Around The Town With Lou: May 1, 2012

Written by Lou Sanders Friday, 04 May 2012 00:00

Editors note: Lou Sanders, who has his journalism degree from NYU, and his wife Grace, founded The Mineola American in 1952, giving the village its first successful newspaper. Lou and Grace have lived in Mineola for 58 years, and his popular column is a signature feature of this paper.

Mineola is the home of William Donohue, the head of the Catholic League. He is a big, friendly Irishman, but if he feels that the rights of the church are under attack, he turns into a fierce opponent.

* * * *

Mary Ann Fearon and Mary Gorry, who are best friends, went to Dover, Delaware to see Kevin Fearon, Mary’s son, in a ball game. Ms. Gorry is Kevin’s godmother.

* * * *

Jay and Pat Belton of Bauer Place are an interesting couple. He is a lab assistant at North Shore LIJ and Pat is a retired nurse.

* * * *

Steve Freitas worked for many years for The New York Times. He and his wife Porata live in town.

* * * *

The role of baseball umpires sure has changed. About 30 years ago, they were a much-abused group getting complaints from both the home team and the visitors. Today, the umps rule with an iron hand. If the batter says anything about the called strike or even gives the ump a dirty look, he is tossed out the game. The managers don’t get much better treatment either and are thrown out if their complaint lasts more than a minute.

* * * *

Tara, Sean, and Eryn McKenna and grandma Nancy Schwemmer, lunched at the Williston Town House.

* * * *

Jay Leno spotted an ad for a supermarket that was supposed to read “high quality, low prices.” It came out “high prices and low quality.” Yikes!

* * * *

Cathy Buerkel, who was born in Mineola, and lived on Wellington Road, was married to the late Walter Sysak, Jr. She now lives in Point Lookout with her husband Tom Doner, a retired detective. Their son, Walter Sysak, III, recently celebrated his birthday.

* * * *

Irene and Emil Nych enjoyed watching the Easter parade of antique cars in Garden City. Irene’s brother, Al, came up from Philadelphia to see the parade as did her other brother Phil, and his wife Barbara, who live in Mattituck. Irene worked in Anton’s Circulation Department and Emil is a NYPD cop.

* * * *

Former Mayor Ed Smith and his wife Evelyne are doing well in Connecticut. Ed was a great mayor and a fine president of the Chamber of Commerce. Ed and Evelyne hope to visit Mineola soon. No, Ed is not related to the captain of the ill-fated Titanic, Edward Smith.

* * * *

Good news to hear Mike Doughtery is walking well again after his fall.

* * * *

Msgr. Edward Tarrant of Corpus Christi Church roots for the Mets.

* * * *

You know it’s spring when you see Chaminade’s Brother Richard skating around the village. Then again, he skated most of the winter as well. Brother Richard is the German language teacher.

* * * *

City Council President Catherine Quinn’s grandma was on the Titanic. She was a 19-year-old girl who was among the many Irish who boarded the ship at Southhampton.

* * * *

Did my grandfather have it right? He said if the Republicans are in power, vote for the Democrats; if the Dems are in power, vote for the GOP.

* * * *

Congrats to Bill Greene, the president-elect of the Mineola Chamber of Commerce.

* * * *

Our daughter, Sister AnnMarie, often attends meetings where she knows nobody. As a good icebreaker they tell her to say, “How about those Mets!”

* * * *

Nicole Lockwood of Mineola High School is doing her senior project and is observing the inner-workings of Anton Newspapers. She plans on attending Baruch College.