Six council members were inducted into the six individual districts within the Town of Hempstead. Among those installed was Garden City resident Joseph Kearney, who serves in the second councilmatic district.

The division of the town, which is the largest township in the United States, into six districts came about as the result of a lawsuit which claimed that the at-large voting system the town previously used was racially discriminatory.

The second district includes Garden City, Garden City South, Stewart Manor, West Hempstead, Elmont, Franklin Square, Floral Park and Bellerose. Nassau County Party Chairman Joseph Mondello, a former presiding supervisor for the town, swore Kearney, a Republican who has been on the town board since 1989, into office.

Bethany LeSueur, a former Garden City High School senior, broke the girls' basketball scoring record for Long Island in front of a packed high school gym. LeSueur needed only 15 points to break the record that Nicole Kaczmarski of Sachem set two years prior. LeSueur surpassed the record during the first half of the game. She left the Long Island girls' scoring record at 2, 597 by the end of the game. The Village of Garden City was awarded first place in the Best and Most Effective Overall Downtown Alive Effort category in the Downtown Alive awards competition, sponsored by the Nassau County Village Officials Association (NCVOA). The NCVOA is comprised of 64 incorporated villages representing nearly 450,000 residents. It created the annual Downtown Alive program to acknowledge the efforts of Nassau County villages that are revitalizing their downtown retail areas. The competition featured an independent judging of entries in four categories for programs implemented during the prior year. DiNapoli, Suozzi Face Off

When he addressed the Rotary Club of Manhasset, Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli said that in his re-election he had his best numbers ever. He even improved his numbers in traditionally Republican Manhasset. Perhaps heartened by that success, DiNapoli announced his plans to seek the Democratic nomination for county executive. As a result, he resigned as head of the Nassau Democratic Party.

Before an enthusiastic crowd of more than 500 people standing in the street in front of Glen Cove's City Hall and Courthouse Building, Tom Suozzi, Glen Cove's four-term mayor, finally made the county's longest running open secret official. He announced his plans to seek the Democratic nomination for county executive.

The nominating committee of the Garden City Estates Property Owner's Association officially announced that they selected James Costello as their candidate for village trustee. He challenged John Mauk, who currently occupies the seat and was appointed by then-Mayor Harold Hecken, after his name has been submitted via petition. A runoff election between the two took place Jan. 30.

Kathy Seifried, chair of the nominating committee of the Estates POA, met several candidates not only for trustee but for mayor and school board trustee as well. The committee also selected Deputy Mayor Robert Lewis as candidate for mayor and Colleen Foley as candidate for school board trustee.

The damage to the tennis bubble at Community Park was a topic of discussion at various village meetings. As word came in that the damage to the structure was more extensive than the Recreation Department had thought, the Recreation Commission's tennis subcommittee sped up their process of making recommendations with regard to a replacement for the bubble. All the hanging lights were smashed, seven or eight good-sized tears were in the interior fabric, the net posts and supporting posts were damaged and the nets themselves were in a "sorry state of repair." The damages were incurred during a high windstorm.

As two Nassau County Democrats announced their intention to vie for the position of county executive, the nine Republican legislators made it clear, at a press conference, that they would not support Thomas Gulotta if he chose to run for a fifth term as the county's leader.

Under Gulotta's administration, Nassau had been downgraded to the lowest bond rating of any county in the state, was brought to the verge of bankruptcy until a state advisory board intervened, departments had become barely functional and department heads collectively had not met with the chief executive in over four years.

Michelle Cotter and Linda Mulrooney, both teachers at Stratford Avenue School, were each awarded separate mini-grants from the Nassau TRACT Teacher Center. Both teachers were honored in late spring and their projects were displayed at the TRACT Mini Grant Fair.

Cotter's project, Illustrated Classics Read-Along, was intended to strengthen students' reading skills as they access text using a multi-sensory approach. Mulrooney's project, The Garden City Legacy: A Working Textbook, Media Production and Historic Timeline, was carried out by her fourth grade Quest students and was designed to create materials that provided students with a better understanding of the legacy of their local community.

With less than 700 residents of the Estates section of the village turning out to vote and approximately two dozen people on hand to hear the results, Trustee John Mauk won the runoff election. Mauk won with 359 votes while his opponent, James Costello, received 302 votes.

At a board of directors meeting of the Garden City Chamber of Commerce, Bertram Donley, president of the Chamber since May 1999, passed the gavel to Ross Mongiardo. The 2001 nominating committee, composed of several past presidents and several board members, proposed Mongiardo as a candidate to serve the full two-year term.

A Garden City resident, Mongiardo is president of a financial services firm located on Franklin Avenue. A certified financial planner, he also holds the prestigious Charted Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) professional designations from the American College.

The Village of Garden City once again fought against Simon Properties' application to the Town of Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals to expand the Roosevelt Field Mall even further beyond the allowable Floor Area Ration (FAR). A public hearing was held Feb. 22 at the Town of Hempstead Hall. The application came two years after the Board of Appeals denied Simon's last attempt to expand the mall.

Village officials, with the help of the Eastern Property Owner's Association, organized a group made up of village officials, school board members, the Chamber of Commerce, property owner's associations and other concerned village residents, to voice their objections. The village objected to the expansion based primarily on the impact it would have had on the traffic and environment of surrounding communities.

For 16 years Pete O'Neill was a fixture on Seventh Street. Whether it was manning a booth for Continental Bank or the Garden City Lions at the Fall Street Fair, struggling to form a consensus about parking regulations in 7S or helping a local business arrange financing, O'Neill made his presence known within the village.

Back in 1998 nightly newscasts were filled with scenes of refugees fleeing Kosovo. As O'Neill watched from his living room, he began to wonder what the lives of these people had been like in the days, weeks and months before the conflict began. It was then that the seeds of a story were planted in O'Neill's mind that ultimately blossomed into the full-fledged novel, Grey Wolves Howling.

His debut novel wove together a refreshing plot grounded in one of the greatest tragedies. Grey Wolves Howling traces the life of a fictional character, Garyk Gadayav, from the mid-'70s to 1996. His life is shaped by the extraordinary events that took place within the Soviet Union during that time. Although O'Neill may not have had first-hand experience with specific events, such as the war in Afghanistan, his own life experiences when he was wounded and nearly killed in Vietnam certainly played a part in the development of this story.

The public forum to discuss the village planning commission's parking study drew a large crowd, with 37 people speaking either in favor of completing the Park Buffer Strip Plan of 1959 or vehemently opposed to turning residential property into public parking.

Among those who spoke at the forum were Althea Robinson, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce; Nick Episcopia on behalf of the Eastern Property Owner's Association; James Murphy, a Sixth Street resident; Gregory Moore, a Wyndham resident and former member of the Central Property Owner's Association (CPOA); Pat DiMattia, a CPOA director; Gregory Hesterberg, a Ninth Street resident; and Maureen Clancy, a former village board member.

Villages throughout Nassau County saw their share of $250,000 in county sales tax revenue, which was a part of the 2001 budget, passed by both the Democratic and Republican caucuses of the Nassau County Legislature, including County Executive Thomas Gulotta. Garden City, with a population of approximately 21,686, received $12,601.

The initiative came about as a result of a bipartisan effort and divided the money among the 64 villages based upon population in 1990, the last census available.

In an effort to uphold its commitment to support leading edge cancer research, the Garden City-based Miracle Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant to Bert Vogelstein, MD, one of the nation's foremost cancer clinicians and researchers. Vogelstein has made landmark discoveries in finding the genetic underpinnings of this dreaded disease and is personally committed to finding a cure for cancer.

The Miracle Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the work of individuals and organizations that can relieve the discomfort and hardship of those afflicted with cancer.

A new political party was created in the Village of Stewart Manor. The Village Party had been formed to challenge the Unity Party, which formerly was the sole party. The Village Party, in the March election, offered a slate of four candidates: Joseph Troiano for mayor; John Egan for trustee; Kenneth Ruff for trustee; and Joanne Chevallier for village justice.

Over 100 residents and 27 Garden City High School lacrosse players urged the board of education to name William "Doc" Dougherty as their coach for the 2001 spring season.

Though Dougherty had been coach for that team since 1974 and led them in 10 Nassau championships and four state championships, he was removed from his duties as a physical education teacher and coach in December. According to reports, Dougherty was removed from his duties because he allegedly verbally abused a high school student.

Garden City Public Schools and Dougherty reached a settlement; appropriate discipline was accepted along with other remedial actions and Dougherty was assigned to be the 2001 spring season lacrosse coach. He was also able to resume his teaching responsibilities.

Jon Segerdahl ran for the position of village trustee in the village election, held March 20. The 10-member nominating committee of the East nominated him. Segerdahl replaced Hal Hecken, who had just completed a two-year term as mayor of the village. He's resided in Garden City for more than 25 years.

In a court battle that began over three years ago by four residents who claimed that the village's plan to lease a portion of the St. Paul's property for an assisted living facility was in violation of the stated intent of the village's purchase of the property, Judge John Burke found in favor of the plaintiffs.

James and Helen Kenny and Lawrence and Barbara Rafferty brought about the suit, which asked the judge to rule on three actions. The first portion of the suit sought a declaration that the village's lease of a portion of the property acquired by the village in 1993 "for village purposes, including recreational purposes," constitutes an illegal alienation of public trust property. Through this declaration, the village would not be able to sell or lease the property without approval from the state legislature.

The second action sought to claim that the property had been effectively dedicated as public park property and therefore could not be sold or leased without the approval of the state legislature. In the third action, the plaintiffs requested that if the judge did not find either of the first two declarations to be true, that any lease by the village have an "out clause" whereby the village could take back the property "if an unanticipated need develops."

Because Judge Burke did find against the village with regard to the public trust designation, the third action was "moot."

The capital improvement project, which began in the Garden City School District in 2000, brought about two celebrations in March. A groundbreaking was held at the middle school to signify the beginning of construction there while residents came out in droves to celebrate the near completion of the Stratford School project during a grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony. Calling the Town of Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals' 1999 decision not to allow Simon Properties to expand Roosevelt Field Mall even further beyond the allowable Floor Area Ration (FAR) "arbitrary and capricious," the Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division: Second Judicial Department ordered the board to conduct an Environmental Conservation (SEQRA) review and reconsider the application.

It was a clean sweep for the newly formed Village Party in the March election, with one of the best voter turnouts Stewart Manor had ever seen. For decades, the Unity Party has run the village, unchallenged, until the Village Party was formed in an effort to change the way Stewart Manor operates. The slate of candidates for the Village Party included Joseph Troiano for mayor; Joanne Chevallier for village justice; and John Egan and Kenneth Ruff for village trustee.

Troiano defeated Unity Party mayoral candidate John O'Keefe; Chevallier defeated Phil Milone; and Egan and Ruff received 534 and 527 votes respectively, earning the two open trustee seats over Unity Party candidates Susan Donahue and Peter Genova.

Family, administrators, faculty and staff gave a farewell celebration for Dr. Charles Planz. Everyone enjoyed a fabulous dinner as well as a hilarious skit that highlighted Dr. Planz's 27-year career in the district. He left to become the superintendent of schools of the Smithtown School District. During its 75th anniversary meeting and dinner dance, the Garden City Chamber of Commerce saluted Linda Leone as Garden City's "Citizen of the Year" for 2001. Leone was the 31st recipient of this prestigious award and her service to Garden City as former trustee, board of education president, as well as other leadership roles, was recognized. The Village of Garden City's annual organizational meeting was an opportunity for residents, trustees and members of the staff to welcome two new trustees as well as commend outgoing Mayor Harold Hecken for his years of service to the community. The Village of Garden City approved an $850,000 bond to construct a building to house tennis courts at the Community Park on Cherry Valley Avenue. The bond resolution was subject to a permissive referendum.

There is nothing perhaps more frightening than finding out that a person entrusted with your children is not necessarily who they appear to be. Rather, that person, a high-ranking school official, has a complex persona with a particularly unusual and somewhat disturbing fetish.

David D'Amato, former West Hempstead High School assistant principal and Garden City resident, pled guilty in federal court in Massachusetts to federal charges of computer fraud and abuse. He was charged with violating the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by intentionally accessing, without authorization, and doing damage to the computer systems of Suffolk University in Boston and Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

At the change of plea hearing, federal prosecutor Jeanne Kempthorne told the court that D'Amato had launched "email bombs," a denial-of-service attack, on Suffolk University, Drexel University in Philadelphia and James Madison University as well as numerous individuals over a three-year period beginning in 1997. D'Amato's actions, according to Kempthorne, caused computer systems to crash and deprived thousands of students, faculty and other users of computer access.

D'Amato's guilty plea to two misdemeanor charges only scratched the surface of the case. Beneath the guilty plea lied a set of circumstances that can surely be classified as bizarre. Through an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), D'Amato had been linked to a female persona named "Terri DiSisto" with an obsession for videos of college-aged males being tickled.

At its 75th annual meeting and dinner dance, Bertram Donley, a partner in Garden City Properties, Inc., received the Chamber of Commerce's Community Achievement Award for 2001. The Chamber acknowledged Donley's all-out involvement in a myriad of community and business activities. Members and guests of the Mineola-Garden City Rotary Club gathered in fellowship to honor former mayor John McGowan, the tenth recipient of the Maurice J. and Kay Kirby Award. Established in 1991, this prestigious honor is a tribute to the memory of Maurice Kirby - his spirit of volunteerism and commitment to community. It also honors Kirby's wife, Kay, who has herself devoted many years of volunteer service to the Village of Garden City. Interestingly, former Mayor John "Jack" McGowan served as mayor from 1989-1991 when Maurice Kirby served as village trustee. With his long list of various services to Garden City, McGowan more than fulfilled the criteria to receive the award.

The Village Board of Trustees unanimously passed Local Law 1-2001, a zoning code change, which received a strong reaction at an earlier public hearing. The vote on that item had been deferred twice, most recently because two new trustees were not yet on the board when the public hearing took place. The strongest reaction to the proposed change had to do with the fact that a recreational vehicle (RV) could not be stored on a resident's property.

Edward Tachhi, a longtime village resident and only owner of a RV in the village, brought in a petition signed by his neighbors stating they had no objection to his RV. Many residents, some of who did not even know Tachhi, spoke out in support of the board amending the law to make allowances for Tachhi's vehicle.

The new law only pertained to those vehicles that are 20 feet in length. RVs, boats and trailers 20 feet or below may still be parked in village driveways.

Garden City school board members adopted a carefully pruned school budget. Board members had directed the administration to scrutinize the proposal carefully and make every effort to reduce costs during an earlier board meeting. The original proposal totaled $62,068,484 and would have produced a 13.06 percent tax hike. After careful consideration, the administration cut $1,033,808 out of the budget, reducing it to $61,034,676. Dr. Stephen Leitman, superintendent of schools, discussed reasons why a portion of the proposed cuts had to go back for revision and ultimately, why the administration opted to reinstate $253,000 of the original reduction.

He asked that $40,000 be put back in the budget for research and development; $180,000 be put back to hire additional teachers; and $23,000 be put back in for health insurance and staff benefits that results from the hiring of additional teachers. The final figures totaled $61,287,676; $43.34 per $100 of assessed valuation; and an 11.64 percent increased tax rate. Despite the several reductions and additions, residents appeared in favor of the final proposal.

Two new trustees, Peter Negri and John Segerdahl, were inducted for their first term as village trustees. Negri, who is one of two trustees from the Central section of the village, is no stranger to Garden City; he has resided in the village since 1975. Negri considered it a privilege to be able to serve the community where he and his wife reside and have raised their three children.

Segerdahl said his first goal as trustee was to bring himself up to speed about all the issues facing the village. Though recognizing the inner workings of the village was initially new to Segerdahl, involvement in village activities was not. A resident for over 25 years, he remained active throughout. Describing the village process as "interesting," he said, "I think the Village of Garden City has a unique form of government that, I think, works very well. It is a form of government that encourages a lot of participation on a grassroots level..."

Garden City Village Trustee John Mauk, though no longer the board's liaison to the St. Paul's Committee, reported the committee sent out a Request for Proposals (RFP) to three qualified architects. The proposals requested that these architects present their proposals to undertake a study regarding the conversion of St. Paul's for municipal use. According to Mauk, cost estimates of how much the conversion of the building to municipal use would cost was a key committee request.

Tom DiNapoli was officially the Democrats' choice for Nassau County executive come the November election. DiNapoli came out way on top at the Nassau County Democratic Party Convention this past May, defeating opponent Tom Suozzi with 65 percent of the votes. But even before the convention convened, Suozzi said no matter what happened that evening he would enter the September primary.

The final tally, at the end of the long evening at the convention held at Nassau Community College, was 1,061 votes for DiNapoli and 576 votes for Suozzi. There were 10 abstentions.

Republican Bruce Bent received the Republican nomination for county executive at the party's convention in May. Bent, taking a moment to compose himself after the visible show of support, then addressed the crowd, saying he was a businessman not a politician. "I've done reasonably well in handling financial situations, of being a fiduciary, of looking after other people's money and taking care of it as if it were my own. I'd like to do the same for the people of Nassau."

Garden City residents received general information and offered feedback regarding the idea of Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) during a public hearing with a state-mandated advisory board. The meeting enabled the advisory board to introduce the idea of UPK to residents as well as their opinions on whether or not such a program is necessary.

The board made a recommendation to the board of education to either pursue the idea of UPK or not. Although not state-mandated, the program aims to provide 4-year-old children with universal opportunity to access pre-K programs that provide curriculum and activities appropriate to the age level and individual needs of eligible children. New York State adopted the UPK program into law in August 1997.

After 40 years in direct service to Hofstra University, 25 as president, Dr. James Shuart, an alumnus of the school and a longtime Garden City resident, ended his tenure at the helm of the college.

Looking back, Shuart said he's very pleased with the wonderful learning environment that has been created for the students and faculty at Hofstra over the last quarter of the century. He notes that when he first began as president of the university, he read about how Thomas Jefferson, in establishing the University of Virginia, demanded that anything and everything put into the university's plan must contribute to the educational purpose, a philosophical approach Shuart also adopted.

He also noted that when he first became president of the university, the Mitchel Field area still existed north of Hempstead Turnpike, with Hofstra only having six towers, a gym and a student center. As Hofstra built up that property, Shuart said he did everything he could to turn the land from an abandoned airport to the beautiful campus that now exists.

Both Sides Speak Out at Property Condemnation Hearing

Those for and against the condemnation of the 100 easterly feet of 114 Sixth Street, a portion of the Gardner property, which the village would use to convert to parking and a 50-foot buffer strip, spoke out at a June public hearing. Several opponents of the plan called for the board of trustees to put the matter up as a referendum to be voted on by the residents. Eminent domain procedure law required the hearing.

During a June work session of the board of education, the Universal Pre-K advisory committee, based on current information, including factors considered and the public hearing comments, did not recommend the UPK program for the 2001-02 school year. In addition, future consideration of a UPK program in which state funding is available should be preceded by a needs assessment survey done in collaboration with Adelphi University. For the third year in a row, Garden City High School's Girls' Lacrosse Team, led by Coach Debbie Russell, had been crowned New York State Champions after defeating Penn Yan 17-6 in the finals on June 9. At the June 18 board of education meeting, board members and the superintendent recognized Linda Leone for her overwhelming contribution to the education of the children in Garden City in her role as board of education president. Leone received a framed citation while residents like Mort Yuter applauded Leone's sensitivity and generosity in giving so many hours to the district and to improving educational programs. In an effort to restore the historic St. Paul's building, the Garden City Village Board approved an architectural engineering firm, recommend by the Mayor's Committee on St. Paul's, to serve as consultants and make recommendations for municipal uses for the 48-acre property. The Garden City High School Alumni Fund Association was founded by the Class of 1969 during preparations for their 30th reunion. The fund grew quickly and was joined by members and support from additional class reunions, including the Class of 1949, 1950 and 1970. Jennifer Rodman was the fund's first $1,000 scholarship recipient. A primary criterion for the scholarship was academic excellence and service, both to the school and community.

In June, 228 students graduated from Garden City High School. The Class of 2001 had been cited for their academic excellence - over 98 percent went on to the college level; 89 percent graduated with a Regent's diploma and a large number of students took Advanced Placement (AP) courses and achieved high scores.

Guest speaker Jack White described the Class of 2001 as a "terrific class in every sense. This class has shown respect for their school, teachers, administrators, staff members and for each other. Differences in learning ability, gender, race, creed and financial status seem to mean very little to the Class of 2001..."

Long Island bar owners and local law enforcement officials gathered for the first time in July to announce the formation of Bar Owners Against Drunk Driving (B.A.D.D.), an organization created to ensure safer highways during the holidays and throughout the year.

Brian Rosenberg, B.A.D.D. president and manager of the Garden City nightclub Blu welcomed Nassau County Police Commissioner William Willett, Public Safety Committee Chairperson and Nassau County Legislator Lisanne Altman, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) Coordinator Marge Lee, Garden City Police Commissioner Ernest Cipullo amongst many others.

Back in 1999 when Blu was known as The Dalinger in The Garden City Hotel, Rosenberg created D.A.D. (The Dalinger Against Drunk Driving). Despite the program's success, Rosenberg said it wasn't enough.

"When we unfortunately lost my assistant's niece in February of 2000 to a drunk driver, that hit home for us and made us realize D.A.D. wasn't enough. Blu Against Drunk Driving wasn't enough either because it wasn't going to make an impact on what we're trying to do," he said. "We changed Blu Against Drunk Driving to Bars Against Drunk Driving."

Garden City resident Margaret Gilman, one of approximately 1,800 women who served this nation in its struggle to overcome the Axis powers some 60 years ago, was honored for her work flying fighters and bombers during World War II.

Gilman is a surviving member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (W.A.S.P.), who flew some of the "hottest" planes of the war from factories like Republic Airport in Farmingdale to ports around the country before being shipped off to the front lines. Gilman was among many women who trained male pilots, gunners and navigators, preparing them for air combat overseas. Denied even the basic military benefits by a War Department hostile to the concept of women in the cockpit, some 38 W.A.S.P. lost their lives during their tours of duty.

More than 50 years later, Gilman was one of a handful of surviving members on hand at the American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport in Farmingdale to receive the New York State Conspicuous Service Award for actions during the war.

The Garden City Board of Education appointed three new administrators: Dr. Marylou McDermott - assistant superintendent for instruction and personnel; John Powell - assistant superintendent for Business; and Nancy Maher Maxwell - director of pupil personnel. All of these positions officially began July 2. The board of trustees voted 7 to 1 in favor of renewing its franchise agreement with Cablevision. Jeffrey Clark, franchise management director for Cablevision, said the agreement includes providing public access programming, including free studios, equipment and training. The agreement also provides free service to schools, libraries, police and fire departments, village halls, again allowing access so that anyone in the community can come in and watch a program if they didn't have access to it at home. In a move Garden City school administration felt confident would work because it had in the past, two first-grade classes moved from Homestead School to Stratford School to eliminate overcrowding problems. The migration, according to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stephen Leitman, was the most educationally sound solution in keeping class size down. By adding a class in both kindergarten and first grade at Homestead School and moving the two first-grade classes to Stratford School, kindergarten students per class decreased from 22 to 18.4 students and first-grade students per class decreased from 25 to 21 students.

After negotiating with Garden City's Cathedral of the Incarnation for four years, The Konner Development Corporation of Bridgehampton purchased St. Mary's on Cathedral Avenue for an undisclosed price. The former village's school for girls, which had been vacant for years, will soon be the site of eight new "traditional Garden City homes," according to Corp. President Carol Konner. The Konner Development Corporation sealed the deal during a closing July 19.

Robert Schoelle, village administrator, said although the village lost a landmark building, eight new homes would significantly improve the property since the building has been derelict for quite a number of years.

A usual ride to summer camp turned into chaos for area school children when two mini school buses collided at the intersection of Meadbrook and Newmarket Roads in Garden City July 23. Several children and the two bus drivers suffered minor injuries and one boy, suffering a serious head injury, was airlifted to a nearby hospital.

Police custodialized four Garden City teenagers, three boys and one girl, charging the juveniles with third-degree arson in the St. Mary's fire that seriously damaged the former girls' school in June of 2000. All four arrests were made at Garden City Police headquarters.

Published reports said the teens broke into the vacant school, which became a frequent hangout spot for them, and experimented with several types of firebomb, including delayed reaction incendiary devices, according to Fire Investigator Eugene Pietzak of the Nassau County Fire Marshal's Office.

Just after 4 a.m. June 21, 2000, a Garden City police officer, smelling smoke in the air, discovered a fire raging in the upper floor of a wing of the abandoned building. More than 130 firefighters battled the blaze, preventing the fire from breaching the main building.

Saks Fifth Avenue showed no interest in relocating to Garden City's Roosevelt Field Mall. The Manhattan retailer told mall officials they decided to remain at their Franklin Avenue location in the village's beautified downtown strip, with the likes of Lord & Taylor, its neighbor one block south.

Althea Robinson, the Chamber of Commerce's executive director, said the chamber was very happy to hear the news. "It was their coming to Franklin Avenue that inspired our slogan 'Fifth Avenue of Long Island' back in 1956..." she said.

Residents felt that the decision to remain downtown only helped reclaim the prestige they think the village lost in the '90s when stores like Abraham & Strauss (A&S) closed and Bloomingdale's moved to the mall.

Built in 1928 by the Pennsylvania Railroad Altoona Shops, Locomotive #35 relocated from Garden City's Mitchel Field to Oyster Bay. The engine is the centerpiece of a new Oyster Bay railroad museum that focuses on Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) history and its impact on the hamlet.

For years the engine had been located next to the Cradle of Aviation Museum on Charles Lindbergh Blvd., across from the Hofstra University Sports Complex. Locomotive #35, one of two remaining LIRR steam engines in existence, is being restored by the Friends of Locomotive #35 under the auspices of the Oyster Bay Historical Society.

A former Garden City High School history teacher was killed when he was struck by a minivan at 9:40 p.m. July 24 as he attempted to cross Jericho Turnpike at Sagamore Avenue after buying groceries at King Kullen, police said. Alan Benosky, 86, was transported to Winthrop-University Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 10:05 p.m.

Friends and acquaintances of Benosky remember him as a caring person and a classy individual who was very intelligent. He was a graduate of Columbia University with a degree in politics.

The 90-day mark approached for the Garden City village board to issue findings regarding the village's proposed condemnation of one of three 100 by 250-foot lots owned by the Gardner Estate, located at 114 Sixth Street. Efforts between village officials and John Amrod, Gardner Estate attorney, to negotiate a fair purchasing price failed and led to the decision to condemn the lot. The board, although expected to issue findings during the Aug. 16 board meeting, took no action regarding the condemnation. New York State Assemblyman Thomas DiNapoli and Glen Cove Mayor Tom Suozzi squared off in the first of three debates sponsored by the League of Women Voters. The two discussed various issues during the hour-long debate at The Vanderbilt in Plainview, including the county's fiscal situation, affordable housing and day laborers.

During a press conference appropriately held alongside two tracks of an old freight line in Garden City, Governor George Pataki said the metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and the New York & Atlantic Railway (NYA) finally reached an agreement ensuring the Hempstead branch be permanently closed off to freight traffic and be used only for passenger commuters.

The agreement also promised to bring East Side Access to Grand Central Terminal, an issue Pataki considered top priority because it will enable commuters to have direct rail service into Grand Central Station.

Residents living along the tracks that run parallel to Merillon Avenue, however, were not happy about the agreement, saying, "All of a sudden they say there'll be no more freight in Garden City. What about residents who only live a few houses away from the Hicksville line? Besides the present noise factor of commuter trains rolling at night, we have to worry about our property values dropping."

"Once again the politicians have kept affected residents in the dark," a Houston Road resident said. "They're so proud no more freight will run on the Hempstead line but now it'll run on the Hicksville line, which goes through Garden City as well."

Those who've bought a cup of coffee at Seventh Street's Dunkin' Donuts or packed groceries in their car in the Grand Union parking lot wondered what kind of stores were going up across the way. Some residents even called the Garden City Life, asking," What ever happened to the Imperial Locksmith or the quaint, white cottage that housed American International Travel?"

The new building will house four new stores, including a full-service health spa, according to a representative from Elias Properties, Inc., the property's newest owner. The building, which housed the Imperial Locksmith for the past 20 years, was demolished, along with a small, white cottage that most recently housed a travel agency, to make way for what Elias Properties is dubbing a "pedestrian plaza."

Imperial Locksmith is now doing business in the lower level of 226 Seventh Street; American International Travel is also still doing business on Seventh Street. The travel agency's new address for the past three years has been 118B Seventh Street, between the Norfolk and Roslyn Savings Banks.

Village officials were confident this past August that the new tennis structure at Community Park would open on schedule Oct. 7. The former bubble was severely damaged during a windstorm. With a 15-20 year life span, Village Clerk Brian Ridgway said the new structure, along with its regular court time and tennis camps really brought back the life of the facility. On Sept. 5, almost 4,000 eager and enthusiastic students and 342 teachers entered the Garden City Public Schools to begin the 2001-02 school year. Summer Staff Development programs explored many academic areas at all grade levels. These initiatives, as well as other academic endeavors, created exciting and rewarding classroom experiences for teachers and their students.

A deep sense of shock and sadness pervaded the communities of Nassau County in the wake of terrorist strikes on America, which were described by President Bush as "the most devastating attacks in the nation's history," and "an act of war."

Residents of this New York City suburb feared for the lives of friends and family members believed to be inside the World Trade Center when the Twin Towers were destroyed by two hijacked passenger jets, a United Airlines flight and an American Airlines flight.

An estimated 50,000 people worked in the towers, certainly many of them from Nassau County. The destruction of the World Trade Center was among a coordinated series of attacks on America's greatest symbols beginning at approximately 8:45 a.m. A commercial airliner also hit the Pentagon in Washington D.C., America's center of military operations.

In the midst of incomprehensible tragedy, the nation possesses an impenetrable unity. Hundreds upon hundreds of residents attended a candlelight vigil at the gazebo after religious services were held throughout the community. According to reports, Garden City lost many of its residents. Clergy spoke to residents during the vigil, offered comfort and joined them in prayer. Primary elections throughout New York State, postponed due to the devastating terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers, were rescheduled for Sept. 25. Votes previously cast at voting booths Sept. 11 were discarded and voters had to vote again. On Sept. 17, at approximately 3:15 p.m., Garden City Police Officer William Petito was on a special traffic post on Franklin Avenue, observing traffic in a school zone, when he observed an auto approaching at a high rate of speed. When Officer Petito attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver refused. In the vicinity of Ormond Street, near VanCott, the vehicle got bogged down in traffic near a school that was letting out. At that point, the subject exited the vehicle as Officer Petito got to the driver's side door. A struggle ensued as the driver pulled a fully loaded 9 mm handgun from his waistband. During the struggle, the subject jammed the gun into Officer Petito's stomach and attempted to fire it. When the gun did not fire, the officer was able to disarm the subject. The Garden City Community Fund established a "Family Relief Fund" specifically for the Garden City families that were affected by the Sept. 11 attacks. According to reports, the fund got an overwhelming response from the community. During the Sept. 20 village board meeting, trustees unanimously approved the use of St. Paul's field house for the Breeders' Cup Garden City Community Fund Family Relief Fund Benefit.

Bookspan's expansion during such uncertain economic times is a welcome commodity for the Village of Garden City. With 10 million book club members, the company currently makes nearly $1 billion in sales each year. Bookspan's Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Administration William Gatti spoke at the Chamber of Commerce's fall kick-off luncheon. The building, located at 501 Franklin Avenue, has been a village landmark since 1910 when Theodore Roosevelt first laid its cornerstone. It was originally the home of Doubleday and a fitting homage to England's Hampton Court.

Doubleday was later sold to Bertelsmann AG, a privately held international media company, in 1986. Approximately one year later, Bertelsmann declared the Garden City location book club headquarters. In March of 2000, "Book of the Month Club," then owned by Time Warner, which later became known as AOL Time Warner, and Bertelsmann AG formed a partnership. The two giants combined forces to form the biggest book club marketer in America. The merger practically doubled the size of the business, captured about 90 percent of the book market overnight and changed its name to Bookspan.

By spring, Bookspan will have two main locations, one in Garden City and the other in the Time Life building near Radio City Music Hall. Approximately 200-400 employees are moving from the Manhattan site to the Franklin Avenue location, combining forces with the already 600 employees currently working there.

The vast acreage will have parking spaces for more than 1,000 cars, with a pedestrian bridge linking the two buildings, which provide approximately 250,000 square feet for Bookspan operations.

To the campaign theme of "I can do it because I've done it," Glen Cove Mayor Thomas Suozzi proved himself right with a surprise victory in the Democratic Primary for County Executive over his opponent, entrenched Democratic Party politician Thomas DiNapoli. Suozzi defeated DiNapoli by more than 5,000 votes.

Breast cancer survivors helped the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline and Support Program, which started out with only a telephone, an empty room and an interested student, fete its 20th anniversary during a "celebration of survivorship" Oct. 3. The event welcomed a panel of women who shared stories of their own personal battles with the disease and what enabled them to move forward.

The hotline was established in 1981 by a group of breast cancer patients who had just completed a support group at Adelphi's School of Social Work. The initial group wanted other women to benefit from the type of support they had received and thus started what was then dubbed the Woman-to-Woman Hotline. These support groups later gave birth to Adelphi's hotline, the second oldest in the country.

The Nassau Senate delegation of the New York State Legislature, whose support has helped the program become a "beacon of light" to those diagnosed, provides funding, along with the Department of Health, grants and contributions.

In addition to the usual Fire Prevention Day department inspections and demonstrations, the Garden City Fire Department, aided by Mayor Robert Lewis, Fire Commissioner Peter Negri, members of the village's board of trustees and local dignitaries, formally dedicated and blessed into service some of the most sophisticated fire emergency equipment available today, including a thermal imaging camera, state-of-the-art extrication equipment and a 95-foot ladder tower aerial platform.

The platform can hold up to four firefighters and easily reach top floor windows of apartment buildings and offices so victims can literally walk on board and be lowered to safety.

"With so many apartment buildings and offices on Franklin Avenue, this new piece of equipment, which will be in service for the next 20 years, is definitely worth our while," Village Clerk and volunteer Brian Ridgway said. The village's Fire Prevention Day, held each year in conjunction with National Fire Prevention Week, also honored firefighters across the US in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York City's Twin Towers.

Tom Suozzi, Democratic candidate for Nassau County Executive, squared off against Bruce Bent, Republican candidate for Nassau County Executive, during a candidate's forum at the Garden City Community Church. Each candidate spoke for 15-18 minutes and explained their qualifications for the job. Their speeches were followed by a brief and well-organized question-and-answer period, moderated by Bob McMillan.

Mayor Robert Lewis dispelled rumors that Sears, Roebuck and Co., located at 111 Franklin Avenue in Garden City, was closing its operations. The company's Telemarketing Department closed and laid off 95 employees.

Trustee Peter Bee said a letter Sears, Roebuck and Co. sent Mayor Lewis contributed to the rumor when it in fact stated, "Please be advised that due to a change in business circumstances, Sears, Roebuck and Co. will permanently cease its operations at 111 Franklin Avenue in Garden City. As a result, all employees at that facility will be permanently laid off...Please understand that the entire facility is closing, there is no union organization at the facility and there are no applicable bumping or transfer rights."

Mayor Lewis said company officials said they are happy in the village and would like the community to know that they have no intention of closing the store.

Renaissance Development, a joint venture of Albanese Development Corporation in Garden City and Castagna Realty, Inc., signed the Viking Culinary Arts Center as a tenant at the recently renovated 855 Franklin Avenue. The center will provide a bridge between the professional chef and home chef, offering everything from beginner to advanced cooking classes, professional quality cookware, condiments and utensils as well as personal appearances and book signings by some of the most renowned chefs. The 7,250-square foot facility is a combination teaching kitchen and culinary equipment store introduced by the Viking Range Corporation, manufacturer of commercial appliances and kitchenware for the home.

Russell Matthews, executive vice president, Albanese Development Corporation, said, "We're delighted the Viking Culinary Arts Center has decided to make 855 Franklin Avenue its first-ever location in the east. We believe Viking's choice...to locate its Culinary Arts Center on Franklin Avenue is the fulfillment of the village's Business Planning Coalition's strategic vision to bring the most prominent names in the home furnishings industry to Garden City."

The hugely successful Family Relief Fund Benefit took place Oct. 26 at St. Paul's field house. The event was established to benefit the many local families affected by Sept. 11. It also was designed to celebrate the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships at Belmont Park.

More than 1,500 people joined together for possibly the biggest village-wide event in Garden City's history. As more than 100 donated flags hung from the ceiling at St. Paul's and residents donned their own patriotic garb, the Garden City High School Madrigals offered their voices. Garden City Police Commissioner Ernest Cipullo and Garden City Fire Chief Larry Nedelka led the Pledge of Allegiance. Garden City clergy offered words of prayer and hope along with Mayor Robert Lewis. The popular Village Music Makers also provided patriotic entertainment. Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan performed God Bless America and Isle of Hope.

Sponsored by the New York Racing Association (NYRA) and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NYTRA), the event far exceeded expectations with regard to the amount of money raised and people that attended. According to reports, over half a million dollars was raised for World Trade Center victims and their families.

Garden City High School held its annual Homecoming Parade. Alumni events, a street fair, and, of course, the football game, made this a great community-wide event. High school students elected Zachary Aidala and Meg Sullivan Homecoming king and queen.

Just minutes before they expected to lead Garden City High School's annual Homecoming Parade, more than 40 volunteer and six career firefighters responded to an apartment blaze at 365 Stewart Avenue. Quickly, firefighters changed from the blue coats of their dress uniform to their tan turnout coats, bunker pants, gloves and helmets.

Although firefighters missed out on the parade, where they were being honored for their ongoing efforts in the wake of Sept. 11, Fire Chief Larry Nedelka said, "It would have been nice but we had to forgo the tribute for the duty."

The Long Island Children's Museum (LICM) officially closed its Stewart Avenue location. The museum will relocate to a larger site at the converted airplane hangar at the Museums at Mitchel Field in Garden City, where it will share the complex with Nunley's Carousel, Cradle of Aviation Museum and the Leroy & Rose Grumman IMAX Dome Theater, among others. The new 40,000-square foot site, which promises to offer additional programs and services, ample parking and east access to highways and public transportation, is quite an upgrade from the former 5,400-square foot building.

When Nassau County offered LICM a 60-year, no cost lease on the historic hangar, the museum, realizing it could no longer service all those who wanted to visit, seized the opportunity to grow. The new LICM is scheduled to open in early 2002.

Nassau County voters re-elected Vincent Muscarella to the 8th Legislative District. He has served as legislator for the past six years. At Republican headquarters Election Day, Muscarella told his following, "Republicans built this county and Republicans, under the leadership of our great chairman Joe Mondello, will keep this county strong."

Democrat Tracy Murray of Garden City and Independent Party candidate Pat Friedman of Garden City South challenged Muscarella this year.

On Nov. 6 Tom Suozzi easily defeated Republican Bruce Bent and has become the first Democrat county executive in three decades. He succeeded Tom Gulotta, who decided not to run for re-election.

Garden City's Cathedral of the Incarnation will be getting a much-needed facelift in 2002. Among seven churches to receive restoration grants as part of a $1 million Robert W. Wilson Sacred Sites Challenge, the cathedral, ranked with the Jones Beach water tower as a Nassau County icon, will use the $25,000 grant to renovate much of the masonry, particularly the steeple.

Designed by Henry G. Harrison and completed in 1886, the cathedral, located at 50 Cathedral Avenue, is noted for its soaring 180-foot steeple and plethora of flower-designed brownstone ornaments. The English firm of Clayton and Bell designed the cathedral's 71 stained glass windows and the 13 bells in the tower, which represent the original American colonies, cast for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia.

The grant is one of seven matching Robert W. Wilson Sacred Sites Challenge grants for significant restoration projects. As part of the matching grant requirement, all seven institutions will raise additional funds for the restoration work.

The Village of Garden City won the 2001 American Public Works Association Award for its Franklin Avenue project, which beautified the village's now bustling downtown area from Sixth Street to Eleventh Street, with new curbs, sidewalks, lampposts, gutters, plantings, bus shelters and more. By incorporating a gazebo near Gross Jewelers, a fountain by CVS and trees, shrubs and a sitting area near the intersection of Franklin and Stewart Avenues, the area became a friendly and elegant place for residents, shoppers and area businesspeople to socialize.

During a November village board meeting, residents collectively urged trustees to recommend that the Village Traffic Commission further probe the Franklin Avenue/Fourth Street intersection, particularly in light of a Nov. 5 car accident that claimed the life of a 10-year-old fifth-grader from St. Joseph's School. While some admitted installing a traffic light might not be the solution, all felt the area bore further scrutiny.

A resident who recalled the frustration years ago when her own attended religion classes thanked the commission for entertaining and discussing the traffic issue even through it wasn't on the agenda.

Governor George Pataki joined the newly appointed Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge and a team of New York State officials during a town hall meeting on security issues at Hofstra University in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. The hour-long meeting featured questions from students and Long Island citizens ranging from security of local bridges to how to best protect the area's children.

After much delay, demolition finally began on Cathedral Avenue, between Fourth and Fifth Streets, on the property formerly known as St. Mary's. The Konner Development Corporation bought the land from The Cathedral of the Incarnation for an undisclosed amount of money. Eight new homes will replace the longtime vacant school for girls, a building that had become somewhat of an eyesore in the village.

Carol Konner, president of Konner Development, after four years of negotiating with The Cathedral of the Incarnation, closed on the property back in July with intentions to begin demolition three weeks later. A minor environmental issue, however, put the demolition process on hold. According to Mike Filippon, building superintendent, the property's soil was tested and trace elements of a variety of substances known as VOCs - volatile organic contaminants - were found. These VOCs could have come from petroleum byproducts, according to the H2M environmental report.

Konner Development was waiting for a closure letter from the Health Department, a local arm of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, letting them know the remediation process had been completed. Officials got what the village is calling a "closure letter" Nov. 14. The village opted to hold up on the demolition permit until it got clearance on the soil removal project.

The village's new tennis facility at Community Park officially opened its doors. The facility's continuing objective is to provide an environment in which all players, regardless of experience or skill level, can explore their interest in the game and develop this interest into a lifelong activity. The tennis center is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Call 483-2525 for court availability.

To the surprise and dismay of many village residents, demolition began at 116 Eleventh Street in Garden City, making waves in a parking saga that's plagued the village for decades. The Albanese Development Corporation, owner of the home, has continually urged the village to purchase the property to allow for the expansion of Parking Field 10. But for years, the village has not taken them up on their offer.

Russell Matthews, executive vice president of the Albanese Corporation, said it no longer made economic sense to continue paying taxes on an empty house and demolition would help relieve the corporation's tax burden.

"Some are speculating we're going to apply for a special use permit to build a private parking lot but we're hoping that now, with that house no longer standing, the opposition can longer use the phrase 'no more houses for parking,'" he said.

Eight years ago murderer Colin Ferguson arose from his seat on a 5:33 p.m. eastbound Long Island Rail Road train between New Hyde Park and Garden City and opened fire during rush hour in a quiet suburban community. Ferguson's shooting rampage killed six, four on the scene, and injured over a dozen others.

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, who lost her husband Denis, and whose son, Kevin was seriously injured in the shooting spree, hung wreaths at the Merillon Avenue train station to pay tribute to the victims with good friend and fellow Mineola resident Joyce Gorycki, who also lost her husband, James eight years ago in the shooting.

Although a brief memorial service coincides with the annual wreath laying, Congresswoman McCarthy and Gorycki said they opted to do without the ceremony this year in light of the Sept. 11 disaster.

At approximately 1:55 p.m. Dec. 4 Garden City police pulled over a 23-year-old male Garden City resident for a seat belt violation on Washington Avenue and Chestnut Street. A subsequent investigation revealed the subject had a bench warrant for a felony criminal mischief in New York City.

The subject, after police checked his license, fled eastbound at a high rate of speed in the wrong direction on Chestnut Street, making numerous driving infractions in the vicinity of St. James Street, Magnolia Avenue and Chestnut Street. When the subject later stopped his vehicle, he began fleeing on foot through the residential properties in the area.

The subject was eventually taken into police custody; he was charged with reckless driving, resisting arrest, aggravated unlicensed operation and a bench warrant.

Several hundred residents and visitors turned out for the 47th annual village tree lighting ceremony. Entertainment included the Village Music Makers and the Garden City High School's Vocal Jazz Ensemble. Santa Claus arrived on the fire department's antique truck to the delight of the hordes of children who received coloring books and crayons from Astoria Federal Savings, a contributing sponsor. Young and old alike gathered at The Garden City Hotel for the annual tree lighting ceremony. As in years past, hundreds of families from Garden City and the surrounding communities enjoyed holiday carols, an appearance by Santa Claus, the lighting of the Christmas tree and complimentary refreshments served in Blu, the hotel's popular nightclub. Guest of Honor Daniel Walsh, president and chief executive officer of Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, lit the tree this year.

The Chamber of Commerce announced the 10 shop windows, along with the Best of Show, who were judged by representatives of Garden City's Property Owner's Associations, the Historical Society and a professional artist, to be the most beautifully decorated in the central business district for this holiday season.

The winners were as follows: Farrell Office Designs received the Best of Show award and the top 10 windows were Barbatsuly Furs, Feldis Florist, Fantasy Realty, Garden City Florist, Joaillier, McMehon Realty, The Pear Tree, Carmine's Haircutters/Salon Imperiale, Things N Stuff and West & Stanish.