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HERALD Great Homes August 12, 2021
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Vol. 24 No. 33
AUGUST 12 - 18, 2021
Cuomo resigns Governor’s exit leaves fate of public water entity uncertain Brooks called on Cuomo to resign the day the report came out, and had previously called on agarcia@liheral.com him to step aside while the invesOn Tuesday, Gov. Andrew tigation ran its course. “In my Cuomo announced his resigna- mind, the information that was tion, in the wake of New York presented proves that the goverA t t o r n e y G e n e r a l L e t i t i a nor is guilty of the charges that James’s release of a blockbuster were made,” Brooks added. report last week detailing allegaThe controversy surrounding tions of sexual misconduct by the governor has left in question the governor. County and state the fate of a bill that would officials had joined a establish a South chorus of voices N a s s a u Wa t e r across the country Authority — which calling for Cuomo’s would replace the resignation. services of New In a statement Yo r k A m e r i c a n released on Tuesday, Water, a private comState Assemblyman pany. In June, the bill David McDonough, a was passed unaniRe publican from ClAUDIA mously in the State North Merrick who BoRECKy Legislature after a represents the 14th study ordered by Co-director, Long District, said, “His Cuomo determined resignation marks Island Clean Air that the creation of a the end of a disturb- Water Soil public entity was feaing and dark time for sible. The measure New York. I want to now awaits the govagain commend the bravery and ernor’s signature. courage of the women who came Passage of the bill felt like a forward with their truths.” long-awaited finish line for Mer“I believe the report clearly rick-based Long Island Clean Air demonstrated that there were Water Soil Co-directors Claudia multiple cases of sexual harass- Borecky and Dave Denenberg. ment,” said Sen. John Brooks, a For years they have advocated Democrat from Seaford who rep- for the creation of a public water resents the 8th District, includ- entity in order to eliminate the ing Bellmore and Merrick. “It’s a high fees that NYAW customers clear violation of the various pay. laws and operational rules we Denenberg, an NYAW customhave in the state.” Continued on page 19
By ANDREW GARCIA, JIM BERNSTEIN and MIKE SMollINS
T
his couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Jordan Vallone/Herald
The show goes on County Executive Laura Curran, center, kicked off the Long Island International Film Expo on Tuesday with, from left, Jared Fishedick, Richard Kessel, Lukas Hassel, Debra Markowitz, Bellmore Movies owners Anne and Henry Stampfel and Harry Coghlan. Story, more photos, Page 15.
Pride For Youth Coffeehouse hosts prom for teens By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
On Aug. 6, blue, pink and silver balloons decorated the backyard of the Bellmore Presbyterian Church, where Pride for Youth, an organization that offers support and service to LGBTQ+ youth from across Nassau County, held its annual prom. Held virtually last year because of the coronavirus pan-
demic, the prom was in person and outdoors this year, with a “Euphoria” theme — a popular teen drama on HBO — in conjunction with the Coffeehouse program. Coffeehouse is PFY’s longestrunning program, established in the 1990s as a safe and substancefree environment for LGBTQ+ youth, according to Vanessa Visquerra, the organization’s services coordinator. “It was created as an environ-
ment for people to meet others and feel safe,” Visquerra said. At Coffeehouse, members of the LGBTQ community and allies gather on Friday nights and receive services and support from peers and adults. It is a youth-only program, open to those ages 13 to 20. Visquerra said that Coffeehouse meetings had recently resumed in an inperson, outdoor setting, usually Continued on page 4