The 35th annual Friends of the Library Book and Author Luncheon was held on a beautiful spring day at the George Washington Manor. The luncheon, which drew a full house, featured authors Mimi Sheraton and James Traub. Sheraton's latest book is an engrossing memoir, Eating My Words: An Appetite for life. Traub recently wrote The Devil's Playground: A Century of Pleasure and Profit in Times Square, a vivid history of that site. FULL STORY

On Monday, June 21, representatives of a dozen Port taxing authorities met with approximately 150-200 residents of Port in the United Methodist Church to discuss the impact their taxes have on the Port peninsula. The agencies attending included single purpose districts, the Town of North Hempstead and the incorporated villages. Speakers, whose single question often received answers from as many as a half-dozen representatives, experienced difficulties similar to those faced throughout the year in dealing with so many taxing authorities. Responses to questions generally included appreciation for the community input and assertions that all agencies are constantly looking for ways to improve. FULL STORY

Mother Nature was very kind to us this past weekend. The weather was glorious and Manhasset Bay sparkled in the sunshine. Lots of sailing activity in and around our peninsula and elsewhere. With the start of the sailing season, so much is going on that activities will be reported over time in each weekly column as there is just not enough space to cover all that happens in one weekend. FULL STORY