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HERALD Accolades for student artists
Baymen win court case
The Book Guru’s latest choice
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VOL. 126 NO. 19
MAY 3 - 9, 2024
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Is GOP clearing primary field for LiPetri? By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com
This is the fifth story in a series exploring the complexities of elections, to provide a better understanding of one of Americans’ most precious privileges, the right to vote.
Anna Georgoulas/Herald
Rocking the boat at Oakcliff Barri Savasta, left, Jenny Duclay and Dee Jae Diliberto were among the 250 sailors, boaters, rowers and paddlers who gathered on April 26 at Oakcliff Sailing, in Oyster Bay, for networking, hot dogs and beer at the second annual Water Lovers’ Mixer. Story, more photos, Page 3.
Jupiter Power details benefits of a battery storage unit By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com
The proposed Oyster Shore Energy Storage facility, a battery storage project by Jupiter Power, could replace the existing oil terminal at Glenwood Landing with a 275-megawatt battery energy storage system. While Jupiter Power has emphasized the project’s potential to improve local power grid reliability and reduce the risk of oil spills in the area, residents and community leaders have mixed opinions about the safety and environmental impact of the facility. The Oyster Shore Energy Storage project aims to connect with the Long Island Power Authority’s nearby substations along Shore Road, providing an opportunity to clean up exist-
ing contamination at the current oil terminal site. In a statement sent by Jupiter Power spokesperson Maggie McGlynn, the company emphasized the potential benefits of collaboration between the facility and the Town of Oyster Bay if residents and elected officials end up approving the project’s construction. “Jupiter Power is committed to a comprehensive local community engagement process for the Oyster Shore Battery Energy project, as with all of our projects, and looks forward to hosting an open house soon to answer any community concerns,” the statement read. “If approved, the project will represent a significant financial investment in the Town of Oyster Bay and aims to generate local tax revenue for the municipality CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Two Town of Hempstead employees, Nicholas King and Michael Desantis, have filed le g al challenges against four of the five c a n d i d at e s r u n ning in the Republican primary for N ew Yo rk ’s 3 rd Congressional District, to take on U. S . R e p. T o m Suozzi. Those challenges list Mike LiPetri, the fifth candidate, who has the endorsement of the Nassau County Republican Party, as the aggrieved party in each case. The legal disputes have raised concerns about the fairness and integrity of the electoral process, as voiced by some of the candidates being sued. King is a legislative aide to the Hempstead Town Board, and Desantis is a park crew
chief in the town’s Department of Parks and Recreation. Both positions are ungraded, meaning they do not fall under the same classification or job evaluation criteria as other public jobs, such as clerks or accountants. In Nassau County, political parties typically use ungraded positions as rewards for political support, since they aren’t subject to the same scrutiny during the hiring process. Neither King nor Desantis could be reached for comment, and it remains unclear to what extent they may have coordinated their efforts, or who encouraged them to file the four lawsuits. The Nassau County Republican Party did not respond to requests for comment. The four candidates being challenged are Bill Cotter, Gregory Hach, Michael Mandel and Jim Toes. Each candidate’s petition to run for the primary was challenged by King and Desantis for various technical reasons, including discrepanCONTINUED ON PAGE 5