Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Heroin Use on Long Island

We have been getting questions regarding concerns of Heroin use on Long Island.
If you go to our Nassau County Police Department link, scroll down a bit to the Drug Mapping Index for Heroin Arrests link. This will give you dates, locations and the age of the person involved in the arrest. Also there is a Forum on this topic, information is below.

Valley Stream Central High School District
Save the Date
Thursday March 18, 2010 7 p.m.
2nd Community Forum for Families on Substance Abuse Prevention
at South High School, 150 Jedwood Place, Valley Stream, New York

Keynote Speaker: Teri Corrigan, Bureau Chief
Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, Street Narcotics and Gangs Bureau
Will talk about: “The Rising Use of Heroin in Nassau County”

Small discussion groups to follow. Topics may include:
Hiding It All A Teen’s Story of Drug Addiction
Underage Drinking- Not a Minor Problem
Prescription for Disaster The dangers of prescription drug use by adolescents
Energy Drinks An Eye Opener
Marijuana Bigger, Stronger, More Dangerous.

Girl Scouts Launch Viral Marketing Campaign on YouTube to Sell Cookies - DailyFinance

Girl Scouts Launch Viral Marketing Campaign on YouTube to Sell Cookies - DailyFinance

CLICK ABOVE TO READ THEN SCROLL DOWN TO U TUBE VIDEO

Monday, February 8, 2010

Cell Phone Robber Arrest

Fifth Squad detectives report the details of an arrest for a Robbery that occurred on February 4, 2010 at 2:50 P.M. in Floral Park.
According to detectives, the victim was walking home from Sewanhaka High School eastbound on Tulip Ave. just past Covert Ave., texting on his cell phone, when a male ran up from behind him. The defendant, grabbed at the victims cell phone and a struggle ensued. The defendant proceeded to punch the victim knocking him to the ground. The defendant then grabbed the victims cell phone out of his hand and ran towards Argyle Rd. where he hopped over a fence.
A short time later Officers made an arrest charged him with Robbery 2nd Degree. He will be arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead on 2/5/10.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Funding for Safe and Drug-Free School Cut

“For the last year, I have been working with my colleagues in Congress and the Administration to avert drastic school safety cuts the President proposed in his 2010 budget. Sadly, a few weeks ago, it was officially reported that Long Island schools will lose more than $1.5 million next year because of the elimination of the state grants portion of the Safe and Drug-Free School (SDFS) program. I am greatly concerned by these cuts and have formally asked the Administration to provide an explanation for the cuts and what they plan to do to assist our schools provide a safe zone for our children.

In Nassau County over the last few years, there was a 91 percent spike in arrests on heroin-related crime. We have also had a problem with gang violence. While I appreciate that the funding level for national SDFS programs has increased, the cuts to the state grants piece is a big loss to our schools. While the funding, when spread throughout the various school districts, might seem small, it is extremely important to the schools and will cause school administrators to eliminate programs. Particularly in this tough economic climate, schools are already faced with difficult choices.

Schools should be safe places for our children to learn, without the fear of physical or verbal harm. Unfortunately it sometimes can be the opposite. In recent months, the national news has reported a number of suicides that raise bullying and harassment as major school safety issues. Jennie Shapira of North Woodmere was recently named as a Semifinalist of the Intel Science Talent Search 2010. She surveyed high school students about their experiences with bullying and found some striking results. Ms. Shapira concluded that younger students, who had been through anti-bullying programs, were more likely than older students to report harassment to school authorities. These results show that instruction is vital for combating bullying and harassment in schools and promoting academic achievement.

Soon, I will be reintroducing the Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (“SAVE”) Act which emphasizes the need for collection of law enforcement data to supplement the survey data the federal government already collects. Having said that, student surveys, like the ones collected by Ms. Shapira, can provide valuable information specifically because they come from students and I would applaud efforts to support such student surveys.

Regardless of political party, we all want our children to have a safe, drug-free school. And I will continue to work to ensure that in the future, students, like Jennie, win awards for research such as creating a new computer program or discovering a new star rather discussing the need for anti-bullying programs. We, as adults, should work together to create safe learning environments for our children.”

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy
Friday January 22, 2010

2010 Census Let's All Be Counted!

In March 2010, more than 130 million addresses across the nation will receive a census questionnaire. One of the shortest census forms in history, the 2010 Census questionnaire asks 10 questions and takes about 10 minutes to complete. Completing your census questionnaire is easy, important and safe, and your participation is essential to ensuring a brighter tomorrow for our community.



Required once every 10 years by the U.S. Constitution, the census will count every person living in the United States, both citizens and noncitizens. Census data are used to reapportion the U.S. House of Representatives, re-district each state and determine the distribution of the Electoral College. Census data also directly affect how more than $400 billion per year in federal funding is distributed to state, local and tribal governments. Most importantly, census data is critical in determining locations for new hospitals, improving schools, building new roads, expanding public transportation options and creating new maps for emergency responders.



By participating in the census, you can help create a better future for you and those important to you. Complete and return your form when it arrives. To learn more, visit 2010census.gov.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Franklin Square Proposed Cell Tower Hearing

Please put the following info on the Franklin Square Blog. It affects
the quality of life in Franklin Square.
Thank you.

The residents of Franklin Square have been fighting a proposed cell phone
tower at 340 Dogwood Avenue.

We won the initial fight against T-Mobile, but now T Mobile is seeking a
"Variance or Special Exception of the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance"

There is a hearing on February 3, 2010 at 2pm in the Town Meeting Pavilion,1 Washington Street, Hempstead.Notices were sent to "a few" people in the area, but most people who fought against the cell phone tower, attended the hearings, and testified have not been notified.

The law firm of Amato & Associates sent out a letter to Chairman David Weiss and Board Members of the Town of Hempstead, Board of Appeals, and in that letter it states "this correspndence is being sent to all property owners and occupants entitle to be notified by mail." Apparently, although I live 7 houses away from the proposed site, am not entitled by law to such notice (None of the neighbors on my block received this notice as far as I am aware.)

Please stop by Town Hall on 2/3/10 at 2pm to show your support against this Appeal.

Carol Grassi

LIHEAP

Dear Friends,
I am pleased to announce that the Department of Health and Human Services released over $45 million in LIHEAP funding for New York State. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, provides a vital safety net for our nation’s low-income households. LIHEAP helps low-income families and seniors stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

During these difficult economic times this funding will make it easier for states and municipalities, who have seen increased demand for key services such as LIHEAP, increase. It will also make the choice easier for people who need to decide between medicine and paying their heating bills.

However, many families do not qualify for LIHEAP but still struggle with high home heating oil bills. This is why I have introduced the Home Heating Cost Relief Act, which will help middle class families struggling with the high home heating costs.

The Home Heating Cost Relief Act will provide a $1,000 refundable tax credit for individuals, $2,000 for families, to offset the cost of home heating oil, gas, and propane. This is a temporary, two year tax credit that will give middle class families the relief they need while Congress works to implement a long-term energy policy.

The bill will also create a low interest loan program that will provide up to $5,000, at 1 percent interest, to be used for weatherization. Many homes, particularly older homes, need new windows, new burners, and better insulation in order to be more energy efficient. The loan program will offer many homeowners the opportunity to make necessary home improvements in order to drive down their energy costs.

It's an honor and privilege to serve as your representative in Washington. I encourage you to utilize my office as a resource and stay in contact as it enables me to better represent the beliefs and values of our district. Please visit my website http://carolynmcccarthy.house.gov for more information.