Floral Park-Bellerose Union Free School District students are “diving” into hands-on activities during this year’s Under the Sea themed SCOPE Summer Enrichment Program, held from July 7–Aug. 1, at Floral Park- Bellerose School. See page 11
The Hance Family Foundation has announced the appointment of Tom Cannon as its new executive director, effective July 15.
Tom brings over 20 years of cross-sector leadership experience to the Foundation, with a career spanning Wall Street, healthcare operations, and digital innovation. As a seasoned
executive, Tom has consistently driven organizational growth through data-informed strategy, operational excellence, and compassionate leadership — qualities that align seamlessly with the mission and future of the Hance Family Foundation. Founded in memory of Emma, Alyson, and Katie Hance, the Hance Family Foun-
dation is dedicated to empowering students and communities through evidence-based programs that foster confidence, resilience, and self-awareness. The Foundation delivers its signature self-esteem building curriculum, Beautiful Me, to thousands of females each year, and continues to expand globalSee page 3
Floral Park-Bellerose Union Free School District has announced new members to the leadership team to begin the upcoming 2025-26 school year. Joining Superintendent of Schools Dr. Anthony Lubrano are three highly respected administrators, each bringing a wealth of experience and unwavering dedication to the “two schools, one district” vision.
Melissa Corbett has been appointed as the interim assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. With more than 22 years of experience in public education, Ms. Corbett brings a passion for teaching, learning and student-centered leadership to Floral Park-Bellerose. Most recently, she served as the director of curriculum, instruction and assessment for Hicksville Public Schools, where she led transformative initiatives such as developing a districtwide data dashboard, implementing rigorous K–12 curricula and coordinating professional learning aligned with current educational research. Her work in
curriculum design, data-driven instruction and educator development has directly contributed to improved student outcomes and instructional effectiveness. Prior to her role in Hicksville, Ms. Corbett spent more than a decade as an assistant principal in the New York City Department of Education, where she earned a reputation for her commitment to student success, educational equity and fostering inclusive school environments. Ms. Corbett holds advanced certificates in district and school building leadership from The College of Saint Rose, a master’s degree in literacy from SUNY Binghamton, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from SUNY Oneonta.
The district also welcomes Christina Kim as the new assistant superintendent for business. Ms. Kim is committed to advancing the Floral Park-Bellerose mission of fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment for all students. She brings 22 years of experience in finance
See page 5
Did you know that the month of August was originally called “Sextilis?” And that it’s the most popular month for birthdays (you do the math)? The things you can learn at the Library!
The Library Lawn hosts the Liverpool Shuffle in a live music concert the evening of August 14, and the Foam Fairies cover the lawn with fun – and foam – for a family event earlier in the month.
Teens are in the August spotlight with a number of available programs: Candy Twisted Balloon Show; Teen Laser Tag Event; Teen Gaming Event with Construct 3; a P[art]y Art Event with Ali; two-session Crochet class featuring Taylor Swift inspired headbands; Drone Missions; and a World of AI Event.
Wednesday Chair Yoga is hybrid on August 6, then fully remote for the remainder of August as Micheline leads the class from Malta. The Tuesday English Language Learner class continues from a less exotic location - Floral Park!
The Evening Edition Book Club meets on Tuesday, August 12, at 7:00 p.m. to take on Liz Moore’s “The God of the Woods.” The first Monday of the month Morning Book Club is on summer hiatus.
The younger set can enjoy Chef of d’Future Mommy and Me, and sessions for Kindergarten through 2nd grade, and 3rd through 5th grades. Chef Julie will be busy!
There’s also Play Hooray, a two-session My First Signs, Pokémon Professor
Brittany, Yuka Morii Pokémon Clay Workshop, and Royal Events Princess Parties bring The Wicked Duo to the Library.
If you love the Beatles, there’s a lecture/discussion, “Beatles Exploitation Albums of 1964”, with pop culture historian Bob Koenig.
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. There is no August meeting of the Library Board.
One-to-one tech help with Joe for tablets, smartphones, laptops, Kindles and general questions is available for our Floral Park patrons by appointment only (floralparktechhelp@gmail.com).
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 all day Saturdays and Sundays throughout August. Weekend hours resume on September 6.
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.
The Incorporated Village of Floral Park has four civic associations which meet monthly:
• Hillcrest Civic Association: Meeting - 4th Thursday of each month – 7:30 p.m.
• South Side Civic Association: Meeting - 2nd Thursday of each Month – 7:30 p.m.
• North End Civic Association: Meeting - 3rd Thursday of each month – 7 p.m.
• West End Civic Association: Meeting - 1st Thursday of each Month – 8 p.m.
Location: All Civics meet at the Floral Park - Pool/Recreation Building September through June (Meetings time and dates are subject to change)
The civic associations are not political organizations. The associations were established to educate and inform the residents on happenings taking
place within the Incorporated Village of Floral Park and the surrounding area. Each Association prepares a program to put focus on items that affect the specific area but also provides updates on big issue items that affect the entire Village. The Civic Association also acts as a communication link between the residents and the local government to foster fellowship in the community. The Board does their best to provide a forum for discussion of ideas and the resolution of problems of common concern. Each Association meets once a month September through June with a summer break so that everyone can enjoy being with their family. They meet at the Floral Park Recreation/Pool building on Pool and Garage Street. There is a Village Trustee at each of the meetings as well as a representative from the Police Dept to provide updates on police actions.
Our Professional Guide is sure to bring results. Call 294-8900 for rates and information.
Is there an issue in your community you want to discuss? Want to respond to something you saw in our paper? Then write a letter to our editor and bring it to everyone’s attention! Send your letter to editor@gcnews.com and we’ll publish it for you!
Follow the Library on Facebook (floralparklibrary), X (fplibrary17), or Instagram (fplibrary 17, floralparkchildrens, fpplteens). ONCE UPON A DISH 659 Franklin Ave., Garden City,
SESSION A: (7/21 – 7/25), (8/4 – 8/8) SESSION B: (7/14 – 7/18), (7/28 – 8/1), (8/11 – 8/15) $35 PER CLASS OR $175 for one week CALL FOR
742-6030
ly through workshops, school partnerships, and community collaborations.
“Tom’s leadership marks a pivot-
al moment for the Foundation,” said Warren Hance, co-founder of the Hance Family Foundation. “His broad expertise and visionary approach will help us elevate our programming and deep-
en our impact as we bring our mission to more schools and communities around the world.”
Previously, Tom served as chief operating officer of Quality In Real Time, where he played a key role in scaling the organization into a top-tier provider of health services, ultimately leading to its successful acquisition by
Netsmart Technologies. He currently advises several healthcare and AI startups on strategic growth and operational optimization.
Tom holds an MBA from St. John’s University and currently serves as strategic advisor for Montauk AI as an acquisition advisor to health and wellness companies.
The Theatre Box of Floral Park will be holding auditions for roles in the comedy “Enter Laughing” which will be performed in November.
This comedy by Joseph Stein is based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Carl Reiner and centers on the journey of young aspiring actor David Kolowitz as he tries to extricate himself from his overly protective parents (who want him to be a married pharmacist) and two too many girlfriends, while struggling to meet the challenge of a dearth of talent in 1930s New York City.
Auditions will be held on July 28 through July 30 from 7–9 p.m. at the
theatre, 36 Violet Avenue, Floral Park. Sides will be provided. Please bring a resume if available, and a headshot. A variety of roles are available for actors and actresses from ages 17 through 70. If selected for a role, rehearsals will be held Monday and Wednesday nights at 7:30 starting September 8th, as well as Tuesday November 11th. Mandatory attendance is required for all performers and all rehearsals through tech week.
If you are interested in working backstage please let the producers know what your interests are.
Charlotte Robb with her four first place medals for 13 and Up Butterfly in both relays and individuals.
BY THOMAS MANSFIELD
After a rainout and postponement, the Floral Park Pirates faced the Mineola Swim Team and got their revenge against them in the 2025 season’ opening meet, a win that felt even sweeter after last year ’ s face off.
Coming into the 2024 season, the
Connor King and Dominic Rachwalski, who took home the first and second place medals in the Boys 11–12 Backstroke Individual.
Pirates had been in the midst of an extensive winning streak, having gone undefeated for over a decade. This streak finally came to an end when the Pirates suffered a shocking loss in a July meet at the John S. DaVanzo Community Pool against the Mineola Swim Team. Although the Pirates would win the following meet against Mineola at home, the
Phillip Gribbins showing off his first place medal in the Boys 9-10 Backstroke Individual.
crushing loss still loomed on the minds of Pirates swimmers.
“After losing last year, I really wanted to go back to Mineola and win,” said 10-year-old Phillip Gribbins.
On Thursday, July 17th, the Pirates entered Mineola with a goal, to come back strong and win. The Pirates swimmers did just that, defeating Mineola handedly.
“I am glad my teammates and I all swam so well and were able to get Mineola back in their pool,” said Gribbins, who took home multiple
first place ribbons for the Pirates, including the 11–12 Boys Butterfly Individual.
Although winning was the highlight of the night, other Pirates swimmers were just glad that they could have fun with their friends.
“The meet was so fun, I can’t wait to swim next week,” said 11-year-old Dominic Rachwalski.
The Pirates will look to continue their fresh winning streak at home with two meets at home against the Stewart Manor and Mineola Swim Teams on Monday and Wednesday.
From page 1
and seven in public education administration to the role, with a strong history in budget development, audit coordination, capital project oversight and compliance management. Most recently, she served the Wantagh Union Free School District as the assistant director of business. Through her role, Ms. Kim collaborated with district leadership to ensure budgeting aligned with both goals of educational programs and state requirements, advised instructional staff and department leaders on efficient resource management, and oversaw the development of training programs aimed to enhance financial literacy and resource management skills. Her contributions directly supported the efficiency and financial development of the district. Ms. Kim holds a master’s in school district business leader and has been awarded by the New York State Association of School Business Officials.
Lauren Quezada
Floral Park-Bellerose School welcomes Lauren Quezada as the new building principal. With over 15 years of experience in public education, Ms. Quezada brings a deep commitment to instructional excellence, student-cen-
tered leadership and inclusive school culture. Her most recent role was serving as assistant principal of Stratford Avenue School in Garden City. During
her time there, she led wide-reaching initiatives to support academic achievement, social-emotional development and comprehensive literacy practices.
Her leadership is rooted in a “kids first” mindset, and her goal is to center every
See page 7
for free
Floral Park residents enjoyed another great concert by Just Sixties on the Floral Park Library lawn on Thursday, July 17. The weather was perfect for the evening concert!
Next up: August 14, Liverpool Shuffle
Park residents enjoyed a concert on the Floral
lawn on Thursday, July 17.
From page 5
decision on what is best for students academically, socially and emotionally.
Ms. Quezada also has experience as a districtwide instructional coach and reading specialist in Freeport Public Schools and began her career as an
elementary educator in Freeport and New York City. Ms. Quezada holds an advanced graduate certificate in educational leadership from Stony Brook University, a master’s in literacy studies from Touro College, a micro-credential in the Science of Reading, and Wilson Reading System Level 1 certification.
If you would like to post an obituary for a loved one, simply send a short biography of them with (if desired) their photo, details of their funeral/visitation services, and/or any donation requests to editor@gcnews.com, or call our office at 516-294-8900 to inquire.
Hello Garden City neighbors!
As a fellow resident of our wonderful village and a proud parent with two children right here at Garden City High School, I know firsthand the busy lives of our teenagers and the countless milestones we navigate alongside them – from sports and school events to thinking about the future.
Beyond being a local parent deeply invested in our community, I’m also a Board-Certified Oral Surgeon Combining these perspectives, one topic I see frequently, both professionally and as a dad/mom in town, is wisdom teeth
Bill Corbett, Jr.
“The Long Island Coalition Against Bullying” ~ Joseph A. Salamone, Founder Davidson & Co.
Larry Davidson
“The Big Crowd” ~ Kevin Baker, Author The Author Corner
Stephanie Larkin
“Sea of Whispers” ~ Melanie Murphy, Novelist
Wes Houston Presents… Wes Houston
“Frank Latorre & The Kingbees” ~ Blues-Rock Trio
FPFD: Red Alert
9:30 PM
Larry King, AEMT & Firefighter Leigh Tyrrel
“Fire Insurance Investigations ” ~ Bob Wisniewski, Fire Marshal, FDNY (Ret.)
Like navigating driver’s permits or prepping for exams, understanding wisdom teeth is another important step during these formative high school years. Because I care deeply about the health and well-being of our community’s young people – our kids, our students – I wanted to share some straightforward insights.
Think of this as a chat between neighbors. This Q&A is designed to answer your common questions in simple terms, helping you understand why an early consultation with an oral surgeon about wisdom teeth isn't just routine, but a smart, proactive step for your teenager's longterm health and comfort. Let's clear up some common questions!
Q1: First off, what exactly are wisdom teeth?
A: Wisdom teeth are the very last set of molars to come in, usually appearing in the late teens or early twenties (hence the name – supposedly when a little “wisdom” arrives!). They are located way in the back of the mouth, behind the second molars. Think of them as the “third molars.”
Q2: Why do wisdom teeth seem to cause so many problems?
A: It often comes down to space. Our jaws have generally evolved to be smaller than our ancestors’, meaning there’s often not enough room for these final four teeth to erupt properly. This can lead to sev-
eral issues:
* Impaction: The teeth get stuck under the gums or bone, or only partially break through.
* Angled Growth: They might grow sideways, tilted, or towards/away from other teeth.
* Cleaning Difficulty: Even if they come in straight, their position way back in the mouth makes them hard to brush and floss effectively, increasing the risk of cavities and gum disease.
Q3: My teenager isn’t complaining about any pain. Why should we see an oral surgeon now?
A: That’s a great question! The key is proactive planning versus reactive treatment. Waiting until pain starts often means a problem like infection, crowding, or damage to adjacent teeth has already begun. An early consultation allows us to:
* Assess Development: We can take special X-rays (like a panoramic X-ray) to see exactly where the wisdom teeth are, how they are developing, and predict if they are likely to cause future problems based on their position and the available space.
* Easier Evaluation: Evaluating wisdom teeth when the roots are not fully formed can often give us the clearest picture of potential issues.
* Plan Ahead: If removal looks necessary, planning it during a time that works best for your teen’s schedule (like summer break) is much better than dealing with an emergency situation during exams or a busy school year.
Q4: When is the best time for this first consultation?
A: While it varies, a good time for an initial evaluation is typically during the mid-teenage years, often between ages 15 and 17. At this stage, the wisdom teeth are developed enough to see their path, but the roots are often not fully formed, which can be advantageous if removal is eventually needed. Your general dentist might also recommend a visit based on routine X-rays.
Website: www.forwardos.com Phone: (516) 775-2222
BY
KAREN RUBIN
TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM
Day 6 on Boat Bike Tours’ eightday Islandhopping tour of northern Netherlands is a case when the hype doesn’t even begin to match the reality of the experience. Today’s ride will take us either 29 or 36 miles (depending on our choice of short or long routes) from Harlingen to Franeker, through the Frisian countryside and rural villages to Bolsward and into Makkum on the eastern bank of lake Ijsselmeer. Boat Bike Tours doesn’t just curate the cycling routes, they also curate experiences. In this case, our bike tour turns into an exploration of the solar system through an 18th century lens.
We set out biking first to the historic center of Franeker to visit the Koninklijk Eise Eisinga Planetarium (Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium) - the oldest continuously operating planetarium in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site. I had never heard of Eise Eisinga or his planetarium, but am instantly amazed.
Eise Essinga was a wool-comber and largely self-taught scientist and astronomer who spent seven years, from 1774 to 1781, building a remarkable planetarium in his house! – in his living room/bedroom/dining room to be precise. We see the cupboard where he would have slept with his wife under the mechanism, the pullout trundle bed where his children would have slept, the dining table. Above, on the ceiling, we see where he constructed a solar system where the six known planets in exact scale follow their rotation around the sun with
The marvelous Eise Eisinga Planetarium, the world’s oldest continuously operating planetarium in the world, dating from 1781, in Franeker visited on Day 6 of Boat Bike Tours’ eight-day Islandhopping tour of northern Netherlands. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
remarkable precision even by today’s standards, using today’s instruments.
While waiting for the Englishlanguage presentation, we visit the fascinating exhibits that take up the rest of his home, starting with a delightful video interview between “Eise Essinga” and an actual Dutch astronaut and another superb video about Essinga’s life.
When I learn about Eise Eisinga’s biography, I am awed by his genius, bringing to my mind Leonardo DaVinci.
Eise Eisinga was born in 1744 in Dronrijp where he attended primary school. Like many children in those days who worked at home, he worked in his father’s wool combing establishment. He not only inherited his father’s profession, but his father’s interest in astronomy and mathematics. He was so determined to learn that he
would travel every week to Franeker, which had the country’s second largest university and was a center for learning that drew famous scientists, to study Euclidean math with Willem Wijtses, a wool dyer. When he was 24, Eisinga married Pietje Jacobs and settled in Franeker in 1768, working as a wool comber.
It took Eisinga seven years to construct his planetarium – a real triumph of craftsmanship to carve the wood (his father, a woodcarver, helped), create 6,000 precision nails for the cogs, and the exquisite painting. Eise would have finished sooner, but in a critical development, he had to adjust the placement of the pendulum that kept everything in motion, because his wife drew the line on allowing him to cut a hole in the floor (it was their bedroom, after all), so he had to recalculate everything and replace all 6,000 nails.
The power (and motion) for the entire mechanism comes from a clock, “like the beating heart of the machine,” our guide explains. The mechanism is powered by a system of nine weightsone for clock and 8 for different axels of system
All is built to scale to fit into the space – an astonishing one to 1 trillion - and everything is turning so slowly, you can’t detect motion visually. Every planet has its own calculated speed, so Mercury takes 88 days to make one full rotation; Venus takes 224 days; Earth takes 365 days plus 76 hours while the moon takes 29 ½ days to go around the earth (it shows the phases of the moon); Mars takes 687 days; Jupiter, with four moons (the number known at the time), takes 11 years, 315 ⅓ days for its rotation; and Saturn, the furthest known planet at the time, actually has rings and 5 moons and takes 29 years plus 164 days for its rotation.
How do they know the planetarium is still working when everything moves so slowly?
“Everything is connected, so we check what moves daily: the date, zodiac sign, day of week.” On December 31, a special nail pushes the gears into motion to flip to the new year.
Eise Eisinga was such a visionary, two years after finishing his remarkable machine, he wrote a 90-page manual explaining how to maintain it.
“Every 22 years, we follow 5 stepstake board down, sand down, paint the years, let the paint dry, then replace it in the attic,” our guide says. The wheels are so big and move so slowly, they clean the gears once or twice a year.
Eisinga’s son took over when he
Continued on next page
Continued from previous page
died, and the planetarium remained in the family for 140 years until 1922 when his great granddaughter was the last in the family to maintain the planetarium. Then the City of Franeker took over its management.
Most of the mechanism is original (Mercury had to be replaced after being damaged in World War II) but they have had to change the ropes for the gears and pulleys.
After the presentation, we are able to climb the stairs to the attic to peer into where the wheels and gears are laid out.
It is a humbling experience to imagine such expertise and craft hundreds of years ago, before the tools and instruments we have today.
The museum offers several permanent exhibits: Eisinga’s former wool combing establishment, an extensive collection of historical astronomical instruments, Eisinga’s mathematical and astronomical manuscripts which you can digitally peruse, all marvelous juxtapositions to an interactive permanent exhibition, De Ruimte (Space) that opened in 2016, as well as that delightful video conversation between “Eisa” and a modern-day Dutch astronaut (English subtitles).
Admission to Eise Eisinga’s planetarium is 6E (a HUGE bargain).
Eise Eisingastraat 3, 8801 KE Franeker, phone +31 (0) 517 – 393 070, info@eisinga-planetarium.nl, https://www.eisinga-planetarium.nl/en/plan-your-visit/, https://www.eisinga-planetarium.nl/en/ the-planetarium/
We continue on our 36-mile bike route which follows much of the a famous 11-city, 200-km bike tour, and in the course of two days, we will visit six of the 11 and have the opportunity to collect stamps (like passport stamps) on postcards our
Biking through the Dutch countryside from Franeker to Makkum on Day 6 of BoatBikeTours’ Islandhopping tour © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
guides have provided.
By the time we ride into Bolsward, one of the Eleven Frisian Cities, the rain has stopped.
Bolsward is really beautiful, and I am entranced by the magnificence of The Court of Justice building, now a museum, where I get to climb into the tower built on top of the Court in 1617 (a really improbable and unsafe construction).
In the evening, our guide, Edith, leads a walking tour of Makkum– it’s just me and a couple from Alberta, Canada. Edith points to homes that have a Coat of Arms or some indication of who lived there, when the fellow shows us his ring with a Coat of Arms. He turns out to be a descendent of the Trip family, one of the wealthiest, most powerful families in Netherlands.
He relates more of his family’s fascinating story as we sit in a historic pub with centuries old Delpht tiles of great 17th century trading ships, noting more than once than the family fortune had been long gone and his branch of the family emigrated to Canada. It’s like having
someone from that time tell their story.
His family’s coat of arms, he relates, has three zoltbommel (wooden shoes) – a nod to the fact that the family started by manufacturing wooden shoes.
Then, brothers Jacob and Elias Trip went into river barges, got rich, then expanded into sea trade. They had a connection with an iron factory which they parlayed into weapons manufacture, arming the Dutch rebels against the Spanish in its 80-year war for independence, 1568-1648 (apparently selling arms to both sides).
Trip was among the original investors of the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oost-indische Compagnie, VOC), in 1602, The Trips became one of the richest and most important families in Netherlands. Portraits painted by Rembrandt of his relatives Jacob Trip (1576-1661) and his wife, Margaretha de Geer, are in the National Gallery and Ryksmuseum. Their sons, Louis and Hendrick Trip, became fabulously wealthy arms merchants and built the Trippenhuis in 1662, once the widest
BY CHARLYN FARGO
Remember the song “The Skeleton Dance” from your childhood? Here’s how it went: “The toe bone’s connected to the foot bone, the foot bone’s connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone’s connected to the leg bone.”
Researchers have found the same thing applies to our heart and brain -they’re connected. It seems all our body is connected, from our bones to our heart to our brain.
When one is healthy, it helps the other. Researchers have found the same factors that raise the risk for heart disease also impact brain disease, including stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia. And for the first time, the American Heart Association’s 2022 Heart Disease and
Stroke Statistics annual report includes a chapter on brain health. Simply put, the heart pumps blood through the vascular system to every part of the body. Problems with the heart or vascular system can impact the brain.
So, what can you do to keep your heart and brain healthy?
No. 1: Choose a healthy diet, emphasizing plant foods, seafood and dairy products. Try to limit highly processed foods (cakes and sweets with refined grains, added sugars and sodium). Choose unsaturated fats from olive and canola oils over saturated fats. Choose more fish, nuts and seeds.
No. 2: Move more. Any movement counts. It’s especially important to stand often rather than sitting for long periods.
No. 3: Get plenty of sleep. The latest
residence in Amsterdam and on the list of top 100 Dutch heritage sites.
The first king of the Netherlands, Napoleon’s brother Louis who reigned from 1806-1810, housed his art collection at TrippenHuis and was where Rembrandt’s “Night Watch: hung until 1851; since 1887 it has housed the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Biking Makkum to Stavoren, Sailing to Enkhuizen
Day 7’s ride takes us from Makkum to Stavoren, from where our ship, Leafde fan Fryslân, will sail across lake IJsselmeer to Enkhuizen, the endpoint of our trip. There is a prediction of rain today and strong wind, so the guides suggest I do the shorter ride (19 miles) and promise I won’t miss out on anything I will regret (the longer route, 30 miles, goes along several Frisian Lakes).
Among the highlights of the ride are coming across a house deliberately built in an upside-down version of a traditional Frisian home (a bit surreal and you have to wonder), and a historic windmill, De Nylannermole, which the sign says dates from 1784, though its history goes back to 1624 (I’m trying to figure out the Dutch). We stop for lunch in a tiny little village as rain comes (we sit under umbrellas outside), and then continue on to Hindeloopen, an old trading town famous for a traditional decorative painting style. We have an enjoyable sail back to Enkhuizen, a gala farewell dinner, and then I go off to explore the historic town, which is really worth more time than I will have before I have to return to Schiphol Airport early the next day.
More information, Boat Bike Tours, www.boatbiketours.com, 1-203-814-1249. Next: Zuiderzee Museum is Not to be Missed in Enkhuizen
© 2025 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com
research suggests seven hours of sleep a night.
No. 4: Avoid tobacco products including e-cigarettes, vaping and secondhand smoke.
No. 5: Know your numbers. Excess weight, high blood pressure, high glucose and high blood cholesterol all increase the risk for vascular disease. Get regular bloodwork to see if medication is needed.
Q and A
Q: Should I take my vitamin or mineral supplement with food or by itself?
A: It depends on the supplement. Calcium supplements, for example, come in two forms: calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. Calcium carbonate requires
Continued on page 6
BY CLAIRE LYNCH
I was telling my friend, Diana, about my other friend, Brenda recently. She’d always been interested in acting - in high school Brenda had played the part of Peter Pan on stage. She put on her costume and pinned her hair up and she was great at it.
Once she’d graduated Brenda tried out for a part in an off-Broadway play. Eventually she got an off-Broadway part and a few years later she went on to act in a Broadway show.
“Tenacity is what I always think of when I think of Brenda,” I told Diana and we both agreed that’s what it takes to succeed. Especially when it’s hard to break into certain careers or start a small business when the economy is challenging.
Screenwriters also have to have tenacity in buckets in order to succeed. It’s a very competitive profession whether one is submitting screenplays to Hollywood, trying to make it as a best-selling novelist or anything else.
Tenacious people are often scrappy people who are not deterred by obstacles that might come their way. Brenda wouldn’t be stymied by anything.
We also call it stick-to-itiveness but I like the word tenacity - and it dawned on me the other day that you don’t hear that word much anymore. At least I don’t, especially when speaking with Gen Zers.
My friends and family talk about tenacity pretty often because as adults who are 50+ we only call someone we know or someone in the public eye tenacious when they really are a determined type of person. It’s not a word we throw around lightly.
Gen Zers, on the other hand, don’t seem too familiar with this word. Sure, they will talk about persevering and forging ahead despite certain odds but good old-fashioned tenacity is not something they talk about these days. That’s my impression anyway.
Another word that never comes up when speaking with the younger generation is “snapshots.” When is the last time you heard anyone talk about taking snapshots, those informal photographs taken quickly with small handheld cameras. In this age of digital photography, most people refer to photos as images.
“I took a snapshot of my family,” I will say and some people look quizzically at me. Or I might say, “A snapshot of my new baby niece is hanging on the
frig.” Same puzzled stares. “Here’s a snapshot of you surfing in the ocean. It’s a keepsake!”
They will talk about taking pictures and photos and pulling out their Smartphones they show me assorted pictures of friends, family and their latest vacation spots - but they never say, “Do you want to see my snapshots?”
I guess a snapshot is a thing of the past but I lament that because I like to keep words that are useful and have meaning in our everyday vocabulary.
Some blank stares also greet me when I mention “Bonanza.” Many of them have never heard of the TV show that ran for 14 years - from 1959 through 1973 - and it’s still showing on reruns. It was NBC TV’s longest-running Western and we kids liked that show because it had some good story lines. And some very good actors: Michael Landon, Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts and Dan Blocker to name a few.
These young folks never heard of the Cartwright family, who owned and operated the Ponderosa Ranch in Nevada. I should clarify that and say some of today’s kids have heard of “Bonanza” but not many.
And aside from the TV show, bonanza in and of itself is a good word. The word “bonanza” originates from the Spanish word “bonanza,” which originally meant “calm sea” or “fair weather” but later came to signify good luck and prosperity. It could be a windfall and success.
An example of a bonanza is, “I just got a raise at work.” But it’s just not a word that’s used much anymore and I am sorry about that. It’s a perfectly good word.
My hope is that Gen Zers will be tenacious in living a life that is filled with a variety of people and interests. I encourage them to volunteer in their communities, talk to others outside their circle, have fun and stay healthy.
It’s my impression is that Gen Zers are more comfortable using their computers and digital tools and hiding behind that technology but that’s not always true. I’ve met lots of Gen Zers who are extroverted and want to make an impact on the world we live in.
I also encourage them to take in any new words they hear used around them even if it’s from some old timers who may happen to be Baby Boomers. You never know, they just might learn something.
An ever-changing society - and the
many times we use the Internet - affects the words we Baby Boomers use and the words Gen Zers use. It’s bound to happen and I’m not just referring to slang, I am talking about the everyday words in the typical Gen Zer’s vocabulary or lexicon as we used to say. Let them look up those words in their Merriam Webster Dictionaries.
Each day as I converse with the younger generations I remind myself that I am not trying to decode the generation gap, I am just trying to understand it. And bridge it.
Gen Zers are constantly trying to push traditional boundaries and norms
so I will hold back and refrain from saying, “It is what it is” or telling them to “Get their ducks in a row.” They probably wouldn’t get what I’m saying anyway.
I will keep trying to bridge the generation gap whether it’s when I’m talking with Gen Zers, Gen Xers, Millennials or Generation Alpha aka Gen A. Sometimes I am volunteering alongside them, working with them on a project or simply socializing with them at a party and I want to keep on talking, keep on listening and remember at all times that we have a lot more in common than I sometimes think.
BY TOM MARGENAU
My wife and I were recently doing a little house cleaning and downsizing. Specifically, we were going through many of our old books. We’ve finally decided that having shelves and shelves of hardbacks and paperbacks and other volumes wasn’t impressing anyone anymore -- including ourselves. So, one by one, we are going through them and deciding which to keep and which should go in the library donation box.
As part of that process, I came across a book I decided to re-read. I first read it in 2012 and wrote a column about it back then. And unless some reader has been clipping all my columns for the past decade or more, I doubt if anyone remembers what I wrote back then. So, I’m going to write about it again.
The book is called “Citizens of London” by Lynne Olson. It tells the story of three influential Americans who were living in London in 1940 and who stood by Britain during its darkest hours -- that period when Great Britain alone was essentially defending freedom against the ravages of Hitler’s war machine. (For those of my readers who are not history buffs, America before Pearl Harbor was dominated by isolationists who did not want our country to get involved in what they considered “that European war.”)
But three forward-thinking men were working behind the scenes, serving as emissaries between Winston Churchill and former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, trying to funnel as much military and humanitarian aid as possible from the United States to England.
I’m sure most of my readers have heard of two of those men. One was Averell Harriman, the hard-driving millionaire who owned railroads, established the Sun Valley ski resort in Idaho, dated celebrities, and became our Ambassador to Russia in 1943. But in early 1941, he was running FDR’s “Lend Lease” program in London.
FDR, who knew the United States would have to enter the war eventually, used the “Lend Lease” program to provide military aid to our allies (primarily Great Britain) without immediate payment. This enabled England to acquire vital supplies like weapons, food and equipment, while the United States maintained a stance of official neutrality in the early years of the war. In return, America received longterm leases on military bases and promises of future payments or other benefits.
The other well known emissary was Edward R. Murrow, the CBS newsman who became famous for his realistic and touching radio broadcasts from bomb-ravaged London.
However, I’ll bet many of my readers never heard of the third influential American. And in fact, I bought the book in the first place all those years ago, because I had a small connection with him. His name was John Gilbert Winant.
Winant was a very interesting person. In the 1920s, he had won national acclaim as the youngest and most progressive governor in the country. (He was the Republican governor of New Hampshire.) But in the 1930s, as pointed out in “Citizens of London,” “this rising Republican star with presidential dreams forfeited his political future by attacking the GOP for its slashing assaults on the New Deal, including Social Security.”
In 1941, FDR appointed Winant to replace the isolationist -- and thus not very popular -- Joseph P. Kennedy (father of John F. Kennedy) as our ambassador to Great Britain. It is in that role that John Winant was arguably the most influential and helpful American in Britain’s hour of need. He worked closely with King George VI and Winston Churchill and won the hearts of the war-weary British public.
But the name John Gilbert Winant attracted me to read this book for another reason. For you see, before his stint as ambassador, he served as the first head of Social Security -- the agency that I worked for from 1973 until 2005.
In 1935, former President Roosevelt appointed Winant to lead the three-man board that would administer the new federal agency charged with running the Social Security program. FDR did so in part because he wanted the well known Republican to help thwart the fierce GOP opposition to the new law. Still, Senate Republicans filibustered and held up funding for the fledgling agency. But Winant and the other two board members, with minimal resources, worked tirelessly to hire staff and patch together a network of regional and field offices that would begin the daunting task of registering most workers in this country, assigning them a Social Security number, and setting up a system to record their earnings and eventually pay them monthly benefits.
Anyway, if you’d like to learn more about the early days of World War II (before Pearl Harbor), I can strongly recommend reading “Citizens of London.”
With the space I have left in today’s column, let’s go down a tangential path to the topic we’ve been discussing. I am going to give you a series of names. I would give any reader a hundred bucks if he or she could tell me who they are and what they all have in common. Here are the names: Stanford Ross, William Driver, John Svahn, Martha McSteen, Dorcas Hardy, Gwendolyn King, Shirley Chate, Kenneth Apfel, Andrew Saul and Martin O’Malley.
So, who are they? They are 10 of the past 36 commissioners (including acting commissioners) of Social Security. The Commissioner of Social Security is the top spot within the Social Security Administration. He or she is responsible for running one of the largest agencies in the federal government, in charge of maintaining Social Security numbers and earnings records for nearly every working American and for paying retirement, disability, and
survivor benefits to about 80 million people every month.
Yet, almost no one knows who these people are. Most folks can probably name the FBI director or the head of the CIA. But SSA is one of the many federal agencies whose top dog might as well be named
“Underdog.” Who heads the VA? Who is the Commissioner of the IRS? Who runs the Federal Highway Administration? How about the Bureau of Labor Statistics? The heads of these and so many other fed-
Continued on next page
There are three guarantees in life, birth, taxes and death. The first one occurs without any effort on one’s part. Paying taxes is somewhat controllable and determined by your entrepreneurial spirit, expertise and timing being in the right place at the right time and having the most qualified CPA. However, death is inevitable and planning in advance to be prepared with the necessary and required paperwork will enable your heirs to have less of a financial burden and to be able to keep as much of your estate as possible. Another thought is that if you might need to go on Medicaid (we don’t really know the end result based on the BBB that was passed), there is a 5 year look back to see what your assets are to ascertain if you will qualify.
Inheriting a home and/or real estate or any other valuable commodity, is an excellent way to receive assets from a parent, relative or friend. But one must be smart and astute in knowing the most advantageous way to get it accomplished to eliminate and/or minimize the tax consequences.
It is prudent and smart to hire an Elder Care attorney and possibly with a Certified Financial Planner to assist you in navigating the tumultuous road to make sure your children or whoever is in your will, are protected from probate proceedings and the government potentially grabbing a portion or all of your assets. If you own a home or investment property, having a irrevocable trust will keep those assets from being commandeered by the IRS and control the inheritance tax ramifications, if any.
Utilizing an irrevocable trust can be a strategy to pass on your assets to beneficiaries while minimizing potential
estate taxes and avoiding probate.
Here’s how irrevocable trusts can achieve this:
BY PHILIP A. RAICES
• Estate Tax Benefits: When you transfer assets to an irrevocable trust, they are generally no longer considered part of your taxable estate for estate tax purposes. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals with large estates that might otherwise exceed the federal estate tax exemption. However, recent IRS rulings may affect the step-up in basis for assets in irrevocable trusts, meaning beneficiaries might face higher capital gains taxes upon selling those assets.
• Avoiding Probate: Assets held within a properly funded irrevocable trust bypass the probate process, meaning they can be distributed to your beneficiaries more quickly and efficiently than assets included in a will. This can save time, money, and stress for your heirs.
• Asset Protection: Irrevocable trusts can also offer a degree of protection against creditors, lawsuits, and other legal claims.
However, it’s crucial to understand the implications of using an irrevocable trust:
• Loss of Control: Once assets are placed in an irrevocable trust, you generally relinquish control over them, meaning you cannot easily modify or revoke the trust’s terms without the consent of the beneficiaries or a court order.
• Complexity and Cost: Establishing
Continued from previous page
eral agencies are almost always nameless political appointees.
For part of my career with the SSA, I worked for several Social Security commissioners. Usually, in the role of a speechwriter. Sometimes, as a deputy press officer. By no means was I a major player on any commissioner’s staff. If the commissioner had a meeting with his or her top deputies, I would be sitting in a chair in the corner of the room -- usually taking notes. But as I used to say: “At least I was in the room.” And I sure would have loved to be in the room with John Winant
when he was building the organization that would become the Social Security Administration!
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
and maintaining an irrevocable trust can be more complex and costly than a simple will or even a revocable trust.
• The estate loses the “step up basis” to current market value, for tax purposes as opposed to having a regular trust, as capital gains may have to be paid by one’s heirs.
This is a much abbreviated explanation of how to inherit a home or real estate assets. Therefore, deciding whether an irrevocable trust is the right choice for your estate plan depends on your individual circumstances, the size of your estate, and your goals. Therefore, hiring the right professional to assist and guide you today, will go a long way in reducing the capital gains for your children and the unfortunate consequences that may occur in the end, if you are not properly prepared.
Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 43+ years experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned 3 significant designations:
National Association of Realtors Graduate Realtors Institute (what I consider a Master’s degree in real estate).
Certified International Property Specialist - expert in consulting and completing international transactions.
National Association of Realtors Green designation: eco-friendly low carbon footprint construction with 3-D printed foundations, Solar panels, 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:
WWW.Li-RealEstate.com
bit.ly/4bXWVu6 (facebook.com)
bit.ly/4inVqaR (X.com)
bit.ly/4bVSwrs (linkedIn)
bit.ly/4inVK9z (Instagram)
bit.ly/4bQH14x (YouTube)
BY MARY HUNT
If you’re raising a teenager right now -- especially one who can clear a dinner table before you’ve had a chance to sit down -- you’re not imagining things. Feeding a growing teen can feel like trying to stock a vending machine during halftime. Except the vending machine is your kitchen, and halftime happens every afternoon.
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed. The grocery bills creep higher, and the food seems to disappear faster than you can unpack it. But here’s the good news: You don’t have to overspend to keep your teen fed and your fridge from looking like it’s been raided by raccoons.
With a little planning and a few smart habits, it’s possible to nourish your teen -- body and soul -- without draining your bank account. Here are some of my goto frugal strategies that make life a little easier during these wonderfully hungry years.
When you’re feeding someone with a bottomless appetite, bulk and balance matter. Focus on pantry basics like rice,
pasta, oats, potatoes and beans. They’re inexpensive and filling, and they stretch meals beautifully.
A little ground beef can go a long way in a hearty pot of chili. Stir-fries with rice and vegetables are easy to scale up. And
casseroles are your friend -- especially the kind that lets you sneak in some veggies and use what’s already in the pantry. LET THE SLOW COOKER DO THE HEAVY LIFTING
A slow cooker is a gift on busy nights. Just add a roast or some chicken thighs, throw in some chopped vegetables and broth, and let it work its magic. You’ll end up with a comforting, homecooked meal that tastes like you spent hours -- without actually doing that. And the leftovers? Perfect for tomorrow’s lunch or freezing for a rainy day.
DOUBLE UP WHEN YOU COOK
If you’re already cooking, it doesn’t take much more time or effort to make a double batch. Freeze the extra sauce, taco meat or soup. Having readymade meals tucked away can make all the difference on those evenings when your teen walks in the door, drops a backpack and says, “I’m starving.” You’ll thank yourself later.
There’s something so comforting about breakfast foods, and thankfully, they’re also budget-friendly. Eggs, pancakes and French toast are quick, inexpensive and usually a hit with everyone at the table. Let them add their own toppings or sides -- it turns a simple meal into something they’ll look forward to.
KEEP
Teens snack. A lot. And while it’s tempting to load up on prepackaged snacks, the cost adds up quickly. Instead, keep boiled eggs, cut fruit, peanut butter toast, popcorn and homemade muffins in rotation. If you bake a batch of muffins or bars, freeze half for later -- they’ll be ready when you need them. Having healthier, filling snacks available keeps them satisfied and your budget in check.
Buying in bulk can absolutely help -- if you’re strategic. Stick to the items you know they eat consistently: oats, pasta, flour, rice and cheese. A large block of cheese costs less than pre-shredded and
stores well. Just avoid falling into the trap of novelty-sized snacks that lose their charm (and shelf life) in a week.
One of the best ways to ease the pressure is to teach your teen how to cook. Start simple: grilled cheese, scrambled eggs, quesadillas. Then hand them a recipe and let them take the lead once in a while. Not only will they learn a valuable skill, but they’ll gain a little appreciation for what goes into putting food on the table. And who knows? You may get the night off once in a while.
Homemade pizza dough is budget-friendly and easy to make (or buy premade if that’s easier). Let your teen pile on their own toppings -- whatever you have on hand works just fine. Pizza night at home is not only cheaper than delivery, it’s fun and filling too. Tip: Your local pizza takeout joint is likely to sell fresh dough for a couple of bucks. Or check your supermarket in the deli area.
Meal planning may sound like a chore, but it’s one of the best ways to save money and reduce stress. Look at the week’s grocery ads, build meals around what’s on sale, and get your teen involved in the
planning.
If they help choose a meal, they’ll be more likely to eat it without complaint. (No guarantees, but it helps.)
A GENTLE REMINDER: THIS IS A SEASON
These high-appetite years don’t last forever. One day, they’ll be off cooking for themselves -- and you might even miss the sound of the refrigerator door opening every 15 minutes.
Until then, feed them well, love them through it, and know that you’re doing a beautiful job -- one affordable, filling meal at a time.
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
Continued from previous page
stomach acid to be properly absorbed, so it’s best taken with a meal since the presence of food in the stomach stimulates acid production. Calcium citrate can be taken with or without food because it doesn’t require stomach acid for absorption. Iron is best absorbed on an empty stomach. Vitamin C enhances absorption of iron, so taking an iron supplement with a glass of orange juice (or an orange) may help absorption. Multivitamins contain nutrients with different re-
quirements. You can take it with a meal if you want. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble vitamins, so it’s best to take those with a meal that contains some fat.
Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois, and the current president of the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD.
COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
BY DENNIS MAMMANA
Week of July 27 - August 2, 2025
Constellations are funny things, and beginner stargazers have so many misconceptions about them.
Some novices believe that constellations are fanciful pictures in the sky and may wonder why they can never see them. The answer is simple: They don’t exist! This expectation may originate from the ornate images that appear on ancient star charts.
Another thought that some have is that constellations are collections of stars that look like something familiar. That’s not true either. Such stellar groups are not officially constellations but rather what we call asterisms.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of this whole thing is that constellations are totally invisible. Astronomers have divided the heavens into 88 areas, each of which is a separate “constellation” that represents an object, animal or person.
Think of states or provinces; these are geographical divisions on the earth with imaginary lines that define them. Fly over the Southwestern U.S., for example, and you can’t see Arizona. You can see specific things within Arizona (Tucson, Monument Valley, Lake Powell, etc.), but the state itself is defined by an imaginary boundary and can’t be seen.
The same is true with constellations. We can see stars within constellation
boundaries, but the outlines that make up these are totally imaginary. That’s why it’s best to create asterisms from stars within each constellation to help us find our way around the sky.
Just like states or provinces, constellations range in size from huge to tiny. One of the smallest -- and faintest -- of all constellations appears in our summertime sky, but unless you’re looking for it, you may never notice it. Those who see it for the first time, however, often gasp with excitement!
This constellation represents a dolphin and is known as Delphinus (dehlFYE-nuhs).
According to one legend, Delphinus represents the dolphin that carried the ancient Greek poet Arion safely to shore at Tarentum, allowing him to escape his enemies. The figure of the young man on the dolphin appears on a classic series of silver coins issued at Tarentum in southern Italy around 370 B.C.
The Hindus knew this star grouping as a porpoise, the Arabians as a riding camel, and in early Hebrew tradition, it was sometimes identified with the Great Fish of Jonah. Its four main stars form a grouping that some call “Job’s Coffin,” though the origin of this name seems lost in history.
Spotting this tiny star grouping is quite fun, but to have a chance, you’ll need to be away from bright city lights. First, locate the three bright stars
The constellation Delphinus forms a striking asterism in the shape of a dolphin.
of the Summer Triangle, high in the eastern sky after dark. Once you find this prominent celestial marker, you should be able to locate Delphinus, just to its east, and see the tiny outline of a dolphin leaping from the water toward the north.
In the accompanying image, I’ve included not only the asterism of its five stars but also the ancient image of
the dolphin and the modern constellation boundary.
Find the dolphin in the sky and you’ll see why it’s been the object of so much admiration through the ages. Delphinus -- as tiny and faint as it is -- is truly a stellar sight!
Visit Dennis Mammana at dennismammana.com. . COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
BY TRACY BECKERMAN
All I wanted was a bottle of water. But when I went to the cold case at the fancy new coffee bar, there wasn’t a plain water bottle in sight. I had a choice of water with infused electrolytes, an antioxidant-rich artichoke water and a water that was filtered through thousands of layers of porous volcanic rock.
I guess I shouldn’t have been all that surprised. The water was sold at a coffee bar that specialized in cold-pressed coffee, with beans that were ethically sourced, free-trade and cultivated in the Amazon rainforest.
All this, of course, translated into really expensive bottles of water and cups of coffee.
Sadly, I realized this hipster trend was not limited to beverages.
Earlier in the day, I went to my farmers market where I had to pay
extra for locally grown heirloom tomatoes, the exclusive seeds of which, I was told, were left to the market owners in the will of a reclusive Amish farmer. The eggs came from chickens that were cage-free, free-range and treated to monthly stress-relief massages and paraffin pedicures. And the microgreens came from a blend of several micro lettuces that had been planted by virgins and nurtured with water filtered through the trunks of pygmy elephants from Borneo.
While I know this trend is thriving because people want it, I can’t help but think about how ridiculous (and costly) the whole thing has become. Even ice cream has fallen prey to the artisan treatment. Why eat regular old ice cream when you can get some that come from fancy cows that are fed Siberian kale and sung milking songs to by an acapella chorus of Bavarian men in lederhosen?
When I was growing up, we ate packaged snack cakes, drank plain old sugared-up soda and cooked with corn oil. My coffee came from a can, and my water came from a tap. Now I’m 60, and by some miracle and in spite of my upbringing, I am still alive and seem to be somewhat healthy. Moreover, I have yet to see an obituary that says the deceased perished from eating white bread.
Recently I had a friend come over who only feeds her kids organic, wheatfree, dairy-free, taste-free food not because they have any allergies but because she believes those food groups create an inhospitable bacterial environment in the gut and may also diminish her children’s IQ by one one-thousandth of a point, and she doesn’t want that to be an impediment to them getting into a good preschool. Anyway, she happened to notice a few boxes of macaroni and cheese in my pantry, and
she was aghast. She spent the next 10 minutes lecturing me on the dangers of phthalates in the powdered cheese. Truthfully, I wasn’t that moved by her lecture, although I was impressed that she could pronounce “phthalates.”
As she studiously eyeballed the rest of the contents of my shelves, I gently guided her out of my pantry and assured her that when it came to healthy food, I’m very selective and purposeful in my purchases.
Which is why my kids eat mac and cheese. ...
And my retriever eats artisanal dog food.
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
ONE CALL TO 516-294-8900 AND YOUR AD WILL APPEAR IN 6 LOCAL NEWSPAPERS. CALL TODAY FOR OUR VERY LOW RATES. www.gcnews.com
Garden City News • Mid Island Times Bethpage Newsgram • Syosset Advance Jericho News Journal • Floral Park Villager
DEADLINE FOR CLASSIFIED ADS IS TUESDAY AT 1:00PM.
2 EASY WAYS TO PLACE ADS:
gcnews.com
Visa and MasterCard Accepted
HELP WANTED
CUSTODIAL POSITION
Garden City Community Church Is seeking a dependable, self-motivated custodian to join our staff full-time. Some evening hours required. Previous custodial experience preferred but not required. Please email Liz controller@thegccc.org if interested.
SITUATION WANTED
Honest and reliable woman seeks position as caregiver or companion. Much experience with Dementia/Alzheimer patients. I can also do light housekeeping, shopping or doctor appointments. Please call: 631-355-9017
CERTIFIED NURSE’S AIDE
25-30 years experience Honest and Reliable Assist with activities of daily living by serving meals, feeding patients as needed. Take care of patient’s personal hygiene by assisting with shaving, baths or showers. Available full time/part time, nights, weekends and overnight. If help is needed call Barbara: 917-442-5760
ATTENTION OXYGEN
THERAPY USERS!
Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 1-833-661-4172
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
INVITED SALES BY TRACY JORDAN
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! 844329-9391
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
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
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 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
***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS
$Highest$ Ca$h Paid$ All Years /Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct Ca$h. DMV ID#1303199 Call LUKE 516-VAN-CARS 516-297-2277
GET A BREAK ON YOUR TAXES! Donate your car, truck, or SUV to assist the blind and visually impaired. Arrange a swift, no-cost vehicle pickup and secure a generous tax credit for 2025. Call Heritage for the Blind today at 1-855484-3467
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: 1-833441-4496
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
APARTMENT FOR RENT
APARTMENT FOR RENT
Beautiful ground floor, 1 Bedroom apartment. Kitchen, Dishwasher, Full Bath, French doors, Central Air, Driveway.
5 minutes to Garden City LIRR $2,200/month includes all Non-smokers, no pets Call: 516-619-6171
VACATION RENTAL
SAG HARBOR
August rental thru Labor Day
Luxury Modern Contemporary
4 Bedrooms, sleeps 7, 2 Full Baths, Chefs Kitchen, Pool, Jacuzzi, multiple oversized decks Call 516-445-1377
AGING ROOF?
NEW HOMEOWNER?
STORM DAMAGE?
You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-833-880-7679
BARNES GALLERY
Custom Picture Framing
Two Nassau Blvd Garden City, NY 516-538-4503
Tuesday-Saturday 10-5
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
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.
AQUATEC LAWN SPRINKLERS SYSTEM TURN ONS
Backflow Device Tests
Free Estimates Installation Service/Repairs
Joe Barbato 516-775-1199
BEAUTIFUL BATH UP -
DATES in as little as ONE DAY! Superior quality bath and shower systems at AFFORDABLE PRICES! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Call Now! 1-833-807-0159
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
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
MASONRY
All types of stonework Pavers, Retaining Walls, Belgium Block Patios, Foundations, Seal coating, Concrete and Asphalt driveways, Sidewalks, Steps.
Free Estimates
Fully Licensed & Insured #H2219010000
Boceski Masonry
Louie 516-850-4886
PAULIE THE ROOFER STOPPING LEAKS IS MY SPECIALTY!
Slate & Tile Specialists
All types of Roofing Local References
Licensed & Insured 516-621-3869
PREPARE FOR POWER
OUTAGES TODAY with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5 year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-877-5161160 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.
PREPARE FOR POWER
OUTAGES with Briggs & StrattonPowerProtect(TM) standby generators the most powerful home standby generators available. Industry-leading comprehensive warranty 7 years ($849 value.) Proudly made in the U.S.A. Call Briggs & Stratton 1-888-605-1496
SAFE STEP
North America’s #1 Walk-In Tub.
Comprehensive Lifetime warranty. Top of the line installation and service. Now featuring our FREE shower package and $1600 Off for a limited time! Call today! Financing available. Call Safe Step: 1-855-916-5473
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
LI’S ACUPUNCTURE
Hicksville Acupunctuirst
30+ years of expert care for a wide range of conditions. Major Insurances Accepted. Senior discount available. CALL NOW 516-806-5538 Visit Us: acupliang.com
& 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)
PROFESSIONAL PAINTER
Interior/Exterior Repairs, Spackls, Wallpaper, Mouldings & More!
Clean & Dependable Free Estimates
Licensed & Insured #H0106110000
CALL SAL TODAY! 516-343-2152
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! 1-833549-0598 Have zip code of property ready when calling!
It’s grilling season, and people are on the lookout for delicious recipes they can easily cook outdoors. Many fall back on tried-and-true favorites because they may be apprehensive about grilling with new ingredients. But grilling is more than just burgers and steaks. In fact, seafood is a great option for the grill, and it cooks up in a snap.
The following recipe for “Grilled Striper with Cactus and Black Beans” from “Jon Bonnell’s Texas Favorites” (Gibbs Smith) is a great seafood dish to grill up this summer.
Serves 4
4 fillets wild striped bass, approximately 8 ounces each
1 teaspoon southwestern blend rub
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 cactus paddles (called nopales in Mexican markets)
3 cups Bacon-Laced Black Beans (see below)
1 lemon
1) Clean the fish well, removing any bones and scales, and pat dry. Dust each fillet with the rub, then brush each with canola oil just before grilling.
2) Grill over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until the fish is cooked through. The time may vary, depending on your grill.
3 ) Clean the cactus pad -
Bacon-Laced Black Beans
Serves 8 to 10
dles well with a sharp knife, removing any small needles.
4) Grill the cactus over high heat, just tossing it right onto the grill bars — no oil, no seasonings. Once the cactus begins to bubble slightly, turn over and season with a sprinkle of the rub. As soon as both sides are lightly charred and the cactus is bubbling inside,
1 pound black turtle beans, rinsed under cold water
it’s ready to serve.
5) Pull the cactus from the grill and cut into strips. Line a platter with a layer of the cactus and top with the black beans; then lay the grilled striper on top. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and serve.
1 large yellow onion, diced and divided
4 strips bacon, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1) Place the beans and half of the chopped onion in a saucepot with just enough cold water to cover. Soak in the fridge overnight, then simmer for approximately 1 hour (do not drain), just until the beans become soft. Strain the liquid into a separate bowl and keep it for later.
2) In a separate pot, render the bacon, then add the remaining onion and the garlic. Sauté until the onion has softened; then pour the beans and 1 cup of their cooking liquid into the pot.
3) Puree the mix with a stick blender until smooth.
If you haven’t tried Chewy.com yet for your pet food and supply purchases, this is a great time to check them out. Last Hope is part of their rescue program. For each new customer that makes a purchase, Last Hope will receive a $20 donation. Go to Last Hope’s Chewy page at https://www.chewy.com/g/ last-hope-animal-rescue_b100553681 for info on Last Hope and to shop for items and necessities on the shelter’s wish list.
This is a great time to see the flowers of Centennial Gardens.
Can you see the bee on the cosmos enjoying the pollen ? There are over 400 species of bees. Did you know that the bees are in crisis mode ? Did you know that, thanks to bees, we have fruits, vegetables and nuts to eat ? However the burden is not all on them. Butterflies, moths, flies, birds, bats, wind and water all help to sustain human life. Pesticides, climate change, decreased habitats all help to diminish insects that pollinate plants and provide food security to all earthly habitants.
Everyone can help. There are many, many annual and perennial plants that provide pollen for insects and nature to share the pollen and continue the process of pollination and seed reproduction for food for life. The various insects visit flowers in search of food or shelter. They fly from one flower to another, in the process, pollinating and fertilizing more flowers causing reproduction and food production.
Fifth grade students from John Lewis Childs Elementary School created water cups for the bees. The children took clay, shaped it, fired it in the kiln, painted the pictures and continued the process until they finished the bee water cups you see. They attached the cups to sticks and now ninety bee water cups are in Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary for the bees and other insects to hydrate. Thank you to all involved with the creation of this wonderful gift to nature.
Dead heading is a process of helping the plants to renew, refresh and reproduce more flowers. When petals start to fall off the flowers cut off the flower with a sharp instrument. Do this just above the first set of healthy leaves. Most plants will then grow new flowers. Research should the done to discover which flowers can be deadheaded. Some gardeners prefer not to deadhead their flowers, letting them go to seed. This process permits
The garden is home for the birds, bees, and butterflies.
more new plants to grow.
Although the temperature is close to one hundred degrees and it is midsummer, many gardeners are thinking and planning their fall landscape. Plants need replacing, design needs rethinking and time moves on. Planting in the fall helps roots to establish. It is always a delight, in the spring, to see the garden grow again. Now is the time to research perennial plants that are native plants, that are pollinators, and that will help keep all the birds, bees, butterflies and insects happy.
Also, when fall comes, leave the leaves alone. Today we do not see many fireflies or lightning bugs, as many know them. They live in the leaves
bees pollinate the garden's flowers.
over winter. Many enjoy childhood memories of seeing lightning bugs light up. It is so great to think about experiences children have had seeing lightning bugs during the summer and the childhood friends they had to experience the fun and memories of it all. Children should be able to continue that experience today. By blowing the leaves away and discarding them, the fireflies have no place to hibernate over winter. If necessary, place the leaves in your garden. Leaves are not going to harm grass, plants and soil, they actually provide nourishment to all. Food for thought as you enjoy the remainder of the summer.
Floral Park-Bellerose Union Free School District students are “diving” into hands-on activities during this year’s Under the Sea themed SCOPE Summer Enrichment Program, held from July 7–Aug. 1, at Floral ParkBellerose School.
From crafting colorful ocean-inspired art and conducting exciting science experiments to preparing tropical treats like salsa and smoothies, the students have been exploring new hobbies and enhancing their skills. This summer, there are four workshops
offered, including Splashes and Scales STEAM and Seaside Culinary Arts, Seashells and Sunsets Fine Arts with Viking Warrior Fitness and Games, Sun and Scholars Summer Academics, and Broadway by the Sea Summer Musical. The courses are offered on a weekly basis, allowing the students to enroll in a different course each week or take one workshop for multiple weeks. The Broadway Musical is a two-week long session.
Park-Bellerose Union Free School District students enjoyed arts and crafts, roller coaster projects, song rehearsals during the Summer Enrichment Program on July 15.
