There's no doubt that "lower Main Street" in Port has taken on a great new look in recent years. As we write, the newly-reconstructed/expanded Port Washington Public Library is getting ready to reopen ... it looks very much like a palace, and just a short stone's throw away, the Shields hardware/plumbing establishment is under reconstruction, after a delay of years. That's a lot of construction within a relatively small concentrated area.

And we're also pleased to see that Ayhan Hassan's "Triplex" the Shish-Kebab and Fish-Kebab restaurants, together with the Mediterranean Marketplace, will remain in business. It's been obvious that patronage at the "Triplex" has continued to be strong, despite the difficulties of the past couple of weeks. Community support for Mr. Hassan during this period has been nothing short of astounding.

The bright neon light emanating from the Hassan complex really gives Port a lot of color. This phenomenon is especially apparent to us as we drive up Shore Road into Main Street, giving us a chance to view the lighting from afar.

Frankly, I had never been to one of the Kebabs until a few days ago. The Shish-Kebab in particular has a far more spacious interior than we had imagined. The best of luck to Ayhan Hassan and his associates for a bright future. And when the new Shields is ready to open for business we'll be among the first to applaud.

Robert Obojski