October, the season of pumpkin spice and everything (pumpkin) nice! And, the perfect time to “fall” into a good book! Or…
There’s a Taylor Swift listening party for Teens this month, along with a Spooky Halloween Lantern craft and several Halloween-themed programs.
For adults, there’s two more sessions in the Mah Jongg triple (pre-registration was required); an Intro to AI program; Medicare Made Clear; Game Nites for Grownups; Rock the Crock Fall Cooking with Chef Barbara; Shop! Cook! Enjoy! healthy eating; and Graveyard Genealogy.
The always artsy Cathy Buckley inaugurates a Beginning Watercolors class for Adults, and Tom Lynch offers a Training and Stargazing Event with the Library’s telescope.
The Gatsby celebration continues. The 1974 movie “The Great Gatsby” starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow airs as a Monday Matinee on October 6, and it wraps up with The Evening Edition Book Club on Thursday, October 9, at 7:00 p.m., where F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” takes center stage.
October finds the Floral Park Library Urban Explorers on bus trip to Chinatown and Little Italy. Registration for the October 29 date is ongoing at the
Reference Desk.
The English Language Learner class meets weekly on Tuesday evenings. Registration is required.
Wednesday Chair Yoga is back in hybrid form every Wednesday at 10:15 a.m.
Learn about volunteer opportunities with Parker Jewish Institute’s Willing Hands… Helpful Hearts at the Wednesday, October 8, Library tabling event.
The first Monday of the month Morning Book Club meets on Monday, October 6.
For the ‘littles,’ there’s a three-session Gardening with Miss Rita program; Build It (K – 3rd grade) with the Long Island Children’s Museum; Storylab for Kids (grades 3 – 5); Storycraft Halloween craft (pre-K – 2nd grade); and Storytime (ages 2 ½ - preschool).
Plus, the ‘regulars’ are on October’s kiddie calendar, too: Play Hooray; Baby Start and Family Pre-School with A Time for Kids; and a Pom Pom Queen craft for grades 3 – 5).
Family programs feature The Planetarium Guy and Taco Stuffed Shells with Chefs of d’Future.
The Made with Love Knitting and Crocheting groups meet Mondays at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m.; no registration necessary. The Library Board meets on Wednesday, October 8,
at 7:30 p.m. As always, the meeting is open to the public.
One-to-one tech help with Joe for tablets, smartphones, laptops, Kindles and general questions is available for our Floral Park patrons by appointment only (floralparktechhelp@gmail.com).
The Library is closed on Monday, October 13, for Columbus Day.
For more information on dates and times, events registration and program details, visit the library website, floralparklibrary.org, call 516 326-6330, or visit us at 17 Caroline Place. All events and programs are subject to change
and/or cancellation.
The Friends of the Floral Park Library offer “Blind Date with a Book” gifts for sale for varying age groups. Check out their inventory at the Circulation Desk. Call the Library (516 326-6330) to check days and times for the Book Nook. All sales of books, DVDs, jigsaw puzzles, bookmarks and more support the Friends of the Floral Park Library, a 501c3 organization.
Follow the Library on Facebook (floralparklibrary), X (fplibrary17), or Instagram (fplibrary 17, floralparkchildrens, fpplteens).
Cluttered?
Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call the Garden City office today 294-8900 for more information.
Sewanhaka High School “rocks the nest” at 2025 homecoming
On Oct. 4, the Sewanhaka High School community joined together to celebrate homecoming with a joyful day full of sunshine and spirited festivities.
The afternoon began with a lively parade marching down Landau Avenue. Along with music-themed banners and floats for the “rock the nest” theme, the parade featured the marching band, cheerleaders, Rockettes, homecoming court and student clubs. Joining the procession were members of the American Legion Post 1033 and the Elmont Fire Department, showcasing community pride and support.
The high-energy continued into the homecoming football game, as the Sewanhaka Ravens faced off against Mineola High School and secured an impressive victory of 34-0. During halftime, the crowd was treated to talented performances by the marching band, Twirlers and Rockettes. Homecoming Royalty Eve Guardino and Tamia Williams, who were officially crowned during Friday’s Pep Rally, were also announced and waved to the stands from the field.
Sewanhaka High School’s Homecoming Royalty Tamia Williams (left) and Eve Guardino.
Sewanhaka High School’s varsity football team, the Ravens, enter the field to start the homecoming game on Oct. 4.
Sewanhaka High School’s varsity cheerleaders performed before the homecoming game on Oct. 4.
Sewanhaka High School’s homecoming festivities began with a parade throughout the neighborhood
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!
Sewanhaka High School’s Rockettes performed during halftime
October 10, 2025
Discovery Bicycle Tours’ Vietnam: A Boat Ride Through Caves, Bike Ride To Temples
BY KAREN RUBIN TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM
One of the most heavenly experiences in Ninh Binh, Vietnam, is to visit Tam Coc (three caves), a peaceful valley set amid karst hills. Here, we are rowed along a gentle river between paddy fields and through the trio of caves on a traditional wooden boat where the oarsperson paddles using her legs and feet. It is inexplicable how the oarsmen (most are women) are able to maneuver.
The endpoint of this thrilling and gorgeously scenic water route is a Tran Dynasty temple where Saint Quy Minh Dai Vuong, an earth and water deity, and his wife are worshipped. It is mind-blowing to realize the temple was first constructed 1000 years ago during the Dinh dynasty.“The Temple contains four stone pillars, each of which is a piece of art that our forefathers left behind for posterity, but which remain a mystery, with clever, artistically carved patterned borders. The spirits were known to the ancients as Long (dragon), Ly (Qilin, a unicorn, part dragon, part horse), Quy (turtle) and Phuong (phoenix) – indeed, the four sacred animals we had seen during the Water Puppet cultural show in Hanoi.
This is our third morning on Discovery Bicycle Tours’ 12-day Vietnam cultural tour, and after a fabulous breakfast at the Emeralda Ninh Binh Resort, we travel by bus through the picturesque countryside. It will also be our first day biking in Vietnam.
After lunch at a local restaurant,
in Ninh Binh
We continue biking and stop at a cemetery – one of many we see in these rice paddies. Phong tells us it is common for the families to build a tomb for their ancestors within their allotment.
Driving on the highway, we stop at one of several modern rest stops which also house handicraft shops employing people with disabilities. This one employs some 500 people and specializes in really fine embroidery (others specialize in painting, sculpture, lacquerware and other crafts)
We watch how they embroider these magnificent scenes that match a photo. The manager tells us it can take 2 ½ months to make one smaller embroidery, 4 months for medium sized and 8 months for large; 65% of the price goes to worker.
we pick up our bikes and set out on our first bike ride.
We cycle among the rice paddies and our guide, Nguyen Hong Phong, stops to explain the rice culture that has been so fundamental to Vietnam for 4000 years.We stop along our route to visit a community cemetery for war soldiers..
Biking to Hoa Lu, Ancient Capital City
After pedaling through several villages set amid a landscape of magnificent limestone peaks, we reach Hoa Lu, the capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1009 during the first two imperial dynasties of Vietnam: the Đinh founded by Đinh Tiên Hoàng, and the Early Lê founded by Lê Đại Hành. When the Lê dynasty ended, in 1010, Lý Công U n, the
founder of the Lý dynasty, transferred the capital to Th ng Long (now Hanoi) about 60 miles away, and Hoa L became known as the “ancient capital.”
Here, we visit two temples - one dedicated to Emperor Dinh and the other in memory of Emperor Le –both with exquisite wood carvings.
At the entrance is the “stone dragon bed,’ where the king would have gotten off his elephant transport, walked the central path through the archway into the temple, while the mandarins entered through the sides.
In a feudal society, when a king passes away, they build several mausoleums so people don’t know where his actual body is buried – those that buried him are killed to keep the secret.
We stay for a second glorious night at the magnificent Emeralda Resort, sprawling like its own village with a palace-like entrance, outdoor and indoor pools, kids club, restaurants, and rooms the size of apartments. I get in a swim before enjoying a fabulous dinner together at the restaurant.
The next morning, we head to Bai Tu Long Bay for an overnight cruise on the Dragon Legend.
After a long, hot summer, these beautiful and cool October evenings are just made for stargazing!
Midway up in the northeastern sky after dark at this time of year lies the constellation of Cassiopeia. Seeing an ancient Ethiopian queen there will challenge your imagination, but finding five stars that outline the letter “W” on its side (or the number “3”) will be a cinch.
Just below lies the constellation Perseus, home of the annual Perseid meteor shower. This region of the sky represents the rescuer of Andromeda, Cassiopeia’s daughter, from the great sea monster Cetus. Again, you’ll find that trying to outline this brave fellow among the stars will tax your creativity, so just look for a couple of strings of stars like those that appear in the accompanying illustration.
Deep within this star grouping lies one of the prettiest sights in the heavens: the Double Cluster of Perseus. If your sky is clear and dark, you might be able to spot this celestial gem as a faint fuzzy patch of light with your unaided eyes. If you’re unable to find it right away, try a “star hopping” technique to help you out.
First, find the “W” of Cassiopeia. Simply trace its two nearly vertical stars and extend that line downward about twice that distance. Still have trouble seeing it? Maybe another astronomical trick will help. Don’t look directly at it but rather slightly off to
the side. Surprisingly, this averted vision technique allows us to see extremely faint objects in the heavens. Prehistoric stargazers had pristine skies and almost certainly spotted this object, but had no idea what they were seeing. It wasn’t until around 150 B.C. that stargazers officially catalogued it. The ancient Greek scientists Hipparchus and Ptolemy wrote about the
EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE
sight but referred to it only as a “nebula” or “cloudy spot,” one of the half dozen or so they knew at the time. Aim a small telescope toward this region, and you’re in for a treat the ancients couldn’t even imagine. The cloudy spot seen by the eye will explode into a stunning view of hundreds of sparkling stars that are clumped into two separate clusters. Astronomers today know this Double Cluster as “h and chi Persei,” as well as by the catalogue numbers NGC 869 and NGC 884. The easternmost of the pair (NGC 884) is slightly larger but contains fewer stars -- about 150 or so -- while NGC 869 is physically smaller but contains about 200 stars.
The pair lies some 7,000 lightyears from us; this means that the light you see with your eye, binoculars or telescope began its journey in our direction long before the ancient Egyptians began building the pyramids!
Though they appear quite close to one another, the clusters a few hundred lightyears apart and linked by the all-pervasive force of gravity. For decades, astronomers have examined their chemical and physical properties and have learned that these stars are relatively young -- most likely less than 13 million years old.
Whether you’re viewing with binoculars, a small telescope or just the unaided eye, the Double Cluster offers quite a sight on these pleasant autumn evenings!
Visit Dennis Mammana at dennismammana.com. . COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
Opting for the Minimum Payment Changed My Life
BY MARY HUNT
At the time, it seemed like a good idea. But going for the minimum payment option “just this one time” turned out to be the worst mistake of my life. The day I opened that door and walked through it, I altered the course of my life.
I reasoned that I didn’t have enough money to pay the credit card balances in full, so what was I supposed to do (oh, hear me whine)? I’d catch up next month and pay everything down to $0 before my husband found out. All I needed was a little breathing room.
And with that, I made a 180-degree turn and headed down the road to financial devastation.
What was an option the first time I made only the minimum payments soon became my only choice. I deceived myself into believing even though I didn’t have enough money to pay for things now, somehow I’d have enough to pay for them later. I believed that banks and department stores wouldn’t lend me this much money if they didn’t know that I could afford it -- and wasn’t that a nice surprise. It took 12 years to ruin my life, putting me in danger of losing my marriage, my family and my home. The only thing that
stopped me was that I ran out of credit.
With both of us unemployed and having just received notice that our home was scheduled to go into foreclosure, I arrived at the end of myself.
Owing more than $100,000 on all of my handy credit accounts -- and all of them in default -- there was no more credit. No more options. I was out of hope with nowhere to turn. It was in the darkness of fear and despair that I realized what I’d done to myself, my husband and my family. Through my remorse and pain, I turned to God and made this promise: I would pay back all of the debt no matter how long it took or what I had to do, if I could only keep my family and my home.
For the next 10 years, I did exactly that. I never worked so hard in my life. Overnight I turned into a cheapskate -- frugal beyond the legal limit, I’m sure. I worked every kind of job I could get my hands on. I developed a payback plan. I became a giver and a saver even while deeply in debt. After 10 years and $88,000 repaid, I was restless. This was taking too long. So, as just another way to raise funds, I decided to try my hand at writing a subscription newsletter with the goal to help others do what we were doing. That was in 1992. It wasn’t an overnight success,
but almost. And in the process, I developed a passion to learn all I could about personal money management.
Here’s an example: My very first step was to make a vow that I would only buy groceries that I could pay for with cash (no checkbook, no plastic allowed). Wow, that was like throwing a bucket of cold water in my face. I had a new awareness of what things really cost. I had to keep track of what I was putting in my grocery cart. The next step came quickly: I had to find a way to spend less to buy what we needed so I could walk out with cash in my pocket.
Finding ways to do that put a big smile on my face and gave me the confidence and the desire to take another step. And another and another.
It took 13 years to pay back a whopping credit card debt of more than $100,000 (an amount that would be closer to $300,000 in 2022 dollars), but we did it -- one cost-cutting hack or tip at a time. For years now we have been completely debt-free. What joy and financial freedom we now enjoy! Debt-free truly is the way to be.
Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and re-
sources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “DebtProof Living.”
COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
The Double Cluster of Perseus is made up of star clusters NGC 869 and NGC 884.
Christopher Columbus & His Historic Discoveries
BY CLAIRE LYNCH
Columbus Day is on October 13 and we remember Christopher Columbus’ vision and perseverance as he explored new worlds. Born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451, Columbus was an explorer and navigator who made four Spanish-based voyages across the Atlantic Ocean.
Christopher Columbus’ father was a shop owner in a small seaport town of Genoa on the Mediterranean Sea and Columbus’ three brothers worked in the shop. They were wool weavers and the family assumed that Christopher would also work in the shop. He had different ideas, however. He longed to go out on the sea and explore new lands.
Looking out at the water each day, Columbus dreamed of finding another route to the West which would allow them to resume their trade with the East. At this point in time Genoa’s trade with the East was blocked because the Ottoman Turks had captured Constantinople one year after Columbus was born. Genoa’s economy suffered because of religious differences that caused the blockade. Columbus watched the trade ships that passed through his town each day carrying exotic goods from the East like silk, tea, cotton and gold.
The members of the European aristocracy found it hard to afford their shipments of peppercorn and clove, however. By the 1400s, when navigational equipment had improved to the point that long-distance sailing became possible, the kings and queens set out to change the balance of world trade by funding spice-hunting missions of their own.
For years Christopher Columbus felt the sea calling him and he studied books and maps to prepare for his time on the open seas.
Records indicate that as a boy Columbus’ only formal education was in a monastery where he learned mathematics and Latin but there aren’t many details about that. Most of the books at that time were written in Latin. Later,
he took it upon himself to study astronomy, geography, navigation and cartography.
Columbus didn’t want to just read about the world in books, he wanted to explore the world up close and personally. He learned about navigation from working on different ships and working with other sailors.
He was especially interested in westward voyages. Columbus had learned of the legendary Atlantic Ocean voyages and sailors’ various reports of land to the west of the Madeira Islands and the Azores.
Acquiring books and maps, Columbus studied Marco Polo’s location for Japan - 1,500 miles east of China - but that was incorrect. He also accepted Ptolemy’s underestimation of the circumference of the Earth and the overestimation of the size of the combined continents of Europe and Asia which stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
Due to these incorrect assumptions Columbus believed that Japan was about 3,000 miles to the west of Portugal which was a distance that could be sailed in the vessels of the time. His idea was further supported by the suggestions of mathematician and cosmographer Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli of
Though Columbus was wrong about the number of degrees of longitude that separated Europe from the Far East and about the distance that each degree represented, he took advantage of the trade winds and that was a primary reason why he and his crews successfully navigated the Atlantic Ocean.
Christopher Columbus enlisted the support of King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I of Spain for his voyage to the new land. They negotiated a contract with him which they never expected him to cash in on because they thought that his voyage would not be successful.
Columbus initially lobbied Portugal’s King John II, but he refused Columbus’ request because he thought it would take much longer than Christopher Columbus did. Columbus then lobbied at the Spanish court for seven years and was turned down by Queen Isabella.
Columbus also sent his brother Bartholomew to the court of Henry VII of England to ask if the English Crown would sponsor his expedition but he was captured by pirates along the way and he arrived too late. France wouldn’t fund Columbus’ voyages, either.
Eventually King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain changed their minds and agreed to fund Columbus’
voyages and Columbus bargained with them over what he was to receive from the expeditions.
The negotiation resulted in a document which became known as the Capitulations of Santa Fe. Some of the major perks included power: he was to be named Admiral of the Ocean Sea and governor of all lands he discovered - and money - he was to get 10 percent of whatever he found.
Three ships were bought by Columbus for his historic voyage. He also hired the crews and made sure that such provisions as food and drink were on board. Tools were a necessity so Columbus checked all that. He and his crews also brought the barrels, crates and boxes needed to bring trade goods back to Spain.
On August 3, 1492, a half hour before sunrise, they set sail from the little town of Palos in the southwest corner of Spain. The boats were the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. Christopher Columbus, the captain, sailed on the Santa Maria which was the largest of the three ships. They sailed west for 72 days.
On October 12, a lookout on the Pinta named Rodrigo de Triana, spotted land at about 2 a.m. and he immediately alerted the rest of the crew with a shout. At last the Pinta touched the shore of an island. Columbus thought he had reached the Indies. He named the island San Salvador which is an island in the Bahamas that’s southeast of Florida. They had reached the Americas under the sponsorship of the Spanish kingdom of Castile.
By sailing west Columbus thought he could reach the east, to India, China and Japan. He didn’t realize that the huge continents of North and South America lay to the west - between Europe and Asia.
Recognizing Columbus’ enormous discovery, the second Monday in October is a federal holiday.
Happy Columbus Day to all!
BY CHARLYN FARGO
Most of us know we probably need to cut back on the added sugars we consume, but how do you do that when you have a craving for something sweet?
These days, the average American eats an estimated 17 teaspoons of added sugar each day. A study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health states that added sugar consumption worldwide is at a “pandemic” stage. Research shows a clear association between eating too much table sugar and higher risk for tooth decay, Type 2 diabe-
tes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.
An answer for some has been to use more artificial sweeteners. The Food and Drug Administration has declared all sweeteners on the market to be safe; however, they have been under scrutiny by other groups. Consumers have turned to more natural sugars, such as honey, maple syrup, molasses and coconut sugar. The truth is that sugar is sugar, whether it comes from sugar cane or a tree, and as sugar, it is high in calories.
Should you try other sweeteners?
Stevia is a well-known natural sweeten-
er, derived from the leaves of the stevia plant. It has no calories and no nutritional value but is sometimes blended with sugar alcohols, like erythritol. Monk fruit extract is another zero-calorie natural sweetener. The best sweetener is the one you enjoy eating. But like sugar, have them in moderation.
How can you tame a sweet tooth?
It’s best to try for moderation rather than cutting out sugar completely. Aim for cutting back to six teaspoons a day
Florence, Italy.
Not Your Grandma’s Social Security Office Anymore
BY TOM MARGENAU
In the 1960s, Bob Dylan released an album called “The Times, They Are a-Changin’.” I seriously doubt that the troubadour was thinking about Social Security when he wrote those ballads. But I can tell you that the times sure are a-changin’ at the Social Security Administration. And time will tell if those changes are for the good.
I’ve heard from more than a few friends who still work for the SSA. And most of them report that morale is at an all-time low. The agency’s new commissioner, appointed by President Donald Trump, is really shaking things up. I was initially inclined to sympathize with my friends, and I planned to write a column critical of the changes. But upon further reflection, I’ve decided to withhold judgment. I’m going to wait and see how things play out.
More about the changes in a minute. But first, let me point out that during my 32-year career with the SSA, I went through probably 10 different changes in leadership at the top. And I can tell you that each new commissioner comes in saying that he or she is going to shake things up and make things better. And I guess that’s really no surprise. After all, espousing change is just the nature of leadership. Everybody who comes to power, whether it’s the president of the United States or the president of the local Chamber of Commerce or the Commissioner of Social Security, says he or she is going to do things differently (and supposedly better) than the old leaders.
But Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano is really shaking things up. For example, a lot of former administrative people have been moved into frontline positions, mostly being put on the phones taking claims and answering questions from members of the public who call the agency’s toll-free number (800-772-1213).
I’m guessing many readers of this column would say, “That’s good. We need fewer bureaucrats and more frontline people.” And that may be true. But I’ll just give you the other side of the coin by discussing a department within the Social Security Administration that I am most familiar with. It is the Office of Communications. It essentially did what its name implies -- it “communicated” Social Security messages to the public. For example, it created and produced about a hundred different publications that are provided free of charge to the American people that explain all the various Social Security programs. Another department within the Office of Communications answered the hundreds and hundreds of letters and emails from the public that came into the agency’s headquarters every day. Another branch provided liaison services with members of Congress.
Anyway, the Office of Communications, which formerly had over 200 employees, is now down to about 20. Everyone else has either been furloughed or is now on telephone duty. I guess we’ll just have to find out if and how those publications will get produced and if those letters and emails will get answered.
And I’m guessing Commissioner Bisignano thinks Artificial Intelligence (AI) might be the answer. And maybe he’s right. I simply don’t know enough about the new technology to have a strong opinion one way or the other. But I will share this. Occasionally, I will do a Google search on a specific Social Security topic. And as those of you who do routine
Google searches know, the first answer that always comes up is an AI answer. And so far, I have been impressed by the AI answers I get on Social Security matters. They have always been accurate.
So now, having briefly discussed just a few of the changes happening at the Social Security Administration, I’m going to spend the rest of this column waxing nostalgic about the “good old days.”
I spent a good bit of my early SSA career as what the agency called a “field representative.” While the major SSA workforce sat at desks all day and took claims from people who came into a local Social Security office, field reps went out to remote locations and set up shop for a day, usually in a senior center or some other public building in these far-flung towns.
For example, in the late 1970s, I was the field representative in the Everett, Washington Social Security office. Our service area was interesting and varied. It ran from islands in the Puget Sound to little hamlets in the Cascade Mountains.
Once a week, I would get on a ferry just outside of Everett and take a trip over to Whidbey Island. There, I would go to the senior center in Langley and open up my little mini-Social Security office. I would spend the day helping young people get Social Security cards and helping old people file for Social Security benefits. After spending 5 or 6 hours there, I would head back to the ferry with my briefcase stuffed with filled-out applications and forms.
Then the next day, I would drive up to a little Cascade mountain hamlet called Skykomish, Washington, and start the process all over again. A couple days later, I’d be off to another island (Camano Island).
A few years later, I found myself as the field representative in the Social Security office in Boise, Idaho. Boise’s service area was huge -- a big chunk of south and central Idaho. So there, I found myself taking overnight trips to distant locales. For example, I would leave Boise on a Tuesday morning, drive north a hundred miles or so and set up shop for the rest of the morning in Cascade, Idaho. After taking care of the local townsfolk there, I would continue driving north for about 3 hours or so to the resort town of McCall, Idaho, with a majestic mountain setting right on an alpine lake, The next morning, I would set up my little mini-Social Security office in a senior center.
And as a field representative, I even made “house calls,” going to the homes of people who were housebound but needed help with Social Security matters.
All these memories bring a smile to my face. I think of my time as a field representative as the “good old days” of Social Security. The service we provided was phenomenal! The Social Security Administration was always winning awards for superior customer service.
But that was then, and this is now. Today, with the internet and cell phones and artificial intelligence, I guess it makes no economic sense to be running around from hamlet to hamlet and house to house. But it’s also too bad. We’ve lost a way of doing Social Security business that I think was something special.
Still, having waxed nostalgic, I’m crossing my fingers that a new Social Security Administration, with fewer administrative people, more frontline personnel, and help and an-
swers from AI “bots,” will win public service awards in the future.
If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called “Social Security -- Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” The other is “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the
books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
When NYS courts are involved in selling real estate
The courts in NYS, under certain circumstances, are required to appoint a fiduciary (guardian, receiver, executor, etc.) to handle the sale of real estate. The individual or attorney is required under Part 36 of the NYS Court system based on constraints and procedural rules that govern in choosing and selecting real estate professionals to be approved. However, there is no New York State law that universally requires a lawyer to use a “Part 36” real estate broker/agent” (or any particular broker) in every case involving indigent individuals, nursing home residents, or decedents’ estates. It generally occurs when a court is appointed and gets involved in handling the process.
What is “Part 36” in NY:
• Part 36 of the Rules of the Chief Judge governs “Appointments by the Court” (e.g. guardians, receivers, counsel, appraisers, property managers, real estate brokers) when a court is involved in appointing someone to manage or dispose of property.
• When a fiduciary is appointed under Part 36, the fiduciary (or the court) must comply with certain rules about retention of professionals (e.g. attorneys, real estate brokers) and oversight.
• The explanatory note to Part 36 indicates that Part 36 generally applies to appointments compensated by private parties—and may not apply in the same way to appointments compensated from public funds.
Thus, in scenarios where the court is supervising the sale of property through a court-appointed fiduciary, the lawyer or fiduciary may be constrained by Part 36 rules in selecting and approving a real estate broker. Basically means that a Broker must be chosen from the Part 36 data base of Brokers.
What Part 36 Requires (in applicable cases)
When a Part 36 fiduciary (e.g. a guardian, receiver, or executor under court supervision) seeks to retain a real estate broker (or other professional), that broker is considered a “Part 36 appointee” and is subject to the rules in Part 36.
from page 3
for women and nine teaspoons for men, or about 10% of total calories, as recommended by the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines. Make swaps little by little rather than adopting an all-or-nothing mentality with sugar.
The bottom line? Over time, try to limit consumption of added sugars. Practice
BY PHILIP A. RAICES
Some relevant constraints include:
• The court must evaluate the qualifications of candidates for such appointments.
• There are rules about disqualification, compensation, reporting, and oversight of appointees under Part 36. New York Courts
• The rules aim to guard against abuses — e.g. “lucrative designations of secondary appointments” — by requiring judicial oversight and limits.
• In short: in court-supervised matters, a lawyer (or fiduciary) cannot simply pick any real estate broker; they must adhere to the procedural rules set out in Part 36 (if it applies). But that is not the same as a general obligation that in all real estate transactions involving indigent persons or nursing home residents, a lawyer must use a Part 36 broker.
Situations where Part 36 likely does not mandate use
of a
broker
• If a private individual (or private attorney) handles the sale of a real property not under court supervision or without a Part 36 appointment, those Part 36 provisions typically wouldn’t apply.
• If the lawyer is not acting as a court-appointed fiduciary, but as counsel for a private party, the lawyer’s professional obligations would derive from general real estate law, fiduciary duties, and ethics rather than Part 36.
• Part 36 does not always apply when fiduciaries are compensated from public funds, or in certain categories of appointment.
Indigent, nursing home, deceased persons)
• Indigent & nursing home individuals: Being indigent or being in a nursing home does not, by itself, trigger Part 36. Only when the court appoints someone (guardian, receiver, etc.) to manage or dispose of property under judicial supervision (and where Part 36 is applicable) would the Part
mindfulness when you eat a piece of candy or cake. Rather than having sugar daily, save it for a special occasion. Substitute fruit for that cookie, and over time, cravings will lessen.
Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois, and the current president of the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
36 rules about retention of real estate brokers come into play.
• Deceased persons: For an estate, if the executor or administrator is handling real property, absent court supervision or a Part 36 appointment, the executor’s duty is to manage the estate under the Surrogate’s Court laws and fiduciary obligations, not under Part 36. If the court appoints a receiver or sells property under supervision, then Part 36 might apply to the selection of professionals.
So the bottom line is: there is no sweeping statutory requirement in New York that a lawyer must use a “Part 36 broker” in all such circumstances. But yes, in certain court-appointed fiduciary contexts under Part36, the selection of real estate brokers is governed by Part36 rules.
This is a somewhat complicated issue and can cause stress, worries and misunderstandings if you if you do not have any knowledge or are not well versed. Since I am not an attorney and cannot offer legal advice, I suggest speaking with yours. Most important, it is those individuals who have no will, trust or even the newly approved (Dec. 2024) A Transfer on Death (TOD) deed that allows real estate to be transferred to the heirs without going through the Probate process. These documents are critically important. Some 65% of those who owned real estate in 2024 didn’t have a Will.
So a word to the wise, get off your butt and do something today. If you need any non-legal advice or if you do not have an attorney, feel free to call me anytime for a referral.
Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 43+ years experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned 3 significant designations:
National Association of Realtors Graduate Realtors Institute (what I consider a Master’s degree in real estate).
Certified International Property Specialist - expert in consulting and completing international transactions. National Association of Realtors Green designation: eco-friendly low carbon footprint construction with 3-D printed foundations, Solar panels, Geothermal HVAC/Heat Pumps).
He will also provide a copy of “Unlocking the Secrets of Real Estate’s New Market Reality, and his Seller’s and Buyer’s Guides for “Things to Consider when Selling, investing or Purchasing your Home.
He will provide you with “free” regular updates of what has gone under contract (pending), been sold (closed) and those homes that have been withdrawn/ released or expired (W/R) and all new listings of homes, HOA, Townhomes, Condos, and Coops in your town or go to:
https://WWW.Li-RealEstate.Com and you can “do it yourself (DYI) and search at your leisure on your own. However, for a “FREE” no obligation/ no strings attached 15-minute consultation, as well as a “FREE printout or digital value analysis of what your home might sell for in today’s market without any obligation or “strings” attached call him at (516) 647-4289 or email: Phil@ TurnKeyRealEstate.com
You can now search at your leisure for properties at: WWW.Li-RealEstate.com
ONE CALL TO 516-294-8900 AND YOUR AD WILL APPEAR IN 6 LOCAL NEWSPAPERS. CALL TODAY FOR OUR VERY LOW RATES. www.gcnews.com
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EMPLOYMENT
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JORDAN
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At Invited Sales, we offer a comprehensive range of services tailored to meet your needs:
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Fall migration at Floral Park Centennial Gardens
PHOTOS AND STORY
BY
DOUG CIOFFI
The types of birds you see on any particular visit to the Floral Park Centennial Gardens Bird Sanctuary will depend on what time of year it is. The arrival of autumn signifies big changes; i.e. shorter days, colder temps, falling leaves, and significant changes in the species of birds who visit our area. To better understand I’ve categorized their movements into four categories.
Birds that Summer at the Gardens; Winter Down South
Several species of birds that spent the summer here, nested here, and raised their families here prepare to leave in the fall for warmer climates down South. Among them are the Gray Catbird, Northern House Wren, and Baltimore Oriole.
Birds that summer up north, winter down south, and pass through the Gardens in the fall
Other species of birds that spent the summer in Canada and upstate New York also prepare to head South using Long Island and Floral Park Centennial Gardens
as a stopping off point to rest and refuel before continuing their long journey. Generally, these migrating birds fly at night and rest during the day making the months of September and October extra special if you’re a bird watcher! This is the time of year to see birds at the Gardens that may only be here for a short time, like the Ruby Throated Hummingbird. There are several other bird “families” that fall into this category. One such family is the “Flycatchers,” which includes Eastern Wood-Pewee, Least Flycatcher and Eastern Phoebe all of which have been spotted here this fall. Among the “Thrush” family the Gardens get annual visits from the Wood Thrush, Veery, Swainson’s Thrush, and Hermit Thrush every fall. The family of “Wood Warblers” is perhaps the most exciting and hard-to-spot fall visitors. These tiny, colorful birds often stay high in the tree tops hidden by the fall foliage. It takes a lot of patience and a good pair of binoculars to spot these warblers. So far this season the Gardens have seen visits from the Northern Parula, Yellow Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Northern Waterthrush,
Ovenbird, American Redstart, Black-andwhite Warbler and Common Yellowthroat. And with another month of fall to go the list should grow. Finally the “Sparrow” family produces many fall visitors, some of which may only be here for a day; others may stay for a week or more. These include Eastern Towhee, Field Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, and Swamp Sparrow, among others.
Birds that Summer up North, but Winter Here at the Gardens
There are several species of birds that spend the winter at the Gardens enjoying the fruit trees, dying plants and bird seed that is put out for them. Generally they leave for points north in the spring to nest and raise their families and return right about now. This includes some of our most common winter birds; Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Ruby and Golden Crowned Kinglets, to name but a few.
There are also a few categories of Hawks that are more likely to be seen here in winter, such as the Cooper’s Hawk and Sharp
Shinned Hawk.
Birds that are at the Gardens year round
Finally there are many species of birds that don’t migrate, meaning they can be seen at the Gardens with regularity every month of the year. Among them is Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Common Grackle, Mourning Dove, Black-capped Chickadee, and American Robin.
Interestingly, the American Robin fits into all four of these groupings. Some summer here and head south in winter; some summer up north and winter down south, passing through LI on the way; some summer up north and winter here at the Gardens; and some never leave. They just switch their diets from juicy worms to fruit and berries. So while you may not be seeing Robins on your frozen lawn in winter, they’re here at Floral Park Centennial Gardens!
The wonderful thing about the birding hobby is that you never know on any particular day what you’re going to see but always remember a lot depends on where you are and what time of year it is!
Black and white warbler
Swamp sparrow
Ruby-throated hummingbird
Yellow warbler
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Sewanhaka schools host College and Career Fair
To help students explore and prepare for future college and career paths, the Sewanhaka Central High School District hosted its annual College and Career Fair on Sept. 29, welcoming over 100 post-high school institutions to connect with students and families. The event was presented by the Counseling Centers of Elmont Memorial High School, Floral Park Memorial High School, H. Frank Carey High School, New
Hyde Park Memorial High School and Sewanhaka High School.
The fair offered students valuable face-to-face interactions with representatives from colleges, universities and the U.S. Military. Attendees explored career pathways, gathered resources, and asked questions about admissions and opportunities.
Recruiters from the US Military were present to answer questions.
Students were able to ask questions of the representatives of the institutions.
Over 100 post-high school institutions participated in the fair.
Sewanhaka Central High School District hosted its College and Career Fair on Sept. 29.
The event was presented by the Counseling Centers of Elmont Memorial High School, Floral Park Memorial High School, H. Frank Carey High School, New Hyde Park Memorial High School and Sewanhaka High School.
Photos courtesy of the Sewanhaka Central High School District
