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Nassau Notebook: Coliseum Clock Ticking, Narcotics Sweep

A weekly look-in at the news of Nassau County.

Islanders Say 'Clock is Ticking' for a New Coliseum

Urgency to build a new Coliseum was conveyed at Tuesday's Nassau Legislature Economic and Community Development and Labor meeting.

"We have to make a decision on the Coliseum," New York Islanders Senior Vice President and Alternate Governor Michael Picker pleaded in front of the legislature.

Picker was joined by local politicians and labor officials who urged redevelopment at Nassau's HUB before time runs out ...

Read the rest of the story on Levittown Patch.

Narcotics Sweep a Success

Mangano and Police Commissioner Thomas Dale announced Thursday the success of a sweep conducted by the Nassau County Police Department’s Narcotics Squad that resulted in the arrest of 17 individuals for forging prescriptions at various pharmacies throughout the county. Additionally, Enhanced Community Watch – a new joint initiative involving Nassau County police officers and probation officers – resulted in the arrest of three probationers: two for illegal possession of prescription drugs without prescriptions and one on a violation of probation warrant for using Heroin.

Eight of the individuals arrested had attempted to fill forged prescriptions to obtain painkillers at CVS in Hicksville. In one of those cases, a woman posed as a doctor or nurse practitioner on seven different occasions and called in prescriptions for patients whose identity she had stolen. The individual then appeared at the pharmacy as the patient and purchased the drugs using the women's stolen medical insurance plan.

Another individual allegedly stole a prescription pad from a doctor and wrote several prescriptions for Promethazine with Codeine. The other arrests were for individuals attempting to fill forged prescriptions at independent pharmacies.

Arrests in Nassau County for forging opiate drug prescriptions have quadrupled this year; from four such arrests in Nassau County at this time last year, to the 17 arrested this year.

Taxpayer Reform Groups Supporting Mangano's Community Policing Plan

Mangano and Thomas Dale received support from local taxpayer reform groups this week for their recently announced Community Policing Plan (COP). According to Mangano, the support comes from groups "that are looking for real reform and change in Nassau that protects its already overburdened residents from another tax hike."

In a joint statement, Anita MacDougall, chairperson of Long Island Tax Reform, Laurann Pandelakis, president of the Manhasset Republican Club, and Frank Russo, member of the Nassau Conservative Party Executive Committee, said that "Long Island seniors and young adults are leaving in droves due to the high costs of government. County Executive Mangano's plan helps reduce the cost of government by millions of dollars and places officers in community policing positions rather than at office desks, thereby improving cost effectiveness."

The trio added: "The County Executive is doing his job in being pro-active, searching for ways to hold the line on taxes without compromising services and implementing improvements in available technologies. This is a win-win for the taxpayer."

Pat Friedman, Founder and Chairperson of the Nassau County Non-Partisan Tax Revolt Coalition, Bob Pendleton of the Nassau County Tea Party Patriots and Andrew Nordquist, Chairman of the Long Island Taxpayer Alliance, were also in support of the COP.

Study Sheds Light on 'Deadly' Hempstead Turnpike

A new study upholds Hempstead Turnpike's ranking as the deadliest road in the tri-state area for pedestrians.

Read the rest of the story on East Meadow Patch.

Nassau County Recruits Local Filmmakers for Film Advisory Board

The Nassau County Film Office recently held the first meeting of the Nassau County Film Advisory Board in Mineola. The board included local independent filmmakers, owners of both Gold Coast and Grumman Film Studios, and community leaders.

See the full video on Mineola Patch.

James M. February 21, 2012 at 05:27 pm
The biggest problem is that who ever was in charge of maintaining the property (I believe it is SMG) is doing a horrible job of it. Whoever is responsible for the maintenance of the arena should have been fired already.
Mac February 21, 2012 at 06:35 pm
As much as a loser I may be this statement is being kind stating SMG is doing a horrible job. SMG makes more money off concessions than both the county and whoever is hosting the event at the coliseum whether it be the islanders etc.. The county is actually in charge of the property which explains why the combo of the two you have the current situation at the colisuem. SMG has no need to improve and the county is inept.
RoBuSt! February 22, 2012 at 01:30 am
What happen to the Belmont racetrack idea?
Lloyd February 22, 2012 at 03:22 am
Good idea. It has been investigated.
The land is underutilized. It makes sense. So it got no further. Too much community opposition. Too much horseshoot to deal with.
Lloyd February 22, 2012 at 03:25 am
Mac. I gave up eating at stadiums and arenas. Bad food at ridiculous prices. Unless you are a corporate guy with a big expense account, the new arenas and stadiums dont want you. They discorage brown baggers and tailgaters. No money in it for the concessions and owners. A new arena in Uniondake will shut out the blue collar fans. Like MSG does.
Mets will finish at 68-94. Santana will win 5 games, the most. Daniel Murphy will make more errors at 2nd base than Chuck Hiller or Steve Saxe ever did. And he'll be on the DL by Memorial Day.
George February 22, 2012 at 03:09 pm
Lloyd...shutting out blue collar fans is a good point...and what has happened at all of the other new arenas in ny/nj....but the team will leave without a bldg....so does that fan go to a few less games and spend the same amount overall? just to keep the team? The oppty includes the Islanders +.....even shows like the Boat Show, Home Show, and those unknown will bring value to the area.....
Without an entertainment venue this site will not be maximized......
RoBuSt! February 22, 2012 at 03:20 pm
Well said Lloyd. Ny sport arenas are no longer about the fans but for the corporate guys. ur best bet is watching it a good bar or at home. We all hope our team does well & in return they jack up the tix prices.
James M. February 22, 2012 at 03:57 pm
This is a really good article I just read. Take a look.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-14/new-york-s-nassau-county-going-broke-as-no-one-wants-to-share-fiscal-pain.html
Escape LI February 22, 2012 at 04:58 pm
The most significant part is:
When NIFA’s directors look ahead, they are even more worried. In 2012, Mangano is counting on privatizing the sewer system, which NIFA considers a dubious proposition. He still wants to borrow to pay for the tax refunds. And pension costs will increase. “2011 is bad,” NIFA’s Marlin said. “2012 will be even worse.”
Lloyd February 24, 2012 at 06:37 pm
Private sewers? Will we have to.pay a toll everytime we flush the toilet?
Good thing I have an EZ Pass. It will be much quicker to pay at the bowl booth, than fishing for exact change.
Susan February 24, 2012 at 06:49 pm
LMAO. Lloyd, I can't stop laughing. You really cracked me up! Too funny!
Lloyd February 24, 2012 at 07:54 pm
Thanks, Susan. You made my day. Glad to make you lol.
BTW...this is the first I heard about "sewer privatization". Its not such a popular topic here. But it seems like it could be the butt of some good jokes.
Nassau Taxpayer February 24, 2012 at 07:58 pm
Mangano must know and agree that even though (...and I'm not making this up) "Goldman Sachs Bans the Phrase “Shitty Deal”; Making Shitty Deals Still O.K." -- see: http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/07/goldman-sachs-bans-the-phrase-shitty-deal-making-shitty-deals-still-ok
Susan February 24, 2012 at 09:31 pm
We might not have agreed on the Ducks stuff but I do like to give credit where credit is due. THAT is very funny. I'm still smiling.
Lloyd February 24, 2012 at 11:07 pm
Great! I quacked you up today.
I have to admit you were in the right pond when you made those statements regarding the Ducks. They cater to kids and families and the games are strictly for their entertainment and not to be taken too seriously. But they are a success and sell out nearly every game. I just wish we could turn the clock back to the 1980's when the Islanders were the toasts of the town and we packed the Coliseum for every game. We loved our team and all the players and coach, respected the owners, and the GM, and had NO problems with the arena. And Nassau County was doing great too. They weren't near bankruotcy. Things sure have changed.
Susan February 24, 2012 at 11:39 pm
And the man finally comes around. Thank you! After all the arguing, I do appreciate what you wrote.
Yes, Nassau County certainly has changed. And it's my opinion that Mangano is running it into the ground! Btw, you might want to check out the heated discussions on the East Meadow Patch.
Lloyd February 27, 2012 at 01:53 am
Thanks. I have. Lots of controversy there too.
Lloyd April 24, 2012 at 12:53 pm
HELP!!!
I cant find the Islanders playoff games anywhere on cable TV. I've been watchung the Rangers, the Devils, and teams from the South that I never heard of. So where are the Islanders when nearly every other cockamamie NHL team is in the playoffs? So lets reward Wang with a new arena for his kindness allowing his team an early Spring vacation every single year.
Mac April 24, 2012 at 12:57 pm
LLoyd the Islanders will be gone in 2016 the year after the lease expires. Gary Bettman has come out and clearly stated that if Nassau County and the TOH doesnt wamt the team they will go. He also stated the NMVC is long overdue to be refurbished or replaced that it no longer meets the standard of an NHL arena. He also said that the Barclays center may not be the place they move. Forget about rewarding Wang we need a new arena. It is that simple. We will lose more money with no team.
Nassau Taxpayer April 24, 2012 at 01:00 pm
Islanders playoffs are on MSG's Golf Channel. Early tee-times guaranteed.
Lloyd April 24, 2012 at 01:30 pm
Sad, but Very funny, Nassau Taxpayer.
I cant believe Memphis, Tenn. has a team in the playoffs and we dont. Even Sunrise Fla is in and could advance. The Islanders fans cant keep blaming Mangano for their ineptitude year after year. They were lousy when Suozzi was Co. Exec. too. I do not dismiss the chances of the team moving to Brooklyn, no matter what that knucklehead Bettman says. The NHL doesnt want to lose a NY franchise to Tuscaloosa Alabama ( the only Southern state without one). So the Brooklyn arena will get a few more luxury boxes built, spread around some payoffs, and Bettman will give it his blessing.
Mac April 24, 2012 at 01:55 pm
They will not go to Brooklyn the stadium is not big enough for an NHL team. It would be the smallest stadium in the NHL. The Islanders will wind up in Quebec. NY does have a team in the playoffs in case you didnt notice just not the islanders. Part of the Islander problems are they play in the best division in the NHL.
But the NVMC issue as a suitable arena is a different story. When it is gone watch your taxes go up and another empty lot on the turnpike.
Lloyd April 24, 2012 at 03:02 pm
They WILL move to Brooklyn and charge ridiculously high ticket, food, and drink prices to make up for the attendance shortage. Their exposure on NYC cable tv is worth more than their move to a small Canadian city that failed once before with the Stastny triplets.
Park Slope and Williamsbugh yuppies and NYC corp types will pay whatever the Islanders charge them and will support the team and the Nets better than the current cash strapped suburban families
Mac April 24, 2012 at 03:14 pm
LLoyd you really know very little. the Candien based teams all six of them make up for about 33% of the NHL revenue. The only team in the NHL top 6 inrevenue that is not from canada is the Rangers. Had there been no lockout the Nordiques would still be there. The city could not sustain the franchise after the lockout. A recent study by the NHL revealed that the NHL should give serious consideration to moving a struggling NHL franchise back to Canada. The fan base for hockey would be strong enough in Brooklyn. It would not draw away from the Rangers and many LI residents would not go on a regular basis. Then examine the idiocy of the Barclays center who did not even take into consideration hockey when they buitl the stadium. The Barclays is not set up for hockey. The future of the Islanders if gone from nassau county is in canada. Our region cannot sustain a fan base for three nhl teams regardless if they win or not.
Lloyd April 24, 2012 at 04:24 pm
If your stats are correct, why did Bettman award so many NHL franchises or approve moves to US cities with average winter temperatures of 80 degrees?
Canada lost 2 franchises, one to the South and so did Minnesota, and the NHL still couldnt get a national TV contract despite having a franchise in every state. Did Bettman suddenly wise up? But I still believe he doesnt want the Islanders to move out of the NY area, and there are enough rabid hockey fans and wealth here to support all 3 teams. Just get rid of Wang and bring in a knowledgeable hockey owner to run the Islanders and the fans will come back. The taxpayers may even approve a new arena then too.
Lloyd April 24, 2012 at 04:48 pm
I didnt see the Hartford Whalers, the Kansas City Scouts, or the Denver Rockies move to Saskatoon or Regina. Obviously Canada is not such a financially lucrative place as you think. Theres more money in Columbus or Charlotte than in Halifax or Windsor.
The Islanders will stay on LI and move to Brooklyn.
Mac April 24, 2012 at 04:49 pm
The thought was that the NHL wanted to bring hockey to the us belt states. Canada was losing money at the time because the canadian dollar was worth less than that of the US. Not so anymore. As the times changed the viabilty of these franchises in the warmer states is decreasing. the NHL thought it could ride Greztky into to many American cities. The money is being made in Canada now. These are all facts anyone could look up. You are right the NHL and Bettman would prefer to keep the Islanders here but if they cannot figure it out by 2015 they will be gone regardless of the owner. The taxpayers will not apporve anything that increases taxes in this economy. There are not enough rabid fans or they would be there.
Lloyd April 24, 2012 at 05:37 pm
I agree that Canada is doing better financially now than many parts of the US. But has Bettman learned his lesson that Ice Hockey is the No. 1 Canadian sport while it will never rise above No. 4 in the US no matter how many franchises the NHL awards in Ariz, Cal, Tex, N.C, Tenn, Fla, etc.
The NHL could even slip lower in popularity with NASCAR and Soccer passing it by. So I'm betting on Betman to try and shore up the US franchises and not let them all move up North where his dreams of a national US TV contract will all but dissapear. And the new Nasssu Coliseum is now a dead isdue, unless some wealthy businesdman comes along to personally fund it, which I doubt very much. Cuban and Trump have no political muscle in this county
Nassau Taxpayer April 24, 2012 at 06:31 pm
I hear they now have air conditioning down south. No?
Lloyd April 24, 2012 at 06:53 pm
Even with air condiioning, Ice hockey down South falls behind NASCAR and alligator wrestling.

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Geoffrey Walter (Editor) June 19, 2013 at 01:12 pm
Laura, thanks - be sure to add this to our map:Read More http://mineola.patch.com/groups/weekend-planner/p/holding-a-yard-sale-in-mineola-add-it-to-our-map_34c9bf9b
Geoffrey Walter (Editor) June 14, 2013 at 10:03 am
I do not know what you mean by a "senior building." Please be more specific. If you areRead More talking about the Winston-Churchill project and not a senior assisted living facility, we have a small update here: http://mineola.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/flood-mitigation-apartment-projects-moving-forward