What to do with the Great Neck Park District's former Peninsula Pool Club property? It's a topic that is definitely piquing the interest of the public, and a meeting to discuss a preliminary concept for a new park drew a crowd of well over 50 people on a rainy Sunday afternoon recently. Amidst talk of park dedication, parking and traffic, and landscape plans, came a pretty good idea of a general consensus for a passive park where natural beauty and serenity would reign. FULL STORY

Imagine trekking for miles in a hostile, barren landscape laden down with 80 pounds of gear, breathing oxygen-deprived air at 10,000 feet above sea level, numb from bone-chilling temperatures, alert for enemy fire and responsible for 30 other soldiers. But Second Lt. Christopher Blaha, a Great Neck native, speaks about the grueling and dangerous tour of duty in Afghanistan matter-of-factly, without a trace of bravado. FULL STORY

We all wake up hoping for snow, adults and children alike. But the Altebef family is unique. They're also hoping for wind. The family has special plans. After opening gifts, they dress for skiing. But Dad, a CBS executive, hurt his leg a few weeks ago, and won't be going skiing anymore. And they aren't putting on boots; they're wearing boat shoes. FULL STORY

The Kings Point baseball team defeated rival Coast Guard by a 3-2 final score in New London, CT on April 30 in their final contest of the regular season. Overall, the Mariners end the 2002 regular-season campaign with an 18-17 record, a 12-10 Knickerbocker ledger, and a 4-2 Skyline mark. FULL STORY