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Friday, November 12, 2021
Vol. 81, No. 46
When you’re ready for a change, I’m ready to h elp.
Tricia Shanno
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Licensed Asso ciate Real Estate Bro ker tricia.shannon@ compas
M: 516.978.683 2 O: 516.517.486 6
s.com
Tricia Shannon is a Licensed Associate Real Compass is a Estate Broker Licensed Real affiliated with Estate Broker Compass. and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity Laws .
Syosset Schools cope with labor, food shortages
OYSTER BAY ARTISTS
BY GEORGE HABER
On Friday, November 5, the seventh annual Art Exhibit opened at the Haybarn at Planting Fields Arboretum. It featured the works of the Watercolor Artists of Oyster Bay. Twenty-seven exhibiting artists meet weekly at the arboretum with Roberta Erlagen, a well known watercolorist in her own right. The exhibit will be on view through December 12, at the historic Haybarn. All are welcome!
“Cruise-Thru” Toys for Tots collection Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Councilman Tom Hand announced that the Town’s massive “Cruise-Thru” Toys for Tots Collection Drive will take place at John Burns Park in Massapequa on Saturday, December 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (rain date is
Sunday, December 5). In partnership with the United States Marine Corps, the Town is collecting toys to help families impacted by the COVID-19 economic crisis and those less fortunate throughout the community during the upcoming holiday season. In addition to the Cruise-Th-
ru, collection boxes are located at Town facilities through December 14. Supervisor Saladino said, “The Toys for Tots Drive has long been a huge success under the leadership of the U.S. Marine Corps, especialSee page 10
The Jericho Syosset News Journal is published every Friday by Litmor Publishing Corp. Periodical Postage paid at Hicksville, N.Y. 11801Telephone 931-0012 - USPS 3467-68 Postmaster: Send Address Change to: The Syosset Jericho News Journal, 821 Franklin Ave., Suite 208, Garden City, N.Y. 11530 • Meg Norris Publisher
Similar to many school districts on Long Island, Syosset schools are having to deal with shortages of certain foods for student lunches, delays in construction material deliveries, and loss of workers. All these challenges, says Dr. Tom Rogers, Syosset Schools superintendent, are the result of delays in shipments and loss of workers because of COVID or job-and-family-related issues. Syosset serves approximately 950 free breakfasts and 3,250 free lunches daily to students. Supply chain problems have forced changes in lunch menus. "Where we might have scheduled a fresh dish we may have to use a frozen one because of a shortage due to delayed deliveries,” Rogers said. “Covid testing kits have also been delayed,” he said. The district ordered 1,700 kits in September and another 1,700 in October. “But to date we haven’t received either order. The supplier cites supply chain issues for the delay.” Rogers said delays in construction materials for HVAC systems and other equipment are being attributed to shipping container delays . He also noted that the district placed an order for laptops and Chromebooks last March, but has received no deliveries yet. Discussing shortages of bus drivers, Rogers said increased demand for drivers for package delivery services such as Amazon, retirements or moves out of state, and challenges of having to work a split shift have taken a toll on the number of school bus drivers. Putting the shortage challenges in perspective, Rogers said that considering the health and safety issues the district has had to deal with over the past year, the problems associated with the supply and delays challenges the district now confronts are “a welcome relief.”
Town plans hockey jamboree PAGE 3 Turkey drive for Island Harvest PAGE 2