Mid-Island Times (3/20/20)

SERVING UP SUPPORT Local schools provide meals, online learning during closure

Hicksville Lyft driver charged with touching passenger

Nassau County Police arrested a Hicksville man for allegedly improperly touching a female passenger in his Lyft vehicle.

According to detectives, Jaspal Shergill, 35,  while acting in his capacity as a Lyft driver, touched a 30-year-old female passenger while at at Taco Bell on Hempstead Turnpike. He was charged with Forcible Touching and Sexual Abuse 3rd Degree.

Detectives request anyone that feels that they have been the victim of a similar incident contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS or call 911. All callers will remain anonymous.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran issued an executive order on Sunday, March 15, closing all public schools in the county for two weeks, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Superintendent of Schools for the Plainview - Old Bethpage School District, Dr. Lorna R. Lewis, said that last week's closing does not count towards the two weeks, and that schools will reopen on March 30. The Plainview - Old Bethpage district had been closed last week because of a case of COVID-19 in the community.

The website for the Levittown school district said that the district would contact families this week with information about distance learning and the distribution of reduced price meals.

The Hicksville public schools will provide students with information regarding methods of learning during the week.

The Bethpage Public School district said in a statement on its website that the district's facilities will be closed for cleaning starting March 16 and students would not be allowed in the buildings until further notice.

Superintendent of Schools

Davind Schneider said that meals for eligible students will be provided for off-premises consumption. Starting on March 16,  the Stewart Ave entrance at Beth-

page HS has been designated for meal distribution. Each eligible student will be provided with a bagged lunch and a bagged breakfast for the day, to be consumed off campus. Meal distribution will take place each weekday from 8:00 a.m. through 10:00 a.m. (Meals will not be distributed during weekends) Students may receive meals at Bethpage HS, regardless of their home school. For those with dietary restrictions, all meals supplied will meet their needs.

Schneider said, “The District has been working to plan and prepare for a variety of situations. Staying connected online will allow us to continue to provide learning experiences for students so that they can maintain content, skills, and a connection to learning. Please keep an eye out for communication from your teachers." He added that students have been given Chromebook laptops to take home to facilitate home learning.

“I wish to thank our dedicated staff and community for their continued support during these challenging times. The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and the entire Bethpage Community are of the utmost importance. We will continue to monitor and update you as new information becomes available,” Schneider said.

Students from Division Avenue High School’s PosiDiv club made 1,300 sandwiches to donate to the Mary Brennan INN Soup Kitchen on Valentine’s Day.The club members surpassed last year’s record of making 500 sandwiches. Students and staff actively participated by donating materials, time and support.

Photo courtesy of the Levittown Public School

Community Council meetings cancelled

Meetings of the Hicksville Community Council have been cancelled as a result of the coronavirus epidemic.

All meetings are cancelled until further notice. Notices will be sent when meetings are set to resume.

Levittown Chamber Art Contest

The Levittown Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce an art contest for its Memorial Weekend Festival. The art contest is open to high school students. Please refer to the application for complete details and requirements.

Artwork and application must be received by the Levittown Chamber of Commerce at our e-mail, info@levittownchamber.com by April 1, 2020 in order to be considered.

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HHS student selected for government conference

Mary Gould of the League of Women Voters congratulates proud parent Danwantie Samlall and her daughter, Omika Samlall, who has been selected to represent the East Nassau chapter of the League of Women Voters at the Students Inside Albany government educational conference. They are joined by League of Women Voters representatives Donna Buthmann and Dania Smith and Hicksville Supervisor of Social Studies and Home and Careers Dr. Rose Borda.

Congratulations to Omika Samlall, a student at Hicksville High School, who has been chosen to participate in the 20th annual Students Inside Albany government educational conference on May 17-20, sponsored by the League of Women Voters. Omika will represent the East Nassau chapter of the League of Women Voters.

Omika will participate in a hands-on learning experience about how state government works. She will meet and work with high school students from across the state to learn about New York State government and the process by which citizens can participate in the policy-making arena. As part of this

School District

program, Omika and other students will tour the New York State Capitol and observe both the Senate and Assembly in action by spending an afternoon shadowing their respective legislator.

The League of Women Voters East Nassau chapter is sponsoring Omika’s trip. League of Women Voters representatives Donna Buthmann, Mary Gould and Dania Smith selected Omika after interviewing her in January.

The goal of the Students Inside Albany government educational conference is to inspire Omika and other students to become more aware of citizens’ responsibility in representative government.

Local water districts take extra precautions

The Hicksville and Bethpage Water Districts have issued statements about extra precautions that they are taking in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Both districts reassured customers that the water supply is unaffected by the outbreak.

“We want to be perfectly clear; the water supply is completely unaffected by the Coronavirus,” says Hicksville Water District Chairman William Schuckmann. “Our biggest concern right now with this developing situation is ensuring our employees are kept safe as well as the residents who interact with them. We have been proactively disinfecting our customer service areas and are solidifying all contingency plans to maintain operations in the event our staff is adversely impacted by the virus.”

Schuckmann said the district has been educating its employees about how to avoid spreading sickness, and that employees will not enter homes unless there is an emergency.

“The water supply in Bethpage is completely unaffected by the Coronavirus as it is an airborne illness and our ability to supply water to our residents will not be impacted regardless of its spread,” says Bethpage Water District Chairman John R. Sullivan. “The foremost concern for the District is the health and safety of our residents as well as our employees. Contingency plans are also being solidified so the District can remain functional should our staff be adversely affected by the virus.”

Sullivan also stated that Bethpage Water District employees will not enter homes. In addition, he said as a temporary precaution the District has closed its office to the public. Payments can be dropped off at the District’s headquarter through the mail slot at the door. To the extent possible, the District’s asks that residents refrain from paying in cash and to leave a contact phone number with their payment so they can confirm that it was received.

Chamber offers scholarships to HS seniors

The Levittown Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that we will be awarding four $1,000 scholarships. There will be one scholarship given to one qualifying senior from MacArthur, Division, BOCES and Island Trees High School. The scholarship is open to public school students within the boundaries

of the Levittown or Island Trees School Districts. Please refer to the application for complete details and requirements.

Scholarship applications with all supporting documentation must be received by the Levittown Chamber of Commerce by March 20, 2020 in order to be considered for the scholarship.

Hicksville Athletics Center, Bethpage Ice Skating Rink closed through March 22

In light of an imminent public health threat declared by Nassau County, the Town of Oyster Bay will close its Hicksville Athletic Center and Bethpage Ice Skating Center beginning at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 22.  Future activity schedules at these locations will be evaluated on a weekby-week basis. These closures are being made out of an abundance of caution, and the Town of Oyster Bay has intensified

cleaning procedures to frequently disinfect facilities and is operating under protocols that meet or exceed the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local Health authorities.

The Town will look to reschedule programs and activities at these locations for later in the year, and updates will be posted on the Town’s website, www.oysterbaytown.com, as they become available.

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Town cancels activities through March 22

In light of an imminent public health threat declared by Nassau County, the Town of Oyster Bay will pause all senior citizen activities at Community Centers beginning Saturday, March 14 through Sunday, March 22.  Future activity schedules will be evaluated on a weekby-week basis.  Town of Oyster Bay PreSchools located in Syosset-Woodbury and Marjorie Post Community Parks will continue to operate under rules.  The Town of Oyster Bay has intensified cleaning procedures to frequently disinfect facilities and is operating under protocols that meet or exceed the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local Health authorities.

Other Impacted Programs:

CANCELLED - Saturday, March 14Polar Plunge at TOBAY Beach.  You can instead support the Special Olympics New York with a virtual plunge.  Participants are encouraged to creatively find ways to join in on the ‘plunge’ such as hopping in an ice bath, taking a cold shower, or having a water balloon fight outdoors, then share the video online using the hashtag #PlungeNation and tagging Special Olympics New York and Polar Plunge NY.

CANCELLED - All Children’s Magical Music & More and Distinguished Artist Concert Series programs through April

4 have been cancelled at the request of local libraries. Cancellations include:

Children’s Magical Music & More

Ballet Long Island presents “Peter and the Wolf”

Saturday, March 14 at 2:30 p.m. at the Locust Valley Library

Rolie Polie Guacamole

Sunday, March 15 at 3:00 p.m. at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library

Keith Leaf - The Light Show

Saturday, March 28 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hicksville Public Library

Distinguished Artists Concert Series

The Golden Chords

Sunday, March 15 at 2:00 p.m. at the Jericho Public Library

Lee Glantz

Sunday, March 22 at 1:00 p.m. at the Syosset Public Library

The Chamlins

Sunday, March 29 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hicksville Public Library

Echoes of Sinatra

Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Syosset Public Library

The Town will reschedule Children’s Shows for later in the year.  Updates will be posted on the Town’s website, www.oysterbaytown.com, as they become available.

Tax grievance workshops cancelled

In light of the imminent public health threat declared by Nassau County, the Town of Oyster Bay Receiver of Taxes has canceled the upcoming Property Tax Grievance Workshops scheduled for March 24 in Oyster Bay and March 25 in Hicksville.  These cancellations are being made out of an abundance of caution, and the Town of Oyster Bay has intensified cleaning procedures to frequently disinfect facilities and is operating under protocols that meet or exceed the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local Health authorities.

“While Nassau County determines your value, we in Town government want to make sure you know that you have a right as homeowner to challenge your assessment, and my office has worked

Plainview Old Bethpage Schools name new superintendent

handle any potential carry over to the next year.

“The Plainview-Old Bethpage community provided invaluable support in helping the Board identify the educational philosophy and leadership capabilities we looked for in selecting our new Superintendent, and we are fortunate to represent a community that is so deeply passionate about the success of its students,” said Debbie Bernstein, President of the PlainviewOld Bethpage Central School District Board of Education. “Dr. O’Meara has been an incredible asset to the POB School District, and we are excited for the future of our schools and our community under her leadership as superintendent. Her commitment to promoting social and emotional learning will build and expand upon the wonderful foundation established by Dr. Lorna Lewis.”

diligently to help as many residents as possible ahead of the April 2nd deadline,” Receiver of Taxes Jeff Pravato said.

“Unfortunately, it is in the best interest of our residents health and general welfare to cancel these upcoming workshops, as we must do everything we can to protect our senior citizens, and our most vulnerable populations who have been most affected by this public health threat.”

Receiver of Taxes Pravato also noted that while these workshops will be cancelled, his office is still ready to help residents through a useful and informative online video on learning how to grieve the assessment placed on your home by Nassau County. To watch this online video, www.oysterbaytown.com/grievancevideo

The Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District Board of Education announced at the Monday evening Board of Education meeting that Dr. Mary O’Meara, the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, will be appointed superintendent of schools effective July 1, 2020. This exciting announcement is the culmination of a comprehensive, five-month search to succeed Dr. Lorna Lewis, who will be retiring as superintendent at the end of June 2020. The search was led by the executive recruitment firm District Wise Search Consultants, and the Board of Education followed a thorough interview process. District Wise Search Consultants and the Board of Education also received significant input from administrators, teachers, clerical staff, aides, custodians, buildings and grounds teams, PTAs, SEPTA from each school building, students, senior citizens and community members.

For the remainder of the school year, Dr. O’Meara will work closely with Dr. Lewis to ensure a smooth transition into the 2020-21 school year. Dr. O’Meara has also been intimately involved with developing and leading high-level plans to help maintain academic continuity while schools have been closed. This institutional knowledge and experience will be vital to each building’s efforts to start the school year fully prepared to

Dr. O’Meara will bring over 20 distinguished years of experience in the field of education. Prior to PlainviewOld Bethpage, Dr. O’Meara was assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction of the Amityville UFSD. She has also held other administrative positions including curriculum associate for English Language Arts in Massapequa UFSD, P-12 chairperson for English, Reading, and Library Media Science in the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools, and teaching English Language Arts in the Massapequa School District prior to being the Middle School English Department chairperson.

Dr. O’Meara holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in educational leadership and Administration from St. John’s University. She also holds a Professional Certificate in Administrative Supervision from the University of Scranton, a master’s degree in literacy science from Dowling College and a Bachelor of Arts in English and secondary education from Molloy College.

“The Plainview-Old Bethpage School District is a truly special place for students to learn and staff to work, and I am grateful and honored to have the privilege of being the next Superintendent,” said Dr. O’Meara. “The energy generated from our teachers and administrators as learning partners has positively impacted our students' learning environments. Dr. Lewis has been an incredible mentor, and I am excited to continue our goal of creating life-long learners in Plainview-Old Bethpage.”

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Summit Lane students bring the magic to “Cinderella KIDS”

Members of Summit Lane Elementary School’s drama club presented their production of Disney’s “Cinderella KIDS” to students, families and community members on March 4 and 5.

The students captivated their audiences through their version of the popular Disney tale. The main character, Cinderella (Rachel Maurer), is a girl who is bound to serve her evil stepmother (Gabriella Torres) and two stepsisters (Analiah Delacruz and Kailey McKinney). With the help of some animal friends and a special fairy godmother (Anna Dinolfo), Cinderella’s life changes after she transforms into a beautiful princess and secretly attends the Prince’s ball, where she falls in love with the royal (Travis Singh). At the

stroke of midnight, Cinderella quickly exits the event before her magic wears off, leaving behind a glass slipper. The Prince uses the slipper to search the kingdom for the young maiden who stole his heart.

Many staff and family members helped make the production a success, such as director Marjorie Wade, stage manager Katie Stewart, producer Cynthia Dano, choreographer Tracy Smith and lighting coordinator Kevin Gorman. Throughout the performances, the Summit Lane cast showcased their exceptional acting, dancing and singing abilities, performing classic songs such as “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” and “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo.”

Photos courtesy of the Levittown Public Schools

Fairy Godmother (Anna Dinolfo, left) spoke to Cinderella, (Rachel Maurer, right) about going to the ball.

Summit Lane student Rachel Maurer shined in the school’s production of “Cinderella KIDS.”

Summit Lane Elementary School students played mice in the school’s production of “Cinderella KIDS.”

Cinderella (Rachel Maurer) shares a dance with the Prince (Travis Singh).

Cinderella leaves her glass slipper behind. Pictured is the King, played by Ryan Ocampo (left) and the Prince, played by Travis Singh (right).

Over forty teams compete in Science Olympiad competition

BY GARY SIMEONE

Middle school students from multiple schools in Nassau County were running amok inside the Wisdom Lane Middle School last Saturday. The students, from sixth to eighth grade, participated in the annual Science Olympiad Western Long Island Division B regional competition. Nearly 700 kids from 40 different teams across the County entered the competition with the hopes of qualifying to compete at the New York State level.

Meghan Olson, a science teacher at Wisdom Lane, helped to coordinate the competition and guided the kids through the event schedule.

“There are twenty three events that students are participating in throughout the day, including the academic events,” said Olson. “One of the nicer things about this event is that alumni from the school come back for the day to help the kids with their projects.”

The event schedule, which ran from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., helped students display a wide variety of their talents from designing and prototyping to technical writing to chemistry lab skill. Teams of 15 students paired up with one another to tackle the 23 events, which were spaced in fifty-minute intervals throughout the day.

The names of the events included things like the Circuit Lab, Density Lab and Disease Detectives to the more creatively named Ping Pong Parachute, Mission Possible and Reach for the Stars.

Wisdom Lane eighth-graders Sydney Packer and Isabel Stiegelbauer were part of a team in the Mission Possible event who put together a contraption where a golf ball would wind through a series of mazes and come to rest on a tee.

“We wanted to create a device where

it takes a lot of actions to do a task,” said Packer. “We worked on this for three months and went through many different ideas before settling on this final project.”

The girls used materials such as thin wood, cardboard, plastic and styrofoam to piece their project together with hot glue. They initially used sand to help guide the golf ball through the maze, but found the process too slow and eventually settled on using sugar to propel it along.

“Our main goal was to create a Rube Goldberg type of device which is basically putting together a complex contraption designed to achieve a simple task,” said Stiegelbauer.

Two other Wisdom Lane students, seventh-grader Ashley Wilson and eighth-grader Addison Woodruff, tested out their elastic launch glider project before presenting in front of the judges inside the school’s cafeteria.

“The idea is to shoot it in the air and have it navigate in a circular rotation for over ten seconds,” said Wilson. “If it hits the ceiling or the floor, we get deducted points by the judges.”

The girls assembled their glider with a combination of balsa wood and foam and added clay to help balance the weight so the tail of the plane doesn’t tip.

“It was definitely a process to make the project because we needed to sand down the wings and let the glue dry,” said Woodruff. “We tested it out for like a month or two and got all of the kinks out like when the rudder broke off because we did not use enough tape.”

Each team in the competition received a total score based on all the events they competed in for the day. The team with the lowest overall score was announced the winner.  The top teams in the field then move on to compete at the state level.

Eighth-grader Addison Woodruff and seventh-grader Ashley Wilson with their ‘Elastic Launch Glider’ project.

Eighth-graders Jaime Axelrod and Isabel Stiegelbauer

Writer Con brings Levittown community together

Budding student-writers from Jonas E. Salk Middle School and Wisdom Lane iddle School learned tips and tricks to enhance their writing skills during the Levittown Public Schools’ first Writer Con event on March 9. Organized by Director of English Kerin Slattery, about 170 students and their families gathered at Levittown Memorial Education Center for a night of collaboration, conversation, creativity and imagination.

Students and their families signed up to attend three out of six interactive writing workshops run by various special guests. Author Jen Calonita facilitated a Fractured Fairy Tales session, helping students and families twist the stories of classic fairy tale characters. Education consultant and author Amy Benjamin kept students and families laughing while teaching them how to write a successful comedy sketch, and Darshna Katwala, director of the Long Island Writing Project, inspired attendees to put their pen to paper with her Why I Write sessions.

“I really liked the comedy sketch workshop,” said Jonas E. Salk Middle School sixth-grader Ethan Baloyo. “I write skits and comic books, so it was fun for me to learn more.”

Levittown staff members and high

school seniors also facilitated workshops. English teacher Sue Casey and school social worker Noreen Williams explained the benefits of journaling during their Jumping Into Journaling sessions. Seniors from the College Writer courses at Division Avenue High School and General Douglas MacArthur High School conducted the workshops Let’s Make Writing Fun and Tips and Tricks to Tell Your Tale. The high schoolers met with Slattery prior to the event to brainstorm ideas to make their workshops interactive and enjoyable for the middle schoolers.

MacArthur High School senior Karina Lopes helped facilitate a workshop about using adjectives to describe imagery.

“I hope that the students get the descriptive writing down because I think it’s a big part of writing,” she said. “When I was in middle school, I didn’t like writing, so I think workshops like this could help them enjoy it once they enter high school.”

Each middle school student received a folder with their schedule for the evening, a nametag fit for an editor and a notebook which they decorated at the beginning of the event. They traveled with family members throughout the building with their supplies, gaining useful information about

the writing process, how to find inspiration and more from each of their 30-minute workshop sessions.

“The desire to promote and encourage the creative nature of writing, resulted in the birth of Writer Con,” said Slattery.

“We wanted to have students and their families engage in hands-on workshops that explored different genres of creative writing and ultimately inspire students to share their words and their stories by finding their creative side in the art of writing.”

Photos courtesy of the Levittown Public Schools

Division Avenue High School students in the College Writer course helped facilitate workshops during the Levittown Public Schools’ Writer Con event.

Wisdom Lane Middle School sixth-graders Caitlin Finn (right) and Mia Bardolf (left) explored their creativity in the Fractured Fairy Tales workshop with author Jen Calonita.

English teacher Sue Casey (back left) and social worker Noreen Williams (back right) taught students about the benefits of journaling.

From left: Jonas E. Salk Middle School seventh-graders Thomas Tsilov, Michael Pena and Anthony Biggins with their decorated writer’s notebooks.

Jonas E. Salk Middle School seventh-grader Lily Flanagan (left) and her father Mike Flanagan worked together on a comedy sketch during Amy Benjamin’s workshop.

Jonas E. Salk Middle School seventh-grader Alyssa Wunsch (left) with author Jen Calonita.

New York City Virtually: Greatest Cultural Institutions, Closed for Coronavirus, Share Exhibits Online

BY KAREN RUBIN TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM

New York City’s major cultural institutions are temporarily closed to help minimize the spread of coronavirus, but many are making their exhibits and programs available virtually, and have websites that really engage, that make the time spent in

enforced hibernation that much richer and more productive, and frankly, less maddening.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is celebrating its 150 anniversary year, has temporarily closed all three locations—The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters—effective March 13. Meanwhile, you can watch videos from exhibition previews to curator talks and performances (https://

www.metmuseum.org/metmedia) ) and experience the best of human creativity from every corner of the globe at The Met (I love watching the video of the conservation of the Degas tutu, https://www.metmuseum. org/metmedia/video/conservationand-scientific-research/degas-tutuconservation) and play audio guides (https://www.metmuseum.org/visit/ audio-guide)

When the Met reopens, it will offer

a series of special exhibits marking its 150th anniversary: The exhibition  Making The Met, 1870–2020  will present more than 250 works of art from the collection while taking visitors on a journey through the Museum’s history; The reopening of the galleries for British decorative arts and design will reveal a compelling new curatorial narrative;

See page D2

A Bluebird Day of Spring Skiing at Windham Mountain

Travel is vitally important to rejuvenating one’s body and soul, not to mention providing life-enhancing experience, new learning and new understanding; it offers a chance for bonding with loved ones, making new friends and building new relationships.

Concern for the coronavirus is causing many of us to withdraw and miss out, and many travel providers have suspended services temporarily to meet the need for social distancing to mitigate the spread of disease.Many are waiving cancellation penalties, reissue and change fees if destinations become impacted or allowing changes and rebooking for future trips.

But because travel offers a universe of possibilities, there are options that might better suit the circumstances, and many travel suppliers are doing their best to accommodate travelers and alleviate concerns. And we can all armchair travel as we plan for future trips.

As a rule of thumb, we are suggesting people think Great Outdoors where you can be active in clean fresh air and avoid crowds, density and proximity, and if concerned about mass travel (even though airlines are doing their level best to assure passengers of healthy environments), choosing destinations that are within driving distance.

Mountain resorts like Windham Mountain in the Catskills have been scrupulous about health precautions, even limiting crowds to promote social distancing. However, due to new state restrictions and recommendations on capacity, Windham along with most ski areas have opted to close early for the season, while regrouping to be able to host guests for summer and fall.

- Karen Rubin, Travel Features

Syndicate

BY DAVE E. LEIBERMAN & LAINI MIRANDA TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM

This past Sunday, we were lucky enough to ski Windham Mountain in New York’s Catskills on a windless, bluebird spring day. After a few colder nights and some flurries during the week, every trail was covered by a snow pack that managed to maintain just the right level of softness, from our first run almost through to last chair. The combination of perfect weather, enjoyable snow conditions, great demo skis, and an idyllic lunch on the terrace picnic tables at the midmountain Wheelhouse Lodge made it a truly memorable ski day.  We woke up at 5:30am (which felt like 4:30 due to Daylight Savings Time) in the Manhattan Financial District, slid onto the FDR drive, grabbed delicious bagels on Route 4 in Jersey, and were at the Windham

Demo Center next to the D lift by 9am. Whether you are in the market for new skis or just interested in cruising on the highest performance skis, renting from the demo center is an easy and worthwhile experience. Ideally positioned next to the D Lift, the Demo Center shack lets you ski in and out to test a range of top quality skis without losing any time on the slopes. Like Nascar drivers at a pit stop, we popped in to swap skis a few times throughout the day, stepping our boots onto the platform for them to quickly change the bindings and send us on our way. Peter and Dave are extremely knowledgeable and set us up with Volkl Yumi’s and a gorgeous pair of Stockli Stormrider’s, a “Windham classic”. (The ski and boot package is $90 for the day). While the rental shop See page D5

New York City Virtually: Greatest Cultural Institutions, Closed for Coronavirus, Share Exhibits Online

Continued from page D1

Transformative new gifts, cross-cultural installations, and major international loan exhibitions will be on view throughout the year; and special programs and outreach will include a birthday commemoration on April 13, a range of public events June 4–6, and a story-collecting initiative.

“Our galleries may be closed, but never fear! Social media never sleeps.” Follow @metmuseum on Instagram for Tuesday Trivia, #MetCameos, and daily art content.

Being confined to home is a perfect time to take advantage of the Museum of

Modern Art’s free massive open online course  What Is Contemporary Art?, available now on Coursera. This course offers an in-depth look at over 70 works of art from MoMA’s collection—many of which are currently on view in the expanded Museum—from 1980 to the present, with a focus on art produced in the last decade. Learners will hear directly from artists, architects, and designers from around the globe about their creative processes, materials, and inspiration. What Is Contemporary Art? can be found at  mo.ma/whatiscontemporaryart

I can’t wait for MoMA to reopen so I can see  Dorothea Lange: Words &

Pictures, the first major solo exhibition at the Museum of the photographer’s incisive work in over 50 years. The exhibition includes approximately 100 photographs drawn entirely from the Museum’s collection.  Dorothea Lange: Words & Pictures  also uses archival materials such as correspondence, historical publications, and oral histories, as well as contemporary voices, to examine the ways in which words inflect our understanding of Lange’s pictures. These new perspectives and responses from artists, scholars, critics, and writers, including Julie Ault, Wendy Red Star, and Rebecca Solnit, provide fresh insight into Lange’s practice. (Scheduled through May 9, 2020).

American Museum of Natural History while closed, the website is a treasure trove of information and engaging photos and ways to explore and interact on your own. At the section of its site labeled “Explore” https://www.amnh. org/explore, there are videos, blogs and OLogy: The Science Website for Kids, where kids of all ages can play games, do activities, watch videos and meet scientists to learn more about fossils, the universe, genetics, and more. (Check out https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/ brain)

Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, is in the midst of the landmark exhibit, Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. The most comprehensive Holocaust exhibition about Auschwitz ever presented in North America, the exhibit had already been extended until August 30, 2020. The museum so far is scheduled to reopen March 29; in the meanwhile, there are

excellent materials at the website that will inform and prepare you for when the exhibit reopens (https://mjhnyc.org/ discover-the-exhibition/about-the-exhibition/). (See Groundbreaking Exhibit at Museum of Jewish Heritage Transports to ‘Auschwitz: Not long ago. Not far away’ http:// bit.ly/2v12act)

New-York Historical Society is closed so you will have to wait to experience “Women March,” presidential/election exhibits (take a selfie in Reagan’s Oval Office) and “Bill Graham” (phenomenal and surprising exhibit with fabulous musical accompaniment about this iconic concert impresario). Meanwhile, the N-YHS website offers sensational online exhibitions featuring some of their important past exhibits, including ‘Harry Potter; A History of Magic,” and “the Vietnam War: 19451975” and Chinese American: Exclusion/ Inclusion (https://www.nyhistory.org/ exhibitions/online-exhibitions). You can also delve into its digital collection, with selections from the N-YHS Museum and Library’s holdings paintings, drawings, photographs, manuscripts, broadsides, maps, and other materials that reveal the depth and breadth of over two centuries of collecting.  (http://digitalcollections. nyhistory.org/).

(See: Many Pathways to Mark Centennial of Women’s Suffrage, http:// bit.ly/2IQBLkA)

Meanwhile, some outdoor venues are open, as of this writing (the situation has changed daily):

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden remains open to the public, having implemented stringent cleaning protocols and posted new signage on-site about best practices in personal hygiene. “We hope

that the Garden might offer you some comfort and beauty even during a particularly stressful time.” (https://www. bbg.org/visit)

Central Park, Prospect Park and Flushing Meadows may well provide needed respite. However, the Wildlife Conservation Society has temporarily closed the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo and New York Aquarium, effective Monday, March 16. Check wcs.org for updates.

© 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

GOING PLACES, NEAR & FAR....

Dorothea Lange’s iconic photograph is featured in MoMA’s exhibit “Dorothea Lange: Words & Pictures”. Meanwhile, take advantage of the Museum of Modern Art’s free massive open online course What Is Contemporary Art? © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

WRITER’S CORNER

It’s a perfect time - it’s Springtime on Long Island

BY CLAIRE LYNCH

I often think of spring as that in-between time. It’s not too hot and not too cold. I like being able to put my winter coat and accessories in a closet and forget about them until the cold weather arrives again. Although we have our share of rainy days, on many days the weather is just right and taking some walks outside or drives down by the beach is delightful. Several friends and relatives have birthdays in the spring so this season is always a celebratory time. And here are some additional things that I like about spring.

Asparagus Is An Ideal Vegetable

The best time for fresh asparagus is springtime - there is no doubt about that. Quite often I don’t get to eat any asparagus for months at a time because I am not one to eat canned asparagus. But after a long winter I am always surprised and delighted when the first crops of fresh asparagus start popping up in my supermarket. April is the best month for asparagus. When eating them with meat or fish I like cooking them in a variety of ways. Sometimes I boil them and sometimes I roast them in a little olive oil in a pan in the oven. At other times I grill them on the barbecue. When I want to eat them a little bit crunchy, I steam them. I like many of my vegetables al dente. No matter how asparagus is prepared it always tastes good. This green vegetable is nutritious. Asparagus is considered a good source of vitamin K, antioxidants and thiamine. It is also very low in calories. The experts say that one cup of cooked asparagus has 40 calories, 4 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber and

404 milligrams of potassium. When you buy asparagus, either fresh from the farmers’ market or grocery store, it’s best to eat it right away. Asparagus goes nicely with lots of other springtime vegetables and flavors. Peas and new potatoes go well with asparagus. It always helps to remember to wash the asparagus thoroughly before cooking. Cut the very bottom of the stalks off before cooking. They can be cut into cylinders or cut on a slant. Either way is fine.

A Spring Poem About Rain

James Mercer Langston Hughes aka Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright and columnist who was born on February 1, 1901, in Joplin, Missouri. Early in his life, Hughes’ mother fostered within him a love of the written and spoken word by introducing him to books and taking him to see plays. Although he lived in several places throughout the Midwest during his youth, Hughes always considered Kansas home. He once told a Lawrence, Kansas, audience, “I sort of claim to be a Kansan because my whole childhood was spent here in Lawrence and Topeka, and sometimes in Kansas City.” He moved to New York City as a young man, where he made his career. Hughes is known as being one of the earliest innovators of the literary art form called jazz poetry which was new at the time. He died on May 22, 1967, in New York City at the age of 66. He lived in a row house at 20 East 127th Street for the last 20 years of his life. Visitors to the house can see his typewriter and piano in the parlor. One of his famous poems which is set in the spring is called “April Rain Song.”

Even though Hughes does not directly refer to Harlem in “April Rain Song,” he did live and work there during the time that he would have written this poem. Many people assume that he was inspired to write the poem while watching the rain fall down on his part of the Big Apple. “April Rain Song” goes:

“Let the rain kiss you

Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops

Let the rain sing you a lullaby

The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk

The rain makes running pools in the gutter

The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night

And I love the rain.”

The Popular Song “Stand By Me”

It was in April 1961 that the now famous song “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King came out. In 1960, Ben E. King was inspired to update the early 20th century gospel hymn by Charles Albert Tindley, which was based around the psalm, “will not we fear, though the Earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.”

According to the documentary, “History of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” King had no intention of recording the song himself. King had written it for the Drifters who passed on recording it. After the “Spanish Harlem” recording session in 1960, King had some studio time left over. The session’s producers, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, asked if he had any more songs. King played it on the piano for them. They liked it and called the studio musicians back in to record it. Ben E. King’s song became a Top 10

hit in the U.S. both in 1961 and later in 1986 when Rob Reiner’s movie, “Stand By Me” came out.

King was born Benjamin Earl Nelson on September 28, 1938, in Henderson, N.C. He moved with his family to Harlem when he was nine in 1947. King began singing in church choirs, and in junior high he began performing with a street corner doo wop group called the Four B’s, which won second place in an Apollo Theater talent contest. King worked at his father’s restaurant in New York as a singing waiter which led to an invitation to become the baritone singer in a doo wop group called the Five Crowns in 1958. (allmusic.com)

In an interview in 2013, Ben E. King spoke about his fans’ enjoyment of “Stand By Me” and he pledged to perform it for the rest of his life to please crowds. “I’m so proud it has stood the test of time,” he said. When asked about his 50-year career in the music field, King said, “I’d never have dreamed back in the day that I’d have such an amazing career. I always felt I never chose music, it chose me. From working in my father’s restaurant in New York to this has all been by chance. I’m so lucky - it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

He also had success with other songs including “There Goes My Baby,” “Save The Last Dance For Me,” “Spanish Harlem,” and “Don’t Play That Song (You Lied)”. King was a soul singer with one of the most distinctive voices of his era. At the time of his death in New Jersey in April 2015, Ben E. King was survived by his mother, his wife of 50 See page D5

BY TOM MARGENAU

Some older folks who are pushing retirement age might have a disabled minor child and wonder if that child will qualify for benefits once they sign up for Social Security. Or they have an adult son or daughter who is disabled, and they want to know how Social Security works for them. That’s what today’s column is all about.

Let’s start out with the first scenario. You are about to apply for Social Security retirement benefits. You have a child with a disability. What kind of hoops do you have to jump through to get benefits for that son or daughter? Essentially, none. And that’s because a child under 18 qualifies for benefits whether he is she is disabled or not.

And those benefits normally continue until the child reaches age 18. At that point, the Social Security Administration is going to come back to you and ask if the child is disabled. If he or she is, you will have to fill out a bunch of medical forms that are used to decide if the child meets the legal definition of disability for Social Security purposes. If your child is determined to be disabled, then benefits will continue indefinitely.

Or let’s say you are thinking of retiring and you have an adult son or daughter who has a disability. If that disability began before age 22, he or she will be eligible for what the law calls “disabled adult child” benefits on your account.

If you have a disabled adult child, he or she will get an amount equal to 50% of your full retirement age benefit. And that would be something to contemplate if you are trying to decide when to start your Social Security checks. Let’s look at an example.

Frank is 62 years old and recently retired. He has a 35-year-old son, Thomas, who has been disabled since birth. Frank is trying to decide if he should take reduced retirement benefits now or wait until he is 66 years old to get his full monthly Social Security check. We’ll say his full retirement benefit is $2,400 per month.

If he retires now at 62, he will get 75 of that full retirement age amount, or $1,800 monthly. And Thomas will get 50% of his full retirement age rate, or $1,200 per month. So, they would be due total combined benefits of $3,000 each month.

If Frank were to wait until 66 to file fr benefits, Thomas would have to wait, too. In other words, Frank can’t file for benefits for his son until he signs up for Social Security himself. At 66, Frank would get $2,400, and Thomas would get $1,200, for combined benefits of $3,600.

It’s almost a no-brainer. If Frank waited until 66 to file for Social Security, he would get an extra $600 per month. But he would have lost four years of benefits, or 48 Social Security checks, at the com-

Retirees With Disabled Children

bined $3,000 level. That’s $144,000. Frank should seriously consider filing for benefits for himself and his son at age 62. Disabled children of deceased workers also qualify for monthly benefits. And the survivor rate is 75% of the full retirement age benefit. So, continuing with our above example: If Frank were to die, his son would get 75% of his full retirement age rate of $2,400. In other words, Thomas would get $1,800 per month. And assuming Thomas remains disabled, those benefits would continue for the rest of his life.

And now I’m going to throw a monkey wrench into our discussion of benefits for disabled children. And that monkey wrench is the Supplemental Security Income program. SSI pays a small monthly stipend to low-income older folks and to disabled children.

Before I go on, I must make the same disclaimer I always make when discussing SSI. It is a federal welfare program that is managed by the Social Security Administration. But it is NOT a Social Security benefit, and the money used to fund SSI payments comes from the general funds of the Treasury, not from Social Security taxes.

Disabled children under age 18 who are on SSI almost always come from low-income families. And that’s because the income of the parent or parents counts toward determining if the child can get SSI. The rules are WAY too complicated to explain in this short column. But in a nutshell, the more money the parents have, the less likely it is that their disabled child will get anything out of the SSI program.

But the rules change when the disabled child is 18 or older. At that point, the income of the parent(s) is no longer considered. So, many disabled “adult” children get SSI benefits, even if the parents are well-to-do. For example, I have a neighbor who is an airline pilot, who obviously makes a decent living. He and his wife have a 25-year-old daughter who has been disabled since birth. Because the daughter has no money herself, she is technically “poor” according to Supplemental Security Income guidelines, so she gets a monthly check from the SSI program.

And now I’m going to discuss how SSI benefits payable to children can be a monkey wrench in our discussion of the disabled children of retirees. And to do this, let’s go back to Frank and his 35-year-old disabled son, Thomas.

Actually, it is highly likely that Thomas was getting a monthly SSI check from the government for years before Frank turned 62 and started thinking about Social Security. Let’s say Thomas was getting $783 per month from the SSI program. (That’s the maximum SSI rate in most states.)

Frank might wonder if Thomas can

get both his $783 SSI check and the $1,200 disabled adult child check he is due on Frank’s Social Security account. The answer is no. SSI is a welfare program. As such, you get an SSI check if you have little or no other sources of income. So, once Frank signs up for benefits and Thomas starts getting the $1,200 Social Security check, his SSI checks are going to stop.

There’s one final twist involving SSI. What if Frank didn’t have such a big full retirement age benefit? Let’s say it was only $1,400 per month. That means Thomas’s 50% portion would be $700.

Frank might say, “Why bother signing Thomas up on my Social Security account? He’s already getting more money from SSI.” But SSI rules require Thomas to file for any other benefits he might be due. So, he would have to sign up for the $700 Social Security check and then he would get $83 from the SSI program to take his total income up to the SSI level of $783 per month.

If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has the answer. Contact him at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

years, Betty, his three children, and six grandchildren.

Daffodils:

Such Beautiful Flowers

Last spring I had a family party and my sister-in-law and brother gave me a cute gift: a pot of bright yellow daffodils. It was a rectangular wooden pot with dirt about 12 inches long by 3 ½ inches by five inches high. The daffodils were all in bloom. The gift looked as pretty as a picture as they say and it was the perfect centerpiece for our dinner that night. I knew they would only stay in bloom for a few weeks because the daffodils weren’t planted outside in a garden. Once they went dormant I covered the whole planter and placed it - intact with the bulbs in the soil - in a closet. Last week I pulled it out and to my delight little sprouts were beginning to emerge from the soil.

Symbolizing rebirth and new beginnings, the daffodil is virtually synonymous with spring. Their botanic name is narcissus. Daffodils were introduced

into gardens in about 300BC. The Greek botanist and philosopher Theophrastus listed and described many of the earliest known kinds of narcissus in his nine-volume “Enquiry into Plants.” Daffodils were brought to Britain by the Romans who thought that the sap from daffodils had healing powers. Actually the sap contains crystals that can irritate the skin.

It was not until the 19th century that classification of the many narcissus species was attempted. Due to their popularity as cultivated plants, thousands of daffodil cultivars have been bred. The petals are mostly yellow or white but occasionally they can be orange, green, red or a combination of these colors.

Tossing Three Coins in the Fountain

The movie “Three Coins in the Fountain” came out in May 1954. Frank Sinatra sang the title song. It refers to the act of throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain in Rome while making a wish. Each of the film’s three stars performs this act. A young American secretary, Maria Williams played by

Maggie McNamara, arrives in Rome and is greeted by Anita Hutchins who is played by Jean Peters, the woman she is replacing at the “United States Distribution Agency.” They drive to the “Villa Eden” Anita shares with Miss Frances, played by Dorothy McGuire, the longtime secretary of the American author John Frederick Shadwell, an expatriate living in Rome for the past 15 years. On their way into town, the three women stop at the famous Trevi Fountain. Frances and Anita tell Maria that according to legend, if she throws a coin in the fountain and makes a wish to return to Rome, she will. Maria and Frances throw in their coins, but Anita, who is planning to return to the U.S. to marry, declines. The story goes on. After Anita and Maria are packed and ready to leave, Frances telephones and asks to meet them at the Trevi Fountain. When they arrive, Maria and Anita are disappointed to see the fountain emptied for cleaning. When they are joined by Frances, however, the water springs up again and the women are thrilled by its beauty. Dino and Giorgio then arrive,

and as the men embrace their girlfriends, Frances is joined by Shadwell, and they happily admire the fountain, which has proved lucky to them all. In 1955 the movie won Academy Awards for Best Cinematography (Color) and for Best Music, Original Song. Years later Steve Martin sang “Three Coins in the Fountain” as part of a sing-along in the 1987 movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” Some of the words go: “Three coins in the fountain

Each one seeking happiness

Thrown by three hopeful lovers

Which one will the fountain bless?

Three hearts in the fountain

Each heart longing for its home

There they lie in the fountain

Somewhere in the heart of Rome …”

If it’s springtime and you’re in Rome, you are bound to think of that romantic comedy, “Three Coins in the Fountain.”

Now’s the time to enjoy a platter of freshly-cooked vegetables, to dodge some downpours of rain in April and to walk among the beautiful daffodils in May. Enjoy this spring season!

just a few steps away carries a great line of Rossignols (changed out every three years so that one-third of their fleet is always new), the Demo Center has a huge range of new season skis (Armada, Atomic, Blizzard, Dynastar, Head, Kastle, Nordica, Salomon, Stockli, Rossignol, Volkl, etc.). Our Rossignol Alltrack Elite 100 AT boots felt brand new too.

For a great start to the day, we took Upper Wraparound (Blue) to Wolf’s Prey (Blue-Black), down to the mid-mountain G lift (the East Peak Express Quad), which took us to a group of nice wide Blacks. (East Peak also offers a leisurely 1.4-mile perimeter Green, Wanderer, which we also enjoyed.) On soft snow, intermediate and advanced skiers will enjoy skiing every level trail at Windham, and it’s easy to pop between East and West peaks because everything converges to the same base. The efficiency of the mountain’s design was also reflected in our chairlift wait times, which ranged from zero seconds (most common) to a maximum of two minutes. We loved zig-zagging from West Peak F lift (the Westside Six) to the East Peak G. The slightly slower (and quieter) B Lift (the Wheelchair Double) will take you to a series of fun double blacks on the West Peak, including the long and windy Wide Connection to Upper Wipeout. Lower Wipeout will take you through a lovely village of slope-side

houses that will give you real estate envy (5 home sites are still available to buy! And at least one is available to rent on VRBO). The Whisper Creek ski-in, ski-out condominiums are also available for sale or rent.

Windham started out as a private club and continues to offer that ambiance. It is just the right size to offer lots of variety in skiing, but compact enough to make you feel very comfortable.  Windham offers 1,600 vertical feet

from a summit of 3,100 feet. Its 54 trails and six terrain parks provide 285 skiable acres, accessed by 12 lifts including a new high speed six-passenger detachable lift and two high-speed quads. Windham also offers night skiing on six trails (45 acres).

In the spirit of the low-key social club vibe, Wheelhouse Lodge is a no-frills, mid-mountain dining option with fantastic hearty chili, a new taco bar (open on weekends and holidays),

and an unbeatable view. On a warm sunny day like the one we had, a lunch on the patio with almost 360 mountain views is hard to top.

In the last two years, the resort has spent $12 million to improve the guest experience.

“In a time of industry consolidation, strong, independent resort competition continues to carve out unique guest-focused experiences and provide an alternative to crowding and other downside impacts of acquisitions and mergers,” the resort states. “A passion-powered outdoor community with the support of an active investor group, Windham is

A Bluebird Day of Spring Skiing at Windham Mountain

Continued from page D5

well-positioned to continue offering a more boutique and personal experience to skiers and riders in the Catskills. Windham Mountain is a place to get lost and found again, to find stunning adventure close to home, and to be reminded of how good it feels to be alive with family and friends in the fresh air.”

Among the improvements for this season, snowmaking was increased, which is reaping benefits for keeping the base robust for spring skiing. There’s also a brand new, 33-foot diameter European-inspired “Umbrella

Bar” with an enclosed, heated dome in the center of the reenergized patio area between the base lodge and the lift lodging area. Other improvements include renovated rooms at The Winwood Inn, a quaint lodging property in the village of Windham owned and operated by the mountain; a newly renovated an reinvented restaurant at the inn called Tavern 23 (classic American comfort food); an upgraded booking system with new software that allows guests to bundle lodging stays with lift tickets, lessons, and even rentals in one easy transaction; and an expanded Guest Services department and on-site call center.

Spring skiing at Windham Mountain, a four-season resort in New York’s Catskills which offers biking and golf in the summer © Dave E. Leiberman/goingplacesfarandnear.com

A second new building houses a unique ski and snowboard simulator that offers guests the chance to ski or ride downhill race venues from around the world virtually while supporting the Adaptive Sports Foundation. This building will also house a new equipment valet and quick tune up station. Windham also offers Terrain Based Learning™, beginner packages, an Adventure Park, and the full-service Alpine Spa.

For experts only, the Windham “First Tracks” program provides ultra-exclusive snow moments before lifts open to the public every Saturday, Sunday, and Holiday morning, weather and conditions permitting. This is a guided mountain experience for ages 14 and up ($20 tickets, free for season pass holders). Call 518-734-4300 x1515 or e-mail democenter@windhammountain.com.

The Spring Daze Pass is available starting at $104. With this pass you’ll get unlimited skiing and riding from this Friday, March 13, 2020 to the end of the season. For current conditions, check the Mountain Report page or call Windham’s Snow Report Hotline at 1-800-729-4766.

Aside from our relaxing mid-mountain lunch break and our occasional cycle through the demo center to try new skis, we skied through the day and were surprised that, on only a couple hours of sleep, we made it comfortably to the last chair. By 4:30 we were on the road to dinner in Albany, and by 5:30 we had apres ski drinks and appetizers in hand. It was a perfect day!

Note: To insure the health and safety of Windham’s guests in light

of concerns over Covid-19 (coronavirus) and New York State’s restrictions on large gatherings, Windham Mountain along with other ski resorts and areas have opted to close early for the season.

In the summer months, Windham Mountain Bike Park is famous for its World Cup course, but also features a three-mile-long beginner trail. Windham Mountain Country Club is an 18-hole public golf course with a private club atmosphere.

Windham Mountain, 19 Resort Drive, Windham, NY 12496, 800-7549463, info@windhammountain.com , windhammountain.com.

© 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

WThe effects of the coronavirus on the economy

here is our economy and its real estate dependent GDP moving towards and the future effects and uncertainty of the coronavirus?

Well, we are now in our 128th month of the longest economic expansion in U.S. history dating back to 1856, since the economic collapse in 2008. So everything should be fantastic, right? Well not really, because between the coronavirus, the craziness with the stock market and the uncertainty of the U.S. and global economy, it’s anyone’s guess as to where this is all going. However, Jerome Powell just cut interest rates today 3/3/20 from 1.75-1.25% (50 basis points), to bolster our economy over the worrisome effects now and in the future from the coronavirus. This is the first time this emergency action by the Federal Reserve has occurred since the 2008 crisis. One of the main reasons was tourism and the travel slowdown, with so many canceled flights by all the major airlines that are being severely affected by the coronavirus (Covid-19). As the virus spreads from country to country this is when it will be called a pandemic and we may be heading in that direction any day, as new cases are occurring on a daily basis in greater numbers outside of China. The shortage of coronavirus detection kits is another problem, whereby there is a lack of testing on those that may have the virus that when sneezing could infect others around them as well as what they may touch.

There was an article in The Washington Post by Kathy Orton on January 6 that was extremely informative in depicting and predicting how the real estate market will perform in 2020. Our National Association of Realtor’s senior economic advisor, Lawrence Yun had some pertinent thoughts on our market and where it would be

heading this year and I quote from the article:

“The National Association of Realtors trade association for real estate agents predicts moderate growth in the housing market and continued low mortgage rates.

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

New-home sales are expected to rise to 750,000, an 11 percent increase that puts them at a 13-year high. Existing-home sales will continue to be held down by lack of supply, rising modestly to 5.6 million, a 4 percent increase. The national median sale price of an existing home is expected to grow to $270,400, an increase of 4.3 percent from 2019.

“In 2020, more home-building activity and consequent growth in supply should tame down home price gains,” said Lawrence Yun, the NAR’s chief economist. “That’s a healthy development for potential home buyers. Southern cities should once again do better than most other markets.”

The NAR expects 10 markets to have home price appreciation that outpaces the rest of the country over the next three to five years: Ogden, Utah; Las Vegas; Fort Collins, Colo.; Colorado Springs; Dallas/Fort Worth; Columbus, Ohio; Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, N.C.; Charlotte; Charleston, S.C.; and Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla.

The 30-year fixed-mortgage rate will remain below 4 percent in the coming year, moving to 3.8 percent by the end of 2020.

“Interest rates will remain low, as long as we have government backing of mortgage-backed securities,” Yun said. “But mortgage rates may increase as inflation kicks in and economic activity markedly picks up.”

Here is the link if you want to read the entire article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/01/06/expertspredict-what-housing-market-will-bring/#commentswrapper

Real Estate has been the major mover of our economy with all that is involved in the purchasing process of refrigerators, stoves, microwaves, etc. and everything else that you can think of that one buys for their investment properties, homes, townhomes, condos, coops, rentals. As the supply chain is reduced and is cut-off from China and other affected countries and as our current available inventory is eliminated and is reduced to a potential standstill, this is when layoffs could and will occur. The antidote and solution to our problem is the vaccine that I am quite sure all the available manpower and scientists are feverishly working on and hopefully will be out within 6 months or maybe not! Everyone needs to be vigilant in their everyday goings about and also realize those paper masks that everyone is purchasing will absolutely not prevent you from contracting the virus. I am not a doctor, so I can only provide information and not medical advice. However, if you are nervous about this whole situation and seriously concerned and want the proper protection, you can research an OSHA approved NIOSH-Approved N95 Respirator and read up on their efficacy against the Coronavirus.

The bottom line is that the ripple effect of the coronavirus on our real estate, even though interest rates were lowered today, and at the same time inventory is at a 30 year low, unemployment at 50-year lows and interest

rates at 50-year lows and are well below historical norms, may not change anything due to the lack of housing inventory. We need an average of one million homes produced per year to catch up to the ever-increasing demand. The increasing demand will only be satisfied if and when builders can increase their production of moderately priced homes, as the average price of a home in the U.S. has increased to above $270,000. Decreasing interest rates will only have a positive impact on those who are buying what is available, which isn’t much (after the bidding wars and only one family, couple or person is declared the winner) and those who haven’t already refinanced. The greater impact on our economy here and around the globe will occur as the corona (COVID19) disease progresses and the continued interruption or shut down of our supply chains continues, and as they say, when China sneezes the rest of the world will all eventually catch a potentially dangerous and deadly cold!

Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 Great Neck. He has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute and a Certified International Property Specialist. Receive regular “free” updates of sold homes in your area and a “free” Comparative Market Analysis” of what your home would sell for in today’s market or search on: WWW.Li-RealEstate.Com If you would like to receive a digital copy or a printed copy of “Unlocking the Secrets of Real Estate’s New Market Reality Or “Our Seller’s Guide for “Things to Consider When Selling Your Home” just email or snail me (regular mail) with your name, email and cell number.

He can be reached by email, at:Phil@ TurnKeyRealEstate.Com, or by cell: (516) 647-4289.

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Please contact Linda at 347-7313443 or 646-991-8812

CLASSIFIEDS Call 294.8900

EMPLOYMENT

CAREER TRAINING

AIRLINE CAREERS Start here. Get trained as FAA certified Aviation Technician. Financial aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. Call AIM for free information 866296-7094

TRAIN AT HOME TO DO MEDICAL BILLING

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

FINANCE

DENIED SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY?

Appeal! If you’re over 50+, filed for SSD and denied, our attorneys can help get you approved! No money out of pocket! 855478-2506

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

NOVENAS/PRAYERS

HOLY SAINT JUDE

Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful and intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in time of need, to you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance. Please help me in my present and urgent petition. (Here describe the nature of your personal need) In return I promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked. St. Jude, pray for us and all who invoke your aid. Amen. This Novena should be said for nine consecutive days. After reciting the Novena, pray 3 Our Fathers, 3 Hail Mary’s and 3 Glory Be. Publication must also be promised. M.H.

NOVENA TO ST. CLAIRE:

Ask St. Claire for 3 favors; 1 business and 2 impossible, say 9 Hail Mary’s for 9 days with lighted candles. Pray whether you believe or not. Publish on the 9th day. “May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored and glorified today and everyday”. Request will be granted no matter how impossible it seems. Publication must be promised. M.H.

NOVENA TO ST. JUDE

May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved, and preserved throughout the world, now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us. St. Jude worker of miracles, pray for us. Say prayer 9 times a day. By the eighth day, your prayer will be answered as mine was. Publication must be promised. Thank You St. Jude. M.H.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

NOVENAS/PRAYERS

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN (Never known to fail). Oh Most Beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine of Splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin assist me in this necessity. Oh Star of the Sea help me and show herein you are my Mother. Oh Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth I beseech thee from the bottom of my heart to succor me this necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power. Oh show me herein you are my Mother. Oh Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to Thee (three times). Oh Holy Mary I place this cause in your hands (three times). Thank you for your mercy to me and mine. Amen. This prayer must be said for three days and after three days your request will be granted. The prayer must be published. Grateful thanks.

M.H.

MARKETPLACE

A.T. STEWART EXCHANGE CONSIGNMENT SHOP

TURN YOUR TREASURES INTO CASH!

Come to Consign/ Stay to Shop!

109 Eleventh Street, Garden City

516-746-8900

Antiques-FurnitureJewelry-SilverMirrors-LampsArtwork-ChinaCrystal-Collectibles

Tuesday-Friday 10-4

Saturday 12-4

(10% Sr. Discount Tues) All proceeds benefit The Garden City Historical Society

Email: store@atstewartexchange.org

Like us on Facebook & Instagram

MARKETPLACE

INVITED ESTATE SALES BY TRACY JORDAN

Looking to sell items from your home?

Consider doing an Online Auction!

Online Auctions reach more interested buyers than tag sales and can often sell for more than what you would make at an estate or tag sale.

Invited Estate Sales by Tracy Jordan can do both! You can sell your items online reaching potential buyers locally or globally as well as hosting a private sale from your home!

Let us guide you on what items to put in auction including furniture, housewares, decorative items, jewelry, collectibles, coins, artwork and anything else you may no longer want or need. Our services can help you to maximize your selling experience whether you are selling 1 item or 500 items. We are a one stop service for all your needs when you are moving or selling a property! Selling, donating, discarding and cleaning out services can be done to meet your time frame with minimal stress.

Estate and Tag Sales

Online Auctions

Cleanout and Moving Services

Home Staging Services

Appraisals

Contact for more info: info@invitedsales.com or Call: 516-279-6378 to schedule a consultation or receive more information. www.invitedsales.com

PRIVACY HEDGES SPRING BLOW OUT SALE. 6’ Arborvitae (cedar) reg. $179 NOW $80 Beautiful, nursery grown. FREE installation/ FREE delivery. Limited supply! ORDER NOW! 518-536-1367 www.lowcosttreefarm.com

MARKETPLACE

VINTAGE SHOP

Cool old stuff in Vintage Shop for home and boat. Great Prices! Wilson’s Dry Dock. For info call: 516-662-2821

128 Shore Road, Glen Cove, NY WANTED TO BUY

FREON WANTED: We pay CA$H for cylinders and cans. R12 R500 R11 R113 R114. Convenient. Certified Professionals. Call 312-361-0601 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com

MARKETPLACE

LOOKING TO BUY!

Oriental items, clothing, art, old & modern furniture, estates, jewelry, silver, glassware, dishes, old photos, coins & stamps, flatware, comic books, action figures. Call George 718-386-1104 or 917-775-3048

RARE RECORD COLLECTIONS WANTED: Autographs, memorabilia, obscure artists. All sizes / categories. House-calls, drop-offs. All About Records 396 Rockaway Ave #E Valley Stream Charles 516-945-7705 groupssound@aol.com

TOP CASH PAID: ESTATE CONTENTS ALL OBJECTS OF ART JEWELRY, ETC. Please call 718-598-3045 or 516270-2128 www.antiqueassets.com

PETS

PET SERVICES

A GARDEN CITY ANIMAL LOVER doesn’t want to leave your precious pooch or fantastic feline alone all day. I’m reliable, dependable and will walk and feed your pet while you work or travel. Please call Cheryl at 516-971-3242

CLASSIFIEDS Call 294.8900

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

AUTOS WANTED

AUTO BUYERS! We visit you. Highest cash paid. Or donate, tax deduct + cash. DMV#1303199. Please call Luke 516-VAN-CARS OR 516-297-2277

DONATE YOUR CAR to Wheels For Wishes, benefitting Make-a-Wish. We offer free towing and your donation is 100% tax deductible. Call 631317-2014 Today!

REAL ESTATE FOR RENT

APARTMENT FOR RENT

GARDEN CITY BORDER

APARTMENT: Avail 4/1 NO

FEE. Huge, Bright 1BR, 1Bath Apt $1,635.00 + Electric. Gated Parking available. Laundry Room, Air Conditioning, Hardwood Floors, LIRR. www.gcbapts.com Voice or text: 516-524-6965

OFFICE SPACE

GARDEN CITY

Prime Seventh Street Location. Small Second Floor Office Space Available. Owner: 516-510-9452

VACATION RENTAL

ATLANTIS, BAHAMAS TIME SHARE RENTAL

July 4-11,2020 Corner Unit 2BR, 2BA Lockout Sleep 8 on the Atlantis Marina. 7 nights

$3,200

1BR Premium Unit $1,750

1BR Deluxe Unit $1,550 For more info call: 516-742-3176

LOTS

FOR SALE

CHEMUNG COUNTY TAX

Foreclosed Real Estate Auction:

100+ Lots! Tuesday, March 31, 2020. Registration: 7:00AM; Start: 9:00AM. Holiday Inn, 760 E. Water St, Elmira, NY 14901. Call 800-536-1401, ext. 110 www.auctionsinternational. com/liveauctions

OUT OF TOWN REAL ESTATE

SEBASTIAN FLORIDA (East Coast)

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EXTERMINATING SERVICES

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Residential, Commercial, Industrial

Free Estimates No Obligation Family Owned/Operated Call: 516-499-0676 or 718-349-0482

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

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TWNMANAGEMENT@OUTLOOK.COM for assistance in attaining your objectives.

SERVICES

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

COMPUTERS

COMPUTER ISSUES? FREE DIAGNOSIS by GEEKS ON SITE! Virus removal, data recovery! 24/7 Emergency Service, in home repair/on line solutions. $20 off any service! 844-892-3990

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

AMBIANCE

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

*Handyman & Remodeling

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*Furniture Assembly

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*Minor Electrical & Plumbing

25year GC Resident Lic & Ins H18E2170000 Call BOB 516-741-2154

AQUATEC LAWN

SPRINKLERS

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

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

MASONRY

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

Fully Licensed & Insured #H2219010000

Boceski Masonry Louie 516-850-4886

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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.drannmariedangelo.com 901 Stewart Ave, Ste 230 Garden City, NY 11530

PAINTING & PAPERHANGING

INTERIOR & EXTERIOR PAINTING

Plastering, Taping, Sheetrock

Skim Cutting, Old Wood Refinish, Staining, Wallpaper Removal & Hanging, Paint Removal, Power Washing, Wood Replacement JOHN MIGLIACCIO

Licensed & Insured #80422100000

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

MICHELANGELO

PAINTING & WALLPAPER

Interior, Exterior, Plaster / Spackle, Light Carpentry, Decorative Moldings & Power Washing. Call: 516-328-7499

PARTY HELP

LADIES & GENTLEMEN RELAX & ENJOY

Your Next Party!

Catering and Experienced Professional Services for Assisting with Preparation, Serving and Clean Up Before, During and After Your Party Bartenders Available. Call Kate at 516-248-1545

SERVICES-

TUTORING

PRIVATE TUTORING FOR GRADES K-6

Give your child a helping hand! Licensed NYC / NYS Dept of Education teacher available to tutor students grades K-6. Contact Audrey Sullivan, M.S.Ed 347-628-8872 (voice/text) seguenow@aol.com

CLEANING

C & A CLEANING SERVICES

Cleaning services for Homes, Apartments, Offices. Experienced. Excellent References.

Free Estimates Call:

Carolina 516-858-9257 Abraham 516-680-0509

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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

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Last Hope Part of the Chewy.com Rescue Program

If you haven’t tried Chewy.com yet for your pet food and supply purchases, this is a great time to check them out. Last Hope is now part of their rescue program. For each new customer that makes a purchase, Last Hope will receive a $20 donation. Click on the ad below or go directly to the Last Hope page at https:// www.chewy.com/rp/5941

Pie for Dinner? EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE

If you shy away from making homemade pies because of the crust (it can be tricky, and there’s all that rolling), you are in for a treat. Meet the “impossible pie.”

BY MARY HUNT

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 eggs

Fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

3/4 cup Bisquick or Master Mix (see recipe below)

1 1/2 cups water

Impossible pies are quick, easy and very family-friendly. But what is it that makes them seemingly impossible? The crust starts out as almost liquid; you pour it over the top of the pie and then somehow, in the baking process, the crust finds its way to the bottom and turns into a fabulously delicious pie.

All of the recipes that follow call for “Master Mix,” which is our homemade version of Bisquick. You’ll find the recipe for Master Mix below.

IMPOSSIBLE LASAGNA PIE

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup small curd cottage cheese (not nonfat)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups (8 ounces) mozzarella cheese, shredded

3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1/2 cup Bisquick or Master Mix (see recipe below)

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 400 F. Grease a 9-inch pie pan that is at least 1 1/4-inches deep. Cook beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until brown; drain. Layer cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese in pie plate. Add 1 cup mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning and tomato paste to the beef; stir until blended. Spoon evenly over top of the cheeses in pie plate. Stir together Master Mix, water, salt, pepper and eggs in a bowl until blended. Pour into pie plate. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired. Serves 6.

Optional: If you have some spaghetti sauce on hand, heat it in the microwave to serve with this pie.

IMPOSSIBLE

QUESADILLA PIE

1 4-ounce can green chilies, chopped and well drained

2 cups (8 ounces) cheddar cheese, shredded

3 eggs

Heat oven to 400 F. Grease a 9-inch pie plate that is at least 1 1/4-inches. Spread chilies, cheese and cilantro into pie plate. In a separate bowl, stir together Master Mix, water and eggs until blended. Pour into pie plate. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with salsa. Serves 6.

MASTER MIX

5 pounds all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups dry milk

3/4 cup double-acting baking powder

2 tablespoons cream of tartar

3 tablespoons salt 1/2 cup sugar

4 2/3 cups solid vegetable shortening

Sift dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening until mix looks like cornmeal. Store at room temperature in a covered container like Tupperware. Makes 30 cups.

For more impossible pie recipes, go to https://www.everydaycheapskate. com/impossiblepies.

Note about pie plates: Pie plates vary in size from one manufacturer to another. If you use a pie plate that is too small, the pie will run over while baking. It’s better to err on the side of a larger pie plate. The size is usually marked on the bottom of the pie plate, but if it’s not marked, measure from inside rim to inside rim.

Would you like more information? Go to EverydayCheapskate.com for links and resources for recommended products and services in this column. Mary invites questions, comments and tips at EverydayCheapskate.com, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a lifestyle blog, and the author of the book “DebtProof Living.”

COPYRIGHT 2020, CREATORS. COM

What a difference a week makes.

Last Saturday my wife and I attended a Broadway show in New York City and had dinner at a popular Italian restaurant in Times Square, taking the commuter train to and from our home in Connecticut. We were planning a vacation in Florida this week.

Today all of Broadway is shut down, as well as the NCAA and NBA playoffs, the PGA tour and just about any activity involving large gatherings of people. People are afraid to travel on public transportation. We canceled our vacation, flight, hotel reservations and car rental.

In less than a week, everyone in America has turned as reclusive and paranoid as Adrian Monk.

Make no mistake: The negative impact of the novel coronavirus on the American economy will be huge, and America’s small businesses will bear the brunt of it, especially those that depend on the following for their livelihood:

-- People assembling in one place (restaurants, bars, gyms, theaters).

-- People traveling on airplanes (airport concessions, limousine services).

-- People going on vacation (travel agents, tanning salons, body waxing).

-- Large-scale events (vendors and

How Small Business Can Survive the Coronavirus SUCCEEDING IN YOUR BUSINESS

concessionaires at sporting events and rock concerts).

-- Physical touching of other people (spas, hair stylists).

No one (myself included) knows how long this will last, but here are some suggestions to help small businesses weather the storm.

Stay Alive Until June. During the next couple of months, people will be hunkered down, but that can’t last forever. We may not be out of danger by June, but two things are probable:

-- The risk of infection will be lower then, both because of people’s self-quarantining and predictions that the virus will be less transmittable during the warm summer months (see the NPR article “Can Coronavirus Be Crushed By Warmer Weather?”), encouraging more people to get outdoors and patronize local businesses.

-- Having caught up on testing by then, we will know much more than we do today about how the disease runs its course, and should be in a much better position to predict a return to normal economic activity.

Do Everything You Can to Maintain Cash Flow. You may not be making a profit for a while, but if revenue dries up completely, you die fast and hard. Do everything you can to keep

BY CLIFF ENNICO

money coming in the door.

If you are a restaurant or bar, start doing home delivery. Don’t wait for orders from the self-quarantined to come in via UberEats. Get your wait staff (or that 20-something in your basement) in their cars to deliver all orders. Do an email blast to your regulars. Get on your social media and offer free delivery, volume discounts or a free roll of toilet paper (hey, you probably have a stockpile of these, and no one will be using them) as incentives.

If you are an event organizer or tour operator and people are canceling, keep refunds at a minimum by offering customers credit for the same or a similar trip within the next year at no additional cost.

If you run a grocery store, let your customers know via email when high-demand merchandise will be restocked, and offer them home delivery on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are a professional speaker, offer your best programs as webinars. If you are a spa or other luxury service, sell gift cards without an expiration date.

If you sell clothing or other merchandise at retail, promote the hell out of your Amazon page, website and other online venues. Source as much product

as you can domestically or from countries not affected by travel bans.

If you are smart enough to have a cash reserve or an untapped line of credit, now is the time to use it, but only sparingly and as a last resource.

Negotiate Your Fixed Costs. Does your lease have a force majeure clause excusing rent payments in the event of war, labor strikes, terrorist activity or other acts of God? If so, now is the time to take advantage of it, even if it doesn’t specifically refer to epidemics or infectious disease. If not, talk to your landlord anyway and see if he or she will grant a six-month rent reduction or deferral. If you are a franchisee, call your franchisor and request a temporary reduction or abatement of royalties and advertising fund payments.

Pull together some hard data demonstrating how much business you are losing each week and month because of the epidemic and mandated shutdowns. That will help you get the relief you need, especially if other tenants and franchisees are making the same requests.

While firing employees outright is not a good idea -- it will make it tougher to get back on track once the government sends the “all clear” signal -- put as many people on part-time status as

possible; reduce your hours; and consider temporary pay reductions for all employees.

Embrace the “R” Word. In tough economic times, whatever the cause, it’s the ruthless business owners -- those willing to do everything short of breaking the law -- who are most likely to survive. If you need a refresher on what it means to be ruthless in business, check out my YouTube video “The Three Personality Traits All Aspiring Entrepreneurs Must Develop.”

Good luck to all my readers during these difficult times.

Cliff Ennico (crennico@gmail.com) is a syndicated columnist, author and former host of the PBS television series “Money Hunt.” This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our webpage at www. creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2020, CLIFFORD R. ENNICO

DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS. COM

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court

Nassau County CITIBANK, N.A., NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE OF NRZ PASS-THROUGH TRUST VI, Plaintiff AGAINST AVTAR SINGH, ET AL., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated April 02, 2018 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Calendar Control Part (CCP) Courtroom of the Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501, on March 31, 2020 at 11:30AM, premises known as 3 CRESCENT STREET, HICKSVILLE, NY 11801. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION 12, BLOCK 168, LOT 30. Approximate amount of judgment $634,829.71 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment for Index# 14750-13.

PETER MENOUDAKOS, ESQ., Referee

Gross Polowy, LLC

Attorney for Plaintiff 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221

MIT 5883

4X 02/28,03/06,13,20

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court Nassau County

TLF NATIONAL TAX LIEN

TRUST 2017-1, Plaintiff -against-

KELLY DRUMMOND, EDWARD J. DRUMMOND, BARBARA E. DRUMMOND, et al Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated January 15, 2020 and entered on January 21, 2020, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at (CCP) Calendar Control Part Court Room of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Dr., Mineola, NY on March 31, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. premises situate, lying and being at Hicksville, Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on

the Easterly side of Ash Lane, distant 463.02 feet southerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the Easterly side of Ash Lane with the Southerly side of Abbot Lane; being a plot 100 feet by 60 feet by 100 feet by 60 feet. Section: 45 Block: 350 Lot: 30

Said premises known as 25 ASH LANE, HICKSVILLE, NY

Approximate amount of lien $11,767.90 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.

Index Number 613336/2018.

JOHN G. KENNEDY, ESQ., Referee Bronster, LLP

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 156 West 56th Street, Suite 1801, New York, NY 10019

MIT 5884

4X 02/28,03/06,13,20

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF ACCURATE APPR LLC

Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 02/18/2020. Office located in Nassau County. SSNY is designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC; C/O LEGALINC CORPORATE SERVICES INC. 1967 WEHRLE DRIVE SUITE 1 #086 BUFFALO, NY 14221. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

MIT 5885

6X 02/28,03/06,13,20,27,04/03

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court Nassau County

WELLS FARGO BANK, NA, Plaintiff, vs.

BASHIR GAWHARY A/K/A BASIR GAWHARY, HELEN MOHMAND, Defendants

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT In pursuance of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the office of the County Clerk of Nassau County on October 26, 2018, I, Jeffrey Fox, Esq., the Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on April 7, 2020 at the Calendar Control Part (CCP) Courtroom, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola on a Tuesday at 11:30 AM, County of Nassau, State of New York, the premises described as follows:

4 Hicks Circle

LEGAL NOTICES

Hicksville, NY 11801

SBL No.: 12-305-2

ALL THAT TRACT OF PARCEL OF LAND being in Hicksville Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York. The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 14--004324 in the amount of $457,551.34 plus interest and costs.

Todd Z. Marks, Esq. Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP Plaintiff’s Attorney 500 Bausch & Lomb Rochester, New York 14604 Tel.: 855-227-5072

MIT 5886 4X 03/06,13,20,27

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court Nassau County

USROF IV LEGAL TITLE

TRUST 2015-1, BY U.S. BANK

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS LEGAL TITLE TRUSTEE, Plaintiff, Against LUZ D. MENSING A/K/A LUZ MENSING, ET AL, Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 9/21/2018, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, CCP Calendar Control Part Courtroom in the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Dr., Mineola, NY 11501, on 4/7/2020 at 11:30AM, premises known as 187 Princess Street Hicksville, NY 11801 described as follows: ALL that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Hicksville, not an Incorporated Village, Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York and designated on the tax maps of the Nassau County Treasurer as Section 11 Block 250 and Lot 37.

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $435,499.99 plus interest and costs. The premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 12637/13.

Jennifer B. Ettenger, Esq., Referee.

STIENE & ASSOCIATES, P.C. (Attorneys for Plaintiff), 167 Main Street,

Northport, NY 11768

Dated: 2/5/20

File Number: 201101293-03 PB MIT 5887 4X 03/06,13,20,27

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court Nassau County SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, D/B/A CHRISTIANA TRUST, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT AS TRUSTEE FOR PRETIUM MORTGAGE ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. SUSAN BLEZOW, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly filed on February 4, 2020, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the CCP (Calendar Control Part Courtroom) in the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on April 14, 2020 at 11:30 a.m., premises known as 114 Morton Boulevard, Plainview, NY. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 47, Block 19 and Lot 35. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 8744/13.

Michael Venditto, Esq., Referee Berkman, Henoch, Peterson, Peddy & Fenchel, P.C., 100 Garden City Plaza, Garden City, NY 11530, Attorneys for Plaintiff MIT 5888 4X 03/13,20,27,04/03

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court Nassau County BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO BAC HOME LOANS SERVICING, LP FKA COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS SERVICING, LP, Plaintiff -againstYONG S. LEE, YOUNG JA KWAK, MOON CHAN KWAK, EDWARD W. WALSH, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered

herein and dated November 12, 2019, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at (CCP) Calendar Control Part Court Room of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Dr., Mineola, NY on April 14, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. premises situate, lying and being at Hicksville, Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the southerly side of Stanley Street, distant 431.85 feet southerly and easterly as measured along the westerly side of Stanley Street West and the Southerly side of Stanley Street South from the extreme southerly end of the curve connecting the westerly side of Stanley Street West with the Southerly side of 10th Street; being a plot 70.00 feet by 100.00 feet by 70.00 feet by 100.00 feet. Section: 46 Block: 334 Lot: 20 Said premises known as 22 BROOKS STREET AKA 22 BROOKS STREET SOUTH, HICKSVILLE, NY Approximate amount of lien $543,131.03 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Index Number 002575/2016.

ANTHONY J. RATTOBALLI, ESQ., Referee

David A. Gallo & Associates LLP

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 99 Powerhouse Road, First Floor, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 File# 8325.26

MIT 5889

4X 03/13,20,27,04/03

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court Nassau County US BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE OF THE IGLOO SERIES III TRUST, Plaintiff, -againstVIJAY DADLANI; PRAVEENA DADLANI; LANCASTER MORTGAGE BANKERS; KAVITA DADLANI, Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated, October 18, 2007 and entered with the Nassau County Clerk on October 25, 2007, as amended by an Order duly dated March 13, 2018 and entered with the Nassau County Clerk on March 19, 2018, Lisa Siano, Esq., the Appointed Referee, will sell the premises known as 3165 Dorset Lane, Levittown, New York 117565 a/k/a 3165 Dorset Lane, Hempstead, New York 11756 at public auction at Supreme Court of Nassau County, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, New York 11501, Calendar Control Part, on April 21, 2020 at 11:30 A.M. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York known as Section: 51; Block: 261; Lot: 8 will be sold subject to the provisions of filed Judgment, Index No. 011816/2006. The approximate amount of judgment is $416,333.25 plus interest and costs.

FRIEDMAN VARTOLO LLP

85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. MIT 5890

4X 03/20,27,04/03,10

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court Nassau County Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as Indenture Trustee, for New Century Home Equity Loan Trust 20051, Plaintiff AGAINST

Jasbir Singh; Balvinderjit Bains a/k/a Balvinderjit K. Bains a/k/a Balvinderjit Kaur Bainsf; et al., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated May 31, 2019 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Nassau County Supreme Court, Calendar Control Part (CCP)

100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, New York, 11501 on April 21, 2020 at 11:30AM, premises known as 48 Robin Lane, Plainview, NY 11803. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau, State of NY, Section 13 Block 56 Lot 4. Approximate amount of judgment $626,898.71 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 17-001045.

George Esernio, Esq., Referee Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: March 6, 2020 MIT 5891 4X 03/20,27,04/03,10

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court Nassau County Ditech Financial LLC f/k/a Green Tree Servicing LLC, Plaintiff AGAINST Michael B. Mendonez, Jr. a/k/a Michael B. Mendonez, Gracia T. Mendonez a/k/a Grace T. Mendonez, et al, Defendant Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly dated 3/1/2017 and entered on 3/17/2017, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the Courtroom of the Supreme Court Mineola, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on March 31, 2020 at 11:30 AM premises known as 11 Berry Hill Lane, Bethpage, NY 11714. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the County of Nassau, State of New York, SECTION: 49, BLOCK: 267, LOT: 7. Approximate amount of judgment is $410,614.09 plus interests and costs. Premises

LEGAL NOTICES

will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 005296/2014. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www. Auction.com or call (800) 2802832.

Nicole Forchelli, Referee

FRENKEL LAMBERT WEISS WEISMAN & GORDON LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706

BN 7461

4X 02/28,03/06,13,20

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court Nassau County THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF CWMBS, INC., CHL MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH TRUST 2006-11, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-11, Plaintiff against DAVID PIGOTT A/K/A DAVID J. PIGOTT, et al Defendants

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered September 24, 2019, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at CCP (Calendar Control Part Courtroom), in the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on April 7, 2020 at 11:30 AM. Premises known as 134 Windhorst Avenue a/k/a 134 North Windhorst Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714. Sec 49 Block 007 Lot 534 & 536. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Bethpage, Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $457,457.05 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 605930/2018.

Jennifer Ettenger, Esq.,

Referee IBNY132

Fein Such & Crane, LLP, 1400 Old Country Road, Suite C103, Westbury, NY 11590

Attorney (s) for Plaintiff (s). BN 7462 4X 03/06,13,20,27

NOTICE OF SALE

Supreme Court Nassau County THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF THE CWABS INC. ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES SERIES 2007-9, V. SHAWN MCCAFFREY; ET. AL.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated May 31, 2019, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF THE CWABS INC. ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES SERIES 2007-9 is the Plaintiff and SHAWN MCCAFFREY; ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the CALENDAR CONTROL PART (CCP) COURTROOM OF THE SUPREME COURT, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on April 14, 2020 at 11:30 am, premises known as 2 DURHAM PLACE, BETHPAGE, NY 11714: Section 46, Block 526, Lot 1: ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE TOWN OF OYSTER BAY, COUNTY OF NASSAU, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment

Index # 001446/2017. Arnold M. Bottalico, Esq.Referee. RAS Boriskin, LLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. BN 7464 4X 03/13,20,27,04/03

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court Nassau County SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSF11 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST, Pltf. vs. ELISE A. POZNIK, et al, Defts. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered Dec. 6, 2019, I will sell at public auction on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. in the Calendar Control Part (CCP) of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY prem. k/a 133 South 7th Street a/k/a 133 Seventh Street, Bethpage, NY a/k/a Section 46, Block 18, Lots 23 & 24. Said property beginning at the corner formed by the intersection of the westerly side of Seventh Street with the Northeasterly side of Railroad Avenue, being a plot 140.98 ft. x 17.25 ft. x 100 ft. x 116.62 ft. comp. (116.80 ft. Map). Approx. amt. of judgment is $371,013.65 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www. Auction.com or call (800) 2802832. Index #011931/2013.

JOHN J. O’GRADY, Referee. COHN & ROTH, LLC, Attys. for Pltf., 100 East Old Country Rd., Mineola, NY. #98502 BN 7466 4X 03/13,20,27,04/03

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Levittown schools honor community volunteers

MacArthur High School junior Aidan Langley (middle) was recognized as the logo winner for the Levittown Education Foundation. Pictured with the Levittown Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tonie McDonald (left) and Levittown’s Director of Art, FACS and Technology Frank Creter (back left).

The Levittown Board of Education honored those who serve on the district’s PTA Council Board, PTA Budget Committee, Food Service Committee and as PTA presidents during its meeting on March 11.

At its March 11 meeting, the Levittown Public Schools Board of Education recognized many of its community volunteers. As part of the evening’s ceremony, those who serve on the district’s PTA Council Board, PTA Budget Committee, Food Service Committee and as PTA presidents were all recognized for their service and dedication to the students and schools.

In addition, the winner of a logo contest for the Levittown Education Foundation was selected and recognized by the board and members of the LEF. Congratulations to MacArthur High School junior Aidan Langley, who received a certificate and framed version of his winning work.

Photos courtesy of the Levittown Public Schools

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Assemblyman John Mikulin (R,C,I-Bethpage) joined (from left to right) Joe Saladino, Town of Oyster Bay supervisor; Peter Silvestri, Homeland Security officer and supporting 1st vice membership officer; Dennis Dunne, Town of Hempstead councilman; Frank Marcinek, commander of American Legion Post 1711, and Chris Drummond, executive committeeman of American Legion Post 1711, at St. Martin of Tours Church.

Assemblyman John Mikulin (R,C,IBethpage) attended Bethpage’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 1, concluding the event at the St. Martin of Tours Church. There, he joined Joe Saladino, Town of Oyster Bay supervisor; Peter Silvestri, Homeland Security officer and supporting 1st vice membership officer; Dennis Dunne, Town of Hempstead councilman; Frank Marcinek, commander of American Legion Post 1711; and Chris Drummond, executive committeeman of American Legion Post 1711.

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Dear Friends,

Message from Congressman Tom Suozzi

“Be prepared. Not scared.”

This is an unsettling time in our country and in our communities. When it comes to Coronavirus, we may be in a public health emergency, but that does not mean that we lack the resources or the commonsense to deal with it. It is important to reiterate that we need to be prepared and not scared. Heed the advice of public health experts who agree that the most effective way to “flatten the curve” of the spread of Coronavirus is by practicing “social distancing” to keep our communities healthy.

Below is some helpful information regarding coronavirus:

How are you infected?

• Coronavirus can spread person-to-person within 6 feet through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

• Because the virus can remain on a surface or object; it can be transmitted by touch; entering the body through mouth, nose or eyes.

Time from infection to symptoms:

• It takes 2 to 14 days for a person to develop symptoms after exposure to the virus.

• The average is about 5 days.

What are the symptoms?

• Fever,

• Dry cough, and

• Shortness of breath.

When you should seek testing:

• If you are exhibiting symptoms

• If you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus

• If you have recently traveled to one of the high-risk countries

If you experience any of the symptoms above you should call your health care provider before seeking treatment in person.

In the meantime we all know that certain precautions are important at this time.

• Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds;

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth;

• Avoid physical contact like handshakes and hugs, especially if Corinavirus is spreading in your community;

• Stay at home if you are sick;

• Avoid large crowds and

• Minimize travel.

For more information specific to New York, please check the New York State Department of Health website, health.ny.gov. It is important during this national emergency that we unite together as a country, listen and follow the advice of experts and take responsibility for our actions to battle this pandemic

Be prepared. Not scared.