Bideawee Opens New Prevention Wellness Facility

Quarantine facility will increase number of adoptable pets

Bideawee, one of the country’s oldest animal welfare organizations, opened its new Prevention and Wellness Satellite (PAWS) Program at its Wantagh Campus at 3300 Beltagh Avenue, for pets on March 30. The innovative and cutting-edge PAWS program is the first of its kind in the metro New York area and will consolidate and centralize short-term isolation and care of all incoming cats and dogs to the Bideawee adoption centers in Manhattan and Westhampton.

President and Chief Executive Officer Nancy Taylor said, “This is cutting edge, no body else that we know of has a system like this.” She said Bideawee’s goal by introducing this new program is to increase adoptable animals in their system by 10 percent and decrease operation costs and to decrease Bideawee’s medical costs by having all animals needing specialized care to be centrally located and being taken care of one specially trained team.

Nassau County Continues Empire State Games Traditions

In 2011, New York State eliminated all funding for the Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged and Nassau County returned for the second year to help preserve and maintain the games.

“The young student athletes who are able to participate in the weekend of events are truly inspirational to watch,” County Executive Ed Mangano said. “As you see them cross the finish line, you see the smiles on their faces and tears of joy in their eyes. For one weekend, they get to compete with their friends from across New York State, share their stories and continue to build long-lasting friendships.”

Senators Announce $138 Million To Advance New Republic Train Station

LIRR second track project ahead of schedule

Despite a passing rain shower, Blue Angels’ practice flights and commercial air traffic overhead, Senate transportation committee chairman, Senator Charles Fuschillo, Jr. was joined on Friday, May 24 at Conklin Street and Fairchild Loop in Farmingdale by Senator Owen Johnson, Senator Lee Zeldin, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) President Helena Williams and many other local officials and union representatives to announce that work is about to begin on the LIRR’s second track project and redevelopment of the Republic train station.

Fuschillo said confidently, “Bringing jobs to Long Island will get our economy back,” creating more than 300 direct jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs in the region. He said the expansion and redevelopment would also promote economic development.

Blue Angels Grace Long Island Skies

Skywatchers get previews through week leading to air show

On Friday, May 25 many air show enthusiasts gathered on the boardwalk at Jones Beach State Park for the official announcement of the performance lineup for the Bethpage Air Show that took place over the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Representatives were on hand for a meet-and-greet from the Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds, the United States Air Force F-22 Raptor team, the GEICO Skytypers, and perhaps one of the most fascinating and most inspiring teams, the United States Navy Blue Angels.

Farmingdale Honors War Dead

On Monday, May 28, the Village of Farmingdale held its annual Memorial Day parade down Main Street. Members of the local veterans’ organizations, fire department, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, local officials, and residents gathered dutifully for the somber ceremonies to honor the nation’s war dead.

Final Resting For 62 Unclaimed Cremains At LINC

Spanish-American War veteran among those honored

On Saturday, May 19 the Long Island National Cemetery (LINC) became the final resting place for the ashes of 62 unclaimed veterans, along with some of the cremains of family members. Dozens of Patriot Riders, police escorts, the Shields Pipe Band, and the Joint Color Guard of Fort Hamilton escorted the hearses containing the remains from their respective funeral homes, to an assembly location off the expressway, and finally to the cemetery.

The procession passed through nearly a dozen “arches of honor,” where American flags fly high between two fire engines with ladders extended, along Wellwood Avenue in East Farmingdale, performed by many of the local fire departments.

Special Veteran Memorial Mass For MIA

1 p.m. - Saturday, May 26 at Saint Patrick’s

Sgt. William Kevin Colwell and five other Vietnam War servicemen have been MIA, but not forgotten since 1965.

This weekend, a special service will celebrate the fact that their remains have recently been discovered all these years later. Finally, the men will receive a military burial at Arlington and their families will have closure.

On Saturday, May 26, at 1 p.m., residents are invited to Saint Patrick’s Church in Glen Cove for a local memorial mass that will precede the Arlington ceremony to be held by the Air Force on July 9.

Farmingdale School Budget Passes; Incumbents Re-elected

Neighboring school districts also pass

On Tuesday, May 15, Farmingdale School District residents took to the polls at Howitt Middle School, resulting in an approved 2012-13 school budget with the breakdown being 1,787—yes, and 896—no. This year’s budget offered to voters totaled  $150,567,160. The district’s budget-to-budget increase is 1.82 percent more than last year.

Celebration Kicks Off Play Space For All Children In ‘Heart’ Of County

All-Inclusive children’s playground opens in Eisenhower Park

The grand opening of the fully accessible park and playground in Eisenhower Park, Field 4, the Let All The Children Play (LATCP) project, was highly anticipated, and met with great praise from those in attendance at the Friday, May 4 ribbon cutting ceremony.

Some of the local officials included Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano, Adam Weingarten, Michael Alon, chairman and founder of LATCP; David Weingarten, vice chairman of LATCP; Assemblymen Harvey Weisenberg, Tom McKevitt and Ed Ra; Nassau County legislators Denise Ford, Rose Walker and Dave Denenberg. Also in attendance were representatives of the environmental bond act needed to move forward with the ground breaking of the playground project, and corporate sponsor, Astoria Federal Savings President/CEO Monte Redman.

Exclusive: Dozens More Veterans’ Names Released For Cremains Burial May 19

(Editor’s Note: This is an extended list of the cremains to be interred on Saturday, May 19 at the Long Island National Cemetery. The original exclusive article appeared in the Friday, April 27 edition of the Farmingdale Observer and online at www.antonnews.com.)

On Saturday, May 19, Long Island veteran organizations and funeral homes are set to give proper military burials to more than 50 unclaimed veterans’ cremated remains.