The Star Spangled Banner and the blue, white and gold of Ireland were taut in the stiff wind for the local St. Patrick's Day parade. As always the parade is sponsored by the Irish-American Society. This was the best effort ever with more marching units, more bands, the Irish Wolf Hounds and the Irish Blue Terriers. I again marched with the Irish-American Society. Betty O'Sullivan was the grand marshal. Betty has been a member of the Society for 25 years. She has been on the board of directors for five years and was the financial secretary for 10 years. She and her husband Dennis live in Williston Park with their daughter Chrisdina. Betty, who hails from County Wicklow, likes to knit Irish sweaters and sashes and loves dancing and Irish music. Last year Jack Whelan of Wardwell Road was the grand marshal. Pat Boland of Lincoln Avenue was chairman for this, the 55th annual local parade. Along the line of march I spotted John Carroll, Bob and Kyle Teemsma, Kerry and Richard Tice, Mary Ann Fearon, Liz Egner and others. County Executive Tom Suozzi also marched.

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It was good to hear from Father Dennis Whelan, a native of Mineola. He was formerly at Cure of Ars Church in Merrick and is now at St. Catherine of Sienna in Franklin Square.

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What a guy! Ron Geoffrion is 70 years old and still plays hockey with the LI Penguins. Hockey is a natural for him as his uncle was the great Montreal Canadien star with the same name. He is also the first baseman for the LI Giants and he also races dirt bikes. He has a long career as a boxer, too. Ron fought in 48 amateur matches and won 37. He also fought professionally 33 times, winning 22 of these. HBO is planning on doing a story about him. Ron and his late wife Ann have lived for a long time on Washington Avenue.

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Former mayor Bob Hinck is a good customer of Lou Citro's Cand J Gifts where he buys his camera and has his films developed. Bob is one of the three chairpersons for Mineola's centennial celebration in 2006.

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Thirty Mineola restaurants and delis will be participating in the "Taste of Mineola" to be held March 29 at the Jericho Terrace, 249 Jericho Turnpike, 6 to 9 p.m. Each restaurant will present their best dish. There will be wines available from a number of vineyards. There will be music and dancing throughout the evening. Some of those participating will be Piccola Bussola, Davenport Press, Churrasqueira Bairrada, Eleanor Rigby, Massaro's, Kuck's Deli, The Recovery Room, Station Plaza Coffee Shop, DiCarlos and many others. Visitors can patronize each table as many times as they want. Hanson and Hanson will be providing the music. The host will be Dr. Harvey Passes who has a TV show called Wine Country. All proceeds from the evening will go to the Winthrop-University Pediatric Inpatient Center. The evening will be filmed for later showing on TV. There will be American, Greek, Portuguese, Chinese, Italian and German foods. The wines will come from local vineyards such as Pindar. The Mineola Chamber of Commerce is presenting this event to advertise the village's eating establishments and to help the hospital. Tickets are $40 advance sale, $45 at the door and just $35 for senior citizens. You can mail ticket requests to the Mineola Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 62, Mineola, NY 11501 or visit www.mineolachamber.com.

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Josephine Lieb thanks the two kind ladies who helped her when she fell on Sheridan Boulevard. Jo also praises the village for the fine job they did keeping our streets plowed during the snowstorms. She is a resident of Arlington Street.

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The Jericho Diner has belonged to Jimmy and Dean for the past 11 years. They are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and have 26 employees, from the young fellows like Julio, the cashier to the 83-year-old waitress Alice Grom. George and Louie opened the Dorian in 1976 and owned it for 18 years. When it was built everyone I talked to said it would never make out and that the owners were just throwing their money away. Today it is one of our most successful businesses. A few may recall the original little diner which was opened in 1952 by Jim Trucks, The Dixie.

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Margaret Fleming likes to eat breakfast at Kuck's Deli. Margaret lives on Woodnut Place.

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Good to see Bill DeLuca of Emory Road back on his feet after a long battle with pneumonia.

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The old Mineola Fair opened on Sept. 27, 1866. People from all over Long Island came to the fair in their horse and carriages. There were harness races all day long and a woman named Lillian Chafetz performed wonders with her marvelous trick horses. There were milking contests, sheep, pigs and poultry. There were contests where entrants could win prizes for the biggest or best vegetables or best jams and jellies. Every year a baseball game took place. The fair ran until 1952 and was located just south of Old Country Road where the old Mineola Skating Rink was located. With the coming of autos in 1905 car racing became part of the fair.

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Bob and Carol Provenzano of White Road and Tilly McPartland like to shop at King Kullen.

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Senator Mike Balboni enjoys breakfast at the Jericho Diner.

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Louise, owner of Tres Belle Hair Styling, has 12 employees who have to rent car space in the nearby parking lot. At $250 a spot this becomes a costly proposition. Many other merchants also think it's too much of a burden.

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