________ Franklin square/elmont _______
HERALD Vol. 26 No. 17
5K raises money for nonprofit
Students build bonds at school
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APRIl 18 - 24, 2024
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G’s The Ave is closing Owner Gregg Cajuste is taking a break to focus on his health Lucky Bar 13, in Franklin Square; a construction business; and a limousine and car G’s The Avenue, a West service. To Cajuste, the most Hempstead restaurant, music important part of his work is venue and hub for community- leaving something better than centric organizations, is clos- he found it, while filling some ing after five years in business. kind of community need. G’s served as a Owner Gregg meeting place for Cajuste has decided community organit o fo c u s o n h i s z at i o n s l i ke t h e health after sufferBreakfast Club, the ing four heart Re publican Club attacks and three and the Knights of strokes and underColumbus. It was going spinal suralso where Cajuste gery as well. co-hosted a BreakB e fo re i t w a s fast Club podcast G’s, the property, w i t h Va l e n t i n a on Hempstead AveJanek, a published nue, was the Blue author, also of West Tequila Bar and GREGG CAjuStE Hempstead. The Grill. The building West Hempstead club and podcast had been closed for resident focuses on helping many years, people who are Cajuste said, but something compelled him to looking for new careers in middle age. turn it into something new. Cajuste has also used the “I tend to do that,” Cajuste, 57, said with a laugh. “Turn restaurant and music venue to bad places into good places. Try raise funds for philanthropies to help the community. If I take like the Battered Women’s Shelon something, I try to convert it ter, in the Bronx, Northwell Health’s pediatric trauma ceninto something better.” A f t e r s e r v i n g i n t h e ter, in Cohen Children’s MediMarines, Cajuste became an cal Center, and the Kiwanis entrepreneur. He created and Pediatric Lyme Disease Founsold restaurants including Continued on page 7
By NIColE FoRMISANo
nformisano@liherald.com
I
Courtesy Dana Dito
Second graders emma Batthany, alyssa dito and Scarlett Freedman all greeted polk Street principal gabriel torossian with big smiles on april 12 when he returned following a two month leave of absence from the Franklin Square school.
Polk Street School Principal Gabriel Torossian returns By NIColE WAGNER nwagner@liherald.com
Principal Gabriel Torossian returned April 12 to Polk Street School after a two month absence to students greeting him with ecstatic grins and while others became emotional. Torossian’s leave of absence from Feb. 5 through April 12 was felt throughout the Franklin Square community as parents and long-time residents alike called for his return to the building. Parents were left in the dark about his absence for most of the
month of February when district Superintendent Jared Bloom sent out an email explaining that Torossian was on a leave of absence “due to unforeseen circumstances.” During Torossian’s absence, Washington Street School Assistant Principal Dominic Gobbo stepped in as interim principal on March 5. According to an email Bloom sent to parents on April 12 which informed the district at large of Torossian’s retur n, Gobbo returned to Washington Street School on April 15. “We thank Mr. Gobbo, Mr. Trotta and Ms. Continued on page 5
just love the world, and I’ve got to give the world the benefit of the doubt.