Jack Martins richly deserved his re-election as he has done a wonderful job of leading the village. With the success of his running mates Larry Werther and John DaVanzo, he now has a majority on the board which will allow him to advance his programs.

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We want to again extend our sincere condolences to Isidore and Marjorie Irace on the untimely death of their grandson Drew Odnoha, son of Maria and Andrew Odnoha.

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It was great to hear from a son of Mineola who has been such an inspiration to many. We are talking about Father Dennis Whelan of Marcellus Road, formerly the assistant pastor of St. Aidan's, 1976 to 1986 and now stationed at St. Catherine of Siena in Franklin Square. Father Whelan, who by the way, was a classmate of Margaret Fleming, remembers priests from his childhood Msgr. Edmund Fitzgerald and Fathers Thomas Manning and Vincent Hagan. He said he recalls the fine sense of humor of Msgr. Fitzgerald. He told me that his sister Maryann and her husband Jack Daley, who were students at Mineola High School together, celebrated their 50th anniversary on April 2. Jack, a Navy veteran from the Korean War, and Maryann have two children, Mark and John Patrick and three grandchildren.

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Stopped in for a pint of Guinness at that excellent Irish Pub, the Recovery Room, on St. Patrick's Day. The pub belongs to Kelly McPartland and her dad Noel. Kelly introduced me to Martina Kelly, Kristi McPartland and her fiancée Timmy Casey, Chris Semelrath and Kim Stepinowski. Tilly McPartland stopped in later.

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Sausages, bacon, eggs, French toast, pancakes, donuts, orange juice and great coffee all add up to a sumptuous breakfast the Portuguese-Lions Club has every year on Palm Sunday. Some of those we had a chance to talk to included: Fatima Delgado, Thomas and Gladys Forte, Rick and Joan Kanyuk, Rose and Tony Bernardo, Edward Hajduk, Maria Gomes, Domingo and Jdalina Santos, Dick and Marguerite O'Callaghan, Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Guerreiro, Maria Estevinho, Maria Fernandes, Rami Joudeh, Custodio and Cidalia Dovale, Angeline Dovale, Maria Correia, Grace Justino, Frank Caetano, Maria Costa, Odette Grazina, Armando Ribeiro, Marion Bellissimo, Grace and Walter Crosby, Flore and Jim Rowe, Anthony Kwestel, Thomas and Marie O'Reilly, Daniel and Doris Siraco, Marly and Celestino Ramos, Ausenda Alexandry, Lurdes Fernandes, Madalena Viegas, Manuel Delgago, Sylvia and Jose Luis Gomes.

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Jack and Karen Gayson were at Eleanor Rigby's for the 30th birthday party of their son-in-law Steve Rosellon. He and his wife, Stacey, are expecting their first child.

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My friend Dennis Walsh says that our editor, Joe Rizza, did a great job as the moderator of the recent "Meet the Candidates" night of the Mineola Civic Association. Others have said the same about Joe.

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We were sorry to hear of the deaths of two longtime patrons of the Jericho Diner, Liz Morgan and Cathy Brennan. Our condolences to George and the rest of the survivors.

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Village attorney John Spellman enjoyed lunch at the Churrasqueira.

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Marcella Slattery, formerly of Mineola, now lives at the St. Joseph Guest House in Huntington.

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Lots of people, especially those in Florida, read the online edition of the Mineola American. I was surprised to learn that more people are reading The New York Times online than are actually buying the newspaper. About one million people buy the paper, while one-and-a-half million read it on the Internet. The Times thinks it should start charging for the online edition, but then fears it would just drive people to other websites.

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Dottie Easton and Terry Reilly dined at Slates. Dottie is the wife of Chester, the pastor of the local Presbyterian church.

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Fran Dempsey, widow of Family Court Judge William, owes her good health, she tells me, to the excellent care rendered by Dr. John Lanzone of Mineola Boulevard.

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Former Williston Mayor Tom Muldoon and Mrs. Muldoon enjoyed lunch at our favorite diner.

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Mineola Chamber of Commerce has nominated the following officers for 2006: President - Carmela Bernacchio; First Vice-President - Steve Ford; Second Vice-President - John Broder; Administrative Secretary - Ludwig Odierna; Membership Secretary - Nancy Bauer; Treasurer - Linda Doerrbecker; Assistant Treasurer - Jack Baker; Directors for Two Years - Peter Golobin, Gary Gatz, Teri Ranfone, Bob Rosenthal, Larry Jones and Joy Savastas Wyler; New Nominees for Directors - Bill Greene, Phil Fortuna and Cathy Whitley. The directors whose terms expire in 2006 are Jerry Mehlman, Suzanne Skaflestad, Gail Stevens, Ruth Stuart, Manny DeFreitas, Dr. Ronald Negelberg, Ursula Odierna and me.

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