OFFICIALS FIGHT PRICE GOUGING
Nassau County seeks donations of medical supplies
Nassau County is seeking donations of medical supplies in unopened packages.
Needed items are:
• N95 Surgical Masks in unopened container/boxes
• Eye protection such as goggles and face shields
• Nitrile Gloves in unopened boxes which have not expired
• Disposable medical gowns (paper which are fluid resistant or plastic)
• Shoe cover/booties
• No-Touch thermometers
• Thermometer probe covers
• HEPA filters for Ventilators / Anesthesia Machines
• Antibacterial and disinfecting wipes – typically alcohol or bleach based
• Disinfecting wipes (Clorox/ Lysol)
• Hand Sanitizer
Donations will be accepted at a drive up collection point, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. at the Nassau County Public Safety Parking Lot, Field 3, Park Blvd., Eisenhower Park
‘Town Hall At Home’
The Town of Oyster Bay has created a new online portal for residents to be able to handle most of their Town business remotely.
Photo courtesy Nassau County
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran was joined by Congresswoman Kathleen Rice and New York State Senator Todd Kaminsky to raise public awareness and condemn of the widespreadprice gouging of COVID-19 Coronavirus related supplies. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo made an emergency disaster declaration on Saturday which, among other things, allows the state to investigate and penalize those price gouging medical and sanitary supplies. To report incidents of price gouging to the New York State Attorney General’s office please call 1-800-697-1220.
Town board to meet virtually
In light of current emergency restrictions and conditions, the meeting of the Oyster Bay Town Board scheduled for Tuesday, March 31, at 7:00 p.m. has been changed to Tuesday, March 31, at 10:00 a.m.
In accordance with an Executive Order signed by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo the March 31st Town Board meeting will be held remotely by conference call or similar service, and the public will have the ability to view or listen to such proceeding, and such proceeding shall be recorded and later transcribed.
The portal, titled ‘Town Hall at Home,’ provides a one-stop shop to information on performing Town business remotely, whether it be paying taxes, filing paperwork, or requesting documents.
“During these difficult and unprecedented times, the Town is encouraging residents to conduct their Town business online when possible,” said Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino. “The ‘Town Hall at Home’ portal will help residents facilitate this business, while still adhering to requested health department practices for social distancing.”
The online portal allows residents to easily find forms, applications, pay their taxes and more. The virtual Town Hall will also include a live-chat option during regular Town business hours, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., to further assist residents.
“We all share in the responsibility to limit person-to-person contact to help thwart the spread of COVID-19, and this is just one way we can all do our part,” added Supervisor Saladino.
To begin the process, please visit www.oysterbaytown.com, click on the online portal and follow the easy prompts to navigate your Town business needs.
NYS Elementary Principal of the Year
Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District’s Stratford Road Elementary School Principal Dr. Alison Clark was recently selected as the 2020 New York State Elementary Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP.) Dr. Clark was recognized for being committed to excellence, creating programs designed to meet the academic and social needs of all students, and having firm ties to parents and the community.
“Stratford Road is not only the
largest elementary school in the district, but also home to the largest English Language Learner (ELL) and Supplemental Educational Services (SES) populations, as well as the district’s Autism Program.” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lorna Lewis, “The success of this special population is due in no small part to the energy and support Dr. Clark gives to the program. Students and parents leave her building valuing the lessons of patience, charity, and kindness demonstrated there.”
Considered the school’s lead learner, Dr. Clark earned her PhD while leading Stratford Road Elementary School, she is also known as a mentor who cultivates leadership in others. She is an adjunct professor at SUNY Old Westbury, works with doctoral students on their dissertations at Concordia University, and has published numerous articles in educational journals.
Dr. Clark received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees from CUNY Queens College, her PD from Long Island University, and her PhD from Concordia University Chicago. She will be honored for her accomplishments at a May awards ceremony in Albany, New York. As New York’s Elementary School Principal of the Year, Clark will be celebrated as a National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals at a recognition program sponsored by NAESP this fall in Washington, DC.
Legislator seeks volunteers to help seniors
Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan’s office is looking for volunteers to help seniors in the community.
His office needs contact information for any seniors in the community who cannot shop for themselves, and need assistance during this time. If you know a senior who needs help, please call
(516) 571-6218.
The legislator is also seeking volunteers who are willing to shop for seniors, such as picking up groceries at the supermarket, medication at the pharmacy, etc... If you can help shop for a senior, please call (516) 571-6218.
Town to resume yard waste collection
Yard waste collection will resume for Town of Oyster Bay homeowners who receive town sanitation collection, beginning the week of April 1. Yard waste is picked up on the same day as recycled materials.
“With the spring season nearly upon us, many residents will begin clearing their properties from leaves and other debris left behind by winter,” said Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said. “Yard waste collection, which includes lawn clippings, will get underway the first week in April.”
Residents should place yard waste curbside on their same day as their recycling items. Yard waste is collected by Town sanitation crews and taken to compost facilities. Waste includes grass clippings, weeds, leaves, tree trimmings, hedge and shrub clippings and other garden/yard waste. Materials
should be placed in bags at the curb, and should weigh no more than 50 pounds. No household garbage, refuse or animal waste should be disposed with yard waste.
“Collecting Yard Waste is an important component to our recycling program,” said Supervisor Saladino. “One of the prime benefits of recycling yard waste is that the cost to take these materials to a compost facility is less than the cost to dispose of them at an out-of-state landfill. This successful program is another example of the Town’s commitment to providing high quality environmental services while protecting our taxpayers’ wallets.”
For more information on the Town’s recycling program, or other sanitation services, visit www.OysterBayTown. com/recycling.
Advertise in our papers!
If you own a business or have a service to provide, we’ll create professional advertisements to promote it and help you be seen by thousands of local readers! Call 1-516-294-8900 to inquire!
Principal Dr. Alison Clark
Fee waived for online town tax payments
The Town of Oyster Bay has announced that its eCheck (ACH) processing vendor has agreed to reduce the fee charged for online property tax payments made within the next 30-60 days. Taxpayers are generally charged up to $6 by the vendor for eCheck (ACH) payments and will now only be charged $0.75 for payments up to $100,000. This reduced fee was requested by the Receiver of Taxes as the office has suspended in-person payments due to the current public health emergency facing our nation.
Oyster Bay Receiver of Taxes Jeffrey P. Pravato stated, “With the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, many local governments have suspended in-person interactions at their facilities. As the pandemic has had a profoundly negative effect on the residents of the Town of Oyster Bay, and throughout New York State, Supervisor Joseph Saladino and I sought to reduce costs for taxpayers by asking the vendor to reduce
their fees. We’re happy to report that the vendor agreed to reduce these costs. To provide further relief, we have also urged the Governor to issue an Executive Order to extend the tax collection deadline for payment of school taxes for a 30-day period.”
Supervisor Saladino and Receiver Pravato contacted the Governor’s Office last week to request the extension. As the tax collection deadline is currently scheduled for May 11, reminder notices are scheduled to be mailed to residents in early April.
“Our Tax Office remains open, but we have temporarily suspended personal, in-office contact, resulting in the temporary halt of processing payments made in person, and delaying processing of mailed payments,” said Receiver Pravato. “We are currently coordinating the collection of the second half of school taxes for 2019-2020, and extending this deadline is important to continue protecting the safety of our residents.”
Town golf course to reopen, with safeguards
In following the direction set by the Governor at Bethpage State Park, the Town of Oyster Bay will reopen the Hon. Joseph Colby Golf Course and Driving Range in Woodbury tomorrow, Wednesday, March 25. New safety measures include tee times staggered in 15 minute intervals as opposed to the standard 8 minutes. We regret to inform residents that golf carts will not be available for rental at this time. To protect golfers and employees, the use of credit cards is recommended as is registering your tee time online.
The Town encourages residents to continue the practice of social distancing, as all these measures are being taken to ensure the safety of golfers and employees. The Town will continue to safeguard visitors through intensified cleaning procedures that meet or exceed standards set forth by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
“After carefully reviewing our procedures, additional preventative measures are now in place to protect the health of our residents and staff while ensuring patrons can enjoy
rounds of golf again,” said Supervisor Saladino. “The safety of our residents and employees will always come first. Please practice social distancing at all times. Thank you for your cooperation and for assisting everyone with getting through this time safely.”
To reserve a tee time, please visit http://oysterbaytown.com/departments/parks/golf-course/. For more information, please contact the Parks Department directly at (516) 797-4113 or by email at rgucker@oysterbay-ny.gov. Additionally, Supervisor Saladino and the Town Board recently announced the creation of a new online portal and live-chat option for residents to contact government representatives and access services. The portal, titled ‘Town Hall at Home,’ provides a one-stop shop for information on performing Town business remotely during this public health crisis, including paying taxes, filing paperwork, or requesting documents. The Town’s online portal can be found at www.oysterbaytown.com/tob-athome.
LEGAL NOTICES
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 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
New superintendent to take over in Plainview-Old Bethpage
BY GARY SIMEONE
At a Plainview-Old Bethpage school district board meeting earlier this month, it was announced that Dr. Mary O’Meara will take over as school superintendent in July. Dr. O’Meara. who currently serves as the district's assistant superintendent for curriculum & instruction, will replace Dr. Lorna Lewis, who is set to retire at the end of June.
Dr. O’Meara said she is excited about the opportunity to serve as the district's new superintendent and that her new role will allow her to reach out to a larger portion of the community.
"This new role will give me an extended opportunity to pursue the enrichment of the current programs we have in place and search for new opportunities for all of our students," said Dr. O’Meara. 'We have had a lot of success with our curriculum instructional programs and it will be my responsibility to ensure that this work continues. Our internal administration understood the communities desire to maintain academic excellence without compromising our student's emotional and social well being."
Dr. O’Meara will bring over twenty years of
experience in the field of education to her new role as school superintendent. She had previously served in administrative positions as curriculum associate for ELA in the Massapequa school district and assistant superintendent for curriculum & instruction in the Amityville school district. She has served as the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum & instruction in Plainview-Old Bethpage since 2015.
In her current role, Dr O’Meara is in charge of directing district programs, providing instructional materials to both staff and students and professional development of staff. She also helped to initiate new partnerships with programs like the Columbia University Teacher’s College and the Stony Brook University’s school of journalism.
During this coronavirus pandemic, when schools have been closed to both staff and students, the Plainview Old Bethpage district has been engaged with many New York State agencies and the community as a whole.
“We have galvanized our instructional leadership team including district administration, board members down to our clerical and custodial staff and we’ve tried to live up to the community’s expectations by being a beacon of light in this dark time,” said O’Meara.
She said that the district has taken all measures to ensure they’re prepared through April 1 when schools are rescheduled to open, and have the structure in place to make sure they’re sustainable for a longer period of closures.
State Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed that all school districts must develop an alternative learning option plan to ensure that students are meeting the necessary requirements in each grade level.
Many of the districts are using virtual classrooms and learning apps for students, including Google Classroom, Google Meet and Zoom for Education.
Dr. O’Meara said that the district’s website, www.pobschools.org, has been updated to include students being able to have daily chats with their teachers to arrange their schedule live with the principal’s session and a weekly parent livechat.
“We have been having daily communication with our students since we’ve closed schools and our website is being updated on a constant basis. These are unprecedented times and we want to make sure we tighten our threads to ensure the fabric of our community and make sure that no students end up falling through the cracks.”
Get rid of your unwanted items by placing an ad for them in our Classifieds! We have reasonable rates, and you’ll have prompt results! Call our Garden City office at 294-8900 for rates and info.
Dr. Mary O'Meara
Ten alumni inducted into Levittown’s Hall of Fame
Levittown
It was an evening of celebration as the Levittown Public Schools recently honored its 10 newest Hall of Fame inductees during the district’s annual Hall of Fame Recognition Night at Domenico’s Restaurant. Hall of Fame recipients included Thomas Cafaro, Louise Cassano, Gerald Claps, William Griffith, Frederick Johs, Phillips Margolin, Frank Russo, Ed Sholl, Michael Verdi and Eric Wedin.
The Levittown School District Hall of Fame was established in 2017 to recognize a select number of individuals who graduated from Division Avenue High School, Levittown Memorial High School or General Douglas MacArthur High School. These alumni represent only one tenth of one percent of anybody who has gone through the Levittown schools. They are nominated and selected for demonstrat-
ing outstanding qualities of citizenship and leadership and have made significant contributions to society.
“They have demonstrated these qualities in a manner that will inspire the students of the Levittown Public Schools in their pursuit of their careers and lifestyles,” said Todd Winch, assistant superintendent for instruction. “Aside from this reception, recognized individuals will have a perma-
nent place in our digital Hall of Fame located on our district website, as well as in our digital kiosk which is in the lobby of Levittown Memorial Education Center. We are so excited to have so many individuals here tonight to celebrate this moment.”
During the event, the new Hall of Fame inductees were congratulated by Levittown’s building and central adminis-
Continued on page
The
Public Schools hosted its 2020 Hall of Fame Recognition Night. Back row, left to right: Board member Michael Pappas, inductees Phillip Margolin and Frank Russo, Board Vice-President Dillon Cain, Board President Peggy Marenghi and inductees Eric Wedin and Frederick Johs. Bottom row left to right: Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tonie McDonald, Kristy Verdi (inductee Michael Verdi’s wife) and inductee Louise Cassano.
Michael Verdi’s family received his award in his honor. Pictured are his daughters Mikayla (left) and Marissa (middle) and wife Kristy.
Frederick Johs was inducted into the Levittown School District Hall of Fame.
Abbey Lane Elementary School was recognized by the New York State School Boards Association’s Champions of Change for Kids program.
Pictured from left: Board member Michael Pappas, Board President Peggy Marenghi, NYSSBA Area 11 Director Robert “B.A.” Schoen, teacher Richard Schwartz, Abbey Lane Principal Dr. George Maurer and Board Vice-President Dillon Cain.
2020 Hall of Fame inductees Phillip Margolin (left) and Louise Cassano.
19
Schools unveil new auditorium at Hicksville High School
The Hicksville School District ushered in a new era in its performing arts program with the unveiling of a new, state-of-the-art auditorium at Hicksville High School. The Hicksville Board of Education and administration members were on hand to cut the ribbon on the newly renovated facility moments before students took the stage for the Winter II Concert, the first since reopening the space.
The auditorium has been completely renovated, boasting a new sound system, lighting, seating, stage, curtains, decor and more. Some new features include sound-absorbing fabric, wireless microphones and pan, zoom and tilt video cameras with livestreaming capability when appropriate.
According to Hicksville Supervisor of Fine Arts Chad Wyman, music teachers were nearly brought to tears of joy when they first set foot in the venue and began practicing with students. On May 1, the auditorium will be dedicated in honor of former Hicksville music teacher Charles (“Chuck”) Arnold. At that time, the high school lobby will be named the Mable R. Farley Foyer in honor of Farley, who served the Hicksville School District for approximately 50 years in various roles, including teacher and administrator.
The Hicksville High School concert band, mixed chorus, orchestra and wind ensemble all played a part in opening the new facility, with amazing performances during the concert.
Photos courtesy of the Hicksville School District
Hicksville High School’s newly renovated auditorium, which will be renamed in honor of former music teacher Charles (“Chuck”) Arnold.
College Notes
Madison Gillis of Levittown, New York is a member of SUNY New Paltz’s State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championshipwinning women’s basketball team.
The Hawks took a 63-53 victory over SUNY Cortland in the championship game on Feb. 29, 2020, clinching a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
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Agata I. Lubas, a resident of Hicksville, has recently been named to the Dean’s List at Boston University for the fall semester.
Each school and college at Boston University has their own criterion for the Dean’s List, but students generally must attain a 3.5 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale), or be in the top 30 per-
cent of their class, as ell as a full course load as a full time student.
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Shannon Purcell of Levittown has been named to the Fall 2019 Dean’s List at Roger Williams University, in Bristol, R.I. Full-time students who complete 12 or more credits per semester and earn a grade point average of 3.4 or higher are placed on the Dean’s List that semester.
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Dozens of Cedar Crest College students traveled to London, England recently, as part of the Carmen Twillie Ambar Sophomore Expedition.
The Sophomore Expedition is a guaranteed study abroad program. In the spring semester of their sophomore year, students participate in a series
of classes to prepare them for the trip. Brianna Gregory of Levittown, was part of the trip to London.
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Anu John of Plainview is one of more than 150 students who began their college careers at SUNY Delhi in January 2020.
John is pursuing a degree in Nursing at the college which is located in Delhi, NY.
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The following students have been named to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2019 semester at Washington University in St. Louis:
Briana Garil is currently enrolled in the university’s Olin Business School.
Zachary Meyer is currently enrolled
in the university’s College of Arts & Sciences.
Michelle Wang is currently enrolled in the university’s College of Arts & Sciences.
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SUNY Delhi announces its Dean’s List for the Fall 2019 semester, a recognition of academic achievement for students who are enrolled in six or more credits and earn at least a 3.5 gradepoint average.
Local students who earned recognition include:
Jared Knoll of Plainview (PlainviewOld Bethpage JFK High School) Domonique Nacovsky of Bethpage (Island Trees High School)
Michael Caruso directs the Hicksville High School Concert Band, one of several acts who performed during the first concert in Hicksville High School’s newly renovated auditorium.
Hicksville School District officials cut the ribbon on Hicksville High School’s newly renovated auditorium.
March 27, 2020
“Auschwitz: Not Long Ago. Not Far Away” Landmark
Exhibit Offers Unexpected Lessons for Today
BY KAREN RUBIN
Nothing puts into perspective our discomfort over the “sacrifice” we have to make because of the coronavirus than a visit to exhibit, “Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away.” At the Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. The museum is presently closed to the public but there are excellent materials on line, and hopefully the landmark exhibit, the most comprehensive Holocaust exhibition about Auschwitz ever presented in North America, which has already been extended until August 30, 2020 will open soon for New Yorkers to experience before the exhibit travels.
One of the many benefits of travel is that it affords new perspective and understanding that we can apply to our own lives, and travel through history even more so.
I compare our confinement – with telecom, internet, video links to family, friends and the world, and home delivery, with a chance to get out in fresh air for a walk or bikeride (keeping 6-foot separation) to Anne Frank’s miserable, isolated, frightening imprisonment. We are “confined” but not in hiding from soldiers, police or government officials. Our fear is of catching a virus, albeit a potentially deadly one, but not being shot on sight or sent to a death camp, never to see loved ones again.
They say this pandemic is
In a case of suitcases and personal objects, you realize that families packed with anticipation of being resettled; 200,000 children were immediately taken off the freight trains upon arrival Auschwitz and sent to gas chambers with their mothers. “Auschwitz: Not long ago. Not far away.” at Museum of Jewish Heritage © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
“unimaginable” (except it wasn’t, you only had to look back at the 1918-19 Spanish flu, or January 2020 in China), but the Holocaust was indeed “unimaginable,” “incomprehensible” in its scale of human cruelty. That, I realized, was the secret weapon. There are so many lessons that the Auschwitz exhibit has to share, but most chilling of all in light of renewed anti-Semitism, big-
otry, xenophobia, “Not long ago. Not far away.” Indeed, the most chilling realization of all: it took a mere 10 years between Hitler’s election to power and the Final Solution. Out of 1200 artifacts, photos, video testimonies from survivors, it comes down to one: a tiny, well-worn leather child’s shoe, the sock still hanging out of it. Was it taken off in anticipation the child was just going to a
shower, never to return to collect it? or was the child ferociously pulled out of the shoe and sock?
Shoes take on special significance at the “Auschwitz: Not so long ago. Not far away.”
As you first walk in, there is a single red shoe in a glass case that perversely sparks an image of the ruby slippers in “Wizard of Oz.” set against a grey-toned wall-mural sized photo of piles of shoes. Further on as you walk through the threefloors of exhibits, there is the pair of hardened leather clog-looking shoes in a case with a prison uniform so rough and raw they would irritate, then infect and swell the feet, a death sentence for the hapless prisoner.
Another display case in the “Selection” section contains shiny leather boots, much like those that the prisoners would see Mengele wearing as they were forced out of the freight cars minutes after being unloaded at Auschwitz, beneath the sign that said. ‘Work Sets You Free.” He was the doctor who selected out twin children for his medical experiments. The rest of the children200,000 of them – were immediately sent to the gas chamber along with their mother, aunt, sister, grandmother or friendly stranger who had accompanied them on their journey. The tiny leather shoe with the sock still in it is the only evidence this child existed at all, his life extinguished.
800,000 more Jews were imme-
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GOING PLACES, NEAR & FAR....
“Auschwitz: Not Long Ago. Not Far Away” Landmark Exhibit
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diately sent to their deaths in the gas chambers, 2000 at a time, their bodies thrown into crematoria that worked 24/7 to keep up with the industrial-scale exterminations, their ashes thrown into a river.
Out of the 1.1 million “deported” to Auschwitz, the largest of the Nazi death camps, only 200,000 were “selected” not for immediate death but to become slave labor in the concentration camp. They too were immediately marched into showers, their hair shaved, their arms painfully tattooed, their bodies stripped of any dignity or humanness. Few lived more than a month or two under the atrocious conditions – dying of starvation, disease, overwork, beatings or simply shot on the spot. Some became so infirm, they settled into their fate, and welcomed being carried by stretcher to end their daily terror and
pain. Others, packed six to a wooden plank in the barracks, would wake up to find a dead person next to them.
This exhibit, which focuses down to one “tiny dot” on a map that was the largest killing camp in the Nazi’s network – makes it as personal as is possible. You walk in their shoes. But you also see the faces, the horrors, the personal objects, the testimonials of survivors, the drawings and photos, an actual freight car and an actual barracks, even so, it is still hard to comprehend.
Indeed, the incomprehensibility of the horror was key to its success – along with secrecy and deception. People could not imagine the level of brutality, cruelty, savageness. So they packed up what they could in suitcases expecting to be resettled to places free of anti-Semitism, where they could work and live out their lives. Several
An original German-made Model 2 freight train car of the type used for the deportation of Jews to the ghettos and extermination camps in occupied Poland stands outside the Museum of Jewish Heritage © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
resisters gave their lives to smuggle the truth out in the hopes of getting help from the outer world. We see their stories, too.
“Auschwitz” isn’t just a look back with graphic evidence to plant a marker in the history books that others are working so hard to erase. It is a look at now, a look at where the trajectory of dehumanization and bigotry can lead. That is what is embodied in the phrase. “Never Again.”
Produced by the international exhibition firm Musealia and the AuschwitzBirkenau State Museum in Poland, the groundbreaking exhibition is the largest ever on Auschwitz with more than 700 original objects and 400 photographs from more than 20 international museums and institutions, on view for the first time in North America.
See more extensive coverage and photos : Groundbreaking Exhibit
at Museum of Jewish Heritage Transports to “Auschwitz: Not long ago. Not far away” Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, 36 Battery Place, New York City, 646-437-4202, mjhnyc.org.
2020 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com, www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karenrubin & travelwritersmagazine.com/ TravelFeaturesSyndicate/ Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar. wordpress.com & moralcompasstravel. info. Send comments or questions to FamTravLtr@aol.com. Tweet @ TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook. com/NewsPhotoFeatures
One of the exhibits “Auschwitz: Not long ago. Not far away.” at Museum of Jewish Heritage is part of an original barrack for prisoners from the Auschwitz III-Monowitz camp © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
WRITER’S CORNER
On Great Eats: Steakhouses
BY LOU THEODORE
Steakhouses? A recommendation? I can close out this article right now with my answer: stay away from steakhouses. Period! They are a group of restaurants not to be frequented. Despite my above recommendation, many of you will still want some comments and analyses. So here goes with a baker’s dozen, although it hurts to say anything positive about this class of restaurant today. In earlier times, nearly ¾ of a century ago, Italian restaurants had the best steaks; however, I can’t remember ordering a steak at any
Italian restaurant in recent years.
1. Blackstone, Melville. Overpriced. Mashed and creamed spinach good. Highly recommended in the literature. It’s all yours.
2. Bryant & Cooper, Roslyn. Overpriced. Try the hamburger with onions or the lamb chops. Not for me.
3. Burton and Doyle, Great Neck. One of many along steakhouse row on Northern Blvd. Decent, perhaps.
4. Butcher’s Bar & Grill, Williston Park. Celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary there. Everybody loved it, except yours truly (who was not paying). Not for me, ever again. Really
disappointing.
5. Capital Grille, Garden City. Grossly overpriced. Formal, decent service. Excellent steak ($69, ouch) the one time I ate there.
6. Frank’s Steakhouse, Jericho. A bit expensive. One of our son’s favorite. Not for me, although the least expensive of the “overpriced” group.
7. Jake’s Steakhouse, East Meadow. There during restaurant week. Decent.
8. Majors, East Meadow. A poor man’s steakhouse. Casual, comfortable, and decent service. My friend’s favorite haunt but I’ve yet to have a good steak there.
9. Morton’s, Great Neck. A bit
WRITER’S CORNER
expensive. Formal. I’ve only gone there during Restaurant Week ($29 for 3 courses). The drinks are hellaciously expensive and a major rip-off – stay clear of the bar!
10. Outback, Merrick. Another poor man’s steakhouse. If you go, order the lamb chops, not a steak.
11. Rothmann’s, East Norwich. Expensive. Formal. A favorite of one of my friends. Not for me.
12. Peter Luger’s, Great Neck. Very expensive; salad ($20, ouch) and steak for two ($115, ouch). Poor service. Not for me – it’s all yours!
13. Ruth Chris, Garden City. I’ve never had a good steak here. Definitely a good one to avoid.
I apologize if I’ve missed a few. But, you get the picture. My recommendation is that you stay clear of these restaurants.
I know. Many of you complain that much of my stuff are put-downs without offering any alternatives or solutions. So here goes. If not a steak, is there another option? I have come to really enjoy hamburgers. What could be better than a hamburger with fried onions on a crusty roll? Add some ketchup, french fries and a sour Jewish pickle and you’re in business. My favorite burger spots? Wendys, (Dave’s Single) and Shake Shack. You might also think about meatballs with spaghetti (actually, linguine for me) in Rao’s marinara sauce, from a jar, (I prefer Mary’s rich tomato sauce) and grated cheese. Finally, you might think about (as I usually do) an Angus ribeye from a supermarket and putting it on your own grill at home. All of these suggestions carry another feature. There is no tipping! Today, good service requires a 20% tip. I go for 25% if happy with the service. Thus, 2 - $15 glasses of wine (I no longer drink) doesn’t cost $30 – they cost $40. A $200 food bill costs $260 with tip and tax. Bottom line: you make the call, but there appears to be some merit to frequenting “fast food” restaurants (next Great Eats article later this year) and eating in.
I hope this helps those of you who requested this article. Let me know what you think.
Note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or publisher.
Visit the author at: www. theodorenewsletter.com or Basketball Coaching 101 (Facebook)
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With a Spouse, Taking Your Social Security Early Might Be Better
BY TOM MARGENAU
I’m sure you’ve seen websites, or received mailers from financial planners, that entice you with come-on’s like this: “Learn the secrets to maximizing your Social Security benefits.” Or, “You may be losing tens of thousands of dollars if you don’t know this Social Security secret.”
If you open the website, or attend the seminar, here is the “secret” you will learn: delay taking your Social Security benefits until age 70. And the theory is that you will live long enough to make up for the money you lose by not starting your benefits sooner.
That’s probably good advice for lots of people. But there are still millions of senior citizens who, for a variety of reasons, choose to take their benefits earlier. For example, both my wife and I started our Social Security benefits at age 62. We were perfectly content doing that. We know that if we live until a ripe old age, we might end up coming out on the short end of the Social Security stick. But we don’t care. We’ve been having too much fun for the past decade spending our reduced Social Security checks.
Besides the “eat, drink and be merry” types like me and my wife, there is another group of people who should seriously think about starting benefits earlier rather than later. And that is retirees who have a spouse potentially eligible for benefits on their record. Today’s questions and answers illustrate what I am talking about.
Q: I am 66. I plan to delay starting my Social Security until I’m 70. My full retirement age benefit is $2,600. If I wait until 70, I’d get $3,432. My wife is 62. She wants to file for her Social Security now. She’s due a much smaller benefit. It would be about $787 if she files now. I say she should wait until I am 70 and she is 66 and then file on my record, because if she files for reduced benefits now, that reduction would carry over to the spousal benefits she will eventually be due on my record. So, who is right?
A: I think your wife is right. Let’s compare the two options. We’ll take yours first. In your scenario, no one would get anything until you turn 70 and sign up for Social Security. At that point, you would get $3,432. Then your 66-year-old wife would sign up for her full retirement benefit, which should be about $1,050. At the same time, she would file for spousal benefits on your record and get an additional $250 for a total of $1,300. (A spousal benefit is always based on your full retirement age rate, not your augmented age-70 rate.) So, your wife will get her retirement benefit supplemented to 50% of your $2,600 rate, or $1,300. In other words, in the option you think is best, neither of you would get any benefits until you are 70 years old, at which point you would start getting $4,732 per month in combined benefits.
Now let’s look at what your wife wants to do. She wants to start taking her reduced retirement benefits now. So, she would get $787 per month for the next four years. That’s $37,776 you guys would forfeit if you do nothing until your 70th birthday. And what happens then? Well, you would get your $3,432 monthly check. And then your wife can claim some extra spousal benefits on your record. You are right that she will suffer a bit of a reduction in her spousal benefits because she took early retirement on her own record. But it’s not as much as you think. Here is roughly how they will figure out what she is due. They will take her full retirement rate, or $1,050, and subtract that from one-half of your full retirement rate, or $1,300. The difference, $250, will be added to her reduced retirement benefit. So, her combined retirement and spousal benefits will be $1,037 (as compared with the $1,300 she’d get in your preferred option). In other words, your total combined benefits would be $4,469, not all that much less than the $4,732 in your option.
So, if you guys go with your choice, you’d get an extra $263 per month from age 70 on. But you would have given up the $37,776 in reduced retirement benefits your wife would have been due starting at age 62. It would take you about 144 months to make up that money you would have lost by not letting your wife file now. I think you guys better talk about that.
And one more thought: You should know that even if your wife takes reduced retirement benefits, that decision will have no effect on what she gets as your widow. Assuming you are both over age 66 when you die, she will keep getting her own benefit, and it will be supplemented up to your full age-70 rate. In other words, your wife’s spousal rate is based on your full retirement benefit. But her widows rate is based on your augmented age-70 benefit.
Q: I will be 62 next month Even though I’m not working, I have no desire to sign up for my own Social Security now. My full retirement benefit is projected to be $2,750. I’m thinking of waiting until I am 66 before I file. My wife is 69, and she is getting $550 per month in her own Social Security. Can she get anything on my record now?
A: No, she can’t. A woman who is currently married to her husband can’t get any spousal benefits until her husband applies for his own Social Security. (It’s different for a divorced woman. She can get benefits even if her ex hasn’t filed for retirement.) Because of those spousal benefits you guys are giving up, you might want to think about filing for Social Security now. If you did, you’d get 75% of your full retirement age rate, or $2,062. And your wife would get her retirement benefit supplemented up to 50% of your full retirement age rate, or $1,375. In other words, she would get her own $550, and she’d get $825 on your record for a total of
$1,375 per month.
So if you wait another four years until you are 66, you will be losing out on $2,887 per month you are not getting now. (That’s your $2,062 benefit plus your wife’s spousal share of $825.) That’s $138,576 you will lose by waiting another four years to file.
If you wait until age 66, you will get your full retirement age rate of $2,750. And your wife will get the same spousal rate she’d be due now, or an extra $825. So all you gain by waiting is the difference between your 100% full retirement age rate and your 75% reduced retire-
ment rate -- or 25%. That’s about $688 per month. It would take you about 200 months to get back what you lose by not filing now.
Here is something else to consider: If you take reduced benefits, that reduction will carry over to any widows benefits your wife might be due after you die. But since you are seven years younger than she is, that might not be something to worry about.
If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has the answer. Contact him at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. .
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“It’s easy for people to have hours -- and perhaps days -- go by as if they’re not mentally there at all. ... You just sat in an hour-long meeting, but what happened is a total blur. “ If this has ever happened to you, you are not alone. Your brain is on information overload, and it’s warning you by daydreaming, turning off or tuning out without intention. Joseph McCormack, author of “Noise: Living and Leading When Nobody Can Focus” and founder and managing director of The Brief Lab, enlightens all levels of business leaders about the overcommunication and miscommunication taking place in today’s organizations.
The book is filled with interviews, real workplace stories, memorable quotes, warnings and east-to-apply skills to prevent the tuning out of employees and managers who lack clear communication skills. McCormack has discovered that “listening without judging is a gift.” Much like the Tower of Babel, “people hear an opposing view, and their response is not to listen but to disagree ... People tune each other out instantaneously. One word is a trigger to shut someone off.” McCormack concludes, “It takes patience, discipline, and respect from both sides to listen carefully to
Protecting a ‘Techno-Junkie’ Workforce AT WORK
other perspectives without immediately tuning out.”
The workplace and life are filled with noise: “In science, there’s no difference between sound and noise.”
People consume information from emails, smartphone notifications, social media streams, 24-hour connectivity, texting and news feeds. The workforce is facing a shrinking attention span and an overstimulated, overfilled brain.
Here are some reasons people shared for tuning out to others: “It doesn’t really apply to me. I was daydreaming and totally spaced out. I don’t agree at all with the person. I don’t understand at all. I choose to ignore because listening is too painful. I already know everything. I was preoccupied with something much more important.”
People have a knack for making excuses to justify anything, and sadly, most have known or worked with those who think they already know everything.
A Harvard Business Review study showed “multitasking doesn’t exist. People can switch tasks, but the brain cannot process different information sources simultaneously. McCormack says, “A multitasking mind is like having a squirrel in the attic.”
BY LINDSEY NOVAK
Anyone who has watched a squirrel gather twigs to build a nest and collect food immediately sees the squirrel’s rapid scurrying back and forth. Most agree that email is an improvement over the old-fashioned mail system, but “51% of people delete email (within) two seconds of opening it.” One employee told of a new project where management “buried any spark of enthusiasm and acceptance with a fire hose of internal communication. It was a powerful monologue that just fell on deaf ears. And that’s when things went from bad to worse.” McCormack advises managers to tell, not sell. Explain “the what, the why, and the so what.”
When managers can’t communicate effectively through verbal and written explanations, the important information becomes mixed with the garbage. His advice to managers is 1) Make sure all your employees are on board; 2) Give employees an opportunity to have input about what you are presenting; 3) Moderate the amount of information so employees hear the message without getting overwhelmed; and 4) Have steps in place for participants to give feedback. In short, real communication is an exchange of information, not a soliloquy.
McCormack advises people to put their phones away from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. If you’re always busy, escape for a few minutes to experience silence. Technology has taken over the workforce. It’s up to you to limit the communication to only what’s needed.
Email career and life coach: Lindsey@LindseyNovak.com with your
workplace problems and issues. Ms. Novak responds to all emails. For more information, visit www. lindseynovak.com, and for past columns, see www.creators.com/read/ At-Work-Lindsey-Novak.
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Hicksville Middle School students compete at Lego FIRST championship
The excitement was palpable as teams of middle school students from across Nassau and Suffolk counties competed in the FIRST Lego League (FLL) Long Island Championship at Longwood High School on Sunday, March 1. Hicksville Middle School qualified its three teams - the “Meteorites,” “Meteorites Squared” and the “Meteorites Cubed” – to compete at this year’s finals. The teams, made up of sixth, seventh and eighth-graders under the coaching of teachers Cathy Temps and Carol Anne Brucato, competed in the four categories. The categories are judged by the FLL judges: “Innovation Project,” Robot Design,” “Core Values,” and the teams’ receive an “Overall Score” after the season is completed. This year’s FLL theme was “City Shapers.” The Innovation Project the teams were required to identify a problem in their city, and find a solution to make a better place for tomorrow.
Ms. Temps and Ms. Brucato have been coaching the middle school teams since the program began in the 2015-2016
school year. “Every year we have gone to the Championship with at least one or two teams. But this year, all three of our teams advanced to the Championship.”
For the robot portion of the competition, two team members were designated to run a timed, preset course on a competition table with the robot that they built using Legos. The field required the teams’ robot to complete several tasks within a two and a half-minute timeframe, which allowed the team to gain points along the way. The challenge required the teams to develop different attachments for their robot, such as arms and mechanisms needed to pick up, transport, and deliver elements to various locations on the field.
For the “Core Values” section, participants were required to create a trifold poster explaining how the team followed the “Core Values” during the season. In the “Core Values” room, the judges assigned the students a task to work on together. The judges scored the team on how well they collaborated.
The Meteorites tracked its progress as their autonomous robot navigated a section of the course while the rest of the team anxiously looked on.
For the “Innovation Project” portion, the teams identified a problem under this year’s theme. Our teams built and presented a model in front of the judges, with each student taking a turn to speak. The judges also asked questions of the team members during their scheduled presentation time.
HMS’s Meteorites won the Project Innovation Award. Their idea identified the all-to-familiar LIRR gap between the train platform and train as their entry into this year’s competition, stating:
“People with disabilities face many problems in their daily life. Specifically, wheelchair users have accessibility problems. They have a hard time crossing the gap between the train and the platform. This also affects people with strollers, children, luggage, and other items. Since 1995, thousands of gap incidents, including deaths have occurred on the LIRR. This is the problem we decided to tackle. Our solution, known as SMART (Safe Mechanical Automated Ramps for Trains), is a ramp that will extend out from the train. A pneumatic system will operate the ramp. Before the doors open, the ramp will come out from the train to fill the required length of the gap. After the doors
close, the ramp will go back into its compartment, and the train will leave the station.”
Team Meteorites Squared; won the Project Presentation Award with their entry focused on landfills:
“The problem that we want to solve is the overflowing landfills. We can reduce the amount of garbage that goes into landfills by sorting more of the recycle materials and compost material out of the garbage. We designed TC3, a self-sorting trash can. You put the garbage in the can and it will sort it out between trash, compost and recyclables. This will cause less compost and recycle materials going into landfills.”
And HMS’s third team, Meteorites Cubed, presented a pen refilling station for their recycling project:
“Our project is about saving our local environment both land and sea by reducing plastic waste by recycling one of the most commonly used pieces of technology in the world: PENS!! With our project, we will be able to refill plastic pens and both save our community and world environment. Our project is called the pen refilling station in short (PRS).”
The competition was very well attend-
In between tasks on the robot performance table, members of HMS’s Meteorites Cubed made adjustments to their robot.
Hicksville Middle School’s Meteorites and their supportive parents and siblings took a moment to take a photo with Coach Ms. Cathy Temps (front row, far right).
Three teams from Hicksville Middle School qualified to compete at the FIRST Lego League Long Island Championship Competition on Sunday, March 1st at Longwood High School.
Ten alumni inducted into Levittown’s Hall of Fame
Continued from page 5
-trators, staff members, community members, local politicians, family and friends. Mr. Winch spoke about each of the inductee’s achievements and invited them or their families to the podium to say a few words. Each inductee received a plaque, a small Hall of Fame yearbook.
In addition to the Hall of Fame recognitions, Abbey Lane Elementary School Principal Dr. George Maurer and teacher
Richard Schwartz were honored by Robert “B.A.” Schoen, New York State School Boards Association area 11 director. He was there on behalf of the NYSSBA’s Champions of Change for Kids program, which recognized Schwartz’s fifth-grade class for writing letters to cancer survivors in an effort to brighten their day. Dr. Maurer and Schwartz were praised for the heartwarming initiative and received a banner to hang in the school.
Photos courtesy of the Levittown Public Schools
Division Avenue High School staff members along with Principal John Coscia (second right) and Assistant Principal Jaclyn Guidice (right) showed their support for Hall of Fame recipient Michael Verdi by wearing shirts in memory of him.
Hicksville Middle School students compete at Lego FIRST championship
It was intense as the countdown clock ticked off the seconds when the Meteorites Squared team was getting ready for the Robot Performance part of the competition.
ed by Hicksville parents who were supporting their children at the hours-long event. Mrs. Seemangal, mother of Dylan, an eighth-grader, who competed on the Meteorites Squared team commented, “This competition provides a great opportunity for the students to learn to work on a team – it builds good sportsmanship and team-building – they love Legos!” Mrs. Cindy Hudson, mother of Chris, a seventh-grader also on Meteorites Squared explained, “Each child has different strengths, and there is a place for them on the team.”
Mrs. Reshma Kamath, mother of eight-grader Nikki on the Meteorites team, stated, “The biggest challenge for the students is time – our teams begin their work in the fall, some other private teams start their work in the summer. They need to create their posters, models, and complete all the programming – there’s a lot to do.”
“To see the progress they make and the smiles on their faces is our reward,” said Mrs. Rhonda Nardin, mother of Nathan, an eighth-grader on the Meteorites Cubed team. Mr. Leszek Parciak, father of Victor, an eighth-grader on the team, said, “We’re so proud about everything offered at the
middle school. Victor stays an extra two or three hours afterschool on different activities. Thank you to Mrs. Jorisch for providing so many opportunities and being such a great role model.”
The teams’ hard work and dedication really did show during the competition. They were poised, respectful, and focused – Hicksville should be very proud of these young engineers and problem-solvers extraordinaire!
Congratulations to HMS’s three amazing FIRST Lego League team members:
Meteorites: Krishiv Bulsara, Zara Faisal, Nikki Kamath, Aashritha Kilambi, Elisha Mirza, Kaylee Palermo, Ricky Raval, Rithika Selvaraj, Saanvi Sharma, and Christian Triston.
Meteorites Squared: Bachhal Birinder, Daniel Chen, Karan Doshi, Chris Hudson, Aadil Mahmood, Bilal Mahmood, Dylan Seemangal, Japneet Singh, and Kailash Thayavally.
Meteorites Cubed: Raven Canzoneri, Evan Chun, Saivamsi Nanugonda, Sruthi Nanugonda, Nathan Nardin, Divjot Nayyar, Victor Parciak, Cristian Parlog, Aarav Walia, and Jia Walia.
Bethpage students raise funds for Heart Association
Art, music and library teachers collaborated to provide learning experiences for students during the Kid’s Heart Challenge, an educational fundraising event
Students from Central Boulevard Elementary School in the Bethpage School District recently participated in the Kid’s Heart Challenge, an educational fundraising event sponsored by the American Heart Association. More than 100 team members registered to participate in the challenge. Students in grades kindergarten through five gathered in the gym to participate in different exercises and interactive lessons. Art, music and library teachers collaborated with physical education teachers during the Kids Heart Challenge to conduct activities across the curriculum in support of fundraising efforts. In total, the school raised more than $6,600 for the American Heart Association.
Photos courtesy of the Bethpage Union Free School District
Students from Central Boulevard Elementary School created paper hearts during the Kid’s Heart Challenge, an educational fundraising event sponsored by the American Heart Association.
sponsored by the American Heart Association.
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.
NYS has closed all non-essential businesses. PLEASE STAY HOME AND STOP THE SPREAD!
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.