Friday, April 7, 2017
Vol. 77, No. 14
$1
Public meeting in Bethpage focuses on containing plume
TOBAY POLAR PLUNGE
BY GARY SIMEONE
On Saturday, March 18th, Nassau County Legislator Rose Walker attended the TOBAY Beach Polar Plunge. Money raised by participants and from sponsors like Legislator Walker will benefit the Special Olympics. Pictured (L to R): Chick-Fil-A Mascot, Nassau County Legislator Rose Marie Walker, Jack Elko, Emma Elko, Erin Elko - Owner, Chick-Fil-A, Hicksville, Sean Elko - Owner, Chick-Fil-A, Hicksville
“Shark Tank” success story in Bethpage Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano has announced that Vengo, a “Shark Tank” success story, has found a home in Bethpage with the help of the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency (IDA). Vengo is a software and media company that uses its proprietary high-tech vending machines to market physical products. The company had been operating in Queens, and has now relocated its headquarters to the Bethpage Business Park. “I’m excited that Vengo has decided to locate in our county and is already growing
rapidly,” said County Executive Mangano. “Businesses such as Vengo are important to our economy and Vengo’s move is an example of the success that my economic development team has had in attracting new employers and thousands of new jobs to Nassau County.” Vengo was created in 2012 out of a garage in Bethpage, where co-founder and chief designer Steven Bofill grew up. Bofill’s partners are Co-Founder and CEO Brian Shimmerlik and chief engineer Brian Bofill, Steven’s father and a former Northrop
Grumman systems engineer who actually worked on the same grounds in a past role as an aerospace engineer. The company moved from Queens into the 4,000-squarefoot space in Bethpage late December and is already is expanding into an additional 2,000 square feet of adjacent space. “It is amazing to come back home with a growing company and set up our headquarters around the corner from where we got started,” said Steven Bofill. See page 10
Another in a series of public meetings regarding the Grumman/ Navy toxic underground plume was held at Bethpage Middle School last Thursday night. Over 100 concerned residents showed up to voice their concerns about the threat of the plume stemming from the Northrop Grumman site in Bethpage. Oyster Bay Town Supervisor, Joseph Saladino spoke at the meeting as well as County Legislator’s Rose Walker and Laura Schaefer. Town Supervisor, Saladino said that the Grumman/Navy underground plume is one of the largest plumes of its kind but that the good news is that it is deep below the earth and not at the surface. “There is obviously a lot of fear and concern from people bout this and that is why it’s so important to hold these type of symposiums and outreach programs,” said Saladino. He said that in fourteen years being part of the New York State See page 10
Hicksville organization in need of new home The Dogability Center provides a vital service to many members of the community who are dealing with special needs care. The canines who are at the Center are friends to thousands of people and now the organization must move to a new location after being outbid by another tenant. “We are frantically looking around Long Island and other places to move,” said Vicki Rogers, Program Director at the Dogability Center. She said that on Thursday, April 13th, the Center will be ceasing all of its programs at the location after another tenant came forward offering more rent money for the space. “We’ve been here for three years and four months and we loved the fact that Hicksville is centrally located making it easy for people at other agencies and with special needs to get here,” said Rogers. “We are looking for another centrally located area.” She said that what makes the Dogability Center unique is that it helps people with special needs work on their motor skills and coordination. “Many of the people who come here share a special bond with these dogs and the animals in kind help them with their fine motor skills and coordination. They help them mentally, physically and emotionally.” The therapy dogs which visit the Center an hour at a time are trained See page 10
Salk Middle School hosts Pi Celebration PAGE 22 Taking the challenge at Division Ave. HS PAGE 20