_________________ WANTAGH ________________
Infections as of Jan. 4
1,840
Infections as of Dec. 31 1,504
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Vol. 69 no. 2
New year, same health crisis Wantagh, Seaford ring in new year amid persistent pandemic desire to gather with family members and friends. While Re a c t i n g t o t h e s t e a dy Laurain also emphasized the increase in cases of Covid-19 in importance of continued social the area since Thanksgiving, distancing and mask wearing State Sen. John Brooks is urg- to inhibit the transmission of the virus, she ing constituents of acknowledged that the 8th District, humans are “social which encompasses creatures,” and sugWantagh and Seag ested that they ford, to continue to exhibit their congefollow the coronaviniality in other rus guidelines ways. t h e y ’ve c o m e t o “We tell people to know by heart. ch e ck o n yo u r Despite the neighbors by [givpromising distribuing] them a call and tion of vaccines, [seeing] if they B r o o k s a s s e r t e d mary EllEn need anything,” that people “can’t Laurain said. “It is kid [themselves] lauraIn hard, especially and think we beat Spokeswoman, when it gets cold [the virus] until we Nassau County outside, [but hopereally have beaten fully] they can see it.” In order to do Department of that there is light at that, he added, “The Health the end of the tunmask has got to be a nel.” part of your reguThere were 541 more cases lar attire each day.” M a r y E l l e n L a u r a i n , a of Covid-19 in Wantagh and spokeswoman for the Nassau Seaford on Monday than there County Department of Health, were on Dec. 28. Moreover, Nasechoed Brooks’s sentiments, sau County’s positivity rate for and attributed the ever-rising Covid-19 had increased to just case count to people moving over 8 percent since Christmas, indoors in colder weather and and as of press time there were being unable to resist their Continued on page 16
by DErEK FuTTErman
T
his a serious disease. People are losing their lives.
Courtesy Nick Bilotta
SEaForD ChambEr oF Commerce President Nick Bilotta, center, along with, from left, Town Councilman Christopher Carini,Rev. Joseph Fitzgerald, Ken Jacobsen and Legislator Steve Rhoads.
Local chambers recap 2020
Organization presidents look toward recovery by J.D. FrEDa jfreda@liherald.com
Last January, Wantagh and Seaford residents lined Merrick Road to shop in both hamlets’ downtowns. Restaurants and bars along Sunrise Highway served patrons daily. That was normal. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, foot traffic in the commercial areas became scarce. Residents and small business owners became accustomed to a new normal.
“When this first happened, no one really knew what the length of time would be that it would last,” said Wantagh Chamber of Commerce President Cathy McGrory Powell. “I don’t know if everyone reacted to it fast enough.” Some of the businesses most immediately affected were restaurants, which created a large problem. “We’re comprised of mainly service businesses,” McGrory Powell said of Wantagh’s commercial makeup. “We don’t have a
lot of retail.” “All of our businesses have had to become quite creative, offering clientele different services,” she added. “Some of our retail businesses began making custom masks to supp l e m e n t t h e i r i n c o m e. They’ve done a lot of things to kee p their employees employed.” Seaford Chamber of Commerce President Nick Bilotta had similar things to say Continued on page 15