Bethpage Newsgram (03/01/2019)

100 DAYS OF FUN Ex-NYS comptroller appointed to Town of Oyster Bay board

Former super takes over in Locust Valley

BY GARY SIMEONE

After officially retiring  from his position last  year as Hicksville school Superintendent Dr. Carl Bonuso had no plans to work in a school district again. But the call came earlier this year from the Locust Valley School district that they had let go of their current superintendent, Dr. Anna Hunderfund, and were in desperate need of someone to fill the position.

BY GARY SIMEONE

After the sudden resignation of former Town councilwoman, Rebecca Alesia, in February, the Oyster Bay Town Board was looking for a replacement to her role. Last week the Board voted former State Comptroller, Steve Labriola, to fulfill the remainder of her ten month term.

“It is state law to immediately fill a vacancy on a Town Board, and I was happy to assume the role after being out of the mix for the last six years,” said Labriola, who last served as the County’s Chief Deputy Comptroller In 2013.

Labriola has extensive experience in both government and the public service arena. Besides serving as the County Comptroller, he also served as a State assemblyman, Chief Compliance Officer, Deputy County Clerk and Oyster Bay Town Clerk.

“I bring a great deal of experience and interest to government and politics. I understand local government and I am thrilled to return to public service in a Town I love so much,” said Labriola. “I’m very interested in bringing my experience to benefit the taxpayers in the Town of Oyster Bay and to restore public trust. I want to see this Town gain a AAA rating once again.”

“They had contacted me and told me they needed coverage while they were sorting the situation out here,” said Dr. Bonuso. “It is my intention to help them out during this transitional phase, but I am not planning on this being a long term contract.”

tial personnel action and that no further information was available at this time.”

Dr. Hunderfund, who has been the superintendent for the Locust Valley School District since 2008, was placed on paid administrative leave in late January. The unanimous decision was made by the district’s Board of Education, who called the matter a “confiden-

The Board unanimously appointed Dr. Bonuso to serve as the acting superintendent to the more than 2,000 student district.

“I can’t speak to the ongoing situation with Dr. Hunderfund, but I would like to help the district out in this difficult time,” said Dr. Bonuso. “In my mind, Hicksville was my

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In his time as Town Clerk and Assemblyman, Labriola gained extensive experience in the financial realm. As Clerk, he instituted financial controls and segregated financial duties to protect the taxpayers. As an assemblyman, he helped to enact the STAR Property Tax Relief Program to help deliver assistance to homeowners.

In a statement, Oyster Bay Town Supervisor, Joseph Saladino, said that he welcomes Labriola to the Board, and the “expertise and leadership he brings.”

“Steve Labriola is a dedicated public servant with unmatched experience in government compliance , internal controls and financial oversight,” said Saladino. “Together, with his help, we will continue to move Oyster Bay forward with conservative budgeting principles that freeze taxes, reduce debt and restrict new spending.”

Students at Abbey Lane Elementary School celebrated the 100th day of school by dressing as 100 year olds. See page 8. Photos courtesy of the Levittown Public Schools

Free lecture: Stroke - preventable and treatable

NYU Winthrop Hospital will offer a free community lecture for seniors, “Stroke: Preventable & Treatable: Get the Facts,” on Wednesday, March 13, 2019, at 1:15 pm.  The program will be held at the Mineola Community Center, 155 Washington Avenue in Mineola, one block south of Jericho Turnpike, between Mineola Blvd. and Willis Avenue.  It will explain what individuals need to know about stroke to protect their quality of life.

Kathleen Michel, CNRN, MSN, FNP-BC, Administrative Director of Cerebrovascular Program at NYU Winthrop, will explain what a stroke is, its signs and symptoms, risk factors and the different types of strokes.  Attendees

will also hear about the latest advances in treatment and prevention.  A question and answer period will follow the lecture.

Free parking is available in the lot adjacent to the building; metered lots (quarters needed) are across the street.  Seating is limited and reservations are required. To reserve a space, please call (516) 663-3916.

Health Update for Seniors is a free community health education program offered by the Department of Public Affairs and Geriatric Health Services. For information about these or other programs at the Hospital, learn more at www.nyuwinthrop.org/community-programs or call 1-866-WINTHROP.

Hicksville HS authors pen success

Congratulations to Hicksville High School students Lillian Aljada, Rawan Mohamed and Isabella Weber who are recipients of Quill Awards, sponsored by Adelphi University as part of its annual Press Day event held on Feb. 6. Isabella won first place in the Best Illustration/Cartoon category while Lillian and Rawan took third-place honors in the Best Art Review and Best Opinion Piece categories, respectively.

Isabella’s comic strip focused on the arrival of fall and the immediate holiday hoopla that takes over once the leaves begin to turn.

Lillian’s work centered on her review of the indie movie Eighth Grade, and Rawan wrote about previous conditions at the girls’ locker room at the high school (prior to renovations that took place this past summer). All three are members of the Hicksville High School Journalism Club and write

for the school paper, The Comet News, advised by teacher Corey Cohn.

The Quill Awards featured 15 categories overall, including Best Illustration, Best Photography, and Most Outstanding Newspaper, in addition to the categories Isabella, Rowan and Lillian entered. The competition included more than 400 students and featured submissions from almost 20 schools across Long Island.

Adelphi’s Press Day also provided students with the opportunity to learn from seasoned newspaper and magazine editors, online and newspaper reporters, and freelance writers about the world of media. The event included breakout sessions and a panel featuring Keshia Clukey, education reporter for Newsday, among other professionals, educators and students in the journalism field.

Hicksville High School’s Quill Award winners Lillian Aljada, Isabella Weber and Rawan Mohamed are congratulated by journalism club adviser Corey Cohn.

Photo courtesy of the Hicksville School District

Budding high school scientist gets published

Senior Kimberly Mestizo from General Douglas MacArthur High School recently joined six former MacArthur High School students who have had their high school research published in a peer reviewed journal. Her research with her team on protein crystallization has been published in the journal “Crystals.”

During the summer of 2018, Mestizo honed her research skills as an intern in the high school research program

at Brookhaven National Laboratory Program. Here, she worked with biophysicists Dr. Aleida Perez and Dr. Alexei Soares, another high school student and an undergraduate on research relating to protein crystallization. The research involved a new technique called Gel Exclusion of Nucleation Inducing Elements (GENIE). The group worked with GENIE to aid the growth of protein crystals to improve the accuracy of protein growth and protein quality so that researchers can better understand the structure.

Her contribution with her team led to the research article, “A Simple Technique to Improve Microcrystals Using Gel Exclusion of Nucleation Inducing Elements.”

“When we were doing the work, I never thought that it would get published,” Mestizo said. “When I first came into the program, I didn’t know what to expect but actually going through it has set me on a different path because now I know I really love science and I want to contribute.”

Although she is still unsure as to where she will attend college after graduation in the spring, Mestizo is interested in studying biochemistry.

Register for Spring Fitness Classes

The Town of Oyster Bay invites residents interested in maintaining or improving their levels of fitness to participate in the Town of Oyster Bay’s Fitness Classes, which return this April in the Town of Oyster Bay’s Hicksville Athletic Building.  Spring fitness classes are co-ed, open to individuals 18 years of age or older, and run for 10 weeks.

“These fitness programs provide a terrific form of aerobic exercise that builds strength as well as increases general flexibility,” said Town Councilman Thomas Hand. “Cardio Kick-Boxing, Ballroom Dancing and Zumba are very popular programs that give residents an outlet to enjoy exercising and staying in shape, all while meeting new people.”

Registration for the three programs will take place at the Hicksville Athletic Center, 167 Broadway in Hicksville on: Sunday, March 10 from 8 am to 3 pm; Monday, March 11 from 6 pm to 9 pm;

and on Thursday, March 14 from 6 pm to 9 pm.  After these dates, registration will continue based on availability. Please note that the schedule may be subject to change and residents are encouraged to inquire about special holiday scheduling.  Each program is 10 weeks in length with a fee of $60 for residents and $70 for non-residents.

Ballroom Dancing Classes will be held on Saturdays, from 7 pm to 8 pm, beginning April 6.

Cardio Kick-Boxing Classes will be held on Thursdays, from 8 pm to 9 pm, beginning April 11.

Zumba Classes will be held on Mondays from 7 pm to 8pm beginning April 8; and Wednesdays from 7:45 pm to 8:45 pm beginning April 10.

For more information, please call the Town of Oyster Bay Department of Parks at (516) 797-4125 x4 or email tobparks@oysterbay-ny.gov.

Kimberly Mestizo

Photo courtesy of the Levittown Public Schools

Litmor Publishing Corp.

Full of spirit at John F. Kennedy Middle School

Sixth-grade students at JFK Middle School participated in musical chairs during the Battle of the Classes on Feb. 13.

The Bethpage Union Free School District’s John F. Kennedy Middle School celebrated school pride with Spirit Week, which was held from Feb. 11-15.

The week kicked off with Pajama Day and Jersey Day, then continued with a full display of Golden Eagle enthusiasm on Feb. 13 during Battle of the Classes.

As a highlight to the celebrations, Battle of the Classes took place at the end of Colors Day. Each grade was designated a school color to represent their class, with sixth grade in white, seventh grade in gold and eighth grade in blue. That afternoon, the three grades came together in the school’s gymnasium for

a pep-rally-style event.

Sixth-grader Daniel Anicito, seventh-grader Emily Kossman and eighth-grader Adriana Lisa led the annual occasion as this year’s masters of ceremonies. Sporting their grade’s color, students competed against each other in team activities such as musical chairs, human rock paper scissors and bag toss. Points were tallied throughout the event and members of the eighthgrade class were crowned the winners. Spirit week continued with Fictional Character Day followed by Band/Music Day as students showed their personalities through each theme.

JFK Middle School eighth-grader Adriana Lisa, seventh-grader Emily Kossman and sixth-grader Daniel Anicito played the roles of emcees during Battle of the Classes on Feb. 13.

Students at JFK Middle School dressed in pajamas to open Spirit Week on Feb. 11.

The eighth-grade class of JFK Middle School gathered in the school’s gymnasium on Feb. 13 for the Battle of the Classes.

Photos courtesy of the Bethpage Union Free School District

Marisa Clark of Levittown has been named to the Fall 2018 Dean’s List at Buffalo State College. Clark is majoring in exceptional education and elementary education.

To qualify, students must earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher and complete a minimum of 12 credit hours.

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Some students spend the winter break relaxing and preparing for the spring semester. Others chose to engage in compassionate service, sacrificing their winter break to help those in need in communities across the country and the world.

Jacqueline Harten, of Hicksville, Class of 2019, spent the break on one of Assumption College’s SEND Service Immersion Trips. Harten was a member of the group that traveled to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to work with tornado relief organizations such as Habitat for Humanity to understand the ongoing effort to rebuild Tuscaloosa. The students also immersed themselves in Alabama culture, visiting places like Montgomery to learn about the history of the Civil Rights Movement.

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Madalyn Fernbach from Plainview, a member of the Class of 2019, has been named to the Fall 2018 Dean’s List at Stonehill College.

To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must have a semester grade point average of 3.50 or better and must have completed successfully all courses for which they were registered.

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Dean College is pleased to announce that Lauren Pereira of Levittown has earned a place on the Dean’s List for the Fall 2018 semester.

n State University of New York at Fredonia President Virginia S. Horvath announced that approximately 1,704 students have been named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2018 semester. Dean’s List students have earned a grade point average of at least 3.30 or higher for that semester out of a possible 4.0, while carrying a full-time minimum course load of at least 12 credit hours.

n Bryant University is committed to the pursuit, recognition, and celebration of academic excellence and is pleased to recognize the students who have been named to the Fall 2018 Deans’ List. Congratulations!

• Jason Katz of Bethpage

• Matthew Palumbo of Levittown

• Ashley Sharma of Levittown

n Danielle Choisez, an aquarium and zoo science major from Bethpage, was named to the Dean’s List at Saint Francis University. Choisez was among more than 550 students named to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2018 semester.

To achieve this list, a minimum quality point average of 3.500 must be earned on 12 or more credits during a single semester,

College Notes

with no continuing or incomplete grades.

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Julia Tsvyakh of Old Bethpage was recently elected to the Epsilon Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa at Hamilton College.

Phi Beta Kappa, which established a chapter at Hamilton in 1870, is the oldest and most prestigious honor society in the country.

Tsvyakh, a senior majoring in neuroscience, is a graduate of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School.

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Christina DeMartino of Levittown was named to the President’s List at LIM College for the Fall 2018 semester. To be placed on the President’s List, students must earn a grade point average between 3.8 and 4.0.

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The following students have been named to Alvernia University’s Dean’s List for the Fall 2018 semester. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, students must carry a semester GPA of 3.5 or better and take a minimum of 12 credits.

• Morgan Petry, a senior mursing major from Bethpage

• Kaitlyn Remhild, a freshman occupational therapy major from Plainview

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About 600 students earned their undergraduate, graduate, or law degrees at Hofstra University’s midyear commencement ceremony on December 19. The following local students were among those who graduated:

• Oluwafidara Aderemi of Hicksville earned a Master of Science in finance.

• Stephanie Caceres of Hicksville earned a Master of Arts in mental health counseling.

• Yue Cai of Levittown earned a Master of Science in quantitative finance.

• Tiffany Carlo of Levittown earned a Master of Science in Education in fine arts education.

• Patrick Clark of Hicksville earned a Master of Science in health informatics.

• David Frankle of Plainview earned a Master of Science in education in teaching English as a second language.

• Ilyssa Goncalves of Plainview earned a Advanced Certificate in Educational Leadership: School Building/District Leader.

• Carolyn Gubell of Levittown earned a Master of Science in sccounting.

• Angana Kanbid of Hicksville earned a Master of Science in computer science.

• Amandeep Kaur of Plainview earned a Bachelor of Science in biology.

• Joseph Kircheim of Hicksville earned a Bachelor of Arts in music.

• Olivia Larocca of Levittown earned a Master of Arts in science educationbiology and an Advanced Certificate in middle childhood extension.

• Michelle LoPiccolo, of Levittown, earned a master’s degree in health administration (MHA).

• Joseph Mauro of Levittown earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting.

• Erin McPartland of Levittown earned a Bachelor of Arts in mass media dtudies.

• Robert Moran of Levittown earned a Master of Science in education in Inclusive Secondary Special Education.

• Adam Palasciano of Plainview earned a Bachelor of Arts in public relations.

• Ganesh Phayal of Hicksville earned a Bachelor of Science in pre-medical studies.

• Robert Santoli of Hicksville earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance.

• Kierstan Scheu of Levittown earned a Master of Science in school-community psychology.

• Haiyan Shen of Hicksville earned a Master of Science in information systems.

• Ramanpreet Singh of Hicksville earned a Master of Science in Education in business education.

• Linfeng Sun of Plainview earned a Master of Science in computer science.

• Simran Toor of Plainview earned a Master’s degree in health administration (MHA).

• Gengjing Zhang of Levittown earned a Master of Science in finance.

• Yaorui Zhao of Hicksville earned a Master of Science in information systems. n

State University of New York at Fredonia President Virginia S. Horvath announced that approximately 1,704 students have been named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2019 semester. Dean’s List students have earned a grade point average of at least 3.30 or higher for that semester out of a possible 4.0, while carrying a full-time minimum course load of at least 12 credit hours.

• Cara Lucille Noetzel of Hicksville

• Emily Jessica Cammarata of Levittown

• Caitlin Nicole DiBattista of Old Bethpage

• Stephanie Nicole Handschu of Plainview n

Widener University is pleased to announce students named to Fall 2018 Dean’s List. The Dean’s List recognizes full-time students who earned a grade point average of 3.50 and above for the semester. Those who achieved this status include Stephanie Pollino of Plainview.

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Students from the area have been named to the University of Delaware Dean’s List for the Fall 2018 semester:

• Alexa Pepe of Plainview

• Kayla Mendes of Plainview

• Matthew Federbusch of Plainview

• Arianna Marks of Plainview

• Lauren Rosen of Plainview

• Taylor Vaca of Plainview

• Laura Russo of Plainview

• Michael Arrow of Plainview

• Rachel Goerke of Plainview

• Erin Curran of Old Bethpage

• Claire Seeley of Hicksville

• Jennifer Wallach of Plainview

• Michael Rubin of Plainview

• Stephanie Stern of Plainview

• Caitlin Bobis of Plainview

• Angelina Raver of Plainview

• Kayla Bjelke of Levittown

• Brianna Bellino of Plainview

• Nicole Silvestro of Plainview

• Amanda Press of Plainview

• Jessica Birns of Plainview

• Ira Kohler of Plainview

• Jenna Emanuele of Hicksville

• Ashley Bellino of Plainview

• Emily Johnson of Hicksville

• Peter Russo of Plainview

• Sarah Einbinder of Plainview

To meet eligibility requirements for the Dean’s List, a student must be enrolled full-time and earn a GPA of 3.33 or above (on a 4.0 scale) for the semester.

Hofstra University congratulates the students named to the Fall 2018 Dean’s List for their outstanding academic achievement. Students must earn a grade point average of at least 3.5 during the semester to make the Dean’s List. Robert Darvick of Bethpage, Jessy Davidson of Bethpage, Ruoying Dong of Plainview, Kyle Fattibene of Plainview, Nicholas Gaiti of Bethpage, Kristen Girschick of Plainview, Dara Gleeson of Plainview, Armando Gonzalez of Plainview, Michael Grasso of Bethpage, Shane Griggs of Bethpage, Daniela Guido of Plainview, Diana Iscenko of Old Bethpage, Adam Israel of Plainview, Victoria Kane of Bethpage, Dionisios Katehis of Plainview, Amandeep Kaur of Plainview, Manpreet Kaur of Plainview, Ali Khokhar of Bethpage, Andrew Kholodny of Plainview, Jillian Leavey of Bethpage, Jesse Lindell of Plainview, Gregory Llinas of Plainview, Nicole Logan of Bethpage, Emily Marczak of Bethpage, Megan Mazza of Plainview, Janet Narain of Bethpage, Carolina Ortiz of Old Bethpage, Adam Palasciano of Plainview, Alex Paradiso of Old Bethpage, Daniel Pfeiffer of Plainview, Stephanie Ramirez of Bethpage, Katelyn Rodriguez of Old Bethpage, Rebecca Rosenheck of Plainview, Melanie Roth of Plainview, Gabriel Salzman of Plainview, Stefanie Schusheim of Plainview, Brandon Schwaid of Plainview, Shari Spiegler of Old Bethpage, Tara Stark of Plainview, Danielle Tesoriero of Plainview, Nicole Urban of Old Bethpage, Patricia Van Noy of Bethpage, Prince Vathappallil of Plainview, Alissa Vitale of Plainview, Samantha Vulin of Plainview, Mallory Wilson of Bethpage, Lovleen Aujla of Plainview, Nicholas Biasi of Bethpage, Brian Cameron of Plainview, Grace Chan of Plainview, Lauren Conway of Bethpage, John Cooke of Plainview, Danielle Costa of Bethpage. n

The NCAA salary conundrum

BY BOB MORGAN, JR.

I’m writing this on a flight to Puerto Rico, where I will be taking a short vacation trip to a much warmer climate, always a welcome change in late February.. I’ve never been to Puerto Rico (except the airport), so I’m very much looking forward to this trip. More about this next week.

But this week’s topic will be a strictly domestic subject that I have written about before -- the system under which star college athletes in highly lucrative sports are denied compensation for their services. This issue was highlighted last week by a rather dramatic development in a game between top-ranked Duke and North Carolina.

Just 36 seconds into the game, Zion Williamson, Duke’s 6-foot-7, 282-pound, star freshman and the likely number one pick in the next National Basketball Association (NBA) draft later this year, somehow managed to rip through his sneaker and injured his knee and did not return to the game. At least at this writing, Williamson’s injury, an apparent sprain, does not appear serious and it seems likely that he will be back in the lineup soon, and certainly in time for the upcoming National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament, (aka March Madness) where Duke will go in as the likely favorite.

While the Williamson situation will likely have a happy ending, the issue here is that the young man, whose talents would command millions of dollars in the NBA, is prohibited from playing professional basketball this year. And, apart from a scholarship and a small stipend, he is also prohibited by the NCAA from being paid for his services. If the knee injury had proved to be serious, or if he suffers a career jeopardizing injury during the remainder of this season, he is basically out of luck. It is little wonder that a number of former NBA players have urged him to shut down for the season, something he has declined to do.

In the Williamson situation, there at least is an alternative solution to colleges paying him a market salary for his services. The NBA could permit, in the rare case of very young superstars like him, drafting by the NBA directly out of high school (probably with appropriate supervision). In this regard, it might make sense for the NCAA to consider a limited exception to

its rules relating to amateur status to permit a gifted NBA athlete to come back to the college ranks in the event that the pro career does not work out.

On the other hand, there are hundreds, probably thousands, of other athletes who are adversely, and in my view, unfairly impacted by the NCAA ban on meaningful compensation to athletes. These are players for big time Division 1 football and men’s basketball programs (and a few women’s basketball programs), which provide considerable revenue and/or prestige for universities.

It seems like everyone makes out well on these team sports, with one exception. Top head coaches make millions of dollars (more than the university president) and hire large staffs of assistants. There are large regional and national television contracts and big padvertising contracts and plenty of revenue associated with bowl games in football and March Madness in basketball. And successful sports program result in considerable prestige, and donor contributions, to universities.

The one group under this system that does not receive a significant share in all this revenue, of course , are the student athletes. Many starters, even in major programs, are good enough to make a major contribution to a college his success, but are not quite good enough to get a pro contract after their playing days are over. It only seems fair that these players receive compensation commensurate with their abilities, with teams allowed to bid for talent by making competing compensatory offers.

To be clear, I am not proposing paying college athletes participating in sports (say, fencing and track and field) that do not make large revenues for colleges. And yes, I understand that there is already quite a bit of under-the-table compensation paid college athletes, And yes, I understand the argument that allowing bidding for players will to a degree undermine the amateur spirit of college athletics.

But, at least in my view, the NCAA’s ban on salary competition is unfair to many young athletes, whether or not at Zion’s Williamson’s talent level, and should be reviewed and reversed or at least modified.

Sarah Grace Foundation to host annual Comedy Night

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and the Sarah Grace Foundation for Children With Cancer Inc. has proven that time and time again with its highly popular comedy night. The 16th annual Night of Laughter will be held at the Milleridge Cottage in Jericho on Friday, April 12 at 7 pm.

In the previous 15 years, the organization has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for children battling cancer and other serious illnesses. The organization was founded in 2003 by Matt and Marissa Weippert in honor of their daughter, Sarah Grace Weippert. Rick Morgan, who has appeared at several comedy clubs including Caroline’s, returns as the show’s host. He will be followed by a dynamic quartet of comics, including D.B. Frick, who has written for Conan O’Brien and has performed his standup routines from coast to coast. Also appearing will be magician extraordinaire Harry Mandel, experienced comedian Eddie Gambino and Broadway Comedy Club regular Stacy Kendro.

While the Night of Laughter benefits children, it is for mature audiences only. Tickets are $85 per person, which includes entertainment, dinner, beer, wine, soda, coffee and dessert. There will be numerous raffles including four Walt Disney World park passes, TD Bank Visa gift cards, dozens of gift baskets as well as a 50/50/50 drawing with three even cash prizes. Raffle books, which include the grand prizes, are available at a pre-show discount of $25 each. Books are not available the night of the event. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and all proceeds will benefit the foundation.

In November 2002, Sarah Grace Weippert lost her nine-month battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The fun-loving 12-year-old was a student at Hicksville Middle School and loved crafts and music. She never lost

her smile throughout her fight, which included months of chemotherapy followed by cranial and total body irradiation in preparation for a bone marrow transplant from her younger brother, James.

The following year, Sarah’s parents established the foundation, a non-profit corporation, to improve the quality of life for children with cancer, and to provide comfort and support to their families. Donations provide numerous means of financial aid for families including for meals, transportation, heating and funeral expenses.

In the past year, the foundation provided ball game outing tickets, distributed 750 Halloween goodie bags to pediatric cancer patients in hospitals, sponsored a holiday party at Cohen’s Children’s Hospital and distributed toys at Christmas to seven area hospitals, shipped personalized gift packages to individual families and provided televisions to inpatients undergoing lengthy treatment stays at Maimonides Pediatric cancer center. It has also continued its Sarah’s Angels book donations, Chemo Duck program and Cohen’s Bead Room. The Sarah Grace Foundation was a sponsor for Cohen's Pediatric Cancer Survivorship Day in September and sponsored t-shirts for the siblings of survivors.

“Pediatric cancer is something no child or family should have to deal with,” said Matthew Weippert. “During difficult times for these families, the Sarah Grace Foundation provides support through a variety of initiatives that are possible because of our generous supporters.”

This is traditionally a popular event, so reserve your tickets early by calling (516) 433-9745 or visiting www. TheSarahGraceFoundation.org. You can also visit the website to learn more about the foundation’s many other initiatives to support children with cancer.

Mercy League Military Bridge

The Glen Cove-Hicksville-Syosset Chapter of the Mercy League will be hosting a Military Bridge on Sunday, March 10, from  2–5 pm. (Doors open at 1:30)

The event will be held at St. Ignatius Loyola Parish, Hicksville. (Gym entrance on Nicolai St.)

Admission: $10

Contact: Roseann Nicotra @516-3205567 or Sherry Abt @ 516-721-2629 for more information.

The Mercy League is a volunteer organization that raises money for enrichment activities and equipment at Mercy Medical Center.

Attention students!

Graduated from school? Have an outstanding GPA? Made the honor roll or Dean’s List? Scored an internship or study abroad opportunity? We invite you to send details of any of these things and more, along with your name and contact info, to editor@gcnews.com for a chance to be seen in our paper!

100 days smarter in Levittown

Lane Elementary School kindergartners in their best 100-year-old outfits for

Lee Road Elementary School kindergartners created portraits of themselves at 100 years old and dressed like 100-year-olds for the 100th day of school.

Elementary school students throughout the Levittown Public Schools recently celebrated the 100th day of school in creative ways. Among their 100-day activities, kindergartners at Northside Elementary School dressed as 100-year-olds, while those at Summit Lane Elementary School wore homemade 100-day shirts. Wearing their unique outfits, Northside and Summit Lane kindergartners participated in a 100th day of school parade around their respective buildings.

Summit Lane Elementary School kindergartners celebrated the 100th day of school with a parade.

Abbey Lane, East Broadway and Lee Road elementary school kindergartners also dressed in 100-year-old fashion during the day. All schools participated in 100 day lessons such as working on various counting activities, making 100th day trail mix with

Conversational, opinionated, wordsmith?

100 pieces and creating portraits as 100-year-olds. In addition, firstgrade students at Gardiners Avenue Elementary School engaged in 100 counting exercises.

Photos courtesy of the Levittown Public Schools

We are looking for writers in our community to compose news articles on local topics, opinions, reviews, worthy places to visit on Long Island, and even fiction. We aim to feature at least one new article and writer each week in our Discovery magazine section. Email submissions: editor@gcnews.com

• Attach article and any photos (1MB), along with your name and contact info.

• Articles must be between 1,500 - 3,000 words.

• Each writer will be reimbursed a stipend of $25.⁰⁰

Abbey

the 100th day of school.

Northside Elementary School kindergartners (left to right) Florencia Bellenger, Chiara Bozza and Makenzie Flynn dressed like 100-year-olds for the 100th day of school.

Parading around with 100th day excitement

Kindergarten students at Charles Campagne Elementary School visited classrooms on Feb. 13 with their “100 something” projects to celebrate 100 days of school.

With the Bethpage Union Free School District’s Charles Campagne Elementary School celebrating 100 days of school on Feb. 13, kindergarten students paraded through the hallways and classrooms with projects based on the theme.

Leading up to the 100th day of school, kindergarten classrooms created “100 something” projects that included pennies, Skittles, logos, stickers, cotton balls and many other imaginative ideas. The four kindergarten classes brought their projects around the building and into all of the classrooms to help boost excitement for 100 days of school.

In addition to the kindergarten projects, students throughout first- and second-grade classrooms dressed in clothes they would wear if they were 100 years old as a symbol of being 100 days smarter. Classes also focused on lessons they have learned at this point in the school year to demonstrate their growth while also incorporating the number 100 into activities.

Photos courtesy of the Bethpage Union Free School District

Charles Campagne Elementary School kindergarten students paraded around their “100 something” projects through school on Feb. 13.

Summer employment at town beaches, parks, pools

Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino today announced that the Town is seeking individuals who would like to work as lifeguards or summer recreation counselors at the Town’s pools, parks, and beaches on the North Shore.  The Town is currently accepting applications from qualified, certified individuals interested in lifeguarding positions at Tappen Beach and Pool in Glenwood Landing, as well as beach facilities in Bayville and Oyster Bay (Centre Island, Ransom, Stehli, and Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park) for the upcoming summer season.

Additionally, summer recreation counselor positions are currently available at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park and Tappen Beach.

“These summer jobs are ideal for our younger residents who are looking to build their resume, as summer recreation counselors get real-world experience while making a difference in the lives of others, and Town lifeguards provide an invaluable service and have helped save countless lives,” said Supervisor Saladino.

Town lifeguards are hired for the summer season, which runs from Memorial

Day through Labor Day.  Positions are available at all Town pools and beaches. Applicants must be a minimum of 16 years old, possess a current Lifeguard Certification, and a current CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer.  Qualified applicants may apply in person at the Town of Oyster Bay Parks Department Human Resources Office, located in Town Hall South, 977 Hicksville Road in Massapequa.

The Town’s summer recreation program spans six weeks and provides a rewarding employment experience for counselors as they work with chil-

dren and make a difference.  Applicants must be available for the duration of the program, which runs Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm from July 1 through August 9.  Summer Recreation Program participants take part in trips, tournaments, shows and athletic events, including the TOBAY Games, making being a counselor a great first job for many residents.

For more information for either position, please contact the Town of Oyster Bay Department of Parks at (516) 797-7958.

First-grade students in Ms. Rochford’s Charles Campagne Elementary School class dressed up to celebrate 100 days of school on Feb. 13.

Heartful jumping at Charles Campagne School

Students at Charles Campagne Elementary School showcased the banner for participating in the annual Jump Rope for Heart Fundraiser on Feb. 15.

Students at Charles Campagne Elementary School participated in activities during the Jump Rope for Heart Fundraiser on Feb. 15.

In honor of American Heart Month, the Bethpage Union Free School District’s Charles Campagne Elementary School participated in the American Heart Association’s annual Jump Rope for Heart Fundraiser on Feb. 15.

According to the association’s website, Jump Rope for Heart assists in the battle of against heart disease and stroke by promoting physical activi -

Penning patriotism at Hicksville Middle School

Hicksville Middle School Principal Mara Jorisch and teacher Joseph Hartig congratulate students Sasha Ger, Ruchika Chandra and Zahel Nasari, along with teacher Glen Alexander and District Supervisor of Social Studies and Home and Careers Dr. Rose Borda.

Congratulations to Hicksville Middle School students Ruchika Chandra, Sasha Ger and Zahel Nasari for their impressive entries into the Veterans of Foreign Wars Patriot’s Pen youth essay competition. This year’s theme was “Why I Honor the American Flag.” Ruchika won the first-place award, Zahel won second, and Sasha third for VFW Post 3211.

Conducted nationwide, the VFWsponsored youth essay competition gives students an opportunity to

ty, heart-healthy living and community service.

Organized by physical education teacher Betty Bohringer, students exercised during their recess time by participating in various jump rope stations while enjoying popular music.

Other activities such as basketball and hula-hooping were also available for students waiting to jump.

Photos courtesy of the Bethpage Union Free School District

About to hit a milestone?

Share your life accomplishments with your neighbors! Put your engagement, wedding, or baby announcement in the paper, (and it's free of charge for subscribers!)

Email editor@gcnews.com

Photo courtesy of the Hicksville School District

write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme. All three students were congratulated by Hicksville Middle School Principal Mara Jorisch, District Supervisor of Social Studies and Home and Careers Dr. Rose Borda and their teachers.

Patriot’s Pen is open to sixth, seventh,- and eighth-grade students through VFW posts throughout the country.

Free lecture:

Urological diseases & conditions

NYU Winthrop Hospital will offer a free program open to the public, “Urological Disease & Conditions: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment Options,” on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at 7 pm. The program will be held at the Hospital’s Research & Academic Center, located at 101 Mineola Boulevard, at the corner of Second Street in Mineola.

Anthony T. Corcoran, MD, Attending Physician, Department of Urology, is an American Board of Urology certified, fellowship trained, uro-oncologist. He will discuss urological diseases and conditions for men and women, highlighting the benefits of robotic surgery. Topics will include: kidney obstruction;

kidney, ureter and bladder reconstruction; and cancers of the kidney, bladder and prostate. Dr. Corcoran will also discuss prostate removal for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), as well as touch on kidney stones and urinary incontinence.

A question and answer period will follow.

Attendees are asked to arrive at 6:45 pm to register. Admission is free, but seating is limited and reservations are required. To reserve your space, please call (516) 663-3916. For information about other programs at the Hospital, learn more at www.nyuwinthrop.org/community-programs or call 1-866-WINTHROP.

NYT Travel Show: How to Be a Responsible Traveler… and Why

BY KAREN RUBIN

TRAVEL

FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM

Overtourism is a growing concern and not just for residents of popular places being overrun and rendered unaffordable and uninhabitable by onslaughts of tourists, possibly assisted by the mad dashes to the next “hot” place, prompted by social media “influencers” and “user generated” posts (‘Look at what a wonderful place I’m in, you should come!”).

Governments and municipalities who otherwise relish the jobs created and economic benefits of tourism, are increasingly concerned about the literal destruction of the very thing that so attracts travelers – effectively killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

Some destinations are being mindful – Venice is even contemplating charging admission to day-trippers and there are now gates in place that can close off the city to anyone who isn’t a resident or hotel guest at night.

Coral reefs are being killed off by snorkelers wearing popular sunscreens with oxybenzone (a travel company, Aqua-Aston Hospitality, won an HSMAI Adrian Award for Leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility for its “Reef Safe” Campaign raising awareness, including giving out 70,000 samples of appropriate sunscreen and ultimately got the state of Hawaii to ban the damaging chemical).

Places like the Galapagos and

The Taj Mahal is over-touristed, but a Responsible Traveler can choose to visit in less trafficked times. © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

Macchu Picchu limit the number of people; the National Park Service has a lottery system for permits rafting in the Grand Canyon and people wait years for their number to come up.

People can love a place to death, or just be so selfish and insensitive

not to care – look at what happened the Joshua Tree National Park during the government shutdown, with vandals and marauders destroying trees that take 1000 years to grow, and will take 200 to 300 years to restore the park.

It’s a dual-edged sword, though:

GOING PLACES NEAR AND FAR

tourism, done right, helps sustain the very environment, culture and heritage by providing economic sustenance, so indigenous people can continue to live and work in their native lands, so there is

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GOING PLACES, NEAR & FAR....

NYT Travel Show: How to Be a Responsible Traveler… and Why

Continued from page D1

money for maintenance and upkeep of monuments, wildlife refuges and nature preserves. Ironically, some game preserves justify selling hunting permits to sustain the animals. And often, travelers are not in a position to know whether the elephants or camels they ride are “gentle” because they have been conditioned with cruel means.

“I’m shocked how people (Americans) don’t care – until problem is right on them,” an irate Mark Lakin, Co-Founder, Epic Road, said at the New York Times Travel Show panel, ”Sustainable and Socially Conscious Travel: Tips, Advice and Travel

Experiences.”

“Think about what drew you to a place – sustainability is defined as preservation of that asset – whatever it is that you want to see, you want your kids to see, you are choosing to make that asset live. I’m surprised more aren’t concerned about travel.”

“Travel is not a right, travel is a privilege – if you are among those people privileged to travel, you have obligation to preserve [what it is you are traveling to see],” said Bret Love, Co-Founder, Green Global Travel.

“Are you going to exploit or empower? We practice ecotourism – responsible travel to natural places – eco doesn’t stand for economy, which is exploitive, it stands for ecology.

“Our purpose for being is to teach people how to travel more responsibly, sustainably to preserve not just the natural but the cultural – languages, music, dance – all the things that make a cultural destination unique. If we are not preserving, they won’t survive. The reason this is important is that if we don’t spend money responsibly when we travel, we risk losing all the things that make the places special.”

“There are two terms fairly loosely used: responsible travel and sustainable travel,” said James Currie, Wilderness Safaris Brand Ambassador. “Responsible travel has now become a word that you have to embrace sustainability to be responsible – yes can travel with a sustainable outfitter – someone who is taking care of the environment, who builds lodges in a sustainable way, but it is up to us travelers to act responsibly – to respect local cultures, communities, distances you go to see animals.

“I genuinely believe that responsible travel is a better form of travel, and once people experience it, you won’t want to travel any other way.”

New York Times travel and lifestyle writer, Shivani Vora, who moderated the panel,  Sustainable and Socially Conscious Travel: Tips, Advice and Travel Experiences, at the New York times Travel Show, raised the issue that “so many of us stay in hotels, what does it mean to choose a sustainable hotel?

“There is such a thing as greenwashing – towels, hire locals –that actually saves money,” said Currie. “True sustainability goes so much further. When considering a sustainable hotel in fragile environments (like safari lodges), consider: Is that hotel

built in a sustainable manner? Where we operate in the wilderness areas of Africa, you can literally pick our lodges up and there will be little sign of ever having been– there is no concrete foundation, everything is on elevated boardwalks, canvas-style tents, yet you still don’t sacrifice luxury. What are those hotels on the ground doing to have sustainable effect – animals, conservation, local communities? What are you doing for local communities, how are they benefiting from  the tourism dollars going to the hotel, what conservation projects are they supporting? We’ve been operating 35 years – 35 ears of “traveling with purpose” – we pioneered ecotourism in Africa before the word existed.

“We use life changing journeys to help preserve and restore the wild places of Africa. Wilderness safaris connect with nature, make a difference. We were the first with passion, courage to pioneer sustainable ecotourism as we know it today. We adopted the African schema as a logo, a symbol of pristine and fragile eco systems. We were the first to reintroduce previously extinct species (rhino), to do ground-breaking reforestation in Rwanda habitat for gorillas.

“For us, it’s not just about big game on the savannah – thanks to 35 years of experience, we are able to offer guests authentic, intimate wildlife encounters – 2 million hectares of pristine wilderness areas in seven countries, 40 camps and lodges that epitomize our ideal.

“Conservation is also about people. “Our journeys change lives” not just those of guests, but of the staff and thousands of people who live in these communities.”

Among the programs that Wilderness Safaris offers is Youth of Africa, an eco-mentor program, where young people access and can appreciate their heritage and become the conservation leaders of the future.

“We change lives now and into the future; our journeys change lives. We make a political impact.”

“Don’t be afraid to ask the important questions when you travel in Africa,” Currie said. “If they don’t have something tangible in writing, a really good environmental policy, you are booking the wrong hotel or operator.

Bret Love, Co-Founder, Green Global Travel advised, “Certification programs to look for – some are more efficient than others – LEED building certification (if the hotel was built in

GOING PLACES, NEAR & FAR....

sustainable fashion, but not if operated sustainable, or community initiatives). The epitome is the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (gstcouncil.org), which devises criteria by which tour operators and hotels are judged. But you have to pay to play and small mom and pop operators may not be able to afford certification. Another is Earthcheck (earthcheck.org) which has patented software and systems that have set a benchmark for sustainability reporting for the travel and tourism industry and is used 70 countries. Another is Green Globe and Rainforest Alliance.

“But it boils down to reviewing blogs, authoritative sites like New York Times, what people say. Look for active engagements with the community.

“We work with international

expeditions, leading tours to Peruvian Amazon for years – go to local schools in Iquitos where have conservation education program for kids, who train to become guides and trackers; go to river villages to see water treatment plants they created for villages, sidewalks so don’t have to watch for poisonous snakes – use money from tourism for schools, infrastructure.”

In Kenya, Gamewatchers Safaris & Camps have a connection to Masai. The company pioneered Masai conservancies, just outside Masai Mara where there is more wildlife because the animals are more protected. The local communities own the land which Gamewatchers lease, 90% of the employees are from the Masai and the company pays out $500,000, divided

WRITER’S CORNER

among 1000 local Masai families that own the property. So, look where money goes to community.

“Why it should matter to you is not just benevolence,” said Lakin. “In the Maldives people love those romantic over-water bungalows built on coral reefs. But if you use heavy machinery to build them, you kill the reef. Why should you care? Because when you dive off from your bungalow to the reef, it’s dead.

“The person who comes and serves breakfast. If the wilderness lodge has gone out of its way to build a school to educate that waiter’s child, he  will be happy to have the job, and it will be reflected in how he treats the guest.

Being retired is a good time to volunteer & chat & …

BY CLAIRE LYNCH

Working full-time definitely has its advantages. Being in a regular routine is good and having somewhere to go each day can be a healthy thing. Many times jobs lead to making new friendships which can mean more socializing which is interesting in and of itself.

When the job offers pay plus benefits plus paid vacation time, that’s a bonus. After working full-time for many decades, however, most people look forward to their retirement years.

It means an end to commuting to and from work which I welcomed because even though I enjoyed what I did while working full-time, I’ve worked in Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx and Westchester County. I’ve also spent many years working on Long Island. Some jobs were close to home and others were a few miles away.

Being retired also means not having to go out in all types of weather, some days before the sun has risen, and fighting the traffic on the roads if things happen to be especially crowded on a given day.

Additionally, being retired means trading the old, reliable “office attire” for a set of more casual clothes. I don’t usually wear a pants suit or a dress when I drive a few blocks over to meet a couple of friends at a coffee specialty shop and hang out for a while.

Relaxing to me means donning some simple, relaxed clothes. I take a light jacket if I need it - and wearing a wellworn pair of tennis shoes.

At this point I have been retired for more than a year and the first few months I lounged around the house and slept in - although I’m really not a late sleeper. Morning people don’t tend to sleep much later than 7 a.m. But as a morning person I can say unequivocally that our eyes are drooping by 11 p.m. Every night.

Being retired has given me the chance to try out some new recipes and to take my time as I prepared everything. For years I’ve had a large-size crockpot - for 20 years at least - and I used it to cook dinner when I was at work. That way I knew that dinner for my family and me would be ready when I got home.

Whether I was cooking chicken pieces or pot roast or some barbecued ribs it was perfect. I’d follow a recipe, adding the meat, some onion, celery, water, broth, some carrots, potatoes and whatever else was called for, put the cover on, plug in the machine and turn on the dial.

Starting the crock pot on “high” for 50 minutes while I was getting ready for work, I would then turn it to “low” for seven or eight hours. It seemed like magic: voila, in just a matter of hours the meat, potatoes and vegetables would be fork tender and the sauce or gravy had been made automatically.

That worked great and my family would like smelling the freshly-cooked dinner when they walked in the door after being out all day.

The fact that the meal was ready to eat, for the most part, was a good thing and I liked the other fact that everyone seemed to have good appetites as we sat down to eat at the dining room table.

They would smile and rub their hands together in anticipation of a great meal so that, to me, was always a good sign. Compliments were given as we ate so I liked that. I also had to agree with my relatives that the crock pot had done a good job of cooking while I was at work.

Now that I am retired I have been experimenting with cooking soups in the crock pot. The best ones I’ve made have been crockpot minestrone soup, vegetable lentil soup, creamy crockpot tortellini soup and the “best crockpot chicken noddle soup.” The web site

familyfreshmeals.com claims that they are the best-tasting soups and sure enough, I have been impressed.

I haven’t tried making the bacon cheeseburger soup or the nacho grande soup but I saw recipes for them on the same web site and sometime, down the road, when I have a little extra time on my hands, I’ll try making them.

For me those recipes are a little different. I know they will take my undivided attention since I’ve never, ever had bacon cheeseburger soup before in my life.

Anyway I thought that I would relish the idea of having mostly unscheduled days ahead of me - and I do like the leisure that being retired from a full-time job provides - but after a few months of watching the morning news on TV and seeing what the stock market was up to, day after day and hour after hour, I decided that maybe volunteering would be a good idea.

I would get out of the house, meet some new people and be mentally stimulated. New tasks would challenge me and that’s always a great thing.

Many different options were available - and possible. There are pet shelters out there that need volunteers. There are lots of hospitals that can use some senior volunteers and some schools also welcome retirees. Food pantries need help and so do many arboretums/botanical gardens in the area.

I know several people who volunteer at their public libraries. For many of them it’s practically a home away from home. They spend 30 or 40 hours each week greeting the visitors, sometimes shelving books, helping out in the computer lab and doing other things.

It’s always a good idea to match the volunteer’s skills and interests with the type of organization that needs some help. Animal lovers may be best suited at non-profit animal shelters and those

plants, trees, pruning and outdoorsy folks may find volunteering at an arboretum the best fit for them.

A few months ago I signed up to volunteer at my local hospital and it is working out great. I get to be of assistance and my volunteer hours give a certain structure to my week.

In speaking with my friend, Tyler, who retired just four months ago from working for 40 years in the retail business, he was saying that he is looking for something to do.

Knowing that with his two great, big friendly dogs, Koda and King Arthur, a Siberian husky and a Malamute, Tyler is a huge animal lover, I suggested that he volunteer at one of the many non-profit animal rescue places near his home.

He wanted to meet me for a mid-afternoon snack one day recently so we got together to talk. Turning off our smart phones, we didn’t text anyone or check the latest happenings on Facebook.

What was up? What was on his mind was Tyler wasn’t sure which place would best suit his talents - and which non-profit place would interest him the most - so we enjoyed drinking some healthy green smoothies and chatted.

Noting that his Siberian husky and Malamute are American Kennel Club certified, that is they are purebred dogs, I said that there are lots of rescued dogs, lots of strays and mutts that could use some attention and a little tender loving care.

Human beings who can walk the dogs, play with them, pet them and help take care of them are always welcomed.

Tyler agreed and he said that volunteering in an animal shelter would be right up his alley. After making a list of the options available to him, of those closer to home and those several miles away, Tyler chose one and said that he See page D5

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

High Anxiety and Social Security Maximizing Madness

BY TOM MARGENAU

My wife used to thank me, with her tongue firmly planted in her cheek, for never being rich. She would say, “It seems to me that the more money people have, the more they worry about it.”

And gosh, did those words of wisdom come home to me these past couple of weeks, following yet another column I wrote about the maximizing Social Security madness. My inbox has been crammed with hundreds of emails from frantic seniors who are worried sick they might make a decision about when to take their Social Security benefits that will result in them possibly leaving a few bucks on the table.

Of course, I certainly understand that having more money is better than not having enough. But I can’t tell you how many married seniors have emailed lately telling me that they have their home paid off, they have multiple cars and vacation homes -- and many of them have close to, or even more than, a million dollars in investments. And they are losing sleep because they can’t decide when to start their Social Security benefits. They wonder if option A, in which they will get let’s say $60,000 in combined benefits per year starting at an early age, is better than option B, in which they will get maybe $72,000 in annual benefits starting at a later age.

I just want to tell these people to chill out and relax! No matter which way they go, they are financially light-years ahead of the average Social Security beneficiary who is trying to decide if she should use this month’s Social Security check to pay her past-due medical bills or to buy groceries!

Also, to those folks who ask me to help them decide what to do, I tell them they are talking to the wrong person. I am NOT a financial planner. I am just an old, retired Social Security guy who knows Social Security rules inside and out. So, I can tell them how the rules work. But I can’t tell them what to do.

And if you need further proof that I am the wrong guy to ask for financial advice, consider this: my wife and I started our reduced Social Security benefits at age 62. Any financial planner would have told us we were nuts. The prevailing financial wisdom is to delay taking your benefits for as long as possible in order to get a higher monthly rate. But guess what? We don’t care. For more than 12 years now, we have been having way too much fun spending our reduced retirement benefits. And if we come out on the short end of the Social Security stick in the long run ... well again, so what? We couldn’t care less.

But judging from my emails, my wife and I are in the minority. These emails from already well-to-do seniors just ooze financial fear and high anxiety. Again, to them, my message is simple:

Chill out, make a decision and enjoy the rest of your life.

So, I will use the rest of today’s column to answer questions from folks who are simply confused about the rules. And I will start with this summary. People turning 66 before Jan. 2, 2020 can use a legal loophole that allows them to file for spousal benefits on a husband’s or wife’s Social Security record (assuming that husband or wife is getting or is eligible for Social Security benefits) -- and then delay taking their own retirement benefits until age 70, at which point they can switch to their own retirement account and get a 32 percent bonus tacked on to their monthly benefits.

Q: I’m 67. I want to wait until 70 to take my Social Security. My wife turned 65 last December. She never worked very much. Her full retirement benefit is only $689. My full benefit is $2,840 and will be $3,748 at 70. We understand my wife must be 66 years old before I can file a restricted claim on her record. And if we do that, we heard that she won’t be able to switch to spousal benefits on my record when I turn 70 because she took her own at 66.

A: You are wrong on a couple points. Your wife does not have to be 66 in order for you to employ this restricted claim strategy: YOU must be age 66. And you are.

So, your wife can file for her reduced retirement benefits now. Then simultaneously, you can file for spousal benefits on her record. You would get an amount equal to 50 percent of her full rate, or about $344, even though she is getting a reduced retirement benefit of about $620.

Then at age 70, you can file for your $3,748 augmented retirement benefit. And despite what you heard, your wife would then be able to switch to spousal benefits on your record. She will get about half of your full retirement rate, not your age 70 rate. She can only put her hands on your age 70 amount after you die.

Q: If my wife does this file and restrict thing, will that lessen what she will be due in widows benefits after I die? Here are the numbers. I am 68 and I get $2,444 per month. I took mine at 66. My wife is about to turn 66. Her full benefit is $1,497.

A: Whatever she does on her own record now will have no effect on what she would be due as a widow after you die.

So, once she is 66, she can file for spousal benefits on your account. She will get $1,222 per month. At age 70, she can then file for her own retirement benefit. With the 32 percent bonus, she should get about $1,975 per month. Then, assuming you die before she does, she will keep getting her $1,975 retire-

ment benefit, and she will get an additional $469 in widows benefits to take her up to your $2,444 level.

Q: I am turning 66 this month. My wife is 58, but she is getting Social Security disability benefits. Can I use the loophole? Or does she have to be getting regular Social Security?

A: She is getting “regular Social

Security.” It just happens to be a disability benefit instead of a retirement benefit. So, yes, once you are 66, you can file for spousal benefits on her account and save your own until age 70.

If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has the answer. Contact him at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. COPYRIGHT 2019 CREATORS.COM

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Answers on page D5

Being retired is a good time to volunteer & chat & …

C ontinued from page D3

would make a phone call later that afternoon.

Even with volunteering I still felt that I had some extra time on my hands. I like going to my coffee klatches, like lingering over a piping hot cup of java and sharing tidbits of news with my friends, don’t get me wrong, but I can only do that so much. Or so often. Then I get bored.

I’ve never been a soap opera type of person or the type to watch TV all day long and then into the evening even if I happened to find it entertaining.

During the course of my retirement day I see my friends and relatives, I write stories whenever the ideas strike me, I volunteer and taking care of household chores only takes a certain amount of time each day. So retirement is fun - and it is interesting.

On these retirement days I am free to say, “Mah jongg, anyone?” Or I can say, “Would anyone like to play Parcheesi? The board game? That would be with a real board and in person with some other people. None of this virtual gaming stuff for me. Let’s play games with each other and have a few good laughs. And I know no one likes to play Parcheesi anymore but I still like to play it.”

I am also free to say, “Who would like to go to the beach?” Whether it’s summer or winter, spring or fall, taking a walk on the beautiful sandy beaches is always an option.

Real Estate Watch

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

Periodically, I traverse our Long Island roads and head to Lowes, Home Depot, Consumers, Ikea, and furniture stores, like Raymour and Flanigan, Seigermans (where I had bought furniture 25 years ago) Bob’s Discount Furniture and Ikea over the course of about 10 days.

I had created my own survey made up of questions, such as to what people were purchasing and why, their budgets for upgrades and improvements, how long they have been in their homes, and at what point they might consider selling or either downsizing or upgrading in purchasing their next home; as well as at what point or timeline they had in mind when they might considering retiring and either staying in New York or leaving to other warmer destinations altogether.

My pertinent and probing questions gave rise to not only why they were doing those upgrades and improvements, but did they believe that what they were doing would garner a greater return?

The answers were varied, but consistent in the fact that besides answering my basic improvement questions and thoughts of downsizing or upgrading to a larger home; one of their major concerns they conveyed to me, had to do with when they were going to retire, if at all and if it would be as comfortable as their parents had been experiencing.

The fact that they were planning to work longer into their senior years or were already doing so, proved to me that a majority, either didn’t save enough for an anticipated longer retirement period, based on current statistics or they just wanted to keep active and working and be healthy (getting out of the house, so as to not deal with their wives and I heard the same response from women too about their husbands).

This reduced conflicts when they were out working and it was also more enlightening and fulfilling as one retired contractor told me at a Home Depot.

He said, “I’m somewhat comfortable because my wife was a tier one teacher and had retired with a hefty pension and that he wanted to con-

tinue, if just for the other side benefits and perks; although his wife had medical and dental benefits for both of them.

We also had more to talk about in the evenings. We are all paying for those excellent benefits in our school taxes, which are some of the highest in our nation. He appeared to me to be somewhat comfortable financially as my questions kept probing as tactfully as possible, to know why he kept working.

Keeping busy and earning additional income, while collecting social security (do you know that each year from 65 to 70 that you do not take your Social Security, the system provides you with an overall 8 percent bump above your normal benefit, each year that you delay collecting.

So while the system can pay out, you would receive a total benefit of 140 percent of what you would have received if you began collecting at 65. But then you would have to live to approximately 80, to be ahead of the game.

In this fashion, it enabled him, to keep active and have a more productive life and have a purpose in getting up each morning as he did in his own business for over 35 years. Working for a major corporation enabled him and his wife to save additional money enhancing their retirement years.

The upgrades and improvements were for their personal enjoyment and benefit and had less to do with selling their home. Years ago there was an article in Newsday about the “graying of Long Island” and it is obvious, that those that have not left and decided to stay because they love Long Island and New York, are growing older and more gray or white-haired!

They are the fortunate ones that have enough savings and investment income to be comfortable financially; but a portion of those I spoke to spend four to six months in the southern states of North or South Caroline, Georgia or the most favorite, Florida.

However, adding to the still low housing inventory today was the fact that many stay put because their children are nearby. However, their

response to me would be, “I am not selling and we will let our children decide to sell or to rent out our home, when we are gone!

I have experienced this situation with several customers, who asked me whether to sell or to fix, upgrade and then just rent for positive cash flow. My answer in certain instances was, absolutely.

Since they are not growing anymore, the investment value is number one in my book and its’ value doesn’t change as suddenly and drastically and react to bad news as the stock market always does.

Now, many Brokers and agents may not want to agree with me or follow my path; but if you were a CFP (certified financial planner), wouldn’t it be your legal duty to advise and consult your clients to receive the best return on their money?

Well, that is how we work in guiding parents and children to realize the best return on their housing investment, based on the risk tolerance and determining whether or not they want to be in the landlord game. However, one must ascertain what capital gains, if any would have to be paid when selling your parent’s home, depending on what type of trust or will your parents had.

We believe “paying it forward” and giving more in consulting our client sellers, investors, purchasers and renters will always come back to us in a positive way and that’s the only way we work to benefit our homeowners and consumers.

And whether I am with family, friends or some fellow retirees, whenever they ask me how I’m doing, how are things and what’s new, I always answer, “I’m retired. Everything is good and I’m living the dream!” Get Results! Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call our Garden City office at 294-8900 for more information.

Philip A. Raices is the owner of Turn Key Real Estate in Great Neck. He is a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S.) He can be reached by email: Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.Com or by Cell, (516) 647-4289 to answer any of your questions. To search for property, see what your home is worth or homes that have sold in your area, go to: WWW.Li-RealEstate.Com or we can provide you a free CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) absolutely “free” without obligation and no strings attached!

GOING PLACES, NEAR & FAR....

NYT Travel Show: How to Be a Responsible Traveler… and Why

“Stop seeking ‘ecotourism’ for ecotourism. You are all curious nomads, seeking out the next great adventure. If you  want adventure to be great, think about how every person, place and thing was treated and hopefully the label of ‘ecotourism’ will go away and it will just be about good business practice.”

Even hotels in urban destinations can reflect sustainable practices and responsible tourism.

“Consider not just how the building was built, but what extra things the hotel does for the local community, visitor experience,” Love said. “Does it have its own rooftop garden where they grow produce used in the restaurant? Does it have a rainwater catchment system so they are not using public water, or a gray water recycling system to irrigate, efficient lighting. Does it make the lowest impact it can make?”

The easiest telltale, said Lakin, “Do the plastic test: if you walk into the room and you only see plastic; how many little bottles, pens, cups? “

“Whether a hotel is in Africa or a city, there are tangible examples of what a difference we can make, Currie said. “We had plastic bottles at our lodges until 2012, when we started a five-year plan to reduce plastic in lodges. In five years, we reduced plastic waste by 88%. We also put in reverse osmosis and recycle wastewater for vegetable gardens.

The amount of electricity using solar can save is 5000 carbon tons, equivalent to 600 flights between London and Johannesburg. Ask hotels what they are doing to reduce their carbon footprint.

“If you travel and see a company not managing sustainably, speak up. As consumers, you have power,” said Love.

“We spoke up in the Amazon, where operators were using plastic water bottles which they had to have shipped in and then deal with it afterward. We said, Why not just put a water filter system on the boat, give guests a water bottle with your logo that they can fill up, then you don’t have to deal with shipping. You can make these changes.”

“Sustainability is a ripple effect,” said Currie. “It starts with the traveler making a difference, which makes a difference for the hotel, which has immense power with suppliers. At Wilderness Safaris, we noticed that a lot of food that was coming in cellophanewrapped. We put pressure on suppliers to stop wrapping the food in plastic.

But even companies that want to be sustainable, may not know all things

Visitors are up at dawn to participate with indigenous people in the Sacred Maya Journey, on the Playa del Carmen, in Mexico’s Riviera Maya. Responsible travelers make an effort to get to know local people and learn about their customs and heritage © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

riding an elephant and walking with lions. Elephants which are trained to pose for photos or give rides, are put through an extremely brutal training process, designed to break the animal’s spirit and make it a slave to human overseers. If you wouldn’t want something done to a human why would you allow it to be done to one of most precious and beautiful animals in the world?

“Educating yourself about what is behind these things- people see Tiger Temple in Thailand where you can pose with a tiger (which may be shut down). But it has been proven that the tiger has been drugged, that’s why it’s so placid – but people don’t know. If you are7touching an animal, posing with selfie, riding an animal that’s not meant to be ridden, probably there is some hurtful process to condition the animal. People don’t know. But if what you are doing is changing the natural behavior of the animal, don’t do it.

they need to do – companies that offer animal interactions, like elephant rides in Thailand, camel rides in Egypt, posing with a tiger, swimming with dolphins or encountering sharks in a dive cage.

Love points to companies that offer a chance to ride an elephant. “We had to educate them that this is not truly sustainable – if you want to use these words and avoid greenwashing –dedicate yourself to educating yourself. Consumers should educate – at website, stories about cases.

“I swam with dolphins before the documentary, ‘The Cove’ came out. No one knew in 2007 about dolphins in captivity – swimming with dolphins was considered ecotourism. The same with

Even snorkelers can be unwitting killers of the coral, by wearing sunscreen containing  oxybenzone, which is toxic to the living coral.

“If on safari, game rangers or guides too close to wildlife that puts you at risk, but if something happens, the animal would be shot,” Currie said. “Guides must respect a comfortable distance, and keep park vehicles so they always have an escape route. If you see the guide getting  too close, say something. It’s about your safety but the animal’s safety also. At Ngorongoro Crater there are off road tracks all over because of irresponsible guides.

“The vast majority of animal interactions are not acceptable,” said Lakin. “One of the quickest ways to figure if interacting with captive animal

Off Season Adventures not only times its safaris in Tanzania and Zanzibar in the off-season when there are fewer people, it is less expensive and less stressful for villagers and wildlife, but also allocates 5% of tour price to support local community; this year, supporting the Kakoi Water Project to provide a year-round source of water for the 1000 people of the Kakoi Village and surrounding villages, and brings its guests to see it.

Safari in the tiger reserve of Kanha National Park in central India – tour companies, guides and visitors are tightly regulated. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear. com

Friday, March 1, 2019

AND DESIGN

Must-haves for an amazing kitchen remodel

Kitchen remodels are among the most popular home renovation projects, whether they consist of swapping out cabinet hardware or doing major demolition.

Due to the sheer amount of time families spend in the kitchen, not to mention the number of tasks performed in this space, it is easy to see why Remodeling magazine consistently ranks kitchen renovations as projects that will enable homeowners to recoup a high percentage of their investments. In the magazine’s 2018 “Cost vs. Value” report, midrange major kitchen remodels costing an average of $63,829 recouped 59 percent of that investment.

When investing in a kitchen project, it is important to incorporate items that are coveted.

• Deep, double sinks: Having a double sink enables you to soak dishes in one side and then wash on the other. It also makes it easy to wash and prep produce for meals.

• Kitchen island and bar stools: Even though many meals are enjoyed around the table, there’s something to be said for the convenience of a kitchen island and some well-placed bar stools for quick breakfasts or snacks.

• Smart kitchen storage: Work with a contractor to include storage solutions built into cabinetry and the pantry. Slide-out shelving,

nooks for a paper towel roll and custom-designed areas to store stand mixers and other necessities can make kitchens more functional.

• Outdoor access: If possible, design a kitchen so it is easy to access the backyard via sliding doors. This can make outdoor entertaining or even coffee on the deck much easier.

• Under-cabinet lighting: Fixtures installed under cabinets provide both ambient lighting and task lighting. Such lighting makes it easier to see what you’re working on as well, as even well-placed overhead lighting can fail to illuminate dark corners and spots on the counters.

• Convenient warming drawer: This appliance provides backup to the oven. It’s a slideout drawer that can keep prepared foods out of the way and warm until they are ready to be served. This is particularly handy for holidays and other entertaining.

• Beverage station: Designate one area of the kitchen to beverages, such as coffee and tea. Or make the area an informal bar. This can limit traffic in the kitchen to a single area.

Kitchen remodels are exciting to envision, and several choices can make these high-traffic spaces even more coveted.

Small kitchen improvements that maximize functionality

Many homeowners wish for expansive kitchens. Modernized kitchens that include sought after features and showcase the latest trends go a long way to improving the overall value of a home.

As desirable as such kitchens may be, some homes simply don’t have enough space for a centerfold-worthy kitchen featuring an island, wine refrigerator and walk-in pantry. However, homeowners with small kitchens can still improve the form and function of their existing spaces.

Reconfigure and revamp cabinetry

Homeowners whose kitchens are small often lament their lack of storage. Redesigning the layout of cabinets, and possibly adding some more cabinetry, may take care of certain storage issues. The experts at Merit Kitchens suggest utilizing corner space with LeMans units, lazy susans and other gadgets to make access to these areas easier. Going vertical with wall cabinets that extend to the ceiling also can add more storage, as can roll-in work carts.

Work with the walls

Small kitchens require clever usage of vertical space. Vertical storage units,

hooks, shelving, and more can move items out of drawers and off of counters.

Consider an under-the-cabinet toast-

counter space.

Use scaled-down appliances

Shop with size in mind when looking at new appliances if you have a small kitchen. Compact versions won’t take up as much space as larger alternatives. Homeowners should consider the ultimate function of the kitchen and then think about which appliances will serve them well. Homeowners with small kitchens may not need a large stand mixer or an oversized commercial stove.

Add some glass

The DIY Network recommends incorporating glass to improve the perception of space in small kitchens. Glass lets you see through the objects, thereby enhancing the feeling of spaciousness or what designers call “negative space.” Glass also can be reflective, visually expanding the space.

Embrace high-end materials

It costs less to renovate small spaces than bigger areas, so homeowners may be able to afford high-end materials that really add personality to a kitchen. Flooring, counter materials and quality fixtures can really set small kitchens apart.

Small kitchens can be culinary havens with the right improvements to maximize the space.

er oven and microwave to create more

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Honored for ‘Overall Excellence’

MOSTBUSINESS OWNERS find it challenging to make every customer happy, especially if they service many customers. At Unified Window Systems, each job is an installation involving construction with multiple men, multiple crews and multiple products.

Unified is honored to be recognized as this year’s Window & Door magazine and Window & Door Dealers Alliance “Dealer of the Year” award winner for Overall Excellence.

Unified Window Systems completes approximately 20 jobs per day, six days a week. At that brisk rate, Unified successfully installs 6,000 jobs per year.

“There is no other company in our industry that completes as much work,” says Steven J DiMare, chief executive officer, Unified Window Systems, Inc.

Unified is extremely proud of its 99.6% satisfaction rating, according to the CEO. It takes hard work and a special commitment from their entire staff to achieve such results. Unified is open seven days a week and employs over 30 office staff members, eight managers and three

partners all working together to make each and every job go as smoothly as possible. Their staff can always be reached by telephone or email, and all five locations are always open to the public.

Communication is the Key

Unified knows all too well that most issues start with some kind of communication problem along the way. Supplying and installing windows, doors, siding and roofing for almost 30 years — and more recently insulation and stonework — Unified has proved itself as one of the leading home improvement companies in the tri-state area.

The ultimate secret to the company’s success revolves around the top quality products sold for the absolute lowest prices.

Manufacturers such as Owens Corning, CertainTeed, Andersen and Pella have partnered with Unified to bring the best installation practices directly to the homeowner.

For a free in-home estimate or a free in-home energy audit, call 888-631-2131, email Unified@unifiedwindows.com, or visit one of their five showrooms to see full-size displays and get exact prices. Log on to UnifiedWIndows.com for more information.

Gray is here to stay in home designs

Decorating a home in neutral tones has long been recommended as a way to sell a home quickly. But the color gray also provides a blank canvas for homeowners who have no intention of putting their homes on the market anytime soon.

Beige and white have long been goto colors for neutral living spaces. But many interior decorators now look to gray as the neutral color of choice.

Design experts advise that gray has a broad range. Gray can include everything from silver to charcoal to a dusty cloud. According to the trendsetters at Glidden Paints, gray coordinates well with other colors. Plus, the neutral appeal of gray boasts a timeless quality.

Gray is not a clear-cut color that’s simply a 50-50 blend of white and black. Gray has subtle nuances that can lean toward blues, greens, taupes, and more depending on the lighting and surrounding furnishings. That means that homeowners who are ready to replace their furniture or accessories need not necessarily repaint if they’ve previously decorated in shades of gray.

Individuals need only replace small items to produce a big effect in rooms where gray is dominant. Because gray is so neutral, it works with soft, calming colors in various pastels, but equally as well with bright reds, yellow and

oranges, according to Scott Bodenner, a Brooklyn-based textile designer.

Gray also is a predominant color in natural stones used throughout homes in entryways, bathrooms and kitchens. It can make design sense to maintain

Grand Opening Grand Opening

continuity throughout by dabbling in gray elsewhere.

Designers have shown how gray does not have to be cold, industrial or gloomy. It can be sophisticated in just about any room of the house. More de-

signers are now leaning toward warmer variations of gray, such as taupes and blends dubbed “greige,” that are beautiful but not as stark as pure gray.

Time to replace old wiring?

Old homes can be charming and contain architectural elements not often seen in many modern housing developments. But what older homes may have in design appeal, they may lack in updated features.

While cosmetic changes are not necessarily difficult, one area of concern in historic homes — and sometimes even in houses built 40 or 50 years ago — is archaic wiring. Wiring provides power to every room of the home. In today’s electronics-driven society, electricity that works is an essential component of daily life. Over time, wiring can be compromised through simple aging, pest infiltration, weather, or other conditions. Deteriorated wiring can present a shock hazard and also a serious fire hazard, warn the home renovation experts at The Spruce. Furthermore, the home improvement site This Old House advises that the amperage of old wiring may not be able to meet the needs of the devices used in homes — overpowering the circuits. This can cause breaker blowouts and other problems, such as overheated wires that may spark and cause fires from within the wall.

Wiring often falls into the “out of sight, out of mind” category. Homeowners may make allowances for inadequate electrical systems, such as running extension cords or using multiplug

ed to stay safe. Confirming that a home’s electrical system is safe is a necessary

For those who haven’t already done censed electrician to go over the home’s wiring. He or she can determine if any areas pose a safety risk and/or do not conform to local code requirements and the National Electrical Code. Failure to

tions, or difficulty selling a home later

provements that can improve safety

rooms, may be part of the plan, as well as rewiring a fuse box or circuit panel to allow for better flow of power around the house. Frayed wiring or underinsulated wiring also may need to be replaced.

Owners of old homes should recognize possible electrical system dangers that require attention. Plus, considering electrical codes change quite frequently, it is always in a homeowner’s best interest to work with a qualified electrician to keep wiring inspected and up to date.

Creating A Space In Manhattan

There’s one thing that almost all New Yorkers can agree on and that’s the need for more space. They rush shoulder-to-shoulder down sidewalks to work, to lunch and back to work. In notoriously small abodes they learn to make every inch count. To carve out comfortable living space in one of the busiest cities in the country has become something of an art form, an expertise perfected by the Manhattan Closet Factory.

Located in the heart of the Flatiron District, in the shadow of the grand dame herself, you’ll find the 2600 sq. ft showroom complete with examples of thoughtfully-designed vignettes that can help you imagine what is possible in your home. Walk through 21 displays that include a variety of closets, home offices, kitchen pantries, wine storage, wall beds and more. Check out a dazzling array of finishes or ask about custom-stained wood to match your existing décor. From ultra-contemporary to traditional, if you can dream it the senior design staff at Closet Factory can create it.

Owner and operator Ken Palmer says, “the New Manhattan showroom is the perfect fit for us. We’re right here in the middle of it all, with the architects and designers, the furniture stores and the vintage shops. This is the design center of New York.” Palmer also owns the Closet Factory location in Hicksville, NY where he employs 48 people. This state-of-the-art manufacturing facility serves as the main office and hub for fulfilling orders for both locations.

Closet Factory is located at 20 West 22 Street NY, NY, 10010, Suite 517 between 5th and 6th Avenues, and is open Monday through Friday from 10-6. After hours visits can be arranged by appointment.

is acceptable, is whether the animal is being bred.

In contrast, you can support organizations that rescue orphans and reintroduce them to the wild.

Lakin pointed to the David Shelbrick Wildlife Trust, which rescues orphan elephants whose mothers have been killed by poachers. They have developed a synthetic milk formula that mimics elephant milk. They may spend 5-7 years rearing the baby elephant before reintroducing them into a herd, but allows visitors, who make a donation, to visit the baby elephants. Elephants have lived on earth for over 55 million years, but in just the last 100, we have lost 92% of elephants to habitat loss and poaching.”

Epic Road supports the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DWST) which rescues, rehabilitates and reintroduces the orphaned elephants, providing travelers who symbolically “adopt” an elephant with a $50 donation, an opportunity to have a private visit.

“The experience is just better when it is responsible,” Lakin said.

“Wherever you go, try to engage with local community, food, culture, history, art, dance, everything that makes unique – don’t just be an observer but a participant – learn the language, learn to cook a dish, sing a song. In the Peruvian Amazon, we taught kids to do the hokey-pokey, in middle of Amazon! You will feel feelings

Aqua-Aston Hospitality won HSMAI’s Leader in Corporate Social Responsibility Award for its “Reef Safe” Campaign that turned the tide against coral bleaching in Hawaii caused by a chemical in many sunscreens with both a consumer awareness campaign (including giving out 70,000 samples of appropriate sunscreen) and achieving a state ban on the use of sunscreens with the damaging chemical © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

you won’t get from all-inclusive resort, or a cruise. Just engage and be part of the world, embrace the world, that’s what makes travel real, connect across boundaries, understand we are all more alike than dissimilar.

Overtourism – literally loving cherished places to death – is another problem inadvertently raised by ecotourists who believe

they are supporting and sustaining environments and cultures. But there are ways to mitigate the adverse impact: time the visit to the off-season and less popular times when a destination is not being overrun. Even better, seek out alternatives.

“You might find joy in finding the 2, 3rd or 10th version of that place and not being with so many people,” said

Lakin. “That’s not to say Taj Mahal or Victoria Falls are not spectacular but there is something to be said for visiting less trafficked.”

“There is no problem with going to Machu Picchu, which is doing things to limit tourists,” said Love. “But traveler should research and go in off season or shoulder. Machu Picchu is great but there is a whole sacred valley with amazing ancient ruins just as cool. Don’t neglect to see other things – in Czech Republic, Prague was crazy, way too many tourists, but every place outside Prague was great. You don’t want to contribute to mass tourism, but that doesn’t mean you can’t visit, just avoid peak times.”

© 2019 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com,  www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karenrubin & travelwritersmagazine.com/ TravelFeaturesSyndicate/ Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar. wordpress.com & moralcompasstravel. info. Send comments or questions to FamTravLtr@aol.com. Tweet @ TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook. com/NewsPhotoFeatures

World Spree Travel Markets $1599 Air-Inclusive Tour of Vietnam, Country in Spotlight with Trump-Kim Summit

Bellevue, WA—The eyes of the worldare on Vietnam this week with President Donald Trump and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Un meeting in Hanoi. For travelers whose interest has been sparked, World Spree offers a very affordable and appealing tour that covers all the highlights of this increasingly popular destination. (Travel expert Pauline Frommer found the tour so appealing that she led a recent group.)

The 13-day Amazing Vietnam tour, which starts at only $1,599 from Los Angeles and San Francisco ($100 more from New York), includes round-trip international airfare, ground transportation in Vietnam, accommodation in  deluxe hotels (like the Hanoi Nikko and Grand Hotel Saigon), daily buffet breakfast, five other meals, an overnight cruise on Halong Bay, sightseeing tours with entrance fees, professional English speaking guides, baggage handling and audio earphones.

The tour starts in Hanoi, Vietnam’s lovely capital, full of parks and Frenchcolonial mansions and a fascinating Old Quarter of tiny shops and street vendors. Sightseeing here includes monuments associated with Ho Chi Minh and there’s an optional tour of the Old Quarter and the infamous “Hanoi

Hilton” prison.  Next comes a tour highlight: an overnight cruise on a traditional-style junk through the beautiful waters of Halong Bay, which is celebrated for its spectacular seascape of towering limestone pillars and some 1,600 islets.

A flight south to Da Nang and a short ride past China Beach brings the tour to Hoi An, a charming market town that retains much of its traditional architecture, with well-preserved temples and pagodas, not to mention shops that can produce a bargain-priced dress in 24 hours. On to Hue, the old imperial capital and its wealth of royal palaces, temples and gardens.  Sightseeing here includes the impressive Citadel and its Forbidden City and there’s an optional cyclo excursion through the old town, ending with a very special banquet.

And finally, the bustling metropolis called “Saigon” (officially Ho Chi Minh City), where skyscrapers are rising beside ancient temples and Frenchcolonial landmarks.  Here there are two not-to-be-missed optional excursions: the Mekong Delta, known as Vietnam’s “rice basket,” and the truly unbelievable Cu Chi Tunnels.

Prices are per person, double occupancy, and are subject to availability.

For more information, log onto www. worldspree.com, click Vietnam and then Amazing Vietnam, or call toll-free 1-866-652-5656.

World Spree Travel, which started 15 years ago as China Spree, with tours of China, is a tour operator renowned for  5-star trips at 3-star prices.  Based in Bellevue, Washington, World Spree

has expanded all over Asia and now operates tours to China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bali, Myanmar and, yes, Peru and Ecuador.  Foodie tours are on the horizon.  Some 70% of World Spree’s tour participants are repeat clients who value well-planned trips at a reasonable price.

World Spree’s 13-day air-inclusive “Amazing Vietnam” package that starts with two days in Hanoi, the capital city © Dave E Leiberman/goingplacesfarandnear.com

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VACATION RENTAL

SOUTH JAMESPORT SUMMER RENTAL

Newly renovated, on Peconic Bay, sandy beach. 3 BR, 2 Bath, all amenities, sleeps 6. Single family, no pets, no smokers. $14,000/month + security. Call /Text 516-456-8808

SERVICES

EARTHLINK HIGH SPEED

INTERNET as low as $14.95/ month (for the first 3 months). Reliable High Speed Fiber Optic Technology. Stream Videos, Music and More! Call Earthlink today 1-855-970-1623.

GUARANTEED LIFE INSUR-

ANCE! (Ages 50 to 80). No medical exam. Affordable premiums never increase. Benefits never decrease. Policy will only be cancelled for non payment. 855686-5879

SPECTRUM TRIPLE PLAY!

TV, Internet & Voice for $29.99 ea. 60 MB per second speed. No contract or commitment. More Channels. Faster Internet. Unlimited Voice. Call 1-855-977-7198

WALSH BROTHERS TREE SERVICE

More than 30 years in business

Winter Rates Now Available Seasoned Firewood Licensed & Insured License # H2085020100 516-333-TREE (8733) ATTORNEY

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY FOR SALE

WEST HEMPSTEAD

Mixed use building. Turn Key, fully rented. Commercial/Retail and 2 -1 BR apartments. Garage & 2 parking spaces. Near train & municipal parking. $598,888. Sparrow Realtors 516-220-6417

OUT OF TOWN REAL ESTATE

SEBASTIAN FLORIDA (East Coast)

Beach Cove is an Age Restricted Community where friends are easily made. Sebastian is an “Old Florida” fishing village with a quaint atmosphere yet excellent medical facilities, shopping and restaurants. Direct flights from Newark to Vero Beach. New manufactured homes from $114,900. 772-581-0080; www. beach-cove.com

STEPHANIE A. D’ANGELO, ESQ.

Elder Law, Wills & Trusts

Asset Preservation, Estate Planning, Probate & Estate Administration/Litigation 901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530 516-222-1122 www.dangelolawassociates.com

COMPUTERS

COMPUTER ISSUES? FREE

DIAGNOSIS by GEEKS ON SITE! Virus removal, data recovery! 24/7 Emergency Service, in home repair/on line solutions. $20 off any service! 844-892-3990

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

AMBIANCE

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

*Handyman & Remodeling

*Kitchen Installations

*Furniture Assembly

*Finish Carpentry

*Minor Electrical & Plumbing

SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

MASONRY

All types of stonework

Pavers, Retaining Walls, Belgium Block Patios, Foundations, Seal coating, Concrete and Asphalt driveways, Sidewalks, Steps. Free Estimates

Fully Licensed & Insured

#H2219010000

Boceski Masonry

Louie 516-850-4886

HEALTH SERVICES

FAMILY CARE CONNECTIONS, LLC

Dr. Ann Marie D’Angelo

PMHCNS-BC

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Advanced Practice Nurse Care Manager

Assistance with Aging at Home /Care Coordintion

Nursing Home & Assisted Living Placement

PRI / Screens / Mini Mental Status Exams

Medicaid Eligibility and Apllications

516-248-9323

www.drannmariedangelo.com

901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530

PRIVATUS CARE

SOLUTIONS

Exceptional Care

Seasoned Nurses

Professional Home Health Aides

We cover all of Long Island and the Five Boroughs

NYS Licensed Agency

Providing the Care & Support You Expect! 516-491-5196

PAINTING & PAPERHANGING

INTERIOR & EXTERIOR PAINTING

Plastering, Taping, Sheetrock

Skim Cutting, Old Wood Refinish, Staining, Wallpaper

SERVICES

PAINTING & PAPERHANGING

MICHELANGELO

PAINTING & WALLPAPER

Interior, Exterior, Plaster / Spackle, Light Carpentry, Decorative Moldings & Power Washing. Call: 516-328-7499

PARTY HELP

LADIES & GENTLEMEN

RELAX & ENJOY

Your Next Party!

Catering and Experienced Professional Services for Assisting with Preparation, Serving and Clean Up Before, During and After Your Party Bartenders Available. Call Kate at 516-248-1545

SERVICES

TUTORING

MATH, SAT, ACT TUTOR: Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2 plus Trig, Pre-Calc, AP Calculus. Norm 625-3314

ENGLISH, ACT, SAT TUTOR: 25+ year experience Critical Reading, Writing, Grammar, Essays. Lynne 625-3314

PRIVATE TUTORING FOR GRADES K-6

Give your child a helping hand! Licensed NYC / NYS Dept of Education teacher available to tutor students grades K-6. Contact Audrey Sullivan, M.S.Ed 347-628-8872 (voice/text) seguenow@aol.com

CLEANING

CLEAN & SHINE

CLEANING SERVICES

Very responsible person cleans houses, apartments, condos, offices. Reliable, flexible schedule. Move in/move out cleaning. Regular, one time, weekly or bi-weekly. Free Estimates 646-875-9700 Place

APARTMENT WANTED

SEEKING STUDIO / HOUSE

SHARE. Professional, single man with no pets. $1200/month including utilities. Please contact Tom 516-448-3154 tkmessages@yahoo.com

25year GC Resident Lic & Ins H18E2170000

Call BOB 516-741-2154

BATHROOM RENOVATIONS

EASY, ONE DAY updates! We specialize in safe bathing. Grab bars, no slip flooring & seated showers. Call for a free in home consultation: 888-657-9488

Removal & Hanging, Paint Removal, Power Washing, Wood Replacement JOHN MIGLIACCIO

Licensed & Insured

#80422100000

Call John anytime: 516-901-9398 (Cell) 516-483-3669 (Office)

CLASSIFIEDS Call 294.8900

SERVICES

CLEANING

CLEANING AVAILABLE

EXPERIENCED POLISH HOUSE CLEANER

Good references, ability. Very honest, reliable, responsible and hard working. Own transportation. English speaking. Flexible days and hours. Reasonable rates. I will do a good job.

Call or text 516-589-5640

CLEANING SERVICES

for Houses, Apartments & Offices. 5 years experience. Own supplies, own transportation. Excellent references. Free estimates. Call anytime 347-753-2353

HOUSE CLEANING:

Excellent service, with great references, reliable, own transportation, English speaking. Call Selma 516-690-3550

Get results!

Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call the G.C. office at 294-8900 for more information.

SERVICES

CLEANING

RINA’S CLEANING SERVICES

Houses, Apartments, Offices

Let us do the work for you! 17 years experience Trustworthy & dependable Free estimates

Call Rina: 516-476-4193 516-312-4896

Rinascleaningservices@yahoo. com

STRONG

ARM CLEANING:

Residential and commercial cleaning specialist, post construction clean ups, shipping and waxing floors, move ins and move outs. Free estimates. Bonded and insured. 516-5381125 www.strongarmcleaningny.com

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

SERVICES

A & J MOVING & STORAGE: Established 1971. Long Island and New York State specialists. Residential, Commercial, Piano & Organ experts. Boxes available. Free estimates. www. ajmoving.com 516-741-2657 114 Jericho Tpk, Mineola NYDOT# 10405

COMPLETE JUNK REMOVAL/DEMOLITION SERVICE: Strong Arm Contracting Inc. We haul anything and everything. Entire contents of home or office. We clean it up and take it away. Residential/Commercial. Bonded/Insured. Free estimates. 516-538-1125

DISH TV

$59.99 for 190 Channels $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installations, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-877-229-5789

OLD VILLAGE TREE SERVICE : Owner operated since 1989. 24 hour emergency service. Licensed / insured. Free estimates, member LI Arborist Assoc. Please call 516-466-9220

Join us at Paddy’s Loft for a fun St. Patty’s Day Brunch. There will be raffle baskets, lottery tree, 50/50 and a live auction. All proceeds benefit the cats and dogs at Last Hope Animal Rescue.

Date: Sunday, March 10th

Time: 12:00 PM-3:00 PM

Place: Paddy’s Loft, 1286 Hicksville Rd, Massapequa, NY

Tickets: $55/per person ($60 at door) includes a choice of appetizer, a main course (with corned beef and cabbage being one option), soda/ coffee/tea and dessert.

Purchase your tickets today through Paypal or credit card on our website below. Checks can also be mailed to Last Hope Inc., PO Box 7025, Wantagh, NY 11793. Download the registration form and event flyer at http://lasthopeanimalrescue.org/st-pattys-day-brunch-3-10-buy-ticketsnow/. No tickets will be mailed. Your name will on the list at the door

Feral Cat TNR Clinic – Sun., March 3rd

The next Last Hope Free Feral Cat TNR clinic will be held this Sunday, March 3rd, from 8:30 am to 4:00 PM at My Pets Vet, 448 W Jericho Turnpike, Huntington, NY. A donation of a $25 gift card (for any store) to Last Hope is required for admittance. We are holding no more than 4 spots per cat caretaker. For more information, please leave a phone voice message for Barbara at 516-223-6673. Reservations are required.

All cats at Last Hope Free TNR Clinics are spayed/neutered, vaccinated for rabies and feline distemper, treated for fleas and ear mites, given pain medicine and are required to be ear-tipped (to identify their altered status upon release into their colonies).

PLEASE NOTE: Arrangements should be made to allow for cats to recuperate humanely after surgery – females need a few days and males at least 1 full day. Decision not to do surgery is at the veterinarian’s discretion.

ALL CATS MUST BE IN TRAPS – NO CARRIERS. ALL CATS WILL BE EAR-NOTCHED.

SHOPPING FOR SUPPORTClipping pet item coupons for Last Hope is a great and easy way to give your support. Every coupon we receive helps to defray our costs, particularly for dog and cat food. They can either be dropped off at our adoption center at 3300 Beltagh Avenue in Wantagh, or mailed to Last Hope, PO Box 7025, Wantagh 11793. Please share our need with your friends and family. Thank you! Visit http://lasthopeanimalrescue.org to read about Last Hope’s programs and to see the fabulous array of fantastic felines eagerly awaiting adoption into their forever homes!

Building knowledge and friendship with biography project

Fifth-grader Matthew Marmo, first-grader Osborn Dong, first-grader Brody Kearney, first-grader Mason Sobleman and fifth-grader Mujtaba Raza with their project on William Levitt.

Fifth-graders Aki Georgatos and Dylan Belson presented their project on Alex Morgan with first-grade partners M.J. Lyons and Brooke Neto.

Abbey Lane Elementary School first-graders in Claudia Connor’s and Jessica Kaufman’s classes and fifth-graders in Richard Schwartz’s and Eugenia Seo’s classes presented their collaborative biography projects to family members on Feb. 15. The students in all four classes worked together in small groups to research and create a project about a famous individual.

Biography topics included people such as Walt Disney, Ariana Grande, Milton Hershey, Dwayne Johnson, William Levitt, Alex Morgan and more. Students worked together to pick their biography topic. During the presentation day, each group was stationed at a table, displaying the research that they conducted. Students wrote facts about their individual in an empty pizza box and encouraged

guests to ask them questions about their projects.

After browsing the different projects, family members were asked to be seated for the next part of the event. The teachers played a “Who Am I?” video which featured each group of students. The students stated facts about their famous individual and the audience made their guesses. A slideshow of photographs was then shown, featuring snapshots of the students working together on their projects.

The first- and fifth-graders enjoyed collaborating on the project together and built new relationships along the way.

“It felt great,” said fifth-grader Mujtaba Raza. “I got to communicate with the first-graders and become friends with them.”

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court

County Of Nassau

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.; Plaintiff(s) vs. ALEXANDER AGUERA; KAREN AGUERA; et al;

Defendant(s)

Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered herein on or about April 13, 2018, I will sell at Public Auction to the highest bidder at Central Jury, first floor of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501.

On March 12, 2019 at 11:30 am. Premises known as 15 MAIN PARKWAY, PLAINVIEW, NY 11803-2127

Section: 12 Block: 379 Lot: 15

ALL that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Plainview, in the Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York, known and designated as and by Lot 15 in Block No. 379 on a certain map entitled, “Map of Morton Village, Section No. 1, situated at Plainview, Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County, New York, surveyed by Teas and Steinbrenner, Civil Engineers and Surveyors, Malverne, New York, July 31st 1952”, and filed in the Nassau County Clerk’s Office on October 3rd 1952, under Map No. 5576.

As more particularly described in the judgment of foreclosure and sale.

Sold subject to all of the terms and conditions contained in said judgment and terms of sale.

Approximate amount of judgment $208,118.13 plus interest and costs.

INDEX NO. 8442-2015

Richard D. Lorge, Esq., Referee

Attorney (s) for Plaintiff (s): ROSICKI, ROSICKI & ASSOCIATES, P.C., 51 E Bethpage Road, Plainview, New York, 11803, 516-741-2585

MIT 5777

4X 02/08,15,22,03/01

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court County Of Nassau HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR WELLS FARGO ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATION,

MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 200714

Plaintiff, vs.

SUANNY JOO, GUI JOO

A/K/A GRACE GUINAM

PYUN A/K/A GRACE G. PYUN, et al., Defendants

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT In pursuance of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the office of the County Clerk of Nassau County on September 21, 2018, I, Eun C. Thorsen, Esq., the Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on March 12, 2019 at the Calendar Control Part (CCP) Courtroom, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, County of Nassau, State of New York, at 11:30 A.M., the premises described as follows: 9 Virginia Ave Plainview, NY 11803

SBL No.: 12-30-39, 40 and 41 ALL THAT TRACT OF PARCEL OF LAND situate in the Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York

The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 15-001793 in the amount of $478,435.47 plus interest and costs.

Todd Z. Marks, Esq. Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP

Plaintiff’s Attorney 700 Crossroads Building, 2 State St. Rochester, New York 14614 Tel.: 855-227-5072 MIT 5778 4X 02/08,15,22,03/01

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court County Of Nassau THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS, CWABS, INC., ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-6, Plaintiff – against –MARY DONOVAN, et al Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on September 10, 2018. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction, at the Calendar Control Part (CCP) Courtroom of the Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, New York 11501, Nassau County, New York on the 12th

LEGAL NOTICES

Day of March, 2019 at 11:30 a.m.

All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Hicksville, Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau, and State of New York.

Premises known as 14 Lee Place, Hicksville, (Town of Oyster Bay) NY 11801.

(Section: 11, Block: 352, Lot: 0003)

Approximate amount of lien $594,791.27 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Index No. 15-6569. Michael Wolkow, Esq., Referee. Davidson Fink LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 28 East Main Street, Suite 1700 Rochester, NY 14614-1990 Tel. 585/760-8218

Dated: December 17, 2018 MIT 5779 4X 02/08,15,22,03/01

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court County Of Nassau

J.P. MORGAN ALTERNATIVE LOAN TRUST 2006-S3, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, Plaintiff – against –EUN SOOK CHOI KIM, et al Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on December 5, 2018. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction, at the Calendar Control Part (CCP) Courtroom of the Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, New York 11501, Nassau County, New York on the 12th Day of March, 2019 at 11:30 a.m. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Plainview, Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York.

Premises known as 543 Woodbury Road, Plainview, (Town of Oyster Bay) NY 11803. (Section: 12., Block: 537, Lot: 27) Approximate amount of lien $696,895.43 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale.

Index No. 15-002339. Joseph N. Armao, Esq., Referee.

Davidson Fink LLP

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 28 East Main Street, Suite 1700 Rochester, NY 14614-1990 Tel. 585/760-8218

For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www. Auction.com or call (800) 2802832

Dated: January 18, 2019 MIT 5780 4X 02/08,15,22,03/01

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court County Of Nassau

OCWEN LOAN SERVICING, LLC, V.

JUAN MEDRANO; ET AL.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated December 12, 2018, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein OCWEN LOAN SERVICING, LLC is the Plaintiff and JUAN MEDRANO; ET AL. are the Defendants. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the CALENDAR CONTROL PART (CCP) COURTROOM OF THE SUPREME COURT, FIRST FLOOR, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on March 19, 2019 at 11:30AM, premises known as 9 SALEM RD, HICKSVILLE, NY 11801: Section 45, Block 480, Lot 8: ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING AT HICKSVILLE, TOWN OF OYSTER BAY, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 2077/2016.

MARK S RICCIARDI, Esq.Referee.

RAS Boriskin, LLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. MIT 5781 4X 02/15,22,03/01,08

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court County Of Nassau NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A CHAMPION

MORTGAGE COMPANY, V.

DOLORES B. PIETZAK, ET AL.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated December 17, 2018, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A CHAMPION MORTGAGE COMPANY is the Plaintiff and DOLORES B. PIETZAK, ET AL. are the Defendants. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the NASAU SUPREME COURT, CALENDAR CONTROL PART COURTROOM, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on March 19, 2019 at 11:30AM, premises known as 5 PINE STREET, HICKSVILLE, NY 11801: Section 12, Block 256, Lot 72: ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING AT HICKSVILLE, TOWN OF OYSTER BAY, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 008059/2015.

Alexander Sklavos, Esq.Referee. RAS Boriskin, LLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. MIT 5782 4X 02/15,22,03/01,08

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court County Of Nassau US Bank Trust, N.A., as trustee of the Igloo Series III Trust, Plaintiff AGAINST

Vijay Dadlani, Praveena Dadlani, Lancaster Mortgage Bankers, Kavita Dadlani, et al, Defendant

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated 10/18/07 and entered on 10/22/07, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the Courtroom of the Supreme Court Mineola, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on March 19, 2019 at 11:30 AM premises known as 3165

Continued on page 16

Friday, March 1, 2019

Friday, March 1 ,

Continued from page 15

Dorset Lane, Levittown a/k/a Hempstead, NY 11756. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the County of Nassau, State of New York, SECTION: 51, BLOCK: 261, LOT: 8. Approximate amount of judgment is $416,333.25 plus interests and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 011816/2006.

Lisa Siano, Referee FRENKEL LAMBERT WEISS WEISMAN & GORDON LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 MIT 5783

4X 02/15,22,03/01,08

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court County Of Nassau WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, D/B/A CHRISTIANA TRUST, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT AS TRUSTEE FOR PRETIUM MORTGAGE ACQUISITION TRUST, V.

LAWRENCE B. PROSONO; ET AL.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated March 28, 2018, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, D/B/A CHRISTIANA TRUST, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT AS TRUSTEE FOR PRETIUM MORTGAGE ACQUISITION TRUST, is the Plaintiff and LAWRENCE B. PROSONO; ET AL. are the Defendants. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the SUPREME COURT, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, CALENDAR CONTROL PART COURTROOM, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on March 26, 2019 at 11:30AM, premises known as 93 STIRRUP LANE, LEVITTOWN, NY 11756: Section 51, Block 381, Lot 42:

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED SITUATE, LYING AND BEING AT LEVITTOWN, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND

STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 012390/2009 .

Matthew J. Zangwill, Esq.Referee.

RAS Boriskin, LLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff.

For sale information, please visit www.auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. MIT 5784

4X 02/22,03/01,08,15

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court County Of Nassau Federal National Mortgage Association, Plaintiff AGAINST Gina M. Florio, German W. Woodie, et al, Defendant

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated 10/23/17 and entered on 10/24/17, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the Courtroom of the Supreme Court Mineola, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on March 26, 2019 at 11:30 AM premises known as 11 Belfry Lane, Hicksville, NY 11801. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the County of Nassau, State of New York, SECTION: 45, BLOCK: 380, LOT: 12. Approximate amount of judgment is $204,905.81 plus interests and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 6143/2016.

For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www. Auction.com or call (800) 2802832.

Mark Ricciardi, Referee FRENKEL LAMBERT WEISS WEISMAN & GORDON LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 MIT 5785 4X 02/22,03/01,08,15

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court County Of Nassau

FGMC IN LIEU OF TRUE CORPORATE NAME FIRST GUARANTY MORTGAGE CORPORATION, Plaintiff against BRYAN HIGGINS; JESSICA HIGGINS; ALEXA HIGGINS;

LEGAL NOTICES

LAUREN HIGGINS, Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on August 3, 2018.

I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in the Calendar Control Part (CCP) Courtroom of the Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. on the 26th day of March, 2019 at 11:30 a.m. premises described as follows: All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, Lying and being at Hicksville, Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York. Said premises known as 35 Libby Avenue, Hicksville, N.Y. 11801.

(Section: 12, Block: 291, Lot: 22).

Approximate amount of lien $ 331,676.57 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale.

Index No. 601530-18. Kathleen Wright, Esq., Referee.

Stern & Eisenberg, PC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff Woodbridge Corporate Plaza 485 B Route 1 South – Suite 330 Iselin, NJ 08830 (732) 582-6344

MIT 5786 4X 02/22,03/01,08,15

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court County Of Nassau WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR THE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT DATED AS OF AUGUST 1, 2005 PARK PLACE SECURITIES, INC. ASSETBACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2005WHQ4, Plaintiff against PHYLLIS BARRAVECHIA; DENISE BARRAVECHIA, et al Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on November 9, 2016.

I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction in the Calendar Control Part (CCP) Courtroom of the Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. on the 26th day of March, 2019 at 11:30 a.m. premises described as follows: All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Hicksville, Town of

Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York.

Said premises known as 215 Marie Street, Hicksville, N.Y. 11801.

(Section: 11, Block: 323, Lot: 484 & 485).

Approximate amount of lien $ 399,990.68 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Index No. 11651-14.

Luigi Devito, Esq., Referee. McCabe, Weisberg & Conway, LLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 145 Huguenot Street – Suite 210 New Rochelle, New York 10801 (914) 636-8900

MIT 5787

4X 02/22,03/01,08,15

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court

County Of Nassau

HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR NOMURA HOME EQUITY LOAN, INC., ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 20071, Plaintiff, vs. EKATERINI FOKAS, et al., Defendants

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT In pursuance of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the office of the County Clerk of Nassau County on January 11, 2017, I, Mark Ricciardi, Esq., the Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on March 26, 2019 at the Calendar Control Part (CCP) Courtroom, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, County of Nassau, State of New York, at 11:30 A.M., the premises described as follows: 15 Jerome Ave Hicksville, NY 11801 SBL No.: 12-309-56 ALL THAT TRACT OF PARCEL OF LAND situate in Hicksville, Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York

The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 008314/2013 in the amount of $525,641.36 plus interest and costs.

Todd Z. Marks, Esq. Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP Plaintiff’s Attorney 700 Crossroads Building, 2 State St. Rochester, New York 14614

Tel.: 855-227-5072

MIT 5788 4X 02/22,03/01,08,15

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court County Of Nassau Deutsche Bank National Trust Company as Trustee for GSAA Home Equity Trust 2006-7, Plaintiff AGAINST Lisa Erkus a/k/a Lisa J. Erkus; Craig Erkus a/k/a Craig M. Erkus; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated September 6, 2017 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Nassau County Supreme Court, Calendar Control Part (CCP) 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, New York, 11501 on March 26, 2019 at 11:30AM, premises known as 30 Ruby Lane, Plainview, NY 11803. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau, State of NY, Section 12. Block 413 Lot 8. Approximate amount of judgment $798,005.63 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 11-017902.

Leo McGinity, Esq., Referee Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: January 18, 2019

MIT 5789 4X 02/22,03/01,08,15

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court County Of Nassau U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee, on behalf of the holders of CSMC Mortgage-Backed Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2007-5, Plaintiff AGAINST

Victor E. Paz a/k/a Victor E Paz Sr.; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated August 8, 2018 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Nassau County Supreme Court, Calendar Control Part (CCP) 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, New York, 11501 on March 26, 2019 at 11:30AM, premises known as 75 Meadow

Lane, Hicksville, NY 11801. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau, State of NY, Section 46 Block 125 Lots 3 & 156. Approximate amount of judgment $953,155.51 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 4175-14.

Harold Damm, Esq., Referee Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC

Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: January 31, 2019 MIT 5790

4X 02/22,03/01,08,15

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS Supreme Court of the State of New York County Of Nassau Bank of America, N.A., Plaintiff, -againstJeffrey DeLuca, Nassau County Public Administrator, as Administrator for the estate of Dorothy Elisabeth LaChance a/k/a Dorothy LaChance a/k/a Dorothy Lachance, her respective heirs-at-law, next-of-kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors, and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, any right, title or interest in the real property described in the complaint herein, Eileen Young, as Heir to the Estate of Dorothy LaChance a/k/a Dorothy La Chance a/k/a Dorothy Elizabeth LaChance, Gerald La Chance, as Heir to the Estate of Dorothy LaChance a/k/a Dorothy La Chance a/k/a Dorothy Elizabeth LaChance, Suzanne McCrosson a/k/a Suzanne Kollinsky, as Heir to the Estate of Dorothy LaChance a/k/a Dorothy La Chance a/k/a Dorothy Elizabeth LaChance, Glen LaChance, as Heir to the Estate of Dorothy LaChance a/k/a Dorothy La Chance a/k/a Dorothy Elizabeth LaChance, Elizabeth LaChance, as Heir to the Estate of Dorothy LaChance a/k/a Dorothy La Chance a/k/a Dorothy Elizabeth LaChance,

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, United States of America, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Defendants.

TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT(S):

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your Answer or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a Notice of Appearance on the attorneys for the plaintiff within twenty (20) days after service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service; or within thirty (30) days after service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York; or within sixty (60) days if it is the United States of America. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home.

Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property.

Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Index #: 9580/2014

By: Cynthia L. Malone, Esq. 900 Merchants Concourse Westbury, NY 11590 (516) 280-7675

MIT 5791 4X 02/22,03/01,08,15

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Notice is hereby given that Sealed Proposals for LAWN MOWING AND MAINTENANCE will be

received by the Board of Commissioners of the HICKSVILLE WATER DISTRICT, at the office of the DISTRICT, 4 Dean Street, Hicksville, New York, until 11:00 AM, Friday, March 15, 2019. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at 11:30 AM.

Specifications, Information to Bidders and Proposal Forms may be obtained at the office of the DISTRICT.

The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids, wave any informality, and to accept such bid as, in its opinion, is in the best interest of the HICKSVILLE WATER DISTRICT.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

HICKSVILLE WATER DISTRICT

Towns of Oyster Bay & Hempstead

Nicholas J Brigandi, Chairman William Schuckmann, Treasurer Karl M Schweitzer, Secretary Hicksville, New York

MIT 5792 1X 03/01

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court County Of Nassau FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff AGAINST

Peter Sutherland, et al., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated January 20, 2015 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Calendar Control Part (CCP) Courtroom of the Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501, on March 19, 2019 at 11:30AM, premises known as 3724 STOKES AVENUE, BETHPAGE, NY 11714. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION 46, BLOCK 412, LOT 70. Approximate amount of judgment $634,446.68 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment for Index# 14041/2013.

Ralph J. Madalena, Esq., Referee

Gross Polowy, LLC

Attorney for Plaintiff 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221

BN 7363 4X 02/15,22,03/01,08

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court County Of Nassau U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR CITIGROUP MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2006-WFHE2, ASSET-BACKED PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-WFHE2, Plaintiff AGAINST DOUGLAS PATRICK PFEIFER, DEBORAH CLAIRE PFEIFER, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated December 18, 2018 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Calendar Control Part (CCP) Courtroom of the Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501, on March 19, 2019 at 11:30AM, premises known as 22 EMMA STREET, BETHPAGE, NY 11714. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION 49, BLOCK 64, LOT 92 & 93. Approximate amount of judgment $726,611.33 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment for Index# 16-007648.

DAVID N. ALTMAN, ESQ., Referee

Gross Polowy, LLC

Attorney for Plaintiff 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221

BN 7364 4X 02/15,22,03/01,08

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

Supreme Court County Of Nassau

CITIMORTGAGE, INC., Plaintiff, against ANNE MANNING AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN OF JAMES HOPKINS; HEIR AT LAW TO HOWARD J. HOPKINS; BRIDGET DOE AS HEIR AT LAW ANO NEXT OF KIN OF JAMES HOPKINS, HEIR AT LAW TO HOWARD J. HOPKINS; KERRI GIGENTI AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN OF JAMES HOPKINS, HEIR AT LAW TO HOWARD

J. HOPKINS; ERIN HOPKINS AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN OF JAMES HOPKINS, HEIR AT LAW TO HOWARD J. HOPKINS; JAMIE HOPKINS AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN OF JAMES HOPKINS, HEIR AT LAW TO HOWARD J. HOPKINS; JESSICA HOPKINS AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN OF JAMES HOPKINS, HEIR AT LAW TO HOWARD J. HOPKINS; KELLY HOPKINS AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN OF JAMES HOPKINS, HEIR AT LAW TO HOWARD J. HOPKINS HER SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST IF SHE BE DECEASED, HER RESPECTIVE HEIRS AT LAW AND THEIR SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST IF ANY OF THE AFORESAID DEFENDANTS BE DECEASED, THEIR RESPECTIVE HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, AND SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST OF THE AFORESAID CLASSES OF PERSON, IF THEY OR ANY OF THEM BE DEAD, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE HUSBANDS, WIVES OR WIDOWS, IF ANY, ALL OF WHOM AND WHOSE NAMES AND PLACES OF RESIDENCE ARE UNKNOWN TO THE PLAINTIFF; NICHOLAS J. HOPKINS AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN OF JAMES HOPKINS, HEIR AT LAW TO HOWARD J. HOPKINS; STEPHANIE HOPKINS AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN OF JAMES HOPKINS, HEIR AT LAW TO HOWARD J. HOPKINS; PATRICIA MORRONE AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN OF HOWARD J. HOPKINS; IRENE SAWYER AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN OF HOWARD J. HOPKINS; BETHPAGE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION; CACH, LLC; FREEMAN HOWARD, PC; MIDLAND FUNDING LLC APO CITIBANK SOUTH DAKOTA NA; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; “JOHN DOES’’ and “JANE DOES”, SAID NAMES being fictitious, parties intended being possible tenants or occupants of premises, and corporations, other entities or persons who claim, or may claim, a lien against the

Continued on page 18

premises, DefendantsIndex No. 323/2015.

Plaintiff Designates Nassau County as the Place of Trial. The Basis of Venue is that the subject action is situated in Nassau County.

TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT(S):

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff’s Attorney(s) within 20 days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); the United States of America may appear or answer within 60 days of service hereof; and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. That this Supplemental Summons is being filed pursuant to an order of the court filed November 27, 2018.

NOTICE:

YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage upon the premises described below, executed by HOWARD J. HOPKINS to ABN AMRO MORTGAGE GROUP, INC. bearing date April 2, 2002 and recorded in Liber Book: M

22399 of Mortgages at Page 884 in the County of Nassau on May 29, 2002. A second mortgage from HOWARD J. HOPKINS to ABN AMRO MORTGAGE GROUP, INC. was made on May 30, 2003 and recorded in Liber Book: M 25927 of Mortgages at Page 204 in the County of Nassau on February 4, 2004. Said mortgages were thereafter consolidated by agreement dated May 30, 2003, and recorded in the County of Nassau on February 4, 2004 in Liber Book: M 25927 at Page 216, creating a single lien of$205,000.00. CITIMORTGAGE, INC. is the successor by merger to ABN AMRO MORTGAGE GROUP, INC. and therefore Plaintiff is the real party in interest.

HELP

IN

FOR

HOMEOWNERS

FORECLOSURE;

New York State law requires that we send you this notice about the foreclosure process. Please read it carefully.

SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT

You are in danger of losing your home. If you fail to respond to the Summons and Complaint in this Foreclosure Action, you may lose your home. Please read the Summons and Complaint carefully. You should immediately contact an attorney of your local legal aid office to obtain advice on how to protect yourself.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE

The State encourages you to become informed about your options in foreclosure. In addition to seeking assistance from an attorney or legal aid office, there are government agencies and non-profit organizations that you may contact for information about possible options, including trying to work with your lender during this process. To locate an entity near you, you may call the toll-free helpline maintained by the New York State Department of Financial Services’ at 1-800-2690990 or visit the Department’s website at http://www.dfs. ny.gov.

FORECLOSURE

RESCUE SCAMS

Be careful of people who approach you with offers to “save” your home. There are individuals who watch for notices of foreclosure actions in order to unfairly profit from

LEGAL NOTICES

a homeowner’s distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay them a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profit to enter into a contract which fully describes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from you until they have completed all such promised services. We are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Honorable Thomas A. Adams filed November 27, 2018. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage and covering the premises known as 89 Sherman Avenue, Bethpage, NY located at Section 46 Block 19 and Lot 1 Dated: February 8, 2019

By: Alex Zamenhof, Esq. Knuckles, Komosinski & Manfro, LLP, Attorney for Plaintiff, 565 Taxter Road, Suite 590, Elmsford, NY 10523 (914) 345-3020.

BN 7366 4X 02/22,03/01,08,15

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court

County Of Nassau WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST Rajeshwari Singh, et al., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated November 02, 2017 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Calendar Control Part (CCP) Courtroom of the Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501, on March 26, 2019 at 11:30AM, premises known as 4336 HICKSVILLE ROAD, BETHPAGE, NY 11714. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION 52, BLOCK 310, LOT 43. Approximate amount of judgment $459,790.32 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment for Index#

9094-15.

Richard H. Rubin, Esq., Referee

Gross Polowy, LLC

Attorney for Plaintiff 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221

BN 7367

4X 02/22,03/01,08,15

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF BETHPAGE PUBLIC LIBRARY

The Board of Trustees of the Bethpage Public Library hereby gives notice that a Special District Meeting of the qualified voters of the Bethpage Union Free School District will be held at the Bethpage Public Library, 47 Powell Avenue, Bethpage, New York, on the 15th day of April, 2019 from 2:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. prevailing time, for the purpose of voting by paper ballots upon the following propositions:

1. To consider and vote upon the Annual Library Budget and tax levy for the fiscal year July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020, by the following proposition: BETHPAGE PUBLIC LIBRARY PROPOSITION #1

RESOLVED, that the proposed budget of expenditures of the Bethpage Public Library and the tax appropriation therefor for the fiscal year 2019-2020 in the amount and for the purposes shown in the statement of estimated expenditures adopted by the Board of Trustees, be and the same hereby is approved and the amount thereof shall be raised by a tax levy upon the taxable property of the School District in the amount of $2,546,350.

2. To elect one Library Trustee, for a term of five (5) years, commencing July 1, 2019, previously incumbered by: Mary Macaluso

A petition shall be required to nominate such candidate to the office of Library Trustee. Each vacancy is a separate specific office and a separate petition is required to nominate a candidate to each separate office. Each petition shall be directed to the District Clerk at the School District Administrative Offices, Cherry Avenue and Stewart Avenue, Bethpage, New York, shall be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District, and shall

state the name and residence of the candidate. Petitions shall be available at the Office of the District Clerk at the School District Administrative Offices, Cherry Avenue and Stewart Avenue, Bethpage, New York. In the event that any such nominee shall withdraw his or her candidacy prior to the election, such person shall not be considered a candidate unless a new petition nominating such person in the same manner and with the same limitations applicable to other candidates is filed with the District Clerk. Each petition shall be filed in the office of the District Clerk between the hours of 9:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. (excluding Saturdays and Sundays), through March 15, 2019, and not later than March 15, 2019 at 5:00 P.M. No person shall be nominated by petition for more than one separate office.

REGISTRATION

FURTHER NOTICE IS GIVEN that pursuant to Section 2014 of the Education Law, personal registration of voters is necessary and no person shall be entitled to vote at said Special District Meeting of April 15, 2019 unless such person has personally registered. Each person may register for the said Special Meeting by appearing personally before the Board of Registration of the School District on April 2, 2019, as hereinafter stated. The Board of Registration will meet for the purpose of personal voter registration and the preparation of a register of the qualified voters of said School District, on April 2, 2019 between the hours of 4:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M. at the School District Administrative Offices during which time and at which place members of the Board of Registration shall place upon the School District Register the names of all qualified voters personally appearing before them, provided they are known to be or proven to the satisfaction of such Board of Registration that they are entitled to vote at the above specified Library Special District Meeting.

Such register, upon its completion, will be filed in the Office of the District Clerk at the School District Administrative Offices, Cherry Avenue and Stewart Avenue, Bethpage,

LEGAL NOTICES

New York, and will remain on file at such office and will be open for inspection between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. on each of the five (5) days prior to the meeting or election for which it was prepared, except Saturday and Sunday.

Voters may register for voting at subsequent Library special district meetings on the day of the April 15, 2019 Special District Meeting. All persons who have voted at any Special or Annual Meeting or Election or at any general election within four (4) years prior to the preparation of the register, or who are registered to vote at any general election, pursuant to Section 5-210 of the Election Law of the State of New York need not re-register to vote at the Special District Meeting of April 15, 2019.

In addition, any person who can demonstrate that he is qualified to vote in general elections and who otherwise meets the qualifications of a School District voter, will be permitted to vote at the Special District Meeting on April 15, 2019.

FURTHER NOTICE IS GIVEN, that in accordance with Education Law Section 2018a, applications for absentee ballots for the Special District Meeting may be applied for at the Office of the Clerk of the Bethpage Union Free School District. Such application must be received by the Board of Registration at least seven (7) days prior to the Special District Meeting if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the Special District Meeting, if the ballot

is to be delivered personally to the voter. The Board of Registration shall make a list of all persons to whom absentee voters’ ballots have been issued, and have it available during regular office hours until the day of the Special District Meeting. Such list will be posted at the polling place during the Special District Meeting. No absentee voter ballot shall be canvassed unless it is received not later than 5:00 P.M. on the day of the Special District Meeting.

FURTHER NOTICE IS GIVEN that a public budget hearing will be held on April 8, 2019 at 5:00 P.M., at the Bethpage Public Library for the purpose of discussion of the said expenditure of funds and the budget thereof.

FURTHER NOTICE IS GIVEN that copies of the Annual Statement of Estimated Expenses for 2019/2020 and tax levy will be made available upon request to taxpayers within the District commencing fourteen (14) days prior to the Special District Meeting, at the Bethpage Public Library between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. on each day other than Sunday (Sundays between 12 Noon and 4:00 P.M.), and at the polling place on April 15, 2019.

Dated: Bethpage, New York February 22, 2019

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES BETHPAGE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Mary Macaluso, President BN 7368 4X 02/22,03/01,08,15

Former super takes over in Locust Valley

From page 1

last long-term contract, so I’m not expecting anything longterm at this point.”

He added that he believes the temporary contract would run anywhere for a few months or  the end of the school semester in June.

In a Locust Valley school board meeting earlier this month, residents and parents showed up demanding answers as to why Dr. Hunderfund was

Division Avenue student-athlete shatters school record

Senior Madison Gillis from Division Avenue High School broke the school’s basketball record on Feb. 1 by scoring 1,151 points during a game against Roslyn High School. Photo courtesy of the Levittown Public Schools

Division Avenue High School senior Madison Gillis from the Levittown Public Schools achieved her goal by breaking the school’s basketball record on Feb. 1 during the girls varsity basketball game against Roslyn High School. Gillis scored 23 points during the game, reaching an impressive 1,151 points and breaking the school’s basketball record, which was previously held by Noreen Duffy. Duffy had held the record of 1,147 points.

In January, Gillis was the second student from Division Avenue High School to ever score 1,000 points, with Duffy being the first. She has played basketball since she was a child and comes from a family of passionate basketball players. Both her parents played at Division Avenue High School and at the collegiate level and her younger sister and twin brothers play as well. Gillis was also the first student to join the high school team as an eighth grader from Wisdom Lane Middle School and plans to pursue basketball at the collegiate level.

Regal Eagle Rampage

removed from her position. Questions ranged from possible financial or personal issues between the Board and the ousted superintendent.

According to data from the New York State Teachers Retirement System, Dr. Hunderfund is among the highest paid administrators on Long Island and the State, with an annual salary of $385,297.

The Locust Valley Board did not disclose the salary of Dr. Bonuso.

The Bethpage High School robotics teams, the Regal Eagles, hosted other regional teams on Feb. 17 for the second annual Regal Eagle Rampage. Photos courtesy of the Bethpage Union Free School District

The Bethpage Union Free School District and the Bethpage High School robotics team, the Regal Eagles, hosted the second annual Regal Eagle Rampage: Week 0 Event on Feb. 17.

The Regal Eagles welcomed 10 other teams from the region to the school’s gymnasium for the event, which allows calibration and match practice to gain a sense of how each team’s robot will perform in the upcoming regionals. It preceded the mandatory “stop build” deadline of Feb. 19.

A robotics field was built inside the gymnasium, with the same dimensions that teams will

face during upcoming regional competition challenges called “Deep Space.” The district extends a special thanks to the custodial engineers, facilities and maintenance staff, technicians, advisors, parents and volunteers for their help in creating the field.

The Regal Eagles will participate in the School Business Partnerships of Long Island Regional at Hofstra University on March 26. The New York City Regional is scheduled for the weekend of April 5.

Photos: Lobby, The Bristal at North Hills | Exterior, The Bristal at Garden City | Country Kitchen, The Bristal at Westbury