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Friday, October 19, 2018
Vol. 78, No. 42
30 Berry Hill
Rd.,Syosset
Offering free hom e market analysis & complimentary services.
Call for an ap pointmen MARA NAVA RETTA Broke t r / Owner
516-551-3347
Legislator addresses residents’ fears about facility
HAPPY HOMECOMING
BY GARY SIMEONE
The Jericho School District held its annual Homecoming on Saturday, September 29th. During the festivities, Middle School Principal Don Gately took a turn in the dunk tank. See page 10.
Syosset business brings international wear BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
On Tuesday, October 23 at 5 p.m. the Syosset Woodbury Chamber of Commerce will continue its celebrations of 20 years connecting the business community with yet another ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception in 2018. Footwear brand and retailer Naot, located in Woodbury Village (in between Starbucks and Ben’s Kosher Deli) at 7965 Jericho Turn-
pike, opened in the fall of 2017. The company brings the community an intriguing mix of world history from the border of Israel and Palestine coinciding with its chief executives, the Lax family, longtime Syosset and Woodbury residents who decided their home was the best place for an innovative U.S. flagship store. Naot means Oasis in Hebrew. The facility Naot footwear has long been produced in by gen-
erations of hardworking, skilled hands, Kibbutz Naot Mordechai in Israel’s Upper Galilee, began in the mid-20th century as a kibbutz -- in Israel, a collective community based on agriculture, similar to a communal farm. “During World War II, in 1942 a group of Czech people came to Israel and started the kibbutz. These were the original people See page 20
Nassau County legislator Josh Lafazan helped to quell the fears of many people who live near the MercyFirst facility in Syosset. There had been rumors circulating throughout the community that the state-run nonprofit organization, located on 525 Convent road, was planning to house juvenile offenders from Rikers Island. “I just want to state for the record that youths from Rikers Island will not be coming to MercyFirst,” said Lafazan. “This is a dangerous rumor that has caused undue panic in our community.” The legislator did say that the organization has an issue containing the kids who were housed there, and that there had been reports of kids running rampant across people’s lawns. “Coming from my perspective, MercyFirst has an inability to contain its students. I understand the need to be compassionate, but we need to be pragmatic here, because no taxpayer wants an invasion of privacy or kids running across their lawns.” He said that as a local legislator, he had no direct authority because the facility is a state-run organization, but he wanted to get involved being that MercyFirst is located in his district. “We’re dealing with a systemic issue here, with the trespassing and the invasion of people’s privacy. In order to deal with this issue head-on, residents need to get in contact with their state representative.” The legislator has been proactive in putting together meetings between the CEO of MercyFirst Gerard McCaffery, members of the Nassau County Police Department, and other community leaders. “These meetings have yielded positive results in terms of renewed commitment from MercyFirst to enhance their security capabilities,” said Lafazan. “Some of the improvements have included the hiring of a security guard, the building of a perimeter fence, and a newly established dialogue with law enforcement.”
Pop culture featured in library podcast PAGE 6 Jericho’s Homecoming features color run PAGE 10