_________________ Glen COVe ________________
HERALD Stylish journey to Dubai
Santos comes clean, sort of
Author comes to Connolly
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VOL. 32 NO. 9
FEBRUARY 23 - MARCH 1, 2023
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Vacant stores may soon have to register welfare of the city’s residents by “encouraging the rehabilitation and re-occupancy of vacant In the first two years of the storefronts in the commercial coronavirus pandemic, much of district.” the state was put on hold. People Henderson added that vacant were asked to avoid crowds and storefronts affect the desirabililimit their travel, ty of the immediand governments ate and neighbori s s u e d s t ay - a t ing areas. home orders. The According to a streets of Glen statement from the Cove were eerily city, one empty quiet throughout storefront on a much of the lockblock can lead to d o w n , l e av i n g more vacancies many of the city’s and diminished businesses hangvalue and appeal ing by a thread. of the surroundSince then, the ing commercial state saw an ecoarea. Small busin o m i c re b o u n d nesses rely on the and new businessvibrant commeres have started. cial cor ridor to To keep current attract customers. bu s i n e s s e s a n d Henderson said draw new busiit’s in the best PAUL CANARICK nesses to the city, a interest of the city hearing was held commercial property to encourage ownat City Hall to dis- owner ers of vacant store cuss implementing front properties to a vacant storefront lease or otherwise registry on the city’s website. A utilize such properties in a “prosecond hearing will take place ductive manner,” rather than at the next City Council meeting allowing them to remain vacant. Feb. 28. City officials hope a registry City attorney Tip Henderson specifically geared toward namsaid the storefront registry is to ing all vacant storefronts will promote the health, safety, and CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com
I
Tab Hauser/ Herald
GLEN COVE DEPUTY Chief Chris Ortiz, left, and CTI Cantor Gustavo Guitlin showed their support for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the January 2020 parade in Glen Cove that honored the late civil rights leader.
Chris Ortiz is Glen Cove’s first Hispanic police chief Wants to connect department with community By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com
If you’ve been to the city’s National Night Out, or if you’re part of La Fuerza Unida, which connects Spanish speakers to the community, you’ve probably seen Deputy Police Chief Chris Ortiz. The 49-year-old is the first Hispanic Glen Cove police chief, and has made it his personal mission to better connect the Police Department with the community. Although Ortiz was born and raised in the
city, the first steps of his career path didn’t point toward criminal justice. After he graduated from Glen Cove High School, he attended John Jay College, and like many freshmen, he was uncertain about his future. Luckily for Glen Cove, Ortiz had a friend who was majoring in criminal justice. The friend spoke enthusiastically about the virtues of policing, and inspired Ortiz to want make a difference in people’s lives. Chris’s father, Jose Ortiz, didn’t take the CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
find it basically appalling that you need to pass something like this when we already have a (Business Improvement District).