Freezing Out The Competition?

Local Carvel owner fears profits will soften

For Stewart Manor residents expecting a major meltdown between TCBY and Carvel at a public hearing last week, soft-serve endorsements for the potential new kid on the block were served up instead.

Following a recent zoning board meeting, at which future TCBY owners and Garden City residents Carlos and Helene Jorge were granted a variance for 11 parking spaces, the Stewart Manor board of trustees approved a Special Use application that would allow the Jorges to open a TCBY yogurt shop at 100 Covert Ave., the site of the former Stewart Manor branch of the Elmont Public Library.

Stop In The Name Of Lies

What to watch for if you get pulled over

Police in Mineola had bullet points for law-abiding citizens to consider after an Elmont teen posed as a police officer on Feb. 25. Andrew Schreier, 19, was involved in a road-rage infused argument on Elmont Road where police said he pulled up next the victim’s car and said, “I’m a cop and I’ll give you tickets” and flashed a gold badge.

Authorities said Schreier pointed a 911 Colt .45 replica BB gun and yelled at the 29 and 47-year-old passengers. The victims called 911, followed Schreier into a dead end on Rockmart Street and led responding officers to him with the help of a neighbor, police said.

Budget Café Aromas Swirl

Schools could lose ninth period

Barring improving finances or sudden cost saving strategies, the West Hempstead high school and middle school will lose a ninth period and 10 to 12 staff members will lose their jobs, district officials said at a meeting last Tuesday. That would leave an eight-day period at the high school and middle school.

Seven tables in the West Hempstead Middle School cafeteria were filled with members of the community on Tuesday evening for a budget café addressing issues that were raised at the previous Feb. 6 cafe.

Superintendent of Schools John Hogan, Deputy Superintendent Richard Cunningham and Assistant Superintendent Ann Peluso answered questions ranging from the district eliminating ninth period, revenue, class sizes and transportation.

Talking Snow, Water Rates

East Williston, Williston Park still dealing with water rate issues

What do you do with a foot of snow?

That was the question the Williston Park village board was asking at its meeting Tuesday, Feb. 19 as trustees discussed the recent snowstorm Nemo. Mayor Paul Ehrbar said the streets were cleaned by 7 a.m. Saturday,  But just a few hours later, they were filled with snow again from people snowblowing or shoveling.  

“I understand people have to get to work and they have a small piece of property where they can put the snow but the purpose of the plowing is not to make it look good but it’s to make the road safe. And we need cooperation,” Ehrbar said. 

Village Talks Parade Route

Past issues discussed

The New Hyde Park village board approved a request by VFW Post 8031 to hold its annual Memorial Day Tribute parade on Saturday, May 25th.  The parade route will begin at Hillside Boulevard, proceed east on Jericho Turnpike, north on New Hyde Park Road, and then west on Lincoln Avenue to Memorial Field for services.

While the board approved of their route, a discussion reflecting on previous issues with the route arose, particularly with the parade stopping at Village Hall and the length of the route.

Garbage On The Table

The East Williston board of trustees has scheduled a public hearing on re-bidding its garbage collection contract for March 11 at 8 p.m. The village is under contract with Albertson-based DeJana Industries, which was the lowest bidder, after Meadow Carting, of Carle Place.

DeJana bid with the option to continue rear-yard pickup, which according to Mayor David Tanner, would save an estimated $10,000, should the village opt for that company. 

Choosing Meadow Carting would result in savings in the neighborhood of $6,000 per year, according to village officials.

“Everyone should keep in mind, had we not bid, the cost would have gone up another $7,000,” Tanner said. “Regardless of who we end up selecting, we have a nice savings.”

Budget Woes Could = Bigger Classes

Parents voice concerns as board develops budget, battles state mandate

About a dozen parents urged the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park school board to keep class sizes to a minimum and retain enrichment programs, during a recent budget hearing. 

One mother pointed out that the increased class sizes had caused a drastic, negative change on her daughter’s grades and confidence. 

“We have no control over the Common Core (curriculum) so we only have teacher selection and class size to help these children adjust to third-grade challenges,” she said. “It was decided to place teachers inexperienced in 3rd grade curriculum and give them 28 students to teach. So I ask the board, what are we going to do to fix (this)?”

Noreen Lowey, president of the Garden City Park PTA also addressed the Board. 

They’re Charity Champions

MSG Varsity, Optimum donate funds to school’s charitable activities 

A group of aspiring students from Floral Park Memorial High School (FPMHS) recently received accolades not only from Mayor Thomas J. Tweedy but also cash from the MSG Varsity/Optimum Power to Learn initiative. 

On Thursday, Jan. 31, the students were heralded during the Junior/Senior Challenge at the school for their participation in Charity Champions, a Cablevision-sponsored competition that promotes volunteerism and encourages area high schools to raise funds for a charity of their choice. 

Exceed The Cap?

Village still plans to avoid cap piercing, POP cop discusses New Hyde Park crimes

The New Hyde Park Village Board voted to grant itself power to exceed the state-mandated 2 percent tax cap on Tuesday, Feb. 5. However, the plan is to stay within the set limit. 

Deputy mayor Robert Lofaro explained  the measure was just to give New Hyde Park some breathing room. A final vote on the village budget is April 2.

New Hyde Park wanted the option available so the village does not end up painted into a corner when it comes time to put together a budget. If any village, without the override, goes over the cap, that village would incur heavy fines.

Do You Know Where Your Children Are?

Franklin Square parents unaware of son’s massive cache of guns and drugs in bedroom, says cops

How much do parents really know about their children’s activities? That’s the question being asked in the wake of last week’s arrest of 26-year-old Gabriel Dipierno who is charged with stashing a massive quantity of guns, explosives and illegal drugs in his bedroom at his parents’ Franklin Square home. And, police say, his parents were unaware.

Is that possible? Yes.

Jeffrey Reynolds, executive director of the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence said it’s not uncommon for parents to miss the warning signs of trouble.

 “Some of those folks by the very nature of addiction go on to deal in quantity and wind up headlong into this,” said Reynolds. “Very often, parents will come in, sit in my office with a handful of syringes and say ‘I found this in my kids room, what does this mean?’ As I walk through this, I see parents sit there in disbelief and part of this I think is none of us would not acknowledge that our kid was headed down that road.”