SPECIAL REPORT: THE FIRST OF A THREE-PART SERIES: Just One Pill

Forget dealers—new generation of addicts goes straight for the medicine cabinets

The 10th-grader selected her favorite color. It was a very simple task that she and most young people have probably done countless times before. However, this time, the stakes were never higher. She was not choosing a color for a blouse, a cell phone case or curtains for her bedroom. Instead, she was selecting a pill from a menagerie of narcotics that her peers had brought to a “pharm party” – an alarming and frightening phenomenon that’s been making a comeback among teenagers throughout Long Island.

Don’t Expect Airplane Noise To Quiet Anytime Soon

Weather, wind, availability determines routes

After a long, grueling night of reports given by experts on local airport flights, Dave Siewert and Robert Grotell, the residents of the areas affected by extreme airplane and helicopter noise were not very encouraged.

The members of the Town Village Aircraft Safety and Noise Abatement Committee (TVASNAC), at a previous meeting, asked Siewert, who is in charge of John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport tower operations, to collect information on runway operations and selections for a 30-day period.

Annual Mayoral Appointments Melee Drags On

As board members dissent, residents voice disapproval over squabbles

An empty seat was nowhere in sight as residents and well-wishers packed the boardroom at village hall last Thursday evening to watch members of the Garden City Fire Department be sworn into office. However, the real fireworks ignited after the members of the Garden City Board of Trustees attempted to resolve the controversy surrounding the mayor’s annual appointments.

The meeting kicked off with Mayor Donald Brudie reading a statement regarding the annual committee appointments, which were previously voted down by the majority of board members in a 5-to-3 vote on Monday, April 2.

Board Of Education Unanimously Adopts 2012-13 Budget

Renegotiated teachers’ contract provides significant savings for district

Despite a challenging school budget season, some positive news for taxpayers was announced at the most recent Garden City Board of Education on Tuesday, April l7. After the board unanimously approved a contract renegotiation with the Garden City Teacher’s Association (GCTA), School Board President Colleen Foley announced the district will save a total of approximately $675,000 and the projected tax levy will be lowered to 3.54 percent (with STAR).

At the start of the meeting, Foley read the terms of the memorandum of agreement with the GCTA, the teacher’s bargaining unit. Foley maintained that the settlement of the teachers’ contract allows the board of education to maintain its focus on the educational mission of the district instead of shifting attention to a potentially lengthy and disruptive negotiation process.

First Responders Contain East Garden City Fire

AvalonBay to begin rebuilding immediately

If you were driving in East Garden City last Wednesday morning, you may have noticed a sky full of billowing smoke after one of the AvalonBay condominium buildings became engulfed in flames.

More than 100 firefighters from 10 local fire departments responded to the call kat 11 a.m. at one of the condo units under construction on Stewart Avenue. According to the Nassau County Police, one firefighter was taken to the hospital with a shoulder injury and was released.

Garden City Native Living California Dream

GCHS alumn makes television debut on The Office

Gazing up at the legendary Hollywood sign while cruising in her car, Sue Redman is living the California dream. After moving to Los Angeles, CA, only six months ago, the Garden City native recently made her television debut on the NBC hit show The Office.

With an already successful career in theater in Chicago, Redman broke into the television and film industry acting in Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion, and producing the independent film The Wise Kids.

Board Disputes Escalate On Organizational Night

Trustees adopt budget; majority votes down mayoral appointments

After residents watched several board of trustees take the oath of office last week, many were stunned to also observe the growing public rift that played out between Mayor Donald Brudie and five members of the Garden City Board of Trustees during the 2012 annual organizational meeting at Village Hall.

The tension surfaced on several issues but the true catalyst was the announcement of the mayor’s annual appointments. Brudie read off the list of trustees appointed to various committees: fire commissioner, John Watras; commissioner of public works, Nicholas Episcopia; commissioner of finance, Andrew Cavanaugh; commissioner of building and planning, Brian Daughney; and chairman of the environmental advisory board, Laurence Quinn.

Easter Day Vintage Car Parade Draws Huge Crowd In Garden City

Thousands of spectators came out to enjoy the 57th Annual Easter Vintage Car Parade on Sunday, an event hosted by the Garden City Chamber of Commerce.

The car show that preceded the parade proved to be entertaining for all ages. Kids danced to the beat of the Banjo Rascals ragtime music, as car enthusiasts shared their passion with the crowds. A colorful array of classic cars - a number of them adorned with decorations from Easter eggs to Easter bunnies - filled the lot this year. Some drivers and passengers along the parade route wore their Easter hats for the celebration.

Garden City’s Biggest Spring Event Has Arrived

Annual Easter Car Parade Event steps off on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The 57th annual Easter Sunday Vintage Car Parade will step off this Sunday, April 24 at 1 p.m. from 10th Street on Franklin Avenue. The procession, led by a line of spectacular antique and classic cars, the Kiwanis Easter Bunnies and Kingsley Bear, will head south on Franklin Avenue, then west on Seventh Street where it will disperse at Hilton Avenue.

School Board Contacts Legislators Over GC’s Low State Aid Numbers

At the most recent Garden City School Board meeting, School Board President Colleen Foley announced that with the help of Trustee Angela Heineman, the board drafted a letter that was sent to local legislators Senator Kemp Hannon, and Assemblymen Edward Ra and Thomas McKevitt requesting that Garden City’s state aid be increased to equal that of comparative districts.

Trustee Tom Pinou, read the letter to the audience stating that Garden City schools (like many schools on Long Island) rank among the best in the nation. “In order to preserve and continuously improve the educational programs that are not only valued by the community, but also used as models for other districts, our fellow residents have supported school budget increases to make up for shortfalls in state funding,” said Pinou.