Letter: Community Concerns Are Trumped by Corporate Interests

(Editors note: This letter was sent to the Town of North Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals and to the Manhasset Press for publication.)

On May 20 we attended the Public Hearing at Town Hall at which time we presented the attached letter requesting that the board deny Appeal #18625 Apple Computer/Centre Manhasset, LLC for a variance to enable the applicant to place an illuminated sign on the rear of the building that will be four feet tall. This sign exceeds the code which requires a maximum height of two feet.

Letter: Rocky Pacent’s Dream: Refurbished Baseball Field at MHS

March 8, 2009 was a sad day for softball. Rocky Pacent lost his life to cancer and Manhasset girls lost the brightest light guiding Manhasset PAL Baseball.

Rocky was the League’s Softball Travel Coordinator, but more than that, he was the girls’ biggest fan. He lived and breathed the game and the girls on the team knew it. His girls got good because Rocky showed them they could. They became Champions! The girls won district titles and even reached the semis of the LI Williamsport Championship Tournament. Not easy stuff. Rocky knew they could.

Letter: Munsey Park Field Dedication Honors Sgt. James Regan

I had the honor to attend the dedication of “Jimmy’s Field,” in honor of Sgt. James Regan this past Wednesday at Munsey Park School. The string and wind ensemble played beautifully and the ceremony led by the student council officers was so moving.

Letter: The Price of Gas

I don’t know if anyone else noticed, but the price of regular gas in my area has risen from $2.09 per gallon several weeks ago to $2.56 per gallon now. This is roughly a 22 percent increase in three weeks and I am sure the price will continue to rise.

Since the price of oil per barrel has not risen by this percent I wonder who among our elected officials are looking out for us, the consumer. I am also sure that the cost for bringing produce to the pump has not risen weekly.

Letter: Thank You for Helping Keep Manhasset Beautiful

Over 30 volunteers took part in Keep Manhasset Beautiful’s community cleanup event on Saturday, May 16. Local residents of all ages joined elected officials, students, the Chamber of Commerce, the Scouts, Manhasset SEPTA, and many Town of North Hempstead representatives, to make Manhasset cleaner, greener and more beautiful. The volunteers met at Manhasset Valley Park on a beautiful spring morning and gave the park a much-needed cleaning—together, they collected well over 100 pounds of litter. While cleaning and beautifying our community, volunteers wore T-shirts and used supplies provided by the Town of North Hempstead. After they cleaned Valley Park, volunteers headed over to Plandome Road to participate in the “sidewalk sweep” event there with dozens of other residents. In sum, an outstanding display of community pride, camaraderie and volunteerism.

Letter: Make Time to Vote

It is that time again for the Manhasset community to make our voices heard on the school budget vote on May 19. Issues affecting the future of our children and the quality of their education are at stake as we vote on a proposed budget increase of 0.87 percent over last year.

Letter: Vote for the Locker Room/Bleacher Proposition on May 19

As a member of the Manhasset Athletic Advisory Committee (MAAC) and head of its budget committee, I urge everyone in our community to vote in favor of the Locker Room/Bleacher proposition on May19. The proposition, which would authorize the use of already available capital project funds, would enable the district to replace and refurbish the locker rooms and bleachers. The project has been on the MACC facilities planning agenda for several years and is essential for not only aesthetic reasons, but to address the more important issues of safety and compliance. Site visits are offered by the district for anyone who is not familiar with the impractical, unsafe and outdated condition of the bleachers and locker rooms.