February 25, 2026 West Babylon

South Bay's Neighbor

TOWN OF BABYLON HONORS P.S. I LOVE YOU DAY - On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, Town of Babylon officials joined P.S. I Love You Day founders Brooke and Jaimie DiPalma, along with local educators, first responders, and community members, for a press conference recognizing P.S. I Love You Day and highlighting the importance of mental health awareness. Pictured: Town of Babylon council members, the DiPalma sisters and community partners gathered with educators, first responders and residents at Babylon Town Hall to honor P.S. I Love You Day and reinforce the message that “You Are Not Alone.”

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FEBRUARY HAPPENINGS

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

SATURDAY, 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

9:00AM-2:30PM

CLOTHING DRIVE at Hicksville High School, 180 Division Avenue. Fundraising clothing drive in support of The Sarah Grace Foundation For Children With Cancer. The Foundation is an all-volunteer Hicksville based charity that has supported these children and families for 23 years. Items can be dropped off in the main lobby of HICKSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL on Saturday, February 28.

2:00PM

MEGA MAGIC WITH MIKE D’URZO

Award-winning magician and mentalist. Michael J. Grant Campus

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

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: 631851-6589, Ammerman Campus, Selden: 631-451-4163

SATURDAY, FEB. 28th

10:00 AM to 7:00 PM

SUNDAY, MARCH 1st

10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

LONG ISLAND PET SHOW 2026 at Suffolk Federal Credit Union Arena, 1001 Crooked Hill Road in Brentwood. The Long Island Pet Expo is designed to educate and entertain the public about the wonderful world of pets. Featuring many pet vendors, educational and entertaining performances, special attractions, hands-on-petting opportunities, pet adoptions, and outstanding shopping for pet lovers and their pets. Well behaved leashed pets are welcome! A fun day for the whole family!

UPCOMING MARCH EVENTS

MONDAY, MARCH 2nd

7:00PM-9:00PM

THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH SIDE

SPORTSMAN'S CLUB

The Historical Society of Islip Hamlet will host Ed Gross,

Historian, on the history of the Sportsman's Club; how it grew from an 18th century house to an Inn. Presidents and notables of the era hunted and fished there. The Club worked with Robert Moses to create Connetquot River State Park. Meeting will take place at the Islip Public Library, 71 Monell Ave, is free and open to the public. For more info: www.isliphamlethistory. org, 631-559-2915.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4th

12:00PM-4:00PM

SENIOR CITIZEN

ST. PATTY'S PARTY LUNCHEON

Join The New Serenaders at The Irish Coffee Pub for a St. Patty's Party Luncheon. Get ready to enjoy an afternoon of delicious food, drink, singing, and dancing fun. Included will be a 3-course meal with choice of entree, unlimited beer, wine, soda, dessert, coffee, tea, music, and more. The Irish Coffee Pub is located at 131 Carleton Avenue in East Islip. For more information, please call 631277-0007

SATURDAY, MARCH 7th

6:00PM

CHEF COMPETITION

Cook your favorite entree or dessert or just come, taste and cast your vote. Admission $10. Grace United Methodist Church, 515 S. Wellwood Avenue in Lindenhurst. For more information, and to RSVP, please call 631-226-8690

LONG ISLAND MEDIA GROUP

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Noelle Lambert

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Carol Link

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Kim Volz

Bonnie Schifano

Lucille Moran

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Victoria Kokolakis

Stephan Schulze

PROOFREADING

Kerry Mastrobuoni

Choosing The Best Flashlights

A flashlight is an invaluable part of any disaster preparedness kit, and it's a handy tool to have on hand in a car, at home or when traveling. You never know when you might need a flashlight, and it's helpful to have many on hand. When stocking up on flashlights for emergency kits, choose ones with lightemitting diode, or LED, technology. According to Popular Mechanics, LED flashlights are 70 percent more efficient than incandescent models. That means the batteries powering the light have the potential to last 10 times longer. Furthermore, LEDs do not have any fragile parts like incandescent bulbs. That makes them more likely to withstand shock or even endure being dropped.

Identity Theft Prevention Tips

(NAPSI)-A recent online survey by Toluna/Greenfield Online, Inc. found that while most consumers try to protect their identity, many admitted to risky behavior that could put them at risk for ID theft. To help educate and protect consumers, world-renowned fraud prevention expert Frank Abagnale offers these tips:

• Shop smart: Limit the credit cards you carry.

•Keep receipts and check your statements: Examine every charge on your statement before paying. Your receipts provide a great cross-reference check and guard against suspicious activity. You have 30 days from the date of your statement to notify your financial institution of any discrepancies; otherwise, you can be liable for any purchases.

• Protect your computer when online shopping: Make sure your security patch and anti-virus software are updated regularly. Consider technology to protect against potential viruses.

• Watch where you shop online: Look for the lock icon on the site’s browser status bar, a sign that that site is safe. If you have never heard of a website before, see if it has security precautions in place and isn’t a fake site set up by identity thieves.

shopping carts and your car.

• Don’t take the bait on phishing scams: Also, beware of shoulder surfing (when a thief looks over your shoulder while you’re at an ATM, either directly or via a camera).

• Stop mail and newspaper delivery when you’ll be away from home.

•Don’t write checks: Give cash or gift cards. The information on a check— name, signature, address— can be used to steal identity.

•Strengthen passwords: Use passwords with at least eight characters, including a combination of letters, numbers and symbols that are easy for you to remember but difficult for predators to guess.

• Watch your wallet: Be careful at parties, restaurants, fitness clubs,

• Consider an identity theft protection service: One low-cost solution monitors the online criminal underground where identities are bought and sold and instantly alerts you if your Social Security number or up to 10 credit card or debit card numbers are posted by thieves. The service also scans online directories and search engines, prime sources for spammers and thieves, letting you know where your information is available, and provides advice on how to remove it.

Classifieds

North Babylon High School’s Drama Club brought the house down with their recent production of “All Shook Up,” delivering energetic and unforgettable performances to a packed

Mystery, Music And Murder: ‘Curtains’ Hits The Senior High School Stage

high school auditorium on Feb. 6 and 7.

With seats filled for each show, students captivated audiences with their outstanding talent, dedication and enthusiasm. “All Shook

Up,” a musical comedy featuring the hit songs of Elvis Presley, showcased lively choreography, strong vocals and engaging performances from the cast.

The production was made possible by the hard work of not only the performers, but also the student crew members who contributed to set design, lighting, sound, costumes and stage management. Together,

the cast and crew worked tirelessly behind the scenes and on stage to ensure a professionalquality production.

The successful performances of “All Shook Up” highlighted

the strength of the North Babylon’s performing arts program and the important role the arts play in building confidence, collaboration and creativity among students.

Middle Schoolers Learn, Create And Connect At EdCamps

Beach Street and Udall Road Middle Schools in the West Islip Union Free School District held their second EdCamps on Feb. 12 and 13 in recognition of P.S. I Love You Day, providing students with a unique opportunity to explore their interests through engaging,

student-centered learning experiences.

During the first two periods of the day, teachers, administrators and even students facilitated a wide variety of interactive workshops. Students were able to choose two different EdCamp sessions to

attend, allowing them to customize their learning based on personal interests and strengths.

Several sessions encouraged creativity and self-expression, as students designed keychains, bracelets and necklaces using various materials. Superintendent

of Schools Dr. Paul Romanelli led a session focused on artificial intelligence, while Dr. Patrick Kiley-Rendon, executive director of technology and innovation, hosted a popular Lego EdCamp workshop.

Other sessions included

hands-on science experiments, dance classes, escape room challenges and Zentangle art activities. Students also participated in family and consumer science lessons where they created sweet treats, as well as circuit training, glow parties and additional dance and

fitness activities.

The EdCamps promoted collaboration, creativity and student voice while reinforcing P.S. I Love You Day’s message of connection, positivity and a sense of belonging across the school community.