Week in Review

This past week was another busy one for Garden City Patch. In case you missed anything, here's a run down of news that made headlines Monday, Feb. 1 through Saturday, Feb. 6.

On Monday, Feb. 1, we kicked off the day with a Nassau County Fencing Individual Championships recap, bringing you photos and video from the Mission Fencing Center in Rocky Point. Garden City senior Eric Philippou tied for third overall and teammates Zach Zeno and Anthony Isenberg went head-to-head. Coach Gregory Rupp said the tournament was a great way for his fencers to hone their skills. The undefeated Garden City High School women's fencing team continued its wizardry on an individual basis as four of the team's nine fencers entered in the tournament finished in the top six overall.

Also on Monday, we reported on Catholic Schools Week and what Saint Joe's and Saint Anne's had in store for the week-long celebration.

On Tuesday, Feb. 2, Garden City Patch followed up on a proposal to improve the village's Veterans Memorial on Seventh Street. Relatives of Garden City's war dead voiced their support of the project in letters to Mayor Robert Rothschild and the board of trustees.  All the families agree that a virtual wall should supplement the physical memorial.

Also on Tuesday, we brought you play-by-play action of the Trojans match up against Oyster Bay. Their rally fell short in league action despite a valiant effort. The Trojans lost 60-53.

On Wednesday, Feb.3 we introduced the Garden City Chamber of Commerce's 2010 Pineapple Ball honorees, Joanne K. Adams, Citizen of the Year; the Honorable Allen S. Mathers,  recipient of the Community Achievement Award; and Nasser Samman, Business Person of the Year. We also reported on neuroscientist Dr. Stephen Dewey's frank talk on the effects dope has on the brain. Dr. Dewey said what he's seen through research, most recently at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research at North Shore LIJ Hospital, is frightening and eye-opening for a parent.

Also on Wednesday, Garden City Patch announced that free H1N1 flu shots are coming to the village, thanks to Senator Kemp Hannon. The ranking member of the Senate Standing Committee on Health is partnering with the Nassau County Department of Health and Nassau University Medical Center to provide the vaccines at no cost to residents on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the Senior Recreation Center on Golf Club Lane between 6-10 p.m.

On Thursday, Feb. 4, Garden City police reported several more vehicle entries in mostly unlocked autos around the village. Police also reported a drug bust in Parking Field 9E, larcenies at both Sears and Lord & Taylor and an incident on Lindbergh Street in which the homeowner observed a male subject fleeing out the front door.

Also on Thursday, we reported on Senator Kemp Hannon's push for a major initiative that would help New York's struggling small businesses, rewarding them with a three-year tax credit of up to $5,000 for every new job created and placing a moratorium on new taxes, fees and regulations that the senator says is "killing private sector job-creation efforts." The plan also calls for the elimination of taxes for small businesses and manufacturers that pay New York's corporate franchise tax and a roll back of the income tax surcharge placed on these businesses last year.

Also on Thursday, we brought you news of a rally at Hempstead Town Hall. Roll Back The Raises (RBR) campaigners rallied against what they called "illegal pay raises" Supervisor Kate Murray and the town board gave themselves back in December.

On Friday, Feb. 5, Garden City Patch brought you coverage of the Mineola-Garden City Rotary Club's gala art auction to benefit RotaCare. From a pencil signed and authenticated Marc Chagall painting that sold for $2,175, to a lithograph from a relatively unknown artist that sold for a mere $8, there was art to accommodate all tastes and price points. RotaCare is a non-profit organization established by the local Rotary in 1992 to address the needs of the medically uninsured in Nassau County.

Also on Friday, we reported on a quality of life issue that brought angry Mineola residents to Garden City Village Hall. Residents of Mineola's 13th Avenue voiced their concerns about a construction project taking place just feet away from their backyards. The Verizon-owned building is actually located within the Village the Garden City. From Herricks Road you barely notice the unassuming brick structure but from the backyards of 13th Avenue residents, the extension is practically invading their backyards. Residents complained of noise emanating from the site during all hours of the night and were upset with village officials for not giving them notice of the expansion.

On Saturday, Feb. 6, we brought you news of four doctors from the Garden City-based Long Island Plastic Surgical Group who are heading to Haiti to help victims in critical condition, especially those at most risk of amputation because of untreated infections caused by the deadly 7.0 magnitude earthquake that ravaged the island nation Jan. 12. Drs. Kaveh Alizadeh, Thomas Davenport of Garden City, Rachel Ruotolo and Tommaso Addona, also of Garden City, are all experts in wound management. They will treat patients at El Buen Samaritano Hospital in Jimani, Dominican Republic, one of five cross border recovery centers and share their experiences through a blog readers can follow at plasticsurgeonshaitirelief.blogspot.org.

Also on Saturday, Garden City Patch debuted a new monthly column written by Garden City residents Beth Karcher and Rebecca Kammerer. Both moms themselves, Karcher and Kammerer are co-founders of Parent Sense Inc. The duo will answer residents' questions and offer advice on parenting issues based on their back-to-basics, functional approach.

Garden City Patch also brought you play-by-play action of the Trojans match up against Locust Valley. The varsity boys basketball squad played hard but it wasn't enough to come out on top in their final home game of the campaign. They lost 54-38.