Mid-Island Times (1/17/25) by Litmor Publishing

SERVING PLAINVIEW, HICKSVILLE, AND LEVITTOWN

Communities donate coats for homeless coalition BHS hosts special science alumni event

Nassau County Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker (D – Plainview) and members of the community with donated coats at the Plainview Old Bethpage Library.

Nassau County Legislature Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker (D – Plainview) thanks the Jericho, Syosset, Plainview and Old Bethpage communities for their tremendous support of his third annual Winter Coat Drive for the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless.

Photo courtesy of Office of Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker

The drive, which ran from Dec. 2 through 22, yielded nearly 120 bags filled with new and gently used winter jackets, as well as donations of other winter essentials like scarves, gloves, and hats.

The Plainview-Old Bethpage, Jericho and Syosset Public Libraries and Always Ortho-

dontics in Syosset served as drop-off points throughout the drive.

Founded in 1985, the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless began as a grassroots local advocacy effort to bring non-profits and other community partners together to unite

See page 8

BY GARY SIMEONE

It was a special event last Friday at Bethpage High School as the school hosted the second annual Science Research Alumni Panel. The event, which brought back Bethpage alumni who are involved in the STEM field, was hosted by Chris Pollatos, director of science K–12, and Nicole Delaney, a science research teacher at the school.

Pollatos said the event, which featured twenty five alumni returning to the school, was a great experience for both students and faculty.

“It was wonderful to see our current high school students and

former students who’ve gone onto college and entered the workforce engaging with and participating in a Q+A with each other,” said Pollatos.

The former students, who were part of the school’s science research program, offered invaluable guidance for pursuing research-based studies and careers in the science field.

Pollatos said the science research program was established in 2011 to help foster a passion for science and technology.

“The program has grown exponentially over the years and many of our students have gone on to attend high-profile universities

See page 8

POB voters reject school bond issue

Voters in the Plainview Old Bethpage School District rejected a bond referendum that would have paid for capital improvements in the district.

Propostion 1 was defeated with 1363 yes votes and 2513 no votes.

Proposition No. 1 would have allow the District to increase instructional space by 25,000 square feet. It would have also allowed the installation of air con-

ditioning in gyms and cafeterias throughout the District, athletic field upgrades, and other infrastructure repairs.

Proposition No. 2 failed with 1244 yes votes and 2585 no votes. It would have funded infrastructure improvements to the District’s Jamaica Avenue building which currently houses a variety of District and community-based programs.

Free musical performances at local libraries

The Town of Oyster Bay has announced that its Distinguished Artists Concert Series will continue through May 2025 with free performances at local libraries throughout the Town.

“The Distinguished Artists Concert Series provides free musical and dance programs for the enjoyment of our residents,” said Town Councilman Lou Imbroto. “I encourage residents to take advantage of these wonderful performances offered by the Town for free at local libraries.”

Scheduled performances for February and March include:

• Dean Karahalis & The NY Brass Quintet on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. at the Plainview- Old Bethpage Public Library. Open to all. Free tickets required. Tickets available at the library beginning January 20th. For more information call the library at (516) 938-0077 ext. 489.

• The Gypsy Felons on Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at the Jericho Public Library – Playing hit songs from the ‘60s and ‘70s and telling interesting stories behind the music. Open to all. Free tickets required. Tickets available at the library beginning January 15. For more information call the library at (516) 935-6790.

• Alexander Wu & His Trio on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at the Massapequa Public Library – Three Centuries of the African Diaspora highlights the vast contributions to music by both Africans and the descendants of enslaved Africans from around the world.

• The Brooklyn Bards on Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at the Massapequa Public Library –

Experience the deep lyrics and rich melodies of traditional Irish music.

• The Paul Joseph Trio on Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at the Jericho Public Library – This jazz trio presents classic favorites, as you have never heard them before! Open to all. Free tickets required. Tickets available at the library beginning February 9th. For more information call the library at (516) 935-6790.

• The Traditions on Sunday, March 16, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. at the Farmingdale Public Library – Vocal harmony at its best! Performing “Teardrops,” “In the Still of the Night,” “Daddy’s Home,” and many more!

• Phil Costa & The Something Special Big Band on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library – One of the finest nostalgia/jazz swing bands in the New York Tri-State area. Open to all. Free tickets required. Tickets available at the library beginning March 10. For more information call the library at (516) 938-0077 ext. 489.

• Breakdown on Sunday, March 23, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hicksville Public Library – One of the finest tributes to the music of Tom Petty.

• Echoes of Sinatra on Sunday, March 30, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hicksville Public Library – Keeping the “Sinatra” memory alive!

The Distinguished Artists Concert Series is sponsored by the Cultural and Performing Arts (CAPA) Division of the Town of Oyster Bay’s Department of Community & Youth Services. For the full concert schedule and further information, please call (516) 797-7900 or visit www.oysterbaytown.com/CAPA.

VCLC presents 2024 winter show

Preschoolers and toddlers attending Variety Children’s Learning Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development, education, and inclusion of children with differing abilities, recently presented a holiday concert performing songs of the season to the delight of parents, teachers, classmates, and administrators. In all, nine classes performed such seasonal favorites as Jingle Bell Rock, Snowman Freeze, I’m a Little Snow Man, The Snow is on my Head, and more.

Sanitation, recycling modified schedules

The Town of Oyster Bay's sanitation and S.O.R.T. Recycling collection schedules will be modified for the Monday, January 20, observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

“There will be no sanitation or recycling collection on Monday, January 20th for residents who normally receive Town service,” Town Councilman Tom

Hand said. “Residents who generally receive Town pickup on Mondays will have their collections done the next day, Tuesday, January 21st. Those who usually receive pickup on Tuesdays will be collected on Wednesday, January 22.” The Councilman added that Town offices will be closed on Martin Luther King

Students from Miss Barbara’s class perform “Let’s Rock to Get Ready for Winter,” under the direction of Chris Hansen, a teacher’s assistant at VCLC. Photo courtesy of VCLC.

State senator to bring mobile office to libraries

New York State Senator Steve Rhoads will be bringing his mobile office to local libraries in coming weeks.

New York State Senator Steve Rhoads is bringing his popular Mobile Office Hours program back for its third year, connecting directly with constituents at libraries throughout Senate District 5. This initiative provides a valuable opportunity for local residents to engage in one-on-one conversations with Senator Rhoads about the issues that matter most to their communities. Over the past two years, Senator Rhoads hosted over two dozen successful Mobile Office Hours sessions, demonstrating his commitment to being accessible and understanding the diverse needs of his constituents. The Senator invites all

members of the community to schedule an appointment and share their per spective in the first series of one-on-one meetings.

Please call Senator Rhoads' District Office at 516-882-0630 to make an appointment. Appointments required, but walk-ins welcome if time permits. Dates and times are subject to change without notice so please call Senator Rhoads’ District Office to verify. More dates and locations to be announced soon.

All dates and times for the first series of Mobile Office Hours listed below:

Syosset student wins award for app development

Congressman Tom Suozzi (D—Long Island, Queens) recently announced the winner and runner-up of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge, a national competition in which high school students use a programming language to create an application for a PC, web, tablet, mobile device, or other device.

First place was awarded to Aditya Varma of Syosset High School. Aditya’s app, “ Rent Your Driveway,” is a game-changer for drivers and homeowners alike. It makes it easier to find private driveway parking near essential locations like schools, hospitals, and train stations. It’s a practical solution that efficiently addresses a common problem.

Stephanie Sze of Manhasset High

Challenge, encouraging students across New York's Third Congressional District to pursue their passion in the STEM fields,” said Suozzi. “I am constantly amazed by the talent of our students and the creativity of the applications that they have put together to address real-world issues. Congratulations to Aditya and Stephanie, and thank you to all the students who participated this year. You are our future."”

Suozzi ’ s office received applications from 28 students representing 11 high schools in New York’s Third Congressional District.

The Congressional App Challenge is an annual competition hosted by the U.S. House of Representatives to encourage students to pursue STEM careers. Since its inception in 2015, the Challenge has become the largest student computer science competition in the United States, with the 2024 Congressional App Challenge setting s CAC included the participation of 12,682 students and 3,881 original applications submitted from Congressional districts

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Upcoming Events at the Jericho Public Library

Thursday, January 16

7:00 p.m.: Books Before Bedtime (Ages 4–8) - Listen to a read-aloud and then watch a short film all before bedtime!

7:00 p.m.: Help! I Can’t Find My Floor: A Program About Organization with Debra Viniar, Professional Organizer - Tired of the mess? Can’t find what you’re looking for? Learn the tricks of Decluttering and Reorganizing from Debra Viniar, professional organizer. Have some fun and gain some knowledge!

Friday, January 17

2:00 p.m.: VIRTUAL: Great Performers with Marc Courtade: The Mythical James Dean - James Dean was an actor whose career lasted only five years, but had a profound impact on cinema and popular culture. Even though he appeared in just three major films, he was one of the most influential figures in Hollywood in the 1950s. Dean’s enduring legacy has defined counterculture and rebellious attitudes for generations.

Saturday, January 18

10:30 a.m.: Tiny Songbirds (Ages 18 Months to Pre-K) - Music in early childhood helps to improve motor skills, language, manage emotions and promote creativity while building self-esteem and having fun!

3:00 p.m.: Teen Advisory Board Meeting - Do you want to get involved and help with planning future Teen programs and book purchases here at the Jericho Library? Join our Teen Advisory Board! We will meet once per month to talk about these things and more. Participants will earn 1 hour of community service credit.

Sunday, January 19

2:00 p.m.: Nassau County Historical Society presents: “Mark Torres: Long Island and the Legacy of Eugenics: Stations of Intolerance”Mark Torres will discuss the origins of the eugenics movement on Long Island in the early 20th century and the ghastly consequences of eugenics research in the U.S and Nazi Germany.

Monday, January 20

2:00 p.m.: Hybrid: The Home of Claude Monet with Mary MaguireMonet’s passion for flowers can be fully understood by visiting his gardens at Giverny, which contemporaries have described as one of his greatest masterpieces. Giverny is a living museum where we can still walk the flowered paths from which Monet drew such

inspiration. We will trace his life story and then examine the house, gardens and town that Monet made so famous.

7:00 p.m.: Sound Healing Workshop: A Journey Through Vibrations and Emotions with Laura Cerrano - Join Certified Sound Healer Laura Cerrano to enjoy a rich tapestry of sounds from Tibetan singing bowls, gentle rhythmic drumming, tuning forks, and various other instruments. Sound healing provides a unique and immersive experience that can help release tension and stress, allowing you to feel more balanced, harmonious and at peace. Chairs will be available but you may bring a towel or mat.

Tuesday, January 21

10:00 a.m.: Caring Cubs (Ages 2 to 4 Years) - This class is a mini wonderland where tiny tots dive into the world of learning, socializing, and jamming to catchy tunes. Led by a social worker, by the end, you and your little one will strut out with a fresh skill, a new friend, or a heartwarming connection like never before.

11:00 a.m.: VIRTUAL: Guided Meditation for Self-Healing with Patricia Anderson - Join Pat for one or all of the meditation sessions to bring harmony and balance into your life. Learn the beautiful practice of Jin Shin Jyutsu to help your body heal and keep you relaxed.

6:30 a.m.: Paint Night with Medhumita Sen - Discover the joy of painting a vibrant flower on canvas with acrylics! Perfect for all skill levels, this hands-on workshop includes step-by-step guidance, mastering acrylic techniques, and all materials are provided! $3.00 per preson, non-refundable.

Wednesday, January 22

10:30 a.m.: Giggles and Grooves with Rebecca (Ages 1–5) - Join Ms. Rebecca from Giggles and Grooves for a morning of singing, dancing, and playing! In this class, children will listen to the guitar and explore different instruments, movement toys, puppets, parachute and bubbles. Let’s make music together!

Friday, January 24

10:00 a.m.: The Alzheimer’s Association Conversations about Dementia - When someone is showing sings of dementia, it’s time to talk. The Alzheimer’s Association Conversations about Dementia program is designed to help you talk with your family about some challenging and often uncomfortable topics around Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Syosset Library presents special production of “Seussical”

On Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 12:15 p.m., Syosset Public Library will host a sensory friendly production, “ Seussical,' ” for children with autism spectrum disorders and their families. This production has been modified by Sunrise Theatre Company, and will be presented in the library’s theater. The performance will last approximately one hour. A calming corner with coping tools will be available for use

outside the theater. Seats will be available beginning January 20 for families with children on the autism spectrum and sensory sensitivities. Reserve seats by email splchildrens@ syossetlibrary.org or by phone (516921-7185). Registration will open to all beginning February 17, if space is available.

For more information visit the library’s website at www.syossetlibrary.org

This Week at the Syosset Public Library

Thursday, January 16, at 2:00 p.m.

The Birth of James Bond (IN-PERSON)

Presenter: Sal St. George, pop-culture historian. When Ian Fleming put pen to paper and created secret agent 007 James Bond, little did we know his stories of espionage and intrigue would spawn one of the longest running and most successful film series. We will explore the birth of Bond, from the books to the screen and the impact James Bond has had around the world. No registration needed.

Friday, January 17, at 2:00 p.m. Friday Movie at the Library (IN-PERSON)

Join us for an afternoon movie at the library. Check our website for the movie that will be shown. Go to syossetlibrary.org.

Tuesday, January 21, at 7:00 p.m.

Upsides, Downsides & Alternatives to Forming a Not for Profit 501(C) (3)Organization (VIRTUAL)

Presenters: Pro Bono Partnership and Lenny Buchholz, chapter chair, LI Chapter of SCORE

Thinking about starting a nonprofit? Confused about where to begin? This free presentation will help you decide whether becoming a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization is the best choice for you and provide you with the basics for creating a business plan. Registration is required. A Zoom link will be sent after registration.

Thursday, January 23, at 2:00 p.m.

America’s Main Street: Pennsylvania Avenue & the White House (VIRTUAL)

Presenter: Carolyn Muraskin, DC Design Tours

America’s most famous avenue, connecting the White House and the

US Capitol, hasn’t always been a grand thoroughfare. Pennsylvania Avenue and the surrounding neighborhood has been renovated, re-imagined, and revitalized over and over again. Hear the stories of metamorphosis along America’s main street.

Thursday, January 23, at 7:00 p.m. How to Improve Your Character’s Personality (VIRTUAL)

Presenter: Erin Coughlin, award-nominated writer and producer and author of “Pop and Fizz’s Double Feature Movie Night Guide” Find out how you can give your fictional character a more believable and identifiable personality. Learn how you can create a character that your audience or readers will invest in by developing your character’s physical and psychological makeup. Get tips on how you can better connect your characters with your audience by giving your characters realistic flaws and traits. Participate in writing prompts, word games and exercises that will help you create stronger, more complex characters.

Friday, January 24, at 10:00 a.m. Simply Stronger with Balance (VIRTUAL)

Instructor: Mindy Vasta

Handheld weights, resistance bands and balls will help improve strength, flexibility, and coordination. Includes a balance segment to enhance posture, core strength, and proper alignment of muscle groups. Exercises can be performed sitting or standing. Equipment recommended but not required. Registration needed. Register at syossetlibrary. org. The Zoom link, will be sent out once you register.

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Long Live You and Long Live Long Island™

Hometown Heroes banner recognition applications available

Real estate school grand opening

Nassau County Legislature Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker (fifth from right) attended the grand opening of the REActivate Real Estate School.

The Town of Oyster Bay is now accepting applications for the 2025 Hometown Heroes Community Recognition Program. This cherished initiative honors the service and sacrifice of the brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces –both living and deceased – who are current or former residents of the Town of Oyster Bay.

Town Councilman Steve Labriola stated, “This Hometown Heroes Banner Recognition Program allows us to show our deep gratitude to the men and women who have put their lives on the line for our nation. Their courage and dedication deserve our utmost respect, and this initiative provides a lasting tribute to their service. We are proud to bring this important initiative back to our communities.”

The program features banners bearing the honorees’ names, ranks, photographs, and areas of service. These banners will be displayed at selected park facilities throughout the Town of Oyster Bay in the months leading up to Veterans Day in November. To participate, individuals or organizations may sponsor a banner for $75, covering the production cost. No profit is made from this program.

After Veterans Day, the banners will be taken down to prevent damage from winter weather and returned to

the service member’s family or loved ones. Those who sponsored banners in the previous year must submit a new application to be included in the 2025 season. Applications are due by March 14, 2025.

“I’m proud to commend retired U.S. Air Force Captain Warren Achenbaum for his distinguished service as a navigator bombardier and for joining us in promoting the Hometown Hero Banner Program. His dedication to our nation and his support of this important initiative to honor local heroes inspire us all. This program is a meaningful way to recognize the sacrifices and achievements of our veterans, and I thank Captain Achenbaum and his family for their commitment to preserving and celebrating their legacy in our community parks,” added Councilman Louis Imbroto.

Supervisor Saladino concluded, “This program is a meaningful way for our community to pay tribute to those who have bravely and selflessly served our nation. It is an honor to recognize their sacrifices and their continued contributions to our local communities through advocacy and leadership.”

For more information or to download an application, visit www. oysterbaytown.com/herobanners or call (516) 797-4121.

Nassau County Legislature Deputy Minority Leader joined the SyossetWoodbury Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the grand opening of the REActivate Real Estate School on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Located in Suite 300B of 1000 Woodbury Road, REActivate provides live, in-person continuing education real estate classes that help professionals satisfy training requirements and sharpen their knowledge to help them achieve success in the industry.

Deputy Minority Leader Drucker presented owner Rosemarie Kluepfel with

a Nassau County Legislature Citation in recognition of the momentous occasion.

“Entrepreneurs are the backbone of our local economy, and it is always a pleasure to celebrate the growth of our diversified and vibrant business community,” Deputy Minority Leader Drucker said. “Congratulations to Rosemarie Kluepfel on the grand opening of REActive Real Estate School –I wish you tremendous success and thank you for launching this exciting venture in Woodbury!”

Public skating sessions for Martin Luther King holiday

Residents looking for a fun way to spend their Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday can head to one of the Town's three ice skating facilities, where holiday hours will be in place, offering extended public skating opportunities.

“For a fun, family-friendly activity, residents can head to one of the Town's ice skating rinks - outdoors at Marjorie Post and Syosset-Woodbury Community Parks, and indoors at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center in Bethpage - on Martin Luther King Jr. Day,” said Town Councilwoman Laura Maier. “All three facilities will be offering special public sessions to provide children who are off from school with a fun-filled activity.”

See what's happening at your library!

On Monday, January 20, all Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Rinks will be open for public sessions from 1 p.m.–3 p.m. and 4 p.m.–6 p.m. The outdoor ice rinks are located at Marjorie Post Park, Unqua and Merrick Roads in Massapequa, and at Syosset-Woodbury Community Park, 7900 Jericho Turnpike in Woodbury. The Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center is located within Bethpage Community Park at 1001 Stewart Avenue, in Bethpage. For more information, including information about the Town's Youth Ice Hockey Program, figure skating, or general skating sessions, visit www. oysterbaytown.com/ice.

From classes to lectures and concerts to movie screenings, there's never a dull day at your local library! Check this paper each week for fun and informative all-ages activities, all for free or cheap!

Pictured from right to left: Councilman Steve Labriola, Retired United States Air Force Captain Warren Achenbaum of Massapequa, and Councilman Louis Imbroto.

WHAT DOES ‘HEALTH SYSTEM’ EVEN MEAN? IT MEANS A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR HEALTH.

A health system is more than a doctor. In our case, it’s 320+ locations with the exact same high standard of care. It’s integrated medical teams that achieve the best patient outcomes. It’s leading the charge in medical discoveries. It’s the lowest mortality rates in the nation. It’s being named #1 for quality care in the U.S. Our health system has the best doctors, and the best doctors are just the beginning.

BHS hosts special science alumni event

NASSAU COUNTY

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A LIMITED LIABILITY CORPORATION

Notice of Formation of Sam Controls LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/08/2025. Office location: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to The LLC: 12 Central Blvd. Bethpage, NY 11714. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

NASSAU COUNTY

NOTICE OF SALE

for more details.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST RAJESHWARI SINGH; HARENDRA SINGH; ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered November 3, 2017, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 11, 2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 4336 Hicksville Road, Bethpage, NY 11714-3463. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 52, Block 310, Lot 43. Approximate amount of judgment $459,790.32 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #009094/2015. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held "Rain or Shine". Brian Davis, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 17-006341 83646

From page 1

and established themselves into science related fields,” said Pollatos.

This years panel featured twenty-five former students who shared their academic and professional experiences with their audience.

They covered topics such as each alums area of focus, current roles in their studies and careers and gave advice to students on navigating similar paths.

After the conclusion of the panel , students engaged in a Q+A session, where they asked about the alumni’s experiences, and challenges and success-

es in their field of research. The open dialogue format gave the high school students a sense of what research entails at the college level and the various career directions in can lead to.

“Many of our former students in this program have gone on to attend prestigious universities such as Stony Brook University, Duke University and MIT,” said Pollatos. “They have gone into professions such as civil engineers, environmental geologists and health and science directors. The best piece of advice they gave to students was that networking is the key element in building relationships.”

Communities donate coats for homeless

From page 1

NASSAU COUNTY

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Notice of Formation of North Shore Property Holdings, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/11/2005. Office location: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Glenn Jakobsen: 25 Willet Avenue. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

NASSAU COUNTY

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Notice of Formation of Danielle Kramer LCSW PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/20/2024. Office location: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent of Professional Limited Liability Company (PLLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Danielle Kramer LCSW PLLC: 80 Glen Head Rd, Glen Head New York 11545. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

around the cause of homelessness so that they could expand and enhance services to meet local needs. Over time, the Coalition has expanded services to align with local community needs and evidence-based strategies for addressing homelessness, including street outreach, housing navigation, system data management and outcomes tracking.

“The hundreds of winter coats and accessories that our community donated will serve two roles this winter. Not only will they protect some of Nassau County’s most at-risk residents from the bitter cold,

each and every donation sends a powerful message that its recipient is cared for and there is hope for a brighter future ahead,” Deputy Minority Leader Drucker said. “The tremendous response to this effort fills my heart with gratitude and optimism for the New Year, and I thank all of our outstanding partners at Always Orthodontics and the Plainview-Old Bethpage, Syosset and Jericho Libraries for making this possible for a third consecutive year. May this be the first of many decisive acts we this year to combat homelessness and deliver assistance for people in need!”

Bethpage High School hosted the second annual Science Research Alumni Panel of twenty-five alumni.

“From Your Heart to Our Seniors” program

Nassau County Legislature Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker (D –Plainview) is inviting students from Legislative District 16’s elementary and middle schools to celebrate Valentine’s Day by making heartfelt cards for local seniors.

It’s all part of the “From Your Heart to Our Seniors” project, in which participants are encouraged to craft creative cards filled with warm greetings and messages of love and well-wishes. Any volunteer who wants to make a card is reminded that they must be legible in large prints; handwritten; and made without glitter. Participants are encouraged to use lots of color and personal creative flourishes like photos, crosswords, and drawings. In the interest of ensuring universal appeal, religious messages should be avoided if possible.

Deputy Minority Leader Drucker is looking forward to once again joining forces with District 16’s school districts, who last year came through in a big

way by crafting hundreds of thoughtful greetings that he had the privilege of personally delivering during Valentine’s Day events.

“It continues to fill my heart with joy that the communities of Legislative District 16 have so strongly embraced an event that is all about spreading kindness,” Deputy Minority Leader Drucker said. “With the season of love fast approaching, I am looking forward to reuniting with our outstanding team of crafty Cupids and embarking upon a third annual year of putting smiles on the faces of countless local seniors!”

Finished cards must be dropped off by Friday, Feb. 7 to ensure delivery by Valentine’s Day on Wednesday, Feb. 14, and volunteers are encouraged to check with their local participating school district to drop off their contribution. For additional information, contact Deputy Minority Leader Drucker’s office at 516-571-6216 or adrucker@nassaucountyny.gov.

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Nassau County Legislature Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker (D –Plainview) presented seniors with student-made Valentine's cards at an event in a prior year.

Photo courtesy Office of Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker

Wine-Tasting Exemplifies Art, Nature & Neighborhood in Sonoma, California

KAREN RUBIN WITH ERIC LEIBERMAN AND SARAH FALTER TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM

A staple of a visit to Sonoma, California, where nature and art come together in a perfect blend, is a tasting at one of the picturesque wineries and vineyards. It is always so fascinating to learn about the art and science of winemaking, and to immerse in joy of discovering, sharing and savoring the fruit of that creative enterprise, the wine.

This trip, we return to the charming town of Healdsburg, where we have thoroughly enjoyed visiting its galleries and restaurants and the lovely town square (like Sonoma), to visit Dry Creek Vineyard. Family owned and run by second generation owner and president Kim Stare Wallace, it is also one of the last truly private, family-owned, iconic wineries of Sonoma County that consistently produces coveted 90+ point wines.

Dry Creek Vineyard, we learn, is responsible for many of the “firsts” in this rich wine-producing valley. Established in 1972, it was the first winery to open in Dry Creek Valley after Prohibition. Founder David S. Stare paved the way for a viticultural rebirth in the valley. Inspired by his trips to France, he modeled his winery after a Loire Valley chateau – making for a delightful setting in which to enjoy the wines.

Dry Creek Vineyard was the first winery to plant Sauvignon Blanc in the Dry Creek Valley and the first to label a wine with the “Dry Creek Vineyard appellation. A pioneer of Bordeaux-style blending, the winery

tables on the lawn outside the stone chateau, as Darrin Abel, the concierge and Wine educator, introduces the wine for us to taste.

We start with a 2022 Dry Chenin Blanc, a staple of Dry Creek since its founding in 1972. This is a classic Loire Valley-style wine that is versatile and food friendly, especially when paired with fresh oysters and seafood.

was also the first to use the term “Meritage” (with its 1985 vintage) and the first to coin the term “Old Vine” to describe pre-Prohibition-era Zinfandel vineyards.

They make a claim of being the first to introduce the concept of Sustainable Agriculture in California, in 1998.

In the years leading up to Dave’s retirement in 2006, second generation owners Kim Stare Wallace and her husband, Don Wallace, began to lay the foundation for their vision for the winery’s future based on sustainability. “Their ‘no compromises’ philosophy required a complete re-invention from the inside out, including new winemaking techniques, vineyard management methods and winery upgrades on their 185 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards.”

This shift in philosophy led to dra-

matically reducing production while increasing quality and sharpening the focus on crafting appellation-driven terroir-focused, varietal-defining wines that have come to rival the best in California and the world. In 2015, Wine & Spirits Magazine selected Dry Creek Vineyard as one of its “top 100 Wineries.”

Its sustainable methods have worked: this year Dry Creek’s Sauvignon Blanc was crowned Best in California, and the Cabernet Sauvignon earned a stellar 95-point rating.

Dry Creek Vineyard is known for its Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Meritage blends, as well as a portfolio of limited, single-vineyard selections. Prices are moderate, ranging from $18 to $125.

We sit at lovely wooden picnic

Abel, who has been at Dry Creek for 12 years, explains the difference between a wine that is meant to be consumed early, and one that is meant to age and mature in the bottle. “White wine is meant to be drunk immediately (the screw cap). A cork is for aging – the oxygen penetrates cork and slowly ages wine. A screw cap has no permeability, is not meant to be aged. Our philosophy : to make wine that can be enjoyed now but can age.”

Our second wine, is 2022 Taylor’s Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, produced from a vineyard on the western bench of Dry Creek Valley named after Kim and Don Wallace’s daughter, Taylor. According to the winemaker’s notes, the Sauvignon Musqué grape is a unique clonal selection of the Sauvignon Blanc variety and a delicious interpretation of the classic varietal.

The 2020 Farmhouse Vineyard Zinfandel is the sixth vintage of Zinfandel produced from its Russian River Valley vineyard, where the cooler temperatures allow for complex aromas and flavors to develop. This was the second Zinfandel property of Dry Creek’s estate vineyards to be planted with the Heritage

Continued on next page

GOING PLACES, NEAR & FAR....

Wine-Tasting Exemplifies Art, Nature & Neighborhood in Sonoma, California

Continued from previous page

Clone. The winemaker’s notes explain that the vines were planted using the Heritage budwood concept to preserve the heritage of iconic old vine Zinfandel vineyards. Cuttings from a pre-Prohibition era vineyard were grafted onto phylloxera-resistant rootstock to create a “young vine” wine with “old vine” Zinfandel characteristics.

We next taste the 2020 Somers Ranch Zinfandel, from grapes grown on two small parcels planted on adjacent hilltops overlooking the valley. The eastern-facing hillside vineyards provide optimum sun exposure for balanced and juicy grapes. This distinctive property was one of the first vineyards in Dry Creek Valley to be planted utilizing the Heritage Clone over 20 years ago, Abel explains. These vines produce intense, flavorful grapes that are balanced and juicy. Producing ripe fruit flavors of blackberry, cherry and cranberry, with aromatic undertones of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. This bold Zinfandel is luxurious and fresh with firm tannins and structure.

The last wine we taste is our favorite: 2019 Meritage “Alluvial Gap,” which has been rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast and highlights a microregion in the Dry Creek Valley known as Lytton Springs district. The Meritage blend is led by Cabernet Sauvignon with three additional Bordeaux varietals to add complexity and depth. It was inspired by decades of working with Bordeaux varietals planted in the different districts and vineyards of Dry Creek Valley, including its Endeavour Vineyard, where the soils are gravelly, clay loam. “Five decades of experience have provided the knowledge of which properties can provide the best fruit our region can offer.” We learn that the wine spends 11-17 days in fermenters

at 82-88 degrees F, then 19 months in French and Hungarian oak (43 percent new oak) – such detail that I find fascinating, along with the precise “recipe” of the different grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon (60 percent) with three additional Bordeaux varietals (Merlot 20%, Petit Verdot, 16%, Cabernet Franc, 4%).

“The grapes are crushed and fermented separately, then blended,” Abel tells us. “It really shows off the artistry of the wine maker.”

Not surprisingly, this is also the most expensive bottle of the day, $70.

After our winetasting, we go to explore.

Dry Creek Vineyard has an Insectary Garden which you can walk through and learn how it is the basis of sustainable agriculture, designed to attract beneficial insects like ladybeetles, bees, ground beetles, hoverflies, minute pirate bugs, lacewings and wasps. The plants provide an environment attractive to natural enemies of crop pests, a natural means of controlling harmful pests like include leafhoppers, spider mites, leafrollers and mealybugs. This natural means of controlling harmful pests also assists beneficial insects in pollination and creates a balanced growing environment. Other animals that are considered beneficial include lizards, spiders, toads and hummingbirds. Beneficial insects are as much as ten times more abundant in insectary gardens.

A panel explains, “In addition to the garden being a beautiful focal point for the winery, our goal is to have this insectary further enhance our sustainable farming practices. Its contribution to a balanced ecosystem in the vineyard will be a key for years to come.”

The list of plants here include black eyed Susan, butterfly weed, California fuchsia, Chinese Fringe Flower, coneflower, Sunflower, Echinacea “Ruby Star”

Other sustainability techniques are described: solar panels help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 tons a year, the equivalent of planting 3,400 trees a year; bluebird houses, bat houses, owl boxes and raptor perches provide specialized housing and shady platform perches to encourage birds of prey to adopt the Dry Creek vineyards as their feeding ground – a natural control for pests such as insects, voles and gophers, without the need for chemical deterrents; a habitat enhancement project provides habitat for endangered Coho and Chinook salmon and Steelhead trout; deficit irrigation uses state of the art equipment to measure specific moisture needs of each individual block of vines, monitor soil conditions and adjust levels of irrigation to conserve water – virtual dry farming; growing cover crops like alfalfa and bell beans between vines to help rebuild depleted soil by increasing the available nitrogen and organic material, while minimizing the need to utilize fertilizer and using special seed blends that flower at different times to attract beneficial insects to help control pest populations.

Second generation winery partner Don Wallace, the driving force behind sustainable farming practices at Dry Creek Vineyard, have Established Dry Creek Vineyard as a leader in the sustainable agriculture movement in Dry Creek Valley and the industry. The winery and its 185 acres of estate vineyards are 100% certified California Sustainable.

Also among its other notable firsts, Wallace also founded one of the first wine clubs in the U.S. “with a vision of creating a family of wine lovers united in their passion” for handcrafted wines. Events like its recent Holiday Winemaker dinner, where longtime members gather together, help to realize that vision.

Dry Creek has an excellent website that makes it easy to explore the differ-

Grab Your Apron and Improve Your Mental Health

BY CHARLYN FARGO

Cooking at home not only helps you eat better, but it also helps your mental health, according to a new study at Edith Cowan University.

In a partnership between ECU, The Good Foundation and Jamie’s Ministry of Food initiative, a mobile food kitchen provided cooking classes in the community and on college campuses from 2016 to 2018 to 657 individuals over seven weeks. Researchers at the ECU Institute for Nutrition Research measured the program’s effect on participants’ cooking confidence and self-perceived mental health.

The study results, published in the

journal Frontiers in Nutrition, revealed that individuals who took part in the healthy cooking course experienced significant improvements in general health, mental health and subjective vitality. These benefits were perceivable immediately after the program and persisted for six months after the course.

The participants exhibited substantial improvements in cooking confidence and gained the ability to easily change eating habits and overcome lifestyle barriers to healthy eating, according to the study authors. Lead researcher Dr. Joanna Rees said the study showed the importance of diet for mental health.

“Improving people’s diet quality can

ent wine offers, arrange shipping, give as a gift, enroll in their club, or gift a club membership.

Visit 10 am -4 pm. Reservations Recommended.

Dry Creek Vineyard, 3770 Lambert Bridge Road, Healdsburg, CA 95448, cheers@drycreekvineyard.com , drycreekvineyard.com.

Art & Nature & Neighborhood

Wine tastings are the perfect metaphor for Sonoma County, where art and nature intertwine just about everywhere you go in the most marvelously energizing, invigorating, vitalizing and inspiring ways.

The towns of Healdsburg and Sonoma are like that – exquisite architecture, history, culture, intrinsically blended together with vineyards, farms and fields, wilderness.

Sonoma has some phenomenal state and county parks. One of our favorites is the extraordinary Jack London State Historic Park (also known as Beauty Ranch) in Glen Ellen (also which hosts marvelous street festivals). (2400 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen, CA 95442, 707-938-5216, www.jacklondonpark.com)

Also in Glen Ellen, we discover the Sonoma Botanical Garden, which provides lovely trails through the different environments and the opportunity to see rare and endangered plants and conservation in action (12841 Hwy 12, Glen Ellen, CA 95442, 707-996-3166, info@sonomabg.org, sonomabg.org) Sonoma County Tourism, 800-5766662, info@sonomacounty.com, www. sonomacounty.com

be a preventive strategy to halt or slow the rise in poor mental health, obesity and other metabolic health disorders,” said Dr. Rees in a press release.

“Future health programs should continue to prioritize the barriers to healthy eating such as poor food environments and time restrictions, while placing greater emphasis on the value of healthy eating via quick and easy home cooked meals, rich in fruit and vegetables and avoiding ultra-processed convenience foods.”

Prior to this study, experts at the ECU Institute for Nutrition Research had identified a link between eating more fruits

on page 5

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Call to Action

BY CLAIRE LYNCH

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is on January 20 and on this day we remember his impact on Americans and on people around the world. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Ga., on January 15, 1929. He went to Booker T. Washington High School. He skipped two grades in high school and started his college education at Morehouse College at the age of 15.

After getting his degree in sociology from Morehouse at the age of 19, King got a divinity degree from Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pa. He then got his doctoral degree in theology from Boston University.

King was inspired to pursue the ministry because his father was a preacher. He had a younger brother and an older sister. In 1953 he married Coretta Scott. They had four children including Yolanda, Martin, Dexter and Bernice.

In his first major civil rights action, Martin Luther King, Jr. led the Montgomery Bus Boycott in Alabama. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. She was arrested and spent the night in jail. King helped organize a boycott of the public transportation system in Montgomery. The boycott lasted for over a year and when it was over, segregation on the Montgomery buses came to an end.

In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. helped to organize the famous “March on Washington.” More than 250,000 people attended this march in an effort to show the importance of civil rights legislation.

Some of the issues the march hoped to accomplish included an end to segregation in public schools, protection from police abuse and to pass laws that would prevent discrimination in employment.

It was at this march in Washington, D.C., that King stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. In that speech he said lots of great things but two quotes in particular come to mind. They are:

“I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream.”

And: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by

the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

This speech has become one of the most famous speeches in history. The March on Washington was a great success. The Civil Rights Act was passed a year later in 1964. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tenn. The civil rights leader was in Memphis to support a sanitation workers’ strike and was getting ready to go to dinner when a bullet struck him.

While standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, talking to friends in the parking lot below, King was shot by James Earl Ray. King was pronounced dead after his arrival at a Memphis hospital. He was 39 years old.

Martin Luther King, III, who is the oldest son of M.L. King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King, is a lawyer and human rights advocate. He became the Chairman of the Board of the of the Drum Major Institute which is the only nonprofit organization actually started by his father over 60 years ago. Arndrea Waters King, the wife of M.L. King III, is the President of the Drum Major Institute. Together they focus on continuing the King legacy through education, action, engagement with world leaders and collaborating with socially conscious organizations.

King III has said, “My father used to talk about the eradication of poverty, racism, and, he said, militarism - and I sort of modified it to ‘violence’ - which he called ‘the triple evils.’ My mom used them too. When our society is able to reduce and eradicate those triple evils, a lot of things will subside. We will have a much better, more just and humane society. You can disagree without being disagreeable.

“I think that my mother and father always believed that through nonviolent means we could build community, and somehow we’ve got to get focused back on building community.”

As various issues in society arise, King III often asks himself, “What would Dad do?” He gives public speeches and interviews, and King III always encourages people to work together to make the world better for the generations to come.

Clarence B. Jones is an attorney who was a friend of M.L. King, Jr. and he

served as his speechwriter from 19601968. He was the person who helped King write the “I Have a Dream” speech and while he says that King could have written it himself, King was on the road all the time.

About his relationship with the civil rights leader, Jones has said, “Never ever have I seen or will there be another Martin Luther King.”

Jones also has told audiences that when King first asked him to come work with him, he said no. Jones was busy as an attorney but King responded by inviting him to attend an upcoming sermon. Jones called his speeches so powerful that they were mesmerizing. He knew that when King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech that he knocked it out of the ballpark.

“Martin King gave a lot of speeches,” Jones said, “but from my standpoint, if you had to bookend his life, it would be two documents. One bookend would be the ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’ and the other would be ‘Time to Break the Silence.’”

Jones has said that King called

upon Americans to “save the soul of America.” This was the motto of King’s civil rights movement. Other goals were to achieve black freedom and to obtain equal rights but King believed that it was up to each one of us to work together for the sake of equality.

“So King’s legacy lives on and it will for many years to come,” Jones said. “His words were a call to action for all of us.”

Turning Full Retirement Age in 2025? Consider Filing for Benefits This Month

BY TOM MARGENAU

I write a column like this one every January. But I don’t mind plagiarizing myself, because it contains a very important message for people planning to retire in 2025.

January is a critical month for the hundreds of thousands of potential Social Security beneficiaries who are reaching their full retirement age in 2025. The important message: All of them should at least consider the possibility of filing for their benefits this month, even though they may not be reaching their retirement age until later in the year.

Please note that if you want to delay filing for your Social Security benefits until 70 to get the “delayed retirement credit” of about 30% added to your monthly benefits, then you should forgo the procedure discussed in this column. Also, if you’re one of those people who absolutely insists on waiting until your FRA to file for benefits, then forget this column’s message.

But if you are open to the possibility of increasing your benefit payout for 2025, you may want to consider filing for benefits in January.

The reason for this early filing timeframe has to do with some quirky and complicated features of Social Security’s earnings penalty provisions. Those provisions generally keep seniors who are still working off of Social Security’s rolls until they reach that magic full retirement age.

The law essentially says if you are over 62 but under your full retirement age and are still working full time, you are not eligible for Social Security. Specifically, the rules require that the Social Security Administration deduct $1 from any retirement benefits you might be due for every $2 you earn over $23,400 in 2025.

However, the rules say that once you reach your full retirement age, you are due full Social Security benefits even if you are still working and no matter how much money you are making.

Let’s follow an example. Let’s say Ed was born in December 1958, which means he’ll reach his full retirement age of 66 and 8 months in July 2025. And let’s say Ed generally makes about $80,000 per year and that he plans to continue working indefinitely. Based on the earnings penalty rules I briefly outlined above, Ed figures he must wait until July (his full retirement age) to begin collecting his Social Security benefits. As I said, at that magical point, the earnings penalty rules no longer apply, and he can get his Social Security. And prior to that, he’s making way more than the $23,400 income threshold.

But here is why Ed should check into applying for Social Security in January. Congress set up a more lenient earnings threshold for the year you reach your full retirement age. Specifically, it says you can earn up to $62,160 between January and the month you reach your full retirement age and still get Social Security benefits. And even if you earn more than

$62,160, you lose only $1 from your benefits for every $3 you exceed that threshold.

Let’s say Ed is going to make about $41,000 between January and June (i.e., before he reaches the magic age of 66 and 8 months in July). That’s under the $62,160 threshold for 2025, which means Ed is due benefits beginning in January. He does NOT have to wait until July to apply for his Social Security checks.

But there is a bit of a catch. By starting his benefits in January, Ed will be accepting a slightly reduced amount. (Benefits are reduced roughly one-half of 1% for each month they are taken before full retirement age.)

If Ed’s Social Security benefit at full retirement age is $3,000 per month, let’s look at his options.

Ed’s first option is to wait until July to start his Social Security benefits. He’ll get $3,000 per month for six months, or $18,000 for the year 2025.

Ed’s second option is to file for Social Security in January. Starting his benefits slightly early, his monthly rate is reduced to about $2,900. That comes out to $34,800 in total benefits for the year 2025. The downside to option two is his ongoing monthly benefit rate will be $100 less than what he would have been getting in option one. But because he’d be getting about $16,800 less in 2025 benefits if he chose option one, it would take Ed a long time to make up that loss with his extra $100 per month in ongoing benefits.

Even if Ed were going to make more than the $62,160 income threshold between January and June, he would only lose $1 in Social Security benefits for each $3 he exceeded that amount. So he still might come out ahead by filing in January.

Please note that this strategy generally only works for those who turn full retirement age in early to mid 2025 and whose earnings prior to reaching FRA are at least close to the $62,160 limit. In other words, if you will make a lot more than $62,160 before your full retirement age, or if you reach your FRA later in the year, you should probably just wait until your FRA month to file for your Social Security benefits.

Here is one other consideration. If you are waiting until your full retirement age (or even later) to start benefits in order to give your spouse a higher widows or widowers benefit when you die, then forget this procedure. That’s because any reduction you take in your retirement rate will carry over to your spouse’s eventual survivors benefit.

I know these rules are complicated, and the math in the examples above might be difficult to follow. But my overall message is easy to follow: If you’re reaching your full retirement age in early to mid 2025, you might want to talk to a Social Security representative sometime this month to find out if it’s to your advantage to file for your benefits to start in January.

A word of caution: Many readers

in the past told me that when they tried to file in January, Social Security Administration representatives told them they could not do so. Sadly, far too many SSA agents are unfamiliar with how these rules work. If you run into the same problem, ask to speak to a supervisor.

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 other 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.

REAL ESTATE WATCH

Was the market up or down the last quarter?

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

Are you curious as to how the OctoberDecember housing market did in Nassau County?

Single family homes

Residential single family homes did excellently in October with a median sale price of $785,000 up YOY 1.065% from $737,000 and volume of $756,357,714 up 1.051% from $719,026,028. November had a median sale price just slightly off at 1.295% to $775,000; but YOY saw sale prices increase of .9341% from $724,000. Sales volume in November was down substantially from October at $610,191,260. Moreover, YOY down .9836% from $620,303,793 in November 2023. 2024 holidays may have pushed off many closings into December; as those that went to contract in August and September were slightly down, due to the lack of inventory and continued higher mortgage rates. December Median sale prices were also up nicely 3.12% to $800,000 over November. YOY sale price had increased 1.1188% from $715,000. Sales volume, showed an amazingly healthy increase of 28% over November to $782,600,010 in December2024. YOY the sales volume increased 1.2822% from $610,324,739 in December 2023.

Single Family Homes

Month Sales, $ Volume Close Price, Median

Oct

$756,357,714 $785,000

Nov $610,191,260 $775,000

Dec $787,522,510 $800,000 Search Criteria

Time frame is from Oct 2024 to Dec 2024

Property Type is ‘Residential’ Property Sub Type is ‘Single Family Residence’ County is ‘Nassau County’

Condominiums

Median sale price of condos in October was $797,500 and YOY up 1.064% from $749,500 in October 2023. Sales volume for Condos in October was $58,187,600 down just a smidgen of 0.9881% YOY from 1.2020% from $702,500 in November 2023. There was a decrease in Sales volume in November of 1.19%

Condominiums

Month Sales, $ Volume Close Price, Median

Oct

$58,187,600 $797,500

Nov $48,888,000 $845,000

Dec $93,255,012 $999,000 Search Criteria

Time frame is from Oct 2024 to Dec 2024

Property Type is ‘Residential’

Property Sub Type is ‘Condominium’ County is ‘Nassau County’

to $48,888,000 over October. YOY there was a slight decrease of 1.005% from $49,160,761 in November 2023. December’s median sale price was up 1.1816% to $998,500. YOY a major increase of 1.4153% from $705,000. Surprisingly, there was a robust increase in Sales volume in December of 1.885% to $92,155,012 over November and an increase YOY of 2.4472% from $37,656,498 in December 2023. $58,884,000. November showed an increase of 1.059% in the sale price to $845,000 and YOY up Surprisingly, there was robust increase in Sales volume in December of 1.885% to $92,155,012 over November and an increase YOY of 2.4472% from $37,656,498 in December 2023.

Co-ops

Median sale prices of coops in October were $352,000. However, YOY the sale price was up 1.0914% from $322,500. Sales volume in October was $22,969,550, down YOY .9236% from$24,867.537. The median sales price in November was down by 1.066% to $330,000. YOY the price was up in November 1.007% from $327,500 in November 2023 to $330,000 In November 2024. The sales volume was almost identical to October of $22,800,070. YOY the November 2024 sales volume increase was negligible by 1.049% from $21,437,500 in November 2023 to $22,489,500 in November 2024. The December median sales price increased 1.065% over November from $327,500 to$349,000. YOY (year over year) median sale price decreased 1.0974% from $349,000 to $318,000. However, YOY, December 2024 median sales volume decreased 1.464% from $22,489,500 to $15,565,875.

Although there have been some down months in sales volume, overall home and condo prices have seen increases and the demand is strong. However, sale prices of coops have seen a steady pull back in prices, although overall sales were steady in October and November, but saw strong dip in December.

Co-ops

Month Sales, $ Volume Close Price, Median

Oct $22,969,550

$352,000

Nov $22,800,070 $330,000

Dec $15,565,875 $318,000 Search Criteria

Time frame is from Oct 2024 to Dec 2024

Property Type is ‘Residential’

Property Sub Type is ‘Stock Cooperative’ County is ‘Nassau County’

The next 3 months should be fairly strong as receding prices in coops could see more purchasers come onto the market as inventory is still historically low. Homes and condo purchases will still be strong as evidenced by the continuing increases in prices and lower than normal supply.

I would not bank on rates coming down anytime soon, as Jerome Powell is carefully watching inflation and he is not ready to consider making any moves at this point in time. I am not sure the President-electwill have a marked effect on decreasing rates or prices as long as demand continues to be strong going into the early spring.

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 beenwithdrawn/ 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 at (516) 647-4289 or email: Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.com

Do Not Delay in Spending Those Gift Cards

BY MARY HUNT

As we head into a new year, you may be settling in for a well-deserved rest from all the busyness of the holiday season. But not so fast. Before you haul all the boxes and torn-apart wrappings to the trash, take a quick inventory of the gift cards you and your family just received. The sad truth is that of the $308 billion Americans spent in gift card sales for Christmas 2024, about $27 billion of this amount will remain unredeemed! My guess is that many of them inadvertently will get thrown out with the trash. Funny how that happens. But I digress. Now that you have all these gift cards, there are some things you need to know about them and how best to use them.

DO NOT DELAY

Someone could not decide what to get you, so they gave you the gift card. It is your responsibility to get out there and spend it.

NOT CASH EQUIVALENT

A gift card is not cash; it is store credit. It will not work the same as cash. For example, let’s say you zip right down to Best Electronics to redeem your $100 gift card. You buy the latest gizmo you’ve had your heart set on. It’s on sale for $79 with tax. So do you get $21 in change? No way. You will get your gift card back with $21 credit.

In no time you decide this is not really what you wanted after all, so with receipt and unopened box in hand, you attempt to make an exchange. You can’t believe that now they will only give you $59 in credit for this returned item because the store’s policy is to refund only the lowest sales price during the past 30 days when an item is purchased with store credit. Rip-off? Yes. But that is truly the policy in many stores.

And not to add more doom, but never forget that if the retailer for whom you are holding a gift card files for bankruptcy protection, the judge handling that case is likely to deem all outstanding gift cards null and void. How can they do that? Never forget you are holding store credit -- not cash -- and yes, they can do that.

DIMINISHING VALUE

It’s as clear as day that your gift card is worth $100. But when the clerk scans it, the store credit available is only $62. What?! How could that happen? Fees, my friend -- those pesky fees. Here’s the deal: Many states still allow gift card issuers to charge dormancy, maintenance or inactivity fees, which can eat away at your balance.

The key factor is the state law where the card was purchased, not where you’re redeeming it. Even if it looks like a “new” card, it could be years old. And don’t forget that regifting trick. The card you got from Aunt Sue might have been given to her by Cousin Sam, who won it as a door prize at a Kiwanis Club meeting two years ago! Its value could be far less than the card’s face value. Even worse, in some states, gift cards can completely expire.

more protections for consumers. Here are some states where gift cards cannot expire:

California: Gift cards cannot expire, and fees are also regulated. The state has strong consumer protections for gift cards.

Connecticut: No expiration date can be set on gift cards, and fees are restricted.

Massachusetts: Gift cards cannot have expiration dates, and fees are limited to dormancy fees under certain conditions.

Michigan: Gift cards must remain valid for at least five years from the date of purchase, and they cannot expire sooner.

New York: Gift cards cannot have expiration dates, and fees can only be charged after 12 months of inactivity.

Washington: Gift cards cannot expire, and dormancy fees can only be applied if the card has been inactive for more than a year.

States like Florida, Illinois and Virginia also have restrictions, typically limiting the imposition of fees and prohibiting expiration before a set time, but the rules vary based on the type of card and its specific terms.

gift cards include a prohibition against selling your card to another individual, or applying the value as a payment to a store credit-card account or redeeming the card for cash.

Remember, once you’ve used that gift card, let the giver know what you bought. It’s the least you can do and an easy way to say express your thanks.

Before you completely button up 2024, check out my Simple Steps for a Smoother 2025 using lessons learned from the holidays now past at EverydayCheapskate.com/2024Lessons.

In the United States, gift cards are generally protected by federal law, specifically the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, which prohibits gift cards from expiring within five years of activation. However, states have additional rules that offer

It’s always a good idea to call the tollfree number on the back of the card to check its current value.

USAGE LIMITATIONS

Some gift cards may not be used for purchases in a catalog or on the merchant’s website. Other limitations on

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.”

Grab Your Apron and Improve Your Mental Health

Continued from page 2

and vegetables and improved mental health in the long term. This indicates that the healthy cooking students were not just feeling better because they became more confident in the kitchen, but also because they were eating healthier.

Individuals who had not changed their diet after completing the program had still reported improved mental health,

suggesting a link between cooking confidence, satisfaction around cooking and mental health benefits.

Q and A

Q: How can I get more antioxidants in my diet? I’ve heard they are good for you.

A: Antioxidants are substances that can help prevent or slow oxidative stress to your cells. They are the antidote to free

radicals from the environment that can cause damage to cells and accelerate the aging process, which in turn can raise the risk of cardiovascular and eye diseases and some cancers. The simplest way to get plenty of antioxidants is to eat lots of different fruits, vegetables, whole grains and plant-based foods. Brightly colored foods and foods with strong flavors (garlic, onions) are foods that are high in antioxidants. Eat at least 4 1/2 cups of produce

daily, having a serving with every meal and snack.

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. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD. .

STARGAZERS

Glittering Stars of Winter

BY DENNIS MAMMANA

Week of January 19-25, 2025

People often ask me which is the best season to view the night sky. Of course, there is no “best”; every season brings to our view something new and wonderful overhead. You just need to be outdoors to experience it.

One’s favorite, on the other hand ... well, that’s something each stargazer must sort out for themselves.

I learned long ago that my favorite night sky is that of summer. I’m pretty sure this comes partly from my childhood, when there was no school the next day and I could spend warm nights stargazing as long as I wanted. But having that beautiful summer Milky Way arching overhead is something that no other season can top for me.

At this time of year, however, I stand under the winter stars and wonder if maybe I should rethink my favorite. There is no other night sky that sparkles more than that of winter. If only it weren’t so darned cold!

Get one look at our current starry nights and you’ll do like I do ... dress warmly and become mesmerized by its beauty.

Central to all is the great constellation Orion, the hunter. Looking more like an hourglass or bowtie tipped on its side during early evening hours, Orion is a great place to begin our winter stargazing.

Orion contains two of the sky’s brightest stars. Look for reddish-orange Betelgeuse forming the rectangle’s upper left (a shoulder) and the white star Rigel at its lower right (a knee). At the center of the figure we find

the three, equally bright stars that outline the hunter’s “belt.”

Follow these three stars downward to the left, and you’ll soon encounter Sirius.

This bluish-white jewel twinkles low in the southeast after dark this week and is one of the nearest

The winter sky offers stunning views of several stars and planets.

LOST IN SUBURBIA

BY TRACY BECKERMAN

If this were a game of Clue, I knew who the victim was, where it died, and what killed it.

The Roomba was dead. In the den. With a shag carpet.

But the question was, who done it?

When I arrived home that day at 12:41 p.m., the familiar whooshing of the Roomba, set to vacuum at 12:30 p.m. each day, was suspiciously absent. I scoured the house but couldn’t find the Roomba anywhere.

I turned to the dog.

“Bowie, do you know where the Roomba is?” I questioned him. “Is it lost? Was it kidnapped? Did something else nefarious take place in this house while I was gone?”

But the dog was mum.

I retraced my Roomba’s steps, and then, just as I was about to leave the den, I spotted it. In the corner. Silent and un-Roomba-ing. Upon closer inspection I could see what happened. It had choked to

stars to us at “only” 51 trillion miles, or 8.7 lightyears, distant.

Trace those three “belt” stars upward and you’ll soon encounter the reddish-orange star Aldebaran, surrounded by a V-shaped grouping of stars known as the Hyades.

Continue that line upward and you’ll find the shimmering star cluster we know as the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters, a stunning sight in binoculars. This tiny cluster containing a thousand or so stars lies less than 400 lightyears away and may be only between 50 and 100 million years old -- a veritable cosmic youngster.

But this is just the beginning. Starting with Aldebaran, let’s take a walk in a counterclockwise direction and we’ll find, in order, Capella, Castor, Pollux, Procyon, Sirius and Rigel before returning to Aldebaran.

If the winter stars aren’t already dazzling enough, Mother Nature has thrown into the mix a couple of brilliant planets this year. Outshining all except the moon and Venus (low in the west at dusk), the giant planet Jupiter appears just to the upper left of Aldebaran.

And near the bright “twin” stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux, we find the Red Planet Mars, this week reaching its brightest and closest point to Earth of its current orbital cycle.

You know what? With all these brilliant jewels glistening overhead on January nights, maybe my favorite isn’t the summer sky after all!

The Scene of the Crime

death on a clump of shag carpeting.

I was bereft. It was only 6 months old. It had died at such an early age. And it was definitely an untimely death. We knew the Roomba couldn’t handle the shag carpeting: We had caught it in distress one time before, and from that day on, we decided to keep the den door closed when the Roomba was working.

But somehow, mysteriously, today, the door had been left open, and the unsuspecting Roomba had fallen prey to the lure of the shag.

Before I could figure out who killed the Roomba, I first wanted to make sure the Roomba was, in fact, dead. The shag carpeting had the Roomba firmly in its clutches, so I grabbed a pair of scissors and cut it out of the tangled mess. Then I turned the Roomba over. Its bristles were knotted up in shag. The roller was completely encased in shag. The filter was full of shag. It was clear the Roomba was dead, and it had drowned in shag carpeting. But I took it to triage anyway

and worked on it, feverishly removing all the tangles of shag carpeting from its rollers and coils. I grabbed a set of charging paddles. “Clear!” I yelled, then shocked the Roomba. But it didn’t respond. It was dead on arrival.

Wiping away my tears, I started to look for clues. The door to the den had been closed when I left the house; of that, I was certain. So who opened it? And, more importantly, who had it out for the Roomba?

I walked into the kitchen. Vacuum cleaner mysteries always made me hungry. But as I opened the fridge, I noticed the dog sleeping across the kitchen floor. Slowly a thought entered my head. Could it be the dog? Could the dog have killed the Roomba? The dog hated the Roomba. The dog hated vacuum cleaners in general, but especially a vacuum cleaner that chased it around the house, trying to suck all the shedding dog hair directly off the dog’s body. Yes, the dog was not a fan. I went to the den and closed the door.

Then I got down on all fours and pushed against the door with my face, like a dog. The door resisted at first, then popped open. I shook my head. I knew what I had to do.

“Bowie!” I yelled across the house. The dog appeared quickly at my side, tail wagging and full of joy, clearly trying to throw off all suspicion that a golden retriever could be a stone-cold killer.

“Bowie, the Roomba is dead. And I suspect that you had something to do with it. Do you have anything to say in your defense?”

The dog looked at the rug. The rug winked at the dog.

“Don’t worry,” it said silently. “I’ve got you covered.”

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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Slow-cooked beef stew makes an ideal cold weather

Crockpot Beef Stew with Potatoes and Peas

The term “comfort food” can be used in reference to a host of dishes. Some see Mom’s homecooking as the ultimate comfort food, while others may insist hearty dishes that fill the belly are the only true comfort foods.

Regardless of one’s defi -

2 pounds boneless stew beefa

1 teaspoon coarse salt

nition of comfort food, one characteristic many might agree about is that foods must provide more than mere sustenance to qualify for entry into this wide-ranging category. Beef stew certainly fits that criteria, as many feel nothing is more comforting

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 celery ribs, rinsed, trimmed and sliced

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and pressed

1) Rinse the beef under cold running water and pat completely dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, cut the beef into generous bitesize pieces.

2) Combine the salt, pepper and flour. Place the cubed beef in a large resealable plastic storage bag. Add the seasoned flour and shake to thoroughly coat the beef with flour.

on a cold winter day than a warm bowl of slow-cooked stew. As winter settles in, those looking for some slowcooked comfort can try this recipe for “Crockpot Beef Stew With Potatoes and Peas” from Lines+Angles. Makes 6 servings

2 cups baby carrots, sliced

6 small new potatoes, rinsed and cut into bite-sized pieces

6 ounces tomato paste

4 cups beef broth

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon dried parsley

2 cups frozen peas

3) Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the flour-coated beef and brown on all sides.

4) Place browned beef in the crock pot. Add onions, celery, garlic, carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley.

5) Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 to 7 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, add the frozen peas, cover and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.

6) Ladle stew into individual serving bowls and serve. Tip: Cooking time may vary depending on age and size of crockpot.

Town offers

Winter Toddler Sports Program

The Town of Oyster Bay's Toddler Sports Program will return this winter, beginning February 11. This 6-week program offers sports classes at the Hicksville Athletic Center for children ages 3 and 4.

“The Town’s Toddler Sports Program is a fantastic way to teach your toddler the fundamentals of sports in a fun and social environment,” said Town Councilman Louis Imbroto. “This program is sure to be a hit with children and parents alike, as youngsters are given the opportunity to learn the basics of various different sports such as tee-ball, flag football and more along with children their own age.”

The Toddler Sports Program begins February 11 and is 6 weeks in duration. Residents who sign their toddler up for the program must choose one class per week, per child. Classes will take place on:

• Tuesdays at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. at the Hicksville Athletic Center in Hicksville; and

• Thursdays at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. at the Hicksville Athletic Center in Hicksville.

Registration will take place ONLINE through the Parks Portal available at oysterbaytown.com/portal on January 7 at 9:00 a.m. Space is limited- first come, first serve. Registration will close when the program reaches full capacity.

Each class is approximately 50 minutes. The cost of the program is $75 per child who is a Town resident, and $90 per child whose care giver is a Town resident but not the child. The child’s birth certificate and a tax or utility bill will be required to validate age and proof of residency. A guardian must be present during the class. The child MUST be 3 years old by the start of the program.

The Toddler Sports Program is run by the Town’s Parks Department, Recreation Division. For further information, please call (516) 797-7945.

Grand opening

Hempstead Town Councilman Dennis Dunne (second right) attended the grand opening of Kidz Toys, located on Gardiners Avenue in Levittown, on December 10. Also attending was New York State Assemblyman John Mikulin.

About to hit a milestone?

Put

It's free of charge for subscribers! Email editor@gcnews.com

Holiday cheer for Hicksville Schools

Assemblymember Lavine with Hicksville Schools Superintendent Dr. Theodore Fulton and Sunita Manjrekar, Board of Education vice president, at the Board of Education meeting, December 18.

Hicksville schools have a little something extra to be excited about this holiday season. Assemblymember Charles Lavine (D-North Shore) was on hand at the December 18th Board of Education meeting where members formally accepted $500,000 in special funding he secured as part of the 2024-2025 state budget. The money will be used to enhance programs and facilities within the district. This money comes in addition to a 6% increase (totaling nearly $2.5 million) in foundation aid which is part of more than $5 billion slated for public school districts on Long Island in the budget.

“There is no better investment than public education,” Lavine said. “I know

that this money will be put to the best use possible and that is to strengthen what is already an accomplished school district with dedicated and caring educators who want nothing but the best for our children.” Lavine also presented citations to several students in recognition of recent honors they received: Insiya Ali - New York State PTA video contest winner New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) All State honorees: Owen Chan - Piano; John Chaplin – Bass Clarinet; Matthew Kilfeather-Bonello - Vocal Tenor Laura Mason - Piccolo Julian Gandolfo, District Holiday Card Winner for 2024.

Photo courtesy of Hicksville Public Schools

Assemblymember Lavine presents citations to Hicksville students in recognition of recent honors.

POB seniors celebrate holiday season

Nassau County Legislature Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker (D - Plainview) celebrated the holiday season with members of the Plainview OldBethpage Senior Citizen Club at the Crest Hollow Country Club on Wednesday, Dec. 11. During this festive annual event, Deputy Minority Leader Drucker had the opportunity to hear what was on residents’ minds, learn more about their seasonal plans, and wish them a happy and healthy holiday season.

Photo courtesy of Office of Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker

Town offers

Winter Toddler Sports Program

The Town of Oyster Bay's Toddler Sports Program will return this winter, beginning February 11. This 6-week program offers sports classes at the Hicksville Athletic Center for children ages 3 and 4.

The Toddler Sports Program begins February 11 and is 6 weeks in duration. Residents who sign their toddler up for the program must choose one class per week, per child. Classes will take place on:

• Tuesdays at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. at the Hicksville Athletic Center in

Hicksville; and

• Thursdays at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. at the Hicksville Athletic Center in Hicksville.

The Toddler Sports Program is run by the Town’s Parks Department, Recreation Division. For further information, please call (516) 797-7945.

JFK Middle School holds thrilling spelling bee

On January 9, Bethpage’s John F. Kennedy Middle School held its third annual school-wide spelling bee, showcasing the linguistic talents of its 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. The event took place in the JFK auditorium and was coordinated by Ms. Brittny Hayes, with Ms. Valerie Filbry serving as the emcee for the competition.

This year’s spelling bee featured 33 competitors, each vying for the coveted title of school champion and the opportunity to advance to the regional competition. The stakes were high, as the winner of the regional competition

will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to compete in the prestigious national spelling bee. The competition was intense, with participants demonstrating exceptional poise and skill as they tackled increasingly challenging words. After many riveting rounds, 8th grader Maahira Kaur emerged as the champion, earning first place with her impressive spelling abilities. Luke Kenney and Elaina Gardikas tied for second place, rounding out the top three.

JFK’s winner, Maahira Kaur, will next participate in the regional competition.

The school-wide spelling bee showcased the talents of students from 6th, 7th and 8th grades.

Faculty and staff make up the panel of judges for the spelling bee, which was held in the JFK auditorium.

JFK spelling bee contestants nervously wait for their turn at the mic.

Winner Maahira Kaur reacts with a smile as she spells her final word correctly.

Photos courtesy of Bethpage Union Free School District

Syosset native to host Small Business Marketing workshop

BY RIKKI MASSAND

Lifelong Syosset and area resident Ari Goldblatt, a current board member of the Syosset Woodbury Chamber of Commerce, will present a free Marketing & Communications workshop on Tuesday, January 28th at the American Legion Post 1066 (at 66 Veterans Boulevard in Massapequa) from 6 to 8 p.m. The workshop’s slogan is “Approach Your Marketing with Intention.”

Goldblatt specializes in developing strategic approaches to marketing for small businesses, with cost-effective delivery of marketing services to fit clients’ budgets. The event will provide Nassau County-based businesses that attend with tools and strategies to succeed in growing their brands and customer base. Social media, networking, online marketing, ecommerce and other initiatives will be covered.

Mr. Goldblatt is president and owner of Boomer Productions Inc., which he founded in January 2019. In early 2023 he joined the Syosset Woodbury Chamber of Commerce. He was elected as a board member that year, and his expanded network of local professionals led to more opportunities around Nassau County.

“We provide outsourced marketing solutions for small business owners. In starting the company, I assist business owners in this capacity. Most local business owners continue steady operations with referrals of business arriving – they tend to have their heads down, spend their time on completing work for clients, servicing them and/ or creating goods for the market. When they’re servicing they do not put much time and attention on their marketing and it winds up being an afterthought – something they know they’ll need to do more of, but seem to always put off,” Goldblatt said.

Goldblatt believes the marketing methods he delivers can make up for a small business not having a dedicated marketing person on staff.

“Because it’s not full-time or even a part-time employee, this becomes cost-effective for us as they know they can work with someone who has 20 years of marketing experience, and with strong knowledge in multiple disciplines. I’ve operated in many capacities of marketing and promotions from events to advertising, PR, email marketing, websites and more,” he explained.

Boomer Productions Inc. has been contracted through the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce (NCCC) as a local provider of resources as part of the Nassau County Technical Services Grant – a Nassau County grant program from County Executive Bruce A. Blakeman and the County Legislature which is being operated by NCCC.

Only businesses and independent

service professionals physically located within Nassau County are eligible to participate.

The structure and network of Boomer Productions Inc. allows for additional consultation and services involving specialists as needed.

Goldblatt has developed a network of professional contacts to tap into and call upon depending on clients’ interests and needs. He said the vast network is a value-add involving “refinement” to the marketing plans and efficacy.

Earlier in his career Goldblatt’s clients included Starwood hotels, American Express, NBC Sports, and Reebok. He observed larger organizations’ interests in making decisions based on market research, having a strong brand identity, what their competitors were up to, and evaluating the primary target market.

Goldblatt will speak to Nassau County businesses about expanding their footprint: “There are many more channels by which you can deliver messaging, but trying to maximize your business can be a scale problem – How many times will brand advocates, or the business owners themselves, be able to interact with people and target markets to bring in new business? That’s where today’s marketing becomes a scale game. We take that message the business or brand advocate would present and bring scale to it. At a small business and local level, the scope of who the company or services are marketed to could be limiting,” he said.

Social media and a strong online presence are efforts he sees as being the free and convenient advertising tools small businesses should leverage.

He commented, “What we will do is intentional, deliberate, and wellthought-out. Clients working with me feel confident about their future marketing, their respective brand and connecting with customer target groups…

Woodbury Chamber was because I had THE BEST upbringing in Syosset! I have such an emotional connection to the town, and though I had a tremendous time as a student at Penn State, I’m a die-hard Nittany Lion, but I still rank my four years of Syosset High School on par with my college experience. The faculty did a tremendous job of challenging us as students to think about different things and think strategically… It was like the ‘The Wonder Years’ in a safe, happy community with all the programs at SHS – plus I played SBL basketball, I was into soccer, and I went through Little League,” he noted.

If social media is done effectively, it could be very impactful in meeting the business objectives and in spurring growth.”

Boomer Productions also studies consumer profiles and tech trends among people of various generations, for the purposes of truly understanding the primary customer target groups. Expansion and growth are the focus. Some questions Ari asks businesses he consults include: Is there another product or division to launch? Could they start another location?

“It’s imperative in the modern age for small businesses to utilize the additional channels. That is where brand strategy and marketing effectiveness is paramount,” he said.

His corporate career volleyed into sports marketing and promotion. With agency Momentum Worldwide, Goldblatt was instrumental in developing the USTA’s “Fresh Courts” – a philanthropic program through which tennis courts across America were built and renovated to provide tennis access for thousands of children.

He also worked on the development and brand campaign for American Express’s U.S. Open Fan Experience at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows.

A “Syosset lifer” and business leader

Ari Goldblatt grew up in Syosset, attending grade school at Robbins Lane Elementary followed by Harry B. Thompson Middle School and then Syosset High School.

Upon graduating SHS he headed to Penn State University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Marketing.

Goldblatt said he was able to take advantage of Syosset public schools’ superior educational experience. His favorite subjects at Syosset HS were English/Language Arts, writing, and history.

“The main reason to join our Syosset

When Ari was 16, he became a lifeguard at Syosset Woodbury Park’s pool. He was a part of student government in elementary and middle school. At Syosset High he took AP courses, and was big into the visual art program. Goldblatt even considered having a career as an artist then, but he pursued a business education in college.

“I realized that with painting, visual arts and design, it’s really a lot of problem solving. When you have a blank canvas a want to create something unique and special, you need to plan and strategize what to do. I’m using the same processing in my brain and succeeding at it in marketing motivates me everyday,” he said.

Ari lives with his wife and two daughters in Plainview, and the kids attend Plainview-Old Bethpage schools. Their oldest child is a senior at John F. Kennedy High School, and the younger one is a sophomore. The older one might take after her father, as she plans to study arts and communications in college.

Businesses must register to attend

Registration for the January 28th workshop is available on the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce website, at NCChambers.org

Following the workshop, the NCCC has budgeted Boomer Productions Inc. for up to 15 “extended sessions” (one per participating business). For the sessions, business’s costs to work with the firm are fully covered by the Nassau County grant.

Other sessions that are part of the NCCC-led program are on Financial Services, with a workshop set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, January 23rd that a fellow Syosset Woodbury Chamber board member, Laura Venugopalan of Careful Books will lead, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Roslyn, 3 Harbor Park Drive in Port Washington.

Any Nassau County business owner can attend these workshops, but they must first register online at, https:// ncchambers.org/nassau-countytechnical-services-grant/.

Ari Goldblatt

Levittown Chamber of Commerce Spotlight on Business

SUBMITTED BY DON PATANE

The Levittown Chamber of Commerce would like to spotlight Father Ralph Sommer, who has been Pastor of St. Bernard’s Roman Catholic Church for the past 12 years.

Father Ralph was ordained in 1983 having attended Adelphi University and then the seminary but was beginning to find his “ calling” much earlier serving as an altar boy, singing in the choir and then teaching religion and writing in the parish publications during his teen and college years. His uncle who was a priest really inspired Fr. Ralph to serve people and help them in their relationship with God. Father Ralph has served in three other parishes before coming to St. Bernard’s.

In Father Ralph’s words he says his mission and the people of St. Bernard’s parish family‘s mission is “With faith, hope and love to bring the gospel of Jesus to the Levittown Community and beyond."

St. Bernard’s currently has eight pastoral staff members and nearly 20 support staff members with additional volunteers. In addition, Father Patrick and Father Innocent serve at the church.

While St. Bernard’s does have some masses and programs in Spanish, they welcome people of any ethnic or racial background, any orientation or ability. They recently asked non-parishioner Chamber Members what our church was known for in the community and

they said, “The food pantry, acceptance, a resource, faith, the holiday fair and a community connector.”

Always with a sense of humor, Father Ralph when asked the standard question of offering a special discount to chamber members, “Chamber members can attend mass for free, but then again so can everyone.”

Father Ralph is a very busy man, finding time to visit his siblings and nieces and nephews. He loves spending time with people, going to local school concerts and games. In addition, Father Ralph enjoys going to people’s homes and sharing meals with them. In his spare time, he likes gardening, woodworking, writing, web development,

photography (always has a camera in hand) and baking. He also loves social media and reaching out to people of all ages and stages of life.

To learn more about Father Ralph and all that St. Bernard’s offers visit https://www.stbernardchurch.org and https://www.facebook.com/stbernardslevittown

Reelected to water district board

The Hicksville Water District (HWD) has announced that Commissioner Karl Schweitzer has been re-elected to the HWD Board of Commissioners following the District’s election on December 10.

Commissioner Schweitzer has served on the Board since 1998 and will be sworn in to his 10th term on January 14.

“I am honored and humbled to have been chosen by my neighbors to continue serving as Hicksville Water District Commissioner for another term,” said Commissioner Schweitzer. “I consider serving on the District Board to be one of the greatest privileges of my life and I am grateful to have been granted the opportunity to do so for the next three years. My passion for protecting our

community’s drinking water is as great as ever and I look forward to furthering our District’s ability to deliver the high-quality water service that our residents deserve.”

Along with his work at the HWD, Commissioner Schweitzer has been a member of the Hicksville Fire Department for more than 40 years and has served in a number of leadership positions, including two years as chief. He is still active in the department, serving as company historian for HWD Emergency Company 5. He has been recognized for his dedication to public service on a number of occasions, including being honored as Citizen of the Year by the Hicksville Chamber

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of Commerce in 1998, as well as by the Hicksville Community Council in 2006. Commissioner Schweitzer has also been heavily involved in more widespread drinking water protection efforts. He is affiliated with many professional organizations such as the American Water Works Association, where he received appointments at a national level to the Health, Safety and Security Committee, as well as the Emergency Preparedness Committee. He is also past-president of the Nassau-Suffolk Water Commissioners Association and is past-chairman of the Long Island Water Conference. He also served on the Long Island Commission on Aquifer Protection.

We’re looking for writers in our community to compose ar ticles on local topics, opinions, reviews, worthy places to visit on Long Island, and even pieces of fiction. We aim to feature at least one new article and writer each week in our Discovery magazine section.

Email submissions: editor@gcnews.com

•Attach article and any photos (1MB), along with your name and contact info.

•Articles must be between 1,500 - 3,000 words. • Each writer will be reimbursed a stipend of $25.⁰⁰

St. Bernard's Catholic Church parishoners in front of the church.

Karl Schweitzer

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