Serving Great Neck, G.N. Plaza, G.N. Estates, Kensington, Kings Point, Lake Success, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock and Thomaston
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Friday, June 18, 2021
Vol. 96, No. 25
GUIDE TO SUMMER
MORT ZIMMERMAN COUNTY, POLICE AGREE DIES AT 98 ON CONTRACT, CAMERAS
PAGE 21-28
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Kirsch defeats Birnbaum for VGN justice
CON-GRADS!
Local attorney, challenger wins election by nearly 600 votes BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z Local attorney David Kirsch handily defeated incumbent Mark Birnbaum by nearly 600 votes in the Village of Great Neck’s village justice election on Tuesday. Kirsch received 779 votes to Birnbaum’s 195 votes, Village Clerk-Treasurer Abraham Cohan announced Tuesday night. Of the 779 votes Kirsch received, 557 were inperson ballots and the remaining 222 votes were from absentee ballots, Cohan said. Birnbaum received 174 votes from in-person ballots cast and 21 from absentee ballots. The election ended an eightyear tenure on the bench for Birnbaum, who spent a decade on the village Board of Trustees before winning his first term as village justice. The justice oversees cases such as moving, parking and traffic violations along with violations of the village code. “It’s apparent that the residents who voted wanted change,” Birnbaum said in a statement to Blank Slate Media. “I am proud and grate-
ful to have served the residents of the village for the past 30 years, the last 19 as an elected official. I hope that my successor instills confidence in the entire community of an independent, fair village court.” Kirsch, who will serve a fouryear term as village justice, attended Hofstra University for his undergraduate education before going to Touro College in 2003. He received his Juris Doctor degree in criminal law there three years later. Prior to working at the Barton Law Group in Huntington Station, Kirsch served eight years as an associate attorney for Manhattan-based Koehler and Isaacs LLP. He represented clients in criminal, labor and disciplinary cases. Kirsch said his first job out of school as an attorney was working at the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, where he served as an assistant to former DA Robert Johnson. Kirsch handled crimes ranging from narcotics to violent felonies. Kirsch said he has served as the vice president of security for Young Continued on Page 44
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREAT NECK SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Great Neck Adult Learning Center held its graduation ceremony outdoors last week.
Wednesday promenades return to Great Neck Plaza BY R OB E RT PELAEZ
awaiting families throughout the area every Wednesday evening. The promenades, a longSummer promenades have once again returned to Great standing tradition throughout Neck Plaza, with outdoor din- the Plaza, is hosted in conjuncing and live entertainment tion with the Village of Great
Neck Plaza and the Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District. The weekly events are held each Wednesday from roughly 6:30-10:30 p.m., with the locations varying to highContinued on Page 34
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