ABRAHAM ROOFING
TIME TO TOSS THE CRUMBS! COOL PRE-PASSOVER RECIPES
Ask About our Affordable Annual Maintenance Plan! “The Neighborhood Leader in Roofing Service!”
Get Rid of your Chametz in Style Page B7
1-800-347-0913 Abrahamroofing.com
ROOFING GUTTERS LEADERS SIDING
3
19
DAYS UNTIL SPRING!
DAYS UNTIL BASEBALL SEASON!
Vol. II No. LI | www.StandardLI.com | News@standardli.com | Ph.# 516-341-0445
MARCH 16-22, 2012
FREE EVERY FRIDAY
YOUR FIVE TOWNS HOMETOWN PAPER
District 15 Enticing Early Teacher Retirements RACE FOR GOP NOD TO FACE MCCARTHY ON By Jonathan Walter
Standard Staff Reporter
As March moves along, Republican candidates for the Fourth Congressional District are kicking their campaigns into high gear. A ruling on the district’s lines was expected by the State Legislature on Thursday, providing the opportunity for Francis Beck-
By Susan Varghese
No, It’s Not Aflac...
Standard Associate Editor
A lovely pair of local ducks chatting about the beautiful view, warm breezes and unseasonably Spring-like temperatures at Hewlett Bay Park’s Willow Pond this week. Temperatures soared into the 60’s during the middle of the week, including a high of 68 on Wednesday afternoon.
Photo by Scott P. Moore.
Romney-Santorum Fight Comes To New York as Primary Nears By Scott P. Moore
Standard Staff Reporter
Francis Becker
Frank Scaturro er, last election’s Republican candidate, and Frank Scaturro, who lost to Becker in a primary two years ago, to get petitions ready. “I’ve been out in full campaign mode,” Scaturro said. “At this stage, fundraising remains a big part, but we’re out meet-
CONTINUED ON P. A2
For the first time in decades, New York is going to matter. The state is going to have a large impact on the eventual GOP presidential nominee when local Republicans go to the polls on April 24th in New York’s primary. With former Governor Mitt Romney and and former Senator Rick Santorum leading the pack, local Republican leaders shared their views on the current candidates and the impact the state’s voters could have on the outcome of the primaries. The back-and-forth race for the political party’s nomination has left many local Republican leaders still searching on a candidate to get behind, especially a wide variety of diverse candidates on the right side of the political spectrum.
Mitt Romney has a commanding lead in delegates and has a lot of support from Five Towns Republicans.
Rick Santorum is trailing Mitt Romney by over 200 delegates, according to the Wall Street Journal on Thursday evening.
Photo courtesy Brian Rawson-Ketchum, Flickr.
Photo courtesy Santorum for President.
“I think this has been one of the most competitive of the primary fields since the advent of the modern system,” said Frank Scaturro, who will be running for the Republican nomina-
tion to be the party’s candidate against Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy. “We haven’t seen a dynamic like this previously. Nearly everyone in this race has been at the top
To compensate for an estimated $3.2 million in new state mandated budget increases, The Lawrence School District approved a retirement incentive for over a dozen teachers during the board meeting on Monday night. Superintendent Dr. Gary Schall attributed the mandated increases to things such as payroll, employee benefits, pensions, special education costs and contract costs. The retirement incentive would be offered to a minimum of 13 Lawrence Teachers’ Association teachers, which would result in an anticipated savings of $2.1 million. “To cover the increase in cost,
CONTINUED ON P. A2
ATL. BCH. SAVES ON SEWER BILL
of the polls. Its created excitement.” “One thing to be said for this year’s Republican primary, is that it’s one of the most exhilarating in a generation; certainly the most remarkable in my recent memory,” said Nassau County 7th District Legislator Howard Kopel. “The back and forth, ups and downs of three Republican candidates, despite being so clearly different in terms of their campaigns, experience, positions, and temperament, is a refreshing proof that our political system, regardless of how many times the pundits say it’s irreparably broken, is alive and kicking.” With the votes in New York potentially meaning a big win or loss for every candidate, Scaturro offered some words of ad-
Atlantic Beach Mayor Stephen Mahler announced that he has figured out a way to lower the village’s sewer tax by around $40,000 over the next two years at the village’s board meeting on Monday. Mahler said the sewer district was incorrectly taxing Atlantic Beach properties, counting beach areas as part of beach house properties. “What we’re going to do is follow through so that it’s very clear that the beach houses are not on the same lot as the beaches so that they can’t be taxed,” Mahler said. “You can’t tax property that doesn’t
CONTINUED ON P. A4
CONTINUED ON P. A4
By Jonathan Walter
Standard Staff Reporter
Master Eli: Teaching More than Just Punches and Kicks By Scott P. Moore
Standard Staff Reporter
“Any hole in the wall could be a martial arts studio,” said Master Eli Chaikin, sitting in the Hewlett Pa-Kua location on Peninsula Boulevard. “It’s what you’re taught... that’s what matters.” It’s ideals like this that Chaikin teaches his students during the various classes offered at his martial arts studio that he’s run since opening it in 2006. Instead of simply having students face failures head-on, Chaikin says he tries to promote confidence by building up their confidence. “We want them to have more tools to be successful,” said Chaikin. “Rath-
er than have the students view it as a ‘dog-eat-dog’ world, we want to help give them the tools... when you have the right tools, then you can learn even from failure.” Chaikin, a native of Brussels, Belgium, came to the United States for a short time when he was 15 years old. Afterwards, he lived in Israel and South Africa for a time before coming back and settling in North Woodmere. While he was always interested in and worked Master Eli Chaikin has been teaching martial arts at his Pa-Kua studio in Hewlett for over five years, helping teach students new skills and life lessons. Photo by Scott P. Moore.
in the martial arts, it was the ideals of Pa-Kua, which not only included martial arts but self defense, traditional Chinese healing methods and the ability to find personal peace, that really attracted him. “I used to have a full time graphic design studio and taught in the evening,” he said. “But eventually I had to make a decision... and I chose martial arts.” He added: “It’s a lot more peaceful.” Chaikin said that he believes the truth behind martial arts is simply just a tool to help expand his students abilities, whether it be for fitness, sparing or even a real-life defense from harm. “Hopefully, none of the people that come here will have to use their phys-
Classifieds B6 • Editorials A8 • Food Court B5 • Milk Tracker A2 •
ical strength to actually defend themselves,” he said. “We hope that society has reached a level where you do not resolve your conflicts physically.” He then added, with a smile: “There are easier ways... you know, like hiring a lawyer or calling the police.” The Hewlett Pa-Kua location also teaches other various physical activities in addition to the martial arts, including yoga, tai-chi, sword classes, Chinese archery and acrobatics. All of the classes are centered in Pa-Kua, which Chaikin called “an ancient knowledge that dates to pre-Confucius times.” “Don’t get me wrong – the people here
CONTINUED ON P. A4
M o v i e s B 4 • S p o r t s A 6 • We a t h e r A 5