RSS 2.0 FeedDecember 30, 2010, Merrick Life
Merrick Life looks back at 2010
A wrap-up of the year that was.
Before the midnight bell sounds to close out 2010 forever, let’s pause to take one last look at some of the people, places and events that took place in the Merricks during the year.
The year opened and closed with news about Aqua Water, the private water company that services residents of the Merricks. In January, the Town of Hempstead and the Town of Oyster Bay announced a plan to re-activate the Southeastern Nassau Water Authority to study a public takeover of Aqua Water. Later that month, residents learned that the New York State Public Service Commission granted Aqua a 12% increase to rates that made residents more determined to pursue the idea of a public water authority.
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer called the increase “egregious,” and asked the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of the U.S. Congress, to look into Aqua America’s businesses practices.
In September the towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay appointed five residents to serve on the board of the Southeastern Nassau Water Authority, including Richard Ronan of North Merrick and John Reinhardt of Merrick. They held their first public meeting in early December to outline plans and discuss residents’ concerns.
Economic woes for the MTA meant cuts to Long Island Bus routes, including the Merrick shuttle, which was shut down earlier this year.
The weather was big news this year. In February, a snowstorm dropped 18 inches of snow in the area and in March a fierce nor’easter with winds blowing up to 75 miles per hour toppled hundreds of trees and left 32,538 residents in our area without power. town Merrick Life’s own artist-photographer Pat McKay had a close brush with a falling tree as she recorded the damage.
In September the much anticipated Hurricane Earl, which followed the same path as the 100-year storm of 1939, turned out to be a dud, although it did flood Jones Beach.
Just this week the Blizzard of 2010 roared in on December 26 and dumped almost two feet of snow accompanied by high winds in our area, disrupting holiday plans.
But it was a long, hot summer with a record number of days over 90 degrees.
It was also the beginning of a long heated battle between residents and T-Mobile, the telecommunications giant over the proliferation of cellular equipment in Merrick, North Bellmore and Wantagh.
The MOMS of Merrick and Bellmore, along with the Hempstead Telecommunications Taskforce and Claudia Borecky, neighbors in North Bellmore and the Wantagh Homeowners Association, joined forces and stormed Town Hall to voice their concerns.
The town responded by passing a cell ordinance making it more difficult for wireless providers to place equipment near residences. The MOMS have also lobbied to keep wireless equipment away from schools.
Although the North Bellmore application was passed by the town zoning Board of Appeals, the Wantagh application was denied. Plans to place a cell tower inside the North Merrick library’s flagpole are on hold for the moment.
The Wellness Council held a seminar to report that girls are more prone to concussions than boys.
The police, concerned with an increase by teen heroin use, attended community meetings and provided residents with some basic information to help parents determine if their child was using illegal drugs. Nassau County also initiated a new three-step enforcement program called Operation HALT (Heroin Abuse Location and Targeting).
A series of purse-snatchings in Merrick and the surrounding communities was a cause for concern for residents. The two robbers are still at large.
Despite cutbacks to school aid, Merrick, North Merrick, North Bellmore and the Central High School District all passed their school budgets and continue to raise educational standards for students.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo visited North Merrick to announce his proposal to cap property taxes in New York. Later in the year, he was elected as governor of New York, using the brand-new voting machines. Merokian Helen Youtsinas was elected a District Court judge.
The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District’s Board of Education finally said no to installing synthetic fields due to financial constraints. The district instead restricted use of high school fields in order to give them rest and to help rebuild the grass.
Such actions put youth organizations on an offensive, requesting the district to consider the clubs’ roles in developing community sports leaders and give them more time on the restricted fields.
The school board acknowledged these organizations’ concerns, working out new schedules to play on existing fields.
The district is now covering over the vulnerable fields to trap moisture to help in deep-root growth.
Other news to be remembered includes the long-awaited plan to dredge Smith Pond and the demise of a plan by Mayor Andrew Hardwick of Freeport to build an incinerator on the waterfront, adjacent to Merrick.
The Merrick Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 75th anniversary.
The East Bay Suburban Temple merged with Temple Beth Am of Merrick; FEMA came under fire for raising flood insurance several hundred percent and the MaryBill diner was replaced by the Merrick Avenue Diner. Meanwhile, the North Merrick Library moves forward on its plans to renovate the library and the Merrick Library received a tobacco control award. A suitcase, thought to be filled with explosives in the Waldbaum’s Shopping Center on Merrick Road turned out to be a hoax.
Merrick remains a town full of talent. Jill Schlissel, who went to Calhoun High School, won first prize at the Bellmore Independent International Film Expo for her Best Short Student Film “Mildred Richards.”
Speaking of the movies, a remake of the well-known film “Mildred Pierce,” was shot here in Merrick this summer, starring Kate Winslet.
Congratulations also to Jen Colanita for her book “Reality Check,” and to Janice Levy for her book “Gonzalo Grabs the Good Life,” a finalist for the Children’s Choice Book Award and former Merokian Elissa Weissman, who wrote “Stands For Socks.”
The band Toxin (including four teens from Merrick) performed in Orlando, Florida, this year as well as opened for Bret Michaels at NYCB Theatre at Westbury and Mulcahy’s of Wantagh.
Merrick optometrist Dr, Richard Nauheim told Merrick Life readers about his moving experience and the much needed medical care he provided those in Haiti after the earthquake hit.
Congratulations to the many people who excelled in 2010.
Susan Cirigliano and husband Rob were instrumental in getting a state law passed banning drop-side cribs. The legislation was sponsored by State Senator Charles Fuschillo.
Kathyrn Rand, Danielle Gold, Jeffrey Anderson and Will Cohen were Kennedy PTA Reflections winners; Mepham students Giana D’Avanso, Allison Boyle and Kayla Walsh reached the L.I. Summit.
Calhoun social studies teacher Katie Caporusso earned Teacher of the Year distinction.
Daniel Borenstein, Barri Bruno and Stephanie Weiner were Kennedy Intel Semifinalists; Mepham student Austin Kowalsky and Calhoun student Gabbie Toback of the CHSD Sharks swim team competed in the Junior Nationals.
Way to Go! Calhoun Colts baseball team made it to the Nassau Class AA Finals.
First Lieutenant Cody Hardenburgh was recognized at Kennedy’s Homecoming game for his service to his county in fighting in Afghanistan; and The Bellmore-Merrick Chapter of Hadassah honored Laura Wolman for membership development.
Iraqi war veteran and North Merrick resident Alfred Garbarino was also recognized for his service and received a New York State Military Service Recognition Award hosted by state Assemblyman David McDonough.
Father Charles Mangano of Curé of Ars Roman Catholic Church and his sister Laurie spread the Gospel through song, first at the Jones Beach boardwalk bandshell this summer and then at Lincoln Center in December.
Congratulations to Merrick’s Madness Girl’s soccer who were New York State champs; Kennedy HIgh School launches a sports mentoring program for football and cheerleading; Mepham advanced to the football semifinals for the first time in five years.
Births, deaths and seasonal events marked the passing of the year in the Merricks. Our First Baby of the Year was Chloe Simone Dujardin; Lisa Elnick was Mother of the Year and Ron Gilbert was Father of the Year. Merrick’s Woman and Man of the Year were Filomena (Phyllis) Gutilla and Larry Garfinkel.
Merrick’s favorite Merchant of the Year was Doug Mills of Printing Emporium and the Professional of the Year was Dr. Gary Shore. Merrick’s Small Businessperson of the Year was Cathy O’Malley.
Other individuals of distinction who made the news this year were Tom Riordan, Past Commander of the Merrick American Legion Post 1282 , inducted into the state Senate’s Veterans Hall of Fame, Rabbi Jeremiah Wohlberg of Congregation Ohav Sholom was honored when he retired after 47 years of service to the community.
Congratulations to the following Women of Distinction, a state honor conferred by state Assemblymen Dave McDonough and Tom McKevitt that recognizes outstanding service and character. They are Lisa Schary, Tammy McLoughlin, Candice Appleton, Margaret Mueller, Martha Verdi, Marion Kraskow, Barbara Byrne and our publisher, Linda Toscano.
Joe Baker, president of the South Merrick Civic Association, was named the North Merrick Civic Association’s Man of the Year.
Congratulations also to Eileen Dever of Merrick awarded the Medal of Service by Bishop William Murphy.
Sadly, we lost many wonderful people this year, including Calhoun Hall of Famer “The Turk” Tim Davey; author Henry Davis; first responder Brian McCauley; Sue Zuckerman, a former principal at Temple Beth Am; Harriette Mortman, one of the country’s first female schools superintendents, and Kennedy teacher Rich Hamilton.
Merrick also lost Judge Richard Lawrence and longtime associate publisher of this paper, June Irvin, in the Spring as well as Lou Kruh, long-time school board member and local advocate.
Mary Cornils, longtime L&M employee, died, as did Merrick resident Frank Sansone and Merrick Library’s Florence Astarita.
Sadly, 18-year-old Tyler Seaman, a recent Calhoun graduate died after a four-year battle with clival chordoma, a rare form of bone cancer.
Lisa Muhs died after her battle against cancer, and a garden was dedicated to her at Camp Avenue School.
Traditions continued in Merrick. There is the Memorial Day Parade, Robbie’s Run and Alex’s Run for a Reason. There is the reading of the Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July, the KidsFest, the Merrick Street Fair and the annual Halloween Parade.
Santa comes to town each December to greet Merrick’s children at our gazebo, as well as a tree lighting and menorah lighting ceremony. There’s the Kiwanis Pancake breakfast and the Brotherhood Council Thanksgiving concert.
Now the good old year is with the past as Merokians turn their eyes to 2011. May the new year bring peace and hope to all in our little part of the world. Happy New Year, Merrick!
