(Long Island, NY) Angela’s House, a local non-profit that assists families caring for children that are medically fragile held a two day summer party at White Post Farms in Melville. The party was held on July 13th and 14th from 10:30 through 6 pm both days.

“Bob Policastro, Executive Director and founder, this was a great opportunity offered to the families and their children. We were graciously offered this great party by the generous owners of White Post Farms.Their family has a medically fragile child and they understands what a family experiences caring for a medically fragile child.”

“This was also a great way for parents to meet each other which is a great support in itself” The party was amazing and everyone had a great time. The families deserve to have this type of special day going to the beautiful handicapped accessible White Post Farms, which is one of the top places on Long Island for family fun. They enjoyed the petting zoo, playground, bounce rides and water slides.

This event was open to all family members and children of Angela’s House and their nurses from 10:30 am until 6 pm either day for no charge. Families were also treated to a lunch and all the other amenities of the farm. Other guests are welcome on either day by paying standard admission fees. Visit www.whitepostfarms.com for information.

For more information about Angela’s House, please visit www.angelashouse.org or the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/angelashouse.

ABOUT ANGELA’S HOUSE:
Angela’s House is a 501 C3 non-profit organization that assists families caring for children with special health care needs that are medically fragile, chronically ill or suffering from a life threatening illness. The organization assist families caring for their children at home and for children that can no longer live at home we have Angela’s House. The Policastro family founded this agency 20 years ago following the tragic crisis they lived with their daughter Angela. This parent-based origin has become the approach and philosophy they apply to each family they assist.

Joint Progress Report Assesses State of the Local Food System

(Farmingdale, NY) Sustainable Long Island and Adelphi University’s Vital Signs project announced today the release of the Long Island Food System Report Card; a joint progress report that details the state of the region’s current food system and provides recommendations to address the challenges ahead.

The report card is the first comprehensive assessment of Long Island’s food system and offers a baseline profile of its sustainability across three domains: Economic, environment and equity.

The report card tracks the performance of 31 food system indicators and rates them on a five point color scale from dark green (highest rating) to red (lowest rating). The goals of the Long Island Food System Report Card are to create awareness, share findings and encourage mobilization among stakeholders to improve the region’s food system.

While Long Island remains a state leader in agricultural revenue, the strength and fairness of the Long Island food system is at risk. The report card’s analysis of multi-year data revealed a number of trouble spots threatening economic, environmental and social sustainability. The number of farms continues to decline, dropping 15.6% from 1987-2007, with just 644 now remaining. Efforts to preserve farmland have been an uphill battle, with less farmland being preserved over the last decade than originally anticipated by the Counties.

Food manufacturing and food wholesale have also taken hits. From 2003-2010, the number of food manufacturers declined 16.7% in Nassau and 15.3% in Suffolk. During the same time period, the number of food wholesalers dropped 10.8% in Suffolk and 5.7% in Nassau, with the largest declines in the poultry, packaged frozen foods and seafood categories.

Consumers in the New York Metropolitan are spending a greater share of their annual household expenses on food, 13%, than they did before the Great Recession, as a result of

rising food costs and/or declining incomes. Moreover, the economic downturn has fueled a dramatic increase in food insecurity; Food Stamp or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment increased 116% in Nassau and 168% in Suffolk between 2008 and 2011.

Food system byproducts are causing significant damage to our environment. Water quality of lakes, estuaries and rivers are under stress largely due to urban/stormwater runoff. 35% of Long Island sound basin rivers, 8% of lakes and 37% of estuaries have been rated as “poor”.

These challenges and many others require a thoughtful, proactive, and integrated approach to change that allows us to move toward a more sustainable future.

“With the release of the Long Island Food System Report Card, our hope is to mobilize Long Islanders in a discussion about how to achieve a sustainable food system on Long Island,” said Amy Engel, Executive Director of Sustainable Long Island. “We are confident this report will assist Long Islanders, elected officials, businesses, and community partners in raising their awareness about existing food system issues, as well as encouraging dialogue between stakeholders about programs, policies, and food-related research.”

“We at Adelphi University are pleased to work with our partner, Sustainable Long Island, on the Long Island Food System Report Card and other important research questions, which lend themselves to increased knowledge and improvements in society,” said Dr. Robert A. Scott, President of Adelphi University. “This fulfills our mission as the ‘engaged university,’ underscores our vision for Vital Signs – the social health indicators project, and strengthens our programs in Public Health and the Center for Health Innovation.”

“The Long Island Food System Report Card represents the first comprehensive assessment of our region’s food system and offers a data-driven blueprint for creating positive change throughout all food system sectors,” said Dr. Sarah Eichberg, Director of Community Research and Author of Vital Signs, Adelphi University. “While the report’s findings are mixed, identifying areas of strength and weakness, its recommendations offer strategies to make our food system more economically robust, environmentally healthy and socially equitable for all stakeholders – from producers to consumers.”

Overall recommendations to improve Long Island’s Food System were identified as follows:

• Infrastructure investment to preserve and grow Long Island’s regional food system.
• Economic diversification in farming to strengthen its role as one of the region’s economic engines.
• New and heightened initiatives to address food accessibility, insecurity and rising costs of food for all Long Islanders.
• Protection of the region’s farmland, water, and air quality for the long-term economic and environmental viability.
• Strengthened and expanded regional partnerships to promote communication, coordination, and collection of information – in order to conduct regular assessments of the food system.

Please view the full Report Card for more detailed findings. 

The Long Island Food System Report Card was made possible by The Angela and Scott Jaggar Foundation.

About Sustainable Long Island
Sustainable Long Island is a nonprofit organization advancing sustainability through community revitalization, brownfield redevelopment, and food access initiatives. Sustainable Long Island connects public and private resources and expertise with communities that need them the most while promoting economic development, environmental health, and social equity. Sustainable Long Island is located at 399 Conklin Street, Suite 202, Farmingdale, NY 11735. For further information, call (516)-873-0230, visit www.sustainableli.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About Adelphi University’s Vital Signs
Vital Signs is a multiphase project that systematically identifies, tracks, and analyzes the social health of populations and communities in Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island. Initiated by Adelphi University President Robert A. Scott in 2004, it has the primary objective of developing a centralized resource to help inform policy and service provision and reduce social health disparities. As a campus-community partnership, Vital Signs reflects Adelphi’s ongoing commitment as an “engaged university” and is affiliated with the Institute for Social Research and Community Engagement.

17 Health Insurers Have Rates Approved to Provide Coverage on the Exchange

(NEW YORK, NY) Today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the Department of Financial Services (DFS) has approved health insurance plan rates for 17 insurers seeking to offer coverage through New York’s Health Benefits Exchange, including eight new entrants into the market that do not currently offer commercial health insurance plans. Last year, Governor Cuomo took action to issue an Executive Order establishing the New York Health Benefit Exchange, which is expected to help more than one million uninsured New Yorkers access quality, affordable health care coverage.

Consumers and businesses will be able to choose among plans in four easy-to-compare metal tiers (bronze, silver, gold, and platinum) on the exchange. The plans within each metal tier will have standardized contract terms and product offerings, making it easier for consumers to truly comparison shop and encourage real price competition among insurers. Previously, New York insurers offered more than 15,000 plans that widely varied in terms of level and quality of coverage provided – which encouraged ‘competition through confusion’ and made it difficult for purchasers to effectively compare plans side by side.

“New York’s health benefits exchange will offer the type of real competition that helps drive down health insurance costs for consumers and businesses,” said Governor Cuomo. “The opportunity to choose among affordable, quality health insurance options will mean improved health outcomes, stronger economic security, and better peace of mind for New York families.”

Benjamin M. Lawsky, Superintendent of Financial Services: “In setting these rates, we worked hard to do right by consumers and small businesses so they have access to affordable, quality health insurance. Moreover, where New York previously had a dizzying array of thousands upon thousands of plans, small businesses will now be able to truly comparison shop for the best prices. New York will continue to move ahead rapidly so the exchange is up and running for 2014.”

“The approval of health plan rates marks a significant milestone for the New York Health Benefit Exchange,” said New York State Health Commissioner Nirav R. Shah, M.D., M.P.H. “The state continues to be on target to begin enrolling consumers and small business owners and their employees in health insurance coverage on October 1, 2013. Access to affordable, quality health care will mean better health, peace of mind and financial security for New Yorkers.”

On average, the approved 2014 rates for even the highest tier of plans individual New York consumers could purchase on the exchange (gold and platinum) represent a 53 percent reduction compared to last year’s direct-pay individual rates. The fact that these average individual rates are effectively being cut more than in half is primarily because a greater number of uninsured individuals are expected to obtain coverage in the individual insurance market – lowering overall premiums. 1 (Note: That 53 percent reduction does not include the impact of federal financial assistance for individuals meeting certain income thresholds who are purchasing coverage on the exchange, which would lower costs even further for many consumers.)

Furthermore, despite the fact that health care costs per capita are approximately 18 percent higher in New York than the national average, the average approved rates for the benchmark individual “silver plan” in New York would be in line with (nearly 10 percent lower)the nationwide average previously forecast by the independent, non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) for when health care reform is implemented.

For approved 2014 small group plan rates, existing premium rates do not provide a functional year-over-year comparison. In 2013, insurers offered more than 15,000 different small group plans that significantly varied in terms of the quality and level of coverage provided. This year, insurers are offering standardized contracts and product offerings within metal tiers (bronze, silver, gold, and platinum).

The approved small group rates, however, are generally lower than indicated by the estimates of other independent forecasters.The average approved small group rate in New York for the benchmark “silver plan” is well below(nearly 32 percent lower) the nationwide average previously forecast by the independent, non-partisan CBO – notwithstanding the relatively higher per capita health care costs in New York compared other states. Moreover, a number of small businesses will be eligible for tax credits that would lower those premium costs even further.

The following companies had health insurance plan rates for the health benefits exchange approved today by DFS. The rates approved today are subject to final certification of the insurers’ participation in the exchange.

• Aetna
• Affinity Health Plan, Inc.
• American Progressive Life & Health Insurance Company of New York
• Capital District Physicians Health Plan, Inc.
• Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York
• Empire BlueCross BlueShield
• Excellus
• Fidelis Care
• Freelancers Co-Op
• Healthfirst New York
• HealthNow New York, Inc.
• Independent Health
• MetroPlus Health Plan
• MVP Health Plan, Inc.
• North Shore LIJ
• Oscar Health Insurance Co.
• United Healthcare

Individuals with incomes below 400 percent of the federal poverty level ($45,960 for individuals and $94,200 for a family of four), could qualify for financial assistance that lowers cost of coverage. Enrollment for the exchange begins on October 1, 2013 for coverage that will be effective January 1, 2014.

“These plans and rates deliver on the promise that the Exchange will offer quality health insurance coverage at a price that works for New Yorkers,” said Donna Frescatore, executive director, New York Health Benefit Exchange. “We were pleased to see that there was much interest from health plans regarding participation in the Exchange. Our partners at the New York State Department of Financial Services did a thorough job of negotiating affordable prices while ensuring that consumers will have access to the providers they need. Robust competition among health plans has resulted in meaningful choices and better options for consumers.”

For a listing of the health insurance plan rates approved today by region, please visit, http://www.dfs.ny.gov/about/press2013/pr1307171_health_rates_2014.

For more information about the New York Health Benefit Exchange, please visit, HealthBenefitExchange.ny.gov.

1 It is challenging to compare existing premium rates to those that have been approved for 2014. The 2014 health insurance plans are for new products with new rates. However, plans in the existing “direct-pay” market where individual New York consumers who do not have insurance through their employer can purchase coverage have relatively uniform terms with high standards for the level and quality of coverage provided. These existing “direct-pay” plans are generally comparable to 2014 gold and platinum plans. For the lower-cost tiers of individual coverage (silver, bronze, and catastrophic), the approved 2014 rates would represent a even greater reduction than 53 percent compared to last year’s average direct pay rates – however, those plans are not directly comparable to existing offerings.

Art Southampton forges an exclusive relationship with the New York Academy of Art to host an exhibition of alumni works curated by Eric Fischl. Alumni artwork sold at Art Southampton, July 25-29, will benefit the Academy.

(Long Island, NY) The internationally acclaimed New York Academy of Art, of which Andy Warhol was among the original founders, has forged an exclusive relationship with Art Southampton (presented by Art Miami), the premier international contemporary and modern art fair and marketplace for acquiring the finest works of art available in the Hamptons, July 25–29, 2013.

New York Academy of Art Senior Critic and lauded narrative painter Eric Fischl will curate the special exhibition, featuring works by renowned graduates Jason Bereswill, Aleah Chapin, Michelle Doll, Elizabeth Glaessner, Nicolas Holiber, Tat Ito, Christian Johnson, Will Kurtz, Lisa Lebofsky, Alyssa Monks, John O’Reilly, Melanie Vote, Tyler Vouros, Annie Wildey, Lucy Winton and Matthew Woodward . A percentage of sales of the artists’ works will go to scholarships and public programs at the Academy.

On Saturday, July 27, 5–7pm (Booth A24), New York Academy of Art President David Kratz, Eric Fischl and participating artists will be on hand to host guests for cocktails and a tour of the exhibition. Eric Fischl will also be signing copies of his recently published memoir, Bad Boy: My Life On and Off the Canvas.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Art Southampton to present this extraordinary collection of work by Academy alumni,” says David Kratz. “The pieces included in the show reflect the range and complexity of work being produced by the talented artists who have taken part in our unique program.”

The New York Academy of Art was founded in 1982 by artists, scholars and patrons of the arts, including Andy Warhol, to foster a resurgence in the training of figurative and representational art. The Academy has since developed into a non-profit cultural institution housing the nation’s first graduate school of figurative art, a continuing education program, the region’s most in-depth figurative art library, an extensive exhibition and lecture series, and iconic New York City events such as Take Home a Nude and Tribeca Ball.

Nick Korniloff, Art Southampton Show Director says, “We are honored that the prestigious New York Academy of Art has chosen to partner with Art Southampton and exhibit works by their renowned alumni, curated by one of our country’s foremost artists, Eric Fischl.”

About Art Southampton
More than 90 of the world’s most respected galleries are participating in Art Southampton, including James Goodman Gallery, Hollis Taggart Galleries, Osborne Samuel, Arcature Fine Art, Gallery Valentine, Yares Art Projects, Pace Prints, ARCHEUS / POST-MODERN, Galerie Terminus, NICHOLAS METIVIER GALLERY, Todd Merrill 20th Century+Studio Contemporary, Cynthia-Reeves, Ascaso Gallery, Gerald Peters Gallery, EdelmanArts Inc., Magnan Metz Gallery, Mike Weiss Gallery, Claire Oliver Gallery and Shine Artists.

Participating artists include:Avery, Bluhm Fonseca, Gottlieb, Stamos, Kline, Olitski, Sherman, Warhol, Wesselman, Lichtenstein, Basquait, Mitchell, Bochner, Condo, Chamberlain, Frankenthaler, Kusama, Motherwell, Noland, Rauschenberg, Rivers, Stella, Cruz Diez, Botero, Soto, Baechler, Calder, Moore, Avedon, Chadwick, Close, Dali, Fischl, Picasso, Nevelson, Miro, Johns, Indiana, Dubuffet, Argue, Cragg, Ramos, Richter, Rosenquist, Paley, Rickey, Sultan, Wyeth, Goldberg, Hoffman, Vicente, Kahn, Baselitz, Haring, Poons, Burtynsky, Dzubas, Giacometti, Francis, McGinness, Mapplethorpe, Lewitt, Jawlensky, Bleckner, Mazzucco, Clergue, Man Ray, DeKooning, Banksy, Katz, Ernst, Steir, Ruscha, Léger, Matisse, Koons, Nicholson, Baldessari, van Dongen, Bourgeois, Freud, Chagall, Lam, Muniz, Davis, Matta, Butterfield, Thiebaud, Judd, Flavin, Schnabel, Albers, Kurtz and many more.

The New York Academy of Art’s exhibition curated by Eric Fischl is one of two special exhibitions at Art Southampton. The other is Warhol by Gallery Valentine

The season’s “can’t miss” event of the summer will take place in a spectacular 100,000-square-foot pavilion on the grounds of the sprawling 18-acre Southampton Elks Lodge estate adjacent to the Southampton Golf Club located at 605 County Road 39, Southampton, New York 11968.

For more information on the Fair, register to be eligible for VIP status and for a full list of participating galleries, please visit www.art-southampton.com E: info@art-southampton.com  T: +1.305.515.8573

Art Southampton Sponsors + Partners:
Art Southampton is generously supported by the Southampton Hospital, National Academy of Art, GRAFF Diamonds, Perrier-Jouët, Maserati North America, Brown Harris Stevens, the Southampton Social Club, LaGuardia Design, Bourlet Art Logistics, Town of Southampton,  Southampton Chamber of Commerce, The Art Newspaper, Artlog, Blouin ARTINFO, Art + Auction, ArtFacts.Net, the New York Observer, MutualArt.com, Arte al Día, Art Nexus, Art Circuits, VENÜ MAGAZINE, Balthazar, Manhattan Magazine, Social Life Magazine, Private Air Luxury Homes, Hamptons Art Hub, Artillery Magazine, The Week, Dan’s Papers, Avenue, Toffee to Go, VOSS Artesian Water, Hyperallergic, Turon Travel, HBSC New York, Haute Living, Beach, D’USSE, Ross School, The Watermill Center, and Southampton Fresh Air Home.

Art Miami, LLC: is a partnership consisting of art and media industry veterans Nick Korniloff, Mike Tansey and Brian Tyler.  Art Miami, LLC also produces Art Miami (www.art-miami.com), Miami’s longest running contemporary art fair, CONTEXT (www.contextartmiami.com), Aqua Art Miami (www.aquaartmiami.com) and Art Wynwood (www.art-wynwood.com)

Cites Top Performance in Eight Specialties

(West Islip, NY) Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center has been ranked the top community hospital on Long Island and among the top 25 hospitals in the state and the region by U.S. News & World Report. Good Sam was the #2 ranked hospital in Suffolk County, and is #21 in New York State and #23 in the New York Metro region for 2013-2014.

The hospital was also cited as a top performer in eight specialties – cancer; gastroenterology and GI surgery; geriatrics; gynecology; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopaedics; pulmonology and urology. The annual U.S. News Best Hospitals rankings recognize hospitals that excel in treating the most challenging patients.

“This recognition is a validation of the dedication and skills of Good Samaritan’s entire clinical and ancillary staff,” said Nancy B. Simmons, Good Samaritan’s executive vice president and chief administrative officer. “I’m proud of this achievement and of the excellent care we offer the patients we serve.”

Two other hospitals within Catholic Health Services – of which Good Samaritan is a member – were honored as well. St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center,® for the seventh consecutive year was rated the number one hospital on Long Island and in the top ten in the nation for cardiac care. It was also top rated nationally in seven specialties for ear, nose and throat; gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery; geriatrics; neurology and neurosurgery; orthopaedics; pulmonology; and urology. St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson was recognized in orthopaedics. Our Lady of Consolation Nursing Home was among the Best Nursing Homes in the U.S. in recognition of the five stars it received from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for overall performance.

Good Samaritan is the diagnostic and treatment center of choice for thousands of cancer patients each year.  The hospital’s cancer program has been nationally recognized, having earned the Outstanding Achievement

Award and three-year accreditation with commendation in eight areas from the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer on three consecutive surveys, nine years in a row. Good Samaritan is also known for its comprehensive pediatric services, pioneering Breast Health Center, and advanced surgical care including minimally invasive gynecologic, general, and urologic surgery that is enhanced with the use of the da Vinci® robotic-assisted surgical system.

Using data on patient outcomes, such as survival rates and safety data, as well as structural resources and reputation, U.S. News evaluates nearly 5,000 hospitals in 16 adult specialties. Only about 15 percent of hospitals are recognized for their high performance as among their region’s best. The rankings have been published at http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals and will appear in print in the U.S. News Best Hospitals 2014 guidebook, available in bookstores and on newsstands August 27.

Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center is a 537-bed (including 100 nursing home beds), voluntary, not-for-profit hospital located in West Islip.  The medical center, which has more than 3,700 employees and 900 physicians on staff, had nearly 28,000 patient admissions and nearly 100,000 emergency department visits in 2012.  Good Samaritan is a member of Catholic Health Services of Long Island. Visit the website at www.good-samaritan-hospital.org. The medical center supplies residents with the tools necessary to maintain good health.  This includes community lectures, screenings, health fairs and other community programs and services.

NYMTC Approves Federal Funds for Suffolk to Expand Service

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Legislator Jay Schneiderman today announced that the New York Metropolitan Transit Council Program Finance and Administration Committee approved the distribution of $3,965,934 in federal funding over three years for Suffolk County to expand Sunday bus service as of January, 2014. Suffolk County will match these funds with additional state aid the county received. This is the first key approval for the Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) grant which must now bereviewed and approved by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

While this funding will allow Sunday service to be expanded to routes throughout the County, recent reports have shown that the pilot program begun in 2011 by Legislator Schneiderman has been a major success with ridership levels on the S92 and 10C routes both up year-to-year. Over the first four Sundays of the season, ridership on the S92 route increased by 38 percent and increased on the 10C route by 36 percent.

“Expanded Sunday bus service will provide opportunity and access for thousands of Suffolk County residents,” County Executive Bellone said. “By leveraging additional state aid with federal grant dollars, I am pleased that we are finding creative opportunities to expand this service in a fiscally responsible way. I applaud Legislator Schneiderman for his leadership to improve transit opportunities for Suffolk County residents.”

“This is a major step closer to a significant rollout of needed Sunday bus service throughout Suffolk County,” Legislator Schneiderman said. “The fact that we are seeing major ridership increases demonstrates that Sunday bus service is meeting a major unmet need.”

“Tri-State Transportation Campaign applauds Suffolk County for applying for federal funds to complement local funding for bus service improvements impacting nearly 7 million annual Suffolk County Transit riders,” said Ryan Lynch, associate director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. “This new funding will support one of the largest service expansions in the system’s history, benefitting riders, businesses, the environment and every Suffolk County resident’s quality of life.”

County Executive Bellone and Legislator Schneiderman worked together to put together this program to increase Sunday bus service using increased State Transit Operating Assistance (STOA) funds. In addition to increasing Sunday service, Suffolk will reduce the budget deficit by using approximately $800,000 in STOA funds to reduce the $28.6 million subsidy Suffolk Transit receives out of the county’s operating budget.

“I want to thank our state delegation for securing this aid which will allow us to expand service and reduce the deficit,” County Executive Bellone said.

Featured on television’s Working Woman Report

(Hampton Bays, NY) E Day Spa and Salon was recently featured on television’s Working Woman Report, where the owner Elaine Campbell-Devito discussed the launch of her private label collection of hair products, called the e Collection.

Working Woman Report interviewed Elaine at E Day Spa and Salon in Hampton Bays about her product line, advice she would give other entrepreneurs and her plans for the future.

“The e Collection ensures E Day Spa and Salon clients are able to continue to use the best products available to maintain the look we have created in the salon at home. I’m really proud of this line and thrilled by all of the praise we’ve received from clients who are using it,” said Elaine.

The shampoo, conditioner and styling products are specially formulated for individual hair types and include the Structure Control Line, Color Retention System, Advanced Volumizing Collection and the Styling Collection. They are only available at E Day Spa and Salon in Hampton Bays.

About E Day Spa and Salon
E Day Spa & Salon began with a vision of creating a warm, inviting atmosphere where clients can come and leave their cares behind. A relaxing, professional atmosphere that fosters total body wellness, relaxation and beauty for men and women. http://www.edayspaandsalon.com

The talented and caring staff at E Day Spa & Salon are dedicated to providing exclusive, individual attention.

Media Inquiries: Elaine Campbell, (631) 723-3200

Jasmine Garcia-Vieux for Town Clerk, Diane Madden and Patrick Gillespie for Town Council

(Valley Stream, NY) The Working Families Party (WFP), New York’s liveliest and most progressive political party has endorsed Jasmine Garcia-Vieux for Town Clerk, Diane Madden and Patrick Gillespie for Town Council.  The endorsement comes at a time when the Town of Hempstead is in dire need of leaders willing to fight for working families in the Town of Hempstead.

Jasmine Garcia-Vieux is a Levittown resident who will fight to keep young working families (like hers) on Long Island. Her goals are to put public policy before politics and work towards an open and more transparent government.  Jasmine Garcia-Vieux is a Lawyer with Smith & Brink, P.C., wife, and a mother with three young children.

“I am excited that the WFP has selected me to represent the principles and needs of every working family here in the Town of Hempstead.  As Town Clerk, I will streamline processes to increase the convenience and speed in obtaining information and filing for services and will create programs that ensure that our government is accessible to ALL residents,” Stated Garcia-Vieux.

Diane Madden is an East Meadow resident who is running for public office to shine a light on the waste in Town government. She is an advocate who has gone toe-to-toe with the Town Board to protect animals and uncovered government waste. Diane Madden is a mother and grandmother.

“Sunlight is the best disinfectant.  Comptroller DiNappoli’s audit shined some sunlight on the gross mismanagement at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter and as an advocate for animal welfare I have taken on the challenge to shine more light. It is with great pleasure that I accept the Working Families Party endorsement and look forward to magnifying the light on the corruption, patronage and waste that I exposed at the animal shelter to show that it is saturated in every other department in Hempstead as well,” stated Madden.

Patrick “Paddy” Gillespie is an East Rockaway resident who is running for the Town Council predominantly to speak for those communities that have been underrepresented.  He is running to represent the young adults and working families who have few opportunities offered to them because of the small number of jobs and unreasonably priced apartments in the Town of Hempstead. Gillespie is a college student (seeking his Masters Degree) a son, and a community/cultural activist.

“I am running to represent both the Hispanic and the general Democratic community who have been disenfranchised and marginalized, respectively, by the recent Town and County redistricting process, a process that was rushed and lacked transparency,” stated Gillespie.

For more information about these candidates visit their Facebook page’s at;

• www.facebook.com/JasmineForClerk.com
• www.facebook.com/diane.d.madden
• www.facebook.com/pat.gillespie

Councilwomen Dorthy Goosby was also endorsed by the WFP.

The election will be held on Tuesday November 5, 2013, polls are open from 6am to 9pm.

A Genetic disorder that may result in COPD, emphysema or irreversible asthma

(Port Jefferson, NY) If you suffer from COPD, emphysema or irreversible asthma you may have a genetic disorder called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (also referred to as Alpha-1). Smokers, firefighters and others who are exposed to lung irritants may increase their risk of lung disease particularly if they have undiagnosed Alpha-1.

John T. Mather Memorial Hospital is offering free Alpha-1 screening on Saturday, July 27, 9 am-noon, in Conference Rooms 1 and 2. No appointment is necessary. For more information, call 631-476-2723.

Alpha-1 is an inherited disorder that may result in serious lung disease in adults. One of the main functions of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) is to protect the lungs from injury caused by inhaled irritants such as tobacco smoke and other environmental pollutants.

Screening for Alpha-1 is a simple finger stick. Diagnosis is made by a simple blood test. Treatment of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency in patients who are symptomatic can slow or stop the progression of lung disease. You may also learn if you are a carrier of the Alpha-1 gene.

The American Thoracic Society recommends testing for:

• All adults with symptomatic emphysema regardless of smoking history
• All adults with symptomatic COPD regardless of smoking history
• All adults with symptomatic asthma whose airflow obstruction is incompletely reversible after bronchodilator therapy.
• Asymptomatic patients with persistent obstruction on pulmonary function tests with identifiable risk factors (smoking, occupational exposure, etc.)

The Alpha-1 Foundation also recommends testing for those with:

• Chronic liver disease regardless of smoking history
• Unexplained liver disease in infants and children
• The skin disease panniculitis
• Siblings of those found to have Alpha-1

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of testing with your healthcare provider.

John T. Mather Memorial Hospital is an accredited 248-bed, non-profit community hospital dedicated to providing a wide spectrum of high quality healthcare services to Suffolk County residents, showing compassion and respect and treating each patient in the manner we would wish for our loved ones.

For further information about Mather Hospital, visit www.matherhospital.org or “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/matherhospital.

After Meeting With AG’s Office, League And Players’ Union Strengthen Efforts To Protect Current & Prospective Gay Players; Schneiderman, Selig & Weiner: “Together We Will Make Our National Pastime A National Leader In Equality And Inclusion”

(NEW YORK) Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig and Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) Executive Director Michael Weiner today announced new efforts to protect current and future MLB players from discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation. Following discussions with the Attorney General’s office, MLB and MLBPA agreed to undertake new actions to reinforce its workplace discrimination policies, including the creation and dissemination of a Workplace Code of Conduct to be distributed to every Major and Minor League player and posted in each locker room conveying MLB’s non-discrimination policies. The League also agreed to implement new training opportunities for team officials and create a centralized complaint system for reporting incidents involving harassment and discrimination.

In November 2011, MLB and the MLBPA added sexual discrimination language into their collective bargaining agreement. Earlier this year, the Attorney General announced an agreement with the National Football League on new efforts to promote inclusion and protect players from discrimination based on sexual orientation.

In a joint event this afternoon before the 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field, Attorney General Schneiderman, Commissioner Selig and MLBPA Director of Player Services Tony Clark unveiled a copy of the Workplace Code of Conduct at the T-Mobile All-Star Fan Fest celebration at New York’s Javits Center. The Code will also be distributed individually to professional baseball players at every level of the game.

“No one should face harassment or discrimination, whether their workplace is an office park or a baseball diamond,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “By making a clear stand against discrimination in the workplace, our National Pastime is showing national leadership in the fight to promote equal justice for all. I am committed to using every tool at my disposal to ensure equal protection under the law for all employees no matter where they work, and I applaud Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association for working cooperatively with our office to promote a culture of inclusion and equality.”

“I expect all those who represent Major League Baseball, as a social institution that has important social responsibilities, to act with the kind of respect and sensitivity that our game’s diverse players, employees and fans deserve,” Commissioner Selig said. “We welcome all individuals regardless of sexual orientation into our ballparks, along with those of different races, religions, genders and national origins. Both on the field and away from it, Major League Baseball has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation.”

Executive Director Michael Weiner said, “The Major League Baseball Players Association supports and promotes a discrimination-free workplace, and firmly believes that every individual is entitled to pursue his or her career in an environment that is free of any type of harassing behavior. Additionally, the MLBPA embraces diversity and supports a workplace environment that welcomes all regardless of race, religion and sexual orientation.”

As a result of MLB’s and MLBPA’s cooperation with the Attorney General’s office, the League has committed to additional steps to ensure that “America’s pastime” is open to all players, regardless of sexual orientation. Among these steps, MLB has agreed to develop and disseminate materials on sexual orientation non-discrimination to all Club Scouting and Farm Directors involved in the acquisition of amateur talent. This will help to create a culture of acceptance early in the process. In addition, MLB’s Office of the Commissioner will conduct training sessions for Club and League officials and staff at the bi-annual industry meetings. The next meeting is scheduled for November 2013 in Orlando, Florida and will include training on sexual orientation non-discrimination principles.

Furthermore, the Office of the Commissioner will centralize the process for filing complaints involving discrimination and harassment for both players and Club personnel by designating a lead point of contact at the Commissioner’s Office to whom any complaints of sexual orientation harassment or discrimination can be made. In accordance with the Workplace Code of Conduct, MLB has also agreed to take steps to protect from retaliation any person who makes or assists in making such a complaint, or who assists in the investigation of a complaint.

This matter is being handled by Assistant Attorneys General Justin Deabler and James Katz, under the supervision of Civil Rights Bureau Chief Kristen Clarke, Executive Deputy Attorney General Alvin Bragg and First Deputy for Affirmative Litigation Janet Sabel.

A copy of the Code of Conduct to be distributed by Major League Baseball can be downloaded here.