Mid-Island Times (1/31/25) by Litmor Publishing

SERVING PLAINVIEW, HICKSVILLE, AND LEVIT TOWN

POB student is named Regeneron Scholar Literacy program focus of Board meeting

Principal Dr. Heather Dvorak (from left), Research Lab Facilitator Ms. Rohe Sheikh, Chloe Lee, and Lead Research Coordinator Raymond Tesar.

Plainview-Old Bethpage

John F. Kennedy High School has announced that (POBJFKHS) senior Chloe Lee has been recognized as a 2025 Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar. This prestigious honor is awarded to only 300 students out of nearly 2,500 entrants representing 795 high schools across

48 states, American Samoa, Guam, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and 14 other countries.

Chloe earned this recognition based on her exceptional research, leadership, community involvement, academic achievements, creativity in posing scientific questions, and her potential

as a future leader in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Her submission included original independent research, essays, and recommendations.

Chloe’s research project, “Exploring the Effects of Cannabidiol–Medium Chain Triglyceride Oil on Locomotion

See page 15

The Bethpage Union Free School District Board of Education meeting on Jan. 21 at Central Boulevard Elementary School featured a special presentation titled “Spotlight on Literacy,” highlighting the district’s robust elementary reading program. Ms. Valerie Filbry, director of literacy & English language arts, and Ms. Dominique Siebert, principal of Central Boulevard Elementary School, led the presentation. Ms. Filbry and Ms. Siebert explained that the district’s K–5 literacy program is designed to cultivate lifelong reading, writing, communication and critical think-

ing skills in students. The comprehensive program focuses on developing key areas such as oral language, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

A standout feature of the program is its integration of literacy with other disciplines, including science, social studies, the arts, and social-emotional learning (SEL). Students also engage in literary analysis, tying their reading experiences to broader themes and academic subjects. To support this interdisciplinary approach, classrooms incorporate programs such

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Following the literacy presentation, fifth and sixth graders from Central Boulevard Elementary School hosted an exhibit of literacy tools and projects in the back of the auditorium. Board members and attendees had the opportunity to explore various displays and learn more about the district’s elementary reading program.

Nicholas Brigandi elected water district chairman

The Hicksville Water District (HWD) has announced that Commissioner Nicholas Brigandi has been elected to serve as District Chairman for 2025. Unanimously elected by fellow Commissioners Karl Schweitzer and William Schuckmann, Brigandi is set to lead the District throughout the entire year.

“It is a pleasure to once again be given the opportunity to serve as Chairman by my fellow Commissioners,” said Chairman Brigandi. “Over the years, serving as Hicksville Water District Commissioner has developed into one of my great passions, and it is an honor to know that I have the confidence of Commissioners Schweitzer and Schuckmann to lead our District operations for the next year. I am determined to use my years of experience and expertise to continue pushing our District’s operations toward a bright and successful future.”

Chairman Brigandi is experienced in the water service industry. Throughout his tenure, he has overseen projects and improvements to the ways in which the HWD services its more than 40,000 residents, helping the District overcome some of the biggest challenges it has ever faced. He has played a crucial role in the rapid installation of several Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) water treatment systems to address the threat presented by emerging contaminants in the District’s drinking water.

Chairman Brigandi is also a Community Council Director as well as a member of the Hicksville Chamber of Commerce, Sons of Italy, Knights of Columbus and Kiwanis Club.

Hicksville Water District Commissioner Nicholas Brigandi

Additionally, he has been Sergeant of Arms of the Hicksville Fire Department where he has served as a volunteer firefighter with Engine Company #7. He has been on the depart ment’s Finance Committee, Welfare Committee and Labor Day Parade and Drill Committee, where he served as chairman. Commissioner Brigandi is also past-president and a trustee of the Volunteer Exempt Benevolent Association. Before retiring as highway maintenance supervisor, he worked for the Nassau County Department of Public Works.

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Hempstead Town Clerk Kate Murray congratulated fourth grade students Mila

Town offers Summer Recreation Program

The Town of Oyster Bay has announced that residents interested in having their children participate in the 2025 Summer Recreation Program can now upload necessary documents and materials for review in advance of the final registration period. This process is mandatory prior to registration this spring and will once again be performed fully online. This year’s Summer Recreation Program runs June 30 through August 8 and will include a full-day option (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) at all locations for children ages 4 through 12. Space is limited at each facility.

"The Town’s Summer Recreation Program features great summer fun for children at five of our Town parks, with activities including arts and crafts, various games, themed days, water fun, scavenger hunts and so much more," said Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino. "To help streamline the registration process, residents will be able to signup their children online this spring, and can begin pre-registration today!"

All registrations for Summer

Recreation will performed online. In an effort to simplify the process, the Town’s Parks Department will accept all necessary documentation, including proof of residency, child’s birth certificates, recent physicals etc. to be uploaded to a portal on the Town’s website prior to the final registration period this spring. This process is mandatory and ends on Friday, March 21, 2025. Once all documentation is properly uploaded, parents/guardians will receive notification of approval to register, as well as directions for online registration.

How to upload materials (note: pre-registration does not guarantee a spot in this year’s Summer Recreation Program. Parents will need to perform final registration this spring).

• Parents/guardians can visit www.oysterbaytown.com/portal

• Select “My Account” on the top right corner and log-in or create a new account (if your child was registered for the 2024 Summer Program, you already have an account, however documents must be uploaded)

Let

• After logging in, select “My Account,” then Household & Member. Confirm all family members are listed. If needed, select ’Add Family member’ at bottom of page and add a child or guardian to the household. Then SAVE

• Select DOCUMENT UPLOAD from the portal menu. Each document must be uploaded as a separate file (make sure all scanned documents are legible)

Required documents: Proof of residency (tax or utility bill); Child’s Birth Certificate; Child ’ s Immunization Records (for full-day campers only); Child’s recent physical (for full-day campers only)

“We know many of our youngsters can’t wait for the warm weather and all the fun they have at the Town’s Summer Recreation Program, ” said Town Councilwoman Vicki Walsh. “With fullday options now available at Marjorie Post Park in Massapequa, PlainviewOld Bethpage Community Park and Syosset-Woodbury Community Park,

Ellsworth Allen Park in Farmingdale and Harry Tappen Beach in Glen Head, we look forward to another successful summer of fun!”

The mandatory pre-registration period, during which interested parents/ guardians can upload documents and required materials for registration, is open now through March 21. Submission of materials does not guarantee a spot in the 2025 program—parents must complete their registration this spring when final registration opens. Following final registration, refunds are given on a prorated basis and subject to a 10 percent administrative fee through July 11. Parents will receive an email from the Recreation Division confirming that all documents have been received, as well as directions on how to complete registration. All registration will take place online. For more information, visit www.oysterbaytown.com/summerrecreation or call the Town’s Recreation Office at (516) 797-7945.

“Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” game show event

Central Boulevard School transformed into a game show arena on Jan. 17, with “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” - a lively competition of trivia and physical challenges between teams of fifth graders and their “special persons.”

Central Boulevard School transformed into a game show arena on Jan. 17, with Hollyrock Entertainment’s exciting “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” brain challenge event. The fun-filled experience brought fifth graders and their “special persons” together in a lively competition of trivia and physical challenges, all in good spirits to see which team would come out on top.

The room was split into two sides, with participants divided into the Red Team and the Blue Team. Teachers stepped into the roles of team managers, cheering on their students and families and even jumping in to tackle a few challenges themselves.

The game show featured rounds of fast-paced trivia, testing knowledge across various subjects and engaging physical challenges that had both kids and adults on their feet. One memorable moment came during the “Name

That Tune” segment, where parents outshined their kids in recognizing classic 80s and 90s hits, including favorites like “Sweet Child of Mine.”

Hollyrock Entertainment, the masterminds behind the event, brings their decades of experience in creating memorable moments for schools, camps and private events. Founded in 1977, Hollyrock has evolved from a small DJ company into a leader in mobile TV game show entertainment with a reputation for combining entertainment with education.

The “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” event at Central Boulevard School was a resounding success, leaving participants with memories of laughter, friendly competition and family fun. The students, parents and teachers came together not just to test their wits but to celebrate the joy of learning and community.

Hula hoop fun.

The Red Team having a great time.

Photos courtesy of Bethpage Union Free School District

Student-run café provides on-the-job experience

POB Perk also operates at the Howard B. Mattlin Middle School, where students provide staff with drinks and snacks.

Middle and high school students at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District are receiving some exclusive on-the-job experience while offering a variety of delicious treats and beverages to students and staff with POB Perk. POB Perk, a pair of student-operated cafes at Howard B. Mattlin Middle School and PlainviewOld Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, serves as an initiative blending education, work experience, and community building.

At the high school, POB Perk operates as a physical store located in Room 122.

LEGAL NOTICES

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.

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Open Monday through Friday during periods two through eight, the store offers an assortment of baked goods, snacks, and drinks, including glutenfree options, ensuring there’s something for everyone. During periods one and nine, students prepare the store for the day or clean up and restock for the next day’s operations. Through POB Perk, high school students gain valuable work experience through various activities. These include taking customer orders and ringing up sales using the cash register, preparing and serving drinks, packaging food items for the sales floor,

Students at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School are gaining on-the-job skills through a student-run café called POB Perk.

and restocking merchandise while monitoring inventory.

In addition to these daily tasks, students develop essential functional skills, including managing money, reading expiration dates, and completing basic inventory checks. As the program expands, students will also be introduced to future job tasks such as basic accounting and marketing skills including creating flyers and using a Cricut machine for product branding.

At the middle school, POB Perk is open exclusively to staff members, offering both morning and afternoon

service on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during periods one, seven, and eight. Students play an integral role in the operation, performing tasks such as preparing drinks and food items collecting payments and providing change, taking inventory and restocking supplies and following setup and clean-up procedures to ensure smooth operations.

Special Education teachers Ms. Christina Karayiannis and Ms. Susan Ham operate the program at the high school and middle school, respectively.

Town: Taxes payable through Feb. 10

The Town of Oyster Bay reminds residents that the first half of the 2025 General Tax Levy is due on January 1st but can be paid without penalty through February 10.

“New York State Law allows my office to provide taxpayers with a 40-day penalty free period from the date the tax is due during which payment may be made without penalty,” Receiver of Taxes Jeffrey Pravato explained. “After the 40 days, State Law requires a one percent penalty be added for each month the tax remains unpaid, retroactive to January 1st. Don’t delay, make your payment before February 10th and ensure you aren’t paying

more out of pocket than you need to.”

The Tax Office is open in both Town Hall North, 74 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, and Town Hall South, 977 Hicksville Road, Massapequa, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. to assist residents and accept payments with a check, cash or credit card*. There are also outdoor walkup windows. On February 7 and 10, both offices will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. When paying in person, residents are reminded to bring the entire tax bill. Drop Boxes have been installed at both Town Hall North and Town Hall South for residents to make payments

when the Tax Office is closed. Residents who prefer to mail in their payments should send them to the Office of the Receiver of Taxes, 74 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, N.Y. 11771-1539. Please be certain to sign your check, and make it payable to Jeffrey P. Pravato, Receiver of Taxes. Indicate your property’s S.D. Code, Section, Block, Lot and phone number on the check. All mailed payments must have a United States Postal Service postmark dated on or before February 10. Residents can access 2025 General Tax information at www.oysterbaytown.com, where they may view current

tax bills, print out a hard copy, or pay taxes with an ACH check payment using a checking account for a service fee of $1.75 cents*, or by debit/credit card for a much higher fee* charged by the credit card companies. *Town of Oyster Bay receives no portion of this fee.” When calling the Tax Office at (516) 624-6400, or sending an email to receiveroftaxes@oysterbay-ny.gov, residents are requested to have the School District, Section, Block and Lot numbers of the property in question available. This information is listed on the tax bill and on the property deed.

WILMINGTON SAINGS FUND SOCIETY FSB D/B/A CHRISTIANA TRUST AS TRUSTEE FOR PNPMS TRUST II, Plaintiff, Against

THEOCHARIS PHILIPPOU A/K/A THEOCHARRIS

PHILIPPOU A/K/A HARRIS

PHILIPPOU A/K/A HARRY

PHILIPPOU, et al, Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 09/11/2019, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 3/6/2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 2 Prose Street, Hicksville, New York 11801, And Described As Follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Hicksville, Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 11 Block 309 Lot 33 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $578,855.97 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 1488/2015

Lisa B. Singer, Esq., Referee. THE FRANK LAW FIRM P.C., 333 GLEN HEAD ROAD, SUITE 145, OLD BROOKVILLE, NY 11545

Dated: 1/14/2025 File Number: 00047 MB

LEGAL NOTICES

NASSAU COUNTY

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE OF NASSAU COUNTY TREASURER’S SALE OF TAX LIENS ON REAL ESTATE

Notice is hereby given that commencing on February 18th, 2025, will sell at public on-line auction the tax liens on certain real estate, unless the owner, mortgagee, occupant of or any other party in interest in such real estate shall have paid to the County Treasurer by February 13th, 2025 the total amount of such unpaid taxes or assessments with the interest, penalties and other expenses and charges against the property. Such tax liens will be sold at the lowest rate of interest, not exceeding 10 percent per six-month period, for which any person or persons shall offer to take the total amount of such unpaid taxes as defined in Section 5-37.0 of the Nassau County Administrative Code. Effective with the February 2019 lien sale Ordinance No. 175-2015 requires a $175.00 per day registration fee for each person who intends to bid at the tax lien sale. Ordinance No. 175-2015 also requires that upon the issuance of the Lien Certificate there is due from the lien buyer a Tax Certificate Issue Fee of $20.00 per lien purchased. Pursuant to the provisions of the Nassau County Administrative Code at the discretion of the Nassau County Treasurer the auction will be conducted online. Further information concerning the procedures for the auction is available at the website of the Nassau County Treasurer at: https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/526/County-Treasurer

Should the Treasurer determine that an in-person auction shall be held, same will commence on the 18th day of February 2025 at the Office of The County Treasurer 1 West Street, Mineola or at some other location to be determined by the Treasurer.

A list of all real estate in Nassau County on which tax liens are to be sold is available at the website of the Nassau County Treasurer at: https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/527/Annual-Tax-Lien-Sale

A list of local properties upon which tax liens are to be sold will be advertised in this publication on or before February 06th, 2025 Nassau County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to or access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs, or activities. Upon request, accommodations such as those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in all services, programs, activities and public hearings and events conducted by the Treasurer’s Office. Upon request, information can be made available in Braille, large print, audio-tape or other alternative formats. For additional information, please call (516) 571-2090 ext. 1-3715.

Dated: January 23, 2025

TERMS OF SALE

THE NASSAU COUNTY TREASURER

Mineola, NewYork

However, such tax liens shall have priority over the County's Differential Interest Lien, representing the excess, if any, of the interest and penalty borne at the maximum rate over the interest and penalty borne at the rate at which the lien is purchased.

The Purchaser acknowledges that the tax lien(s) sold pursuant to these Terms of Sale may be subject to pending bankruptcy proceedings and/or may become subject to such proceedings which may be commenced during the period in which a tax lien is held by a successful bidder or the assignee of same, which may modify a Purchaser's rights with respect to the lien(s) and the property securing same. Such bankruptcy proceedings shall not affect the validity of the tax lien. In addition to being subject to pending bankruptcy proceedings and/or the Federal and State Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Acts, said purchaser's right of foreclosure may be affected by the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act(FIRREA),12 U.S.C. ss 1811 et.seq., with regard to real property under Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation(FDIC) receivership.

The County Treasurer reserves the right, without further notice and at any time, to withdraw from sale any of the parcels of land or premises herein listed. The Nassau County Treasurer reserves the right to intervene in any bankruptcy case/litigation where the property affected by the tax liens sold by the Treasurer is part of the bankruptcy estate. However, it is the sole responsibility of all tax lien purchasers to protect their legal interests in any bankruptcy case affecting their purchased tax lien, including but not limited to the filing of a proof of claim on their behalf, covering their investment in said tax lien. The Nassau County Treasurer and Nassau County and its agencies, assumes no responsibility for any legal representation of any tax lien purchaser in any legal proceeding including but not limited to a bankruptcy case where the purchased tax lien is at risk.

The rate of interest and penalty at which any person purchases the tax lien shall be established by his bid. Each purchaser, immediately after the sale thereof, shall pay to the County Treasurer ten per cent of the amount for which the tax liens have been sold and the remaining ninety per cent within thirty days after such sale. If the purchaser at the tax sale shall fail to pay the remaining ninety per cent within ten days after he has been notified by the County Treasurer that the certificates of sale are ready for delivery, then all amounts deposited with the County Treasurer including but not limited to the ten per cent theretofore paid by him shall, without further notice or demand, be irrevocably forfeited by the purchaser and shall be retained by the County Treasurer as liquidated damages and the agreement to purchase shall be of no further effect. Time is of the essence in this sale. This sale is held pursuant to the Nassau County Administrative Code and interested parties are referred to such Code for additional information as to terms of the sale, rights of purchasers, maximum rates of interest and other legal incidents of the sale.

Furthermore, as to the bidding,

1. The bidder(s) agree that they will not work with any other bidder(s) to increase, maintain or stabilize interest rates or collaborate with any other bidder(s) to gain an unfair competitive advantage in the random number generator in the event of a tie bid(s) on a tax certificate. Bidder(s) further agree not to employ any bidding strategy designed to create an unfair competitive advantage in the tiebreaking process in the upcoming tax sale nor work with any other bidder(s) to engage in any bidding strategy that will result in a rotational award of tax certificates.

2. The tax certificate(s) the Bidder will bid upon, and the interest rate(s) bid, will be arrived at independently and without direct or indirect consultation, communication or agreement with any other bidder and that the tax certificate(s) the Bidder will bid upon, and the interest rate(s) to be bid, have not been disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any other bidder, and will not be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any other bidder prior to the close of bidding. No attempt has been made or will be made to, directly or indirectly, induce any other bidder to refrain from bidding on any tax certificate, to submit complementary bids, or to submit bids at specific interest rates.

3. The bids to be placed by the Bidder will be made in good faith and not pursuant to any direct or indirect, agreement or discussion with, or inducement from, any other bidder to submit a complementary or other noncompetitive bid.

4. If it is determined that the bidder(s) have violated any of these bid requirements then their bid shall be voided and if they were the successful bidder the lien and any deposits made in connection with said bid shall be forfeited.

Dated: January 23, 2025 THE NASSAU

LEGAL NOTICES

NASSAU COUNTY

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE OF NASSAU COUNTY TREASURER’S SALE OF TAX LIENS ON REAL ESTATE

A list of all real estate in Nassau County on which tax liens are to be sold is available at the website of the Nassau County Treasurer at: https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/527/Annual-Tax-Lien-Sale

Dated: January 23, 2025

TERMS OF SALE

THE NASSAU COUNTY TREASURER

Mineola, NewYork

Such tax liens shall be sold subject to any and all superior tax liens of sovereignties and other municipalities and to all claims of record which the County may have thereon and subject to the provisions of the Federal and State Soldiers’ and Sailors' Civil Relief Acts. However, such tax liens shall have priority over the County's Differential Interest Lien, representing the excess, if any, of the interest and penalty borne at the maximum rate over the interest and penalty borne at the rate at which the lien is purchased. The Purchaser acknowledges that the tax lien(s) sold pursuant to these Terms of Sale may be subject to pending bankruptcy proceedings and/or may become subject to such proceedings which may be commenced during the period in which a tax lien is held by a successful bidder or the assignee of same, which may modify a Purchaser's rights with respect to the lien(s) and the property securing same. Such bankruptcy proceedings shall not affect the validity of the tax lien. In addition to being subject to pending bankruptcy proceedings and/or the Federal and State Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Acts, said purchaser's right of foreclosure may be affected by the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act(FIRREA),12 U.S.C. ss 1811 et.seq., with regard to real property under Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation(FDIC) receivership.

Furthermore, as to the bidding,

Dated: January 23, 2025

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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.

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NASSAU COUNTY NOTICE OF SALE

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

Landmark Anne Frank The Exhibition in NYC Personalizes Holocaust As Never Before

BY KAREN RUBIN TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM

It is surreal, extraordinarily intimate, overwhelmingly emotional to find yourself standing in Anne Frank’s tiny room exactly as she had lived in it, in secret hiding for two years, just before she was taken away by Nazis to the concentration camp where she died just a few months before she would have been saved.

There are the photos she clipped from newspapers to put on her wall, to preserve some connection to a normal life, her life before the Nazis took over Germany, then invaded the Netherlands, where her family had sought refuge. You see the plaid-cloth covered diary she began to write the day she received it, on her 13th birthday, who she sometimes wrote to as “Dear Kitty” and treated as her closest friend and confidant, revealing things her father later admitted he never knew about his daughter despite being close and living in such constant proximity.

As you stand in this space, the tiny bedroom where she sat at this desk to write, you hear her words, “When I write, I can shake off my cares, my sorrow... my spirits soar.... But will I ever be able to write something great? Will I ever be able to be a journalist or writer? Oh, I hope so.” And then, “Writing allows me to record everything – thoughts, ideals, fantasies.”

This is the remarkable Anne Frank The Exhibition, opening at the Center for Jewish History in New York City on January 27, coin-

Standing in Anne Frank’s tiny room in The Annex where she and her family hid from the Nazis for two years, personalizes the Holocaust. This immersion into a full-scale re-creation of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam is part of a landmark “Anne Frank The Exhibition,” now on view at the Center for Jewish History in New York City © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com.

ciding with International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp where one million Jews were exterminated.

For the first time, visitors outside of Amsterdam will be able to experience the Anne Frank House, one of the most visited historical sites in Europe, but in a very different way: whereas in Amsterdam, the rooms are empty as they were after the Nazis left it, here, visitors are immersed in a full-scale re-creation of the complete Annex, furnished as it would have been when Anne and her family and four other Jews spent two years hiding to evade Nazi capture.

You see the pictures clipped from newspapers she put on her wall – a semblance of normalcy of a teenager. You hear her words from her diary as you walk through those rooms.

But there is another important difference: before and after you roam through this meticulously re-created Annex, you are immersed in her life and the lives of millions of others as you see the rise of Hitler and the Nazis, how the Holocaust was set into motion and what it was like to live with such terror– giving a broader context and meaning to Anne Frank’s story, resonating with chilling effect today.

Created in partnership between the Anne Frank House and the Center

GOING PLACES NEAR AND FAR

for Jewish History, this astonishing, Anne Frank: The Exhibition kicks off the Center‘s 25th anniversary season.

“We are absolutely thrilled to partner with the Anne Frank House on this landmark exhibition,” said Dr. Gavriel Rosenfeld, President of the Center for Jewish History. “As we approach the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in January, Anne Frank’s story becomes more urgent than ever. In a time of rising antisemitism, her diary serves as both a warning and a call to action, reminding us of the devastating impact of hatred. This exhibition challenges us to confront these dangers head-on and honor the memory of those lost in the Holocaust.”

“When students learn to identify hate, learn to confront with empathy, critical thinking, they will champion justice and equality,” Ronald Leopold, the director of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, said at the press preview. “An exhibition like this serves as powerful reminder of the importance of confronting hate through education and understanding.

“Anne Frank’s story is known to many but what you will experience at this exhibition goes beyond her tragic fate. The exhibition hopefully will also offer a deeper, multifaceted view of who Anne Frank was- not just a victim of the Holocaust, but just a girl, a teenager, a writer, and an enduring symbol of resilience and strength.”

The Anne Frank House was established in 1957 in cooperation with Otto Frank, Anne Frank’s father, as an independent nonprofit January 31, 2025

Continued on next page

GOING PLACES, NEAR & FAR....

Landmark Anne Frank The Exhibition in NYC Personalizes Holocaust As Never Before

organization entrusted with the preservation of the Annex and bringing Anne’s life story to world audiences in order to serve as a place for teaching and learning about the Holocaust. Each year, the Anne Frank House, welcomes 1.2 million visitors, but many are turned away (you have to reserve tickets weeks, even months in advance), and requires visitors to come to Amsterdam.

“This exhibition is not just about the past,” Leopold said at a press preview. “It is important to learn about the past, but more important to learn from the past. That is the educational mission Anne’s father, the only one of the 8 Jews in hiding at the Annex who survived, gave us when Anne Frank House opened to the public in 1960.”

Leopold held up two photos, side by side. One is easily recognizable: Anne Frank. Next to her on the page is a photo a boy no one has heard of. He was born June 12, 1929, the same day as Anne, lived one block from where she lived, a 3 minute walk. Their paths might have crossed - we don’t know. We know everything about this little girl, Anne Frank, we think, but there is no one in the world today who knows anything about this young boy except for his name, David Spanyeur, his date of birth, address and when and where he was murdered, on February 12, 1943 in Auschwitz.”

“If we bring Anne Frank to New York, and we go to remember her on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we also bring, David Spanyeur to New York, and remember him, as we will remember 1.5 million Jewish children’s lives cut short by human beings for the single reason they were Jewish. This is the message we try to bring, that goes beyond Anne Frank.”

Philanthropic support has made it possible for the Anne Frank House to subsidize visits for students from New York City public schools and all Title 1 public schools throughout the United States. A special curriculum has been created for distribution to 500,000 children, and there is a 28-minute film at the center that is geared to school children.

So far, tens of thousands of already purchased tickets in advance of the opening; 150 schools have already scheduled visits from as far as California.

A Normal Teenager

There is so much that is astonishing about this exhibit – certainly being able to stand in this exact, full-scale re-creation of Anne Frank’s secret hiding place furnished as if they had just left, before the Nazis stripped everything out. Indeed, that is how you experience The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, totally empty. (The people from Anne Frank House in Amsterdam remarked how strange it was to see the rooms they know so well as empty, now furnished. “But we have the original diary, you have a facsimile!”) Also, it is what the exhibit is wrapped around with –the context surrounding Anne Frank’s experience and the experience of the 6 million Jews, including 1.5 million children exterminated in the Holocaust.

The exhibit features some 100 artifacts – some rarely if ever viewed in public - including an extraordinary exhibit of the family’s personal effects from their comfortable life in Frankfurt where Otto was a banker, before the Nazis and the Holocaust – even their china, a wooden desk from 1796, and Anne’s first photo album (1929-1942). You see family photos and photos of a normal life, a playful child with a fetching smile. There is even a video of a wedding couple leaving their apartment building that happened to capture Anne peering out from a second-story window.

This exhibit wraps Anne Frank’s personal story with context: the rise of Hitler, democratically elected Chancellor, and the Nazi domination of Germany, the invasion of the Netherlands, France and Belgium, and the implementation of the Final Solution - systemic genocide of Jews, known as the Holocaust.

We walk through the bookcase, and are in the hiding place in the Annex.

Throughout the exhibit, you have an audio guide that you can activate, but here, in the hiding place, is where what you hear is most affecting – not just the description of the place and what their

lives were like for the two years they hid away, but Anne’s own words from her diary.

“When I write, I can shake off my cares, my sorrow... my spirits soar.... But will I ever be able to write something great? Will I ever be able to be a journalist or writer? Oh, I hope so.” And then, “Writing allows me to record everything – thoughts, ideals, fantasies.”

In the next part of the exhibit, you see how the Holocaust unfolded - photos of Jews pulled from their homes, crowded into the streets and loaded onto cattle cars, deported to labor, concentration and death camps. You see soldiers shooting masses of Jews in pits dug by the victims themselves.

This room has a glass floor over a map of Europe with red flags denoting where the death camps and places of genocide were and hear names recited. As you come to the end, most affecting of all, is a projection of the 1935 photo of Anne Frank in her kindergarten class of 32 students, of whom 15 were Jews, which you saw in the first gallery. As you hear their names ticked off, one by one these adorable, innocent faces are disappeared from the photo and you hear their age when their lives were snuffed out: 12, 13, 14, 15. Only 5 of the 15 survived – by going into hiding or escaping. Anne was 15.

The next part follows Otto’s improbable journey from the camp when it was liberated in January 1945. Otto was the only one to survive of the eight who hid in the Annex, though he had yet to learn the fate of his family. All of his worldly possession fit into a tiny canvas bag the size of a book.

You actually see a video of Miep Gies, one of the Dutch citizens who hid and protected the Franks in the Annex (she lived to 100 years old), relating how she went into it after the Nazis ransacked it and found Anne’s diary and notebooks, keeping them safe because she knew how important her writing was to her. She re-creates how she reached into her desk and presented Otto with Anne’s volumes.

In an interview, Otto related that at first it was difficult for him to read

Waste Not

BY CHARLYN FARGO

With the cost of food rising, it’s more important than ever to waste less of the food we purchase. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as much as 40% of our food supply ends up in the trash or compost bin. More than a third of that stems from wasteful kitchen habits, says the USDA.

We all are guilty of buying food that

just hangs out in our refrigerator and we end up throwing it away: overripe bananas, broccoli stems, moldy cheese, even milk sometimes. Or maybe it ends up there because we purchased too much or didn’t end up eating the leftovers like we planned. It takes up space in landfills, not to mention the money we threw away. The average American (myself included) ends up spending $1,300 a year on food that ends up in the trash.

the diary because of his grief, but when he started reading, he couldn’t stop. To honor her wishes of becoming a published writer, he set out to find a publisher – you see his letters and the replies from editors.

You see the first edition of “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl” which includes a forward by Eleanor Roosevelt – which has been translated into 70 languages, selling 35 million copies, and made into a play and movie (winning Shelly Winter’s an Oscar for her performance as Auguste van Pels).

The exhibition is designed for children (ages 10 and older) and adults. All general admission tickets include the exhibition audio guide. Plan to spend two hours.

Educational visits to the exhibition, as well as Individual and Family ticket purchases, can be scheduled by visiting AnneFrankExhibit.org.

Anne Frank The Exhibition is a limited engagement, scheduled to close on April 30, 2025. For a list of upcoming programs, visit https://www.cjh.org/. Genealogy, Holocaust Records at the Center

The Center for Jewish History also has Geneology Research Center, with genealogists on hand who can help you trace your family’s history, has formed a new-multiyear partnership with Ancestry® to open the Ancestry Research & Reflection Room, a new space and initiative to collect, preserve and share family histories of Jewish communities worldwide. These records can be searched for free at a newly opened Ancestry Research & Reflection Room at the center.

Center for Jewish History 15 West 16th Street, New York, 212.294.8301, cjh. org, info@cjh.org.

The good news is we can make a change by adopting a few simple habits in the kitchen.

No. 1: Freeze overripe bananas or use them in banana bread or a smoothie along with leftover berries.

No. 2: Toss leftover spaghetti or macaroni noodles into a soup. Repurpose meatballs into a sandwich.

Continued on page 5

February: Celebrating Black History Month

BY CLAIRE LYNCH

With February being Black History Month, I am citing Zora Neale Hurston for her creativity as a writer and her impact on society. Hurston was born on January 7, 1891, in Notasulga, Alabama. She was one of eight children born to John and Lucy Ann Potts Hurston. Her father, a Baptist preacher and sharecropper, later became a carpenter. Her mother was a schoolteacher.

When she was three, the Hurston family moved to Eatonville, Florida. Hurston often called Eatonville “home” because she was so young when she moved there. Sometimes she claimed it as her birthplace. A few years later, her father was elected as mayor of the town in 1897.

As an adult, Hurston often used Eatonville as a setting in her stories because it was a small town, a place where African Americans could live as they wanted. Eatonville is considered to be the first all-black community in the U.S. it was incorporated in 1887.

In 1901, some northern schoolteachers visited Eatonville and gave Hurston several books that opened her mind to literature. She was grateful for being given this exposure to various types of literature.

Hurston lived the rest of her childhood in Eatonville and described the experience of growing up there in her 1928 essay, “How It Feels To Be Colored Me.” In honor of Zora Neale Huston, Eatonville holds an annual “Zora! Festival.”

In 1928, Hurston graduated from Barnard College in NYC with a degree in anthropology where she trained under pioneering scientist Franz Boas. With Boas’ help, she got a fellowship that allowed her to return to Florida to collect folklore that would later be incorporated into her novels “Mules and Men” and “Tell My Horse.”

Hurston wrote short stories, journalistic, cinematic and nonfiction work. She collaborated with Langston Hughes on the 1931 play “Mule Bone.” Hurston’s work was unique in that it combined literature with anthropology, incorporating indigenous dialects to tell stories of people in the Caribbean and rural Florida.

Hurston’s work is important because it provides an important voice for African American women of her day. An author, anthropologist and folklorist/ storyteller, Hurston’s work is important because it provides an important voice for African American women who lived at that time. Many people remember Hurston as the author of “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” a novel published in 1937.

In 1942, when her autobiography, “Dust Tracks on a Road,” was published,

Hurston received the fame that had escaped her for so long. That year, she was profiled in Who’s Who in America, Current Biography and Twentieth Century Authors.

“Their Eyes Were Watching God” went out of print a few years after its publication and Hurston was a relatively unknown writer by readers for nearly 30 years. She died in Miami in 1960. It was author Alice Walker who rediscovered Zora Neale Hurston’s works. Walker was born in Eatonton, Georgia, a rural farming town, in 1944. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, N.Y., in 1965 and several years later she returned to the South. Alice Walker is famous for becoming the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1982 for her novel “The Color Purple.”

It was a few years after Hurston’s death that Walker read “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” She read and reread her novels and felt that Hurston had an important voice in American literature, especially women’s American literature. Walker’s feeling was that she felt as if she knew Zora Neale Hurston personally.

In fact of Hurston’s novel, “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” Alice Walker has said that “it speaks to me as no novel, past or present, has ever done.”

Determined to research Zora Neale Hurston’s life and work, in 1973 she traveled to Eatonville, where Hurston was raised, and briefly posed as the author’s niece to scout for information. She searched for Hurston’s unmarked grave and found it in a cemetery in Fort Pierce, Florida. She also spoke to many people along the way who had known Hurston.

Walker had been prompted to look into Hurston’s life while she was conducting research for her own short story and came across Hurston’s folk stories.

Alice Walker has said that she found Zora Neale Hurston’s embrace of black culture and language to be an inspiration. “I realized that unless I came out with everything I had supporting her, there was every chance that she would slip back into obscurity,” Walker said.

In the essay “In Search of Zora Neale

Hurston” which was first published in “Ms.” magazine in 1975 and later titled “Looking for Zora,” Alice Walker explored Eatonville, which had such an impact on Hurston, and came to understand how the town had influenced Hurston’s works.

Zora Neale Hurston’s ethnographic research made her a pioneer writer of “folk fiction” about African Americans in the South.

Hurston described the town and also the characters based on so many of the people she had known - her classmates, shops owners, church members, etc. Having been influenced by a tradition of storytelling and expressive, colorful speech with plenty of descriptions, Zora Neale Hurston lets that language come to life in her stories.

Alice Walker has said that Zora Neale Hurston and other great African American women writers helped pave

the way for authors and poets who came after them such as Toni Morrison, Paule Marshall, Gloria Naylor, Toni Cade Bambara, Ntozake Shange, Audre Lorde and herself.

Hurston believed that authentic characters were created by weaving information she gathered into her fiction. She believed that her mission was to capture the true voices and experiences of the people she was writing about.

A commemorative stamp was created in Hurston’s honor.

Of writing, Hurston has said, “The force of somewhere in space which commands you to write in the first place, gives you no choice. You take up the pen when you are told and write what is commanded.”

Zora Neale Hurston has noted, “Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.”

BY TOM MARGENAU

Answering Questions From Widows

I hope there is nothing in the air that is causing old goats like me to keel over. For some reason, I’ve been getting a lot of questions from widows lately. Here are some of them.

Q: I am 90 years old and getting widow’s benefits from my first husband who died a long time ago. I also have my own Social Security, but I’m not getting it because my widow’s benefits pay more. I married another man about two years ago. He is 83. His Social Security is smaller than even my own Social Security. Assuming I die before he does, I want him to be able to get widower’s benefits on my account. Do I have to switch to my own so he’ll get mine when I die?

A: No, you don’t have to do that. In fact, it is likely that you are already getting your own benefits, at least on the Social Security Administration’s books. That’s because they usually pay your own benefit first and then supplement with any additional widow’s benefits you are due. For example, let’s say your own benefit is $2,000 per month and your widow’s rate is $3,800 per month. You are getting a monthly check of $3,800, but on the SSA books, you are getting $2,000 from your account and $1,800 from your deceased husband’s account.

Q: I am 70 years old, and I am working part time. But throughout our 40-year marriage, I was a stay-athome mom for much of the time. My husband, who was a lawyer, died four years ago. I get widow’s benefits and not my own. But every year, I get a letter telling me my own retirement benefit went up. But my check never increases. Can you explain this?

A: As I said in the prior answer, I’m sure that on the SSA’s books, you are getting your own small Social Security benefit that is supplemented with higher widow’s benefits. So as you work, your own benefit gradually increases every year. But it will probably never reach the point where it exceeds your widow’s rate, and that’s why nothing changes.

Here’s an example. Let’s say your own Social Security retirement benefit is $800 per month and your widow’s benefit is $3,400 per month. So on the SSA’s books, you are getting your own $800, and you are getting $2,600 in widow’s benefits to take you up to his $3,400 level.

And now let’s say your earnings increase your own retirement benefit to $830 per month. That means on paper, your widow’s supplement goes down to $2,570 because you are still due a total of $3,400 per month.

Q: My husband and I are both in our late 70s. We were both real estate agents most of our lives. I’m still in the business. Because of poor health, my husband isn’t. My Social Security is $2,990. He gets $2,540. If he dies,

what will I get in widow’s benefits?

A: I’m sorry, but you won’t get anything -- other than the small one-time death benefit of $255. When you are potentially due two benefits, you only get the one that pays the higher rate, unless you are due your own benefit, in which case you get that one supplemented up to the higher benefit. Your own benefit is more than your potential widow’s benefit. So that’s all you’ll get.

On the other hand, if you should die first, he would get $450 in widower’s benefits to take his $2,540 retirement rate up to your $2,990 level.

Q: My husband and I both took our Social Security at 62. We are now in our 80s. My husband’s benefit is much higher than mine. If he dies first, will I start getting what he was getting at the time of death?

A: In your situation, you’ll actually get a little bit more. Because your husband took benefits at 62, that means he is getting a reduced retirement benefit that equals 75% of his full retirement age rate. But there is a law that says a woman of your age is guaranteed a widow’s rate of 82% of her husband’s full rate. So you’ll get that extra 7% added to your widow’s benefits after he dies.

Q: I am about to turn 62. I’m thinking of retiring. My husband died 10 years ago, and I never remarried. I called Social Security, and they said I must now choose between his benefit or my own, and that once I make that choice, I’m locked out of the other benefit. But your book says something about a “widow’s option.”

A: What you were told by the Social Security rep is absolutely wrong. Let me make this very clear: Widows and widowers have the option of taking reduced benefits on one record and later switching to higher benefits on another record.

This would actually seem to contradict a rule I’ve mentioned many times in this column, the “deemed filing rule.” That rule says that when you are filing for one Social Security benefit, you are automatically filing for any and all other benefits you are due. It almost always comes into play for spousal benefits where the other spouse is still living. In other words, if your husband were still alive, you could not file for spousal benefits on his record at age 62 and later switch to higher benefits on your own account.

But that rule goes out the window for widows and widowers. You could file for reduced retirement benefits now and then at full retirement age, switch to full widow’s benefits. Or, depending on the amounts involved, it might be to your advantage to file for reduced widow’s benefits now and at full retirement age, switch to 100% of your own benefit. Or you could even wait until 70 and at that age, switch to 130% of your retirement benefit.

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.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

The value of Realtor designations when buying, selling

When a homeowner or purchaser is seriously contemplating selling or buying, the last thing on their mind is the designations an agent has earned. The main reason is that 99.9% of consumers know very little, if anything, about the meaning and ramifications of the most crucial and critical benefits of Realtor designations. Moreover, there are major components of effort, discipline, and sacrifice of a Broker’s valuable time in earning those higher prestigious designations. Lastly, consumers may not truly know, realize, or understand the amount of dedication and perseverance required to take those courses to stay current with the ever-changing real estate field. We constantly and consistently need to achieve and gain the advanced, priceless, and invaluable education necessary for those looking to hire a true top-producing Realtor.

I think there are times when those in the top 10% are taken for granted for their passion in their business. We must be disciplined daily, make concerted efforts, and be constantly active and responsible to our clientele. This is an absolute requirement without any option. It is demanded of us in the upper echelon of Realtors to provide “top-notch service, before, during, and after the sale” to stay at peak performance in our profession and career.

For example, there are approximately 7.2 million individuals in real estate globally. However, only a few million can designate and call themselves Realtors who belong to an organized association like an MLS. Of those approximately 7.2 million in real estate, only 4,190 have a Certified International Property Specialist designation (CIPS), of which I am included

Continued from page 2

No. 3: Organize your refrigerator and freezer by “first in, first out” dates. Put the oldest foods in front where you’re more likely to grab them and the newer ones toward the back.

No. 4: Keep a running list of what’s in your freezer either on your computer or on a dry-erase board. Date and label each package so you know what’s in each package.

No. 5: You can freeze hard cheeses such as Parmesan, and you can freeze yogurt, milk and even whipped cream into ice cube trays to pop into a smoothie or hot cocoa. Bread can be frozen as well; just

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

and was established in 1953. We can provide all clients with expert guidance in consulting and transacting business within the U.S. and its 50 states, dealing with all the varied cultures and customs, and internationally. We have been recognized as a Realtor who has taken, trained, and passed the necessary six courses, each a full 8-hour day, including contract law, project management, ethical sourcing, and supplier relationship management. This prestigious accomplishment has elevated those with the designation to higher and superior stature in advanced education, adding to our expansive knowledge beyond 99.9% of all agents worldwide. One earns 100 continuing education credits. One must pass the final exam with at least a grade of 80. There is another designation that I attained back in 2004 called The Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI), which I believe is what I call my master’s degree in Real Estate. There are 15 required courses, of which one has a choice of 5 elective courses, each a full day of comprehensive and advanced curriculums. This puts us in a very esteemed and exclusive group. This education provides advanced training in business skills, risk management, ethics, professional practice, real estate technology, marketing, and negotiations. Also included are proper ways of dealing with clients openly and transparently, disclosing all the required information, all the proper and required forms, learning to be a superior and advanced listener, learn-

ing the proper questions to ask sellers, investors, purchasers, renters, and leasees of residential and commercial properties, inspections, construction, and many other pertinent details that are needed to be a truly professional Realtor. When you pass the final exam with at least a 75, you will achieve this designation and receive 60 continuing education credits.

There is one more designation that I hold dear to my heart, especially having to deal with the severe climate change that is occurring all around the globe, especially here in the U.S. with the insane and destructive, costly wildfires that have devasted California and that are still present and occurring. It is the National Association of Realtors “Green” designation. It is a 2-day curriculum of 8 hours each day with 16 continuing education credits. The curriculum included sustainable building practices, marketing, and rating systems such as LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, which my son has attained and earned that specific designation as a Lead Certified Project Manager in NYC for Google.) IFGIVCT (ifgict.org) and Energy Star are other parts of the Green course structure that one must engage in. One needs to pass the final exam with at least an 80.

So when hiring a Broker, Associate Broker, or salesperson, it would be prudent to ascertain their level of education and earned designations in the real estate sector. This will determine if they have the necessary credentials, knowledge, and expertise via their edu-

NUTRITION NEWS

Waste Not

thaw it in the same package you froze it in.

No. 6: Store your herbs, celery and asparagus cut-end down in a glass of water in the refrigerator to keep them crisp and last longer.

No. 7: Before your citrus goes bad, juice it, then add it to a marinade or salad dressing or freeze it.

No. 8: Homemade vegetable soup is a great way to use up those extra bits and pieces of vegetables in the crisper: broccoli (stems too), cauliflower (leaves too) and corn, wilted kale and spinach, leftover winter squash, wrinkly carrots, potatoes -- all can be added.

No. 9: If you prefer roasting your veggies, cut them in equal parts, drizzle with

olive oil and balsamic vinegar and your favorite spices, and place on a parchment-covered cookie sheet in a 450 F oven for 20 minutes. Roasting brings out the flavors.

No. 10: Plan your menus before you go to the grocery store. That way you’ll buy what you need rather than making impulse purchases.

Q and A

Q: Is it a good idea to use a salt substitute instead of salt?

A: Compared with regular salt intake, using a salt substitute was associated with better outcomes for stroke prevention and quality-adjusted life years gained, according to a new data from the Salt Substitute

cation to promote and market your most valuable asset, your home, townhouse, condo, or coop, that the typical homeowner has locally and throughout the U.S.

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

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

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

and Stroke Study. The study, published in the journal Circulation, looked at more than 20,000 adults living in rural China who had had a prior stroke. The rate of stroke was 14% lower with use of a salt substitute in the cohort of adults who had a prior stroke or uncontrolled high blood pressure. That’s pretty convincing. At least some of the time, it might be wise to switch to a salt substitute.

Clearing Up the Confusion Around Date Labels on Packaged Foods

BY MARY HUNT

No doubt, you’ve noticed that some food products come with dates and codes printed on them. And who isn’t noticing this more now as food costs are skyrocketing?

Do those codes and dates mean the item must be consumed by that date or just sold by that date?

What about canned or packaged goods that show only a date like “2.01.25”? Does that mean you could end up in the emergency room if you consume it a month later in March?

And then there are other food products that don’t seem to have any date at all -- at least we sure can’t find any reference to one. Confusing, isn’t it?

While most food processors date and code their products and decide what their codes mean, it is the Food and Drug Administration that mandates dating, which is surprisingly limited.

Under federal law, only infant formula and baby food are required to have product dating. Everything else is voluntary on the part of food manufacturers and processors.

Meat, poultry and egg products fall under the Food Safety and Inspection Service, and dates may be voluntarily created as long as they are truthful and not misleading.

Phrases like “Best Before,” “Better if Used Before” or “Best if Used By” tell you how long the product will retain its best flavor and highest quality. You will find these phrases on products such as baked goods, cereals, snacks and some canned

BY JEFF RUGG

For the past two weeks, I have been writing about the All-America Selections winners. The AAS program trials the plants at test gardens all over the country, and judges rate the plants all during the growing season. The Green Thumb Awards program winners have been announced, so let us talk about them today. Winners of the 2025 Green ThumbAwards were chosen by two groups. There are People’s Choice Awards voted on by the public and Professional Choice Awards voted on by horticulture experts at the National Garden Bureau. I am a member of the NGB, but I did not vote this year. There are six categories and one winner in each.

The winning products were selected based on their uniqueness, technological innovation, ability to solve a gardening problem or provide a gardening opportunity, and potential appeal to gardeners. The awards are sponsored by the National Garden Bureau, a nonprofit organization that exists to educate and inspire

foods. The food is still safe to eat after this date but may have changed somewhat in taste or texture.

Perplexed? Unsure? Open it! Give it the smell test and a good visual test. I can attest to the fact that a can of nonfat evaporated milk that is three years past its

“Best By” date will not smell sour. But it may be golden in color (think school bus) and curiously separated, leaving liquid on top and chunky solids beneath. Get the picture? “Expiration,” “Use By” or “Use Before” are phrases that appear on yogurt, eggs and other foods that require refrigeration. Other dating terms are guidelines, but these usually mean what they say. If you haven’t used the product by this date, toss it out.

“Guaranteed fresh.” This date is often used for perishable baked goods. Beyond this date, freshness is no longer guaranteed, although the product may still be edible and easily refreshed with a few minutes in a hot oven.

Some products bear a “pack date,” in-

home gardeners.

dicating when it was packaged, although this date is often encrypted so that only manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers can read it.

The “Sell By” date is usually found on highly perishable foods such as meat, milk and bread. This date guides store clerks who handle the rotation of shelf stock so they know which item to sell first. This date is determined to allow time for the product to be stored and used at home. The product is still safe and wholesome past this date if handled properly until spoilage is evident -- when it looks more like a science fair project than tonight’s dinner.

For example, milk will usually be good for at least a week beyond its “Sell By” date if properly refrigerated. Meat that has reached its “Sell By” date should be either consumed or frozen within 24 hours.

The pack date on some products, such as eggs, is shown by a 3-digit Julian date (001 through 365) found on the short side

of the carton. Jan. 1 is number 001, and Dec. 31 is number 365, ignoring leap year. Eggs are safe to be consumed four to five weeks beyond that date, as long as

A GREENER VIEW

Green Thumb Awards

Let’s start with the houseplant category since the same plant was picked by both sets of judges. Prismacolor Orange you Gorgeous is a Proven Winner brand climbing philodendron that has leaves with citrus-inspired colors. The 10-inchlong triangular leaves emerge a mottled bright orange color then slowly fade to a marbled gold and green. Leaf petioles, midribs and margins remain orange. I grow the Prismacolor Sun Red, and it is incredible. The leaves of these philodendrons start one color and fade into green after a few weeks. When the plant is actively growing, there are several colors of leaves on the plants. They are easy to grow in normal indoor conditions; just be careful to not give them too much light, which can burn the new leaves.

In the annuals category, the public chose Calibrachoa Abstract Lemon Cherry. As the name suggests, the flowers are splashed in both red and yellow. Calibrachoas are short-lived evergreen perennials related to petunias native to dry areas in South America. They make great

they are kept refrigerated.

The point in all of this is that the fresher your food, the better it is. And for the most part, processors want to assure customers that their products will remain at peak quality for certain periods of time because they want to keep your business -- and having a good reputation for freshness goes a long way toward making that happen.

Here’s the bottom line: Use your common sense. Practice diligence when purchasing, storing and using up food. And never stop looking for reasonable ways to make food last longer and stretch further.

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.”

plants in containers and hanging baskets.

The professionals chose Cosmos Sea Shells Red in the annuals category. Each tubular petal surrounding the daisy-shaped flower head is light pink on the outside and dark pink on the inside. They make a great cut flower.

The public chose the Butterfly Bush Little Rockstars Red as their perennial winner. The flowers last all season. The plants are hardy in zones 5-9. The pros picked Hellebore JWLS Endless because the white flowers are held above the leaves and are pointed upward instead of the typical hellebore flower growing under the leaves. It blooms before just about any other plant in the garden, and it is also hardy in zones 5-9.

The public chose Broccoli Purple Magic F1, which is the first purple broccoli in the world, as their vegetable winner. In addition to the normal healthiness of broccoli, it is also high in anthocyanin. The pros chose the Basil Everleaf Lemon. It gets its name from the bright lemon flavor and the fact that it takes up to two months longer to bloom than regular basil.

You can’t go wrong choosing a hydrangea in the shrub category. The public liked the Hydrangea FlowerFull Smooth because it has two to three times more flowers that are borne on sturdy stems that don’t flop over. The pros picked the only seedless, sterile, noninvasive burning bush (Euonymus alatus) on the market. This is a game-changing plant as it allows people to have the red fall color without the plant becoming invasive. Both sets of judges chose the same item in the gardening tool category. Crescent Too Circular Positive planters are made with UBQ(tm), a climate-positive material upcycled from landfill waste. With TruDrop Flex Self-Watering Containers and Emma Planters, these products promote a circular economy, promoting sustainable consumption while minimizing waste. To find out more about these winners, go to the National Garden Bureau website at ngb.org and click on the New Plants tab. Email questions to Jeff Rugg at info@ greenerview.com.

DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM

BY DENNIS MAMMANA

Week of February 2-8, 2025

I hope you got a chance to see the moon nuzzled up to Venus on Feb. 1, and perhaps even checked out the pair through binoculars. Now, with the moon gone from the scene, it’s a great opportunity to check out Venus with a small telescope.

My first view of Venus through a scope came some 60 years ago. I was just a young teen and had received a telescope for Christmas. I was so excited I could barely sleep, so one morning before dawn I stumbled out of bed and took it out to the backyard. There in the eastern sky shone a brilliant “star” I had never seen before.

Upon aiming the scope toward this celestial beacon and focusing the optics, I was stunned. In my eyepiece appeared a white glowing orb shaped like a crescent. I recall rubbing my eyes and searching the sky while saying to myself, “What’s going on? I don’t see the moon anywhere! What am I looking at?”

It took a few weeks before I realized I had been viewing the planet Venus!

I now wonder if Galileo had the same reaction when seeing Venus for the first time with his telescope. He was the first to note that this planet displayed phases

The Changing Face of Venus

like the moon. He also realized that this meant Venus must orbit the sun -- not the Earth, as Aristotle and the Catholic Church at the time insisted.

It was quite a revolutionary discovery by Galileo and, on a smaller, more personal level, by me. It’s a sight I’ll never forget, and I still love to aim a telescope toward this beautiful planet.

Right now is a great time to do so. Venus is rounding the sun in our direction. Over the next month or so, as sunlight falls more onto its back side than the front, the planet will show a thinner and thinner crescent.

Not only that, but Venus will also appear to grow as it approaches the Earth. Check out the attached illustration, and you’ll see what I mean.

On Feb. 2, Venus will lie some 47.2 million miles from us and will show a thick crescent. By the 23rd the crescent will have thinned noticeably, and the planet will be only about 34.3 million miles away.

After this, the planet will drop lower in the dusk sky and will become quite difficult to see against the glow of dusk. But if you could see it during March, it will lie well under 30 million miles away, with a crescent that appears razor thin.

Over the next couple of weeks, it will pass nearly in front of the sun and

emerge on the other side. This means that instead of setting after the sun, it will set before it -- and will also rise before it in the morning.

BY TRACY BECKERMAN

There are a lot of things my husband does well. Shopping, however, is not his forte. This I learned after I sent him to the drugstore to get me some Anbesol for my canker sore, and he came home with Anusol, a product for hemorrhoids.

“It was an honest mistake,” he admitted.

“Yes, I can see how you might have been confused,” I said. “One product goes in your mouth, the other goes on your ...”

“I get the point,” he interrupted. In his defense, I have to admit I spend a lot more time in the drugstore and grocery store than he does, and therefore I’m much more familiar with the names and uses of all the products out there than he is. And, in all fairness, there are things that he knows that I am clueless about. Whereas he is fluent in hardware-ese, I can’t tell the difference between a wrench and a pair of pliers. I know if I were set loose in Home Depot

Visit Dennis Mammana at dennismammana.com.

By late March and early April, you should begin to see its brilliant glow in the dawn sky. If you’d like to have a look at that time, you’ll enjoy the same marvelous view I got some six decades ago.

LOST IN SUBURBIA

Shopping With the Supermarket King

with instructions to buy some caulk, I’d probably wander aimlessly for hours until I was found curled up in the fetal position, mumbling to myself in the drywall aisle.

Of course, I think it’s great that he even offers to go out and get some of these things when we need them. But much as I appreciate the help, when he offers, I have to pause, wondering what will actually be in the bag when he returns from the shopping trip.

“Give me a very detailed list,” he said one night, “and I’ll get exactly what you want.”

“I don’t make lists,” I explained. “I just know what we need, and I get it. It’s the same every week.”

“If you want me to get the right stuff, write it down.”

So I did. I wrote down everything I could think of in what brand and what size and what color, and it took so long that I realized I could probably have gone to the supermarket and back twice in the time it took me to make a husband-proof shopping list.

Still, I reminded myself that I appreciate the help, and with fingers and toes crossed, I sent him off on his shopping adventure.

“Enjoy your free time,” he told me on his way out. “Go take a bubble bath.”

A half-hour went by. Then an hour. There were five things on the list.

Then the phone rang. I got out of the tub.

“OK, I think I have everything,” he said. “One question. I found the detergent, but there are, like, seven different kinds,” he said a little less confidently. “Do you want regular, Fresh Air, Free and Clear, Rainshower, Linen or Morning Bloom?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “Fresh Air, I guess.”

“OK,” he said before hanging up.

I got back in the tub. The phone rang. I got out of the tub.

“You said you want the 64-ounce size, but if you get two 32-ounce sizes, the second one is half off.”

“That’s fine,” I said OK,” he said before hanging up.

I got back in the tub. The phone rang. I got out of the tub.

“I have another question,” he said. “Aaauuugghhhhh,” I yelled as I dripped bubbles on the floor. “I don’t care! Just get whatever you want.”

Half an hour later, he walked in the door.

“I got everything you wrote down and some things that weren’t on the list,” he said with a sly smile. I groaned, thinking about the 10 boxes of Mallomars that were probably in the bag.

From behind his back, he handed me some fashion magazines and a bouquet of flowers.

I gave him a hug and smiled sheepishly. “So ... do you need anything at the hardware store tomorrow?”

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.

Now is a great time to view Venus as it rounds the sun in Earth’s direction.

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Confront the common cold with this beloved seasonal staple

Chicken Barley Soup with Vegetables

Everyone knows there’s no cure for the common cold. Though colds can strike at any time, cold season tends to occur when the weather cools down and people spend more time indoors. Inside viruses can circulate and spread more easily, thus leading to elevated rates of infection.

Though there might be no cure for the common cold, that does not mean people are helpless against it. Many people have their own remedies to help them manage and potentially shorten the duration of a cold, and chicken soup features prominently in those antidotes. Whether cold season is kicking into high gear or people are confronting the common cold at other times of year, they can incorporate this recipe for “Chicken Barley Soup with Vegetables courtesy of Lines+Angles into their cold remedy routines.

Makes 6 servings

8 cups chicken stock

4 cups water

1 teaspoon marjoram

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 medium onion, sliced

1 cup carrots, sliced

2 cups cooked chicken breasts, diced

1 russet potato, peeled and cubed

1 cup broccoli, chopped

1⁄2 cup barley

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

1) In a large pot, combine chicken stock, water, marjoram, rosemary, and parsley. Simmer for 15 minutes.

2) Add onion, carrots, cooked

chicken, potato, broccoli, and barley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve.

Challah bake Catholic Daughters plan Bingo fundraiser

On January 9, New York State Senator Steve Rhoads joined Rabbi Dr. Joel Levenson, Town of Oyster Bay Receiver of Taxes Jeff Pravato, and nearly 300 residents to bake challah at the Midway Jewish Center. The Challah Bake was for an Evening of Unity in memory of Plainview’s own Omer Neutra. The community came together to commemorate the memory of Omer and to once again call for the release of all hostages and pray for peace. The evening supported the campaign to dedicate a Torah in Omer’s memory.

The Catholic Daughters will be hosting a Bingo fundraiser on Sunday, February 2, at the Senior Center, 103 Grumman Road West, Bethpage.

Doors open at 1:30 p.m.

Reservations in advance: $12. Walk-ins welcome: $15 (make checks payable to CDA #869)

For reservations, please call Margaret at (516) 633-2900

Snacks, water, coffee/tea and dessert included! The venue is handicap accessible and there is plenty of parking.

All money raised is donated to local charities!

Bus trip to Wind Creek Casino

The Joseph Barry Columbiettes will be hosting a bus trip to Wind Creek Casino in Bethlehem, PA on Tuesday, January 28.

Cost: $55 per person, which includes the driver’s tip.

Give back: $35 slot play.

Please arrive at 8:30 a.m. The return will

be at approx. 8:30 p.m.

Parking is at 999 So. Oyster Bay Road (dead end).

For reservations, please call Barbara at (516) 935-5576

Please make checks payable to Joseph Barry Columbiettes.

Winterfest 2025 planned for Feb. 8

The Levittown Community Council will be holding its annual WinterFest on Saturday, February 8, at the Island Trees Public Library between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The event will feature free admission, crafts, entertainment, and eye screening.

It will also feature the Nassau Lionel Operating Engineers, balloon magic by MsMatch the Clown, and music by DJ Tim Aldridge. For more information please email levittowncouncil@yahoo.com

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 PlainviewOld Bethpage Public Library. Open to all. Free tickets required. Tickets available at the library beginning January 20. 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

Lee Road students look ahead to a new year

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 PlainviewOld 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.

See what's happening at your library!

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!

Fifth graders at Lee Road Elementary School looked ahead to the future as they created vision boards on Jan. 16.

Students at Lee Road Elementary School in the Levittown School District expressed their creativity while setting goals for the future as they looked ahead toward the new year.

Fifth graders in Mrs. Ottomano and Ms. Boccia’s class learned about New Year’s resolutions. After the class reflected on their accomplishments of the previous year, each student created a 2025 vision board filled with educational and personal goals to achieve, such as learning a new dance or reading more books. Additionally, fifth graders in Mrs. Quinn’s class created vision boards featuring photos that represent

their goals along with a writing assignment that included an explanation of why their dreams are significant. They detailed how they plan to achieve their goals while ensuring their writing is engaging and reflective of their feelings and motivations.

Students got to share and showcase their creativity while also gaining insights into their personal growth and aspirations for the future. These projects encouraged students to dream big and take actionable steps towards realizing their visions.

Photos courtesy Levittown Public Schools

Mrs. Quinn’s class created vision boards that showed a wide range of personal goals.

Fine dining experience ushers holiday season at East Broadway

East Broadway Elementary School students in the Levittown School District arrived to school dressed in their finest attire on Dec. 19 to gather for a festive fine dining experience.

It was a celebratory occasion as each grade gathered in the multipurpose room for the event, which was accom-

panied by live music from the East Broadway band, orchestra and chorus. Each table was covered in paper table dressing for students to decorate with crayons and markers. The annual event is the perfect way to boost the holiday spirit in time for the season.

Photos courtesy Levittown Public Schools

Town: Taxes payable through Feb. 10

The Town of Oyster Bay reminds residents that the first half of the 2025 General Tax Levy is due on January 1st but can be paid without penalty through February 10.

pocket than you need to.”

Residents who prefer to mail in their payments should send them to the Office of the Receiver of Taxes, 74 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, N.Y. 11771-1539. Please be certain to sign your check, and make it payable to Jeffrey P. Pravato, Receiver of Taxes. Indicate your property’s S.D. Code, Section, Block, Lot and phone number on the check. All mailed payments must have a United States Postal Service postmark dated on or before February 10.

Residents can access 2025 General Tax information at www.oysterbaytown.com, where they may view current tax bills, print out a hard copy, or pay taxes with an ACH check payment

Love to write?

using a checking account for a service fee of $1.75 cents*, or by debit/credit card for a much higher fee* charged by the credit card companies. *Town of Oyster Bay receives no portion of this fee.”

When calling the Tax Office at (516)624-6400, or sending an email to receiveroftaxes@oysterbay-ny.gov, residents are requested to have the School District, Section, Block and Lot numbers of the property in question available. This information is listed on the tax bill and on the property deed.

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

The East Broadway chorus sang holiday songs.

Kindergartners were thrilled to join for the festive occasion.

The East Broadway orchestra was ready to entertain students during the annual fine dining event on Dec. 19.

Exciting PARP week at Abbey Lane School

Third graders Abigail Amundson, Madison Schumann and Angelo Limson added dinosaur footprints featuring their favorite books to the wall.

The annual Parents as Reading Partners event ushered in an exciting week at Abbey Lane Elementary School in the Levittown School District from Jan. 13–17, as families gathered to engage in literary challenges.

Following the theme of “Jurassic PARP,” Abbey Lane’s community of readers arrived at school each day of the week dressed for a different challenge, such as wearing a shirt with their favorite dinosaur or with inspiring messages. Hallways were lined with

Abbey Lane third graders Avtar Singh and Mark Darbinyan worked with their peers throughout the building to track their number of minutes spent reading for PARP week.

dinosaur footprints that were decorated to resemble the favorite book of each student throughout the school. On Jan. 13, parents and students attended PARP Night, featuring a scavenger hunt, a book swap, a book fair and guest readers. The week concluded with a field trip to the Levittown Public Library. At home, students tracked the number of minutes they read with their parents, which were recorded in a display outside the school library.

Photos courtesy Levittown Public Schools

Regeneron Scholar

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and Tap Withdrawal Response Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model for Alzheimer's Disease,” investigated a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. By combining cannabidiol and medium chain triglyceride oil, she studied their effects on roundworms (C. elegans), offering insights that could guide the development of future pharmacological treatments.

Her work was conducted under the mentorship of Lead Research Coordinator Raymond Tesar and Research Lab Facilitator Rohe Sheikh. As a four-year participant in POBJFKHS’s Research Program, Chloe completed courses such as Foundations of Research, Research in Practice, Advanced Placement Research, and Advanced Social Science Research.

“Chloe embodies everything a

Board meeting showcases K–5 literacy program

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as Fundations, Heggerty, Into Reading, Writing Workshop, Waggle and Achieve 3000.

The literacy program employs a workshop model of teaching, which includes mini-lessons, guided practice, independent work and assessments. Word study and phonics instruction extend beyond elementary school, continuing into the middle grades to ensure a seamless literacy journey.

The arts are an essential component of the literacy program, with activities like reader’s theater enriching students’ understanding and engagement with texts. Additionally, each classroom is equipped with a library of more than 100 award-winning titles, fostering a love of reading in students.

Technology integration is another key aspect of the program. Digital resources are utilized to enhance learning and provide students with modern tools to support their literacy development.

Following the presentation, 5th and 6th graders from Central Boulevard Elementary School hosted an exhibit

of literacy tools and projects in the back of the auditorium. Board members and attendees had the opportunity to explore various displays, which included a demonstration of digital literacy tools, an exhibit on the National Book Challenge, visuals highlighting the elementary writing process, a “literature gallery” showcasing diverse reading materials, writing projects crafted by students and a table of thank-you gifts, featuring wrapped books with descriptive themes displayed on the wrapping. This engaging exhibit provided attendees with a firsthand look at the impact of the district’s literacy initiatives on students’ learning and creativity.

The “Spotlight on Literacy” presentation and accompanying student exhibits underscored Bethpage UFSD’s dedication to fostering literacy as a foundational skill for academic success and lifelong learning. The comprehensive program’s innovative teaching methods, integration of the arts and technology, and emphasis on cross-curricular connections exemplify the district’s commitment to preparing students for the future.

Regeneron STS Scholar should be,” said Mr. Tesar. “She is one of the most well-rounded students I’ve had the privilege of working with. Chloe is as humble as she is intelligent, and she demonstrates all the qualities of an outstanding future leader in science. Her success reflects the support of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central Administration, Board of Education, and the broader Plainview-Old Bethpage community.”

As part of the honor, Chloe will receive a $2,000 award, with an additional $2,000 granted to POBJFKHS.

On January 23rd, 40 of the 300 scholars will be named Regeneron Science Talent Search finalists. These finalists will compete for over $1.8 million in awards during a week-long competition in Washington, D.C., this March.

The event included a table of thank-you gifts, featuring wrapped books with descriptive themes displayed on the wrapping.

Get Results!

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.

Better health starts with a better health system.

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