Letter: Reach Out America Goes to Washington

On Thursday, July 30, six members of Reach Out America left for Washington, one by train, five by “full” chartered bus leaving from the Port Authority Terminal, at 7 a.m. Along with men and women from across the nation, we were going to celebrate Medicare’s 44th birthday by attending a rally and meeting with our legislators.

The rally at Upper Senate Park, featured many speakers including Dr. David Scheiner, President Obama’s personal physician of 22 years, Rep. John Conyers, Senator Bernie Sanders, state Senator Jim Ferlo, Terry O’Neil, president of the National Organization for Women, “Baucus arrestees,” Dr. Margaret Flowers (Physicians for a National Health Plan representing 16,000 doctors) and Katie Robbins (Healthcare Now!, representing 85,000 nurses) and many more.

What Do You Know About Herricks?

The Shelter Rock Public Library

Most of Long Island’s public libraries serve the residents of specific school districts, incorporated villages or cities. Herricks and some of the surrounding communities fell through the cracks, and it took a well-organized community campaign dedicated to learning and culture to create Shelter Rock Public Library.

Town Topics - August 7, 2009

Project Independence

We regularly put the reins of tomorrow in the capable hands of our youth. But, too often we fail to acknowledge that the hopes of past generations for a healthy, productive society were pinned on the shoulders of our present-day matriarchs and patriarchs, the progenitors of our history, our heritage.

For that, we owe them our eternal gratitude.

From the Desk of Senator Craig Johnson - August 7, 2009

State Senate Extends COBRA Healthcare Benefits

The New York State Senate recently passed legislation (S5471) that will protect unemployed workers by extending their health insurance benefits from 18 months to 36 months, “ said, Senator Craig M. Johnson.

“In this current economic climate, it is more important than ever to alleviate some of the stress felt by families facing unemployment,” Senator Johnson said. “This legislation will ensure that hard working New Yorkers that have lost their jobs recently through no fault of their own can continue to have access to their healthcare during this transitional period.”

From Sustainable Long Island - July 31, 2009

Secession Might Not Be L.I.’s Solution to Recession, But a Regional Agenda Is

Times have changed. From what seems like our never-ending economic downturn, we are all facing new insecurities about what the future holds for ourselves and our children. We’ve been engulfed in chaos, gloom and swarms of inconsistent responses to this crisis. We are questioning even more, what will it take for us to be better equipped, more prepared next time a recession hits?

Some advocates and lawmakers keep bringing up secession as Long Island’s solution.

Liver Lines - July 24, 2009

Many people have been concerned about cholesterol levels in liver disease, especially in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. People with primary biliary cirrhosis or simply, PBC, have elevated cholesterol levels in the blood. In the early stages of the disease, the good cholesterol or HDL is markedly elevated. As the disease progresses, the paradigm switches and LDL or the bad cholesterol becomes more dominant. The ramifications of an elevated serum cholesterol in PBC are not clear. In the absence of other risk factors, most studies show that elevated cholesterol in this condition is not associated with an increased risk of heart disease. This should be good news for the many people in our area with PBC.

Parenting Plus - July 24, 2009

Hello Dalai

The Dalai Lama and the New York State Senate

On May 9, 2009 Nobel Peace Prize laureate the Dalai Lama offered an invocation for the New York State Senate, calling for compassion during tough times. The 73-year old spiritual leader of Tibet spoke from the chamber floor about honesty and transparency and told the senators and spectators about his deep respect for American values. “This house,” he said, “I think demonstrates the American democratic system.” Ya think?

Just one month later, as we are now painfully aware, a failed legislative coup paralyzed the system that the Dalai Lama praised in the house that he sanctified. Since that time the State Senate deconstructed into a child’s game of “Who gets to hold the gavel.”

County Executive’s Column - July 17, 2009

Dome Illumination to Raise Awareness of Pancreatic Cancer

This month, Nassau County, in cooperation with the Lustgarten Foundation, is hosting a ceremony and building illumination for Pancreatic Cancer Research. Over 37,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year –which is why our goal is to raise awareness in order to prevent and fight this disease. According to the National Cancer Institute, the overall 5-year relative survival rate for 1999-2005 was 5.5 percent. We must work together to thwart pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is rarely discovered early. There are no warning signs and screening tests are often ineffective. Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is not usually found until it spreads to other parts of the body. Out of all the people who have pancreatic cancer, 90 percent are above the age 55 and 70 percent are older than 65. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in both genders.

Lavine Lauds Ravitch Selection

New York State Assemblyman Charles D. Lavine (D-Glen Cove) has issued a statement on Governor David Paterson’s selection of Richard Ravitch for New York’s Lieutenant Governor.

 “While the constitutional crisis resulting from the attempted coup in our State Senate continues to damage New York’s economy as well as its collective psyche, our citizens can at least find some comfort in Governor Paterson’s appointment of Richard Ravitch to serve as lieutenant governor,” the assemblyman said. “Because of Ravitch’s storied career and lifetime of public service, New Yorkers can breathe more easily with the knowledge that our state will be in the best of hands should the governor leave the state or be unable to serve. 

What Do You Know About Herricks? - July 10, 2009

Creating the Herricks School District (Part II)

In 1928, district voters authorized the construction of a second schoolhouse to serve the hundreds of homes already constructed in Williston Park and Albertson. In order to operate multiple schools with separated grades, they first had to hold a special meeting to authorize the transformation of Common School Nine into Union Free School District Nine. By that time, more than two-thirds of Nassau County’s Common schools had already made the very significant jump to Union status.