HO HO HO RUN
Runners are invited to participate in this year's Ho Ho Ho Holiday Run on December 21s. Above, some festively dressed finishers of the 2018 Run. See page 6 for registration information.
Santa's mailboxes arrive in town offices
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 16.
The Town of Oyster Bay will forward letters to Santa at the
North Pole. Letters received by Monday, December 16 with a legible name and return address will be answered by Santa before the holiday. No postage is necessary.
Colorful red mailboxes will be accessible daily during regular business hours at the following locations:
• Town Hall North, 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay
• Town Hall South, 977
Hicksville Road, Massapequa
• Hicksville Athletic Center, 167 S. Broadway, Hicksville
• Ice Skating Center, 1001 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage
For more information about Santa’s Mailboxes, please call (516) 624-6380 weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. or visit the www.oysterbaytown.com.
Students assist in creation of Syosset Schools’ Code of Conduct
BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
Over the past several months the Syosset Central School District has worked to enhance its official Code of Conduct to become a “Code of Conduct, Character and Support,” according to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Thomas Rogers. Groups of students worked with administrators to write a revamped ‘plain language’ Code of Conduct for the district. In turn, a group of teachers worked on a plain language Code for teachers and a group of parents worked on one for them and their fellow parents.
The school board voted to adopt the new Code at its November 18 meeting, minutes after viewing a video presentation from students and faculty including two “Teacher Voices” -- Jill Bentivegna and Amy Aiosa. Dr. Rogers said this multi-faceted, collaborative effort was successful in “breathing new life into the new Code of Conduct.”
The new Code of Conduct states that teachers, principals, administrators, schools staff and parents and the larger community have an obligation to help students learn to be good citizens and lead productive lives by “enabling them to discern right from wrong; fostering in them a desire to do what is right, and requiring students to take responsibility for their words and actions.”
The Syosset Parent Code of Conduct Writing Team advised that as a community in Syosset/Woodbury, students can be strongly supported to develop into good citizens with strong moral character and a growth mindset. “This will help them to become active participants in our global society,” the team comments.
The presentation on November 18 included ways of developing social and emotional competencies in students, which “contribute to improved academic and personal outcomes and enable students to learn and practice how to manage their emotions, set goals, create positive relationships, make good choices and feel and show empathy for others.”
School Board President Tracy Frankel thanked the faculty, staff, students and volunteer community members who helped the district with its efforts to revamp the written Code of Conduct.
“We (the school board) often hear about what is going on in our schools but to have this presented to us just gives us a whole other level of understanding of the commitment that you all have demonstrated and that we all share! Thank you all so much,” Frankel said.
Dr. Rogers noted that as district students worked on the plain language Code for the youngest
See page 18
Toys for Tots collection underway
The Town of Oyster Bay is currently holding this year’s “Toys for Tots” Collection Drive, which will run through December 12, in an effort to collect new, unwrapped toys to be used as gifts for children throughout the community.
“Under the direction of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, the Toys for Tots Drive follows a mission to help ensure that disadvantaged children within our community do not have to go the holiday season without something to bring them happiness,” Town Councilman Thomwas Hand said.
“By helping those in need experience
the wonderful embrace of the holiday season, contributor’s will get to play an active role in bringing happiness to one of our nation’s most valuable resources for the future, our children,” Town Councilman Anthony Macagnone said.
For those who wish to donate to “Toys for Tots”, collection boxes can be found in the following Town facilities:
• Oyster Bay Town Hall North (54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay);
• Town Hall South (977 Hicksville Road, Massapequa);
• Department of Public Works Facility (150 Miller Place, Syosset);
• The Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating
Center (at Bethpage Community Park1001 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage);
• Syosset-Woodbury Community Park Community Center (Jericho Turnpike, Woodbury).
For more information, please contact the Councilmembers, co-chairs of the Collection Drive, at (516) 624-6619 or (516) 624-6305; or visit www.oysterbaytown.com.
Trump pardoned in Jericho
"Trump the Turkey" was pardoned at Milleridge Inn.
An official pardoning ceremony took place this week at the Milleridge Inn, of a red-orange headed turkey named “ Trump”
The historic Milleridge Inn, originally built in 1692, has held a turkey pardon each Thanksgiving holiday for the past decade. This year, more than 2,000 turkeys will be served over the holiday.
“Trump The Turkey”, born several years ago on June 14, the same date as
the 45th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, will be spared this Thanksgiving holiday to spend the rest of his days on a turkey farm in Virginia, several miles from the White House.
“Trump will be spared from getting his head chopped off and from any impeachment process as he is loved by everyone,” stated Butch Yamali, owner of the Milleridge Inn.
Jericho schools honor staff for outstanding service
Those honored for 10 years include: Meghan DiGangi, William Ferro, Melissa Friedman, Ana Gonzalez, Karen Gould, Jose Guerra, Michael Lee, Heather McGee, Andrea Napoli, Jason Rubinstein, Reshma Seth, Robyn Stern, Diane Stile, Natalia Tomkiel and Karina Zanzonico.
Those honored for 25 years are: Angela Cancemi, Barbara Eatz, Marcia Frank, Michael Kramer, Rosemarie Nieves, Judy Ornstein, Ronald Verderber, Winston Webb and James Woska.
The Jericho school district recently honored members of its staff for outstanding service during the annual staff recognition reception at Jericho Middle/High School audi -
torium. The district recognized staff members for outstanding service to the children and youth of Jericho.
Those honored for 20 years were: Judith Adler, Barbara Bauer, Jennifer Benderly, Jeanne Boyle, Milissa Castanza-Seymour, Marie Chirco, Mary Ann Colucci, Elissa Cosenza, Barry Coval, Lauren DeMarinis, Janis DeMieri, Rosanna Gangidino, Patricia Gulitti, Nicole Gumpert, Lisa Hakes, Jill Kahan, Barbara Kalpakis, Holly Kim, Jill Kipnis, Jozef Kotowski, Barbara Krieger, Jerzy Lawreniuk, Mary Leissing, Christine Mongiovi, Beth Riccuiti, Jennifer Rinaldi, Theone Rinaudo, Beverly Roach, Janine Rodriguez, Margaret Rudis, Risa Thomas and Charu Vardhan.
Those honored for 30 years include: Mary Bensen, Jacek Malecki, Denise Ryder, and James Whelan. And those honored for 35 years: Tina R Bellotti, Charlotte Drogin, Lynne Kane, Lydia Marcucci and Margaret Oliva.
for all seasons.
Photos by Denise Nash
Rec Night at Robbins Lane School
The Robbins Lane PTA hosted its Second Grade Rec Night on Friday, October 4. The event was held in the Robbins Lane gym and included almost 60 kids – an incredible turnout!
Each school year, the PTA has a
Rec Night for each grade – this night was for the second-graders. The event was organized and led by two Robbins Lane fathers, with the help of a superb group of parent volunteers. In fact, the highlight of the night may have been
when two parent volunteers attempted to demonstrate the best way to win a scooter relay- luckily, the kids used their own techniques for that race!
During the event, the kids participated in many relay races, such as hockey, soccer, and lacrosse relays, a few individual events, and the finale, a tug-of-war, where the kids battled each other and then their parents. At the end, all went home exhausted, especially the parents!
Kicking it at Robbins Lane
Keeping it fair and square
Thumbs up for rec night
Got this!
Best night!
Local runners score in Blue Ribbon Run for prostate cancer
Congratulations to Andrew Lee of Jericho and Gianna Lavacca of Syosset, both of whom won awards in the November 10 Blue Ribbon 5 Kilometer Run for Prostate Cancer.
The 14-year-old Lee covered the 3.107 mile course from SyossetWoodbury Community Park through the Crossways Industrial Park in 21 minutes, 52 seconds to earn the second place award in the 14 and under age group. The 13-year-old Lavacca took third place honors in the female 14 and under age group with a finishing time of 32 minutes, 58 seconds.
The field of 342 finishers (the largest field for this Run in the past six
years!), enjoyed the often-hilly course. In addition to all the usual race perks, there were free on-site prostate cancer screenings available for all men age 40 plus, and 65 men took advantage of the opportunity. There was also a well received Health Fair, featuring the Heart and Health Mobile Unit offering free EKGs and free blood pressure checks.
The Run was hosted by Integrated Medical Foundation and its Executive Director Rhonda Samuel, with race management chores being handled by the Greater Long Island Running Club.
At tention students!
Graduated from school? Have an outstanding GPA? Made the honor roll or Dean’s List? Scored an internship or study abroad opportunity? We invite you to send details of any of these things and more, along with your name and contact info, to editor@gcnews.com for a chance to be seen in our paper!
Andrew Lee proudly displays his Blue Ribbon Award plaque
The view from the start in Syosset-Woodbury Community Park
Gianna Lavacca heads for the finish line
Vendors Market
Gift of Travel: Take Advantage of Black
Friday, CyberMonday, Holiday Specials to Give the Gift that Keeps Giving
BY KAREN RUBIN TRAVEL FEATURES SYNDICATE GOINGPLACESFARANDNEAR.COM
The gift of travel is the gift of together, of time, of memory, of life-changing, life-enhancing experience, of new perspectives and new awareness – of self, of others, of our place in the world and time itself.
Travel destinations and providers get into the holiday spirit with Black Friday, Cyber Monday and special deals and make it easy to package The Gift of Travel.
Hotels in national parks are in such high demand they rarely offer discounts...but they do during Black Friday and Cyber Monday! Xanterra Travel Collection’s annual Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale features up to 40 percent off hotels in Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Zion and Yellowstone. Also on sale: tickets on the historic Grand Canyon Railway, luxury hotels (The Broadmoor and Sea Island), Windstar Cruises, VBT Bicycling Vacations and Country Walkers. Details: www.xanterra. com/Thankful.
Whole countries are on sale: Ireland is promoting special offers of its partners including Great Value Vacations, The Irish Tourism Group, Brendan Vacations, CIE Tours, Railtours IIreland, Tenon Tours, Authentic Vacations and Insight.
More than 20 hotels, resorts and
Taking in the view at sunset of the Piton Mountains from the Passion Flower terrace. Anse Chastanet and its sister resort, Jade Mountain, on St. Lucia have been recertified by Travelife, the sustainable tourism certification system. More than 20 hotels, resorts and villas in Saint Lucia are offering significant Cyber Monday booking specials. © Laini Miranda/ goingplacesfarandnear.com
villas in Saint Lucia are offering significant Cyber Monday booking specials (up to 60% off!) on luxury resorts, family-friendly accom-
ed-time specials are available for booking starting on Cyber Monday November 29, 2019
modations, private villas, hotels overlooking the iconic Piton mountains, beachfront accommodations, and more. Most of these limit-
GOING PLACES NEAR AND FAR
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GOING PLACES, NEAR & FAR....
Gift of Travel: Take Advantage of Black Friday, CyberMonday, Holiday Specials to Give the Gift that Keeps Giving
and several are offering these deals to “early birds” who wish to book before then. Visit www.stlucia.org/specials/ cyber-monday-specials for details.
Perillo Tours, Access Culinary Trips (AccessCulinaryTrips.com), Outward Bound and resorts like Woodstock Inn & Resort in Vermont, as well as chains like Hilton all have special timely offers.
Even themeparks like LegoLand California Resort is discounting its various pass offerings starting at 12 a.m. Friday, Nov. 29 through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2, exclusively through its website.
Basically, anything that you have been thinking about, fantasizing about, anything on your bucket list, check out the company’s website to see whether there are holiday specials.
Many tour operators, including Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold and other sister companies of The Travel Corporation (ttc.com) are offering enticing discounts for early bookings and many travel entities – hotels and resorts, cruiselines, tour companies, spas (Spafinder.com), ski resorts (think about gifting ski passes like EpicPass, Ikon or Liftopia) and cruiselines – have gift card programs and are offering special discounts for the holidays.. Some have
gift registries where multiple gift-givers can contribute.
Liftopia’s annual Cyber Monday sale runs Nov. 26 at 5 pm PT through Dec. 3 at 9 pm PT. Give the gift of ski this holiday, or simply use this opportunity to snag the best deals of the season by purchasing lift tickets online and in advance. Purchase a Liftopia Gift Card and get a bonus credit up to 25% (spend $100-$199, get a $15 bonus gift card; spend $200-$299, get a $40 bonus gift card; spend $300 or more, get a $75 bonus gift card). More details or to purchase at www.liftopia. com.
Many of the grandest Historic Hotels of America members, each one distinct with a deep connection to place, offer gift cards – like Wentworth by the Sea, NH; Omni Grove Park Inn, Mission Inn & Spa (the list goes on and on) – just inquire. To see members, visit historichotels.org and its European counterpart, Historic Hotels of Europe, www.historichotelsofeurope.com.
Sebasco, a fabulous resort on the mid-Maine coast that manages to be rustic and luxurious at the same time is offering a deal where if you purchase a $150 Sebasco Gift Card by December 13, you get a $25 gift card for free or for a $500 gift card, a $100 bonus gift card free (sebasco.com, 877-636-0085).
Here’s a really interesting one: Glamping Hub (glampinghub.com) is offering its second annual Black FridayCyber Monday sale – an interesting way to experience this online booking platform for 35,000 unique outdoor accommodations in over 27 different categories (safari tents, tree houses, cabins, tipis, villas, domes) in over 120 countries. For every gift card purchased on Glamping Hub’s Gift Card Portal, 20% will be added
to the gift card. This deal will be live on the website from 11/28-12/4,and gift cards have a one-year validity, Travel Deals Black Friday 2019 / Cyber Monday Deals (https://glampinghub.com/special/black-friday-cyber-monday-traveldeals/).
These are just examples. The key here is that if there is a destination, a cruise, a resort you want to “gift” to your loved one, just ask if a program is available. Check expiration dates and how the gift card can be used.
Trips That Make a Difference
Often, just showing up is a way of sustaining, revitalizing communities with tourism supplanting obsolete extractive and exploitive economic pursuits – a way of giving back. Many travel programs and tour companies are now designed to sustain the environment and heritage of local communities, hire locally, donate a portion of the tour costs to benefit local communities (building schools, creating water projects) and even are organized around opportunities for travelers to participate in local life or projects.
The Travel Corporation’s 42 different brands (Including Trafalgar, Uniworld, InsightVacations, Luxury Gold, Contiki, African Travel, Inc., Lion World Travel, Brendan Vacations and Red Carnation Hotels) are designed this way and also support the Treadright Foundation. TTL’s philanthropy dedicated to preserving and protecting the planet, people and wildlife, supports 55 projects in 280 communities in 26 countries (www.ttc.com). In addition, some of the tour programs work in conjunction with We.org, which builds schools, promotes sustainable agriculture, brings pure water to com-
munities, to offer programs in which travelers can immerse themselves into that community. (www.TreadRight.org/ trips/)
Pure Adventures (pure-adventures. com), a boutique biking and hiking tour operator offering private, custom, independent and guided travel in Europe, Asia, South and North America, as a member of the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund, contributes a portion of the trip fee to support conservation efforts around the world. (Check out this year’s projects, http://adventuretravelconservationfund.org/grant-winners/)
Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT), which is part of Boston-based Grand Circle Corporation’s family of travel companies, supports the nonprofit Grand Circle Foundation established in 1992 by owners Alan and Harriet Lewis to support communities in which Grand Circle works and travels, including some 300 humanitarian, cultural, and educational endeavors worldwide, among them, 100 schools in 50 countries. The Foundation is an entity of the Lewis Family Foundation, which has pledged or donated more than $169 million since 1981 (www.oattravel.com).
Off Season Adventures (offseasonadventures.com, 619-971-0823), a Hoboken-NJ based tour company which organizes programs to support local communities.
There is a whole category of “sustainable travel” companies and projects
GOING PLACES, NEAR & FAR....
that not only structure their travel programs with social responsibility in mind, but leverage the power of travel and tourism to improve the lives of people and their environment. Many are represented by Center for Responsible Travel (responsibletravel.org), Global Sustainable Tourism Council (gstcouncil.org), Earthcheck (earthcheck. org), the Rainforest Alliance (www. rainforest-alliance.org) and Sustainable Travel International (sustainabletravel. org).
Voluntourism
The very act of traveling benefits communities by spurring an economy that sustains culture, heritage, the environment, community, and forges a mutual understanding that can translate into foreign policy.
But for those who want to go even beyond to improve conditions for people, there is a category of travel, Voluntourism, that organizes travel to a destination to volunteer for good purpose – whether it is participating in scientific research, working to save a species from extinction or save the planet, or helping disadvantaged communities, or rebuilding after some disaster, as in Puerto Rico. andBeyond has launched philanthropic-focused itineraries in Tanzania, Kenya, and South Africa to give guests a first-hand look at its core ethos of caring for the land, wildlife, and people. The activities range from
adopting an elephant at the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Kenya to participating in local school conservation lessons in Tanzania to visiting the Grootbos Green Futures College in Cape Town, an organization that provides educational training to unemployed young adults in the city (www.andBeyond.com)
Earthwatch Expeditions enable you to join scientists in the field as they research urgent environmental issues, in places that would otherwise be closed to visitors. Expeditions address wildlife and ecosystems, climate change,
WRITER’S CORNER
archaeology and culture, and ocean health, for example, researching lions and their prey in Kenya, re-wilding the Scottish Highlands and studying orcas in Iceland. (800-776-0188, 978-461-0081, www. earthwatch.org),
Habitat for Humanity’s Habitat for Humanity Global Village offers opportunities to help in disaster recovery or build or improve housing, schools, clinics, and other essential structures in 40 countries (www.habitat.org)
See page D5
Is life after retirement just as I imagined?
BY CLAIRE LYNCH
I retired from my full-time job two years ago and in that time I’ve discovered a lot about the hobbies and interests I like - and the ones I don’t.
Before I go into that, let me just say that after spending decades working, after catching commuter trains and being sure that my subway tokens were handy or my Metro card was properly loaded and sticking to my work schedule no matter what, it’s quite a relief to just take a deep breath and enjoy doing what I want to do.
Still, as much as people dream about retiring and getting off the merry-goround, nothing can quite prepare you for retirement. When you wake up one day and actually have a whole block of free time available, it’s an eye opener. And when the boss doesn’t ask about a report that was due yesterday, that’s a relief.
It occurred to me that two dates in particular would be etched in my mind forever. One was the day I started working full-time in Rockville Centre after my college graduation which was January 24, 1977. The second all-important date was the day I retired, November 29, 2017. Each date was momentous in its own way.
I like being able to spend some leisurely time with family and friends and not have to watch the clock. I like wearing a watch but knowing that I don’t have to. Things seem to have a way of getting done whether I’m watching the clock or not.
Over the span of four decades I saw a lot of changes in the work place. The ushering in of first, electric typewriters then computers, cell phones, fax machines, voice mail service, smart phones, etc., all helped expedite the way my colleagues and I did our jobs. The technology made life easier. I no longer had to type a business letter and toss it in the wastebasket when I’d made a typo then start all over again.
I don’t want all of the technology that’s available to us to take the place of meeting face to face. What’s good about retirement is that my family and I can get in the car any time and drive to meet friends and relatives we may not have seen for a while. Even with the advent of Skyping, that wonderful invention that allows people’s voices and faces to connect over transmission lines, there is no substitute at all for getting together, kicking back and sharing some stories.
Sure I read a lot of articles about preparing financially for retirement and
for being sure that I had various different interests to fill my time - because going from being very busy to not so busy at all can be a tough thing. I read the professionals’ articles and did my homework and prepared as much as I possibly could.
Whether I counted down the years or fervently wished for it, sooner or later retirement was bound to happen. Still, after having my retirement party with co-workers and friends, and packing up my things, I gave a final farewell to my office friends and headed out the door one last time. Getting up early, putting in a full eight-hour day then going home to cook some dinner had come to an end. Retirement meant that after many, many years a more leisurely lifestyle had arrived.
I could sleep in a bit - although I really am a morning person and old habits die hard - and could lounge around in my pajamas longer than I ever would before.
I could linger over my first and second cups of coffee then go shopping, meet friends for lunch or take some spontaneous trips to see old friends.
As other friends and relatives heard about my new status as a retiree they asked what I was doing with myself all day. Usually the question was put as,
“What are you doing with all of your free time?” People had no qualms about asking me that. It struck me as a rather personal question to be asking someone but no one hesitated at all. Their curiosity was piqued.
I guess the idea of working all of one’s life then having a whole block of time open up seems strange to those people who still work. When I asked several of these people what they would do if they were retired, I got a whole lot of answers.
“Spend all my time at the beach,” one person said. My friend, Rick, replied that he would play poker with his buddies as often as he could but then stopped short and laughed when he realized that he probably wouldn’t play poker eight hours a day.
My friend, Tara, said she’s already an expert shopper for clothes so having all that extra time to pursue her favorite hobby would be a dream come true. Even if most of the time it was just window shopping for clothes - which includes looking at all of the latest styles - she would be happy.
While chatting I told these people
See page D5
Off Season Adventures organizes trips in such a way as to help local communities.
BY TOM MARGENAU
I am going to give you a series of names. I would give any reader a hundred bucks if he or she could tell me who these people are and what they all have in common. Here are the names: Stanford Ross. William Driver. John Svahn. Martha McSteen. Dorcas Hardy. Gwendolyn King. Shirley Chater. Kenneth Apfel. Michael Astrue.
So, who are they? They are nine of the past 29 commissioners of Social Security. The commissioner of Social Security is the top spot within the Social Security Administration. He or she is responsible for running one of the largest agencies in the federal government. This includes maintaining Social Security numbers and earnings records for nearly every working American and paying retirement, disability and survivor benefits to about 62 million people every month.
Yet, almost no one knows who these people are. Most folks can probably name the FBI director or the head of the CIA. But SSA is one of the many federal agencies whose top dog might as well be named Underdog. Who heads the Veterans Administration? Who is the commissioner of the IRS? Who runs the Federal Highway Administration? How about the Bureau of Labor Statistics? The heads of these and so many other federal agencies are almost always nameless political appointees. And therein lies a story I’d like to tell.
For part of my career with the SSA, I worked for several Social Security commissioners. Usually in the role of a speechwriter. Sometimes as an agency press officer (well, OK, deputy press officer). By no means was I a major player on any commissioner’s staff. But, as I used to say, “At least I was in the room.” In other words, if the commissioner had a meeting with his or her top staff, I might be sitting in a chair in the corner -- usually taking notes.
So I got to know a lot about the inner workings of the agency. I learned what the head of a big agency like the SSA really does. One of the commissioners I worked for (I won’t name names) was President Ronald Reagan’s pick to head Social Security. And one time, soon after she was appointed, she told me that Reagan told her this: “You really have only one job. Make sure those damn checks go out on time every month!”
But let’s be honest about that. The issuance of Social Security checks is pretty institutionalized. It’s built into the nature of the bureaucracy. Social Security checks have gone out on time every month for about 80 years now. Donald Duck could be the commissioner of Social Security, and the checks still would go out like clockwork each month. After all, commissioners come and go. It’s the dedicated civil servants who have been with the agency for decades who really keep the place humming along and make sure those
Name That Commissioner
checks always go out in a timely manner.
So what the commissioner really does -- what the head of any large organization really does -- is set the tone for how services will be provided and how staff will be allocated to provide those services.
And he or she also sets goals. And for so many years, one of the top goals of every commissioner who ran the SSA, whether appointed by a Democratic or Republican president, was to improve the processing of Social Security disability claims.
And why was that? Because a disability program is a mess to run. Think about it. What do you have to do to get retirement benefits? You prove you’re old enough, you sign a couple of forms, and the checks start rolling in. Same thing for survivors benefits. You show the SSA a death certificate, fill out a form or two, and your claim is complete. But the disability program is a whole other kettle of fish. And a big, stinky kettle it is! Retirement and survivors benefits are very objective. But disability is VERY subjective. Consider this: How disabled must a person be to qualify for disability benefits? People have been struggling to answer that question for 63 years now. (The Social Security disability program began in 1956.)
To prove how subjective disability is, all you have to do is look at the SSA’s appeals workload. There are a handful of people who appeal a retirement or survivor claim, but there are tens of thousands of pending appeals of disability claims. An entire cottage industry of lawyers and disability consultants has sprung up to help people get a disability claim approved.
But the SSA’s newest commissioner might be setting a different tone, with more emphasis on core services. Let’s talk about that. His name is Andrew Saul. President Donald Trump appointed him several months ago.
Before I go on, I must make a point. A long time ago, a chief of staff for one of the Social Security commissioners told me this: “Tom, when a Democrat is president, you will get a good commissioner of Social Security. When a Republican is president, you will get an ineffective commissioner of Social Security.” This seemingly biased analysis carried a bit of weight with me because the chief of staff who told me this was a Republican political appointee!
His reasoning went like this. For years, Social Security has been known as a favorite of the Democratic Party. So if a Democrat is president, and you are a potential Democratic political appointee, you would be pleased and honored to be named the commissioner of Social Security. Some of the best and brightest people available got the job. On the other hand, if a Republican is president, and you are a potential Republican political appointee, almost the last job you want is to be the head of Social Security. More desirable jobs were filled by the top people, and SSA got someone from near the bottom of the Republican
political appointee barrel. (And again, remember, these sentiments were those of a Republican politico.)
Because of that, I was VERY skeptical when I heard that Trump nominated Andrew Saul as head of the SSA. Plus, this guy comes into the job with some political baggage. Many Democrats opposed his appointment because he was previously associated with some right-wing groups that advocated cuts in Social Security benefits.
Despite all that, I must admit I was impressed with some of his initial actions as the SSA commissioner. I don’t have the space to cover them here. But I encourage my readers to go to the SSA official website. On the home page, you will see an
“open letter to the public from Commissioner Saul.” Take a few minutes to read it. It sounds to me like he is going to concentrate on meaningful things like cutting wait times at the SSA’s 800 number and improving service at local Social Security offices.
So read his letter, and see what you think. Gosh, I sure hope he means what he says and doesn’t turn into just another in the long line of bottom-of-the-barrel, ineffective Republican political appointees to Social Security.
If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has the answer. Contact him at thomas.margenau@comcast.net.
COPYRIGHT 2019 CREATORS.COM
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Is life after retirement just as I imagined?
C ontinued from page D3
that while I enjoy going to the beach - to walk, to jog, to collect seashells and to swim - I doubted that most of my free time would be spent there. I looked skeptically at my friend, Rick, because even though I like indulging in a good competitive game or two of poker, I had to agree that it’s hard for anyone to spend all day long playing that game.
I had to admire Tara for always being so stylishly dressed but clothes shopping and following the latest fashion trends just isn’t my thing. I’m more of a practical person. I dress for the occasion and for the weather but beyond that …. an outfit is an outfit and I never have dressed to impress.
Right before retiring I made up my mind that I would a) become fluent in Spanish and b) learn to play bridge. I had a solid, basic knowledge of Spanish but I didn’t want my conversational Spanish to always be so stilted. I have on occasion pulled out my Spanish CDs, pressed the “play” button and given them a whirl.
A lot of my working Spanish has come back to me but I want to keep forging ahead so that eventually it will become effortless. That’s always been my dream. I think that Romance language is a beautiful language.
My goal to learn bridge so far hasn’t really progressed. My sister, Michelle, enjoys going from house to house playing bridge with other women and seeing her plus several friends who have
been bitten by the “bridge bug” is a little intimidating to me.
Some people seem to get awfully serious when they sit down to play bridge whether there is one table of bridge or four tables at a time and this seriousness strikes me as taking all the fun out of it. As they concentrate, their faces change and before my eyes the friendly people I once knew seem overly focuses on a game that is based on contracts.
I don’t want to bid, play, or be the leader and play any card. I don’t want to always follow suit although I certainly see why that’s important. I don’t want North to win a trick by trumping aka ruffing with the three of diamonds. It’s not my thing.
If I’m going to deal with North, South, East and West I’d rather play Mahjongg, click some tiles, and deal with the Dots, Bams, Craks and more.
Instead I’ve started some marathon games of Rummikub with several friends. Sometimes I host them then they host them and we all take turns. We are a much rowdier bunch and we have fun. We bring snacks or prepare snacks like fresh bowls of piping hot popcorn and enjoy drinking sodas with slices of lemon or lime attached to the sides of the glasses.
If someone makes a joke and bursts out laughing no one glares at them to be quiet. It’s a much lighter atmosphere yet playing Rummikub well takes a certain degree of skill. It requires strategy and creativity plus the ability to meld
the tiles and maximize the use of the jokers.
After I’ve had my fill of playing Rummikub and whatever other board games we like I head home. There I watch my favorite TV shows - and watch the one reality TV show that I allot myself - because those are, after all, some of the perks of retirement.
During the warmer months I met my friend, Lisa, a few blocks over at a park to play a couple of games of Backgammon. Sitting across from each other in the concrete chairs, we placed the board on the concrete table and got our checkers ready.
The first time we met we rolled a die to see who went first. She went first once and I went once then it turned out that she won a game and I won a game. Other games of Backgammon were pretty similar. It was fun playing the games and it was good to see Lisa, to chat and to relax outside in the fresh air.
One day while on a Backgammon break I phoned my friend, Jeffrey, who worked as an electrician for 40 years and retired over a year ago. Jeff told me all about the vegetable garden he planted in the back yard of his Huntington home. He and his wife had always grown tomatoes out back but he has a large back yard and had told me many times that he always dreamed of expanding his garden to grow cucumbers, string beans and radishes as well as the tomatoes.
Sure enough last spring Jeff planted
GOING PLACES, NEAR & FAR....
the seeds and in the summer his hard work paid off. He plucked the ripe vegetables out of his garden, rinsed them off and his family enjoyed eating them for dinner.
He and his wife canned the extra vegetables and gave them to friends and family. Since one by one my contemporaries were retiring I was happy to hear about people who were making some of their dreams come true.
Jeff is happy gardening but my friends and I like going to the movies in the afternoon. For those of us who usually worked 9-5 jobs, it’s such a novelty. We also like stopping by our favorite specialty coffee shop. Depending on the season and the weather, a hot cappuccino or a frozen coffee always hits the spot. I skip the donuts and just take the drink and my waistline thanks me for that.
Getting together with friends and relatives who moved out of town several years ago has been good because for a while there, when I was working full-time, it was hard to meet up with people. I thought that I would always be keeping in touch via Skype and that technology isn’t exactly touchy feely. Today I’ve got lots of options - flying from one state to another to visit people, taking the train, or getting in the car and just going. Life after retirement is exactly as I imagined it would be. I’ve been meeting new people and having adventures that I never imagined I would have.
Gift of Travel: Take Advantage of Black Friday, CyberMonday, Holiday Specials to Give the Gift that Keeps Giving
Continued from page D3
Sierra Club arranges around 90 affordable volunteer trips each year through its Sierra Club Volunteer Vacations to engage in hands-on conservation work like building and maintaining trails, removing invasive plants and assisting on archaeological digs. For example: park maintenance in Hells Canyon, Idaho (with transportation by jet-boat up the Snake River Canyon), forestry service at the New York Botanical Garden (a 50-acre urban old-growth forest) and native-bird habitat restoration on the Big Island of Hawaii (with hiking in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park). (https://content.sierraclub.org/outings/ volunteer-vacations)
Adventure Life incorporates voluntourism into some of its trips. For example, on its trip to Ecuador’s Cotopaxi Volcano, travelers lend a hand with reforestation efforts, painting interpretive
signs and performing trail maintenance; a trip to Costa Rica’s Pacuare Reserve for whitewater rafting also includes two nights with biologists for research at an important nesting ground for leatherback turtles; a cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula enables travelers to take part in citizen science projects aboard the ship (www.adventure-life.com).
Village Experience expanded upon its fair-trade retail shop (which supports local craftsmen) to create an ambitious program that brings travelers into their villages, creating another stream of revenue (www.experiencethevillage.com).
Other entities offering voluntourism opportunities: Biosphere Expeditions (800-407-5761, www.biosphereexpeditions.org), Globeaware (www. globeaware.org/volunteer-vacations); Global Volunteers (https:// globalvolunteers.org/volunteer-worldwide/, 800-487-1074); American Hiking Society (americanhiking.org/volun-
teer-vacations); Projects Abroad (www. projects-abroad.org).
But don’t expect that because you are volunteering your services the trips are cheap, sometimes you pay for the privilege of doing good and your fees help support the mission.
On the other hand, during the holiday season, many of the operators offer substantial discounts for early bookings.
For example, Lindblad ExpeditionsNational Geographic has a new Alaska Family Offer, where with discounts for up to two children 22 and under traveling with two full paying adults on select 2020 Alaska departures: save 50% departing in May and August and save 25% departing in June and July. Also, there is Free Air for Adults from Seattle to Alaska for booking select 2020 Alaska departures by Dec. 31, 2019.
There is a whole category of experiential trips that not only enrich and inspire and make the world a better place,
but support important institutions like National Geographic, the Smithsonian
See page D6
Gift of Travel: Take Advantage of Black Friday, CyberMonday, Holiday Specials to Give the Gift that Keeps Giving
C ontinued from page D5
(which also offer student and family programs); Outward Bound, Road Scholar, Sierra Club (sierraclub.org), just a few examples.
Through the National Geographic Global Explorers Program, kids and teens learn to develop the skills and curiosity of an explorer while working alongside our certified field instructors -observing the behavior of blue-footed boobies, painting watercolors using glacier ice, or filling a field journal with wildlife sketches of all kinds (www. nationalgeographic.com/expeditions).
Traveling with National Geographic helps further the work of its scientists, explorers, and educators around the world (natgeo.com/giveback).
Indulge a fantasy: in addition to photography safaris, there are travel programs to indulge all sorts of fantasy: become a Broadway star at Broadway Fantasy Camp (www.braodwayfancamp); a rock-and-roll star at Rock n’ Roll Fantasy Camp in Las Vegas (www. rockcamp.com); or Baseball Fantasy Camp (Twenty four major league baseball teams offer annual fantasy camps, see: www.lineupforms.com/choosingthe-right-fantasy-baseball-camp.html)
Gifts for the Traveler
Still wedded to the idea of a material gift? There are umptium possibilities for the travel-bound, especially where some special-interest or activity that requires special gear or equipment is involved like skiing, biking, hiking, scuba diving or safariing is involved.
You can purchase some needed gear while also supporting the cause. For
example, go to Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s trail shop for all-new Great American Rail-Trail jerseys, gift memberships and trail guidebooks and help realize the dream of an a nation connected by rail trails (railstotrails.org).
Going traditional among our favorite suppliers: REI, www.rei.com/s/holiday-gifts-for-travelers, 800-426-4840; Eastern Mountain Sports, 888-463-6367, ems. com; LL Bean, 888-610-2326, llbean.com; Sun & Ski, 866-786-3869, sunandski.com; Tennis Express, TennisExpress.com; Bass Pro Shops, www.basspro.com. And of course, luggage (I love my Olympia USA 22 in. Green 8-Pocket Rolling Duffel for $25 purchased through homedepot.com if you can believe it; another great site is Luggageonline.com, 888-9584424).
Cameras are big on the list for travelers, with size and functionality among the key criteria. Some of the new smaller, mirrorless cameras have as much functionality as the larger digital SLR and use interchangeable lenses but tend to be fairly costly (in the $1000 range). What I look for when purchasing a camera for travel: decent digital zoom, ISO range, image stabilization, video capability, battery life, how fast the camera focuses and shoots and WiFi capability.
For something like a safari, you would need a good DSLR with great lenses to cover the various focal lengths, but for, say, a biking or hiking trip, that is, what can I wear around my neck, shoot with one hand while riding a bicycle that gives excellent quality images, image stabilization, decent zoom lens, auto focus, is fast and responsive on/ off/shoot, and is reasonably priced. I have found the Panasonic Lumix DMC
ZS70 to be ideal for this kind of travel (offered at $100 off, $298, at B&H), Panasonic Lumix DMC AZ100 (now on sale at B&H; B&H consistently has best inventory, prices, and holiday specials, plus excellent customer service, delivery and return policies, www.bhphotovideo. com, 800.606.6969, 212.444.6615).
The experts at this year’s PhotoPlus Expo also recommended: Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III (24.2 megapixel; 3x zoom, 24-072mm, ISO 100-25600); Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II (20.1 megapixel, 5x zoom, 24-120mm f 1.8 lens, Canon PowerShot G1X Mark III (24.2 megapixel, 3x zoom, 24-72 mm); Nikon Z 50,s Nikon’s first DX-format mirrorless camera. 20.9 megapixels, ISO 100-51200, which uses interchangeable lenses; Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III OM-D E-M5 Mark III with M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm II lens features dust-proof, splash-proof, freeze-proof construction in a compact and lightweight body.
Drones and GoPro-style cameras are also great gifts, as well as new accessories (like attachable lenses) that enhance the excellent photo capability of smartphones to give them more of the functionality of a camera.
Consider getting your traveler a waterproof camera for those adventures into the rainforest, snorkeling, whitewater rafting and such.
Or more spectacularly, what about a photo safari or a trip led by a master photographer, such as offered by Photo Safaris (www.photosafaris.com/ Destinations/Find-a-Trip); National Geographic (www.nationalgeographic.com); Photo Workshop Adventures (www.photoworkshopadventures.com);
and Nomad Photo Expeditions (www. nomadphotoexpeditions.com).
Lindblad Travel has photography tours with National Geographic photographers and with the B&H Photo Locker on many of its ships, you can even test-drive the latest gear. (expeditions.com/why-us/expedition-photography)
Give a Gift, Support the Institution Gift giving can support important institutions at the same time. Many of the great museums and institutions of the world offer some of the most interesting, innovative and creative items in their gift shops and you can support their endeavor by shopping online or through catalogs: the Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org), the American Museum of Natural History (www.amnh.org), the Art Institute of Chicago (855-301-9612), Smithsonian (Smithsonianmag.com). The Nassau County Museum of Art and New-York Historical Society usually have special items oriented around major exhibitions (www.nyhistory.org), to list just a few. Zoos and aquariums and special attractions are fantastic to shop at, especially for kids: The Palm Beach Zoo (www.palmbeachzoo.org), for example, has eco-friendly items. There are also Adopt-an-Animal programs. The Bronx Zoo has similar programs and an online store (www.bronxzoostore.com). And you don’t have to visit the Kennedy Space Center, to get space-related items (www.thespaceshop.com), though visiting offers incomparable experiences. You might also consider gifting special experiences, like Zookeeper for a Day or an Overnight Campout at a Museum.
Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic has announced a new Alaska Family Offer that makes traveling next summer a lot more economical for families.
Xanterra Travel Collection is putting its Grand Canyon hotels on sale for the holidays. Scores of travel companies have special Black Friday, CyberMonday and holiday deals underway, for a great opportunity to give the Gift of Travel, the gift that keeps giving.
Another gift idea is to purchase family memberships in these entities, which gives a sense of “ownership” and encourages multiple or multi-day visits as well as giving access to benefits. Just call or go online to your favorite museum, zoo, aquarium, preserve, historic site or attraction. Often the memberships give you broad access like the Smithsonian Institution, Sierra Club (they produce a catalog of trips), National Trust for Historic Preservation (savingplaces. org)and its sister organization Historic Hotels of America (www.historichotels. org), Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Parks & Trail NY, National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA).
Also, National Trust for Historic Preservation offers Great Experiences & Tours, (nationaltrusttours.com) which has just introduced a new program to make history fun for families: Distinctive Destinations. From grand homes to artists’ studios to working farms, these places across America can add memorable moments to your off-the-beaten-path
road trip, create new opportunities for your next vacation, or even be your new favorite gift shop (https://savingplaces. org/distinctive-destinations). They even have created an online list of holiday experiences at its collection of historic holiday sites. (https://savingplaces.org/ collections/distinctive-destinations-historic-holidays).
© 2019 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
REAL ESTATE WATCH
Do you know when the best times to sell (and buy) are?
I hope all my readers here and abroad, who celebrate Thanksgiving have had a wonderful, enjoyable and relaxing day; except for those who have young children and/or grandchildren that hopefully they didn’t wear you out. But I hope you have enjoyed all your family and friends on the day that we give thanks for all that we have, through the current turmoil here and abroad, and to have kept all our troops as safe as possible while away from their loved ones.
Back to business of educating my sellers, investors, purchasers, renters and lessees of residential and commercial properties.
This is a superb time to consider selling whatever type of property you may possess, because from my thirty-eight years in the business, the most serious and qualified purchasers are out there not and throughout the winter months.
The number one reason is that interest rates are at a fifty year low. My parents bought a home in Great Neck in 1956 and rates were around 6.04% from what I could read on their original commitment letter. So now that the rates are almost half that amount it’s an amazing moment in time to get your income, credit and debt to income well positioned to search out your starter, upgraded or dream home. Besides interest rates being so, so low and not only are there possibly some motivated
BY PHILIP A. RAICES
sellers who want to get out before any major snow fall or experience those dreadful heating bills, as gas and oil prices have increased this year; there are some extremely serious and very much qualified purchasers that are out there, looking for homes, investment properties, as well as rentals of residential and commercial properties.
Just because we are getting into the winter months doesn’t stop the qualified consumer from searching high and low for that specific “place to call home” or valuable investment or even a basic rental. It wasn’t that long ago that the rule of thumb was for people to stop looking for the winter and come back during the warmer spring and summer months.
That entire paradigm has been radically changed, especially since our housing inventory is still at less than six months; when historically six to seven months has been normal barometer. In 2008 our market succumbed to the subprime loan crisis and we sold our poisonous CDO’s (collateralized debt obligations) to other countries and Iceland almost went bankrupt from those toxic and deadly deals! Canada was one of the few countries that was
smart enough to avoid our Wall Street scams and their devious ways that were also provided by mortgage brokers and even some of our Realtors!
The market will still be strong for the next five years, as I mentioned in a column a few weeks ago based on five sources, the main one being Core Logic, who is a fairly accurate company, and who all predicted 2.9-4+% increases in the values of homes. There are always exceptions to rule of predictions, nothing is guaranteed but birth, taxes (if you are earning any serious money) and death, the rest is always negotiable. There are two PhD professors who (for the life of me I have forgotten their names and Siri as well as Alexa and the internet have not helped me find their names), who have been excellent prognosticators of our economy, who, I read somewhere that they too see the market continuing. I would appreciate it if maybe one of my readers will call me and will let me know their names, if I don’t find them first. The buyers are out there, but the sellers seem to very slowly putting their homes on the market.
However, to satisfy demand we desperately need more of you sellers to step up to the plate and put your homes on the market, only and only if you
have had it with the winters, high heating bills and the weekly and monthly upkeep and upgrades of your homes to keep them current. Moving down south or out west or to some exotic location like Costa Rica, Nicaragua etc. that will afford a real nice lifestyle with all that money you will earn that you can take with you. All I am asking you is to give it some serious thought and then we can get more of those “searchers of homes” into one!
Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 Great Neck. He has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute and a Certified International Property Specialist. Receive regular “free” updates of sold homes in your area and a “free” Comparative Market Analysis” of what your home would sell for in today’s market or search on: WWW.Li-RealEstate.Com If you would like to receive a digital copy or a printed copy of “Unlocking the Secrets of Real Estate’s New Market Reality Or “Our Seller’s Guide for “Things to Consider When Selling Your Home” just email or snail me (regular mail) with your name, email and cell number. He can be reached by email, at:Phil@ TurnKeyRealEstate.Com, or by cell: (516) 647-4289.
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Consider doing an Online Auction!
Online Auctions reach more interested buyers than tag sales and can often sell for more than what you would make at an estate or tag sale.
Invited Estate Sales by Tracy Jordan can do both! You can sell your items online reaching potential buyers locally or globally as well as hosting a private sale from your home! Let us guide you on what items to put in auction including furniture, housewares, decorative items, jewelry, collectibles, coins, artwork and anything else you may no longer want or need. Our services can help you to maximize your selling experience whether you are selling 1 item or 500 items. We are a one stop service for all your needs when you are moving or selling a property! Selling, donating, discarding and cleaning out services can be done to meet your time frame with minimal stress.
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Love to write?
We are looking for articles on local topics, opinions, ideas, nice places to visit on Long Island, and even fiction. In our Discover magazine section, we will try to feature one new article and writer each week. Each writer will be reimbursed a stipend of $25.00, and articles should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. If you want to be published and be part of an issue of Discovery, you may submit your article to: editor@gcnews.com
SHOPPING FOR SUPPORT
Clipping pet item coupons for Last Hope is a great and easy way to give your support. Every coupon we receive helps to defray our costs, particularly for dog and cat food. They can either be dropped off at our adoption center at 3300 Beltagh Avenue in Wantagh, or mailed to Last Hope, PO Box 7025, Wantagh 11793. Please share our need with your friends and family. Thank you! Visit http://lasthopeanimalrescue.org to read about Last Hope’s programs and to see the fabulous array of fantastic felines eagerly awaiting adoption into their forever homes!
Last Hope Part of the Chewy.com Rescue Program
If you haven’t tried Chewy.com yet for your pet food and supply purchases, this is a great time to check them out. Last Hope is now part of their rescue program. For each new customer that makes a purchase, Last Hope will receive a $20 donation. Click on the ad below or go directly to the Last Hope page at https:// www.chewy.com/rp/5941
ASK CARRIE
5 Ways to Make Giving a Family Affair This Holiday Season
Dear Reader: It seems we hear the word “gratitude” a lot these days. In spite of being faced with all kinds of challenges, the idea of being grateful for what you have -- whether it’s family, friends, financial security or just a beautiful moment -- appears to be a common theme. I like that concept, and I like the idea of using it as a way to focus on how we can help others -- in effect, how we can to share our own good fortune
To me, giving is an important part of everyone’s financial lives, and I think it’s something we should introduce our kids to at an early age. As you teach your kids how to manage their money and save a certain percentage for their future goals, it’s a natural extension to encourage them to earmark some of their money for a charitable cause.
So with Thanksgiving just ahead and Giving Tuesday coming right after, I want to share some ideas on how to introduce your kids to the importance of philanthropy and get the whole
family involved in giving this season:
1) Talk to Your Family About the Causes You Support and Why
As with so much in financial education, your kids can learn about giving by your example. So start by talking to your kids about the organizations you support. Discuss with them how you make giving choices. Do you support some national causes? What local charities are on your list? How do you decide how much to give? How often do you make contributions?
2) Let the Kids Research and Choose an Organization to Support
Have your kids make a list of what’s most important to them, whether it’s something like the environment, animal adoption, homelessness or hunger. Help them do some online research. Encourage them to consider local charities as well as national organizations and think about where their donations could have the greatest impact.
BY JEFF RUGG
Depending on your children’s age, you could have them look at an independent online rating service such as Charity Navigator or CharityWatch. The ideal would be to pick a family charity that you’d all agree to support together.
3) Decide on a Dollar Amount Each Family Member Can Give and Make It a Yearlong Family Project
This is a great way to reinforce basic money management skills. Have the kids consider their sources of income, whether an allowance, gifts or a job, and decide what percentage they could put toward the family charity each month. Include your own commitment.
Then decide how and where you’ll set the money aside -- ideally in an account that earns interest where you can all watch it add up. A quarterly family meeting to discuss -- and celebrate -- the growing balance can be a great motivator to keep going. You might also set a date when you’ll make your group donation to the charity you’ve all chosen.
4) Match Your Kids’ Donations to Show Your Support
As an added encouragement, consider matching your children’s donations. It doesn’t have to be dollar for dollar (after all, you’re making your own contribution), but even a small addition to their donations will show how important you think this project is -- and how proud you are of their efforts.
5) Volunteer as a Family
Giving isn’t just about money; giving your time can be just as valuable. Chances are there are numerous organizations in your own community that would welcome the gift of time. From libraries to animal shelters to food banks, volunteers are often in short supply. What a wonderful opportunity for you to work together as a family and share in an experience that can be as enriching for all of you as it is helpful to those in need.
Encouraging kids to support causes they care about is an excellent personal as well as financial lesson. It not only teaches them
to manage their money wisely but gives them a chance to reach out, connect and contribute to a more equitable, more caring world. And that’s something we all need -- not only during the holiday season but year-round!
Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, Certified Financial Planner, is president of the Charles Schwab Foundation and author of “The Charles Schwab Guide to Finances After Fifty.” Read more at http://schwab.com/book. You can email Carrie at askcarrie@ schwab.com. The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal or investment planning advice. To find out more about Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2019 CHARLES SCHWAB & CO. INC. (MEMBER SIPC) DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM (#1119-9SFT)
Welcome Back Movie Night at Robbins Lane
Could we do this every week?
Popcorn and a movie!
The Robbins Lane Elementary School PTA sponsored a successful Welcome Back Movie Night. The rainy weather didn’t stop the kids from having fun, the event was rain or shine! Families enjoyed watching the movie “Bedtime
Happy to be back at Robbins Lane!
Stories” together while eating delicious popcorn and ices. A good time was had by all who attended!
Town of OB: File for property tax exemptions
The Town of Oyster Bay has issued a reminder that the New York State property tax exemption application period ends on January 2, 2020. Homeowners wishing to receive exemptions on their 2020-2021 School taxes and 2021 General taxes must file with the Nassau County Department of Assessment or New York State prior to the January 2nd deadline.
Receiver Stefanich stated, “I want to make sure that every resident who is eligible, be they a senior citizen, veteran, new homeowner, volunteer firefighter/EMT, person with a disability, or person renovating / improving their home, take advantage of the available exemptions.”
Exemptions, resulting in property tax savings, are available to qualified residents for the following categories:
• School Tax Relief Program (STAR). Residents may receive only one of the following:
• STAR Credit the STAR Program has been changed by New York State. New recipients, and current recipients whose annual income is between $250,000 and $500,000, will be issued a check directly from New York State instead of receiving a school property tax exemption. The amount of the benefit will be the same. You cannot receive both the credit and the exemption. Register with New York State by telephone at (518) 457-2036 or online at www.tax. ny.gov/pit/property/star/default. htm.
• Basic STAR Property Tax Exemption program provides an exemption from school property taxes for owner-occupied, primary residences with an annual household
income of less than $250,000. Current Basic Star Exemption recipients will keep their exemption as long as they continue to own their current home.
• Enhanced STAR Property Tax Exemption/Credit is available to senior citizen homeowners who are 65 years of age or older during the year in which the exemption takes effect, and whose annual income does not exceed $88,050. Senior citizens whose annual income exceeds $88,050 will still be eligible for the Basic STAR exemption/Credit. Current Enhanced Star Exemption recipients will keep their exemption as long as they continue to own their current home. Recipients must enroll in the Income Verification Program.
• Senior Citizen exemption provides a tax savings for individuals over the age of 65, whose income is less than $37,400. To participate and receive this tax savings (between 5% and up to 50% reduction on certain county, town and school district property taxes) specific qualification criteria must be met.
• Veterans Exemptions are for those individuals who rendered service to our country. The eligibility to receive this exemption and amount to be exempted depends upon the time, duration and type of service, along with other criteria.
• Cold War Veterans Exemption is for veterans who served during the Cold War period. The Law also provides an additional exemption to disabled veterans.
• Gold Star Parent Exemption is available for the parent of a child who died in the line of duty while serving in the United States Armed Forces during a period of war, as defined in NYS Real Property Tax
Law.
• Persons With Disabilities and Limited Incomes Partial Property Tax Exemption is available to eligible applicants who have a physical or mental impairment, not due to use of alcohol or illegal drug use, that substantially limits that person's ability to engage in one or more major life activities. The requirements to qualify are based on the person's disability, ownership, residency and occupancy status, and income. Persons with incomes less than $37,400 can qualify to receive an exemption from 5% to 50% of the assessed value.
• Home Improvement Tax Reductions Program for the Physically Disabled is granted to those persons who are physically disabled and meet certain criteria. It is equal to the amount of any increase in value of property attributable to improvements made for the purpose of facilitating and accommodating the use and accessibility of the property.
• Home Improvements Exemption is an eight-year decreasing exemption on alterations, reconstructions or improvements that increase the assessed value of a one or two family home. In the first year, 100% of the assessed value of the improvement is exempt. In the second year, 87.5%, in the third year, 75% and so on. Certain eligibility requirements must be met to participate in this program.
• First-Time Home Buyers of Newly Constructed Homes may apply for and receive a partial real property tax exemption. The maximum exemption is offered over five years, starting with a 50% exemption the first year and phasing to 10% in the
fifth and final year. Homebuyers are subject to certain price and income limits set by the State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA).
• Volunteer Firefighter and Ambulance Worker Exemption is available to eligible firefighters and ambulance workers. Up to 10% reduction in the assessed value of their property can be obtained to volunteers who have served at least five years in a Town of Oyster Bay Fire Department in which they reside. Certain eligibility requirements must be met to participate in this program.
Receiver Stefanich advises homeowners who are interested in obtaining an exemption, to contact the Nassau County Department of Assessment at (516) 571-1500, where they can obtain additional information and applications. They may visit the County Assessor’s office at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York 11501. However, first time applicants, or residents with an income between $250,000 and $500,000, for the STAR Credit must contact New York State directly to register by telephone at (518) 457-2036 or online at www.tax.ny.gov/pit/property/star/ default.htm.
Residents or organizations interested in obtaining a free brochure describing the STAR, Senior Citizen, or Veterans exemption programs can obtain such at Town Hall North in Oyster Bay, Town Hall South in Massapequa, the Department of Public Works in Syosset, major park facilities, and by calling (516) 624-6380 or writing to the Town of Oyster Bay Public Information Office, 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, NY 11771.
This Week at the Jericho Public Library
Wednesday, December 4 at 2:00 p.m.
Buenos Aires and the Jewish Community
With Sheila Taub, teacher & traveller
Argentina has the largest Jewish population in South America and most live in Buenos Aires. During this program, you will view some historical places of the city and the heavily guarded sites in the Jewish quarter. By the turn of the century, an organized Jewish infrastructure had been established. Join Sheila for an interesting look at the country and why there’s a shrinking Jewish population today.
Thursday, December 5 at 1:30 p.m.
The Passionate Reader with Mary Hirdt
“All You Can Ever Know: A Memoir” by Nicole Chung Nicole Chung was born severely
premature, placed for adoption by her Korean parents and raised by a white family in a sheltered Oregon town. She tells of her search for the people who gave her up and the repercussions of unearthing painful family secrets.
Thursday, December 5 at 2:00 p.m.
Movie: The Hummingbird Project (Drama/Thriller)
A pair of high-frequency traders go up against their old boss in an effort to make millions in a fiber-optic cable deal.
Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Alexander Skarsgård, Salma Hayek.
Rated R. 1 hour, 51 minutes. ill be closed Thanksgiving
Programs will take place at the Jericho Public Library: 1 Merry Lane, Jericho. For more information, go to www.jericholibrary.org
Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call our Garden City office at 516-294-8900 for more information.
This Week at the Syosset P ublic Library
Thursday, December 5 at 2 p.m.
Supreme Court in Reivew: 1969
Presenter: James Coll, adjunct professor of American and Constitutional history at Nassau Community College and Hofstra University and a retired NYPD detective This lecture will analyze a snapshot of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1969. From the appointment of a new Chief Justice to important decisions that still impact our lives 50 years later, the closing year of this decade heralded transformative change in our constitutional law and those who framed it.
Free. No registration required.
Friday, December 6
from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM Let's Chat
Presenter: Beth Matlin, MSW
Meet with other mature adults to discuss the common challenges and issues we encounter growing older in today’s society.
Friday, December 6 at 2 p.m.
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Presenter: Sal St. George, playwright and pop culture historian Carl Reiner discovered comic gold when he spotted Dick Van Dyke on Broadway in “Bye Bye Birdie.” Reiner soon created “The Dick Van Dyke Show” for the versatile actor, singer, dancer and comedian. He based the program on “Your Show of Shows,” masterfully blending the hilarious office and home lives of Rob Petrie (Van Dyke), the lead character. The series also introduced Mary Tyler Moore, Morey Amsterdam and Rose Marie. Learn the backstory of the award winning “Dick Van Dyke Show” and learn about its Long Island connections. Clips will be shown. Free. No registration required.
Programs will take place at the Syosset Public Library. 225 South Oyster Bay Rd. Syosset. For more information, go to www. syossetlibrary.org
Advertise your services in our Professional Guide! Call 294-8900 for rates and information.
KOHL’S CARES KEEPING KIDS HEALTHY
Every day we make lots of choices and decisions that can impact our health. Some decisions involve what we eat, where we eat, what we drink, how we get to school or work and how we spend our free time. With overweight and obesity affecting so many of our youth today, parents and caregivers need tools to help establish good habits that can have a lasting impact on their family’s health.
kohlshealthykidsny.com
On View at the Syosset Public Library Art Gallery
Carolyn Sheehan, Etching Prints
Dec. 5 – Dec. 27, 2019
Carolyn Sheehan’s etching prints will be exhibited in the library’s art gallery from Dec. 5 through Dec. 27. Open to the public.
Carolyn Sheehan’s work is an exploration of ideas and processes, incorporating painting, printmaking, sewing, patterns and texture to achieve a
visual storytelling. She creates work that includes imagery from the natural world as well as abstract compositions informed by something within herself.
Carolyn attended Pratt Institute and The National Academy of Design. She is a painter and a printmaker living and working in New York City. She has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the US and Europe.
Town Summer Recreation full day program
The Town of Oyster Bay will be offering a new full day offering for the Town of Oyster Bay Summer Recreation Program for the 2020 summer season. What does this mean exactly? The Summer Recreation program will be offering an extended stay through the lunch hour at two of its locations: Marjorie Post Park in Massapequa and Syosset-Woodbury Community Park in Woodbury. The full day hours will operate from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Previously, parents were required to pick up children at lunchtime.
“The Town Board and I are happy to offer this additional convenience to families,” said Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino. “Details for the expanded program are still being
worked out, but it’s important to relay this information now as families begin to make their summer arrangements. Please stay tuned for more information coming your way this winter.”
The Town’s Summer Recreation program is separated into the following age categories: early childhood (Ages 4,5 and 6); juniors (7-8); intermediate (9-10); and seniors (11-12) and offers a full day of enriching and healthy activities for the Town’s young people.
For more information about the Town of Oyster Bay Summer Recreation Program, please contact Jackie Devlin at (516) 797-4125, extension 1 or e-mail jdevlin@oysterbay-ny.gov. Information is also available at www.oysterbaytown. com/parks.
Youth hockey program with NY Islanders alumni
The Future Islanders Learn to Play Program for boys and girls ages 5-8 will begin on December 3, at the Town of Oyster Bay’s outdoor rinks in Marjorie R. Post Community Park and at SyossetWoodbury Community Park.
“The New York Islanders, the National Hockey League, the National Hockey League Players Association and the Town of Oyster Bay have teamed up once again this year to provide an exciting opportunity for the youth in our community with the ‘Future Islanders Learn to Play Program’,” Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said. “Local children are invited to join this amazing experience as it offers a unique opportunity to develop basic skating and hockey skills under the guidance of experienced former NHL players.”
The ‘Future Islanders Learn to Play Program’ includes eight on-ice train-
ing sessions led by the Town of Oyster Bay coaching staff with appearances by Islanders alumni Arron Asham and Radek Martinek. Asham, a forward, played for 15 seasons and six different teams in the National Hockey League, and Martinek, a defenseman, played for 12 seasons and 486 games in the National Hockey League. The program fee is $200. All registrants will receive a CCM equipment package that includes a jersey, helmet, shoulder pads, gloves, skates, sticks, elbow pads, pants, socks, shin pads and an equipment bag.
Individuals interested in registering for the ‘Future Islanders Learn to Play Program’ can sign up at www.learntoplay.nhl.com/islanders. For additional information, please contact Jocelyne Cummings at Jocelyne.Cummings@ NewYorkIslanders.com or call (516) 5016764.
Sunday, December 8, 2019 1:30
NOTICE OF FORMATION OF JRN FUTURE LLC
Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 04/02/2019. Office located in Nassau. SSNY is designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC (14 Queens St. Syosset, NY 11791). Purpose: any lawful purpose.
SYO 4321
6X 10/25,11/01,08,15,22,29
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING BY THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 246, Article III, Section 246-18-E of the Code of the Town of Oyster Bay, notice is hereby given that the Zoning Board of Appeals has scheduled a public meeting, which will take place in the Town Hall Meeting Room, Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, New York, on DECEMBER 5, 2019, at 7:00 P. M., to consider the following appeals:
BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
APPEAL NO. 19-607
SYOSSET
ALAN LANG: (A) Variance to allow existing 6 ft. high fence exceeding maximum height across side/front yard than permitted by Ordinance. (B) Variance to allow existing natural gas generator in front yard. SE/ cor. of Burtis Ln. & Burtis Ln., a/k/a 69 Burtis Lane, Syosset, NY
SEC. 25 BLK. 61
LOT 1 ZONE R1-1A
NOVEMBER 25, 2019
BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
TOWN OF OYSTER BAY, OYSTER BAY, NEW YORK
SYO 4327
1X 11/29
NOTICE OF FORMATION OF MOM AND ME
CLEANING SERVICES LLC
Articles of Organization filed
with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on June 21, 2019. Office located in Nassau County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC to Lee J. Mondshein, Esq., 445 Broadhollow Road, Suite 419, Melville, NY 11747. Purpose: any lawful purpose.
JER 7926
6X 10/25,11/01,08,15,22,29
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING BY THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 246, Article III, Section 246-18-E of the Code of the Town of Oyster Bay, notice is hereby given that the Zoning Board of Appeals has scheduled a public meeting, which will take place in the Town Hall Meeting Room, Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, New York, on DECEMBER 5, 2019, at 7:00 P. M., to consider the following appeals:
BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
APPEAL NO. 19-606
JERICHO
ANZELMO GIOVANNIELLO:
(A) Variance to construct second story addition having less average front yard setback than permitted by Ordinance.
(B) Variance to construct second story addition and allow existing rear one story addition having less side yard setback than permitted by Ordinance; also encroachment of eaves and gutters.
S/s/o Seaman Rd., 450.08 ft. E/o Leahy St., a/k/a 114 Seaman Road, Jericho, NY SEC. 11 BLK. 356 LOT 7 ZONE R1-10
NOVEMBER 25, 2019 BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
TOWN OF OYSTER BAY, OYSTER BAY, NEW YORK
JNJ 7929
1X 11/29
No Paper? No Justice
Weigh the advantages of legal advertising in Litmor Publishing's Community Newspapers For information on rates and coverage, call 516-294-8900
Students assist in creation of Syosset Schools’ Code of Conduct
From page 1
audiences, they pointed out several typos and errors with the prior, original version of Syosset Schools’ Code of Conduct .
“This is a culmination of a yearlong process that began with a New York State Bar Association Task Force as we’ve really tried to breathe some meaningful life into the Code of Conduct by incorporating several groups of our stakeholders...And the process even showed us the excellent English preparation our students are getting,” he said.
District News/Notes
Dr. Rogers announced that the school district has ‘studied up’ on some cutting-edge technologies to see if there’s ways of monitoring student non-curricular activities and settings around the schools, with a particular goal of informing faculty and staff of any vaping activities in hopes of curbing such transgressions. He did not indicate whether securi-
ty cameras in more locations would become an option for the district, but technologies that can assist schools and the greater community are being thoroughly evaluated.
“One concern that I and the school board share is centered on students who may be vaping. There are some technologies that we continue to explore and see whether there’s opportunities for us to use them and make sure our students are not making bad choices,” Dr. Rogers stated.
School Board Trustees Susan Parker and Christopher DeFilippo have volunteered to serve as district-designated members of the Nassau BOCES Budget Advisory (Review) Committee, and their appointment was approved by an 8-0 trustees’ vote Monday night, November 18. The Syosset Central School district participates in an array of services through Nassau BOCES and the board of education votes on the Nassau BOCES administrative budget annually.
Also on November 18, Super-
intendent Rogers commented on how elementary schools in Syosset have begun to address assignments of homework, and creation of grade-appropriate proportions of homework that would be part of students’ progression in the district.
“We have been working with our elementary school principals on the subject of homework -- ever school building has been working to ‘rightsize’ homework and, as to be expected, our different school buildings are taking different approaches to that end,” he said.
The Syosset schools administration is currently working on finalizing a draft version of the 2020-’21 school district calendar, as adoption of the following year’s schedule traditionally takes place at the Board of Education’s December meeting.
The next meeting of the school board trustees, and their final board meeting of 2019, will be held at 8 p.m. on Monday, December 16 at South Woods Middle School auditorium.
Ho Ho Ho Holiday Run
There is simply no better way for runners and their families to celebrate the holiday season than being part of the fun at the Steel Equities/ Gold Coast Studios Ho Ho Ho 5 Kilometer Run on Saturday morning, December 21. This is the 32nd annual running of the event.
The 5 Kilometer run will start and finish at the John F. Kennedy Middle School, located at 500 Broadway in Bethpage Santa Claus will be making his annual visit to serve as the Official Starter, and hordes of reindeer, elves and other denizens of the holiday season are expected to be at the Middle School to join in the fun. There will once again be special prizes for the best holiday costume and for the first “centipede” to cross the finish line. Runners and walkers are most definitely encouraged to run/
walk in costumes appropriate to the season
There will be a FREE 1/4mile Fun Run for the youngsters on the grounds of the Middle School before the 5K main event.
Each registrant will receive a special commemorative sweatshirt appropriate to the season. Announcing will be by Terry Bisogno, “the Voice of Long Island Running,” and race photography will be courtesy of Ed Grenzig of Long Island Race Photos.
The host Greater Long Island Running Club will once again hold a GIANT post-race door prize drawing that will be highlighted the the grand prize of a flat screen high definition TV and a second prize of a top-of-the-line digital camera. Everyone who is entered in the Run has an equal chance to win a prize.
Do you have a service to advertise?
The entry fee to the 5K Run is $25; day-of-race $30, There is a 50% discount for ages 16 and under if you preregister.
A large portion of the net proceeds will, as always, be turned over to The Opening Word, an education program hosted by the Dominican Sisters to provide poor uneducated immigrant women with the tools that they need to become productive members of American society.
Everyone is encouraged to bring a new toy to the event for donation to the John Theissen Children’s Foundation for distribution to Long Island children in need.
You can register online or download a hard copy application at glirc.org. For more information, contact Mike or Sue at the GLIRC office at (516) 349-7646.
Syosset Real Estate Market Conditions
Median sales price
$745,000
Demo ra hies near S osset, NY
Density
30 Maiden Lane, Jericho
Sold Price: $1,160,000 Date: 08/16/2019
4 beds, 3 Full baths Style: Split # of Families: 1
18 Spruce Park, Syosset
Sold Price: $1,205,000
Date: 11/08/2019
4 beds, 3 Full baths
Style: Farm Ranch # of Families: 1
Total Taxes: $28,576
Lot Size: 66x179
Schools: Jericho
Total Taxes: $18,679
MLS# 3102272
10 Hemlock Drive, Syosset
Sold Price: $1,085,000 Date: 09/30/2019
4 beds, 3 Full/1 Half baths
Style: Split # of Families: 1
Lot Size: 66x112
Schools: Syosset
Total Taxes: $25,113
MLS# 3133415
15 Spruce Lane, Syosset
Sold Price: $811,000
Date: 06/28/2019
4 beds, 2 Full/1 Half baths
Style: Colonial # of Families: 1
Lot Size: 80x125
Schools: Syosset
Total Taxes: $14,763
MLS# 3106379
Laurel Hollow | $3,900,000 | 5-BR, 5.55-BA | Web# 3148185
Spectacular all brick custom built estate offering banquet‑size rooms, ideal for entertaining. Two magnificent acres .
Madeleine Camay M: 516.818.3947
Lloyd Harbor | $1,099,000 | 3-BR, 2.5-BA | Web# 3175934
Set on desirable 2 acre property near beach, lovely expanded ranch style home with endless possibilities.
Raffaela Ferro M: 631.219.5705
Syosset | $825,000 | 4-BR, 2.5-BA | Web# 3165788
Endless possibilities to make this your dream home. Set on over half‑acre flat, fully‑fenced property .
Tricia Shannon M: 516.978.6832
Woodbury | $1,638,000 | 6-BR, 4.5-BA | Web# 3176544
Custom colonial boasting high end finishes in every room.
Terraced decking overlooking country club yard with pool.
Anne Fishbein M: 516.241.4263
Barbara Drucker M: 516.241.0505
Jericho | $985,000 | 4-BR, 3-BA | Web# 3174505
Beautifully renovated split level home in the White Birch section of Jericho. Offering an open concept with sliders to yard.
Carolyn Campbell Gould M: 516.972.5772
Jericho | $749,000 | 3-BR 2-BA | Web# 3168412
Light and bright ranch home offering high ceilings. Spacious deck overlooking beautifully maintained yard.
Christine Malloy M: 516.474.8909 SYOSSET OFFICE
Woodbury | $1,399,000 | 5-BR, 3.5-BA | Web# 3126649
In “The Gates,” fully redone colonial. Backdoor leads to large mudroom, formal dining room, and oversized great room.
Annalisa Bossio M: 516.445.0454
Old Bethpage | $949,000 | 5-BR, 2.5-BA | Web# 3172256
Sprawling mid block center hall colonial with lush curb appeal. Fabulous yard with in ground heated saltwater pool.
Joan Kimmel M: 917.853.8733
Plainview | $535,000 | 4-BR, 2-BA | Web# 3073857
Move right into this beautiful mid block Cape offering many updates throughout.
Patricia Amadeo M: 516.647.7088