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Longtime legislator becomes presiding officer Lawrence’s Howard Kopel takes charge in Mineola With Kopel’s ascension to leader of the Legislature, the power of county government is now centered in the Five Towns area. Blakeman lives Republican Nassau County Legislator Howard in nearby Atlantic Beach. The owner of a national title insurance and Kopel is the Legislature’s new presiding officer, replacing Richard Nicolello, who has retired settlement business in Valley Stream, Kopel began his political career in 2010. after 28 years. In November he was re-elected to Kopel, 72, of Lawrence, was his eighth term representing the sworn in on Jan. 5 along with the 7th Legislative District, which rest of the 19-member Legislature, includes the Five Towns and a in which Republicans hold a 12-7 handful of surrounding commumajority. U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, nities. County Executive Bruce BlakeThe deputy presiding officer man and Town of Hempstead offiwill be Republican Tom McKevitt, cials also attended the ceremony. who represents the 13th District. “I know that he will do an out- BRucE BLAkEMAN Kopel requested to be sworn in standing job,” Blakeman told the County executive by Nicolello. crowd in the Peter J. Schmitt Leg“Howard Kopel, my friend, islative Chamber, referring to Kopel. “He is brings a tremendous amount of business acuthoughtful, he is bright, and he really cares men, thinks outside the box, reaches consensus, about the people in the county, understands the is innovative, is going to be a terrific presiding legislative process and how it works.” ConTInueD on PAGe 12
By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ
hgaldamez@liherald.com
I
Courtesy Five Towns Chabad
Thanking Israel’s soldiers At the Chabad of the Five Towns last Sunday, Helene Goldberg wrote a letter to a member of the Israel Defense Forces. Story, more photos, Page 10.
know that he will do an outstanding job. He is thoughtful. He is bright.
Commuters ask for an ‘E-Z’ way at A.B. Bridge Questions, confusion on discount application process for Barrier Island residents By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com
The launch of E-ZPass on the Atlantic Beach Bridge last month has brought change to the seven-decade-old structure that connects Atlantic Beach with Lawrence, and has also confused many residents and commuters. Atlantic Beach, Long Beach, Lido Beach and Point Lookout residents who have E-ZPass accounts are currently the only drivers who are offered a discount on the bridge’s $3 toll: They pay $2.50, or $162.50 for an annual pass. But some say they are receiving rejections notice
when they apply for the discount, leaving them no choice but to pay the regular toll. Richard Brodsky, of Atlantic Beach, said that in order to receive the discount, he had to cancel his old E-ZPass account and apply for a new one. In the meantime, Brodsky said, he is spending roughly $100 a week in cash to cross the bridge. “The whole thing is just confusing,” he said. “There’s a lack of coordination, and most people are old in the area. We just don’t understand it.” Brodsky added that when he stopped at the Nassau County Bridge Authority headquarters, on the Lawrence side of the
bridge, hoping to get some guidance, many other confused drivers were lined up there as well. Carolynn Matulewicz, who’s also from Atlantic Beach, has heard that other residents have had problems signing up for the bridge discount, but she said she had no difficulty, and was pleased by how smooth the process was. “It was no problem,” Matulewicz said. “We usually purchased two decals, one for each of our cars, and we signed up for two E-ZPasses, and it hasn’t been a problem.” Pass cards and decals for bridge users were discontinued
at the end of 2023. Matulewicz, the director of the Peninsula Public Library, said that when she applied, she submitted not only her name, address and vehicle registration information but also the county in which her vehicles are insured. She received notification of her approval for the discount weeks later. The bridge authority’s exec-
utive director, Raymond Webb, verified this method of signing up. “The vehicle registration that is issued by the State Department of Motor Vehicles is the requirement,” Webb wrote in an email. “A sample photo of the registration document is posted on our website. ConTInueD on PAGe 12