A 15-year-old was killed and two others injured in a gang-related shooting at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow Wednesday evening, according to Nassau County police. The shooting happened around 8:20 PM at one of Long Island's most popular parks — the same place where families bring their kids to the playground and people jog the walking trails.
Police are calling it gang-related but haven't released details about arrests or what led to the violence. The park was immediately closed while investigators processed the scene.
This hits different when it's Eisenhower Park. Most of us have been there — for concerts, family gatherings, or just to get the kids out of the house. It's supposed to be the safe place you go when you want to be outside without worrying. Nassau County police are asking anyone with information to call their tips line at 1-800-244-TIPS.
Nassau County lawmakers are considering a bill to ban hourly motel rentals and require detailed guest logs as part of a broader effort to combat sex trafficking, according to the New York Post. The proposed regulations would require motels to maintain comprehensive records of all guests and eliminate the practice of renting rooms by the hour.
The crackdown targets what officials call "sleazy bookings" that can facilitate illegal activity. Under the new rules, motels would need to collect and maintain detailed information about every guest, creating a paper trail that law enforcement could use to investigate trafficking cases.
This isn't Nassau's first swing at regulating problematic businesses — the county has been tightening oversight on everything from massage parlors to strip clubs over the past few years. The timing makes sense given that April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Nassau has been under pressure to address human trafficking after several high-profile cases in recent years. Whether this approach actually reduces trafficking or just pushes it elsewhere remains to be seen, but it's definitely going to make those Route 110 motor lodges rethink their business model.
Broadridge Financial Solutions — that $7 billion company that handles Wall Street's paperwork — was eyeing greener pastures in other states until Governor Kathy Hochul stepped in with a $40 million incentive package, according to LI Press. The deal keeps the company's Long Island operations intact and maintains about 2,000 local jobs.
Broadridge isn't exactly a household name, but they're the invisible backbone that processes stock trades, manages shareholder communications, and handles regulatory compliance for major financial firms. Think of them as Wall Street's IT department — unglamorous but essential work that pays well and employs a lot of people in suits.
The math here is interesting: $40 million in state grants and tax credits works out to about $20,000 per job saved. That's either a bargain for keeping high-paying positions on Long Island, or corporate welfare for a company that reported $5.2 billion in revenue last year. Probably depends on whether you're the one paying the taxes or collecting the paycheck.
The Port Washington Board of Education unanimously approved a $205.8 million budget for next school year — up $6.8 million from this year's $199 million spending plan, according to LI Press. The district hasn't announced the exact property tax increase yet, but last year's smaller budget bump came with a 3.39% tax hike.
For context: Port Washington is already one of Nassau County's higher-spending districts per pupil, typically ranking in the top 20 statewide. The average home in Port Washington is assessed around $650,000, so even a modest tax increase translates to hundreds of dollars more per household.
The budget goes to voters on May 19. If you're a Port Washington resident wondering where that extra $6.8 million is headed — transportation, technology, staff salaries — those details should be in the full budget document, which districts are required to post online at least two weeks before the vote.
Nassau County's Department of Public Works is starting road resurfacing work this Monday (April 20) on major roadways in Sea Cliff, Glen Cove, and Manorhaven. The county confirmed the schedule with Nassau Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, though specific streets and timeline details weren't released yet.
If you commute through these North Shore communities, expect some headaches next week — and probably for a while after that. Nassau's spring road work typically runs through early summer, which means construction season is officially here. The county's been dealing with a particularly brutal winter's worth of pothole damage this year, so the timing makes sense even if the traffic delays won't.
Pro tip: check the county's traffic alerts before you head out Monday morning. Nothing ruins a commute quite like discovering your usual route has turned into a construction zone at 7:30 AM.
SUNY Old Westbury broke ground this week on a massive $200 million renovation and expansion of its Natural Science Building, with SUNY Chancellor John King himself wielding a ceremonial shovel alongside President Timothy Sams. The project is part of the school's broader strategic plan unveiled last November — ambitious timing considering most colleges are still figuring out how to stay afloat post-Covid.
While other universities are cutting programs and laying off staff, Old Westbury is doubling down on growth. The school has been quietly building momentum over the past few years, bucking the trend of declining enrollment that's hit Long Island's higher ed landscape hard. Nassau Community College, for comparison, has seen enrollment drop by nearly 30% since 2020.
The timing feels intentional — when everyone else is retreating, Old Westbury is expanding. Smart move or expensive gamble? We'll find out when the first students walk into those shiny new labs in a few years.
Source: LI Press - North Hempstead
Jonathan Roumie, the actor who plays Jesus in the wildly popular series "The Chosen," is a 1992 graduate of Plainedge High School, according to Greater Long Island. That means he walked the same halls as thousands of current Nassau County residents — just 34 years before becoming the face of one of the most-watched faith-based shows in streaming history.
"The Chosen" has garnered over 770 million episode views worldwide and recently wrapped its fourth season. The show, which chronicles the life of Jesus and his disciples, has built a massive following partly due to Roumie's portrayal of Christ. Not bad for a kid from North Massapequa.
Plainedge High has produced its share of notable alumni over the decades, but having someone literally play Jesus might be a district first. The school's drama department probably has some pretty high expectations for their next production.