Jericho HS Class Of 2012 Celebrates Graduation

Jericho High School class of 2012 celebrated graduation on Sunday, June 24 at the Tilles Center on the C.W. Post campus. The 293 graduates celebrated the end of their Jericho school career and the enormous accolades that they accomplished during their tenure.

School board president Joe Lorintz explained that everything the graduates needed to know they learned in kindergarten, touching on a few key points that were included in the popular book. His advice to the graduates was to remember the simple lessons that were taught to them at a young age and instilled throughout their school careers.

SUNY Old Westbury Hosts Forum On Charter School

Residents concerned about funding, curriculum for proposed Doshi STEM Charter School on SUNY campus

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 15-year-olds in the United States rank 20th in science proficiency and 30th in math proficiency worldwide. Calvin O. Butts, president of SUNY College at Old Westbury, thinks that this tendency for young people to lag behind the rest of the developed world in math and science is especially hurtful in this area.

“I found this to be a constant discussion; no matter what forum, no matter where on Long Island,” said Butts, who serves on both the board of the Long Island Association and as a member of the Long Island Regional Economic Development. High school students aren’t achieving at the level in the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and math) that may be necessary to prepare them for the careers of the future, and Butts and members of the college’s council feel something must be done about it. Their proposed solution, and the subject of the Monday, June 25 open forum at the student union on campus, is to open a new STEM-focused charter school, slated to open as soon as the fall of 2013.

Protest Rally Against Proposed Service Cuts

Carrying signs with such messages as “Don’t Betray Our Kids” and “Don’t Leave Our Youth in the Street,” up to 300 people gathered at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building on Monday, June 18 to protest the possible loss of funding to numerous community service programs.

Various agencies organized the event once they received notice that their county contracts would be cancelled and funding eliminated on July 5 if Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano’s fiscal recovery plan is not approved, the event organizers said.

Temple Beth Torah Hosts First Long Island Kosher Barbecue Championship

Cook-off benefited hunger relief programs

Hunger knows no boundaries and that is why, on Sunday, June 10, Temple Beth Torah played host to a first-of-its-kind event in the New York area: a kosher barbecue championship. Created as a community event to raise proceeds for, and awareness of, hunger relief charities on Long Island, the day’s activities combined serious barbecue along with family, fun and entertainment. The Barbecue Championship, which attracted close to 2,500 visitors, was the culmination of 10 months of planning and hard work by nearly 125 temple members. This effort was backed by the financial support of many local businesses, TBT families and Fairway Market, which served as the title sponsor.

Union Rags Turns To Riches At 144th Belmont Stakes

With I’ll Have Another scratched, another notch set into Affirmed’s belt as last Triple Crown winner

What’s in a name? Or perhaps two names? For jockey John Velazquez, it’s two big wins at the Belmont Stakes in the last five years with the West Hempstead resident atop Union Rags in 2012, edging out Paynter by a neck on Saturday, June 9. Atigun came in to show.

The 126 pound jockey said it was an unbelievable race, even though the win didn’t come with spoiling history. I’ll Have Another was scratched one day before a chance to push Affirmed aside in the history books as the last to win all three jewels of the Triple Crown. The horse became the second since 1936 to win the first two legs, only to be unable to compete in the “Test of Champions.”

Syosset-Woodbury Rotary Club Installs New Rotary Clock

Dignitaries and guests were on hand for the placement of the Rotary Clock at the entrance of the Astoria Federal Bank in downtown Syosset, celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Rotary International. The Rotary Clock was donated by the members of the Syosset-Woodbury Rotary Club.

Caring For The One Who Cares Most

Caring for the Caregiver at St. Bede’s Episcopal Church helps caregivers to realize they are entitled to a life of their own

Many people provide regular care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member not for any compensation, but out of love. However, while love may be priceless, the value of the time and energy these people expend is not: The National Alliance for Caregiving estimates that if all those in the United States who currently take care of their loved ones for free were to charge for their services, they would collectively be owed approximately $450 billion in wages per year. Obviously, what many caregivers provide out of the goodness of their hearts has tremendous value, in every sense of the word.

Herman Steps Down As Syosset BOE President

Student athletes honored while board announces revised Audience to the Public policy

Citing increased professional obligations, Dr. Marc Herman stepped down as Syosset Board of Education president midway through the Monday, June 4, meeting at South Woods Middle School. Herman, a 19-year member of the board, will finish the remaining year of his term as a trustee. The new president will be announced at the board’s next meeting, set for July 2 at 8 p.m.

“I have started (pursuing) my master’s degree in healthcare ethics,” Herman said. “I also teach at North Shore University Hospital...Normally we have 10 residents at North Shore, but now we’ve combined with LIJ, so I’ll be teaching 20 residents. I’m in charge of the general dentistry clinic and practice management. Because of those things, I’ve decided that two decades is probably the limit that someone should sit on the board.”

Syosset Holds 2012 Memorial Day Parade

The morning of Monday, May 28 featured brilliant sunshine, perfect weather for Syosset’s annual Memorial Day Parade. Members of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Syosset Fire Department, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, school marching bands and numerous civic organizations took to the newly repaved Jackson Avenue on the beautiful late spring day to honor the memories of those who fight to keep America free.

While many of the residents who cheered at the parade would later go on to enjoy festive barbecues and a relaxing day off from work, parade organizers and several speakers reminded the crowd not to forget the holiday’s true meaning.

Legislators Jacobs And DeRiggi-Whitton Host Informational Meeting On Proposed Sewer Privatization Deal

When NIFA rejected the contract between Nassau County and Morgan Stanley that would have allowed for sewer privatization, many people thought that the controversial plan to sell sewage system operation and maintenance to New Jersey-based United Water (UW) was dead in the water. Not so fast, said Legislators Judy Jacobs and Delia DeRiggi-Whitton: not only is the deal not dead, they expect the Mangano administration to present a second draft of the deal for NIFA approval shortly.

At an informational meeting held on Monday, May 21, at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library, Jacobs and DeRiggi-Whitton, along with fellow Democratic Legislator Dave Denenberg, attempted to explain what they perceive to be the many failings of the Mangano administration’s proposed sewer privatization plan. So far, NIFA agrees with them.