Willistontimes 2 24 2017

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Serving The Willistons, Albertson, Herricks, Mineola, Roslyn Heights, and Searingtown

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Friday, February 24, 2017

Vol. 66, No. 8

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HEALTH, WELLNESS AND BEAUTY GUIDE

DEFYING DOCTORS’ TRUMP ORDERS ORDERS SPUR FEAR

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LIRR study not up to law’s standard: atty.

HANGIN’ WITH HARRY

Lawyer for 3 villages calls for new review; project officials reject claims BY N O A H M A N S K A R The environmental study of the Long Island Rail Road’s proposed third track project is not up to snu under the state’s environmental review law, a lawyer representing four municipalities contended in a letter last week. In comments he submitted on behalf of the Town of Hempstead and the villages of Floral Park, New Hyde Park and Garden City, Michael G. Murphy, an attorney for the Manhattan environmental law ďŹ rm Beveridge & Diamond, called the draft environmental impact statement, or DEIS, for the project “largely superďŹ cialâ€? and said it omitted speciďŹ cs that should have been included under state law. Murphy’s 30-page Feb. 14 letter said the LIRR should restart the environmental review — which took several months — and issue a new study that explains in more concrete terms how the railroad will mitigate negative impacts.

“The DEIS exposes a hasty rush to complete the environmental review process at all costs,â€? Murphy wrote. “What the public is left with remains vague and largely conceptual in nature.â€? Murphy’s letter referred to a technical analysis of the environmental study by the Vertex Companies, a construction engineering ďŹ rm the villages and town hired to review the LIRR’s $2 billion plan to build a third track on 9.8 miles of its Main Line between Floral Park and Hicksville. It was sent the day before the end of the public comment period for the environmental impact statement on Feb. 15. The LIRR also collected comments at six public hearings in January. Planners will now incorporate the comments into a ďŹ nal environmental impact statement to be issued later this year. Project oďŹƒcials have said construction could start as early as 2018 and would take four years to complete. Continued on Page 66

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HERRICKS SCHOOL DISTRICT

Kalyn Yung, a fifth-grader at the Herricks school district’s Center Street School in Williston Park, was featured on Harry Connick Jr.’s television show “Harry� as a member of the Joyous Strings Ensemble. Kalyn, a violinist and pianist, has been part of the ensemble for three years. She was selected through an audition process and has performed in more than 30 concerts at venues including Carnegie Hall and the White House. Kalyn is also a member of the International Youth Philharmonic.

Mineola charity grows from desire to help others BY N O A H MANSKAR Tony Lubrano wasn’t trying to build a big charitable foundation when he and some friends formed Warriors for a

Cause two years ago, he said. “I think we were just having a good time doing good stu,â€? said Lubrano, president of the Mineola Chamber of Commerce and the owner of the Mineola restaurant Piccola Bussola.

What started as a group of like-minded, philanthropic people has grown into a fundraising collective that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for various charities. Continued on Page 55

For the latest news visit us at www.theislandnow.com D on’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Theislandnow and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow


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