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A Few Clouds Residents are ready for spring
Blizzard. Arctic blast. Stay off the roads. Anyone who has watched a weather forecast in the last month has heard each of those terms used at least once.
While winter started out relatively mild with a span of 50-degree days around Christmas, it took a turn in late January when a blizzard hit the region, dropping a foot of snow on the area that mostly still remains. Long Island has been in a freeze-and-thaw pattern since, with 40 degree temperatures on Sunday, and a dip into the single digits Monday night.
Many Wantagh and Seaford residents are ready for the winter to be over. Deborah Regenbogen was shoveling show last Sunday morning after the latest storm outside her Milanna Drive home in Wantagh. “We’re ready for spring to come,” she said. “I think we’ve seen more snow in previous winters, but the frigid cold has really taken a toll on everyone.”
The arctic temperatures caused a water pipe in her house to burst. The cold has also meant more time spent in the house watching movies, and fewer trips to restaurants for dinner.
Harry Stamataky, of Wantagh, is also looking ahead. “I’m happy that spring is only a month away,” he said. “I can’t say that shoveling is my favorite activity.”
John McCartney can usually be found clearing the storm drain in front of his Jonathan Lane house after a snowstorm so when it starts to melt, like it did last Sunday, the water has a place to go. “Hopefully, this is the end,” he said.
For 13-year-old Sean Cunnane, of Wantagh, the opportunity to make some money by helping shovel out his neighbors has been one of the perks of this winter. But as a member of his school baseball team, he too is ready for spring. Cunnane said it is going to be a while before he and his teammates can practice outdoors.
Jen Restaino, of Seaford, is also tired of the snow, and said he is looking for it to melt so he can get back on her bike and ride the trail to Jones Beach.
Fellow Seaford resident Mariane Matos said she has “major cabin fever” after a month of extreme weather conditions. Her four children are looking forward to doing activities outdoors again, such as going to the playground or playing baseball. The entire family is ready for beach weather, she said.
Many drivers have faced the harsh realities of winter. Nick Bilotta, owner of Final Touch Auto Collision on Merrick Road in Seaford, has seen it firsthand with his customers. Cars hitting iced-over snow banks are resulting in cracked bumpers, and potholes have damaged tires, rims and suspensions.
Winter often means “a lot of little damage,” Bilotta explained. “We do whatever we have to to get people back on the road and save them as much money as we can,” he said.
The Town of Hempstead’s senior center in Wantagh has been opened up as a warming center on the coldest of days, providing a respite to all residents, regardless of age. Eileen Hussey, of Seaford, would be there anyway, winter or summer, but admits it is nice to get out of the house on a cold day.
“It’s good to be here, especially with all of my friends,” the avid card and bingo player said.
Charlie Lindblad, of Wantagh, is also a regular at the senior center, but said it can be tougher to get there in the winter. Fortunately, he said he has two son-in-laws and some kind neighbors who are always there to shovel him out.
On a cold day, he enjoys sitting with his friends and playing cards, and having lunch provided by the senior center. He said he is looking forward to days when he can be outside playing shuffleboard.
Wantagh resident Meredith Schiraldo is grateful that there is a bus that provides transportation to the senior center on Seaman’s Neck Road. “This is my home away from home,” she said. “There’s always something to do and I don’t have to cook lunch. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have it here.”
She lives in the Willow Wood complex and said the snow clearing is taken care of by property management, which is one less thing she has to worry about. As an avid walker, however, the snow and ice has been a hindrance. “I can’t walk to church, to the post office,” she said.
Town Supervisor Kate Murray said even though winter’s wrath wasn’t in full force until the end of January, it has been a frustrating month for residents. She is glad to see residents utilizing the senior centers on a regular basis. Being amongst friends, she said, provides an extra sense of security.
For anyone experiencing long-term heating issues at their home, Murray said the town will connect them with the right resources. Until then, the senior centers are there for comfort. “It’s been a long winter,” she said. “Anybody having a heating issue can come in and share the warmth with us.”
