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Bellmore • Merrick VOLUME 1, NUMBER 4
IN PRINT & ONLINE
JANUARY 2014
John DeTommaso Talks About the Future ...
Kennedy's Intel Semifinal Winners...
Chuck Fuschillo private citizen, new challenges What's New in your Neighborhood...
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NEWS
Your NewsMag
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Addressing the Core Curriculum Blues
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ith hundreds to possibly thousands of parents upset over the new Core Curriculum Learning Standards, several came from as far as East Islip, Oceanside, East Meadow and Hewlett to hear several educators discuss current shortcomings in the new system of learning at a recent Comunity Education Forum Merrick meeting sponsored by Jeanettte Deutermann, founder of the Facebook group Long Island Opt-Out. The Core Curriculum has been in place since 2010 and only now, with high
stakes testing and schools and teachers under the gun to teach students to pass rigorous testing – in addition to send local student information to a database pool operated by the state - have parents taken notice to speak out at such meetings. The Facebook group has 15,000 followers. “We are ground zero for the movement against Common Core,” Deutermann told this magazine after the meeting, which featured Carol Burris, principal of South Side High School; Joseph Rella, superintendent of Comewogue School District; Merrick resident Dr. Arnold Dodge, chairperson of the Department of Edeucaitonal Leadership at LIU/Post, and Brian Wasson, a technology training specialist. Whatever changes are made to the nature of how Common Core operates – or does not – will begin first on Long Island before rippling throughout the rest of the state and the country, she said.
While Superintendent Rella discussed how children have become anxious about rigorous testing , which is causing self-abuse, and that young students are becoming discouraged and doubting themselves because of the tests – “this is a special time for them, they won’t get this time back,” Principal Burris tried to show that numbers were manipulated to arrive at arbitrary goals of what percentages of students will fail or not, creating inaccuracies about how real education is taught. “It is totally capricious,” she said. She added that, because educators have not been implementers at the state level, the new rigorous testing is not really about testing student learning but about testing how well teachers prepare the tests, and about how well schools prepare teachers to prepare the tests. Dr. Dodge said he traveled to Finland and China, looking for standards referred to in the Common Core as goals for the curriculum to reach for. Finland, he said, has only 4 million people, and no poverty.
And in Shanghai, where the elite schools are, he said residents there would love to come to any elite schools in the U.S. Brian Watson said that the state will require email addresses of parents and a host of other information that will be stored on state computers – in the cloud - rather than in local schools. He noted the potential for breaches and hacking was quite high, and conveyed concern that inBloom, the third-party vendor working on the massive data collection, might store the data offshore, where breaches would be subject to local laws of essential and personal U.S. data. “How would we litigate that?” he asked. Shadows of the government picking and choosing students' future trajectories in life appeared to be cast in describing what massive data collection could be used for. Deutermann told parents they had the power to simply keep their children from taking the tests, and that by doing so there would be no scores to collect, which could affect the overall data collection at the state level.
NEWS
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Li’l Left Coast is Bikepath Expansion Continues Comin’ to Bellmore E
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eft Coast Kitchen and Cocktails, at 1810 Merrick Road in Merrick, an ambitious restaurant looking to be your neighborhood eatery with an eclectic assortment of savory foods, from steaks and seafoods to choice poultries and other gastronomical creations, is opening a second location in Bellmore as early as March. Chef Chris Randell told this magazine he will turn Spiro’s Italian eatery at 2496 Merrick Road, into a takeout kitchen first, and eventually provide tables for those who would like to sit and indulge in what Randell calls ‘chef-driven’ delights. “My wife and I are from Bellmore and we can’t find what we consider good take out in the area,” he explained of the decision to open a second eatery. He says he started the Left Coast in the same fashion. “When we moved to Bellmore we couldn’t find a restaurant to satisfy our food interests,” so they found Road House Blues up for sale and opened it to cook up what they considered real American gastronomical treats for the
neighborhoods to try. The restaurant has now been there four-and-a-half years. Matthew Schwartz of Wantagh and his wife come to the restaurant once a week. “My wife and I go out to eat several times a week and he [Randell] is by far the best chef in the neighborhood,” he said. He loves the mix of flavors and foods that provide for an unmatched dining experience. Chef Randell is trained in the heathy food stylings of California cuisine while adding the sophistication of Manhattan cuisines to arrive at his eclectic approach to cooking. For his takeout he’ll offer mac ‘n cheese, hamburgers and chicken wings but says, “Why not offer cavatelli with tasso ham, English peas, chartelles with mushrooms and reggiano cheese for dinner take out too?” While admitting the cost may be slightly higher, he says he is focused on quality. He hopes the Li'l Left Coast can see its way to offer tapas eventually. Delivery will be a feature of the new takeout restaurant. For information call the Left Coast at 868-5338.
xpansion of the Jones Beach bike path - or Wantagh shared-used path, which begins at Cedar Creek Park in Wantagh, follows Wantagh Parkway south and winds past Nikon at Jones Beach Theater on its way to the Jones Beach boardwalk, has begun on the eastward link to Tobay Beach. Called the Ocean Parkway Coastal Greenway, the 13-foot wide tarmac will extend 3.6 miles eastward to Tobay Beach from Jones Beach State Park parking field 5 at a cost of $3.8 million, and roll into a large concession stand at the western edge of Tobay Beach. Once completed by spring, recreationalists will be able to travel by bicycle or walk from Cedar Creek Park to Tobay Beach, a distance of 8.8 miles. Completion of the eastern link will fulfill a dream of former state Senator Norman J. Levy, who envisioned a bicycle path east along the Ocean Parkway. New York State Department of Transportation spokeswoman Eileen Peters told this magazine that the original plan of the bike path
was to run all the way out to Captree State Park. However, residents of Gilgo Beach are skeptical of the bike path running through their beach community without a more comprehensive privacy plan to protect them, she said. Charles Fuschillo Jr., former chairperson of the state’s Transportation Committee, said he was glad to see final construction of the bike path on Ocean Parkway east now taking place. “It’s about time,” he said. “Runners, bicyclists and walkers have been using the Wantagh shared-use path down to Jones Beach for a long time,” he explained. And they have remained patient in anticipation of being able to bicycle and walk along the parkway and points east, as part of an overall educational and recreational experience, he added. State Assemblyman Dave McDonough added that “With the completion of this project Long Islanders can enjoy 8.8 miles of paved paths, which connect the islands beautiful beaches.”
Michael Vitti, president of the Concerned Long Island Mountain Bicyclists, said, “ People who live [in the Bellmores and Merricks can] now have an option to use their car less, reducing traffic to the beach while also increasing bicycle tourism on Long Island. It’s a win win with the health benefits and air pollution reduction as well.” The greenway to Tobay Beach meets the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disability Act and will include a cable guiderail to protect users from Ocean Parkway traffic. The project also includes enhanced landscaping, educational signs, informational kiosks, benches and storage for 24 bicycles at Tobay Beach. Path users will also have access to the Tobay beach facilities, including the bay and ocean beaches, restaurant and playground. Visit www.511ny.org/rideshare/ rideshare.aspx?FolderID=149 or www.dot.ny.gov/display/programs/bicycle for information on bicycling on Long lsland.
Calling All Historians
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he Charles Frisch house at 2668 Martin Avenue in Bellmore will be up for landmark status consideration when it goes before the Hempstead Town Board at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, February 11. All historians with an interest in maintaining earlyLongIslandstructuresand architecture may want to attend. The 105-year-old Victorian Folk Gothic-style home was built by Charles Frisch, now considered an entrepreneurial builder in the Bellmore area who built and owned the Clarkson Hotel, close to where the Vamps Club is now located. Frisch once advertised for a ‘live-in girl’ to clean and maintain the house in a local newspaper. Owned by Walter Eisenhardt, Jr. since 2007, the 2400-square-foot Frisch house was built in 1909. Ei-
senhardt researched Frisch and learned that he had extensive ties to the communities as a businessman and a builder. “He is one of the community’s first entrepreneurs,” said Eisenhardt, and he deserves to have his house recognized. Frisch’s ties go deep, said Eisenhardt. “He built 2400-square-foot bungalows at High Hill Beach on casino land owned by R.T. Wilmarth.” Wilmarth also ran the ferry from Bellmore to High Hill
Beach. When High Hill Beach eventually dissolved, about 50 bungalows were moved to Gilgo Beach. Many still stand. The house features 1919 Robert Findlay chandeliers with Fenton glass, heaters from an original 1865 design and a Philco radio built in to the fireplace. Homeowners would gather around the fireplace in those days and listen the radio, Eisenhardt said. Eisenhardt added that Frisch also owned a boat he kept docked in Freeport, where he was suspected of being a rum runner during prohibition. When Frisch died, the local newspaper reported that he died of cirrhosis of the liver. Members of the Bellmore Historical Society are expected to attend the landmark hearing.
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JANUARY 2014 | №4
Your NewsMag
Ring In the New Year! January 2014 brings many exciting changes
☞ TABLE OF CONTENTS ● PAGES 2, 3: NEWS Core Curriculum Blues; bike path expansion continues; calling all historians; Li’l Left Coast Comin’ to Bellmore
● PAGE 6: COVER STORY Former state Senator Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. Takes to the Private Sector. State Senator Charles Fuschillo Jr. resigned his public office after 16 years to enter the private sector once again. We profile him to get the whys – and where he’s going
● PAGE 9: SCHOOLS Kennedy Students are Intel Semifinalists. The role the naivete of innocence can play in incarceration; how the shapes of dolls such as Barbie may contribute to early dieting disorders in girls; and the very real need for new global warming standards
● PAGE 12: FEATURE Former Teacher, Assistant Principal: Superintendent DeTommaso Looks to the Future DeTomasso reveals his thoughts on the bond issue, budgets and the biggest educational challenge in 20 years: the Core Curriculum ● PAGE 16: AROUND THE TOWNS Photos of new establishments opening around Bellmore and Merrick
● PAGE 21: HEALTH MATTERS Treating Heel Spurs; Inflammation May Link Gum Diseases and Other Illnesses; Preventative Medicine as a Healthy Balance ● PAGE 23: ENTERTAINMENT Kennedy High School to Host it First Talent Show; Something to Wine About ● WHO’S WHO AT YOUR NEWSMAG Advertising Editing Jill Bromberg Doug Finlay Online Reporting Erin Donohue Linda Delmonico Prussen, Dylan Campbell Contact us with story ideas and news at: edit@yournewsmag.com info@yournewsmag.com Or, to advertise, Jill@yournewsmag.com P.O. Box 15, Bellmore, New York 11710 Bellmore • Merrick
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t is hard to believe that 2014 is here. The years come and go so fast. It’s funny how time as a child seemed to almost stand still, and now time passes by in a blink. Though I am not quite sure why. Perhaps watching children grow and change before our eyes makes us more aware of the passage of time. It seems like yesterday when I peeked my head in the window at Chatterton to see my son in kindergarten. Now my son is taller than I am, in high school, looking forward to driving a car and working over the summer. This year I made sure to see the holiday concerts at Calhoun, Kennedy and Mepham High schools. What a blast, talk about musical kids. A big thank you to the students that reached me at Your NewsMag to send the invite. So many talented students are proud to represent their schools. It brings me joy to see them perform. I remember some of them as young children. Photos from all three concerts are available on facebook.com/ yournewsmag. A big round of applause to all! And now to community matters. Our fine state Senator Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. resigned after many years of service to our communities and to the state of New York. Chuck welcomed us into his home for an exclusive interview with Your NewsMag about his new journey into the private sector, where he is poised to reach millions more who honestly need and will appreciate his help. I would like to add a personal note of appreciation for his dedication and hard work. Everyone that I know who has had the privilege to work with Charles Fuschillo looks at him with admiration and respect. Living in Merrick I am sure many of you know someone in the Fuschillo family and would agree with me that they are wonderful people. Your Newsmag wishes him much success in his new role as private citizen and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The next piece of good news is business appears to be thriving in the Bellmores and Merricks. Many new stores have opened their doors in our neighborhoods. Still other businesses are expanding into larger spaces to accommodate their growing success. Check page 16 in this month’s edition of Your NewsMag for what we discovered simply while driving around the neighborhoods to glimpse what is new and available around town. Success should always be noted and rewarded so … congratulations to one of our long-time businesses in Bellmore, Have You Heard? for winning the prestigious WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award for 2014. January is also the month when members of our local chambers of commerce are sworn in to office
and celebrate by honoring those that have given back to the community in so many ways. Congratulations to all of the Chamber of Commerce 2014 Honorees. Here’s the Who’s Who
BELLMORE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Board Member of the Year: Steve Eplan of Rock Underground Chamber Person of the Year: Jackie Fithian of Vital Signs Community Person of the Year: Andrea Chirico Lifetime Achievement Award: The Camileri Family of Dear Little Dollies
MERRICK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Woman of the Year: Adrienne Garfinkel Man of the Year: Randy Shotland Special Recognition Award for 75th Anniversary Celebration of Merrick Life: Linda Laursen Toscano and Paul Laursen A note of gratitude to all who volunteer and serve on the board of the Chambers of Commerce of the Bellmores and Merricks for their efforts to make our communities shine. Lastly, I would like to commemorate the many decades of service Roy Weinman has given to the community. His store will be sorely missed. It had been an integral part of the Bedford Avenue business environment since his father opened it in the 1920s. My husband has many memories of visits to Weinman’s to buy either lawnmower parts or a snow shovel in the winter in the 1960s, long before there was a Home Depot. Our hats are off to you Roy. Your NewsMag is your grassroots community news magazine. If you know of something that is newsworthy please let us know. If your business is having an anniversary or someone in your family is celebrating a special occasion, we want to know. After all, your news is our news. A happy and healthy new year to all our readers!
Jill Bromberg
PUBLISHER JILL@YOURNEWSMAG.COM
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COVER STORY
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Charles Fuschillo Embraces the Private Sector vate citizen Charles Fuschillo told this magazine in his first interview since resigning. “I’m a commuter now, I take the Long Island Rail Road and buy a monthly ticket.” But there’s no first-class seating, we charged back. No, there isn’t, he laughed. After 16 years as the New York State representative of the Eighth Senatorial District, which covers the Bellmores and the Merricks among other neighborhoods and communities on the South Shore, private citizen and Merokian Charles Fuschillo has affectively taken his love of serving the people to the next logical level. “I won’t simply be helping people in my own senatorial district anymore,” he explained, “I’ll be helping people all over the country.” There seemed a gleam in his eyes as he spoke the words.
HOW IT HAPPENED While helping thousands in the state with a new autism bill, he will help millions of alzheimer's sufferers in his new role.
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umor spread quickly in the street after a New Year’s Eve Day mid-morning email blast announcing the sudden, irreversible resignation of Merrick resident Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. from the elected office of New York State Senator for the Eighth Senatorial District at 11:59 p.m., to become chief executive officer of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. “He’s likely under investigation,” remarked one Bellmore woman. “Trust me,’ she continued, “I know these politicians.” “He has ties to a lot of people,” a Merrick resident spoke, agreeing with the Bellmore woman’s comment. Any investigation would follow him wherever he went, this magazine offered in modest response, he couldn’t hide from it in another office. Another long-time resident, upon hearing the news that morning, pondered for a mo-
ment the possible implications for hundreds of residents if such news were correct. “His acts of kindness to thousands in the community” are legendary, the resident said. “What could he possibly be thinking?” He then lighted upon the idea Fuschillo may be preparing for a run against U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy’s Fourth Congressional District seat. Redistricting brought Democratic Rep. McCarthy into the Bellmores and Merricks and now she has announced she will no longer run for office as she is being treated for lung cancer. “Going to a national foundation would give him the exposure he needs in Washington,” the resident said, to mount a campaign. But these premature truths - as rumors are sometimes defined will not play out this time. Rather, “I spent New Year’s Day in my new office in New York City,” pri-
Burt Brodsky, chairman of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, was speaking with Fuschillo one evening when Brodsky simply mentioned that the foundation was looking for a new CEO. “I’m in business and I’m in healthcare and I know all the guys, such as Dean Skelos and Craig Johnson,” he said. “I know Chuck and have always admired him,” he said. In light conversation he told Fuschillo the foundation was looking for a director and that if he wasn’t in public office he would love to have him as a director. That belief was reinforced when Brodsky learned during the meeting that Fuschillo had been chief operating officer of the non-profit Educational Assistance Corporation, overseeing a staff of roughly 400. Fuschillo graduated from Adelphi University in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics. “I asked him to consider the position,” Brodsky said. Now that Fuschillo’s on board? “I couldn’t dream of a more per-
fect candidate to get the job done,” he answered. Remember, he said, “he didn’t have to take the job, I had to sell it to him.” He’ll grow the organization, Brodsky continued. Fifty million people are affected in one way or the other by Alzheimer’s and, right now, he said the foundation may reach 750,000-to-1 million. But Brodsky believes Fuschillo could help the organization reach out to as many as 10 million.
THE FINAL STATE OF THE STATE Fuschillo was relaxed in his home when we spoke with him. He had a train to catch but didn’t appear concerned. When the interview ran past and his wife Ellen had to leave - his ride to the station, he stayed but asked to hitch a ride to the station with this reporter. About the 2014 state budget, his last as a state senator, he said the state was finally in an economic rebound. As a Republican with sensible fiscal acumen, he was heard to applaud New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo a Democrat, at the 2012 Nassau County Chambers of Commerce breakfast and awards ceremony as a governor “we all could work with, finally a partner” in getting the state’s fiscal house in order. He said in 2014 there would be a surplus in the budget for tax relief, buoyed by recent reports from Governor Cuomo that he would indeed propose tax cuts for residents of the state. Fuschillo said that the surplus would once again allow for more state funding to schools in the form of state aid, though he wouldn’t speculate on numbers. Of government, he said he loved the work he did in the state Legislature and, in fact, was ready to get back to Albany for new sessions on the floor. But, serendipitously, he was approached by Brodsky at the Alzheimer’s foundation who provided him with information of what could only be described of as a dream job.
He wasn’t looking for work, he says, always motivated because “there is always such potential to affect peoples’ lives in a positive way in the legislature.” But, “How many times may anyone ever get an opportunity to help literally millions of people?” he asked, after having helped literally thousands in his own district. Indeed, he likened the sudden breath of fresh air in taking on new responsibilities for the foundation to the date of March 25, 1998, when he first won election after being asked by the Republican establishment to run in the district to fill the shoes of the legendary Norman Levy. It is as exhilarating once more as it was then, he said. With 1600 member offices around the country, Fuschillo understands the mission is to provide the leadership necessary to lead the way forward in the care and assistance of those affected with Alzheimer’s, and to assist those family members whose loved ones are afflicted with the incurable disease. “The foundation is now developing a national plan on how to best approach the care of Alzheimer’s,” he remarked. Among aspects of the plan are accelerate the hire of licensed social workers from all over the nation, and provide new, more critical training for dementia. “I’ve had close friends who have been touched by Alzheimer’s,” he said, and he is glad at the opportunity to work within his compassionate capacity to alleviate the suffering where he can. “Five million suffer from Alzheimer’s now,” he continued, and it is expected that that number will double to 10 million in the next five years,” he explained. There is $200 billion a year spent on all aspects of Alzheimer’s, he said, and there are 50,000 people on Long Island alone who suffer from the disease. Ellen Fuschillo, his wife and prominent Merrick resident in her own right, is thrilled with his new
COVER STORY
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job. “I’m selfish,” she said, “I’m glad when he’s home more so I can see him.” For the Fuschillo family it means more time together. Fourteen-year-old Catie is a freshman at Kennedy High School , 19-year-old Chad is a sophomore in college and 23-year-old Daniel is in his first year of law school. His schedule as a state senator involved him being in Albany for six months of the year, and six months at home attending to tens of meetings with constituent groups, civics groups and office work.
A LIFE TAKES SHAPE Fuschillo grew up in Westbury, attending Carle Place High School and graduating in 1978. His mother was executive director of Westbury Chamber of Commerce, being owner of a real estate company. And his father was an elected councilman for the Town of North Hempstead. He remembers being a 15-year-old who gladly drove around with his father to see what types of things could be do-
Fuschillo has always been a hit with students. ne to make small improvements in the town – a door needs to be changed here, we’ll fix this fence, that sewer drain can be cleaned. These early experiences with his father coupled with his mother’s job at the chamber clearly shaped the direction his life would ultimately take.
But his early indoctrination may go farther back than that, he said. “I remember when I was 5 or 6 years old I was in the back of a pickup truck throwing out promotional bottle caps for Jack Kingston, who was a state assemblyman from 1960-74, and who was majority leader from 1969-74.”
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In addition to his work as chief operating officer of the EAC, Fuschillo worked as Nassau’s chief deputy county clerk in 1995-96, and was an assistant press secretary for Joe Mondello, now Republican boss. State Assemblyman Dave McDonough of the 19th State Assembly District commented on Fuschillo’s move, saying he had garnered tremendous respect in both houses of the legislature and on both sides of the aisle as a strong but fair fighter for his constituency. “He was a great friend of mine, a mentor and we covered the same district. I will miss him greatly. “ He added that the move into the Alzheimer’s Foundation was indeed a perfect move for Fuschillo that will only help strengthen the growing community that is helping to fight the dreaded disease. “He’s a great organizer and a tremendous asset.” Nassau County Legislator for the 19th Legislative District, Dave Denenberg said "My friend served
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the people of his district extremely well for a long time, and I wish him the best in his new endeavors. I will miss his friendship as a fellow-elected public official who was very effective in getting things accomplished. " Among Fuschillo’s accomplishments were authorship of over 200 laws, including Leandra’s Law on drunk driving, the landmark Do Not Call Registry and the passage the autism law, which requires insurance companies to pay for autism healthcare. As one of eight Long Island state senators who worked tirelessly to make a difference in securing school funding for Long Island schools when the perception in Albany is that Long Island is an affluent area that needs little funding , he remarked that the contingent of state senators - which he helped organize and includes state assemblymen - will be able to continue the fight for more fair funding for Long Island without missing a step … even if he is no longer there. - DF
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Diplomate American Board of Podiatric Surgery. Board Certified Foot Surgery. Board Certified Reconstructive Rear Foot/Ankle Surgery. Fellow American College of Foot & Ankle Surgery.
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SCHOOLS
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Kennedy Students Garner Intel Semifinal Honors
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he role the naiveté of innocence can play in incarceration; how the shapes of dolls such as Barbie may contribute to early dieting disorders in girls; and the very real need for new global warming standards won honors for Kennedy High School seniors Rachel Abramowitz, Rebecca Jellinek and Ben November, respectively, as semifinalists in the 2014 Intel Science Talent Search contest. The three students are part of the district’s prestigious advanced science research program. The students also become the 32nd, 33rd and 34th students from Kennedy alone to become semifinalists. Their papers culminate three years of work under the tutelage of advanced science research teachers Barbi Frank, Barbara Franklin and Helmut Schleith of the ASR program. “I’ve had the honor of working with these students for the past three years,” said Frank. “I’ve had the privilege of watching them
grow from coming into the classroom unsure of what they wanted to study to developing into scientists.” She added that to become Intel semifinalists is indeed prestigious. “It’s due to all of their hard work and dedication,” she said.
NAIVETÉ AS VULNERABILITY Rachel Abramowitz’s research project in the social sciences, “Why Innocent People Comply with Police Requests: The Role of Just World Beliefs and Public Self Consciousness,” introduced the terms Just World Beliefs and Public Self Consciousness into everyday discourse but applied them to a very specific and well-known social subject: Amanda Knox, the young American woman who spent time in an Italian prison for a crime she says she didn’t commit. “When I first came to this class in 10th grade I wanted to study serial killers,” she told this magazine. She quickly learned it wasn’t feasible to
do because serial killers are in prisons and simply can’t talk to students. Her contact with the Pyscho-Pathological Society then lead her to Dr. Saul Kassin, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City, who suggested she read articles he had written about innocent people who had given up their Miranda rights in police interrogations – and why people would confess to crimes they didn’t commit. “He also told me about the case of Amanda Knox.” Rachel signed on to whatever he was teaching and devoured several articles he had written. Through constant email contact with him he eventually introduced her to the
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phenomena of just-world beliefs and the illusion of transparency. In just world, ideally, good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. One might add that good people could blame bad people for things that happen to them, in order to believe that a just world does in fact exist. In the illusion, Rachel said that “the internal state is more apparent than it actually is,” that there may be an overestimation of how people view themselves. Rachel, who will give a talk on her project at the American Psychology Law Society Conference in New Orleans in March as the youngest presenter ever to speak in front of doctors, graduate students, professors and researchers, received permission from the Institutional Review Board at John Jay with the help of Dr. Kassin, her mentor, to conduct an experiment. The experiment, a survey using volunteers obtained over Ama-
zon’s Mechanical Turk, was conducted with the help of a doctoral student of Dr. Kassin’s. In the survey, 50% were shown an innocent vignette (story) in which they were placed in a hypothetical crime in which the predetermined outcome was one of innocence. Of course, the subjects did not know it was preordained; they knew simply that they were innocent. The other 50% were given a guilty vignette and were ultimately guilty of a crime, and believed themselves to be guilty. All participants were then exposed to a nine-question questionnaire given by a high-ranking police official that asked questions about access to rights such as Miranda, about searching one’s home and car, et. al. Important to the study is a scale designed from 0-to-20 that indicates one’s commitment and belief to just world and self-consciousness, or the illusion of transparency. The number 0 indicates the [CONT. ON PAGE 10]
Working Hard For You… Wo Dear Lorraine, e January, January 2014 2 It’s amazing that it was exactly one year ago that we met, at the beginning of preparing to get my old house on the market. Life has been hectic and exciting in recent months, but I can finally write to thank you properly. From the first day, your advice was invaluable-from helping to clear out the clutter that had piled up during 14 years and the raising of two children in that home, to suggestions on how to show off the best features of the house. When we needed help with repairs and finishing projects that were left undone, you referred us to wonderful, knowledgeable professionals. From missing permits, to pet management you found solutions to every problem that came up. By following your advice, we got several offers within just a few weeks, and we were in contract just 6 weeks after the first open house showing! That was «phase one». The next challenge was to find me a new home for me and my daughters – and the dogs. Again, you guided me to the best, most knowledgeable, advisers. The mortgage broker you recommended was a wizard, and both you and he really held my hand through the whole process. Finding a home for us within my limited budget was challenging, especially since Hurricane Sandy had forced thousands of people into most of the previously available small houses and apartments. Every time I began to lose hope of finding something appropriate, your support and reassurance lifted my spirits. I’ll never forget getting a call from you at almost 10 p.m. one night, to inform me that a promising house had just been listed. You tracked down the listing broker and got us an appointment to see it the next day – it was the one! Within a few days, my offer was accepted and I was in contract. My closing seemed to take forever, but you and my mortgage broker continued to stay on top of the process and reassure me every step of the way. What a journey – from the first day we met to discuss selling my old house, to the closing on my new home – we talked almost every day for 8 months. No wonder I miss you! Elly Tenenbaum, Former Merrick Resident
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SCHOOLS
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[CONT. FROM PAGE 9] low end of the belief scale , and the number 20 indicates the high end of belief. It was determined that those who had a high degree of just world belief and self-consciousness were more cooperative than those who scored low. Or, those who believed in their innocence were more cooperative and willing to talk. And therein lay the problem: Just world beliefs combined with the illusion of transparency can create a sense in a person that everyone will know about – and see - their innocence because they believe it to be true, so they feel confident to open up and give up any legal rights they have. Amanda Knox, said Rachel, was so sure of her innocence that when confronted with persistent police questioning that challenged her innocence and the illusion of transparency - that everyone should know she’s not guilty - and made her look guilty her beliefs and the illusion broke down. She became so confused with her just world belief that she confessed to a crime she didn’t commit. Her naiveté, her sureness in her innocence, worked against her!
While Knox was released from the Italian prison and returned home, she was again indicted for the same murder in Italy. She has no plans to return. Meanwhile, Rachel hopes to study clinical psychology and has applied to Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. She happens to be on the varsity swim team, too, where she was a county finalist in the 100-metre butterfly stroke.
GLOBAL WARMING MEASUREMENTS DEBUNKED Senior Ben November, in his project called “Measurement of Leaf Properties to Improve the Parameterization Used by Earth System Models to Estimate the Maximum Capacity of C02 Uptake in the Artic,” set out to prove that “what if everything we thought about global warming was going to happen … but didn’t?” “I always liked science and the environment,” he said of first entering the ASR class in 10th grade, so he set out quickly to create a project to work on. “I emailed schools for mentors to help me figure out what
project I could do,” he said. During the summer between the 10th and 11th grades he got a project at the City College of New York working on activated carbon material to create a more efficient bio filter. After working 200-300 hours on the project, it turned out “my material wasn’t a good filter.” So, like a young scientist, he went in another direction to see what new opportunities were available. He learned of Allister Rodgers at the Brookhaven National Laboratory who was working on a project about the future of climate change. Rodgers was collaborating with some scientists in Alaska about carbon dioxide absorption in leaf plants that trigger photosynthesis, and possible irregularities in the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio in comparison to those in Early System Models used to predict global warming. If higher values of Vc,max, the “measurement used to maximize capacity to fix carbon dioxide to perform photosynthesis,” are showing up in leaf plants in the Arctic, then current ESM to predict global warming could be far askew
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their intended purpose in calculating the spread and effect of global warming. Rodgers went to Alaska and brought back 223 samples of 11 species of leaves growing in the Arctic. At the lab from 11th-to12th grade Ben received the samples and went about dividing the 223 samples into 446 samples. “I weighted and grouped them to create a surplus of two groups of samples,” he said. From there he “used a carbon-nitrogen-hydrogen analyzer in the lab to give me the data of CHN in each leaf sample.” He then used the data to perform a statistical analysis on the samples that also measured the amount of CHN over a specific area of the leaf – equally critical in determining any measurements.
“If plants have a larger Vc,max ratio it means they can take in more carbon dioxide,” Ben said. And, if values the lab discovered were higher than those in current earth system models, then “larger values mean larger discrepancies in the earth model systems at present,” he announced. ESMs need to incorporate this data as it relates to the absorption of carbon dioxide in the Arctic to more accurately reflect measurements in global warming around the planet, Ben said. It could have widespread socio-economic implications in future planning if, as he said, “What if everything we thought about global warming was going to happen … but didn’t?” On the Kennedy football team and track team, Ben is looking at becoming an engineer, “environmental, electrical or a mechanical engineer in aerospace,” he told this magazine. He also volunteers at the patient information desk at Winthrop Hospital on Sundays, he wanted us to [CONT. ON PAGE 14] know.
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FEATURE
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Former Teacher, Assistant Principal: Superintendent DeTommaso Looks to the Future
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assage of last November’s $49.684 Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District school bond put new superintendent John DeTommaso in the right place at the right time. A short four months after taking the seat as the school’s new chief, he will now have his name inscribed as the superintendent who oversaw the remake of the central district into one in which new science classes caught up with 21st century science tools and methods, buildings were completely modernized with cutting-edge contemporary features - and school fields were ‘permanently’ upgraded. And those are just the facilities. Not insignificant, perhaps, for a man who is first and foremost an educator and who fewer than 15 years earlier was a social studies teacher at Mepham High School and Calhoun’s assistant principal. “The bond was true democracy in action,” he told this magazine recently. “The board did an indepth study of costs and of the facilities” and, together, decisions were made to take it to the residents for their input as to whether these challenging issues - of vast school repairs to numbers of buildings - were tangible enough to vote on to significantly improve while bringing with it new opportunities for students to learn. “Now the bond puts the district on track for future generations to learn and succeed using the best of what the schools have to offer the children,” DeTommaso continued. The bond, with a life of 15 years, will cost residents $104 per year over that time span, and was accepted by voters across the Bellmores and Merricks on a 56% -to-44% vote. Naturally, 44% of those who voted against had issues with either anticipated new synthetic turf being installed on all five fields, or of science labs already being suffi-
cient – tens of students have become Intel Semifinalists (see pages 9, 10, 14) and Siemens Competition Finalists using those same labs, why the costs for more?
NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS But the new bond combines construction of new fields and science labs to promise much more, DeTommaso said. “We’ll be able to bring in a new culinary program to Kennedy, which will bring students back into the schools” rather than have them to go to BOCES, he said. That will increase state aid. A new broadcast media center will be built at Mepham, involving students in the rigors of broadcast journalism and media production. Calhoun will be able to grow its fine arts and drama programs that encourage more students to delve into the performing arts. He stepped aside momentarily to note that a delicate issue from the recent past, that of closing the Long Islands School of the Arts program for a select number of students who attended the LI Arts high school and who were bussed daily, was already being addressed with what he and the board believed were comparable programs within the high school campuses themselves, such as expansion of Calhoun’s On Tour program, the exceptional art programs in the school and the soon to be added broadcast center and culinary programs. “Whatever kids in science can do now - and they can do great things such as being named Intel Semifinal winners, think what they will be able to do with new science classrooms,” DeTommaso remarked. Kick it up a notch? we asked. He nodded with a smile. Students, he said, can come in in larger numbers and be proud of
many new experiments they will be able to conduct that lead to answers they are searching for. “That’s what education is all about: making it fun for students to learn.” The bond further promises to turn existing buildings into more efficient learning facilities with stateof-the-art heating and cooling. As an educator who studied history and political science at Johns Hopkins University to earn his baccalaureate, and Hofstra University to earn his masters in secondary education, he spends little time discussing – and showed reserve in discussing it during this interview - an extracurricular activity he thoroughly enjoyed while taking up the educational mantle. He is a hall-of-fame athlete enshrined in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame for his years of play on the U.S. Lacrosse team – 1986, ’90, ’94 and ’98, a team that played internationally. “I was a student athlete growing up,” he said. “My father was a director of guidance
at Farmingdale High School” so he was always interested in teaching and the educational process. “I focused on teaching and learning,” he said. “I wanted to be a master teacher” to understand how children learned, why one learned differently from another, for example. He just happened to like playing lacrosse. As happenstance has it, he coached lacrosse during his years at Mepham, 1988-89, while teaching social studies. He quickly moved to a position in the administration before an opening became available for an assistant principal at Calhoun, a position he then held from 1996 to 2003.
A PASSIONATE EDUCATOR It’s not surprising, then, to hear him speak passionately about the Central High School District, its underpinnings, its workings and its aspirations toward seeing that its students receive the best education any student can attain anywhere. “I believe in academic rig-
ors, to stretch capabilities to enable students to take AP courses if they want,” he said. He called the Central High School District among the best districts anywhere, in which students sign letters of intent to attend Harvard, MIT, Adelphi and a host of other well-known institutions of higher learning in their senior – and some junior – years. Of course, his expressions stand as certifiable proof in the face of the biggest challenge facing the educational system in at least 20 years: The Core Curriculum Learning Standards (CCLS). He mentioned that, while there are several challenges that lay ahead in implementing them in the school district, the school district was indeed moving quickly to absorb the enormous changes – and challenges - taking place in the educational system to resolve any problems as they arise. “We are solving the Common Core challenges as they come up,” [CONT. ON PAGE 15] he said.
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Schools
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[CONT. FROM PAGE 10]
THE SHAPES OF THINGS TO COME
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As president of the Kennedy Drama Club who played Olivia in the recent production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” it seemed “fitting” that Rebecca Jellinek would be interested in body image and its relation to clothing when she first entered the ASR program. “I was into the real world of social sciences, and wanted to do something on the subject of body image,” she remarked. She read behavioral science journals and thought “it was cool about the science of body image.” Stories included those about the effects of eating habits and about body dissatisfaction, she said. Rebecca developed her own questionnaires with the close assistance of the ASR teachers at the school, and a mentor from Penn State. She was intrigued to see if “seeing more of the body [such as in a swimsuit] would have a negative effect on the body image.” To test the hypothesis, she picked a thin Barbie doll in a swimsuit and one in full clothing; and a Tracy doll, a full-featured doll made famous by a character from the Broadway play “Hairspray,” in a swimsuit and fully clothed. She recruited 112 girls ages 6-to-8 in a ‘full out pre-actual ideal body size discrepancy survey” in which the girls played with Barbie dolls and Tracy dolls in both swimsuite and fully clothed. Rebecca set the survey up in a sliding value scale: 1 = very thin, at one end, and 8 = overweight at the other. “We went from very thin to very overweight,” she said. The questions in the pre-actual asked the girls to view the dolls in swimsuits and show the ones they
thought were most like them, their actual body size. It then asked them what they thought was an ideal body size. Using the sliding scale, Rebecca then put a value to what the girls wanted to look like against what they did look like. If the girls said, in oral answers to the questions, they wanted to look like a 3, and what they looked like was a 5, then a -2 negative discrepancy value was applied because they wanted to look thinner. Conversely, for those who wished to look much larger, whatever the number, it was a positive discrepancy. She noted that those girls who played with thin Barbie dolls said nothing while playing. But those who played with Tracy dolls made comments about whether she was pregnant, or other negative, real-world statements. In the post-actual phase, with dolls fully clothed, those who played with Barbie also showed a negative value because they wanted to look thinner than they actually were. And those who played with Tracy in full
clothing wanted fuller bodies, indicating a positive change. The conclusion reached, Rebecca said, was that those who played with Barbie dolls, no matter the clothing, had lower scores in an actual Body Esteem Scale. And those who played with Tracy had a more satisfying BE scale. So, Rebecca determined, wardrobe had no impact on perceptions of body image, it was the shapes of the dolls themselves that impacted the girls perceived body image. From these conclusions, questions arise such as why not create fuller body dolls to help young girls feel more confident in the world about themselves? Also, if girls, playing with Barbie dolls, wish only to become thinner they could develop anxieties over what they look like and what they want to look like, and could begin restrictive dieting to achieve such marginal success. Rebecca looks to study either gynecology or psychology at George Washington University. DF
FEATURE
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[CONT. FROM PAGE 12] “We have hired both a third math and a third English language arts chair” to help with the increased testing in these two disciplines, the main focus of CCLS at present. Overall, as an educator he remains positive about the goal of Common Core: to provide new analytical skills to students to prepare them for college and beyond. But he remains reserved as to what grade level the testing should take place, for example. “Of course there are positives to the Core Curriculum,” he remarked. “I see value in the curriculum itself, such as ‘closer’ reading, and focusing and studying in just one topic in more depth. It will benefit all students because it will provide new levels of analytical thinking at much younger levels.” But, he added, does the system need third- and fourth-graders to be put under such pressure? Could the pressures affiliated with this type of rigorous new testing take away a child’s childhood if they become wrapped in anxiety and
worry over the constant testing? he was asked. No, he remarked. But he does know what’s wrong with the CCLS at present: “It has been implemented too quickly,” he maintained. “It is not giving our professionals enough time to resolve the challenges of learning the nuances of the new curriculum to impart it to the children.” He added that those who created the new curriculum at the state level did not stay long enough to witness its implementation. A parent at a recent Merrick meeting that featured several educators who are against the Common Core [see News] – including Carol Burris, principal of South Side High School; Joseph Rella, superintendent of Comsewogue School District; and Jeanette Deutermann, founder of the 15,000-strong Facebook group Long Island Opt-Out, asked that panel: “Are the children becoming nervous and anxious because they are seeing it in their teachers?” “This sudden implementation of the Core Curriculum is like try-
ing to build a new plane while it’s in flight,” responded DeTommaso. “And parents will opt out, they will do what they think is best for their children.” And yes, he admitted, the district could see ‘significant’ opting out.
CONTRASTS He contrasts the Core Curriculum learning process now to the move toward Regents exams when he taught at Mepham, where Regents would become available to all students. “Teachers taught modified, non-Regents, honors and advanced classes and we asked: What could we do to differentiate learning so that all students could achieve a Regents.” He remembers that teachers, himself included, were given all the resources and tools necessary to make the transition, being provided ample time to build a professional approach for teaching toward that student goal. “With the right training and professional development in the right time frame we could develop the courses and
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strategies to get students to the next level,” he said. “Core Curriculum,” he suggested, “is not giving us that opportunity at present.” He said schools have to have time to analyze and prepare staff for this crucial new step of teaching and preparing students to be college ready. As administrators the requisite is to look ahead and construct plans and platforms for teaching new generations of children. “We’re already looking at 2016 and 2017,” he explained. But, he noted, the New York State Department of Education rolled out several new modules that are not even complete, inferring the department may be developing its modules as it goes, rather than having them planned out. The “big picture,” at least, appears murky. He reiterated that the school district is staying on top of the Core Curriculum. “We are doing prep work for professional training because we know what the issues are,” he concluded.
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Budget-wise, he told this magazine the board is now working constructively toward a new budget he said will keep existing programs in place while reflecting a fiscal responsibility to the community. Nassau County’s tax certiorari issue, in which the county wishes to divest itself of paying tax refunds for successful property challenges, and which is now winding its way through state appeals court after being denied by the state Supreme Court; the new county sewer taxes; the new property tax cap; and the $104 new dollars a year for the bond, are all costs under scrutiny as the new budget is hammered out and ready for public inspection at upcoming Board of Education meetings. He concluded that, as the central district works closely with the component districts and the bond is phased in over three years, students living in the Bellmores and Merricks will experience a bright and satisfying future of fun, rigorous learning ahead that will prepare them for the challenges they face in the future.
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AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOODS
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What's new in the Bellmores and Merricks
NEW SPACE FOR RENT on Merrick Road, Merrick
Runway Couture relocates on Merrick Road
DANNY's Chinese on Merrick Road, Bellmore
CHOCOLATE WORKS, Merrick Road at the B-M border
MERRICK PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY'S new location now on Merrick Avenue
BOMBSHELL EYEBROWS coming to Bellmore
PANERA BREAD opens on B-M border on Merrick Road
FOR GOODNESS STEAKS, Merrick Road, Bellmore
LONG ISLAND BASEBALL on Merrick Road, Bellmore
rrick VANILLA SKY coming to Me
Road, Merrick
MORNING ROSE CAFE on
Bedford
CLES MERRICK BICY k Avenue ric er coming to M
GOLD STANDARD's jewelry on Merrick Road, Merrick
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LEARNING
KIDS HELPING KIDS!
Emma Barend of Merrick and Brooklyn Iannelli of Bellmore The children in Miss Jennifer’s class at South Shore Country Day School in North Bellmore made beautiful bears by hand at Build-A-Bearin Garden City. The bears were donated to the pediatric ward at Winthrop Hospital in Mineola. Teaching children the values of helping others and of community service by giving to those in need is a cornerstone of Country Day School.
Assemblyman Dave McDonough (R,C,I-Merrick) visited with students in Mrs. Cain’s sixth-grade class at Chatterton Elementary School as part of the school’s Community Reading Celebration. McDonough read the story of Narcissus, from Greek mythology, which the students will soon be learning, discussed cyber-bullying, and talked to students about the implementation of Common Core. “Chatterton Elementary School’s Community Reading Celebration was an outstanding success,” said McDonough.“The story I read about Narcissus, enabled me to discuss with students the importance of public servants representing the best interest of the people. I also spoke with the students about the ongoing implementation of Common Core. While we may not agree with the process, it is important that our students cooperate with their teachers and keep a positive attitude. I want to thank Mrs. Cain for providing me the opportunity to speak to the students. It was a pleasure to visit and converse with students.”
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Health Matters
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Inflammation May Link Gum Disease and Other Illnesses
B
rush after every meal. Floss daily. See your dentist on a regular basis. These instructions make sense to help you keep your teeth and gums healthy. But now not only dentists, but also many physicians understand the importance of maintaining oral health in an effort to keep the rest of the body healthy. Several research studies have suggested a potential association between gum disease and other health issues, including heart disease, stroke and diabetes. As more and more research reinforces the connection between periodontal and systemic health, scientists are beginning to shift their focus to understanding why these connections exist. One theory points to chronic inflammation as the culprit. Inflammation is the body’s instinctive reaction to fight off infection, guard against injury or shield against irritation. Inflammation is often characterized by swelling, redness, heat and pain around the affected area. While inflammation initially intends to heal the body, over time, chronic inflammation can lead to dysfunction of the infected tissues, and therefore more severe health complications. According to Mitchell A. Kaufman D.D.S, periodon-
tal disease is a classic example of an inflammatory disorder. “For many years, dental professionals believed that gum disease was solely the result of a bacterial infection caused by a build-up of plaque between the teeth and under the gums. While plaque accumulation is still a factor in the development and progression of gum disease, researchers now suspect that the more severe symptoms, namely swollen, bleeding gums; recession around the gum line, and loss of the bone that holds the teeth in place, may be caused by the chronic inflammatory response to the bacterial infection, rather than the bacteria itself.” Scientists hypothesize that this inflammatory response may be the cause behind the periodontal-systemic health link. Many of the diseases associated with the periodontal disease are also considered to be systemic inflammatory disorders, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthri-
tis, chronic kidney disease and even certain forms of cancer, suggesting that inflammation itself may be the basis for the connection. “More research is needed to pinpoint the precise biological mechanisms responsible for the relationship between gum disease and other disease states,” says Dr. Kaufman. “However, previous findings have indicated that gum disease sufferers are at a higher risk for other diseases, making it more critical than ever to maintain periodontal health in order to achieve overall health. Dr. Kaufman recommends comprehensive daily oral care, including regular brushing and flossing, and routine visits to the dentist to avoid gum disease. If gum disease develops, a consultation with a dental professional, such as a periodontist, can lead to to effective treatment. A periodontist is a dentist with three years of additional specialized training in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of gum disease. Dr. Kaufman’s practice focuses on the restoration of bone loss and the loss of gum tissue due to advanced periodontal disease. For information call 679-1718 or visit his office at 2440 Merrick Road, Bellmore. Or youcan visit his website at www.liperiodoc.com,
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Treating Heel Spurs By Dr. Leon Livingston and Dr. Douglas Livingston
N
ew technology to treat painful heel spurs, plantar fasciitis and other painful conditions is now available. A new technologically advanced modality can eliminate your pain without surgery and without complications associated with surgery, and affords you immediate return to normal daily activity. Recalcitrant heel pain that has not responded to conservative measures has traditionally been treated with surgical intervention. Now the pain associated with these common conditions can be eliminated through shockwave therapy. This treatment blocks the transmission of pain signals and renders patients asymptomatic in most cases. With minimal discomfort and virtually no significant complications, patients are ambulatory the same day and return to normal activities immediately. Patients have little or no discomfort following the procedure and often feel immediate improvement.
Shock wave therapy is an extremely effective method for treating heel pain and other conditions such as tendinitis and fasciitis that have not responded to traditional conservative measures. It provides a non-invasive modality that usually prevents surgery in the treatment of heel pain, fasciitis and tendinitis. Shockwave therapy provides doctors and patients with a simple effective alternative to surgical intervention and its possible complications. If you want to keep doing everything you love to do, this new treatment modality will allow you to do so. The treatment is available at Livingston Foot Care Specialists 1685 Newbridge Road, North Bellmore. Call 826-0103 if you believe you could be helped by shockwave therapy.
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Health Matters
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JANUARY 2014 | №4
Preventative medicine offers a healthy balance
I
f you are sick and tired of being “sick and tired” you may want to explore a preventative medicine alternative being practiced by Dr. Michael Belfiore, 2209 Merrick Road, Suite 100, in Merrick. He may be his own best patient in presenting the positive aspects of preventative medicine, forced to explore first-hand his own health issues after undergoing gastric bypass surgery because he was sick and tired of “being sick and tired,” he told this magazine. After losing over 200 pounds, from May through November, he began gaining weight unexpectedly, even with continued exercise and dieting. Going to his surgeon and family physician, both told him they could find nothing wrong with him. Meanwhile, the weight gain continued. “I decided to be my own doctor and test my blood for the things I test my patients for
regularly,” he said. What he found was, to him, astonishing. “My thyroid had shut off, my insulin was high and my hormone DHEA was low,” he remembered. “It was coming on winter and I had lost all this weight, but I was also no longer consuming 4000 calories as I once did,” which put his body in a difficult position to increase body heat to buttress against the growing cold with no added calories coming in. “So,” he said, “it shut down to begin storing the calories I took in as fat.” Upon correcting these abnormalities with supplements to balance the hormones, he then resumed his weight loss and lost an additional 84 pounds. Dr. Belfiore, a doctor of osteopathy (DO), loosely defines preventative medicine as lifestyle change in conjunction with nutrition, diet, medication, exercise and other aspects that work to pre- [CONT. ON PAGE 22]
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Health Matters
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PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE OFFERS A HEALTHY BALANCE [CONT. FROM PAGE 20] vent disease. He says clearly that patients who wish to get or feel better have to be a part of their own recovery by explaining clearly the symptoms they experience. “I can hear their music,” he says of proper explanation of symptoms. He will then ask about what medications they may be taking, about certain issues or factors in their life, such as if they drink or smoke, or what they do for a living or what they have been in contact with. “I need patients to be involved in their own recovery,” he said. “I need them to tell me what works and what doesn’t.” His advocacy in this area is no small thing, because he treats patients who have
gone to other doctors and specialists who have not helped them in any way. He explains the approach to preventative medicine using the image of a table with four legs. One leg of the table stands for toxicity, another for deficiencies, still another for mind/body balance and the fourth leg for what you are born with, those things that can’t be changed, such as genetics. “With twhat you're born with, we have to develop a plan that adapts to, or works with” these constants. Blood workups are not simply complete blood counts that reflect values of regular substances in the blood, such as creatine or cholesterol. He will go after heavy metals
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and toxic chemicals if he believes the patient has in some way been exposed to them, if their “music” includes those notes. It is at times a more costly venture, as “New York State doesn’t allow for testing of heavy metals,” he said. He spoke of a woman suffering severely from rheumatoid arthritis who was tested for toxicity and for deficiencies, and then given a “provocation,” an action that draws metals back into the blood. Metals will bind to certain areas in the body, and they can’t necessarily be seen in the blood. Tests revealed that she was high in both cadmium and mercury. Taking a look at her lifestyle, he first told her to stop smoking, as there are heavy metals in smoking. Next, he suggested she eat different types of fish, such as wildfish, because they have lower levels of mercury. Dr. Belfiore further suggested she attempt to avoid aggravating factors likely responsible for setting off some of her symptoms. Because cadmium is also found in nail polish, hair dyes and lipstick,
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it was further learned that the woman was a hair stylist! Once she was alerted to these facts she could take actions to avoid as much of the toxic chemicals as possible. “It took about a year to resolve these issues but she has experienced a 50% reduction in her symptoms and discomfort,” he said. Further, she alone can control her symptoms by knowing what causes them. He then spoke of an elderly woman who wished to have wrinkles on her face removed. Because Dr. Belfiore also administers aesthetic treatments such as botox and zerona, he thought to do a blood workup and observe her before giving her a quote for treat-
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ment to remove the wrinkles. “She was thin, so she didn’t eat right,” he says he learned. She was also dehydrated because her skin was dry, so no fillers would fill the spaces she wanted filled. He learned of her deficiencies through blood work, adding vitamin C and hormones to her regimen, and putting her on an exercise regimen. He skin gained back moisture and elasticity and, once treatments were complete, many of her wrinkles were gone. Dr. Belfiore provides treatment for several health-related issues, including hormone replacement therapy for both men and women; pre- and post-bariatric surgery; zerona, a cold laser that slowly eliminates fat cells in the body; IV vitamin therapy; trigger point injections to relieve pain; botox fillers; neural therapy; and seboxone treatment, administered to drug addicts. For information on the full schedule of treatments available, visit www.drbelfioreblog.com, or call 371-5800.
Entertaiment
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Kennedy Will Host Talent Show By Dylan Campbell
Apparently, Kennedy has got talent! On Thursday, January 30, at 7 p.m. Kennedy High School’s Gay Straight Alliance club, Students Against Destructive Decisions club and the new anti-bullying club, NICE, will join together to host the first Kennedy talent show. This event promises to be a fun-filled night with a mixture of faculty and student performances and, even more impressive, all proceeds will go towards three different charities of the club’s choosing. It’s being billed as a night of performances ranging from the hilarious to the spectacular – and all alongside exciting raffles! Not only will the audience be entertained, but the performers will enjoy perks of their own. There will be four judges - two
Cork vs Screwcap: The Battle for Closure By Linda Delmonico Prussen
O
f all the myths surrounding wine, perhaps the most prevalent is the one in which a screwcap means cheap, inferior wine. There are plenty of pricey, delicious wines with screwcaps and even more cut-rate, subpar wines with corks. Winemakers are choosing screwcaps over corks to keep wine fresh and to avoid cork-taint. Without getting overly scientific, trichloroanisole (TCA) is the compound sometimes imparted from or through corks that can cause wine to smell like a wet dog. You may have smelled or tasted a wine with cork-taint, and thought simply this was a wine
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SOMETHING TO WINE ABOUT
students and two faculty members - that will choose three grand- prize winners. First-place winners will receive gym memberships to Xtreme Gym with six free training sessions; second-place winners will receive a Bellmore Playhouse movie bundle, including tickets and an assortment of movie goodies; and third-place winners will receive an assortment of gift cards. With exciting prizes as the goal, it heats up to be a battle on stage and a close call for the winner. Tickets are on sale now for $5 at Kennedy High School up until the night of the show. They will be $10 at the door. Come and see Kennedy talent play and perform to their best potential for the Bellmore and Merrick communities. Dylan Campbell is editor of the school’s Cougar newspaper.
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with qualities that didn’t appeal to you. There is no health risk in drinking cork-tainted, or “corked” wine. But it can ruin your day. Once I was snowed in and liquor stores were closed. I was saving a bottle of red wine to enjoy that evening. It was the only bottle of wine in the house. And yes, it was corked.
While the incident temporarily dissuaded me from all wines with cork closures, I have moved on. But I did learn. When I buy a bottle of wine with a cork closure, I’m also likely to buy a bottle with a screwcap as a backup. And I’ll never be caught in a snowstorm with the only bottle in the house having a cork.
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