Glen Cove Volunteer FD Celebrates 175 Years

Weekend activities included a parade, a carnival, live music and fireworks

The Glen Cove Volunteer Fire Department celebrated its 175th anniversary with a number of events over the weekend, including a parade held Saturday evening. Hundreds of residents lined the streets to watch members of various local fire departments, police departments and marching bands stroll proudly by, dressed to impress.

The parade lasted about an hour on a warm, sunny evening, as members of fire and police departments from Sea Cliff, Locust Valley, Glen Head, Glenwood Landing, Oyster Bay, Great Neck, East Norwich, Syosset, Jericho, New Hyde Park, Floral Park and Proctorsville, VT joined Glen Cove for this significant milestone. Mayor Suozzi and his family, members of the Glen Cove City Council and Nassau County Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton led the parade down Forest Avenue and through School Street.

Glen Cove High School’s Top Students

Valedictorian: Alison Abrams

From the first day she walked into Glen Cove High School, Alison Abrams has been actively involved in a plethora of school clubs and organizations while upholding a stellar academic average. Alison is the Class of 2012 valedictorian.

“Alison possesses sophisticated intellectual prowess and is an extraordinarily adept student,” says Glen Cove Coordinator of PPS Mike Tweed. “She self-challenges. Some students falter under pressure; Alison thrives.”

Emotions Run High At Glen Cove BOE Meeting

Retirees honored, candidate for assistant superintendent position debated

The final Glen Cove Board of Education meeting of the 2011-12 school year sparked expressions of joy, passion and anger, in a meeting that began on a high, celebratory note and soon spiraled downward. While many attendees were there to show support for district retirees, the majority of the standing-room-only crowd came to raise concerns about the district’s choice for the assistant superintendent for curriculum position.

A last minute addendum was made to the agenda to vote on the hiring of the new assistant superintendent, which had been discussed in the board’s executive session prior to the meeting. After the commendations, the public was given a chance to speak on agenda items, and those who spoke were not afraid to express their opinions about which candidate should get the job.

Family Awareness Day A Big Hit

Residents gain valuable information and enjoy quality family time

The SAFE, Inc. Family Awareness Day drew a large crowd of Glen Cove parents and children this past Saturday at Morgan Park. SAFE, a not-for-profit drug and alcohol prevention agency continued its mission to provide education to the community by offering literature and pamphlets throughout the day. Family Awareness Day was created to help people become more actively involved in SAFE, Inc. Pride Project Coalition’s substance abuse prevention efforts by creating a leisurely atmosphere to encourage parents and children to discuss drugs, tobacco and alcohol.

A Toast For The Kids At A Grad Party? Think Again

The city’s social host law makes it illegal to serve alcohol to minors in your home

High school graduation marks the end of an era; generally, this milestone is seen as a passage from childhood into adulthood, a celebratory time when more freedom is granted, rules are bent and roles are shifting.

With graduation comes the numerous graduation parties, and some parents may allow the new graduates to indulge in an alcoholic beverage or two, convincing themselves that it’s okay to allow their teens to drink as long as they are under their own roof. While parents may think this is a reasonable and responsible action to take, it is still against the law.

Local Governments Address Septic Problems

Outreach campaign to raise public awareness of onsite wastewater treatment systems

The Long Island Regional Economic Development Council joined the Town of Oyster Bay on May 30 to announce the kickoff of an educational outreach campaign for Coordinated Environmental Solutions for Septic Problems Occurring on Long Island (C.E.S.S.P.O.O.L. Project), which is being supported by a $45,000 award the town received as part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Regional Council initiative. This project will increase regional public awareness of onsite water treatment systems and water quality on Long Island and has the potential to create employment opportunities in the cesspool service industry.

“Wastewater treatment is not often thought of when it comes to economic development. However, without safe water the quality of life in an area declines and businesses suffer, which makes projects like this vital to our economy,” said Kevin Law, president of the Long Island Association and Regional Council co-chair. “There is no greater tool than knowledge, and I am proud that the council is supporting this educational campaign to help Long Islanders understand how they can do their part to protect their environment and well-being to ensure a bright and prosperous future.”

Viking Foundation Ramps Up Fundraising Effort

More than $1 million raised to date, hopes to raise $3 million by the end of the year

In a time when the future of public education is in peril due to reductions in tax revenue combined with rising state-mandated costs, volunteers in the North Shore School District community have come up with a way to try to prevent the fall of public education as we know it, in the form of a public-private partnership.

The Viking Foundation is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 to assist the district with gaining capital funds, established in response to the reduction in state and federal aid received by the schools. The board of directors consists of volunteers who live in the community; the Record Pilot sat down with several members of the board of directors of the Viking Foundation, including Phil Como, Lori Berglin, Amy Shamroth, Lisa Castiglioni and Charles Parisi, as well as North Shore Schools Superintendent Dr. Ed Melnick and Roy P. Wheeler of ParkGate Fundraising, LLC.

Missing But Not Forgotten

Mass held for former MIAs at St. Patrick’s Church

A memorial Mass was held at St. Patrick’s Church in Glen Cove on Saturday, May 26 to honor Sgt. William Kevin Colwell and five other Vietnam War servicemen who had been MIA since 1965. The remains were recently discovered, and the men will receive a military burial at Arlington National Cemetery by the Air Force on July 9.

Ann Famigliette, the oldest daughter of Colwell’s sister, Ellen, gave the eulogy.

Glen Cove Celebrates Memorial Day

Festivities begin with a commemoration, followed by the annual parade

Glen Cove got a break from the rain on this year’s Memorial Day, and though the sun was hot and the air ripe with humidity, the city’s residents showed their patriotism by lining the streets to welcome the veterans, marching bands and city officials who marched in the annual parade.

Grand Opening Of New Storage Facility In Glen Cove

Men On The Move takes over old Photocircuits site

On Thursday, May 17, the moving and storage company Men On The Move held it’s grand opening party and ribbon cutting ceremony, with more than 250 people in attendance.

The 27-year-old company began as a local moving company and then expanded into the self-storage business to better accommodate their customers’ needs. Owner John Beyer said they began opening storage facilities around Long Island at their locations in Huntington, Floral Park and Islandia, and when the Glen Head resident realized nothing was happening with the former Photocircuits Corporation building, he decided to see if it was worth investing in. The circuit-board maker shut its doors in 2007 after 56 years of operation, and Beyer said he did an extensive amount of research on the site before purchasing it. The sale closed last August, and after investing $3.5 million to do a gut renovation of the 52,000 square foot site, they now have a two-story, 89,000 square foot “Class A” storage facility that is fully climate controlled.