(GARDEN CITY, NY) Multi-Grammy-nominated singer Maureen McGovern, best known for the Oscar-winning classic “The Morning After” will take you on a musical journey celebrating the songbook of the 1960s and 1970s featuring the music of Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Webb, Carole King and Bob Dylan, among others. According to the New York Times, McGovern is “blessed with a vocal technique second to none.”

Tickets are now on sale for “Maureen McGovern: A Long and Winding Road: The Concert” on Sunday, November 3, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. at the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center (AUPAC) Concert Hall, 1 South Avenue, Garden City, NY. Order at aupac.adelphi.edu.

Considered as one of the Top 100 Irish Americans by Irish America Magazine, Maureen McGovern is a champion of harnessing the power of music to inspire as a healing process that reaches inside and changes us in a very deep and profound way. Her career spans 40 years and includes recordings, concerts, theater, film, television, radio and songwriting. It is no wonder she has been called “The Stradivarius Voice.”

McGovern’s recording career began with the Oscar-winning International Gold Records “The Morning After” (Billboard #1) and “We May Never Love Like This Again” from the films The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno. She received a Gold Record for her participation in Disney’s Take My Hand: Songs from the 100 Acre Wood. Maureen was also a featured guest artist on the Grammy Award-winning ‘Best Musical Album for Children’ CD/DVD songs from the Neighborhood: The Music of Mister Rogers. Other hit recordings include, “Can You Read My Mind?” from the picture Superman.

In addition, she holds an impressive list of feature film accomplishments including roles as the ‘nightclub singer’ in The Towering Inferno and ‘Sr. Angelina,’ the guitar strumming nun in the comedy classic Airplane! and Airplane II: The Sequel. She can be heard as the voice of ‘Rachel’ in the DreamWorks animated video/DVD Joseph: King of Dreams with Ben Affleck. McGovern has appeared on One Life to Live, The Tracey Ullman Show, Pacific Blue and many more.

Adelphi University’s Performing Arts Center is Long Island’s premier cultural arts venue for entertainment of all kinds. Tickets for Maureen McGovern are on sale now and are priced at $45.00 each. For more information about all the events at AUPAC and to purchase tickets, visit aupac.adelphi.edu. Information is available at The Lucia and Steven N. Fischer Box Office at (516) 877-4000 or boxoffice@adelphi.edu. Regular box office hours are Tuesday through Friday, from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. The box office is also open two hours before most scheduled performances.

About Adelphi University:
Adelphi is a world-class, modern university with excellent and highly relevant programs where students prepare for lives of active citizenship and professional careers. Through its schools and programs—College of Arts and Sciences, Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies, Honors College, Robert B. Willumstad School of Business, Ruth S. Ammon School of Education, University College, College of Nursing and Public Health and the School of Social Work—the coeducational university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as professional and educational programs for adults. Adelphi University currently enrolls nearly 8,000 students from 43 states and 45 foreign countries. With its main campus in Garden City and its centers in Manhattan, Suffolk County, and Poughkeepsie, the University, chartered in 1896, maintains a commitment to liberal studies, in tandem with rigorous professional preparation and active citizenship.

(Long Island, NY) A Holbrook man was arrested Wednesday on charges of grand larceny and criminal impersonation that occurred in Williston Park, according to the Nassau County Police Department.

According to Crimes Against Property Squad detectives, while in front of 374 Hillside Avenue, Jose Ruela, 44, of 126 Smith Street, met with a female victim, 44, whom he met on a dating website, identified himself as a U.S. Marshal, a retired NYPD police officer and gave her a fictitious name, police said.

The defendant convinced the victim to lend him $3200 because his vehicle had been repossessed. In exchange for the cash, the defendant gave the victim a fraudulent check that was signed by the defendant. He also gave the victim a title to a vehicle he no longer owned as collateral. On August 2, 2013, the defendant told the victim to cash the check when she asked for her money back. When the victim attempted to cash the check she was informed by the bank that it was fraudulent, according to authorities.

Crimes Against Property Squad detectives arrested the defendant on Thursday in front of his residence. Ruela is being charged with Grand Larceny 3rd Degree, Possession Forged Instrument 2nd Degree, Criminal Impersonation 1st Degree and will be arraigned on Friday in First District Court, Hempstead.

(New York, N.Y.) Today, Assemblyman Keith Wright endorsed Ben Kallos to represent Manhattan’s Fifth district in the City Council for his innovative ideas and commitment to equal rights and opportunities.

“I look forward to having Ben as a partner in government. As founder of the NY Democratic Law Students Council, he’ll be a strong advocate for voting rights and community involvement in important decision making. His political skills and passion for improving quality of life for all New Yorkers will be great assets to the City Council,” said Assemblyman Wright.

Wright currently serves as Chairman of the New York County Democratic Party and co-Chair of the New York State Democratic Committee, as well as holding membership in a number of Assembly committees such as, Housing, Correction, Ways and Means, and Codes. As the Chair of the Housing Committee in the New York State Assembly, Wright has worked to protect rent control and continues to advocate for the rights of tenants through his membership in the Subcommittee on Public Housing.

“I’m honored to receive the endorsement of Assemblyman Wright, who has a strong record of protecting small businesses and backing legislation for a more affordable city. Throughout the course of our work together on voting rights advocacy, I’ve been inspired by his passion for legal and political justice,” said Kallos.

Kallos, the Democratic nominee in Manhattan’s 5th District, served as Chief of Staff to Assembly Member Jonathan Bing, policy director for former Public Advocate Mark Green and executive director to the good government reform group New Roosevelt.

Learn more about his run for City Council at BenKallos.com

Plus A Big Surprise for America’s Most Grateful Neighborhood

(Long Island, NY) In what has become a neighborhood tradition, Applebee’s in Nassau and Suffolk counties will once again honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces. Our nation’s veterans and troops are invited to their local Applebee’s for a free meal on Veterans Day, Monday, November 11, in gratitude for their actions to preserve our freedom.

Applebee’s Proudly Salutes U.S. Military with Free Veterans Day Meals – Active duty military and veterans who drop by any Nassau or Suffolk County Applebee’s on Monday, November 11 will be warmly greeted and invited to sit down and enjoy a free meal in their honor piled high with thanks. The Long Island Applebee’s will open at 11 a.m. for lunch and serve dinner until midnight or later. Last year, more than 10,000 deserving men and women were served on Veterans Day.

For a fifth year, Applebee’s will salute our nation’s military, hoping to top the 1,024,000 free meals served last year from coast-to-coast. In 2012, here on Long Island, Applebee’s served more than 10,000 meals to deserving men and women veterans and members of the active duty military.

“It’s our distinct pleasure to honor our veterans and those actively serving in the U.S. military with a complimentary meal at Applebee’s,” said Kurt Pahlitzsch, Director of Operations for Doherty Enterprises, franchisee for the Long Island Applebee’s. “For our staff, it’s one of their favorite days. They enjoy serving the men and women of all ages who have served our country and love hearing their shared stories and seeing them reunite with long-time friends.”

On Long Island, Applebee’s will be offering veterans a special menu including some of its signature and favorite items:

• 7 oz. House Sirloin
• Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger
• Three-Cheese Chicken & Sundried Tomato Penne
• Chicken Tenders Platter
• Oriental Chicken Salad
• Fiesta Lime Chicken®
• Double Crunch Shrimp

The Long Island Applebee’s will open for lunch starting at 11 a.m. and serve dinner until closing at midnight or later. The honored guests will need to provide proof of service, which includes: U.S. Uniform Services Identification Card, U.S. Uniform Services Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement, Veterans Organization Card, photograph in uniform or wearing uniform, DD214, Citation or Commendation.

Offer is valid for Dine-in only. Traditional sides are included with the free entrees; appetizers, upgraded side items or extras, beverages, desserts and gratuity are not included.

To learn more, guests can call their local Applebee’s or visit www.applebees.com.

Gratitude from Neighbors across the Country

In addition to free meals for veterans on November 11, Applebee’s created its Thank You Movement in 2011 as a way for Americans to express their personal thanks to our more than 24 million veterans and active duty members of the Armed Forces. To date, over 4.5 million thank you messages have been sent through www.thankyoumovement.com.

This year, Applebee’s has a treat in store for veterans of our nation’s most grateful neighborhood. Each thank you message entered on www.thankyoumovement.com will be tallied by town and the one Applebee’s neighborhood with the most thank yous from around the country will receive a free concert in their town for veterans this Veterans Day. Singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw, who lends his song “Soldier” to the company’s national ad campaign in support of the Thank You Movement, will gratefully perform in their honor on November 11.

Evangelical Christians Coming Together to Call for Reform Rooted in Biblical Values

(BRONX, N.Y.) As momentum for broad immigration reform continues to build in the evangelical community, leaders from New York City are meeting tonight to pray for commonsense immigration reform.

Tonight’s gathering at the Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene is one of hundreds of events and gatherings across the country this week. Evangelical Christians are meeting as part of “Pray4Reform: Gathered Together in Jesus’ Name,” a week of prayer that continues the Evangelical Immigration Table’s ongoing Pray for Reform campaign. Participants are praying for immigration reform that reflects biblical values, including family unity and the God-given dignity of every person.

With immigration reform next on Congress’ full agenda this fall, evangelical Christians are stressing the urgency of broad, bipartisan reform.

• WHAT:    Bronx evangelical prayer gathering as part of the nationwide “Pray4Reform: Gathered Together in Jesus’ Name” week of prayer
• WHEN:    8 p.m. Friday, October 18
• WHERE:  Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene,  971 E. 227th Street,  Bronx, NY 10466

Join the conversation on Twitter using #Pray4Reform.

The Evangelical Immigration Table is a broad coalition of evangelical organizations and leaders advocating for immigration reform consistent with biblical values.

Drowning in Debt? Nassau Bar Association Shows You Where to Find Relief; Free Community Seminar Tuesday, November 19, 6:30 p.m.

(Mineola, NY) Nassau residents struggling with debt issues can now receive legal information on how to stay afloat at a free seminar presented by the Nassau County Bar Association. “Are You Drowning in Debt? Where to Find Relief!” will be held Tuesday, November 19, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at NCBA’s building on 15th Street on the corner of West Street, Mineola.

Gale D. Berg, Esq. will moderate a panel of experts who will address topics including:

• Bankruptcy—Chapters 7 and 13
• Mortgage Foreclosure
• Credit Counseling: Difference between Debt Negotiation and Debt Settlement
• Tax Implications

The seminar is free, but reservations are requested by calling the Nassau County Bar Association, 516-747-4070, or signing up online at www.nassaubar.org.

This program is funded through grants received from the NYS Attorney General Homeownership Protection Program.

About the Nassau County Bar Association
Founded in 1899, the Nassau County Bar Association consists of private and public attorneys, judges, legal educators and law students who demonstrate their commitment to the community by offering a variety of services for the public, including lawyer referral services, mortgage foreclosure, Sandy Recovery and senior citizen legal clinics, judicial screening, public education programs, and support for the Volunteer Lawyers Project, which provides much-needed free legal services for the indigent of Nassau County. The WE CARE Fund, a part of the NCBA’s charitable arm, assists children, the elderly and others in need, through countless projects and donations. For more information, call (516) 747-4070 (language translation available), email info@nassaubar.org, or visit nassaubar.org.

Actor appeared today in Rockland County Court, paid $100,000 to reduce current tax liability

(New York, NY) New York State Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Thomas H. Mattox today announced that actor Stephen Baldwin has paid an additional $100,000 on the total amount of $343,068 that he owes the State in back personal income taxes, penalty and interest.

Baldwin, 47, of Upper Grandview, NY, appeared this morning before the Hon. Charles P. Apotheker in Rockland County Court and presented a certified check to the Tax Department.

Following an investigation conducted by the Tax Department’s Criminal Investigations Division and the Rockland County District Attorney, Thomas P. Zugibe, Baldwin was arrested in December 2012 and arraigned on one count of Repeated Failure to File Personal Income Tax Returns, a class E felony.

According to the charges, he failed to file New York State Personal Income Tax Returns for 2008, 2009, and 2010. Baldwin’s total outstanding tax liability due to New York State at that time, including penalties and interests, was more than $300,000.

In March 2013, Baldwin pled guilty to the felony charge brought against him. He also agreed to pay an additional $300,000 by the time of his sentencing in March 2014. His next court date is January 10 before Judge Apotheker.

“I thank District Attorney Zugibe for his tireless work in prosecuting this case,” Commissioner Mattox said. “It shows that, regardless of a person’s occupation or financial situation, all New Yorkers must meet their obligation to pay their fair share of income taxes in a timely manner.”

Commissioner Mattox added that the Tax Department often arranges installment payment agreements to help taxpayers fulfill their filing requirements voluntarily. “We work diligently with taxpayers to address issues before they escalate. If you have a tax debt, don’t hesitate – take action and contact us to resolve your situation.”

In New York State, 96% of taxes are paid by businesses and individuals who voluntarily meet their tax responsibilities. The remaining 4% is collected through the Tax Department’s audit, collections and criminal investigations programs. Through its enforcement programs, the Department ensures fair tax administration for all New Yorkers.

Arrange a payment plan

 

• By calling the Personal Income Tax Information Center at 518-457-5181
• Visit the Department’s Web site, www.tax.ny.gov, for more information

At Anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, Affected Residents to Warn of Grave Danger to Long Island from Climate Change Caused by Fossil Fuels

(Long Beach, NY) Hundreds of Long Island residents will join with local activists and community leaders on Saturday to rally against an offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal that has been proposed for installation just off the southern coast of Nassau County. The crowd will gather on the boardwalk to highlight numerous public safety, economic, environmental and climate-related threats the facility would pose to Long Islanders. Activists will call on Governor Cuomo to reject the proposal immediately.

This event is one of more than 200 taking place around the world on Saturday as part of the second annual Global Frackdown (www.globalfrackdown.org), a worldwide day of action against fracking and related oil and gas infrastructure, initiated by Food & Water Watch.

Who: Long Island residents and community leaders, including:

• David Denenberg, Nassau County Legislator
• Eric Weltman, Food & Water Watch
• Claudia Borecky, Nassau Co. Coalition of Civic Associations
• Matthew Kearns, Sierra Club
• Adrienne Esposito, Citizens Campaign for the Environment
• Lou Sabatini, MoveOn.org
• Ron Kuriloff, Nassau Co. Green Party

What: Rally against the proposed Port Ambrose offshore LNG facility

When: Saturday, Oct. 19, 1:00 PM

Where: Long Beach Boardwalk at National Blvd., Long Beach, NY 11561

Photo-Op: Large crowd with signs, banners, etc.

Food & Water Watch (www.foodandwaterwatch.org) works to ensure the food and water we consume is safe, accessible and sustainably produced. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, we help people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and educate about the importance of keeping the global commons – our shared resources – under public control.

A.G. SCHNEIDERMAN & REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS OP-ED: A NEW PATH TO PREVENTING GUN VIOLENCE

Schneiderman & Giffords: Responsible Gun Owners And State And Local Officials Can Take The Lead In Reducing Gun Violence By Finding Common Ground 

NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords today published an op-ed in the Washington Post calling on state and local officials to take the lead in working with responsible gun owners to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and the dangerously mentally ill. The op-ed details an innovative initiative that both leaders believe could be a national model for closing the so-called gun show loophole. The following are excerpts from the op-ed:

ON THE SCOURGE OF GUN VIOLENCE: Americans have gotten used to watching massacres occur where we work and shop and where our children learn and play. With ever greater frequency, it seems, dangerous people with dangerous weapons are inflicting tragedy on individuals, families and communities. But even as we are shocked time and again by mass shootings, our national leaders have failed to pass meaningful laws to ensure that people who should not own guns cannot get them. In the absence of leadership from Washington, it is up to citizens to speak out — and imperative for state and local officials to lead.

ON BACKGROUND CHECKS: They are supported by nearly 90 percent of Americans, gun owners and non-gun owners — just as vast majorities of Americans accept our constitutional right to own guns for self-defense, hunting, shooting or collecting. Although Congress has refused to act, 17 states and the District of Columbia have implemented laws to ensure that gun buyers undergo background checks. And in those places, local leaders are stepping up and creating innovative models for background checks that serve both gun owners and public safety.

ON THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S MODEL GUN SHOW PROCEDURES: At the Saratoga Springs Arms Fair, we saw firsthand a new model for background checks at such events. It would ensure that all gun purchasers get background checks quickly and easily. It works like this: Guns are tagged at the entrances to the show. Show operators provide access to Federal Firearms Licensed dealers to do background checks before completing a sale. All guns are checked on the way out to ensure that background checks were performed. It’s that simple.

ON THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS: These procedures do not infringe on anyone’s constitutional right to bear arms. Rather, they recognize that responsible gun laws go hand-in-hand with the free exercise of gun rights. They recognize that protecting the rights of responsible gun owners, vendors and gun-show operators means ensuring that people who should not own guns can’t get them.

ON COOPERATION BETWEEN AUTHORITIES AND GUN SELLERS: This new model for responsible gun ownership was drawn up in cooperation with gun-show operators after undercover investigations revealed several years ago that vendors were illegally selling guns to anyone who wanted one. Show operators agreed to work with the New York Attorney General’s Office to close this dangerous loophole — and now nearly every known gun-show operator in that state has signed on.

ON MUTUAL RESPECT: Cooperation is unheard of these days in Washington, especially around contentious issues such as gun safety — but it doesn’t have to be. All it takes is for both sides to recognize that gun ownership is part of American culture and that people on both sides of the debate are responsible citizens worthy of respect and protection under the law. From that respect can come thoughtful and productive dialogue.

The full op-ed by Attorney General Schneiderman and former Congresswoman Giffords can be read here.

(Long Island, NY) Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) and several of his Long Island Assembly Minority colleagues recently held their first public forum to address New York’s Common Core curriculum.

The legislators invited educators, parents and other stakeholders to share their experiences with the curriculum and standardized testing, in the hopes of better discerning whether or not these standards are causing our children to become discouraged and disinterested in their education.

Assemblyman Ed Ra (left) and Assemblyman Al Graf during their October 10 public forum on New York’s Common Core curriculum and standards.

“A lot of our children, families and educators are struggling to keep up due to the hurried and haphazard implementation of these new standardized tests and curriculum,” said Ra. “The much-needed input provided by our school officials and parents will prove crucial in our efforts to get the Department of Education to reevaluate their implementation of Common Core.”

The October 10 hearing, held at Suffolk Community College, was the first of two to be held on Long Island. The second will be held on October 24 at SUNY Old Westbury and several other are being planned statewide. Ra feels that the first forum was successful and the upcoming events have taken on even more importance in the wake of the state Department of Education canceling their statewide hearings addressing Common Core.

“I’m truly disheartened to hear that our state Department of Education cancelled their planned hearings on this topic,” said Ra. “There are scores of teachers, administrators and parents whose voices and insights are being ignored due to their cancellation.

“While the Department of Education may have cancelled their hearings, I plan on holding several more in the near future and I look forward to ensure we hear the voices of the people who deserve to be heard – the parents, educators and other stakeholders in our children’s education – not lawmakers and pundits.”

Topics to be covered at the next forum will include the components, implementation and evaluation of Common Core. The schedule for the events is as follows:

Thursday, October 24
4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
SUNY Old Westbury
Duane L. Jones Recital Hall
223 Store Hill Road, Old Westbury

Due to time constraints, it is strongly recommended that those wishing to present oral testimony at this forum pre-register by contacting the Assembly Minority Office of Public Affairs at 518-455-5073 or minpaff@assembly.state.ny.us. Written testimony is also being accepted as well as letters expressing the impact Common Core has had on your children and/or students. For more information, please contact Assemblyman Ra’s office at 516-535-4095.