Politics & Government

Sandy Contract Dispute, Storm Cleanup Continues

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

Nassau Awards Sandy Contract to Company Headed by Sister of DPW Commish

Nassau County awarded a post-Sandy contract to a firm that has close ties to the county's Public Works Commissioner, Newsday reported. The $250,000 contract was for engineering and inspection services, including oversight of tree debris removal countywide.

Newsday [paid link] reports:

Neither Public Works Commissioner Shila Shah-Gavnoudias nor her sister, Carolyn Shah Moehringer, president of CSM Engineering in Uniondale, disclosed their relationship when the county legislature's Rules Committee approved the emergency contract unanimously on Nov. 20, 2012, records show.

Nassau-Suffolk Unemployment Rate for March


In Nassau-Suffolk Counties, the unemployment rate stands at 6.8 percent, compared to 7.4 percent in March 2012, according to the State Labor Department. Comparably, as of last week, the state's unemployment rate was 8.2 percent in March 2013. The state's unemployment rate relies in part on the results of a telephone survey of 3,100 households.

The state's private sector job count increased by 97,100 from March 2012 to March 2013. As reported last week, the state's unemployment rate was 8.2 percent in March 2013.

Comptroller Tom DiNapoli Endorses Suozzi for County Exec

New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli officially endorsed Tom Suozzi’s candidacy for Nassau County Executive.

“Tom Suozzi has always had a strong vision for the future of Nassau County,” DiNapoli said, “and he is the candidate in the race with the experience, ability and skill to restore fiscal responsibility to county finances. He has led our county out of a fiscal crisis before and I know he can do it again. I fully and enthusiastically endorse Tom Suozzi for County Executive because I believe he is the best candidate to make Nassau the ideal suburb once again.”

County Begins Replacing Trees Felled by Sandy

On Tuesday, Nassau County workers began planting new trees, including the Cleveland pear and cherry varieties along both sides of Searingtown and Shelter Rock Roads in Roslyn and Manhasset. The plantings of these trees felled by Hurricane Sandy will continue throughout the county at a rate of 120 per day. Read more on this story here.

Ocean Parkway Reopens

Six months after being ravaged by Superstorm Sandy, Ocean Parkway was reopened Thursday following more than $33 million in repairs to the roadway that serves as key transportation route to South Shore beaches. Read more here.

Thousands Try Out for 'X Factor' TV Show at Nassau Coliseum

More than 16,000 braved cold temperatures and long lines in Uniondale Thursday for a 90-second audition for the popular "X Factor" TV talent show. Watch the video here.


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