Floral Park Villager (10/31/25) by Litmor Publishing

THE GATEWAY TO NASSAU COUNTY

Bringing warmth to those in need

Members of the Floral Park Woman's Club collaborated with Made With Love to create warm items for children and adults with cerebral palsy.

The Floral Park Woman's Club has partnered with Made With Love, the knitting and crocheting group from the Floral Park Library. The two groups have contributed warm items to children and adults with Cerebral Palsy. While Made With Love has made numerous hats, scarves, lap blankets and shawls the Wom-

an's Club has donated many pairs of gloves and mittens.

If you would like to make new friends and help those in need, you have just found two wonderful groups.

The Floral Park Woman's Club raises funds for local scholarships, children's organizations such as St. Jude's and Operation Smile, and any

local group that needs help. Its next meeting is Wed. Nov. 19 at 12:30 at the Rec Center.

Do you knit or crochet? Join Made With Love at the Floral Park Library on Mondays at 6:30pm and Wednesdays at 11am. Items are donated to vets, families and groups in need, hospitals and nursing homes.

Floral Park marches with pride on Veterans Day

BY RIKKI MASSAND

Floral Park’s American Legion Post 334 will once again host the annual Veterans Day Parade and ceremony on Monday, November 11. The parade will step off at 10:30 a.m. from Verbena Avenue and proceed along Tulip Avenue to Memorial Park, where a ceremony will begin at precisely 11 minutes after 11 a.m. — the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

Local officials will attend the ceremony, where the names of Floral Park veterans will be read aloud in tribute. Parade participants are asked to gather inside the Post & Union restaurant (formerly Jameson’s) by 9:30 a.m. Tulip Avenue will be closed to traffic by parade time.

Post Commander Bob Murray emphasized the need to engage younger veterans in the organization’s future.

“The average age of our members would be well into their 70s, and I myself am 78. There’s a need for us to engage with younger vets who may have served during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, or more recently. I tell some of these folks when I see them in town, we know they are busy with raising families and work commitments, but in the times you can be involved and

when the kids may be older to do things on their own, come on down to see us. One day, they will take over the place,” Murray noted.

Murray and his wife moved to Floral Park 45 years ago, in October 1980. Their four children attended local schools, both the Floral Park-Bellerose district and Our Lady of Victory. Now two of their grandchildren are students in the Floral Park-Bellerose district.

“It’s amazing in Floral Park how the kids come back. A lot of people’s kids come back to the village and buy a home, raise their kids here just the same as we did,” he noted. “I have a friend who has five children and all of them live here now as adults, with their own homes and children,” he noted.

Community & Youth Programs

The American Legion has long been a cornerstone of community service in Floral Park. Among its hallmark efforts is sponsorship of the Boys’ State program, a week-long leadership and citizenship experience for high school juniors, run by the American Legion Department of New York. Students learn the workings of government, leadership, and civic engagement.

See page 3

Last “Weed Out” of the year on November 1

FOUR VILLAGE STUDIO

BY RICHARD BURGESS, WEED OUT COORDINATOR, FP CONSERVATION VOLUNTEER.

Saturday, November 1st will be the last “Weed Out” of 2025. The first weed out took place on September 11, 2016. Some people who often walk along the upper gardens of Centennial Gardens, decided an organized weeding eﬀort would be good. There were several garden beds along the path which were overgrown. We reached out to other people walking by and ended with six of us doing a spontaneous twenty minute

spruce up of an area in need of help. This area was dedicated to the memory of Keith Fairben, who lost his life at the World Trade center on 9/11. We all felt good doing this simple act and decided that we should continue to do this. One of the participants was an elderly gentleman who said, “We just did a “weed out”. We liked the description and the name stuck! So the first Weed Out was history.

So for the past nine years volunteers have been meeting at the main entrance gate of Centennial Gardens on Floral

9:30 PM

FOUR VILLAGE STUDIO

The Author Corner

Stephanie Larkin

Roberta Samuels, “Vanished”, Mystery -Suspense & “French Lessons”, Romance Uncorked

Rex Whicker

“Scotch & Food” ~ Rex & Guests Share Some Unusual Pairings

Wes Houston Presents…

Wes Houston

“The Haymakers” ~ Rockabilly Trio with Tom Hopkins, Chris James & Mark Pohl

FPFD: Red Alert

Larry King, AEMT

“Military Firefighting” ~ David Russell, Technical Sergeant E -6, USAF (Ret.)

The South Floral Park Mayor’s Quarterly

Mayor Nyakya T. Brown

With Deputy Mayor Jennifer Bellamy & Village Trustee Porscha Lyons

Parkway at nine a.m. on the first Saturday of the month. The purpose is to do some weeding to maintain the beauty of Centennial Gardens. We pick a bed or two and work for approximately 1 1/2 hours. It is good exercise and good karma.

Come to the Gardens and “give it a go.” Everyone is welcome.

People hear and read about Centennial Gardens and ask where it is located. The boundaries are Floral Parkway, where the main entrance gate is located, Raﬀ Avenue and Carnation Avenue. It is approximately two blocks west of Sewanhaka High School and three blocks south of Tulip.

Weed Out volunteers ready for action.

Floral Park marches with pride on Veterans Day

From page 1

The department’s website explains “They learn the practical aspects of government as it exists in New York State, and come to recognize that the individual is integral to the character and success of government.”

Training involves physical fitness, teamwork and other activities under the guidance of American Legion counselors and U.S. Marines. In 2026 the program will be held from June 27th through July 2nd at Morrisville State College. “It presents a head’s up on how our country is run, from the local level on up. Participating students set up a government structure – governors, mayors, assembly as they teach them about civics,” Murray explained.

“We sponsor (pay fees) three to four kids every year which is about $600 per student. It’s a little bit of military discipline but so effective for the kids to learn. It also looks good on their resume, especially if they are interested in the military or in public administration,” he said.

Legion members collaborate with Floral Park Memorial High School to identify participants. Typically, six or seven students are interviewed before final selections are made.

Another initiative, the Americanism

Action Program, emphasizes patriotism, respect for the flag, and loyalty to the Constitution. The Legion presents Good Citizenship Awards annually at John Lewis Childs School, Floral Park-Bellerose, Floral Park Memorial, and Our Lady of Victory.

“Getting the word out with the younger students is excellent but having young adult veterans join us is more challenging. I can remind the community that any veteran can join and be involved in all the things we do during the year. The rest of the year is not as heavily-involved as our Memorial Day event, and it’s a great time but it takes much more coordination and effort, getting all the groups in the town – Boy and Girl Scout troops, the schools and participants for the Memorial Day Parade. The village works with us for the streets’ closure, but we have committees to get everything organized,” he said.

A Legacy of Service

Floral Park resident Tom De Maria, a Chamber of Commerce board member and founder of Tricia’s Kids, Inc., recalled attending Veterans Day parades with his father in Brooklyn.

“At the time (the 1960s and 70s) the World War II veterans were the nexus of the club, and their Memorial Day

– they were the doers and they ran everything. The parade was probably two to three blocks that to me as a kid felt like miles. They went around to the Catholic church, and as part of the event people would go into the church so the Monsignor could start the mass. I still remember at that time there was a very active Knights of Columbus, and they lined up on each side of the church and it was unbelievable. After church we’d come back out, finish the parade and everyone would meet at the American Legion for coffee, food, breakfast…I have never seen parades of that scale and involvement in a community like that one until we moved to Floral Park, and when I witnessed the parade I said this is unbelievable!”

This fall, Legion members have set

up outside the Floral Park Post Office with tables of poppies, wristbands, and flags, accepting donations to support Post 334’s programs. Recently, they presented the Color Guard at the 2025 Rhatigan’s Run 5K and hosted the third annual Tumbleweeds Foundation rib-eating contest at the Post.

The Legion Hall at 15 Elizabeth Street, built in 1924 “by and for military veterans,” remains a proud village landmark. The Floral Park Historical Society installed a blue-and-yellow marker there in 2019. The upstairs hall accommodates up to 80 people and is available for community rentals — from birthdays to baby showers — a vital source of income for the Post.

For information or hall rentals, call 516-437-1295.

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Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call 294-8900 or visit us online www.gcnews.com to request information & rates Litmor Publishing's Community Newspapers

Callahan Family Dentistry is partnering with Soldier’s Angels to collect your excess Halloween Candy to donate to our deployed service members and veterans!

From Saturday November 1st through Wednesday November 5th, we will be collecting candy during the below listed hours.

From Saturday November 1st through Wednesday November 5 th, we will be collecting candy during the below listed hours.

Sat/Tues: 8:30am-3:30pm Mon/Wed: 12:30pm-7pm

61 Hilton Ave, St 1

Garden City, NY 11530

516-741-3080

Kind Campaign brings messages of empathy and anti-bullying

John Lewis Childs School sixth graders had the unique opportunity to hear from the Kind Campaign, an internationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to ending girl-against-girl bullying, on Oct. 17.

During the impactful assembly, founders Lauren Paul and Molly Thompson shared the message behind their movement, emphasizing the importance of kindness, empathy and connection. As part of their visit, they screened their documentary “Finding Kind,” which they debuted in 2011.

After the film, the sixth graders participated in thoughtful reflection activities, including writing Kind Pledges, Kind Apologies and Kind Cards. These exercises encouraged students to commit to acts of kindness, express sincere apologies to those they may have hurt and offer heartfelt compliments to others.

The experience challenged students to examine their own actions and inspired them to take meaningful steps toward building a more inclusive and compassionate school community.

John Lewis Childs School sixth graders participated in a Kind Campaign assembly on Oct. 17. Photos courtesy of the Floral Park-Bellerose Union Free School District Students participated in thoughtful reflection activities.

Floral Park

Junior Woman’s Club

The next meeting of the Floral Park Junior Woman’s Club will be held on Thursday, November 13, at the Floral Park Recreation Center at 7 p.m. There will be a. business meeting and then members will make dog beds to donate. Refreshments will be served. All are welcome.

November programs at the Floral Park Public Library

And so, it begins… and ends… in November. The beginning of the holiday season, and the end of Daylight Savings Time.

It’s also the beginning of the Food for Fines thanks and giving initiative. A donation of non-perishable food items forgives $5.00 in overdue fines. Items are donated to the Our Lady of Victory food pantry. The donation box is located in the Library lobby,

The Friends of the Floral Park Library host an indoor craft sale on Saturday, November 29, beginning at 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 482 will be selling Christmas wreaths on the Library lawn, too.

They’re also hosting a Line Dancing Event, Read Between the Line Dancing, at Fireman’s Hall (in Village Hall) on Saturday, November 15, at 7:00 p.m. $40 includes light Mexican fare and line dancing lessons. The evening includes raffles and a 50/50. Attendees are welcome to BYOB.

While the Floral Park Library Urban Explorers next event is on December 4 –the iconic New York Botanical Gardens Holiday Train Show – in person registration begins in November. The trip includes an all garden pass which allows attendees to enjoy the tram ride around the gardens. Floral Park residents can register beginning November 10; all others beginning November 17. The $45.00 (cash only) fee is payable at the time of registration.

This month, families can enjoy a movie – “Paddington in Peru” – or make a pumpkin mousse dessert with Chef Julie.

Teens can choose from several programs: Chocolate Dipped Apples, Teen Yoga, a Pop-up TBD, and a Community Service project.

The younger set can enjoy Storytime; Baby Start and Pre-School Hour with A Time for Kids; and Play Hooray. Then there’s Little Gardeners, a special Thanksgiving Storytime, a Cardboard Turkey Centerpiece Craft, and a Pokémon Yuka Morii Clay workshop.

The last Empire Safety Council Defensive Driving class of the year happens on Thursday, November 20. Educational and informational

programs for Adults include Estate Planning and Eldercare Workshop and Understanding Your VA Benefit hosted by Bayada Nurses.

Adults can relax, play, and have fun with a Soundbath Meditation, a Game Nite for Grownups, or a Cheesecake Shooters cooking program.

At a November 6th 7:00 p.m. Author Talk, Susan Saint Joy shares her recently published book “Beyond the Bake Sale.”

The English Language Learner class meets weekly on Tuesday evenings. Registration is required. Hybrid Chair Yoga continues every Wednesday at 10:15 am.

The first Monday of the month Morning Book Club meets on Monday, November 3, while the Evening Edition Book Club meetS November 13 to discuss Amor Towles’ “Rules of Civility.”

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, November 12, at 7:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public (use the rear entrance of the Library).

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 Tuesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day and on Thursday, November 27, for Thanksgiving.

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.

Check out the Friends of the Floral Park Library offerings at the Circulation Desk. 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).

Reviving Hope: A Breakthrough Approach to Treating Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

"Several years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy treatments. I'm now in remission and blessed to still be here, but I was in so much pain. My feet and hands were constantly burning - a tingling sensation, almost like when your leg or arm falls asleep," shared Mary of Westbury.

Mary was suffering from Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy or CIPN. While chemotherapy drugs kill cancer cells, they are not exactly discriminating in what they destroy. The smaller nerves, specifically those in your hands and feet, are some of the first to be harmed. Those suffering from peripheral neuropathy have described this pain as “burning,” “tingling,” “like walking on sharp rocks,” or like Mary explained, that fuzzy, tingling pain you experience during paresthesia (the technical term for when a limb “falls asleep”).

"Standing all day was not just a challenge, it caused me physical agony. Keeping up with my busy schedule - forget about it. I couldn't even go for walks on the beach." Mary, like so many others, was prescribed Gabapentin to help with the pain and told there was nothing anyone could do. In their words: “There is no treatment for neuropathy.”

Fortunately for Mary, where Western medicine fails, Westbury Acupuncture tends to

prove itself. Jae Won, National Board-Certified Acupuncturist, has been blending the time-tested science of acupuncture with modern, medical technology to design a real solution for peripheral neuropathy that doesn’t involve invasive surgeries or prescription medications with uncomfortable side effects.

These Renew Nerve Ⓡ protocols, specific to Westbury Acupuncture and its network of certified providers, actually treat neuropathy versus attempting to mask its symptoms.

"Acupuncture is incredible at restoring blood flow and stimulating damaged nerves. It’s been used for centuries to treat peripheral neuropathy and similar conditions” tells Jae Won. “We take our treatments a step further by integrating ATP Resonance BioTherapy Ⓡ , which targets specific nerves in the body using microcurrent. ATP Resonance BioTherapyⓇ is

akin to watering a plant. This treatment stimulates the blood vessels to grow back around the peripheral nerves and provide them with the proper nutrients and energy they need to repair and recover.”

ATP Resonance BioTherapy Ⓡ was originally designed by NASA to speed up healing and recovery. “To have access to this kind of technology has been life changing for our patients” shares Gen, one of the incredibly compassionate Patient Care Technicians at Westbury Acupuncture. “We even have people asking if they can take the equipment home, so we’re working on developing some at-home options for our less mobile patients.”

After only four weeks of treatment, Mary is already seeing incredible improvement. "I've taken the handicap placard off my rearview mirror and I'm finally back to walking on the beach. I can't wait to see how I feel at the end of my program! I used to think that

the neuropathy pain was just the price I have to pay for still being alive. Jae Won has really given me hope for a better life!"

Jae Won L.Ac and the staff at Westbury Acupuncture have a 90% success rate in reversing peripheral neuropathy, and not just that caused by chemotherapy. They also have tremendous success in treating diabetic neuropathy and neuropathy of undetermined origin, otherwise known as idiopathic neuropathy. “I watched my grandmother suffer with neuropathy during her final years and it broke my heart when she was told there was nothing they could do. This condition is one of the main reasons I went into medicine. Since then, I’ve been on a quest to help people truly thrive in their golden years.”

The number of treatments needed to allow the nerves to fully recover will vary from person to person and can only be determined after a comprehensive consultation and detailed neurological evaluation.

If you or someone you love is suffering from peripheral neuropathy, call (516) 500-8281 to schedule.

For new patients, an initial consultation is complimentary. Simply visit www.WestburyAcupuncture.com for more information and to take advantage of this offer.

October 31, 2025

Discovery Bicycle Tours’ Vietnam: Hoi An’s

Dazzling Nights, Tranquil Countryside

KAREN RUBIN

TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM

When I think of Hoi An, Vietnam, I think of “dazzling” and I think of Venice. That first glimpse in the night as we walk over the Hoi An bridge into Old Town and suddenly see the colored lights and lanterns popping out of the darkness, the silhouette of the sampan boats rowing on the river evoking Venetian gondoliers, the reflections on the dappled surface of the water, takes my breath away. Add to this the crush of people crossing the bridge, reminiscent of the Ponte di Rialto (but with the added hubbub of motorbikes also winding their way through the crowd). And then there is the Japanese Covered Bridge that brings to mind Venice’s Bridge of Sighs.

In the17th and 18th centuries, Hoi An was one of the most prosperous international trading ports in Southeast Asia – the center of commerce for merchant vessels from Japan, China, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and India. Preserved intact and considered a living museum of architectural monuments, the Old Town was recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1999, and in 2023 was listed as one of the UNESCO creative cities for handicraft and folk arts.

Experiencing Vietnam’s Rural Life by Bike

Today’s ride on Day 8 of Discovery Bicycle Tours’ 12-day Vietnam cultural tour proves my favorite - especially compared to yesterday’s challenging seven-mile ride over the Hai Van Pass. We bike 20 miles through Hoi An’s countryside, through villages which represent the “five pillars” of daily life – pottery village, carpentry village, fishing village, vegetable village.

Back in Hoi An after our ride, we have the afternoon free and time to explore the delights of Hoi An.

I go off to find The Precious Heritage Museum and Art Gallery in Old Town, a 20-minute walk from the Royal Hotel Hoi An along the

The dazzling night scene in Hoi An takes my breath away © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

river through the markets. This is so much more than the gallery of world-renowned photographer, Rehahn - it is an ethnography exhibit of his decade long project to photograph all 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam. Magnificent portraits are displayed along with that village’s traditional dress and other artifacts. I love his notes telling the story of the people he photographed, the experience and context for the photographs and the tribe, and outstanding videos. The photos are published in his book, “Vietnam.” (Free admission, open daily 8 am-8 pm, 26 Phan Boi Chau – Hoi An 84 94 982 06 98, https://www.Rehahnphotographer.com/)

Our group meets for a marvelous dinner at the Morning Glory Restaurant, where a large plaque written by Ms. Vy, founder and owner of The Taste Vietnam Group, notes that Vietnamese cuisine had to be re-invented after decades of deprivation.

After dinner, we stroll around on our own. A few of us head toward the Old Town across the Hoi An Bridge, and that’s when we come across the breathtaking sight: the colorful lanterns on sampan boats.

We enjoy looking into the shops and then come to another scenic highlight of Hoi An: the Japanese Covered Bridge. It was built in the early 17th century by the Japanese who lived in Hoi An

town, to cross the stream to do business with the local people in the residential area. Inside, we see the small temple and historic photos of the bridge.

Biking to My Son Sanctuary

This morning, we ride the bus to Vinh Dien where we cycle 15 miles to the My Son Sanctuary, the spiritual capital of the Cham Kingdom, which dominated Southeast Asia for nearly a thousand years, and is one of the few sites from this era left standing.

We get back to Hoi An with the whole afternoon and evening to ourselves to enjoy this marvelous city.

The Precious Heritage Museum and Art Gallery is so fascinating that I return with two others from our tour and we are so fortunate that Rehahn, the photographer himself!, is at the gallery, signing his newest book.

Discovery Bicycle Tours, 2520 W. Woodstock Rd., Woodstock, VT 05091, 800-257-2226, 802- 4573553, info@discoverybicycletours.com, www.discoverybicycletours.com

Next: Ho Chi Minh City

Largest Full Moon of the Year

BY DENNIS MAMMANA

Week of November 2-8, 2025

How far is the moon?

I’ll bet that many of my readers know the answer; we all learned it in school. In fact, I still recall reciting it in fifth grade: “The moon is 240,000 miles from Earth.”

What the teacher never told us, however, is that this number is just a rough average, and that there is no single answer. That’s because the moon doesn’t orbit the Earth in a circular path; if it did, its distance would always be the same. It orbits, instead, along an elliptical path, and its distance from us changes throughout its monthly cycle.

Scientists can measure the moon’s exact distance by bouncing a laser beam from reflectors installed on the moon decades ago by Apollo astronauts. What do I mean by the moon’s “exact distance”? Well, these laser ranging measurements can yield the lunar distance to an accuracy of less than 2 millimeters or one-thirteenth of an inch!

To most of us, however, that’s overkill. We simply enjoy watching the moon as it lights our nighttime sky and, on Wednesday, Nov. 5, we’ll have a great opportunity to see a unique full moon rise in the east at dusk. On that evening, the moon will lie very near its perigee position (its closest orbital point to our planet), only about 221,726 miles away, so you may notice that it appears slightly larger than normal. It will, in fact, be the closest, brightest and largest-ap-

pearing full moon of 2025.

This lunar perigee occurs every month, of course, but when it happens to coincide with a full moon we frequently hear folks call it a “super moon.” Nothing terribly “super” about it, really. On that evening, the moon will appear only 7% larger than an average full moon, and this isn’t terribly much. Imagine leaving a 7% tip to a restaurant server. ... Do you suppose they’d get excited and exclaim, “Oh, what a super tip!”? It’s doubtful!

Even regular moon-watchers may struggle to notice the size difference, but keep in mind that some of the moon’s “hugeness” you see may be caused by a confused brain trying to sort through what we call the moon illusion.

When the moon appears near the horizon, our brain interprets it as being farther away and, therefore, expects that its image on our retinas should be smaller. Since its image is not smaller (because the moon is not actually farther) the brain assumes that the moon must have grown in size, and very effectively shows us a larger moon.

Check out the moon again later in the evening when it lies high overhead and you’ll see that it now appears a bit smaller. Of course it isn’t; it’s just that when it lies high in the sky, there’s no horizon in the foreground to help our brains create the illusion, and the moon appears to be a normal size once again.

Be sure to mark your calendars for Wednesday, Nov. 5, and get out after sunset to watch the full moon ascend over the eastern horizon. Whether or

LOST IN SUBURBIA

BY TRACY BECKERMAN

“Help!” I cried out meekly.

“Where are you?” asked my husband, looking around the bedroom.

“I’m in here,” I responded. “In the mattress.”

Truth be told, I wasn’t actually IN the mattress, but I was sunk down so low, it looked like I had been swallowed up by the mattress. Our very pricey and well-constructed pillowtop mattress had not held up so well. Granted, I had gained 10 pounds recently, but that could hardly account for the huge depressions that had formed on either side of our bed. Based on the size of the indentations, it actually looked as though the Incredible Hulk and his wife had been sleeping on our bed.

The mattress wasn’t a complete disaster, though. Between the two craters there was a large hump down the middle, which, if you balanced yourself just right, provided a flat, if somewhat precariously narrow, sleep space. For the past several months I had gotten

not you see it as larger, the rising full moon is always stunning!

The closest, brightest Moon of the year will appear on Wednesday, Nov. 5.

Once Upon a Sagging Mattress

in the habit of sleeping on the hump to avoid being sucked into the black hole on my side of the bed. The good news was, my husband did the same, and it did bring us closer together as a couple. The bad news was, if I happened to roll over in the middle of the night, I sank so low into a crater that I needed a crane to pull me out.

“Time for a new mattress?” asked my husband, staring down at me in my crater.

“You think?” I responded. “Can you give me a hand?”

He applauded.

After I was airlifted out of the bed, I called the manufacturer to see if we could get an exchange. I was informed that unless you could actually reach China from the bottom of the mattress, it is just considered normal body wear.

“It’s normal body wear if you’re BIGFOOT,” I complained to my husband in a huff.

“Give it up, honey,” he said. “They’ve got us by the mattress springs.”

So, off we went to the mattress store.

There was a dizzying array of mattress choices, which was not a good thing for two people who’d been sleeping poorly for several months. But I was confident. I’d done my research. I thought the best way to pick a great mattress was to grill the salesman about the latest advances in mattress coil technology. My husband thought the best way to pick a mattress was to go to sleep on it.

I quoted Consumer Reports.

He snored.

Turns out, he was right.

Our salesman was indeed a wealth of mattress information, having recently graduated from Mattress School, which is only slightly less grueling than Latte School. But even he admitted that the best way to judge a mattress is from a prone position.

The problem was, my husband didn’t just fall asleep on any mattress. He fell asleep on the most expensive mattress in the store. And it was love at first zzzzz.

“This is the one,” he proclaimed when I told him he had to get up because

it had become nighttime and they were closing the store.

“This can’t be the one,” I argued. “It’s too big, it costs too much, and we don’t know anything about its coils or springs.”

“Try it,” he said, patting the bed.

I shook my head no.

“Come on ...”

I sat on the edge.

“All the way,” he coaxed.

I lay down.

“What do you think?” he asked. I melted into the bed. There were no humps. There were no sinkholes. It was just the right firmness and softness. I closed my eyes.

“Mmm. Let me sleep on it.”

Tracy Beckerman is the author of the Amazon Bestseller, “Barking at the Moon: A Story of Life, Love, and Kibble,” available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble online! You can visit her at www. tracybeckerman.com.

Reaching for the stars in college English classes

BY CLAIRE LYNCH

After high school graduation I headed north to Fairfield University in Connecticut and as a freshman I signed up for an English Composition class that would have an impact on me. I was a business major and that class was an elective.

On the first day of class I joined English majors and non-majors and as I sat down I noticed the professor - I’ll call her Dr. Smith - looked pretty young. I found out later that she was nine years older than us freshmen. She’d already studied at Columbia University and Oxford University, England, and had gotten her Ph.D.

As the months went on, we all saw that Dr. Smith was smart, funny and engaging. I could tell that she loved what she did and her specialty of American literature was especially interesting to me.

We had plenty of papers to write for that class and back then it was on some old typewriters. We had to document and justify our 3 credits but I had no problem with that because I really enjoyed the class. We could choose our topics but Dr. Smith had to approve the subject ahead of time.

She was a people person and liked the lively discussions my class had about the works of Anne Tyler, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Marianne Moore and Lorraine Hansberry. When it came time to putting pen to paper, we had to be focused and to the point in presenting a cogent argument no matter what the essay’s topic was.

Looking back at the end of the semester, I thought taking an English Composition class would be a non brainer but boy was I wrong about that. It turned out that Dr. Smith was a tough grader.

Dr. Smith made us think and write as clearly as we could. Then she made us think again. She made us see the difference between writing papers in high school and writing them in college. We had to push further to grow and mature as people, as adults in society, as we sharpened our writing skills.

I’d signed up randomly for Dr. Smith’s English Composition class but afterwards I compared notes with my friend, Blanca. We liked Dr. Smith because we were learning things we’d never learned in our high school English classes. What I realize now is that Dr. Smith liked challenging us. She enjoyed talking about the students’ various topics. She liked watching us think and how we came to new conclusions not just about the stories and the essays but about life, too. That back-and-forth discussion at the end of class or in her office was an extension of the class. In speaking with Dr. Smith about the next paper to be written or whatever the subject was we all had a chance to speak with her one on one and inevitably she’d get talking about some of her favorite college classes.

When she analyzed a short essay, she explained that one sentence should flow easily into the next and that one’s thoughts should logically move from one to another. Dr. Smith had a certain

impatience with laziness in the classroom - with students who wouldn’t even try - and several classmates dropped her class out of frustration.

I realized that one of Dr. Smith’s goals was to watch us as we busily participated in class, did our readings and our essays, and went about our research and our learning. She would have been happy if all of the students at Fairfield University could have taken her class not just to learn how to write well but how to approach tasks in an organized manner.

After transferring back to Long Island and graduating from Hofstra I kept in touch with Dr. Smith for a while. Eventually we lost touch but I heard that she taught English at Fairfield University for nine years then taught at a university in Massachusetts. She was originally from Connecticut so I knew that she was very familiar with New England.

Dr. Smith retired after teaching English for more than 50 years but to see how she was doing as a professor I checked out a web site called ratemyprofessors.com. I read the comments line by line and many of the remarks by students she had over the years rang a bell with me. Dr. Smith was a very tough grader. She wanted students to learn not just go through the motions of sitting in her class and hoping to get an A at the end of the semester. If you got a B or B+ you did well with Dr. Smith. That’s exactly how I remembered Dr. Smith’s classes so many years ago.

Some of the students said:

Coffee and Heart Health

BY CHARLYN FARGO

Go ahead and grab that cup of coffee or two: it’s good for lowering your blood pressure.

In a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers found that drinking two to three cups of coffee every day helped maintain low blood pressure. The study found regular coffee drinkers had significantly lower blood pressure, both on peripheral and central levels, than those who do not drink it, according to Dr. Arrigo F. G. Cicero, an associate professor in the department of medical and surgical sciences with the University of Bologna in Italy.

“Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in Italy and in the world, and its consumption has already been associated with a positive impact on human health, particularly regarding CVD (cardiovascular disease), Type 2 diabetes and a number of neurodegenerative and liver

diseases,” Cicero and colleagues wrote in a press release.

Researchers looked at the Brisighella Heart Study to compare both peripheral and central blood pressure values in 783 women and 720 men who reported drinking varying amounts of coffee every day. They found that heavy coffee drinkers had the lowest systolic blood pressure, followed by moderate coffee drinkers. Compared with those who didn’t drink coffee, people who drank two cups per day and those who drank more than three cups a day had lower systolic blood pressure. Researchers found similar trends for aortic blood pressure, aortic pulse pressure and peripheral pulse pressure.

“The results are very clear: peripheral blood pressure was significantly lower in individuals consuming one to three cups of coffee a day than in non-coffee drinkers,” Cicero said in the release. “And for the first time, we were also able to confirm these effects with regard to the central

“You will have to work hard however, if you pay attention in class you can really learn a lot. She has a lot of valuable insight.”

“The work is challenging but if you give her a chance she can really be inspirational and teach you a lot about life. “

“You have to work A LOT. But if you like to learn, she’s inspirational. If you want an easy A, not for you. She’s a tough grader but gives the opportunity of resubmitting essays. But I’d rather get a B+ and be amazed by her.”

That last quote is my favorite because I took Dr. Smith’s English classes both as a freshman and a sophomore and each time she amazed me. She loves English and everything about it - the poets, the essayists, the short story writers, the plays. She loves the British writers as much as the American writers but her forte is teaching the American writers.

I entered Fairfield University as a business major and left as an English major. I’d always been interested in English but Dr. Smith’s classes impacted me so much that I changed majors and never looked back. As a freshman I wasn’t happy about having to put more effort into my English Composition class but Dr. Smith showed us that we’d get so much out of it by putting in the work.

When I think of stretching my capabilities and reaching for the stars, one of the people I always think of first is Dr. Smith.

aortic pressure, the one close to the heart, where we observe an almost identical phenomenon with entirely similar values for habitual coffee drinkers compared to non-coffee drinkers.”

The study found both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee gave the same results, suggesting that caffeine isn’t the main determinant of the effect of coffee on blood pressure.

“Caffeine is only one of the several coffee components and certainly not the only one with an active role. Positive effects on human health have indeed been recorded even among those who consume decaffeinated coffee,” Cicero said in the release. “We know that caffeine can increase blood pressure, but other bioactive components in coffee seem to counterbalance this effect with a positive end result on blood pressure levels.”

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU School of Medicine in Springfield,

Benefit Adjustment at Full Retirement Age

BY TOM MARGENAU

I hear one or both of these rumors about Social Security benefits all the time from readers.

Rumor 1: “I have been told that if I take a reduced Social Security benefit at 62, when I reach my full retirement age, my benefit will be bumped up to my full retirement age amount.”

Rumor 2: “I have been told that if I take a reduced Social Security benefit at 62, but have some of my benefits withheld because I worked and earned over the annual threshold limit, all that money will come back to me when I reach full retirement age.”

The first rumor is absolutely false. If you take reduced benefits, you will always get reduced benefits.

The second rumor is also false. But I understand how some people might get confused because in some cases, a benefit rate might get adjusted slightly upwards when a Social Security beneficiary reaches full retirement age. And I’m going to spend the rest of this column explaining that.

There is a little-known Social Security rule that may benefit some individuals who began receiving Social Security checks before full retirement age and therefore took a reduction in their monthly benefits, but then decided to return to work. And now they wonder if their early retirement reduction is permanent. The answer is it might not be. And that’s because a software program built into the Social Security Administration’s computers kicks in after you reach full retirement age, which is designed to remove the reduction factor for any months you didn’t get a Social Security check because of the SSA’s earnings penalty rules. The program is called the Adjustment to the Reduction Factor, or ARF.

Before I explain how the ARF works, I’ve got to give a little background. And I will start out with a quick overview of the earnings penalty. The law says that one dollar must be withheld from your Social Security checks for each two dollars you earn over a certain threshold that changes every year. The 2025 threshold is $23,400. Here is a simple example. Hank is 65 and getting Social Security, but he is working and plans to make $33,400 in 2025. That is $10,000 over the $23,400 threshold, so half of that, or $5,000, must be withheld from his Social Security checks in 2025.

Now, some more background. I’ve got to

explain the reduction factors for early retirement. The law says if you start your Social Security checks before full retirement age, your benefit will be reduced five-ninths of one percent for each of the first 36 months of reduction and five-twelfths of one percent for any additional months. That’s a bit too convoluted for the examples I’m going to use in this column. So I am going to keep things simple by saying that your benefit is reduced by about one-half of one percent for each month you start benefits before full retirement age.

For example, let’s say that Hank’s full retirement age is 67. But he started getting reduced benefits when he was 65. That’s 24 months early, so his Social Security benefit was reduced by about 12%. In other words, at age 65, Hank started getting about 88% of his full retirement age benefit.

And with that bit of background, I can close the circle on my ARF explanation. In my above example, Hank started getting an 88% benefit rate when he took his Social Security at age 65. And because his earnings exceeded the penalty threshold, I pointed out that $5,000 had to be withheld from his 2025 benefits. Let’s assume his monthly check is $2,500. In other words, the SSA held back two of Hank’s Social Security checks in 2025 because of his excess earnings. And let’s further say that Hank’s earnings in the following year caused two more of his Social Security checks to be withheld.

Once Hank turns 67, the ARF program kicks in. That program says Hank’s ongoing permanent benefit can only be reduced for those months he actually received a Social Security check before he turned his full retirement age. In our example, Hank only received 10 Social Security checks in 2025 and will get another 10 checks in 2026. In other words, he will have received XC 20 of his 24 Social Security checks before reaching full retirement age.

So instead of the initial 24 month, or 12% reduction, Hank’s ongoing benefit is adjusted to give him only a 20 month, or 10%, reduction. In other words, starting at age 67, Hank will get a two percent boost in his Social Security check. Actually, the ARF program usually isn’t finished running until several months after full retirement age, but it will be retroactive to the month of FRA.

And by the way, this ARF procedure is something that happens automatically after you reach full retirement age. You don’t have to apply for the increase. If you signed up for Social Security before your full retirement age but worked and had some of your benefits

withheld due to the earnings penalty rules, several months after FRA, you will get an unexpected Social Security check in the mail that includes some back payments. I frequently hear from readers who ask me about this unexpected payment. I tell them to be patient and that a letter of explanation will soon arrive in their mailbox. The letter doesn’t use the term “ARF.” That’s a bit of in-house SSA jargon. But it does explain that your initial reduction factor has been adjusted because some of your benefits were held back while

you were working. 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.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Late Fall: The End-of-Year Seller’s Checklist

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

How to Finish 2025 Strong

The holidays are coming, the days are shorter, and most homeowners are thinking about anything but selling their home. Yet for those willing to act strategically, late fall may be one of the most productive times of the year to prepare, position, and profit from the next market cycle.

Whether you’re planning to list in December, early 2026, or just getting ready to downsize, or considering and planning to purchase a larger domicile, this “end-of-year seller’s checklist” can help you finish strong and start the new year ahead of the pack.

1. Evaluate Your Home’s 2025 Market Position

Long Island’s housing market is evolving—but not collapsing. Prices remain steady, even as buyer activity has cooled slightly. In September 2025, the median sale price held near $685,000 in Nassau County and $615,000 in Suffolk, according to the Long Island Board of REALTORS®. That’s roughly flat compared to a year ago—proof that local values are holding despite higher mortgage rates.

If you’ve owned your home for five years or more, you’re almost certainly sitting on significant equity. Start by reviewing comparable sales from the past 90 days, not last spring. Pricing trends can shift quickly, especially by neighborhood.

If you’re within a year of selling, this is the time to get a professional market analysis, not just an online estimate. Local agents can flag subtle value differences—like a finished basement, school district, or distance to the LIRR—that Zillow can’t.

2. Maximize Curb Appeal Before the Frost

Late fall is your last call to handle outdoor maintenance. The weather still cooperates (most years), and curb appeal remains crucial—even if you don’t plan to list until spring.

Focus on what buyers will notice first:

• Power-wash siding, walkways, and fences.

• Trim back shrubs and trees.

• Clean gutters and touch up paint on trim or front doors.

If you plan to take listing photos this year, do it before the trees are bare. The light is softer, the air is crisp, and your landscaping will still have some color. A well-timed photo shoot can save you from bleak winter images that

undercut your home’s warmth.

3. De-clutter and Stage Before the Holidays

The holidays can be both a distraction and an opportunity. Most homeowners accumulate more clutter than they realize—especially as decorations come out and storage fills up.

Before the year ends, start de-cluttering room by room. Create three categories: donate, store, or discard. Pack away excess furniture, personal photos, and anything seasonal. The goal is to make your home feel spacious and calm.

If you plan to sell during the holiday season itself, use restraint in décor. A few neutral accents—a wreath, candles, or soft throws—can make a home feel inviting. But too much seasonal color can distract buyers and date your photos.

4. Handle Key Repairs and Pre-Inspections

Don’t wait for a buyer’s inspection to reveal surprises. Fall and early winter are ideal for proactive maintenance:

• Service your HVAC system before deep cold.

• Check roof shingles and flashing for leaks.

• Test your sump pump and basement dehumidifiers.

• Replace smoke and CO detecto batteries.

A pre-listing inspection is a smart investment—especially if your home is older or has additions. It gives you control over repairs, avoids last-minute renegotiations, and builds buyer confidence.

5. Review Financial and Tax Implications Before December 31

Selling real estate often intersects with tax planning. Before the year ends, talk to your CPA about:

• Capital gains exclusions: If your property is your primary residence and you’ve lived there at least two of the past five years, you may exclude up to $250,000 in gains ($500,000 if married filing jointly).

• Property tax deductions: Confirm payments and prepayments before January 1.

• Energy tax credits: If you’ve installed new insulation, heat pumps, or solar, credits can offset 2025 taxes.

If you’re considering a 1031 exchange or moving proceeds into another investment, set that up now—before the closing rush in Q1.

6. Assess Your Next Move (Before You List)

One common mistake: selling before you know where you’re going. Inventory is still tight, and rentals are expensive. Begin scouting your next step early.

If you’re downsizing, explore condos or 55+ communities on the North Shore, South Shore, or East End. If relocating, research your target market’s prices and tax structure.

And don’t overlook estate or trust planning. Late fall is a good time to review how your home is titled, ensuring a smooth transfer if your sale involves family members or inheritance.

7. Consider Listing Before Year-End

Contrary to myth, homes do sell during the holidays—often faster than expected. Buyers shopping in December are typically serious, motivated, and less distracted by competition.

With fewer listings, your home can stand out. Real estate websites stay active year-round, and virtual tours make it easy for buyers relocating from the city or other states to preview properties remotely.

8. Build Your 2026 Strategy

If you prefer to wait until early next year, use December to prepare your spring launch. Line up your agent, set a timeline for photography, and create a marketing plan now.

Come February, while others are just starting, you’ll already be polished, staged, and ready to capture early-bird buyers before the April rush.

The Bottom Line

Real estate rewards the proactive. Late fall isn’t just about wrapping up the year—it’s about setting up your next opportunity.

By tackling this checklist now, you’ll position yourself for success whether you sell next month or next spring. The sellers who plan early, price smartly, and stay organized will enter 2026 not with uncertainty—but with leverage.

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

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Halloween gets a little sweeter

Cheesecake Truffles

Candy and other sweets are enjoyed in full force on Halloween. Whether trick-ortreaters are scouring the town looking to increase their treasure trove or guests are spending time at a party circling the

dessert table, there are plenty of options to indulge a sweet tooth or two.

Making something decadent at home to share on Halloween is relatively simple when choosing a simple

candy to create. Try this recipe for “Cheesecake Truffles” from “Jane’s Patisserie” (Sourcebooks) by Jane Dunn. Makes 25

300 grams (10 ounces) full-fat soft cheese, like cream cheese or mascarpone

50 grams (2 ounces) icing sugar

176 grams (6 ounces) biscuit (cookie) crumbs, finely crushed

Decoration

200 grams (7 ounces) milk chocolate, melted

50 grams (2 ounces) biscuit (cookie) crumbs, finely crushed

1) Add the soft cheese to a bowl and mix briefly until smooth before adding the icing sugar and briefly mixing again until combined.

2) Pour the crushed biscuit crumbs into the mix and fold together until combined.

3) Refrigerate the mixture for

at least 2 hours.

4) Take the chilled mixture out of the fridge and scoop into truffle shapes using 2 teaspoons or a melon baller, then place onto a tray lined with parchment paper. Return the truffles to the fridge for another hour, or the freezer for 30 minutes.

5) To decorate the truffles, carefully dip each into the melted chocolate and place back onto the lined tray. You can use small spoons or forks to help with this. Once dipped, sprinkle the tops with the extra crushed biscuits.

Hance Family Foundation, Beautiful Me Day, Nurturing Nature Walk

As part of the Hance Family Foundation’s Beautiful Me program, Floral Park students visited Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary for a nature walk, where they learned why certain birds stop by the grounds as they migrate, as well as what the birds eat there during the winter months.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY DOUG CIOFFI

On Thursday morning, October 23, five classrooms of students from three different Floral Park schools visited Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary as part of The Hance Family Foundation Beautiful Me program. The Hance Family Foundation “honors the lives of three beautiful sisters by ensuring healthy, happy and safe children through innovative self-esteem educational programming and the support of children in need.”

My task was to take each of the five groups on a short 25 minute nature walk, the theme of which was “what makes Centennial Gardens a bird sanctuary?” In other words, why do birds stop over here on their migratory routes or stay over the winter or year round for that matter? The answer of course lies in all the food and nesting sources the Gardens provide to our feathered friends. A stroll down Crabapple Path revealed the abundance of fruit that is currently ripening in the Garden’s trees. With the cooler weather approaching, the insects will soon be gone and for the birds who stick around for the winter, their diets will depend on these fruit trees.

Continuing our nature walk took us up to the front gate where Don Haug religiously maintains and fills numerous bird feeders all winter long. When

the insects are gone, and the fruit trees are picked clean, many birds rely on these feeders for food which are usually stocked with sunflower seed, mixed seed, thistle, whole peanuts and suet. This combined with the many bird baths that are kept clean and filled with fresh water by Garden staff, keeps the birds (and bird watchers) coming around!

The nature walk continued until we approached Don Haug’s, what I like to call, hummingbird and butterfly garden. Here the students learned that besides planting trees and filling bird feeders you can easily attract beautiful songbirds and butterflies with native plants such as canna and milkweed.

Although the children’s excitement was sometimes at odds with the quiet that is needed to observe nature, we did get to see or hear a number of different bird species including, Blue Jays, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Chipping Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Northern Cardinals, House Sparrows, Mourning Doves, Downy Woodpeckers, American Robins, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and a relatively rare Redbreasted Nuthatch.

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of the day was to hear many of the children remark how beautiful the Gardens were and how they couldn’t wait to visit them again.

Mission accomplished.

American robin

Downy woodpecker

NYU LANGONE IS THE #1 PHYSICIAN PRACTICE NETWORK IN THE U.S.

120+ practices on Long Island. All ranked #1 for quality.

Quality care is always close to home. No matter which location you visit or what brings you in, you’ll get the highest standard of care and attention that has earned us this recognition.

Better health starts with a better health system.