Friday, September 30, 2016
Vol. 76, No. 38
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Chick-fil-a coming to Hicksville BY GARY SIMEONE
South Carolina native, Erin Elko is a very ambitious and gung-ho businesswoman. Elko, who now resides in West Islip, will be the new owner/operator of the Chick-fil-A restaurant that will open this fall. The southern chicken chain will be taking over the old On The Border’s building, located at 1401 Broadway Mall. Elko started out as a Marketing Director for Chick-fil-A in Charleston, South Carolina nine years ago and had her mind set on becoming an owner/operator of the franchise. “I wanted to have a more hands on experience and be involved in the day to day operations of the restaurant,” said Elko. “I also wanted to have the opportunity to develop team members and team leaders and as an owner and operator I’m able to do that.” She said that she is excited about the prospect of developing team members and leaders in the new Hicksville location. “We are looking to hire 140 people for this location and there will be See page 7
Photo courtesy of the Levittown School District
Division Avenue softball players joined the Levittown Athletic Club on Sept. 17 to support the first Batting to Beat Childhood Cancers event held at Azalea Road Field in Levittown. The players helped to raise $5,000 to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Above, Members of the Division Avenue High School softball team are pictured with (left) Principal John Coscia and (right) coach Michael Verdi.
Town no longer considering piercing tax cap
The Town of Oyster Bay has announced that it will no longer be seeking the authority to pierce the tax cap for the Town’s 2017 Fiscal Budget. According to the town, throughout the past month, elected Town Board members have been working with department heads and the Finance Division of the Supervisor’s Office in efforts
to keep within the New York tax cap structure. “Each Town Board member, as liaison representatives to various Town departments, spent countless hours with department heads in budget meetings, taking the necessary steps to keep within the cap,” said Town Councilman Joseph G. Pinto, who attended budget meet-
ings in his role as liaison to the Comptroller’s Office. “With the recent retirements and other difficult reductions to the budget, and with increased emphasis on revenue generating, we are pleased to be able to present a balanced budget without the necessity of piercing the cap.” See page 7
A big month for Town animal shelter BY GARY SIMEONE September is a big month for the Town of Oyster Bay Animal Shelter located at 150 Miller Place in Syosset. It is their free adoption month and so far a lot of stray and owner surrendered abandoned cats and dogs have taken up residence in friendly and inviting homes. The shelter is hoping to have a record month of adoptions and a total of 62 animals; 51 cats and 11 dogs have been adopted so far this month. “Normally pet adoption agencies charge $84 for cats and $80 for dogs to adopt them so we’re not that far off,” said Laurie Scarpa, Director of the TOB Animal Shelter. “What’s different with us is that we provide full service to these animals at none of the cost.” The service includes free spaying, neutering, rabies shots, FIV/ leukemia checkup for cats and a micro chip implant that is paid for life. She said that a lot of the kittens that are taken in are sick and that the shelter treats them as humanely as possible. “We want them to be a certain weight before we’re able to give them the necessary shots they need in order to be adopted,” said Scarpa. “We wait about 6 to 8 weeks to see if they have reached that weight of about 1 pound 8 ounces.” See page 7
Hicksville Schools welcome new teachers PAGE 4 Levittown teachers are survivors of year PAGE 8