Environmental Art Contest For Water Wise Land Use

Anton, Fluhr, Gulotta invited as guest judges

Art entries are being sought for a first annual Art Contest and Wine for Water Wise Land Use Party on June 14 at Old Bethpage Village Restoration. The contest and party is being hosted by Nassau County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) as part of the celebration of their 35th year working to protect and improve local natural resources.

Board member Jaime Van Dyke Doran said, “The art contest and party is an innovative way to raise a little money and bring a ton of focus to local environmental activities. The money raised will help us build sustainable gardens and support educational programs. Artists from all parts of the county have been entering their work from photographs of local landscapes to paintings of local wildlife.”

MADD Holds Law Enforcement Recognition Luncheon

Annually, the Long Island chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) holds a prestigious luncheon to honor Long Island law enforcement, including officers, attorneys and local citizens, who display an extraordinary commitment against the drunk driving plight. On March 22, for the fifth year, MADD gave several special awards, along with recognition of the outstanding dedication to DWI enforcement, prosecution and education that the law enforcement professionals have shown.

Following a bagpipe presentation by Sergeant Todd Bennett of the Southampton Town Police Department, a brief invocation was given by Bishop Robert W. Harris and  generous welcomes from MADD Victim Advocate and event chairwoman Margaret Rebholz and Senior Development Officer Rori Fleshel.

Island Trees Holds Town Hall Meeting

Eighth Precinct officers meet with residents about local crime trends, precinct closure

The most recent Island Trees Town Hall meeting, on April 3, was in response to a growing concern from members of the community, business owners, board of education members, school administrators and staff about safety of the community and the well-being of many of the Island Trees youth. More than 65 people were in attendance, with special guest speakers from the Nassau County Police Department’s Eighth Precinct.

Island Trees Superintendent Dr. Charles Murphy opened the meeting by noting the large turnout, considering the generous weather, and it being a Tuesday night. He acknowledged the apparent need for more conversation about drug use that had carried over from the previous town hall meeting on Oct. 11, which was heavily shadowed by the death of a recent 2010 Island Trees High School graduate, from an alleged drug overdose. 

Local Teens Rock Out For Autism April 28

Long Island musicians turn passion into charity

For the fourth year in the row local teen musicians are joining forces to bring awareness to childhood autism through a musical showcase, Rock Out Autism.

“No matter what background you are, whether you have autism or not, music is something that resonates with people,” said Rafe Tangorra, member of the band Paging Grace and co-founder of Rock Out Autism.

Island Trees Schools Adopt Budget

District staying under 2 percent tax cap

In a special meeting held on March 27 in the Stephen E. Karopczyc School in Levittown, the Island Trees school board adopted a budget of $57,925,136 with a 1.99 percent property tax cap levy for the 2012-13 school year.

Board President Patricia Mahon announced that 1.60 percent of the 1.99 percent total tax levy increase would be eaten up by staff step raises, leaving just 0.39 percent for additional expenditures. Step raises are owed to custodial and clerical staff, among others.

Levittown Schools Postpone Budget Adoption

School administration opts to continue fund balance review

The Levittown School Board planned to adopt the budget for the 2012-13 school year at its public meeting at the Memorial Education Center on March 28, but opted to postpone it for further review of the district fund balance.

Since the district has until the third week in April to submit its final budget proposal to the state, Superintendent Dr. James Grossane and Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance Mark Flower said there’s plenty of time to review the budget to see if more fund balance can be produced.

Island Trees Library Budget, Trustee Election April 24

Budget hearing set for April 10

(The following statement on the budget and candidate biographies were submitted by the Island Trees Public Library.)

The Island Trees Public Library budget vote and trustee election will take place on Tuesday, April 24 from 1 to 9 p.m. in the library’s Dolores M. Morehouse Community Room. A budget hearing will take place on Tuesday, April 10, at 8 p.m., also in the Morehouse Community Room.

Levittown Library Budget Vote and Election April 3

Radano, Greller Vie for Trustee Seat

The Levittown Public Library budget vote for the proposed 2012-2013 library budget and the election of a Library Trustee will take place on Tuesday, April 3 from noon to 9 p.m. in the library’s Mildred B. Cantor Community Room.  

The Levittown Public Library’s budget is separate from the Levittown School District budget, and the budget votes are held on different dates.

Levittown Author Returns Overdue Book to Library

It only took Steve Bergsman 46 years

Some may think it sacrilege to harbor stolen property, including books from a library for more than 46 years, but that is exactly the offense that has been gnawing at the good conscience of established financial and real estate author Steve Bergsman.

In 1967, Bergsman graduated from Island Trees High School. Although the school never asked for the book, The History of the United States of America, c. 1904, before Bergsman graduated, he knew it was overdue. 

Island Trees Schools Tries to Eliminate $170K From Budget

Murphy: We will present a 2 percent levy

On Monday, March 19 the Levittown Tribune sat down with Island Trees Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Charles Murphy to get some first-hand information on the district’s budget proposal.

Dr. Murphy said, “We started off last summer, really concerned about the budget because of the tax cap; at the time we were projecting some tremendous increases with the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) and employees’ retirement system as well as their healthcare.” This would have put the district $1.8 million over the tax cap. But Murphy said that these things did not materialize this year, as projected.