This week's front page reflects the pleasures of summer. I hope you will read Jim Caufield's piece "Dawn," on the op ed page. It too, gives a wonderful picture of this season where we can all take things a little slower.

I had a wonderful two weeks at Quilting by the Lake at SUNY Morrisville, in upstate New York. It was filled with great conversations with women quilters from as far as Switzerland, and western Canada. Having something in common makes communication easy. The quilt teachers/artists and lecturers were inspirational. The work was very satisfying.

It's fun getting back to town, knowing there will be new stories to write. There is always something going on here. I missed the Row Around Oyster Bay benefit for Friends of the Bay, but the pictures and story will be in the next issue thanks to Mike Deering.

The best news on my voice mail was from Jim Moriarity, lead public information officer of the Town of Oyster Bay. He said "All the lights around the Roosevelt Memorial Park have been fixed!"

That is great news for the Teens for BOB (a Better Oyster Bay.) "I can finally see," said Mike DiSario, one of the young people who have been involved with the program since its inception. It's amazing that the young people kept coming to the program in spite of the problems. Maybe the fact that the adults involved had to work so hard to make things happen made them realize how much they cared about the young people.

A big thank you to Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto for putting the lights on his personal agenda.

There was good news from Richard McLoughlin, secretary treasurer of the Sagamore Rowing Association. He has been active in restoring the five mile per hour sign to the area near the Bayville Bridge. That will remind people not to go fast in that area, for the benefit of the rowing club and other boaters who use those waters.

And, congratulations to Louis Visslalli of Oyster Bay who was chosen to represent Special Olympics at the Goodwill Games held in Nassau County on Monday, July 20. He had a chance to share the field with athletes like Jackie-Joyner Kersee and Dan O'Brien.

Louis finished second in a close 200m with a time of 28.24 and fourth in the 400m with a time of 1.06.56.

There are more tidbits and more stories in my computer - I can't wait to tell you the rest, and I'm hardly back yet! - DFK