Letter: Even With Care, Fracking Is Wrong for New York

Recent Op-Ed pieces in prominent newspapers have suggested that with proper regulatory oversight, hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” can be accomplished safely in New York, reducing our dependence on foreign oil and bringing much needed economic benefits to hard-hit areas of the state. If the issue was that simple, and if the statements were true, surely everyone would be in favor.

But the facts don’t support these statements, and the issue is not as simple as the TV ads would have citizens believe. Fracking is an inherently dangerous and destructive extreme form of energy extraction that brings with it a myriad of serious environmental and economic problems. Now that we have the opportunity to see how fracking has actually impacted citizens in Pennsylvania and other states, we can more easily distinguish fact from fantasy and make smarter choices for New York.

Parenthood Plus: December 27, 2011

A Mystery Story

A few weeks ago, in an attempt to fight off a cold, I ordered a bowl of chicken soup at a local lunch counter. One of the counter boys who is in his late teens asked me if I heard that the United States was just declared a war-zone by the U.S. Senate. I said, “What are you talking about?”

He filled me in. But what he told me didn’t fully compute. What he said, in a nutshell, was that the U.S. Senate passed a bill that would empower the U.S. Military to arrest American citizens and detain them anywhere in the world without being charged or without a trial. I didn’t want to be dismissive. I questioned myself, “Why didn’t I hear about this in the mainstream media?”

From the LI Water Conference: December 20, 2011

Avoid Winter Damage to Household Water Systems By Following These Simple Steps

Don’t let the unseasonably warm weather fool you. Winter is coming soon, and things are going to get frosty before you know it! Cold weather can cause serious problems for household water pipes and sprinkler systems. Each winter, your pipes can freeze and possibly burst, potentially costing you thousands of dollars in repairs. While these issues affect many homeowners each year, there are a variety of quick, easy steps that you can take to protect your home from water-related damage and unnecessary expenses during the winter months.

In order to avoid damaging pipes, sprinkler systems should be winterized before the temperature dips below freezing. Make sure to drain and turn off your sprinkler system before the start of the winter season. Also be sure to drain outside faucets and turn off all other outside water sources to prevent freezing and breaks. Additionally, check your water meter pit cover to ensure that it is intact and firmly bolted down. Shutting off and draining all water service lines to unheated structures until spring will prevent breaks to these lines.

School Board Members: Revise Tax Code 

Mandate relief trumps state aid

With the Legislature poised to enact changes to the state’s tax code in order to raise more revenue for the ailing state budget, school board members overwhelmingly support these efforts if it means an end to payment delays and state aid cuts, according to a recent poll from the New York State School Boards Association.

But in their haste to make changes to the tax code, lawmakers must not lose sight of the one single issue that means even more to school boards: mandate relief.  Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of school board members responding to NYSSBA’s informal online poll said mandate relief was a greater priority than state aid.

From Long Island Wins: December 13, 2011

Sharing the Good News This Holiday Season

I come bearing a little holiday good cheer.

At a time of year when many Long Islanders find themselves being a little more interactive with the religious faith they celebrate – either by birth or by choice – we bring some good news from the faith community.

While the modern media’s approach to the religious debates of the day may miss this point, the Christian imperative has always been to be welcoming to immigrants.

Now a new translation of the Bible makes that imperative clearer: The Bible has a lot to say about the importance of being welcoming to immigrants.

Letter: Open Letter from Veolia Transportation

The Nassau County Legislature has scheduled a hearing next week on a contract between Veolia Transportation and Nassau County outlining the terms of a public-private operating partnership to operate Long Island Bus. The contract gives the county control over its own transit system for the first time, offering a significantly higher level of control and oversight than it has with the MTA as system operator.

What Every Long Islander Should Know: December 6, 2011

Now You Can See What Long Island Is Missing

Year by year, Long Island loses ground, yet we seem to resist making changes. I wonder: What will it take to get us moving?

Back in 2004, the first Long Island Index uncovered the extent of the Brain Drain. The exodus of talented young people, and the underlying need for more affordable housing, received much public and media attention, and in a poll later that year, 72 percent of Long Islanders rated the lack of affordable housing as either a “Very Serious” or “Extremely Serious” problem. Yet in the years since, we’ve made hardly any progress.

Letter: Flower Hill Association Reactivated

At the suggestion of Village Mayor Chuck Weiss, 14 past and present trustees and board members, as well as a few residents, recently met to discuss the possibility of activating the Flower Hill Association. In the past history of the village, the Flower Hill Association was an active organization acting as an advocate for the residents and was very much involved in helping the village trustees organize projects as well as providing feed-back to the village regarding concerns that need to be discussed. Toward the end of the 1990s, however, the association started slowly to disband as many old time residents retired and moved away. We think it’s time to bring back those residents who feel that they can offer their expertise and good neighbor-ship to join as members of the association. There is no cost for joining, just a willingness to help in village affairs on a volunteer basis. To join, just email your name, address, telephone number and email address to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and come aboard. We hope to have another meeting in about two weeks. You will get an email of the time and place. It’s your village. Thanks.

John W. Walter,
Past President, Flower Hill Assn. 1971-1973, Former Mayor 1988-1996

Share Your Holiday Memories with Us

Anton Community Newspapers invites you, our readers, to share your favorite holiday memories with us. When families gather to celebrate the season, the inevitable stories are told that begin with: Remember when… So, whether they are heartfelt, humorous, inspirational, or all of the above, send them our way. We will be printing them in our upcoming Holiday Guide special supplements.

Letter: Let’s Give Thanks!

On behalf of The Billy Fischer Cancer Research Fund, we’d like to thank all who participated at our fundraising party on Saturday, Nov. 5! A special thank you to John Zozzaro, Frankie Basile and Vincent Abbondandolo, owners of the Downtown Cafe, (located at 4 School Street in Glen Cove) where our event was held. The sun was shining outside and our hearts were glowing inside! The monies raised far exceeded our expectations! Together we raised more than $17,500! All of this money will directly benefit cancer research at the Steven and Alexander Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park (CCMC). CCMC is part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System of New York.