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Vol. I No. I | www.StandardLI.com | Ph.# 516-341-0445

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March 18-24, 2011

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Massive Budget Cuts Ahead for Nassau

Keeping The Five Towns Clean Is No Cheap Proposition BY SUSAN VARGHESE STANDARD ASSOCIATE EDITOR

There’s a cost to cleanliness in the Five Towns, and it’s a whopping $17 million a year, according to the 2011 budget for Sanitary District No. 1. The budget appropriates $6,500,000 towards salaries and wages alone, and $2,685,000 for health insurance. The district is spending an additional $4,525,000 a year to dispose of trash, one million of which is spent on recycling. That means on average, the 120 sanitation employees are getting paid $54,166, and receive a minimum of $11,187 in health insurance benefits, for an average salary and a benefits package of $65,353 (which assumes the other $1,342,500 is health insurance (50%) is being spent

HEMPSTEAD’S KATE MURRAY: No New Taxes for 2012 Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray announced that she is crafting a budget that will freeze all town taxes for 2012. “I am working with my colleagues on the town board, and will present a tax-freeze budget that is accountable to taxpayers later this year. We will be able to do this because we have adhered to the simple yet profound Boy Scout credo, ‘Be Prepared.’” “Budgeting during an economic crisis is not easy,” she said. Murray asserted that controlling the town’s discretionary costs, as well as preparing a multi-year fiscal plan and adjusting budgeted amounts such as mortgage recording revenues for the current economic downturn have resulted in budgets that have earned the highest available Wall Street credit ratings (Aaa, Moody’s Investor Service; AAA, Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services). Furthermore, Murray’s administration has rejected reliance on “one-shot” (non-recurring) revenues to balance budgets and scrupulously CONTINUED ON P. A5

Layoffs and Salary Freeze for Police and County Workforce

on retirees). Salvatore Evola, the district’s treasurer, said that the salaries and wages are accounted for through the 120 employees in Sanitary District No. 1 which is comprised of laborers, mechanics, the superintendent, the assistant superintendent, and the office staff. The $2,685,000 for health insurance covers every employee and retired employee CONTINUED ON P. A2

BY JONATHAN WALTER STANDARD STAFF REPORTER

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano may be on his way to becoming the next Chris Christie as fallout from the county’s conflict with the Nassau County Interim Fi-

Spring begins Sunday, March 20th and some lucky Five Towners already are sprouting Spring flowers on their lawns, like these pretty purple ones in Woodmere. Standard Photo by JC Chan

Local Residents Feeling the Heat from Rising Gas and Fuel Oil Prices BY JC CHAN

ple don’t buy, I don’t buy. I take a bicycle.” Mayor Andrew J. Parise of Cedarhurst is concerned and doesn’t know at this moment how the rapidly increasing gas prices will impact the village budget in meeting municipal and other costs to run the government. He stated that the village buys its gas from the local stations but gets it tax free. The village saves about a dollar a

STANDARD STAFF REPORTER

Gasoline prices have broken the four dollar barrier in the Five Towns. At the Shell gas station on Peninsula Blvd and Mill Road in Hewlett, the price for premium gas has reached $4.01 as of Wednesday. The lowest gas price can be found at the Sonoco station on Rockaway Turnpike and Buena Vista in Cedarhurst, going for $3.63 for regular and $3.83 for premium as of Wednesday. Long Islanders can expect to pay more than the national average. The average regular gas price on Long Island is $3.76 as of Wednesday March 16th. A month ago on February 14th the average was $3.39, three months ago it was $3.27, six months ago, $2.77, and a year ago on February 14, 2010 was $2.90. Cindy Roter, a biology teacher at the Queens School of Inquiry and a resident of Woodmere seethed as she filled the tank of her Toyota RAV 4 at the Sunoco gas station on the corner of Mill Road and Peninsula Blvd. She doesn’t see the ongoing turmoil in Libya, parts of North Africa, and the Middle East as the only reason why prices at the pump have shot up so drastically since the end of February. “We knew it was coming because speculators have to get their fair share of the market,” Roter said, squeezing the last few drops in her Toyota. “The speculators work on fear.” Jose Rebas of Far Rockaway was fueling his truck at an adjacent station and said, “We can

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Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano nance Association (NIFA) sets up a showdown with public workers. Mangano’s proposed $121 million in budget cuts includes $60.5 million in layoffs and salary concessions from public employees. Mangano was required to come up with a plan to balance the county’s $2.6 billion budget after New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Diamond ruled this week CONTINUED ON P. A2

Five Towns Gridlock: Broadway and Franklin Avenue in Hewlett BY SUSAN VARGHESE STANDARD ASSOCIATE EDITOR

do nothing, everyday it is going up. I have to drive every day; I spend a lot of money on gas.” Despite the rising costs of running a taxi business, Frank Masters, one of the operators of the Cedarhurst Taxi Association decided against raising prices for his long-time customers even though business is slower than usual. “We’re having like an economic tsunami, but you can’t hurt the customer.” Masters said. “When is it going to stop?” The price of crude oil has increased $15 per barrel since mid-February when the average price per barrel was at $88.58, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). The EIA also project-

ed that the national average retail price for regular-grade gas would be $3.56 in 2011, up from $2.78 in 2010. Gasoline prices in the US are expected to rise, and may continue to rise during the peak driving season from April to September. Zvi Friedman, proprietor of a privately owned Citgo station on Central Avenue in Woodmere used to buy gas to fill his tanks in the past for $20,000 to $25,000, now the price is upwards of $35,000 to $40,000. “It’s double the money,” he said. “People’s mentality is that if it is cheaper, they will use more gas, then we can buy and sell more gas, if it’s expensive, everything stops. Peo-

Consider quick errands a thing of the past, as the traffic on Broadway and Franklin in Hewlett worsens. Officials say there are no plans now to alleviate the problem. Often referred to as one of the many “choke points” in The Five Towns, the intersection of Broadway and Franklin Avenue has no turn lanes, turn signals, or even walk signals for pedestrians. Traffic in the mornings and late afternoons on Broadway often backs up deep into Woodmere towards Hewlett and into Hewlett going West. The same problem occurs also on West Broadway, particularly Eastbound towards Hewlett.

Ellen Getrell, library employee and pedestrian, recalled two instances where she’s almost been hit my oncoming traffic. “I’ve almost gotten hit more than once— cars just whip around the corner,” Getrell said. In December 2009, a Hewlett traffic study was done which identified various areas of traffic and congestion, but no action was taken. The traffic study suggested alternatives such as restriping a turn lane, which had an estimated cost of $225,000 and making the streets one way, which would eliminate left turn conflicts, but would have an estimated cost of $175,000. CONTINUED ON P. A5

C l a s s i f i e d s B 6 • E d i t o r i a l s A 8 • E v e n t s B 2 • M o v i e s B 2 • S p o r t s B 5 • We a t h e r A 5

MARCH 18-24, 2011

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

Massive Budget Cuts Ahead for Nassau Layoffs and Salary Freeze for Police and County Workforce CONTINUED FROM P. A1 that NIFA’s takeover of county ďŹ nances was legal and Mangano refuses to balance the budget through an increase in taxes. The plan also includes $40 million in across the board budget cuts and $20 million in lower tax refund liability than NIFA had in its own projections, according to the County Executive ofďŹ ce’s latest statement. Many departments have provisions in their contracts that protect them against layoffs, however Mangano and his administration believe that those provisions don’t apply during the application of NIFA’s control period. The Police Benevolence Association has a concession agreement that would require wage compensation if

the county decides to lay off ofďŹ cers. “Since I will not raise taxes a penny more,â€? Mangano said on Wednesday, “Nassau’s public employee unions face three options, voluntary concessions, forced concessions through passage of the Taxpayer Relief Act, or layoffs.â€? NIFA has asked the county to submit a proposal for lowering the budget to eliminate a deďŹ cit. Should they not approve the county’s $121.5 million in cuts, and while hey have only enacted a control period at this time, they could declare a ďŹ nancial crisis which would give them more control over salary freezes. According to a statement released by NIFA on March 14th, NIFA can only enact a salary freeze once the county has submitted their new bud-

get, which it has. Of the proposed $60.5 million in layoffs and salary concessions, $50.5 million of the planned cuts will be from layoffs and the elimination of vacant positions, and $10 million by calling upon NIFA to freeze employee wages. Of the $40 million in across the board budget cuts, $15 million will come from the reduction of contractual expenses, $15 million from the restructuring of the police department, $5 million from terminating the county’s relationship with the MTA in order to run the Long Island Bus service, and $4.5 million by privatizing inmate healthcare. The County Executive’s ofďŹ ce has said that more speciďŹ c details of the proposed cuts will be made available this coming Tuesday.

Since NIFA announced its takeover after the ďŹ rst budget under Mangano’s term, he and other county ofďŹ cials have questioned the motives of their actions. Until this year, NIFA has allowed borrowed money to be included as part of Nassau County’s budget, but this year they have changed their position and disallowed it. “They have the right to freeze salaries,â€? Nassau County Legislator, Howard Kopel said. “The salary freeze was one of the more concrete actions they could take and they didn’t do it. They would have saved some money that was. It’s a bit suspicious. I think that they want the county to raise taxes. Beyond that, we’ll have to wait and see what they come up with.â€? In their March 14th statement,

NIFA ďŹ rmly denied any motive toward raising taxes: “NIFA cannot and will not increase taxes,â€? the statement says. “The repeated charges in the public arena that NIFA wants to increase taxes are simply wrong. No NIFA Board member has ever recommended a tax increase, and in fact, NIFA lacks authority to impose or raise any tax.â€? Since it’s creation 10 years ago, NIFA has allowed the Nassau County budget to include borrowed money in its assessment of a balanced budget, especially during the administration of Democrat Tom Suozzi. Now, in the ďŹ rst budget created under a Republican, Mangano, NIFA has changed its policy to not include the borrowed money. In his decision, Diamond acknowledged that the court is not insensitive to NIFA’s sudden change in policy, but said that “NIFA’s determination appears to be supported by the record and the divergent methods employed here have been justiďŹ ed by both the present facts as well as NIFA’s rea-

soning,â€? according to a Newsday quote. Mangano’s ďŹ nal argument in the county’s lawsuit against NIFA’s takeover was that it was “arbitrary and capricious.â€? Diamond has given the county a deadline of March 29th to submit their ďŹ nal arguments, and NIFA a deadline of April 18th to respond. On January 26th, NIFA found that the $2.6 billion budget found that the county’s 2011 budget had a $176 million deďŹ cit, well above the one percent gap required for NIFA to initiate announce a takeover, which they subsequently did. Mangano has countered that the county ďŹ nished 2010, his ďŹ rst year in ofďŹ ce, with a $17.2 million surplus. “You can cut borrowing and get it out of wages,â€? Kopel said. “Everything we can cut has been cut. The only thing left is wages. Some unions have agreed and some have not. If they don’t then we’ll have to go after more layoffs. We’re between a rock and a hard place.â€?

Keeping The Five Towns Clean Is No Cheap Proposition CONTINUED FROM P. A1

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for life, Evola said. James Villardi, a commissioner of Sanitary District No. 1 stated that health care and retirement are the “two big wildcardsâ€? in their budget. According to the New York State OfďŹ ce of the Comptroller, individuals can retire at any age, but it depends on the amount of years

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they have worked. Most commonly, the age can range anywhere from 55-62 years old. The exact numbers of retired individuals were not available, but if the district considers health insurance and retirement to be a “wildcard,â€? and retired employees have health insurance coverage for life, they’re potentially a ticking budgetary time bomb. Although the $121 million in budget cuts that Nassau County is currently facing should serve as a cautionary tale against overspending, the salaries for Sanitary District No. 1 employees are still high. Villardi said that several options are being considered to cut personnel costs, such as having new employees pay partial healthcare and retirement, and that they’re “working on it.â€? Over four million dollars is appropriated towards disposal fees, and that’s allocated three ways, Evola said. The cost for garbage to be burned, which is done through a company called Covanta, is roughly $70 per ton, and 39,000 tons of garbage a year are burned. Additionally, the costs to run a recycling facility can be estimated at about $1 million and includes the costs to get rid of agricultural waste such as leaves, and grass. Notably, Evola also mentioned that while it costs nearly a million to operate a recycling facility, only $120,000 is made from recycling. “Recycling is a costly endeavor, whether its worth it or not‌ everyone has to make their own judgment,â€? Villardi said. “Whether it’s going to be imbalanced, I can’t predict that, our goal is to have it in balance. What is it worth to contribute to saving the en-

vironment? Those are questions we have to ask ourselves going forward. Recycling is important and one of the hallmarks of our service.� In addition, Villardi, said that the district is now more prepared. “We have 10-year budgeting so that we can tell where our tax rate might fall, which one of our employees might retire, if we have to buy more trucks, along with annual edits, and a budget committee every quarter,� Villardi said. When asked about sanitation, one Five Towns resident asserted, “I honestly have no idea.� For most people, breaking down the sanitation system is just about as exciting and confusing as it sounds, but it’s an essential component in determining the cost.

sessed value is divided by 100, (which is for formulaic purposes, Swergold said) and multiplied by the district’s tax rate. Sanitary District No. 1 has a tax rate of 43.544, one of the lowest, asserted Swergold. The assessed value of $2,000, divided by 100, and multiplied by the tax rate of 43.544 is $870.88. Therefore, a Five Towns resident with an $800,000 home would be paying about $870 a year for sanitation. Relative to other suburban areas, residents in Sanitary District No. 1 may actually be paying less. In comparison, Sanitary District No. 2 has a 79.16 rate; Sanitary District No. 4 has a 61.324 rate; Sanitary District No. 6 has an 82.76 rate; and the Town of Hempstead has a tax rate of 60.26.

The Five Towns is part of a “special sanitation district,â€? which also covers Green Acres and Valley Stream South, and is not run by the Town of Hempstead. Villardi said that local districts, such as Sanitary District No. 1 were created, so, that administrative government would be closer to the people. “People like to feel like they have local control over government service. More local, more decentralized,â€? explained Villardi. Villardi added that District No. 1 picks up garbage from the back of the home at least twice a week, while in other special districts and in the Town of Hempstead, residents have to bring their garbage to the curb. “Does it cost a little extra? Probably. Still we have the cheapest tax rate and the percentage of recycling is high.â€? But, at what cost are residents paying to have “local controlâ€? and “back-door service?â€? In Sanitary District No.1, and many other districts, the price residents have to pay is determined through a speciďŹ c formula. First, Nassau County determines the assessed value of an individual’s home, explained Nat Swergold, the district’s lawyer. That’s the actual price of the home multiplied by an assessment rate of 0.0025. For example, using the formula, an $800,000 home would have an assessed value of $2,000. Then, the as-

Essentially, even with a low tax rate, the price paid for sanitation is determined by the assessed value, which Swergold noted as being a “key factor.â€? Sanitation commissioner for District No. 1, Irving Kaminetsky, said, “I pay $500 per year to have garbage picked up. Where can you get that for that kind of price?â€? Kaminetsky also noted that those who have bigger homes pay more, but that “It’s a great deal for the tax.â€? It may be a great deal to Kaminetsky, but in the incorporated village of Lindenhurst, in Suffolk County, which is village run, it costs $197 a year for a one family home, and $394 for a two family home, according to Joanne Morris of the Lindenhurst tax department. Swergold noted that employees at District No. 1 may not be the friendliest, they’re always willing to help, Swergold added. “You may not be enamored by their tone of voice, but they’ll help you‌ try to call a private carter— Ha, Good luck!â€? Joan Radmann, a resident of West Islip, that mainly contracts out to private carters, seemed less than pleased about her own sanitation, “When I go to complain about my trash in West Islip, I get the run-around. I’ve complained twice and nothing

Standard Photos by Susan Varghese

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THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

MARCH 18-24, 2011

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Cedarhurst Loves Their Mayor. Parise Elected to Fifth Term in Uncontested Race BY JONATHAN WALTER STANDARD STAFF REPORTER

W

alk into most local mayors’ offices and you won’t find anyone behind the desk. Most are just part timers, showing up at village board meetings to set village policy. Cedarhurst Mayor Andrew J. Parise is an exception to this trend, considering himself a full time mayor. Walk into his office any weekday, his doors are open and he’s sitting behind his desk ready to answer the questions and concerns of the community. After he finishes work you might find him driving around Cedarhurst looking for broken streetlights, knocked down trees, or hit parking meters. “It’s my therapy and I enjoy doing it,” Parise said. “This is what I’ve done all my life.” In office since 1995, Parise won his fifth consecutive fouryear term in an uncontested election on Tuesday, March 15th. An 86 year-old World War Two veteran, he claims to be one of the hardest working mayors on Long Island, joining Freeport mayor Andrew Hardwick and Hempstead mayor Wayne Hall as one of the few full time mayors in the area. “He does what everyone wants him to do,” JoMarie Capone, a secretary at the village hall said. “He’s a full time mayor. You won’t find anyone who puts in the time or energy that he does. He takes everything personally and goes all over town checking on Cedarhurst concerns.” “He’s a remarkable person at 86 years old,” Ari Brown, a Cedarhurst Board Trustee said of Parise. “He’s always sharp, alert and works like he’s 40.” Brown, along with Deputy Mayor Benjamin Weinstock, was also up for reelection, running unopposed. Wearing a pin on his jacket reading “I love Cedarhurst,” Parise shows his devotion to the village he serves by continually looking for ways to improve it. His proudest achievement during his time as mayor is the improvements made to the park across the street from village hall. They include a 9/11 Memorial, a playground that caters to children with special needs including a small “water park,” a gazebo that plays host to eight or nine different concerts during the summer, and refurbishing both the veterans memorial and the little league field. He’s had such an impact that the park has been renamed Andrew J. Parise Park. “The little league field, rainy days you couldn’t play,” Parise

Keeping The Five Towns Clean Is No Cheap Proposition CONTINUED FROM P. A2 was done,” Radmann stated. A representative from The Town of Islip stated that the average for collection and disposal is $517 a household, but it varies depending on the district. Stephen Alteiri, superintendent of the Mamaroneck Joint Sanitation Commission in Westchester County, stated that on average, its about $550-600 a year for garbage collection, recycling, and rubbish for Larchmont and Mamaroneck residents. Although Sanitary District No. 1 pays comparably lower tax rates than other districts, villages such as Lindenhurst only make their residents pay a low flat price. When Swergold was asked about changing the system, to have a standard rate like villages such as Lindenhurst, he re-

Cedarhurst Mayor Andrew Parise.

said. “It was like a pond. You had no toilets, no playground whatsoever. You look at it today, during my term, the last 15 years, it all happened then. But I think the people are proud of it too. On Tuesday nights at the concerts, you’ll sometimes get 300, 400, or up to 700 people, and people love it.” A sign on his office door reads: “That was then. This is now.” Parise upholds that credo with his long-term project to beautify his village. Beginning in his first term as mayor, Parise has made it his personal project to complete the “streetscaping” project of Cedarhurst that includes installing all new sidewalks, automatic lighting, trees, benches and litter baskets on every major street in the village. Parise estimates that he has completed about three quarters of the streets so far. He keeps a map of Cedarhurst on his desk and uses a highlighter to mark the roads that have already been completed. The “streetscaping” project has all been completed through the use of state and county level grants. “Dean Skelos, our senator, has allocated 300,000 to $400,000 every year for the streetscaping,” Parise said. “All of our legislators have been very good to us and I like to think that it’s because of my association with them that we get a lot of that money.” Most impressive is that he has achieved all of these upgrades to the park and the village streets without the use of taxpayer money. Most of the work that has been done in the park has been completed through privately donated funds. Left-

plied, “ That’s never going to happen.” Swergold explained that to get a “standard rate,” it would require an average. “You can’t pick an arbitrary number. That means that everyone who has “smaller” properties are now going to pay a lot more and the guy, who has the big house, would pay less. That doesn’t sound fair to me.” There may be no way of switching entire age-old sanitation systems, but with the $17 million appropriated for the 2011 sanitation budget, Villardi said that they would be vigilant about researching cheaper costs. “We’re planning renovations to our recycling facility, and we’ll be pulling more recyclables. We earn more money because we sell our recyclables, and we’ll spend less because we’re sending less garbage to burn… We went through numbers with a fine tooth comb, and we’ve tried different scenarios but we’re still trying.”

Standard Photo by Jon Walter

over money is put into a fund specifically designated to address the needs of the park. “If we need stuff for the park,” Parise said, “that’s where we take it from.” On the Federal level, the village has had a difficult time securing grants for the beautification projects. Representative Carolyn McCarthy had supposedly secured $140,000 to renovate parking field number six in 2009. She came down and took a picture with her and the mayor holding a giant check, but there has been a lot of red tape blocking them receiving the money, so the money hasn’t arrived and the improvements not done. “We still have the giant check behind my door,” Parise said, “but now they say to do a new sidewalk, we have to get an engineer. By the time we finish we’re going to spend more money than we’re going to get. Hopefully we will get it someday. Parise and his staff look for money wherever they can. Cur-

rently, they are applying for a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Center for a two-day period during a snowstorm this past January, which was declared an emergency. With all of the snow, the village spent their entire $50,000 budget allotted for snowplowing within a week. He is optimistic about the village’s chances of recovering that money. “A lot of villages don’t do it,” Parise said, “but we’re on a constant search for where we can get extra money. Sometimes we can’t get it, but we try.” Another reason Parise has enjoyed such a long stay as Cedarhurst’s mayor is for keeping the village tax rate the fifth lowest in Nassau County. He and his administration work

hard to keep business alive in Cedarhurst. The village currently enjoys a relatively small 6.7 percent vacancy rate and remains the shopping epicenter of the Five Towns. Parise reflected on his time in office and why he got into politics when he first began working for the town in 1956: “I go back to the first day I started to work in the Town of Hempstead,” Parise said, “with the late Senator Edward Larkin. I came before him and he said “Andy, why do you want to get into this business?” I said I like people and I like doing things with people. I certainly didn’t make any money out of it, just a normal living like most people, but I never ever didn’t enjoy it and I love going to work every day.”

Lawrence Meets Italy: Pictured above are students from the Temple Israel of Lawrence and of the Renzo Levi Yeshiva of Rome, at the Bronx Zoo. The group participated in the American-Jewish/ Italian-Jewish High School Youth Exchange Program. The program, which was sponsored by Allianz of America, began on March 8 and ended March 15. There were a total of approximately 55 students involved, 27 were from Rome and the remainder were the families of Temple Israel and the DRS Yeshiva High School department of the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, which is in Woodmere.. The farewell dinner, donated by Morrell Caterers, took place at Temple Israel on Sunday March 11, after the students returned from their trip to Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero and little Italy.

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MARCH 18-24, 2011

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

Five Towns Gridlock: Broadway and Franklin Avenue in Hewlett CONTINUED FROM P. A1 Nassau County Legislator, Howard Kopel, stated that nothing was done because they didn’t have money to do it. “There’s a bond issue passed specifically for infrastructure improvements and I’m hoping that there’s going to be money for this. It’s been there (the traffic problem) for a long time, it backs

because they don’t want to get hit, and that big buses and trucks have hit their mirrors in the past. However, Kopel noted that if the streets were made one way, double parking would become a problem. “ All of a sudden people will think they have another line of traffic to go in, and you can’t prohibit parking because it’ll kill the merchants,” he said.

Road work at Peninsula Blvd up in both directions, and were just hoping we can fix it,” Kopel said. As for the congestion on Broadway, Kopel noted a traffic circle as a possibility. “I’ve seen it work in other countries. Even with five different entrances and exits, I’ve seen it work very well,” said Kopel. “They should make West Broadway and Broadway one way,” suggested Larry Delakas owner of Debby and Larry’s Café. When told of Kopel’s suggestions, Delakas replied that there would be no room for parking in a traffic circle. Although parking on the sidewalk is a traffic violation, Delakas noted that the cars park on the sidewalk

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MARCH 18-24, 2011

The Giordano Tailor Shop, which has been nestled on Broadway for the past 30 years, has seen many changes, but the owners said that traffic has only gotten worse. “It took a customer 15 minutes just to park and come in to get her clothes. The police pass by and don’t even stop the people parked on the sidewalk. When the buses couldn’t go through, I called the police but nobody came,” the owners said. Local employee and resident, Arminder Singh, said that the traffic gets “ridiculous,” and suggested expanding Broadway. “Sometimes, it’s the combination — the CONTINUED ON P. A6

Local Residents Feeling the Heat from Rising Gas and Oil Prices CONTINUED FROM P. A1 gallon on tax but the costs are still high. The Hewlett Woodmere Public School District at the moment is not having a critical budget issue because the district took advantage of natural gas heating for several buildings in the past winter. The George W. Hewlett High School heats its school using a geothermal system. However, if gas prices do continue to rise and the increases persist, it will present a problem for the next school year. Meanwhile, Cornel Liuba of Hewlett, who pays the heating bill at multi-unit apartment building said “I use oil and I pay 2,000 a dollars month.” referring to his last heating bill shared among eight famliies. The rising prices of crude oil have also hit Long Island homes. More are switching over from oil to natural gas heating. According to National Grid, the number of customers converting from

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heating oil to natural gas increased from 4,900 between April 2009 to March 2010 to 5,200 between April 2010 and February 2011. Natural gas in 2009 averaged $4.995 per therm and fell to $4.188 per therm in 2010. A therm is equivalent to 100 cubic feet of natural gas. The average price for home heating oil on Long Island costs $4.04 per gallon, up from a year ago when the price was $3.11 per gallon. In terms of energy content, heating oil contains 138,690 BTUs per gallon. Natural gas has 100,000 BTUs per therm. Heating efficiency is dependent on the age of the heating equipment used in a household, so the cost varies greatly. “It’s not because the Middle East is raising the prices, the Libyans aren’t raising prices, the Saudi Arabians aren’t raising prices. It’s the people here making it hard for everybody else.” Roter said. “It’s not the right time for that, the economy is so bad. People are like paying more to continue, it’s just very hard. It’s not right.”

Hempstead’s Kate Murray: No New Taxes for 2012 CONTINUED FROM P. A1 avoided increased borrowing to meet ongoing government costs. These measures have protected the township’s residents from the fiscal instability that plagues the federal government, New York State and many localities. “Unfortunately, many other governments did not prepare and plan for the recession, leaving taxpayers to deal with painful cuts in government services and exposing future generations to the fallout of staggering budget deficits,” stated Hempstead Town Senior Councilman Anthony J. Santino. “Kate Murray and I will not take taxpayers down that path. Because we have prepared for a difficult economy and budgeted carefully, we can offer a tax-freeze budget and maintain all services in force.” Perhaps the best indicator of the integrity and reliability of a particular government’s budgeting practices lies in the reviews of independent finan-

cial analysts and the credit ratings of Wall Street rating agencies. In fact, the independent Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has conferred its Excellence in Financial Reporting Award upon Hempstead Town every year since 2003. And, Moody’s Investor Services, the respected Wall Street rating agency, has based its top rating of Hempstead’s finances on “the town’s prudent fiscal management characterized by conservative budgeting practices, development of multi-year financial forecasts…” “Our straightforward approach to budgeting has earned the respect of credit rating agencies on Wall Street and won the trust of neighbors on Main Street,” said Murray. “We’ll continue to justify that trust with a budget that is responsible and holds the line on all town taxes.” The officials pointed out that a key benefit of aggressive fiscal management is CONTINUED ON P. A6 Shown is Friday’s weather. Temperatures are Friday’s highs and Friday night’s lows.

SUNDAY

Norwalk 65/37 White Plains Greenwich 65/37 65/37 Huntington Mt.Vernon Paterson 64/38 70/40 Ronkonkoma Mostly sunny 72/39 64/37 New York 70/46 High Low Bay Shore 64/37 51° 38° Jamaica Lindenhurst 66/41 66/39 THURSDAY Staten Island 72/43 Red Bank 68/42

Increasing clouds

Rain possible

Chance of rain

Partly sunny

High Low 52° 40°

High Low 56° 36°

High Low 46° 33°

High Low 43° 28°

Riverhead 62/31

Patchogue 62/37

FREE EVERY FRIDAY

Greenport 61/34 Oyster Bay 66/38

Southampton 63/33 Glen Cove 63/41 Roslyn 66/40

Plainview 61/39 Mineola 67/40

Hempstead 67/40 Hewlett Woodmere 67/40 67/40 Cedarhurst 67/40

Oceanside 67/40

Levittown 66/39

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2011

A6

MARCH 18-24, 2011

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

THE ZEITGEIST WITH HOWARD BARBANEL

I Need 65° and I Need It Now. CONTINUED FROM P. A8 few other innocent people I know) and are now being persecuted and prosecuted by the Madoff Trustee, Irving Picard who is trying to force the Wilpons to fork over something like a zillion dollars. The team is weighted down with some very expensive aging players of diminishing worth (like Carlos Beltran) and some just plain stupid acquisitions by former General Manager Omar Minaya that is tying the Mets’ hands on finding some new blood. The pitching staff is dominated by wounded warriors, ace Johan Santana won’t be back probably until July (if at all) and for sure he won’t be the guy he was a few years ago. Some of the new pitchers just came off Tommy John or other kinds of surgery and heaven knows how long they’ll last before throwing out, breaking or tearing something. Mike Pelfrey, the Vice-Ace, is inconsistent. It’s all going to be up to thirty-something R.A. Dickey and his knuckleball and Jon Niese who exudes potential but hasn’t become a star just yet. On offense, we’re a grade “B” team with very few guys hitting for real power compounded by a huge home field that makes home runs as scarce as water in the Sahara. One bright spot is Scott Hairston who has been swatting homers left and right in Spring Training and is a fair bet to fill in for Beltran in right field. Some have asked me why I remain devoted to the Mets? That’s like asking fans in Baltimore why they stick by the Orioles, or Bostonians how they stuck with the Red Sox for a nearly 90-year drought from the World Series, or Chicago Cubs fans who have been left unrequited for over a century or the folks in Cleveland or Oakland. Being true to your team is about one’s character as a man -- its about loyalty to things big and small and loyalty to people. It’s about knowing how to win and how to lose with class like a man and about perseverance and stickto-itiveness which are all metaphors for life. In a two-team town like New York, one’s choice of team allegiance also says a lot about how a person sees themselves and conveys this to others around him for better or worse. It’s also about geography, I’m a Long Island guy and The Bronx is two bridges (or two trains) and light years away in every respect. What the Mets have this year is a realistic expectation of playing .500 ball and ultimately ending up in the second or third spot in the National League East. There will be no getting past Philadelphia as that team has probably the best starting pitching rotation in all of baseball and as solid an offense as there is along with playing at a ballpark that’s a homerun bandbox. What the Mets also have is a roster of young up and comers who are hungry to prove themselves in the big leagues and get the big bucks down the road if they can. Hopefully this scrappiness will lead to some aggressive ball playing which could be a lot of fun to watch. The Mets also have been freed-up from

the pressure of championship expectations from 20062009. Most fans I talk to don’t expect anything. That is a liberation, not only for the players but also the fans because anything good that happens this season is gravy and contention for the Division will be the cherry and sprinkles on the sundae. The Mets have National League ball which means classic baseball where pitchers bat. The Mets also have the nicer, more comfortable and more fan-friendly of the two New York ballparks. The food and drinks are better and a whole lot cheaper than in The Bronx, the parking is easier (though not inexpensive) and the ride to my house after the game is just 20-25 minutes. Beers are half the price of Yankee Stadium, which makes alfresco semi-inebriation much more cost effective in these recessionary times. So to slake my desire to wear my Met player jerseys in public, I succumbed to the blandishments (and serious price reductions) of the Met ticket office and bought into a 5-game flex pack. The Mets lowered ticket prices considerably versus two years ago when they were flush with “irrational exuberance” and with their flex packs are also offering free games. On the five-game pack you get a sixth game (against a non-contending team) gratis. Best part of this is you get to pick one of the Yankee-Met games as part of the package, which are my favorite “color war” type games to go to. Thanks to lower prices, I’m sitting on the field level between third base and home, right near the Kosher Sports hotdog and burger stand and not too far from the imported beer shack out in Center. So, once a month I’ll be back at the ballpark chomping kosher dogs and downing them with the $6 Brooklyn Lagers or $7.25 Leffe Belgian Wheat Ales. With Omar Minaya gone and a bunch of 60-somethings now running the team, I think we fans are going to have some fun and with zero expectations should come zero frustrations. Still nothing like a day at the ballpark – the paradigm of the American cultural experience. Everybody clap your hands!

In Praise of Wasabi Herring

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ike most sophisticated New Yorkers I consume a lot of sushi. For some reason, denizens of The Empire State can’t get enough of raw fish seasoned with all manner and type of exotic spices and veggies. It’s protein, it’s light and no one feels guilty consuming four pounds of the stuff (as opposed to potato kugel). There is however one form of sashimi that is the Rodney Dangerfield of fish – I’m talking about the lowly herring. Once consumed with much obsessive gusto by Jewish New Yorkers (on a par or exceeding that of lox/nova/ smoked salmon) with the accretion of the new generation the demure herring has fallen out of favor with broad swaths of our society. Herring in wine sauce, Matjes herring and herring in cream sauce

Hempstead’s Kate Murray: No New Taxes for 2012 CONTINUED FROM P. A5 that it allows the town to maintain important programs and initiatives that stimulate the economy and create jobs while encouraging development that expands the town’s tax base. One such job-creating town service is Hemp-

steadWorks, the town’s onestop career center. Almost 15,000 clients found employment in 2009 through this fee-free service center. Hempstead Town is also supporting the creation of local construction, engineering and associated jobs in the private sector through a $50 million capi-

BY THE LEGENDARY DANNY O’DOUL

Java Nirvana, Free Papers and Sliding Parking for Cedarhurst CONTINUED FROM P. A8

were once staples of the New York Jewish diet. With the diminution of herring’s popularity, what is a self-respecting appetizing man to do? Throw in the towel? Move on to other aquatic creatures? Well, thanks to some creative and inventive minds the herring is being rescued and reinvented (re-engineered even?) for an entirely new generation. Driven by the need to have something to eat with numerous shots of Scotch and other dark liquors on Saturday mornings by Modern Orthodox Jews (one can’t have spirituality without spirits) and equally needing some greater diversity from egg salad and vegetarian chopped liver (what, am I veggie chopped liver?) the geniuses at such Five Towns appetizing establishments as Schwartz’s in Gourmet Glatt and at Brach’s have come up with herring in green wasabi sauce. Now, this has taken herring into an entirely new dimension – a dimension of ancient Far East Asian wisdom – whereby in the deep Japanese tradition of appropriating Western inventions (the herring in this instance) like cars and TVs and making them way better, the herring has been liberated from it’s Lower East Side Jewish and Scandinavian roots and transported to the realm of gourmet sashimi thanks to being marinated in and with wasabi sauce. Truly an inspired and amazing combination of tastes (a “duh” combo like chocolate and peanut butter) it makes one wonder why no one had thought of this before. Now, I don’t know if this was invented in our little corner of Long Island (I’ll have to put a team of crack investigative journalists on this) but Wasabi Herring only made its appearance here less than a year ago and based on the reaction at Kiddush tables, I predict BIG things for Wasabi Herring globally. Following up on this innovation, the appetizing gods have also recently devised herring in spicy pink mayo and in a mustard sauce and something called “Mediterranean Herring”, not as good as the wasabi version but plenty original and tasty just the same. These are not your grandfather’s herrings. What it wash this down with? Why, Yamazaki 12 or 18-year-old Japanese Single Malt, naturally. The Japanese have managed to deconstruct Scotch and put it back together again even better than they do in Scotland. Bonsai bubby!

tal improvement program. The program funds road and building construction, marine bulkhead work and other job-boosting projects. Finally, Hempstead’s well-managed budgets and stable tax base have attracted three major development projects for the coming year that will create jobs and generate local economic activity.

I can either watch the flat screen television, answer email, or just partake, listen, and participate in the scintillating conversations that take place among the smokers. In fact, Mark, and his right hand men, Sal and Harold, sometimes have to physically move away from these raconteurs and relocate to other parts of the store because the discussions are of such a coruscating intensity and genius that to listen any further would be tantamount to staring straight into the sun. Oh, and did I tell you, the other thing I never pay for is a newspaper. On several days, especially during the winter months, I “borrow” The New York Times from my dear neighbors – a prominent dentist who goes to his office shortly before the European stock markets open and his wife, who does not usually go out shopping until 9:00 a.m., so I can easily read all the sections and replace the whole paper both the clear and the blue wrappers and toss it on their stoop by 8:35. On those rare days when I actually miss out on partaking of my neighbor’s paper, I will go to Starbucks in Hewlett and sit down with my CupOne (the cups look similar anyway) and a “borrowed” New York Times from the stack. I do make sure to throw a dollar in the tip jar for the baristas just so that they don’t think I being an ungrateful jerk or some millionaire shnorrer! And, did you know there is a place where you can help yourself to books – bestsellers, classics, westerns, philosophical tomes, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues, CD’s and DVD’s? Yes, really –it’s called the “library” and the only drawback to this free bookstore is that they do not serve free coffee, permit cigar smoking, or even have a Starbucks Café inside, like Barnes and Noble. I highly recommend the library, so make sure to look up the location of your local branch by Googling “library + the name of your town.” And, would you believe that “Google” is an entirely free website which contains all the information in the entire world, except maybe the answer to that age old conundrum – why do people keep shopping on the Central Avenue in Cedarhurst - when the odds of simultaneously getting a bargain and avoiding a parking ticket are slightly higher than hitting lotto two weeks in a row. The Avenue is the kind of place where people actually pay for their coffee and BUY books – hence, the existence of Toddy’s – where sharp-dressed gals actually order their bagels “scooped out,” with cream cheese “on the side” and their coffee – half regular, half decaf, with no with two Splenda’s, one Sweet-N-Lo

and no fat milk frothed. Then these vixens deftly cross in the middle of the street and settle into Blue Door Books – where people are encouraged to actually “buy” books. Oh, if I were a rich man – I would be a really deedle-deidle high-living, coffee purchasing, book buying kind of man! No, I wouldn’t have to work hard, and I wouldn’t have to use up my Supersol Special Saving Stamps (“SSSS”) on free bottles of diet coke and a dozen eggs for 89 cents, and I would be able to build and save up my SSSS collection for a Buick. And, I would be able to actual-

“

Where sharp-dressed gals actually order their bagels “scooped out,” with cream cheese “on the side” and their coffee – half regular, half decaf, with no with two Splenda’s, one Sweet- N-Lo and no fat milk frothed.

ly buy the fancy stuff featured “in the showcase” at Amazing Savings – not just the specials on the end caps and next to the checkout cash registers. That, and I’d be able to stop next door and buy that cool roast breast of veal at Mauzone’s, and the little red roast potatoes – not just the Fried Chicken – Kasha Vaneshkas spectacular deal that I am currently limited to – which still happens to be one of the eight great wonders of the world. Another great wonder of the world is why the Village of Cedarhurst has not dreamed this up yet – charging sliding rates for the village’s parking meters according to the make of car parked in the spot. Yesterday, I parked my Dan Marquis in a spot which still had 30 minutes left (these are the kind of spots I actively seek out and will move if the spot requires any additional investment) and across the street, the driver of a current model Bentley was putting a quarter in the meter. I thought – why isn’t he charged something like $16 for a half hour? After all, his car cost about 48 times more than mine and probably had a fully-functioning transmission! If you want to talk the talk – shouldn’t you be forced to pony up and walk the walk? Back in the Bronx, where I’m

train passing through, the fire truck coming out of the firehouse, rush hour, and everyone is backed up and honking.” The traffic on Peninsula Boulevard has recently been a consistent problem, and is due to the Department of Public works connecting pipes near Harris Avenue and Peninsula Boulevard. Kopel stated that they’re also planning to cross pipes between

”

ly seeking employment and are so fully immersed in their job hunts that they are rarely seen on The Avenue not talking to headhunter on their cell phones, or networking with other local businesswomen. In fact, I am surprised that there are not more “pedestrian collisions” among those walking in their own “Private Idaho’s” on The Avenue. I personally remember one afternoon in Manhattan about twenty years ago when I was strolling easterly down a crossstreet in the 50’s and hit something short, squat and solid. Well, it turned out to be none other than Dr. “Ruth” Westheimer – and she wound up on the floor and pretty angry, with all kinds of mojo curses wishing “E.D” and “unfulfilled needs” on me. As I gallantly offered to scrape her off the pavement – which she clearly was not having any of, I tore a hasty escape, and quickly turned into a nearby Chase Bank, poured myself a nice cup of hot black mud in a plain white Styrofoam cup – no lid – and began walking down the street with my cup thrust out in front of me like some sort of divining rod – confident in knowing that everyone, including miniature sex therapists, would surely stay out of my way!

This is The Legendary Danny O’Doul signing off and wishing everyone a truly wonderful weekend in which your coffee, Saturday afternoon read, and Sunday paper are all entirely free of charge. And, as always, watch where you’re walking on The Avenue!

Five Towns Gridlock: Broadway and Franklin Avenue in Hewlett CONTINUED FROM P. A5

originally from, you’d say something like “damn straight” and then follow it with the Bronx cheer. Here in the Five Towns some men are proud to drive a “sitting room on wheels”. Perhaps, Mayor Parise will read this column and quickly amend the Village constitution to allow for “proportional parking fees” – which should surely endear both the municipality and himself to our President. Perhaps, Cedarhurst will then be entitled to a special federal package which will create much needed jobs for all the Five Town housewives who so desperate-

Rockaway and Peninsula, which will be about six days of night work, and that it will likely be “a mess.” Doughty Boulevard is going to undergo some construction, as well as the intersection of Harris and Gibson, which will last for eight weeks, but the start date of both projects is yet to be determined. The ripped up pavement along Peninsula slows down traffic, too, and according to Kopel, the roads will be repaved once the work is

done. Despite numerous attempts, the commissioner of the Department Public Works could not be reached for comment. So far, the only plans in place are that the Department of Public Works is going to do another study, Kopel stated. “Hopefully, they’re going to look at those as well (past studies) with a fresh eye. The past studies looked at things like parking, all kinds of ugly things. The traffic circle idea has never been considered. I’m asking the Department of Public Works to look at it… I’m not a traffic engineer, but I can make a suggestion and well see where it goes,” Kopel said.

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

MARCH 18-24, 2011

Legislative Roundup

Your Weekly Guide to How Our Elected Officials Are Voting and What They’re Voting On. Carolyn McCarthy , U.S. Representative, New York’s 4th District Voted NAY On Passage of Bill H.Con.Res. 30 (Passed, awaiting Senate vote) Mar 15, 2011. This bill is for the providing for a conditional adjournment of the House of Representatives and a conditional recess or adjournment of the Senate. Voted AYE On Passage of Bill H J RES 48 (Passed, awaiting Senate vote) Mar 15, 2011. This bill makes further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2011 and revises funding at specified rates of operations for certain agricultural, conservation, and rural development programs. Voted YEA On Motion to Recommit with Instructions of H J RES 48 (Passed, awaiting Senate vote) Mar 15, 2011 Voted NAY On Passage H. Res. 167 (Passed) Mar 15, 2011 This bill sets forth the rule for the consideration of the joint resolution (H J Res 48, from above) making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2011. Voted YEA On Passage of Bill H. Con. Res. 27 (Passed, awaiting Senate vote) Mar 14, 2011. This bill is for the acceptance in the name of the United States a Gerald R. Ford statue fur-

nished by the people of Michigan to be placed in the U.S. Capitol. Voted YEA On Passage of Bill H.R. 793 (Passed, awaiting Senate vote) Mar 14, 2011. This bill is for the designation of the United States Postal Service located at 12781 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Inverness, California, as the “Specialist Jake Robert Velloza Post Office.” Voted NO On Passage of Bill H.R. 836 (Passed, awaiting Senate vote) Mar 11, 2011. This bill is for the rescinding and permanent cancellation of all un-obligated funding remaining available under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act for the Emergency Mortgage Relief Program. Voted AYE On Motion to Recommit with Instructions of Bill H.R. 836 (Failed) Mar 11, 2011. Voted AYE to Amendment 3 to H.R. 836 (Failed) Mar 11, 2011. This vote is for an amendment to the Congressional Record to direct Housing and Urban Development Department to publish on its website, no later than five days after the bill’s enactment, to “contact your Member of Congress for assistance.” Voted NO On Passage of Bill H.R. 830 (Passed, awaiting Senate vote) Mar 10, 2011. This bill is for the Fed-

eral Housing Administration Refinance Program Termination Act that calls for the rescinding and permanent cancellation of all unused funding remaining available and allocated for the Federal Housing Administration Refinancing Program of the Making Home Affordable initiative of the Secretary of the Treasury. Under this act, borrowers owing more on their mortgage than the value of their home can refinance into a FHA loan. Voted AYE On Motion to Recommit with Instructions: H.R. 830 (FHA Refinance Program Termination Act) March 10, 2011. Voted AYE to Amendment 11 to H.R. 830 (Agreed) Mar 10, 2011. This vote is for an amendment to the Congressional Record to require the Secretary to post a statement prominently on the web which explains that the FHA Short Refinance Program has been terminated and includes a contact for borrowers who are uncertain as how to proceed. Voted AYE to Amendment 3 to H.R. 830 (Failed) Mar 10, 2011. This vote is for an amendment to the Congressional Record to strike language in the bill terminating the Mortgagee Letter 2010-23, which provided guidance for the FHA Refinance Program. Voted NO On Passage to Bill H. Res 150 (Passed)

Mar 9, 2011 This vote sets forth the rule for consideration of the bill (H.R. 830) to rescind the unobligated funding for the FHA Refinance Program and to terminate the program. Voted NAY On Ordering the Previous Question: H.Res.150 (Passed) Mar 9, 2011 Same as above. Voted YEA On Passage to Bill H.R. 525 (Passed, awaiting Senate vote) Mar 8, 2011 This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to revise a public health workforce grant program designed to increase the number of individuals in the public health workforce to include a health professions school or program of veterinary public health. Voted YEA On Passage to Bill H.R. 570 (Passed, awaiting Senate vote) Mar 8, 2011 This bill is for the Dental Emergency Responder Act of 2011 and it amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the inclusion of dental health facilities in the National Health Security Strategy for purposes of preparedness during public health emergencies.

State Senator Dean G. Skelos, 9th District. Voted AYE to Bill S3331-2011 (Passed, Referred to governmental operations) Mar 14, 2011 This bill proposes a

constitutional amendment to create a non-partisan five member apportionment commission, four members of which shall be appointed by the majority and minority officers of the legislature and the fifth to be selected by the aforesaid four, to create new legislative districts. It requires districts to be more compact and sets standards to establish legislative districts. This bill will not go into effect until 2022. Voted AYE to Bill S3900-2011 (Passed, Referred to codes) Mar 14, 2011 This bill creates the crimes of criminal interference with a funeral service in the first and second degrees. A criminal interference in the first degree is now a class E felony and one in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor. Voted AYE to Bill S3901-2011 (Passed, Referred to veterans’ affairs) Mar 14, 2011 This bill regulates protests at funerals of deceased military members. Voted AYE to Bill S3164-2011 (Passed, Referred to Energy) Mar 8, 2011 This bill creates the recharge New York power program and extends the expiration of the power for jobs program and energy cost savings benefit program. It authorizes certain contributions. CONTINUED ON P. B3

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Shamrocks and Hamantaschen Abound as St. Patrick’s Day and Purim Bracket One Another this Week BY SUSAN VARGHESE STANDARD ASSOCIATE EDITOR

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t. Patrick’s Day and Purim celebrators share, if nothing else, a common mantra - “eat, drink, and be merry,” with an emphasis on drink. Culturally, both holidays involve massive amounts of drinking, but according to community leaders, there are more to both holidays than hamantaschen and a few pints of Guinness. St. Patrick’s Day was yesterday, March 17, and Purim starts Saturday evening, March 19 and runs through the 20. Purim is based on a story that speaks about courage and hope, explained Rabbi Rosenbaum of Temple Israel of Lawrence. “The courage of Esther, a young Jewish woman, who through her solitary act, with encouragement of her uncle, saved the Jews of Persia 2,600 years ago,” Rosenbaum said. The Talmud directs revelers to drink until they can’t tell the difference between the villain, Haman, and the hero, Mordechai, but the line between excessive drinking and joyous celebration can often be blurred. Rosenbaum noted that it shouldn’t be taken literally, as many people have, but rather “to show that it’s a time of great joy, celebrating our survival to find joy in our heritage and tradition.” Rosenbaum also noted that there’s nothing wrong with “making a ‘L’Chaim’ during happy occasions like Purim. “The message is because of the victory in Persia, the Jews didn’t have to fear for their lives. They were able to take a respite from the tension. Make a ‘L’Chaim’ if that’s one’s tradition,” Rosenbaum added, “not by underage individuals or people driving cars.” The owners of John Q Wine and Liquor store in Hewlett said they’re preparing by stocking up on merchandise, Five Towns Wine and Liquors in Inwood said they’re stocking up on kosher wines, and Moshe Fink, owner of Chateau de Vin in Cedarhurst, said people are buying in bulk, kosher wine being especially popular. But, Rabbi Zalman Wolowik from Chabad of the Five Towns had more alcohol-free activities in mind. Wolowik has planned a “Fiddler On The Roof” themed Purim. “We dress up, we give each other fruit baskets and perform all the deeds that pertain to expressing the joy of Purim.” Wolowik noted that they focus on “trying not to forget people” and recruit volunteers to help spread the Purim spirit by CONTINUED ON P. B7

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Opinion

MARCH 18-24, 2011

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

Howa r d Ba r banel Editor and Publisher

Susan V a r ghes e

Lee R eynolds

Associate Editor

Director of Advertising

Jc Chan Jonath an Wa l ter

Ba r bara P fister er Office Manager

Staff Reporters

The South Shore Standard is published by Standard Media Group, LLC, 1024 Broadway, Woodmere, NY 11598 • (516) 341-0445 • Fax: (516) 374-4068 StandardLI.com • All Contents ©2011, Standard Media Group.

EDITORIALS

A New Voice for The Five Towns

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e’d like to welcome you to the premier issue of The South Shore Standard. It has been some time now since there has been a truly local general interest newspaper by and for The Five Towns. By local we mean that our owners live here and work here. It means our office is here. All of our columnists come from here. Being right here (our office is smack in the middle of downtown Woodmere) means we have our ears pressed firmly to the ground, your concerns are our concerns, your interests are our interests, your problems and issues effect us equally. Our prosperity is tied to yours because we’re your neighbors. Our Editor and Publisher, Howard Barbanel’s family has been here since the early 70s, he went to high school here and has been living here again himself for more than a decade. Barbanel was editing a school newspaper and yearbook right here in Lawrence back in the 70s and then went on to NYU where he also edited one of the school papers then on to the University of Miami for a Masters in Publishing Management. Next came about 15 years in various top publishing spots including being the founding COO of The Forward’s English edition with Seth Lipsky in the early 90s. An 18-year detour into the wine business ended last year. After running Josh Wanderer’s breathtakingly close first-time campaign for Assembly this Fall and seeing the need for a paper that accurately reflected the needs, news and interests of this community, he embarked on creating The Standard. We hope this newspaper will be an accurate reflection of our diverse readership. We pledge accuracy and objectivity in our news coverage and a lively exchange of views in our opinion pages. We’re going to be hyper local. Everything happening here is of interest to us from your favorite school and amateur teams to your organizations, charities, houses of worship and cultural events. Please feel free to participate with us in print or online, let us know what’s happening and share your opinions on our letters page and online. Most everything you see here in print will be available on our website, StandardLI.com, so whichever place you choose to read and interact with us is fine. The Standard is a FREE press. There’s no charge for either the print or online editions. Please be our guests. All we ask and hope for is your engagement with us, your feedback and participation so we can all work together to make The Five Towns a great place for us and our children.

The Nuttiness in Nassau

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BY THE LEGENDARY DANNY O’DOUL

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Java Nirvana, Free Papers and Sliding Parking for Cedarhurst

was just putting my finishing touches on the 2011 edition of “O’Doul’s Guide to Free Coffee in the Five Towns,” when I realized that I was in immediate and urgent need of a hot cup of Joe and since my personal supply of beans was running a bit low, I decided to do a free coffee run, myself. So, I entered my trusty, ultra-rare 1999 Mercury Grand Marquis – Park Lane Edition with padded leather half-roof and landau lights on the center window pillars. What happened next was enough to almost avert my sacred mission – almost. As I backed out of my driveway, a noise similar to two metal garbage cans being fed simultaneously through an industrial-strength paper shred-

(Or, NIFA is Not Nifty)

ere’s the $176 million question: Where was the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority (NIFA) for the eight years of Tom Suozzi’s administration of Nassau and the ten years the Democrats controlled the County Legislature? Despite many and varied forms of slick bookkeeping to conceal the rotten foundation of Nassau’s finances from much of the public along with budgets balanced on the backs of homeowners in the form of a never ending parade of taxes and fees, there was nary a peep from the Democrat-controlled NIFA board. Clearly, NIFA was unconcerned about Suozzi’s last budget which showed a deficit of $133 million for 2010. Now that Ed Mangano is County Executive and the Republicans coincidentally are in the control of the Legislature for the first time in 10 years, all of a sudden the Democrat NIFA commissioners have stepped in (any conflict of interest in one of the NIFA members having been Suozzi’s former budget director?) and seized control of the County’s finances by changing the budgeting rules in the middle of the game. For a decade funds borrowed to pay for property tax refunds and other aspects of the failed home assessment system were able to be counted as income in the budget. Only with the 2011 Mangano budget did NIFA step in and say, “no deal.” What’s good for the goose (Democrat Tom Suozzi) should be equally good for the gander (Republican Ed Mangano). In denying Mangano the ability to use the same income reporting as Suozzi, NIFA is trying to force the Republicans to increase taxes to bridge the gap and discredit (literally and figuratively) Mangano in the eyes of the voters. Mangano inherited a real budgetary mess and has done a good job his almost 14 months on the job. He’s cut nearly $150 million in spending including cutting the county workforce to its lowest staffing levels since the 1950s. He also did this while cutting taxes and surcharges (like the hated energy tax). Mangano needs a chance to restructure the failed property assessment system and tackle some of the overly generous union contracts that place untenable burdens on county taxpayers. The challenges Nassau faces are similar to those in other jurisdictions as diverse as New York City, Washington and Wisconsin: Too much bloat, too many entitlements and too much spending over way too long of a time. NIFA seems less interested in straightening out the County’s finances in an impartial non-partisan way and more interested in making it difficult for Mangano to succeed in his plan to cut spending and cut taxes.

der emanated from underneath the massive trunk of my classic motorcar. This is certainly not the way a fine American nearluxury sedan from Detroit’s Golden Age of Automobiles is supposed to sound while going in reverse. In fact, a quick perusal of the Mercury Owner’s Manual in my glove box, revealed that this was clearly, “not good.” Much worse was that Mercury for the 1999 model year, surprisingly, did not come with a 12-Year Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty. Well, after managing to roll down the slightly inclined 30 foot blacktop that I affectionately re-

fer to as “my driveway,” I managed to shift the vehicle into drive whereupon it was propelled with the alacrity of a nuclear submarine tearing out of its moorings at the Norfolk West Virginia Naval Base in hot pursuit of Somali pirates. As I quickly assessed my instrument panel’s diagnostics and listened to the purring of both the engine and the “whine-free” gearbox, I concluded that any transmission problems were relegated to that infrequently used mode, “Reverse.” Certainly, I could live with this minor inconvenience and continue my important trip to Trader Joe’s, which is the pinnacle or “holy grail” of free coffee in the Five Towns. Richly aromatic, available as the “daily

blend” in both caffeine and decaf versions, this deep, flavorful black nectar is housed in stateof-the-art temperature- controlled carafes, featuring powerful “pump action,” and milk, cream and sweetener are provided for the java connoisseur and brewed-coffee tyro, alike. Best of all, Trader Joe’s maintains its coffee station with a “bottomless cup” policy and customers are encouraged to visit several times during their shopping trip, or visit the store several times a day and use it as your very own, “personal coffee shop!” There is an extra benefit with selecting the Hewlett location of Trader Joe’s as your home base – its close proximity to Capital One Bank on Broadway (a/k/a “CupOne Bank”), where you can pick up your own large cup of genuine “Keurig” coffee, poured into a thick paper stock cup with a quality plastic cover and take one “on the road” for your trip back to your home or office. Now, if only these freecoffee venues served bagels and cream cheese – I would have to proclaim the Five Towns to be “nirvana.” And, speaking of nirvana – after downing two freebie demitasse cups at Trader Joe’s, I hit CupOne for a quick Green Mountain House Blend, black with no sweetener and capped it to go. Throwing the Mercury effortlessly into drive while I sipped my take-out brew , I headed off in hurry to my own piece of heaven on this earth – Cigar Superstore on Sunrise Highway in Valley Stream, where I can snag a wonderful “no-name” Honduran robusto, gratis matchbook and “free coffee” all for under $3.00. For this very fair price I also get to relax in a comfy leather club chair and listen to a fantastic classic rhythm and blues play list culled and archived by Mark, the manager and resident expert on tobacco, really cool watches and curator of a remarkable collection of remote control civilian, military and avionic scale model vehicles. While smoking in my seat, CONTINUED ON P. A6

THE ZEITGEIST WITH HOWARD BARBANEL

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I Need 65° and I Need It Now.

ike many of you, I unfortunately burn oil to heat my home. I’ve got a 50plus year-old beast of a burner down in my basement which probably emerged from the foundry at the same time as the boilers for the Titanic (which is also probably why it continues to chug along year after year, what with it being made from solid steel and not plastic). Come what may with the outside temperature or occasional puddles down in the nether reaches of my basement this burner keeps cranking out the heat and hot water, sending surges of old fashioned scalding hot steam to my 1920-vintage cast iron radiators. Now when this steam engine was initially installed, I bet that home heating oil was five cents a gallon. Maybe they were even giving it away. Right now however, on the last bill from my dependable oil people, I see that the charge per gallon has risen to $3.94 and at 127 gallons came to over $500. We have a story in this week’s issue about the ever escalating expense of oil and gasoline but you don’t need that to tell you that the cost of warmth and mobility are reaching new challenges to household cash flow management.

Yeah, I hear all the time about natural gas. The thing is, to remove the existing burner and put in new stuff costs something like $5,000 along with having legions of plumbers wreak havoc on my basement for a week. It would probably take three years for the natural gas savings (on years when there are savings versus oil) to pay for it all. The other issue for me is a deep set paranoia about being the one house in the Five Towns that gets blown to smithereens by a gas leak explosion (you see these all the time on TV, don’t tell me they don’t happen every year) with my being catapulted to kingdom come in the middle of the night courtesy of National Grid. Rational? Hardly. The real solution here to my heating angst is for the weather to finally climb north of 60 degrees for a sustained period and preferably above 65 so that heat becomes irrelevant. The daffodils, crocuses and tulip tips peaking out from the now thawing ground are harbingers and teases of the balmy temperatures on the horizon. These past two winters here have been a real throwback to the winters of my youth in the 60s and 70s – real, deep cold combined with a lot of snow and ice. Unrelenting and unremitting. I’d like to send the bill for “global warm-

ing” over to Al Gore. Maybe he’d like to fill my oil tank. Having spent a week in Florida in February and blissfully missing one of our big storms has made me ponder just how much our area would be paradise if only we had an median temperature of 70. Thankfully, we’re in the 50s most days now, which means the scarves and gloves are back in the closet, we’re wearing lighter coats, and come next week with the first day of Spring, the banishment of my corduroy pants to the back of the closet until next November. I love cords and the preppy-tweedy look and am excited to don them around Thanksgiving time but I have a rigidly inflexible fashion policy of no cords after March 21st and no whites after September 22nd. So, I’m hoping that with the cords put away, the flowers will yet reemerge and we’ll see 65 degrees which I need now not only to stop supporting Big Oil (and the hedge fund/commodity speculators) but also to sit on the porch, warm my bones and get more natural Vitamin D into the bloodstream.

Yes, I Bought Met Tickets

I

just couldn’t help myself. When it comes to the New York Mets I’m kind of like

an abused spouse who keeps coming back for more, or a crack addict who just can’t shake the addiction. So help me G-d, I love baseball and I love the Mets. I’m even watching Spring Training games on WPIX and SNY. Though more often than not utterly unworthy of my affections, this is the team to which I pledged my troth at the ripe old age of five or six. My blood runs orange, blue and black and I’ve never been able to wrap my hands or my heart around Bronx pinstripes. This is a team very much on the ropes from just about any and every perspective imaginable – financially, the team owners were mauled by Bernie Madoff (as were quite a CONTINUED ON P. A6

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

MARCH 18-24, 2011

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NIFA – The Democrats They Took Paradise and Made it a Parking Lot Take Control of Nassau? A DEMOCRATIC VOICE

BY STEPHEN ANCHIN

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hey say all politics is local, so I guess that as a Long Islander for 60 years - a resident of the Five Towns for 50 of those years - I am as local a voice as you can find. But local doesn’t mean naïve: we live next door to New York City. Our parents or grandparents moved to Long Island for a better-quality life and a healthy place to raise a family, where opportunities were limitless. To live the new 20th century American dream. But somewhere along the last 60 years, that dream has been lost on Long Island, thanks to 110 years of unbroken Republican-run government in the Town of Hempstead and nearly as long in Nassau County. These days, as I watch Republican governors and legislators around the country use the Great Recession to take our communities back to a mythical time before the Great Depression, to bust unions and destroy our social safety net

under the guise of cutting spending and balancing budgets, I wonder: how does this relate to us in Nassau County or the Town of Hempstead? How will it affect the quality of our lives in suburban Long Island? Will they do to our country what they did to our suburban paradise? How is the quality of life in our one-party town? Unfortunately, the only honest answer is “not very good.” Our seniors can’t afford to live here any more. Our kids can’t afford to move out or buy their own homes, to settle down and raise a family here. School taxes are unaffordable. Even our animal shelter is mismanaged and filled with “fat cat” patronage jobs. The Republican County Executive, Ed Mangano, not only can’t balance a budget, he has driven us to the brink of being taken over by NIFA. Why? How? Those of us who grew up here, stayed here, moved through life here know what has gone wrong. Through lack of planning, political corrup-

tion and cronyism, we have ended up with ugly suburban sprawl, deteriorating downtowns and the lack of vision to move into the 21st Century. Like the calcified rulers in the Middle East, the Republicans responsible for our way of life are only interested in taking care of their own way of life, unable to step aside and let new minds and new technologies repair all they have either destroyed or allowed to decay. They are afraid of the future. They don’t know how to clean up their mess. There is no way to return to a mythical past. Cutting back services, decimating public transportation, gutting the safety net, blocking affordable housing proj-

Stephen Anchin graduated from the Hewlett-Woodmere school system, raised his and wife Jane’s family in Woodmere and currently lives in Hewlett. He is the immediate past President of the Five Towns Democratic Club and is the Hewlett Democratic Zone Leader. Steve was in the wine and spirits industry for over 30 years. He currently is a real estate agent with Jan Kalman Realty in Woodmere.

DEAR THAT’S LIFE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Best Cookies In The World BY MIRIAM WALLACH

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hocolate chip cookies are the eighth wonder of the world. No matter if your preference is soft or crispy there are few things as comforting as a cup of coffee and warm cookies. I am powerless in their presence. They are my kryptonite. Sometimes, I find the cookie itself completely unnecessary, maybe even superfluous. Eating the chips themselves straight out of the bag is perfection. Swipe some peanut butter on a spoon first so those chocolate chips do not roll off (disaster averted) and you have really got something there. As a soft cookie devotee, crispy ones are of no interest to me and with few exceptions, I have a policy: if I have not baked it, I will not eat it. My thinking is that if I am going to splurge, they may as well be mine. I enjoy baking and these cookies are just the way I like them. My children are good for many things, most importantly for keeping me grounded.

A Benefit to Working Families

If I ever need a reality check, they are there waiting faithfully. Having gone food shopping with them last week, they did not disappoint as packages of Pillsbury ready to bake chocolate chip cookies were tossed into my cart. “You’re bringing that into my house?” I exclaimed and yes, in fact, they were. I sighed. These are the same kids who would rather eat boxed macaroni and cheese with a sauce made from powder than the recipe I make from a roux. I waved my white flag and into the house came the package. Should I remind them that I have won cooking contests? What’s the use - they are not impressed. Bottom line is that I have to weigh-in tomorrow at Weight Watchers and I have not been a faithful dieter for the last two days. I can push off the weigh-in for another day or two – who hasn’t? - but what’s the use and who am I kidding. When I took the chocolate chip cookies out of the freezer CONTINUED ON P. B4

To The Editor: The Standard is a wonderful addition to not only the Five Towns community, but to the entire South Shore of Long Island as a whole. Congratulations on the printing of your first edition. I wish you much success and a continued impact on our community. The in-depth community news coverage and editorial comment that the Standard has pledged to publish will benefit the working families and seniors of the area. As Senior Councilman for the Town of Hempstead, proudly representing the areas of Hewlett, Hewlett Bay Park, Hewlett Harbor, and Hewlett Neck on the Town Board, I can tell you that nothing can be better for our community than another voice advocating for the community. If I can every be of assistance in answering questions or if I can help any one of your readers, do not hesitate to call on me. I will be happy to address any local issue of concern that you may have. I can be reached in my office at 812-3200 or via e-mail at asantino@tohmail.org. Much success to the South Shore Standard in all its upcoming issues.

Anthony J. Santino

Miriam L. Wallach, MS.ed., M.A., has

Senior Councilman Town of Hempstead

been writing “That’s Life” for close to five years. She lives in Woodmere with her husband and six children and can be found all week long on her blog at www. dearthatslife.com.

Congratulations! To The Editor:

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Edward P. Mangano Nassau County Executive

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ately, you have been reading a great deal about Nassau County’s finances in the newspapers. Recently, NIFA (which stands for Nassau Interim Finance Authority) declared a “control period.” Back in June of 2000, bi-partisan legislation created NIFA to assist the county in getting its financial house back in order. With this came a $100 million bailout that required the county, to among other things, fix its broken home assessment system. From January 2002 to 2010, Tom Suozzi was the County Executive whose responsibility it was to work with NIFA and fix Nassau’s finances and its dysfunctional assessment system. However, Suozzi and the Democrat Majority, over their eight years running the County Executive’s office and 10 years in control of the County Legislature fixed nothing. In fact, they made it worse. In addition, Tom Suozzi and the Democrat majority left the new County Executive Ed Mangano with a $133 million deficit. For the past year, Mr. Mangano worked diligently with the new Republican Majority in the County Legislature to close this deficit, so much so that we have ended fiscal year 2010 with a small surplus. Now after only a few months into implementing his first budget (last year’s fiscally unsound budget was Suozzi’s) NIFA has declared the $2.6 billion county budget structurally imbalanced to the tune of $176 million dollars and declared a “control period.” While not getting too technical, NIFA has said that certain revenue items and other budget practices in the Mangano budget are risky and not acceptable under normal accounting principles. Now what is interesting is that these same items and bud-

Always Room For A Well Written Paper To The Editor: I am very pleased to welcome The South Shore Standard to the neighborhood. There is always room for a new, well written general interest newspaper that serves the needs and sensibilities of the residents of the Five Towns and the South Shore. Publishing a local newspaper that consists of relevant editorial content, hard-hitting news, and shows a respectful, empathetic perspective to your readers is a valuable public service, and a laudable undertaking. I wish you much success and great longevity in this endeavor. I look forward

Fran Becker is a member of the Nassau County Legislature and was most recently the Republican Candidate for Congress in the district which includes the Five Towns.

to being a loyal reader and a regular correspondent . Sincerely,

Howard J. Kopel Legislator – 7th District Nassau County

A Strong Independent Voice

the South Shore may herald a new era, one in which news is not filtered through a prism biased toward failed policies of the past. A strong, independent voice, not beholden to special interests, will be an asset to Long Island. Best of luck in your worthy endeavor.

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I am pleased to welcome The South Shore Standard to Nassau County. As the only general interest community newspaper based and produced in the Five Towns, The South Shore Standard will cover issues important to residents of Southwest Nassau County. Fives Towns community members will be served by a staff of talented and hardworking editors, reporters and photographers who are all committed to bringing them latest news and information. I congratulate Publisher Howard Barbanel on this effort and wish the entire staff of The South Shore Standard the best of luck during this exciting new era in the Five Towns community.

get practices that NIFA has declared as their reason for declaring a “control period,” are the same that were permitted by NIFA from 2002 to 2010 in the Suozzi budgets. This has left the County Executive and my colleagues in the Republican caucus crying “foul.” Not only are almost all the NIFA Board Members Democrat, one also happens to be Mr. Suozzi’s former budget director. This has led Mr. Mangano to state recently that “the architects of Nassau’s budget mess are now acting as its watchdogs”. Mr. Mangano took NIFA to court because he believed that the actions of NIFA were both illegal and capricious. Unfortunately, we cannot sue NIFA for being political and trying to undermine the success of the new County Executive. This week, however, the judge has ruled in favor of NIFA despite the objections of the Count Executive and the Republican Majority. I believe it is unlikely the County Executive will appeal the decision and will do his best to work with NIFA. How this can be accomplished is going to be very difficult. By declaring certain budget revenues and items unacceptable, NIFA has tied the hands of the County Executive in his ability to satisfy their standards and requirements for a balanced budget. He has asked NIFA on numerous occasions to make suggestions as to how to balance the budget and what they would find to be acceptable, to which they have been mute. It almost seems they are putting the County Executive in a corner trying to force him to raise taxes, forcing him to go back on his pledges not to do so. Despite this, the County Executive and Republican Majority have dawn a line in the sand and refuse to raise taxes on our already heavily over-taxed and beleaguered residents and businesses. Stay tuned.

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ects -- all these policies make it impossible for our downtowns to attract new people and new businesses – to rebuild our tax base. Republican policies (or lack thereof) and mismanagement are not the answer. They are the path to further ruin, the only path our local Republican governments seems to know. We need to take back the future from those who apparently can only see in a rearview mirror. There is no going back to the halcyon days of the 1950s. We need to take our parking lot and turn it into a new vibrant paradise. We need to sweep out the Republican governing class and allow Democrats to take us to that future.

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MARCH 18-24, 2011

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

Avenue

MARCH 18-24, 2011

the

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HOUSE & HOME • SPORTS • FASHION & FEATURES

STYLE T RENDS FOR SPRING A Peek Into What’s In Store At Uccelli

A Peek Into Uccelli

Faye Klausner pictured (clockwise) with Betsey Johnson ($270), Missoni ($760), Ruth Tarvydas ($590), Just Cavalli ($430), and REDValentino ($675)

BY SUSAN VARGHESE STANDARD ASSOCIATE EDITOR

T

he streets of Cedarhurst will be awash with powerful hues of hot pink, bright blue, and orange if Faye Klausner’s spring trend predictions are accurate.

Klausner, owner of Uccelli boutique in Cedarhurst, said that aside from powerful colors, and romantic designs; prints, dresses, and longer skirts would also be sought-after trends this season. “They’re trying to bring long skirts back, I’m not a fan. I like legs,” Klausner joked. Klausner noted that the skirts are also fuller, and more reminiscent of 1950s fashion. Klausner also noted that aside from trends, specific de-

a striped Missoni skirt ($485), which could be paired

residents different? Edge, said Klausner. “Out here it’s

signers are big this season. “REDValentino (a sub-brand

with bright pink Love Moschino button-down ($250), a

classic towards trendy, with a bit of an edge.”

of Valentino) and Moschino, always, always get it right…

cropped, tan jacket by Venezia-Milano ($175), and simple

it’s a great season for Blumarine. It happens to be a great

black heels by Pollini to finish off the look ($530). For

season for Betsey Johnson. Sometimes she’s too edgy

dressier occasions, Klausner displayed a flowing pink

and quirky, but she’s sort of put it together with good

and blue gown by Ema Savahl ($1095).

fabrics,” said Klausner. Klausner also found some outfits fit for spring, like

Behind Uccelli

K

lausner is a Lawrence native who opened Uccelli 14 years ago, due to a demand for her personal style,

Fashion aficionados everywhere can be found wearing spring trends, but what makes the style of Five Towns

she said. “I was traveling to Europe at that time…

and every time I’d come back wearing something, everybody would say ‘Ooh, where did you get it?’” Despite her partiality to European fashion, Klausner strives to maintain a balance and has both European and American designers in her store, she said. According to Klausner, European designers are always one step ahead, but American designers have come a long way, and furnish what she refers to as a “beautiful product.” “We have to support an American made product…It’s keeping the local economy strong, which is important.” While Uccelli caters to women of all ages and backgrounds, Klausner does not specifically shop for religious or cultural requirements, she said. Trends such as the longer skirts could provide a modest option for some of the conservative Five Towns residents, and Klausner noted that she’s still willing to adjust to customers needs. “I have a handful of clientele that are special to me. I work with them, make it work for their length, the neck, the sleeves—I fix and I recreate. I have an excellent seamstress, I take my vision and I bring it to her and

Klausner adjusting a featured gown by Ruth Tarvydas ($800) Standard Photos by JC Chan

she puts it together. This way you look fashionable but you’re dressed modestly, the way the [Jewish] religion dictates, and you don’t look like everybody else.”

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MARCH 18-24, 2011

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

THE TIMES CROSSWORD 1

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ACROSS 1 No longer taking part — may be in touch (3,2,4) 6 Embraced by Darcy, Lizzie recalled clinging fabric (5) 9 Be quick with hot, spicy food, about to go to town (5,2) 10 Opera producer disappearing outside, hiccuping uncontrollably (7) 11 Head off yellow bird (5) 12 Most awkward part of orchestration — one kept in time (9) 14 Leather worn to tease (3) 15 Sticking out in favour of underground rave (11) 17 Dismissed for failing to meet delivery? (5,6) 19 Rod given signal to come on (3) 20 Eating out, perhaps, I push curl out of the way (9) 22 Window-cleaner seeing some-

The solution to PLEASE LOOK Saturday’s Prize HERE NEXT Crossword 21,684 will appear WEEK FOR THE next Saturday. The five winners ANSWERS TO will each THIS WEEK’S receive a £20 gift voucher. PUZZLE

Our recommendations on where to go and what to do

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one drying off? (5) 24 Get the post sorted (7) 26 Heart possibly retains energy with old herbal preparation (7) 27 Crime article paper published (5) 28 Timing right for cut, maybe, but never slice (4,5) DOWN 1 Different dam, miles away (5) 2 Grew rich, originally hero in dire TV programme (7) 3 One used to cook breakfast, or woke lacking energy? (6,3) 4 Taking the credit for track record (3,2,6) 5 Meet up and gossip — (3) 6 — just look at the state of the neighbourhood! (5) 7 Race about nursing the man, being fantastic (7) 8 Emerge having grasped everything to refute a philosopher (9) 13 Deceive Lorraine, perhaps (6-5) 14 Gives up sweet stuff, given sudden impetus (4-5) 16 Type of mortgage one’s landed with? (9) 18 Occasional coverage The Sun has provided (7) 19 Murderer interrupted by fit officer (7) 21 Give a lift to one in the army (5) 23 Current right-hand person? (5) 25 Knock when the postman turns up (3)

15TH ANNUAL ROCKVILLE CENTER ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE, Rockville Center at 12:00 p.m. This year’s parade is expected to draw between 10,000 to 15,000 people from locales all around Nassau County. Admission is free for all but get there early to secure a good spot to view the action. 11TH ANNUAL PURIM CARNIVAL at Congregation Beth Sholom, Lawrence. Begins at night following Megillah reading, There will be rides, carnival booths, and prizes for all. There will also be food including hot dogs, knishes, French fries, soda, pretzels, popcorn, cotton candy and much more. The cost is $18 per child (under 16), $70 family maximum (adults are free). Food and beverages are sold separately.

Sunday, March 20th BRETT WILLIAMS, CLASSICAL GUITAR at Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, 2:30 p.m., Acoustic guitarist Brett Williams last performed at the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library as part of a duet with La Vita Williams, finishing to a standing ovation. He’ll be back to promote and play songs off of his first solo album, Brett Williams:

Solo Guitar. Tickets are required for this event. They may be picked up at the library between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Wednesday, March 23rd FILM: WAITING FOR ‘SUPERMAN’ at Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, 2 p.m. The HewlettWoodmere Public Library will be showing Davis Guggenheim’s documentary about an academic system that inhibits the growth of promising children instead of encouraging them. Admission is free. ALL DISTRICT JAZZ NIGHT at Hewlett High School, 7:30 p.m., Jazz bands from the HewlettWoodmere schools will participate in their annual jazz night at the Hewlett High School auditorium. Admission is free for all.

Thursday, March 24th “CINDERELLA,” at the Sons of Israel Congregation, Woodmere. The 6th graders from the Shulamith School for Girls will be putting on a production of Cinderella at the Sons of Israel Congregation in Woodmere. The production is for women only. For tickets please call Rivka Wilamowsky at 516569-2196. Ticket prices are $18 and $25 dollars.

We welcome submission of events of interest to the community. Please email your event information, including any photos to Events@StandardLI.com.

MOVIE LISTINGS MALVERNE CINEMA

350 Hempstead Avenue, Malverne, NY (516) 599-6966 6966 The Fighter | 1hr 54min | Rated R | FRI&SAT: 2, 4:30, 7, 9:45pm | SUN: 2:10, 4:45 ,7:30pm Barney’s Version | 2hr 12min | Rated R | FRI&SAT: 1,4, 7, 9:45pm | SUN: 1:30, 4:30, 7:30pm Of Gods and Men (Des homes et des dieux) | 2hr 0min | Rated PG-13 FRI&SAT: 2, 4:30, 7, 9:45pm | SUN: 2:10, 4:45, 7:30pm The Music Never Stopped | 1hr 45min | Rated PG FRI&SAT: 1,3:15, 5:30, 7:40, 9:45pm | SUN: 1, 3:15, 5:30, 7:40pm Certified Copy | 1hr 46min | Unrated FRI&SAT: 1, 3:15, 5:30, 7:40, 9:45pm | SUN: 1, 3:15, 5:30, 7:40pm

UA LYNBROOK 6 321 Merrick Road, Lynbrook, NY-(800) 326-3264 ext. 624 Rango | 1hr 47min | Rated PG | FRI&SAT: 1:15, 4, 7, 9:40pm | SUN: 1:15, 4, 7 Paul | 1hr 40min | Rated R | FRI&SAT: 2, 4:55, 8, 10:30pm | SUN: 2, 4:55, 8pm The Lincoln Lawyer | 1hr 59min | Rated R FRI&SAT:1:30, 4:30, 7:30, 10:10pm | SUN: 1:40, 4:30, 7:30pm Beastly | 1hr 35 min | Rated PG-13 | FRI&SAT: 1:45, 4:15, 7:45, 10:20pm | SUN: 1:45, 4:15, 7:45pm Just Go With It | 1hr 50 min | Rated PG-13 | FRI&SAT: 6:50, 9:30pm | SUN: 6:50pm Unknown | 1hr 49 min | Rated PG-13 | FRI&SAT: 1, 3:45, 7:15, 9:45pm | SUN: 1, 3:45, 7:15pm Gnomeo & Juliet 3D | 1hr 24 min | Rated G | FRI&SAT: 2:10, 4:45pm | SUN: 2:10, 4:45pm

GREEN ACRES CINEMAS 610 West Sunrise Highway, Valley Stream, NY - (800) 315-4000 Battle: Los Angeles | 1hr 56min | Rated PG-13 FRI&SAT: 1:10, 4:15, 7, 9:40pm | SUN: 1:10, 4:15, 7pm Rango | 1hr 47min | Rated PG | FRI&SAT: 1:20, 3:50, 6:40, 9:10pm | SUN: 1:20, 3:50, 6:40pm Red Riding Hood | 1hr 40min | Rated PG-13 FRI&SAT: 1:30, 4:25, 7:20, 10 pm | SUN: 1:30, 4:25, 7:20pm The Adjustment Bureau | 1hr 46 min | Rated PG-13 FRI&SAT: 1, 4, 6:50, 9:30pm | SUN: 1, 4, 6:50pm Paul | 1 hr 40 min | Rated R | FRI&SAT: 1:50, 4:20, 7:10, 9:45pm | SUN: 1:50, 4:20, 7:10pm Mars Needs Moms | 1hr 28 min | Rated PG FRI&SAT: 1:40, 4:10, 6:30, 8:40pm | SUN: 1:40pm, 4:10, 6:30pm

SUNRISE MULTIPLEX CINEMAS 750 West Sunrise Highway, Valley Stream, NY - (800) 315-4000 Battle: Los Angeles | 1hr 56 min | Rated PG- 13 FRI&SAT: 1, 1:30, 3:45, 4:15, 6:35, 7:05, 9:20, 9:50pm, 12, 12:30am SUN: 1, 1:30, 3:45, 4:15, 6:35, 7:05, 9:20, 9:50pm Rango | 1hr 47 min | Rated PG FRI&SAT: 12, 12:30, 2:30, 3 4:55, 5:25, 7:25, 7:50, 10:15pm, 12:40am SUN: 12, 12:30, 2:30, 3 4:55, 5:25, 7:25, 7:50, 10:15pm Red Riding Hood | 1hr 40 min | Rated PG-13 FRI&SAT: 12, 12:40, 2:20, 3:10, 4:50, 5:35, 7:10, 7:55, 9:40, 10:25pm, 12:05am SUN: 12, 12:40, 2:20, 3:10, 4:50, 5:35, 7:10, 7:55, 9:40, 10:25pm The Adjustment Bureau | 1hr 46 min | Rated PG-13 FRI&SAT: 12:10, 2:45, 5:20, 7:45, 10:10pm, 12:35am SUN: 12:10, 2:45, 5:20, 7:45, 10:10pm Paul | 1 hr 40 min | Rated R FRI&SAT: 12:05, 2:40, 5:10, 7:35, 10:05pm, 12:35am | SUN: 12:05, 2:40, 5:10, 7:35, 10:05pm Limitless | 1hr 45 min | Rated PG-13 FRI&SAT: 12:35, 3:05, 5:30, 8, 10:20pm, 12:40am | SUN: 12:35, 3:05, 5:30, 8, 10:20pm The Lincoln Lawyer | 1hr 59 min | Rated R FRI&SAT: 1:05, 3:55, 6:40,9:25pm, 12:15am | SUN: 1:05, 3:55, 6:40,9:25pm Mars Needs Moms in Disney Digital 3D | 1hr 28 min | Rated PG FRI&SAT: 12:15, 2:25, 4:35, 6:45, 9, 11:15pm | SUN: 12:15, 2:25, 4:35, 6:45, 9pm Beastly | 1hr 35 min | Rated PG-13 FRI&SAT: 12:25, 2:35, 5:05, 7:20, 9:30, 11:40pm | SUN: 12:25, 2:35, 5:05, 7:20, 9:30pm Mars Needs Moms | 1hr 28 min | Rated PG | FRI, SAT&SUN: 12:45, 2:55, 5pm Unknown | 1hr 49 min | Rated PG-13 | FRI&SAT: 10pm, 12:30am | SUN: 10pm I Am Number Four | 1hr 44 min | Rated PG-13 FRI&SAT: 7:15,9:45pm, 12:15am | SUN: 7:15,9:45pm Big Momma’s: Like Father, Like Son | 1hr 47 min | Rated PG 13 FRI&SAT: 1:15, 3:50, 6:30, 9:05, 11:35pm | SUN: 1:15, 3:50, 6:30, 9:05pm

AMC LOEWS FANTASY 5 18 N. Park Ave., Rockville Centre, NY - (888) 262-4386 Battle: Los Angeles | 1hr 56 min | Rated PG- 13 FRI&SAT: 2, 4:45, 7:30, 10:15pm | SUN: 11:15am, 2, 4:45, 7:30pm Red Riding Hood | 1hr 40 min | Rated PG-13 FRI&SAT: 2:05, 4:30, 7, 9:45pm | SUN: 11:30am, 2:10, 4:35, 7pm The Adjustment Bureau | 1hr 46 min | Rated PG-13 FRI&SAT: 3:30, 6:30, 9:30pm | SUN: 12:30, 3, 5:30, 8pm Limitless | 1hr 45 min | Rated PG-13 FRI&SAT: 2:30, 5:15, 8, 10:30pm | SUN: 11:45am, 2:30, 5, 7:45pm Mars Needs Moms in Disney Digital 3D | 1hr 28 min | Rated PG FRI&SAT: 3,5:30, 7:45, 10pm | SUN: 11am, 1:30, 3:45, 6:15, 8:30pm

Heariong instruments help many people hear better, but cannot solve every hearing problem nor restore normal hearing. 2011 Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc. All rights reserved 3/11. D-6656

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

MARCH 18-24, 2011

ON THE MARKET 19 Waverly Place, Lawrence, NY

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Late Night Humor The Best of This Week’s Post 11pm Wit

STATS: A lot size of 12,376 square feet with nine rooms. Three of these are full bathrooms, two half bathrooms, and four bedrooms. The property is going for $1.35 million. Taxes are $15,437.19 with an additional village tax of $2,425.17. DETAILS: Colonial family home in Lawrence that was built back in 1938. In addition to the bedrooms there is an large master suite with Ja-

Jimmy Fallon

cuzzi and a steam bath. The basement is fully finished and contains a playroom, a bar, laundry and boiler rooms. The house has a marble entry, powder room, three fireplaces and a very big, recently added den. There is a hot tub in the back yard. The kitchen is formal, airy, and eat-in with a view into the backyard. The home is gas-heated. SELLER SAYS: “A very, very quiet block, extremely tranquil, prettiest Cul-De-Sac, and the neighbors are wonderful.” The den and the master bedroom are the highlight of the house, both are enormous spaces. WHY I’M SELLING: “I’m selling it because I’m a single guy and I’m moving on to the city. Just considering selling it if I get the right price for it.” Broker: Lori Schlesinger, 516-791-8300

9 Copperbeech Lane, Lawrence NY STATS: A lot size of 8,560 square feet with nine rooms. Three of these are full bathrooms, and four bedrooms. The property is going for $995,000. Taxes are $12,061 with an additional village tax of $2,054. DETAILS: A Colonial family house located in Lawrence, built in 1942. It is a brick home on a

Cul-De-Sac block. The first floor has a large den, a formal eat-in kitchen, and a fireplace. The basement is fully finished and has high ceilings with bookshelves and a laundry room. The den has

David Letterman

Conan O’Brien

“President Obama went on ESPN to announce his NCAA tournament picks. Or, as Japan put it, ‘Really?’” –Jimmy Fallon “In a speech Obama said women earn 75 cents for each dollar a man makes, to whichSarah Palin said, ‘Have you met Todd?’” –Jimmy Fallon “Al Qaeda has launched its own womens magazine. I bought a copy, and I tell you right now, those ankles are totally airbrushed.” –Jimmy Fallon “Hillary Clinton visited Egypt today for the first time since the uprising. When asked why she went, Bill Clinton said, “Believe me, if anyone can stop an uprising, it’s Hillary.” –Jimmy Fallon “Newt Gingrich explained why he fooled around on his first two wives by saying he loved this country so much that it led him to cheating. He was so passionate about it he had to take his pants off. When I hear the National Anthem I just put my hand over my heart.” –Jay Leno “The situation is deteriorating in Libya and Japan and the stock market is collapsing worldwide. President Obama finally took decisive action. He named Duke, Kansas, Ohio State and Pittsburgh as his Final Four.” –Jay Leno “Surprisingly, March Madness is not that big in the Middle East. Because they have April Madness, May Madness, June Madness, and more.” –Jay Leno “Al-Qaida has now launched a woman’s magazine that will have everything from fashion to terror advice. Unfortunately, women are not allowed to read it.” –Jay Leno “President Obama held a meeting on bullying, and he revealed that he himself is bullied every day, by Fox News.” –Jay Leno

Jay Leno

“Today is the Ides of March, the day on which in 44 B.C. Julius Caesar was stabbed to death by 60 Roman Senators. That could never happen today. We can’t get 60 Senators to agree on anything.” –Jay Leno “Life expectancy in the U.S. has risen to a new record of 78.2 years. The bad news is, the average age a person has to work to before they can retire is now 78.3 years.” –Jay Leno “In a new interview, Newt Gingrich says he cheated on two of his wives because he was too consumed with love for his country. Yeah, apparently he misunderstood the phrase, ‘Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.’” –Conan O’Brien “Newt Gingrich, who famously cheated on wife number two with now wife number three, says he prays for God’s forgiveness. He also prays that wife number three never finds out about Vanessa.” –Conan O’Brien “After 60 years of service the Dalai Lama is stepping down as the political leader of Tibet. He heard there was an opening on ‘Two and a Half Men.’” –Conan O’Brien “Los Angeles residents are goig to vote on a tax on anything sold in a medical marijuana dispensary. If the measure passes the city could be solvent within 45 minutes.” –Conan O’Brien “Due to the recession, there are now 15,000 fewer lawyers in the U.S. No one ever talks about the good things that come from a recession.” –Jay Leno “Al-Qaida is now publishing a magazine for women. They already have one for men, called ‘Car Bomb and Driver.’” –David Letterman

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many built-ins. The home is gas-heated. SELLER SAYS: “The nicest Cul-De-Sac circle in Lawrence,” close to synagogues, and within walking distance of Central Avenue. The den has a spectacular view of the garden. WHY I’M SELLING: “Moving on, we really don’t need a large house anymore, we want to downgrade now.” Broker: Milky Forst, 516-239-0306

Properties Sold in The Five Towns Since March 7th 310 Franklin Ave, Hewlett. Cape style with seven rooms. Four bedrooms, a full bathroom, and a half bathroom. Taxes: $11,206. Built in 1925. Lot Size: 40x100 Sold on 3/8 for $225,000

124 Broadway, Lawrence. Colonial sty style with nine rooms. Five bedrooms, four full bathrooms, and a half bathroom. Taxes: $11,887. Built in 1960. Lot Size: 75x133 Sold on 3/15 for $875,000

320 Grant Ave, Woodmere. Colonial style with eight rooms. Four bedrooms and three full bathrooms. Taxes: $11,255. Built in 1938. Lot Size: 96x105 Sold on 3/7 for $690,000

547 Central Ave, Cedarhurst. Detached Co-Op with three rooms. One bedroom, one full bathroom. Maintenance: $737.34. Built in 1947. Two Floors, on Second Floor. Sold on 3/8 for $115,000

91 Sealy Dr, Lawrence. Colonial style with nine rooms. Three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a half bathroom. Taxes: $8,528, Village Taxes: $1,659. Built in 1928. Lot Size: 70x123 Sold on 3/15 for $665,000

103 Wood Ln, Woodsburgh. Colonial style with nine rooms. Five bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and a half bathroom. Taxes: $28,071. Built in 1965. Lot Size: 108x208 Sold on 3/10 for $975,000

Legislative Roundup CONTINUED FROM P. A7

Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, 20th NY A.D. Sponsor of Bill A6367-2011 (Referred to Transportation) Mar 15, 2011 This bill makes the traffic infraction of leaving the scene of an incident without reporting a class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than 500 nor more than 1000 dollars in addition to any other penalties provided by law. Sponsor of Bill A4435-2011

(Referred to Codes) Mar 15, 2011 This bill requires sunscreen products to be labeled with expiration dates and storage recommendations. Sponsor of Bill A.5663 (Referred to Environmental Transportation) Mar 15, 2011 This requires certain contracts to be made aware to the public that the source of funding for the contract is from the environmental protection fund Sponsor of Bill A5346 (Referred to Ways and Means) Mar 15, 2011 An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in re-

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lation to global warming pollution control Sponsor of Bill A5798 (Referred to Codes) Mar 15, 2011 This bill Restricts the use of decabromodiphenyl ether in certain products

Nassau County Legislator Howard J. Kopel, 7th L.D. Unanimous Vote for a capital improvement project for the Fire Service Academy, Mar 7, 2011 The $270,000 project will go into constructing two new “burn” buildings to improve training for all Nassau County volunteer firefighters.

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MARCH 18-24, 2011

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

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DEAR THAT’S LIFE

The Best Cookies In The World

CONTINUED FROM P. A9

the other day my intent was to serve them to my son’s friends who had come over to play. I didn’t mean to eat a bunch, but that’s exactly what happened. Then I made some coffee and, well, the rest is history. I was hoping the boys would be as taken with my cookies as I am. I would have loved for my son to be stopped in the hallway at school by a bunch of his friends, all begging for him to sneak them some of my cookies. I could see it now: I was the cool mom who had the best cookies and he was

the cool kid with the goodies he snatched from the freezer. Just like my own children, these boys did not disappoint either and I quickly fell right back in line. “Aren’t these the best cookies you’ve ever had?” I asked one of them, as I pathetically fished for a compliment. “No,” he said without hesitation. “My mom’s are much better.” I was not deterred. “Come on,” I said. “These are really good.” He was tougher than I thought and countered my claim. “My mom’s are still better – way better,” he said. I turned to another one of the boys. “Isn’t

that cookie good?” I asked him. He smiled widely and said, “No – I don’t like them at all,” quickly passing the cookie back to me. I finally turned to a third boy who was devouring his cookie. “Don’t you love these cookies?” I asked him, but this was a tough crowd. “No,” he said shaking his head, “my mom’s are much better.” This time, however, I was prepared. “Doesn’t your mom make them from a package?” I asked him. He nodded, proudly. “Just like the one you have in your fridge,” he added. You just can’t make this stuff up.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CONTINUED FROM P. A9

Quoting Walter Cronkite To The Editor, “Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy,” so said the late Walter Cronkite Cronkite, one of the twentieth century’s pre-

eminent journalists, understood that without a free and vibrant press, democracy, even one as great as that found in the United States, would surely wither. It is with that in mind that I want to congratulate the editors, reporters and all those involved in The Standard, the newest member of the journalistic community serving

the Five Towns. You have undertaken an endeavor that that gives you great power, and to quote another great American, “Aunt May” (from “Spiderman”) with great power comes great responsibility. I am confident that you will live up to the all of our expectations.

Joshua Wanderer Cedarhurst, NY

The Standard welcomes your comments, feedback and Letters to the Editor. Please keep letters at a reasonable length (about 500 words maximum if possible) as they may be edited for size. Please include your full name, address and daytime phone. Email to Letters@StandardLI.com

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Sports

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

MARCH 18-24, 2011

Lawrence Tornadoes Hopeful to Make Baseball Playoffs This Season

BY JONATHAN WALTER STANDARD STAFF REPORTER

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fter a successful season last year, it’s only going to get tougher for the Lawrence High School baseball team to make the playoffs this year as they try to improve on last season’s 13-8 record. Lawrence has a solid squad of returning starters and talented up and coming players, which should make a big difference this season. Last season the county changed the way it placed teams into leagues from an enrollment-based system to an ability-based system. This year they’re switching back. Sixyear head coach Dennis Leonard prefers the tougher competition found in the enrollment based system. “Ability-based proved to give us more wins,” Leonard said, “but I don’t know if that’s the

Lawrence players, top from left, Eddie Robinson, A.J. Gallo and Coach Dennis Leonard. Bottom from left, Lucas Siegel, Matt Komisarjevsky and Brandon Burrell. Standard Photo by Jonathan Walter.

Lawrence Softball Features New Coach and Return of Star Pitcher BY JONATHAN WALTER STANDARD STAFF REPORTER

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ith a new conference, the return of their star pitcher, and a first year coach comes new opportunities for this year’s Lawrence High School varsity softball team. First year coach Linda Perrone leads the Tornadoes this year, taking over for three year coach Joe Supple, as she moves up from coaching junior varsity where her team finished 10-2 last year. This season she’ll try to improve a team that finished last season with only four wins. “I know all of these girls,” Perrone said, “a lot of them since middle school where I coached volleyball. We’re in the lowest division, Conference A-IV. We don’t have the depth that a Massapequa has, but these are homegrown girls right here. We teach them what we know and also try to let them learn the basics.” After their disappointing performance last year in Conference III, this year’s team has been moved back down into Conference A-IV, where they played two years ago and finished the season with only one loss. Leading the way at pitcher for Lawrence is senior Chrissa Castillo. She was injured for half of the season last year, causing personnel problems for the team as they shuffled in different replacements. She’s back this year and ready to contribute at a high level. Her good friend Alexa Quiroz is the team’s catcher and Perrone feels that will bring good chemistry to her battery. “Those two,” Perrone said, “they have a connection.” “She’s got a fast pitch that’s very strong and very accurate,” Lawrence team captain and first baseman Jen Rudolph said of Castillo. “She told us that she’s been practicing since last year.” Junior Gabi Golan will also split pitching duties with Castillo. Since the Lawrence Number Six School closed two years ago, the team has been playing their games at the

Number Two School in Inwood where planes landing at John F. Kennedy airport are constantly flying overhead. “When our opponents come here to play,” Perrone said, “they’re so fascinated by the airplanes, you want to hit towards them. Were used to it. It gives us a home field advantage.” The team has one sophomore, Nicole Robinson. She played first base as a freshman and even did a little bit of pitching when Castillo was injured. “She’s tall so she plays first base and does a little pitching,” Perrone said, “but not much. She hits well and she’ll keep on practicing. She’s a tough one.” Lawrence’s division includes Roosevelt, Westbury, Great Neck North, South Side and Garden City. Perrone is familiar with all of the teams except South Side and Garden City. The Tornadoes will play each team twice, once on the road, and once at home. They also play two non-league games for a total of 12 this season. Because they belong to the lowest division in the county, it’s difficult for a team to make the playoffs. The top team qualifies while the second place team needs to win 65 percent of their games in order to earn a spot. “We’ll definitely make the playoffs this year,” Rudolph said. “We’re a strong team. We don’t have as many problems with our players this year. We’re going to come together a lot more during games. We’re going to have fun too, but we’re going to win.” Despite the high expectations, Perrone insists she’s not going to push too hard as coach: “I am not a coach that keeps forcing the issue,” she said, “If you can’t do it, then you can’t do it, and I’ll move you to a different spot. You’re here to win, but you’re also here to have a good time and learn how to play softball. I really enjoy the sport. These kids are like my own that I never had, so I take care of them.”

brand of baseball that we’re looking for.” Leading the way for Lawrence at starting pitcher is Brandon Berrell, who also plays left field. He’s a hard thrower capable of striking a lot of players out. All-Conference award winner AJ Gallo rounds out the starting pitching for the Tornadoes and also plays second base. “AJ proved himself to be able to get outs last year,” Leonard said. “He’s not overpowering, but he’s around the plate all of the time.”

Leading scorer this season on the Lawrence basketball team, sophomore Eddie Robinson will be an important part the of the Tornado baseball offense. Last year Robinson led the team with his five home runs for the season. With that kind of pop in his bat as a freshman, Leonard is excited about what he can accomplish this season. “We’re solid at every position,” infielder Lucas Seagal said. “We’ve got a lot of guys returning and a lot of upcoming talent. We should be look-

ing at a good season and to go far into the playoffs. We gel together well and should to pretty well.” Seagal lead the team batting over .400 last season as he split time between second base and shortstop. Star wide receiver on the Lawrence football team, Cedric Ervin will serve as the team’s right fielder. “Guys like AJ and Lucas hit over .400 for us last year,” Leonard said. “If they do that again, we’ll be able to hang with people, but with a better brand of pitching, it will be interesting.”

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Right now the team’s starting catcher, Matthew Komisarjevsky, has a broken arm. That leaves younger brother Steven Komisarjevsky as the primary backstop “My starting catcher last year was the oldest brother,” Leonard said. “They’re all catchers.” There is plenty of winning experience on the team. A few players were on the football team which went to the championship game against Lynbrook, Gallo and Robinson were on the basketball team which lost to Manhasset in the county championship two weeks ago. “I like to think that I’ve got guys on this team that know how to win,” Leonard said, “maybe not in a baseball uniform, but definitely bring a winning attitude to the team and that’s immeasurable, so hopefully that carries over to the rest of the team.” The conference change will mean that they will play teams that they’ve never faced before, including Lynbrook and Plainedge. Leonard looks at the restructuring as a new beginning: “We’re not really sitting anything that is from the past,” Leonard said. “It’ll be a new beginning for sure.” The way their conference is set up, it is very difficult for any team to make the playoffs, so Lawrence will have to play some dominant ball in order to match the .850 winning percentage required for the team to move on. “I think we have a good team,” Berrell said. “We have a lot of returning starters, so we should do better than last year. I know we ended last year strong, but we had too many losses to make the playoffs. I think we’ll be alright this year. We’re pushing for the playoffs.”

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MARCH 18-24, 2011

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE Cedarhurst: Co-op. 1st Flr, large LR, FDR, EIK with new appliances, 2BR, 2bths, hw floors, Terrace. Views of Gdns, W/D, Lo maint, Grt. loca’n, Walk all. Asking $319K 5 Town Homes 516-569-5710 Hewlett — Col. MIC, 4br, 2bth, 2fpl, full deck, wood flr, Lg. den. Walk to all. $729K 5 TOWN HOMES 516-322-3555 Far Rockaway: Coop, 3Br, 1Bth Lr/Dr, Walk to All $179K Call 516322-3555 5 Town Homes 516-569-5712 Cedarhurst: NU 2 Mkt. Lg LR, DR, EIK, Den, 5BR, 3bth, Skilits, Cabana, Lg prop, IGPool, Walk to all $659K Far Rockaway — 2 Family. All NU, 3 over 1 Bdrm, 3 full baths. Great Location $599K Call 516322-3555 Cedarhurst — New construction. First show. Col. 9’ ceilings, 5BR, 2.5bths, full basement, on quiet tree-lined street. Call for details $799K 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-569-5710 Inwood — Land for sale — 60x60. Ideal for institution, community center, or small shul. On Bayswater, lots of st parking. All offers considered. Call Ed 516-503-7357 Far Rockaway Apartment Rentals: 1, 2, and 3 BR available, completely reno- vated, 24 Hr Doorman, Large LR/DR area, Close to LIRR. Weissman Realty, LLC 516-791-6100 Cedarhurst — First show. LR, FDR, new EIK, 4BR, 2 new bths, finished basement, cream puff condition, quiet street, walk all, low taxes $500’s 5 Towns Homes 516569-5710 Hewlett — Beautiful 5 BR, 3 bths, split. All updated, in SD#14. Separate entrance can be M/D with proper permits. Owner motivated, reduced. $499K 5 Towns Home Realty 516-569-5710 North Woodmere — Decorator’s Dream. Beautiful bi-level, large granite kosher EIK, FDR, large LR, den, 4BR, water- view, all systems, walk all shuls. Owner motivated. Present all offers. 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-569-5710 North Woodmere — New to market. Custom 6BR (4 on one level), new granite kitchen, LR, FDR, 2 dens, quiet tree- lined street. Walk all shuls $679K Owner. 516-902-8908 Lawrence/Far Rockaway — 833 Central Ave. Spacious 1 BR, light and bright, doorman/elevator building, walk all. Price reduced $179K 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-569-5710 Lawrence — Gracious brick c/h col. LR with fireplace, FDR, large EIK, den, 4BR (1 level), 3bth, finished basement, great location, quiet block $895K 5 Towns Homes 516-569-5710 Bayswater — More for your money! 9 shuls, eruv, mikvahs, low real estate taxes, 450 frum families. Mortgage rates rising! Why wait? Joe Hersh, Noam Realty 212431-1234 Woodmere/Cedarhurst Oppty! 12,000 sq. ft. approx. 90’x150’, Colonial, 17 rooms, full bsmt. with hi ceilings, clean 2 car garage plus storage, 6 space parking, 2 family, professional use, accountant, Esq., medical and/or educational and religious uses. Grand colonial with charm and great possibilities. Available at once $875K Negotiable Owner 516-322-3555 Homes & Co-Ops: Hewlett — 1BR Co-Op, Totally Renovated, Bright & Sunny, Move Right In, Close To All $159K; Lawrence — “The Plaza” — 2BR, 2Bth Co-Op, 24Hr Doorman, Pool, Underground Pkg, Elevator,Terrace. $400s; Lawrence — Renovated 1 & 2 Bedroom Apts, NO FEE! Close To All Starting From $1,500/m; Woodmere — House Rental — 3BR

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE Colonial In The Heart Of Woodmere, Mostly New Windows, Hwd Floors, High Hats, CAC, Close To All $3,100/m; Woodmere — 4BR, 3Bth, Ranch In Woodmere Park, Freshly Painted, Skylights, Fireplace, Must See! $3,500/m; Woodmere — BEST BUY! 4BR, 3 Bath Split W/Waterview, Ovz Property, Large Lvr & Dr, Full Fin Bsmt, EIK $615K; Call Mark Lipner 516298-8457, E-mail: MLipner@Pugatch.com Howard Beach — Co-op 2BR, 2bth, totally renovated. Maintenance includes gas, electric, heat and parking space. Great buy. Asking $150K 5 Towns Homes 516569-5710 Center of Far Rockaway — Vacant Land for Sale in the heart of Far Rockaway, 14,500 Sq Ft. Asking $550K 718-858-9805 Lawrence — Ours Alone!! Brick, C/H COL, Stately brick, w/old world charm, Hi ceilings, 6Br, 4.5 bths, Kosher EIK, Lg. FDR, Library, Fin. Bsmt., Lg Prop., walk all. 5 TOWN HOMES 516-569-5710 Oceanside — Brand new construction. Beautiful CH col. Large 4 BR (1 level), 2.5 bths, granite EIK, FDR, den with fp, full bsmt, in culde-sac, walk all, best price $675K 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-5695710 Far Rockaway — Reads Lane area. Lot For Sale. Large frontage and depth. Approximately 6,000 sq. ft. Sage Street, near White Shul. Build your Custom Home 917-439-8632 Co-op For Sale or Rent Lawrence — 2BR, 2bth, terrace . $139K Cedarhurst — Mint Jr4, new EIK, new bths, laundry rm, terrace, 1st flr $239K Woodmere, Woodsburgh, N. Woodmere by appt 72 Willow Rd. — Woodsburgh — Exp. ranch 2/3 acre 976 Dartmouth Lane — Spacious heritage col $499K; 917 Midway — 4BR split, lg kosher granite/wood EIK $599K; 1039 Magnolia Pl. — 4BR split kosher EIK beautiful cul-de-sac $700’s; 656 Colfax Pl. — Spacious 4BR+ split, den, finished basement $559K; 2 Prospect Ave. — C/H col with finished attic, lg property $600s Milky Forst Properties, Inc. 516-239-0306 Cedarhurst — 1st show. New exclusive regal 2 family, brick, all new, LR w/ fireplace, FDR, large kosher EIK, 3BR each apt, c/ac, alarm, basement, great location. Walk all $759K 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-569-5710

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FOR RENT Brooklyn Warehouse — 10,500 square foot 1 story warehouse plus 2,000 square foot offices. Five minutes from Flatbush Ave. and Nostrand Ave. 2 loading docks, high ceilings. Call Owner 917-796-1742 2 offices for lease. Can separate. Central Ave Loc. Back entrance to Muni Lot. Beautifully maintained build- ing. Windows. Just reduced! Prime Retail store on Spruce St. (old AHC).2 spaces: 1,000 sq. ft each. Steps from Gourmet Glatt and Club Central $2,000 neg. Weissman Realty, LLC 516791-6100 Room and chairs to rent in Cedarhurst beauty salon and large basement with separate entrance. Call Tamara 516-7260338 Cedarhurst — Office rental: Executive 2 Bths, Fully Web wired, 1,250 sq. ft., CAC. 5TGR 516-3223555 Three newly decorated offices available for sublet on Central Avenue. Double office “Suite”, 9’x11’ & 9’x15’. The third office is 10.5’x13’. Available furnished or

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FOR RENT unfurnished. 24 hour access. Includes A/C, alarm, utilities, internet, cleaning service. For more information please call Renee at 516-569-4949, ext. 104. Cedarhurst office for rent— 2 small offices on Central Ave. 1 flight up, C/H, C/A. Call owner 917-417-5725 Rockville Centre — 3,500 sq. ft., fully wired for Web, partitioned, will divide. Call 516-322-3555

FOR RENT Far Rockaway — Lg. Hse Rental: 4br, 2bth, bsmt., hi-ceilings, NU bths, W\D. Call 516-322-3555 Woodmere — Huge 2BR, large foyer. Large new kitchen, FDR, huge LR, top floor elevator building, includes heat/ hot water, walk to yeshiva and shuls $1850 + G&E Village Plaza Realty 516-353-0787 Cedarhurst — Garden apt. Nu 2 Mkt. Oversized 1BR, 1Bth, Mint, 1st Flr, heat & prk incld $1,600 5 Towns Homes Realty 516-5695710 Cedarhurst — All updated charming Col. New granite EIK, FDR, LR with fireplace, 4+ BR, CAC, in the heart of Cedarhurst. Walk all. Call 5 Towns Homes 516-5695710 Lawrence — Coop Rental. 1BR. 1NU Bth, LR, DR, EIK $1,300 5Town Homes ** 516-569-5710 Hewlett — House for rent. Updated 3BR, 2bths, new EIK, SD#14, walk all. Available immediately $2,600 Call 5 Towns Homes 516569-5710 Oceanside — House for rent. Beautiful ranch. 2/3BR, large LR with fireplace, DR, granite EIK, on oversized fenced property, walk South Nassau Hospital and houses of worship. 5 Towns Homes Realty Call Edi 516-728-2977 Lawrence — Newly-restored manor house. Cent’l location. Hi Ceilings. Wd Floors. 4 large BR, Library, FDR, EIK, Den. New chef’s kitchen. Avail April 15 $4,250 516-316-3176 Cedarhurst — Tiffany House 623 Central Ave. Shabbos elevator, 1 & 2 BR apts. Large units, high ceilings. Live-in Super. No Fee! 516625-0570

SERVICES PROVIDED Beautiful business-size cards with Kiruv websites, are available for free (to give to not-yet-Frum people). Please text or call 718501-2110 “Used or Abused” Before you buy a used car, come in for a free frame (structural) check. Precision Auto Body 691 Burnside Ave, Lawrence. 516-371-1137. Friends don’t let friends drive junk! Simchas Naava Share your simcha flowers! Be m’sameach other simchas! Donate your fresh flower arrangements! We will match your simcha date with simchas following yours or deliver them to nursing home residents. To donate or obtain flower arrangements call 516-239-6066. In memory of a special friend, Naava Wassner Katlowitz Retired public school teacher available to tutor men and boys in Hebrew, English, and/or Yiddish in the 5 Towns. Recession buster. Call 718-552-5525 Study with Steve. One-on-one tutoring. Sat Math prep, regents, high school and elementary math, high school physics. Call 516-371-5522 SBG Moving — Prompt, professional, and reliable moving service available for local & long distance moves. Lowest rates between NY and Lakewood. Small jobs welcome! We are insured! 347-276-7422

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THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

Winning Season for Lawrence H.S. Basketball BY JONATHAN WALTER STANDARD STAFF REPORTER

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o one expected them to go so far, not even the students in their own school’s hallways. Only their own expectations and those of their coach matched all they accomplished this season as Lawrence made it all the way to the county championship game where they fell to Manhasset, 73-59. “No one really expected us to do that,” sophomore Eddie Robinson, Lawrence’s season points leader said. “We knew we had the talent at the beginning of the season. Once we started playing together, the season really came out well and we made it to the championship. We would have liked to win it, but next year we’ll get it.” Led by Robinson, and complimented by the return of senior twins Ahmad and Ibraheem Shamseldin who switched schools for two years after their freshman season, the Tornadoes achieved a 17-4 record this season. “In the beginning of the season things started out a little slow,” senior Sampson Bialostok, the team’s power forward who lead the team with his 156 rebounds said. “After our first loss to Southside, we went 15-0 or something like that. Four losses in a season are pretty good. Of course we didn’t win the championship but for Lawrence, this is the best season we’ve had in a long time. Winning would have been nice but we’re satisfied with what we did.” Bialostok, Robinson, the Shamseldin twins and sophomore Clifton Lyerly made up Lawrence’s starting five. Bialostok and Robinson were awarded All-County while the Shamseldins and Lyerly were

awarded All-Conference. Despite playing all of his games off of the bench, Sophomore Dwayne Daniel also won All-Conference for the Tornadoes. He averaged 7 points a game but lead the team with his 78 percent free throw shooting, although he made his living shooting from behind the arc with 27 three pointers, second on the team behind Robinson’s 32. “Dwayne was a sparkplug for us,” Lawrence head coach Pete Linderman said. “He could just come in and give a lot of energy and was capable of coming in and scoring a lot of points, inside and out. He played great on the ball defense and really hounded the ball whenever he was on it.” For Lawrence, the team’s performance this season has reinvigorated a basketball program that hasn’t won a county title since 1968. The team will lose three seniors from their six-man rotation, but with Robinson, Lyerly and Daniel returning, Linderman is excited about next season. “I think we’re going to be a different type of team than we were this year,” Linderman said, “but the challenge for them and me is to adjust to it and play the way we’re capable of playing. We’re not going to be under the radar like we were this year. People are going to be gunning for us. A great Charles Barkley quote is, “When you’re the top dog, everyone wants to put you in the pound.” So that’s how we have to adjust mentally.” For the Shamseldin twins, this was their last shot at winning a county title. Since leaving Lawrence after their freshman year, they moved to Bishop Ford high school in Brooklyn for their sophomore year, and then Bayside High School in Queens for

their junior year. With Ahmad playing point guard and Ibraheem playing shooting guard, the pair averaged 22 points a game. “You don’t win every time,” Ibraheem Shamseldin said, “but I think it was the effort that I put in. I played my hardest. I gave my all. That’s all you can really ask for. You’re not going to win every time, but I’m still probably going to remember that game for the rest of my life. I was angry about it afterward, but you get over it and you just focus on getting better and next year.” Next year the team must fill some spots in their rotation and Linderman is already thinking about who would fit. He praised junior Kwadwo Agyapong for his hard work playing point guard in practice and his ability to challenge the starters, but says he still has some work to do in order to make the rotation. Junior AJ Gallo played during Lawrence’s two games against Plainedge, hitting a combined seven three pointers in the contests. “I know what I have returning and where we’re going to go next year,” Linderman said, “especially after I brought five junior varsity kids up to practice with us. So I’ve got a feel for their strengths and weaknesses also.” The team now has a feel for what a championship game is like and the pressures of playoff success. With Robinson leading the team in points as a junior, this team has a bright future, and even with all of the changes, is a legitimate contender looking forward. “One of the things that I said to Eddie Robinson was “We’ll be back,” Linderman said. “Keep your head up and we’ll be there.”

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

DRS Defeats Bergen County, Advances to Championships It didn’t take long for the DRS Wildcats to find their stride in their semi-final game against the TABC (Torah Academy of Bergen County) Storm on Wednesday night at DRS High School in Woodmere. Just over two minutes into the first period, Daniel Genachowski knocked a close shot past the Storm’s goalie to take an early lead and his team never looked back as they went on to win the game 2-1 and earn a berth in the league championship game. Before the game, last year’s captain Chesky Schrier gave the team a pep-talk in the locker room over video chat all the way from Israel. “It was such an unbelievable speech that I really didn’t have to say anything after that.” said DRS head coach Larry Gross. The Wildcats effectively kept the ball in the offensive zone throughout the game with their tenacious play and did an excellent job keeping the Storm from holding onto the ball for any significant period of time. “It was unbelievable,” Gross said. “Both our team, and TABC played an unbelievable game. TABC is a great hockey team and they’re well coached.” With only a minute and a half left in the second period, the Wildcats’ Jesse Gordon came through with some insurance for his team when he scored their second goal. They would need it as TABC finally got on the board with a goal of their own in the beginning of the third period. Despite the goal, DRS kept their composure and stuck with their trademark defensive play. “There’s a lot of heart in my hockey team and it showed tonight,” Gross said. Goalie Karon Orenstein played well for the Wildcats despite not many opportunities, coming up with 19 saves, allowing only the one goal. The DRS offense kept the pressure on all night, taking 28 shots on goal all night. “They were just working really hard on getting goals right out in front,” Gross said, “getting rebounds on both goals. Again, that’s just a result of hard work.” The Wildcats move onto the championship game to be played on March 27th at Lawrence High School against the winner of MTA vs. SAR.

– JONATHAN WALTER

B7

MARCH 18-24, 2011

HAFTR Flames Play Heated Hockey Match Against MTA BY JONATHAN WALTER STANDARD STAFF REPORTER

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he HAFTR Flames left everything out on the floor on Tuesday night when they took on the MTA Lions in their quarterfinal playoff game in front of a packed gym at HAFTR elementary school. Spectators crammed into one side of the gym and many were standing on their toes trying to get a glimpse of the action. The Flames played faced the toughest challenge of the season holding MTA scoreless through three regulation periods before finally giving up the game ending goal in the 4th minute of overtime for a 1-0 loss. Shlomo Liebtag had an excellent game in goal for the Flames. He endured three rough periods where he was constantly tested. He made 38 saves on the night, including a few game savers in the second and third periods before a high shot from MTA’s Eitan Rosenfeld slipped past him in overtime. “That was the best goal tending performance that I’ve ever seen in one game,” Flames coach Mark Bruh said of his goalie. “It was un-

believable.” The Flames endured barrages of strong attacks from the MTA offense throughout the game. The team’s toughest challenge came in the second period when they were assessed two penalties and had to play down two men for over a minute. Leibtag, Mark Harman, and Zach Sher effectively killed the penalty, limiting the Lion’s opportunity during that time. “The credit there goes to our chaser, Mark Harman and Zach Sher,” Bruh said. “They were incredible there. They killed that four on two. It was amazing. The other team didn’t even get any good shots off. We kept clearing the zone. It was just great to watch. I became a fan last night.” Offensively, the Flames certainly had their own share of opportunities, especially in the second period when they hit a few hard shots that went just wide of the goal. There were also a few occasions where Flames players passed to the front of the net, but no one was in the right place to take a shot. They totaled 24 shots on goal in the game. “They were probably the best

team that I’ve seen handle playing in our building,” Bruh said. “Our gym is known as the best home court advantage in all of Yashiva hockey. They kept the ball in our zone and were just terrific. Just one shot beats you. It was a good, physical, and clean game.” The loss ended the Flames season, where they finished 11-3 and also had two overtime losses. They out played expectations going into the season.

Shamrocks and Hamantaschen Abound as St. Patrick’s Day and Purim Bracket One Another this Week CONTINUED FROM P. A7 reaching out to nursing homes and hospitals. Chabad is having a Purim bash at HAFTR academy on Saturday night, Wolowik said. St. Patrick’s Day originated from the Irish saint, Patrick, who was recognized for bringing Christianity to Ireland. It’s been said that Shamrocks, which are now considered no more than fun and whimsical decorations, were used to describe the Holy Trinity in Christianity. Carlo Sciascia, the manager of Cannon’s Blackthorn Bar in Rockville

Centre, said that St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland consists of a parade celebrating Irish heritage. Sciscia noted that St. Patrick’s Day is so popular in New York because “the Irish helped build the city,” and because the earlier firemen and police were all Irish. Blackthorn’s celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with pied pipers, Irish music, and over 200 people, Sciscia said. As for any alcohol-fueled festivities, Sciscia remarked, “Just drink responsibly and as long as it is in moderation.” Interestingly, regarding St. Patrick’s Day, the fourth precinct has

reported just four DWI (driving while intoxicated) arrests every year during the week of March 15, 2010 to March 21, 2010. Detective Vincent Garcia of the fourth precinct, noted that although some isolated incidents have occurred, St. Patrick’s Day and Purim are not the precinct’s busiest days. Tom McCoy, Executive Director at Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Long Island, said simply, “ You got to think before you drink.” In addition, McCoy advised party-goers to “make a plan, so, you’re

“I’m really prouder of this team than any other team that I’ve coached,” Bruh said. “They weren’t the favorites this season. They were ranked low and really made everyone believers.” Looking forward, all but two juniors from the Flames main rotation of players will be graduating. “The team won’t be as talented,” Bruh said, “but with the heart they showed all year, we’re expecting to be in the same place again.

not behind the wheel,” and noted, “there are people in our communities that don’t care. They’re going to drink and they’re going to drive. If you’re with them, you have to take their keys no matter how awkward it might be. If someone took a gun out and started shooting the neighborhood, you would try and stop them—this is the same thing.” McCoy pointed out, that those attending celebrations in the city should take the train instead of driving, because even in the best-case scenario, “You get a DWI,” McCoy said. MAAD Long Island is hosting a walk on June 11th at Farmingdale State College, appropriately named “Walk like MADD,” McCoy added. “Its fine to have a good time, just don’t get behind a wheel of the car.”

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B8

MARCH 18-24, 2011

THE SOUTH SHORE STANDARD

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