This could be the last village fair. (Photos by Chris Boyle)

Nestled in a nook behind the historic Milleridge Inn is its fabled Milleridge Village, an eclectic collection of shops and craft vendors that features a charming vibe recalling a calm, quaint New England village—a refreshing respite from the hustle and bustle of North Broadway in Jericho.

And, unfortunately, after having existed since roughly the 1950s, it is running the risk of disappearing forever within the next few months.

The Milleridge Inn was sold to developer Kimco Realty this past May and the prevailing rumors circulating amongst locals point to the venue’s possible permanent closure when the Milleridge’s owners retire at the end of the year. Though recent comments from Kimco reveal that all hope is not lost for the Inn, the village’s fate is far more unknown and many locals worry that commercial interests will see it turned into an office building or retail store.

Daniel and Jennifer Avallone of Farmingdale, who run JGA Creations

The village’s brick walkways lead to a serene area lined by a community made up of shops, with construction recalling colonial-era America. Staffed by Milleridge Inn employees, they peddle anything from ice cream to Irish and Christmas gifts to toys and baked goods. The shops themselves are lined outside by tables set up by 10-20 vendors at any given time selling lovely handmade wares and live music often accompanies the festivities as well. Visitors truly feel as though they have stepped back into a distant, far simpler time when they enter Milleridge Village.

Jennifer Avallone of Farmingdale runs JGA Creations, a craft fair event production company. She began as a vendor at Milleridge Village, but soon was brought on to run the entire outdoor craft fair as of April 2013. The fair’s season, much like the village’s, runs from spring through fall and over the years the vendors and visitors of the village have formed a tight little community. Avallone said that she was genuinely upset by the idea that this might be their last time together.

“It’s a different event than anything else that you’d find on Long Island. We’ve all been together for a while now and we’re all really sad that it’s almost done. Some of the vendors were actually crying today,” she said. “As far as we know, it’s up to Kimco. At the moment, our last official date is Oct. 25 and as far as we know, that’s it for the craft fair and possibly Milleridge Village itself as well. We’re looking for an alternate location to hold our annual fairs, but no other location is like this.”

The village fair might soon need a new home.

Janet Rogers of Uniondale and Carol Wright of Freeport are sisters and school teachers who rarely get to see each other during the school year. What time they spend together is during the summer recess months while making autumn-themed crafts by hand to sell at the Milleridge Village.

“I was crying earlier today. It’s such a wonderful place and my sister and I have so many memories here,” Wright said. “When my granddaughter comes to visit, I would bring her here for ice cream and now it’s going to be gone and probably some office building that we don’t need is going to be here instead.”

East Meadow resident Lauren Skelly is a ceramic artist and a new addition to the craft fairs collection of vendors. She is also a long-time regular attendee of Milleridge Village and said that some of her happiest recollections are of enjoying peppermint ice cream while window shopping with her mother.

“This is a childhood memory for me and an important landmark for Long Island,” she said. “I’ve been coming here since my first day of kindergarten. It’s been a big family place for me and my cousins since I was little and I’m heartbroken that it may no longer exist in the coming months. It’s a great place to bring friends from out of town to show them that Long Island isn’t all strip malls, that we have beautiful landmarks like this as well.”

“We’ve celebrated so many things here; family parties, luncheons after family sadness and I even celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary here,” said Skelly’s mother, Evelyn. “We especially loved coming to buy all the lovely decorations that the Christmas store sells for our tree. It was always a treat to come and we’ve always been so happy that it was here. We’re so sad to think that it may not be around anymore. It’s a little gem.”

Tim Fisher of Bayville has performed at the village for a number of years.

Tim Fisher has been playing his guitar at the Milleridge Village almost every Sunday it has been open for the past three years. He has plans to move to Florida in the next few months and had noticeable tears welling in his eyes when talking about his time playing for the enjoyment of passersby, especially in light of the possibility that the village he has come to love so dearly may be no more.

“Kimco had a meeting at the Hicksville Knights of Columbus recently and they said that they’d like to continue to operate the restaurant, but they wouldn’t confirm or deny that they would keep the village open,” he said. “I’ve really felt like a part of a family here and it’s so upsetting to think that it may no longer be here. I have so many people coming back every week to listen to my music in such a wonderful setting. This is probably the best thing I’ve ever done and I’m going to miss it. In fact, if they’re open next year by some miracle, I will fly back from Florida to play here again.”

In the classic movie Back To The Future, Marty McFly traveled back in time to 1955 and then into the future to Oct. 21, 2015, where he had a preview of the future.

Beginning Monday, Oct. 19, and ending Sunday, Oct. 25, take a step into the future and help fill a children’s time capsule that will be opened in 30 years on Oct. 21, 2045.

On Oct. 20, join the Syosset library for a time travel book discussion on The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells by Andrew Sean Greer at 1:30 p.m. Books will be available at the circulation desk. Then, on Oct. 21, the Syosset library screens Back To The Future at 2 and 6 p.m. And after the local history program, Syosset in the 1950s on Oct. 22, come back to the library on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 1 p.m., for a program on the DeLorean. The classic car, which plays a central part in the Back to the Future films, will be on display in the front parking lot. Dr. Dave Delman, president of the Long Island-New York DeLorean Motor Club, will talk about the car, its maker and the iconic movie.

Also on Oct. 24, the Syosset library’s creation station will be open for attendees to come and see demonstrations of 3D printers and more, and take home a 3D printed Flux Capacitor, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Gregg Greenberg

Shakespeare and mobsters sound like an unlikely mix, but the two join forces in the upcoming movie Friends and Romans.

The movie’s original script was crafted by Jericho High School Class of 1988 alum Gregg Greenberg, who got the idea while he was casting parts for a production of his off off Broadway play, Clemenza and Tessio Are Dead, which was a re-working of The Godfather, in 2008. Throughout the audition process, he noticed there was a number of Italian-American actors who were typecast in movie roles, regularly playing mobsters and members of the mafia. That observation sparked an idea in Greenberg’s mind—what would happen to these actors at the end of The Sopranos, and as the era of the mob movie declined?

“I used that as the starting point of the film,” said Greenberg. “What happens to these wannabe wiseguys once this genre, like the Western, dies?”

The movie seeks to break through typical Italian-American stereotypes.

Greenberg finished the script for the film in 2008 and for the next four years, kept pushing to get it made. But as it turns out, getting a script into the hands of Hollywood producers wasn’t an easy task.

“It was very, very hard,” Greenberg said on the process. “Hollywood is a tough industry to crack. It takes a lot of perseverance, but I thought the script merited the effort.”

He submitted his script to producers, film festivals and screenplay competitions, doing whatever he could to get someone to notice him. In 2012, he finally got the script into the hands of producer Michael Mailer and that’s when things began to take off. The independent movie producer took on the project and suggested Christopher Kublan, a Jericho High School Class of 1987 alum, direct.

In addition to films, Kublan has produced and directed commercials for clients such as Revlon and American Express, and music videos for artists such as Beyonce, The Black Keys and Kanye West. He said when he was sent Greenberg’s script, he quickly saw its potential.

“Ten pages in, I saw how smart it was and how great the jokes were,” Kublan said. “As a writer I’m always interested in anything involving Shakespeare and the whole idea of the script was smart and compelling.”

Michael Rispoli, a veteran actor in film and television, including The Sopranos, and a second-generation Italian-American, was Greenberg and Kublan’s first choice when casting their lead character. Rispoli said he resonated with the character’s experience of being typecast and accepted the role, joining the creative team.

Once Rispoli got on board, the creative trio worked on fleshing out the script, adding characters and rewriting scenes to put together a screenplay. It was a collaborate process, said Greenberg, and the team came up with a smart, funny script that Kublan said turns typical Italian American stereotypes on its head.

The movie centers around Nick DeMaio (played by Rispoli), a frustrated Italian American actor who wants to rise above the typecasting that finds him and his thespian friends unendingly playing the role of a mobster. When he and his friends decide to stage a production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caeser, their late night coming and goings for rehearsals arouse the suspicions of federal agents, who mistake them for genuine mobsters using the play as a front for criminal activity.

Stars Paul Ben Victor and Michael Rispoli

And though it stars eight former Sopranos actors, Friends and Romans is far from a mob movie. It’s a comedy that seeks to show that people are always more than they appear. Through the writing and casting, it was important for Greenberg, Kublan and Rispoli to fight typical Italian stereotypes.

“In the casting, I consciously cast all the roles physically to type so that we see how different the characters are from their physical stereotype,” Kublan said. “It hits home that judging individuals based on appearance, background, race, etc. is a slippery slope that can lead to unintended consequences.”

Once it came time to film, the creative team was met with a different set of challenges—namely funding and weather.

The filming was split between Staten Island and Carle Place in the winter of 2013-14. Greenberg described it as a “stressful” process because bad weather often rescheduled shooting.

“We were held up by the weather a few times and had to change locations. We only filmed for about three weeks, but it’s not consecutive and it’s very difficult to shoot because you have to get everyone’s schedules to match up,” Greenberg said. “And you need to finish shooting within the time the actor is available, and not run out of money.”

In addition to friends, family and his temple, Temple Beth Torah, Greenberg credits his childhood friend from growing up in Hicksville, Greg Martin, who served as an executive producer on the film, for playing a big role in terms of financial support. Martin said initially, he got involved in the project to support his friend and what he thought was a brilliant script. As he spent more time on set, he learned how much went into making a movie and was amazed at how well everyone got along.

“I came on as a smaller investor initially but what struck me about the whole cast and crew was the way they all got along and seemed to like each other,” Martin said. “It felt amazing to be on that set so it was an easy decision to put more capital at risk.”

Now that the movie is finished, the creative team is excited to have it out there for the public to see. Friends and Romans is being released by Paladin in select theaters across the country and on Nov. 6 will debut at Bow Tie Cinemas in Roslyn.

Friends and Romans is Greenberg’s first foray into the movie world, though he has written two plays which have done well. A financial journalist by trade, he said it’s exciting to see something he’s worked on so long finally come to fruition.

“It’s exciting to finally get to see it on the big screen and get your friends and family to see it with you,” he said. “I come from the financial world and I’ve been calling this my IPO. I talk about this all the time in regards to Wall Street so it’s nice to see it in my real life.”

And as for doing more films? Greenberg said it’s definitely a possibility.

“After I recover from the making of this one,” he said with a laugh.

With the arrival of the Halloween season, the grounds of Nassau County’s Old Bethpage Village Restoration have transformed from a bastion of historical preservation to a sinister landscape of darkness and horror.

It’s all part of the Villages annual Halloween extravaganza, the Haunted Tales attraction, which faces its final frightening night on Oct. 30.

Whereas last year’s event consisted of guided tours throughout a series of houses where visitors could watch creepy skits, this year guests are more or less on their own, free to wander and take in the many Halloween sights and sounds to their own content. Darken pathways are illuminated by oil torches and colored lights, providing a foreboding atmosphere well befitting the season.

That’s not to say that you’re completely on your own. The main draw of the evening is the infamous Ghost Tour, where guests are led about the grounds of the Village to visit several of its reputedly haunted homes. While stopping at each house, tour guides Jack and Joanne laid out some of the tales of the all-too-real supernatural events that employees and visitors claim have experienced over the years while walking within their walls.

The first stop on the tour was the Schenck House, a colonial-period structure originally built in Manhasset in 1730. Jack noted that it is but a handful of Dutch-style farm houses left in the United States these days, making it an important part of history.

However, architecture aside, the Schenck House also has a dark past. Over the years, Joanne noted that numerous otherworldly experiences have been reported by various people—both Village workers and guests—while inside.

“One of our security guards had heard the tales about the house, so he came in, walked to the back and heard a tremendous bang from upstairs,” she said. “He ran outside and hid behind his truck. Later, he got another employee to go upstairs with him and there was nothing out of place, but people continued to feel a presence when entering the house and often heard voices or heard strange noises.”

Joanne also relayed tales of EVP—or Electronic Voice Phenomenon—where she had used digital sound recorders to capture the supposed utterances of actual spirits inhabiting the homes within the Village. Playing some of these recordings for the tour guests was easily one of the most chilling aspects of the entire Ghost Tour.

Elsewhere in the Village, the Manetto Hill Church had been transformed into the epicenter of a period-era Cholera epidemic, compete with bodies piled under sheets while hurried medical workers rush about frantically, driven to the very edge of reason by the horrors they are forced to witness on a daily basis. So heavy was the turnover at the makeshift ward that a full-time coffin-maker was stationed outside, crafting a never-ending series of wooden caskets for the recently deceased.

“There was a massive Cholera epidemic back in the 1800’s, and right inside the church there is a hospital where there are tons of bodies lying,” said, Jonathan, who played the coffin-maker. “There’s a doctor in there who is trying to treat the patients, but to no avail…the Cholera epidemic is continuing to spread, and coffin-makers like myself were needed on-hand because the bodies had to be buried quickly because of the lack of embalming fluid and things like that.”

Of course, not everything within the Village is historically-accurate. As a distinct departure from years past, the Lawrence Home has been transformed into a bona-fide haunted house and maze, complete with pirates, zombies, evil clowns and chainsaw-wielding maniacs around every corner. It’s certainly a nice contrast to some of the less-intense attractions that the Village is offering this year and a great way to get your blood pumping in the cool autumn night air, especially for those who craze a good scare or two during the Halloween season.

Other attractions of Haunted Tales include spooky skits held within random houses (including an encounter with the infamous Lizzy Borden), a corn maze, music and the amazing fire juggling antics of the talented Keith Leaf. And when you needed to take a break and warm up, there was Village bonfire where attendees could create their very own s’mores treats, complete with an ample supply of pointy sticks upon which to roast their marshmallows.

Janice Renyolds and her family made the trek all the way from Jericho for Haunted Tales and said that it was a great attraction and a real bargain to boot.

“Most Halloween things are way over-priced and are over before you know it, but this was very reasonably priced and it’s a whole evening with so much to do,” she said. “We’re really having a wonderful time, and we hope the Restoration does this again next year.”

Richard Hewlett was attending the event with his wife and daughter. The Hicksville family said that they enjoyed the Ghost Tour the most of all and found that the grounds of the Village made for the perfect setting for a Halloween spooktacular.

“It’s such a nice place to come to during the day, but at night it’s pitch-black here and the torches everywhere are so eerie,” he said. “I’m a big haunted house guy, and while this place is tame compared to some of the places I’ve been to, it’s perfect for families and kids. They have amazing atmosphere here and so much to do.”

By Jacquie O’Neill

Robert Seaman Elementary School Students recently took part in the Global Cardboard Challenge, an annual event that celebrates child creativity and the role communities can play in fostering it.

Students proudly display their work. (Photos by Darlene Pergola-Apolant)

Presented by the Imagination Foundation and inspired by the short film, Caine’s Arcade, the challenge spurred children of all ages to imagine and build a structure using cardboard and recycled materials. Each grade level in the elementary school had a different engineering design challenge as to encourage diverse projects. The criteria for the engineering challenge became more difficult as the grade level increased.

The kindergarten students designed and constructed 3D animals, based on their choice with their partner. The students used a colorful printed image of the actual animal as a basis for the design and construction of their animal using cardboard boxes, cardboard tubes and other recycled materials. The students then decorated their animals with a variety of art materials, including construction paper, feathers, fur, pipe cleaners, markers, cotton balls, animal print paper and wiggle eyes.

The students’ rendition of the Freedom Tower

The first grade children explored light energy and the spectrum using prisms and diffraction gratings. After being formally introduced to Roy G. Biv, they were challenged to design a 3D Fun House for Roy G. Biv using cardboard boxes and tubes. The second grade students worked collaboratively in groups as they designed haunted houses. After listening to a song about haunted houses for clues to include in their design, they were introduced to the Scooby Doo Mystery Mansion. This interactive toy has many parts which move using forces and simple machines, serving as inspiration for including the addition of a moving part in the criteria for their haunted houses.

After listening to the fractured fairy tale entitled, The Three Little Pigs-An Architectural Tale, by Steven Guarnaccia, the third-grade students designed tall structures using cups and paper to withstand wind and table-quakes. The students discovered cylinder columns were strongest since they could support the weight of multiple books—as opposed to the rectangular prism and the triangular prism.

Proud creators with their haunted works

The fourth-grade students were very excited to design and construct a castle using cardboard tubes, boxes and other recycled materials after listening to the story A Year in a Castle by Rachel Coombs. In addition to including five parts of a castle, they too were challenged to include a moving part in their castle. The students constructed catapults, which were used during the fun finale—Siege the Castle.

The fifth-grade students are immersed in an oceanography unit, which includes squid dissections, fish dissections, food web games, human impact simulations and research. They watched a short video about another school’s Cardboard Challenge Day (2014) using their “oceanography lens” to help generate ideas as they worked collaboratively to design and construct arcade games based on the oceanography theme. In addition to problem solving as they designed their arcade game, the fifth graders also formulated rules and point values for their games.

The inclusion of the school-wide Global Cardboard Challenge Day into the elementary science program at Robert Seaman Elementary School was very exciting and inspiring to the school’s young scientists and engineers. The event had the children thinking critically and creatively as they engaged in 21st century learning.

Mat DeSanno’s event will raise money for Syosset’s CancerCare.

A Syosset-based organization is about to get some heavy lifting help with its efforts to face the challenges of cancer.

CancerCare, which provides free, professional support services and information to help people manage all aspects of the dreaded disease, will be the chief beneficiary of Dawn of the Deadlift—a weight-lifting competition at Training for Warriors (TFW) in Hicksville on Nov. 1. The competition will be a costumed-charity event, with attendees encouraged to dress up as they throw down some lifts.

Bethpage’s Mat DeSanno organized the fundraising event in loving memory of his mother Debbie, who died of lung cancer in 2010. That ordeal led DeSanno, and his sister Michelle, to discover CancerCare. With the experience of losing their mother to cancer, they knew the emotional and financial difficulties that many people go through and they wanted to help any way they could.

“It was just awful,” said DeSanno, who grew up in Levittown. “And when our ordeal was over, we thought about how we could help make this easier for someone else. My sister found CancerCare and learned about a fundraising walk they organize and now we do it every year.”

The DeSanno’s formed Team Debbie in honor of their late mother, recruiting family, friends and anyone else to walk with them in their mission to raise money for CancerCare.

“We didn’t have to deal with some of the stuff that others do, in terms of the financial side of treatment,” he said. “Knowing what we went through and how difficult it was, it’s hard to imagine also having to deal with money under those circumstances.”

CancerCare’s services include counseling and support groups over the phone, online and in person, as well as educational workshops, informational material and financial and co-payment assistance. The services are provided by oncology social workers and world-leading cancer experts. In the past year, CancerCare has provided more than $15 million in financial assistance.

One week after Dawn of the Deadlift, CancerCare will hold its 13th annual Lung Cancer Walk for Hope, Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Town of Oyster Bay Golf Course in Woodbury. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the walk will officially kick off at 9:30 a.m. Anyone interested in starting a team or walking as an individual can register in advance at www.cancer
care.org/lungcancerwalk or by calling 888-814-9255.

DeSanno’s Team Debbie will be walking proudly on Nov. 8, and he himself will be lifting at Dawn of the Deadlift. He said all levels of experience are welcome at the lifting event. At the end of the day, after three flights for men and two flights for women are completed, only one man and one woman will be left who can lift the weight. Best costume awards will be presented and spectators are welcome. Call 516-551-8900 to register or visit TFW at 67 Bloomingdale Rd. in Hicksville.

“We will all be there for something bigger than ourselves,” he said. “It’ll be a fun event to bring the community together and really help the people who need it.”

DeSanno has been working out with weights since the seventh or eighth grade. He went to school for nutrition because he wanted to do what he could to help people stay healthy and avoid getting sick. It is this drive that helps DeSanno draw parallels between lifting weights and working to help people bear the burden of cancer.

“You have to know that the goal you are chasing is more important than how you feel right now,” he said. “Future you is counting on you. You have to keep going.”

Syosset HS Siemens Math, Science and Technology competition’s regional finalists Sarah Lee and Kunal Shah.

Syosset High School is proud to announce that seniors Sarah Lee and Kunal Shah have been named regional finalists in the Siemens Competition for Math, Science and Technology.

Lee and Shah are among the school’s five student researchers who achieved semifinalist status in the nation’s premier science research competition for high school students. As finalists, they will present their research to a Siemens panel of judges on Nov. 21 to determine whether they advance to the national finals in Washington, D.C., in December.

The students both conducted their research at Stony Brook University. They are among just 15 finalists from Long Island who will vie for one of five national individual finalist spots and five team finalist spots from each region.

Lee researched alternative ways to block pain receptors in the body. She studied the chemistry of natural pain blockers and their attachment to various cell receptors and found that there were several compounds that could block cell receptors as a novel and effective way to relieve pain while avoiding many of the side effects and consequences associated with over-the-counter medications.

Shah, who worked as part of a team with two students from different high schools, discovered a method to make fuel cells more efficient by modifying current hydrogen fuel cells with the addition of graphene oxide nanoparticles. His research partners are Brian Rhee of Half Hollow Hills East and Roshan Patel from Ward Melville. Lee worked independently.

“I have been studying math and science throughout high school and have really developed a passion over the years not just based on research, but on fundamental science and what we learn in classes,” said Shah, who turned his focus toward chemistry after taking an honors chemistry class in the 10th grade. “I believe it’s important that as many people as possible pursue the role of individual science researcher to help make the world a better place.”

“As a researcher, it’s so nice to be acknowledged for the work that you put in,” said Lee. “You are not just a high school student in a lab setting. You are trying to solve the problems that plague humanity. It’s such an honor to be involved in this type of work.”

Regional finalists, who were selected from 466 semifinalists, receive $1,000 each. They will present their projects remotely via Web conferencing and other digital means on Nov. 21 to judges at one of six prestigious research universities across the country, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. National finalists will be identified through that process and compete in December at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Six individuals and six teams will win scholarship awards ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. There were 1,781 applicants in this year’s competition.

Joseph Hendrickson (center) with chiefs and ex-chiefs of Syosset (Photos by Kevin Imm)

In a ceremony marking his nearly 50 years serving the Syosset community, Joseph W. Hendrickson Jr. received an honorary chief award from the Syosset Fire Department recently.

Hendrickson comes from a long line of Syosset firemen and served his community for close to 48 years. His grandfather was an ex-chief for many years both prior to and during World War II. Joseph Sr., his father, was also an honorary chief and served for more than 60 years.

Born in Syosset, Hendrickson attended St. Dominic’s in Oyster Bay where he graduated in 1964. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the Vietnam War. Post service in the military, Hendrickson returned to his home in Oyster Bay Cove and later joined the Syosset Fire Department in 1968.

From his teenage years, Hendrickson worked on the William H. Long Estate, Sunken Orchard until 1984. At age 35, Hendrickson went to work for JOBCO Inc. as a property manager until 1996. He then changed career paths at the age of 49, to become an assistant director of operations of the Farmingdale School District. He later changed school districts to become a director of operations at the Bellmore School District.

Hendrickson (center) is joined by his family.

Hendrickson is an active member of the Hook and Ladder Company and Fire Police Officer of Syosset Fire Department through the years. Hendrickson said his greatest joys came from serving in the fire department and from raising his five children, Joseph III, Dennis, Kevin, Stacey and Mary Ellen. He retired last July and now enjoys spending time with his five children and his nine grandchildren, Sean, Connor, Chloe, Evan, Matthew, Stone, Madison, Ryan and Alexa. Family traditions and the Syosset Fire Department have one of his greatest accomplishments in his life. His life has been dedicated to serving others in need, working hard, gardening and setting the example for all those who have the pleasure of knowing him.

Dan Gargaro of Jericho was the first local runner to cross the finish line.

No locals were running on empty at the recent Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor’s 5K Run Oct. 17.

Dan Gargaro of Jericho, Amanda Wolfer of Woodbury and Sophia Henn, Patty Santella, Kim Solomine, Pamela Lee, Glen Mailings, Constance Sehlmeyer and Bert Jablon of Syosset each won an award at the run, which was organized with the Greater Long Island Running Club in conjunction with the town’s Parks Department.

Gargaro crossed the finish line at Oyster Bay’s Townsend Square in 16 minutes, 12 seconds to finish first in the 25-29 group. Henn was the fourth woman across the finish line in the 15-19 age group with a time of 24:55. Malings was fifth in the 55-59 age group with a finishing time of 21:17. Wolfer took top honors among the women in the 20-24 age group in 20:06.

Woodbury’s Amanda Wolfer

Santella earned the third place award plaque in the women’s 45-49 age group with a time of 22:48. Lee finished in 25:24 to score third among the women in the 60-64 age group. Sehlmeyer’s finishing time of 29:33 brought her to first place in the women’s 70-74 age group. And the 88-year-old Jablon scored first in the 85-89 age group, crossing the finish line in 40:17.

Town Councilman Chris Coschignano put together a team of family, friends and colleagues and raised more than $1,000 for The Ronald McDonald House. Coschignano finished the race
in 30:54.

County Comptroller George Maragos says there is a disproportionate amount of state funding going to the city.

Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos believes Long Island children are being short-changed compared to their city counterparts.

Maragos advocated on behalf of Nassau children for equal funding for universal pre-kindergarten education in a recent letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Long Island elected officials, school superintendents and business leaders. The comptroller highlights that the 2015 state budget provided Pre-K education funding to New York City is vastly disproportionate to monies provided for Nassau County, Suffolk and other counties. For the 2015-16 school year, New York City will receive $529.4 million in Pre-K funding while Nassau will receive only $12.4 million. The city will receive more than 42 times as much funding as Nassau County, despite having only six times as many 4-year-olds. The comptroller estimated Nassau is being shortchanged by $77 million annually.

“It is fundamentally unfair that Nassau County children are being deprived of equal funding,” Maragos said. “With an additional $77 million from the state our school districts can expand Pre-K programs, which have proven life-long benefits including higher high school graduation rates, improved academic outcomes and greater earnings in life.”

Nassau County is currently funded for only 20 percent of its 4-year old children, while the city receives funding for 70 percent of its 4-year-olds. The state also provides $9,053 per student to the city while Nassau receives less than half of that at $4,434 per student. Maragos said that in the interest of fairness, Nassau should have been funded at the same level as the city ($9,053 per student for 70 percent of Nassau’s 4-year-olds) in the 2015 state budget. This equates to $77 million in Pre-K under-funding for Nassau County.

Maragos said that studies of early childhood programs have shown lifelong positive effects, especially for low-income and at-risk children. These benefits include improved language, literacy, mathematics and science outcomes in elementary school, decreased grade retention (repeating a grade), improved long-term achievement test scores, increased earnings and reduced arrests.

“There is no question that Nassau County’s children deserve the same treatment as New York City’s children,” Maragos said. “I urge the governor and our local state representatives to fight for our children when the 2016 New York State budget is determined to ensure fair and equitable Pre-K funding for Nassau school districts.”

The chili pop shrimp are perfect for sharing. (Photos by Steve Mosco)

The all-American night out is a suburban rite. It is the easygoing weeknight when grocery guesswork is avoided, the pantry remains undisturbed and the stovetop stays off. Everyone eats what they want and no one has to wash the dishes.

With its third Long Island restaurant opening last year in Syosset, George Martin’s Grillfire adds to the lure of the night out and has solidified itself as one of the top local chain restaurants. Syosset’s eatery, at 33 Berry Hill Rd., continues the work of its Grillfire predecessors in offering a combination of traditional and innovative American meals in a bold and sleek setting.

Grillfire’s Brussels Sprouts are a fine way to get your vegetables.

Grillfire’s lively bar is perfect for happy hour cocktails surrounded by plates of satisfying appetizers and good friends. A favorite appetizer among diners, and with good reason, is the chili pop shrimp. This fun starter features tender and petite fried shrimp in a spicy chili sauce served with a lime wedge, which nicely brightens up each bite. It’s a delightful dish to share—but one can imagine eating no less than 50 of these spirited morsels in one sitting.

Another small plate of note is the crispy Brussels Sprouts, served with a lemon-caper aioli. This dish has become a ubiquitous appetizer at the latest crop of American restaurants, but Grillfire’s version is held to the fire a bit longer, resulting in a darker and crispier sprout with a rich, deep flavor. The flavor tends to linger on the palate, so be sure to pair with a refreshing beer.

Other enticing appetizers include buttermilk fried chicken wings served with buffalo-spiced honey butter, zucchini “linguini” and blackened chicken quesadillas with smoked gouda, mango salsa and jalapeño crema.

The macaroni and cheese is warm and comforting.

Grillfire’s entrées run the gamut from traditional, rib-sticking hearty meals to more innovative and polished dinner arrangements. On the traditional side, Grillfire offers the horseradish, bacon and cheddar crusted sirloin meatloaf, with roasted mushrooms, pan gravy and mashed potatoes. As for the more contemporary dishes, the basil and feta crusted mahi mahi fillet is served with grilled asparagus, quinoa wild rice and a caper tomato broth.

But at its heart, comfort food is where Grillfire truly shines. That is why the BBQ baby back ribs are a must try. Slathered in a sweet and tangy sauce, the ribs are fall off the bone tender and can be ordered in either full or half rack portion sizes. And then there’s Grillfire’s macaroni and cheese. This after-school staple is given the star treatment at Grillfire, elevated with professional chef flair, the perfect amount of ooey-gooey cheesiness and a butter toasted panko crumble topping. For $6, Grillfire will add succulent lobster to the mix.

The ribs are fall off-the-bone delicious.

Like the island’s other Grillfire spots, the Syosset location is known for its steaks and burgers. The GF marinated skirt steak is the house classic, served with crispy onions. Between buns, Grillfire offers its exclusive house blend prime burger, as well as the incomparable Black Jack burger, with candied bacon, pepper jack cheese, black jack sauce and cherry peppers on a brioche roll. If salad is your goal, Grillfire offers seven, including romaine hearts and baby kale caesar, Mediterranean pita, Mandarin noodle and the steakhouse Cobb.

When the main meal is over and sweets are needed to take the edge off, one can’t go wrong with Grillfire’s array of desserts. The carrot cake is a cool way to end a hot meal.

Bookending this satisfying meal are warm, salted pretzels at the start and a cotton candy treat with the check. Both goodies serve to symbolize the difference Grillfire offers eaters during their own personal all-American night out.

A two-part public hearing on truck traffic will be held on Nov. 10.

Residents along South Oyster Bay Road are hoping the thoroughfare’s designation as an access highway will soon hit a dead end.

Town of Oyster Bay officials will hold a two-part public hearings regarding the truck traffic at town hall in Oyster Bay at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Nov. 10. The hearings will focus on the implementation of weight and height restrictions for oversized trucks traveling through Plainview, Hicksville, Syosset and Bethpage on South Oyster Bay Road.

Supervisor John Venditto said the town could vote that night to restrict truck access on the road—this could force the state’s hand to change the designation and reimpose the 48-foot truck length limit.

“The state holds the keys here,” he said. “With a snap of the finger, the state can straighten it out. We are in the process of framing new legislation to control this from the town’s perspective.”

Last December, the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) quietly designated a four-mile stretch of South Oyster Bay Road as an access highway for tractor trailers ranging from 53 to 75 feet in length. FedEx submitted an application to the DOT to request this designation to accommodate truck-based transport of freight from the Long Island Expressway to its facility near Grumman in Bethpage. According to the DOT, town and Nassau County officials both received the request, but neither objected or requested a legal public hearing.

Venditto said regardless of how this designation passed without push back, now is the time to fix the problem.

Residents say the trucks are a safety concern.

“We’re wasting time playing the blame game right now,” he said. “The town says [they] oppose it, the county opposes it—it doesn’t matter what happened with the letters and how it was designated in the first place. The town, county and state need to get everyone in the same room and around the same table and if everyone is there with the best interest of the residents at heart, this can be resolved. And it will be resolved.”

A spokesperson for the state DOT said that it is currently in discussion with the town and county regarding the road designation.

“NYSDOT completed a thorough safety review using Federal Highway Administration guidelines and solicited comments and feedback from the town and county,” said Gary Holmes, DOT director of communications. “With no objections, the designation was approved. Nine months after the designation went into effect we received the first notice of concern from local officials and we have been in discussion since.”

Although South Oyster Bay Road is under the jurisdiction of the county, Councilwoman Rebecca Alesia said that the New York Vehicle and Traffic Law provides the town with the authority to exclude “trucks…tractors, tractor-trailer combinations, or tractor-trailer-semitrailer combinations in excess of any designated weight, designated length, [or] designated height” on its roadways.

“Residents who live on or near the roadway have expressed concern over the increased presence of oversized tractor trailers,” said Alesia. “The Town of Oyster Bay, together with our colleagues in county government, has requested that this designation be rescinded. In the meantime, the town is looking to modify its traffic code to prohibit these special dimension vehicles from traveling a portion of South Oyster Bay Road.”

Many residents plan on attending the Nov. 10 hearing to not only hear from town officials, but also to let their own voices be heard. One of those residents, Scott Graham, who has lived along South Oyster Bay Road in Plainview for close to 30 years, said that he hopes the town and county can work with the state to get the trucks off of South Oyster
Bay Road.

“The fact that they [town and county] didn’t stop this from happening is worrisome,” he said. “But generally I feel like they do care about the safety of the residents so I’m hopeful this will be fixed sooner rather than later.”

Dave Ferris and Ginny Nussbaum, founders and owners of the Long Island Swim School (Photos by Chris Boyle)

It’s not everyday that a couple’s decision to drop every penny into a dream becomes a successful reality, but that risky prospect has paid off and now expands to Syosset this November.

Dave Ferris and Ginny Nussbaum are the founders and owners of the Long Island Swim School of Garden City, a well-known institution which currently instructs an astonishing 1,300 children each week. The duo are regarded as two of the top swim coaches in the United States, so it’s safe to say that they know a thing or two about teaching kids how to navigate a body of water, Ferris said.

“We’ve been in swimming for 35 years. We started the Long Island Aquatic Club, which is one of the top, most decorated competitive swimming teams in the country,” he said. “In addition, we’ve always had an important component in our program about teaching others how to swim and we’ve been teaching kids for years and making them into good swimmers.”

Work is well underway at the school in Syosset.

The Long Island Swim School specializes in teaching kids of all ages how to swim, starting with students as young as two years old, with Ferris noting that the younger you start, the more effective lessons can be. But if you’re of the older set and haven’t yet mastered the water, fear not—there are some adult classes available as well.

In addition to their work running the Long Island Aquatic Club, the couple rented out a pool in 2003 at a health club located in Uniondale and began their own swimming school.

They eventually lost their lease in 2009, forcing them to frantically escalate plans they had been making all along of opening up their very own facility.

“It was where we were going and it forced us to go a lot faster than we were probably ready to,” he said. “We put our life savings into it and maxed out our credit cards in the middle of a recession. We were scared, but Ginny was our rock at that point. She said that we’d succeed due to the name recognition from our team and our reputations in the field. It ended up being the right time to do it.”

The initial Long Island Swim School opened its doors in Garden City in 2010.

Ferris noted that it was an immediate success and soon they found themselves beyond capacity and in the unfortunate position of having to actually turn customers away.

However, the idea of opening additional venues was always on their minds, Ferris said, and in 2015 they began construction a new school in Syosset.

The new facility, slated to open this November, is double the size of the original. Once construction is complete, the 13,000-square-foot school will boast two 25-yard heated pools, boys’ and girls’ locker rooms and a viewing deck where parents can watch their kids paddle to their heart’s content.

The new location will be double the size of the original school.

Ferris said that this isn’t the end of expansions for the school. He envisions a future where there are up to 10 Long Island Swim Schools throughout Long Island and noted that they have the experience, drive and qualified staff—many of whom are competitive-level swimmers trained by Ferris and Nussbaum—to make that dream a reality.

“We have a great understanding of the sport and how to teach people since we’ve been doing it for 35 years at a national level and this will be the largest and finest swim facility on Long Island,” Ferris said. “Syosset is a tremendous area for people who want quality programming for their children, so it is just a natural place to come in and do a great swimming program. And working with the children and seeing how you affect them and how many go on to competitive swimming. It is absolutely wonderful.”

The Long Island Swim School’s Syosset location plans on having a “soft” opening in November, although a specific date is not nailed down yet.

To find out more on their opening and programs available, visit www.longislandswimschool.com.

Syosset High School culminated a week of spirited activities with its annual homecoming celebration, as community members braved a chilly afternoon in October to enjoy a carnival, some wonderful halftime performances and their Long Island champion varsity Braves
football team.

The week began with the annual walkathon along the campus of Syosset High School, which resulted in students and staff raising more than $2,600 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Later in the week, the gymnasium hosted a health fair, where more than 50 stations—many operated by students—provided guests with tips on leading a
healthy lifestyle.

On Friday, the high school football field was abuzz with exuberant cheers from the student body as the pep rally took center stage. This year’s event brought a new twist, with relay races complementing the traditional introductions and fanfare.

Later that afternoon, the annual carnival kicked off. Student government organized the carnival and various student clubs and organizations manned booths to fundraise for student activities at the high school. The carnival was open to the public through Sunday.

The following day, the Braves took on the East Meadow High School Jets. The visitors led 21-7 at the half before the hosts came storming back with three consecutive touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters.

Syosset’s Christian Skorka caught a 30-yard pass from quarterback Will Hogan with just over two minutes left in the game to put the Braves ahead 28-21, before East Meadow rallied for a late touchdown of their own to pull off a last-minute victory. Despite the loss, Syosset remains in playoff contention with a 3-2 Nassau I conference record (3-3 overall).

Halftime included performances by the Syosset varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders, band, color guard and kickline. Board of Education members joined other members of the school community in volunteering their time to man the food and apparel concessions. A variety of student clubs also ran tables at the carnival, many raising funds for student activities.

The Syosset HS Association of Creative Thespians performed their annual Bard-a-Thon, reciting the works of William Shakespeare throughout the day while Syosset Robotics Club held a demonstration of two of its robots. Syosset High School’s student government coordinated the weeklong celebration. —Submitted by Syosset Schools

John Mangelli

According to published reports, Mangelli currently holds a lead of less than 100 votes. If the results stand, Mangelli will be the only Democrat on the town board.

Supervisor John Venditto

In another closely watched race, Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas defeated Republican challenger Kate Murray, 58 to 42 percent.

Check back later for full election results.

Long Island’s largest food drive event, the seventh annual Bethpage Turkey Drive to benefit Island Harvest Food Bank, will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Bethpage Federal Credit Union’s headquarters located at 899 South Oyster Bay Rd. in Bethpage.

Long Islanders are asked to drop off frozen turkeys, non-perishable food items (except those in glass containers), supermarket gift cards or cash donations. These donations will go directly to Island Harvest which will then help supply Thanksgiving holiday meals to the more than 300,000 hungry Long Islanders through its distribution network of 570 food pantries, soup kitchens and other feeding programs on Long Island.

“Bethpage Federal Credit Union is an avid supporter of Island Harvest and its mission to end hunger on Long Island,” said Linda Armyn, senior vice president, Bethpage. “For the past six years, the annual Bethpage Turkey Drive has had an immensely positive impact on the Long Island community, who year after year come out to help their neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Participation provides parents and children the opportunity to help a less fortunate family celebrate the holidays with a Thanksgiving meal – a meal they may have otherwise not have been able to provide.”

For those unable to travel to Bethpage’s main branch on Nov. 18, Nassau and Suffolk County residents can visit any of Bethpage’s 33 branch locations to drop off any cash donations you may have. For a complete list of Bethpage branches, go to www.lovebethpage.com.

Since the first Bethpage Turkey Drive was organized in 2009, hundreds of community volunteers have come out to assist in the collection of approximately 23,000 turkeys and more than 74,000 pounds of food, which were then provided to Long Island families facing hardship in time for the holidays. Island Harvest has seen an increase in the requests for food and support services among the 570 community-based agencies it serves. About 70,000 individuals receive food assistance from the Island Harvest network each week.

Since 1992, Island Harvest has grown to become the largest hunger relief organization in the region, feeding and supporting 316,000 Long Islanders annually, helping to change the lives of millions. By relying on volunteers, in-kind services, and donated food, more than 94 cents of every dollar donated to Island Harvest directly benefits Island Harvest’s robust programs and initiatives.

With a mission to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island, Island Harvest has pioneered innovative and effective food and product collection and distribution systems, hunger awareness and nutrition education programs, job training programs, services for targeted populations, and outreach and advocacy initiatives. Island Harvest is the region’s leading agency in disaster relief and emergency response readiness for food and product distribution, support and services. Island Harvest is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity.

“The generous support and ongoing cooperation of leading Long Island companies is helping to make a positive impact in the lives of our Long Island neighbors facing hunger every day,” Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO, Island Harvest. “I know I speak on behalf of the 316,000 Long Islanders in need in thanking these organization’s leadership and employees for demonstrating how much they truly care.”

Officers of the Syosset High School Forensics Society, which was recently ranked in the top 1 percent nationally, are pictured with adviser Lydia Esslinger. (Photo by Syosset Schools)

The Syosset High School Forensics Society is once again ranked in the National Speech and Debate Association’s top 1 percent of schools nationwide. The honor is based on points and degrees earned in competitive and service-based activities.

“I am proud to say that Syosset Forensics has a consistent national reputation for excellence,” said adviser Lydia Esslinger, whose 2015 team was recognized in the top 20 of 7,935 participating schools nationwide.

Comprised of 175 students and 18 divisions, the society has been one of the most consistently successful co-curricular, interscholastic activity clubs at Syosset High School, with Long Island and New York State championships among their successes. Students participate in competitions to demonstrate their public speaking, acting, debating and writing skills, as well as their knowledge of government and current events. They are constantly researching, seeking out new material to use and practicing to stay sharp.

“I hope to model for students the importance of dedication and the rewards of work, the necessity to handle oneself with dignity and treat others fairly, and to win—and more importantly, to lose—gracefully,” said Esslinger, whose students have accumulated an impressive collection of hardware from the many tournaments held from September through June, some as far west as California. “What I always tell them is that the trophies will end up in a box in your basement, but how you shape yourself into the best you is on display for the rest of your life.”

In the many years she has advised the club, Esslinger has seen some of her more active “Forensicals” go on to achieve great accomplishments in life. Some of the more high-profile alumni of the society include National Security Council Director Prem Kumar, presidential speech writer Jon Lovett, Tony Award-winning singer and actress Idina Menzel, novelist Meg Wolitzer, law professor and foreign policy columnist Rosa Brooks and Florida Panthers owner/CEO and CNBC contributor Doug Cifu.

More than 90 students qualified for the 2015 New York State finals, including state champions Betsy Cohen and Faisal Younus. The society as a team finished in the top two in the state, and there were a large number of finalists at the national level in various categories.

“They learn to be confident about speaking in class,” said Esslinger. “They all read a lot and learn to write better. Most importantly, they all respect the power of words and learn to use the language ethically and effectively.” -Syosset Schools

Pohalski successfully made the transition from baseball to golf. (Photos by Harris Rappel)

Originally on a collegiate baseball track, SUNY Old Westbury’s Andrew Pohalski derailed from the plan. But the sophomore didn’t crash, instead becoming a golfer and earning the program’s first Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year honor.

The Syosset native was unable to continue baseball after a bevy of injuries. During his freshman year of college, Pohalski broke his collarbone in a car accident. That spring season, he tore his bicep before then tearing his labrum the following fall at Catawba Valley Community College.

It was time to switch sports, and Pohalski’s father—a golf pro—embraced his decision to learn the ins and outs of the sport he teaches. So did second-year Old Westbury coach Craig Maerki who was in need of a recruit with notable potential.

“I was looking at Farmingdale and Old Westbury,” said the Chaminade graduate. “The program here was kind of an upstart and I wanted to go somewhere and kind of be the guy to get a program going.”

Pohalski did just that, not only garnering Rookie of the Year status, but also becoming a second-team all-conference selection, another first for the program. The sport’s newcomer represented Old Westbury at the Skyline Conference Championships Oct. 18-19 at Brynwood Golf & Country Club in Armonk, NY. He followed his first-day 87 with a final round 78 on the par-70 course, setting a program record to help him finish tied for ninth in the 26-player field.

“Both rounds I felt like my game was pretty tight and I was hitting it well,” said Old Westbury’s new record-holder. “The first day, it was just kind of a little off, I was just missing the greens by a little bit. Second day I kind of put it all together and caught some breaks.”

Pohalski nabbed Skyline Conference rookie of the year honors.

But shifting from baseball to golf was not easy, as Pohalski’s power got away from him at times. His self-described high-energy, emotional play on the course stemmed from baseball and coach Maerki did what he could to harness the rookie’s ability.

“Just being with him on the golf course, trying to help him manage his game is really all you can do,” Maerki said. “When you’re playing competitive golf, it’s really all about managing your game and then executing some golf shots, which he is quite capable of doing.”

His many firsts for an Old Westbury golfer have put the school on the map, already fulfilling the original reason Pohalski became a Panther.

“It is certainly a positive step for the program itself,” said Maerki. “When you start seeing individual scores come down and team scores come down, you’re going to get interest in the program from up-and-coming players, which maybe in the past they really haven’t looked at Old Westbury as a golf program. He’s kind of the start of it.”

In a household of 12 children, Pohalski’s family was always pushing each other growing up to be the best they could be. Andrew’s sister, Hannah, is a junior golfer at Long Island University and his siblings play many different sports, providing the family with an ingrained source of competitive nature.

Thus, new aspirations have surfaced for the conference’s best rookie, as Pohalski’s junior year will bring another chance to achieve his ultimate goal—winning the conference tournament.

“It was my first time ever playing tournament golf so there was a learning curve there,” Pohalski said. “Overall it was a good season but it’s not really where I want to be personally and it’s not where I would like the team to be. There’s definitely room for improvement and hopefully we can get there next year.”

Students at every elementary school in the Syosset Central School District enjoyed Halloween celebrations, with South Grove School adding a special twist.

As youngsters marched along the campus grounds and through the hallways, proudly displaying their Halloween costumes, they carried signs containing adjectives that described their character.

Students researched many different words and chose one word to use that best describes their costume for the parade.

For example, witches were wicked, superheroes were brave and villains were dangerous. Teachers also donned superhero costumes and capes, playing the part of “super teachers” as they led the children past the supportive parents who were on hand.

Susan Deaver, conductor

The North Shore Symphony Orchestra will present the opening concert of its 55th anniversary season on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. at Stratford Road Elementary School, 33 Bedford Rd.

This concert will be highlighted by a performance of the Dvorak Carnival Overture and Mahler Symphony No. 1 “Titan” and feature violinist Michelle Stern performing the third movement of Bruch’s Violin Concerto and violinist Carolyn Wong performing the first movement of Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor. Both violinists are winners of the Concert Festival International Competition.

Conducted by Susan Deaver, who is celebrating her 25th year as the orchestra’s music director and conductor, this concert will bring together the talents of the 75-member North Shore Symphony Orchestra, Long Island’s most established community orchestra. Tickets are general admission at $15 and $12 for seniors and students.

Violinist Michelle Stern

Tickets may be purchased at the door 30 minutes prior to the concert. Further information about North Shore Symphony Orchestra and the evening’s concert may be found on the orchestra’s website at www.northshoresymphonyorch.org or by calling 516-252-2712.

Violinist Stern is an 11-year-old native of Douglaston, Queens. She began her violin studies at age 3 with her mother, Anna Heifetz, a distinguished violinist and teacher, and currently studies violin with Professor Ann Setzer. At age five, Stern won her first medal from the New York Music competition and by age 6 gave five performances at Carnegie Hall as a first prizewinner of American Protégé, Concert Festival and New York Music Competitions. At age 7, Stern, was awarded first prize in the “Jewish Kids Got Talent” Competition, raising $5,000 in prizes, which she donated to charities and Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund.

Since her solo debut with the Island Chamber Symphony, Stern frequently appeared as a soloist with the Manhattan Symphonie Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Gregory Singer, performed at the “Here and Now” Series at the BargeMusic, Philippines Relief Concert, “The Music of Alfred Morena” concert at the Lincoln Center and gives monthly recitals for the seniors of the Atria Senior Assisted Living.

Violinist Carolyn Wong

Violinist Wong, 16, also studies with Setzer. This year, she was the first place winner of the Monmouth Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, and a finalist in the Adelphi Chamber Orchestra and Ensemble 212 Concerto Competitions. In the past, she has been a state winner and division alternate of Music Teachers’ National Association competition, a winner of the NJ Music Teachers’ Association competition and a finalist in the Mannes Preparatory Division Concerto Competition. Last year, she was concertmaster of the North Jersey Junior High School Regional Orchestra.