Franklin Square_Elmont Herald by Richner Communications, Inc

the Signature Organization in Elmont. Although he has had a busy schedule over the past several years, he made 2011 a year full of accomplishment. He has spearheaded several new community initiatives over the past year. His ambition and eagerness have, at times, made waves, but they undoubtedly helped him effect real change — neighborhood improvements that will likely last for years to come. For those efforts, the Herald names Tallini its 2011 Person of the Year. He has been an active member of the Elmont Chamber of Commerce since 2008, but in the past year he has brought several important projects and events from idea to fruition, helping the chamber bounce back after it was criticized in 2010 for what was perceived as a lack of activity and drive. Tallini organized the chamber’s first Elmont Economic Summit on May 5, inviting elected officials and other local leaders to be panelists for a discussion of economic sustainability in the community. The event was a huge success, attracting nearly 100 residents who were glad to have a venue for discussion of future development and eagerly took the microphone to share their ideas. The summit — which has been planned again for 2012 — ended with applause, galvanizing the community, and Tallini was widely commended. Little did observers know that he was only getting started with the chamber’s 2011 revamping. In June, Tallini was the key player, coordinating with local businesses and Friends & Farmers Inc., in opening Elmont’s first farmer’s market — a weekly event that not only brought smiles to the faces of locals, but brought them closer, friendlier toward their neighbors. “Muzzio was really the driving force behind this, although he won’t admit it,” Paul Sapienza, president-elect of the Chamber of Commerce, said in June. In September, hundreds of local students and residents met with the chamber to discuss its “Invest in Elmont” scholarship program, which Tallini had crafted after months of planning. The program, which encouraged young residents to create business plans for Elmont (and compete for a $5,000 award), was well-received by the community By JACKIE NASH and spurred ideas for similar initiatives jnash@liherald.com among local politicians. In November, Tallini was the lead organizer of the chamber’s first jobs fair, held at the Elmont Memorial Library and attended by nearly 2,000. “Muzzio has changed the Chamber of Commerce to be a reckoning force,” said Pat Nicolosi, president of the Coalition for Sustainable Development. “The chamber has truly become a chamber now, people were put to task … and it’s because Muzzio had some phenomenal ideas.” Tallini grew up in South Floral Park and attended elementary school According to Sapienza, the chamber attracted eight new members in in Elmont. After graduating from Sewanhaka High School in 1990, he 2011, bringing its membership to more than 50, and it was all due to studied civil engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Tallini’s efforts. In addition to the chamber initiatives Institute and earned a law degree at Brooklyn Law “The chamber has truly he led, he spent several hours going door to door, School. In 1999, with a head full of ideas, he settled asking residents to get involved, Sapienza explained. becoming a chamber now, in Franklin Square. Before this year, he added, the chamber had not welpeople were put to task ... and Since then, Tallini has joined several local comed a new member for more than a year. “We groups, including the Elmont East End Civic it’s because Muzzio had some were just hoping that people would come and join Association and the Elmont Coalition for Sustainable phenomenal ideas.” because we exist,” he said. Development, and has met regularly with politicians Sapienza added that Tallini’s “membership drive” and other leaders in an effort to eliminate local develwill be expanded in 2012. “We want to continue what opment restrictions. In addition to community activ-

PERSON 2 0 11

OF THE YEAR

Franklin Square/Elmont

HERALD December 29, 2011 - January 4, 2012

$1.00

YEAR IN REVIEW

Jeff Wilson/Herald

i n i l l a Muzzio T

A head full of ideas for keeping the community growing

Jeff Wilson/Herald

Elmont boys capture Class AA basketball title and Carey wins Class AA baseball championship series Page 15

Janette Pellegrini/Herald

Following a heated and eventful election season, Elmont resident Carrié Solages unseats 16-year Republican Nassau County Legislator John Ciotti. Page 18

he son of Italian immigrants, Muzzio Tallini learned the meaning of self-confidence and integrity by example, at a young age. Hard work and education were of utmost importance to his parents, and so they have been to him ever since.

ism, he has become a smart-growth property developer as the owner of

See WITH, page 13

522353

December 29, 2011 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

YEAR IN REVIEW

Courtesy Scott Cushing

Remembering local victims

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK Franklin Square/Elmont Herald Newspaper

During the Floral Park Reliance Engine Company’s Sept. 11 ceremony in April, which was dedicated to 9/11 victims from Floral Park and Franklin Square, high winds caused cables holding the 75-pound traveling Patriot Flag to snap. Firefighters and police officers caught the flag and held it outstretched during the ceremony.

FIND A SUMMER CAMP

CAMP ferrals

Freee Advice & Re

, LLC Y R T S I M E H C mp nding A Great Ca Thee Solutition To Fi Th

The ork With You To Find W ill W f af St rt pe Our Ex ing Of... u Have Been Dream Yo p m Ca ay w pa Slee 518018

www.CampChemistry.com pChemistry Ch i com m • 2 203-588-9397 03 03 3-58 58 88 8-9397 939

Courtesy Christopher Schnepf

Running for victims in Japan H. Frank Carey High School math teacher Lauren Scarpati completed the school’s 5K run, “Step Up So Others Won’t Get Stepped On,” on April 8. Proceeds from the event went to victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

YEAR IN REVIEW

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 29, 2011

January

Franklin Square, Elmont residents face blizzard’s lasting effects A blizzard some compared to the legendary storm of 1996 left Nassau County frozen in more ways than one on Dec. 26, 2010: it blanketed the county with more than two feet of snow, halted train service and left roads impassable — and the effects lasted until mid-January. Although the National Weather Service issued the blizzard to be in effect from Dec. 26 to the evening of Dec. 27, more than one and a half feet of snow still covered areas of Franklin Square and Elmont during the first week in January, obstructing roadways and barricading cars parked on the streets. Adding to the problem, according to several members of local civic associations, was a lack of street-plowing due to confusion among local governments on which roads they were responsible for clearing. According to Pat Nicolosi, president of the Elmont East End Civic, garbage pick-up was delayed until January in some areas of the community due to unplowed streets. According to Susie TrenklePokalsky, a spokeswoman for the Town of Hempstead, the town used more than 200 pieces of equipment and 8,000 tons of salt over the last week of December 2010, and spent more than $1.3 million “This was a difficult storm,” Trenkle-Pokalsky said. “Mother Nature threw a lot at us during this storm.” She added that the town had plowed every street in Franklin Square and Elmont at least once.

Andrew Vardakis/Herald

The Silver Star Diner on Hempstead Turnpike in Franklin Square

Elmont F.D. criticized for logo

Loved community vet dies

In January, the Elmont Fire Department removed all of logos of its Engine Co. 3 “rebel flag” due to heavy criticism from local residents who said the image resembled a Confederate flag. According to the Elmont F.D., the logo was designed by a department member, and was adhered to Company 3 trucks in November 2010. The logo displayed a skull wearing a bandana that, to many local residents, resembled a Confederate flag. According to Elmont Chief Mike Capoziello, the department wasn’t aware of the similarity between the logo design and the Confederate flag — which is an emblem of Southern heritage as well as shameful reminder of slavery and segregation. “Engine 3 has been known as the rebels for decades,” Capoziello said. “They had the flag logo because of the whole rebel-image thing, not for any racist points of view.” He said the department began catching flack for its logo after a department member went to a local news station with the story mid-January, and shortly thereafter, the department removed the logos. Nearly half of the Elmont F.D.’s members are black or Hispanic, and all eight of the department’s companies include black members, he added. “Are we guilty of not truly understanding how offensive and hurtful this image is to the community? Yes, and we will take the blame for this. Are we trying to entice a racist point of view? Absolutely not,” Capoziello said. “The removal of the logos is not the end of this. The chiefs will continue to speak to our brother firefighters to see if we need to look at other things, as well. We will do what we need to do to make this right.”

Elmont resident Tom Bennet Sr., a Korean War veteran, community leader and activist in Elmont who visited schools frequently to talk to students about veterans, the flag and serving the country, died in January. He was 78 years old. A local Veterans of Foreign Wars leader, Bennet served as commander of the Elmont VFW Post 455 for 40 years, and was a member of the organization for a decade prior to that. In addition to speaking at schools, he raised money to purchase dictionaries for local elementary school students.

Courtesy Mike Capoziello

Courtesy Tom Bennet Jr.

IN BRIEF

CALLING ALL ANGELS! Hunger Does Not Take A Holiday!

February

Elmont couple ties the knot on Valentine’s Day

Come support the work of The INN

More than a dozen couples were married or renewed their vows on Valentine’s Day at Hempstead’s Town Hall in Hempstead, including Elmont residents Tegan Flanders, 26, and Carolina Benitez Esparza, 21. Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray and Clerk Mark Bonilla officiated the ceremonies. Flanders and Esparza said they first met through mutual friends in August of 2010. Esparza is a native of Argentina and Flanders, a stockbroker, grew up in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The couple said they chose to be married on Feb. 14 because it would be easier to “remember one day, rather than two.” “After this it was St. Patrick’s Day,” Esparza said in February, adding that his wedding day was one of the most romantic and exciting days he had experienced. Just before the ceremony began, he said, he asked his grandfather, Ronald, to be his best man. “Joining two people together in matrimony was one of my most enjoyable town clerk duties, and I am thrilled to be able to continue this tradition as supervisor,” Murray said in February. “It was also wonderful to join our local seniors who demonstrated that they are young at heart and their love is ageless by renewing their vows.” During the Feb. 14 ceremonies, classic love songs were performed by the Jackson Main Elementary School choir. According to Bonilla, most couples who decide to be married at Town Hall choose Valentine’s Day as the date.

“Art for Hunger’s Sake” featuring Jen Chapin

Saturday, January 7, 2012 Noon - 5PM $25 donation to attend the full day Student Center Theater, Hofstra University

MUSIC • DANCE • DRAMA • POETRY • ART • PHOTOGRAPHY • CRAFTS AND MORE

March

Coach pleads guilty to ‘08 rape in Elmont

“Like” us on Facebook

www.the-inn.org

“Art for Hunger’s Sake”

MEDIA SPONSOR

78108

Participants wanted, call 631.514.9142 for more information

525572

December 29, 2011 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

HERALD

Professional Directory FAMILY LAW MAYER & McLAUGHLIN LLP ATTORNEY AT LAW Matrimonial, Family Law, Criminal Law Traffic, Estate Planning, Personal Injury, Real Estate Matters 114 Old Country Road Suite 248 Mineola, NY 11501 516-385-6595 www.mayermclaughlin.com

ELDERCARE SERVICES COMFORT KEEPERS • In-Home Companion Care for Seniors & Adults • Assist with meal prep, dressing, grooming, shopping, laundry. • Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care by Skilled Caregivers • Bonded, Insured, Criminally & DMV Checked • Free in - home assessment • Certified by Alzheimer’s Association of Long Island • AARP Endorsed

Freddie Lamont Wilson, 63, a former North Carolina youth basketball coach pleaded guilty in March to rape charges involving a 16-year-old autistic girl in Elmont in 2008. The female victim, whose identity was not released by the Nassau County Police Department, played on Wilson’s basketball team with the Southeastern North Carolina Youth Basketball

May

Six injured after Elmont resident’s vehicle crashes in Brooklyn A 1995 Nissan Maxima, registered to an Elmont woman, crashed into a Brooklyn deli on May 6, injuring six people. According to Brooklyn police, the vehicle hit two people standing at a nearby bus stop, then crashed into Anisha Food, smashing into several customers sitting at tables

• 516-442-2300

TRUSTS & ESTATES • ELDER LAW Mary LaManna-Ulrich ATTORNEY AT LAW Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Life Estates Estate Administration, Medicaid Applications Guardianships, Wills & Trusts, Powers of Attorney Health Care Proxies, Real Estate, Deed Transfers 25 Merrick Avenue, Merrick, New York 516-804-2931 • www.MaryUlrichLaw.com

HERALD

SARA Companion Services, Inc.

DECEMBER 29, 2011 - JANUARY 4, 2012 - Vol. 13 No. 52

HOW TO REACH US ■

THE HERALD OFFICES are located at 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530 and are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

MAIN PHONE: (516) 569-4000 ■

ATTORNEY RONALD GOLDMAN ATTORNEY AT LAW Criminal, Zoning, Traffic and Real Estate Matters Former acting Village Justice, Assistant District Attorney, and Municipal Attorney 130 West 42 Street, 25th Floor New York, NY 10036 800-846-9013 • (f) 516-569-4590

YOUR AD HERE To Advertise in this section call 516-569-4000 ext. 286

Be noticed in this directory

near the shop’s window. Police said that the driver of the vehicle, who was described as an older woman, was making a left turn when she suddenly turned into a B11 bus stop, where several people were standing.

Franklin Square/Elmont

• ck786@comfortkeepers.com • www.comfortkeepers.com

• One on One Companion Services • Skilled Attentive Reliable Assistance • Alzheimer’s & Dementia Training • Insured & Bonded • Free Home Assessment 516-837-3388 • www.saracompanions.com services@saracompanions.com

Association, which Wilson founded in 2001. The crime occurred while Wilson and the victim were in Elmont for a basketball tournament. After pleading guilty to two counts of thirddegree rape charges in Nassau County Court, Wilson was registered as a sex offender in March. In April, he was sentenced to serve two years in jail.

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT: Ext. 214 E-mail: jnash@liherald.com / Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Ext. 254 E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com / Fax: (516) 622-7460

■

DISPLAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: sales@liherald.com / Fax: (516) 569-4643 ■ SUBSCRIPTIONS: Press ”7” E-mail: circ@liherald.com / Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ Web site: www.liherald.com ■ E-mail: Letters and other submissions— jnash@liherald.com

The Franklin Square/Elmont Herald USPS 017066, is published every Thursday by Richner Communications, Inc., 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Periodicals postage paid at Garden City, NY 11530 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to Franklin Square/Elmont Herald, 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Subscription rates: $36 for 1 year within Nassau County. Out of Nassau County: $58 for 1 year. Copyright © 2011 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

A GARDEN CITY HOTEL EVENT FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 29, 2011

Five-Course Private Dinner and Wine Pairing beings at 8:30pm expertly prepared by Chef Steven De Bruyn, with premium open bar, jazz trio and a live viewing of Times Square o countdown midnight. $250 per person

Cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres in the Rotunda begin at 8:30pm followed by a magnificent gala in the Legendary Grand Ballroom featuring a three-course dinner designed by Chef Steven De Bruyn, premium open bar and live entertainment by a multi-piece band. $195 per person ~ $695 per couple with overnight accommodations

525418

Two spectacular events at Long Island’s most sought after venue for New Year’s Eve. Visit www.gchevents for details or call 516.663.7172 to reserve.

December 29, 2011 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

YEAR IN REVIEW February

Two Sewanhaka graduates and a friend killed in fiery Southern State Parkway car crash Three young men were killed in a car accident on Feb. 13 around 5 a.m., when the 2006 Saturn Ion they were traveling in struck a bridge embankment on the eastbound side of the Southern State Parkway, near Nassau Road in Roosevelt. According to the New York State Police, Brendon McRae, 24, and Naquan Bell, 21, Sewanhaka High School alumni; and Stanley Sagesse, 23, a Uniondale High School graduate, were trapped in the vehicle after it struck the embankment and ignited. Officers responded to a call from a passerby at 5:12 a.m. According to police, Trooper Mary Fagan was among the officers to arrive on scene, and she and an uninvolved motorist, Diego Rafael Zuluaga, 26, of Amityville, removed Bell, who was sitting in the back seat, from the vehicle. Fagan then extinguished Bell’s clothes, which were on fire, and he was transported to the Nassau University Medical Center in critical condition, police said.

Sewanhaka High School graduates Brendon McRae, 24, left, and Naquan Bell, 21; and their friend Stanley Sagesse, 23, of Hempstead, were killed in a crash on the Southern State Parkway on Feb. 13.

After Bell was removed from the vehicle, detectives said, it became fully engulfed in flames, with McRae and Sagesse trapped inside, and they were pronounced dead by local EMT when the

fire was extinguished. Bell, who suffered severe internal injuries from the accident, died later that morning at Nassau University Medical Center.

Friends of the young men said that they were heading home from a birthday gathering when they crashed. Bell and McRae were longtime friends who met in high school; Sagesse and McRae worked together at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola. Laurence Reid, Sewanhaka’s football coach and social studies teacher, said McRae and Bell were widely known for athletic abilities at the school, particularly in football. “They both exuded a fierce competitiveness, coupled with an unrelenting desire to win,” Reid said in February. “Their leadership on the football field and the basketball court demanded respect from the other players, and they received it. I hold countless memories of both Naquan and Brendon very close to my heart. I loved my boys, and I’ll miss them.” Bell resided in Floral Park, McRae lived in Roosevelt and Sagesse in Hempstead. Funeral services for Bell and McRae were held on Feb. 22 at the Emanuel Baptist Church in Elmont.

Fire destroys Elmont board member’s home Elmont Union Free School District board member Deniece Walker leaped from her twostory home to safety on Feb. 25, at 8 p.m., after a fire started on the second floor, which fire department officials said was caused by an overloaded extension cord plugged into a space heater. According to Elmont Fire Department Arson/Bomb Squad detectives, a nearby resident called to report the fire at Walker’s home, located at 10 Gotham Ave. in Elmont, and the house was fully engulfed in flames upon the department’s arrival. Mike Capoziello, the Elmont Fire Department’s first assistant chief, said in February that Walker had sat on the roof of the home for several minutes, until she was convinced to jump down from the roof to safety by

Courtesy Mike Capoziello

Lisa Johnston, a local emergency medical technician. According to Capoziello, the damage to the home was extensive. The entire home was damaged by the fire, including the basement, and the second floor was completely demolished, he added.

Retired official charged with theft Penny Frondelli/Herald

Elmont couple wins $5 million lottery When 81-year-old William Hansen, an Elmont resident, purchased an Extravaganza instant ticket on Feb. 2, it was just another trip to the King Kullen supermarket on West Merrick Road in Valley Stream — it wasn’t. Its was a purchase worth $5 million. Hansen said he went to the store nearly every day to get out of the house, buy groceries and often play the lottery. That morning, he said, he purchased groceries and walked out to his car to load several bags into his trunk, and then realized he had an extra $20 bill in his pocket. He walked back into the store, purchased the $20 scratch-off game, and couldn’t believe his eyes. “At first, I thought it was only for $5,000, and I looked again … I went back to the service

window to have them check it,” Hansen said. “It didn’t start to sink in until after they announced it on the loud speaker. That’s when my knees went weak, and I started shaking.” Hansen and his wife, Mary, 79, have been married for 58 years, and have six children, 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. William is long retired from his job as a crane operator for Associated Rigging in New York City, and Mary was a stay-at-home mom for several years. The Hansens said they plan to keep the prize money in the family. The couple opted to split the $5 million prize, with each receiving 20 annual payments of $125,000 (net $77,692) until 2031.

Gerald Waldman, 59, former assistant principal of Sewanhaka High School, was arrested on charges of grand larceny and official misconduct by investigators from Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice’s office on Feb. 18. Waldman was accused in February of taking $113,000 from a union fund while serving as treasurer of the Sewanhaka School District Department Chairpersons Association, an education collective bargaining group representing department chairs, from 2004 to June 2010. According to the district attorney’s office, he stole money between November 2004 and May 2010. Rice said that Waldman made out 136 checks to cash and made one check out to himself to for pay credit card bills and personal expenses. When the school district discovered

that there was money missing from the account in June 2010, Waldman resigned from his position as assistant principal. “This is the utmost betrayal by a man entrusted to educate our young people and to represent his colleagues honorably,” Rice said. “Instead, he failed them both by using his position to fatten his own wallet.” Waldman began working at Sewanhaka High in 1981 as a business teacher. He was promoted to assistant principal in 2007. At his arraignment in February, at the Nassau County District Court in Hempstead, Waldman pleaded not guilty to grand larceny and official misconduct, and was released without bail. In August, he pleaded guilty to seconddegree grand larceny and official misconduct, and was sentenced to five years probation.

YEAR IN REVIEW U.S. Census data reveal increase in diversity According to 2010 U.S. Census data, which was released on March 31, populations in Elmont and Franklin Square became more diverse over the past decade. In 2000, census data revealed that the majority of Elmont was white largest group; 2010 census data showed that AfricanAmericans now make up the majority of the population — the community is home to several ethnicities, and 45.5 percent of individuals

Parents, residents shoot down middle-school plan At a Franklin Square Union Free School District Board of Education meeting in March, Patrick Manley, the district’s superintendent, presented a proposal to create a middle school to save an estimated $1.28 million for the district and implement important programs into its curriculum. The plan would have reorganized the district’s three schools — the Washington Street, Polk Street and John Street schools — and created a district middle school. Currently, each school houses kindergarten to sixth-grade students; under the proposal, students in grades K-4 would have been gradually moved into Polk Street and John Street, and students in grades 5 and 6 would

have moved to Washington Street. The proposal was not well-received by many parents and other residents of the district, who were concerned about a number of potential consequences, including their children having to attend a school far from their home and not receiving adequate transportation, as well as an increase in local traffic congestion. Throughout March, Manley held public meetings to discuss the middle-school plan with residents. The plan was tabled later that month, however, due to the community’s resistance. Manley said he plans to reopen the discussion for the proposal in January 2012.

living in Elmont are black, according to the recent census. Franklin Square saw a significant change in its black population in the past decade, according to 2010 U.S. Census data. The community’s black population increased by 222 percent, going from 290 in 2000 to 934 in 2010. Despite an increase in diversity, Franklin Square’s population is 83 percent white, according to the recent census.

Elmont resident part of $20 million scam Following a two-year investigation, the Nassau County District Attorney’s office indicted 17 people — including an Elmont man — for their involvement in a $20 million scheme that included the mortgage fraud and identity theft of several homeowners, banks and the county government. The 17 defendants were charged on March 16 with more than 108 crimes for their roles in the operation. Yves Mathieu, 45, of Elmont, was charged with four counts of second-degree grand larceny, two counts of first-degree Falsifying Business Records, first-degree Scheme to Defraud, three counts of Offering a False Instrument for filing,

three counts of third-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree conspiracy. Rice said that the investigation, titled “Operation: Sweet Deal,” was been carried out in Nassau for nearly six years under the leadership of Westbury residents James Robert Sweet, 43, and Dwayne Benjamin, 44. Mathieu faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted. His case has not yet received a hearing. According to Chris Munzing, a spokesperson for Rice, Mathieu pleaded guilty to enterprise corruption and three counts of thirddegree grand larceny, and was sentenced to one to three years in jail.

At Hofstra, you’re at the center of everything. So you can learn more. Think more. Be more.

To attend a Transfer Day in January, visit hofstra.edu/transferdays

hofstra.edu

519245

Each year, hundreds of students transfer to Hofstra, and now, transferring to Hofstra is simpler than ever. Our transfer students are given greater ﬂexibility in fulﬁlling general education requirements with coursework from a prior institution. At a Transfer Day students can apply and receive an admission decision and credit evaluation, meet with an academic advisor and register for the spring 2012 semester.

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 29, 2011

March

December 29, 2011 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

YEAR IN REVIEW April

Plans to cut local bus service thwarted, county announces privatization of L.I. bus The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Nassau County and state Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Charles Fuschillo of Merrick and Sen. Jack Martins of Elmont, announced on April 1 an agreement to avert proposed cuts to the MTA’s Long Island Bus service in Floral Park, Elmont, Franklin Square, Bellerose Terrace, Bellerose Village and North Valley Stream. The cuts were postponed until January 2012, under the agreement. In February, the MTA announced that more than half of Nassau County’s bus routes would face dramatic cuts in spring 2011, in order to save $26 million — the amount that MTA officials said was needed to maintain existing bus service. The MTA was scheduled to vote on service cuts at its April 2011 board meeting. Prior to the agreement to prevent the cuts, hundreds of L.I. Bus riders attended a public hearing at Hofstra University to voice their concerns about the service cuts. On April 27, County Executive Edward Mangano announced plans to move forward with a public-private partnership to maintain bus service, following the MTA board’s decision in mid-April to terminate its contract.

IN BRIEF Bomb scare at Carey

Penny Frondelli/Herald

Ronnie’s Hardware closes its doors Ronnie’s Hardware, a 63-year-old staple of the Franklin Square community, located at 187 Franklin Ave., closed in April. The store’s owner, Ronnie Cione, 73, inherited the business in 1979 from his father, Ronald R. Cione. Cione began working at his father’s store in 1956, when he was only 10 years old. The store was originally located at 681 Franklin Ave. in Franklin Square.

Cione announced his decision to close in February and said it was based on declining business, which was likely caused by an increase in large department stores over the past 40 years, diminishing the need for hometown hardware shops. “The times have changed,” he said in March. “People aren’t loyal to mom-and-pop stores anymore.”

F.S. man arrested for torturing neighbor’s dog Franklin Square resident Jamie Sanchez, 56, was arrested on April 23 at 2:15 p.m., after allegedly throwing a neighbor’s dog six feet into the air and onto the center of Robin Road, nearly 10 feet away. The dog, a 1-year-old female Dachshund named Coco, sustained injuries to her tail and ruptured stitches from a prior recent surgery, according to the Nassau County Police Department’s 5th Precinct. According to police, Sanchez was painting his house when he saw his 54-year-old female neighbor walking Coco on the sidewalk near his home. He began arguing with her and threatened her, saying he would let

his dog loose if Coco walked on his property. When the neighbor threatened to call police, he grabbed the dog’s leash and threw her, officers said. Sanchez was charged with Overdriving, Torturing Animals and Reckless Endangerment to Property. He was arraigned on April 24 at the First District Court in Hempstead. According to Chris Munzing, a spokesperson for the district attorney’s office, Sanchez pleaded guilty to all of the above charges, as well as failure to provide proper sustenance. He received a conditional discharge and 35 hours of community service, Munzing said.

A bomb threat was left on the voice-mail system of a H. Frank Carey High School administrator on April 27 around 11:10 p.m. The threat was made after the Sewanhaka Central High School District Board of Education meeting that night. Robert Psoinas, deputy commanding officer of the Nassau County Police Department’s 5th Precinct, said that the school official listened to the voice mail at around 8:20 a.m. on April 28, and it claimed that a bomb would go off at 8:30 a.m. that day. The school was immediately evacuated, and the police and fire departments were notified, Psoinas said. The NCPD searched the building at around 9 a.m., assisted by school custodians and other staff members, Psoinas said, and determined that the building was safe. The 5th Precinct’s bomb squad was not called, he said, because the Police Department determined that it was unnecessary, as no evidence of a bomb was found in the school. Students were permitted back into Carey around 10 a.m. A Sewanhaka district resident, who declined to be identified, said that the school administration recognized the voice on the message as that of a Franklin Square resident. The 5th Squad investigated the case, and did not report any further information.

Robb-Fund named District 13’s new superintendent

Courtesy Nassau County Police Department

District 13 administrator Dr. Adrienne Robb-Fund was named the district’s new superintendent on April 27, during a Board of Education meeting where board members unanimously approved Robb-Fund’s appointment. She began her new role on July 1.

YEAR IN REVIEW Sewanhaka’s names Ferrie new superintendent Following Sewanhaka Central High School District Superintendent Warren Meierdierck’s announcement last December that he would be retiring in June, the district began working to find a new superintendent to take his place. On May 3, the district named Dr. Ralph Ferrie the new superintendent. He was hired for a threeyear term. Ferrie, who was living in Bricktown, N.J., when he was appointed, has more than 34 years’ experience in education, including as an

assistant professor at Georgian Court University, superintendent of schools in the Three Village and Stony Brook school district in New York and the Monroe County Township and Absecon City Public school districts in New Jersey. Ferrie began serving as superintendent on July 1, and has been widely well-received by the district’s administration and educators, as well as district residents.

American troops kill Osama Bin Laden Herald file photo

Big plans for Coliseum, Belmont Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, Islanders owner Charles Wang and Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray announced an Economic Development and Job Creation Plan — including the construction of a worldclass sports and entertainment center to replace the aging Nassau Coliseum and a casino at Belmont Park — to hundreds of local residents at a press conference at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on May 11.

Since that time, the plans have progressed: the Shinnecock Nation would run the facility under the current plan, which recently gained the interest of Detroit-based casino developer Michael Malik, a Shinnecock partner. Malik presented renderings of the plan to Elmont Chamber of Commerce members in October, and the plan is currently awaiting approval by local, county and state shareholders, and governmental entities.

President Barack Obama announced on the evening of May 1 that American troops in Pakistan killed Osama bin Laden, founder and leader of al Qaeda — the militant Islamist organization responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and other terrorist attacks against civilian and military targets. The news impacted all Americans, but hit especially hard for New Yorkers. Some local residents personally knew individuals who were killed on 9/11. Jerry Miceli, an Elmont native who now lives in Texas, lost a friend, Eamon McEneaney, on Sept. 11. McEneaney went to Sewanhaka High School and was a Lacrosse Hall of Fame

member. He was working at the World Trade Center when the attacks occurred. “He was a loving father of four girls, and had a beautiful wife,” Miceli said. “He saved many people after the first attack.” Franklin Square resident Bill Youngfert said in May that he felt proud when he heard that bin Laden had been killed. “I am flying my flag outside my home,” Youngfert said. “I’m so glad I replaced the flag pole and flag. I feel proud of our nation and now hope for a speedy end to conflicts overseas, so our young people can come home safe and help build a strong U.S.A. at home.”

A Mercedes-Benz from Lakeview is the perfect gift! 2012 C300 4MATIC 2012 GLK350

$379 $379 $2,865 $795 $4,039

per mo 30 mo lease*

First Month’s Payment Cap Cost Reduction Acquisition Fee Due at Signing

$399 $399 $3,389 $795 $4,583

per mo 30 mo lease*

First Month’s Payment Cap Cost Reduction Acquisition Fee Due at Signing

Up to 8 months payment credit§

Your choice of what to drive just got easier.

for Mercedes-Benz Financial Services clients when you purchase a 2010, 2011 or 2012 Mercedes-Benz. Now, that’s some rather enthusiastic news nz enthus for Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts.

If you currently own a BMW, Audi, Lexus, Jaguar, Porsche, Land Rover, Acura, Inﬁniti, Cadillac, Lincoln, Volvo, VW or Jeep you can get $4,000 on a 2011 E-Class, 2012 GL-Class or 2012 S-Class or $2,000 toward the Mercedes-Benz of your choice.** Driving a Mercedes-Benz has never been more rewarding.

Top Rated Dealer

LONG ISL AND’S FIRST MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERSHIP

Mon-Fri 9am-8pm Sat 9am-6pm Sun 11am-4pm Web Site 24/7 facebook.com/LakeviewMB *Excludes taxes and registration fees. Total monthly payments: C300=$11,370; GLK350=$11,970. Mileage: 7,500/year with 25¢/mile additional. Lessee responsible for excess wear and maintenance. Subject to approval by primary lender. **Qualiﬁed customers only; excludes 2011 and 2012 Sprinter, smart, SLS models. §Eligible customers will receive up to 8 months payment credit on their current lease with a lease or ﬁnance of any new 2010, 2011 or 2012 Mercedes-Benz vehicle through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. Certain exclusions apply. See dealer for details. †As per 1957 dealer agreement. ©2011 Lakeview Auto Sales and Service, Inc. Dealer #1300376. Offers end January 3, 2012.

525401

www.LakeviewMB.com | 516.766.6900 650 Sunrise Hwy in Rockville Centre

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 29, 2011

May

December 29, 2011 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

YEAR IN REVIEW June

Courtesy Nassau County District Attorney’s Office

Cousins Ricardo Louis, 22, from left, and Marlon Bernier, 25. Jon Premosch/Herald

The Nassau Police Pipes and Drums marched proudly during the Belmont Stakes Parade.

Belmont Stakes Parade sees record turnout The Belmont Stakes Parade saw a recordbreaking number of marchers — nearly 1,000 — on June 4. The parade has taken place in Elmont for the past three years. Ralph Esposito, the parade’s chairman and Elmont’s fire commissioner, said that only 200 marchers were expected for the parade, but attendance was open, and many participants showed up at the last minute. Following the Belmont Stakes Parade Grand Marshals — the Elmont

Memorial and Sewanhaka high schools’ Homecoming kings and queens — were local veterans, bands, high school sports teams, businesses, civic associations, the Elmont Fire Department, the Nassau County Police Department, the 5th Precinct POP Unit and community leaders. “This was phenomenal. I am really, really proud,” Esposito said. “We are really a united community.”

Two Elmont men charged with dogfighting Marlon Bernier, 25, was arrested by Nassau County 5th Precinct officers on June 11, following a 911 call reporting possible dogfighting at a home on Virginia Avenue in Elmont. When police arrived, they said they found nine dogs — eight pit bulls and a German shepherd puppy — in cages in the backyard, and there were signs that the dogs had been fighting, including bleeding wounds on their faces, scars and filed teeth. On Aug. 5, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced that Bernier, along with his cousin Ricardo Louis, 22, who shared a home on Virginia Avenue in Elmont, were indicted following an investigation that uncovered evidence that they had trained sever-

al pit bulls to fight and permitted the dogs to attack one another. That evidence included a video of the men training dogs, using a “springpole” apparatus to strengthen the dogs’ jaw muscles, in the backyard of their home. Bernier was arraigned on Aug. 5, with bail set at $50,000 bond or $25,000 cash. Louis was indicted and arraigned on July 27. They were each charged with four felony counts of fourth-degree animal fighting and conspiracy, two counts of fifth-degree conspiracy and two counts of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals. Bernier was also charged with seconddegree criminal contempt.

County plan reduces 5th Precinct’s POP Unit Three officers from the 5th Precinct’s Problem Oriented Policing Unit were relocated to the precinct’s patrol unit this summer, in compliance with a plan announced by County Executive Ed Mangano on June 20, causing concern for some leaders in Franklin Square and Elmont, who said in June that the POP Unit was needed more than ever due to a rise in local crime. Under the plan, the Nassau County Police Department redeployed 166 employees, includ-

ing 109 officers, 19 supervisors and 38 civilian employees. According to Mangano, the plan will save taxpayers more than $9 million and prevent further tax increases. In addition to designating only one POP officer per county precinct, the plan redirects the police department’s commanding officers to attend community meetings, and assigns supervisors as liaisons to villages and community groups.

IN BRIEF Jon Premosch/Herald

Ruler On Ice takes Belmont Stakes Nearly 56,000 racing fans and bettors were shocked on June 11 when an underdog, Ruler On Ice, ridden by Jose Valdivia Jr., won the 143rd running of the Belmont Stakes. For months leading up to the 1.5-mile Belmont Stakes — the third leg of horseracing’s Triple Crown — racing experts and bettors were predicting a head-to-head race between Animal Kingdom, the winner of the Kentucky Derby, and Shackleford, the Preakness Stakes winner and the

fourth-place finisher in the Derby. The ’11 Belmont Stakes marked the 20th time in Triple Crown history that the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners both ran at Belmont. The Kentucky Derby winner has won only four times, most recently in 1984, when Swale took the Belmont title. The Preakness winner has won Belmont nine times, most recently Afleet Alex in 2005. There has not been a Triple Crown winner since 1978.

New York says ‘yes’ to gay marriage With a vote in the Senate of 33-29 on June 24, New York became the sixth state in the nation to allow same-sex marriage. The nine senators from Long Island, all Republican, voted against the bill, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law shortly before midnight.

Governor signs historic property tax cap law Gov. Andrew Cuomo came to the home of James and Janet Gannon in Lynbrook on June 30 to sign the state’s first property tax cap into law, in order to relieve homeowners and businesses of outof-control taxes. Under the new law, property tax increases will be capped at 2 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is smaller. Local communities and voters can override the cap with a 60 percent vote.

YEAR IN REVIEW Judge rules redistricting plan no good for ’11 On July 21, Supreme Court Justice Steven M. Jaeger ruled that the Nassau County redistricting plan — which was passed by the Nassau County Legislature on May 24, which, at the time, was an 11-8 Republican majority — did not apply to the 2011 election, adding that 2013 would be the earliest the Nassau redistricting plan could be put into use. Democrats celebrated the decision. The Republicans’ plan shifted 576,000 voters out of their current legislative districts and into new ones, while also moving certain districts, such as the 19th, across the county. The plan was crafted in the weeks prior to the vote by the Republican majority at the suggestion of Peter Schmitt, a Republican who represents the 12th Legislative District, and quickly drew sharp criticism local residents at a May 9 hearing. Representatives of Nassau’s African-American community said it would dilute the minority vote and potentially violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965, while Democrats said the plan repre-

sented an unlawful power grab by the GOP majority, and that drawing them in time for the 2011 election was unnecessary; Republicans said that the lines were required by the election, according to their interpretation of the county charter. Prior to the Legislature vote, on May 12, Jaeger issued a temporary restraining order against the County Legislature, effectively prohibiting the Legislature from voting on the matter. But an appellate judge overturned that decision, allowing the vote to move forward. Republicans appealed Jaeger’s July decision, which was overturned by an appellate division court shortly thereafter. In September, however, a Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the plan was not to be used in November. New lines are expected to be drawn by the Legislature’s majority in 2012, and then amended by a bipartisan commission, as mandated by the county charter.

Queens man convicted in Elmont slaying A jury found a Queens man guilty of second-degree murder on July 7 in the fatal shooting of another man at an Elmont nightclub more than two years ago. At 4 a.m. on May 16, 2009, Sandino Campbell, now 28, of Jamaica, allegedly shot Galy Fortune, 47, of Valley Stream, outside Moments Night Club, at 793 Elmont Road in Elmont. Prior to the shooting, the two men were involved in an altercation regarding Campbell’s girlfriend, according to police. Both men were escorted from the bar, Campbell Courtesy Chris Munzing and his girlfriend leavSandino Campbell, 28, was guilty of second-degree ing through the back murder on July 7. door and Fortune through the front door. As Fortune was walking away, Campbell fired several shots from his car, hitting Fortune below the ribs. According to Nassau County police, Campbell fled the scene, and Fortune was taken to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, where he was pronounced dead. Campbell was found in Los Angeles, by the U.S. Marshals Service, on June 20, 2010. In September, Campbell was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the murder.

Argo site closer to revitalization The Town of Hempstead voted on July 12 to designate New York-based developer RD Management LLC for the revitalization of the Argo Theater, a 2.9-acre property on Hempstead Turnpike and Elmont Road, for which Elmont residents have long sought revitalization. The town said in July that it is planning to construct a neighborhood supermarket and parking lot at the site — in accordance with the Community Vision Plan, which was established by the Elmont Coalition for Sustainable Development and accepted by the town in 2008 — as well as build a 35,000-square-foot supermarket and other types of retail. Since the vote designating RD Management, the town’s Department of Planning and Economic Development has been working to finalize a contract with RD Management, which is expected to be presented to the town board in early 2012.

Basketball tournament sees record-breaking turnout

Town names new animal shelter director

Elmont’s annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament received a record-breaking crowd of nearly 4,300 on July 16, at the Dutch Broadway School in Elmont. The event, which is for fifth-grade to college students and has taken place for the past seven years, has garnered both local and Long Island-wide attention. It’s run by the Basketball Tournament Committee — chaired by Scott Cushing, executive assistant for Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola).

At the Hempstead Town Board meeting on July 12, Supervisor Kate Murray announced the hiring of Cynthia Iacopella as the new assistant director for the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter. The former director, Patricia Horan, was reassigned to a position outside of the shelter after a video surfaced showing TOHAS employees making obscene gestures and chanting, “kill the kitty.” The video caused the shelter to receive wide negative publicity.

Jon Premosch/Herald

The 2011 tournament included a wheelchair match between the Elmont Memorial High School boys’ basketball team and the Henry Viscardi School wheelchair basketball team. The Elmont Spartans’ players played the game in wheelchairs, as well. Following tip-off, at 11 a.m., an aggressive game was played between the Spartans and Cougars, ending in a 74-53 win for Viscardi.

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 29, 2011

July

YEAR IN REVIEW December

November

Report faults lack of oversight of State begins audit of Hempstead county crime laboratory animal shelter According to a report released by the New York State Inspector General on Nov. 10, the Nassau County Police Department’s Forensic Evidence Bureau has suffered from systemic problems that have not been properly addressed since its inception in 2003. Inspector General Ellen Biben found in her investigation that the failures of the Nassau crime lab were an inherent result of a lack of management and oversight by the laboratory, the police department, county leadership and the State Commission on Forensic Science.

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli began an audit of the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter mid-November, following an announcement of the planned audit on Oct. 24, which was well-received by many residents and local animal rights advocates who have long complained that the shelter is in need of financial monitoring. DiNapoli said in October that the audit is in response to hundreds of complaints from residents and intends to ensure the shelter’s “integrity of financial accountability.” The shelter’s 2012 budget is $7.45 million — a 13.7 percent increase from its 2011 budget, $7.1 million. Kathy Leistner/Herald

Titus Williams, right, 22, fought Marlon Brown, of Rockaway Ropes, in the final bout of the 2011 New York Metropolitan Championship on Dec. 9.

Help bring sunshine into the lives of families coping with cancer

Williams wins N.Y. Metros

It costs $6,000 to send a child with cancer to Sunrise Day Camp. Thanks to the generous donations of people like you, we have been able to brighten the lives of hundreds of kids each year. Even a small gift can make a big difference.

Elmont boxer Titus Williams, 22, won the New York Metropolitan Championships over longtime rival Marlon Brown of Rockaway Ropes in a 4-1 decision Dec. 9. Williams, who competed in the Metros’ 132-pound division, also won the Long Island Amateur Boxing Championships and Charities tournament on Aug. 21. He is planning to compete in the amateur Golden Gloves, which begins in January.

Sunrise Day Camp is offered free of charge to all children, ages 3 1/2 -16, being treated for cancer and their siblings on a non-sectarian basis.

Mangano announces likely layoffs

Operated by the Barry and Florence Friedberg JCC on the 300-acre Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds in Wheatley Heights, Long Island, Sunrise Day Camp is the only dedicated day camp in the nation for children with cancer and their siblings.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano introduced a plan the first week of December to lay off nearly 400 county workers while demoting another 200 by no later than Dec. 15, in order to save the county $73.2 million.

Where children with cancer ﬁnd a new beginning every day...

Victoria Finnegan/Herald

Elmont makes history with farmer’s market

W Please clip this form and mail to the address below W

Here’s my tax-deductible gift in the amount of (please check one): P $10

P $18

P $36

P $90

P $180

P $540

P $3000

P $6000

P $_______

Buys arts and crafts supplies

Buys kids’ snacks and treats

Buys sporting goods and equipment

Pays for transp. to camp

Pays for medical supplies

Pays for special programs

Pays for half camp session

Pays for full camp session

Pays for days of fun for every lucky camper

3 easy ways to contribute

Thank you! Please print your information:

1. Credit Card

Name ___________________________________________________

Card No.______________________________ Exp. Date ______

Address _________________________________________________

Card Code_________ Signature __________________________ 2. Check payable to Sunrise Day Camp.

City/State/Zip _____________________________________________

3. Make your contribution online at www.sunrisedaycamp.org

Phone _______________ E-mail _______________________________

Send contribution to Sunrise Day Camp, Development Ofﬁce, 15 Neil Court, Oceanside, NY 11572.

P My (or my spouse’s) employer has a matching gift program. Please enclose employer’s matching gift form with your donation.

524547

December 29, 2011 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

Elmont held its very first farmer’s market at the Alva T. Stanforth Sports Complex on June 30, showcasing a variety of goods from local vendors, including fresh tomatoes, pickles, corn, strawberries, fish and organic bread. Nearly 100 people attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the event on its inaugural day, and several hundred locals shopped. The market was created through collaboration by the Elmont Chamber of Commerce and Friends & Farmers Inc., and was held every Thursday from June 30 to Nov. 17.

With an eye on growth, recruiting new members to the chamber

Continued from front page

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 29, 2011

he started … it shows the momentum and the growth,” he said. Tallini was named the chamber’s vice president in November. That month, he worked with other members and a local business, The Shop, to host a fundraiser for Richard Schriefer, a Franklin Square resident and an ex-chief of the Elmont Fire Department. Hundreds attended. Nearly a decade ago, Tallini began working on a proposal for mixed-use development in Elmont. It was later included in the Coalition for Sustainable Development’s Vision Plan, which was completed in 2008 and is currently being used as a community blueprint. Tallini’s proposal, although not approved by the Town of Hempstead’s Board of Zoning Appeals, added momentum to a years-long discussion about Elmont’s restrictive zoning codes. He and other East End Civic Association members regularly host meetings with local leaders to discuss Elmont development in general and the codes in particular. According to Tallini, zoning changes are necessary to provide more housing choices for young residents and to promote commercial development that would bolster the economy and expand the tax base, lessening the existing high tax burden. “I’m lucky for the people that I have, and I’m really lucky to have an intelligent man like Muzzio,” Nicolosi said of the East End Civic Association. Tallini, who has been involved in the Elmont community all his life and said he plans to be involved for the rest of his life, attributes his motivation in part to his father, a construction company owner who died in September 2010. “He motivates me every day to continue to work hard, work smart, and be the leader that sets the example,” he said. His ultimate goal, Tallini said, is to help redevelop the community into “the economic powerhouse it deserves to be” — and his purview is not limited to Elmont. He has been looking to get involved in the Norwood Park Civic Association and has recently discussed some ongoing concerns in Franklin Square, including the

Courtesy Mikaelle Solages

Muzzio Tallini has no shortage of ideas for development in Elmont.

restoration of Rath Park. “[I like] the passion and drive of the people who live here,” he

said, “to make their community a better place for their children and future generations to come.”

Spring 2012 Registration

APPLY ONLINE NOW!

January 9, 10, and 11 10 am - 1 pm and 4 pm - 7 pm Visit our website for Eligibility Requirements and Course Descriptions

www.farmingdale.edu/lieoc

Don’t Wait!

Tuition Free!

Classes begin January 23, 2011 ~ *Financial Eligibility Required ~

Where to Find Us

English for International Students

Learn English in our accelerated ESL Program. Intermediate and Advance students can improve their reading and comprehension skills faster than ever before. With our highly qualified professors, and interactive language computer lab open during and after classes, you can learn English at your own pace!

Hempstead 269 Fulton Avenue Hempstead, NY 11550 (516) 489-8705

Farmingdale ~ Hooper Hall Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY 11735 (631) 420-2280 EEO/AA 525539

ESL

Brentwood 1090-A Suffolk Avenue Brentwood, NY 11717 (631) 434-3740

December 29, 2011 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

YEAR IN REVIEW

IN BRIEF

August

Elmont library director resigns

Hurricane Irene sweeps through Long Island

Maggie Gough, who began serving as director of the Elmont Memorial Library in 2009, submitted a letter on Aug. 15 announcing her decision to resign. Her resignation was effective on Sept. 2. After Gough announced her resignation, speculation surfaced regarding her reason for departure, honing in on what some called a “rocky relationship” with the library board. Gough declined to comment about the impetus for her resignation, but said she gained invaluable experience at Elmont, for which she is grateful. The library’s Board of Trustees voted on Aug. 25 to appoint librarian Carolee Ciulla as Elmont’s librarian-in-charge until a new director is hired.

Hurricane Irene swept through Long Island on Aug. 28, bringing with her heavy rains and high winds that caused local flooding, toppled trees and power lines and left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity. The South Shore felt the brunt of the storm — which was downgraded to a tropical storm as it passed over the metropolitan area — between 2 and 5 a.m. By the time most residents awoke, the rain bands had dissipated, but heavy winds complicated cleanup efforts throughout the evening. Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano ordered the evacuation of the South Shore prior to the storm, and the county opened nearly two-dozen shelters. The Town of Hempstead offered relief centers as well. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority shut down all public transportation at noon on Saturday. Bus service was back to normal on Aug. 2, but service on the Long Island Rail Road was limited, and still suspended entirely on the Long Beach and Far Rockaway branches. The Long Island Power Authority

Cabbie found dead in F.S.

Courtesy Vincent Toma

Hurricane Irene knocked down a tree on Martin Road in Franklin Square on Aug. 28.

reported that at the height of the storm, 500,000 homes and businesses were without electricity. Customer service centers were closed so workers could focus on repairs. Many of the outages were caused

when trees fell on power lines. In Franklin Square, 5,095 residents experienced power outages due to the storm, nearly half of the population. In Elmont, 721 residents experienced power outages, according to LIPA.

A 32-year-old cab driver was found dead in a Franklin Square parking lot on Aug. 12. Upon investigation Nassau County police found that William Mena, of Maspeth, Queens, had been fatally stabbed on Aug. 11 by another driver, Christopher Heron, 35, of Queens, during an argument over a potential customer in Franklin Square. Both men worked for Ollie’s Taxi & Airport Service in Franklin Square. Heron turned himself in at the 5th Precinct station house, police said, and was charged with second-degree murder and arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead on Aug. 13. Herron’s case is open and awaiting action by a grand jury.

DiNapoli audit spurs scrutiny of Elmont Fire District’s spending State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced on Aug. 4 the completion an audit of the Elmont Fire District during the period from Jan. 1, 2009, to July 31, 2010, and the results spurred public scrutiny of the district. According to the audit, the district had spent nearly $1,200 on Baltimore Orioles tickets and $699 at a Baltimore restaurant — $100 of which was spent on beer — without requiring any documentation. The audit included other financial errs, including the board’s appointment of a treasurer who lacked the credentials to perform the duties of a public officer, and a failure to implement effective budget controls for restricting and monitoring budgetary activity. Frank Hrbek Jr., chairman of the Fire District’s Board of Commissioners, said in August that the district has taken several steps to enhance its procedures and address the audit’s findings.

Jackie Nash/Herald

Rain causes major flooding, traps drivers A rainstorm on Aug. 14 dumped as much as 11 inches of rain on some areas of Long Island, causing several local water emergencies. The Elmont Fire Department and Franklin Square-Munson Fire Department were among the local departments responding to water emergencies in low flood zones. In some cases, motorists

were trapped in their automobiles. The Dutch Broadway Athletic Complex, located at 2616 Dutch Broadway in Elmont, was flooded with nearly five feet of water by the Aug. 14 storm.

Four Elmont firefighters injured in North Woodmere Four firefighters from the Elmont Fire Department suffered injuries, one seriously hurt, while participating in training exercises at North Woodmere County Park around 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 30. The injuries were to their heads, chests and faces. According to Nassau County Fourth Squad detectives and the county’s Homicide Squad, the firefighters fell off of a drill team truck during a drill, sending two male firefighters, a 23-year-old and a 25-year-old, over a guardrail; a 23-year-old victim to sustain abrasions, contusions and a neck injury; and a 25-year-old to suffer

abrasions and contusions to his body. All but the 26-year-old firefighter, who was critically injured in the accident, have been released from local hospitals since the accident. According to Robert Leonard, a spokesperson for the Elmont Fire District, the 26-year-old department member, whose family requested that his name not be released, was in an induced coma for nearly a month after the accident, and has been in the hospital since. In mid-September, he was classified as in non-critical condition, Leonard said.

Voters defeat Coliseum proposal Nassau County voters overwhelmingly said “no” on Aug. 1 to a proposal to borrow $400 million to build a new Coliseum and minor league ballpark. More than 150,000 voters came to the polls, with about 90,000 voting against the plan. The vote leaves the future of the New York Islanders in doubt, with their lease set to expire in 2015. Owner Charles Wang, addressing the media after the vote, said he was disappointed by the results but would not say what his next step would be. However, he has previously stated that it would be unlikely that the team would continue to play in the current arena beyond then. The referendum had the support of labor unions, Vision Long Island and many businesses surrounding the Uniondale facility, but had strong opponents in the Association for a Better Long Island and Nassau County Democratic leaders. Ultimately, 57 percent of voters decided against the proposal.

YEAR IN REVIEW SPORTS

March

April

Elmont captures Class AA title

Elmont’s Aguilo whiffs 21

Trailing by three points with less than two minutes remaining in the Nassau Class AA boys’ basketball championship game at Hofstra March 5, second-seeded Elmont went 6-for-8 from the foul line in crunch time to pull out a 32-29 victory over No. 1 Baldwin before a crowd of 1,500. It’s the first title in program history for the Spartans, who held the Bruins to single digits in all four quarters and didn’t allow a field goal in the final 3:03. Senior point guard Robert Chambers scored 10 points to lead Elmont, which finished 18-3 overall. “It wasn’t pretty, but it feels great,” Spartans coach George Holub said after handing Baldwin its fourth loss in five straight trips to the final. “We’re two similar teams. Everything we run, they run. It just came down to us making a few more plays in the last few minutes.” Anthony Elechi, a 6-foot-6 senior forward and Elmont’s leading scorer, had the first two baskets of each half but was held to nine points. Senior guard Dillon Williams, the Spartans’ second-leading scorer, was held without a point but came up huge on the defensive end including a crucial steal in the closing seconds.

While young Danny Aguilo has displayed a ton of potential on the diamond, nobody could have predicted the dominant performance he put on at Elmont Memorial High School on April 20. Aguilo struck out 21 batters and walked just two in a no-hitter to lead the Spartans to a 12-0 win over Hempstead in a Countywide Conference game. The 21 strikeouts tied the state record for a seven-inning outing set by Mike St. Louis of Beekmantown in 1969. Elmont coach Robert Gates was impressed. “Danny had command of all his pitches, and was getting strikeouts with his fastball,” Gates said. “He came to me to tell me that he wanted to stick with the fastball, and just mix in his curve and splitter when needed. We got the video camera out in the middle innings, but I told the guys to preserve the battery, because we might need it for special footage in the seventh. He was brilliant.” The Spartans put three runs on the board in the bottom of the second inning. With the way Aguilo was bringing it, the outcome of the game was never in doubt. The sophomore right-hander struck out the first 13 batters he faced before surrendering a walk in the top of the fifth.

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 29, 2011

Jeff Wilson/Herald

Junior Greg Senat hit two clutch free throws for the Spartans with 43.4 seconds left in the county final.

Bill Kelly/Herald

Elmont’s Daniel Aguilo achieved perfection April 20, striking out 21 Hempstead batters in a 12-0 no-hit performance victory.

May

Jeff Wilson/Herald

Carey baseball players celebrated after defeating MacArthur, 3-0, on May 31 to complete a sweep of the Nassau Class AA finals.

Carey baseball makes history After years of being mentioned among the best baseball teams in Nassau, the Carey Seahawks are sitting atop a lofty perch. Jesse Montalto pitched a complete-game shutout, and Tom Rydzewski was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored to lead Carey to a 3-0 victory over MacArthur May 31 and a sweep of the Class AA championship series at Farmingdale State College. After coming up short in 22 previous trips to the postseason,

it’s the first county championship in the history of the program. “Finally, in our senior year,” said Kyle DeMeo, who leads the Seahawks with a .532 batting average. Montalto yielded just three hits while striking out nine. The Farleigh Dickinson-bound hurler improved to 8-1 with a miniscule 1.65 ERA Carey, coached by Marc Hedquist, went on to beat Sachem

North, 5-3, for the L.I. Class AA title and finished with a record of 20-7. Game 2 of the Nassau Class AA final was different from the series opener. In Game 1 on Memorial Day, Carey got a terrific effort on the mound from John Daddino (no runs, one hit, 10 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings) and the offense roughed up MacArthur ace Jesse Tuozzo in a 10-1 rout.

YEAR IN REVIEW September

Woman ties dogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s snout until he suffocates to death in Franklin Square home The Franklin Square resident and owner of the dog said he observed Ottaiano playing on the bed with his dog Jackpot, an 11-year-old Sheppard mix, and saw her put hair ties on its snout. He told her to remove them and not to put anything around the dogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s snout, and then went to a different part of the house for approx-

imately 20 minutes. When he returned, police said, he found Ottaiano on top of a blanket on the bed and found his other dog Little, an 11-year-old Stafford Shire Terrier, under the blanket with two hair ties around his snout, not breathing. He attempted to revive the dog, to no avail.

OPEN YEAR ROUND

Our Birthday Parties Are The Best. Come Celebrate With Us. GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE

$10 OFF

Birthday Party Package One Coupon Per Party Cannot be combined w/any other offer. Exp. 3/30/12

TEE N N IGHT

Friday Nights 8:30-20:30pm Ages 11 & Up â&#x20AC;˘ Live DJ ÂŠ Disney

Ottaiano was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, and was arraigned on Sept. 6, at the First District Court in Hempstead. According to Chris Munzing, a spokesman for District Attorney Kathleen Rice, Ottaiano had no prior record in Nassau County.

Learn to Skate Program Birthday Parties Public Sessions Tots- Adults Hockey Programs Group Lessons Private Lessons Now Accepting ** Call now for all our Holiday Sign Ups For Schedules LEARN TO Registration Is Ongoing For Hockey and SKATE Skill Development Clinics CLASSES

516-746-1100

Icelandli.com 3345 Hillside Ave., New Hyde Park

for info:

525571

According to detectives from Nassau Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 5th Precinct, at 8:45 p.m. on Sept. 5, Nicole Ottaiano, 20, of Marion Lane in Oyster Bay, tied two cloth hair ties around a dogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s snout, causing it to suffocate, while she was staying at a home on Barnes Street in Franklin Square.

CELEBRATE NEW YEARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EVE BU B PRICE WORTH TOASTING!

Lavish buffet & open bar, dancing & DJ all night long! All for only $100 per person! 70 Milburn Avenue, Baldwin â&#x20AC;˘ www.CoralHouse.com â&#x20AC;˘ 516-223-6500

Kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Tickets $15!

Ages 2-12. Excludes VIP Dining, Rinkside and VIP seats. No double discounts. Additional fees may apply. Good for all performances. Limit four (4) kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tickets per one (1) adult ticket purchased.

*!. ÂŹ 5-8 *!. ÂŹ 12 - 16 *!. ÂŹ 19 - 22

Thu. JAN. 5

7:00 PM

Fri. Sat. JAN. 6 JAN. 7 10:30 AM 11:00 AM 3:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM

Sun. JAN. 8 1:00 PM 5:00 PM

Thu. JAN. 12

Fri. JAN. 13

Sat. JAN. 14

Sun. JAN. 15

Mon. JAN. 16 1:00 PM

7:30 PM

1:00 PM 5:00 PM

2:00 PM

7:30 PM

Thu. JAN. 19

7:30 PM

LEGAL NOTICE AMENDED NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT: NASSAU COUNTY. BROWNLOW MANAGEMENT, LLC, Pltf. vs. KEVIN MALLORY, et al Defts. Index #21706/09. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale dated May 31, 2011, I will sell at public auction at the Calendar Control Part (CCP) Courtroom of the Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Dr., Mineola, NY on Jan. 10, 2012 at 11:30 a.m., prem. k/a 115-45 237th St., Elmont, NY. Said property located on the easterly side of 237th St., 125 ft. northerly

Fri. Sat. Sun. JAN. 20 JAN. 21 JAN. 22 10:30 AM 11:00 AM 3:00 PM 1:00 PM 7:30 PM 7:30 PM 5:00 PM

2EGULARÂŹ4ICKETÂŹ0RICES ÂŹ ÂŹsÂŹ ÂŹsÂŹ ÂŹ6)0ÂŹsÂŹ ÂŹ2INKSIDE ÂŹ ÂŹ6)0ÂŹ$ININGÂŹ .ASSAUÂŹ#OLISEUMÂŹONLY Additional fees may apply.

525552

Buy tickets at www.disneyonice.com, Retail Locations, Arena Box Offices or call 1-800-745-3000

from the corner formed by the intersection of the easterly side of 237th St. with the northerly side of 115th Terrace, being a plot 100 ft. x 40 ft. Approx. amt. of judgment is $69,562.08 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. CHRISTOPHER GRAYSON, Referee. DEUTSCH & SCHNEIDER, LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 79-37 Myrtle Ave., Glendale, NY #80573 #23040E LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT: NASSAU COUNTY. EMIGRANT SAVINGS BANK, Pltf. vs. NABI B. BEHLUM, et al, Defts. Index #9486/09. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered Aug. 29, 2011, I will sell at public auction on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012 at 11:30 a.m. in the Calendar Control Part (CCP) Courtroom of the Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Dr., Mineola, NY, prem. k/a 94 Farnum Blvd., Franklin Square, NY. Said property located on the easterly side of Farnum Blvd. distant 60.00 ft. northerly from the corner formed by the intersection of

525522

Saturday, December 31 â&#x20AC;˘ 8:00 pm - 2:00 am

192508

December 29, 2011 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

the easterly side of Farnum Blvd. with the northerly side of Whiteside Ave.; being a plot 100 x 60 ft. Approx. amt. of judgment is $370,481.18 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. MARY GOLD GIORDANO, Referee. DEUTSCH & SCHNEIDER, LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 79-37 Myrtle Ave., Glendale, NY. - File No. EM-394 #80588 #23041E

YEAR IN REVIEW October

Video: campaign volunteer gone wild? A video with racist language that was taken in Elmont surfaced on YouTube in October, gaining mass media and public attention on Oct. 18, and making waves in a local race for the Nassau County Legislature’s 3rd Legislative District seat. The video showed two campaign volunteers hanging political signs on a fence next to his opponent’s law office and one making racially charged comments when questioned about it. The men were volunteering on behalf of John Ciotti — incumbent of the 3rd L.D. seat for more than 16 years, who was running against challenger Carrié Solages. The video, taken on Oct. 15 by Solages’s sister Mikaelle, 26, shows two volunteers approaching the Law Offices of Solages & Solages in Elmont — Carrié Solages’s campaign headquarters — and hanging Ciotti campaign signs on the property’s fence and acting aggressively toward Mikaelle. Later in the video,

Penny Frondelli/Herald

In August, the Franklin Square-Munson Fire Department was honored to display two pieces of steel from the World Trade Center, which were displayed for the department’s 9/11 ceremony.

Remembering 9/11, a decade later Several ceremonies and other events were held throughout Long Island on Sept. 11 to memorialize the 10-year anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. The Franklin Square-Munson Fire Department was honored to display two pieces of steel from the World Trade Center — one about 6 feet tall, weighing 2,532 pounds, and the other about 15 feet tall, twisted and weighing 4,753 pounds — at its memorial. The department brought the steel into Franklin Square on Aug. 23, when the Fire Department led a procession of more than 100 firefighters from Nassau County and New York

City through the community, with a truck carrying the steel. Among the spectators were the families of Thomas Hetzel and Michael V. Kiefer, who were both Franklin Square residents and New York City firefighters. Six other residents of Franklin Square, who were not firefighters, lost their lives on 9/11. According to the department, the steel will be constructed into a monument dedicated to local residents who died on Sept. 11, 2001, and will be built at the Franklin Square-Munson firehouse, located on Liberty Place, in the near future.

Prisco makes racist remarks directed toward Solages’s staff, volunteers and nearby residents, saying, “Don’t worry, we’ll put them on the back of the bus where they belong” and “Call animal control so we can arrest them.” Later, referring to Mikaelle, he says, “She’s a pig.” The video spurred a large amount of negative publicity toward Ciotti and his campaign, and likely influenced voters of the 3rd L.D. on Nov. 8. Solages won the election, with more than 400 votes.

IN BRIEF Elmont resident marches with Occupy Wall Street Elmont resident Mimi Pierre-Johnson marched on Oct. 5 with protesters of Occupy Wall Street, an ongoing series of demonstrations that began in New York City on Sept. 17. PierreJohnson said in October that she marched to show her support for teachers and other union workers throughout Long Island and New York, and to denounce bad-banking practices that have hurt the nation’s housing industry. Since it began, OWS has encompassed hundreds of thousands of supporters worldwide.

Seifert resigns from Franklin Square Chamber Mary Seifert, who served as president of the Franklin Square Chamber of Commerce for the past three years, announced in October that she would be retiring from her position at the end of 2011. At the chamber’s, Nov. 17 meeting, she was commended for her three years of service with a Certificate of Appreciation.

Flight redesign affects Nassau

October

County plans precinct redistricting, residents speak out in opposition Following an announcement by County Executive Ed Mangano of plans to close two of the county’s eight police precinct to save nearly $15 million, Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter said on Oct. 12 that the plan would result in improved efficiency and not reduce patrol posts. That statement outraged several local community leaders, including civic leaders Pat Nicolosi and Mimi Pierre-Johnson, who believe that keeping precincts intact helps reduce crime. Krumpter said in October that the 1st and 3rd precincts would not be considered for closure. Those two divisions, as well as the 5th Precinct in Elmont, are far busier than the other five, and the

Courtesy YouTube

current distribution of services is inefficient, according to Krumpter, who said that the existing precinct map was created in 1972. Under new boundaries, each of the six precincts would manage around 70,000 calls annually and handle some 3,000 arrests. Some of the remaining station houses — like the 2nd in Woodbury and the 4th in Hewlett, which have the fewest arrests — would have to expand their processing and detention areas to accommodate the added volume. On Oct. 30, the county budget was passed, including the closure of two police precincts, 700 layoffs, and the privatization of Long Island Bus, in order to help close county’s $310 million in 2012.

More jets began flying over Nassau County on Oct. 20, under new flight patterns designed for New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia, causing many residents to become concerned about the frequency of jet noise. Under the route redesign, which went into effect at 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 27, westbound planes are now required to head east over Nassau County and then north to Westchester County, before finally turning west, instead of heading directly west, over Robinsville, N.J. — the way westbound flights had been traveling since the 1960s. The new patterns were created by the Federal Aviation Administration, following a nearly 10-year study.

2011 is Franklin Horror House’s ‘best year’ For the past 18 years, Joe Allocco has turned his home, located at 1148 Norbay St. in Franklin Square, into “The Franklin Square Horror” — a haunted house for local families — to raise money for charities, including Camp Anhcor, United Cerebral Palsy, Autism Speaks and the Autism Society of America. Despite having to stay closed Oct. 29-30 due to unexpected heavy snow, the attraction brought in nearly 2,000 guests and $1,350 on Oct. 31, Allocco said, its highest revenue in a single day.

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 29, 2011

September

December 29, 2011 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

YEAR IN REVIEW November

Incumbents take town, county elections

Woman struck, killed by van on Meacham

Incumbent Republicans Vincent Muscarella and Ed Ambrosino won the 8th county Legislative District and 2nd Town of Hempstead Councilmatic District, respectively, on Nov. 8, in addition to several other local Republicans. Muscarella received 8,383 votes to Democractic challenger Scott Milano’s 2,064, and Ambrosino received 64 percent of the total vote against Democratic challenger Patricia Locurcio. James Darcy of Valley Stream, who took 68 percent of the vote to defeat Owen Rumelt in the 3rd Council District, praised residents at the Nassau County Republican Committee’s gathering on the evening of Election Day in Westbury. Additionally, three Republicans, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray, Clerk Mark Bonilla and Receiver of Taxes Donald Clavin, won re-election by wide margins. Murray garnered 67 percent of the vote against her challenger, Gary Port; Bonilla earned 64 percent against Steve Anchin; and Clavin took 67 percent over challenger Wilton Robinson.

Nancy Stanzione, 64, a flight attendant and resident of Elmont for nearly 40 years, was struck and killed by a van on Nov. 17 at 7:25 p.m., while walking on Meacham Avenue, near G Street. According to Nassau County police, the van

was traveling north on Meacham toward Hempstead Turnpike when it hit Stanzione, who was transported to Franklin Hospital Medical Center immediately after the accident, and was pronounced dead at 7:49 p.m.

Abused Elmont dogs find home in L.A. Six pit bulls that were rescued from an Elmont dogfighting ring in August, and on Nov. 12, they were adopted by the Los Angeles-based Villalobos Rescue Center, a pit bull rescue and rehabilitation group founded by Tia Torres, star of the popular Animal Planet show “Pit Bulls and Parolees.” Three other dogs that were rescued from the Elmont home were adopted, returned to an owner and relocated to another rescue facility, according to the town. While in the Town of Hempstead — the dogs were being cared for at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter — Torres attended the Bully Breed Brigade 2011, an event sponsored by Last Hope Inc. to promote pit bull awareness, adoption and welfare. Susan Grieco/Herald

Courtesy Nassau District Attorney’s Office

One of nine dogs rescued in August from an Elmont dogfighting ring.

December

Diocese announces plans to close St. Catherine’s Bishop William Murphy Rockville Centre announced on Dec. 5 that the St. Catherine of Sienna School in Franklin Square will close in June 2012, due to dwindling enrollment and Long Island’s weak economy. According to Murphy, the decision to close the school — along with three other Nassau County schools and two schools in Suffolk — was based on a recommendation by his Advisory Committee on Catholic Education, after an “extensive strategic review and careful delibera-

tions of each school” of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. On Dec. 21, dozens of angry parents and other local residents protested St. Catherine’s closure at the school in Franklin Square, on the basis that the diocesan decision was premature and unwarranted; would harm students attending the school, as well as teachers and parents; and could ultimately affect local property values

Susan Grieco/Herald

Services for Frank Milano were held Dec. 15-17, at the Krauss Funeral Home in Franklin Square and St. Boniface Church in Elmont. The funeral took place at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury on Dec. 17.

Elmont corrections officer killed in crash

Susan Grieco/Herald

Erin Flood and Matt Alamia hold “Save Our School” signs.

Elmont resident Frank Milano, 36, a corrections officer in the General Housing Security Unit of the Nassau County Correctional Center in East Meadow, was killed in a single-vehicle accident on the Southern State Parkway on Dec. 13 at 12:01 a.m., while driving home after a tour of duty. He was the father of two children, Melinda, 14, and Anthony, 8.

According to the Nassau County Sheriff Officers Association, Milano was headed west on the parkway when his car veered off the highway and into a wooded area near Peninsula Boulevard, hitting a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident is being investigated by the New York State Police.

N1 12/29

Finds Under $100 SEARS GARBAGE COMPACTOR- good condition- $60 516- 425-4513

FINDS UNDER $100

SKIS & POLES: Rossignol (VAS-4S) 74" Kevlar, Marken M-46, Twin Cam Bindings, Deluxe Padded Travel Bag, $85. 516-432-0056

Finds Under $100 24" SHARP COLOR tube TV- great condition- $99 516-425-4513 AB-ROCKET EXERCISER: NEW, Never Used. $75. 516-860-7979 BABY WALKER - model Combi Red Must see Excellent Condition. $50. 516-887-1054

Century 21 American Homes 28 East Park Avenue • Long Beach 516-665-2000 www.c21amhomes.com/longbeach REAL ESTATE

Land For Sale LAND LIQUIDATION 20 Acres $0 Down $99/mo. ONLY $12,900 Near Growing El Paso, Texas Owner Financing NO CREDIT CHECKS! Money Back Guarantee Free Color Brochure 800-755-8953 www.sunsetranches.com

Real Estate AT&T U-VERSE FOR just $29.99/mo!† SAVE when you bundle Internet+Phone+TV and get up to $300 BACK! (Select plans).† Limited Time Call NOW! 1-866-944-0810

MALVERNE: Private, Professional Office. Fully Furnished/ Built-in Credenza/ Bookshelves. Heart Of Town, Great Professional Location/ Close To Parkway. $575/ Month Includes All. Call Jack 516-882-7511

OFFICE SUITES FOR RENT All Utilities Included, Copy Center

Apartments For Rent

Conference Rooms, Free wifi Reception, 24/ 7 Access

Central 5 Towns Location HEMPSTEAD LOWER LEVEL Apartment, Private Entrance, near transportation $800 Call 516-565-4784

NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS. E-Z Finish Log Cabin Shell with Land only $99,900. Warm Winters, Low Cost of Living. E-Z Access Mountain Homesites up to 11 acres from $29,900. 828-429-4004 Code 45

Offices For Rent

ISLAND PARK: LARGE 1 BR, Newly Renovated, FREE On-site Parking, Laundry On Premises, Walk Shops/ LIRR. No Fee. $1,250. Call (Supt.) 516-897-0614 Or (Office) 516-569-3131

Selling Your House? Call the Herald and PrimeTime for our Real Estate Specials* to get you great exposure at a great price! Call 516-569-4000, press 5 for Classified Dept. *(private party only)

Near LIRR, Restaurants

Brokers Protected Call Azi/Leba 516-374-6080 x19

ANNOUNCEMENTS Announcements ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCT or service nationwide or by region in up to 12 million households in North America's best suburbs! Place your classified ad in over 750 suburban newspapers just like this one. Call 516-569-4000, Press 5

MERCHANDISE MART Miscellaneous For Sale 100% GUARANTEED OMAHA Steaks SAVE 64% on the Family Value Collection. NOW ONLY $49.99 Plus 3 FREE GIFTS & right-to-the-door delivery in a reusable cooler, ORDER Today. 1-888-543-7297 and mention code 45069SKS or www.OmahaSteaks.com/fvc11

Miscellaneous For Sale DISH NETWORK. STARTING at $19.99/month PLUS 30 Premium Movie Channels FREE for 3 Months! SAVE! & Ask About SAME DAY Installation! CALL 877-992-1237 HAS YOUR BUILDING SHIFTED OR SETTLED? Contact Woodford Brothers Inc, for straightening, leveling, foundation and wood frame repairs at 1-800-OLDBARN. www.woodfordbros.com. Suffolk Cty~ License #41959-H Nassau Cty~ License #H18G7160000

HOT TUB: 8-PERSON Dimension, 20 Jets, w/Cover, Enjoy your Summer! Asking $1800. 516-457-6046 LIVING IN PAIN? Real Time Pain Relief Lotion Relieves Pain in Minutes. 10 Single Application Travel Packs only $9.95 Call 888-228-1522. Smells Good Too! PAINTINGS ORIGINAL ACRYLIC Of The Old West. Painted By Professional Artist On Canvas Or Masonite. 18X24 Framed $300 & Up. Call 516-825-6434 READERS & MUSIC LOVERS. 100 Greatest Novels (audio books) ONLY $99.00 (plus s h.) Includes MP3 Player & Accessories. BONUS: 50 Classical Music Works & Money Back Guarantee. Call Today! 1-888-799-345 SAWMILLS FROM ONLY $3997 -MAKE MONEY & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill -Cut lumber any dimension.In stock ready to ship. FREE Info & DVD: w w w. N o r w o o d S a w m i l l s . c o m / 3 0 0 N 1-800-578-1363Å Ext:300N

Condition.

$5.

SNOW BLOWER: HONDA, 3.5 Engine, Clean Condition. $99. 516-996-1383, Leave Message SOFA AND LOVE seat, charcoal & grey squares with colorful diagonal stripes. Both $99 516-792-3083

TIRES (4) 185/65-15 studded radials used one season $99 total. 516-872-8398

BICYCLE: SCHWIN, CHILDRENS, Mint Condition. $35. 516-672-4161

TIRES COOPER TIRES (4) P 265 from F-150 Ford pick-up. Good condition. $99. 516-761-0385

COMMODE, FOLDING BRAND NEWNever Used, In Original Carton. $25.00 Or Best Offer. 516-791-1821

2 Bedrooms,Woodburning Stove, Large Private Side Deck And Front Porch. Gas 2 zone heating. Located at 105 Maryland Ave. in the Heart of the West End of Long Beach. Convenient to all!

Mint

BEDSPREAD SET W/BOLSTERS for High riser one green pattern and one floral pattern $50 a Set 516-485-1832

CAT LITTER BOX with cover $15. Lift and Sift Litter Box $15. 516-804-5028

versized Property 60X60 with Wateviews. Downstairs Has 3 Bedrooms Includes Detached Garage, Nice Private Yard And Front Porch.Upstairs apartment Has

SKATEBOARD 516-672-4161

TOY TRAINS MAXX Excellent Contition From 1960's Perfect for Under the Tree $99 516-782-1749

FULL SIZE BED canopy Beige used good condition Pickup Cash $75 516-659-7339

TOY TRAINS N SCALE REVELL Original Box From 1978 Like New $99 516-782-1749

LIONEL OPERATING NEWS Stand From 1950"s Excellent Condition $99 516-792-1749

TWIN BEDS ONE with 3 drawers, one without + clean mattress's $99.00. 516-316-2685

LITTLE TYKES TODDLER car bed Blue with board $75 516-546-0725 LIVING ROOM TABLES brass & glass (3) excellent condition $75 each.. 516-872-8398 METAL FOLDING TABLE legs fold under for easy storage 37" x 25" $20. 516-825-2112 POLINEX ELECTRIC AIR Purifier $75. 516-825-2112 ROCK N ROLL Memorabilia Peter Max Tee Shirt From Eoodstock Never Worn, XLarge $65 516-782-1749

VAN TIRES SAVERO H+ LT225-75RT $95 ea 516-593-6585 WALL UNIT, OAK with glass off white , 9' x 4' holds a 54" flat screen TV $99 516-205-0090. WHITE CHANGING TABLE with all included and extras. MINT BARELY USED $50 516-375-7014

Finds $100-$350

ROLLERBLADE LIGHTNING TRS Size 13-14 Get Into Shape. $60 516-320-4829

DELL DESKTOP COMPUTER AND T.V. Like New! Perfect Condition. $250 All. 516-672-4161

Announcements

Classified Advertising Holiday Deadlines WE WILL BE CLOSED Monday, Dec. 26, 2011 Monday, Jan. 2, 2012 HERALD EARLY DEADLINES: 12/29 Issue - Closes Fri. 12/23, 11:00AM 1/5 Issue - Closes Fri. 12/30, 11:00AM

To Place a Classified AD Call 516 569-4000 Press 5, Then 2

522067

Excellent 2 family home with waterviews

Wanted To Buy WANTED YOUR DIABETES TEST STRIPS. Unexpired .We buy Any Kind/Brand. Pay up to $22.00 per box.† Shipping Paid. Hablamos espanol. Call 1-800-267-9895† www.SellDiabeticstrips.com

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 29, 2011

12/29

Finds $100-$350

SERVICES

DESK WITH HUTCH: Dark Pine, $250. Dresser With Mirror, Dark Pine, $200. 516-872-3637

Appliance Srvc./Repair

FUR COAT (RACCOON), size 8-10, very good cond. $170. 516-431-2113 TWO ANTIQUE ARMCHAIRS in light color oak. Pict. available. $170. 516 4312113

EMPLOYMENT Help Wanted ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT PT: Monday- Friday, Flexible Hours. Growing Alterative Medicine Practice, Five Towns Area. Fax Resume 516-569-4774 AIRLINES ARE HIRING- Train for hands on Aviation Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified- Job Placement Assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance (866)296-7093

APPLIANCE DOCTOR HOUSE CALLS!! *Washers *Dryers *Ovens *Ranges *Dishwashers. CFC CERTIFIED REFRIGERATION/ AIR CONDITIONING. INSURED. One Year Guarantee.. "Established 30 Years" Consumer Affairs LICENSE #HO21719000. **$10 OFF Repairs/ $12 Seniors** FREE Service Charge With Repairs 516-764-7011; 516-536-8664. theappliancedoctorrx.com EMERGENCY SERVICE TODAY...

Floors

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY: EARN Reliable Residual Income. No Selling, No Inventory, No Risk. Great For Moms, Dads, Grads. Call 516-385-6028

HARD WOOD FLOOR SPECIALIST Reliable. Competitive Prices! FREE ESTIMATES! GOLD STAR FLOORS. 516-593-0215/ 1-866-846-FLRS

COLLECTIONS/ MEDICAL LEGAL

Gutter Cleaning

WOODMERE

ADVANCED SEAMLESS GUTTERS & LEADERS, INC. Installed Cleaned Repaired-Powerwashed

P/T, 3 Days Per Week Preferably Mon. Wed. Fri. Knowledge Of Medisoft & Independent Medical Evaluations Helpful. Good Computer Skills

Fax 516-612-3314 Email: sherry11559@yahoo.com DRIVER- BUILD YOUR Own Hometime! Daily Pay! New Trucks! Local orientation. 31 Service Centers. Van and Refrigerated. CDL-A, 3 months recent experience required. 800-414-9569 www.driveknight.com EARLY CHILDHOOD INSTRUCTORS Needed P/T. Innovative Child Development Program. Various Locations. Apply On Line@www.bricks4kidz.com Or Call 516-569-8998 HELP WANTED- EDUCATION. Technology Teacher, Full time tenure track secondary grades technology teacher, starting January 2012. Letter of interest, resume, copy of certification and reference letters due by noon, January 4th to: A. Paul Scott, Interim Superintendent of Schools, Peru Central School District, District Office, PO Box 68, Peru, New York 12972 EOE INSURANCE PRODUCER/ SALES: For Busy Malverne Agency. Experience/ License Required. Call Jack 516-882-7511 MEDICAL RECORDS CLERK – P/T, Flexible Days & Hours. Valley Stream Busy Ophthalmology Office, Excellent Opportunity For Advancement. Candidate Must Be Detail Oriented And Possess Strong Organizational Skills. Fax Resume To 516-240-6544 Or Email At hr@ocli.net. REPORTER/ ASSISTANT EDITOR The Star reaches more than 10,000 Orthodox Jewish households in the Five Towns, Great neck, and Brooklyn with breaking news, featured stories and more. Check out the website at www.TheJewishStar.com. You will seek out story ideas, write pieces, edit others' work, oversee the website. Must be familiar with the Five Towns and neighboring Jewish communities, have an understanding of Torah Judaism, issues and current events within the larger Orthodox world. Richner Communications offers a friendly informal environment in our state of the art offices in Garden City, salary, paid time off, excellent health plan and 401(K). Please send resume, cover letter and salary requirements to: KGreen@TheJewishstar.com

Employment/Information PAID IN ADVANCE! Make $1000 Weekly Mailing Brochures from Home. Income is guaranteed! No experience required.† Enroll Today! www.national-mailers.net

Business/Opportunities EARN UP TO $150 per day Undercover Shoppers Needed to Judge Retail & Dining Establishments Experience Not Required Call Now 1-888-891-4244 HELP WANTED!!! MAKE $1000 a Week processing our mail! FREE Supplies! Helping Home-Workers since 2001! Genuine Opportunity! No experience required. Start Immediately! www.national-mailers.net MAKE UP TO $2,000.00+ Per Week! New Credit Card Ready Drink-Snack Vending Machines. Minimum $3K to $30K+ Investment Required. Locations Available. BBB Accredited Business. (800) 962-9189

Lic. H0102710000 Insured Free Estimates www.advanced-gutters.com

Health & Fitness

N2 12/29

EARN $1000 A week Mailing Brochures from Home. Free Supplies! Guaranteed Income!† No experience required. Start Today. www.national-mailers.net

My best advice: follow the rules

Weightloss Medications Phentermine, Phendimetrazine, etc 2I¿FH YLVLW RQH PRQWK VXSSO\ for $80

(631) 462-6161 (516) 754-6001

www.MDThin.com 1MWGIPPERISYW EARN COLLEGE ONLINE. *Medical, *Business, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. SCHEV certified Call 888-201-8657 www.CenturaOnline.com

Painting B&B PAINTING BY THE PROS INC. Interior/ Exterior Painting, Wallpaper Removal, Water Damage Repairs, Deck Ceiling & Staining, Powerwashing. COMMERCIAL/ RESIDENTIAL 26 Yrs. Experience. Licensed Insured. Free Estimates. Many References. QUALITY WORK AT AFFORDABLE PRICES!! 516-379-0654/ 631-968-8303

/22. <285 %(67

ATTENTION DIABETICS WITH Medicare. Get a FREE Talking Meter and diabetic testing supplies at NO COST, plus FREE home delivery! Best of all, this meter eliminates painful finger pricking! Call 888-903-6658 ATTENTION SLEEP APNEA SUFFERERS with Medicare. Get FREE CPAP Replacement Supplies at NO COST, plus FREE home delivery! Best of all, prevent red skin sores and bacterial infection! Call 866-993-5043 CANADA DRUG CENTER is your choice for safe and affordable medications. Our licensed Canadian mail order pharmacy will provide you with savings of up to 90% on all your medication needs. Call Today 888-459-9961 for $25.00 off your first prescription and free shipping

Health & Fitness

LOCAL STD/HIV TESTING Did you know you can have an STD and show no symptoms? Early detection and treatment can prevent permanent damage? Highest levels of privacy and discretion. Call 1-888-737-4941

AFFORADABLE HEALTH INSURANCE for EVERYONE!! Uninsured? Dissatisfied? Been Turned down? Call Now We Can Help Licensed Agents Standing By 1-800-951-2167

LOSE 7-15 LBS. In 7 Days. Eat the Foods You Enjoy. Quickly and Dramatically Shrink Your Waistline Lose Weight and Keep it Off www.lose15poundsin7days.com

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

516-678-0893 1MWGIPPERISYW

Health & Fitness

C8903

December 29, 2011 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

HERALD Crossword Puzzle

Q. It’s getting more expensive to build, and I’m really having problems finding a contractor to do a job. I don’t want to have to get a permit but plan to build to code, and I don’t need a licensed contractor who has expensive insurance. I have plenty of family and friends who can do this job, but I want to know if I’ll get “stuck” later for having done this. I have to save the money and will take my chances, but what should I know so I don’t have a problem I can’t get out of later? A. That’s like asking a criminal attorney for the best method to beat the system because you’re planning to rob a bank. Maybe the attorney can even drive the getaway driver. What you can be “stuck” with is myriad problems I can only guess at, based on the fact that building to code these days is like playing Monopoly with a 4-year-old. The rules keep changing, and you can’t win against a 4-year-old or the codes. For example, many ONTE EEPER municipalities are changing, and changing again, their local zoning requirements, so what’s passable today may not be in a year or two. Window sizes and flood requirements have changed, energy requirements and fire protection are next up to be instituted, and plumbing systems may be right behind. I work with many people who are “stuck” when trying to sell their homes but have construction that wasn’t permitted. Some come unraveled when told that the home they’ve lived in for years needs costly changes to meet current codes because of updates. The codes do have provisions for existing buildings, but still have issues that can’t be “grandfathered.” Just because you lived there and used something the way it was for a long time is meaningless to an official whose job is to enforce regulations or face their own consequences if they don’t. It’s ironic that codes were put in place for our protection, but can have the opposite effect because more people these days are opting to do what you’re planning to, leading to less-safe structures that, skirting the authorities, may cause injury, even death, and/or legal problems, and lead insurance companies to not settle. You need to save money. We all do. The best advice I can give is the same advice I give to those who tell me, up front, that they’re not going to file plans for permits and will be doing the job themselves. It’s my job, as a professional, to advise you to follow the law and to prepare documents that meet the legal requirements of your state and local jurisdiction. Fortunately, using computers, we can revise plans without a lot of messy eraser dust when the time comes, but you have the burden of reconstruction to make things right when the time comes. That’s the chance you take.

Ask The Architect

© 2011 Monte Leeper Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

A sampling of recent sales in the area

Cedarhurst $590,000 Roselle. Tudor. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Finished attic. Central air conditioning. Taxes: $8,900 East Rockaway $360,000 Second. 2 Story. 3 bedrooms, 2, bathrooms. Eatin kitchen. Living room with fireplace. Taxes: $7,100 Elmont $470,000 Cameron. Colonial. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Taxes: $9,950 Lynbrook $370,000 Lakeview. Tudor. 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms.

Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen with breakfast nook. Living room with fireplace. Patio. Taxes: $7,968.63 Merrick $445,000 Parkwood. Ranch. 3 bedrooms , 2 bathrooms. Finished basement. Updated eat-in kitchen with granite and stainless steel countertops and sliders to deck. Living room with fireplace. Formal dining room. Central air conditioning. Taxes: $10,119 Rockville Centre $610,000 Harvard. Colonial. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Taxes: $14,726.03, Valley Stream $540,000 Van Dam. Split. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Den with stone floor and fireplace. North Woodmere area. 2 car garage. Central air conditioning. Taxes: $8,633.78

Video/DVD Tansfer Svc. SAVE THE MEMORIES: Home Movies, Videotapes, Cassettes, Albums, 45's, 78's, Pictures, Negatives, Slides. Call Joe 718-835-2595

DONATE YOUR VEHICLE Receive $1000 GROCERY COUPONS. UNITED BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION. Free Mammograms, Breast Cancer Info www.ubcf.info† FREE Towing, Tax Deductible, Non-Runners Accepted. 1800-728-0801† SELL YOUR CAR, TRUCK or SUV TODAY! All 50 states, fast pick-up and payment. Any condition, make or model. Call now 1-877-818-8848 www.MyCarforCash.net

Junk Cars Wanted

AUTOMOBILE & MARINE

*ABLE SALVAGE* $$ JUNK CARS and TRUCKS Wanted!! $$ FREE Pickup. Call ABLE SALVAGE 516-431-2253 DMV#7056198

Autos For Sale

A.ROSSIELLO SALVAGE

MUSTANG COUPE, 1965, Red. 289-V82bbl, 165K Original Miles, New Seat Covers And Tires, Centerline Type Wheels, Runs Excellent, Serious Buyers Only! $6,500. 516-581-4221 SATURN, 2002: 3 Door Coupe. 59K Miles, Automatic, 6 Cylinder, Burgundy, Great Condition, $5,000. 516-424-4348 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF, 1996: New 2001 Engine, 60K, Automatic, All Power, A/C, 4 Cylinder, $2,000. 516-612-3012

Autos Wanted *AAA AARDVARK AUTO BUYERS* Highest Cash Paid! All Years/ Conditions. We Visit You!! Or Donate/ Tax Deductible Plus Cash, Ask for Jack 516-826-2277

Junk Cars $400/ Up Full Size Pick-up Trucks/ Vans Removal of Large Buses Trucks/ Trailers. Highest Prices Paid. 6 Day Pickup. 1-800-464-7146 516-432-7146 DMV#7111195

JUNK CARS BOUGHT We'll Beat Any Price! Call Us Last

TREE SERVICE • Tree Removal

• Planting

• Stumps

• Land Clearing

• Fertilization

• Topping

FREE ESTIMATES

516-546-4971 Cell: 516-852-5415 FRANCISCO’S LANDSCAPING Office:

Save the Memories Do you have old 45's, 78's, LPs and cassettes you can't listen to anymore?

516-766-0000

Don't throw them out - transfer them to CD! We transfer 35MM, 8MM, Super8, VHS, slides, negatives and photos to DVD

CASH FOR CARS! Any Make, Model or Year. We Pay MORE! Running or Not. Sell Your Car or Truck TODAY. Free Towing! Instant Offer: 1-888-545-8647

Editing Services Available: Enhancements, Special Effects, Soundtracks, Movie Titles, Film Restoration

CASH FOR CARS! We Buy ANY Car or Truck, Running or NOT! Damaged, Wrecked, Salvaged OK! Get a top dollar INSTANT offer today! 1-800-267-1591 DONATE VEHICLE: RECEIVE $1000 GROCERY COUPONS. NATIONAL ANIMAL WELFARE FOUNDATION SUPPORT NO KILL SHELTERS HELP HOMELESS PETS FREE TOWING, TAX DEDUCTIBLE, NON-RUNNERS ACCEPTED 1-866-912-GIVE

Lic# H206773000

Reasonable rates!

Call Joe @ 718-835-2595

NEED A CAR? Find it in the HERALD Classifieds.

Champion

Source: The Multiple Listing Service of Long Island Inc,, a computerized network of real estate offices serving Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Brooklyn.

RUBBISH REMOVAL We Remove Anything: Basements - Yards - Garages - Attics Demolition of Sheds, Pools, Decks & Construction Debris NO JOB TOO SMALL! Free Estimates Prompt Service

Call Kevin at (516) 551-6195

GREG Owner/Operator

Conventional 15-Year New York Metro New York Co-Op Week Ending Dec. 16 4.34% 4.24% Previous Week 4.39% 4.29% 30-Year Week Ending Dec. 16 Previous Week

3.68% 3.74%

3.44% 3.54%

Composite Week Ending Dec. 16

4.02%

3.91%

1 Year Adjustable Week Ending Dec. 16 Previous Week

3.68% 3.67%

3.63% 3.63%

Composite Week Ending Dec. 16

3.48%

3.02%

CONVENTIONAL mortgages are fixed rate, long-term, fully amortizing loans. COMPOSITE averages include all loans of the specified type; these continue the statistical averages previously complied. Source: HSH Associates, 1200 Route 23, Butler, NJ 07405

One phone call, one order, one heck of a good price to run your ad in any state, or across the country. Call the USA Classified Network today! 1-800-231-6152

Seamless Gutters & All Repair Work

Lic/Ins

Gutter Cleaning Most Houses

516-431-0799

$40

Everything Bagged & Flushed www.aboveallgutters.com

Chimney King, Ent. Inc. Chimney Cleaning & Masonry Services Done By Firefighters That Care

• Chimneys Rebuilt, Repaired & Relined • Stainless Steel Liners Installed

766-1666 FREE ESTIMATES

Fully licensed and insured *H0708010000

ANSWERS

517184

Average New York Mortgage Interest Rates

We Specialize In:

Gutter Service

483739

511625

ABOVE ALL

510220

Baldwin $352,000 Carl. Colonial. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Screened front porch. Formal dining room. Taxes: $11,300

AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS ARE AVAILABLE! Monthly Rates As Low As $227 Individual; $671 Family! Call/ Email NOW For Details! Alex/ Shaya Herskovich AHI Agency 1379 Coney Island Ave Brooklyn, N.Y. ALEX@AHI-INSURANCE.COM P:(718)253-9111 C:(917)816-8785

Autos Wanted

TO TODAY’S PUZZLE

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 29, 2011

Home Sales

N3 12/29

518714

Insurance

499835

HERALD

December 29, 2011 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

The masthead The box at the far left side of the page is called the “masthead.” It contains the newspaper’s “flag” or nameplate, and the lion logo of the parent company of the Herald Community Newspapers, Richner Communications, Inc. The masthead offers basic information about the paper and how it functions. Brothers Stuart and Clifford Richner jointly guide the business and news operations for the 15 weekly newspapers in the Herald Community Newspaper group, including: the Nassau Herald, serving the Five Towns, and Heralds for Baldwin, Bellmore, East Meadow, Franklin Square/Elmont, Long Beach, Lynbrook/East Rockaway, Malverne/West Hempstead, Merrick, Oceanside/Island Park, Rockville Centre and Valley Stream. The editor of each paper is responsible for the assignment, selection and placement of stories, most of which the editors and reporters write. The executive editor oversees the editorial department staff and the editorial content of all 15 newspapers in the chain. The production department is responsible for the paper’s design. The advertising and art departments produce the large, often illustrated, “display” advertisements that appear throughout the paper. They help clients decide what the ads will say and how they will look. The classified department produces the small ads at the back of each week’s paper that are arranged by headings. The masthead also lists the paper’s age, the names of its founders, its address, telephone and fax numbers and notice that the contents are copyrighted.

For your information . . . Editorial page

Editorial comment Editorials offer the opinion of the Herald. The editorials are written by the editors, but do not necessarily represent their personal views. That is why they are unsigned: editorial comment is the newspaper’s institutional voice. The editors and publishers meet weekly to discuss positions the paper may take and how those positions will be expressed. Most editorials respond to developments in the news, but they may also be based on independent reporting or discussions with reporters to gain information that goes beyond what has already appeared in print. Editors and the publishers may also talk with advocates for causes or experts in a field to help formulate opinions or policies. Before elections, they meet with candidates for office. Most editorials concern local issues, but the newspaper may speak out as well on national or international questions that are part of the lives of our readers. Usually those editorials will try to address those concerns from a local perspective, since that is what we know best and what makes us different from daily newspapers and weekly news magazines. We hope our editorials are forceful without being strident and that they may persuade our readers to think and act in the best interests of the community.

Editorial cartoon The editorial cartoons are supplied by a syndicate, which represents major cartoonists across the country and the spectrum of political opinion. They are chosen to provide thoughtful or humorous viewpoints on topics of general interest. They do not represent the opinion of the newspaper or its editors.

Baldwin

HERALD Editor: Chris Connolly

Bellmore

HERALD Editor: Scott Brinton

East Meadow

Franklin Square/ Elmont

Editor: Shannon Koehle

Editor: Jackie Nash

HERALD

Long Beach

HERALD

Editor: Anthony Rifilato

What are the editorial pages all about? Who writes editorials? How do letters and guest columns get published? This week’s pages offer some answers to our readers. We thank The Riverdale Press for the idea.

Opinion columns

Opinion pages

Special features Other items will also appear on our editorial and op-ed pages, including the “Framework” feature that showcases creative work by the Herald’s photo staff, which, we hope, brightens the page and your week. We also make mistakes, despite our best efforts. We strive to correct them as soon as possible with a correction or clarification notice on these pages, the most prominent in the paper after page 1.

Letters to the editor Because community opinions are so important to us, we publish virtually all letters we receive. This policy, of course, can bring problems with it. Some letters may seem silly, dull or poorly written, but we believe you should have the chance to read them anyway; they are voices from our shared community. Letters may also be tasteless, racist or sexist, but we believe they should be published too. We cannot pretend that such attitudes do not exist; if we are to fight them, we must meet them head-on. We believe deeply that the remedy to “bad” speech is more speech, not censorship. Vituperative attacks on local people or institutions pose a more complicated problem. The laws governing libel apply to letters to the editor with the same force as anything else we publish. Both the letter writer and this newspaper can be held accountable for heedlessly damaging a reputation. Public figures like politicians have less protection from outraged opinion than do private citizens. Robust public debate must take precedence over our feelings and the sensitivities of those who have entered the public arena. We do not publish anonymous letters. Letters must be signed and include a daytime phone number and an address, so we can verify that a letter is genuine. Phone numbers and full addresses will not be published. We are reluctant to publish letters from people who are unwilling to stand openly behind what they have written. We are willing to withhold the name of a letter writer on request only when the letter states a valid reason for doing so. Within those limits, we will publish as much as we can each week, though letters will sometimes have to wait until there is enough room. We usually refrain from commenting on letters, but in certain cases an “editor’s note” may attempt to correct misinformation or misunderstanding.

Lynbrook/ East Rockaway

Malverne/ West Hempstead

Merrick

Nassau

Oceanside/ Island Park

Rockville Centre

Valley Stream

HERALD HERALD HERALD HERALD HERALD HERALD HERALD Editor: Mary Malloy Editor: Scott Brinton Editor: Jeff Bessen Editor: Judy Rattner Editor: Andrew Hackmack Editor: Lee Landor Editor: Alex Costello

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 29, 2011

Each week, we publish two pages of opinion in addition to the editorial page. Most of these pages are devoted to the columns of our three weekly or bi-weekly contributors: Randi Kreiss, the former editor of the Nassau Herald; Scott Brinton, the senior editor of the Bellmore and Merrick Heralds; former Senator Alfonse D’Amato; and our newest addition, former State Assemblyman Jerry Kremer. Our writers come from diverse backgrounds and from different points of the political spectrum. Their columns reflect their own opinions on topical issues. The newspaper does not select the topics on which columnists opine, and their publication is not an endorsement of the positions they espouse.

525929

December 29, 2011 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD