The Office Cat

Hofstra will host the Italian Experience, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. outdoors on the South Campus. The Italian Experience, sponsored this year by Bethpage Federal Credit Union, has grown to be a popular Long Island tradition, as well as one of the largest festivals of its kind in the United States, celebrating Italy's gifts of culture, education and commerce to America. As in the past, the Italian Experience will feature a full itinerary of crafts, live entertainment and food. Entertainment includes performances by The Long Island Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra, the San Remo Duo, traditional folk songs and dance performed by I Paesani, Pop-era featuring members of the Bronx Opera Company, Katie's Puppets, the Italian Fairy, The Magic of Maione, the Italian-American "Poet's and Writer's Piazza," presented by the Association of Italian American Educators (AIAE); and vocal performances sponsored by L'Esperienza Magazine. (**Please note: the entertainment schedule is subject to change). Theatergoers may also attend a matinee performance of 1776, presented by Hofstra Entertainment at 2 p.m. at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse. Tickets are $30; $28 senior citizen (over 65); $15 matriculated non-Hofstra student; and $10 for children under 12 and for members of the Hofstra community (faculty, staff, students) with a current HofstraCard (two-ticket maximum). For tickets and more information on 1776 call the Hofstra Box Office at 463-6644 or visit www.hofstra.edu/HofstraEntertainment. Suggested donation to the Italian Experience is $5 per person. The public may call Hofstra's Festival Hotline at (516) 463-6582 or visit www.hofstra.edu/Festivals for more information. For vendor information call Vivian Passuello at 463-6504... About 200 selected Long Island high school seniors will participate in a National Issues Forum at Hofstra covering foreign relations and energy on September 19, beginning at 9 a.m. in the Monroe Lecture Center Theater, California Avenue, South Campus. The program, presented by Hofstra University's School of Education and Allied Human Services in conjunction with Educate '08, will consist of students from history classes. This event will begin with keynote speakers from the Newsday editorial board. The students will then participate in classroom discussions led by trained forum leaders. The forum topics will be "America's Role in the World: Building A More Secure Future" and "The Energy Problem: Choices for an Uncertain Future.""Hofstra has been involved in National Issues Forum for 20 years," said Michael D'Innocenzo, The Harry H. Wachtel Distinguished Teaching Professor for the Study of Nonviolent Social Change at Hofstra, who is one of the event organizers. "It's valuable to bring people together in the spirit of the ideal forum meeting of democracy. The purpose is to have citizens of all ages look carefully at issues facing the nation and to consider what policies best serve our country and our world. For more information on the National Issues Forum, please call (516)463-5606. On October 15, Hofstra University will host the third and final presidential debate of the 2008 election season. This debate, focused on domestic issues, will be televised live around the world. Leading up to the debate and the 2008 election, Hofstra is proud to host Educate '08, an unprecedented series of lectures, conferences, artistic performances and exhibitions, town hall meetings and interactive forums focused on the issues, history and politics of presidential elections. Many programs and events are free and open to the public. Find out more about Educate '08 by visiting www.hofstra.edu/educate08 ... On Saturday, September 20, the Irish American Society will hold a Ceili featuring Pete Kelly's Premier Ceili Band at 8 p.m. Donation is $15 and includes coffee, tea and Irish Soda Bread. Bar will be open. The Irish American Society is located at 297 Willis Avenue, Mineola. For further information, please call 746-9392... The Irish American Society , 297 Willis Avenue, Mineola, will hold its monthly dance at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 27. Donation is $15 and the dance will feature Tommy Goodwin and Sharon. Also to include coffee, tea and Irish Soda Bread. Bar will be open. For further information, please call 746-9392... If you are thinking of adopting a dog, try the Town of North Hempstead Animal Shelter first at 944-8220... Come to the nearby NHP Street Fair on Saturday, September 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from New Hyde Park Road to Covert Avenue on Jericho Turnpike. The street will be closed from early morning until cleanup... And also come visit the Williston Park Street Fair on Sunday, September 21, from 11 a.m., at Willis Avenue to the East Williston train station. Lots of vendors!!!...

Police Report: Mischief and Mayhem

Between September 15 and 16, someone took a $499 JVC camera from a Greenridge Avenue residence... Also during that time, 2 power cords and a portable CD player valued at $135 were stolen from Colvin Drive. Several other cars' belongings were disturbed , but nothing in those cars was stolen... On September 16, 2:10 p.m., someone attempted to burglarize a Meadow Street house but when confronted by a houseguest, he fled the scene. The thief was described as a male, black, 20's, wearing a gray hooded sweat jacket, a red tee shirt, jeans and gray sneakers... Between September 15 and 16, a $300 Apple I Touch was taken from a Hilton Avenue residence... A 48-year-old Baldwin woman was arrested for alleged shoplifting at Lord and Taylor on September 11, where she allegedly took a $ 20 Kate Hill blouse, and an $89 DKNY sweater... On September 12, PO Madden and Detective Rothermel, after an investigation, arrested a 52-year-old Mineola man for an outstanding probation warrant at a Franklin Avenue business... On September 14, Detective Madden and PO Rothermel also arrested a 48-year-old Malverne man for an incident on September 11 where the man was subsequently told by a judge to never enter the St. Joseph's Church premises again. He was charged with criminal contempt... On September 13, 3:50 a.m., PO Oswald arrested a 24-year-old Roslyn man for the failure to maintain a lane on Franklin Avenue. The motorist had refused a breathylzer test, had no insurance or license, and was charged with 2 counts of aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd degree... On September 13, 7 p.m., a 16-year-old male described as white wearing a tee shirt, was observed stealing a $200 Schwinn bicycle while its owner, another kid, was playing in the fields at Stratford School... PO Wehr arrested a 24-year-old Laurelton male at 8:45 p.m.,on September 13, at Franklin Avenue, after the motorist was without a license, inspection, registration, and insurance. The man was also charged with aggravated unlicensed operation 2nd degree ( 8 suspensions, 7 dates)... PO Berg arrested an 18-year-old GC male, a 19-year-old Franklin Square male, a 19-year-old GC male, an 18-year-old Elmont male, and a 20-year-old GC male, for trespass after dark at Stratford School on September 12, at 2:14 a.m...

Fire Responses:

An overheated fan motor caused alarm at Old Country Rd., on September 10... A small child pulled an alarm box at 1140 Franklin Avenue on September 12... A water extinguisher was used to put out a trash can fire at the Nassau Blvd. RR station on September 12... Speedidry was used to clean a spill from a car parked on South Avenue on September 15... Firemen assisted police with a child whose leg was stuck in the side of stairs at a Kensington Rd. House on September 16...

That's all this week. G. T.