Dear Resident,
We are all feeling the pain of the horrific and senseless shooting that occurred at Robb Elementary School in Texas this week. As a society, we must do all that we can to end this senseless carnage. In the coming days and months there will be much discussion and debate on ways to stem the rise of these heinous acts. Right now, our thoughts are with all of the innocent children and educators who lost their lives along with the entire Uvalde community as they cope with this devastating tragedy. Here in Nassau County, while there is no known local threat, Nassau Police have intensified patrols near schools out of an abundance of caution. NCPD are also implementing additional safety precautions for populated Memorial Day events such as the Jones Beach Air Show and local community parades taking place over the weekend.
A couple of Legislative related matters I also wanted to bring to your attention:
- At this Monday’s full meeting of the Legislature, our bill to combat catalytic converter theft was approved unanimously and will now be sent for signature to County Executive Bruce Blakeman. This legislation will preclude scrap metal dealers in Nassau County from purchasing catalytic converters unless the seller establishes that they legally acquired the device. It also requires scrap metal dealers to keep records regarding purchases, which must be made available to NCPD and the Department of Consumer Affairs, allowing them to inspect those records, flag them for illegal activity and go after the perpetrator if appropriate.
Catalytic converter thefts have been on the rise in Nassau County and across the country due to the value of the precious metals within the devices and the ease with which a thief can remove one. This year alone, more than 400 thefts have been reported countywide. If a catalytic converter is stolen from your car, it may cost thousands of dollars to replace the part and repair the damage.
To further help strengthen its effectiveness the Legislative Majority has been in discussions with surrounding municipalities to adopt similar legislation. Doing so will give the police the tools necessary to help them track down criminals and deter thieves since it will make it more difficult for them to profit from these illegal acts.
- Also, on Monday, the Legislature approved a bill that will create a new Nassau County Movie, Television and Digital Media Commission. This 12-member body will be tasked with helping to further boost film and television production in Nassau County, which has proven to possess a wealth of desirable venues attractive to both the traditional big and small screen industry, as well as the burgeoning digital media market more recently.
Finally, with the Memorial Day weekend here, I wanted to remind everyone about a new initiative I recently announced along with dozens of fellow elected officials, veterans, first responders, and active-duty military, to have two moments of silence to honor our brave men and women in uniform who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The first moment of silence will be on Memorial Day at 12:00 noon, followed by the second moment of silence at 6:00 p.m. Each will last for 50 seconds in honor of the 50 stars on the American Flag. Fire Departments, Police Vehicles, and Volunteer Ambulance Corps. will sound their sirens and horns at these two times to remind residents to pause and pay tribute to our nation’s fallen heroes. This is a great opportunity to remember those who gave their all for this country and reinforce that their sacrifice was not in vain. I encourage everyone to spread the word and no matter where they are or what they are doing on Monday, May 30th, I hope that they will join us during these moments of silence at 12 noon and 6:00 p.m. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday everyone! 😊
As always, please feel free to contact me with any thoughts and ideas you may have with respect to the County or on any particular issue that you think I may be able to assist you with. You may contact me at (516) 571-6214 or by email at LSchaefer@NassauCountyNY.gov .
Sincerely,
Laura M. Schaefer
Legislator, District 14