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Friday, March 20, 2026
Vol. 86, No. 12
SERVING BETHPAGE, OLD BETHPAGE, AND PLAINVIEW
New bench celebrates kindness at HMS
The new P.S. I Love You bench at Hicksville Middle School BY GARY SIMEONE A portion of Hicksville Middle School
is now adorned in the color purple after recently being the recipient of a new
specialized bench. On February 13th, the school received the purple-colored 300 pound bench in honor of ‘P.S. I Love You Day.’ Anthony Tussie, Health & Physical Education teacher at Hicksville Middle School, helped to coordinate the installation of the bench at the school with his winning essay. “P.S. I Love You Day was created fifteen years ago by two students in the West Islip School District who had lost their fathers to suicide,” said Tussie. “I am from West Islip myself and thought it would be a great idea to get the Hicksville School District involved with this special day that fosters kindness, inclusion and support for all students.” Tussie helped bring the bench to the school by submitting his essay to the P.S. I Love You Day website, which advocated for why the school district was worthy to receive the memento. “It’s more then just unveiling a new bench, it’s about creating a space where every student and staff mem-
ber is reminded that they matter,” said Tussie. “This particular day stands for kindness, connection and mental health awareness. The bench represents more than just a place to sit, it represents support. It represents things such as conversations that matter and the importance of checking in on one another. It will serve as a daily reminder that no one at this school is ever alone.” The new bench was placed in a small alcove outside the gymnasium, colored in purple and with a glass encased with P.S. I Love You tshirts. “This will be its permanent place and will be a constant reminder that all are valued and appreciated and in our thoughts,” said Tussie. P.S I Love You Day is celebrated the second Friday of February every year since 2010. Participants are encouraged to wear purple, to help stand up against bullying, help end depression and ultimately prevent suicide. To find out more about this special day you can visit the website, psiloveyouday. net.
Town offers tax break for disabled vets
The Town of Oyster Bay has announced that the Town Boad voted to approve property tax exemptions for fully-disabled veterans. A new state measure allows local municipalities to pass legislation offering a full, 100 percent tax exemption to veterans with a service-connected disability whose home is their primary residence. The measure was passed unanimously by the Town
Board. “In the Town of Oyster Bay, our veterans are very important to us, and they deserve continuing support for the sacrifices they’ve made to protect our freedoms,” said Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino. “Our hometown heroes are pillars in our communities, and we are proud to pass legislation that helps support them and their families.”
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To honor the sacrifice of veterans, the legislation provides a full exemption from Town property taxes, including special district charges and assessments, for veterans with a 100% service-connected disability whose home is their primary residence. Eligible veterans must be rated permanently and totally disabled and deemed individually unemployable by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. All exemptions are processed through the Office of the Nassau County Assessor.
“This is about more than passing a new tax policy, this is about reminding our veterans that their service and sacrifices are respected and appreciated,” added Supervisor Saladino. For more information regarding tax exemptions, including brochures describing the STAR, Senior Citizen, or other Veterans exemption programs, visit www.oysterbaytown.com/exemptions or contact the Office of the Receiver of Taxes at (516) 624-6400.
State Senator visits elementary school PAGE 4 Magician headlines charity event PAGE 2