural classification applications as well as the submission of tangible personal property returns “We are committed to making our services more accessible to the community,” said Property Appraiser Kevin Lilly “The extended hours at our Callahan office will ensure that property owners have ample opportunity to receive the assistance they need.” contact the Nassau County Property Appraiser’s Office via www.ncpafl.com or call 904-491-7300.  Read Nassau County Record, Callahan, Florida © 2025 Nassau County Record Executive Circle Awards Rendering of proposed casino/entertainment resort project at Nassau Coliseum site Sands pulls plug on $5B Nassau Coliseum casino plan  Sign up for your daily digest of Long Island Business News Listen to this article Long Island Business News has announced that it has chosen this year’s winn[...] The financial landscape of Long Island continues to evolve through the leadership of the remarkable [...] Long Island’s business landscape contains a remarkable tapestry of 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Parking Violations Agency has stopped hearing cases for school bus camera violations even as the Town of Hempstead continues to issue tickets under the controversial program Documents viewed by Newsday show the county traffic court which adjudicates the town's bus camera tickets was consistently hearing cases through Jan executive director of Nassau traffic court but didn't say when the court stopped hearing them or when they will resume "There was a pause to ensure that based upon recent court rulings the procedures regarding this and other case types was followed," Meli said in a statement to Newsday This pause not only impacts anyone who had previously requested hearings but also raises questions of due process for people recently issued tickets From breaking news to special features and documentaries the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you "Enforcement without recourse isn't just unfair it's unconstitutional," said Joseph Aron an attorney representing plaintiffs in multiple class-action lawsuits against school bus camera programs on Long Island "They say delayed justice is justice denied Hempstead Town spokesman Brian Devine said last week the town continues to write tickets to drivers who allegedly pass stopped school buses Devine declined to comment on whether the town was aware the county has halted hearings on school bus camera tickets but he referred inquiries to Nassau County a spokesman for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman came after Newsday made numerous unsuccessful attempts over several weeks — including in person by phone and by email — to interview traffic court officials On Jan. 23, a week before the traffic court pause, Newsday published an investigation that found Hempstead Town had issued more than 80,000 school bus camera tickets over two years in school districts that never signed onto the program to throw out those tickets and issue refunds to drivers who had already paid issued in school districts that didn't agree to the bus camera program which operates the bus cameras and administers the program Hempstead Town received $13 million in revenue from school bus camera tickets Three months after demanding the dismissal of improperly issued tickets the town has not said when or how it plans to refund drivers who already paid fines on those citations BusPatrol declined to comment on the stoppage by Nassau's traffic court saying the company plays no role in adjudicating tickets Three drivers who have requested school bus camera ticket hearings told Newsday they have received no word on when they will be able to contest their tickets in court There are likely many more in the same position was surprised to hear Hempstead Town was still issuing school bus camera citations "I guess they figured they would take whatever money they could grab from people that wouldn’t contest it," he said "I think ultimately they're going to have to dismiss the tickets." The TPVA records from January show that hearings for most bus camera tickets written since May 2024 have yet to be held The Town of Hempstead wrote more than 130,000 school bus camera tickets last year Newsday reviewed documents that had been obtained in a Freedom of Information Law request The request sought court dispositions of bus camera cases from January through early April of this year but the records showed no dispositions after Jan an attorney and a former Suffolk legislative counsel said the traffic court must "afford that person the opportunity to contest" their tickets "If they're literally not holding hearings there's no way to impose liability," said Sabatino who has been critical of school bus camera ticket programs run both by Suffolk County and Hempstead Town It's either chaos or incompetence." Even though drivers ticketed within Hempstead Town have been unable to have their bus camera cases heard Nassau's traffic court — on signs posted throughout the building — instructed them to call a number or visit a website where they can enter their information and pay their fine was struck and killed by a drunken driver in 2018 while walking with his Boy Scout troop attended Sunday's Walk Like MADD at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater Central Islip resident Lynne Pallmeyer had a picture of her late sister pinned on her chest at a Sunday walk to commemorate friends and loved ones killed in crashes with drivers impaired by drugs or alcohol Rogers-Holden was a passenger in a vehicle and on a road trip from Long Island to Virginia to help paint her eldest son’s new apartment As she sat in the back seat at a red light an impaired driver barreled into the back of the vehicle feel her with me all the time," said Pallmeyer adding that her sister was also her best friend "I know that she’s the one who’s giving me the strength Pallmeyer joined nearly 100 others Sunday at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater to take part in the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) walk. The Walk Like MADD Long Island event sought to raise money for the nonprofit’s victim services that include helping loved ones with guidance and emotional support as they go through the justice system MADD said it is also advocating in Albany for several legislative items, including a bill to reduce the current legal alcohol limit to drive "What we hope that people will take away from this walk is that no one is immune to drunk driving and that it can happen at any time to anyone," said Paige Carbone regional executive director at MADD New York Newsday has reported that more than 2,100 people were killed in traffic crashes on Long Island between 2013 and 2023, citing data from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research in Albany Traffic crashes on the Island left an additional 16,000 people with severe injuries Among the reasons for the prevalence of the crashes was driving under the influence and how law enforcement executes traffic laws Queens resident Franklin Diaz was walking for his son was headed to work at LaGuardia Airport on an early morning in February when an intoxicated driver ran a red light and struck the driver’s side of Diaz’s vehicle while going roughly 85 mph the Queens District Attorney's Office said in a news release at the time The driver of the vehicle was charged with several offenses including manslaughter Diaz's father said his son’s death has left the family heartbroken "He won't be able to excel in his career I will never have grandchildren on behalf of Justin," Franklin Diaz said In 2018, Andrew McMorris was hiking on a residential road in Manorville with his father, John McMorris, and fellow Boy Scouts when a drunken driver hit the scouts "This was a ripple effect that was a giant tsunami that wiped our family down," said Andrew's mother Both parents were at the walk advocating for legislation the Wading River residents hope will curb impaired driving Alisa McMorris said the work keeps a promise she made on her son’s deathbed to not let others die the way her son did "And that is our promise: that we will speak so that this never happens again," she said Tiffany Cusaac-Smith is a general assignment reporter for Newsday She previously worked at USA TODAY and is an alum of Howard University We are heartbroken over the disappearance of Petros Krommidas. Petros is a bright, driven young man who has been a strong voice for Democratic values. He is well respected by the community and represents the very best of our next generation of leaders. We are keeping Petros and his family in our prayers and remain hopeful for his safe return. Desserts and free hot pizza were on the list of items available for students and staff at Nassau Community College's food pantry which celebrated 10 years on campus Tuesday While teaching a summer course at Nassau Community College years ago Helen Rice confronted a very thin student who was falling asleep in the back of her classroom an adjunct professor in the college's English Department said she was initially angered by the student's nodding off until he told her he hadn’t eaten in 24 hours "We had many students who were hungry," Rice said Since then, the college, which estimates that roughly a third to half its student body is facing food insecurity, has helped students facing a similar predicament through its food pantry, The NEST the pantry marked 10 years on the Garden City campus by doing what it always does — providing food for free to hungry students except this time with hot pizza among the foods available along with music and a bounce house for the occasion Get the latest updates on how education is changing in your district Nassau Community College student Peta-Gail Golding makes her way through an inflatable bounce obstacle course at The NEST's celebration The food pantry remains in high demand as inflation stretches students’ ability to buy food recent cuts to assistance programs by the Trump administration have reduced the amount of food available for students many college students are not eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program according to the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance’s website or am I going to be able to put food on the table for my family this week?’ " said Sharon Masrour executive director of The NEST and a professor in the English Department "There’s such a tremendous need," she said "and we’re just grateful that we’re able to be here for it." The pantry was stocked Tuesday with items such as canned goods frozen chicken potpies and stuffed pasta with butternut squash sausage Whether that will change is a growing concern The pantry sources food from Island Harvest and Long Island Cares — The Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank. Both food banks have seen their federal funding cut by the United States Department of Agriculture, Newsday has reported, leading to less food for places like The NEST but often also faculty members and other staff — arrive at The NEST in search of provisions for themselves and It is a long way from the days before the pantry’s creation when they would stash granola bars and juice boxes in cars and file cabinets to give to students volunteers at the pantry about once a week she picks up items from the pantry like fresh vegetables for herself "It saves a lot of money," she said Pantry officials are considering plans to expand to include clothes and social services NCC’s vice president for community and governmental relations and its spokesperson "We’re just not an educational institution," he said "We need to provide for our students so that they are successful." NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – A Jacksonville man was killed in a crash Saturday morning after losing control of his motorcycle, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Troopers said the incident occurred around 10:30 a.m The 49-year-old was negotiating a right-hand curve when for “unknown reasons” he lost control and ran off the roadway FHP said he then struck a utility pole and was thrown from his bike The driver was pronounced dead on scene by Nassau County Fire Rescue. Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved. Kelsey Bingham is a multiplatform journalist from Atlanta, Georgia. She joined the News4JAX team in 2024 and is thrilled to start her media career in the River City. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Careers at WJXT / WCWJ Closed Captioning / Audio Description WJXT Public File WJXT EEO Report WCWJ Public File WCWJ EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group A candidate for a New York county legislature Krommidas, 29, is a Democrat running for the Nassau County legislature's 4th District His family said in a social media post that Krommidas had parked his car by the Allegria Hotel in Long Beach then took a towel and walked onto the beach to exercise around 10:30 p.m The family noted that he was "no stranger to cold water training" and that he had plans to do a triathlon. The day after he was reported missing "Please keep searching. We need to find him," Krommidas' sister, Eleni-Lemonia Krommidas, said in a statement on Tuesday Krommidas was reported missing on April 24, with the family saying it is "completely out of character" for him to not respond to messages. Search efforts have continued over the past days but the family is also encouraging the public to help by walking along the beaches— specifically areas between Long Beach Lido Beach and Jacob Riis Park— during high tide "Every pair of eyes helps. Every step along the beach matters. Thank you for being part of bringing Petey home," the family said. Just two days before his disappearance, Krommidas spoke at a meeting for the Nassau County Young Democrats. He is currently a field organizer and clerk for the Democratic Party in Nassau County also considered a rising star among Nassau Democrats "When you have someone who has a Chaminade background and a Columbia background and is so outspoken and it's all about his community it's a no brainer to have someone like that run for office You pray for a candidate like that," James Scheuerman Executive Director of Nassau County Board of Elections Likewise, the county Democratic committee posted a plea on Facebook asking followers to share their post across social media platforms. driven young man who has been a strong voice for Democratic values He is well respected by the community and represents the very best of our next generation of leaders We are keeping Petros and his family in our prayers and remain hopeful for his safe return." Police said anyone with information regarding his whereabouts should contact the Missing Persons Squad at 516-573-7347. Law enforcement sources also say they do not suspect foul play Carlos Acevedo AMERICAN BEACH – A local nonprofit is suing Nassau County to stop people from being able to drive on historic American Beach It is a fight that has been brewing for years as people in the area say they want to protect wildlife and families Save Historic American Beach Incorporated is holding a news conference Wednesday, where several people are expected to outline what is in a nearly 20-page federal lawsuit the group filed Tuesday against Nassau County READ: American Beach federal complaint They accuse the county of violating the Endangered Species Act The lawsuit argues that driving on American Beach is putting Loggerhead and Green sea turtles at risk The nonprofit accuses drivers of killing sea turtle hatchlings over the years They also say tire tracks in the sand can prevent sea turtles from making their way to the ocean I walk at the beach constantly in the mornings,” said Pam Buncum who has lived in American Beach for decades and is a longtime member of Save Historic American Beach Inc “I would see little baby turtles run over because [drivers] are allowed to come out all hours of the night We found issues with that because it is not enforced.” Save Historic American Beach says it gave written notice to Nassau County and several other agencies of different Endangered Species Act violations more than two months ago and claims the county has not taken any steps to resolve them Another issue Save Historic American Beach Inc is raising is that they believe identity is influencing why they say their concerns have been dismissed “American Beach was founded by A.L. Lewis, the first Black millionaire, Afro-American Life Insurance Company,” said Mark Dawkins, who is the chairman of the nonprofit. ”The history of American Beach goes without saying. It is a hidden gem. People should come and explore it and find out more about the American Beach.“ Dawkins and Buncum say beach driving is making erosion worse in an area that has already been devastated by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. She says it is putting homes at risk as well as the wildlife. Buncum said if driving on the beach is prohibited the area would be the place they envisioned when they bought property in the area. “It would be the ideal place that Amelia Island really provides. Quiet, peaceful, pristine, coastal living,” Buncum said. “Give us the same equal protection that you have given people that live in communities to the north and south of us. We are not asking for anything that the county is not already providing other people. We are the exception. The question should be why is historic American Beach the exception?” Nassau County has pushed back on all of this. Through a written statement, county attorneys tell News4JAX the accusations are “baseless.” They say the evidence does not prove any violations of the Endangered Species Act. The county points to a 1989 law that they say allows beach driving and parking, which they say has happened at American Beach for nearly 100 years. News4JAX contacted Nassau County’s Board of County Commissioners and received the following response: Thank you for reaching out. I received your voicemail, however, we are unable to comment at this time due to litigation Wednesday’s news conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Burney Park in American Beach. Carlos Acevedo is a photojournalist at WJXT News4Jax and a University of North Florida graduate with a degree in Communications, concentrating in Digital Video Production. Since joining News4Jax in 2024, he has been responsible for shooting compelling news stories that capture and share important events with the community. Click here for Greater Long Island newsletters. Click here to download the iPhone app Brian Abbondandelo never got to meet his grandchildren as they walk through Roslyn and look up at the street sign bearing his name they’ll be reminded of the hero their grandfather was — and feel just how proud their family and community remain That was the hope shared by colleagues and loved ones Saturday at the corner of Plympton Avenue and Garden Street, which was renamed in memory of Abbondandelo a Nassau County Police officer who died in 2016 from cancer linked to his rescue work at Ground Zero after the 9/11 terror attacks “This is really about these grandkids,” said New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli But they’ll grow up knowing what a special person he was — how much he loved his family The street renaming was part of the NCPD’s 100th anniversary tribute to 50 officers who died in the line of duty who served with the department for 24 years is the most recent to be honored in the series Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said every fallen officer will be remembered with “due recognition” and a “celebration of life.” “Brian’s legacy is now cemented in Roslyn,” he said North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said the sign isn’t just for Abbondandelo’s family — it’s for every child who walks past it but someone who put himself between us and danger.” As the next generation grows up around that corner DiNapoli said the tribute ensures Abbondandelo’s memory — and his example — won’t fade “Let him be a role model for how to live a good life,” he said Top: Brian Abbondandelo’s family standing in front of the newly renamed street sign in Roslyn Tap here to see what’s happening Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman speaks Tuesday about the 2025 marathon's festival of events in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow this weekend More than 4,200 people are registered to participate in this weekend's 2025 Jovia Financial Credit Union Long Island Marathon Weekend in Eisenhower Park The Long Island Food Truck Festival will be on site Saturday from 10 a.m A variety of live bands will perform each day including at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre and Sunday’s course and Saturday morning included a 10k at 8 a.m The half marathon and marathon both start on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. With the marathon will come some road closures Sunday Nassau County police said Charles Lindbergh Boulevard Earl Ovington Boulevard and Merrick Avenue between Park Boulevard and Stewart Avenue will be closed  from 7 a.m Eisenhower Park’s Park Boulevard will be closed at the Hempstead Turnpike entrance at 6:30 a.m through traffic to Merrick Avenue will not be permitted until about 1:30 Access into and within the park itself will be available Park Boulevard will be closed at the Merrick Avenue entrance at 7 a.m through traffic to Hempstead Turnpike will be allowed Various Meadowbrook State Parkway exits in the area also will be closed from 7 a.m The marathon weekend will benefit two charities: the Nassau Parks Conservancy which assists in beautifying and conserving 70 parks throughout Nassau; and Friends of Karen financial and advocacy support for children with life-threatening illness and their families Friends of Karen regional director for the Long Island-Metro NYC area said 19 years ago recipient Evelyn Anderson formed a team in the 5k race to give back after the organization supported her son when he was diagnosed with leukemia That team has grown to 200 participants who run in bright yellow to raise funds for the organization run every year with us," Bellissimo said Maureen Mullarkey is a breaking news reporter at Newsday She previously worked as a reporter for Patch where she covered a range of Long Island stories on topics such as the Diocese of Rockville Centre bankruptcy and the Babylon School District abuse scandals The CSEA letter largely supporting the state that went out to NUMC employees As the battle between Nassau University Medical Center’s current leadership and New York State officials boiled over this week the Civil Service Employees Association — the union that represents most hospital employees — finally took a side Its leadership sent a letter to members that largely supported the state The missive sought to correct several erroneous rumors that have been circulated by NUMC officials or other supporters of the status quo and to assure members that the state’s plans would not close the hospital "We remain committed to keeping you informed with facts not fear," the CSEA NUMC Facebook page stated Wednesday in posting the letter The letter — signed by CSEA Region One president Jarvis Brown Region One political action coordinator Sue Castle Holly Patterson CSEA president Melody Foskey-Easterling — addressed the state’s plans for NUMC Responding to rumors that the hospital would shut down the CSEA leaders assured employees that the hospital "is not closing." our statewide CSEA leadership has confirmed that the Governor remains committed to NUMC’s success," the letter said the letter addressed the notion that the hospital and its public benefit corporation do not require an overhaul of the board — a change Gov Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers are expected to include in the final state budget "The current board of directors has refused to cooperate with New York State to secure much needed funding," the letter said [were] never submitted to the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) patients and staff will have the benefit of qualified directors who will put NUMC first." noting that the state Health Department is "committed to providing funding." "Despite the bogus claims that the state wants the hospital to fail we understand that the finalized NYS budget will include significant capital funding for NUMC," the letter said CSEA leaders also assured retirees that their health insurance would continue — but even that came with a dig at current hospital leadership and a nod to the growing debt the hospital has with the New York Health Insurance Program "Despite the fact that NHCC owes over $400,000,000 to NYSHIP health insurance benefits must continue per the negotiated contract," the letter said NUMC CSEA employees march down Hempstead Turnpike as they rally Wednesday in East Meadow The letter emerged just hours before those supporting NUMC’s current leadership held a rally outside Burger City in East Meadow after which they planned to walk to the hospital The rally followed a string of ramped-up social media posts that claimed — without evidence — that Hochul plans to close the emergency department and the A and "bus NYC mentally ill people to NUMC." One especially incendiary flyer cried: "Eisenhower Park to become tent city!" For more cartoons, visit www.newsday.com/aprilnationalcartoons Even as plans take shape for changes to the board of Nassau University Medical Center and its public benefit corporation many of Nassau County’s movers and shakers remain focused on the outgoing board — specifically on former chairman Matthew Bruderman the bizarre turn of events last Thursday — starting with Bruderman’s claims that his Oyster Bay home was burglarized with the only missing items being documents and financial records related to the hospital and allegations it’s owed $1 billion by New York State and ending shortly after with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s decision to fire Bruderman as NHCC chairman — caused many to scratch their heads and wonder: What in Mineola was going on Sources noted that Blakeman had stood by Bruderman through past troubling actions and increasingly incendiary language toward state officials Bruderman previously made multiple campaign contributions to both Blakeman and the Nassau County Republican Committee including $200,000 to the county committee in October 2021 alone — one month before Blakeman was elected as county executive something specific likely prompted Blakeman to make the late-night move to fire Bruderman "the buzz" among those in the know who are watching NUMC is that Blakeman’s decision may have been an attempt to distance himself from the prospect that false information was given to the FBI Bruderman said earlier this month that he was cooperating with the FBI and the Department of Justice in an investigation into his claims that the state owes the hospital $1 billion That reported investigation emerged after Missouri Rep Eric Burlison sent a letter earlier this month to Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel seeking an investigation into "serious allegations of misconduct fraud and violations of federal law" by New York State "When Blakeman sends [Bruderman] a letter saying he’s fired in essence you ask yourself: What’s about to happen to Bruderman that Blakeman needs distance from?" one source with knowledge told The Point "It is a federal offense to file a false report with the FBI." A second source noted that Blakeman may have had to fire Bruderman after "the stink of investigation" began to waft when there’s a hint that someone is under investigation," the source "It’s the oldest trick in the book." Centre Island police took an initial event report and referred the case to Nassau County’s 2nd Precinct The Point has filed a Freedom of Information request for that report Tracey Cabey confirmed to The Point that the case was referred to the 2nd Precinct "It’s in the early stages of investigation," Cabey said Subscribe to The Point here and browse past editions of The Point here Earlier this month, the Nassau County Police Department officially signed an agreement to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement that gives deputized officers broad authority to question residents’ citizenship status and make arrests without a judicial warrant The department agreed to a “task force” model – the most expansive type of agreement with federal immigration authorities and one that former President Barack Obama discontinued over a decade ago only for President Donald Trump to bring back Last month Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced that local law enforcement in his Long Island county would work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to assist with President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda He said that 10 detectives would be deputized to carry out immigration law officials gave sweeping generalizations about what deputized detectives could do but they did not offer specifics about the kind of agreement law enforcement would enter into Contracts known as 287(g) agreements allow local law enforcement to formalize a working relationship with ICE and can even permit municipal police officers to act as ICE agents such an agreement is the only way for local authorities to cooperate with immigration agents and honor detainer requests to hold undocumented immigrants without a judicial warrant The agreements have three types: the jail enforcement warrant service officer and task force models Immigration advocates were deeply troubled to learn that Nassau was indeed making use of the controversial model “The officers who are certified have the absolute full authority to stop search people based on their belief that the person is not lawfully present in the country,” said Andrew Case supervising attorney at LatinoJustice PRLDEF invariably led to racial profiling.” He added that it’s especially concerning that Nassau is “engaging in a wildly over aggressive policy” so close to New York City president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition called the move from Nassau County a “publicity stunt” that will inevitably put Nassau residents in danger “What we see people like Bruce Blakeman and Donald Trump doing is trying to harm as many people as possible gutting local communities and harming their own economy,” he said as the ICE arrest of a prominent  Palestinian activist and green card-holder at Columbia University has sparked outrage ICE and the sheriff’s department agreed to the warrant service officer model which permits local law enforcement to carry out administrative warrants arrests at local jail facilities but does not permit officers to enforce immigration law more broadly independent journalist and City & State contributor Felipe De La Hoz said that county officials had confirmed to him that Nassau was not entering into a task force model agreement And the initial document signed by the sheriff’s department seemed to back that up when the Nassau County Police Department and ICE finalized a second 287(g) agreement to use the task force model A spokesperson for Blakeman did not return multiple requests for comment and a detective from the Nassau County Police Department was not immediately available to comment on the agreement Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder seemed to allude to the task force model when he told a reporter that deputized detectives would be allowed to question residents on their immigration status which would not be allowed under the warrant service officer model The task force model will grant local detectives sweeping authority enabling them to serve immigration arrest warrants maintain custody over detained immigrants and even make warrantless arrests in some instances But Ryder and Blakeman said last month that officers will only work with ICE agents for targeted enforcement rather than engaging in broad raids News & Politics Policy Personality Opinion NYN Media List Nominations First Read Magazine Resource Directory Events Jobs About Merchandise Awards, Plaques & Permissions Help us tailor content specifically for you: Thank you for subscribing! Please check out our other newsletter offerings on our Newsletter page. If actions speak louder than words, then Nassau Community College has made its stance crystal clear: it is not a fan of the First Amendment. This New York institution has an astounding track record of disregarding the rights of students and faculty but even FIRE was shocked by the brazen lawlessness of NCC’s recent actions against two student leaders NCC Board of Trustees student member Jordon Groom and Academic Senate student chair Grant Peterson were punished for alleged discrimination and harassment the college fatally undermined the credibility of its sanctions by violating the most basic tenets of due process in doling out its discipline.  Groom and Peterson both found themselves embroiled in NCC’s broken disciplinary system late last year NCC administrators initially told them that other students filed complaints against them for “discrimination” and “harassment,” but did not provide any further information Now both students are left with no recourse as they wonder how their due process rights could have been so badly violated by their local community college.  Peterson received formal notification of two complaints against him from NCC But “formal” doesn’t mean it gave him any idea of what he allegedly did wrong — NCC just told him that complaints existed Peterson was left to use his imagination about the substance of the allegations until Dec who finally allowed him to see the complaints The complaints cited a number of instances of Peterson using strong language — like telling another student “You have no idea what you’re talking about once again,” or calling an administrator an “idiot.” Doing so was alleged to have been discrimination and harassment the college forbade Peterson from obtaining a copy of the complaint NCC expected him to review the complaint — one that cited numerous alleged instances and charged him with high-stakes policy violations — and provide a substantive response to those allegations in the same meeting There was no opportunity to provide a written defense or conduct a substantial review of the complaint This was the sum total of Peterson’s “hearing.” ensure fairness in proceedings and outcomes that can be trusted by all participants in the justice system.  Groom never received formal notification of any complaints He got an inkling that something was amiss only when he was asked to leave a meeting of the Nassau Board of Trustees in December because of an active investigation—which was news to him he met with the same administrator as Peterson the administrator told Groom the complaint against him had been found meritless and had been closed NCC informed both Peterson and Groom they had both been found responsible for discrimination and harassment The college suspended Peterson from all club and organizational leadership roles for the remainder of the academic year — including from his role as student chair of the NCC Academic Senate he was required to complete a training module There was no mention of an appeals process Obvious and basic principles of due process include: NCC’s failure to provide even these basic requirements doesn’t even pass the “laugh test.” Sitting Peterson down for the first time with a stack of allegations and demanding he defend himself, now Groom didn’t even get to see the allegations against him before being found guilty and was given outright misleading information to boot FIRE wrote NCC on Feb explaining how badly the college compromised its disciplinary process by neglecting the basic tenets of due process:  NCC’s procedural abuses have now muddied the waters so severely that they have adversely affected everyone even peripherally involved in the case except NCC administrators NCC subjected the complainants’ concerns to a broken process It subjected Peterson and Groom to disciplinary measures without any chance to properly respond to the substance of the complaints — without any due process Accusations of discrimination and harassment are supposed to be taken seriously This kind of total neglect of basic standards screams that it’s not being taken seriously at NCC The college responded to us two weeks later effectively declining to substantively engage with our concerns Peterson and Groom have no internal recourse for this discipline.  ensure fairness in proceedings and outcomes that can be trusted by all participants in the justice system. Someone needs to tell that to NCC “NCC’s failure is comprehensive and total.” The damage this will do to the college and its students down the road still remains to be seen FIRE’s award-winning Newsdesk covers the free speech news you need to stay informed © 2024 Foundation for Individual Rights and ExpressionP.O "We are heartbroken over the disappearance of Petros Krommidas. Petros is a bright, driven young man who has been a strong voice for Democratic values. He is well respected by the community and represents the very best of our next generation of leaders. We are keeping Petros and his family in our prayers and remain hopeful for his safe return." A 29-year-old Democratic candidate for Nassau County’s 4th District has been missing for four days Petros Krommidas was last seen about 9 p.m two inches tall; about 230 pounds; with brown hair and brown eyes He was last seen wearing a camouflage print sweatshirt and gray sweatpants Investigators with Nassau Police’s Missing Persons Squad were alerted about Krommidas’ disappearance Thursday about 7:30 p.m a graduate of Chaminade High School and Columbia University Detectives urge anyone with information to call the Missing Persons Squad at 516.573.7347 or dial 911 The Nassau County Democratic Committee posted on Facebook about the candidate’s disappearance seeking the public’s assistance in finding him Krommidas himself posted to Facebook on Tuesday about his visit with Nassau County Young Democrats New York State Senator Steve Rhoads proudly hosted the Back the Blue Blue Ribbon Giveaway at Wantagh High School in recognition of the Nassau County Police Department’s 100th Anniversary Community members were invited to "Drive up Hang it with pride." And that’s exactly what hundreds did—gathering in a show of support for the brave men and women in law enforcement Participants received blue ribbons to display on their homes creating a visible message of unity and appreciation ahead of the Department’s historic centennial parade Hundreds of yards of ribbon were distributed during the event which was organized in partnership with Legislator Michael Giangregorio “This isn’t just about ribbons—it’s about respect and standing shoulder to shoulder with the heroes who keep our communities safe,” said Senator Rhoads “The Nassau County Police Department has served with honor for 100 years helping make Nassau the safest county in America Their sacrifice and courage deserve more than a thank you—they deserve our full support Events like this are a powerful reminder to our officers that they are not alone—we stand with them and back the blue." “Project Thank A Cop is grateful for the opportunity to have worked with New York State Senator Steve Rhoads on this amazing initiative to show support for police officers during the Nassau County Police Department’s hundred-year celebration Steve has been an integral part of our group since the beginning “The Little Miss Wantagh’s and the Miss Wantagh Junior Club were thrilled to be part of Senator Rhoads' Blue Ribbon Giveaway Giving back to the community and working with other organizations is what we do and we were honored to be called upon for this great event.” The Back the Blue Blue Ribbon Giveaway served not only as a ribbon distribution but also as a heartfelt reminder of the sacrifices made daily by law enforcement officers across Nassau County and gratitude for a century of dedicated service Senator Rhoads also extended his sincere thanks to all the volunteers and community partners who helped make the event a success and commitment were essential to bringing the community together in support of our police Some features on this page require the use of a different browser Situated amidst growing developmental pressure natural and cultural areas require special attention and protection." Johns River Marshes and Fort Clinch aquatic preserves are in the northeastern part of Florida along the Atlantic intracoastal waters of the St to protect the Nassau Sound area marshes and associated waters This area consists of a vast salt-marsh estuary with numerous interconnecting tidal creeks rivers and channels with some small tree islands The aquatic preserve is about 69,000 acres Fort Clinch State Park Aquatic Preserve (also called Fort Clinch Aquatic Preserve) in northeastern Nassau County along Amelia Island to provide an aesthetic buffer for the state park and historic Fort Clinch The preserve surrounds the state park and is largely composed of open waters around St the Amelia River and a 3-mile extension into the Atlantic Ocean off Amelia Island The western edge of the preserve borders extensive salt marsh along Amelia Island and the preserve extends to the Florida-Georgia state line This aquatic preserve is about 7,600 acres There are six state parks that border the aquatic preserves plus four local parks and a national preserve More than 100 sites of archaeological and cultural significance have been identified in the coastal area of Northeast Florida The earliest occupation of the area dates back to 3500 BC The early inhabitants were the Timucuan Indians who occupied southeastern Georgia and northeastern Florida Their predominance in these coastal areas attest to the appeal that the productive marshes and numerous inlets and natural ports has to its inhabitants Fort Clinch in Fernandina is one of the historical sites that borders the Fort Clinch Aquatic Preserve Fort Clinch is the original fortification with construction beginning in 1847 the fort is a living museum with guided tours and reenactments There are currently no Events/Public Notices that match the selected criteria.