_______ Malverne/West HeMpstead ______
September 15, 2022
Empowering a brighter future
HERALD Higher Education
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VOL. 29 NO. 38
Island Choice Awards • Long Nomination Guide
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Lindner Place to be renamed ‘Acorn Way’ owner in Malverne who was also a prominent leader in the Ku Klux Klan at the height of the The years-long controversy organization’s influence in the over the name of Malverne’s 1920s. Lindner Place is nearing an end, The push for a new street as the village board announced name elicited a range of strong on Sept. 7 that the reactions, both for s t re e t wo u l d b e and against the idea. renamed Acorn Way. One village resident The name began who spoke to the to attract attention Herald in 2020, but following the 2020 who declined to be police killing of identified, comGeorg e F loyd in plained of the costs Minneapolis. The the change might incident brought incur. “These folks renewed scrutiny to are naive enough to buildings, streets think the village will and monuments pay for this change,” whose names were the resident said. linked to racial dis“T hey obviously c r i m i n at i o n a n d have no idea of how white supremacy. a small village govThen village resi- KEITH CORBETT ernment works.” dent T.J. Magno cre- Mayor Jamie Bellamy, ated an online petiwho lives on Lindtion to rename Lindner place and took a ner Place, which has collected leading role in the renaming proover 5,700 signatures. Many stu- cess, said that she had received dents in the Malverne Union an anonymous letter asserting Free School District, and espe- that she was “foolish for inciting cially Malverne Senior High evil.” School, advocated for the renamOthers, however, offered ing. strong support for the name Lindner Place was named change. “There’s simply no room after Paul Lindner, a farmer, for racism, or glorifying racism, bank president and major landCONTINUED ON PAGE 19
By KYLE CHIN
kchin@liherald.com
W
Sue Grieco/Herald
MARIE GIALLOMBARDO HELD a picture of her daughter, Gina, who died of cancer at 22, as Carol Ruchalski spoke of her own daughter, Mary, who died of the same type of cancer at 12. The treelighting ceremony in Malverne was held in Mary’s honor.
Continuing gold tree tradition
Foundation brings attention to childhood cancer By KYLE CHIN kchin@liherald.com
For the third year in a row, the fountain outside Malverne’s LIRR station was the site of a ceremony calling attention to childhood cancer in memory of a Rockville Centre girl. Highlighting the now annual ceremony is a tree lit up in gold, and the village’s fountain also dyed gold, the color associated with pediatric cancer awareness. By presidential proclamation, September is pediatric cancer awareness month. The ceremony is held in memory of Mary Ruchalski, who died in March 2018, just two days shy of her 13th birthday. Mary was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of
cancer that originates in skeletal muscle tissue and is most common in children. Mary’s mother, Carol Ruchal-ski, said the idea of lighting up a tree was inspired by her daughter’s love of Christmas. Ruchalski, director of the Mary Ruchalski Foundation, which focuses on pediatric cancer, reflected on the feelings of lost possibilities September brings to parents like her. “September is always so full of possibilities, new beginnings and excitement for what lies ahead,” she said. “But for a bereaved parent like myself, it’s a stark reminder that our child is not (here) and there will be no new beginnings for them. “My Mary would be starting her senior year CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
e ended up really coming together to make a positive change, to say who we are today.