Floral Park Villager (4/11/25)

THE GATEWAY TO NASSAU COUNTY

SERVING FLORAL PARK, BELLEROSE AND STEWART MANOR

Centennial Gardens’ first Spring Weedout

Along with the students ,are Marina Horan (in front), Dr. Lynn Pombonyno, Floral Park trustee, and James MacDonald.

Seventh grade students from Sewanhaka High School worked very hard on a misty Saturday morning, April 5, to start this spring’s first cleanup project. Marina Horan, Saturday’s weed out manager, said the group was enthusiastic, energetic and followed instructions without hesitation.

Sewanhaka teacher Diane Ventura encouraged the students to come to the weed out. Not only did they benefit

from the satisfaction of helping, they also were able to receive credit for community service. Dr. Lynn Pombonyno, Floral Park trustee, helped with the weed out and James MacDonald directed traffic at the gate. On this busy Saturday morning the gardens also had a children’s class directed by Laura Trentecoste.

The next weed out takes place Saturday, May 3, at 9 a.m. All are welcome.

Floral Park board completes fiscal year

Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald Important Dates

I would like to remind everyone of two important upcoming dates. On Monday night, April 7th, we will have our Re-Organization meeting. This annual event is where newly elected officials are sworn in, and various Village employees are appointed. Just as importantly, we will recognize all the volunteers in the Village who take time out of their days and nights to serve on various committees and boards throughout the community.

On Wednesday, April 9th, we will hold the annual Budget Hearing. As I’ve mentioned before, this is a meeting that everyone should attend. During the meeting, we will break down and review the new budget. While it can sometimes be dry, we will do our best to make it engaging and answer any questions you may have. It’s a great opportunity to learn about how the Village operates, how funds are spent, and the value we provide to our residents.

Deputy Mayor Dr. Lynn Pombonyo

Animals and Wildlife

Since February and March, our Board Reports have included messages about animals and wildlife. In March, our theme was “Caring For Outdoor Animals Safely.” We described unanticipated problems that can ensue unless specific precautions are taken when feeding animals outdoors. Briefly, these included monitoring the animal as he/she is eating your food outdoors, and discarding leftover food and the containers in plastic bags and closed receptacles immediately after feeding. Proper animal care

and property maintenance will ensure that the animal you are feeding is not injured by a hungry competitor and that unwanted insects, rodents and wild animals aren’t attracted to open containers of food that remain outdoors and become an unwanted animal’s food.

We thank all who are here tonight for caring for our outdoor animal friends, and appreciate your understanding of the time that the Board has taken since January to collaborate with those who have expertise and experience with animals and wildlife, and have displayed good will.

Police Department

Our Police Department enforces laws to ensure our safety and maintain our quality of life.

Parking laws and violations have received greater attention, as our Officers have issued over 1000 parking summonses during the month of March. Parking time limits ensure that the purpose of the parking lots and our street parking in certain areas is upheld. Providing our business customers, our business employees and our commuters with parking lots with specified time limits supports our businesses by making convenient, short-term parking available to their customers and the more longterm parking available to others, meeting their needs.

Please remember that the parking time limit throughout the Village of Floral Park is four hours, unless otherwise specified. The cooperation of all in obeying our parking laws is appreciated.

Blocking the box (or intersection)

7:30 PM

FOUR VILLAGE STUDIO

4 V S ~ Optimum Ch.18 & Fios Ch.28

MONDAY, APRIL 14th & THURSDAY, APRIL 17th

Healthcare Aware

George Ingram

“Vaccines: Development & Distribution” ~ Lisa Boodram, Pharm.D.

Inspiring Stories

8:00 PM

8:30 PM

9:00 PM

9:30 PM

Bill Corbett, Jr.

“The Doxie Legacy” ~ Bob Doxie, Jr. ~ Growing Up In A Clamming Family

Uncorked

Rex Whicker

“In Vino, Verdi: Part 1 Rigoletto” ~ Rex Pairs Wine With Opera

Wes Houston Presents…

Wes Houston

“The Hambones” ~ 4-Piece Rock Band Led By Vocalist John Kouri

FPFD: Red Alert

Larry King, AEMT

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

Elegant Living in Garden City

1 Floral Blvd., Floral Park, NY 11002

Phone: 516.326.1150 ~ Email: 4VS@4VS.org

Step into this beautifully renovated 2-bed, 2.5-bath duplex in Wyndham West, nestled on Cherry Valley Ave, Garden City, NY. Featuring a sleek modern kitchen, and premium designer appliances. This home is perfect for anyone seeking comfort, ease, and sophistication in an exclusive and wellmaintained community.

Asking $990,000.

April Events at the Floral Park Library

April… the first full month of Spring, and a harbinger of the Library’s Annual Lawn Sale on Saturday, April 26, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (rain date: Saturday, May 3). Everyone is invited to explore 35+ tables of treasures.

Several Author Talks are on the April schedule with current and former Floral Park residents: John Noone offers “The Plain Field / Shadow Twins” on April 27; Sherry Shaw Levine shares poems in “Remembering Mommy” on April 17; and young Chloe Iannitti reads her Children’s book “A Walk in the Park” on April 1.

On Thursday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m., Town of Hempstead Councilman Thomas Muscarella brings a Narcan Training program to the Library.

April’s Floral Park Library Urban Explorers take on the Museum of the City of New York. The adventure is already at capacity, as was March’s tour of the New York City Public Library.

If you’re in spring cleaning mode, visit the Library on April 25 from 10 a.m. – noon when A Shred Away will be curbside to shred your no-longer-needed documents. Curbside at the Library on April 30 from 10:00 a.m. –1:00 p.m. will be the St. Francis Hospital Outreach Bus. Contact the St. Francis Outreach Department for an appointment.

Tuesday evening English Language Learners classes continue, while AARP Tax Assistance wraps up for the year with the last two dates on the April calendar.  It’s always a date on Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m. for Hybrid Chair Yoga with Micheline.

For pure entertainment and enlightenment, Adults can opt for a three-class Mah Jongg series, a Stitch and Study Plants with Old Westbury Gardens, and an in depth look at how to Empower Your Child and Teens to Flourish. Registration is open for all three.

The morning Friends of the Library Book Club meets Monday, April 7, at 10:15 a.m., while the women of the Evening Edition Book Club discuss “The

Women” by Kristin Hannah on Thursday, April 10, at 7:00 p.m. Spring Canvas Art and a Minecraft Space Drop programs are available to the teen cohort.

For the youngest cohort, there’s Play Hooray, A Time for Kids Baby Start and Family Pre-School Hour; Craft with the Pom Pom Queen (grades 3 – 5); and Tiny Tots Storytime, Craft with the Pom Queen (grades 3 – 5), and P[art]y Art Fun for Kids sessions (PreK – 1st grade, and grades 2 – 5).

Pokémon Professor Brittany bring a new program to the Library with a Pokémon Trading Card event, and Wool Spring Blankets teach children in grades 3 – 5 the art of basket weaving.

And what would a month be without Chef Julie and a Chefs of d’Future kids program?!

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 April 9 at 7:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

One-to-one tech help with Joe for tablets, smartphones, laptops and Kindles is available for our Floral Park patrons by appointment only (floralparktechhelp@gmail.com).

Call the Library (516 326-6330) to check days and times for the Book Nook. All sales of books, DVDs, jigsaw puzzles, bookmarks and more support the Friends of the Floral Park Library, a 501c3 organization.

For more information on dates and times, events registration and program details, visit the library website, floralparklibrary.org, call 516 326-6330, or visit us at 17 Caroline Place. All events and programs are subject to change and/or cancellation. The Library is closed Sunday, April 20, for Easter Sunday.

Follow us on Facebook (floralparklibrary), Twitter (@fplibrary17), or Instagram (fplibrary, 17, floralparkchildrens, fpplteens).

Break Week brings artistic inspiration, animal education, popular stage productions to LICM

April finds LICM ready to unleash creativity, spark compassion and illuminate imaginations during spring break week! While schools close their doors, LICM will be bustling with engaging workshops and hands-on experiences that invite young minds to enjoy popular storybook characters on the stage, work with artists to unleash your creativity, learn about animal care and holiday traditions.

April Break Week Schedule

LICM Theater

WeBop Family Jazz Party: Swingin’ Nursery Rhymes and Lullabies

Sunday, April 13 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Remember your favorite lullabies and nursery rhymes? We’re taking these tunes and putting a fun twist on them! We welcome you and your little ones to join us for Swingin’ Nursery Rhymes and Lullabies with Jazz at Lincoln Center's WeBop Family Jazz Band. The WeBop Family Jazz Band invites you to explore activities from WeBop’s Jazz Heroes and Jazz Basics series to swing your favorite tunes! Get ready to sing and swing to favorites including

“Old McDonald,” “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” and “Wheels on the Bus” in a whole new way.

This concert is aligned with the Jazz at Lincoln Center residency at the Tilles Center and supported through LICM's "Musical Explorers!” series, featuring live music concerts designed especially for kids! Dive into a world of rhythm and melody showcasing a variety of musical styles from around the globe. Each performance will take young audiences on an exciting journey through sound, featuring legends, trailblazers and GRAMMY winners.

Fee: $5 with museum admission ($4 Members), $10 Theater only.

Musical Explorers! performances are sponsored by Roni Kohen-Lemle and Robert Lemle.

“Elephant & Piggie's "We Are in a Play!"

Based on the Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems

Published by Hyperion Books for Children

Script and Lyrics by Mo Willems; Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma Monday, April 14 through Saturday,

April 19 at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Mo Willem’s popular characters return to the LICM stage! Enjoy a musical adventure, ripped from the pages of Mo Willems' beloved award-winning, best-selling children's books. Willems' classic characters Elephant and Piggie storm the stage in a rollicking musical romp filled with plenty of pachydermal peril and swiney suspense perfect for young audiences. Carefully cautious Gerald and spirited playful Piggie share a day where anything is possible in an imaginative exploration of the meaning of friendship. Together with nutty backup singers, The Squirrelles, our comedic duo even gets the audience involved in the action. Come do the Elephant Dance and say "banana" with them! Elephant and Piggie's "We Are in a Play!" is produced with permission of Music Theater International. Advanced sales are available for these performances at www.licm.org/ calendar. Please note that performances may have sold out since printing. Sameday tickets may be purchased at the box office on a first-come, first-serve basis. All advance tickets are non-refundable. See page 10

Explore the moon and beyond in LICM’s newest traveling exhibit.

Celeste Benvenuto holds an item at the museum.

The Floral Park Explorers group of the Floral Park Public Library enjoyed a trip to the Museum of the City of New York on Thursday, March 27.

Prepare for the Spring Market

Spring is the busiest time for real estate. Follow these steps to get your home in pristine showing condition!

Get Organized

Get organized now! Sort through your closets, attic, basement and garage to determine what you want to keep and what to give away and sell. Boxing up items will make your space look larger and neater for showings. You also can rent a storage facility while your home is on the market.

Clear Away the Clutter

If you visit model homes or open houses of homes that have been staged, you’ll never see a stack of unread magazines, children’s artwork loosely hanging on the refrigerator, or a cluster of unpaid bills on a table. While everyone has clutter, buyers want to see a fantasy version of your house, in which they can envision living. While your home is on the market you’ll need to keep it as neat as possible. One way to make that easier is to reduce the amount of clutter you have on your shelves and surfaces. Put away items that are regularly on your kitchen counters and pack away the family photos.

Improve Your Home

While you don’t necessarily want to do a major, expensive renovation project before you sell, you can make minor repairs and improvements that will make your home look fresher to buyers. Try things such as replacing the caulk and grout in your bathroom, updating old or rusted ceiling fans and light fixtures, and changing switch plates, doorknobs and other hardware for a clean and neat appearance. Consider painting your front door, trim and walls that need it.

Research Your Market

If you plan to buy another home, an important decision to make is whether to sell your home first or make an offer on a new home before putting yours on the market. Your Signature Premier real estate agent can help you evaluate how fast homes are selling in your market and help you estimate how long it will take you to find a home. This decision also depends on your financing, so you may want to consult with a lender to see how you can finance the transition from one home to another if you choose not to sell your home first.

Junior Woman’s Club

Annual Craft Fair on May 4

The Floral Park Junior Woman's Club will be holding its Annual Craft Fair on Sunday, May 4, (rain date Sunday, May 18) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

in Memorial Park, Tulip and Plainfield Avenues (in front of OLV).

The fair will feature assorted arts and crafts.

OLV Rosary Altar Society Spring Fair

OLV Rosary Altar Society Spring Fair will be held on Saturday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The event will include great vendors; free bike tune up, blessing of bikes, bake

sale, raffles, refreshments.

Anyone interested in being a vendor at the event, please email janiceolv@ gmail.com

ATTENTION STUDENTS!

We invite you to send details of your academic achievements, along with your name and contact info, to editor@gcnews.com for a chance to be featured in our paper!

Submissions from students of all ages are welcome!

SHANE PAROUSE, ChFC® Wealth Management Advisor, Principal 516-921-1482 Office • 646-528-7570 Mobile shane.parouse@lpl.com • shelterrockwealthmanagement.com

Tips and resources that everyone can use

BY SHANE PAROUSE

Knowledge Is Retirement Power

For nearly 60 years, Medicare has been the program that retired Americans turn to for their health care coverage. In 2023, it helped more than 65 million people pay for everything from hospital stays to doctor visits to prescription drugs. You become eligible for the program at age 65. However, prior to enrolling, you’ll need to set aside time to review the many options offered and sign up for the coverage that best meets your health needs and budget. You can start signing up three months before you turn 65, and you’ll have until three months after your birthday month to complete your enrollment. If you miss that deadline, you may end up paying higher premiums. If you are still working and have employer-sponsored health coverage, you can likely wait to sign up. For more information, check out www.aarp.org/ medicare/enrollment-guide/, a stepby-step tool for first-time Medicare enrollees.

Q&A

Q: What is the most I can save this year in my 401(k) plan?

A: 401(k) savers can contribute up to $23,500 in 2025 (an increase from $23,000 in 2024). The annual catch-up contribution for savers age 50 and older remains at $7,500 in 2025, for a potential total contribution of $31,000. Under a change

made in SECURE ACT 2.0, a higher catch-up contribution limit applies for employees aged 60-63. For 2025, this higher catch-up contribution limit is $11,250 instead of $7,500, for a potential total contribution of $34,750. These limits also apply to savers with a 403(b) plan and most 457 plans.

Quarterly Reminder

When was the last time you reviewed your beneficiary designations for your major assets — including your retirement plan? The start of each new year is a good time for some financial housekeeping. Make sure your current designations still match your wishes, especially if you have had any major life changes such as marriage, divorce or the birth or adoption of any children.

Tools and Techniques

According to a survey by U.S. News & World Report, nearly half of Americans believe that carrying a credit card balance improves your credit score. Unfortunately, carrying a balance will likely lower your score — and cost you money in interest payments. That’s because an important factor in your credit score is how much of your available credit you use (known as your credit utilization ratio). Aim to use less than 30% of your available credit. For example, if you have a $5,000 credit limit, try to keep your balance under $1,500. It’s a sign to creditors that you aren’t stretching yourself too thin.

Attention

high school seniors

The Floral Park Junior Woman’s Club will be offering awards with scholarships to students who have displayed outstanding dedication to community service throughout their high school experience. These awards are given to honor the memory of three former members of the Floral Park Junior Woman’s Club who volunteered in the commu

nity. Applications can be found at the Floral Park Public Library and Floral Park Memorial High School Guidance Office. Please fill out an application with a short essay about your community service experience and return it by Thursday, April 24, 2025. See application for additional details.

Easter Packages

Choose 1

25 pc. Shrimp Cocktail

Antipasto Platter

Assorted Cheese Platter

Choose 1 (1/2 Tray)

Meat Lasagna • Stuffed Shells

Baked Ziti • Eggplant Parmigiana

Fully Cooked

Choose 1

Garden Salad

Caesar Salad

Mesclun Salad

Choose 1 (1/2 Tray)

String Beans • Roasted Potatoes

String Beans & Potatoes • Mixed Veggies

Choose 1 (Served with Gravy)

Boneless Leg of Lamb Roast • Cooled & Sliced Boneless Turkey Breast

Sweet Slice Ham with Our Homemade Glaze • Eye Round Roast Beef

Choose 1 45 pc. Shrimp Cocktail

Large Antipasto Platter

Large Assorted Cheese Platter

Choose 1 (Full Tray)

Meat Lasagna • Stuffed Shells

Baked

Choose 1

Large Garden Salad

Large Caesar Salad

Large Mesclun Salad

Choose 1 (Full Tray)

String Beans • Roasted Potatoes

String Beans & Potatoes • Mixed Veggies

Choose 1 (Served with Gravy)

Boneless Leg of Lamb Roast • Cooled & Sliced Boneless Turkey Breast

Sweet Slice Ham with Our Homemade Glaze • Eye Round Roast Beef

CATERING

Floral Park board completes fiscal year

From page 1

is another directed patrol. During the month of March, more than twenty-five summonses were issued for violations. Always remember, even when the traffic light is green for your vehicle, you may not enter the intersection until it is cleared of vehicles and there is adequate space for your vehicle beyond the intersection.

Please be a safe, responsible driver. Chambers of Commerce and Our Businesses

Our Floral Park Chamber of Commerce will be meeting this Thursday, April 3rd, 6:00 PM at the Villa d’Este Restaurant on Jericho Turnpike. Business people in the area are invited to come to join in the planning for the very popular Friday evening, June 6th Street Fair on Tulip Avenue, enjoyable networking, and a delicious dinner. Visit: floralparkchamber.org for meeting registration and membership fun facts.

At the March Covert Avenue Chamber of Commerce meeting, Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips presented a very interesting program that mutually benefits our County’s Small Businesses and Senior Citizens. Small Businesses are eligible for grants which they may use to offer discounts to our Seniors. The program is described in a booklet entitled “Nassau County Senior Discount Program: Connecting Nassau County’s Seniors & Businesses.” For information, contact Comptroller Phillips’ office at: NCcomptroller@nassaucountyny.gov

The next Covert Avenue Chamber of Commerce meeting is Tuesday, April 22nd, 7:00 PM at the Trinity Restaurant on Jericho Tunpike. Stay tuned for details and visit the Chamber website at: covertavenuechamber.org

Shopping and Dining Local, it’s the Best of Spring!

Conservation Society (FPCS)

Bright sunshine greeted all at our Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary on opening day today. From now until the end of November, you can enjoy the Gardens, seven days a week, from noon to 5:00 PM.

You can also help enhance our Gardens by participating in the FPCS first Weed Out of 2025, this Saturday, April 5th at 9:00 AM. Come to the Floral Parkway gate to meet the Volunteers who care for the Gardens, as well as new friends and neighbors.

Also coming this weekend is our annual “Photos with the Easter Bunny” event at the Gardens on Sunday, April 6th from noon to 2:00 PM. Bring your camera or cell phone and take a colorful photo of your children and family with our smiling Easter Bunny. Special Easter Bags await our little guests, too.

Let’s celebrate another year of our BEST OF NASSAU COUNTY Public Gardens and Park!

Trustee Frank Chiara Floral Park Library

The month of April has begun, and there are many exciting activities and events taking place at the Floral Park Library:

On Thursday, April 3, 2025, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM, the library will offer a training course on the use of Narcan. The training will be conducted by Town of Hempstead Councilman Thomas Muscarella’s office. This session will teach how and when to use the potentially lifesaving Narcan. All attendees will receive a free Narcan kit.

The Floral Park Library Urban Explorers will have their next outing on Thursday, May 1st. This time, they will be visiting the Mount Vernon Hotel and Gardens. There, they will take part in a guided tour of the museum, which was constructed in 1799, have lunch at the Ritz Diner, and return to Floral Park around 5:00 PM. It will be a fun excursion.

The library is looking to form a social group for anyone who enjoys making crafts. If interested, visit the Library’s website at www.floralparklibrary.org to complete a quick survey. The survey will assist the library staff in forming the new craft group.

You can sign up online or at the Reference Desk for any programs. Additionally, check the Library’s website at www.floralparklibrary.org for more information about upcoming programs.

Fire Department

Our Village of Floral Park Volunteer Fire Department remains in good standing. We are grateful for their dedicated service to our community.

Trustee Jennifer Stewart

Four Village Studio

On the upcoming on-air schedule is Community Spotlight with Stephanie Larkin highlighting Girl Scout Troop 1239 Gold Award Candidates; FPFD’s Larry King (AEMT), presents FPFD Red Alert featuring Floral Park Fire Explorer Post 129 for Volunteers aged 14-17; and FPPD: Behind the Badge with Lt. Will Doherty featuring “Surviving an Active Shooter” with Retired Sgt. Dean Mayo and PO Robert Hayes.

Department of Public Works

All DPW crews and departments continue to keep our beautiful Village clean and well-maintained. Recently, the DPW has completed the following tasks: storm basins were cleaned along Charles Street, potholes were filled in the West End, spring clean-ups in the Village parks are ongoing, and the Village Hall and Police Department lobbies have been repainted.

The DPW Sanitation Department collected 61 tons of household waste, 7.5 tons of paper, 5.5 tons of commingled plastics, and 14 tons of bulk rubbish.

Additionally, I wanted to inform you

that Verizon is currently looking for a location for a new cell tower. There is a possibility that Verizon may lease Village property to install the tower.

Cultural Arts Committee

I’d like to remind everyone about a new concert we’re planning, the High School/College Band Showcase, scheduled for Friday, July 25th. If anyone of high school or college age is interested in performing, please reach out to me at JStewart@FPVillage.org. We have several performers lined up and are hoping to have more talent to showcase this summer!

MTA

As many of you know, the LIRR/MTA is installing a Signal Hut and retaining wall along their right-of-way on Atlantic Avenue. They have informed us that work will take place daily from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM, with some overnight work. We have been notified promptly about any increased hours or overnight work, and we appreciate the continuous communication from the LIRR. We will make every effort to disseminate this information as quickly as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns about this work, please contact Ms. Ana Garcia, Assistant Director of Government and Community Relations for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for the LIRR. Ms. Garcia can be reached at (718) 558-7322 or via email at ana.garcia@mtahq.org.

If you do reach out to the MTA/LIRR, please also let me know at jstewart@ FPVillage.org so we can track residents’ concerns.

Trustee Michael Longobardi Building Department

There have been no major announcements regarding the ongoing projects in our Village. We do expect a few of them to be completed and open in the Spring and Summer. These are great events for our village and business districts and we will announce them as they happen. A Zoning Board application has been submitted for 50 Carnation Avenue (Storage Post), for the expansion of their storage building. This case will be heard at the April 10th Zoning Board Meeting.

A reminder to all residents and

businesses that you are responsible in keeping your properties and adjacent sidewalks clear of weeds and debris. As you plan those Spring and Summer improvements, please call the Building Department to discuss any code issues as well as required permits for any improvements you are planning. Pool and Recreation Spring is here and just 11 days left to the 2025 Opening Day. Saturday morning, April 12th we will kick off the season with the annual Little League parade through town followed by the opening day ceremony at the park. Then everyone is invited to enjoy a day of activities and events for the kids. Come out and support our young rising stars and enjoy a day with neighbors and friends. Final preparations are ongoing to get the fields ready for the Spring season. Thank you to Superintendent Kurt Meyfohrt and his staff for all their hard work. A reminder to all coaches that the fields are not available for practice during this time.

The Summer Recreation and Pool book is being designed as we speak. Residents will receive a new mini version in the Village Items shortly with all the key information as well as QR codes and links to various items. The full version will be available at the usual locations when ready as well as on our new Village Website. If you have not seen it, I encourage everyone to go and visit it at www.fpvillage.org. Beginning April 12th, park hours will be 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM. A reminder to everyone that this is the time of year to renew/apply for leisure passes. They are required for Tiny Town, Basketball, Tennis, and Pickle Ball among other park activities. Town-Village Aircraft Safety & Noise Abatement Committee (TVASNAC)

The next meeting will be Monday, April 28, 2025, at Hempstead Town Hall, One Washington Street, Hempstead. If you want to make a noise complaint regarding air traffic, you can call 1-800225-1071. You can also visit the Village website, which has the links under the TVASNAC noise complaint contact information page on our homepage.

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

MORTALITY RATES. HOW’S THAT FOR AN ICEBREAKER?

Our health system maintains the lowest mortality rates in the nation. And at the end of the day, this is what matters. We apply the highest standard of care to every factor that impacts patient recovery and survival, so more people who come here, go home. No wonder we were named #1 for quality care in the U.S.

Better health starts with a better health system.

Break Week brings artistic inspiration, animal education, popular stage productions to LICM

page 3

Special Events

Hop into Spring!

Saturday, April 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Hop on over to LICM as we welcome spring! Meet Peter Rabbit and Baby Chick costume characters, explore the museum to collect goodies, interact with live animals, and create themed craft activities. Celebrate the arrival of spring with a day of family fun!

Decorate a bag to collect all your spring goodies.

Design your own bunny hat to wear as you hop about the museum.

Meet some of LICM’s animals while you find out which hatch from eggs. Add some personality to a blooming, spring “buddy”.

Say hello and pose for a picture with Peter Cottontail as he hops all around the Museum.

Take a pic with the Baby Chick. All ages. Free with Museum admission.

Mutt-i-grees Family Social: A Program of North Shore Animal League America

Tuesday, April 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Join North Shore Animal League America for a hands-on event where children and families learn about animal rescue, care, and adoption through play and educational engagement. Developed in partnership with Yale University, the Mutt-i-grees® Curriculum bridges Humane Education with Social Emotional and Service Learning. Please note, live animals will not be present. There will be four stations with activities based on the Mutt-i-grees® Curriculum:

Rescue: Explore the journey of homeless animals to the safety of Animal League America’s campus.

Nurture: Learn how grooming and veterinary care improve the well-being of animals as you use your imagination to care for plush animals.

Adopt: Pledge an act of kindness towards homeless animals. Create a badge to proudly wear and tie a knot to make cozy blankets for shelter animals.

Educate: Spin the wheel and share your ideas about animal-themed scenarios. Snap a photo to celebrate learning about the mission of North Shore Animal League America.

Ages 3 and up. Free with Museum admission.

Workshop

Celebrate Passover

Sunday, April 13 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Come celebrate Passover with us.

This week-long holiday celebrates the Israelites liberation from slavery in Egypt. We will be learning about the most beloved traditions, hiding and finding the afikomen. You can then make your own afikomen bag to bring home. This is a drop-in program, free with admission. It takes approximately 10 minutes and is yours to keep.

Ages: 3 and up. Free with Museum admission.

Splish Splash Animal Bath

Sunday, April 13 from 1:30 to 2 p.m.

Join us in the Hive Studio in the Feasts for Beasts Gallery to learn what goes into the care of LICM's animals. Join our Animal Educator to observe animal bath time. This is a drop-in program, free with admission.

All ages. Free with Museum admission.

Wilbur, the Naked Mole Rat Puppet

Monday, April 14 through Friday, April 18 from Noon to 2 p.m.

Join us in celebrating Wilbur the Naked Mole Rat's birthday this week by creating your very own Wilbur puppet and designing him a stylish outfit! This is a drop-in program, free with admission. It takes approximately 10 minutes and is yours to keep.

Ages: 3 and up. Free with Museum admission.

Echoes of the Forest: Create with Ian Love

Wednesday, April 16 at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Meet self-taught sculptor Ian Love, whose stunning work transforms fallen Long Island trees into art pieces and functional furniture. Discover his cre-

ative process and practice woodworking skills under his guidance. With sustainability at heart, Ian hand-carved each piece to use as much of the tree as possible.

Ages 3 and up. Fee: Free, but tickets required. Tickets available at the Box Office on the day of the event.

Lumi's Utopia x Long Island Children's Museum Presents: A Light-Art Collaboration

Monday, April 14 and Friday, April 18 at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m.

Illuminate your imagination in this educator-led workshop introducing the history and process of lantern making! Create your own unique drawing inspired by the theme "Fantasy Winter Fairyland" and submit it for a chance to have your 2-D artwork brought to life as a 3-D light sculpture at the 2025 LuminoCity Festival—a dazzling wonderland filled with light sculptures and magical attractions!

All ages. Fee: Free, but tickets required. Tickets available at the Box Office on the day of the event.

AdvoKids: Autism Acceptance Month

Thursday, April 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Celebrate Autism Acceptance Month with the AdvoKids program this month! Learn about Temple Grandin, a leading advocate for individuals on the Autism Spectrum, and her impactful work. Then, create a rainbow infinity symbol, the new emblem for autism acceptance. This is a drop-in program, free with admission. Stop by between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to participate

Sponsored by Fourleaf Federal Credit Union.

Ages: 4 and up. Free with Museum admission.

STEM Explorers: Our Earth, Our Home

Saturday, April 19 from Noon to 2 p.m.

Our Earth is our home. Join the Green Teens in celebrating Earth Day and learn about how you can make a difference in keeping our planet healthy!

STEM Explorers, powered by Green

Teens, is made possible with the support of National Grid.

Ages: 5 and up. Free with Museum admission.

Celebrate Easter

Sunday, April 20 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Easter is observed during the spring and always falls on a Sunday. Eggs are an important symbol of this holiday, representing new life and rebirth. Stop by to decorate your own egg and learn about this Easter tradition. This is a drop-in program, free with admission. It takes approximately 10 minutes and is yours to keep.

Ages: 3 and up. Free with Museum admission.

Traveling Exhibit

Moon to Mars

Through Sunday, May 4

Blast off with Moon to Mars, in this new interactive STEAM exhibit that transports children to the out-of-thisworld experiences in space travel, coming to LICM. This touring exhibit was designed with support from NASA’s Deep Space Exploration Systems at Johnson Space Center. Young guests will be inspired by the current realities and future dreams for interplanetary travel while experiencing firsthand the diversity of talent and skills that a team requires to make space exploration a reality. Young explorers can experience walking in reduced gravity, design, build and launch their own rockets, and take the controls in the Orion Spacecraft and navigate new land in the Lunar Rover.

This exhibit was created by the Omaha Children’s Museum and designed with support from NASA’s Deep Space Exploration Systems at Johnson Space Center.

Museum admission: $18 for adults and children over 1 year old, $16 for seniors, FREE to Museum members and children under 1 year old. Additional fees for theater and special programs may apply. For additional information, contact 516-224-5800.

Hours: (September-June) Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and most school holidays.

April 11, 2025

Annual Cycle the Erie Canalway Bike Tour is All the More Special During 200th Anniversary Celebration

BY KAREN RUBIN

TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE

The annual eight-day Parks & Trails Cycle the Erie Canalway bike tour from Buffalo to Albany is 400 miles and 400 years of history but this year’s ride July 12-20, 2025 is particularly special because it marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825. An engineering marvel of its time that transformed the United States, all along the way, riders will enjoy special events and celebrations.

The Erie Canal propelled the Industrial Revolution, opened the frontier, united the country, birthed canal towns and cities, and made New York City a financial capital of the world. You see all of this unfolding from the first mile out of Buffalo and over the course of eight days of riding (averaging 50 miles a day), filled with activities and camaraderie.

Cycle the Erie Canalway participants experience one of the best trails in America, as they cycle through historic canal villages and discover the small-town charm of upstate New York that makes people like us Downstaters marvel, “This is New York!” Along the way, canal historians and local experts will introduce riders to the people, places, and things that make the Erie Canal so important to the history of New York and the nation during its Bicentennial Year. Cyclists pedal between 40 and 60 miles per day on the mostly flat (but it seems the campsites tend to be at the highest point of a town) and mostly traffic-free Erie Canalway Trail, and visit some of Upstate New York’s most iconic

The annual eight-day Parks & Trails Cycle the Erie Canalway bike tour from Buffalo to Albany is 400 miles and 400 years of history but this year’s ride July 12-20, 2025 is particularly special because it marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 NY © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

attractions, such as the Women’s Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls, and Fort Stanwix in Rome, a full-scale fort recreation from the French and Indian War.

The Parks & Trails NY tour is actually one of my favorite bike rides in the world – for the scenery, the sights along the way, the activities like lectures and museum visits that are arranged, the camaraderie of camping and riding together with some 650 cyclists from all over the country and all over the world, and the Erie Canalway itself –a 356 mile-long car-free recreational path that is the west-east part of New York State’s new 750-mile Empire Trail Network

Each day’s ride is highlighted by fascinating attractions all along the Erie Canalway

In Lockport, see the original engineering marvel that made the entire Erie Canal possible: the  famous ‘Flight of Five’, a staircase of five

locks built to elevate boats through the then-impossible 50-foot Niagara Escarpment; take a cruise through the modern lock (the GE motors that run it are over 100 years old), explore underground sluiceways, caves and the “Upsidedown Bridge.”

Leaving the historic village of Medina, look for the tunnel under the Erie Canal, where you see that the Erie Canal is really like a bathtub.

Ride through New York’s Amish Country on the way to Seneca Falls, birthplace of the modern Women’s Rights movement and visit the Women’s Rights National Historic Park, National Women’s Hall of Fame (housed in a former knitting mill) and the Elizabeth Cady Stanton home (the museums stay open for us).

You also get a taste of the women’s movement at the Peppermint Museum in Lyons (don’t miss it!) where you learn about the inventor, Hotchkiss’s daughter, a suffragist, who took over

the company

On the way to Syracuse, stop at the Visitors Center at the Old Erie Canal Heritage Park at Port Byron, then pedal through the authentic enlarged Erie Canal Lock 52 to the c. 1895 Erie House Saloon, Blacksmith Shop, and Mule Barn; visit the Jordan Historical Society Museum, and ride on the towpath on an original aqueduct over Skaneateles Creek which takes you to Camillus’ Erie Canal Park where you stop at Sims Store, a re-creation of a 19th century general store (where riders are cheered for passing the halfway mark at 200 miles).

In Syracuse, visit the zoo, and the next morning, the Erie Canal Museum, the best of the Canal Museums along the way (they open especially for the cyclists)

On the way to Rome, visit the Chittenango Canal Museum and dry docks and the Canastota Canal Town Museum and see the spot where the first shovel of dirt was turned for “Clinton’s Ditch”. Chittenango was also the birthplace in 1856 of L. Frank Baum, famous throughout the world as the creator of The Wizard of Oz.

In Rome, camp at the restored Fort Stanwix National Monument, built during the French and Indian War, populated with costumed interpreters, and learn how seemingly minor battles actually shaped the outcome of the American Revolution.

Coming from Schenectady to the finish line in Albany, stop at Cohoes Falls, one of the most powerful falls east of the Rockies and a major challenge for Erie Canal engineers (a wonderful bookend with Niagara Falls in the west); visit Peebles Island State

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GOING PLACES, NEAR & FAR....

Annual Cycle the Erie Canalway Bike Tour

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Park, where, during the Revolutionary War, American forces prepared defenses to make a final stand against the British, and finally, bike along the Hudson River into downtown Albany, New York State’s 300-year-old capital.

Registration for Cycle the Erie Canal includes camping accommodations each evening with restrooms and showers (even swimming pools and charging stations and the possibility of indoor camping); eight hearty breakfasts and six delicious dinners; two refreshment stops daily stocked with fruit, snacks and beverages; SAG support and baggage transport; daily cue sheets and marked routes; entertainment and historic presentations every evening; and guided tours of the Canal, historic sites, museums, other attractions, and expanded celebrations for the Canal’s 200th Anniversary.

The price for the eight-day ride, July 12-20, Buffalo to Albany is $1,300/adult, $700 (youth age 6-17), $300/child (5 and under). There is also a four-day version.

Parks & Trails New York, which is celebrating its own 40th anniversary this year, is a leading statewide advocate working to create a network of parks, trails, and greenways so that New Yorkers can enjoy the outdoors close to home. The annual Cycle the Erie tour supports PTNY’s advocacy.

The New York State Canal Corporation, the agency charged with operating, maintaining and promoting New York’s Canal System and the Canalway Trail, is the Premier State Sponsor of Cycle the Erie Canal. The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is the event’s Heritage Sponsor.

For more information on Cycle the Erie Canal, visit www.ptny.org/canaltour, email eriecanaltour@ptny.org or call 518-434-1583.

Erie Canal Bicentennial Events

The Cycle the Erie Canal bike tour, July 12-20, is one of the biggest events honoring the canal’s bicentennial, but there are

many events happening in various towns and cities along the Canal:

On Fri., May 16, 2025, the Bicentennial Navigation season kicks off in Waterford, where the Canal meets the Hudson River, with a parade of vessels.

Fairport, NY, the jewel of the Erie Canal, celebrates its 48th Canal Days from June 6-8, 2025. One of New York’s premier arts festivals features artisans, music, local cuisine and fun for all ages, and brings more than 100,000 visitors to this unique Rochester suburb.

Canal enthusiasts, historians, engineers, environmentalists, artists and travelers from around the world can attend  The 2025 World Canals Conference from Sept. 21-25 in Buffalo, NY, complete with canal-themed excursions for participants, in addition to hours of learning, discussion and networking.

The  Water Music NY: More Voices Festival returns in  Summer 2025, with  The Albany Symphony Orchestra  performing free concerts across the entire New York State Canal System.

For the grand finale, a replica of Seneca Chief,  the boat Governor Dewitt Clinton used for his inaugural Erie Canal journey to open the Canal in 1825, will set sail

NUTRITION NEWS

BY CHARLYN FARGO

Cycle the Erie Canalway cyclists are fascinated to see the famous “Flight of Five” series of five locks that brought boats 50 feet, an engineering marvel of its time that made the building of the canal possible. Cyclists on this year’s Parks & Trails NY ride will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the opening of Erie Canal © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

on September 24 and recreate the maiden voyage from Buffalo Canalside to the New York Harbor, making multiple stops along the way with celebratory events at each community stop including flotillas and a grand commemoration in New York City on October 25.

Can’t make it to the Parks & Trails NY Cycle the Erie Ride? The bike tour company, Wilderness Voyageurs offers a four-day inn to inn ride, New York Erie Canal West, that begins in Lockport and stays in places like the historic Genessee Country Inn (2025 tour dates: 6/30, 7/27, 8/10, 800-272-4141, wilderness-voyageurs. com).

Another company that offers inn-toinn supported tour on the Erie Canalway is Pocono Biking (https://poconobiking. com/specialty-trips/6-day-erie-canalbike-tour/). Also: Great American Bike Tours (949-424-5369, cycletheusa.com); Classic Adventures (800-777-8090, classicadventures.com); Noble Invention Bike Touring (844-424-5342, nobleinventionbiketouring.com); and 718 Outdoors (347-457-5760, 718c.com)

Another extraordinary way to experience the Erie Canal is by a live-aboard canal boat! This European-style self-skippered houseboat that was specifically

Heart-Healthy Mediterranean

I know I’ve written about this healthy way of eating before, but here’s another reason to consider the Mediterranean pattern of eating. In a study (published in May 2022), researchers at the Reina Sofia University Hospital in Cordoba, Spain, looked at which diet was best for your heart after you’ve been diagnosed with coronary artery disease: the Mediterranean diet or a low-fat diet. The CORDIOPREV study compared the Mediterranean diet with a low-fat diet over a seven-year follow-up period.

A total of 1,002 participants, with an

average age of 59.5, were enrolled if they had known coronary artery disease and were randomly assigned to one of the eating patterns. Doctors didn’t know which eating pattern their patient was assigned. In the seven-year follow up period, doctors looked at a composite of major cardiovascular events of participants, including myocardial infarction, revascularization, ischemic stroke, peripheral artery disease and cardiovascular death. The study was published in The Lancet on May 14, 2022. They found the Mediterranean diet was superior to the low-fat diet at preventing cardiovascular events for men and women, but this was more evident in men.

designed for the Erie Canal let’s you make your own way on the Erie Canal, going through locks and under the lift bridges, and experience the 200th anniversary of the canal just as it was then, by boat and bike. Erie Canal Adventures provides this one-of-a-kind experience with liveaboard, fully-equipped canal boats. Accommodating 2 to 6 people, each of these charming, easy-to-pilot boats features cozy bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms - cooking utensils, linens, fuel, mobile app and bikes. You get 3-4 hours of training, including safety training, systems, and navigational training (and how to go through the locks which are SO fun. You learn how to work the radio to call up to the lockmaster and the bridge operators to lift the bridges. And you tie up where you like. Erie Canal Adventures, 1125 Marina Parkway, Macedon NY  14502, (315) 986-3011, Option 1, allie@eriecanaladventures.com, ericcanaladventures.com.

More ways to experience the Erie Canal can be found at the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, https:// eriecanalway.org/explore/cycling/ cycling-resources

“This year, New York State is rich with opportunities to experience major milestone anniversaries, stay in new hotels and explore new museums and exhibits,” I LOVE NY Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said. “The Bicentennial of the Erie Canal’s completion can be celebrated throughout upstate communities, while downstate, New York City commemorates its 400th anniversary. The 100th anniversary of the Great Gatsby can be explored at Gold Coast mansions on Long Island, where the famous novel was set. For more information, visit iloveny.com

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

Heart events occurred in 67 (16.2%) of 414 men in the Mediterranean diet group versus 94 (22.8%) of 413 men in the low-fat diet group. For 175 women in the study, no difference was found between the groups. So just what does it mean to have a Mediterranean pattern of eating? The Mediterranean diet encourages the consumption of a variety of nutrient-dense foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and heart-healthy fats. (In the study, olive oil was provided for free for participants in the Mediterranean diet group). It also includes fish and

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BY LOU THEODORE

Ten years ago, I wrote the first GREAT EATS article. The fifth article in this series appeared a year ago and was concerned with steakhouses. Here’s what I had to say then: “…but if not a steak, is there another option? I have come to really enjoy hamburgers. What could be better than a hamburger with fried onions on a crusty roll? Add some ketchup, french fries and a sour Jewish pickle and you’re in business. So here we go.

A check of the literature provides a host of restaurants that could rightly be described as “hamburger joints.” Here is an abbreviated list of a baker’s dozen, along with, in some cases, their locations.

On Great Eats: Hamburgers

1. Burger King (chain)

2. McDonalds (chain)

3. Bareburger (chain)

4. Wendy’s (chain)

5. Majors (chain)

6. Shake Shack (chain)

7. Neptune Diner, Bayside, Queens. (I haven’t tried the recently open Syosset Diner)

8. Beginnings, Atlantic Beach

9. The Wild Goose, Port Washington

10. The Barefoot Peddler

11. Memories, Williston Park

12. Swing the Teapot, Floral Park. A solid burger with the trimmings, including some really tasty fries, and entertainment on weekends is an added plus.

13. The Cornerstone, Mineola. A lot to choose from here but the burgers

stand out. A great place to dine with an excellent menu, due to manager Kim Kavanaugh. Did I mention that it is a super sports bar, and entertainment on weekends is an added plus.

You want more? Just check the Yellow Pages. But as for me, I offer the following suggestions for burger joints.

1. Any diner. I’ve yet to have a bad burger at a diner. Honesty, the price is always right and the french fries almost always hit the spot.

2. Shake Shack. My family’s favorite. The burgers are tasty and reasonably priced. The french fries are fair but the shakes are excellent. No longer my favorite because the meat is grizzly.

3. Wendy’s. Dave’s single; a meal in itself. It’s a $5 bargain. The shakes are fair, the fries no bargain, but they offer

A GREENER VIEW

Bad Advice About Garden Soil

the best coupons!! My favorite. Any of the steakhouses could also be considered your best bet at these spots but the prices are still way out of wack. You might also consider just simply putting some chopped chuck on the grill. The price is definitely right. I don’t know if burgers at some delis and supermarkets qualify for this article but one can occasionally get delicious bargains here…a bargain for which there is no 9% sales tax and 20% tip.

Visit the author at: www.theodorenewsletter.com and / or https://www. facebook.com/basketballcoaching101 on Facebook

BY JEFF RUGG

In honor of April Fools’ Day, let’s take a look at some foolish advice gardeners sometimes get and give about garden soil.

No. 1: Throwing banana peels or eggshells around the base of potted plants or your garden vegetables will help the plants grow.

Let’s look at the reasoning. Banana peels contain a lot of potassium, and eggshells contain calcium. Leaving your food waste garbage on the soil surface can attract flies, gnats, cats and rats. If you dig a little hole and bury the garbage, will that help?

The nutrients plants get from soil are chemical molecules that are dissolved in water. That means the garbage must decay into water soluble chemicals before a plant can use them. The bacteria that break down the food waste consume nitrogen and other nutrients in the soil. By putting food in the flowerpot or soil around your plants, you are depriving plants of the nutrients they need. Put these items in a compost pile so they can break down into the nutrients that plants can use, and then add the com-

post to the soil around your plants.

No. 2: Adding eggshells to the soil around tomatoes will prevent blossom end rot (BER).

BER is a called a disease but a physical problem some plants develop when calcium is not available in the plant when it is producing fruit. There is usually plenty of calcium in the soi,l but during certain stages of growth, the plant doesn’t move it from the soil to the fruit. Adding calcium to the soil doesn’t prevent BER, and adding eggshells doesn’t add calcium fast enough to have any effect.

No. 3: Adding sugar to the soil around my tomatoes will make them sweeter.

Nope, all you will do is feed bacteria and fungi. Plants create their own sugars. If you want a sweet tomato, get varieties that are genetically designed to store more sugar in the fruit.

No. 4: Epsom salt will help my plants.

Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. If your garden soil has been tested and needs magnesium or sulfur, you could add some Epsom salt, but other garden ready products do a better job. Otherwise, you are poisoning the soil with salt.

No. 5: Coffee grounds will make the soil more acidic.

There is a little bit of truth to this one as coffee grounds are just barely acidic. If you add a lot of coffee grounds to the garden soil, you can lower the pH temporarily. This should only be done if a soil test shows the pH needs to be lower, and tests should be done regularly to watch the progress so you don’t over do it. Only some plants that need acidic soil will benefit, and the rest of the plants will be harmed by a lower soil pH. As coffee grounds decay, they become more neutral in pH, so they become useless for lowering pH; that is why you will need a lot of coffee grounds.

No. 6: Adding gravel to the bottom of a tree planting hole will increase drainage to prevent the tree from drowning.

Look at a hole for a tree you are planting. Add some gravel to the bottom of the hole. Now, tell me where the water is going to drain away to. If the soil does not have good enough drainage for the tree to grow, you are planting the wrong kind of tree.

No. 7: How about gravel in the bottom of flowerpots?

First, answer these questions. How

much gravel, how big are the gravel pieces and what kind of soil is above the gravel? Water moves through pores in the soil like it does in a sponge. When it gets to an air gap like holding the sponge in the air, it stops flowing until enough water above the air gap can push the water into the air gap, like drips coming off the bottom of the sponge.

If not much soil is in contact with the gravel, it will be harder to overcome the surface tension holding the water above the air gap and the soil above the gravel will stay wet. If the soil is added in a kind of messy way where a lot of soil contacts the gravel, the water will flow down into the gravel much more easily and drain out of the pot, leaving the soil drier.

There is always wetter soil at the bottom of a flowerpot than at the top. Gravel in the bottom tends to move the waterlogged soil higher into the pot. Gravel is also not soil, so there is less soil for the plant roots to grow in.

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

COPYRIGHT 2025 JEFF RUGG DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM

Facebook Rant About Social Security Is All Lies

BY TOM MARGENAU

There are so many Social Security-bashing screeds floating around on the internet that are I could spend every one of my weekly columns just trying to set the record straight.

These things usually get passed around from one gullible and naive nitwit to the next. Today I’m addressing one that has been polluting the online world for almost a quarter century now. I wrote my first column about it in 1997, and it’s still around spreading falsehoods. The only difference is the latest version that many readers have been asking me about is showing up on Facebook.

(By the way, I can give you a little clue about how to tell these diatribes are half-baked and splattered with lies. They are full of misspellings, run-on sentences, far too many capital letters and lots of exclamation points. You just know they are written by angry old goats sitting at a computer in their basements letting the government-hating venom ooze from their fingertips onto the keyboard!)

The Facebook version starts out with some babble (not worth repeating here) about the Social Security card. But then the real rants begin.

The author says that “Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, promised that participation in the program would be completely voluntary.” That’s not true. To make Social Security more palatable to Republicans in Congress, the original law excluded groups of traditional Republican voters, such as doctors, lawyers and other self-employed people. But they were all eventually brought into the fold. And just so you know, mandatory social insurance is not unique to the United States. There are 165 Social Security programs around the world. All of them are mandatory. That is the only way a nationwide social insurance system can work.

This half-baked harangue next alleges that FDR promised that “participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual incomes into the program.”

Once again, that’s just an outright lie. The Social Security bill that FDR signed in 1935 taxed income up to $3,000. That same law called for an incremental adjustment to the tax rate, climbing from 1% in 1936 to 3% by 1949. Roosevelt and all legislators knew that as the program grew in the future, its funding would also have to grow.

The wacky writer then falsely says that “the Social Security tax rate is now 7.65%.” That’s a common misperception. The Social Security tax rate is 6.2%. The other 1.45% is used to fund the completely separate Medicare program.

The last time the Social Security tax rate was increased was in 1983, during the administration of former President Ronald Reagan who was definitely not a Democrat!

And speaking of Reagan, he gets a pass

on something that the internet diatribe blames on former President Bill Clinton. Specifically, the angry old goat wrote this. “Which political party started taxing Social Security? Answer: Clinton and the Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the tie-breaking vote.”

In truth, Social Security benefits were first made taxable during Reagan’s administration in 1984. But I should point out here that the idea to tax Social Security benefits was one of the proposals of the 1982 National Commission on Social Security Reform. This was a bipartisan commission headed by Alan Greenspan that was charged with coming up with solutions to Social Security’s impending financial woes. In addition to taxing benefits, some of their other proposals included increasing payroll taxes and raising the retirement age from 65 to 67.

Next, the author of this garbage trots out the time-worn argument that former President Lyndon Baines Johnson was the first chief executive to misuse Social Security funds and spend it on other purposes. I have explained what LBJ did about a hundred times in this column. So now here comes explanation number one hundred and one!

Because of the massive spending needed to fund the Vietnam War, Johnson’s administration was racking up huge deficits in the 1960s. But LBJ came up with a clever way to hide some of those deficits from the American people. He noticed that the government kept a completely separate set of books for the Social Security Trust Funds, which were running big surpluses at the time. He decided to combine the Social Security accounts with the overall federal budget ledgers. This made the budget deficits appear much smaller. But it is important to note this was just a bookkeeping gimmick. He simply combined the accounts on paper. He did not take one nickel out of the Social Security Trust Funds and spend it for other purposes.

Back to this ridiculous rant. The author asks this question. “Which political party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants?” And he answers it this way. “That’s right. Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments. The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into it.”

Once again, that is just absolutely false. The implication is that illegal immigrants can collect Social Security benefits. And that is just not true. In truth, actuarial studies have shown that workers living here illegally who manage to obtain false documents, including fake Social Security numbers, and who work “above the table,” pump about $2 billion per year into the Social Security system and never collect a dime in benefits.

Perhaps the author is talking about the fact that immigrants who have come

to this country legally can obtain Supplemental Security Income benefits if they are poor and over the age of 65 or disabled. SSI is a federal welfare program that is funded out of general tax revenues, not Social Security taxes. The SSI program came about when Richard Nixon was president. And he was also not a Democrat! Let me make this final point. People should stop trying to blame their perceived Social Security transgressions on one political party or another. Almost all

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CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Unless you’re not a big TV watcher, or get your news on the net, or read, the tariffs that President Trump has initiated are having devastating and tumultuous effects on our markets here and abroad. The price of almost everything is and will be increasing as businesses have to adjust their prices in line with their costs to survive and still be profitable. Is this really the “no pain, no gain” scenario that Donald is pushing us towards. The stock market, just today, as I write this column at 11:26AM EST is down 1,084.02 (-2.29%) to 39,471.98, the S&P is down 169.98 to 5,226.54 (down -3.15%). By the end of Friday April 4th, the Dow was down 2,231 points at 38,314.86, the S&P down 322.44 at 5,074.08. It’s been a rough and wild ride the past week and there is no end in sight, if these tariffs continue.

The world markets are in turmoil and uncertainty and fear and the costs to the consumers will be monumental, especially in the purchase and/or leasing of cars, raising prices $5000$15,000 (https://www.freep.com) . The ironic fact is that the effect will mostly hit many of those consumers that can least afford the devastating effects of increased prices and who voted for Trump. The autoworkers think and believe that the tariffs are a good thing. Republican strategists generally argue that tariffs create good jobs, increase economic growth, and decrease trade deficits as noted in Council on Foreign Relations

Unfortunately, it has been proven that it would take 5-10 years to have businesses construct the necessary infrastructure for those jobs. But more crucial are that our wages average $30 per hour as of mid 2024 and those in China are $7 per hour and even less in other developing countries. This huge spread between the country’s labor costs, converts into more economical prices today for consumers and better profits for corporations. Lastly, bring-

Tariffs, Taxes and Real Estate

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

ing jobs and businesses back, for the most part, will never happen and the current tariffs imposed will never, ever solve our problems. What it will do, as history and economists have shown us time and again, is increase the public’s costs of goods and services and inflation, across the board and the reducing the possibility of creating future wealth for the majority of American citizens.

Here is some history to understand a bit of our predicament. From 1789-1934, tariffs were supposedly used to protect American industries and businesses. But my thoughts are that this was specifically used to raise money to run our government, and I am not convinced that it had as much to do with protecting our economy and initially maybe that was the intent. However, to me, this was another form of “cash grabbing” as I would call it today against other countries. https://www.cato.org

Free trade for the most part, has always been a better path to pursue, a method that would keep the quality and quantity of goods flowing in a more seamless fashion with less bottlenecks and supply chain shortages. This would create fair and equal competition as to who could produce the quality and quantity of all goods for the globe to consume in a way that would benefit the masses. But today, it’s not about benefiting the people, but benefiting those corporations that only care about profits instead of balancing their bottom lines with the quality and quantity that consumers surely need and want. The real problem is other countries imposing tariffs on our goods instead of educating their population to compete with our workers, in producing quality products and paying their

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Social Security legislation over the years has been the result of bipartisan efforts to make the program better for all of us. 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. . COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM

workers a fair wage, which is the greatest discrepancy in our competing with them.

The income tax was initially created by Abraham Lincoln and passed by Congress in 1862 as the Revenue Act of 1861, to cover the Civil War expenses incurred during that horrendous and incredibly sad time in our history. There were also real estate taxes and import tariffs levied too.

A minimum of fifty million dollars was needed to fund the war. Taxes levied were anywhere from 3% from $600$10,000 of income, then from $10,000$50,000 at 5% and over $50,000 at 7.5%. However, this raised $350,000,000 to pay for the costs of the Civil War. However, due to the backlash and unrest of this tax, it was repealed in 1870.

On February 3rd, 1913, the 16th Amendment was created allowing Congress to levy a federal income tax on all incomes. For more information, check out: https://www.reaganlibrary. gov

Finally, the big 64,000 question is whether or not the tariffs as they currently continue, will have a major longterm effect on our real estate industry e.g. sales, investments, purchases, rentals and leases of residential and commercial properties? Looking at the path of the stock market over the last 2 weeks, I think that it will. The losses and psychological effects of how consumers react just might have a dampening effect on our real estate in many parts of the U.S. For those that have the money, credit and cash to pay, it probably will not have as much of an effect. But as inventory grows, and demand cools just a bit, more negotiations on higher end properties will ensue as it will take longer to sell.

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 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 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:

BY MARY HUNT

Simple Strategies to Improve Your Credit Score

A credit score is a three-digit number between 300 and 850 generated by a mathematical algorithm (a mostly secret formula) based on information in your credit report, compared to information on tens of millions of other people. Like it or not, the resulting number is said to be a highly accurate prediction of how likely you are to pay your bills.

If it sounds boring and unimportant, you couldn’t be more wrong. Credit scores are used extensively these days. If you rent an apartment, get braces, buy cellphone service, apply for a job or call to get utilities connected, there’s a good chance your report and score will be critiqued to qualify.

If you have a credit card, the bank or issuer of that account is likely to regularly look at your credit score and payment history to decide whether to decrease your credit limit or charge you a higher interest rate.

The higher your score, the better you look to lenders. People with the highest scores get the lowest interest rates. And they’re getting the jobs.

KNOW YOUR SCORE

You know you can get our credit reports for free at AnnualCreditReport. com. Now you can check your credit scores anytime, anywhere and never pay for them at the Credit Karma website. You will need to create a password-protected account, no credit card required. Plan to get hit up to buy all kinds of things and apply for all kinds of new credit. Just be strong: Get your free score, and move on.

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR

Continued from page 2

seafood twice a week and weekly chicken, pork and beef.

The diet was initially based on the traditional diet of Greece and southern Italy in the 1960s.

So, should you drizzle olive oil on your bread? Add feta and Parmesan cheeses to your recipes? Drink wine every night? While those may sound Mediterranean, what really counts is a pattern of eating and not necessarily specific foods. Here are six ways to get started.

No. 1: Replace other fats in your diet with olive oil, making it your go-to fat. Cook your daily vegetables in olive oil.

No. 2: Eat your vegetables as a main course. The high consumption of vegetables (and fruit, whole grains, cheese and yogurt) is a main characteristic of the Mediterranean diet. Greeks consume almost a pound of vegetables a day. Try green beans, peas, eggplant, artichoke

CREDIT SCORES

Current estimates are that you have at least 57 credit scores out there -- but only a handful of them are important to anyone. Most lenders look to your FICO score in their decision-making process. But even that is complicated because credit reporting agencies now have their own branded scores, which are based on the FICO model. So you might see that you have an Experian FICO score, for example.

If you want to look to the gold standard of credit scores, you want to track your FICO score. It is available to you for a few bucks at the website myFICO.

PAY YOUR BILLS ON TIME

Making your credit payments on time is one of the most important contributing

factors to your credit scores. Delinquent payments have a major negative impact. If you have missed payments, get current and stay current. The longer you pay your bills on time, the better your credit score.

KEEP BALANCES LOW

Using more than 30% of your available credit on your credit cards -- individual accounts and also collectively, if you have multiple accounts -- brings down your credit score. Increasing the gap between your credit limits and your total revolving debt will improve your score.

DON’T CLOSE UNUSED CREDIT CARDS

Closing accounts might sound like a great short-term strategy to raise your score, but it’s not if you are carrying revolving credit card debt. This will close the gap between your outstanding debt (the amount of credit you are using) and the total amount available.

DON’T

OPEN NEW ACCOUNTS

More credit might seem wise in order to increase your available credit-to-debt ratio, but it will be seen as a negative to your score. New, or “young,” accounts are not useful in credit scoring because they dilute your average account age. Unless it’s a dire emergency, do not open new credit accounts.

GET HELP!

If you are having trouble making ends meet, contact your creditors, or see a legitimate credit counselor. This won’t rebuild your credit score immediately, but if you can begin to manage your credit and pay on time, your score should increase over time. And seeking assistance from a credit counseling service will not hurt your credit scores. But beware: There are lots of shysters out there masquerading as negotiators, settlers and credit counselors.

NFCC

You can find a legitimate, certified credit counselor at The National Feder-

Heart-Healthy Mediterranean

and okra cooked with olive oil, tomato and herbs, served with bread and feta.

No. 3: Learn to cook a few basic Mediterranean meals by combining your veggies with beans and legumes, such as spinach and rice, Greek-style green beans or a Greek lentil stew. Try one new recipe a week to get started. There are lots of good cookbooks available. Find one you like. This doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach; just add a few Mediterranean dishes to your weekly menus.

No. 4: Overall, eat meat less often or in smaller portions. Plan your meal around vegetables instead of meat. When you have meat, make it an accent rather than the star of your plate. And don’t forget to include fish, chicken and turkey as well as red meat.

No. 5: If you have red wine, drink it with your meal rather than by itself. Part of the success of the Mediterranean diet is the social aspect: Eat with friends and

ation for Credit Counselors, the nation’s first and largest nonprofit dedicated to improving people’s financial well-being. Go to www.NFCC.org to get immediate help online, or call (800) 388-2227 to be connected with a counselor near you.

The National Federation for Credit Counselors is legit. In fact, it is the only credit counseling organization I recommend and endorse. It has been around for many years and has earned the highest reputation. It is a wonderful organization you can trust that has come to the rescue of thousands of my readers over the years. It is ready to help you too!

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

family with the goal of making eating enjoyable.

No. 6: Don’t forget to exercise. Daily physical activity is at the base of the Mediterranean diet pyramid, meaning it’s an important part of the lifestyle of eating the Mediterranean way.

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

STARGAZERS

Star-Hopping With the Big Dipper

BY DENNIS MAMMANA

Week of April 13-19, 2025

Spring has sprung in the Earth’s Northern Hemisphere, and with it come some pleasant evenings perfect for stargazing. And front and center right now appears one of the most familiar and easy-to-find star groupings: the Big Dipper.

We in North America call it the Big Dipper, but those in Great Britain know it as the Plough. Stargazers in Germany and Scandinavian countries recognize it as a wagon. Its “drinking gourd” shape even served in song to inspire pre-Civil War slaves to flee northward to freedom.

We’ve come to recognize the seven stars of its bowl and long curving handle as a handy tool for finding other stars and star groupings around the northern sky. This technique is called star-hopping, and it’s one of the most useful ways to learn our way around the heavens.

For example, every scout knows how to use the Big Dipper to find the North Star (aka Polaris) and, from that, their directions around the horizon. To do so, find the two stars of the Dipper’s bowl farthest from its handle. These are known as the “pointer stars.”

If you connect these pointers with an imaginary line -- from the bottom of the bowl to its top -- and extend that line about five times its length, it leads you right to Polaris. What’s great about

this is that it works at any time of night or any season when the Big Dipper is visible.

What if we were to follow these pointer stars in the opposite direction instead? Well, we’d have to extend that line a bit farther, but it would eventually lead us toward the bright star Regulus. Its name comes from the Latin word “rex,” meaning “king,” and it forms the major star in the constellation of Leo, the lion. Try to find a lion among the stars, however, and you’ll be quite disappointed. Look instead for a backward question mark of stars stretching toward the north, with Regulus forming the dot beneath it.

If you follow the two stars on the opposite side of the Dipper’s bowl -- the part closest to the handle -- it’ll take you to a faint star known as Thuban. While this may not seem like a particularly important star, it served as the North Star for the ancient Egyptians.

The Dipper’s handle is useful as well. Following its curve away from the bowl leads us to Arcturus, a yellowish-orange star. It’s the brightest star in this part of the sky and is the chief star of the constellation of Bootes, the herdsman. Don’t spend too much time searching for a herdsman because, as regular readers already know, it just ain’t there! Look instead for a kite shape that extends off to its left.

Continue following the arc of the Dipper’s handle past Arcturus and you’ll soon come to Spica, with more

of a bluish-white color. In other words, follow the arc to Arcturus, then speed on to Spica!

If you’ve been wanting to learn some stars and star groupings, these glorious

BY TRACY BECKERMAN

When I used to live in the city, I would use my lunch break from work to shop one-day sample sales. This had the dual advantage of keeping me slim (no lunch) and getting cool clothes at a bargain. Of course, there were no dressing rooms at these things, and I live in fear of the day a hidden-camera tape surfaces on the internet of me ripping off my top in the middle of a showroom to try on a sample shirt.

Once we had kids and moved to the suburbs, my sample sale days came to an end, which was a good thing since the sight of me getting shirtless in public would probably have scarred my children for life.

Then I discovered online sample sales. On the plus side, no showroom disrobing. On the downside, you can’t

springtime evenings are a wonderful time to get out and do just that!

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

The Big Dipper is not only one of the easiest-to-find star groupings but one that can be used as a tool to find others.

LOST IN SUBURBIA

The Online Fashionista

really tell size, cut or quality from a picture unless you really know the brand you are shopping. This has led to more than one impulse buy that ended with me at the UPS store mailing back something that looked great online but looked like an outfit for Burlesque Barbie in real life.

Fortunately, I have figured out how to avoid this disappointment by sticking with these Top 10 Rules for Online Clothes Shopping:

1. I do not buy anything that is called a frock. It’s either a dress or it’s a long shirt. If they call it a frock, you know they are trying to make it sound better than it really is, and it probably would only look good on your pet poodle or in a revival of “The Sound of Music.”

2. I do not buy anything that is called a smock. When I was growing up, we wore a smock to protect our “good”

clothes. That doesn’t bode well for the hipness of a smock.

3. I do not buy anything they refer to as boho chic. It’s either boho or it’s chic, but it can’t be both. Look at the pictures of your grandmother from Woodstock. That was boho. Is that chic? I don’t think so.

4. I do not buy any jackets called puffers. If it starts out puffy before I even put it on, I have no doubt I will look like the Michelin Man in it.

5. I don’t buy rompers. Five-yearolds wear rompers. I will not look like a 5-year old if I buy a romper. I will just look like a really stupid 60-year old.

6. I don’t buy jumpsuits. See rule 5.

7. I don’t buy any dress described as “babydoll” because the sight of me in one would certainly scar my children almost as much as the sight of me shirtless in a sample sale showroom.

8. I do not buy any jeans that are described as “high-waisted.” Unless you are a Victoria’s Secret model, they are mom jeans, plain and simple.

9. I do not buy anything described as a “miracle.” Even if it cinches you in one area, all that fat has to go somewhere, and chances are it’s gonna make some other part of you look twice as big as it really is.

10. I will not buy anything covered in faux animal prints. Giraffes look good in reticulated spots. Me? Not so much. Especially if it is an animal-print frock. 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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DEADLINE FOR CLASSIFIED ADS IS TUESDAY AT 1:00PM.

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EMPLOYMENT

HELP WANTED

WANTED:

HOME HEALTH AIDE

Looking for a Home Health Aide to help with my elderly father (with mild dementia) in East Elmhurst, Queens Live In Thursday through Monday. Primary duties include: providing safety, assisting with personal hygiene, dispensing medications, preparing meals and light cleaning. Must have references If interested call: 917-601-9757

SITUATION WANTED

A HOME AIDE/CAREGIVER

Caring, Honest & Reliable woman with 10 years experience available to care for your elderly loved one. Personal grooming, dispense medications, cooking, cleaning. Checkable references. Licensed driver with own transportation. Please call 516-383-7150

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

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

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

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

IF YOU HAD KNEE OR HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY AND SUFFERED AN INFECTION due to the use of a Bair Hugger (Blue Blanket), between 2020 and the present time, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Attorney Charles H. Johnson 1-800535-5727

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

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

HELP WANTED

Projct Engneer I (Bellport, NY): Rview & anlyze blueprnts & drawngs of steel manfactrr & heavy constrction contrctr. Reqs: Bach in Civl Engneerng or rel & 2 yrs exp as Projct Engneer, Civl Engneer or rel pstion. Salary: $74,589/yr. Mail resume to: HR, Integrated Structures Corp., 4 Pinehurst Dr, Bellport, NY 11713.

CONDO FOR SALE

https://www.flexmls.com/share/Bunfh/2900-NAtlantic-Avenue-2002,-Daytona-Beach,-FL-32118

www.KathyOConnor.realtor 786-367-1041 *Lokationre.com

516-297-2277

AUTOMOTIVE

AUTOS WANTED

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

HOMES FOR RENT

HOUSE FOR RENT GARDEN

CITY

Pristine 3 BR Ranch with hardwood floors, 2 updated Baths and a partially fenced yard. Close to park & K-1 School. High ceiling unfinished Basement w/laundry great for play, exercise or storage. One car garage. Dogs case by case. Tenant pay 1month fee. NTN screening required. 38 Maxwell Rd, Garden City MLS #831521

$6,500/month

Contact me for a showing! Irene “Rene” Blair Real Estate Salesperson Certified Buyers Representative

516-248-6655 ext 2205 cell: 516-721-9185 ireneblair@danielgale.com

SERVICES

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER?

STORM DAMAGE?

You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-920-9937

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: 1-888-4544717. 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

SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

AQUATEC LAWN SPRINKLERS

SPRING TURN ONS

Backflow Device Tests Free Estimates Installation Service/Repairs Joe Barbato 516-775-1199

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

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

MADE IN THE SHADE

CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS

Blinds, Shades, Shutters, Draperies

Top Brands at Discount Prices! Family owned & operated www.madeintheshadensli. com 516-426-2890

All types of stonework Pavers, Retaining Walls, Belgium Block Patios, Foundations, Seal coating, Concrete and Asphalt driveways, Sidewalks, Steps. Free Estimates Fully Licensed & Insured #H2219010000 Boceski Masonry Louie 516-850-4886

PREPARE FOR POWER OUT-

AGES 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)

HEALTH SERVICES

FAMILY CARE CONNECTIONS, LLC

Dr. Ann Marie D’Angelo

PMHCNS-BC

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Advanced Practice Nurse Care Manager

Assistance with Aging at Home /Care Coordintion

Nursing Home & Assisted Living Placement

PRI / Screens / Mini Mental Status Exams

Medicaid Eligibility and Apllications

516-248-9323

www.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

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Virtual Clinic online at: urjapsychiatry.com

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

Licensed & Insured

#80422100000

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

SERVICES

TUTORING

BIOLOGY TUTOR

AP level: Biology, Environmental Science

Regents & Honors: Living Environment

Virtaul or In-Person

Dr. Amanda Shore, University Professor

Please email: ShoreThingBiology@gmail. com

COMPUTER SCIENCE

TUTOR

AP CS A or Principles, College courses

Dessie MiMino, Caltech grad, TA; Software Engineer at Mirosoft & Google

Teaching CS for over 11 years; Virtual Contact:

Dessie.DiMino@gmail.com

TUTOR AVAILABLE

Elementary Education NY State Permanent Cert. 30+ years experience

Local resident Learn to: Read, Write, Math Babysitting upon request Call 516- 510-3093

SERVICES CLEANING

CLEANING SERVICES

AVAILABLE !

15yrs experience cleaning home & offices. Great references. Specializing in laundry, ironing cleaning windows, terrace sand deep cleaning. Love animals. Own transportation. Please call Erika 516-406-5680

SERVICES

AFFORDABLE TV & INTER-

NET. If you are overpaying for your service, call now for a free quote and see how much you can save! 1-855-399-2803

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

Lighten up dinnertime with cod

Spicy Oven-Fried Cod Fillets

4 servings

When weather begins to warm, home cooks start migrating from the heartier soups, stews and casseroles that are so popular in winter to something lighter. Seafood is an option families can turn to that is both high in protein and leaner than other dinnertime staples.

Cod is a popular saltwater

Sauce:

2 teaspoons thinly sliced green onion with top 1 small garlic clove, pressed

Cod fillets:

1 egg, lightly beaten

1⁄2 cup dry Italian-style bread crumbs

1) Preheat oven to 450° F. For sauce, thinly slice green onion. Press garlic. Add onion, salad dressing, chili powder, and cayenne pepper; mix well. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.

2) For cod fillets, lightly beat egg in a small bowl. Combine bread crumbs, chili powder

fish that is mild in flavor with firm meat. This means it may hold up better than some other white fish in different meals, like a fish fry. This recipe for “Spicy Oven-Fried Cod Fillets” (The Pampered Chef®) from The Pampered Chef® Test Kitchens is a flavorful dish that can mark a transition to lighter, springtime meals.

1⁄2 cup reduced-fat Thousand Island salad dressing

1⁄4 teaspoon chili powder Dash cayenne pepper

1⁄4 teaspoon chili powder

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

11⁄2 pounds cod fish fillets

and salt in a shallow dish. Dip fillets into egg, then into bread crumb mixture, coating evenly. Arrange fillets on a pan; lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.

3) Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until cod flakes easily with a fork. Remove from oven; serve cod with sauce.

Safe boating classes

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, the Town of Hempstead is now offering safety certification classes.

The Town’s Bay Constables will lead a Boater Safety Course for adults (ages 18 years and older) in three sessions – Tuesday, April 29, from 7–10 p.m., Tuesday, May 6, from 7-10 p.m., and Tuesday, May 13, from 7-10 p.m. – at the Department of Conservation and Waterways (1401 Lido Boulevard, Point Lookout). Participants must attend all three sessions to receive their boating safety certificate.

“New York State law now requires that ALL operators of watercraft be certified in safe boating, and Hempstead Town is offering many classes to help local residents comply with the law ahead of the coming boating season,”

said Town Supervisor Don 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

Cluttered?

Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call our main office 294-8900 to request information & rates. Visit our website to place classified Ads, to receive more information & our latest rates, www.gcnews.com

The Garden City News, Bethpage Newsgram, Mid-Island Times & Levittown Times, Jericho-Syosset News Journal & The Syosset Advance & The Floral Park Villager

Welcome to The Floral Park Villager, where your story is our story!

Over the next few weeks we will be mailing free copies of our new newspaper to all of the homes in the zip code so you can see what we’re excited about! If this is your first time seeing the paper, welcome! Copies are also available at drop points around town. In addition, you can find us online at www.fpvillager.com

What You Can Expect:

Local Focus: Unlike other papers, we concentrate solely on Floral Park and Bellerose. Our pages will be filled with news that matters to you and your neighbors.

Community Contributions: We want to hear from you! Share your sports updates, event announcements, club news, scouting adventures, and personal milestones like weddings and graduations. Your stories are the heartbeat of our publication.

Comprehensive Coverage: Stay informed about village and school board meetings, ensuring you’re up-to-date with the decisions that impact our community.

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We encourage you to submit your items for publication to editor@gcnews.com. Whether it’s a story, a photo, or an announcement, your contributions will help us build a newspaper that truly reflects the spirit of Floral Park and Bellerose.

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Advertising:

Our Advertising Account Executive, Peter Camp, is a long-time member of the Floral Park community. For information about advertising, you can reach him at 917-861-4627 or pcamp@gcnews.com.

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