Long Beach MLK Center reopens after temporary closure

The Martin Luther King Center in Long Beach re-opened Wednesday afternoon, over a week after it was shut down because a fire alarm system was not working. The center also lacked a permit from the Nassau County Health Department to cook food. The center provides meals to some 250-300 people daily.

John McNally, executive assistant to the Long Beach City Manager, said Thursday that MLK officials have been given keys to the building.

The Nassau County Fire Marshall's office gave a green light to the center to re-open, as the fire alarm system was fixed. Nassau Health Department officials said Wednesday they are waiting for center officials to return to the department an application for a new permit.

The Center was closed, Long Beach officials had said, because people continued to occupy the building despite a declaration from the fire marshall that it could not be used until the fire alarm system was fixed.

During the week, MLK and Long Beach officials held several meetings at re-opening the center.