Gulf’s Bounty Fills Birds Bellies

At the far end of Whitney Beach on Longboat Key, Florida, are 80 shorebirds: 25 ruddy turnstones and almost all of the rest are red knots. While I’m used to seeing the knots in large numbers, I’ve never seen so many turnstones in one place. Scurrying along the sand as waves from the Gulf of Mexico recede, the birds plunge their small, dark bills deeply into the wet sand, which come up glistening. They feed on mollusks, crustaceans, tiny shells and other aquatic life brought in by the waves.

Editorial: Saying Hello to Plainview-Old Bethpage

Editing this paper is a daunting proposition- especially when the previous editor, Denise Nash, made the Plainview-Old Bethpage Herald her home-away-from-home for nothing less than a decade. As someone who’s lived in the general area for over 20 years, I certainly feel at home, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling a little intimidated- after all, there’s a lot going on here. I want to make sure I don’t miss something important...oh, and did I mention that Denise did this for ten years?

Over 60…And Getting Younger: April 9, 2010

Weekend in the City

The big weekend arrived. Packing the suitcases began on Thursday night. Packing was a huge question. Would there be beautiful weather or rainy, inclement weather? We can’t overpack.

On to the LIE - our final destination Le Parker Meridien Hotel on 56th Street. At 2 p.m. going west on the LIE, it was uncharacteristically easy to travel. Less than an hour later, we checked into the hotel. Our first room reeked of tobacco. It was hard to breathe; after a brief discussion with the front desk, we were awarded a room on the 28th floor overlooking Central Park.

Editorial: Take a Moment and Say Your Goodbyes

About ten years ago, I remember staring at a blank document on my computer screen not knowing what to say to a community that I didn’t know.

I had just started as the editor of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Herald and my first assignment was to write an editorial introducing myself to the community. Now, I sit here not knowing how to say goodbye to a community that I have spent the last 10 years getting to know.

Over 60…And Getting Younger: April 2, 2010

The Games We Play

Lorraine bought my grandson a magic game.

I was appalled!

On a DVD this magician was doing magic tricks and then revealing the secrets to the audience of how he performed all those amazing wonderful acts. I always thought that it was a no-no to show the ways and methods of trickery. Yes, we all knew that the performer was breaking the rules of the Magicians Union by divulging and exposing clandestine and time-honored facts of sorcery and wizardry.

Letter: Thanks for Your Support

I would very much like to thank everyone in the Plainview-Old Bethpage community who made the 33rd annual Nationwide Insurance 10 Kilometer Run for ASPIRE the success that it was.

First and foremost are the residents of our community. I am well aware that having a race with 600 runners and walkers clogging local roads is an inconvenience to everyone who lives along the way. We send a letter to everyone who could possibly be affected by the event a week beforehand, but even with advance notice I am well aware that there are people who are going to be inconvenienced by the Run. My apologies to them, and I hope that everyone who was inconvenienced will understand what we are trying to do for the young amputees from the ASPIRE Program who are the beneficiaries of the Run.

From the Desk of Senator Kemp Hannon: March 26, 2010

Do You Receive NY-Alert?

It’s a valuable resource that many residents are not aware of. It’s called “NY-Alert,” a free service managed by the New York State Emergency Management Office that will contact you through e-mail alerts, cell phones texts, and/or other ways of your choice, including: Severe Weather, AMBER & Missing Child Alerts, Sex Offender Re-location Alerts, Public Health Alerts, Consumer Protection Issues and Emergency Road Closings.


Over 60…And Getting Younger: March 26, 2010

Happy Birthday!

Growing up in the Bronx, birthdays were never an important event in the lives of my family. My parents were both immigrants from Poland who came over to the USA to find peace, happiness and economic security.

They opened a dry goods store on 174th Street between Bryant and Vyse Avenues. They tended the store six days a week from 8 a.m. in the morning to 9 p.m. in the evening. They struggled in the retail trade and on Sundays they traveled to the Lower East Side to buy merchandise to replenish the empty shelves.

A Bird’s Eye View: March 19, 2010

Small Moments Along Sarasota Bay

Longboat Key, which is just above Sarasota, is connected to Anna Maria Island by a drawbridge. Last winter I’d bird in the early morning and in midmorning I’d walk over the Longboat Pass Bridge to Anna Maria. There I’d continue along a sand road to the end and then back to LBK, a round trip of three miles. This walk was more about exercise than birding. However along the way I often found unexpected small moments that sometimes made the walk a spiritual exercise as well.

Over 60…And Getting Younger: March 19, 2010

Grandpa – East and West Coast

As we boarded the jet, we knew we were in for a long, full day of travel. The final destinations were Los Angeles and San Diego, with a stopover in Dallas. (Why can’t the airlines use direct flights from New York to the West Coast?)

Visiting grandchildren is a pleasure. New York was cold, rainy and snowy. We looked forward to the sun and fun in the Southwest. Swimming was a must on our schedule. Both cities turned out to be chilly and cool. No lazy afternoons at the pool.