Friday, December 6, 2024
Vol. 1, No. 13
THE GATEWAY TO NASSAU COUNTY SERVING FLORAL PARK, BELLEROSE AND STEWART MANOR AN EDITION OF THE GARDEN CITY NEWS
After 64 years, beloved restaurant to close doors
Sewanhaka board honors student achievements
BY RIKKI MASSAND Fine Italian dining in Floral Park will never be the same as a longtime culinary hub, Stella Ristorante at 152 Jericho Turnpike (affectionately known as Stella’s) will be closing for good on New Year’s Day. Regarded as one of Long Island’s premier Italian restaurants, Stella’s has been a beloved culinary hub and gathering spot for over 60 years. While its iconic dining rooms are fully booked through New Year’s Eve and takeout orders are no longer available, the Cerrone family plans to reopen a new generation of the restaurant at the same location in the future.
ROOTED IN FAMILY VALUES
At the November 26th meeting of the Sewanhaka Central High School District Board of Education, the board honored several student groups, including the Marching Knights of Sewanhaka High School. The marching band received third place in the Large School 3 Division of the New York State Field Band Championship. See page 4.
Rotary Club bike donation drive Rotary Club of Floral Park-Bellerose is sponsoring a Bike Donation Drive for the benefit of the Backstretch Workers at the Belmont Race Track. Do you have a bike collecting dust in your garage? Consider donating it to BEST. Backstretch Employee Service Team, a non profit which helps bring a better quality of life to these people. The backstretch workers at
Belmont Racetrack are the heart and soul of horse racing. Over 900 hardworking individuals live in dormitories on-site caring for the horses: feeding, cleaning, grooming, and exercising them, working tirelessly from 4 am each day. They would love to have a bike as it will help them get around the facility quickly. How to donate: Kindly drop off bikes in the backyard of the
home of Rich Burgess at 107 Birch Street, Floral Park, NY. 11001. If you need bikes to be picked up please give us a call at 516-4139129. Lets make a difference in our community by helping those who keep the Belmont Racetrack running so smoothly!
Stella’s history is a testament to family tradition and the Floral Park community. Giuseppe and Ginetta Cerrone emigrated from Italy in the late 1950s, bringing with them a dedication to love, hard work, and resilience. In 1960, they opened Stella Ristorante as a humble pizzeria. The restaurant’s cuisine, inspired by the Lazio region near Rome, has become synonymous with Floral Park’s charm. Over the decades, Stella’s warm hospitality, authenSee page 8
Free Sample
We'd like to introduce you to Floral Park's newest newspaper! Over the next few weeks we will be mailing free copies of our print edition to homes in town. We hope you like it! To learn how to subscribe, or to contribute material, please see page 6
Poet Laureate visits FP High School PAGE 6 December events at the FP Library PAGE3