County Executive’s Column: July 16,2009

Dome Illumination to Raise Awareness of Pancreatic Cancer

This month, Nassau County, in cooperation with the Lustgarten Foundation, is hosting a ceremony and building illumination for Pancreatic Cancer Research. Over 37,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year –which is why our goal is to raise awareness in order to prevent and fight this disease. According to the National Cancer Institute, the overall 5-year relative survival rate for 1999-2005 was 5.5 percent. We must work together to thwart pancreatic cancer.

Letter: Thank You Greentree Foundation

On behalf of the executive board of the Manhasset Special Education PTA (SEPTA) and all our members, we would like to send our deepest thanks and gratitude to Richard Schaffer, George Patterson, and everyone at the Greentree Foundation for awarding SEPTA with a grant for our adaptive sports program. We are proud to be a 2009 Greentree Foundation Good Neighbor Fund Grant recipient and we are very grateful for the honor.

Letter: NYS Has the Worst Legislature in the Country

(Editor’s note: This letter was sent to State Senator Craig Johnson and to the Manhasset Press for publication.)

I read with interest and some disgust your column in the July 2 issue of Manhasset Press. New York State has the worst legislature in the country (see the Brennan Center for Justice reports from NYU) and recent past and present events in Albany certainly support this view.

Letter: Street Sweeping Again

I sent a letter to our councilwoman, Poons, on March 20 concerning street sweeping in North Strathmore. Additionally I sent her an email reminder on May 7. I have not received a reply. So on June 4 I sent a letter to her boss the North Hempstead supervisor, Kaiman, concerning this issue. (This letter was at my request published in the Manhasset Press of June 11.). I have not received any communication from him either.

Letter: Let’s Make Sure Our Children Are Safe

In last week’s Manhasset Press, Darren Gill, the marketing director for Field Turf, wrote a Letter to the Editor which attempted to dismiss the concerns of some of Manhasset’s citizens regarding the use and proliferation of artificial turf fields in our community as “emotional” and “precautionary.” It is interesting to note that these same citizens have a stated agenda to protect the health and welfare of our children. As a representative of the “leading company in the synthetic turf industry,” Mr. Gill certainly has a stake in his product’s acceptance, which brings his objectivity into question.

Letter: Please Drive Carefully

Remember the bumper stickers we used to see in September that said, “School’s Open. Please drive carefully?” At this time of year we need to also remember that school is out and so are the children! Manhasset’s children, anxious for some good weather and time to play outdoors are out and about. The children are riding bikes in their neighborhood, walking to and from town, playing with their friends and we all need to drive even more carefully with that in mind.

Letter: Artificial Turf: Artificial Safety?

Manhasset is facing a crossroads on an issue that greatly affects the safety of our children. We need to take an enlightened path now, before it’s too late.

Last week, a senior Environmental Protection Agency official recommended that the agency no longer endorse the safety of artificial turf. This major announcement was prompted by preliminary EPA research detailing potential health hazards of exposure to shredded tires in artificial turf, which contain carcinogens and harmful chemicals. The EPA will complete its study in a few weeks.

Letter: Safer Turfs

Kudos to the editor and writers at the Manhasset Press for their front-page coverage last week of the artificial turf controversy. Their decision to educate the public, encourage discussion and provide a forum is perhaps unprecedented and should be highly commended. Many residents will weigh in on both sides, I’m sure. However, it is beyond my comprehension how anyone can not read the arguments put forth by the manufacturer of artificial turf and not say to themselves, “Wow, this sounds just like how the tobacco companies said cigarette smoking is safe and does not cause cancer or death!”

Letter: Street Sweeping in North Strathmore

(Editors Note: This letter was sent to Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman and to the Manhasset Press for publication.)

On March 20 some two and a half months ago, I sent a letter to Councilwoman Poons concerning street sweeping in North Strathmore. I pointed out that, without exception, street sweeping occurs on the same days as sanitation pickup and that if this interference can be avoided it would both reduce sweeping costs and make for a more thorough sweeping job.

Letter: Re: Appeal #18625 Apple Computer/Centre Manhasset, LLC

(Editors note: This letter was sent to the Town of North Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals and to the Manhasset Press for publication.)
I am writing on behalf of the Strathmore Village Civic Association to oppose a variance for signage for Apple Computer at the property located at The Gate and Northern Blvd.