In this issue, The Westbury Times presents a brief look back at some key issues and events that either occurred or affected the community during 2003. Unfortunately, not all articles or submissions from last year's issue could be included due to space limitations. Have a happy and healthy New Year.

V.A.C.

On Jan. 2, the Carle Place Library Funding District held their first public meeting. At this time, the board determined the length of the terms of office for the five trustees elected by the public in December 2002. The board also appointed trustees to their respective positions.

Lieutenant Timothy McQuade of the Old Westbury Police Department was presented an award for establishing the Police-Student Project in Westbury High School; making the school the only one in the nation with an ongoing invitation to participate in Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) oriented programs.

The Police-Student Project has been used for the last 10 years as an effective tool in dissuading children from joining gangs. Each week throughout the year, including the summer, Lt. McQuade meets with students to mentor them on personal, legal and academic issues. In addition, students embark on three trips annually to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virgina. During their visit, students are able to broaden their horizons in career opportunities and have a chance at interacting with police officers, which helps to foster trust and respect between both parties.

After serving the Town of Hempstead in some capacity for more than two decades, Supervisor Rich Guardino officially announced his intention to resign as town leader during a press conference at Hofstra University on Jan. 13. As a result, the Republican Party officially nominated current Town Clerk Kate Murray to fill the position of town supervisor and the town board officially appointed her during a Jan. 28 meeting. As a result, Mark Bonilla was appointed town clerk.

Westbury Public Schools debuted its new, state-of-the-art, free Community Technology Center during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Jan. 13. The new center, which opened to the public in 2003 for the first time, is available Monday through Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.

The facility offers brand new desktop computers, free Internet and e-mail access, Microsoft Office and other educational and research software as well as access to websites relevant to community interests. Two new mobile computer carts equipped with laptops will also be available to students in classrooms and at the center for use by residents enrolled in the district's adult basic education and literacy programs.

The Turnaround New Cassel/Westbury Drug Fighters and the Westbury A.M.E. Zion Church sponsored a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration and March on Jan. 20. The theme of the 2003 event was "What Would Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Dream Message Be Today?" At a public hearing on Jan. 22, the Westbury School District presented the public with a breakdown of projects to be included in a revised $79 million bond referendum. In June 2002, the board presented the community with a list of capital improvement projects totaling $163 million that did not sit well with taxpayers. This downsized bond, a decrease of $84 million, included both district-wide projects as well as individual building improvements at the district's six buildings. On Jan. 30, in the Alumni Hall of Adelphi University, State Senator Michael Balboni spoke on the issue of bio-terrorism and its challenge to New York State government. Balboni is chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs. The speech marked the first time he had an opportunity to speak out publicly on the responsibilities of his new position. After his 40-minute presentation, Balboni opened the floor for questions.

New York State Supreme Court Justice Edward McCarty III ruled that a Republican petition requesting a special election on council districts in the Town of North Hempstead be upheld. The petition, which was submitted to the town in October 2002, was disqualified by Town Clerk Michelle Schimel in December. Schimel stated that a variety of reasons, including duplicate signatures, witness signatures differing from the printed name and signatures of non-registered voters, were the reason the petition was denied.

In his Feb. 3 ruling, however, Justice McCarty stated that the town clerk "exceeded her authority by reviewing the petition for information beyond the requirements found in Town Law Section 81 and the Election Law Section 6-154." Judge McCarty further found that "... the town clerk violated the unequivocal legal right of the petitioners for a special election" and as a result, Schimel was ordered to present to the town board the petition in order for the scheduling of a public vote in April.

Nassau County Deputy Presiding Officer Roger Corbin (D-Westbury) recently joined with Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi, Village of Hempstead Mayor James Garner, Town of North Hempstead Councilman Fred Pollack and Legislator Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington) to announce a new initiative to slash illegal housing and commercial code violations in Nassau County.

The initiative called for the Nassau County Office of Housing and Intergovernmental Affairs (OHIA) to transfer $150,000 and $50,000 in grants from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to the Town of North Hempstead and the Village of Hempstead, respectively, to help revitalize areas blighted by illegal housing and commercial code violations.

The funding from the Office of Housing and Intergovernmental Affairs was scheduled to be used to pay for costs incurred from the inspection of code violations and for the enforcement of local codes including salaries of code enforcement officers hired to focus their efforts in the targeted neighborhoods as well as to pay for the costs of the legal proceedings involved in the issuance of code violations.

Westbury author Howard Blue published Words at War: World War II Era Radio Drama and the Postwar Broadcasting Industry Blacklist, a non-fiction depiction of how radio helped the American World War II effort. Words at War, which was released under Scarecrow Press, is Blue's first published book.

Words at War describes how 17 radio dramatists and their actors fought a war of words against fascism abroad and injustice at home. The book also discusses commercial drama series such as The Man Behind the Gun, network sustained shows such as those of Norman Corwin - the best known writer of radio drama of the late 1930s and 1940s, and government-produced programs such as the Uncle Sam series.

In an effort to bring local fire departments up to par with regard to equipment and fire vehicles, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy and Richard Ohlsen of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) held a workshop to help departments file for grant money under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. Nassau County Deputy Presiding Officer Roger Corbin (D-Westbury) presented New Cassel resident Mildred Little with the 2003 "Women: Trailblazers of the New Millennium" award. Little has been involved in her community since her two sons entered the Westbury school system and has focused on keeping the neighborhood clean and its youth safe. Action Party member Thomas Liotti, who ran unopposed for village justice, was re-elected as were Action Party incumbents Peter Cavallaro and Paul Echausse, who defeated newcomer James Corcoran, a Progressive Party member. Liotti, Cavallaro and Echausse were each elected to four-year terms.

Some 400 New Cassel residents, business owners and civic and community leaders joined together on March 31 to celebrate the adoption of the New Cassel Vision Plan.

The New Cassel Vision Plan is a product of the "Seeking a Shared Vision for New Cassel" community visioning process that occurred in July 2002, where more than 600 business leaders, residents, youth, clergy and civic associations worked together with trained landscape designers and architects to articulate their desires and hopes for New Cassel. At its adoption stage, plan presentation represented the next step in the 'visioning process' toward economic revitalization.

Working in conjunction with the Unified New Cassel Community Revitalization Corporation and Sustainable Long Island, the Vision Plan outlined a series of design guidelines, changes to zoning ordinances and an implementation plan to revitalize Prospect Avenue according to the principles of sustainable development.

North Hempstead political leaders held a bipartisan press conference to discuss why a councilmanic or "ward" system would benefit North Hempstead residents. Several political representatives from throughout the town were on hand to discuss why they believe council districts should replace the town's at-large voting system. A referendum, with two propositions, was set to go before the public on April 29.

Among those present were Peter Cavallaro, chairman of the North Hempstead Republican Committee; Nassau County Deputy Minority Officer Roger Corbin (D-Westbury); Dr. Rudolph Clark, a member of the council district commission; Tim O'Connell, former Republican candidate for the North Hempstead Town Board; and Jim O'Connor, former town councilman. Chris O'Connor, program director for the Neighborhood Network - a nonpartisan organization that has been fighting for council districts on Long Island for the past 20 years - was also on hand.

Westbury Village and the owners of the Post Avenue movie house found themselves involved in a complicated legal battle with the future of the 1927 theater in the court's hands.

In July 2001, the Westbury Theatre on Post Avenue closed to the public after being deemed "unsafe" by the Village of Westbury. At that time, the building was being used as a twin movie theater while owners Rod and Corrine Straehle worked to raise the necessary funds to turn the building into a performing arts theater featuring Broadway road shows.

The village filed an order to show cause with the State Supreme Court seeking to affirm their right to shut down the theater to the public, basing their claim on various health and safety issues involving the condition inside the theater at the time of a routine inspection.

The case was transferred from judge to judge and in January 2002 Supreme Court Justice R. Bruce Cozzens, Jr. ruled that although the building should remain closed, the village "failed to demonstrate that the premises are in imminent danger to life and safety as a result of structural instability, fire, explosion or other hazardous situation." The village appealed Justice Cozzens' decision.

In the meantime, taxes have not been paid on the property in over seven years. According to village officials, the Straehles currently owe almost $80,000 worth of back property taxes and interest to the village, with bills to the town, county and school district also in default. In addition, the village has laid out money for legal fees as well as the costs generated from the hiring of experts to assess the condition of the building.

As a result, the village was forced to turn to the courts yet again, seeking the right to foreclose on the property. In January 2002, the court ruled in favor of the village, but stated that nothing can be settled until the legal battle over the property itself is resolved. Until then, under state law, only the Straehles are allowed in the building.

Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi held a bus tour on April 9 to discuss ideas for economic development in Westbury and New Cassel. In doing this, Suozzi plans to collect input from residents, business owners, town and county officials and community, civic and religious leaders and apply their suggestions and concerns in shaping the future of the communities.

The bus tour, which began and ended at the King Kullen warehouse on Prospect Avenue in New Cassel, provided the 25 to 30 community representatives present with an opportunity to point out key areas of concern. The tour made its way around Westbury and New Cassel, with emphasis on such areas as Prospect Avenue, Railroad Avenue, Garden Street, Broadway, Urban Avenue, Grand Avenue, Rockland Street, Post Avenue and Union Avenue/Brush Hollow Road.

On April 16, hundreds of county officials and law enforcement officers from throughout Nassau lined Post Avenue to pay their final respects to Former Nassau County Police Commissioner William Willett. Mr. Willett, who retired from the police department in 2002, lost his battle with lung cancer and died on April 12. He was 71 years old. Town of North Hempstead Supervisor May W. Newburger announced that she would not seek a sixth term in November. "Newburger's political career began with a successful run for the New York State Assembly where she served for eight years under Assembly Speaker Stanley Steingut.

The Westbury Memorial Public Library passed a $2,202,925 budget for 2003-2004. The spending plan included a $141,625 or a 4.8 percent increase over the 2002-2003 budget of $2,061,300.

Westbury residents Jack Meegan and Kenneth Little vied for one open seat on the library's board of trustees. Meegan, who was appointed to the board in July 2002 to fill the seat being vacated by retiring veteran board member Susan Kenler, lost his seat to Little.

Library board seats are five years.

On April 29, residents of North Hempstead, in what has become one of the most divided political issues in town history, voted in favor of a council district or "ward" system and increasing the number of councilmembers.

Some 9,400 of the town's 223,000 residents voted on the court-ordered referendum, passing both propositions by approximately 1,500 votes. According to results compiled to date by the town, residents voted 5,468 to 3,944 in favor of Proposition 1, which called for changing local government to a councilmanic system. In Proposition 2, 5,344 residents voted to increase the number of councilmembers who represent them from four to six while 3,776 voted against the increase.

Due to the change, the position of town supervisor remains the only town-wide elected seat.

Margaret Miller-Scott of Westbury received the Outstanding Contribution by a Senior Citizen Award and was honored by Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi at the 29th Annual Senior Citizen Month Luncheon/Conference on May 9 at the Long Island Marriott Hotel.

Miller-Scott founded the Turn Around New Cassel/Westbury Drug Fighters 'WRICE Process' Program in 1997 to combat the community's increasing drug problem. Her other volunteer activities include participating in the United Way's Admissions and Allocations Committees, educating voters through the League of Women Voters and assisting with the organizing efforts of the National Council of Negro Women, Long Island District. She has also been actively involved locally as a Nassau County Auxiliary Police Officer-Unit 216, patrolling the streets and serving as the eyes and ears of the community for the police.

The New York State Assembly and New York State Senate overrode the governor's veto of A. 8023/S. 4286 changing the date of 2003's school district budget vote and school board elections from May 20 to June 3.

Saturday Academy, an extra day instructional program, was introduced by Westbury's PI PI Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority to enhance the district's efforts in maximizing student achievement. In 2003, the program, which was first adopted by the district four years ago, expanded and is now available to Drexel Avenue and Powell's Lane students,

Saturday Academy is one of the driving forces behind the academic strides that have been made at both elementary schools on the New York State Assessment tests, including a spot on this year's New York State Department of Education's top "most improved" list. As elementary students proceed with their education, Saturday Academy is offered at the eighth-grade middle school level to help prepare them for the next cycle of assessment tests.

As a result of an April 29 referendum, North Hempstead was required to establish six council districts, or "wards," to replace the previous system of at-large election of council members. The town board took the first step in that direction at a special meeting held on May 7.

At the meeting, the board passed a resolution accepting Town Clerk Michelle Schimel's certification of the vote. The board then established a sub-committee of the Councilmanic District Commission - comprised of three Democrats, two Republicans with two Democratic and two republican alternates - which had held hearings on the issue throughout 2002. The board hired Grass Roots Solutions to advise the committee on technicalities of setting up districts and special counsel Jeffrey Wice.

Town of North Hempstead Republican Leader Peter Cavallaro filed a lawsuit against the town challenging who would draw district lines for the implementation of the town's councilmanic system.

North Hempstead, in response to the passage of two propositions during the April referendum, was required to establish six council districts to replace the current at-large election of council members. To do so, the board appointed a bipartisan committee, comprised of three Democrats and two Republicans, to draw the district lines with enough time to hold the first elections by district this year.

In the suit, however, Cavallaro alleged that the board's decision to have their own committee draw the lines goes against Section 85 of New York State Town Law which states that the bipartisan Nassau County Board of Elections must draw the lines. While a North Hempstead town ordinance states that the town board can draw the lines, Cavallaro stated that the state law should supercede town law. The suit alleged that the town, in taking it upon themselves to draw the lines, is acting in an illegal and unconstitutional manner.

Residents and local politicians gather on June 14 to honor lifelong Westbury resident Ann Sweat for her years of dedication and commitment to the Westbury community at the Central Westbury Civic Association's (CWCA) third annual tribute. The event benefited the civic association's John Burnett Scholarship Fund.

Sweat is a registered health information administrator and was founder and president of Dodson Associates, a health records and information systems consultant company. On a local front, she is a charter and executive board member of CWCA, chairperson of the association's education committee and chairperson of the Central Westbury Civic Association/Westbury High School/Nassau University Medical Center (CWCA/WHS/NUMC) Apprenticeship Program.

Sweat is also a member of the Village of Westbury Zoning Board of Appeals, the New Cassel/Westbury Health Community Center and acting chairperson of the Nassau County Minority Affairs Council. Sweat was founder and chairperson of the Learning Is for Everyone (LIFE) and co-chair of the Committee for Racial Justice on Health Care and the Minority Community. In addition, Sweat is an executive board member of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

US District Court Judge Denis Hurley issued a preliminary injunction on Nassau County's three-month-old smoking ban, halting its enforcement to allow for additional review of the ordinance.

A group of local bar, restaurant and diner owners, including Brian Rosenberg, vice president of The Garden City Hotel, challenged the ban, claiming hundreds of thousands of dollars in monetary damage since patrons were taking their business elsewhere, particularly to Suffolk County where the law hasn't yet taken effect.

Nassau County Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs, however, argued that the injunction did not overturn the law, which went into effect on March 1, 2003. Despite attempts to halt the smoking ban, the state law went into effect July 24.

The Carle Place School District's 2003-2004 budget of $31,296,710 passed 792 to 461. A proposition to provide bus service to seventh through 12th-graders who live on the west side of Glen Cove Road, however, was defeated by a vote of 663 to 500. In the race for school board, Thomas Kane and Peter Fitzgerald were elected.

Residents approved the East Meadow School District's 2003-04 spending plan of $126,175,000. In addition, the library proposition also passed. In the race for school board, eight people ran for two at-large seats. Charles Goldberg and Brian Flaherty were elected.

Residents of Westbury voted 752 to 589 against the school district's proposed spending plan of $65,360,217. Since they decided not to put the budget up for another vote, Westbury will operate on its contingency budget for 2003-2004.

In the race for school board trustee, five people were seeking election to three at-large seats on the Westbury Board of Education. Connie LoCascio, Adelaide Brinson and Karin Campbell, who was appointed in Feb. 2003 to fill the seat vacated by retiring board member Robert Toriano, defeated Scott Ottley and Roderick Bailey.

With Westbury Board of Education positions elected at-large, the candidate with the third most votes gets appointed to serve the remainder of Toriano's term. As a result, Karin Campbell and Connie LoCascio were appointed to three-year terms while Adelaide Brinson was appointed to serve the remaining two years of Toriano's term.

The Quierscere Resource Center (QRC), which was established in November 2002, is a nonprofit organization that serves as a daytime educational center to teach immigrants so that they can successfully communicate and interact in the Unites States. The goal of QRC is to prepare individuals for the "real world" through English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, provided through Title II and Employment Preparation Education (EPE) grants awarded to the Westbury School District, as well as free workshops, classes and private and group consultations.

In addition to teaching adults how to speak and understand English, QRC provides everyday communication and life skills. Students receive hands-on experience in banking, budgeting, balancing a checkbook and understanding credit. The center also provides assistance in filing college applications and financial aid forms as well as provides job search assistance, interview skills, résumé building and workforce etiquette. QRC students are also provided with citizenship exam preparation and computer training and offers access to immigrant applications, notary public services and legal referrals.

For more information about the Adult ESL and GED classes sponsored by the Westbury School District and other services offered by Quierscere Resource Center call the Westbury School District at 876-5000.

On June 30, Mary Ellen Haynes, principal of Westbury Middle School, said goodbye to the district she called home since 1991. As principal, Haynes was successful in not only making the middle school an award-winning place of academia, but also worked tirelessly to transform it into one of the most improved in New York State.

Under her reign, the middle school was recognized by the New York State Education Department (SED) as one of the "most improved middle schools in the state" and nominated it for the No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Award. In addition, Westbury MS was nominated for the Fordham University School National School Change Award for changing a low-performing school to one of the most improved in the state.

Supreme Court Justice Robert Roberto confirmed the Town of North Hempstead's right to draw its own councilmanic district lines, rather than have that right ceded to the Board of Elections.

Town law had originally given that authority to the board of elections of the county. However, in 1987, North Hempstead, along with the Towns of Oyster Bay and Hempstead, passed a local law, which altered town law. The new law (15A) gave the authority to the town board.

In his decision, Judge Roberto concluded that it is within the town's authority to supersede the state law in matters of its own zoning. As a result of the decision, the map of council districts adopted by North Hempstead on June 18 went into effect.

The Girl Scouts of the Carle Place/Westbury Association were honored on June 20 by the Girl Scouts of Nassau County for living the Girl Scout Promise to "serve their country and help people at all times." The recognition night and reception was held at the Westbury Recreation Center on Post Avenue.

At this time, a number of Junior Girl Scouts were recognized with the Bronze Award they collectively earned as a troop. The Bronze Award is the highest award a Junior Girl Scout can receive and the Carle Place/Westbury troop won the honor for their community service project with local senior citizens. Two members were also honored by Peres for their individual volunteer service to a nearby Daisy Troop and to PETCO.

Girl Scout Cynthia Clark, a resident of Garden City and member of the Carle Place/Westbury Troop, received the Silver Award for her leadership efforts of a Carle Place Daisy Troop in need of a leader.

Westbury reading teacher Susan Nettler received recognition for her work at the Park Avenue School. A resident of Greenvale, Nettler was honored with the "Teacher Recognition Award" by the Intercounty Teacher Resource Center (ITRC), the Long Island region's affiliate of the New York State Teacher Centers, an organization which works with educators to provide ongoing professional education services to the state's teachers.

Nettler received the award for demonstrating excellence as a teacher and for helping students meet New York State educational standards after being nominated by Gloria Dingwall, Park Avenue School principal, Paul Lightbourne, Park Avenue School assistant principal, and fellow reading teacher Cynthia Paterno.

Eight-year-old Brittany Elizabeth Teller of Westbury was named "2003 Winning Kid" by the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island. Teller, a student at the Bowling Green Elementary School in Westbury, takes piano, dance and swimming lessons and is a member of Girl Scouts.

In 2003, Hicks Nurseries, Inc. celebrated its 150th anniversary. The Westbury garden nursery has been passed down through generations of Hicks family members and is currently in its fifth and sixth generation of family ownership with Alfred "Fred" Hicks and his three children. In addition to being the oldest nursery and garden center on Long Island, Hicks is also the 71st oldest family-owned company in the United States and the oldest family-owned business on the island.

In honor of its milestone anniversary, all present and past employees, as well as descendents of past employees and their families were invited to attend a 150th anniversary reunion celebration on July 12. The event included a free barbecue, entertainment and activities for children as well as provided an opportunity for many to reminisce.

A notice of claim filed against the Westbury Memorial Public Library in early 2002 became a full-blown lawsuit when, in April 2003, Joan Boes, a former library employee, moved forward with a $1.2 million lawsuit against the library, its director, current and past board members, and three employees who were officers of the library's staff association.

In February 2002, the Westbury Library changed the part-time cultural program position, which was held by Boes, to full-time in order to meet the growing population and programming needs of the Westbury community. Since civil service law required the library to hire from a certified civil service list of people who had passed a test to be eligible for the full-time position, and Boes had not taken the exam, she was let go. The former employee, however, alleged that the library did not permanently replace her with a full-time cultural program specialist certified by the Nassau County Civil Service Commission.

In her suit, Boes' claims include, but are not limited to, deprivation of rights, privileges and immunities secured to her through the US Constitution such as freedom of speech, procedural due process, breach of contract, negligence and breach of fiduciary (obligation to act in the best interest of another party) duty, conspiracy to deny civil rights and discrimination of New York State Labor Law §201-d. Through the suit, she is seeking to be reinstated as the library's full- or part-time cultural program specialist employee. She is also demanding compensatory and punitive damages in the amount of $1.2 million as well as attorney fees and other such relief that the court may deem just and proper.

On Aug. 4, the Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division: Second Judicial Department reversed the orders of a Nassau County Supreme Court and returned the original issues regarding the safety and condition of the Westbury Theatre back to the Village of Westbury's Board of Trustees. The decision was the result of an ongoing legal battle between the village and Rod and Corrine Straehle, the owners of Post Avenue theater.

In the decision, the Appellate Court affirms the village's power to deem what course of action is needed to assure the theater, which is a public building, is appropriately secured, repaired, removed or otherwise disposed of in the best interest of the health, morals, safety and general welfare of the people of the village. The decision was based according to Chapter 83 of the Village of Westbury Code. The lower court had prohibited the village from proceeding pursuant to the village code §83-16E.

The Westbury School District qualified for a $28 million federally supported interest-free loan through the Qualified Zone Academy Bond program (QZAB) created by Congress and administered by the New York State Education Department. In addition to the $28 million zero-interest bond proposal, the district also obtained a $1 million commitment from the Spector Group, a North Hills-based architectural firm, and a $3 million pledge from the National Education Foundation to meet a required 10 percent collaborative contribution from the business community.

The Maria SS Dell Assunta Society celebrated its 93rd anniversary on Aug. 15 during the Mass of the Assumption at St. Brigid's Church in Westbury.

In 2003, the society initiated a "Road to Success" program at St. Brigid's/Our Lady of Hope School for the purpose of helping students in the areas of reading and writing skills. During the Mass, Catherine Kilfoyle, 2nd vice president of the Society, presented a $2,000 check to Paul Clagnaz, principal of St. Brigid's/Our Lady of Hope School. The funds went toward starting the program.

The program takes place at the school and is taught by certified teachers in small group settings.

The Town of North Hempstead won a significant victory in the appellate division of the New York State Supreme Court on Aug. 21. A five-member panel ruled unanimously to uphold Judge Robert Roberto's decision, which affirmed the town's right to create district lines for the new ward system. The North Hempstead Republican leader, Peter Cavallaro, had filed suit to prevent the town board from drawing the new district lines, maintaining that this is the responsibility of the board of elections. When the lower court decision supported the town's position, Cavallaro appealed that decision.

In their decision, the judges stated: "Town Law 85 provides, in pertinent part, that after a proposition has been adopted in a town of the first class for the establishment of the ward system, the board of elections of the county in which the town sits shall divide the town into wards and fix the boundaries thereof. In 1987, Town of North Hempstead Code 15A-1 was enacted. That section provides, in pertinent part, that after a proposition has been adopted for the establishment of the ward system, the Town Board of the Town of North Hempstead shall divide the town into wards and fix the boundaries thereof. Contrary to the petitioner's contention, Town of North Hempstead 15A-1 is not pre-empted by the statutory criteria expressed in Town Law 85."

More than 1,050 voters went to the polls on Primary Day, Sept. 9, to select a Democratic candidate for the Town of North Hempstead's Council District 1, which includes some 36,000 residents in Carle Place, New Cassel, Old Westbury and Westbury.

Robert Troiano, Jr. of Westbury received 709 votes, defeating fellow resident and neighbor Regina Corbin, the Nassau County Democratic Committee's candidate of choice, who received 349 votes.

On Sept. 15, the Village of Westbury issued an ultimatum to the owners of the Westbury Theater. During a public hearing, Mayor Ernest Strada instructed Corrine Straehle, owner of the Post Avenue movie house, to begin fixing the building's leaking roof and loose shingles immediately or the village would do it themselves.

In a prepared statement, the village instructed the owners to "secure loose shingles and any hazardous areas of the existing roofing structure by the close of business on Sept. 17" or they would have the building's loose shingles and precarious roof areas secured, at the expense of the building owner.

Dr. Rudolph Henry Clark, Sr., a Westbury resident and dedicated community activist, passed away on Oct. 2, 2003 from complications due to cancer. He was 74 years old.

A resident of Westbury since 1963, Dr. Clark cared deeply about his community and was a tireless volunteer and activist for many educational and political organizations. He served as president of the Westbury NAACP and was the first black president of the Westbury Board of Education. Dr. Clark was also chairman of the board for Long Island OIC, chairman of the New Cassel Educational Center, a trustee for Briarcliffe College and district leader for the New Cassel Republican Party, as well as other organizations and charities.

The Nassau County Supreme Court awarded the Village of Westbury the authority to foreclosure on the Westbury Theater and place the property up for public sale. The decision came after a more than two-year legal battle between the village and Rod and Corrine Straehle, the current owners of the Post Avenue theater. The right to foreclose on the property was originally awarded to the village in 2002, but the village could not move forward until a decision on the safety and condition of the theater was rendered by the Appellate Court.

Residents of the Westbury School District approved a $28 million interest free bond Oct. 16. The bond will be used to financially support much-needed repairs and upgrades at the district's six buildings while saving taxpayers $29.3 million.

Awarded to the district earlier this year through the Qualified Zone Academy Bond program (QZAB), the funding is designed to help financially disadvantaged school districts save money and finance much-needed renovation and repair projects. This interest-free bond will save Westbury taxpayers over $16.3 million in interest payments over the 15-year life of the loan. Under the QZAB program, the district will pay no interest on the bond and the bondholders or investors will receive a tax credit in lieu of interest.

The QZAB program also requires a 10 percent collaborative contribution from Westbury's business community, and includes a $1 million commitment from the Spector Group, a North Hills-based architectural firm for goods and services, and a $3 million pledge from the National Education Foundation. In addition, the district will receive 46.5 percent New York State Building Aid on the bond, saving district taxpayers an additional $13 million over the life of the loan.

The Town of North Hempstead, the North Hempstead Community Development Agency and the Nassau County Economic Development Corporation issued a request for proposals for the development of seven sites in the unincorporated hamlet of New Cassel. The total development potential of the seven sites is approximately 375,000 square feet of new construction containing commercial/retail uses and accommodating up to as many as 250 residential units.

The goal is to transform New Cassel's suburban-sprawl type development pattern into a more pedestrian-friendly, walkable community. The Project Sponsors seek to provide a mix of retail stores, service related businesses, restaurants and workforce housing, along with an improved transportation infrastructure, pedestrian pathways and public green spaces throughout New Cassel's downtown.

To facilitate redevelopment of New Cassel, the North Hempstead Town Board has created and approved the New Cassel Urban Renewal Plan. The urban renewal plan introduces new "Smart Growth" initiatives that allow mixed-use development along Prospect Avenue and Union Avenue with design standards to create a cohesive and consistent visual context for the area. In addition, recent town zoning code changes will allow all of the contemplated uses to be developed as-of-right. Proposals were due Dec. 1, 2003.

United States Senator Chuck Schumer awarded Hofstra University an $11.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to improve middle school (MS) achievement in mathematics and science in 10 Long Island school districts, including the Westbury School District.

Hofstra will oversee the management and fiscal responsibility for this program and will work with the State University of New York at Stony Brook and the New York State Education Department to support the "The Math, Science and Technology Partnership (MSTP) Project: Mathematics Across the MST Curriculum."

Residents headed for the polls on Election Day 2003 to vote for their candidates of choice. The results were as follows:

In the Town of North Hempstead, Republican, Independence and Conservative candidate Frank Moroney was defeated by Jon Kaiman, the Democratic and Working Families candidate for town supervisor; Democratic and Working Families candidate Robert Troiano defeated Timothy O'Connell, who ran on the Republican and Independence Party lines, for District 1; and in the race for North Hempstead Town Clerk, Rhoda Becker, who ran on the Republican, Independence and Conservative Party lines, was unsuccessful in defeating incumbent Michelle Schimel, the Democratic and Working Families candidate. In addition, Rocco A. Iannerelli, the Democratic, Independence and Working Families candidate defeated Patricia A. Harrington, the Republican and Conservative Party candidate for Receiver of Taxes.

In the Town of Hempstead, Republican Kate Murray bested challenger Dorothy Goosby, a Democrat and current Hempstead Town councilwoman, to maintain her appointed post as supervisor; Mark Bonill was elected to his first full term as town clerk, defeating Democrat Kevin Gorman; and Receiver of Taxes Don Clavin held onto his seat, defeating Democrat Gerald Lamonica.

In the Nassau County Legislature, Democrats retained their 10-9 seat majority in the legislature. In the 2nd Legislative District, incumbent Roger Corbin was elected to his fifth consecutive term, defeating Republican newcomer Wanda Arroyo; Norma Gonsalves was returned to her seat in the 13th Legislative District, defeating Democrat Hope Schwartz Zimmerman; in the 15th District, Republican Incumbent Dennis Dunne Sr. defeated Democratic challenger John Clark; and in the 17th Legislative District, Edward P. Mangano, the Republican incumbent, defeated Democratic challenger Linda Burns-Gleason. In addition, voters elected Democrat Harvey Levinson over Republican incumbent Charles O'Shea.

Westbury Village officials' hopes that a public auction would have finally brought an end to a two-year legal battle involving the Post Avenue movie house were put on hold after two new court actions were issued just before the building went on the auction block. The auction was the result of an October ruling by the Nassau County Supreme Court in which the Village of Westbury was awarded the authority to foreclose on the Post Avenue theater and place the property up for public sale.

The first order, filed with the State Supreme Court in Mineola on Nov. 7 by FUNDCO - one of the named parties in the suit, claimed that the auction was not properly noticed. The order has since been withdrawn. The second court action was filed just prior to the scheduled auction when the theater owners, Rod and Corrine Straehle, filed for bankruptcy with the United States Bankruptcy Court.

The Nov. 10 public auction would have allowed for the theater and its adjoining property, which occupies an entire block in the heart of the village's downtown, to be sold to the highest bidder. The sale would have also enabled the village to recover all monies owed to them.

Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon and Nassau County Commissioner of Consumer Affairs Roger Bogsted announced charges against two gasoline stations for using deceptive practices to cheat customers.

Following complaints about the Liberty Station at 595 Union Avenue in Westbury, investigators made several trips to that station. Having noted on such visits that the button on the pump for 88 octane gas - which was $.10 more than the 87 octane "regular" gas - was so worn down that the paint on the face of the button was almost gone, the investigators were suspicious. During subsequent visits, investigators videotaped an attendant pushing the plus/88 octane' button on the pump rather than the 87 octane regular.

The Liberty station is being charged administratively by the Office of Consumer Affairs. The charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

In an effort to ensure that the US military men and women who fought so hard for his country's freedom get the recognition and respect they rightfully deserve, Plainview resident Gary Euikwon Kim, 44, a native of Korea, paid tribute to them through the language he knows best - art.

For two years, Kim, one the most well-known portrait and figurative artists in South Korea today, painted oil portraits of Long Island residents who served in the Korean War. The paintings, along with a wide array of Korean War memorabilia, uniforms, photographs and living history videos were available to the public during a three-week exhibit at the Chelsea Mansion at Muttontown Preserve. The exhibit was rightfully titled "Fifty Years Later: Portraits by Gary Euikwon Kim."

In the continuing effort to combat the on-line sexual exploitation of children, detectives from the Computer Crimes Section of the Suffolk County Police Department arrested five men, including 39-year-old Westbury resident Edwin J. Partridge, for allegedly soliciting children on line to engage in sex.

According to police, the suspects, independent of each other, actively and aggressively initiated and pursued on-line chats of a sexual nature with undercover detectives posing as children. The suspects allegedly each solicited the "children" to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct.

Partridge, who was arrested on Nov. 24, was charged with one count of attempted disseminating indecent material to minors - 1st degree. His screen name is MYT14U2

On Dec. 4, some 43 World War II and Korean War veterans from the 15th Assembly District received something they'd been waiting for almost their whole lives - a high school diploma. During the Operation Recognition Ceremony, which was held at Westbury Village Hall, local veterans from the 15th A.D. who served in all sectors of the military during World War II or Korea were recognized for their personal sacrifice of leaving high school prior to graduation and were presented with their respective diplomas.

While each veteran was presented with an actual high school diploma at the ceremony, some did not get diplomas from the high school they would have actually graduated from due to the fact that some high schools no longer exist or are now under different names.

For more information about Operation Recognition program or to learn if you qualify to receive your high school diploma, contact the New York State Education Department's Workforce Development Program Support Team in Albany at (518) 486-1547.

Alphonse J. Campbell, a 31-year resident of Westbury and Village of Westbury trustee, passed away on Dec. 8 from a heart attack caused by complications of advanced diabetes. Mr. Campbell, who was ill since October, would have celebrated his 69th birthday on Dec. 19.

Mr. Campbell led an extremely successful career in education and school administration. A resident of Westbury since 1972, Mr. Campbell was extremely involved on a local front. In addition to being appointed the village's first African-American trustee in 1990, Mr. Campbell was involved with the Sherwood Civic Association, the Greater Westbury Coalition, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Westbury United Methodist Church as well as the PTA, Nassau County Boy Scouts Association, Westbury Little League and Westbury Village Recreation Department, where he was a past commissioner of recreation.

Nassau County Assessor-Elect Harvey Levinson held a meeting in Floral Park for all Town of Hempstead residents on Dec. 10 to shed some light on the recent reassessment and what he describes as a "flawed process" that's got everyone utterly confused.

This was the first of several meetings he plans to hold as part of a listening tour to begin creating dialogue with residents. The tour includes five town hall meetings, like the one he held in Farmingdale for Town of Oyster Bay residents Dec. 11, throughout the county as well as additional meetings with the Nassau County chambers of commerce, Nassau County Village Officials Association and the Nassau County Superintendents Association.

Kenneth E. Little, 81, passed away on Dec. 18, 2003. Mr. Little and his wife Mildred, moved to Westbury in 1959 and in October 2003 celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Mr. Little was involved in many activities and had a strong sense of community and youth development, including the Boy Scouts, Little League and assisted in the formation of the Westbury-New Cassel Drum and Bugle Corps of which he assumed directorship until 1970. He was an active member of the 369th Veteran's Association, Memorial Post #1861 of the American Legion - New Cassel, the Tri-Communities Agency (EOC), the Progressive Civic Association of New Cassel of which he was co-president, and a board member of the New Cassel Environmental Justice Project, Inc.

Mr. Little was also a charter member of the New Cassel Kiwanis Club and served in an even greater capacity as Distinguished Lieutenant Governor of the Long Island North Division of Kiwanis. A member of St. Brigid's Church, Mr. Little was involved with the Catholic Interracial Council, the Parish Council and Pre Cana.