President Bush has written to me that his schedule does not permit him to visit Mineola during our centennial year of 2006. The president said he may be able to send a congratulatory message. I wrote back that if we can get the message before Jan. 11, we can include it on the first page of the journal. Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy said she would also speak to Mr. Bush. At press time, President Bush sent his message. We sincerely thank him. In other centennial matters the quilt that the ladies are working on including co-chairman Bob Hinck's mother Helen is almost finished. Tom Raad said that ads are coming in at a good pace for the centennial journal which will be mailed to every home in the village. Neil Young and Margaret Ann Farmer who are doing the journal say it will have hundreds of photos of old Mineola and new Mineola. Right after the Christmas decorations come down the centennial banners will be erected on 180 telephone poles. Merchants can have their names inscribed on the banners at a nominal cost. The celebration will commence with a free concert at Chaminade on Jan. 29. Sally Patterson says that the ecumenical service will be held at the village hall Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Among those participating will be Rabbi Perl, Father Bowman and Father Williams, the Rev. Chester Easton among others. Sandy Pusey is in charge of the fashion show and says that there will be ten models. The show will be at the Knight's Hall March 3.

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The Showtime Review under the direction of Maryann O'Brien will be May 4-5 and 6. The time capsule buried in 1981 will be opened in July. The village centennial parade is set for Oct. 1 with marchers, bands, floats, Portuguese dancers, Irish dancers and a number of antique vehicles followed by fireworks at Wilson Park. Candie Maia and John DaVanzo, the other co-chairmen with Mr. Hinck, said that the Village Ball will be held at the Jericho Terrace Nov. 17. Tickets are $100 per person. Joe Kern a newcomer to the planning committee, is getting the schools involved with student essays and art contests.

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The choir at Corpus Christi Church does a fine job headed by Troy Gordon, the director. The members are Nancy Portoghese, Janet Bromfield, Irene de Medeiros, Maria des Santos, Cathleen Dougherty, Patricia Doughterty-Gormley, Susana Garrido, Bob and Jane Gomez, Mary Guarino, Franni Luisi, Lisa Madsen, Dolores Mangold, Thomas Murphy, Christina Nunez, Sister Denise Paul, Ginny and Tom Schmitt, Evan Smoak, Gregory Tranchina, Mario Valdellon, Michael Vezzi, Joseph Werther and Maria Wojcik.

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Jim Quigley had coffee at the Jericho Diner. Jim spent 33 years as a cop with the 3rd Precinct.

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Going has a great welcome to Mineola sign which greets you as you travel north over the Mineola bridge. But the clock which is part of the sign has no hands. The clock on the Citibank building has hands but the time is wrong. Surely Going Sign and Citibank can do better than this.

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Former MA reporter Ruth Kazdan was enjoying a trip to our festive library.

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Laura Blake at O'Donnells Irish Pub tells me that Mary O'Donnell is getting better after her terrible illness. Mary and Martin are the owners of the pub.

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After the Roslyn school scandal it's now mandatory that all school board members take a six-hour course in finance. Millions were stolen at Roslyn and no one wants to see that happen any place again.

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Dale and Tom Oswald, who had such a wonderful trip to Hawaii last year, lunched at Jonathans. Dale also purchased a gift certificate while there.

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Dr. Lyman Fussell, a leading Mineola physician for many years, celebrated his 104th birthday Dec. 22. He is still spry and spends his summers at the family's residence on the South Shore. Dr. Fussell visits New Hampshire in the fall and passes the winters in the Bahamas and hits Mineola in between.

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Larry and Luba Egan are visiting Australia and New Zealand.

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At the mayor's annual Christmas party we met George Durham, Dick O'Callaghan, John Spellman, Joan and Neil Young, Nick and Tula Liakonis, David da Silva, Jeff Rosado, Jose Carvalho, Mike Palumbo, Lena Palumbo, Duarte Henriques, Tom Mikowski, Michael Sowinski, Michelle Price, Jose Dores, Catia Dores, Linda Guggino, Meredith Minkoff, Cathy Sagevick, Pat Hinck, Charles Sleefe, Pat Lackner, John and Jackie Carway, Nancy Portoghese, Lou and Sue Citro, Joe Di Giorgio, Gus and Dottie Calandrello, Dorothy Bedson, Virginia and Ray Leonhard, Charlie and Helen Melvin, Margaret Ann Farmer and the Rev. James Williams.

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Walter Hobbs Jr., longtime member of the library board, will give a lecture "The Long Island Whitneys A Very Private Family" at the library on Jan. 14 at 2 p.m.