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HERALD VE SECTION 2024 SPECIAL COMMEMORATI
The circus comes to school
Students excel at L.I. science fair
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VoL. 26 No. 10
FEBRUARY 28, 2024
FEBRUARY 29 - MARCH 6, 2024
$1.00
Elmont library board reinstates early voting improve voting efficiently and prevent long lines and delays in voting.” “We know there was a lot of Community members celebrated the Elmont Memorial emotion in the room last Library board’s unanimous month,” Dwayne Palmer, of vote to reinstate early voting at Elmont, said, “so we thank you the facility at a board meeting for your consideration of r e s c i n d i n g yo u r on Feb. 22. early decision.” In January, resiLynette Battle, dents were outraged president of the at the board’s deciElmont Memorial sion to discontinue High School Parent hosting early voting Te a ch e r- S t u d e n t at the library, based Association, on alleged “safety thanked the board concerns” that arose for listening to comduring electioneermunity members ing in the run-up to a f t e r t h e h e at e d last fall’s election, board meeting on when early voting Jan. 25. took place between “The community Oct. 28 and Nov. 5. is going to hold up Last week, commutheir end of the barnity members gain and be trained cheered the board as LYNETTE BATTLE as poll workers, and it announced its President, Elmont we’ll stand in the decision to bring Memorial High gap,” Battle said last early voting back. we e k . “ S o t h at ’s Board Vice Presi- School PTSA partnership, that’s dent Natasha Warcollaboration, and burton-Welch told the audience of around 20 peo- thank you for hearing us.” Palmer credited the board’s ple that trustees had met with leadership for reaching out to the Nassau County Board of E l e c t i o n s t o d i s c u s s t h e the Board of Elections after the library’s concerns about early January meeting. He said he voting. The Board of Elections, believed early voting is a Warburton-Welch said, agreed “vital” resource for the commuto “increase staffing outside the nity. “We know that this year is polling place to direct voters to the appropriate entrances to going to be a contentious vote,” e n s u r e t h e s a f e t y o f t h e Palmer said. “We already know patrons, staff and voters, and to that there’s going to be probendeavor to increase staffing lems — there are already probwithin the polling site to
By NICoLE WAGNER
nwagner@liherald.com
T
Courtesy MaryAnne Grey
Lifelong Franklin Square resident MaryAnne Grey, an executive director of the Franklin Square Civic Association, sponsored a banner for her father James Muscarello to honor his World War II military service. Grey brought her father to see his banner with family members on his 98th birthday, June 5, 2019.
Hometown Hero applications open By NICoLE WAGNER nwagner@liherald.com
Franklin Square residents can honor their local heroes during this year’s Franklin Square Civic Association Hometown Hero Banner Program. Banners can honor a local hero who has either served in the military, as a first responder or healthcare worker through the program. The project started in 2019 when the civic association’s board looked into the program after seeing it presented in communities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. FSCA Hometown Hero Program Coordinator Adrienne McKenna said since its implementation, the program has taken off with 80 military service members and 17 first responders honored.
“We’ve really received wonderful feedback on it,” McKenna said of the community’s reception for the project. “They’re very proud that we’re doing it.” In 2021, the civic association expanded the program to include first responders and healthcare workers following the Covid-19 pandemic. “People were really appreciative of all of their efforts,” McKenna said. The first responders and healthcare worker banners are hung on lamp posts at Rath Park between Fenworth Boulevard and Naple Avenue, though some veterans’ banners are hung at Rath Park per request. Military service members’ banners are hung on lamp posts near Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2718, on Lincoln Road, between HempContInued on pAGe 9
he community is going to hold up their end of the bargain and be trained as poll workers, and we’ll stand in the gap.
ContInued on pAGe 5