From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
January 3, 2018
Sunday, New Year’s Eve, I turned off the TV and headed to bed soon after watching the ball drop in Times Square. But this unusually low-key start to 2018 was worth it, for by lunchtime the next day, I had covered the Inaugurations of three Democrats – LAURA CURRAN, LAURA GILLEN, and SYLVIA CABANA – replacing three GOP office holders here in Nassau County.

Hempstead, New York, USA. Jan. 1, 2018. Center L-R, Town of North Hempstead Supervisor JUDI BOSWORTH and BRIAN MUELLERS, member of Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen’s Transition Team and a former Nassau County legislator, talk before Swearing-In ceremony of Gillen and Hempstead Town Clerk Sylvia Cabana, at Hofstra University. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)
Though it was New Year’s Day morning, close to a packed house at Hofstra University’s Adams Playhouse watched New York Lt. Governor KATHY HOCHUL and Congresswoman KATHLEEN RICE swear-in Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen and Hon. MICHAELLE SOLAGES swear-in Hempstead Town Clerk Sylvia Cabana.
About an hour after that, and even though it was a bone-chilling 14 ℉ / -10 ℃, a thick arc of bundled-up onlookers stood thisclose together in front of the Theodore Roosevelt Legislative & Executive Building to witness Gov. ANDREW CUOMO administer the Oath of Office to Nassau County Executive Laura Curran.
And U.S. Senator CHUCK SCHUMER was a speaker at both the Town and County ceremonies.B
It was a doubly historic day for Long Island. Before Laura Gillen took office, Town of Hempstead hadn’t had a Democratic Supervisor in over a century; plus, Laura Curran is the very first female Nassau County Executive.
- Click on any photo to see larger version

Hempstead, New York, USA. Jan. 1, 2018. L-R, Hempstead Town Supervisor LAURA GILLEN, N.Y. Lt. Gov. KATHY HOCHUL, and Hempstead Town Clerk SYLVIA CABANA pose for photo shortly before Hochul swears-in Gillen, at Hofstra University. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Hempstead, New York, USA. Jan. 1, 2018. NYS Lt. Governor KATHY HOCHUL (in green dress) and Congresswoman KATHLEEN RICE (seen partly behind podium) swear-in LAURA GILLEN (center) as Hempstead Town Supervisor, at Hofstra University. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Hempstead, NY, USA. Jan. 1, 2018. L-R, U.S. Senator CHUCK SCHUMER and Hempstead Town Democratic Leader LAUREN CORCORAN-DOOLIN pose for photo after Schumer spoke at Swearing-In ceremony of Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen & Hempstead Town Clerk Sylvia Cabana at Hofstra University. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Hempstead, NY, USA. Jan. 1, 2018. L-R, KEITH CORBETT and Nassau County Executive LAURA CURRAN are among dignitaries on-stage before swearing-In ceremony of Laura Gillen and Sylvia Cabana at Hofstra University. © 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Hempstead, New York, USA. Jan. 1, 2018. R-L, NYS Senator JOHN E. BROOKS, Nassau County Comptroller JACK SCHNIRMAN, N.C. District Attorney MADELINE SINGAS, and Hempstead Town Councilman BRUCE BLAKEMAN are among dignitaries on stage at Swearing-In of Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen and Hempstead Town Clerk Sylvia Cabana at Hofstra Univ. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Mineola, NY, USA. Jan. 1, 2018. Historic swearing-In of Laura Curran as Nassau County Executive, the first female County Executive, is held outdoors in front of Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Mineola, NY, USA. Jan. 1, 2018. L-R, 1st term Nassau County Legislators DEBRA MULÉ, 55, (Freeport – 5th Dist. – Dem) and JOSHUA LAFAZAN, 23, (Syosset – 18th Dist. – Independent) are in Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building after outdoor swearing-In of Laura Curran as County Executive. Lafazan is County’s youngest ever legislator. Mulé has Curran’s former Legislative seat. (© 2018 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)
- SLIDESHOW (with music) of Town of Hempstead Inaugurations 1/1/2018:
- Equipment: Nikon full-frame DSLR with Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 lens
Nassau County Executive Inauguration: GALLERY