Letter: MTA Restoring Half Hourly Trains On PW Line...Not True

I was overjoyed when I read your article about the MTA’s decision to return half hourly service to the Port Washington LIRR train line. As a “green” minded citizen I like to think I am helping our environment by using public transportation. Having trains run only once an hour into NYC after “rush hour” was not encouraging use or convenient, not to mention the overcrowding that was the result of less trains. However, on examination of the new schedule I am aghast that none of the added trains stop at the Plandome Station.

Letter: Choosing Healthy Debate Vs. Mudslinging

The Village Bath property at The Gate in Strathmore Village is once again subject of much controversy. Last summer, a proposal to rezone the property to parking was considered and then withdrawn by the applicant in light of unanimous opposition. The unanimous opposition had two significant factors, its mediocre but compliant buffer zone with adjacent homeowners, and the far greater concern that by changing the zoning to parking, the prospective purchaser would in the future enable square footage to be added to the existing 1900 Northern Boulevard commercial property and achieve a total square footage that would then permit the owner to build a larger commercial building, and perhaps, as Kimco did at the King Kullen site, construct a building far closer to the surrounding residential community. After the application’s withdrawal, the prospective purchaser began discussions with the Strathmore Village Civic Association (SVCA) to address those concerns. SVCA and South Strathmore Civics engaged the adjacent homeowners in several meetings over the winter and spring, some of which I personally attended. I saw and heard many residents share their desire for plan revisions and concessions to address their specific concerns. I can attest that support indeed grew for the revised plan that now contains two important caveats: The purchaser agreed to (1) a written restrictive covenant that would preclude any future building on the Village Bath site and that its gross square footage would be restricted from being added to the existing commercial property for the purpose of achieving a larger commercial building than what is presently as-of-right by the 1900 Northern Boulevard commercial owner, and (2) a much improved buffer zone with adjacent homeowners was designed.

Letter: Building Department Woes

(Editors Note: This letter is in response to Linda Liu’s letter to the editor dated April 26.)

I also have a nightmare story to share about the Town of North Hempstead Building Department’s tactics. I have owned my home for 16 years. Last year, I decided to sell my home, since I now reside upstate.

Letter: Sewer Privatization: Will Costs Be Shared By Communities Without Sewers?

I would venture to guess that most residents are not aware that the Nassau County Executive is moving to privatize the sewer system and those that are aware have very little information about how it will happen. Even those of us who are elected to represent you at the legislature have been given no details by the administration as to how this plan is supposed to move forward. The county administration is only saying that a private firm, through a series of complex legal and financial arrangements, will take over from the county the operation, maintenance and improvement of the county’s wastewater management system in what would be the largest public-private sewer partnership in the United States. However, as we experienced when our buses were privatized and the police precincts were reduced, there are no documents for public review.

A Look On The Light Side: May 16, 2012

Password Protect Me!

I can’t believe it just happened again. For the kajillionth time, I am locked out of my own computer.

It happens with everything, now that my life is lived almost completely online. Maybe your life is different, but nowadays I need one password to get into my computer and another to look at my email, another to cash a coupon, to read an article, to look up a recipe or to order a shirt. I need a password for boots from L.L. Bean, and another to check on the status of a book I ordered from Amazon. I need a password to check that we’ve paid the balance for summer camp and another to look in my bank account and see if there’s any money to pay with. Heck, I need a password just to log onto a website and find out where to pick up my children after sports! To take a break, I read some electronic news. I follow a link to another story, about which someone has written something moronic. I must make a comment and set them straight – but first: “What is your password?” It is never ending!

Letter: View Current Collective Bargaining Agreement With Staff On Library Website

The Board of Trustees of the Manhasset Public Library read with interest the letter to the editor from Amanda Barker, labor relations specialist of the United Public Service Employees Union, which has recently affiliated with the Manhasset Public Library Staff Association (April 26).

While the board disagrees with several of the statements made in the letter, we prefer to address those differences at the bargaining table rather than in the media. We look forward to resuming discussions with the negotiating team for the staff so that we can restart efforts to reach a fair settlement that respects both the employees and the taxpayers.  These negotiations have been prolonged and, at times, difficult.  We welcome the participation of the UPSEU as a chance for a fresh perspective and opportunity to make real progress toward a new agreement.

Letter: The Sun Is Shining; Just Look Out The Window

An April 27th letter to the editor [published in Anton Community Newspapers] authored by Philip H. Smith, president of the United University Professions, leads one to believe that Mr. Smith does not closely follow the topics or institutions about which he writes. In his letter, titled “Let the Sun Shine on SUNY Foundations,” Mr. Smith states that The Research Foundation for the State University of New York (“Research Foundation”) is “largely led by government officials”; that it feels “no...compulsion to share information with the public,” and that it is an organization that “cloak[s] [its] activities in secrecy.”

All three statements are easily refutable and simply untrue. The Research Foundation is not led by government officials. Most importantly it is an organization that over the past year has demonstrated, and has been recognized for, its pledge to accountability and transparency.

Letter: MPSA and PWEA Support School Budget

For the first time ever, the Manhasset Proponents of School Accountability (MPSA) and the Port Washington Educational Assembly (PWEA) are supporting the proposed school budgets in our communities, as both budgets are meeting the new tax cap limits. While both of our groups favored a budget with no tax increase in these difficult times, in the interest of unifying our communities, we agreed to support any budget that met the new tax limit even though the budget increases ($1.5 million in Manhasset and $2.7 million in Port Washington) are, for the most part, increases in employee salaries and benefits.

Letter: A Loving Note About Larry Day And His Best Friend

Larry Day passed away on April 4. Why am I writing about Larry Day? Because Larry and his lifelong friend, Charlie Knuth, taught me about the value of friendship. So often we hear about women’s friendships. But let me tell you about this “guy’s friendship.“ I’ve worked at the Manhasset Public Library for 15 years and over that time I observed them and marveled at their relationship.

Until Larry could no longer engage in his daily ritual, he could be seen with his best friend, Charlie, taking their daily “good health” walk down Plandome Road, chatting up a storm. So, what did they talk about — two grown men in their 70s and 80s? Life...they shared their joy and their grief. Charlie, reflecting on his days as patent director at Pfizer, and Larry about the good ol’ days at Pepsi. But, more importantly, they chatted about their families — their grown children, grandkids, and their beloved wives, Nancy Knuth and Elizabeth Day. And when Larry got sick, Charlie faithfully visited him up to the last.

Letter: Warm Winter Increases Danger Of Lyme Disease

I just finished reading the letter from the office of the governor in the Manhasset Press [April 26] entitled “Vacation in New York This Summer.” I feel there was extremely important information not mentioned. Yes, New York is a beautiful state, however, please read on and be careful this spring and summer season as you head east or to various other places along the Eastern Coast whether for a vacation or to watch your child participate in a sport on a field.

I had just turned 50, training to run a half marathon, and had passed my physical in May 2011 with flying colors. Then in August 2011 this all drastically changed. After completing a seven-mile run, I headed to the grocery store. While shopping, I was hit with a sudden pain in my legs, with extreme pain in my knees and numbness in my feet. It seemed to pass, however, over the next week I began having many strange and disturbing things happen to my body. I lost total feeling in my feet, had extreme pain in my knees; making it hard to walk up and down stairs, pins and needles up and down my legs, ear pain, muscle spasms that could be seen pulsating on the outside of my skin, jaw pain, teeth pain, skin rashes – and this was only the beginning. As time continued, so did my symptoms, causing pain that I have never, ever experienced before and could not accurately explain to any one person.