__________________ SEAFORD _________________
your HEALTH body / mind / fitness
November 23, 2021
With a focus on
Diab etes and Weig ht Mana geme nt
HERALD Your Health Inside
$1.00
Vol. 69 No. 52
Town opts out on marijuana
Spreading holiday cheer
Page 4
Page 12
DECEMBER 23 - 29, 2021
Seaford man pleads not guilty to sex crimes By kaTE NalEPINSkI and MalloRY WIlSoN knalepinski@liherald.com
Mallory Wilson/Herald
PaTRICk CaREY, 20, of Seaford, left the Nassau County Courthouse in Mineola on Dec. 16 after pleading not guilty to multiple charges.
A Seaford man accused of sharing sexually explicit images and videos of more than a dozen underaged MacArthur High School alumnae with a pornographic website pleaded not guilty to the charges on Dec. 16. Patrick Carey, 20, was arraigned at the Nassau County Courthouse in Mineola before Judge Robert Bogle on an indictment that charged Carey with, among felonies and misdemeanors, the promotion of a sexual performance by a child. The
arraignment was followed by a news conference led by Assistant District Attorney Melissa Scannell. More than 10 women contacted the Nassau County Police Department from January to September after they discovered images of themselves on the website, according to the indictment. Carey allegedly pulled images of as many as 50 women from their social media accounts and edited the photos to depict them performing sexual acts. The photos were taken when the women were in high school and middle school, the Continued on page 4
Mask mandate complaints abound for local businesses By IRYNa SHkuRHaN newsroom@liherald.com
Some Wantagh-Seaford business owners say they believe the indoor mask mandate issued by Gov. Kathy Hochul earlier this month is difficult to implement, and could steer patrons away from stores and restaurants. Hochul’s mandate, which went into effect statewide Dec. 13, encompasses all indoor public spaces, including restaurants, offices, shopping centers, grocery stores, houses of worship and recreational spaces. Businesses and venues have the option of requiring proof of full vaccinated status instead of
masks, but are not allowed to mandate both, according to a New York state press release. The mandate applies to employees and customers alike. Those who implement the mask requirement are responsible for ensuring that all patrons older than 2 wear masks at all times, except when eating or drinking. For those who prefer a proof-of-vaccination requirement, anyone age 12 or older must be fully vaccinated, while children ages 2 to 5, who remain ineligible for vaccinations, must wear masks. “The businesses have gone through enough,” said Nick Bilotta, Seaford Chamber of
Commerce president. “I don’t think businesses should be responsible for policing people.” Individuals should decide if they want to wear a mask, he said. Mike Glavatovic, owner of Gusto Divino Trattoria, on Sunrise Highway in Seaford, agreed, saying that the new mandate was hurting his business by keeping customers away. “Some customers see the sign and don’t want to come in and put on a mask,” Glavatovic said. While others don’t mind the mandate, he said has noticed that some people become visibly upset when they are asked to wear masks. He added that he didn’t believe the mandate was neces-
sary. Violating the mandate or related guidance can result in a maximum fine of $1,000 per violation, state Health Commissioner Mary Bassett said in a press release. That’s part of the reason Gusto Divino is following the new regulations, Glavatovic said. On Dec 10, Hochul announced that the purpose of the new man-
date was to protect the health of New Yorkers given the rise in the number of cases of Covid-19, reduced hospital capacity and low vaccination rates in some counties around the state. “We shouldn’t have reached the point where we are confronted with a winter surge, especially with the vaccine at our disposal,” Hochul Continued on page 5