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Assessing the candidates State Senate hopefuls field questions from potential constituents term, has fought for and passed legislation on police reform, housing, health care, education The November election will and mental health, and is a longfeature a highly contested race time community advocate. On April 11, residents of 6th for State Senate in New York’s 6th District, which encompasses District communities submitted Freeport, Hempstead, Lakeview, questions to the candidates at “A Conversation with New Cassel, Roosthe Candidates” at evelt and Westbury. Nassau Community The three candiCollege, presented dates, all women of by The Cor ridor color, are running Counts, a coalition on similar platof advocates who forms. f i g h t fo r p o l i cy Carmen Pineyro, change. The topics the first and youngranged from the est-ever Afro-Latina shortage of affordelected to the Freeable housing on port Board of EduLong Island to policcation and the viling, reproductive lage board of trustrights, fully funding ees, has served the Medicaid, inflation, community for the DARINel child care, educapast 20 years in VelASQUeS tion, and communipositions including Westbury resident ty division. deputy mayor and The event was school board president, and has a reputation for hosted by former Gov. David Paterson and the Rev. Donnie fighting for educational equity. Taylor Darling, a three-term McClurkin, of Perfecting Faith assemblywoman whose district Church in Freeport, and moderincludes Freeport and Roosevelt, ated by Rahsmia Zatar, executive has helped pass legislation director of Strong Youth, a focusing on police reform, hous- Uniondale based gang-intervention program. Questions were ing, health care and education. Nassau County Legislator presented by Paterson; Mufti Siela Bynoe, now in her fifth Continued on page 7
By BRANDoN CRUZ
bcruz@liherald.com
Courtesy Christopher McBride
Clean up this Saturday at Brookside Preserve Because of trash damming up Milburn Creek the overflow of water is having a detrimental impact on large parts of the land that comprises the preserve. On Saturday at 10 a.m. is the scheduled Community Clean-up Day at Brookside Preserve. Story, more photos, Page 16.
Long Island Cares’ volunteer shines a light on community By MoHAMMAD RAFIQ mrafiq@liherald.com
April is National Volunteer Month in the U.S., and Stephen McDougal represents a shining example of what that is all about as a dedicated volunteer for the Long Island Cares’ food pantry in Freeport. McDougal, 76, a Levittown resident, has been volunteering at the food pantry, the Nassau Center for Collaborative Assistance, at 21 E. Sunrise Highway, since 2013, after a 32-year career as a laborer with the Town of Hempstead. President Richard Nixon first created National Volunteer Week in 1974, and in 1990, President
George H.W. Bush expanded the designation to a month. McDougal has been described as a community paragon responsible for shining a light in the world by showing up in service repeatedly for the good of the Freeport community. For years, McDougal has worked Friday afternoons at the pantry, from noon to 3PM and is known for his caring demeanor and welcoming smile. “Steve is one of those volunteers that clients always want to be helped by,” Reyna Felix, program associate at Long Island Cares, said. “He always liked to greet the clients, asking Continued on page 5
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t’s a real obstacle — there’s no real specific issue that separates one from the rest.