Liver Lines: October 2, 2009

Flu season is fast upon us and this year we are faced with the prospect of two flus and possibly two flu vaccines. We are hearing lots about the H1N1 flu and the concerns about how this flu may manifest in the fall. Let’s not forget that the regular yearly seasonal flu is also on the horizon and needs to be prepared for as well.

County Executive’s Column: October 2, 2009

We Have Accomplished Much and Will Not Rest

Two weeks ago, I submitted my proposed 2010 Budget – and I kept the promise I made to “freeze county taxes.” The $2.6 billion budget will increase spending by a record low 0.5 percent - only one-half of 1 percent - with no increase in county taxes. The proposed budget also reflects 700 fewer employees working for the county than a year ago, bringing the total count down to 8,792, which is 1,000 employees fewer than when I first took office.

Parenting Plus: September 25, 2009

Almost a year ago, Marcelo Lucero, an Ecuadorean immigrant, was murdered allegedly by a group of high school boys on a hate-crime spree. Shortly after the murder I was invited to participate as one of six panelists in an online forum sponsored by Newsday.

Letter: HS Rugby Alive and Well on LI

High school rugby is alive and well on Long Island. The LIU19 Colts rugby club is a community-based club open to all students from ninth to 12th grade. Middle school students are welcome to come and learn the skills of the game but we cannot promise playing time as we do not schedule teams in their age bracket at the present time. High school rugby in the U.S. is strictly a spring sport. The Colts winter practice starts after Thanksgiving when the football season ends and consists of one two-hour session on Saturday or Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. depending on weather conditions. Once the season gets under way in March we go to a Tuesday and Thursday 5 p.m. practice at Glen Cove. The Colts play a 10-game schedule and field an A and B side each week. Everyone gets a full game every game day during the season. The Colts draw players from schools in Nassau County, Eastern Queens and Western Suffolk.

County Executive’s Column: September 18, 2009

Proposed County Budget Freezes County Property Taxes

I am proud to announce that my proposed 2010 county budget freezes county property taxes. There will be no increase in county taxes next year and the county portion of your total property tax bill will represent only 16.9 percent of the overall property tax bill. That’s down from 22.7 percent the day I took office in January 2002.

Comptroller’s Report: September 18, 2009

Calling Attention to Civic Education Is a Good Thing

I was reading recently how Academy Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss is now devoting himself to promoting the education of “civics” in our schools in order to give our children real-world knowledge and, hopefully, wisdom about how to run our government. I never realized that Mr. Dreyfuss and I had so much in common and I enthusiastically join his call to bring back civic education.

From the Desk of Charlie Prucha, Superintendent, South Farmingdale Water District: September 11, 2009

We hope everyone has been enjoying the warm weather and later part of the summer now that the rain has gone away. The rain this season was good for our gardens, lawns and flowers, but as drier weather continues, many of us will continue watering and using irrigation systems to keep our properties green.

Letter: Calories in Restaurant Food

I’m like many people in our county who pours over nutrition labels on all the food I buy. I want to know exactly what it is I’m eating, and more importantly, how many calories I’m consuming. As the American Heart Association will tell you, calories “in” should equal calories “out” if you want to maintain your current weight. Our diet should be equivalent to our physical activity. But if we don’t know what we’re eating, how are we to know how many laps to walk around the neighborhood?

What Every Long Islander Should Know: September 4, 2009

Bricks and Mortar Won’t Stop the Brain Drain

(John McNally had a most interesting reaction to the recent Nassau County “youth summit,” aimed at finding out what it would take to keep 18- to 35-year-olds from leaving Long Island. John, a 30-something himself, is the Rauch Foundation’s Program Officer for the Environment. I’ve asked him to write this month’s column.)

I just got back from vacationing in the Pacific Northwest with some old Long Island friends who had relocated there. The very folks that the summit was concerned about. As I read the recommendations—affordable housing and downtown redevelopment—something bothered me. I agree with them, wholeheartedly, yet I couldn’t help feeling that something was being overlooked.

Letter: Is Quality Health Care Too Costly?

The most common question I hear during any health care reform discussion is, “Can we afford it?”

The per capita cost of health care in the U.S. is the highest of any industrialized nation in the world. According to the World Health Organization, the U.S. ranks 37th in the world in the quality of health care.