The settlement would have "no impact on taxpayers," the Town of Hempstead spokesman said The Town of Hempstead will borrow $725,000 to finance a settlement to a couple involved in a motor vehicle accident with a town employee were rear-ended by a town employee operating a town-owned "dump vehicle" on June 2 at the intersection of Merrick Avenue and Merrick Road in Merrick The couple had been stopped at a red light for around 15 to 30 seconds William Medina suffered “serious and permanent personal injuries” as a result of the crash The Medinas filed the lawsuit in July 2021 in Nassau State Supreme Court The Medinas' lawsuit said the town was “negligent Lawyers for the town had denied the claims lawyers for the town said any injuries sustained by the Medinas were "not the result of any culpable conduct or negligence on the part of the" town Town of Hempstead Supervisor Donald X Clavin Jr. declined a request for comment through a town spokesman Devine wrote in an email the settlement would have "no impact on taxpayers as the potential for settlements such as this are included in the Town's yearly budget." "I’m happy we’re able to achieve a fair result for some good people,” Gabriele said in a brief interview The Medinas had initially sued the town for $1.8 million town attorney John Maccarone said during the board meeting April 29 decision that the town had not “offered a non-negligent explanation for the accident in issue.” Mahon granted the plaintiffs’ application for liability “We lost liability,” Maccarone said during the meeting “A motion was made to a judge in the Supreme Court Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post Trump's influence on NY's future .. Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV 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 Bargain hunters across Long Island are probably thinking the same thing: Finally a discount retail favorite across much of the country with new stores opening soon in Farmingville and Hempstead Ross will take over a one-story space inside Expressway Plaza at 2280 North Ocean Avenue — next door to Skechers and a few doors down from Burlington located at the southwest corner of North Ocean Avenue and Horseblock Road also includes LA Fitness and Stop & Shop Brookhaven Town officials approved the site plan for the store earlier this year Town Councilman Michael Loguercio said he has been actively assisting in adding new tenants in Expressway Plaza and that he is excited to have Ross Dress for Less as the latest arrival with the renovation of the location currently in progress,” he told Greater Long Island and offer a product to the community that everyone is looking forward to.” A new Ross location is also coming to Hempstead Village Commons at 340 Peninsula Blvd. where its neighbors include an Aldi food store and discount retailer TJ Maxx Long Island Business News reported that Ross would open four Long Island stores in 2025 It remains unclear when the stores in the two other locations — Bohemia and Islandia — will open The company has not responded to requests for comment from Greater Long Island Ross Dress for Less is the largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain in the country — bigger than Marshalls With more than 1,800 stores in 44 states and territories home goods and accessories at 20% to 60% off department store prices but the franchise relies on thrill of the hunt to keep shoppers coming back Tap here to see what’s happening Executive Circle Awards Aerial view of the under-construction Heritage Westminster in West Hempstead / Courtesy of Heatherwood Luxury Apartments Heatherwood tops out $212M West Hempstead project 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 organizations that have stood t[...] Celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month by showcasing the extraordinary wo[...] Listen to this article Lorraine Gregory Communications will be holding a blood drive at its Edgewood[...] Long Island lost 3,100 construction jobs year-over-year in March ending a 12-month streak of gains,[...] Kids Empire and My Gym are opening at Mayfair Shopping Center in Commack Chick-fil-A opens its 12th Long Island location in East Meadow creating 80 jobs and supporting loca[...] Realty Three plans $120M South Village at Station Crossings with 273 rentals Amazon plans to purchase 26.7 acres of Massapequa’s Sunrise Mall site to build a new South Shore d[...] Our mission at Long Island Business News is to be the vital business news and advertising source to Long Island’s most influential readers Get our free LIBN e-alerts & breaking news notifications Subscribe for access to the latest digital and special editions Asbury News Bellevue News Clayton County News Delaware County News Dubuque News Dubuque County News Dyersville News Jackson County News Peosta News East Dubuque News Galena News Jo Daviess County News Crawford County News Grant County News Iowa County News Lafayette County News Lancaster News Platteville News Field of Dreams Coverage All Bites and Brews More Caucus News A Hempstead High School social studies teacher will become an assistant principal at the Dubuque school Curt Deutsch will assume the assistant principal position for the 2025-2026 academic year following approval by the Dubuque Community School Board at its meeting Monday who announced her retirement earlier this year after 27 years with the district Deutsch has served as a social studies teacher at Hempstead since 2009 and has also been an instructional coach at the school since 2017 Deutsch served as a world history teacher at Jefferson Middle School The release states that Deutsch also was the head boys basketball coach at Hempstead from 2008 to 2022 An article about Hempstead High School selecting a current social studies teacher to serve as assistant principal was the most-read story of t… Email notifications are only sent once a day ISSN 2993-8384 (Online)ISSN 1041-293X (Print) Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account at the Regional Medical Center in Manchester the son of Charles and Jackie (Pulver) Hempstead Mike was raised in Manchester and was a 1979 graduate of West Delaware High School Samantha Hempstead and Ashley Hempstead both of Quasqueton and Nicolas Parks of New Hampton; 22 grandchildren; his father Nassau County's Traffic and 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 By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy "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 Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInDUBUQUE Iowa (KCRG) - A lockdown has been lifted at Hempstead High School following a suspicious phone call to the school Thursday afternoon Hempstead High School was placed on lockdown at approximately 1:10 p.m after receiving a call that included a potential threat of violence Officers responded to the school and began investigating the threat Students and staff remained in class during the exterior lockdown as there were no signs of immediate danger After a review of the situation was conducted by the Dubuque Police Department the lockdown was lifted and students were dismissed as normal Police remained on scene during the dismissal out of an abundance of caution The Dubuque Police Department is continuing to investigate the situation There is no further information known at this time (R-Levittown) speaks during a session of the county legislature chamber in Mineola The Nassau Republican Committee on Thursday selected John Ferretti Jr. to run for Hempstead Town supervisor in November after incumbent Donald X who is finishing his third term in the role will instead run in November for a judgeship on the Nassau County Court He is cross-endorsed by the county's Republican and Democratic committees the parties' picks to succeed Clavin in the November general election are set: Ferretti is expected to face the Democrats' nominee Scianablo is a retired NYPD officer and former prosecutor in the Queens County District Attorney's Office Nassau Republican Chairman Joseph Cairo announced Ferretti's nomination Thursday at committee headquarters in Westbury on Post Avenue Nassau Democrats had announced Scianablo's selection earlier in the week he’s loved in Levittown and his district,” Cairo said in an interview after a news conference announcing the selection Ferretti said he is confident in his chances: “Never voted for a tax increase 1 issue for Town of Hempstead residents," he said in an interview Clavin was the town's longtime receiver of taxes before voters elected him supervisor in 2019 over Democrat Laura Gillen representative in New York's 4th District was in 2017 the first Democrat elected Hempstead supervisor in more than a century Clavin declined an interview request after the news conference Scianablo, in an interview, criticized Republicans for the Hempstead town board's decision last fall to raise the tax levy by 12.1% for 2025 and bump Clavin's salary 2.5%. Clavin is the highest-paid elected town official on Long Island this year with a salary of $179,375 Democrats on Thursday sought to tie Ferretti to the tax hike issue Scianablo said Ferretti was "complacent with Republican leadership .. These increases are negatively affecting the quality of life of all the people living in Nassau County." The Hempstead supervisor's race reset entirely on Monday after both parties' candidates declined their respective nominations Justin Brown was Democrats' original pick but he also withdrew from the race on Monday chairman of the state and county Democratic committees said Republicans will face an electoral "challenge" given the tax hikes "That's the reason Clavin's not running," Jacobs said in an interview "I think there's a price to [be] paid at the ballot box when you do that .. I feel very good about our chances in the election." Jacobs added that the race will be "be a referendum on Republican management I think they're going to have a very tough election year." Ferretti on Thursday pitched himself as a leader who will lower taxes uphold the county's ban on transgender women competing in women's sports leagues and maintain funding for the police "I'm proud to have supported capital plans that provided our law enforcement agencies with the tools they need not just to keep their communities safe but to keep themselves safe," he said during the news conference Cairo spoke in sports metaphors to describe Ferretti's qualifications: "You've got to have somebody who has heart ..." he said in an interview as he pounded a fist to his chest for emphasis "You want the kid who says 'put me in coach.' He didn't say those words Cairo on Thursday did not announce a candidate to run for Ferretti's seat in Nassau's 15th legislative District Republicans hold a 12-7 majority in the Nassau County Legislature Citizens Financial Group awards $10K to Hempstead small business Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that Hempstead will receive $10 million in funding as the Long Island winner of the eighth round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and Farmingdale will receive $4.5 million as the Long Island winner of the third round of NY Forward For Round 8 of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and Round 3 of the NY Forward Program each of the State's 10 economic development regions receive awards from each program to make for a total State commitment of $200 million in funding and investments to help communities boost their economies by transforming downtowns into vibrant neighborhoods.  “Long Island’s downtowns are more than hubs for business they’re the infrastructure that inspires people to build a better world around them,” Governor Hochul said. “By investing nearly $15 million in revitalizing Hempstead and Farmingdale we’re creating stronger communities that honor their history and possibility — paving a path for generations of Long Islanders to experience all they have to offer.”  To receive funding from either the DRI or NY Forward program localities must be certified under Governor Hochul's Pro-Housing Communities Program — an innovative policy created to recognize and reward municipalities actively working to unlock their housing potential Governor Hochul’s Pro-Housing Communities initiative allocates up to $650 million each year in discretionary funds for communities that pledge to increase their housing supply; to date 287 communities across New York have been certified as Pro-Housing Communities Governor Hochul is proposing an additional $100 million in funding to cover infrastructure projects necessary to create new housing in Pro-Housing Communities and a further $10 million to technical assistance to help communities seeking to foster housing growth and associated municipal development.  Many of the projects funded through the DRI and NY Forward support Governor Hochul’s affordability agenda The DRI has invested in the creation of more than 4,400 units of housing — 1,823 of which are affordable or workforce The programs committed over $8.5 million to 11 projects that provide affordable or free child care and child care worker training DRI and NY Forward have also invested in the creation of public parks public art (such as murals and sculptures) and art music and cultural venues that provide free outdoor recreation and entertainment opportunities.  $10 Million Downtown Revitalization Initiative Award for the Village of Hempstead serving as a key destination for the Village Its strategic location offers walkable access to essential transit services commercial corridors and cultural institutions Denton Green and the Nassau County African American Museum Signature buildings with distinctive facades line the street adding to its character and enhancing its unique visual identity Hempstead seeks to transform its Main Street into a thriving hub of activity Specific community goals include creating a broad mix of housing opportunities enhancing cultural arts and fostering recreation and entertainment.  $4.5 Million NY Forward Award for the Village of Farmingdale The Village of Farmingdale’s downtown is a compact area mixed with small parcels and dense building coverage It is situated among some of the most popular tourist destinations in New York State Farmingdale is focusing on projects that will yield dramatic and positive effects thereby advancing an active downtown with a strong sense of place The Village seeks to attract new businesses improve downtown living and quality of life and enhance the pedestrian walkability and cyclability of the downtown.  Mosley said, “Residents and visitors of Long Island have witnessed first-hand how impactful the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward programs have been for countless communities and the entire region the Villages of Hempstead and Farmingdale will receive this critical funding that will help to jumpstart their downtowns and join in on the wave of revitalization that is sweeping our state Congratulations to both of these communities and we look forward to working with you throughout this process!”  CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward programs continue to be transformative forces for communities across Long Island With these strategic investments in Hempstead and Farmingdale New York State is supporting locally-driven solutions that will create vibrant walkable downtowns while expanding housing opportunities and strengthening local economies These projects demonstrate the State's commitment to building sustainable prosperous communities that attract both residents and businesses.”  New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “Today's $14.5 million in transformative NY Forward and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative investments demonstrate Governor Hochul's continued commitment to rewarding communities that are serious about expanding housing and economic opportunities for current and future residents As two of the 287 current participants in the Governor's Pro-Housing Communities program Farmingdale and Hempstead have unlocked access to today's funding that will enrich their neighborhoods and grow the housing supply through targeted investment We thank these communities for their commitment to improving housing supply and congratulate them on today's awards.”  President & CEO at Bethpage Federal Credit Union and Dr said, “Hempstead and Farmingdale presented compelling visions for their downtown corridors that will create new opportunities for housing The Village of Hempstead's focus on enhancing its historic Main Street while expanding housing and cultural amenities coupled with Farmingdale's plans to strengthen its walkable downtown core exemplify the kind of forward-thinking development that will benefit Long Island for generations to come We look forward to working with both communities as they implement their strategic investment plans.”  State Senator Siela Bynoe said, “This Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant will provide much-deserved investment to the Village of Hempstead this grant will have a transformational impact on Hempstead’s downtown by improving walkability and creating opportunities through investment in the Village’s commercial downtown the Downtown Revitalization Initiative provided a blueprint for innovation to address our housing and infrastructure needs and it is exciting to see Hempstead have this same opportunity I’d like to thank the Governor and the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council for their commitment to helping to empower our communities.”  Assemblymember Noah Burroughs said, “I’m pleased to hear that finally the Village Of Hempstead is being recognized as the great hub in Nassau County as well as Long Island Today I was notified that the Village of Hempstead has been awarded the downtown revitalization initiative I would like to thank Governor Hochul for seeing the vision we have in the 18th assembly district This brings us one step closer to having a downtown that the residents could be proud to visit Village of Hempstead Mayor Waylyn Hobbs said and this $10 million investment will go a long way in making our downtown a place where families We’re incredibly grateful to Governor Hochul for believing in Hempstead and for giving us the tools to build a stronger This funding means more opportunities for local businesses and a downtown that truly reflects the energy and diversity of our village We’re excited to get to work and make this vision a reality.”  Village of Farmingdale Mayor Ralph Ekstrand said, “On behalf of Myself and the Board of Trustees Our Merchants & Local Community; we are thrilled to have won a $4.5 million grant for a Performing Arts Center We are so fortunate and thankful for the incredible efforts of all involved who helped secure the grant it’s truly spectacular news for our community Farmingdale Village has been going through an incredible Revitalization and has become a downtown destination Our (BID) Business Improvement District was formed in 2021 and shortly thereafter; our Downtown was designated as “the Culinary Quarter Mile” Farmingdale Village was also voted Best LI Downtown 2025 - in the Four Leaf (Formerly BFCU) In the Village; we all work as a team; and there are also many Music Fests (“Music on Main etc..); Art Shows and basically Culture Everywhere But the one desire was always for a Cultural Arts Center So this is the Icing on the Cake; the Farmingdale Village Cake We are beyond thrilled and our community will be dancing in the street for selecting the Village of Hempstead as a recipient of the 2025 Downtown Revitalization Program Award in the amount of $10,000,000 These funds will provide much needed assistance in helping to make the vision of a vibrant downtown become a reality I look forward to seeing the village continue on the path toward a promising future for residents and a destination for visitors.”  Hempstead and Farmingdale will now begin the process of developing a Strategic Investment Plan to revitalize their downtowns A Local Planning Committee made up of municipal representatives community leaders and other stakeholders will lead the effort supported by a team of private sector experts and state planners The Strategic Investment Plan will guide the investment of DRI and NY Forward grant funds in revitalization projects that are poised for implementation will advance the community’s vision for their downtown and that can leverage and expand upon the State's investment.  The Long Island Regional Economic Development Council conducted a thorough and competitive review process of proposals submitted from communities throughout the region and considered all criteria before recommending these communities as nominees.  About the Downtown Revitalization Initiative Led by the Department of State with assistance from Empire State Development the DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative “plan-then-act” strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation and results in compact walkable downtowns that are a key ingredient to helping New York State rebuild its economy from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as to achieving the State's bold climate goals by promoting the use of public transit and reducing dependence on private vehicles the DRI will have awarded a total of $900 million to 89 communities across every region of the State.  The program works in concert with the DRI to accelerate and expand the revitalization of smaller and rural downtowns throughout the State so that all communities can benefit from the State’s revitalization efforts NY Forward communities are supported by a professional planning consultant and team of State agency experts led by DOS to develop a Strategic Investment Plan that includes a slate of transformative complementary and readily implementable projects NY Forward projects are appropriately scaled to the size of each community; projects may include building renovation and redevelopment new construction or creation of new or improved public spaces and other projects that enhance specific cultural and historical qualities that define and distinguish the small-town charm that defines these municipalities the NY Forward program will have awarded a total of $300 million to 60 communities across every region of the State.  Village of Hempstead Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr. speaks at a news conference Monday on the village being awarded a $10 million state grant for downtown redevelopment The Village of Hempstead expects to close soon on the purchase of the six-story Helen Keller office building for $8.7 million to turn it into Village Hall the Hempstead Police Department and government agencies “It's going to be the new Village Plaza, so we are going to have not only the mayor's office, tax and water, we'll have the police department there, our building department there, so all of the essential departments in the Village of Hempstead,” Hobbs said at a news conference about the village being awarded a $10 million state grant for downtown redevelopment All of our residents will be able to go to one location to meet their needs.” Hobbs said that the costs of moving into the new space and renovating it haven’t been calculated The building is owned by Helen Keller Services for the Blind According to an online listing by real estate broker Cushman & Wakefield it contains 73,500 square feet of office space on a 0.33-acre lot and was built in 1973 Helen Keller Services for the Blind will vacate the 23,800 square feet of space it occupies after the building is sold The village board approved borrowing up to $10 million to finance the purchase of the building at its Jan The building sits on the corner of Fulton Avenue and Helen Keller Way overlooking Denton Green Park from the south The current Village Hall lies on the opposite side of the park Hobbs said the move will take one or two years “because Helen Keller [Services] still is occupying the building as they're looking for their new location.” Tenants’ leases at the building are expiring and will be moving to other locations Some tenants of the building include the nonprofit Legal Services of Long Island; Options for Community Living Inc. a nonprofit that assists people with chronic health or mental health conditions; and Sufi Social Adult Day Care Inc. an organization that offers a mix of activities and services Questions about the sale to staff at the building were referred to the Helen Keller National Center in Sands Point An organization official offered to speak to Newsday later this week Helen Keller Services for the Blind offers programs for vision-impaired individuals of all ages The village wants to convert the short street Helen Keller Way into a pocket park according to its application for grant money from the state’s Downtown Revitalization Program Hempstead Village will receive $10 million in state aid to revitalize its downtown Kathy Hochul's office announced Friday The state awarded the money from its Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant Local officials said it will help to grow the number of businesses on Main Street and center the community as an arts destination The state also announced it was awarding $4.5 million to the Village of Farmingdale from its NY Forward grant The state programs are designed to provide funding for projects that will boost the downtowns hardworking community and this $10 million investment will actually go a long way in making our downtown a place again where families businesses and visitors can thrive," Hempstead Village Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr The DRI award kicks off a planning process that will determine how the grant gets allocated to specific projects in Hempstead The village's application identified 14 "transformative" projects that could use some of the grant money which include public and private investment The village request for DRI funding for those projects totals $12.9 million — more than the total grant "Our application was for economic development of our downtown a lot of increased housing opportunities and walkability," said Danielle Oglesby commissioner of the Village of Hempstead Community Development Agency "The process entails the state planners coming to visit with us and working with us and our community for the best projects to assist us with our economic development."  The projects in the application include: streetscape design to create public spaces Oglesby said it's too soon to tell which projects will receive part of the $10 million DRI grant “By investing nearly $15 million in revitalizing Hempstead and Farmingdale we’re creating stronger communities that honor their history and possibility — paving a path for generations of Long Islanders to experience all they have to offer,” Hochul said in the news release The state's Downtown Revitalization Initiative in recent years has awarded funds to Kings Park and Smithtown among other communities on Long Island and statewide Farmingdale Mayor Ralph Ekstrand told Newsday the $4.5 million will be used to fund a new performing arts center in the village and we have three dance troupes in the village,” Ekstrand said of the proposed center still needs to secure a property for the project “It will fill in a long-needed gap for entertainment in our downtown,” Ekstrand said “You now can come into the downtown and besides having a great lunch or dinner you can see a play or a movie or children performing.” Iowa — Dubuque police said a threat of violence involving Hempstead High School Thursday doesn't appear to be credible The department says it takes all threats of violence very seriously though and the incident is still under investigation Police were called to the school around 1:10 p.m "general threat of violence," and began their investigation immediately coordinating with school district staff to increase security on campus through the end of the school day While their preliminary investigation determined the threat didn't seem credible DPD did have a lot of officers at the school on Thursday out of an abundance of caution If you have any information about this incident, you're asked to contact the Dubuque Police Department at (563) 589-4415, or you can submit tips anonymously online at www.cityofdubuque.org/police Wahlert’s Brielle Berning (left) and Hempstead’s Olivia Krapfl battle for the ball during their matchup held at Steele Field on Wednesday Wahlert's Brielle Berning (left) and Hempstead's Chelsea Heiberger battle for the ball during their match up held at Wahlert Catholic High School on Wednesday Hempstead's Gracie Driscoll (left) and Wahlert's Maddie Mohr battle for the ball during their match up held at Wahlert Catholic High School on Wednesday Wahlert's Myla Breithaupt (left) and Hempstead's Ellie Berg battle for the ball during their match up held at Wahlert Catholic High School on Wednesday Wahlert's Claire Lueken (left) and Hempstead's Olivia Krapfl battle for the ball during their match up held at Wahlert Catholic High School on Wednesday Hempstead's Chelsea Heiberger (left) tries to keep the ball in play while being defended by Wahlert's Claire Lueken during their match up held at Wahlert Catholic High School on Wednesday Hempstead's Ellie Berg (left) and Wahlert's Elise Sheehan battle for the ball during their match up held at Wahlert Catholic High School on Wednesday Wahlert's Brielle Berning (left) and Hempstead's Olivia Krapfl battle for the ball during their match up held at Wahlert Catholic High School on Wednesday Wahlert's Cora Ellsworth (left) and Hempstead's Ellie Berg battle for the ball during their match up held at Wahlert Catholic High School on Wednesday Hempstead's Ellie Berg (left) and Wahlert's Claire Lueken battle for the ball during their match up held at Wahlert Catholic High School on Wednesday Wahlert during their match up held at Wahlert Catholic High School on Wednesday Just five games into her prep soccer career Whitney Hohmann is making her presence felt at the varsity level The Dubuque Hempstead freshman forward notched her second goal of the season at 34:46 of the first half in what proved to be the game-winner and later added an assist as the Mustangs beat city rival Dubuque Wahlert who also scored and tallied an assist in the Mustangs’ 4-0 win over Dubuque Senior last Saturday “It’s so cool to be at such a young age and contributing at the varsity level,” Hohmann said “It’s an honor to be playing varsity and making an impact at this level.” Bella Hruska and Evie Henneberry also found the back of the net for Hempstead which secured its fourth straight win over Wahlert and 10th in the last 11 matches “We know that intracity games always mean a little more to both sides,” Hempstead coach Robert Lynch said so we knew coming in it was going to be a little bit more competitive out there.” Hohmann is one of five Mustangs to record goals this season a much-needed sign for a team that graduated more than 62 percent of its scoring total from last season it’s a blessing and a curse where we have some youth and are working some things out but we’ve got a good group here,” Lynch added they play for each other and at the end of the day After Golden Eagles’ keeper Kayla Wuebker denied a number of Mustang scoring opportunities in the first half Hohmann put Hempstead ahead just minutes before halftime The freshman chased down a loose ball ahead of a pair Wahlert defenders and nudged it past a hard-charging Wuebker for a 1-0 lead Hohmann wasn’t convinced her softly-struck score would have enough juice to trickle into the back of the net “I did not think I gave it enough,” Hohmann said “But it made it in and that’s all that matters.” Wahlert’s Claire Lueken had a chance to tie the score in the opening minute of the second half but Mustangs’ keeper Shayla Murphy extended out of the box to jar it loose and prevent a shot Henneberry increased the lead to 3-0 at 49:01 when she corralled a corner kick from Celia Ortiz and buried in the lower left corner 0-1 MVC Valley) suffered its first defeat after outscoring its opponents “We have a great mix this season,” Wahlert coach Ean Followwill said We have great character and that’s what matters to me.” We’ve lost a lot of friends to cancer in the 10-plus years we’ve been writing Fred Hutch News Mentor, mother, activist, advocate, sister, survivor, researcher and friend, Bridgette Hempstead died last month of metastatic breast cancer; her celebration of life was held Saturday Hempstead wasn’t just a patient; she was a force from her very first encounter with the cancer care system saw that it was broken — then went about fixing it Through her research partnerships with scientists at Fred Hutch Cancer Center (and beyond) and her powerful voice Hempstead not only paved the way for policy change she saved a whole lot of lives along the way she went to a doctor and requested a mammogram but was immediately turned down There were a litany of reasons why she didn’t qualify but it was mainly that she was too young and too Black Breast cancer didn’t happen in the African American community Hempstead insisted on a mammogram and a few days later Three days after that, still bandaged from the biopsy, she started Cierra Sisters, a support group for Black cancer patients and caregivers. Cierra was an African word for “knowing” and, as Hempstead put it herself you have the power to fight against the effects of breast cancer.”  Bridgette recognized early on that Black people and other marginalized groups were not equitably represented in health care She was “a Black woman with breast cancer out here wanting to make a difference.” And her advocacy went beyond breast cancer She was relentless in her mission to take down not just cancer “Bridgette Hempstead was one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met,” said HICOR Director Scott Ramsey, MD, PhD, who partnered with her on numerous studies “She was a tireless advocate for Black cancer patients and family members and the passion integrity and humanity that she brought every day to her foundation and everyone she interacted with made our community a better place.” Health equity was crucial to Hempstead and her collaborations with Fred Hutch and the University of Washington as well as scientists at the Broad Institute in Boston University of New Mexico and elsewhere helped launch a score of interventions designed to teach the public genetic testing and the importance of early detection “Bridgette did not mince words when it came to difficult subjects, especially around health inequities and its root causes,” said OCOE Director Jay Mendoza, PhD, MD. “She understood this like few can and worked tirelessly to make things better Bridgette shined a light on the parts of our medical system that continue to fail underserved populations And she did that to change and build our institutions because she believed that we can and will do better.” She also gave much of herself — not just to Fred Hutch and Cierra Sisters — but to other nonprofits and organizations which stretched well beyond the Pacific Northwest to hop on a cross-country flight to help a newly diagnosed friend of a friend But her advocacy efforts on behalf of underserved cancer patients weren’t just local She traveled to Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia and other countries with oncologist and former Fred Hutch researcher Julie Gralow, MD, meeting with researchers carrying her message of hope and health to thousands “Her participation demonstrated that patients could be partners in improving cancer care,” said Gralow, now chief medical officer at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) ”It also showed that you can lead an active and fulfilling life after a breast cancer diagnosis Hempstead’s mere existence helped many understand that breast cancer And her research collaborations — she published more than two dozen scientific papers — helped bridge knowledge gaps and create networks of trained community health educators She used her cancer story — her pain and suffering as well as that of her community — as a springboard to create real change for others Bridgette’s help with just one research project — a right-sized dosing initiative — helped garner $11 million in research funding And she was involved with dozens and dozens of these efforts “Bridgette supported Fred Hutch, which inspired others to support Fred Hutch,” said Kelly O’Brien, vice president of Philanthropy “She used her beautiful voice to advocate for breast cancer patients I’m honored to be among those who benefited from her loving kindness.” — Fred Hutch clinical and global health researcher Dr a charmer with a smile that lit up every room — including the clinical exam room — Hempstead celebrated life at every turn Science and medicine needed to work for everybody If Black people and other underserved communities aren’t included in research studies then the findings — the new therapies and cures — may not apply to them Hempstead was energetic, persistent, generous, kind, funny and fun. She never complained, not even when her cancer spread and she became a metastatic patient, in treatment for the rest of her life. Not even when it stole her powerful singing voice. Listen to Hempstead sing ‘Sista, Don't You Know?’ she grew more determined to create lasting change within the health care system resilience and willingness to push for equitable treatment Bridgette was able to live with cancer for 28 years “Her passion and commitment for increased access to healthcare, cancer screening and cancer care for the Black/African American community was unwavering and infectious,” said OCOE’s Assistant Director Kathy Briant “Bridgette made those she worked with feel like they had a responsibility to contribute to this important work We hope to partner with her family to continue to support the work she was so passionate about.”    One of Hempstead’s last projects was a series of videos highlighting the need for anti-racism in oncology where patients too often succumb not because of their cancer but because of bias and/or lack of insurance or access to care The videos premiered in December 2023 at a packed Fred Hutch event full of food said she was humbled by all that Hempstead had accomplished in her life “I remember being in that room listening to stories about racism in health care and people surviving despite of it or experiencing losses because of it,” she said “There weren’t just people impacted by cancer there but leaders in cancer care delivery and oncologists I realized all of these people had come together because of one person who not only spoke out about her own experience but demanded change and worked tirelessly for it “One person can change so many lives,” she said “Bridgette proved that over and over again.” “We are currently working on a February 8 Cierra Sisters World Cancer Day Celebration at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute,” she said — Fred Hutch Executive Vice President of Clinical Affairs Dr holder of the Raisbeck Endowed Chair for Collaborative Research “Then think about this: Today was the tomorrow that wasn’t promised Live your life to the fullest and leave with a bang.” Bridgette Hempstead left us on December 12 but with countless irons in countless fires On this special episode of (Broken) Heart of the Hutch multimedia producer Robert Hood says goodbye to Bridgette Hempstead who founded and served as president of Cierra Sisters Are you interested in reprinting or republishing this story We want to help connect people with the information they need We just ask that you link back to the original article preserve the author’s byline and refrain from making edits that alter the original context Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is an independent organization that serves as UW Medicine's cancer program © 2025 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization 1100 Fairview Ave. N., P.O. Box 19024, Seattle, WA 98109-1024 206.667.5000Contact Us Dubuque Hempstead junior shortstop Reed Strohmeyer shared the state lead with 106 assists last season and ranked fourth in the state with 58 hits Early in the season he committed to play at the University of Nebraska Dubuque Hempstead will start a new athletic tradition tonight when it celebrates the 18 seniors who have committed to play sports in college the school has celebrated college signings individually or in small groups of athletes from a particular sport “This one night definitely makes things much simpler but it also allows all of our college-bound athletes to be recognized at once and with a bigger more publicized event,” Hempstead activities director Eric Miller said and several (Mississippi Valley Conference) schools do this model and really like it.” The class includes a pair of athletes headed to NCAA Division I programs Reed Strohmeyer will play baseball at the University of Nebraska and Evie Henneberry will run cross country and track at the University of Northern Iowa Other athletes who have signed up to participate in this evening’s ceremony include: Tanner Bahl (baseball/Northeast Iowa Community College) Quinn Breitbach (football/Iowa Western Community College) Jase Canfield (baseball/University of Dubuque) Garret Christianson (wrestling/Coe College) Ally Darter (wheelchair basketball/Arizona) Trent Ettema (football/Concordia University-St Jacob Rowe (cross country/Emmeus Bible College) Xander Wiskus (baseball/Mount Mercy) and Addi Wright (volleyball/Colorado Mesa University) East Dubuque High School will honor two of its former baseball coaches who both passed away unexpectedly during the past year during a special ceremony at 9:45 a.m Saturday prior to the Warriors’ game against Pearl City John Vesely and Bill Reisen helped lay the foundation for the program through several years of involvement The Warriors baseball program hopes to see as many former players students and family members who were a part of the program under Vesely and Reisen May 10 will be the rain date for the event The Dubuque Area USBC will induct four new members to its Hall of Fame on Tuesday Deb (Henry) Wieser and Gina (Mauk) Johnson will be followed by dinner and induction ceremonies Paid reservations of $20 per person should be mailed to: Tim Hedrick There will also be a best-shot golf outing at Bunker Hill earlier in the day. For more information, contact Steve Breitbach at steve.breitbach@motion.com or 319-269-3782 jim.leitner@thmedia.com Republican Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin In what appears to be a first in Long Island political history The Point has learned both candidates for Hempstead Town supervisor will decline their party’s nomination Monday Current Republican Supervisor Don Clavin and Democratic nominee Justin Brown will decline running to lead the largest town by population in the nation the New York State and Nassau County Democratic Party chair is expected to announce on Thursday the candidate to replace Brown Three sources confirmed the candidate is a former NYPD officer with a military background but none of the sources disclosed the name except to say it was an Italian-sounding name Republicans haven’t decided on their replacement for Clavin The deadline to announce a vacancy after a candidate declines their party nomination is Friday There are a half-dozen names being circulated but top contenders are former Rep was nominated March 31 by President Donald Trump as inspector general for the Department of Labor Murray became the first woman elected supervisor of Hempstead Town in 2003 after being appointed earlier that year and served until she made an unsuccessful run for Nassau district attorney in 2015 has long eyed the county executive spot after incumbent Republican Bruce Blakeman moves on Clavin has long been rumored to want a judgeship and The Point has learned that Clavin is expected to be nominated by the Nassau GOP for a seat on the Nassau County Court an established incumbent with broad name recognition who ran unsuccessfully for Nassau clerk in 2021 to accept their party’s nomination could be indicative of the national and local political mood and the unpleasantness of being an elected official right now the immediate blowback from Trump’s worldwide tariffs and subsequent stock market declines could make 2025 an unpopular year for Republicans despite it being an off-year when they usually do well the party in power often struggles locally after winning the White House The Las Vegas Sands casino proposal is another thorny issue in Nassau Sands is apparently unpopular with Republican households in Garden City are reluctant to use Sands aggressively against Republicans because local labor supports the proposal and stands to benefit from such a massive construction project Whichever Republican does accept the nomination for Hempstead Town supervisor will have to overcome an expected Democratic surge against Trump and the loss of independents who may have voted for Trump The Democratic candidate will have to navigate the Sands proposal while fighting an uphill battle in the traditional Republican stronghold And neither Clavin nor Brown wanted to dip their toes into those political forces For more cartoons, visit www.newsday.com/aprilnationalcartoons Suffolk County collected nearly $91 million in extra fees assessed on red light camera tickets which it also could be required to pay back to drivers No wonder Nassau won’t say how much in extra fees it collected President Donald Trump fired a handful of National Security Council staffers after receiving advice to ax them from far-right agitator and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer Even many Republicans would say he got the firer and firees reversed Seven Senate Republicans have now signed onto legislation that would reassert congressional authority over trade and allow it to vote on tariffs Any bets that number continues to grow if stocks continue to drop National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett said he doesn’t believe President Donald Trump’s tariffs will have a "big effect on the consumer in the U.S." Despite all evidence to the contrary Regarding a plan in Albany to withhold state tax dollars owed the federal government to fight back against Trump administration funding cuts Liz Krueger said New York needs to be "exceptionally creative" and "think out of the box" — strategies that now apparently include doing things that are illegal and downright stupid Regarding the chaos that has greeted his imposition of tariffs President Donald Trump posted a message that read in part "Don’t be a PANICAN ..." That’s appropriate — a manufactured word to respond to a manufactured crisis Subscribe to The Point here and browse past editions of The Point here Search autocomplete is currently not responding MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Bay Shore man pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a July 2014 crash in which two of his passengers were seriously wounded in a single-car crash on the Wantagh Sta...Read on... MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Hicksville retailer was arrested yesterday for a massive trademark counterfeiting scheme after an investigation by the NCDA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Hom...Read on... Keno Jamell Ramsay allegedly attacked sleeping man and struck him with blunt object MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Cambria Heights, Queens, man was indicted by a grand jury on seven counts relate...Read on... Wilkens Thelusma allegedly struck victim who had just crashed a box truck into the center median MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Farmingdale man who allegedly fled the scene of a fatal accident on...Read on... MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Baldwin man who allegedly struck a home with Molotov cocktails in two November attacks was arraigned on a 21-count grand jury indictment today. Joseph Fer...Read on... Deborah Tangredi used money to pay personal credit card bills, car and home equity loans MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Floral Park woman who stole approximately $467,000 between 2009 and 2014 fr...Read on... Emil Best, a repeat offender, faces up to 25 years in prison MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Long Beach man was convicted yesterday afternoon for repeatedly sexually abusing an eight-year old chil...Read on... Anthony Trimble was found guilty by Nassau jury in 15 minutes MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a known Bloods gang member was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possessing a handgun on a Hemps...Read on... Deon Ewers allegedly shot the man within an hour of arriving on a cross-country flight MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced the indictment of Deon Ewers, who is accused of murdering a 34-year old man on Nov...Read on... Edward Korona, Jr., 53, allegedly lied on four occasions to attain County jobs MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a high-ranking County government official was arraigned today on a 12-count indictment ...Read on... www.heroinprevention.com Travis Eddy was no stranger to the drug game: The 33-year-old mechanic from Long Island had been hooked on heroin off and on for nearly half his life he unwittingly began smoking crack laced with xylazine — the powerful anim.. Outside a building on East 126th Street in East Harlem one of two safe injection sites in New York City known as ‘tranq,’ in his illicit drugs Study reveals widespread use of fentanyl among people who inject drugs in New York City despite overwhelming preference for heroin late on a recent Saturday night a crowd of young party-goers formed a line outside the bathroom as punk music blared in the background A group of activists and grieving family members who've lost loved ones to fentanyl are putting their pain on full display at one of the most iconic landmarks in the country government will pay for a large study measuring whether overdoses can be prevented by so-called safe injection sites places where people can use heroin and other illegal drugs and be revived if they take too much Terrance Dougherty allegedly stole escrow funds from 20 individuals and spent the funds at adult entertainment clubs – Nassau County District Attorney Anne T Donnelly announced that a Floral Park real.. Matthew Whyte was driving nearly 100 miles per hour while impaired by marijuana on the Southern State Parkway in November 2022 when he crashed into another vehicle Anthony Calvo allegedly struck his former Beech Street Taxi coworker in the head Donnelly announced that a Long Beach man w.. Jaden D’Souza was allegedly impaired by cannabis and driving approximately 123 miles per hour when he lost control of his vehicle killing his 21-year-old sister and another 23-year-old woman – Nassau County District Attor.. Samuel Gutierrez Orozco allegedly drove drunk and at a high rate of speed on Peninsula Boulevard in September 2023 lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a tree – Nassau County District Attorney Anne T... a former employee of the Northwell Health Sleep Disorders Center allegedly recorded patients in several bathrooms using a hidden camera inside a smoke detector at two facilities; five victims identified Kyle Matthews and Isaiah Gonzalez conspired to and carried out a fatal shooting outside a party venue in August 2023 Donnelly announced that two men were convicted of fatally shooting a man .. Marlon Rabanales Pretzantzin allegedly punched violently shook and dropped his 2-month-old daughter Donnelly announced that an Inwood man was indicte.. allegedly told an older couple they needed a new roof increasing the construction price more than 5000% in five days and providing them with a fraudulent insurance claim approval for the work Joshua Pena pleaded guilty in January to driving while intoxicated on the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway and killing 23-year-old Xavier Pena Donnelly announced a Valley Stream man was sentenc.. THE NASSAU COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT UNIT ACCEPTS CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS ELECTRONICALLY AND BY MAIL A MEMBER OF OUR LEGAL STAFF WILL CONTACT YOU.. OFFICIAL REQUEST FOR INFORMATIONOFFICIAL REQUEST FOR COMPLIANCE Read on... Phone: 516-571-3800 Contact Us IOWA CITY — The Dubuque Hempstead boys swimming team clinched the first state title in program history Saturday at the Iowa high school state swimming meet The Mustangs totaled 213.5 points at the end of the two-day event at the University of Iowa’s Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Iowa City West (181 points) placed second while Waukee (177.5) finished third “Just to go through everything that we went through together as a team to get her and to enjoy it is something special,” said Dubuque Hempstead coach Rick Loeffelholz “I think a lot of sports sometimes sounds cliché You work the process and through the process you see a lot of different things that happen as a coach that a lot of times no one knows about and they overcame a lot of stuff to get here.” Dubuque Hempstead was represented by sophomores Jake Dolphin Nolan Page and Caden Stickney along with juniors Henry Gilbertson The Mustangs had no individual state champions but claimed gold in two of the three relay events on Saturday including the 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay They also got major individual contributions from Leitzen and Powers who were a part of Dubuque’s two state title-winning relay teams Leitzen earned third place (20.81) while Powers placed fourth with a time of 20.88 Powers claimed third place (45.73) in the 100 freestyle while Leitzen tied for fourth in 46.19 Dubuque Hempstead also earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors we were (ranked) on paper eighth,” Loeffelholz said “One of our team goals all year was finish: finish your meet finish your race … and to see them really finish the accomplishment tonight was just awesome.” Linn-Mar’s Parker Macho and Newton’s Finn Martin shared the honor of Swimmer of the Year All three won two individual state titles Saturday “Being able to have my name up there with two of the other best people and then have people that didn’t even get named it’s an honor to me and I hope to them too,” Hakes said “I really can’t thank the state of Iowa and the coaches enough.” Sioux City sophomore Jaiden Lovelace set new state records in the 200 freestyle para (3.00.05) and the 100 freestyle para (1:24.69) Marc Ray is the high school sports reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. He can be reached at MARay@gannett.com, and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn Dyersville Beckman Catholic’s Zoe Recker (left) and Dubuque Hempstead’s Celena Ortiz battle for possession during their match Thursday at Timmerman Field The new 2025 rules for Iowa high school soccer that erased overtime left two teams with mixed emotions Thursday afternoon at Dubuque Hempstead’s Timmerman Field Class 3A Hempstead (4-4-1) and Class 1A No 13-ranked Dyersville Beckman Catholic (5-1-1) played to a 0-0 tie that was obviously highlighted by plenty of good defense and goalkeeper play Hempstead dominated the action in the first 10 minutes but Beckman more often than not was the more aggressive team in the middle portions of the game Beckman coach Greg Keegan was pleased with his team’s effort in the tie “It was good to see the girls gut it out that second half,” said Keegan We were getting tired on our back line defense by the end of the game and it’s sometimes more important to be in the right spot even if they’re tired than having someone new and less experienced come in that could make a mistake for an easy goal The Mustangs ended up with a substantial 19-5 difference in shots but the Trailblazers defenders were rarely out of position and Kruse handled every kind of shot Hempstead could send at her Beckman’s offense was more limited than Hempstead’s so that played into the Blazers’ game plan “Our goal was to keep the opponent’s shots at a distance,” said Keegan “Our goalkeeper is good enough that she will be in the correct spots to stop those shots We kept decent pressure on their offense the whole game.” Hempstead took four shots on goal in the opening minutes to set the tone for the afternoon The best scoring chance of the game came with 31:44 left in the first half when the Mustangs’ Celena Ortiz lofted a shot from 25 yards out and to the left of the goal The ball cleared the head and reach of Kruse who was backpedaling but struck the front of the crossbar and bounced away for a near miss and the only serious scoring opportunity by either team in the first half Beckman came out more aggressive in the second half challenging the Mustangs defense but could not get a clean shot at the goal Hempstead steadily put more pressure on the Beckman defense as the second half progressed Kruse did not allow the ball to touch the inside of the net “I think we left some opportunities on the field today We need to be a bit more direct on offense instead of looking for that perfect final pass to take a shot at the goal But I can’t be too upset with how we played today Hempstead had three good late scoring chances but could not finish Hempstead’s Ortiz fired a clean shot from 20 yards in front of the goal Ortiz fired a left to right crossing pass right across the goal but no one from Hempstead could get a solid kick on the ball for a shot freshman midfielder Ellie Berg took a pass dribbled down the left side of the field ahead of several defenders but Kruse once again was right there to catch and stop the shot “This is a non-conference game for us that could move us up in the 1A rankings playing a team as talented as Dubuque Hempstead,” said Keegan Public school districts pay students' tuition for them to attend charter schools like the Evergreen Charter School on Peninsula Boulevard in Hempstead Will charter schools suffocate the Hempstead school district With the pending closure of the David Paterson Elementary School and Hempstead officials warning of far-reaching implications if the state doesn’t pony up millions in added aid it’s fair to ask whether the district is facing an existential crisis Its myriad problems are well documented: poor student performance Estimated charter school tuition payments of $106 million for 3,700 students next year will exacerbate those issues And while Hempstead has made improvements — its graduation rate increased from 42% in 2017 to 82% in 2024 — many residents seek options other than the public school system There are two charter school districts in Hempstead — Academy and Evergreen — and a third Charter schools have long been flashpoints for debate — in the region at least since Wyandanch school district alum Geoffrey Canada introduced his successful and popular Promise Academy charter schools in Harlem in the 2000s Hempstead’s charters have been similarly popular District enrollment has dropped precipitously — by about 2,000 students — since the 2016-17 school year The new charters played a significant role in that decline even as the public school remains on the hook for the same overall level of staffing and building maintenance has introduced a bill that would prohibit new charter schools from opening within a 5-mile radius of the Hempstead school district which would also prevent the revision of any existing charter Bynoe said she simultaneously supports charter schools and public education “We need to find a way to find those options while still maintaining the integrity of the public education,” Bynoe told the editorial board A roundup of highlights from Newsday's Opinion Department It’s clear there should be a cap on the number of charter schools operating in a community The state has issued 425 charters as of the 2024-25 school year Bynoe said the Hempstead district has a saturation rate of 36% meaning a third of school-aged children in the district attend a charter school The impact on public school education caused by charter school saturation must be addressed The state needs to enact a moratorium on new charter school approvals in the Hempstead Uniondale and Roosevelt school districts to study their impact and determine how to best support the viability of three charter schools within Hempstead’s boundaries Public education for all is the backbone of the nation’s school system Until the knot of socioeconomic issues that result in poor academic performance can be unraveled charter and public schools must coexist so every student can have the benefits of a quality education MEMBERS OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD are experienced journalists who offer reasoned opinions to encourage informed debate about the issues facing our community Now that Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin has opted to seek a guaranteed judgeship rather than a fourth term does he resign early to allow the GOP-controlled town board to anoint his successor who on Monday declined the nomination for a fifth term as a county lawmaker Sources tell The Point that Ferretti's action doesn’t mean current Hempstead Town Clerk Kate Murray or former Rep Anthony D’Esposito aren’t in the mix — as well as attorney Tom Alfano a former state Assemblyman and aide to former Majority Leader Dean Skelos in the State Senate The deadline for both parties to officially submit a replacement candidate for town supervisor is Friday GOP chairman Joe Cairo is expected to make an announcement on Thursday and Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs is likely to do so by then as well after nominee Justin Brown declined the Dem nomination The only Democrat in more than 100 years to hold the title of Hempstead supervisor was Rep who served one term before losing to Clavin in 2019 Clavin declined to specifically say whether he would resign or serve out the remainder of his current term Clavin told The Point he intends to work at least until the Point Lookout athletic complex is finished and 100 more miles of town roads are paved parks and the environment," Clavin said I have work to do." If he does leave early the party could find a temporary job for Clavin on the town or Nassau County payroll Clavin in a statement released earlier Tuesday said he will run for "a seat on the bench of the Nassau County Court" which handles criminal cases But there is also an opening on the State Supreme Court which has a longer term — 14 years — and pays more money than county court Does the Supreme Court job go to the loser of the supervisor sweepstakes or is that person really the winner in the end The game of political musical chairs in Hempstead — and perhaps throughout Nassau — has begun After more than a decade of trying to build housing on the former Island Hills golf course partners Gregg and Mitchell Rechler are staying in the game — no matter what potential roadblocks land in their way That’s the message that emerged from a conversation with the Rechlers and consultant Jim Morgo who met with the Newsday editorial board last week The latest potential challenge: the tariffs proposed by President Donald Trump last week They’ll likely make already-high construction costs even higher who added that he expects inflation to continue for the foreseeable future But he added that it’s impossible to know what the real impact will be by the time the Rechlers’ company is ready to build — a moment that’s likely at least two years away "It’s really hard to interpret what the exact meaning is of the tariffs being proposed today versus what things could be like even six months from now," Gregg Rechler said Anything I can’t circle a number on makes me crazy But you’ve got to wait until you get there and figure it out." The Rechlers are working on their latest plan for the Island Hills property — a development now known as South Bay Village The current proposal is a far cry from Rechler Equity’s initial plan which would have added 1,365 units to the 114-acre site and came under fire from the community leading the Islip Town board to reject the proposal will be restricted to those 55 years old and over Gregg Rechler noted that in response to community suggestions height and traffic patterns of the proposal They’re also offering added community benefits including 23 acres of open space and the construction of a sewage treatment plant on the property that will give 70,000 gallons of sewer capacity to downtown Sayville Ponds on the property will serve to capture all stormwater the development continues to face pushback from civic groups like Stop Island Hills the Rechlers are continuing to update their state environmental review efforts including traffic and environmental studies in the hopes of completing that work by the end of April or beginning of May They’re hoping public hearings will begin later this spring or early this summer because the sooner the developers can begin preliminary infrastructure work and initial construction the sooner they can lock in supply prices on that infrastructure — like the sewage treatment plant — and on the first phase of construction In reflecting on the current economic uncertainty the Rechlers noted that the development team has been down a similar road before as they purchased the property for Greybarn Amityville in March 2009 in the aftermath of the 2008 financial collapse By the time they went to market on the development when "things were cycling back," Gregg Rechler said begin during difficult economic periods," Mitchell Rechler said Development on Long Island doesn’t happen in a year the company will continue to put all of their energy into Long Island development — including in Sayville "We’re very committed to keeping Long Island’s engine running," Mitchell Rechler said Ark–A man being held in the Hempstead County jail in Hope who allegedly broke a window of the facility the day before he assaulted and choked a correctional officer is facing felony charges of assault and impairing the operation of a public facility was allegedly being held on unspecified charges when he began banging on a window in a holding cell at around 10:30 p.m Hurt had allegedly managed to crack the window Hurt allegedly began banging on the holding cell door Correctional officers warned Hurt that if he didn’t stop the banging Hurt allegedly continued banging on the door prompting a Sergeant and a correctional officer to begin the process of placing Hurt in a restraint chair The officer opened the cell door while the sergeant rolled it into the cell Hurt allegedly refused to sit in the chair and attempted to run out of the cell The sergeant reportedly blocked the doorway while the correctional officer attempted to place Hurt in the chair Hurt allegedly grabbed the officer’s arm and placed him in a choke hold “and then slammed him into the cell wall,” the affidavit said The sergeant “attempted to pry inmate Hurt’s hands” from around the officer’s neck before the officer was able to break free The sergeant then grabbed Hurt and got him secured in the restraint chair Court records filed Thursday show that Circuit Judge Duncan Culpepper of the Eighth Circuit North Judicial District has ordered a mental status evaluation for Hurt If convicted of assaulting a correctional officer If found guilty of impairing operations at the correctional facility Court records show that Hurt has pending felony charges in Nevada County which is in the same judicial district as Hempstead County Hurt has been charged with second-degree battery and breaking or entering As a condition of his bond in the Nevada County matter Hurt was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim Prosecutors filed a motion to revoke Hurt’s bond in February because he allegedly violated the no-contact order by sending menacing text messages to the alleged victim Judge Culpepper revoked Hurt’s bond in the Nevada County case in an order Tuesday which said that Hurt would continue to be held in the Hempstead County jail until a future hearing $4.5M for Farmingdale in latest NYS downtown funding  Demonstrators gather on the steps of North Hempstead Town Hall on Tuesday night in support of a councilmember's call for official condemnation of President Donald Trump's pardon of Jan 6 rioters and in opposition to a resolution to prohibit town actions on issues outside its jurisdiction The national conversation surrounding President Donald Trump’s pardons of about 1,500 people convicted in the Jan Capitol reached the front steps of North Hempstead Town Hall on Tuesday night A group of about 50 people gathered in the cold before the monthly town board meeting to protest a resolution put forth by Supervisor Jennifer DeSena amending the town board’s rules of procedure to preclude resolutions "on matters and issues outside the jurisdiction of the Town." a registered Democrat who caucuses with Republicans put forth the resolution after Democratic Councilmember Mariann Dalimonte had proposed a resolution officially condemning Trump's Jan DeSena's item was placed on the agenda one spot ahead of Dalimonte’s resolution addressed criticism of Dalimonte’s resolution he’d heard from residents who believe the town should focus more on issues like fixing roads and potholes "If democracy and the sanctity of life are not the proper business of the Town of North Hempstead then why are we here at all?" Troiano asked during the protest "I stand with all these officers and I stand with all of you who know that democracy and the sanctity of life is why we are here which was put on by good-government group Concerned Citizens of NY-03 included demonstrators holding up posters — some bearing the faces of police officers who died as a result of the Jan 6 attack and others critical of DeSena or containing a familiar phrase in support of law enforcement The attack on the Capitol left more than 100 police officers injured after protesters fueled by Trump's false claim that the 2020 election was stolen temporarily halted the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory "Back the Blue," one sign read at Tuesday night's demonstration "Say no to pardoned felons in our backyard!" "Stop muzzling free speech," read another DeSena said in an interview before the start of the board meeting that her resolution was about "making sure town board takes care of town business." parks and reducing their taxes," DeSena said Resolutions that are on items outside the town jurisdiction are intended to divide us has issued proposals on matters outside town business during her administration she offered a resolution stating the town "unequivocally condemns Hamas for this deplorable and unprovoked attack on Israel." The resolution passed unanimously "We need to come together," DeSena said when asked why the timing was right for the resolution "There are ways that we can still show support But that doesn’t mean we put it on our business agenda and vote on it The vote doesn’t have any legal effect." The heightened tensions spilled over into the town board meeting later in the evening After about two hours of covering other town business former presiding officer at the Nassau County Legislature introduced DeSena's proposal by referencing similar rules in the Legislature then asked Nicolello what prompted the resolution to be proposed that evening Nicolello responded that Dalimonte hadn't formally introduced the legislation until after the town board's caucus the previous week "This type of resolution is ripe for abuse," Nicolello said "You could have a resolution on every agenda for the rest of the year on pardons On [Gov.] Kathy Hochul's cashless bail The exchange kicked off about two hours of debate between councilmembers and residents from both sides of the aisle town security guards asked members to quiet down a town security guard walked to the middle of the room and stood silently "This is what you want in our town board meeting?" DeSena said DeSena's resolution passed along party lines prompting cheers for some residents and shouts of "Shame" from others who had spoken harshly about DeSena from the dais "This is your fault," she shouted as security escorted her out The board did not vote on Dalimonte's resolution cares for homeless cats because the town doesn't have a cat shelter Liz Diamond fixed her gaze on a thicket of bushes and trees behind a shopping center in Roslyn on a frigid afternoon She scooped a mixture of wet cat food onto a plastic spoon and held it out for the felines who says she only feeds cats that are spayed or neutered is part of a group of activists who provide food and medical care for cats living on the street some of whom are feral — not socialized to interact with humans Others have been dropped off by owners who can no longer care for them The activists said they believe some of that responsibility should fall on the Town of North Hempstead but the town’s animal shelter does not take cats The lack of a cat shelter in North Hempstead has for decades frustrated animal activists who say the town should have a dedicated facility for the treatment of cats who need to be surrendered Town officials in 2005 announced plans to build a cat wing at its animal shelter in Port Washington Nassau County's two other towns — Hempstead and Oyster Bay — operate shelters that accept cats every town except for East Hampton and Shelter Island has a town-run animal shelter or a contract with a nonprofit shelter that accepts cats Municipal-run shelters care for hundreds of cats each year according to town data provided to Newsday 10 towns' shelters accepted more than 4,800 cats Municipal shelters are pivotal to their communities according to researchers and cat behavior specialists They offer a place for kittens born to feral cats to become socialized and potentially find a home and they can be a refuge for people to surrender their cats who aren't trained to fend for themselves outdoors "The benefit would be for community members who have an animal that they have to find a home for due to a sensitive reason," said Victoria Bove a professor of veterinary clinical sciences at Long Island University's Lewyt College of Veterinary Medicine [or] they're moving and can't keep the cat The family member is sick and can't provide the means to provide [for] a cat." Bove said shelters can help curb the feral population "While the feral cat itself might not be amenable to living an indoor life if it's having multiple litters a year that's additional cats that are not available for adoption and then continuing the cycle," Bove said in an interview of the kittens of feral cats entering shelters a certified feline training and behavioral specialist based in New York City said there are a number of reasons people might want to surrender their cats to a shelter: The owner could be struggling with a debilitating illness the cats might just engage in behaviors the owners find too challenging North Hempstead Town spokesman Umberto Mignardi said in a statement the town believes its trap neuter and release program represents a "more humane response" to controlling the feline population "This allows a licensed veterinarian to assess each cat’s health and then neuter and vaccinate them so they can be safely returned to their original habitat This approach is also widely recognized as the most effective way to control feral populations," Mignardi said director of Smithtown's animal shelter said there was an uptick in people dropping off dogs and cats after the pandemic and again in recent months as residents have left town due to the rising cost of living on Long Island Wixson said the shelter has a waitlist for incoming cats "They really duplicate very quickly and at a very young age," Wixson said "People who are careless about even their cats getting spayed and neutered … there's a lot of accidental breeding." Municipal shelters on Long Island take in hundreds of cats each year Hempstead's animal shelter took in 2,150 cats in 2024 while Oyster Bay's total was 426 last year Long Island municipal shelter officials contacted by Newsday said they are "no-kill" facilities Some officials said the animals are only euthanized if they become seriously ill North Hempstead offers several options for spay and neuter services for feral cats Town residents can obtain a trap from Helping PAW an animal welfare nonprofit that has a clinic at the town's animal shelter The staff will then provide them with a voucher to cover the cost of the spay or neuter procedure The trapper will then release the cat back to where they found it The town allocated $40,000 for the voucher program North Hempstead also has a contract with All About Spay Neuter a Massapequa shelter that offers full service trap and the animal rescue will take care of the process And the town has long maintained a program where people can bring cats to the Helping PAW clinic to get the animals spayed and neutered for free — but the contract for that service expires in March “As of yet we haven’t received any submissions but we’re hoping to spread the word and get responses soon It’s a critical part of our effort to humanely control the feral cat population," Mignardi said in the statement The fight for a cat shelter in North Hempstead spans decades the town broke ground on a cat shelter wing within its existing animal shelter in Port Washington the company that North Hempstead had hired sued the town The town board authorized a settlement of the case for about $130,000 Then, in 2020, a feasibility study by Melville-based Nelson & Pope concluded the town’s animal shelter did not have enough space for a cat shelter a Wantagh nonprofit animal rescue and adoption center has been pushing the town to add a cat shelter for nearly two decades Stuurman said Last Hope fills in some of the gaps left by the town not having a shelter When someone in North Hempstead needs to place a cat — if the owner dies or the owner wants to surrender the animal — Last Hope typically won't take it in but will advise on how to proceed we're called upon to help with those kinds of situations which really aren't our main focus," Stuurman said Diamond comes twice a day to the spot behind the shopping center to feed the cats she places food in a plastic container and warm water in another “They know what time it is,” she said over the howling wind there’s a window of opportunity for them to eat before the food freezes.” Diamond and a handful of other activists are often the first to arrive at Town Hall in Manhasset for the monthly board meeting they step to the podium during public comment and address the town board They tell stories of finding injured and sick cats on the streets “Sometimes it’s very hard to keep going,” Diamond said Activists are pushing North Hempstead Town to open a dedicated cat shelter but officials say the current animal shelter in Port Washington lacks capacity for one Three Long Island towns do not have a shelter that accepts cats or a contract with a shelter that does: North Hempstead eight towns' shelters accepted more than 4,000 cats A fire caused severe damage to a home on Lancaster Place in the Village of Hempstead on Sunday morning A Sunday morning fire heavily damaged a home in the Village of Hempstead and displaced four residents Eight fire companies were called to the blaze on Lancaster Place firefighters from the Hempstead and West Hempstead fire departments along with mutual aid firefighters from Baldwin Rockville Centre and Roosevelt responded to the scene About 60 firefighters worked to put out the fire which was brought under control within an hour There were no reports of injuries to residents or firefighters The Red Cross is helping four adults who have been displaced by the fire The Village of Hempstead Building Department will evaluate the extensive damage to the house politics and crime stories in Nassau County and Nassau fire marshals and police are investigating