Man in Valley Stream crash tries to hide gun at Target

Nassau County police closed down a Valley Stream Target store on Sunday and arrested a Brooklyn man who they said stashed a bag containing a 9 mm handgun somewhere inside.

Fifth Squad detectives said George Sterling, 29, of 1273 Lincoln Place, was driving his girlfriend's car without permission on Sunrise Highway when he got in a five-car collision about 9:36 a.m. in Valley Stream.

Witnesses reported seeing him leave the car holding a black handgun and a bag and run toward the Target store, where he was seen placing the gun inside his satchel.

Police said Sterling hid the bag on a merchandise shelf and ran out of the store but was spotted by arriving officers, who went after him. Sterling resisted arrest but was eventually taken into custody, police said.

The Target store was closed briefly while police searched for the bag. Police did not say how long the store was closed.

Sterling was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, first-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest and five other vehicle and traffic charges, including leaving the scene of an accident without reporting and first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

His arraignment is set for Monday in First District Court in Hempstead.

High school budget meets tax cap

The Valley Stream Central High School District Board of Education voted 8-1 to adopt a $103.24 million 2012-13 budget at its March 13 business meeting.

When Superintendent Dr. Bill Heidenreich and his staff outlined the budget plans to the board in February, he said that in order for the district to maintain all of its programs, the tax levy increase would need to be 3.4 percent, greater than the maximum allowable tax levy increase of 2.55 percent under the new state tax cap law. To make up the difference, the district had to cut $1.1 million.

Initially, district officials thought the tax levy increase would be capped at 2 percent. However, a variety of exemptions in the tax cap legislation allow the district to increase the levy to 2.55 percent.

Valley Stream Bank Robbed

A man, who was carrying a purple bouquet of flowers, robbed a Valley Stream bank Friday afternoon, Nassau County police said.

Nassau’s robbery squad is looking for the man that they described as a black male, approximately between 35 and 40 years old, wearing a blue warm up style jacket and glasses on top of his head.

According to police, the man walked into a Chase bank on Central Avenue around 2:05 p.m. and handed a teller a note demanding money. He left the bank with an unknown amount of cash and was last seen walking on Raisig Avenue, police said.

There were 10 people—eight employees and two customers—inside the bank at the time of the robbery, police said.

A surveillance camera behind the teller captured the robber standing at the counter holding the bouquet of flowers.

Detectives are asking anyone with information regarding the robbery to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.

Cops probe Valley Stream burglary

Police are investigating a Friday afternoon Valley Stream break-in during which the burglar kicked the back door, shattering the glass, police said.

The 43-year-old victim was in her Oliver Avenue home when the suspect banged on her front door at 12:40 p.m., Nassau County police said in a news release.

The suspect then went to the back of the house and kicked the door, breaking the glass, police said. The victim yelled for help, and the suspect ran off, police said.

No injuries were reported.

The suspect was about 20 to 25 years old and 6 feet tall. He wore a navy jogging suit with a white stripe and had an earring in his lip, police said.

Anyone with information about the burglary is urged to anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS.

Valley Stream nixes new pool entrance

What was supposed to be a guaranteed project for the spring has now been scrapped, after bids for a new pool entrance came in well above the projected cost.

Village officials were planning to turn the unused outdoor men’s changing room, in the center of the Hendrickson Park pool complex building, into a new, handicapped-accessible entrance along with two new bathrooms. The architectural firm that drew up the plans estimated the project at $896,000. But when the village received bids for the project, one came in at about $1.3 million and the other two around $1.8 million.

The village board rejected the three bids at its March 5 work session. Now, they are moving on to the plan B.

The board did approve an emergency resolution to spend $142,750 to replace the roof of the building, which will be completed by More Contracting of Port Jefferson. According to Village Clerk Bob Barra, the roof is in bad condition and water is actually leaking into the electrical panels. “We’ve got to replace it,” he said. “It’s now a danger.”

Work on the new roof has already begun.

The proposed tent-like entrance to the pool complex is off the table, and the board will keep the entrance where it is, toward the west side of the building. On Monday night, the board approved spending $14,000 to install a new awnings over the main entrance and children’s pool entrance. The work will be done by Tower Sign and Awning of Astoria.

Additionally, the board will look to spend about $35,000 for a new façade on the building. Barra said they are exploring a stucco facing that would cover the white cinder block wall.

The village will also spend money for landscaping enhancements around the front of the building. Barra said most of these improvements, with the exception of the roof, can be done by village workers. “I think we’re going to do it faster and cheaper,” he said, “and it’s going to look good.”

The proposal for a new entrance also included two new bathrooms that would be handicapped accessible. Barra said that project is still being planned, but not until after the 2012 pool season. It is likely that two pre-fabricated bathrooms would be installed in the men’s outdoor changing room, he said.

New Assembly district for Valley Stream

As it stands now, Valley Stream has three representatives in the State Assembly. Brian Curran represents the village; Ed Ra, North Valley Stream; and Harvey Weisenberg, South Valley Stream.

Under the new maps released by a redistricting task force, all of Valley Stream would be unified in a single Assembly district. And the new district would not be represented by any of those three men.

The entire Valley Stream community would be part of the new 22nd Assembly District, which would have no incumbent in November’s election. The district would run from Bellerose south to North Woodmere along the city line, and include Elmont as well as parts of Floral Park and Franklin Square.

The new maps, released by the New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment, are mandated every 10 years after the release of census results, to address population shifts. Across the state, each new district would have about 129,000 residents.

The new maps still need Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s approval, which is expected because the Legislature has agreed to put forward a constitutional amendment to reform the redistricting process.

Valley Stream trustees re-elected

There were no surprises in the Valley Stream village election, as unopposed trustee candidates John Tufarelli and Virginia Clavin-Higgins won re-election.

Tufarelli, who was first elected to the village board in 2007, received 753 votes. Clavin-Higgins, appointed to fill a vacancy in October, won her first full term with 746 votes.

The pair will begin their new four-year terms at the village's reoganization meeting on April 2. The board will remain intact for at least the next three years, when the mayor and other two trustee seats are up.

Village Clerk Bob Barra said there were a handful of write-in votes on Tuesday.

Valley Stream Man Arrested in Port Washington

A Valley Stream man faces charges after a Port Washington resident reported a suspicious male exiting her home, according to Port Washington Police.

On March 8, the woman observed a man run down the walkway of her home and enter a waiting taxi cab that then left the scene. Police say they checked the area but were unable to locate the man or the vehicle. A follow-up investigation conducted by Det. Raymond Ryan enabled police to identify the man and determine that he had stolen a cell phone and cash from the woman's home.

On Thursday, Port Washington Police detectives arrested Ivan Vigil-Ortiz, age 26, of 74 Cumberland Place in Valley Stream. He was charged with one count of burglary in the second degree, and one count of larceny. 

Assistant Chief James Salerno said the taxi cab in question was not affiliated with any Port Washington company.

Vigil-Ortiz was arraigned Friday in First District Court in Hempstead.

Valley Stream Target closing to renovate

Target Brands Inc. plans to close its store in Valley Stream on April 29 for renovations.

A spokeswoman said employees of the store, which was the site of a failed effort to create what would have been Target's first unionized shop, would be offered work at nearby Target stores. When the renovated store reopens later this year, the workers "will have the option to transfer back to the Valley Stream store.

The Valley Stream, L.I., Target that has been fighting a union drive will shut for a six-month remodeling. The union will seek to block the closure.

Target plans to temporarily close the Valley Stream, L.I., store where it has been fighting a union drive. In response, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1500, which has been organizing the workers for the past year, filed a request Friday for a federal injunction to prevent the closure.

The union argues that Target is shutting the Long Island store to stifle the organizing campaign.


Local 1500 began organizing the Valley Stream workers early last year after receiving calls from employees who were upset over wages and distribution of hours, among other issues. But workers voted in June against unionization by a count of 137 to 85. The union cried foul, filing objections that alleged the company illegally intimidated workers. The Valley Stream store would have been the first Target in the country to unionize.

Local 1500 is seeking to overturn the results of last year’s election and conduct a new vote. A hearing was held earlier this month, and a decision is pending. Meanwhile, union organizers have continued to meet with employees of the Long Island store and other Target locations in the metropolitan area.

Valley Stream to borrow for roads, equipment

Valley Stream will borrow about $3.4 million this year for a variety of projects and purchases. The village board recently approved bonding for the 2011-12 capital program, which will address street repairs, safety upgrades for Fire Department and renovations to the pool complex, among other items.

The big-ticket item is $1.95 million for road repairs. According to Tom McAleer, the superintendent of buildings, that money will be used to resurface 1.7 miles of village roads. Among the streets to be repaved are portions of Cochran Place, Foster Avenue and Hendrickson Avenue.

McAleer said that roads are rated on a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 being the highest. Roads with the lowest rating were chosen for this year’s repaving project. Preliminary work has already begun on Cochran Place, he said. Foster Avenue is next and then crews will go road-by-road through the summer until this year’s list is complete.

The village will be borrowing $175,000 to upgrade the heating and air conditioning system at the Henry Waldinger Memorial Library. Village Treasurer Michael Fox said this work, which includes the replacement of duct work, is more than halfway complete.

Four new vehicles will be purchased at an estimated cost of $153,000. This will include four Ford Fusion cars for the Public Safety and Code Enforcement departments, and four Ford pick-up trucks for the Parks and Highway departments.

A new state regulation requires the village to purchase new breathing packs for the Valley Stream Fire Department. The village will be borrowing $350,000 to meet this mandate. The equipment includes air packs, regulator hoses and electronic locators. Fox said the village will purchase 86 packs.

The village was able to save $90,000 for the new breathing apparatus by trading in its old equipment.

An additional $750,000 will be borrowed for repairs to the Hendrickson Park pool complex. The last projects are $60,000 for new fencing at the Firemen’s Field athletic complex, and $47,000 for miscellaneous equipment for the Highway Department, including two truck lifts, a concrete saw and two plows.

Fox said that the village is retiring $2.9 million in past debt this year. Although officials are borrowing more money than they are paying back, Fox said it won’t impact village financing. He noted that the village did not borrow any money in the 2009-10 fiscal year, and in the past five years Valley Stream has paid off more than it is has borrowed for its capital plans.

He also said it is possible that the village might not need to borrow the full $3.4 million — that number is a maximum amount. “Hopefully, we don’t have to go up to that amount when all the bids come in,” Fox said.
Road repairs
The following village streets will be repaved in 2012:

-Cochran Place — Roosevelt Avenue to Birch Lane
-Foster Avenue — Cornwell Avenue to the village line
-Dover Street — Grove Street to Emerson Place
-Chester Street — Grove Street to Albermarle Avenue
-Felton Avenue — Central Avenue to East Avenue
-Williams Street — Guenther Avenue to Shaw Avenue
-Louise Place — Clear Stream Avenue to Midwood Street
-Hendrickson Avenue — Grant Drive West to Fletcher Avenue
-Newbold Avenue — Mineola Avenue to Hawthorne Avenue

Valley Stream election is Tuesday

Tuesday’s ballot for village trustee contains only two names, incumbents John Tufarelli and Virginia Clavin-Higgins. The pair are seeking re-election to serve on the village board for the next four years.

Tufarelli, 50, was first elected in 2007. He said that the last four years have been difficult, with the deaths of Mayor Ed Cahill and Deputy Mayor Guido Cirenza, but the village board has been able to keep its focus on delivering services to residents while keeping taxes down. “Through all of the ups and downs, our mindset stayed the same,” Tufarelli said.

Clavin-Higgins, 49, is the newest member of the village board. She was appointed to fill a vacancy in October, created when Ed Fare was elected mayor. Her mother, Rosanna Clavin, served as the village’s first female trustee. Clavin-Higgins said she has enjoyed the opportunity to follow in her mother’s footsteps.
She said that her primary issue in this campaign is taxes. Valley Stream is a blue-collar community where many people live on fixed incomes or work several jobs to make ends meets, she said, and for that reason, the village board must avoid raising taxes. “It’s about being responsible,” she said.

Clavin-Higgins also supports efforts to increase the village’s revenue without raising taxes. She said she likes an idea being considered by the village board to repurpose underutilized municipal parking lots and rent spaces to commercial vehicle owners.

Tufarelli said he wants to make sure that the services the village offers remain intact. It’s important, he said, that the streets are in good condition, the garbage gets picked up, the trees are trimmed and the parks are kept clean. Additionally, he wants a responsive village government that immediately addresses problems brought to its attention. “We want to do the right thing by the residents,” he said.

Valley Stream considering commercial vehicle lot

Valley Stream officials want to go forward with a plan to open up at least one parking lot for commercial vehicles, and hope to do so within the next few months.

The plan would give owners of commercial vehicles, such as landscaping trucks and contractor vans, a place to park their trucks overnight. Village code prohibits these vehicles from being parked in residential neighborhoods, even if it’s in a home’s driveway.

Deputy Village Clerk Bob Fumagalli presented the village board with a plan on Monday night that would turn Municipal Lot 24, located between Pflug Place and Hancock Place just north of Merrick Road, into a commercial vehicle lot. There would be 22 spots available, and Fumagalli said he already has a list of more than 30 landscapers who live in the village who might be interested.

Village officials debated how much money they would want to charge per spot. Rental fees of $100 to $200 a month were thrown out by the board. Mayor Ed Fare said that landscapers would probably need to rent two spaces — one for their truck and one for their trailer — so a total of $400 a month would probably be a little steep.

Fare said that village officials will do some research to see how much other municipalities charge, as well as private landowners, before setting a price. He noted that there are several gas station owners in Valley Stream which rent spots to commercial vehicle owners in need of a place to park.
Fumagalli said the only other village he could find that does this is Mount Vernon in Westchester County, which charges slightly less than $1,200 for a full year.

Trustee Virginia Clavin-Higgins said that she wanted to make these spots available first to village residents. Fare agreed. “We want to get their commercial vehicles out of their driveways,” he said.
Fare said that there would be a weight limit on vehicles, and no hazardous materials would be allowed. The village would also have to issue two parking stickers, one for the commercial vehicle and one for the owner’s car which could be parked in the lot while the truck is being used.
Village officials say that if there is high demand for these spots, they could build new lots for commercial vehicles or repurpose existing, underutilized lots. Fumagalli said that the lot being considered now off Hancock Place is lightly used.

Valley Stream 1924

Beach and Lake, South Valley Stream State Park,1940

Beach and Lake, South Valley Stream State Park, circa 1940. Courtesy of the Queens Borough Public Library, Long Island Division, Post Card Collection.

Man convicted in driveway attack on couple

A Brooklyn man faces up to 15 years in prison, after a jury convicted him Wednesday of attacking and robbing a Valley Stream couple in their driveway.

Sadiq Abdul Wahhab, 47, was convicted of two counts of second-degree robbery after the jury deliberated for about two hours, prosecutors said. He was acquitted of first-degree robbery, which was the top count against him.

Nassau County Judge John Kase is set to sentence him April 18.
Wahhab's lawyer, Arshad Majid, of Westbury, could not immediately be reached for comment.
"Mr. Wahhab learned the inevitable lesson that you can run from the law, but you can't hide," said Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice in a statement.

Prosecutors said Wahhab and an accomplice, hiding in the bushes of a Marc Drive home in Valley Stream on July 3, 2009, attacked a married couple after they pulled into their driveway.

Wahhab punched the male victim multiple times before he and his accomplice were able to get away with the woman's bracelet, worth $9,000, prosecutors said.

A tip, received after Wahhab was featured on "America's Most Wanted," led to his arrest in Brooklyn by U.S. marshals on Dec. 15, 2010. Prosecutors were also able to tie him to the crime using DNA found on his New York Yankees hat, which came off during the robbery.

Long Island pharmacies step up security in wake of fatal shootings

The deaths of six people in two Long Island pharmacy robberies over the past year have forced many pharmacy owners to rethink security in their stores.

 Some pharmacies are making it clear to the public that they do not carry any oxycodone products which have been the target of the robberies.

Other pharmacies, such as Linden Care in Syosset, have installed new security features.

 “I have an armed security guard; I have video surveillance; I have buzzers,” said Jordan Fogel, supervisor of Linden Care. “You can’t just walk right in; you have to be buzzed in and buzzed in again.”

 Fogel said that when customers walk into the pharmacy, their driver’s licenses and insurance cards are inspected. Linden Care will also install bulletproof glass.

The moves come after six people were shot dead in two separate robbery incidents in Medford and Seaford over the past year.

Officials in both Nassau and Suffolk County held summits in early February to discuss pharmacy safety in the wake of increasing attacks on pharmacies.

Local officials are hoping that by working together they can put an end to the pharmacy related crimes.

Nassau police investigate credit card skimming devices

Beware the next time you swipe your card.

 In February alone, Long Island residents discovered four devices attached to ATMs and gas pumps intended to obtain credit and debit card information. Detective Vincent Garcia from the Nassau County Police Department’s Public Information Office said there are currently no suspects for any of the incidents; the investigation is ongoing.

The most recent devices were discovered on Feb. 11 at the Gulf Gas Station on Northern Boulevard in Roslyn and the Mobile Gas Station approximately two miles down the road in Greenvale. A service company technician found credit card skimming devices at the two local stations after a card owner reported fraudulent charges to a credit card that he only uses at that station.

After finding a skimming device attached to a pump, the technician searched other stations and found a second device at the Mobile Gas Station approximately two miles down the road in Greenvale.

The same day, an employee at the Apple Bank for Savings in Carle Place found a skimming device attached to the ATM during a routine inspection.

Belwinder Singh, owner of the Greenvale Mobile station, said he was shocked when the technician found the skimming device.

 “We were all so stunned,” Singh said. “We’ve never seen something like that. It’s really so scary.”

Singh now takes extra precautions at his gas station to keep his customers cards safe. He has placed round-the-clock cameras attached to each pump, Singh has asked his employees to stay alert.

“During the daytime, we have three to four employees on the station premises,” Singh said. “We asked the night guys and the day cashiers to be extra vigilant.”

The Nassau County Police Department recommends that customers who frequent these affected businesses check their card statements and report any fraudulent charges.

Blanch Zelez, a 63-year-old resident of Valley Stream, said she uses her cards as little as possible.

“It’s safer to just pay with cash,” she said.

Skimming devices can be attached to ATMs or other machines with credit card scanners. The devices pick up information that makes the victim susceptible to credit fraud or identity theft.

“When [the criminal] places the skimming device over the slot, it supersedes the bank’s device and gets the card information before the bank does,” Garcia said.

 Garcia suggests covering the keypad on ATMs when entering a PIN number. Sometimes very tiny and hard-to-detect pinhole cameras are placed near the keypad, allowing criminals to steal PIN numbers and card information.

He also recommends tugging at the card reader slot before entering a card. Garcia said many criminals attach skimming devices with two-sided tape, so the device should come off the front of the machine fairly easily.

On Jan. 29, a skimming device at a Capitol One Bank in Valley Stream fell off into the hands of a customer who was trying to use the ATM.

Police are asking the public to inspect ATMs before inserting a card and to report any suspicious findings.

“If you see something that just doesn’t look right, don’t use it,” Garcia said.

To report information, call the Crimes Against Property Squad at (516) 735–5275 or, to remain anonymous, call 1-800-244-TIPS.

Gas prices rising, people’s funds not

Lately, it seems when drivers in Valley Stream choose to fill their car tanks with gasoline it isn’t long before their wallets are on “E.”


Gas prices have steadily risen since the start of 2012; in New York state the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.98 on Monday, nearly 30 cents more than the national average. The surge in fuel costs has left some local businesses to foot a bigger bill with less people requiring their services to help offset the mounting costs.


Jackie and Joe Haslbauer own Central Auto Collision on Rockaway Avenue and said business has significantly dropped in recent weeks. “I would say February was definitely a slow month,” Jackie said. “It hasn’t been this slow in quite a while. And I would say confidently that it has affected a lot of the other shops too because when the people who deliver the parts come, they’ll say it’s slow everywhere.”


Another business that has experienced a recent reduction in its clientele is Valley Stream Taxi. “We’re probably down about 25 percent because people aren’t traveling as much as they used to because the prices that we have to charge are astronomical,” one Valley Stream Taxi official said.


In order for the taxi service to raise its prices, the Valley Stream Village Board must approve the increase. The taxi official said there was one raise in recent months and there may be another one soon.


The taxi official also said that the number of employees has been reduced as well to combat the increased costs. This week, Valley Stream Taxi implemented a new practice where the company helps pay for fuel costs. In the past, drivers paid for the total amount of gas they used, but since fuel prices have soared the company is now picking up a portion of the tab as well.


At Central Auto Collision, the staff is made up of four people and no one has lost their job, but the Haslbauers said the rise in fuel costs has a trickle down effect on a lot of businesses.


“It goes, ‘I’m not busy, then the guy selling me parts isn’t busy, and then the guy selling me materials isn’t busy,’” Joe said. “If all of the repair shops aren’t busy, then in turn all of the suppliers aren’t going to be busy.”

Valley Stream resident Michael LoCascio said he did not drive his car for three days in response to the gas prices. “That is not me,” LoCascio said of his recent driving habits. “I am usually out doing things and going places. Prices are not going to go down soon enough for me.”

State must OK Valley Stream streetlight

Because Sunrise is a state road and the repair is major -- new wiring and light poles -- state approval is necessary. The village submitted the plan to the state in 2006.

"This is bureaucratic red tape at its thickest and longest," Village Clerk Bob Barra, a former assemblyman, said last week.

The darkness is acute near Green Acres Mall, leaving the impression that more lights are out than on. "It's just overwhelming how many are missing," Chris Csuti told Watchdog. From his commute on the train, which runs along the road, Csuti said he could identify 37 spots where lights should be shining but aren't.

Csuti echoed a common refrain: Who's responsible for streetlights?
The answer dates to the 1980s, Fare said, when the village got a letter from LILCO, LIPA's predecessor, saying the utility was handing street lighting over to local governments.

"And for a while the lights worked because wiring underneath was OK," he said, but over time both wiring and poles have rotted. The village hasn't been allowed to rewire the existing structures in the interim, he said.

Fare said he is hopeful that, after cycles of "notes and critiques" from the state, approval is near. It could be as close as a matter of weeks, state Department of Transportation spokeswoman Eileen Peters said last week. Once the state receives one more round of revisions to accommodate safety improvements planned for ramps at Hicks Street and South Central Avenue, final approval should take about eight more weeks, she said.

Nassau Police to Restructure Precincts

In an effort to cut back on spending, Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and Police Commissioner Thomas Dale announced Monday that four of the county's eight police precincts will be restructured.

Four precincts will remain intact while the remaining four will be transformed into new Community Policing Centers, Mangano said.

According to a release from the county, the Seventh Precinct in Seaford, Second Precinct in Woodbury, Third Precinct in Williston Park and Fourth Precinct in Hewlett will continue to operate as regular precincts, while the First Precinct in Baldwin, Fifth Precinct in Elmont, Sixth Precinct in Manhasset and Eighth Precinct in Levittown will become community policing centers.

Vote to close precincts passes, 10-9

In a contentious meeting on Monday, the Nassau County Legislature voted 10 to 9 along party lines to implement a new Community Policing Plan, in which four of the county’s eight police precincts will be closed over the next seven months and replaced with “community policing centers.”

According to County Police Commissioner Thomas Dale, whose appointment was approved at the meeting, the first precinct to close will be the 8th Precinct, a month from now. One precinct will be turned into community policing centers every two months following the first closure.

Under the plan, which is also known as the Police Precinct Efficiency Initiative, the new centers would not handle any administrative paperwork or criminal processing, and would see a reduction in the number of police operating out of them from an average of 39 officers to just two.

 Mangano has said that the plan will move 48 officers from desk jobs into Problem Oriented Police units and special patrols, allowing for more officers on the streets.

The plan will likely merge the 8th Precinct in Wantagh with the 2nd in Woodbury, the 6th in Manhasset with the 3rd in Williston Park, the 5th in Elmont with the 4th in Hewlett and the 1st in Baldwin with the 7th in Seaford.

The vote had originally been scheduled for Feb. 27, but was postponed while County Executive Mangano negotiated with the police unions in an effort to make the plan more acceptable. The negotiations continued even as the legislators voted on the plan, and though the Democratic minority leader, Kevan Abrahams, who represents the 1st District, made a motion to table the vote in order to allow the negotiations to continue, the motion failed.

All 10 of the Republicans in the Legislature’s majority voted for the plan, and all nine Democrats voted against it.

The Democrats made it clear that one of the main reasons they opposed it is because the details of the plan have not yet been finalized.

More than 100 concerned residents, police officers and political officials attended the meeting to make their opinions on the plan known.

Both Milagros Vicente, a resident of Valley Stream, and Sue Auriemma, a resident of Manhasset, presented petitions to stop the plan, with 2,500 signatures and 5,244 signatures, respectively.

“The residents are saying, ‘Do not pass this.’ Don’t vote by party lines,” Vicente said. “Don’t do a disservice to the residents… that voted for you.”

While many community members were given a chance to speak, many called out in frustration when it became clear that the plan would pass, with some shouting out, “shame,” and others, “just vote no.” While Legislator Francis Becker, Jr., representing the 6th district, explained his vote, a member of the audience said “Time’s up,” repeatedly while he rang a bell, which earlier in the meeting was used to signal a resident was out of time to speak.

According to Jim Carver, president of the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association, the plan will drastically cut the number of officers in the precincts being closed — the 1st, 5th, 6th and 8th — and will result in unacceptable delays in the time it takes to respond to and investigate crimes. Carver asked the legislators to allow more time for the negotiations to work.

“We’ve had talks with the county executive to try to alleviate the concerns for public safety,” Carver said. “We’ve talked for a week and we made a lot of strides. We’re almost there, and to take a vote now is premature, in my opinion.”

E-Cycling comes to Valley Stream

Got an old television set to get rid of? A computer you don’t want anymore? The Village of Valley Stream will now be accepting these items free under a new electronic waste recycling agreement it signed last week.

Under Department of Environmental Conservation regulations that went into effect last year, the village could no longer dispose of these items through its regular trash. These items are not supposed to be crushed because they may contain mercury, lead and arsenic, among other dangerous chemicals. Electronic waste now has to be separated and hauled away by the village’s refuse contractor, Jamaica Ash. It was also costing residents money.

Sanitation Department Supervisor Wayne Mastrangelo said that Jamaica Ash was charging the village $7.50 for every item of electronic waste, including televisions, computers, video game consoles and more. That cost was then passed on to the residents, who had to pay for each item the Sanitation Department took for them. Mastrangelo said if someone wanted to get rid of an entire computer — with a central processing unit, monitor, keyboard, mouse and printer — it would cost them upwards of $40. “They weren’t happy,” Mastrangelo said. “We didn’t want to charge the residents.”

However, he said that there were few other options for people to legally dispose of their electronic waste. The Town of Hempstead runs about a half-dozen “E-Cycling” events every year.

“There was really nothing we could do but provide a place for them to bring it, until this program came along,” Mastrangelo said.

The new program is a agreement with We Recycle, a Vermont-based company, which actually pays the village for the electronic waste it collects. Mastrangelo said the cost is nominal — 22 cents per pound for computers and 3 cents per pound for televisions and other electronics. But, it’s a lot better to make a little money, than have to pay money, Mastrangelo said.

Valley Streamers concerned about precinct plan

The 5th Precinct in Elmont will be one of four precincts in Nassau County transformed into a Community Policing Center, County Executive Ed Mangano announced at press conference on Jan. 30. Mangano said the plan would save Nassau County $20 million annually.

Under the Community Policing plan (COP), the new centers will not handle administrative paperwork or criminal processing, but will still have officers on duty at all times.

There are currently eight police precincts in Nassau County. The other precincts that will become Community Policing Centers are the 1st Precinct in Baldwin, the 6th Precinct in Manhasset and the 8th Precinct in Levittown.

“This plan keeps all 177 patrol cars in their current neighborhoods,” Mangano said, “assigns more cops to POP and opens four new Community Policing Centers throughout the county while increasing efficiencies.”

Problem Oriented Police (POP) are community police officers and each precinct used to have four to five “POP Cops” at one time, though staffing changes and layoffs reduced their number. Mangano’s plan would reassign 48 officers from desk jobs to POP units and special patrols.

The 4th Precinct in Hewlett will be one of four precincts that will remain the same. With the 5th Precinct set to become a Community Policing Center, the closest precinct to Valley Stream’s will be the 4th. The mayor of Valley Stream, Ed Fare, said he is currently gathering as much information as he can on this issue, but has his share of concerns.

“While the 4th Precinct is geographically closer to Valley Stream than the 5th,” Fare said, “the concern of the residents that I hear is they’re going to be overwhelmed with the Green Acres Mall and the crossover crime from Queens that they’re never going to keep up.”

The Valley Stream Civilian Patrol cited the village’s proximity to the city as a cause for concern. “We believe it’s wrong because we are on the borderline with Queens and people come into Valley Stream from Queens,” said Ralph Polverino, president of the Civilian Patrol. “The 5h Precinct should always be open and we need as much protection as possible.”

Local business owner and President of Envision Valley Stream David Sabatino is against the plan because he thinks it cuts too much. “Every person I’ve spoken to has expressed that they are very worried about this plan,” Sabatino said. “They’re worried about crime going up, they’re worried about property values falling, they’re worried about Valley Stream in particular, falling through the cracks when it comes to police presence and the police’s ability to really perform their job here without the 5th Precinct.”

Valley Stream high school board looking for savings

The Valley Stream Central High School District will look to cut its 2012-13 school budget by $1.1 million in order to meet the state’s new tax levy cap. Administrators recommended potential cuts to the Board of Education at the Feb. 7 budget meeting.

Superintendent Dr. Bill Heidenreich and his staff outlined ways to reduce the budget after the board, at a previous meeting on Jan. 7, agreed to stay within the limitations of the tax cap. According to Heidenreich, administrators looked at the 2011-12 school budget and put all of the district’s expenses into a continuation budget. It was then estimated that to maintain all of the district’s programs, the tax levy increase would need to be 3.4 percent, greater than the allowable tax levy increase of about 2 percent.

“In order to meet that goal,” Heidenreich said, “essentially, we’d have to reduce the continuation budget by $1.1 million, and that represents about the third consecutive year that we’re looking at program reductions, redesigning and restructuring in order to put forth a budget that maintains instructional opportunities at a tax rate that we believe the community can afford and support.”

Wayne Loper, assistant superintendent for finance and operations, explained to the board many of the recommended ways to make these reductions. Loper said there would be 10 positions cut in the plan, including four teaching assistants, one physical education and health position, one copy machine operator, one copy machine operating aide, one technology aide, one typist clerk from the Instructional Services Center and a part-time typist clerk from the Adult Education department. Heidenreich said that the district has a retirement incentive and many of the personnel reductions will be done through attrition.

Valley Stream seniors learn crime prevention tips

The Green Acres Senior Center in South Valley Stream played host to one of these seminars. On Feb. 21, more than 50 seniors listened as Sgt. John Coburn, from the town’s Department of Public Safety, gave tips on how to keep their home safe.

Coburn said the crimes start out innocent — a person knocks on your door and recommends a repair to your house, such as new siding or cleaning the chimney. They could also say they are from the cable or phone company, Coburn said noting how easy it is to buy a yellow vest from Home Depot. While you’re outside, the person’s partner goes in and “robs you blind,” Coburn said. It’s all a scam, he explained.

“Your front door is your best defense,” Coburn said, telling seniors that just because they hear a knock on the door, doesn’t mean they have to answer it.

Coburn said that there are many pairs of robbers committing these crimes in Nassau County, particularly along the South Shore. Within the past two months areas such as Baldwin, Massapequa and Merrick have been targets for these types of crimes. The Town of Hempstead has hosted these crime prevention seminars throughout February at its various senior centers.

Windows are another way that robbers can break in, Coburn said. He said residents should always use the security locks, which allow a window to be opened few inches for fresh air, but leave a space that no one could fit through. Also, bushes should never block a window, he said, so someone can’t try to break in without being seen.

Never leave a ladder outside either, Coburn said, because that leaves second story windows vulnerable. Spare keys should never be left under a doormat or flower pot, in a fake rock or in a magnetic box underneath your car.

When robbers do get inside, he said, they are usually looking for jewelry and cash. They will take jewelry boxes, wallets and pocketbooks before fleeing. “They’re taking five minutes to rob you,” he said. There are many types of decoy safes, he said, ranging from hair spray bottles to soda cans, which cost between $10 to $30. Often, he said, it’s good to put cheap jewelry in a jewelry box, and hide the real stuff. That way if robbers do get inside they leave with nothing of value. “If you don’t leave something for them,” he said, “they’re going to wreck your house looking for it.”

Coburn also told seniors how to avoid phone scams, and be careful about what information they give out over the phone. At every senior center he has visited, Coburn said at least one senior has gotten a call from a person saying their grandson was in jail and they should send $5,000 to bail him out. That’s one of the most common scams, he noted.

Anyone who gets a phone call that they believe is a scam should immediately call the police, or the district attorney’s office, Coburn said.

Some in the audience were surprised to learn from Coburn that men and women actually get robbed at an equal rate. “Everyone can be victim,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are.”

Solon Chalmers, vice president of the Green Acres senior group, said he thought the program was very informative and he even learned a few tips to better protect his home. “I thought it was very well presented” he said. “Everybody has the same problem with crime.”

Couple robbed outside Valley Stream ATM

A couple leaving a bank ATM early Thursday morning 3/1/12 in Valley Stream were robbed at gunpoint by a man who took their cash and fled,Nassau County police said.

Police are searching for the robber.

Police said the incident occurred outside a Chase bank branch on Rosedale Road at 4:35 a.m. It was then, police said, that the gunman approached the 70-year-old man and 68-year-old woman, flashed a silver handgun and demanded money. He then fled westbound on foot.

Police said no one was injured in the robbery.

The robber had a thin build and wore a gray jacket with gray sweatpants, police said.

Police ask anyone with information about the incident to call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS. All calls will remain confidential.

2 Men Rob Valley Stream Gas Station at Gunpoint

Two men robbed a Valley Stream gas station before taking off in a getaway car early February 19, 2012

According to cops, two men entered Dashmesh Petroleum at 385 West Merrick Road at 3:35 a.m. wielding a handgun and demanding cash. One man demanded money from the 55-year-old Dashmesh Petroleum employee while the other stood by the door acting as a lookout. The two obtained an unknown amount of cash before hopping into their getaway car and fleeing west on Merrick Road.
 

No injuries were reported, and detectives are requesting that anyone with information regarding this crime to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.

The first subject is described as approximately 5’8” tall, dark skinned and wearing a red bandana and red jacket. The second subject is described as about 5’6” tall, and light skinned. The vehicle the group fled in was described as a light blue SUV type.