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Friday, September 1, 2017
Vol. 77, No. 35
Racist graffiti found scrawled on Syosset High School
BACK TO SCHOOL
BY GARY SIMEONE
ing a sustainable economy on Long Island, climate change and caring for the environment, the heroin/ opioid epidemic on Long Island and the nation’s student loan debt crisis and increasing need for student loan reforms. Suozzi looked at today’s political climate with the crowd of students, almost all of whom were between 14 and 23 years old. “In the 26 years I have been involved in politics, as I first ran for Glen Cove mayor in 1991 and lost that election my first time, I have
In what can only be described as a sign of our troubled times, racist graffiti, including symbols of hate, were discovered this past weekend at Syosset High School. The walls, windows, and doors of the school were spray painted with antisemitic messages, an MS13 gang sign, and other vitriolic, hateful words. On Monday afternoon, members of the Nassau County Police Department, local political leaders and school officials gathered in front of the school to call for unity and denounce the hateful actions that took place over the weekend. “This weekend, one of our communities was victimized with terrible symbols of hate,” said Oyster Bay Town Supervisor, Joe Saladino. “We want people to know that there is no room for bigotry in our Town and there is zero tolerance for hate.” Saladino said that the Town would work with the Nassau County Police Department to capture the individual or individuals responsible for the racist graffiti. He said that if anyone had any information about the crime that they could call the Crime stoppers hotline at 1-800-244-TIPS and that there is a $5,000 reward leading to the arrest of the perpetrator. According to the Assistant Chief of Patrol at the NCPD, Kenneth Lack, the racist graffiti was found on the back of the High School, scrawled along the walls, doors and windows of the building. “There are cameras at the back of the building which should aid us in the solvability of this criminal act,” said Lack. “If anyone in the community knows anything or anyone involved, it would greatly help us with our investigation.” Lack said that the detective’s from the NCPD’s Second Squad were involved in the investigation. This incident comes on the heels of other racist acts that took place in the County earlier this year. In February, a bomb scare took place at a Jewish Community Center in Plainview as well as other Center’s across the country. During the month, racist
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Students filled the halls on Tuesday, August 29 to start the 2017-2018 school year. Superintendent of Schools Hank Grishman visited buildings throughout the district with Assistant Superintendents Barbara Bauer and Victor Manuel as well as board members Bill Ferro, Jill Citron, Barbara Krieger, Pam Wasserman-Heath and Daborah Lee.
Photos by Denise Nash
Suozzi addresses Syosset students, local issues BY RIKKI N. MASSAND Fifty local students found themselves engaged in a serious conversation on pressing current events, political views, and the dynamics and economics of life on Long Island facing young people and families on a humid Friday afternoon in August. A few short weeks before the start of the fall semester, at the Syosset Plaza shopping strip, they assembled as volunteers for Joshua Lafazan, former Syosset Board of Education member, now campaigning for the Nassau County Legislature 18th District seat.
On August 18 at the Syosset Plaza campaign headquarters on Jericho Turnpike, the seventh installment of his interns’ “Politics and Pizza” Friday afternoon series featured special guest U.S. Congressman from New York’s 3rd District, Thomas Suozzi, the former Nassau County Executive. Lafazan, who served on the Syosset Board of Education from 2012 to 2017 and starting at the age of 18, spoke to his dedicated interns prior to Suozzi’s visit and prepped them by thinking of questions and encouraging research on the congressman. Topics he introduced included build-
Syosset Chamber welcomes Puzzle Break PAGE 8 Adult Reading Club wraps up season AGE 3