Friday, April 20, 2018
Vol. 94, No.30
FOUNDED 1923
n
n
$1
LOCALLY OWNED AND EDITED
The Amazing Race PAGE 56 n Trustee welcomed PAGE 24
Playing ‘Date Swap’ with GCHS Prom
"UNDERAGE IN THE CAGE"
BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
Garden City kids recently raised funds for pediatric cancer programs by participating in the "Underage in the Cage" platform tennis event. Above, Kate Esposito, Courtney Bremer, May Paisley, Maddie Atteritano and Abby Perisa wait for their turns to play. See pages 58-59
Groundwater cleanup plan finalized
BY GARY SIMEONE
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given the go-ahead to cleanup the contaminated Superfund site near the Roosevelt Field mall. The cleanup plan expands on a 2007 plan, which called for the extraction of contaminated groundwater on the western edge of the property. Elias Rodríguez, Public Information Officer with the EPA, said that the proposed cleanup plans were issued at a public meeting in March. “There was a record of decision that was unveiled at the March meet-
ing, that was proposed into a final draft that was issued last week,” said Rodriguez. “The final draft was proposed after considering public input on this safety matter.” He said the final draft, which can be found online at the EPA’s website, explains key topics and the overall implementation of the cleanup plan. The cleanup will include the removal of harmful chemicals, namely TCE (tetrachloroethylene), from the groundwater to reduce potential threats to people’s health. “Protecting and cleaning up Long Island’s groundwater is critically important to the health of
Long Island residents, communities and businesses,” said EPA Regional Administrator Pete Lopez. “The second phase of groundwater cleanup at the Old Roosevelt Field Superfund Site advances our efforts to rid the state of toxic contamination.” Residents of Garden City were told they should not be worried about possible contamination of their water supply, as the public water supply is routinely tested by the water district to ensure all Federal and State safety standards are met. Costs of the entire cleanup plan are estimated at $13.14 million.
At the Board of Education’s work session in the high school library on Wednesday, April 11, the potential of holding a mid-week 2019 High School Prom and Pre-Prom, as well as a Thursday morning graduation ceremony for the Class of 2019 (this year’s junior class) were presented to a shocked school board, at half-past ten at night and after a lengthy discussion and rounds of public question on the 2018-2019 district budget of $115 million. The surprise option of midweek year-end celebrations and grand community traditions was apparent from School Board President Angela Heineman’s reaction, although the date is being discussed over 14 months in advance of it taking place. She was uneasy about the suggestion because after living in Garden City for 30 years, Heineman recalls the backlash against moving graduation from a Sunday to a Saturday. Taking it off the June weekend event calendar and set on a workday could spell disaster in her opinion. “We saw a fight the last time we changed graduation moving it from Sunday to Saturday. To move what has become a community event, it is disconcerting to me and I have many concerns to review. I am not a believer yet….If we are talking peak or rush hour time with a graduation at either 5PM on a Wednesday or at 10AM. on a Thursday, with families arriving as early as 8AM this could be a traffic nightmare. We could see cars parked everywhere and anywhere, and I am concerned just about people getting to the high school and our high school field on time. We’d have to connect with the Garden City Police Department and the village to consider that midweek rush hour jam,” Heineman said. High School Principal Nanine McLaughlin was presented with a petition signed by 272 of her GCHS students to hold the Pre-Prom and Prom on the Tuesday night June 25th, 2019, followed by graduation rehearsal and breakfast on Wednesday June 26th and graduation on Thursday, June 27th at 10AM. Dr. Maureen Appiarius, Garden City Schools’ Assistant Superintendent for Personnel, says this would maintain a traditional pattern of three consecutive days See page 31
WPOA scrutinizes Third Track agreement PAGE 8 GCAA Spring Softball begins season PAGES 68-69