Friday, October 25, 2019
Vol. 79, No. 43
Town of OB opens shellfish hatchery to clean up bay
SCHOOL SPIRIT AT HHS
the People’s United Bank. “In this instance we were glad to be able to bring together three Chambers of Commerce. I welcome you all and ask you to listen to each other’s introductions, identify people gathered here who may be good business prospects and partners. A lot of time people consider networking to be just socializing -- it’s not. It is about getting to know other business-
Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino, Councilwoman Michele Johnson and Councilman Steve Labriola joined with the North Oyster Bay Baymen’s Association (NOBBA) to officially open a new shellfish hatchery in Oyster Bay. This initiative was launched with the goal of populating Oyster Bay Harbor with two million additional clams and oysters which will generate both economic benefits for the shellfish industry and environmental benefits that include improved water quality as each shellfish filters gallons of water per day. The Town and NOBBA have partnered on clam and oyster seeding of the harbor for decades in an effort to improve the water quality, resulting in Oyster Bay Harbor boasting some of the cleanest water on Long Island. Supervisor Saladino stated, “From cleaning up the Grumman-Navy Plume to enhancing recycling initiatives, my administration has advanced environmental priorities that benefit our residents and local communities. This new shellfish hatchery will improve the water quality in our bay and deliver economic benefits of an improved shellfish industry by boosting the number of certified clamming areas that support more clammers and baymen.” The Town Department of Environmental Resources acquired a prefabricated 950 square-foot building to house specialized upwelling tanks and algae tanks that allow the growing of clams and oysters from seed. The project is funded, in part, by Town resources from the Bay Management Fund - an account that is financed by a percentage of the license fees collected by the issuance of commercial shellfish licenses. The Town is currently amending its existing New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Shellfish Permits. Establishment of this new shellfish hatchery will qualify the Town of Oyster Bay to pursue grants offered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to conduct a feasibility study that would determine what improvements to an existing shellfish hatchery would be beneficial to a water body, then qualifying the Town to obtain additional funding for the recommended hatchery improvements. “I am proud to lead this environmental initiative that will
See page 7
See page 7
Hicksville High School celebrated its 2019 Pep Rally on October 11th. Above, the High School Band's percussionists played as the students filled the stadium seats. See pages 18-19.
Triple Chamber networking night BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
Members and officials from the Plainview-Old Bethpage Chamber of Commerce, Syosset Woodbury Chamber of Commerce and Hicksville Chamber of Commerce got together on Tuesday, October 15 for a business networking night at People’s United Bank at 404 South Oyster Bay Road, the Hicksville branch. Alan Goldberg, president of Water Solutions of Long Island,
is a director and a board member for both the Syosset Woodbury Chamber and the Plainview-Old Bethpage Chamber. Goldberg chairs the POBOC Networking Committee and the Membership Committee for Syosset-Woodbury. He was an integral organizer and promotions liaison for the success of the 2019 Syosset Street Fair, held September 15 along Jackson Avenue. Last Tuesday Goldberg welcomed 45 business professionals and independent merchants to
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Spirit and pride at Bethpage HS PAGE 8 POB challenge at JFK High School PAGE 15