Mid-Island Times (12/9/22)

SERVING PLAINVIEW, HICKSVILLE, AND LEVIT TOWN

Town, Marines collect 30K Toys for Tots

The Town of Oyster Bay, working together with the United States Marine Corps, collected over 30,000 toys for the

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino, Councilman Tom Hand, Councilman Steve Labriola, Councilwoman Laura Maier, Receiver of Taxes Jeffrey Pravato and Assemblyman Michael Durso joined the United States Marines Corp. in hosting Long Island’s largest ‘Cruise-Thru’ Toys for Tots Collection Drive at John Burns Town Park in Massapequa on December 3rd and 4th. In total, the Town of Oyster Bay collected over 30,000 toys for the

less fortunate. Supervisor Saladino stated, “The 30,000 of toys collected at this ‘Cruise-Thru Holiday Toy Drive’ and by the Town of Oyster Bay will bring giant smiles to the faces of children this holiday season. I thank our residents for opening their hearts and wallets to generously give back to children in need during the holidays. This collection drive was the alltime largest single day collection on Long Island and demonstrated the love our

Presentation shines light on literacy programs

The Bethpage Board of Education held its meeting at Central Boulevard Elementary School on Nov. 22. The evening consisted of a special presentation from Central Boulevard Principal Dominique Siebert, Assistant Principal Julianne Inghilterra and students about some of the great school-wide literacy programs and initiatives that are taking place this year.

Ms. Siebert shared with the board and the community that Central Boulevard classes participate in Book of the Month. One book is selected each

community has for others.”

For those who still wish to donate an unwrapped toy, please visit collection boxes throughout the Town at the following locations: Oyster Bay Town Hall North, 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay; Town Hall South, 977 Hicksville Road, Massapequa; Ice Skating Center at Bethpage Community Park, 1001 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage. For more information, visit www.oysterbaytown.com.

The Town of Oyster Bay has announced that children can send their “holiday wish list” directly to Old St. Nick at the North Pole through a special network of Santa’s mailboxes which arrived in Town facilities from the North Pole. Mailboxes will accept letters now through Monday, December 12.

The Town of Oyster Bay will forward letters to Santa at the North Pole. Letters received by Monday, December 12, with a legible name and return address will be answered by Santa before the holiday. No

month which is read aloud in each class to foster a community of literacy love. Along with Book of the Month, Ms. Siebert shared how the school creates Book Buddies, pairing younger students with older students to read together, discuss and complete a related activity. The meet-up is not only fun for the students but allows them to deepen their comprehension of the book they are reading.

Ms. Siebert also presented on the school’s writer’s workshop. Each grade

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postage is necessary.

Colorful red mailboxes will be accessible from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. daily at the following locations:

• Town Hall North, 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay

• Town Hall South, 977 Hicksville Road, Massapequa

• Ice Skating Center, 1001 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage

For more information about Santa’s mailboxes, please call (516) 6246380 weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. or visit the www.oysterbaytown.com.

Gifts needed for Secret Santa program

The end of the year is fast approaching and the holiday season embraces a time to come together as a community, to give back to those who need us most, and make a difference in the life of a family who has struggled to provide for their loved ones.

What has become the Boys & Girls Club’s most looked forward to annual tradition, the “Secret Snowman” Program, is about to begin once again in just a couple of weeks. This holiday gift program is supported by caring individuals who generously purchase and wrap gifts making the wishes of less fortunate Cub members and their families come true. In order to maintain the anonymity of Club members, each family is assigned a number which appears on a paper snowman, along with their gender, desired gift and size and color, if applicable. Gifts are then dropped off at the Boys & Girls Club for parents to pick up in time for holiday giving. Please stop by the Clubhouse to select a snowman and enjoy knowing that you will play an important part of a tradition that brings smiles and holiday happiness to children at this most special time of the year!

In addition, the “Adopt-a-Family” Program will also be conducted simultaneously, which helps families less fortunate by providing much needed

items on a family’s wish list. These lists may include necessities like groceries, winter clothing - including warm coats, boots, hats, scarves and mittens, as well as toiletries, and gift certificates for convenience stores.

Please remember, if you shop online with Amazon, they will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to Boys & Girls Club of Oyster BayEast Norwich whenever you shop on Amazon Smile and designate our Club as your charity of choice! Support our Club by starting your shopping at http://smile.amazon.com/.

The Boys & Girls Club of Oyster Bay-East Norwich would like to extend its gratitude to all its past generous supporters throughout the community and at the Club, and welcome participation from new members of the community who may be wishing to spread joy and cheer at this most wonderful time of the year!! “We hope you will join us this year to help make spirits bright this holiday season. We can only imagine how wonderful it will be to see the joy on the faces of the parents, as they pick up the gifts for their children this year,” said Cathy Barrundia. For more information on the Secret Snowman and Adopt-A-Family Programs, please contact Cathy Barrundia, program director, at (516) 922-9285, ext. 16.

Gift wrapping for charity

The Glen Cove - HicksvilleSyosset League of Mercy Hospital will be offering gift wrap services at the Broadway Commons Mall during December 14– 23, from 11 a.m.–9 p.m. (Christmas Eve hours 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Large selection of gift paper, decorative gift bags, ribbons and bows.

Prices range from $2–$10 depending upon size of package and options chosen. Oversize priced accordingly.

All proceeds are donated to Mercy Hospital!

Town’s “Holiday on Ice” show to return

The Town of Oyster Bay’s annual “Holiday on Ice” Show will return at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 17, at the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center located in Bethpage Community Park, 1001 Stewart Avenue. Admission to the show is free. Students from the Town’s Ice Skating Program will perform an enchanting, holiday-themed skating exhibition and the evening includes an exhibition hockey game between the Elves and the Reindeer, which are two teams comprised of players from the Town of Oyster Bay Youth Ice Hockey program. Santa Claus is scheduled to visit with children and take holiday photographs after the show.

“This special holiday performance is an annual tradition for many families and children across the Town,” said Supervisor Saladino. “The show provides an opportunity for participants in the Town’s popular ice skating program to showcase the hard work they’ve put into in training all year. Join us on December 17, as the performance is sure to dazzle all those in attendance!”

In the spirit of “the season of giving,” attendees are asked to bring two

non-perishable food items for donation to Island Harvest, an organization committed to ending hunger on Long Island. Attendees are also welcome to bring a new, unwrapped toy for donation to the United States Marines Toys for Tots Collection Drive ,which benefits local children throughout the community.

Holiday on Ice performance attendees will also be offered an opportunity to take part in the Holiday Mail for Heroes program, which offers residents the opportunity to fill out free holiday greeting cards, available in the lobby, for delivery to troops in the United States Armed Forces stationed in the homeland and around the globe. Due to the Holiday on Ice show, the Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center’s regularly scheduled public skating sessions slated for 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., will be cancelled on December 17. However, the Town’s two outdoor rinks, located at Marjorie R. Post Community Park in Massapequa and at Syosset-Woodbury Park will be open for visitors. Please visit www.oysterbaytown.com for more information or call (516) 797-4121.

POB senior named

Coca-Cola semifinalist

Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School (POBJFKHS) student Jesse Ray Sheps has been selected as a semifinalist for the 2023 CocaCola Scholars Program. Semifinalists in this highly selective program are chosen based on academic excellence, leadership and service demonstrated in school and the larger community. Jesse was among 1,557 students selected as a semifinalist this year out of a pool of more than 91,000 applications nationwide.

Jesse’s accomplishments include two years serving as editor in chief of the POBJFKHS Hawkeye. Additionally, Jesse served as president of the POBJFKHS Film House Club (which he also founded), the POBJFKHS Writers’ Café and the Spanish Honor Society.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation is a nonprofit that works to provide roughly 1,400 scholarships worth a total of more than $3.4 million annually.

Town offers

Toddler Arts & Crafts Program

The Town of Oyster Bay will be offering a Toddler Arts & Crafts Program for winter 2023, beginning on January 31, 2023. This 6-week program offers classes at the Town’s Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center Community Room and Hicksville Athletic Center, and is open to children ages 2 through 4.

“The Town’s Toddler Arts & Crafts Program is a wonderful way to help support your toddler’s development through nurturing their artistic expression,” said Town of Oyster Bay Councilwoman Vicki Walsh. “Classes will certainly fill up quickly as this program offers children a great wintertime activity.”

The Toddler Arts & Crafts Program is 6 weeks in duration, beginning January 31, and residents who sign their toddler up for the program must choose one class per week, per child. Classes will take place on:

• Tuesdays at 10 a.m. for twoyear-olds and 11 a.m. for three and four-year-olds at the Hicksville Athletic Center in Hicksville;

• Wednesdays at 10 a.m. for two-

year-olds and 11 a.m. for three-andfour-year-olds at the Ice Skating Center Community Room in Bethpage; and

• Thursdays at 10 a.m. for twoyear-olds and 11 a.m. for three and four-year-olds at the Ice Skating Center Community Room in Bethpage.

Registration will take place online at www.oysterbaytowncom/parks starting Tuesday, January 3, at 9 a.m. Residents must create an account on this website to register their child and upload proof of residency and the child’s birth certificate. Registration will close when the program reaches full capacity.

Each class is approximately 30–45 minutes. The cost of the program is $35 per child who is a Town resident, and $45 per child whose caregiver is a Town resident but not the child. A guardian must be present during the class. A smock and supplies will be provided.

The Toddler Arts & Crafts Program is run by the Town’s Parks Department, Recreation Division. For further information, please call (516) 797-7945.

Jesse Ray Sheps

DECA Club kicks off a new year

Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School’s DECA Club kicked off the year with an exciting installation ceremony on October 13th. The club welcomed 160 new members into the chapter, which is part of an international organization that seeks to encourage the next generation of business and marketing leaders. It was the first in-person ceremony the club has been able to hold since 2019.

The event featured guest speakers and POBJFKHS alumni Hope Feinberg and Jacqui Kitzes, who are currently seniors studying business at Binghamton University. The two shared their experiences in DECA and how the club prepared them for their college studies and gave them the skills and resources needed to enter into the business world. Leveraging those skills, Hope and Jacqui were able to secure internships, and now, full-time employment upon graduation at the major accounting firm of Ernst & Young.

POBJFKHS DECA Club vice presidents Alex Berko, Joshua Ackerman

The 2022–2023 POBJFKHS DECA board and advisors.

and Stein Philip also gave speeches, as well as club president Nicole Gleicher.

DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) is an association of market-

ing students that encourages the development of business and leadership skills through academic conferences and competitions. DECA, and other extracurric-

ular programs offered by the District, allow students to pursue their interests and thrive both within and outside of the classroom.

Robotics team hosts Engineering Awareness Night

Elementary and middle school students piloted robots during Plainview-Old Bethpage’s Engineering Awareness Night on November 10.

The Plainview-Old Bethpage robotics team, POBots, hosted its long-running Engineering Awareness Night event on November 10. The event, which the team has organized for the past 15 years, introduces younger generations of POB

The event served as an opportunity to introduce younger generations of students to basic STEAM concepts.

students to the principles of STEAM.

Students in kindergarten and up had the opportunity to engage in hands-on STEAM activities, such as creating electrical circuits out of Play-Doh, building and launching paper rockets, exploring

Students engaged in a number of hands-on engineering challenges and activities.

how bridge engineering and load-bearing structures work, piloting robots, touring the POBots’ engineering workshop, and much more! The event also served as an introduction for middle school students interested in robotics to

the FIRST Lego League. This year’s Engineering Awareness Night was also special because it was the first to welcome in-person visitors in two years.

Elementary school students send heartfelt messages to police officers

Students in Ms. Tintle and Mrs. Carpentier’s third grade and kindergarten classes created cards to thank local police officers.

BY GARY SIMEONE

Students from the Northside Elementary School in Levittown worked hard to create cards and drawings for some of our bravest and finest. Kids from kindergarten to 5th grade level put down their creative ideas on paper as part of the annual “Cards for Cops” holiday program.

Jennifer Carpentier, a kindergarten teacher at the Northside, helped to bring the program to the school.

“My husband is a Port Authority police officer, and we’d heard about the program several years ago,” said Carpentier. “I approached the staff at Northside about participating in the program because I thought it would be a nice way to spread holiday cheer to those who do so much for our communities.”

The school has been participating in the Cards for Cops program for three years, and in that time over a thousand cards and drawings have been sent to police officers on Long Island and New York City.

Carpentier said that the Cards for Cops initiative is part of the Beyond the Badge NY Organization, which focuses on mental health awareness within the

law enforcement community.

“Doing these types of things helps police officers deal with the everyday stresses of their job and also helps to spread a bit of love and cheer during the holiday season. It also helps to foster and build positive relationships between police officers and the community.”

She said that the younger students at the school draw colorful pictures of police-related themes and that the older kids write letters to police officers.

“My class drew a tracing of their hands in a high-five which I thought was a cute idea. Some of the older students wrote letters giving thanks to police officers for protecting and keeping their communities safe.”

Before the start of the Christmas season, Carpentier takes it upon herself to deliver the letters and drawings to the Beyond the Badge organization. The organization then distributes the messages to hundreds of police officers across Long Island and the City.

“Over the past few years we’ve received such amazing feedback from thousands of policemen and women who ve stated that receiving the letters means a lot to them and helps to makes their jobs easier.”

Spotlight on Levittown Business

The Levittown Chamber of Commerce would like to introduce James Neal, who is a real estate associate broker with Douglas Elliman. He and his wife Ginny have lived in Levittown for over 35 years and have raised four children who went through the Levittown school system. All Division Ave High School graduates and all earning college degrees.

Neal has been helping people in his community with their real estate needs for over 10 years. Prior to that he was an owner/operator of Neal’s Tree Experts, again servicing the needs of his community homeowners. Neal says that is probably why he transitioned to Real Estate because he enjoys working with people and servicing their needs. First it was outside maintenance and beautification which he now can tie in with curb appeal and interior appeal for his real estate clients.

Neal’s work ethics are all about pride and passion in how he can help his clients.

In addition to home sales, Neal is now assisting his fellow business owners with acquiring the Employee Retention Credit (ERC). The company he’s affiliated with has helped 100s of businesses acquire this grant. Neal suggested going to the link provided for more info. https://www. thetegrp.com/jimneal or contacting him directly. He is also offering a discount for all Chamber members for both real estate and ERC services

Neal is also actively involved with his local parish St. Bernard’s for many years. He is an usher and his wife Ginny is in the folk group.

Recently he represented the church with the sale of their Salem Lane house which has added more funds towards the “Let’s Build” project. Neal never tires of volunteering and is also a member of the local Knights of Columbus Chapter. Although he does stay quite busy with his profession, occasionally you might see him on one of the local golf courses and if he’s lucky, he can sneak away to his place in Hilton Head Island.

Neal can always be reached by cell phone at 516-417-2869, real estate email at james.neal@elliman. com, ERC email at jneal@thetegrp. com or you can go to Facebook at Homesalesbyneal. Neal wishes all a happy and healthy holiday season.

Bethpage School Board to meet

The Bethpage Board of Education will meet on Tuesday, December 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Administration Building Conference Room, located at 10 Cherry Avenue, Bethpage.

Photo courtesy of Levittown Public Schools

James Neal

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Upcoming Events at the Jericho Public Library

Friday, December 9

10:30 a.m.: Jump for Joy (Ages 18 Months to 5 Years) - Come to this lively program of music and activities for you and your child.

Saturday, December 10

11:00 a.m.: Teens: Dungeons & Dragons: Fairies Quest - Our Adventurers are sent on a quest to find a magical being in the strange land of the fairies. Will you be able to see through their cunning tricks and games? Get a chance to experience the greatest role playing game. Choose a character and journey to lands beyond the imagination. The Dungeon Master will guide you on your quest for the adventure of a lifetime.

2:00 p.m.: IN-PERSON: Pure Joy: The Holiday Edition with Paige Patterson - Paige Patterson is proud to debut her crowd pleasing show at the Jericho Library. Join her as she performs holiday music which will revive your memories of a bygone era and restore your faith in the timeless power of music. Enjoy classics like White Christmas, Santa Baby and Winter Wonderland. Paige will sing soulful songs such as Please Come Home for Christmas, Merry Christmas Baby and the Christmas Song. This program will be a delightful addition as we celebrate the holiday season.

Tickets are required. Non-ticket holders will be seated as space allows.

Monday, December 12

2:00 p.m.: VIRTUAL: Profiles with Dr. William Thierfelder: A Dozen Christmas Jewels - Instead of the usual holiday programs, we will look at a dozen books and stories that are wonderful in their own way and deserve more than just a little Christmas love. We will touch upon works by O. Henry, Van Dyke, Alcott, L. Frank Baum, Washington Irving and others whose holiday narratives are inspiring and worth our time and effort!

6:00 p.m.: Personal Finance & Economics with Minecraft (Grades 4–6) - Using Minecraft as your platform, learn about finance and economics in a fun and useful way.

Tuesday, December 13

7:00 p.m.: Board of Trustees

Meeting - The public is invited to attend the monthly Jericho Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting.

Wednesday, December 14

10:30 a.m.: 1,2,3 Full S.T.E.A.M Ahead (18 Months–5 Years) - These preschool STEAM programs include music movement, fine and gross motor development and storytelling followed by a craft!

Thursday, December 15

2:00 p.m.: HYBRID: Art LectureCubism & the Trompe l’Oeil Tradition with Professor Thomas Germano - Cubism is a modernist style that rebelled against Renaissance perspective and engaged with the tradition of trompe l’oeil painting, (French: “to deceive the eye.”) The cubists including Picasso, Braque, Gris among others, sought to combine flat picture planes with illusory images, introducing the “real” world into the pictorial one and the inclusion of new print media and advertising. Professor Thomas Germano will present a visual lecture summarizing the exhibition at the Met through January 22, 2023.

Friday, December 16

11:00 a.m.: Sensory Storytime (Ages 2 to 5 Years) - This is a special program designed for children who may need extra sensory support. It combines traditional storytime components with sensory elements to enhance the experience.

2:00 p.m.: HYBRID : Great Performers with Marc Courtade: Ellen Burstyn - Always Luminous Ellen Burstyn is one of America’s most highly regarded actresses. She found success in film, on stage and in television. Burstyn had been working for over a decade when she rose to fame in “ The Last Picture Show ” in 1971 and won the Academy Award as Best Actress for “ Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore ” in 1974. She is one of 20 performers to win the “ triple crown ” of acting. with a Tony Award for “ Same Time, Next Year and an Emmy Award in 2008. This talk will remind us why a performance by Ellen Burstyn is synonymous with good acting.

POB athletes sign letters of intent

left: Rachel Krogman, Andrew

Three Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School students signed their athletic letters of intent this November. The signings mean the students are headed to play for the colleges of their choice: Andrew Lenski will play baseball for Iona University, Rachel Krogman will be playing softball for the University of New Haven, and Alexa Hospodar is headed to play softball for Stonehill College.

Andrew has been a member of the Hawks varsity baseball team since his sophomore year and has earned three varsity letters. During his career, he helped the Hawks to a county final in 2021 and a conference championship in 2022. During his junior season, Andrew batted .379 with 2 HRs and 21 RBIS.

Rachel has earned five varsity letters for the Hawks as a softball standout. She helped the team to back-to-back Nassau County semifinal appearances for the first time in school history. She is currently the all-time leader in doubles with 18, and she is eighth all-time in hits with 70. As a junior, Rachel batted .324 with 5 doubles and 11 RBIs. She has also earned two All-County honors

Love to write?

and Alexa Hospodar.

for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Alexa, also a sterling softball player, has earned five varsity letters for the Hawks and has been the team’s starting pitcher since she was in eighth grade. She has helped the Hawks to back-to-back Nassau County semifinal appearances for the first time in school history. As a junior, Alexa won 8 games with a 2.75 ERA and had 161 strikeouts. Alexa owns the school record for most strikeouts in a single season with 161, and she is the school record holder in career ERA with 3.45. She is currently 2nd all-time in wins (22); strikeouts (381); and walks and hits per inning pitched, or WHIP (1.41). She also is 13th all-time in hits (58) and 8th all-time in RBIs (39). She has also earned two All-County honors during her career for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

“These athletes have made their families and coaches proud,” said POB Director of Phys. Ed, Health, Athletics and Recreation, Joseph Braico. “These colleges are lucky to have them, and I know they will go on to successful and rewarding athletic careers in the NCAA.”

We’re looking for writers in our community to compose ar ticles on local topics, opinions, reviews, worthy places to visit on Long Island, and even pieces of fiction. We aim to feature at least one new article and writer each week in our Discovery magazine section.

Email submissions: editor@gcnews.com

• Attach article and any photos (1MB), along with your name and contact info.

• Articles must be between 1,500 - 3,000 words. • Each writer will be reimbursed a stipend of $25.⁰⁰

From

Lenski

Bruce Blakeman Nassau County Executive

Presentation shines light on literacy programs

level focuses on a different writing unit to strengthen their skills and they follow a process. Several older students presented their exceptional writing pieces during the board meeting and a video was played to showcase some of the writing activities

that younger students have completed. Through this, the board and community were able to see the progression of writing from one grade to the next.

Mrs. Inghilterra closed out the presentation with an overview about Central Boulevard’s Energy Bus program. The program promotes positive school culture through literature and is based on “The Energy Bus” by Jon Gordon. Students participate in monthly Energy Bus assemblies which coincide with a specific rule from Gordon’s book. Mrs. Inghilterra explained that students who behave as role models can earn a “Passenger of the Month” award and that positive classroom and school-wide activities take place each month to compliment that month’s “rule.” Seven students who earned the Passenger of the Month Award spoke during the board meeting about what the program means to them.

The Bethpage Board of Education plans to host at least one board meeting at each school during the 2022-23 school year to learn more from administrators, students and staff about all the things happening in their buildings.

Photos courtesy of the Bethpage Union Free School District

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Central Boulevard principal Dominique Siebert (left) and assistant principal Julianne Inghilterra (right) presented along with students during Bethpage’s board of education meeting on Nov. 22. Central Boulevard students shared

Central Boulevard students who were named “Passengers of the Month” spoke about the school’s Energy Bus program.

December 9, 2022

Shimmering Solstice, Amaze and Magic of Lights Are Dazzling Nearby Holiday Attractions

BY KAREN RUBIN TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE

Holiday-goers looking to capture the spirit of the season have several spectacular events to choose from in our own area:

Shimmering Solstice at Old Westbury Gardens

Shimmering Solstice at Old Westbury Gardens, a Long Island landmark, returns for its second year, and has rapidly become my favorite holiday happening.  You are enchanted by a series of magical light displays as you stroll the beautiful meandering paths through Old Westbury Gardens’ Walled Garden, Rose Garden, South Lawn, and Allée.

“This walkthrough light show is uniquely designed specifically for Old Westbury Gardens, a beautiful Long Island landmark” said Nancy Costopulos, President and CEO of Old Westbury Gardens.

This year, even more beautiful visuals have been added including a re-designed interactive area featuring three new exhibits that will delight adults and children alike; seasonal music throughout the expanded illuminated event path sets a mood; there is a breathtaking new illuminated water feature on the West Pond. Also, the Garden of Appreciation is turned into a pleasant warming area with a concession stand for seasonal snacks and drinks.

Shimmering Solstice is a completely custom-built show by Lightswitch, a collective of internationally recognized lighting, media, and visual designers that has been uniquely designed to

The grand finale to Old Westbury Gardens’ “Shimmering Solstice” is a soundand-light show using the 1906 Phipps mansion as a canvas © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

highlight the features of Old Westbury Gardens. The goal was to turn the gardens into a visitor location that can be enjoyed during the fall and winter holiday season and that would remain consistent with the mission of Old Westbury Gardens.

“Shimmering Solstice was designed to be a celebration of our space,” said Maura Brush, Director of Horticulture at Old Westbury Gardens. “The features that define Old Westbury Gardens such as the formal allées, ponds, and statuary are all illuminated so visitors can view them in a completely different light.”

This walk-through show is a family friendly experience people of all ages can enjoy. It is beautifully spaced and there are paths geared for strollers and wheelchairs. In all, you walk about a mile and visit at your own pace (typically 60-90 minutes to really enjoy).

For the exciting finale, you are again dazzled to see the south facade

of Westbury House come alive with magical lights and seasonal sounds— this year with a twist.

It is beautifully spaced and there are paths geared for strollers and wheelchairs. In all, you walk about a mile and visit at your own pace (typically 60-75 minutes to really enjoy).

Tickets are $34.95/adults, $19.95/ kids 2-13, $26.95/Senior Sundays (65+), $80/Anytime, Any Day. The show runs on select dates through January 1, 2023 (nightly December 26-Jan. 1). The admission time starts at 5:30 p.m. Check website for available dates and times.

Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury, NY 11568,  https://shimmeringsolstice. com/

Amaze Light Festival, NYC’s Newest Holiday Attraction, Dazzles at Citifield

A million lights fashioned into fanciful characters and iconic symbols

GOING PLACES NEAR AND FAR

of the holiday season – so big you can walk or climb through, sit inside a train locomotive, a gigantic teddy bear, a Christmas tree, Santa’s hat, a giant Frosty the Snowman. Teams of reindeer. A Castle of lights.

This is the Amaze Light Festival – a new immersive, interactive holiday attraction for New York City, taking up a sprawling 50,000 square feet of outdoor space at Queens’ Citifield where this is plenty of space to run around in the winter night air (bundle up).

The Amaze Light Festival is produced by Artistic Holiday Designs, a holiday decoration design firm known for designing interactive experiences, in partnership with Leblanc Illuminations. Debuting  last year at Rosemont in Chicago, Amaze Light Festival has expanded this year to two new sites, running simultaneously in New York City’s iconic Citi Field and Chicagoland’s Odyssey Fun World in Tinley Park, Wednesdays through Sundays through January 8. Amaze Light Festival, designed as an ‘immersive” storybook experience, takes you on an “illuminous holiday adventure” inspired by storybook characters Zing and Sparky through five thematic displays, each one offering dazzling photo opportunities.

There are also a couple of optional rides available: a cute Arctic Express Train ride through a light display headlined by a giant Frosty the Snowman ($10 pp) that takes about four minutes, and a tubing experience down Zing’s Thrill Hill ($5/per ride or $10 for 3 rides) that lasts about 10 seconds.

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GOING PLACES, NEAR & FAR....

Shimmering Solstice, Amaze and Magic of Lights Are Dazzling Nearby Holiday Attractions

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There are also live performances every two-hours and a light show every 30-minutes.  Throughout, classic holiday music plays, weaving together the experience.

German-styled cottages housing goodies and featuring local small business offering special gifts fill the Amaze Market, a version of a Christmas market. You can also find an array of sweet and savory dishes and festive beverages including: baked goods, hot cocoa, savory plates, sweet dishes, and crafted cocktails, plus various items from food trucks.

Additional highlights include the candy-fueled Sparky’s Sweet Spot, an enclosed candy emporium, and Zing’s Toyporium, selling a selection of educational-style toys, where you also find Zing’s Buddy Builder, a toy machine which provides the opportunity to donate to Make-A-Wish Southern Florida, Hurricane Ian Relief (American Red Cross) or Toys for Tots (simply press a button and watching the magic happen). Participants can choose the charity and Amaze Light Festival will donate $1 for each participant.

Amaze Light Festival is open Wednesdays through Sundays, 4-10 p.m (you choose your time slot, but VIPs can stay as long as they like), with the last ticket sold at 9 p.m. In Chicago, ticket prices start at $30 for children and $36 for adults while in the New York City location, adult ticket prices start at $44 and $36 for children.

There is the option of a VIP upgrade ($50 more) that provides reserved seating during the live performances and light shows; exclusive access to mingle with the Masters of Light, Zing and Sparky; enjoy complimentary holiday themed food items (it was Greek souvlaki from a

truck when I visited), in a heated indoor lounge where you can purchase hot chocolate ($5 and $6) and premium craft cocktails.

An Amaze App provides pre-arrival information including festival maps, venue details, food and beverage menus and Frequently Asked Questions. Customers are able to purchase festival tickets and buy add-ons in real time, such as to Zing’s Thrill Hill and the Arctic Express Train Ride and use the Amaze Pay mobile wallet, a completely contactless method of payment.

If you drive, there is parking at the Southfield lot and Stadium View lot, which costs $30 per car (credit or debit card only, no cash accepted); or you can take the 7 train or the Long Island Railroad to Mets-Willetts Point.

Amaze Light Festival runs through January 8, 2023. Tickets for Chicago are available at  amazelightfestival.com/ chicago-tickets/and tickets for New York City are available for purchase at  amazelightfestival.com/newyorktickets/. There are limited tickets for peak time slots and guests are encouraged

NUTRITION NEWS

Holiday Strategies

to purchase their tickets in advance for this limited season run. Additional information for New York City can be found in the  NYC FAQ and for more information on Chicago see the FAQs

Magic of Lights DriveThrough Holiday Festival at Jones Beach Magic of Lights, the family-friendly holiday lights festival, is a 2.5-mile drive-through experience at both Long Island’s  Jones Beach State Park and at Holmdel’s  PNC Bank Arts Center nightly through December 30.

The event is produced in partnership between Family Entertainment Live and Live Nation. At Jones Beach, Magic of Lights is supported by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and presented by NYCB.

Inside the comfort of your own vehicle, enjoy Magic of Lights’ classic holiday favorites including Winter Wonderland, the 12 Days of Christmas, Toyland, festive Elves and Reindeer Road and a 200foot long Enchanting Tunnel of Lights.

Brand-new displays include the

32-foot-tall animated Mattel’s Waving Christmas Barbie®, Prehistoric Christmas featuring life sized dinosaurs celebrating the season and BIGFOOT® Monster Trucks. Created with over two million sparkling lights, Magic of Lights is a nostalgic and festive event everyone will enjoy.

Then, walk about the Toyota Holiday Village, featuring Santa Photos, skating, refreshments, and other holiday activities.

Magic of Lights is open Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. (dusk) until 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. (dusk) until 11 p.m. For dates, times, and ticket availability, visit magicoflights.com.

Admission is $25 in advance or $35 at the gate on weekdays and $30 in advance or $40 at the gate on weekends, per car. Special pricing is available for limousines and buses. Group ticket rates are available. Tickets are available through TicketMaster.com.

At Jones Beach, a portion of every entry ticket sold will support Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Foundation for Long Island State Parks. The  Magic of Lights uses the latest CAD technology and is hand-crafted at the Magic of Lights warehouse in Medina, OH, then, transported to Long Island. The displays combine for more than 10 miles of LED lighting across all presentations, in the trees, and on the buildings. There are 10 different colors of LED bulbs used. The highest scene is 32-feet tall, and the longest is several hundred feet long. The steel displays are designed, bent, cut, and welded into about 800 frames combined in different configurations to create each show’s giant winter holiday scenes.

For additional information, visit https://magicoflights.com

© 2022 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear. com

BY CHARLYN FARGO

‘Tis the season for family, festivity and food -- lots of food. Temptations are everywhere, and parties and travel disrupt daily routines. What’s more, it starts before Halloween and goes past the New Year. How do you stick to your healthy eating goals when everyone around you seems to be splurging? Here are five tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that can help.

No. 1: Holiday-proof your plan. We may not be able to control what food we’re served, and we’re going to see other people eating tempting treats. Have a plan:

--If you have diabetes, eat close to your usual times to keep your blood sugar steady. If your meal is served later than

normal, eat a small snack at your usual mealtime and eat a little less when dinner is served. That strategy also works if you’re trying to lose weight.

--Invited to a party? Offer to bring a healthy dish along.

--If you want to have a sweet treat, cut back on other carbs (like potatoes and bread) during the meal.

--Don’t skip meals to save up for a feast. You’ll be more likely to overeat.

--If you slip up, get right back to healthy eating with your next meal.

--Choose pumpkin pie instead of pecan to cut calories and sugar by one-third.

--Keep moving. You may need to break physical activity into smaller chunks to fit it in. Taking a walk for 10 minutes, three

times a day, adds up to 30 minutes of exercise.

No. 2. Outsmart the buffet. When faced with a spread of delicious holiday food, make healthy choices easier.

--Have a small plate of the foods you like best and then move away from the buffet table.

--Start with vegetables to take the edge off your appetite.

--Eat slowly. It takes at least 20 minutes for your brain to realize you’re full.

--Avoid or limit alcohol. If you do have an alcoholic drink, have it with food.

No. 3: Fit in favorites. No food is on the “I can’t have it” list. Choose the dishes

Continued on page 5

Amaze Light Festival is the newest holiday attraction in our area © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

BY LOU THEODORE

On potable water and desalination

The number one global environmental problem carries the label of potable water. I believe it is or will soon be the number one global problem. At a minimum, it will achieve greater significance in the years ahead this century.

The world’s total water supply is enormous compared with the presently conceivable needs of man, yet there is a growing potable water concern. Approximately 98% of the 320 million cubic miles of water in the Earth’s crust is salty and useful neither for irrigation by present techniques nor for the majority of man’s other needs. Precipitation provides many times the world’s annual water needs, but fresh water supplies vary widely not only over the Earth’s surface but also from time to time in a given region. This accounts for what has come to be referred to as the “water problem.”

An obvious way to increase water availability is to recover fresh potable water through desalination from seawater or from some other source. Your favorite author has recently and is currently investigating new processes for producing potable water. This month’s article introduces the reader to the desalination process and reviews the essence of two recent potable water patents.

In the overall desalination process, feed water is introduced to the desalination unit where - following the application of some form of energy - it is separated into (relatively) pure potable water, and a more concentrated brine solution.

Of all of the desalination processes, the only ones which are known to currently be economically feasible are: (1) evaporation, (2) reverse osmosis, and (3) crystallization (freezing). At present, the economic feasibility of all other processes is considered doubtful. Each of these three processes is briefly discussed below.

The oldest and best developed process for saline water conversion is the evaporation method. In many desalination technologies in use or being developed today, desalination began using evaporative processes. These evaporative desalination techniques were recognized over 2,000 years ago when Aristotle wrote in 320 B.C., “saltwater, when it turns into vapor, becomes sweet and the vapor does not form saltwater again when it condenses.” It remains one of the major methods today for commercial production of fresh water from seawater. In principle, seawater is boiled in an evaporator by passing hot steam through an enclosure (a steam chest) where the steam condenses on the inside of the tubes of the chest and is usually returned to a boiler. The vapors rising form the seawater feed are cooled

in a condenser and thus converted into pure liquid water which is collected in a storage vessel. The accompanying resulting concentrated brine solution is continuously or intermittently withdrawn from the evaporator.

Electrodialysis was the membrane separation process employed for desalination a century ago. However, in recent years, reverse osmosis (RO) has displaced electrodialysis as the primary membrane separation desalination process, leaving the latter as the choice for medical kidney applications. An RO system consists of an intake, a pre-treatment component, a high-pressure pump, a membrane apparatus, remineralization, and pH adjustment components, as well as a disinfection step. Generally, a pressure of about 1.7 to 6.9 MPa is required to overcome membrane resistance to flow. The aforementioned pressure must be applied to the solvent or water and the membrane must be relatively impermeable to the solute or order to make water pass through the membrane in the desired direction (i.e., away from a concentrated salt solution). The membranes used for RO processes are characterized by a high degree of semi-permeability. These membranes may be configured into a variety of geometries for system operation, including: plate and frame, tubular, spiral wound (composite), and hollow fiber.

Crystallization processes were also employed over 2,000 years ago. Today, these processes are important industrial operations that are often employed in the preparation of a pure product, e.g., sugar, coffee, etc. A crystal usually separates out as a substance of specific composition from a solution of varying composition. There are several different ways that crystallization can occur. The three most often encountered in practice are

1. Cooling.

2. Evaporation.

3. Cooling and evaporation. Process 1 is the most commonly employed.

World-wide development of potable water techniques in the last half century has been driven out of necessity due both to water scarcity and population growth. The private sector has primarily led the investment in research and development since water has begun to be seen not as a commodity, but as a product to be sold at a profit. With this in mind, your favorite author recently developed two processes that are presently utility patents. The two processes are described below.

1. The WOFF (Water Obtained from Fossil Fuels) Process, Patent #17,579,045: A process of producing potable water by combining a hydrocarbon-containing fossil fuel with oxygen in a combustion device such as a utility boiler or home

heating to produce a flue gas of water vapor and carbon dioxide, and condensing the water vapor in the flue gas to yield potable water. The combustion device can produce heat or electricity. The water vapor can be condensed with one or more heat exchange devices. The source of oxygen can be air, pure oxygen, or nitrogen reduced air. The source of oxygen can be humidified, such as with a non-potable water source, or non-potable water can be added to the flue gas. The carbon dioxide and / or nitrogen in the flue gas can be reduced or removed before the condensation step(s). The pressure of the flue gas can be increased prior to condensation of the water vapor. Natural gas is the preferred fuel.

2. The THEOGEO Process (Theodore Geothermal) Patent #17,736,235:

A system and method for converting non-potable water into potable water employing Geothermal energy. Nonpotable water, such as seawater or

non-potable ground water, and the like, is fed down a conduit into a deep underground enclosure. Due to its extreme depth, the enclosure is geothermally heated above the boiling point of water at the pressure within the enclosure. The water boils and creates water vapor. The water vapor rises and can be drawn up through a vapor conduit to the surface. The water vapor can be condensed (and further purified, if necessary) into potable water. The steam can be used in a hybrid system where it is condensed after being used for heating purposes or the production of electricity.

Your thoughts on the two patents would be appreciated. I can tell you that no individual or business entity has yet expressed an interest in either patent, both of which have cost me a pretty penny. HELP!

Visit the author at: www. theodorenewsletter.com or Basketball Coaching 101 @ Facebook

BY TOM MARGENAU

Before I start today’s column -- a word of warning. It’s going to involve a lot of messy math, and I don’t like math. To be more precise, I don’t like including too much math in my column because I’ve learned over the years that putting lots of numbers in a column just confuses the dickens out of so many of my readers and turns them off. But alas, I’ve got to get into messy math to explain today’s topic: how Social Security benefits are reduced if taken before full retirement age. So, if you’re like me, and your eyes just glaze over when presented with too many numbers, you might want to skip today’s column and go straight to the comics section of your newspaper instead!

Anyway, here goes -- numbers and all. I recently got an email from a reader who kind of chewed me out for allegedly misleading her about the percentage reduction that is applied to Social Security benefits if they are taken before full retirement age. I usually say that reduction is “about one-half of 1%” for each month benefits are taken early. Her email said that a Social Security representative told her the actual reduction is five-ninths of 1%. And that’s true -- sort of. But as with so many government rules and regulations, there is a lot more to it than that. I’ll explain those rules today, and once I’m done, I think you’ll see why I simply say the early benefit reduction is “about onehalf of 1%.”

Part of the problem is that there are different reduction rates for different kinds of Social Security benefits. Let’s start with retirement benefits. If you take those benefits before you reach full retirement age, your Social Security checks will be reduced five-ninths of 1% for the first 36 months and five-twelfths of 1% for any remaining months. For example, if your full retirement age is 67, and you want to take benefits at 62, your benefit will be reduced five-ninths of 1% for the months from age 67 to 64. And then they will be reduced five-twelfths of 1% for the months from age 64 to 62. That comes out to a 30% reduction if your FRA is 67. If your FRA was age 66, it would be a 25% reduction, and the reduction would be somewhere between 25% and 30% if your FRA is somewhere between 66 and 67.

Spousal benefits have a different set of reduction factors. The spousal reduction is twenty-five/ thirty-sixths of 1% for the first 36 months and five-twelfths of 1% for any remaining months. That comes out to a 35% reduction if your FRA is 67 and a 30% reduction if your FRA is 66. And that reduction is applied to the normal spousal rate, which is half of the primary account holder’s full retirement age benefit. Here is an example of that.

Wilma’s full retirement age is 67. She was a stay-at-home mom and has no Social Security coverage of her own. Her husband, Fred, took his benefits at his FRA and he is getting $3,000 per month.

Reduced Benefits Explained

If Wilma waits until she is 67, she will get an amount equal to half of Fred’s benefit, or $1,500 per month. But she wants to take spousal benefits at 62. As I explained above, someone whose FRA is 67 will suffer a 35% reduction if she takes benefits at 62. Or to turn that around, at 62, she will get 65% of her normal spousal rate. So instead of getting $1,500, she will get $975 (65% of $1,500 equals $975).

Here’s a twist to the tale of benefit reductions for spouses. I was recently explaining this spousal reduction business to a reader (I’ll call her Betty) who was in a boat like Wilma’s. Her full retirement age was 67 and she wanted to take spousal benefits on her husband’s record at 62. In an email exchange, Betty said she was confused because I said her reduction rate would be 35% (as noted above for Wilma). She said a Social Security Administration rep she talked to on the phone said she was going to get a 32.5% spousal rate. I had to explain to her that we were both right, and here is why.

Let’s use the same numbers as in Wilma’s case above. So, if Betty took benefits at 62, her normal spousal rate of $1,500 would be reduced by 35% giving her a $975 monthly benefit. The SSA rep was telling her that she was going to get 32.5% of her husband’s full retirement benefit. And 32.5% of $3,000 equals $975.

This is why I just like to keep things simple by telling a woman that if she takes spousal benefits at 62, she’s going to get about a third of her husband’s full retirement age benefit.

Let me throw in one more note of clarification about spousal benefit rates. They are always based on the husband’s full retirement age benefit amount. We’ll go back to Wilma and Fred. I said Fred’s FRA benefit was $3,000 per month. But let’s say Fred, whose full retirement age was 66, started his own benefits at 62. That means his benefit is reduced by 25%, meaning he’s getting only 75% of his $3,000 benefit, or $2,250. Wilma’s spousal rate is based on his FRA rate of $3,000 and not his actual benefit of $2,250.

To go to the other end of the benefit start date spectrum, let’s say Fred waited until age 70 to begin his benefits. That means he’ll get a 32% bonus added to his monthly benefits. In other words, he is actually getting $3,960 per month. But again, Wilma’s spousal rate is based on Fred’s FRA benefit, or $3,000, not on his augmented benefit of $3,960.

I told you there would be lots of numbers in this column, and I haven’t even gotten into the reduction factors for widow’s benefits. I’m not going to get into them because it’s WAY too messy to explain. Those reduction factors can be anywhere from 19/40ths of 1% to 19/48ths of 1% to 57/152nds of 1% to 57/164ths of 1% and on and on! If you want to really get into this stuff, then just Google “Social Security widow’s benefit reduction factors,” and well ... good luck trying to understand it.

Once again, I try to keep things simple

by telling a widow that she gets 100% of her husband’s benefit if she is full retirement age or older when he dies. The earliest she can get widow’s benefits is age 60, when she would get 71.5%. So, the percentage she gets is somewhere between 71.5% and 100% if she is between 60 and FRA when she starts her widow’s benefit. And one other factor: Unlike benefits to a spouse with a living husband, widow’s benefits are based on the guy’s actual benefit, not his FRA rate.

One final note of clarification that should help most widows. Most of the

time, a woman is well into her 70s or 80s when her husband dies. In those cases, the widow usually will just start getting what the husband was getting when he died.

If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called “Social Security -- Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” The other is “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the books at Amazon.com or other book outlets.

COPYRIGHT 2022 CREATORS.COM

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

REAL ESTATE WATCH

Name your lifestyle-condo or Coop?

When it comes to affordability, financial profile, and lifestyle, whether your initial purchase or downsizing, everyone has different needs and wants. Some who have the finances will choose a condo or townhome for the luxury, doorman, and amenities, e.g. pool, tennis, and security. However, others will choose based on the affordability that a co-op provides. Prices will obviously depend on the building and its infrastructure, financial strength, and whether a 1, 2, or 3+ bedrooms and accompanying bathrooms that go with the unit.

Co-ops can be upwards of $100,000 less, minus most of the amenities provided by a condo or townhome. However, sales applications and board approval are mandatory. Whether it is a doorman or gated community for security, pool, tennis, golf, or gym, the level of extras is correlated with the price you will pay. Lately, with the skyrocketing prices of homes, those that are able to stay locally will instead choose a condo or co-op as a starting point of homeownership or be resigned to a rental. It will also be more conducive to their lifestyle with or without children. With those types of ownership, closing the door while going on vacation, will be more carefree and less worry, than owning a single-family home. No worrying about interior issues, frozen pipes, expensive heating bills, leaky ceilings, exterior maintenance, no snow plowing, etc. But today, I see the number one factor is affordability, being extremely dominant in the decision-making process for a multitude of purchasers. Prices, down payments, and interest rates have caused many to hold back from taking the plunge in buying.

However, this is a perfect moment in

Continued from page 2

you really love and can’t get any other time of year, like Aunt Shirley’s Italian cream cake. Slow down and savor a small serving, and make sure to count it in your meal plan.

No. 4: Keep Moving. We all have a lot on our plates this time of year, and physical activity can get crowded out, even forgotten. However, being active is a secret holiday weapon. It can help make up for eating more than usual and reduce stress during this most stressful time of year. Take a walk after a holiday meal.

No. 5: Get plenty of sleep. Going out more and staying out later often means cutting back on sleep. When we are sleep deprived, we tend to eat more and prefer high-fat, high-sugar food. Aim for seven

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

time for those parents, who are capable and want to happily choose to provide a tax-free gift in order to assist their children. Currently, the IRS code allows parents to provide a tax-free and non-reportable gift of up to $15,000 per year for each child. However, any amount above $15,000 would have to be reported, but not taxable and would be against the lifetime total allotted to that individual. Currently, the lifetime tax-free per family is $11,700,000 without paying any estate taxes. As parents, it is extremely important for you to discuss this with your CPA and certified financial planner to strategize your individual estate plan. Also, make sure in conjunction with your estate planning that your will is up to date too. I seriously encourage you to consider this option of helping your children in the process as opposed to renting, which is a dead-end street to wealth reduction.

chute in the event you get laid off or your business has an issue. Having parents is a wonderful thing, especially when they can offer advice, guide you along and provide financial assistance. But they want the best for you and surely want to keep you from making poor decisions, so listening and having a dialogue will be to everyone’s benefit when you are jumping into the homeownership arena.

Depending on the income, credit, and debt/income of the buyers, a cosigner or guarantor may be necessary. I just finalized a sale where one person, not related, provided the necessary funds to the purchaser with the approval of management to make the transaction workable. But what’s most important, as they say “is to not bite off more than you can chew” and go overboard just because you want to be an owner. Becoming more conservative and understanding what trade-offs are in your choices today will put you in a more solid position later on. Be smart and don’t shoot for the stars if you don’t have the wherewithal and a para-

Lastly, as we grow older, the decision to downsize or stay where we are and make the necessary upgrades or move to where our children reside becomes an all-important issue that should be considered. Moreover, selling your home because you no longer need so much space and/or the costs involved in upkeep between taxes, heating bills, and maintenance, repairs, etc., or staying local is something else that should be contemplated. Deciding to purchase or rent is another thing to figure out based on your age, health, and financial situation. Also, maybe an independent or assisted living or unfortunately a nursing home might be in the cards that will have to be considered.

Whether 1st-time buyers in listening to parents’ thoughts and ideas or downsizing, think of your situation carefully and create a reasonable plan at least 3-6 months in advance to minimize financial errors and the stress that accompanies it.

Continue to Donate to the Ukrainian Crisis and save a life or 2: https://usaforiom.org/iomsukraine-response/

Holiday Strategies

to eight hours per night to guard against mindless eating.

Most of all, remember what the season is about: celebrating and connecting with the people you care about. When you focus more on the fun, it’s easier to focus less on the food.

Q and A

Q: How can I prevent overeating during the holidays?

A: It helps to pay close attention to portion sizes. Serving yourself larger portions than normal encourages you to eat more, even if you would have been satisfied with a smaller amount. Eating too much at one time can cause unpleasant side effects such as discomfort, drowsiness, heartburn and temporary feelings of being too hot or dizzy. For Thanksgiving, a well-portioned plate would consist of 3 ounces of

Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 40 years experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S.) and in 2022 has earned his National Association of Realtors “Green Industry designation for eco-friendly construction. He will provide you with “free” regular updates of sold and new homes in your town via the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island (MLSLI) or go to https://WWW. Li-RealEstate.Com and you can “do it yourself (DYI) and search on your own. For a “FREE” `15 minute consultation, as well as well as a “FREE printout or digital value analysis of what your home might sell for in today’s market without any obligation or “strings” attached. He can also provide a copy of “Unlocking the Secrets of Real Estate’s New Market Reality, and our Seller’s and Buyer’s Guides for “Things to Consider when Selling, investing or Purchasing your Home.

You can email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your request or ideas, suggestions or interview you for a specific topic and a Q & A for a future column with your name, email and cell number. He will email or call you back and respond to your request ASAP as long as he has your complete name, cell, email and/or full home or business address. Again, for a “FREE” 15 minute consultation, he can also be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@ TurnKeyRealEstate.Com to answer any of your questions and concerns in selling, investing, purchasing, or leasing residential or commercial property.

protein, such as turkey, 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes, 1/4 cup of gravy, 1/2 cup of stuffing, 1/2 cup green bean casserole and 1/4 cup cranberry sauce. For dessert, pick just one slice of pie.

Looking for a new side dish to serve with the traditional Thanksgiving turkey and classic side dishes? Try this holiday vegetable salad. It’s colorful, easy and can

be made ahead. You can also add fresh broccoli florets if desired. It’s from “Taste of Home Most Requested Recipes.”

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

COPYRIGHT 2022 CREATORS

STARGAZERS

Viewing the Moonlit Geminid Meteors

BY DENNIS MAMMANA

Week of December 11-17, 2022

It’s December, and with it come colder temperatures throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere and, in the sky, the most prolific meteor shower of the year: the Geminids.

Never heard of it? Well, that’s not a huge surprise. If you ask beginning stargazers which is the most spectacular meteor shower of the year, I’ll bet that many will cite the Perseids of mid-August. I suspect that most would be surprised to learn that the Geminids are often brighter and more plentiful than the Perseids.

For this year’s shower, as with many other things in life, there’s both good news and bad news. First, the bad news.

During this year’s Geminids shower a waning gibbous moon will dominate the late-night sky. This can be a problem since its light will obscure some of the fainter meteors that one might otherwise see. Equally bad for many working folks is that the 2022 Geminids will reach their peak activity during the predawn hours of Wednesday, Dec. 14.

The good news -- at least for those who can get away during midweek -- is that the Geminids often produce brilliant fireballs that can easily outshine the moonlight.

So how many meteors (also called “shooting” or “falling” stars) might we expect to see under these moonlit condi-

tions? Well, during a typical (moonless) Geminid shower, hourly numbers can reach as high as 100 or 120, so it would be somewhat less than this. But if there are spectacular fireballs like those I’ve mentioned, you wouldn’t remember much else anyway!

If the Geminids are so bright and numerous, why don’t people cite them as their favorite? My guess is because the shower occurs during the wintertime when most people are reluctant to brave the cold to watch lights falling from the sky. Too bad, because I’ve always felt that the Geminids can easily be the best shower of the year -- even under moonlight.

Geminid meteors all seem to radiate from a point in the direction of the constellation Gemini, the twins, which during early evening hours in mid-December appears low in the east-northeastern sky. This means that skywatchers who can’t stay up until the wee hours can at least catch some nice meteor activity before retiring for the night -- another piece of good news.

Around midnight Gemini will lie nearly overhead, and we’ll see meteors falling all around us -- but always coming from the direction of the radiant just west of the star Castor. During the predawn hours when the Geminids should reach their peak, Gemini and the radiant will lie in the western sky.

My recommendations for watching the Geminid meteor shower are simple. First, be sure to dress warmly and have

on hand a thermos of hot chocolate, for example, to make the night even more enjoyable. Next, head out away from the city lights where the only distraction is the moonlight. And, finally, lie back on a sleeping bag or lawn chair and scan the entire sky with your eyes.

If you can’t get away to catch some

great Geminids this year, you’ll want to put this shower on your observing list for 2023 when moonlight will be no issue at all.

Visit Dennis Mammana at dennismammana.com.

COPYRIGHT 2022 CREATORS.COM

Geminid meteors all seem to radiate from a point in the direction of the constellation Gemini, the twins, which during early evening hours in mid-December appears low in the east-northeastern sky.

LOST IN SUBURBIA

This Column is Full of Bologna

BY TRACY BECKERMAN

The great thing about handbags is that no matter how much weight you gain or lose, they always fit. This is why I love bags and have more of them than I am willing to admit in a column or a court of law.

As obsessions go, it is a relatively harmless one. The only downside is moving all my stuff from one bag to another. In an effort to simplify the process, I got one of those big inserts that is essentially a bag within a bag so I can just pull the contents of my bag out in one fell swoop. But even with that, I still manage to lose track of things from time to time. The issue is actually less one of having multiple bags and more to do with the fact that no matter which bag I use, as soon as I move into it, it becomes a virtual black hole of bagdom.

It’s actually a good thing that I switch bags fairly frequently because if I used

the same bag all the time, there are things in there that would be lost for years. I have found the usual suspects, such as lone earrings, missing safe deposit box keys and errant change. But I have also discovered other things that I didn’t even recall ever putting in there, including such questionable items as an egg timer, a tooth (not mine), the neighbor’s cat (just seeing if you are paying attention) and a fake rubber fly.

I’m pretty sure if the feds ever decided to step up their search for Jimmy Hoffa, they would most likely find him at the bottom of one of my bags.

Because things tend to disappear in my bag, I have gotten into the habit of making sure I hang up my car keys the minute I walk into the house, lest I drop them into my bag and they get sucked into a tunnel and out the other side of the universe.

I was sure I had done this the day I

came home from the supermarket. But when I went to retrieve my keys from their hanging place, the keys weren’t there. I knew I hadn’t put them in my bag, because I never put them in my bag, so I went to check the car to see if I left them in there.

No keys.

Then I looked in the pocket of my jacket. No keys.

Then I checked the bathroom. No keys.

Now I was starting to freak out. I had a doctor appointment in half an hour and there were no keys to be found.

I took a breath and thought for a minute. Since the only place I hadn’t actually checked was my bag, I figured I had nothing to lose. Rather than fish around in the black hole, I grabbed the bag and dumped the contents onto the floor. Out came my wallet, sunglasses,

makeup bag, a couple of pens and...

A package of bologna.

Blinking in confusion at the bologna, I shook my head and then had a sudden realization.

I picked up the bologna and walked over to the fridge, opened the door and peered in.

Just then, my husband appeared in the kitchen.

“What are we having for lunch?” he wondered.

I reached into the fridge and pulled something out of the meat drawer.

“Car keys.”

Tracy Beckerman is the author of the Amazon Bestseller “Barking at the Moon: A Story of Life, Love, and Kibble,” available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble online! You can visit her at www. tracybeckerman.com.

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EMPLOYMENT

HELP WANTED

HIRING MAIL SORTERS

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SITUATION WANTED

ELDER CARE Experienced woman seeks position to care for the elderly live in or live out. Certified HHA. Excellent references. Please call 516-800-6442

HEALTH AIDE:

Certified Aide seeking to provide private duty care to Garden City or local area resident. Available Monday through Friday, part time or full time, flexible hours, exceptional references. Call Annmarie 917-586-7433

EMPLOYMENT

CAREER TRAINING

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! (844) 947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET) Computer with internet is required.

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MARKETPLACE

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FLORIDA

SATSUMA MANDARINS

Tree ripe harvested Easy to peel Perfect for kids and Christmas gifts. Go to website: www.barlcitrus.com to place your order. Shipped daily 15 lb. box $45w/free shipping INVITED ESTATE SALES BY TRACY JORDAN is doing VIRTUAL TAG SALES and ONLINE AUCTIONS now! Sell the contents of an entire house or sell just a few things! You can host your own sale on invitedsales.com and Facebook and Instagram or we can do it for you. We can photograph, advertise and handle the winning pickups for you within a week! Don’t worry about your closing date, we can get your house ready on time! 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. Contact info@invitedsales.com for more information or call 516279-6378 to schedule a consultation or receive more information. Visit us at www.invitedsales. com for a listing of our upcoming Virtual Tag Sales and Weekly Auctions!

AUCTIONS

COOL OLD STUFF IN GLEN COVE VINTAGE SHOP. WINNER OF BEST OF NASSAU COUNTY 2021. GREAT PRICED items for Boat and Home. See ALL online: Wilsonsdrydock.com. For info/ appt Please call 516662-2821

WANTED TO BUY

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REAL ESTATE FOR RENT

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SERVICES

JACK’S CUSTOM FRAMING

We can frame anything! Quality Care & Workmanship

Thousands of frames to choose from!!

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ACE PAVING & MASONRY

Free Estimates. Budget friendly solutions. If you’re looking for any masonry service, be it a driveway installation, chimney repair, asphalt, or concrete work, foundation and basement repair. Trust our team to handle it for you. With more than 45 years of combined experience, we promise you impressive results. We guarantee we’ll beat any like for like quote, so you can enjoy budget-friendly services when you hire us. www.acepavingandmasonry.com Call: 516-814-1511

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Champagne takes center stage again

Blood-Orange Champagne Cocktail

Sparkling wines are made by sealing the beverages before the fermentation process is complete, causing the effervescent bubbles that is their hallmark. Sparkling wines are produced in various regions of the world, but “champagne” is unique to the Champagne region of northeast France, where vines were introduced by the Romans many centuries ago.

One of the most legendary and heralded brands of champagne was created by a French monk named Pérignon. Historians say Pérignon lived from 1638 to 1715 and was admitted in his lifetime to the abbey of Saint-Vanne. He acquired the honorary title of Dom while there, and also served as cellar master, creating what later would be known as the “vins de Pérignon.”

Dom Pérignon champagne is still a prestigious brand today, joined by other leaders of the

industry like Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Nicolas Feuilatte, and Pol Roger. French champagnes are part of elegant toasts, A-list events and five-star dining experiences. They also may be poured on New Year’s Eve. All champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is champagne.

Enjoying champagne on its own in the requisite stemmed

2¼ cups freshly squeezed or frozen blood-orange juice

2 750-ml bottles champagne, chilled

1) Pour 3 tablespoons juice in each champagne flute.

2) Fill flutes with champagne, and serve.

glass is tradition, but champagne also can be mixed into any number of cocktails — from bellinis to mimosas. This “Blood-Orange Champagne Cocktail” is a variation on the classic mimosa, and doesn’t necessarily need to be enjoyed at brunch. Serve it on New Year’s Eve, or for any special occasion, courtesy of Martha Stewart.

Last Hope is 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 Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation 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

Plainview Water Dist. receives $6.4 million in grants

The Plainview Water District recently received two additional grants totaling $6.4 million to pay for water treatment facilities.

The Plainview Water District (PWD) was recently awarded two additional grants totaling $6.4 million as part of New York State’s Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA). The funding will help

with costs associated with constructing state-of-the-art water treatment facilities at the District’s Plant 3 and Plant 4 well sites for the removal of emerging contaminants. With this latest award, the Plainview Water

District has now secured more than $34 million in grants from New York State over the past five years.

“We are thankful to Governor Hochul and the state representatives that have made this funding available as it will help us bolster our mission of providing the best possible water to the Plainview-Old Bethpage community,” said PWD Chairman Marc Laykind “The Plainview Water District is proud to have made substantial improvements to our treatment facilities and related infrastructure projects and this funding will help cover a majority of the costs associated with the investment that our residents will not have to bear.”

The Plainview Water District currently has six advanced oxidation process (AOP) treatment systems in use across its service territory and has been delivering water in compliance with the new strict water quality standards established by New York State. Plainview Water District’s AOP systems were put in place and running long before the NYS compliance date back in 2020. These systems, when coupled with granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration tanks, are the only approved method of removing 1,4-dioxane from the public drinking water supply. Securing more than $34 million in grant funding has been crucial to absorb the necessary investment associated with constructing these

required treatment facilities at impacted plant sites throughout the District.

“The PWD is thrilled that we are able to continue to secure these grants on behalf of our residents that will allow us to continue improving upon the high-quality water we deliver to the POB community for decades to come,” said PWD Commissioner Amanda Field. “Our team has been laser focused on the issue of emerging contaminants for years now and we are extremely proud that our efforts have paid off for our community as we never sought or required a compliance extension for the State’s new regulations. We are appreciative of the continued support from our region’s elected officials as it will lessen the monetary impact these significant investments will have on our residents.”

The Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017 seeks to invest $2.5 billion in wastewater and drinking water projects and water quality protection across New York State. It provides at least $1 billion for the New York State WIIA, which assists municipalities in funding water quality infrastructure. To date, $900 million in Water Infrastructure Improvement Act and Intermunicipal Grant funding supports nearly $4.5 billion in total project costs for vital drinking and wastewater infrastructure projects statewide.

Give the gift of life: Donate blood

With hospitals facing a nationwide blood shortage this holiday season, Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Town Councilwoman Vicki Walsh invite residents to give the gift of life by donating blood on Thursday, December 15, from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Town of Oyster Bay Hicksville Athletic Center, located at 167 S. Broadway in Hicksville.

Supervisor Saladino stated, “Blood supplies have seriously dwindled as a result of the COVID-19

health pandemic and are critically needed for local hospitals to meet the demand and continue saving lives. Please consider participating in this blood drive to help bolster our blood banks and ensure as many people as possible can be helped. Together, we can give the gift of life this holiday season through a simple blood donation.”

Appointments are preferred for the Town’s Blood Drive. To qualify as a donor, a person must be between the ages of 17 and 75 years old (16

with parental permission and 76 or older with a doctor’s note), weigh at least 110 pounds and not have donated blood within the last 56 days. Anyone who received a tattoo within the past 12 months is ineligible to donate. It is recommended that donors eat well (low fat) and drink fluids in the days before the Blood Drive. Additionally, all donors will receive a voucher for a free Blizzard at Dairy Queen.

Councilwoman Walsh added, “It’s quick, easy, and safe to donate a

single pint of blood which can save up to three lives. Donating blood at the Hicksville Athletic Center, is an incredible way for all of us to pitch in and give back during the holidays.”

For additional information regarding the Town’s Blood Drive, contact the Town’s Public Information Office at (516) 624-6380. To make an appointment to donate at this Blood Drive, sign up today at https://donate.nybc. org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/298555.

Thanksgiving balloon parade at Hicksville’s Fork Lane

Fork Lane fourth graders showing off their handmade balloons for all to see.

Fourth grade students at Fork Lane Elementary in Hicksville held their Thanksgiving Balloon Parade on Nov. 23. Students paraded through the halls of the elementary school for their peers and staff and then marched out the doors around the

front of the school where family and friends lined the sidewalks.

Students proudly held their balloon masterpieces high. Imagination and creativity were apparent with sightings of Mr. Met, Santa Claus and a host of barn animals to name a few.

In preparation of the annual event, the students read Melissa Sweet’s book “Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade,” which shares the fascinating history of the Macy’s Parade and the creation of the giant balloons by

puppeteer Tony Sarg. Students decorated their balloons with straws, popsicle sticks, gift wrap, paper towel rolls and ribbon.

Photos courtesy of Hicksville Public Schools

Students proudly paraded with their balloon creations.

Leading the Thanksgiving parade was a student and her turkey creation.

Hicksville board recognizes NYSSMA students

At the Nov. 16 Hicksville Board of Education meeting, Hicksville High School students Brandon Baade, Samantha Mason and Nisarg Shah were recognized for being selected for the NYSSMA All-State. Baade and Mason will be attending the NYSSMA All-State Festival to be held in Rochester, New York on Dec. 1–4 as members of the All-State Symphonic Band. Baade will be playing the euphonium and Mason will be playing the piccolo and serving as an alternate for the flute. This is Baade’s second year being selected to be a member of an All-State ensemble. Fellow student Nisarg Shah has been selected as an alternate for the All-State Jazz Band for saxophone. Participation at the All-State Festival is based on the results of student participation in the NYSSMA Solo Festival from the previous spring. All student performances were outstanding from the 2022 Spring NYSSMA Solo Festival. Baade’s All-

State euphonium score was a perfect 100, earning him a spot in the AllState Symphonic Band. Mason’s All-State piccolo score was a perfect 100, earning her a spot in the All-State Symphonic Band. Her All-State flute score was a perfect 100, leading to her selection as an alternate for the All-State Symphonic Band. Nisarg Shah’s All-State jazz saxophone solo earned a score of a perfect 100, leading to her selection as an alternate for the All-State Jazz Band.

Students chosen to participate in the upcoming NYSSMA All-State Festival will spend the weekend in rehearsals with nationally known conductors working on high level music in preparation for concerts performed in the Eastman Theatre on the campus of the world renowned Eastman School of Music. These ensembles are composed of the most outstanding student musicians from around New York State.

Nisarg Shah and Samantha Mason were recognized on November 16 by the Hicksville Board of Education for being selected for NYSSMA All-State. Brandon Baade missing from photo.

Photo courtesy of Hicksville Public Schools

Bethpage second graders travel back to colonial times

Second grader Ava McMahon showed off her cornhusk doll.

Bethpage second graders at Kramer Lane Elementary School recently learned how to create their own corn husk dolls through the Nassau BOCES’ Colonial Crafts program. The special activity was led by BOCES naturalists

Bette Bass, Karel Barns and Suzanne Dehmer.

After discussing what corn husk is, the students received materials to create their own doll just as the settlers did. They used the corn husk, string,

Nassau BOCES naturalist Bette Bass spoke with Kramer Lane students about corn husk doll making.

cloth and ribbon to bring their dolls to life. The naturalists walked the students through each step and educated them on the importance of each piece.

The second graders helped each other assemble their dolls and each stu-

dent made their corn husk doll unique with either a dress, pants or a cape. The hands-on colonial lesson was a positive learning experience for all.

Photos courtesy of the Bethpage Union Free School District

Second graders Alyssa Reilly (left) and Paisley Fay (right) worked together to assemble a corn husk doll.

Nassau BOCES naturalist Karel Barns (right) showed Kramer Lane students how to make pants for a corn husk doll.

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Locations

NYU Langone hospitals are once again rated A in patient safety

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Pulled

Pulled

Rib

Smoked

Stuffed