________ Franklin square/elmont _______
HERALD $1.00
Vets monument groundbreaking
carey faces off against NHP
Nominate your Person of the Year
Page 4
Page 10
Page 23
Vol. 23 No. 43
october 21 - 27, 2021
Call for better redistricting Residents hope process takes community character into account by Gregory Meeks, a Democrat. During the last redistricting process in 2011-12, the 5th district With redistricting on the hori- was redrawn. Under the new zon after the release of 2020 cen- map, Elmont residents are represus data, local leaders shared sented by Meeks, a household two of their concerns: represen- name in Queens, but someone tation and resources. less well known in the Nassau Redistricting, County commuthe redrawing of nities that he federal, state and represents. local electoral A number of districts that Elmont voters encompass multisaid they would ple communities prefer to be repand voters, is conresented in Conducted every 10 gress by someyears. As outone based in lined by the U.S. Nassau, and Constitution, a since Meeks’s nationwide cenoffice is located sus is conducted in Queens, many once each decade, Elmont resiand redistricting dents believe the MicHaelle solages congressman is is based on cenState assemblywoman sus data. unfamiliar with “People feel suburban needs disenfranchised of Long Islandby congressional lines,” said ers, Solages said. State Assemblywoman This is not just a concern at Michaelle Solages, a Democrat the national level, but on the from Elmont, explaining one state and local levels as well, said major issue that Elmont resi- Mimi Pierre-Johnson, leader of dents have with redistricting: the Elmont Cultural Center and feeling represented in Congress. longtime community activist. Part of the 5th Congressional “We will be, if the map stays District, Elmont is represented in the House of Representatives Continued on page 13
bY robert traVerso rtraverso@liherald.com
W
Brian Ballweg/Herald
the royal couple arrive H. Frank Carey’s Homecoming king and queen, Paul Cirone and Gabby McCartney, paraded around the track before the football game against NHP. More photos in next week’s edition.
Vaxmobile visits senior center Hempstead campaign focuses on booster shots by robert traVerso rtraverso@liherald.com
Over a dozen Elmont Senior Center residents received coronavirus vaccinations from the “Vaxmobile,” a mobile vaccination van launched by the Town of Hempstead earlier this year and staffed with a clinical unit from Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside. The Vaxmobile, which stops in communities across the Town
of Hempstead five days a week, has visited Elmont Senior Center many times, but this visit was part of a new focus. “Our focus is to concentrate on the booster shots and specifically for our elder population,” said Amber Vitale, a family nurse practitioner and director of Covid-19 community services at MSSN, referring to a third Covid-19 vaccination that has been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration
for Americans over 65. Vitale stressed that vaccinating older adults across Nassau County is challenging because of the transportation barriers and mobility issues that keep seniors from receiving shots. “Being able to make vaccines so accessible for people is a huge thing that we’re doing,” Vitale said, adding that the Vaxmobile has helped the hospital to reach Continued on page 11
e should have nice, clean districts that people don’t need a ruler or rubric for to see how the lines have been drawn.