While the two police commissioner candidates, incumbent James Duncan and John Maura, Jr., remained relatively calm, collected and gentlemanly during this year's Special District debates held on Dec. 1, some of the audience members had to be repeatedly reminded of the rules governing debates established by the League of Women Voters. (Expressing opinions rather than asking questions when addressing the candidates was the one most commonly violated.) Also several times the meeting had to be called to order. FULL STORY

After several iterations, the Board of Education put its revised proposed long-range school facilities plan on the table at a special meeting held on Nov. 30. The proposal honors requests set forth in a petition circulated last spring and signed by 1,100 residents. Specifically, the board altered the plan to include the opening of the Salem facility and dropped the idea of building a brand new middle school, presumably on the 41-acres in Port North or on the 17-acre Guggenheim property owned by the district. The price tag for the initial plan was $75 million. The plan set forth last week is estimated at $85 million. FULL STORY

Apparently, eight Interclubs participated in Frostbiting on Dec. 5. Only four of them sailed all races. The top three skippers were (1) Pedro Lorson and Mimi Barry, (2) Steve Moore and Jerry Morea, (3) Ted Toombs and Monique Gaylor. The wind was gusting to over 15 knots, generally southerly. FULL STORY

The Port Washington girls varsity basketball team will host the 10th annual Lady Vikings Tournament tomorrow and Saturday at Schreiber High School. The four team tournament will pit Levittown Division and Sewanhaka in the 5:00 game while Port Washington will play Carle Place at 7:00 on Friday evening. The consolation game will be played on Saturday, Dec. 11, at noon, with the championship game to be played at 2:00. FULL STORY