Syosset Advance (1/19/18)

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Friday, January 19, 2018

Vol. 78, No. 3

Lafazan resigns from Syosset School Board

PHOTOGRAPHY WINNERS

BY GARY SIMEONE

Pictured are Kati Behr, curriculum associate for Fine and Performing Arts; Louise Millman, Jericho photography teacher; Joan Rosenberg, High School principal; along with the SVA National Winners Robechi Ajah, Safa Alam, Janet Chan, Kathy Chang, Jonathan Chen, Austin Coven, Corey Edelman, Kaveesh Galani, Camryn Grasso, Isaac Hernandez, Sydney Kaminsky, Michael Kim, Susan Kim, Hannah Kweit, Madeline Rosen, Jamie Scheman, Dylan Steinberg, Emilie Wong, and Marisa Benjamin. High school students throughout the United States answered the call for submissions from the BFA Photography Department at the School of Visual Arts for the opportunity to exhibit their photographic work alongside their peers in 2017 AMERICA. Aiming to give voice to the newest members of the visual arts communi-

ty, 2017 AMERICA showcases a wide range of perspectives and talent, featuring the work of students from 30 states and drawn from over 2,000 submitted works. Twenty students from Mrs. Millmann’s digital photography classes will have their work professionally printed and exhibited at the SVA Gallery in New York

City. 2017 AMERICA provides a space for up-and-coming creative talents to express themselves. Viewers will gain insight into what young American artists are seeing, thinking, and making, and how they define this vast country in the present.

Free yoga classes for seniors Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Councilwoman Michele Johnson today announced that the Town will host new, free yoga classes for senior citizens on Thursdays during the month of February at the Town’s

Glen Head Community Center, located at 200 Glen Head Road, in Glen Head. “The Town’s Senior Division of our Department of Community and Youth Services offers our residents many great activities,

spread out at various Town facilities throughout the year,” Supervisor Saladino said. “I invite our senior residents to participate in this new yoga class for seniors, as See page 18

After being elected to the Nassau County Legislature in November, twenty three year old Joshua Lafazan was hoping to hold onto his position on the Syosset school board. Unfortunately, a clause in the County charter prevented him from retaining that position. “It was devastating to me because I’ve been a member of the Syosset community since kindergarten and have served on the Board since 2012,” said Lafazan. “Back in 2012, the Board took a chance on an eighteen year old kid who believed in sincerity and serving the kids of this community.” After giving his inaugural speech at Jericho High School last week, Lafazan said his week and a half term has been “exhausting and exhilarating.” “It’s been a wild ride so far but I’m still pursuing ways to get reinstated to the school board.” He said that various attorneys at different levels of government informed him of a long-standing County charter that prohibited him from serving in any other political office while serving as Legislator. In an email to the community on his Facebook page, Lafazan stated that the charter was categorically wrong and that it should be up to voters who sit on a school board and not a County law. “Despite my recent resignation, I plan to pursue various legal measures to resolve this issue.” At his inaugural ceremony, the legislator said he plans to tackle the issues of opioid addiction on Long Island and corruption in government. “The heroin and opioid epidemic we’re experiencing is one of the greatest natural disasters of our time,” said Lafazan. “62,497 Americans lost their lives last year to addiction.” He said that he has received bipartisan support to conduct hearings on this issue and plans to sign policy proposals to put a dent in the epidemic. Some ideas he is looking to put in place include installing a 24 hour access center and 24 hour hotline specifically for substance abuse. He also wants to train all County workers in administering Narcan to overdose victims. “I’d also like to see a recovery Center built in Nassau, similar to what Suffolk County has for people recovering from substance abuse problems.” Lafazan stated that he’s focused on pursuing tightly regulated term limits for elected officials and also scrutinizing political contracts with outside parties.

“The Cat in the Hat” at Berry Hill PAGE 14 Children’s author at Robbins Lane PAGE 8


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