Legislators To Continue
For RR Escalators
Senator Fxhvard J. Speno and
Assemblyman Francis P. Mc-
Closkey issued a joint announcement
about their attempt to have
the Long Island Railroad and the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
construct automatic
escalators at the Massapequa
Railroad Station.
Senator Speno said, " In the
closing hours of the legislature,
the Metropolitan Transportation
Authority presented a bill for an
appropriation of 60 million
dollars for the preparation of
design plans for various im »
provemn. its to transportation
services in the metropolitan
area. As an amendment to this
appropriation from the Transportation
Bond monies, I was
able to convince the Senate that
the absence of automatic escalators
at the Massapequa Railroad
Station should be corrected."
" In our modern society, even
the smallest department store
is equipped with escalators,"
Speno said. " The Massapequa
Railroad Station is one of the
stations on the Mo. itauk Division
of the Long Island Railroad not
equipped with them. If we are
to make boarding of Long Island
trains easier for our Senior Citizens
and for our handicapped
citizens, these escalators must
be installed."
" The bill was passed in the
Senate," Speno added, " But the
Democratic leadership in the Assembly
stubbornly refused to
present the bill to its membership
for a vote. Thus the people
of Massapequa were again deprived
of the opportunity to get
escalators."
The chapter amendment introduced
jointly by Senator Speno
and Assemblyman McCloskey
woald have required that the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
at least consider the design
of the escalators.
Senator Spano said, " In my
position as Chairman of the Joint
Legislative Committee on Motor
Vehicles, Traffic & Highway
Safety which is to be merged into
the Joint Legislative Committee
on Mass Transportation, I will
be holding hearings about the
problems faced by local communities
in the development of
transportation facilities. I intend
to seek the inclusion of e s calator
facilities in existing
grade crossing eliminations to
the same extent that they a r e now
being installed in new facilities."
Town Holds Program
For Small Businessmen
Cyster Bay Town Board Majority
Leader Ralph J. Marino
has announced that a seminar
on a new federal program of
guaranteeing leases for small
businesses will be held on
Wednesday, June 5 at 3 p. m.
in the public hearing room in
Town Hall, Oyster Bay.
The seminar, organized by
Irving James, Town Commissioner
of Commerce and
Industry, will deal with how to
take advantage of a program
under which leases can be
guaranteed by the small business
administration for terms of five
to 20 years for companies qualifying
as small businesses.
The principal speakers at the
session will be John Axiotakis,
local development coordinator
for the small business administration
and coordinator for the
lease guarantee program in the
New York area, and Robert H„
Davis, an expert in small business
administration law.
" Historically, small businesses
have had difficulty in
competing with big businesses
for choice locations," Marino
said. " However, under this new
federal program, it is possible
for the less affluent tenant to
have his lease guaranteed, either
directly by the S. B. A. or by a
participating surety company.
This will help make the small
businessman a more desirable
tenant."
Marino said that all businessmen
are invited to attend the
seminar.
Tighten New Driver Regulations
Governor Rockefeller signed
into law this week one bill designed
to make driver responsibility
more effective in traffic
safety and vetoed another measure
he said would weaken present
law having that objective.
The Governor approved a measure,
part of the highway safety
program he proposed to the Legislature,
which would authorize
the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles
to require completion of a
three - hour course in driver
training and highway safety program
he proposed to the Legislature,
which would authorize
the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles
to require completion of a
three - hour course in driver
trainig and highway safety before
initial issuance of a driver's
license to an applicant.
" Knowledge of rules of the
road and methods of safe driving
are necessary prerequisites
for the safe operation of a motor
vehicle," the Governor said.
" Studies conducted by this State
and other public agencies have
proven the value of driver education
courses, both in terms of
highway accidents and fatalities,
and in die number of driver violations."
The vetoed bill would have provided
for a system under which a
licensee could be awardedmerit
points for the successful completion
of the National Safety
Council " Defensive Driving
Course." Such points would be
an offset to points now charged
against a licensee for violation
of the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
Declaring the " point system"
has been an effective deterrent
to habitual violation of the traffic
laws, the Governor added:
" The system proposed by this
bill would seriously weaken that
deterrent by permitting a driver
to accumulate in advance ' merit
points' by taking a safety course,
the efficacy of which would not
be subject to the control of the
Commissioner, and by reducing
the flexibility the Commissioner
now has to take appropriate action
in the case of a persistent violator
dependent upon the particular
circumstances."
Town Board To Go
On Summer Schedule June 11
The Oyster Bay Town Board
will begin its four- month summer
schedule of public hearings and
town board meetings in June,
Board Majority Leader Ralph J.
Marino, announced this week.
The regular town board sessions
are usually held weekly
October through May. Starting
in June the town board meetings
will be held on June 11 and June
25; July 9 and July 23; August
13 and August 27 and September
10 and 24.
Seeks Zone Change On Broadway
The Town Board reserved decision
on the application of
Vincent S. Collura for a change
of zoning from Residence " D"
to Business " F " at the corner
North Massapequa.
The applicant is seeking to
conduct an insurance business at
the location.
There was no opposition at the
n„^°!? f na P l a" ( ? 8 M ) Q u e e " ° f H e a r t s o f "" N a S 8 a u H e a r t BaU accepts bouquet
of flowers from Oyster Bay Councilman Philip B. Healey ( left) as Congressman
John W. Wydler, crowns her.
J
Extend Hours At National Cemeteries
Relatives and friends of deceased
veterans buried in national
cemeteries were reminded
by State Director of Veterans'
Affairs Frank V. Votto, that the
cemeteries are now open to visitors
from 7: 30 o'clock in the
morning until 7: 00 o'clock in the
evening. These hours, he said,
will remain in effect until October
when the cemeteries will
close at 5: 00 o'clock in the
evening.
The Director noted that persons
wishing to place cut flowers
at a grave may do so if the flowers
are in an approved type container
used on a permanentbasis
in national cemeteries.
Wreaths or floral emblems,
either live or artificial, on a
wire stand, may be placed on
the grave. The stand should be
so placed at the grave so that
the wreath of floral emblem does
not touch the headstone. These
are removed after a reasonable
time, the Director said.
Of the 97 national cemeteries
in the United States and Puerto
Rico, three are located in New
York State. They include Cypress
Hills ia Brooklyn, Fann-ingdale
on Long Island, and Wood-lawn
at Elmira.
Persons desiring additional information
on national cemetery
policies concerning burials and
memorial or patriotic services
should contact the local office
of the New York State Division
of Veterans' Affairs or Veterans'
Service Agency located
at 320 Old Country Road, Garden
City.
Second in Poetry Contest
Christine Mahoney of 47 Shore-ham
Road, Massapequa, a student
at the Massapequa High
School won a second prize in the
16 to 18 year old category in
the Christopher Morley Park
Poetry contest.
Buy a Barracuda.
Get a wildlife loan.
Chemical
New York.
CHEMICAL BANK NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY
of Broadway at Atlanta Avenue, public hearing held on Tuesday.
Farmingdale OBSERVER, Thursday, May 30, 1968
CHEMICAL NEW YORK OFFICES IN THIS AREA:
995 Hicksville Road ( Jerusalem Ave.), Massapequa
2680 Merrick Road, Be 11 more
' v-
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