As a life long, Elmont resident, and an educator and community activist, serving as Secretary of the Locustwood / Gotham Civic (elmontcivic.com), I believe it is important for everyone to be knowledgable of what is going on in their community.
Saving Long Island's Gold Coast
I noticed that Nassau County, does have it on their park list: http://www.nassauc ountyny.gov/agenci es/Parks/WhereToGo /museums/north_sho re_museum/cedarmer e_mus.html There are charging for art classes at the location, so it is openly available to the public. I would contact NC Parks Department, and your County Legislator. If that hasn't/ doesn't work, move up to the state level. (May 4, 2008 | post #106)
Elmont food drive collects for hungry Haitians
The service the children of EMHS are doing is for a noble cause. Many question the politics around this. Most importantly, just sending food to a needy nation may or may not help them in the long term. Listening to the radio on this topic, you brought another point. Haiti, is perhaps (correct me if I'm wrong) one of the only countries in the western hemisphere to support vodun. many argue that vodun contradicts the preaching of christianity. In response to JesusisLord, I'll send you this verse: Matthew 6:31-33 - "So don't worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you." Perhaps the people from Haiti should reflect upon themselves, and with guidance from successful individuals here in this country to guide them for long term success. Sure, I dropped off a can or two. The cause is good, but one must question, what good will it do to the people if it doesn't solve the real problems there. Additional unrest occurs now, as many people are beginning to suffer due to the increase of food prices. Sadly, there are so many children hungry in this nation, andd little is being done about it, because politicial it looks better helping another country, then helping the indiviudals locally, because that would make people aware that there is a problem. (May 2, 2008 | post #34)
Elmont Schools Announced 0% Tax Increase at Meeting
Just want to point out, that the 4.4% figure is incorrect, as it is now recalculated at 2.8%. School Budget Vote Day, is on May 20th, that is for all school districts on Long island. In the Elmont community, you would be voting for the Elmont UFSD budget, Sewanhaka CHSD Budget and the Elmont Library budget, in addition to voting of board members. (May 2, 2008 | post #6)
Saving Long Island's Gold Coast
Any work done has to be approved by the local municipality, and/or the owner of the property. If you have the numbers and the funds, head to the next town or village meeting and insist on passing legislation to allow for the plans in that your group suggest. (Apr 29, 2008 | post #101)
Saving Long Island's Gold Coast
There are various State groups, in addition to numbers of individuals with monetary funds, to help push some of these plans. It usually gets blocked due to politicis. Aside from forming our own organziation; which some has been done, and tried and many start off srong, but dies off. What is needed is numbers, and monetary support (Apr 28, 2008 | post #99)
Elmont food drive collects for hungry Haitians
As much as helping economic depressed and hungry individuals in Haiti is a noble cause; but you got across what should be resonating in everyones head: what about us at home? The individuals on Long Island, working hard, but for whatever reason can't make ends meet, its not just in Bethpage, or Plainview, it is also in Elmont, and everyone on Long Island. Where was the caring, of the homeless man in W Hempstead, a veteran who defended this country, and who was left outside to die in the cold. Once again, we see where the priorities are from those who represent us in Albany. (Apr 27, 2008 | post #30)
Elmont Schools Announced 0% Tax Increase at Meeting
Funding is completly seperated of both districts. Each community in the Sewhanhaka District, has their own indepedent elementary school district as well. The cost per community is slightly different, as it has to do affordablity, house values, and other forms of calculations. For example, Elmont residents may have an increase closer to 2% for the Sewanhaka bill, and Floral Park or NHP, may feel an increase closer to 5%. And very good question, about the overlap. (Apr 27, 2008 | post #4)
Saving Long Island's Gold Coast
Speaking of preserving, same set backs are happening with Belmont Park, in Western Nassau. History, integrity, and open space is sadly lacking in Nassau County. If we let locations like these change, get destroyed or replaced, we lost our identity, and what being long islanders really mean. To Pandadoll, all hopes for helping preserve Nassau County, and contact me if I can be of assistance. (Apr 26, 2008 | post #96)
Elmont food drive collects for hungry Haitians
You can tell it's an election year, when your NY state representative is concern of world hunger, Haiti has been a mess for years. What is needed are for prominent Haitian Americans to go back to their country, and help to educate, reform and work for their homeland. Easier said than done I know, but stepping in, and giving temporary assistance is only a band-aid, and not a long term fix. What is sad is that, with rice being rationed here in the US; they want to donate to other countries. Maybe I'm biased because I'm an American, but wouldn't anyone with common sense worry first about their families and neighbors before reaching out and helping other countries? (Apr 26, 2008 | post #21)
Elmont Schools Announced 0% Tax Increase at Meeting
From what I've been told, it'd be 4.4% increase after the increase of state aid. (Apr 26, 2008 | post #2)
Please help to support this cause, be signing the online petition. United we can help prevent the destructive nature of VLTs from entering Long Island and help restory Belmont Park. http://www.petitio nonline.com/novlts /petition.html (Apr 25, 2008 | post #4)
With more security, shorter hours, Belmont Fair goes on
Fortunately the issue on hand, is just a fair or carnival. Just imagine if they put a casino there! Please help to restore Belmont Park,and prevent the expansion of VLTs by signing the petition: http://www.petitio nonline.com/novlts /petition.html (Apr 25, 2008 | post #15)
Spitzer backs video lottery terminals at Belmont
The official name is Belmont Park. There is a large and ever growing movement in preventing VLTs from getting in to Belmont, and ultimately to Long Island. I encourage everyone to please sign the petition requesting this issue to stop! http://www.petitio nonline.com/novlts /petition.html (Apr 25, 2008 | post #15)
Community opposition closes Belmont Park fair -- New York, Town...
I must agree, NYRA hasn't been the best operator, and their track history (no pun intended) had been at times scandalous and its budgetary operations a disgrace. So how did NYRA get a new contract? The same way it got a renovated contract couple years back, when they bailed them out the first time; and going all the way back since its creation. They always get picked, regardless of who was in power. Ultimately what many individuals forget is; who actually owns the land. NYRA has lay their claim to owning the land, which for the most part I believe they have a solid legal footing in that regard. The legal implications if another group got selected to control the tracks, would have been costly to the State. It may have resulted in the cancelation of racing during the legal process, lost of jobs, and probably the political career of a particular senate majority leader. Throughout all these years, NYRA was oversighted by NY State government. However, for whatever reason, some politicians cared more, (or in my opinion were aware of) the contributions the track gives to the surrounding communities. All you hear politicians say is, Belmont been a bad neighbor. In a defense of NYRA, at times they did respond, to cleaning / replacing fencing, trying to make the intersection of Planfield and Elmont Rd safer by closing access to vehicles at that entrance. But these instances have been rare, and very far between. Nothing to really go and say, wow they actually cared. Gone were the days, in that residents can freely go into the park, and enjoy a nice spring day, or for children to go and use the fields that once were, and now are just plain parking spots. The question that I have asked, and continue to ask is, what have our state represenative done for the last 20 years to help this? Additional food for thought; the parking lot at Gate 3, where the fair is located; isn't fully the jurisdiction of the NCPD. Its western half is actually across the border into Queens. Thus why, a lot who do attend the fair are from Queens, because the targeted advertisement audience are across the city lines, and not vice versa. The safest year in recent memory, was when the fair was sponsored by the NYPD. For some strange reason, it wasn't as profitable. I let you all to ponder why. (Apr 24, 2008 | post #141)
Unlike the other tracks in NY State, such as in Monticello, Yonkers, Vernon Downs, Tioga, Saratoga Springs, and in the future, Aqueduct, what they have in common are that they are Harness Tracks. Revenue expectations are below stated, and they're getting more money from the state, taken away from Lottery Education money, to help promote them. Those wonderful ads on television, and radio fro Empire City, are funded from education money. The most prominent thoroughbred tracks in the country actually do not have VLTs in them. This includes Churchhill downs, despite having the slots in almost all their franchise tracks. New Jersey voted no, in expanding VLTs to their tracks as well, in addition to expansion in Califronia, and Maryland is voting this november. As of now, 11 states voted NO to expansion. VLTs are nothing more than a progressive tax that targets the poor and minority, as a study by then president clinton found out, and strongly advised states to not expand gambling to tracks. However, politicians are being blinded by the powerful gambling industy, to realize the moral and true economic devastation that VLTs actually give. The tracks condition is every bit the fault of the politicians from Albany, who sucked it up dry, without any interest to the surrounding communities best interest. With so many opposed the VLTs, it still surprises me that they're trying to push something that people simply do not want. but yet again, these same politicians sought support for it, by visiting an elementary school, and polling elementary school children. (Apr 19, 2008 | post #7)
