Regarding “Chronicles of a Persian Mom” in the July 27–Aug. 2 issue of the Great Neck Record, I have three words for Persian mom Ilana Siyance Kalati: I LOVE YOU. Ms. Kalati has voiced the frustrations of an entire community with tongue-in-cheek wit and humor. I love her admission (or should I say “confession”) of parking on the white line at Everfresh when strawberries were on sale (on Friday—the WORST day to go there!). Hilarious!
And, bottom line, she’s right. The traffic problem is a function of big trucks (SUVs) and population density. Local politicians promoted too much building at the expense of quality of life and we have the greatest density we’ve ever had here. Speaking as a resident of more than 50 years, I applaud Ms. Kalati’s humor and agree with her conclusions. I think we have a new Erma Bombeck at the Great Neck Record.
Senator Martins congratulated Great Neck South valedictorian and graduate Emily Bae on being one of only 300 national semi-finalists in the 2016 Intel Science Talent Search.
Senator Jack M. Martins congratulated Emily Bae on being chosen as a national semi-finalist in the 2016 Intel Science Talent Search. Bae, who graduated from Great Neck South High School as the Class of 2016’s valedictorian, will be attending Yale University in the fall.
“Emily is an extraordinarily bright young woman who has achieved something very special. She didn’t do it through luck; she did it through countless hours of hard work, study and research,” said Martins. “With her talents and work ethic, there is no doubt in my mind that this will be the first of many great things we see from one of the country’s top young scientists. Congratulations to Emily, her family and the Great Neck School District on this wonderful accomplishment.”
Participants from all across the country, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands compete in the talent search, considered the nation’s most prestigious precollege science competition. Bae was one of only 300 semifinalists chosen from entries nationwide.
Martins presented Bae with a legislative resolution he sponsored, which was passed by the Senate, in recognition of her accomplishment. With passage of the resolution, Bae’s name and achievement will forever be part of the New York State Senate’s official record.
This comprehensive resource for summer fun includes informa-tion about the Town of North Hempstead’s parks, such as hours of operations and membership fees, sports lessons and programs for children and adults, boating information, fitness and hobby classes, children’s summer programs, as well as the schedule of summer concerts and events.
Three cheers to Ilana Kalati, for bringing this subject to bear in “Chronicles of a Persian Mom” in the July 27–Aug. 2 Great Neck Record.
No! I am not a Persian, and I do not blame you for the traffic on Middle Neck Road.
But, yes! We do suffer from the traffic in Great Neck—however, it does not have to do anything with the population density or the width of the streets. It has to do with jaywalking on Middle Neck Road, disregarding the Red Palm, which causes a hazard both to the drivers and the pedestrians. It also has to do with parents unloading or strapping children on the driver’s side of the car, a dangerous hazard to the parents and the traffic, as well as double-parking, speeding to catch a train, talking on the phone and not moving at a green light, disregarding the “STOP SIGN” at the exit from Everfresh, causing the traffic to stop from both sides of the street, crossing a double line, making illegal U-turns, and, needless to add, leaving a car door open towards traffic.
All of the above ought to be blamed on demographic, cultural, educational and behavioral attitudes, which can be summed up as: total disregard and disrespect to fellow neighbors if they happen to have a different culture or, for that matter, different religion or cast.
In my opinion, a traffic light is urgently needed at the exit of Everfresh as well as an installation of a DO NOT ENTER sign. There also ought to be ONE entrance at Marine Fisheries, and a law should be passed that children ought to enter or exit through the car curbside door. Additionally, double-parking laws ought to be enforced and traffic cameras should be installed at stop signs and traffic lights.
Everfresh serves a large population, not only from Great Neck Village, but also Kings Point,
Saddle Rock and Kensington, a total population of more than 20,000 people, out of which, I would assume, 75 percent of the heads of households shop at Everfresh weekly between Thursday and Friday.
ProHEALTH Dental, a Clinical Affiliate of ProHEALTH Care Associates, LLP, opened its first dental clinic in Lake Success to help reduce the risk of heart disease, oral cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases linked to poor oral hygiene.
At the grand opening at 1 Dakota Dr./1 ProHEALTH Plaza, Suite 115, in Lake Success, free oral cancer screenings were offered. During the event, tours were provided and remarks were made by the leadership team of ProHEALTH and Henry Schein, including Dr. David Cooper, CEO of ProHEALTH Medical Management, LLC; Dr. Neil Karnofsky, ProHEALTH chief dental officer; and Stanley Bergman, chairman of the board and CEO of Henry Schein, Inc.
ProHEALTH Dental features 12 operatories equipped with state-of-the-art digital technology and equipment from Henry Schein Dental, including specialized treatment facilities and a waiting room with video games for children.
One-hundred five South High School students were recognized by the Great Neck Public Schools Board of Education for contributing to the quality of life at their school.
Student honorees included Elora Aclin, Jared Ahmed, Tooba Alwani, Salvatore Angelaras, Jonathan Arevalo, Emily Bae, Aram Baghdassarian, Christopher Barulic, Nicholas Belitsis, Rachel Brenner, Daniel Bronstein, Gracia Bualuti, Audrey Chan, Brandyn Chan, Stephanie Chang, Steven Chasen, Brandon Chen, Emily Cheung, Angela Chi, Kelley Chiu, Victoria Chiu, Catherine Choi, Regina Chow, Jack Doremus, Abigail Efrem, Josselyn Fuentes, Joshua Go, Samuel Go, John Gould, Kelly Gragossian, Jennifer Guo, Isabella Harnick, Caroline Hong, Jillian Horowitz, Zhengkuan Huang, Christyn Hung, Haena Kang, Azim M. Keshwani, Daniel Kiernan, Ji Won Kim, Lance Kim, Nayoung Kim, David Kimmel, Lily Kimmel, Jenna Kolodny, Danielle Kraes, Adam Krieger, Ramya Kumar, Ryan Lang, Jonathan Lee, Joshua Lee, Jacqueline Liao, Vivian Lim, Fion Ma, Amanda Madenberg, Isabella Malfi, Maximilian Manicone, Julia Mashall, Joseph Mazurkiewicz, William Miecuna, Allyson Mittler, Alec Molina, Ryan Motchkavitz, Emma Motelson, Sean Na, Annabelle Ng, Samantha Ng, Jundong Pan, Tina Pavlovich, Jonathan Perlman, Lauren Perlman, Jahong Pu, Haley Raphael, Haley Roach, Abraham Rosloff, Casey Sanders, Dylan Sanders, Jonathan Schindler, Ashley Schulman, Diana Serpas, Robin Shum, Madison Solomon, Sydney Someck, Avery Strongin, Yujia Su, Christine Suh, Celina Sun, Alison Tair, Kirkpatrick Townsend, Annie Transport, Christine Vissichelli, Jessica Vissichelli, Shrinath Viswanathan, Elizabeth Voigt, Alison Walker, David West, Gabriella Wong, Kimberly Wong, Giovanni Xu, Belinda Yin, Hyerin Yoon, Hanna Zaretsky, Amanda Zeitlin, Boyang (John) Zhang and Josephine Zheng.
Joining them were Board of Education Vice President Lawrence Gross and Trustees Donald Ashkenase and Susan Healy, and school and district administrators. Board President Barbara Berkowitz and Trustee Monique Bloom were unable to attend.
San Antonio Spurs shooting guard/small forward Danny Green will be hosting Team Green Basketball Academy at St. Mary’s High School from Aug. 15 to 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. The camp is open to children ages 5 to 18 of all skill levels. The $400 fee includes a T-shirt, lunch, drawstring backpack and contest prizes.
Green attended high school at St. Mary’s in Manhasset, where he led the school to a number-one national ranking and was selected to be a McDonald’s All-American. He went on to play collegiate ball at the University of North Carolina. During the 2008-09 season, the North Babylon native led the Tar Heels to a national championship over Michigan State. He is currently heralded as the winningest player at UNC, with 123 career victories in games he played in. One of the most notable aspects of his game is his versatility. Green is the only Tar Heel ever to have 1,000 points (1,368), 500 rebounds (590), 200 assists (256), 100 blocks (155) and 100 steals (160).
Green has just finished a very special season with the San Antonio Spurs, where he helped lead them to a 67-15 record, the second best in the NBA. Widely regarded as one of the best shooters in the NBA, Green finished the season shooting 41 percent from the 3-point line, one of the top percentages in the league.
“I’m really excited to host a camp in Manhasset. I loved playing at St. Mary’s, and have built a great relationship with the town. I’m looking forward to seeing lots of familiar faces,” Green said.
“Team Green Basketball Academy is the best camp I’ve ever attended,” explained Andrew Murray, a seventh grader who attends Green’s camp in North Babylon. “Being able to learn from Danny and the coaches/trainers who have worked with other NBA players was so cool. I learned so much.”
The camp is limited to the first 110 registrants and is based on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, send a check or money order payable to Team Green at PO Box 6391, N. Babylon, NY 11704. For questions, contact Danny Green Sr. at coachdrg2000@yahoo.com.
Each year the Lions Club of Great Neck contacts the principals of both North and South high schools and asks them to recommend a student who they feel did the most community service, so the Lions Club can reward them.
This year, the club presented checks for $250 to Mitchel Bokhour of Great Neck North High School and Regina Chow of Great Neck South High School. The club hopes that these gifts will help them in their future endeavors and wishes them success in all that they do.
The Town of North Hempstead is holding the Arts Matter! Juried Exhibit and Contest, sponsored by Supervisor Judi Bosworth, the town board, the town’s Business & Tourism Development Corporation, the North Hempstead Arts Advisory Council and The Art Guild of Port Washington. Entries will be accepted through Sept. 2 and the exhibit will be on display at town hall in Manhasset from Sept. 27 to Nov. 30.
To be eligible, entrants must be 18 or older and town residents, employees of a business located in the town or members of an art organization within the town. Any artwork submitted must be available for display from Sept. 27 to Nov. 30 and must have been completed in the past three years. The cost to submit an entry is $25.
The winning pieces will be on display and the exhibit will be open to the public. The Arts Matter! Artist’s Reception will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 25, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at town hall.
For more information, including how to enter, accepted art mediums, and additional rules and regulations, visit www.northhempsteadny.gov/btdc or call 311 or 516-869-6311.
WOW! Another great Parkwood Pool season! I must commend George and his wonderful staff on another successful pool opening. He is always seen walking around the pool watching that his staff does their job and are mingling with the patrons. The pool looks immaculate and well kept, the grounds are filled with beautiful flowers and there are well-trained lifeguards and deck hands. The lifeguards always have a smile on their face to greet you.
It is such a pleasure to come to the pool on a daily basis. There are so many different activities to partake in, from water aerobics to the lazy river, whether by tube or just walking, as well as planned parties, swim teams, group and private swim lessons, the recreation center, the snack bar and many other amenities.
None of this could take place without the strong guidance of George and his staff. Their daily meetings give the staff an opportunity to discuss any issues or problems and how to approach various situations that may arise during the course of the day. George runs a tight, well-oiled ship, and he’s been doing this for a number of successful years. Therefore, I felt it was time to give him the appropriate recognition. He does not have an easy job. Each day there are new issues that come up and must be immediately addressed. He handles it with ease and makes his job look easy since everything runs so smoothly. He is always available to listen to your suggestions and tries to accommodate you, if possible. I cannot say enough about the wonderful job George does.
During First Responder Appreciation Month this August, all police, fire, EMS and military personnel are being offered free gym memberships at New York Sports Clubs (NYSC) to honor them for putting their lives on the line every day to save others.
NYSC is offering complimentary one-month memberships, so first responders may work out at the company’s 150+ locations throughout the Northeast, including 15 Barstow Rd. in Great Neck. First responders who are already members may bring in a guest for free during the entire month.
The offer complements the recently launched Bravest & Finest workout, inspired by the physical challenges required to become a first responder. The class is taught by NYSC trainers who are also member s of the NYPD or FDNY.
“We recognize the tremendous physical and mental commitment that it takes to be a first responder,” said Michelle Ryan, CMO of parent company Town Sports International. “We are truly grateful to all the men and women who respond without hesitation to protect and serve our neighborhoods, and appreciate their daily commitment to keeping us safe.”
Troop 10 of Great Neck enjoyed a fun and educational visit to the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in New Jersey. The industrial complex that was once the Sterling Hill zinc mine is now open to the public as a museum.
The guided tour started with a brief mining history of the region and some geological background, and was followed by a treasure hunt within a beautiful mineral collection that contained a wide variety. Scouts learned how to identify real gold from fool’s gold.
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Next, the Scouts went on was a walking tour through the 1,300-foot underground Sterling Hill mine. Various pieces of actual equipment were displayed throughout the passage. Visitors saw the lamp room, the shaft station, mine galleries dating back to the 1830s, the glow-in-the-dark fluorescent Rainbow Tunnel and a sight-and-sound blasting demonstration.
After braving the cold, Scouts completed the day in the Rock Discovery Center, where the group learned about the uses of various rocks that are quarried in the region. They then collected specimens of six rock types to bring home.
Scouts also had a chance to earn the Geology and Mining in Society Merit Badge.
Families interested in joining Boy Scouts Troop 10 should email djrosenstein@gmail.com.
Ninety-two South Middle School students were recognized by the Great Neck Public Schools Board of Education for contributing to the quality of life at their school.
The student honorees were Troy Ahmed, Kareem Allen-Austin, Eric Bae, Aryaman Bahri, Nicole Beckett, Arianna Bozac, Theodore Chang, Ryan Chen, Emily Cheng, Catherine Chin, Sarah Choi, Alex Choung, Sabrina Chu, Christiana Claus, Lillian Cubbin, Tomer Curi-Hoory, Faiz Daredia, Rodolfo De la Cruz, Valerie Deligiannis, Derek Delson, Alexander Dembner, Amal Deochand, Jun Miackie Domingo, Yian Dong, Julia Duval, Alex Fang, Emma Fico, Cynthia Fong, Emma Forstner, YiLin Ge, Austin George, Daniel Goldberg, Brendon Guevara, Benyamin Hedvat, Gabrielle Henderson, Spencer Horowitz, Alyssa Hui, Sidra Hussain, Kiele Hwee, Sara Jhong, Katelyn John, Sebastian Kaczor, Talia Katz, Do Yeon Kim, Jiwon Kim, Sophia Kim, David Kogan, Aliya Lakhani, Kayla Law, Abigail Lee, Ryan Lessing, Martin Lev, Jonathan Li, Erin Liang, Kenneth Lim, Alan Lin, Christina Liu, Elizabeth Louie, Gabriel Magidson, Rachel Martini, Alexandra Milman, Jose Montoya, Michael Morrone, Lauren Parrott, Somya Pathak, Maya Pfeiffer, Christos Potamianos, Rachael Rosenberg, Benjamin Rossen, Shourav Saha, Madison Schmidt, Andrew Sheen, Anna Shimizu, Alixandra Sholomon, Joelle Siong Sin, Rachel Tair, Britney Trachtenberg, Holden Velasco, Joanna Vissichelli, John Vlantis, Mia Vlantis, Vivian Vlantis, Cheryl Wang, Lauren Wong, Alexandra Woroniecka, Kevin Wu, Emma Yeung, Tiffany Young, Jinyeong Yu, Alice Zhang, Kallista Zhuang and Nick Zizic.
Joining them were Board of Education President Barbara Berkowitz, Vice President Lawrence Gross and Trustees Donald Ashkenase, Monique Bloom and Susan Healy, along with school and district administrators.
A portion of the hundreds of first responders that turned out for the law-enforcement rally
Firefighters rally for law enforcement
The crowd of law enforcement representatives, firefighters, EMS personnel and veterans roared its approval at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theater at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow as County Executive Ed Mangano proclaimed, “Target our citizens, target our police and you’re going home in a body bag.”
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano
Hundreds of onlookers gathered at the park on July 24 in support of law enforcement for an event organized by Stewart Manor Fire Department First Deputy Chief Thomas Skinner, who said the recent targeting of police officers throughout the country spurred him into action.
“I was watching the Baton Rouge police get shot and I just went to work,” he said, adding that the First Battalion chiefs, along with Mangano’s office, were behind him from the start. “I felt everyone would support this. But I didn’t realize it was going to get so big so fast. The real thing was that we had it happen fast because two weeks after these cops get shot, everyone forgets. I wanted it done the week of the tragedies of Baton Rouge and Dallas and the other 10 officers the mainstream media doesn’t report on that got shot on 911 calls.”
Attendees listening as ex-Floral Park Chief/President of Nassau County Firefighters Operation Wounded Warrior Joseph O’Grady spoke
In total, 68 of Nassau County’s 70 fire departments attended the event, along with a robust representation of law enforcement, EMTs, war veterans and more. About 200 fire apparatus lined each side of Park Boulevard, which splits the park, acting as a red line leading to the theater.
Law enforcement rally honor guard
Among the attendees were Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter and Senator Jack M. Martins, who backed up Mangano’s statement that Nassau County has the backs of its law enforcement.
Law enforcement rally attendees standing at attention
“Police officers are willing to give their lives to save ours and keep our families safe,” Martins said. “We can never take that for granted, nor can we ever say ‘thank you’ enough. The firefighters did an extraordinary job organizing this event and showing our collective appreciation to the men and women who keep our communities safe.”
As the ceremony closed, Mangano thanked the county’s Bravest for supporting its Finest.
“With all the tragedies that have befallen our country recently, our police officers are the first line in maintaining order, safety and security,” he said. “Now, more than ever, they need our support so that they can continue to protect Nassau’s residents to the best of their abilities.”
Rec aide Dana Giannone spots Sylvia Tankel as she makes her way up the rock wall.
Sylvia Tankel, a 97-year-old Great Neck Park District resident, climbed the rock wall at the Rec Center on Monday, Aug. 1. Her daughter Debbie Kaufman and granddaughter Lauren Carahalios were there to cheer her on. Superintendent Jason Marra and rec aide Dana Gianonne were available to lend a hand, but Tankel was fine on her own.
Superintendent Jason Marra with three generations, from left: daughter Debbie Kaufman, rock-wall climber Sylvia Tankel, granddaughter Lauren Carahalios and rec aide Dana Giannone (Photos by Fernando Carranza)
Lundelius shows how to make apps using MIT’s app inventor.
Olivia Lundelius, a student at Great Neck South High School, is using her computer-science skills to bring technology courses to Levels. Lundelius planned and taught a five-session introductory course to Java during the spring. This summer, she’s teaching a four-session class on Android app making, using open-source software from MIT. Lundelius is developing her technology skills further with an internship in the computer-science department of Columbia University. Check www.greatnecklibrary.org/levels to learn about more computer classes at Levels.
From left: Debby Feit, Edith Weisfeld, Suzanne Gould, Chumy Ezagui and Lesli Giglio
Muse Paintbar on Middle Neck Rd. hosted the Lake Success Chabad Sisterhood for a night of Painting for a Cause. More than 50 women from Great Neck came together for an inspirational night out.
From left: Scharone Meishar, Emilia Macagno, Larisa Davidson, Tsivya and Laura Laurence
The evening began with words from Chumy Ezagui about the terror attacks in Paris, Israel and around the world, and how we should each combat the darkness in the world by increasing acts of goodness and kindness. The women each completed good resolution cards and shared how they would like to increase doing good for others.
From left: Lisa Kaplan, Jody Finkel and Liza Schwartz
Led by artist Jeremy, the women then painted the Eiffel tower on canvas. Proceeds from the night went towards Chaim’s Kitchen, which feeds local families in need, seniors and women who just gave birth and are in need of some home cooked meals, which are prepared by the LS Sisterhood. For more Lake Success Chabad events, visit www.myjle.com.
From left: Christine Suh, Zhengkuan (Kenny) Huang, Joshua Lee and Helena Woroniecka
A South High School Chamber Music Group performed at the Building a Chamber Music Program workshop at the NYSSMA All-State Music Conference, where Michael Schwartz, performing arts department head, was a copresenter at the workshop.
Chamber group members included Christine Suh, Zhengkuan (Kenny) Huang, Joshua Lee and Helena Woroniecka.
While at All-State, Huang was named principal second violin and was selected as the violin soloist for the Women’s Choir.
