Manhasset voters approved the Manhasset Public Schools' 2002-03 proposed budget by a vote of 1006 to 519 on Tuesday, May 21. Incumbent Thomas Maimone was re-elected to a three-year Board of Education term and received 970 votes. Write-in votes were also counted with Larry Roher receiving 152 and William D'Antonio receiving 2. The approved budget totals $58,009,149, an increase of $3,698,729, or 6.81 percent over the current school year. FULL STORY

Whether it was the increased sense of patriotism in the country, the effects of September 11 on the Manhasset community, or the result of large numbers of families with children in town is hard to say. What everyone who marched in or watched this year's Memorial Day Parade said was that it was the best parade ever--best number of marchers, best attendees and just a wonderful day. Despite a dubious early morning cloud cover, the day turned out to be a perfect May day. FULL STORY

The Girls Varsity lacrosse team will play Garden City in the Nassau County Finals this week, having soundly defeated Floral Park 15-5 in the Semis. Manhasset's attack unit came out firing, and quickly got on the board. Meredith Hotarek (2g, 1a) played her best game of the season, controlling the offense from behind the cage, while Kate Breslin (4g, 1a) had her usual standout game. Lauren Taylor (4g,1a) continued her recent aggressive play, constantly breaking down Floral Parks defense from out front, while Aly English (2g, 1a) complemented her play with similarly aggressive offense from the wing and behind the cage. Juliette White and Arianna Parasco were instrumental in controlling many of the center draws throughout the game. Kendra Bernard (2g, 2a) dictated play in the midfield, and along with Katie Killeen, constantly got Manhassets transition game moving by passing the ball up the field, not allowing Floral Park's defense to recover. Caroline Buhr added a goal in the second half. This was Manhasset's most impressive offensive display of the season, as their ball movement repeatedly found open cutters. Goalie Ashley Devins (12 saves) was the foundation of a very solid defense (Lyndsey Buhr, Mary Kate Denihan, Tori Maino, Amy Torpe) that allowed Floral Park only 2 goals until the last few minutes of the game. The finals will be a rematch of a regular season game which Manhasset won 11-9. FULL STORY

Walter Cronkite, when speaking of the Clearwater Education Programs, which are hands-on educational sails aboard the sloop Clearwater, said, "I know of no other environmental or educational institution that matches Clearwater's capacity or expertise for teaching school children about Hudson River ecology." In 1966, folk singer and activist Pete Seeger had an idea that public awareness of threatened waterways could be enhanced if people learned to care for and maintain one boat and one river. Thus was born the Clearwater in 1969, which serves as a moveable classroom, laboratory, stage and forum. The Clearwater, a 106-foot wooden sailing sloop designed after 18th and 19th century Dutch sailing sloops, offers educational group sails from April through mid-November for schools, youth and/or adult groups. The three-to-five hour sails engage passengers in a study of navigation, water chemistry, river life, and threats to the vitality of the Hudson River ecosystem. The Clearwater's newest captain is Josh Berger, son of the late Mel Berger and Amy Berger, who still lives on our peninsula. Josh grew up in Port Washington and learned to sail in the junior program at the Port Washington YC. Josh's love of sailing and the water emerged at an early age when his father decided that father and son should learn to sail together. Thus began a journey filled with many cruises up and down the Atlantic Ocean, day sails and competitive racing. For it was Mel Berger, who created the sailing club at Schreiber High School, and instilled a love of our sport in dozens of students who may not have had the chance to experience the joys of Manhasset Bay and Long Island Sound. "Chasing speed" on the water was a way of life for Josh as he competitively sailed throughout his teenage years. Soon speed was replaced with slower sailing experiences as Josh sailed in the Caribbean, piloted tugs in Maine, built sails in Oregon, and cruised the waters of British Columbia in his own vessel, which he restored. His partnership with the Clearwater, seems a natural, given Josh's sailing knowledge, skills and experience. His father, who died in 1997, would be proud of the achievements of this remarkable young man, who along with his co-captain, will greet more than 13,000 children who plan to board the Clearwater this season. When speaking of the many hours of work that each member of his team expended to ready the boat, Josh said, "That's what the Clearwater is all about, community and balance. It's the same way with the environment. The less we take care of it, the less we're able to live in it. That's what I'm trying to show through the Clearwater." For information on Classroom of the Waves, volunteer crew, apprenticeships (both sailing and maintenance), internships, and crew for the Clearwater, contact the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc., 112 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. (914) 454-7673, or 1-800-67SLOOP. Fax (914) 454-7953. E-mail: Office@Mail.Clearwater.org. or their website: http://www.Clearwater.org. FULL STORY