__________________ Merrick _________________
Fresh produce, all summer long
Hambones duo play great tunes
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Vol. 26 No. 30
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HERALD $1.00
JUlY 20 - 26, 2023
SNWA holds public meeting Agency outlines Liberty takeover process as South Shore residents express frustrations Liberty’s assets. That May, the authority completed the first step in a four-step process for the The atmosphere was tense in takeover outlined by the state the meeting room of the Lyn- Public Service Commission, brook Public Library on July 11 sending an introductory letter to as dozens of South Shore resi- Liberty Water to make it aware dents gathered for a public meet- of the authority’s intent to ing of the South Nassau Water acquire those assets. Over the folAuthority — the first since its lowing weeks, Liberty provided creation in November 2021. enough infor mation to the “I don’t anticipate authority to begin a very congenial the valuation promeeting tonight,” cess. Seth Koslow, who is Last week’s meetrunning for county ing continued with legislator, said. “I Bill DeWitt, an attorthink people are ney representing the going to be upset and w at e r a u t h o r i t y, loud.” passing several resoKoslow was right. lutions, including The meeting began the appointment of with John Rein - JoHN REINHARdT Robert York as the hardt, the authori- Temporary president, authority’s chairty’s temporary presi- South Nassau Water man and Michelle dent, offering an Authority Bocci as its treasurove r v i ew o f t h e er. Nearly in unison, timeline for its many attendees acquisition of Liberty Water, asked with frustration why York which provides water to most of was not at the meeting. When Nassau County and is proposing Reinhardt explained that York a rate hike of up to 42 percent in was on vacation, there were some areas. expressions of outrage, and the In March 2022, Town of next several minutes were full of Hempstead Supervisor Don heated cross-talk, which set the Clavin promised the authority tone for the rest of the evening. $500,000 in funding so it could The board continued the move forward with acquiring COnTInued On pAge 19
By NIColE FoRMISANo
nformisano@liherald.com
T
Jessica Ren/Herald
Wild Ones’ Long Island Chapter hosted its first ‘Walkie Talkie’ event in Freeport last month, so its members and the community could learn about their trees. Arborist Olivia Calandra, left, discussed the unique characteristics of a maple leaf.
Keeping nature, and trees, in mind Wild Ones holds its first ‘Walkie Talkie’ event By JESSICA REN Intern
The Long Island chapter of Wild Ones held its first “Walkie Talkie” event last month, in collaboration with the Stearns Park Civic Association of Freeport. While out on a walk with arborists in the Stearns Park neighborhood, 25 participants learned about tree identification and tree care. Last September, Wild Ones, a nonprofit organization with a mission to promote environmentally sound landscaping practices and preserve biodiversity, held its first meeting at the Merrick Golf Course. Noting an increase in the number of trees being cut down, the group is hopeful that it can work with munici-
palities like the Town of Hempstead to create strict tree-removal guidelines. “We’ve had a rash of tree cutting,” Frederick Nass, the chapter’s president, said at the mid-June group walk. “We understand people want to have a swimming pool, but if you’re cutting a tree down, you need to replace it. It’s not just what you’re doing to your own property; it affects people around you and affects the community, so that’s what we’re trying to encourage people to understand. “It’s something we all have to focus on for our neighbors and the health of the community,” Nass added. The group’s ultimate goal is to collaborate with the town to revise its tree-removal guideCOnTInued On pAge 2
his is a half-abillion-dollar house that we’re buying.