She was just such a fun person to hang with, said her friend Evan, a classmate in ninth grade at H. Frank Carey High School. She just loved hanging with her friends.
Friends were anxious to talk about Savarese, who was only a few weeks away from her 15th birthday when she was killed by a hit-and-run driver Friday night, May 7. Everybody loved her, said her friend Nico. You could say nothing bad about Jayy. She was awesome.
Word of the accident spread quickly among Savareses friends, who began gathering at the spot almost immediately to console one another. We just needed somewhere to go and something to do, a girl who declined to give her name said. She said many of them had been there since the early-morning hours.
Nassau County Police Homicide Squad detectives said that Savarese, a West Hempstead resident, was crossing Hempstead Turnpike near the intersection of Claflin Boulevard at 10:54 p.m. Friday, May 7 when she was struck by a car traveling westbound. She was transported to Winthrop University Hospital, and pronounced dead at 11:17 p.m.
One of her best friends, Tiffany Zinnanti, 15, was at the makeshift memorial Saturday afternoon, May 8. Zinnanti said she and another girl were with Jessica the night before. They had just finished eating at Ameches Restaurant and were crossing the turnpike when Jessica ran ahead.
We were at the corner [by the Silver Star Diner] and she tried to make it across, said Zinnanti. It happened so fast.
Zinnanti immediately called 911 on her cell phone. She said Jessica didnt move after she was hit.
Police spokesman Detective Lt. Kevin Smith said that the Homicide Squad was looking for the driver of the car that hit Savarese, and released a possible description. Were looking for a dark-colored Ford passenger vehicle, late 80s to early 90s, said Smith. The auto sustained significant right front-end damage. Police reports further stated that the car could have been a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury.
Residents protest
senior housing plan
A large contingent of Lakeview residents were up in arms about a developers proposal to build 289 units of senior citizen housing on Orlando Avenue at a former factory site, saying the construction and influx of residents would harm all three communities.
Due to community backlash, the developer, the Lynbrook-based Engel-Burman Group, scratched the plan and in November introduced artists renderings of a gated community with 100 duette (attached) homes.
WH and District 13 budgets voted down, Malverne approved
As 22 of the 56 school districts in Nassau County said no to their school budgets for 2004-2005, West Hempstead residents voiced their own opposition, rejecting the $42.86 million budget by a mere six votes: 619 in favor and 625 opposed.
Residents voted down Valley Stream School District 13s $31.7 million budget by 47 votes.
Both budgets were approved in late June revotes.
Malverne residents passed their $35.24 million school budget by a narrow margin, with 731 people voting in favor of the proposal and 700 against.
9/11 victim honored
A commemorative sign dedicating Carol Street in Lakeview to World Trade Center victim Winston A. Grant was placed at the corner of Carol Street and Glen Road in a May ceremony.
Grant was a technology specialist for Empire Blue Cross/ Blue Shield and worked in the north tower of the World Trade Center. He died when terrorists attacked the twin towers with commercial airliners September 11, 2001.
JUNE
Heralds longtime home destroyed
A fast-moving fire ravaged the Herald Community Newspapers building in Lawrence on June 15, forcing about 120 employees to safely evacuate to the street.
The blaze gutted much of the historic building, at 379 Central Ave., which was home to Richner Communications, the publishers of 16 weekly newspapers and PrimeTime Guide. The building had been in continuous use as the newspapers home since 1927.
More than 200 firefighters from 10 departments on the South Shore battled the stubborn blaze for more than two hours.
Twelve firefighters suffered minor injuries from heat exhaustion and several required hospitalization.
Fire officials said the blaze started in the rear of the companys printing press room at around 3:15 p.m. and quickly spread throughout the rest of the building. About eight minutes into the fire, a propane tank, used to power company forklifts, exploded in the rear of the building, sending huge gusts of thick, black smoke towering above the single-story structure. A second propane tank exploded later during the fire.
All 120 employees, from reporters to sales people and executives, quickly evacuated but many items including computers, cameras and archives of old papers, were destroyed in the fire.
Im heartbroken at the history that was lost in the building, said Co-Publisher Cliff Richner. We had back issues from three centuries, and thats irreplaceable. But what counts most is people. Thankfully, everyone got out, and were back at work at a new location. Hopefully, we wont skip a beat for readers and advertisers.
Richner Communications moved to temporary headquarters in Lakeview, the site of the proposed senior community on Orlando Avenue, shortly after the fire.
V.S.N. senior prank costly
Several of the 20 Valley Stream North High School seniors involved in a May prank that caused $15,000 in damage to the school admitted their involvement in a written statement to school officials a month later.
According to police, at about 2 a.m., Thursday, May 27, the group of young men and women allegedly used squeegees to apply tar to at least 20 of the schools windows. In addition, the group was accused of breaking two security cameras, damaging the schools lawn sign and sealing several locked doors and hinges using foam, which, when it dries, harden similar to concrete. Additionally, chocolate sauce, Gummy Bears and feathers were found scattered at the scene.
The students were arrested and charged with second-degree criminal mischief and fifth-degree conspiracy.
Some of the students parents paid $1,000 restitution for the damage. The students who signed statements also agreed to do community service, and they waived their right to take any kind of action against the district, according to two parents. In exchange, the students were not subject to suspension beyond five days, which allowed the accused seniors to take final exams and graduate with their class. The superintendent made a positive recommendation to the district attorneys office on the students behalf.
Hart conviction upheld
An appeals court upheld the decision to convict Malverne resident Kevin Hart for starting a fatal drag race in Oceanside in the summer of 2001.
Hart, 30, was convicted in August 2002 on two counts of second-degree manslaughter for recklessly causing the deaths of Michael Vasipolli and Glenn Jacofsky and third-degree assault for recklessly causing injuries to Jacofskys wife, Amy. Hart was sentenced to 5 to 15 years.
According to Nassau County Prosecutor Frank Schroeder, Hart instigated a drag race by challenging Vasipolli while heading southbound on Lawson Boulevard in Oceanside by revving the engine of his Corvette, driving at twice the posted speed of 40 mph, and crossing a double-yellow line to catch up with Vasipolli in his Lamborghini on June 24, 2001.
During the race, Vasipolli, driving with his wife, Karen, crossed the double-yellow line while trying to pass a slow-moving Cadillac in front of him, and crashed head-on into Jacofsky, who was driving northbound on Lawson in his Volvo with his wife. Both Vasipolli and Jacofsky were killed in the crash, and both their wives received minor injuries. Hart had driven into a fence but was uninjured.
JULY
Purple Heart winner returns home
Christopher Prescott has given a lot to his country. A specialist who enrolled in the Army National Guard in 2001 after graduating from Malverne High School in 1999, Prescott dedicated himself to his country. That dedication took him to Iraq, where he was assigned to the Military Police 442nd Company and was attached to the 716th Military Police Battalion of the 101st Airborne Division.
As reflected in his numerous awards, Prescott gave his best while in Iraq. As a survivor of an explosive attack on his Humvee, he nearly gave his life. His accolades include an Army Commendation Medal of Valor, the U.S. Navy and Marine Achievement Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Medal.
Prescott, 23, was on the receiving end of praise and applause, as the Nassau County Legislature thanked him in a ceremony in Mineola. Nassau County Deputy Presiding Officer Roger Corbin (D-Westbury) spoke glowingly of Prescott, saying, "It is an honor today to be in the presence of this brave young man, and I know he serves as an inspiration when we hear of his courageous and noble acts. I know I speak for everyone here when I look at this young man who has honorably served our nation during these trying times, and I know we all say, 'Thank you so much.'"
AUGUST
For nearly 40 years, Francis T. Purcell dedicated his time and his heart to bettering Nassau County. On Wednesday, Aug. 11, a small portion of the county was dedicated to the former county executive.
On Purcells 86th birthday, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi honored Purcell by renaming a portion of the Hempstead Plains the Francis T. Purcell Preserve at the Hempstead Plains. Suozzi was joined by many former elected officials, political leaders and family and friends of Purcell, whose first political stint was as a Malverne village trustee in 1947.
Fran Purcell dedicated his life to his family, his friends, his country and his community, Suozzi said.
Purcell was elected mayor of Malverne at age 37, becoming the youngest mayor in New York at the time. He went on to serve as a New York State assemblyman, supervisor of the Town of Hempstead and the Nassau County Board of Supervisors presiding officer.
In 1977, Purcell won a three-way race for Nassau county executive, and was subsequently re-elected twice.
Purcell is best remembered for his fondness for economic development and his often laconic remarks. He pushed for the development of Mitchel Field, which led to the subsequent development of such Nassau County fixtures as the EAB high-rise building.
