Long Island Women's Agenda (LIWA) present Networking 201: Networking in the Digital Age on Thursday, March 18, 2010 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Girl Scouts of Nassau County Building, 100 Ring Road West, Garden City (at Roosevelt Field.)

The seminar is geared towards professional women who wish to network more effectively using social media.

The seminar is offered by LIWA's Emerging Leaders Committee with presenter Lindsey Jaffee of WordHampton Public Relations.

Advance registration for LIWA members and students is $10, and for nonmembers, $20. Please register at info@liwa.org or calling (516) 677-5492. Credit cards are accepted,with your fax sent to (516) 677-1775.

Best known for his whimsically rounded and broad figures, Colombian artist Fernando Botero has created a large body of art (pun intended) that has gained international fame.

On March 13, 2010, the Nassau County Museum of Art presents a major exhibit of Botero's work, and it will remain on view through May 24, 2010. The exhibit will include paintings, drawings and monumental sculpture created by Botero.

Visitors to the Outdoor Sculpture Garden at the Nassau County Museum of Art will recognize Botero's Man on Horseback with the characteristic use of exaggerated proportions that is found in many of the artist's creations.
_{Photo Courtesy David Benrimon Fine Art LLC}

If you're a New York Islanders fan, you can get a discount around this time of year. The hockey team is offering a three-game promotion, and you can pick from a number of dates including tonight, Saturday, March 13, Sunday, March 14th and more through April 11, 2010.

With this special offer, the cost of two seats for three games at selected times is from $199 for the end mezzanine to $449 for the lower VIP center. For more information, and to order tickets, go to the Islanders website, or or call (800) 882-ISLES, extension 6 or call Dan Scatorchio at (516) 501-6716 or email dscatorchio@newyorkislanders.com.

This St. Pat's Pack promotion includes an exclusive Islanders St. Pat's Day T-shirt, 20 percent off New York Islanders merchandise, an autographed Islanders puck in a display case and more.

To learn more about other St. Patrick's Day events, please go to St. Patrick's Day on Long Island.
_{Photo © Jim McIsaac/Getty Images}

Bring the kids to the annual 10-day Hicks Nurseries Flower and Garden Show in Westbury. There will be free activities a for children and their families. From Friday, March 12 through Sunday, March 21, Hicks Nurseries will offer hands-on growing experiences, demonstration gardens and educational programs. Admission, parking and most events are free.

• Grow a Beanstalk
  Saturdays and Sundays, March 13 & 14, 20 & 21
  All children under 12 are invited to plant their own beanstalks. Take them home, watch them grow indoors. Then plant them outside in May and watch them produce beans. FREE!


• Plant and Decorate a Container Wed., Thurs. and Friday, March 17, 18 & 19. 4:30pm (Fee: $15 + tax) Children will plant and decorate their own colorful planter to bring home and grow for the spring. Space is limited. Call (516) 334-0066 for reservations Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.


• After School Plant Detectives
  Monday through Friday. March 15-19
  Learn about plants and the environment. Recommended for children ages 7-12. Youngsters are invited to explore the show gardens and learn about the environment using clues on game sheets that you can pick up at the Children's Activity Station. FREE

For more information and a schedule of events, please go to Hicks Nurseries or call (516) 334-0066 . Hicks Nurseries is located on Jericho Turnpike in Westbury, NY. The nursery is handicap accessible throughout. Parking and admission is free and hours during the show are 8 am to 6 pm daily and Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 8 pm.

You might also be interested in:

• a photo tour with text about Hicks Nurseries
• Long Island Children's Museum
• Free Things To Do With Your Kids On Long Island

This Saturday, March 13, 2010 from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. at Atlantis Marine World Aquarium, 431 East Main Street, Riverhead, NY, you're invited to attend the 10th Annual Oceans of Hope Benefit, which includes dining, cocktails, dancing and a silent auction. The event will honor Douglas Geed of News 12 Long Island, Stephen Zahn, Natural Resources Supervisor, NYS DEC and John W. Pavacic, Commissioner, Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation for Suffolk County.

Tickets are $150 per person and reservations are required. All proceeds will benefit the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research & Preservation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of seals, sea turtles, whales, dolphins and porpoises. To purchase tickets or for more information, please call (631) 369-9840.
_{Photo © Linda Tagliaferro}

A representative of Long Island-based Really Good (TM) fruit spreads will give a FREE crepe making demonstration this Sunday, March 14, 2010 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Martha Clara Vineyards, 6020 Sound Avenue, Riverhead, NY, (631) 298-0075. The crepes will be filled with Really Good (TM) fruit spreads. There will be free samples of crepes as well as whole crepes available for purchase. Really Good fruit spreads will be on sale that day for a special discounted price: one jar for $6, or two or more jars for $5.

Martha Clara Vineyards will also offer a Wine and Chocolate pairing demo that day, but you must purchase tickets ($10-$15 plus tax.)
_{Photo © iStockphoto}

In January, I wrote a blog post about the body of a man that had washed up onto Plum Island's beach. After conducting a post-mortem examination of the body, investigators found that the man had a head injury in the past that had healed well, and there were indications that the man had had prior neurosurgery. He had been taking Dilantin and Phenobarbital, drugs commonly used to control epileptic seizures.

The body was that of an African American male, 5'10" and weighing between 160-190 pounds. He is thought to be between the ages of 50 and 70.

When the body was found, the man was wearing a light green, three-button shirt with dark green horizontal strips, green cargo pants with buttons inscribed, "God Body Collection," size 10 brown loafers, blue plaid boxer shorts and a belt buckle inscribed, "Stacy Adams."

Detectives now think there is a possibility that the man may have been from Connecticut, Rhode Island or Massachusetts.

If you have any information that could help the police to identify the body found on Plum Island, please call the Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad at (631) 852-6392 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 220-TIPS.

A Florida news station, WJXT, reported in an article, "Trespasser Claims She's P Diddy's Wife" that a Jacksonville woman was arrested for attempting to break into the home of Sean "P. Diddy" Combs in the Hamptons on Wednesday, March 3, 2010.

The woman was arrested on charges of trespassing and criminal mischief, but was later freed on bail. The woman told the police that she was "married" to the star.
_{Photo © John M. Heller/Getty Images}

There are many local groups concerned about the possible closing of many state parks, including some on Long Island. I received the following from the Kings Park Civic Association:

"The Nissequogue River State Park Foundation has teamed up with the Park Advocate to speak out against the closure of all state parks. The Nissequogue River State Park (former Kings Park Psychiatric Center) and Caleb Smith Preserve are on the list to close. Please sign the online petition : Save Our Parks Petition.

Go to this YouTube link to see a wonderful video on the Nissequogue River State Park.

Please forward to all your friends!

Representatives of the Kings Park Civic Association, through the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation and Park Advocate Linda Henninger are networking with our state representatives to keep our parks open."

Long Island's own professional hockey team, the New York Islanders, have traded defenseman Andy Sutton to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a second round draft pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

The pick was originally acquired by Ottawa along with Milan Michalek and Jonathan Cheechoo from San Jose in exchange for forward Dany Heatley and Ottawa’s fifth-round draft choice in 2010 on Sept. 12, 2009.

Andy Sutton was signed by the Islanders on August 10, 2007 as a free agent and has played on Long Island over the past three seasons in 135 games for the Islanders, scoring seven goals and 23 assists. This year, Sutton totaled four goals and eight assists for 12 points in 54 games with the Islanders.

The Islanders have recalled defenseman Dustin Kohn from the team's American Hockey league affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
_{Photo © Bruce Bennett/Getty Images}