The Manhasset Public Schools officially welcomed 21 new educators to the
school community for the 2024-25 school year on Aug. 27.
With the support of district leadership, the new staff members participated in the annual orientation day at Manhasset Secondary School.
The day included a deep dive into the Manhasset Schools vision, mission and culture, as well as procedures, policies and other information to help facilitate a smooth transition starting on the first day of school.
With the future of the shellfish populations in Oyster Bay and Cold Spring Harbor at risk, Friends of the Bay strongly supports the Town of Oyster Bay’s proposed six-month moratorium on taking any action on formerly leased areas of the harbors in order to
conduct a study of current conditions.
On Sept. 30, the town’s 30-year lease of 1,830 acres of underwater land to Frank M. Flower and Sons expires.
Over those three decades, shellfish populations in the harbors have declined so drastically that the organizers of the annual Oyster Festival has been forced to import oysters in the
past few years.
These underwater lands have been continuously leased for 140 years with the method
and scale of harvesting intensifying over time.
Restoring the shellfish populations is not simple. To be successful, oysters and clams need not only a suitable bay bottom upon which to settle and survive, but they also need to be in proximity to other suitable areas where their larvae will settle and grow.
You need a sufficient density of shellfish to establish a healthy population. Potential areas for restoration must be tested for sufficient dissolved oxygen, proper pH levels, tidal flow and other factors.
And you need to find areas not prone to predators such as oyster drills and crabs.
The Town of Oyster Bay has responsibly taken actions to address the long-term health of the bays.
It applied for and received a nearly half-million-dollar grant to have Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences develop a plan for restoring the shellfish populations. (This is the same team that successfully restored Shinnecock
Bay’s population.)
The town also plans to construct a large-scale shellfish hatchery that could produce up
to 100 million shellfish seed annually and has another large grant that includes constructing oyster reefs in the bay.
Friends of the Bay also recently completed a study with Adelphi University that helps
determine where shellfish larvae have the best chance to settle and thrive. The town has also conducted shellfish population surveys, but not on the leased lands in question.
So nearly all of the pieces of the puzzle are in place, except for acquiring needed data on what may be the most promising area to restore the shellfish population – the underwater lands currently being leased.
The moratorium will allow the necessary studies to be conducted while still allowing independent baymen to continue harvesting in the areas outside the lease area where they currently work.
For the relatively brief period of the moratorium, no harvesting by anyone should be allowed in the formerly leased area to maximize the effectiveness
of the consultant’s study.
It is unlikely that there would be much shellfish to harvest on the leased lands in any case since Flower shut its hatchery in 2019 and stopped seeding the area several years ago while vigorously continuing to harvest what was left.
After the Oyster Bay Town Board hearing on the proposed moratorium Aug. 13, it is allowing the public to submit additional comments for 30 days.
We hope that others will contact town officials and urge them to proceed with this critical moratorium to ensure the long-term health of Oyster Bay and Cold Spring Harbor.
Bill Bleyer
President of Friends of the Bay
The New York Public Health and Health Planning Council Committee approved a new agreement between Northwell Health and Nuvance Health, making both healthcare systems one step closer to merging.
The agreement, called Agreement of Assurances, came six months after it was announced in February that Nuvance Health — headquartered in Danbury, Conn. — will join Northwell Health — headquartered in New Hyde Park — to form a new integrated regional health system serving communities across New York and Connecticut.
Under the agreement of assurances, signed by offices of the attorney general for both Connecticut and New York, Northwell Health agrees to several enforceable conditions for five years to maintain competition in the healthcare market and affordable access to healthcare.
The conditions, as stated in a release by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, include preserving, strengthening, and expanding women’s health services, including maternity and labor and delivery services at Sharon Hospital; committing financial and operational resources towards the installation of a unified electronic medical records system; and negotiating rates for reimbursement of services independently for Connecticut and New York facilities.
The purpose of the last statute is to enable employers, insurers, and other payors to keep costs from skyrocketing as healthcare systems consolidate.
“We are pleased to partner with the Connecticut and New York Offices of the Attorney Generals in developing an Agreement of Assurances, which identifies specific post-affiliation activities and commitments that will benefit the communities currently served by Nuvance Health,” Barbara Osborn, vice president of Public Relations at Northwell Health, said. “Under the Affiliation Agreement, Northwell has made a commitment to provide Nuvance Health with capital, expertise, and support to achieve long-term fiscal stability and make critical growth investments.”
Osborn said the agreement is a positive step toward Nuvance Health’s joining Northwell. It affirms the organizations’ common goal of strengthening and improving the health of the communities they serve.
“We deeply appreciate the invaluable support of our partners at Nuvance Health and the work of the offices of the Connecticut and New York Attorneys General,” Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health, said in a statement. “This agreement underscores our shared vision to expand and enhance affordable access to healthcare services for patients throughout western Connecticut and the Hudson Valley. We look forward to building on the world class care that Nuvance’s staff members and providers deliver each and every day.”
John Murphy, president and CEO of Nuvance Health, said Nuvance is very grateful for the support and collaboration with Northwell. He said he’s delighted to have reached this agreement with the Connecticut and New York attorney generals.
“This agreement represents continued confidence in our commitment to deliver safe, high-quality care that is affordable and accessible to our communities,” Murphy said in a statement. “With the resources and expertise that Northwell brings to the table, we are confident in our collective ability to strengthen, and eventually expand, the essential services that our Nuvance Health patients rely on today, contributing to healthy and thriving communities across western Connecticut and the Hudson Valley.”
The next step in the merger process is for this proposed affiliation to receive approval from the New York Public Health and Planning Council, which meets on Sept. 12. Then, it must also be approved by Connecticut’s Office of Health Strategy’s Certificate of Need regulatory process.
“We look forward to working with the New York State Department of Health and the Connecticut Office of Health Strategy to complete regulatory review and obtain the approvals that will allow us to close this transaction,” Osborn said.
Until the agreement is approved by both New York and Connecticut regulators, both organizations will continue to operate as they do today.
Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages (D – Valley Stream) joined the South Floral Park Fire Department and the community on Saturday, Aug. 24 for a wet-down ceremony celebrating the Department’s brand-new Engine 181.
“With all the new development coming to Belmont, it is more important than ever to support our local fire departments. We can do this by providing them with the resources they need to stay safe and attract and retain the volunteers who rush toward danger on a daily basis,” Solages said. “Having previously secured funding for this fire department to purchase essential safety equipment for its volunteers, I know this fire truck will be put to excellent use, and I congratulate Mayor Nyakya T. Brown, South floral Park Fire Chief Kevin Bellamy, and the entire community for making such a wise investment in the future of their Village.”
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is proposing an “Opportunity Economy” agenda where everyone has an equal opportunity to go as far as their talent, hard work, and ambition take them. Republican candidate Donald Trump is offering a Feudal Economy of nobles, vassals, and serfs, where the rich get to lord power over the working poor and middle class.
Harris’ idea is to build upon what Joe Biden’s historic, transformational presidency has already accomplished in building an economy “from the bottom up and the middle out”, founded on economic justice and inclusiveness. This has included significantly lowering costs to give families more breathing room: capping the cost of drugs and out-of-pocket payments for seniors which Harris hopes to expand to all; trying multiple times to forgive or reduce student debt (each time overturned by Republicans who are happy to take the PPP money and run); pressuring companies to get rid of junk fees costing consumers billions of dollars; promoting competition and prosecuting monopolistic practices and price-gouging, and expanding access and reducing the cost of health care as a right, not a privilege (Trump and Republicans are still vowing to repeal the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare until it became hugely popular).
Harris has been clear of how she hopes to implement her Opportunity Economy in her first 100 days:
Create affordable housing: Build 3 million new homes and create new tax incentives for builders who construct affordable units and starter homes; Prevent corporate landlords from colluding to raise rents; Block Wall Street investors from buying homes in bulk to resell at a premium or use as high-rate rentals; Provide $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers.
Lower grocery prices: Pass the first-ever federal ban on corporate price gouging on food and groceries; Take an aggressive approach to proposed mergers that reduce competition and hurt consumers among the biggest food producers (the two largest grocery chains in the US, Kroger, which admitted to price-gouging, wants to merge with Albertsons).
Cut health care costs: Expand the Biden administration’s landmark $35 price cap on insulin and $2000 annual limit on out-of-pocket drug costs secured for Medicare recipients to cover all Americans; expand the drugs with negotiated prices; Crack down on pharmaceutical companies that block competition; Work with states to cancel medical debt for millions of Americans; Expand subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans that would save health insurance customers an average of $700 on their premiums.
Build a fair tax code: Raise the Child Tax Credit to $3,600 per child for middle class and working families, and $6,000 for families with newborns; Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit for workers in lower-income jobs, cutting taxes by up to $1,250; Eliminate tax on tips for hospitality and service workers making less than $80,000.
(See details of her proposal: VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS LAYS OUT FIRST 100 DAYS AGENDA TO LOWER COSTS FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES)
Harris has also zeroed in on promoting small business with a plan that would set goal of 25 million new small business applications; increasing the startup expense tax deduction tenfold, from $5,000 to $50,000;
It is infuriating that no one asks Trump to discuss his economic plan – beyond hyperbolic statements – because he doesn’t actually know or care. But others have thought things out quite intensely, laying out their own 100-days of sweeping economic policy changes: Project 2025,
Trump has offered his solution to inflation (indeed every problem), which he promises he can get under control “very fast,” “immediately” is “drill baby drill” – even though the US is already energy independent, is one of the biggest exporters of fossil fuel and gas prices (which are set on a global market, not by the President) are the lowest in 3 years, at $3.36, and expected to continue to drop. Why don’t they ever ask Trump what eggs, milk and gas actually cost? Or even what inflation is? Yet Trump, who has said he should control the Fed instead of it function independently to keep inflation low (2% target) and employment full, attacks Harris’ proposal to enforce rules against price-gouging, monopolistic price fixing and promote competition as “Communist,” settling on a new derogatory nickname of “Comrade Kamala”
Trump’s big idea (wanting to sound tough on the rest of the world) to raise tariffs 10 or 20% (he hasn’t decided which number has the better ring) on all imports, from food to clothes and cars, and as much as 60 percent on imports from China, would be paid by American consumers, increasing costs (inflation) for families an average of $3,900 a year. His last foray into tough-guy tariffs cost taxpayers billions of dollars to bail out American farmers. He apparently still hasn’t learned how tariffs actually work.
Trump wants to extend his 2017 tax cuts that almost exclusively benefitted the richest individuals and corporations while literally screwing the middle class (capping the deductibility of state and local taxes in order to stick it to Blue States) that already has added $2 trillion to the national debt. That would work out to a handout of $3.5 million PER BILLIONAIRE each year to the top 0.1%, who already pay a tax rate averaging 8%, a fraction of what teachers, nurses, firefighters pay, through a tactic of buy-borrow-die (the five richest men on Forbes’ 2024 Billionaire list claim to earn $1 in salary, because their actual wealth is hardly taxed at all).
Meanwhile Trump wants to give big corporations which already saw their tax rate cut from 35% to 21%, further cut to 18% – a $1.5 trillion windfall that doesn’t “trickle down” but rather goes into stock-buy backs, CEO pay and shareholder dividends.
Indeed, Trump would also reverse Biden’s success at recouping unpaid taxes ($1.5 billion recovered this year) and make it easier for wealthy tax cheats (like him) to avoid paying what they owe.
Sixteen Nobel Laureate economists have said Trump’s policies would add $6 trillion to the national debt and kill 3 million jobs.
Harris believes billionaires and corporations should pay their fair share.
“Vice President Harris has made clear that building up the middle class will be a defining goal of her presidency,” her campaign stated. “She will deliver for Americans who are demanding a new way forward towards a future that lifts up all Americans so that they can not just get by, but get ahead.”
The Mineola School District welcomed 27 new members to the team for the 2024 to 2025 school year, including full-time teachers, student interns, and residents.
With the support of district leadership, the new staff participated in the annual
orientation day, which started at the Synergy building with a deep dive into the Mineola
mission and culture, as well as procedures, policies, and other information to help facilitate a smooth transition to the schools starting on day one. The team then boarded a school
bus and departed for a guided tour of the district’s school facilities.
English Language Learning Classes/Aprende Inglés with Vianna Calderon:
In-person class on Sept. 12, 19, and Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m.
Reiki With Kathleen Gunning:
Thursday on Sept. 12, 19, and 26.
Performing Arts Videocast: Berlin Opera Gala with Maestro Kent Nagano:
Sept. 13 at 11 a.m.
From the Director:
Please be aware that the NY Hall of Science will be closed from Aug. 26 to Sept. 10 due to the US Open, and the LI Children’s Museum will be closed from Sept. 9 to 27 for their fall cleanup. Passes to these museums will be unavailable during this time. The library is still distributing Covid-19 tests while supplies last. Please ask at the Reference Desk.
New titles added to the collection:
Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne
Shadow of Doubt by Brad Thor
True Gretch by Gretchen Whitmer
It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant
Art of Power by Nancy Pelosi
We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay (tips, Tales, Travels) by Gary Janetti
Scandalous Women by Gill Paul
Catherine, the Princess of Wales: A Biography of the Future Queen by Robert Jobson
No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeisgter
What a Fool Believes: A Memoir by Michael McDonald
Maria: A Novel of Maria Von Trapp by Michelle Moran
Kent State: An American Tragedy by Brian Van De Mark
Adult Programs:
Reiki on Sept. 19; Oct. 3 and 17; Nov. 7 and 21; Dec. 5 and 19 at 6 p.m. in the Assembly Room of Village Hall. $10 per person and per session.
Yoga on Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28; October 5, 12, 19, 26 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Assembly Room of Village Hall. $10 per person and per session. Bring a yoga mat, water bottle and towel. Wear comfortable clothes. Call the library (516) 742-1820 or email WillistonParkPrograms@gmail.com to register.
World Folk Music on Sept. 7 at 1:30pm in the Assembly Room of Village Hall. Enjoy Indian classical music and familiar folk songs. Call the library (516) 742-1820 or email WillistonParkPrograms@gmail.com to register.
Book Discussion on Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. in the Assembly Room of Village Hall and via zoom. Copies of Demon Copperhead are available at the Circulation Desk.
Ceramic Pumpkin Craft with Rosemarie Attard on Tuesday, Oct. 22 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in
the library. $15 material fee. Limited to 25 participants. Call the library (516) 742-1820 or email WillistonParkPrograms@gmail.com to register.
Senior ID Program on Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Assembly Room of Village Hall. Sponsored by the Nassau County Office for the Aging. Call the library (516) 742-1820 or email WillistonParkPrograms@gmail.com to register.
Tax Exemption Seminar on Thursday, Oct. 24 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the Assembly Room
of Village Hall. Sponsored by the Town of North Hempstead, the Receiver of Taxes, Mary Jo Collins, will show homeowners how to apply for important property tax exemptions. Reservations are not required but are recommended. To reserve your seat, email gounarisg@northhempsteadny.gov or call (516) 869-7800 and indicate the seminar you wish to attend.
Ceramic Christmas Ornament Craft with Rosemarie Attard on Tuesday, Dec. 17 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Library. $20 material fee. Limited to 25 participants. Call the library (516) 742-1820 or email WillistonParkPrograms@gmail.com to register.
Children’s Programs
STEM Magic on Sat., Sept. 14 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Children’s Room for all ages. Learn the science behind illusions! Call the library (516) 742-1820 or email WillistonParkPrograms@gmail.com to register.
Storytime with Miss Beth on Tuesdays from noon to 12:30 p.m. in the Children’s Room for
ages 3-5. Call the library (516) 742-1820 or email WillistonParkPrograms@gmail.com to register.
Adventures in Keyboarding on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Children’s Room for grades 1 through 4. Children will explore their musical talents on a floor keyboard. Limited to 12 participants. Call the library (516) 742-1820 or email WillistonParkPrograms@gmail.com to register.
SUNY Old Westbury welcomed a class of first-year students larger than ever before in its history on Aug. 26.
The 2024 to 2025 incoming class consists of 800 first-year students, representing nearly 10 percent growth over the 2023 to 2024 year and besting the campus’ previous peak of 751 in 2018.
“We’re excited to welcome more first-year students than we ever have before,” said Timothy E. Sams, president of SUNY Old Westbury, said. “We see this achievement as further proof that our academic offerings, coupled with a campus community focused on student success and our commitment to justice and equity, are the right fit for students who today want to be prepared for the work and world that lies ahead of them.”
Old Westbury’s new students were selected from a pool of nearly 7,800 first-year student applicants, an increase of more than 11 percent over the prior fall.
“This year’s record-breaking enrollment of first-year students continues the upward trend we’ve been experiencing in the post-pandemic era,” Bryan Terry, vice president for Enrollment Management and Marketing, said. “Our commitment to academic excellence, diverse and inclusive campus community, and innovative programs is resonating strongly with students and their families. These results affirm that our strategic initiatives and dedication to student success are proof that SUNY OW is a ‘first choice’ institution for all students interested in higher education.”
In addition to finding their way around campus and getting acclimated to their classes, this new group of students will participate together when SUNY Old Westbury holds its annual Fall Convocation for New Students at noon on September 11, 2024 in the Clark Athletic Center.
Discover Long Island, the region’s only accredited destination marketing organization, announced its new partnership agreement with UBS Arena and the New York Islanders Hockey Club on Aug. 15.
This partnership deal names DLI as the Official Domestic Tourism Partner of UBS Arena & the New York Islanders. The alliance between these organizations is set to enhance Long Island’s tourism landscape, driving economic growth and community engagement through collaborative efforts.
“We are incredibly excited to be joining forces with the home of one of the most storied franchises in the NHL,” Kristen Reynolds, president and CEO of Discover Long Island, said. “This collaboration with the Islanders and UBS Arena will be a game-changer for our region by providing unparalleled opportunities to showcase Long Island as a premier destination for sports, music and world-class entertainment to visitors from around the globe.”
This partnership aims to leverage the popularity of the New York Islanders and the cutting-edge facility of UBS Arena, to attract visitors, boost local businesses, and showcase Long Island’s unique attractions.
“We are pleased to partner with Discover Long Island to further highlight all the excitement at Belmont Park with the New York Islanders and UBS Arena,” Janet Duch, executive vice president of Marketing and Communication for the New York Islanders and UBS Arena, said. “We look forward to driving additional national and global awareness for our iconic brands with the support of DLI.”
As part of this partnership, Discover Long Island will work closely with the New York Islanders and UBS Arena on a range of initiatives, focusing on creating fan engagement, boosting brand awareness, and providing hospitality and unique experiences. These efforts aim to also promote all of Long Island’s diverse offerings throughout the year from beaches, vineyards, and parks, to world-class dining, historic mansions, and cultural landmarks.
The SUNY Old Westbury campus community gathered to unveil the university’s newest quality-of-life addition; a sleek and modern outdoor Fitness Court with a supporting mobile app.
The new Fitness Court at SUNY Old Westbury is an open-air wellness center that allows users to leverage their own body weight to get a complete workout. Created with adults of all ages in mind, it features seven different functional training stations that provide a full-body workout to adults of all ability levels. Featuring weather-resistant bodyweight equipment, the court is located outside the Campus Center building and is available for year-round use.
New users can also download the free Fitness Court App — a coach-in-your-pocket style platform — that transforms the outdoor gym into a digitally supported wellness ecosystem. The app, entitled “Fitness Court”, is available for iOS and Android.
“We’re excited to bring our campaign to make world-class fitness free to SUNY Old Westbury,” Mitch Menaged, founder of National Fitness Campaign, said. “The National FItness Campaign is happy to be part of a wellness network growing across the nation. With funding to reach 1,000 cities and schools by 2024, our Fitness Courts, free mobile app, classes and clinics are building healthy habits for millions of people.”
This capital project is a featured part of a 2022 initiative launched by National Fitness Campaign, a nationwide consulting organization that partners with cities and schools to plan, build and fund healthy infrastructure.
SUNY Old Westbury was selected from hundreds of applicants around the country to be awarded a $30,000 grant from the campaign to help support the development of the court.
The fitness campaign developed the trademarked seven-station system in 2012, hoping to inspire municipalities to transform public spaces into community fitness hubs. There are currently 100 active Fitness Court locations across the country.
Book Sale:
Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sept. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Fall Fest:
Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Walking Club:
Tuesdays, Sept. 3, 10, 17, and 24; Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
ARTS & CRAFTS:
Painting Class with George Black on Mondays, Sept. 9, 16, 23, and 30; Oct. 7, 14 from 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Bring Canson watercolor paper, watercolor paint set, round nylon watercolor paint brushes, and pastels. This painting program series will allow you to create a work of art to bring home.
Crocheting Club:
Mondays, Sept. 9, 16, 23, and 30; Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Instructor Jean Guelfide Schellumiel will teach participants how to make hand-crochet items. Limited materials available. Bring crochet thread, hook, and needle of your preference and enjoy crocheting and conversation.
Remembering 9-11:
Tuesday, Sept. 10 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. A presentation recalling the events of September 11, 2001, and a tribute to the memory of all 9-11 victims with guest speaker Meaghan Gray, daughter of fallen FDNY Firefighter Daniel Monahan.
Community Puzzle:
Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. to noon.
Bike Around Westbury:
Fridays, Sept. 13, 20, and 27; Oct. 4, 18, and 25 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Historical Society event: 1939 World’s Fair
Sunday, Sept. 15 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Curator Thom Hoffman will share ephemera collected by his father during his visit to the New York World’s Fair in 1939. The program will feature the award winning 1984 documentary film “The World of Tomorrow” narrated by Jason Robards, Jr. Registration required.
Sunday Concert Series: Marc Berger in Concert
Sunday, Sept. 29 from 2:30 pm to 4 p.m. Berger will perform songs from the album RIDE, which is a collection of songs all having to do with the romance of the American West. Registration is required.
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage:
LatinX Festival on Thursday, Oct. 10 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The opening ceremony will take place at the library.
Festival and Book Fair for Public at NCC Campus:
Saturday, Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is a 3-day event, showcasing the vibrant culture and creativity of the Latinx community.
Signs from Beyond Workshop with Maria D’Andrea:
Wednesday, Oct. 16 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Join Psychic Maria D’Andrea, MsD, D. D., DRH, DRS, author of more than 65 books on spirituality and the paranormal, for this Signs From Beyond Workshop.
Sunday Concert Series: Hispanic Heritage Concert with Daniel Moreno
Sunday, Oct. 20 from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature an enchanting, classical guitar concert celebrating the rich musical heritage of Latin America. Registration is required.
Women’s Health Cancer Initiative with Northwell Health and Adelphi University:
Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come join and be informed about early detection and some of the signs and symptoms of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer. Don’t miss this opportunity to save a life! Registration is required.
Defensive Driving
For english, Saturdays, Sept. 28; October 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For Spanish, Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This six-hour class is taught at the Library, and is open to all age groups. Call the Empire Safety Council at (631) 664-0652 to register. Fee is $33. Class limit is 35. Payment must be made to reserve a seat. Any questions that you have about the class, contact the Empire Safety Council directly.
