Around the Town with Lou: November 12, 2012

Written by Lou Sanders Friday, 16 November 2012 00:00

Editor’s 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 59 years, and his popular column is a signature feature of this paper.

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I have been crazy about hockey since I was a little kid following the long forgotten New York Americans. They played in the NHL from 1925 to 1942. They never won anything but they were my guys. In fact, I named this newspaper after them. The news that the Islanders were moving to the Barclay Center in Brooklyn hit me hard. I had followed the Isles during their 40 years at the Nassau Coliseum. I remember when they were the champs from 1980 to 1983 and you couldn’t get a ticket and the last couple of years you could hardly give them away. When Tom Suozzi, a Democrat, was county executive, he attempted to work with Islanders owner, Charles Wang, to build a new coliseum. The Republicans were against it. When the Republican County Executive Ed Mangano was working with Wang for a new building, the Democrats were, of course, opposed. Later, we had that referendum; the voters defeated the proposed bond. Twenty-nine years without a cup saw attendance drop. Unless the Isles were playing the Rangers, they seldom sold out games. I went to lots of games and the rest I watched on MSG. I will sorely miss the Isles, but at least they are still technically on the island and will thus keep their name.

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John and Maria Vafiadis have lived on Garfield Avenue for 17 years. John is a carpenter.

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Joan Callocci now lives in Williston Park, but for 50 years she had a house on Emory Road. She works at the Northside School and enjoys an occasional trip to Dunkin’ Donuts.

I never enjoy talking to a machine. Press one for this, press two for the next thing and so on, sometimes up to nine. Most of them! None of the options apply to what I want. It’s not until I get a real live person that I get any satisfaction.

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Rick and Joanne Ueland live on Foch Boulevard. For many years, he worked for The New York Times. He now works for a newspaper in Maine.

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Tom, Maryann and son Charlie Warnecke, live in town. Tom is a computer programmer and Maryann is a nurse.

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A thousand people attended a Mass at Corpus Christi Church celebrated by the Brazilian Cardinal, Geraldo Majella Agnelo, the retired Bishop Primate of Brazil.

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What a man! John Davanzo spent four days in the hospital. The first day home he goes right to work at his post as the official guide of the village hall. John takes no salary.

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Manuel and his late wife, Dina Gonsalves, for 27 years, owned the Mineola Deli and Grocery at the corner of Willis Avenue and Jericho Turnpike. He sold the store six years ago. Manuel lives on Columbus Parkway.

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Cathy Seewalk of Roberts Mens store likes to shop at King Kullen.

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Sean and Sharon McDermott celebrated her birthday at Eleanor Rigby’s. He is a marine engineer and she is a nurse. They reside on Wilson Blvd. At another table we found Russ Miller of Mineola.

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Jeremy Reyes of Marcellus Road does a good job as a lay reader at Corpus Christi Church.

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Always good to see Kyle and Bob Teemsma. He is a retired cop and she is the manager of the Mineola Pool.

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Kevin Marino of Burkhard Aveue plays in the Nassau County band.

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Jay Leno spotted this ad, “All of our people are licensed and boned.” Kind of like filtered, I guess!