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By Lauren Urban   Thu, Jul 08, 2010

The 13th Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE) at the Bellmore Movies from Thursday, July 8 through Sunday, July 18, will be flooded with celebrities, parties, panels and 156 short- and feature-length films from 20 countries.

Local-area residents especially can  look forward to viewing films from local talent who are taking to independent filmmaking in diverse yet serious ways, and looking to get their art into respectable theaters. 

Indeed, 1995 Calhoun High School graduate Jill Schissel’s film “Mildred Richards” (in photo) will receive opening-night honors with a 7:30 p.m. showing on Friday, July 9.  Ms. Schissel started Radio Film Pictures, LLC in order to combine her passion for filmmaking with the golden age of radio. “Mildred Richards” is her first Radio Film Picture. 

“As I started attending film festivals...people would say that [director Marc Kess and I] were breaking new ground for filmmakers,” Ms. Schissel told Bellmore Life. 

“Prior to hearing these comments, my focus was on presenting authentic radio dramas to an audience, so I thought I was involved in preserving history, and I was surprised to realize I was potentially making history,” said Ms. Schissel. 

The groundbreaking film tells the tale of Mildred, an egomaniacal, nearly bankrupt actress, who enlists the help of her reluctant brother, Gerald, to steal their elderly aunt’s fortune. Mildred has nothing short of murder on her mind, but after arriving at her aunt’s country estate, things get complicated by her aunt’s caretakers.

“Making a film is a collaborative endeavor and ‘Mildred Richards’ has a great cast and crew. To have our hard work recognized as an Opening Night Official Selection of LIIFE...is a real blessing. 

“My hope is that the audience is entertained. I want them to enjoy and appreciate the film, while also recognizing that this is a unique opportunity to watch a film that incorporates an authentic old time radio drama,” concluded Ms. Schissel.

Sal Del Giudice is another local filmmaker, showing for the second time at this year’s festival. “As a Bellmore resident, participating in the Long Island Film Festival affords my family and friends the opportunity to see the film in a festival setting. I think, most importantly, it gives our film [“Miracle Ball”] some incredible exposure,” said Mr. Del Giudice, the film’s producer/director. 

“Miracle Ball,”showing on Saturday, July 10, during the 4 p.m. film block, examines a filmmaker’s journey as he searches for an infamous piece of sports memorabilia – Bobby Thomson’s 1951 home run ball that seemingly vanished into the stands after it was hit.

Mystery finally revealed
“After 57 years the world will finally learn who walked out of the stadium with the famous baseball that day and where it has been hidden for nearly six decades. This is a sports story for the ages,” continued Mr. Del Giudice. 

The Bellmore native has produced three films and has three in various stages of development. 

Local filmmaker Lou Yablonsky of North Bellmore is also a graduate from Calhoun High School. Mr. Yablonsky has written and directed over 15 shorts while at New York University, culminating in “Bathtub Gin,” the story of amateur bootleggers trying to get money to survive during the Great Depression.

The film will show on Tuesday, July 13, during the 9:30 p.m. film block.  “I submitted the film to LIIFE to get the film some exposure, represent my hometown in the festival and, most importantly, gain some credits that can lead to future jobs in the business,” said Mr. Yablonsky.

 The filmmaker, who says he has loved filmmaking since he was old enough to understand an R-rated movie, hopes to break into the creative development field at mainstream and independent movie studios. 

Bellmore filmmaker Leslye Abbey has become a mainstay of the festival, offering up her third documentary in as many years. Her “Bayou Landfall” won LIIFE’s 2006 Alan Fortunoff Humanitarian Award. “I used to travel to places such as the  South American rainforests and present slideshows of my trips. It wasn’t enough though. I wanted to make films,” said Ms. Abbey.

For this festival, she produced/directed “Rosey at One Hundred,” which gets its world premiere on Saturday, July 10, during the 1:45 p.m. film block. Rose Kramer, the aunt of a woman Ms. Abbey met on her travels, was born on  January 1, 1908, in Smorgun, Russia. The documentary follows this fascinating woman through her 100th year, as she reflects on her life and relationships. 

“I’m very excited about this movie...It’s very timely, considering future generations will probably live to be 100 and more. It’s very relevant to see...Rosey can be seen as a role model,” concluded Ms. Abbey.

Capturing the despair of addiction John Lazarro, 23, of Wantagh, is another young local filmmaker and  the director/producer of “Hindsight.” Mr. Lazzaro may be young, but his documentary, showing on Sunday, July 11, during the 2 p.m. film block, covers a mature topic: the heroin epidemic facing Long Island.

It is filmed through the perspectives of four different people fighting against the epidemic, including the Ciappas from Massapequa, who lost their daughter to a heroin overdose two years ago.   “In the film, there are two retired detectives who go all around the Island and present drug awareness programs. I saw the presentation and heard the Ciappas share their story. It was then I realized I had to make a documentary on this [subject],” said Mr. Lazzaro. 

The Wantagh native, who has been fascinated with movies since the age of 10, has produced/directed 10-15 films, as well as four documentaries, “Hindsight” being the fourth.  Mr. Lazzaro told Bellmore Life, “My film addresses a local and social concern. I feel that everyone should see [it] because drug addiction affects so many families on Long Island.” Rick Bieber, originally from Brooklyn but now living in North Massapequa, is a local filmmaker who graduated from Plainedge High School and later Hofstra University. 

Mr. Bieber’s film “The 5th Quarter,” getting opening-night world-premiere  treatment on Friday, July 9, tells the story of Jon Abbate, who lost his 15-year-old brother Luke in a fatal car crash. Jon, driven by the tragedy, helps to lead the Wake Forest Demon Deacons to the most successful season in school history. The film stars Andie McDowell and Aiden Quinn. 

Grappling with a problem
Another local filmmaker, Matt Rosenberg, is a 2007 Island Trees High School graduate from Levittown. Mr. Rosenberg will be a senior film major at Five Towns College this year. He has produced 10-12 films, including “A Bloody Mess,” which is  getting its world premiere at the festival. “A Bloody Mess,” premiering on Thursday, July 8,  during the 7 p.m. film block, is a 12-minute film that took three weeks to film.

It tells the  story of Roy Offerman, a teenager facing a very mature problem at a very immature time in his life. “I was sitting in scriptwriting class with Ryan [O’Leary, the film’s director/writer]. We didn’t know each other, but he pitched the idea for the film to the class, and I loved it. I thought it was a great concept,” said Mr. Rosenberg.  Mr. Rosenberg is looking forward to his second year participating in LIIFE  for the networking opportunities, but also is hoping “to have a good time and meet new people.”

Anyone interested in the art of filmmaking, or just seeing some films, is encouraged to come to the Long Island International Film Expo from July 8-18 at the Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Avenue, Bellmore.

By   Thu, Jul 15, 2010

Thursday, July 15
4:30 p.m. (116 minutes)“Breadwinner”  – 10 minutes.“No Pity” – 19 minutes.“Drawing with Chalk” – 87 minutes.
7 p.m. (115 minutes)“Mafia Sons” – 10 minutes. “Break” – 20 minutes. “Poligamy” – 85 minutes.
9:30 p.m. (112 minutes)“Post Nup” – 4 minutes. “Ext. Life” – 28 minutes. “Tenderloin” – 80 minutes.

Friday, July 16
1 p.m. (105 minutes)“Penguins” – 3 minutes. “Eye to Eye” – 25 minutes. “South Pole” – 27 minutes. “Quantum Quest” –  50 minutes. 3:15 p.m. (120 minutes)“Attention to Detail” – 1 minute. “In Dreams” – 4 minutes. “Did You…” – 10 minutes. “Intermission” – 12 minutes. “Here’s Herbie” – 12 minutes. “Everyone Has Their Miracles” – 25 minutes. “Taught to Hate” – 27 minutes. “Too Good To Be True” – 29 minutes.
5:30-6:45 p.m. Friday Filmmakers Fiesta – Filmmakers Lounge – Free to 2010 LIIFE Filmmakers, Gold Pass holders and Filmmakers Connection members. Treats by Piccolo’s and Starbucks.7 p.m. (119 minutes)“Clemency” – 19 minutes. “My Name is Jerry” – 100 minutes.
9:30 p.m. (136 minutes)“This Mortal Coil” – 18 minutes.“Bereavement” – 118 minutes.

Saturday, July 17
10:30 a.m.-noon Panel and Filmmakers Breakfast –  in the Filmmakers Lounge. “The Good, The Bad and the Horror Stories: The Perils of Independent Filmmaking” moderated by Mitchell Bard of Snapper Films.  General public – $10; LIIFE 2010 participating filmmakers – $5.
Noon-12:45 p.m.“Write Stuff” – Panel on Scriptwriting – Filmmakers Lounge. Free.
2 p.m. (119 minutes)“In Memoriam” – 8 minutes. “Ripe Strawberries” – 8 minutes. “Flowers for Annabelle” – 10 minutes. “Earthwork” – 93 minutes.
4:30 p.m. (117 minutes)“Envirometer” – 5 minutes. “Excerpts from Suki’s Diary” – 8 minutes.“Dorothy Parker’s The Sexes” – 8 minutes.“Lunch Money” – 8 minutes. “War (UERRA)” – 16 minutes. “The Windmill & The Watershed” – 20 minutes. “Wild About Harry” – 52 minutes.
7 p.m. (118 minutes)“Superstitious” – 4 minutes. “Underestimated” – 12 minutes. “Predilection (Predilecao)” –  17 minutes. “The Last Day of Summer” – 85 minutes.
9:30 p.m. (123 minutes)“Sebastian’s Voodoo” – 5 minutes. “The Kiddush Man” – 11 minutes. “My Sweet Misery” – 107 minutes.

Sunday, July 18
Noon-12:45 p.m.Film Distribution Panel – Filmmakers Lounge. Free. Hear industry professionals discuss the current state of independent film distribution.
Closing Festivities
2:30-4:30 p.m. Filmmakers Lounge – buffet.
4:30-6 p.m. Musical act, comedian and awards ceremony in the Bellmore Movies.
6-10 p.m. AfterLIIFE Party in the Filmmakers Lounge.
General admission $50 all for all these activities; $40 for participating 2010 LIIFE Filmmakers, Gold Pass holders and Filmmakers Connection members.

By   Fri, Jul 09, 2010

WOMAN TAKES ALL! Leonora Joy-Petrina of Bayport, left, came in first overall with a time of 21 minutes, 51 seconds. Paul Murphy of West Sayville came in second, with a time of 22 minutes, 23 seconds.

COMIN’ AT YA! Independence rings loud at the Bellmore Striders annual Independence Day Four-Mile Run through Bellmore, as runners get off to a good start on a warm Fourth of July day. 559 runners registered to run. Richard Bury was the first Bellmore resident over the finish line. See complete results at www.flrrt.com. 

By Doug Finlay   Thu, Jul 08, 2010

A meeting last week among several local groups and Nassau County police at the Mediterranean Grill on Bedford Avenue ended with promises of new opportunities to insure and secure the longtime car show that has been a mainstay at the Long Island Rail Road parking lot on Fridays during the summer months.

Ron Mare, president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores, stayed on message in the face of several raucous remarks during the meeting, reassuring car enthusiasts and retailers of the chamber’s intent to keep the car show in town. Without a legal entity to secure a permit from the Town of Hempstead to use the LIRR parking lot for a car show, Nassau police have had to respond to complaints by commuters coming home from work by closing the lot.

They say they cannot get out of the lot, and have restricted movement pulling out of the parking stalls, Officer Maureen Beccaris of the First  Precinct told Bellmore Life. “With a permit, restrictions could be put in place, such as starting the car show at 6 p.m. to allow commuters ample time to remove their cars” once getting off the train, Mr. Mare continued.

Right now, he said, the car show is operated by enthusiasts who don’t necessarily have the organizational skills to run the show. “They only want to show their cars.” He said they begin to gather in the parking lot at 4 p.m., causing disruptions for many commuters.

Kevin MacKinnon, of Days Gone By candy store on Bedford Avenue, remarked that the car show is essential for his business, adding that members of the South Shore Boys, a local car group, would be willing to help police assist commuters to get out of the parking lot in a safe, secure manner.

But Mr. Mare also said that some merchants, especially restaurants, are vague about the car show because car show enthusiasts and the families they attract to view the show often use restaurant restrooms without purchasing something in return. Merchants are further concerned with parking spaces for patrons in the front of the store being used by car show enthusiasts, he continued.  But he said that a permit would allow for the rental of portable toilets to be used within sight of the car show, for example. 

Tom Valenti, owner of Piccolo’s Ristorante, said during the meeting he didn’t want to be “bullied” by a  “few squeaky wheels who are complaining about parking,” and that Bellmore was getting the “short end of the stick.” “The purpose of the meeting was to find new owners for the show – that is, an existing organization that can take it over and keep it in Bellmore,” Mr. Mare maintained at the meeting.

No stranger to town Car shows are no stranger to the Bellmore community, especially the shows at the LIRR parking lot. Several years ago, the Friday Night Cruisers featured one of the Top 10 car shows in the country at that lot. But the show was not supported by several local groups, who were vocal in their opposition.  The car show lasted three years before FNC president Pat Capetti disbanded the group, suggesting to Bellmore Life at the time it was becoming too difficult to obtain a permit from the town in the face of growing community opposition.

Similar complaints from merchants were also heard during those years, and then-Bellmore Village Merchants Association president Jeff Lovering came out against the car show. Mr. Mare said the chamber board would take an up-or-down vote in the near future regarding taking over the car show. “I don’t know if the full board will agree [to ownership], but we also don’t want to see the car show go away,” he said. 

Should the vote face defeat, Mr. Mare suggested the Bellmore Lions Club and Bellmore Kiwanis Club were both well-run organizations that could handle the logistics necessary to run the car show. Mr. Valenti, a member of the Kiwanis Club, and Myrna Weinman, a member of the Lions Club, both told Bellmore Life that if either club took over ownership of the car show, proceeds would go to charity.

- With additional reporting by  Lauren Urban

By   Thu, Jul 08, 2010

Thursday, July 8
7 p.m. (128 minutes)“A Bloody Mess” – 12 minutes. “Beat Boys, Beat Girls” – 30 minutes.“Apostles of Park Slope” – 85 minutes. 9:30 p.m. (113 minutes)“Taste” – 1 minute. “Cycles” – 6 minutes. “Out Here in the Fields; Quail Hill Farm” – 11 minutes. “The Plan Doctor” – 13 minutes.“Super Sunday” – 14 minutes. “The Grave” – 15 minutes. “Passing Fancy” – 26 minutes.“High Hopes” – 27 minutes.

Friday, July 9
2 p.m. (129 minutes)“The Marked Man” – 6 minutes.“Window Shopping: Attack of the New Releases” – 12 minutes.   “Dig Comics” – 20 minutes.“Purgatory Comics” – 91 minutes.
OPENING NIGHT PARTY – WINE AND CHEESE RECEPTION: FILMMAKERS LOUNGE: 5-6:30 p.m. 
Official Opening Night FeatureS
7 p.m. (117 minutes)“Kiss Me A’ready” – 8 minutes.“Mildred Richards” – 19 minutes. “The 5th Quarter” – 90 minutes.
9:30 p.m. (119 minutes)“The One That I Want” – 9 minutes. “Cold Turkey” – 11 minutes. “Deep Sleep” – 16 minutes. “Asbury Park” – 20 minutes. “Poetry Man” – 25 minutes. “The Mourning After” – 38 minutes.  

Saturday, July 10
Noon-1:30 p.m. Free panel in Filmmakers Lounge – D “n” A  - Directors N Actors.
1:45 p.m. (118 minutes)“Little Red Riding Hood” – 4 minutes. “The Person Down The Street” – 5 minutes. “Out Here in the Fields: The Field on Beach Lane” – 15 minutes.   “Kings Park” – 20 minutes. “Abidjan” – 35 minutes. “Rosey at 100” – 54 minutes. 4:30 p.m. (121 minutes)“Miracle” – 9 minutes. “Lenny Coco and the Chimes – Still in the Mood for Love” – 42 minutes. “Miracle Ball ‘The Hunt for the Shot Heard Around the World’” – 70 minutes.
7 p.m. (122 minutes)“Edge of the Desert” – 17 minutes. “A Little Help” – 105 minutes.
9:30 p.m. (118 minutes)“The Day I Thought I Died” – 10 minutes “Miracle Fish” – 18 minutes.“Maggie Marvel” – 90 minutes.

Sunday, July 11
12-1:30 p.m. – Filmmakers Lounge,  sponsored by NYWIFT. Topic:  Women in Film.
2 p.m. (116 minutes)“Cities of Preferences” – 18 minutes.“Hindsight” – 18 minutes. “Echoes” – 18 minutes. “Power and Control: Domestic Violence In America”  – 62 minutes .
4:30 p.m. (116 minutes)“Phantom Font” – 10 minutes. “Omie Wise” – 18 minutes. “Play Again” – 88 minutes.
7 p.m. (116 minutes)“New York Minutes” – 4 minutes. “Make Me” – 7 minutes. “Faith in a Seed” – 13 minutes. “Francois” – 13 minutes “The Empty Space In Between” – 17 minutes.“In the Blink of Love”  – 18 minutes. “You Shouldn’t Have” – 19 minutes. “Thy Will Be Done” – 25 minutes.
9:30 p.m. (132 minutes)“One Day”  – 19 minutes. “The Dance”  – 24 minutes. “Green Water (Aguas Verde)” – 89 minutes.

Monday, July 12
4:30 p.m. (115 minutes)“Murphy’s Shorts” – 3 minutes. “It’s Time” – 4 minutes. “Able” – 10 minutes. “The Same Deep Water As You” – 13 minutes. “Sub Con” – 15 minutes. “King of the Road” – 21 minutes. “The Stoop” – 22 minutes. “Space Between” – 27 minutes. 7:00 p.m. (116 minutes)“Stones” – 19 minutes. “Knucks”  – 21 minutes. “The Cemetery Club”  – 23 minutes. “Heart & Soul”  – 25 minutes. “Notes on Being Young” – 28 minutes. 9:30 p.m. (119 minutes)“There’s Bliss in The Kiss” – 2 minutes.“Skylight” – 5 minutes. “Special Delivery” – 6 minutes. “If I Were a Tree (Si Jetais Un Arbre)” – 6 minutes. “Breaking the Chain” – 14 minutes.“The Man with All the Marbles” – 15 minutes. “In the Key of D” – 20 minutes. “My Father’s Son” – 25 minutes. “The Macabre World of Lavender Williams” – 26 minutes.

Tuesday, July 13
4:30 p.m. (99 minutes)“Blues” – 13 minutes. “Rosewood” – 19 minutes. “Jackie Robinson: My Story”  – 67 minutes.
7 p.m. (120 minutes)“Father and Sister” – 5 minutes. “A Farewell to Arm” – 8 minutes. “Team Zed” – 9 minutes. “Nothing Happened”  – 10 minutes . “Just a Kiss” – 11 minutes. “Department of Homeland (In) Security” – 11 minutes. “The Nature of Fall” – 13 minutes. “Bedfellows” – 16 minutes. “The Curious Complications of Role Playing” – 17 minutes. “Public Access” – 20 minutes. 9:30 p.m. (118 minutes)“The Hybrid Union” – 5 minutes. “Bathtub Gin” – 9 minutes. “14 Days” – 14 minutes. “O’Luckyman! (é, Ò˜‡ÒÚÎË‚˜ËÍ!)” _    90 minutes.

Wednesday, July 14
4:30 p.m. (116 minutes)“Bind” – 7 minutes. “Milestone” – 9 minutes.“Poi Dogs” – 12 minutes. “Soap” – 15 minutes. “The Burial (Defin)” – 18 minutes. “Two Roads” – 20 minutes. “Mr. Danby’s Son” – 35 minutes. 7 p.m. (120 minutes)“Fall of Particles” – 1 minute. “Unexpected Rendezvous” – 3 minutes. “Chews and Munches” – 5 minutes. “Rehearsing Shakespeare” – 7 minutes. “Happy Face” – 15 minutes. “Thief” – 15 minutes. “Calendar” – 18 minutes. “2095” – 25 minutes. “Last Remaining Light” – 29 minutes. 9:30 p.m. (123 minutes)“The Middle Piece” – 8 minutes. “Scissu” – 27 minutes. “The Scientist” – 88 minutes.

By   Wed, Jul 07, 2010

HOUSE GUTTED: The North Bellmore Fire Department responded to a house ablaze at 4:53 a.m. yesterday morning on Monroe Avenue. The occupant escaped unharmed. Chief Dave Marschall said the fire is under investigation. Mutual assistance came from six fire departments.Bellmore Life photo by Paul Laursen  

By   Fri, Jul 09, 2010

The Baldwin Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual chamber picnic and fireworks show on Saturday, July 10, at Baldwin Park. The rain date is Sunday, July 11 (fireworks only).

The picnic will start at 4 p.m. Free food  will be available (while supplies last) from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

A free concert sponsored by the Town of Hempstead will be from 7:30-8:30 p.m., followed by a Fireworks Show on the soccer field, south of the roller rink, at 9 p.m.

Raffles will be held.

By   Fri, Jul 09, 2010

New York State Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) announced that he has secured state funding to help improve public safety in the Village of Freeport.

The state dollars will allow the village to make several different public safety upgrades. A new DWI checkpoint program will be set up by the Freeport Police Department to help stop drunk driving in the village. The Freeport Fire Department will be able to purchase new water rescue equipment to help keep people safe on the waterways.    In addition, the village will be purchasing and installing electronic radar signs to help reduce speeding in school zones around Freeport.

“These state funds will enable the village to target a number of different public safety issues. Both the Freeport Police Department and  Freeport Fire Department will have additional resources to keep our streets and waterways safe. The village will be able to improve safety for children as they are going to and from school,” said Senator Fuschillo.

Freeport Mayor Andrew Hardwick said, “Thanks to Senator Fuschillo’s efforts, Freeport has been able to secure many grants this year. He is truly a friend to the Hardwick Administration and the village.”  

By Doug Finlay   Fri, Jul 09, 2010

Last week’s Long Beach Blues and Arts Festival brought out Mike Barnett, one of the area’s most tasteful blues guitarists, for a show at the Long Beach Library.

A veteran musician in the jazz-blues vein, who owns Michael’s Music in Freeport, Mr. Barnett has opened for such musicians as B.B. King, Muddy Waters and John Mayall. Providing informative comment on songs for the audience, he started the set playing Muddy Waters’ Delta-blues-tinged “Rollin’ and Tumblin’ ” on his 1923 resonator, a steel guitar with cones that resonate to provide a louder sound.

Changing guitars to his favorite Fender telecaster, he then played Willie Dixon’s “The Same Thing,” a slow 12-bar blues before segueing into B.B. King’s “Lucille,” articulating the feel of the original with slow, forceful notes. Mr. Barnett then played “Londonderry Air,” from his CD “Bay Blues and Other Grooves,” a song familiar to all who know it as “Danny Boy.” “Londonderry Aire” is several hundred  years old, he said, but is known as “Danny Boy” when lyrics are added to it.  

He continued with a funky Freddie King composition before introducing  Long Beach blues siren Pam Falcon. She began with “Summertime,” belting it out with verve. Explaining she had sung this song with Southern blues guitar great Johnny Winter, she then broke into “Tobacco Road,” exchanging flourishes with Mr. Barnett on guitar to keep her local fan club entertained and eager for more.

By   Fri, Jul 09, 2010

SEAFORD WELLNESS COUNCIL recently refurbished Seaford’s WWI monument. Before (at left) and-after photos illustrate the change. Photos by Sharon Jonas

By   Fri, Jul 09, 2010

Recently, the Wantagh Alumni Lacrosse Association (WALA) presented the town’s Inaugural Lacrosse Day festivities. WALA raises money for a scholarship given each year to a deserving boy and girl lacrosse player, given at the Sports Awards Dinner.  

This year’s recipients were Brandon Mangan and Jaclyn Sileo.  Lacrosse Day began with the women’s alumni game, drawing former players from graduating classes 2000-2009 with support from current girls’ varsity coach Bobbi Colavita.

The day then moved to the boys’ alumni clinic, which was a tremendous success.  Forty-six boys from the PAL program came out to get instruction from former Wantagh players. The coaches at the clinic included former All-Americans, members of the State Championship team of 2001, all the way to this year’s county runner-up team.  

Varsity coaches Gary Reh, James Polo, and Eric Dunne were giving first- hand instruction to the young players and helped with the entire day’s activities.

Lacrosse Day culminated with the men’s alumni game, attracting a record 60 players for the game. With players from graduating classes over the last 30 years, the odds vs. evens game did not disappoint the fans in attendance.  The game was decided in overtime with an exciting 12-11 final, leading to the first victory for the evens in the last four years.

The 2010 Lacrosse Day was the most successful fundraising effort in the group’s 25-year history, raising more than $3,000. Thanks goes out to all participants, donors, and volunteers.

By Laura Schofer   Fri, Jul 09, 2010

T-Mobile has proposed to erect six cellphone towers on the roof of the Wantagh-Farmingdale Jewish Center on Woodbine Avenue in Wantagh. 

Residents of Wantagh Woods learned about the proposal when attorney William F. Bonesso, Esq, (Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn & Terrana) representing T-Mobile, sent a letter to residents who live within 100 feet of the proposed project. In his letter, Mr. Bonesso wrote that a public hearing before the Town of Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals will take place on Wednesday, July 14, at 2 p.m. He also invited residents to a meeting to present the proposed project. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus on Wantagh Avenue.

Residents rallied after learning about the proposal and first met on June 30 to discuss it, said Jeanine Boiko, a neighbor. Approximately 50 people attended the meeting, which took place in a private residence. 

“I am outraged that T-Mobile sees nothing wrong with erecting six cellphone towers in a completely residential area,” said Ms. Boiko.

“I have two children under the age of five, and I now fear for their health. Why they would choose a non-industrial area to erect these radiation-emitting towers is beyond me. There should be some sort of regulation by the Town of Hempstead to keep these towers at least 1,500 feet from residential areas and schools.”

Residents of other communities agree. In nearby Merrick, two groups have been formed – MOMS (Moms of Merrick/Bellmore Speak out) and a cell tower taskforce – to  address the proliferation of cell antenna equipment in residential neighborhoods.

The Merrick Gables  Association brought a lawsuit against NextG Networks and the Town of Hempstead last year, in an effort to try and get the town to provide more stringent control over the placement of wireless equipment. The state Supreme Court ruled in favor of NextG and the Town of Hempstead.

In Wantagh, residents raise the same question. “It’s a residential community with hundreds of kids in the vicinity being exposed to potentially hazardous technology,” said Kenny Lack, who lives directly across the street form the Jewish center. “Dozens of studies show a direct correlation between RF emitting towers and cancer. T-Mobile is certainly putting business before people.”

In fact, there is an ongoing debate over the health risks from electromagnetic fields that has raged for the past 30 years. The Citizen found some studies on this issue that go back as far as 1986.

In 2003, the United Nations Earthwatch wrote that evidence “remains inconclusive due to the inability of epidemiological studies to detect small effects and a lack of consistency in results in different laboratories on the same experiment.”

The federal government took the same position when it put into effect the 1996 Telecommunications  Act. 

This legislation does not permit residents to cite health concerns as a reason to keep cell towers and equipment out of residential neighborhoods.

But many residents are still concerned. Andrew Campanelli, a federal commercial civil rights attorney attended the June 30 meeting in Wantagh.

He also represents the MOMS of Merrick and is currently in litigation with the Village of Bayville and several cellphone companies to removal more than 500 cellular transmission antennae from a top a water tower, which is located 50 feet from Bayville’s elementary school where three students have died of Leukemia and allegedly 30 percent of the staff have cancer and other serious illnesses.

He has told our sister paper, Merrick Life that cell equipment is “being banned overseas and moved 1500 feet away form schools in countries such as Germany, Taiwan and Australia. Why aren’t our children being protected, here?”  

Residents interested in attending the hearing are encouraged to do so. The hearing will take place on Tuesday, July 14 at Town of Hempstead Town Hall in Hempstead. The hearing begins at 2 p.m. 

The Citizen learned about the Wantagh proposal after our deadline. However, Ms. Boiko said the community was in the process of setting of a Facebook page and website to keep the community informed. The website will be www.dontcelloutwantagh.org. Look there for updates or call Pam Dempsey at 221-6567.

By   Fri, Jul 09, 2010

Wantagh Little League Champs:   The Wantagh Cardinals have won the 2010 Majors Division Little League World Series. Sponsored by Wantagh’s Realty Advisors Real Estate, the victorious team poses for a post game photo. From left, top row, are Coaches Bob Hegarty, Brian Derham and Carmine Paradiso. Middle row: Ricky Lavelle, Jeffrey Memisha, Bob Hegarty, Dan Masi, Michael Paradiso and Brian Quigley. Bottom row: Antonio Fanizzi, Michael Gerardi, Michael Deram, Kyle McGorty, Matt Ianuzzo and James Moran. 

By   Fri, Jul 09, 2010

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”— The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Imagine a life where you were forbidden to practice your beliefs. Imagine a life where you could never express your thoughts, where only one small group had the power to decide what information could be shared with the public, one small group was allowed to write and rewrite history. Imagine a life where meeting with other people meant breaking a law. Imagine that asking your government for help was illegal.

Before “Big Brother” became known as a reality TV show, it was known as an enigmatic power that ruled the totalitarian state of Oceania in George Orwell’s classic novel, “Nineteen Eighty-Four.” This power was said to be watching all of its citizens at all times. This power was a government whose laws violated every aspect of the First Amendment. It is an example of what a country would be like without the protection that laws such as the First Amendment provide.

Winston Smith, the novel’s main character, lives in a society where he is watched everywhere he goes. He is told what to do and what to think. The only “religion” is loyalty to the ruling party. Speech is so controlled that the party has even eliminated the words related to political rebellion from the English language. Winston Smith works in the “Ministry of Truth,” where he must alter history to fit the needs of the government. In this society, the ruling party is so afraid of people getting together and sharing their thoughts that even romantic relationships between people are  forbidden.

Winston begins to transgress the rules of the party when he buys a journal to write down his frustrations about the society in which he lives. He continues to break boundaries when he gets involved in a secret affair with a woman named Julia. All of these actions are a cry for change. They express the need for the human soul to fight for the right to freedom of thought, beliefs, speech, assembly and change.

This July, the Newseum in Washington D.C. is launching a First Amendment Campaign to support, celebrate and remind us of what the First Amendment means to us. Though summer has just begun, many of our children will soon need to look at that summer reading list hiding under the magnet on the refrigerator at home. 

We would like to challenge all of you free thinking, ambitious students who look for challenges in life, and question the world, to send us a short response or summary of any books you have read that provide examples of why the First Amendment is so crucial to a democratic society.  Send us your responses and we will publish them in order to celebrate the First Amendment and all that it means to us.

(And I’ll bet you that a newspaper clipping with your response is sure to get you brownie points on your first day of school. I can’t think of any teacher who wouldn’t be impressed by that!) – C. T.

You can email us at lmedit@optimum.net - subject: First Amendment

By Lauren Urban   Thu, Jul 08, 2010

A special-needs class and a neighboring first-grade class at the Levy-Lakeside School celebrated their year-long friendship at an end-of-year party last month. 

It was the school’s youngest partnership of classes thus far, said Joanne Savastano. She is the special education teacher behind the partnership. She has been working with kids with special needs for 35 years and is also a physical therapy assistant. 

Ms. Savastano said the goal of the partnership is to start the kids early on learning valuable social skills. The two classes proved to be mutually beneficial to each other throughout the year. The five children in the special education class, for instance, grew a garden together and invited their friends in the neighboring class to experience the many scents and textures of the plants. In turn, the neighboring class enjoyed walking their new special friends to the bus every day after school. 

At the end-of-year party, the two classes assembled outside and enjoyed ice cream and Dunkin’ Donuts Munchkins together, as well as activities such as t-ball and playing with a giant parachute.  Ms. Savastano then gathered the kids and their parents in the classroom. They  viewed a slide show of pictures showing  the two classes interacting throughout the year. 

The song “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”  played during the slide show presentation. The lyrics mirrored the accomplished goal of the two classes’ partnership: “You’ve got troubles, well I’ve got ‘em too/ There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you/ We stick together, and we see it through, You’ve got a friend in me.”

By   Thu, Jul 08, 2010

Merrick United Methodist Church continues its 60th Anniversary celebration with an old-fashioned “Gospel Song Fest” to be held on Sunday, July 11, at 10 a.m. in the church sanctuary, 1425 Merrick Avenue, North Merrick. 

The “Camp Meeting” will be led by Rev. Glenn Adone, a former church member who entered the ministry. Methodist camp meetings were held in North Merrick Camp Grounds from 1869 to the early 1920s. A rustic tabernacle in a central circle was soon surrounded by circular lanes, where little cottages and a few larger homes sprang up.

Camp meetings took place during the summer, usually for a 10-day period.  Cottagers, often from the city, enjoyed the summer months in a rural environment, while wagonloads of congregants from nearby Methodist churches came for the day to picnic, hold services and enjoy nature in the Merrick woodlands.

For futher information, call the church office at 378-9222. 

By   Thu, Jul 08, 2010

“Nothing Happened” is a short film by women and about women. The all-female director/writer/producer team created a sexy, touching comedy about the one conversation girlfriends are not supposed to have.

Screenwriter/co-producer Jessica Provenz was born and raised in Merrick, and graduated from Calhoun.  She’s also writing a feature for Alicia Keys’s company and a musical for The Araca Group (“Urinetown”).   She developed two television series with Killer Films and was Playwright-in-Residence at The Juilliard School from 2005-2007. A two-time recipient of the Lecomte du Nouy Award, she received her Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University, Illinois.

“Nothing Happened” screens with a series of shorts at Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Avenue, Bellmore, on Tuesday, July 13, at 7 p.m.  Tickets are $9 at http://liifilmexpo.org. “Nothing Happened” won the 2010 New Jersey International Film Festival Best Short Film Prize.

By Danielle Gold   Thu, Jul 08, 2010

It has been 234 years since it was first presented, but the Declaration of Independence came alive once more on July 4 as dozens of community members partook in the Historical Society of the Merricks’ Annual Declaration Reading. 

The event, a local tradition, has run for over 30 years. Patriotic residents surrounded the gazebo by the Merrick train station, and each read one of the Declaration’s 54 sentences. 

Before the event, Historical Society President Lawrence Garfinkel gave a short speech alluding to the Merricks’ agricultural past. He reminded the community of his organization’s upcoming events, projects and position openings.  His speech and the gathering served as a tribute to America and its iconic leaders, and was a warm appeal for families and individuals to become active in their town, and to appreciate its rich, historical background.

Although there was room for more under the gazebo and July sun, the Annual Declaration of Independence reading demonstrated how such words can be taken to heart. The Historical Society of the Merricks is very appreciative of the people and businesses that contributed to the gathering.   County Legislator David Denenberg read alongside and spoke with his constituents.

 BJ’s of Freeport donated bottled water to the event. The Gazebo was decorated in red, white and blue by the Merrick Flower Shop. Participants read from booklets provided by state Senator Charles Fuschillo.  

Perhaps the hour’s only disappointment was the condition of the gazebo floor. This reporter hopes that it can be kept clean for the Reading’s big 35th anniversary next year.

By Erin Donohue   Thu, Jul 08, 2010

“We Remember Him,” said Virginia McCauley, in a refrain from the poem she wrote honoring her son Brian. Brian McCauley is the latest Merokian, who was at the scene of the World Trade Center attack, to die. He died in January from complications of a rare form of cancer. Kayla and Terrence McCauley are among the first to hold one of the honorary plaques that renames Gianelli Avenue in memory of their uncle. Guests of honor included Congressman Peter King, Town of Hempstead Supevisor Kate Murray, town Councilwoman Angie Cullin, Town Clerk Mark Bonilla and Legislator David Denenberg.

By Ilana Mele   Wed, Feb 09, 2011

South Shore Sounds entertainment blog features local music, comedy and more happening on our side of the island. Click here to see what's happening.

By   Tue, Jul 19, 2011

Combo rate card for all four papers - download .pdf

Bellmore Life rate card

Freeport-Baldwin Leader rate card

Merrick Life rate card

Wantagh-Seaford Citizen rate card

By   Tue, Jul 19, 2011

L&M Publications sales staff members

• Jill Bromberg
• Elaine Spiro
• Paul Roberts
• Sharon Johnson
• Christopher McBride

can be reached at 516-378-5320 or via fax 516-378-0287. You can also reach the central email for the sales staff at lmads@optimum.net, include your contact information for a prompt return call.

By   Tue, Jul 20, 2010

Editorial and Legal Advertising Deadlines
Merrick Life, Bellmore Life and the Freeport Baldwin Leader - Monday noon
The Wantagh- Seaford Citizen - Friday noon

Advertising Deadlines
All four papers - Friday 9 a.m.

Classifed Advertising Deadline
All four papers - Friday at noon

Life happens in your community…

.. so why not take advantage of it! Advertise your business, trade or special need in one or all of Life Publications’ four newspapers. The average weekly community paper remains in the reader’s home 4.3 days. 41% of all readers will keep the weekly issue in their home until the next edition arrives.

Advertisers aren’t our only customers. When deciding where to spend precious advertising dollars, you  should look for a publication that has proven loyal readership. Life Publications has developed such a loyalty among its subscribers by providing decades of journalistic  excellence. Each weekly issue features local news, sports, school news, letters to the editor, community events, religious calendars and much more.

Market penetration is more than just a numbers game. Numbers don’t lie, but they can be misleading. Some free circulation publications claim high market penetration and home delivery. They deliver mostly to front lawns, driveways, bushes, just about everywhere but into a mailbox. Life Publications’ four 

community newspapers are delivered to the home of our subscribers by the US Postal Service. This ensures your advertising won’t be left out in the rain.

In community newspapers, you get what you pay for. Our readers value our newspapers. That’s why they are paid subscribers.

When you advertise in Life Publication’s community newspapers your message reaches people who choose to receive it. That means your advertising dollar is stretched by not having to pay for wasted circulation. 

The rate card will explain all you need to know about advertising in Life Publications and how to get the most out of your advertising dollar.

All around the towns.

Life Publications’ The Freeport-Baldwin Leader, Merrick Life, The Wantagh-Seaford Citizen, and  Bellmore Life  have been an important part of the communities they serve since 1935, 1938, 1953 and 1964 respectively. 

They are locally owned and staffed by community residents, who also play an active role in civic associations such as the chambers of commerce.

Their achievements have been recognized by professional associations’ awards on the national and state levels, but even more meaningful are the many awards presented by the local organizations over the years, awards that prove the newspapers are truly valued in the communities they serve. 

Seaford, Wantagh, Bellmore, Merrick, Freeport and Baldwin are all suburban communities located on the south shore of Long Island – with beautiful waterfront homes and parks, excellent schools and many thriving establishments. It’s a nice area to visit and an even better place to live, with the added advantage of proximity to New York City. Each community has its own flavor, and the news in its newspaper is tailored just for it.

Contract and copy regulations

• Forwarding of an order is considered as an acceptance of all rates and conditions of the rate card.

• The publisher of Life Publications (L&M) reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertisements at any time.

• Advertiser and advertising agency will indemnify and hold harmless L&M, its officers, agents, employees and contractors, for all contents supplied to publisher, including text, representations and illustrations of advertisements printed, and defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright infringement and plagiarism.

• We make every effort to avoid error, but neither L&M nor our advertisers are responsible for typographical errors. If at fault, L&M will publish a correction of that portion of the ad where the error appears if the error substantially affects the advertising message. Claims for an error must be made within 7 days of publication.

• The publisher reserves the right to insert the words “Paid Advertisement” above or below any advertisement.

• The advertiser agrees to pay any expense which the publisher may incur in collecting any balance due, including a reasonable attorney’s fee and other costs and charges for the collection there of. Venue for litigation would be Nassau County, State of New York.

Pre-printed inserts  get noticed.

Life Publications will insert and deliver your pre-printed inserts. We are a mailed publication so you are guaranteed home delivery to our paid subscribers. Most of our competitors deliver mainly by throwing their publication on a lawn, or in a bush, or a driveway. Our way your insert gets to people who want to read our newspaper and see what our advertisers offer. 

Make a splash with a dash of color.

Life Publications offers as a service to our advertisers select pages and sections that can be printed in color. A recent Newspaper Advertising Bureau study shows color sold 75% more merchandise than a black & white ad in the first week of the sale. See your advertising representative for more information on color rates.

Mechanical size requirements.

The following is a list of the standard advertising sizes used by Life Publications

Full Page (4 x 14”) 9.75” x 14”

3/4 V. (3 x 14”) 7.25” x 14”

3/4 H. (4 x 10 1/2”) 9.75” x 10.5”

2/3 H. (4 x 9”) 9.75” x9”

2/3 V. (3 x 12”) 7.25” x 12”

1/2 V. (3 x 9 1/8”) 7.25” x 9.125”

1/2 V. (2 x 14”) 4.75” x 14”

1/2 H. (4 x 6 7/8”) 9.75” x 6.875”

1/3 V. (2 x 9”) 4.75” x 9”

1/3 H. (3 x 6”) 7.25” x 6”

1/3 H. (4 x 4 1/2”) 9.75” x 4.5”

1/4 V. (2 x 6 7/8”) 4.75” x 6.875”

1/4 V. (1 x 14”) 2.25” x 14”

1/4 H. (3 x 4 5/8”) 7.25” x 4.625”

1/5 V. (2 x 5”) 4.75” x 5”

1/6 H. (2 x 4 3/8”) 4.75” x 4.375”

1/8 V. (1 x 6 7/8”) 2.25” x 6.875”

1/8 H. (2 x 3 3/8”) 4.75” x 3.375”

1/12 H. (2 x 2 1 /4”) 4.75” x 2.25”

1/16 V. (1 x 3 3/8”) 2.25” x 3.375”

1/16 H. (2 x 1 5/8”) 4.75” x 1.625”

Mechanical requirements

Width of typed page: 9 3/4” 

Depth of page: 14”

Single Column Width: 2 1/4” 

Width of each addit. column: same

4 columns to a page 

Column depth in lines: 196

Number of lines to a page: 784 

Printed by offset. JPEG and PDF files email to LMads@optimum.net.

Tear sheets, complete copy of publication, and media package available upon request.

Special issues throughout the year.

January - Martin Luther King

February - Brides/VALENTINES

March/APRIL

Spring - Home fashions, gardening, and of course, new wardrobes.

Home Improvements

May

Mother’s DAY - The second biggest retail season of the year.

Summer FUN - Promoting waterfront activities

June

Grads - Gifts and plans for the future.

Father’s DAY

August

Back to school - From preschool to grad school and careers.

October

Home Fashions - Making homes beautiful for the holidays

November

Holiday gift guide - The biggest retail season of the year. 

Agency Advertising rate information

Bellmore Life  - 1.21 Cents a line $16.94 Column inch $16.77 SAU

Merrick Life - 1.29 Cents a line $18.06 Column inch $17.88 SAU

The Citizen - 1.13 Cents a line   $15.82 Column inch       $15.66 SAU 

The Leader -  .70 Cents a line $9.80 Column inch $9.70 SAU

Rates above include 15% Agency commission. An additional 5% discount will be given if the same ad runs in three or more papers in the same week.

Position requests

Request for special positions will be given consideration. However we cannot guarantee position.

Classified ad rates

Line ads: $27 Box ads - 8 lines/25 words: $35

4x rate: $30/week 6x rate $27.50/Week

13x rate: $26/week 26x Rate: $23.50/week.

Display Classified

Merrick Life only: $38.12

Bellmore Life only: $35.80

The Citizen only: $31.50

The Leader only: $18.10

LEGAL NOTICES

Our newspapers fulfill the requirements of “newspapers in general circulation”. Your legal notice can run in Merrick Life, Bellmore Life, The Citizen or  The Leader. The cost is considerably less than the daily newspapers charge. Call your advertising representative for more information.

By   Wed, Jul 13, 2011

Bellmore Life Newspaper

• Rite-Stop, 1445 Newbridge Rd.
• 7-11, Newbridge Rd.
• 7-11, Jerusalem Ave.
• 7-11, North Jerusalem Road
• Stop & Shop, Jerusalem Ave.
• Blossom Farm Deli, 100 Bedford Ave.
• Bedford Ave. Deli, 105 Bedford Ave.
• Fresh Break, 2736 Merrick Rd.
• Cool Stop, 2825 Merrick Rd.
• Village Deli, 2655 Bellmore Ave
• Park Deli, 1420 Park Avenue, Merrick
• Cards Unlimited, 39 Merrick Avenue, Merrick

Freeport-Baldwin Leader

• Compare Foods - Merrick Rd. & Ocean Ave.
• Teamo - 223 Merrick Rd.
• Curiosity - 191 Atlantic Ave.
• 7-11 - 964 Merrick Rd., Baldwin
• Convenience Store - 363 Atlantic Ave.
• 7-11 - 145 Sunrise Hwy., Freeport
• Rite Stop - 376 Bayview Ave.
• 7-11 - 200 E. Merrick Rd., Freeport
• Bridge Side Deli - 1156 Atlantic Ave.

Merrick Life Newspaper

• Park Deli, 1420 Park Avenue
• 7-11, 1800 Merrick Avenue
• Cards & Smokes, 20 Merrick Avenue
• Brother’s Deli, 1341 Jerusalem Avenue
• Teamo, 1701 Merrick Road
• Stop & Shop, 1016 Park Avenue & Jerusalem Avenue
• Cards Unlimited, 39 Merrick Avenue
• 7-11, 203 Babylon Tpke & Sunrise Hwy
• From Me To You Cards & Candles , 1670 Merrick Road
• Iannuzzi, 1363 Jerusalem Avenue
• Caputo’s Cards, 383 Merrick Avenue
• Cards & Gifts, 1970 Merrick Road
• Akel’s Deli, 1874 Meadowbrook Road
• Bagel Man, 84 Merrick Avenue
• Gourmet Express, 2 Merrick Avenue
• Boswell’s, 1828 Merrick Avenue
• Ward’s Deli, 34 S. Babylon Turnpike
• Angelo & Joe’s, 373 Merrick Avenue
• Teamo Card & Gifts, 704 Merrick Avenue
• Smith Street Deli, 241 Smith Street

Wantagh-Seaford Citizen

• Beck’s Delicatessen, 1939 Wantagh Avenue
• Doc Brown’s Books, 2089 Wantagh Avenue
• The Buff Shop, 2095 Wantagh Avenue
• Friendly Card & Gift, 1906 Wantagh Avenue
• Kwik Stop, 2264 Wantagh Avenue
• The Lucky Lotto Store, 1247 Wantagh Avenue
• Mid Island Medical Supply, 2093 Wantagh Avenue
• Otto’s Delicatessen, 3580 Park Avenue
• Seven-Eleven, 3382 Park Avenue
• Rashi Cardstand Convenience, 3381 Merrick Road
• Tobacco Junction, 3300 Sunrise Hwy.
• Quick Picks, 2264 Wantagh Avenue
• Seaford Harbor Delicatessen, 3623 Bayview Street
• Seaford Chemists, 1696 Washington Avenue

By   Wed, Mar 02, 2011

L&M Publications is committed to safeguarding the personal information entrusted to us by our customers. This policy outlines the principles and practices  we follow in protecting your personal information.

This policy applies to L&M Publications and to any person providing services on our behalf. A copy of this policy is provided to any customer on request.

What is personal information?
Personal information means information about an identifiable individual. This includes an individual's name, home address and phone number, age, sex, marital or family status, an identifying number, financial information, educational history, etc.

What personal information do we collect?

We collect only the personal information that we need for the purposes of providing services to our clients, including personal information needed to prepare mailings and bill subscriptions and advertisements.

We normally collect client personal information directly from our clients. We may collect your information from other persons with your consent or as authorized by law.

We inform our clients, before or at the time of collecting personal information, of the purposes for which we are collecting the information. The only time we don't provide this notification is when a client volunteers information for an obvious purpose (for example, producing a credit card to pay when the information will be used only to process the payment).

Consent   

We ask for consent to collect, use or disclose client personal information, except in specific circumstances where collection, use or disclosure without consent is authorized or required by law. We may assume your consent in cases where you volunteer information for an obvious purpose.

We assume your consent to continue to use and, where applicable, disclose personal information that we have already collected, for the purpose for which the information was collected.

We ask for your express consent for some purposes and may not be able to provide certain services if you are unwilling to provide consent to the collection, use or disclosure of certain personal information. Where express consent is needed, we will normally ask clients to provide their consent orally (in person, by telephone), or in writing.

A client may withdraw consent to the use and disclosure of personal information at any time, unless the personal information is necessary for us to fulfill our legal obligations. We will respect your decision, but we may not be able to provide you with certain products and services if we do not have the necessary personal information.

We may collect, use or disclose client personal information without consent only as authorized by law.
   
How do we use and disclose personal information?

We use and disclose client personal information only for the purpose for which the information was collected, except as authorized by law. If we wish to use or disclose your personal information for any new business purpose, we will ask for your consent. We may not seek consent if the law allows this (e.g. the law allows organizations to use personal information without consent for the purpose of collecting a debt).           

What is personal employee information?

Personal employee information is personal information about an employee or volunteer which is collected, used or disclosed solely for the purposes of establishing, managing or terminating an employment relationship or a volunteer work relationship. Personal employee information may, in some circumstances, include a Social Security Number, a performance review, etc.       

We can collect, use and disclose your personal employee information without your consent only for the purposes of establishing, managing or ending the employment or volunteer relationship. We will provide current employees and volunteers with prior notice about what information we collect, use or disclose and our purpose for doing so.

What personal employee information do we collect, use and disclose?

We collect, use and disclose personal employee information to meet the following purposes:
• Determining eligibility for employment or volunteer work, including verifying qualifications and references

• Establishing development and training requirements

• Assessing performance and managing performance issues as they arise

• Administering pay and benefits (paid employees only)

• Processing employee work-related claims (e.g. benefits, workers’ compensation, insurance claims – paid employees only) 

• Complying with applicable laws

We only collect, use and disclose the amount and type of personal employee information that is reasonable to meet the above purposes.

The following is a list of personal employee information that we may collect, use and disclose to meet those purposes:

• Contact information such as your name, home address, telephone number

• Criminal background checks

• Employment or volunteer information such as your resume (including education background, work history and references), reference information and interview notes, letter of offer and acceptance of employment, policy acknowledgement forms, background verification information, workplace performance evaluations, emergency contacts, etc.

• Benefit information such as forms relating to applications or changes to health and insurance benefits including medical and dental care, life insurance, short and long term disability, etc. (paid employees only)

• Financial information, such as pay check deposit information and tax-related information, including Social Security Numbers (paid employees only)

• Other personal information required for the purposes of our employment or volunteer relationship

We will inform our employees and volunteers of any new purpose for which we will collect, use, or disclose personal employee information, or we will obtain your consent, before or at the time the information is collected.  

We will obtain your consent to collect, use and disclose your personal information for purposes unrelated to the employment or volunteer relationship.

What information do we provide for employment/volunteer references?
In some cases, after your employment or volunteer relationship with us ends, we will be contacted by other organizations and asked to provide a reference for you. It is our policy not to disclose personal information about our employees and volunteers to other organizations who request references without consent. The personal information we normally provide in a reference includes:

• Confirmation that an individual was an employee or volunteer, including the position, and date range of the employment or volunteering

• General information about an individual's job duties and information about the employee or volunteer's ability to perform job duties and success in the employment or volunteer relationship

How do we safeguard personal information?
We make every reasonable effort to ensure that personal information is accurate and complete. We rely on individuals to notify us if there is a change to their personal information that may affect their relationship with our organization. If you are aware of an error in our information about you, please let us know and we will correct it on request wherever possible. In some cases we may ask for a written request for correction.

We protect personal information in a manner appropriate for the sensitivity of the information. We make every reasonable effort to prevent any loss, misuse, disclosure or modification of personal information, as well as any unauthorized access to personal information. 

We use appropriate security measures when destroying personal information, including shredding paper records and permanently deleting electronic records.

We retain personal information only as long as is reasonable to fulfill the purposes for which the information was collected or for legal or business purposes.

Access to records containing personal information
Individuals have a right to access their own personal information in a record that is to the custody or under the control of L&M Publications, subject to some exceptions, such as information that would reveal personal information about another individual.

If we refuse a request in whole or in part, we will provide the reasons for the refusal. In some cases where exceptions to access apply, we may withhold that information and provide you with the remainder of the record. 

You may make a request for access to your personal information by writing to the publisher. You must provide sufficient information in your request to allow us to identify the information you are seeking.

You may also request information about our use of your personal information and any disclosure of that information to persons outside our organization. In addition, you may request a correction of an error or omission in your personal information.

We will respond to your request within 45 calendar days, unless an extension is granted. We may charge a reasonable fee to provide information, but not to make a correction. We do not charge fees when the request is for personal employee information. We will advise you of any fees that may apply before beginning to process your request.

Questions and complaints
If you have a question or concern about any collection, use or disclosure of personal information by L&M Publications, or about a request for access to your own personal information, please contact the publisher.