__________________ Nassau _________________
CoMMUNITY UPDATE Infections as of June 21
7,678
Infections as of June 14 7,675
HERALD All the news of the Five Towns
Pull Out $1.00
Vol. 98 No. 26
Celebrating Juneteenth
Fast break for Hewlett track
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JUNE 24 - 30, 2021
Homes remain hard to find House prices rise as inventory has dropped across the nation while the median contract price — the amount a buyer actually pays for a house — rose to With far fewer houses avail- $600,000 in May from $482,500 able for purchase, buyers are last year, according to the One paying more, and more often Key Multiple Listing Service. than not, buyers “Why is demand needing mortgages so high for houses are losing out to on Long Island, spethose offering cash. c i f i c a l ly N a s s a u The real estate boom County?” said Gil that began during Shemtov, a 10-year the coronavirus panveteran of the real demic last year has estate industry and continued to sizzle an agent for Douglas this year. Elliman in Long Nationwide, the Beach. “The rates median price of a are low, and there’s a home hit an all-time lot of liquidity out high of $341,600 in there. It’s easy to get April, up 19 percent a mortgage if you’re from 2020, according MIkE PESCE qualified. People are to the National Asso- Co-principal, Pesce seeing the value of ciation of Realtors, homeownership. I & Lanzillotta Team which also reported have clients that that there was a were at their famihousing shortage before the pan- ly’s house [during the coronavidemic, and supply chain issues rus lockdown] and aren’t looking and labor shortages created by to go back to an apartment. They the global health crisis have get accustomed to having the exacerbated the problem. Not outdoor space and don’t want to enough houses are being built give that up.” for the country’s growing popu“Nobody has seen this,” lation, or to replace aging and Shemtov added, referring to the destroyed houses. pandemic. “I sold a house The median home price on through a virtual tour. The buyLong Island jumped to $580,000 in May, from $491,000 last May, Continued on page 4
By JEFFREY BESSEN jbessen@liherald.com
P
Courtesy HAFTR
Highlighting the past in the present The Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway’s third grade held its “Generation to Generation” program last week. Students learned about history through family artifacts, and sang songs that connected them to previous generations.
H-W teachers say goodbye
Longtime educators retire as school year ends By MATTHEW FERREMI mferremi@liherald.com
When the next school year begins, several longtime Hewlett High School faculty members who were familiar to students and colleagues alike will no longer be seen in the hallways. The retirees include science teacher Ilene Gabel; music teacher Eric Williams; English teacher Patri-
cia Curran; the district’s chair of business, Rose Panarelli; and its director of music and arts, Walter Lastowski, as well as teacher’s aide Leslie Turner. Panarelli has worked in the district for 22 years, and headed its business education department for seven years. She said she was proud of the programs she was involved with.
“I’ve had a wonderful career at Hewlett, and have thoroughly enjoyed the interactions with students and staff,” Panarelli said. “I’m proud of the development of a very robust computer technology program at the high school as well as being part of a comprehensive Business Education program that offers stuContinued on page 13
eople want to live in the areas within the Five Towns because they have excellent schools.