The final countdown is on! Hoops for Hope is just a few days away! Come to the Garden City High School gym next Tuesday, February 25, for a great event. Doors open at 3 and tip off is 3:30. The game is being played in memory of Bobby Menges, a GCHS alum who lost his battle with cancer. All proceeds from the game will be donated to the I’m Not Done Yet Foundation. See page 18 for details.
BY RIKKI MASSAND
The Village Board of Trustees has approved a new program offering rebates to Garden City residents who install smart meters to monitor and reduce water consumption.
The new rebate program offers all Garden City residents a one-time, $100 rebate on their municipal water
bills for replacing any standard automatic irrigation system clock timer with a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSenselabeled smart irrigation controller.
Before its approval, Village Administrator Ralph V. Suozzi explained that the initiative stemmed from discussions with the village’s Environmental Advisory Board (EAB). As the item appeared on the Board’s agenda on Thursday, February 6, he noted, “Customers requesting the rebate will be responsible for submitting a receipt for the purchase and installation of a smart irrigation controller to the Village Water Department, which may be subject to inspection and verification by the Village
See page 51
BY RIKKI MASSAND
On February 11, a crowd of village residents gathered inside the Garden City Casino on a snowy night for an extensive presentation on potential options and project costs related to the St. Paul’s Survey. The discussion primarily focused on adaptive reuse or a partial preservation concept for the historic structure.
Proposals for reuse were accompanied by financial information, outlining the village’s options should residents ultimately vote in favor of a bond —which is expected to cost tens of millions of dollars over an extended repayment period, including interest.
The Board of Trustees has announced a second Town Hall meeting on the future of St. Paul’s, scheduled for Saturday, March 8, in the afternoon. Residents are encouraged to attend, invite their neighbors, and prepare questions or comments for the trustees. Meeting details will be posted on the Village of Garden City’s website, gardencityny.net.
Financial Considerations for St. Paul’s
At the first Town Hall, Village Treasurer Irene Woo and
BY RIKKI MASSAND
At the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, February 6, Assistant Superintendent of Recreation and Parks Andy Hill discussed a recent walkthrough of the Field House and Cluett Hall at the St. Paul’s campus with members of the village’s Recreation Commission. Considerations for a capital project to add HVAC equipment to both buildings are being shared with the Board of Trustees in anticipation of the village budget workshops and reviews in March, which will include recreation expenses
See page 34
The 2023 Public Opinion Poll on St. Paul’s had two options from which to choose. The first was “Preservation of some parts of the building, or the entire main building.” In the explanation of that option, “facadism” was mentioned. The second option was “Demolition.”
At the time some residents suggested that facadism should have been given its own option, but we disagreed. Our thought then was that if there were three options, it was very possible that the vote might end up split roughly in thirds, and no one clear option would emerge.
In retrospect, maybe there should have been a separate option. Even better would have been ranked choice voting,
which tends to work well when there is likely to be a plurality instead of a clear majority.
As it turned out, 60% of voters chose option one, and 40% chose demolition. However, within that 60% there may very well be a large percentage of residents who would be happy with keeping only the facade, or possibly just the main backbone of the building and lopping off the wings in the back. Heck, there might be people who just want to keep the clock tower. We just don’t know. And this is information that we need before a plan can go forward.
To ignore the voters who might favor some form of facadism is a mistake, and we hope the board reconsiders.
Understanding the 2023 St. Paul’s Public Opinion Poll is important in order to assess where we are now as a community on the challenging topic of the St. Paul’s Main Building. I drafted the Public Opinion Poll with extensive input from other Trustees serving on the Board of Trustees at that time.
The intent of the Opinion Poll was to hear from residents to help steer our efforts appropriately. It was unknown at that time whether there was community support to continue efforts to identify a project that would save part or all of the building.
Proposal #2 was to determine if the residents did not wish to spend any further time and tax dollars on consultants, surveys, etc and wished to simply demolish the building right away. It was emphasized that next steps would be demolition and to “immediately evaluate the use of the land” based on “further input from the residents.”
Proposal #1 stated that if this option prevailed, “the Village will immediately begin a complete evaluation of the affordability of adaptive reuse and the affordability of saving parts of the building. Community needs will be assessed with further input from residents. Consideration will be given to the possibility of replacing the Field House and Cluett Hall.”
This clearly would give the residents the information they needed to make an intelligent cost/benefit decision as to whether they preferred demolition or to proceed with preservation in some form.
In no way does the opinion poll say, or even imply, a vote for Proposal #1 is a vote to proceed with preservation.
The course initially pursued following the poll in which BCI was engaged to learn more from residents using an unbiased survey was consistent with the results of the Opinion Poll. The survey as drafted by the six trustees
assumes community support for a project that preserves the entire building, and all other alternatives have been removed from that survey (demolition, façadism and removing parts of the building). This is why Depute Mayor Bruce Chester and I voted against the survey drafted by the six trustees.
Mary Carter Flanagan. Mayor, Village of Garden City
To all residents, allow me a moment of your time to convey information on the process and objectives of the St. Paul’s Survey that will shortly be mailed to each household in the Village. Ultimately, our opinions are formed by our individual perspectives, and I, as a Trustee of the village, would like to briefly provide a broader context to the discussion and diffuse the handful of residents who repeat themselves each week.
My own perspective is born out of three decades of volunteerism within Garden City’s village government. Following the four elections I have won as a trustee I’ve worked to sincerely solve problems with all residents. I have learned to focus on unbiased facts supporting the majority of residents rather than acquiescing to a small group of faultfinders.
In my tenure, I have personally served as liaison to every Village department, including the legal and finance committees. I have discussed issues and collaborated with residents who are passionate on both sides of the debate. Based upon my experiences and the passion of many residents, I truly believe we are in a position where St. Paul’s can be resolved for the betterment of the village.
Importantly misinformation, as opposed to just a difference of opinion by a few individuals has been replete online and is repeated each week in
See page 47
BY RIKKI MASSAND
At the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, February 6, Trustee Vinny Muldoon asked Assistant Superintendent Andy Hill of the village’s Recreation and Parks Department about the maintenance and upkeep of village-owned green spaces, including the center malls on certain roads and streets. He specifically inquired about the progress and satisfaction with the new contractor, BrightView Landscapes of Oceanside, which handled landscaping services for three sections of the municipality—the Estates, the East, and the West—during the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
Village Administrator Ralph Suozzi explained that when Garden City engages a new contractor, the processing of insurance documents can take up to two months. Now that BrightView Landscapes is a registered vendor for the village, the only remaining step is determining the start date.
“They know the village and Tom Gordon has worked with them, and they met with Mr. Hill today,” he shared.
Hill reported that BrightView only requires a formal letter from the Village of Garden City to extend their services for the spring through late fall of 2025, the second year of their two-year con-
tract.
“I spoke to our Purchasing Department’s Cassie Reynolds who was intending to speak with (Superintendent of Public Works) Mr. John Borroni to see if he can issue a formal letter. Cheryl Jones from BrightView Landscapes came to see us today and we spoke about how we’re happy with their work and want to hit the ground running, but I did bring up the issues they had last year. They’ve reassured me that it won’t happen again. They assured me that once the weather improves we will hold a Rec./Parks team meeting with myself, Tom Gordon and the BrightView staff to make sure they’re fully briefed on all we are expecting going through this spring,” Hill said.
At the April 2024 Village Board reorganization meeting, BrightView’s initial contract—totaling $216,859.64—was formally approved. The contract included funds for shrub pruning, with $54,215.06 allocated from the Recreation and Parks Department’s Contractual Services budget line for the remainder of the 20232024 fiscal year and $162,644.58 covering the following six months (through fall 2024). The second contractual year will cover approximately the same seven-month period as last year.
Trustee Muldoon said in his conversations around the village, he believes
BrightView has done a much better job in Garden City than the prior contractor, Con-Kel Landscaping.
“Let’s be ahead of the curve and get all the paperwork in early so we have plenty of time to make sure everything is ready to go in the spring, as we’re already in February and St. Patrick’s Day is approaching,” he said.
Recreation and Parks Equipment
During the February 6 meeting, Hill reported that the Rec. and Parks Department successfully navigated the fall 2024 leaf season without needing a new leaf truck. As a result, the department used leftover budget funds to pur-
chase equipment that will be useful in the spring.
The board heard Hill’s description of two new electric lawn mowers that will be assigned to work duties at village playgrounds, and a new gas-powered mower would be stationed at Garden City Community Park where the weather and conditions could “call for something with a little more power than electric ones can give us.”
A modification to the Rec. Department’s capital equipment budget included removing the previously planned purchase of an R-75 Leaf
The Garden City Police Department is investigating a shooting incident that occurred on February 17. Garden City Police responded to a single vehicle auto accident on Cambridge Ave in Garden City.
Upon arrival, the male driver of the vehicle reported that he was the victim of a robbery and had been shot in the
arm. According to police, the subjects fled the area in another vehicle. The male victim was transported to the hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Garden City detectives are investigating the incident. Anyone with information about the incident can contact Garden City Detectives at (516) 465-4108.
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The George Group: (LtoR) Back - Vivian Gioia, Senior Client Associate; David Lazaros CFP®, Vice President, Financial Advisor; Amy Curley, Vice President, Portfolio Management Associate; Front - Cody George CDFA®, Senior Portfolio Manager, Financial Advisor; Raymond George CRPC®, Managing Director, Wealth Management, Financial Advisor; Taylor George, Financial Planning Specialist, Financial Advisor
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CFP Board owns the marks CFP® in the U.S.
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The George Group: (LtoR) Back - Vivian Gioia Senior Client Associate; David Lazaros CFP®, Vice President, Financial Advisor; Amy Curley, Vice President, Portfolio Management Associate; Front - Cody George CDFA®, Senior Portfolio Manager, Financial Advisor; Raymond George CRPC®, Managing Director, Wealth Management, Financial Advisor; Taylor George, Financial Planning Specialist, Financial Advisor
The use of the CDFA® designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney.
The use of the CDFA® designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney. Source: Forbes.com (2023-2024). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in March of year prior to the issuance of the award.
Financial Advisor; Raymond George CRPC®, Managing Director, Wealth Management, Financial Advisor; Taylor George, Financial Planning Specialist, Financial Advisor CFP Board owns the marks CFP® in the U.S. The use of the CDFA® designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney. Source: Forbes.com (2023-2024). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in March of year prior to the issuance of the award.
Source: Forbes.com (2023-2024). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in March of year prior to the issuance of the award.
The use of the CDFA® designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney. Source: Forbes.com (2023-2024). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in March of year prior to the issuance of the award.
The use of the CDFA® designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney.
Source: Forbes.com (2023-2024). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in March of year prior to the issuance of the award.
For more information on award methodology and criteria, scan QR code.
For more information on award methodology and criteria, scan QR code.
Welcome to your new home! This beautifully updated 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom first-floor co-op is nestled in a serene courtyard that offers a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Inside, you will find a new kitchen equipped with modern appliances, sleek granite countertops, ample cabinet space, and a dining area. The convenience of in-unit laundry adds to the appeal, providing you with everything you need for comfortable living.
Located just a short walk from the train station, local shops and restaurants, this co-op combines tranquility with convenience. Enjoy easy access to all the amenities and services you need while living in a quiet, picturesque setting. Offered at $360,000 125 15th Street Unit B1
The old Garden City Hotel.
Special Event with Chef David Burke
The Garden City Property Owners Associations are excited to present another event celebrating the history of our Village. Residents are in for a treat to help celebrate a significant milestone—the 150th anniversary of the Garden City Hotel. This event will take place on Tuesday, March 4, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., at the Senior Center on Golf Club Lane.
The evening promises to be a memorable one, featuring a special guest appearance by the renowned hotel chef, David Burke. Known for his innovative culinary skills and contributions to the hospitality industry, Chef Burke ’ s presence adds a touch of culinary excellence to the event.
Attendees will have the opportunity to explore an array of memorabilia from the hotel's rich and storied past. This collection will offer a glimpse into the hotel's evolution and its role in shaping the community over the past century and a half.
This event is open to all Garden City residents at no charge, though
attendance is limited. Beverages and light refreshments will be served.
Make sure to mark your calendars and join in the festivities to honor the legacy of the Garden City Hotel, a true cornerstone of the community for the past 150 years.
Space is limited for this event, so please register here. For further information, contact the POA Events team at gcpoaevents@gmail.com. https://shorturl.at/m0r38
Let your voice be heard!
Is there an issue in your community you want to discuss? Want to respond to something you saw in our paper? Then write a letter to our editor and bring it to everyone’s attention! Send your letter to editor@gcnews.com and we’ll publish it for you!
BY MELISSA JAEGER
“May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall softly upon your field.” Traditional Irish blessing (ancient Celtic prayer).
Last week, we examined the fact that “St. Patrick” is a myth of many contradictions. Revered as the patron saint of Ireland, he was neither Irish nor a saint. The first parade celebrating his life was held on March 17, 1601 (his feast day) in St. Augustine, Florida. And a new tradition – the St. Patrick’s Day Parade -- was begun in 1772 to honor the saint.
Another tradition? Consuming corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes on St. Patrick’s Day. Why? The original Irish “go-to” meal was bacon, served with cabbage. After the 1800’s, when many Irish people emigrated to the U.S., they were forced to substitute bacon with corned beef brisket (pickled and fermented). They were able to purchase corned beef, an affordable alternative, from Jewish butchers on the Lower East side. I don’t know why we only seem to eat it but once a year, but I will continue to do so, if only to preserve the tradition.
Don’t forget to come into the Exchange and pick up your tickets for the Garden City Historical Society “Songs of Ireland for a Sunday Afternoon” show. On Sunday, March 16th at 3:00pm John Kouri and the Hambones will perform at the Historical Society Museum.
Between them, the members of the group have over 150 years of musical experience, playing in individual bands. They united in 2010 with a simple “desire to play the music we love.” For the past 15 years, they have been on a musical journey captivating their audiences with their diverse styles. If the name sounds familiar – it is if you go to the GC Pool! They have an extensive range of over 250 songs spanning across Irish, Americana, Pop, Classic Rock, and Country, ensuring that there’s something for everyone. The performance will be 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at The
John Kouri and the Hambones will perform "Songs of Ireland for a Sunday Afternoon" at the Historical Society Museum on March 16.
TGCHS Museum located at 109 Eleventh Street in Garden City.
We are also pleased to announce that the family of Maureen Clancy (1932–2021) will sponsor this program. She and her husband, Cummin, started Clancy & Clancy Brokerage which has been around for more than 67 years. She was also an extremely active and respected member of the GC community, both in private and professional circles.
Maureen was a past president of The Garden City Historical Society and an avid supporter of its music programs.
As such, The Garden City Historical Society is dedicating its “Songs of Ireland for a Sunday Afternoon” March 16th performance to the memory of Maureen.
Be sure to get your tickets (only $40 per person) soon, as it is our most popular show and sells out quickly. Light refreshments -- including Irish soda bread and Irish coffee -- will be served after the show. Tickets can be purchased at the A.T. Stewart Exchange (Mon-Fri 10–4; Sat 12–4 and Wed until 6 p.m.), located at the rear of the TGCHS Museum (the yellow Victorian house on 11th Street).
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The Garden City Kiwanis Club celebrated Valentine’s Day with “An Evening in Paris.” The event included the Eiffel Tower, candles, Monet, balloons, chocolate covered strawberries and a “Romance Movie Trivia.” It was enchanted!
Above: Town Councilman Tom Muscarella; First Lady of GC Kiwanis Suki Curry, Lisa McCarthy, Pat Carroll, Dan McCarthy, Steve Carroll, Club President Patrick Curry.
BY REV. BONNIE MCDOUGALL OLSON
Are you looking for a church home for the upcoming holidays?
If so, please consider joining us at the Garden City Community Church. We are located at 245 Stewart Avenue between Kensington Road and Whitehall Blvd in Garden City, NY. 11530
Here is our upcoming Lenten schedule:
• Ash Wednesday, March 5th at noon in the Chapel
• Palm Sunday, April 13th at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary
• Maundy Thursday, April 17th at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary
• Good Friday, April 18th the Chapel is open from noon - 3:00 p.m. for prayer & meditation
• Easter Sunday, April 20th at 10:30 am in the Sanctuary. There will be an Easter egg hunt for the children after the 10:30 a.m. Easter Sunday service. Regular church services are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. We look forward to meeting you - all are welcome to attend. If you have any questions,
The Garden City Community Church
please contact the church office at (516) 746-1700 or email churchoffice@ thegccc.org. Visit our website at www. theGCCC.org.
163 Brixton Road
Date: 02/4/2025
Sold price: $1,570,000
4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1 half bath
Architectural Style: Colonial
Property size: .22 acres
Annual taxes: $25,892
MLS number: L3588293
The Seller’s Team: Kathleen Lucchesi, Daniel Gale Sothebys Intl Realty
The Buyer’s Team: Patricia Aprigliano, Howard Hanna Coach
Location Location! Welcome 163 Brixton Road to the Garden City market! With over 3000 square feet of living space, and located in a most prime GC Estates location, this quintessential Center Hall Colonial home is the one you have been waiting for. This GC beauty offers charm, sophistication and beautiful curb appeal as well as an ideal floor plan that will delight. Enter the home to a gracious front center hall foyer, oversized living room with wood burning fireplace and an entry door to outdoor covered patio for relaxation. The large banquet sized dining room, perfect for entertaining ,is adjacent to sizeable eat in kitchen. The den is sun drenched and includes a second fireplace. Also included on first floor is guest bathroom and generous size laundry room that can be used as an additional bedroom if desired. The second floor offers very large primary bedroom with en-suite bathroom. Three additional and sizable bedrooms are located on this floor as well as a lovely hallway bathroom. A full staircase leads from second floor hallway up to very large additional unfinished third floor space with tall ceilings- ready to finish as you wish-use your imagination. The lower level has finished recreation space, built in bar, storage galore and full staircase egress to backyard. Other amenities include Inground sprinklers and alarm system. Enjoy all that the incorporated Village of Garden City has to offer including award winning school system, close proximity to LIRR,GC recreational park system and so much more.
built over sized contemporary home on
price: $1,390,000
3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1 half bath
MLS number: L3580201
The Seller’s Team: Ara G. Kallem, East Coast Realtors
The Buyer’s Team: Xiang Ji, Voro LLC
x100 manicured estate like property. The main floor of this one of a kind split level home has a large entry foyer, updated eat in kitchen with granite counters and custom cherry cabinetry, grand living room with fireplace, formal dining room and large family room with glass sliding door to yard. There are 3 bedrooms including a large primary bedroom with tons of closets and in suite bathroom. Additionally there is an oversized 1 car garage with an large adjacent storage area. Perfect home for indoor outdoor entertaining with newly installed patio pavers to accommodate large gatherings all with walking distance to Long Island Rail Road. Top rated Garden City School District walking distance to Homestead and Stratford school
This informational page is sponsored by Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Houses featured on this page were sold by various real estate agencies
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NC Legislator John Giuffre to Speak Next Tuesday
Next Tuesday, February 25 ,12:15, at Mineola’s Davenport Press restaurant, 70 Main Street, Mineola-Garden City Rotary is pleased to welcome as guest speaker John J. Giuffre, Nassau County Legislator, District 8.
The Legislature is the arm of the Nassau County government. Comprised of single representatives from each of the county’s 19 districts, it is the legislature’s duty to draft and approve local laws that affect the county and its residents.
Elected to the NC Legislature in January of 2021, professionally, John Giuffre owns and founded Giuffre Law Offices, P.C. in Stewart Manor, NY. He earned his law degree, cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School where he served as an editor of the Journal of International Business Law.
John was admitted to the New York Bar in 1988 and is admitted to practice in Connecticut, New Jersy and Pennsylvania as well as the Federal courts in New York City and Long Island. He is a sustaining member of the Nasau County Bar Association where he serves on the Ethics Committee. John is running on the Republican and Conservative Party lines.
John Giuffre is dedicated to the community where he serves on the Zoning Board, teaches Sunday School, and is active in the local business community as a member of the Floral Park Chamber of Commerce, and both the Covert Avenue and New Hyde Park Chambers.
At the height of the pandemic, Giuffre was busy, serving his clients, keeping his law firm going and studying the laws and regulations for the various government relief programs to help small businesses and
Nassau County Legislator John Giuffre will speak at Rotary on Tuesday, February 25.
the self-employed survive. John and his wife Lauren have an adult son and daughter and live in the Village of Stewart Manor.
To hear about the current activities of the Nassau County Legislature … to learn about Mineola-Garden City’s Rotary Club as it celebrates its centennial year with year-long services … and for a great Davenport lunch, please join us next Tuesday. Luncheon fee is $40, payable at the door. To register in advance, email mineolagardencityrotaryclub@gmail.com.
Lunch Meetings Held at
Davenport Press Restaurant, 12:15
March 11 – Rotarian Tina O’Keefe to speak of experiences in the Peace Corps
March 25 – TBD
April 8 – TBD
April 22 – Congressewoman Laura Gillen, member of the US House of Representatives, guest speaker
The Garden City school district invites Garden City senior citizens to a complimentary dinner and preview of Garden City High School’s production of “The Little Mermaid” on Thursday, March 13.
Dinner will be served in the Garden City High School Cafeteria at 3:30 p.m. hosted by the GCTA. Raffles and more supported by the Garden City PTA will
also be available.
The event will also feature live music by the High School Jazz Band.
Be sure to reserve your free ticket by March 7. To reserve your complimentary ticket, vist gchsny.booktix.com
Choose “senior citizen” ticket type and use the code “preview”
Note: Tickets are limited to the first 150 requests. Limit two tickets per order.
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!
BY BOB MORGAN, JR.
From 1945, when Allied forces finally defeated the Nazis but Soviet forces occupied much of eastern Europe, the United States has been in a military and political alliance with most major European nations. This alliance essentially has lasted for eighty years. Now, however, there are increasing signs that it may be time to rethink and reset that relationship.
In the early years after World War II, the focus was on the reconstruction of devastated Europe under the Marshall Plan, and perhaps most important the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a defense structure in which the United States and the European members mutually guaranteed their security. In 1948, the United States conducted a major airlift to guarantee the continued existence of West Berlin, which was in danger of being overrun by East Germany, a Soviet puppet regime.
The alliance lasted for decades, even after the Soviet Union dissolved and its satellite nations became independent and a new Russian state emerged. In effect, despite occasional criticism of the arrangement, the European nations continued under a security umbrella largely financed by the United States.
But more recently, and not just during the two Trump administrations, there has been a growing belief in the United States that the relationship is not fair to the United States. Europe, for its part sometimes resents what it perceives as American bullying.
Some of the points of contention are economic -- disputes over tariffs (particularly in the Trump administrations) and other seemingly protectionist European regulations and practices. Another major point revolves around the relatively low percentage of GDP paid by European countries for their defense in comparison with the United States outlay.
Other debates are in the context of far stronger American economic growth in recent years in comparison with Europe. The gap in gross national product between the United States and the European Union widened in 2023 to 30 percent from 15 percent in 2003. The
United States remains easily the top nation for global tech companies, with approximately 63 of the top 100 firms headquartered in the United States, with only a handful in Europe. There is a feeling in the United States that Europe is too much an over regulated welfare state not pulling its economic weight.
In two speeches in Europe last week, Vice President JD Vance laid out some current differences between the United States and Europe. Speaking in Paris about AI technology, Mr. Vance declared it a great technology that would make the world more productive, prosperous and free, but called out a new European law, the Digital Services Act, which imposes heavy fines for so-called misinformation and seeks to convert internet service providers into content regulators if not censors. Mr. Vance said that the United States continues to desire to partner with Europe, called for a regulatory regime that “ fosters the growth of the AI technology, rather than strangles it. ” He made the point that excessive regulations had the potential to hamper the development of new technology, while only protecting incumbent producers.
Then, speaking at a security summit in Munich, Mr. Vance said that he feared that Europe had retreated in recent years from some of the principles that were shared values with the United States -- a devotion to free speech and free elections. He pointed to numerous examples of censorship of dissent in Europe and of denying the rights of dissident (if controversial) political parties
I personally agree with much of Mr. Vance’s overall message, but we certainly don’t need a complete divorce from Europe. There are too many cultural bonds between our countries and a long history of being allies. Rather, we need a resetting of the relationship, with Europe understanding that the United States is making some legitimate points about financial imbalances and the United States recognizing that not every cultural value, even among friends, needs to be identical. This is an imperfect, but hopefully enduring, relationship.
By John L. Gomes, MD
John L. Gomes, MD, founded Women’s Health Care of Garden City in 1995. It has remained an independent private practice, providing personalized obstetrical and gynecological services.
He employs the technical advances of conventional medicine with an integrative approach to navigate women through difficult pregnancies into the menopausal years. He treats a wide variety of OB/GYN conditions and is dedicated to providing the highest quality of care.
All tests are conveniently done on the premises, and a dedicated, compassionate staff is on call 24/7.
He is committed to excellence in patient communication, education and support, as many patients come with anxiety associated with past experiences and future concerns.
Dr. Gomes received his undergraduate degree from Brown University, and his Doctor of Medicine from Columbia University.
He is both Board Certified and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Women’s Health Care of Garden City is located at 1000 Franklin Avenue, Suite 200, Garden City.
Laura Baymack
RE Salesperson Principal Agent
Maureen Lagarde
RE Salesperson Founding Agent
Alexandra Parisi
Assoc. RE Broker Founding Agent
Chelsea Costello
Stephen Baymack
Assoc. RE Broker Principal Agent
Kathleen McCarthy
RE Salesperson Principal Agent
Jennifer Sullivan
Susan Gillin
Christina M. Hirschfield
Laura Carroll
RE Salesperson Founding Agent
Patrick M. McCooey
Assoc. RE Broker Founding Agent
Kathy Thornton
RE Salesperson Principal Agent
Agent Danielle Nero
RE Salesperson Principal Agent
Agent
RE Salesperson Laura Carroll Team
RE Salesperson Principal Agent
RE Salesperson Founding Agent
Garden City is now offering a one-time rebate of $100 for the purchase and installation of a WaterSense-approved smart irrigation controller.
Customers requesting a rebate should call the village water department for an appointment. Installation may be subject to inspection and verification by the water department. This rebate offer only applies to irrigation controllers which are purchased after February 6, 2025.
Irrigation controllers which were purchased earlier are not eligible to receive a rebate. This program will run for two years beginning on April 1, 2025.
Prepared by the GC EAB. See gardencityny.net for details.
Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call the Garden City office today 294-8900 for more information.
In 1923 a new window was installed at the chapel in the Cathedral School of St. Mary on Cathedral Ave. It was designed by Frederick Wilson, head of the ecclesiastical department of Tiffany Studios, and dedicated to Elizabeth C. Dodge [1860-1921] by her sister, brother, and friends. She was Housemistress or Matron of the school, responsible for the students outside of teaching. The 1921 yearbook “The Annual’ is dedicated to her.
The scene of the window is titled “Angel of Resurrection”, executed in the opalescent [favrile] glass for which Tiffany was noted. The angel ascends nearby the eternal flame, symbolic of remembrance and of the Resurrection.
When the school was demolished in 2002 the window was removed and consigned by the Cathedral to Christie’s, who auctioned it to a private buyer for $89,265.
It is not known what the original 1892 window depicted that this one displaced. Archives identifier: schsm33
A selection from the extensive Village Archives. Others can be seen at www.NYHeritage.org - click on Organizations, G, and Garden City Public Library. Comments/questions: email Historian@ gardencityny.net
Wellington Road,
This beautifully updated colonial offers space, charm & convenience. You’ll be delighted with this 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home located in the Adelphi Estates section. The kitchen leads into an attractive family room with sliding doors that open to a lovely yard with patio. This property features gorgeous hardwood floors throughout, a spacious living room with fireplace and bright sunroom. There’s a formal dining room and front and back staircases. Plus, a first-floor laundry. It has a bonus 3rd floor, and the basement has rec room, storage and utilities. It is conveniently situated near LIRR Nassau Blvd Station, Shops, Restaurants.
Do you want to miss seeing these smiles?
Middle School students support the Challengers.
The final countdown is on! Hoops for Hope is just a few days away! Come to GCHS gym next Tuesday, February 25, for a great event. Doors open at 3 and tip off is 3:30. The game is being played in memory of Bobby Menges, a GCHS alum who lost his battle with cancer. All proceeds from the game will be donated to the I’m Not Done Yet Foundation. INDY’s mission is to help adolescent and young adult cancer patients and survivors to live their lives the way they deserve.
The cheer and kickline teams will once again perform! The GCMS is
Bobby Menges
always so supportive and have written inspirational messages to get the team psyched for their big day. A suggested donation of $5 includes a coupon for some free 7th Street Tenders from Seventh Street Gourmet, 100 Seventh Street, GC. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase for a chance to win great prizes. Family and business sponsorships are available. If interested please contact Liz Menges at efmenges131@gmail.com. Quesions? Contact Katherine O’Hanlon at 516-760-7868. You won't want to miss this special afternoon!
The cheerleaders always bring great energy to the gym.
Kickline is always a crowd favorite!
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With current events, announcements, restaurant reviews, puzzles, and much more, there’s always something for everybody to enjoy!
BY JOE UMANA, VILLAGE ARBORIST
By now Garden City village residents and most of Long Island have become familiar with the arrival and existence of the Spotted Lantern Fly. An invasive plant hopper native to China, India, and Vietnam; it is also established in South Korea, Japan and the U.S. It was first discovered in the U.S. in Pennsylvania in Berks County in 2014 and has spread to other counties in PA, as well as the states of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, New York, Connecticut and Ohio.
This insect has the potential to greatly impact agricultural crops and hardwood trees by feeding on the plant sap of many different plants including grapevines, maples, black walnut, and other important plants here on Long Island. While it does not harm humans or animals, Spotted Lantern Fly is a serious invasive pest and it can be a significant nuisance, affecting the quality of life and enjoyment of the outdoors. It has a strong preference for economically important plants and the feeding damage significantly stresses the plants which can lead to decreased health and potentially
death. As Spotted Lantern Fly feeds, the insect excretes honeydew (a sugary substance) which can attract bees, wasps, and other insects. The honeydew also builds up and promotes the growth for sooty mold, which can cover the plant, forest understories, patio furniture, cars, and anything else found below the insect feeding.
We receive many residents’ calls in regards to the Spotted Lantern Fly and what can be done. At this time of the year is when we need the residents’ help! In the fall months the insect began laying its eggs. These eggs are protected within what appears to look like a mud mass. Each mass can contain between 30 and 50 eggs. These masses can be found on the underside of branches and other hard surfaces. If there is a tree in your yard that you noticed adults specifically gathering on this would be a good place to start looking! Once you find the egg masses you can use a rigid plastic card or small plastic putty knife to scrape the egg masses off. This combined effort will play an immense role in controlling the population once the warmer spring months arrive.
Residents should remove the egg masses to reduce the population of spotted lanternflies.
The Eastern Property Owners’ Association has announced that it will once again award a $1000 scholarship for 2025 to a graduating high school senior who resides in the Eastern section. The candidates, or their family, must
be dues paying members of the EPOA. They must be currently attending public or private high school and plan to attend college full time in the fall. The focus of this scholarship is community service.
Candidates need to submit an application which can be accessed from the EPOA website at www.gcepoa.org or obtained from the Garden City High School Guidance Department. Should you have a question, you can call
Barbara Garry at 516-248-1486. All interested, eligible seniors are encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is April 16, 2025.
mcarterflanagan@gardencityny.net
As promised last week, here is an abbreviated version of some of the significant prior efforts to find a solution for the St. Paul’s Main Building. This column is not meant to be comprehensive, and additional details of the different efforts are available on the website or can be searched for upon request. Understanding these significant past efforts is an important part of making a decision on a Village solution for the St. Paul’s Main Building.
How it started: Shortly after the Village decided to acquire the St. Paul’s property, Mayor Brian Deveney in March of 1993 appointed a volunteer committee, the first of many, to find a use for the Historic Main Building. The committee met with more than 35 parties indicating interest in the building for commercial, cultural, educational and/or residential uses. Except for assisted living developers, the committee reported that all declined interest in St. Paul’s due to the high costs to retrofit, and this lead to the committee exploring an assisted living development as a solution.
Assisted Living Development
In 1995, the Mayor’s Committee reported that for the past 2 ½ years they attempted to determine the best use for the Historic Main Building and Ellis Hall and concluded that a Continuing Care Retirement Facility was the most compatible use as it met many of the objectives which have been deemed to be of vital interest to the Village and residents. Extensive research, deliberation and negotiations led to the Village choosing CareMatrix as the assisted living organization it planned to lease the Main Building to for the development of a Senior Living Facility. This effort was halted when two families sued the Village to prevent the lease. The families prevailed in that lawsuit, and the project did not move forward.
Extensive and repeated efforts were undertaken to move the Garden City High School to the St. Paul’s Main Building. Those efforts were met with some opposition, and not much appears in the village chronology about the proposal after Mr. Thomas Lamberti , counsel for Garden City School District, sent a letter in December of 1996 to a proponent of the project stating, the Board of Education has no author-
ity to proceed with its proposal to spend $35,500,000 to restore St. Paul’s as a new high school as it has no power to spend taxpayer’s money for historic preservation and that the proposal violates the Commission of Education’s regulation since the estimated cost of renovating St. Paul’s as a high school exceeds the estimated cost of building a new high school on the same site.
Village Offices
As far back as 1994, relocating village offices was considered as a possible use for the St. Paul’s Main Building. The Mayor’s Committee presented a final report in June 1994 which included consultant reports that determined the St. Paul’s Main Building is structurally sound for relocating Village Hall, Fire, Police, Court and community meeting rooms at a rehabilitation cost in excess of $18 million. In 2002, the Village again revisited the idea of moving Village Hall to the St. Paul’s Main Building, however, after the preparation of more detailed cost estimates, the Board of Trustees abandoned the idea of moving Village Hall to the St. Paul’s Main Building.
In 2003, the Village Board hired a consultant to verify the cost of moving the Garden City Library to St. Paul’s. A report was received in April 2003 that estimated the cost of relocating the Garden City Public Library into 50,000 square feet of the St. Paul’s Main Building at $26.6 million. It is unclear exactly why this idea was abandoned, but it may have been due to the cost estimate for the construction at St. Paul’s, community concern about the impact of potentially selling the Library property on 7th Street, or no longer having a library that was walkable from some many apartments and the local businesses.
The Village again sought private developers for the site during 2006 and submitted a grant application to the Empire State Development Corporation to seek funding for the Historic Main Building at St. Paul’s. A Request for Proposal (“RFP”) led to discussions with developers and a decision was made to move forward with AvalonBay, a company that had responded to the RFP. The Garden City News has extensive coverage on this proposal and the
See page 35
Vehicles entered
On February 12, two individuals entered vehicles parked in a Wilson Street driveway and stole items from one of them.
Email scam
A victim on February 12 was deceived by a PayPal email scam, leading to a substantial monetary loss.
Speeding, cellphone violation
A Nassau Boulevard motorist was charged on February 12 with excessive speed and using a cellphone while driving.
Fire alarm mishaps
On February 12, officers assisted firefighters responding to a fire alarm set off by a hair dryer and another triggered by a curling iron.
Overweight truck violations
A Clinton Road truck driver was cited on February 12 for multiple overweight violations.
Carbon monoxide alarm
On February 12, GCFD and GCPD responded to a residence for a carbon monoxide alarm. Firefighters determined a malfunctioning boiler was the cause and made the home safe. No injuries were reported.
Hit-and-run damages light pole
A vehicle on February 12 left the scene after striking and damaging a light pole on Merillon Avenue.
Suspended license
A 6th Street motorist was charged on February 12 with driving with a suspended license and having tinted windows.
Charity donation turns into scam
On February 13, a victim made a donation through a cash app but later discovered unauthorized charges, revealing it was a scam.
Alleged DWI violation
A Washington Avenue motorist was arrested on February 13 for allegedly driving without a court-ordered interlock device. Police say the vehicle also had improper plates and was unregistered and uninsured.
Elevator alarms investigated
On February 13, GCPD and GCFD determined a 7th Street elevator alarm was set off in error. Firefighters also freed two occupants from a malfunctioning elevator at Adelphi University.
Suspended license, registration
A Hilton Avenue motorist was charged on February 13 with driving with a suspended license and a suspended registration.
Gas odor
On February 13, GCFD and GCPD responded to Old Country Road for a reported natural gas odor. Firefighters inspected the area and deemed it safe.
Arrest in hit-and-run
A 36-year-old motorist was arrested on February 14 for allegedly leaving the scene of an accident that occurred the previous day on Clinton Road.
School bus license revoked
On February 14, officers stopped a school bus on Stewart Avenue due to a suspended registration. They determined that the New York State DOT had revoked the company’s for-hire license. The bus, en route to pick up students, was impounded, and the company faced multiple charges. The school was notified.
Multiple violations
A Clinton Road motorist was charged on February 14 with excessive speed, driving an unregistered vehicle, and uninsured operation.
Identity theft
On February 14, a victim’s personal and credit card information was used to fraudulently buy a laptop computer.
Driving offenses on Clinton
A Clinton Road motorist was charged on February 14 with driving with a suspended license, suspended registration, and uninsured operation.
False fire alarms
On February 14, GCFD and GCPD responded to a fire alarm triggered by a hair dryer and another deemed a system malfunction.
Truck violations
A Nassau Boulevard truck driver was cited on February 14 for driving in a prohibited zone and multiple equipment violations.
Speeding on Clinton
On February 15, a Clinton Road motorist was charged with excessive speed and driving with a suspended registration.
Alarm triggered by cleaners
GCFD and GCPD responded on February 15 to a business for a fire alarm activated by cleaning staff.
Unlicensed driver
A 1st Street motorist was charged on February 15 with unlicensed opera-
tion and excessive speed.
System malfunctions
On February 15, GCFD and GCPD responded to two locations where fire alarms were found to be system malfunctions.
Aggressive driving on Franklin
A Franklin Avenue motorist was cited on February 15 for multiple aggressive driving violations.
Speeding,uninsured operation
On February 15, a Rockaway Avenue motorist was charged with excessive speed and uninsured operation.
Stolen vehicle
An 18-year-old male was arrested on February 16 on Franklin Avenue for allegedly driving a vehicle reported stolen from Corona. Police say a juvenile passenger was released to a parent.
Electrical fire in utility hole
On February 16, officers assisted
firefighters responding to an electrical fire in a utility hole on Franklin Avenue.
Excessive speed
Two Clinton Road motorists were cited on February 16 for excessive speed and uninsured operation.
Phone scam investigation
On February 16, officers investigated a report of a victim receiving a scam phone call from an unknown person demanding money.
Unlicensed, uninsured operation
A 1st Street motorist was charged on February 16 with unlicensed operation, defective lights, and uninsured operation.
Multiple fire alarms triggered
On February 16, GCFD and GCPD responded to a faulty detector alarm and two additional alarms caused by cooking smoke.
Fallen tree on Raymond Court
Officers safeguarded Raymond Court on February 16 for a fallen tree and notified the Parks Department for removal.
See page 35
Quick
Remote
Trusted
Trusted
Quiz Bowl Tournament host Mr. Kevin O’Hagan with winners Everett Lehnert, James Martin, Andrew Burns and Mr. Scott McAuley.
Garden City High School completed its 29th annual Intramural Quiz Bowl tournament with a final round for the ages. Organized and hosted by social studies teacher Mr. Kevin O’Hagan, this yearly trivia competition pits three teams of one teacher and three students against one another through three rounds: a preliminary, semifinal and final to determine the champion. During the course of the competition, the teams were asked a total of 150 science, math, history, literature and
vocabulary questions through two 75 question halves.
This year, the team of Everett Lehnert, James Martin, Andrew Burns and Mr. Scott McAuley won the game by one point and were crowned 2025 Intramural Quiz Bowl Champions. As a reward, their names will be engraved to the Garden City High School Intramural Quiz Bowl champions plaque, where their victory will be remembered for years to come.
Photos courtesy of the Garden City School District
Students and teachers participated in the annual Intramural Quiz Bowl tournament.
Members of the Col. Aaron Ogden Chapter NSDAR, Carla Hall D'Ambra Regent, held their most recent meeting on February 8th.Their program was on the topic of Scrimshaw, presented by Chapter Member Leslie Dimmling.
Scrimshaw had its beginning as an early American art form, produced by sailors who spent years at sea on whaling ships, a big industry in Colonial New England. Sailors were given a share of the bones and teeth of the captured whales. From these rough materials they produced their scrimshaw, etching their drawing into the bone or ivory with a needle or sharp nail, and rubbing soot on it to highlight the lines. Often the items produced were practical ones which could be sold once back on land. As a result, scrimshaw found its way into American homes in the form of thimbles, pie crimpers, corset stays, dice, needle holders, jewelry, tobacco jars, buttons and many other objects. In addition there were items which were purely decorative, such as the whales teeth themselves, often adorned with sailing ships and nautical or patriot themes.
Whaling began to wane as an industry as alternative forms of lighting
and fuel such as gas and coal began to become more available, and the last whaler left New Bedford in 1927. The art form continued until the final blow, passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 1972 which outlawed the US sale of items made from parts of the animals. Most scrimshaw today is done on resin designed to mimic whales teeth, buffalo horn, fossilized bone, or even recycled piano keys.
Be sure to check the back part of The Garden City News each week for the latest in GC sports.
The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island and the Black Clergy Caucus present the 2025 Celebration of the Reverend Absalom Jones Day, on Saturday, February 22, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation at 11am. Jones was the first person of African descent ordained a priest to the Episcopal Church in the United States. The Rev. Cn. Dr. Donald Kortright Davis, Professor of Theology at Howard University will be the guest preacher. The Right Reverend Lawrence C. Provenzano, Bishop of the Diocese of Long Island, will preside.
Absalom Jones (November 7, 1746 – February 13, 1818) was an African-American abolitionist and clergyman who became prominent in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Disappointed at the racial discrimination he experienced in a local Methodist church, he founded the Free African Society with Richard Allen in 1787, a mutual aid society for African Americans in the city. The Free African Society included many people newly freed from slavery after the American Revolutionary War.
In 1794, Jones founded the first Black Episcopal congregation, and in 1802, he was the first African American to be ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church of the United States. He is listed on the Episcopal calendar of saints. He is remembered liturgically on the date of his death, February 13, in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer as “Absalom Jones, Priest, 1818”
Music is always an important part of this celebration.
Dean Sniffen will offer his welcome, as he did the last time the Cathedral hosted this event in 2023.
A pop-up choir will add their voices to Saturday's liturgy.
The Garden City PTA partnered with SEPTA and the Garden City Middle School Anti-Bullying Task force for this year’s GC Cares-A-Thon, an interactive event designed to introduce students to local and global causes and ideas on how they can make an impact.
The event, which took place on Jan. 31 began with clubs, outside organizations and individual students developing ideas on how to help others in need. The groups came up with fundraisers and initiatives including food and toy drives and writing letters to various
groups. These ideas were then turned into student run tables throughout the middle school, where attendees chose how they would like to make a difference. Each attendee received a punch card at the event and was asked to complete at least 12 activities out of the 32 stations. Participants received two hours of community service.
Every table had their own theme and corresponding activity such as letter writing or bracelet making. Themes included rare cancer awareness, global warming, dyslexia awareness, paws for
a cause, hospital heroes, marine life and addressing teen stress in Garden City. In addition to stations, the event included a canned food drive, gift card collection for teens in the hospital, pet food/supply collection for North Shore Animal League, toiletry drive and military collection drive.
GC Cares-A-Thon was made possible with the support of Bailey’s Warriors and The Teen Project, alongside the following GCMS clubs: The Anti-Bullying Club, Music Box Players, Student Council Grade 6, German Club,
Environment Club, LEADERS Program Grades 6, 7, and 8, Best Buddies, Maker Space and GSA.
This community service can be used for school requirements such as National Junior Honor Society or for other organizations students have joined. The success of this year’s GC Cares-A-Thon demonstrated the power of community collaboration while inspiring students to make a positive impact locally and globally.
Photos courtesy of the Garden City School District
The German Club students got to make their own German Spaetzle. The students learned about the history of the Spaetzle, a German egg noodle which translates to “little sparrow. They loved learning about its history and making the food themselves. They worked together and individually to prepare their dishes. Of course, they loved getting to try the food after their hard work. At the end of their experience many students said they want to cook more German foods on their own.
On December 19, students in Mrs. Kristen Aguilo’s classes participated in a visit to Starbooks Café’s book tasting by sampling different books and selecting their favorites. Students first “sipped” the books by identifying their title, author and genre and then “tasted” them by analyzing the summary on the back page. Lastly, students read portions of the books, wrote if they would consider reading each one and rated them out of five stars.
The books read by the students fell into eight different genres including fantasy, biography and traditional literature. At the end of the lesson, each student completed an order form with their top five book choices and filled out a corresponding reflection about the most interesting information they learned.
“The goal of this lesson is for students to sample many different books of all genres,” said Mrs. Aguilo. “This way, students can find a book they really enjoy and read it on their own.”
The project introduced the students to several different types of literature.
Garden City Middle School students sampled books during their Starbooks Café lesson.
The students sampled many different genres and discussed them.
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
In Mrs. Basile’s sixth grade classes, the students got to sample some German food items.
The students researched about German foods and learned why they
were important to the German culture as well as their origin. The students shared their research before sharing the delicious German food and desserts with the class. They
Students in Mrs. Basile's sixth grade classes sampled German food items.
also spoke, German to each other at the food tasting party.
Some items brought in were Spaghetti Eis (ice cream that looks like spaghetti), Apple Strudel,
The students researched German foods.
German pretzels, Sauerbraten, Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte, bratwurst, potato pancakes and more.
Everyone enjoyed the great food!
Stratford School students performed “Moana Jr.”
Garden City’s Stratford and Stewart elementary schools showcased their talented fifth grade classes in this year’s musicals, “Moana Jr.” and “Annie Jr.” From performing on stage to managing the backstage, lighting and sound crews, every fifth grader throughout each school played an important role in bringing these productions to life.
Stratford School students performed “Moana Jr.” on Feb. 5 and 6, while Stewart School fifth graders held their show on Feb. 12 and 13. The
school auditoriums were completely transformed—Stratford’s stage became the vast ocean of Motunui, while Stewart’s was turned into the orphanage and mansion settings of 1920s New York where “Annie Jr.” is set—immersing audiences in the worlds of each production. Each musical featured two separate casts, with four performances held across two days for family and friends. Months of hard work and dedication were evident in every aspect of the shows. From beautiful vocals to
Stewart School students performed “Annie Jr.”
engaging choreography, the students captivated their audiences from start to finish, making each production a success.
The district thanks the following for their help in choreographing, directing and producing the musicals:
Stratford: Mr. Matthew Byrne, Mrs. Riana Bader, Mrs. Debbie Tavernese, Ms. Natalie Ciminera, Ms. Elena DiChiara, Mr. Richard Madden, Mrs. Amanda Roeper, Ms. Lelia Santos, Mrs. Laura Connolly,
Ms. Alyssa Darragh, Mrs. Leigh Dowden, Mrs. Madelyn Fisher-Fogel, Mr. Daniel Seid and Mrs. Bianca Wells.
Stewart: Mrs. Meredith Lavin, Mr. William Kleemann, Mrs. Burke, Mrs. Solano, Mr. Psenicka, Mrs. Beverly Hegarty, Mrs. Melissa Pashayan, Ms. Babjak, Mrs. Chase, Mrs. Coyne, Mrs. Degnan, Ms. Donlevy, Mrs. Garatina, Mrs. Hegarty, Ms. King, Mrs. Lehan, Mrs. Tesoriero and Mrs. Trousdell.
On Thursday, February 27, at 4 p.m., join us for our monthly Dungeons and Dragons program. This program is for tweens and teens in Grades 6–12. Teens lead their peers on a campaign of the popular role-playing game while they all enjoy snacks and drinks. Beginners are welcome and tweens and teens familiar with Dungeons and Dragons can volunteer to DM. Registration is required online at https://gardencitypl. libcal.com. Teens who complete an online survey after the program can receive community service for participating in this program. This program has been funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.
These programs are for tweens and teens in Grades 6–12 unless otherwise noted. Registration is required for these programs on LibCal at https://gardencitypl.libcal.com.
Teens who complete an online survey after specific programs can receive community service for participating.
Registration is live online at https:// forms.gle/jx3hFv5Kjw15hSje6 for the following program:
• Ongoing until Friday, February 28: Tweens and Teens Winter Reading Club (Grades 6–12)
Registration is live online at https:// gardencitypl.libcal.com for the following programs:
• Tuesday, February 25, at 4 p.m.: Tween Tuesdays: 100 Paper Cup Building Challenge (Grades 4–7)
• Thursday, February 27, at 4 p.m.: Dungeons and Dragons (Grades 6–12)
• Saturday, March 1, at 3 p.m.: Teen STEAM Workshop: Puffy Paint and Rainbow Science with Chris Buchman
• Monday, March 3, at
3:30 p.m.: Inclusive Storytime Volunteers (Grades 9–12)
• Friday, March 7, at 10 a.m.: Chess4Community: Play and Learn (All Ages)
Registration begins Monday, February 24, at 10 a.m. online at https://gardencitypl.libcal.com for the following program:
• Monday, February 24–Friday, February 28: Bookmarks for Community Service, Week Eight (Grades 6–12)
Registration begins Tuesday, February 25, at 10 a.m. online at https://gardencitypl.libcal.com for the following programs:
• Tuesday, March 4, at 4 p.m.: Teen Advisory Board (Grades 6–12)
• Thursday, March 6, at 4 p.m.: Tweens and Teens Yarn Group (Grades 4–12)
Registration begins Tuesday, March 4, at 10 a.m. online at https://gardencitypl. libcal.com for the following programs:
• Tuesday, March 4–Thursday, March 13: Ornaments for Community Service (Grades 6–12)
• Tuesday, March 11, at 3:30PM: LEGO Club Volunteering (Grades 6–12)
• Thursday, March 13, at
4 p.m.: Dungeons and Dragons
• Friday, March 14, at 3:30 p.m.: Teen Crafternoon: DIY Model Magic Air Dry Clay (Grades 6–12)
• Saturday, March 15, at 2 p.m.: Video Editing with Sharper Training Solutions (Grades 6–12)
Registration begins Tuesday, March 11, at 10 a.m. online at https://gardencitypl.libcal.com for the following programs:
• Tuesday, March 18, at 7 p.m.: Teen Paint Night (Grades 6–12)
• Thursday, March 20, at 4 p.m.: Teen Creative Hour (Grades 6–12)
• Friday, March 21, at 3:30 p.m.: Teen Gamers (Grades 6–12)
Looking to volunteer? Check out some of our ongoing take-home community service opportunities for tweens and teens in Grades 6–12. Please check at the Library for more information on each of these opportunities; all volunteer projects should be submitted at the Library with a Volunteer Form, which can be found outside the Tweens and Teens Room.
• Ongoing: Kindness Cards for Community Service - No registration required. Up to 10 cards can be submitted per volunteer monthly.
• Ongoing to Friday, February 28: Winter Stories for Community Service.
• January 6 to Monday, May 5, 2025: Around the World Recipe Cards for Community Service.
Teens helped teach their peers how to crochet during the Library’s monthly Tweens and Teens Yarn Group on Thursday, February 6. Tweens and teens in Grades 4–12 can either learn or teach fellow tweens and teens how to knit and crochet in this teen-led program. The Library provides yarn, knitting needles, and crochet hooks for registrants to use at the program and then lets them borrow the materials for two weeks to practice at home. The next Tweens and Teens Yarn Group will be held Thursday, March 6, at 4 p.m. Registration is required online at https://gardencitypl.libcal.com beginning Tuesday, February 25, at 10 a.m.
The film “The Man Who Knew Too Much” will be shown at the Garden City Public Library on Monday, February 24.
Monday Movies presented by the Friends of the Garden City Library at 1:30 p.m.: February 2025
2/24/25: “The Man Who Knew Too Much” - 120 min., 1955
Below is our schedule for Adult Services. More programs and information will be available soon.
Mah-Jongg
Saturday, February 22, 2025 (New!) Thursday, February 27, 2025 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Large Meeting Room
To register, please go to www.gardencitypl.org/calendar. For additional information contact Adult Services at (516)742-8405 ext. 5236 or email speakingofbooks@gardencitypl.org.
Salvatore Chiarelli will perform at the Library on February 28.
Psychic Entertainment with Samantha Tuesday, February 25, from 7–8 p.m. in the Large Meeting Room
Join us for a fun evening with Samantha who will take us on a journey to the psychic world! Please register online or call the Reference desk (516) 742-8405 x5236.
Salvatore Chiarelli Sings!
Friday, February 28 from 1–2:30 p.m. in the Large Meeting Room
After the last Italian class, the community is invited to join us for a special performance by Salvatore Chiarelli for a lovely afternoon of Italian songs. No registration required.
Salvatore Chiarelli, a native of New York City, was vocally trained in both Italy and New York City for the opera stage. Mr. Chiarelli has been heard on television and radio as well as on the opera stages of both North America and Europe. He has performed as a soloist on satellite television, reaching 75 countries around the world. At the very outset of his vocal training he was one of only three Tenors chosen in the United States to participate in a five-week concert tour of Europe. In a short time, Mr. Chiarelli has established himself as a “world class performer and entertainer” receiving rave reviews from his critics. Performing to capacity-sold out
crowds. Mr. Chiarelli has an excellent reputation on and off stage and has a loyal and dedicated following of fans.
Some of the venues he has performed at include: concert halls, opera houses, theaters, auditoriums, corporate events, playhouses, catering halls, country clubs, restaurants (dinner/lunch shows), churches, synagogues, colleges, universities, cultural centers, community centers, libraries, private gated communities, civic organizations, cruise ships, hotels, clubs, parks, outdoor festivals and stadiums.
Mr. Chiarelli has been a finalist for several regional vocal competitions throughout the U.S. and has been the recipient of several distinguished artist awards.
Mr. Chiarelli has a wide singing range, sings in seven languages and many different styles and genres of music. In addition, he has sung as a church soloist in Manhattan and the N.Y. Metro area for over 14 years.
Chairobics and Strength with Debbie Kryzminski
Wednesday,February 26 (Please note this has been changed. New Date: March 5), 12 p.m.–1 p.m. in the Large Meeting Room Debbie Kryzminski from Fitness Figures, NY, Inc. will be teaching "Chairobics and Strength." This program covers strength training, balance, coordination, aerobics and flexibility.Most of the exercises are performed seated in a chair.Equipment will be provided. Feel free to bring your own free weights, if you are comfortable using them. Have water available, wear clothing that you can comfortably move in and be ready to have fun! This is a six-week session; a separate registration is required for each class. To register, please go to www. gardencitypl.org/calendar or call the Reference desk at (516) 742-8405 x 5236.
This program is funded by the Friends of the Garden City Public Library.
Yoga with Kimberly Tuesdays. March 4, March 11, March 18, March 25, April 1, April 8; 7 p.m.–8 p.m. in the Large Meeting Room Kimberly Mercadante is back with
her popular Yoga Series! Join her for a Yoga Class for beginners and more. All are welcome! This is a series of eight classes continuing through April.. To register, please register online at gardencitypl.org. For additional information contact Adult Services at (516) 742-8405 ext. 5236 or email speakingofbooks@gardencitypl.org.
This program is funded by the Friends o f the Garden City Public Library.
Print From Home for Some Passes! Through the generosity of the Friends of the Garden City Public Library, the Library offers free passes to select museums and cultural institutions. You can make a reservation to borrow a Museum Pass from one of the member institutions in our Museum Pass Program.
Some museum passes are now available to print from home. If you do not have access to a printer, the library will be happy to print the pass for you. These passes will be good for one day only.
Please note that not all museums participate. Passes for the following museums still need to be picked up at the Library: 9/11 Memorial & Museum, NYC (2 adults & 2 children); Empire Pass, Long Island Children’s Museum, Garden City (2 adults & 2 children); MoMA (the Museum of Modern Art), NYC (5 visitors) and Old Bethpage Village Restoration, Old Bethpage.
The following Library Museum Pass rules remain in effect.
• Museum passes are available only to Garden City Public Library cardholders in good standing who have signed the Museum Pass User Agreement. Museum passes may be reserved in advance and must be checked out by an adult (18 years and older) family member.
• Reservations will be taken up to one month in advance of the desired date, subject to availability on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations can be done in person at the Reference Desk or over the phone at 516-742-8405 x5236.
Additional rules and information are available at the library.
The Garden City Public Library will be holding a blood drive on Wednesday, February 26, from 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. in the Large Meeting room on the lower level of the Library.
Appointments are strongly preferred, walk-ins are welcomed only if capacity permits. To schedule an appointment, please visit the Garden City Public Library website at www.gardencitypl.org, you can scan the QR code below with your phone and type in Garden City, click on the link below or you can also call 1-800-933-BLOOD to schedule an appointment or for any medical questions concerning blood donations. https://donate.nybc.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/322168
These programs are for children ages birth through Grade 5. Registration is required. Visit https://www.gardencitypl.org to view our Events on LIBCAL for registration forms for the month of February 2025.
• Friday, February 21, at 10:00 a.m.: Baby and Toddler Storytime
• Friday, February 21, at 10:00 a.m.: Chess4Community
• Friday, February 21, at 11:00 a.m.: Budding Bookworms Storytime
• Monday, February 24, at 10:30 a.m.: Toddler Storytime (18 Months to 3 Years)
• Monday, February 24, at 1:30 p.m.: Little Listeners Storytime (Ages 3–5)
• Tuesday, February 25, at 10:30 a.m.: Mother Goose Storytime, Birth to 17 Months (Non-Walkers)
• Tuesday, February 25, at 11:30 a.m.: Preschool Storytime, 3
The Honorable Lawrence Joseph (Larry) Brennan, age 77, passed away peacefully on February 13, 2025, just in time to spend Valentine’s Day with his soulmate Suzanne in heaven.
Larry was born on December 1, 1947, in Germantown, Pennsylvania. He was the son of James Michael Jr. and Rosalie Hug Brennan and brother of James (Jimmy). The family settled down on Long Island and some of his most cherished memories were his summers spent in Ocean City, NJ.
Larry received a B.S. in English from St. Joseph’s University and an M.S. in special education from Hofstra University. He went on to complete a J.D. at St. John’s University School of Law. He worked as a private practice attorney for ten years then served as chief deputy county attorney at the Nassau County Attorney’s Office, where he handled litigation and appeals. He also taught as an adjunct professor at St. John’s University School of Law and the Jacob D. Fuchsberg Touro Law Center.
Larry went on to serve his community as a Family Court Judge for Nassau County from 1997-2006. During that time, he was elevated to the position of NYS Acting Supreme Court Justice. He was a 2000 recipient of the George M. Estabrook Distinguished Alumni Award of Hofstra University and a past president of the board of directors of the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island.
watching Turner Classic Movies with Suz more than anything. He was proud of his French roots and was a great cook and lover of all desserts.
Years to 5 (Not in Kindergarten)
• Wednesday, February 26, at 10:30 a.m.: Duplo Lego
• Wednesday, February 26, at 3:30 p.m.: Mixed-Age Storytime.
• Wednesday, February 26, at 4:00 p.m.: STEAM Club for Grades K–2.
• Wednesday, February 26, at 6:00 p.m.: Nighttime Storytime
• Thursday, February 27, at 11:30 a.m.: Tiny Tots Storytime
• Thursday, February 27, at 7:00 p.m.: PJ Storytime for Ages 3 Years to 5 (Not in Kindergarten)
It is Library policy that all children under age 11 must be accompanied by a parent or designated responsible person while in the Library. Also, if the young child is attending a Library program, we require the parent or designated responsible person to remain in the Library throughout the program and meet the child upon completion of the program.
Larry met the love of his life, Suzanne Mary Mahoney, in 1975. They fell madly in love fast and got married the following summer in 1976 and moved into their forever home on Fifth Street in Garden City. Larry took his job in the legal field very seriously, but his most important and proudest job was taking care of his wife and family. Larry and Suzanne’s son Gavin was born in 1987 and their daughter Erin in 1990. From that point on, Larry’s life revolved around doing everything for his children. He coached them in many sports and was their biggest fan on and off the field. Some of his children’s most cherished memories were the long car rides to and from lacrosse tournaments alone with their dad, listening exclusively to his favorite artist Bob Dylan and classical music.
Larry was a renaissance man. An avid reader and lover of museums, he loved learning and long conversations about education, politics, and music. He loved the beach (especially the Jersey shore) and spending time at home
Have you lost someone?
His legacy is the family he built with Suz. He cherished all the accomplishments of his children and his nieces and nephews. His most joyful moments at the end of his life were spending time with his young grandchildren. Gavin and his wife Lizzie welcomed their son Freddie into the world over 2 years ago and their daughter Layla was born this past November. Erin and her husband Erik had their first child Rosalie (named after Larry’s mother) on St. Patrick’s Day, shortly after losing Suz. He is preceded in death by his parents, wife, and brother. After losing Jimmy, he poured his heart into being a father figure to his daughter Colleen (“Party Shoes”) Brennan Pezzo (John) whom he absolutely adored and her dear son Connor. He is also survived by the extended McDonnell, Hug, Coffey, Mahoney and Boehmcke families as well as their best friends, Kathy & Michael Hopkins. He was loving, kind, and fiercely loyal and leaves behind scores of friends and neighbors who loved him.
Visitation was held at Fairchild & Sons (1201 Franklin Avenue, Garden City, New York) on Monday, February 17 and Tuesday, February 18, from 5-8pm. A funeral mass will be held at Saint Anne’s Church (35 Dartmouth St., Garden City, New York) on Wednesday, February 19, at 11:15 am. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift in his honor to the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island.
If you would like to post an obituary for a loved one, simply send a short biography of them along with (if desired) their photo, details of their funeral/visitation services, and/or any donation requests to editor@gcnews.com, or call our office at 516-294-8900 to inquire.
Trustee Michele Harrington outlined financial possibilities for rejuvenating or reimagining St. Paul’s as a community center.
Trustee Harrington explained the intent to examine both 15-year and 30-year bonding options for the project. She noted that a 30-year bond would require formal approval from the New York State Legislature
She said the trustees worked with BCI to complete the survey materials, and it was concluded,
“For residents to make an educated opinion on what they want in St. Paul’s, we should have the numbers next to us. We met with our bond counsel, Hawkins Delafield & Wood LLP, and our fiscal consultant Capital Markets Advisors (CMA). They have been wonderful in providing information and guidance,” she said.
In September of 2023, just before the villagewide St. Paul’s Opinion Poll on October 21st, these firms attended an information session at the Garden City Senior Center to discuss the potential of bonding. At the Town Hall on February 11th Treasurer Woo said the same methodology for numbers has been applied to the new projects outlined on the survey. The numbers are very similar to the September 2023 presentation which is posted on the village’s website.
“Hawkins Delafield & Wood did see the 30-year bond as a reasonable request, but if the project passed we would have to work on it and get started in the process of how it would be financed right away,” Trustee Harrington noted.
The financial analysis evaluated an average cost for the three proposed St. Paul’s projects, comparing these against home values in Garden City at six price levels to estimate tax increases under 15-year and 30-year bonds.
“For the projections we assumed we would issue bonds all at once, but in reality the village would probably stag-
ger it over time. In order to arrive at the estimated tax increases we made the assumption. For the three cost options, CMA ran debt service amortization schedules, and we took the average of six different points of home values -- $1 million, $1.5 million, $2 million, $2.5 million, $3 million, and $3.5 million. If your average value is at one of these ranges you can see on the St. Paul’s Survey what the estimated annual tax increase would be,” Woo explained.
The average assessed value of GC homes is another tool found on the village website, she said. For residents to fill out the survey, they can either use the online tool or any other method/ data they use to find out their average home value (what a person/family typically thinks they would sell the home for based on any recent upgrades, etc.). If no modifications and improvements were made recently, the village’s assessed value for properties would be more uniformly applied.
The estimated incremental tax increases, by home values, are numbers presented on the survey, as Treasurer Woo told the audience.
“The way the village calculated tax increases per home value is using the village’s assessed value, and we take into account the equalization rate provided every year by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Then we use the annual debt service (principal and interest that would be owed per three different project options to calculate the effective tax rate by home value,” Woo said.
Quality of Work vs. Costs
During the Town Hall, Trustee Ed Finneran addressed a resident’s question regarding construction management costs for St. Paul’s, seeking clarification on whether the village should expect costs closer to 3% or 20% of the total project budget.
Trustee Vinny Muldoon immediately went to the mic and answered the question, and started to say escalation auto-
matically triggers a 3% figure, and with a two-year project timeline that would equate to 6% – as it would be year three from the time of a project architect’s report to the village until the time the job gets started.
He mentioned that many firms who would compete for a project management contract on St. Paul’s are able to bid a few hundred dollars per square foot on the project.
“We must hire a quality firm; you get what you pay for. You CAN NOT hire any Mickey Mouse firm to do that building -- and if we did we’d get burnt. It’s the job of the trustees and mayor to do that, and because it’s up to us we must watch what is going on,” he said.
Trustee Muldoon commented that six members of the current Board of Trustees and many other residents are rallying to not allow the St. Paul’s main building to continue in the state it has been in over the last 32 years. He said not this board nor any future board would allow it to sit vacant, abandoned and in various stages of neglect. He led into a potential project for “mothballing” of the building, to preserve St. Paul’s for a future use while protecting its assets by closing the building.
“As the cheapest option of all, mothballing allows you to preserve the building for the option of using it in the future. You would still have to abate the building in order to preserve it, then you would restore the building’s exterior, and restore the stained glass that was removed for preservation work (now at Botti Studio of Architectural Arts in the Midwest). The outside would be addressed – adding a new roof, the whole works of the exterior – and then partial grounds work with some landscaping. From the outside it will look beautiful but when you open the door it will be unfinished and left for the next generations, our grandkids and any future kids of Garden City, who might decide to preserve and reuse the building sometime in the future,” Muldoon
said.
He also noted the skepticism in the community about large-scale projects, with the Garden City Senior Center on Golf Club Lane as a prime example.
“Based on a lot of village projects, if I was the average resident I would be thinking about how we’re able to pull off this massive project – which if it gets done will be an amazing thing for the village. If it’s going to get done you will need a team of adults in the room who will make sure this gets done right, on time, reads every detail in the contract and makes sure it is executing properly. When it comes to law, we have a lot of great lawyers here on the Board – Trustees Bruce Torino and Ed Finneran, and while I have zero clue on legal matters I do know construction, and sifting through what is and isn’t in the bid and making sure we have all the bases covered….Just like I feel 1000% comfortable about the outline here, done through due diligence with an amazing group of professionals. And I know we can do this project within those target points,” Muldoon explained.
He reiterated that if and when the residents express the desire to do a St. Paul’s main building project, then Muldoon will be fully involved and see this process through.
“I will be there looking with Superintendent of Building Giuseppe Giovaniello and everybody else, making sure the project is organized and that it gets done on time – we will hold ‘feet to the fire’ to make sure the quality is there and that we look out for taxpayer dollars. And you do need somebody experienced, somebody who looks out for our residents. We’d have this underway with no shenanigans, and we can make sure it gets done once and gets done right. We’ll have the budget set as the project budget and stick to that, because half the battle is making sure the budget is done correctly before we start any project,” Trustee Muldoon shared on February 11th.
and a multi-year outlook. Hill noted that some HVAC equipment quotes had been received from Energy Mechanical Corp., and Musco Lighting provided estimates to replace the current lighting in the Field House.
“We discussed our plans to renovate the stage and floor inside Cluett Hall, and we are looking to introduce some much-needed A/C so we can use those facilities throughout summer. At the moment they sit empty and there is definitely a desire to use those buildings so we can run programs and get people in them, but they’re just uncomfortable when the heat reaches what it does in there,” Hill said.
Trustee Vinny Muldoon, the Village Board liaison to the Rec. Department, attended the walkthrough at those buildings. He said it has been several years since he was inside Cluett Hall and the Field House, and he called them “two fantastic buildings” and said structurally, everything appears good with them. Muldoon reported that the Field House is in excellent shape but it needs new windows, HVAC and new lighting.
As for Cluett Hall, he believes the
program should be for the stage, flooring, air conditioning, heating and also the interior lighting.
“With the Rec. Commission we talked about how those two buildings certainly need to become a priority because we can get so much more use out of it. Those are great facilities for our village, and if we do those things -- starting with addressing floors, heat, A/C, lighting -- we can get so much more use out of them,” Trustee Muldoon commented.
Another important topic the Recreation Commission has begun discussing is how to address the poor conditions of the athletic fields at the St. Paul’s campus.
After Muldoon hinted at the possibility of a new turf field, Mr. Hill said to begin, efforts to improve conditions of the existing grass fields will be continuing. He believes actions to address those fields will relate to a few budget decisions ahead.
“That will come down to a budget question on whether we can make fixes now that we can build on in years to come, or ultimately the costs will dictate what we can do there. We’re attempting things that would improve the play-
ing surfaces and we’ve also revisited conversations that Paul Blake started to have about the pricing to introduce another turf field to the village’s lineup,” Hill commented. He added that cost estimates for turf fields were being vetted before the information is presented to the Board of Trustees, potentially as part of the Recreation Department’s budget proposal next month.
Trustee Muldoon shared his thoughts on the field matters: “We’ve talked about the grass fields over the winter. We will have to change some things, and we will have to make every possible effort we can to improve the grass fields at St. Paul’s -- they are not acceptable and not up to Garden City standards. There is also too much hard dirt there that our kids are falling on – we need these fields, that are our pride and joy, more of a priority as right now they are certainly not up to Garden City standards.”
Trustee Michele Harrington, co-chair of the Environmental Advisory Board along with Trustee Jessica Tai, noted that just prior to the Board of Trustees’ February 6th meeting she met with Mr. Hill to discuss field treatments in a sixth year of the organic material’s use for
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St. Paul’s fields versus the inorganic treatments, such as the pre-emergent chemical that was applied a year ago.
“ADRB Chair Celia Petersen (an experienced landscape architect) was at the meeting with us as she knows types of turf really well. We went through all the different kinds of infill around. We are actively engaged in trying to figure out what is the most economical and what makes the most sense on all levels,” Trustee Harrington said.
Trustee Muldoon replied that he’s been well-versed in different types of treatments as well as infill, from the thousands of home and garden projects he’s managed. Assistant Superintendent Hill shared that he will be preparing a side-by-side comparison with all the pros and cons of each option; artificial synthetic and natural grass playing fields.
Trustee Tai suggested that this should come up as a work session for the entire Board of Trustees, “at some point before this spring, so we all can get an idea of the current conditions and the path forward – both in field treatments and the possibility of adding turf fields.”
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From page 23
Shooting incident investigation
On February 17, the Garden City Police Department responded to a single-vehicle accident on Cambridge Avenue. The male driver reported he had been robbed and shot in the arm. The suspects fled in another vehicle. The victim was taken to the hospital, and detectives are investigating. Anyone with information can contact Garden City Detectives at (516) 465-4108.
Wind-related incidents
From page 22
community engagement surrounding it. The AvalonBay proposal was brought to residents for a vote in 2008 and the vote gave residents three options. 5,002 residents voted with only 873 voting for Avalon Bay, 2,272 voting for demolition, and 1,875 voting for mothballing. While this ended the AvalonBay proposal, a subsequent bond vote for demolition failed by a large margin. Demolition of Ellis Hall proceeded, but not the St. Paul’s Main Building.
Community Center
In 2011 an adaptive reuse proposal was put forth by the Committee to Save St. Paul’s and the Historical Society entitled “A Comprehensive Plan for the Restoration of St. Paul’s and Community Center Development.” In response to this proposal, the Board of Trustees hired a firm, Erwin, Lobo, Bielinski, to review the plan. The Erwin, Lobo, Bielinski report concluded that the costs were underestimated and unclear, and that the plan did not address significant building code and life safety issues.
Recreation Center
The Village hired consultants beginning in 2017 which led to the development of a concept plan on a Recreation Based Facility at St. Paul’s including indoor fields and other amenities. These efforts were in conjunction with a Board of Trustees resolution in January 2019 alerting the public of the intention to seek uses for St. Paul’s that will generate some income, attract Village residents, and preserve significant portions of the exterior and interior structures.
I hope some of this history of prior efforts is helpful to residents as we again look to move towards a decision on the St. Paul’s Main Building. If you missed last week’s column, it summarized the parkland restrictions on the St. Paul’s Property.
Next week my Mayor’s Column will address bond votes as we have been receiving questions on this topic. It is a topic the Village has gotten legal advice on, and I look forward to sharing it.
Due to strong wind gusts on February 17, officers responded to six reports of fallen tree limbs, a traffic light malfunction, a fallen street sign, a railroad gate malfunction, and two damaged power lines.
Overweight truck citation
A Clinton Road truck operator was cited on February 17 for allegedly driving an overweight vehicle.
False alarm at Adelphi
On February 17, GCFD and GCPD
responded to Adelphi University for a fire alarm that was activated in error.
Unlicensed operation
A Kingsbury Road motorist was charged on February 17 with unlicensed operation and disregarding a no-turn sign.
Carbon monoxide alarm
On February 17, officers assisted firefighters at a restaurant for a CO alarm. Firefighters found a cooking device had been left on overnight.
mcarterflanagan@gardencityny.net
I am continuing to await the backup documentation relating to the ballpark figures being used in the St. Paul’s Survey which was approved by the Board of Trustees. As soon as they are received from Trustee Muldoon I will make sure they are shared on the St. Paul’s Page of the Village website.
The Village’s Highway Department crews work year-round to repair potholes across the 74 miles of roadway within the Village. The period from December through April is considered peak pothole season, with the highest volume of potholes observed during this time. Mobile crews are actively addressing potholes throughout the Village and will prioritize responding to specific concerns raised by residents as quickly as possible. To report a pothole, residents are encouraged to contact the DPW dispatcher at 516-4654031/32 or complete an electronic form via the following link: https://www. gardencityny.net/290/Request-forService.
Please note that not all roads within the Village are maintained by the Village itself. For instance, Nassau Boulevard and parts of Stewart Avenue are owned by Nassau County. While we are unable to directly address issues on these roads, the Village will forward any reports to the County and request that repairs be made in a timely manner.
Recreation and Parks is announcing a Pickleball program for kids from March 4 through May 1. It will be 90 minutes of play on all four courts in the St. Paul’s Field House with a basic introduction to the game and rules. We will provide the equipment. The cost is $100 for eight sessions. We will need a minimum of eight and a maximum of 24 sign ups to run the program per day.
The Garden City Public Library will be holding a blood drive on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 1:00 – 7:00 p.m. in the Large Meeting room on the lower level of the Library. Appointments are strongly preferred, walkins are welcomed only if capacity permits. Visit the Garden City Public Library website at www.gardencitypl.org, click on this link [https://donate.nybc.org/donor/ schedules/drive_schedule/322168] or call 1-800-933-BLOOD to schedule an appointment or for any medical questions concerning blood donations. Thank you for your donation and support during this critical time.
The Board has approved professional architectural and engineering services for miscellaneous interior renovations at the Library, submitted by H2M Architects and Engineers. H2M will define the desired scope of work, provide layouts, generate an opinion of probable cost for the two scope areas, the Meeting Rooms and Computer Lab area, which will be combined into one Lower Level Renovation Project. The work will include architecture and interior design, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and structural engineering. The proposed cost is $64,484, which includes a discount of $3,640 for awarding both the Meeting Room and Computer Lab areas, and a $4,000 discount for background drawings provided by the Village.
The Board of Trustees will hold a public hearing on Thursday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. to discuss a proposed amendment to the Village Code relating to swimming pools.
The Board of Trustees will hold a public hearing on Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. to discuss a proposed
Speeding, suspended registration
A Stewart Avenue motorist was charged on February 17 with excessive speed and driving with a suspended registration.
Unsafe driving on Clinton Road
On February 17, a Clinton Road motorist was charged with unlicensed operation, excessive speed, and unsafe lane changes.
See page 40
amendment to the Village Code related to outdoor dining.
Happening in Garden City
Friday, February 21st
10:00 a.m. Baby and Toddler Storytime for ages Birth-2.5 Years at the Library. Must register.
11:00 a.m. Budding Bookworms Storytime for ages 2.5-5 Years at the Library. Must register.
3:00 p.m. Teen Crafternoon at the Library. Must register. Sunday, February 23rd
9:30 a.m. Pickleball at the St. Paul’s Field House. Nominal fee.
7:00 a.m. Special discounted rates for tennis players at the Community Park Tennis Center
Monday, February 24th
10:30 a.m. Toddler Storytime at the Library. Must register.
1:30 p.m. Movie Matinée: The Man Who Knew Too Much at the Library
7:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball in the St. Paul’s Field House. Nominal fee.
Tuesday, February 25th
6:30 p.m. Architectural Design Review Board Meeting at Village Hall
Wednesday, February 26th
12:00 P.M. Chairobics and Strength at the Library. Must register.
1:00-7:00 p.m. Blood Drive at the Library
4:00 p.m. STEAM Club for Grades K-2 at the Library. Must register.
Wednesday, February 26th
6:00 p.m. Nighttime Storytime for ages 2-6 Years at the Library. Must register.
7:00 p.m. Teen Game Night at the Library. Must register.
Thursday, February 27th
11:30 a.m. Tiny Tots Storytime for ages Birth-3 Years at the Library. Must register.
7:30 p.m. Adult Volleyball and Soccer in the St. Paul’s Field House. Nominal fee.
Friday, February 28th
9:00 a.m. Adult Art Class at Cluett Hall. Register for the class at the Recreation and Parks office.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on March 14, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at the Village Hall, 351 Stewart Avenue, in the Village of Garden City, New York, pursuant to direction of the Board of Trustees of said Village, I, the undersigned, Treasurer of said Village, will sell the following described real estate in said Village together with any improvements thereon, to discharge the unpaid 2024 Village tax, interest and other charges which may be due thereon at the time of the sale. Such real estate will be sold subject to any unpaid assessments thereon levied by said Village prior to the date of such sale and any unpaid tax liens for years prior to 2024 purchased and held by said Village, and subject to the provisions of the New York State and Federal Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Acts, as amended, insofar as the same may be applicable to the owners of any said following described real estate. Purchasers will be required to pay the amount of their respective bids to the undersigned within ten days after the sale, pursuant to the provisions of Section 1454 of the Real Property Tax Law of the State of New York, as amended, and upon such payment shall receive a written certificate of sale describing the real estate purchased and the sum paid therefor. Please be advised that the Incorporated Village of Garden City intends to bid-in for any and all parcels to be sold at this year’s sale. Therefore, any and all tax liens sold at this sale will become village-owned tax liens
The following is a list or statement of the real estate upon which such 2024 tax is unpaid, with the amount of such 2024 tax, together with interest and other charges due thereon to March 14, 2025.
Garden City, New York February 21, 2025
The Incorporated Village of Garden City does not discriminate on the basis of disability for admission to, access to, or participation in its programs, activities or public meetings, and has designated Kelly Galanek, Village Clerk, as Disability Compliance Coordinator. Persons in need of any special accommodation for a disability who wish to attend a meeting should contact Kelly Galanek at least 24 hours in advance of meeting at:
351 Stewart Avenue Garden City, New York 11530 (5l6)465-4051 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
BY RIKKI MASSAND
A few months ago, Stephanie Quatro, a Garden City resident of eight years and an active PTA mom, opened The Square Health & Wellness Pharmacy in West Hempstead. The pharmacy, located at 510 Hempstead Turnpike, Suites 103/104—just south of GC Community Park and the DPW Garage—is a new family-run business. After spending over 15 years in their respective careers, she and her husband, Paul, took the entrepreneurial leap, launching The Square last October.
The traditional pharmacy and “one-stop shop” offers a diverse range of products. Inside ‘The Square’ Health & Wellness Pharmacy customers will find premium supplements, bath salts, bath bombs, facial masks, personal massagers, and weights – all thoughtfully curated to meet the needs of everyone, from grandparents to expectant mothers and their newborns. The Square even carries sonogram picture frames.
“We have everything from high-end vitamins and supplements to all kinds of gifts. If you are heading to a bridal or baby shower, or other family occasions. We then have the selections of skincare products for everyday use, or items for spa and intensive treatments,” Quatro said.
Stephanie met her husband when both were in the Pharmacy doctoral program at St. John’s. Her love for science and math, combined with her passion for helping and engaging with others, inspired her to launch her own business this October.
She envisioned a comprehensive one-stop establishment, rather than a store limited to a single product line.
“Customers are health-conscious so they want clean and safer products. If someone is vegan and plant-based we have much for them to choose from. We also have chemical-free and organic cleaning products, and dye-free items,” Quatro said.
Quatro detailed her array of products, “We even carry workout gear, ab rollers and weights. It’s about carrying something for everyone in the family. For babies we carry all different kinds of formulas. We carry a premium line of organic and fresh (refrigerated) dog
food. I found this company, the Canine Butcher, and their slogan is ‘bringing dogs back to their roots’ through eating clean raw food. We met the company and we liked their model and approach…Now, I have customers tell us their dog’s health and mood has improved with the products they have bought here.”
Mrs. Quatro earned her doctorate (Pharm.D) from St. John’s University, and she spent the first 15 years of her career with CVS, eventually as a pharmacist, as she learned inside the industry and about serving her customer base.
“I was working part-time at CVS and then once I had kids I was floating around Nassau County – even the one on Franklin and Stewart Avenues in Garden City. A while ago, I thought it would be a good time to open my own store,” she said.
As a mom who hops into a lot of stores, Stephanie Quatro says parents are now used to ordering things for the kids on Amazon instead of visiting a toy department store. The Square has around 30 feet of shelving and space dedicated to nice toys – “not the junky and cheap plastics you see on Amazon, but brand name stuff,” Quatro explained.
Equipment you’ll find at The Square include TSA-approved wheelchair or walker rentals for the elderly or anyone with disabilities.
“We’re basically just a block down from the Garden City Pool (taking Cherry Valley Avenue southbound) so we are convenient to people. You don’t even have to turn to get on Hempstead Turnpike, you can just turn into our center’s parking lot,” she said.
The Square offers features like curbside delivery and extended service hours for those who require assistance outside of regular business times. Quatro said on a few occasions, parents will pull up at the store and call from their car as they make a quick stop on their way to and from kids’ schools or activities, or even with their pets in the car.
Another example of the convenience from The Square is local deliveries into Garden City, not just for seniors but for any busy family with kids or events to consider. “You don’t have to order any prescription
for our delivery service – if you need three OTC items and a gallon of milk, we can deliver it,” Quatro noted.
‘Square’ customers can take advantage of a texting service for quick communication. The business offers a variety of membership options (tiers) that allow direct access to the pharmacist whenever a customer needs…. even outside of business hours.
“You can’t even call a CVS or Walgreens and have them answer directly, you likely have to leave a message and they call back supposedly within an hour. Several customers go to a major brand pharmacy and wait online for up to 45 minutes, and then the pharmacy can’t find their prescription. That will not happen here at Square. People who become our pharmacy customers are very enthused to see our attention to details and the quality of service. They compare it to ‘waiting forever’ with the brand name pharmacies,” she explained.
Another example of valuing the customers is through the personable approach. Quatro explained, “If your doctor recommends a brace and you can’t find the right size, just come to our store where you can easily find the correct fit. Our specialists are known for it… If an item is out of stock, the team will make it a priority to order it for you, ensuring you leave with exactly what you need.”
Down the line, the Quatros would like their business to evolve into more of a Health and Wellness center, with possible expansion into sauna, ice baths, an aesthetician who can do facials in-store or an in-house nurse practitioner to do treatments.
“People have heard about us on social media, and when they get here they tell us they’ve heard so many good things or even that their doctor informed them about us. Even doctors are pleased that they can just call in a prescription and reach our department fast, making it much easier to communicate any info. They even ask if we have something in stock rather than having to send a script to CVS or Rite Aid and finding out later, hours later, that they don’t have it. The doctor is relieved to not have to worry about this after
hours,” Quatro explained.
In addition, The Square is also an authorized eye testing location for the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, which adds convenience for those needing to fulfill their vision requirements for driving license renewal.
“One of the standout features of this location is that you don’t need to go through the hassle of calling ahead or making a DMV appointment; instead, you can simply walk in at your convenience. Individuals can take their eye exam without the stress of scheduling conflicts or long waits. This accessibility not only saves time, it also makes the testing process much more straightforward for everyone,” Quatro noted.
“Our goal is always offering quality plus service and convenience. We are going to give everyone the personal touch and if we can’t we’re going to steer you in the right direction. I want the reputation we build to encompass all that we have – customers should be assured, ‘The Square has it.’ For everyone who comes here, we’ll go out of our way to find what you are looking for and to help out,” Quatro told The Garden City News.
She continued to explain the benefits: “Once our patients and customers know that they will be very happy, because it’s enough stress going to the pharmacy to pick things up – especially if you’re sick or your kids or parents are sick. At least we will make it easier and less stressful and all the selections in here can save you the trip of going somewhere else.”
The Square is open seven days a week, with weekday hours from 9 am to 7 pm, Saturdays 9 to 5 pm and on Sundays 9 am until 2 pm. Their main phone number is (516) 505-1550.
On the website, The Square’s customers can easily request refills for prescriptions. “If you’re one of those people who does not like making calls, you can fill everything out online,” Quatro noted.
Her new family business is looking forward to building connections and serving customers in the Garden City market, with The Square as a building block.
NASSAU COUNTY NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Notice of Formation of Aunty Shan. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/01/2025. Office location: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent of Limited Liability Company (LLC) upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY should mail process to Joshua Renfroe: 42 Orleans Rd, Valley Stream, NY 11581. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
NASSAU COUNTY LEGAL NOTICE
SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF NASSAU. THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF THE CWABS INC., ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-16, Plaintiffagainst- CHRISTOPHER J. LENNON, et al Defendant(s).
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated January 2, 2025 and entered on January 8, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court "Rain or Shine" located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on March 18, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Garden City, County of Nassau and State of New York, known and designated as SBL# 33-326-96
Said premises known as 57 DARTHMOUTH ST., GARDEN CITY, NY 11530
Approximate amount of lien $2,171,885.88 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.
Index Number 004195/2007. SCOTT SILLER, ESQ., Referee Pincus Law Group, PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 425 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, NY 11556
Friday, February 21, 2025
The Garden City News
BY AHMED AHMED
Type 2 muscle fibers are the difference between getting out of a chair by yourself or needing someone’s help.
Research suggests that by the time you’re 75, you could lose up to 40% of them!
Also known as “fast twitch muscle fibers”, these powerful muscle cells help you move with speed.
In fact, they work up to 136 times faster than type 1, or “slow twitch muscle fibers”, which are typically weaker but help you sustain activities for longer.
Now, if you struggle to take a brisk
walk, step onto a curb, or run after your grandkids…
Or, if you don’t want that in your future…
Here’s what you need to know…
A 2019 study found that when older adults exercised, they maintained or grew type 2 fibers.
So, here are my top 3 exercise tips to stop losing them…
• Weight train- but avoid free weights and even cable machines at first.
• Do high intensity sprints- use a bike or another cardio machine you feel safe
using.
• Sprint for 10-30 seconds and then rest the same amount of time for a few bouts.
• Jump and throw- quick reaction times can save your life…
With more type 2 fibers, you could swiftly catch yourself when you trip to avoid a fall.
To prepare your body for jumping and throwing…
Get comfortable jumping down from a step before jumping on to it…
And catch a ball before throwing it.
Are you a professional?
Our Professional Guide is sure to bring results. Call 294-8900 for rates and information.
Now, if you’re thinking, “I’m afraid to move fast and hurt myself”...
This is why, before you move fast, become confident moving slowly.
Remember, keeping and growing your type 2 muscle fibers means you can move with ease , reduce your fall risk, and have the energy to hurry over to the gate to catch your next flight.
Don’t wait- start exercising today!
Remember exercise is key to lifelong strength and independence. Try these tips today!Ahmed Ahmed is the owner of Lotus Fitness. Contact him at (646)415-2349 or ahmed@lotusfitnessny. com https://lotusfitnessny.com/
From page 35
Gas leak found
On February 17, GCFD and GCPD responded to a residence for a natural gas odor. Firefighters found a pilot light out and corrected the condition.
Stop sign violation
A St. James Street South motorist was cited on February 17 for unlicensed operation and passing a stop sign.
Tax refund check stolen
A victim reported on February 18 that their IRS refund check was stolen in the mail and cashed by an unknown person.
Various fire alarms triggered
On February 18, GCFD and GCPD responded to alarms activated by a hair dryer, cleaning chemicals, and steam from a sauna.
Aggressive driving violations
A Stewart Avenue motorist was charged on February 18 with tailgating
and unsafe lane changes.
Traffic light malfunction
Officers responded on February 18 to a traffic light malfunction at Nassau Boulevard and Stewart Avenue.
Truck violations
A Clinton Road truck operator was cited on February 18 for driving with a suspended registration and overweight violations.
NASSAU COUNTY
NOTICE OF HEARING ON PROPOSED LOCAL LAW INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF GARDEN CITY
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516-294-8900
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Garden City, New York, will hold a public hearing at the Village Hall, 351 Stewart Avenue, in said Village as well as via Zoom at 7:30 p.m. on the 6th day of March 2025, upon the following proposed local law: Amendment to Section 200-45 of the Village Code with regard to Swimming Pools.
LOCAL LAW NO. 1 OF 2025
BE IT ENACTED BY THE VILLAGE OF GARDEN CITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 200-45. Swimming Pools, shall be repealed in its entirety and replaced with a new Section 200-45 to read as follows: Chapter 200. Zoning
ARTICLE VII. Supplementary Use Regulations
§ 200-45 Swimming Pools
A. Swimming pools covered herein shall be any outdoor pool exceeding two feet in depth.
B. A swimming pool is permitted as an accessory use subject to the regulations applicable to accessory uses and subject to the additional regulations set forth in this section. For the purpose of computing the building area, the required yards, and the distances from the lines of the lot, the walls or platform along the side of the pool, and the foundation for the purifying apparatus, if any, shall be included.
C. All swimming pools shall be designed by a licensed engineer or architect and shall be submitted to the Superintendent of the Building Department for approval.
D. Each pool shall be provided with permanently installed facilities for the complete draining thereof. Such facilities shall include provisions, approved by the Superintendent of the Building Department, for disposing of the entire contents of the pool by means of diffusion wells or otherwise beneath the surface of the ground within not more than 24 consecutive hours. Such facilities shall be entirely separate from the house drains and house sewer. In no case may the contents of the pool be permitted to discharge directly or indirectly into a street or public drain or catch basin or pond or watercourse, or in, upon or under the lands of another person without his written consent, or in such a way as to adversely affect the functioning of the house drains or house sewer of another property.
E. No pool shall be constructed on a plot containing less than 12,000 square feet.
F. There shall be a distance between the pool and each of the side lot lines in a R-6, R-8 or R-12 District of at least 20 feet, in a R-20 District of at least 25 feet, and in a R-40 District of at least 30 feet.
G. There shall be a distance between the pool and rear yard lot line in a R-6, R-8 or R-12 District of at least 25 feet, in a R-20 District of at least 30 feet and in a R-40 District of at least 40 feet.
H. A pool shall be at least 15 feet distant from any habitable structure on the plot in a R-6, R-8 or R-12 District and at least 20 feet from any habitable structure in a R-20 or R-40 District.
I. A pool shall be constructed only in the rear yard.
J. All pools shall be fully enclosed by a six-foot high fence which shall be shrubbed with evergreens to conceal the view of said fence from adjoining properties and from the street. The location, nature and design of the fence shall be approved before installation and shall be located on a landscaping plan approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals and thereafter maintained in good condition, appearance and health as long as the pool shall remain.
K. Fence gates; openings. Every gate or other opening in the fence surrounding such pool shall be equipped with a self-closing and self-latching device designed to keep, and capable of keeping, such gate or opening securely closed as set forth in the current New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. Such gate or opening shall be kept locked at all times the pool is not in actual use.
L. The Pool shall be secured with a cover or other means approved by the Superintendent of the Building Department and designed to protect against entry into the pool at all times when not containing water and not in use.
M. Every swimming pool shall have swimming pool alarms which comply with requirements set forth in the current New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.
N. Plumbing shall comply with the applicable provisions of the Plumbing Code of the State of New York.
O. All accessory equipment, including but not limited to purifying equipment, heater, salinization or other mechanical equipment, shall be located in the side yard or any rear yard of any residential property having a setback depth from the adjacent property of not less than the applicable minimum required side yard setback and shall be in a location approved by the Superintendent of the Building Department upon application showing the proposed location of the equipment, approximate distance to the dwelling on adjacent properties, proposed or actual landscape screening.
P. No underwater or overhead lighting shall be permitted in or about said pool.
Q. No loudspeaker device, which can be heard beyond the property lines of the premises on which any swimming pool has been installed, may be operated on the premises.
R. No diving boards, slides or raised platforms will be permitted.
S. Such pool, when maintained and used or intended to be used for swimming, bathing or wading by adults or children, shall be used solely by the owner, tenant or lessee of the premises upon which the pool is situated and by the owner’s family or friends and guests invited to use it without payment of any fee.
T. Abandonment. Should an owner abandon a pool, he or she shall arrange to remove any depression and return the surface of the ground to its original grade and approximately the same condition as before the pool was constructed and he shall further notify the Village Clerk of the abandonment so that the inspection of the site may be made, and the records of the permit be marked accordingly.
Section 2. Effective Date.
This Local Law shall take effect immediately upon filing in the Office of the New York Secretary of State in accordance with the Municipal Home Rule Law.
Dated: February 7, 2025, Garden City, New York By Order of the Board of Trustees of the Inc. Village of Garden City, NY Kelly Galanek, Village Clerk
BY KAREN RUBIN
FEATURES SYNDICATE
It’s pitch black as we make our way 1.66 miles through the first tunnel of the Route of the Hiawatha, except for the light on our bike. Water drips down from the ceiling, the surface is muddy and slippery, adrenalin pumping. It is hugely thrilling.
This is just the first (and the most dramatic) of the 9 tunnels and 7 trestles we go through over the course of 14 miles down, then back through again for 14 miles up. It is also the longest – a full 1.66 miles in total darkness! but each tunnel, each trestle is exciting. You can immediately appreciate why the Route of the Hiawatha is one of Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame rail trails.
The experience is but one of many highlights of Discovery Bicycle Tours’ six-day Idaho Trails trip, during which we will do the 111-mile long Centennial Trail, starting in Spokane Washington to Coeur d’Alene; tackle the remarkable Route of the Hiawatha Trail; and the 73-mile long Trail of the Coeur D’Alenes where we immerse in tribal land, history and culture. Along the way, we will also have interesting experiences such as touring a silver mine in the company of a miner and a museum preserving the heritage of the Coeur d’Alene people.
As we gather together for our first orientation meeting with our guides, I take note that just about every one of our group of 13 riders has taken not just one, two but several trips with Discovery Bicycle Tours.
This is my fourth, and I consistently find Discovery’s whole approach to bike touring ideal –
Biking through the pitch black, 1.66-mile long St. Paul Pass Tunnel the first of nine tunnels, seven trestles on the 14-mile long Route of the Hiawatha, a highlight of Discovery Bicycle Tours’ six-day Idaho Trails trip © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com
summed up in the phrases “Ride your ride” followed by “This is your vacation!”– and how they make that happen. There are two guides (they take turns driving the van that shuttles our stuff, sets up our snackstops, and is there if anyone needs assistance; while the other cycles along, bringing up the rear), but most importantly, we bike at our own pace. This is because we have our own Ride with GPS App, customized by Scott Cone (the company’s owner, he calls himself Adventure Consultant) for each itinerary; they even provide a phone holder on our bike.
The accommodations, restaurant choices and food are the perfect mix of charming reflections of the places we tour, and luxury (as much com-
fort as you would ever want without going over the top), adding immeasurably to the tour. The bikes (five of us use their hybrid, eight others take advantage of the availability of e-bikes at no extra cost) and equipment provided are top notch, and it bears noting that I consistently find Discovery offers excellent value-for-money.
Our guides, Susie Iventosch and Calista Phillips, are fantastic – really knowledgeable, supportive, encouraging, accurate (I appreciate having a realistic view of what the day’s ride will be), and flexible when necessary (like when we all vote not to ride during a downpour but shuttle the first 11 miles of the day’s route).
The trips are designed for maximum enjoyment of the ride – we are
shuttled when it makes sense to or from the ride, and given options of longer or shorter routes each day. And the routes they choose, as well as the added activities (a lecture one evening, the silver mine tour another day, a visit to a museum another) add dimension. I also appreciate the advance preparation – documents, itinerary – and care they provide before the trip.
Day 1: Setting Out on the Centennial Trail, 36 Miles
Our first morning starts with an early meet-up at the Hilton Garden Inn close to Spokane Airport, for introductions and orientation, and we are shuttled to Sontag Park, the start of the Centennial Trail, where we are fitted to our bikes, get the Ride with GPS app going, and set out on a really beautiful ride. Suzie notes that this first day will be the most challenging of the tour.
We start pedaling along the Washington portion of the Centennial Trail in the rocky canyons west of Spokane. The beginning of the trail is in the forest, and soon rises so that we have this gorgeous view of the Spokane River far below. And once you do the first hill, you feel you can do the second (which is the steepest of the day), then the third (the longest, but not as steep – a piece of cake).
We pass through Spokane’s urban Riverfront Park that I have so enjoyed visiting for the past three days, and end, 36 miles further down, just five miles before the Washington-Idaho state line, where we are picked up by the van and are taken to the charming Roosevelt Inn where we stay for two nights, in
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Coeur D’Alene. (Our next day’s ride will bring us back to this same spot, so we can ride the five miles into Idaho.)
I adore the Roosevelt Inn - it is so much a part of Coeur d’Alene. Named for President Theodore Roosevelt who came through the area in 1903 on a campaign whistle stop, the building dates from 1905 when it was Coeur D’Alene’s first school, then became offices, and is now a most charming 14-room bnb. Each room is named for someone with a picture and bio, and provides plush robes and towels. The inn offers a hot tub and sauna (open 24 hours), and absolutely gorgeous gardens (life-size chess). There is a lovely parlor with gorgeous painted mural along the three walls, where there is a refrigerator guests can use; a constant supply of coffee, tea and hot chocolate; fruit and usually, something freshly baked. Each morning, we are served breakfast to order,
This first evening we enjoy dinner together at a pub-style restaurant (a celebratory drink is included).
DAY 2: 14 or 27 miles, Centennial Trail
After breakfast at The Roosevelt Inn on our second day, we shuttle to Lovely Falls Park, the headwaters of the Spokane River. The trail takes us along the majestic shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene.
The ride today is 14 miles out and back to the endpoint of the Centennial Trail at Higgins Point, the endpoint of the Centennial Trail, mostly hugging the gorgeous shoreline of Lake Coeur d’Alene, until we come to one major hill up, then down – which means (if we are
BY CHARLYN FARGO
February is a big month for health: It’s both American Heart Month and National Cancer Prevention Month. And whether we’re talking about cancer, heart disease, diabetes or other chronic diseases, healthy eating applies to all.
When it comes to cancer, we know that foods high in antioxidants are key to helping reduce cancer risk. But what are they and where are they found?
Antioxidants are the antidote to oxidative stress, according to Karen Collins, nutrition adviser with the American Institute for Cancer Research. That oxidative stress occurs when highly reactive
biking back) we have an even steeper return.
We have the option to ride back in the van, but all of us choose to bike back to The Roosevelt, cycling at our own pace. It is early afternoon when we return, so we have plenty of time to enjoy exploring the charming shops and galleries of Coeur d’Alene (a hugely popular destination), swim in the lake or relax. I find a lovely hiking trail along the cliffs.
We are treated to a talk by historian Shauna Hillman give a delightful talk about the town of Wallace, Idaho and the Silver Valley Mine which we will be visiting (‘Murder, mining, prostitution, the mayor murdered his wife’s lover and got away with it, and was reelected twice!”) as we sit in the inn’s lovely garden – before heading out to have dinner on our own.
After two delightful nights at the Roosevelt Inn in Coeur d’Alene, we pack up in preparation for moving our home base to a mountain resort in Kellogg for the remainder of trip. After breakfast, we shuttle 90 minutes east to the trailhead of the famous Route of the Hiawatha.
Biking the Route of The Hiawatha is an extraordinary experience in the annals of bike trails. Our guides, Suzie and Calista, prepare us extremely well for what we will do, that the first tunnel, the St. Paul Pass Tunnel, is the longest at 1.66 miles long, and is pitch black, damp and a constant 47 degrees. They have put lights on our bikes (you are not allowed to go on the trail with-
out a helmet and bike light).
After we excitedly take group photos at the entrance, we set out at our own pace, with the caveat that we have to start biking back up at 2:30 pm (note there is an hour time change from the start).
Biking through the St. Paul Pass Tunnel is a surreal experience – you can’t see what is above or on the side, only what is lit by the narrow beam where your light shines.
When you get out and ride the hardpacked gravel trail, it goes steadily down a 3% grade for 14 miles. The scenery is quite spectacular, especially when you look down at a thin pencil line and realize that is the trestle you will be riding across. It looks so small, so far away and far down. And then you are there, and it isn’t thin at all. The view from the trestle is spectacular, too.
The trestles are so high above where you imagine is the valley floor, you feel you are suspended.
It is 14 miles down on hard-packed gravel to where there is a picnic table where we have a box lunch we had ordered, before riding back up the same 14 miles. If you don’t want to ride back up, you can buy a ticket ($20) to take a shuttle bus. We all bike back. (Notably, there are several bathrooms along the way and water supplied.)
I must admit I am a bit nervous to ride continuously uphill for 14 miles but it actually isn’t bad at all, and there are all these opportunities to stop for the view, or read the interpretive signs that line the trail that tell the history of the Milwaukee Road Railroad. The view and the fresh air are exhilarating.
molecules, known as free radicals, rise to unhealthy levels. When levels are high, they create cell damage that increases susceptibility to cancer and other chronic diseases.
Free radicals come from exposure to environmental hazards like pollution and secondhand smoke. The goal is not to eliminate them all. It’s the rising levels of free radicals that trigger our bodies to amp up our complex antioxidant system and turn on cancer-protective defenses. The health risk comes when the level of free radicals overwhelms antioxidant defenses.
Aren’t more antioxidants the answer?
Many believe that and take extra vitamins A, C and E (essential antioxidants). But it’s more than vitamins; antioxidants are found in phytochemicals too. Phytochemicals naturally occur in plant foods. Studies have shown links between eating more produce and lower cancer risk, but the number of antioxidants
The Hiawatha, considered one of the more successful rail-trail conversions in the United States, was named to the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s national Hall of Fame in 2010. It was developed from a railroad line, developed in the late 1800s, that went out of business in the 1980s.
One of the historic markers along the way tells of the Great Fire of 1910. One of the most devastating forest fires in American history, it burned 3 million acres of forest in northern Idaho and western Montana. The marker tells of heroic actions by the railroad employees who drove engines and box cars filled with people through the flames to the safety of the longer tunnels, saving 600 lives.
It feels soooo good when I come back through that last, longest (1.66 miles), darkest tunnel, being careful not to ride up on the person in front, or slipping in the muddy surface.
At the end, it is a work out that makes you feel so ecstatic, euphoric when you finish.
Feeling quite elated, we pile back into the van to shuttle to the Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg, where we stay in gorgeous condo accommodations for three nights.
Discovery Bicycle Tours, 800-257-2226, www.discoverybicycletours.com
Next: Biking the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes
© 2025 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear. com.
reaching the body’s cells can depend on how much is lost is cooking and how well compounds are absorbed.
Here’s the bottom line for cancer prevention: Don’t just focus on antioxidants alone. Focus on balance, variety and moderation. Choose plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pulses (like dried beans and lentils) and nuts. Add variety by eating the rainbow -- dark green, deep orange, white, purple, yellow and red foods. It doesn’t matter if it’s fresh, frozen or canned -- they all provide benefit. Make these the biggest portion of your eating choices, and you’ll crave less processed food, processed sugar and processed meat.
Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois, and the current president of the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow
BY CLAIRE LYNCH
My cousin, Elaina, and I were poring over some old family albums recently and we had a good laugh over some silly photos of us as kids. We’re six months apart so we feel as close as sisters.
The two of us running around on the beach snapping towels at each other as 11-year-olds was captured on a camera by a relative and memorialized for all to see even 50 years later. We also saw us all dolled up in those serious pictures at the special events like Holy Communions, graduations and weddings.
Elaina had pulled the albums from a closet in her house and we were instantly brought back to sunny days on the beach near her home in Westchester County. Her father, my Uncle Douglas, had gotten a Sunfish and the three of us went out on it quite a few times. We sailed on the Long Island Sound under some glorious blue skies in July. Uncle Douglas steered the Sunfish and we watched as he did it.
Gripping the tiller, he would move it right or left and that would move the rudder. He also told us when to move about in the boat because shifting our body weight helped the boat maintain its balance. Keeping its balance was a good thing since none of us wanted to end up in the Sound when we were enjoying a nice boat ride and admiring the scenery all around us.
After returning to the shore we went for a swim in the pool at their club, got dressed and headed home for a delicious grilled dinner with corn on the cob. We relaxed for a while then I offered to make some milkshakes for the three of us. They liked that idea. Rummaging through the kitchen for their blender, I found it and placed it on the counter.
Pulling out a gallon of vanilla ice cream and a quart of milk, I followed the recipe for milkshakes that I knew by heart. My mom had shown me how to make them. I placed 5 scoops of vanilla ice cream in the blender and added milk. The basic rule of thumb, I
reminded myself, is for every 3 scoops of ice cream, I need 1 cup of milk.
Plugging the blender into the wall outlet, I ran it on low and watched it slowly become a smooth mixture. If it seemed a bit thick, I added a little more milk. In time the ingredients blended into a great big perfect-looking milkshake and I was pleased.
Pulling some tall, clear glasses from the cabinet, I poured the three milkshakes we wanted on that hot summer’s day. Topping each of them off with a swirl of whipped cream, some colorful sprinkles and a cherry, I popped a straw into each glass. Elaina and Uncle Douglas thanked me for my industriousness - which made me laugh - and we toasted healthy living and bright, sunny days then enjoyed our drinks. Spending time with Elaina at her house, my house or traveling together was always fun.
Some friends and I got together recently to watch “80 for Brady” on Netflix because we heard it is a pretty funny film and sure enough, it is. The movie, which came out last year, stars Sally Field, Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno and Jane Fonda as the ensemble actresses and Tom Brady stars in the show. He’s also one of the producers. We had some good laughs out of it.
The basic plot is four friends get together to see the New England Patriots play in the Super Bowl in Houston. How they got the Super Bowl tickets is a bit of a mystery.
While there these four friends are intent on meeting NFL quarterback and superstar Tom Brady. In one of the movie’s memorable moments they end up performing a dance number with Billy Porter outside the stadium’s gate.
It turns out the movie is inspired by the true story of five best friends and New England Patriots fans who take a life-changing trip to the Super Bowl in 2017 to see Tom Brady against the Alanta Falcons. Chaos ensues as they navigate the crowds and the wilds of the biggest sporting event in the country.
On a Sally Field kick, my friends
and I then checked out “Places in the Heart,” a movie made in 1984 that stars Sally Field and is memorable in a number of ways.
Sally Field plays the role of Edna Spalding, a sheriff’s widow who learns from the banker that times are hard during the Great Depression and she should sell her farm in Texas and maybe board her kids with somebody else. She refuses.
She is determined to keep the 30-acre farm and keep her kids although she has no idea how she can make everything work. She needs to plant a crop and she’s not sure whether cotton or something else will work.
It’s a serious story with a great cast: Lindsay Crouse, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, John Malkovich and Danny Glover, all of whom work well opposite Sally Field’s character.
Sally Field won an Academy Award for Best Actress in “Places in the Heart” in 1985 and the movie was nominated
for an Oscar for Best Picture. It was well deserved because Field portrayed the grit and the faith in her steadfast belief that they would survive during tough times, that both her family and her farm would go on.
I’ve always liked Sally Field and I couldn’t help but think back to “Gidget” and “The Flying Nun.” “Gidget” came out in 1965 when I was 10 and “The Flying Nun” in 1967. It was always funny to see that nun take off toward the sky and being that my sisters and I had nuns teaching us at St. Agnes Elementary School in Rockville Centre it was especially funny.
Sally Field played the role of Sister Bertrille on the show. She later said it wasn’t her most favorite role but it helped introduce her to audiences around the world.
Now on TV we’ve got Morris Chestnut playing “Watson” and Kathy Bates playing “Matlock.” It’s a whole different world.
Miles Whalen Jaquay, shown here at 13 months old is the grandchild of Patricia Clements Jaquay
BY TOM MARGENAU
First, an apology: I don’t think there will be anything about Social Security in today’s column. But after 28 years of writing these weekly articles (that would be more than 1,450 columns about Social Security), I hope you’ll indulge me around this Valentine’s Day as I spend one column sharing a couple funny stories from the early days of my 50-yearand-counting marriage to my valentine: Becky Margenau.
We met in 1973 when I left my hometown of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to begin my first posting with the Social Security Administration at their newly opened branch office in Litchfield, Illinois. One of my first jobs was to verify Medicare numbers for a clerk in the local hospital’s billing department. That clerk was Becky Bachstein, who called me daily to verify numbers for hospital patients on Medicare. Eventually, Becky’s matchmaking boss invited me out to the hospital to meet Becky. Long story short: A few months later, we were married!
Not long afterward, I transferred to a Social Security office in Chicago. Becky and I found an apartment in the leafy suburb of Oak Park, former home to such luminaries as Frank Lloyd Wright and Ernest Hemingway. Becky got a job in the billing office of West Suburban Hospital, right on the dividing line between Oak Park and Chicago. And after a while, she moved from the billing department to a maternity ward. (Did I mention she was pregnant?) And the delivery of our son, Mike, in March 1976 makes for an interesting story.
After about three hours in a labor ward, Becky was finally wheeled into the delivery room. I went along. And back then, it was still kind of an experiment to have the father in the delivery room. We were in for a bit of a surprise when we got there. West Suburban was a teaching hospital, and the delivery room was actually a small amphitheater. The seats were filled with about 20 or 25 student doctors and nurses. I don’t want to get too graphic here, but imagine poor Becky, her legs up in stirrups, with a small crowd staring down at her!
Becky’s doctor was a very short, thin woman. That becomes important because the delivery was getting difficult. The doctor had to use forceps to try to deliver the baby. But being so small and slight, she simply didn’t have the physical strength to bring the baby out! We noticed concerned looks. We saw doctors and nurses huddling and talking. Then one of the nurses ran out of the room! What was going on?
We soon learned she was sent to get a “relief doctor.” This doctor turned out to be a huge woman who spoke with a heavy German accent. When she stormed into the room, she looked around and almost barked at me, saying, “Who are you?”
When I timidly explained I was the father, she ordered me out of the room. I will always remember her loud Germanic command: “You vill get out ov here!”
Of course, now I was really scared. Becky later said she wasn’t worried. She just wanted things to be over with! I remember walking down the hall after leaving the delivery room when a nurse came running for me and said, “Come on back, you have a son!”
Becky told me later that the big doctor just used her heft and muscles to yank little baby Mike out. (There’s probably a more delicate way of putting that.) And poor Mike was born with a pretty ugly and not too delicate dent in his head from the use of the forceps by the Teutonic practitioner who must have skipped the “bedside manner” class in medical school!
Anyway, just a few weeks later, we’d be back in a hospital with little baby Mike -- but this time in Billings, Montana. And therein lies another story.
In the months leading up to Mike’s birth, I had been trying to get myself transferred out of messy Chicago. I was essentially willing to go anywhere. And I ended up getting sent to Billings, Montana!
Mike was just two weeks old when we left Chicago. He traveled across the country in a blanket-lined chicken box in the back seat of my old Pontiac. I had picked up the box from a local grocery store before we left. The box said it had once held a dozen frozen chickens. (This was long before baby car seats were common or required.)
After a bit of a scary wintertime ride in our old car across the frozen plains of Minnesota and South Dakota, we pulled into Billings, Montana, on a Saturday afternoon. We checked into a pleasant mom and pop motel in a residential area. That evening, our first night in Billings and our first night in this motel, and one of our first nights a thousand miles from grandmas (who knew something about parenting), Mike started to cry and wouldn’t stop. He cried and cried. And it got louder and louder, or so it seemed, what with the thin walls of a motel room. Nothing we did -- from rocking him to feeding him to singing to him -- quieted him down. Eleven p.m. -- Mike was crying. Midnight -- Mike was crying. One a.m. -- more crying! What could we do?
We called our mothers back in the Midwest and woke them up. But of course, they were of little help being a thousand miles away. So at about 1:30 in the morning, we finally decided to head for a hospital.
When we got there, the emergency room waiting area was full of drunks and gunshot victims and other assorted Saturday night maladies. There is a chance that time and my imagination might be playing tricks on me, but I even think
there was a guy with an arrow sticking out of his arm! Remember: We were in the Wild West!
We went to the receptionist and explained our dilemma. She tried to talk us into going back home, telling us we would have to wait around for hours to
see a doctor. We told her we were desperate, didn’t have a home and would be willing to wait.
Reluctantly, she started filling out registration and insurance papers. This
Continued on next page
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BY PHILIP A. RAICES
to knowing in advance what your real estate insurance will set your back. Florida and any other state that has either flood zones or proximity near water, as some of my Florida friends homeowner’s insurance have succumbed to, that you are aware of the costs, especially those hidden ones, that are in all the fine print, that insurance companies don’t necessarily want you to be aware of. As they say “Caveat Emptor” buyer beware! Shopping around for your insurance will be your most prudent and smart path to pursue to potentially and hopefully in saving money.
stantial amount of money; unless you are paying cash from the proceeds of your current sale of your home.
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Maybe you have discussions with your children about staying near them as you age to have them as a backup in case of any issues, emergencies or health problems. That is one of the many benefits of living near them besides seeing your grandchildren more regularly, even babysitting; as many don’t have that wonderful experience but maybe once a year. Here is a link to consider searching other locations around the U.S. to find the top 5 places to purchase a vacation or retirement home at extremely reasonable prices : bit.ly/4hA7mGd
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was before computers were commonplace, so she was using a manual typewriter. I sat at her desk, holding baby Mike in my arms, while she typed away and Mike cried away.
But all of a sudden, little baby Mike squirmed and got a funny look on his face. And then he threw up. And not just little dribble-y baby puke. No, this was a serious case of projectile vomit! It went all over the receptionist’s desk, her clothes, her typewriter, etc. She was in shock. Becky and I were in shock. Who knows, maybe little Mikey was in shock.
The woman jumped up crying, “Oh my God, follow me!” And so we ran behind her as she scrambled to find medical help. We went right into an examining room where a doctor rushed in and checked Mike over. And guess what his prognosis was? A serious disease? A life-threatening illness? Nope. The doctor said, “He’s got a cold!” He told us it was
a bad cold, pretty severe for a 2-week-old baby, but it was still just a cold. We were sure relieved. We thought our young son was suffering from some strange disease, and he turned out to have a bad case of the sniffles!
Anyway, those are just two stories from a 50-year marriage full of stories. I guess someday I’ll have to write a book that’s about my life with my Valentine, Becky, and not about boring old Social Security!
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. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net.
COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
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Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 43+ years experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned 3 significant designations: (What I consider a Master’s degree in real estate) expert in consulting and completing international transactions, eco-friendly low carbon
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BY MARY HUNT
Recently, I’ve been on yet another of my seemingly never-ending quests to pare down and clean out. I got this surge of energy after reading how Graham Hill is living with less. A lot less.
Hill, a self-made young millionaire who decided he really didn’t need lots of stuff, wrote about it in the New York Times. He lives in a 420-square-foot studio apartment. His bed folds down from the wall. He admits to owning just six dress shirts. His dish cupboard holds his complete set made up of 10 shallow bowls that he uses for salads and main dishes. When people come over for dinner, he pulls out his extendable dining room table. He owns 10% of the books he once did.
Things were not always this compact for Hill. In the late ‘90s, he bought a giant house, paid for with cash he amassed from a start-up sale. And that house became packed up to his eyeballs with electronics, cars, appliances and gadgets.
I find Hill’s story incredibly interesting, if not motivating. I don’t know if my husband and I could take things down to 420 square feet of living space (although we
do have an adorable camper van with 60 square feet of living space in which we test our limits on a regular basis), but I know that I have too much stuff. And as long as I have places to stash stuff, it seems stuff multiplies all on its own. Crazy how that happens.
Back to my cleaning out. I came across an original Little People doll, by the creator of the now famous Cabbage Patch dolls of the 1980s. I’d tossed him into the “give away bag” because he was not exactly in pristine condition, nor could I locate his Birth Certificate of Authenticity. Several days later, out of curiosity, I decided to search his kind on eBay.
Duane Sebastian, with his goofy face and creator’s signature on his back side, came out of that bag and onto an eBay auction so fast it made his wobbly head spin. The opening bid was $.99 and in no time, he sold for $387.50! You could have knocked me over with a feather.
That was enough to get me to list my vintage accordion, more dolls, collector plates, figurines and a load of elderly electronics. Not that I’m counting or anything, but I’m well on my way to racking up
$1,000 from this paring down thing. And I’m not stopping anytime soon. I figure it’s a win-win because I’m turning stuff I don’t want into cash -- and it appears there are plenty of buyers quite happy to help me do it.
Hill’s words ring loudly in my ears these days: Choose to buy less. Seems pretty simple, but I admit to the struggle. It’s so easy to get carried away in the face of a good deal. After all, if one is a bargain, two or three should just improve the deal, right?
Consider this before you answer too quickly: In 2019, there were 47,863 self-storage facilities in the United States, up from 45,547 facilities in the previous year -- more than 2.2 billion rentable square feet of space (78 square miles), boasting $22.6 billion in annual revenues. The way I see it, if you have to rent storage space because your stuff will not fit into your home, you probably have too much stuff. Stop buying so much stuff. Before you make the decision to buy something, ask yourself if you don’t already have something that will do just as well. Or if you won’t use it often, is this something you
could rent or borrow?
Sure, the shoes are adorable, but isn’t your closet already bursting at the seams? Pare down, cut back. You’ll simplify your life and have more money.
I could not possibly say it any better than Hill, whose success in this area of living with less I find so refreshing: “Intuitively, we know that the best stuff in life isn’t stuff at all, and that relationships, experiences and meaningful work are the staples of a happy life.”
Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/ contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”
COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
BY MARY HUNT
Being wasteful is easy, especially when everything seems to be so plentiful and simple to replenish. Just order more. Or run to the store, right?
Sure, we love to buy things on sale, but that’s not the only way -- or the best way -- to cut costs. Discovering simple ways to make things last longer is the surefire way to save time and money.
BLUE DAWN
My favorite degreaser and all-around amazing product, Blue Dawn, typically comes super concentrated. Read the label. It says it right there: “concentrated.”
Here’s a great tip: Don’t use Blue Dawn straight out of its container. Dilute it. I’ve used the same sturdy recycled glass decanter (an old wine bottle) for more than 10 years now. It has no lid, cap or cork, which makes it super easy to dispense. I keep the jug of Blue Dawn on a shelf in my laundry room. It’s out of sight, and not that easy to grab mindlessly. When the decanter needs a refill, I eyeball 5 parts water to 1 part Blue Dawn.
TOILET PAPER
It’s human nature to be super wasteful when it appears that we have things like toilet paper, paper towels and other paper goods in abundance. But discover you have what’s left on the roll to last until you can get to the store and watch how clever you and the family can be to make it last.
The way to be that careful all the time is to create an appearance of scarcity ... on purpose. Don’t fill the bathroom cabinet with five rolls of extra toilet paper. Make it one. Then store the rest in a place that’s not exactly convenient -- perhaps in the basement or under a bed.
Even the kids will get a sense that they need to go easy when it appears you’re about to run out. Repeat this trick with other things that seem to disappear overnight. Surprisingly, even the person creating this sense of scarcity will naturally be more careful. Out of sight, out of mind. It works like a charm.
TOOTHPASTE
Once you’ve squeezed out as much toothpaste as you can, don’t throw that tube in the trash. Instead, carefully cut the tube open with a pair of scissors, and you’ll have enough for several more brushings.
RAZORS
Carefully dry the razor blade after each use (use a towel, or better yet, hit it with a blast or two from a hairdryer), and it will remain sharp twice as long.
SHOWER GEL
Apply shower gel to a washcloth or loofah instead of pouring it out into your hand, and it will last many times longer. Just a small squirt will produce endless lather. That’s all it takes. You’ll end up using way more than necessary.
LIPSTICK
When you get to the bottom of a tube,
use a lip brush or a cotton swab to get at the remaining lipstick. You won’t believe how much product remains even when you think you’ve reached the end.
LIQUID HAND SOAP
Purchase a foaming hand soap dispenser and turn any liquid hand soap into foaming hand soap. You’ll be amazed at how far you and the family can stretch one bottle of soap.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT
If you use the “dump” method of adding laundry detergent to the washing machine, I can nearly guarantee you’re using too much! Get out the owner manual to see what is recommended. Measure carefully. Every time. Unless you have super hard water, chances are good you can use even less and still get great results, especially if you have a front-loader, which uses very little water.
CLOTHING
As a general rule, turn clothing inside out before laundering. It’s a simple way to prevent pilling. And zip those zippers! The teeth on a zipper can act as a tiny chainsaw through the agitation and tumbling activity, boring holes in t-shirts and gnawing the heck out of fabric. You might not notice it the first or second laundering, but over time open zippers will shorten the life of everything you launder with them.
Clean dirt and remove salt stains from shoes and boots as soon as you notice
them to avoid any permanent damage. Hint: Olive oil is the best way to remove those winter salt stains from leather shoes and boots. Pour a bit on a soft, clean cloth, then rub it into those stains using a circular motion.
Put candles in the freezer for a couple of hours before you use them. Surprisingly, perhaps, this causes the wax to burn slower and more evenly without affecting the scent, if any.
If you are at all interested in making your refrigerator last longer (repair bills are horrible -- the early death of an appliance even worse), vacuum the condenser coil in your refrigerator every three months (once a month if you have pets). Check the owner manual to discover where that coil is and how to reach it.
Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “DebtProof Living.”
COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
BY DENNIS MAMMANA
Week of February 23 - March 1, 2025
During one of my recent night sky tours, a curious young lady asked if I was excited about the planets lining up this week. My answer was a succinct “no.”
I’m pretty sure that caught her off guard. I mean, who could not be excited by such a rare and significant celestial event, especially someone who studies the heavens for a living?
I explained that the planets have been in “a line” across the sky every night for the past 5 billion years. That “line,” or arc, is called the ecliptic, and it defines the geometric plane of our solar system. It is roughly along this path that the planets, sun and moon all appear to move. If ever you see a planet not on that arc, call me! Immediately!
No, what interests me more is that we can see all the planets together in the same part of the sky. It occurs for the same reason that all cars in an auto race appear to bunch up on one side of the track from time to time before spreading out once again. By late spring, only Mars, Jupiter and Uranus will lie in our evening sky; the remaining planets will appear only in the early morning sky -- but still along the same arc.
This week, however, we have a chance to see all the planets of our solar system shortly after sunset. Venus, Mars and Jupiter shine brightly in our sky and are hard to miss, and the Earth ... well, it’s pretty hard to miss as well!
To see Mercury and Saturn you must have a very low horizon with a clear sky to the west because they’re tough to spot in the glow of sunset. In fact, you may need binoculars to find them at all.
These two worlds will change their relative positions over only a few days. Early in the week, look for Saturn just above and to the left of brighter Mercury. On Feb. 24, the two will lie nearest each other in the
sky and almost parallel to the horizon. Of course, this is an illusion only, since Mercury lies only 112 million miles from us while Saturn is nearly a billion miles away. After that, Saturn will drop farther below Mercury and within a few days will become invisible against the glow of sunset.
Uranus and Neptune are the farthest and faintest planets and, as such, require a telescope to see at all. Only if you know where to aim it and have patience sorting through the starlike points of light in your field of view will you be able to identify these distant worlds, but it’s certainly worth the effort.
By the Feb. 28, the thin crescent moon will appear between Mercury and Saturn, something that binoculars will be needed to see. But after that, the moon will continue along its monthly orbit around the Earth and will move eastward along the ecliptic. Look for it to pass by Venus on March 1, Jupiter on March 5 and 6, and Mars on March 8.
I wish you clear skies for a fun week of planet gazing.
Visit Dennis Mammana at dennismammana.com. COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
BY TRACY BECKERMAN
It was one of those days where everything was taking a ridiculously long time. There was a line at the dry cleaners. A line at the supermarket. A line at the gas station. I was starting to think that everyone in the world had the same to-do list that I did; they were just one to-do ahead of me the whole day.
I finally made it to the last place on my list. I needed to pick up a couple of things at the department store. As I walked in, I was thrilled to see that, for the first time all day, I was in a store that was mostly empty. I found what I needed in about five minutes flat, then I headed toward the checkout counter.
I was surprised to see that there were a couple of people waiting in line to check out, because there didn’t really seem to be that many people in the
store. But since the whole day had been one long waiting game, I figured this was just par for the course. As I got in line behind two ladies waiting ahead of me, I started checking messages on my cellphone to pass the time.
After a while, I realized I had been waiting in line for an unusually long time. I am typically not the most patient person, but this was excessive even by a normal patient person’s standards.
Looking at my watch, I realized 10 minutes had passed since I’d gotten in line. I peered around the people ahead of me and noticed that some other customers were finishing at the cash registers, but for some reason the line I was on did not seem to be moving.
I started tapping my foot and making huffy noises. Then I looked around for a store employee to complain to.
Just when I thought my head would
explode, I saw someone and waved her over.
“Are you waiting to check out?” she asked me cheerily.
“Yes!” I shouted in frustration.
“Well, the checkout line is over there,” she said, gesturing to another line I hadn’t noticed directly behind the checkout counter.
“What line am I in?” I asked.
“YOU,” she said, “are standing in line behind mannequins.”
“Huh?” I said dumbly. At first I didn’t quite understand what she was saying. But then I looked closely at the heads of the two ladies standing in front of me and slowly realized their hair was made of plastic and they had no faces. My line wasn’t moving because I wasn’t IN a line. I was standing behind a clothing display next to the checkout area.
I walked around the mannequins
and looked them up and down, just to convince myself that I really was that stupid. It was clear who the real dummy was.
“Oh boy. I am such an idiot,” I moaned to the store employee.
“It’s OK,” she said with a laugh. “This actually happens a lot.”
“Really?” I said with some annoyance. “Then why don’t you move the mannequins farther away from the checkout area?”
She grinned. “Because it’s really funny.”
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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Cookies are a treat any time of the day, and many find biscotti particularly appealing. These crunchy cookies are equally at home with a morning cup of coffee as they are with an evening mug of hot cocoa.
Biscotti are hard, crunchy, Italian cookies that are baked twice. In fact, their name comes from the Latin “bis,” meaning “twice,” and “coctus,” meaning “cooked.” Although they can be enjoyed on their own, their dry, crunchy nature makes them hold up well when dunked into a beverage. Biscotti were even once commonly dipped into red wine.
Though they might seem complicated, biscotti generally are easy to make. Try this recipe for “Semolina and Almond Biscotti” from “Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy” (Sourcebooks) by Danielle Kartes.
Yields 12 to 16 cookies
1 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
23⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sliced almonds
1⁄2 cup semolina flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Optional: 10 ounces dark chocolate to melt for dipping
1) Preheat oven to 325° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2) In a stand mixer, cream the sugar, butter and eggs until light and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3) Add the vanilla and salt. Mix to incorporate.
4) Add the all-purpose flour, almonds, semolina flour, and baking powder. Mix until well combined, but don’t overmix.
5) Turn the dough out onto
the prepared baking sheet. Pat gently to form one long loaf of dough roughly 14 to 16 inches long and 5 to 6 inches wide. Bake 30 minutes.
6) Remove the loaf from the oven and allow to cool 5 to 6 minutes before using a long knife to cut the loaf gently into 12 to 16 cookies.
7) Lay each cookie on its side and bake another 20 minutes, flipping the cookies midway through.
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8) Cool completely to achieve that signature crunch. The centers will be a bit soft if eaten warm. These are perfect for dunking in coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
Optional: Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts and gently dip half of each biscotti into it lengthwise. Flip the biscotti chocolate-side-up onto a sheet tray and allow the chocolate to set.
We’re looking for writers in our community to compose articles 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
The acclaimed and world-renowned Jupiter String Quartet will return to Adelphi University’s Performing Arts Center on Friday, February 28. The ensemble will present an evening of contemporary and classical music at 8 p.m. in Adelphi PAC’s Concert Hall.
Based at the University of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign, and giving concerts all over the country, the Jupiter String Quartet is a particularly intimate group, consisting of violinists Nelson Lee and Meg Freivogel, violist Liz Freivogel (Meg’s older sister), and cellist Daniel McDonough (Meg’s husband, Liz’s brother-in-law). The Jupiter String Quartet has been performing together since 2001. Exuding an energy that is at once friendly, knowledgeable, and adventurous, the Quartet celebrates every opportunity to bring their close-knit and lively style to audiences.
The Jupiter Quartet brings its well-honed musical chemistry to three works shaped by bold musicality and meaningful thematic inspirations, written between the early 19th century and the present day, including “Warmth from Other Suns” by Carlos Simon (2020); “String Quartet No. 3, Glitter, Doom, Shards, Memory” by Shulamit Ran (2013); and “String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, Op. 130 with the Grosse Fuge” by Ludwig van Beethoven (1825).
Tickets begin at $25 for adult admission, with discounts available for seniors, students Adelphi alumni and staff. For more information, call Lucia and Steven N. Fischer Box Office at 516-877-4000 or email boxoffice@adelphi.edu. The box office is open Wednesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and two hours before all ticketed performances. Ticket sales and additional information are available online.
Hempstead Town Councilman Tom Muscarella visited Stewart School in Garden City to pick up Valentines for Veterans cards that were created by the students. The heartfelt artwork will be delivered to local veterans’ organizations. Also attending was Assistant Principal Rachel Lindsey.
RotaCare, a service which provides free healthcare for people in need, will be holding its annual Caregivers Ball on Thursday, April 10, at the Inn at New Hyde Park. The ball will honor Dr. Francis Faustino, chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at NYU Langone, and Tom Crowly, the immediate past district governor of Rotary District 7255.
Founded in 1992 by members of the Mineola-Garden City Rotary Club, RotaCare was created to serve the needs of the uninsured on Long Island. Working with the Mary Brennan Interfaith Nutrition Network in Hempstead, volunteers recognized that, in addition to food, the medical needs of their clients were not being met adequately by the health care system.
Through the collaborative efforts of the Rotary Club, local health care professionals, area residents and an initial grant from Grumman Corporation, a “MASH” team was formed to operate weekly at the INN's soup kitchen. RotaCare was born.
When more space became necessary, RotaCare moved to the A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility in
Uniondale in January 2009. A staff of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, clerical staff and translators volunteered and continue to give selflessly of their time and talent to help uninsured individuals and families receive access to vital health care services. As a result of its integral involvement and benefit to the community, RotaCare Incorporated as a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization and became a Rotary District 7250 project.
In September of 2022, RotaCare leased new space at a location in Hempstead. This 2,500 sq ft facility houses an EKG, equipment for nurses to perform more specialized testing and a medical supply room for distribution to patients on-site. Approximately 40 volunteers have the space they need to provide excellent care.
Since its inception, RotaCare has been supported by concerned companies, organizations, individuals and grants to sustain its good works and benefits to the community by facilitating free health care to people in need.
To obtain more information about Rotacare, you can go to their website at www.rotacareny.org
Mrs. Menking and Mrs. Acierno’s classes worked together for the first Collaborative Community Friday.
Mrs. Bridget Menking’s students completed their first Collaborative Community Friday event by pairing up with Mrs. Alyssa Acierno’s Spanish class for an engaging, hands-on learning experience.
Mrs. Menking developed this initiative to create not only enriching learning experiences but also unique social opportunities for all students involved. The process begins with Mrs. Menking reaching out to general education teachers across different subjects to select a date. She then tailors a modified lesson that aligns with both their curriculum and her students’ needs, ensuring hands-on engagement in the chosen subject area.
For the collaboration between Mrs. Menking and Mrs. Acierno’s classes, students worked in small groups to explore mock job postings that Mrs. Menking designed based on her students’ vocational interests. These mock job postings, such as a library assistant, babysitter and postal worker, included the job duties, candidate qualifications and salary. This activity aligned perfectly with Mrs. Acierno’s curriculum, as her students had just begun a vocabulary unit on community and the workplace—a seamless connection to Mrs. Menking’s program, where students spend part of their day gaining handson job experience.
Photo courtesy of the Garden City School District
Through this lesson, Mrs. Menking’s vocational students practiced recalling personal information and strengthening their reading and writing skills, while Mrs. Acierno’s students completed the same job applications entirely in Spanish, applying their newly learned workplace vocabulary. Beyond reinforcing essential academic and vocational skills, this collaboration fostered meaningful social connections between students, bridging different learning communities in a supportive, interactive environment.
“I am incredibly proud of how this first collaboration unfolded and am excited to see the impact of future sessions,” Mrs. Menking said. “Opportunities like this are invaluable—not just for my students, but for their peers as well. It’s a powerful way to encourage collaboration and build lasting connections, even if it’s just through a friendly hello in the hallway.”
Collaborative Community Fridays will occur once per month in various classrooms, ensuring that Mrs. Menking’s students, alongside their peers, have frequent opportunities to participate in meaningful, interdisciplinary activities. Later this month, Mrs. Menking’s students will join Mr. Charles Hager’s science class to work on a DNA lab.
Boulevard Park in Franklin Square. Receiver
Taxes
explained how residents can lower their property tax bills by applying for tax exemption programs, and also provided an overview of new payment features, paperless billing, payment reminders, tax discounts and more.
On Feb. 5, Garden City Public Schools came together to celebrate World Read Aloud Day, bringing students and educators together in a shared love for storytelling. Superintendent Dr. Sinha kicked off the day with a virtual reading of “Feeling Grateful” by Kobi Yamada, setting the tone for a day filled with literacy-rich experiences.
Throughout the district, students participated in a variety of activities that highlighted the magic of reading aloud. Younger and older students paired up to read together, authors shared their stories virtually, and students reflected on their experiences through writing and creative projects like bookmark mak-
ing. A special highlight was middle and high school students recording virtual read-alouds, which were compiled into choice boards for primary and elementary students to enjoy.
“It's always special to see our district come together in celebration of the joy of reading,” said Director of Literacy K-12 Lauren Kaufman. “These moments foster a love of literature and build connections across grade levels.”
While reading is celebrated daily in Garden City, World Read Aloud Day continues to be a cherished tradition that brings the learning community together in a special way.
Photos courtesy of the Garden City School District
the paper. Their efforts solely seek to muddy the minds from incontrovertible facts. Do not allow their noisy sleight of hand to take hold and draw you away from your own perspective. It is of tantamount importance in a democracy to have a population of critical thinkers that questions the objectivity of all comments from each side before establishing an opinion or casting a vote. All I ask is that you remain positive with your perspective and do not succumb to apathy or the “loudest voice in the room.” Make your opinion known and kindly complete the survey and believe in the process.
Think critically, objectively, and practically; just because a small part of your roof leaks, you do not tear down your whole house; just because you do not inhabit every square foot your home does mean not demolish those parts you do not use. An unfinished basement provides substantial potential for the future; you do not backfill it in if you do not need it at that time.
Demolition is a solution, but is it the right solution? Not according to the majority of residents who voted in the Mayor’s October 2023 poll. At the time I and other trustees objected to the imprecise wording of the poll, however, notwithstanding the lack of clarity the question posed, the response that prevailed was preservation, “in part or whole” by a 3-2 margin after 4,400 ballots were cast.
Following the results of that poll, in March 2024, the Board of Trustees retained the services of BCI to conduct a survey to assist the Board in obtaining that “Level of Confidence” needed to move forward in addressing the options for St. Paul’s. BCI analyzed the needs of the Village and along with the Board and Mayor Flanagan’s Advisory Committee determined that St. Paul’s would be best served as a Community and Recreation Center. They, BCI, then began the process of drafting the St. Paul’s survey. This Board recognizes there is much work to be done to ensure the wishes of the majority of residents are followed. Thus, it is fundamentally important for your household to complete the upcoming survey to ensure that the services and facilities that will best serve our village can be achieved. We look forward to your participation.
Bruce A. Torino, Esq. Village Trustee
Inc. Village of Garden City
To the Editor:
Garden City is a lovely village that appeals to families for its many parks, good schools, safe neighborhoods, ample recreation options, and various bistros/ restaurants/cafes. We are proud of our
Email: Editor@GCNews.com
vibrant library programs, our senior center, and our unique Bird Sanctuary. The eleven houses of worship attract people of various faith traditions and bring a sense of community. Despite a population of under 25,000, Garden City boasts a large community pool complex, the Garden City Casino tennis and bridge facility, two country clubs, a golf club, soccer fields and baseball fields, and even daily pickleball availability.
Despite just under 8,000 households, we have our own police force to keep the peace and three firehouses to serve our village’s four sections. Garden City has literally thousands of volunteers who donate their time to others—in churches, charitable organizations, kids’ teams, scouting, etc. And, currently, after 105 years of growth and development, our village’s public debt load (and current authorizations) equates to about $50 million in 2025, or about $6,000 per household.
It is rare that we encounter new homeowners who chose Garden City because of St. Paul’s. We usually hear off-handed remarks about why this large abandoned old building consumes so much of the attention of our government officials. It is a pleasant backdrop as one drives down Stewart Avenue but hardly rates as the singular dominating element of our daily life or quality of life.
After an unfortunately worded non-binding “opinion poll” vote in the fall of 2023, highly motivated preservationists have interpreted the 61%39% outcome in ways that exaggerate the community’s intentions. If preservationists had been concerned about the demolition of St. Paul’s, they can take heart that the status quo of the unoccupied St. Paul’s building standing against a sunset continues—as it has for more than 30 years—with the current annual $300K-$500K (or about $40-$60 per household) of ad hoc repairs and interventions.
While much of the 61% includes people who merely don’t want to see their pleasant backdrop removed or believed some “façade” option might enable more creative uses for the building’s grounds, the preservationists (including some of their favored trustees on our Board) assert the results represented a carteblanche opening to partially or fully renovate the existing building with uses adapted to the 150-year-old design and footprint.
We have no shortage of places to meet, to play sports, to host a special event, to enjoy a coffee, or to catch up on our reading. But we are told by certain St. Paul’s enthusiasts that we need to imagine how this 150-year-old purpose-built former parochial school would yield a community center that brings…more places to meet, to host a special event, or enjoy a coffee by a
fireplace.
I appreciate all the time and effort of various volunteers and Trustees in working to evaluate potential uses for the building, although that seems to be putting the cart (spending) before the horse (taxes, and willingness of residents to pay). The cost estimates proffered by Trustee Muldoon and the tax-increase estimates provided by Village Treasurer Woo are incrementally helpful, but highly contingent on more detailed assessments, contractor bids, and the rate-environment, among other factors.
The Board of Trustees has undertaken a determined effort to conduct a village-wide survey that offers three primary project options: a $40 million Mothballing plan (which is curiously named, since $10 million relates to abatement inside and $30 million of external repairs and improvements); a $75 million Adaptive Reuse option that might utilize 25,000 sq. ft. of the main building for the aforementioned coffee house, event room, and meeting rooms; and a $90 million (or more, probably) Partial Renovation option.
Consider that each of the three St. Paul’s options presented could nearly double or triple village debt. If renovation moves beyond 20% of the current floor space considered, expect village debt to potentially quadruple our current levels. Can we expect a doubling or tripling in our quality of life (relative to today’s standards) in return for undertaking this project?
So, here we are staring down the barrel of a potentially huge financial commitment to commence the largest single capital project in Garden City’s history. All to pursue uses that are essentially redundant or duplicative to what are already available in our Village. I recognize that St. Paul’s is a passion project for some people who rhapsodize about the building’s history. But it has been neglected and deteriorating for more than 30 years. Former Village historian John Ellis Kordes wrote that the church officials quipped—at the time of the handover—that St. Paul’s is Garden City’s problem now. It certainly has become a distracting obsession for far too long.
I believe that burdening Garden City households with an additional $6,000 or $12,000 in Village debt (and the corresponding meaningful increase in annual taxes to service that debt) is unreasonable, given the redundant nature of most of the programs considered.
Those households that want no part of the massive increase in municipal leverage and village taxes NEED to respond “none-of-the-above” on the survey wherever possible, to deliver a clear message to our Board of Trustees where we stand on St. Paul’s.
James Kumpel
Filling out the upcoming Villagewide 5-page survey on the St. Paul’s building will be challenging for every resident and it won’t take you a mere 10 minutes! Give yourself time to review the options carefully, it’s five pages. Aside from several questions pertaining to facilities, spaces, activities, and events, it will also force us to decide on numerous options for saving all or parts of the building. There will also be questions on taxes. Facadism, as an option, is being gently-worded as, “partial replacement”, but don’t let that fool you. “Partial replacement” is nothing more than the road to “facadism”. Or, as I will call it, “stepping into the quagmire of substantial demolition, with a new building to be added behind the remaining facade.” It will also take more time and require many more decisions.
This is the worst thing we can do, besides full demolition. Partial replacement means that something must be torn down first, and in most cases that will be substantial, according to many of the opinions, architectural studies, meetings, BOT discussions, and renderings of this idea that have seen and heard presented, over the years. The partial replacement option is immensely problematic and will lead to a large amount of decision making, design options, engineering challenges, unforeseeable expenses, and lots more in-fighting among residents and board members for many years to come, long before any construction begins. For reference: some of the most recent renderings on facadism are available on the Westerman Construction Company Report of Sept. 15, 2023 “Comparative Analysis St. Paul’s Complex” (includes detailed costs) or the Beyer, Blinder, Belle (& Thornton Tomasetti) report “The Centre at St. Paul’” (has color renderings, no costs).
I have noted here several reasons why facadism (partial replacement on the survey) is a poor choice compared to restoring and re-using the existing building as it stands (with mechanical upgrades, interior & exterior restorations, and room modifications. 1] Facadism is the most difficult to envision because of the endless amount of options that are available; difficult for both “we” the customer, as well as for the architects and engineers. 2] To begin, what is the purpose, size, and design of the new building? This is in the center of this historic village, it must look good. To date, there are no solid plans for what would be placed within this “new” structure, nor how big it needs to be. 3] Then, what gets torn down? What exterior and interior elements get saved? 4] As a landmarked building, prior to any
See page 48
Friday, February 21, 2025
demolition, numerous historic artifacts would have to be carefully removed and stored, at what cost? For what future use? 5] How long would these items be stored and where would they eventually be placed, and when? 6] Simply put, facadism presents the greatest challenges for any architectural and engineering firm, as well as for “us” the “planners / users”. 7] Facadism is very expensive and it would take countless years for residents, Boards, architects, and engineers to decide what to do if facadism was the desired direction to take. We’d be entering into a bottomless quagmire of endless decisions.
I would like to remind readers of the most recent cost estimates the Village has received for facadism. This is the only time, in many years, that the Village has received professional cost-figures.
The Westerman Construction Company, Inc. provided a final updated report to the Village on this matter on September 15, 2023, after much back and forth and questioning by the prior BOT and Mayor. The Village paid this contractor $69,000 for the cost estimates. This is a highly regarded and professional firm from the NY area, who has done numerous largescale projects for over 20 years. This cost estimate is only 1 year and 5 months old, and it included at the time, 3% escalation costs and 10% contingency costs. Their initial findings were challenged in June of ’23 and then the final report was issued on Sept. ’23, based on a series of questions the mayor and board had provided to Westerman. Without a solid idea of what precisely would be built behind a façade, they estimated a 100,000 square foot building at either a $500 or $1,200 cost per square foot, depending on how elaborate the building would be. Of course, a final building size and number of floors would need to be determined (decisions!). Certainly, any new building that would be built behind and attached to the façade should look good and blend in with the older architecture of the remaining structure. If not done properly, it would be a terrible eyesore in the center of the Village. See the Westerman executive summary or detailed line-byline costing, available on the Village website. Their estimates: 100,000 Square foot building at $500 per sq. = $96,444,836. For the upscale 100,000 sq. ft. building to better match the existing building at $1,200 per Sq. foot = $166,444,836. These figures include the cost of demolition of large portions of the building and for the reinforcement and structural steel work needed for the façade before any addition could be added on.
So, before the ink on this page is dry, I know that many who support this option or demolition, will attack the numbers. But, herein is the point, we can go around and around for years on what a facadism project would actually
Email: Editor@GCNews.com
cost, because there is too much that is unknown. Also, show me any new cost estimates that the Village has actually paid for since Sept. 15, 2023. Lastly, it will be next to impossible for all board members, residents, and committees to agree on the myriads of options that are presented by this “partial replacement” option (facadism), as shown on the survey. After 30 years of personally working on saving this grand and historic building, first as part of the first “Committee to Save St. Paul’s” (2002?) and now on the “St. Paul’s Alliance,” I highly recommend a decision to save, restore, and re-use the existing building. It can be adapted to dozens of uses, as there are numerous rooms of all sizes and additional smaller rooms that can easily be enlarged as needed. Our consultants at Brandstetter (BCI), who are coordinating the surveys, indicated that the building is perfect for nearly all of our community needs, as were collected in their summer recreation survey. My recommendation for the survey, if you’d like to see a functional community center that can be executed rather quickly: Select Option “A” All the way!!........ (Adaptive Re-use).
Robert Vassalotti
To the Editor:
A draft of the St. Paul’s Survey is available on the Village’s website. I encourage residents to take a look and when/if the survey is distributed, to respond.
I would comment that the survey’s format is biased in favor of development although totally lacking in realistic development details and cost. However, if you are concerned about the effects of any development on your tax bills, you should not ignore the opportunity to reply to the survey and check all the boxes labelled “will not support”.
George Kane
To the Editor:
Paris has its Eiffel Tower. London has Big Ben. Egypt has the Sphinx and pyramids. New York has the Statue of Liberty. Queens has the Unisphere from 1964 Worlds Fair. Garden City has St. Paul’s.
Its iconic. Its historic. Its symbolic. It gives the town a romantic soft edge that is needed. We spend money only on practicality. The town’s brand has a hard edge as perceived by outsiders.
Sports is the focus of GC. And thats fine. Here is a chance to romanticize and give it a mysteriously artsy side. A conversation piece that can also be turned into a useful structure. High school maybe?
Make it the symbol of Garden City. Can the pineapple.
Joe Cupani
To the Editor:
I’d like to start by thanking Mayor Flanagan, as well as all of the trustees and volunteers, for their time and effort on the St. Paul’s project. I’ve always appreciated the beauty of St. Paul’s, and I have been in favor of saving it for many years. Last week, I attended part of the St. Paul’s Survey Town Hall and watched the rest on video. It is very clear that many people are extremely passionate about this project, but it is also quite clear that there is a lot to disagree on. Towards the end of the meeting, I listened to the woman who said she had “had enough” and pleaded with the trustees to include demolition as one of the survey choices. The upcoming survey must include all the relevant options. Telling the residents to use the write-in option avoids and confuses the issue.
I am increasingly concerned that six of the trustees, who have publicly committed to saving St. Paul’s, are determined not to give the residents all the options. I ask those six trustees to please start listening to the residents of the Village. The last time our Village trustees ignored the residents and dismissed their concerns, we ended up with 125foot poles at the Merillon Avenue train station. That unfortunate situation pales in comparison with what we are facing today with St. Paul’s, given the enormous cost involved and the direct financial impact on every resident of the Village.
Effie Campbell
To the Editor:
I recently came across a newsletter from the Association of Garden City Estates, in a special fall 2003 supplement. This newsletter was responding to a public opinion survey(which is 1 of 7 so far over the years). This survey was conducted in 2003 in which the residents of the Eastern, Western, Central, and Estates were asked to respond to a questionnaire regarding the fate of the St. Paul’s building. One should remember that the village only purchased the property in 1993, some 10 years earlier. The results were an overwhelming response to the demolition of St. Paul’s which would result in the building for public use of a Village Park(landscape/ paths/benches).
The Estates Reporter newsletter provided a long list of advantages to the demolition process and they are:
1. Would eliminate the ongoing and increasing cost to village taxpayers for maintaining the building in its current unused and vacant condition.
2. Less expensive to village taxpayers in any scenario requiring investment of public funds.
3. Would settle, once and for all, the
nagging issue of what to do with the building.
4. Could be accomplished without home rule NYS legislation.
5. Would free up additional space for a Park, recreation, parking, and other public uses.
6. Would enable future proposals for private development on the property to be implemented more easily and less expensively without concern for historic preservation.
7. Removes concerns about continuing deterioration, fire safety, and security, which has allowed the main building to remain in its vacant and unused condition, and that would continue under any claims for partial development and mothballing of unused space.
8. Avoids additional building massing and potential conflict with a single-family residential character of the village that would result from any private development scenario.
9. Continues to keep all 48 acres of property within village control.
10. Would have minimal impact on the surrounding neighborhood.
11. Creates no new burdens for village resources and services.
12. Is favored by residents who object to the continuing cost of maintaining the main building and the substantial cost related to any restoration project. Bob Orosz
St. Paul’s: Blindsides
To the Editor:
The dictionary defines a blindside as an “unexpected setback.” It could be in business, sports--especially football--or human endeavors. My letter today is about some significant potential setbacks we envision for fans of saving/ preserving St. Paul’s. In other words, I am stating what could go wrong?
Up to now, much of the St. Paul’s debate has focused on usage of the space in a repurposed building, along with new recreational offerings. Opinion polls and surveys have dominated the scene since early this century. Below I will discuss some material potential negatives which could ruin the optimism of preservationists in upcoming months and even years. And if my views are correct, G.C. residents should “writein” the word demolition at item #8 on the Survey coming soon to every one of the 7,000-plus households in Garden City. I strongly object to our Trustees not allowing “demolition” of the building to be a printed choice in the Survey. I also feel strongly that since demolition is not offered, i.e, omitted from the survey vote, that residents should NOT NECESSARILY ACCEPT THE VOTE as a valid, democratically-obtained, expression of residents’ opinions, and they should demand a revote.
Here are my blindsides: Financing Uncertainties: What interest rates will we pay to buyers of our
bonds? This could be huge if inflation drives up rates from current levels. How much debt can G.C. add to its balance sheet without destroying its precious AAA credit rating? Will GC residents be required to approve the bond offering in a binding referendum? What will be the maturity of the bonds?
Ten years is unlikely. Fifteen, twenty, or more years are potentials, and who knows how borrowing costs will fluctuate over the longer term. In the present national environment tariffs are threatening to drive rates up owing to President Trump’s tariffs triggering escalating inflation. If offered today G.C. bonds would be offered in the 4% range. Each variation in interest rates means a change in the estimated annual tax to be paid by G.C. residents.
Also I ask....Is this huge St. Paul’s project simply too large for Garden City to manage and afford? Is a small fish trying to swallow a whale? Additionally, residents will soon be filling out a usage survey WITHOUT knowledge of reliable cost estimates -- only “ballparks” which seem to me too low, and not disclosed how the estimates were arrived at. That is, on the soon- to-be-distributed survey residents will be “voting in the dark” as to: what they are choosing and its cost to them. This is crazy!
Further, I do not see conservancy as a viable financing source, nor is seeking grants from governments or wealthy organizations. These are in the plans of our Trustees, but have been tried in the past with poor results and politically questionable. Existing conservancies in the U.S. are involved with saving the planet, ecosystems, nature, wildlife and land beauty such as in national parks, like Yosemite and Yellowstone, like Central Park in NYC. They draw annual revenues from much broader and richer sources than G.C. We need to hear more data from resident Frank McDonough’s long-espoused “Alliance” plan which includes conservancy. It now looks like a “long shot” to me.
Legal Barriers: Garden City planners may face barriers such as required approval from the NY State legislature re bond issuance, “parkland” violations, or alienation of current illegal property.
Political Issues: Several aspects of choices of uses require NY State legislative approval and must be introduced by our NY State Senator for the Sixth District, whose geographical borders include many towns in Nassau and Queens. A Democrat, he or she may not be politically inclined to promote G.C.’s needs. This factor could cause long, even years, of construction delays, or rejection of our request.
“Crowding Out:” Heavy G.C. Village St. Paul’s borrowing may retard financing for our other annual needs for capital spending, for necessary infrastructure projects like roads, sewers, water,
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police and recreation, etc. This could be intolerable and unimaginable.
Construction Surprises: This risk could relate to discovery of structural weakness in the150-year old, wood/ concrete building to tolerate the huge alteration that is planned--internally and externally. It has NOT properly been maintained for the three decades that G.C. has owned it. There is the possibility of adverse surprises in this category. Currently the air in the building is not safe to breathe without wearing a hazmat suit and avoiding lead paint or asbestos poisons. Other related surprises could be labor disputes, cost overruns or lawsuits against G.C. with aims regarding illegal usage. Also, environmental studies, not yet complete, could reveal shortcomings.
Deciding on Who Wins: How will Trustees decide on the outcome of the survey vote?
There are literally dozens of methods: for the majority of actual voters, majority of total households, a simple plurality of the actual votes, tie-breakers for close races, etc, etc. I believe the proper way to decide usage/activity choices would be for the Trustees to tell residents, objectively, and IN ADVANCE, how they will decide what the voters have said. Chances are very high that few activities will be popular enough to represent a “mandate,” which I would define as above 50% of the vote. Then the Trustees will probably declare the winners by a vote of the Board. The current Board, unfortunately, is “hell bent,” in lock-step, to preserve the building. Legally they can do what they want and ignore the survey numbers, stating that the survey is for “guidance” only.
I can then envision a “battle-royal,” among residents and Trustees. Truthfully, and mathematically, there are too many choices for some of the choices to achieve a convincing, unambiguous victory. In the end, we may need a re-vote. And I strongly urge voters to choose demolition and eliminate all the blindside risks--including an unaffordable price tag. Finally, we envision the St. Paul’s debate, and final construction, to drag on for many years. Currently, actual plans are to preserve only 25% of the building’s 100,000 sq. ft. What, when and at what cost, will we end the 33-year agony of St. Paul’s?
To quote from Bob Dylan’s folk song... “The answer is blowin’ in the wind.”
VOTE DEMOLITION!!
George M. Salem
Math is important
To the Editor:
At last week’s meeting regarding the upcoming St Paul’s survey, an excellent point was made by one particular gentleman about how “misleading” parts of the survey are. (https:// www.facebook.com/VillageofGC/vid -
eos/605091738987803) (2hr:39min) The gentleman points out that Option B, for $75-90MM, lists “Additional Activities and Events that could be included in Option B” in a new 10,000 Square Foot(SF) facility. They include “soccer/lacrosse/field hockey”. However, the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) recommends that high school soccer fields be 100–120 yards long and 55–80 yards wide. That is roughly 80,000SF. The gentleman patiently pointed out that even the smaller indoor practice fields he uses are 20,000, 30,000 or 45,000SF, and thus how “unrealistic” these claims of various “usages” in the survey are. He cautions that if anyone is voting for Option B because they think it will serve as a winter training facility, this potential facility is just too small for any team athletic practices. The math just does not work. Facts matter.
The list of “Additional Activities” also included in Option B continues with “swim lessons, water fitness/competitive swimming” in this new 10,000 FT space. Yet, BCI has made it clear that a village of our size would need a minimum 20,000 SF pool. Again, the math just does not work. Facts matter. Hopefully this is not an intentional misleading of the residents, but just inadvertent sloppy math.
This brings up a much more important point. Trustee Muldoon, who spoke for over an hour, says he took the Westermann Report “which had a bunch of holes and I plugged in every one of those holes to the best of my ability” and “I can sit here confidently, we have all the holes plugged with a 10% contingency which is more than accurate because of the hard work I have done”.
Trustee Muldoon argues a 10% contingency is more than enough because of “the hard work he has done” and can assure the Village he can stay within that price. The fact is that contingencies are not to reflect the level of work done in an estimate, and thank you Trustee Muldoon for the hard work, but to cover the unforeseen circumstances that one can never be aware of till the actual construction starts. They can be due to design errors, supply chain disruptions, new tariffs, damage repair and rework and something as unpredictable as inclement weather. None of these can be alleviated by “hard work”. No company, and these estimates would normally be tasked to a company, not one individual or group of volunteers and all their natural biases, estimates a $100,000,000 project without “hard work”. Facts matter.
The abatement number is a frightening example. The estimate has gone from $1 Million to $10.7 Million (including shoring and stabilization), but more importantly with a recommend-
ed contingency of 30 to 50% by D & B Construction. A 50% contingency on $10.7 Million spread over the entire $40 Million for Mothballing is already more than the total Trustee Muldoon recommended 10% contingency on the entire project! Trustee Muldoon’s inference is that he works harder and can produce more accurate estimates than a trained team of experts that have been working together, each individual with a specific role, each trained for this exact task and have large organizations to support them, is naive at best and pure salesmanship and blarney at worst.
No resident should be comfortable with a 10% contingency on a 32-year abandoned building with collapsing floors, because of claimed “hard work”, when the same group did not do the proper “hard work” to calculate the correct square footage required for a pool or lacrosse practice or soccer practice or field hockey practice which cannot happen in a 10,000SF building unless it is for hamsters. The point is not to embarrass a hard working group of volunteers, but to point out mistakes can be made. Big mistakes. Large mistakes. Hopefully honest mistakes. But stuff happens. My favorite building, the Sydney Opera House came in 1350% over budget. Does anyone think the Sydney Municipality did not have estimators that were“working hard”?
Trustee Muldoon’s claim at the this week’s BOT meeting on 2/18/2025 that he can “guarantee” St Paul’s will be on time and on budget in response to resident Leo Stimmler’s concern that it will end up like the Senior Citizen’s Center, late and 100% overbudget, is both meaningless and irresponsible unless he is willing to put up a surety bond. I wonder if there was an over-zealous individual in Sydney claiming he could guarantee the Opera House “on time and on budget.”
A mistake on a project of this magnitude could and will do permanent damage to this village’s financial balance sheet and reputation for being a well-managed village and no individual should be “guaranteeing” these results.
Let’s have a fair vote between Adaptive Reuse, Facadism and Demolition, but let’s first get the numbers right and be responsible about claiming there is a “guarantee” against the risks.
Donald MacLeod Town Hall Recap
To the Editor:
On a cold wintery night came to pass the six Trustee driven Town Hall. The event focused on a discussion of the Survey options and recent “Ballpark Cost Estimates” which pertain to choices #4, 5, 6 on the survey. The size of the “Ball Park”, at this preliminary
See page 50
Friday, February 21, 2025
stage with no design plans in place, seemed more like Yankee Stadium than Fenway Park or the park where the L. I. Ducks play. Engendered by audience comments and questions, there was also some discussion of previous Poll options and costs as well about demolition and facade which the six Trustees have voted off the new survey island.
To put things in context the cost estimates now posted on the Village website are the result of residential contractor Trustee Muldoon’s efforts based on review of existing reports on the Village website and his unverified communications of some sort with listed firms in the construction business. There were no notes, no emails, no updated reports (Erwin, Bielinsky or Thorton, Tomesetti, or Westerman) or any communication from the other firms which formed any part of the basis of Trustee Muldoon’s analysis and conclusions. There is no report prepared by Trustee Muldoon explaining anything at all. Rather he invited residents to travel to his out of town office to visit him if seeking more. This doesn’t provide universal dissemination of information and the transparency that all residents are entitled to. All information should be conveyed to all residents in a consistent, uniform and professional manner. Any claim of “transparency” can not be exemplified by channeling all residents to have one on one meeting to get answers.
Isn’t the Village entitled to more than that and more than a residential contractor’s distilled opinion on the costs of a incredibly difficult undertaking- to possibly renovate a “derelict” 120,000 sq. ft. abandoned school building? Shouldn’t a full fledged large firm, credentialed experienced in estimating such costs for such a heavy lifting project have been tasked for this estimation process? Instead we got a litany of anecdotal communications, an amalgam of comments from various firms without any framework of what information was exchanged to obtain any opinions.
No one signed off on the Cost Estimation put up in the front of the room. Were residents even given a copy of the one page document when entering the Casino? Was there any bedrock presentation as to what constitute contingency costs or soft costs or was there a fundamentals lesson on how the cost elements interface to comprise a total? Instead we all got to squint at barely readable projections. Can we expect the Trustees can handle St Paul’s in a satisfactory manner? At the one hour mark Trustee Muldoon said many residents have told him that something must be done about St. Paul’s. True enough. Note: At 1 hr. 55min. he noted that internal demolition, stripping the inside of the building and needing it to dry out before construction were required to initiate
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reuse construction yielding only 25% use of the structure. Doesn’t this make the case ruling out saving the entire building, any renovation project?
Residents truly remained in the darkened room except;
Trustee Torino clearly opined (1 hr. 39min.) that the possibly of going to Albany to obtain Alienation of the land upon which the building sits is not feasible because such would require a land swap! Also read last GCN article p.1 and p. 27. Doesn’t this have real implications (see Mayor Update, p. 20 on Parkland) upon the use of the structure- ruling out pre-K and efforts to make the building a cash cow of revenue generating uses and attractions. Can we finally put this Pre-K in a building that would not be ready for a decade to rest? Maybe this all to the good because the Parkland restrictions carry certain benefits, protecting us from unwarranted development and preserving the ambiance of the Village.
Speaking of our Mayor, there were moments when her remarks highlighted the evening:
• Comments about facade enlighten us that the old Committee March 2023 cost numbers were upwardly skewed and facade could be lower cost than reuse(1hr. 47 min and 2hr:08).
• As for demolition the Mayor corrected Trustee Muldoon’s $30M number noting the cost was actually around $14.717M including grass & trees, more if a full blown park was added. (2 hr. 02 min.)
• Remarks the reuse cost set forth by the old Committee at $49M did not include the windows (this corrected Trustee Muldoon’s remark that this was a Westerman shortcoming. 2 hr. 7 min.) and that with soft costs the total was $60.7M. ( this is without the full abatement and related costs just $947k for asbestos, but full total over now $10M+.
• The Mayor also said that the D&B abatement cost estimators suggested a 30-50% cost contingency and that our Village administrator advised that Village projects use a general 15-20% contingency and the earlier 10% figure constitutes a “self inflicted wound”: at 1hr. 58- 2 hr 01 min. (Doesn’t this higher number makes far more sense than the 10% contingency Trustee Muldoon usedespecially given the dilapidated state of the building. Is Trustee Muldoon using ball park costs typical for residential contingency assumptions?)
Regardless of time and effort The Town Hall came up short by miles compared to the previous expert Village presentation under the auspices of Mayor Carter Flanagan and then Trustee Mike Sullivan. It is sad that six Trustees didn’t put together a more objective, informative meeting than having one Trustee speaking over an hour offering few verifiable facts.
S. G. Gorray
To the Editor:
Where will you be next Tuesday afternoon? Garden City High School gym, that’s where you will be.
My name is Katherine O’Hanlon and I am a junior at GCHS. I would like to invite you to Hoops for Hope on Tuesday, February 25th. The Garden City Challenger Basketball team will be playing Hoops for Hope in memory of Bobby Menges, a GCHS alum who died of cancer. His family started the I’m Not Done Yet Foundation (INDY) and all of the money raised that day goes to this amazing foundation. INDY’s mission is to help adolescent and young adult cancer patients and survivors to live their lives the way they deserve.
My oldest brother Timmy started this special event a few years ago and our brother Michael continued it after Timmy graduated. Michael graduated last year and now I am keeping it going.
So many people come together to make this day so great. The cheerleaders and kickline from GCHS will be there. Students Helping Students at GCHS has been a huge help. The Middle School students have been promoting it. Stewart and Stratford students made posters that will line the gym on game day. This year GC Spirit will be there to support the Challengers.
We don’t sell tickets but ask for a $5 donation to INDY. There will be raffle baskets and a bake sale (cash or checks only please!) in the cafeteria. Anyone who attends will receive a coupon for some free chicken tenders from 7th Street Gourmet.
Students from all of the Garden City schools come to cheer the Challengers. Garden City Residents come too. You don’t want to miss it!
Thank you for your support. See you next week!
Katherine O’Hanlon P.S. Please spread the word! See you on February 25th! Doors open at 3 and
game starts at 3:30.
Since Donald Trump has taken over the Presidency of the U.S. in January of this year, our country is in total turmoil, a kind of revolution.
Why? Within a few weeks, his new young team has discovered so much fraud, waste and inconsistencies in the Washington bureaucracy resulting in billions of dollars. This affects all government agencies on the federal, state and local level. Most of them are overblown with personnel and dysfunctional!
Most upset are the Democrats. They created that scam in the first place. They are so bewildered about this situation, trying to cover up as much as possible and fighting for their survival. Unfortunately, they aren’t able to offer anything positive, but rather call for demonstrations, blockage and lawsuits.
Thanks to the new administration, we are on the best path to become more transparent, to minimize and/or delete agencies, and to become more cost-efficient. We owe this to our people who have lost trust in their government.
The Democrat Party is in total disarray and can’t pull itself together. The best solution for survival would be to create 3 sections/parties:
Section 1: The radical Left, who wants to forge ahead as up to now, is largely in tune with Marxist ideology.
Section 2: This part wants to continue to be corrupt and steal taxpayers’ money by pretending it is in the people’s best interest.
Section 3: The middle, more centrist part is trying to be the advocate for the average hard-working person.
Let’s see. Only time will tell. Don’t listen to what they say, watch what they do!
Heinz Mayer
Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call our main office 294-8900 to request information & rates. Visit our website to place classified Ads, to receive more information & our latest rates, www.gcnews.com
From page 3
Vacuum, costing $70,000, and replacing it with two Greenworks CZ60R24 x 60 Sit-Down Electric Mowers from Liffco Inc. of Hyde Park for a total of $48,596. These purchases were made through a Suffolk County cooperative pricing contract.
The board also approved the purchase of a new gas-powered Hustler Super 104 mower with a mulch kit from All Island Equipment Corp. of West Babylon for $27,768, also acquired through the Suffolk County cooperative pricing contract.
Hill explained that these mowers were not originally included in the 20242025 capital budget but had since been identified as necessary items.
To offset the cost of the postponed Leaf Vacuum purchase, an additional $7,931 will be used to buy a Tennant T391 Mid-Size Walk-Behind Scrubber from Grainger. Hill said the scrubber will be used to maintain the recently refurbished floor at the Garden City Senior Center.
Concerns over budget allocations
Trustee Judy Courtney questioned whether the Leaf Vacuum had been included in the capital budget as a placeholder, rather than a concrete need, and expressed concern over reallocating budgeted funds for other expenses.
“We’ve deferred it to next year’s budget because we do need to replace that leaf vacuum, though right now we have more pressing needs with our current mowers ‘on the way out.’ When spring comes around, we don’t have the leaf problem but the village will have a significant amount of grass to cut,” he
explained.
Trustee Courtney said with the budget work sessions and “budget season” all next month she’s starting to get more anxious about the degree to which village departments keep items in the capital budget and then the expense is not needed right away, but the budgeted funding does not return to the General Fund – instead it is reallocated towards a different expense.
“I know the capital budget is a request for funding and does not represent actual funding, but I do think it should present a concrete need for whatever is in there. For us to place items in the capital budget six to eight months ago but now those items are not needed and we use the money for something else, it does not sit well with me ...
.This is not directed at Mr. Hill at all but it seems to be a continued practice. Once we get into the budget season I’d like for us to be a lot more disciplined about these items, and if they present requests we would follow through on rather than placeholders for money for something else,” Trustee Courtney noted.
Trustee Michele Harrington said it’s been a recurring theme for expenses to be transferred from one account into another.
“We sit here and go through our notes and consider, what is going on? Where did this come from, and why?” she commented.
Trustee Ed Finneran said municipal budgeting can be an inexact science, but it is not unusual for the monies to be moved to where a more prominent need is. “But keeping a closer eye on how and when is a valid concern,” he said.
Trustee Muldoon said in his business, involving construction and landscaping and excavation needs and many equipment items, there are things budgeted that must be changed around.
“You see where you’ll need to change this truck but another breaks down, so you have to buy a different one and defer the first one to the following year. In a lot of this stuff you see on our agenda, the different priority has come up in the course of being six months into the fiscal (budgeted) year and it happens all the time. The goal is staying in budget as much as we can, while prioritizing funds that must be moved around,” he said.
Last Thursday Mr. Hill shared more Recreation and Parks’ news with the Village Board and said the department has concluded its inventory of bathroom facilities in the neighborhood parks, and staff worked closely with Public Works. Next steps include replacement of any worn or stained restroom fixtures “that did not come out as well as we’d expect from the deep cleaning.”
Trustee Muldoon wanted to know what fixtures, structures and appliances might have to be addressed in park bathrooms, but Hill said the first priority would be examining the flooring in them. “We don’t want to paint if we have to make any substantial changes to flooring, but once we make that decision we’ll have ideas to replace urinals and make things more user-friendly,” Hill said.
Muldoon hopes that projects for the parks’ restrooms can all be completed by the time spring arrives, for families to have better accommodations.
Popular Pool Slide is Staying Put In another update Hill said the capital project approved by the Board of Trustees last year, to replace the slide at the Pool, will have to be put off until after the summer 2025 season with another attempt scheduled for the time following Labor Day.
“I was hopeful we’d get it in for this winter/early spring but the dates ran too close (to the coming pool season). A few months ago I promised the GC Pool will still feature a slide, so I do not want to risk not having one functional there. I decided it’s in our best interest to wait until Labor Day and replace the slide then ... .The pool playground equipment has been installed, however, and we expect that to be completed some time in the coming week, weather-permitting,” Hill shared.
Trustee Muldoon added the same feeling about timeliness in making sure the children can enjoy a slide at the pool all summer long.
“That’s a good decision as if it isn’t ready to start we can’t chance it. My thing would be now, let’s not waste time so let’s lock down the project. Let’s get everything signed so we are not waiting in September. It seems like the vendor was tough to lock down,” he said.
In the public comment period, Meadow Street resident Steve Ilardi noted the slide project and suggested that Garden City learn from other municipalities and pool facilities by shrink-wrapping the slide during cold and inclement weather months. He said this would not leave the materials/ equipment exposed to the elements and cause further deterioration.
From page 1
Water Department. This rebate only applies to smart controllers purchased AFTER the adoption of this resolution.”
The rebate program runs for the next two years – beginning with the new village official year beginning April 1, 2025 through March 31, 2027.
Village Trustee Jessica Tai co-chairs the EAB along with Trustee Michele Harrington. She spoke about the process for community outreach as the EAB dedicates efforts to educating the public about water conservation.
“We’ve had presentations and speakers and this is one of the things we had really looked into. The Garden City Water Department had received many inquiries from residents about their high water bills, especially during the summer season and into the fall as in 2024 rainfall was very minimal. It was very dry, not just in the summer but
well into October. Automatic irrigation systems are the primary contributor to peak seasonal water demand, and significant water pressure reduction during peak demand…..Replacing the standard automatic watering/irrigation systems or timers with EPA WaterSense labeled Smart Irrigation controllers has been proven to significantly reduce water use by using local weather data to tailor the watering schedules to the landscape conditions and needs,” Trustee Tai said.
The goal of the program is to encourage water conservation and reduce strain on Garden City’s municipal water system. Tai added that the initiative is designed to improve the water supply, lower the amount of chemicals used, and ultimately save energy and money.
Residents must provide proof of both purchase and installation of a smart controller to receive the rebate. The $100 rebate applies only to smart controllers purchased and installed after
February 6, 2025, the date the trustees adopted the resolution.
According to the U.S. EPA’s website, the two types of smart controllers that make scheduled irrigation more water-efficient are weather-based irrigation controllers which use local weather and landscape conditions to tailor watering schedules, and soil moisture-based irrigation controllers (also known as soil moisture sensors, or SMS’s) that monitor moisture levels in the soil to prevent irrigation when water is not needed.
Trustee Jessica Tai reminded residents about the Nassau County regulations prohibiting ANY type of irrigation between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
“Watering is permitted at all other hours under the following conditions: EVEN numbered addresses and premises without numbers may be watered on EVEN numbered days and ODD numbered addresses may water on ODD
numbered days,” she said.
With the local promotion of smart controllers, Trustee Tai thanked longtime EAB member Elizabeth Bailey, all the EAB members, her co-chair Trustee Harrington and Superintendent Carey for proposing the “great rebate program.” They hope more residents will participate with smart controllers due to this incentive.
Trustee Vinny Muldoon said he met with Superintendent of the Water & Sewer Department Stan Carey at Hilton Park, by 2nd Street where one of the bigger water treatment facilities is located. Muldoon praised the great work done on the village’s water system upgrades and installations of AOP treatment equipment, SCADA systems and more which he called “very impressive.” He credits the Water Department staff for doing “an amazing job.”
The Recreation Adult Programs in the Field House begin on Wednesday, October 16 according to the following schedule:
Mondays - Mens’ Basketball - 7:30–10 p.m.
Wednesdays - Mens’ Basketball - 7:30–10 p.m.
Thursdays - Adult Volleyball - 7:30 –10 p.m.
These programs are open to residents of the Inc. Village of Garden City who have graduated high school OR adults who can show proof of graduating Garden City high school (diploma, student ID card). A picture ID is required to sign in to any program. For further information, please contact the Recreation Office at 465-4075.
A fee schedule will be place for any resident adult interested in participating in Adult Activities in St. Paul’s Fieldhouse. The fee schedule is as follows:
10 Play Pass – good for any Fieldhouse sport for 10 visits, $50
5 Play Pass – good for any Fieldhouse sport for 5 visits, $25
A participant may also “pay as you go” but payment will only be accepted by check or credit card only, NO CASH ACCEPTED. “Pay as you go” prices will be $6. Passes may be purchased at the fieldhouse when arriving for your sport.
Please note - A resident participant may bring in 1 non- resident guest. This rule will be strictly enforced. These guest must arrive and leave with the resident. There are no passes for nonresidents. The daily fee for the non-resident guest is $8.
To purchase one of the passes, please fill out the attached application and mail to or visit the Recreation Office at 108 Rockaway Ave. You will also be able to purchase a pass from our St. Paul’s staff. All payments must be made by either a check made payable to the “Inc. Village of Garden City” or credit card only, no cash will be accepted.
Pickleball began again in St. Paul’s Fieldhouse on Tuesday, September 17. This program is open to Garden City residents only, Tuesdays through Fridays, 9:30 to noon.
Each session will consist of open play with everyone attending round robining in to play. If you attend the first session you must pay again to stay for the second session. There will be no reserving of courts for individual play. A monitor will be available for any person wishing to learn the game. The fee schedule to attend is as follows:
10 Play Pass – good for any Fieldhouse sport for 10 visits, $50
5 Play Pass – good for any Fieldhouse sport for 5 visits, $25
A participant may also “pay as you go”. “Pay as you go” prices will be $6.
To purchase one of the passes, please visit the Recreation Office at 108 Rockaway Ave. You will also be able to purchase a pass from our St. Paul’s staff at the time of attendance. Check or credit card payment is preferred.
GC Rec is announcing a Pickleball program for the kids from March 4th through May 1. It will be 90 minutes of play on all four courts in the field house with a basic intro to the game and rules. We will provide the equipment, and the cost is $100 for 8 sessions. We will need a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 24 sign-ups to run the program per day.
Mondays: 1 p.m.–8 p.m.
Tuesdays: 9 a.m.–12 p.m. and 5 p.m.–9 p.m.
Wednesdays: 9 a.m.–12 p.m.; 1 p.m.–
4 p.m. and 5 p.m.-9 p.m.
Thursdays: 9 a.m.–12 p.m. and
1 p.m.–8 p.m.
Fridays: 9 a.m.–12 p.m.; 2 p.m.–
4 p.m. and 5 p.m.–8 p.m.
Saturdays: 1 p.m.–5 p.m.
*Walk at your own risk. Hours are subject to change. Please do not open the windows on the track.
Volleyball Clinic: Tuesdays, March 4 to April 8, 6:30–7:30 p.m. This program is a learn and play clinic for grades 3–5 at The St. Paul’s Fieldhouse. The cost of the program is $150 per child.
Follow our new Instagram and Facebook “GardenCityRecreation” for all Recreation content! Any questions regarding programs or facilities can be directed to our new Recreation email, GCRec@gardencityny.net .
Family Fun Times on Sundays
St. Paul’s Field House will be open for “Family Fun” for Village of Garden City families. This open time provides the opportunity for families to enjoy various gym activities in an indoor environment. The gym will be available for use from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on all below dates.
This time is designated for family time only. No organized practices or workouts will be allowed. Although there will be staff to monitor activity, this is not a drop off program. We ask that all elementary and middle school aged children must be accompanied by an adult/guardian. For the safety of our users, sports involving paddle, stick, or bat equipment will not be allowed.
City Recreation Children’s Tennis Lessons, Winter 2024–25
The Garden City Department of Recreation and Parks is pleased to
announce the start of the WINTER children’s tennis program. Registration is ongoing and classes begin on Monday, January 13. All classes are held at the Community Park indoor tennis center and are available to Garden City residents’ ages 4 through 16 years old.
How to register:
• In person at the Recreation Office (108 Rockaway Ave). The recreation office is open M – F from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can download a registration form at our website: gardencityrecreation.org.
• By Mail: Mail in your registration form and check to the Recreation Office.
• Register online at www. gcreconline.gardencityny.net .You need a password to register online. If you do not have a password please go to the Recreation office, with proof of residency, to receive one.
If paying by check, please make check payable to Inc. Village of Garden City
If paying by credit card please use: Mastercard, Visa or Discover. We do not accept American Express at this time.
For more information, call the Recreation Office at 516 465-4075
***Non-resident children who attend Garden City Public Schools can register for tennis lessons beginning December 11. Registration must be done by mail or in person at the Recreation Office. Those who would like to register for our tennis program must prove they attend one of the Garden City Public Schools. Proof must accompany registration. An additional $50 fee will pertain to anyone in this category. Make checks payable to the “Inc. Village of Garden City” Adult Art Class at Cluett Hall
The Garden City’s Department of Recreation and Parks will offer an adult art class this winter. This ten week program will teach the beginner as well as the advanced student the art of painting portraits and landscapes/still-life in pastel from photographs. Arleen Rueth Urban, the instructor for this program, is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America.
Classes will be held Fridays from 9 to 11:30 a.m. The cost of this program will be $ 140. This class is open to adult residents who reside in the Inc. Village of Garden City. Classes are held in St. Paul’s Cluett Hall beginning Friday, February 7.
The first lesson includes a portrait and landscape demonstration. At that time, a supply list is provided. Demonstrations will be available as needed throughout the program. Each student will receive the individual attention required as they move at their own pace and level of expertise.
To register for this session please visit the Recreation and Parks office at 108 Rockaway Avenue. If you have a password, you may register online at
gcreconline.gardencityny.net.
USA Sport Group and Pulse Sports are Gearing Up for Summer!
USA Sports Group, a longtime partner of the Recreation and Parks Department of the Village of Garden City, will be running Summer Camps from children ages 5–12. It will be a multi-sport program with an adapted curriculum running from June through August. For more information please go to Pulsecamps.com
Designed for all ages and abilities, our enrichment curriculum follows a 5-level progressive skill development so that students can set goals to achieve and progress at their own pace. Our low student-to-coach ratio allows for individualized attention — meeting each student where they are in their journey & progression.
The NY Islanders Street Hockey program is open for registration. Please visit newyorkislanders.com/streethockey to register.
Attention: Tennis Players – Are you looking to improve your game or just to get some exercise during the long winter months? Why not join our Adult Tennis Lesson Winter Program. All ability levels offered! Registration form and more information is available on the gardencityrecreation.org website (under upcoming programs).
The deadline for signing up has been extended to February 4. Lessons will begin the week of Monday, February 10th. You must be a resident of the Inc. Village of Garden City to register. Program Fee: $295 per Course (10 sessions)
Either drop off or mail your application along with your check (made payable to the Inc. Village of Garden City) at the Recreation Office located at 108 Rockaway Avenue or the Community Park Tennis Center.
Beat the winter DOLDRUMS and get some exercise while having fun! Prime tennis court time is available: all days and all times.
Get ready for your spring and summer leagues with a contract for the remaining weeks of the indoor season.
Daily reservation times are also available!
We have Women’s League openings! Looking for 2.5 to 3.0 players for our women’s Monday doubles league: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Please call the Recreation office to book a seasonal court or for more information: 516 465-4075
For daily reservations, call the Tennis Center Office: 516 483-2525
Garden City Recreation and Parks has again partnered with the very popular “Chess Wizards” to offer after school programs for Garden City children ages 6 through 12 who want to learn the game of chess!
Chess Wizards is a fun way to have
kids experience the excitement of chess. Kids will play in mini tournaments, have interactive lessons with chess pros and play cool chess variants like bug house. It is proven that chess enhances cognitive development in children, improves both verbal and mathematical skills, and increases all levels of academic performance! Playing chess
Boys Varsity Fencers Matteo Schettino and Trey Plastaras qualified for Nassau County Individual Championships which were held this year at Garden City High School on February 1. To qualify the fencers must have placed in the top 12 in the County in their weapon and gender based on their percentage of winning bouts for the season.
The format is one round of 5-point pool bouts. Based on the number of 5-point bouts won, the top 8 of the 12 fencers competing are promoted to a 15 point bout, called a Direct Elimination round (“DE”). If the 15 point bout is won the fencer proceeds to the next round and if not the fencer is out of the competition.
Sabre Matteo Schettino began the competition a top 12 contender in the county, completing his pool bouts in a very tough group of competitors. He ultimately finished 11th, improving his seeded spot.
Foil Trey Plastaras entered the championship with the designation of
All County First Team honors, winning 4 of his 5 pool bouts and advancing to his first Direct Elimination bout which he won 15-8 versus an opponent from Herricks. This placed him in the semi-finals vying for a top four spot where only the top three finishers would medal. Falling short in his next 15 point bout against an opponent from Wheatley-Roslyn, he persevered and was then able to secure the bronze in a fence off for third place against a fencer from Great Neck North. Competing on home turf, and with a group of his Trojan Nation friends there to support him, it was still a triumphant end to a storied high school fencing career.
Athletic Director Mr. Eduardo Ramirez together with Coaches Ryan Boelsen and Alyssa Blackford did an exemplary job hosting the event at the High School and the team looks forward to more contenders in the top spots at next year’s Nassau County championships.
stimulates the mind and helps children strengthen skills such as focusing, visualizing goals, abstract thinking, and forming concrete opinions.
Instructors (who are called “Wizards”) provide all the materials necessary for your child to participate in the class and no additional purchase is required to attend. All students will
receive a trophy, puzzle folder and wizards t-shirt. Come join the fun!!! This program is a 10-week session. Class will be held on Tuesday’s from 4 to 5 p.m. in St. Paul’s Center (108 Rockaway Avenue) beginning April 1. To register please visit www.chesswizards.com.
Third-place finisher Cohen sizing up his opponent from MacArthur
Congratulations are in order to junior captains Gabe Cohen (145 lbs) and Zach Olson (285 lbs) who placed third and fifth, respectively, in last weekend’s Nassau County Wrestling Championships at Hofstra University
With top-six finishes, the duo both earned all-county status and are Garden City’s first all-county wrestlers in five seasons. Cohen advances to the New York State Championships which will be held in Albany, February 28-March 1. He had a dominant 6-1 mark over two days at the county championships, losing just to the eventual winner and outperforming his initial five seed. Olson, racked up four wins, and only a 3-2 overtime loss to the champion kept him out of the championship match himself.
As a team, GC sent 12 wrestlers to Hofstra with junior Kyle Walsh (190 lbs)
and sophomore Luke Agrippina (215 lbs) picking up wildcards bids to join the 10 others who qualified at Oceanside earlier this month. Freshman Connor Ahearn (108 lbs) also qualified, but was unable to compete.
The Trojans vastly improved on their 2024 finish at this same tournament, landing at 11th overall out of 40 teams versus 27th place last year. Highlights included junior captain Anthony Pica (138 lbs) reaching the quarterfinals, and then “blood round” before just missing a place on the podium. Fellow captain, senior Nick Griffin (138 lbs) recorded his 100th varsity win. Griffin was a rare four-time county qualifier and leaves with 10 county tournament wins.
Freshman Ryan Bolzelli (101 lbs) and sophomore Eric Chen (124 lbs) both earned three wins on the day and have
bright futures ahead of them.
Also, winning two matches a piece were senior Jack Cicione (170 lbs) and sophomore Matteo Ingrassia (152 lbs). Cicione nearly upset the one seed before falling 4-1 in a back and forth match. Ingrassia will be an integral part of next year’s squad. In addition to Walsh and Agrippina, 8th grader Michael Polizotto (101 lbs) and sophomore Vin Lattuca (116 lbs) also took the mat for GC. All four figure to be back in 2025-26.
Seniors Cicione and Griffin will continue wrestling in college. Cicione is headed to SUNY Oneonta and Griffin has committed to Johns Hopkins. Both gave everything they had to the team and their attitude, perseverance, and leadership will be missed. Good luck to Gabe Cohen in Albany!
Garden City Orchestra after permforming at Disney Springs.
The Garden City High School Orchestra traveled to the magical world of Disney for the incredible opportunity to perform at Disney Springs, one of the most iconic venues in Disney World, and participate in a special workshop with a Disney performer. Under the direction of Andrew Albani, the talented group of musicians represented Garden City beautifully, bringing their music to life in the heart of the happiest place on earth.
The trip began on Jan. 31, with an early 3:15 a.m. meeting at Garden City High School. The highlight of their trip came on Feb. 1 when the orchestra performed at Disney Springs. The stage, set against the glistening waters of the venue, provided the perfect backdrop for a stunning performance. The students played with precision and passion, leaving the audience in awe. Many proud families traveled to Florida to watch their children perform, and the energy was palpable as the musicians poured their hearts into their performance.
Andrew Albani, the orchestra’s dedicated conductor, expressed his pride in the students’ performance. “I couldn’t be more proud of our students,” said Albani. “This trip was the culmination of months of preparation, and to see them perform at such a prestigious location was incredible. They played beautifully, and I’m so grateful to have been part of this experience with them.”
On Feb. 2, they participated in the Disney Soundtrack Sessions Orchestra Workshop, where they worked with a cli-
nician who has performed with Disney’s own ensembles. The workshop was an invaluable learning experience, helping the students gain insight into the artistry behind the music that makes Disney so special. The students’ trip wasn’t just about performing; they also explored the parks, including Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. They also visited Epcot, where students experienced the world-renowned park and enjoy the spectacular “Luminous: The Story of Us” fireworks show.
Amanda Hauser, Garden City coordinator of music and the arts, joined the students on the trip and was equally impressed by the students’ performance. “I was absolutely blown away by our orchestra’s performance at Disney Springs,” said Ms. Hauser. “They represented Garden City with such professionalism and respect. It was an honor to watch them perform, and I am so proud of their dedication and hard work. This trip was not just an opportunity to perform, but also a chance to create lifelong memories.”
The weekend ended with a final visit at Hollywood Studios before the students headed home. Throughout the entire trip, the students made the most of every opportunity to learn, perform and experience the magic of Disney World.
“The students had a fantastic time, and it was heartwarming to see them grow as a team, build friendships, and perform together beautifully,” added Albani. “It was a truly magical experience for all involved.”
