(Long Island, NY) The Fourth Squad is investigating a Robbery that occurred in Inwood on Monday, October 26, 2015 at 6:05 am.

According to detectives, a 37 year old male victim was walking on Mott Avenue when he was approached by approximately 6 male black subjects, 15 – 20 years of age and wearing dark clothing. The subjects began to punch and kick the victim till he fell to the ground.

Nassau County Police are investigating a Robbery that occurred in Inwood on Monday, October 26. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

One of the subjects then reached into his pockets and removed a cell phone. All subjects then fled on foot in an unknown direction. The victim who suffered abrasions to his face was transported to a local hospital in a Nassau County Police Ambulance for treatment.

Detectives request that anyone with information to the above crime to contact the Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.

(Long Island, NY) In a combined effort with AT&T, Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (R, C, I – South Huntington) recently visited Walt Whitman High School to discuss the dangers of distracted driving. It Can Wait, the third annual event bringing awareness to texting and driving, was attended by hundreds of students, administrators and faculty members.

“In New York State and throughout the country, statistics show that 50% of high school students admit to using their handheld devices while driving, particularly to send text messages or participate in social media posting and discussion,” Lupinacci said to begin his statement. “This is just simply unacceptable. The only way to curb the texting while driving pandemic is through bringing light to the issue at its source: the individuals using their cell phones while operating a motor vehicle. It is clear that the lifesaving effects of this discussion could protect students, pedestrians and other drivers throughout New York State,” Lupinacci continued.

Lupinacci signing the pledge to not text and drive. Photo Credit: NYS.

At the conclusion of the assembly, Lupinacci commented that New York State must do more to combat this growing trend. The Assemblyman announced a plan to craft legislation that begins the distracted driving discussion before an individual obtains their license.

“I am currently formulating legislation which would begin the discussion about texting and driving in the classroom. If distracted driving is a leading cause of death among our youth today, we must educate our students on the dangers before they get behind the wheel. If this targeted discussion saves one life, then this legislation will be a tremendous success. All students must understand that it truly can wait,” Lupinacci concluded.

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Police Pattern Crime Unit detectives are investigating a robbery that occurred at a Shirley bank on Monday, October 26.

A man entered TD Bank, located at 530 William Floyd Parkway, at 1:37 p.m. and displayed a note that demanded cash and threatened violence. The teller complied with the man’s demands and the man fled on foot southbound on William Floyd Parkway.

Suffolk County Police are investigating a robbery that occurred at a Shirley bank on Monday, October 26. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

The man was described as white, approximately 6 feet tall, 25 to 30 years old with a medium build. He was wearing an orange sweatshirt over a black hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on this incident to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

(Queens, NY) It’s time for two days of pumpkin-chucking! Other non-traditional Halloween celebrations include a haunted hike through a forest, a tour of murder and mayhem, kimchee-eating, and a multi-disciplinary Day of the Dead event. Also on the “To Do” list are a Russian play, an Irish crooner, a Jewish comedian, a French filmmaker, and a Panamanian expo. Here’s the rundown.

Oct. 29, The Cherry Orchard, through Nov. 8. Russian playwright Anton Chekov’s classic is about life, death, transition, and change. After many years in Paris, Ranevskaya returns home to sell her beloved cherry orchard, but her refusal to deal with change becomes a metaphor for life’s missed chances (Thursday and Friday, 7 pm; Saturday, 8 pm; Sunday, 3 pm; special 2 pm matinee on Nov. 7). $16. Queens College Performance Space M11 in Rathaus Hall, vicinity of Kissena Boulevard and Reeves Avenue, Flushing, www.kupferbergcenter.org.

Oct. 30, Pumpkin Chucking, 4 pm (Plus, Oct. 31, 1 pm). Watch a large catapult named “Chuck” toss pumpkins long distances. Free with admission. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Corona, www.nysci.org.

Oct. 30 Mickey Coleman, 7 pm. This famous Irish singer performs as part of a fundraiser for Fighting Blindness, an Emerald Isle-based charity that funds research of vision loss. $22. New York Irish Center, 10-40 Jackson Ave., LIC, www.newyorkirishcenter.org.

Oct. 30, Wait Until Dark, through Nov. 14. This play is set in Greenwich Village in 1944. Susan Hendrix, a blind woman, is being tormented by three men in her apartment. Susan discovers that her blindness is the key to her escape, but she and her tormenters must wait until dark to play out the shattering conclusion. (Wednesdays–Saturdays at 8 pm with 2 pm matinees on Saturdays and Sundays.) $18. The Chain Theatre, 21-28 45th Road, LIC, www.VariationsTheatreGroup.com.

Oct. 30, Haunted Forest Halloween Hike, 6:30 pm. This annual hike has a new feature, the Haunted Forest Trail ending with a stop at the Mad Scientist Lab. Wear a costume and bring lots of courage. Limited to 40 participants. $13. Alley Pond Environmental Center, 228-06 Northern Blvd., Douglaston, www.alleypond.com.

Oct. 31, Tour Haunted Waters, noon. A guided tour along the Long Island City waterfront with historian Richard Melnick passes by spots where murder, mayhem, and mystery took place. Meet under the Hell Gate Bridge at Shore and Ditmars boulevards. End at Socrates Sculpture Park, Broadway and Vernon Boulevard, LIC. $15/$5 for people in costume. Greater Astoria Historical Society, Quinn Building, 35-20 Broadway, Fourth Floor, LIC, www.astorialic.org.

Oct. 31, Renée Taylor: My Life On A Diet, 2 pm & 8 pm (Plus Nov. 1, 3 pm). Best known as Fran Drescher’s mom on the TV series The Nanny, Taylor takes the audience on a trip through her 60-plus-year career during which dieting and her 47-year marriage are the only constants. $35/$25 for rear side seating. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave., S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, www.queenstheatre.org.

Oct. 31, Center of Attention, 4 pm. This monthly program entices visitors to engage with the collection through an hour-long discussion focused on a single work of art. This session’s conversation is on Rock in the Form of a Fantastic Mountain, which is on loan from The Metropolitan Museum of Art. $10/$5 for students, seniors/free for children under 13. Noguchi Museum, 9-01 33rd Rd., LIC, www.noguchi.org.

Oct. 31, Celebration of the Day of the Dead, 2 pm to 7 pm. Music, dance, workshops, singing, Central and South American rituals, and art. Free. Corona Plaza, 103rd Street and Roosevelt Avenue, Corona, www.queensmuseum.org.

Oct. 31, HalloQueens, 9 pm. A popup with Kimchee Smoke, First Beer, costume contests, and giveaways, $20 in advance/$25 at door. Rockaway Brewing Company, 46-01 5th St., LIC, http://bit.ly/1MYfdv3.

Oct. 31, Japanese Music, 1 pm. A special performance by the YIS High School Japanese Music Ensemble. Noguchi Museum, 9-01 33rd Rd., LIC, www.noguchi.org.

Oct. 31, Children’s Halloween Parade, noon to 4 pm. Costumed attendees march through the main grounds and enjoy trick-or-treating and creating crafts. Free with admission ($2-$4). Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing, www.queensbotanical.org.

Oct. 31, Halloween Festival, 4 pm to 7 pm. Costumes, mask-making, pumpkin piñatas, ghost stories, and treats. Free. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., www.flushingtownhall.org.

Oct. 31, The Masquerade, 7 pm to midnight. Music, cocktails, burlesque, belly dancers, stilt walkers, and body painters. $50 (fundraiser). Jamaica Performing Arts Center, 153-10 Jamaica Ave., www.jcal.org.

Oct. 31, Happy Halloween Happening, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. A scavenger hunt on nature trails, spooky snacks, hairy and scaly friends, scary pumpkins and more. (Ages 5-7.) $26. Alley Pond Environmental Center, 228-06 Northern Blvd., Douglaston, www.alleypond.com.

Oct. 31 & Nov. 1, La Maison des Bois, 1 pm (includes a one-hour intermission at 4 pm). Presented as part of a retrospective on Maurice Pialat, a French director known for emotionally raw, incisive films, La Maison is a seven-episode, six-hour miniseries that presents an unusual perspective on World War I. Rather than taking place amid the trenches and bunkers, this epic focuses on a gamekeeper and his wife in a rural village who take in children displaced by the war. $12/$9 for seniors and students. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Kaufman Arts District, www.movingimage.us.

Nov. 2, LIC Forum: 1915 Panama Pacific Expo, 7 pm. This 1915 exposition was a celebration of the human spirit and ingenuity that marked the opening of the Panama Canal. One feature was the display of Mathews Model Flats, a kind of townhouse architecture found in Woodside and Ridgewood. Learn more about this historic event and these homes. $5. Greater Astoria Historical Society, Quinn Building, 35-20 Broadway, Fourth Floor, LIC, www.astorialic.org.

Nov. 4, Senior Film Series, 2 pm to 5 pm. A nine-week series presents movies on themes such as the pursuit of freedom and the collision of cultures. Each flick is introduced by Mark Ethan Toporek, who also leads post-screening discussions. This week’s feature is Hiding and Seeking, a 2004 documentary about an Orthodox Jewish man and his grown sons who travel from New York to Poland to find the family that protected his father during World War II. Free with admission. Queens Museum, NYC Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, www.queensmuseum.org.

Nov. 4, Monthly Jazz Jam, 7 pm. All are invited to join the Queens Jazz OverGround and other musicians at this monthly jam session. Held on the first Wednesday of every month, Jazz Jams are a fun way to hone skills, jam with peers, or listen. $10, but free for those who play. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., www.flushingtownhall.org.

The “It’s In Queens” column is produced by the Queens Tourism Council with the hope that readers will enjoy the borough’s wonderful attractions. More info at www.itsinqueens.com.

(Long Island, NY) Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association (NSWCA), which consists of water commissioners representing 21 Long Island water districts, recently held a Special Training Session hosted by Westbury Water District Commissioners Vincent Abbatiello, Kenneth O. Jones and William C. Olson that was led by Kathleen Cannon, CPA and Business Manager of the Jericho Water District. Addressing the topic of “Fiscal Responsibilities of Commissioners & The Budget Process,” Ms. Cannon’s presentation included sections on the New York State Tax Cap and New York State Property Tax Freeze’s current law regarding government efficiency plans. Among topics discussed were key fiscal responsibilities of water commissioners, which included the development and maintaining of Water District policies & procedures, monitoring fiscal operations, conducting internal audits and developing an annual budget.

Pictured from left to right during a recently Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ meeting in which Jericho Water District Business Manager Kathleen Cannon, CPA, led a Special Training Session that address the topic, “Fiscal Responsibilities of Commissioners & The Budget Process,” are NSWCA 2nd Vice President and Plainview Water Commissioner Andrew Bader; Ms. Cannon; NSWCA President and Massapequa Water District Commissioner Thomas P. Hand; NSWCA Secretary and Westbury Water District Vincent Abbatiello; Commissioner; and NSWCA Treasurer and Hicksville Water District Commissioner Karl Schweitzer. Photo Credit: NSWCA.

“Budget development is a serious process that requires meticulous attention to detail,” Ms. Cannon commented.  “Water districts are required to submit an Annual Budget for approval from the Town in which they are located. With this in mind, the process should involve a team effort led by a Budget Officer, with water commissioners’ ultimate responsibility to set a realistic, structurally balanced budget.”

NSWCA President and Massapequa Water District Commissioner Thomas P. Hand commented, “This is the latest in our series of Continuing Education and Training.  It was particularly apropos because it helped prepare our Commissioners, Superintendents and Business Managers for their budget processes.  Ms. Cannon’s ability to articulate the intricacies of each topic was greatly appreciated by all in attendance.”

A graduate of St John’s University, Ms. Cannon received her CPA license from the State of New York in 1993.  She is a former Comptroller at the Town of Huntington and is currently Jericho Water District Business Manager.

For more information about Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association, please contact NSWCA President Thomas P. Hand, via phone, 516-798-5269, or email, tphand@massapequawater.com.

About Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association
Organized and chartered in 1981, Nassau Suffolk Water Commissioners’ Association (NSWCA) is comprised of water commissioners from 21 Nassau and Suffolk County water districts.  The NSWCA is dedicated to promoting environmental excellence and best practices as well as maintaining the highest standards of water quality and supply. NSWCA sponsors regular educational meetings on topics that include the environment, security, economics, rules and regulations, among other related issues.

November 9-28

(Long Island, NY) Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts is pleased to announce the seventh year of the Literature Live! program. Over the past six years, Literature Live! has served over 7,500 students and 53 schools. This year’s Literature Live! presents Of Mice and Men written by Sag Harbor’s very own Pulitzer Prize-winning author, John Steinbeck. For the second year in a row, Bay Street Theater is again offering the Free Student Ticket Initiative, which allows all students to attend the production at no cost. Literature Live! brings literature to life on stage for Long Island Schools providing common core aligned lessons and resources for the classroom before and after the show.

“I am delighted that we serve students from Wyandanch to Montauk and this year we have over 3,000 students and 25 schools that plan to attend,” says Ava Locks, Director of Education for Bay Street Theater. “Space is limited but there are still a few slots available for schools that are interested in booking.”

Joe Pallister, Nick Cordero. Photo Credit: Bay Street Theater.

The production runs from November 9 – 28 with public performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm, matinees at 2 pm on Sunday, November 15 and Saturday, November 28 of Thanksgiving weekend.

In addition to the performances, audience members can begin to explore a more detailed history of Steinbeck in Sag Harbor and of conditions of migrant workers on the East End during the Great Depression through post-show talkbacks and Q&A sessions. For select performances, speakers from the Long Island Parent Center, John Jermain Library, and the International Society of Steinbeck Scholars will explore topics that include Steinbeck’s writings, The Great Depression, and the acceptance of people with visible and invisible disabilities.

Joe Pallister, Nick Cordero. Photo Credit: Bay Street Theater.

To contextualize the content, and as part of its mission, Bay Street Theater will collaborate with local organizations and artists to additionally enhance audience members’ experience. In addition to the speakers, Bay Street Theater is partnering with The Bridgehampton Museum (The Bridgehampton Historical Society), who will provide historical artifacts that will anchor the exhibit’s themes of farming and migrant workers on the East End. In addition, The Roger Memorial Library will provide historic audio and visual files (Talking Histories) of local farm families. Images and graphs will be displayed in order to illustrate the impact of the Great Depression both locally and globally. Canio’s Books will provide an East End and Steinbeck centric presence in the lobby with merchandise for purchase.

In addition, the lobby will also include information about the theater production process by explaining the terminology and showing images and sketches from the rehearsal process through the show’s opening. The seven year history of Literature Live! will be exhibited through pictures and a map of participating local and regional schools.

Joe Pallister, Nick Cordero. Photo Credit: Bay Street Theater.

Bay Street and Sag Harbor have a long history with the Steinbecks. In 1953, the Steinbecks rented a house in Sag Harbor to escape the heat of New York. Seeking a weekend retreat from the city, in 1955, they returned to Sag Harbor and purchased a summer cottage overlooking Morris Cove. Steinbeck grew to love the area and for the rest of his life spent much of every summer and even long periods of the winter months at the cottage. Finding too many distractions while trying to write in the tiny house, in 1958 he constructed a six-sided cabin with views of the water all around. He placed a hand-lettered sign over the door inscribed “Joyous Gard” after Lancelot’s castle. Here Steinbeck worked on many of his later books, including The Acts of King Arthur, The Winter of our Discontent, and Travels with Charley. The house is now owned by descendants of his late wife Elaine Steinbeck, who served as a trustee of the theater until her death in 2003.  Bay Street Theater is proud to be home to the Elaine Steinbeck Stage, and host of the Steinbeck Celebration Weekend each May.

Speaker Information:

After select school and public performances Richard E. Hart, Ph.D. will be giving a talkback. He is a Cyrus H. Holley Professor of Applied Ethics and Philosophy Emeritus in the Humanities Division at Bloomfield College in Bloomfield, New Jersey and is currently Vice President for Academic Relations for the International Society of Steinbeck Scholars. He is on the Editorial Board of the Steinbeck Review, and was the keynote speaker in 2007 for the John Steinbeck Society of Japan. Also, Dr. Hart was an invited faculty member for an National Endowment for the Humanities, (NEH), sponsored Summer Institute on Steinbeck offered to high school teachers throughout the United States. Dr. Hart has written ten Steinbeck articles and book chapters in leading journals and book collections; and he has lectured on Steinbeck and philosophy at Universities and conferences in New York, Massachusetts, Idaho, California, and abroad in Hungary, Spain, Czech Republic, and Romania.

The Long Island Parent Center will provide speakers to work with student audiences in an informative Q&A exploring character education skills on tolerance, vocabulary and awareness for people with visible and invisible disabilities. The mission of the Long Island Parent Center is to provide parents of children with disabilities, in conjunction with the professionals who service their children, with information and resources necessary to promote meaningful involvement in their children’s educational programs.

Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts is a year-round, not-for-profit professional theater and community cultural center which endeavors to innovate, educate, and entertain a diverse community through the practice of the performing arts. We serve as a social and cultural gathering place, an educational resource, and a home for a community of artists.

(Long Island, NY) Huntington Community First Aid Squad received a call on October 24^th at 11:49 AM for a 27 year old female unconscious. Within minutes an ambulance was on scene. In a basement apartment they found an adult female not breathing. Manual ventilation was begun to the patient to return life- saving oxygen to the young woman’s lungs. Within moments her color began to improve.  An IV was started and the antidote for heroine, Naloxone (Narcan) was delivered.  Shortly after delivering the antidote the woman regained consciousness and began talking.  The woman’s vital signs continued to improve and she was transported to Huntington Hospital.

Naloxone, also known as Narcan among other names, is a medication used to reverse the effects of opioids especially in overdose.

The Huntington Community First Aid Squad provides Advanced Life Support Ambulances and Emergency Medical Services to residents within the town of Huntington since 1967. All-volunteer crews are ready to go 24/7, 365 days a year, to answer the call from neighbors in need. The Huntington Community Ambulance District covers an area from Lloyd Harbor and Lloyd Neck in the North – to Melville in the South and from the Nassau/Suffolk border and Cold Spring Harbor in the West – to Greenlawn and Dix Hills in the East. Over 280 volunteer members responded to more than 5,600 calls in 2014.

(Long Island, NY) Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (R, C, I – South Huntington) recently joined the NAACP of Huntington for the 2015 Freedom Fund Membership Awards Dinner. This annual gala took place at the Crest Hollow Country Club and was attended by several community leaders and local elected officials.

“The NAACP of Huntington has been an advocate for civil rights in the Huntington community since this branch’s inception. The Township of Huntington, as well as the 10^th Assembly District, values the NAACP for their contribution to communities throughout our region,” Lupinacci began.

NYS Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci. Photo Credit: NYS.

During the ceremony, the NAACP also acknowledged “Freedom Fund Membership Award Honorees,” some of whom were being recognized posthumously.

“Tonight’s honorees have been influential in Huntington and the surrounding area as distinguished individuals who fought on behalf of civil rights for all American citizens. These men and women are inspirational and should serve as model citizens to emulate in our own lives. In conclusion, I want to thank all the dedicated volunteers from the NAACP who make this organization such a strong influence in our community, through encouraging all residents of the 10^th Assembly District to vote and participate in local government and politics,” Lupinacci concluded.

(Long Island, NY) The First Squad reports the arrests of two males on Sunday, October 25, 2015 at 5:18am in Hempstead.

According to Detectives, two officers on routine patrol observed a tan colored Honda Accord travelling at a high rate of speed without headlights illuminated.

Nassau County Police reports the arrests of two males on Sunday, October 25 in Hempstead. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

The officers conducted a Vehicle and Traffic Law stop on Greenwich Street and Ann Street. Upon approaching the vehicle the officers smelled a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. The investigation resulted in two arrests.

The driver, David J. Solomon, 31, of Roosevelt was arrested for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation and two traffic violations. The rear passenger, Phillip Sanders, 37, of Roosevelt was arrested for Criminal Possession of a Weapon for a loaded firearm located on the rear seat.

Both arrestees will be arraigned on Monday, October 26, 2015 in First District Court 99 Main Street Hempstead.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Will Focus on Affordability Across the State Job Creation Meaningful Tax and Mandate Relief, and Closing the Upstate/Downstate Economic Divide – Goal is to Support New York’s Working and Middle Class Families That Are Too Often Left Behind

(Long Island, NY) Senate Democratic leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins today unveiled a policy committee that brings together a diverse group of Senators to develop initiatives to better serve all New Yorkers, especially those who have continued to suffer following the economic downturn. The Democratic Policy Group is headed by Senator Daniel Squadron and is made of up Senator George Latimer, Senator Velmanette Montgomery and Senator Jose Serrano. This policy group has the full support of the entire Democratic Conference. Members of the group have already begun meeting with Democratic Conference Members to begin identifying legislative policy and initiatives to further explore and advance.

Over the next several months, members of the Democratic Policy Group will conduct hearings, produce research, and will unveil detailed initiatives and legislative packages. These include ways to improve the overall economy and close the economic divide that too often excludes suburban and upstate communities from the benefit of new jobs. The policy group’s focus is to make New York a more affordable state to live, work and raise a family though providing meaningful tax reform, increasing child care options, supplying mandate relief for local governments, reforming the criminal justice system, protecting the environment, increasing the number of green jobs, and many more proposals aimed at supporting New York’s struggling working and middle class families.

“The Senate Democrats are committed to improving the lives of all New Yorkers and providing common sense, progressive leadership, and that is exactly what the Democratic Policy Group is intended to do,” Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. “I commend Senator Squadron for his leadership on this effort and thank Senators Latimer, Montgomery and Serrano for their participation in the policy group. The innovative policies, bold initiatives and common sense solutions that will be offered by the Democratic Policy Group in the next few months will help our state prosper and better serve the needs of our constituents.”

Senator Daniel Squadron, Democratic Policy Group Chair, said, “For too long, Albany has failed to make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most — working and middle-class New Yorkers across the state. The Policy Group will propose innovative solutions to expand opportunity, create jobs and make government more efficient and effective in every corner of the state. I thank Leader Stewart-Cousins for her vision and the entire Democratic Conference, especially Senators Latimer, Montgomery, and Serrano, for their great work on this initiative.”

Senate Democratic Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris said, “For our state to prosper we need all regions of our state to succeed. We must help New Yorkers find good jobs and provide them with real tax relief so they can ensure a good future for their families. This is the Senate Democratic Policy Group’s focus and I applaud Leader Stewart-Cousins for establishing this group and Senator Squadron for chairing it.”

The core mission of the Democratic Policy Group is to improve the quality of life for all state residents through common sense proposals that respond to the needs of New York’s diverse communities. By taking regional needs into account, the Democratic Policy Group will ensure that the diverse communities throughout the state all benefit from the initiatives that will be unveiled in the months ahead.

Senator Velmanette Montgomery, Democratic Policy Group Member, said, “I am looking forward to developing opportunities for young people across the state.”

Senator Jose Serrano, Democratic Policy Group Member, said, “The Senate Democratic Policy Group is a common sense way to ensure that representatives from New York’s diverse communities are able to discuss issues impacting their constituents and generate proposals to address those concerns. For our entire state to move forward, we need to provide real leadership in Albany and implement bold initiatives to grow the economy, better utilize our natural resources and ensure that the next generation of New Yorkers have a stronger, safer and more prosperous state to call home.”

Senator George Latimer, Democratic Policy Group Member, said, “Our constituents and all the people of our state deserve a well thought out plan from their government. By working together to establish policy goals and set a direction for our efforts, we will give New Yorkers a more transparent, more effective government.”