_________________ WANTAGH ________________
HERALD A Thanksgiving greeting
Holiday fun at the library
Funding to offset heating expenses
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Vol. 72 No. 48
NoVEMBER 21 - 27, 2024
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WHS seniors earn honors in the arts F u c a r i n o, h e s a i d , h a s a lengthy history of being a star performer in the school disA passion for the arts has trict’s theater shows, while led two Wantagh High School Wood has a passion for filmseniors — Riley Wood and Ash- making and production. “They’re creative, they’re lee Fucarino — to receive accolades in this year’s Long Island curious, they have a no-quit Arts Alliance Scholar-Artist attitude,” Guzzone said, “and competition, a program recog- I’m just proud to have the nizing the area’s talented opportunity to work with them, young artists. and I know that Wo o d was the future is named a Scholarbright for them.” Artist in the media The ar ts allia r t s c a t e g o r y, ance is a coalition while Fucarino o f t h e re g i o n’s earned an Award not-for-profit arts, of Merit for thecultural and arts at e r. T h e y e a ch education organifound out about zations, promoting RilEy WooD the competition awareness of and Wantagh High School wh i l e at t e n d i n g participation in N a s s a u B O C E S ’ senior Long Island’s arts Long Island High and cultural instiSchool for the Arts, tutions. Ear ning also known as LIHSA, in Syos- an award in its Scholar-Artist set. They join six other stu- program requires students to dents from LIHSA who were demonstrate a high level of recognized in the competition artistic excellence, which is and are among 40 throughout determined based on a portfothe island this year to be hon- lio of their work, performances ored with the distinguished and a written essay about how award. the arts enhanced their lives. According to Wantagh High Being recognized as a ScholSchool principal Paul Guzzone, ar-Artist, according to the alliFucarino and Wood are “fan- ance, helps award winners contastic students” with a long- nect with Long Island universistanding passion for the arts. Continued on page 7
By CHARlES SHAW
cshaw@liherald.com
D
on’t ever give up. If I gave up, I would not be here.
Charles Shaw/Herald
town of Hempstead animal Shelter kennelman alex Charalambous with Sarah, a Brussels griffon-shih tzu mix, one of many pets looking for a home this holiday season.
Animals find homes for the holidays
Town of Hempstead shelter launches pet adoption event By CHARlES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com
For those looking to bring a pet home for the holidays, the Town of Hempstead recently launched a pet adoption initiative at its animal shelter in Wantagh. During the event, called Home for the Holidays, all fees will be waived for those who adopt animals from the facility from Nov. 25 to Jan. 5. The Milleridge Inn restaurant, in Jericho, is partnering with the town for the event, offering $50 gift cards to the eatery for new pet owners. Butch Yamali, the restaurant’s owner and a member of the Baldwin, Freeport and Merrick chambers of commerce, said that he and his team were more than willing to help incentivize adoptions if it
meant that animals in need of loving homes would find them. “This is good for the community,” Yamali said. “It’s great because it gets these dogs into somebody’s house.” Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin announced the event’s kickoff at the Milleridge Inn on Nov. 14, joined by Councilman Dennis Dunne, Town Clerk Kate Murray, Yamali and employees of the restaurant and the shelter. In addition to the waived adoption fee and gift cards, Clavin said, the town will also offer free spaying and neutering, vaccinations and microchipping for the fourlegged adoptees. “It’s such a good nexus of creating an initiative to get these animals in loving homes, Continued on page 4