_________ Oceanside/island park ________
HERALD Pokemon Club get festive in I.P.
o’Side athletes making moves
New store at School Five
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VoL. 59 No. 5
JANUARY 25 - 31, 2024
$1.00
Oceanside cheerleaders sail to success By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com
The Oceanside High School cheerleading teams have made waves with their standout performances in recent competitions. The varsity, junior varsity and middle school teams have brought home a number of victories, and the varsity squad has earned spots at the National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Florida, next month. The varsity cheerleaders, led by head coach Samantha Chaback and assistant coaches Kristen Pizzuto and Sadie Olson, have had a stellar month. They not only took first place in the Varsity Class A division at a competition at John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore on Dec.16, but they also earned bids for the nationals in both Traditional and Game Day routines at the UCA Empire Regional Competition in New York City on Dec. 17. This marks the ninth consecutive year that the varsity team will be heading to the nationals. Va r s i t y c ap t a i n A s h l e y Camacho and JV captain Angelina Ricoctone highlighted the challenges and hard work that go into perfecting routines.
BAL, OCE, LB
Courtesy Josie Sorbara
He’s back, after a long absence Sofia Botwinick, of Oceanside, made the most of the first snowman-worthy storm in two years.
Island Park set to implement new electronic parking system on Feb.1 BAL, OCE, LB
By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com
In a bid to improve the fiscal health of Island Park, village officials are installing a new electronic parking monitoring system for all municipal parking fields, with visitors paying for parking through an app on their phone. The cost for parking will be $1 an hour, paid through the ParkMobile app. The app will allow
visitors to even extend their parking session. For drivers who don’t own a Smartphone, a phone number will be available for them to pay for parking. The system, scheduled to begin as a pilot project on Feb. 1, represents a strategic approach by the village to test the waters and gauge resident feedback and help elevate the village’s bond rating. Island Park Mayor Mike McGinty emphasized Continued on page 11 January 25, 2024
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Despite the demanding nature of cheerleading, the team members’ unity and their support for one another have helped fuel their success. “There’s a lot of work that goes into the season, and a lot of practices, but we’re supportive of each other,” Ricoctone said. “Both teams are very close, so that also helps, and I’m really proud of everybody for this past season.” The JV cheer team, coached by Jillian Edelman, won backto-back competitions on Dec. 2, at Farmingdale High School, and on Dec. 9, at W.T. Clarke High, in Salisbury, with recordhigh scores for the JV program. The middle school team, under the guidance of coach Kayla Toscano, also had topnotch performances. The squad had its first competition of the season on Dec. 16, at MacArthur High School, in Levittown, where the cheerleaders executed a perfect routine with no deductions. They team also placed second in Garden City High School on Jan.13. “This year has been stressful,” said middle school cheerleader Keila Luciano, 13. “It’s a lot of work that’s put into it. People tend to think that all Continued on page 10