#and Nassau County

[betterairqualityny]

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[saywhat-politics]

A row has broken out in New York State's Nassau County after Republican County Executive Bruce Blakeman allegedly ignored a request to lower American flags to half-staff on county buildings as a tribute to recently deceased former President Jimmy Carter.

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Protesters assaulted as illegal Palestinian land sales continue in New York and New Jersey

PAL-Awda NY/NJ called protests against the illegal sales of Palestinian land held on Sept. 15 and 16 in Cedarhurst, New York, and South Hackensack, New Jersey. The following is their statement on the Cedarhurst action. 

This week, both in Cedarhurst, New York, and South Hackensack, New Jersey, illegal sales of stolen Palestinian land were conducted — sales reserved exclusively for vetted Zionists who undergo an extensive and discriminatory registration process. And yet another is scheduled for Tuesday in Pikesville, Maryland.

In a scene reminiscent of attacks on civil rights marches in the South, protestors of the segregated land sale in Cedarhurst were confronted by a mob of violent bigots and brutally attacked by Nassau County police on horses. Officers on horseback trampled over protesters, including women and children, as they forcibly relocated us into a confined “free speech zone,” out of sight and sound of the venue we were protesting. 

[emaadsidiki]

The Mansion at Glen Cove 🏛️🌿

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved on our archive

By Kelly Betts

People can’t see my disability from the outside. I worry that in this current political climate and with the new law, it may not end at the comments and harassment I already face.

On Thursday, officials in Nassau County, New York, where I live, signed a mask ban into law, one of the first of its kind in the country. And while to most healthy adults it doesn’t mean much, to those with serious health conditions, like me, it makes getting out into the world a lot harder.

The ban was touted by lawmakers as a public safety measure after reported antisemitic incidents and protests at various New York universities, many involving people wearing masks. Those who violate the new law face a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. And while there are exemptions for people with religious and medical reasons, it’s not dealing with the law that I’m afraid of. It’s dealing with the “citizen cops” of the world who will be using their discretion to enforce it.

I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in February 2023. It’s a fast-growing type of blood cancer. I underwent more than five rounds of chemotherapy, and the following July, thanks to an amazingly generous donor, I had a stem cell transplant, something I knew nothing about until I got sick. I was given some of the most powerful chemotherapies to kill my old immune system and any remaining cancer cells. Then I was given my donor’s stem cells to help build a brand-new immune system.

There are a lot of risks that come along with the transplant, especially in the early stages as the stem cells are engrafting and you have no immune system. The first 100 days are the riskiest, and you must watch everything from what you eat to how it’s prepared, and most of all the people around you. Your body is starting from scratch, so you have almost no immunities. Any vaccinations you’ve had over your lifetime have been wiped out. For the last year since my transplant, my immune system has slowly been getting stronger. But building a new immune system takes years, and I have a long way to go. So, wearing my face mask whenever I go out is essential.

That brings me back to the new law. I wear a medic alert bracelet and would hope that showing it to the police, should it ever become an issue, would be enough. But that’s not guaranteed, because anyone can just order one. Would I be forced to show up in court to prove my medical condition to a judge? And what cost and time could that take, all to protect my health? And what about my family or people who act as caregivers, who don’t technically have medical conditions of their own, but still wear masks to protect me? Would there be an exemption for them?

Most of all, I worry about those who have strong feelings against masks. As we know, many people read headlines and not always the full story. And just reading most of the headlines, all someone will know is that there’s a mask ban in Nassau County. Even at the height of my illness, with no hair and really looking like I had cancer, I still got comments like “Covid is over” or “that’s not protecting you.” And while the few comments hurt, especially while I was battling for my life, I could shake them off. I had a bigger fight ahead of me.

Now, healthier with hair again and 43 years old, the comments continue. But I worry that in this current political climate and with the new law, it may not end at that. People can’t see my disability from the outside. It’s been hard to get back out in the world, as many can relate to after going through a global pandemic. Even being as careful as I am and just starting to let my guard down a little in outdoor settings, I caught Covid. And it took my body and immune system down hard. Luckily, I’m recovering and back to wearing my mask diligently, even outdoors.

I want to be able to return to my normal life. And go out with friends, see a Broadway show, and one day get back to my office in the city. But now with New York City considering passing its own mask ban, I don’t know when I would feel safe enough to do that. Is this law really protecting the masses?

[garadinervi]

Mary Miss, Perimeters/Pavilions/Decoys, Nassau County Museum, Roslyn, NY, 1978 [National Academy of Design, New York, NY. © Mary Miss]

[arctic-hands]

Now that the Nassau County/ Long Island facemask ban is in effect, officials are claiming people with legitimate health issues are exempt from the penalty. How the fuck are they going to exempt that? Every time an immunocompromised person in NC goes out they're at risk for constant harassment by police and brutalization by pigs on a power trip.

Elijah McClain had a legitimate health issue to wear a ski mask that night in 2019. He had a blood circulation disorder and any hint of chill–even on that August night–caused him discomfort. But because he was a young Black man doing something ever-so-slightly abnormal as wearing a mask with a legitimate medical issue, he was murdered by cops AND paramedics.

This law is a eugenicist nightmare on top of the eugenics nightmare that has been the United States response to the covid pandemic. Medically vulnerable people in Nassau County will be forced to expose themselves to contagious and life-threatening diseases under threat of brutalization and a year in prison. Medically vulnerable Black people will be at even greater risk, as they always are.

This law is cruel, but when has the American legal system ever been about mercy?

[liminalweirdo]

someone should tell judge joan azrack that if she doesn’t want to do her job she should just quit.

you know, just like how if you’re disabled you just should stay at home for the rest of your life. /s

[covid-conscious-and-silly]

nassau county mask ban discussion notes

i decided to also make this a separate post for maximum circulation. see my original addendum to the nassau county mask ban/covid action item post (which has all the context in case you're unfamiliar with this) below:

Before I start with my summary, I want to clarify that the legislation discussed that the ban would only punish people wearing a mask to conceal their identity and are attempting to commit or have committed a crime (which is still not okay, but that's their current rhetoric). I took most of this very quickly and will leave commentary for the end (parentheticals are further clarification given during the meeting).

Legislative Discussion:

stated at beginning of meeting by Pilip that ban will not be voted on until august 5th; today is to address concerns

person who introduced the bill (Pilip) addressed antisemitism in her explanation

claimed that it is not against people wearing masks to protect themselves from illness

Bynoe asked who will be enforcing the ban, and the response was "the police"

MASKS COMPARED TO POCKETKNIVES by other legislator (Ferretti?) (in that someone can carry a pocketknife in their bag for protection, but someone could also use it to commit a crime)

Bynoe acknowledging that someone looking suspicious is subjective

ban is ultimately about intent to commit crime or commitment of crime while wearing a mask, not necessarily about just wearing a mask (but again, how will that be enforced??)

Bynoe also wants to know how this will be incorporated into police training (because ban is different from law that was in place until 2020)

Bynoe asks if someone would need permission to wear a mask in a store (which is not fully answered? more in a bit)

Pilip says that "a man wearing a keffiyeh who is completely covered and saying 'death to the Jews'" is bad, but if "a woman walking down the street wearing a mask is not doing anything," it's fine

Bynoe says that someone may "look suspicious" but is actually just being their normal self; "there's such a gray area here," especially because of the misdemeanor and heavy fine associated

Ferretti (?) says that someone wouldn't have to ask to wear a mask to enter a store as long as they are not attempting to conceal their identity (bill language: "without the consent of the owner or tenant")

Bynoe again emphasizes gray area (lots of back and forth and people not fully addressing the wobbly enforceability of the legislation)

Bynoe says this is not directly tied to criminal act (unlike North Carolina) and that this would result in people being "banished from stores" for "odd behavior," "but they still have the right to wear a mask"

Ferretti (?) said they will go back and adjust the language

Bynoe calling for law enforcement to be a part of the conversation

Mulé echoing Bynoe's comments about enforceability; concerned about subjectiveness of "odd behavior" as well, mentions behavior of autistic people specifically

Ferretti(?) states that someone saying that they're wearing a mask while committing a crime, like robbing a bank, that they're wearing a mask "for their health" will not stop them from being convicted of robbery

Mulé bringing up letters written by people concerned about the mask ban and people concerned about not being able to wear a mask; says that people should not have to fear not being able to wear a mask

Ferretti (?) says banks can bar people from walking in while wearing a mask (because they're a private entity and aren't subject to this law)

Davis also mentioning gray area; proposing instead to craft a law that makes "the underlying crime + the wearing of a covering" the "aggravating" factor (basically what Bynoe and Mulé have already brought up)

Davis also says that legislation could make committing a crime while wearing a mask comparable to a crime that is committed against a senior citizen or a child

Davis reads out part that says law enforcement may request someone to remove mask during a traffic stop or if they have reasonable suspicion (agrees with this language and says "and I think we all do want to do this")

Pilip asking for how to make ban better, Bynoe says that she will reach out with edits

Public Comment (I will be referring to people as "Person [insert number here]" for the sake of privacy unless they have named a kind of notable public organization of which they are a part or are some kind of public figure:

Person 1: public school teacher testifying about right to medical privacy; husband wears a mask in public to protect her! this ban will lead to people like her being harassed; Jewish and saying that something like this will not protect Jewish people; will endanger her health instead

Person 2: called legislation previously to get copy of mask ban language, was told they would need to FOIL in order to get copy of mask ban language; says that mask bans are unpopular and will be used to demonize people of color; COVID cases up and human H5N1 cases rising; wildfires in canada; how can police enforce this? documented bias over last three years in nassau county police reviews; this will be used to demonize protestors as well and give police more of a reason to escalate security at protests

Person 3: Jewish and COVID conscious family; they and teenage son were masking at crowded event outside; worried that their son would be detained for wearing a mask while playing pokémon go; worried about sacrificing health and safety at protest if protest turns violent and other people are committing crimes; find a different way to address these problems; "mask wearers deserve to be considered innocent and not suspicious"

Dr. Angelique Corthals (from Mask Together America!): discussing how COVID is ravaging communities and especially harming people of color; mentions potential of H5N1 pandemic; vaccines cannot fully stop transmission or long COVID; at-home tests are not as effective because of new variants; Nature says that mask banning is not an effective crime fighting tool and are not as good at hiding identity as sunglasses (which were mentioned previously); proposes bills for free N95 masks and PCR tests

Jonathan Gunther (?): chairman of nassau county libertarian party; opposes bill; violates first amendment (principles of free speech/expression and right to assembly); fourteenth amendment due process clause (lack of clarity prevents individuals from knowing if their actions will be perceived as "suspicious"); eighth amendment (cruel and unusual punishment; putting someone in prison for wearing a mask); several amendments (traffic stops violating individuals' rights); also condemning North Carolina's mask ban

Katherine Hawkland (they/them): organizing director of long island progressive coalition; people need to be able to wear masks regardless of drs notes; COVID is still killing people but not as much as 2020; what kind of documentation will people need? very unclear in legislation; had COVID early in 2020 and experienced cognitive symptoms but didn't test or know at the time (just felt like bad asthma attack and ended up out of work for two years because of brain damage); Black and Brown, trans, and unhoused folks will be targeted by this ban; hard enough to ask people to wear bans (and be precautious of COVID); something like this will make it even more difficult for others (as in potential allies) to wear masks

Denarii Grace (she/they): 37, Hempstead resident (graduated from local hs in 2005); creative person (singer, songwriter, essayist, public speaker, etc.) but attended Rutgers to be an English teacher; became disabled in multiple ways, COVID is "shrinking my life"; anyone can become disabled at any time; Black, trans, and queer folks face more discrimination and make it harder for people in those groups to live; cannot work like other people can work; unfair that she has to live in fear because "people like me are never thought of in government"; ban is an "unguided unjust law that puts the burden on the most vulnerable"

end of public comment.

They, again, made it sound like they were going to vote on this on August 5th, but there was some kind of vote today. the item passes with 4 yeses and 3 abstaining (Mulé, Davis, and Bynoe).

TL,DR; the three legislators who abstained brought up concerns about the mask ban's language. a lot of back and forth happened that will presumably be resolved at a later date. seven people spoke, all against the mask ban. the ban was passed.

if i misinterpreted the voting, please let me know. i don't know what exactly will be happening on August 5th. i think it's also important to note that pilip served in the iof and used very subtle anti-Palestinian rhetoric when she spoke (see: when she gives an example of someone who would be violating the ban, she demonizes men wearing keffiyehs).

i will be paying attention to this as much as possible and will update whenever i can. i'm not a resident of nassau county, but this is the closest mask ban to me, so i feel compelled to fight especially hard against this.

as for you, i see your compassion and care for others. thank you for your energy. we're still in this together <3

[newyorkthegoldenage]

Jones Beach, in Nassau County not far from the city limits, has always been a popular escape for New Yorkers. Here is the 6.5 mile beach on July 4, 1952. At the right is the Jones Beach Theater.

Photo: Speed Hanzlik for the AP

[betterairqualityny]

Commercial Dryer Vent Cleaning in NYC, Manhattan, Long Island, New York City, Suffolk County, and Nassau County, NY for Laundromats and Hotels 

Laundromats and hotels in Manhattan rely heavily on the efficient operation of commercial dryers to serve customers and guests. Known to all, with frequent use comes the inevitable buildup of lint, dust, and debris in dryer vents. This accumulation not only poses a serious fire hazard but also leads to decreased machine efficiency, higher energy costs, and a shorter lifespan for the appliances. Professional dryer vent cleaning in NYC, Manhattan, Long Island, New York City, Suffolk County, and Nassau County, NY is essential for ensuring the safety, performance, and longevity of these machines. Following are the key reasons why regular dryer vent cleaning is crucial for laundromats and hotels in Manhattan.

1. Fire Prevention

The risk of dryer fires is one of the most significant concerns for commercial establishments that rely on frequent dryer use. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), clothes dryers are responsible for thousands of structure fires each year, with the leading cause being lint buildup in the venting system. In high-traffic environments like laundromats and hotels, the sheer volume of laundry processed daily can lead to rapid lint accumulation. ​ Lint is highly flammable, and when it builds up in the dryer vents, it restricts airflow and increases the risk of overheating. Without proper ventilation, dryers can reach dangerous temperatures, igniting the lint and causing fires that can quickly spread throughout a building. Professional dryer vent cleaning removes the buildup of lint and other debris, drastically reducing the risk of fire and protecting both property and people.

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In a laundromat or hotel, where multiple loads of laundry are processed every day, even a slight decrease in efficiency can have a major impact on operating costs. Clean dryer vents allow for proper airflow, which means dryers can operate at optimal performance levels. This translates to faster drying times, lower energy bills, and an overall improvement in operational efficiency.

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Over time, the excess heat generated by blocked vents puts undue stress on the machine’s components, leading to frequent breakdowns and costly repairs. By investing in regular professional dryer vent cleaning, business owners can prevent overheating, reduce wear and tear on their machines, and extend the lifespan of their dryers. This proactive approach can save significant amounts of money in the long run by minimizing the need for repairs and replacements.

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For laundromats and hotels, customer satisfaction is paramount. Guests at a hotel expect clean, dry linens, while laundromat customers rely on quick and efficient machines to get their laundry done in a timely manner. Clogged dryer vents not only increase drying times but can also lead to clothes that are still damp or excessively hot after a cycle. This can lead to dissatisfaction among customers and guests, negatively impacting a business’s reputation.

Regular dryer vent cleaning in NYC, Manhattan, Long Island, New York City, Suffolk County, and Nassau County, NY ensures that dryers operate efficiently, providing guests and customers with the high-quality service they expect. Whether it’s fresh, dry linens at a hotel or fast laundry service at a laundromat, clean dryer vents contribute to a positive customer experience.

In busy Manhattan laundromats and hotels, professional dryer vent cleaning is not just a recommendation—it’s a necessity. The service helps prevent fires, improves dryer efficiency, extends the lifespan of machines, ensures compliance with safety regulations, and enhances customer satisfaction. 

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Conover Kennard at Crooks and Liars:

A petty Republican county executive on Long Island has refused to lower flags to half-staff to honor the late President Jimmy Carter. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has declined to comment on his divisive decision as Americans mourn the passing of a former President. CBS News reports. [...] Blakeman is a MAGA piece of Trump enabling shit. The disgraced former President, who is set to darken the White House doors again, plans to crash Jimmy Carter's funeral. And he's upset that flags will be at half-staff during his inauguration because it's all about Donald. Just so you know what kind of MAGA he is, last July, the New York Times reported that Blakeman had recruited 75 people for a force of "special deputies" to deploy during emergencies. Many of them were former police officers. Critics described it as a militia force answering only to him. Well sure, why not? In other trivia, his ex-wife is Lady Nancy Shevell, who is now married to Sir Paul McCartney of The Beatles. Ha ha, that must kill him! His ex married a Beatle!

This move reeks of whiny snowflake behavior pandering to the MAGA dingbats on Long Island.

[callese]

Source

[i-still-mask-because]

TIL: The person that picks up when you call your representatives isn't always going to simply listen, take notes, and pass it on for you. They may try to argue with you and gaslight you about your concerns! 😃🙃

So this is friendly reminder to take care of yourself if you're marathoning calling representatives! Take breaks if you need to, drink your favorite drink, eat your favorite snack, take deep breaths in between each call! And if you have an audio recorder feel free to keep it close to your phone in case the person you're on call with tries to say some slick shit 🤗