Whether it was the baseball frenzy caused by the possibility of a Subway Series or just her usual manner of speech, Judy Jacobs frequently used the metaphor of "stepping up to the plate" in a Monday interview about the Nassau County budget. Ms. Jacobs, the Democratic Majority Leader of the Nassau County Legislature, said that the last few weeks have been "heartbreaking," as the county lost many of its longtime leaders to early retirement incentives. She mentioned specifically Parks Commissioner John B. Kiernan, Senior Citizen Affairs Commissioner Rena Iacono and Consumer Affairs Commissioner James Picken. "It's a brain drain," she said. Ms. Jacobs and her staff have been working day and night to complete the majority budget which was officially presented to NIFA (Nassau Interim Financial Authority) Thursday, Oct 19. FULL STORY

The Manhasset Park District has adopted a 2001 operating budget that calls for holding the line on property taxes and raising for the first time in six years the daily commuter parking fee. FULL STORY

The PYA-Manhasset PAL Tackle Football League for fourth and fifth grade boys opened its season Sunday at Munsey Park. In the first game the Port Washington PBA Redskins (maroon) defeated the Harvey Lewis Foundation Cowboys (white) 12-0. Dylan McGoldrick was responsible for all of the game's scoring, on runs of 28 and 35 yards. The Redskins' defense was anchored by Noah Todaro, Jim Wenk and Richard Minieri. For the Cowboys, Shea Licata stood out on offense, and Connor English and Timmy Pond kept the game close with their defense. FULL STORY