Observer_1984-06-06; East Rockaway/Lynbrook Observer

              Official
Newspaper
INCORPORATED VILUGE
East Rockaway
SCHOOL DISTRICT
INCORPORATED VILUGE
Lynbrook
SCHOOt DISTRICT
THE GOOD NEIGHBOR NE\
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Since 1967 by Mailed Subscription
Executive Offices: Seiffeit Building, 2787 Long Beach Road, Oceanside, NY 11572
Post Office Box A, East Rockaway, NY 11518 (516) 764-2500
E . K. p u b l i c L i b r a ry
% A t l a n t j ^ c ^ v e . ^ ^ ^ ^^
East R o c k a w a y,
"YOUR VOICE IN THE
COMMUNITY" USPS 165080
VOL. 32 NO. 29 Wednesday, June 6,1984 25c PER COPY
Greis Park Renovations Adopted
The Lynbrook Village
Board has unanimously
approved a citizen's com-mittee
proposal to renovate
Greis Park at a cost of
$600,000.
The proposal, introduced
by Trustee Eugene Scarpato
at the June 4 meeting of the
Lynbrook Village Board,
represents months of hard
work by the Board and con-cerned
area residents who
sought the best facilities at
the lowest possible cost to
the taxpayer.
The cost of $600,000 will
not be totally passed to the
residents of Lynbrook. A
total of $300,000 will be
expended from an existing
capital improvement fund.
and only $300,000 will be
raised through the issuance
of municipal bonds. The tax
increase will amount to
only $.02 per hundred of
assessed valuation.
The resolution was passed
subject to a permissive refer-enda;
this is, if people oppos-ing
the plan submit a peti-t
i o n c o n t a i n i n g the
Racanelli Outlines Major Issues
LYNBROOK S HEROES. On Easter Sunday morning,
Stephanie Stone, 15, and Robert (Bobby) Gordon, 18, were
returning from sunrise mass when they spotted a house fire
on Denton Ave in East Rockaway. With total disregard for
their own safety the two entered the burning house and
rescued two elderly women, one of whom was confined to
her bed. After removing the women they re-entered the
house and attempted to search the second floor for other
occupants before finally being forced to retreat due to the
heavy smoke and flames. At the May 21st Lynbrook Village
Board Meeting, Mayor William P. Geier presented Cit-ations
to them honoring their acts of courage and bravery.
Bobby is a student at SUNV Albany, while Stephanie
attends Lynbrook High School. (Photo by John Cribbin).
South Holds First
Michael Racanelli, a can-didate
for the East Rocka-way
School Board met with
many community members
to discuss several major
issues which he intends to
address as a member of the
school board.
He cited the following:
• Charge the superintend-ent
in developing a five year
plan which will set forth the
priorities of the district. This
will enable residents, staff
and children to understand
and know the direction our
schools are taking. Furth-ermore,
it enables the tax-payer
to understand better
how their money is being
spent.
• Our school district must
not tolerate the present fail-ure
rate at the high school.
This will require a concerted
eflbrt on the part of admin-istrators,
teachers, parents
and students.
Implement a compre-hensive
writing curriculum
for grades K-12.
• Set priorities on spend-ing
that will not burden the
(Continued on Page 12)
Honor Society Induction Bill Verwys Seeks Election
by Hank Bialick
Lynbrook South Middle
School was the scene of the
first 8th Grade Honor
Society Induction Cerem-ony
on Wednesday with a
message of welcome and
purpose.
Mrs. Wendy Joseph,
Library/ Media Specialist
and Faculty Advisor to the
Honor Society made the
necessary introductions.
Called to speak upon com-munity
service, Lynbrook
Mayor William Geier spoke
of the public service advan-tage
for the students and his
own commitment to the res-idents
of Lynbrook as their
Mayor. State Senator Carol
Berman reviewed some of
the New York State pro-grams
that provide funds for
the district and especially
those concerning aduU edu-cation
and education for the
handicapped. The publisher
of the East Rockaway/Lyn-brook
Observer, Hank Bial-ick,
gave a brief talk outlin-ing
the need for character in
light of recent outrageous
events that need addressing.
Awarding of certificates
was made by Bern Seider-man.
Dr. Betty Steffy,
Assistant Superintendent of
School, and Mr. John Bran-ciforte.
Assistant Superin-tendent
of Schools. The fol-lowing
received certificates:
Michael Tauckus, Adam
Ruchman, John Killelea,
Eric Weintraub, Michael
Knobloch, Marian Sanito,
^tacey Weiss, Barbara
Solimeno, Mary Bozzone,
Colleen Folliard, Jamie
Vesnowitz, Cori Burros,
Denise Levy, Laurie Mayer,
Brett Beldner, Carolyn Sup,
Lori Robinson, Alanna
Turk, and Alyssa Turk.
The English Project was
outlined by Alanna Turk,
Alyssa Turk, Michael
T a u c k u s and Michael
Knobloch.
C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s were
offered by PTA Past Presi-dent
Mrs. Bailenson, Presi-dent
Mrs. Regan, and Board
member Mrs. Joan Hines.
Closing remarks were made
by Mrs. Wendy Joseph, who
also received a gift of flowers
from the members of the
honor society. Refresh-ments
were served with a
display of individual English
projects.
Bill Verwys, of Rhame
Avenue, East Rockaway
seeks election for the Board
of Education on Tuesday,
June 12. Bill is a graduate of
Centre Avenue and the East
Rockaway High School
class of 1963, and a Viet-
Nam veteran. He has owned
his own home in East Rock-away
for the past 14 years
and has four children: Peter,
6 mos., Patrick 4 yrs., Billy,
lOyrs. and Mary, 11 yrs. Bill
served as Co-Chairman of
the Electrical Committee for
the Citizens Committee for
repair and renovation on the
Bond Issue.
After the defeat of the
unpopular $10.4 million
bond issue, he started work-ing
hard to come up with a
package that would address
the real problems and pass
the voters all at the same
time. "1 just couldn't sit by
and let the whole system fall
apart and the buildings fall
down. 1 went to school here
and my children go here
now." Although mainly
interested in the electrical
work, he also fought hard
for Handicapped accessibil-ity,
new science labs, to
bring our education up to
date, and up-dating the heat-ing
systems. He is a firm
believer in doing the job
right, not cutting corners.
'We won't have another
bond issue for many, many
years so we have to make the
work last." He believes in an
(Continued on Page 12)
A Hoe-Down
Is Coming
Mark your calendar for
Saturday, June 23, when the
East Rockaway Kiwanis
Club will be holding a Coun-try
Hoe-Down at the Colon-ial
Room on Main Street,
East Rockaway from 8 pm
to I am.
There will be plenty of
food, refreshments and a
cash bar, and live music will
be supplied by the "Country
Jam."
The cost is only $12.50,
and proceeds will go to the
benefit of the East Rock-away
Fire Department,
which will use the funds to
complete their Hurst unit.
Prizes donated by Finesse
Travel Travel Agency of
East Rockaway will go to
some lucky winners.
Tickets may be purchased
at the door or in advance by
calling Mike Pizzino at 599-
7025, Robert Keon at 887-
2614, Guy Donza at 593-
2521, or Dan Ganley at
593-9079
The entertainment list for
the day includes some old,
familiar names: Eleanore
Sussman and her Centre
Avenue School chorus will
participate again and have
been with the Frolic since its
beginning, fourteen years
ago. This year we are proud
signatures of 20% of all reg-istered
voters in Lynbrook
(about 2,000) by Tuesday,
July 3, the issue would go
before the voters for final
approval. If no petition is
not submitted, the plan will
go into effect on July 3.
The proposal as approved
would expand the existing
main building by almost
double, provide a slant
rather than flat roof, make
bathroom facilities accessi-ble
to the handicapped and
provide a patio in the front
of the building. There would
also be a major site
improvement plan, which
would consist of a total
revamping of the picnic
area, renovation of the
children's and infant's play
areas, expand parking facili-ties,
properly level Diamond
(Continued on Page 12)
Countdown!
by Mildred Roemer
to welcome High School
students, who will perform
in Mr. Minoli's Jazz Band.
The East Rockaway High
School Student Council will
conduct the races and other
sports. Those who will be
there to start the partici-pants
off will include
Anthony Bell, Eileen Verity,
Cindy Walukewicz, Richard
Meagher, John Meagher,
Roly Boyon, Tomny RaSner,
Arthur Prusan, and Becky
Brezenoff. Huckleberry but-tons
with ribbons will be
(Continued on Page 12)
COUNTDOWN. Program being readied for the printer by
Jim Groark, Frolic chairman and several members of the
Grist Mill Committee. Standing, left to right: Mary Agruso
and Gloria Christiano; seated: Paula Yasenchak, Mildred
Roemer (Museum chairman), Jim Groark, and Mary
Gipson.