Syosset Advance (8/7/20)

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Friday, August 7, 2020

Vol. 80, No. 32

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Thinking of Moving?

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Lic. Assoc. R. E.

Broker

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© 2020 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL EST ATE. EQUAL HOUSING 110 WALT WHITMA OPPORT UNITY. N ROAD, HUNTING TON STATION, NY 11746. 631.549.740 1.

MACARTHUR CLASS OF 2020

Former Jericho hotel will serve as transitional facility BY GARY SIMEONE

The class of 2020 at MacArthur High School marked its graduation with seven intimately sized commencement ceremonies on July 27th held outdoors on the Levittown athletic fields. Above, graduates Mackenzie Fielding, Krisent Heinmink and Sofia Escobar celebrate graduation.

Children’s center adjusts to new normal BY RIKKI MASSAND M.A.T.S.S. Kids’ Gym, Nursery School and Daycare Centerin Syosset was considered an essential business and did not have to close its doors for a prolonged period at the height of COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns in March. It did though, and precautions were taken across the board as

center reopened, initially for summer camps sessions with reduced hours, on July 6. M.A.T.S.S. (Movement, Aerobics, Tumbling, Sports and Skills) and many early childhood education and activity-based businesses are contingent upon New York State officials and local school districts finalizing plans on the

school year ahead. M.A.T.S.S. of Syosset's owner/director Nancy J. Wohlsen keeps a watchful eye on a number of surrounding communities’ public school systems -- districts including Syosset, Jericho, Cold Spring Harbor, Hicksville, Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School disSee page 14

The Syosset Advance Published every Friday by Litmor Publishing Corp. Periodical Postage paid at Hicksville, N.Y. 11801 Telephone 931-0012 - USPS 3467-68 Postmaster: Send Address Change to: The Syosset Advance, 821 Franklin Ave., Suite 208 Garden City, N.Y. 11530 • Meg Norris, Publisher

The former Hampton Inn in Jericho is expected to serve as a transitional facility for 80 homeless families during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In a public meeting last week, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said the move would help to combat housing insecurity in a time of need. “We’ve seen food insecurity, and we are also seeing a lot of housing insecurity,” said Curran in a statement in front of the hotel. “We want to make sure that everyone gets what they need to make it to the other side.” The Hampton Inn is located at 120 Jericho Turnpike. It has 80 units on the premises which will house each of the 80 families. The facility will be temporarily operated by the nonprofit group Community Housing Innovations. Many local politicians and residents are not on board with the proposed move, saying that housing that many families in one facility is against Town ordinances. Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said that he was informed of the situation a few weeks ago and immediately recognized that it was breaking the Town code for zoning regulations. “When I heard about this situation, I knew I needed to uphold and enforce the Town’s code which states that families living in these types of facilities are only entitled to a short stay of no more than thirty consecutive days,” said Saladino. “I am quite disappointed that Nassau County did not reach out to us on this issue, which has legal and zoning ramifications.” He said the Town has responded quickly to the news by sending letters to the County and the developer of the site to alert them to the situation. His administration also issued a SWO (Stop Work Order) because of the violations to local zoning codes. In an email obtained from Hank Grishman, superintendent of the Jericho School District, it said that the district had heard rumors last December that there were plans to house families in a facility in Jericho. As stated in the email, it read “the County never contacted us about this facility. At our request, a meeting was held and we were informed that a plan was being developed to place a transitional housing facility somewhere in Jericho. We were told the plan was many months and possibly years away from coming to fruition. At the time, there See page 14

All Star athlete earns scholarship PAGE 3 Serving up pizza at ACE program PAGE 6


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