Serving The Willistons, Albertson, Herricks, Mineola, and Searingtown
Sun inp kidsthenteertained n kee Fu g How to mer lon all sum y BBQ Healthbarbie need on the Foods unhealthy be
tion cial sec dia spe slate me 2015 a blank may 22,
Your go-to guide for
not ty guidelines Salthfe uty & bea Sun mer hea
finding the best activities
Sum
Long Island has to offer
$1
Friday, May 22, 2015
vol. 64, no. 21
2015 GUIde To sUmmeR FUN
CHURCH CeleBRaTes 230TH aNNIVeRsaRy
PBa PaNs Body CameRa PlaN
paGeS S1-S32
paGe 2
paGe 6
this summer
napolitano, Widman win ed board seats Mineola School District budget passes by 3-1 ratio By Ja m es G a l l o w ay Mineola Boarad of Education incumbents Christine Napolitano and Brian Widman staved off a fierce challenge in Tuesday’s election from two opponents calling for change. Voters also overwhelmingly approved Mineola’s $80.1 million budget proposal by 1,074 to 370 vote. In the school board race, Napolitano and Widman won 56.1 percent of the vote, with a total of 909 and 800 votes, respectively. Challengers Joy Renner
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALBERT HAKIM
Guide Dog Mitzvah Ben Hakim and Dottie, the yellow Labrador Retriever he fostered. Dottie left for Israel Sunday to continue her training as a seeingeye dog. See story on page 3.
See related election coverage pAgES 21 and 22 and Mark Swensen received 43.9 percent, with 693 and 644 votes. “I think it was a very important mandate that the community feels that we are indeed heading in the right direction,” Napolitano said. “My promise is that we will continue to do so.” She added that voters’ decision to approve the budget was also immensely important and “sends an equally strong mes-
sage.” “We can’t get things done if our taxpayers don’t support the budget,” she said. “We will continue to work hard to ensure tax dollars are well spent…and keep on working to improve our educational opportunities for kids.” Though the candidates ran in pairs, the seats went to the two highest vote getters overall. “To everyone that voted for me for Mineola School Board Trustee, thank you. For those that didn’t, I hope that I can earn your trust and support in the next 3 years,” Widman posted on his Continued on Page 22
Albertson VFW to salute fallen comrades, friends Aging veterans leads to declining membership By Ja m es G a l l o w ay The Albertson Memorial Day parade may be Monday, but tribute to the nation’s fallen soldiers goes far beyond the holiday itself for the members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5253. “There’s many people who
came before us that sacrificed the ultimate sacrifice and others who got wounded for the freedoms we enjoy today,” VFW Post 5253 Commander Gaetano Rumore said. “We honor all our fallen heroes.” In the days and weeks leading up to the parade, the Post’s members place flowers on the graves of their fallen comrades,
Rumore said. But the number of graves keeps growing. Most Vietnam vets are now in their mid-to-late 60s, Rumore said, while the typical World War II or Korean War vet is in his or her late 80s to mid 90s. “They’re really dying fast,” Continued on Page 43
For the latest news visit us at www.theislandnow.com D on’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Theislandnow and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow