_________ Oceanside/island park ________
CoMMUNIty UPDAtE Infections as of June 1
4,413
Infections as of May 24 4,397
$1.00
HERALD
Recognized for community service
IPFD headquarters under construction
Students of the Month honored
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Vol. 56 No. 23
JUNE 3 - 9, 2021
Eatery owners are hoping summer sizzles dearth of staffing because he has a background in food preparation, and his wife and chilWith the weather warming dren have helped him overcome and Covid-19 restrictions loos- the personnel shortage. ening, restaurant owners in When the pandemic took off Oceanside and Island Park said in March 2020, O’Hagan had to they are excited about the switch to pick-up only. As the return of outdoor economy slowly dining, but have reopened, he had trouble staffdecided to shift all ing their businessof his operations es. to the Island Park “No one wants restaurant, which to work,” said Tim included forwardO’Hagan, the ing calls from the owner of EGP Oceanside eatery. Oceanside and He eventually EGP Land & Sea in opened both resIsland Park. taurants a g ain, “They’re getting and said he was free money to stay hopeful that outat home and work tIM o’HAgAN door dining would no hours, so what’s Owner, EGP Oceanside help bring in more the benefit for anypatrons. He said body to come to and EGP Land & Sea t h at eve n w i t h work? Until that restrictions in changes, this industry is in big place and capacity limits, he trouble. It’s a nightmare.” had a better winter than he O’Hagan opened his Ocean- thought he would, and he was side business, on Long Beach eager to capitalize on the Road, in 2014, and then the m o m e n t u m t h i s s u m m e r. Island Park eatery, on Pettit O’Hagan added that he hoped Place, on Memorial Day 2019. for a business boost now that he He said the pandemic created can begin catering events again. many hardships for his busi“The pandemic was one of ness, but noted that it was a bit easier on him to pitch in amid a Continued on page 7
By MIkE SMollINS msmollins@liherald.com
I
Joe Abate/Herald
Remembering the fallen After the Island Park Memorial Day parade was rained out on Saturday, residents and elected officials gathered on Monday to host holiday ceremonies. Island Park firefighters took part in the event.
‘He demonstrated the best of humanity’ Oceanside park named in honor of late Luis Alvarez By toM CARRozzA tcarrozza@liherald.com
A large green sign at Terrell Avenue Park in Oceanside bears the name of the late former NYPD Bomb Squad Detective Luis Alvarez, ensuring that those who enter the grounds will not forget his contributions during and long after Sept. 11. On May 25, dozens of Alvarez’s friends and family members gathered at the park for a
ceremony at which it was renamed Detective Luis G. Alvarez Memorial Park in his honor. “For those of you who knew him, he would say, ‘Stop it. Remember my brothers and sisters that were there with me just as much as you remember me,’” Luis’s brother, Phil Alvarez, said during the ceremony, noting that the family hoped the spot would be a place where people could meditate and reflect. Alvare z is remembered
nationally for his pleas beside comedian Jon Stewart before a congressional committee in June 2019, urging its members to continue to finance the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. His and Stewart’s testimonies were instrumental in pressuring Congress to extend the fund indefinitely to continue to provide relief to families of those who died from 9/11-related illness after working at ground zero in Continued on page 3
t’s going to be a great summer for business owners, and I think it’s going to be well deserved.