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Friday, February 16, 2024
Vol. 84, No. 7
Local families join Lunar New Year festivities BY RIKKI MASSAND
Local students performed during the Town of Oyster Bay's Lunar New Year celebration.
9/11 Walls of Honor The Town of Oyster Bay has announced that applications are now available for families to add the names of loved ones to the Town of Oyster Bay’s 9/11 Walls of Honor which recognize all those with a connection to the Town who gave their lives and succumbed in their battle against 9/11 related cancers and illness. Each September, the Town unveils newly inscribed names into the Walls of Honor which recognize the family members, friends and neigh-
bors lost to this toxic legacy. Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino stated, “We remember and give thanks to those who ran into danger in order to help the victims of a cowardly act of terror. This includes first responders, downtown workers, residents, students and so many others with cancer certified to be 9/11-related. The events of 9/11 continue to take our heroes and survivors – and members of our community will continue to face darker
days ahead. We watch each week as more of these heroes pass, in an ever-increasing and unending number. Just as many of these rescue and recovery heroes raced to the Towers the first minute the plane hit, and stayed until the last brick was turned, their memorial stands with and lead us to those we lost that tragic Tuesday morning.” Reports from the World Trade Center Health program indicate that we are approachSee page 10
The Syosset Advance Published every Friday by Litmor Publishing Corp. Periodical Postage paid at Hicksville, N.Y. 11801 Telephone 931-0012 - USPS 3467-68 Postmaster: Send Address Change to: The Syosset Advance, 821 Franklin Ave., Suite 208 Garden City, N.Y. 11530 • Meg Norris, Publisher
On Monday night Oyster Bay’s Town Hall on Audrey Avenue was packed with many local families gathered to see special performances to celebrate Lunar New Year in grand fashion for the third straight year. Town of Oyster Bay Receiver of Taxes Jeff Pravato, the MC for the evening, as Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Town Council members Vicki Walsh and Lou Imbroto joined special guests in the front row and cheered on from the audience. Syosset students from H.B. Thompson Middle School were dressed in shiny gold costumes as they performed the traditional ‘Dragon Dance.’ Children from the Yes I Can Performing Arts Center on Jericho Turnpike, a volunteer band of students at Syosset’s iSchool of Music & Art on Cold Spring Road, and martial arts students from Sitan Tai Chi & Martial Arts Center on Michael Drive in Syosset all performed during the Town’s Lunar New Year event. Musical entertainment also included a special performance by local youth in The Fortune Star Band, which is composed of middle school and high school students in both Syosset Central School District and Jericho Public Schools. The Town of Oyster Bay-sponsored event on Monday, February 12 at Town Hall commemorated the Year of the Dragon. Town Supervisor Saladino noted that for the third straight year, the organized gathering celebrated the many contributions of Asian Americans in society along with the proud heritage and cultures they represent among the Town’s diverse and growing population. Several residents who attended Monday’s event said they were new to the Town of Oyster Bay, having moved to Long Island from New York City. Landy Lin is the president of the Plainview Chinese American Association. She works as a healthcare professional and is a committee member for the American Cancer Society. Lin is excited by the opportunities she’s been a part of, living in Plainview and in TOBAY, and hopes to start a family here soon. “I am so happy we’ve organized this nonprofit association in Plainview for the Chinese American community. Hopefully we’ll be planning more public events and actually preserve and celebrate our Chinese roots and heritage. The Chinese American community is expanding around Nassau County, and I am so happy to see many of us participate with the Town of Oyster Bay here today,” Lin said. There are currently five volunteer board members who manage the Plainview Chinese American Association: Lin as president, IT professional Ping Cheng as vice president, Jenny Lin as their program director, Ming Jiang as public relations director and board secretary Susan Zhong. More information is available on the orgaSee page 10
Students win MLK art, essay contest PAGE 4 Year of the Dragon at Lee Road School PAGE 6