HANK brings generations together
HANK Services connects teenagers with seniors who need assistance with anything from technology to errands to household tasks.
August at the Floral Park Library
Sometimes, a simple idea can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
For HANK Services, that idea is bringing together two generations that have much to offer one another—local teens and seniors who could use an extra set of hands, a little conversation and a meaningful connection.
HANK Services is a community-focused 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to bridging the gap between seniors and teens through its signature “Chores & Chat” program. It serves Floral Park, Garden City and surrounding communities.
The program pairs vetted teens with seniors who need occasional assistance with everyday tasks, providing practical support while creating opportunities for genuine intergenerational relationships.
especially meaningful is that the benefits extend in both directions.
For the teens involved, HANK Services offers an opportunity to develop responsibility, empathy and practical life skills while building relationships with members of an older generation. Teens may participate through paid work or volunteer service, gaining valuable experience while making a direct difference in their own community.
At the heart of Chores & Chat is the belief that helping someone with a household task can become much more than simply completing a chore. The goal is to encourage relationships in which seniors and teens genuinely look forward to seeing one another and sharing time together. In the process, both generations have the opportunity to learn from one another.
And here’s what the Library is up to for the last, best days of summer.
First, the final Library
How is it possible that it’s already August? Yet, here we are, along with endless back to school commercials, lingering sand in our shoes, and Halloween decorations filling the aisles of our favorite shopping “haunts.’”
lawn concert featuring the Foreign Journey Band happens on August 20 (rain date: August 27). All are welcome pull up a piece of lawn (or bring a
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From grocery shopping and errands to folding laundry, technology assistance, yard work, light cleaning and lifting, the program is designed to help seniors manage everyday tasks that may have become more difficult. By providing that extra assistance, HANK Services helps seniors maintain their independence and remain in their homes longer, while also offering companionship and regular social interaction.
What makes the program
HANK Services also offers “Just Chores,” a flexible option created to meet the needs of seniors and other community members who may need occasional assistance without the ongoing structure of Chores & Chat. Requests can be made for one-time help or recurring needs, allowing the organization to respond to a variety of everyday situations.
HANK Services’ commitment to young people extends
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Senior earns f irst place at NY championships
Sewanhaka High School senior Zoe Amadike earned the Class B championship title for the Triple Jump at NYSPHAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Sewanhaka High School senior Zoe Amadike delivered an outstanding performance at the recent New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships, capturing first place in
Photo courtesy of the Sewanhaka Central High School District
the Triple Jump with a mark of 40 feet, 3½ inches to earn the Class B championship title. She also placed fourth in the state in the Long Jump, capping off an exceptional championship meet.
Town plans
Disco Summer Dance Party
The Town of Hempstead invites all residents to boogie on down to Point Lookout at the Town will host a Disco Summer Dance Party – featuring six pulse-pounding artists, along with other family friendly activities – on Saturday, August 1, at Town Park Point Lookout. Gates open at 4 p.m., with the concert running from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
This free event includes live performances by Sister Sledge, France Joli, C+C Music Factory (Freedom Williams), Lime, Alisha, and Tavares. The Town will also welcome DJ Tommy Nappi from radio station KTU 103.5, who will keep the music going in between sets. In addition to the stage performances, residents can also enjoy a Kids Fun Zone, food trucks, beer garden, craft vendors, and even a drone show!
“The Town of Hempstead is proud to host this free Disco Summer Dance
Let
Party at beautiful Town Park Point Lookout, providing great musical acts and fun for the whole family,” said Supervisor Ferretti. “We encourage all residents to come on down and join in the festivities.”
The Disco Summer Dance Party is one of Hempstead Town’s premier events, scheduled at the midway point of summer and the Town’s Free Summer Concert Series. The remainder of August features more than a dozen shows, including two performances by Fearless (Taylor Swift tribute), Strawberry Fields (Beatles), NY to Boston (Boston), and a pair of concerts by Joe Piscopo (Frank Sinatra).
For a full listing of Town of Hempstead concerts and other summer events, please visit townofhempsteadevents.com.
voice be heard!
August at the Floral Park Library
From page 1
chair) and don’t stop believin’ it will be a good time!
Happening for the “littles”: a Stuffed Animal Sleepover (ages 2–7); Dig Into Adventure Quest for Kids (grades 2–5); Pokémon Fantastic Fossils for Kids; Tiny Beat Storytime with DJ Shhh! Of course, A Time for Kids Baby Start and Family Pre-School Hour, along with Play Hooray, are on the August calendar, too.
Teens can make the most of the last days ofsSummer break with: Patriotic Kindness Community Service program to benefit Paws of War; Getting Ready to Babysit Workshop; Build Your Nation: Game Edition with the Coldspring Harbor Whaling Museum; Mixed Media Art; Laser Tag; and Minecraft: Unleash the Giants Gaming Event with Arrayscape Gaming.
There’s an opportunity for teens to partner with the young ones, volunteering to be Craft Buddies for the Fossil Eggs for Children program.
The Friends of the Library Book Club is on summer break, returning in September. The Evening Edition Book Club meets in a member’s backyard to discuss the very popular “Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi. And the Quiet Reading Club meets on the Library
lawn on August 4.
Hybrid Adult Chair Yoga continues on Wednesday mornings, with Michelle subbing for Micheline for a few weeks. It can be confusing!
Registration is currently open for the six-hour September 17 Empire Safety Council Defensive Driving class
The weekly Adult English Language Learner classes continue on Tuesday evenings. Pre-registration is required for both Beginning and Intermediate/Advanced sessions.
The Made with Love Knitting and Crocheting groups continue to meet Mondays at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. throughout the summer; no registration necessary.
There is a special meeting of the Library Board on Monday, August 17, at 6:30 p.m.
The Library is closed Saturdays and Sundays in August.
Looking for some help with your résumé, job search, LinkedIn profile or interview prep? Look no further than Ellen O’Brien. Contact her at eobrien@nassaulibrary.org or 516 326.6330 x3103 for a free 30-minute career consultation.
Need assistance with those smart devices and more? One-to-one tech help with Joe for tablets, smartphones,
laptops, Kindles and general questions is available for our Floral Park patrons by appointment only (floralparktechhelp@gmail.com).
For more information on dates and times, events registration and program details, visit the library website, floralparklibrary.org, call 516 326-6330, or visit us at 17 Caroline Place. All events and programs are subject to change and/or cancellation.
Check out the Friends of the Floral Park Library offerings at the Circu-
lation Desk. All sales of books, DVDs, bookmarks, puzzles, and more support the Friends of the Floral Park Library, a 501c3 organization. Better yet, become a Member and/or Volunteer. Stop into the Library and pick up an application, or download it from the Library home page where you’ll also find applicable membership fees.
We invite you to follow us on Facebook (floralparklibrary), X (fplibrary17), or Instagram (fplibrary 17, floralparkchildrens, fpplteens).
Cluttered?
Place an ad in our Classifieds for reasonable rates and prompt results. Call the Garden City office today 294-8900 for more information.
BRUCE A. BLAKEMAN
FREE SUMMER CONCERTS
HANK brings generations together
From page 1
beyond the work they perform in the community. The organization also provides workshops designed to give participating teens information, guidance and practical skills that can help them navigate their own futures.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6
7:00PM
EISENHOWER PARK
Topics have ranged from financial literacy and the college search process to conversations surrounding mental health. These workshops are facilitated by community members who generously volunteer their time and expertise, creating yet another opportunity for knowledge, experience and support to be shared.
In just its first year, HANK Services has made significant strides and attracted local and regional media attention for its innovative approach to addressing community needs, including a feature on FOX 5 News. This recognition has helped bring greater awareness to a model that combines practical assistance, youth development and meaningful human connection.
create meaningful opportunities for local teens.
To help sustain and grow its programs, HANK Services welcomes support through financial contributions, in-kind donations and grants.
Community members and professionals can also make an impact by sharing their knowledge and expertise through educational workshops for participating teens.
For those inspired by the HANK Services mission and looking for a way to help, tax-deductible donations of any size can make a meaningful difference in sustaining and expanding these programs. Contributions help HANK Services reach more seniors, create additional opportunities for local teens, provide educational resources and support the operational needs that keep these important programs moving forward.
FOUR VILLAGE STUDIO
Growing the Mission
As HANK Services looks to the future, the organization hopes to expand its reach and provide assis tance to even more seniors and com munity members while continuing to
Community Television Serving Bellerose Village Floral Park South Floral Park Stewart Manor 4V S
Channels 18 & 28
The concept behind HANK Services is simple but powerful: generations do not have to exist separately from one another. A teenager can help a senior navigate technology, complete an errand or tackle a household task, while a senior can share conversation, experience and perspective. In the process, a chore becomes a connection—and a stronger, more interconnected community can grow from it.
FOUR VILLAGE STUDIO
“Nursing As A Career” ~ Jacqueline Wigfall, MSN,
Wes Houston Presents…
Joseph Perricone (The Other Shoe) ~ Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist The Author Corner
Stephanie Larkin
Michael Vecchione ~ The “Fallen Angel” Book Series (True Crime Fantasy)
FPFD: Red Alert
Larry King, AEMT
“Electric Vehicle Fires” ~ Captain Evan Balcombe, FDNY
The Antique Road Test
Walter Gosden & John Salemmo
“Model & Promotional Cars” ~ Early Automobile History
NYU LANGONE IS THE #1 PHYSICIAN PRACTICE NETWORK IN THE U.S.
Quality care is always close to home. No matter which location you visit or what brings you in, you’ll get the highest standard of care and attention that has earned us this recognition.
Better health starts with a better health system.
Quiet solitude at Centennial Gardens
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7
7:00PM
Sunflowers at Centennial Gardens
BY ANN GRIBBINS, FPCS VOLUNTEER
Each morning the native plants and butterfly plants in the front garden where I live get some TLC. Each day is an event. Although I live on a short block of houses each home owner has a different landscaper. The results is that every morning a different group arrives to do their job. The workers are friendly, always a hello and a wave. As I listen to the “noise” of the equipment I try to focus on the event. Someone owns
and runs this business. The workers are being paid. When they leave the homeowner’s property looks great. Then a truck arrives to rescue a home with some functioning problems. More noise. Again the focus. A business, workers being paid, repairs being accomplished. Frequently people discuss their dislike for the airplane noise. I try to focus on the passengers coming and going to destinations. Friends and families being united, workers needed at different locations, sick people gong for
Quiet solitude at Centennial Gardens
treatments, travelers. Also another business employing many. Airports with pilots, flight attendants, transportation drivers, food courts, luggage handlers etc. Jobs and work for many. So the butterflies, bees, birds , bugs and I wait and relax until the noise is over. Attached are pictures of plants that attract the pollinators so needed for life.
In addition , over the past two years since the garden was started, so many people have said how much they like it. People walking, dog walkers, runners, and more. I
thank you for your compliments and support. Many times people have stopped their car to share compliments. People have also gotten out of their cars to discuss gardening. This is why we all know “Floral Park is a great place to live”.
Once again you are invited to the Monthly Weedout at Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary. All meet at the main entrance on Floral Parkway at 9 a.m. Saturday, August 1st. When the weed out is finished you can enjoy the quiet of the park. Thank you to all who come.
Milkweed plants are enjoyed by butterflies.
Music on the Lawn of the FP Library
The Cold Spring Harbor Band
The event drew a large crowd.
Celebrating the nation's 250th birthday.
Library Director Pat Eren, Floral Park Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald, and
Floral Park residents enjoyed a concert with the Cold Spring Harbor Band on the Library lawn..
Biking through History on the Katy Trail is Particularly Special During America’s 250th
BY KAREN RUBIN
Biking 240 miles across Missouri on the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame Katy Trail is more about “being” than “seeing”. That is, the ride itself is glorious free-wheeling cycling, and when you finish the day’s ride in one of the charming, historic towns you get to “see”. You experience the towns and ports that grew up with the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (known as the K-T) and the Missouri River boats that declined with the drop in rail and river traffic. These places that bring us so much delight today might well be ghost towns except for new life breathed into them by the thousands of cyclists who come through on the Katy Rail Trail, like Rocheport, population 239.
Constructed between 1987 and 2011, the Katy Trail – actually a linear state park 100 feet wide and 240 miles long - is the longest continuous recreational rail trail ina the United States, and draws cyclists from all over.
On our Wilderness Voyageurs Katy Trail bike tour, only one couple is from Missouri, the rest of us have come from Texas, Alabama, Indiana, California and New York, to enjoy one of the best rail trails in the country. It has the gentle slope of a rail line where there are ups and downs at all, marvelous rest stops (every 12 miles) complete with picnic tables, depotstyle benches under a canopy, where there are excellent placards describing the important history, pointing to the important sites and mile markers on the coming section, and giving clear map and directions and the state maintains the park immaculately.
Much of the trail follows the
Biking 240 miles across Missouri on the Katy Trail with Wilderness Voyageurs © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.co
Missouri River, with the river on one side and towering bluffs on the other, and takes us through forests, wetlands, valleys, prairies, open pastureland and rolling farm fields.
The Katy Trail is steeped in history, much of it following the actual route of Lewis & Clark’s expedition This place also figured prominently in the Westward expansion, One of my favorite sections is where we see pictographs left by the Indigenous peoples who had lived here for centuries before any of them.
Our first day’s ride is 38.4 miles from Clinton to Sedalia, a town that looks like it was set in a time capsule (and was used as the setting for the 1950s TV show, “Rawhide”). The historic Hotel Bothwell, built in 1927 at a cost of $400,000 and visited by Harry S. Truman, is so perfect for
this throwback experience with its old-timey features.
Day 2 is our longest, hardest ride, 50.5 miles, from Sedalia to Rocheport with the most ups/downs – 1,100 ft of elevation and 1,395 ft. declineand ends at a place of serenity and contentment.
We have two support stops, 12 miles apart, and a very long uphill before a two-mile downhill into Boonville and our lunch at the Boonville Visitor Center and River, Rails & Trails Museum.
Boonville was named for frontiersman Daniel Boone’s sons, who established a salt business here in the early 1800s. This was the first permanent American settlement west of St. Louis. More than 400 buildings are listed on the National Historic Register.
We end our ride in Rocheport, a trading post when Lewis and Clark’s expedition came through in 1804. Today, the whole town is a historic district inhabited by 239 residents.
This has been a really arduous ride, so when we arrive at the School House B’n’B at about 3 pm and congregate in its lush garden to enjoy beer and snacks, the most perfect peace washes over us.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the School House B’n’B is a restored three-story brick building built in 1914 that was a school until 1972 (though a school was on the site for 70 years before that). It was converted to a bed and breakfast in 1988.
At 5 pm we are taken to enjoy a tasting at the scenically located A Frame Wine Garden high on a bluff overlooking the river.
Wilderness Voyageurs arranges a private dinner at the Rocheport General Store restaurant where Chef Susan Schapira prepares a truly sensational meal for us.
And then the breakfast at School House B’n’B! Beyond scrumptious: croissant strata with bacon and cheese; maple lemon apple and pear salad; white chocolate banana muffin.
It is no wonder that the School House B’n’B was named “Missouri’s #1 traditional B&B.”
We set out from Rocheport for Jefferson City, for what proves to be the most scenic and interesting day. Wilderness Voyageurs, Ohiopyle, PA, 15470, 800-272-4141, wilderness-voyageurs.com.
Next: Indigenous Pictographs & ‘A Social History of Missouri’
© 2026 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com
BY DENNIS MAMMANA
Week of Aug. 2-8, 2026
One of the most profound experiences a stargazer can have is to stand under the Milky Way on a clear August night far from city lights and see the wispy bunches of stars so tightly packed that they appear to the eye as a hazy band of light punctuated not only by bright individual stars but by tiny regions that appear as hazy clumps.
Aim binoculars or a small telescope toward these “faint fuzzies,” as astronomers affectionately call them, and you’ll walk the same celestial path as Charles Messier did two and a half centuries ago.
Messier was an 18th-century French astronomer who scanned the heavens in search of new comets, hoping that such discoveries would lead him to fame and fortune. He knew that comets often first appear as faint and colorless smudges of light that drift slowly among the stars, so that’s what he was seeking.
Along the way, however, he encountered dozens of such smudges that did not move. What these were he didn’t know and, quite frankly, he didn’t care. They weren’t comets, so to avoid wasting more of his time on them -- and to prevent other comet hunters from being similarly fooled -- he began to compile a list of all these false comets he encountered on his nightly watch.
A Celestial Mother Lode
This list has made Messier known to every stargazer around the world, since it contains more than a hundred of the most stunning sights in the heavens: star clusters, nebulae, galaxies and more. Considering that Messier used a telescope only four inches across for all these discoveries, every one is within range of today’s beginner scopes, and many to binoculars. Even the unaided eye will turn up a few, but you must be under a very dark sky for this to work.
One of the richest areas to find Messier objects, as we call them today, lies in the southern half of our August early evening sky. Here, among the stars of Scorpius, the scorpion and the teapot of Sagittarius, where the Milky Way appears its widest and most brilliant, you can find a true mother lode of cosmic showpieces.
Many of the faint fuzzies in this area are star clusters, families of dozens, hundreds or thousands of stars held together by gravitation. Some of the best are M11 (the 11th entry in Messier’s Catalogue), M6, M7 and M22. Others might be wispy clouds of gas and dust; M8, M16 and M20 are among the most spectacular of these diffuse nebulae where stars and planetary systems are continually being born.
Over his life, Messier discovered 13 comets, enough to be called by King Louis XV the “comet ferret.” Yet these never brought him the fame or fortune
he sought. Instead, it was his inventory of nuisance objects for which he is known worldwide.
Spending a night scanning binoculars or a small telescope along the Milky Way will turn up even more. It’s really something special to encounter these amazing objects among the starry sky. You may even wonder, as I often do, if
LOST IN SUBURBIA
Visit Dennis Mammana at dennismammana.com. . COPYRIGHT 2026 CREATORS.COM
Preparing for the Candy Apocalypse
BY TRACY BECKERMAN
“What’s with all this candy?” asked my husband, eyeballing a large stack of candy bags on the table.
“It’s for Halloween,” I replied nonchalantly.
“But Halloween isn’t for three more months,” he protested.
“I know,” I said. “But I had to get it now because of the Candy Apocalypse.”
“’Candy Apocalypse’?” he wondered aloud. “I’m not sure I want to ask.”
“Well,” I said, “rumor has it that there’s going to be a shortage of candy this year, so everyone is stocking up on chocolate early. I didn’t want to get to the store too late and discover all the candy was sold out and then have angry trick-or-treaters egg our house and toilet-paper our trees because all we have left are boxes of raisins.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think that would happen. You remember we live on a dead end and we only get about 10 trick-or-treaters each year?”
“You never know,” I said. “Remember a few years ago, we ran out
of candy and they TP’d the dog?”
“The trick-or-treaters didn’t do that,” my husband replied. “Our kids did that.”
I shrugged. What I didn’t tell my husband was that I wasn’t really worried about having enough candy for the trick-or-treaters. I was worried about having enough candy for me. The candy stash had to last me through Valentine’s Day and any possible chocolate emergency that might arise between now and then, including, but not limited to, a Candy Apocalypse.
In the past I’ve been conservative in my candy purchases and then had to resort to other means to meet my chocolate needs. Yes, I’m the mom who ate all her kids’ Halloween candy while they were sleeping and blamed it on candy fairies.
“They’re helping out the tooth fairy so you don’t get cavities,” I lied, like any self-respecting candy-thieving mother would do. Ten pounds later, though, the evidence would show up on my thighs, and we’d all know who the real candy bandit was.
Sadly, my kids eventually moved out of their trick-or-treating years, and then I was forced to over-buy candy for the local kids who came to our house. In the past we usually had enough leftover candy to keep me happy, but last year there was an unexpected surge of trick-or-treaters in our neighborhood, and we came dangerously close to running out of candy. Fortunately, I anticipated the crisis before it happened, and I turned off all the lights in the house to make it look like we weren’t home before the candy ran out.
“Well, I’m glad you thought ahead to make sure we’re covered,” said my husband.
“Yup,” I replied.
“And now we don’t have to worry about the dog being TP’d,” he continued.
“That’s right,” I said, nodding.
“And I know this has nothing to do with over-buying candy that you like so you’ll get all the leftovers.”
“Definitely not,” I agreed.
He nodded. “Great! But next year, can you also not over-buy some candy
that I like too?”
Tracy Beckerman is the author of the Amazon Bestseller, “Barking at the Moon: A Story of Life, Love, and Kibble,” available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble online! You can visit her at www. tracybeckerman.com.
COPYRIGHT 2026 CREATORS.COM
Messier would have been so bothered by finding them had he known what he was actually seeing.
Many astronomical objects cataloged by French astronomer Charles Messier are visible in the southern half of the early evening sky in August.
REAL ESTATE WATCH
Digital Identity and Privacy: The Next Big Real Estate Challenge
Buying or selling a home has always required trust. Buyers trust sellers to disclose material facts. Sellers trust buyers to protect confidential financial information. Lenders trust borrowers. Attorneys trust documentation. Realtors trust that every party is acting honestly throughout the process.
But in 2026, there is another form of trust that has become just as valuable—and far more vulnerable.
It’s called your digital identity.
While most homeowners worry about mortgage rates, home values, property taxes, or renovation costs, few realize that every real estate transaction now creates an enormous digital trail. That trail includes bank accounts, driver’s licenses, tax returns, employment records, credit reports, electronic signatures, emails, text messages, geolocation data, cloud storage, and even biometric identification.
The modern real estate transaction has become almost entirely digital. While technology has made buying and selling homes faster and more convenient than ever before, it has also created new risks that every homeowner should understand.
The next frontier of real estate isn’t just artificial intelligence.
It’s digital privacy.
Your Home Purchase Is Now a Digital Event
Twenty years ago, purchasing a home involved stacks of paper.
Today, nearly everything happens online.
Mortgage applications are completed electronically.
Bank statements are uploaded to secure portals.
Contracts are signed electronically.
Identification is verified digitally.
Title searches occur through online databases.
Closing documents are stored in the cloud.
Wire transfers are initiated electronically.
Every click creates data.
Every upload creates another digital record.
Every transaction leaves information that could potentially become a target for cybercriminals.
The convenience is remarkable— but convenience always comes with responsibility.
Your Digital Identity Is Worth More Than You Think
Most people think identity theft means someone opening a credit card in their name.
Today’s cybercriminals think much bigger.
A complete digital identity may
include:
• Social Security number
• Driver’s license
• Passport
• Mortgage information
• Banking relationships
• Property ownership records
• Tax returns
• Income verification
• Investment accounts
• Electronic signatures
BY PHILIP A. RAICES
Combined together, this information can be worth thousands of dollars on the dark web because it allows criminals to impersonate homeowners, apply for loans, redirect funds, or attempt sophisticated financial fraud.
For homeowners, protecting these documents is now just as important as locking the front door.
Wire
Fraud Continues to Be One of Real Estate’s Biggest Threats
One of the fastest-growing crimes affecting real estate transactions is wire fraud.
Here’s how it often works.
Cybercriminals gain access to email conversations between buyers, sellers, attorneys, lenders, or title companies.
Near closing, they send what appears to be legitimate wiring instructions.
The email often looks authentic.
The company logo is correct.
The language is professional.
The email address may differ by only one letter.
A buyer wires hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The money disappears.
Recovery is often difficult because fraudulent wire transfers can move internationally within minutes.
The safest rule remains remarkably simple:
Never rely solely on emailed wire instructions.
Always verify wiring information by calling a trusted phone number you obtained independently—not one provided in the email.
A five-minute phone call can prevent a devastating financial loss.
Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Cybercrime
Artificial intelligence is improving customer service, property searches, marketing, and valuation tools throughout the real estate industry.
Unfortunately, criminals are using AI too.
AI can now generate convincing phishing emails, realistic fake documents, cloned voices, and even deep-
fake video messages that appear authentic.
Imagine receiving a voicemail that sounds exactly like your attorney asking you to send funds immediately.
Or a video conference that appears to include your mortgage officer.
These scenarios are no longer science fiction.
They are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
The best defense is not fear—it is verification.
Slow down.
Confirm identities.
Ask questions.
Verify independently.
Public Records Are More Accessible Than Ever
Property ownership has always been public information.
What’s different today is accessibility.
With a few online searches, someone may be able to locate:
• Property ownership
• Purchase prices
• Tax assessments
• Mortgage filings
• Property boundaries
• Building permits
• Corporate ownership records
Most of this transparency serves legitimate purposes.
However, homeowners should be mindful of how additional personal information posted online— social media, public photos, vacation announcements, or location sharing— can combine with public records to reveal far more than intended.
Privacy today often depends less on hiding information and more on carefully managing what is shared.
What Buyers and Sellers Can Do Today
Fortunately, protecting yourself doesn’t require advanced technical knowledge.
Simple habits make a significant difference.
Use strong, unique passwords for financial accounts.
Enable multi-factor authentication whenever available.
Verify wiring instructions by telephone.
Monitor your credit regularly.
Freeze your credit if you are not actively seeking new loans.
Be cautious of unexpected emails requesting urgent action.
Store important documents in encrypted cloud storage or secure physical locations.
Update home network passwords and router firmware.
Reset smart home devices before moving.
Most successful cyberattacks don’t rely on sophisticated hacking.
They rely on human trust.
Awareness remains one of the strongest forms of protection.
Real Estate Professionals Have a Responsibility
Consumers increasingly expect their real estate professionals to understand digital security—not just contracts and negotiations.
Brokerages are investing more heavily in encrypted communications, secure transaction management platforms, cybersecurity training, and identity verification procedures.
Agents who educate clients about protecting sensitive information add value well beyond finding the right property or negotiating the best price.
In many ways, today’s Realtor serves not only as a market expert but also as a trusted guide through an increasingly digital transaction.
The Future of Digital Trust
Emerging technologies such as blockchain-based property records, decentralized digital identity systems, biometric verification, and AI-powered fraud detection may significantly improve transaction security over the next decade.
These innovations could reduce fraud, accelerate closings, and simplify identity verification while giving consumers greater control over their personal information.
As with any technological advancement, adoption will take time.
The goal isn’t to eliminate technology.
It’s to use technology wisely.
Final Thoughts
For generations, homeowners focused on protecting the physical aspects of their property—strong locks, alarm systems, insurance policies, and secure neighborhoods.
Today, protecting your home also means protecting your digital identity. Every online document, electronic signature, and financial transaction represents another piece of your digital footprint.
The good news is that awareness goes a long way. By staying informed, verifying requests before acting, and practicing sound cybersecurity habits, buyers and sellers can enjoy the convenience of modern real estate technology while minimizing unnecessary risks.
Continued on page 5
Working Women vs. Stay-at-Home Moms -- The Argument
BY TOM MARGENAU
Once again, I find myself in the middle of an argument that has been going on for decades, maybe longer: the friction that develops between working women and stay-at-home moms.
I’m not an anthropologist. Nor am I a social scientist. And I’m sure folks in those professions would be able to find all kinds of underlying causes for the resentment felt by so many working women towards their gender counterparts who, for whatever reason, spent their lifetimes as fulltime mothers and wives.
But this is a column about Social Security, not inter-gender politics. So why do I bring this topic up? Because Social Security rules can sometimes get in the middle of these heated discussions.
I’ve waded into the middle of this sea of disharmony in a couple of past columns. But some recent emails have caused me to do so once more.
Not long ago, I wrote a column in which I explained that a working woman will generally be paid her own Social Security benefit first. Only after that will they look to her husband’s record to see if she can get any additional benefits.
Part of that column included comments from a stay-at-home mom (now a grandma) who complained that she thought the benefits she was getting on her husband’s Social Security account were too small. And that triggered comments from more than a few working women.
One woman wrote to say: “These women, who claim that sitting at home all day changing a few diapers is a full-time job, should stop their griping. I do all that and I work 8 hours a day at Costco. And I won’t get half as much off my husband’s Social Security as these whiners will get!” Another woman wrote: “I wish I could sit at home all day living off a sugar-daddy husband and then get half of his Social Security when he retires. I work for a living and probably won’t get any of my husband’s Social Security!”
Those comments are just snippets of the hundreds of irate emails I’ve received over the years from working women who are upset that they oftentimes get reduced and sometimes no benefits from their husbands’ Social Security records. And then they find it doubly irritating that a woman who didn’t work outside the home gets to collect full Social Security spousal benefits from her husband’s or ex-husband’s account.
Whenever I get these kinds of emails, I think of my mother. I’ve shared her story before. And I guess it’s time to do so once again. It helps explain the Social Security rules.
My mom went through the last 25 years of her life carrying such a grudge against Social Security in general and a neighbor lady in particular.
My parents came from the wrong side
of the economic tracks and spent their lives trying to inch their way into the middle class. My dad was a janitor. But that job simply didn’t bring enough money into our household. So, my mom always worked outside the home. She spent much of her adult life doing clerical work in a hospital. She took time off to have four kids. But within a year of the birth of each of those kids, she was always back to work to help pay the rent and buy groceries. There was little money left over for what most people would consider the good things in life.
But speaking of those good things, our neighbors behind us across the alley were living the American dream. (That alley was like the proverbial “tracks.” It divided the rich side of town from the poor side.)
In their household, the husband and father was the vice president of a local bank. They had six kids. And his wife, although she had a degree in journalism, was a fulltime stay-at-home mom. She never had to work outside the home because her husband’s salary brought in more than enough money to keep them living in comfort. My brothers and sisters enjoyed playing with the banker’s kids. (They had really nice toys and stuff!) But our parents never mingled and never visited one another. They simply ran in different economic circles.
Long story short: Both the husbands eventually died. The banker’s widow (she was over 65 at the time) started getting a rather substantial widow’s benefit from Social Security. But my mom got a very small monthly widow’s check from my dad’s account. And that’s because she was getting her own Social Security retirement benefit, and that benefit offset her widow’s payments -- dollar for dollar.
And because of their respective economic circumstances, the banker’s widow received a significantly higher monthly Social Security benefit than the combined payments my mom was getting. And this simply irritated my mother to no end. By this time, I was working for the Social Security Administration, and if she asked me this once, she asked this a thousand times: “Why is THAT WOMAN across the alley, a woman who never worked a day in her life, getting more money than I am -- a woman who has spent 40 years working at a job and at home?”
I tried to explain to my mom that it all had to do with two of the basic concepts of Social Security. The first essentially says this: the more you pay into the system, the more you get out. And the second has to do with the reason behind spousal benefits -those benefits were always intended to be paid to women who were “dependent” on their husbands’ income.
The banker’s wife was just that: a “dependent.” She depended on her husband’s salary while he was alive. And so once he died, she was dependent on his Social Security.
My mom, on the other hand, had her own job and her own income. And because of that job, she received her own pension from the hospital where she worked and her own Social Security retirement benefit once she retired. In other words, she was not totally dependent on my father. But because my dad’s Social Security benefit was slightly higher than my mom’s retirement check, she did get a small widow’s supplement from Social Security. My mom never bought that argument.
She would say: “Your dad worked all his life, and I should be getting his Social Security now that he’s gone.” In other words, she wanted her own full retirement benefit and a full widow’s benefit from my dad’s account. And many working women today send me emails making the same points my mom did 50 years ago. I tried to explain to my mom, and I still
Continued on next page
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
BY TOM SCHENKEL
A trip to your barber can be thought of as a task on your must do list. One can usually tell when it’s time to make that visit. In my case, it was time to visit Primo. He was my local barber of choice, and I found him, as always, to be both capable and interesting.
The fact that Primo had cut my hair on my wedding day gave us a sense of connection. My visits were more than just functional tasks. We were friends. He always inquired about my wife and family, and I sensed that he was truly interested in the updates.
Primo always managed to keep our conversation interesting without interjecting too many of his own private thoughts or opinions. He knew that I was a local teacher and occasional-
Digital
Continued from page 3
Primo: Barber Extraordinaire
ly I would even encounter students from my classes. As the years went by, Primo started to refer to me as the professor. He and I would even discuss different authors and various works of literature. On more than one occasion, I would comment on Primo‘s interesting choice of books. He was a classicist and it was not uncommon to find him reading college textbooks. He was, indeed, a very well read man.
One day our conversation drifted onto the topic of vacation. I told him about our annual trip to the Amish country and of our little adventures. He listened thoughtfully and then lapsed into a moment of pensive silence. “Now it’s your turn, Primo. What did you do on your vacation?” He appeared to be glad that I had asked.
“I went to Milan, Italy to see the
opera. It was a very special trip. I dressed up in my finest suit and overcoat with a silk scarf around my neck. Then I took a limousine to La Scala to see a Puccini opera. When I arrived, I told the box office that I wanted the best seat in the house. I didn’t cringe when the man told me the price and I was personally escorted to my seat. It was magnificent! Everyone was so nice and treated me as if I were someone very special. Never did anyone suspect,for a moment, that I was only a barber. When the opera ended, the limousine driver transported me back to my hotel. It was a magical night! “ “That’s an incredible story, Primo, what an experience.” I know that he was very pleased by my reaction. Because of our friendship through the years, he knew that it would mean
REAL ESTATE WATCH
something special to me. How many times in life do we have an opportunity to fulfill our dreams and fantasies? Not many, I suppose, but this well read, highly cultured man did. For one day, Primo had managed to take on a mysterious persona and live out his dream of being someone special. He also had managed to let the world view him through a different lens and escape from his daily routine.
As I entered the house, I was greeted by my wife with, “Let me see your haircut, dear. Oh good, he did a nice job. You look as nice as the day I married you.” I thought to myself, how happy I was to have a barber who could please my wife’s critical tastes. Now that’s an accomplishment for the ages!
Identity and Privacy: The Next Big Real Estate Challenge
In the years ahead, the value of a successful real estate transaction won’t be measured solely by the purchase price or mortgage rate. It will also be measured by how securely your personal information travels from contract to closing.
Because in today’s marketplace, safeguarding your digital identity has become just as essential as safeguarding the keys to your new front door.
P.S. When you’re planning your vacation, Never ever post any photos on any sites. If you do, the criminal and devious thieves will see them and know that you are away. This will allow them to rob and vandalize your home.
However, I suggest that you go out
Continued from previous page
try to explain to those sending me emails today, that if the law allowed them to get both a retirement benefit and a dependent spousal benefit, where would we draw the line? Why can’t all working people in
and purchase a camera bell as well as a camera or two for your home, to make sure you record your valuables, e.g., paintings, jewelry (unless you have a safety deposit box at your local bank, etc.
Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate. He has 43+ years experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned 3 significant designations:
National Association of Realtors Graduate Realtors Institute (what I consider a Master’s degree in real estate). Certified International Property Specialist - expert in consulting and completing international transactions.
National Association of Realtors Green designation: eco-friendly low carbon footprint construction with 3-D printed foundations, Solar panels, Geothermal HVAC/Heat Pumps).
He will also provide a copy of “Unlocking the Secrets of Real Estate’s New Market Reality, and his Seller’s and Buyer’s Guides for “Things to Consider when Selling, investing or Purchasing your Home.
He will provide you with “free” regular updates of what has gone under
SOCIAL SECURITY AND YOU
this country, both men and women, claim their own Social Security benefit AND spousal benefits from their husband or wife? Gosh, if we had been paying every working person in this country both their own retirement benefit and a dependent’s benefit from their spouse, the Social Secu-
contract (pending), been sold (closed) and those homes that have been withdrawn/ released or expired (W/R) and all new listings of homes, HOA, Townhomes, Condos, and Coops in your town or go to: https://WWW.Li-RealEstate.Com and you can “do it yourself (DYI) and search at your leisure on your own. However, for a “FREE” no obligation/no strings attached 15-minute consultation, as well as a “FREE printout or digital value analysis of what your home might sell for in today’s market without any obligation or “strings” attached call him at (516) 647-4289 or email: Phil@ TurnKeyRealEstate.com
rity program would have gone belly up a long time ago!
If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called “Social Security -Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” The other is “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the books at Amazon. com or other book outlets. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net.
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Oh Most Beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, Fruitful Vine, Splendor of Heaven. Oh, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity.
Oh Star of the Sea, help me herein and show me here you are my Mother.
Oh Holy Mary Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor me in my necessity (make request). There are none that can withstand your power. Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee (say three times).
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Chicken-fried finger foods
Best-Ever Steak Fingers
Country-fried or chicken-fried are terms given to breaded and deep-fried poultry and meat. In fact, chicken-fried steak is an institution in the American south, where thinly sliced cuts of cubed steak are prepared in this way and served with country gravy and biscuits. There’s not much room for improvement in this classic… or is there? In “Best-Ever Steak
Veggie oil for frying
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons all-purpose steak seasoning, divided 1 cup buttermilk
1 egg 4 pounds beef cube steak
1) Preheat oven to lowest temperature.
2) Pour 1 inch oil into a large cast-iron or other thick-bottomed skillet. Turn heat to medium low. Place the flour in a shallow pan. Sprinkle half the steak seasoning over flour, and mix together.
Fingers,” chicken-fried steak gets a makeover into easily picked up finger foods tailor made for dipping in a savory sauce. They are perfect for picnics and meals on the go. Dig in, courtesy of “Lord Honey Traditional Southern Recipes with a Country Bling Twist” (Pelican Publishing) by Chef Jason Smith. Makes 9 servings
Dipping sauce
1 cup mayo
1⁄2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 package dry Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons dried dill
3) Cut steak into 1-inch strips. Add the rest of the steak seasoning, rubbing into each piece. Turn heat to medium on skillet. Place each strip in the flour mix, then into the milk and egg mix, then back into the flour. Shake off excess and place each strip on a plate. Repeat until all strips are coated.
4) Sprinkle a few drops flour over oil. If it sizzles, it’s ready to fry. Using tongs or a fork, place strips side by side in hot oil. Don’t crowd the pan, or it will cool the oil.
5) After about 2 to 3 minutes, when strips start to brown on bottom, turn over. When second side is brown, remove and place on a cooling rack that has been set on a cookie sheet. Set the sheet in the preheated oven. Repeat until all fingers are cooked.
6) In a bowl, whisk together all dipping sauce ingredients.
New Listing: 166 Beech Street, Floral Park
Welcome to this impeccably maintained Cape Cod, ideally situated in the heart of Floral Park Village, where timeless charm, flexible living, and an exceptional community come together to create the perfect place to call home.
From its inviting curb appeal to its surprisingly spacious and versatile floor plan, this exceptional home offers comfort, functionality, and endless possibilities. A welcoming foyer leads to a bright and inviting living room, formal dining room, open-concept kitchen, and an expansive den, creating the perfect setting for both everyday living and entertaining. The first floor also features a spacious primary bedroom, an additional bedroom, and a full bathroom, providing the convenience of one-level living if desired. A rear door opens directly to the beautifully landscaped backyard, creating a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor living.
The second level offers two exceptionally generous bedrooms, either of which could easily serve as a luxurious primary suite, along with a full hall bathroom.
The fully finished basement provides outstanding additional living space and includes multiple recreation or bonus rooms, a full bathroom, laundry area, utility room, abundant storage, and an outside egress door to the backyard, offering endless possibilities to fit today’s lifestyle.
Situated on a beautifully landscaped 60’ x 100’ property, the private backyard features an inviting patio, perfect for relaxing or entertaining, along with a private driveway and attached one-car garage.
Residents enjoy all the exceptional amenities that Floral Park Village has to offer, including private police and sanitation services, a recreation center with an Olympic-size pool, tennis and pickleball courts, basketball and volleyball courts, baseball fields, hockey facilities, and a vibrant community atmosphere. Conveniently located near shopping, restaurants, major highways, the LIRR with direct service to Grand Central, Penn Station, and Atlantic Terminal, and within highly regarded School District #22.
Offering exceptional space, versatility, and the unmatched lifestyle of Floral Park Village, this is more than a house— it’s a place you’ll be proud to call home.
Offered Price is $988,888. Please call Marie Grant at 516-524-2781 for a showing.
