Live Blog: August 4th, 2009 Lighthouse Public Hearing

9:37 Kate Murray is addressing the massive crowd of supporters. "Goalie" Don Clavin is in attendance.

9:38 The Hearing begins.

9:39 The Lighthouse is of course not the only Public Hearing topic this morning. Most of it is parking-related topics throughout the Town of Hempstead.

9:40 Joe Ra, Attorney for the ToH stated that the Meeting would go until 5PM. If the Lighthouse Project Hearing goes anywhere close to the speed of the Public Hearings now. Then we hopefully we'll get through this pretty easy.

9:43 The Lighthouse is brought forth as the main topic of business.

9:44 Kate Murray just went over the main points of the DGEIS and what the speaking points will be during the procedeeings.

9:45 Remember that August 17th is the last date for the Public Comment period.

9:46 Charles Wang begins his presentation to thunderous applause.

9:49 Video presentation begins with the latest information for the Lighthouse Project.

9:51 The message is simply: "What if it doesn't get constructed?"

9:53 The video has included video from the Marriott meeting and the June 11, 2009 meeting in the Nassau County Executive Building. It is stirring speech after stirring speech from residents of Long Island.

9:56 Mr. Wang thanks those who support the Project a huge massing of groups.

9:57 Over 15,000 letters were sent to the Lighthouse Project in support and those have been turned over to the Town.

10:01 Make sure to check out my Twitter feed where most of the quotes I get will be. My Twitter

10:05 Charles Wang finishes his address to the audience.

10:05 Hofstra President begins his speech to the Board. The President believes that that Hofstra is intertwined with the region (including the proposed Lighthouse site) and that the Board will find a way to compromise and get the Lighthouse done.

"This proposal is crucial to the future of Long Island"

"The benefits to Long Island are enormous"

"This is the time, this is the place and these are the developers to make it happen"

10:08 "We must stop the exodus of the young, professional workforce members"

10:13 Stu Rabinowitz, Hofstra President, ends his speech with a flourish about how the Town Board will get this right.

Nassau County Executive, Tom Suozzi steps up to the podium with "I am an Islander". Gotta love it.

10:15 Tom Suozzi: "50% of Americans live in suburbia"

"There was a large group of people much like this in 1947 that wanted a new way of life: Levittown"

10:16 4 Issues with Nassau County

"Property taxes are too high"

"Only 8% of young people are in Nassau County (23-35)"

"Pockets of poverty in one of the most segregated place in America"

"The final issue is Traffic"

"The Lighthouse Project is the model for 'New Suburbia'"

10:21 "I know that working together, we can resolve the issues of this Project"

Tom Suozzi ends his speech.

10:22 Bishop Bill Murray from the Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre steps to the podium.

10:24 "We need a new home, a new vision" --Bishop Murphy

10:26 Comissioner Gary Bettman steps to the podium "I grew up on Long Island"

10:27 "It is clear there is probably no worse Major League facility in North America except for the Nassau Coliseum"

10:30 John Kaiman steps to the podium in place of John Durso (speaking on behalf of the Labor Unions) Kate Murray asks those in the Labor Unions to stand be recognized.

10:33 Jim Castellane steps to the podium and states that "We all represent Long Island"

10:45 Look for a Gary Bettman interview up on IslesBlogger.com

10:46 A Sierra Club representative, a volunteer who made the journey here, speaks mainly about the issue of Water and it's use at the development site. She makes several good points about heavy metals and how much the Project will effect the aquifers of upstate NY.

11:00 Keep following my Twitter feed
I'm going to sign off the blog for now.

I'll be back tonight with pictures from the Public Hearing.