Floral Park Villager (12/13/24)

THE GATEWAY TO NASSAU COUNTY

SERVING FLORAL PARK, BELLEROSE AND STEWART MANOR

Feathered Friends' Safe Haven

Volunteers from the Floral Park Conservation Society work to maintain the Centennial Gardens Bird Sanctuary. Learn about its history and how to get involved on page 9.

Nassau

DA: Floral Park man manufactured 'ghost guns'

BY MEG MORGAN NORRIS

A Floral Park resident has been indicted for allegedly manufacturing and possessing ghost guns, high-capacity magazines, and rapid-fire modification devices after police say a search of his home uncovered tools and parts used to assemble untraceable firearms.

Parmbir Singh, 23, was arraigned Monday before Judge

Robert Bogle on multiple weapons charges, including two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, four counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and other felony and misdemeanor charges. Singh pleaded not guilty, and his bail was set at $500,000 cash, $1.25 million bond, or $2.5 million partially secured bond. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. He

is due back in court on January 15, 2025.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said the defendant had allegedly purchased firearm parts online for nearly two years to assemble untraceable ghost guns.

“This defendant allegedly purchased firearm parts online with

See page 4

FP residents voice concerns over new feral cat law

BY RIKKI MASSAND

Floral Park residents expressed frustration and concern at the Village Board of Trustees meeting on December 3 over a recently passed local law regulating the care of feral cats. The law, approved on November 19, bans feeding feral cats and defines them as “a cat that has no owner or is a stray, wild, or feral animal.”

Animal advocates raised fears for the well-being of feral cats and criticized what they viewed as the law’s inhumane approach. Some mistakenly believed the new regulation limited the number of cats a household could own to two.

Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald commented that there is no village law regulating the number of cats per household but there is one regulating the number of dogs people can own. However, later in the meeting, a resident pointed out Article 10-22 of Village Code which states, “Limit on Number of Domestic Cats Kept.” It states, “No owner shall keep, harbor, board or otherwise have in his or her, its or their custody more than two adult cats on any premises within the Incorporated Village of Floral Park.”

It was determined during the meeting that this was part of the original law on cats in the village, and not a part of

See page 8

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To learn how to subscribe, or to contribute material, please see page 6

FP Boy Scouts hold wreath sale

The Boy Scouts of Troop 482 held a very successful Christmas wreath sale on Saturday, November 30, on the lawn of the Floral Park Library.

Firefighters’ gifts to Wounded Long Islanders

Members of Northport High School, who were at the VA hospital to help clean up their Vietnam Memorial Garden, were witness to the gift card presentation by Nassau firefighters.

The Nassau County Firefighters Operation Wounded Warrior group recently donated $6000 in gift cards to the VA Hospital at Northport for distribution to wounded and injured Long Island veterans to make their Christmas a little better. In addition, the group makes trips down south to visit the wounded at four military hospitals and Soldier Recovery Units,

NCFF-OWW Chairman Terence Powderly (left) of the Bellerose Fire Department presents the gift cards to the VA’s Joe Sledge.

Photo by libary patron patron Frank DwyerF

Photos courtesy NCFF-OWW Photos

Brooklyn man arrested for driving SUV on LIRR tracks

A Brooklyn man was arrested after driving his SUV on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) tracks, causing damage and significant delays on multiple train lines.

Basilio Hidalgo, 40, allegedly drove his black Honda SUV nearly half a mile on the LIRR’s main line on December 8, starting near the Elmont-UBS Arena station and stopping east of the Bellerose station. The vehicle’s tires sustained severe damage, igniting a fire that was quickly extinguished by the Floral Park Fire Department, according to Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) police.

The incident caused front-end damage to the SUV and significant harm to the third rail and track infrastructure.

Hidalgo was arrested at the scene.

The LIRR suspended service on the Hempstead Branch and experienced delays on the Ronkonkoma, Port Jefferson, and Oyster Bay branches as crews investigated and worked to remove the vehicle. The tracks were repaired shortly after the SUV was removed.

Authorities are still investigating how the vehicle ended up on the tracks.

The MTA police, along with the LIRR fire marshal, Nassau County Emergency Services, Floral Park Fire Department, and Floral Park Police Department, are leading the investigation.

Hidalgo faces charges of reckless endangerment, criminal trespassing, and driving while intoxicated.

A Brooklyn man was arrested on December 8th after he allegedly drove his vehicle about a half mile on the LIRR tracks. Photo courtesy Metropolitan Transit Authority

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Nassau DA: FP man manufactured 'ghost guns'

From page 1

a very clear vision: to manufacture and assemble untraceable ghost gun pistols in his Floral Park home,” Donnelly said. “A search warrant revealed a makeshift workshop with ghost gun parts scattered throughout the home and two completed and loaded ghost gun pistols hidden in trap doors in his bedroom and attic shelving. Two rapid-fire modification devices were also found, which can effectively turn any gun into a mass killing machine..”

The search, conducted on November 20, uncovered two loaded ghost guns, a 3D printer, firearm parts, a shotgun, high-capacity magazines, and modification devices that can convert semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic ones. Investigators say that found these items hidden in concealed compartments within floating shelves in Singh’s bedroom and attic. Police say that Singh did not have pistol permits in Nassau County and was on active probation.

The search warrant was executed as part of a joint investigation by the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, and the New York City Police Department Financial Crimes Task Force. The District Attorney’s

office said thaty authorities began monitoring Singh after identifying dozens of online purchases for firearm-related items over the past 19 months.

“Today’s announcement serves as an example of HSI New York’s unique ability to utilize novel investigative techniques to uncover crimes related to one of the most pressing dangers facing our metropolitan area — the proliferation of illegal firearms,” said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker. Walker said that since February, the task force has seized nearly 200 illegal firearms, including ghost guns.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch emphasized the continued commitment of law enforcement to combating illegal firearms. “The proliferation of ghost guns in our communities is an ongoing threat in New York and across the nation. We are committed to relentlessly pursuing the removal of these and all illegal firearms from our streets and holding accountable those who manufacture, possess, or use them.” she said.

The District Attorney’s office sait that to date this year law enforcement agencies working with the DA’s office have recovered 271 illegal firearms in Nassau County, along with more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition and three dozen high-capacity magazines.

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One of the ghost guns seized during the raid. Photo courtesy Nassau County District Attorney

FP Library craft class creates holiday ornaments

On Tuesday, December 3, Floral Park Public Library patrons enjoyed learning about Cricut crafts from Floral Park resident Yvette

holiday themed decorations.  All agreed they were “merry and blessed!

The partidipants had a lot of fun learning this new craft.

Three participants pose with their new handmade ornaments. Working on their ornaments.

We invite you to send details of any of these things and more, along with your name and contact info, to editor@gcnews.com for a chance to be seen in our paper!

Cheng. The group created

Photos courtesy Yvette Cheng

Local artist leads crafts class at FP Library

The ornaments looked like giant delicious lollipops as they were being created!

Cathy Buckley, a Floral Park artisan/jewelry maker, presented a program at the Floral Park Library on December 2.

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FP residents voice concerns over new feral cat law

From page 1

the amendment approved on November 19th. With the public objecting to it, Mayor Fitzgerald announced the village will reconsider that limit at a future meeting.

Mayor explains feral cat regulation

Faced with multiple questions from the community, the mayor explained that the board’s reasoning behind the law.

“This summer we had a very serious situation in one of the areas of the village. A house had over 40 cats, both indoors and outdoors, and it spread issues to neighboring homes and properties – not just cat issues and other significant issues that were causing mental harm to people and monetary harm in the thousands of dollars. We had to establish something…Thankfully the homeowners in that instance were cooperative but it did take somewhere between six to eight weeks to solve the problem to the extent that the neighbors were happy. It was still going on but not fully then. If we continued to have nothing on the village books that if the homeowner was not cooperative in trying to rectify the problem in their home and their neighbors’ home there would be nothing the village could do,” Mayor Fitzgerald explained on December 3rd.

During the public hearing on the law, held on November 19th, Deputy Mayor Dr. Lynn Pombonyo also clarified the intent, “The local law will not apply to any house cats or any cat that has a home and owner,” she said.

Mayor Fitzgerald suggested the public take time to view the feral cat problem as entailing “property maintenance issues rather than an animal rights matter.”

Cat lovers make a stand

Despite the explanations of the board members, some residents continued to be concerned over which cats might be, or might appear to meet “feral” criteria.

Helen Gateson told the Village Board the new law is “both cruel and inhumane.” She said she understood the village’s need to control the feral cat population but her position is the local

law went too far, and is not the appropriate action to achieve that population control.

Gateson and others brought up ‘TNR’ – which stands for “Trap, Neuter, and Release” – as a more humane solution to any issues with feral cats.

“I can’t believe this kind of law was actually considered and then passed into law here is really unbelievable. I want to know what the Board was hoping to accomplish by passing this law. Do you really believe starving these poor helpless animals will solve the problem? More of these poor and helpless animals are out there in a situation because their humans just abandoned them,” she said.

Another point made by Gateson was to compare Floral Park’s new law to the TNR program in the Village of New Hyde Park, and other comparable communities.

“Look to our neighboring villages and see how they are dealing with this situation in a more humane and caring way. I am a law-abiding citizen but I can tell you that I can not abide by this new law in good conscience. There is a better way to deal with them (feral cats) than starving them when neighboring villages might have the same situation and they deal with it in a much different way. I think our village and Board of Trustees can come up with a better plan,” Gateson told the trustees.

Resident Jeff Carstens said the elected officials could be confusing two distinct situations – people “hoarding” at their home and other times where there is a colony of cats (outside) in a neighborhood that is uncontrolled.

He spoke about the chance for Floral Park to contact cat rescue organizations that can work to mitigate these situations and help with a TNR program for a modest donation to the nonprofit.

Carstens said “If we’re talking about individual cats and someone feeding a cat in their backyard and potentially having the person subject to a fine does not make any sense….Starving cats does not eliminate a known cat problem, it will just make it worse. I also believe it is against New York State law to have this on the books in Floral

Park.”

He added that the village administration and counsel should look into state law to ensure compliance, and to especially make sure there is no violation of the state agricultural regulations about feeding of animals.

According to Carstens, “Cats are viewed as companion animals and not wild animals so it is against the law not to care for cats outside. To say our community is outraged by this would be a dramatic understatement. If you think parents would be mad about something happening to their kids, just try getting a cat parent upset for their pet. It does not even pale in comparison, so the ultimate solution is to talk with cat rescue professionals.”

Mayor Fitzgerald asked Carstens to provide the section of the New York State law as he mentioned, but the resident did not have that information ready.

“Ultimately I understand the issue but you can’t kill a gnat with a sledgehammer. Perhaps that’s what was attempted with the local law,” Carstens told the trustees.

Resident Anna Pacca spoke about the choice for her family to live in Floral Park, and how much she loves the village.

here in Floral Park, we need them. They kill mice and scare more rats away,” she noted.

A Bellerose Village resident suggested that local officials work to create a “TNR Volunteer Task Force” to deal with the problem of feral cats, which might spark a solution for issues in both Floral Park and Bellerose.

From ‘Cats Under the Stars’ – a 501(c)3 cat rescue organization – Claudi Kessler shared that over the last couple of years she’s been trapping cats in Floral Park, to help save them in the TNR program. She said this year alone at least a dozen cats and kittens were rescued through these efforts taking place on the streets of Floral Park.

“We get all of them spayed or neutered as the Town of North Hempstead has a free TNR program. In cases of hoarders, cats all over the home or property, the ASPCA does come in to work with residents and communities. The causes for feral cats is more likely due to mental illness so passing a law like this does not really cure the problem, and not someone consciously hosting over 50 cats. These are issues that have to be brought up in a community,” she said.

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“I am a mother raising the fourth generation of our family to live in this village. People here are passionate and kind. I love raising my daughter here. I am also an attorney and an animal lover, and I’m here not only to express my concerns in the applications of the local law because it turns myself and many, many neighbors as people possibly subject to fines – and I think the law goes against what our values as a village are,” she explained.

Orchard Street resident Lisa Koenig commented that cats are very important in an ecosystem, especially for their innate instincts to eliminate rodents.

“They keep away the rats and mice, and with all the building taking place

As public comments and the Board’s December 3 meeting concluded, Mayor Fitzgerald said the Board of Trustees would certainly take the public’s comments under consideration. He advised on the process of public hearings on proposed local laws, as many residents have become engaged in this issue. The Board noted the importance of attending meetings and public hearings, either in-person or on Zoom, and offering input prior to the adoption of new laws.

Another key point the mayor conveyed was the need for residents to stay up-to-date and informed about official Village of Floral Park business and news, through the municipal website and in local newspapers including the Villager.

A new village law prohibits the feeding of feral cats. Stock photo / Metro Creative

A beautiful bird sanctuary created from a storm basin

BY DENNIS MCENERY, PRESIDENT, FLORAL PARK CONSERVATION SOCIETY AND ANN GRIBBINS, VOLUNTEER AT FPCS

The storm basin area located in Floral Park between Floral Parkway, Raff Avenue and Carnation Avenue has become one of Floral Park's hidden gems, the Centennial Gardens Bird Sanctuary.

In the 1930’s the basin was purchased and created with the village of Floral Park contributing $18,000. The Stewart Avenue Storm Basin #121 was created during the same time. The 2 basins worked together to capture rain water run off which seeps back into the grounds to recharge our underground aquifer which was Long Islands primary source of drinking water. The ground is composed of sand that absorbs the water quickly. When there is flooding the basin level can diminish quickly because of the composition of the soil. The sewer system, built in the 1950’s, changed the need for the large basin. Over the years there have been many ideas about the use of the storm basin.

Seniors wanted to have senior housing, developers wanted housing and Sewanhaka wanted fields.

Local residents living on the dead end streets on the west side of the basin had other ideas. Joann and Chris Deeks, looking at the passive park in Garden City and the grounds around Hofstra University, discussed their idea with Steve Corbett, the Mayor of Floral Park. There was advice from the Garden City passive park manager and Betsy Gulotta. Tom, her husband, was the Nassau County Executive.

The Deeks had neighbors for coffee and conversations about creating the passive park. After 2 years the Floral Park Conservation Society was formed with Chris Deeks as president. A 30 year renewable lease with Nassau County for $1 per year was agreed upon with the FPCS maintaining the passive park.

Hundreds of volunteers spent thou-

sands of hours cleaning the “sump”, the name that was given to that the area for many years.

Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary dedication ceremony was held on October 28, 2000.

Walking around the outside of the gardens is a treat in itself. Look down and appreciate the brick walk that meanders around the side of the gardens. On Saturday , October 24,2009 a large group supporters came to witness the dedication of the 2400 foot walking path.The paver walk was provided through funding under the Environmental Bond Acts of 2004 and 2006 . They were approved by county residents after a successful application by Dennis McEnery. The total cost of the walkway was approximately $250,000 and it  helped to finish the exterior of the gardens. FPCS added seven benches to the exterior of the gardens for walkers comfort. Thanks to the attention to detail of the county engineers six dropped curbs were added for residents with disabilities as well as carriages and bicycles. The walkway is 4 1/2 feet wide and used more then 42,525 bricks to build. A walker commented that he walked on the path everyday, always feeling safe and enjoying the sounds of the birds singing and the splashing of the waterfalls. The gentleman was legally blind , used his walking stick, and always felt that he could walk the path feeling safe.

The outside walk way is an excellent resource to see the outside gardens and the upper level inside gardens.  All the beautiful outside gardens are cared for by the FPCS volunteers. They are easy to reach at any time which makes it convenient for the volunteers. Most of the outside gardens have been dedicated to members of the community and are a source of pride to families and friends.

The main entrance gate to the park is on Floral Parkway . There are four paths to follow, eventually all paths meet by the fountain on Carnation Ave-

nue by the waterfall. Soon visitors will cross the east and west basins walking across the bridge. Through the efforts of Steve Corbett the bridge is there and connects the north and south sections of the gardens. This became a tremendous asset since climbing up and down the slopes was challenging.

The east side of the lower basin gardens contains many attractive features. The very north section contains the run off from the Stewart Avenue basin and is still maintained  by Nassau County. Directly south of that section is the retaining wall. Hand prints from the Centennial Celebration can still be seen on the wall. Many children enjoyed the experience of placing their painted hands on the wall. Throughout the east basin there are many specific gardens. The Giving Garden, the Children’s Garden, the Lavender Garden, Annie’s House, the ABC Garden, and more.

On the west side is the gazebo, bee hives, gardens to attract birds and more.

This area had been used for fund raising Garden Parties held the evening before Belmont Stakes.  The parties ended with Covid.  Today the entire park is used for the Family Fairie Festival. This fun day  helps all to escape reality for a few hours and enjoy the clever creative stories about the miniature displays. Several other planned events occur in the lower basin, all with the permission of the village Public Works Department.

The garden welcome visitors inside from noon to five everyday from April first to the Sunday after Thanksgiving weekend. It is closed on Thanksgiving Day.

An extra bonus happens in February on the Great American Bird Count weekend. The next weekend is February 14th, 15th and 16th, 2025. All are welcome to learn about birds, see them enjoy the food in the feeders and be counted.

The outside bulletin board has QR information and visitors are always welcome.

Volunteers from the Floral Park Conservation Society work to maintain the Centennial Gardens Bird Sanctuary.

Photo by Christine Kozak

BY KAREN RUBIN

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The gift of travel might be the trip itself (or creating a registry so that lots of family and friends can contribute). But it could also be pre-arranging some experience or activity to enhance a trip - a dining experience; a spa visit; admission to a museum or special exhibit, attraction or cultural event; a cooking, baking or jewelry making class; a hot-air balloon ride; rock-climbing adventure; walking tour; bike rental.

It can be a pre-purchased city pass that gives covers admissions and expenses (and skips the time-suck of waiting on line for tickets) to scores of top attractions and activities.

And what trip doesn’t require some special gear? (If you time it right, you might also be able to benefit from holiday savings, even on the more open-ended gift cards or certificates.)

More and more travel companies – hotels and resorts, cruises, tours, theme parks, sightseeing, spas, restaurants, even transportation companies from airlines to Amtrak to Uber, now offer the opportunity to purchase a gift-card, gift certificate or voucher that can be applied to the bigger-ticket items while affording the traveler flexibility for when the trip starts.

Gift cards can open up doors to travel, or take the sting out of the

pinch to a traveler’s, couple’s or family’s wallet. Gift cards can provide that extra spark that gets your loved one to finally take the plunge toward their bucket-list experience. The beauty is you can give the amount that works best for you. (Check if you can apply holiday discounts). Caveat: make sure the vouchers, certificates or gift cards are flexible, do not expire and check how the recipient can apply them.

Another advantage: you can give the gift of travel and make dreams come true pretty much instantly - and no need to travel to a store or post office or lug anything home.

Here are some examples:

The Hotels.com Gift Card is redeemable towards bookings at hundreds of thousands of lodgings in 200 countries and territories, ranging

from major international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed & breakfasts. The gift cards are available in denominations from $10 to $2,000 and there are no expiration dates or fees. Hotels.com also has a secure gift registry where friends and family can contribute toward a Hotels.com eGift Card – great for honeymoons, babymoons, graduation, or any other group-gifting occasion (https://www. hotels.com/lp/b/giftcards)

You can purchase gift cards for stays or amenities at Historic Hotels of America, Historic Hotels Worldwide, Beyond Green and Preferred Hotels & Resorts (all brands of Preferred Hotels & Resorts), through the iprefer.com. Gift Cards can be used for services, experiences, and stays at participating hotels

and resorts in hundreds of destinations around the world. Gift cards do not expire. Purchase online at https:// iprefer.com/i-prefer-gift-cards.

Historic Hotels of Europe offers a Gift Voucher (expires after 5 years) redeemable by selecting the desired place of stay at its website https:// HistoricHotelsofEurope.com, phoning the hotel or booking on the hotel’s website (https://historichotelsofeurope. com/gift-voucher/)

Noble House Hotels & Resorts gift cards may be used at its collection of hotels, resorts, spas, restaurants, marinas and adventures across North America. Among them: the Jekyll Island Club Resort, Georgia; Napa Valley Wine Train; Chatham Inn Relais & Châteaux on Cape Cod (https://www.noblehousehotels.com/ gift-card/)

Small Luxury Hotels SLH Gift Card can be used to book 600 hotels in 90 countries https://slh.com/aboutslh/gift-cards

New England Inns & Resorts Association gift cards can be redeemed at 300 inns and resorts all over New England and can be purchased in any amount you choose. Make a reservation directly with the property, let them know you will be using the gift card and present it at check-in. The cards never expire (https://www. newenglandinnsandresorts.com/giftcards)

Independent Collection Hotels & Resorts, a division of HHM which manages 240 properties across North America, offers gift cards for its portfolio of independent Luxury and Lifestyle, Resorts, Premium Branded and Branded Select. Among them:

Continued on next page

The Rittenhouse, Philadelphia; Whiteface Lodge in Lake Placid; MacArthur Place, Sonoma. Purchase in increments of $100, up to $500 for the specific hotel https:// www.independentcollection.com/giftcards

New York State’s Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation gift card can be used at 8,500 campsites, 850 cabins, 135 cottages and 18 golf courses throughout the state. Use for fees associated with camping walk-ups, golf reservations and greens fees, camping supplies, boat rentals provided by NYS Parks (not for vehicle entrance fee, concessionaires, or Department of Environmental Conservation facilities). Purchase online at  https://shop.parks.ny.gov/store/ gift-cards/ for any dollar amount with no expiration date. They can be used with the NYS camping reservation system (Reserve America),  https://www. reserveamerica.com, 800-456-2267

KOA Campground gift cards can be used at any of the 500+ KOA locations in the US and Canada (call 888-562-0000 to order or purchase at a campground, https://koa.com/giftcards/). (Also check out KOA’s 2024 Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Gifts for Campers & Outdoor Lovers (https://koa.com/blog/koa-holiday-giftguide-the-best-gifts-for-campers-outdoorlovers/)

Spacious Skies Campgrounds, which operates 15 campgrounds from Maine to Georgia, makes gift certificates available in increments from $25 to $100; the certificates can be purchased at the individual campgrounds’ websites by pressing the “More” tab and then following the “Gift Certificates” link. The purchaser will then receive an e-mail with the certificate. Or purchase by phone at 862-777-0319.

Moterra Campervans makes gift cards available for fully stocked, easyto-drive vehicles out of pick-up locations including Seattle, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Jackson Hole, Whitefish, Montana, and Portland, Maine, https://shop.gomoterra.com/products/ gift-card Purchase $250 discount codes for just $25- no blackout dates or expiration. (https://shop.gomoterra.com/products/250-for-50)

Travellers Autobarn  gift card can be used to book these fully-stocked campervans to embark on incredible journeys to destinations like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and the Pacific Coast Highway from pickup locations in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Perfect for families, couples, and solo travelers, campervans come fully equipped with cozy sleeping areas, functional kitchens, and plenty of storage. And no young drivers fee for those under 25. (https://www.travellers-autobarnrv.com/, 800-469-4790)

Cruiselines also make it easy to purchase gift cards, and even gift registries so that family and friends can contribute to

Give the Gift of Travel.....

New York State’s Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation gift card can be used at 8,500 campsites, 850 cabins, 135 cottages and 18 golf courses throughout the state, including the magnificent Watkins Glen State Park campground © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

purchasing the cruise:

The Royal Caribbean pre-paid gift card can be used for Royal Caribbean International or Celebrity Cruises cruise bookings and redeemed by booking online. The gift card will be sent to the recipient via email on the delivery date you choose. For same-day delivery, most gift cards are sent within an hour of your purchase. Royal Caribbean (www.royalcaribbean.com/programs/gift-cards, 866-562-7625)

Norwegian Cruise Line makes it possible to gift onboard credit, wine, gourmet treats, spa visits, or create a registry so that bunches of family and friends can contribute toward a cruise (https://www. ncl.com/onboard-gifts).

Other cruiselines that have gift card programs include: Disney Cruise Lines ( https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ featured/holiday-gift-cruise/); Carnival Cruise Lines (https://carnival.ourgiftcards.com/); Princess Cruises (princess.com/giftcard); Holland America (https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/ us/plan-a-cruise/giftcard)

Maine Windjammer Association, with its fleet of member historic ships that sail out of Maine ports, offers e-gift certificates that can be ordered in any denomination, and will be honored by any vessel in its fleet. The gift certificates never expire and can be customized with a special message. Order online. You can have your e-certificate sent immediately or schedule it for a future day. (giftcertificates@sailmainecoast.com,800-807-9463;  https://www.sailmainecoast.com/windjammer-sailing-gift-certificates/)

Gift a cruise aboard Erie Canal Adventures, which operates a fleet of 11 delightful houseboats that cruise New York State’s Erie Canal, eriecanaladventures.com, 315-986-3011.

Gift of Travel for Wellness Wanderers

For wellness wanderers: Plan tradi-

to give the gift of a culinary experience directly. You can arrange a voucher that allows them to cook Cajun-style in New Orleans, make rum cocktails in Barbados, or cook with a Michelin-star chef in Montreal, and much more.

Traveling Spoon connects travelers with local hosts in their homes in 200+ destinations around the world to cook family recipes, visit local markets, learn culinary traditions and create memories over food. Founded in 2013, Traveling Spoon offers private food experiences, from home cooked meals to cooking lessons, with personally vetted hosts. In 2024, Traveling Spoon added destinations and off-the-beaten-path culinary experiences and currently operates in 233 cities in 70 countries.

tional Ayurvedic therapies, yoga sessions, aqua fitness experiences, and hikes in the Himalayan foothills to wrap up under the tree this year. Book a sleep enhancement or yogic detox wellness program at Ananda in the Himalayas to give the gift of vitality this year.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025,  Ananda in the Himalayas is a world-renowned holistic wellness retreat in North India, overlooking the spiritual town of Rishikesh and river Ganges. Located in the former Palace Estate of the Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal, the retreat spans 100 acres of lush grounds and gardens and offers customized programs including yoga, meditation, emotional healing, spiritual awareness, and healthy cuisine. The heart of Ananda lies in its 25,000 square foot wellness center, offering beautifully designed therapy rooms with nature views, open-air yoga and meditation pavilions, an outdoor pool, a physiotherapy center, gymnasium, and a comprehensive range of Ayurvedic and international therapies for holistic cleansing of the body, mind, and soul.

For sustainability seekers: “Wrap up” a sustainable and eco-friendly experience at Hotel Belmar by arranging to ride horseback through the countryside, visit a sustainable farm, or attend a garden-toglass cocktail class.

Hotel Belmar  is an independent, family-owned luxury eco-lodge situated in Costa Rica’s Monteverde cloud forest highlands and fosters connections to nature, mindful serenity, and holistic wellness. Rooms become eco-conscious sanctuaries, ideal for travelers seeking both comfort and sustainability in an unforgettable setting. Farm-to-table gastronomy, thematic forest immersions, garden-surrounded yoga, cultural programs, a carbon-neutral farm, and an onsite craft brewery bridge guests to Monteverde’s natural wonders.

For culinary travelers: Traveling Spoon is offering gift givers the chance

For purposeful adventurers: This is the holiday season to go big and gift that unexpected—but much desired—trip to someplace off the beaten track with a personalized itinerary designed by Naya Traveler.

For travelers looking for an experience that’s all their own, want destinations that are off the beaten path and meaningful, that don’t feed into overtourism, Naya Traveler creates tailored itineraries to exactly those kinds of destinations around the world. Naya Traveler focuses on fully-formed itineraries that feature exclusive insider experiences bringing back purpose and value to travel and providing a space to discover a destination through the eyes of those who know it best.

For luxury escapists: Put a bow on a selection of spa treatments at the Ti Spa at Calabash Cove Resort and Spa  Calabash Cove Resort and Spa is one of the most popular all-inclusive, adults-only boutique hotels in Saint Lucia, offering seclusion, beauty, and mesmerizing views. The 26 suites blend Caribbean charm and modern luxurious resort amenities.

© 2024 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com

BY LOU THEODORE

Hello Basketball, Goodbye Baseball

This one is for those in the reading audience who bet on sports. Once again, it’s transition time. It is time to leave a truly exciting baseball season (particularly for Met and Yankee fans) and return to the tainted world of college basketball. Both are important to many of us since sportsbooks have now become front and center for the betting public. For me, it’s DraftKings. For others, it’s FanDuel. In any event, here’s how baseball came down for me and what’s coming up with basketball.

Baseball

What a dream season for those of us who are Met fans. It was almost better for the Yankee season (even though they made it to the World Series). But, what about my bets? I probably won a couple of bucks only because of partnerships with two of my dearest friends

(who are still around). Mary and I naturally had several bets on the Mets. My key bets were on San Diego and Cleveland. Believe this or not but I had $2 on San Diego to win the National League at 180-1! Ouch! *!@#. Both these two bets lost although I had a $20 pickup on a Cleveland futures over bet. But, baseball is behind us and it is now time to talk basketball and this season’s basketball bets.

Basketball

As noted last Spring, I caught Connecticut at 40-1 two years in a row. I’m hoping that the 2024-25 season will be another good year.

Keep in mind that there are primarily two types of bets available in sports betting: the point spread and the money line. My recommendation is future bets (that I refer to as seasonal bets). These are bets on a team or individual winning a championship, league, division,

Yogurt for Lower Blood

BY CHARLYN FARGO

It’s the holiday season, and your blood pressure may be rising -- maybe it’s the holiday stress; maybe it’s the relatives. But whatever the reason, having a little yogurt every day may help lower your blood pressure.

Add a dollop of yogurt to your morning cereal, make a smoothie with a halfcup or have a quick yogurt cup on the go. New research from the University of South Australia and published in Science News backs up this suggestion.

Conducted in partnership with the University of Maine, the study examined the associations between yogurt intake, blood pressure and cardiovascular risk factors. Researchers found that yogurt is associated with lower blood pressure for those with hypertension.

It is estimated that more than a billion people in the world suffer from hypertension (and not just during the holidays), putting them at greater risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke.

The study was conducted on 915 community-dwelling adults from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study. Habitual yogurt consumption was measured using a food frequency questionnaire. High blood pressure was defined as being greater than or equal to 140/90 mmHg (a normal blood pressure level is less than 120/80 mmHg).

Researchers found that for people with elevated blood pressure, even small amounts of yogurt were associated with lower blood pressure. Results were even stronger for those who consumed yogurt

award, etc., and the good news is that each of these bets (hopefully) applies over an entire season. In college basketball, it is who is going to win the NCAA Championship or make the Final Four. For example, last year, I had a $2 bet on Yale to make the Final Four at 1000-1, and $5 on North Carolina State to win it all at 50-1. But that was last year. What remains is what do I have for this year?

Here are some of the approximate future odds to win the NCAA Tournament:

UConn (9-1) - Kentucky (25-1)

Duke (10-1) - Baylor (30-1)

Alabama (11-1) - Indiana (45-1)

Houston (14-1) - Tennessee (50-1)

North Carolina (20-1) - Illinois (60-1)

Do I have any suggestions? Of course I do! I’ll be putting some money ($2 –$10) on the following teams: Houston, Illinois, and Tennessee (my key).

Pressure

regularly. Their blood pressures were nearly 7 points lower than those who did not consume yogurt.

It may be the live, active bacteria that are responsible for lowering blood pressure. Researchers found the bacteria promote the release of proteins that lower blood pressure. In addition, dairy foods contain a range of micronutrients, including calcium, magnesium and potassium, all of which are involved in the regulation of blood pressure.

The bottom line is what we eat makes a difference in our health, and a serving of yogurt a day could make a difference if you have high blood pressure.

Q and A

Q: How can you encourage kids to eat healthy foods that they may not like?

A: Try introducing healthy new foods by combining them with foods your child already likes. It also helps to offer children lots of options and get them involved in grocery shopping and cooking, so they have a say in what they eat. I’ve found it’s important to continue to offer foods like broccoli -- show them you like to eat it -and eventually, they will eat it. A parent’s job is to present healthy food to kids. A kid’s job is to choose to eat it. Often, they will do that if alternatives aren’t quickly provided. Remember that all foods can be fine in moderation -- even cake and cookies can be enjoyed occasionally but shouldn’t be a staple in kids’ (or adults’) diets.

Continued on page 5

Whatever you do, if anything – good luck. Kansas (12-1) and Michigan State (55-1) look good, but I can’t bet them since I believe both coaches should be barred by the NCAA. This also hurts: St. Johns will have to be reckoned with this year; but, I hope I’m wrong.

Don’t forget that it is also the season for the NHL, NBA, NFL, and college football. I offer these comments:

NHL: Try the Rangers and Devils to win it all.

NBA: Pass.

NFL: My money is on Baltimore (AFL) and Green Bay (NFL).

College Football: I got in early on Oregon, Tennessee, and Mississippi.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com and/or Basketball Coaching 101 on Facebook

BY TOM MARGENAU

You Say Tomato, I Say Tomahto!

Every once in a while, I will use a word or phrase -- with the most innocent of intentions -- that nevertheless ends up driving some people nuts. Well, if not “nuts,” it at least makes them irate enough to send me an email voicing their anger with my language choices. I’ve saved some up, and here they are today.

Q: It really gets my goat when you use the term “Social Security checks.” Don’t you know that no one gets a paper check anymore?

A: Actually, for a variety of reasons, a couple hundred thousand people still get paper Social Security checks. But that’s neither here nor there.

I occasionally use the term “Social Security check” interchangeably with the term “Social Security benefit.” (Although check out the next question about how even that term upsets some people!)

I suppose I could religiously refer to someone’s “Social Security direct deposit payment.” But that can be a little bit stilted and awkward. So I think if, every once in a while, I talk about a person’s Social Security check, my readers will know I’m not referring to a paper check mailed to them every month but rather to the payment that shows up monthly in their bank account.

Q: I hate when you use the term “Social Security benefit.” I worked hard and paid lots of taxes in return for the Social Security money I get every month. I am not getting a “benefit” from the government. I earned it!

A: I am not trying to imply anything negative or degrading when I refer to Social Security “benefits.” It’s just a commonly used term for the money that Social Security beneficiaries get every month from the government. Uh-oh! I just said “beneficiaries.”

Q: You should not be using the term “Social Security account.” That implies some kind of banking relationship. The government is not my bank. They are not holding my money in an account. As we all know, the government has stolen every nickel of money ever collected in Social Security taxes, and they are just repaying us with made-up money from an empty U.S. Treasury.

A: I’ll get back to your allegation of stolen Social Security funds in a minute, but first let me deal with the word “account.”

Once again, I’m not trying to imply anything by using the word. I simply use the word “account” interchangeably with the work “record.” I think you’ll accept the fact that you do have a “record” with the Social Security Administration. For example, they maintain a record of your earnings while you are working and then they maintain a record of your monthly payments once you start receiving benefits.

Also, if you go to the SSA’s website, you

will see that you can open up a “MyAccount” site to help you access all kinds of personal services associated with your Social Security account. Oops. Should I have said “Social Security records” or “Social Security files?”

Now back to your stolen money allegation. I just don’t have the space in today’s column to explain Social Security financing. If you really want to understand the issue, get my book “Social Security Simple and Smart” and read the chapter called “Myths and Facts About Social Security Financing.” In a nutshell, every dime ever collected in Social Security taxes is immediately converted into U.S. treasury notes. And some of those notes are redeemed (with interest) every month to pay all benefits due that month. The remaining notes make up the Social Security trust funds.

Q: It really gets my goat when I hear you, and many politicians, refer to Social Security as an entitlement. I worked all my life and paid Social Security taxes all my life. How can they call that an “entitlement?”

A: They can call it that because Social Security is an “entitlement” -- literally. And I think you’ve got to blame popular culture, not politicians, for abusing the term.

Social Security is an entitlement in not only the literal but also the legal sense of the term. Social Security is Title 2 of the Social Security Act. Medicare is Title 18 -and other programs make up other titles of the Social Security law. So that’s where the root word “title” comes from.

Once you meet all the qualifications for Social Security benefits (having enough work credits, being the right age, etc.) then you are considered “eligible” for benefits. But when you actually file a claim for benefits and get approved, you are legally “entitled” to those benefits.

So that is what makes Social Security an “entitlement” program. And for that matter, any other government program for which you have to meet certain eligibility criteria and then sign an application and get approved for benefits is also an “entitlement” program.

But popular culture has given the term a bad name. Many folks have started using the word to imply some kind of government handout, such as welfare or food stamps. Actually, welfare and food stamps are also “entitlement” programs because you have to meet certain eligibility criteria and file a formal application to become “entitled” to those benefits, too.

It’s just too bad the name has been given such a stigma. There is nothing wrong with being an “entitlement” program. It’s just a legal term.

Q: In a recent column, you used the term, “OMG!” That is using our Lord’s name in vain and is an affront to me and all good Christians. You should be ashamed of yourself!

A: Oh, my goodness (OMG), I had no idea I was committing a sin!!

If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called “Social Security -Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” The oth-

er is “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the books at Amazon. com or other book outlets. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net.

COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

REAL ESTATE WATCH

Sustainable development and its value

Everyone wants to save money and conserve on their energy usage, right? But how many actually practice this basic and most crucial and critical concept? Not many, that’s for sure.

Globally, 1 in 4 vehicles sold in 2023 were electric or plugin hybrids. Even the percentage of those who own all electric or hybrid vehicles only account for 4.6%, which will not solve our climate change issues. However, in Norway it was 93%, 60% in Sweden and in China is was just shy of 40% and the U.S. 10%. The U.S. had the 3rd smallest percentage of purchases. However, overall, only 18% of the world’s cars sold in 2023 were electric or hybrid plug-ins. This is only one facet to be able to reach a successful and sustainable climate change goal. It will be a very daunting task as I do not see how we in the U.S. can convert and transition our cars, trucks, trains, ships and factories to non-fossil fuel alternative sources anytime soon; as we have an addiction, like drugs, in continuing the path we are taking. I predict that the cost and length of time to convert will be in the neighborhood of at least 25+ years. Government and consumer goals do not match the results that we are currently experiencing now and over the next 10 years. Practicing and adhering to a set of lofty objectives that we are trying to accomplish are unrealistic and unattainable in the reality of our current results. Here is a link to more information and statistics: https://www.lea.org/reports/ globalev-outlook-2023

When it comes to sustainable homes, only 2% or 36,000 of the 1.8 million homes constructed met the criteria of being eco-friendly or as some call

Continued from page 3

RECIPE

Looking for a new recipe to serve during the holiday season? You can’t go wrong with vegetables to help balance out the overabundance of sweets. This side, roasted asparagus with balsamic browned butter, is from Cooking Light’s Holiday Cookbook.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH BALSAMIC BROWNED BUTTER

Servings: 8

40 asparagus spears, trimmed (about 2 pounds)

Cooking spray

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on a baking

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

them low carbon footprint builds. This is a practice of designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining buildings in an environmentally responsible and resource-efficient manner as quoted by Tony Mariotti of Ruby Home Luxury Real Estate in his article from Sept 11, 2023. According to Business Wire, 84% of homeowners said living in a green home was important to them. In addition, 64% said they would pay more to live in a green home or development. LEED-certified homes increased by almost 20% from 2017-2019. Around 400,000 homes existed at that time, but barely comprised a tiny portion of all existing homes constructed.

dents (2,257).

In 2024, 5 states led the list for eco-friendly homes, which were, California led with 39,296, Texas with 24,598 and New York with 24,598, Washington with 10,521, and Colorado with 8091. In 2019, CBRE published a Green Building Adoption Index which found only 13.8% of commercial office buildings in the U.S. in the 30 largest markets met the criteria of being fully green (but not LEED/Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design) certified). However, we started the green initiative and are the world leader, China second and India third. Washington D.C. became the first city to legislate for green building certification with the Green Building Act in 2006. It still leads the country in the number of LEED certifications at over 1500+ establishments per million resi-

A key factor in green construction projects of buildings and homes is the savings and stronger asset values going forward, based on increasing future fossil fuel energy costs. According to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, building green only takes an increase of 1-12% in the construction budget in most situations. If you switch to a solar panel system, do your homework and do due diligence to make sure it is worthwhile to ensure enough savings. Your roof will need a substantial amount of sunlight, approximately at least 80% for a good portion of the day for creating the storable energy to be converted to electricity. Also, purchasing the system for the majority will be more beneficial than leasing; unless you cannot afford to buy it, then leasing will be your other option and giving away the kilowatt hour credits to someone else. Currently, NYS provides a direct tax credit of 25% and federally you will also receive a 30% direct tax credit, which totals 50%! My professional advice is to get 3 estimates and see what your overall costs and savings will be.

Installing solar panels to reduce your electric costs will be a win/win situation for you, the environment and your pocketbook.. You will continue to save money over the years while electric costs continue to increase. More importantly, this will add excellent future value in the sale of your home. If you need any advice on solar ener-

gy, geothermal HVAC, Heat pumps or any questions or concerns in saving energy and money, call me for a Free consultation.

Philip A. Raices is the owner/ Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 42+ years experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S.) and has earned his National Association of Realtors “Green Industry designation for eco-friendly low carbon footprint construction with 3-D printed foundations, Solar panels, Geo-thermal HVAC/Heat Pumps).

He will also provide a copy of “Unlocking the Secrets of Real Estate’s New Market Reality, and his Seller’s and Buyer’s Guides for “Things to Consider when Selling, investing or Purchasing your Home.

He will provide you with “free” regular updates of what has gone under contract (pending), been sold (closed) and those homes that have been withdrawn/ released or expired (W/R) and all new listings of homes, HOA, Townhomes, Condos, and Coops in your town or go to: https://WWW.Li-RealEstate.Com and you can “do it yourself (DYI) and search on your own. For a “FREE” no obligation 15 minute consultation, as well as a “FREE printout or digital value analysis of what your home might sell for in today’s market without any obligation or “strings” attached call him; (516) 647-4289.

sheet; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 F for 12 minutes or until tender. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat, and cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in soy sauce and vinegar. Drizzle over asparagus, tossing well to coat. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 5 spears).

Per serving: 45 calories; 19 grams protein; 3.9 grams carbohydrate; 3 grams fat, 8 milligrams cholesterol; 1.7 grams fiber; 134 milligrams sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois, and the current president of the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. . COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM

Is Your Grocery Bill Gobbling Up Your Budget?

BY MARY HUNT

Is your monthly grocery spending eating up a big portion of your income? You’re not alone. Figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show that as of March 2024, on average, a family of four spends $1,341 per month on groceries to be eaten at home. Here, let me do the math: That’s $16,092 annually! And that doesn’t take into consideration the amount the typical household is spending on eating out.

Want to cut your grocery costs by, oh, let’s say HALF? You can if you are determined to become a smart shopper, employing every trick and tip in the book. You can -- without sacrificing your family’s health and joy of eating great food -while keeping $8,000 or so in your pocket over the coming year.

1. SKIP THE CONVENIENCE MARKUPS

Yes, those precut bags of vegetables and single-serving oatmeal packets are super convenient -- but they’re also budget busters. Consumer Reports points out that precut veggies come with jaw-dropping markups: Precut onions cost 392% more per pound than whole onions, and precut green beans have a 192% markup. The solution? Roll up your sleeves and do your own chopping, shredding and grating. You’ll save a bundle and maybe even burn a calorie or two. Do your own chopping, shredding, grating and measuring, and you will save a bunch.

2. STOP WASTING FOOD (AND MONEY)

Be honest -- how much produce ends

up wilting in your fridge? A squishy cucumber here, a moldy berry there -- it adds up fast. The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates that the average household tosses 40% of the food they buy, equating to an annual loss of thousands of dollars for a family of four. Buy only what you can realistically use, and start keeping tabs on what’s getting tossed. Your wallet will thank you.

3. REFUSE TO PAY FULL PRICE

Here’s my mantra: Never pay full price. Ever. If it’s not on sale this week, wait it out -- it will be soon. Get creative with your meals and plan around what’s discounted. When pantry staples or freezer-friendly items go on sale, stock up. Just make sure you have the space to store them!

4. MASTER UNIT PRICING

Comparing prices gets a lot easier when you know to look at unit pricing -that’s the cost per ounce, pound or piece. It’s right there on the shelf tag, so bring your reading glasses if you need to. Once you start paying attention, you’ll see how often bulk purchases or generics win the price war.

5. CHOOSE RECIPES WISELY

Instead of building your weekly menu based on a Pinterest craving, start with what you already have and what’s on sale. It’s amazing how far you can stretch your budget with a little creative meal planning.

6. STICK TO YOUR LIST

Make a shopping list before you leave the house, and don’t let your eyes wander once you’re in the store. Those unplanned

Good Gardening Doesn’t

BY JEFF RUGG

Are you an aging-in-place gardener? You know the type -- people like my 91-year-old mother who is still growing tomatoes and other vegetables, summer flower pots on the porch, and houseplants galore. She is not quite as active as she used to be, and she has downsized some of the garden.

Or are you a gardener who is getting arthritis? My shoulder really hurts when I lift my arm too high. Have you had your

knees replaced? I know several gardeners who have gone through one or both knee replacements. Even if you are a young gardener now, you are getting older every day, and the time will come when old age sneaks up on you.

In other words, everyone should get a copy of both books by the gentle teddy bear of a young-at-heart gardener Duane Pancoast. He wrote “The Geriatric Gardener: Adaptive Advice for Seniors” and The Geriatric Gardener 2.0: More Adaptive Gardening Advice for Seniors.” Both books are as essential to gardeners as books on pruning, weeding or any other gardening task.

He offers many great tips and explains how we don’t have to compromise our desirable garden, but we can adapt it to fit our health and abilities. Finally, when our outdoor gardening is over, we don’t have to be a retired gardener; there are many indoor plants that are very low maintenance. Get the books directly from Duane at thepancoastconcern.com/the_ geriatric_gardener.

purchases add up quickly -- research from the University of Pennsylvania suggests that 60%-70% of supermarket transactions are impulse buys. That’s a big chunk of change you don’t need to spend.

7. GO ORGANIC WHERE IT COUNTS

Save your organic dollars for foods more likely to harbor pesticide residues, like soft-skinned fruits, meat, milk and chicken. Check out the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen” lists at www.foodnews. org for guidance. Spoiler alert: Organic cookies are not a wise option.

8. BREAK UP WITH BRANDS

We all have our brand loyalties, but it’s time to let most of them go. Store brands and generics are often just as good -sometimes identical -- to their namebrand counterparts. Don’t like it? Most stores will happily refund your money if you’re not satisfied.

9. BE A COUPON NINJA

Digital or paper coupons can be great, but read the fine print. Make sure you’re grabbing the right item and size, and watching those expiration dates. It’s frustrating to grab the wrong thing and miss out on the savings.

10. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Markdowns, buy-one-get-one-free deals or specials can be great -- but only if you double-check. Ask a store employee to verify prices to make sure your coupon applies or if something seems unclear. Don’t let sneaky tactics trip you up. You’re smarter than the grocery store’s gimmicks.

With these strategies in your arsenal,

you’re well on your way to a leaner, meaner grocery bill. And who knows -you might even have some fun outsmarting the system while you’re at it. Now, go forth and conquer those aisles!

Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “DebtProof Living.”

COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM

Stop as You Get Older

Another book that is oriented toward the senior gardener is Toni Gatone’s “The Lifelong Gardener: Garden with Ease and Joy at Any Age.” Toni is a frequent speaker on topics such as herbs, fruits, vegetables, rooftop gardens and more. Her book is filled with tried-and-true methods of gardening that will eliminate physical strains by using the proper tools. It is available at bookstores and Amazon. One of the tips that both Duane and Toni give for gardeners is to plant into containers. Barbara Wise is another garden speaker and author. She wrote “Container Gardening for All Seasons.” This book dives into 101 beautiful flowerpots. Each one has a recipe that is easy to follow. You don’t have to be a senior gardener to enjoy this book. Just pick a picture of a flowerpot that you like and go to the garden center to buy the plants. Plant it following the recipe, and you will have the prettiest flowers on the block. It is also available at bookstores and Amazon.

One of the ways that senior gardeners an reduce the labor involved in

maintaining their landscape is to replace some of the lawn grass with ground cover plants. This is especially true in shady areas where grass doesn’t grow as well as other plants. A great book that teaches you how to effectively remove the grass and pick a prettier, lower maintenance plant is “Groundcover Revolution.” Author Kathy Jentz is also the editor for Washington Gardener Magazine and the award-winning GardenDC Podcast. “Groundcover Revolution” is again in bookstores and Amazon. Don’t forget, the “Greener View Gardening” book is available on Amazon. It is for gardeners of every age and every experience level. It also pairs up with my YouTube channel which will have 400 videos by the end of the year. I would love to hear from you on which topics you want me to cover with videos in the new year.

Email questions to Jeff Rugg at info@ greenerview.com. .

COPYRIGHT 2024 JEFF RUGG

A GREENER VIEW

BY DENNIS MAMMANA

Week of December 15-21, 2024

Every star we see in the night sky is like our sun. Sure, some are larger or smaller, and some are hotter or cooler, but all work the same way. Each is a thermonuclear fusion reactor that converts millions of tons of hydrogen into helium each second and, in the process, releases energy -- some of which we see as light.

Also like our sun, most stars are home to planetary systems. Despite these not being visible to the human eye, this has been a topic of study for many centuries. As far back as 2,000 years ago, ancient Greek thinkers conducted vigorous debates on the subject.

It wasn’t until 1983 that the Infrared Astronomy Satellite detected a dusty disk around the bright star Vega, producing the first evidence of a planetary system in formation.

Since that time, astronomers have found other such protoplanetary disks around other stars, but in 1995 they made a stunning discovery. They found the first actual planet orbiting the star known as 51 Pegasi some 50 light-years away. And if you think this wasn’t a big deal, this discovery won the Nobel Prize in 2019!

The newly found planet was known to astronomers as 51 Pegasi b, but in 2015 the International Astronomical Union announced that they had assigned it an

STARGAZERS

The Dusty Disk of Vega

official proper name: Dimidium.

Today, we can count more than 7,300 planets and more than 5,000 planetary systems orbiting nearby stars. The technology for finding these has improved so much in the past quarter-century that their number rises significantly every year. If you’d like to keep up with the rapid pace of planet discoveries, visit both exoplanet.eu/catalog and science. nasa.gov/exoplanets and have a look around!

So what about that first dusty disk found around Vega some four decades ago? Do we know any more about it? Is it, in fact, the beginnings of a new planetary system? Great questions, all!

When the Hubble Space Telescope was launched in 1990, astronomers aimed it toward Vega and saw reflected light from dust the size of smoke particles mostly on the edge of a 100-billionmile-wide disk. In 2005, they used the infrared Spitzer Space Telescope to map this dusty ring but couldn’t see much detail -- at least, not enough to determine if there existed any clumps that would ultimately form planets.

And this year, the new James Webb Space Telescope aimed its 6-meter diameter infrared-sensitive eye toward Vega for an even closer look.

From its perch a million miles above the Earth, it resolved the glow of warm sand-sized particles and found the disk to be remarkably smooth. In other words, there appeared no evidence of

planets within, nor even clumpiness in the disk that might eventually lead to the birth of planets.

This is an important finding because it throws into question our understanding of how planets and planetary systems come to be and opens an entirely new path for astronomers to explore.

Step outside this week to check out

Vega; it’s the brightest star low in the western sky after dark. Of course, you can’t see its disk, but you can see the star that’s captured astronomers’ imaginations!

Visit Dennis Mammana at dennismammana.com. .

COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM

Sleeping in C Minor

“Ow!”

BY TRACY BECKERMAN

I woke up with a start when my husband’s left arm whacked me in the head. I rolled over to yell at him and saw that he was sound asleep. His hands, however, were wide awake and keeping a perfect 3/4 time to some mystery concerto. Sadly, this was not the first time this had happened. My husband works in the music industry, and like most husbands, he tends to take his work to bed with him. For us, this means he goes to sleep dreaming of music. Sometimes I wake up to the sound of him humming in his sleep, which, truthfully, can be kind of cute if not for the fact that he wakes me out of a dead sleep humming. But the other, less cute thing he does in his sleep is conduct. And things can get dicey when he is working on a big orchestral piece and I happen to be sleeping in the string section.

After my husband whacked me, I rubbed my forehead and wondered if I should interrupt the symphony and tell the players to take five, or roll over and go back to sleep.

I watched for a minute and saw his hands start to slow down. I wasn’t sure if the piece he was conducting had become more allegro or if one of the horn players had screwed up and they were trying it again more slowly.

Deciding the conducting coast was clear, I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep. But just as I dropped off, I got another blow to the head.

“OK, maestro, concert’s over!” I barked at my husband, shaking his shoulder.

His eyes popped open.

“What?”

“You’re conducting in your sleep again!” I exclaimed.

He snorted. “I was not.”

“You were, and you whacked me in

the head twice!” I responded. “Could you switch to a more sedate piece of music?”

He laughed.

“It’s not funny. I didn’t know orchestral music was a contact sport. Couldn’t you just snore like other husbands?”

While I was clearly not a fan of being whacked in the head by my husband in his sleep, I suddenly realized there might actually be an untapped resource in his sleep-conducting. If he could conduct in his sleep, why couldn’t he do some other things that would be infinitely more productive? Maybe we could get him to dream about home repairs and have him fix the broken garage door in his sleep. Or change the lightbulbs in the bathroom. Or even take out the garbage. He could sleepchore his way through all the things he complained about doing when he was awake. It was genius.

“I’m going back to sleep,” he said

groggily.

A few minutes passed, then I heard my husband’s breathing get more rhythmic, and I knew he was asleep. I leaned in close to him and began to chant softly into his ear:

“Garage door. Garage door. Garage door.”

“Garage door,” he murmured.

“Yes, garage door. Fix the garage door,” I said softly.

“Good plan,” he said loudly. “And if you’re going down to the garage, you might want to grab a bike helmet in case I whack you again.”

Tracy Beckerman is the author of the Amazon Bestseller, “Barking at the Moon: A Story of Life, Love, and Kibble,” available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble online! You can visit her at www. tracybeckerman.com.

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Transform your space, maximize your value: Are you looking to add value to your property and enhance its appeal? Look no further!

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Appraisals and Evaluations: Get expert insights into the true value of your personal property.

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Gingerbread takes the cake

Tender Gingerbread Cake

Plenty of foods are associated with Christmastime, but none perhaps as familiar as gingerbread. Although the slightly spicy and warming tang of gingerbread often is enjoyed in cookie form or baked into panels used to create gingerbread houses, the spice combination of ginger, cloves and cinnamon can impart a delicious flavor to cakes as well.

This holiday season, whip up this recipe for “Tender Gingerbread Cake” from “Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy” (Sourcebooks) by Danielle Kartes.

Yield: 1 cake

1 cup packed muscovado sugar (dark brown works great)

1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs, room temperature

1⁄4 cup plain full-fat Greek or plain yogurt

1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon

1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves

1) Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9-by-9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.

2) Cream the sugar, butter, and vanilla on low speed, 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until just incorporated, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and gently fold the yogurt into the batter.

1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger

1⁄4 teaspoon apple pie spice

1 cup hot water

3⁄4 cup molasses

3) In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices together.

4) In a third bowl, mix the hot water and molasses together.

5) Now mix the dry ingredients into the batter in 3 additions, alternating with the hot molasses water. Do not overmix.

6) Pour the batter into your

Garnishes 1⁄2 cup confectioners’ sugar 1 cup pomegranate arils

lined pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes until the cake is well baked. Allow the gingerbread to cool, then dust with confectioners’ sugar and pomegranate arils. This cake is also lovely with cream cheese icing! Serve and enjoy.

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Holiday celebration ideas with FP Library program

On Thursday, December 5, Corinna Cafarelli, also known as The Charcuterie Queen, gave a presentation to patrons of the Floral Park Public Library on creating a holiday charcuterie board. Residents who attended got some great ideas for their holiday parties, and also go to enjoy samples of their work.

The Charcuterie Queen, Corinna Cafarelli, shows off one of her beautiful creations.

Corinna gives tips on the best way to create a stunning charcuterie board. The charcuterie demonstration was well attended.

December events at the Floral Park Library

‘Tis the season…the Library halls are decked, and a holiday mood is definitely in the air!

Thank you to our patrons for their abundant generosity with our “Food for Fines” program. Your kindness will put food on the tables of our local residents in need.

As everyone’s calendar is already booked with shopping, parties, and family time, we’re keeping the programming schedule light.

Programs for Teens

For teens, there’s Teen Quilling with artist/teacher Danielle Barbaro, a New Year celebration with Chef Julie and, to end the year on a high “note,” a Totally Taylor New Year’s Eve party.

Programs for Children

Children can enjoy Play Hooray, A Time for Kids Baby Start and Family Pre-School Hour, along with P[art]y Art programs for Pre-K thru 1st grade, and 2nd thru 5th grade.

Adult Holiday Events

The adult holiday events – all at full participation include Holiday Cricut Craft Wreath with Yvette, Marbled Holiday Ornament with Cathy Buckley, and The Charcuterie Queen’s Holiday Charcuterie Board. December 10th brings “Can You Maximize Your Social Security Benefits in Retirement?”

Hybrid Chair Yoga with Micheline continues Wednesday’s at 10:15 a.m. There is no class on December 25.

Urban Explorers

The intrepid Floral Park Library

Urban Explorers visited Lincoln Center this month, following their successful October outing to Roosevelt Island.

Made With Love

Knitting and Crocheting

The Made with Love Knitting and Crocheting volunteers meet Mondays at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. No registration necessary; no formal instruction provided. New members always welcome.

Tech Help Available

One-to-one tech help with Joe for tablets, smartphones, laptops and Kindles is available for our Floral Park patrons by appointment only (floralparktechhelp@gmail.com).

The Book Nook

Call the Library (516 326-6330) to check days and times for the Book Nook. All sales of books, DVDs, etc. support the Friends of the Floral Park Library, a 501c3 organization.

For more information on dates and times, events registration and program details, visit the library website, floralparklibrary.org, call 516 326-6330, or visit us at 17 Caroline Place. All events and programs are subject to change and/ or cancellation. The Library is closed on Tuesday, December 24, and Wednesday, December 25, for the Christmas holiday. The Library will close at 5:00 p.m. on December 31, New Year’s Eve.

We invite you to follow us on Facebook (floralparklibrary), Twitter (@fplibrary17), or Instagram (fplibrary, 17, floralparkchildrens, fpplteens).

Rotary Club bike donation drive

Rotary Club of Floral Park-Bellerose is sponsoring a Bike Donation Drive for the benefit of the Backstretch Workers at the Belmont Race Track.

Do you have a bike collecting dust in your garage? Consider donating it to BEST. Backstretch Employee Service Team, a non profit which helps bring a better quality of life to these people.

The backstretch workers at Belmont Racetrack are the heart and soul of horse racing.  Over 900 hardworking individuals live in dormitories on-site caring for the horses: feeding, cleaning,

grooming, and exercising them, working tirelessly from 4 am each day.  They would love to have a bike as it will help them get around the facility quickly.

How to donate: Kindly drop off bikes in the backyard of the home of Rich Burgess at 107 Birch Street, Floral Park, NY. 11001.  If you need bikes to be picked up please give us a call at 516-413-9129.

Lets make a difference in our community by helping those who keep the Belmont Racetrack running so smoothly!

Do you have a service to advertise?

Our Service Directory is sure to bring results. Call 294-8900 for rates and information.

Community Television Serving

Four Village Studio Program Schedule

Village  Floral Park  South Floral Park  Stewart Manor

FOUR VILLAGE STUDIO

Inspiring Stories

Bill Corbett, Jr.

“The Long Island Coalition Against Bullying” ~ Joseph A. Salamone, Founder

The Antique Road Test

Walter Gosden

“Motor Trucks” ~ The Early Development of the Work Vehicle FPFD: Red Alert

Larry King, AEMT

“Firefighter Protective Gear” ~ Firefighter Bill Hecker & Captain Patricia Luger

Wes Houston Presents…

Wes Houston

Jim Allen, Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist & Matt Applebaum, Guitarist

9:30 PM Uncorked

Rex Whicker

“The Chardonnay Show” ~ Exploring the Regions & Varieties of the White Wine

Have you lost someone?

Floral Park, NY 11002 Phone: 516.326.1150 ~ Email: 4VS@4VS.org

If you would like to post an obituary for a loved one, simply send a short biography of them with (if desired) their photo, details of their funeral/visitation services, and/or any donation requests to editor@gcnews.com, or call our office at 516294-8900 to inquire.

There is no charge for obituaries.

Welcome to The Floral Park Villager, where your story is our

story!

Over the next few weeks we will be mailing free copies of our new newspaper to all of the homes in the zip code so you can see what we’re excited about! If this is your first time seeing the paper, welcome! Copies are also available at drop points around town. In addition, you can find us online at www.fpvillager.com

What You Can Expect:

Local Focus: Unlike other papers, we concentrate solely on Floral Park and Bellerose. Our pages will be filled with news that matters to you and your neighbors.

Community Contributions: We want to hear from you! Share your sports updates, event announcements, club news, scouting adventures, and personal milestones like weddings and graduations. Your stories are the heartbeat of our publication.

Comprehensive Coverage: Stay informed about village and school board meetings, ensuring you’re up-to-date with the decisions that impact our community.

Letters to the Editor: We value your voice. Share your opinions, ideas, and feedback. Your letters will help shape the dialogue in our community.

Get Involved:

We encourage you to submit your items for publication to editor@gcnews.com. Whether it’s a story, a photo, or an announcement, your contributions will help us build a newspaper that truly reflects the spirit of Floral Park and Bellerose.

How to Subscribe

If you would like to get convenient home delivery of the paper through the mail, please use this QR code or go to our website at www.fpvillager.com

Advertising:

Our Advertising Account Executive, Peter Camp, is a long-time member of the Floral Park community. For information about advertising, you can reach him at 917-861-4627 or pcamp@gcnews.com.

FP Knights to play in prestigious tournament

The 12U Floral Park Knights (Red) are excited to announce that the team of dedicated twelve-year-olds has been selected to participate in the prestigious Cooperstown Dreams Park Baseball Tournament. This event is not only a chance for them to showcase their skills but also a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will shape their love for the game and foster lifelong memories.

Dreams Park brings together teams

from across the country. The players will compete against some of the best young talent, challenging themselves and growing as athletes.

Over the coming months, the team will be raising funds to help cover the cost of the tournament. Please monitor our Instagram account, @FPKnights12, for information on how to help support the team.

FPB School elects Student Council officers

Floral Park-Bellerose School’s Student Council officers (from left) Joey Tricamo, Jayden Jean-Paul, Shane Galla and Nicolas Vargas.

Floral Park-Bellerose School students have spoken. The results are in for the Student Council officers for the 2024–25 school year — President Joey Tricamo, Vice President Nicolas Vargas, Secretary Jayden Jean-Paul and Treasurer Shane Galla.

The school hosted an election assembly in November, inviting students in grades 4–6 to meet the interested can-

didates and listen to their speeches. Following the assembly, the students cast their votes for the four leadership positions.

This year, Student Council advisers are teachers Mara Hornstein and Keisha Persaud.

Photo courtesy of the Floral Park-Bellerose Union Free School District

FP runner wins Turkey Trot

Let your voice be heard!

Is there an issue in your community you want to discuss? Want to respond to something you saw in our paper? Then write a letter to our editor and bring it to everyone’s attention! Send your letter to editor@gcnews.com and we’ll publish it for you!

Patrick Mulryan, 19, of Floral Park was the male 5 Mile winner in the Garden City Turkey Trot race on Thanksgiving Day.