Letter: New Bottle Bill Requirements Begin Nov. 8

The New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling (NYSAR) is spreading the word that the extended Bottle Bill begins Sunday, November 8, 2009. The extended bill was originally set to begin this Saturday, October 31, but New York officials are giving retailers a “grace period” to comply with the new requirement (according to Department of Environmental Conservation spokesperson Maureen Wren).

Letter: Bald Eagle Returns to Shores of Peninsula

I have no idea if this has anything to do with the reclamation project at Mill Pond or Shields creek, but I am happy to report that, on Oct. 25, I sighted a mature bald eagle circling over the shoreline of Manhasset Bay, near Mill Pond. It was clearly a bald eagle and not an osprey since I see osprey quite frequently around Port, both over Manhasset Bay and Roslyn Harbor. While I believed it improbable that I would ever see a bald eagle over such a densely populated area as Port Washington, the NY State Department of Conservation (DEC) has reported a significant increase in the number of bald eagles in southern New York over the last five years. So, Porties, keep your eyes out for our national bird and if you see one, please report it to the NY DEC.

Greg Winter

Letter: Appreciates Bob Clarke

In a front page article for the April 30 edition of the Port News, editor Jackie Pierangelo detailed the sad story of how my financial and other resources were plundered by my former “caregiver.” From that point I was surprised and gratified how Nassau County and the State of New York literally “came to bat” for me.

Letter: Don Axinn, INN Angel

(Editor’s note: The following memorial is from an email that The Interfaith Nutrition Network’s (INN) Executive Director Jean Kelly sent to board members of The INN following the death of Don Axinn. When we asked if it could be published, it was requested that we include that one of Mr. Axinn’s last wishes was that anyone wishing to do so, may make a contribution in his memory to The INN. )

Editorial: Support Our Local Businesses

Members of the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce are this year’s Pride in Port Grand Marshals. We feel this is a well-deserved honor. It is also a good opportunity to remind the community about the benefits of shopping locally, especially during these difficult economic times.

Letter: Religious Public School Calendar

I would like to comment on the recent letter to the editor regarding religious holidays being called just “recess” and our schools taking federal money with “In God We Trust” on it.

I believe the logic that the Port Washington school board had with respect to omitting the religious names on days when the school is closed as recess is due to the fact that we are a multi-religious community. Days which the Port Washington schools are closed are either American holidays, such as Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Thanksgiving, etc., or days of major religious significance to the vast majority of Port Washington residents, such as Christmas and Yom Kippur.

Letter: ‘Road Tests Should Be Administered Periodically’

True story. I’m sitting in one of those defensive driving refresher courses and the instructor asks, “Should road tests be administered periodically?” And this guy on the other side of 70 wakes up from his nap and says, “No, I don’t have the reflexes.” Seriously. And the instructor continues by rote to canvass the class saying, “OK, any other answers?”

What’s wrong with this picture is obvious, but here’s what’s really scary: a driver with a few drinks knows he’s been drinking, and may be trying to drive more safely. A driver talking on a cell phone may be a little more cautious. But this guy is probably driving down residential streets during the hours when kids are playing, and doesn’t have a clue. And because he can’t figure it out himself, what’s the only way he’ll learn? It’s scary.

Steve Handelman

Letter: Traffic Agencies Should Also Consider Cyclists, Runners and Walkers

I am a 16-year-old resident of Port Washington and I love to ride my bicycle around town. In connection with the issue of traffic problems in the Port Washington area and the steps the towns and villages are taking to improve the flow of traffic and the safety involved, the planning boards that are trying to resolve this problem should also take into account cyclists, runners, and walkers who also use the roads every day. Since Port Washington is a very beautiful town to walk, run and ride through, the board should make sure of the availability of safe places for these people to use. Thank you for reading this.

Daniel R. Michel

Boy Scouts of America

Troop 241, Port Washington

Letter: Remembering Holocaust Survivors

(Ed.’s note: Last June Stan Ronell spoke to a group of high school students at Floral Park High School as part of the “Adopt a Survivor” program with which he is involved. Ms. Downes sent the following note and poem to him and it is printed here at his request.)

Dear Mr. Ronell:

Thank you for coming to Floral Park Memorial High School to share your experiences with my history class. I admire your efforts to preserve the memory of all those murdered in the Holocaust. I cannot truly imagine the horrors you endured, but I promise that I will not let the world forget your story.

Letter: Remembering Anthony J. ‘Tony’ Picardi

There were a lot of nice things said about Anthony J. “Tony” Picardi in the Port News – Sept. 10, obit section. Tony left us July 20 at the age of 85.

Just about everybody in town knew Tony (also known as “Bonesy”) because he served as a window clerk at the Port Post Office for a lengthy 35 years. He joined the post office shortly after his discharge from the U.S. Air Force after World War II in late 1945.