Durso: Redistricting Process Should Be Fair

A letter to the editor from the President of the Long Island Federation of Labor.

The following is from John R. Durso, President of the Long Island Federation of Labor: It is the bedrock of American democracy that every citizen's vote carries equal importance. Whether or not one's vote truly finds expression in the final count is largely impacted by redistricting, a process we go through every 10 years. While the subject typically fails to garner much public attention, insiders know there's a lot at stake. The way that voters are segregated into districts has an enormous influence on who our representatives are, and can ultimately shape public policies for the next decade. Historically, the task of redrawing district lines has been left to the hands of the very politicians whose political futures will be impacted. Too …

•  15 Comments
• Photos (1)

On Plainview

Holocaust Photos Still Weigh Heavy for New Yorker

A Holocaust survivor remembers his "Alexandra" a resistance fighter you'll never forget.

When Bernard Gotfryd and others like him are gone, who will tell the stories? He still has the photos -- all but one: He pulled them out at the Plainview Jewish Center Wednesday, 70 years after they were taken: Grisly proof the Holocaust was real. When he was just a teen in 1940 German-occupied Poland, these pictures were more than mere history. They represented proof of Nazi genocide. Gotfryd had to tell the world. He found a way. Her name was Alexandra, and theirs is a love story for the ages. It is a fitting tale for Yom HaShoah, the Jewish Day of Remembrance Thursday set aside to recall 6 million souls who perished in the Holocaust. Survivors like Gotfryd are speaking everywhere this week to bear witness to Nazi atrocities. The temple'…

•  5 Comments
• Photos (5)

Joe Dowd

1:58 am on Sunday, April 22, 2012

Agreed, Scott: Everyone must know these stories.   more ›

Poll: What Constitutes a Passing Grade?

Holy Trinity has decided to make it "70." What do you think?

Holy Trinity Diocesan High School in Hicksville just announced that a passing grade for their students in all courses will be 70, effective in the next school year. The decision, Trinity officials said, comes after careful consideration and discussions involving the faculty and administration.  What if 65 didn't cut it anymore in public schools? Is it time to increase the standards that constitute a passing grade? What do you consider a passing grade at home or work? Is it 80. Or 95? Take our poll and weigh in with your comments.

•  21 Comments
• Photos (1)

POLL: What To Do With Allen Park?

The Town is acquiring land to expand the Farmingdale park built next to a Superfund site. What should be built there?

The Town of Oyster Bay wants to buy two Heisser Lane properties for the proposed expansion of Allen Park, the controversial Farmingdale recreation area that is partially located on a Superfund site. All sorts of ideas have been floated for the expansion after decades of environmental cleanup, first by the EPA then by the Town. Town officials claim the Farmingdale area of Oyster Bay is underserved by recreational centers. Take our poll: What would you like to see put there? Are you willing to pay for it?

•  15 Comments
• Photos (5)

Why You're the World's Biggest Giants Fan

Did you name your son Eli, get a helmet tattoo on your neck or paint your RV Big Blue? Tell us your stories of ultimate New York Giants fandom.

Sports is about much more than games. It’s about how we celebrate our teams, obsess over athletes, recite statistics and even party. It can dictate what we wear, where we vacation and even who we marry.  The New York Giants face the San Francisco 49ers Sunday at 6:30 p.m. EST (Fox-TV) for the right to play in the Super Bowl. So as we count the days to the NFC Championship Game and recount the improbable, plucky run by the Giants, it’s also time to celebrate our fandom. Everyone has that fan-tastic story: Did you name your son Eli (or Tiki), get a helmet tattoo on your neck or paint your RV Big Blue? Maybe you’re a fourth-generation season ticket holder or proposed to your girlfriend at halftime.  Tell us your stories of ultimate New York …

•  23 Comments
• Photos (3)

On Plainview

COLUMN: Broadway Joe Blowing Smoke

The LIRR has banned smoking on its open-air platforms. No open-containers tonight, either. Are party hats OK?

If you're among the brave souls headed tonight for that rollicking alcohol-free, boxed-in and patted-down police state that was once home to a real New Year's Eve party, be advised: The Long Island Rail Road is watching out for your best interests. That should really give you pause. The latest MTA edict is that all open containers will be banned in their stations and platforms from noon on Saturday through sometime New Year's Day, presumably when the hangovers are in full swing. This unenforceable measure of homeland insecurity comes on the heels of the MTA's Nov. 13 declaration when, without offering a reason, the LIRR banned smoking on its open-air platforms. The LIRR never needs a reason, does it? _Only excuses_. They even enlisted …

•  33 Comments
• Photos (3)

Poll: Ban All Cellphone Use by Drivers?

The NTSB is calling for new state laws to outlaw all cellphone use. What do you think?

What if the government ordered a complete ban on cellphone use by drivers? Hands-free; built-in-to-the-car; head sets: No matter. That's exactly what a federal agency recommended this week, saying that distracted driving is causing accidents and killing people. The National Transportation Safety Board has called on the states to ban drivers from using hands-free devices, even wireless headsets. Neither New York nor any other state goes that far. In its story this week, the New York Times quoted Deborah Hersman, the chairwoman of the NTSB, as comparing cell phone use during driving to drunken driving and even smoking, which, the Times said "required wholesale cultural shifts to change behavior." “It’s going to be very unpopular with some …

• Photos (2)

Venditto: 'Remember and Salute Service' this Veterans Day

The TOBAY Supervisor on the history and significance of the day.

With each death of a veteran, one more memory of the war during which they served dies with them. More important, we all lose one more chance to honor that veteran for his or her service, which is why it is so important that we take time out of our busy lives to honor our veterans on Nov. 11. Veterans Day evolved in the years following World War I, or ‘The Great War,’ as it was known at the time. That conflict officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. Fighting, however, had ceased seven months earlier when an armistice between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, Nov. 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of ‘…

• Photos (1)

Bully! TR Born 153 Years Ago

President and iconic Long Islander Theodore Roosevelt born Thursday – 153 years ago – helped shape the American Century.

Whether you believe in the righteousness of American might, are a tree-hugging conservationist or wear feminism like a pair of jeans, you owe Theodore Roosevelt a debt. The 26th President of the United States played a key role in shaping the American Century and in carving out a place for everyone at the table. So celebrate the man and the myth Thursday. The iconic Long Islander was born on this date 153 years ago. Raised in Manhattan and schooled at Harvard, Roosevelt fondly remembered youthful trips to Long Island when he eventually bought a tract of land in Cove Neck. Roosevelt built Sagamore Hill in 1887, a place cemented into history as the Summer White House from 1902-08. He and second wife, Edith, raised six children in the home. …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (3)

Happy Hour Specials: Asian Bistro Next Door

Unique cocktails compliment Asian Fusion cuisine.

Asian Fusion is a hot dining trend, and the Syosset area has it covered. Asian Bistro Next Door, located next to Grafitti in Woodbury Common shopping center, is the perfect spot for trendy Asian fare and a happy hour filled with unique beverages. Asian Bistro Next Door hosts happy hour from 5:00pm until 7:00pm, Tuesday through Thursday. Specials include $7 glasses of wine, $5 import beers and $3 domestic beers. Imported beer selections include Japan-based Sapporo and Kirin (light varieties of the beers are also available) and the Chinese brand Tsingtao, a rare find. Specialty cocktails are half price during Asian Bistro Next Door’s happy hour. The restaurant offers quite a selection of original drinks. Try a Mr. Miyagi made with Patron …

• Photos (2)