Mid-Island Times (4/19/24)

LEARNING ABOUT LAW Town moratorium on battery storage systems

On April 9, Legislator John Ferretti welcomed the entire 5th grade of Abbey Lane Elementary School in Levittown to the Theodore Roosevelt Legislative Building for a tour highlighting the history of the building and a Q and A about local government. The group was also visited by Legislator Tom McKevitt, who represents part of Levittown, as well as County Executive Bruce Blakeman. Over 120 students from four different classes in the school attended.

Free Family Fun Spring Festival

The Town of Oyster Bay will be holding its Spring Festival on Saturday, April 20, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Syosset-Woodbury Community Park, located on Jericho Turnpike in Woodbury.

The Town of Oyster Bay hasapproved a six-month moratorium on the establishment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in the Town of Oyster Bay.

“While these battery storage systems have been identified as playing a critical role in achieving climate goals by New York State, they are not without their potential safety risks as various concerns have been recently exposed,” said Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino. “Four fires at BESS facilities in New York State have highlighted these dangers and have raised concerns over public safety and the safety of first responders.”

Battery Energy Storage Systems have been populating New

York State in recent years. BESS facilities utilize rechargeable batteries that can store energy from different sources and discharge it when needed. They consist of one or more batteries that can be used to balance the entire grid, provide backup power, and/or improve grid stability.

The recent public concern regarding the volatile nature of lithium ion batteries and the potential threat to the health and safety of communities surrounding these facilities have led the Town Board to consider a pause on approving them. With reports of fires at BESS locations over the past two years, there are also concerns related to the impact

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The Spring Festival will once again feature free activities such as inflatables, games, refreshments, a petting zoo, multiple photo opportunities and so much more!  Additionally, food truck vendors will be on-site with specialties available for purchase.

“This free family-fun Spring Festival brings together local

families for games, bounce houses and a petting zoo. There’s no better way to enjoy a beautiful day at our park while celebrating the arrival of spring with a full afternoon of family-friendly activities and attractions,” said Town Super-

See page 12

Arrest for burglaries

Nassau County Police arrested a Bronx man for allegedly committing multiple burglaries that occurred at various Home Depot locations between January 1 and April 11, 2024, in Nassau County.

According to detectives, a loss prevention officer observed a man in Home Depot located at

86 Jericho Turnpike, who was responsible for multiple burglaries and larcenies at various Home Depot locations.  The subject allegedly stole merchandise exceeding $12,000 dollars.  The employee located Francis Rivera, 36, and placed him into custody.

Gardiners’ students burst with excitement at bubble show

Student volunteers became the center of massive bubbles during an exciting show at Gardiners Avenue Elementary School on April 9. Photo courtesy Levittown Public Schools

The youngest students at Gardiners Avenue Elementary School could hardly stay in their seats during an exciting bubble-themed show by a special guest on April 9.

Jeff Boyer visited kindergartners and first graders to present “Big Bubble Bonanza” for the PTA’s latest cultural arts assembly. Bubbles were first blown small and traveled over the students in the audience, who reached to pop

as many as they could. As the show went on, the bubbles grew larger, filling the students with wonder. Several were chosen to be active participants to show off fun tricks with bubbles, such as holding a smoke-filled bubble in the palms of their hands. To conclude the show, pairs of student and teacher volunteers were enveloped by a giant bubble as students cheered on.

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!

Town seeks counselors for Summer Recreation program

The Town of Oyster Bay is seeking counselors ages 16 and older for the 2024 Summer Recreation Program. The six-week program provides a rewarding employment experience for counselors as they work with children and make a difference.

“This great summer job is ideal for residents age 16 or older who are looking to build their resume,” said Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino. “Our summer recreation counselors get realworld experience while having fun, making memories, and making a difference in the lives of others.”

Applicants must be available for the duration of the program, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, beginning July 1 through August 9. Orientation will take place the week of June 24. Summer Recreation Program participants take part in trips, tournaments, shows and athletic events, including the TOBAY Games, making being a counselor a

great first job for many residents.  Employment opportunities are offered at Marjorie R. Post (Massapequa), Plainview-Old Bethpage and Syosset-Woodbury Community Parks, Ellsworth W. Allen Town Park in Farmingdale, Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park and Beach in Oyster Bay, and Tappen Beach in Glenwood Landing.

“The Town has positions available for counselors, coordinators, leaders and assistant leaders at all locations, especially at our north shore facilities at Theodore Roosevelt Park and Tappen Beach,” said Councilman Labriola. “Spots fill quickly and we encourage all interested residents to fill out an application today.”

For more information, prospective counselors should contact Town’s Department of Parks at (516) 797-7945 or visit www.oysterbaytown.com/summerrecreation.

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Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call our Garden City office at 516-294-8900 for more information.

BHS musician receives recognition for excellence

BY GARY SIMEONE

It was a proud moment for Bethpage High School senior Michael Schneider last month, as he received a certificate of recognition from New York State Senator Steve Rhoads. Schneider received the recognition for a musical performance at the 51st annual Joseph R Sugar NYSSMA Day in upstate Albany New York.

Schneider said that he was selected for the New York AllState Instrumental Jazz Ensemble along with other talented high school musicians from throughout the state.

“We were selected as some of the best jazz musicians in New York State,” said Schneider. “It was an honor to meet Senator Steve Rhoads and other government officials, and to receive this recognition for our musical talents.”

Schneider has been playing the guitar for over eight years and was introduced to music at a very young age by his father.

“My dad got me interested in music when I was a little kid. I started out initially playing the violin but turned to the guitar after he bought me a Fender acoustic

for my tenth birthday. I have been hooked ever since.”

In his past two years of high school, he’s been writing compositions in his spare time and playing songs on the guitar.

“Music pretty much consumes my life. I’ve been writing compositions in multiple genres, from jazz music to string quartets and involved with many bands in the last few years.”

One of his main bands is his heavy metal band ‘Exosphere,’ where he plays guitar and lead singer. The band has played in over thirty gigs on Long Island and has one of their tracks on Spotify digital music services.

Schneider has earned awards in the past for his musical talents, including at Nassau/Suffolk Performing Arts and as best jazz soloist at ‘Music In the Parks’ in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

He also has stage-credit to his name, recently appearing in Bethpage High School’s musical production of “Catch Me if You Can.”

He plans to attend Berklee College of Music in the fall, where he will major in film & media scoring.

Learn

Michael Schneider (left) was among students honored by NYS Senator Steve Rhoads (second from right).

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POB HS hosts students from Taiwan

Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School had the privilege of welcoming four distinguished students from Kaohsiung Senior High School, Taiwan, on April 8–9, as part of a cultural exchange program. Organized by the dedicated Chinese Honor Society adviser, Ellen Huang, this initiative exemplified the power of international friendship and learning.

During their two-day visit, the Taiwanese students immersed themselves in the American educational system, attending classes and engaging in various activities guided by enthusiastic members of the Chinese Honor Society. From participating in a music lesson with orchestra teacher Dustin Bartley, to experiencing daily life in an American school, the students gained invaluable insights into the warmth and

inclusivity of Plainview-Old Bethpage.

Beyond the classroom, the cultural exchange continued with vibrant activities. Teresa Clausi, Italian Honor Society adviser, introduced the art of  Tarantella dance, while the Spanish Honor Society led a lively salsa dancing lesson. The Taiwanese guests broadened their cultural horizons experiencing Mexican cuisine for the first time,  attending a tennis match, and forging meaningful friendships with American peers.

POBJFK High School takes pride in facilitating such impactful exchanges, fostering mutual understanding, and creating lasting memories for students and guests alike. These experiences are instrumental in bridging cultures and nurturing global citizenship.

Town hiring assistants for summer youth program

The Town of Oyster Bay has openings available for tennis assistants in the Youth Tennis Program, held this summer at local Town parks. Those interested must be 16 years of age or older to apply.

www.oldwestbury.edu

“This fun summer job is ideal for a tennis-loving community teen 16 or older looking to build their resume,” said Town Councilman Lou Imbroto. “Town tennis assistants have a lot of fun while receiving hands-on experience and making a difference in the lives of others.”

Tennis assistants must be 16 or older and have at least 1–2 years of experience participating on a tennis team. Tennis assistants must be available for the duration of the program, which runs Mondays through Thursdays, July 1 through August 15, between the hours of 3:45 p.m. and 8 p.m.

For more information, prospective applicants should contact Town of Oyster Bay Recreation Division, at (516) 797-7945.

Students from Kaohsiung Senior High School in Taiwan took part in a cultural exchange program at Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School.

Photo courtesy of Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District

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Music education program receives national recognition

Hicksville Public Schools has been honored for the 9th consecutive year with the Best Communities for Music Education Award from the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation. Hicksville music educators, administrators, students and parents have demonstrated outstanding achievement and commitment to providing access to music education and to instilling an appreciation of music as part of the district’s philosophy of offering a well-rounded education for national recognition.

“We are incredibly proud to be named as one of the Best Communities for Music Education once again,” said District Supervisor of Fine Arts Chad Wyman. “This recognition from NAMM is a testament of our community’s commitment to music education and our dedicated music educators who have continued to inspire our talented students to continue learning and sharing music within our district.”

To qualify for the designation, Hicksville Public Schools answered questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class partici -

pation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs.

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit organization supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants. It advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service programs.

Abbey Lane students deliver morning treats

ABA students created a wall of art showing students’ true colors for Autism Awareness Month.

Students in the ABA program at Abbey Lane Elementary School in the Levittown Public School District make regular visits to their peers in classrooms throughout the building to make special deliveries to elated customers.

ABA students take orders from each classroom and make their way through the halls with carts filled with morning goodies, including bagels, coffee, muffins, fruits and yogurt. With their eclectic array of food and drinks, all breakfast needs of students and staff are met.

Operation of the cart creates many opportunities for ABA students to interact with their peers and gain valuable experience in a practical role. All proceeds from the cart are used to benefit the ABA program. In April, Abbey Lane celebrates Autism Awareness Month, promoting the acceptance and inclusivity the community fosters every day. ABA students helped create a wall of art showing students’ true colors with words of positivity, such as support, respect and empower.

Students in Abbey Lane Elementary School's ABA program with their food delivery carts full of food and drinks.

Photos courtesy Levittown Public Schools

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Levittown Chamber of Commerce Spotlight

BY DON PATANE

The Levittown Chamber of Commerce would like to introduce, Mum Beirne, owner of MVB Bookkeeping located in Levittown. Mum is a Levittown resident.

MVB Bookkeeping has been in business since 2019. Beirne says she has always loved working with numbers so it was a no brainer to study accounting in college. One day, her former employer whom she had worked with for 15 year. asked if she would like to do freelancing for them. That’s how it all got started; one client at a time.

Beirne has always worked in the real estate sector in her career with her last position with a real estate developer in Muttontown as a finance manager.  Although she has various clients from different industries, her expertise is in real estate when it comes to bookkeeping. Whether it’s development/construction, short/long term rentals, fix and flip or multi-family, Beirne enjoys the real estate sector and has a passion for numbers. Beirne saw too many contractors, subcontractors and real estate investors having problems keeping up with their business financials. This is where she began to help them out organizing their books, maintaining records such as job cost, work in progress, soft/ hard costs, etc.

Beirne says she provides better bookkeeping by simplifying business financials so clients can focus on revenue. MVB Bookkeeping provides the following services to meet a client’s budget: full charge bookkeeping services, monthly

Lee Road students were ready for eclipse

service, bank reconciliation, credit card reconciliation, accounts receivables, accounts payables, process payroll, invoicing/billing, clean ups, catch ups, budgeting, collections, cost allocation, financial reports, and accounting software such as QuickBooks Integration.

When Beirne isn’t working with numbers, she teaches yoga, enjoys gardening, investing in real estate, reading business books and cooking/eating vegan foods.

Beirne’s motto is “Driving Your Business Forward, One Financial Record at a Time”.

Beirne at MVB Bookkeeping can be contacted for a free consultation at: EmaiL: vabegroup@gmail.com

Cell: (516) 776-6447

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Students at Lee Road Elementary School received eclipse glasses ahead of the awe-inspiring event. Photo courtesy Levittown Public Schools

Students throughout Lee Road Elementary School in the Levittown Public School District were excitedly preparing for a historic event that won’t be seen for another 20 years.

Prior to the eclipse on April 8, all students were given the tools needed to safely view the awe-inspiring event. In their classrooms, students learned about why and how eclipsis occur

and what makes them so rare. They reviewed important safety tips, such as avoiding direct sight of the sun when not wearing special glasses designed for safe viewing. With their glasses equipped, students observed the eclipse at its peak as they were dismissed from school. The sight was an unforgettable experience for all.

Irish History Forum to meet at library

The Irish Family History Forum will hold a special presentation on The Wrecks of the Bristol and the Mexico on Saturday, April 20, at the Bethpage Public Library.

In early January 1837, one of the worst shipwrecks in New York history occurred. Off Nassau Beach on Long Island’s south shore, the ship Mexico became stranded in freezing weather. A total of 116 people, mostly Irish immigrants and crew members, succumbed to the icy cold. Six weeks earlier, the ship Bristol had been wrecked off Far Rockaway. Nearly 100 Irish and English immigrants drowned.

On Saturday, April 20, Arthur

Mattson, Lynbrook village historian and author of Water and Ice will give a presentation on the wreck during a meeting of the Irish Family History Forum at the Bethpage Public Library.

The schedule for the day will be:

10:00 a.m.: Meet and Greet (light refreshments)

10:15 a.m.: Ask the Experts (Oneon-One)

10:45 a.m.: Speaker (Zoom Available for Members)

Check www.ifhf.org for meeting updates and changes.

The Bethpage Public Library is located at 47 Powell Ave, Bethpage.

Our Professional Guide is sure to bring results. Call 294-8900 for rates and information.

Mum Beirne

Bethpage Baseball Opening Day

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino (second from left) and Receiver of Taxes Jeff Pravato (far left) proudly supported Bethpage Baseball as they took to the field for Opening Day. They wished players a great season filled with fun, learning, and good sportsmanship and also thanked parents and coaches for their dedication to promoting youth athletics and sacrifices to make the program possible. Also in attendance was New York State Senator Steve Rhoads (fifth from right), Nassau County Legislator Rose Marie Walker (fourth from left), and former State Assemblyman Mike LiPetri (fifth from left).

ELENA BECKER District Clerk Administration Building

Cherry and Stewart Avenues Bethpage, New York 11714

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION BETHPAGE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE UNDER THE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT DATED AS OF MAY 1, 2006, GSAMP TRUST 2006-HE3, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-HE3, Plaintiff, Against

MARY MURRAY A/K/A MARY C. MURRAY, ET AL. Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 09/16/2019, 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 5/20/2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 273 North 4th Street, Bethpage, New York 11714, And Described As Follows:

ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in Bethpage, Town Of Oyster Bay, County Of Nassau And State Of New York.

Section 46 Block 78 Lot 53

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $424,971.27 plus interest and costs.  The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 3901/2015

Harold F. Damm, Esq., Referee.

If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine.

Town moratorium on battery storage systems

From page 1

to the environment, as well as the stress put on roadways and local infrastructure. Following the recent fires, New York State is also currently considering pending updates to New York State Fire Code following a preliminary investigation performed on BESS facilities.

These concerns, coupled with the Town’s desire for additional information and assurance about the safety of these type of facilities, as well as allowed New York State time to finalize its report, have all led to the determination that a moratorium be put in place while these issues are further considered.

“While a recent report from

New York State indicates initial findings that show BESS facilities have limited longterm impacts to health, safety and the environment, it’s prudent for additional investigations and reviews be conducted before considering any applications for such a facility in the Town of Oyster Bay,” added Supervisor Saladino.

Free Family Fun Spring Festival

From page 1

visor Joseph Saladino.

The Town of Oyster Bay extends a special thanks to the following event sponsors: Extreme Auto Body, Action Auto Wreckers, The Gucciardo Law Firm, Complete Basement Systems of Long Island, Steel Equities, Gold Coast Studios, School of Rock of Syosset and

Oyster Bay, Starkie Brothers Garden Showplace, Busto’s Martial Arts of Plainview, Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Care of Plainview, Soccer Stars, Orchard Estate of Woodbury, Champions

Martial Arts of Syosset, The Camp Connection, No Limit Ninja of Farmingdale, Webster Bank, Hicks Nurseries, New

York Life Insurance Company, Moe's Southwest Grill, Royal Events Princess Parties, and News 12 Long Island.

For more information on the Town of Oyster Bay Free Family Fun Spring Festival, please call the Department of Community and Youth Services at (516) 797-7925 or visit www.oysterbaytown.com/capa

Town seeks nominations to honor veterans

The Town of Oyster Bay is accepting nominations in order to honor veterans at the Town’s ‘Salute to America’ Celebration scheduled for Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. at TOBAY Beach. Residents are invited to nominate extraordinary individuals who have made a positive difference in our veteran communities.

“The Town of Oyster Bay’s ‘Salute to America’ Celebration provides the ideal backdrop to recognize veterans and individuals who continue to actively serve in the community and advocate for issues and concerns relative to veterans. The Town is proud to recognize and honor amazing individuals who have helped to shape our communities for the better through their continuing advocacy and exemplary commu-

nity service each year,” Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino said. “I hope residents will consider submitting a nomination of an individual who deserves special recognition for their continued efforts on behalf of the veteran’s community. I look forward to recognizing the efforts of outstanding individuals who have impacted the lives of our veterans in an extraordinary way yet again this year.”

Nominations are being accepted in three different categories of recognition: Veterans Volunteer of the Year (awarded to a veteran), Friend of Veterans Volunteer of the Year (awarded to a non-veteran), and Lifetime Achievement Award (awarded to a veteran or a non-veteran).  All entries must include a supporting

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narrative describing the nominee’s on-going veterans related activities, and all nominees must be Town residents. All nominations must be postmarked no later than Monday, June 3, 2024.

Winners will be recognized as part of a special program during the ‘Salute to America’ Celebration, a patriotic evening of top-flight musical talent and fireworks, which serves as a thank you to all of our veterans and active military for protecting the freedoms we enjoy each and every day as Americans.

To submit a nomination for the Veterans Awards, please visit www.oysterbaytown.com, email kfileccia@oysterbay-ny. gov or call (516) 797-7925 for an application.

Our Professional Guide is sure to bring results. Call 294-8900 for rates and information.

April 19, 2024

European Waterways’ Alsace-Lorraine Canal Cruise: A Boat Guillotine, Two Tunnels and a Chagall

BY KAREN RUBIN TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM

Day 6 Lutzelbourg to Niderviller

On Day 6 our European Waterways luxury hotel barge, Panache, cruises from Lutzelbourg to Niderviller where the cruise ends, during which we experience some of the most dramatic cruising – thrilling even considering how calm and restful the slow cruising on the canal is - of the trip.

I set out on the bike along the towpath but come to a fork and am confused which way to go, so return to the Panache. It’s a good thing I did return to the boat because the bike path would have taken me away from the boat.

Indeed, the canal takes a turn and we get our first view of an astonishing sight: the Arzviller boat elevator that will carry Panache 45 meters up a mountainside in mere minutes.

Captain Brian excites us with the image of a “boat guillotine”. But before we have the experience (we have to wait our turn), we tie up and walk a short distance to Cristal Lehrer (Cristallerie Lehrer) glass-blowing factory where we get to see demonstrations of the craftsmanship involved.

In 1920, there would have been 1500 glass workers in this area. One of the workers was Charles Lehrer. Decades later, his son, Bruno Lehrer, founded this glassworks.

We get to observe from an amphitheater as glassblowers heat the molten glass to 1700 degrees Celsius; use different oxides to create the

drama isn’t over.

Coming out of the boat elevator, we cruise a bit further until we come to an enormous tunnel, just exactly the width of the boat, cut through the Vosges mountains.

It is unbelievably exciting to go through – I don’t even go down for lunch, which is served by candlelight – until we get through the tunnel, some 30 minutes later.

But that is not all, because we will soon come to a second tunnel that takes 20 minutes to get through.

different colors and shape them into a range of items.

In the cutting and etching room, a craftsman named Bruno shows us how he cuts shapes into a glass, etches images like a swan or a bird, changing the wheel for a different cut and then engraves my name in the glass, which he gives me as a gift. He tells me he has worked in this factory with his father from when he was 14 years old; now 86, the master craftsman is here every day demonstrating his skill. (It occurs to me later whether this is Bruno Lehrer, himself?)

Arzviller Boat elevator

An engineering feat when it was installed in 1969, and still the only one of its kind in Europe, before the Arzviller boat elevator was constructed in 1969, it took boats an

entire day to navigate the 17 locks over four kilometers to ascend the 146 feet in altitude. Before the Arzviller boat elevator, only one barge a day could pass through, but today, as many as 39 can make the trip each day.

Now back on the Panache, it is our turn to go through the “boat guillotine” – really the black door that comes down to seal the carriage, like a bathtub, into which our boat floats, to be carried, like an elevator, up the hill. Two counterweights, weighing 450 tons each, powered by two winches, lift or lower barges safely up and down the hill at a 22-degree angle. It takes four minutes for us to be lifted to the top, where the door rises and we continue our journey on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin.

What an experience, but the

In between the tunnels, I go down for lunch which is also an event –fennel and anchovies salad; orange duck with couscous, and selection of cheese. White wine from Alsace, Gewurztramine 2020, a vegan, “vin biologique” wine “Evidence” (named to reflect “the respect we have for biodiversity in our vineyards as “evidenced” by the return of game birds to our land, which has inspired this label”).

And yet, there are still more astonishments to unfold on this day, our last full day of the cruise.

We are driven to Sarrebourg, a classic, historic French town.

A Monumental Chagall

The astonishing highlight in Sarrebourg comes at the Chapelle des Cordeliers. Built in 1265 by Franciscans, the church was used for barracks during the French Revolution; in 1870, during the German Annexation, the church was used for worship for German soldiers. From 1927, the History and Archeology Society converted the chapel to a museum. But by 1970, the building, near ruin, was demolished,

Continued on next page

European Waterways’ luxury hotel barge, Panache, gets ready to go through the “boat guillotine” on its way into the Arzviller boat elevator © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

European Waterways’ Alsace-Lorraine Canal Cruise: A Boat Guillotine, Two Tunnels and a Chagall

Continued from previous page

leaving only the choir of the chapel and an open space where a wall should have stood.

The Mayor of Sarrebourg at the time, Pierre Messmer, a former Prime Minister of France, entreated his friend, the world-famous artist Marc Chagall to create stained glass windows that would close the empty space. Chagall agreed to do it as a gift to the town. It took Chagall six months, from December 1973-Febuary 1974, to produce a series of six sketches for what became his largest stained glass window, 12 meters high by 7 ½ meters wide. Chagall died in 1985 at the age of 98 after creating one more stained glass work, but never saw “The Peace” installed. (https://www. sarrebourg.fr/parcours-chagall/chapelle-des-cordeliers/)

“For me a stained glass window is a transparent partition between my heart and the heart of the world. Stained glass has to be serious and passionate. It is something elevating and exhilarating. It has to live through the perception of light,” Chagall wrote.

La Paix (“The Peace”) puts Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden at the center, surrounded by a multitude of Biblical and religious symbols and sub-

jects, as well as secular images that give a nod to the Alsace-Lorraine, our guide, Philippe Zugmeyer, explains, showing us Chagall’s sketches which we can compare to the finished work. “The face of Eve is very bright, white, brightest image. They are smiling, showing love. Look closely and you will see the face of girl from Lorraine – identified by the regional headdress she wears.”

He points us to the Prophet Isaiah in green, an important symbol for Chagall, of reconciliation of all creatures. There are the lamb, cow, bear, snake, lion. There is King David with a harp. Jacob’s ladder. Jesus on a donkey heralded by people smiling and cheering. Jesus giving his Sermon on the Mount. Jesus on the cross. There is a baby to symbolize maternity (not nativity, he notes). Moses with two beams of light emitting from his head.

I never expected to see anything like this on this day.

From here we walk a short distance to the affiliated  Musée du pays de Sarrebourg (Museum of Sarrebourg and its surroundings). Created in 1905, it was originally only an archaeological museum. Today, it is a modern building that includes a space dedicated to Marc Chagall, tapestries and an exhibition

of earthenware and porcelain from the Niderviller manufacture. The museum also exhibits local collections of porcelain and ancient Roman artifacts.

Gala Captain’s Dinner

This is our last evening onboard The Panache, and while each meal has been the ultimate in fine dining, tonight’s Captain’s Dinner when Captain Brian heads the table, has the feeling of a gala with formal table setting – white tablecloth, red cloth napkins, candlelight.

The meal features peas and wasabi tartlet; Jerusalem artichoke; lobster tail piquillos; chocolate with truffle, cheeses. The wine is Chablis Grand Cru Les Blanchots (2018) from Albert Bichot, founded in 1831and still family-owned, and a Pino Noir Grand Cru from Burgundy (2014)

In the course of our six-day cruise, I calculate we sampled 36 cheeses –about half of all the controlled French cheeses - and 40 wines.

We see gorgeous scenery, to be sure, but the barge experience is about doing, being present, the camaraderie. And so there are sentimental farewells when we depart – the seven days we have spent together feeling like a long time and as no time at all.

The next morning, we are driven

back to Strasbourg – 45 minutes to cover the distance we have traveled in six days cruising (and biking). I have enough time to continue to explore Strasbourg before I take the TGV train to Paris.

The 12-passenger luxury hotel barge Panache cruises the Alsace & Lorraine in summer and autumn;  Holland in the Spring, when the flowers are in full bloom, and Champagne in May & June (Champagne itineraries typically include Brie cheese tastings, a tour of the Cathedral at Reims, Epernay and of course, tastings at renowned champagne houses).

One of the largest providers of all-inclusive luxury hotel barging in Europe, European Waterways, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, is launching its newest, ultra deluxe vessel, the eight-passenger  Kir Royale this May.

Contact European Waterways, 877879-8808, www.europeanwaterways.com.

See more photos at goingplacesfarandnear.com.

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

Total Solar Eclipse Above Long Lake, in New York’s Adirondacks is Stellar

BY KAREN RUBIN TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE - GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM

BY CLAIRE LYNCH

That effortless, magical golf swing

At my retirement party a few years ago I got a few gifts from my co-workers that have come in handy on these retirement days. They were given to me after the food and festivities of the retirement party were over. I’d had a special guest speaker then I said a few words of thanks and in short order I was being handed a fishing rod, a golf club and a beautiful set of earrings commemorating my time on the job.

A few other gifts were presented and I have enjoyed each and every one. The hand-written cards of thanks for helping people at work were appreciated, too, but the fishing rod and golf club have a way of standing out in my mind.

My co-workers had heard that I wanted to go fishing - something I’d never gotten to do during my working years. And the golf club Joanie gave me, a putter not a driver, reminded me of so many times my relatives and I went miniature golfing at Nunley’s in Baldwin.

Was Joanie implying that I should stick to miniature golf rather than set up some tee times with three other people and embark with our bags of clubs on an 18-hole golf course? Asking her that later as we walked to our cars, we laughed about the implication and I told Joanie how I would fare on a great big beautifully manicured golf course.

She said I’d be good at it since I’m so interested in golfing and I added that I’d never really made time for it before. You’ve really got to allow at least four hours to play a solid round of golf and I was always running here and there taking care of chores.

My first leisurely, enjoyable round of golf wouldn’t happen for a few more months because I retired at the end of the year just as winter was beginning. Soon the cold temperatures and snow would arrive on Long Island so I was saving my fishing rod and golf club for spring when Long Island would thaw out and my friends and I could set some realistic tee times.

That summer I got a part-time job even though I had retired. I’ve never been one to sit still, I think retires

should have a schedule and I believe that working helps keep older people mentally sharp. I also scheduled some time for meeting friends for coffee once a month at our favorite specialty coffee house.

Since my work is part-time - not fulltime which I’d done for 41 years - I had time to exercise whether it was taking long walks or playing pickleball once a week. By building it into my schedule I found myself saying, “Yes, I can do this” as opposed to making excuses and getting comfortable on the couch watching my favorite Netflix movies.

Doing jigsaw puzzles in the cold weather is a good way to challenge myself but now that the warmer weather is here I’m excited about golfing once again. Amy, Linda, Jane and I formed a foursome and we’ve stuck with it. I joined their group three years ago when they needed a fourth golfer and I was looking to join a group. They were used to the duffer’s routine but I was new at it so I set out very determinedly to look and act like a golfer.

Early in spring I wore slacks, a blouse and a jacket to hit a golf ball all over an 18-hole course. As the days grew warmer I wore lighter clothes - a polo shirt and skorts to hit that little white golf ball around the course.

A golf cap or visor is a must when the sun is looking right at me - and the glare of the sun can throw me off my game. I prefer lace-up spikeless golf shoes on the course. They help keep my balance and hence, my concentration. I’m no women’s golf fashionista but dressing for the weather is important. Golf gloves help me grip the club comfortably and a comfortable golfer may end up being a good golfer.

Now that we play regularly, I have my golfing routine down pat. Amy, Linda, Jane and I like to play on Wednesdays. Meeting at the golf course we take out two golf carts, load our bags onto the carts and head out. Early birds, we like to start playing when the morning sun is out and the birds are singing. Sometimes we run into other golfers and converse with them. At other times we’re on our own and that’s okay.

Afterwards we have our “tea time”

or lunch. We’ve worked up appetites and by then we’ve had our fill of golf clubs and motorized golf carts.

I’ve known for years that golf is a game of numbers - each hole has a par, for example - and I aim for a low score in golf not a high one. In terms of hitting the ball, I prefer driving the golf ball to putting but to each their own. My golf score isn’t super low but I’m enjoying the game. And communing with nature. Some of my other friends like playing bridge on Wednesdays but I’d rather be out on the golf course admiring nature and hoping to hear the sweet sounds of birds singing.

I like the look of a beautifully manicured golf course. The sand that’s raked so well it looks pure. I enjoy seeing the ponds spaced out so well - and hope that my golf ball doesn’t land in the drink. That would be embarrassing but then Amy, Linda and Jane know that I’m still a “newbie.”

A hole in one on any golf course would be fun but it’s not mandatory. Sure I’d like to be able to brag to my sister, Michelle, that I got a hole in one because she hit a hole in one at a golf

course on Hilton Head Island, S.C. a few years ago. She said later that she was so relaxed swinging the club that it magically just seemed to go in. “That’s a wonder to behold,” I told Michelle when I saw her and we both agreed that indeed, it was, indeed.

Crossword Answers

BY TOM MARGENAU

Divorced Man’s Guide to Social Security

Over the 27 years I’ve been writing this column, I have probably written a hundred columns directed at divorced women. But after answering emails from men who had questions about benefits for divorcees, it dawned on me that I’ve never written a column for divorced men. Today, I’ll make up for that.

I should point out that I will be concentrating on the benefits a husband’s ex-wife can get on his Social Security account -and what effects those benefits have on his own Social Security or on benefits due a subsequent wife. Why? Because those are the kinds of questions I get from men.

I will briefly cover what benefits a divorced man might be due on his ex-wife’s Social Security record. But frankly, that rarely happens. As I recently pointed out, because women traditionally have earned less than men, and because women take time off from their careers to raise children, there are millions of women getting benefits off a husband’s or ex-husband’s Social Security account. But there are only a handful of men getting spousal benefits from a wife’s record.

Let me first explain how a divorced woman qualifies for benefits from her ex. First of all, she’s got to be old enough, which means at least age 60 for divorced widows and at least age 62 for an ex-wife whose husband is still alive. Second, her marriage to the ex must have lasted at least 10 years. Third, she can’t be currently married. (If she remarried after the divorce, but that second marriage ended and she is unmarried now, she’s potentially eligible for benefits from the first ex.) And fourth, she can’t be due higher benefits on her own Social Security account. There are other qualifying conditions, but these are the main ones.

And if you are that rare divorced man whose ex-wife consistently made more money than you, meaning she is due a higher Social Security benefit than you are, then the eligibility rules for divorced women explained above would also apply to you. In other words, the same rules that apply to divorced and financially dependent wives and widows also apply to divorced and financially dependent husbands and widowers.

But as I said, men very rarely qualify for these kinds of benefits. And that’s why a divorced man’s interest in rules for divorcees almost always have to do with how his ex might qualify for divorced spousal benefits and how it affects his own benefits. Here are some sample questions.

Q: My first wife and I were married for 30 years before getting divorced five years ago. I have remarried. My ex hasn’t. She is 62 years old. My current wife is 45. I am 65 and not yet drawing Social Security. My ex says she is going to file against my Social Security. Can she do that without my permission?

A: Your ex-wife does not need your permission to file for divorced wife’s benefits

on your record. If the law says she’s due benefits, she’ll get them no matter what you say. So if she is not currently working, she’ll be due benefits on your record unless her own retirement benefit pays her a higher rate. And by the way, your ex can file for benefits on your account even if you haven’t filed yourself.

Q: My wife and I are about to turn 67. We are thinking of filing for Social Security. My wife’s own benefit is so small that I’m sure she will get higher benefits on my record. But I was married once before, and my ex-wife is already getting divorced wife’s benefits on my account. Is that going to reduce what my current wife will be due on my record?

A: No, it won’t. Any benefits paid to an ex-spouse are just “add-on” benefits. They don’t take anything away from what you are due or what your current wife will be due on your record.

Q: I am 76 years old. I waited until I was 70 to file for Social Security. The primary reason I did this is so my wife will get the highest widow’s benefits possible when I die. But I just learned that my first wife, to whom I was married for 20 years, is going to get half of my benefits upon my death. And my current wife will have to settle for the other half. This doesn’t seem fair.

A: Well, it might not be fair if it were true. But it’s not true. When you die, your current wife will get 100% of your benefit -- assuming she is over her full retirement age when you die. And assuming your ex hasn’t remarried and is over her full retirement age and isn’t due higher benefits on her own record, she also will get the 100% widow’s rate. As explained above, any benefits paid to your ex do not offset any benefits due your current wife.

Q: I can’t believe my ex-wife is getting my Social Security. When we divorced in 2018, I very specifically added a clause to the divorce decree stating that my soon-to-be ex-wife would not be able to get any of my Social Security. And yet now I learned she’s telling her friends she is getting benefits on my account. I’m going to call my lawyer to stop this!

A: You can call your lawyer if you want. But you aren’t going to stop this. That clause you added to your divorce decree isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. Federal law overrides anything you or your lawyer might scribble onto your divorce papers. And if that law says your ex is due spousal benefits on your account, she’s going to get them.

Q: I’ve been married and divorced five times. Is each of my ex-wives going to get some of my Social Security? No wonder the system is going broke!

A: Actually, it’s pretty uncommon for more than one ex to get benefits on your account. Why? Because the only way all your ex-wives would collect on your record is if they all have remained unmarried and if all of them have never worked.

Or to put that another way: All your exes who have remarried and all your exes who have worked and will get their own Social Security won’t be collecting divorced spousal benefits from you.

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.

Answers on page 3

I have dealt with literally thousands of buyer and seller clients over the last 42+ years, listening to their specific, “needs and wants” in finding a purchaser for their homes and buyers in their search for their “next place to call home.” The one common denominator was the location, location, and most importantly the school district. Even for those downsizing or who were empty nesters, the majority weren’t concerned or gave any thought about schools being of any importance. I conveyed to them that the better the schools, the more stable the prices and potentially greater resale value. I have found and truly understand the importance of an excellent above-average education; the accompanying school curriculum is a defining characteristic that most parents desire for their children.

However, sometimes there are limitations to what people and families can afford in purchasing their desired towns; they need to settle for the most optimum location, based on their financial qualifications. The greatest obstacle is the lack of adequate funding from Albany. The towns that need it the most don’t always get sufficient funding to attract better-quality teachers. it comes down to paying sufficient remuneration to those educators to live a good life and existence.

Unfortunately, Albany may sometimes not understand or see how important those monies are in the quality of education for those towns that have the greatest need compared to most other school districts. Teachers need to make a living as the 2nd most crucial entity in a child’s life. One might argue or not think about what a true lifestyle for a teacher might be; and that sometimes is too much to focus on as other less important things are on the agenda. Nothing is as crucial and critical as an education with quality teachers. However, unfortunately, family income and budgets become the problems in attaining a proper education.

Location, location, school district

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

Today, we no longer have a conjugal nuclear family structure compared to years ago. We have more single-family units in history; the mothers have to not only earn a living, to survive but also take the role of the missing dad model in keeping a stable and healthy environment. In my eyes, even though, the mothers are doing an amazing job; this deficiency of a father figure is what is many times, lacking, as the basis of a stronger family unit; creating and leading to a quality, caring, and solid lifestyle in bringing one’s children up in. But then again, there are those independent, divorced, widowed women who do quite a commendable, admirable, and praiseworthy job providing the immense effort, discipline, and sacrifice of time in doing what is needed to provide a quality and grounded environment with the necessary and proper guidance for their kids.

and begins in December. Jump in feet first, and take advantage of these grant programs. If you need any assistance, feel free to reach out to me.

Some can have a home and a lifestyle together if one will apply and sacrifice the necessary and required time and effort; to earn while learning how to start a side hustle in conjunction with your job; or an additional stream of income as an adjunct to your current business. This can and will enable you to accomplish greater earnings; if you have a burning desire and passion to improve your position in life, so you can and will attain your home and lifestyle. Real estate might be your vehicle in getting there. Interested? Then call me for a confidential interview and learn how to rid yourself of those invisible job handcuffs and potentially consult your way to the top of the food chain and never look back.

you must send your answers to Phil@ TurnKeyRealEstate.Com with your legal 1st and last name, cell, and email by midnight on 4/15/24.

Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 42+ of 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).

Did you know that grants are available for first-time homebuyers and lower-income individuals and families yearly through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A Realtor’s job should be to assist and guide those who require funding by pointing out those programs, from HUD.COM or USA.GOV.

One must go online and fill out an application to be considered. The last time I checked, the grant provided was $50,000 in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. One must get on that list in December of each year (March 6th was the last day to submit your application) as a first-time homebuyer and potentially striking gold in consideration of that “free” money. You must reside in that home for 10 years otherwise the grant must be repaid.

Since a majority of people that I have spoken to are not at all aware of these grant programs; one must apply as soon as the grant program is funded

Hoping you, your Family, Friends, and Business associates have a Healthier, Safer, Happier, and more Lucrative 2024!

P.S. Have you entered our contest yet? Time is ticking! Whoever provides the correct answer in how many interest rate reductions or possible increases plus the total percentage reduced or increased in 2024, will be the winner. Your reward will be a dinner with my wife and I and a special surprise bonus! The contest was going to end on 4/15/24, but due to my column coming out on Thursday April 18th, we will extend our contest until Sunday, April 21st as the final entry date at Midnight. The final drawing will be on 12/28/24. We thank the multitude of participants who have already entered and this will be a very exciting contest to determine what Jerome Powell, the Fed Chair’s course of action will be during 2024. The first correct complete answer picked will be the winner! To be qualified,

Save my New digital business card with/Videos,Virtual and Drone Tours/ photos/Bio/Reviews to your cell, PC or Laptop contacts: https://onetapconnect. com/turnkeyrealestate-philraices Are you still using your passé paper card? Do still use a rotary dial phone, of course not. So get on board in 2024 and order your digital card by scrolling all the way down to the bottom and click on the link, “Get your Connect Card.”

He will give you 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 also 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 Philip at (516) 647-4289.

BY MARY HUNT

EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE

When You’re Stuck and Can’t Get Going

A question I receive nearly every day goes something like this: I’m ready to get started taking back control of my finances. But how do I get started? It’s like I’m stuck.

Don’t think you are alone if you find yourself wanting to do all the steps at once. But that could be a big mistake. In the same way when building a house you wouldn’t pour the foundation, raise the walls and put on the roof all at the same

time, with your money makeover, you need to take things one step at a time.

First you need to lay the foundation. I call this initial step “tracking.” You cannot manage what you cannot measure.

Tracking means to write down exactly where every penny goes. If you bring home $793.42 this week, next week you should be able to account for every single cent. Where did that money go?

I suggest that you track on a daily basis. Every morning start with a fresh sheet of paper. Throughout the day, as you spend any amount of money, write it down. How much did you spend and what did you spend it for? Do this for at least 30 days (longer may be necessary if you are really in a financial fog). Ideally both you and your partner should keep record.

At the end of a month pull out all of those daily records. Categorize your spending. You will begin to see patterns. Perhaps you spend $3.49 a day on lattes. Of course there are no right or wrong answers here. But you might want to point

out to yourself that if you keep this up for a year, you will shell out $1,273 on coffee drinks. Apply this multiplication to all of your spending categories. Where are things really out of line? Can you see why you are spending more than you earn?

How much of your spending was done with cash? Debit cards? Checkbook? Credit cards? What might you have done differently to come out with a more favorable end?

It is not going to take the assessment of a professional financial planner to point out problems in your spending. You will see that instinctively. Putting things in black and white has a way of clearing the fog.

You may find this to be the activity that keeps you going in the right direction month after month. Some people find they need to do this for the rest of their lives as a normal part of their personal finance management. It can’t hurt.

Cutting expenses in every way possible is the next logical step. The goal is to get your outgo to be less than your income by trimming expenses. The best way to

trim is to do a little bit in every area. Little things really add up when it comes to trimming just as they do when it comes to foolish and unaccounted spending.

Just think: If you had your lattes just three days a week rather than seven, you would trim more than $700 from your annual spending. It takes time, but little by little you will be amazed how well you can do.

OK, there’s your jumpstart. I would love to know how this is working for you.

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

COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM

6 Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Wardrobe Without Spending a Dime

BY MARY HUNT

Could your wardrobe use a long overdue boost? Maybe you’re eyeing a career move, aiming to project a more polished image at work or simply looking to raise the bar when it comes to school drop-offs and PTA meetings.

Perhaps you’re diving back into the dating scene or could just use a little pickme-up. Sure, some might shrug off the ideas that follow, and that’s OK; not every piece here fits every puzzle. Yet, like it or not, the ways we present ourselves to the world influences how the world treats us.

We can debate fairness, preach about inner beauty or claim immunity to superficial judgments, but reality often has its own script, advises Daisy Luther, author of the website The Frugalite. The good news? You don’t need a shopping spree to refine your style. In fact, you can elevate your look using what’s already hanging in your closet.

What follows are timely tips Daisy offers to help us present a polished appearance to the world using the clothing we already have.

No. 1: Get rid of things that do not look good on you.

You don’t need to hang onto every piece of clothing you’ve accumulated over the years. In today’s world of social media and TV showcases, overflowing closets might seem like the pinnacle of prosperity. But let’s be real here -- less clutter means more clarity and peace of mind. Embrace the truth that most of us wear only 20% of the clothes we own. Everything else is clutter, taking up space. Sell, donate, do whatever it takes to move things out. Can’t bring yourself to com-

pletely part with them? Stash them away for “someday.” (If you do this, remove them from your day-to-day wardrobe so you aren’t tempted to wear them.)

No. 2: Mend your clothing.

Got some clothes in need of a little TLC? Let’s talk maintenance because, let’s face it, neglected garments just scream sloppy. From droopy hems to loose threads, unraveled seams and missing buttons, these are all fixable faux pas that can transform your look from disheveled to dapper in a snap.

A frugal habit of our friend Daisy is to toss things that require mending in a basket beside where she sits to watch television. The basket contains a thorough sewing kit. “Whenever I sit down to watch television,” says Daisy, “I pick up something that needs fixing and do my mending while watching some Netflix.”

No. 3: Iron or steam your clothing.

When it comes to making your existing clothes presentable, there’s nothing quite like a good, old-fashioned press to take them up a notch. Here are a couple of budget-friendly tricks that can breathe new life into your wardrobe:

-- Hang your desired outfit in the bathroom while you take a hot shower. The steam works wonders in relaxing wrinkles.

-- Toss the garment into the dryer along with a damp washcloth. Just make sure to use a cloth from the same color family to avoid any contrasting lint mishaps on your ensemble.

No. 4: Maintain your shoes.

Footwear are the unsung heroes of any outfit. Nothing kills a look faster than scuffed, dirty or worn-out footwear, shouting neglect. The good news? It’s of-

ten an easy fix. Sometimes, all your shoes need is a good scrub or polish to regain their charm.

If you’re dealing with high-quality shoes showing signs of wear and tear, it might be worth a trip to a local shoe repair. While I wouldn’t splurge on repairs for cheaper shoes that can easily be replaced, I’d gladly invest in restoring those pricey gems from days gone by. No. 5: Create outfits from what you have.

Now that your clothes are looking sharp, well-kept and crease-free, it’s time to curate some stylish and sophisticated outfits. As a frequent traveler, Daisy swears by the versatility of a capsule wardrobe, ensuring everything mixes and matches seamlessly.

Spread out your everyday bottoms on the bed, and keep your tops neatly hung in the closet. Next, pair each bottom with various tops to find winning combinations. Don’t hesitate to try them on for a firsthand look. You might consider organizing your outfits by hanging them together for quick and easy dressing. Keeping a wardrobe notebook handy can also help track your favorite combinations.

If you’re seeking some fashion inspiration, hop onto Pinterest and explore the type of outfit you have in mind. You’ll discover a plethora of ideas to spark your creativity and help you assemble stunning looks from your existing wardrobe.

No. 6: Use a lint roller.

For the love of all things lovely and stylish, use a lint roller before you leave the house! It’s a quick step that takes just a few seconds but helps you to look crisp and clean. This isn’t just important if you have pets. All of us encounter various

selves to clothing. It’s not a good look and something that is so easily rectified.

Clothing is not optional, but spending a lot of money on it is. Upgrading the clothing you have is an efficient way to carry out what mothers everywhere have advised for decades. When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, you do good!

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.”

BY DENNIS MAMMANA

Week of April 21-27, 2024

We’ve got another full moon this week.

Seems like we just had one last month, doesn’t it? And the month before that. Well, this is not a coincidence. The moon orbits the Earth with a period of about one month and, therefore, sunlight shining on it from different angles throughout the month produces the shapes we know as phases.

In fact, this lunar cycle gives rise to the calendar division we know as a month (or “moonth” if you prefer) and was developed into a lunar calendar by ancient sky watchers. Even today, the lunar calendar is in use to mark holy days by Muslim and Jewish communities around the world, and the Chinese still use it for festive occasions.

When the moon lies opposite the sun in our sky, its visible face is illuminated fully by sunlight, and we call it a “full” moon. And since the moon rotates on its axis with nearly the same period as the moon’s orbit, we always see the same dark gray features on the lunar surface that form massive plains of solidified magma called “mare” (MAH-ray). This is helpful when trying to understand the seemingly confusing behavior of our cosmic neighbor.

Occasionally, I receive notes from observant sky watchers asking why the full moon appears upside down when it’s setting in the west at sunrise. It’s not that complicated, and you can see this for yourself this week.

On the evening of Tuesday, April 23, go outdoors around sunset, and if the sky is clear, keep watch toward the east-southeastern horizon. It won’t be long before you spot the full moon rising. Yes, it looks larger than normal (it’s a powerful optical illusion created in your brain) and yes, it appears redder than normal (this is caused by dust particles in the atmosphere

As the Moon Turns...

scattering out shorter wavelength light).

But forget all that for the moment. Look at its features -- the gray markings from which one can imagine the face of the “man in the moon.” They seem to trace out a large “C” on the lunar disk, with the open part of the “C” appearing on the right side.

A few hours later, after the Earth has turned a quarter of the way around, go out and look at the moon again and notice the pattern traced by the lunar mare. It still forms the letter “C,” but the open end now appears more toward the lower right side!

By sunrise, the full moon will be setting in the western sky, and you may (or may not) be surprised to see the open area of the letter “C” now appearing at the

When Yaks Attack

bottom of the moon.

So what’s going on here? Nothing unusual, really. Hang a photo of the moon on your wall and stand in front of it. If you tilt your head to the left, then straight up and down and then to the right, you’ll see how the orientation of the moon appears to change in response.

This is quite similar to what happens as our Earth rotates. Check it out. It’s simply the moon changing its orientation as we view it differently throughout the night.

BY: TRACY BECKERMAN

I was sitting at my desk writing, with my trusty dog lying on the floor by my side, when suddenly I heard this sound like someone was letting the air out of a tire. It went on for about five seconds and then stopped. I looked around the room to see if there was a gas leak or something ... and that’s when I smelled it. It was like a cross between a toxic waste dump and a festering swamp. It was so bad my eyes began to cloud over and my eyebrows started to fall out of their follicles. That’s when I realized it WAS a gas leak. But it wasn’t a gas leak from the pipes. It was a gas leak from the dog. I looked down at him and saw that he hadn’t moved a muscle, hadn’t even twitched. I had to wonder, how could something that noxious escape from his nether regions and not sear the hair off his tail?

Fortunately, because of the pandemic, I still had some face masks handy, and I put one on before my nose hairs got singed and I lost all sense of smell, although right then, that would not have been a bad thing.

Meanwhile, I couldn’t figure out what had caused him to pass gas that was a veritable weapon of mass destruction. And then I remembered I had ordered a bone for him online that was made of yak milk. The yak, of course, is not an animal we would generally run into here, so yak milk is not widely available. This is probably because no one wants to get close enough to a yak to milk it. But the online pet store I ordered from said yak milk bones are easily digestible and great for big chewers like my dog. It said nothing about the fact that while yak milk bones might be easily digestible, they have a residual effect that results in flatulence

that could flatten a World Wrestling Entertainment champion.

Naturally, I would feel bad if my dog were physically distressed by the Yak Yucks, as I decided to call them. But he seemed completely unfazed by his nuclear butt emissions. It occurred to me that a dog that liked to roll in dead things in the yard probably wouldn’t care if he made my house smell like a bog. However, I would feel guilty if he wiped out the entire planet with his gas, which was a distinct possibility considering how it was affecting me.

I decided I needed to consult with my veterinarian before things got worse, and by worse, I mean caused the paint to peel off my walls and the tile to buckle on my floors. She said if he had no symptoms other than gas, it was OK to give the dog some Gas-X to remedy the gas leak.

Later, when my husband got home,

the dog’s gas had dissipated, but the house still smelled a little like a men’s locker room after the Super Bowl.

“What’s that smell?” he said, pinching his nose.

“We had a gas leak,” I said.

“Did you call the gas company?” he asked.

“Something like that,” I replied.

“What did they say?”

“Shut off the main valve,” I said. “And don’t give the dog any more yak.”

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

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Caring, Efficient, Reliable. Available FT Live In, Nights, Overnights & Weekends to care for your sick or elderly loved one. Cooking, tidy up, personal grooming, administer medications. 15 years experience. References available. Fully Vaccinated. Please Call 516-951-8083

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS!

Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 888-514-3044

DIRECTV SPORTS PACK 3 MONTHS ON US! Watch pro and college sports LIVE. Plus over 40 regional and specialty networks included. NFL, College Football, MLB, NBA, NHL, Golf and more. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918

ANNOUNCEMENTS

GET BOOST INFINITE! Unlimited Talk, Text and Data For Just $25/mo! The Power Of 3 5G Networks, One Low Price! Call Today and Get The Latest iPhone Every Year On Us! 844-329-9391

GET DISH SATELLITE TV

+ INTERNET! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-866-782-4069

HEARING AIDS!! High-quality rechargeable, powerful Audien hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Tiny and NEARLY INVISIBLE! 45day money back guarantee! 855-598-5898

PUBLIC NOTICE We, Edward & Lisa Castellano, bring forth our land patent benefits. The complete Patent can be viewed at landpatentpower. com

MARKETPLACE

A.T. STEWART EXCHANGE

CONSIGNMENT SHOP

516-746-8900

Antiques-FurnitureJewelry-Silver-MirrorsLamps-Artwork

Come to Consign & Stay to Shop Visit.... Our Shop

109 Eleventh St. Garden City

Mon-Fri 10-4 (Wed till 6) Saturday 12-4

Shop Our Online Store ATStewartExchange.org

Items to Consign?

Email photos (with sizing info) to: store@atstewartexchange.org

All proceeds benefit

The Garden City Historical Society

Like us on Facebook & Instagram

INVITED ESTATE SALES BY TRACY JORDAN is doing VIRTUAL TAG SALES and ONLINE AUCTIONS now!

Sell the contents of an entire house or sell just a few things! You can host your own sale on invitedsales.com and Facebook and Instagram or we can do it for you. We can photograph, advertise and handle the winning pickups for you within a week! Don’t worry about your closing date, we can get your house ready on time! We are a one stop service for all your needs when you are moving or selling a property! Selling, donating, discarding and cleaning out services can be done to meet your time frame with minimal stress. Contact info@invitedsales.com for more information or call 516-279-6378 to schedule a consultation or receive more information. Visit us at www.invitedsales. com for a listing of our upcoming Virtual Tag Sales and Weekly Auctions!

Visit www.invitedsales.com for pictures & details!!

AUTOMOTIVE

AUTOS WANTED

***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS

$Highest$ Ca$h Paid$ All Years /Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct Ca$h. DMV ID#1303199

Call LUKE 516-VAN-CARS 516-297-2277

REAL ESTATE FOR RENT

APARTMENT FOR RENT

GARDEN CITY BORDER

APARTMENTS. Huge, Bright King 2 Br 2 bath apt $2,650- +

CLASSIFIEDS Call 294.8900

SERVICES

JACK’S CUSTOM FRAMING

We can frame anything!

Quality Care & Workmanship

Thousands of frames to choose from!!

Over 30 years in business!

92 Covert Ave, Stewart Manor

516-775-9495

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ATTORNEY

STEPHANIE A.

D’ANGELO, ESQ.

Elder Law, Wills & Trusts

Asset Preservation, Estate Planning, Probate & Estate Administration/Litigation

901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530 516-222-1122

www.dangelolawassociates. com

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Installation Service/Repairs

Joe Barbato

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PRICES! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Call Now! 1-855-399-2076

CHIMNEY KING ENT. INC.

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FULLY licensed & insured. NYC NASSAU SUFFOLK 516-766-1666 or 631-225-2600

Since 1982 chimneykinginc.com

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CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS

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Family owned & operated www.madeintheshadensli. com

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MASONRY

All types of stonework

Pavers, Retaining Walls, Belgium Block Patios, Foundations, Seal coating, Concrete and Asphalt driveways, Sidewalks, Steps.

Free Estimates

Fully Licensed & Insured #H2219010000

Boceski Masonry

Louie 516-850-4886

SERVICES

HEALTH SERVICES

FAMILY CARE CONNECTIONS, LLC

Dr. Ann Marie D’Angelo

PMHCNS-BC

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Advanced Practice Nurse Care Manager

Assistance with Aging at Home /Care Coordintion

Nursing Home & Assisted Living Placement

PRI / Screens / Mini Mental Status Exams

Medicaid Eligibility and Apllications 516-248-9323

www.familycareconnections.com

901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530

PAINTING & PAPERHANGING

INTERIOR & EXTERIOR PAINTING

Plastering, Taping, Sheetrock Skim Cutting, Old Wood Refinish, Staining, Wallpaper Removal & Hanging, Paint Removal, Power Washing, Wood Replacement

JOHN MIGLIACCIO

Licensed & Insured

#80422100000

Call John anytime: 516-901-9398 (Cell) 516-483-3669 (Office)

JV PAINTING, INTERIOR/ EXTERIOR PLUS HANDYMAN. Licensed and Insured. Please call John 516-732-8937.

SERVICES

PARTY HELP

LADIES & GENTLEMEN

RELAX & ENJOY

Your Next Party!

Catering and Experienced Professional Services for Assisting with Preparation, Serving and Clean Up Before, During and After Your Party

Bartenders Available. Call Kate at 516-248-1545

SERVICES

AFFORDABLE TV & INTERNET. If you are overpaying for your service, call now for a free quote and see how much you can save! 1-855-399-2803

INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT?

Don’t Accept the insurance company’s first offer. Many injured parties are entitled to major cash settlements. Get a free evaluation to see what your case is really worth. 100% Free Evaluation. Call Now: 1-888-454-4717. Be ready with your zip code to connect with the closest provider PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-866-448-8311 Have zip code of property ready when calling!

viscardicenter 2x4 b.crtr - Page 1 - Composite

ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVE

PART-TIME viscardicenter 2x4.crtr - Page 1 - Composite

The Viscardi Center publishes a monthly print/digital newspaper and website that serves the New York City and Long Island disability community and is looking for an energetic, highly motivated sales representative.

Sell print and digital advertising, assist with growth and management of the subscription base. Be able to learn quickly, multi-task, and work effectively to meet deadlines. This is a part-time position with a flexible schedule; $25-$30/hr. + commission.

For more information, call (516) 465-1432 or email humanresources@viscardicenter.org

FULL-TIME DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL (DSP)

Abilities, Inc. is looking for Direct Support Professionals to provide support services to successfully integrate individuals with developmental disabilities into their communities.

Transport and accompany Program Participants to recreational activities — bowling, movies, volunteering — and other socialization activities. Additional duties, such as assisting with personal care needs, may be required. $20.00/hr.

HS Diploma/equivalent, prior work experience with adults having disabilities required.

Valid NYS Driver’s License required.

For more information, call (516) 465-1432 or email humanresources@viscardicenter.org

We’re looking for writers in our community to compose articles 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. Love to write?

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Local artists invited to showcase at “Art in the Park”

The Town of Oyster Bay invites local artists and artisans to display and sell their hand-crafted goods at a special day of “Art in the Park.” Applications are now available for the event which will be held on Saturday, May 18, at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park & Beach in Oyster Bay.

“Art in the Park offers local artists

and artisans an amazing opportunity to showcase their best work for the public and gain local notoriety,” said Town Councilman Steve Labriola. “Art in the Park is certain to attract hundreds of families and seniors as the event also features live music, food trucks and activities for kids.”

Participants must be 18 or older, and

display and sell only their original pieces. No commercial or mass-produced items are permitted. Artists must supply their own 10x10 canopy and additional items required for their space. Additional details and associated costs are provided on the application, available on the Town’s website.

Art in the Park is run by the Town’s

Department of Community & Youth Services, Cultural and Performing Arts Division. The event focuses on hand-crafted goods, including ceramics, watercolors, glass, jewelry, wood, leather, sculpture and more. Artist applications available on the Town’s website at www.oysterbaytown.com/capa or by calling (516) 797-7932.

Legislative breakfast brings state, county lawmakers to table

On March 16, the Plainview-Old Bethpage Board of Education hosted a panel of local lawmakers to discuss major issues affecting the District as part of the Board’s annual Legislative Breakfast.

The Board hosted State Senators Steve Rhoads and Jack Martins; Assemblymembers Charles Lavine, Jake Blumencranz and Steve Stern; and Nassau County Legislator Arnold Drucker for a discussion on a variety of issues, many of which the assembled lawmakers have an active role in legislating. Chief among them was Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposal to do away with the hold harmless school funding policy, which dictates that the State provide at least the same level of state aid funding as the

prior year. Other issues discussed included the State’s requirement

that school districts begin switching to electric school buses by 2027, tax roll maintenance, civil service requirements and setting school calendar start and end dates.

“Maintaining an open dialog with our local lawmakers is one of the many important roles our Board plays in ensuring our District’s interests are given top priority—both in our County seat of Mineola and in Albany,” said Board of Education President Debbie Bernstein. “Many of these issues affect not only our students, but also our District’s taxpayers. We are proud to advocate on their behalf.”

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mary O’Meara explained some of the District’s priorities.

Levittown Community Council plans Earth Day Cleanup

Getting ready to clean up the town, Levittown Community Council invites individuals and groups to celebrate Earth Day by volunteering to participate in a community event, one which they’ve hosted for more than a dozen years. The event takes place on Saturday, April 20, from 1 to 4 p.m.. The rain date is Sunday, April 21.

Volunteers gather at Veterans Park on Hempstead Turnpike and Shelter Lane (in front of the Levittown Public Library) at 1 p.m. to sign in. All participants under

the age of 14 will require an adult chaperone and adult supervision is required for all groups.

The event involves bringing together local residents and school and community groups to groom local parks and public areas. Students in an Honor Society, religious education programs, Key Clubs, scouts, sports teams or anyone needing community service credits are welcome to participate. Certificates for hours worked will be provided at the end of the event or when participants leave. Certificates are given when volun -

teers report back to the Council at Veterans Memorial Park.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own rakes, picks, shovels, spades, clippers and brooms, but may borrow equipment provided by the Town of Hempstead. All borrowed equipment must be returned to Community Council volunteers at Veterans Memorial Park by 4 p.m.

The Council will provide individual volunteers groups with local parks and community areas to be cleaned. Groups may join with another group, if they choose to do that.

About to hit a milestone?

Participating community groups may choose an area for their group to clean, but must notify the Council no later than April 5 about which area they are interested in cleaning. Personal property is not eligible. The Council can provide locations of areas that are eligible for cleanup. To receive such information, please contact us at our e-mail address. The Council can be reached by email at levittowncouncil@yahoo. com.

Share your life accomplishments with your neighbors! Put your engagement, wedding, or baby announcement in the paper. It's free of charge for subscribers! Email editor@gcnews.com

The Board hosted several state and county elected officials.

The Plainview-Old Bethpage Board of Education spoke with several local lawmakers during the Board’s annual Legislative Breakfast.

Second graders welcome parents to Wax Museum

Second graders at Bethpage’s Kramer Lane Elementary School celebrated their biography writing on April 9, welcoming visiting family members to the school’s annual Wax Museum.

Second graders at Bethpage’s Kramer Lane Elementary School celebrated their biography writing on April 9, welcoming visiting family members to the school’s annual Wax Museum. Each student had chosen an important and influential person, whether living or from history and the arts, and then researched on their own in class, gathering facts and writing about their selected person’s important accomplishments. In preparation, the second graders then practiced their summaries, both at home and at school. Dressed as their historical figures, the students stood like statues at the Wax Museum, inviting parents to push their “buttons” so they could recite a short blurb about their chosen famous people, who included Cleopatra, Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln,

HMS students welcomed into National Jr. Honor Society

Hicksville Middle School recently inducted 111 members to the National Junior Honor Society. The newly inducted middle school students were selected based on their demonstration of scholarship, service, leadership, character and citizenship, and each met specific requirements for academics and community service.

Mary Poppins, Betsy Ross and more than a few astronauts and athletes.

“It was really a lot of hard work, and all of the students are really proud,” teacher Margaret Schmidt said. “A lot of them find out so much information about someone who might be brand new to them that they chose from our list, or someone that they knew about but didn’t really know all of the things that come with a biography. The writing and reading aspect of it was how to pull from a biography and read about what their historical figures were like when they were little, or certain experiences that might have led to their big accomplishments, and then how they influenced others and had an impact on society. I think it was pretty cool for them to see more than just the headline of what the person was most famous for.”

The Reptile Guy visits Lee Ave. School

Roaches, turtles and tortoises, oh my! Students at Lee Avenue Elementary School in Hicksville recently sat in anticipation as John, The Reptile Guy introduced his reptiles. Throughout the hour-long program, students learned about various reptiles and each of the animal’s environments and the differences between herbivores and carnivores.

Photo courtesy of Bethpage School District

Photo courtesy of Hicksville Public Schools

Photo courtesy of Hicksville Public Schools

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