Politics & Government

News From Around the Island, Feb. 25

Caterer dropped; jurors get Girl Scout cookies.

News from Long Island communities this week.

Woodbury Jewish Center Severs Ties with Morrell Caterers

The Woodbury Jewish Center gave a 10-day notice of termination to Morrell Caterers Thursday. The center, one of the caterer's major clients, ordered Morrell's out by Mar. 5 because of alleged breaches of contract and halachic law, according to a Thursday report in The Jewish Week.

Find out what's happening in Northportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Morrell Caterers recently came under fire after claiming they were told to prepare kosher food and non-kosher food in the same vicinity. This latest news comes just one week after three area rabbis urged the community in this matter. Despite their pleas and a written letter of support from Vaad Harabonim, who was responsible for supervising Morrell's practices, Woodbury Jewish Center has decided to finally end their association with the caterers.

Long Beach City Council Approves Early Retirement Incentive

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While the approved an early retirement incentive that officials project could save the city millions of dollars, an official of the local Civil Service Employees Association expects few members will bite on the offer.

About 52 of the CSEA’s 250 members are eligible for the incentive, and if these full-time and exempt employees opt to retire within 90 days of Feb. 21, when the council approved the resolution, they would receive 50 percent of their unused sick time instead of the 30 percent that they agreed to under the existing collective bargaining agreement.

Manorhaven Fire Kills Man, Injures Wife

A deadly early morning house fire in Manorhaven killed an elderly man and injured his wife, Nassau County police said Tuesday.

The man was identified as Albert Rosen, 73. Police said the 70-year-old female homeowner was able to flee the home, but her husband suffered cardiac arrest and later died at St. Francis Hospital.

Police officials also say it took more than 100 fire fighters from surrounding communities of Sea Cliff Fire Department, Glenwood Landing Fire Department, Roslyn Fire Department, Manhasset/Lakeville Fire Department, Port Washington Fire Department and Plandome Fire Department to knock down the blaze.

Girl Scouts Hand Out Cookies to Jurors

While not every resident likes serving jury duty, those who were at the Wednesday morning were given something to make the day a little more bearable: cookies handed out by the .

As part of Juror Appreciation Day and World Thinking Day a number of Girl Scouts thanked jurors for serving the public on Wednesday by wheeling out carts of multi-colored boxes containing the tasty treats.

Glen Cove Mansion Kept Tips, Suit Says

A former waiter for the filed a class action lawsuit in Nassau County State Supreme Court on Thursday accusing the upscale establishment of withholding gratuity wages from its catering staff, according to the plaintiff’s lawyers.

The hotel did not know anything about the complaint as of Friday afternoon, according to their attorney, Kathleen Deegan Dickson.

The suit was filed by Brahim Chhab, who was employed by the hotel between July 2008 and October 2011. It alleges that he and more than 50 former and current employees who are potential members of the class never received tips collected as a 20 percent gratuity charged to customers on service bills.


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