Watch the producers' camera stream of JRNL80B class streamcast on May 15, 2008, below. (Katelyn Rhoads video operator, Ken McCarron sound.)
Read the archived live blog of the JRNL80B streamcast of May 15, 2008, below:
Watch the producers' camera stream from JRNL80A class production of May 14, 2008, below [audio not available] (Amanda Chamberlain video]
Read the live blog produced by the students of JRNL80A for the May 14, 2008, streamcast below:
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This frame contains three widgets -- two streaming video consoles, and a liveblog, to allow students to streamcast their final projects in JRNL 80, online journalism, for the spring semester.
You can view the unique streamcast of the news broadcast on the Mogulus.com widget (at left, below), or view the producers' view on the Ustream.tv widget (lower right) or read the script and notes with hypertext on the CoverItLive.com widget (at bottom).
You can just view all three on the screen at the same time by scrolling up to center the applications in your window -- the audio should not overlap. You can click on either video application to toggle it to full screen mode.
Follow NassauNews on Twitter.com
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To view this article as a video, click on the embedded player below.
Read the Print Article Below
For years, the village of Hempstead has earned a reputation as a high-crime area. Just last year, there were over 2,600 total offenses charted, ranging from murder to rape to prostitution. With projections for this year expected to come close to 2,500 offenses, it is an improvement. But is it enough for the residents of Hempstead to feel safe?
According to Hempstead Mayor Wayne Hall and Police Chief Joe Wing, crime has been steadily decreasing in the area for the better part of the last decade.
“I believe the overall crime for 2007 dropped about 9 percent from 2006,” said Wing, “So, even though some might say that the crime is high, comparatively speaking, it's been dropping. We’re looking to have that number decrease, to increase our efforts and to continue the decline of crime.”
The drop in the crime statistics should offer assurance for residents -- however, Mayor Hall warns that not all the crimes are dropping.
“The one thing that has not gone down is the violent crime and when I say violent crime I mean assaults and things like that,” he told Nassau News.
Another problem that the police department faces is that only 1 out of every 3 offenses are cleared, or caught. As you can see in the Hempstead crime statistics link at the bottom of the page, the imbalance in the ratio of offenses recorded to those cleared are distinct.
There is good news for the future though. With the expected addition of new police officers both Wing and Hall expect crime numbers will keep dropping. The Hempstead Village police force totals 115 officers with five more expected to join.
In 2007, the total monetary value for damages to residents and vehicles surpassed $2.1 million.
“Unfortunately a lot of people will pull up to a 7-Eleven, leave their car running, run in thinking they’re going to get a cup of coffee and come out and their car is gone.” said Wing.
Concerning the drug problem, police have been able to isolate a majority of the drug incidents to the areas around Terrace Avenue and Bedell Street. While this is not to say drug incidents do not occur elsewhere, they have targeted these two streets as being high-drug areas. An initiative was created at the beginning of this year targeting buyers with undercover officers pretending to be drug dealers in order to apprehend approaching buyers.
“Our undercover operations have been quite successful.” said Wing.
With its high minority population and surrounding smaller towns, it is unlikely that Hempstead will have low crime rates but as Chief Wing said, the numbers are steadily improving.
Mayor Hall said: “Just because we are predominantly minorities here that does not mean we can’t have a nice community where everybody could walk through the community and feel safe, so that’s what I’m working on.”
Addendum
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For most shoppers, it's hard to check out at the grocery store and not notice the price increases. In the past six months, everything from bread to bananas and chicken to milk has dramatically risen in price.
Why are prices increasing so quickly and dramatically, and what are Nassau County consumers doing to curb their bill at the check-out counter? Nassau News went out and asked.
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Nassau County Consumers and Increasing Prices at the Grocery Store (the text version)
For most shoppers it’s hard to check out at any grocery store and not notice the sharp increase in price of their goods.
In the past six months, wheat prices have doubled, which means everything made from wheat has gone up. Also, meat has gone up because livestock is fed by the wheat. Consumers are paying over 25 percent more for eggs and 17 percent more for milk, according to the NY Times. Bananas and other produce have also dramatically increased.
General Manager of Associated Food Stores in Long Beach, Omar Rodriguez explained that he’s seen increasing all over his store. “Anything pertaining to wheat which has gone out the roof lately,” he said. “I’m sure you’ve probably heard bagels going up to a dollar fifty.”
General inflation has played a role in the increasing prices; however increasing world-wide demand and the increasing cost of fuel also have played a significant role.
Hofstra University Economics Professor Martin Melkonian explained the particular sharp rise in energy costs has affected the transportation costs of food items. “Food is transported from lots of different areas and with the gasoline and other fuels rising in price that’s raising the prices to the truckers and so on. They are passing on these rising costs to the consumer,” he said.
According to Labor Department statistics, from January to February of this year, chicken has gone up 10 cents in the Northeast urban areas; since November of last year, the price has gone up 20 cents.
Besides the increasing cost of the fuel used to transport goods, other increasing costs, like education and health care, are also contributing to rising prices, Melkonian said. He also added another important reason prices are going up is the weakening of the U.S. dollar internationally.
So then, what does the future hold for prices and will there be relief at the check-out counter for consumers?
“Prices haven’t gone down in any systematic way since the 1930s. They’ve either gone up a little bit or gone up a lot,” Melkonian said. “We’re in a position now where they’re beginning to go up more than normal.”
However, Melkonian suggests that finding substitutes for oil could help with inflation. Finding substitutes for oil would mean a lower dependency on the fuel, which would in turn lower demand and the price. He also suggested that efficiency may be the most important substitute. “By that, I mean finding more efficient ways to run out vehicles and run our appliances,” he said.
Consumers at Waldbaum’s in Wantagh, New York commented that their understanding of the increasing prices at the grocery store was due to the increasing cost of fuel.
“I think part of it goes back to the increase cost of gasoline and petroleum products -- it just raises everything,” Richard Picard of North Merrick said.
In order to deal with the rising costs, several websites and bloggers have dedicated sites and entries to beating the scanner at the check-out counter. Some websites like coolsavings.com have printable coupons available online; however, not all stores accept online coupons. Other sites, like FrugalShopper.com, offer tips to saving money and blog sites of posts from consumer’s experiences and tips.
Click below for the slideshow for this article. Click on pictures for detailed captions.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
To read my production memo, for this story visit my blog.
Additional Video Interviews
Omar Rodriquez, general manager of Associated in Long Beach, explained what he has noticed in his store. For a full transcript of the interview, click here.
General inflation has played a role in the increasing prices; however increasing world wide demand and the increasing cost of fuel also have played a significant role. Hofstra University Economics Professor Martin Melkonian explained the particular sharp rise in energy costs has affected the transportation costs of food items. For a full transcript of the interview, click here.
According to U.S Department of Labor statistics, from January to February of this year chicken has gone up 10 cents in the Northeast urban areas; and since November of last year, the price has gone up 20 cents.
So then, what does the future hold for food prices and will there be relief at the check out counter for consumers? For a full transcript of this interview with Professor Melkonian, click here.
As consumers wait for relief at the counter, economists suggest energy conservation could be instrumental in reducing costs as Melkonian told Nassau News.
Richard and Barbara Picard of North Merrick shop regularly at the Waldbaum’s in Wantagh. They attributed the increasing grocery bill they’ve been paying to fuel as well. For a full transcript of the interview, click here.
In order to deal with the rising costs of food, several websites and bloggers have dedicated sites and entries to beating the scanner at the check-out counter. Some websites like coolsavings.com have printable coupons available online; however, not all stores accept online coupons. Other sites, like FrugalShopper.com, offer tips on saving money and links to blog sites of posts from consumers', offering experiences and tips. Other shoppers, like the Picards, have sought the best prices in their area.
On March 1, the MTA (LIRR) increased fares 3 to 4 percent, straining the wallets of commuters already pressed bu fuel and food inflation. While the fare-increase amount ranges from a few dollars to almost $20, depending on which zone a commuter is in, does it make that much of a difference?
Are commuters just skeptical of any increase the MTA (LIRR) issues because of unclear financial updates the entity often provides? Is it just commuters overacting and lashing out because of other cost increases? Train ridership increased 6 percent last year for a total of about 90 million passengers for the year. Is the MTA (LIRR) trying to widen profit margins, or do high passenger volumes call for more maintenance?
The answer to these questions and the future of LIRR expansion on Long Island lie below.
]]> To view this article in video form, click on the embedded player below.
Read the text version of the article below
LIRR Fare Increases
“I think gas prices are going up. Milk is going up. Everything is going on up, and now this is going up and it’s really going to hit commuters really hard,” said Westbury resident Gabriella Marist.
In March the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Long Island Rail Road) increased ticket fares from 3 to 4 percent. “It’s about $7 a month, which is not significant in of itself, though it concerns me the logic of the fair increase is not really apparent,” said Mineola resident Rikk Stone.
Last year, the LIRR saw a 6-percent increase in customers taking the train, a total of 86.1 million people. The increase is one of the bigger jumps in the years since September 11th, 2001. “Riders want to be on time, they want clean cars; they basically want safe service and it costs money. The conductors and the engineers, they want raises too. So you have a choice,” said Lawrence Levy, executive director of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University. “You can tighten up on your administrative costs here and there. You can go and eliminate all the waste and abuse as possible; but at the end of the day you still have to pay your bills.”
Paying the bills is something the MTA will be doing in the future with billion-dollar construction projects underway in New York City. The MTA also has plans for expansion on Long Island by adding a third track to local communities -- including Westbury and Mineola -- to decrease congestion on the rails. “It's going to be a sizeable project. It's going to take quite a while,” said Westbury Mayor Ernest Strada. “We have three major crossings in this community and each time these crossings come under duress, they undergo a construction program.”
Some local mayors and the group “Community Against Rail Expansion” are concerned about the expansion. The third rail may be necessary to accommodate the growth on Long Island, but the idea of the third rail frightens them.
“They're going to have to say we need to build a third track -- we know it’s going to create quite a disruption,” said Strada. “This is what we're doing and this is how we are going to avoid major impacts to your community [Westbury], and we'll try to get through this thing together.”
Other communities have benefited from the third track, allowing alternatives to be taken to free up congestion by moving trains around when problems occur.
“I think they should have the third rail. We have the third rail here so it's not bothering us,” said Hempstead Village Mayor Wayne Hall. “Certain lines don't have it, like going out to South Hampton they got to take that diesel, but they should have a third rail.”
To install the third track, it seems that the MTA will have to provide details from the construction plans to gain support for the expansion project.
“It should be studied more before we make a rash decision before saying no. It's one of those things where I know its going to disrupt people but you should look at the big picture and see if it can be done less disruptively,” said Westbury resident Walter Stewart.
Slide Show of Mineola Train Station
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
To view a video interview with Larry Levy, executive director of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University , click on the embedded player below. For a transcript of the interview click here.
Wayne Hall, Mayor of the Village of Hempstead, is against the LIRR fares increase. To see the full interview click below. For a transcript click here.
Ernest Strada, Westbury Mayor, has lived in the village his entire life. Click below to see his thoughts on the LIRR fare increase and the third track. For a transcript of the interview click here.
Walter Stewart, Westbury, weighs in on the price increase. Click player below to see the full interview. For a transcript of the interview click here.
Gabriella Marist, Westbury, has been feeling the burden of the increases. See Marist's full interview below. For a transcript of the interview click here .
Rikk Stone, Westbury, works in New York City and isn't sure if the increases were necessary. Click below to see Rikk's full interview. For a transcript of the interview cliick here.
Read the project's production memo.
To see my online profile click here.
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The declining value of the dollar and the rising costs in food and staples not only affect human care, but animals too. What happens to the furry members of the community when economic hardships hit? Long Island boasts 41 animal shelters who all work to answer this question.
]]> Click on the embedded player below to view this article on video. Click here to view interview transcripts of the video.
Read the print version of this article below
“In this immediate area, dogs were disposable. If a dog ran away, it would be replaced. I saw lots of stray dogs, and no signs from people trying to find them. Now it’s beginning to get better but there are no dog parks, no socializing” said Wilma Louras, owner of Wilma’s Orphans, a dog rescue and adoption center run out of her home in Hempstead.
Increases in veterinarian technology, and pet allergies due to food are often leading causes of expenses for animals. Louras charges $250 per adoption, which includes grooming and veterinarian costs per dog. The number of adoptions and surrendered dogs fluctuate. One of Louras's largest frustrations is when a family does not go through with their end of the deal, either way. In mid-March 2008, Wilma's Orphans had 16 ready to be adopted dogs. On May 2, 2008, Louras reported that five dogs had been adopted but she had taken in two others.
Private animal care receives minimal federal support, with costs up to $2,000 per month or more depending on the number and needs of the animal.
In 2007, Dr. Laura Senk, director of the Long Island Cat Project, met with Nassau County officials to push legislation helping the TNR "trap, neuter, release" policy for treating feral cats in the community.
The Humane Society of the United States lists that the average veterinarian bill for a cat is $175 and $215 for a dog.The continuously declining economy leaves little hope for improving conditions within the next few months for middle and low class families to afford an additional mouth to feed.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Nassau and Suffolk counties often refers calls about feral cats to the cat project website.
Keep in mind a few ideas when struggling with the idea of surrendering a pet or adopting a pet based on a tight budget:
Click the embedded player below as Dr. Ralph Acampora, animal rights expert and professor at Hofstra University, discusses the need to address feral cats in the community. Read the transcript of Dr. Acampora's interview with Nassau News.
Click the embedded player below to hear an interview with Danijah Brevaie, 19, of Hempstead, who is studying graphic design at Brooklyn College. Her family surrendered their dog when she was 14 years old and she is now looking to adopt a pet now that she is supporting herself.
Click the embedded player below to watch Danijah Brevaie's full interview and her interaction with the dogs at Wilma's Orphans. Read the transcript of Danijah Brevaie's interview.
View my project memo on the project blog for Hempstead's Animals. ]]>
]]> To view a video presentation of this article, click the embedded player below: Click here to view a transcript of this video.
Read the print version of this article below
With the U.S. dollar getting weaker, it is predicted this trend will lead lead to higher interest rates and an even weaker economy. At the time this article was written, the exchange with the euro was: 1 Euro = 1.21090 U.S. dollars.
If the economic situation of our country isn't on your mind, maybe it should be. How is this going to effect Nassau County? The reality of the situation is no one can predict the future. There may be some life-changing event and the market could change yet again. The American economy affects everyone including Nassau County, and no one can tell where it's going.
Additional video interviews
To view an interview with Nassau County resident Lynn Daniels, click the embedded player below. Click here for a transcript of this video.
Joseph Charles, a Baldwin resident shares his views on the economy and how it's affecting his disposable-income spending. To view, click the embedded player below. Click here for a transcript of this video.
Click here to view my original project proposal, interview questions, research sources and project memos.
Click here to view B-roll footage that wasn't used in the final project.
Click here to read Teresa Hansen's production memo.
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Read the print version of this article below.
Retail gas prices hit yet another record high on May 1 bringing the average price for a gallon of regular gas to $3.62 according to the Associated Press. That is an increase of $0.26 since the earliest record high on April 11. However, for a place like Long Island, where car culture is still active, high gas prices do not seem to bother car enthusiasts.
“Car enthusiasts will do almost anything for their cars,” said Joseph Font, 23, a member of Elmont-based car club Forward Motion. “High prices don’t bother them.” The members of Forward Motion own cars such as the Mazda RX8, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Honda Civic and Mitsubishi Galant.
According to Newsday, as of Monday morning, April 21, the average pump price was $3.668 per gallon in Nassau and Suffolk, the highest it has ever been.
For some, the continuous increase in prices does not make a difference. “You know, it doesn’t really affect me that much,” said Jayar Quintal, 21, another member of Forward Motion. “I love to drive places, so if it doesn’t get ridiculously high then I’ll still drive it.” He added that gas would have to go up to $10 a gallon for him to change his driving habits.
Quintal does realize though, that his car is not the only important thing in life. “My car’s not really my No. 1 priority; I still have school, I have books, I have to pay for other stuff, pay my bills, cell phone, and then gasoline,” he said, adding that maintenance always comes before pleasure.
Even with that said, car enthusiasts still like to show off their own cars and see what other people have done to their cars. The members of Forward Motion are still willing to drive far distances to go to car meets.
Quintal, whose 2004 Mazda RX8 gives him about 10 miles per gallon of premium gas said, “I’ll go to a car meet anywhere, I love car meets. It’s nice to see people modify their cars in different ways and everything looks nice.”
Font, on the other hand, is not willing to go as far. His car, also a 2004 Mazda RX8, gives him about 13 to 15 miles per gallon of premium gas. He said that he would go to a car meet as long as it is in the Tri-State area. “I like to go see other people’s cars, see what they’ve done to it.”
For a photo slideshow of two of Forward Motion's Mazda RX8s, click the player below.
Click here to go to webpage for slide show of my RX8 photo shoot
Additional video interviews
For the full interview with Joseph Font, 23, member of Forward Motion, click below. Click here to see the full transcript of the interview.
To see the full interview with Jayar Quintal,21, member of Forward Motion click below. The full transcript of the interview can be read here.
Click here to read my production memo.
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Read the print version of this article below
With global warming effects being felt nationwide, Nassau County is trying to do something about it, by trying to erase its carbon footprint by becoming green. In January, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi announced a plan that would incorporate government, local businesses and environmental organizations to make Levittown the first green suburb, creating a prototype for the rest of the nation. But with an economy that keeps trickling downward, going green is not on everyone’s minds.
“With the economy as it is softening a bit, it has become a little bit tough for people," said Gary Hudes, councilman and Levittown resident, “So it’s difficult at this point now to ask people to dig into their pockets and to spend $500, $2000 to insulate their homes and to make their homes more airtight or go out and buy more energy efficient appliances.”
Most of the initiatives consist of spending money at a time when people don’t really have extra money to spend. Residents, are being asked to replace old appliances with new Energy Star appliances, insulate their homes and buy greener products.
“On one hand, the economy makes it harder,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “ But, on the other hand, the cost of energy is so high right now and so daunting for the average home owner that it is really an impatience for people to make some changes.”
The least expensive thing people can do is buy new compact fluorescent light bulbs that cost about $9, last for at least six years and use four to five times less energy than old incandescent light bulbs.
But the easiest way to go green without spending a penny is to recycle.
“To me I find it not a big deal to just put my stuff in the recycle box instead of the garbage can,” said Tom Butcher, Levittown resident.
Levittown is doing its best to spread the word about recycling; they’ve even gone to some of the public schools to implement recycling programs.
“The great thing about it is that the kids now are getting into the whole green idea,” said Hudes. “They’re taking it upon themselves to say ‘you know what, I want to do my part I want to do what I can, it’s my future’.”
For those that do have the extra money to spend, there are many options in upgrading your home in a green way. Companies such as P.C. Richards and Sons and the Bethpage Federal Credit Union are offering discounts and loans to make homes more energy efficient.
Alure Home Improvements, in East Meadow, offers both interior and exterior options, including kitchen tops that are made from 100 percent post consumer used materials. Tragar Oil of Wantagh offers a bio-fuel made from 95 percent regular heating oil and 5 percent soybean oil.
“By replacing a heating system, the homeowner increases their efficiency of their heating system by 30 per cent,” said Denis Traina, vice president of Tragar Oil. “It’s one of the greatest returns on your investment that homeowners can do to make their home a more efficient home.”
Going green may cost a lot up front but in the long term, the environment and your wallet are saved.
“So the ultimate cost, there’s none, it’s a value, there’s savings involved,” said Hubie van Meurs, building analyst of Alure.
As for the future of Green Levittown, there seems to be promise. Traina recently attended a conference in Washington, D.C., to represent Green Levittown at the National Climate Change Summit and to discuss what is being done in the community and how it can be replicated across the country. Also, in Plainview, an organization is trying to implement similar green initiatives like Levittown’s.
“We’re really hoping that Green Levittown will be a pilot program for an expanded concept,” said Esposito.
The reality is, that going green is becoming a trendy way to help save the environment and it’s working. So far, out of the 10,000 doors the CCE has knocked on in Levittown, 3,000 of them have showed an interest in making their home greener, according to Esposito.
Hudes said, “The fact that the county started Green Levittown, if it does nothing more than get people aware of thinking about greening, thinking about saving energy, thinking about the future, then it’s accomplished its goal.”
(For additional information please visit the Levittown Goes Green website)
Additional Links
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Click the embedded player below to hear Tom Butcher, Levittown resident, talk about going green and how the economy is effecting his green decisions. For a transcript of this video click here
Click the embedded player to hear Gary Hudes, councilman and resident of Levittown, talk about the importance of green initiatives and the effectiveness of these initiatives based on the current economy. For a transcript of this video click here
Click the embedded player below to view Dennis Traina, vice president of Tragar Oil in Wantagh, tell Nassau News about its role in Green Levittown and the benefits of bio-fuel. For a transcript of this video click jhere
Click the embedded player below to hear Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, tell Nassau News about the progress Green Levittown has made and how CCE is performing the community outreach portion of the project. For a transcript of this video click here
Click the embedded player below to hear Hubie van Meurs, a building analyst for Alure Home Improvements, tell Nassau News about the ways to make your home more energy efficient. For a transcript of this video click here
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Environmental sustainability has recently garnered a great deal of media attention -- from movies about global warming to magazine articles and celebrities promoting "going green." However, the degree to which the prominent media attention on the issue affects its importance locally seems to be minimal.
In the Town of Hempstead, where there are 32 miles of waterfront and the largest tract of open space left on Long Island, it is particularly important for residents to be aware of the environmental ramifications of their actions. Initiatives to make the town more environmentally friendly have been the object of debate for more than 30 years. ]]> To view this article as a video, click the embedded player below.
Photos courtesy Flickr.com and Julia Gardiner. Standup photography by AJ Durwin.
Read the text version of this article below
According to statistics from scorecard.org , an organization that tracks pollution on a community level for the U.S., in 1999 and 2002, Nassau County ranked among the dirtiest 10 and 20 percent of all U.S. counties in terms of air pollutants.
The Citizen's Campaign for the Environment , a grassroots organization focusing on environmental issues on Long Island, sends representatives door to door once a year to educate residents in a one-on-one setting. Government programs like the Environmental Trust Fund and Tom Suozzi's "Healthy Nassau" plan, announced in 2007 and focused on improving both the physical and environmental heath of the county, constantly work to educate and gain the support of locals to keep Long Island green and eliminate the negative statistics.
As the initiatives demonstrate, if you live in the Town of Hempstead, it is not necessary to install emergency solar panels on the roof of your house or stop using paper products to make a difference. It can be as simple as recycling when appropriate, making sure to pick up pet waste, making your voice heard in the government and insisting on the creation and enforcement of environmental initiatives, according to Fred Pollack, a councilman for the Town of Hempstead who has been working to make Long Island more green for three terms on the town board. "Everything depends on what people do locally," Pollack said.
Additional video interviews
To view the full interview with councilman Fred Pollack, click the embedded player below. Read the full transcript of the interview on Julia Gardiner's blog.
To view the full interview with Jackie Nese, a Hofstra student and Long Island resident who canvassed door to door for the Citizen's Campaign for the Environment last summer, click the embedded player below. Read the full transcript on Julia Gardiner's blog.
Additional Links
To read a project memo by Julia Gardiner, visit her blog.
View this article as designed by Nassau News Staff Writer Julia Gardiner on her website, which is hosted by synthasite.com.
View a photo slideshow here.
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Read the print version of this article below.
MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) is a harmful fossil fuel formerly used in motor gasoline until New York State banned it in 2004 due to its potentially damaging effects on human health. MTBE has been found in Hempstead in February 2008 in the form of an old oil spill which had not been previously detected and had never been cleaned, according to Newsday. There have been at least two MTBE spills in Hempstead which did not meet cleanup standards.
Because gasoline spills and the leaking of gasoline from underground storage tanks has become a widespread problem, the use of MTBE as a fossil fuel has been reduced and in many states banned. MTBE is water soluble and easily permeates in water, more so than other chemicals found in gasoline. Multiple fuel leaks have caused many water aquifers to become tainted with the chemical, especially on Long Island, where it has been a reoccurring problem since the 70s, U.S. Water News Online says. When the chemical leaks into aquifers, it moves into tap water, sometimes giving it an unpleasant taste and smell, when present in high enough quantities. Scientists suspect health ramifications range from sore throats and body aches to cancer and death, according to Public Citizen, a national non-profit public interest organization.
MTBE is difficult and expensive to remove from water and taxpayers often end up paying the price: an estimated $2.5 million for the 32 MTBE sites detected in Long Island in February. Long Island has had 24 percent of the state's total spills, which is more than any region in New York. Long Island also had the highest quantities of the chemical per spill. The gasoline spills have the capacity to affect the drinking water of approximately 2.7 million Long Island residents, including Hempstead residents.
Carelessness by gas stations often causes and exacerbates the spills, according to many environmental groups. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) must hire private contractors to investigate the extent of the contaminations and clean them. Many environmental groups, such as Citizens Campaign for the Environment, say gas station owners typically refuse to investigate and often deny responsibility in incidents of MTBE spills. It is difficult to determine which gas station caused each leak, making legal action against guilty parties difficult. Water districts, environmentalists, and politicians try to remedy this issue and protect communities from MTBE consumption; litigation banning MTBE and stricter investigations and ramifications against gas stations which continue to illegally use MTBE in New York, are some ways to combat MTBE contamination, according to the United States General Accounting Office.Water on Long Island is tested multiple times per year by water companies for MTBE, according to Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. However, Esposito says contamination is still a threat in instances where the chemical has contaminated water in between water company inspections. Esposito says MTBE, even when present in water in legal amounts, can be detrimental to health over time.
Graphics, Charts and Figures Concerning MTBE
Related Links
Additional video interviews
To view a video of Chemistry Professor William Nirode of Hofstra University explaining the dangers of MTBE as well as its chemical properties, click on the embedded player below.
To view part II of the Nirode interview, click on the embedded player below. To read a transcript of this interview, click here.
To view a video of the interview with geologist Jeff Wills of Roux Associates Inc.,-Environmental Consulting and Management, in which Wills discusses just how safe he believes Nassau County drinking water to be, click the embedded player below. To read a transcript of this interview, click here
To view a video of the interview with Hofstra University geology professor Bret Bennington, in which Bennington talks about Long Island drinking water, click on the embedded player below.To read a transcript of this interview, click here.
To view a video of the interview with Joe Duminuco, Vice President of Roux Associates Inc. - Environmental Consulting and Management , who speaks about the ramifications of polluting drinking water with MTBE, click the embedded player below.To read a transcript of this interview, click here.
To view an interview with Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Adrienne Esposito, who speaks about laws involving MTBE and what the average citizen can do about it, click the embedded player below.
To view Part II of the Esposito interview, click on the embedded player below. To read a transcript of this interview, click here.
Click here to read my blog, which has additional information on MTBE.
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Many local residents are opposed to Charles Wang’s Project Lighthouse, as designed and maintained by Rexcorp, which will seek to build new coliseum, housing units, hotels, office buildings, concert venues and a new practice facility for the Islanders. As explained further in this video, a major piece of legislation called a Positive Declaration, has just been put into effect. This declaration, set forth by the town of Hempstead, will force Rexcorp to come up with a solution to every major problem surrounding Project Lighthouse. As reported by Rexcorp, they are working very hard on solving major issues, like the traffic conditions on Hempstead Turnpike, and have been for several years now. Rexcorp anticipates, if all goes according to plan, breaking ground on the project starting in the summer of 2009.
]]> To view a video presentation of this article, click on the embedded player below. View the full script of the project video.
Stand-up photography by Maleeva F. Epperson
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In Nassau County there are 77 acres of undeveloped property around the Nassau Coliseum. Charles Wang, owner of the Islanders, came up with the plan to renovate the coliseum and build a large development project called “Project Lighthouse.”
With this plan, the coliseum renovation would be funded by the profits of the project, which would include: many new housing projects, an 80-story tower, a new practice and training facility for the Islanders professional hockey team, a five-star hotel and restaurant, a large outdoor concert venue and a newly expanded coliseum.
Many people see the benefits this large scale project would offer.
Sarah Lansdale from Sustainable Long Island, a group committed to positive growth on Long Island, feels that new housing in an area like this will make the Island seem more attractive and therefore help retain local youth. She says, “ The Light Jouse is such an interesting project because it has the potential to really create a new community and a new downtown for L.I. It has the potential to retain Long Island’s youth, recent college graduates, things like that as well as be a huge economic engine for Long Island.”
Rexcorp, well known for large development on Long Island, was chosen as the major project developer. William Schaefer works for The Lighthouse Development Group and also feels the project also has the potential to make Long Island more attractive. He says the group works constantly on all issues surrounding the project especially the one that seems to upset Long Islanders the most: the extra traffic on Hempstead Turnpike.
Schaefer says: “Traffic is probably the number-one issue we have to deal with. During the playoffs last year when the Islanders made it in there -- we didn’t know they were gonna make it to the playoffs until the last game -- and we decided the next day to commence an unprecedented traffic study which is still going on today.”
The town of Hempstead on Tuesday, April 8th, 2008, invoked a legal process called a Positive Declaration that will mean that the impact on traffic and many other issues will have to be accounted for in any development.
This declaration, as explained by development expert Richard Guardino, “means this project is definitely going to have an environmental impact,” and every aspect of the project will need to be perfectly planned out before Rexcorp wins the right to break ground on this project," he said.
This project was first proposed back in 2004 but continues to get closer to becoming a reality, especially with the declaration, Rexcorp anticipates ground-breaking happening sometime in the summer of 2009. Schaefer says Rexcorp wants to really work carefully because one step too fast and in the wrong direction could lead to a lawsuit and result in a cancellation of the entire project.
Related Links
Additional video interviews
Sarah Lansdale is the executive director of Sustainable Long Island, an organization whose mission is to promote economic development and equity for all Long Islanders. In this extended interview, she discusses the benefits of the Project Lighthouse and shares some feelings that Long Islanders have toward the project. See a transcript copy of this interview by clicking here.
William Schaefer works for the Lighthouse Development group. In this extended interview he explains the long history of the project and gives an update as to where the project currently stands. See a transcript copy of this interview by clicking here.
Dr. Guardino is a development expert and Hofstra economics professor. In this extended interview his gives his opinion on the benefit it will have to Long Islanders if it gets approved. See a transcript copy of this interview by clicking here.
Click on the embedded player below to view extended b-roll footage
Get some insight as to how I put my project together by viewing my Project Memo.
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But many of the problems that were in the last plan, which he withdrew last year, still remain. The controversial plan ran into opposition from community activists on the issue of affordable housing. The mayor says a redevelopment plan is needed to rebuild the Village of Hempstead's tax base. But will the community work with Mayor Hall to accomplish this goal, or will it stop another redevelopment plan?
]]> Mayor Wayne Hall says he wants add to the tax base to ease the tax burden of Hempstead Village residents. But Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now chairman Joseph Gill, which works with many Hempstead Village community activists says that any plan must be beneficial to the community.
To view this article as a video, click on the embedded player below. Click here for a script this video.
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Mayor Wayne Hall still has high hopes to have a new redevelopment plan so Hempstead Village's resident do not have such a great tax burden. But hurdles still remain before the mayor’s plan comes to fruition.
Community activists want as much as 50-percent affordable housing in any redevelopment plan. But Hall says that if he adds more affordable housing to the tax roll, it will hurt the village’s tax base.
Hempstead Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) co-chairman Joseph Gill asks “where are people going to live?” if the city does not include affordable housing in its plan.
Gill and the mayor also do not agree on what is affordable housing. Hall contends that there was 50- percent affordable housing in the last plan, while Gill said that was “not true.” According to Gill, the mayor thinks that federally assisted housing is affordable but Gill believes that only assigned housing, which the federal and state governments have to subsidize, is affordable housing.
Mayor Hall has been trying to pass a redevelopment plan since last fall. But last year's plan failed because he did not have the votes to gain approval from the Hempstead Village Board. Also, the housing market was partially responsible for the plans demise as the city would not realize as much tax revenue from housing included in the plan according to The New York Times.
Hempstead Village also has a $10-million lawsuit from a previous construction project that fell through according to the Long Island Business News. The developer is now suing the Village of Hempstead. If the lawsuit goes to trial, an injunction could be put on any redevelopment plan.
The mayor said that a request for proposal will be sent out to all developers by June. The RFP, should take approximately six weeks. Then Hall will go through the offers from the developers and decide which proposal is best.
Redeveloping downtown Hempstead has been the main goal of the mayor's administration for more than a year now. But Hall has been unable to gain traction despite a great effort. Other Hempstead Village mayors have encountered similar problems.
Once it was The Hub of Long Island
Hempstead Village was once one of the primary shopping centers on Long Island. But after the Roosevelt Field Mall was built in 1956 many of the stores left Hempstead Village.
Richard Guardino, vice president for business development at Hofstra University, says that while “Hempstead will never be what it once was,” he does think that redevelopment “is a good idea”.
Related Links
Wayne Hall Interview
Wayne Hall explains why he wants to rebuild downtown Hempstead, and why some people in the community don't want change. Click on the embedded player to view. Here is a script of the interview
Richard Guardino Interview
Long Island Real Estate Expert Richard Guardino gives his opinions on the Hempstead Village Downtown redevelopment plan. Click on the embedded player to view. Here is a script of the interview.
Joseph Gill Interview
ACORN co-chair Joseph Gill explains his concerns about why ACORN is concerned about housing in any redevelopment plan. Click on the embedded player to view. Here is a script of the interview.
More multimedia
View a Flickr slide show on the way the village of Hempstead was and how it became the way it is now.
Read the production memo
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Recent proposed commercial developments such as Donald Trump's 'Trump on the Ocean' have seen their share of initial legal resistance, but deeper in the Nassau County community the feelings are mixed.
"I don't want it," Barbara Richardine declared, a long-time resident of Point Lookout. "I think we're really quite developed now."
"Not in this area," Long Beach resident Pat Williams said. The lifetime Long Island native then expanded from the 'not-in-my-backyard' position; "The rest of Long Island is just too crowded," she added.
But other Nassau County residents were much more inclined to the idea of commercial development. Larry Legend, another Long Beach resident, said that for him it's a matter of bei
