Does anybody remember Moyious Fruit Market? Fifty years ago it stood at the corner of Jericho Turnpike and Willis Avenue where KFC is today. Bananas were hung outdoors all around the structure and juicy watermelons were stacked outside. People came from all over to buy their fruits, vegetables and special Greek produce. They kept long hours, opening at 6 a.m. and closing at midnight. Bananas cost a penny and watermelons were 25 cents.
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Attended the wonderful Portuguese Lions Club breakfast. Among those we had a chance to talk to and those who did the work were: John Caetano, Armando Ribeiro, Thomas and Marie O'Reilly, Maria Fernandes, Maria Serrado, Frank and Josephine DiPrima, George and Josephine Sjursen, Manuel Gonsalves, Helen and Mike Minichella, Flore and Jim Rowe, Manuel and Maria Valente, Susan Wieczorek, Pamela Faulk, Walter and Grace Crosby and Dick and Marguerite O'Callaghan. The workers were: Fernanda Aguas, Rosa Leal, Vitoria Do Vale, Esmenia Godinho, Sao Caetano, Marie Joao Leitao, Betty Reis, Odette Grazine, Joao Marques, Fatima Carlos, Augusta Calado, Virginia Silva, Dominick Oliveira, Anthony Martins, Jr., Jose Garcia, Lou Martins and Tony Favas.
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Angelica and Vincent Shields of Hillside Avenue dined at Piccolo's Restaurant.
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Among people we met dining for lunch or breakfast at the Jericho Diner were Dr. Jennifer LaMonica, Ursula Odierna and daughter Ursula, Candy Maia, owner of Lisbon at Night, Frances Gniatkowski, Charlie and Helen Melvin. Charlie, Helen and Frances were on their way to visit Charlie and Margaret Cavalconte who are both ill.
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Mayor Edward Schmidt dedicated Mineola's Memorial Park Nov. 12, 1932. Joe Nohowec was one of the village trustees. Joe was later to succeed Schmidt as mayor. Sidney Bowne was the village engineer and here 68 years later the firm still retains that position and Al Petit was the landscape architect. Some may remember that Al later had a florist shop on Mineola Boulevard called Petit's.
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Grace and Walter Crosby marked their 40th wedding anniversary on April 23 and were chosen to present the gifts at Easter Sunday Mass at Corpus Christi. A nice coincidence.
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Hero Police Officer Steven McDonald's son Conor is a classmate of our granddaughter Kim Sanders at the Brother Fox Latin School at Kellenberg High School.
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That crooked bridge on Mineola Boulevard is a temporary structure. The work on the permanent straight bridge is slated to commence in the summer of 2001.
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Longtime Mineola resident Jerry Hanson was here from Florida and stopped at the office.
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Every family in the Corpus Christi parish is urged to have their picture taken, free of charge, for the commemorative book which will mark the 100th anniversary of the parish in 2001. Among those hard at work facilitating the procedure were Charlie Patterson and Margaret Kehoe. Waiting behind us at the picture taking was Jeanne Marie Lazar of Arlington Street.
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Tim O'Brien of Clinton Avenue has long been active in the MAA. He buys his daily paper at TK's Gifts on Jericho Turnpike.
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People are finally taking advantage of the 35 new parking spots on Station Plaza just a block away from the shopping district.
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Brian Mannix, son of Joe and Catherine of Royal Avenue will be ordained a Catholic Deacon on May 27.