Letter: A Half Million Dollar Water Department Driveway

Anton Community Newspapers • 132 East 2nd Street • Mineola, NY 11501 • Phone: 516-747-8282 • FAX: 516-742-5867

Letter: A Half Million Dollar Water Department Driveway

Friday, 23 March 2012 00:00

I learned that just last Tuesday, the Port Washington Water District spent over a half a million dollars ($600,000) of taxpayers money to buy a private home on Longview Road so that they can tear the house down (using additional taxpayers money) in order to build a driveway to the water tower.

They do not want their trucks to have to park on the street in order to do whatever they have to do a couple of times a week at the tower. They have access to the water tower now via a street in Sands Point. They did this without public hearings or without notifying neighbors.

I think $600,000 plus is a lot of money for a driveway and I wonder if other taxpayers will feel the same.

Nancy Wright

News

Ed Balcourt Leads Memorial Day Parade

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

Attendees of the Port Washington Memorial Day parade might see a familiar face waving from the American Legion convertible this year. 90-year-old army veteran Ed Balcourt will be this year’s Grand Marshal.

Balcourt, who was raised in Brooklyn, was attending medical school at the height of the U.S. involvement in World War II. He was deferred from the draft, but at 19, decided to join the army.

“All my friends had been drafted. When I walked outside, I could feel all the women looking at me. I felt a little guilty. I wanted to go fight,” Balcourt said.

Port VFW Selects Ripullone As Co-Grand Marshal

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

The Port Washington Veterans of Foreign Wars has selected Peter Ripullone, a decorated soldier and architect, as Co-Grand Marshal of this year’s Memorial Day Parade. The Ripullone family has a long tradition of military service, which dates back to World War I.

Ripullone followed the family tradition and entered military service as a second lieutenant in the army, in 1966. After completing his combat engineering training, he was certified as a combat engineer unit commander. Prior to his service in Vietnam, he spent three months with the 91st Combat Engineers, assisting in the training of West Point cadets at the U.S. Military Academy, for various combat engineering missions, including various types of bridge construction, building and fortification structures, road and runway construction, mine warfare and demolition training.

Sports

Schreiber’s Girls Softball Team – Better Shape Than Ever

Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00

Elimination in the first-round of the county playoffs, though disappointing, can’t take anything away from what the Schreiber High School girls softball team accomplished this year, according to coach Eric Sutz.

A comparison between what happened to the team last year and what the team did this year is a study in contrasts. “Last year we didn’t win one league game,” Sutz explained. “This year we were undefeated in the league.” The Vikings won all 14 of their league games and were 15-4 overall. They were conference champions for the first time since 2004.

“PYA Never Stops…It’s For The Kids”

Thursday, 16 May 2013 00:00

The fact that Port Washington Youth Activities (PYA) is celebrating its 50th year of working with area boys and girls is quite an accomplishment. Ron Henderson, its executive director for the past 20 years, also has a long history with PYA’s Lions Field that extends all the way back to 1958.

“I played in the first games ever held at the field back then when it was the Port Washington Little League,” said Henderson. “That was before the field was renovated.” The renovation, which began in 1999 and forced the PYA to relocate for two years from its Glen Lane site, now features four Little League fields and one major league field, all on pesticide-free, natural grass. During the fall, the fields are converted for lacrosse and football programs.