GNAC Receives Federal Funds to Expand Outreach Programs

Thanks to the efforts of Congressman Gary Ackerman, the Great Neck Arts Center will be able to increase its offerings of year-round after-school classes in the arts at schools throughout Long Island and Queens. The programs will be offered primarily at schools in underserved communities.

In addition, these funds will provide for professional teacher training and development workshops. These workshops guide teachers in strategies that demonstrate how to integrate the arts into the teaching of regular classroom curriculum.

South High Robotics Team Excels at Events

Kudos to Great Neck South High School’s Robotics Team for capturing the first place Alliance Award at the School to Business Partnership of Long Island Regional FIRST Robotics High School Competition and for winning the prestigious Underwriters Laboratory Industrial Safety Award at the event. The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) competition took place at Hofstra University.

Library Board Meets At Parkville Branch

The May 19 meeting of the Great Neck Library Board of Trustees covered a wide range of topics including the recent independent financial audit completed by Baldessari & Coster.

Copies of the 28-page audit are available at the Main library and the branches. The auditors concluded that the financial reports generated by the library “present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position” of the library.

Taste of GN Coming June 1

It’s here! The Taste of Great Neck returns on Monday evening, June 1, 6 to 8 p.m., at Melville Hall, the Officer’s Club at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point. A whole host of fabulous Great Neck restaurants and specialty food shops will be featured at this beautiful waterfront event.

“It’s a truly special night, we’re so excited to be able to offer the ever-popular Taste of Great Neck once again,” says Great Neck Chamber of Commerce President Valerie Link. “The wonderful dishes, that breath-taking Manhattan skyline view, the fun of mingling with friends and neighbors … it’s all at the Taste of Great Neck,” says Ms. Link.

Memorial Day Parade Monday, May 25

Motchkavitz Brothers Honored as Grand Marshals

Great Neck’s 85th annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 25 will honor two lifelong residents, George and Leonard Motchkavitz, who will serve as parade grand marshals. The parade begins at 9:30 a.m., along Middle Neck Road from South Middle Neck Road at Barstow Road to the Village Green in the Village of Great Neck. The parade will culminate with official Memorial Day ceremonies at the Village Green. Each year the parade is organized by the Great Neck Memorial Day Parade Committee.

Senate Majority Agrees to Bail Out MTA

Payroll Tax Supported by Senator Johnson

The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) has a slogan – “Going Your Way.” But it should possibly be changed to “Going in Your Pocket.”

The Senate Democratic Majority has agreed on a bailout of the MTA with a payroll tax that will be applied to all businesses in the areas the MTA serves including Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

Zoning Board Hears Mashadi Application

On May 7, the Village of Great Neck Board of Zoning Appeals heard an application from the United Mashadi Jewish Community of America on Steamboat Road for permission to construct a parking lot with 66 spaces on a property they own at 2 Potters Lane. They are asking the board to overturn a decision from the building department that the use is not a permitted use and to give variances to erect a 6-foot stockade fence around the property, use gravel instead of paving material, and eliminate the required 15-foot landscaped buffer while adding lighting fixtures within the 15-foot location.