Long Island

Transportation

Illegal Islip dumping probe

THE SCOOP Manhasset’s tree-lined streets are about a half-hour away from Manhattan on the Long Island Rail Road, with major highways nearby — making the hamlet particularly attractive to commuters. But that’s not the only draw. 
&quot;What makes it unique is this special combination of being close to New York City with a community feel,&quot; says North Hempstead Councilmember Veronica Lurvey. &quot;I interact with residents who are very invested in the community and serve in a variety of volunteer positions.&quot; 
Both aspects contribute to a dynamic real estate market in which an average of 200 homes are sold each year, according to Rula Baki, associate broker with Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty. &quot;The average sale price is about $1.8 million, and that’s in all the different areas within Manhasset,&quot; Baki says. 
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The hamlet includes the incorporated villages of Munsey Park, Plandome and Plandome Heights and parts of Plandome Manor, Flower Hill and North Hills, as well as the unincorporated areas of Bayview, North and South Strathmore, Strathmore Village and Strathmore-Vanderbilt, Shorehaven, Terrace Manor, Manhasset Park, Manhasset Gardens and Norgate. 
&quot;It’s a beautiful town wherever you go within Manhasset,&quot; says Baki. &quot;Each area has its own flavor and its own vibe.&quot; She notes that there’s a Manhasset-Plandome Newcomers Club, as well as several women’s clubs that plan activities throughout the year. 
Manhasset has a mix of home styles, including condos and gated communities with contemporary homes. &quot;We have Colonials, Tudors, Victorians, a few ranches and expanded Capes,&quot; Baki says, adding that homes with smaller lot sizes close to town and the train station list at about $925,000 and town houses can be under $900,000. There are also waterfront homes on Manhasset Bay going for as high as $12 million.It was in 1898 when the LIRR added a stop in Manhasset that New Yorkers began building country homes here. 
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When the Americana Manhasset shopping center opened in 1956 along the stretch of Route 25A known as Miracle Mile, it was such a popular draw that Billy Joel referred to it in his 1980 song &quot;It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me.&quot; By 2000 it had attracted luxury retailers. Also along the corridor have been well-known department stores, including Lord &amp; Taylor, which closed in 2021 after 80 years and will soon become a SaksWorks coworking space. 
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Plandome Road is full of shops and restaurants, from pizza to high-end dining. Nearby is the 35-acre Leeds Pond Preserve, home of the Science Museum of Long Island, with nature trails overlooking Manhasset Bay. Mary Jane Davies Green hosts summer concerts in its gazebo and has a renovated playground with spray area. 
Manhasset Valley Park, popular for sports, was recently updated, and plans are in the works to upgrade Whitney Pond Park, which has sports courts and trails, and to replace the Webster Avenue Bridge at the LIRR station. 
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CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are eight condos on the market ranging in price from $849,000 to $1.95 million 
SALE PRICES Between Jan. 31, 2021, and Feb. 28, 2022, there were 240 home sales with a median sale price of $1.69 million, according to OneKey MLS. The low price for that period was $720,000 and the high was $38.4 million. During that period a year earlier there were 219 home sales with a median sale price of $1.62 million. The price range was $800,00 to $7.7 million. 
OTHER STATS 
Town North Hempstead 
Area 2.4 square miles 
ZIP code 11030 
Population 8,176 
Median age 47.3 
Median household income $177,321 
Median home value $1.62 million 
Monthly LIRR ticket from Manhasset $270 
School districts, graduation rates Manhasset (98%), Great Neck (96%) 
Parks Manhasset Valley Park, Whitney Pond Park 
Libraries Manhasset, Great Neck 
Hospitals St. Francis Hospital, North Shore University Hospital 
Transit NICE Route 21 
SOURCES: 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; OneKey MLS; LIRR, data.nysed.gov *Based on 99 sales in the past six months, according to OneKey MLS 
NOW ON THE MARKET 
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$3 million 
Set in the Gracewood gated community, this four-bedroom, 4&frac12;-bath Colonial with an open floor plan was built in 1998 on 0.23 acre. The primary suite has a large dressing room. A finished basement has a guest suite with full bath and an entertainment room. Community amenities include a clubhouse, indoor/outdoor pools, gym and tennis court. Taxes are $40,229. The homeowner’s association monthly fee is $1,400 plus a $250 special assessment. Rosalyn Meyer, Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty, 516-627-4440. 
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$1.95 million 
This expanded Cape built in 1956 in Munsey Park has five bedrooms, 3&frac12; baths and a two-car garage on 0.25 acre. There’s a large dining room, sunken family room, and new kitchen with European appliances and white Shaker cabinets. The primary bedroom and en-suite bath are on the first level. A lower level serves as a home gym, office or lounge. Taxes are $25,762. Rula Baki, Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty, 516-627-4440. 
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$869,000 
A two-bedroom, one-bath home in the Bayview Court section has a fireplace in the living room, an updated kitchen with granite countertops, an open-framed porch and storage in the attic and unfinished basement. The house was built in 1938 on a corner 3,638-square-foot lot on a cul-de-sac near town and the LIRR. Taxes are $10,873. Nicholas Colombos and Angela Dooley, Compass Greater NY, 516-517-4751. 
RECENTLY SOLD 
$4.05 million 
Middle Dr. 
Style Colonial 
Bedrooms 6 
Bathrooms 5 full, 2 half 
Built 1920 
Lot size 0.49 acre 
Taxes $37,815 
+/- List price +$552,000 
Days on market 27 
$2.1 million 
Mallard Rd. 
Style Colonial 
Bedrooms 6 
Bathrooms 6 
Built 1967 
Lot size 0.69 acre 
Taxes $46,033 
+/- List price -$599,000 
Days on market 65 
$880,000 
Fourth St. 
Style Colonial 
Bedrooms 3 
Bathrooms 2 
Built 1927 
Lot size 0.09 acre 
Taxes $12,539 
+/- List price +$82,000 
Days on market 76 
ON ONEKEY MLS 
Number of listings 50 
Price range $699,990 to $11.9 million 
Tax range $7,697 to $104,969

Classifieds

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Tree-lined, volunteer-oriented Manhasset with a short commute

Alfonso A. Castillo

About 1,000 LIRR union electricians could stage a work stoppage as early as next week, as they accuse railroad management of violating their contract by suspending a 25-year employee who tested positive for marijuana. 
In a text message sent to members on Wednesday, Ricardo Sanchez, general chairman of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 589, told electricians to brace for "extreme action" to resolve the dispute involving co-worker Ronald Dolginko of North Babylon, who has been suspended without pay since December. 
In an interview, Sanchez said the union will "take all legal action up to and including a work stoppage." He said he expects the union to make a decision about its next step by Monday. 
"When one party ignores the contract, the language and the spirit of cooperation, the other party is left with a tough decision. Either do nothing or do what is necessary for a resolution," Sanchez wrote in the message. "That decision must now be made." 
Tim Minton, spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the LIRR's parent organization, said "any discussion of an illegal work stoppage is irresponsible, inflammatory and a disservice to Long Islanders who rely on the LIRR to get to jobs, doctors and wherever else they need to go. 
"Should such a disruptive walkout occur in violation of the law, the MTA would take the strongest measures possible to end the disruption and minimize any impact on riders," he added. 
A work stoppage could entail union electricians reporting to work but refusing to carry out their duties, or refusing overtime assignments. Sanchez said either scenario could impact Long Island Rail Road service, especially if an unexpected electrical problem arose on the railroad’s tracks and could not be quickly addressed. 
After undergoing open heart surgery in August, Dolginko, 59, had been convalescing at home when he took a physical exam in December to be cleared to return to work. Dolginko tested positive for marijuana and was suspended for nine months, he said. The suspension was later reduced to six months. 
But Dolginko insists he never used marijuana and took another test at an independent medical facility days later that showed no trace of the substance. He suspects the various medications he was taking after his surgery could have resulted in a "false positive." 
Regardless, union officials said the LIRR "blatantly disregarded the clear and unambiguous terms" of the collective bargaining agreement by administering a drug test to Dolginko, who was not on duty at the time and could only be subject to a drug test if there was "reasonable suspicion" of drug use. 
In a written response to the union earlier this month, LIRR deputy chief people and labor relations officer Kim Moore, citing legal precedent, said the railroad "was well within its rights to administer a drug test during his return-to-work physical." She said Dolginko’s positive test result violated the LIRR’s alcohol- and substance-abuse policy and "was indicative of an ‘unsafe practice,’ " as defined in the union’s contract. 
The railroad invited the union to take the matter to an administrative trial, but Dolginko — who is months away from retiring — said by doing so, he would risk being terminated and losing his pension. 
In an interview, Dolginko called the situation "baffling," given that he has "never been in trouble" at the railroad. 
"They use policy, and that’s the end of the story. They don’t want to hear nothing else. You would think with my record, there would be a little loyalty," said Dolginko, who would like to see the LIRR adopt a drug policy closer to that of sister railroad Metro-North, which does not automatically suspend employees in such incidents. 
Sanchez said he’s pushed for a meeting with new LIRR interim president Catherine Rinaldi, who is also president of Metro-North, but has not gotten a response.

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LIRR union electricians threaten work stoppage over worker's suspension

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John Valenti

A driver was hospitalized after his van was struck by a Long Island Rail Road train east of the Patchogue station late Wednesday night, railroad officials said. 
The collision caused a suspension of all service between Sayville and Bellport that has since been restored, the railroad said. 
Officials said the collision occurred just before midnight on the Montauk Branch, when the van was struck by a westbound train. It was not immediately clear, the railroad said, how the van got onto the tracks. 
Officials said MTA police, railroad personnel and local firefighters and paramedics responded to the scene and firefighters cut the injured driver from the wreckage. The LIRR said the incident was under investigation by MTA police. 
Two eastbound trains and the westbound train involved in the crash were canceled, the railroad said. The collision caused a suspension of service from 11:55 p.m. until about 2:45 a.m. 
Officials said shuttle bus service was provided in the interim between Sayville and Bellport. 
No passengers were reported injured in the incident. The condition of the driver was not immediately known on Thursday.

Suffolk

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LIRR train hits van near Patchogue station, driver hurt, officials say

LIRR: Train hits van, driver hurt

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Lorena Mongelli

Nine Long Island bridges carrying a total of more than 67,000 vehicles daily are rated as being in &quot;poor&quot; condition because of possible issues with decking, support beams, piers or abutments, according to state Department of Transportation data and experts. 
A &quot;poor&quot; rating does not mean a bridge is unsafe or in danger of collapsing, but that it may need more frequent monitoring, maintenance and repair, postings for weight limits, or replacement in extreme cases of deterioration, according to the DOT. 
The data, which was released in February in a report called Key to New York State Highway Bridge Data, helps determine which structures need maintenance, rehabilitation, repairs or further review, the DOT said. 
Six of the Island's poor bridges were constructed pre-1935, including three train overpasses jointly maintained by the Long Island Rail Road and local municipalities. Maintenance of the other bridges is spread out, with state agencies managing three, Suffolk County overseeing one, and two handled at the local level. 
The Sunrise Highway Bridge over North Road in Hampton Bays is the Island's busiest of the poor-rated bridges, with about 43,800 motorists daily. The youngest poor-rated bridge, in Bohemia, is about 26 years old and was repaired last year after a truck crashed into it, according to the state DOT. 
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The state uses standards established by the Federal Highway Administration in its ratings process. 
Andrew Herrmann, a principal emeritus and former project manager for major bridge projects at the New York-based engineering firm Hardesty &amp; Hanover, said the federal rating system follows a 1 to 9 score for various components of the bridge, with 9 being the best. Poor bridges are rated between 1 and 4, fair bridges get a grade of 5-6, and good bridges score 7 or higher. 
&quot;For a bridge to be rated poor, which was formerly known as structurally deficient, one of three categories has to be 4 or less, and that would be the deck, or the concrete surface you drive over; the superstructure, that’s either the steel or concrete beams that hold up that deck; or the substructure, which are the piers or abutments that carry the loads to the ground,&quot; said Herrmann, now a director at CROSS-US, which publishes structural safety information for building and engineering professionals. 
&quot;Any one of those rated 4 or less and the whole bridge gets a rating of poor,&quot; said Herrmann, whose group is part of the Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers, a nonprofit based in Reston, Virginia. 
Conventional highway bridges are designed for a 75- to 100-year life span, but degradation and subsequent repair is expected when they hit 30 to 45 years of age, said Rigoberto Burgue&ntilde;o, chair of Stony Brook University’s Department of Civil Engineering. 
A structure’s rate of deterioration accelerates when there is higher traffic load/demand and freeze-thaw cycles, combined with deicing agents and more frequent snowplowing, Burgue&ntilde;o said. Antiquated structures are more vulnerable to damage from these factors, but the life of a bridge also can be extended with proper rehabilitation. 
Overall, though, Long Island's bridges aren't in dire shape. Fewer than 1% of the area’s 691 bridges are rated poor, compared with 10.5% of roughly 17,459 in the rest of the state, according to the DOT. Forty-four percent of highway bridges are maintained by the state DOT, 50% by municipalities and the rest by both state and local authorities. 
Bridge engineering experts credit the Island’s mostly younger and less-traveled infrastructure for the less-than-state-average of poor bridges. 
&quot;We’re fortunate that the bridges on Long Island are in better condition with respect to the state, and it's likely due to a combination of good maintenance and less severe conditions than other regions,&quot; Burgue&ntilde;o said. 
New York has one of the nation’s most rigorous bridge inspection programs, state DOT spokesperson Stephen Canzoneri said. 
&quot;In New York State, bridge inspectors assess all bridge components and are required to evaluate, score and document the condition of structural elements, as well as the general components common to all bridges,&quot; Canzoneri said in a statement. 
<h3>Island's oldest 'poor' bridge in Manhasset</h3> 
The Island’s oldest structure labeled poor is the 124-year-old Webster Avenue Bridge in Manhasset. Built at the turn of the century in 1898, it was previously described in 2019 by the LIRR as being in &quot;deteriorated&quot; condition. It runs over the LIRR's Port Washington line in Nassau County.
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The LIRR, which is responsible for the frame, had done work to ensure the bridge remained safe, but previously announced plans to replace it were paused due to the pandemic, North Hempstead Town Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey said. 
In a March 7 letter to interim LIRR president Catherine Rinaldi, Lurvey and other local officials urged the agency to make the replacement project a priority again. New design plans for the overpass were completed in 2019. 
The letter noted that a previous inspection found &quot;several red flags, including deterioration of lateral bracing and significant bearing deterioration at the abutments.&quot; 
&quot;They’ve tried to do intermediate fixes, and those fixes have not been sufficient, so now is the time to replace the bridge,&quot; Lurvey said. &quot;They need to construct a modern, new Webster Avenue Bridge that will correct the structural deterioration and substandard design features of the existing bridge.&quot; 
The LIRR oversees the bridge's structure, and the town manages the deck, sidewalks and roadway. 
It’s unclear how much will be pumped into a new Webster Avenue Bridge, but, overall, the LIRR is investing $269 million in bridge upgrades as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's $55 billion Capital Plan. Complete replacement of a bridge typically costs around $300 to $375 per square foot of deck area, according to a 2019 report released by TRIP, a transportation research nonprofit. 
The two other train overpasses maintained by the LIRR each are more than 85 years old: the Barstow Road Bridge in Great Neck, erected in 1935, and Eastport's River Avenue Bridge, constructed in 1907. Mainly constructed from steel, both are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, Federal Highway Administration data shows. Among the criteria for inclusion into the register, a bridge must generally be at least 50 years old and be historically significant. 
The Village of Great Neck Plaza repaved Barstow Road last fall to prevent salt and water from seeping through cracks that previously caused concrete to loosen on the underside of the bridge, LIRR officials said. The LIRR removed the loose concrete from the deck and framing. There are also plans to redo the sidewalk, pending approval from the village board, Village of Great Neck Plaza Mayor Ted Rosen said.
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&quot;An independent engineer and our building commissioner looked at the bridge, and they told us it’s structurally sound,&quot; Rosen said. A total of 6,588 cars travel it daily. The LIRR will conduct any necessary work after the sidewalks are fixed, officials said. 
The 99-foot-long River Avenue train overpass in Eastport, which has about 345 drivers per day, was closed last summer for repairs and later reopened, LIRR officials said. The LIRR and DOT declined to say what or if any fixes need to be made, but the last date of inspection was on Nov. 24.
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Bridges that handle more traffic are more challenging to mend because repairs commonly need to be done while the bridge remains operational. 
In Suffolk County, the Smith Point Bridge, used by thousands of motorists to get to Fire Island's barrier beach, was marked for replacement in 2016, due to deterioration of pilings and the inability to find electronic replacement parts for the drawbridge. The 1,220-foot-long bridge was repaired in 2010 and 2019. 
Previous bridge design plans drew ire from residents for lacking a bike lane, but Suffolk officials said new plans include a shared use path for bikes and pedestrians. New bridge cost estimates were not immediately available from county officials. 
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Joseph Brown, Suffolk’s Department of Public Works commissioner, said in a statement that &quot;due to the age of the bridge and significant exposure to the elements that has caused deterioration over time, [Suffolk] has made replacement of the bridge a top priority.&quot; A weight limit imposed in 2017 aims to stall deterioration. 
Beth Wahl, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Mastic and Shirley, said residents have been venting about the traffic jams caused when the bridge is raised for boats and looks forward to the taller span. The project isn’t expected to take off until late 2023 or 2024. 
&quot;It’s such a heavily traveled bridge, and you want it to be in good condition,&quot; she said. &quot;You could be backed up there on beach day for a couple of miles waiting for that bridge to close, so it will be a big, big difference.&quot; 
In Hampton Bays, the four-lane Route 27-Sunrise Highway overpass, a main thoroughfare into the easternmost points of the South Fork, is rated poor. Located roughly .3 miles east of Shinnecock Canal, it is maintained by the DOT, which has plans to revamp it, officials said. 
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&quot;It gets a lot of use both commercial and residential,&quot; said Maria Hults, president of the Hampton Bays Civic Association, who has not noticed any issues with the bridge or road. &quot;I would hope considering the amount of traffic that crosses that area, that it is kept in good condition and whatever they consider to be in poor condition is repaired.&quot; 
Inspection reports, as well as other information, including traffic volumes and loads, are used to make decisions regarding bridge projects, according to the DOT. 
Of the poor bridges, the DOT-maintained Lincoln Avenue Bridge is the second-busiest, with 11,766 cars logged daily.
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The other bridges in poor condition are: 
<ul> 
 <li>The scenic Lakeview Avenue West Bridge, completed in 1910 over Upper Cascade Lake in Brightwaters;</li> 
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</ul> 
<ul> 
 <li>Mallow Reach Bridge, constructed in 1932 over Auerbach Channel in Hewlett Harbor;</li> 
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</ul> 
<ul> 
 <li>And Park Road Bridge over Connetquot Brook in Connetquot River State Park Preserve in Oakdale.</li> 
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</ul> 
Two local officials were surprised to learn their structures made the poor list. The Lakeview Avenue West bridge was recently restored, and a new inspection is expected in May, according to Nicole Rhodes, a treasurer for the Village of Brightwaters. 
Hewlett Harbor Mayor Mark Weiss said Mallow Reach Bridge is in good repair and that there are no pending violations or red flags. Weiss added that the road on the bridge was repaved this summer. 
With Arielle Martinez

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Nine LI bridges carrying more than 67,000 total vehicles in 'poor' condition

Nine Long Island bridges in 'poor' condition, state says

Nine bridges on Long Island are in "poor" condition, according to the New York State Department of Transportation. Newsday's Steve Langford reports. 


Nine bridges on LI receive 'poor' condition rating

Nassau

Manhasset Hills

Oakdale

Stony Brook

Islip Town

Fire Island Pines

Hempstead Town

Great Neck

Great Neck Plaza

Shirley

Manhasset

Eastport

Mastic

Brookhaven Town

Brightwaters

Hampton Bays

Hewlett

North Hempstead Town

Southampton

Bohemia

Mastic Beach

Southampton Town

Great Neck Estates

Newsday

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One person was killed after being struck by an eastbound train Wednesday night east of the Long Island Rail Road station in Hicksville, officials said. 
The incident occurred just after 8 p.m.and led to a suspension of all service between Hicksville and Ronkonkoma lasting more than two hours, followed by a partial suspension of service as the railroad operated trains on one track through the area for another 40 minutes before full service was restored at 11 p.m., the LIRR said. 
During the service shutdown officials said shuttle bus service was provided for passengers between Hicksville and Ronkonkoma. 
The identity of the victim was not released and the railroad said MTA police were investigating.

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Train hits, kills person near Hicksville station, LIRR says

LIRR: Train hits, kills person 

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THE SCOOP Visitors — whether via Long Island roads or the Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Ferry — are drawn to this walkable village and its popular events, like the annual Dickens Festival and Dragon Boat Race Festival, says Lisa Perry of Jolie Powell Realty. Other attractions include Main Street’s restaurants and shops, and Theatre Three, which has been putting on shows since the 1960s. "This is such a beautiful, historic village that offers so much recreation to visitors and residents that I'm such a fan," says Perry. "It's just a gem to me to live here." 
All these features tend to convert visitors to residents, says Margot Garant, the village mayor of 13 years. As a result, there’s a real estate boom — and shortage — in Port Jefferson. Garant says that four new mixed-use buildings — retail on the bottom and rental properties above — that have been in the works or completed in the last five years have inspired more people to buy homes in the village.
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"I think once they come here, they tend to fall in love with all of the amenities that you get as a resident," says Garant, who has lived in the town for 48 years. Residents get free parking at the meters and access to parks, including the newly renovated Rocket Ship Park, four private beaches, and the Port Jefferson Country Club with its 18-hole golf course, where they get a substantial discount. There are kayak racks at East Beach and Centennial Beach (also known as Dog Beach since dogs are welcome there). The village also offers a before- and after-school program, sports for youth and programs for adults and seniors.
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Originally called Drowned Meadow due to the twice daily tidal flooding, Port Jefferson was the largest shipbuilding center in Suffolk in the 1800s. In 1883, P.T. Barnum considered settling his circus there and helped found the Bridgeport &amp; Port Jefferson Steamboat Company, which still connects the Island to Connecticut and helped the village, which also has a train station, transition to a tourist-based economy.
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There are several neighborhoods with distinct architecture. The historic sea captain’s district connects to the downtown business district and features homes ranging from $600,000 to $1.5 million. The poets’ section, with street names such as Emerson and Hawthorne, features small Capes and ranches built after WWII that list for $450,000 to $650,000. The presidents’ section — Jefferson, Washington, Roosevelt — was built in the 1970s and '80s and has center-hall Colonials and farm ranches on larger lots, with homes in the $600,000 to $700,000 range.
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Jefferson’s Landing is more upscale, Garant says, with large homes built in the 1980s that list for $800,000 to $1 million. Homes in Harbor Hills near the water can reach $1.5 million and more. There are also several condominium complexes with units going from about $375,000 to $1.2 million. 
Port Jefferson taxes have been relatively low due to tax revenue from the Long Island Power Authority Power Station, though a recent settlement between LIPA and the Town of Brookhaven will gradually increase taxes over the next few years.
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CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are five condos on the market ranging in price from $395,000 to $1.25 million 
SALE PRICES Between Jan. 31, 2021, and Feb. 28, 2022, there were 105 home sales with a median sale price of $580,000, according to OneKey MLS. The low price for that period was $395,000 and the high was $2 million. During that period a year earlier there were 83 home sales with a median sale price of $547,000. The price range was $240,000 to $920,000. 
OTHER STATS 
Town Brookhaven 
Area 3.1 square miles 
ZIP code 11777 
Population 7,962 
Median age 45.1 
Median household income $111,442 
Median home value 580,000* 
Monthly LIRR ticket from Port Jefferson $405 
School districts, graduation rates Port Jefferson (98%), Comsewogue, Three Village (97%) 
Parks Jeanne Garant Harborfront Park, Joe Erland Field Park 
Libraries Port Jefferson, Comsewogue, Emma S. Clark 
Hospitals St. Charles Hospital, Mather Hospital 
Transit Suffolk County Transit Routes 60, 61, 62, 69, 76 
SOURCES: 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; OneKey MLS; LIRR, data.nysed.gov *Based on 50 sales in the past six months, according to OneKey MLS 
NOW ON THE MARKET
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$1.25 million 
A three-bedroom, 2½-bath condominium in the Village Vistas 55-plus development, built in 2014, has three floors of living space with an elevator, vaulted ceilings, a two-story stone fireplace and sliders leading to a deck with an electric awning. The kitchen overlooks a private yard with views of the Long Island Sound and Connecticut. There’s a main-level laundry room and direct entry to the garage. The second-floor primary bedroom has French doors and an oversized bath. Taxes are $5,291; common charges are $525. Lori Zamore, Signature Premier Properties, 631-360-2800.
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$769,000 
Built in 1900, this 2,950-square-foot sea captain’s home has been updated with central air and a generator. There are four bedrooms, 3½ baths, a basement entrance and an eat-in kitchen with sliders to the deck. The house can be a single-family or two-family home with proper permits. It has a 2½-car detached garage with a walk-up attic and two outdoor entertainment areas. Taxes are $11,126. Lisa Perry, Jolie Powell Realty, 631-473-0420.
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$619,000 
A sprawling ranch built in 1972 on 0.6 acre, this home has five bedrooms, four baths and an updated eat-in-kitchen with a radiant-heated floors. There are two wood-burning fireplaces and a large basement with storage and an additional room with an egress window. There's also has an outside entrance for an in-law suite. The house, on a cul-de-sac in the presidents’ section, has an in-ground pool. Taxes are $12,376. Natalie Milano and Kevin Milano, Coldwell Banker American Homes, 631-941-3100. 
RECENTLY SOLD 
$950,000 
Ronald Court 
Style Contemporary 
Bedrooms 4 
Bathrooms 5 full, 1 half 
Built 1978 
Lot size 1.09 acre 
Taxes $18,236 
+/- List price Sold for asking 
Days on market 78 
$762,500 
Longfellow Lane 
Style Colonial 
Bedrooms 4 
Bathrooms 3 full, 1 half 
Built 1983 
Lot size 0.92 acre 
Taxes $14,024 
+/- List price -$36,500 
Days on market 176 
$410,000 
Hillcrest Ave. 
Style Ranch 
Bedrooms 3 
Bathrooms 1 
Built 1972 
Lot size ½ acre 
Taxes $6,084 
+/- List price +$31,000 
Days on market 163 
ON ONEKEY MLS 
Number of listings 20 
Price range $395,000 to $4.25 million 
Tax range $4,862 to $33,606

Real Estate

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Port Jefferson's walkability turns visitors into homebuyers

Matthew Chayes

Irish eyes are getting ready to smile on Manhattan — for the St. Patrick’s Day parade, stepping off Thursday at 11 a.m. 
The parade, a New York City tradition since 1762, typically draws 100,000 participants and 2 million spectators who line Fifth Avenue, according to organizers’ past estimates. 
This year, the parade starts at East 44th Street and ends at East 79th. 
And a Mass will be celebrated at St. Patrick's Cathedral from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. 
In addition to Fifth Avenue, which will be closed from 42nd to 86th streets, there are closures planned elsewhere near the route, including parts of Madison, Vanderbilt, Park and Sixth avenues in Midtown Manhattan and on the Upper East Side. 
Citing the holiday, the Long Island Rail Road is temporarily banning alcoholic beverages — from 12:01 a.m. on Thursday until 5 a.m. on Friday — "an effort to maintain orderly travel," the LIRR said in a tweet posted late Wednesday morning. 
Marchers scheduled to attend include Mayor Eric Adams, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell, Gov. Kathy Hochul, as well as dozens of marching bands, fraternal organizations and schools. These include delegations from Connetquot, Amityville, Seaford, Uniondale, Hicksville high schools, Northport, the police departments of Suffolk and Nassau counties, Our Lady of Peace in Lynbrook, St. Anthony’s in Melville, Suffolk firefighters, the Irish American Society of Nassau Suffolk &amp; Queens, various Nassau chapters of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and the Sewanhaka school district. 
In 2020, the parade was the first major New York City parade canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic — presaging cancellations of numerous other parades and events in the city and across the United States later that year and in 2021. 
Jokingly calling himself Mayor O’Adams, Adams presided over a ceremony Wednesday afternoon at Bowling Green to hoist an Irish flag in honor of the holiday. 
"We’re feeling our Irish spirit today," Adams said. 
"Two years ago, we saw something that we thought would never occur: we saw our parade not take place here in the city — something that we understood for so many years, a march through the city to show the Irish pride, and we’re saying that we’re back: bigger, better, stronger than ever. It shows out resiliency in the spirit of St. Patrick."

News

New York

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NYC ready to renew a tradition and show its Irish spirit at St. Patrick's Day parade

NYC ready to renew a tradition at St. Patrick's Day parade

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<h3>Daily Point</h3> 
<h3>Blakeman calls it a power grab by Democrats </h3> 
The few weeks before one-house budget resolutions are presented by the Assembly and Senate are always rife with scuttlebutt, but this year one big play pushed by State Sen. Kevin Thomas largely flew under the radar. 
Thomas is sponsoring a move to shift control of the Nassau University Medical Center board from Nassau County, where the county executive has most of the power, to the state, where the governor would control appointments. It would result in a dramatic shift of power. 
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s response to the idea, in a text to The Point Tuesday, laid bare the political stakes: 
"This power grab is nothing more than a blatant attempt to steal local input from the county that guarantees the bond indebtedness. If this legislation changes the control structure of NUMC, then the county will take immediate action to relieve itself of the guarantee of the underlying bonds. This is an obvious step toward closing the hospital by Democrat leadership in Albany." 
Democrats, though, would argue the opposite. The man considered most likely to engineer a turnaround, nursing home operator Edward Farbenblum, was just removed as board chairman, to be replaced by investment company executive Matthew Bruderman, a major Republican fundraiser. 
With over $1 billion in liabilities, huge annual deficits, and poor ratings on its medical care, change of some kind is likely coming to one of New York State’s three remaining public hospitals under county control, including possible closure. 
Thomas says that’s what he wants to avoid, though he knows it will be an uphill climb to get the state involved. 
"That was true with getting the state monitor at Hempstead [schools], too, and this is the same kind of priority," Thomas said. "We have to have a safety-net hospital and NUMC needs more oversight of the kind the state can best provide. It’s losing money left and right and it can’t go on like this." 
Thomas said Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office is "open to the idea, and listening." But the real key might be where the hospital’s union, the CSEA, lands. Thomas says he’s "still talking" to the union, which has 3,000 workers at NUMC. 
Assemb. Taylor Darling, who is sponsoring the bill in her chamber, said the pandemic has shown how crucial NUMC is to providing equitable medical treatment for all county residents. 
"What we’ve seen at NUMC for too long is appointments to the board of members who don’t always have the best interests of the hospital at heart. It feels like there are developers who want the land, and people who want the prestige, but what’s needed are appointees fully devoted to making sure the most vulnerable in Nassau County have the hospital and care they need," she said. 
But Nassau CSEA president Ron Gurrieri said right now, the union is not in favor. 
"We don’t need state oversight," Gurrieri said. "Farbenblum was a home run, but that doesn’t mean Bruderman, who I’m sitting down with later this week, can’t be great, too. What we need is board members who know hospitals, not lawyers or real estate agents or people who just want to tell people they’re on the board rather than working hard." 
— Lane Filler <a href="https://twitter.com/lanefiller">@lanefiller</a> 
<h2>Talking Point</h2> 
<h3>An intro tour, around the Sound</h3> 
Of the handful of Democrats seeking the nomination to succeed Rep. Tom Suozzi in the newly redrawn CD3, Robert Zimmerman is taking a strategic approach that might be unique for a longtime district resident and member of the national party committee — a fresh introduction to voters, on his own terms. 
He’s been proudly touting a list of activists’ endorsements, mailed out a deeply personal appeal, and is planning in-person community forums in each of the five counties that are partially included in the newly Long Island Sound-centered district. 
The approach comes off more like assertive job interviewing with groups of voters than glad-handing or grip-and-grins at ribbon cuttings and rallies that a seasoned holder of public office might rely on. 
On Tuesday, Zimmerman announced backing from Rep. Greg Meeks, who represents CD5, which has a slice of Nassau County — and chairs the Queens Democratic Committee, a borough of which CD3 includes a portion. Meeks said in a statement Zimmerman’s coalition-building "puts him in the best position to be our nominee." 
Zimmerman also lists, along with former North Hempstead Town leaders on his home turf, dozens of endorsements including from Tom Murphy, the mayor of Mamaroneck in Westchester, Suffolk County Democratic Committee chairman and Babylon Town supervisor Richard Schaffer, and former Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr. Besides members of the electoral class, Zimmerman lists support from Black, gay, Asian community and labor activists, as well as JoAnn D. Smith, former CEO of Planned Parenthood of Nassau County and anti-gun violence activist Linda Biegel Schulman from Dix Hills. 
But political professionals seem to agree that collecting endorsements has never proved a ticket to voters. Zimmerman, a longtime donor to campaigns and causes, insists they’ll help. "They’re important validators for people who don’t know you," he says. "It’s a message our campaign has put together a broad coalition of support." 
Whether that pans out as the race develops, or proves to be just a smooth presentation from a communications professional, should be known by June. 
As part of his effort to introduce himself in a familiar community, Zimmerman also bares a deeply personal slice of his biography in a "Dear Neighbor" letter from his campaign. "As a closeted gay teenager, growing up in the suburbs was lonely and isolating. I’ll never forget what it was like to spend a night at the diner to avoid going to a school dance." 
— Dan Janison <a href="https://twitter.com/danjanison">@Danjanison</a> 
<h2>Pencil Point</h2> 
<h3>A monstrosity</h3>

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For more cartoons, visit <a href="http://www.newsday.com/nationalcartoons" target="_blank">www.newsday.com/nationalcartoons</a> 
<h2>Final Point</h2> 
<h3>Water under the rail bridge</h3> 
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Village of Garden City officials have reached a settlement that would end two court disputes over the Long Island Rail Road’s Third Track project. 
The deal would provide village residents with the landscaping along the Main Line that they wanted. 
Village trustees are due to vote on the agreement Thursday, according to the village board agenda and settlement documents posted to the village website. 
Garden City had sued the MTA over large utility poles placed along the railroad tracks as part of the Third Track project, and the MTA sued Garden City when the village refused to provide a permit to start work on the Denton Avenue Bridge. While the MTA received rulings in its favor in both cases, and the bridge work is underway, the litigation continued as the MTA and the village worked to resolve outstanding issues. 
Beyond dismissing the claims, the deal requires the village to grant any additional permits required within the project’s parameters. The MTA, meanwhile, will begin an "enhanced landscaping" effort along the Garden City section of the Main Line during this spring’s planting season. And the authority will allow access to the community benefits fund set aside for the village when the project was first approved. 
According to the agreement, there’s $1.6 million left in the fund, which the village will use for "supplemental landscaping." The MTA also agreed to salvage some of the original stone from the original Denton Avenue Bridge for the village’s reuse at village expense. And the MTA agreed to attempt some additional design elements in the new bridge to help make it look a bit more like the old one. The MTA also will meet with village officials regarding complaints about the lighting at the Merillon Avenue LIRR station, which some have said is too harsh. 
It’s quite a laundry list — but MTA officials said the deal meant that the rest of the Third Track work could proceed without further delay. 
"We just want to get this thing built and move on. Everybody wants a finished project that looks good," John McCarthy, the MTA’s chief of external relations, told The Point Tuesday. "That finished product importantly includes more service in both directions that’s going to take riders into Grand Central Terminal. That’s good news." 
Garden City officials didn’t respond to The Point’s requests for comment. But the MTA expects to be finished with the Denton Avenue Bridge work, and to be ready to push the new bridge into place by late April. The broader Third Track project, meanwhile, remains on target for completion by the end of this year. 
"This project benefits all of Long Island and we’ve never lost sight of that," McCarthy said. "The sooner we get it completed the better, and we’re on target." 
— Randi F. Marshall <a href="https://twitter.com/randimarshall">@RandiMarshall</a> 
<h3>Did you miss an issue of The Point? <a href="https://www.newsday.com/opinion/the-point-1.13955009" target="_blank">Browse past newsletters here.</a></h3>

Opinion

OPTPOINT220315

february_nationalcartoongallery

Effort underway to move control of NUMC to governor

A small piece of history from the original Penn Station has returned to greet LIRR commuters in Manhattan, six decades after the station was demolished. 
A bust of one of several marble eagle statues that adorned the original beaux arts style station is now on display at the Moynihan Train Hall, which connects to Penn Station. 
"Albert," as the bust has been dubbed, is named after Albert Fritsch, a machinist who worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad and spotted the stone bird head among a pile of rubble when the original Penn Station was being demolished in the early 1960s. 
"It caught his eye, and he thought it was kind of cool," said Margaret Flitsch, the granddaughter of Fritsch, who died in 1992. "He asked the foreman, 'What are you going to do with that? Can I take it?' And the guy was like, ‘Sure. Knock yourself out. You’re saving us the trouble of putting it in the landfill.' " 
Fritsch wrapped the bust in newspaper and twine, and brought it to his Manhattan apartment in a taxicab. He later moved to Freeport, where he kept the statue as a backyard ornament for decades, his granddaughter said. 
After the house was sold about a dozen years ago, Flitsch contacted LIRR historian David Morrison to see if her grandfather’s story checked out, and whether there would be any interest in preserving the eagle head. 
"When I got the photographs, I knew right away. I said, 'Yes, you have a Penn Station eagle head,' " said Morrison, an author who has, for years, tracked the whereabouts of the 22 original Penn Station eagles — 18 of which are accounted for. 
For the next decade, "Albert" was displayed at various railroad museums on Long Island, as well as the Museum of the City of New York. Then last month, the MTA chose to install it in the LIRR ticket office at Moynihan, as part of a long-term loan agreement with Fritsch’s family. 
"When people walk through Moynihan and see Albert, they will see a piece of history," said interim LIRR president Catherine Rinaldi, who thanked Fritsch and his family "for preserving this sculpture so that a portion of the original Penn Station legacy can live on." 
Flitsch said her family is "beyond ecstatic" that the statue is "back where it belongs." 
"It’s like a bird coming back to roost, back to its home nest," she said.

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Albert the bald eagle returns 'back to roost, back to its home nest' in Manhattan

Albert, the bald eagle, returns to its Manhattan roots 'to roost'

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Irish pride swells on Long Island all month long, when St. Patrick's Day parades big and small are held across both counties. Wear your best green and celebrate at these local parades: 
<h2>NASSAU </h2> 
GLEN COVE Parade kicks off at Finley Middle School, onto Forest Avenue south of Dosoris Lane, then follows Brewster Street to School Street. From there it moves into Glen Street ending at St. Patrick’s Church. Grand Marshal of this year’s parade is local business owner Gerard "Gerry" Herbert; 1 p.m., March 20; <a href="http://glencoveparade.com/">glencoveparade.com</a>. 
ROCKVILLE CENTRE Parade steps off at Long Beach Road and Maple Avenue, continues along Maple Avenue ending on North Village and Quealy Place. Ellen White is the 2022 Grand Marshal; noon March 19; <a href="http://rvcstpatrick.com/">rvcstpatrick.com</a>. 
WANTAGH Parade route is Wantagh High School on Wantagh Avenue to Triangle Park on Railroad Avenue. Grand Marshal is Patrick Ryder; 2 p.m., March 20; <a href="http://wantaghchamber.wildapricot.org/event-4676957">wantaghchamber.wildapricot.org</a>. 
<h2>SUFFOLK</h2> 
BRENTWOOD Route begins at Washington Avenue and Clarke Street, south on Washington Avenue to Ross Park on Brentwood Road; 1 p.m., March 19; 631-273-4443. 
HAMPTON BAYS Parade route starts at Hampton Bays Elementary School on Ponquogue Avenue to Montauk Highway. Grand Marshal is Michael Quinlan; 11 a.m. March 19; <a href="http://hbstpatricksdayparade.com/">hbstpatricksdayparade.com</a>, 516-297-2563. 
JAMESPORT Parade route kicks off at North Railroad and Washington Avenues and ends at the Jamesport firehouse. The 2022 Grand Marshal is Dawn Thomas; 1 p.m., March 26; 631-461-3884. 
LINDENHURST Parade begins at Firemen’s Memorial Park and heads west on Hartford Street to Wellwood Avenue, ending at Lindenhurst Middle School. Congressman Peter King is the 2022 Grand Marshal; 11 a.m., March 26; <a href="http://facebook.com/Lindenhurst-St-Patricks-Parade-110348021524176/">facebook.com</a>. 
MONTAUK Parade route runs up Edgemere Road then turns on to Main Street past the reviewing stand on the green and finishes at the end of Main Street by the IGA. Grand Marshal is Marilyn Behan; noon, March 27; <a href="http://montaukfriendsoferin.org/parade_info">montaukfriendsoferin.org</a>, 631-668-1578. 
PATCHOGUE Parade runs along Main Street. Grand Marshal is Dennis Smith; noon, March 20; <a href="http://patchogue.com/event/st-patricks-parade/">patchogue.com</a>. 
RONKONKOMA Parade starts at the corner of Patchogue-Holbrook and Portion roads, continues from Portion Road to Ronkonkoma Avenue, south on Hawkins Avenue to Church Street and ends St. Joseph’s Church. Grand Marshal is Gerry McMenamin; 2 p.m., March 27; <a href="http://ronkonkomaparade.org/">ronkonkomaparade.org</a>. 
ST. JAMES The St. James Chamber of Commerce St. Patrick’s Day parade begins on Woodlawn and Lake Avenues and proceeds north to the LIRR Station. There will be piper bands, marching bands, Scout troops, dance groups, floats, fire trucks, antique cars and more; 1 p.m., postponed from March 12 to April 2 due to predicted inclement weather; <a href="http://stjameschamber.org/calendar-of-events">stjameschamber.org</a>, 631-584-8510. 
Compiled by Gina Tabarus with Keri Wall-Treudler, LaToya Rodriguez and Daniel Variano.

Things to Do

Holidays

St. Patrick's Day

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St. Patrick's Day parades on Long Island 

St. Patrick's Day parades on LI 

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Darwin Yanes

The Nassau County Industrial Development Agency has granted preliminary approval to start negotiations for potential tax breaks with developers of a proposed 18-unit apartment complex in downtown Westbury. 
Center Moriches-based developers Ornstein Fetner Development LLC and 249 Drexel Associates LLC, whose principals are Alec Ornstein and Cliff Fetner, are proposing to build an 18-unit rental facility with a retail area, which is planned to house an already existing fish market on the property. The IDA board approved the resolution at a March 3 meeting. 
The developers are seeking sales tax benefits of $224,250 and a $37,500 exemption on the mortgage recording tax. They are also requesting a 25-year PILOT — Payment In Lieu of Taxes — agreement, which will be negotiated with the IDA. Once negotiations are finalized the, agency will schedule a public hearing, officials said. 
"The project cannot move forward without these benefits due to a number of things —high taxes, cost of construction … and also the certainty of a having the PILOT schedule in place in order for lenders to lend money," said Daniel J. Baker, the developer’s real estate attorney. "We’re happy we’re moving along in the process, and hopefully my clients will move through the process and on their way to building the property." 
The $7.5 million project on Drexel Avenue would include studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments, and developers have said they would incorporate three below-market-rate units. Baker said the facility would also include a lounge, gym and roof deck. 
Baker noted that the initial project called for 36 units, but after discussions with village officials the project was scaled down. Mayor Peter Cavallaro said it is now "right-sized for the parcel" after going through several iterations before the village could approve the plans. 
"The location is within a short walk of our train station, so it should be a very attractive option for anyone who works in the city or wants easy access to the LIRR," Cavallaro said. "The development is also consistent with the village’s ongoing downtown revitalization program and will bring new housing options and residents into our downtown area, supporting our downtown businesses." 
Developers are looking to start construction by late spring or early summer and said it would take about a year to complete. 
Nassau IDA chairman Richard Kessel noted that along with two structures in the works by Farmingdale-based developers Terwilliger &amp; Bartone Properties LLC, which would create about 130 new apartments, the project is a boost to the village and its economy. 
"Our teams are going to work together on a cooperative basis, and I hope this will be an addition to the community, which will provide more housing and a retail space," Kessel said. "This project is just going to enhance Westbury and make it a major destination point in Nassau County, and if we can help do that, it’s great."

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Nassau IDA gives first approval to talks on potential tax breaks for Westbury apartments

Nassau IDA gives first approval to talks on potential tax breaks for Westbury apartments

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Neil Best

UBS Arena mostly has gotten rave reviews in the four months since it opened – at least for the arena itself if not for the logistics involved in getting there and back. 
But there has been a detour on the road to it becoming a hot destination on the New York-area sports scene: an Islanders season that has gone awry. 
The home team’s fall off the NHL playoff map has been accompanied by a similarly drastic fall in the value of its tickets on the secondary market. 
As of Wednesday, one could purchase a ticket to Thursday night’s game against the Blue Jackets for as little at $6 – a not-unusual figure for upcoming home games. 
"Even when a team is playing poorly, you’ve got a beautiful arena and for a ticket to be $6 on a Thursday night, it’s kind of unheard of," said Kyle Zorn, brand manager for the secondary ticket site TickPick. 
Zorn, who played lacrosse at Stony Brook in the early 2010s, recently paid about $40 for a ticket in the 100 level at UBS, a ticket that would have cost four or five times that for a Rangers game at Madison Square Garden. 
"Winning is always going to be the number one variable," Zorn said, "but if you’re a hockey fan and you want to get out on a Thursday or Friday night to the arena, it’s a great experience. 
"It’s surprising, just because you’ve got a ton of hockey fans on Long Island and in this area. It’s just surprising to see the drop-off." 
The Islanders are 21 points out of the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and play 14 of their remaining 29 games at home. 
TickPick, which does not add fees to its listed prices, shows an average "get-in" price for remaining Islanders home games of about $11. 
Before the All-Star break, the average purchase price of Islanders tickets was $77. Since then, it has been about $49. And the volume of purchases has fallen significantly. 
The lower resale prices do not affect the team in the short term, because the tickets already have been sold. But season ticket holders who do not wish to attend games themselves generally will have to sell them at a loss. 
StubHub lists all three home games this Thursday, Friday and Sunday at $10 or less, not including fees. SeatGeek’s prices for those three games started at $4, $8 and $5 as of Wednesday afternoon. 
Even at the "higher" end, there are deals available. On Wednesday, SeatGeek listed $28 tickets (not including fees) in Row 16 of Section 121 in the lower bowl. 
So what if the parking garage is not finished and the LIRR station works in only one direction (for now)? The Islanders’ freefall in the standings is a boon for would-be bargain-hunters. 
As Zorn said: "I mean, it’s two tickets for less than a beer!"

Sports

Hockey

New York Islanders

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Tickets to Islanders games at UBS Arena on the secondary market are cheaper than the food

Tickets to Isles home games on the secondary market are cheaper than the food

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THE SCOOP With a population of just about 5,200, Albertson boasts rich amenities, including the lush 12-acre Clark Botanic Gardens. "It is truly a jewel in Albertson," says Town of North Hempstead Council member Peter J. Zuckerman, adding that the gardens have a greenhouse and are open year-round. 
The botanic gardens host special events, such as plant sales and a "Spooky Walk" for adults and older kids and a "Not So Spooky Walk" on Halloween. 
Other popular spots in the community are the Albertson VFW, which serves the veteran community, Shelter Rock Public Library, with a variety of programs, and John D. Caemmerer Park.
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Situated just north of the Hempstead Plains, Albertson was settled as farmland in the mid-17th century. The hamlet, which was named for Townsend Albertson, an early settler who owned a farm and gristmill, is home to Searing-Roslyn United Methodist Church, the oldest Methodist church on the Island, and the Center for Disability Services, which provides educational and employment programs and support.
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The housing stock is predominantly Colonials, with some split-levels and ranches. Home prices range from about $600,000 for a two-bedroom Colonial to $1.6 million for new construction with four to five bedrooms. 
Many Albertson residents have moved from New York City, attracted to the Herricks School District, says Yelena Borukhov of Douglas Elliman Real Estate. 
"It’s close to everything," says Borukhov. "It’s walking distance to the L.I.R.R., walking distance to the shops, walking distance to the schools. It’s very family friendly." 
Perin George, a 30-year resident of the hamlet, agrees. "The neighbors look out for each other all the time," she said.
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CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are no condos or co-ops on the market. 
SALE PRICES Between Jan. 31, 2021, and Feb. 28, 2022, there were 59 home sales with a median sale price of $740,000, according to OneKey MLS. The low price for that period was $485,000 and the high was $1.47 million. During that period a year earlier there were 61 home sales with a median sale price of $740,000. The price range was $420,000 to $1.48 million. 
OTHER STATS 
Town North Hempstead 
Area 0.7 square mile 
ZIP code 11507 
Population 5,220 
Median age 45.6 
Median household income $128,116 
Median home value $765,000* 
Monthly LIRR ticket from Albertson $308 
School districts, graduation rates Mineola (97%), Herricks (98%), Roslyn (97%) 
Park John D. Caemmerer Park 
Libraries Shelter Rock, The Bryant 
Hospitals St. Francis Hospital, North Shore University Hospital 
Transit NICE Route 23 
SOURCES: 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; OneKey MLS; LIRR, data.nysed.gov *Based on 26 sales in the past six months, according to OneKey MLS 
NOW ON THE MARKET
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$1.95 million 
With four bedrooms and 2½ baths, this renovated 2,772-square-foot center-hall Colonial features wide wrought-iron front doors, a cathedral ceiling, open floor plan, custom kitchen and family room with wet bar. Taxes are $18,494. Anthony Lo Verme, Blue Brick Real Estate, 718-614-8349.
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$1.19 million 
At 2,600-square feet, this stucco four-bedroom, 3½-bath home has an open floor plan, eat-in kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite counters, and finished basement. The home, on a quiet block, is on a 0.11-acre lot with a brick patio. Taxes are $25,534. Raj Jaggi and Rachna Bhatia, Voro Real Estate, 516-996-3633.
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$759,000 
This renovated three-bedroom, one-bath house is set on a tree-lined street. The 0.06-acre lot is fenced in and features a gazebo with built-in movie screen and projector. Taxes are $10,260. Yelena Borukhov, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, 516-621-3555. 
RECENTLY SOLD 
$1.45 million 
Edgemere Dr. 
Style High ranch 
Bedrooms 6 
Bathrooms 3 
Built 1963 
Lot size 0.38 acre 
Taxes $25,219 
+/- List price -$138,000 
Days on market 198 
$820,000 
Beverly Dr. 
Style Expanded Cape 
Bedrooms 4 
Bathrooms 3 
Built 1949 
Lot size 0.14 acre 
Taxes $16,403 
+/- List price -$30,000 
Days on market 140 
$520,000 
Lynton Rd. 
Style Expanded Cape 
Bedrooms 4 
Bathrooms 2 
Built 1951 
Lot size 0.14 acre 
Taxes $12,472 
+/- List price -$15,000 
Days on market 66 
ON ONEKEY MLS 
Number of listings 10 
Price range $759,000 to $1.95 million 
Tax range $10,260 to $27,562

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Albertson's schools, short commute draw homebuyers from the city

Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials on Tuesday previewed one of several forthcoming improvements at the Long Island Rail Road’s cramped Manhattan home: removal of seven low-hanging steel beams that were known to leave lumps on the heads of taller LIRR riders. 
MTA chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said the "head-knocker" beams long have been "the main culprit in making Penn feel so dungeonlike." 
"Everyone who uses the Long Island Rail Road concourse at Penn knows them and hates them, because they prevent us from having any human-sized head height," Lieber said. "Removing the head-knockers is key to our plan to create a new Penn Station that can truly be a grand entrance to New York." 
Seven of the 10-ton steel beams, which have hung less than 7 feet above the heads of commuters at Penn for more than 100 years, are set to be removed by this weekend as part of a $600 million project to raise the ceilings and widen the walkway along the LIRR’s concourse below 33rd Street. That effort is scheduled for completion by early 2023, officials said. 
The first beam was removed last week. Before removing the beams, which helped support the weight of the street, construction crews had to build a new support structure above them. Once completed, the ceilings along the entire length of the LIRR concourse at Penn Station will be 18 feet tall. In addition, retail storefronts along the concourse are being pushed back to nearly double the width of the walkway, from 30 feet to 57 feet. 
Waiting for his train at Penn Station on Tuesday afternoon, LIRR commuter George Kougianos — who stands 6 feet, 3 inches — said he instinctively lowers his head while walking through some parts of Penn Station. 
"I don’t stand up … It’s just instinct," said Kougianos, 38, of Hicksville, a construction worker who looks forward to having taller ceilings at the station. "It won’t look congested, like you’re in a tight spot. Right now, it just looks like a hole." 
With the backing of Gov. Kathy Hochul, the MTA has plans for a more ambitious overhaul of Penn, which could cost more than $7 billion. The upgrades would entail knocking down much of Amtrak’s upper level at Penn to allow for ceilings as tall as 148 feet that would allow natural light onto the LIRR customer concourse.

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MTA says 'head-knocker' beams coming down as part of Penn Station renovation

MTA says 'head-knocker' beams coming down at Penn

John Asbury

Hoping to add millions in new revenue, Long Beach city officials are exploring adding parking meters to its main central business district by this summer. 
City officials have had two virtual public work sessions to consider adding meters to curbside parking and center parking lots downtown near City Hall. The meters would be added in the central business district, covering parking in three blocks in each direction between Lafayette and Monroe boulevards, officials announced during a work session last month. 
The proposal must still go before the city council, where residents would be able to review formal plans and offer input before it is voted on or implemented. The city must approve a vendor and amend city code to add paid parking. Officials had initially hoped to approve parking meters by Memorial Day. 
Parking rates have not been set, but models have included potentially $2 to $4 per hour in the summer and $1 in off season, generating from $6 million to $12 million annually for the city. 
Residents would qualify for a 50% discount on annual parking permits and designated parking for downtown employees. The meters wound not extend into the eastern side of the city bordering Lido Beach or into the West End business district. 
Long Beach officials have considered adding parking meters for more than a decade, but have not moved forward on paid parking. The city added parking meters to the LIRR station in 2004, which were upgraded in 2012. 
The State Financial Restructuring Board has recommended the city add parking kiosks to the central business district and provided $500,000 in grants. City leaders said the additional revenue could help offset the city’s fiscal crisis facing nearly $500 million in debt and long-term liabilities and obligations. 
"This administration came in two years ago and uncovered dire finances," city spokesman John McNally said during the work session. "We have been looking at alternative revenues other than parking. The charge was that this long-term debt and structural imbalances not overly burden residents and correct the issues of the past in property taxes. We’re looking at what revenues visitors to Long Beach would be able to shoulder." 
City officials said the cost of maintaining free parking lots is passed onto residents. The turnover of the available spaces can also equal between $20,000 and $100,000 in annual revenue for downtown businesses, McNally said. 
"We hope to turn the expenses for all 35,000 residents in the city to the actual users of the central business district," McNally said. "The economic development to have those parking spots open is immeasurably important … right now people are parking in those spots and they never open up." 
The city would have parking kiosks available, but encourage parking apps to register vehicles. Free short-term parking would be available near City Hall, the train station and post office. Paid parking would be in effect daily from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. with longer time available near restaurants after 5 p.m. 
The city’s parking consultant, Gerard Giosa, said he has added similar parking plans to downtowns in Patchogue and Bay Shore, which have increased business and economic activity. 
"Employees and customers can find spots, there’s less double parking and healthy parking patterns," Giosa said.

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Long Beach proposing parking meters for downtown business district

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Corin Hirsch

Cast like cotija-topped manna across Long Island, tacos may be just as countless as bagels or pizza, but still get short shrift when it comes to icon status. In recent years, though, Long Island has become a lodestone for talented makers of tacos who labor in delis, taquerias and food trucks, in coffee shops and cantinas, in the highest-tier kitchens and sometimes even behind pizzeria counters. 
Hunting these tacos down in the zillions of places they are made is an almost endless task, one I tried to make a dent in this winter as I assembled a list of the best. There so many tacos that you could probably eat at a new spot every day for a year and still never try them all, and by the time you're done, a few new places would have opened, a few would have closed, a favorite food truck may have moved on and you’d have to start all over again. 
The dynamic, mercurial nature of Long Island’s tacoscape makes it an endless adventure to explore. A deceptively simple construction of meat, seafood or vegetables layered onto tortillas with garnishes, cheese and salsas, they are the perfect snack — when they are well-proportioned and prepared with care. What elevates tacos to the realm of the gods, though? I tried to drill to the heart of that question while eating many dozens of them at wobbly tables, marble bar tops, and the front seat of my car, where bits of salsa spilled onto the passenger seat. 
As the weeks wore on, I learned that trying to dissect that x factor of taco greatness takes away the pleasure. A freshly pressed tortilla, a filet of flounder from a fish caught yesterday, greens grown down the road or pork butt sliced from a spit (as is traditional for al pastor) all contribute, for sure. But what makes a taco transcendant is how the elements come together in harmony, usually evident on the first bite. Ineffable balance is as present in tacos as it is in sole meunière or memorable bowl of ramen. 
Some of those who prepare our best tacos are from Mexico, some are not. Some work from family or regional recipes, some forge entirely new pathways; all dispatch with gimmicks and unnecessary largesse. 
No conversation about the current taco moment would be complete with a mention of birria tacos, or stewed meat (usually beef, but traditionally goat) folded into tortillas that are fried in beef fat until crisp. Hailing from the Mexican state of Jalisco, Americanized in Los Angeles and popularized locally by Queens’ Birria Landia food truck, birria has exploded in the last three years or so. Almost every place I visited now has its own spin, usually quesabirria, a version with melted cheese blended into the meat. 
Choosing a dozen of the very best places is hard, but it boiled down to a basic criteria: The ability to elicit momentary rapture, usually expressed in a monosyllable (ooo, mm) and which would compel me to eat past the point of fullness. I wish I could say those moments were evenly distributed geographically, but the truth is that Suffolk aces Nassau when it comes to tacos. And if you live in Riverhead...lucky you! 
<h3>NASSAU</h3> 
Birria Tacos of Valley Stream (104 Merrick Rd., Valley Stream): The sign outside says Mamma Gina’s Pizzeria, but the clanks and hisses from behind a stack of pizza boxes is the searing of birria tacos. Quesobirria tacos have been a years-long passion for Carlos Aguilar, who has owned Mamma Gina’s for three decades and devoted much of the last four to perfecting crisp tacos for which he stews short ribs stewed for six hours, then shreds the meat and melts mozzarella across the edge — a reflection of his blended Italian and central American heritage — before pressing. Crisp and luscious, they are served with house-made salsas and hot sauce, as well as a drinkable, garlicky consommé made with the broth from the beef. Besides the birria, the kitchen also turns out a sublime shrimp taco, and has chicken tacos as well. More info: 516-568-1333 <a href="https://valleystreamfoodtruck.com/">valleystreamfoodtruck.com</a>
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El Paso Taco Grill (787 Conklin St., Farmingdale): Year after year, El Paso draws a bustling, diverse crowd for central American plates and exalted tacos built upon recipes from the owner’s Guerrero-born mother: Marinated cubes of beef tongue softened during roasting for tender lengua tacos; shaved flaps of pork butt slathered with guajillo chile sauce for singular al pastor tacos that deliver tiny bursts of pork fat; chorizo tacos vibrating with baking spices and shrimp tacos that light up the back of your tongue with a sour tang. Finished with minced onions, cilantro and slivered radishes, a plate of three tacos starts at $7, and it’s wise to order ahead because this place is usually busy. (To try some of El Paso’s slightly thicker homemade corn tortillas, get some sopes, too, a sort of open-faced taco showered with shredded lettuce and cotija cheese). More info: 516-752-1872, <a href="https://www.elpasotacogrillny.com/">elpasotacogrillny.com</a>
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Taco El Chingón (2809 Merrick Rd., Bellmore): This cheerful space is a petite wonderland for tacos that wallop with flavor and are crafted by owner Laura Lucero, a Mexico City native, and her family. They braise pork shoulder in lard, orange juice and sugar for superlative, oven-crisped carnitas tacos. Their handling of lengua tacos tempers the gaminess that beef tongue can sometimes have, so only melting succulence remains. Campechanos, robust tacos that layer pork, beef, chicken, chorizo, vibrate with heat. For $2 apiece, diners can opt for house-made tortillas that puff out in places as they cook on the flat top. There is also a bar of vivid, freshly made salsas, but few seats. More info: 516-809-9102, <a href="https://tacoelchingon.com/">tacoelchingon.com</a>
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Taqueria Marquez (273 Burnside Ave., Lawrence): Perched on the edge of Nassau County — flick a tortilla from the front door and it might land in Queens — this four-year-old taqueria (whose owner hails from Zacateca, Mexico) charms with pumpkin-colored walls, an altar to the Virgin Mary in one corner and pumping ranchero music, plus tacos that surprise with their precision and imply obsessive attention to detail in the kitchen. Tortillas are charred just so, onions and herbs are almost pulverized; and grilled scallions, called cebollin, accompany each order (as do lime wedges and sliced radishes). Wafts of cinnamon swirl about al pastor tacos; carne asada is juicy and rife with pepper; but the powerful draw (for me) are silky lamb barbacoa tacos tinged with smoke and earth. Most tacos fall around $4 each. More info: 516-837-3202
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<h3>SUFFOLK</h3> 
Hermanas Kitchen &amp; Cocktails (136 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst). Owned by three women partners, this spot is steeped in standout aesthetics, with a pretty marble bar and bleached white-on-white dining room. Chef Edwin Corrado’s tacos exude laser attention to color, texture and composition, and he serves each one flat, not folded (even when they are taken to go) so that their beauty is part of the experience of eating them. The lineup of vegetarian and vegan tacos is strong, from a taco of baby rainbow carrots roasted to subtle sweetness with a racy slaw relish (called curtido) or crisp fried-avocado tacos with a smoky aioli. Pernil tacos show off how roasted pork can become almost delicate in the right hands. Individual tacos start at $4.50. More info: 631-991-8999, <a href="https://www.hermanaslindy.com/">hermanaslindy.com</a>
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La Fondita (74 Montauk Hwy., Amagansett). Twenty-one years is a hefty stretch of time to stay at the top of the taco game, as this Montauk Highway spot has, with suites of flavors — orange, chiles, cumin, herbs — that taste effortless but mask years of refinement. (The original recipes were created by executive chef Joe Realmuto and his partners after a trip to Mexico, tweaked over the years and are now cooked by chef du cuisine Juan Geronimo; tortillas are made fresh here). If fish tacos are among the most iconic of Long Island tacos, La Fondita’s version occupies the top tier: A hunk of cod sheathed in beer batter (the kitchen uses Negro Modelo) and fried to a shattering crisp, then slicked with chipotle mayo and a tangle of shredded cabbage. Each drop of adobo-stained, citrus-tinged fat beneath carnitas feels deliberate, not gratuitous, the pork having half-melted during an hourslong braise. There are no seats inside, but in warmer weather picnic tables await. Wherever you choose to eat, be sure to grab some of the featherlight tortilla chips. Tacos are $3.50 each, or three for $14-$15.50. More info: 631-267-8800, <a href="https://lafondita.net/">lafondita.net</a>
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Mi Viejito Pueblito (1687 New York Ave., Huntington Station): A lineup of $2.50 (or so) tacos need not be anything other than what their price implies, workaday sustenance. Yet Mi Viejito Pueblito (and its owners, Eulogio and Emelia Valerio) stands out amongst the crowded taco environs of Huntington Station with tacos that are three or four supernal bites each. At first glance, they seem so simply assembled that you might puzzle over the depth of flavor, but it's wise not to think too hard and just tuck into griddled, slightly puffy tortillas filled with crispy, pineapple-topped al pastor, cumin-scented taco arabes, tender lengua and slightly charred shrimp tacos, all ushered by wedges of lime, sliced radishes and grilled onions. The 20-seat dining room is no-frills but full of bonhomie, and the habanero salsa will quicken the pulse. More info: 631-470-0396. 
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NZgrei Taqueria Gil Mexican Food (134 N. Carll Ave., Babylon). There’s quiet starpower behind the tacos at this unassuming deli across from the Babylon LIRR Station. Owned by Oaxaca native Jose Gil, its front room is filled with handwritten signs and paper flag and its kitchen is manned by chef Santiago Barragan, who got his start at La Esquina in New York City and worked at Queens’ infamous Tortilleria Nixtamal before decamping to Babylon. Those are the corn tortillas he uses as a canvas for his tacos, such as short ribs braised into velvet, then spooned into tortillas that are fried on the grill until hot and crisp for particularly handsome birria tacos topped with pickled onions and cilantro. For the Yucatan specialty cochinitas, Barragan stews pork butt for three hours with achiote, guajillo chiles, oregano, cloves, cumin, tomatoes and orange juice before pulling it into flavor-drenched shreds. The kitchen makes salsas and hot sauces daily, including a signature red sauce made with chiles de arbol. Tacos start at $3.50 apiece, and an order of three begins at $9. More info: 631-893-4333, <a href="http://nzgreitaqueriagil.com/">nzgreitaqueriagil.com</a><a href="https://nzgreitaqueriagil.com/"> </a>
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Taco Bout It (40B E. Main St., Riverhead): Colorful and inviting, this is the domain of chef Alejandro ‘Chicki’ Ramirez — originally from Oaxaca — and a draws much of its magic from superlative tacos served on homemade tortillas, from queso-covered birria tacos to grilled mahi-mahi tacos with bits of char, to tender suadero tacos. The house hot sauces run the gamut from demure to blazing, and you can sample them all inside the kinetic royal blue dining room (or in warmer weather, at the handful of tables outside in the alley). Chase them with the tart hibiscus tea called jamaica. Tacos start at $5, and it is cash only. More info: 631-574-8787, <a href="https://www.tacoboutitny.com/">tacoboutitny.com</a>
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Taqueria Cielito Lindo (29 E. Main St., Riverhead): The second in the killer lineup of Riverhead taco spots, this soulful, folksy taqueria highlights not only handmade soft-corn tortillas but also a super-friendly crew. This engua, taco has a muskiness that will appeal to lovers of offal; the spit-roasted al pastor taco blossoms under hunks of grilled pineapple in its midst, and you can’t go wrong with any of the others. More info: 631-591-0732 
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Taqueria Mexico (709 E. Main St., Riverhead): This is one of the only places on Long Island for soft, citrus-tinged cochinita pibil tacos — the smoky Yucatacan take on pulled pork — as well as tacos made with crumbled, feisty longaniza sausage, served on homemade corn tortillas and then wrapped tightly in foil, making them snackable while driving (though there is also charming dining room). A few doors down is a Mexican market selling masa, dried hibiscus, dozens of dried chiles and other imported Mexican provisions, making a visit to the eastern edge of downtown Riverhead feel like a quick jaunt through that country. More info: 631-208-2902 no website
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Verde Kitchen &amp; Cocktails (70 E. Main St., Bay Shore): Long Island has many a sit-down cantina that trades in tacos and tequila where the tacos are an oversized afterthought. That formula is somewhat reversed at Verde, where the cocktails are seductive but the tacos just as on point. Owner Anthony Tartaglia has spent much time traveling and studying the form, and each one reflects that concern, from silky, sarsaparilla-tinged beef barbacoa — slow-cooked in lager and Mexican Coke — batter-armored flounder tacos or comforting tacos rajas filled with roasted poblano peppers, onions and potatoes with crumbled almonds for crunchy texture. Individual tacos start at $8. More info: 631-665-6300,<a href="https://www.verdekitchen.com/"> </a><a href="http://verdekitchen.com/">verdekitchen.com</a>
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FeedMe

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Long Island's best tacos

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The MTA has announced Long Island Rail Road service has been restored in both directions between Port Washington and Great Neck on Monday. 
The LIRR said service had been suspended earlier due to a police investigation surrounding an "unattended package" at the Port Washington station, but said the package was cleared by investigators — and that service was restored sometime around 9:15 a.m. 
The service suspension led to several cancelations during the morning rush hour. 
During the suspension service remained ongoing for all stations west of Great Neck.

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LIRR service restored in both directions between Port Washington and Great Neck

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When I left my midtown office on the evening of March 12, 2020, I said good night to the security guard at the front desk and muttered something about not being sure when I would see him again. Now, two years later, I have been back to the office exactly once since then. 
That has meant that, after more than 25 years of commuting to work on the Long Island Rail Road, I’ve been on a two-year forced LIRR respite. And I don’t mind it one bit. 
I’ve never been one of those full-time LIRR haters — too much negative energy. If you have to do it every day, you better come to grips with the commute or it will drive you crazy. 
On its best days, the LIRR can be tolerable. My train is normally waiting at Huntington Station when I arrive, and a seat is easy to find. I crack open my iPad and read the daily newspapers, sipping coffee. An hour later, I arrive at Penn Station, escape as fast as I can and make the short, 15-minute walk to the office. 
On other days, the ride presents challenges: loud talkers and phone conversations, smelly egg sandwiches, tasks normally reserved for one’s home done right out in public (toenail clipping, makeup applications and worse), bare feet on seats, drunken and disorderly passengers, and other bad behaviors that fail to acknowledge the presence of other humans. 
And at its worst, one must deal with breakdowns and "signal troubles" that cause hours of delays, the ever-unhelpful LIRR announcements that provide no clear directions to get home, and the always-fun, overcrowded Penn Station. 
Ah, Penn Station. Let’s not forget that part of the commute. I’ve seen many ups and downs of its physical state, including lack of heating and cooling and rampant homelessness. Its present condition is the worst in my memory. Construction has rendered it even more cramped and claustrophobic. Penn Station is an embarrassment to New York City. I suppose someday it will finally improve, but that’s not likely during my commuting days. 
And the LIRR’s plans to go into Grand Central Station? Maybe it will finally occur in 2022. And don’t be fooled by the cheery stories about the new Moynihan Train Hall. It’s done almost nothing for LIRR commuters. 
Without the LIRR commute, I’ve regained three hours every workday. I can ease into my work at home after getting in some exercise. I did so much during the pandemic, I ended up in physical therapy after overdoing the rowing machine -- and my dog, Lilah, a chocolate Lab, now limps from so much walking. But when I close my laptop at the end of the day, that’s it. I’m already home. 
I realize how fortunate I am to have been able to stop riding the LIRR and work from home with little interruption or risk to my health. My admiration goes to everyone who had no choice and had to still travel to work during this pandemic. 
When life returns to "normal," I will no longer be a daily LIRR commuter. My employer has been gracious and flexible in its approach; mostly remote working will be the new reality. For me, that means I am done with the daily commuting grind and LIRR monthly tickets (at more than $350 a month, no less). So when I get down about the state of the world because of the pandemic, I remind myself: You do not have to ride the LIRR today. And that’s a big upside. 
Reader Matthew Hickerson lives in Huntington.

Commentary

Expressway

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Think I'll miss my daily round trip to Penn?

The long-delayed redevelopment around the Hicksville train station has taken a step forward with an apparent agreement between the Long Island Rail Road and the town of Oyster Bay. 
The agreement would give the town access to LIRR-owned property around the station so the town could build a pedestrian walkway and expanded park, according to a copy of a memorandum of understanding provided by the town. An MTA spokesman wrote in an email Friday that the agreement is being finalized. 
"From expanded park space to beautification projects and a new, safe pedestrian walkway, we are improving the downtown and helping to attract new housing opportunities, restaurants, shops and office space," Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino said in a news release issued Thursday. 
The proposed open space is a scaled-back version of a plan designed under a state grant to reimagine Hicksville by moving street-level parking into parking garages and converting the parking lots into open space and an entrance into the station. The plan hinged on the construction of four multistory parking garages on West Barclay Street to free up land, with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority building 1,100 of the 2,156 parking spaces, though no grant money was set aside for new parking. 
The town and the MTA failed to agree upon a parking plan, and last year the town submitted a revised proposal to the state that assumed the garages wouldn’t be built. In the new agreement, the town and the LIRR acknowledge that the garages won’t be built but state that the parties "intend to continue working together to evaluate future parking and station access needs at the station and such needs might be addressed." 
The state approved grant funding for four projects, with funding for other projects to come from other sources. The town's revised proposal would redirect most of the state funding. 
The town is seeking state funding for a scaled-down version of an expansion of John F. Kennedy Memorial Park. As originally conceived, the expanded park would have closed streets and connected to a new Festival Plaza. The revised plan would expand the park onto parking spaces directly to the south without closing off streets. Festival Plaza, in the revised plan, is described in town documents as the Festival Plaza Pathway. Where Festival Plaza was designed to replace an entire parking lot, the pathway would preserve some of the parking and add plants and places to sit. 
The revised plan also seeks funding for the "Underline," which would redesign the underside of the elevated train track to include colorful LED lighting and could host pop-up shops and outdoor cafes. 
The memorandum states that it depends on New York State approving the revised plan, which was submitted in February 2021. In a statement Friday, the New York State Department of State said it would continue working with the town to implement "the vision and goals of the [Downtown Revitalization Initiative] and associated projects." 
In 2017, the state awarded the town a $10 million grant that included the cost of designing a plan to revitalize the downtown as a walkable community after a series of public input sessions.

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Change in plans for redevelopment near Hicksville LIRR station

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Long Island Rail Road service has been restored between Rockville Centre and Valley Stream, after a previous suspension because a person was struck by a train Saturday morning, the railroad said. 
Trains were suspended in both directions for about 10 minutes, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 
"Customers can expect residual delays of approximately 15 to 20 minutes," the railroad said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/LIRR/status/1500095237301096452">tweet</a>. 
The person was struck on the tracks in Rockville Centre at 7:45 a.m., MTA officials said. Officials said the person survived and was taken to the hospital "responsive and alert" to be treated for injuries. 
MTA police were investigating the crash.

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LIRR: Service restored after person hit by train

<h3>Daily Point</h3> 
<h3>Biden’s police highlights</h3> 
New Yorkers might have heard an echo in President Joe Biden’s State of the Union mention of NYPD officers Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora Tuesday night. It was not the first time he has memorialized members of the NYPD who were killed on the job. 
In 2014, the then-vice president traveled to New York to eulogize Rafael Ramos, one of the officers shot in their patrol car at point-blank range. 
As he often does in such appearances, Biden referenced his own family’s experience with untimely death, noting that "I know from personal experience that there is little anyone can say or do at this moment to ease the pain," according to a speech transcript. 
Now as then, Biden attempted to strike a difficult balance by praising and empathizing with police work, at a time when major incidents of civilian deaths at police hands — from Eric Garner and Michael Brown to George Floyd — have resulted in mass protests and a pro-law enforcement counterreaction. 
"I have spoken at too many funerals for too many peace officers, too many funerals for brave women and men who kept us safe and watched their families grieve," Biden said in 2014. 
He struck a similar note on Tuesday while referencing Rivera and Mora, who were fatally shot while responding to a Harlem domestic call in January. 
"I spoke with their families and told them that we are forever in debt for their sacrifice, and we will carry on their mission to restore the trust and safety every community deserves," Biden said. 
He pointed to the changing face of the police department, how the two officers were both "Dominican Americans who’d grown up on the same streets they later chose to patrol as police officers." Biden highlighted similar details in 2014 regarding Ramos and his partner Wenjian Liu: "the son of a Chinese immigrant shared a patrol with a Hispanic minister in training." 
Family members of the dead officers were not among the announced SOTU guests on Tuesday, a departure from the gallery guest lists of President Donald Trump’s addresses, which included injured or exemplary officers and the widows of California law enforcement members who had been killed by a person in the country illegally. 
But Biden’s midterm-year rhetoric was unsurprisingly pro-cop: He derided the "defund the police" slogan and said "the answer is to fund the police." And he turned to the personal touch on which he has often relied, noting that he spoke with Mora and Rivera’s families on a recent visit to New York. 
He did the same in 2014, going to Brooklyn to visit Liu’s family. According to Biden’s 2017 book "Promise Me, Dad," Liu’s father later returned the favor and attended the wake of Biden’s cancer-stricken son, Beau. 
— Mark Chiusano <a href="https://twitter.com/mjchiusano">@mjchiusano</a> 
<h2>Talking Point</h2> 
<h3>Let’s make a deal</h3> 
The long-awaited redevelopment of Hicksville took a step forward Tuesday, as the Oyster Bay Town board approved a memorandum of understanding between the town and the Long Island Rail Road that will allow the town to design and develop LIRR property around the Hicksville train station. 
The deal specifically applies to parts of the town’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, the $10 million state grant that Oyster Bay won in 2017. The deal, which included the state in the discussions, will allow the town to begin designing the so-called Festival Pathway, a smaller version of what used to be called Festival Plaza, which will take up some of the LIRR’s parking lots and other property stretching from the station toward Broadway, along with an expansion of Kennedy Park, which is located between Jerusalem Avenue and Broadway, just to the east of the station, and improvements to the so-called Underline — the area beneath the station and train tracks, which will gain new lighting, artwork and more. 
Also on the town’s to-do list: A similar agreement with the state Department of Transportation, so traffic-calming and pedestrian-friendly improvements can be made to major roads, like Broadway and Newbridge, that cut through Hicksville’s downtown. 
With the MOU approval, the town hopes to complete design work by the end of 2022 and start construction in early 2023, Colin Bell, the town’s deputy commissioner for intergovernmental affairs, told The Point. 
But the MOU goes beyond those projects to discuss a "long-term planning effort" to deal with station improvements, the potential need for additional parking, and "construction of transit-oriented development at or near the Station." 
James McCaffrey, Oyster Bay’s deputy commissioner of planning and development, told The Point that the town’s efforts to bring in mixed-use projects are "well on their way," and on a similar timetable. Two mixed-use projects — one that would bring 214 residential units and another that includes 91 units of housing — are currently undergoing planning and environmental review and McCaffrey said he expects them to be under construction by 2023, too, with potential openings as soon as early 2024. 
McCaffrey noted that with all of the elements on a similar timetable, it’s now easier to incorporate architectural elements and other pieces of the station-related projects associated with the DRI into the additional mixed-use projects now being planned. 
"We’re definitely at the crossroads," McCaffrey said. "The timing works out perfectly … It will make it cohesive. It’s actually good that they all came together at the same time." 
If McCaffrey’s right, and the town’s plans actually continue to move forward, 2024 could be the year change finally comes to Hicksville. 
— Randi F. Marshall <a href="https://twitter.com/randimarshall">@RandiMarshall</a> 
<h2>Pencil Point</h2> 
<h3>Putin' him in his place</h3>

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For more cartoons, visit <a href="http://www.newsday.com/nationalcartoons" target="_blank">www.newsday.com/nationalcartoons</a> 
<h2>Final Point</h2> 
<h3>No masking her partisan leanings</h3> 
New York Republicans might not be so quick to give up their rhetoric on COVID-19 mask requirements — as underscored during a seven-minute speech Monday at their state convention by Margaret Marchand, vice president of the Locust Valley school board. 
Saying she was there on her own and not representing the district, Marchand said she was asked by the state GOP committee to offer insight on "what the schools statewide have been going through the past 23 months." 
"Our faces are our identity," she said, adding that adults and children communicate with each other not just through words but through such expressions as smiles and scowls. "We have allowed the youngest people in our society who [have] no voice to have their feelings covered for the past 23 months in and out of school." 
Marchand cautioned that the mask mandate is to be lifted Wednesday in "some schools" but that "there are still some districts with boards who are afraid to ask the questions and there are districts with boards who are afraid to stand up and understand what their elected power is." 
Which is to say anti-mask activists have no plan to declare an end to opposing the governance of Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul — whom Marchand accused of overstepping her powers and circumventing the legislative process. Unlike Democrats, Marchand said current GOP County Executive Bruce Blakeman "sat with us, giving us a promise. He said ‘I will fight for you and stand with parents for parental choice.’" 
Marchand echoed a refrain heard on the Republican side for some time. "What we’ve done to these children is harmful. It did harm them," she asserted. And she told the party faithful in the room: "I support every single one of you." 
— Dan Janison <a href="https://twitter.com/danjanison">@Danjanison</a> 
<h3>Did you miss an issue of The Point? <a href="https://www.newsday.com/opinion/the-point-1.13955009" target="_blank">Browse past newsletters here.</a></h3>

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The president and the NYPD

Olivia Winslow

Dennis Carl Ferguson — known to friends as Carl — and his wife, Stephany Ferguson, were pillars of the Hempstead Village community that was their home for four decades, immersed in church activities and community service. 
And they were loving, doting grandparents who also reached outside their own family to mentor young people. 
"When he was at 1199 [SEIU, the union], he ran a fatherhood group for young men who needed support," said Carl Ferguson's daughter, Ziedah Ferguson Diata, of Brooklyn. "He loved that work." 
Stephany Ferguson, her mother, was a longtime schoolteacher in New York City. "My mom was always a teacher. She brought that through all that she did," Diata said. 
"They were surrogate parents to so many young people who had parents who had challenges," Diata said. 
Now, with her parents' unexpected deaths, "there are so many people who are heartbroken," she said. 
Carl and Stephany Ferguson died Jan. 25 in a car accident west of Delray Beach, Florida. He was 71, and she was 73. The couple, who maintained their home in Hempstead, had recently rented a place in Boca Raton, Florida, Diata said, to be near friends and other family during the winter. 
They were married for 49 years, having met as students at what is now Hampton University in Virginia. 
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They were active parishioners at Jackson Memorial AME Zion Church in Hempstead. 
"My mom, for a number of years ... directed the drama club. That was really important to her. She supports the kids in drama and poetry ... teaching them how to perform. She would actually write the scripts for Christmas plays," Diata said. She also directed the church's Vacation Bible School for many years. 
"She and my dad loved to sing" and both were in church choirs, their daughter said. Her father also taught Sunday school. 
Carl Ferguson, who was born in Miami and grew up in Piscataway, New Jersey, retired nine years ago as outreach manager for the National Benefit Fund of the 1199 SEIU health care union, his family said. He previously worked as an auditor for what was Chase Manhattan Bank. 
"He didn’t get tired of talking and he didn’t get tired of listening. He wanted to hear the details of your story," Diata said. 
Stephany Alexandra Townsend Ferguson, who was born in Detroit, retired 16 years ago from New York City public schools, where she had been a middle school math teacher. 
Diata said her mother retired as soon as she became a grandmother for the first time. 
"My parents set a ridiculously high bar for parenting and grandparenting," Diata said. Instead of Diata putting her infant daughter into day care — something she didn't want to do until the child was a year old — her mother retired to help take care of the baby, she said. 
"My mom would meet me on the [LIRR platform] tracks. I would hand the baby over. I would get back on the same train to go to work. She did that every day," said Diata, now chief administrative law judge, director of the Office of Administrative Hearings at New York's Department of State. 
"My dad was so happy for the second grandchild. This time, he was retired and had an opportunity to engage even more deeply in the very early years," she said. 
Carl Ferguson also had been a volunteer since 2010 at The INN, a Hempstead nonprofit addressing hunger, homelessness and poverty. "He just felt serving was important, and serving people who had challenges," his daughter said. 
Mamie Ashley of Hempstead, a friend of the couple for 35 years, recalled their friendship that developed in church, where Ashley is the Black history coordinator. 
"They were actually 'people' people," Ashley said, "very loving and kind and compassionate. No fuss. They didn’t ruffle the waters. To know them is to love them." 
In addition to their daughter, survivors include their son, Titus Ferguson of Hempstead; two grandchildren; Carl's father, Robert Lee Ferguson of Boynton Beach, Florida; Carl's brother, Craig Ferguson; and several of Stephany's siblings — Charles Townsend Jr., Myrna Peterkin, Charellise Coleman, Alexander Townsend, and Elvira Townsend Moon. 
A memorial service for the Fergusons is scheduled for noon Saturday at Jackson Memorial AME Zion Church in Hempstead. It also will be livestreamed. 
The family said that lieu of flowers, memorial donations "In Memory of Carl &amp; Stephany Ferguson" can be made to The INN, 211 Fulton Ave., Hempstead, NY 11550.

Obituaries

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Carl and Stephany Ferguson, fixtures in Hempstead, killed in car crash

Couple, fixtures in Hempstead, killed in car crash

THE SCOOP Throughout the year, there are beautiful sights to behold around Babylon, says Susan Palazzolo, who moved to the village 10 years ago. In spring, Argyle Lake is dotted with blooming cherry blossom trees. Summertime brings hanging flower-filled baskets that grace the village streets and in winter, lampposts are decked out with green and white lights. 
Palazzolo loves the serenity of Argyle Lake and the shopping nights held several times a year, where streets are closed to traffic and restaurants open outdoors with live music.
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Topping her list of favorite things are the sunsets over the water. "I love to drive down to the Babylon pier and look out onto the Great South Bay," she says. The village is about a 15-minute drive to the ocean beaches at Robert Moses State Park. 
Residents pay village taxes, which cover the bayfront community pool, tennis court, train station parking, garbage pickup from the home, rather than the curb, and a pristine downtown area, says real estate agent Steven Rainone of Netter Real Estate. "The amenities that you receive from Babylon village taxes are [worth] double or triple what you pay," he says.
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Its array of eclectic restaurants and mom-and-pop shops gives Babylon a homey, retro aura, Rainone says. "It feels warm and fuzzy." 
Once a summer resort with 11 hotels, Babylon village was originally known as Huntington South, but earned its current name from its American Hotel tavern, nicknamed Babylon for its bawdy reputation. 
The village was home to Guglielmo Marconi, who invented wireless shore-to-ship communications, the precursor to the radio, and was the birthplace of the Cuban Giants, the first African American baseball club.
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Since Babylon is one of the older towns on Long Island, the housing stock includes many vintage homes, such as Victorians, as well as split levels, high ranches, Colonials and some condos. Home prices range from about $440,000 to $3 million and up. 
In addition to Argyle Park, with its waterfalls and waterfowl, popular village spots include the Argyle Theatre, which hosts musicals, comedy shows and Equity productions, the circa 1803 Nathaniel Conklin House and the Babylon Village Historical Society museum.
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CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are three condos and co-ops on the market, ranging from $329,000 to $529,000. 
SALE PRICES Between Dec. 31, 2020, and Jan. 31, 2022, there were 189 home sales with a median sale price of $588,000, according to OneKey MLS. The low price for that period was $232,750 and the high was $2 million. During that period a year earlier there were 178 home sales with a median sale price of $531,250. The price range was $295,000 to $3.3 million. 
OTHER STATS 
Town Babylon 
Area 2.4 square miles 
ZIP code 11702 
Population 12,188 
Median age 41.3 
Median household income $131,134 
Median home value $599,995 
Monthly LIRR ticket from Babylon $363 
School districts, graduation rates Babylon (91%), West Babylon (91%), North Babylon (92%) 
Parks Argyle Park, Southards Pond Park 
Libraries Babylon, West Babylon, North Babylon 
Hospitals Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, South Shore University Hospital 
Transit Suffolk County Transit Routes 20, 23, 25, 27, 29, 20, 42 
SOURCES: 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; OneKey MLS; LIRR, data.nysed.gov *Based on 94 sales in the past six months, according to OneKey MLS 
NOW ON THE MARKET
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$920,000 
Set on a cul-de-sac off Great South Bay, this waterfront contemporary has 31 feet of bulkhead on Foster’s Creek. There are three bedrooms, 2½ baths, hardwood floors, wood-paneled ceilings, a spiral staircase, and a lower-level wet bar. Taxes are $24,575. James McKenna, Coldwell Banker American Homes, 631-673-6800.
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$810,000 
This 2,000-square-foot waterfront home features three bedrooms, two baths, hardwood floors, and stainless steel appliances, granite counters and wood paneling in the kitchen. The 0.10-acre lot boasts panoramic views of the bridge over Great South Bay and the Fire Island lighthouse from first- and second-floor decks. Taxes are $13,862. Brad Wilson, Jones Hollow Realty Group, 833-465-6637.
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$615,000 
Built in 1951, this three-bedroom, 1½ bath ranch was recently updated with radiant-heated floors, granite counters in the eat-in-kitchen, and a new full bath. The 1,551-square-foot home, set on a 0.22-acre lot, has a full basement and attic. Taxes are $13,653. Heather Malone and Danielle Fricano, Coach Real Estate Associates, 631-567-8500. 
RECENTLY SOLD 
$1.3 million 
25 Deeringwood Ln. 
Style Farm ranch 
Bedrooms 3 
Bathrooms 3 
Built 1954 
Lot size 0.46 acre 
Taxes $25,441 
+/- List price -$200,000 
Days on market 91 
$780,000 
Deer Park Ave. 
Style Colonial 
Bedrooms 4 
Bathrooms 3 full, 1 half 
Built 1979 
Lot size 0.16 acre 
Taxes $16,702 
+/- List price -$19,900 
Days on market 99 
$420,000 
Nehring Ave. 
Style Expanded ranch 
Bedrooms 4 
Bathrooms 1 
Built 1950 
Lot size 0.14 acre 
Taxes $9,919 
+/- List price +$41,000 
Days on market 88 
ON ONEKEY MLS 
Number of listings 25 
Price range $329,000 to $3.95 million 
Tax range $3,331 to $45,384

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Babylon buzzes downtown and relaxes on the water

Lisa L. Colangelo

SUNY schools and other Long Island colleges and universities are ending mask mandates and relaxing other protocols amid an ongoing drop in COVID-19 positivity rates and loosening federal guidelines. 
The SUNY system has revised its policy to allow local campuses flexibility in line with local conditions. As of Wednesday, indoor masking will no longer be mandated at Stony Brook University’s West Campus and at Farmingdale State College. However, SUNY Old Westbury’s COVID-19 and Environmental Safety Committee will recommend that its indoor mandate remain in place, spokesperson Michael Kinane said. Nassau and Suffolk community colleges, part of the SUNY system, are reviewing their policies, spokespeople for both schools said Monday. 
The changes come as the state continues monitoring COVID-19 data for people in other congregate settings such as senior housing, nursing homes and prisons. 
"I want the data to see whether or not we’re keeping, maintaining a lower level, or whether or not that it’s sliding back and forth," Hochul said Monday, during an interview with PIX 11. "So once I have the data and analyze it, we’ll be able to make a decision on that." 
Meanwhile, other Long Island schools with revised mask policies include Molloy College in Rockville Centre and Adelphi University in Garden City. Molloy College announced Monday that it is "immediately removing all masking requirements except for those with approved vaccine exemptions, and for those riding shuttles from train stations," according to spokesperson Ken Young. The college’s COVID-19 positivity rate, with only one case, "is currently almost at zero," Young said. 
Adelphi will maintain the indoor mask mandate for now, but has lifted the outdoor mask requirement and relaxed other protocols, said spokesperson Todd Wilson. 
"With traditional Spring Break approaching, March 14-20, the re-evaluation of precautions by April 1 provides us with a 10-day window following the return of our community members from travel to regions with various risk levels during the break," Wilson said in an emailed statement. 
As of Tuesday, limits end for indoor room capacity, events and meetings can serve food and drinks, and "self-serve dining options, including salad bars, will return to the UC Dining Hall and The Eatery at Post Hall," a message of the university's website stated. Visitors will no longer have to submit to daily screening, although they are asked to self-screen. 
In a statement announcing Stony Brook’s revised policy, university officials said that masks would still be required of Stony Brook Medicine employees and others in the hospital and/or any other patient care setting. And mask mandates continue in effect at the Student Health &amp; Counseling Center, at on-campus COVID-19 surveillance testing sites, and aboard university shuttles, Stony Brook officials said. 
At New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury, policies were revised Feb. 15 to make mask wearing discretionary in common indoor spaces, although school officials asked that everyone continue wearing face coverings in the classroom. Outdoor masking is not required. 
St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue is also reviewing its policies and will announce its decisions in the "near future," said spokesperson Jessica McAleer Decatur. 
As for hospitals and nursing homes, Hochul said of mask mandates in the PIX 11 interview: "I believe people understand why we would keep them in place … two huge points of vulnerability." 
Northwell Health, which has 11 hospitals on Long Island, will work with the state Health Department and examine local as well as regional COVID-19 data if the mask mandate is eased for medical facilities, said Dr. Peter Silver, its chief quality officer and associate chief medical officer. 
"As of now, we continue to have all employees and visitors wear masks when they are in the hospitals," Silver said. "And we are continuing to require visitors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 … we will look at all of the information in concert and make a decision when the time comes." 
Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital officials said they are following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Masks are required for all staff and visitors when inside the Oceanside hospital’s facilities, officials said. 
For the Gurwin Healthcare System, which includes, Gurwin Jewish Nursing &amp; Rehabilitation Center in Commack, masks have proved to be effective in keeping residents and staff safe from COVID-19 as well as other respiratory illnesses such as the flu, said Stuart Almer, president and chief executive. 
"I would not anticipate the state lifting the mandate after all we have experienced," said Almer. "I believe we should proceed cautiously." 
Hochul’s ruling, and the new CDC guidelines, have no bearing on public transportation facilities, which are under a Transportation Security Administration mask requirement that will remain in place until March 18, at the earliest. That means masks must continue to be worn on Long Island Rail Road trains and enclosed stations, airports, planes, buses, ferries, and New York City subway trains. 
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which includes the LIRR, said that if, in the future, the TSA declares masks as optional, the MTA would then look for guidance from the CDC and the state Health Department. 
TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein confirmed the agency’s mask requirement remains in place, and said it will "continue to assess the duration of the requirement in consultation with CDC." 
With Alfonso Castillo

Health

Coronavirus

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Long Island colleges, universities easing mask mandates, other protocols

LI colleges, universities easing mask mandates

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Catherine Rinaldi reported to her new job as LIRR interim president on Monday feeling "very excited and a little nervous" as she takes on the task of running the nation's two largest commuter railroads at the same time. 
There's no telling how long Rinaldi, 58, will hold that role, as the head of the MTA said last week he's in no rush to appoint a permanent Long Island Rail Road president, even as some Long Island leaders express concern about having to share a president with Metro-North. 
Although she officially stepped into the LIRR interim role on Saturday, Rinaldi — Metro-North’s president since 2018 — reported to her new Jamaica office for the first time Monday, determined to "show people how committed I am to having safe and reliable service here." 
"Of course there’s a learning curve," said Rinaldi, moments after stepping off an LIRR train. "But I think I’m probably better positioned than anyone from the outside to be able to navigate that learning curve." 
Rinaldi, a Long Island native who previously held several key roles at the LIRR, is uniquely suited to step in for the retiring Phillip Eng, with whom she worked closely on the MTA Board’s joint railroad committee, said Janno Lieber, chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Rinaldi will oversee a combined workforce of more than 13,000. 
While announcing the leadership change on Feb. 10, Lieber said the plan was for Rinaldi to see through the completion of the LIRR’s two megaprojects — the $2.6 billion 10-mile Third Track project between Floral Park and Hicksville, and the $11.2 billion East Side Access effort to link the LIRR to Grand Central Terminal. Both projects are scheduled for completion in December. 
But Lieber said he will "not set a timeline" for appointing a successor to Eng, or even beginning the search for one. 
"There’s a reason for that … I want the world to understand that Cathy Rinaldi is the president of the Long Island Rail Road, and they shouldn’t be planning for anybody else," Lieber said. "I’m not going to be undermining the president of the Long Island Rail Road as she takes on these responsibilities by saying, ‘In so much time, I’m going to be starting to look for your replacement.’ " 
Lieber reiterated his confidence in Rinaldi’s ability to run both railroads, noting that the president of MTA New York City Transit historically has overseen the agency’s subway and bus divisions simultaneously. 
MTA officials have said Rinaldi's compensation for running both railroads has not yet been determined. Rinaldi made $290,700 as Metro-North president last year, according to the MTA. 
<h3>LIers: There are other LIRR issues</h3> 
Mitchell Pally, CEO of the Long Island Builders Institute and a former MTA Board member, said having Rinaldi see through the completion of East Side Access makes sense, but noted there are other pressing transportation priorities on Long Island that require the full attention, and availability, of the LIRR’s president "as quickly as possible." They include relocating Yaphank Station closer to Brookhaven National Laboratory, and further electrification of the LIRR’s tracks in Suffolk. 
"The president of the Long Island Rail Road needs to be somebody who can go to the 8 o’clock breakfast business meetings, the 9 o’clock meetings with the county executives, the 10 o’clock meetings with the labor unions … They need to show a presence," said Pally, who added that he’s worked with Rinaldi in various roles for nearly two decades. "She is a professional, a tremendous person. And I have no doubt that she will do a tremendous job in the short term. But, in the long term, the railroad needs its own president." 
Asked about concerns over her ability to run both railroads, Rinaldi acknowledged "it’s a big job," but said she believes the lessons she’s learned during her four years running Metro-North — the second-biggest commuter railroad in the United States behind the LIRR — "will be carried over." 
Chief among those lessons is the importance of providing riders safe and reliable service, quality communication, and clean trains, Rinaldi said. Among her key priorities will be providing an "integrated experience" between the two railroads once both are operating out of Grand Central Terminal, she said. 
"I think I’ve learned the basics of good railroading from my time at Metro-North. I’ll be building on the great work that Phil has done," said Rinaldi, who lives in the village of Irvington in Westchester County and plans to split her time between Metro-North’s headquarters at Grand Central and the LIRR’s in Jamaica. "I’m going to be visible at both places. I have to be." 
Rinaldi grew up in Massapequa and Huntington, and worked at the LIRR before heading Metro-North. 
Former LIRR president Helena Williams, who recruited Rinaldi as the railroad’s general counsel in 2008, said Rinaldi was a key figure on several major initiatives, including helping craft a vision for a new Penn Station and navigating the controversy surrounding the unusually high rate of LIRR employees applying for and receiving federal disability retirement benefits. 
"She is incredibly well-suited and qualified for this position. And it happens at a very important time, with the East Side Access opening," said Williams, referencing the plan to link the LIRR to Metro-North’s Manhattan home. "She understands the customer experience currently at Grand Central, and she understands the Long Island Rail Road customer base, because she was there." 
Gerard Bringmann, chairman of the LIRR Commuter Council, has "mixed emotions" about the arrangement. 
"If there’s anybody — with the possible exception of Phil — who could run both railroads at the same time, it would be Cathy. But, that being said, she doesn’t wear a cape," Bringmann said. "Running one of those railroads is a major task. To run both the No. 1 and No. 2 largest railroads in the country, that’s a herculean task." 
Bringmann said, with so many responsibilities, he doesn’t anticipate Rinaldi will introduce major new initiatives for the LIRR. She will be tasked with at least one major responsibility — figuring out the LIRR’s new East Side Access service plan. 
That could entail reducing the number of LIRR trains running in and out of Penn Station. MTA officials have said they expect nearly half of Penn's commuters to travel in and out of the LIRR’s new terminal at Grand Central once it opens. The agency needs to free up capacity at Penn for a separate plan to one day run Metro-North trains through the station. 
Kyle Strober, executive director of the Association for a Better Long Island, a business and planning group, previously has raised concerns about the potential for Metro-North’s future in Penn Station to impact LIRR commuters. In her new role, it will be up to Rinaldi to "navigate two profoundly different service areas," Strober said. 
"As a Long Islander, she knows that our commuters are anything but shy about voicing their concerns about a railroad that is a crucial strategic connection to our regional economy," Strober said. "She will come to work with hands on two different throttles, and how that is managed will define her tenure." 
MTA Board member Kevin Law, who is expected to soon leave the board to take a position heading Empire State Development, said that while the LIRR does "deserve its own leader," he agreed with having Rinaldi oversee the agency temporarily. Law expects Rinaldi to lean on LIRR senior vice president of operations Robert Free as her "right-hand guy." 
"This arrangement would not be proper for the long term. But, for the short term, meaning for the balance of 2022, I think Janno made a smart move," Law said. 
The LIRR’s top labor leader, Anthony Simon, expects a "seamless transition" from Eng to Rinaldi. 
"We are confident she knows our system well enough, respects our skilled workforce and will adjust her to team to yield positive results," said Simon, general chairman of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers.

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Rinaldi steps into 'learning curve' in role as leader of LIRR and Metro-North  

Rinaldi steps into 'learning curve' as new LIRR president

New interim Long Island Rail Road president Catherine Rinaldi rode the LIRR to Jamaica Station to start her new job on Monday. Rinaldi spoke to Newsday's Cecilia Dowd in an exclusive interview.


Interim LIRR president Catherine Rinaldi talks railroad's future

Massapequa

North Massapequa

Massapequa Park

East Massapequa

Huntington

South Floral Park

Huntington Bay

South Huntington

Oyster Bay Town

Huntington Town

Floral Park

Huntington Station

Hicksville

MTA officials expressed concern that many LIRR commuters remain in the dark about upcoming changes in the cost of railroad tickets, including some changes that take effect Friday. 
Starting Friday, Long Island Rail Road riders can take advantage of several new ticket discounts aimed at boosting lagging ridership, including a $5 fare for all off-peak travel within stations in New York City, and a new 20-trip ticket aimed at part-time commuters. In addition, monthly, unlimited-ride LIRR tickets will be discounted by 10% beginning in March. 
But a pair of MTA Board members, at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s monthly meeting Thursday, suggested the agency hasn’t been entirely clear about the ticket changes, which could create confusion among riders. Board member Gerard Bringmann, who chairs the LIRR Commuter Council, noted that the agency still hasn’t disclosed the cost of the new 20-Trip Ticket, other than to say it will be 20% less than the cost of 20 peak trips. 
And board member Neal Zuckerman said that for all its promotion about new discounts, the MTA has been relatively silent about the reality that many commuters will pay more beginning next week, as the MTA’s commuter railroads are set to resume charging higher fares during peak travel times on Tuesday. 
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020, the LIRR has suspended peak fares, which charge up to 27% more for trips made during the rush hours. Ridership fell to as low as 3% of pre-pandemic levels over the last two years and is now around 47%. 
"I just don’t want riders to wake up on March 1 and say, ‘Wow. What just happened?’ " Zuckerman said. "I just want to make sure that’s clear. Because I don’t want a switcheroo feeling." 
MTA chief customer officer Sarah Meyer said there are already signs at stations notifying customers about the return of peak fares, and the agency plans to increase its messaging to riders about the change, including with more train and station audio announcements and signs. 
Also at the meeting, MTA officials outlined plans to address recent safety concerns among riders, including incidents involving people on tracks. The agency said it will install platform screen doors at three subway stations — Times Square, Third Avenue and Sutphin Boulevard-Archer Avenue, which connects with the LIRR’s Jamaica station. 
The technology would create a physical barrier along the length of the station platform edge, except for sliding doors that would align with subway car doors. 
For the LIRR, the MTA is considering how to secure the end-of-station platforms, including by repairing fencing and adding signs. 
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MTA officials also reiterated plans, as announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams last week, to address homelessness and crime at subway stations. The efforts include increased NYPD presence and stricter enforcement of rules barring drug use and shopping carts on trains. 
MTA Board member Vincent Tessitore Jr., who represents LIRR workers, called it "a great initiative," but said the effort must be extended to the railroad, which also has seen an increase in violent crimes over the past year. On Feb. 16, a 20-year-old West Babylon man was shot and killed on an LIRR train in Ronkonkoma. No one has been arrested. 
"I’m not saying that crime is running rampant on the commuter rails, but we have very similar problems on the commuter rails . . . that I think we need to address as well," Tessitore said. "It kind of is, ‘Don’t forget about us.’ We have a big system out there. Everybody deserves to be safe." 
MTA Police leaders have said they’ve increased patrols on LIRR trains and stations in recent weeks, but Tessitore said the difference has been "tough to see." 
MTA chairman and CEO Janno Lieber vowed to work with LIRR labor leaders to make sure the increased police patrols are "effective."

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Changes in LIRR ticket costs are about to kick in, but MTA officials wonder if riders know about them

Changes in LIRR ticket costs are about to kick in — ready or not

THE SCOOP Woodbury shares a top-ranked school district with Syosset and also borders Laurel Hollow, Plainview, Cold Spring Harbor, West Hills and South Huntington. It’s also well-situated for residents who commute, with easy access to highways and two nearby train stations for a trip to the city in under an hour, says Adam Kaplan of Keller Williams Points North, a Woodbury resident, 
The hamlet was part of dairy country by the late 1800s, then became home to massive Gold Coast estates in the early 1900s, and finally morphed into one of the Island’s most desirable suburbs by the 1950s, according to Tom Montalbano, author of "An Early History of Woodbury."
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"It’s also the hamlet where Walt Whitman had a disastrous 1840 stint as schoolmaster and William K. Vanderbilt staged the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup Race on Woodbury Road and Jericho Turnpike," Montalbano says. 
While Woodbury doesn’t have a Main Street, it does have restaurants and shops, including chain stores, most located in the Woodbury Common and Woodbury Village shopping centers. The Crossways Industrial Park puts a number of corporations in the area as well. For recreation there’s a golf course and Syosset-Woodbury Community Park, which has a pool, playground, athletic fields and an ice rink. Woodbury’s Trail View State Park has more than 400 acres that link the Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt Trail.
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Still home to a handful of estates, today the hamlet also has a number of townhouse developments, some built in the 1950s that gave homeowners, particularly seniors, a way to stay in the area as increasing taxes forced some owners of estates to sell, Montalbano says.
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As in most areas of Long Island, Woodbury has limited housing inventory, with condos that can go from the low $500,000s to more than $1.5 million, Kaplan said. Single-family homes in split-level, modern and Colonial styles start at $750,000 and can reach well into the millions. 
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CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are four condos on the market, ranging in price from $759,900 to $1.85 million. 
SALE PRICES Between Dec. 31 2020, and Jan. 31, 2022, there were 91 home sales with a median sale price of $1.24 million, according to OneKey MLS. The low price for that period was $615,000 and the high was $3.06 million. During that period a year earlier there were 69 home sales with a median sale price of $1.03. The price range was $535,000 to $2.35 million. 
OTHER STATS 
Town Oyster Bay 
Area 5 square miles 
ZIP code 11797 
Population 9,335 
Median age 52.7 
Median household income $181,667 
Median home value $1.29 million* 
Monthly LIRR ticket from Syosset $308 
School district, graduation rate Syosset, 99% 
Parks Trail View State Park, Syosset-Woodbury Community Park 
Library Syosset Public Library 
Hospital Syosset Hospital 
Transit NICE Bus Route 79 
SOURCES: 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; OneKey MLS; LIRR, data.nysed.gov *Based on 45 sales in the past six months, according to OneKey MLS 
NOW ON THE MARKET
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$2.999 million 
Built in 2019, this Hamptons-style center-hall Colonial on 2.07 acres overlooks Trail View State Park. It has 16 rooms, including five bedrooms, 4½ baths, a great room with cathedral ceilings, a two-story wood-burning fireplace and full basement. It also has a new in-ground pool and three garage spaces. Taxes are $39,271. Doreen Cavanagh and Catherine Horan, Signature Premier Properties, 516-921-1400.
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$1.749 million 
This extended contemporary in the gated Hunters Run community was built in 1987 on 0.62 acre. It has five bedrooms and four full and two half baths, a two-story entry foyer and a home theater in the fully finished basement. The landscaped property features an in-ground pool, outdoor kitchen, koi pond and waterfall. Taxes are $35,625. Gloria Li and Yuying Feng, Coldwell Banker American Homes, 516-864-8100.
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$979,800 
At 2,618 square feet, this expanded brick and stone ranch in the Sterling Ridge neighborhood was built in 1966 on a 0.31 flat acre. It has four bedrooms and two baths, an open-concept kitchen/family room combo and primary bedroom with cathedral ceiling and French doors leading to an office/bedroom. The finished basement has a recreation room and office with a separate entrance. Taxes of $25,366 are being grieved. Adam Kaplan, Keller Williams Points North, 516-865-1800. 
RECENTLY SOLD 
$2.25 million 
Orchard Dr. 
Style Postmodern 
Bedrooms 5 
Bathrooms 4 full, 1 half 
Built 2005 
Lot size 1 acre 
Taxes $22,452 
+/- List price +$50,000 
Days on market 122 
$950,000 
Colgate Lane 
Style Ranch 
Bedrooms 3 
Bathrooms 2 full, 1 half 
Built 1966 
Lot size 0.22 acre 
Taxes $16,609 
+/- List price +$51,000 
Days on market 94 
$615,000 
Winthrop Dr. 
Style Expanded Cape 
Bedrooms 4 
Bathrooms 2 
Built 1936 
Lot size 0.26 acre 
Taxes $15,237 
+/- List price +$15,000 
Days on market 144 
ON ONEKEY MLS 
Number of listings 19 
Price range $680,000 to $3.2 million 
Tax range $17,287 to $47,508

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High-end homes, with condos in the mix in Woodbury

Jean-Paul Salamanca

Riverhead officials have chosen master developers to help revitalize the long-blighted lot surrounding the LIRR train station as part of a larger effort to boost the downtown area. 
The town board voted 5-0 on Feb.15 to select Uniondale-based developer RXR and Jericho-based developer Georgica Green Ventures to create plans for the development of apartments and shops in the areas surrounding Osborne Avenue and Railroad Street. 
The plan calls for the construction of 243 apartment units, 2,340 square feet of retail space, 12,800 square feet of commercial space and a four- to five-story parking garage with 420 to 520 spaces. Developers estimate the project to cost between $110 million and $125 million and take three years to complete. 
The project will help breathe new life into the railroad station area, which has become rundown and prone to crime, said Dawn Thomas, the town’s community development director. 
"If you take the train or the bus to Riverhead, that’s our front door," Thomas said. "The train station isn’t well-utilized, so it begs some reuse. It’s really about bringing investment and people into that area that has really been underutilized and blighted for many years." 
RXR Realty will be the majority partner in the project, Joe Graziose, RXR’s executive vice president of residential development and construction, told Newsday on Friday. The project is expected to create roughly 400 temporary construction jobs and from 12 to 20 permanent jobs, Graziose said. 
"Our goal is to bring vibrancy and connectivity between the TOD [Transit-Oriented Development], the bus depot area and the plaza we’re building, and create excitement to bring people into Riverhead," Graziose said. 
The town board chose the proposal by RXR and Georgica out of six finalists. 
Graziose said the town’s transit-oriented development committee raised several concerns regarding the project, including parking, safety, the size of the sidewalks, lighting and continuity in landscape and artscape. The developers addressed those concerns and made adjustments to the project design, Graziose said. 
"We want to change the dynamics of the arrival experience, and the selection committee was very keen on that," Graziose said. 
The town will negotiate an agreement with the developers, who will then submit a site plan application for the project. If no issues are raised, the developers are expected to obtain the approval within a year and then begin construction, Thomas said. 
Graziose said he hopes to begin construction within 18 months. 
Riverhead Supervisor Yvette Aguiar said redeveloping the train station area was an "instrumental step" in moving forward with revitalizing the downtown area.

TOTOD220223

Riverhead's transit-oriented project envisions mix of apartments, shops, parking garage

Riverhead approves master developers for transit-oriented project

LIRR 'Summer of Hell'

LIRR 'Summer of Hell'

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