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Merrick Preserve Gets Boost From Town

A weekly look-in at news from around the Town of Hempstead.

The Norman J. Levy Preserve is formerly a landfill, but transformed by the Town of Hempstead into a beautiful eco-friendly park where the grass is cut by Nigerian dwarf goats and guinea hens keep pesky ticks at bay.

Now, the town has introduced it's latest green initiative – solar powered jitneys, which are electrical transports used to ferry guests about the park's 51 expansive acres.

Town Supervisor Kate Murray spoke with Merrick Patch about the preserve earlier this week.

Lawrence Costco Plan Sees Opposition

A handful of people and attorneys representing Five Towns merchants and residents and Rockaway Turnpike gas stations voiced opposition to Costco’s request to add a 22-pump gas station to its warehouse store in North Lawrence.

Opponents’ request on Wednesday to adjourn the chain’s variance request at the Town of Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals was granted, and a new hearing date was set on Aug. 1 at 2 p.m.

Costco brought its plan to convert 163 of the Lawrence store’s 822 parking spaces into a gas station in March. To do this, the company needs a parking variance from the BZA because the amount of spaces would not meet the required town minimum. It also needs a permit from the Town of Hempstead Board to install three 30,000-gallon storage tanks at the southwest corner of Rockaway Turnpike and Nassau Expressway.

Click the headline to read more on the story. Stephen Bronner contributed to this report.

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Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Bojames May 17, 2013 at 08:15 pm
All above by the original writer notwithstanding it is morally reprehensible that people who did ,Read More do not, would not send their children to public school but rather private school, religious or secular, sit on a public school board of education. They are there for one reason only ;to keep taxes as low as possible because those that elect them carry private school tuition. That is NOT an acceptable reason to direct/control/guide the education of public school students. Any position put forward that disputes this as the basis for parents of private school students being on a BOE is a lie.
Tova Markowitz May 17, 2013 at 05:18 pm
I'm amazed and shocked to hear about the shenanigans. Thank you for revealing what has been goingRead More on. I will forward your article to my friends and make sure we vote for Nachum. Thank you and your family for your dedication and efforts. Stay strong. We need you ,,
Gail May 21, 2013 at 05:33 pm
Chris - Educators also receive a $200-$250 tax credit on their personal income tax returns.
Chris Albanese May 17, 2013 at 04:05 pm
It's not just the teachers... As a parent of 2 going on 3 school aged children, I'm amazed at howRead More much our free public schools cost. We get a supply list every year of things like crayons and pencils which I get, although I don't see why it HAS to be crayola. The red crayon in the box from the 99 cents store is just as red as the one in the $4 box from someplace else. Also, I don't understand why I need to send in 4 boxes of tissues, paper towels, wipes, etc per child. When I was a kid, I remember keeping a little pack of kleenex in my desk for when I needed it. I'm sure the district can buy in bulk at half the cost to us and store it in the schools until needed. Also, as far as the teachers go, I'm not sure if they do it on LI, but when I was a SBM in the NYC DOE, we had what was called Teacher's Choice which was a check for $250 that every teacher would get on March 15 (?) to help pay for the classroom supplies they bought throughout the year. It always amazed me how many of the "supplies" were purchased on 03/14. I had the pleasure of denying some of the more bogus expenses. Also, anything they would spend above and beyond their reimbursement is now tax deductible I believe. My wife, sister, cousin and many friends were and some still are classroom teachers. I know firsthand how the good ones give much more than they get in their check(s). The trick is to weed out the ones that are only in it for the money, benefits and summers off and not the kids.
Shirley Hanein Lane May 19, 2013 at 05:50 pm
lilly, i just created a group on Facebook (Hewlett-Woodmere District 14 Budget Discussion) forRead More residents of district 14 to share and question. Maybe someone on the board will look at it. Please tell your friends. A copy of the budget is uploaded and can be reviewed. I believe residents should make informed decisions. Read it and see what jumps out at you and looks good, fishy, or just normal.
lilly May 19, 2013 at 03:36 pm
thanks Shirley- we have to keep posting to vote NO for the budget- I try to go to meetings and it isRead More ridiculous to hear how no one comes to the table with ideas of how NOT to SPEND our money! If there were only more people that would attend and stand up and speak up maybe it would change.
lilly May 14, 2013 at 02:18 pm
I do not understand how we never have a year with NO TAX INCREASES!!!!! It is pretty sad- we have toRead More get new resources, get more project bids and simply learn to say no or tighten up and not spend and what about salary freezes! We are all living with these types of challenges. We are living through difficult times. When I look around the town and see so many homes and stores for rent and sale- it should be a lightbulb moment. We can't continue to live this way. People will keep leaving the neighborhood and that's really not good for any of us!
Luncheon at Mother Kelly's
paul May 11, 2013 at 11:25 pm
Way to go Harvey! Happy Birthday and keep up the good work... Others depend on you....
Donna Galinsky April 25, 2013 at 09:07 pm
It is possible to find a rental, though it might not be easy. Many rentals are in co-op buildings.Read More They are typically not flexible and it is unlikely that you will be able to get into one of those. Your best bet would be in a multi-family house, There you are dealing with a homeowner, rather than a co-op board and a management company, who might be willing to listen to your plight. If you find a sympathetic homeowner you will be OK. It might take patience, but you should find someplace.