Bruins- coach Darius Burton was named Conference AA-III coach of the year.
January
Mysterious telephone calls investigated
The war against terrorism hit home in Jan., as the Department of Homeland Security investigated some mysterious international phone calls that were made using the telephone lines of several residents of Central Avenue in Baldwin.
Nassau County-s deputy commissioner of consumer affairs, James Reed, said he contacted the department shortly after he spoke with residents who were being charged thousands of dollars on their Verizon phone bills for international calls they didn-t make.
They said they have had other cases like this, but they are not related to homeland security, Reed said. They-re really fraud, theft of service type events.
Residents noticed in Sept. 2003 that they were being billed for international calls to African, European, and Middle Eastern countries.
Shop locally... and win!
Carmen Simpson, of Baldwin, started out 2004 on the right foot when she won $175,000 on a Quick Pick ticket purchased at a Baldwin gas station.
The New York City teacher was one of four second-place winners in the Dec. 30 Mega Millions drawing. Simpson won for matching the first five numbers: 12, 18, 21, 32, and 46.
Baldwin men charged with beating
Police arrested two men in Baldwin during the week of Jan. 11 and charged them with brutally beating a Roosevelt man in the head and face with bricks.
Police arrested Francis Houghton, 34, of Cramer Court in Baldwin, and Adrian Ward, 34, of Coram, in connection with the assault of 22-year-old Raymond Jackson of Roosevelt.
The beating stemmed from an altercation the men allegedly had over a parked car near Houghton-s home. It was a dispute over a vehicle, said Lt. Andrew Fai. [The assailants] believed [Jackson] may have done something to the vehicle. Ward and Houghton were each charged with second degree assault.
February
Baldwinites protest senior housing
Baldwin residents voiced their opposition to a developer-s plan to build senior co-ops on Grand Avenue, protesting that the project would drastically change the community-s character. The project, proposed for 2870 Grand Avenue, would comprise 27 two-bedroom, one-bath units ranging in price form $150,000 to $160,000.
Area residents submitted their own petition to the Town Board opposing the project, maintaining that the development would increase traffic and drainage problems in the area, as well as negatively impact the character of the community.
The plans for the development of the senior co-ops were approved in May. The Developer submitted plans for an additional building, located adjacent to the original plans at 2870 Grand Ave., in June. The plans for the new project are still pending.
Coes Neck Park
gets facelift
The Town of Hempstead announced that Coes Neck Park would get a major facelift, after residents complained that the park was in disrepair.
The project included renovation of paths, walkways, and included new lighting. The spray pool and picnic area was also targeted for improvement.
In 2003, the Baldwin Oaks Civic Association expressed outrage when Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi proposed building a horse farm on the property, following his economic development tour of Baldwin.
Voters OK bond
Baldwin residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of a $26.9 million bond referendum, setting the stage for an extensive project to improve the Baldwin School District-s infrastructure over the next three years.
The Board of Education has proposed bonding as a way to address needed repairs throughout the district in light of serious financial challenges such as state changes to building aid.
Of the 743 residents who voted at the high school on Feb. 4, or by absentee ballot, 465 voted in favor of the bond, and 278 voted against it.
American Legion
honors WWII heroes
The Baldwin American Legion Post #246 held a ceremony to honor four chaplains who gave their lives during World War II.
Rabbi Alexander Goode, Rev. George L. Fox, Rev. Clark V. Poling and Father John P. Washington, were aboard the U.S.A.T. Dorchester when it was struck by a torpedo in Feb. 1943.
The American Legion in Baldwin pays homage to the four chaplains every year. The ceremony included the singing of the Star Spangled Banner, God Bless America, and Taps.
Apartment zoning request denied
The Town of Hempstead denied a developer-s application to rezone a commercial-use property as residential in order to build multi-family rental apartments, which many residents said would harm the area-s commercial viability.
The developer of the property, Roy Tucillo, owner of My Four Realty Corp., proposed rezoning the 19,490-square-foot property, in order to build eight high rental apartments, with proposed rents of over $2,000.
Residents said the apartments would increase traffic, and argued that the area should remain commercial.
School district gets an A
The Baldwin School District released its district report card last week, saying that it has surpassed state standards in English and Math, while also taking steps to address areas where students have had trouble passing state assessment tests.
At a Board of Education meeting, assistant superintendent for instruction Jeff Hollman presented an extensive, if complex, overview of the report card, which included a slew of figures, acronyms, graphs, and other information, such as longitudinal data and annual measurable objectives.
Administrators maintained that the latest figures indicated the district would be in good standing for the 2003-2004 school year.
Fire dept. responds to carbon monoxide emergencies
The Baldwin Fire Department responded to two carbon monoxide incidents.
On Feb. 4, the department rushed two adults and their young child to South Nassau Communities Hospital after they were exposed to carbon monoxide in their Northern Boulevard home.
On Feb. 10, firefighters rushed to a home on Victoria Street after the resident-s carbon monoxide detector went off. The child was on the road to recovery.
Third Deputy Chief Doug Weidmann said the incidents could have turned tragic if the residents hadn-t had detectors.
March
Smooth skating
With membership and attendance declining at Baldwin Skate Park, the Town of Hempstead eliminated entrance and membership fees in an attempt to attract more skateboarders and keep the park viable.
The kids who use it really enjoy it, said Town of Hempstead spokeswoman Susie Trenkle. [The town] wants to make sure more residents enjoy it.
Baldwin schools make Ômost improved- list
Baldwin was one of 200 Long Island school districts that made the state-s most improved list for the fourth grade English language arts and eighth-grade math exams.
Baldwin Middle School and Schubert Elementary School made the list, in which at least 50 percent of students had to meet the state-s standards on the test last year, while at the same time show at least a 20 percent improvement since 1999.
It was the third year that the state of New York has recognized improved schools.
School supports soldier in Iraq
The Baldwin School District showed support to Navy Petty Officer Elsie Ramos, whose son was deployed to Iraq in 2003. Middle School students, and even Middle School principal James Brown, wore buttons and T-shirts imprinted with the face of police officer Anthony Alex Ramos, who attended both Baldwin Middle School and Baldwin Senior High School, class of 1999.
Ramos served in Iraq for eight months aboard the USS Nimitz.
She is a Ôdancing queen-
Marisol Sevilla, a teacher at the Baldwin High School, was named 2004 Dance Education Teacher of the Year by the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.
Sevilla came to Baldwin after receiving her B.A. from Queens College. She tries to experiment with different types of dances, and draws from culturally diverse students who have taken her class.
That-s how I learn, Sevilla said. [Students] can teach you more than you think.
Weiss announces retirement
After 11 years in the Baldwin School District, superintendent Dr. Kathy Weiss said she would retire at the end of the 2004-2005 school year. Many district parents were surprised by the announcement, since it followed assistant superintendent for instruction Jeff Hollman-s decision in February to retire at the end of the year.
Weiss commented briefly on her decision after the meeting, saying that it has been something well thought out.
School board president James Scannell said the board included $25,000 in the administrative budget to search for a replacement.
Baldwin student
threatened by gang
A 17-year-old Baldwin student was allegedly harassed by MS-13 gang members who threatened him with various weapons, including a sword and a machete, on two separate occasions.
According to police, three men in front of the Chopstick Chinese restaurant threatened the teen on Feb. 16. On Feb. 26, another male suspect, who allegedly menaced him with a sword on Grand Avenue, approached the teenager.
Baldwin Rotary
celebrates 50 years
The Rotary Club of Baldwin celebrated its golden anniversary on March 25. In addition to honoring the membership and its past 50 years of service, the club rededicated itself to its commitment of service by pledging financial support to the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County.
Another big anniversary
The Baldwin Kiwanis club also celebrated a milestone March, holding its 60th anniversary dinner on March 5.
School district petitions for exemption
The Board of Education asked state lawmakers to exempt the Baldwin School District from a law that requires districts to hire multiple contractors for a building project, saying that it negatively impacts the $26.9 million bond referendum, and is an outdated mandate that costs schools millions of dollars every year.
The school board passed a resolution requesting that senators sponsor legislation that would specifically exempt the district-s bond initiative from the Wicks Law, which requires that multiple contractors be used on building projects that exceed $50,000, and can ultimately increase construction costs up to 30 percent.
Troubled nightspot burns
Following a string of shootings and other violent incidents, Cousins Bar on Grand Avenue went up in flames on March 21 in what police said may have been a possible arson. One hundred firemen and eight trucks battled the blaze at the troubled bar. The fire was extinguished in less than an hour. No one was injured.
Residents voice crime, gangs concerns at forum
Alarmed by a number of shootings and reports of gang violence in Baldwin, residents at a town meeting decried what they said is an unacceptable amount of criminal activity in their neighborhoods.
More than 100 residents attended the meeting, hosted by Nassau County Legislator Joe Scannell (D-Baldwin), to gain some insight into crime and gang activity to high taxes and quality-of-life issues.
April
Neighborhood watch regrouping
Police deemed the fire suspicious, because an accelerant was found at the bar. The bar's proprietor, Frank Willson, was charged with second-degree criminal use of a weapon after he allegedly fired a .40-caliber handgun at a car in front of the establishment on Feb. 21. Thorsen, a Baldwin resident and retired probation director, started the program. At its zenith, it boasted 200 members, and AT&T donated five cellular phones to the program.
School board
OKs budget
The Baldwin Board of Education unanimously adopted its 2004-2005 school budget, while expressing frustration with the inability to offer more programs and initiatives due to cuts in state aid and rising costs.
The board approved what it called a conservative, $88.3 million budget for the next school year, a 7.7 percent increase over the last budget of $81.6 million.
Board approves
library budget
The Baldwin Public Library Board of Trustees approved a $3.09 million budget, reflecting not only increases to the library-s expansion, but skyrocketing retirement and healthcare costs that resulted in a budget increase of 17.29 percent.
Gridiron great honored
Athletes, family and several close friends honored Robert Bob Casey, a Bruins- football legend, in a ceremony at the high school. Casey won Nassau County-s third Thorp Award in 1944, which honors the county-s top football player. It was the first Thorp Award for Baldwin. Casey died in Oct. 2003 at the age of 77.
Waldbaum's seeks expansion
Waldbaurm-s on Atlantic Avenue applied to the Town of Hempstead to expand its existing store. The store wants to construct an improved faade, and refurbish its parking lot.
