Plandome Pond Park Has a New Sign

There has been a new front gate at Plandome Pond Park in Plandome Heights and the fences have been upgraded and painted. And, on June 4, a brand new sign was installed.

Pharmaceutical Drop-off Program A First in Nassau County

Partnering with Nassau County, North Hempstead unveiled a drop-off program for residents’ expired and unwanted medications.

The first such initiative in Nassau County, the program—meant to address the abuse of unwanted drugs while stopping them from entering the drinking water—was made public June 3 at a press briefing inside Manhasset Park Drugs, 290 Plandome Road just a few doors from Town Hall.

Garbage: Feeding the Engine

The business of garbage was discussed at the June 2 Town of North Hempstead Council meeting and the villages were given an extension in time to decide whether or not they will transport their garbage to the town or make other arrangements for solid waste disposal. A new agreement between the entities would go into effect in May 2010.

Storms in Flower Hill

Tempers flared and good manners were left in the parking lot on June 1. The Mayor and the Trustees of the Village of Flower Hill had their hands full with residents who wanted to be heard. Despite the efforts of the officials to maintain decorum and civility, the gavel of the mayor was rapped repeatedly in an attempt to restore order.

Artificial Turf: Fields of Dreams Or Nightmares?

Looking for Common Ground...

Artificial turf, the synthetic “grass” on sports fields throughout the country, remains a “hot” issue. The pros and cons have been debated for years: Do the benefits of the fields outweigh the concerns, or vice versa? Do the fields enable more kids to enjoy much-needed exercise, despite inclement weather? Or, do they endanger the health of children or the environment? And, has a final, comprehensive, definitive study, which considers all of the factors, already been completed or is it still to be done?

Memorial Day Parade Is All Sunshine

The Manhasset American Legion Post 304 previously announced the theme of the parade this year “You did your job-you saved our way, Our life and freedom you preserved, We’ve thanked you less than you deserve…”

Dr. Samuel R. Bierstock. The day dawned clear with sparkling sunshine-cool and comfortable. The Memorial Day weekend began on early Saturday morning with the flagging of veteran’s graves at the Pinelawn National Cemetery. Legionnaires were joined by the Post-sponsored Boy Scouts of America Troop 97 and Cub Scout Pack 101 with their parents. Together, they placed small American flags in front of each veteran’s grave in their assigned section of the cemetery. On Sunday morning, Legionnaires and the Women’s Auxiliary attended ecumenical services at the Church of Our Saviour Lutheran Church conducted by the Reverend Ray Ormand.

Manhasset Mayors Blast Attorney General’s Proposal to Eliminate Villages

Mayors of five Manhasset Villages joined mayors from across Nassau County in blasting New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s local government consolidation plan. The five villages are all members of the Nassau County Village Officials Association (NCVOA), which is comprised of 64 incorporated villages in Nassau County representing nearly 450,000 residents. The proposed legislation could make it easier for disgruntled residents to bring about a referendum which could ultimately result in the dissolution of a village.

Voters Approve Record 97 Percent of School Budgets

(Submitted by the New York State School Boards Association.)

Voters throughout New York State approved a record 97.3 percent of school district budgets on Tuesday, May 19, according to an analysis by the New York State School Boards Association.

Initial statewide results gathered by NYSSBA early Wednesday indicate voters have passed 611 school district budgets. The number of budgets defeated was 17.

“School boards were faced with gut-wrenching budget decisions this year,” said NYSSBA Executive Director Timothy G. Kremer. “But it is clear that parents and taxpayers understood that districts worked very hard to keep taxes down while trying to maintain programs and provide a quality education to students.”

Rocky Pacent Softball Fund Begins Official Fundraising Effort

On March 8, Rocky Pacent, Manhasset PAL Baseball/Softball Girls Travel Coordinator, lost his six-month battle with cancer. Rocky worked tirelessly for Manhasset PAL. The Rocky Pacent Softball Fund plans to realize one of his dreams by constructing a state-of the art girls’ ball field in Manhasset. The field will serve middle and high school girls’ softball teams, as well as boys and girls in PAL programs. Improving the Manhasset High School “lower field” will benefit Manhasset baseball and softball players of all ages.

The field is in dire need of repair. Due to poor drainage, any rainfall renders the field unplayable for days. This spring 75 percent of the scheduled PAL boys and girls games have been cancelled due to this unplayable field. Five of the six Varsity Softball home games required relocation to the opposing teams’ fields. There are other problems with the current field: poor fencing, insufficient bleacher space, and no player benches.

Town Wide Sweep a Popular and Productive Event

The “Sidewalk Sweep” on Saturday to launch the “Community Courtesy Campaign” of the Coalition for a Safer Manhasset was a tremendous success. The 8 a.m. start at Coach Realty, compliments of Diane Harragan, produced a sea of balloons that a group of dedicated volunteers prepared and distributed all along Plandome Road from Northern Blvd. to Webster Avenue. The slight drizzle at the beginning of the event did not deter volunteers from stepping up to their assignments.