Floral Park Villager (3/7/25)

THE GATEWAY TO NASSAU COUNTY

SERVING FLORAL PARK, BELLEROSE AND STEWART MANOR

Accomplished students honored at school board meeting Top prize for Trumpet Magazine

Congratulations to Floral Park Memorial's art and literary magazine, Trumpet. The magazine's issue "2024 Trumpet: Mosaic of Journeys" received the highest rank of “First Class” in the National Council of English Teachers REALM program, which recognizes excellence in art and literary magazines. This is the first time that the magazine received this top honor. Congratulations to Trumpet Club members, as well as all students who submitted their writing and art to the magazine, which helped to make this publication a success. Ms. Poulos-Lutz, the club advisor, is proud of Floral Park Memorial's continued commitment to the creation of impressive art and literature.

At the Board of Education meeting on Feb. 25, Sewanhaka Central High School District celebrated the recent achievements of several students and staff.

New Hyde Park Memorial High School senior Marco Valle, a member of the Superintendent’s Advisory Council, assisted with the Superintendent’s Update at the start of the meeting. Student Ambassadors have been an integral part of the board of education meetings this school year, sharing successes and events throughout the district.

Superintendent Regina Agrusa began the awards and commendations by honoring NYSSMA All

State musicians. At the NYSSMA All-State Conference in December, New Hyde Park Memorial High School students Abigail Chung performed on the clarinet in the Symphonic Band and Clayton Yu performed on the French horn in the Symphonic Orchestra. Additionally, Elmont Memorial High School student Dylan Angus and New Hyde Park Memorial High School student Janice Park were honored for their selection as alternates.

The accolades continued with the recognition of H. Frank Carey High School student Meerab Chou-

Floral Park Memorial High School Trumpet editors Jessica Sowinski, Guiliana DePaola and Suzie Park are pictured with adviser Diana Poulous-Lutz, administrators and board members.

A Walk on the Garden Path

BY RICH BURGESS, FPCS, WEEDOUT COORDINATOR; FRANK D’AMICO, FPCS, HICKS NURSERY BUYER; ANN GRIBBINS, FPCS

The half mile brick path outside the Floral Park Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary is a place of relaxation and beauty for many. Winter, spring, summer and autumn people walk alone, with friends, strollers, baby carriages, and pets to enjoy Mother Nature. In any weather people appreciate the relaxation of the walk.

Along the path are trees and organized gardens. Eighty trees and twenty gardens can easily be counted. During the winter the trees and gardens have been resting. Take a deep breath, soon the buds, the flowers and the leaves will be appearing. The gardens are newer than the trees. It is easy to see that the trees range in age from new to decades old. This article is in appreciation for all the giving people who planted the trees and gardens. It is also a thank you to all who continue to care for every planting and blade of grass .

The gardens, with signs of acknowledgement, have been dedicated to Floral Park residents. Most of the gardens are continually cared for and some are in need of volunteers to maintain their plantings. There is a variety of trees

along the path. Many are well known, many are new names to the observers. Some information about a few of the trees are presented here.

On Carnation Avenue at the western end of the fence are three beautiful Beech trees that have lived in the village for many years. There are four hundred and fifty species of Beech trees. They can live for four hundred years and , although they have a shallow root system, they can grow to one hundred feet tall.

Rich Burgess, a Beech tree enthusiast, started his part of the garden orientation on the western end at Carnation Avenue. Heading east he has identified the Serafia Nagle flower bed featuring a Ginko tree in the center. The Ginko tree has a interesting fan shaped leaf which is like no other. A few steps away is a magnificent Northern Pin Oak towering over the gardens. Further east on the left side of the path is a Cypress tree, dedicated to Nanny. Twenty steps farther is a Kwanzen Cherry tree. It is hardy and a very popular cherry tree that features clusters of two inch, double pink blossoms in the spring with bronze-red foliage in the fall . It is given, with gratitude, by the Singleton family. Proceeding east is a newly planted Dogwood tree dedicated to Delaney

Fekert. Next is a large bed which features hostas and an Eastern White Pine tree. Also in that garden is a Weeping Copper Beech. Carol Coogan, a longtime volunteer garden expert, was instrumental in have the tree and garden planted there. In the summer and fall it has spreading copper and bronze branches which reach down to the ground creating a tent effect. This bed is dedicated to co-founder and former Mayor Steve Corbett. Across the path is another Kwanzan Cherry tree dedicated to the Howe family. Nearby, imbedded in the grass, is a plaque , presented by the Floral Park American Legion Post 334 to Preasley L. Mackenzie, World War hero who gave his life in 1917. Nearby is a Norway Maple tree and ahead is a giant weeping Norway Spruce . In this bed are two giant Euonymous Spruce. Several bushes highlight the curve . On Raff Avenue, going south, is the Debbie Fontakas garden. A beautiful paper maple tree towers over this planted garden.

On the western end of the garden path on Floral Parkway, Frank D’Amico, has named the trees and gardens heading toward, and across, Raff Ave. The following are the trees and gardens you will see along this path. White pine, three red buds, Saucer Magnolia, Oak, Snow Fountain Cherry and Blue Spruce.

At the Floral Parkway entrance is a Kwanzan Cherry, Azaleas, leucothoe, Blue Princess Holly,Yak Rhododendron, skimmia, and Chamaccyparis. At the nearby pedestrian entrance gate is liriope, azalea, crab apple Malus Indian magic. The bulletin board is here, it

will have information about the outside trees.

Walking along the path there are coral bark maple, weeping Alaskan cedar, Japanese Maple, three Magnolia, Rhododrendon, Japanese Dogwood, full moon maple, Linden, Laburnum, crape maple, two Lilac, roses, and Japanese Dogwood.

At the main sign on the corner of Raff Avenue and Floral Parkway is a Chesapeake Holly and roses. The Anchor Garden has four Dogwood , weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, Japanese Dogwood and English Oak.

Two very large gardens follow next on Raff Avenue. The Birch Garden and the Sharkey Garden. Both gardens have some plantings that have already been presented. The Keith Fairben Garden contains a cherry tree on each end with a Smoke Bush in the center. Next there are two rose gardens planted by Harparkash Bahl . Mr. Bahl attended to his gardens for many of his ninety plus years.

Some of the trees on the path have markers with names explaining the tree. Some of the eighty trees have been left out of this list. Today, with cameras, smartphones, iPads, and various devices information is available to help identify and learn about nature. There will be some explanations in the outside bulletin board, by the main pedestrian gate, that will also be helpful. The blossoms are starting to appear in the gardens. Soon the many beautiful cherry trees will present their pink flowers. Floral Park has its own Cherry Tree extravaganza.

Wine and Gift Card Bingo

The Floral Park Woman’s Club will hold a Wine and Gift Card Bingo on March 20 at the Floral Park American Legion Hall.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and games start at 7 p.m. Bring your own snacks and drinks. Coffee and cake will be served.

$25 per person includes two Bingo cards. Additional cards will be available for $1 each. There will also be raffles and a 50/50 available.

For reservations, please call Audry at 347-628-8872.

Floral Park K of C is open for all the Big East Tournament Games!

Host your next event at the Knights of Columbus’ newly renovated party room! It’s the perfect place for: Wed (3/12) - 4 PM • Thu (3/13) - Noon (St. John’s opening game) Fri (3/14) - 6 PM • Sat (3/15) - 6 PM

Come down and enjoy the games and a cold beer!

A Walk on the Garden Path

BY RICH BURGESS, FPCS, WEEDOUT COORDINATOR; FRANK D’AMICO, FPCS, HICKS NURSERY BUYER; ANN GRIBBINS, FPCS

The half mile brick path outside the Floral Park Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary is a place of relaxation and beauty for many. Winter, spring, summer and autumn people walk alone, with friends, strollers, baby carriages, and pets to enjoy Mother Nature. In any weather people appreciate the relaxation of the walk.

Along the path are trees and organized gardens. Eighty trees and twenty gardens can easily be counted. During the winter the trees and gardens have been resting. Take a deep breath, soon the buds, the flowers and the leaves will be appearing. The gardens are newer than the trees. It is easy to see that the trees range in age from new to decades old. This article is in appreciation for all the giving people who planted the trees and gardens. It is also a thank you to all who continue to care for every planting and blade of grass .

The gardens, with signs of acknowledgement, have been dedicated to Floral Park residents. Most of the gardens are continually cared for and some are in need of volunteers to maintain their plantings. There is a variety of trees

along the path. Many are well known, many are new names to the observers. Some information about a few of the trees are presented here.

On Carnation Avenue at the western end of the fence are three beautiful Beech trees that have lived in the village for many years. There are four hundred and fifty species of Beech trees. They can live for four hundred years and , although they have a shallow root system, they can grow to one hundred feet tall.

Rich Burgess, a Beech tree enthusiast, started his part of the garden orientation on the western end at Carnation Avenue. Heading east he has identified the Serafia Nagle flower bed featuring a Ginko tree in the center. The Ginko tree has a interesting fan shaped leaf which is like no other. A few steps away is a magnificent Northern Pin Oak towering over the gardens. Further east on the left side of the path is a Cypress tree, dedicated to Nanny. Twenty steps farther is a Kwanzen Cherry tree. It is hardy and a very popular cherry tree that features clusters of two inch, double pink blossoms in the spring with bronze-red foliage in the fall . It is given, with gratitude, by the Singleton family. Proceeding east is a newly planted Dogwood tree dedicated to Delaney

Fekert. Next is a large bed which features hostas and an Eastern White Pine tree. Also in that garden is a Weeping Copper Beech. Carol Coogan, a longtime volunteer garden expert, was instrumental in have the tree and garden planted there. In the summer and fall it has spreading copper and bronze branches which reach down to the ground creating a tent effect. This bed is dedicated to co-founder and former Mayor Steve Corbett. Across the path is another Kwanzan Cherry tree dedicated to the Howe family. Nearby, imbedded in the grass, is a plaque , presented by the Floral Park American Legion Post 334 to Preasley L. Mackenzie, World War hero who gave his life in 1917. Nearby is a Norway Maple tree and ahead is a giant weeping Norway Spruce . In this bed are two giant Euonymous Spruce. Several bushes highlight the curve . On Raff Avenue, going south, is the Debbie Fontakas garden. A beautiful paper maple tree towers over this planted garden.

On the western end of the garden path on Floral Parkway, Frank D’Amico, has named the trees and gardens heading toward, and across, Raff Ave. The following are the trees and gardens you will see along this path. White pine, three red buds, Saucer Magnolia, Oak, Snow Fountain Cherry and Blue Spruce.

At the Floral Parkway entrance is a Kwanzan Cherry, Azaleas, leucothoe, Blue Princess Holly,Yak Rhododendron, skimmia, and Chamaccyparis. At the nearby pedestrian entrance gate is liriope, azalea, crab apple Malus Indian magic. The bulletin board is here, it

will have information about the outside trees.

Walking along the path there are coral bark maple, weeping Alaskan cedar, Japanese Maple, three Magnolia, Rhododrendon, Japanese Dogwood, full moon maple, Linden, Laburnum, crape maple, two Lilac, roses, and Japanese Dogwood.

At the main sign on the corner of Raff Avenue and Floral Parkway is a Chesapeake Holly and roses. The Anchor Garden has four Dogwood , weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, Japanese Dogwood and English Oak.

Two very large gardens follow next on Raff Avenue. The Birch Garden and the Sharkey Garden. Both gardens have some plantings that have already been presented. The Keith Fairben Garden contains a cherry tree on each end with a Smoke Bush in the center. Next there are two rose gardens planted by Harparkash Bahl . Mr. Bahl attended to his gardens for many of his ninety plus years.

Some of the trees on the path have markers with names explaining the tree. Some of the eighty trees have been left out of this list. Today, with cameras, smartphones, iPads, and various devices information is available to help identify and learn about nature. There will be some explanations in the outside bulletin board, by the main pedestrian gate, that will also be helpful. The blossoms are starting to appear in the gardens. Soon the many beautiful cherry trees will present their pink flowers. Floral Park has its own Cherry Tree extravaganza.

Wine and Gift Card Bingo

The Floral Park Woman’s Club will hold a Wine and Gift Card Bingo on March 20 at the Floral Park American Legion Hall.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and games start at 7 p.m. Bring your own snacks and drinks. Coffee and cake will be served.

$25 per person includes two Bingo cards. Additional cards will be available for $1 each. There will also be raffles and a 50/50 available.

For reservations, please call Audry at 347-628-8872.

Floral Park K of C is open for all the Big East Tournament Games!

Host your next event at the Knights of Columbus’ newly renovated party room! It’s the perfect place for: Wed (3/12) - 4 PM • Thu (3/13) - Noon (St. John’s opening game) Fri (3/14) - 6 PM • Sat (3/15) - 6 PM

Come down and enjoy the games and a cold beer!

FP Junior Woman’s Club plans Supermarket Bingo

The Floral Park Junior Woman's Club will hold a Supermarket Bingo event on Friday, April 4, to support its program of scholarships and social services.

The event will take place on Friday, April 4. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the first game starts at 7:30 p.m. It will take place at the American Legion Hall, 15 Elizabeth Street, Floral Park. The building is handicap accessible.

Cost of $15 includes two bingo cards,

coffee, dessert, and a a door prize raffle ticket. Additional bingo cards are available at two for $6 or 4 for $10. Winners will receive supermarket gift cards.

There will also be raffle baskets and a 50/50 drawing.

Payments must be made with reservations. Please contact Kathy Kiss at 516-946-3369 or kklccj@hotmail.com by March 21 for reservations and more information.

Mock Trial team excels in competition

The Floral Park High School Mock Trial team beat Schechter High School during a competition at State Supreme Court in Mineola. After a challenging round of competition, the team’s strong preparation, sharp arguments, and teamwork led them to a well-deserved win, and secured a spot in the Sweet 16.

Rotary holds drive to restock food pantry

On February 11, the Rotary Club of Floral Park-Bellerose held a very successful “Have a Heart - Valentine's Day Food Pantry Drive." An overwhelming amount of food and sundry items were donated by Rotarians and guests at its monthly dinner meeting at Jameson’s Restaurant. Maureen Russell, Director of Parish Outreach at Our Lady of Victory RC Church was the guest speaker giving us a presentation on how OLV’s Parish Food Pantry reaches out to those in need.

The next day Rotarians Sal Valente and Rich Burgess delivered the donaations to the OLV Food Pantry. Maureen, and Trisha Dean, Food Bank Administrator helped us unload the donations and expressed much gratitude.

Currently the Rotarians are excited about the ongoing bike donation drive for the benefit of the Backstretch Workers at Belmont Racetrack. These hard-working individuals would love to own a bike to assist them with their job around the racetrack throughout the day. At present 30 bicycles have been collected, which all need to be made “ride ready”. Rotary could use help! If anyone knows of students and adults who are skilled at bicycle repairs please

An overwhelming amount of food and other items were collected.

call Rich Burgess, Club President, at 516-413-9129 and they can join Rotary’s efforts to serve the community.

The next Rotary Club dinner meeting is Tuesday, March 11, at 6:30 at Jameson’s Restaurant. All are welcome.

Accomplished students honored at board meeting

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dry, who has been selected among 25 New York State high school seniors as a U.S. Presidential Scholar Nominee. Chaudhry (who was not in attendance) was recommended to be nominated for this honor by Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages.

Five students districtwide were honored for their selection as finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Students entered the competition by taking the Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. About 15,000 of the semifinalists become finalists after completing a detailed application, providing information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment and honors received. The National Merit finalists are Brice Chiu (not in attendance), Rachel Jacob and Clayton Yu from New Hyde Park Memorial High School; Julian Santana from H. Frank Carey High School; and Edward Shen from Floral Park Memorial High School.

District Director of Special Education Mallory Poledro then shared updates of the district’s Unified Sports Program

and involvement with the Special Olympics of New York. A team from the LifeSkills program at New Hyde Park Memorial will be participating in the motor activity training program, and they will be training and competing in track and field. Additionally, Special Olympics of New York will be training staff to be their coaches, including physical education teachers, special education teachers and teaching assistants.

Poledro shared an exciting achievement for New Hyde Park Memorial, as they have been named a National Unified Champion School by the Special Olympics. On Jan. 13, a special banner was unveiled at the school before the boys varsity basketball game. Additionally, Poledro recognized the dedicated Unified Sports coaching staff and Special Education Chairperson Christine Trupiano.

The celebrations continued with Floral Park Memorial High School’s art and literary magazine, Trumpet. The magazine’s 2024 edition, Trumpet: Mosaic of Journeys, earned the highest rank of “First Class” in the National Council of English Teachers REALM program. This is the first time the Trumpet magazine has received this honor.

To conclude the tremendous achieve-

Floral Park Memorial High School student Edward Shen, H. Frank Carey High School student Julian Santana, and New Hyde Park Memorial High School students Clayton Yu and Rachel Jacob are pictured with administrators and board members.

ments, Elmont Memorial High School’s Athletic Director and Chairperson of Physical Education Kru Patel was recognized for receiving the 2025 Emerging

Athletic Director Award from the New York State Athletic Administrators’ Association.

Back row, l. to r.: Rich Burgess, Maureen Russell, and Sal Valente. Front: Trisha Dean

The Floral Park - Bellerose Rotary Club meets at Jamison's Restaurant.

CITIZENS’ PARTY

FPPL Urban Explorers enjoy private tour of NY Public Library

On February 27, the Floral Park Public Library enjoyed a trip to the New York Public Library. Following brunch at the Pershing Square Cafe, the group enjoyed a private tour of the library.

The intrepid explorers on their tour.

Floral Park Public Library Director Pat Eren at the New York Public Library

The Floral Park Public Library's Urban Explorers enjoyed a trip to the New York Public Library.

LONG LIVE

Many ways to access great doctors? We have that. Simple mobile app? We have that, too. Convenient locations for primary, specialty, and urgent care? Absolutely. On Long Island, you have options in health care. But at Catholic Health, we'd like to remind you to choose you first – because we did, too.  Long Live You and Long Live Long Island™ At

March 7, 2025

Travel Trends: Industry Responds to Growing Demand for Purposeful, Mindful, Experiential Travel

BY KAREN RUBIN TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM

A clear indication that the economy is (and has been) strong is how robust the demand and spending for travel has been and is anticipated to be for 2025. Americans are traveling in surging, even record numbers, looking further afield, being more purposeful, mindful in their quest for life-changing, life-enhancing experiences, giving truth to the adage: it is the journey, not the destination.

In fact, special events – like the Taylor Swift Eras concert tour, the Paris Olympics, Formula 1, even the Total Eclipse of the Sun– are driving travel purchases, with people building trips around the events.

“People are traveling for their passions, for experiences - lifestyle, activity, food,. entertainment, adventure,” observed Mandy Gill, Marriott International’s Vice President Global Marketing, US & Canada, at the Travel Media Summit. She was among the travel professionals who cited Taylor Swift’s Eras tour as a major boost to business in 2024; indeed, the tour -149 shows across 51 cities and 21 countriessold 10,168,008 tickets, totaling $2.1 billion (boosting the GDP of countries), making it the highest-grossing tour in history.

Some 12 million people traveled into the path of totality that crossed 15 states to experience the once-ina-lifetime April 8, 2024 solar eclipse – making it the largest mass travel event in the United States in 2024.

“Travelers increasingly are look-

Discovery Bicycle Tours’ biking in Vietnam trip taps into an array of 2025 travel trends: the desire for purposeful, mindful, experiential travel that immerses you in local people’s lives, culture and environment, that maximizes the benefit and minimizes the damage of tourism and that focuses on emerging destinations which also afford value for dollar © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

ing for alternative and authentic destinations, new destinations and adventure travel,” said Erik Evjen, Executive Vice President, Tourism Economics, at the 2025 Travel Media Summit. “Whereas in the past, people would go to a hotel, now they go for ‘what is important to me.’”

“What is important to me” is increasingly determined by “influencers” and social media,

Influencers are the new power brokers in travel, playing a critical role in shaping consumer decisions, noted Rashaad Jorden at the Skift Megatrends event in New York. “Platforms like Expedia have already integrated influencer marketing into their booking process,

allowing curated recommendations to be directly bookable. Kayak plans to employ a mass-market approach, enabling users to share their favorite destinations on social media and earn rewards if bookings are made through their recommendations.

Influencers are also playing a huge role in stimulating travel by specific interest groups, including Black, women. solo travelers, and travelers with disabilities who now have access to information about places and programs that serve their interest. This in turn, is prodding companies to accommodate these travelers. Even Googlemaps is now taking disability into account in providing directions, thanks to Googler

Sasha Blair Goldenson, who became wheelchair bound after an accident , so you can now activate a toggle on Googlemaps app to access 55 million accessible locations.

The AI enhancements that are being incorporated into travel planning apps and making travel experiences accessible. “AI is enabling travel companies to tap into social media as a performance marketing channel,” Jordan said.

Travel companies are responding to the interest in “experiential travel” that affords opportunities to become immersed in culture, connected with local people and actively engaged in the environment. Companies like Earthwatch (earthwatch. org), Audley Travel (audleytravel. com), Exodus Adventure Tours (exodustravels.com), and Village Experience (experiencethevillage. com) build their programs around experiential travel, while others incorporate immersive experiences – biking (Discovery Bicycle Tours, VBT Biking, Backroads), hiking (Wildland Trekking, Backroads, REI, G Adventures), walking (Country Walkers, Classic Journeys), camping, adventure, ecotourism (Wild Frontiers), and indigenous tourism (Discover Aboriginal Experiences, discoveraboriginalexperiences.com) – fundamentally provide these experiences.

Travelers are also increasingly looking for sustainable, responsible travel– in hotels, tours, and destinations, and to avoid feeling guilty about contributing to the destructive impacts of overtourism (but beware “green-washing”). Dubbed “mindful

Continued on next page

Travel Trends: Industry Responds to Growing Demand for Purposeful,

Continued from previous page

tourism,” these travelers look to avoid the guilt of destroying the most highly priced “bucket list” destinations by looking more to spreading visits to what used to be called “the off season” (there almost isn’t an off-season anymore), and relatively “new,” “unexplored,” and “off-the-beaten” track (though even these are becoming well visited) and “detour” destinations (places within three hours of the popular destination. The added benefit is traveling when places are less crowded and cheaper (better value), especially as price is being used to mitigate over-crowding, as well as the enjoyment of being in the vanguard with photos and social media posts.

“With over-tourism putting pressure on major cities, travelers are increasingly turning to lesser-known, less traveled destinations for more authentic and mindful experiences,” said Maryanne Sparkes of European Waterways, in fact helped by the availability of technology that assists with translation, directions, money exchange and facilitates interactions while relieving the anxiety of traveling where English is not common. “Places like Albania, Greenland, and Uzbekistan are really having a moment.”

Despite the desire to generate tourism revenue, governments, destinations and travel suppliers are also becoming more focused on regulations and policies promoting sustainable, responsible tourism out of realization that overtourism will literally kill their golden goose. Places like Machu Picchu, the Galapagos, many national parks, and experiences like swimming with whales in Australia, are limiting permits, requiring advance capacity controlled reservations, and increasing fees, while the limited spaces means higher rates for accommodation, which is itself a form of regulating access.

“Sustainability is no longer just a

buzzword—it’s become essential in travel. We’re seeing airlines investing in sustainable fuels and working to offset their carbon emissions, which is such an important step. Hotels are also stepping up, with more achieving certifications like LEED and Green Globe, and even entire ‘green resorts’ running on renewable energy while promoting eco-friendly practices,” Sparkes noted.

“We have to protect what we love.. We have to think ahead in terms of sustainability, environmentally friendly way to operate ships, and future of cruising,” Lasse A. Vangstein, Chief Communications & Sustainability Officer of Havila Voyages said at the Travel Media Summit. “We borrow nature. If future generations want to experience, we need to make a conscious choice how to showcase and spread tourism,”

Concern for the health and wellness in a destination coincides with continued surging interest in health and wellness tourism as well as indigenous tourism experiences which blend together wellness and sustainability, nature and culture.

Slow travel is another trend that meshes with the desire for mindful, experiential, responsible, and sustainable travel: biking, hiking and walking vacations, river and canal cruises on barge hotels and train travel – that provide connections to local people and places and provide a kind of serenity and peace.

The travel industry’s embrace of AI will significantly aid travelers in their quest to find lesser traveled destinations as well as the experiences they crave and the value they want. At the same time, AI gives travel entities like indigenous tourism companies, small, special interest and niche operators and those lesser-known destinations access to customers and markets as never before – a win-win for mitigating the negative impacts of tourism while

maximizing the positive economic and social benefits that sustain communities, heritage and sites.

The concern for getting the most bang for the buck is sparking interest in all-inclusives – resorts, cruises, farm and ranch vacations, ski holidays and wellness trips. “There is a huge surge in the use of the all-inclusive filter on the hotels.com app,” noted Melanie Fish, Vice President of Global PR, Expedia Group Brands.

Booking apps like Expedia are also helping travelers save money such as flight price tracker: Expedia just launched a “flight deals departing near you” feature.

The travel industry is responding to another key trend: the surge in solo travel. Cruise companies are even offering single cabins and other options for solo cruisers; tour operators, like G Adventures (gaadventures.com), Wild Frontiers Travel (www.wildfrontierstravel.com), Road Scholar (roadscholar.org), Intrepid Travel (intrepidtravel. com), EF Go Ahead Tours (goaheadtours.com), Exodus Adventure Travels (exodustravels.com) and Western River Expeditions (westernriver.com) are offering some “solo traveler” departures, waiving the single supplement or offering to match single travelers with a companion. Indeed, solo travelers have discovered the benefits of joining smallgroup tours.

The rise in “solo travel” coincides with growing availability of women-only travel programs.

The industry is also addressing the surge in popularity of outdoor expeditions – especially travelers who want to be out in the wild but not give up their creature comforts. Marriott International, acquired Postcard Cabins, a brand of tiny cabins in the woods, “to bring the passion of outdoor travel more seamlessly to the consumer.” There has also been a rise in companies offering fully outfitted, luxury

Protein For Older Adults

BY CHARLYN FARGO

Can protein help you stay independent as you age?

Protein is known to slow the loss of muscle mass. Having enough muscle mass can help preserve the ability to perform daily activities and prevent disability. Older adults tend to have a lower protein intake than younger adults due to poorer health, reduced physical activity, changes in the mouth and teeth and changes in absorption.

Recently, a research team from the

United Kingdom studied whether eating more protein could contribute to helping people maintain independence. The study was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Researchers used data from the Newcastle 85+ Study conducted in the United Kingdom. This study’s researchers approached all people turning 85 in 2006 in two cities in the U.K. for participation. At the beginning of the study in 2006-2007, there were 722 participants, 60% of whom were women. The participants provided researchers with information about what

camper vans, like Moterra Campervans (gomoterra.com) and Roadsurfer (roadsurfer.com), and glamping (luxury camping) with apps like GlampingHub. com, Glamping.com and hipcamp.com, as well as campgrounds of America (koa.com) and even Airbnb – a trend that took off during the COVID pandemic and has continued.

Cool-cations also are in hot demand, as people seek out destinations to avoid the worst impacts of global warming –golfing in Scotland instead of Phoenix or Miami.

The travel industry was projecting record demand in 2025 but that was before the Trump administration took a blowtorch to the economy, with mass firings and layoffs of federal workers, threats of tariffs that will cost millions of private-sector jobs and reignite inflation, while injecting insecurity and anxiety into society that has caused consumer confidence to plummet to the lowest levels in years..

When people are feeling financially insecure and are concerned about future economic prospects, they pull back on spending. Travelers are resilient and because there are infinite options, opportunities and choices to accommodate any budget, when the economy falls, find ways to scale back spending but still travel. They may substitute long-haul trips by air for shorter roadtrips by car; trade resort stays for Airbnb or a camping holiday; and look for value destinations where the dollar goes further.

Indeed, the travel industry, adept at yield management, is also resilient and can be expected to respond to any drop in bookings with incentives, discounts and deals.

© 2025 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear. com

they ate every day, their body weight and height measurements, their overall health assessment (including any level of disability) and their medical records.

The researchers learned that 28% of older adults in North-East England had protein intakes below the recommended dietary allowance. The researchers noted that older adults who have more chronic health conditions may also have different protein requirements. Researchers examined the impact of protein intake on the

Continued on page 5

Finding friendships in some unexpected places

BY CLAIRE LYNCH

One thing I’ve discovered over the years is that friends come in all different sizes, heights and shapes. I’ve also made some new friends when I’ve least expected it - and at some unexpected places. it just seems to be the way it goes.

Someone I’ve thought about a lot recently is an old landlord of mine who in time became a friend. Bill and his wife, Joanie, owned a house in Woodmere and after graduating from college and starting to work full-time I rented the second floor of their house. Bill and Joanie had three children who at that point were teenagers. The kids had their everyday routines and each summer they worked part-time jobs.

Commuting to Manhattan each day, Bill got to know my Monday to Friday routine. I worked 9-5 so by 7:15 a.m. I was leaving the house to walk the three blocks to the Woodmere LIRR station. I was like clockwork because if I missed that train it meant I’d be late for work and that wouldn’t be good.

In the nice weather walking to and from the LIRR station was a pleasure but when the cold winds and snow of winter arrived Bill did something unexpected - he started his car on the driveway, warmed it up and invited me to hop in. Driving me to the LIRR station, I’d sit in the car until we saw the train approaching then I’d get out and head for a day in the city.

I told him I appreciated those rides and Bill said it was no problem since he was retired. Joanie did part-time work as a seamstress out of their finished basement and boy was she good at what she did. Since Joanie was occupied a large part of

the time Bill looked for things to do and what he and I discovered was a shared love of writers and literature. He knew I was an English major and worked as a public relations writer so in no time at all we talked about writers he’d read and loved over the years.

Was I familiar with the works of James Joyce, Cormac McCarthy and William Faulkner? Yes, I’d read most of what Bill talked about and enjoyed talking about the strengths and weaknesses of each writer.

Asking Bill if he’d read Harper Lee, Flannery O’Connor and Emily Dickinson he said yes so we engaged in those discussions. He liked Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” and O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” plus several of her other short stories. While he respected Emily Dickinson, she wasn’t his favorite writer.

In our many chats while waiting for the LIRR train to arrive Bill told me that he’d been a salesman for white goods - washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers and more. In his free time he loved to read and when he grew tired of that he’d stay up late watching the news then Johnny Carson on TV. Eventually we got onto other subjects - Bill had worked in Queens before marrying Joanie and starting a family so he told me about that.

A couple of times Bill mentioned how much he liked our chats about books and writers because his family wasn’t familiar with the works of James Joyce, Cormac McCarthy and William Faulkner. Sometimes we disagreed in our opinions but that was okay because they were well thought out opinions.

One warm spring day when I was

A GREENER VIEW

Vegetable Garden Seeds

BY JEFF RUGG

Q: I was digging around in the back of my refrigerator and found a sealed package with leftover vegetable seeds from last year. There are some that are in the original packaging and some seeds in baggies that I harvested from a few tomatoes and peppers. How do I know if the seeds are still good? I don’t want to plant them and not have them grow when I could buy more seeds this year. Also, are the seeds at the stores reliable? I don’t seem to have good luck with them.

A: That is a good question with several parts to the answer. First, let me congratulate you for finding them before summer, which is when I find things that I should have found in spring. It is too early to plant seeds for most of us, but we need to be ready when the season starts. You can run a germination test to see how many normal seedlings start to grow. Seeds for sale must meet minimum

off from work Bill asked if I wanted to play pinochle and while I’d never played before, I said okay. We sat out back at their picnic table as Bill showed me the basics of the game. He had learned to play pinochle years ago when he was in the Navy and I had watched my grandfather play it in Brooklyn with friends at Prospect Park under some big old trees.

As much as I’d watched Grandpa Mike playing I never learned the game because I was young and I certainly wouldn’t have interrupted the men to ask about the rules of the game and why they played the cards they did. Discovering that pinochle is a game of bidding, melding and playing for tricks, I slowly caught on. Sometimes someone will “shoot the moon” so I had to learn what that meant in pinochle.

When I say Bill and I played pinochle I mean he explained the game to me. One day when I had a good grasp of it he asked Joanie to play because three people are good for pinochle not two so we got a good game going. Joanie ended up winning that day and on cold winter days Joanie, Bill and I would promise each other that we would play again in the spring at the picnic table under the shade of some big oak trees.

Most summers Bill would grill dinner outside in their back yard and many

times they would invite me to join the family. Barbecued chicken kebobs and beef kebobs were my favorite on summer days and later, as the sun set, Joanie, Bill, their kids and I would sit around chatting.

I lived in that apartment for 10 years and during those years their kids applied to college and thought about what they wanted to do in life. One by one they graduated from college, got engaged and married.

Eventually I moved to another apartment - away from my starter place and into a larger apartment with more square footage, windows and sunlight plus it was closer to my job. Joanie, Bill and I kept in touch for a while but I got busy with my demands at work and in time we lost touch.

Years later I heard that Bill and Joanie had sold their house in the Five Towns and moved to a condo on the west coast of Florida. Their daughter said they were enjoying their time with other retirees, many of whom had relocated from up north.

I no longer commute via LIRR trains but I have great memories of Bill and Joanie. Sometimes we discover friends in unexpected places.

federal and state germination standards, which are often printed on the packaging and range between 70% and 90%. Place 10 seeds between two damp paper towels and place the paper towels in a sealed plastic bag. After a few days to a week, see how many seeds have started to grow. If you get more than seven, then that is a good rate. See a short video on how to do this on the Greener View YouTube channel in the Vegetable Garden Playlist. Next, you can watch those seedlings or plant them in small pots to see how well they grow. If they are weak or spindly, then the seed vigor may not be very good, and they may not be worth planting in the garden.

Seed companies who are doing tests in big batches will check to see if there are any weed plants coming up with the seeds being tested, but you will not need to do that since they already have. One thing to remember about the seeds

Continued on page 5

Older People and Social Security Disability

BY TOM MARGENAU

I often feel guilty if I write a column that essentially repeats information I’ve given in past columns. But readers often remind me that I shouldn’t worry about that. For example, today I got an email that said something like this: “I know you’ve covered this topic before. But I’ve forgotten most of what you said, and now we are at the point where it applies to us, so could you repeat it?”

He was talking about senior citizens and Social Security disability benefits. Specifically, he said his wife has been getting disability benefits since her late 50s. As she is now reaching age 65, he asked when she should file for “real Social Security.”

Let me make a couple of points about that question. First of all, disability benefits are “real Social Security.” They are just as real as retirement benefits, widows benefits or any other kind of Social Security.

But of course, I knew what he meant. He was asking when his wife could file for Social Security retirement benefits. The answer is that she does not need to. Social Security disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits when a person reaches full retirement age.

This means a couple of months before this guy’s wife reaches her full retirement age, or FRA, she will receive a letter from the Social Security Administration telling her that she is being switched, at least on the SSA’s books, from the disability program to the retirement program. Other than that, the changeover will essentially be invisible to her, primarily due to the fact that her benefit amount remains the same. Why? Because a disability benefit pays the same rate as a full retirement age benefit.

Here is another lesson gleaned from this guy’s email. In his initial question, he told me that his wife was currently getting “SSI.” I was sure he was mixing up terms, so I wrote back and said, “I’ll bet your wife is getting Social Security disability benefits and not SSI.” He quickly responded and said that I was right.

People frequently confuse Social Security disability benefits with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, but there is a huge difference. SSI is a federal welfare program that pays a small monthly stipend to poor people who are over age 65 or disabled. On the other hand, Social Security disability benefits are paid to people, rich or poor, as long as they have worked and paid taxes for a sufficient amount of time.

One reason many people confuse these two programs has to do with their abbreviations. Social Security disability benefits are frequently referred to as SSDI, or Social Security Disability Insurance, whereas SSI disability benefits are referred to as SSID.

Other frequent questions I get from senior citizens have to do with their possible eligibility for Social Security disability

benefits. Here are some ground rules that vary depending on your age.

If you are over your full retirement age, forget about it. Once you reach that age, disability benefits are no longer payable. To put that another way, the retirement benefit you are getting pays the same rate as any disability benefits you might be due.

If you are under age 62 and disabled, then you should definitely file for Social Security disability. There is information about how to do that later on in this column.

If you are over 62 and not yet on Social Security, then you should file for retirement and disability benefits at the same time. The Social Security Administration can start your reduced retirement payments immediately. That way, if your disability claim is eventually approved, they will switch you to the higher disability rate.

But if you are between age 62 and your full retirement age and are already getting Social Security retirement benefits, you may or may not want to file for disability payments. The closer you are to your full retirement age, the smaller your disability boost will be. You may decide it’s just not worth all the hassle.

Why? Your disability rate (normally equal to your full retirement age benefit) must be reduced for every month you’ve already received a Social Security retirement check. You will eventually reach a point where you simply gain very little by filing for Social Security disability.

Here is a quick example. Sam filed for retirement benefits at age 62. His benefit was reduced by roughly one-half of 1% for each month he was under his full retirement age. He is getting 75% of his FRA rate. At 65, he had a heart attack. If he files for disability benefits and his claim is approved, his regular disability rate, again equal to his FRA benefit, must be reduced by about one-half of 1% for each month he’s already received a retirement benefit. At age 65, he’s received 36 retirement checks, so his disability rate must be cut by about 18%. So instead of a 100% disability rate, he’d get about 82%. Sam would have to decide if it is worth all the hassle of filing for disability just to get bumped up from his current 75% rate to 82%.

What’s the hassle? First, you will fill out a bunch of paperwork. The primary piece is a form that asks you to describe your disability and how it prevents you from working.

That same form also asks you to list your medical providers. The government can’t make a decision about your case without having the evidence to back up your claim.

The SSA contracts out disability decisions to an agency in each state that is staffed with doctors and other medically trained personnel. They are the folks who decide if you meet the legal definition of “disability” for Social Security purposes.

In a nutshell, the rules say that your impairment must keep you from doing any kind of work for which you are suited for at least 12 months.

There is a pretty good chance you will be asked to go to a Social Security doctor for additional evaluation. Make sure you don’t miss that appointment.

Your disability claim will usually take about three to six months to process. If it’s approved, you’ll start getting disability checks six months after they say your disability began. That six-month waiting period is built into the law.

Continued on next page

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

The impact and influence of Feng Shui on Real Estate (Part2)

If you missed my column from last week, here is a link to read it before you read today’s column: Part 1: JerichoSyosset News Journal (2/28/25) https://issuu.com/ litmorpublishingcorp/docs/jerichosyosset_news_journal_2_28_25_

So those that continue to practice Feng Shui, do this as a very serious customary process and practice, when purchasing real estate. Asian buyers place great significance and truth on the proposition of adhering and utilizing Feng Shui when searching for a new home. They believe that balancing and harmonizing their living spaces can bring good fortune, opulence and a good life.

Feng Shui goes back 5000 years and for those that practice this, it becomes extremely crucial and critical when buying a property. Understanding customs and beliefs will go a very long way and be to your advantage if you are trying to break into the Asian market in the U.S. or even abroad. More than 50% of my clients are Chinese, Korean or Indian and for me, it is very important to have the appreciation of having the knowledge and expertise in assisting those purchasers with their real estate needs and wants.

Back to my story from last week, about when David Lauster, my teacher/mentor, had taken out a Chinese couple who were relocating for the Marriot Hotel chain down at Disney in Orlando. The husband was going to manage one of their high-end hotels and she was to manage one of their exclusive 4-star restaurants in the Disney hotel complex.

Continued from page 2

you collected from your tomatoes and peppers is that they won’t be the same kind unless you started with heirloom varieties last year.

Catalogs are a great way to get plants that are special, new, rare or hard to grow. Your local garden center can’t stock 300 kinds of tomatoes, peppers or other vegetables, but somewhere out there is a grower with a catalog who does have all the plants you want. If you are not sure about a seed brand, you can look for customer reviews. One thing to look for is how long a company has been in business. Seed companies really do want you to become

Continued from previous page

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

They originally came from Hong Kong, extremely well educated and professional. David had never experienced or had any knowledge of Feng Shui. So, he had to undertake an extremely challenging and sometimes stressful and exhausting position in figuring out what they needed and wanted to buy based on Feng Shui customs and principles.

The ensuing story (Click on the link down below, in the online digital version or copy and paste the link into your browser) that what you will see, and experience is tantamount to understanding why Realtor education should be at the top of your list when hiring a Broker, Associate Broker or salesperson. The comprehension, command and grasp of Feng Shui or any other pertinent information or concepts within the real estate field are required and necessary on a daily basis to be at the top of one’s game. Providing the concerted efforts, disciplined actions and the sacrifice of one’s unrecoverable, can’t grow more, can’t re-invent valuable time becomes the number one principle of being a top producing Broker. Servicing your clients as if they were one of the rarest elements like “palladium” more valuable than platinum or even gold and putting them on a pedestal, will assuredly put you in the 5-10% club of high-end earners.

The bigger issue is how to find and gain the knowledge and expertise that

you are able to experience and derive from on a daily basis. It can be accomplished by watching, listeningcarefully and attentively with both ears when conversing with other Realtors; or when studying and training. Finding and having the ultimate mentor to learn, absorb, and most importantly, practice and apply concepts and principles will assuredly turn you into a top producer and a force to be reckoned with in your community. But do you have what it takes?

Dealing with the multitude of cultures, traditions, rituals and formalities requires the most comprehensive all-inclusive mastery, understanding, and listening carefully your clients’ needs and wants in your local market. Achieving one’s goal of becoming successful in building an ironclad foundation will enable you to scale your real estate career and business to heights that you cannot even contemplate or imagine. But where there is a will, there will always be away! Here is the link to my video back in 2015 and our CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist) course and the hilarious story:

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: (What I consider a Master’s degree in real estate) expert in

A GREENER VIEW

lifelong gardeners buying their seeds. Here are some companies that I like.

The Baker Creek catalog has over 1,500 variety of seeds. They publish Heirloom Gardener Magazine and “The Heirloom Life Gardener” book. For more information, check out rareseeds.com.

Dixondale Farms is the home of the Onionman and a lot of good onions at dixondalefarms.com.

The Harris Seeds catalog has a good selection of vegetables, plus flowers and tools. Find them at harrisseeds.com.

The Chas. C. Hart Seed Co. is one of the few garden seed companies that understands the difference between GMO and

If your claim is denied, you will have to decide if it is worth it to appeal. If you decide to do that, the first appeal is usually just a review of your case by the state agency that made the first decision. If your claim is denied again, you can file for a hearing before a Social Security judge. Due to backlogs, those hearings

If you have a Social Security question,

consulting and completing international transactions, eco-friendly low carbon footprint construction with 3-D printed foundations, solar panels, Geo-thermal 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 on your own. For a “FREE” no obligation 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

GE seeds. This company has been around for over 125 years and is an excellent source of garden seeds. If your charitable organization needs vegetable garden seeds, this is the company to contact at hartseed.com.

Double A Vineyards is an awesome source of grapevines at doubleavineyards.com.

Indiana Berry & Plant Co. is a great source for strawberries, brambles, blueberries and grapevines. Check them out at indianaberry.com

Renee’s Garden has garden-tested and taste-tested heirloom and gourmet vegetables, flowers and herbs. Her seed packets

are very detailed, and Renee personally grows every plant variety before it is offered in the catalog. Find her catalog and cookbook at reneesgarden.com.

The Territorial Seed Company has all the essential seeds and supplies at territorialseed.com.

The Totally Tomatoes catalog may not be completely tomatoes, but it is close. Check it out at totallytomato.com.

Wood Prairie Family Farm is the place to get any kind of potato at woodprairie. com.

Email questions to Jeff Rugg at info@ greenerview.com. .

COPYRIGHT 2025 JEFF RUGG

BY MARY HUNT

The Agony and Ecstasy of Getting Out of Debt

Dear Mary: We’ve just received notice that the rent on our three-bedroom house is going up from $950 to $1,200 a month. We were struggling before, so we really can’t afford the increase. We have looked at an apartment community, where our rent would be around $850 a month.

I found another home that could be a great permanent family home. This one is a rental, but with an option to purchase. The monthly rent on this house is $1,250.

We have huge student loan balances, and our credit isn’t that great. Should we move to the cheaper apartment, opt for the house with the higher rent and option to purchase, or just stay where we are? Thanks for your advice. -- Henry

Dear Henry: If you are already struggling to make your $950 rent each month, how are you going to handle $1,200 a month -- with or without an option-to-purchase clause?

Have you looked carefully at the conditions and terms on that option? Typically, included in those terms is that a portion of the rent you pay each month will be credited against an undetermined purchase price, if and when you are able to buy. That could be a small amount, like $25 a month.

Given the information you’ve given me -- even if that option to purchase appears favorable -- I would advise you to go with the $850 apartment, provided you keep your moving costs to an absolute minimum.

Continued from page 2

increase of disability over five years.

The researchers’ theory was that eating more protein would be associated with slower disability development in elderly adults, depending on their muscle mass and muscle strength. And their research backed that up. Participants who ate more protein at the beginning of the study were less likely to become disabled compared to people who ate less protein.

Dr. Nuno Mendonca, the principal author of the study, wrote in the Journal

You need to be seriously cutting expenses, not adding to them. Lower rent plus a strong commitment to go on a spending diet should give you the boost you need to get your debts paid in the next two or three years. Then you’ll be ready to start saving a down payment so you can begin looking for a home to buy.

Dear Mary: It’s been years now since my husband and I finished a debt repayment program offered through our local Catholic Charities, based on your philosophies and book “The Financially Confident Woman.” In two years, we paid off tens of thousands of dollars of debt that would have otherwise taken decades to repay.

When Catholic Charities was contacted by several large businesses and a local hospital about starting a program for all their employees, they asked me to spearhead this project. I agreed as my way of showing grati-

tude for what we have received.

I want you to know that between you and Catholic Charities, my life has been permanently changed. My husband and I now truly enjoy the love of each other and our three beautiful children. Thanks for changing my life and making frugality something not to be despised. God bless you. -- C.L.

Dear C.L. Your letter made my day! I am so proud of you for your great accomplishment of getting out of debt. Thanks for being such diligent “students” and putting into action the simple plan you found in my book.

Dear Mary: It’s been nearly a year since I wrote to you. I was in despair about our financial situation. Because I shared the bad news, I want to share the good news, too. Since then, we sold our home (the biggest reason we couldn’t reduce our expenses further) and purchased a condominium.

This reduced our mortgage payment by 25%. We put 40% down on our new home, paid our $21,000 credit card debt in full, and have cash reserves to cover three months of basic bills and living expenses in case of emergency.

This is the first time in our marriage that we have been debt-free, and it feels great. Thanks for encouraging and supporting our desire to live debt-free. Your guidance and encouragement to do the hard work changed our lives. -- Vivienne

Dear Vivienne: I recall your first letter and how things did look nearly hopeless. Yours was one of those desperate situa-

NEWS

Protein For Older Adults

article, “Our findings support current thinking about increasing the recommended daily intake of protein to maintain active and healthy aging.”

Older adults should aim to eat about 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein for every 2.2 pounds of body weight. For example, for a person who weighs 160 pounds, that would be about 72 grams of protein per day. That compares with the current recommendation for adults (young and elderly) at 0.8 grams of protein for every 2.2 pounds of body weight per day, or 58 grams of protein per day for a 160-pound person.

The bottom line is most adults get more than enough protein, but as you age, it may be beneficial to consume more protein to stay independent.

Q and A

Q: Are there health benefits to grilling?

A: Yes. Grilling allows excess fat to melt and drip off meats rather than being reabsorbed into the food, so you’re likely to consume less fat. Grilling also decreases the need for sauces and seasonings that may contain extra salt because it gives a natural smoky flavor. More nutrients may also be retained because ingredients

tions that required drastic measures. I know that selling your home was a very difficult decision, but I believe you did the right thing by scaling down. I am so happy for you. You have warmed the cockles of my heart, which I must admit came as a bit of a shock. I didn’t know I had cockles.

Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources 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

are cooked quickly on the grill. Grilling is also an invitation to spend time with family and friends outdoors. You can also put your favorite fruits and vegetables on the grill.

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. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD..

COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM

BY DENNIS MAMMANA

Week of March 9-15, 2025

I’m always excited when springtime is just around the corner. It’ll soon be time to get outdoors more and enjoy the warmth of our beautiful sun.

We all take our sun for granted, expecting it to be there every day, but ancient civilizations worshiped its light and heat because they recognized its life-giving properties. Today we know they were right; life on Earth, and even the Earth itself, could never exist without our nearest star.

The sun appears large and bright because it’s nearby, only 93 million miles away. Most people would consider that to be tremendously distant, but we astronomers recognize it as a mere stone’s throw on a cosmic scale.

The enormity of our sun is pretty remarkable too. The “photosphere” -- the disk that we can see (with a proper solar filter, of course) -- stretches about 865,000 miles from edge to edge. That’s large enough that 109 Earths could stretch across its face!

No wonder that we consider our sun to be immense. But, again, on a cosmic scale, is it?

Our sun is one of a class of stars known as “solartype” stars; these comprise only about 7% of the Milky Way galaxy. Most stars, however, are considerably smaller than the sun. These are known as “red dwarfs,” and they make up about 75% of our galaxy, so by comparison, our sun is huge.

But what about the other 18%? What type of stars are those? Many of them are known as “giants” and “supergiants,” and two of the best examples of these are visible tonight in the constellation Orion.

Look for Orion as a vertical rectangle of stars midway up in the southern sky just after dark; at its cen-

STARGAZERS

Our ‘Tiny’ Sun

ter lie three equally bright stars that form a straight line. Orion represents a hunter, with the top two stars marking his shoulders, the bottom two marking his knees, and the three central stars outlining his belt.

Many of the stars of Orion are giants and supergiants, but two are particularly spectacular. The bright star marking the northeastern corner (one shoulder) of Orion is known as Betelgeuse. This red supergiant glows with an orange light that’s pretty tough to miss.

small by comparison.

Some 15-20 times more massive than our sun, Betelgeuse is one of the first stars to have its size measured. And it’s big. Very big. We would need about 700 suns to cross the face of Betelgeuse.

Betelgeuse is so immense that if it replaced our sun at the center of our planetary system, it would engulf not only the sun but the orbits of Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, and extend nearly to Jupiter!

At the opposite corner (in one of the hunter’s knees) lies sparkling Rigel, another supergiant that displays a slightly bluish-white color. Rigel lies about 850 lightyears (5,100 trillion miles) from Earth, contains about 21 times more mass, and has a diameter some 74 times greater than the sun. Betelgeuse, on the other hand, makes Rigel appear

LOST IN SUBURBIA

BY TRACY BECKERMAN

Being the deep, substantial person that I am, I was kind of hoping that following my knee replacement surgery, my at-home physical therapist would resemble someone like Jason Momoa. Unfortunately, it seemed all the buff therapists had already been assigned, because I ended up with one who looked more like Ant-Man than Aquaman.

Still, I didn’t want him to feel like I didn’t respect his special skillset, so I asked him what his superpower was.

“I will help you get your leg straight,” he replied.

I sighed. I had been hoping for something more like, “I can manipulate time to save the world from a mutant alien arachnid species,” but I thought getting my leg straight would be good too.

In most superhero movies, there is often a villain whom the superhero must thwart to save humanity. But in my house, the only one who really fit that role was the dog. Ever since I had returned home from the hospital, I had noticed

For all its enormity, Betelgeuse isn’t the largest known star. That honor goes to UY Scuti, a red supergiant 30% larger than Betelgeuse!

Visit Dennis Mammana at dennismammana.com. . COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM

A Super Dog Day Afternoon

that the dog would lie across the floor or leave a toy exactly in my path, setting up a treacherous obstacle for a woman with only one good leg. Although I don’t think it was his intention to hurt me, the net result would have been the same, and thus I dubbed the villainous dog “He-WhoShall-Not-Be-Tripped-Over.”

The physical therapist, who I’ll call Therapyman (because all superheroes should have “man” in their name, and also I’m not very creative when it comes to naming superheroes), realized right away that the dog would be our nemesis. It might have had something to do with the fact that Therapyman himself tripped over the dog on his way into my house. This is also when we realized that Therapyman could fly ... but only short distances and without sticking the landing very well.

Now, I’ve had interactions with superheroes in the past, so all this was nothing new to me. For many years, my husband went by the pseudonym Super Grillman. When the burgers came out, he transformed into his alias and would go off to

fight his barbecue battles with his galactic grill tools, which he kept in a titanium grill case. He didn’t so much save the world from the burgers as he did save the burgers themselves from being well done. But he was proud of his achievements, and who was I, a mere mortal, to question his status?

This would be a good time to admit that the hospital had sent me home with pain medication for the first week, and it was making me a little loopy. This may be the reason why I called my physical therapist “Therapyman” to his face. I introduced myself as “Super Knee Woman” (again, not very creative, but I was on meds, so I get a pass), who could leap off my bed on one leg in a single bound. When he tested my other skills, I failed with flying colors, which I attributed to the fact that I believed his PT bag contained Kryptonite, and therefore I was rendered practically mortal.

Therapyman was super kind, though, assuring me that it was normal to lose your superpowers after a big surgery and that I would be back to saving the world,

or at least able to get to the toilet by myself, in no time.

As Therapyman began to run me through a series of exercises, both of us neglected to see the villainous dog, “He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Tripped-Over,” lying down in the hall, directly in my path. I was teetering precariously, my cane just about to come in contact with the dog’s tail, when Therapyman flew into action, dashed across the hall at superspeed and, with superhuman strength, lobbed my 45-pound dog across the hall like a hockey puck.

This is when I realized the physical therapist’s true superpower name was “He-Who-Moves-the-Dog-Out-of-MyWay.”

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.

COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM

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ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 1-855-399-2719

DIRECTV- All your entertainment. Nothing on your roof! Sign up for Direct and get your first free months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choice package $84.99/mo Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918

GET BOOST INFINITE! Unlimited Talk, Text and Data For Just $25/mo! The Power Of 3 5G Networks, One Low Price! Call Today and Get The Latest iPhone Every Year On Us! 844-329-9391

MARKETPLACE

INVITED SALES BY TRACY JORDAN

Transform your space, maximize your value: Are you looking to add value to your property and enhance its appeal? Look no further!

At Invited Sales, we offer a comprehensive range of services tailored to meet your needs: Personal Property

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HEARING AIDS!! High-quality rechargeable, powerful Audien hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Tiny and NEARLY INVISIBLE! 45day money back guarantee! 855-819-7060

WE BUY HOUSES FOR CASH AS IS! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer and get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling Liz Buys Houses: 1-888-704-5670

MARKETPLACE

Antique & Vintage Items

Jewelry-Crystal-Silver Furniture-Mirrors-Tabletop Artwork-Lamps Consign, Shop or Visit the Yellow House 109 Eleventh Street Garden City 516-746-8900 Mon-Fri 10-4 (Wed to 6pm) Saturday 12-4 (entrance & parking in back) Consignments by appointment atstewartexchange@tgchs.org All proceeds benefit The Garden City Historical Society

Appraisals and Evaluations: Get expert insights into the true value of your personal property.

Estate and Tag Sales: Simplify the process of selling estate items with our professional online and in-person tag sale services.

Home Updates: From carpet removal to one-day floor refinishing and contractor services, we handle it all to refresh your home effortlessly. Staging Services: Elevate your space with our curated selection of furniture, accessories, lighting, and decorative items for a stunning transformation. Explore our captivating before and after photos showcasing homes where we’ve added significant value, making them stand out in the market: Visit: InvitedSales.com today to discover how we can help you achieve your property goals!

Please Call: 516-279-6378 Or Text Tracy Jordan: 516-567-2960

PRIVACY HEDGE!

6 ft Arborvitae Reduced to $125 /each.

FREE installation/ FREE delivery. Fast growing, high-quality beautiful & bushy!

Order now to reserve for early Spring delivery. 518-536-1367 www.lowcosttreefarm.com

WANTED TO BUY

LOOKING TO BUY!

Estates, Oriental items, Gold, Silver, Costume Jewelry, Dishes, Flatware, Watches, Clothing, Old Photos, Coins, Stamps, Records, Sports Cards, Pokemon Cards, Comics and Art. Immediate Cash Paid Call George 917-775-3048

CLASSIFIEDS Call 294.8900

PETS

PETS FOR SALE

MALTESE DOGS FOR SALE

Two Maltese dogs for sale. Male and female, 4 years old. Fully Vaccinated. Playful and lovely breed. Great with kids, Loves long walks. Fenced in yard would be great. $850 Call 347-906-0749

AUTOMOTIVE

AUTOS WANTED

***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS

$Highest$ Ca$h Paid$ All Years /Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct Ca$h. DMV ID#1303199

Call LUKE 516-VAN-CARS 516-297-2277

GOT AN UNWANTED CAR??? Your car donation to Patriotic Hearts helps veterans find work or start their own business. Fast free pick. Running or not! Call 24/7: 1-888251-3135.

WE BUY 8,000 CARS A WEEK

Sell your old, busted or junk car with no hoops, haggles or headaches. Sell your car to Peddle. Easy three step process. Instant offer. Free pickup. Fast payment. Call 1-855-403-3374

REAL ESTATE FOR RENT

APARTMENT FOR RENT

GARDEN CITY BORDER

“FIRST SHOWING”

Make appointment to see our Studio or 1 Bedroom. Elevator, Off Street Parking. Starting at $1,550/month Call Barbara 516-313-8504 Garden City Properties: 516-746-1563

SERVICES

CONSUMER CELLULAR

the same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No long-term contract, no hidden fees and activation is free. All plans feature unlimited talk and text, starting at just $20/month. For more information, call 1-844-919-1682

INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT?

Don’t Accept the insurance company’s first offer. Many injured parties are entitled to major cash settlements. Get a free evaluation to see what your case is really worth. 100% Free Evaluation. Call Now: 1-888-454-4717. Be ready with your zip code to connect with the closest provider

SERVICES

JACK’S CUSTOM FRAMING

We can frame anything! Quality Care & Workmanship Thousands of frames to choose from!!

Over 30 years in business! 92 Covert Ave, Stewart Manor 516-775-9495

SAVE ON YOUR TRAVEL PLANS! Up to 75% More than 500 AIRLINES and 300,000 HOTELS across the world. Let us do the research for you for FREE! Call: 877 988 7277

ATTORNEY

STEPHANIE A. D’ANGELO, ESQ. Elder Law, Wills & Trusts Asset Preservation, Estate Planning, Probate & Estate Administration/Litigation 901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530 516-222-1122

www.dangelolawassociates. com

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

BEAUTIFUL BATH UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Superior quality bath and shower systems at AFFORDABLE PRICES! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Call Now! 1-855-399-2076

DO YOU KNOW WHAT’S IN YOUR WATER? Leaf Home Water Solutions offers FREE water testing and whole home water treatment systems that can be installed in as little one day. 15% off your entire purchase. Plus 10% senior & military discounts. Restrictions apply. Schedule your FREE test today. Call 1-866-247-5728

SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

MADE IN THE SHADE CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS

Blinds, Shades, Shutters, Draperies

Top Brands at Discount Prices! Family owned & operated www.madeintheshadensli. com

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MASONRY

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

Fully Licensed & Insured

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PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES with Briggs & StrattonPowerProtect(TM) standby generators the most powerful home standby generators available. Industry-leading comprehensive warranty 7 years ($849 value.) Proudly made in the U.S.A. Call Briggs & Stratton 1-888-605-1496

WIREMAN/CABLEMAN

TVs Mounted. Phone, TV, Computer Wires, HD Antennas, Starlink Dishes, Stereos Installed And Serviced. FREE Estimates.

Lic#54264-RE and Ins. Call Dave 631-667-9473 (WIRE), 516-353-1118 (TEXT)

FAMILY CARE CONNECTIONS, LLC

Dr. Ann Marie D’Angelo

PMHCNS-BC

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Advanced Practice Nurse Care Manager

Assistance with Aging at Home/ Care Coordintion

Nursing Home & Assisted Living Placement

PRI / Screens / Mini Mental Status Exams

Medicaid Eligibility and Apllications

516-248-9323

www.familycareconnections.com

901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530

FLORAL PSYCHIATRY

MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC

Adult Psychiatrist & Nutritionist

Focus on Women’s Mental Health

Therapy & Nutrition Psychiatry

Medication Management

A multilingual practice Parthy Shah, MD 516-666-2693

Virtual Clinic online at: urjapsychiatry.com

SERVICES

PAINTING & PAPERHANGING

INTERIOR & EXTERIOR

PAINTING

Plastering, Taping, Sheetrock

Skim Cutting, Old Wood Refinish, Staining, Wallpaper

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

JOHN MIGLIACCIO

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

AFFORDABLE TV & INTER-

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PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-866-448-8311 Have zip code of property ready when calling!

CLASSIFIEDS Call 294.8900

Fish and chips is an ideal meal throughout Lent

Gourmet Fish and Chips

Makes 4 servings Lent is an important time of year for Christians across the globe. Lent is a season of sacrifice, and many practicing Christians abstain from consuming flesh meat on Fridays in the weeks preceding Easter. Abstaining from meat on Fridays throughout Lent does not require devoted Christians to avoid flavor. In fact, there are many flavorful non-meat dishes for Christians to choose from each Friday during Lent. One particularly flavorful option is this recipe for “Gourmet Fish and Chips” from Lines+Angles.

For the mushy peas:

12 ounces green dried peas, split

1 tablespoon baking soda

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Salt

Freshly ground black peppercorns

For the fries:

2 1⁄4 lbs. white potatoes, peeled

8 cups vegetable oil, for deep-frying

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon onion powder or onion salt

1) For the mushy peas: Combine the peas with the baking soda in a large saucepan. Cover with 8” water. Cover and chill overnight.

2) The next day, drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water.

3) Return the peas to a large saucepan and cover with about 0.5” water. Bring to a boil over a high heat before reducing to a simmer until tender to the bite, about 30 to 40 minutes; skim away any froth that rises to the surface and edges.

4) Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.

5) For the chips/fries: Cut the potatoes into fries. Submerge in a large bowl of water as you heat the oil.

6) Heat the oil in a large, heavybased saucepan to 285° F; use

For the fish:

4 large white fish fillets, approximately 2 lbs., such as cod or haddock, skinless, pin-boned

1 cup flour

1 large egg, beaten

12 fluid ounces beer, chilled

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

To serve:

2 gherkins pickles, sliced lengthwise

2 lemons

Sprig curly parsley

a thermometer to accurately measure the temperature.

7) Remove the potatoes from the water and pat dry with a paper towel. Place in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle over the corn starch, onion powder and some salt, tossing well to combine.

8) Deep-fry the potatoes until soft and starting to color, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towel and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.

9) Increase the temperature of the oil to 355° F. Working in two batches, return the fries to the oil and fry until golden-brown and crisp all over.

10) Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm; reserve the oil.

11) For the fish: Return the frying oil to 355° F; use a kitch-

en thermometer to accurately gauge the temperature.

12) In the meantime, season the fish with salt and pepper

13) Combine the flour, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and some freshly ground black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Whisk briefly to combine before slowly whisking in enough of the beer to make a thick, smooth batter.

14) Working one by one, drop the fish fillets into the batter, turning to coat evenly.

15) Let the excess batter drip off the fish before carefully lowering into the hot oil. Deep-fry until golden-brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove from the hot oil and drain on paper towel, covering loosely with aluminum foil.

16) Repeat steps 14 and 15 for the remaining fish.

17) Reheat the fries in the hot oil if needed, draining well.

18)To serve: Divide the mushy peas between ramekins and place on plates. Divide the fries into individual serving baskets and arrange next to the fish on the plates.

19) Cut the lemons in half, scoring a zig-zag pattern into them with a paring knife. Serve alongside the fish and fries, garnishing the fish with gherkin slices and some parsley sprigs.

Do you have grandchildren?

Enter our “World’s Most Beautiful Grandchildren” contest!

Just send in your grandchildren’s photos and a brief description of the child (or children) along with your name and address to editor@gcnews.com

Town offers safe boating classes in March

Boating season may be several months away, but with a New York State law now in effect that requires all operators to be certified in safe boating, Supervisor Don Clavin and the Hempstead Town Board are now offering safety certification classes. As boating is one of Hempstead Town’s most enjoyable pastimes, Supervisor Clavin and Town Board colleagues want to ensure that all residents remain safe and prepared while setting sail.

The Town’s Bay Constables will lead a Boater Safety Course for adults (ages 18 years and older) in two sessions –Saturday, March 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday, March 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – at the Department of Conservation and Waterways (1401 Lido Boulevard, Point Lookout). Participants must attend both sessions to receive their boating safety certificate.

“Whether you’re a seasoned captain or just starting to learn, obtaining a

boater safety certification is the law of the sea in 2025,” said Supervisor Clavin. “We in America’s largest township want to ensure that all local mariners practice safe boating, and we encourage them to sign up for the Town’s upcoming safe boating course.”

The New York State law governing these new boating safety requirements is known as Brianna’s Law, named after 11-year-old Long Island resident Brianna Lieneck, who was killed in a boating accident in 2005.

Additional safe boating courses for youth and adults will be announced in the near future. To register for an upcoming Boater Safety Class, please call the Bay Constables at (516) 897-4100.

Residents who are already certified but cannot locate their card can obtain new documentation at https://www.ilostmycard.com/records?state_cd=NY&cert_ type=Boating

Get Results!

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

Walter Gosden

“Beep! Beep!” ~ The Evolution of the Automobile Horn

FPFD: Red Alert

Larry King, AEMT

“Wildland Fires” ~ Bryan Gallagher, Forest Ranger, NYS D.E.C.

Wes Houston Presents…

Wes Houston

“Walker” ~ Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist from The Brotherhood of the Grape Uncorked

Rex Whicker

“Wine & Classical Music ” ~ Rex Pairs Compositions with Deserving Wines 9:30 PM

Inspiring Stories

Bill Corbett, Jr.

“Tumbleweeds Foundation” ~ John Cavallo & Meagan Kinney, Co-Founders

FP-B kindergarteners learn about polar animals

Throughout February, kindergarteners at Floral Park-Bellerose School were immersed in their Polar Animal unit.

The students researched polar bears, penguins, walruses, arctic hares and snowy owls, and engaged in read-aloud activities, artwork and writing.

To conclude the unit and share their work, the kindergarten classes invited their family members to attend the Polar Pals Writing Celebration on Feb. 28.

Florettes take home trophies in great season

The Florettes had a record breaking season, taking home ten trophies!

The Florettes had an incredible and historic 2024–25 season! These young athletes have poured their hearts into perfecting their routines, spending countless hours at practice, pushing through long rehearsals, and giving their all to make this season one to remember. Their dedication extended far beyond competitions—they also showcased their talent at multiple boys’ and girls’ basketball games, sharing their hard work and passion with the community.

This was truly a record-breaking season for the Florettes, bringing home an impressive 10 trophies across Kick, Pom, Team, and Lyrical categories. They proudly earned five first-place trophies, four second-place trophies, and one third-place trophy.

One of the most emotional moments of the season was their lyrical performance, dedicated to beloved teacher Mary Jane Morra. It was a powerful tribute that meant so much to the team.

Floral Park-Bellerose School kindergarteners are pictured with their polar animal hallway displays.

Kindergarten classes invited family members to celebrate their celebration.

Photo courtesy of the Floral Park-Bellerose Union Free School District

A Q U A R T E R - C E N T U R Y O F CONFIDENCE IN EVERY MOMENT

For 25 years, we’ve transformed uncertainty into unwavering assurance, creating sophisticated spaces where care and comfort naturally intertwine. Because the best decisions often begin with ‘I’m not sure.’

When Expertise Meets Compassion – Confidence Follows

For a list of all locations in the tri-state area, visit: thebristal.com