Broadway Birds

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Broadway Birds

Written by Cory Twibell, ctwibell@antonnews.com Friday, 01 March 2013 00:00

Hicksville resident Jim McCrann recently noticed two feathered friends hanging out in Hicksville, though the pair stood out more than Hicksville’s standard pigeons.

“For the past several months, there have been a pair of red-tailed hawks perching along the upper edges of Macy’s here in the Broadway Mall in Hicksville,” said McCrann, who normally spots the hawks on his daily morning walk.

The two red-tailed hawks are spotted here perching by the Macy’s sign at the Broadway Mall. Photos by Jim McCrann

“I don’t know whether they are mates although one does seem a bit larger than the other. Sometimes there is only one there, other times both are present,” McCrann explained.

McCrann’s observations are spot-on, according to National Geographic, as females are typically larger than males and the monogamous birds normally mate for life. The red-tailed hawk’s lifespan in the wild is approximately 21 years and can have a wingspan of almost four feet.

According to National Geographic, the red-tailed hawk is North America’s most common hawk, normally found in open areas such as fields and deserts. The birds have tremendous vision and are excellent hunters and recently have begun adapting to suburban life, perching atop telephone poles to spot prey (mice, squirrels, rabbits and reptiles) down below, which could explain their current whereabouts.

McCrann photographed the pair just after Valentine’s Day, proving that love was – literally – in the air.

News

Hicksville Native Wins FIT Award

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

Hicksville native Jae Lee recently rose to the top of his senior class at New York Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), winning the Critic Award for sportswear. But fashion wasn’t the path that Lee originally chose.

In high school, Lee excelled in art classes and thought that he wanted to go to college and major in fine arts. However, he said, it was while watching an episode of “Project Runway” that he had a revelation. “All of a sudden I was thinking that it was something I could/should do and that’s what kind of led to it,” he said. He made up his mind that he was going to apply to fashion school and enlisted the help of one of his art teachers in school to help him. “We really scrambled and put together this presentation in about two weeks, where other people, I’m sure, worked on theirs for months,” he said. Lee said that when he went to present his portfolio, he didn’t think the meeting went well at all. “Everyone was really well prepared,” he said. But, he admitted, it must have gone better than he thought, because he was accepted to FIT.

WWII Armor Museum Opens

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

In the face of cancelled air shows and the downgrading of NYC’s Fleet Week, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano announced on May 9, that American soldiers will be forever honored on Long Island through the creation of the Museum of American Armor to be built at Old Bethpage Village Restoration thanks, in part, to a million dollar gift from Lawrence Kadish.

“We are watching powerful tributes to our American military reduced or eliminated across the nation and its just plain wrong,” stated County Executive Mangano. “Fortunately, the Memorial Day weekend air show at Jones Beach will be held regardless of the loss of the Thunderbirds, but Fleet Week in New York City will be greatly diminished and across the country air shows are being cancelled weekly. Nassau County is moving in another direction. An armor museum that honors every American soldier will be created on county property this year which will not only pay tribute to those who have defended our nation but will also strengthen the county’s tourism and destination industry and provide a new source of revenue.”

Sports

For The Love Of Tennis

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

Hicksville residents honored by tennis association

The U.S. Tennis Association Long Island Region has recognized several Hicksville residents for their tennis playing or volunteering achievements. The group was honored at the USTA Long Island Region’s 23rd Annual Awards Dinner, which recognizes superior efforts both on and off the tennis court.

Terry Fontana received the Vitas Gerulaitis for the Love of Tennis award. She has been a longtime fixture in the Hicksville tennis community and is the driving force behind the Hicksville Community Tennis Association (CTA), which, since 1995, has been promoting the development of tennis as a means of healthy recreation and physical fitness and to create a community resource for physical activity throughout the area.

Lady Comets Honor Departing Seniors

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

It was a cold season for softball this year, colder than usual. Anyone who knows the sport recognizes that the weather can be changeable, but this softball season was fraught with snow, pouring rain, cancelled games, frigid temperatures, and blowing winds that would cause any team to crave the warmth of indoors.

That wasn’t the case with the Hicksville High School Lady Comets Varsity Softball team. They played through it all like champions, and endured the rough weather like superstars.