WEST BABYLON SCIENCE OLYMPIAD TEAMS - 65 teams from across Suffolk County recently gathered at Hauppauge High School to compete in the annual Science Olympiad Regional Tournament. With only the top eight schools advancing to the state tournament in March, the competition was intense and highly competitive. West Babylon Senior High School finished sixth overall, once again earning a coveted spot at the New York State Science Olympiad Tournament.
Introducing the most advanced, state-of-the-art health care experience the South Shore has ever seen.
Here at Good Samaritan University Hospital, “better” isn’t a finish line. It’s a starting point. A new beginning. A symbol of transformation our community deserves. And while our Patient Care Pavilion will feature an all-new, expanded emergency department, technologically advanced operating rooms, reimagined private patient rooms, and enhanced Trauma and Stroke centers, we know that better care isn’t just about the building. It’s about the people inside, and the hands that heal. Because better is something we live every day. And it never stops.
211 Route 109
West Babylon (631) 669-5445 www.wbpl.us
Nancy Evans, Director
DIY: HEART AND ARROW KIT
February 19-24
West Babylon Card Holders Only.
HEALTH SCREENING (CATHOLIC HEALTH COMMUNITY BUS)
Thursday, February 19, 10 am-2 pm
Catholic Health Community Bus will be at the Library offering FREE health screenings. Staffed by Registered Nurses from Catholic Health the screenings include a brief cardiac history, blood pressure and simple finger stick blood test for cholesterol and diabetes. No registration required.
FRIDAY FLICKS
Movies begin at 1 pm
Friday, February 20: White House Down (PG-13, 137 min)
CHOCOLAT & CHIC
Monday, February 23, 7-8:30 pm
Paris is calling — and it’s delicious. Join Chocolatier Linda for French chocolate tastings and a chic evening straight out of Emily in Paris. Non-refundable/transferable program fee: $5.
CASUAL CRAFTING KIT
February 24-March 2
Get crafty in your down time with these monthly kits for adults. Each kit comes with a small DIY craft to be completed at your leisure. West Babylon Card holders only.
MEDICAID ENROLLMENT ASSISTANCE
Tuesday, February 24, 10 am-1:30 pm
Sign up is first-come, firstserved and free of charge. For more information, call
the Nassau Suffolk Hospital Council at 631-435-3000.
SENIOR SOCIAL CLUB: FOOD & CONVERSATION WITH JACKIE
Tuesday, February 24, 2-4 pm
On the menu: Hoppel Poppel, a hearty stove-top egg casserole with roots in Germany, Austria, and the Midwestern U.S. This classic dish combines crispy hash browns, sauteed onions, fluffy eggs, melted cheese, and savory pepperoni-a true comfort food that’s perfect for sharing. To make sure everyone feels included, we’ll also prepare a vegetarian option featuring vegan pepperoni.
FOR BEGINNERS
Tuesday, February 24, 6:15-7:15 pm
Join us for this monthly class to help enhance your English language skills.
PUBLISHER
Jeff Lambert
ASSISTANT
CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION
Joe Lambert
Ethan Keattikul
Diana Lambert ADMINISTRATION
Teri Tinkler
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Josh Marlowe GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Victoria
MANAGING EDITOR
Felicia Edwards
MARKETING MANAGER
Noelle Lambert
“Business First has saved us nearly $3,200.”*
—Lisa Basini, Baking Coach, Bellport
Lisa’s passion is baking. Opening a store was a big step—one she made with support from PSEG Long Island. She earned incentives for choosing a vacant space that reduced her monthly energy costs. Now, her thriving business has made life a little sweeter for all of us.
Reduce your energy costs. Get a free business energy assessment. psegliny.com/businessassessment
*Incentives, grants, and rebates will vary with every project.
On Friday, January 16th, the Village of Babylon Historical & Preservation Society and the Nathaniel Conklin House opened their doors to newly elected Suffolk County Legislator RJ Renna!
President Judy Skillen, Vice President and Village
Historian Wayne Horsley, and Corresponding
Secretary Karen Petz.
Said Legislator Renna: “I thank the Babylon Historical & Preservation Society and Judy, Wayne, and Karen for inviting me o a great afternoon of touring the Village
The day featured tours of both the Babylon Village Historical Society Museum and the Conklin House and included well over an hour’s worth of conversation on our local history. It was orchestrated by Historical & Preservation Society
of Babylon’s historic landmarks and I look forward to continuing to meet with and engage in our local history and culture with other local civic groups. The Historical & Preservation Society is a recipient of Suffolk County of historical preservation funding made possible by the Suffolk County Hotel/ Motel Occupancy tax Program.
THURSDAY, FEB. 19th
10:00AM-12:00PM
WINTER BIRD WALK:
FAMILY PROGRAM
2026 Robert Moses State Park in Babylon, Winter Environmental Event Winter on the beach is one of the best birding times of the year! Dress for the weather and we will be walking on sand. Bring binoculars. Reservations required: Visit Eventbrite.com and search #NatureEdventure. If you are unable to keep your reservation, please call or cancel so others may have the opportunity to attend.
SATURDAY, FEB. 21st
1:00PM–4:00pm
HOLIDAY CHEER
BUS AWARDS CEREMONY
KiDS NEED MoRE will host its Holiday Cheer Bus Awards Ceremony to celebrate the volunteers, fundraisers, donors, sponsors, and community partners who made the holiday season possible. The event honors the “elves” behind the scenes who helped spread cheer to children and families across Long Island. Carney’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, 136 Broadway in Amityville. For more information, visit kidsneedmore.org.
7:00PM-11:00PM
DANCE TO THE OLDIES
Will be held at the Wade-Burns VFW 7279, 560 N. Delaware Avenue in Lindenhurst. Tickets $40.00 pp includes: Hero
MAKE A SUBMISSION! Events must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the event date and will run free of charge on a space available basis. For more information, please call 631.226.2636 x275 or send events to editorial@longislandmediagroup.com
sandwich, Macaroni and Potato salad, Tap beer, House Wine, Soda, coffee, Tea, Dessert. Music by DJ Ralph. Call Dot Kelly at 631-9576574 for ticket availability. Must be 18 or older to attend.
SUNDAY, FEB. 22nd
9:00AM–12:00pm 33rd ANNUAL PANCAKE BREAKFAST
The Mayor's Beautification Society of Lindenhurst is hosting their annual pancake breakfast at Fireman's Pavilion, 555 Heiling Blvd. Enjoy breakfast, lots of raffles and 50/50. Adults $12 and Seniors (60+) / Children (under 12) $10. Breakfast served until 11:00AM followed by raffle drawings. Purchase at door or email: LINDENHURSTMBS@GMAIL.COM
1:30PM–3:00pm BLACK EXPERIENCES IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR LECTURE
The New York State Parks’ Interpreter for African American History will present a special lecture program called “Black Experiences in the Revolutionary War” at Bethpage State Park’s Heritage Club in the Lenox Room. Reservations are required. To register, please visit Eventbrite. com and search by program title or #NatureEdventure. For questions, please call 631-581-1072
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25th
7:00PM BOY BAND & POP DIVA
MUSIC BINGO
317 Main Street in Farmingdale. All winners will receive a prize! Reserve your spot now and purchase your ticket! 21+ / Limited menu available during the event. For more information, please call 631-921-4670
THRU SAT. FEB. 28th
11:00AM-4:00PM
HIDDEN HEARTS SCAVENGER HUNT
At The Whaling Museum & Education Center, 301 Main St. in Cold Spring Harbor. Find the hidden hearts and snag a prize! Free Event. For more information, please call 631-367-3418
SATURDAY, FEB. 28th
2:00PM
MEGA MAGIC WITH MIKE D’URZO Award-winning magician and mentalist. Michael J. Grant Campus in Brentwood. The Theatres at Suffolk County Community College, in partnership with the Lively Arts Series, announce the Spring 2026 Season, featuring a dynamic lineup of performances presented at the Michael J. Grant and Ammerman campuses. Tickets and information available at sunysuffolk.edu/spotlight or by calling: Michael J. Grant Campus, Brentwood: 631-8516589, Ammerman Campus, Selden: 631-451-4163
• ½ Tray of Choice: Chicken Parm, Francese or Marsala
• ½ Tray of Choice: Baked Ziti or Penne Vodka
• ½ Tray of Garden Salad
• ½ Tray of Garlic Knots
• Full Tray of Choice: Chicken Parm, Francese or Marsala
• Full Tray of Choice: Baked Ziti or Penne Vodka
• Full Tray of Choice: Sausage & Peppers or Meatballs
• Full Tray of Garden Salad & Garlic Knots
• Full Tray of Choice: Chicken Parm, Francese or Marsala
• Full Tray of Choice: Baked Ziti or Penne Vodka
• Full Tray of Choice: Sausage & Peppers or Meatballs
• Full Tray of Choice: Eggplant Parm or Rollatini
• Full Tray of Garden Salad & Garlic Knots
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA), Babylon Town Clerk Gerry Compitello, and Suffolk County District
Attorney Raymond Tierney will host a free senior scam prevention program on Wednesday, February 25, at
10 a.m. at the AFA Barbara Rabinowitz Education & Resource Center in Amityville.
The program, Preventing the Financial Exploitation of Seniors, will educate attendees on common scams, warning signs, steps
to protect against fraud and identity theft, and how to respond if victimized. According to the FBI, seniors lose an estimated $3 billion annually to scams, often because they are viewed as trusting and financially stable.
AFA President and CEO Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. praised the partnership for empowering seniors with knowledge and awareness.
District Attorney Tierney and Town Clerk Compitello emphasized the importance of education in protecting seniors from increasingly sophisticated scams.
Advance registration is required. For more information or to register, call 631-223-4000.
By JoAnn Cilla
This month, a familiar feeling is setting in for many people. The 2026 calendar is still shiny and new, but the New Year’s resolutions you made with so much energy and optimism in December are already broken or holding on for dear life. You are still paying for a gym membership but haven’t gone since the second week of the year. The 2026 monthly budget you spent hours working on is busted, and your motivation for change has been replaced by guilt. This is usually the moment when people decide they have failed and quietly give up until next January.
January was never meant to be a verdict on your entire year. It is just one step on a 12-step staircase. Just because you slipped on the first step doesn’t mean you have to fall down the entire staircase. Resolutions tend to be rigid. Lose 20 pounds. Save more money. Be less stressed. The problem is that resolutions often demand perfection from day one, at the exact moment when our lives are
JOANN CILLA
still playing catch-up after the holidays. One missed week, and we are ready to quit.
Intentions work differently. An intention is a direction, not a mandate. It invites progress instead of punishment. Intentions understand that there is no straight line to success or happiness; we will have good days and bad days. If we fall down a step with our intentions, we simply get back up and keep walking.
February is the perfect time to reset. The noise of January has faded. The pressure to reinvent yourself overnight is gone. You can take what you learned last month and adjust your goals without
drama. Maybe the intention is to move your body more, instead of committing to a daily workout you secretly dread. Maybe it is to be more thoughtful with money, instead of swearing off every small pleasure. Another benefit is that intentions do not have to last all year. Some of the most effective ones are short. They could be a month, ninety days, or even just a few weeks. Shorter intentions feel manageable and achievable, which builds confidence. Confidence is what carries you forward, not willpower alone.
Intentions also evolve. What you need in February may look different by June. When you give yourself permission to revisit and refine your intentions, you stay engaged instead of defeated.
If your resolutions fell apart in January, don’t write 2026 off. Replace last month’s resolutions with February intentions that fit the season you are in right now. A year shaped by intention often lasts much longer than one ruled by resolutions.
New York State
Assemblyman Michael Durso announced that the New York Conference of Italian American State Legislators is now accepting applications for academic and athletic scholarships with an award amount of $3,000 each.
Scholarships are available to residents of the 9th Assembly District who are current college students or high school seniors entering college. Applicants do not need to be of Italian American heritage to apply.
Students can access and
complete the application by visiting: https://www.nyiacsl. org/apply-for-scholarshipform
The application deadline is Monday, March 16, 2026.
“This is an excellent opportunity for high school seniors and college students in the 9th Assembly District who have worked hard, distinguished themselves from their peers and intend to pursue higher education,” said Assemblyman Durso.
“With college costs on the rise, these scholarships can help reduce the financial burden for so many young
people and their families. I encourage eligible students in my district to apply.”
The New York Conference of Italian American State Legislators is a bipartisan organization of state Assembly and Senate members who actively promote and celebrate the state’s Italian American community. For additional information, or to inquire if the student lives in the 9th Assembly District, please call Assemblyman Durso’s office at 516-541-4598.
LI
Suffolk Legislator Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park) is pleased to inform Babylon and Huntington residents about the local Suffolk County Office for the Aging Winter 2026 Senior Advocate Schedule. Senior advocates are County representatives who come out into the community and assist seniors with information gathering, completion of eligibility or recertification applications and referrals to appropriate community agencies.
“It is so important for us to provide our senior citizens with the assistance and information they need in ways that are most convenient to them. These visits allow our seniors to connect with our County’s senior advocates right in their own communities,” said Legislator Donnelly. “I hope all those interested in the services that the Suffolk County Office for the Aging provides will take advantage
of this opportunity.”
This winter, Senior Advocates will be visiting the following locations in the Town of Babylon:
• Deer Park Library, 44 Lake Avenue, Deer Park: Friday, March 20, 8:30 am – 11:30 am
• North Amityville Senior Nutrition Center, 48-C Cedar Road, Amityville: Wednesdays, February 18 & March 18, 10 am – 1 pm
• Rainbow Senior Center, 293 Buffalo Avenue, Lindenhurst: Wednesday, March 4, 8:30 am – 11 am
• Tanner Park Senior Center, 2 Tanner Park, Copiague: Wednesday, March 11, 8:30 am – 2 pm
• Spangle Drive Senior Center, 4385 Spangle Drive, North Babylon: Tuesdays, February 24 & March 24, 12 pm – 3 pm
• West Babylon Library, 211 Route 109, West Babylon: Thursday, March 26, 10 am – 12 pm
• Wyandanch Senior
Nutrition Center, 28 Wyandanch Avenue, Wyandanch: Wednesdays, February 25 & March 25, 10 am – 1 pm
In Huntington, they will be visiting the following:
• Huntington Senior Nutrition Center, 423 Park Avenue, Huntington: Wednesday, March 18, 8:30 am – 2 pm
• Paumanack Village 5 & 6, 100 Adriatic Drive, Melville: Thursdays, February 26 & March 26, 8:30 am – 12 pm; residents only Advocates assist with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – formerly known as food stamps), Medicare Savings Program and Heating Emergency Assistance Program (HEAP) applications. They also can provide information on Medicare, answer questions and make recommendations and referrals. For more information about available services or directions to any
of these locations, please call the Suffolk County Office for the Aging at (631) 853-8200.
“For more than three decades, the Suffolk County Office for the Aging has been providing full and trouble-free access to critical services,” Donnelly said. “I am glad to see their great professional community outreach program continue and hope that every senior resident will make full use of it.”
# # #
Suffolk County Legislator Tom Donnelly represents the 17th Legislative District, which includes parts of Baywood, Deer Park, Dix Hills, Huntington, Melville, North Babylon, North Bay Shore and South Huntington. He is a member of the Budget & Finance, Fire, Rescue, EMS & Preparedness, Public Safety, Seniors & Human Services and Ways & Means committees of the Suffolk County Legislature.
Aging men and women may be tempted to eschew home cooking entirely. After all, there are plenty of convenient frozen or takeout foods available that can be whipped up in a snap.
However, there are certain benefits to cooking your own meals. John Moore, DO, an Aetna medical director and senior health specialist, says that cooking can be good for helping to
stave off cognitive decline. Dr. Moore notes that, when cooking, the mind is put to use following a recipe and learning new skills and tasks. Furthermore, cooking for oneself can boost seniors’ selfconfidence, reassuring them that they can handle
an important daily task without having to rely on their family for meals. As long as it is deemed safe (i.e., no sign of cognitive decline or forgetfulness), seniors should be encouraged to continue cooking.
Long Island’s largest year-round professional theatrical venue, The Argyle Theatre, has announced the cast for its upcoming production of Disney’s Newsies, directed by Tommy Ranieri with choreography by Trent Soyster and musical direction by Jonathan Brenner. Performances run through March 22, 2026.
Joining the previously announced cast of Mason Ballard (Regional: Bonnie & Clyde) as Jack Kelly, Cara Rose DiPietro (Regional: Little Shop of Horrors) as Katherine Plumber, Keyon Pickett ( Hallmarks’s
“A Christmas Love Story”) as Davey, Jeremy DerMovsesian (Regional: Saturday Night Fever) as Crutchie, Arielle Faye Beane (Argyle’s Mary Poppins) as Medda Larkin, and Andrew Foote (National Tour: Jekyll & Hyde) as Joseph Pulitzer are Sean Joseph Condenzio, Shea Curran (Regional: MEMPHIS), Kevin Dennis (Broadway: Paradise Square Argyle’s Rock of Ages), Mikey LoBalsamo (Regional: Murder on the Orient Express), Chris Donovan (Regional: Come From Away Argyle’s Music Man), Michael Di Leo (Regional:
La Cage aux Folles), Sam O’Neill (Regional: Rock of Ages), Leroy Thompson,
Amalio Rodriguez (Regional: Gypsy), Garrison Hunt (Regional: Come
From Away Argyle’s Music Man), Cole Hong Sisser (Regional: Jagged Little Pill ), Maclain Rhine (Regional: Grease), Errol Service Jr. (Regional: Pretty Woman), Ryan Wong (Regional: The King and I), Carson P. Zoch (National Tour: Shrek the Musical), Noah Lytle (National Tour: The Addams Family), Ryan Schaefer (NYC: Bodas de Blood), Jillian Reef (Regional: Young Frankenstein), Zoë Lewis-McLean (Regional: Waitress) with Swings: Rhagan Carter (Regional: White Christmas), Jacob Lill (Regional: On the Town),
Nathaniel Dickson (Film: Dear Dad) Set in turn-of-the-century New York City, Newsies follows Jack Kelly and a band of teenage newsboys who rally to strike against powerful publishers after unfair price hikes threaten their livelihoods. Based on the 1992 Disney film and inspired by a true story, the Tony Award-winning musical features a score by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman, and a book by Harvey Fierstein, with favorite songs including “Seize the Day,” “Carrying the Banner,” and “Santa Fe.”
Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and backwords.
On Jan. 31, 65 teams from across Suffolk County gathered at Hauppauge High School to compete in the annual Science Olympiad Regional Tournament. With only the top eight schools advancing to the state tournament in March, the competition was intense and highly competitive. West Babylon Senior High School finished sixth overall, once again earning a coveted spot at the New York State Science Olympiad Tournament. In an outstanding showing, West Babylon’s three teams earned medals in 15 of the 25 events, demonstrating exceptional skill, preparation and teamwork across a wide range of scientific disciplines.
Congratulations to the following medal winners from West Babylon:
Anatomy and Physiology, fourth place: Addie Eglin and Dheera Misra Astronomy, third place: Addie Eglin and Saad Syed Boomilever, first place: Melanie Jastrzebski and Erin Fider Bungee Drop, second place: Christian Bustamante and Michael Higgins Bungee Drop, eighth place: Kiera Villatoro and Jazlyn Serrano-Turcios Chemistry Lab, ninth place: Addie Eglin and Saad Syed Disease Detectives, sixth place: Joel Colas and Anna Horowitz Electric Vehicle, seventh place: Gianfranco Cardenas and Lex Nunez Entomology, fifth place: Gabby Gorczynski and Anna Horowitz
Experimental Design, ninth place: Dheera Misra, Nandini Ramesh and Erin Fider Forensics, ninth place: Maria Moreno Lopez and Luke Nache Helicopter, second place: Joel Colas and Julian Cruz
Machines, fourth place: Brian Nguyen and Michael Higgins Remote Sensing, second place: Sofia Fuentes and Angeline Joseph Robot, 10th place: Lily Jordan and Andrew Graham
Photo courtesy of West Babylon School District
TO pl ace an ad in the CLASSIFIED se ctio n, call 631-226-2636, press “2”. A sales representative will be happy to assist you. THE power of CLAS SIFIED!
TO pl ace an ad in the CLASSIFIED se ctio n, call 631-226-2636, press “2”. A sales representative will be happy to assist you. THE power of CLAS SIFIED!
se ctio n, call 631-226-2636, press “2”. A sales representative will be happy to assist you.
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is offering scholarships of up to $5,000 to collegebound high school seniors affected by Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia-related illnesses as part of its annual Teen Alzheimer’s Awareness Scholarship. Entries can be submitted at www.alzfdn.org/ scholarship and must be received by Sunday, March 1 at 5 pm ET.
Eligible teens are invited to apply for the scholarship by submitting an essay (1,500 words maximum) or submitting a video (no more than four minutes long) describing how Alzheimer’s disease has shaped their lives, what they have learned about themselves, their family and/or their community through their experience with Alzheimer’s, and how they plan to advocate or raise awareness in the future.
The contest
recognizes the emotional, academic, and personal challenges young people often face when a loved one is living with the disease. By amplifying student voices, the program aims to raise awareness, foster empathy, and support the next generation as they pursue higher education while honoring the resilience shown by families affected by Alzheimer’s.
Examples of ways that Alzheimer’s impacted a student’s life can include:
· Having a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia-related illness
· Helping care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementiarelated illness
· Volunteering or working in a care setting that serves individuals with dementia
· Raising Alzheimer’s
awareness in their school or community
· Conducting Alzheimer’s research
The program is open to current high school seniors living in the United States who will be attending a U.S. college or university this Fall. Students already attending college are not eligible to participate. The top prize awarded is a $5,000 scholarship. Additional prizes are awarded for runners up and honorable mentions. More than $527,000 in college scholarships have been awarded since the program’s inception.
AFA provides these scholarship funds through the generous support of charitable donors. Individuals wishing to support this and other programs and services for families affected by Alzheimer’s disease can do so by visiting www.alzfdn.org/ donate or calling AFA at 866-232-8484.
