Mercy Haven, HOSTS INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF 30 Women Who Will Participate in a Day of Learning
 
Islip Terrace, NY, – Mercy Haven Inc., for the second year in a row, will be a part of a United Nations (UN) conference for a group of 30 international delegates who work with the poor all over the world. On October 22nd from 10:30am – 3:00 pm, the group will be visiting Mercy Haven, Inc., specifically to learn how Mercy Haven bridges the gap between the local community and Long Island’s vulnerable population. This year, the focus of the conference will be on the work of Mercy Haven’s Legal Advocacy Program, now in its 11th year, and how Mercy Haven staff and participants have influenced legislative reform for food stamp entitlements for those within New York State.
 
The group will be traveling from all corners of the world to visit Mercy Haven’s main office in Islip Terrace, NY, for a day of presentations led by Executive Director Sister Pat Griffith. Several of Mercy Haven’s staff and program participants will speak and share their success stories of their work in changing food stamp entitlements that has resulted in legislative change in New York State. Traveling from places like Kenya, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, the individuals of the UN group hope to gain insight into successful programs, specially Mercy Haven’s Legal Advocacy Program, that reach out to the vulnerable and underserved. Sister Pat is looking forward to the challenge of presenting ideas and programs to individuals from different countries that may or may not receive community and/or government support. The staff and program participants of Mercy Haven are honored to host the group and eager to help others throughout the world.
            
Established in 1985, Mercy Haven, Inc. is a non-sectarian, not-for-profit 501(c) (3) corporation. We believe in the vision of enriched communities where we all look beyond limitations and respect each person as a valued individual. We are committed to be a place where experience and creative solutions come together to open the door of possibility for those most in need. Over these 23 years Mercy Haven has grown to be a multifaceted community resource. We have brought services to both Nassau and Suffolk Counties and are committed members of the communities we serve. From a humble beginning in Bay Shore, as a provider of housing for persons living with mental illness, our housing programs now include the elderly, limited income families as well as persons with special needs. Our support programs include free legal advocacy, education and employment skills training, community outreach, staff on-call 24/7, a sophisticated property management department and the administration of the Long Island Resource Center for individuals living with Traumatic Brain Injury.

For more information visit: www.mercyhaven.org

“The Hottest in Music!”

Every weekday from 3pm to 6pm, listeners can log on to mywcwp.com and catch Top 40 Total Access on WCWP. The show presents today’s hottest popular music as well as everything related to pop culture.

The genre plays music by popular artists such as Rhianna, The Jonas Brothers, Push Play, Paging Grace and Katy Perry. In addition to playing the hottest popular music around, the show features music by many local artists.

Top 40 Total Access airs daily from 4pm to 6pm on WCWP. Listeners can listen to the genre by logging on to Mywcwp.com. They can also call in and leave a request at 516.299.2030 or send an instant message to the AOL instant messenger screen name of mywcwp.

WCWP is located at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University. For more information about WCWP/88.1 FM and WCWP, visit us online at www.mywcwp.com or call us at 516.299.2683. You can also check us out on My Space at www.myspace.com/wcwp.

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COME FIND OUT “WHODUNIT” AT SOUTHAMPTON INN WITH A MURDER MYSTERY PACKAGE IN NOVEMBER

It’s Murder, Mystery and Mayhem in the Most Exclusive Community On Long Island! Great Price, Gracious Amenities – and a Dinner to Die For! Tap Your Inner Sherlock Holmes and Stay for Dinner or Overnight

“Very few of us are what we seem,” said the great Agatha Christie, so take heed, watch your back, and get ready for a screaming good time during a murder mystery extravaganza at SOUTHAMPTON INN – offering casual sophistication in the heart of the high-end and historic village of Southampton, Long Island, New York.
 
The Inn’s Murder Mystery Package is available Saturday, November 1.  The full package includes a Murder Mystery Dinner and Show at OSO, the Inn’s new steakhouse, complete with a complimentary glass of wine.  And after a restful overnight stay in one of the Inn’s well-appointed guest rooms, a spirit-soothing breakfast will be served at OSO.  The whole package – terror and pampering included – is $349.00 per couple (based on double occupancy); those wishing to add a second night will receive the Inn’s best available rate.  Should you prefer to call it a night after the haute cuisine homicide, the Murder Mystery Dinner and Show sans stay is only $75.00 per person. 

The evening’s fun begins at 7:00 PM. For reservations, call Tony Cotignola at the Inn at   1-800-832-6500 or (631) 283-6500 or tcotignola (at) southhamptoninn.com.

And remember: “Every murderer is probably somebody’s old friend,” Agatha Christie also observed – so choose your dinner companion wisely!
 
For further information on Southampton Inn’s full menu of tempting travel packages – including special offers for Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, a Fall Harvest Family Treat, and New Year’s Eve – visit the Inn’s Web site at http://www.southamptoninn.com/index.cfm.
 
Southampton Inn, located at 91 Hill Street in Southampton, has been a Hamptons mainstay for decades.  Its in-town location offers easy walking distance proximity to Main Street’s stylish shops and galleries, as well as a number of houses of worship.  The beautiful Tudor-style hostelry stands majestically on 5.4 acres.  Indoors, the Inn boasts four comfortable lounges, a game room with big-screen TV and pool table, and a fitness room with a variety of exercise equipment.  Each guest room has the charm of a bed-and-breakfast with the full-service-hotel convenience of a private bathroom, maid service, data port, voice mail and mini-refrigerator.

Newspaper Appraiser/Analyst Kevin Kamen: Expect Closings and Consolidations in the Newspaper Industry

Baldwin, NY - Print & Digital Media Appraiser and Analyst Kevin B. Kamen, President/CEO of Kamen & Co. Group Services of Baldwin, NY, a leading media financial valuation and brokerage firm in the publishing trade, believes newspaper companies will need to fully integrate their online and broad channel efforts to fend off weak print advertising sales for the fourth quarter of 2008 or they will inevitably be forced to either consolidate their operations with local competitors or perhaps have to face the reality of closing.

“Publishers have no choice but to embrace all potential channels of reaching their market, whether it be generating video, building sustainable blogs, incorporating cell phone downloads, optimizing search engine capabilities by linkage and more domains or organically reconstructuring websites that effectively meet the daily needs of their readers and ad buyers,” stated Kamen, who appraises publications nationally and internationally. He continued, “Publishers must wake up, invest in industry technology, focus on e-newsletters and webinar series, use editorial content that does not make the cut in their newsprint products online and make the rationale that times are bleak in the industry and cost-savings measures must be put into effect across the board.” Kamen added,” If change is not made at most weekly and daily newspapers over the next 12 months, then change will come in the way of closings and this will have a tremendous impact on the local economy.

We do not want to see this happen but now it is all about scalable website platforms, both readers and ad buyers receiving the information they require within a click or two and making everything reachable in seconds. In order to do this, publishers need to spend less on printing and production and more on their websites, where the forum is greater and the marketability of the product is essentially 24/7. As 2008’s final quarter progresses and this economic downturn continues, smart publishers who offer their investors streamlined profit margins and greater mass coverage will be the select group that see the value of their publishing enterprises increase.”

For more information, contact:
www.KAMENGROUP.com

Kevin B. Kamen, President/CEO
Kamen & Co. Group Services
3009 Grand Blvd.
Baldwin, NY 11510-4719
516-379-2797
www.kamengroup.com

Concept Cars, Alternative Fuel Vehicles, Custom Choppers, Special Appearances and More

(Uniondale, N.Y.) The newest cars, trucks, sport/utility vehicles and crossovers will pack the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Thursday, October 16 through Sunday, October 19 for the Long Island Auto Show. Whether in the market for a more fuel-efficient ride, want to get a sneak peek at models not currently in dealerships or looking for a family-friendly entertainment option, the auto show offers something for everyone!

As one of the first auto shows of the 2009 season, attendees are invited to check out all of the latest vehicles in a non-selling environment, sit behind the wheels, inspect engines and learn about new fuel-saving technologies.

On display at the Long Island Auto Show will be several exciting, all-new or redesigned 2009-model vehicles including the Acura TL, Chevrolet Traverse, Infiniti FX, Kia Optima, Mercury Mariner, Nissan Maxima, Pontiac Solstice Coupe, Subaru WRX, Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Tiguan and more, as well as a collection of hybrids including the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado, Lexus GS450h and Toyota Camry, among others.

Concept cars are always a big hit, and this year’s show offers the opportunity to check out one of the most popular concepts of all time – the Chevrolet Camaro concept. This futuristic vehicle is sure to steal the spotlight at this year’s auto show, providing a glimpse of what is around the corner in the future production Camaro due as a 2010 model. A concept car is a product of an auto designer’s vision. It is created to address the transportation challenges of tomorrow and usually incorporates advanced technology, innovative styling cues and alternative power sources. Concept cars serve as testing beds for new ideas and are designed to provoke interest, excite auto show audiences and create dialogue between consumers and manufacturers. (Concept cars are subject to change.)

Follow the Green Trail at the Long Island Auto Show and learn about the latest trends in alternative fuel vehicles. Green directional arrows will help attendees find fuel-efficient and alternative fuel models on the show floor, as well as showcase new
technology to help save money at the fuel pump and promote a cleaner environment. Several alternative fuel vehicles will be featured along the Green Trail including ones from General Motors, Lexus, Saturn, Toyota and more.

Interested in two-wheel transportation? Stop by the East Side Customs Choppers display and talk with the Torres brothers about how they take their bikes from concept to reality. In addition to the display of customized choppers, East Side Choppers will also showcase the Steve McQueen Memorial Bike. East Side Custom Choppers, located in Walden, N.Y., take great pride in manufacturing all of the parts on the motorcycles they build. Most of their bikes have been featured in top national motorcycle magazines including Easy Rider, Hot Bike, American Iron, Street Chopper and Iron Horse, in addition to television programs on Discovery and Speed channels.

The Hawaiian Tropic Zone restaurant will host a special meet and greet session at the auto show on Friday, October 17 between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Several “Girls of the Zone” will be on site to sign autographs and pose for photos with fans.

Sports fans will not want to miss special appearances by two retired New York baseball greats on Saturday, October 18. Between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. attendees will have the opportunity to meet George Foster, a former outfielder with the New York Mets. Over his career, Foster was a five-time All-Star and a two-time World Series Champion. In 1977, he became the first player since Willie Mays to hit more than 50 homeruns in one season.  George hit 52 that year. Then later Saturday evening, retired Yankee outfielder Roy White will be signing autographs between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. An outfielder for the Bronx Bombers between 1965 and 1979, White was named to two All Star teams in 1969 and 1970, and played on two World Series championship teams, in 1977 and 1978.

Muscle car fans will not want to miss a special cruise by the Mustang & Shelby Club of Long Island. On Saturday,
October 18 from noon to 4 p.m., attendees can take a trip down memory lane as they check out these popular Ford muscle cars in a special staging area outside the Coliseum. Prizes will be awarded to the top three vehicles on display.

Following are the details on additional special promotions:

• Free Subscription to Motor Trend Magazine – Attendees will receive a FREE one-year subscription to Motor Trend magazine with each box office purchase or online ticket order, courtesy of Vacation Village Resorts. Simply complete the subscription card at the auto show and receive 12 issues of the world’s #1 automotive authority.

• College Two-Fer Day, Friday, October 17 – College students who purchase one $10 adult admission ticket with a valid college ID will receive a second adult admission FREE for a friend with a second valid college ID.

• Kids Day, Sunday, October 19 – All children 12 and younger will be admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult. Plus, bring your camera as Nickelodeon’s Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius® visits the auto show between noon and 5 p.m.

The Long Island Auto Show is presented by Newsday and produced by International Automotive Showcase in association with Motor Trend Auto Shows, Inc. The auto show will be open to the public Thursday, October 16 through Sunday, October 19, 2008, at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum located at 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, Uniondale, New York.

Show hours are Thursday and Friday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $6 for senior citizens (62 & older) and children 7-12. Children six and younger are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Save time and money, purchase E-tickets in advance at www.AutoShowLongIsland.com and receive a $3.00 discount off regular adult admission. Discount coupons for use on box office admission are available (while supplies last) at participating Papa John’s locations. Additional information, discount coupons and directions are also available on the official show web site, www.AutoShowLongIsland.com.

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Founder of Youth Theatre Recognition Program Welcomes New Additions; Sister Councils
 
Riverhead, NY —The East End Arts Council, founder of the groundbreaking high school theatre recognition program fondly known as the Teeny Awards© (modeled after the Tony Awards) kicks off its seventh year with new additions and welcomed expansion.  The EEAC is proud of the varied ways in which the program is growing: Thanks to the EEAC’s Development Director, Catherine Gerardi, new sponsors have joined longtime supporters, including Target®, in recognizing the value of the program and what it can mean to its participants. As one of the first recipients, this is what Rob DiSario of Westhampton Beach High School had to say, “Winning two Teeny Awards really made me feel like I could do anything, made all the work seem worthwhile.  I hope you continue to make young actors and actresses feel as great as you made me feel.”

There are two new Teeny Awards© co-coordinators, Bob Kaplan and Kathleen Furey, who are making inroads with judges’ training and college partnership programs.

“We are working hard to take advantage of the momentum the Teeny Awards© has gained since it started, so we can make this program available to as many students, teachers and communities as possible,” said Bob Kaplan.

The Teeny Awards© has also expanded to include two Long Island arts councils and their constituent areas.  The Greater Port Jefferson Northern Brookhaven Arts Council (GPJNB) came on board for the 2007-08 school year, implementing the EEAC’s Teeny Awards© framework for a successful season and ceremony. The EEAC now welcomes the Islip Arts Council, which will continue to uphold the high standards of the Teeny Awards© for the 2008-09 fall and spring high school theatre seasons.

The East End Arts Council is excited that its own season is getting underway; the 20 volunteer judges met on October 7 for training and school show assignments for the fall productions. 

“I love it when the cooler weather hits; it signals the beginning of the high school plays,” said one volunteer judge (judges remain anonymous to ensure objectivity). “Since the Teeny Awards© inception, the level of quality of these performances has really gone through the roof.  It’s an inexpensive treat to take the kids to these great shows, and more educationally valuable than taking them to see another action movie.”

The EEAC will send judges to the following schools over the next four months, and then again for the spring musical season:

• East Hampton HS—Big
• Eastport-South Manor HS—Noises Off
• Hampton Bays HS—A Christmas Carol
• McGann-Mercy HS—Oh, Promise Me
• Pierson HS—Skin of Our Teeth
• Riverhead HS—Pippin
• Ross School—One Acts
• Shoreham-Wading River HS—Once Upon a Mattress
• Southold HS—Dearly Departed
• Westhampton Beach HS—Lost in Yonkers

For more information on the Teeny Awards©, please contact the East End Arts Council at 631-727-0900. To find out more about sponsorship opportunities, contact EEAC Development Director Catherine Gerardi at 631-727-0900.
 
About the Teeny Awards©
A collaborative project of East End Arts Council and Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, the Teeny Awards© was established in 2002 to provide recognition and encouragement to high school theatre students and to raise awareness in the community of the importance of theatre arts in education. The Teeny Awards program is made possible by its sponsors, including Target® and Bridgehampton National Bank.

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Arts for Everyone

Laura Helms
Communications Coordinator
East End Arts Council
133 East Main Street
Riverhead, NY 11901
631.727.0900

Suffolk County 2009 Student Art Exhibit Opportunities

The Smithtown Township Arts Council is offering Suffolk County students two opportunities to exhibit artwork at the Mills Pond House Gallery.  Destination Downtown Poster Contest invites students grades K-12 to design posters for Suffolk County Businesses. Students may choose any business within their community to highlight the quality of goods and services they appreciate. Choose your family’s favorite pizza place, bookstore, music shop, insurance company, deli, etc. and use your creativity to tell others why they should go there too! Posters will be displayed in the Mills Pond House Gallery, and on the Council’s website. This year there will be prizes for the best posters.

Suffolk County students grades 8-12 are invited to submit artwork (all media accepted) for the 2009 Youth Art Showcase. The first 100 students submitting entries for consideration WILL have at least one piece of work displayed. Additional entries will be accepted based on available space in the gallery/outreach locations.  .

Exhibition dates for both exhibits are February 14 – March 14, 2009. All work for both opportunities must be original, no copies. Deadline for all entries is January 26th.  For complete guidelines and entry forms, visit www.stacarts.org/exhibits to download the pdf entry guidelines or email StudentArt (at) stacarts.org to request information.

Both Destination Downtown and Youth Art Showcase focus on engaging the community in a project that inspires cooperation, creativity, commerce and builds culturally vibrant communities. The Smithtown Township Arts Council believes local business communities provide common ground for teachers, parents, students and business owners to build personal relationships that can elevate student achievement and increase civic participation. Rather than simply encouraging a business to display art,  the project aims to create a kind of positive synergy, encouraging young people to play an active role in the development of business in their community through the arts.

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Smithtown Township Arts Council
Mills Pond House Gallery
660 Route 25A
St. James, NY 11780
www.stacarts.org
631-862-6575

EEAC Presents Life Drawing Workshop with Alan Bull
 
Riverhead, NY (October 7, 2008)—The East End Arts Council is pleased to offer a two-day workshop with artist and teacher Alan Bull on Saturday and Sunday, October 25th and 26th, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm each day.  Artists will learn the fundamental skills of drawing the human figure from a live model.  This intensive workshop will feature instruction on anatomical proportions, foreshortening, contour, light and shadow, gesture drawing and portraiture. The cost for the workshop is $104 for EEAC members and $124 for nonmembers.  Materials list will be provided upon registration.

For more information or to register, please call the EEAC School of the Arts at 631-369-2171.

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Arts for Everyone

Laura Helms
Communications Coordinator
East End Arts Council
133 East Main Street
Riverhead, NY 11901
631.727.0900

Fair Media Council Encourages Media to Cover Oct. 7 Event
 
On Oct. 7, the Village of Islandia is set to put into law a ban of “videotaping, recording or the transmission” of their public meetings. The vote is scheduled to take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Village Hall.
 
“In an era where the public is rightfully demanding more transparency in government, the Village of Islandia is responding by instituting a ban of public hearing coverage that will leave its public in the dark,” said Jaci Clement, executive director of the Fair Media Council, noting that news coverage is vital to keeping the public informed and public officials accountable. “Given the environment we live in, this raises a red flag. What’s happening in the village that the local government doesn’t want the public to know? The village needs more news coverage, not less, to find the answer to that question and to allow democracy to work as it is intended.”
 
The Fair Media Council is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization that advocates for quality local news coverage. More information may be obtained at www.fairmediacouncil.org.

Major Online Fundraising Initiative to Benefit the March of Dimes of Long Island

CONTEST TO LAUNCH WEEK OF SEptember 29th
 
(Long Island, N.Y.) TheCuteKid.com (http://www.thecutekid.com), the world’s largest online baby and kid photo contest and The March of Dimes of Long Island announce “The March of Dimes Long Island CuteKid™ Contest”, a major online fundraising initiative to benefit March of Dimes Long Island. In support of this campaign, TheCuteKid™ is also partnering with local Long Island and national businesses, all of whom will help support and build awareness for the initiative. (http://www.thecutekid.com/marchofdimes.php)

With 500,000 babies born prematurely in the U.S. every year and 4,133 Long Island babies born prematurely in 2004, (nearly 12% of all births), TheCuteKid is committed to keeping the children from the Long Island community healthy and providing families with the resources to take care of premature babies.

The “March of Dimes Long Island CuteKid™” fundraising contest is open to families with children ages ten and under. By submitting a photo of one’s child along with a $25 donation, one can enter the contest and support The March of Dimes. A $50 donation also gets them into TheCuteKid™ of the Year Contest and a $100 donation has the addition of a canvas portrait. Entries will be accepted from September 29, 2008 through November 22nd, 2008.  After entering the contest, parents will be encouraged to get their friends and families to vote for their child. Every vote will cost one dollar and will also benefit the charity. One hundred percent of all net proceeds go straight to The March of Dimes.
 
Ten finalists will be determined by popular vote. From these top contenders, TheCuteKid’s panel of professional child talent judges will vote upon the winner of “The March of Dimes Long Island CuteKid™” contest. The pro talent judges will name a winner and a 1st and 2nd runner up, who will be given prizes, money, toys, gift certificates and additional exposure to professional talent agents in a safe environment.
 
Prizes include a $500 gift certificate to Visage Photography Studio, Gymboree memberships, Carter’s Footwear, toys, apparel and a grand prize of a $1,000 U.S. Savings Bond.

TheCuteKid™ and The March of Dimes want to remind everyone that EVERY vote counts in the fight to give every baby a healthy start! 

“The March of Dimes Long Island Division is excited to partner with The CuteKid on this endeavor.  Our contest will provide Long Islanders the chance to participate in a fun contest, win excellent prizes, and help us champion the needs of babies at the same time.”, Marissa Nihill, Assistant Community Director, March of Dimes.

“March of Dimes Long Island CuteKid™” contest is presented by TheCuteKid.com™ and made possible with the support of sponsors Visage Photography Studio, Gold Coast Bank, Gymboree Play & Music, Pleo, Kidsville, Carter’s Footwear, Best Buy, ParentSociety.com and Ruby Tuesday. (http://www.thecutekid.com/marchofdimes.php)

About the March of Dimes:
The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health organization whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.  Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes carries out this mission through programs of research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies.  For the latest resources and information, visit www.marchofdimes.com or www.nacersano.org.
 
About TheCuteKid.com™ (http://www.thecutekid.com): TheCuteKid.com™, a Parent Media Group, Inc. company, was founded in 2005. Offering hundreds in monthly prizes and its $25,000 college tuition fund grand prize, TheCuteKid™ has become the largest and most respected child photo contest online. Since its inception, TheCuteKid™ has become the go-to meeting place for parents interested in introducing their babies and children into the modeling and acting arena. In just over 3 years, TheCuteKid™ has grown to over 1.2 Million members worldwide and has received over 2 million photos of cute kids. Dozens of talent and modeling agencies utilize the site and CuteKids have landed roles in major campaigns including JCPenney, Oscar Mayer, Disney Family Fun, and Nickelodeon.
 
March of Dimes LI CuteKid™ Contest Prizes
 
1st Place “March of Dimes LI CuteKid”:
$1000 U.S. Savings Bond
$500 Gift Certificate to Visage Photography Studio
16×20 Framed Photo Canvas from TheCuteKid
Pleo Robot
Carter’s Gift Certificate
 
2nd Place: “1st Runner Up”: 
$500 U.S. Savings Bond
$500 Gift Certificate to Visage Photography Studio
Pleo Robot
BabySpot- AMEX Card
Carter’s Gift Certificate
 
3rd Place “2nd Runner Up”:
Classic Gymboree Play & Music Package
Gift Certificate to Best Buy
Pleo Robot
Carter’s Gift Certificate
Gift Certificate to Denny’s Children’s Wear