Randi Shubin Dresner Appointed To Council

A resident of East Meadow, Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO of Island Harvest, Long Island’s largest hunger relief agency has been named by Governor Andrew Cuomo as one of the newest members of the Farmingdale State College Council. Under her leadership, Island Harvest has consistently been rated a 4-Star charity by the nation’s largest charity watchdog, Charity Navigator, an honor held by only seven percent of those they monitor nationally.

District: Budget Hinges On State Aid

So what’s the next Island Trees school budget going to look like? Well, that depends on our elected officials in Albany. 

At this month’s Board of Education meeting at Karopczyc, superintendent Dr. Charles Murphy provided an update, saying a final number to present to the public is not quite ready. This is due to state legislators’ deliberations taking longer than expected. 

State handgun laws, such as those involving magazine capacity, have taken precedent. The school board will hold a budget work session on April 2, where they hope to finalize the 2013-14 budget. 

Maragos: The County Isn’t Broke

Brushing aside widespread assertions to the contrary, Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos last week flatly declared: “The county is not broke.”

In a wide-ranging discussion with editors of Anton Community Newspapers in Mineola, the Republican comptroller  declared, “Why can’t people believe that if we give an audited financial statement, performed by outside auditors and show that we have a surplus, why isn’t it real?” 

Maragos, who has not yet formally declared he is a candidate for re-election in November, said he even expects Nassau to show a slight surplus. The surplus, Maragos said,  is a result of the ongoing cost cutting. But Maragos said Nassau borrowed about $300 million in the past term. He said about half of that was used to fund capital projects.  

Borst Wins Career Center Apprentice Title

Similar to the television show upon which it’s based, the Career Center Apprentice completion featured a pool of about 100 dedicated Mount Saint Mary College (MSMC) students vying for the title. Each experienced the thrill of competition while learning valuable professional skills. 

He’s A Good Guy

Wantagh Chamber of Commerce’s Good Guy Award acknowledges a resident or business owner who has generously contributed their resources and time to the community. This year’s ‘Good Guy’ is Joe Iavarone, president of one of Long Island’s most successful family businesses, IB Foods and Iavarone Brothers supermarkets. 

Improving School Performance

More time is needed on task on math and English/language arts on the middle school level. So says a committee made up of the principals from both district middle schools and their curriculum associates. The committee made their presentation at the Levittown Board of Education meeting on Wednesday.

Currently, 7th and 8th graders spend five periods a week on both math and ELA. Six graders spend five on math and 10 on ELA. Those students that score a one or a two on the state assessment test get an extra 2.5. periods for either subject.

Another Successful Winter Festival

Marking success for twelve years running, the Levittown Community Council hosted its annual WinterFest at Levittown Hall recently. There was entertainment, crafts, raffles prizes and a chance to meet and mingle with neighbors and it was all free. 

Kiwanis Korner

Before heading out to the LEADD Walk/Run on Sunday, April 7, fill up at the Kiwanis Club’s annual Pancake Breakfast. The breakfast, which will take place from 8 to 11 a.m. in the Panther Room at Levittown Memorial, is a great place to build up some energy for the run/walk. The pancakes will be hot, the sausages tasty, and the fellowship fun! The committee of Club President Glen Lachow, DPP Gary Crozier, Fred Interdonato, and chef DPP Pete Ryan will be flipping pancakes and frying sausage for hungry people looking to start their morning off right. 

GOP Passes Districting Map

The turbulent redistricting process in Nassau County came to an end last week with a party line vote approving a map drawn up by the Republican majority. But the strong possibility of a lawsuit by those opposed to the new map looms.

Republican legislators were booed by members of the audience as they voted for the GOP map. Critics of the map had held out hope that Legislator Denise Ford, who had voted against a similar Republican map in 2011, would vote against her caucus, but she voted with the majority.  The map passed 10-9.

Pironti Helps Rams With First Win

The Farmingdale State women’s lacrosse team opened the 2013 season on Sunday, March 10, with a 21-13 victory over visiting Manhattanville College. The Farmingdale Rams had three players scoring four goals, while sophomore midfielder Christy Thoden (Bayport) finished with four assists, two goals and 15 draw controls.

Farmingdale State jumped ahead to a 3-0 lead with goals from sophomore attack Nicole Marzocca (West Babylon), sophomore midfielder Jackie Kennedy (Massapequa Park) and Thoden. The Valiants got on the board with 22:12 left to make it 3-1. Senior attack Carly Schneider (Merrick) added a goal seven seconds later for a 4-1 Rams advantage, but Manhattanville scored three straight to tie the game at 4-4.

Farmingdale responded with five consecutive goals and would hold a 10-5 lead at the break. In the second, the Rams led by more than four the entire way, leading by 10 goals with 21 minutes left to play.

Schneider finished with a team-leading four goals and three assists, while Marzocca and senior midfielder Jillian Pironti (Seaford) also had four goals.