Night On The Town May 22

Dinner and dancing benefits Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Night on the Town began about eight years ago, when the Church of St. Aidan in Williston Park was looking to raise money. Mineola resident Harry Zapiti stepped in.

He brought the idea to St. Aidan’s board. All Zapiti wanted was the support.

One ReFill At A Time

East Williston resident stumping for greener future

The future is green and Wheatley School student Graham Turk is making it a point to remind you, one less plastic bottle at a time.

Turk’s environment-friendly initiative, the ReFill Project, which started in 2011 at the Wheatley School, seeks to reduce the use of disposable plastic water bottles in schools. Last year, the East Williston resident headed the installation of two water refill stations in the Old Westbury school’s halls.

No Punches Pulled

Barbs were traded early and often during Meet the Candidates Night on Monday, May 6, which pitted Mineola School Board trustee Irene Parrino against challenger Patricia Navarra. Mineola Village Board trustee Paul Cusato moderated the verbal jockeying. Election Day is Tuesday, May 21. 

Welcome Back

Former Corpus Christi priest to become pastor

Getting back to where you once belonged has taken on a new meaning besides a play on a Beatles lyric. Monsignor Robert Batule knows it all too well now.

Batule, 54, will succeed Robert Coyle as pastor of Corpus Christi Church in Mineola this summer. Coyle was ordained as auxiliary bishop to Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese of the Military on April 25.

Mother’s Day At The Mansion

In conjunction with the opening weekend of The Great Gatsby, the Glen Cove Mansion will offer a Roaring ‘20s themed dinner this Mother Day, giving patrons an opportunity to indulge in a historic menu while exploring one of the few remaining Gold Coast Estates on Long Island.

North Shore ‘Meet The Candidates’ Night

A variety of predictions, promises and plans were put forward at a Meet the Candidates night for the North Shore School District, where six people are vying for three open seats on the board of education.

Some of the issues that took center stage included budgets (olf course), the closing of the LIPA plant, and the challenging overall financial climate. George Pombar, the only incumbent candidate, said, “I believe we have very difficult years ahead.”

The event was sponsored by the district’s coordinating council and moderated by Judy Jacobson, a representative of the League of Women Voters from outside the district. She first read bios of each candidate, and then the candidates made an opening statement.

MFD Installs Junior Firefighters

The Mineola Junior Fire Department held its 11th Annual Installation of Officers on April 27. Mayor Scott Strauss swore in junior firefighters Captain Daniel Dempsey, Lieutenants Chase Pagnani, Brendan Corrigan and Jonmichael Schiavone.

Corrigan was named the Mineola Junior Firefighter of the Year 2013.  Corrigan will receive many accolades with proclamations and plaques from public officials and local organizations.

He has organized fundraising events and is a well-respected member among his peers. Corrigan is an assistant teacher of religious education at Corpus Christi Church and is the altar server. 

Awards went out to Ex-Caption Matt Barroca , top point members Chase Pagnani, Louie Athan, Maddy Wolf, and Daniel Dempsey. Special awards went out to Anthony Marmo, Barroca, and Pagnani. They will become members of the Mineola Fire Department this summer.

Mineola Observes Arbor Day

The Village of Mineola observed Arbor Day Friday April 26. Members of the Village board marked the occasion by holding an annual tree planting ceremony. This year’s tree planting was held in Memorial Park near the Mineola 9-11 Memorial.

Mayor Scott Strauss noted that Mineola has committed to planting nearly twice as many trees this year as part of its annual tree planting effort to help replace trees lost to Hurricane Sandy.  Mineola lost over 600 trees when Superstorm Sandy.

The National Arbor Day Foundation has named Mineola a “Tree City USA” for the 28th consecutive year.

Coyle Gets Noteworthy Promotion

Former Mineola monsignor now leading Military Archdiocese

Robert Coyle was ordained at the National Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, in Washington D.C. on April 25. The former monsignor of Corpus Christi Church in Mineola, at one point, was unsure if he would ever be a priest. Coyle was an altar server at St. Edward the Confessor Church, Syosset, when a visiting priest once asked him if he ever thought about becoming one.

“No, Father,” he politely replied. “I don’t want to be a priest.” He told the priest that he was thinking of becoming a police officer, a lawyer, or a Naval officer.

The priest “asked me to think about it”

Timberrrrrr!

Rotted trees cut down will be replaced

Resident outcry poured in after eight Sycamore/London Plane trees were cut down on Roslyn Road between Raff and Jefferson Avenue last week. Mineola and LIPA officials said new “wire-friendly” trees would be planted in their place.

Traffic lanes were reset to one lane in each direction. The trees marked for cut-down were said to be rotted from the inside, making them vulnerable to severe weather.

Last August, Mineola was rocked by a storm that created heavily flooded streets, downed power lines and uprooted trees. A home on Roslyn Road was damaged during the storm. One of the trees cut down last week was in front of the residence.