Bethpage-Tribune_1971-02-18

              8ETWAGE PUBLIC UBRMtl
*?•>** IV aqcfr^une
Island Trees
Vol. 5^o. 16
Serving Bethpage - Plainview - Island Trees - Plainedge - Seaford Old Bethpage
Senator Speno Dead At 50
Senator Edward J. Speno died suddenly at 7:30 a.m.
yesterday in Albany.
"Ed" as he was known to the many people he had
met during his long career as a Republican power in
Nassau County and political figure in the state was in
the capital to attend the state legislative session.
He was born September 23, 1920 in Syracuse, New
York. He was educated in parochial schools and
graduated from Niagara University in 1942. His law
schooling was interrupted at Cornell University for
service in World War II. He saw action as a 2nd
Lieutenant in the invasions of North Africa, Italy and
Okinawa. He served as a skipper on a Navy LSM. After
the war he received his law degree at Cornell.
He became associated with a law firm headed by
General "Wold Bill Donovan" of the famous fighting
69th infantry.
In 1949 Speno fiji^ra^JjastMeadow and opened up
his law office ^ftdMfllMP'lttllK. He then entered
politics in the Repubhgg&m&M1954 he was elected
to the State Senate, representing the 4th Senatorial
District ever since.
Known for his dedication and drive he was author of
more than 300 bills in the state legislature. He fought
hard for auto safety legislation and was known
nationally for a safety car called the "Spenomobile".
He went after the automobile industry determined to
have safety devices installed in current models. He
was responsible for more "auto safety" legislation
than any other legislator. He was concerned with
saving lives.He fought hard and long for the people in
his district and the State. He was a friend to education.
Speno supported aid to public education and also was a
staunch supporter of aid to non-public schools. He also
supported medical expenses to low income families.
He was an astute politician and a tough fighter for
the things he believed in. He often said "he was proud
to be arpolitician and loved the work he was in."
His "fighting spirit" saw him through a bout with
cancer in 1958. He wrote a book in 1964 entitled
"Smoking and Health" and he was very active in
promoting educational campaigns against smoking
and drug abuse. His interest in education was sup­ported
by his efforts for increased state aid and regents
scholarships. He co-sponsored the Speno-Lerner bill to
grant tuition payments to parents of children attending
parochial schools.
He also supported legislation for school bus tran­sportation
for all children in the state.
Nassau County Executive Ralph Caso issued the
following statement:
"Senator Speno's untimely death came as a real
shock. I knew him for many years as a trusted advisor
and friend. He dedicated his life to serving people. My
heart goes out to his wife and family."
We offer our deepest sympathy to his wife Audrey
and his children Edward Jr., Sarah Rose, Thomas and
Amylou.
Senator "Ed" Speno was indeed a man among men.,
He was a man who loved the political arena and fought
hard to stay in the ring. He gave of himself and the
world is indeed a better place because he. passed
through it. He will be missed.
Thursday, February 18,1971 10c per copy
Senator Speno Urged Car Rental
Agencies to "Close Safety Gap"
Editors' Note: This was the last
release we received from Ed
Speno and is in keeping with the
effort he put forth for his con­stituency.
Senator Edward J. Speno,
Chairman of the National Motor
Vehicle Safety Advisory Council
and the New York State Joint
Legislative Committee on
Transportation, called on the car
and truck rental industry "to
dose the safety gap in the
vehicles you rent to the public,
halt the rental of trailer and truck
type units to drivers who are
incompetent or ignorant of their
use and report defects in cars in
their fleets to the Department of
Transportation on an annual
basis." Speno said that he was
filing a series of bills today aimed
at bringing "promises in the
rental industry closer to per­formance."
In a speech scheduled last
Thursday morning before the Car
and Truck Renting and Leasing
Association Convention in Miami,
Florida, Speno said, "Through
your own ingenuity you have
carved out an industry that has
become the vital link in the
mobility chain of this nation. At
the same time, however, you are
straining that very link by a
tendency to rent whatever
moves. It isn't enough to "put
people in the driver's seat." You
must see that the seat is safe, and
this holds true no matter what
your number is in the business."
Speno, who has become known
as "the legislative conscience of
automotive safety, uv the nation"
stated that he had "a three point
plan that will help you do this
quickly, efficiently, if not
.painlessly and I am today filing
legislation to put it into operation
in New York State."
The first bill of the Speno plan
calls for a law requiring all rental
contracts to provide a place for
listing defects found on rented
cars. The second bill prohibits the
re-renting of vehicles until these
defects are corrected. The third
bill requires a thorough safety
inspection every six months
instead of every year, of every
. vehicle in a renter's fleet.
"With more than 400,000 short
term rental cars on our roads-an
increase of over 200 percent since
1969--we must be certain that
they are as safe as they are
convenient. You are asking
people to drive vehicles with
which they are completely un­familiar,
through a countryside
with whfbh they are often
unacquainted, in cars which may
become safety hazards."
Speno said he recognized that
"The responsibility for building a
safe car was not the renter's, but
the manufacturer's." However,
he pointed out that "The renting
and leasing industry as the
largest single customer of Detroit
can be a potent force in bringing
a safety car into being. It is a
power which you must use. As
chairman of the National Motor
Vehicle Safety Advisory Council,
I am today requesting that the
Secretary of Transportation issue
a regulation requiring that car
renting and leasing companies
report defects on an annual basis.
The information you supply could
very well save thousands of lives
a year, for you can be in­strumental
in pinpointing the
(Continued on Page 3)
Bruins Bruised
By Syosset,
Massapequa
The Bethpage Bruins must .
continue to search for their first
victory in the Senior "A"
Division of Town of Oyster Bay
Ice Hockey League competition
after suffering three brutal
defeats last week.
The Syosset Rangers, led by
the high-scoring trio of Ray
Seeback, Chris Blohm and Brian
Eckel, turned in 8-4 and 20-1
verdicts against the Bruins.
Seeback and Eckel each scored
five times in the 20-goal game.
The Massapeque Blackhawks
completed the week of misery
with an 11-1 victory over <•••
Bethpage.
Bethpage teams are hardly a
doormat in other divisions, ! a f e l £^ 9&--«*m
five divisions with a 9-0 record in
Junior "B"; the Bethpage
Seahawks top Junior "C" with 5-
1-1 record and the Bethpage •»
Clippers are tied for first with the
Massapequa Marlins in Senior
"B" with a 7-1-2 slate.
The Bethpage Flyers, who had
been searching for their first
victory in Junior "A", turned in
two stunning wins. Paul Gentile,
Steve Allen and Rich Hilton led
the Flyers to 7-3 and 8-0 decisions
over the Syosset Comets.
TOWN OF OYSTER BAY
HOCKEY LEAGUES
STANDINGS AS OF
FEB 3,1971
SENIOR A DIVISION
W L T Pts
16
14
16
16
15
12
12
10
Syosset
Rangers
Massapequa
Blackhawks
Bethpage
Bruins
8 2 0
7 2 0
0 110
SENIOR B DIVISION
Massapequa
Marlins
Bethpage
Clippers
Massapequa
Kings
Syosset
RedWings
Bethpage
Rovers
Syosset
Royals
Massapequa
Blades
Syosset
Maple Leafs
Bethpage
Blues
8 2 0
7 2 2
7 2 1
6 3 0
5 2 2
5 7 0
2 9 2
2 9 0
1 7 2
JUNIOR A DIVISION
Massapequa
Rockets
Syosset
Comets
Bethpage
Flyers
7 0 2
4 0
2 7 2
JUNIOR BDIV
Bethpage
North Stars
Massapequa
Penguins
(Continued
9 0 0
6 3 0
on Page 7)
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