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Friday, March 17, 2023
Vol. 72, No. 11
SCHOOLS, EDUCATION, CAMPS PAGES 25-32
MINEOLA MAN PICKED FOR BEST LAWN
BLAKEMAN’S WIFE CROSSENDORSED FOR JUDGE
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St. Aidan’s to host concert St. Patrick’s Day, St. Joseph’s Day event BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y In celebration of this week’s St. Patrick’s and St. Joseph’s Day, the Church of St. Aidan will host its annual concert, Angelic Fire, on Sunday at 3 p.m. A full orchestra will perform the music with a chorus that includes the parish’s choir members and children of all ages. “We will do some classical pieces as we did with the Christmas concert, but it’s a very light program,” said Greg Mercer, who is the tenor leader and one of two cantors for the ensemble. “It will be similar to pops.” Mercer, who has been with St. Aidan’s for about a decade, will sing the national anthems of both Ireland and Italy. Mercer, an adjunct professor of music at Hofstra, has toured both as a soloist and part of a quartet to over 40 countries and all 50 states. His also is the conductor of the Bel Canto Chorale and for 15 years he was the assistant conductor at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan. In addition to the two anthems, Mercer is also singing a piece from Italian composer Paolo Tosti. “The thing about pops music is that it is very accessible to the general public,” Mercer said. “Anyone that comes, even if they aren’t familiar with classical music, are going to enjoy the content.” Continued on Page 47
PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER SOLOMON
David Beckham takes a selfie with Nassau’s soccer stars. See story on page 13.
E.W., Mineola: 4 races no opponents Parente, Dunne, Iannone and Solosky running unopoosed in village elections BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y Four incumbents will be running uncontested next week for the village elections in East Williston and Mineola. The ballot in East Williston features Mayor Bonnie Parente and Trustees Raffaela Dunne and James Iannone running for re-election for
four-year terms on Tuesday, March 21. Mineola Trustee Donna Solosky is running for a one-year term to finish out the original four-year term left vacant by Mayor Paul Pereira following his election last year. Williston Park has no village elections this year. Parente first ran unopposed for
mayor in 2019, taking over from Mayor David Tanner. She started her political career in East Williston after being elected trustee eight years ago at the coaxing of Tanner. The mayor comes from a politically engaged family. Her father, Lou Santosus, is the former fire chief and deputy mayor of Mineola. Parente graduated from Hofstra
University and holds a law degree from Touro Law School. She has been a practicing attorney for over 25 years. She has also served on the village’s zoning board for two years and has been involved with Girl, Boy and Cub Scouts, Little League and other community organizations. Continued on Page 46
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