Anton editors greeted Republican candidate David “Bull” Gurfein who is running for the 3rd Congressional district seat. Gurfein is a former Manhasset resident who was born and raised in Great Neck. See the in-depth interview in an upcoming edition of the Manhasset Press.

Al Trapani of Trapani Art & Frame at 447 Plandome Rd. in Manhasset has been a generous donor to Make*A*Wish Help Us Help Kids for the past two years. The Make-A-Wish Help Us Help Kids fundraiser was held at Louie’s in Port this year. Pictured are Al Trapani and Gina Lobello.

The Manhasset Plandome Newcomers Club (MPNC) celebrated the season of love this past Saturday with their second annual Valentine party held this year at the Swan Club in Roslyn. Event organizers Andrea Deignan, Kim Mancini and Amanda Marino all played Cupid, welcoming guests with pink cosmos and a themed photo booth experience.

“This year was especially fun because our resident DJ, member Jeff Ciccone, aka DJ Narcotik, had us all dancing most of the night,” said Co-President Kim-Ly Moynihan. “We were also really lucky to have a generous donation of Notorious Pink rosé from Manhasset locals Peter and Tara Governale. Each couple went home with a bottle to enjoy on Valentine’s Day.”

Upcoming events include a neighborhood social at Publican’s and a ladies’ pampering event at NuBest Salon.

The MPNC is open to all residents of Manhasset. To learn more, visit www.manhassetnewcomers.org or email info@manhassetnewcomers.org.

This winter Manhasset crew took to the indoors at Manhasset Fitness Center and prepared for a new era in Manhasset rowing. A dominant team with multiple state and national championships under their belt, they finished the Fall in strong fashion to set up this spring season’s run at a title.

This winter saw the return of former Coach Steve Panzik in the role of director of Manhasset Crew as the team began the winter refocused and determined to stake its claim as one of the country’s elite. Led by seniors Doug Dreyer (Georgetown), Sophia D’Angelo (Wisconsin), Ariana Jacono (Wisconsin), Jake Delaney (Auburn), Amanda Capra (Colgate), George Thatos (undecided), Michelle Loree (undecided), Salvatore Foglio (undecided) and Sara Wong (undecided), Manhasset made a strong statement at the indoor competitions.

It started at the Gold Coast Classic in Port Washington with a dominating team performance. The races started with the Women’s Novice squad taking three of the top ten finishes, led by first place finisher Anna Fournaris. In the Junior event, Manhasset captured second and third in a tight race by Grace Dreyer and Emily Kiley. Senior Amanda Capra won the Senior event with a strong finish. On the men’s side, the Men’s Novice team took three of the top five spots led by Jack Hannan taking second overall. In the Men’s Junior competition, Michael Canino lead the way with a second-place finish while the team took three of the top 10 spots. Mahmoud Khalifa held on for a second-place finish in the Men’s Lightweight division, while Senior Doug Dreyer had the fastest time of the day for a first place finish in the Senior event.

The team then traveled to St. Anthony’s High School for the Strong Island Championships with over 300 competitors from the Northeast. Coxswain Francesca Flood started it off with a second-place finish in the Coxswain race. The women took three of the top five spots in the Lightweight competition paced by winner Rose Corcoran. The Men’s Lightweight team took four of the top five places with Mahmoud Khalifa, Alex Hom and Brett Weisberg taking the medal stand. Freshman Ryan Weisberg rowed to a strong finish and won the Men’s Freshman race. At the U19 level Grace Dreyer took third in a tight race divided by less than four seconds. Senior Doug Dreyer built on his previous week’s performance and dominated the field winning by an unprecedented 14 seconds.

The team rounded up the winter season at the C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints World Indoor Rowing Championships in Boston. Over 2,500 competitors came from around the world to showcase their ability at Boston University’s Agganis Arena. The team was extremely competitive while racing over 200 competitors in each event. The weekend capped off with Doug Dreyer leading the way with a seventh-place finish in the Men’s Junior Heavyweight division, less than two seconds out of the top five. Rose Corcoran earned a 12th place finish in the Women’s Junior Lightweight competition. As a team, Manhasset placed in the top 25 percent in world at their respective level.

The team now heads to San Diego to prepare for the upcoming season. March 6 starts the spring season, and the team is focused on the challenges that lie before them as they start their run to Youth Nationals in Sarasota, FL. It is a program built on accountability, integrity and determination. If you want to be part of this strong tradition, contact Coach Panzik at coachstevepanzik@manhassetcrew.org.

Having a home office is great for those who work for corporations and businesses that require computers, paper and telephones, but not all professions can be conducted in an office environment. Mechanics, artists, carpenters, fashion designers—people who work, create and fix with their hands—often require a lot more space to craft successfully. A home workshop can have myriad uses, depending on the owners: as a space entirely devoted to one’s profession where canvases can be painted, sculptures can be constructed or a car’s engine can be assembled; or, it can simply be a room homeowners use to fix broken household items and store paint cans and tools.

This lovely Colonial in Strathmore Vanderbilt sold for $1,650,000 on December 2016. The home, built in 1938, has three bedrooms and two full and one half baths, with two fireplaces. The basement has a rec room and laundry room. Situated on a 75 by 100 square foot parcel, real estate taxes are $24,369.

Amidst a bevy of hospital staff, family, friends and reporters eagerly awaiting his arrival, North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) volunteer Arthur Seidman entered the room like a conquering hero.

The special occasion, a century in the making, was the celebration of Mr. Seidman’s 100th birthday. A Northwell Health volunteer since 1995, Mr. Seidman spends at least 15 hours a week assisting patients and their families in the surgical waiting room at NSUH. He also provides comfort to patients at Northwell’s Monter Cancer Center and serves on North Shore’s auxiliary board (as chairman for the Tribute Fund and the Car Raffle).

Special invited guests were his son, Dr. Steven Seidman, daughter, Jane Krakauer, and granddaughter, Kim. Kicking off the festivities was NSUH Executive Director Alessandro Bellucci, MD, who presented the guest of honor with a gift certificate and read a proclamation from local government.

“I’m pleased to announce that Arthur holds the record for time served as a volunteer,” said Dr. Bellucci. “For that reason, and for everything he’s done for this hospital, we are once again naming Arthur Seidman Volunteer of the Month. He is now the only person in our history to receive that designation twice.”

The dashing Mr. Seidman is a World War II veteran who was awarded both the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for distinguished service in the Philippines under General McArthur. His commitment to the health system is legendary. Recently, during a difficult snow storm, when en route to the hospital from his home in Great Neck, Mr. Seidman offered a ride to a much younger colleague who required assistance to get to his volunteer post.

A very emotional Mr. Seidman described his feelings about turning 100.

“I’ve lived a very eventful life,” he said. “I’ve always tried to be as good as I could be. My father was my role model; I tried to behave as he did. So, for me, coming to the hospital and working with other people who are really in need is a reason for me to get up in the morning. This is a labor of love. I love being here.”

Not one to rest on his laurels, Mr. Seidman is already planning his activities for next month – a relaxing cruise to the Caribbean with his beloved companion.

The Skyliners Synchronized Skating Team traveled to the 2017 Eastern Synchronized Sectional Championships on a mission—to perform their best and earn the coveted spots to the National Championships. Their results were historic; the Skyliners became the gold-medal champions in every division they entered.

“We knew we had a strong chance at performing well at Easterns, but to capture Gold in every division we competed in was truly outstanding,” said Josh Babb, Skyliners head coach and director of Synchronized Skating.

Manhasset teens Alyssa Politoski, a 10th-grader, and Tracy Wang, a ninth-grader at Manhasset High School, and Amie Adjakaple, a ninth-grader at Great Neck North High School, all of whom have been skating for Skyliners for a few years now, are excited about setting an all-time record for their team. Politoski and Adjakaple skate on the Novice Line and Wang skates on the Intermediate Line.

“The skaters have been working incredibly hard, and now our qualifying lines get to compete on the national stage at the U.S. Championships in Rockford, IL, later this month. We are very proud,” said Babb.

More than 2,000 synchronized skaters gathered in Hershey to compete at the Eastern Sectional Championships. Skyliners sent 123 skaters, ranging in age from 7 to 18. Among the nationally qualifying lines, they earned a season-high score of 76.90 in the Novice division for their dramatic “Camelot”-themed program. It is the first time in Skyliners history that the Novice line became Eastern champions. In the Intermediate division, Skyliners earned a season high score of 66.62 for their “Wizards” program and for the first time in five years, became Eastern champions. And in the Juvenile division, Skyliners earned their seventh straight Eastern championship title with their inspiring “Angels” program, which earned a 48.21.

All three of those qualifying lines move on to Nationals as well as the Skyliners will now devote the next two weeks to prepare for the 2017 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships, which will take place in Rockford on Feb. 23 to 25. Synchronized skating consists of 8 to 20 highly skilled athletes performing a program on ice together, moving as one flowing unit at high speeds. It is characterized by teamwork, speed, intricate formations and challenging step sequences. There are approximately 600 synchronized teams and nearly 5000 synchronized skaters in the United States alone, with elite competitions at both the national and international level.

Although not currently an Olympic sport, there is significant movement toward including synchronized skating as an event at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.

The Minuteman Press has moved to a brand new facility at 125 Plandome Rd. Family-owned and operated by father-and-son franchise team Les and Michael Forrai since 1996, Minuteman Press in Manhasset offers essential design, printing, marketing and branding services to today’s business professionals.

“Moving to our new space was a tremendous opportunity for our company that will benefit our customers,” said Michael Forrai. The Forrais purchased the building and have remodeled the facility to optimize the customer experience and maximize functional space. Michael continued, “The upper level is remodeled to have a front-end customer service space, with showroom for invitations and promotional products. Behind the counter, there are several desks available for staff to work with clients. Digital printing equipment has been moved to the back, so as not to disturb customer service.”

Another benefit of the new location is the lower level of the facility, which features an office, conference room and a finished production and storage workroom. “Those offices afford us the opportunity to work with clients in a more private arena, or have a conference,” adds Forrai.

Les and Michael also pride themselves in being active members of the Manhasset community and making a difference. Les said, “It has always been our policy to be involved in the community. I have been involved with and served as the president of the Manhasset Chamber of Commerce. “Michael and I have been on the Board of the Manhasset Community Fund and Cancer Volunteers of America. I have also spent many years involved in networking groups,” said Les.

There’s one thing for sure—love him or hate, him, President Donald J. Trump has gotten more American citizens involved in politics than any other single individual in decades.

Amid daily reports of Republican politicians being verbally assaulted by angry constituents at town hall meetings across the country, Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi became the only elected representative on Long Island to hold a town hall meeting of his own—one where he and his audience were, for the most part, decisively more on the same page in regards to social and political issues.

Held at the Mid-Island Y JCC on Manetto Hill Road in Plainview last week, the town hall meeting packed hundreds of residents of Suozzi’s Third Congressional District—and even some from outside his district—into an auditorium that was soon standing room only, with the crowd overflowing out into the hall.

“This to me is so inspiring because this is what our country is about,” said Suozzi. “Out of everything that’s going on in this country right now that we’re all so concerned about, the blessing is that so many people are actively engaged and this country needs this kind of engagement.”

Passions ran high among the attendees, but if there were any Trump supporters at the forum, they remained silent despite Suozzi’s invitation to allow their voices to be respectfully heard.

Suozzi noted that there are five major issues that have been coming to him the most; ranging from health care to immigration to the transparency of the president’s business dealings abroad and that those were the areas that he wanted to concentrate on with attendees during a Q-and-A session.

“The first subject people bring up to me over and over is saving the Affordable Care Act. I recently held a rally with Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, and we had about 1,500 people attend,” he said. “I had people telling very personal stories about how the repeal of the Affordable Care Act would affect them personally. It really is a matter of life and death for a lot of families in America…there are 20 million people who currently receive health insurance that didn’t receive it before and there’s another group of people who had a pre-existing conditions who wouldn’t be able to get health insurance under the old law.”

Suozzi noted that he doesn’t think the Affordable Care Act is problem-free by any stretch; however, he advocated a “mend it, don’t end it” approach, as opposed to doing away with it all together.

The Democratic congressman also spoke on what he called the “unusual relationship” between the president of the USA and Russian president Vladimir Putin, a matter that seems to cause a great deal of worry for many.

“It seems to be some very unusual events going on, from the Russian hacking of the presidential election, which we know for a fact happened, to the president refusing to divest himself of his interests and place his assets into a blind trust,” he said. “There are some very possible violations of the Emoluments Clause of the United States Constitution, which restricts members of the government from receiving gifts or money from foreign powers.”

Suozzi also covered Trump’s controversial travel ban, which he said was discriminatory, and he questioned the Trump administration’s commitment to preserving and protecting the environment.

The primary focus of questions directed at Suozzi were on the Affordable Care Act; Gary Kay from Oceanside shared a passionate tale about his wife, who is currently fighting colon cancer and has been running into issues with the Affordable Care Act at seemingly every turn.

“We keep dealing with insurance companies that are folding up or leaving New York,” he said. “There’s a lot wrong with this system, but I’m also concerned that a replacement bill won’t take my wife’s pre-existing condition into account.”

Plainview’s Patrick Schulman said that his father has advanced Parkinson’s disease and was recently laid off from his job, which caused him to lose his health insurance coverage.

“People like my father with pre-existing health conditions are being discriminated against when they apply for health insurance,” he said. “If something is not done about this, my family will have to choose between our financial well being and my father’s physical well being.”

At the close of the town hall, Suozzi urged attendees to stay involved in the country’s decision-process any way they can.

“This is not just political blather and talking points, this is people’s lives,” he said. “The best thing you can do is to stay active, especially with your local media. Write your local newspapers, use Facebook, attend town hall meetings, talk to friends and family, get information out there and make your voice heard. That’s what America is all about, each and every one of us having a voice to make change.”

J. Crew, at The Americana in Manhasset, is having a “CrewCuts Cover to Cover” Storytime Event on Sunday, March 26, at 2 p.m. The featured reading at this storytime event will be the inspirational children’s book Blossom and Grow, which will be read by author Ruth Ann Warren. Blossom and Grow tells a pony’s tale of adventure and discovery and about a farmer and a garden.

This J. Crew event will provide the kickoff to the spring season of growth and renewal. You’ll also be able listen to the beautiful song “The Real Beauty of You and Me.” And there will be cookies and milk and lots of fun for children of all ages.

J. Crew is located in the Americana Mall at 2052 Northern Boulevard in Manhasset.

For more information regarding the event, call J. Crew at 516-365-0716.

It was a banner day for anyone weary of this world’s antics last week when NASA astronomers revealed they spotted seven Earth-sized planets orbiting a nearby dwarf star—all or some of which could harbor water and potentially life.

The dim star (TRAPPIST-1), small compared to our sun, is in the constellation Aquarius just around the corner in our cosmic neighborhood, less than 40 light-years or 235 trillion miles away from Earth. NASA will now focus its most powerful telescopes at these seven exoplanets (planets observed outside of our solar system) to see if they have atmospheres in which biological life could survive.

I could make a snarky comment about this news coming at the perfect time, as the habitability of Earth is increasingly mired in a downward spiral. I could make that comment, but I won’t. Instead, I’d like to take a moment to thank congressional Republicans, who recently called for a “rebalancing” of NASA’s budget.

This maneuver could take much of the $2 billion currently funding NASA’s Earth Sciences Division and redirect it toward space missions. That means cash used in the study of Earth’s problems (climate change, for example) would instead be jettisoned into the far reaches of the galaxy.

I suppose this is a smart move. With a climate change doubter at the helm of the country and construction on the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines green lighted via executive orders, our natural habitats have been put on notice that environmentally conscious thought will not provide the same protections as it once did.

But that’s OK because now we have at least seven options for the relocation of our species. What blind luck. If you plan to set fire to your own home, you’d better have at least a vague idea of where you might move next.

As part of Women’s History Month, North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth and Town Clerk Wayne Wink announced the honorees for the 24^th Annual May W. Newburger Women’s Roll of Honor.  This year’s breakfast will take place on Wednesday, March 29^th, 2017, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., at the Clubhouse at Harbor Links in Port Washington.
Event chairperson Wayne Wink said, “I am proud to honor these outstanding women for their indispensable service to North Hempstead. Each of these women reflects the best that our communities have to offer and we are proud to honor them for their work.”

“North Hempstead has no shortage of inspirational women who give so much of themselves to our communities,” said Supervisor Bosworth. “We are fortunate to call these honorees part of our North Hempstead family.”

Since 1994, North Hempstead has held the Women’s Roll of Honor breakfast to honor women who have made a contribution to their community, or have accomplished a significant achievement through public or private efforts.

North Hempstead resident Shirley Romaine will continue the tradition of reciting an inspirational message at the breakfast.

The event remains free of charge and seating will be available on a first come first serve basis.

The 2017 Honorees
Barbara Berkowitz – Great Neck

Krista Davy – Westbury

Mariann Dalimonte – Port Washington

Sham Quom Chin Gee – New Hyde Park

Rita Hall – Great Neck

Julie Harnick – Port Washington

Ester Hakimian – Great Neck

Elizabeth Krukowski – Roslyn

Kathy Levinson – Port Washington

Leila Mattson – Great Neck

Nina McCann – Williston Park

Rose Repke – East Williston

Gloria Rosenau – Westbury

Mindy Rosenfeld – Great Neck

Taylor Sinett – Sands Point

Madeline Yousefzadeh – Roslyn Harbor

Lent rolls around every year at this time and forces those who practice to take a hard look at themselves and the various crutches they use to get through the rest of the year. While smoking, social media and alcohol are popular vices to pause, almost everyone uses Lent to take a break from some of their favorite foods.

Having so much food at our disposal that some items can be considered expendable and we can actively abstain from eating it is a luxury that we seldom recognize. We self-righteously deny ourselves of our precious chocolate, while some people are digging in the dumpster for a peach pit or hoping beyond hope that their children’s school doesn’t eliminate its free lunch program.

There is nothing brave about giving up cookies for little more than a month. There is nothing magnanimous about making it through another day without gorging on Buffalo wings. Real courage is against all odds finding a way to feed your children or recognizing that you need help in doing so.

Instead of giving up pizza, perhaps our efforts would be better served in donating time, money or food to one of Long Island’s numerous care-giving groups, many of which feature food pantries. There’s Long Island Cares, Inc., the Interfaith Nutritional Network, Island Harvest and many others that need help throughout the year, not just during the holidays when everyone is in a giving mood.

Lent ends on Thursday, April 13, and while we return to our beloved junk food, others will remain hungry. Following a religion isn’t merely about self-punishment or abstinence; instead the faith-filled should reach out and do what they can to keep those pantries well-stocked for those who do not live in a world where giving up food of any kind is a realistic option.

Some rules are meant to be broken and chief among those is the oft-ignored advisement to not eat raw cookie dough. And while people have been defying that warning for years, it’s hard to swallow all your fears about raw ingredients to make the deliciously indulgent pleasure a completely guilt-free one.

But all that’s changed thanks to DŌ, a New York City shop that sells raw, edible cookie dough.

Read all about DŌ at Long Island Weekly: Much Ado About DŌ

The Manhasset Board of Education has announced they have selected Dr. Vincent Butera to be the next Superintendent of the Manhasset School District.
Butera is currently the Superintendent of the Bayport Blue Point School District on Long Island, a position he has held since 2013. Prior to that was the Assistant Superintendent of School for the Long Beach School district. During his time in Long Beach, Butera was widely credited for the district’s notable growth in student achievement. Among the factors contributing to Long Beach’s success were the implementation of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.
Butera has also worked as a principal, assistant principal and social studies teacher. Furthermore, for two years he served as an assistant professor at Dowling College.
Butera graduated from Queens College with honors with Bachelor of Arts in history and a Master of Science with honors in special education. He holds a certificate of advanced study in educational administration from Hofstra University. He earned a doctoral degree in educational administration, leadership and technology from Dowling College.
The Board expects to approve Dr. Butera’s appointment tomorrow morning, Saturday, March 11, at its Board Meeting. Join them at 9AM in the Middle School Library to welcome Dr. Butera. The board will then continue with the Budget Workshop and review the Superintendent’s Preliminary 2017-2018 Budget.

At 10 a.m., on Saturday, April 29, in Veatch House at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation campus, 48 Shelter Rock Road, Manhasset, Reach Out America will hold a full day forum about women. With a stellar list of speakers and a far-reaching agenda, the event hopes to entertain a wide range of views and attract a large and diverse audience.

WE PERSIST: REACH OUT AMERICA’S CONFERENCE ON WOMEN

10:00 Registration. Coffee.

10:30 Opening Remarks.

11:00 Women and politics. Women took part in and even led political movements since the birth of our republic but proportional representation eludes us. How can we get ourselves elected? Liz Abzug, activist/producer/politician, Marie Wilson, feminist/author/advocate. Moderator: Patty Katz

12:00 Women and health. From choice to research to coverage, healthcare is a flashpoint of contentious debate. How can we control the policies that determine our collective well-being? Roni Rabin, New York Times columnist, Dr. Margaret Flowers, single payer activist. Moderator: Sandie Salat

1:00 Lunch. With music by the Long Island Pride Chorus.

2:00 Women and peace. Can we wage peace and protect vulnerable women and girls in an era of uncertainty and unrest? Cora Weiss, venerable activist, writer, policy maker, Nobel Prize nominee. Moderator: Shirley Romaine

3:00 Women and religion. Where do we stand and where should we be headed in a culturally complex world? Shaireen Rasheed, LIU Professor of Philosophical Foundations and Multiculturalism, Natalie Fenimore, UU Minister. Moderator: Sybil Bank

4:00 Closing Remarks. Conference ends.

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth will be reaching out to each and every household with a winter advisory phone call to all residents this afternoon, informing them about how the Town of North Hempstead is currently preparing for the blizzard.

“The town is prepared for what we hope is our last waltz with winter,” Supervisor Bosworth said.

The town is under a winter blizzard warning, with snow predicted to begin tomorrow morning around 4 a.m. and ending about 2 p.m. Predictions call for accumulations of 10 to 15 inches of snow for North Hempstead. Right now, Highway Crews are working hard to prepare the Town’s 600+ lane miles of highways from tomorrow’s storm. All the equipment is gassed up and ready to go. The roads were salted this morning.

Highway crews will be asked to come into work early Tuesday morning around 4 a.m. before the predicted start of the storm. At this time they will sand and salt the roads in preparation for plowing. Plowing will begin after an accumulation of three inches of snow. The Town is prepared with approximately 2,500 tons of salt and 90 pieces of equipment including snow plows, sanders, pay loaders and trucks which will be deployed throughout the day tomorrow to keep the roads cleaned.

The Town Board meeting schedule for Tuesday, March 14 has been postponed to Tuesday, March 24. North Hempstead “Yes We Can” Community Center, Clark Botanic Garden and Michael J. Tully Park will be closed tomorrow.  All Project Independence transportation has been canceled for tomorrow. This includes food, social programs and medical appointment transportation. All Project Independence exercise programs for Tuesday have been canceled. All town offices, including Town Hall and the Town Clerk’s office will be open tomorrow, March 14.

“We ask that residents please keep their cars in the driveway, so that our highway crews can clear the roads efficiently,” Supervisor Bosworth said. “We are encouraging people to stay home tomorrow if possible and keep their cars off the roads. This will help prevent cars from getting stuck and impeding the ability of our highway crews to properly clear the roads. We also ask that when you are shoveling out, please do not throw your snow back into the street, but on to your property and make sure fire hydrants are clear. Residents are encouraged to check on elderly neighbors to see if they need any help.

To report roads that have not been plowed, call 311 Call Center. For storm related updates and cancellations please call 311 or visit  northhempsteadny.gov.

With the National Weather Service forecasting a winter storm, heavy snow and blizzard-like conditions for tomorrow, the Nassau County Parks Department will close the following facilities on Tuesday, March 14^th:

• Outdoor Ice Skating at Christopher Morley Park and Grant Park
• The Nassau County Aquatic Center
• The Nassau County Rifle Range
• Old Bethpage Village Restoration
• Tackapausha Museum
• Garvies Point Museum

Please call the facility on Wednesday for opening times

The Manhasset community is warmly welcome to attend an exciting evening as the Manhasset High School Theatre Group presents Tamin’ of the Shrew on stage at the Manhasset High School auditorium. Join the cast and crew as they perform this timeworthy play on Saturday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 19 at 2 p.m. [the Friday, March 17 has been cancelled due to the inclement weather and replaced by the matinee].

Click this link to see a preview of the play

.
Come and enjoy a story of two sisters, a scholar, an identity swap, and a battle of the sexes that will transform Shakespeare’s popular classic with a modern twist. The Manhasset Theatre Department has been working hard to bring an evening theatregoers will ponder long after the last curtain call.
General admission is $12, and tickets can be purchased online at www.manhassetschools.org.

Group warns against toxins in drinking water

A report by the Farmingdale-based Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) reveals elevated levels of a possible carcinogen in water districts throughout Long Island.

Found in various personal-care products, the cancer-causing chemical, 1,4-dioxane, is listed as “likely to be carcinogenic to humans” by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And according to CCE, Long Islander water supplies have the highest levels of 1,4-dioxane in the nation.

In response to the findings, the group has devised an interactive map at www.citizenscampaign.org/campaigns.dioxane.asp so that residents can investigate contamination levels in their local groundwater.

According to the map, 1,4-dioxane was detected in levels above the EPA’s cancer risk guideline in the Manhasset-Lakeville Water District (MLWD), which has 14 wells serving a population of about 43,000 in Manhasset, Plandome Heights, Munsey Park, University Gardens, Lake Success, half of Great Neck Plaza, North Hills, Plandome Manor, part of Flower Hill, Manhasset Hills and North New Hyde Park.

Superintendent Paul Schraeder of MLWD stated “The Manhasset-Lakeville Water District’s 2015 Annual Water Quality Report included results for 1,4-Dioxane under detected contaminants for the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR). The current NYSDOH guideline for dioxane in drinking water permits up to 50 parts per billion (ppb) (unspecified organic contaminant). The World Health Organization guideline for dioxane is also 50 ppb.”

“The Manhasset-Lakeville Water District’s detection levels for dioxane were non-detect to 1.4 ppb, with an average of 0.33 ppb. Our Lloyd wells are all non-detect, all other wells are less than 1 ppb with the exception of one (1.4ppb), which the district has re-sampled, even though the result was far below the NYSDOH and WHO guidelines; we await the results. Based on the NYSDOH and WHO guidelines, we believe our supply is safe for human health.”
“One thing that every Long Islander can do is avoid products containing dioxane,” CCE said in a statement. “While dioxane itself is not listed on the label, it occurs as a byproduct of processing certain ingredients, and those ingredients are often listed.”

Two of the most common at-risk ingredients are “sodium laureth sulfate” and “potassium laureth phosphate.” Other commonly used ingredients associated with 1,4-dioxane contamination include PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, myreth, oleth, laureth and ceteareth. Other than these, look for any ingredients with “-eth” or “-oxynol” in their names.

“The Dioxane in our supply is a degradation by product of Tetrachloroethene and/or Trichloroethene, which are both regulated Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) removed with conventional treatment techniques,” said Schraeder. “Dioxane was used as a stabilizer for these and other VOC’s.”

Dioxane gets into the water through products that contain it, including laundry detergent, soap, shampoo and body wash, according to CCE’s report. That report reveals that up to 46 percent of personal-care products contain the chemical, which is not added to consumer goods but rather is an unwanted byproduct of ethoxylation—a process used to reduce skin irritation caused by petroleum-based ingredients. Once in the groundwater and soil, the report stated, it is hard to remove and known as a “legacy” pollution—pollution left behind from past industrial activities—and is also a source of dioxane contamination.

“Human exposure to dioxane is not limited to water. Personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and food supplies may contain dioxane, and may do so at much higher levels than in our water supply. Inhalation is another exposure route, so showering with products that contain dioxane is also a concern,” said Schraeder. “The federal EPA’s UCMR program for emerging contaminants is the first step for the EPA in the regulating process. To date neither the EPA nor NYSDOH have issued a specific drinking water standard for Dioxane”.

“Presently, conventional treatment methods for VOC’s are ineffective for the removal of Dioxane,” added Schraeder. “There are several pilot programs underway, including one being conducted by the Suffolk County Water Authority, that are using an advanced oxidation process (a chemical reaction) to remove dioxane. We anticipate that, if those programs are successful, the DOH will approve that treatment technology for public water suppliers.”

“While avoiding products in our personal lives is a good first step, we need New York state to act now to prevent further exposure to dioxane through our drinking water,” CCE said. “Right now, there is no federal health-based drinking water standard for dioxane, even though the EPA considers ingestion from drinking water to be the most dangerous route of exposure for dioxane.”

To that end, senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer recently announced legislation that would require the EPA to develop a maximum contaminate level for 1,4-dioxane and other hazardous chemicals in public water systems. As 1,4-dioxane is currently unregulated in the Safe Water Drinking Act, this legislation would require the EPA to create safety guidelines and determine legally enforceable standards that apply to water systems.

“We’ve seen very clearly how much damage can happen to our local drinking water supplies when toxic chemicals like PFOA, PFOS, 1,4-dioxane, and perchlorate aren’t monitored by the EPA,” said Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “New Yorkers should be able to drink water without having to worry about whether it’s safe. Anything less than that standard is unacceptable.”

In January, Schumer and Gillibrand called on the EPA to prioritize and accelerate the risk evaluation for 1,4-dioxane. Schumer also urged Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics to work proactively with federal and state environmental officials to define and clean up another contamination in Hoosick Falls, NY.

“With the recent incidents of contaminated drinking water in New York, it’s crystal clear that we need a maximum contaminant level set by the EPA for perfluorinated compounds like PFOA/PFOS, 1,4-dioxane and perchlorate,” said Schumer. “I will use every ounce of my clout to work with my colleagues in the Senate and make sure this common sense public health bill to ensure safe drinking water is passed.”

There is a link to additional information on 1,4 Dioxane on the M-LWD website at www.mlwd.net, which includes the WHO report.

—Elizabeth Johnson contributed to the story.