Friday, January 13, 2023
Vol. 83, No. 2
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SERVING PLAINVIEW, HICKSVILLE, AND LEVITTOWN
Chamber collects toys for charities Town honors Vietnam
vet with MLK medal BY RIKKI MASSAND
The Levittown Chamber of Commerce had a holiday celebration for its members along with a toy collection for The Joey Foundation. The Joey Foundation was founded by Ann Torcivia in memory of her son who passed away at 6 years old due to Aplastic Anemia, a rare disease in which bone marrow stops producing enough blood cells. The Joey Foundation’s mission statement is to positively impact the lives of children. With the help of the Levittown Chamber of Commerce along with several other local businesses, The Joey Foundation collected over 1,000 toys & gifts for sick children as well as children in need.
At the January 10th meeting of the Oyster Bay Town Board, Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino explained that the Town will be celebrating Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday January 16, as well as Black History Month this February. He noted this will be a “much larger, educational and informative” commemoration than previously organized by the Town government. One of the community members Saladino and the Town Board members welcomed at the meeting was U.S. Army veteran, Staff Sergeant Arturo Jerome Edwards, who was presented with the Town’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award. Edwards was recognized with a loud round
of applause at this week’s meeting, the first Town government meeting of 2023. Arturo Jerome Edwards served in the Army for two years and another 16 years active in the U.S. Army Reserve. He achieved the rank of staff sergeant E-6 and fought in Vietnam, serving there from May 1966 to November 1967. Supervisor Saladino noted how difficult those years of the Vietnam War were. Following his Vietnam experience Edwards became a member of the NYPD, serving with distinction. Saladino said this was just the beginning of a commitment to service of both the United States and his home state and community. Edwards has been involved in the Town of Oyster Bay as a distinguished veterans advocate, and as a See page 10
Pre-K lottery deadline
Hicksville Public School District is offering a full-day Pre-Kindergarten Program for the 2023–2024 school year. Children must be four years of age prior to Dec. 1, 2023, to be eligible to participate. Selection for this program is lottery based and requires the completion of an application. Applications for the
lottery will become available on Jan. 3, 2023, and must be received by 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 10. Classes for the fullday pre-K program will be held from Monday through Friday and will follow the school district’s calendar. There is no cost to participate in this program. Fam-
ilies are responsible for providing transportation for their child. The curriculum follows New York State pre-kindergarten standards and is taught by New York State certified teachers. Students will be selected for the program by a random lottery to be observed See page 10
The Mid-Island Times & Levittown Times is Published every Friday by Litmor Publishing Corp. Periodical Postage paid at Hicksville, N.Y. 11801 Tel 931-0012. USPS 3467-68 Postmaster: Send Address Changes to: The Mid Island & Levittown Times 821 Franklin Ave., Suite 208, Garden City, N.Y. 11530. Meg Norris Publisher
The Oyster Bay Town Board recently presented the Town of Oyster Bay Martin Luther King, Jr. Distinguished Service Award to retired United States Army Staff Sergeant Arturo Jerome Edwards of Farmingdale for his service to the nation and community.
Students get taste of fine dining PAGE 6 Shine a Light on Antisemitism PAGE 16