Vote on Nassau Redistricting Map Expected Monday

Story by Matthew Hogan

Nassau legislators could potentially vote at Monday's meeting to adopt a new district map that divides the county's current legislative boundaries.

The move could change the areas that certain legislators currently cover.

Brian Paul, a member of Common Cause -- a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization -- said that the Democratic map and Republican map are vastly different.

“The Democrats took the existing districts and tried to change as little as possible, legally speaking,” Paul said. “The Republican plan is pretty much an outright partisan gerrymander. They’re trying to get as many Republicans in the legislature as possible with this plan. There’s no attention paid to keeping logical community groupings together.”

Republicans currently hold a 10-9 majority in the legislature.

Rally to Challenge Cuomo on School Aid
Several school administrators and Long Island Republican Assembly members are planning a rally in Huntington Monday to urge changes in how school aid is distributed.

Long Island representatives and educators have long complained that the region pays a disproportionate share of taxes compared to what it gets back in state aid.

The lineup of educators expected to attend includes leaders from both counties, among them James McKenna, president of the Suffolk School Superintendents Association, James March, president of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association, Gary Bixhorn, chief operating officer of Eastern Suffolk BOCES, Dr. David Bennardo, superintendent of the South Huntington school district, and the superintendents from Sachem and Connetquot.

Click here to read more about the rally.

FEMA Funds Secured for Nassau's Wastewater Treatment Plants
County Executive Ed Mangano announced Tuesday that Nassau is in line to receive nearly $15 million in aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to reimburse costs associated with returning wastewater treatment plants to Post-Hurricane operations.

"Working with Congressman King, Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand and Governor Cuomo, Nassau County secured FEMA dollars to ensure hurricane damaged wastewater plants were swiftly returned to operational condition and that necessary long-term hardening plans are developed while additional funds for mitigation construction begin to flow," Mangano said in a release.

As a result of flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy, 41 of 57 sewage pumping stations throughout Nassau County were damaged by the storm surge. Four of five wastewater treatment plants sustained damage as a result of the storm, along with areas of the sanitary collection system that were inundated with floodwaters.

Creative Cups Benefit on March 14

One hundred and thirty-one amazing Creative Cups — ordinary bras transformed into works of art — will be auctioned on Thursday March 14, at 6 p.m. at Adelphi University in Garden City to benefit the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program.

Tickets are $50 ($65 for day of event walk-ins) and can be purchased online:www.adelphi.edu/creative-cups.

Call the hotline at 800-877-8077 for information.

In addition to the auction, a special exhibition, “Highlights—Selected Works from Creative Cups 2013,” will feature 15 submissions at the Ruth S. Harley University Center Gallery from March 4 through March 11.