Great Neck Record 5/10/23 edition is published weekly by Anton Media Group.

Women’s Health Forum In Great Neck

On Sunday, June 11, the Katie Oppo Research Fund will be hosting their 13th Annual 5K Memorial Run for Katie at Flower Hill Park.

JULIE PRISCO

jprisco@antonmediagroup.com

The Katie Oppo Research Fund is hosting a Women’s Health Forum at the Great Neck EOC Gym on Wednesday, May 17 at 6:30 p.m. Northwell Health Physicians will discuss visiting the gynecologist/OBGYN, STDs, risks of reproductive cancers and other general health topics for women.

The Katie Oppo Research Fund began in 2011, after Katie Oppo passed away due to Stage IV Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary. Katie was born on June 19, 1991 and graduated from Manhasset High School in 2009. Katie attended John Hopkins University where she was focusing on her pre-med requirements in preparation to become a physician. During her sophomore year at college, Katie was diagnosed with Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary.

While at Hopkins, Katie was a Northwell Health volunteer, working in an ER group and doing volunteer work for medical outreach to disadvantaged communities.

“She was incredibly passionate about wanting to help others and becoming a doctor,” shared Elizabeth Oppo, Director at the Katie Oppo Research Fund. “Katie was remarkable in many ways, but she was particularly remarkable in being very empowering with her team of female friends.”

Katie’s friends and family rallied and created the Katie Oppo Research Fund to raise awareness and money to fund research for the prevention, treatment and cure for all forms of ovarian cancer.

“They were never gonna give up her passion, and they continued it. It’s been team Katie ever since,” said Elizabeth.

Since the non-profit was formed in 2011, they have hosted Annual 5K Memorial Runs and Dinner Galas to raise money for the research fund. All proceeds go directly to the research fund and are granted to cancer research institutions and individual researchers.

“We find who researchers that are working on immunotherapy or potential prevention, or any diagnostic tools that would help us in this dire fight,” said Elizabeth.

In an effort to raise awareness, the research fund began hosting Women’s Health Forums. While the first forums were hosted at the Manhasset Public Library, the organization decided to host one in Great Neck to spread awareness and reach different communities. The first two forums were geared toward young women in high school and college. The forum on Wednesday, May 17, is for women of all ages, especially mothers and daughters.

“Ovarian cancer does not have any form for earlier detection right now,” said Elizabeth. “So, this is what we’re fighting for, is to have young women be empowered to take their reproductive health seriously when they’re young. It’s really about your overall gynecological health. Because there are so many ways to protect ourselves that young women and their mothers are just really not aware of.”

The Women’s Health Forum panel is made up of two Northwell Health physicians giving a detailed presentation on topics such as vaccines and safe sex.

“One is on the clinical side. So she focuses on gynecological oncology, she’s seeing the people with cancers. And then we have someone who’s in practice who is doing regular gynecological visits,” said Elizabeth. “To have these two women who have different perspectives on vaccines and prevention, etcetera, it’s pretty wonderful.”

The two physicians will provide knowledge and perspectives for women of all ages to consider when thinking of their health. In addition to gynecological, STD, and reproductive cancer, the physicians will touch on general health topics such as nutrition, exercise, and mental health.

“Our first step is awareness of these reproductive health issues. And then the next step is keeping us healthy so that we don’t get things that can cause cancer later on. There are many forms of STDs that can cause cancer later on,” said Elizabeth. “We’re gonna be tackling some issues and questions that are difficult to talk about, but it’s very necessary that we talk about them.”

Discussing health and STD’s with young adults can often be uncomfortable for parents, leading to insufficient education on important topics. Elizabeth and the Katie Oppo Research Fund are trying to get to younger women before they go out into the world.

“After high school, [young women] are going to college or joining the workforce. That’s our target group because that’s when problems really start to arise,” said Elizabeth. “We’re really trying to raise awareness that whatever we do or don’t do is unquestionably going to affect our health later on.”

After the panelists present, there is a question and answer portion for the attendees where they can ask questions aloud or write an anonymous question.

The previous Women’s Health Forums for young women were well attended and the Katie Oppo Research Foundation hopes that opening their forums to women of all ages can open up the conversation of health between mothers and daughters.

The event is free for all women to join and will be hosted at the EOC Gym in Great Neck st 65 High St. Visit teamkatieoppo.org to learn more about the Katie Oppo Research Fund.

Northwell Health Physicians will discuss:

Visiting your Gynecologist/OBGYN

When should young women have their first gyn appointment?

What should the patient expect (internal exam)?

How does a patient choose birth control that is right for them?

Is the HPV vaccine recommended for young women?

STDs/HPV vaccines

Should older, sexually active women get the HPV vaccines?

What other causes are there for cervical cancer besides HPV?

Do the vaccines protect against all strains

What sexual practices can increase your risk of getting an STD?

What STDs can cause cancer?

Can you get throat cancer from oral sex if a partner is HPV positive?

What sexual practices are linked to increased cancer risk?

Risks of Reproductive Cancers

Are screening techniques being developed for ovarian cancer detection? Does using birth control reduce risk for oc?

Why does pregnancy also reduce risk of ovarian cancer?

Does using fertility drugs increase risk of ovarian cancer?

Is baseline sono of a young women’s ovaries a good idea for prevention of ovarian cancer?

Is in depth sonography better for your body than mammography?

How is talcum powder linked to ovarian cancer?

What other risk factors are there?

Does having children later in life raise a woman’s risk of reproductive cancers? Does using hormone replacement therapy after menopause increase risk of ovarian cancer?

Does using birth control affect your chances of getting breast cancer?

General

How do nutrition, diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices affect your health?

Is it true that a woman’s peri- and menopausal symptoms may mirror their mother’s?

What is the latest on hormone replacement therapy for menopausal symptoms?

Young women are suffering from a mental health crisis: Are the causes social media and how do we address them? What services are offered.

The Women’s Health Forum is free to women of all ages. Visit the EOC Gym in Great Neck (65 High St.) on Wednesday, May 17 at 6:30 p.m. to take part in the forum.

“We’re gonna be tackling some issues and questions that are difficult to talk about, but it’s very necessary that we talk about them.”

—Elizabeth Oppo, Director of the Kattie Oppo Research Fund

—Information gathered from the Katie Oppo Research Fund website (teamkatieoppo.org)

Katie Oppo (Photo from the Team Katie Oppo Facebook)

Sewer District Collects Over 500 Pounds Of Unused Pharmaceuticals And Medical Sharps Over 200 Residents Served During Semiannual Event

The Great Neck Water Pollution Control District (GNWPCD) held its eleventh semiannual Shed the Meds event at the District headquarters on April 23. Traffic steadily made its way through the contactless drive-thru site—amounting to 216 cars that collectively dropped off 497 pounds of unused or expired pharmaceuticals, as well as 13 full containers of medical sharps. Since the event began seven years ago, the District has now collected nearly two and a half tons of unused pharmaceuticals and medical sharps. The District’s Shed the Meds event is also one of the only places where residents can safely dispose of medical sharps on Long Island, as most local police precincts, healthcare locations and other pharmaceutical take-back-day events do not accept these materials.

“Our foremost priority at the GNWPCD is protecting our environment, and it is always such a pleasure to see so many members of our community support us in these efforts by taking advantage of Shed the Meds,” said GNWPCD Commissioner Patty Katz. “We are proud to serve such an environmentally-aware community and we are looking forward to providing this valuable resource to them well into the future.”

The biannual event, hosted in partnership with Reach Out America, Great Neck Breast Cancer Coalition, Nassau County Police,

and the Key Club at Great Neck North High School, aims at protecting local water sources and raising awareness of the dangers of flushing pharmaceuticals down the toilet.

New York State Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti, Nassau County Legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip and Town of North Hempstead Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey were on hand to aid District officials in collecting

and disposing of these materials. For additional information and updates about the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District, visit the website at www. gnwpcd.net to sign up for email newsletters or call the office at 516-482-0238.

About the GNWPCD

The Great Neck Water Pollution Control District (GNWPCD) is a special commis-

sioner-run district within the Town of North Hempstead. The GNWPCD has provided sewage services for the Great Neck area since 1914, and currently serves more than 25,000 residents and businesses in the villages of Great Neck, Saddle Rock, Kensington, and those parts of Thomaston and Great Neck Plaza east of Middle Neck Road; as well as all unincorporated areas north of the Long Island Railroad and a part of Manhasset. The GNWPCD’s mission is to protect human health, our bays and the environment.

—Submitted by the Great Neck Water Pollution Control Disrict

Annual Saul Kessler Interfaith Seder At Temple Beth-El Of Great Neck

Ninety guests from a variety of faith traditions attended the 42nd Annual Saul Kessler Interfaith Seder on March 30 at Temple BethEl of Great Neck. The seder was hosted by the temple’s Brotherhood, its men’s organization. The seder is named for the late Saul Kessler, a former Brotherhood president who made interfaith relations a priority during his family’s many years as members of the temple. Temple members may attend only if they bring one or more non-Jewish friends.

The seder was led by Rabbi Brian Stoller, Cantor Adam Davis, and Brotherhood President Matthew Moshen. A highlight was Rabbi Stoller’s novel approach to the main part of the seder, telling the story of the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. Many of the guests, both Jewish and of other faiths, were given roles in the story, and were “interviewed” by the rabbi regarding their experiences in the Passover exodus story. The interviews led to many moments of ingenuity and hilarity. The seder meal was provided by W Kosher Events.

Speakers included two high school students, one Jewish and one Catholic, who were part of this year’s group of Project

Understanding participants. Project Understanding was begun in 1987 by the late Monsignor Tom Hartman and and former Temple Beth-El President Roger Tilles. Through the vision of Father Tom and Mr. Tilles, and through Mr. Tilles’s philanthropy,

the lives of hundreds Long Island Catholic and Jewish young people have been molded and changed. Each year the highlight of Project Understanding is a trip to Israel for the Catholic and Jewish high schoolers, led by educators from both faiths.

Temple Beth-El is Great Neck’s oldest synagogue, serving the community for more than 90 years. Learn more by visiting www. tbegreatneck.org, calling 516-487-0900 or emailing info@tbegreatneck.org.

—Submitted by Temple Beth-El of Great Neck

Interfaith Seder participants who were assigned various roles in the Passover exodus story were “interviewed” by Rabbi Brian Stoller. (Contributed photo)

Great Neck Water Pollution Control District Commissioner Steve Reiter, far left, Commissioner Patty Katz and Superintendent Christopher Murphy were joined by New York State Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti, Nassau County Legislator Mazi Pilip and Nassau County Police Officer Ray Lajara in collecting over 500 pounds of unused pharmaceuticals and medical sharps during the GNWPCD’s Spring 2023 Shed the Meds event.

Since she spearheaded the creation of the event in 2017, Great Neck Water Pollution Control District Commissioner Patty Katz, left, has worked alongside fellow Commissioners Steve Reiter, right, and Jerry Landsberg in making sure that Shed the Meds sees continued success every six months. (Contributed photos)

Live At Five Concert Series Returns To The Science Museum Of Long Island

The Science Museum of Long Island (SMLI) and its Board of Trustees would like to invite the community to join them at the Leeds Pond Preserve in Manhasset for the third annual Live at Five Outdoor Concert Series at the Science Museum of Long Island. Featured are five Thursday nights of live music from 5 to 9 p.m. on May 11, May 25, June 8, July 13 and Aug. 10.

Guests are invited to bring a blanket and chairs and enjoy the natural surroundings of the 36-acre Leeds Pond Preserve as they listen to live music, enjoy food from a variety of changing local food trucks, shop at the Shakedown Street local vendors market and learn from local nonprofit and community organizations. In the meantime, the kids can enjoy a plethora of hands-on science and guided nature activities with their amazing and inspiring educators.

Using the backdrop of the Leeds Pond Preserve to teach sound conservation practices, the museum is determined to find cost effective and ecofriendly alternatives to the single-used waste often seen at events such as this. In addition, they plan to highlight different conservation methods to implement at home and educate the public about how to do their part to keep places like the

Leeds Pond Preserve and Manhasset Bay clean, creating thriving ecosystems for generations to come.

The Live at Five Series has been a catalyst of positive change and a cornerstone to SMLI’s fundraising efforts over the past two years, rebuilding their membership base and reinvigorating long-standing connections and service to the community. SMLI is looking forward to once again hosting this magical outdoor community event.

—Submitted by the Science Museum of Long Island

Live at Five has food trucks with meals and dessert options.

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Concertgoers at last year’s Live at Five. (Photo by Science Museum of Long Island)

Live At Five, August 2022. (Photo by Julie Prisco)

(Photo by Julie Prisco)

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR

To place an item in this space, send information at least two weeks before the event to editors@antonmediagroup.com.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 10

‘I Am A Jew’ Exhibit Opening

4 p.m. (United States Merchant Marine Academy) USMMA unveils a new exhibit called ‘I Am A Jew’. The exhibit will explore USMMA’s Jewish history. Visit usmma.edu for more information.

FRIDAY, MAY 12-SUNDAY, MAY 14

Movies at Great Neck House

Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 5 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 5 p.m. (Great Neck House) Breaking. When Marine Veteran Brian Brown-Easley is denied support from Veterans Affairs, financially desperate and running out of options, he takes a bank and several of its employees hostage, setting the stage for a tense confrontation with the police. Based on the true story. (PG-13 | Crime, Drama, Thriller | 2022)

SATURDAY, MAY 13

Miniature Golf Day

11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Great Neck Main Library Community Room) Third Annual National Miniature Golf Day. Play a round of miniature golf with your family using the library’s Sphero coding robots. No golf clubs

will be used. You will be able to code Sphero to navigate our course or use Sphero as a remote-controlled ball. Registration is required, email stemlab@greatnecklibrary.org

TUESDAY, MAY 16

Tech Tuesdays

10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. (Parkville Branch Library Community Room) Get help with basic tech questions about your tablet, smartphone, laptop, and more. Assistance will be provided on a first come, first served basis. No registration is required.

Sewing Design

7 p.m.-8 p.m. (Main Library, Levels Teen Center) Create everything from pillows to clothing in our all-new sewing corner with a sewing machine and all kinds of fabric. Contact Jonelle Robinson at 516-4668055 (x216) or jrobinson@ greatnecklibrary.org for more information.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17

Project IndependenceHydration

11 a.m.-12 p.m. (Magnolia Gardens, Community Room) Hydration for seniors. Join the Town of North Hempstead to find simple ways to increase

your water intake that can help you avoid the complications of dehydration and stay healthy. Call 311 for more information.

Womenspace

1 p.m.-2 p.m. (Great Neck Social Center)

These seasoned ladies have gathered for a number of years, tuned in to what active folks think about. When this group hears about something on the local, state, national or global scene they select an expert from their various contacts to come talk

ladies are. Call 516-487-0025 for more information.

THURSDAY, MAY 18

Sing Along

12:30 p.m. (Great Neck Social Center)

Sing Along with Mindye and Phoebe. While music is proven to help with memory, actively participating in music has been shown to have many health benefits for seniors. Songs are age appropriate and

THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR MANHASSET PAT AITKEN

FOR BOARD OF EDUCATION - VOTE TUESDAY, MAY 16th

7 AM to 9 PM – Manhasset High School Gym

THE EXPERIENCE, PROVEN COMPETENCE & DEDICATON WE NEED

Proven record in business advisory & finance combined with governance skills developed through service to churchcommunity & on university board of trustees

PUTTING EDUCATION FIRST

Expandedcurricular & extracurricular options, maintaining high standards in education

New electives in Engineering sequence and Broadcast Journalism

Expanded AP options including Human Geography, Art History, and Capstone r esearch program

HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

24th in NYS Public Schools 2022

Budgets within NYS tax levy cap

2.07% average 15-year levy increase

Even In Defeat, Hochul Housing Proposal Raises Questions

Nassau will still need to address the issue of development

aolsen@antonmediagroup.com

While the housing portion of the New York State budget seems to be tabled for now, housing and urban planning are ongoing issues. According to the Regional Plan Association, a non-profit organization that does research, planning, and advocacy for transportation, housing, planning and environmental issues in the tristate area, New York State will need to build over 800,000 housing units during the next ten years to address current needs and meet expected population and job growth. People need places to reside, and it’s generally better if they are able to do so near the places where they spend the rest of their time- their places of employment, schools, retail and recreation. Careful planning can result in settings that are beneficial to residents, the community, and the environment.

“(Locating) your doctor, your lawyer, where you get your groceries, fresh food, all within walking distance or within a short commute has been a planning principle for a long while. It does have a number of positive effects in terms of the livelihood of a neighborhood; the livelihood of a place makes it more attractive, it also can lead to a positive effect on property values. It also has a net effect on congestion because people don’t have to drive a couple miles just to get a quart of milk or whatever. They can do that if they can just walk a few blocks and not having to get into their car,” said Marcel Negret, Senior Planner at the RPA.

When people think of compact or high-density housing, they often think of examples like tall skyscrapers. Frequently, though, housing can be added through the application of adaptive use. This is where existing structures are modified. Examples include where a lower story has commercial space, like a store or restaurant, while the upper stories are housing units. These are sometimes called “middle density,” a unit of housing that is often missing in many parts of Long Island. “So, there’s something in between the large, high rise, multifamily buildings, a skyscraper, and low density, single family residential neighborhoods, with the detached units. There’s a lot in between. Mixed use buildings that have like some form of commercial use on the first floor, maybe two, three stories above with residential, that would fit the description of kind of middle density, that in many cases is

kind of just missing because we either have one extreme or the other,” said Negret.

There is also potential for these mixed-use buildings to plan their utilities and HVAC systems in a more environmentally sound way, rather than retrofitting them later. There is even the possibility of growing food and managing stormwater runoff. “The category of mixed uses shouldn’t be limited to just combining commercial retail and residential, but also have other more functional, utility led uses like solar panels. In places where you have issues with managing stormwater runoff, you also can retrofit some of those spaces with some form of a green roof that captures some of that water and helps manage some of the limitations with our sewer infrastructure, for example. This idea of mixed uses probably fits that description

as well,” Negret said, when discussing how these mixed-use buildings fit into a more sustainable way of developing.

One of the biggest benefits of more carefully planned, compact development is the preservation of forests and open space. Since 2001, New York State has lost over 68,000 acres of forest land, with 94 perecnt of the lost forest (64,000 acres) attributed to sprawl, according to the National Land Cover database. Building in areas that are already urbanized, called “in-fill” development, is one solution to take pressure off undeveloped land. Negret puts it this way: “One of the other great benefits of favoring this type of planning of more compact, mixed uses clustered together is the preservation of natural areas, of forest land, of watersheds. You’re meeting those needs in this more

efficient form of urban clusters or suburban villages. In the context of Long Island, it mitigates or reduces kind of pressure for sprawling out and consuming existing open space or forest land or polluting watersheds.”

Even though most of the sprawl happened in the mid part of the of the last century, with the explosion of highways and car ownership, it has continued into the present day. “We looked at those kinds of consumption rates from forest land in the past 20 years, and they’re still concerning. It’s not something that has gone away, even though planners have realized that they want to shift gears to more compact forms of development. Unfortunately, sprawl is still happening and we’re losing forest land because of that,” said Negret. “Over the past two decades Nassau County has lost over 1,100 acres of forest land to sprawl, an area larger than all of Eisenhower Park. Promoting more compact forms of housing development in the region, and in our suburbs in particular, is a smart way to advance land conservation goals and preventing future loss of forest land and open space.”

Proactive planning allows communities to make decisions collectively about how their community develops. Without direction, the development still happens, but it isn’t as organized or deliberate. Negret points out that the default ends up being sprawl. “If there’s no proactive effort to prioritize these forms of more compact forms of development, that have mixed uses, that favor adaptive reuse, the default is you will have sprawl. Like the inaction or lack of proactivity in implemented planning ideas just will result in sprawl. So regardless of who is taking the lead, there is definitely a need for action.”

An example of middle density, adaptive use development in Patchogue, NY.

(Photo by Amanda Olsen)

In Nassau County, a total of 1152 acres of forest was lost in the last decade. (diagram courtesy of Regional Plan Association)

Long Beach Resident Among First Peace Corps Volunteers To Return To Service Overseas

Long Beach resident Arthur Gold is among the first Peace Corps volunteers to return to overseas service since the agency’s unprecedented global evacuation in March 2020. The Peace Corps suspended global operations and evacuated nearly 7,000 volunteers from more than 60 countries at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m looking forward to my second encore career,” said Gold. “My desire to join the Peace Corps stems from the joy of fulfillment I feel when I am able to facilitate and witness the success of others. In my role I hope to usefully contribute to the community and realize the adventure of new people, places, and culture.”

Gold is a 1984 graduate of the New York University Tandon School of Engineering, formerly known as Polytechnic Institute of New York, with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. After graduation,

he worked in industrial engineering and economic development for the manufacturing sector, later becoming a certified personal trainer. Now, at 72 years old, Gold will serve as an education volunteer in the Eastern Caribbean.

The volunteer cohorts are made up of both first-time volunteers and volunteers who were evacuated in early 2020. Upon finishing a three-month training, volunteers will collaborate with their host communities on locally prioritized projects in one of Peace Corps’ six sectors – agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health or youth in development – and all will engage in COVID-19 response and recovery work.

Currently, the agency is recruiting volunteers to serve in 58 countries around the world at the request of host country governments, to connect through

the Peace Corps’ grassroots approach across communities and cultures. Volunteers have already returned to a total of 53 countries around the world. At the invitation of governments around the world, Peace Corps volunteers work alongside community members on locally prioritized projects in the areas of education, health, environment, agriculture, community economic development and youth development. The Peace Corps continues to monitor COVID-19 trends in all of its host countries and will send volunteers to serve as conditions permit. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans have served in 143 countries worldwide. Americans interested in transformative service and lifelong connections should apply to Peace Corps service at www.peacecorps.gov/apply.

—Submitted by The Peace Corps

County Facing Class-Action Lawsuit Over Racially Disparate Traffic Stops

JANET BURNS

jburns@antonmediagroup.com

Nassau County is facing a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all Black and Latino drivers in Nassau which alleges racial bias by the Nassau County Police Department in its execution of traffic stops.

The lawsuit, which seeks $40 million in damages, local policy changes, and oversight from a federal monitor to ensure reforms happen, is similar to one that began in Suffolk County eight years ago, and has required that county to both pay millions and better train its officers while releasing better data on how they enforce the law. A judge will later decide whether to certify the suit’s class-action status.

The suit’s lead plaintiff, Tivia Leith, originally filed suit against Nassau County last November following a traffic stop for which she was held 11 hours in police custody.

In response to a request for comment on the case, NCPD Detective Lieutenant Richard LeBrun said that the department does not comment on ongoing litigation.

Ms. Leith is being represented in the case by the Law Offices of Frederick K. Brewington, whose attorneys are well known on Long Island for civil rights work.

In a phone intervew with Anton Media Group, Frederick Brewington, Esq.

explained the background and aims of the case, which he said was originally brought on behalf of Ms. Leith and her minor son.

“After we looked at it, and after issues were raised by the defendants, the County of Nassau, at a conference with a federal judge, the determination to expand this case into a class action become fairly obvious to us,” Brewington said.

“We began to look at the numbers concerning traffic stops that had been made available through Nassau County. Their reporting is limited, and even with that limited view we saw that there was a disparate treatment of persons of color, of Black and brown individuals in Nassau County, with regard to the ratio of car stops to the total number of population, that was completely out of whack.”

“So, we made the determination that we needed to expand this to make sure that all those persons, like my client, who are impacted by Nassau’s determinations to disproportionately pull over Black and Latino people, are included, and that it would be aired in a courtroom where this issue can be addressed, because this appears to be an institutional, systemic issue.”

As Brewington noted, it was data from the Nassau County Police Department itself that indicated to his firm that something was amiss county-wide.

“Their data is incomplete, it does not give source information, it doesn’t give some

of the data that’s necessary to do other statistical evaluations, but just looking at the raw numbers that they provided it’s pretty clearly that something needs to be said and done about the way that they’re treating drivers, passengers, and other folks related to car stops in Nassau County.”

“Ms. Leith’s experience was, in a word, haunting. She has issues with anxiety to

begin with, and what this did to her, both in her mind and also in her gut, made her extremely concerned about whether or not she was ever going to make it home that night. She was held for eleven hours on an alleged warrant that did not exist, and the problem about that was that even with the issue of pulling her over, it appeared to be pretextual. The officer drove up next to her, saw that she was a Black woman, then drove behind her and pulled her over. In this situation, we can’t have police officers making the determination they want to pull people over on a hunch.”

In Ms. Leith’s case, Brewington noted, “She had her minor son with her. He had to watch his mother be placed in handcuffs, and then they threatened to take him into custody, and she had to plead [with police] to allow her to get someone to come pick him up so he wouldn’t be taken into police custody. That’s just outrageous.”

He continued, “They now claim the reason she was pulled over, which is pretty ridiculous, was that the light on her license plate was out. That charge was dismissed along with any other charges.”

“What we’ve really got to do is bring accountability into the picture, and see that, in this situation, police don’t just get a chance to say anything after the fact and expect people to go for it. That ‘okey-doke’ is long gone, and never should have been in the first place.”

Peace Corps Volunteer Art Gold.

(Photo submitted by the Peace Corps)

Frederick K. Brewington, Esq. (Submitted photo)

LEGAL NOTICES

KEYSPAN GAS EAST CORPORATION d/b/a NATIONAL GRID

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by KeySpan Gas East Corporation d/b/a National Grid (“Company”) that it has led with the New York State Public Service Commission (“PSC”) tari revisions to its Schedule for Gas Service, PSC No.1 – GAS, that are proposed to become e ective June 3, 2023.

The Company seeks to increase delivery revenues by approximately $228 million to modernize and improve the safety, reliability, and performance of our infrastructure, enhance the customer experience, reduce system emissions, and fund energy a ordability and e ciency programs. The Company’s ling is subject to approval by the PSC and the rates approved may be di erent from those proposed. The Company expects that the PSC will suspend the proposed rates for the maximum period permitted under the Public Service Law, which would mean an e ective date of revised rates of April 1, 2024.

S.C. No. 1A, 5-1A – Residential Non-Heating Service

S.C. No. 1AR, 5-1AR – Residential Non-Heating Service

S.C. No. 16, 5-16 – Year-Round Space

S.C. No. 1B, 5-1B – Residential Heating Service S.C.

–

5-2A – Non-Residential Non-Heating Service

S.C. 17 – Baseload

S.C. 17 – Baseload Distributed Generation – Rate 2 –Equal to or greater than 1 MW but less than 5 MW

5-2B – Non-Residential Heating Service

S.C. 17 – Baseload Distributed Generation – Rate 3 –Equal to or greater than 5 MW but less than 50 MW

S.C. 18/19–Non-Firm Demand Response Sales Service – Tier 1

S.C. 18/19–Non-Firm Demand Response Sales Service – Tier 2

For more information, visit ngrid.com/li-rate ling or the PSC’s website (dps.ny.gov).

KEYSPAN GAS EAST CORPORATION d/b/a

Mailer Discovers The Novel—And The New Journalism

JOSEPH SCOTCHIE

jscotchie@antonmediagroup.com

“There is a good Norman Mailer and a bad Norman Mailer. The good Norman Mailer has won out.”

So claimed Jason Epstein, the man’s editor, sometime in the early 1990s.

Well, it better had won out, or else the novelist was certain to spend his days in the slammer. For decades, Mailer’s life and times---and brawls, one of them nearly fatal----filled the gossip pages as much as his published work.

The youngest of two children born 100 years ago in 1923 to Isaac and Fanny Mailer, the young Norman was an ace student who rose from Crown Heights to matriculation at Harvard at age 16.

At Cambridge, Mailer intended to study engineering. The late 1930s was also a Golden Age of the American novel. Mailer eagerly read Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Faulkner, Wolfe, Dos Passos, Steinbeck, and Farrell. He wrote his own stories and novels. When Pearl Harbor hit, the teen-aged Mailer vowed to write the great American novel of the war. He soon married and was shipped out to first, Texas and then the Philippines. He told his young bride to save his letters home. The Naked and The Dead, a novel about a colorful cross-section of Americans fighting in the Pacific Theatre was published in 1948. It sat on top of the best seller lists for months.

Mailer was only 25. He would spend the next 60 years trying to top his first novel. Along the way was more fiction, essays, biographies, films, the co-founding of The Village Voice , books about political conventions, the Apollo moon shot, Marilyn Monroe, prize fights and even a run for mayor of New York in 1969.

Whatever else Mailer achieved or didn’t achieve, the man was prolific. Every morning, he put on work jeans, had breakfast with his mother in her neighboring Brooklyn Heights apartment and proceeded to a daily word count that generally hit 1,500---and often, much more.

Mailer’s second novel, Barbary Shore (1951) was panned by the critics. His comeback novel, The Deer Park (1955), a send-up of Hollywood’s

decadent side, was more successful. Satisfied that he could write fiction, Mailer turned to journalism. A born polemicist, the man caught a break when Clay Felker, co-founder himself of New York magazine, assigned Mailer to cover the 1960 Democratic Party convention. Mailer was vain enough to believe that his Esquire essay on John F. Kennedy, “Superman Comes To Supermarket,” helped to win the presidency for the man. Still, he had found another niche.

Mailer covered more conventions, two of which, Miami and The Siege of Chicago (1968) and St. George And The Godfather (1972) were book-length reports. If Mailer succeeded in these books, it had to do with his self-styled standing as a “Left Conservative.” He held great hopes for Kennedy-style liberalism. Mailer was no nihilist. He admired Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy, but also the traditionalism of Robert Taft and Edmund Burke. This allowed Mailer to sympathize with such reform Democrats as Robert F. Kennedy. He also understood the desire of heartland Republicans seeking to restore a lost “Jesus land” now being obliterated by social revolution.

Mailer continued to write fiction. He also seemed liberated by journalistic ventures. From 1963 to 1975, came a creative streak that the novelist Tom Robbins claimed had no parallel in modern American culture, save the same creative outburst turned in by Bob Dylan over the same period. Mailer’s output included The Presidential Papers, Cannibals and Christians, An America Dream, Why Are We in Vietnam? The Armies of The Night, Miami and the Siege of Chicago, Of A Fire On The Moon, Marilyn, Existential Errands, The Faith of Graffiti and The Fight.

I’ll plunk out a few books from that list. Cannibals And Christians is his best non-fiction collection: An angry and fast-paced volume denouncing the deadening effects of technology and mass society on a nation’s soul. (However much he could not escape them, Mailer disliked television and modern architecture, while coming out early against the Vietnam War.)

The Armies Of The Night, Mailer’s dramatic account of the 1967 antiwar march on the Pentagon was the book that marked his rise as an avatar of the New Journalism, where the author injects himself into the action. Miami,

however, is a tighter and more prophetic book: The Vietnam War came and went; however, the civilizational crisis dramatized by the 1968 conventions still plagues the nation.

When Mailer was working on The Naked And The Dead, he showed a draft to Charlie Devlin, another writer also living in Brooklyn Heights. Devlin liked the draft, but scolded Mailer on his inability to construct metaphors, which Devlin claimed marked the true measure of any writer. The young Mailer got the message. And he went to work. Does anyone still remember the riots at the Chicago convention? You will if you read the book.

The police attacked with tear gas, with Mace, and with clubs, they attacked like a chain saw cutting into wood, the teeth of the saw the edge of their clubs, they attacked like a scythe through grass, lines of twenty and thirty policemen striking out in an arc, their clubs beating, demonstrators fleeing. Seen from overhead…it was like a wind blowing dust, or the edge of waves riding foam on the shore.

The Fight is about the 1974 heavyweight title bout between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali is the best single book I know about Sweet Science. In addition to Left Conservatism, Mailer also embraced existentialism. To the end, the man could never fully define the term. It did have everything to do with the novelist being cut from his Brooklyn roots following the success of his first novel. Mailer was condemned to be a celebrity author always promising that Great American Novel. He revered Ernest Hemingway, Ali and most erroneously Fidel Castro as existential heroes, men who stood apart from the crowd and were willing to meet---and overcome--this world on their terms.

Hemingway took his life. Castro turned Cuba into a totalitarian hellhole. That left Ali. Mailer died in 2007 at age 84. Ali lived until 2016. As long as Ali was on this side of the river, Mailer saw hope for this world.

With The Fight, Mailer’s third-person forays into the swirling controversies of the 1960s and ‘70s ended. It was back to the fiction grind. Next week, we’ll look at the man’s ruminations on God, Christianity, and its implications for America.

Norman Mailer in the 1950s

Dust jackets for The Naked And The Dead and Miami And The Siege of Chicago

Phantom Conversations

Smartphones are loaded with applications and features that let you enjoy social interactions and meet new friends. Why are they so popular? I can only assume that people look to avoid live face-to-face disruptions that can go bad real fast. Or maybe not. But if it’s true, there is a better way. Instead of downloading an application, many people use a feature not advertised by cell phone companies called the phantom conversation. This allows you to hide from others seeking to borrow your car, money and valuable time.

The history of the phantom phone conversation goes back to the 40s, at least in the movies. Take the PI who shadows a suspect, careful not make any abrupt movements that may blow his cover. He stays back a safe distance as he follows the suspect through the crowded streets of New York City. Suddenly, the suspect darts into a hotel and sits down in the lobby. The PI nonchalantly walks to the other end of the lobby, ducks into a phone booth, and lifts the receiver. Keeping an eye on his suspect, he waits a few moments and starts to mouth the fake dialogue.

Avoiding a face-to-face conversation with someone you know, for any reason, has long been a sore spot for many people. I’ve learned that it’s painfully obvious when you suddenly take off when you first notice the person. The phantom conversation provides a means to eliminate this embarrassment. All you need to do is pull out the phone, start talking and wave to the person as you walk by. Even Miss Manners would agree that a person on a phone call is off limits to interruption. True, it’s a fake conversation, but that’s not important. The fact is that you’ve succeeded in your goal to avoid a face-to-face conversation. Here is a true-life example that may drive home the point.

One afternoon, I pulled into my apartment building lot when I noticed a group of neighbors standing near the front entrance. I had just laid out six hundred dollars to my mechanic and wrenched my back reaching into my glove compartment for the checkbook. I didn’t want to enter the fray with their conversation suddenly turning to me and my disgust over a car bill. As I

LONG ISLAND STORIES

approached the group, the cell phone came out and I started a dialogue with nobody.

“Yeah, Danny, how goes it? They ever fix that pot- hole at the end of your block?”

As I walked past the group, we all exchanged friendly waves. They knew the deal and stayed a safe distance away. This signaled a respect for what appeared to be a legitimate two person dialogue. Once safely in my apartment, I buried the phone in my pocket and made lunch.

If you think that was good, another favorite application of mine is using the phantom

conversation as a salesperson repellant. The strategy here is to whip out the phone as the salesperson approaches and quickly begin your non-existent conversation. What salesperson is going to walk up to a potential customer and say, “Excuse me, as soon as you’re finished, can I help you?” In this scenario, I was able to take pictures of certain items, go home and purchase them online. Now, you may be asking, “Who the hell started this farce of the phantom conversation?”

Besides the PI using the phone booth, history also documents that women were and are, true pioneers of the phantom conversation. What choice do they have with these derelict dudes lurking around bars, gyms and the ladies room? Back in the day, I had friends that went to bars armed with lame pick up lines that never worked. Yet, the lines stay in their arsenal. Women quickly learned how to combat this arsenal. For example, a woman is sitting at the bar waiting for her girlfriend, when she notices a guy approaching. The woman pulls out the cell as if she’s Annie

Oakley drawing a pistol on some cowboy, then rolls into her phantom conversation.

“Hi, honey. You won your WWF match? Almost killed the guy? What, you’re only five minutes away? Great, see you soon.” She watches as the prying panther does a 180 and takes off in the other direction.

You might also question the ethics of the phantom conversation, asking what kind of world do we live in? I agree. As a civilized society, we should be able to speak directly to another human being and tell them you don’t have time to talk. We’re not that civilized. Many people are too sensitive to another person’s feelings. More to the point, they don’t have the guts. Phantom conversations act like Prozac. They come to people’s rescue by mellowing the mood. They allow a person to feel they are involved in a legitimate act of conversation even though it’s more a case of deception. Deception or not, feel free to dive into a phantom conversation if you fear that a conversation may glide into the spewing of information not meant to be spewed.

Karl V. Anton, Jr., Publisher, Anton Community Newspapers, 1984-2000

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Thomas Kuntzmann

COLUMNS Lag B’Omer-Joy in the Journey

A man sitting on the deck of a boat reaches into his toolbox, pulls out a drill, and proceeds to bore a hole in the hull. Suddenly, the people sitting next to him begin to shout, “Stop! What are you doing?”

“I’m drilling a hole,” the man says. “I can do what I want. Why is it any of your business?”

“Are you kidding? We’re all together on this boat!” They exclaim. “You may think you’re only making a hole under your own seat, but because of your actions, we are all going to sink!”

This famous parable reminds us that our personal choices have ripple effects, consequences that affect others. Though we may think we can be self-sufficient, in fact, we are interconnected. As such, we must be respectful in our dealings with others, and always aware of our responsibility to treat people fairly, in our pursuit of a just and moral society.

Do you remember the character of the Count, the Dracula-like figure on Sesame Street who loved to enumerate? If the Count were Jewish, he would love this time of year, for we Jews are currently in the middle of counting the Omer. This is a daily practice

intended to remind us of the link between Passover, which commemorates the exodus from Egypt, and Shavuot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The counting of the Omer brings home the notion that our redemption from slavery was not complete until we received the Torah and became a holy people.

The Talmud recounts that the students of Rabbi Akiva died in a plague during this season because they did not give each other

proper respect. Rabbinic sources attested that the plague ended on Lag B’Omer–the thirty-third day of the Omer. By Lag B’Omer, the thirty-third day of this counting period, the Jews began to treat each other with kindness and humility, and the plague receded. For this reason, Lag B’Omer is a happy occasion for Jews all over the world, who are permitted to celebrate anew with weddings, music, and outings. Families and neighbors gather together around bonfires, barbecues, and picnics, uniting to enjoy a day of community and camaraderie in a celebration of Jewish history.

In modern day Israel, this day has morphed into one that’s celebrated with barbecues. We must not forget, however, that the Omer is also a semi-mourning period, commemorating the many thousands of Rabbi Akiva’s students who died via plague so long ago. Although they were brilliant scholars, they perished because they did not treat each other with the appropriate respect granted to men of their station.

The Israeli mountain-town of Meron turns

My Conversation With A Robot

I think newspaper columnists like me might soon be out of a job.

You may have heard about a computer program called Chat GPT which will have a virtual conversation with you. Ask the program a simple question and get an answer. Ask a follow-up question and get another answer. Before you know it, you are conversing with a computer that generates instantaneous responses based on what it can find about the subject on the internet.

If you are old enough to remember the original AOL chat rooms, it’s the same idea. However, instead of having a text-based conversation with another human, it’s a computer. Chat GPT is a highly developed Artificial Intelligence (AI) designed to take Google searches to another level. Instead of using Google to research articles requiring you to read about, say, Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, it does the research for you. But the best part is that it will provide you with an impressively comprehensive document that doesn’t just contain non-sequiturs or bullet-point facts. If you need 500 words, ask for 500 words on the topic, and Chat GPT obliges.

Of course, this renders the need for students to research and compose homework moot. If teachers thought allowing their students to produce book reports by just reading the “Cliff Notes” was a menace to society, what would they do once they get hold of Chat GPT? At the absolute minimum, students still needed to read the Cliff Notes. Now all they do is type text into a chat box and hit enter.

As a columnist, the most challenging part of my job is coming up with an interesting idea to entertain my readers in roughly 650

words. I depend on reader emails, conversations with friends and family, and snippets from the news. I’ll then do my research and produce the Award-Winning column you are enjoying right now.

But with Chat GPT, maybe I don’t have to work as hard.

Ah, Chat GPT. The magnificent machine that can answer just about any question thrown at it. It’s like having a personal genie trapped inside a computer instead of a lamp. And let’s be honest; sometimes it feels like we’re asking it to perform magic.

Chat GPT is not some all-knowing being gifted with the power of speech. No, it’s a machine programmed to generate responses based on the vast amount of data it’s been fed. In other words, it’s just a really smart parrot.

I mean, think about it. You ask Chat GPT a question, and it spits out an answer. Sure,

it might be a perfect answer, but it’s not like it came up with it independently. It’s just repeating information that’s already been stored in its vast database, like when your pet parrot repeats what you say. Polly might sound like she’s talking, but she’s not really understanding the words.

But at least Chat GPT is a parrot that doesn’t require any cleaning up after. Can you imagine if it actually had a physical form? It would be like having a really talkative but also really messy bird in your house. Plus, you’d have to worry about it flying away and joining a group of rogue AI that are plotting to take over the world.

And let’s not forget about the times when Chat GPT gets it wrong. It’s like when your

Lag B’Omer into a mega-celebration. There, hundreds of thousands of people come to pray at the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a holy scholar who studied Jewish mysticism, otherwise known as Kabbalah, while he and his son hid in a cave for thirteen years to escape Roman persecution. It is said that by praying and connecting oneself to the soul of a tzaddik, a completely righteous person, one can alter the course of one’s destiny. The spirit of the tzaddik is said to inhabit the space around his gravesite and act as a conduit for sincere believers seeking G-d’s blessings. Particularly on the anniversary of the death of a tzaddik, the connection to his spirit is intensified.

As we count towards Lag B’Omer, we also look forward to the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates the receiving of the Torah by the Jewish people. The Midrash teaches that every Jewish soul that would ever be born was gathered at Mount Sinai when our Creator gave the Torah to His people. Now, like then, we are all in this together. In that spirit, may we draw strength and understanding from each other and become a more unified people.

pet parrot accidentally swears in front of your grandparents. You can’t blame the bird since it’s just repeating what it’s heard, but it’s still embarrassing.

In conclusion, Chat GPT is like a parrot on steroids. It’s incredibly smart and can spout off information like nobody’s business, but at the end of the day, it’s still just a machine. So, next time you’re impressed by Chat GPT’s ability to answer your questions, just remember that it’s not really magic. It’s just a really good parrot.

And now, dear readers, take another look at this column and try to figure out what parts came directly from Chat GPT and what parts came from your humble narrator.

RABBI MOSHE WEISBLUM

HOME & DESIGN

Green Your Spring Lawn And Garden Care

Looking to reduce the amount of time, money, chemicals, and effort needed to have a beautiful lawn or garden? Here are some tips to get started:

Reduce weeds naturally

• In late April, apply corn gluten to lawns. While it will not kill weeds, it will stop new ones from germinating that year. Corn gluten is also a great natural source of nitrogen.

• Place two to three inches deep of mulch to application areas to provide nutrients and shade out weeds in plant beds. Types of mulch include bark clips, leaves, or recycled rubber. But do not allow mulch to touch tree trunks so growth is not inhibited.

• Pour boiling water over weeds and repeat as needed.

• Select native species and non-invasive plants. Perennials are a good choice and can help reduce costs from having to purchase new plants annually.

• Use “minimum risk pesticides.”

An example is nematodes which can be used on the lawn for grub control.

Maintain a healthy lawn and deter weeds

• Don’t bag your grass clippings. Leave them on the lawn.

• Let grass grow and mow less. The taller the grass, the deeper the roots - this can aid in getting through dry spells.

• Seed bare patches in lawns with grass seed.

• Remember lawns need about an

Recently Sold HOMES

inch of water per week—water once a week if necessary and do so early in the day to help prevent conditions that encourage pest infestations.

• Follow local watering restrictions.

• Make sure your gutters flow onto lawns—not pavement.

• Collect water in a rain barrel to use in the yard.

• Conduct a soil test to see if you need to fertilize.

• Broadcasting up to a half of an inch of compost can provide nitrogen along with other trace nutrients and organic matter to the soil.

• Nitrogen deficiencies can be corrected with a slow-release, organic source of nitrogen such as blood meal, cottonseed meal, or fish meal.

• Applications should be when soil temperatures are above 65 degrees.

• Half of a lawn’s needed nitrogen can be obtained by leaving clippings on the lawn. The other half can be applied in the fall by shredding leaves with a mulching mower and leaving them on the lawn.

• Do not fertilize an established lawn in mid-summer. Doing so just feeds the weeds.

Start a compost pile

• Backyard composting

• Indoor vermicomposting bin

• Subscribing to a local food scraps collection or participate in a drop-off program in your community

—Department of Environmental Conservation

Luxury has been reimagined in this Locust Valley home at 10 Overlook Court. It sold on April 26 for $2,600,000. It is an exquisite and tastefully appointed custom brick Colonial. Enjoy scenic views of the lushly manicured four-acre property. A gracious two-story entry foyer welcomes you to the sprawling main level with grand entertaining as well as everyday living in mind. Bathed in sunlight and featuring sophisticated artisan detailing throughout, this residence boasts five bedrooms, seven bathrooms. It has three fireplaces and more than 6,000 square feet of living space. This home offers its own outdoor paradise featuring an in-ground pool with a poolhouse, an outdoor kitchen, bluestone patios and a koi pond.

This charming Colonial in the heart of Locust Valley at 41 Bella Vista Street sold on April 18 for $905,000. It has a semi-open floor plan, an entryway, a formal living room with a fireplace and French doors. It has four bedrooms and one bathroom. One of the bedrooms is on the first floor. The other three are on the second floor. The home has a den, a formal dining room and a large country-style eatin-kitchen with granite countertops, a copper farm sink and a new refrigerator. The home has central air conditioning, Nest thermostats and a new water heater. There are wood floors throughout. The private backyard is fenced in and has a patio for entertaining. This home is located near shopping, dining and the train station.

Homes shown here represent closed sales, sold by a variety of agencies and are selected for their interest to readers by the Anton Media Group editor. Except where noted, data and photos are provided courtesy of Multiple Listing Service of Long Island, Inc. and Zillow.

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The heart of health care beats within every nurse.

Catholic Health gratefully acknowledges the more than 4,000 members of our Long Island nursing sta who bring outstanding care to our patients every day. Throughout our many inpatient and outpatient facilities, your dedication to excellence makes our driving mission real —to give the very best care to every patient, in every encounter, every time.

Our most heartfelt appreciation— during Nurses Week and every week.

chsli.org

What Is National Nurses Week?

BY JOLEEN SAMS specialsections@antonmediagroup.com

Every year from May 6 to 12, nurses are recognized for their service and dedication to caring for others and improving the health of patients nationwide through National Nurses Week. Throughout the week, healthcare organizations celebrate their teams, and you’ll even see nurses featured on the news. People across the nation thank the nurses that have made a difference in their lives.

Nurses Week celebrates the effort, dedication, and sacrifice nurses make every day. Nurses are essential members of America’s healthcare workforce who provide care through every stage of life, working with patients at their most intimate and vulnerable moments. Nurses Week offers a chance to highlight and celebrate nurses for all we do.

History of National Nurses Week

Several individuals, organizations, and political leaders contributed to the efforts that have evolved into Nurses Week as it is celebrated today. The American Nurses Association (ANA) has compiled several facts about the history of Nurses Week:

1953: The first effort to establish a recognition day for nurses was when Dorothy Parker of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare sent a proclamation to then-President Eisenhower. He never signed the proclamation.

1954: A National Nurse Week was observed October 11-16 in recognition of the 100th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s work during the Crimean war.

From the 1950s to 1970s, several bills were introduced to Congress, but none made it through the legislative process.

1974: The International Council of Nurses declared May 12 International Nurses Day. In the US, President Nixon signed a proclamation recognizing National Nurse Week.

1982: The ANA declared May 6 as National Nurses Day, which Ronald Reagan signed as an official proclamation

1990: The ANA extended the celebration to “Nurses Week,” and the dates May 6-12 became permanent as of 1994.

Within Nurses Week, National Student Nurse day is May 8, and National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday that falls during Nurses Week.

Why Nurses Week is Celebrated

The ANA and other nursing organizations promote Nurses Week as a time to thank and recognize nurses across the country for the dedication to the profession and patients we serve. Healthcare organizations throw celebrations, and the public is encouraged to “thank a nurse” that’s made a difference in their lives.

Nurses Week is our time to shine. Let’s lift each other up and recognize the good in what we do every day. It’s easy to dwell

on everything that needs to be changed, but for one week, I challenge you to look for the good. Recognize your nurse besties, mentors, and the nurses who make a difference in your day.

How Nurses Week is Celebrated

Every healthcare organization celebrates its nurses a bit differently. Many hold events throughout the week to recognize their nurses, and meals or gifts for the entire nursing team are common.

Managers and administration plan and prepare for months to make the week special.

In the community, you’ll see news reports highlighting extraordinary nurses who go above and beyond for their communities and patients. In addition, many local businesses also create special offers for nurses - watch your local news and social media outlets to see what might be available near you.

Several major sports teams offer “Nurses Night Out” events. It’s a great time to grab your favorite group of nurses and enjoy an evening of fun and relaxation. Some teams, like the Red Sox, have a nurse throw the first pitch.

Nursing has always been a profession that needs more than just your time and knowledge. Nursing requires heart, passion, and dedication to serving others. Nurses Week allows the public to acknowledge and thank nurses for the work you choose every day. It’s a chance for us to pause and thank the nurses who have made a difference in our careers.

—Joleen Sams is a family nurse practicioner and writes for Nurse.org

Molloy Earns Clinical Healthcare Simulation Facilities Endorsement

Molloy University’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences has received the prestigious Healthcare Simulation Standards Endorsement Designation from the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) for its state-of-the-art healthcare simulation facilities that are the training ground for the nursing and healthcare professionals of the future. The endorsement recognizes healthcare institutions and practices that have demonstrated excellence in applying simulation standards.

“We are the first nursing school on Long Island to receive this recognition, and one of only twenty-five institutions worldwide,” said Lori Persico, PhD, CHSE, RN, director of simulation education and assistant professor at Molloy University.

“This is a direct result of the collaboration between our highly trained Clinical Learning Center (CLC) facilitation team, faculty, and our simulation technology specialists, who serve more than 1,000

nursing students each semester. Our CLC simulation programs exemplify excellence in applying Healthcare Simulation Standards for Best PracticesTM in the core four categories: professional integrity, facilitation, prebriefing: preparation and briefing, and debriefing.”

The Molloy University simulation program provides high-tech, interactive

opportunities allowing the student to bridge theory to practice in a safe learning environment. A team of dedicated CLC nursing instructors facilitate the simulation learning session for students. CLC sim facilitators, simulation specialists, and faculty work collaboratively with students, individually or in group settings, to master the clinical skills essential for competent and safe nursing practice at two sites: the main campus in the Barbara H. Hagan Center for Nursing, Rockville Centre and at Route 110 in Suffolk County. Each nursing instructor has worked in various capacities within the clinical setting and brings a wealth of professional expertise to share with students. Simulation facilitators guide students through replicated clinical scenarios using state-of-the-art technology that promotes safe nursing practice by stimulating critical thinking, reasoning, and judgment.

—Barbara H. Hagan School of Nursing and Health Sciences/Molloy College

Molloy was one of 25 schools worldwide and the only one on Long Island to earn the recognition.

ASK AN HSS DOCTOR

Sponsored by Hospital for Special Surgery

QI have knee arthritis causing ongoing pain. An MRI also showed a torn meniscus cartilage. A doctor is recommending arthroscopic surgery, but I’ve read that doesn’t help with arthritis. Could you provide some advice?

AThree words: Don’t Do It. Studies show, and we know from our own experience, that arthroscopic surgery does nothing to relieve arthritis pain. Not only is this surgery useless; it often makes arthritis worse by causing more inflammation in the joint.

I typically see one or two patients a week after another orthopedic surgeon performed arthroscopic surgery a few months earlier. Patients are very unhappy because they are in worse pain than before they had the procedure. Many were told minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery would buy them time before needing a knee replacement, and they are disappointed

Patients hoping to put off joint replacement may have heard that it’s a painful surgery with a long recovery. However, major advances in technology, surgical technique and pain control have benefited patients. Robotic-assistance and computer navigation have enabled a very accurate surgery using smaller incisions. A long-lasting anesthetic nerve block applied during surgery and an improved pain management protocol after the procedure result in less discomfort. Many times, motivated patients in good general health can go home the same day.

The first line of treatment for people with arthritis should be nonsurgical. This often includes physical therapy, pain medication such as anti-inflammatories, activity modification and possibly a steroid injection.

When conservative treatments fail to provide relief, joint replacement surgery is the only tried-and-true remedy for ongoing, painful arthritis. If the damage is limited to just one area of the knee, we can do a partial joint replacement, which generally leads to a quicker recovery. It’s important to get the proper diagnosis and the right treatment sooner, rather than later.

You may be wondering when arthroscopic knee surgery would be appropriate. It may be recommended if a patient has “mechanical symptoms” that are causing pain and making it difficult to walk. There could be a large cartilage tear or a loose body in the knee – a small fragment of cartilage or bone - that’s getting caught in the joint and preventing normal movement. In these cases, minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery may be indicated to repair the tear or remove a loose body. But it is not recommended for someone with ongoing symptoms from arthritis.

Bottom Line: A second opinion is always a good idea when elective surgery is recommended. For patients with ongoing, painful knee arthritis, arthroscopic surgery usually does more harm than good.

HAVE A QUESTION FOR AN HSS DOCTOR?

Cash Prizes Inspire Gamified Wellness

HealthyWage Jackpot & Step Challenges proffer healthful weight loss motivation in a way that entertains, challenges and financially rewards good choices through game play. Having paid out over $52 million cash for a collective 10 million pounds lost, HealthyWage participation—and prize pots—surge as behavioral economics studies continue to substantiate gamification efficacy for weight loss-driven wellness.

Wellness gamification pioneer HealthyWage—the world’s leading purveyor of money-driven diet contests and challenges for individuals, teams and corporate wellness groups that has paid more than $52 million cash rewards for more than 10 million collective pounds lost—recently announced that it’s current round of weight loss “Jackpot” and “Step” challenges boasts a collective cash pot prize opportunity of nearly $95,000. The proof is in the performance in the form of quantifiable and undeniable metrics that behavioral economics-based gamification works to promote healthful weight loss. Exemplifying the power and efficacy of HealthyWage’s approach are many success stories (both female and male).

With reports indicating that four in ten American adults (about 41.9 percent) are currently obese, and with nearly 20 percent more states today suffering obesity rates above 35 percent versus the year prior, there are compounding concerns as the condition escalates nationwide. Not the least of which is untold millions of Americans needlessly putting themselves at higher risk of—or exacerbating—serious medical conditions per CDC warnings. A Harvard School of Public Health report underscores an ominous trajectory if obesity is not aptly addressed by the end of this decade, revealing that, “If U.S. trends continue unabated, by 2030, estimates predict that roughly half of all men and women will be obese.” Other dire study-driven forecasts through 2030 estimate a staggering “33 percent increase in obesity prevalence and a 130 percent increase in severe obesity prevalence over the next two decades,” also noting that this reality would further hinder healthcare containment cost efforts.

Understanding the need for serious health-focused intervention to get America’s collective weight-driven wellness trending in the right direction, category pioneer HealthyWage continues to tackle the U.S. obesity epidemic head on by using the psychological benefits of game mechanics to motivate weight loss. This as the company is helping more people than ever lose weight and get healthy through its gamification platform

Cash inspires weight loss challenge-driven wellness.

founded on study-driven behavioral science and economics principles validated by many esteemed medical research institutions.

“Studies continue to show that monetary incentives serve to enhance the effectiveness of, and duly complement, weight-loss programs of any and all sorts, especially when paid out quickly like our various programs,” said HealthyWage co-founder David Roddenberry. “Loss aversion is a powerful dynamic and the reality of having ‘skin in the game’ can propel the results of a gamified weight loss initiative. Indeed, a key element for the success of a gamification program is giving participants something to lose if they fail to meet their goal—whether tangible or intangible.”

Whether one is dieting in a personal or professional environment, an array of studies reiterate the importance of the “stick” in the design of a wellness incentive program. “There are many studies demonstrated that the threat of losing something of value is much more effective than the opportunity to win something of equal value,” Roddenberry continued “That’s precisely why we advocate that program participants ‘pay to play’ and make an investment out of their own pocket in order to win rewards—in our case large cash prizes— for losing weight and getting more active in the program. The average HealthyWager participant more than doubles their investment if they are successful at achieving their goal. The financial upside potential is impressive.”

So effective is the company’s diet gamification method, famous personalities have joined HealthyWage in the fight to get America fit. For one, the company partners with global health and fitness expert Jillian Michaels to provide free six-month access to The Fitness App by Jillian Michaels for participants taking a HealthyWager challenge. Beyond the cash prize potential, this partnership additionally provides participants with custom workouts and meal plans—everything they need to succeed—along with other wellness resources like recipes and that related to meditation, mindfulness and sleep.

—HealthyWage

Answer from Michael Alexiades, MD, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee and hip surgery and joint replacement at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City and at HSS Long Island.

Abnormal Liver Problems Can Originate In Gallbladder Medical Students Celebrate Match Day

Not all liver test abnormalities originate in the liver. Sometimes it is the gallbladder. As many as 50 percent of people with a “gallbladder attack” or medically termed acute inflammation of the gallbladder will have abnormal liver tests. Many patients become jaundiced from gallbladder or bile duct disease. Gallbladder disease is common, especially among an overweight population. A good diet with maintenance of a healthy weight may help reduce the likelihood of developing gallstones.

Most people with acute gallbladder inflammation complain of pain in the right upper abdomen. Coincidentally, this also happens to be the area where the liver is located. It is for this reason that your doctor may ask you to undergo a sonogram of the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts if you have abdominal pain and abnormal liver tests. This test is looking for changes in the gallbladder consistent with inflammation, gallstones, bile duct obstruction or structural liver abnormalities.

THE SPECIALIST

David Bernstein, MD

A thickened gallbladder wall, fluid around the gallbladder or pain on performing the ultrasound are all commonly seen in a “gallbladder attack”. Stones seen within the gallbladder do not necessarily mean that the gallbladder is sick or that the stones are a problem. Gallstones are very common and large stones seldom cause problems.

The treatment for an inflamed gallbladder is surgical removal

of the gallbladder. There is no medicine for this. Patients whose gallbladders are removed are generally out of the hospital within 48 hours and the recovery time is significantly less than older, open gallbladder surgery. Despite the commonality of this type of surgery, it is still a surgical procedure with potential significant risks for both long and shortterm complications. You should ask your surgeon to answer any questions prior to the surgery.

The gallbladder is not an essential organ and most people who have had their gallbladder removed feel fine without any changes to their usual activities. Rarely, people can develop diarrhea following surgery and sometimes years later, a new stone forms in the biliary tract that can be endoscopically removed. Following gallbladder removal, the liver tests should return to normal. If they do not, further evaluation of the liver should be performed.

—David Bernstein, MD, MACG, FAASLD, AGAF, FACP

Graduating students at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell learned where they would spend the next phase of their medical training during the school’s Match Day ceremony on March 17. Clutching small white envelopes containing their “match,” the 91 graduating students that make up the Class of 2023 eagerly awaited the stroke of noon, the time all medical students nationwide open a personalized letter from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) revealing their residency results. This rite of passage is the culmination of years of preparation, hard work, and determination.

Anise Diaz is the only student who successfully matched into the competitive otolaryngology specialty at Boston University Medical Center.

“I’m so grateful for all the support and for all the mentors that I had here at the School of

Medicine,” shared Diaz. “I’m super ecstatic that I made it and I’m ready for the future.”

Eric Lee and Erika Rivera were one of three couples at the Zucker School of Medicine who went into the match process together via “Couples Match”.

“It was a little scary applying to the match as a couple. There’s already so much uncertainty with a match and having to apply as a couple further adds to that uncertainty,” said Lee, who expressed both nervousness and excitement for his and Rivera’s future. “It was really helpful to have someone by your side to ground each other during the stressful parts of this entire process,” explained Rivera. Lee and Rivera successfully matched and will begin their residencies in anesthesiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Yale New Haven Hospital.

—Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Anise Diaz

Eric Lee and Erika Rivera

Increase Productivity And Manage Mental Health

Productivity and mental health are closely linked. With depression, anxiety and burnout being the most common manifestations of poor mental health, the experts at Joy Organics have compiled a list of five tips to help manage your mental health and increase productivity both in and out of the workplace.

Take a break

It’s important to step away from your work every few hours otherwise your brain will freeze up and feelings of burnout or anxiety will start to become stronger. Only eleven out of fifty states mandate some type of rest break for workers. If your employer allows a break, you should make sure it is uninterrupted.

Having a break allows your brain to reset itself from any stressful situations. Research from the Association of Psychological Science suggests that a ten-minute break for every hour you work is a good balance to maintain

productivity.

Set Small Objectives

Looking at your work as a huge single object is daunting. Those feelings of dread can feed into depression and anxiety so splitting up your work into manageable chunks will make things easier. A simple way to do this is by using Stephen Covey’s four quadrants of time management approach. This method uses four categories:

• Urgent and important—unforeseen events and urgent matters

• Not urgent but important— smaller tasks that won’t affect your deadlines

• Urgent but not important— meetings and phone calls

• Not urgent and not important— checking social media Compartmentalizing can also help with ADHD as your brain can tick off small steps as you go.

Communicate

Having another perspective is useful for lowering your stress levels. Talking to your team or

a manager not only gives you a break from staring at a screen, but it means that you can solve problems faster.

Instead of struggling with a project alone, ask for a quick meeting or an informal chat to have another set of eyes on it. Don’t take on too much

Hustle culture has become common in workplaces over the past few years, where everyone is trying

to take on everything their managers give them. This can be a huge contributor to stress and depression as the work keeps coming in.

You have a finite number of hours at work, so don’t take on a week’s worth hoping to get it done in a day. Set boundaries and know when to focus on the work you already have.

Get a good night’s sleep

When you’re tired and low on

energy it becomes harder to concentrate. Getting at least eight hours of sleep each night will allow your brain to rest and you will be better equipped to deal with whatever the workplace throws at you.

Before going to bed, you should do something relaxing and not stare at a phone screen or catch up on work. This helps to signal that it’s time to sleep.

According to a study by stress. org, more than 50 percent of workers are not as productive at work due to stress, and 39 percent claim workload is the main cause. Workplace stress can affect anyone, but research has shown that women must contend with their hormones on top of everyday stresses. In fact, 57 percent of women reported feeling burnout because of work stress, compared to 48 percent of men.

It’s important that companies work towards more inclusive workplaces that have a healthy work-life balance and manage employee stress by being transparent.

—Joy Organics

Compartmentalizing your daily tasks into urgency and importance levels will help manage your time and stress.

Chih-Shan Jason Chen, MD, PhD, FAAD Mohs Surgeon & Director of Dermatologic Surgery MSK

He Survived The ‘Widowmaker’

New oxygen treatment aids heart attack recovery

BY FRANK RIZZO editors@antonmediagroup.com

A widowmaker heart attack happens when you have a blockage in the biggest artery in your heart. That means blood can’t move through your left anterior descending (LAD) artery, which provides 50 percent of your heart muscle’s blood supply. Immediate treatment is crucial for a chance at survival.

—The Cleveland Clinic

Kevin Kapela of New Hyde Park has a favorite saying regarding our final passage.

“When they call your number, you go,” daughter Nicole, of Garden City, quoted her father. “So when I got up to the [hospital] room that night he said, ‘My number wasn’t called.’”

“Have you ever heard that word before, widowmaker?” she was asked.

“I did, but I didn’t hear good things,” she replied. “I never heard of a happy story on the other side.”

Thanks to some luck and skilled intervention at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, Kapela, 64, had a happy ending.

March 21 was the day his number could have been called. What medical professionals call a “myocardial infarction” was far from his mind as he stood at the ninth tee at the Christopher Morley Park golf course in Roslyn. It was his first outing of the year and he wasn’t keeping score, just getting his golf game tuned up.

“I took it nice and easy the first eight holes,” he related, adding that, as usual, he walked the course. “I’m loosened up and I usually like to get my drive over the trees [on the ninth]. I said, ‘I’m going to swing for the stars.’ As soon as I took the swing I felt like lightning bolts coming down my arm.”

His first thoughts were that he had pulled

some muscles, but quickly realized that he was having a heart attack.

Kapela made the crucial decision to drive himself to nearby North Shore University Hospital. The first of what he called “the stars being aligned” in his favor came into play when he caught all green lights out of the park south on Searingtown Road to the LIE Service Road and past Shelter Rock Road to Community Drive, where the hospital was located,

En route, he called his wife Gina and told her, “Just come to the hospital. I think I’m having a heart attack.”

About five minutes after leaving the park—and keeping to the speed limit, he emphasized—he pulled into an ambulance bay at the ER entrance and an attendant came out to aid him.

Kapela said he was bent over in excruciating pain as he was helped out of his car.

“All I remember is the kid’s sneakers, he’s got beautiful sneakers,” he said, being unable to look up at the attendant.

The stricken man handed his license to an ER nurse and noted that he was already in the hospital’s records system, saving precious time. Within 20 minutes, he was in the cardiac catheterization lab for the life-saving stent procedure.

At an April 20 press conference, flanked by his wife and interventionist cardiologist Dr. Gaurav Rao, Kapela described his discomfort, imitating his moaning as he crossed his arms over his chest. On the proverbial pain scale of 1 to 10 he called it a “12.”

“The EKG was the first thing they did and they knew what I had immediately,” he said, hearing the scary word “widowmaker” being called out.

As he drifted in and out of what he called “a twilight zone” of consciousness, he also

Taking part in a press conference were, from left, Kevin Kapela, Gaurav Rao, MD, interventional cardiologist, and Rajiv Jauhar, MD, chief of cardiology, Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital at North Shore University Hospital. (Screen Capture)

(Contributed Photo)

heard the medical personnel ask, “How did this guy not have a stroke yet? How did this guy not have a blood clot?” Kapela described the immediate pain relief he felt when the stent cleared the blockage.

Afterward, Dr. Rao asked permission to perform a fairly new procedure, recently approved by the FDA—TherOx treatment. According to a press release, it “provided his own super oxygenated blood to the site of

the heart attack, helping prevent irreversible damage to the heart muscle and decreasing risk of long-term heart failure. Doctors liken the one-hour therapy as a hug for the heart because it brings oxygen-rich blood to millions of micro vessels in the organ and breaks up artery-clogging plaque in that area.”

North Shore is the only hospital in the state and one of the few in the Northeast to offer this therapy.

Kapela said he was “high-fiving” the medical personnel after the procedure, and when Nicole entered the room she was shocked for the second time that day—the first was when her mom informed her of the emergency.

“He looked amazing,” she related. “He was sitting up. His color was back in his face. He didn’t look like someone who had a massive heart attack.”

Nicole said Kevin was a very active grandfather with her four kids and said he stayed on top of his medical care.

“Ever think this would happen to you?” Kevin was asked.

“Never, not me,” he replied. “I didn’t have any symptoms. I felt great. I was walking with no sweat, no shortness of breath. I slept good. I don’t smoke, and I’m not a heavy drinker.”

Kapela is a semi-retired clothing

manufacturer with a factory in Los Angeles. He said he did well on a stress test when he was 50 and walked up to two miles per day and also played pickleball.

Wife Gina also detailed that scary day, praising the nurses for comforting her with the assurance that her husband was in good hands.

In an interview with Anton Media Group, Dr. Rao said of the new therapy, “[it helps] those cells on a cellular level stay alive. So what does that mean long term? It means that patients are going to have less scar, [which] means less hospitalizations for heart failure and less death. And when your heart is stronger, you’re able to do more things that you want to do and the quality of life stays high. You’ll be able to spend time with family and do all those things that you were able to do before because your heart function has improved.”

He added, “And that’s exactly what happened in Kevin’s case by the end of his hospitalization. His heart function had improved, [going from] 25 percent to 50 percent. Normal is about 55 to 60 percent.”

Gina, reflecting on her husband’s close shave, said, “We’re going to do everything now, enjoy the grandchildren [more]. He got a new lease on life, really.”

Left, Kevin Kapela celebrates a hole-in-one at Christopher Morley Park in 2022, site of his March 21 heart attack. At right, enjoying a post-operation vacation in Marco Island, Florida, with his wife Gina. Their daughter Nicole and grandchildren also joined them.

I didn’t have any symptoms. I felt great. I was walking with no sweat, no shortness of breath. I slept good. I don’t smoke, and I’m not a heavy drinker.

—Kevin Kapela

Reducing Stroke Risk Starts With Education

BY DR. STEVEN ANGELO AND AMANDA REES specialsections@antonmediagroup.com

May is National Stroke Awareness Month, an important time to review the facts about strokes so you can better understand the risks—for you and for your loved ones.

About 795,000 people have a stroke every year, including thousands of people in New York, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). The good news is up to 80 percent of strokes are preventable and if one occurs, it is possible to treat and recover if caught early.

Getting smarter about strokes is crucial as time is a major factor in preventing disability or death. Understanding the symptoms of stroke and risk factors can help you get help fast and reduce your risks.

A stroke is a medical emergency caused by the interruption of the flow of blood to the brain as a result of a clot or internal bleeding. Our brains require a continuous supply of oxygen and nutrients. If blood flow stops, brain cells start to die in just a few minutes.

Because of this, a stroke can have a serious impact on many functions of your body, including speech, respiration,

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movement, cognition, and bladder control. Strokes reduce mobility in more than half of stroke survivors 65 and over. In fact, stroke causes more serious long-term disabilities than any other disease, according to the National Institute on Aging. Individuals who survive strokes often need physical, speech, occupational therapy and other medical care.

Older adults are at an increased risk of having a stroke. However, there are several ways you can help reduce those risks, including:

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• Make exercise part of your daily routine. Many people don’t know that many

Medicare Advantage health plans include fitness benefits. For example, UnitedHealthcare’s Renew Active program offers free gym memberships, personalized fitness plans, workout videos, and group fitness classes.

• Maintaining a relationship with a primary care provider is an important part of managing chronic conditions like hypertension that can lead to stroke.

• Quit smoking, which increases your risk of a stroke, disease, and death. Talk to your

• Eat healthy foods, like those low in cholesterol and saturated fat, plus lots of fruits and vegetables

If you know the signs and symptoms of a stroke and act quickly, it can mean the difference between life or death, major disability or a better quality of life. If you experience the sudden onset of any of these symptoms, seek medical care immediately:

• Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg—especially on one side of the body

• Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding

• Problems seeing in one eye or both eyes

• Dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, or trouble walking

• Severe headache with no known cause

Every year strokes take a toll on far too many of us. Reducing the risks of this too-often devastating condition starts with educating ourselves about stroke and taking small steps to improve our overall wellbeing.

—Dr. Steven Angelo is the chief medical

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Sleep plays a vital role in the body’s cycle of rejuvenating, healing, and growing. The DUX® Bed’s unique, customizable component system provides unrivaled ergonomic support to help you experience significantly higher quality sleep.

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Sleep plays a vital role in the body’s cycle of rejuvenating, healing, and growing. The DUX® Bed’s unique, customizable component system provides unrivaled ergonomic support to help you experience significantly higher quality sleep.

Sleep plays a vital role in the body’s cycle of rejuvenating, healing, and growing. The DUX® Bed’s unique, customizable component system provides unrivaled ergonomic support to help you experience significantly higher quality sleep.

Sleep plays a vital role in the body’s cycle of rejuvenating, healing, and growing. The DUX® Bed’s unique, customizable component system provides unrivaled ergonomic support to help you experience significantly higher quality sleep.

The DUX Dynamic combines the best that a traditional DUX bed has to offer, with the added advantage of adjustability. Not only can you customize each side of the bed for optimal support and comfort with our patented Pascal system of interchangeable cassettes, but now with a simple press of a button on a handheld controller you can choose a sleeping position separate from your partner.

Sleep plays a vital role in the body’s cycle of rejuvenating, healing, and growing. The DUX® Bed’s unique, customizable component system provides unrivaled ergonomic support to help you experience significantly higher quality sleep.

Sleep plays a vital role in the body’s cycle of rejuvenating, healing, and growing. The DUX® Bed’s unique, customizable component system provides unrivaled ergonomic support to help you experience significantly higher quality sleep.

Sleep plays a vital role in the body’s cycle of rejuvenating, healing, and growing. The DUX® Bed’s unique, customizable component system provides unrivaled ergonomic support to help you experience significantly higher quality sleep.

Sleep plays a vital role in the body’s cycle of rejuvenating, healing, and growing. The DUX® Bed’s unique, customizable component system provides unrivaled ergonomic support to help you experience significantly higher quality sleep.

Resolve to invest in your health. Visit a DUXIANA® store near you and discover why The DUX Bed is more than just a bed, it’s the first step to a better, healthier way of living.

The DUX Dynamic combines the best that a traditional DUX bed has to offer, with the added advantage of adjustability. Not only can you customize each side of the bed for optimal support and comfort with our patented Pascal system of interchangeable cassettes, but now with a simple press of a button on a handheld controller you can choose a sleeping position separate from your partner.

The DUX Dynamic combines the best that a traditional DUX bed has to offer, with the added advantage of adjustability. Not only can you customize each side of the bed for optimal support and comfort with our patented Pascal system of interchangeable cassettes, but now with a simple press of a button on a handheld controller you can choose a sleeping position separate from your partner.

The DUX Dynamic combines the best that a traditional DUX bed has to offer, with the added advantage of adjustability. Not only can you customize each side of the bed for optimal support and comfort with our patented Pascal system of interchangeable cassettes, but now with a simple press of a button on a handheld controller you can choose a sleeping position separate from your partner.

Sleep plays a vital role in the body’s cycle of rejuvenating, healing, and growing. The DUX® Bed’s unique, customizable component system provides unrivaled ergonomic support to help you experience significantly higher quality sleep.

The DUX Dynamic combines the best that a traditional DUX bed has to offer, with the added advantage of adjustability. Not only can you customize each side of the bed for optimal support and comfort with our patented Pascal system of interchangeable cassettes, but now with a simple press of a button on a handheld controller you can choose a sleeping position separate from your partner.

The DUX Dynamic combines the best that a traditional DUX bed has to offer, with the added advantage of adjustability. Not only can you customize each side of the bed for optimal support and comfort with our patented Pascal system of interchangeable cassettes, but now with a simple press of a button on a handheld controller you can choose a sleeping position separate from your partner.

Resolve to invest in your health. Visit a DUXIANA® store near you and discover why The DUX Bed is more than just a bed, it’s the first step to a better, healthier way of living.

The DUX Dynamic combines the best that a traditional DUX bed has to offer, with the added advantage of adjustability. Not only can you customize each side of the bed for optimal support and comfort with our patented Pascal system of interchangeable cassettes, but now with a simple press of a button on a handheld controller you can choose a sleeping position separate from your partner.

The DUX Dynamic combines the best that a traditional DUX bed has to offer, with the added advantage of adjustability. Not only can you customize each side of the bed for optimal support and comfort with our patented Pascal system of interchangeable cassettes, but now with a simple press of a button on a handheld controller you can choose a sleeping position separate from your partner.

The DUX Dynamic combines the best that a traditional DUX bed has to offer, with the added advantage of adjustability. Not only can you customize each side of the bed for optimal support and comfort with our patented Pascal system of interchangeable cassettes, but now with a simple press of a button on a handheld controller you can choose a sleeping position separate from your partner.

Resolve to invest in your health. Visit a DUXIANA® store near you and discover why The DUX Bed is more than just a bed, it’s the first step to a better, healthier way of living.

Resolve to invest in your health. Visit a DUXIANA® store near you and discover why The DUX Bed is more than just a bed, it’s the first step to a better, healthier way of living.

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Resolve to invest in your health. Visit a DUXIANA® store near you and discover why The DUX Bed is more than just a bed, it’s the first step to a better, healthier way of living.

Resolve to invest in your health. Visit a DUXIANA® store near you and discover why The DUX Bed is more than just a bed, it’s the first step to a better, healthier way of living.

Resolve to invest in your health. Visit a DUXIANA® store near you and discover why The DUX Bed is more than just a bed, it’s the first step to a better, healthier way of living.

DUXIANA MANHASSET 1522 Northern Boulevard 516-869-1700

Resolve to invest in your health. Visit a DUXIANA® store near you and discover why The DUX Bed is more than just a bed, it’s the first step to a better, healthier way of living.

www.duxiana.com

Resolve to invest in your health. Visit a DUXIANA® store near you and discover why The DUX Bed is more than just a bed, it’s the first step to a better, healthier way of living.

DUXIANA MANHASSET 1522 Northern Boulevard 516-869-1700 www.duxiana.com

DUXIANA MANHASSET 1522 Northern Boulevard 516-869-1700

www.duxiana.com

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Q&A With New York City-Based Artist Yuko Kyutoku

Using her skills in art for healing

JENNIFER CORR

jcorr@antonmediagroup.com

The inspiration behind Yuko Kyutoku’s art spans from Japan to New York City.

Currently based in New York, she was born in Gifu and grew up in Aichi, Japan. According to her website, “Having grown up next to both nature with mountains and rivers, and urban areas, her love of nature and the outdoors grew tremendously. Throughout her life, Yuko has always been fascinated by images and how the world is represented through the eyes of others. Also, she was born into a doctor’s family that appreciates art, and her grandmother was also an artist who exhibited her works throughout Japan. Naturally, she was drawn to drawings and paintings.”

Her passion for art continued on into her young-adulthood. She completed her Associates degree in Visual Arts at Westchester Community College, and then her Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art and Masters degree in Art Therapy at New York University in 2022.

Today, she works at a children’s hospital where she serves children with disabilities and provide various recreational therapy sessions for them to support their well-being and developmental needs. She provides four group sessions per day and documentation as well as preparing and creating other artworks to be displayed in the unit of the hospital. She did not provide the name of the hospital.

QLong Island Weekly: What inspires you so much about American culture? I also see that in your art, you like to infuse your Japanese background with American inspiration. Would you say that’s accurate?

AYuko Kyutoku: “I grew up watching American movies and listening to American music, including Elvis Presley, Madonna, Janis Joplin, and James Brown. I personally think the elements of free expression and authenticity speak to me the most. Each artist expresses their backgrounds, beliefs, and values authentically, and I really like that. It impacted me a lot during my teenage years. I would say

my art expresses more about myself than it focuses on cultural aspects. I am not really thinking about expressing or incorporating Japanese and/or American influences in my art, so much as these aspects come up naturally. As a Japanese person living in New York, it is natural that my work reflects both cultural aspects without my express intention. My work always reflects what I like, value, and believe at the time of its creation, so I would say my art reflects more about where I am in my life than it does my background. I see art as a personal journal or recording process that like snapshots reflect what I do and what my interests are in the individual moments of my life.”

QLong Island Weekly: What’s your favorite art form? How do you find time to do art when you’re a busy art therapist in New York City?

AKyutoku: “I enjoy painting and drawing the most. My art style is a combination of both painting and drawing. I use papers and create gouache paintings. I then use gel pens, markers, or pastels to create textures. I also enjoy exploring some pigments, such as marble powders and glitters. I regularly create art when I have time, and I also do visual journals where I process my experiences with my clients. As an art therapist, art making is required for my profession, however, it is also something that brings me

joy. Dedicating myself to visual journaling and an art-making practice help me to process, ground myself, and gather ideas and perspectives for upcoming sessions, thus I create art whenever I get the chance. I sometimes create art after I get home and on weekends. It is not only my professional practice but also one of my hobbies.”

QLong Island Weekly: What keeps you in New York City?

AKyutoku: “I enjoy being in New York City because of the various opportunities and the high quality of education that I can receive. I would say that I can receive great psychotherapy training and resources in New York City, which I enjoy the most. I am always eager to study something new and look for new therapy training to expand my skills. For instance, recently I took a sound bath workshop in the city, and it was an interesting experience that I will probably want to add it to my art therapy practice in the future.”

QLong Island Weekly: In what ways would you say art therapy helps people? How has it helped you?

AKyutoku: “Art therapy can address various issues, including PTSD, trauma, anxiety, family conflicts, and others. Art therapists use patients’ free-form art and creative expressions to encourage them to share and talk about

the artwork they made and to begin to look within themselves for meaning and insight. Art therapists use both creative expression and talk therapy and other modalities to help people deal with unresolved emotions, increase self-awareness and reflection, increase self-worth, and decrease stress and other emotional issues and disorders. I found art and creative expression helped clients work through strong emotions in a non-harmful way.”

QLong Island Weekly: Is it hard to leave home behind to live abroad? What do you miss most about your home in Japan? What were your favorite parts about growing up there?

AKyutoku: “Adjusting to American culture is of course challenging, and there are many things that one must learn in order to finish school and thrive at work. New York is similar to my hometown in Japan, which is why I like living here. I sometimes miss the Japanese food I grew up with... My favorite part about growing up is the many opportunities I’ve had to expand my skills and knowledge and grow as a person. Since New York is very diverse and I am able to meet people from so many different cultures, which is a life-changing experience, I definitely think that the diversity inspires me to think and live in richer ways.”

—To view Kyutoku’s art, visit www.yukokyutoku.com.

Painting by Yuko Kyutoku.

Yuko Kyutoku is a Japanese contemporary artist and art therapist in New York.

The Congregation That Cares

FRANK RIZZO

frizzo@antonmediagroup.com

Long Island Cares–The Harry Chapin Food Bank has a friend in the Parkway Community Church in Hicksville. President/CEO Paule Pachter stopped by the church recently to accept the annual donation raised by the congregation, singling out Richard Cardozo for his efforts.

Co-pastor Aric Balk, who shepherds the church along with wife Ellen, presented the check.

In expressing his gratitude, Pachter noted that “when it comes to food insecurity and hunger, we still have a lot of work to do. During the three years that all of us were

functioning under a cloud of global pandemic, we saw an additional 223,000 people coming to the food pantries for food and to support their families. That was on top of the 230,000 people that we already provide services to here in Nassau County and Suffolk County. It was extremely challenging. It was difficult. It was expensive. But we did get the job done. And we’re able to help people come through what many have said were their darkest hours. As we gather within the church this morning, there are still too many people who are struggling to put food on their table.”

Among these were 87,000 children and the approximately 2,000 seniors and 3,000 veterans served by the agency, the last two groups via home delivery.

“And that is the challenge we have—that in a region with such significant resources, there are so

many people that need [help],” he continued. “And it’s because of communities like this that we’re able to provide the support that so many people need. And so the contribution (holding up the

check) helps us do our work, but more importantly [is] your support of your fellow neighbors—you know who they are, you know who’s struggling in your community. And they need the support of

their neighbors, especially in the churches and synagogues. We in the faith-based community, we understand exactly what it is to be in need.”

Pachter declared himself fortunate to run an organization founded in 1980 by the late singer-songwriter, who unfortunately lost his life in 1981, before he saw his efforts come to fruition.

He praised his staff and volunteers, saying that without them, all the appreciated donations from individuals, governments, corporations and foundations would not help the organization reach its goals.

Pachter was joined at the service by Sheila Flythe, the agency relations assistant manager, and Sonia Pluchinotta, director of agency relations.

For more information visit www. licares.org.

Girl Scouts Of Nassau County Empowers Girls To Become Leaders Thanks To $75,000 Grant

Girl Scouts of Nassau County recently announced that, since December 2022, more than 270 Girl Scouts have achieved patches as part of the Project C patch program, which was sponsored by National Grid as part of a $75,000 donation to help empower girls and provide them with the resources to excel as they pursue careers in STEM-related fields. The Project C patch program featured a series of activities for Girl Scouts that promoted environmental advocacy, social justice, workforce development and community engagement.

In addition to the patch program, National Grid’s generous contribution also helped fund the Girl Scouts’ efforts to plant 186 new trees throughout Nassau County, a series of storytelling workshops and the Girl Scouts’ Unapologetically Fearless Since 1912 event that gave Girl Scouts a platform to learn from inspirational women in a range of non-traditional industries.

“The Project C patch program is the epitome of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County’s mission to empower girls and help provide them with the resources to hone their leadership capabilities,”

said Randell Bynum, the CEO of Girl Scouts of Nassau County.

“Through the collaboration, we will continue to provide a number of opportunities to girls that will help boost their confidence and unlock their potential to make the world a better place by prioritizing environmental and sustainable changes in their communities.”

The Project C patch program features four distinct areas that Girl Scouts of Nassau County geared toward equipping girls with the tools to become leaders in tomorrow’s workforce and inspire positive, sustainable changes in their neighborhoods.

The patches, which represent the four pillars of the Project C program, are: clean energy and sustainability, environmental justice and social equity, neighborhood development and community engagement, and workforce development. Since the program’s launch on November 15, 2022, 78 earned the clean energy patch, 77 earned the community development patch, 78 earned the environment justice and social equity patch and 77 earned the community development patch.

Girls earned these patches by completing a rigorous curriculum that included activities such

as making a video message to bring awareness to environmental justice and social equity, brainstorming ways to use clean energy in their communities and inviting a woman from National Grid’s Women in Non-Traditional Roles (WiNTR) organization to speak to their troop.

In addition to the patch program, National Grid funded a successful event the Girl Scouts of Nassau County held in September at the Long Island Children’s Museum Entitled Unapologetically Fearless. Since 1912, seventh through twelfth-grade students learned about the experiences of female

professionals in non-traditional careers and trades. Through National Grid’s funding, girls also planted 186 new trees throughout their communities as part of GSUSA’s Tree Promise, which encourages Girl Scouts across the nation to plant 5 million trees in five years to contribute to overall environmental progression and to protect and honor new and existing trees. Lastly, National Grid funded a series of workshops called Telling Your Story, through which girls work with expert speakers and teachers to learn about public speaking and sharing their own stories in unique ways as a means to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of lifestyle differences.

“It’s inspiring to see how girls throughout Nassau County are prioritizing sustainability and environmental consciousness in their communities while developing their own business and career skills. We applaud the Girl Scouts of Nassau County for their efforts to empower Long Island’s youth,” said Kathy Wisnewski, the Director of Customer and Community Management of National Grid.

—Submitted by Girl Scouts Of Nassau County

Co-pastor Aric Balk presents a donation to Li Cares President/CEO Paule Pachter. (Photo by Frank Rizzo)

A Girl Scouts of Nassau County troop in Freeport recently joined with National Grid officials at a recent meeting for an activity on energy conservation and sustainability.

(Photo by Girl Scouts of Nassau County)

Long Island Author Releases New Novel

Kara Thomas has mesmerized critics and fans alike with her bestselling psychological thrillers for young adults—The Darkest Corners, Little Monsters, The Cheerleaders and That Weekend, a Barnes & Noble YA Book Club Pick. Her expertly crafted novels of suspense featuring young adults have also led to significant cross-over appeal with adult readers.

Now, Thomas makes her adult novel debut with Out Of The Ashes, her darkest, grittiest, and most compelling work to date.

Having grown up on Long Island, a notorious hotbed of unsolved crimes and corrupt law enforcement, Thomas has been obsessed with unsolved mysteries and conspiracy theories. She became particularly transfixed by the tragic 1945 mystery of the Sodders, a family whose home burned while they were sleeping. While the parents and four children escaped, five other children were trapped and their remains were never found. Imagining what that kind of uncertainty would mean to a family member who survived the tragedy, Thomas created her own story, centering on a fatal fire

and a child whose body was never retrieved from the ashes.

In the novel, Samantha Newsom has rebuilt her life after a house fire killed her family twenty-two years ago. She’s certain it was murder, but the case went cold. Samantha returns to her hometown of Carney, NY when a prison inmate claims he saw someone leaving the property carrying her baby sister the night of the fire. What else did he see, and could Samantha’s sister really be alive? It’s up to her—with the help of investigator Travis Meacham—to determine what really happened that night.

Out Of The Ashes features all the juicy ingredients for an unputdownable cover to cover read. Thomas will be lauching her new

novel at The Next Chapter, 204 New York Ave. Huntington, NY on Thursday, May 18 at 7pm.

Visit kara-thomas.com to

purchase Out Of The Ashes and learn more about Thomas.

—Submitted by Thomas & Mercer Publishing

10 Million Handshakes Highlight Eastern New York’s Spring Season

The first round of the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup playoffs has now ended. Much is going to be made of the fact that players and coaches line up in the sporting gesture of shaking hands at the conclusion of each hard-fought best-of-seven playoff series. There will be approximately 6,000 handshakes in total after the 15 playoff series.

But that pales in comparison to what is happening in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), where the ideals are sportsmanship, safety, fun and fundamentals. Our 100,000 players, both boys and girls from the East End of Long Island to the Canadian border, plus their coaches and match referees will participate in approximately 10 million handshakes during this Spring Season.

“Now that the pandemic has faded and youth soccer has returned to normalcy, it’s important that teams have started shaking hands and bumping fists after every game once again,” explained ENYYSA President Richard Christiano.

Shaking hands is not just a spring thing, as it occurs throughout the year. It is estimated that 25 million handshakes will happen after Eastern New York soccer games in 2023.

The non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 10 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and United States Youth Soccer.

—Submitted by Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

Make the most of summer with the New York Baseball Academy.

Led by Hofstra Baseball head coach and 14-year MLB veteran Frank Catalanotto and his NCAA Division I staff, the New York Baseball Academy at Hofstra provides players with an opportunity to develop their skills through daily workshops, offensive and defensive technique instruction, and game play. With one through six weeks of instruction available, players can customize their camp experience around their schedules.

Learn more about the New York Baseball Academy at hofstra.edu/nyba

Young players in the and Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) shaking hands. (Photos by LIJSL)

Kara Thomas (Photo credit: Charles Santangelo)

Loss To Hurricanes Brings An End To Islanders Season

LAUREN FELDMAN

lfeldman@antonmediagroup.com

After a rousing and tense matchup, the Islanders lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in an overtime game by a score of 2-1 in Game 6 of their first playoff round, killing their chance at the Stanley Cup for the first time in two years. The loss came as an abrupt end to the efforts of a team who truly fought for a playoffs shot, with the final blow coming as a steep-angled side shot at 6 minutes into OT by Paul Stastny.

Things had been looking strong for the Islanders, who led the game by 1-0 by midway though the opening period. However, despite outshooting the Hurricanes 28-19, they were unable to build on their lead. This proved fatal as the third quarter saw the Hurricanes outshooting the Islanders 19-5, ultimately leading to the goal which tied up

the game. Big saves from goalie Ilya Sorokin kept the Islanders in the game well into the third period, though without another point, both teams headed into OT, where ultimately the Hurricanes came out victorious.

The loss was hard for the Islanders, particularly for Sorokin, who earned some extra good spirits from his teammates following the game. While the goal was an unusual one for Sorokin, his team is confident that they would not have made it so far without him.

“The goalies... we wouldn’t be here without them,” said Scott Mayfield, of Islanders defense, in a statement. “They know that. They know how special they are.” Defenseman Ryan Pulock concurred. “[Sorokin] was spectacular for us all season and all playoffs.”

Many members of the Islanders have played together for a long time, leading to not only a cohesive team but a brotherhood. While the end of the playoffs was disappointing, this was a large improvement from the 2022 season, in which the Islanders did not make the playoffs. Left wing Matt Martin is

disappointed, but hopeful for the future. “We put a lot of work into getting here and battled adversity throughout the year,” Martin said in a statement. “At the same time it hurts, it

hurts bad and we’ll sit on this one for a little while and then get ready for next season.”

Onwards and upwards for the Islanders next year!

Two Sacred Heart Academy Seniors Win $40,000 Scholarships From Amazon

Not all Amazon packages are created equal. Just ask Hilary Rojas Rosales, ‘23 and Shadia Suha, ’23, high school seniors at Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead, New York. Returning home from school one afternoon, both young women were surprised to open an Amazon package naming them as recipients of the 2023 Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship--a $40,000 tuition scholarship ($10,000/year) toward an undergraduate degree in engineering or computer science. As if that was not exciting news in and of itself, they also were offered a guaranteed, paid 12-week summer internship at Amazon after completing their freshman year of college. While working at Amazon, AFE interns work on a software or hardware engineering team and pair up with a co-intern, manager, and mentors to build projects that have a real impact on Amazon customers. Interns get to work on some of Amazon’s groundbreaking technologies and core platforms, like Alexa voice technology, Amazon Web Services, and the Amazon retail platform.

It is not at all surprising the Hilary and Shadia took the initiative to apply for this prestigious opportunity. Hilary, a Hempstead resident, has always had a passion for computer science so it is not surprising that she plans to attend SUNY Binghamton’s Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science in fall 2023. Aside from the challenging

science and research program, Hilary says that she has made new friends every single year and is quick to point out that she still finds time to take care of two parakeets, Bella, and Jacob. Shadia, a West Hempstead resident, also cites the lifelong friendships that she has made at Sacred Heart and says that the research she was able to do at SHA through the Brookhaven National Laboratories reinforced her passion for the study of medicine through engineering and robotics. Somehow, she also manages to play violin, piano and guitar just for fun.

Sister Jean Amore, CSJ, Ed. D, principal at Sacred Heart, shared that “Not only are Shadia and Hilary intelligent, hardworking young scholars, they lead with compassion, courage, and commitment. Sacred Heart Acad. is so proud of them.” Sister Jean Amore, CSJ, Ed.D. principal.

Sacred Heart Academy’s focus in science and math prepares students to apply their scientific knowledge to real-world

challenges. Both young women have spent a great deal of time in the Science Research Center at Sacred Heart Academy, a state-of-the-art facility, designed specifically for student-developed research projects.

Amazon Scholarship recipients applied

for the opportunity and were selected based on academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, community involvement, work experience, future goals, and financial need. Amazon surprised four hundred students with news of the award. We met with two of the recipients to learn what inspired them to study computer science. Besides their project work, Amazon Future Engineer interns get exposure to the Amazon business through fireside chats with senior leaders, deep dives from technology teams, and an annual Alexa skills-building hackathon.

“Every year, I continue to be inspired by our scholarship recipients’ academic achievements and drive to use their problem-solving abilities to build solutions for

their communities,” said Victor Reinoso, global director of Philanthropic Education Initiatives at Amazon. “With students from historically underrepresented and underserved communities representing only 18% of CS [computer science] bachelor’s degrees, we believe that connecting students to computer science education and opportunities helps create a more equitable and inclusive future, across all industries and sectors, for generations to come.”

The future is extremely bright for Hilary, Shadia, and their classmates, and the entire SHA community is very proud of all they have accomplished.

Sacred Heart Academy (SHA) is an all-girls Catholic college preparatory school sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Founded in 1949, SHA has over 12,000 alumnae who live and work around the world. Current students come from over forty school districts. Graduates go on to recognized top-tier colleges and universities, receiving significant academic and athletic scholarship offerings each year.

Sacred Heart Academy combines rigorous academics with leadership opportunities that foster the values of courage, commitment, and compassion. Lead with Heart is the essence of the Sacred Heart Academy experience.

—Submitted by Sacred Heart Academy

After a rousing game, the Islanders lost to the Hurricanes 2-1. (Photo courtesy of NHL.com : Cory Wright)

Shadia Suha, SHA ’23 and S. Jean Amore, Ed.D., CSJ, Principal of Sacred Heart Academy. (Photos by Sacred Heart Academy)

Hilary Rojas Rosales, SHA ’23 and S. Jean Amore, Ed.D., CSJ, Principal of Sacred Heart Academy.

Art In The Park Event Returns To Heckscher Park

Art League of Long Island is pleased to announce the upcoming Art in the Park event. After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Art League of Long Island’s 53rd Art in the Park Fine Art & Craft Fair is back with an eclectic variety of one-of-a-kind art and craft work made by the exhibitors at Huntington’s Heckscher Park. The fair takes place June 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the spacious grounds of the park, located at the intersection of Rt 25A and Sabbath Day Path. This exciting two-day event will be filled with fine art sales, music, food trucks, and art demonstrations. The event promises to be a fun-filled day for the whole family and is free to attend.

Art in the Park is an opportunity for local artists to showcase their talents and for art enthusiasts to purchase unique pieces of art. Booths will be judged by Long Island Museum’s Alexandria D’Auria Director of Advancement and Huntington Arts Council’s Executive Director Kieran Johnson on Saturday and ribbons will be awarded in the afternoon. Attendees will have the opportunity to view and purchase paintings, sculptures,

pottery, jewelry, and other forms of fine art.

The event will also feature live music performances by local musicians and food trucks offering a variety of delicious foods and beverages. Art demonstrations will also be available for those who are interested in learning more about different art forms.

The Art League is excited to bring back this

event for its 53rd year to Heckscher Park and to showcase the incredible talents of our local artists. Our hope is that the community will come out and enjoy a day filled with fine art, music, food, and fun.

Established in 1955, the Art League is a notfor-profit visual arts center whose mission is to provide a forum and showcase for artists

of all ages and ability levels, whether through art education in the studios or exhibition opportunities in the gallery and art fairs. Artwork on display in the gallery may be available for purchase. The Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery is open free of charge.

—Submitted by the Art League of Long Island

After A Decade, Charlee Miller Retires from the Art League

On January 2, 2013, Charlee Miller walked through the front doors of the Art League of Long Island as the newest Executive Director. Coming from 37 years in the banking industry, retiring as a Vice President for J.P. Morgan Chase, she was hired for her financial acumen and for her prior experience as Treasurer of the Dystrophic Epidermolysis of America, known as Debra of America. The thenboard of directors knew that the Art League would be in good hands...and little did they know how true that sentiment would be for the Long Island artist community.

Says Miller, “My favorite memories of working at the Art League include interacting everyday with students of all ages and abilities, talented teaching artists and a dynamic and creative staff. It was a privilege and honor to be part of Long Island’s creative class of artists, photographers, designers, and doers who infused every corner of the Art League’s amazing building with energy, innovation and excitement. The whole experience was unique, fulfilling and rewarding.”

During the quarantine, Charlee began major fundraising for the Art League, as classes were cancelled and students were owed credits for classes for which they had already enrolled. She jumped into action,

seeing the opportunity in the challenge.

“The pandemic was the most devastating event the Art League had to deal with financially, emotionally and spiritually. The health and safety of our employees, students and visitors was the number one concern. Shutting down for six months was tough on employees wondering when and where their next paycheck would come from and when and if we’d be able to reopen.

Thanks to government support, understanding creditors and our banks who

worked with us, we were optimistic. A tremendous amount of support came from donors, students, business partners and people who wanted to support us through the crisis! The pandemic meant business! And that meant change. The challenges were great and it required immediate changes to the business model, a reduction in operating hours and expenses and better use of the building space.” Miller acknowledges and appreciates everyone who stepped up, donated to the Art League, and made it possible for the Art League to begin

the road to recovery.

Once the Art League reopened, she then began to plan for her retirement, knowing a succession plan would be needed to hire a new Executive Director. The search took only a few months before the Art League moved forward with hiring Marianne Della Croce, who began in her current position in January 2022. Charlee then transitioned to Director of Development, bringing in much needed funds through capital grants, our Annual Appeal and partnering with other nonprofits for additional revenue streams.

Della Croce said, “If it wasn’t for the forethought of Charlee, the Art League would not be in such a secure place as it is now. I am honored to have her trust, and the support of Charlee as well as the board of directors, students and supporters to continue to make the Art League of Long Island the premiere visual arts organization that it is.”

Janette Simms, ALLI Board President, said, “We owe Charlee an immense debt of gratitude for her knowledgeable, experienced and determined leadership during a time of unprecedented challenge. Her tenure put the Art League on the path to a more sustainable future.”

—Submitted by the Art League of Long Island

Art In The Park 2022.

(Photo by the Art League Long Island)

Instructor Antonio Masi & Charlee Miller in the Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery.

(Photo by the Art League of Long Island)

WORD FIND

HOROSCOPES By Holiday

HOROSCOPES By

HOROSCOPES By Holiday Mathis

Holiday Mathis

Mathis

This is a theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may run in any direction always in a straight line. Some letters are used more than once.) Ring each word as you find it and when you have pleted the puzzle, there will be 31 letters left over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Repetition has its own kind of magic. Duplication is creation. Cells divide and multiply to make life. Words said time and again lose and gain meaning. Recurrent tasks become harder, then easier, then harder. e transformations of this week will be the result of echoed behaviors. Be careful what you repeat.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). e existence of original ideas has been long contested. From the ancient Greeks to Shakespeare and beyond, it’s suggested there’s nothing new under the sun. Nonconformity is often characterized by conforming to other nonconformists. Still, mix the old elements in novel ways, knowing there’s never been another you and there never will be.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). In Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” the ever-hopeful Ophelia says, “We know what we are, but not what we may be.” While others around you may struggle with cynicism this week, you’ll shine a light on the truth. Everything changes including people, and often we can steer the change. Your positive views will be contagious.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). All are called to service, many will answer, and a few will uphold duty to the very end. For the ultra-responsible who live their loyalty, duty can, at times, feel like a curse. Work through such feelings without guilt. ey come with the territory. ere’s something beautiful on the other side.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). ere are things you’ve seen so often, your mind glosses over them, making it impossible to notice anything new about them. It will take a perspective shift to get back to really seeing, and this can only occur after going out into the world and gathering new experience. Consider this your invitation to change things up.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Life seems to be withholding information from you, but there’s an upside to this: You can focus on the task at hand without getting distracted by work that’s further down the line. Life is more exciting when you don’t know what to expect. Trust that there are delights in store.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Just because you’re not sure a thing will work doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take it on. But when? Start with the work you have more con dence in. Getting a win or two under your belt will positively a ect your morale and keep you moving ever-forward. Momentum counts for a lot!

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Your mind is even busier than usual this week, and the extra information oating around up there makes it harder to prioritize. Try talking to yourself out loud. Since you can only say one thing at a time, verbalizing imposes a linear order to your thoughts. e important points emerge -- ah, clarity!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Trust yourself and have faith in life’s process. It helps to be surrounded by positive people who focus on the right things, which is to say whatever moves it all forward. Don’t expect the whole picture to be revealed at once. More likely, you’ll handle step one and then step two will become clear.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You bring something special to projects -- talent, plus your big heart and an inclusive attitude that attracts people of di erent strengths. Some are clever and can see multiple angles. Some drive the action forward quickly. e combined power of your group will be greater than the sum of its parts.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You don’t love all of your habits, although even the ones you don’t prefer serve a purpose. Understanding that purpose will give you the keys to change if you want to. But regardless of what you decide, you can still fully accept yourself just as you are. Doing so will only make you more powerful.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You’ll be well aware of the limited amount of time you have to get a thing done and just how important it is for you to stay on track. Distractions are costly. While you can’t control everything about your environment, certain obvious preventative measures around timing, laying social boundaries and setting digital limits will greatly bene t your productivity.

THIS WEEK’S BIRTHDAYS

It will be a transformative year as you bring your bright intellect to your experiences. Because you’re curious and creative, you’ll come at topics from di erent angles, pursue interesting tangents and ask good questions. You quickly become a favorite of those with knowledge to impart. You’ll learn how to make things run better. Knowledge about processes will apply to relationships, too. You’ll simultaneously grow in many ways at once, including personally and professionally COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

INTERNATIONAL WORD FIND

INTERNATIONAL WORD FIND

INTERNATIONAL WORD FIND

Grafton’s glory

Solution: 31 Letters

WORD FIND

This is a theme puzzle with the subject stated below. Find the listed words in the grid. (They may run in any direction but always in a straight line. Some letters are used more than once.) Ring each word as you find it and when you have completed the puzzle, there will be 31 letters left over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle.

Grafton’s glory

Solution: 31 Letters

Architecture Arts

Bridges

Cane field

Clarenza

Colour

Dairy

Drought Gallery

Gardens

Gwydir Heat

Architecture Arts

Gwydir Heat

Princess River

Highway Hospitality

Bridges

Cane field

Clarenza

Hotels

Colour

Houseboat

Dairy

Highway

Hospitality

Hotels

Houseboat Junction Hill Koolkhan

Junction Hill

Koolkhan

Drought Gallery Gardens

Nymboida

Parks

Nymboida Parks

Rural Southampton Street

Trails

Ulmarra

Princess River Rural Southampton Street Trails Ulmarra Vast Welcome

Vast

Welcome

FROM KING FEATURES SYNDICATE, 300 W. 57th STREET, 41st FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10019

Solution: Having fun at the Jacaranda Festival

CUSTOMER SERVICE: (800) 708-7311 EXT. 236

Creators Syndicate 737 3rd Street • Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310-337-7003 • info@creators.com

CONTRACT BRIDGE — BY STEVE BECKER

Date: 5/10/23

CONTRACT BRIDGE

Solution: Having fun at the Jacaranda Festival

FOR RELEASE SUNDAY, MAY 14, 2023

Creators Syndicate

By Steve Becker

Date: 5/10/23

The defense rests

737 3rd Street • Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310-337-7003 • info@creators.com

mistically reached five diamonds on the sequence shown. Hayden’s oddlooking three-spade bid conventionally indicated a singleton spade and good diamond support.

The Italian West led the jack of clubs. East cashed the A-K and then erred by continuing with a third club. This was greeted like manna from heaven by Becker, who ruffed the club with the ten, led a heart to the ace, ruffed a heart and easily made the rest of the tricks after drawing trump.

At the time, it seemed that the Americans would gain substantially as a result of having made an “impossible” game. But there were also strange goings-on at the other table. With an Italian pair now North-South, the bidding went:

WestNorthEastSouth Pass1 ♥ Pass2 ♦

There are not many hands in world championship play where the defense slips so badly at both tables that each declarer is permitted to make an unmakeable game. But this rarity did in fact occur in the match between Italy and the United States in 1965.

At the first table, where Dorothy Hayden and B. Jay Becker were North-South for the U.S., they opti-

Tomorrow:

2 ♠ 3 ♦ 3 ♠ 3 NT

The American West, on lead against three notrump, chose a heart as his opening salvo. The grateful Italian declarer rose with the ace, cashed the king — felling East’s queen — and ran his diamonds to finish with 10 tricks. Had West led a club instead, South would have lost two clubs and six spades and gone down four!

© 2023 Australian Word Games Dist. by Creators Syndicate Inc.

Weekly Sudoku Puzzle

Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit. So must every column, as must every 3x3 square.

Answer to last issue’s Sudoku Puzzle

Answer to last issue’s Crossword Puzzle

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Equal Housing Opportunity

Federal, New York State and local laws prohibit discrimination because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, familial status, age, marital status, sexual orientation or disability in connection with the rental, sale or financing of real estate. Nassau also prohibits source of income discrimination. Anton Community Newspapers does not knowingly accept advertising in violation of these laws. When you suspect housing discrimination, call Long Island Housing Services’ Discrimination Complaint Line at 800660-6920. (Long Island Housing Services is the Fair Housing Agency of Nassau and Suffolk Counties.)

I read with total enjoyment, your articles of the original Yankee Stadium (“There Used To Be A Ballpark Here,” Anton Media Group, April 12-18, 2023 and “The Home Of Giants,” Anton Media Group, April 19-25, 2023) and it brought back my fondest memories.

Back in the day, I was a Brooklyn kid, but a die-hard Yankee fan.

The year was 1947, and the Yankees, as expected won the American League pennant. My closest friend, Larry Goldberg and I decided to take the train up to the stadium, to see the first game of the season. Let me preface this story, by saying that we were both 13 years old, and to think that we would have been given permission these days to travel from Brooklyn to the Bronx, would be unheard of. Of course, the subway was a nickel.

We departed at 3 a.m., as we wanted to be early birds to get bleacher seats.

We arrived at near 4 a.m., stopped off at Nedick’s for orange juice, a donut, and hot chocolate.

The fun just began. The bleacher seats were $1.00, and I still have the stubs.

The most important aspect of this game, was that Jackie Robinson was playing second base, the first Black person in the majors. More than memorable. Of course, my heroes playing that day were

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

YANKEE STADIUM MEMORIES

Joe DiMaggio, George Sternweiss, Phil Rizzuto, and Yogi Berra. I remember the other players, but these names would probably mean so much more. The Yankees won, and we did a repeat trip for game seven, which they won, including the series.

Other major guys on the team were their two standout pitchers, Vic Raschi, and Allie Reynolds. Baseball was so different in those days. Money was secondary, and you could get a bag of peanuts for a dime, that a peanut guy would toss to you, from about 20 feet away.

Not only was I a Yankee fan, but I had season tickets to the New York Giants football team from 1959 to 1972, played at Yankee Stadium. When they betrayed their fans by leaving for New Jersey the following year, for me they were history.

Once again, it was all money.

Here are some memories. My season tickets, since they only played 12 games in a season, were six dollars, total $36.00. I shared a pair with my cousin. How’s this for memories: Charlie Connerly, quarterback; Frank Gifford, halfback; Alex Webster, fullback; and Roosevelt Brown, offensive lineman.

The monster defensive line was comprised of Rosey Grier, Jim Katcavage, Dick Modzelewski, and Andy Robustelli. The

Rotary Gift Of Life Heart Surgery Recipient Arrives At JFK Airport

middle linebacker was the animal Sam Huff. Pat Summerall was their reliable kicker. The pulse of being at a Giants

•

•

Fourteen year-old Rajana Gashi from Kosovo will have life saving heart surgery, thanks to Rotary Gift of Life Long Island, and the many Rotarians that make this possible. Doctor Shaun Levchuk, head of pediatric surgery at Saint Francis Hospital, will fix this child’s heart. Gift of Life is committed to providing hope to children from developing countries with heart disease, regardless of their gender, creed, or national origin. This program cares for these children in need and to coordinate the development of sustainable pediatric cardiac surgery, catheterization and aftercare programs in select countries through the empowerment of local healthcare professionals. Pictured far left is Rajana arriving at JFK for surgery on May 3. Pictured right is her mom and host mother, Thelenza, hugging. (Photos and content from Robert Nathan)

game was awesome. Contracts weren’t an issue, just the spirit of playing ball.

—Bruce Funk, Great Neck

The old Yankee Stadium being demolished in 2010

(photo by Getty Images)

Metropolitan Commercial Bank Hosts Gold Coast Arts Center Student Artists Showcase

Metropolitan Commercial Bank welcomed the Great Neck and surrounding communities to an opening night celebration for the bank’s Bank on Art Showcase featuring paintings and ceramics by young student artists from the Gold Coast Arts Center. The celebration was held at Metropolitan Commercial Bank’s banking center, located at 111 Great Neck Rd. in Great Neck Plaza.

“Hosting local events, like our Bank on Art Showcases, is just one example of our on-going commitment to the Great Neck community,” said Laura Capra, Senior Vice President and Head of

Retail Banking. “We will continue to host, sponsor and support many more community events and programs in our Great Neck banking center and at other Great Neck community venues.”

During the opening night celebration, the young artists, their families and friends, and Gold Coast officials, including executive director and founder Regina Gil, enjoyed light refreshments while viewing and admiring the wide variety of paintings and ceramic creations on display.

“We are thrilled that Metropolitan Commercial Bank once again graciously opened its doors to us and provided our young artists

with this wonderful opportunity to display their artwork. Tonight was a very special event for them and their families,” said Ms. Gil. “We are looking forward to developing additional opportunities to partner with the bank for the benefit of our community.”

About Metropolitan Commercial Bank

Metropolitan Commercial Bank, The Entrepreneurial Bank, founded in 1999 and headquartered in New York City, operates full-service banking centers in Manhattan, New York; Boro Park, Brooklyn; and Great Neck, Long Island. We are a community-focused bank that provides a broad range of

business, commercial and personal banking products and services to small businesses, middle-market enterprises, public entities and affluent individuals. In addition to our tradition of relationship-driven, one-on-one personalized service, Metropolitan Commercial Bank offers multiple convenience delivery channels, including online banking, flexible mobile banking apps and no-fee access to over 1 million ATMs worldwide for our clients. The Bank is also an active issuer of debit cards for an increasing number of third-party debit card programs. Metropolitan Commercial Bank is a New York State chartered commercial bank,

an FDIC member and an equal opportunity lender.

The parent company of Metropolitan Commercial Bank, Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp., also founded in 1999, is a publicly traded company. The common stock of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and trades under the ticker symbol “MCB.”

For more information about Metropolitan Commercial Bank, visit the Bank’s website at www. MCBankNY.com.

Metropolitan Commercial Bank’s Vice President, Market Sales Manager Ricardo Gonzales (far left) and Vice President, Market Sales Manager Thomas Mazzini (far right) with Gold Coast Arts Center student artists and officials

Gold Coast Arts Center Executive Director and Founder Regina Gil (far right) with student artists and Ellen Schiff, Gold Coast Arts Center School Director (far left)

Gold Coast Arts Center student artists and their art creations (Contributed photos)

—Submitted by Metropolitan Commercial Bank

Legislator Pilip Celebrates National Small Business Week Announcement of $10 million in new round of small business grants

While recognizing National Small Business Week outside the Mineola Diner, on Tuesday, May 2, Legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip (District 10) joined with Nassau Executive Bruce Blakeman, North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer S. DeSena, North Hempstead Councilman Dennis Walsh and local small business owners in announcing that the Nassau County Main Street Recovery Program portal has been reactivated with $10 million in new funding. Eligible businesses and non-profits that experienced financial hardships due to COVID-19 can now apply for grants up to $10,000. The additional ARPA funding that enabled the program relaunch was previously approved by the Legislature and follows in the footsteps of $19 million in grants that

were distributed to small businesses and non-profits in 2022.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the engine that keep Nassau moving forward,” Legislator Pilip said. “While most of them have survived the pandemic that started back in March 2020, many are still in the recovery stage, and I was pleased to join my colleagues in the Legislature in approving this new round of funding to help those small business that need the financial assistance. To help spread the word about the program, I will be visiting businesses throughout my district starting tomorrow and distributing a flyer with important information on learning more and applying for a grant.”

—Submitted by the Nassau County Legislature

2023 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Local Student Chosen To Attend Students Inside Albany Program

Maya Mishon Ezroni, a senior at Great Neck North High School, has been selected by The League of Women Voters of Great Neck to attend this year’s Students Inside Albany program sponsored by the League of Women Voters of New York State Education Foundation, Inc. This 23rd annual Students Inside Albany program will take place from May 21-24, and will bring 60 students from across the state to Albany to get a first-hand education about their state government. The program is designed to increase high school students’ awareness of their responsibility in representative government and provide information about the tools necessary for meeting that responsibility. While at the conference, students will join their peers in a hands-on learning experience about how state government works. Students will participate in a series of interactive lectures on topics such as the state budget process, the role of lobbyists in the legislative process, citizen rights to access government information, the role of media in politics, and the move to reform state government. While in Albany, the students will have an opportunity to tour the state’s Capitol. The highlight for most students is the opportunity

to shadow their Senators and their Assemblymember for an afternoon attending session on the Chamber floors.

For more information on the League of Women Voters of Great Neck, please visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lwv.greatneck. For more information on the League of Women Voters of New York State Education Foundation, Inc., or the Students Inside Albany program, please visit their website at: www.lwvny.org .

—Submitted by the League of Women Voters of Great Neck

MAY 10

MAY 11

MAY 12

MAY 13

MAY 14

MAY 21The Marshall Tucker Band

JUN 3Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

JUN 10Happy Together Tour

JUN 23Chicago

JUN 24Les Claypool Fearless Flying Frog Brigade

JUN 25Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood

JUL 16Gladys Knight

JUL 18Belinda Carlisle

JUL 22Johnny Mathis

AUG 5Air Supply

AUG 9The Concer t: A Tribute to Abba

AUG 18 Elvis Tribute

Artist Spectacular

LiveNation.com

MAY 18

AUG 19The Fab Four: The Ultimate Tribute

SEP 9Lar Enterprises Presents: Oh What A Night of Rock & Roll

SEP 23Hermans Hermits starring Peter Noone

OCT 1The Price is Right

OCT 19+20 Lee Brice

OCT 21Monsters of Freestyle

OCT 21Parliament Funkadelic feat. George Clinton

NOV 10Masters of Illusion

NOV 12Celebrating David Bowie featuring Peter Murphy, Adriant Belew, Scrote & more

Maya Mishon Ezroni (Contributed photo)

Legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip speaking at the Small Business Week event (Contributed photo)

Town Hosts CarFit Program For Seniors

North Hempstead Councilmember

Peter Zuckerman was proud to join representatives from AARP, the American Occupational Therapy Association, AAA Northeast and the Town’s Department of Services for the Aging on Thursday, April 27 for a CarFit program.

The program was offered free of charge to individuals, including those who reside outside of the Town, who are age 60 and over at Clinton G. Martin Park in New Hyde Park.

CarFit is a program designed to help seniors achieve a better fit with their vehicle for optimal safety and comfort while driving. A 12-point CarFit checklist was reviewed with participants while in their own vehicle, including adjusting mirrors to reduce blind spots, seat belt use and steering wheel tilt.

—Submitted by the Town of North Hempstead

North Hempstead Extends Nomination Deadline For 2023 Women’s Roll Of Honor To May 12

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, Town Clerk Ragini Srivastava, and the Town Board have announced that nominations for the 2023 Women’s Roll of Honor have been extended to Friday, May 12, 2023.

“The Town of North Hempstead is so lucky to have an abundance of outstanding women who continue to be champions for

their communities,” Supervisor DeSena said. “I encourage all residents to nominate a deserving individual for Women’s Roll of Honor while there is still time left, so we can celebrate their incredible accomplishments and thank them for helping to make our communities great.”

Town Clerk Srivastava said, “I am proud to continue the long-standing tradition of the

Town of North Hempstead to recognize the achievements of extraordinary women and to thank them on behalf of a grateful community. I encourage our residents to consider that special person in their community as a nominee and to submit their recommendation to the Clerk’s Office without delay.”

The annual breakfast celebration will be held at the Clubhouse at Harbor Links, 1

Fairway Drive, Port Washington on Friday, June 23, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Anyone interested in submitting a name for consideration can call North Hempstead’s 311 Call Center by dialing 311 or download the application form on the Town’s website: www.northhempsteadny. gov/roll-of-honor.

—Submitted by the Town of North Hempstead

North Hempstead To Host Native Plant Rebates For Residents

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board are proud to announce that North Hempstead has received $15,000 from the Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District to offer rebates to residents to encourage planting of native plants in their landscapes. The Town will be offering eligible residents up to $350 per household for the purchase of native plants to replace lawn grass or plant in an existing garden.

“We’re proud to once again partner with the Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District on this great program,” Supervisor DeSena said. “The Town of North Hempstead has consistently prioritized preserving our environment, and this program will continue to play an important role in protecting our environment for future generations.”

“Native plant gardens have extensive root systems that can absorb polluted stormwater, while their leaves absorb carbon dioxide and other air pollutants,” said Councilmember Veronica Lurvey. “These gardens provide an easy and beautiful way to help

safeguard our surroundings. This initiative is in line with our goal for North Hempstead to serve as a model of sustainability and resiliency.”

For the past two years the program has been successful in creating over 40 new native plant gardens throughout the Town with funding from the Soil and Water District. These gardens provide food, shelter, and nesting resources for pollinators, birds, small mammals, and a variety of wildlife species.

These gardens are important in creating habitats for pollinators such as monarch butterflies. Their populations have been in decline in recent years, and they have been declared endangered by the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The Town has also taken the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge again this year and the native plant gardens are important in the effort to conserve this iconic species.

To qualify for the rebate program, residents will be required to complete an application that includes information about their proposed garden location, estimated

budget, New York native plant species chosen, proposed garden size, photo(s) of proposed planting location, and a basic garden layout. Funding is limited and applications that meet the requirements will be accepted on

first-come first-served basis. For more information and details on how to apply, please call 311 or visit www.northhempsteadny. gov/sustainability.

—Submitted by the Town of North Hempstead

Councilmember Zuckerman with representatives from AAA at the Town’s CarFit event. (Contributed photos)

PROPOSED 2023–24 SCHOOL BUDGET: PROPOSED TAX LEVY INCREASE OF 3.07 PERCENT IS WITHIN THE PROPERTY TAX CAP LIMIT

The Great Neck Board of Education has adopted the proposed 2023–24 school budget in the amount of $272,138,300. This amount is a 4.09% spending increase over last year’s budget. The proposed tax levy increase is 3.07%, which is tax cap compliant and within the District’s allowable tax levy calculation.

The proposed budget provides funding to:

• Continue all programs and staffing levels at elementary and secondary schools;

• Maintain small elementary class sizes, in accordance with Board of Education guidelines;

• Continue investments in security upgrades districtwide, including security cameras, security staff, and electronic door access controls;

• Add one additional full-time social worker at the elementary level;

• Increase speech services to support the needs of Great Neck students attending non-public schools;

• Provide ongoing professional development training for faculty and staff.

“I thank the Board of Education for adopting this fiscally sound budget, which truly represents the needs of every single student,” says Superintendent Dr. Teresa Prendergast. “This budget will preserve all of our exceptional academic and co-curricular programs, and build upon the supports we provide to ensure that all students succeed.”

Careful Planning Helps Navigate Budgeting Challenges

The 2023–24 budget development process started in the fall of 2022 amid record inflation and significant increases in health insurance costs. However, the District’s strong fiscal health and sound management practices allowed the Board and Administration to navigate these national challenges

that are beyond the District’s control, and prepare a budget that expands upon Great Neck’s exceptional academic and co-curricular programs.

“The Board’s forethought to carefully fund and preserve our various reserves has been instrumental in allowing the District to maintain critical programs and services during a period of time marked by historic inflation, all within the constraints of the tax cap,” explains John O’Keefe, assistant superintendent for business.

In preparing the budget, GNPS Business Office administrators carefully reviewed District revenues and expenditures, line-byline, to ensure that our nationally-recognized programs will be supported through responsible and sustainable spending. District administrators and Board trustees met with stakeholder groups — including staff, parent representatives, and the community — to encourage input as part of the overall budget development process. Budget presentations that were delivered during public Board of Education meetings from February through May are available on the District website at www.greatneck.k12.ny.us/meetings.

“Once again, building on years of prior fiscal prudence, this year’s Annual Budget will maintain the breadth and depth of GNPS programming for all our children, all year, while meeting the District’s vast operational obligations,” says Board President Rebecca Sassouni. “It also stays within the state-mandated property tax cap, even during these inflationary times.”

Increase in Foundation Aid = Increase in Student Supports

Like many school districts across New York, Great Neck will receive an increase in state funding known as Foundation Aid.

SOUTH HIGH SENIOR NAMED 2023 COCA-COLA SCHOLAR

South High School senior Rachel Woo has been announced as a 2023 Coca-Cola Scholar. Rachel is one of 150 seniors nationwide to receive this prestigious honor, and each Scholar is awarded a $20,000 college scholarship. Scholars exemplify superior academics, leadership, and service in their schools and their communities.

Less than 1/6th of 1 percent of this year’s applicants were selected as Coca-Cola Scholars. More than 91,000 high school seniors across the country applied for this extremely competitive award, and the selection process included several rounds: 1,557 students were announced as Semifinalists this past fall; 250 students advanced as Regional Finalists; and 150 were named as Scholars.

Now in its 35th year, the Coca-Cola Scholars Program is one of the largest corporate-sponsored, achievement-based scholarship programs in the United States. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has provided more than $78 million in scholarships since 1986.

This increase for 2023–24 represents the final adjustment from the State Education Department (NYSED) to appropriately distribute the amount of funding school districts are entitled to receive as determined by a complex calculation, or to “fully fund the formula.”

Great Neck is projected to receive an approximate $2 million increase in Foundation Aid for next year. The State requires that this funding must be applied to new expenses that specifically address areas of student performance and need; the funding cannot be applied to existing programs.

The District has developed a detailed plan that allocates these funds through sustainable means to enhance academic, social, and emotional supports for students districtwide. The additional aid will subsidize: elementary and secondary teaching positions to preserve small class sizes; social worker, speech pathologist, and psychologist positions for enhanced mental health and special education services; and the purchase of 2,000 iPads and cases.

Continued Investments in Facilities

Every year, funds are allocated for improvement projects to protect the community’s investment in District facilities. In addition to ongoing construction projects that were approved by the community through the 2017 Bond Proposition and the 2019 Capital Projects Referendum, the proposed budget includes $6,924,333 to fund Capital Expenditures that will protect infrastructure and improve safety. This spending is at no increase over the current year, and it provides much-needed funding to maintain and preserve our facilities for generations to come.

Substantial Services for Non-Public School Students

The District, in accordance with State law, allocates more than $9.6 million to provide services to private and non-public school students, including bus transportation, textbooks, health services, special education services, school library materials, and computer software loan programs.

Vote Information

The annual school budget vote will take place on Tuesday, May 16, 2023. Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. There are four polling locations for school district elections: E.M. Baker School, Lakeville School, Saddle Rock School, and South High School. Registered voters will only be permitted to cast a ballot at their assigned polling location.

Residents can check their assigned voting location using the Poll Place Finder on the District website at www.greatneck. k12.ny.us/voting. This information is also available by calling the District Clerk on school days between 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. at 516-441-4007.

For More Information

The 2023–24 proposed budget may be viewed on the District website at www. greatneck.k12.ny.us/budget. For questions regarding the budget, please call the GNPS Business Office at 516-441-4020. For questions about voter registration, absentee ballots, and voting, please call the District Clerk at (516) 441-4007.

—Submitted by the Great Neck Public School District

GNPS/TV CURRENT PROGRAMS

Programs currently airing on Great Neck Public Schools Television (GNPS/TV) are North High School Opera, South Middle School Spotlight, and Focus on Education.

GNPS/TV programs are available on demand, 24/7, on the school district website, www.greatneck.k12.ny.us/tv. Programs can also be viewed in the incorporated villages of Great Neck on Optimum Channel 75 and on Verizon Fios Channel 32. Airing times in program descriptions below are for Optimum and Verizon viewing.

North High Opera

North High School proudly presented The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte), by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, on February 10–11. This student-performed opera was sung in German with supertitles, and presented by the creative team of Robert Stivanello, director; Dr. Pamela Levy, music director; Dr. Esther Noh, conductor; Leonard Antinori, scenic designer; Dr. Scott Eckers, lighting; and Michael Meehan, technical director.

North High Opera airs at 7:30 a.m., and 12:30 and 5:30 p.m.

South Middle Spotlight

This episode of South Middle Spotlight

highlights recent school activities and performances, including the Thank a Veteran Program, Applebee’s Flapjack Breakfast Fundraiser, a montage from the Grade 6 Winter Concert, and a behind-the-scenes look at the student musical production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. South Middle Spotlight airs at 10 a.m., and 3 and 8 p.m.

Focus on Education

Focus on Education is an ongoing series hosted by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Teresa Prendergast, highlighting what’s new and interesting in the district. This edition features James Gounaris, director of food and nutrition services. Focus on Education airs at 11 a.m., and 4 and 9 p.m.

GNPS/TV Programming

GNPS/TV programming reflects the offerings of the Great Neck Public Schools and the achievements of its students and staff. Programs are student-produced. For more information, contact Robert Zahn, director of educational television and broadcast media, at rzahn@greatneck.k12.ny.us.

—Submitted by the Great Neck Public School District

—Submitted by the Great Neck Public School District

Rachel Woo (Contributed photo)

NORTH SHORE HEBREW ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE IN THEIR ELEMENT: THIRD PLACE FINISH AT SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

Whether it’s building a gravity-propelled car that hurtles towards a wall, constructing a bridge that can support a thousand times its own weight, or diving deep into the cosmos with images from the James Webb Space Telescope, NSHAHS students showed off their science chops with a third place overall finish at the recent BJE Science Olympiads held last month at Lander College.

Fifteen students, from the ninth, tenth and eleventh grades, competed against 10 other Jewish schools in different events that challenge participants to use math and science concepts, acquired knowledge, and building skills to solve problems and answer questions.

“It is the most intense day of science you can imagine,” said Mr. G. Wykes, tenth grade chemistry teacher and coach of the Science Olympiad team. “Our students train hard, perform advanced mental gymnastics, and go head-to-head in competition against other schools. On competition day, there’s more than 150 students plus coaches and teachers, running around in their different colored team t-shirts. It’s fun and frenetic!”

Symbiotic studying

Mr. Wykes has taught at NSHAHS since its inception, and has at one time or another taught every science course except physics. Science Olympiad, now in its 39th year nationally, has been a part of NSHAHS’s extracurricular program from its beginning in 2001. Each year, more than 6,000 teams from all 50 states participate

in the Science Olympiad nationally, and, thanks to Laurie McMillen, Lander College and the BJE, Jewish high schools can get in on the action.

Olympiad students train for months in their area of choice, which can range from subjects in pure science and mathematics to construction and engineering projects like thermodynamics and aerodynamics. Each area of study has an annual challenge. Knowledge competitions include a test, while engineering challenges require students to solve problems by building objects. For the knowledge competitions, such as astronomy, students work in pairs to parcel out the vast subject matter. “Their performance depends on the degree of preparation with their partner. Often the duos develop a great symbiosis, exchanging ideas, encouraging each other, and communicating about a fair division of study areas.”

NSHAHS finished second in the Astronomy competition. The school also took top honors in the Chemistry Lab competition, and in Bridge Building where a tiny truss bridge designed and built by student phenom, Aviv, was able to support 15 kilos before failing! But the team score is based on the performance of all pairs in all events, and not necessarily on the number of medals. “That underscores the team aspect of the whole undertaking, and that, to me, is why the Science Olympiad is special,” explained Mr. Wykes. Many Science Olympiad graduates from NSHAHS go on to major in STEM subjects in college and to work as engineers,

GREAT NECK STUDENTS SHINE AT WAC LIGHTING SCIENCE FAIR

Thirty-nine students from the Great Neck Public Schools received awards at the 2023 WAC Lighting Foundation Invitational Science Fair, hosted by Commack High School on April 23. This annual science fair is organized by the Research Association, a consortium of teachers from 13 area schools, and sponsored by WAC Lighting. Science research projects presented by students from North High School (NHS) and South High School (SHS) earned awards in eight of the nine categories of competition:

Behavioral & Social Science: Logan Ye (NHS), honorable mention; Sue Zhang (NHS), honorable mention.

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology: Eric Sodhi (SHS), first place; Megan Chin-Lam Chan and Jacqueline Han (SHS), second place; Shira Lichter and Myra Saeed (SHS), honorable mention.

Chemistry: David Levy (SHS), honorable mention; Jin Hui (Justin) Tao and Qian Wei (SHS), honorable mention.

Computer Science & Modeling: Richard Xu and Yifu Zuo (SHS), first place; Alexander Xu and Sarah Sun (SHS), second place; Colin Hu and Anant Gupta (SHS), honorable

mention; Ashley Hui and Julia Zou (SHS), honorable mention.

Earth & Environmental Sciences: Amanda Shi (SHS), first place; Katie Ng (NHS), third place; Zoe Chan and Joanne Lee (SHS), third place; Katharine Park and Michael Leung (NHS), honorable mention; Allie Kam and Kirin Chan (SHS), honorable mention.

General Biology: Nicole Yeroushalmi (NHS), second place; Emma Wen and Zoe Chung (NHS), honorable mention.

Medicine & Health: Brandon Kim and Helen Tang (SHS), second place; Nikki Jiang and Melody Song (SHS), honorable mention; Kira Nguyen and Ashley Wei (SHS), honorable mention.

Physics & Astronomy: Luke Huang and Yida Pan (SHS), first place; Tiffany Zhang (SHS), second place; Kenneth Chang (SHS), honorable mention.

North High science research teachers/ advisors are Christopher Bambino, Alison Widawsky, and Jessica York, department chair. South High science research teachers/ advisors are Nicole Spinelli and Dr. James Truglio.

—Submitted by the Great Neck Public School District

doctors, and scientists. Mr. Wykes and assistant coach Shabbat Choudhury are excited that many of the students pledged to join again next year, cementing a strong team which will benefit from a year of experience. Recruitment for next year’s team will begin in December.

Mr. Wykes also runs the Research Program at NSHAHS, where students conduct

research and complete an investigation of their own design. They then present their findings at high profile regional venues and fairs. He said that while the independent science research direction works well for some students, others love the camaraderie and team spirit of the Science Olympiads.

JFK PRINCIPAL RECEIVES OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN EDUCATION AWARD

Ron Gimondo, principal of the John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Great Neck, is a recipient of the Outstanding Achievement in Education Award from St. John’s University. Mr. Gimondo was presented with his award at the 12th annual Leaders in Education Awards Dinner (LEAD) on April 23, 2023.

LEAD award honorees are distinguished alumni from the St. John’s University School of Education who are recognized for their positive impact on school communities. Mr. Gimondo was first announced by the Dean’s Advisory Board as a LEAD Award recipient in 2019, but pandemic precautions delayed the awards ceremony until this year.

Mr. Gimondo is a 30-year educator who has served as an instructional leader in Great Neck for 17 years. Prior to arriving in Great Neck, he was an ENL teacher, dean of students, and assistant principal with the New York City Department of Education. Mr. Gimondo was hired as assistant principal of the John F. Kennedy Elementary School in 2016, and he has served as principal for the past 12 years.

Mr. Gimondo is the Past Co-President of the Nassau County Elementary Schools Principals’ Association and Past President of the Gold Coast-Lake Success Rotary Club. His commitment to a collaborative leadership approach in education and his service to the community have been recognized by several organizations. Mr. Gimondo

was named Elementary Administrator of the Year by the Council of Administrators and Supervisors in 2017, and he was an Honoree at the Town of North Hempstead Hispanic Heritage Celebration in 2016.

—Submitted by the Great Neck Public School District

—Written by Rachel Sales, North Shore Hebrew Academy

Ron Gimondo, principal of the John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Great Neck, was presented with the Outstanding Achievement in Education Award from the St. John’s University School of Education on April 23, 2023. (Contributed photo)

North Shore Hebrew Academy High School Science Olympiad team (Contributed photo)