Mineola is the home of one of the best Portuguese restaurants on L.I., Churrasqueira Bairrada on Jericho Turnpike. The place is an asset to the village bringing food lovers from all over the Island into our village. As you will recall the building was formerly occupied by a seller of pornographic videos and tapes. Prior to that the building stood empty for three years. Barbecue chicken, prime ribs, salmon and swordfish are some of the restaurant's most popular dishes. With a huge free parking lot at the rear of the restaurant the place is always busy, lunch and dinner. Manny and Luisa Carvalho and their son Roy are such genial hosts that you always feel welcome. By the way, this spot 50 years ago was occupied by the A&P.

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Influential Democrats Mary Dwyer and Joe Shortis were among those attending the recent wake of our neighbor Ken Randall. Mary is the widow of Judge Tom Dwyer.

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Roseann (Bobby) Lafferty died recently. Her late husband, Jim, was the prime mover in developing the two-party system in Mineola. Forty years ago he formed the Suburban Party, the forerunner of the present Hometown Party. The Citizens Party, closely aligned with the Republican Party, was in complete control of the village. They had dominated the administrations of our early mayors, Harry Asher, Joe Nohowec and Tom Wilson. Mr. Nohowec owned a large piece of property on Mineola Boulevard and wanted to sell it to the Radock Construction Co., which planned to build an apartment house on the plot. The village board then changed the zoning to allow what is now the President Apts. to be built.

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Prior to then there were no such buildings in Mineola which was zoned strictly residential. Lafferty and his followers denounced the deal and said it would destroy the suburban nature of the village. When Lafferty presented a slate of himself, Marie Dowling and Herman Knopf to run against the Citizen's Party incumbents, a bitter campaign ensued. The Citizens Party denounced Lafferty and his party as outside troublemakers, while the Suburban Party charged a "fix" in the change in zoning made to accommodate a former mayor. After the Citizens Party swept the election, it allowed many other apartment houses to be built such as the Lincoln Arms, the Clinton Arms, the Heritage House and Birchwood Court. Each had its struggles. When Lafferty found out that the Birchwood was built 10' higher than allowed by zoning laws, he demanded that the top floor be eliminated. The village, saying that the building inspector had made an honest error, granted a variance to allow the additional 10', resulting in another bitter political campaign. The opposition finally won a seat with the election of Bob Hinck.

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The Auxiliary of the Sisters of Charity, St. Aidan's branch, enjoyed brunch at Mahoneys. At the table were Carolyn Lynch, Molly Murphy, Kay Williams, Marie Callahan and Elaine DiGiacomo.

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Our friend Faust Guarino of Oceanside recently became an honor guard of the Fourth Degree Knights of his Oceanside Council. He looks really impressive in his outfit, along with the plumage and award. Among the activities the guard participates in are wakes and parades. Faust is married to former Mineola resident MaryAnn Affigne. The couple is planning a trip to the Hawaiian Islands.

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How about the nerve of Verizon wanting to build nine 4' cell phone antennas on the top of the 90' high LIPA utility tower at Arlington Street and Betty Lane. These antennas would do nothing for us. When it was proposed for East Williston, that village said they weren't interested. Hey, we aren't interested either. We hope that the village board will turn down the deal. Many residents spoke out against it and the board should listen to its constituents.

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We are sorry to learn that Sister Laura Helbig, the principal of Corpus Christi School, will be leaving. Sister Laura will be taking a leadership position with her Order, the Amityville Dominicans. Joan O'Brien, co-director of religious education, will also be leaving. Both will be sorely missed.

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Bridget McColgan of Sheridan Boulevard was among the many watching the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Garden City.

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Always good to meet Bill Deventhal around town. Bill and his wife, Ruth, live on Pomander Road and are the parents of Billy Deventhal, our director of advertising and one of two general managers here at Antons.

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I speak Spanish and often listen to their TV stations. How the heck do they get away with some of their ads? One in particular advocates wearing a certain magic belt that helps to lose weight. Eat all you want and don't bother with exercise, just wear the belt. Another says to rub in a special cream and you are guaranteed to lose pounds. No exercise or restricted diet required. FTC, where are you?

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When radio was first on the scene, Herbert Hoover said in 1922 it should remain free of any advertising. By the time FDR became President, radio had many friends in Congress and after passage of the Federal Communications Act in 1934 commercial radio was here to stay.