Syosset Advance (3/31/23)

P OLAR P LUNGE

Plan for NYIT dorm at Hampton Inn site

BY GEORGE HABER

A property acquisition company working with New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury is seeking Oyster Bay's approval to convert the unused property to a dormitory for NYIT students.

At a Town Board meeting March 21, lawyers representing NYIT's plan said the long-shuttered hotel would be converted to an eighty-room dorm for as many as 160 students, if two students share each room.

The building would have security, surveillance cameras, and staff supervisors.

The lawyers said the property is in a business area and will have no adverse

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino joined with North Hempstead Supervisor Jen DeSena to participate in the Special Olympics New York Polar Plunge, held at TOBAY Beach to benefit Special Olympics New York. Officials joined with local residents to brave the rain and cold waters to be ‘Freezin for a Reason’ as the event benefits Special Olympics New York. All funds raised support Special Olympics New York’s programs and promote awareness of people living with intellectual disabilities.

Bail phone scam

A 71-year-old Woodbury man was scammed out of money in a phone scam on Wednesday, March 22, at 12:05 p.m.

According to Nassau County Police, the victim received a phone call from an individual claiming to be his girlfriend. An unknown male subject then got on

the phone and stated the victim’s girlfriend had been in an auto accident and he would be receiving a phone call from Legal Aid regarding the situation. Shortly thereafter, the victim received a call from an unknown woman instructing the

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impact on residents in nearby areas, such as communities off Jericho Turnpike and on Brush Hollow Road.

NYIT no longer offers students dorm accommodations at SUNY Old Westbury.

The proposed dorm will not have dining facilities. Students would take meals at the Old Westbury campus or at restaurants or delis on Jericho Turnpike or in the nearby Whole Foods Shopping Mall on North Broadway. Shuttle buses would take students to and from the campus.

Local residents were invited by the Town to comment on this application by sending an email or letter to the Town.

NYIT hopes to convert former Hampton Inn on Jericho-Westbury border to dorm for students.

Artists invited to exhibit work 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 20, 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 dis-

Town accepting applications for 9/11 Walls of Honor

play and sell only their original pieces. No commercial or mass-produced items are permitted. Artists must supply their own 10 x 10 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.

Collection drive to support vets at VA hospital

The Town of Oyster Bay will host a “Spring into Action” Collection Drive in support of the Northport VA. During the month of April, residents are invited to donate toiletries and clothing.

“From hosting veteran appreciation events to recognizing their service with Hometown Heroes Banners in our parks, the Town of Oyster Bay is committed to honoring veterans for their service to our nation,” Supervisor Saladino said. “Please join this mission to help bring the comforts of home to veterans living at the Northport VA Hospital by making a donation to our collection drive during the month of April.”

Most needed items include toiletries (toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, unscented deodorant, body wash, unscented lotion, nail clippers, and shampoo), clothing (men’s underwear size 2XL & 3XL, men’s sweat suits size 2XL & 3XL, socks, flip flops, pajamas, and scarves), and entertainment (magazines, movies,

and CDs, especially greatest hits of the ‘50s & ‘60s).

“When I learned that the Northport VA has a ‘Wish List’ of items their veterans need, I knew Supervisor Saladino and the Town Board would spring into action with me to help ensure these needs are met,” Clerk LaMarca said. “I thank them for partnering with me to organize this critical initiative, and I thank the residents of our wonderful Town in advance for their generosity and support of our Veterans.”

The Town’s Collection Drive will run through the month of April. Collection Bins will be available on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at Town Hall North (54 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay), Town Hall South (977 Hicksville Road, Massapequa), and the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center (1001 Stewart Ave, Bethpage).

For more information, please call (516) 624-6380 or email ealter@oysterbay-ny. gov.

The Town of Oyster Bay has announced that applications are now available for families to add the names of loved ones to the Town of Oyster Bay’s 9/11 Walls of Honor which recognize all those with a connection to the Town who gave their lives and succumbed in their battle against 9/11 related cancers and illness. Each September, the Town unveils newly inscribed names into the Walls of Honor which recognize the family members, friends and neighbors lost to this toxic legacy.

Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino stated, “We remember and give thanks to those who ran into danger in order to help the victims of a cowardly act of terror. This includes first responders, downtown workers, residents, students and so many others with cancer certified to be 9/11-related. The events of 9/11 continue to take our heroes and survivors – and members of our community will continue to face darker days ahead. We watch each week as more of these heroes pass, in an ever-increasing and unending number. Just as many of these rescue and recovery heroes raced to the Towers the first

minute the plane hit, and stayed until the last brick was turned, their memorial stands with and lead us to those we lost that tragic Tuesday morning.”

Reports from the World Trade Center Health program indicate that we are approaching a terrible milestone, in which approximately 43,000 people are being treated for medical problems and 10,000 people have suffered cancers linked to the toxic exposure at Ground Zero. More than 2,500 responders and others affected have succumbed to their illness.

The 9/11 Walls of Honor were constructed under an initiative led by Supervisor Saladino, the Town Board and a volunteer committee that includes retired FDNY EMS Lieutenant Bill Gleason, Retired NYPD Detective Tom Luberto, Deacon Dave White, Jericho Fire Commissioner Frank Sammartano, North Massapequa Fire Commissioner Ralph Raymond, Massapequa Fire Commissioner Justin McCaffrey and Rescue & Recovery Worker Joseph Pinto.

Applications may be downloaded at www.oysterbaytown.com/wallsofhonor.

Silver & Gold Coins

Old US Coins

Gold Jewelry

Diamonds & Watchers

Sterling Silverware

Sports Memorabilia

Military War Relics

Vintage Trains

Paid internships for college students

The Town of Oyster Bay has announced the return of internship opportunities for college students who are looking to gain meaningful work experience through an internship program being offered by the Town for the 2023 summer season.

“Internship give students an advantage over other job seekers when it comes to work readiness, and I am proud that the Town will once again provide that opportunity for our residents,” Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said. “This internship program provides an invaluable opportunity for students to receive mentorship and supervision from experienced government professionals.”

This federally-funded program compensates students at a rate of $18 an hour for work completed within various Town departments. Students will work 19.5 hours per week. The

POB Girl Scouts visit Town Hall

program will operate June 1 through August 9. Funds have been granted to the Town by the Oyster Bay-North Hempstead-Glen Cove Workforce Development Board. This internship program offers college students the ability to gain worksite specific knowledge, learn departmental procedures, assist with general office duties and reports, develop an understanding of worksite specific projects and apply the knowledge gained to benefit the Town of Oyster Bay.

College students interested in internship opportunities must apply by April 17. Applicants must submit a resume with their application, available at oysterbaytown.com/internship. Completed applications and resumes should be submitted to personnel@oysterbay-ny.gov. For more information, please call (516) 797-4583 or email personnel@oysterbay-ny.gov.

Councilwoman Vicki Walsh recently welcomed Plainview-Old Bethpage Girl Scouts from Troops #3672 & #3673 to Town Hall in Oyster Bay. To earn their government badge, the girls learned about the role of the Supervisor & Town Board, the different branches of government and their purpose, and how Town Government operates. Councilwoman Walsh led the Troops on a tour of Town Hall and discussed the importance of community service, volunteerism, and doing good deeds to help others, including through Town programs like Dune Day and Beach Cleanups. For more information about scouting in the Town of Oyster Bay, please visit oysterbaytown.com/scouting.

Bethpage student artists come together to fight hunger

The Bethpage school community gathered in the Bethpage High School cafeteria on March 16 for the high school’s first Empty Bowls Fundraiser. The special event, organized by Bethpage High School’s ceramic artists and art teacher Elena Cardo, raised $2,600 for Island Harvest, a hunger-relief organization on Long Island.

The fundraiser began as an idea amongst Bethpage High School seniors Alyssa Khan and Athanasia Panagos. Together, they formed a branch of the Empty Bowls Project, a grassroots organization with the goal to end hunger, with other Bethpage High School students.

This past fall, the group came together to start creating unique, handmade ceramic bowls. It was a collaborative effort among those in the school’s sculpture and college pottery classes, along with other art students. Together, they created more than 230 bowls for the Empty Bowls Fundraiser.

“It was this big community event where everyone worked together,”

said Khan. “We made the bowls, glazed the bowls… everything is entirely student-made.”

Attendees entered the cafeteria where they were welcome to pick one of the ceramic bowls to call their own. Wearing matching t-shirts, ceramic students mingled with attendees and helped them with their bowl selection. After picking their favorite piece, each attendee was able to enjoy chicken noodle, lentil or matzo ball soup in their new bowl. The soup was provided by Aramark, Bethpage High School’s food provider.

As the community enjoyed their delicious soup, Bethpage High School student-musician Matthew Schneider performed songs on his guitar and ceramic students showcased their pottery skills through demonstrations in the back of the cafeteria. Attendees were also encouraged to participate in raffles to help support Island Harvest. Raffle items were donated from local businesses around town.

The event not only allowed the Bethpage community to come togeth -

er for a great cause, but it allowed students to share their creativity with others. Khan and Panagos hope that this year’s Empty Bowls fundraiser is just the start for the high

school and that it will continue for years to come.

Bethpage High School juniors Emily Kossman (left) and Rachel Cohen (right) did pottery demonstrations during the fundraiser.

Attendees enjoyed a bowl of soup during Bethpage High School’s Empty Bowls Fundraiser.

More than 230 ceramic bowls created by Bethpage High School students were on display during the school’s Empty Bowls Fundraiser.

Ceramic artists from Bethpage High School ran their first Empty Bowls Fundraiser on March 16 with all proceeds going to Island Harvest.

Bethpage High School students and Superintendent of Schools Dave Schneider (right) during the Empty Bowls Fundraiser.

Bethpage administrators, students, staff and community members picked out their own ceramic bowl during the fundraiser.

Photos courtesy of the Bethpage Union Free School District

Seniors named semifinalists in Coca-Cola competition

Daniel Scimecca, a senior at MacArthur High School and Faid Faisal, a senior at Division Avenue, were named semifinalists in the annual Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation competition.

BY GARY SIMEONE

Two seniors in the Levittown school district were announced as semifinalists in the annual Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation competition. Daniel Scimecca, a senior at MacArthur High School, and Faid Faisal, a senior at Division Avenue, earned the distinction for their scholastic and athletic achievements.

Scimecca said that his submissions to the Foundation included his transcript, which listed accolades such as being a member of the school’s NHS (National Honor Society), BHS (Business Honor Society) AP Scholar, Level 6 NYSMMA piano player and member of the varsity lacrosse team.

In an essay to the competition, he answered the question about a future job that he d like to hold.

“I wrote that I’d like to be able to teach a college class, specifically stoicism in philosophy,” said Scimecca. “Stoicism deals with ethics and how it pertains to the natural world. It was always a subject that I was very interested in.”

Scimecca, who holds an overall weighted GPA of 100.89, said that his strongest subjects are psychology and biology and that he hopes to major in neuroscience in college.

MacArthur HS Principal Joseph Sheehan said that Scimecca’s work ethic and positive demeanor have helped him to become the young man he is today.

“These two attributes as well as his overall ambition have placed him within an elite category in our student body,” said Sheehan. “I wish Dan nothing but success as he prepares for the

next chapter in his educational path.”

Faisal said that he is a first-generation American and that his motivation is to take care of his parents and family.

“My parents moved here from Pakistan and they taught me the value of hard work and a good education,” said Faisal. “I’m the oldest of five siblings, and I want to one day be able to take care of my family like they did for me and my two brothers and sisters.

He said that his biggest inspiration is his father, who works to all hours of the night as an Uber rideshare driver.

Faisal has an overall GPA of 99.2 in his AP classes.

“My strongest subjects are probably math, specifically precalculus and science. I hope to major in engineering in college. Anything that will help me to do well and take care of my family.”

Faisal has been a member of the school’s varsity basketball team and was honored at the Nassau County Scholar-Athlete award ceremony earli er this year.

He was also awarded the Heisman High School Scholarship as a state finalist.

Faisal has applied and been accepted to colleges, including Princeton and Cornell Universities, Stony Brook and Johns Hopkins Universities.

The two students are among 1,557 semifinalists selected from over 91,000 applicants across the country. They were chosen due their academic and athletic standing as well overall dedication to the community.

Finalists in the Coca-Cola Scholarship competition receive a $20,000 college scholarship.

p.m.

Upcoming Events at the Jericho Public Library

Thursday, March 30

1:00 p.m.: (HYBRID) The Passionate Reader with Mary Hirdt: “Horse” by Geraldine Brooks - Join Mary as she discusses “Horse” by Geraldine Brooks.

This is a historical fiction about the greatest racehorse in American history. It’s the story of spirit, obsession and injustice. Listeners are welcome!

Sunday, April 2

2:00 p.m.: Green Golly and Her Golden Flute with Barbara Siesel & Keith Torgan (Ages 4–12) - Green Golly is stuck in a tower. She is so enthusiastic that everything passing by her window inspires her to sing! Unfortunately, she has a terrible voice—so the witch gives her a golden flute hoping to stop the racket. Join Green Golly on her adventure when she escapes the tower and goes on tour! You won’t want to miss this show! Tickets are required and are available in the Children’s Room.

Monday, April 3

2:00 p.m.: (VIRTUAL) Profiles with Dr. William Thierfelder: Changing Your Perspective: Five Books If you’re looking for a “meaningful” book to read, here are five prime suggestions: Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451,” Toni Morrison’s “Beloved,” Yasunari Kawabata’s “Snow Country,” Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos” and Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass.” This program gives a brief overview of each author and the principal ideas of each book—ideas that are intended to challenge our preconceived notions and inspire our better selves. What is your most meaningful book? There will be time at the end to hear about some of them!

Wednesday, April 5

10:30 a.m.: Smarty Pants Storytime (Ages 3 to 5 Years) - Have fun while learning about STEAM with stories and activities.

Readers Services Events at the Syosset Public Library

Tuesday, April 4 , at 2 p.m.

Title Swap Tuesdays

Excited to hear about our favorite books? Join the Readers’ Services librarians for a fun, lively in-person presentation of all the books we can’t stop talking about. Leave with a list of great reads. No registration.

Tuesday, April 25, at 2 p.m.

Afternoon Book Discussion with Virtual Appearance by Author

Lisa Scottoline

Join Evelyn Hershkowitz, Readers’ Services Librarian for a special Afternoon Book Discussion of the 2021 historical fiction novel, “Eternal.” This event will take place in-person at the library, including a live, virtual appearance by the author who will discuss the writing of “Eternal,” as well as introduce her newest 2023 release,

“Loyalty.” The Zoom link will also be provided on the calendar of events for those who wish to view Ms. Scottoline’s presentation virtually. In-person attendees will enjoy an exclusive, extended book discussion following the author’s Zoom visit. Copies of the book will be available at the Circulation Desk one month before the program. No registration.

All events will be held at the Syosset Public Library, 225 South Oyster Bay Road, Syosset.

For more information please call 516921-7161 ext 239; email: Readersservices@ syossetlibrary.org

*All events are wheelchair accessible **Books will be available at the Circulation Desk one month before each program.

This Week at the Syosset Public Library

Friday, March 31, at 1:00 p.m.

Spring Green Onion Chicken

Lettuce Wraps with Sweet Chili Sauce (IN-PERSON)

Presenter: Chef Rob Scott

In-person cooking demonstration where everyone will see how Chef Rob makes this lunch or dinner recipe. Everyone will sample his cooking! Fee: $5. Registration needed. Register at syossetlibrary.org.

Sunday, April 2, 12:30 p.m.

Celebrate India (IN-PERSON)

Celebrate India through its music, dancing and more. We will be commending India for its glory with performances, exhibits and displays that show various aspects of India’s culture. Performances will be shown from 12:30–2:00 p.m. and then several showcases will be available ranging from fashion to landmarks and more. Registration is required for the performances. Registration opens for SSD residents on March 16; all others one week later. No registration is needed to view the exhibits and displays from 2–3 p.m.

Monday, April 3, at 2:00 p.m.

From Mary Pickford to Meryl Streep: Hollywood’s Star System & How it Works (VIRTUAL)

Presenter: Brian Rose, professor emeritus, Fordham University

For more than a century, Hollywood has relied on star power as the most reliable way to draw an audience. From the early days of silent movies, when

Jericho MS student advances in spelling bee

Mary Pickford was able to command $10,000 a week to modern times, when actors like Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks are guaranteed $20 million or more a picture, the film studios have recognized the crucial role stars play at the box office. This lecture will look at the history of movie stardom, how the star system changed once TV came on the scene and how current day actors ushered in a new definition of stardom. No registration needed. For Zoom link, go to syossetlibrary.org.

Tuesday, April 4, at 2:00 p.m.

Title Swap Tuesday (IN-PERSON)

Excited to hear about our favorite books? Join the Readers’ Services librarians for a fun, lively in-person presentation of all the books we can’t stop talking about. Leave with a list of great reads! No registration needed.

Thursday, April 6, at 12:00 p.m.

#AskALibrarian (ON TWITTER)

Join librarians from Syosset Library and around the world on Twitter for #AskALibrarian to receive reading suggestions based on your requests. Must have a Twitter account to participate. Read a great book? Need a read-alike? Looking for your next book club choice? Use #AskALibrarian in your tweet.

Thursday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m.

True Crime Club (VIRTUAL)

Join horror author Robert P. Ottone to learn about a brow-raising true crime case and share your true-crime theories with fellow aficionados! This meeting’s subject: The Zodiac Killer.

Syosset School Board to meet

The Syosset Board of Education will be holding its regular monthly meeting at 8 p.m. on Monday, April 18, at South Woods Middle School, 99 Pell Lane, Syosset. The board will hold a Budget Information session at the beginning of the meeting. The meeting may be observed in person or by livestream broadcast on the District’s website, www.syossetschools.org

Congratulations to Helen Wang, the winner of the Jericho Middle School Spelling Bee back in October. Helen competed in a very challenging spelling and vocabulary round and placed 10th out of 150 students, which qualifies her to advance to the final round of the ScholarSkills/Scripps Regional Spelling Bee later in March.

Attention students!

Town recognizes Regeneron Finalists

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino (center) and members of the Town Board honored Jericho High School Seniors Emily Kim (front row third from left) and Kevin Zhu (front row third from right). Both were recently recognized as Finalists in the prestigious Regeneron Science Talent Competition, which included a $25,000 prize for each of them. Winners in the competition typically spend weeks in university laboratories and work closely with adult faculty to develop complex and meaningful projects. Emily and Kevin were selected from 300 semifinalist scholars and a total applicant pool of nearly 2,000. Finalists are considered to be among America’s brightest students in science and math and represent some the area’s most outstanding schools.

Helen Wang after winning the Jericho Middle School spelling bee.

SHS seniors qualify for engineering fair

Two seniors in Syosset High School’s Research Program have qualified for the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) after receiving first place designations at the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair (LISEF).

At LISEF earlier this month, Imran

Gangat placed first in the Systems Software category and was also awarded the Office of Naval Research award. Vincent Huang was awarded first place in the Materials Science category and received a special recognition from the Yale Science and Engineering Association. Their first-place

projects qualify them to participate in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) this coming May.

Syosset students also placed well in other categories in the LISEF fair, including Sabrina Guo and Zachary Kam, who both received second place in the

Behavioral and Social Sciences category. Zachary Kam also received a special recognition from the American Psychological Association. Alex Wang placed second in the Biomedical Engineering category, and Grace Na received an honorable mention for her work in Microbiology.

Golf outing to support Boys & Girls Club

The Boys & Girls Club of Oyster BayEast Norwich has announced the date for its Annual President’s Cup Golf Outing to be held on May 22, at the beautiful Pine Hollow Club, in East Norwich. An exciting day of competition, games and amazing prizes is being planned, including a car sponsored by Helms Bros., Inc., Mercedes-Benz, Bayside Volkswagen and Volvo Cars of Queens for the Holein-One winner. In addition to the Low

Gross and Low Net formats, foursomes can compete in men’s, women’s and mixed scrambles.

Since its inception 30 years ago, this tournament has raised much-needed funds in support of scholarships for youngsters to attend 8 weeks of Summer Camp, and benefits the youngsters of the community in ensuring the continuation and expansion of the Club’s programs and activities throughout the year.

Due to its success last year, the Club will again be selling raffle tickets for the “Ultimate Golf Raffle Prize,” which includes spectacular golf course foursomes. You need not be present to win. Only 200 raffle tickets will be sold at a cost of $100 each!

Golf Co-Chairs Claude Bahnik and Tom Golon and their dedicated committee members, Lori Bahnik, Michèle Bahnik Mercier, Mike Borgia, Tere

Borgia, Madeline Callahan, Brian Gamble, Tom Haefele, John Litke, Kevin Mercier, and Matt Romanelli, are busy planning for an exciting day.

Please mark your calendars. For more information on packages and sponsorship opportunities, as well as registration details, please contact the Boys & Girls Club of Oyster Bay-East Norwich, at 516-922-9285.

SHS senior Vincent Huang.

Photo Credit: Syosset Central School District

SHS senior Imran Gangat.

Town offers new co-ed pickleball program

The Town of Oyster Bay will be holding a new co-ed pickleball program, beginning April 4th at the Town of Oyster Bay’s Hicksville Athletic Center, located at 167 Broadway in Hicksville. Pickleball is available to individuals 18 years of age or older and offered for 10 weeks long and held on both Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Town Councilman Steve Labriola stated, “Pickleball continues to be a growing sport in our communities and this program will provide an even greater opportunity for fans to participate. Pickleball is a fun and social sport provides a great healthy activity for the whole family.”

Online registration is now available at www.oysterbaytown.com/parksportal. Space is limited- first come, first serve. Registration will close when the

Registration for Toddler Sports Program

program reaches full capacity. Fees are $75 for residents and $100 for non-residents. Proof of residency requires individuals to upload a tax or utility bill and valid photo ID. Participants must provide their own racket.

Pickleball is a fun sport for all ages, played with a wooden paddle and lightweight plastic ball. The sport combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong and can include two, three or four players. It shares similarities to other racquet sports. The dimensions and layout closely resemble a badminton court, which is considerably smaller than a tennis court and rules of the game are somewhat similar to tennis.

For more information, call (516) 797-7945 or email tobparks@oysterbay-ny.gov.

Counselors needed for Town’s summer recreation program

The Town of Oyster Bay has announced that the Town is seeking counselors for its 2023 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. Our summer recreation counselors get real-world experience while having fun, making memories, and making a difference in the lives of others,” said Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino.

Applicants must be available for the duration of the program, which runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, beginning July 5

through August 11. 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.

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

The Town of Oyster Bay’s Toddler Sports Program will return this spring on April 18. This six-week program offers sports classes at the Hicksville Athletic Center for children ages 3 and 4.

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

Residents who sign their toddler up for the program must choose one class per week, per child. Classes will take place on:

• Tuesdays at 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. at the Hicksville Athletic Center; and

• Thursdays at 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. at the Hicksville Athletic Center.

Online registration is now available at www.oysterbaytown.com/parksportal. Space is limited- first come, first serve. Registration will close when the program reaches full capacity.

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

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

Woodbury man targeted in bail scam

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victim he would need to provide money for his girlfriend’s bail. The victim was told to retrieve the money and a courier would be sent to his residence to pick up the money. A male Hispanic arrived at the victim’s residence and took the money and left the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

The Nassau County Police Depart-

ment urges the community to be on alert and to remind vulnerable family members, friends and neighbors about potential scams or frauds.

Detectives request anyone with information regarding the above incident to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS or call 911. All callers will remain anonymous.

Do you have a service to advertise?

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

LEGAL NOTICES

Volunteers strengthen shore by planting dune grass

Dozens of volunteers of all ages joined with Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino, North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, Councilman Thomas Hand, and Receiver of Taxes Jeff Pravato at the Town of Oyster Bay’s Annual Dune Day event. Held at TOBAY Beach, this program brings community groups, families, and individuals concerned about our

environment together to help protect and preserve our beautiful shoreline by planting stalks of dune grass. Dunes along the south shore continue to face environmentally damaging storms that have a significant impact on the beach. Statistics indicate that the planting of dune grass provides a natural shield that is perfect for withstanding storm surges and high winds.

Cluttered?

Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call our main office today 294-8900 for more information.

LEGAL NOTICES

Dozens of volunteers helped strengthen the shoreline by planing dune grass at TOBAY.

Community groups, families and individuals came together to protect the beach.

NASSAU COUNTY FORECLOSURE NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME

COURT NASSAU COUNTY

MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS TRUST COMPANY, A/K/A M&T BANK, S/B/M HUDSON CITY SAVINGS

BANK, Plaintiff against MELISSA WILLIAMS, et al

Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Fein Such & Crane, LLP, 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800, Rochester, NY 14614.

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered

February 8, 2019, and

Amended on August 8, 2022 I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at CCP (Calendar Control Part Courtroom), in the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on May 2, 2023 at 2:00 PM. Premises known as 2 Joan Court, Woodbury, NY 11797. Sec 15 Block 175 Lot 82. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being at Woodbury, Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York.

Approximate Amount of Judgment is $849,624.64 plus interest, fees, and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 005816/2014. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District's Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held "Rain or Shine."

Sale was originally scheduled for April 18, 2023. Alan Gerson, Esq., Referee CHJNY469

LEGAL NOTICES

NASSAU COUNTY

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Town of Oyster Bay   Zoning Board of Appeals

TOWN HALL, AUDREY AVENUE, OYSTER BAY, NEW YORK  11771-1592

TELEPHONE:  (516) 624-6232 – FAX:  (516) 624-6149

RITA BYRNE, Chairwoman  –  LOIS SCHMITT, Vice Chairwoman   –  LEWIS J. YEVOLI

KATHLEEN MULLIGAN –REBECCA M. ALESIA –ANDREW MONTELEONE – LISA CICCOLELLA

PUBLIC HEARING CALENDAR

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING BY THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 246, Section 246-12 of the Code of the Town of Oyster Bay, notice is hereby given that the Zoning Board of Appeals has scheduled a public meeting, which will take place in the Town Hall Meeting Room, Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, New York, on APRIL 4, 2023 at 7:00 P. M., to consider the following appeals:

BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

APPEAL NO. 23-145 SYOSSET

ROQIA JALILI:  (A) Variance to allow existing shed attached to dwelling and roofed over patio with outdoor gas fireplace having less side yard setback, exceeding maximum building coverage and gross floor area than permitted by Ordinance.  (B) Variance to allow existing shed attached to dwelling having less aggregate side yards than permitted by Ordinance; also encroachment of eaves and gutters.

W/s/o Wendy Rd., 146.39 ft. N/o Cedar St., a/k/a 26 Wendy Road, Syosset, NY

APPEAL NO. 23-146 SYOSSET

GOLDEN HOMES PROPERTY INC.:  (A) Variance to allow existing dwelling on sub-divided lot having no frontage on town road and less width of lot at front property line than permitted by Ordinance.  (B) Variance to allow existing driveway having less side yard setback than permitted by Ordinance.  PARCEL

S/s/o Split Rock Rd., 539.7 ft. E/o East Norwich Rd., a/k/a 539 Split Rock Road, Syosset, NY

APPEAL NO. 23-147 SYOSSET

GOLDEN HOMES PROPERTY INC.:  (A) Variance to construct new dwelling on sub-divided lot having no frontage on town road, less width of lot at front property line, less width of lot at rear property line and lot area than permitted by Ordinance.  (B) Variance to construct driveway having less side yard setback than permitted by Ordinance.  PARCEL B

S/s/o Split Rock Rd., 539.7 ft. E/o East Norwich Rd., a/k/a 539 Split Rock Road, Syosset, NY

APPEAL NO. 23-148 SYOSSET

JASMIT CHADHA:  Variance to construct new dwelling having less average front yard setback, aggregate side yards, roof pitch and exceeding maximum gross floor area than permitted by Ordinance; also encroachment of eaves and gutters.

E/s/o Saturn Ct., 741.65 ft. S/o Cambria Rd., a/k/a 12 Saturn Court, Syosset, NY

MARCH 27, 2023

BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS TOWN OF OYSTER BAY, OYSTER BAY, NEW YORK

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Notice of Formation of JGSLifestyles LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2023-03-15. 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 LEGALINC

CORPORATE SERVICES INC: 1967 WEHRLE DR., STE. 1 #086, STE. 1 #086 BUFFALO NY 14221. Purpose: Any lawful purpose

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Notice of formation of SILVER FORESTS LLC. Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of N.Y. (SSNY) on 3/22/2023. Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 14 DEER PATH LN, SYOSSET, NY, 11791. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

NASSAU COUNTY

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING FOR  BUDGET VOTE, CAPITAL RESERVE PROPOSITIONS AND ELECTION FOR  THE JERICHOUNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE  JERICHO PUBLIC LIBRARY MAY 16, 2023  OF JERICHO UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT  NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK

NOTICE is hereby given to the qualified voters of Jericho Union Free School District, Nassau County, New York, that the annual budget and election vote meeting of said school district will be held in the Gymnasium of Jericho High School, Cedar Swamp Road, Jericho, New York, on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 between 6:00 A.M. and 9:00 P.M.              NOTICE is hereby given that the public hearing on the proposed budget of the school district will be held on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 in the Little Theatre of Jericho High School, Cedar Swamp Road, Jericho, New York, at 7:00 P.M.              NOTICE is given that a copy of the statements of the amount of money required for the ensuing year for school purposes and library purposes may be obtained by any qualified voter in the District at each schoolhouse and at the Office of the District Clerk, between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 2:00 P.M. on each day other than Saturday, Sunday or holiday during the fourteen days immediately preceding such Budget Election Voting.

Voting will be held for the following purposes:

1. To elect two (2) members of the Board of Education for a three (3) year term commencing July 1, 2023 and expiring June 30, 2026.

2. To vote upon the appropriation of funds to meet the estimated expenditures of the District for school purposes for the school year beginning July 1, 2023 and authorize the levy of necessary taxes therefore; said matter to be presented on the voting machines as Proposition No. 1.

3. To vote upon the expenditure from the Capital Reserve Fund known as ”Facilities Improvement Program IV – Jericho Public Schools,” and fund balance. Said matter to be presented as Proposition No. 2 as follows:

SHALL the Board of Education be authorized to expend a sum not to exceed $7,243,795 as follows (1) $6,543,795 including estimated interest from the capital reserve fund established on May 21, 2019 and (2) $700,000 from fund balance for the purpose of completing capital improvements as follows: District-wide bathroom upgrades; district-wide window replacements; music classroom reconstruction in the HS/MS; district-wide ceiling and lighting upgrades; district-wide building energy management systems upgrades; district-wide asphalt and paving upgrades; district-wide security upgrades; all of the above to include all labor, materials, equipment, apparatus, and incidental costs associated therewith.

Candidates for the office of Member of the Board of Education may be nominated only by petition directed to the District Clerk signed by thirty-seven (37) qualified voters, stating the name and residence of each candidate, who must have been a resident of the District for at least one year prior to election. Sample form of petition may be obtained from the District Clerk. Pursuant to a proposition heretofore adopted by the voters of this District, vacancies upon the Board of Education shall not be considered separate, specific offices, and nominating petitions shall not describe any specific vacancy upon the Board of Education for which the candidate is nominated. Each petition shall be filed with the District Clerk on or before April 17, 2023 between 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M.

NOTICE is given that the Annual Election of the Jericho Public Library will be held in the Gymnasium of the Jericho High School on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 between 6:00 A.M. and 9:00 P.M. for the following purposes:

1. To elect one (1) member of the Board of Trustees for a full term of five (5) years commencing July 1, 2023 and expiring June 30, 2028 and to elect one (1) member of the Board of Trustees for a reduced term of three (3) years commencing May 16, 2023 and expiring June 30, 2026.

2. To vote upon the appropriation of funds to meet the estimated expenditures of the Public Library purposes for the school year beginning July 1, 2023 and authorize the levy of necessary taxes therefore, said matter to be presented on the voting machines as Proposition No. 3.

Candidates for the office of Library Trustee may be nominated only by petitions directed to the District Clerk, signed by at least thirty-seven (37) qualified voters, stating residence of each signed and the name and residence of each candidate.  Each petition shall be filed with the District Clerk on or before April 17, 2023 between 9:00

A.M. and 5:00 P.M.  The name of the last incumbent shall not be set forth on the petition for the Library Trustee.                PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that only persons who are qualified voters as of May 16, 2023 shall be permitted to vote at the election to be held on May 16, 2023 on matters affecting the School District and the Jericho Public Library, as herein above set forth.

A qualified voter is defined as follows: A citizen of the United States, who is eighteen (18) years of age or over, and has been a resident of the District for thirty (30) days or more next preceding the meeting on which he/she offers to vote. Persons disqualified from voting under provisions of Section 5-106 of the Election Law are not eligible to vote in school district elections.

The School District may require all persons offering to vote at the budget vote and election to provide one form of proof of residency pursuant to Education Law Section 2018-c.  Such form may include a driver’s license, a non-driver identification card, a utility bill or a voter registration card. Upon offer of proof of residency, the School District may also require all persons offering to vote to provide their signature, printed name and address.

ABSENTEE BALLOTS-Application for an absentee ballot may be made at the Office of the District Clerk. Such application must be received by the District Clerk at least seven days before the day of the vote, if the ballot is mailed to the voter, or by the day before the day of the vote, if the ballot is delivered personally to the voter. A list of all persons to whom absentee ballots shall have been issued will be available in the Office of the District Clerk during regular business hours.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk by no later than 5:00 PM on May 16, 2023.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that military voters who are qualified voters of the Jericho Union Free School District, may request an application for a military ballot from the District Clerk in person, by mail to District Clerk, Jericho Union Free School District, 99 Cedar Swamp Road, Jericho, New York, 11753, by email to DistrictClerk@jerichoschools.org, or fax sent to (516) 203-3602. In such request, the military voter may indicate their preference for receiving the application by mail, fax or email. A military voter must return the original military ballot application by mail or in person to the office of the District Clerk at the address above. In order for a military voter to be issued a military ballot, a valid military ballot application must be received in the office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m., on April 20, 2023. Military ballot applications received in accordance with the foregoing will be processed in the same manner as a non-military ballot application under Section 2018-a of the Education Law. The application for military ballot may include the military voter’s preference for receipt of the military ballot by mail, fax, or email.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, a military voter’s original military ballot must be returned by mail or in person to the Office of the District Clerk at 99 Cedar Swamp Road, Jericho, New York, 11753. Military ballots shall be canvassed if they are received by the District Clerk before 5:00 PM on May 16, 2023.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Jill Citron, President, Jennifer Vartanov, Vice President, Divya Balachandar, Samuel Perlman, Christopher Foresto

of said P.M.  High any Sunday the be voters, obtained separate, specific with the 6:00 9:00 list Road,

LEGAL NOTICES

NASSAU COUNTY

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Town of Oyster Bay   Zoning Board of Appeals

TOWN HALL, AUDREY AVENUE, OYSTER BAY, NEW YORK  11771-1592

TELEPHONE:  (516) 624-6232 – FAX:  (516) 624-6149

RITA BYRNE, Chairwoman  –  LOIS SCHMITT, Vice Chairwoman   –  LEWIS J. YEVOLI KATHLEEN MULLIGAN –REBECCA M. ALESIA –ANDREW MONTELEONE – LISA CICCOLELLA

PUBLIC HEARING CALENDAR

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING BY THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 246, Section 246-12 of the Code of the Town of Oyster Bay, notice is hereby given that the Zoning Board of Appeals has scheduled a public meeting, which will take place in the Town Hall Meeting Room, Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, New York, on APRIL 4, 2023 at 7:00 P. M., to consider the following appeals:

BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

APPEAL NO. 23-142 JERICHO

SHIYING ZENG & ZHIAN XU:  Variance to erect 6 ft. fence exceeding maximum height across side/front yard than permitted by Ordinance.

NE/ cor. of Onondaga Pl. & Saratoga Dr., a/k/a 2 Onondaga Place, Jericho, NY

APPEAL NO. 23-143 JERICHO

KIMCO Birchwood Jericho North, LLC:  Variance for the reduction of off-street parking spaces.  Reduction of spaces to 1,635 when 2,153 parking spaces are required.

E/s/o N. Broadway, 500 ft. N/o Market St., a/k/a 499 N. Broadway, Jericho, NY

APPEAL NO. 23-144 JERICHO

IRIS XINXIN HE:  (A) Variance to construct new dwelling having less average front yard setback (Yates Lane) and average side/front yard setback (Saratoga Drive) than permitted by Ordinance; also encroachment of eaves and gutters.  (B) Variance to construct driveway having less side yard setback than permitted by Ordinance.

SW/ cor. of Yates Ln. & Saratoga Dr., a/k/a 21 Yates Lane, Jericho, NY

MARCH

Water district official assists other finance professionals

The Plainview Water District is proud to announce that its business manager, Dina Scott, CPA, has recently been appointed to the New York State Government Finance Officers Association’s (NYGFOA) Long Island Regional Council, as well as co-chair of the Long Island Water Conference (LIWC) Business Practice Committee. Dina was asked to play a role in both of these well-respected organizations due to her depth of governmental financial and accounting experience.

“The Plainview Water District team is extremely proud of Dina’s great achievements and know these organizations will both benefit immensely by tapping into her years of experience,” said PWD Commissioner Marc Laykind. “This recognition is very well deserved and speaks volumes to what she has been able to accomplish here on behalf of the Plainview-Old Bethpage community. Her vast knowledge will be a great asset to both the Long Island Water Conference and the New York State Government Finance Officers Association.”

The LIWC’s Business Practices Committee aims to serve as a resource to Long Island’s water providers as they navigate through new waves of state and federal grant funding. Mrs. Scott will serve as co-chair of the committee, providing guidance and expertise to local water providers with regards to grant management as well as compliance with many of the complex requirements included as part of grant administration. Her extensive expertise in this area and success in securing more than $34 million in grants for the Plainview Water District makes her an invaluable asset to the organization—especially as new government funding streams continue to become available.

The New York Government Finance Officers' Association is a not-for-profit professional membership organization and is composed of more than 1,110 public and private sector government finance professionals throughout New York

State. The Long Island Regional Council is elected by the membership of the NYGFOA to serve their respective region and is made up of regional industry leaders in the sector. The goal of the Council is to ensure best practices are being used throughout Long Island, while providing support and assistance to local government financial professionals.

Ms. Scott has been a member of the NYGFOA for over 18 years. In 2022, she was part of the Advisory Board to the Long Island Regional Council. This year, she will serve on the Long Island Regional Council alongside the other leading financial governmental professionals across Long Island.

Dina Scott, CPA, joined the Plainview Water District in 2017 to assume the role as Business Manager. Ms. Scott uses her more than 18 years of experience in governmental accounting and auditing to oversee all budgetary and financial operations of the District and provides guidance on all related matters. Prior to joining the District, Dina was a supervisor for a well-respected accounting firm where she specialized in governmental audit and accounting services for local municipalities, including local water providers. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from St. Joseph’s College.

Dina Scott

March 31, 2023

The Many Shades of Green in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality

BY KAREN RUBIN TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM

Greenwood Village, CO. – At a time when globetrotters are increasingly choosing eco-friendly trips in an effort to reduce their footprint on earth, Xanterra Travel Collection®, which operates many of the hospitality operations and concessions in and around national parks, is well poised to meet this imperative.

These include The Oasis at Death Valley, Glacier National Park Lodges, Cedar Creek Lodge, Grand Canyon National Park Lodges, Grand Canyon Railway Hotel, The Grand Hotel at The Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone National Park Lodges, and Zion National Park Lodge.  It also owns and operates upscale biking (VBT Bicycling Vacations), walking (Country Walkers), a railway (Grand Canyon Railway), touring (Holiday Vacations), and cruising (Windstar Cruises) companies with itineraries on six continents.

That also brings a responsibility and an obligation to protect the environment while making bucket-list vacations a reality –whether that is riding a mule into the depths of he Grand Canyon to Phantom Ranch, climbing the majestic ruins of Machu Picchu, taking a small-ship cruise through the islands of French Polynesia, or cycling through the Italian countryside.

Here are some of the most innovative, groundbreaking, and just curious ways Xanterra’s travel properties help minimize their impact on the

environment and support a cleaner, greener future.

When One Bad Apple Does Good: When do bad apples help our planet? When they’re fed to the famous mules in the Grand Canyon and come out as manure used by local nurseries and farmers. Since 2013, a mule named Vista along with 147 of its fellow park mules have feasted on 31 tons of shriveled apples and other food scraps such as melon rinds, broccoli stalks, and carrot peelings generated by Grand Canyon National Park Lodges restaurants. Not only does that keep the food waste out of landfills, but those hard-working mules also produce up to 2 million pounds of manure per year. Through Operation Shrively Apples, Xanterra has returned tons of food back to the earth by using their beasts of burden to lighten the load we put on our

planet.

All Aboard the “French Fry Express”: Hop on the best — and most eco-friendly — way to arrive at the Grand Canyon National Park and help keep 50,000 to 70,000 cars outside of the park each year. Ride the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams, Ariz., on a scenic 65-mile 2.5-hour route across the Colorado Plateau to the edge of the canyon’s South Rim. But this train does more than just replace those polluting cars, thanks to French fry oil. The big steam engine #4960 turns 100 this year and runs on recycled waste vegetable oil collected from the Grand Canyon’s own restaurants, Instead of using coal or diesel fuel, each locomotive uses about 1,200 gallons of vegetable oil per roundtrip journey, significantly reducing the C02 emissions compared to using ultra-low sulfur diesel.

In addition, the train harvests rainwater and snowmelt to operate its steam locomotives, taking advantage of a renewable water resource in this water-stressed area. As a result, it has reduced potable water consumption by more than 1 million gallons to date.

Old Presidents Under Bright Lights: Who better to preside over efforts to reduce greenhouse gases than great visionaries like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln? Just a few years ago, Xanterra built a 975-panel solar carport at Mount Rushmore under the watchful eyes of these past presidents. This structure now generates nearly half the electricity used by the restaurant and gift shop, while 54% comes from a nearby wind farm. Along with buying carbon offsets for the remaining emissions, Mount Rushmore is now a carbon neutral operation.

Sun and Water: The Oasis at Death Valley, a beautiful eco-resort in the middle of the 3.4 million-acre Death Valley National Park, has plenty of sun but not much water. It generates reliable solar energy with the hospitality industry’s largest solar photovoltaic system. And because the park is the driest place in North America (averaging less than two inches of rainfall a year), the resort recycles the precious water from its own natural springs to feed two pools, water the golf course and gardens (planted with native drought-tolerant species), and eventually return it to nature’s watershed. Plus, it reduces the need to water the world’s low-

Continued on next page

Because of Xanterra Travel Collection’s green initiatives, Mount Rushmore is now a carbon neutral operation © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The Many Shades of Green in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality

Continued from previous page

est-elevation golf course by using natural dye on the dormant Bermuda grass in winter.

Pulling Carbon Out of the Big Sky: Feast on sustainably raised beef at the Yellowstone National Park Lodges restaurants and help support native grasslands in a first-of-its-kind project in the U.S. Xanterra helps four ranches outside the park participate in a 209,000-acre project to improve soil health, provide forage for cattle, and remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to help reduce the effects of climate change. The project also offsets all the emissions from electricity used at the lodges while restoring a damaged ecosystem and improving biodiversity. All from regenerative ranching practices.

Starry, Starry Nights: Xanterra, along with the National Park Service, helps the stars at night shine big and bright in the Grand Canyon National Park. By reducing light pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, Xanterra preserves views of the dazzling night sky and protects nocturnal animals and ecosystems in the park. Because nearly 2,000 light fixtures have been replaced since 2013 — nearly half by Xanterra — the International Dark-Sky Association recognized Grand Canyon as the International Dark Sky Place of the Year in 2019.

Xanterra uses similar outdoor lighting best practices at The Oasis at Death Valley, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park (which contains Glacier National Park), and Zion National Park, which helped them all become designated International Dark-Sky Parks by the International Dark-Sky Association.

Purple Pipe Majesties: Xanterra’s many national park operations boast some of the most inspiring scenery on Earth: stunning vistas, deep canyons, and desert peaks. But purple plumbing pipes? Yup, they’re used for reclaimed water, one of the key ways to reuse and conserve this precious resource in

Grand Canyon National Park. Quite simply, reclaimed water is wastewater that is treated and reused for a variety of purposes, such as drip irrigation and toilet flushing in the lodges, such as Grand Canyon’s Bright Angel Lodge. By reusing water rather than pumping it from the nearby springs or aquifer, the Grand Canyon lodges used about 3.6 million gallons of reclaimed water in 2021 and plan to switch another 3.9 million gallons a year from potable to reclaimed within the next two years.

Eat Your Greens While Going Green: When you eat at Xanterra’s 56 restaurants, you can expect food that tastes good and also does good. That’s because the eateries strive for 70% of food and beverages to be sourced locally (within 500 miles) and sustainably, while reducing chemical additives, saving water, reducing transportation, protecting local ecosystems, treating animals humanely, and reducing waste.

Locations such as Zion National Park and Mount Rushmore have even created on-site gardens to provide hyper-local produce and compost waste to enrich the soil and avoid synthetic fertilizers. In fact, in 2021 Xanterra composted 23.5% of its total food waste in five national parks, preventing 90% of it from heading to landfills in Zion alone. Meanwhile, at Glacier National Park, composted food waste nourishes the flower beds at Lake McDonald Lodge and Many Glacier Hotel — a lovely example of beautifying the environment by preserving it.

What’s more, only 23 (out of 650) Certified Green Restaurants in North America hold the coveted, highest 4-star certification. And three of them are Xanterra-operated restaurants in Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Mount Rushmore (whose Carvers Café is the second greenest restaurant in North America according to the Green Restaurant Association) — thanks to on-site gardens, compostable tableware, water reduction, solar power, recycling, and more.

Using Suds for Suds: Instead of simply recycling empty beer bottles

into pulverized glass, the Yellowstone National Park Lodges partner with Bayern Brewery in nearby Missoula, Mont., which washes, sanitizes, refills, re-labels, and puts them back into the supply chain. To date, the park has kept about 140,000 bottles in circulation. That’s about 30 tons of glass kept out of the landfill or recycling stream, which saves resources and energy — all by using sudsy water to refill bottles with suds.

The Big Stretch: In a case of bigger is better, three of Windstar’s small cruise ships were audaciously lengthened and re-powered to improve their environmental performance on the high seas. Star Breeze, Star Legend, and Star

Pride were each cut in two to insert a new middle section, which features more-efficient and less-polluting propulsion and generator engines along with new cabins and restaurants. This increased the capacity on each ship from 212 to 312 passengers, reducing fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions by about 20% per-passenger nautical mile. The ventilation systems on the three ships were also upgraded to include HEPA filters and UV-C disinfecting lights to purify the air. Plus, onboard incinerators were removed to eliminate their air emissions. It was a stretch, but it was worth it.

See more at https://www.xanterra.com/who-we-are/sustainability/.

Didn’t Pre-Purchase Ticket to Arches National Park? Moab Adventure Center Can Still Get You In

MOAB, UT–  Moab Adventure Center in the red rock playground of Moab, Utah, is prepared to guide its clients through the National Park Service’s (NPS) second consecutive season of requiring advance permits to access Arches National Park.

But the timed entry program does not apply to tour operators such as Moab Adventure Center which have concessions contracts. If tourists miss getting a reservation or something unexpected comes up, Moab Adventure Center can always get them into the park as long as there’s a scheduled tour operating and there is space.

Moab Adventure Center’s tours showcase the more accessible of more than 2,000 arches- the highest concentration of arches on the planet.

Two of Moab Adventure Center’s most popular tours are morning and sunset adventures led by professional guides who share information and wisdom about their experiences in this magical landscape. Each trip is 4 hours. Rates include snacks, water and Park entrance fees. Guests relax in a bus or

EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE

a Sprinter Van with high ceilings and large picture windows for maximum viewing comfort. There are several stops to get up close with the terrain on short, scenic hikes. The rate is $108 for adults and $88 for ages 5 to 18.

Also available is a 30-minute airplane tour at $159 for adults and $120 ages 3-12. Rivers, canyons, and arches, plus the vast sweep of this slice of America’s west are revealed to guests from a bird’s eye perspective who are always welcome to share their questions with the pilot.

For details see https://www. moabadventurecenter.com/archesnational-park-tours and https://www. moabadventurecenter.com/arches-national-park

Moab Adventure Center, 225 South Main St., Moab, UT 84532, 435-259-7019 or 866-904-1163.

© 2023 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear. com

Which Is Better: Fresh or Frozen? Crossword Answers

BY MARY HUNT

Frozen fruits and vegetables take a lot of heat because most people assume that, if it’s frozen, it must be of a lesser quality and nutritional value than the same items fresh in the produce department. Is it true? Is fresh really better than frozen? And if so, is the difference great enough to spend more money to make sure we’re always eating fresh fruits and vegetables?

According to nutritionist Cynthia Sass, frozen foods get a bad rap for being processed junk, but the truth is, some of the

healthiest foods in the market are in the freezer section.

MATURITY

Ask any nutritionist and you’ll learn that the minute a fruit or vegetable is picked, it begins to lose nutrients. The amount of time between harvest and consumption impacts its nutritional value. Because most frozen fruits and vegetables are frozen shortly after they are harvested, those items scheduled for flash freezing are fully ripe. That means they are chock full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Freezing actually locks in

many of their nutrients.

On the other hand, the fresh produce in your supermarket could have been harvested as far as 1,500 miles away -- much of it in South America -- and had to travel by truck to get to the store. It may have been picked before it reached its nutritional peak and then artificially ripened during transport.

NUTRITION

Frozen produce has been proven to be just as nutrient-rich, and even superior in nutrients to fresh items, retaining most of

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To the World of Tomorrow We Come

Finding remnants of the 1964-65 World’s Fair on Long Island

BY DANIEL SULLIVAN

When the New York World’s Fair opened up in Flushing Meadow Park on April 22nd, 1964, it brought the promise of tomorrow and the cultures of today into the heart of Queens. With over 140 purpose-built pavilions spanning the park’s 897 acres, it was a spectacle to behold for the 51 million people who visited it up until its closing on October 17th, 1965. Although the Unisphere and New York State Pavilion, among other things, continue to reside in Flushing today, most of the fair’s pavilions were destroyed or relocated following the fair’s closure in 1965. Long Islanders who wish to see remnants of this event need not venture across the globe (or even into Queens), however, because many pieces of the fair have found new homes within Nassau and Suffolk county. From small pieces of larger exhibits to fully relocated buildings, the Long Island of today has become something of a retirement home for the “world of tomorrow” and the pavilions that dazzled millions. What follows is a list of all the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair remnants that exist on Long Island today:

Peace Through Understanding Arch

Cherry Valley Supermarket, West Hempstead.

Sponsored by General Foods, eleven 60-foot parabolic arches, branded with the phrase “Peace Though Understanding,” stood throughout the ‘64-65 fairgrounds, acting as rendezvous points for visiting families. After the fair’s closure, one of the arches was purchased by Arnold “Whitey” Carson, who used it as the entrance sign for his newly-built Island Garden Arena in West Hempstead. Although the arena was demolished in 1973, the arch was left untouched and stands in West Hempstead today – now holding signs for the Cherry Valley Supermarket strip mall. Most of the other arches were demolished, with only a few others standing today at a park in Warwick, RI, a quarry in Huntsville, OH, and a resort in Old Forge, NY.

The Sculpture Continuum Valley Stream/Franklin Square

The Chunky Candy Company’s World’s Fair pavilion featured a glass automated candy factory and the “Sculpture Continuum,” a series of 13 climbable sculptures by Oliver O’Conner Barret. Each of the pieces took the (abstract) form of various things, mainly circus animals. After the fair, the 13 sculptures were purchased by the Valley Stream School District for $2,500 and used as a playground before being placed into storage. Today, three

of these pieces (a giraffe, a rhino, and an upside-down man) stand outside the James A. Dever Elementary School in Valley Stream, and another – an elephant – can be found outside of Willow Elementary in Franklin Square.

The Antique Car Ride

Adventureland, Farmingdale

Sponsored by Avis Rent-A-Car, the Antique Car Ride allowed fair visitors to drive around a faux countryside in an old-fashioned automobile. In 1978, William Miller – owner of the Adventureland amusement park in Farmingdale – purchased the ride, where it still runs for guests today.

The Mormon Pavilion Plainview

In addition to national and corporate pavilions, the 1964 World’s Fair featured attractions sponsored by the world’s largest religions. Among these was a pavilion sponsored by the Church of Latter-Day Saints, featuring a 127foot replica of the Salt Lake City temple, flanked by two additional wings. Although most of the building was demolished, one of the building’s wings was relocated and repurposed, serving as a Mormon church in Plainview today.

The Long Island Railroad Pavilion Oyster Bay/Riverhead

One of the only Long Island corporations to sponsor an attraction at the 1964-65 World’s Fair, the Long Island Railroad Pavilion took the form of a massive open-air tent, offering a miniature train ride around models of notable Long Island destinations. That miniature train, a G-16 model, was purchased by the Grumman Aircraft corp. after the fair ended and was used as children’s entertainment during company picnics and events. Today, the train is

part of the permanent collection of the Railroad Museum of Long Island in Riverhead, where it still operates today – available for children to ride. Another piece of the Long Island Railroad Pavilion, a life-size diesel engine cab, is on display at the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum, having been recently restored to its original 1964 color scheme.

Florida Pavilion Porpoise Garden City

One of the most popular state pavilions at the 1964 World’s Fair was the State of Florida’s live porpoise show (second, perhaps, only to the State of Illinois animatronic Abraham Lincoln.) Although the real porpoises used in the show have all since passed away, a statue of one that was once part of the attraction can be found at the entrance to the parking lot of the Garden City town pool today.

The Sinclair Canopy LaMotta’s, Port Washington

The Sinclair oil company had a huge presence at the 1964 World’s Fair. From its renowned Dinoland exhibit to its famous floating fuel station in the middle of the World’s Fair Marina. The latter of these exhibits, which featured a massive red and white fiberglass canopy, was purchased by Mario LaMotta in 1968 and towed to Manhasset, where it continued use as a boat refueling station in the middle of the bay. When LaMotta’s restaurant was constructed in Port Washington in 1993, the red and white canopy was built into it, where it still stands for diners to see today.

Other Possible Remnants

While browsing the internet to research for this article, I came across an official World’s Fair document that read, “Buildings to be Relocated In Whole or in Part Elsewhere – February

16th, 1966.” While this list contains many relocations that are well known (including the Mormon Pavilion mentioned before), it also includes reference to other Long Island relocations that may or may not have happened. These include “Boy Scouts Pavilion to Long Island Boy Scouts,” “Identity Building and South Precinct to Great Neck Public Schools,” and “Ireland Pavilion to Grover’s Marine Base, Freeport, Long Island.” Whether or not these relocations took place remains unknown, but it is certainly possible that they did. This, of course, means that there are more relics of the 1964-65 fair waiting to be discovered on our island.

Now, nearly 60 years since it first opened, the 1964 World’s Fair remains the gold standard for international exhibitions and an everlasting memory for those lucky enough to experience it. In addition to the remnants found on Long Island, traces of the fair can be found throughout the country and the world. From General Electric’s Progressland (better known as “The Carousel of Progress”) and S.C. Johnson’s Golden Rondelle Theater – which run in Orlando, Fl and Racine, WI, respectively, today – to the Swiss Skyway gondolas at Six Flags Great Adventure and IBM’s Mathematica! at the New York Hall of Science, pieces of the fair have been relocated to places far and wide. Some have suffered strange fates (the Spain Pavilion is now a Hilton Hotel in Missouri), others have suffered sad ones (the Austria Pavilion burned to the ground after being relocated upstate), but in all scenarios, the magnificent attractions of the 1964-65 NY World’s Fair were able to find new homes after the world of tomorrow became a memory of yesterday.

Most People Can’t Get the Maximum Benefit

BY TOM MARGENAU

If you read a recent USA Today article, you would have seen a story with this intriguing headline: “3 steps to claiming the $4,555 max monthly Social Security benefit.” And if you are pushing retirement age, you would of course want to read that story and get yourself locked into a heaping serving from the Social Security gravy train.

In a nutshell, the story says this. To get a maximum Social Security benefit, you’ve got to do these three things: 1) work for 35 years; 2) earn the maximum Social Security taxable salary every year; and 3) wait until you are 70 to claim Social Security.

But that promise of maximum benefits was very misleading. I mean, think about it. Who is going to read an article headlined “3 steps to claiming the $4,555 max monthly Social Security benefit?” It is very likely going to be someone pushing Social Security age. In other words, someone in their late 50s or early 60s. Well, if you’re already that age, there is absolutely nothing you can do to change step 2. (Most people earn far less than the Social Security maximum taxable base -- currently $160,200.) Obviously, you can’t go back 35 years and change your earnings history.

Or to put that another way, unless you happen to be that relatively rare person who has earned the maximum Social Security wage for the past 35 years, the article is totally meaningless to you.

Or to put that yet another way, the article only works if it is read by someone in their early 30s who would say: “Oh, gosh, if I want to get the maximum Social Security benefit, I better earn the maximum Social Security salary for the next 35 years and then wait until 70 to claim benefits.” And I will bet my next Social Security check that not very many people in their 30s are going to read any kind of article about Social Security.

So why did USA Today run such an article? I can just picture the editors of the newspaper sitting around saying something like this: “We know a high percentage of our readers are old folks. And what topic are old folks most interested in? Social Security of course. And what do they want from Social Security? More money. So, let’s do a story about how they can get the maximum Social Security check.”

But then they don’t think that through and realize that there is absolutely nothing an average wage earner who is now pushing Social Security age can do to claim “the $4,555 max monthly Social Security benefit.” Yet they run the story anyway and cause a whole lot of readers to rue the fact that they can’t get a ticket on that Social Security gravy train!

And that newspaper story just reminds me of a point I’ve made many times in this column. So many senior

citizens are absolutely obsessed with the notion that there is some secret to getting more money from Social Security that they don’t know about.

So, assuming you are one of the many people who haven’t earned the maximum Social Security wages for the past 35 years, is there anything you can do to maximize your benefits? Well, that gets us to Step 3 in the USA Today column. Supposedly, you should “wait until you are 70 to claim Social Security.”

But as I’ve also discussed many times in this column, that may be good advice for some, but not for everyone.

For example, if you’re not in the best of health, or if you were simply born with the wrong genes as I was (my dad and almost all my uncles died before age 60), then why wait until 70 to claim benefits? Chances are you simply aren’t going to live long enough to make up for the money you’d lose by not staring your benefits at your full retirement age, or even sooner.

Or even if you’re a senior who is fit as a fiddle, there is a rising chorus of financial planners who are now recommending that people are better off to take their benefits at full retirement age rather than delay them until 70.

In many ways, this maximizing obsession makes me pine for days gone by. Back when I was taking Social Security claims several decades ago, no one worried about this. Most senior citizens generally filed for their Social Security benefits at 62, and they didn’t bat an eye or fret one little whit about their decision. The term “maximizing your Social Security” wasn’t even part of the lexicon.

I’m not necessarily saying that was a good thing. Obviously, it makes sense to plan for your retirement, consider your Social Security options and make a decision about when to start your benefits based on the planning you’ve done.

But my point is this. Don’t obsess about it. For one thing, no one really knows when the best time is to start their Social Security is because no one really knows when they are going to die. For example, I knew an older guy just down the block from our house who was known around the neighborhood as a fitness fanatic. He was always out running every day, even in his 60s. And about a month ago, he died at age 71 of a massive heart attack.

And there is also this point. Almost all seniors who get in touch with me today fretting about their Social Security choices are not between a rock and a hard place, financially speaking. When it comes to Social Security, they are between a pillow and a soft place. No matter which way they choose to go with their Social Security start date, they will generally come out OK. Here is a question I got not so long ago.

Q: I am 66 and 6 months. I would really like to start my Social Secu-

rity benefits now. According to my latest estimates, I’d be due $3,110 per month. But my financial planner tells me I should maximize my benefits by waiting until I am 70. I just don’t know what to do. I’m so afraid I’ll make the wrong decision. Can you help?

A: I can help by telling you this. Don’t worry. Be happy. No matter which way you go, it sounds to me like you will be pretty comfortable -- Social Security speaking.

If you wait until age 70, you will get about an extra 30% added to your benefits. So, you would get about $4,000 per month. That’s $890 more than you’d get if you start your benefits now. But of course, by waiting until 70, you would have lost out on 42 Social Security checks totaling $130,620. So, do you want the $130,620 pillow? Or do you want the soft place down the road with the extra $890 per month? Pick one and be happy.

Continued on next page

Answers on page 2

CROSSWORD PUZ -

I have been in the industry for over 42 years and have seen tremendous changes occur over that time. When I began you only need 45 hours of classroom instruction, pass the NYS exam and be 18 years of age to earn your real estate license. However, you can take it at an earlier age but won’t receive your license until you reach 18. Fast forward, today, as of December 21, 2022, you now need an approved qualified and certified classroom or online education of 77 hours (previously 75 hours) of instruction to earn your real estate salesperson license. The cost of the course can range from $99 (I have seen this price online during off season winter months) to $700 as a college course. Obviously, it would be prudent to find the most economical class to consider. We have a list of those companies where the out of pocket costs are the lowest. You also need to be sponsored by licensed Real Estate Broker to gain access to be in the business; a valid NYS photo driver’s license or a non-driver ID photo card. The additional fees required to after you earn your real estate salesperson license are as follows $15 written exam, $65 initial application, and $65 renewal fee (on your 2nd year renewal). Credit cards are accepted to pay the fees.

You will have a final classroom test to enable you to know and understand what your strengths and weaknesses are in answering the questions in order to pass the NYS exam. There are ways to study for the NYS exam. There are study guides that one can purchase to provide you a greater opportunity to pass. We have a special Q & A that we provide all our potential new agents making it easier to pass the exam. I have heard from several companies who provide the qualified and certified classes, that a great majority of participants, 65% don’t pass the NYS exam the first time. This may be because either

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

Earning your real estate license

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

they don’t sufficiently study, don’t truly understand the information, or aren’t confident enough in taking tests. There are 75 questions and there are several versions of the exam and you will need to get at least 52 correct to pass and receive a grade of 70.

To keep your license active, one needs 22.5 of continuing education credit (CE) every 2 years to keep it current. With that continuing education, one needs to enroll in some new additional required and necessary classes either online or in person. Those classes are now required if your license expires after September 21, 2022 and are the following: 2 hours of Implicit Bias Awareness, 2 hours of Cultural Competency, 3 hours or Fair Housing, 1 hours of Agency Law, 2.5 hours in Ethical Business Practices, and 1 hour of Legal Matters.

Once you finally receive an email via EAcess from the Department of State that you have passed, then you must find a Broker to sponsor you as a salesperson. If you fail or think that you might because you do not do well on tests, then automatically as a backup sign up for another scheduled NYS exam ($15 additional).

Earning your real estate salesperson license is barely the first step in the beginning of starting your business. Creating and growing your new career will take a tremendous amount of concerted efforts, disciplined actions and sacrificing your valuable time. There are approximately 1,548,058 Realtors who are part of an MLS and total of 2,000,000 licensed real estate agents in the U.S. as per the National Association of Realtors in 2022. There were 130,439 Brokers and salespersons in NYS and

only 60,000+ that were consider Realtors and members of the NYS Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors the esteemed professional groups. Only 46% have earned a Realtor designation. Whether you are performing your business parttime or taking the plunge as a full time professional, constant training, learning and absorbing information and concepts will be tantamount in earning an adequate ancillary income if you have a full time job (in the U.S. almost 50% of licensed agents have jobs) or if full time earning a livable income. Prior to the Pandemic the average income of an agent was approximately $43,500 and after the Pandemic it decreased to approximately $39,200. New York/ New York City had the highest average of $111,487 in 2022, and that varied depending on your status as a part or full-time agent.

Becoming a licensed real estate salesperson (consultant) is an excellent way to go into your own business. You are an independent contractor and not an employee. You determine your own hours (not like an employee) and you will have 100% control over your income and not your employer. As a business you will have quite a lot of tax deductions that employees aren’t privy to. It is a challenging but rewarding enterprise, but well worth the “sweat equity” and efforts to be in greater control over your earnings and lifestyle if you so choose to go down that path and good luck if you do.

Donate to Turkey Relief

Continue to Donate to the Ukrainian Crisis and save a life or the Donate to The Ukranian Relief Fund International Organization for

Migration a 501(c) 3 Corporation OR: Donate to Ukranian Project:

Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 40 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 in 2022 has earned his National Association of Realtors “Green Industry designation for eco-friendly construction. He will provide you with “free” regular updates of sold and new homes in your town via the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island (MLSLI) or go to https://WWW. Li-RealEstate.Com and you can “do it yourself (DYI) and search on your own. For a “FREE” `15 minute consultation, as well 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. He can also provide a copy of “Unlocking the Secrets of Real Estate’s New Market Reality, and our Seller’s and Buyer’s Guides for “Things to Consider when Selling, investing or Purchasing your Home.

You can email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your request or ideas, suggestions or interview you for a specific topic and a Q & A for a future column with your name, email and cell number. He will email or call you back and respond to your request ASAP as long as he has your complete name, cell, email and/or full home or business address. Again, for a “FREE” 15 minute consultation, he can also be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@ TurnKeyRealEstate.Com to answer any of your questions and concerns in selling, investing, purchasing, or leasing residential or commercial property.

EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE

Continued from previous page their antioxidants and vitamins.

As I said, you really can’t go wrong. (Oh, and by the way, I am coming at this from a Social Security perspective only. You would also have to consider the tax implications to your decision.)

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.

COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

Continued from page 2

Scientists from Leatherhead Food Research and the University of Chester carried out 40 tests to measure nutrient levels in produce that had been sitting in a fridge for three days compared to their frozen equivalents. They found more beneficial nutrients overall in the frozen samples, in everything from broccoli to blueberries.

Of course, eating produce within minutes of harvest is the healthiest option. However, frozen can be almost as good and is often better than items sold as fresh because unless you pick it yourself, you have no idea how long it has been

since that produce was harvested.

ADDITIVE-FREE

Frozen goodies like spinach and strawberries have no additives because additives are not necessary to preserve quality. Naked produce (e.g., no added salt or sugar) is the norm. That’s why frozen fruits and vegetables carry a single-word ingredient lists -- the fruit or veggie itself. Always check the ingredients, but I bet you’ll find at least a dozen varieties in the freezer aisle with absolutely nothing added.

CONVENIENCE

Even the freshest produce comes with a prep requirement. Sometimes that extra time is just too much at the end of a stressful day. Know the feeling? Frozen produce magically preps itself. It comes

washed, peeled and chopped. Frozen produce can save you a ton of time, making it more likely that you’ll cook and eat at home rather than opting for takeout.

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 2023 CREATORS.COM

BY DENNIS MAMMANA

Week of April 2-8, 2023

I remember six decades ago sitting in Miss Schnitzer’s fourth-grade classroom and getting my first formal taste of astronomy. I always looked forward to hearing her tell us of all the amazing properties of the planets of our solar system.

It was there that I learned about Jupiter, the largest planet, with nine moons orbiting it (today we know of 92). I discovered that Mars appeared red, and that Saturn had glorious rings around it. And it was here that I learned that Mercury was the nearest planet to the sun, only 36 million miles from our star’s scorching face. Not a big deal to kids these days, but back in those days it sure was!

I had fun going into the backyard at night to try to spot these distant worlds in the sky, and I had pretty good success at it too. But it wasn’t until many years later that I actually got a chance to see Mercury.

Part of the delay came because this planet lies so close to the sun that we can never really see it in a completely dark sky. Its 88-day orbit around the sun causes it to swing from dawn to dusk, or from dusk to dawn, just about every month and a half. And this means that one must be outdoors at just the right time, with a low horizon and good

Spotting Elusive Mercury

sky conditions, to see it. Its elusiveness is legendary. It’s been said that the great 16th century Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus -- who overturned the long-held notion that the Earth occupied the center of our planetary family -- had never actually seen this world with his own eyes. Now I can’t say whether this is true, but it certainly makes sense given what we know about weather conditions in Eastern Europe and how tricky this world is to spot.

Well, the next two weeks provide us with a great opportunity to do what the great Copernicus could never do. In fact, this will be the best evening opportunity of the year to see Mercury from mid-northern latitudes.

To find it, head outdoors shortly after sunset and begin scanning the western-northwestern sky with binoculars. You may spot Mercury as a bright, twinkling “star” only about 10-15 degrees above the horizon. About half an hour after sunset, you should be able to see it with the unaided eye.

You can also try aiming a small, low-powered telescope in its direction, but you may be disappointed by what you see. First off, this planet is rather small; in physical dimensions, it’s barely the size of the continental United States. And secondly, its appearance near the horizon means that its light must pass through a tremendous amount of distorting atmosphere before

reaching our eyes.

If you’re fortunate enough to get a relatively steady image, you might view it with a higher-powered eyepiece. You’ll then notice that Mercury appears not as a circular disk but shows phases much like the moon.

It was many years later that I finally

caught a glimpse of this elusive planet with my eye and telescope, but it was well worth my effort!

Visit Dennis Mammana at dennismammana.com.

COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

BY TRACY BECKERMAN

“Is that a new jacket?” my husband asked me as I put my jacket on to leave.

“Yes!” I exclaimed excitedly.

“Did you need a new jacket?” he said.

“No,” I said honestly. “But I had to buy this one.”

“Why?”

“Because...” (I paused dramatically). “It has 12 pockets!”

I waited for him to respond with appropriate enthusiasm, but he just stared at me.

“Why do you need 12 pockets?” he finally asked, and then immediately regretted it.

“For 12 things I want to carry,” I replied. “I have one pocket for my car keys, one pocket for my wallet, one for my phone, one for my tissues, one pocket for my lipstick, one pocket for my gloves, one for my hat, one for the dog poo bags, one for my mini grocery bags

and one for my hand sanitizer.”

“Ummm, that’s 10,” he said.

“Then I have extra pockets for any UPNs.”

“UPNs?” he repeated.

“Unplanned Pocket Necessities.”

He shook his head.

“But why do you need pockets when you carry a bag?” he asked, and then immediately regretted it.

“Because sometimes it’s nice not to have to carry a bag!” I proclaimed.

Maybe because we carry bags, manufacturers think we don’t need pockets. But women like pockets. Women love pockets! If you’ve ever seen a woman discover that a dress has pockets, you understand. Pockets are like a little gift from the clothing gods. Even if all we put in there is our hands, it feels like we won the pocket lottery.

Not all pockets, however, are created equal. Women’s jeans have pockets, but they cut them off halfway for some rea-

son so you can only get your hands in up to your knuckles. It’s a very unsatisfying pocket situation and in some cases can lead to a real case of jean-induced pocket rage, especially if you have a UPN show up.

When my kids were little, I would routinely pocket pieces of broken toys that needed to be reattached or thrown away, errant snack items and other small objects I found that needed to be relocated to their proper place in the house. Soon my jacket would become the wearable equivalent of a kitchen junk drawer. Without small kids around now, I was confident that I would only use my pockets for the things I needed on a daily basis, not Barbie heads and crushed goldfish crackers.

Meanwhile, back at home I joyfully filled up 10 of my 12 pockets, put on my jacket and went to take the dog for a walk. I had the dog poo bags in one pocket, dog treats in another and myr-

iad necessities for any situation in my other pockets. If an alien landed, parked his UFO in front of me and needed a tissue, some lipstick and a dog poo bag, I had him covered.

As it turned out, though, I didn’t actually need a single thing from any of my pockets while I was out. Disappointed, but still enthusiastic about my pockets o’plenty, I went home. But when I got back, I realized that in my excitement about filling up my 12 pockets, I forgot one important thing.

My house keys.

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.

COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS

Mercury’s elusiveness is legendary.

EMPLOYMENT

HELP WANTED

ASSISTANT ACCOUNT MANAGER (Hicksville, NY)

Check company accounts on daily basis and update all systems according to account’s current status.

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Business Administration and 12 months of work experience required.

Mail resume to:

Tangent EHR, LLC

Attn: HR

385 W. John St. 2nd Floor Hicksville, NY 11801

ERRANDS RUNNER NEEDED: MINEOLA

Minimal, flexible hours. Food shopping, trash disposal, etc.

Call Jeff 516-782-4990

HELP WANTED HICKSVILLE!

Sanitation/Warehouse Worker. Must be able to lift at least 40 lbs. $15/hr Direct Deposit only, no check, no cash. 40hrs/week.

Text 929-405-4564

EMPLOYMENT

HELP WANTED

LAW OFFICE Administrative Assistants Clerks

Busy Hicksville Law Firm seeking detailed oriented individuals with strong interpersonal & organizational skills. Computer proficient. Comfortable and professional work environment. Full & Part-time positions available.

Reply to: awobig@marcotelaw.com

WHEATLEY HILLS GOLF CLUB

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Competitive Hourly Wage Email: Frontdesk@wheatleyhills.com

SITUATION WANTED

A HOME HEALTH CARE AIDE Irish trained woman with 10 years experience and excellent checkable references available. Honest and reliable. Licensed driver with own transportation.

Please call 516-383-7150

EMPLOYMENT

CAREER TRAINING

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details!

(844) 947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET) Computer with internet is required.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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ANNOUNCEMENTS NOVENAS/PRAYERS

3 DAY NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL (Never Known to Fail)

Oh Most Beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, Fruitful Vine, Splendor of Heaven. Blessed Mother of the Son of God; Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity.

Oh Star of the Sea, help me and show me you are my Mother.

Oh Holy Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succour me in my necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power.

Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee (say three times).

Sweet Mary I place this cause in your hands (say three times). Thank you for your mercy to me and mine. Amen.

If your request is granted, please publish the Novena. (MAK)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

NOVENAS/PRAYERS

NOVENA TO THE BLESSED MOTHER

Oh Most Beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, Fruitful Vine, Splendor of Heaven. Oh, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity.

Oh Star of the Sea, help me herein and show me here you are my Mother.

Oh Holy Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor me in my necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power.

Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee (say three times).

Holy Mary I place this cause in your hands (say three times). Amen.

This prayer is never known to fail and is to be said for 3 consecutive days.

In Gratitude (M.T.F.)

MARKETPLACE

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516-746-8900

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Mon-Fri 10-4 (Wed till 6)

Saturday 12-4

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ATStewartExchange.org

Items to Consign?

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

All proceeds benefit The Garden City Historical Society

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MARKETPLACE

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!

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WANTED TO BUY

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REAL ESTATE FOR RENT

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ROOM FOR RENT

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COMMERCIAL PROPERTY FOR RENT

GREENPORT

Prime Main Street location. Suitable for retail/professional. 875 sq.ft. Original floors and architectural details. Excellent exposure.

Owner 516-241-8135

VACATION RENTAL

OCEAN BEACH

FIRE ISLAND RENTAL

5 Bedroom, 2 Bath, 2 Kitchen house that is just 6 houses from the beach w/all the amenities.

Weekly rentals available

May-Sept $8,000/week

Monthly rentals availableMay, June, Sept $20,000/month Rental fee does not include cleaning, taxes & utilities

Call 516-978-6842

SOUTH JAMESPORT

Newly renovated Ranch on quiet street. 3 BR, 2 Baths on Peconic Bay. WiFi, Central Air, all amenities. Single family, no pets, no smoking

$3,500/week.

Call 516-456-8808

SERVICES

ARE YOU BEHIND 10K OR MORE on your taxes?

Stop wage and bank levies, liens and audits, unfiled tax returns, payroll issues, and resolve tax debt FAST. Call 888-869-5361

(Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-5pm PST)

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

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

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

AQUATEC LAWN SPRINKLERS

SPRING TURN ONS

Backflow Device Tests Free Estimates

Installation Service/Repairs

Joe Barbato 516-775-1199

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 866-393-3636

CHIMNEY KING ENT. INC. FREE ESTIMATES

Stainless steel liners

cleaning & repair specialists. Masonry specialist.

FULLY licensed & insured. NYC NASSAU SUFFOLK

516-766-1666 or 631-225-2600

Since 1982

chimneykinginc.com

DON’T PAY FOR COVERED

HOME REPAIR AGAIN!

American Residential Warranty covers ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. 30 DAY RISK FREE / $100 OFF POPULAR PLANS. 833-398-0526

SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

HANDYMAN

Careful & Reliable

Serving GARDEN CITY and surrounding area since 2003 Repairs & Installations of all types

Carpentry, Moldings, Lighting and More 35-yr Nassau Resident References Lic#170101

Phone/Text Friendly Frank: 516-238-2112

Email: Frankcav@optonline. net

MADE IN THE SHADE CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS

Blinds, Shades, Shutters, Draperies

Top Brands at Discount Prices! Family owned & operated www.madeintheshadensli. com

516-426-2890

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

ROOFS, GUTTERS, CARPENTRY, BATHROOMS, KITCHENS, NEW BASEMENT ENTRANCES, EXTENSIONS, MASONRY, FLOORS, WATERPROOFING, DRAINS, LEAKS, STOOPS, DECKS, DRIVEWAYS, DEMOLITION, RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ARIS CONSTRUCTION

10% Discount w/ad. Call 516-406-1842

www.ArisLI.com

WIREMAN/CABLEMAN

Flat TVs mounted, Phone, TVs & Computer wiring installed & serviced, camera & stereos, HDTV Antennas FREE TV

www.davewireman.com

516-433-WIRE (9473

631-667-WIRE (9473) or TEXT 516-353-1118

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

MICHELANGELO

PAINTING & WALLPAPER

Interior, Exterior, Plaster / Spackle, Light Carpentry, Decorative Moldings & Power Washing.

Call: 516-328-7499

SERVICES

DISH TV

$64.99 for 190 Channels + $14.95

High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply.

Promo expires 1/31/24

Call 1-866-595-6967

LEAK REPAIRS

Plumbing Repairs

Bathrooms, Showers, Kitchens

24 HOUR SERVICE

Call 516-668-5624

MAGNUM SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.

Serving Garden City for 40 years.

Let Magnum Upgrade Your Existing Security System.

Burglar & Fire Alarms

Cellular Radio 3G Upgrades

Remote Access

Call: 516-486-5484

PASSION FOR SENIORS

Certified HHA’s, Companions & Homemakers. 24 hour care available. Also Nassau Locations. Trained in Dementia and Alzheimer’s care. Call 718-850-3400

Fresh potato chips can’t be beat

Homemade Potato Chips

Everyone has his or her own idea of comfort food. For some, it’s biting into a piping-hot slice of pepperoni pizza. Others can’t get enough of a hearty bowl of beef stew.

Snack foods also can be categorized as comfort foods — and potato chips (or “crisps” as they’re known across the pond) are no exception. Potato chips come in different flavors and

6 medium russet potatoes

2 tablespoons white vinegar

Water

cuts, including crinkle and kettle chips. While it’s easy to pick up a bag at the store, why not whip up a fresh batch right at home? You will have complete control over the ingredients and enjoy the freshest chips around. Try this recipe for “Homemade Potato Chips” courtesy of home cook and country living blogger Kathy from Beyond the Chicken Coop.

Oil for frying (vegetable, canola or peanut oil)

Salt

1. Peel potatoes and place potato in a bowl filled with water.

2. Slice potatoes to 1⁄16 inch thick. Use a mandoline to get an even, consistent size. Immediately place sliced pota -

toes in another bowl filled with cold water and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Allow potatoes to soak for at least 1 hour.

3. Drain potatoes and rinse with cold water. Leave potatoes in colander and allow all water to drain.

4. Place drained potatoes on a clean, dry kitchen towel. Pat lightly to remove any remaining water.

5. Fill pot with 2 inches of oil. Preheat oil to 380 F. Use a thermometer to test temperature of oil.

6. Test oil temperature. Ideal temperature will vary from 370 to 380 F. Fry one or two slices in the oil and cook until they are nicely browned. If the potatoes brown quicker than 3 minutes, lower the temperature by 5 degrees.

7. Place one handful of sliced potatoes in the oil. Stir gently to prevent potatoes from sticking to each other. Cook until golden; 3 minutes.

8. Scoop out and place on a baking sheet lined with a baking rack.

9. Sprinkle with salt immediately and repeat until all potatoes are cooked.

Tips: Soaking the potatoes helps remove excess starch and prevents the potatoes from sticking together. It also helps them fry up more crispy. Chips are best eaten the day they are made. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Essay contest honors late NC legislator

In honor of Women’s History Month and the legacy of the late Nassau County Legislator and former Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs, Nassau County Legislator

Arnold W. Drucker (D - Plainview) is proud to announce the fourth annual Judy Jacobs Essay Contest for LD 16’s fifth- through eighth-grade students.

In accordance with this year’s theme, “A Celebration of Courageous Women,”

students are being tasked with selecting courageous woman in their life and writing an original essay that honors their subject and describes the true meaning of courage. Potential subjects include a parent, teacher, elected official, a community leader, actress, friend, or the author themselves.

“Throughout a lifetime of service to the residents of Nassau County, Judy Jacobs was a fierce and fearless trailblazer who

Get results!

epitomized the definition of courage in all aspects of her life,” Legislator Drucker said. “Through this year’s essay contest, we hope to both Judy’s many contributions and encourage the next generation of leaders to draw inspiration from the ‘sheroes’ in their lives that make the world a better place.”

The deadline for submissions is Thursday, April 13. Contest winners will be announced during an event that is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 20, at the Jericho Public Library.

Official Contest Rules:

• All students in grades 5 to 8 may

participate

• Must reside within Legislative District 16

• Submissions should be a minimum of 250 words but not exceed 500 words

• All submissions MUST be accompanied by a completed Participation Agreement

Visit http://www.nassaucountyny. gov/LD16 for the full contest rules, instructions for submitting entries, and to complete the student participation agreement. Please contact Legislator Drucker’s office at 516-571-6216 or Adrucker@nassaucountyny.gov for additional questions.

Professional Services Guide

Hicksville Middle Schoolers knit for a good cause

BY GARY SIMEONE

Sixth graders at Hicksville Middle School spent a good portion of their winter months sewing and knitting caps for a good cause. It was all part of a service-learning project for their Home & Careers class.

Bryan Sarandrea, supervisors of social studies and home & careers, said that 200 knit hats were created by the students in the early months of winter.

“They were working hard to sew and knit these caps in their classroom and they finished them up earlier this month,” said Sarandrea. “They ended up donating them to Cohens Children s Medical Center as part of their sixth grade service-learning project.”

He said that the service-learning project was a campaign on how to be a better citizen and a role model in one’s community.

The students spent a portion of their school days picking out different colors and design patterns and measuring out the different sizes.

“It was their first time doing this type of project and I can say they were very enthusiastic about it,” said Sarandrea. “Both the boys and the girls got all the sewing materials including the threads and yarn and worked on their projects both in their classrooms and at home.”

He said that seeing the students’ enthusiasm for their projects and the way they connected with each other was very inspirational.

“We definitely plan on expanding on these types of projects in future classes, whether it is knitted caps or another innovative idea. Just seeing the students work hard and their proud expression after completing the project made it all worthwhile.”

Let your voice be heard!

Is there an issue in your community you want to discuss? Want to respond to something you saw in our paper?

Then write a letter to our editor and bring it to everyone’s attention! Send your letter to editor@gcnews.com and we’ll publish it for you!

Hicksville Middle School students surround (left to right) Bryan Sarandrea supervisor of social studies and home and careers and Family and Consumer Science teachers Victor Lam and Victoria Porter.

Middle school students working on their projects.

Middle school students knitted hats for sick children.

Photo courtesy of Hicksville Public Schools

East Broadway students are “Lucky and Loved”

Fifth graders at East Broadway Elementary School in the Levittown Public School District welcomed loved ones to join them for a special day of expressing their appreciation.

Students in Dr. Brittany Roaldsen’s class chose a special person in their life to write about. Many chose one of

their parents, grandparents and other close relatives. On March 16, students’ special person visited the classroom for a “Lucky and Loved” celebration during which students shared writing, portraits and poetry about their loved one. A bagel breakfast was also enjoyed by all.

Anjali Koshy and her mother were all smiles as Anjali’s letter of love was read out loud.

Many students chose close relatives as their special person, including Nicholas Michalowski, who invited his aunt.

East Broadway Elementary School fifth grader Ella Patrick shared a letter of love with her father during the “Lucky and Loved” event.

“Lucky and Loved” was also a celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Jordan Tighe decorated her dedication to her grandmother with a clover.

Levittown Community Council announces raffle winners

Bowling team completes season undefeated

The bowling team at Jonas E. Salk Middle School in the Levittown Public School District had a season to remember with a perfect undefeated record of 11-0.

The team was anchored all season long by seventh graders Nico Buenaventura and Ben Greller and eighth grader Aayaan Ladha. Huge

contributions were made throughout the season by eighth grader Spencer Sanoff-Weiner, who led all bowlers with a game high score of 185 against Uniondale. During the final match of the season—with the undefeated record on the line—seventh grader Binan Baer bowled a game high score of 180 against North Shore.

Yard waste collection resumes

The Town of Oyster Bay ’ s Yard Waste collection will resume the week of Monday, April 3, for homeowners who receive Town collection services. Yard waste is picked up on the same day as recycled materials, including plastics, metals, glass and cardboard.

“With the spring season upon us, many residents will begin clearing their properties from leaves and other debris left behind by winter,” said Town Councilman Steve Labriola. “Yard waste collection, which includes lawn clippings, will get underway the first week of April and run throughout the year.”

Residents should place yard waste curbside on their same day as their recycling items. Yard waste is collected by Town sanitation crews and taken to compost facilities. Waste includes grass clippings, weeds, leaves, tree trimmings, hedge and

shrub clippings and other garden/ yard waste. Materials should be placed in bags at the curb, and should weigh no more than 50 pounds. No household garbage, refuse or animal waste should be disposed with yard waste.

“Collecting Yard Waste is an important component to our recycling program,” said Councilman Labriola. “One of the prime benefits of recycling yard waste is that the cost to take these materials to a compost facility is less than the cost to dispose of them at an out-of-state landfill. This successful program is another example of the Town’s commitment to providing high quality environmental services while protecting our taxpayers’ wallets.”

For more information on the Town’s recycling program, or other sanitation services, visit www. OysterBayTown.com/recycling.

Lisa Vanderburg is the winner of the Levittown Community Council’s WinterFest raffle. The 50” digital TV was donated by P. C. Richards and Sons.

David Zhang showcases the wreath filled with $100 worth of lottery tickets on behalf of his daughter Quoia, the winner of the WinterFest raffle prize. Levittown Community Council board member Tom Kohlman offers congratulations.

The Jonas E. Salk Middle School bowling team enjoyed an undefeated season.

Photo courtesy of Levittown Public Schools