L&M Publications
Merrick Life • Bellmore Life • Freeport-Baldwin Leader • Wantagh-Seaford Citizen

The cliche representation of the new year as a new baby is a good way to look at the future any day of the year. We are starting fresh, full of hope and optimism.
 
We are not jaded or tired and pessimistic. We are making resolutions to make a change for the better, in our habits and in our attitudes. Just that is a positive step.
 
Somehow, every once in a while (remember Y2K?) there are rumblings about this being the end. Now there are debates about the end of one cycle of the Mayan calendar and our Earth’s location in the middle of the Milky Way. Well, we will “keep on keeping on” until then and not use it as an excuse for despair or inaction!
  
This will be a big year for our country, with presidential election campaigns in full swing. And interest in that election should help get voters more interested in state and local elections as well.
     
Governor Andrew Cuomo has set his sights on school consolidations for this coming year. Any savings in adminstrative, clerical and physical plant costs would be welcome because our priority is investment in the teachers and learning materials. And teacher evaluation needs to take into account a myriad of factors besides student test scores. Let’s leave that to the professionals on the ground at each school. They best know the situation there.
     
Consolidations are also going on in the private schools. Again, statistics may not be the whole answer. But a growth in pre-school classes means hope for the future, like the mustard seed that can grow a tree, or a school and a church.
   
Private takeover of our sewage plants and public takeover of private water may be on the horizon. Both are services affecting the public health and safety, and require transparency and accountability.
   
Recently, we focused our special holiday issue on opportunities for giving back to the community and on local unsung heroes. We hope to feature more of them in the coming months because they really do make a difference, and we hope they can inspire others to do the same.
   
We also plan to continue to grow our online presence along with the print version of your community newspaper. Wantagh women read about zoning news on our website. Merrick moms plan playdates by e-mail. Bellmore boys find out about game schedule changes on Twitter. Freeport fathers brag about bases run on Facebook. So we want to be there too.
   
Did you know the entire version of your community newspaper is available online a few days after the print edition arrives in the mailbox? And any websites or e-mails mentioned in stories or ads can link right to those addresses!
  
So, see you around in the New Year, in person, in print and online. We want to help make your life better in 2012.

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www.merricklife.com
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www.freeportbaldwinleader.com

By Linda Toscano

Linda Toscano, publisher of L&M Publications, is also an award winning writer recognized on both the national and local levels.