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SERVING PLAINVIEW, HICKSVILLE, AND LEVIT TOWN

MUSIC AT HOME

Hicksville Middle School music students learning remotely have been able to create their own music using a new software package. See page 6.

Elected to Bethpage Water District Board

The Bethpage Water District (BWD) is proud to announce the newest member of its Board of Commissioners, Scott Greco. Scott, a lifelong, fourth-generation Bethpage resident, joins Chairman John Coumatos and Treasurer Theresa Black on the District’s board of commissioners that is committed to continue holding polluters accountable for the Northrop Grumman Plume while ensuring Bethpage residents receive the high-quali-

ty water.

“It is a true honor to have been elected as Commissioner of the Bethpage Water District,” said Commissioner Scott Greco. “My family has a rich history of dedication to the Bethpage Water District as both my father and grandfather have served as past commissioners. Along with the pride I feel for being an active member in my hometown, I’m motivated and determined to continue the great work of this District

to hold polluters accountable and ensure nothing stands in the way of us providing our residents with the highest quality water at the lowest possible cost.”

Commissioner Greco graduated from Bethpage High School in 1980 and went on to attend the Academy of Aeronautics. While pursuing his aeronautics degree, he also took an interest in electrical engineering, plumbing, and business management,

See page 15

Bethpage High students aim to break barriers in STEM

Six students from Bethpage High School recently participated in a seminar for young women interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics offered by Hofstra University and the Women’s Summer Program in Computing/ Engineering.

Juniors Aurrel Bhatia, Suchitha Channapatnam, Ruchitha Channapatna, Theresa Thulasidas and Ava Zingone and senior Maya Maciel-Seidman engaged with a panel of women about career opportunities

in areas related specifically to computer science and engineering. The program offered information for the high school students that their normal curriculum might not cover.

“We are still trying to discover our passions, and what fields we want to go into,” Theresa said. “The W-SPiCE seminar offered some much-needed insight into the workforce.”

The seminar is designed to help

See page 15

Six students from Bethpage High School recently participated in a seminar for young women in STEM offered by Hofstra University and the Women’s Summer Program in Computing/Engineering. Photo courtesy of the Bethpage Union Free School District

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Where is the transparency?

To the Editor:

Recent events created another unfortunate moment for the Jericho School District and its curiously uncommunicative Board of Education. Two weekends ago, the parents, students and teachers of Cantiague Elementary School learned about the resignation of admired and loved Principal Gina Faust, not from a District announcement, but through a job listing for her position published in The New York Times. Despite holding its monthly meeting less than 72 hours before the Sunday NYT posting, the Board neglected to publicize Ms. Faust’s anticipated June departure (which was known to members for many weeks). Only after the job listing and the subsequent wide dissemination of this information through the “Jericho grapevine,” did the Superintendent offer a flaccid email to Cantiague parents.

Withholding pertinent information, such as Ms. Faust’s departure, has become a bad habit for this Board. Details regarding other significant per-

sonnel issues, including (i) the sudden resignation of a newly hired, highly touted Curriculum Associate just weeks into the school year, (ii) the creation of an undelineated Co-Principal structure at the High School, and (iii) the arbitrary extension of a temporary one-year Assistant Principal position at the HS/ MS, have similarly and unjustifiably been withheld by this Board.

During my 25-year career in the investment management business, I have dealt with countless Boards of Directors. It is truly unique for a Board to show such continuous disregard for informing its constituents.

I am running for a seat on the Jericho School Board to rectify this and other deficiencies in the way the Board conducts the District’s business. The status quo will no longer suffice. As the father of three current Jericho students, I understand the desires of this community. With years of experience working with and serving on Boards, I possess the tools to effectuate the necessary change.

Sam Perlman

Lifeguard opportunities at town pools, beaches

The Town of Oyster Bay has announced that it is accepting applications from qualified, certified individuals interested in working at Town pools and/or beaches this upcoming summer season.

“We invite experienced and responsible lifeguards to submit applications for this summer season at one of our beautiful pools or beaches. Our lifeguards provide an invaluable service in protecting our residents and have helped save countless lives in both pool and ocean waters,” said Town Councilman Lou Imbroto. “Having a summer lifeguard job at one of our fantastic summer facilities helps build confidence, self-esteem, and leadership skills. Our

lifeguards have a tremendous sense of dedication and understanding of the importance of teamwork.”

Town lifeguards are hired for the summer season, which runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Positions are available at all Town pools and beaches.

Applicants must be a minimum of 16 years old, possess a current Nassau Lifeguard Certification and a current CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer. Qualified applicants may request an application by contacting the Town of Oyster Bay Parks Department Human Resources Office at parkshr@oysterbay-ny.gov or calling (516) 797-4167. Let us help you promote your local business We'll personally create a customized ad campaign and run it in our papers to help boost your clientele!

Town extends hours for tax payment window

The Town of Oyster Bay will offer extended hours at its outdoor Walk-Up Windows for those who wish to make their tax payments in-person by check or money order ahead of the February 10 deadline for first half General tax bills. The walk-up windows at Town Hall North in Oyster Bay and Town Hall South in Massapequa will operate with extended hours for the last 2 days of the property tax collection period, Tuesday, February 9 and Wednesday, February 10 from 8:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m. Normal hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. While most local governments have restricted or fully suspended in-person interactions at their facilities, these walk-up windows offer residents a safe option within which to make their payments in-person during this public health crisis.

Receiver of Taxes Jeffrey Pravato stated, “Throughout this pandemic, my office has remained fully operational to assist residents in making on-time tax payments. To ensure your safety and well-being, these walkup windows allow taxpayers to make in-person payments ahead of the deadline. Take advantage of this process and avoid State-imposed tax penalties for late payments.”

Because Nassau County provided untimely data to the towns, Receiver Pravato has written to Governor Cuomo to request a 30 day extension deadline for taxpayers. The Governor has not yet responded, but hope remains that an extension will be granted. Homeowners should note that this is the first General tax bill mailed under County Executive Laura Curran’s reassessment and

her 2021 property tax hike. While the General tax bill includes amounts for the Town of Oyster Bay, Nassau County and special districts, the Town of Oyster Bay did not raise taxes in 2021. Any changes in your taxes are due to Nassau County and its reassessment system, which resulted in tax hikes for 65% of homeowners.

When making payment, residents are reminded to sign their check, payable to Jeffrey P. Pravato, Receiver of Taxes. Indicate the property’s S.D. Code, Section, Block, Lot, and Phone Number on the check. When paying in person, residents are reminded to bring the entire tax bill. Residents who prefer to mail in their payments should send them to the Office of the Receiver of Taxes, 74 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, N.Y. 11771-1539. Payments being made by mail should include the payment stub. Residents should NOT write on, fold, staple or otherwise deface the tax stub as it can cause the computer system to reject the payment.

Taxpayers can access 2021 General tax information at www.oysterbaytown. com. Residents may view tax bills, print out a hard copy, or pay taxes with an ACH check payment or credit/debit card (subject to third party fees, no portion remitted to the Town of Oyster Bay). For more information on property taxes and/or payments, residents may call at (516) 624-6400. Callers are requested to have the school district, section, block and lot numbers of the property in question available. This information is listed on the tax bill and on the property deed.

Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call our Garden City office at 516-294-8900 for more information. Get results!

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MacArthur student wins national theme search contest

MacArthur sophomore Jason Yevin was recognized as the 2022–2023 PTA Reflections Theme Search Contest winner for his theme idea “Show Your Voice!”

Jason Yevin, a sophomore from General Douglas MacArthur High School in the Levittown Public Schools, was recently selected as the 2022–2023 PTA Reflections Theme Search Contest winner. His phrase “Show Your Voice!” will be the next National PTA Reflections theme that will inspire student creativity in grades

K–12 across the country. Yevin will also receive $100 from the National PTA as the contest winner.

Each year, the National PTA selects one theme idea for its National PTA Reflections Contest. The PTA Reflections Contest challenges students from across the United States to create original works of art while reflecting on a specific theme. Students have the opportunity to submit art in the areas of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts.

Yevin was encouraged by his ceramics teacher, Deja Gomes-Vance, to submit his theme idea into the 2022–2023 Reflections Theme Search Contest. During class, Ms. Gomes-Vance conducted a brainstorming session as part of the creative process and focused on past theme search winners. Her students thought about something significant that happened in the past year to help them formulate a possible theme for the next PTA Reflections Contest. Yevin thought of the “Show Your Voice!” phrase after reflecting on the Black Lives Matter protests and mask wearing during 2020.

Ms. Gomes-Vance has her art students create projects for the National PTA Reflections Contest each year and she is thrilled that her own student’s idea will be the theme that students will follow in 2022–2023.

“I think it’s great,” she said. “Jason is a wonderful student and this recognition could not have happened to a better kid.”

Photos courtesy of the Levittown Public Schools

MacArthur art teacher Deja Gomes-Vance (right) promoted the PTA Reflections Theme Search Contest in her class and encouraged Jason Yevin (left) to participate.

Bethpage volleyball coach named Coach of the Year

Bethpage High School girls volleyball coach Anne DiPrima was selected as the 2019-20 Northeast Section Girls Volleyball Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Coaches Association.

Photo courtesy of the Bethpage Union Free School District

Bethpage High School girls volleyball coach Anne DiPrima was selected as the 2019–20 Northeast Section Girls Volleyball Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Coaches Association. Anne was specifically nominated by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and was confirmed as the most deserving recipient.

The Northeast Section includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. Honorees were selected based upon their performance in the 2019–20 school year, community and school involvement and philosophy of coaching.

“Being recognized among so many worthy recipients is a humbling experience and I am truly thankful for the honor, ” Anne said. “ My reward is knowing that I have encouraged, guided and influenced the girls that I have coached over so many years at Bethpage and it is my pleasure to be a part of their journey in life. I enjoy every minute of it. ”

riday, January 29 , 2021

Syosset swim, dive team wins 50th straight meet

The Syosset Varsity Boys Swimming and Diving team won its 50th consecutive meet on Friday, January 22. Syosset

when it faced the combined team of Levittown and East Meadow at home.

The team’s winning streak began

just over 6 years ago on January 13, 2015. The team entered the 2021 season as the two-time defending Nassau

County Champions with 48 consecutive dual meet wins.

Commenting on what has helped the team achieve such an impressive number of consecutive wins, Head Coach Mike Cipollino explained “There is a real camaraderie on the team that has managed to pass from one generation to the next. The older swimmers encourage and motivate the younger swimmers, then the younger swimmers do the same for the next generation, and the cycle continues.”

Senior captain Michael Lu gives credit to the Syosset coaches. “Our win streak starts and ends with our coaches. The countless hours they put in every single day and the hard-working and close-knit culture they’ve instilled in all of us has been something special to experience.”

Winning their 50th consecutive game is even more significant during a pandemic. “We are fortunate to be able to compete in varsity swimming this year given the challenges presented by COVID-19, especially the graduating seniors who would have lost out if the season was cancelled,” commented Alexi Weis, senior captain.

“Our focus this and every season, is on trying our best in everything that we do, all while being great representatives of our school and community,” remarked Cipollino. “One of the things that I am most proud of this team for is that each swimmer and diver is genuinely kind, respectful, and consistently demonstrates excellent character.”

Wide array of e-books now available to Hicksville students

BY JACK LENSON, INTERIM SUPERVISOR OF ENGLISH, AND THE HICKSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY

A new partnership between the Hicksville Public Schools and the Hicksville Public Library has been launched. This collaboration will be a welcome resource for our students to easily access books electronically through the use of electronic library cards that will give them the ability to borrow books and use resources from the Hicksville Public Library, as well as all of the public libraries in Nassau County.

In addition, students will also be able to borrow books from the over 300 e-books that are part of the Hicksville Public School District’s collection of e-books.

In all elementary schools, the school librarian will distribute an electronic library card, an e-card, with a unique ID number for each student. School librarians in all elementary schools will be providing lessons to all classes, in all grades, on how students can use his/ her e-card to borrow books through the

Hicksville Public Library. These lessons already began in all grade 5 classes during the week of January 11–15, and will be followed by lessons in all K–4 classes during the week of January 19–22. Once completed, students will be able to borrow books from the Hicksville Public Library, as well as our Hicksville Public School District collection of over 300 Juvenile e-books. For students who attend school remotely, his/her e-card information has been mailed to homes.

Our librarians are excited to offer this opportunity to students. The feedback from our librarians and students has been overwhelmingly positive. As of this date, students in the elementary schools have borrowed 257 books from our District’s collection of e-books as well as from the Hicksville Public Library. In addition, middle school students have borrowed 160 books. The enthusiasm of students has been noteworthy with librarians reporting as follows:

• “The students at Lee Avenue are really excited that they will be able to check out e-books and utilize the

Hicksville Public Library from their devices.”

• “Many of the students were excited to know that they could use this outside of school hours.”- Woodland

• “I introduced ‘Sora’ to our fifth graders, and they were immediately engaged and excited to discover new titles to read independently. They were instantly able to navigate the app to successfully search for and borrow books - some students even placed titles ‘on hold’ and are eager to begin their next new ‘read.’ The following day, I was elated to discover that many of the students were reading independently on their Chromebooks during their indoor recess time.” From Jen Coady, Librarian at Dutch Lane.

• From three students at Dutch: “Sora is very good, I really like that we get to take out books because we can’t do it in our regular school library since it’s a classroom this year. I like the books and I get to take out a couple at a time and I can search any book I want. I can even go on it after school hours. Sora lets us read any time we want - it is also very easy to learn how to use it.”

“It is a good website, it has almost all the books you can imagine. I recommend it. It also has all sorts of non-fiction books about history and it has a bunch of fiction books like one of my favorites- the ‘Dog Man' series.”

“I like Sora because it has a lot more books than other websites. Also unlike in-person websites you don't have to worry about returning books late. The website automatically returns it for you in 14 days.”

In addition to our elementary school students having access to e-books, the same opportunities are available in the middle school where this week over 150 books were borrowed from our middle school collection of e-books.

Fostering a love of reading is a worthy mission and this new initiative combining the resources of the Hicksville Public Schools with the Hicksville Public Library will surely result in fostering a new generation of readers and writers. We look forward to the growth of this initiative.

Swimmers practice in the Syosset Central School District pool.

Photo courtesy of the Syosset School District

DISCOVER THE FINEST IN SENIOR LIVING

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Three Middle School students named finalists in music competition

Three Syosset middle school students have been named as finalists in the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (MYO) of New York’s Concerto and Vocal Competition.

South Woods Middle School students Minsoo Chae (Gr. 6) and Cody Cheng (Gr. 8) and H. B. Thompson Middle School student Cadence Chen (Gr. 8) are all Instrumental Finalists in Division I representing grades 4-8. Minsoo, Cody and Cadence, who play the violin, cello and viola respectively, each submitted a video audition recording of themselves performing one movement from a concerto. They are among 16 total finalists from grades 4–12 who will be featured in a virtual Finalists Concert on February 3, 2021 on Zoom.

Winners will be selected based on their performances at this concert by a panel of esteemed judges. Students will be competing for a first place prize of $500 and a chance to perform as a solosit with their MYO ensemble during the 2021-2022 season.

The mission of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York (MYO) is to foster a community of talent-

ed young musicians from Long Island and provide them with an opportunity to rehearse and perform choral and

orchestral masterworks at the highest possible level with recognized leaders in music education and performance.

New music software keeps remote and in-person learners engaged

Hicksville Middle School students are using SoundTrap during piano class while learning from home.

In-person and remote students taking piano at Hicksville Middle School are learning a new software that’s making the class more engaging. Teachers Caroline Calleo and Adam Nadler have introduced the program, SoundTrap, which allows students to create their own music.

Remote students can record themselves using their computer keyboards, simulating notes and hand positions as if they were playing a real piano.

SoundTrap contains a library of pre-recorded loops that students can mix with different instruments, to create their own compositions. It’s become a game-changer for remote learners taking the class, who do not have access to a piano at home. They’re able to stay involved with SoundTrap’s built-in piano

Students taking piano in-person are able to use SoundTrap while recording themselves playing in the school’s piano lab.

software. Remote students can record themselves using their computer keyboards, simulating notes and hand positions as if they were playing a real piano.

SoundTrap has also opened up opportunities for in-person learners. The program allows students in the piano lab to plug a cable into their Chromebooks and

record themselves. The recording goes right into SoundTrap where students can generate beats, turning a classical piece into their own rock and roll hit. Moving forward, SoundTrap will continue to be a part of the piano class curriculum, providing an entirely new and creative element for students.

Cadence Chen

Photo courtesy Life Touch Photography

Minsoo Chae

Photo courtesy Irvin Simon Photographers

Cody Cheng Photo courtesy Irvin Simon Photographers28

Fifth-grade scientists experiment with sunlight and shadows

Dutch Lane School fifth graders enjoyed an outdoor class to learn about the solar system. Photo courtesy of Hicksville Public Schools

Fifth-graders at Dutch Lane Elementary School in Hicksville are bringing the classroom outside as part of a science experiment. During the space systems unit, teacher Stephanie Sullo engaged her students in a lesson that explored the length and positions of shadows, depending on the position of the sun in the sky.

Students were given a cardboard circle, a piece of aluminum foil, and strips of masking tape to build a structure. They used the structure to collect data about how different angles of sunlight create different shadows. The lesson

gave students the opportunity to explore a new concept while discovering new information through experimentation.

Ms. Sullo says the lesson had a multitude of benefits for students. They were able to collaborate with each other to share data, while staying socially distant. The partnership brought a social aspect to the lesson during a time when many students may feel distant. The lesson also brought the class outside, despite a cold January day, which lifted the students’ spirits during the pandemic.

Greater LI Running Club helps Center for Developmental Disabilities

here at the presentation of the check at CDD’s Woodbury facility are (left to right) Nassau County Legislator Arnold Drucker, CDD Director of Development Debbie Patey, Lynn Gartner Dunne LLP partners John Dunne & Kenneth Gartner, GLIRC Executive Director Sue Fitzpatrick & Nassau County Legislator Rose Walker.

The Greater Long Island Running Club (GLIRC) was pleased to be able to present a check in the amount of $1000 to the Center for Developmental Disabilities (CDD) out of the proceeds of the November 2020 Lynn Gartner Dunne LLP Rob’s Run.

The check was presented to CDD Director of Development Debbie Patey at CDD’s Woodbury facility on the morning of January 26, with John Dunne and Kenneth Gartner, partners in the law firm that sponsored the event, on hand along with Nassau County Legislators Rose Walker and Arnold Drucker.

The Center for Developmental

Disabilities is committed to helping children and adults with differing abilities achieve their dreams by overcoming barriers to living, working, learning and enjoying recreational opportunities in the community of their choice.

“Lynn Gartner Dunne LLP Rob’s Run was GLIRC’s first event since the pandemic shut us down in March,” observed GLIRC Executive Director Sue Fitzpatrick, “and it is only fitting that we are able to use it to make a donation to such a vital organization as the Center for Developmental Disabilities.”

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The Garden City News, Bethpage Newsgram, Jericho-Syosset News Journal, Mid-Island Times & Levittown Times, and Syosset Advance! Along with Blank Slate Media Papers: Port Washington Times, Manhasset Times, Roslyn Times, Great Neck Times, New Hyde Park Herald Courier, and The Williston Times!

This Week at the Syosset Library

Monday, February 1 at 9:15 a.m.

Dancersize with Carol Rodriguez

This fitness class combines aerobic exercise with dance moves. Do it from the comfort of your own home. Register at www.syossetlibrary.org/ live-streaming

Monday,February 1 at 7:00 p.m.

Five Basic Principles of Getting & Staying Decluttered

Presenters: Marie Limpert & Annmarie Brogan, professional organizers from Organize Me! of NY

How to declutter your mind and discover the magic of organized living. Presenters will teach their Basic Organizing Principles for creating a home and life you love.

No registration required.

Tuesday, February 2 at 3:00 p.m.

Afternoons with the Author: Danielle Martin

Debut novelist Danielle Martin joins us to speak about her 2020 release “Glimmer as You Can,” presenting the story of Starlite: an underground women’s social club in 1962 Brooklyn Heights and the women who find strength and support in each other. No registration is necessary. Join us via Zoom from the link on the Virtual Calendar - www.syossetlibrary.org/ live-streaming.

Tuesday, February 2 at 6:15 p.m.

Yoga for Relaxation with Laurie Ahleman

Learn basic yoga postures and relaxation techniques from the comfort of your own home.

Wednesday, February 3 at 1:00 p.m.

Virtual Simply Fit

Instructor: Marilyn Bunger

This class is suited for the older adult. It combines basics of strength training and stretching. Register at: www.syossetlibrary.org/live-streaming

Thursday, February 4 at 2:00 p.m.

Lincoln and the Constitution with Professor James Coll

The legal challenges presented by the Civil War remain unparalleled in American history. In this lecture we will discuss how Lincoln led during what he defined as “so grave a matter as the destruction of our national fabric.”

No registration required.

Friday, February 5 at 2:00 p.m.

Easy & Delicious One Pan Meals with Chef Ron Fan

Join Chef Ron Fan as he demonstrates how to cook two easy and delicious one pot meals. Learn new techniques that will aid in everyday cooking and have your cooking questions answered. Register for this program at www.syossetlibrary.org/ live-streaming

Residents invited to submit photos for town publications

The Town of Oyster Bay invites residents to submit photos taken in the Town of Oyster Bay to be considered for use in Town publications.

“Our residents recently received their 2021 Town calendar, which is filled with photos submitted throughout the year depicting people, places, community events and scenery throughout our Town,” said Town Councilwoman Laura Maier. “We accept photos for the calendar, as well as other Town publications, including our website and brochures.”

Councilwoman Maier noted that photos should be taken within the confines

Upcoming Virtual Events at the Jericho Public Library

Monday, February 1

4:00 p.m.: Virtual Flex & Tone with Mindy Vasta - Put on some comfortable clothing and join Mindy for this exercise class while in the comfort and safety of your home.

7:00 p.m.: Virtual Fit & Fabulous with Linda Ray - Join Linda for this evening exercise class designed to get you fit & look fabulous!

Tuesday, February 2

11:00 a.m.: Virtual Guided Meditation for Self-Healing with Patricia Anderson - Join Pat for one or all of the meditation sessions to bring harmony and balance into your life.

Wednesday, February 3

10:15 a.m.: Virtual Beyond

Beginners Bridge with Anne BassThis program is designed for players with a basic knowledge of the game. Bidding techniques and an in depth look at the play of the hand will be featured.

1:00 p.m.: Watercolor Demonstration with Chuck Van Horn - Learn watercolor techniques, tips and tricks. There will be time for questions and critiques.

7:00 p.m.: Lights On with STEM (Grades 3–6) - Create a light up winter scene STEM project with paper circuit cards and LED lights.

Thursday, February 4

10:00 a.m.: Chair Yoga with Jolie Bosnjak - This practice is for all levels including those nursing an injury or coping with a chronic problem. The results will surprise you!

1:00 p.m.: The Passionate Reader with Mary Hirdt - Join Mary as she discusses “Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family” by Robert Kolker The heartrending story of a midcentury American family with twelve children, six of them diagnosed with schizophrenia, that became science’s great hope in the quest to understand the disease.

5:30 p.m.: Yoga with Joe - This yoga class is geared for all levels to reduce the stress in your life while keeping fit!

Friday, February 5

10:30 a.m.: Jump for Joy w/Joyce Oddo (Ages 18 Months–5 Years) - This lively program includes music and activities for you and your child.

February Virtual Adult Book Discussions

Thursday, February 4 at 1:00 p.m.: The Passionate Reader with Mary Hirdt - Join Mary as she discusses “Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family” by Robert Kolker The heartrending story of a midcentury American family with twelve children, six of them diagnosed with schizophrenia, that became science’s great hope in the quest to understand the disease.

Tuesday, February 16 at 7:00 p.m.: Talk About Books with Fran Cohen: Fran Cohen discusses “Fleishman is in Trouble” by Taffy Brodesser-Akner. A Manhattan couple undergoes a bitter divorce. This is a marriage novel turned inside out.

of the Town of Oyster Bay. Digital submissions are preferred, but high-quality photos may also be submitted. Emailed photos should be sent to photos@oysterbay-ny.gov. Printed photos can be submitted to the Town’s Public Information Office, 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay NY 11771. Residents should make sure their name, address, phone number and brief description of the photo are included with their submission. The photographer is responsible for the correct spelling of the names and subjects in the photos, as well as notifying subjects they may appear in a Town publication.

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Telling Our Story: Hicksville Middle School

With its warm cream stucco and flanking wings terminating in white columns, Hicksville Middle School’s beautifully symmetric façade is a point-of-pride landmark sitting on 12 acres fronting Jerusalem Avenue in Hicksville. Today’s middle school stands as a symbol of the value the community placed on education when the residents voted to approve $20,000 for the purchase of land in the spring of 1923 and $250,000 for the building of a Junior-Senior High School. The emphasis on achieving a high quality education continues today,

even during the challenges of conducting school during the coronavirus pandemic.

Looking back to the school district’s origins, archival records show that the first school in Hicksville opened its doors in 1831. Children of local farmers attended the Nicholai Street School, a one-room clapboard building. It was later demolished to create a larger grammar school on the same site in 1868. A flag flown at the school as a symbol of the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the Union Free Schools in Hicksville, along with an illustration of the Nicholai Street School, is displayed in a glass case in the Board Room at the Administration Building.

Hicksville’s population spiked beginning in 1923, and the Nicholai Street School could no longer hold all of its students. After the community approved building a Junior-Senior High School for secondary students, excavation was started in December of 1923. The cornerstone was laid on April 26, 1924, the same year the District built East Street as its second grammar school.

Archival records note that during the Thanksgiving vacation in 1924, “high school equipment was moved to the new building and on December 4th, the new building was occupied by the pupils of the Junior-Senior High School (7th thru 12th grade). This greatly relieved the congestion in Nicholai Street grammar school.”

One of the most striking architectural features of the school is the two flanking collanaded wings housing the gymnasium on the south side and the auditorium on the north. Both rooms have been in near-continuous use for almost 100 years.

Mr. Denward Collins, Hicksville High School Class of 1953, remembers his grandmother beating gold in her Hicksville

home, something many in the community did at the time to earn extra money. “This was in the early 1900s,” said Mr. Collins. “It was a German craft. There was much demand for gold leaf at the time for use by China-producing companies, signage for businesses who used it with black outlines on glass, and in architecture for domes and accents in government buildings. When my grandmother had enough, she would turn it in for payment at a business on West John Street. That building is still there.”

Another interesting observation tied to the murals is the depiction of the land purchase from Chief Pugmpan at Cantiague Rock. “The rock at Cantigue Road and West John Street is still there, but it is much less visible than what is depicted in the painting. It has gradually sunk over the 370 years to the small rock we see today, still slightly above ground,” shared Mr. Collins.

By 1925, Hicksville had a population of 4,762 according to the state census. With a population of over 4,500 the district was able to obtain more state aid and the Board of Education moved to hire a Superintendent of Schools. Mr. E. A. Van Slyke, the supervising Principal of the Junior-Senior High School, was hired as the first Superintendent in 1925. His Vice Principal, Mabel R. Farley, was appointed as Principal of the Junior-Senior High School that same year. Superintendent Van Slyke continued as the district’s educational leader for 13 years until his retirement in 1936. And Mabel Farley remained Principal until her retirement in 1954 – to date, the longest tenure as a Principal in the school district’s history.

In 1948, the community held a Commemorative Pageant to celebrate Hicksville’s 300th anniversary. Mr. Collins

attended the middle school when it served as the Junior-Senior High School. “The years following WWII needed some way to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Hicksville’s founding and a community-wide pageant was the answer,” explained Mr. Collins. “Over 400 students and faculty were involved from the Nicholai Street, East Street, and the Junior-Senior High School. Students were directly involved in the pageant planning. It was an exciting time for all. On the big day, the weather cooperated and it was a huge success. Crowds filled the blocked streets on Second Street, Fourth Street, and Jerusalem Avenue. At the conclusion, the entire group, along with an antique fire engine, old farm tractor and everyone in costume posed for a picture. We were asked to remain in place - no talking, no moving - while a large camera on a flatbed truck slowly turned and scanned the group. When the photographer gave the ‘all clear,’ a thunderous cheer burst forth, releasing all the pent-up excitement. It was a memorable time for all the participants and audience as we felt such a great sense of community and a job well done!”

The middle school cupola contained a bell that chimed every hour. Mr. Collins explained, “If you lived in the neighborhood, which I did, you couldn’t miss it — it was a cherished sound.” The bell still chimes today.

In 1954, the Hicksville Middle School was created when grades 9 through 12 moved from the original Junior-Senior High School to Hicksville’s new public high school on Division Avenue. Seven middle school principals have been recorded in district records since 1970 at the middle school. Albert Glass was appointed Principal at that time, followed by William Feigin in 1974.

Hicksville’s Junior-Senior High School opened in 1924. Several wings were added over the years on the north, south, and east sides to accommodate the increase in the student population. This image from 1945 clearly shows the additions.

Hicksville Middle School Principal Mara Jorisch has worked in Hicksville Public Schools since 2004. She began her leadership role at the middle school in 2009.

The beautiful cupola atop the central portion of the middle school was refurbished in 2014.

Telling Our Story: Hicksville Middle School

In 1980, Gerald Klein became Principal, followed in 1993 by Marie Marshall. Steve Aronowitz accepted the position in 1997, followed by Daniel Marquardt in 2007. Since 2009, Mara Jorisch has served as Principal. Supported by Assistant Principals Dr. Barbara Mrozik, Mr. Todd Wallace, and Mr. Benjamin Tangney, Mara Jorisch continues to lead the middle school. She has worked in the field of education for 39 years. Ms. Jorisch received all of her higher education at Hofstra University, earning a B.A. in economics, a Master’s of Science, a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Administration, and entered the doctoral program, completing all but her dissertation. “I became a teacher because someone saw something in me that I did not see,” explained Principal Jorisch. “Every path I took got me to where I am today. How lucky am I to do what I love in a place that I love? But I don’t do this alone — building relationships is so important. I have a great team that works together. I am grateful every day.”

Hicksville Middle School currently educates approximately 1,260 students with 625 being in-school for the hybrid learning model. Due to the pandemic, much about education has changed, but the middle school remains a vital, steadfast home for its students. Principal Jorisch and her team have made great strides in advancing the areas of curriculum, social emotional learning, and extracurricular activities while adding child-centered facility upgrades.

The middle school recently expanded its curriculum to offer American Sign Language (ASL), Living Environment, Algebra I, Global Conversations and two new Home & Careers courses: Food for Thought and Wearable Electronics. Extracurricular-wise, the middle school added new clubs - Robotics, Multicultural, Social Awareness, Astronomy, American Sign Language, Strategic Gaming, Ecology, and Next Generation Christian Club - to its already wide offerings for students.

The school grounds and classrooms have changed, too. Most recently, the mid-

dle school opened a new school store, which is operated by the students, a library maker space, a quiet room for lunch, a renovated main gymnasium and a resurfaced track and turf field. The bus loop on the north side of the building was redesigned for the 2010-2011 school year.

The middle school’s refurbished track and field has served the students and community well. The field’s turf was replaced with synthetic turf and the track with a rubber running surface during the 2018-19 school year. Throughout the pandemic, the fields have been used by the community before school, afterschool, and on the weekends.

Mrs. Carol Ruda, Hicksville HS Class of 1984, advanced through the middle school grades when it was still the Junior-Senior HS (grades 7, 8, and 9). She has lived in Hicksville for 54 years and has worked at the middle school as a Main Office secretary for almost 10 years. Her mother worked in Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) at the district level for 17 years and one of her daughters currently teaches in the district’s ENL program.

Mrs. Ruda remembers her first day as an incoming middle school student. “I probably felt then the way an incoming student would now – nervous and excited. It was so exciting to see all the students – it was a large class of 550 feeding in from the seven elementary schools,” shared Mrs. Ruda. “At that time, there were so many students in the Junior-Senior High School that the district placed a ‘T-wing,’ a ‘U’ of temporary classrooms, at the end of the ‘blue’ hall to house the English Department.” She fondly remembers singing in the talent show as a highlight of being a middle-schooler.

“I remember it like it was yesterday. The Talent Show was held at night so the auditorium was dark except for the stage, but I could see the murals and focused on them as I sang. It was so much fun.”

Due to the pandemic, all public schools in NYS were shuttered in March of 2020 by executive orders from the Governor, including Hicksville Middle School. The

Also part of the renovations in 2009–2010 was the middle school library. The English Department recently launched a partnership with the Hicksville Public Library so all K–12 HPS students now have access to the public library’s larger digital database.

A bronze plaque in the middle school lobby commemorates the construction of the Junior-Senior High School in 1924–25. Mr. Denward Collins, Hicksville High School Class of 1953, remembers that George Duke, the Board president at the time of the school’s construction, lived next door to his family, and Dr. Curtis was his dentist. “I recall all of these men listed on the plaque. This was not just my school; this was my neighborhood.”

school was determined to uphold tradition for the 8th grade students, however. “This is a tradition that we didn’t want to lose,” explained Principal Jorisch of the school’s annual graduation ceremony. “It was important to us that we found a safe and befitting way to recognize and honor the middle school experiences of the resilient and amazing 8th Grade Class of 2020. This unique commencement ceremony allowed us to bring closure to the transitions and traditions of the middle school and provided a way to wish our graduating students well with fond memories and with hopeful thoughts for the future.”

“While this year has been a year of

unprecedented moments, like the building itself, the amazing students, staff, and families of the middle school have weathered many challenges and continued to thrive,” shared Principal Jorisch. “The middle school is committed to its motto of Heart + Motivation = Success, and if there ever was a time when heart, motivation, and kindness matters, it is now. Our commitment to these values continues to be the cornerstone and foundation of our success as we look forward to a hopeful future and the return of all our students and staff to the gracious and historical halls of Hicksville Middle School.”

The maker space classroom adjacent to the middle school library is a recent addition where students complete hands-on technology and engineering projects.

Hope Raifer of Plainview was recently recognized with a platinum level leadership milestone through SUNY Oneonta’s LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) program.

Raifer is studying music industry at SUNY Oneonta.

Northampton Community College (NCC) is excited to welcome Pallavi Venigalla of Glen Head as one of the new or returning students who will arrive the week of January 25 for the start of the Spring 2021 semester.

SUNY New Paltz announces its Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester, a recognition for students who excel academically and earn at least a 3.3 grade-point average in a semester with a full-time course load.

The Fall 2020 Dean’s List includes: Bethpage

Brian Castillo, Emily Cohen, Taylor Favata, Brianna Fitzgerald, Peter Ingenito, Jessica Kacinski, Cristin O’Neill of, Christopher Reale, Nicole Rigby

East Norwich

Brian Casey, Lindsey Kowalczyk

Glen Head

Jarod Schrier

Hicksville

Alina Abraham, Margo Christie, Alexa Dale, Brianna Feeney, Christopher Lopus, Michael O’Brien, Kristen Van Aken, Emily Yulo Jericho

Stephanie Bellia Levittown

Madeleine Alamandy, Lyna Benhammou, Alicia Connelly, James Genco, Anjana Haridas, Danielle Hegel, Kirsten Heiss, Matt Jorgensen, Rory Myles, Jessica Orlando, Skylar Pedroza, Donovan Swartz Old Bethpage

Daniel Sieradski Plainview

Maya Federmann, Michelle Handschu, Jake Meyers, Liam Nichols, Jessica Palasciano, Seth Pearl, Erin Tracy

College Notes

Syosset

Samantha Florio, Madelyn Ma, Bryan Michaels Woodbury

Isabella Epstein of Woodbury, NY n

Two local students were recently named to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester. That’s nearly a quarter of the student body with a grade point average between 3.5-3.99 for the fall semester. An additional 930 students were named to the President’s List for achieving a 4.0 GPA during the fall semester.

Among the students earning recognition on the Dean’s List:

Ainsley Folmer a communication major from Hicksville.

Elizabeth Weissmeier a middle mrades educ. pre-major major from Old Bethpage.

Congratulations to Saint Rose students who earned a 3.5 average or higher and were named to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester!

Full-time undergraduate students, who complete a minimum of 12 graded credit hours and who achieve a semester average of 3.5 without a D, F, or Incomplete grade, are eligible for the Dean’s List.

Julia Fikar of Bethpage

Emily O’Leary of Bethpage n

Rachel Borzone of Syosset has been named to the Fall 2020 Dean’s List at Roger Williams University, in Bristol, R.I. Full-time students who complete 12 or more credits per semester and earn a grade point average of 3.4 or higher are placed on the Dean’s List that semester.

The following local residents were recently named to the Dean’s List at the College of William & Mary for the fall 2020 semester:

Katherine Hagen of Glen Head

Jordan Stewart of Plainview

Daniel Pellerito of Syosset

In order to achieve Dean’s List status, a full-time degree seeking undergraduate student must take at least 12

LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF FORMATION

Bernadette Josephs Photography LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 1/11/2021. Office: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 25 Gull Road, Hicksville, NY 11801.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

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credit hours and earn a 3.6 quality point average during the semester.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania congratulates the more than 2,200 students who were named to the Fall 2020 Dean’s List.

Laura Lavin, from Hicksville, an early childhood (PK-4)/deaf hard of hearing major, was one of the students honored.

A full-time student whose semester GPA is 3.5 or higher in 12 or more semester hours of course work for which a grade or grades are received are named to the Dean’s List.

Samantha Petry of Bethpage has been named to Alvernia University’s Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester. In the fall, Petry studied nursing at Alvernia.

To be eligible for the Dean’s List, students must carry a semester GPA of 3.5 or better and take a minimum of 12 credits.

Dean College is pleased to announce that Lauren Pereira of Levittown has earned a place on the Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester. Students named to the Dean’s List have demonstrated a serious commitment to their studies while at Dean College.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has recognized students named to the Dean’s List for the fall semester of the 2020–2021 academic year.

Students who achieve at a high level academically are recognized by the dean at the close of each semester. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, students must complete a minimum of 12 graded degree credits in that semester. Each university school or college sets its own GPA requirements for students to be eligible to receive the distinction. Most call

the honor “Dean’s List”, but some grant the “Dean’s Honor List” and “Dean’s High Honor List.”

The following local students have been so honored:

Glen Head

Chloe Bulbin, School of Human Ecology, Dean’s Honor List

Maria Milana, School of Human Ecology, Dean’s Honor List

Sabrina Milana, College of Letters and Science, Dean’s List

Patrick Sullivan, Col of Agricultural & Life Sci, Dean’s List

Jericho

Yanbo Feng, College of Engineering, Dean’s Honor List

Madeline Rosen, College of Letters and Science, Dean’s List

Old Bethpage

Lily Bedell, School of Human Ecology, Dean’s Honor List

Alexa Rosen, School of Business, Dean’s List

Plainview

Alex Fried, School of Business, Dean’s List

Dylan Khazzam, School of Human Ecology, Dean’s Honor List

Jeremy Leffel, School of Business, Dean’s List

Syosset

Jessica Levy, School of Education, Dean’s List

Dylan Maskell, School of Human Ecology, Dean’s Honor List

Jolie Nemshin, School of Business, Dean’s List

Juliet Quaglia, College of Letters and Science, Dean’s List

Jasmin Rosen, College of Letters and Science, Dean’s List

Hayley Schneider, School of Human Ecology, Dean’s Honor List

Katherine Wang, College of Letters and Science, Dean’s List

Nicole Woldar, School of Human Ecology, Dean’s Honor List

Workshops on tax grievances

Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan (Woodbury) is partnering with the Nassau County Assessment Review Commission to host a pair of online tax grievance workshops. During these webinars, property owners who disagree with the assessed value of their property can learn how to navigate the grievance process, utilize online research tools, and dispute their assessment.

Attention students!

No registration is necessary, and the workshops will be shown at www. NassauCountyNY.gov/LD18. For additional information, please contact Legislator Lafazan’s office at 516-5716218 or via email at rthomas@nassaucountyny.gov.

The workshops will take place on Monday, Feb. 8, from 10 a.m.–noon and Wednesday, Feb. 17 from 7–9 p.m.

Graduated from school? Have an outstanding GPA? Made the honor roll or Dean’s List? Scored an internship or study abroad opportunity? We invite you to send details of any of these things and more, along with your name and contact info, to editor@gcnews.com for a chance to be seen in our paper!

Town Youth Ice Hockey Program

The Town of Oyster Bay has announced that Session 2 of the Town’s 2021 Winter Youth Ice Hockey Program will begin on February 6. This youth hockey program features hockey development, skill programs and a season-end skills competition over the course of 10 weeks at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center in Bethpage. The program is open to girls and boys ages 6–16.

“Youngsters enrolled in the Town’s Youth Ice Hockey program are given the great opportunity to

improve their skating and hockey skills as part of a program that has earned recognition by the National Hockey League for its high level of quality,” said Town Councilman Louis Imbroto. “The Town of Oyster Bay’s Youth Ice Hockey Program is among the best around, with a dedicated coaching staff ready to teach this sport to the many boys and girls enrolled in our program.”

The Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center is located at 1001 Stewart Avenue in Bethpage.

Individuals interested in registering for the 2021 Winter Youth Ice Hockey Program must bring a copy of their birth certificate, proof of Town of Oyster Bay residency (tax or utility bill) as well as payment to the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center. Check, money order, MasterCard or Visa will be accepted. All registrants must bring these items, even if they have participated in the past. A parent or legal guardian must be present at registration.

The program is held on Sunday

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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!

mornings, and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. The registration fee is $150 for 10 weekly sessions.

All participants must provide their own equipment, and should have some skating ability. If you are unable to make these registration dates and would like to sign up for the program, please call Buzz Deschamps at (516) 433-7465, x8233. Anyone interested in coaching should contact the Department of Parks at (516) 797-4136.

Levittown students honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

First-grader Liana Quiroz colored in her replica of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Northside Elementary School first graders in Kristen Merkle’s class from the Levittown Public Schools recently celebrated Dr. Martin

First-grader Alyssa Porcelli was hard at work making her replica of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with construction paper.

Luther King Jr.’s legacy. The students read “Martin Luther King, Jr” by Marion Bauer and watched a Scholastic News video about the

First-grader Alexandra Duarte created a replica of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

impact he made. They then reflected on Dr. King by creating their own replicas of him using construction paper and by writing their own

dreams for the world.

Bethpage seniors make college commitments

Twelve senior athletes from Bethpage High School recently signed their national letters of intent to continue their athletic and academic careers at the collegiate level. The students who signed their national letters of intent were:

Leah Bestany – East Carolina University – Lacrosse

Philip D’Aguanno – Adelphi University – Baseball

Patrick Dalton – SUNY Cortland –Baseball

Colin Hervey – SUNY Brockport –Football

Carly Issing – Adelphi University –Soccer

Meagan Landers – DeSales University – Lacrosse

Brandon Lombardo – SUNY Maritime College – Baseball

Ryan Resnick – Mercy College –Lacrosse

Zachary Schnabel – St. Joseph’s College Brooklyn – Baseball

Isabella Sierra – St. Joseph’s College Long Island – Basketball

Ryan Smith – Mercy College –Lacrosse

Victoria Vera – Southern Connecticut State University – Soccer

Photos courtesy of the Levittown Public Schools

Twelve senior athletes from Bethpage High School recently signed their National Letters of Intent to continue their athletic and academic careers at the collegiate level.

Photo courtesy of the Bethpage Union Free School District

Elected to Bethpage Water District Board of Commissioners

From page 1

all of which are relevant towards his knowledge of the water industry. Mr. Greco went on to become a partner in Greco Bros Fuel Corp. which operated for 53 years before being sold to Petro Inc. in 2000. He continues to work for Petro in their service department.

As a dedicated member of the Bethpage community, Commissioner Greco has served as a volunteer firefighter in Bethpage for the past 33 years and currently serves as a Department Trustee. In addition, he has been a proud and active member of the Knights of Columbus for more than 14 years. Scott Greco

Bethpage students aim to break barriers in STEM

From page 1

students learn in an inclusive environment and to develop leadership and communication skills necessary to enter the workforce with confidence. The sessions focused on specific areas, including environmental and biomedical engineering, and offered an inside look into the reality of being a woman in a male-dominated field.

“I participated in a panel with a local environmental engineering firm and it was very interesting to hear from not just engineers in the field, but female engineers in the field,” Maya said. “The panel was very informative, and

I learned a lot about the career opportunities in environmental engineering.”

Each of the young women from Bethpage were inspired by the program, and felt it provided them with important information about the possibilities of their future careers in STEM.

“Hearing from women in different sectors across the STEM fields was not only educational and insightful, but also extremely empowering,” Aurrel said. “We were able to get an inside look at the roles and responsibilities of the different positions these women hold and be able to have an honest discussion about what it means to be a woman in STEM.”

Litmor Publishing's Community Newspapers

SUNY Canton recognizes Dylan R. Santiago of Bethpage, NY (11714) for earning Dean’s List honors during the Fall 2020 semester. Santiago majors in the Game Design and Development program.

Dean’s List recognizes full-time students for earning a grade point average between 3.25 and 3.74 on a 4.0 scale.

SUNY Canton recognizes Irene F. Canela of Levittown, for earning Part-Time Honors during the Fall 2020 semester. Canela majors in the Health Care Management program.

The college created this award to recognize students who earned at least a 3.25 GPA in 6 to 11 credits of course work. It stands alongside the college’s Dean’s List and President’s List as one of the top awards given for academic success at the college.

n Kyle Soscie of Glen Head has been named to Southern New Hampshire University’s Fall 2020 President’s List. Eligibility for the President’s List requires that a student accumulate an academic grade point average (GPA) of 3.7-4.0 and earn 12 credits for the semester.

A total of 1,938 SUNY Oneonta students earned Dean’s List honors for the Fall 2020 semester. To qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must earn a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher while carrying a course load of 12 hours or more.

Area students include:

Bethpage

Samantha Cadwallader, Patricia Cipriano, Sean Dalton, Kimberly Foley, Jenna Kachadourian, Jaclyn Kennedy, Brandon Mansfield, Kevin Meyenhofer, Nicole Muhs, Dylan Teuschler East Norwich Giuliana Rutigliano

College Notes

Glen Head

Sophia Kraupner, Ingry Lopez, Demi Otis, Andrew Vogel Hicksville

Margaret Colasanti, Kristen Collins, Declan Mcauliffe, Selena Phan, Kimberly Roth, Lauren Van Aken

Jericho

Jolee Benezra, Alexa Costiera, Jared Gootnick

Levittown

Michael Isom, Ryan Kelly, Lauren McDonough, Brendan Muller, Mariah Nessim, Christine Panganiban, Adriana Ventrice, Nicholas Weinert

Old Bethpage

Shawn Eisenberg, Joshua Lester, Jenna Libertelli, Helen Sanchez Plainview

Maggie Chan, Lauren Cohen, Griffin Hoffman, Mara Hornstein, Cooper Levine, John Lopresto, Hope Raifer, Kaitlyn Rubin, Star Sassone Levy, Mark Stalzer

Syosset

Carly Bondar, Dani Cherkis, Lindsay Dictor, Grant Doherty, Rachel Friedman, Georgi Greenberg, Alexa Horvath, Victoria Shapiro

Woodbury

Merissa Berman, Rachel Fajiram, Emmie Levy, Eve Pugatch, Victoria Shapiro n

Bucknell University has released the Dean’s List for outstanding academic achievement during the fall semester of the 2020-21 academic year. A student must earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a scale of 4.0 to receive dean’s list recognition. The following students have achieved Dean’s List status: Liam Brosnahan, Class of 2024, from Syosset

Hannah Goldberg, Class of 2022, from Syosset

Jess Hom, Class of 2021, from Syosset

Bella Molinari, Class of 2021, from Syosset

Gianna Orioli, Class of 2024, from Woodbury n

Jonathan Swift, a Nichols College student from Levittown, achieved President’s List status for the Fall 2020 semester at Nichols College, which ended in December.

The President’s List gives recognition to those students who achieve high grades during a single semester. Students whose semester average is 3.85 or higher for at least 12 undergraduate credit-hours and no grades below B- will receive President’s List honors.

Congratulations to the Muhlenberg College students and Muhlenberg College School of Continuing Studies students who were named to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester.

Students with a term GPA of 3.50 or higher were recognized for this academic achievement.

Local students include:

Katharine Chen of Syosset

Noa Jurmann of Woodbury

Jessica Oxer of Syosset

Bari Dershowitz of Plainview

Lauren Getzler of Plainview

Katelyn Hughes of Hicksville

Justin Kimmel of Plainview

Penelope Andreolas of Jericho

Adit Dutta of Glen Head

William Kasper of Glen Head

Hunter Sobel of Glen Head

Felicia Wong of Jericho

Allison Thorschmidt has been named to the Siena College Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester. Allison is from Jericho.

Hannah Muller has been named to the Siena College Dean’s List for the Fall 2020 semester. Hannah is from Levittown.

To be named to the Dean’s List, a student’s grade point average for the semester must be between 3.5 and 3.89.

Maria Griffith of Hicksville has earned an Award of Excellence at Western Governors University College of Information Technology. The award is given to students who perform at a superior level in their coursework.

n The University of Utah has named the following students to the Fall 2020 Dean’s List. To qualify, students must earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher in at least 12 graded credit hours during any one term.

Libbie Sudweeks of Levittown, whose major is listed as mechanical engg HME

Yoomin Ko, whose major is listed as psychology BS

More than 2,325 students have been named to the Fall 2020 Dean’s List at Kutztown University. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, an undergraduate student must be registered for at least 12 credits and have a minimum grade point average of 3.60. Zachary Robert Schmidt of Levittown

Annmarie R Zielinski of Levittown

Danielle N Melman of Bethpage

Christina Sylvain of Levittown, NY, has been named to the Fall 2020 Dean’s List at Buffalo State College. Sylvain is majoring in psychology. In general, students who have completed at least 12 credit hours and who have attained a term GPA of 3.5 or higher qualify for the Buffalo State Dean’s List.

The Great Outdoors Offer Special Allure to Travelers in this Time of Corona

BY KAREN RUBIN

TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM

With concerns for the coronavirus pandemic still a key factor in travel planning for 2021, trips are most popular that focus on outdoor activities in scenic destinations like national and state parks. Trips that afford opportunities for skiing, snowshoeing, biking, hiking, rafting, kayaking, camping/glamping/RVs, ranch vacations, small-ship river cruises and boat charters (or our favorite, a houseboat); small groups of families or pods of people who are connected will likely predominant.

Early bookings will be more important than ever because maximum demand will fill up limited capacity quickly, especially for summer, and travel companies – tour operators, airlines and lodgings and such – are being flexible in terms of cancellations and refunds. There may even be some discounts and incentives for booking early.

Every travel provider has made serious accommodations for the health and safety of guests in light of the ongoing COVID-19 concerns.

With the outlook for international travel still up in the air, here are some suggestions within the United States:

Gene Kilgore: New Interest in Guest Ranches

SONOMA, CA – The quest for travel experiences that maximize outdoor activities way off a beaten track as the antidote to COVID-19 are bringing many newcomers to ranch vacations.

Travel providers are catering to travelers’ craving for the greater outdoors; several tour programs feature active trips in Canyonlands, Utah © Laini Miranda/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Gene Kilgore, a leading authority on vacations ranging from cattle wrangling to fly fishing to spa, has two websites, www.ranchweb.com and www.top50ranches.com, to assist travelers locate dude, guest, working and luxury ranch vacations, their activities, and by offering free concierge services: Ranch vacations ideal this winter include:

In Arizona:

• At Rancho de los Caballeros in Wickenberg, AZ, in the Sonoran Desert activities include golf, horseback riding, tennis, nature hikes, bird watching and skeet shooting. https://ranchweb.com/ ranches/rancho-de-los-caballeros

• Circle Z Ranch in Patagonia, AZ, is all about riding horses on 100 miles of riding trails nestled in southern Arizona’s Sky Islands; also tennis and guided tours with naturalists. https://ranchweb. com/ranches/circle-z-ranch

• At White Stallion Ranch on the Sonoran desert bordering Saguaro National Park, practice at the shooting range, go rock climbing, fat tire E-biking, hiking and horseback riding. https:// ranchweb.com/ranches/whitestallion-ranch

Snowsport fans can enjoy winter at guest ranches in Colorado and in

GOING PLACES NEAR AND FAR

Montana such as:

• Latigo Ranch, Kremming, CO, ideal for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on 50 miles of cross-country trails and 200 square miles of backcountry powder. Also, tubing, sledding and fat bikes. https://www.top50ranches.com/ranch-vacations/latigo-ranch

• At Vista Verde in Steamboat Springs, CO, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, fat bikes, snowshoes, sleigh rides, dog sledding, ice fishing and winter horseback riding. An indoor heated arena offers a comfortable space for winter riding, lessons and clinics. Alpine skiing at Steamboat Ski Resort. https://ranchweb.com/ ranches/vista-verde

• In Big Sky, Montana, Lone Mountain Ranch just outside Yellowstone National Park, offers cross-country skiing on 85 km of woodland trails, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, winter fly fishing, plus alpine skiing at Big Sky Resort. https://ranchweb.com/ ranches/lone-mountain-ranch Bike & Camp the White Rim Trail in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park with Escape Adventures Las Vegas, NV) ---Escape Adventures guests spend most of this 4-day mountain biking and camping tour riding the famous off-road, 100-

Continued on next page

The Great Outdoors Offer Special Allure to Travelers in this Time of Corona

Continued from previous page

mile White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, and exploring secret passages, hidden slot canyons, natural rock arches and ancient Puebloan ruins.

The trip features modern amenities, a custom support truck, gourmet meals, top-of-the-line camping equipment. Backcountry permits, licenses, park fees, reservations, and accommodations are also included, along with at least two professionally trained trip leaders, a mobile first aid and mechanic station, spare bikes, and a support vehicle.

Rates start at $999 per person. E-bikes are available upon request. Tours run March-May and September-October (https://escapeadventures.com/tour/ utah-white-rim-mountain-bike-tour/)

Escape Adventures also operates multi-day bicycle tours down the Oregon Coast and the Grand Canyon. (Escape Adventures, 800-596-2953, escapeadventures.com).

Holiday River Expeditions Accommodates Adventurers With Their Own Private Travel Pod

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Holiday River Expeditions has retooled its

BY CHARLYN FARGO

If your New Year’s resolution hasn’t lasted any longer than your kids’ Christmas toys, here’s a way to get started again. Consider the Mediterranean diet to make some lasting healthy changes.

For the fourth year in a row, it ranked as the best overall diet by U.S. News and World Report. It also claimed the top spot in five other lists -- best diets for healthy eating, easiest diets to follow, best diets for diabetes, best plantbased diets and best heart-healthy diets.

Just in case you’re wondering, the DASH diet and “flexitarian” diet tied for the No. 2 spot on the Best Diets Overall ranking list. The keto diet? Bottom of the list, ranking 37 out of 39 for Best Diets Overall and 39th in Best Diets for Healthy Eating.

The rankings are made by an expert panel of 24 of the country’s top nutritionists and specialists in diabetes, heart health and weight loss.

But back to the Mediterranean, which seems to be the best way to eat healthy and get to your healthy weight. How do you get started eating Mediter-

offerings to take any lingering fears away from being out and about in Nature with family and friends. Among the COVID-19 accommodations to make it easier to travel in confidence is by encouraging “pod” travel or teaming up with a small group of friends and family who share pandemic protocol wave lengths.

New 12-person minimum for private rafting charters in 2021 apply to: Westwater Canyon and Cataract Canyon trips; specific Desolation Canyon departures; San Juan River trips in May and June.

Minimums for other itineraries have been reduced to 16 on Lodore Canyon and Yampa River (four and five day) trips.

Just eight is the minimum number for small group, private charter backcountry mountain biking itineraries: White Rim Trail in April–May and September–October; MoabWestwater Combination trips (two days biking/two rafting).

Considered by enthusiasts to be Utah’s ultimate multi-day mountain bike trip, The Maze, deep inside Canyonlands National Park, is naturally a small group trip with a maximum capacity of 7 guests. Private charters can be arranged on two of the dates; May 18-21 and September 7-10, 2021.

For more details, see https://www. bikeraft.com/what-your-2021-trip-willlook-like-2/ and https://www.bikeraft. com/custom-charter-trips/

For more information, 800-6246323, Holiday@BikeRaft.com, http://www. bikeraft.com/

Grasshopper Adventures

Introduces New Multi-Sport Active Tours in North America for 2021

DENVER – Grasshopper Adventures bringing its 15 years of experience with eco-friendly tours across Asia to the U.S. and Canada with three new multi-sport programs: Alaska & the Yukon, Coastal Maine, and the Everglades to Key West.

Exploring the outdoors by bike, kayak, canoe and foot, the tours’ active elements are both non-intimidating and achievable for a wide range of fitness levels. The small group size offers guests a sustainable alternative to traditional bus or cruise touring. The new tours feature visits to artisan’s studios, indigenous villages and include interaction with local experts who are change makers in their fields.

Tours are scheduled from February 2021 through the fall; for a limited time, you can book with a $100 deposit. (844-8743720, www.grasshopperadventures.com/)

The Diet for Health

ranean? It’s based on the traditional foods that people used to eat in countries around the Mediterranean, such as Italy and Greece, back in the 1960s. Those Italians and Greeks were exceptionally healthy compared with Americans and had a low risk of many diseases. So, researchers began studying what they were eating.

The Mediterranean diet focuses on plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, breads, legumes, potatoes, nuts and seeds. The main dietary fat is extra-virgin olive oil, and the diet also includes moderate amounts of red wine, fish, poultry, dairy and eggs. Red meat typically plays a small part, often only at Sunday dinner.

That pattern has found to improve health and prevent disease, especially heart disease. A large study, called the Predimed study, looked at 7,447 individuals with a high risk of heart disease. For five years, participants followed one of three different diets -- a Mediterranean diet with added extra-virgin olive oil, a Mediterranean diet with added nuts and a low-fat diet control group. The risk of combined heart attack,

stroke and death from heart disease was lower by 31% in the Mediterranean and olive oil group and 28% in the Mediterranean and nuts group. And dropout rates were twice as high in the control group compared with the two Mediterranean groups.

Results like that have been repeated over and over. Other studies are showing that the Mediterranean diet can help with weight loss, Type 2 diabetes and premature death. The bottom line is this is a diet worth looking into.

Q and A

Q: Can foods high in flavanols, such as tea, berries and cocoa, help lower blood pressure? I recently read something that said they could help.

A: It appears they might. In a study reported in the October 2020 issue of Scientific Reports, researchers compared foods eaten and blood pressure of more than 25,000 people in the United Kingdom. They found that those with the highest flavanol intake were associated with significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and the biggest

Adventure Cycling Association Takes to the Islands

Because of limited access, biking in an island destination can be the perfect getaway. In 2021, Adventure Cycling Association is offering active tours to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket (https://www.adventurecycling.org/ guided-tours/self-contained-tours/capecod-the-islands/), the San Juan Islands, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.

Adventure Cycling Association, with 52,000 members and 50,000 miles of mapped routes, has great articles on trip planning at its site, https://www.adventurecycling.org/

© 2020 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com, www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karenrubin & travelwritersmagazine.com/ TravelFeaturesSyndicate/ Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar. wordpress.com & moralcompasstravel. info. Send comments or questions to FamTravLtr@aol.com. Tweet @ TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook. com/NewsPhotoFeatures

difference was seen in people with the highest blood pressure. So, grab a cup of tea; eat some berries; and enjoy a piece of dark chocolate.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU Med School in Springfield, Illinois. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD.

Crossword Answers

Black History Month and Dr. Mae Jemison

BY CLAIRE LYNCH

Black History Month is in February and it’s a good time to recognize AfricanAmericans’ many contributions to society. One of those people to be commended is Mae Jemison, a Decatur, Alabama, native born on October 17, 1956.

Jemison was the youngest of three children born to Charlie Jemison, a maintenance worker, and Dorothy Jemison, an elementary schoolteacher. She calls Chicago, Illinois, her hometown, however, because her family moved there when she was three years old. In Chicago her uncle introduced her to science and she developed interests throughout her childhood in anthropology, archaeology, evolution and astronomy. Anything related to science appealed to Jemison.

As a girl Jemison grew up watching the Apollo airings on TV but she was surprised to find out that there were no female astronauts. Seeing AfricanAmerican actress Nichelle Nichols who played Lieutenant Uhura on the Star Trek TV show was inspiring to Jemison and she was determined to travel in space one day.

Jemison attended Morgan Park High School at the age of 16. She went on to Stanford University in California where in 1977 she received her B.S. in chemical engineering and B.A. in African and African-American studies. She’s said it was while she was studying at Stanford that she first considered applying to NASA.

Jemison earned her doctorate in medicine at Cornell University Medical College and at the same time studied in Cuba and Kenya and worked at a Cambodian refugee camp in Thailand.

She interned at Los Angeles County/ USC Medical Center as a general practitioner. Fluent in Russian, Japanese and Swahili, Jemison joined the Peace Corps in 1983 and served as a medical officer for two years in West Africa. There she managed health care for Peace Corps and U.S. embassy personnel and worked in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health and the

Centers for Disease Control on several research projects, including developing a hepatitis B vaccine.

After working with the Peace Corps, Jemison opened a private practice as a doctor. When Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983, Jemison applied to the astronaut program at NASA. She applied in 1985, but after the Space Shuttle “Chaallenger” exploded in 1986, NASA stopped accepting new people. Jemison reapplied in 1987 and was one of 15 people chosen from 2,000 applications.

After a year of training, on Sept. 12, 1992, Mae Jemison became the first African-American woman in space when the space shuttle “Endeavour” carried her and six other astronauts on 126 orbits around the Earth. A mission specialist on the “Endeavour,” Jemison was a co-investigator of two bone cell research experiments, one of 43 scientific investigations done on mission STS-47.

During her time in space, Jemison conducted experiments on weightlessness and motion sickness on herself and the other six members of the crew. The shuttle landed at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 20. Over the course of her only space voyage, Jemison logged 190 hours, 30 minutes and 23 seconds in space.

Jemison left NASA in March 1993 after serving as an astronaut for six years. She then taught at Dartmouth College and also established The Jemison Group in Houston, Texas, which researches, develops and markets advanced technologies. A popular public speaker, Jemison is now “leading 100 Year Starship to assure human interstellar space travel to another star within the next century.”

She is founder and chairman of the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, a non-profit organization she named in honor of her mother. The Earth We Share - TEWS - is the foundation’s principal program designed to promote science literacy for middle and secondary school students’ knowledge of science and their ability

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to solve problems. Jemison also founded BioSentient Corp., which develops and markets mobile equipment worn to monitor body’s vital signs.

Jemison has written several books for children, including her 2001 memoir, “Find Where the Wind Goes: Moments From My Life,” and appeared on TV several times. It was actor LeVar Burton who learned that Jemison was an avid Star Trek fan and asked her if she’d be interested in being on the show. In 1993, Jemison appeared as Lieutenant Palmer in “Second Chances,” an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” becoming the first real-life astronaut to appear on Star Trek.

Jemison enjoys dancing, going to the theater and doing photography. She holds nine honorary doctorates in science, engineering, letters and the humanities plus she’s been inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame.

In Mae Jemison’s own words:

“In kindergarten my teacher asked me - actually asked the whole classwhat do you want to be when you grow up? And I said, ‘I want to be a scientist’ because I was excited about the world

around me. When I grew up, we did all kinds of things. I would go hunting and fishing with my father and my mother. We’d go out fishing in the summertime, and I loved it! My uncle, Uncle Louis, we’d look up at the stars and he would tell me they were really suns; they just were so small because they were so many miles away. He even discussed things with me about me about Einstein’s theory of relativity, at 6-7-8 years old, so I always assumed that I was supposed to be able to understand these things. It wasn’t something that was outside of the ordinary for me.

“When you talk about science, it’s very hard for me to tell you as a child, what drew me to it. But I think now as an adult looking back, it was the creativity that drew me to it. The possibilities. Understanding what was going on in the world around me.”

A Houston resident, Jemison often tells people:

“Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.”

BY TOM MARGENAU

Recently, I’ve received emails from several readers who asked questions about something they call the “spousal bump.” It’s a term I never heard before, and it made me chuckle. It sounds to me like some kind of “dirty dancing” move done by an old married couple in a shady nightclub! I can just see a geezer and his wife thumping their rumps up against each other on a dance floor. But, of course, I know that’s not what my readers are talking about. Instead, they are referring to the extra benefits a wife would get as a spouse on her husband’s Social Security record. So, here are a couple of questions about the “spousal bump.”

Q: I turn my full retirement age, 66 and 2 months, in March 2021. I am scheduled to get $2,980 from Social Security if I file then. But everything I read and hear from so-called experts tells me to wait until 70 before I file for benefits. If I wait until then, I should get about $3,900 per month. One reason I am encouraged to do this is the extra widows benefits my wife would get, assuming I die first. She is also 66. She took her Social Security at 62. She only gets $550 per month. I have three questions. How much of a spousal bump would she get if I file now, at my full retirement age? I’m assuming it’s half of my FRA benefit. How much would she get if I wait until age 70 to file? I’m assuming it’s half of my age-70 rate. And finally, do you think I should file now or wait until 70?

A: Well, first of all, your assumptions are wrong. Here is roughly how they will figure your wife’s spousal benefits if you file at your full retirement age. They would take her full retirement rate and subtract that from one-half of your full retirement rate. The difference will be added to her reduced retirement benefit. So, let’s put some numbers to that.

I’m going to guess that your wife’s full retirement rate would have been about $735. Then we subtract that from one-half of your full retirement rate, or $1,490. That leaves $755. That would be what you call her spousal bump. So, we add that to her reduced retirement benefit of $550 -- meaning she would get $1,305 in total benefits if you filed for your Social Security to start in March.

And if you waited until age 70 to file, she would get exactly the same rate. Why? Because the benefits paid to a spouse of an age-70 retiree are always based on the full retirement age rate, not the age-70 rate.

So, if you were thinking you would increase her spousal bump by waiting until age 70, you’re wrong. She would get a bump of $755, or total benefits of $1,305, whether you take benefits now or wait until age 70. In other words, there is absolutely no advantage in waiting until

The ‘Spousal Bump’

age 70 to increase your wife’s potential spousal benefits on your record.

But there is an advantage in waiting until age 70 if your goal was to increase your wife’s potential widows benefits. And that’s because even though a wife does not share in the delayed retirement bonus you earn for waiting until age 70, a widow does.

So, if you wait until 70 to file for benefits and then die before she does some time later, your wife’s total benefits would be bumped up to your $3,900 level. In other words, she would get her own $550 retirement check. And then she would get an additional $3,350 in widows benefits.

On the other hand, if you filed for benefits now and get your full retirement rate of $2,980, then your wife’s total benefits after you die would be $2,980 -- including her own $550 and $2,430 in widows benefits.

And now we get to your last question. You asked if you should file now or wait until 70. And my answer: You decide. As I’ve explained hundreds of times in this column, I am not a financial adviser. I’m just an old retired Social Security guy. So, all I can do is give you the facts and numbers -- and then you figure out what is best for you. Let’s elaborate on those numbers just a bit.

If you file now, you’d get $2,980 per month, and your wife would get an additional $755 in your so-called spousal bump. That’s $3,735 per month. That means between now and age 70, you would get $179,280 in benefits on your account. (I’m not including her own retirement benefit because I just want to compare the options on your record.)

Or to turn that around, that means you would lose $179,280 in benefits by waiting until age 70 to file. But if you waited that long, you would start getting $3,900 per month, and your wife would get her extra $755, for total benefits of $4,655. That’s $920 more than you’d get by starting benefits now. So, if you wait until 70 to start your Social Security, it would take you about 16 years, getting that extra $920 per month, to make up for the $179,280 you’d lose by waiting that long.

That makes the option of filing now seem kind of attractive. But that doesn’t take into account the widow’s factor. Your wife would get almost $1,000 per month more in total benefits after you die if you wait until age 70 to file. So, if you think she is going to live a lot longer than you, then waiting might be the way to go.

Finally, let me make this point. When it comes to your Social Security decisions, especially when compared with many other senior citizens in less comfortable situations, you are not between a financial rock and a hard place. You are between a financial pillow and a soft place. Assuming you both live normal life spans, you can’t go wrong, no matter which way you go.

Q: I’m about to turn 66. I want to wait until 70 to file for my Social

Security. My wife is 62. She never worked. Can she sign up for the spousal bump on my record now, if I’m going to wait until 70 to file for my own Social Security?

A: Even though you have a situation fairly similar to the one described above, I purposely put your question here because you brought up a point the first questioner didn’t. And the answer is no. Your wife cannot file for benefits as a spouse on your account until you actually file for benefits yourself. So, you need to do the same kind of math explained in

my first answer and decide if you are better off getting your full retirement rate now with the “spousal bump” or waiting until 70 to get higher benefits for yourself but the same bump for her.

If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has a book with all the answers. It’s called “Social Security: Simple and Smart.” You can find the book at creators.com/books. Or look for it on Amazon or other book outlets. .

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Broker should represent both sides in a sale

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

You hired a friend (which I had mentioned a while back not to do in some cases) to sell and search out a purchaser for your home. I would be curious as to how many of you had an excellent experience and those that were disappointed and let down. I am doing my own internal survey and I would appreciate it if you have had either a good or bad experience to let me know by emailing me: phil@ turnkeyrealestate.com and I will not mention any names and I will report the findings in a future column.

However, the next most important item if you are a seller, investor, purchaser, renter, or lessee of residential or commercial property, is how many of you make the effort to search online to ascertain and go and read whatever reviews and testimonials that are available of potential agents that you might consider hiring now or in the future? Many are not, but more and more consumers who are looking to sell, invest, purchase, rent, or lease residential and commercial properties are choosing this method to gain valuable information about the individual(s) profile, background, knowledge, etc. and inner essence as a person based on past and current comments.

This will go a very long way and be a huge determining factor as to their credibility and professionalism and most important as to whether or not you will choose them as your Broker of Record in representing you in the sale of your property.

Most important, is that the majority of the time the home is the most tangible and valuable asset that you possess which contributes to your wealth throughout your lifetime.

What attributes will you be looking for in your Broker? If you are a purchaser, will the Broker that you choose be truly working for you as a seller’s, broker’s, buyer’s or dual agent, or if you are a seller will they be representing you as a seller’s agents but then will they possibly potentially become way to close to their buyer and inadvertently become a quasi dual agent?

I want to be clear and upfront that we as quality professional knowledgeable brokers and salespeople all want to build rapport and long-term relationships as that is how we build and scale our businesses for referrals and for the purpose of our short and future profitability. However, there is that fine line between you as a Broker and salesperson representing your seller and investor as well as properly representing you as a buyer, without any conflicts of interest to your seller. Not only does it sound challenging and confusing but many times it actually is! The law of agency and who you really represent is most times confusing to the typical agent who has been in the business for a short period of time, let alone many high-profile Brokers too! However, I would like to know how many of my readers know the differences in how a seller and/ or a buyer can be represented and the meaning of their specific type of representation being done the correct way; (if you are an agent, you can answer too, but I will need to know if you are a licensed Realtor so the survey isn’t skewed either way). What

I have found over the years is that the law of agency as to whom your agent represents can and be extremely confusing. Generally, I don’t feel agents always explain to their sellers, investors, and buyers the differences. What’s more critical is being straightforward, transparent, and accurate when conveying pertinent information to all intended parties before, during, and after the sale. The real problem is the law of agency is way too confusing for almost everyone. I have even conversed with some lawyers who do not really know the true and accurate differences.

Other states have a different type of representation called transaction agency where you as a salesperson or Broker do not represent either the seller or buyer but just the transaction (which I believe is less confusing and much easier to perform). You’re sort of an intermediary in conveying information to both parties, while at the same time being transparent, upfront, and candid in conveying the necessary and needed information to enable the parties to come to an agreement.

Another explanation is, and I quote from DownTown Real Estate in Fort Collins, Colorado and a few of my own words, “A Transaction Broker cannot act in the buyer’s or the seller’s interests, by law, they work to facilitate the transaction, communicate between both parties, write the contract and attend the closing as opposed to specifically representing a seller, buyer or both parties as is done in many other states in the U.S.”

Professionally speaking, I believe the NYS Dept of State with the assistance of NYSAR (New York State Association of Realtors) should consider adopting this additional way to represent parties in a sale. It is less convoluted but again another choice to enable sales to take place. It would be up to the agent to provide this information in the proper fashion to the seller, buyer, and investor to make it clear that this is just another way to approach a transaction that will lead to a successful conclusion.

The bottom line is that a seller is only going to come down so much and a purchaser is only going to come up so much and there are times when a seller thinks they haven’t gotten enough and the buyer thinks they may have paid too much, a deal is struck! I would like to hear from other Realtors, attorneys, sellers, investors, buyers, and tenants as to what your thoughts on this idea? Call, text or email me. Thank you.

Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 39 years of experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S). For a “FREE” 15 minute consultation, a value analysis of your home, or to answer any of your questions or concerns he can be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.Com Just email or snail mail (regular mail) with your ideas or suggestions on future columns with your name, email and cell number and he will call or email you back.

The Accidental Stain Remover & Other Readers’ Tips

BY MARY HUNT

You know all the hand sanitizer you keep in your car, purse and drawers at home, work and school? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that we not use it in place of soap and water but only as an adjunct when soap and water are not handy. A very surprised reader wants to share anotheruse for the stuff.

COFFEE STAINS

I spilled some coffee on a light-colored blouse while driving. The only thing available was the hand sanitizer in my purse. I squirted it lightly on the stain, and the coffee marks came out completely! -- Patti

GLASS CLEANER

I use isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol to clean glass (mirrors, windows, etc.) instead of brand-name glass cleaners. I replace the screw cap with a spray attachment for easy cleaning. Most bottles have universal-size screw tops, so the spray attachments fit. Isopropyl alcohol is much cheaper, and there’s no streaking! -- Joanie

EDIBLE PLAY DOUGH

Try this recipe for peanut butter play dough: In a large bowl, mix 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup light corn syrup, 1 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk and 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar together. My kids love playing with (and eating) this treat. It’s great fun and perfectly edible. -- Stephanie

CAKE SAVER

When I need to take a frosted cake somewhere, I spray the plastic wrap with cooking spray. This keeps the frosting on the cake and not on the plastic wrap. You can use this idea for any sticky substance. -- Gerri WALLPAPER REMOVER

Blue Dawn works well with hot water to remove old wallpaper. Put the hot water and some Dawn in a bucket. Get a sponge to apply the mixture to the wallpaper. I have found it works as well or better than the store-bought removers. -- Diane

REHEATING BREADS

To warm biscuits, pancakes or muffins that were refrigerated, place them

in a microwave alongside a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster. -- Sue 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.” Tips can be submitted at tips.everydaycheapskate. com/. 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 “Debt-Proof Living.”

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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

SUNFLOWER FINE ART GALLERIES MIRRORS PICTURE FRAMING Paintings

Art/Photo Restoration Printing, Hanging Services Shadowboxes, Smiles 6 A Terminal Road West Hempstead, NY 11552 www.sunflowerfineart.com

@SunflowerArtGuy 516-747-7406

SERVICES

WE HAVE THE HELP YOU NEED

HHA, LPN, Nurse’s Aide, Childcare, Housekeeping & Day Workers. No Fees to Employers. Call Evons Services 516-505-5510

ATTORNEY

STEPHANIE A.

D’ANGELO, ESQ.

Elder Law, Wills & Trusts Asset Preservation, Estate Planning, Probate & Estate Administration/Litigation 901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530 516-222-1122

www.dangelolawassociates.com

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

AMBIANCE

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

*Handyman & Remodeling

*Kitchen Installations

*Furniture Assembly

*Finish Carpentry

*Minor Electrical & Plumbing

28 year GC Resident Lic & Ins H18E2170000 Call BOB 516-741-2154

FREE ESTIMATES

Extensions, Kitchens, Baths, Basements, Carpentry Work, Porticos, Siding, Dormers, Stone, New Construction & Conversions, Mason Work, Stone. Insured. Please Call 516-581-9146

LAMPS FIXED $65

In home service. Handy Howard. 646-996-7628

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

SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

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

THE GENERAC PWRcell

a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-888-871-0194 SERVICES

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

SERVICES

PAINTING & PAPERHANGING

MICHELANGELO

PAINTING & WALLPAPER

Interior, Exterior, Plaster / Spackle, Light Carpentry, Decorative Moldings & Power Washing.

Call: 516-328-7499

TUTORING

LONG ISLAND TEACHER

available to tutor

ELA, social studies, special education, study skills, Living Environment, life skills, help with remote learning. Vaccinated with mask or over Zoom

Tailored to individual needs

Highly qualified Call LL 516-456-6849

CLEANING

PROFESSIONAL HOME & OFFICE CLEANING

You’re just one call away !! from a clean home or office.

Thorough and Professional Cleaning at affordable rates! Call today for Free Estimate Anna: 516-360-8340

SERVICES

A & J MOVING & STORAGE:

Established 1971. Long Island and New York State specialists. Residential, Commercial, Piano & Organ experts. Boxes available. Free estimates. www. ajmoving .com 516-741-2657 114 Jericho Tpk, Mineola NYDOT# 10405

DISH TV

$59.99 for 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-800-609-9405

Love to write?

We are looking for articles on local topics, opinions, ideas, nice places to visit on Long Island, and even fiction. In our Discover magazine section, we will try to feature one new article and writer each week. Each writer will be reimbursed a stipend of $25.00, and articles should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. If you want to be published and be part of an issue of Discovery, you may submit your article to: editor@gcnews.com

Boys & Girls Club begins new year of fun

Get ready for a new year of fun at the Boys & Girls Club of Oyster Bay-East Norwich. 2021 kicks off a new year of membership at the Club for youth of all ages from Minis (children 3 years old and toilet trained to 5 years old, not yet in kindergarten) through the twelfth grade. A new year to enjoy and participate in an array of programs and activities such as creative art projects, basketball and hockey, Newspaper Club and photography, and Friday Night Fun with extra special events, including themed glow games, movie nights and dance parties.

This year, the Club is again offering an extra incentive on special membership packages, renewal rates, and sibling discounts.

The Club also provides opportunities for working parents of members by offering Before and After School Child Care Programs, as well as full and half day camp options when schools are closed. In accordance with safety guidelines, all members will have temperature checks upon arrival. All counselors, staff, and members will be required to wear a mask

at all times. The layout of the Clubhouse has been adjusted to ensure the safety of all participating in various programs at the Club. In addition, counselors and staff have undergone numerous hours of mandatory COVID-19 training sessions. The Boys & Girls Club of Oyster Bay-East Norwich continues to monitor updates from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the NYS Department of Health for updated information.

If you have never been a Club member before, now is the chance to join and

become a part of the fun at the Boys & Girls Club of Oyster Bay-East Norwich. Applications and more detailed information regarding membership are available at the Club’s website, www.bgcoben.org, or may be picked up at the Club, located at One Pine Hollow Road, Oyster Bay. For more information, please contact the Boys & Girls Club, at 516-922-9285, find it on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.

Stay informed about your community with a weekly subscription to our newspapers.

With current events, announcements, restaurant reviews, puzzles, and much more, there’s always something for everybody to enjoy!

Grimaldi’s Family Meals Are Back!!

Available January 4 through April 3 for lunch and dinner, Take Out Only

FAMILY MEAL #1 - $30 PLUS TAX

One 18” Pizza with choice of Spinach and Artichoke Dip Or Grimaldi’s Mixed Salad & Complimentary 2 liter bottle of soda

FAMILY MEAL #2 - $40 PLUS TAX

One 18” Pizza, One Order of Penne alla Vodka, Choice of Spinach and Artichoke Dip Or Grimaldi’s Mixed Salad & Complimentary 2 liter bottle of soda

FAMILY MEAL #3 - $45 PLUS TAX

Two 18” Pizzas with choice of Spinach and Artichoke Dip Or Grimaldi’s Mixed Salad & Complimentary 2 liter bottle of soda

FAMILY MEAL #4 - $80 PLUS TAX

Two 18” Pizzas, 1/2 Tray Chicken Parmigiana & Complimentary Bottle of Cabernet OR Pinot Griegio Now Accepting Reservations For Valentine’s Day Sunday, February 14th

Available for Take Out, No Substitutions*