Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Programs needn't be cut, and could be restored, the author says.
"Daddy, please try to get our library time back." Those were the words spoken to me by my eight year-old daughter right before I left to attend the Port Washington Board of Education budget hearing last night. The funny (or tragic) thing is, neither the 100+ residents who attended the meeting nor I had any intention of trying to restore the librarian funding that was cut from the budget last year. We only hoped to save new programs on the chopping block this year, such as clubs, sports, art, and the PEP gifted and talented program. A year and a half ago, my family moved to this town from New York City. We wanted a great place to raise our two young daughters. For the most part, we have found an amazing town, filled with culture, art, and …
40.829255
-73.682329
Port Washington Public Schools
100 Campus Dr, Port Washington, NY
/articles/why-our-schools-need-to-be-properly-funded
39585
/locations/6343206
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Calvin Dame talks about Darwin, the importance of science, and Port Washington.
Sunday is Darwin Day, the birthday of British scientist Charles Darwin, who was born in 1809. Port Washington resident Calvin Dame is looking forward to Darwin Day, where it will be celebrated at the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island in Garden City. Dame, the director of the society and also an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister, spoke with Patch about the event. Does Darwin Day usually get a good turnout? Who attends - and why? This is the fourth year that the Ethical Humanist Society in Garden City has celeberated Darwin Day and it has become one of our best attended events of the year. While celebrations of Darwin Day have tended to be at colleges, our program is geared toward families that are looking to help to help their …
40.73746
-73.64752
38 Old Country Rd, Garden City, NY
/articles/port-resident-leads-darwin-day-celebration
/locations/6332925
Humble performer describes herself as 'an overnight success that took 50 years to happen.'
At an age when many are thinking about retirement, Bettye LaVette is just hitting her stride. LaVette’s phenomenal performance at Landmark on Main Street on Feb. 4, proved that, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Those who were fortunate enough to get tickets for this particular concert witnessed a show unlike any other. LaVette, 66, recorded her first album at age 16. However, her career largely stalled, and although she made music steadily throughout the decades, it wasn’t until the release of her 2005 CD, “Got My Own Hell to Raise” that she first received the acclaim she was due. LaVette specializes in reinterpreting other musicians’ songs in her own inimitable style. “Got My Own Hell to Raise” was a cover album of songs all written by other …
40.83133
-73.6963
Landmark on Main Street
232 Main St, Port Washington, NY
/articles/bettye-lavette-rocks-the-house-at-landmark-on-main-street
38996
/locations/6331175
Monday, February 6, 2012
Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel meets Chicago top cop Jody Weis to discuss microstamping.
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, February 6
I recently met with Jody Weis, Deputy Director of the Chicago Crime Commission. Our discussion centered on reducing illegal guns in their respective states of New York and Illinois. Mr. Weis is the former Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. He spent 23 years in the Federal Bureau of Investigation where he investigated terrorism, narcotics, and violent crime matters. In addition, Mr. Weis also served on the Houston SWAT team and was a bomb technician. As the sponsor of a microstamping bill in the New York State Assembly, I met with Mr. Weis after learning of his interest in microstamping technology from a national news show where he spoke about his plan to push for microstamping legislation in Illinois. This technology enables …
40.78776
-73.72585
45 N Station Plz, Great Neck, NY
/articles/opinion-thoughts-on-microstamping
/locations/6329807
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The state senator on the MTA tax.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, February 5
If you’ll indulge me, I’d ask you to imagine a very complex flow chart, one with a jumble of miniscule numbers and overlapping arrows pointing in every direction that are nearly impossible to decipher. That’s what government bureaucracies tend to create. But in my years of public service, I happen to have gotten pretty good at analyzing these labyrinths, tracing their complexities back to their respective centers. What’s more, I can now almost always predict what you’ll find there: an overburdened taxpayer that doesn’t know what hit him. You see, bureaucracies avoid coming right out and asking you for more money because they know it makes you angry. Now I know you’re saying “Are you kidding, Jack? Have you seen my property tax bill…
40.741494
-73.655049
151 Herricks Rd, Garden City Park, NY
/articles/martins-peeling-onions
/locations/6316484
Friday, February 3, 2012
What are your thoughts on Susan G. Komen reversing its decision to cut breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood?
On Friday, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast-cancer charity said it is reversing its decision to cut breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood. “We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women's lives,” the foundation said in a statement. If you've donated to Komen in the past, will this change your charitable giving? Or would this weeks actions inspire you to contribute?
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
'Dancing with the Stars' performer proves he can do more than dance.
It was a different crowd than usual at Landmark on Main Street on Friday, Jan. 27. Giggling teen girls (and their moms) in tank tops and sequins comprised a good percentage of the audience. But the giggling swiftly turned to shrieking as Mark Ballas took the stage. Ballas is best known as one of the professional dance partners on the hit TV show, Dancing With the Stars, where he’s scored the coveted mirror ball trophy twice. The son of two professional dancers – Corky and Shirley Ballas – it made sense that the younger Ballas would become a dancer. However, his talents extend beyond dance – Ballas is a trained musician and singer whose debut CD, "HurtLoveBox," was released last year. Some musicians have managed to make the crossover from …
40.83133
-73.6963
Landmark on Main Street
232 Main St, Port Washington, NY
/articles/mark-ballas-wows-a-young-crowd-at-landmark
38996
/locations/6282546
Monday, January 30, 2012
What if everyone spent a day rallying around one particular business? Which store would you recommend?
Could this happen in Port Washington? Locals in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, recently turned out to support a local business that had been serving the community since 1857. Resident Jim Black sent out an e-mail to about 40 people, prompting, in effect, a "cash mob." "Let's show our support for one of our local businesses," he wrote in his email. "I challenge everyone to spend AT LEAST $20 at the hardware on the 21st." And they did, with scores of people lining up even before the store opened its doors for the day. Which local business would bring out the same support in Port Washington?
Momentum has started to create a rational plan for our commercial district, the trustees say.
- OPINION
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Monday, January 30
While our name expresses our concern for the past, the Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society wishes to make it known that we are also very much concerned with Port Washington's future. The coming of the railroad to Port Washington in June of 1898 transformed our then quiet hamlet into a vibrant transportation hub -- conveniently connecting a new and desirable living environment with New York City. The location of the train station on Main Street, then called Flower Hill Avenue, quickly encouraged the expansion of Port’s business district on that street from its original waterfront location on Manhasset Bay eastward to Port Washington Blvd. and beyond. This bustling commercial development also enhanced our community, making it all the more …
40.81593
-73.68006
Cow Neck Peninsula Historical Society
336 Port Washington Blvd, Port Washington, NY
/articles/opinion-cow-neck-peninsula-historical-society-looks-forward
39280
/locations/6276949
Sunday, January 29, 2012
The state shouldn't diminish opportunities for Long Island students, the state senator says.
- OPINION
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Sunday, January 29
I flipped through hundreds of pages until I found it. I was scanning the proposed budget released by Governor Cuomo last week, looking to see how our district fared with state aid, in particular the amounts for our school districts. I guess to say I was disappointed by what I saw is an understatement – the Governor had proposed increasing state aid to education by 4 percent, yet time and again our districts were shortchanged. It’s no secret that I happen to agree with many of Governor Cuomo’s efforts to get New York’s fiscal train back on track. For too many years, the obvious truth that many in Albany were all too happy to ignore was that New York was well on its way to financial ruin. But in tandem with Governor Cuomo, we were able to …
40.741494
-73.655049
151 Herricks Rd, Garden City Park, NY
/articles/martins-state-aid-to-long-island-schools-doesn-t-add-up-90839678
/locations/6269812
The Truth
12:06 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
This is the reality it is time for a change.. We need a new roof on Weber. Schreiber uses buckets for the roof leeks. Ridiculous enough is enough . Every year we have to continue to cut except for all the fat that Dr. Gordon wants to keep. We need new leadership. We need new ideas. Dr.Gordon is to comfortable in his sandspoint home and it is time for us to replace him with some willing to work … more ›