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HERALD Students meet U.S. paralympian
Page 2 Vol. 35 No. 2
JANUARY 4 - 10, 2024
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Cannabis shops face zoning restrictions legal green light to operate — namely, medical cannabis dispensaries — are facing a slew While the recreational use of dif ficulties themselves of marijuana has been legal in beyond the normal funding to New York state since 2021, get off the ground. In particuefforts to expand the nascent lar, many looking to bring their industry have been fraught businesses to Long Island are navigating an unwelcoming with setbacks and delays. business landscape rife with Recreational zoning roadblocks cannabis entrepreand red tape aimed neurs have grumat curbing their bled over spurned spread. And Valley hopes of launching Stream is no exceptheir dispensaries tion. on Long Island Recent re gulaafter a majority of tions passed by the municipalities village trustees are voted to prevent intended to limit r e t a i l c a n n a b i s JeSSIcA NASSAINt the location and stores from selling entrepreneur number of medical within their juriscannabis dispensadictions — Valley ries. They are conStream included. It’s a decision that has frus- fined to C-3 zoning districts, trated and disappointed canna- areas dedicated to business bis entrepreneurs like Jessica office space and retail use. No more than two medical Nassaint, who formerly owned a cannabinoid dispensary, cannabis dispensaries can Wake and Bake Café, on Rocka- operate in the village at any one time, and they cannot be way Avenue. “I feel like the community is located within 1,000 feet of a not accepting of change,” Nas- school, day-care center, park or saint told the Herald in 2022, place of worship, or within 500 ultimately deciding to take her feet of a residential neighborhood. business elsewhere. These restrictions may sit But some of the remaining cannabis businesses with the Continued on page 11
By JUAN lASSo
jlasso@liherald.com
Donovan Berthoud/Herald
patrick Burke, left, with groot at the eagle Court of Honors ceremony. Burke has been the guiding force behind Valley Stream troop 116 as its committee chair and Scout leader.
Meet the motivator and mentor in V.S. Troop 116 By JUAN lASSo jlasso@liherald.com
Valley Stream Troop 116 has produced dozens of Boy Scouts who have earned the elite rank of Eagle Scout over the years. They have stepped on the recognition stage during the traditional Eagle Court of Honors ceremony in Valley Stream. And during the portion of the ceremony in which mentorship pins are presented to those who’ve helped steer and assist these Scouts, dozens have pinned their gratitude on Patrick Burke. “I wear them all on my uniform,” Burke said. “The 40-some-odd pins all have the name initials of the scout on the back. If they thought enough of me to give it to me,
I’m certainly going to honor them by wearing it. And I’m certainly not done encouraging and guiding these scouts by any means.” Burke, 52, committee chair for Troop 116 since 2013, has been an instrumental anchor and role model for the Boy Scouts for decades. He is known well in Troop 116 as a mentor who handles the young scouts with both the commanding respect of a drill sergeant and the trusted confidence of a friend. “His Marine Corps background has some part to play in this,” said adult Scout leader Haiden Scanlan, who earned his Eagle rank under Burke’s mentorship. “There’s enough respect between Mr. Burke and the kids that when he raises his voice, everybody stops moving,” Scanlan Continued on page 7
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feel like the community is not accepting of change.