Officials from the Town of Babylon recently awarded a $150,000 grant to the North Lindenhurst Volunteer Fire Department for infrastructure maintenance, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act. The fire department identified necessary repairs for the gas pumps that service their vehicles and equipment. Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Deputy Supervisor Tony Martinez, and the town board presented the grant check to the fire department. Additionally, the Town of Babylon has leveraged the American Rescue Plan Act to enhance public safety by providing grants to various municipalities and fire departments for life-saving equipment. With these funds, the Wyandanch Fire Department acquired a new ladder truck, while the Lindenhurst and West Babylon Fire Departments received LUCAS devices to aid in CPR. The Copiague Fire Department obtained three AEDs, and Babylon Village purchased a second ambulance.
“ The Vacant Space Revival Program qualified us for on-bill credits that really help me manage costs.”
—George Karatzas, James Cress Florist, Smithtown
Unoccupied business spaces are an opportunity to help bring vitality to downtown areas. For George Karatzas, owner of James Cress Florist, staying downtown was a priority, but costs were prohibitive. Then George applied for our Vacant Space Revival Program, which has provided $2,462 in bill credits to help offset his overhead.* And Smithtown continues to have a business that brings warmth and charm to the area. It’s a beautiful thing to see come together—just like George’s floral arrangements.
How can we help support your small business? psegliny.com/businessfirst
*Incentives, grants, and savings will vary with every project.
LEADER IN ITALIAN TAKEOUT!
FEBRUARY HAPPENINGS
SAT. FEB. 15th
11:00AM-1:00PM MAPLE SUGARING
Caumsett State Historic Park
Preserve. This interactive program geared for adults will teach you how to make your own maple syrup at home! Not recommended for children. Please call for reservations 631-423- 1770. Registration Required
11:00AM-2:00PM CLOTHING SALE
St. Patrick’s Church, 305 Carll’s Path in Deer Park. In the church hall. Forget the supply chain worries, plenty of women’s, men’s, and children’s clothes, shoes, and accessories at great prices. Rain or shine. Hot beverages will be served. For more information, please call 631-242-7530
8:00PM
DEVERNE WILLIAMS’ VINTAGESOUL
Bayway Arts Center in East Islip. Electrifying Disco and Motown performances. Secure your tickets now at baywayartscenter.com or call 631-581-2700.
SUN. FEB. 16th
1:00PM WINTER CONCERT SERIES
Sunday afternoon at the Upper Carriage House at Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River. Queensound Linda Teixeira (Soprano), Helena Kim (Piano) For more information, please call the Islip Arts Council at 631-8883525. For information on the day
HOLIDAYS
2nd - Groundhog Day 14th - Valentine's Day 17th - Presidents' Day
MAKE A SUBMISSION!
Events must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event date and will run free of charge on a space available basis. For more info, call 631.226.2636 x275 or send events to editorial@longislandmediagroup.com
of the concert, please call Bayard Cutting Arboretum at 631-5811002.
3:00PM-7:00PM ANNUAL OUTREACH DANCE SPONSORED BY THE LADIES ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS
Join them for their Annual Fundraiser at Division 2 Hall in Babylon. $40 pp includes beer, wine, soda, buffet dinner, dessert, Irish coffee Bar. Bring a bag of non-perishable food for inclusion in a Special Raffle! Reservations are a MUST call or text Mary Gibbons 631-671-6178
FRI. FEB. 21st
6:3-PM TRIVIA NIGHT
N. Babylon Lions Club Trivia Night at North Babylon A. Tatti Youth Center, 213 Phelphs Lane in N. Babylon. $35pp includes Prizes, pizza, salad. Raffles and 50/50. RSVP by 2/10 to Diane @ 6315530217 or Judy @ 631-7453007
SAT. FEB. 22nd
10:00AM-11:00AM
WILDLIFE WONDERS: FUN WITH FEATHERS
Sweetbriar’s experienced educators help open up the wonders of the natural world for children, through hands-on activities, live animals, crafts, and much more. Sweetbriar Nature Center - ECSS, 62 Eckernkamp Drive in Smithtown. For more information, please call 631-979-6344
SUN. FEB. 23rd
1:00-4:00pm
AN AFTERNOON WITH ELVIS Long Island Society of Italian Americans, (LISIA) is having an Afternoon With Elvism at The Malverne American Legion, 240 Franklin Ave, Post 44. $30.00 pp, includes admission, show, coffee and cake and a cash bar. Bring your own snacks, max 10 to a table. Call Diane Langella @ 516-777-0607 for reservations.
TUES. FEB. 25th
1:00PM
CARNEVALE CELEBRATION
The Italian Cultural Society of Farmingdale cordially invites you to join them at their February Carnevale celebration. Entertainment and light refreshments. Costumes and/ or masks are encouraged for all attendees. Come join the fun! Allen Park Meeting Room, Motor Avenue in Farmingdale. For more information, please contact ICSF Co-President Aggie Vitale agvit@aol. com
6:30PM
BABY SHOWER
The Kiwanis Club of Copiague is having a Baby Shower and will be collecting new clothing, diapers, blankets and many other items a baby needs. Items will be donated to Madonna Heights. Please drop off donations at Red Lobster 801 Sunrise Hwy in Copiague on Tuesday, Feb. 25th. For more information, please contact Lori Prisco 631-495-8755, or Christine Madrazo 631-559-1079
• Penne
• Baked Ziti
• Spaghetti
• Rigatoni
• Chicken Marsala
• Stuffed Shells (16 pc)
• Manicotti (8 pc)
• Jumbo Cheese Ravioli (16 pc)
• Chicken Francese
• Eggplant Parmigiana
• Chicken Parmigiana
• Sausage & Peppers
• Chicken with Sundried Tomatoes & Broccoli
• Eggplant Rollatine
• Garden Salad • Caesar Salad
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Gourmet Dinner Special
• Chicken Parm
• Sausage and Peppers
• Spinach and Mozzarella
• Eggplant Parm
• Broccoli and Mozzarella
Recipe Of The Week: Cherry Pie Bars
Tart, red cherries and Valentine’s Day seem to be the perfect pair. Not only do cherries align with a Valentine’s Day color scheme, they even resemble little hearts when hanging from their stems. Celebrating Valentine’s Day involves many different traditions, and enjoying decadent desserts is among them. Purchasing ready-made treats from a local bakery is one way to indulge in a sugary confection, but crafting a recipe at home is another way to show that special someone how much you care. “Cherry Pie Bars” are not exactly a pie, but a pound cake with a cherry pie filling swirl. They can be made for many different occasions, but make for something sweet on Valentine’s Day. Whip up this recipe from “Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy” (Sourcebooks) by Danielle Kartes.
Yield: One 9-by-13-inch pan
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with parchment paper. In a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream sugar and butter on low. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat until just combined. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Spread a little over half the cake batter into the pan. Evenly spread the pie filling over the top, and spoon the rest of the cake batter over the pie filling. It’s fine if the cherries show through. Bake 35 minutes or until the top has turned slightly golden. Do not overbake. Allow to cool and slice into squares. Enjoy!
LONG ISLAND MEDIA GROUP
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Bowl Shake
Jeff
ASSISTANT
Diana Lambert
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Josh Marlowe
Felicia Edwards
Joe Lambert
Ethan Keattikul
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Victoria Kokolakis
Stephan Schulze
PROOFREADING
Kerry Mastrobuoni
Noelle Lambert CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION
ACCOUNT
EXECUTIVES
Carol Link
Bob Liquorie
Nicole Sims
Kim Volz
Bonnie Schifano
Lucille Moran
Terry Rydyzynski
Noelle Lambert
SCAN HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION:
RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY BOWL SHAKE - The Bowl Shake Ribbon Cutting event occurred on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 12:00 pm at 35 E. Main St. in Babylon Village. The owner, Christina Zubi, centered with her two partners on each side. The event was well attended by Town of Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Leg. Kevin McCaffrey, Chief of Staff Ann Parmely, Village of Babylon Trustee Sean Goodwin, Lindenhurst Village of Chamber President JoAnn Boettcher, BVCC 2nd Vice President of Events Gina Gonzalez, and President of the BVCC Nancy Iglesias-Gillen. Also in attendance were many family members and friends including Babylon Village establishment owners.The Bowl Shake provided scrumptious tastings! It’s a musthave to visit the establishment.
Now Hiring Advertising Account Representatives
Long Island Media Group, publishers of South Bay’s Neighbor Newspapers, South Bay’s Seasons ® Magazine and South Bay’s Digital Marketing, has been serving local communities since 1953. We also print and deliver flyers, menus, postcards, newsletters and more. Our familyowned company proudly services businesses of any size from anywhere with the best customer service possible.
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Benefits Of Leisure Activities
Leisure activities may be widely viewed as fun ways to fill up free time, but the benefits of leisure activities extend beyond beating boredom. An analysis published in the journal BBA Molecular Basis of Disease found that leisure activities have a positive impact on cognitive function and dementia. The analysis, conducted by researchers with the Aging Research Center in Stockholm who examined various studies regarding the relationship between certain activities and cognitive function, defined leisure activity as the voluntary use of free time for activities outside the home. After retirement, leisure time constitutes a large part of many retirees’ lives, and finding ways to fill that time is more beneficial than merely avoiding boredom. The researchers behind the study concluded that the existing research is insufficient to draw any firm conclusions regarding the effects of certain types of leisure activities on the risk for dementia and cognitive decline, though they did note that multi-domain cognitive training has the potential to improve cognitive function in healthy older adults and slow decline in affected individuals. A multi-domain approach to cognitive training involves memory, reasoning, problemsolving, and map reading, among other activities. Aging adults who embrace activities that require the use of such skills may find that they’re not only finding stimulating ways to fill their free time, but increasing their chances of long-term cognitive health as well.
SANTAPOGUE’S CULTURAL EVENT CELEBRATES UNITY - On Jan. 24, Santapogue Elementary School in the West Babylon School District hosted a cultural celebration event. Organized by the school’s Parent-Teacher Association, the evening celebrated unity as students and their families displayed their many different cultures. Some of the countries represented included Ukraine, El Salvador, Guyana, Dominican Republic, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Trinidad and Puerto Rico. Families were excited and eager to share their food and drinks as well as show their clothing and family photographs. Attendees enjoyed learning about each other’s traditions, history, clothing and tasting delicious food. Photos courtesy of West Babylon School District
Babylon Public Library
24 S. Carll Ave.
Babylon, NY
Erin White 631.669.1624
ADULT PROGRAMS
Evening Book
Discussion: Wintering
Thursday, February 13, 7:00pm – 7:45pm
We will be reading the book Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May. Copies will be available at the Adult Reference Desk. Please register for this program.
Libraries of the World
Saturday, February 15, 2:00pm – 3:30pm Celebrate Library Lovers Month with a global tour via the most interesting libraries in the world. Some are haunted, some have rooms to stay, and many of them are really quirky! As today’s libraries become our community centers, let’s look at the role libraries have played throughout history. Presented by Patricia Summers. Please register for this program.
Plots & Pastries: Lucy by the Sea
Tuesday, February 18, 10:00am – 11:00am We will be reading the
book Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout. Copies will be available at the Adult Reference Desk. Please register for this program.
Writer’s Workshop Tuesdays, February 18
5:30pm – 7:45pm New and experienced writers are welcome. Feel free to bring any works in progress. Registration is required.
Classic Film Club: Pillow Talk
Wednesday, February 19, 5:30pm - 7:30pm Watch and discuss the film Pillow Talk (1959). A party line leads to love. Doris Day, Rock Hudson and Tony Randall travel the rocky road to romance in this frothy and delightful comedy classic. No registration necessary.
Adult Games
Monday, February 24 1:00pm – 4:00pm
The Community Room is open for library patrons to play games of their own choosing. Patrons must bring their own games. New players are always welcome. Adults only. No registration required.
TEEN PROGRAMS
Teen Dungeons & Dragons Wednesdays, February 19 3:30pm - 5:30pm Join us in the library for Dungeons & Dragons! Build a character, choose your weapons, and lay waste to nasty critters with a roll of the dice. Grades 6-12. Registration required.
Teen Minecraft
Saturday, February 22, 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Bring your own device for Minecrafting fun! Please come with a Microsoft account and username. Grades 6-12. Registration required.
Teen Living with Wildlife
Tuesday, February 25, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
The Wildlife Center of Long Island is coming to the Babylon Library! Meet some of their Ambassador reptiles, mammals, and birds that call Long Island home and explore their role in our local ecosystem. Discover why these animals are at the Wildlife Hospital and how you can help others like them. Earn one hour of community service for attending! Grades 6-12. Registration required.
Playing the Residential Real Estate
“What If” Game in 2025
By JoAnn Cilla
In business, and especially in real estate, success often comes down to how well you can anticipate and adapt to change. That’s where the What If game comes in. It’s a strategy I often discuss with home buyers and sellers to help them see the positive and negative market scenarios and to create a plan for each one.
For Long Island’s residential real estate market in 2025, the What If game is more relevant than ever. The market is shifting, mortgage rates are unpredictable, and buyers and sellers are adjusting their expectations. For my clients, it’s essential to think ahead and go through the possibilities. Here are four of the most popular questions:
What If Mortgage Rates Drop? We’ve seen mortgage rates fluctuate dramatically over the past few years. If rates drop significantly in 2025, demand will surge as buyers who were sitting on the sidelines jump in. This could lead to bidding wars, rising home prices, and a big seller’s market.
If you are a seller: Take advantage of the increased demand by pricing your home competitively but strategically. With more buyers in the market,
you may receive multiple offers—so work with your agent to negotiate the best terms, not just the highest price. Also, make sure your home is market-ready.
If you are a buyer: Be prepared to move quickly. Get pre-approved for a mortgage and have your finances in order so you can make a strong, competitive offer. Consider being flexible with contingencies to make your offer more attractive but be mindful of your budget, don’t get caught up in bidding wars that push you beyond your comfort zone.
What If Mortgage Rates Stay High? If rates remain high or increase, affordability will continue to be a challenge. Buyers will be more selective, and homes may sit on the
market longer.
If you are a seller: Price your home realistically and be open to negotiation. High rates mean fewer buyers. Keeping a well-maintained, move-in-ready home will give you an edge.
If you are a buyer: Look for homes where sellers are willing to negotiate. High rates may limit your purchasing power, but you can explore options like adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) or first-time homebuyer programs. You can always refinance later if rates drop.
What If Inventory Remains Tight? Long Island has seen low inventory for several years, keeping prices elevated. If this trend continues, competition among buyers will remain fierce.
If you are a seller: A low-inventory market gives you an advantage. You can price confidently but should still be mindful of appraisal values. If you’re also buying another home, consider negotiating a lease-back option or extended closing to give yourself time to find your next property.
If you are a buyer: Be proactive and work with an agent who has access to off-
Continued On 24
Legislator Donnelly And Office For The Aging Announce Babylon And Huntington Winter Senior Advocate Schedules
Suffolk Legislator Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park) is pleased to inform Babylon and Huntington residents about the local Suffolk County Office for the Aging Winter 2025 Senior Advocate Schedule. Senior advocates are County representatives who come out into the community and assist seniors with information gathering, completion of eligibility or recertification applications and referrals to appropriate community agencies.
“It is so important for us to provide our senior
citizens with the assistance and information they need in ways that are most convenient to them. These visits allow our seniors to connect with our County’s senior advocates right in their own communities,” said Legislator Donnelly. “I hope all those interested in the services that the Suffolk County Office for the Aging provides will take advantage of this opportunity.”
This winter, Senior Advocates will be visiting the following locations in the Town of Babylon:
• Deer Park Library, 44
Lake Avenue, Deer Park: Friday, March 21, 9 – 11 am
• North Amityville Nutrition Center, 48-C Cedar Road, Amityville: Wednesdays, February 19 & March 19, 10 am – 1 pm
• Rainbow Center, 293 Buffalo Avenue, Lindenhurst: Wednesday, March 5, 8:30 – 11:00 am
• Tanner Park Senior Nutrition, 2 Tanner Park, Copiague: Wednesday March 12, 8:30 am – 1 pm
• Spangle Drive Center, 4385 Spangle Drive, North Babylon: Tuesdays,
February 25 & March 25, 12 – 3:30 pm
• West Babylon Library, 211 Route 109, West Babylon: Thursday March 27, 10 am – 12 pm
• Wyandanch Senior Nutrition, 28 Wyandanch Avenue, Wyandanch: Wednesdays, February 19 & March 12, 10 am – 1 pm
In Huntington, they will be visiting the following:
• Huntington Senior Nutrition Center, 423 Park Avenue, Huntington: Wednesdays, February 19 & March 19, 8:30 am –1:30 pm
• Paumanack Village 5 & 6, 100 Adriatic Drive, Melville: Thursdays, February 27 & March 27, 8:30 am – 12 pm; residents only Advocates assist with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – formerly known as food stamps), Medicare Savings Program and Heating Emergency Assistance Program (HEAP) applications. They also can provide information on Medicare, answer questions and make recommendations and referrals. For more information about available services or directions to any of these locations, please call the Suffolk County Office for the Aging at (631) 853-8200.
“For more than three decades, the Suffolk County Office for the Aging has been providing full and troublefree access to critical services,” Donnelly said. “I am glad to see their great professional community outreach program continue and hope that every senior resident will make full use of it.”
JOANN CILLA
Marketing & Business Development Specialist (Lake Grove, NY) Help dvlp sales strategies in-line w/franchise & customer service targets for org in refurbishing smart electronic devices, water damage/screen repairs. Salary: $38.36/ hr. Master’s in Bus Admin, Int’s Bus, or Mktg & 1 yr exp in job or 1 yr of sales & mktg analysis exp. I-FixScreens.com, Inc., Attn: Kamran Faisal, 3207 Middle Country Rd, Lake Grove, NY 11755. 427968N021225
Families Anonymous Virtual Meetings
12-Step support group giving Hope & Strength to parents, family and friends concerned with a loved one’s destructive behavior
caused by Alcohol, Drugs or Related Behavioral Problems is now meeting virtually until further notice. For further
information e-mail or call: Donna526@aol.com or (631) 835.8788; Diane (631) 587.0966, www. FamiliesAnonymous.org
Playing the Residential Real Estate
If” Game in 2025
market listings. Act fast when you find a
you
and consider writing a compelling offer letter to make your bid stand
What If the Market Slows Down? A slowdown could be caused by shifts in the economy, changes in the job market, or other unexpected events.
If you are a seller: Be patient and flexible. In a slower market, buyers have more negotiating
power. Pricing correctly from the start is key—overpricing can lead to long days on market and price reductions. Also, marketing matters more than ever—professional photos, virtual tours, and strategic online exposure can make a big difference.
If you are a buyer: A slower market could mean more opportunities! With less competition, you’ll have time to negotiate better terms and possibly secure a lower price.
However, if the slowdown is due to economic concerns, make sure you’re financially prepared before making a big investment.
Final Thoughts: Playing the What If game in real estate means preparing for any kind of market conditions and being ready to act immediately when things change. Whether you’re buying or selling, having a solid strategy gives you a competitive advantage!
