Sunshine and temperatures in the 60s last weekend coaxed some to wear shorts and others to get out their skateboards. The crocuses popped up as mounds of snow melted away - a sneak preview of springtime in Floral Park. The winter's long nap ends as nature begins its show of resplendence. Spring is in the air.

By the time residents read this column our nation will be at war with Iraq. If not, the certainty of war lingers in the air much like the onset of spring. I would like to take this opportunity to share with readers the last paragraph of a letter my family received from my nephew stationed in a dangerous and remote place in the Middle East.

"I carry around in my pocket a Bible given to me by my mother, a copy of the US Constitution (circled the parts I think are important), pictures of my wife and daughter, my official passport, two coins (one from NRA and one I got while in the Boy Scouts) and my military ID card. Sometimes my body armor causes this all to pinch into my chest, but it is a good reminder of why I am here. The good news is that we are winning and they are losing. At the end of this, everyone will see that we are a force of good in the world. This is a great cause. This is not about the military, the government, the economy or global geopolitics - it's about you. Protecting what you have. It is an honor to do that."

In August, residents began to sign up for the Village Energy Group's energy fuel cost-saving program sponsored by the Nassau County Village Officials Association. Since the summer, more residents have entered the program, as well as friends and relatives who live elsewhere in Nassau County. ECONnergy is the company providing the gas/fuel and KeySpan continues to provide the delivery system. Despite the demand for gas, due to the cold winter, the threat of war, the state of the economy, the lower inventory of natural gas and the rising cost of oil, ECONnergy customers are paying less for gas than if they had stayed with the utility.

I am pleased to report that there have been relatively few problems or complaints about the program. Residents who want to join can still do so. If interested, please call Lauren at village hall at 326-6300 for more information. Just complete an application to join the program on the next monthly entry date. The Village Energy Group contract with ECONnergy ends September 2005 for all customers regardless of when they signed up. If the program continues to do well, the contract is likely to roll over for two more years.

I want to thank residents for participating in this program. Please continue to make every effort to conserve energy whenever possible. Hopefully, the warmer weather will help to reduce the cost of energy.

Laura Rassiga, FISH president, reports more volunteers are needed to provide rides and services for folks living in Floral Park, Bellerose Village and Bellerose Terrace. Seventy-seven volunteers can't do it all. They made 507 trips to doctors' offices or hospitals last year. No drivers were available for 21 requests. Want to help? Call Fran at 775-0740 or Laura at 437-0808. Disabled people can obtain their special ID tags between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at village hall. A physician must provide a letter stating an individual is disabled. The tag is displayed by simply hanging it from the car's rear view mirror. A disabled person can use the tag whether he/she is driving or is a passenger in someone else's car, such as a FISH volunteer driver. Fines for parking in a disabled parking spot without a tag are very costly and inconvenient.

Check your trash and recycling calendar before beginning your spring cleanup. Because of the long, snowy winter, Public Works is expecting business owners and residents to aggressively tackle house, office, garage and yard cleanup as soon as the weather permits. If you have a lot of stuff, try not to put it all out for pick-up on the same day. Remember yard waste should be put in a trashcan or in opaque heavy-duty plastic bags marked with a "Y" or preferably clear strong plastic bags.

Mosquitoes are a problem because they may carry the West Nile Virus. Clean drains, rake leaves away from buildings and get rid of containers, tires and debris that can collect water.

It has come to my attention that some residents allow dog waste to accumulate in their yards. I'm certain the intention is to pick it up but apparently some dog owners don't get around to suffer the stinky consequences. Reports of this practice will be forwarded to the Nassau County Health Department for investigation.

What has happened to doing things the old fashioned way? Walk the pet dog and take along a pooper-scooper. I wasn't surprised to learn of companies that are paid to remove dog waste from backyards.

At a recent FRIENDS board of directors meeting, I was pleased the group decided to give the village library $5,000 to cover the cost of the summer reading programs for children and several other summer library activities. FRIENDS also supports the library's video collection. The group will be adding more DVDs and videos to the collection in the coming weeks. In June, FRIENDS will hold their annual book sale. Most of the books the public donates, some are library discards. Donation of books, CDs, videotapes, records and more are now being accepted at the library. Funds are donated to the library on a regular basis.