Blogs 12 Long Island

The STAR Has Fallen

By Andrew Ehinger

    It was a nice 2 to 6 hundred dollar check each year that Long Islanders got from Albany. But in the latest NY State budget plan, the STAR refund check is no more.  In Governor Paterson’s his bid to slash the state's deficit, the 1.7 Billion dollar program had to go. The Basic and Enhanced STAR state tax rebates are still around, but the extra refund checks are history.

    Long Islanders, probably more than anyone in the state, are the most affected by this loss. On the Island we have some of the highest property and school taxes in New York State. The STAR program (refunds and rebates) truly helped folks swallow their tax bill - though talk to any Long Isander and they tell you it still wasn't easy.   

Republican leaders in the Senate tell News 12 they are going to fight to have STAR refunds put back in, but that's not likely since the budget must be passed by Wednesday to be on-time. Still, Garden City's Kemp Hannon says since the STAR refund has been removed, that's one of the main grounds for vetoing the budget. However with Democrats controlling both the Senate and Assembly, it seems like a moot point. Looks like Long Islanders will just have to survive without that several hundred dollar check this year and hope the state can weather the current financial storm for a possible return of the STAR Refund in the future.

Be The Change You Wish To See In The World!

By Danielle Campbell

"...Be The Change You Wish To See In The World."   That is one of my favorite quotes from Ghandi!  As a writer I appreciate to sentence structure because it says so much with very little effort.

That quote reminds me of the amazing students at the Ivy League School in Smithtown.

http://www.ivyleaguekids.com/pages/school.htm

The students there held a movie night fundraiser!  Kungfu Panda was the main attraction!

 

There was plenty of popcorn, cotton candy and smiles!

 

The students even put on an amazing Kungfu demonstration before the beginning of the show!

 

Students showing off their skills!

 

The parents, the students and their fabulous, energetic teacher, Janet Bischoff made this amazing night come together because Mrs. Bischoff  heard something I said, during a classroom visit a few months ago.

I was there to do a segment on the brilliant kids at the school who made educational dvd's on environmental issues.

While I was there the students asked me to tell them about stories that I have done and I mentioned going to Nicaragua.

 I explained to the students the conditions in that country and how children don't have shoes, food, toys, paper, pencils. 

 I told them how people here on Long Island are helping them. 

Well apparently when I left, the students and Mrs. Bischoff' decided to do something for the children of Nicaragua!

Because they chose to "Be The Change You Wish To See In The World" the third graders movie night, raised over $500 dollars!

I showed the school the DVD of my Nicaragua story before the movie and I thanked all of them for their touching efforts.

I was overwhelmed and moved to tears.

It was because these elementary school students, their parents and teachers did all this for children they don't know and barely have a concept of.

And yet they decided to be the change, make the difference!

 

Lots of soda and smiles!

Everyone gets to go to the movies!

  Cotton Candy makes everyone happy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Janet Bischoff and her Kung Fu Son!

The next Day I received this email:

Dear Ms. Campbell,

Thank you so much for coming to our Movie Night Fundraiser.  Today, everyone was abuzz about the video you showed from Nicaragua.  It really puts things into perspective.   

Aside from being exhausted, my class was very excited today.  Our Movie Night Fundraiser brought over $500.00!  Our grand total thus far is over $700.00!  We exceeded our goal of $500.00 and were very excited today! I am so grateful that you brought this valuable lesson to us.  Thank you again.
Janet 

 

The students, families and staff at the Ivy League School remind me of another quote:

If your actions inspire others to dream more,
learn more, do more and become more,
you are a leader.
John Quincy Adams

I say thank you for reminding me how even the smallest group can lead the way.

Money Management

By Virginia Huie

Reading, writing, 'rithmetic and personal finance?  The three "R's" now include a financial planning course in the Oceanside School District.  The idea is to help students with these tough economic times.  It's the first district in the state to make personal finance courses a requirement for graduation.

Students learn how to make a budget, save, invest, and avoid credit card debt. Oceanside schools aren't alone. Nassau County's Office of Economic Development offers Money 101 courses in Uniondale, Westbury and Hempstead schools. Teachers say giving teens a jump start on money management will help prevent the financial mistakes that led to the current economic meltdown.

The lessons aren't only for students.  Nassau offers Money 101 courses for grownups, too. The four-week course teaches ATM and Debit card tips, debt management and avoiding predatory lending.  To learn how to be smart with your money, contact the Nassau County economic development office at (516) 572-1900.

12 Making A Difference

 By Elisa DiStefano

I feel very blessed because I was inspired by a very special Long Islander. I hope you had the chance to watch today's 12 Making A Difference (beautifully produced by Debi Gade). I briefly wrote about the man we featured last month, but I am so touched by his kindness and spirit that I feel compelled to write again.

Tony d'Mattia aka "fiZ" is a true Rock Star. Since childhood he had visions of using his musical talent to heal people. That's exactly what he is doing. He is an original singer-songwriter-musician. The real deal-- with a heart of gold. He is the founder of Notes for Life, a non-profit organization that raises money for charities. He donates his time and gives his love and voice to the children with physical challenges at the Carmen Road school. He's been performing under the radar for quite some time there-- and then News 12 got wind of the amazing connection he has with these children and how he shares the deep healing power of music with them. They truly love him. They get so excited when he walks in the room. The teenage girls scream and squeal! If you are reading this today, Friday 3/27, please turn on the TV and watch the segment. I cry every time I see it because it is so beautiful. It reminded me that one person has the ability to make such a huge difference. FiZ also reminds me to look past all of the negativity that I see every day- and find the beauty and love in this world. I hope he will inspire you to use whatever gifts you were given to give back.

fiZ was kind enough to share these pictures. He was touched when the children used his song "This Is It" as their graduation song.

 

 

The Making Of Long Island

By Bill Korbel

I saw a terrific documentary on the History Channel recently that is a must see for any Long Islander with the slightest bit of curiosity about how the place we live in came to be.  It's part of the "How The Earth Was Made" series.  Specifically the one on New York. 

Long Island was formed some 16,000 years ago when the last glacier receded northward.  The hills that run the length of the island along the north shore are made of rocks and boulders plowed up by the mile thick glacier.   Think of that!  Ice 5,000 feet thick!   When the ice melted, it left a huge lake that covered much of upstate NY.  The water from that broke through an ice dam and rushed southward opening what is now New York harbor to the sea and putting the finishing touches on the local area's geography.  If you want to make long range plans, the best science today expects the ice sheets to return to Long Island within 40,000 years.

Long Island is very young compared to NYC.  About 400 million years ago, what is now the east coast of the US was connected to North Africa and 20,000' mountains covered the area.  As the continents drifted apart, volcanoes covered much of the eastern US with lava.  Then came the glaciers that ground down the big mountains into the little ones we have now.

By the way, do you know why the tallest buildings in Manhattan are clustered in midtown and lower Manhattan?  I didn't, until I watched this episode.   It's because only in those two areas is the bedrock that makes up Manhattan's's base close enough to the surface to give sky scrapers the solid footing they need.

It's really a beautifully produced program and I highly recommend it. 

It will probably be repeated on cable, but it is also available on line at this site:

http://www.history.com/video.do?name=How_the_Earth_Was_Made&bcpid=9786056001

Click on the Full Episode box and look for it in the list.

Bill

The Alternative Commute

By Drew Scott

  "This is the way to go!"

  That was the comment transit bus commuter Gary Davis of Roslyn. His bus pulled out Thursday morning from Christopher Morley Park and headed toward Manhattan with me and camera in tow. 

The new bus service is called "Long Island Transit". Passengers told me they pay a flat monthly fee of $199 to get daily service in and out of midtown, they never need to buy an extra MetroCard and never need to make subway connections because they get off in the middle of the city.

There's also a cost saving compared to riding the LIRR. A monthly ticket on the train from Roslyn including a MetroCard is $292. Passengers tell me compared to their $199 bus ticket, they're saving $93 monthly! Plus, the commute time is nearly the same amount of time, 1 hour and 10 minutes to Sixth Avenue and 50th street.

In addition to commuter buses, there are car pools organized by individuals and Long Island commuter groups. Riders could make a monthly shared commute for about $200, again $92 less than the train and subway ticket.

Another commuter service starting up again is the Glen Cove to New York City ferry. Much of the start up funds were provided by the Obama Administration's economic stimulus money. Time to Manhattan from Glen Cove just 55 minutes!

Many commuters tell me when the MTA raises bus and rail fares by double digits in June, they'll be planning alternative ways to get to the city.  

Lose the Lights!!

By Elizabeth Hashagen

Have some fun in the dark this Saturday night!

Turn off your lights for "Earth Hour" -- it's your vote for planet earth.

On Saturday March 28th people from around the world will be shutting off their lights for one hour - from 8:30pm to 9:30pm in their local time zone.

It's a move that shows your commitment to energy conservation and that you want to take part in the war against pollution.

This year the World Wildlife Fund--which started the event--is calling it a vote for earth.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007.

2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour--pretty impressive right?

By the next year the message had grown into a global sustainability movement!

2.2 million grew to a staggering 50 million people switching off their lights!! 50 million--talk about an idea catching on!   Here is a short Earth Hour Movie with Jeremy Piven.

Global landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome's Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness for the hour. ( This is the Sidney upera house in the dark...)

Now it's time to do it again--

2009 Earth Hour goes to the next level.

This year's goal -- 1 billion people switching off their lights!

And among those shutting off the lights..one Nassau County girl scout troop.

The girls have made it their mission to spread the word here on the Island. The 6 girls are a want  "To Make A Difference in our World and Spread the Word".

This is part of the letter Diane Kitchener wrote to me about the troop:

"We feel that there are so many programs and resources out there and our 12-13 year old girls (girl scouts) can be a liaison that reaches people and groups.We are committed to having the "Icebreakers" be a Long Island name that people recognize as (the girl scout troop that went "green") who bridged the gap from people hearing the words "go green" to "actively doing actions everyday" that helps Long Island. The girls are so pumped up right now and are excited about EarthHour."

The girls have made flyers saying " EarthHour is Sat. March 28 from 8:30-9:30pm and to Please Turn Off All Your Lights to Conserve Energy"

They've reached out to lawmakers to make sure they're doing something for Earth Hour and are collecting recycling cans to adopt a polar bear ( they already adopted one right now)

So show you're support for the earth and these young girls here on the Island who are trying to make a difference and shut off the lights Saturday night.  The planet will thank you!  If you plan on shutting off the lights, reply to the blog so the girls know you heard their message:)

Golf Long Island

by Scott Feldman

It's officially Spring, but it sure doesn't feel that way right now with temps in the 30's. Hopefully, we'll get warmer weather soon and Long Island golfers can hit the links again. Which brings me to Golf Long Island, News 12's weekly instructional segment.  Photographer Drew Singh and I, were out today taping the first batch of reports for the new season. They'll feature John Ondrush, certified golf fitness professional. He runs the John Ondrush Golf Fitness Academy out of Tam O'Shanter Country Club in Brookville. John is the best of the best when it comes to fitness. And he has some great, easy to do, exercises to help golfers warm up before they tee off. If you're one of those players who rush straight from home to the course without loosening up, you won't want to miss John's simple routines for stretching to make your round a lot more enjoyable. Just like you wouldn't play without hitting some balls, John says you really need to work on your shoulders, hips and hamstrings to play your best. And following John we'll head to Indian Hills Country Club in Ft. Salonga for on course golf tips from head professional Joe Laurentino. If you don't know, Joe has written a superb instructional book, "The Negotiable Golf Swing." We got some of Joe's philosophy last year. And I'm sure he has more to add this season. So, here's hoping for higher temps and you're very best golf from tee to green.   

Save on Your Commute

By Jackie Lukas

With the MTA passing its so called Doomsday Budget, commuters will likely be shelling out a lot more cash for their commute. A scary thought during these tough economic times. Click here to see how much more you could be paying if state lawmakers don't bailout the MTA.  

Today I tried to look into ways that you could save money on your commute. I have to be honest--there are limited options. One option is skipping the train and driving, or carpooling to work. A monthly pass from the Ronkonkoma train station will likely cost commuters $352. If you pair up with someone, then you could save some cash driving.  Click here if you want more information.

Ever hear of zone jumping? A lot of commuters do it, especially if you live near a station that doesn't have many trains. Jumping zones could save you money. For example, at the Mastic Shirley station - zone 12 - you could soon be paying $416 a month. But if you're willing to drive to the Ronkonkoma station -  zone 10  - it's $352. With gas prices still reasonable (for now), it could be worth it.

But the one option you should look into is the so called commuter tax break. Right now only one out of every three commuters take advantage of it.  If your employer is enrolled in the program, you can pay your mass transit costs of up to $320 with pretax dollars. That money comes out of your paycheck - pretax. Ask your employer if they offer this benefit. Lawmakers say it's a win-win for workers and their bosses.

If you have any other suggestions - please share!

Long Island's Karate Kid still kicking some butt on the small screen!

By Elisa DiStefano

Ahhh... childhood crushes.... I had many, but Ralph Macchio--aka the Karate Kid--held a special place in my heart. I knew he was from Long Island. In fact, a friend of my family was a friend of his family (we all know that Long Island is a small world!) and so I was able to get his autograph. I was so proud of that autographed photo!   I was certain that I would one day see him at the mall. In fact, during each shopping trip, I made sure I had on an extra layer of neon slouch socks just in case! I didn't think our meeting day would come two decades later. Okay, so I didn't run into him at the mall. When I heard he was going to be back on Ugly Betty I emailed his publicist. She told me that I was in luck because he was going to be at the Cinema Arts Center in Huntington. Up close and in person, he did not look much different than that old photo! He still looks so young!  What a nice, friendly, down-to-earth guy. Have you seen him on Ugly Betty? He is so great as Archie Rodriguez--love interest for Betty's sister Hilda (Ana Ortiz).  We spoke about how great the Ugly Betty cast is and how he has to block Ana's belly--she is 5 1/2 months pregnant! Ugly Betty shoots in Queens so it's perfect for Ralph and not a bad commute. He can stay close to his wife of 22 years and his two teenagers. He also likes being a part of a show that his whole family can watch. He's excited because his kids think "he's cool right now" because he is on that show!

Ralph is a rarity in Hollywood. Perhaps it's because he never made the trek out west and has lived here on Long Island all of these years. I asked him about his teen idol days on the island and why he chose to stay here.

"There was a section of time where going to a mall on a Saturday was not a wise choice, but those days have waned a little bit which is good, and that gives me a chance to be a person and a dad and a husband and just try to live as normal of a life as I can. It's always a balance that I've chosen.  That's why I didn't choose to live in LA or just be around it all the time. It's an important balance. I think at the end of the day, it's going to be important, even if I've lost opportunities by choosing to maintain a home on Long Island and raise my family here, but that's a balance that's paying off in a good way right now."

Ralph's parents, his wife's family, and his grandmothers all live here. He is a Mets, Jets and Islanders fan. We chatted about when he played himself on Entourage with his long time friend Kevin Dillon and our own Kevin Connolly, who he said he did a lot of Long Island talking with in between takes.

In addition to Ugly Betty, Ralph recently starred in an indie film and is co-creating a pilot for ABC Family.
As far as a cameo in the upcoming remake of the Karate Kid--as of this time, sadly no, but you never know! He did recently receive a call from Will Smith who is creating the movie. Will reached out to him for his support. Ralph also spoke to Will's son Jayden (who is set to star in the movie with Jackie Chan) who is very excited about the role. So how does Ralph feel about a new Karate Kid?

"Listen, if anyone can do it the right way, it's Will Smith. He's truly one of the nicest guys at that power level that you'll ever meet...  I do think its going to be a tall order for them to create an original version of that movie because it's such a big part of so many people's childhood and it still plays to the present generation on television.  I think that the magic we got to create back then, it still stands as something that I'm privileged to have been a part of and we'll see what they come up with--but it was very cool to get the call, and he was very cool about it."

I hope to see a lot more of Ralph soon!

Role Reversal

By Virginia Huie

As a reporter at News 12 Long Island, I spend a lot of time interviewing people for various news stories. Recently, I experienced a role reversal. A reporter from the New York Daily News wanted to interview me for an upcoming feature about my Emmy nominations and my work. At first, I was like, who me? Then I thought about it and said why not? I have to admit it felt a little weird being in the hot seat and having someone ask me a bunch of questions. The NY Daily News also sent a photographer to the studios to shoot a series of pictures. Also, something I'm not used to. 

  But the experience was fun. It gave me a chance to reflect on my work, my accomplishments and the people who've helped me along the way. People like the talented photographers at News 12 who shoot inspiring video, making it a pleasure for me to write and produce a story. The editors who bring all the pieces together with their creativity and skill. And the producers who taught me to write tight. I'm proud to be a part of the Emmy award winning team at News 12. Cablevision, the parent company of News 12 Long Island, garnered 107 Emmy nominations this year - more than any other news organization in the metro area. That says a lot about the Cablevision's commitment to quality programming.

It's nice being recognized for something I love doing. And I'm glad I had the chance to experience being on the other side of the microphone.  It gave me a whole new appreciation for the news business!

How's He Doing?

by Jill Wagner

President Obama has only been in office about 60 days... but doesn't it feel a lot longer?  The economy is in a recession, and for awhile now, it seems like every single day there's just more bad news.  For his part, Obama has made the media rounds trying to shore up support for his economic policies and also to reassure the country that we'll make it out of this in one piece!  He's the only sitting president to appear on the Tonight Show, and he also had an in-depth interview with 60 Minutes on Sunday.  

Last night, for the second time since taking office, he had a formal, prime time press conference with reporters---55 minutes of questions and answers---and you guessed it, most of what he had to say involved the economy. 

It's not surprising then, that almost everyone has an opinion on how he's doing.  In an exclusive News 12/ Hofstra poll, we asked Long Islanders to rate the president.  Here's what they had to say:

22 percent say he's doing an excellent job
39 percent say he's doing a good job.
23 percent say fair.
9 percent say poor
7 percent are undecided.

I headed to Plainview yesterday and asked random people to rate the president.  Almost everyone had a strong and immediate opinion.  One woman from Bethpage said he was a "disaster," a "zero."  Another from Syosset said she'd give him an "A" for effort.  Only one person said it was too soon to know!  I think that's because after just 60 days, with all the country is going through, everyone's paying a lot of attention to the President, for better or worse!

So how do you think he's doing?

SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST

By Jamie Stuart

Eight teams...10 games...48 hours of March Madness!  We just came back from our annual trip upstate to cover the high school state basketball championships. 

Let me just say...it was pretty tiring!!

Ok...I know what you're thinking.  "This guy isn't REALLY gonna complain about watching basketball games for a living, is he?"

                  No.  Not really.  We arrived Thursday night, myself, producer Andrew Rappaport and photographer extraordinaire Dan Jacobsen.  We had a quick dinner and prepared ourselves for the ensuing madness to come.

                 On Friday we had 4 boys games to cover from 9am til 9pm.  We also had 2 girls games to cover in Troy, about 30 minutes away.  Which basically means, no dinner, a quick lunch, and lots of popcorn from the bucket they give you at the arena. 

                 On top of that, the Malverne boys game was actually ending AS I WAS LIVE at 8:20pm.  Great TV...but harrowing as I'm reading the highlights and also looking behind me to see if the game is over yet.

                 We got back to the hotel at midnight--starving but ready for bed.  We had to get up at 8am for a boys game that starts at 9.  We covered 3 more games Saturday for the boys, and then after the 5pm show...drove over to Troy for the Copiague girls championship.

                 Thanks to the Eagles, they saved the best for last and delivered our only state title.  That game ended at 10:20pm...but our work wasn't done.  We still had to do all the interviews for the next day.  And some security guy was ready to throw down with me b/c I wasn't leaving the court.   He wisely backed off.

                 Sunday we had no games to cover...but we had plenty to do.  We had to prepare a 30 min RUUUUUUUUSH show from our hotel lobby.  You know, the fireside chat that I do every year that's only missing a pipe and a glass of scotch.

                 We were able to pull off that show (a minor miracle in itself) and then finally enjoy a nice dinner.

                 Monday morning we woke up and headed home.  A leisurely drive?  Not exactly...considering I had a 30 lb laptop editor on my lap and I was editing a weekend recap for the Monday show.  

                But am I complaining?  Of course not. I got paid to watch hoops. :)

Economy in Crisis: Colossal Commute

By Christine Insinga

    I know my fair share of LIRR commuters who have no problem rattling off their list of commuter related complaints.  If you commute by train, yes you're a slave to it's schedule and it's seems the fares KEEP going up.   BUT once you're on board, you have options: read, sleep, catch up on work, chat with your neighbor, or sit quietly and daydream. Regardless, if you're place of business is close enough to reach by train, chances are you'll be home for dinner or at least to tuck the kids into bed.

   I also know my fair share of folks who -- to be honest -- DETEST driving in rush hour traffic.  Is there anyone who really enjoys it?  Probably not, but consider this: let's say you could drive to work in the morning, have the road almost ENTIRELY to yourself, and then drive home in the afternoon the same way?  Sounds perfect right?  That's what Chris Ambrico has been doing for the past couple of months, but there is a catch.  He leaves his Islip home around 3:30 every Monday morning -- his wife and 5 children are still sung in their beds -- and he hits the road for a 4 hour 235 mile commute -- one way -- to Brattleboro, Vermont.  He doesn't come home again until Friday, sometimes even Saturday.  Then it's one day of good quality family time and come Monday -- it's back to grind.

   Chris lost his job on Long Island last summer.  He's worked for car dealerships nearly his entire adult life.  He says finding a job in his field was IMPOSSIBLE anywhere in the tri-state area.  As the bills began to pile up, the economy started to go in the toilet and soon the bank was telling him, give us $12,000 NOW or we're starting foreclosure proceedings on your home.  He says he had no choice but to take a position as Director of Services & Parts at Ford in Brattleboro.

   I asked him how he does it, what he thinks about during that horrendous, tremendous drive.  He prays, he tells me, pretty much the entire ride.  He says it's his faith that gets him through the day and helps him believe that this won't be a 'forever' thing -- that he'll be back home as a full-time working dad...someday.

   Want to see Chris Ambrico's entire story and meet his family?  Check out News 12 starting at 5:30 am on Wednesday, 3/25, and look for my story "Economy in Crisis: Colossal Commute."

Thanks for checking in!  {##}

Autism Advocates to Governor: Don't Balance the Budget on Our Backs

By Shari Einhorn

    Parents of children with autism and other autism advocates went up to Albany to rally outside the state capital.  They're worried about cuts to services for their kids.  They're also concerned about something being proposed by the Governor -- possible co-payments for special needs services like speech, occupational and other types of therapy.  If approved, this would be new for New York!  Parents say some of their kids get 30+ hours a week!  They can't imagine having to pay a copay every time a therapist sees their child.

The Governor's office says 32 states already have this kind of legislation.  I'm told it would be on a sliding scale so the less you make, the less you pay.  And for certain income levels -- for example, a family of 3 making less than $33,920.00 a year -- there would be no copay.

It's a tough topic.  Parents of children who are "special needs" say without these services their kids wouldn't get the help they so desperately need.

Critics argue if the kids need the services so badly...what's so wrong with asking those parents to share the financial burden that's currently paid for by taxpayers.

Where do you stand?

Shari

Another Bad News Day

By Colleen McVey

Another dark day for daily newspapers.

On Monday, Gannett (which owns USA Today  and more than 80 daily newspapers), The Star-Ledger of Newark, and The Oregonian in Portland all told their employees they will have to take furloughs (unpaid leave) to save money.

Also on Monday, another paper announced it is stopping the presses. After 174 years, a Michigan daily is canceling its print edition. We heard the same sad story last week from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and last month from the 149 year old Rocky Mountain News in Denver.

The news on our newspapers gets more frightening by the day. If a paper isn't shutting down, it's laying off workers and cutting back operations. Soon, the Ann Arbor News plans to publish only two days a week--Thursdays and Sundays. The Flint Journal, The Bay City Times, and The Saginaw News will be publishing only three days a week--Thursday through Sunday.

Advertising dollars are down and competition from the internet is up. How can newspapers survive these changing and challenging times? Someone has got to find an answer. People who lose their daily paper lose an important choice on where they get their news. To be well-informed we need local newspapers plus TV and radio news. I am a news "junkie." I listen to all-news radio in my car and at home I flip between news programs all day, and I start my day reading my newspaper. I never want to lose that and I want the REAL thing--not the internet.

Testosterone and Men's Health

By Mary Mucci

Most men don’t seem to notice the hormone that makes them manly is declining.  Instead they may become restless in their relationships ….. But the fact is this loss is occurring at earlier ages because of all the estrogens in the environment .  So the poisons we have created …are putting in our food, in our cleaning products…in our personal care products are affecting everyone.  The solution is to stop buying these products so manufacturers will stop making them.  What am I talking about?  You’ll have to visit the Environmental Working Group website to find out.  {www.ewg.org} They have a section called Body Burden…

For starters: you could stop using anything with a fragrance…all synthetic fragrances including expensive perfume contain thousands of chemicals, many which are estrogenic {the estrogen is not the good kind…it’s the kind that creates cancers… }.

Here are the nutrients recommended by Dr. Rick Linchitz to maintain healthy testosterone levels.

Zinc…an essential mineral…. inhibits the conversion of testosterone to estrogen, 

Chrysin…an herb… inhibits the conversion of testosterone to estrogen

Stinging nettle root ….an herb…increases free testosterone

Maca …an herb… helps balance hormones

Acetyl L Carntine…. Energy nutrient….. increases erections

Alpha lipoic acid  ….increases erections

If you’d like to read more about it I recommend:  The Testosterone Syndrome

by Eugene Shippen.

To Your Health,

Mary Mucci

 

Contacts:   Bio Identical Hormones and Male Health

Dr. Rick Linchitz, Glen Cove,  516 759 7600

Dr. Mitchell Kurk,  Lawrence,  516 239 5540 

Dr. Donald Orofino,  Plainview, 516 433 3232

Dr. Richard Sollazzo,  Smithtown,   631 361 6160 , 516 909 5227

 

If at first you don't succeed

by Scott Feldman

As I write this, the stock market is up 300 plus points. But who knows how the trading day will end. Wall Street's enthusiasm sparked by a new bank rescue initiative unveiled by the Obama administration this morning. In a nutshell, it's going to be offering financial incentives to private investors to buy up to a half-trillion dollars of bad bank assets to ease credit for consumers and businesses. It's the kind of thing that is hard to explain to the average Long Islander. But the majority of people I spoke with today say "let's give it a chance." Some Long Islanders, though, think the White House and Congress are taking us down the path to socialism. They'd just prefer to "let the chips fall where they may." In other words, let the system work itself out minus so much government involvement. For his part, Dowling College economist Irwin Kellner says he's not so sure that the same private investors the government has been so critical of, including passing what Kellner views as illegal retroactive taxes on bonuses, will be all that eager to partner with Washington.  The word today from Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is "patience."  As one Obama supporter told me at a local shopping center, "It took us eight to ten years to get into this situation.  It's going to take us a couple of years, at least, to get out of it."  I don't think anyone is under the illusion that there is any "quick fix" to this mess.

March Madness

By Meteorologist Rich Hoffman

March is a very fickle month. It's our transition period from cold weather to the warm weather of Spring. The change over the month leads to very stormy weather and weather of all types. In March, we see thunderstorms, blizzards and temperatures in the 70s. Spring started March 20th at 7:44 am.

March 2009 has been no exception. We had more than a foot of snow on the 2nd - http://www.erh.noaa.gov/okx/StormEvents/storm03022009.html.  Temperatures close to 70 on the 7th and highs in the 60s on the 8th.

Norm Dvoskin is our News12 Climatologist and has a little weather Calender dating back to the 50s, and as I look over the information, I can't believe all the things March has seen. March has seen some major snowstorms. Yes, Spring starts in March, but Mother Nature sometimes thinks otherwise. Our last Measurable snowfall at Brookhaven National Lab is April 27.

Here is an example of all the things that happened in March.

MARCH

TEMP: 82.0º ( 1990)/-7.5º (1967)

PRECIP: 10.37 (2001)/ 0.89 (2006)

SNOW: 31.5 (1967)/0.0 (2000)

March 3-4, 1960

Snowstorm 17.3" BNL, 23" Suffolk Co. AFB, 21" Bridgehampton, near 50 mph winds, crippled road and air traffic, closed schools and disrupted business

March 4, 1940

Ice storm, 70 mph wind, crippled North shore, Floods central/ S. Nassau county. Power/ phones out, schools/ industry closed, cars abandoned

March 4, 1993

Northeaster 69 mph winds Westhampton, people evacuated S. Shore, power outages

March 5-6, 2001

Snowstorm Slow moving northeaster, 4-8" Nassau, 9-16" Central Suffolk, 15" BNL, S. Shore Beach erosion, coastal flooding, most flights canceled

March 6, 1967

Windstorm Gusts near 70 mph, 5 fatalities NYC metro area, numerous accidents, 85,000 outages

March 6, 2003

Surprise snow 3-7" 5.2" Centerport, started as freezing rain, Hundreds of traffic accidents, flights delayed, schools closed and early dismissals

March 6-7, 1962

Northeaster "Ash Wednesday Northeaster" Winds 75 mph, 9 ft tides, more than 100 homes washed away s. shore, most destructive storm since hurricane of '38, Gov. Rockefeller declared LI a disaster area

March 7-8, 1941

Snowstorm 18.2" NYC, Residents of Fire Island marooned , air and land traffic disrupted, occurred on a Saturday

March 8, 2005

Snow 3-5" Wind gusts to 50 mph, visibility near 0 in whiteout conditions, Started out as heavy rain (0.65") which froze quickly as temps dropped from the mid-40s into the twenties, State police called it the worst 24 hours ever in terms of traffic accidents (over 600), 13,000 outages and numerous delays and flight cancellations

March 8-10, 1987

Drop in temp 57º in 36 [email protected] Islip 72 t0 15

March 12-14, 1888

Blizzard of '88 More than 30" snow on LI, winds 40-50 mph gusts to 75, temps from11º to -1º, East coast from Maine to Maryland/ Buffalo to Pittsburgh paralyzed , 330 killed 200 in NYC alone

March 13, 1989

Vivid aurora seen after 1:30 A. M.

March 13, 1993

Vicious coastal storm termed a "snowacane" 8-12" snow turned to ice, wind gust over 90 mph, more than 200 deaths along East Coast, 4 deaths on LI, all airports closed, beach erosion, houses lost on Fire Island

March 14-15, 1999

Biggest storm of the season, 6-10" wet and sticky, tied up traffic Monday A.M., nearly all schools closed, 120, 000 power outages

March 17, 1994

Snow Surprise early A.M., over 200 traffic accidents in Nassau county, LIE backed up 23 miles, SOB expressway closed

March 18-19, 1956

Snowstorm 25.6" Babylon, 14" BNL, 14" East End, 5 ft drifts, LI paralyzed, 1000s cars abandoned, Suffolk declared "Natural Disaster Area"

March 19, 1992

Snow last day of winter, 5-7" schools closed, many accidents

March 20, 1996

Windstorm accompanied by thunderstorms, last hours of winter, downed trees, flooding , 39,000 outages

March 20-21, 1958

Northeaster Snowstorm 16" BNL, 55 mph wind gust, high tides, "made a mockery of first day of spring" schools closed, Republic, Grumman closed, 150,000 outages

March 21-22, 1967

Snowstorm 16" BNL, poor visibility, slippery roads, major traffic, LIRR delays, schools closed, many fender benders, racing at Aqueduct canceled

March 24-27, 1973

Northeaster 3 days of high winds and high tides washed away about 70% of Gilgo Beach

March 27, 1998

Record breaking temp @ BNL 80º ,5 days earlier 5" snow with highs in the 30s

March 29,1970

Snowy Easter 2-4", started early morning, Easter Parade canceled

March 29, 1984

Northeaster 2" rain, 70 mph winds, flooding North fork, 100s evacuated in Jamesport, killed 60 in Carolinas

Forward March

Norm Dvoskin

When does spring begin on Long Island? This year the moment the sun crossed directly over the equator spring started officially. This is known as the vernal equinox and it occurred at 7:44 AM on March 20^th. How would you ever know it? You can look out your window and see a robin, but you can’t look out and see an equinox. This year the arrival of spring was greeted by a dusting of snow and the next morning on March 21 the temperature was in the low 20s. That’s not the kind of weather we look forward to all winter while hanging around waiting for spring to arrive. In 1958 the first day of spring was a joke. We had a major northeaster with 16 inches of snow, 55 mph winds and high tides. Schools were closed, along with industries such as Republic Aviation and Grumman Engineering. There were around 150,000 power outages. In 1967, we had more than 14 inches of snow on the first day of spring. This produced slippery roads with numerous fender benders and major delays on the Long Island Railroad.

I’ve been living here for more than 50 years and I’ve noticed some things that are typical of spring on Long Island:

The crocuses start coming up through the potholes

The shortest distance between two points is usually under construction

You have to turn on your heat the day after you turn it off for the season

You see a topless convertible and the driver is wearing ear muffs and mittens

Gardeners throw their seed catalogs on the fire to keep warm

Flocks of accountants are sighted migrating back for the tax season

Everything begins to blossom and grow, except what you planted

Kids wear much lighter clothes when they surf the internet

You can have rain, snow and sunshine simultaneously

People start taking down their Christmas decorations

How can you tell when spring REALLY arrives on Long Island?

First it gets warm and everyone goes out and plants their garden. Then it gets cold and everything freezes. Next it gets warm again and everyone plants their garden again...and that’s spring.

SEASONS GREENINGS

Cranial Sacral Therapy Helps Heal

By Mary Mucci

If it seems like I endorse virtually everything I report on…well, you’re right.  And this case is no different.  But then how could I report on something I don’t believe in.  Except to warn you off. 

No warning here:  Cranial Sacral Therapist Adam Haikim is an effective practitioner and great guy.  He has a very modest office in a simple cape cod in Merrick.  The patients he supplied have clearly befriended him.  Does that make them less likely to be telling the truth about the effectiveness of his work?  I don’t think so.  I think they have befriended him because Adam is such a loving and generous man, it is inevitable he would engender warm feelings from everyone he treats.  I too find myself feeling friendly towards the therapists I go to for help with my health issues.  I was suffering from a crick in my neck the day I was taping the report on Adam.  While I never accept free services…this day I allowed Adam to treat me for ten minutes.  Well, the crick in my neck, that I’ve had for three months. ..is gone. … after just ten minutes.  I’m impressed.  I will be going back and paying the 100 an hour for his treatments.  I think he is worth it.

If you’re still not sure what a cranial sacral therapist is good for. …I’m not surprised. The answer is any chronic pain and virtually any health condition.  You see,  by treating the brain and the master gland: the pituitary…you can treat all hormonal issues….insomnia, infertility... menstrual irregularities…and headaches of course.  But it can also treat pain….in the arm, the neck the hips.  Truth be told Adam Haikim says:  I can’t be sure if I can help someone until I treat them.  Then I’m sure.

What Adam Hakim does, is part of the work of every hands on osteopath.  But in their case many other techniques are involved…Adam sticks to cranial sacral work, my impression is that he has mastered it.  But since there is no license for a cranial sacral therapist he is also a physical therapist. 

The more I do this work, the more I realize how lucky we are here on Long Island.  There are so many wonderful, dedicated therapists determined to help you get well.  That is a blessing.

To Your Health,

Mary Mucci

Contacts:

Adam Haikim,  Cranial Sacral Therapist,  Licensed Physical Therapist,  Merrick  516 280 3383.

Wyandanch Revamp

By Jackie Lukas

Ask many residents in the Wyandanch community - and they'll say the neighborhood could use a face lift. Throughout the area you'll find vacant lots, abandoned homes, businesses boarded up and trash littering the streets. But now the Town of Babylon and state officials are looking to revamp and rebuild the neighborhood.

Wyandanch was chosen for a statewide smart growth initiative. Through state funding, brownfields will be redeveloped and the neighborhood will be revitalized. Wyandanch was one of three communities state-wide chosen for this initiative. The others were in the South Bronx and in South Buffalo.

In Wyandanch, officials are focusing on Straight Path and the area surrounding the train station. They plan to build affordable housing and new businesses. There will likely be new mixed-use, multi-story buildings and a new parking structure. The town supervisor says they also want to bring in entertainment venues and have a plaza for community gatherings. The downtown will be transformed into a 'walkable downtown' that caters to pedestrians and bicyclists.  The streets and sidewalks will be improved as well:  All positive additions to the community that officials say will help create jobs and business opportunities in the area. Despite the fanfare, one resident--Isaac Craig--told me he doesn't want the youth to be forgotten. He hopes that these projects will also help get kids off the street. Isaac wants more young people to get involved in the community - and be gainfully employed. He says that's what's going to help put a new face on the neighborhood.  

Right now, officials are in the early planning stages of the project. The goal is that within a few years Wyandanch will be transformed into a vibrant community.

The Mortgage Rate Limbo: How Low Can Rates Go?

By Matt Jablow

Banks are already getting a lot of inquiries from people about refinancing their home mortgages after yesterday's decision by the Federal reserve to buy up more than a trillion (yes, trillion with a "t"), dollars worth of government bonds and mortgage-backed securities.  Rates dropped about .25% overnight on the news and some bankers believe they could go as low as 4.5%.  Even around 4.75%, where they are now at many Long Island banks, the rates are as low as they've been in about 25 years.  Should you refinance? If you have a steady job, solid credit, and the value of your house is at least twenty percent more than the balance on your mortgage, you might want to at least consider it.  www.bankrate.com is one of many web sites that will help you figure out if it makes sense for you.  Good luck!

Another Booz Tax?

By: Lily Stolzberg 

Many people spent yesterday celebrating St. Patrick's Day with a drink in hand...ok, maybe several. And if today's hangover hasn't convinced you to lay off the booz, a new tax proposal might.

Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D- Brooklyn) has introduced a bill that would increase the state tax on beer, wine, and liquor. If you are a beer drinker, expect to shell out 10 cents more a drink.  You'd pay 52 cents more for a bottle of wine.  And those who go straight to the hard stuff--you could pay 92 cents more for a bottle of booz.

Governor Paterson had a similar idea back in December when he introduced some budget proposals himself.  He wants to also raise the tax on beer and wine by about 6 cents per six pack or bottle.

Ortiz says his bill could raise nearly 540 million dollars this year.  And with the state facing a deficit in the billions, that's not chump change. He wants most of the money to go to alcohol recovery and treatment programs that could face cuts. Some are applauding that.

What is hard to applaud is another increase in taxes of any sort during a time when people are getting laid off and bills are piling up. Is indulging in a cold beer or nice glass of wine a luxury for some? Absolutely! But for those who can't afford to go out for a nice meal or meet up with friends for a cocktail--enjoying a few beers and watching a movie at home is something they can afford to do. But now even that small luxury may come with a higher price. It may not sound like much money, but a small tax increase here and there adds up.

But I do have a feeling that tax increase or no tax increase, if people want to down one, they are just going to do it...hopefully, responsibly!

LI's Own Potato Chip

By Doug Geed

   Something you'll never see in my blog (and something I'm certain News 12 management would never allow anyway) is an endorsement of a particular product -- a recommendation that you try a certain restaurant, deli or pizza place. I have my favorites of course, but there are so many across our Island, all owned by people who work their tails off, that any kind of "plug" here is not fair.

  But I do think it's appropriate when I make an occasional comment on air about our local agriculture industry and encourage people to buy local vegetables when they can -- or take a drive to an East End farmstand. First of all, there's nothing fresher or better for you than a locally grown fruit or vegetable and it helps Long Islanders -- not some corporation based out of our state or country. On top of that, it also helps preserve all that beautiful farmland in eastern Suffolk. Our East End is such a treasure, I'd hate to think that it will become like the rest of Long Island one day. One way to ensure that never happens is to keep the farming industry profitable.

   So with all due respect to Lay's, Ruffles, Wise and all the other potato chip conglomerates out there, I'd like to recommend that the next time you try a potato chip, you try North Fork Potato Chips. You may have seen them in your local deli or at King Kullen (a supermarket chain by the way, that promotes Long Island agriculture pretty heavily).

   The "company" is run by the Sidor Family -- Martin and his wife Carol. Marty's family bought a farm in Mattituck back in 1910 and they've farmed ever since. During that time, most potato farmers have either gone out of business or switched to another crop that brings in more money. After all, how much can you charge people for a potato to help offset the huge cost of farming? Yes, like everything else, farming on Long Island is more expensive than just about anywhere else in the country.

   So 5 years ago, the Sidors decided to take some of the potatoes they grow and make them into chips. They have a place in Cutchogue where they're produced -- and I have to tell you, it's fun to watch.

   I don't mean to make it sound like a small-time operation, but when I looked at the assembly line, it kind of reminded me of something the Little Rascals would build in those old Our Gang comedies. Potatoes are dumped into a hopper -- cleaned and peeled. They then go into a slicer where slivers of potatoes shoot out into hot oil. (Sunflower oil, by the way -- healthier than cottonseed used by the big potato chip guys.)

   The cooked chips then go in a spinner to get rid of any excess oil after cooking. Imperfect ones are picked out along a conveyor belt -- salt is added as the chips make their way up a belt and into the bags where they are sealed minutes after being cooked.

    You can see the operation this coming Sunday, March 22nd, starting in the 5 pm newscast and running through Monday afternoon. They'll also be featured in an upcoming East End Show which airs every weekend on News 12.

    I'm not a huge fan of potato chips (I'm a pretzel guy -- I eat them almost every day), but these chips are good. They actually taste like a potato. That may sound stupid, but so many potato chips just taste like little salted, oily chips to me -- these have a real potato taste. And my favorite of their flavors was definitely the sweet potato chips. Made with real sweet potatoes, there's no salt added at all because of the big flavor of the potato itself.

   No, the Sidors will never take over the snack food world, but they represent a good, home-spun local story. They still live in that same old farm house the family bought nearly 100 years ago. Carol says people will occasionally call her and ask for "the production manager" or "distribution manager." She tells them "Well, my husband grows the potatoes and I do everything else, so how can I help you?"

    Nice people -- good potato chips.

http://www.northforkchips.com/

The Baymen Reach for the Stars

By: Carol Silva

They'll still be telling the story when they're grandfathers. Of the day the Oyster Bay High School Varsity Basketball Team made it to the New York State Final Four for the first time in the school's history! They're going to Glens Falls on Friday! And they're taking with them -  a lot of the historic little town that President Theodore Roosevelt called home. 

Last Saturday the Baymen beat Valhalla High School 68-62 in a game that came down to the final minute and a half.

CJ Durant (left) netted a three pointer in the final minute, to seal the long two hour ride home for Valhalla. Brett Restrepo (above) netted 22 points to help bring the Baymen to Glens Falls.          

One of the most brilliant plays came late in the fourth corner. 6-5 forward Kevin Silva (on the right) stole the ball on a Valhalla inbound. Kevin later told me he doesn't remember much about that moment. "The ball came at me so fast, I didn't have time to think." But there he was, all 6-5 of him - folded up like a Slinky collapsed in midair - and heading out of bounds. Hanging there, he called a split-second time-out. Oyster Bay kept possesion of the ball in a critical moment. In full disclosure, I have to tell you I'm prouder that any other LI journalist. Kevin is my nephew - and a great young man. But he only gets this ink because he's part of an amazing group of guys who've kept their cool the whole season, and who've worked tirelessly to make it to the State Final Four.

I asked Kevin later, what was his favorite moment of the game. I assumed it was that incredible slow-motion "time out." Nope. It was about all the guys. He said, "When the clock hit zero and WE had more points than the other team!"

This is a season where during a game against Friends Academy, #23 Bryan VanCott (left) scored his 1,000-th high school career point. That's huge. The officials stopped the game. Everyone was cheering for Bryan. But he didn't want it to be about him. He kept pleading, "Let's just play. Let's just play."

Oyster Bay's Athletic Director Dawn Cerrone has coached many a state champion herself during her days as the Girls Varsity Coach at Our Lady of Mercy Academy in Syosset. Ms. Cerrone says no matter what happens this Friday, the Baymen boys are already champions in the most important ways. She tells me, "At the beginning of season I saw a group of talented athletes. But they became a real team when it wasn't always easy. In experiences that were not always positive."

She also credits Coach Tom Pisani and Assistant Coach Dustin Abbate for helping the Baymen to learn a lot of life's lessons. And Ms. Cerrone credits the boys with  creating, "stories we'lll be able to use & share with other athletes. They have such a greatness. They've done unbelievable things for their teammates. They're role models. A class act."

A-D Cerrone says all you have to do is watch the purple and gold take the court. "They've all given to each other unconditionally all season. These are exceptional athletes who don't have an ounce of selfishness in them - on or off the court." Oyster Bay ran a Little Baymen Clinic during the winter for the young kids in the community. "They showed up (the girls and the boys' varsity teams) every Saturday morning by 9, to give to the youth of our community. Teaching little kids. We value that at a higher level than winning. It's what you want your community to get from your sports program. Your athletes inspire younger kids to want to be like Kevin. Like Brett. Like Bryan. Like CJ." Like the rest of the Baymen.

What's happened to this little village is so big, that last Saturday night the volunteer firefighters from all 3 fire houses in the Oyster Bay -East Norwich School District came out to support the boys. The Baymen's bus got a firetruck, sirened escort from the game at SUNY Old Westbury back to Oyster Bay.

And the administration at Oyster Bay High School knows this is big - really big - in a town where they graduate only about 120 seniors every year. So they're holding what they're calling "a physical fitness field trip" Friday. They're packing 3 coach buses with 150 Oyster Bay students for the trip to Glens Falls. They'll pack the stands and cheer and stomp for those guys who are rewriting history in a community where President Theodore Roosevelt gets the credit for writing much earlier  history. President Roosevelt once advised young men, "Reach for the stars, but keep your feet firmly planted on the ground." Well Mr. President, the Baymen will be reaching for the stars again on Friday. But if they play it right - their feet will be OFF the ground a lot of the time.

Here's are the men of the Oyster Bay Baymen:

Standing: Asst. Coach Dustin Abbate, Brett Restrepo, Alex Hudak, Joe Damiani, Bryan VanCott, Joe Siringo, Kevin Silva, Jake Robinson, Joe Carbone, Eric Seaman, Head Coach Tom Pisani and his daughter Jessica.

Below: Joshua Grant, Marcus McCoy, Matt Capozzo, Perri Ipiotis, CJ Durrant.

(***Thanks to Alex Ipiotis of Island Photo for sharing his professional pictures - they are a whole lot better than the pictures I took with my little point and shoot digital!)

Village Elections...Anyone?

By Matt Jablow

Just when I thought I had heard all the ways that the economy has affected our lives, along comes another:  a significant decrease in the number of people running for certain elected offices on Long Island.  Because of the fact that most village-wide positions -- mayor and trustee -- are volunteer jobs, there simply aren't a lot of people interested in filling those jobs.  Check this out:  of the 40 villages holding elections tomorrow, only five have contested races for Mayor, only eight have contested races for Trustee, and only two (that's right, two) have contested races for Justice.

Hofstra Professor Larry Levy, a former Newsday columnist whom I knew from my first stint at News 12 in the 1990s, explained that a lot of Long Islanders are working harder than ever, either trying to hold on to their jobs or to keep their small businesses above water.  Too many others have been laid off and are spending a lot of their time looking for work.  A time-consuming volunteer job just doesn't fit into their lives right now.

I also spoke today with Leonard Samansky, the Mayor of Saddle Rock (a village I had never been to before today....so scenic...right on the water...).  He'll be running unopposed tomorrow seeking his tenth term as Mayor.  While he understands why most people aren't interested in volunteer elected office during these tough economic times, Mayor Samansky warns that the quality of life in villages on Long Island could suffer if more people don't get involved in local government. 

I'll be curious to see when the economy turns around if more people choose to run for village-wide office.  Sounds like a good follow-up story for the next village election cycle in 2011.  What do you think?  Would you run? 

Finding a Job

By Doug Geed

     Claudia of Smithtown was doing really well -- a computer specialist making about 130-thousand a year for a big LI company. But then, like so many other Long Islanders, she lost her job. It was the second time in a year she was laid off.

   She went months searching for a new job ("there are jobs out there, but you're competing against hundreds of others for that one job") and finally found a part-time gig as a bank teller working 25 hours a week.

   Claudia is far from alone. Bob Simmons is a career counselor who says he's seen a dramatic rise in the number of middle-aged, high-paid executives who have been laid off and are having to settle for jobs at less than half the salary they were making. Bob now employs a social worker to counsel people in that position. With no disrespect to bank tellers, restaurant workers, maintenance workers or any other profession, he says when you've been making 6 figures and you're the head of a household, the change can be devastating.

    But in this economy, some would say any job is a good job. As Claudia points out, she's a single mom whose ailing mother lives with her. "I'm it" she says -- "I have to support the family."

    If you're looking for a job, here are some sites that may help.

www.careerbuilder.com

www.monster.com

www.careerjournal.com

 

 

Restroom Ransom

by Lea Tyrrell

Like every Long Islander right now, I’m pretty tired of being “nickel and dimed” by every company and level of government trying to wring every last cent out of me. But I couldn’t believe one of the latest money-making proposals from an airline.

 

The head of Ryanair, an Irish airline, proposed making passengers pay to use the onboard bathrooms.   The CEO, Michael O’Leary, has been described as “arrogant,” “extravagantly outspoken,” and “ruthless” in his management style.  In other words, not above doing or saying something just for the publicity.  So a lot of people didn’t know whether to take his proposal seriously.  But these days, money is so tight, anything’s possible.

 

 But then O’Leary insisted to reporters he was serious.  He told them he’d asked engineers at Boeing to design toilets with doors that open only if you swipe a valid credit card.  O’Leary’s original idea, he says, was to make them coin-operated, but that couldn’t work because the airline operates in areas using both the euro and the British pound.  O’Leary estimated pay toilets would make the airline about $20 million dollars a year.

 

I had visions of poor moms and dads rummaging through purses, wallets and pockets looking for change after their toddler waited until the last minute to tell them they had “to go!”  It’s a situation, as a mom, I’m familiar with and I can’t imagine having to do that on a plane.  C’mon, even the LIRR doesn’t charge you to use the bathroom on the train (although a lot of passengers say you couldn’t PAY them to use those bathrooms.  “Bathroom cleanliness” doesn’t usually get high marks from commuters in the annual LIRR report card.)

The good thing is that O’Leary recently admitted to a tourism conference that the whole thing was nothing more than a PR stunt.  He said “It’s NOT LIKELY to happen.”  Although that doesn’t sound to me like an idea that’s completely off the table .  But O’Leary’s let the cat out of the bag!  Remember when the first airline proposed charging you for anything more than one piece of luggage?  Boy, was that an idea that caught on fast with the other airlines!  Who’s to say another airline won’t implement the “pay to pee” plan, as it’s been dubbed.   Like I said before, these days money is so tight, anything’s possible!   

  

    

You Can Help Win Religious Waiver for Vaccinations

By Mary Mucci

Assemblyman Dick Gottfried has the right idea.  Easing the path to a religious waiver for vaccinations is likely to be an easier bill to pass than a philosophical exemption bill would. 

As of now, parents in several Long Island school districts have had to undergo “sincerity Inquisitions.”

It seems the schools have appointed a lawyer to quiz parents and determine if they hold sincere religious beliefs.  That, according to Dick Gottfried is wrong.  I agree.  Wasn’t this country founded by pilgrims searching for “religious freedom.?”  Isn’t this freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution? 

Imagine, those parents who are already struggling with a child on the autistic spectrum. Some I’ve met have been denied medical waivers.  I think that’s outrageous. The child with autism is expected to continue with vaccinations as well as their siblings.  I’ve noticed these issues tend to run in families. That seems to indicate that the younger children are at risk.   And yet, as things stand, there is no waiver…for these parents.

The best hope other than this legislation is the fact that one causative factor can be tested for.  That’s a mitochondrial disorder.  Dr. Mike Gruttadauria at the Long Island Spectrum Center in Plainview is doing a urine acid test that checks to see if a child’s detoxification pathways ….and that their energy production cycles are working.

If the test reveals that a child has a mitochondrial disorder, then clearly the parents should not vaccinate.  That is the very diagnosis that was credited with making Hannah Polling vulnerable to vaccine damage.  You may remember:  in that celebrated case the federal government conceded that her pre-existing mitochondrial disorder made her vulnerable to a bad vaccine reaction.  But do we really know which came first?  Did her mitochondrial disorder make her vulnerable to vaccine damage or did the vaccines themselves cause the mitochondrial disorder?

So what should you do?  Well for one thing you should write to your assemblyman.  Ask him to support Gottfried’s bill easing the criteria for a religious exemption and medical exemption . According to Gottfried “My bill would say that if the parents sign an affidavit that they have a religious objection to vaccination that would be the end of the story.” They could not be questioned about that, they could not be denied the exemption. In the case of the proposed bill covering medical exemptions…the parents need only to get the child’s physician to say it is not in the best interest of the child’s health.

To find out more about you can help make these bills law..go to www.mykidsmychoice.com.

To Your Health,

Mary Mucci

 

Contacts:

Assemblyman Dick Gottfried, {D, Manhattan}
Chairman of the House Health Committee

Sponsor of House Bills:
A00883 - Protects Religious Waiver

A00880 - Protects Medical Waiver

District Office: 250 Broadway, Suite 2242, New York, NY 10001
Tel: (212) 312-1492, 212 807- 7900

Albany Office: LOB 822 , Albany, NY 12248
Tel: (518) 455-4941

website
email: Assembly member Richard Gottfried

 

Dr. Mike Gruttadauria, Long Island Spectrum Center, Mitochondrial disorders– Plainview 516 470 9525

Rita Palmer, mom, activist- Bayport – Blue Point School District, www.mykidsmychoice.com

A dollar and a dream....house!

By: Lily Stolzberg

It was quite the site.  A house being moved on a barge from New Jersey to Glen Cove. A rather small tugboat pulled the barge that was carrying an historic beach house to an open lot in Glen Cove. It was amazing to watch as it passed the Verrazano and Brooklyn Bridges, sailed through the Long Island Sound, and slowly came to the North Shore of Long Island before being hoisted to it's new home.

While the whole move was something to see, so was the house. Anyone familiar with architecture may know the architects responsible for designing the home built in 1969--Robert Venturi and his wife Denise Scott Brown. They had a vision, ordinary, but special. The house is a simple box shape and about 1,500 square feet. On one side is a window shaped as a sailboat.  In the front a huge nine is painted--the house number it used to be before it was up-rooted to Glen Cove. 

So what does it cost to buy a house viewed as iconic? The new owners Robert Gotkin and Deborah Sarnoff say they got one heck of a deal. They paid just one dollar for the home that was in danger of being demolished. The catch? They had to pay $100,000 to move it. A small price to pay for what Deborah calls a national treasure. She and her husband are huge fans of the designers and already live in one of their homes. They plan to turn their new home into an adjacent guest cottage.

I think it's wonderful to see such passion in people. Here is a couple who in essence saved a piece of art. It's art that was created by renowned architects who took the ordinary and created something special. Even if you don't understand it, and I have to admit, I don't always "get" certain pieces of art, I admire people who love something so much they would go to such great lengths to see it preserved.

Homework Assignment

By Bill Korbel

I recently received the following email:

Hello, my name is Emily and I am a 4th grade student at St Peters of Alcantara School in Port Washington.  We are doing a science project on weather.  Part of the project requires that we learn about meteorologists.  I hope you can help me.  Please tell me a little about your job and your training.  I hope to hear from you very soon.  Thank you for your help.  Emily

Emily is not the only student to request information like this for school assignments and to be honest, it takes a lot of time to answer them on an individual basis.  So, assuming there are more Emily's out there among our huge Long island audience, I decided to put my response out there for anyone else needing information.  It'll save us all (especially me) a lot of time.

Hi Emily

I'll have to keep this brief, but let me try to answer your questions.

Meteorologists are scientists who study the atmosphere.  Some, like me, are forecasters whose job is to predict the weather.  Others are researchers who try to learn more about the atmosphere and how it works.  For example, atmospheric scientists are trying to learn if there is a  threat of global warming by collecting and analyzing past and present data on worldwide temperature trends.  A few meteorologists chase tornadoes or fly into hurricanes so we can learn more about these powerful storms.  Other meteorologists predict the weather for aviation so the pilots know what weather to expect on a flight and can plan a route that will avoid the bad weather.

To become a meteorologist, you must attend a college that specializes in atmospheric science.  Mathematics and an interest in science are vital for someone who wants to become a meteorologist so it is very important to study those subjects in school.

Those of us who predict the weather on TV are a very small part of the meteorological industry.  It is our job to study weather patterns, formulate weather forecasts, make the graphics you see on television and present it all to the audience.  We have to be able to explain something very complicated in a simple way so everyone knows what to expect.  Not all the people you see talking about the weather on TV are meteorologists, but most, like all of us at News 12 Long Island, are. I spend about two hours each day preparing the forecast and making the graphics I use on air.  At News 12, I am on air from 5PM to 6:30 PM, from 7:30 to 8:30 PM and from 10 PM to 11 PM.  In between broadcasts, I continuously monitor weather conditions and update the forecast as more data comes in. 

Emily, if you want more information, look at the American Meteorological Society web page.  http://www.ametsoc.org/careercenter/careers.html#meteorologists

Thanks for writing and good luck with your project.

Bill Korbel
Chief Meteorologist
News12 Long Island

Can the Punishment Fit the Crime?

by Jill Wagner

Yesterday, 70-year-old Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty in what could be Wall Street's biggest investment scam ever.  He was whisked off to jail, and faces 150 years in prison when sentenced. 

A few hours later, victims of another alleged Ponzi scheme were learning about how Nicholas Cosmo supposedly cheated THEM of millions.  Prosecutors say Cosmo ran the scam through his company, Agape World, headquartered in Hauppauge. 

A bankruptcy trustee, who's investigating just where all that money went, told a federal judge what he knew so far: That Cosmo lost about 80 million dollars in bad investments in the commodities market; that he spent more than three million dollars on an indoor football field in Hauppauge; that he used the money to purchase tickets to the upcoming US Open Golf Tournament, seats at the new Jets/Giants stadium, and a Mercedes for himself.

Authorities say Cosmo swindled $370 million; Madoff--$65 billion.  Cosmo was arrested last month and is still in jail.  

AP

But assuming that both are guilty--what is the appropriate punishment?  Is there even an appropriate punishment?

The men are accused of stealing people's entire life savings, college funds, and in the case of a woman who called Long Island Talks tonight, money for her son's autism treatment.     

An investor who says he lost more than $1 million in Madoff's scam told the AP: prison is too good for Madoff; he'd rather "stone him to death."

Nobel Peace Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel lost more than 15 million dollars.  The New York Post reported that Weisel told a Manhattan panel--something "new" should be devised to punish Madoff.  "Whatever [there] is to hurt him should be invented.....He should go before a group of judges who would imagine a punishment for him."                                                  AP

"He should be put in a solitary cell with a screen, and on the screen, for at least five years of his life, [would be] pictures of his victims."  That way he can understand what he's done. 

Any other ideas for creative punishment?  

Shirley Woman Says Stop Dumping on Me

By Shari Einhorn

Can you imagine walking out your front door and seeing this every morning? 

It's disgusting right?  There's garbage everywhere! 

Now while this certainly does look like a garbage dump -- it's the front of someone's home!  Margaret Vlahakis lives in Shirley behind what I describe as a fast food lovers . 

None of the garbage is hers -- but it's apparently her responsibility to clean up it...every time!  She got two notices from the Town of Brookhaven for litter.  The letter says she could face potential fines, cleanup costs and possible misdemeanor charges -- can you believe it?

From what I could see, all of the garbage was from a half dozen different fast food places.  I saw Wendy's, Burger King, McDonalds, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Nathans and KFC garbage along with empty coffee cups from Dunkin Donuts.  Now, the homeowner told me the problem isn't with the food establishments -- but with the customers who mindlessly toss bags out the window.

Margaret -- who told me she's 70 years old -- is forced to clean up after the slobs.  But no matter how hard she tries -- or how much she cleans -- the garbage always comes back.

A very nice woman stopped by and once she found out what we were doing...volunteered to have some cub scouts come back later today and clean up.  She kept her word. 

Cub scout pack 138 from the Shirley Mastic area showed up at Margaret's home this afternoon and cleaned up all of the garbage...bags and bags of it. 

Take a look at the picture they sent me.  Great job guys and thanks for pitching in when no one else seemed to want to help!

Now, we did speak with the town of Brookhaven, who told me that Margaret Vlahakis will not be fined, charged for any cleanup costs, or face any charges.  Apparently the town says it will be in contact with the restaurant chains and see what if anything can be done.

I spoke with a manager from one of the fast food places who told me they take their responsibility to the neighborhood very seriously and would look into the matter. 

I'm going to stay on top of this and find out what if anything actually gets done.  I think everyone who reads this should put yourself in this woman's shoes and think about what you would do if you were the one being dumped on!

PS...thanks to photojournalist Dave Abrams for taking pictures of the garbage.  And thanks to the scouts for sending me pictures of cleaning it up.

Shari

      

                   

Be Heard

By Erin Colton

The call letters read BHRD, or "Be Heard." It's the slogan for the new internet radio station being broadcast out of the Glen Cove High School library. And the hosts -- are kids. (Sorry, younger adults.)

High School students, along with a select group of staff at Glen Cove High, created the network all by themselves. They literally asked the librarians to give up their office in the library, and transformed it into a 4 microphone DJ booth -- capable of broadcasting around the world on the internet.

I was lucky enough to be invited the ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday afternoon. Broadcasters such as myself, co-Sports Anchor Jamie Stuart, News 12 legend Ken Grimball, the WBLI Morning Show Team, and WBAB DJ's were all there to witness the High School embark on such an amazing journey for young people wanting to get their feet wet in business as early as possible. Jamie and I were interviewed by the Sports DJ's on the station's first ever sports segment. (Our very own Ken Grimball also took us aside for an interview.) And I have to say, the students already sounded like professionals. They were prepared, asked the right questions and acted like they'd been there before. (Which is always the way to go.) The new radio station compliments the students' television station next door.

What's also great about this new project is that no taxpayer money went toward funding it. The students were awarded grants to help them get the station up and running. School technicians also gave up their free time to install the equipment needed. The broadcasting business is all about teamwork. I wouldn't be able to go live on air every morning if it were not for 10-15 other people behind the scenes here at News 12. So the students are already learning it takes a whole lot more than personalities to pull off a radio station.

Ralph Suozzi, the Mayor of Glen Cove, said it best while speaking at the unveiling. He said, "I feel like my grandfather by saying this, but I never had something like this growing up." Mayor Suozzi's right. I never had a radio or TV station in high school. I knew I wanted to go into the business at a young age, but many kids don't. They find out when the experience it. And that's what Glen Cove is providing for their students. 

Congratulations, Glen Cove school district. Letting your students "Be Heard" is making the future of our business better. (Just make sure one of your students doesn't take my job!)

Road to The Challenge Championship

 by Scott Feldman

As you read this, I'm in NYC taping more episodes of The Challenge. It's been a great season so far. Once again, some top notch teams competing. And we are now getting down to the nitty gritty. The high schools competing this week and next will be vying for the finals in May. The show, of course, has been expanded to include all of the New York metro area that Cablevision serves. That means Long Island's best and brightest are up against the brainiacs from Connecticut, Westchester, Brooklyn/Bronx, New Jersey. And I got word just the other day that The Challenge is now on Facebook. We are taping short student videos and taking behind-the-scenes pictures and posting them on Facebook. Here is the direct link: 

http://www.facebook.com/photos.

I appreciate all of your warm comments about The Challenge. Keep Watching !!

Cutting Back on Health

By Doug Geed

   Maybe it's skipping a restaurant meal. Maybe it's digging through your tape and dvd collection to find an old movie instead of going out to a see a new one. Or maybe it's turning your upcoming summer vacation into a long weekend instead of a week's stay.

   Long Islanders are doing everything they can to save a few dollars in this recession.

For some, unfortunately, it's by sacrificing medical care. "Luxury" items -- cosmetic surgery, teeth-whitening -- there's been a slowdown in them for quite some time according to doctors and dentists. But even routine check-ups and doctor's visits are being put on hold. Instead of going in for that 6-month or 1-year check-up, you put it off for a few more months -- and then again -- hoping times will get a little better.

   The danger, of course, is that you could be ignoring a potential health problem that may be very expensive to treat -- when it could have been much cheaper to prevent.

  But it's hard to find fault with people doing this. If they've lost their job and/or their health insurance, you can see why they'd choose this option. Even people WITH insurance still have to make co-payments -- which can be as little as 5 or 10 bucks for a doctor's visit up to 50 bucks. Then there's blood-work, other lab work or prescriptions. A routine visit can end up costing a hundred bucks or more -- a lot of money these days.

   Doctors are coming up with payment plans or even in some cases providing their care for free. One doctor in Nassau told me a patient he's had for 10 years just lost his job. "How can I just stop treating him when he needs me now more than ever?"

   There are also discount plans you could look into where prices are pre-set -- 20 bucks for a cleaning, 130 for a filling.

    It's an area where no one wants to skimp -- their health. But until the economic health of our country gets back on track, it may be something you'll see more of.

HUNTINGTON'S SAINT PATRICK'S DAY PARADE!

By Danielle Campbell

Last Sunday was a wonderful day in Huntington!

 Huntington's Saint Patrick Day Parade was held, the weather was great, the Blarney was flowing :) and the crowd was bigger than ever!

   
Everyone seemed happy, cheerful, relaxed!  It was as if all the worries of our life were--for an hour or so--lifted from our shoulders, erased from our faces.  

WHAT A CUTE WEE LITTLE ONE!

I had the honor of being be part of the parade!  It was a ball and after I was invited to a great Saint Patty's Day Party!

 

READY TO GO!

As I wrote in my last blog, I have a special devotion to Saint Patrick, he was a man of great wisdom and strength!

MY FAN CLUB?

WAVE LIKE THE QUEEN!

    DAPPER GENTS!

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY IS DOG GONE FUN!    

   

EVERYONE WAVES!

 

!
LOT'S TO SMILE ABOUT!                                                 READY TO GO!













 

The community came out to applaud  their local fire departments, police force, military troops!

 
THE JUNIOR ROTC

 

Pep was put into out step by the numerous bag pipers!

HANDSOME GUYS EVERYWHERE!

 

HONORING OUR VETERANS!

NICE HAT!

GOOD FRIENDS!

 

BIG DRUM!                                                               THANKS LASSIES!

 

 

 

NOW THAT'S RIDING IN STYLE!

GROOVY! MAN!

 The Brownie and Girl Scout Troops had great banners!

 

And instead of a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow there was a pot belly PIG!

   

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!!!!!!!!!!

Miracle Surgery

By Jackie Lukas

I had the privilege of meeting the most amazing and brave little girl. Her name is Heather McNamara - and she's just 7 years old. But she has been through more in her life than most people.

Heather just recovered from ground breaking surgery. She had a tumor the size of an orange wrapped around her main arteries inside her chest. Her mother told me that doctors said there were no more options to save her - but the family NEVER gave up! They found Dr. Tomoaki Kato at New York Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. Last month he performed surgery on Heather for 23 hours. In order to remove the tumor - doctors had to take out six of her organs. They removed her small and large intestines, spleen, stomach, pancreas and liver. Her intestines and liver were re-implanted, but the other organs were too damaged to be saved. It was a risky procedure that's never been done on a child.  But with talented doctors and Heather's strong will - the surgery was a success!

I was there as Heather pulled up to her Islip Terrace home - after being in the hospital for over a month. It was so emotional to watch family - friends and community members cheer for her. Holding a pink bunny - she smiled. It was a smile that lit up the sky!   She told me she can't wait to play with her older sister and she missed her dog - Angel. So you can only imagine how happy she was reuniting with her pup!  

The entire McNamara family is incredible. Heather's mother and father were so grateful for all of the support.  During the surgery, Heather's father, Joe, was on standby - ready to donate his liver to his daughter. Afterward, he never left the hospital - and stayed by Heather's side for the whole month. Heather is now diabetic, on a special diet and will be going to the doctors regularly for checkups. Joe told me he believes there's a special purpose in life for Heather.

That night, Heather told me she now wants to help other children with cancer. The family is starting a foundation in Heather's honor. She had a heartfelt message to other kids going through similar circumstance. Heather said - "don't be scared and there is still hope."  

Heather is truly an inspiration to all of us!

Cover Girls

By Elisa DiStefano

        There is something so exciting about picking up a magazine and seeing your friend on the cover! Okay, so I see her in person and on TV every day, but going into a store and seeing her on a magazine is a totally different feeling. I'm talking about our morning anchor Elizabeth Hashagen. She graces the cover of a brand new magazine called Long Island Parent. It was started by editor, publisher and Long Island mom Liza Burby. I don't have kids, but I'm guessing that if you do -- you are going to love this mag!  It has an events calendar, expert advice and great product recommendations. Plus, this issue has an article and photos of Elizabeth and baby Alli. That baby is just the cutest and has the cutest personality! I love hanging out with her (and her mama too) .She is a little angel!
       If you want to check out Long Island Parent magazine, pick up a copy at your local library, K-Mart, or Party City (they are also in many shops and shopping centers across the island).
The magazines are FREE! I'm sure everyone will like that!

An "Un-Fortunoff" situaton

By Andrew Ehinger

    Spring is on the minds of many Long Islanders, and lots of people are starting to think about heading outside and enjoying the outdoors - maybe even on some patio furniture. But last week people who bought patio furniture from Fortunoff got a call from the company saying their orders would not be delivered. To add insult to injury, Fortunoff was still selling the same furniture in their store today that people ordered and now were told they weren't getting.

    You can imagine how folks got angry. Some people had thousands of dollars invested in their orders. A few weeks ago Fortunoff declared bankruptcy and began liquidating assets.  After that was announced, the company started calling customers with outstanding orders saying Tough Luck... Well late this afternoon New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced he had negotiated a deal with the failing retailer.  For customers who had fully paid orders--if their furniture was in stock, Fortunoff would deliver the goods. However, if the bill was only partially paid, or the furniture is not currently in stock, those customers would be out of luck. They'll have to file as a creditor to bankruptcy court to hopefully get their money back. Click here for the release. 

    Obviously this is not good news from everyone, but you have to applaud the efforts of Cuomo's office to at least get something for a few customers. However you have to wonder what was Fortunoff was thinking when they chose to leave so many paying customers out in the cold.

   

LIVING HISTORY

By Virginia Huie

Recently, I had the pleasure of spending the day with two heroes of the civil rights movement. Joseph McNeil and William Wheeler -- both of Hempstead. They spoke at the Cradle of Aviation about challenging status quo and changing America. Joseph McNeil was one of the "Greensboro Four" -- a group of students from an all-black college in North Carolina who challenged the "whites only" policy of eating at a Woolworth's lunch counter. McNeil described racial segregation as evil and demeaning. "It was one of the worst things in terms of human dignity one could experience," said McNeil. So, he and his fellow dorm mates defied the "whites only" rule and sat down at the lunch counter until closing. The waitresses wouldn't serve them. The cops came to intimidate them. Members of the Ku Klux Klan roughed them up. But the students stood their ground. It was the first sustained sit-in protest of the civil rights movement. Their courage sparked a nationwide movement. Thousands of students conducted their own sit-in protests. Six months after the first sit-in, Woolworths desegregated its lunch counters. McNeil told me their victory was for people of all colors. "When we have respect it's possible that we can have a greater sense of human dignity," said McNeil. William Wheeler soared beyond racial barriers as an original member of the all-black Tuskegee Airman during World War II. Their white counterparts were doubtful of the black aviators combat skills. But the Tuskegee Airmen defied stereotypes. They flew more than 16,000 missions -- and the Germans never shot down a bomber they were protecting. Wheeler said, "We showed that we weren't inferior." As a result, the government decided to desegregate the military. McNeil is now 66. Wheeler is 85. Both are still active in the Long Island community and across the country -- sharing their stories with younger generations. If you ever have the chance to listen in on one of their sessions, seize the opportunity. You'll come away inspired.

Going once. Going twice. Sold...

By Andrew Ehinger

    Sometimes you can get a great deal. Sometimes you'll pick up a lemon. That's what you can expect at a auction. But more and more Long Islanders are turning to auctions to save some bucks.

    It was shoulder to shoulder people at the David R. Maltz & Company auto auction today. On the block, about 100 bank re-possessed and government seized cars and boats. Some people think these auctions are filled with Corvette's, Mercedes', BMW's and Porsche's - OK there were a few of those - but really it's just average every day cars and trucks that people couldn't afford any more.  Thing is, these auctions are usually filled with used car dealers and a few home mechanics looking to fix a car up and sell it for a profit - but today there were lots of every day people looking for an inexpensive car. Call it the sign of the times - some people are doing what ever they can to save a buck.

    Hidden in the crowd I saw Khedaja Rahim holding her bid placard and some notes. She was eying a Mercedes sedan longingly. However, the final cost -- 15 grand -- was a little too much for her budget. She only wanted to spend 6 thousand but at the auction she felt she could get something a little better than she could at a dealer. This was her first car and she wanted it to be nice. Auctioneers say they are seeing more and more people like Khedaja bidding on cars and they've got more cars for folks like Khedaja to bid on. There are more bank repossessed cars coming up for auction because more people are defaulting on their car loans. Some of the regulars at the auction say that means newer and better maintained cars are rolling on to the auction block. Funny thing is they say with more cars, the perception of getting a steal that means more bidders per car and then the final price goes up. That's good news for the bank's and the auctioneer but not for the professional car buyer. Several complained to me that it's getting harder to buy cars at a discount so they can turn them around for a decent profit to keep their businesses afloat.

     Wow you just can't please everyone!

    So how can you make a good bid at an auction? The experts tell me NEVER bid with your heart - always bid with your wallet. Or in other words, if you find a car you like, do your research, establish your maximum bid to what the car is worth and NEVER go over that limit NO MATTER WHAT. If someone else wants to pay more than the car is worth, let them. There are always other cars. - That's some good advice.

Beaten & Racial Slurs Hurled .. But No Bias Charge?

By Christine Insinga

  He was beaten, kicked & punched allegedly by 4 men, who witnesses say also yelled racial slurs at Daryl Jackson and told him to "Go back to Africa."  

Jackson is still in Nassau University Medical Center tonight- battered and bruised.  "You don't treat a dog like that," said David Tillery- who was driving to work and spotted the 52 getting pummeled in the middle of Nassau Road.  He says got out of the car- scared the men away and called 9-1-1.

So far, police have arrested 4 Hispanic men  (including an off duty NYPD officer) in connection with the beating but they're charged with assault- NOT a Hate Crime.  Tillery and Jackson's attorney says that's just flat out wrong- but police say the law is clear:  If a person is not attacked BECAUSE of their race-religion or sexual preference  then it cannot be classified as a Hate Crime.

   Jackson was being beaten while being called the 'N' word- true.  but cops say it wasn't the color of his skin that set the men off.  The suspects claim Jackson was pan-handling outside the deli where some of them work and he wouldn't leave.  Officials say an argument ensued and then it got physical.  Difficult- confusing and frustrating to many involved- but police say the law is the law. 

Kiss Me! I'm Irish!

By Danielle Campbell

It's that time of year again--to find my "Kiss Me I'm Irish!" button {although I am mostly Scottish, Danish, Dutch, Italian and a wee bit Irish}!

Saint Patrick happens to be one of my most favorite Saints!

That happened, not because of the parades, the green bagels and beer, the parties, the hats and the buttons.  Saint Patrick's life became a very powerful message of strength, endurance, morality, after I read

How The Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland's Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe, a non-fiction historical book written by Thomas Cahill.

Every year millions of Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but they may not be aware of how great an influence St. Patrick was on the subsequent history of civilization.

Not only did he bring Christianity to Ireland, he instilled a sense of literacy and learning that would create the conditions that allowed Ireland to become "the isle of saints and scholars" -- and thus preserve Western culture while Europe was being overrun by barbarians.

During this time cities were ransacked, priceless art was destroyed and libraries were burned to the ground.

 

In other words, as the last vestiges of the Roman Empire fell away, learning was lost. As the libraries and books went up in smoke, the ancient world’s literature, science, math, technology and order quickly followed.   Cahills' account of the young brave Patricious, who returned to Ireland after imprisonment and slavery, is compelling, fascinating, --- a story line that sounds more like a Hollywood movie.

Saint Patrick's Day---celebrates an ancient man --that truly legends are made of!

 However I do believe he would not be so thrilled in some of the ways we celebrate his life--because he dedicated his life to the Gaelic tribes and his life was spent trying to rid them of their ways of debauchery.

And so it was with great honor that I was part of the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Huntington.

Regardless of our faith and heritage, Saint Patrick is a man for all of us to emulate--his life, ----saved civilization.

And I say that's a great reason to wear a "Kiss me, I'm Irish button".

Come On Down

By Norm Dvoskin

I just returned from a vacation in Delray Beach, Florida. I was there for the month of February. In my opinion, the only reason anyone would want to go to Florida other than to visit relatives, is because of the sunny, warm and comfortable winter weather. On the morning of Thursday, February 5^th, my first week, the temperature at Delray Beach dropped to 31 degrees. It was 33 in Boca Raton, Wellington and Palm Beach. People in South Florida are not used to cold weather. They usually wear down-filled parkas and mittens in the frozen food section of the supermarket. Everyone marveled at how empty the beaches were. I put on my "Nanook of the North" outfit and decided it would be a good time to head southward... to Miami, which is about 50 miles from Delray. I was disappointed as I strolled uncomfortably in the cold and wind along Calle Ocho in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami. The weather warmed up quickly over the next few days, reaching the mid to upper 70s and things were back to normal.

If the chilly weather of 2009 chilled vacationers, it was nothing compared to 32 years ago. On the morning of January 19, 1977, snowflakes fell from the sky in South Florida. It resembled a giant tropical snow globe. It was the first and last time in recorded weather history that snow fell south of Fort Pierce. It was the farthest south that snow ever been seen in the continental United States. Flurries were reported in Homestead. You know your having a tough winter vacation when Miami TV weather reports start giving ski conditions. It was only a dusting but it was enough to close schools and flood the switchboard at Southern Sanitation which jokingly advertises free snow removal. In West Palm Beach, Kmart set out 10 cases of snow shovels and four sleds which had been shipped there by mistake. Residents were inscribing their names on snow-covered windshields. In one up-scale neighborhood of Coral Gables, the highway department made a snow plow by fastening a spatula to the front end of a Porsche (just kidding).

The weather warmed up in a couple of days, and my vacation was delightful. One of nice things about being in Florida in February is that when you get home in March, spring is usually just around the corner. The days are longer, the temperatures are moderating, and the crocuses are starting to pop-up. Ha!  What did I get when I returned to Long Island? Fifteen inches of snow on March 1st... Long Islands biggest snowstorm in three years. I got tired of hearing people say to me, "You came back too early."

What Do You Think About this Economy?

By Doug Geed

   Pat Sileo remembers her days working in the Human Resources department for a major LI company. She says often times, she would close the door of her office and start crying after telling someone they had just been laid off. Now it's Sileo herself who is without a job.

   Her husband Carl is a talented architect who was laid off from his job in Manhattan just a week and a half ago. Now the South Huntington couple joins the ranks of unemployed Long Islanders who are looking to start all over again in new jobs.

   When will all of this end? That's the question everyone wants answered.

    News 12 Long Island and Hofstra University polled Long Islanders about the economy and the results were predictable. 43-percent of people are either somewhat or very concerned about losing their job because of the economic crisis. 40-percent say they aren't concerned. For 7-percent of the people we polled it was a moot point -- they had already lost their job.

    In another question, we asked Long Islanders to think ahead one year and tell us if they think they'll be better off than now or worse off. 52-percent said they expect to be better off.

    Finally we asked if they thought the stimulus plan will help the middle class. More than half -- 53-percent -- said no.

     Some depressing answers in what's a very depressing time.

 

  

   

Rihanna and Chris Brown

by Jill Wagner

1 in 5.  That's how many high school relationships involve physical abuse, according to Mindy Perlmutter, the Director of Education for the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  To me, those numbers are pretty startling. 

I interviewed Perlmutter Friday for a story on pop star Chris Brown, and his alleged assault on girlfriend and fellow pop star, Rihanna.  This is a picture of the star obtained by TMZ website back in February.

   

Compare that to what she normally looks like, and it's clear, this was a serious assault.  Now an affidavit released by the Los Angeles Police Department says it all started when Brown and Rihanna were driving, and he got a text message from another girl.  When Rihanna saw it, Brown allegedly tried to push her out of the car--punching her as he drove.  Then, the affidavit says, the assault continued, causing Rihanna's mouth to fill with blood, and blood to splatter all over her clothes and the vehicle.

Now, a few weeks later, reports are that Rihanna and Brown have gotten back together.  

Whether or not you care about Rihanna and celebrity gossip, there is a bigger issue here.  Perlmutter and other social workers are concerned about what kind of message this sends to teens who look up to these rock stars. 

Perlmutter says she goes to schools across Nassau and talks to students about domestic violence.  Rihanna and Chris Brown are the couple that everyone wants to talk about.  And like Perlmutter says, if Rihanna is really back together with Brown, it could send the message that this isn't such a big deal. 

But domestic violence is a VERY BIG DEAL.  Perlmutter says last year alone domestic violence cases led to nearly ten deaths in Nassau County.  And for the attackers---the behavior is very hard to change.  She says it's likely this is not the first time Rihanna and Brown have had an issue, and unfortunately, it's likely this won't be the last. 

Hopefully teens can look at Rihanna and Brown and decide that this is one time they won't try to emulate pop stars.  Because if 1 in 5 relationships are already involved in some type of abuse, then the problem has already gone too far.    

 

An LI Civil Rights Hero

By Doug Geed

    He was born in 1939 as deep as you can get in the Deep South. "L-A" as he calls it -- Lower Alabama.

  His grandfather was a lifelong member of the Ku Klux Klan and his dad was also a KKK member.

  Pretty unlikely that Bob Zellner would become an active and dedicated servant in the fight for civil rights, but that's what happened.

    Zellner -- who now lives in North Sea, outside of Sag Harbor on the South Fork -- has written a new book called "The Wrong Side of Murder Creek," which chronicles his struggles as a white civil rights activist.   

   Zellner was considered a traitor among his fellow white Southerners -- and was hated almost as much as the blacks who struggled for such simple freedoms as the right to sit down on a bus, use the same restroom as white people, eat in the same restaurants as anyone else and -- perhaps most importantly -- cast a vote for elected officials who just might try to change the embarrassing and repulsive way our society treated African-Americans.

   Zellner first met Dr. Martin Luther King when he was in college doing a paper on the civil rights struggle. He went to hear Dr. King and Rosa Parks speak at a church. He was warned that he'd be arrested if he went to Dr. King's church (a white man stepping inside a "black" church was considered a crime), but he went anyway. He actually escaped the law that day, but was arrested 8 or 9 other times in 7 different states.

    He can't even remember how many times he was beaten, but vividly remembers how a police chief released him to an angry mob that beat him and then dragged him to a cow pasture with a rope. Bob's a smart guy and, through his fear, he managed to get the crowd bickering among themselves. When he convinced them he was a fellow Alabaman and not a "meddling New Yorker," they finally let him go.

    I interviewed Bob this past Tuesday and haven't gotten a chance to read his book yet, but based on the stories he told me, I'm sure it's entertaining, enlightening, appalling and uplifting all at the same time.

   Spike Lee thought enough of it to turn the wheels in motion to make a movie about Bob's story.

   You can see my interview with Bob Zellner starting Sunday night, March 15th in our 5 pm newscast and running all through the day Monday the 16th.

   A longer version of our interview will air in my "East End Show" which airs every Saturday at 7, 9, 11, 1 and 3 -- and Sundays at 7, 9, 11:30, 1:30 and 3:30.

    You may want to check out Bob's website -- www.bobzellner.com

 

   

Regional Bus - At What Cost?

By Drew Scott 

  Dozens of Long Island's movers and shakers met this morning at Hofstra's Axinn Library theater to discuss "The Ravitch Commission" recommendation to set up a regional bus system.

  The MTA is now studying the proposal which suggested merging MTA Long Island Bus with Westchester county's Bee-Line bus company and MTA's New York City bus and later with Suffolk Transit buses.

  The advantage, says the Ravitch Commission, is it will mean seamless service between Nassau county and Jamaica's LIRR station and the city's E and F train station in Queens. Commuters will be able to travel using the existing Metro Fare Card on each system.

  Many people I interviewed however feel the negatives outweigh the plus side. 

  Assemblyman David McDonough, the ranking Republican on the state assembly transportation committee, says it will cost too much and will require new taxes and a hike in fares.

  State Senator Charles Fuschillo agrees, saying the proposed "payroll" tax to pay for the regional bus system and MTA bailout will cost Long Island schools an additional $24-Million in additional payroll taxes. The new payroll tax does not exclude schools, municipalities and non-profit organizations!   

  A regional bus system might be seamless, but some I talked to believe the system is better the way it is now.