Port Washington News 4/17/24 edition is published weekly by Anton Media Group.

Sands Point | 66 Barkers Point Road

Susan Higgins: O 516.627.2800

HALF BA | Web# 3536656

Diane Andersen: O 516.627.9231 | M 516.695.2400

Maggie Keats: O 516.944.2879 | M 516.449.7598

Roslyn Heights | 69 Woodward Street

$1,750,000 | 6 BR, 3 BA | Web# 3534404

Dalia Elison: O 516.629.2287 | M 516.707.9022

Port Washington | 3 Cross Street

$648,000 | 3 BR, 1 BA, 1 HALF BA | Web# 3535637

Susan Higgins: O 516.627.2800 | M 516.375.2219

Kristin Corcoran Trunz: O 516.627.2800 | M 516.524.4156

$4,250,000 | 5 BR, 4 BA, 2 HALF BA | Web# 3540344

Alexis Siegel: O 516.944.2907 | M 201.207.9435

Amy Rosenberg: O 516.944.2920 | M 917.226.7451

Great Neck | 255-20 Walden Place

$998,000 | 3 BR, 2 BA | Web# 3538325

Mindy Miles Greenberg: O 516.498.2125 | M 917.974.4500

Manhasset O ce 154 Plandome Road 516.627.2800

Port Washington O ce 475 Port Washington Boulevard 516.883.5200

Roslyn O ce 1528 Old Northern Boulevard 516.621.3555

The Vikings Hockey Team Wins The Middle School Championship

COLE McDONNELL

editors@antonmediagroup.com

The Port Washington/Manhasset/ Herricks Vikings won the NYIHSHL Middle School Championship on March 26, 2024. They beat the Massapequa Chiefs 7-1 in dominant fashion. The Vikings went 15-2-1 in their first-ever season together.

“We were just on fire and everything was working and I guess that’s what you want for a championship game. It’s not really me, it’s the kids, I’m just there putting them out there, it’s the kids working their butts off, not me,” said Head Coach Scott Zubrow.

In the championship game Leon Pivovarov scored four times adding to his impressive postseason scoring run. He finished with 13 goals through 3 playoff games.

“Leon Pivovarov was a driving force on offense, his house league teammate, Christos Loucas and him knew where each other were going to be at all times,” said Zubrow. “They knew how to get open and pass to kids who would get open, they started off the offense and helped get the rest of the team involved in offense.”

Zubrow also gave credit to Matthew Radoslovich and Jayden Chan who helped make everyone better on offense and his son, Jacob Zubrow brought experience to the defense helping to solidify the back end of the team. The defense and goal-tending was a huge emphasis for the team. The Vikings had three good goalkeepers and made sure to dress each one ten times in

order to have them eligible for the playoffs. Declan Hayes, Max Lieberman, and Charlotte Parker all held it down in net this season.

“We had really good goal-tending. Most teams can’t even find one goalie, we had three,” said Zubrow. “Having three good goalies available at all times puts us two levels above a lot of the other teams. A huge part of why we won is part of our goal-tending.”

The Vikings started the season off 1-1-1 before ripping off multiple streaks including ending the regular season on a 10-game win streak. They had an 87-goal differential in the regular season and an 11-goal differential in the playoffs.

“I made some mistakes in the beginning, as a coach and I learned from my mistakes. I revamped the way I would put the lines together and have the kids out on the ice,” said Zubrow.

Despite having a very impressive season,

the Vikings finished in second place behind the Long Beach middle school team. Long Beach had a 16-1-1 record and beat Port Washington as well as tying with them early in the season. The two teams met in the semifinals game where the Vikings overcame the top team winning 8-6. Port Washington went down 3-1 after the first but tied it up 4-4 in the second period. Pivovarov scored three of his eight goals in the third period to lift the Vikings to the championship game.

“I told everyone after the first period to take their breath, play your game, just a couple of mistakes if we clean them up we can get it going,” said Zubrow. “From the second period we really started pushing and putting pressure on them, and that’s what really changed the tide of the game. We wore them down, started skating faster than they were, we became more aggressive than they were, and a lot of times in hockey that’s what can really change the game.”

Going into the title game, the Vikings felt that they’d beaten the best team in the league and they felt unstoppable. They built confidence through each playoff game to the point where everyone was relaxed and cool heading into the championship game. The result proved that point.

“Even going up five minutes before getting on the ice, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do with the team. You’re out there, you really want to win the championship,” said Zubrow. “I said, right now, the way that we are playing, I don’t think there is anyone that can beat us.”

Next season, coach Zubrow will return as the team moves up. Zubrow is hoping all the kids who can play JV will return because of the experience they had winning a championship together. The Vikings will be playing kids who are 14 years old who have been checking for a year now so it’ll be a tough transition but Zubrow and his team are looking forward to it.

The team celebrating their win (Photos from the Port Washington/Manhasset/Herricks Vikings)

The Port Washington/Manhasset/ Herricks Vikings ready to play in the championships

NEIGHBORS IN THE NEWS

Mrs. Ginger Block Is Retiring From Manorhaven Elementary School

After a devoted and fulfilling 31-year teaching career, Mrs. Ginger Block will retire from the Port Washington School District at the end of June.

Mrs. Block has lived with her husband, Lewis, raising their four boys, Jess, Sawyer, Cole and Jake, in the Port Washington community for 32 years. She has been teaching at Manorhaven Elementary School for the last 19 years.

Mrs. Block received her teaching degree at SUNY Oswego. She spent one year at the University of Puerto Rico as an exchange student and perfected her Spanish language skills. She also received her Master’s degree in Special Education from Adelphi University. Mrs. Block began her career as an English as a Second Language Teacher in the Long Beach City Schools, and she spent an additional 10 years in the North Babylon School District as a special education teacher. After taking time away to raise her four wonderful boys, Mrs. Block joined the teaching staff at Manorhaven School, where she has continued to work for almost two decades as a special education teacher.

At Manorhaven School, Mrs. Block is known for creating a warm and welcoming environment for all her students, truly a sanctuary where children feel comfortable sharing ideas and growing as learners. Mrs. Block has always believed in supporting her students, not just academically, but also socially and emotionally. For years, Mrs. Block has served as Manorhaven’s Ms. Dignity, promoting kindness and fairness for everyone and helping to create a positive school community. Mrs. Block has also served on several school committees, earned advanced degrees in education and has been an active member of the Port Washington Teachers Association and the Manorhaven Players and Singers. She has also traveled to Japan as part of the U.S. Educators Tour. In addition, she participated in the Educators’ Program at the Greentree Foundation, where she learned about teaching children about our environment. Mrs. Block even learned how

Mrs. Ginger Block (Contributed photo)

to raise quail.

In Mrs. Block’s retirement, she is looking forward to spending time with her family and traveling with her husband. As a lifelong learner, Mrs. Block also wants to share her passion for education through volunteer work in the community. In her free time, Mrs. Block enjoys reading, knitting, crafting, decorating as well as all things Outlander She also loves writing and looks forward to sharing this love with others.

Mrs. Block’s family, friends and colleagues will be honoring her at a retirement party at Louie’s Prime Steak House & Seafood on Thursday, May 16, 2024. Anyone interested in the event details can contact Lisa at lcooper10@mac.com with the subject line “Mrs. Block’s Retirement Party” by May 1. 2024.

Mrs. Block will always remember her students and colleagues fondly. If any former students, parents or colleagues would like to share any memorable stories or well wishes, please email Lisa at lcooper10@ mac.com with the subject line, “Mrs. Block’s Retirement Memory”.

—Submitted by Lisa Cooper

Chris Ruggiero Comes To The Landmark

Step into the rhythm of nostalgia with Chris Ruggiero’s enchanting performance, “Teenage Dreams and Magic Moments,” on April 26, 2024, at the Jeanne Rimsky Theater in Port Washington. Join us at 7:30 p.m. for a musical odyssey that revives the golden age of rock and roll. Accompanied by a dynamic six-piece band, Chris Ruggiero will serenade you with the classics that defined an era, reimagined with his soulful voice and contemporary flair.

This isn’t just a concert; it’s a celebration of the songs that have become the soundtrack of our lives. From the heart-wrenching notes of “Unchained Melody” to the sweet serenade of “My Cherie Amour,” and the upbeat tempo of “You Can’t Hurry Love,” each song is a chapter in the story of rock and roll. The evening promises to be more than just a performance; it’s a journey through the magic moments that have captured our

hearts for decades.

In “Teenage Dreams and Magic Moments,” Chris not only shares his inspiring journey he also redefines the classics. With new orchestrations by the legendary Charlie Calello, each song is a masterpiece reborn.

Esteemed collaborators like Darlene Love, The Cyrkle, and Peter Noone stand testament to his extraordinary talent. His powerful and soulful renditions have earned him the title of the ultimate entertainer.

Every lyric, every note will resonate with you, leaving a lasting impression that extends beyond the final curtain.

Secure your tickets now at landmarkonmainstreet.org or contact Gene Napoli Presents at 917-567-5842 for an unforgettable night where the melodies linger long after the last note fades.

—Submitted by the Landmark on Main Street

Suozzi Meets With Local Mayors

Last week, newly-elected Congressman Tom Suozzi met with more than 30 mayors from across New York’s 3rd Congressional District to give them an update on the latest news from our nation’s capital and to listen to their concerns and issues.

Suozzi praised the work of the mayors and their trustees and said that “Congress should take a lesson from your bipartisan work, your commitment to your residents and your abilities to get things done that matter most to the people of your villages.”

Suozzi, a former mayor of Glen Cove, knows the workings of local village government. He served as mayor for four terms and values the doctrine of Home Rule, understands the importance of zoning and land-use planning, and the scope and reach of village codes.

Mayors from NY-03 that attended the meeting with Congressman Suozzi included: Mayor Pedram Bral, Great Neck; Deputy Mayor Peter Cavallaro, Westbury; Mayor Marina Chimerine, Old Westbury; Mayor Elliot Conway, Upper Brookville; Deputy Mayor Bob DeNatale, Bayville,

Mayor Daniel DeVita, Laurel Hollow; Mayor Barbara Donno, Plandome Manor; Mayor Paul Ehrbar, Williston Park; Mayor Peter Forman, Sands Point; Mayor Kenneth Goodman, Matinecock; Mayor Charles Goulding, Oyster Bay Cove; Mayor Nora

Haagenson, Baxter Estates; Deputy Mayor Carol Harrington, Lattingtown; Mayor James Ligouri, Muttontown; Mayor Susan Lopatkin, Kensington; Mayor Marvin Natiss, North Hills; Mayor Pam Panzenbeck, Glen Cove; Mayor Bonnie Parente, East Williston; Mayor Paul Pereira, Mineola; Mayor Paul Leone Peters, Roslyn Estates; Mayor John Popeleski, Manorhaven; Mayor Sandy Quentzel, Roslyn Harbor; Deputy Mayor John Colgate, Mill Neck; Mayor Kenneth Riscica, Plandome Heights; Mayor Randall Rosenbaum, Flower Hill; Mayor Bernie Ryba. Old Brookville; Mayor Lawrence Schmidlapp, Centre Island; Mayor Daniel Serota, Brookville, Mayor “Kris” Kouros Torkan, Kings Point; Mayor William Warner, Great Neck Estates, and Mayor Robert Weitzner, Port Washington North.

—Submitted by the office of Tom Suozzi

Suozzi with local mayors. (photo by the office of Tom Suozzi)

Sands Point Living At Its Finest

Sands Point | 66 Barkers Point Road | $4,250,000

Marked by an elegant and impressive approach, this stately 5 BR, 4.55 BA Georgian Colonial sits on approx. 1.2 beautifully manicured acres. The sellers have maintained the architectural details and classic charm while completely modernizing the systems and amenities for today’s lifestyle. Highlights include the chef’s eat-in kitchen designed by renowned kitchen designer Christopher Peacock, grand dining and living rooms, screening room, gym, indoor basketball court, heated gunite pool and fully equipped pool house. This bright and well-thought-out home is perfect for entertaining inside and out! Web# 3540344

No one knows Port Washington better than we do.

Port Washington Water District Receives Grant For Native Plants Garden At Headquarters

The Port Washington Water District (PWWD) is excited to announce that it has received a grant from ReWild Long Island to create a native plants garden at District headquarters on Sandy Hollow Road. Planting will begin this spring and the garden will serve as a stop along the 2024 PWWD and ReWild Long Island Sustainable Garden Tour, which is scheduled for this June. The location of the garden is perfect for the viewing of passersby and will serve as an educational tool from which residents can draw inspiration for their own gardens.

“Using native plantings in your garden is a fantastic way to keep your home beautiful while conserving water and supporting our environment,” said PWWD Commissioner Mindy Germain. “Our garden at the PWWD headquarters will serve as a demonstration and educational tool that our residents can use as inspiration for their own homes. We are greatly looking forward to watching our garden bloom this spring and summer and we hope to see more homeowners throughout our community take the same approach to home beautification.”

ReWild Long Island, a Port

to include plants such as summersweet, inkberry, cardinal flower, ostrich fern and more.

“It is always a pleasure for us to work alongside other environmentally-conscious organizations in our area to promote sustainable landscaping choices,” said Raju Rajan, President of the Board at ReWild Long Island. “We have worked with the Port Washington Water District on a number of projects that have been a great benefit to our community and we are proud to assist in making this garden a reality. We hope it helps to inspire others to follow in their footsteps and make sustainable choices when decorating their gardens this spring and summer.”

Washington-based organization that promotes sustainable landscaping practices throughout Long Island, is currently in the process of designing the garden. The

grant it has provided to the PWWD covers all costs of materials and design, making it so that this project comes at no cost to the District’s ratepayers. The garden is set

Plants native to Long Island are much more beneficial for the environment than those that are not native to the area. First and foremost, they require significantly less water to remain healthy, as their roots are adapted to go deep into the soil and retain moisture. They are also much more friendly to the pollinators in the area, helping to sustain local wildlife and the benefits they provide to the region’s environment.

—Submitted by the Port Washington Water District

Port Washington Water District Commissioner Mindy Germain, third from right, worked alongside PWWD Superintendent Paul Prignano, far left, Mike Savarese of D&B Engineers and Architects, landscape architect Michael Michel, ReWild Long Island President Raju Rajan, ReWild Gardens Project Manager Samantha Jo and ReWild Gardens Program Manager Maggie Muzante in designing and implementing a native garden at PWWD headquarters. (Contributed photo)

33 Revere Road, Port Washington, NY

Welcome to this inviting 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom Salem Split-level home, perfectly situated on a quiet mid-block location. Inside, you’ll nd a cozy living room with a charming replace, ideal for gatherings. The updated kitchen and dining room o er a seamless ow for entertaining. Step outside to the lovely backyard, complete with a screened-in porch, providing a serene retreat for enjoying the outdoors. With a primary bedroom and 2 additional bedrooms, this home o ers ample space for comfort and relaxation. MLS# 3543444. $989,000.

23 Prospect Avenue, Port Washington, NY

Nestled in a serene mid-block location with captivating water views of Manhasset Bay, this charming 3-bedroom, 1.5-bath Center Hall

Colonial o ers a perfect blend of classic elegance and modern comfort. Highlights include an oversized living room with a grand replace and custom built-ins, a formal dining room, an eat-in kitchen with access to a large private backyard, and a newly renovated detached 2-car garage. The second oor boasts a primary bedroom with a walk-in closet, 2 additional bedrooms, and a full bath, while the third oor features a nished walk-up attic. The large un nished basement o ers bonus bath, laundry, storage, and recreation space. Experience a lifestyle of tranquility and convenience in this exquisite home. MLS# 3543613. $1,189,000.

CALENDAR

FRIDAY, APRIL 19

Sandwiched In with Author

Kelly McMasters

12 p.m. (Port Washington Library, Lapham Meeting Room) Join Port Washington’s Kelly McMasters, an accomplished essayist, bestselling author, and Hofstra professor, as she discusses her new book, The Leaving Season: A Memoir in Essays. McMasters writes about navigating marriage and motherhood, art and ambition, grief and nostalgia, and the elusive concept of home. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Sponsored by FOL. Visit pwpl.org to register.

The Life and Loves of a Broadway Baby

8 p.m.-10 p.m. (Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St.) An Evening With Melissa Errico. Errico is a Tony Award-nominated Broadway star—an actor, singer and author. Visit landmarkonmainstreet.org for ticket information.

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

Earth Day 2024 Celebration

2 p.m.-4 p.m. (Sunset Park) An outdoor Earth Day celebration at Sunset Park featuring a concert of Beatles hits at the Sousa Bandshell. Town of North Hempstead representatives and Port Washington environmental organizations will be on-site with information

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR COMMUNITY

about their latest sustainability initiatives. Participate in our community art project, enjoy fun eco-friendly crafts, and take home some cool eco-friendly swag. Visit PWPL. org/earthday for more information.

ReWild at The Preserve: An Earth Day Event

2 p.m.-5 p.m. (Castle Gould at Sands Point Preserve) Learn about rewilding and how to restore native plant communities in your backyard from Mary Reynolds, best-selling author of The Garden Awakening and We are the ARK. At this interactive Earth Day celebration, you will learn about ReWild Long Island’s summer program for high school students at the Preserve as well as the ReWild Gardens Project. Admission to this event is free of charge. Visit sandspointpreserveconservancy.org to register.

MONDAY, APRIL 22

Earth Day

Passover begins at sundown

TUESDAY, APRIL 23

St. Francis Bus: Health Screenings

10 a.m.- 2 p.m. (Port Washington Library Parking Lot) The St. Francis Outreach Bus will provide health screenings, including a brief cardiac history, blood pressure check, and simple blood tests.

US Army Jazz Ambassadors

7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. (Landmark on Main Street) The official touring band of the United States Army. formed in 1969, this 19-member ensemble has received great acclaim at home and abroad performing America’s greatest original art form, jazz. Visit landmarkonmainstreet.org for more information.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24

Artist Series Workshop for Kids

10 a.m.- 1 p.m. (My Spectrum School, 11 Sintsink Dr.) Discover the Mystery of Artist Banksy Make and Take Home Project inspired by this street artist. For children ages 3 to 8. Visit www.myspectrumschool. com for more information. Register at banksyworkshop.eventbrite.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 25

Homebrew Music Coffeehouse Series

7 p.m. (Port Washington Library, Lapham Meeting Room) These unique informal gatherings of musicians and music lovers come together to enjoy a live performance by one or more group members. Visit pwpl.org for more information.

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

Sandwiched In: Illustrators on Expedition to the Frontier

12 p.m. (Port Washington Library, Lapham Meeting Room) Join award-winning teacher and art historian Dennis Raverty as he continues his series on the history of illustration. Visit pwpl.org to register.

(Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

Double Emergence: Cicadas Taking Over Midwest

Don’t worry, Long Island broods are between cycles

AMANDA OLSEN

aolsen@antonmediagroup.com

You may have heard about the rare insect event that is happening in parts of the central U.S.: two broods of periodic cicadas are emerging simultaneously. Brood XIII and brood XIX, each on a 17-year and 13-year cycle respectively, will leave the soil to molt and then mate. There may be up to a trillion of these insects leaving their chitinous exoskeletons behind to adorn any and all available surfaces. The adults will then find a perch and begin their droning call.

Periodical cicadas ( Magicicada ) are found only in eastern North America. There are seven species — four with 13-year life cycles and three with 17-year cycles. The three 17-year species are generally northern in distribution, while the 13-year species are generally southern and midwestern. Magicicada are so synchronized developmentally that they are nearly absent as adults in the 12 or 16 years between emergences. When they do emerge after their long juvenile periods, they do so in huge numbers, forming much denser aggregations than those achieved by most other cicadas.

2024 is a special year for periodical cicadas because it is the first time since 2015 a 13-year brood will emerge in the same year as a 17-year brood, the first time since 1998 adjacent 13-and 17-year broods will emerge in the same year and the first time since 1803 Brood XIX and XIII will co-emerge. You will also be able to see all seven named periodical cicada species as adults in the same year, which will not happen again until 2037.

Periodical cicadas should not be confused with annual (dog day) cicadas, which are larger, usually

green with black eyes, and appear every summer in much smaller numbers. There are 150 or so species of cicada in the U.S. Only the seven Magicicada species have synchronized development and periodical emergences. The rest of the species, the so-called annual cicadas, have unsynchronized development, so some individuals mature in every year and can be heard every summer.

Adult periodical cicadas usually have red eyes (occasionally white, or rarely blue or marbled white and orange). Their dark bodies measure just over 1½ inches long.

Adults live for about 4 to 6 weeks during which their sole purpose is to mate and lay eggs. Males are responsible for the familiar droning, which is how they call for mates. Cicada “songs” are heard from early morning to late evening as long as adults are present.

The branch damage, or “flagging,” associated with periodical cicadas results from females laying eggs in small twigs. A female cuts two parallel slits in a twig where she lays 24 to 28 eggs. Each female can lay over 600 eggs on multiple branches. Sometimes a continuous slit 2 to 3 inches long is formed as she slowly makes her way up a twig. The slits can cause breakage, or flagging, of the tips of the branches. The eggs hatch in 6 weeks, and young cicadas, or nymphs, fall to

the ground where they burrow into the soil and spend the next 17 years feeding on small roots, without causing significant damage. At the end of this time, usually in May and early June, nymphs crawl out of the soil and climb up tree trunks or other vertical objects where they shed their skins and emerge as adults.

Cicadas are a bountiful meal for a number of predators, including fish, turkeys, squirrels, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and arachnids. Of particular interest is the eastern cicada killer, a twoinch wasp that stings the cicada to paralyze it before carrying its prey back to an underground burrow. It lays an egg on the insect and then buries the bundle. Female eggs are given two or three cicada meals, male eggs a single insect. This wasp feeds on the annual cicada.

Although the immense number of cicadas can be a bit overwhelming, they are not hazardous to people or pets and they do not bite or sting.

Cicadas have excellent vision. Cicadas have five eyes (two large red compound eyes on the sides of the head, and three small ocelli (simple eyes) located in a triangle on the front of the head).

Periodical cicadas simply don’t much care what they land on, since in natural circumstances everything they land on is a tree; don’t take it personally when periodical cicadas land on your head/ pet/car etc. Even the nymphs can see when they emerge from their burrows to metamorphose – they can head towards a tree– anything vertical – in the near-darkness from many meters away.

People do eat annual cicadas. It’s recommended that you panfry or parboil and then finish them off in the oven. Do not consume cicadas if you are allergic to shellfish.

—Information compiled by Amanda Olsen

Periodical cicada (Photo by Ashlee Marie on Unsplash)

Annual cicada (Photo by Manuel Bartsch on Unsplash)

"ALZHEIMER'S"

IS A SCARY WORD. SO IS "DENIAL."

Early detection of Alzhei mer's disease provides greater oppor tunity to star t medications, enroll in clinical trials, utilize therapeutic programming, and make decisions about care.

Know the Signs of Alzheimer's

Memory changes that disrupt daily life. Having trouble finding words and naming things.

Losing things or putting them in odd places. Difficulty performing familiar tasks.

Getting lost in familiar places or wandering. Disorientation in time or space.

If you see these changes in yourself or a person you love, talk to someone who can help you understand what's going on, and what to do next.

Visit alzfdn.org for additional information.

Contact the Alzheimer's Foundation of America's Helpline, available seven days a week.

LAUREN FELDMAN

Lfeldman@antonmediagroup.com

While we all hope that we are surrounded by a community of caring, selfless, and brave individuals, we can never truly know what our community is like until those traits are put to the test. Unfortunately, I had the very opportunity to do so through a sudden and terrifying event on what would have been a normal, uneventful Saturday morning.

The Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum offers a plethora of tours and experiences throughout the year. As a Huntington native, I have driven through Cold Spring Harbor my entire life, but I’m embarrassed to say I know very little about the specific history of this famous whaling town. In my efforts to educate myself, I signed up for one of the spring tours offered by the museum; a historical walking tour on the history of local women’s suffrage. Our group convened promptly at 11:00 AM and, while colder than expected for April, it was a beautiful day.

What we could not have anticipated learning on this tour, however, was what we would do in the face of an emergency. About 20 minutes into our walk, as we

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

A Community Comes Together

stood at the corner of Main Street and Poplar Place, we heard the screech of brakes and the crunch of metal as a school bus mere yards from us rear-ended a sedan. Glass flew, horns honked, and rubber burned fresh on the pavement. In that moment, time stopped. I looked up and made eye contact with the driver of the car. I should not have been able to see her, but the entirety of her back windshield had been blown out by the collision.

Our group jumped into action. Another member and I flanked either side of the car to help direct traffic. From the impact,

the sedan had traveled into the middle of the road. As my toes touched the median lines, I thought briefly how odd it was to be standing in the middle of Main Street. Fighting the urge to get back to the sidewalk, we began leading cars up and around the accident, occasionally calling to one another to stop or start the next lane of traffic.

Other members of our group were attempting to help the driver from her car, being extra cautious of the broken glass. The driver was in tears and shaking, made worse by the fact that her toddler had also been in the car with her. He was safely buckled in his car seat, but I can only imagine the worry and fear she must have felt for her child’s life. While group A helped the driver and her son, group B was checking on the bus and its passengers. It was a group of young lacrosse players on their way to a game. The girls seemed to be in good spirits when dismounting the bus, thankfully with no injuries reported at the time.

From the moment I witnessed the accident to finally wrapping up my statement with Suffolk Police, I was only there for about two hours. But it felt like days. I truly never expected to be put to the test to help families in my community, kids in my community, to safety while awaiting police and ambulance staff to arrive. If you asked

me whether I felt prepared for the situation, the answer would have been no. But I was wrong. We were all ready.

Our meager group of eight individuals, plus our tour guide from the museum, jumped into action as if it were second nature. From calling 911, to assessing the vehicle damages and potential danger of a fire, to checking on the driver, her son, and the kids on the bus, our care and concern for one another was proven in a way that almost moves me to tears. In a world where we are constantly dividing one another, finding reasons to separate ourselves and claim differences, it is sometimes only in the face of danger that we remember we are all people with families and loved ones, and that we all want to live and have a good life. One second can totally change or even end all of the possibilities of someone’s future.

While I wish I could have prevented the accident somehow some way, it was an honor to be a small part, for a brief moment, of people coming to one another’s aid in the name of safety, duty, and care for our fellow man. I am so grateful that no one was injured in this accident and even more grateful to be a part of a community that would put its own life at risk to help others. What a great example of what the Long Island community stands for.

FOOD INSECURITY IS A COMMUNITY CONCERN,

and we need your help to overcome it! Healthy food should be accessible to everyone, but rising costs are making it di cult. The increase in need for food assistance continues to grow. You can help!

$10 HELPS PROVIDE 6 MEALS

“We get more than food here,” Eva said.

“I get to be the mother who takes care of her family while creating a better life for us. We get to cook together and share moments that lift us up on the hard days.”

Eva is a mother, teacher, wife, and member of the Long Island community.

(Photo credit Lauren Feldman)

Opponents Of ‘Blakeman’s Militia’ Rally In Mineola

JANET BURNS

jburns@antonmediagroup.com

On Monday, April 8, roughly a hundred area residents turned up at the county seat to protest the use of provisional, newly recruited sheriff’s deputies during emergencies, as proposed and to be activated by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Sheriff Anthony LaRocco.

In March, Blakeman and LaRocco published an ad in Newsday looking for applicants to become on-call special deputies during county-declared emergencies, offering some basic training and $150 a day when activated, without liability in case of on-thejob injury. The ad strongly emphasized a preference for former law enforcement and security guards, and for gun-permit holders.

The Nassau County Sheriff’s Department also posted the ad on social media on March 15, and posted it on the county’s website as a PDF ahead of the March 31 application deadline. The nonunion position would be created under New York State County Law 655, which states, “For the protection of human life and property during an emergency, the sheriff may deputize orally or in writing such number of additional special deputies as he deems necessary.”

Speakers at the Mondaymorning, eclipse-day rally included New York Civil Liberties Union Nassau County Chapter Director

Susan Gottehrer, Rockville Centre resident Laura Burns from Moms

Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, National Organization for Women Nassau Chapter

President Patty Pastor, leaders of the Hempstead NAACP, Elmont resident and retired New York City Corrections Officer Angel Joyner, as well as all seven members of the Nassau County Legislative Minority Caucus.

On the whole, most speakers argued that adding to the emergency ranks already in place — provided by the Nassau County Police Department, municipal police departments, New York State Police, and/or the National Guard — in the proposed manner would

be both unnecessary and unsafe for county residents. Attendees were similarly passionate on these points, holding signs with slogans such as “We Back the Blue, Not Blakeman’s Militia,” frequently chanting “No Militia! No Way!” between speakers.

Nassau County Legislature Alternate Deputy Minority Leader Siela A. Bynoe also noted to assembled press and local residents, “As a body, we have invested wisely and collaboratively with our police unions and prior administrations to build greater trust between police and our communities. One bad act by one bad actor of this militia

could erode all the trust that we have worked to get.”

Later that day, Blakeman held yet another press opportunity to further clarify details about the provisional deputies, whose first class of 25 participants will include lots of former law enforcement or military personnel, according to Blakeman.

“Most of the people on this database list that we have don’t even need it,” Blakeman said, as reported by Patch. “It’ll be a refresher course for them.” He also said they could be ready for activation in as little as a month, pending mental and physical certification by a doctor.

Roughly a hundred rallied against creating a provisional deputies force in Nassau County on Monday, April 8 in Mineola.

Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages addressed the crowd alongside his colleagues. (Photos by Janet Burns)

Suozzi On The Ground In Ukraine, Poland, And Moldova

Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-NY), joined by a bipartisan group of congressional members, met with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and top-ranking Ukrainian, Polish, Moldovan, and US military and civilian officials during his recent trip to war-weary Eastern Europe. The delegation included Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Congress Members Chuck Edwards (R-NC), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Wiley Nickel (D-NC), and Mike Quigley (D-IL)

The trip began on Monday, April 1, 2024, and for security reasons, details were not released or publicized until the Congress members left for home. This is the only Congressional Delegation that stayed overnight and for multiple days in Ukraine since the war started. The delegation stayed in Kyiv for two days and visited Odessa and multiple other sites throughout the country, as well as neighboring Poland and Moldova.

“It is vital that the United States act quickly to support Ukraine in every way we can,” Suozzi said.

“Putin is stepping up his attacks and he must be stopped. The Ukrainians are running out of time, and we must act within the next two weeks. Helping Ukraine is not only a moral imperative but also in America’s strategic and financial interests,” Suozzi explained.

“My week-long meetings with the Ukrainian President, his military advisors, journalists, prosecutors, farmers, local leaders, and civilians on the ground convinced me more than ever of how courageous the Ukrainians are amidst so much pain, suffering and terror Russia’s Putin has rained down upon Ukraine,” he added.

“100,000 soldiers and civilians have been killed, 10 million people forced to leave their homes, 20,000 children kidnapped and sent to Russia,” Suozzi emphasized.

On Saturday, April 6th, in Kyiv, Suozzi was awoken by the searing sound of air-raid sirens in the middle of the night. Three Russian missiles and 28 bomb-carrying drones targeted the city. Anti-aircraft defenses were deployed, and they were successfully shot down, but Ukraine is running out of ammunition.

Zelenskyy met with Suozzi and the delegation in the Chernihiv region in Northern Ukraine, liberated from the Russians exactly two years ago on Friday, April 5, 2022.

The President briefed the group on the latest events on the battlefield, his army’s urgent needs, and the scale of the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.

Suozzi said that Zelenskyy began the meeting by saying, “We are grateful to everyone in the United States, to every American heart that, like ours in Ukraine, refuses to succumb to evil and cherishes life.”

“While meeting with President Zelenskyy, he first and foremost expressed his gratitude to the American people. He then made it clear that the situation now in Ukraine is dire. Ukraine must be resupplied, and if they are, they can and will stop Putin,” said Suozzi.

Suozzi and the delegation saw the tragic toll taken by Ukraine’s civilian population, during the Russian invasion.

He visited the Ukrainian city of Bucha, the site of civilian massacres and brutal killings first suffered by Ukraine, where hundreds of civilians were murdered and buried in mass graves.

He spent time learning more about the Russian siege from Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruck and War Crimes Prosecutor General Roman Avramenko. “I visited with residents held hostage, with families whose apartment buildings were bombed, and churches destroyed, with farmers removing mines before planting, journalists

reporting in dangerous conditions while over 70 of their colleagues have been killed, prosecutors attacking corruption, and with officials and civilians responsible to keep ports operating,” said Suozzi.

“I heard from liberated hostages held in dark, cold, and wet basements with little food and no room to move or sleep for a month. Hundreds of children, seniors, and infants were confined without a single toilet; buckets were used. And when people died, their bodies were stacked up against the wall. When people asked for help, they were scolded by Russian soldiers and told, ‘This is war,’” Suozzi retold.

He toured previously liberated battle-scarred towns and cities that have been the victims of Russian assault and destruction. He spoke with the Governor of Odessa, Oleg Kipper, and his team working to keep the port operating while under constant bombardment.

Suozzi visited fellow NATO member Poland and met with Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, U.S. Ambassador Mark Brzezinski, and several of Poland’s defense officials, as well as with the President of Moldova, Maia Sandy, to better understand Russia’s threat to all of Eastern

Europe.

Suozzi also met with U.S. Army Brigadier General Jerry Baird and other service members of the 82nd Airborne Division stationed in Poland and responsible for shipping all arms and supplies into Ukraine.

“It’s clear to me that America must continue its leadership in NATO to stand against any further Russian aggression,” Suozzi said.

Suozzi was unable to fly from Poland to Ukraine as flights have become impossible. He and the delegation took a 12-hour overnight train to reach the embattled country,

The Congressman returned home on Monday, April 8th. He promised to provide a more extensive description of his visit in the coming weeks.

“The people of my district would be appalled by what Putin has done. I am more convinced than ever that he must be stopped, and that aiding Ukraine is central to the United States’ strategic and financial interests,” concluded Suozzi. “I will carry that message forward in Washington this week.”

—Submitted by the Office of Tom Suozzi

Tom Suozzi meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (Photo provided by the Office of Congressman Tom Suozzi)

COLUMNS

Can The MTA Manage $15 Billion Carryover Capital Projects With The Next $51 Billion Or More

In 2020, the MTA released a schedule of carryover construction projects from the 2010-2014 and 2015-19 capital plans. They pledged to commit $6.5 billion worth of prior planned capital program work in 2020 and $2.3 billion in 2021. This was supposed to complete the initiation of all capital projects and programs from the $29 billion 2010-2014 and $32 billion 2015-2019 capital plans. Coordinating management for this $8.8 billion worth of old capital projects with those from the new $51 billion 2020 – 2024 Capital Plan was challenging. How many of these projects have yet to be completed four years later?

All of the previously funded work (that was not under way) had to be integrated with the annual 2020 and following years Annual Track Outage, Force Account (in house employees), Routine Maintenance and Procurement Strategy plans for each MTA agency. This includes NYC Transit bus, subway, Staten Island Rail, Long Island and Metro-North Railroads, MTA Capital Construction and MTA Bus. It is necessary in order to support each agency’s respective capital programs. The plans provide a foundation to ensure projects will be initiated and completed on time and within budget accompanied by a minimum number of contract change orders that have been documented as fair, reasonable and justified.

The agency reorganization in 2020 was supposed to find $2.7 billion in savings. A significant part of these savings proved to be illusionary. This was part of the same old playbook promised by previous generations of MTA Chairs, MTA Board members and others going back generations. It never actually happens. These concerns and questions were never answered in detail. Without reading the fine print, it will be difficult to believe that the MTA can successfully manage $15 billion in yet to be initiated Congestion Toll funded projects with the next 2025 - 2029 Five Year Capital Plan. This will be far more challenging than spending $8.8 billion from previous Five Year Capital Plans under the current 20202024 Five Year Capital Plan.

In the middle of a multi-billion-dollar and growing financial crisis accompanied by a record $48 billion in long term debt, why does the MTA continue hiring and keeping employed several hundred million worth of outside consultants? Why can’t a significant portion of work assigned to consultants be performed by in-house staff and resources?

At the February 15th City and State Magazine-sponsored “Most Significant Infrastructure Projects” Summit, MTA President of Construction and Development referenced the direct relationship between implementation of congestion pricing and funding capital projects Due to several lawsuits against

PENNER STATION

the implementation of congestion pricing, the MTA has had to place on hold many new capital projects including upgrading signaling on several subway lines and the $7.7 billion Second Avenue subway Phase 2. All new procurements are on hold until litigation on all lawsuits are resolved. The $7.7 billion Second Avenue subway Phase 2 will not proceed without implementation of congestion pricing,

Without Congestion Pricing, the Federal Transit Administration $3.4 billion funding as part of the $7.7 billion Second Avenue Subway Phase Two grant would be at risk. MTA accepted the terms and conditions within the grant offer. FTA caps its funding at $3.4 billion. MTA’s local share is dependent upon Congestion Price tolling.

Failure to proceed with advancing the project could result in FTA de-obligating its $3.4 billion in funding and closing out the grant. MTA would lose $3.4 billion in discretionary federal funding. Never in MTA history, has the MTA lost FTA funding due to reneging on providing its legally required matching local share in any approved FTA grant. Janno Lieber would be the first MTA Chairman to do so and have egg on his face.

Even if Congestion Pricing starts by June

2024, there is no way the MTA will be able to advertise, award and issue a Notice to Proceed tor contractors representing $15 billion worth of projects within the following six months. There are also billions in other ongoing capital projects whose work will be carried over into the next $51 billion or more 2025 - 2029 Five Year Capital Plan. There may not be enough resources to integrate the implementation of $15 billion or more carryover Congestion Price funded projects from the $51 billion 2020 - 2024 Five Year Capital Plan, billions more in ongoing non-Congestion Price funded projects with those in the first and second year of the upcoming $51 billion plus 2025 - 2029 Five Year Capital Plan. The MTA lacks sufficient Procurement, Project Managers, Engineers, Legal, and .Force Account employees, along with

Track Outage Availability to proceed with all these projects in the same time frame. Billions of capital improvement projects will be delayed. Costs will increase due to inflation and other factors as time goes by. The upcoming $51 billion plus 2025 - 2029 Five Year Capital Plan is due to be released and adopted within ten months. This should include a master integration schedule for how the billions in carryover capital projects will proceed with billions more in the new five year capital program.

MTA Board members, elected officials, city, state and federal funding agencies such as the Federal Transit Administration, commuters, taxpayers, transit advocacy groups and transit reporters need to see this critical information. It is the only way we can determine if the MTA is up to meeting the challenge.

Larry Penner

Above, The Ronkonkama mainline. Below, Grand Central Madison. (Photos by Alex Nuñez)

L.I.G.H.T. FOR CHARITY

(‘Long

Island Giving Help

Together For Charity’) is my column where I shine a light on a different Long Island-based charity each month. For this column, I focus on The INN, which is a not-for-profit volunteer organization that seeks to transform lives by addressing hunger, homelessness and profound poverty through awareness, action and generosity.

The INN was founded in 1983 as a single soup kitchen run out of a church in Hempstead by a small group of concerned volunteers. As other communities throughout Long Island witnessed the success of The INN’s work in Hempstead, it became clear that more work was needed on a broader scale throughout Long Island to address the needs

LIGHT for Charity

Kayla Donnenfeld

of the hungry. Volunteers then formed an interfaith network of soup kitchens to feed the hungry throughout Long Island. The volunteers at The INN quickly learned that dealing with hunger is only one of several problems facing soup kitchen guests. For example, many of the adults and children who

The Big Move COLUMNS

Shine A Light For Charity On The INN

visit The INN are also struggling with homelessness. The INN has therefore expanded its range of services and has grown to become the largest private social service agency of its kind on Long Island.

The INN operates the largest soup kitchen on Long Island, which serves hot and cold nutritious sit-down meals and to-go meals (100 Madison Ave., Hempstead, NY, M F 9 a.m.-2 p.m.). The soup kitchen serves over 300,000 meals annually, and also distributes other essential provisions to its guests such as pantry bags, clothing, toiletries and baby items.

The INN also operates a Center for Transformative Change, located immediately adjacent to the soup kitchen. This Center assists guests of the soup kitchen

to improve their life circumstances and/or become self-sufficient. The Center offers free clothing (including business attire for job interviews) and housewares, and assists guests with access to resources such as government benefits, housing/shelter placements and employment. The INN provides even more services helping those in need, including provision of emergency shelters (one family shelter and one shelter for single men, both of which are open 24/7), and provision of long-term housing.

If you’d like to help The INN, you can do so by donating funds, donating goods (for example, food, diapers and other personal care items) or volunteering time. For more information, please visit The INN’s website at www. the-inn.org.

Janna and Edwin, a hypothetical couple, have been together for two years. They recently decided to move from their apartment in the city to a larger house in the suburbs. Their last move was when they combined apartments and moved in together several years ago, which was both exciting and stressful. While they assumed that they could use that experience as a benchmark, they are starting to realize that the stress they are facing now is different and feels much more insurmountable. This time they are planning on furnishing new rooms and need to hire contractors for a few projects. They are also dealing with the idea of transitioning from the city to life in the suburbs and acclimating to a new area. While the added stress can create emotional distance, they want to be sure that they prepare themselves for the move and use the opportunity to work together as a team, rather than working against one another.

Moving can negatively impact relationships and has been shown to lead to an increase in fighting, decrease in intimacy, and financial concerns. As such, it is a major relationship stressor. While stress may be inevitable, preparation can help buffer the impact. Consider preparing for the emotional and physical toll of moving, as well as for the readjustment period.

LOVE LESSONS

Marisa T. Cohen, PhD

Preparing for the emotional Moving takes an emotional toll. Janna and Edwin are transitioning from the first place they lived in together as a couple, and likely where they created many memories such as the first meal they cooked together, first party they hosted, etc. They are also leaving the city which may have represented a certain phase in their lives. Just as there were firsts in your soon to be old place, there will be lasts: last meal in the apartment, last picture you take off the wall, etc. This can be hard. Allow yourself to feel and allow yourself to grieve. You need not mask your emotions by assuring yourself that you’re on to bigger and better. Be in the moment and accept all of the feelings that come along with saying goodbye to your place.

Preparing for the physical Moving takes a physical toll. Sorting, packing, and moving your items is difficult. Talk with your partner about the most efficient way to handle this (both physically and financially). If you can, hire a professional mover (many locations may even require you to). If you can’t or don’t want to, consider reaching out to your support network. Do you have family or friends that can assist with the process? Try to create pleasant couple experiences as you sort and pack. Janna and Edwin may want to spend a day building boxes and bubble wrapping breakables while listening to their favorite music. Use this time to create a happy joint experience.

(Photo source Getty Images)

Preparing for the readjustment period

Moving comes with a period of adjustment, or uncertainty related to the transition. Where will you now walk the dog? What is the best local coffee shop? You are out of your old routine, so there will be a period of time needed to get into the groove in your new place. Lean on one another and use this transition period to explore. Janna and Edwin can make a concerted effort to try new local spots for each of their upcoming date nights and make it an adventure rather than a burden.

There’s no doubt that moving can be a challenge, but if you work together and prepare yourself for what will come your way, you will be able to experience a much smoother transition.

COLUMNS

Passover - The Night Our Creator Was On The Watch

The upcoming holiday of Passover is a time to reflect on our lives, our strengths, our freedom and more. Jewish people all over the world will celebrate their heroic escape from being slaves to the wicked king, Pharaoh. The night before Passover, The Almighty was on the watch, protecting the Israelites and made sure that every single one of them escaped Egypt safely. Our Creator had performed many miracles for the Israelites, including the splitting of the sea and the ten plagues, but was the lesson learned?

Many of us who read Alex Haley’s book Roots, or even watched the mini-series, saw a glimpse of what slavery was like. Roots portrays the story of Kunta Kinte who was kidnapped from Gambia, Africa. Kunta was stripped of his freedom and brought into North America where he was sold as a slave. Haley lucidly describes slavery. His writing touched people of all colors, religion or economic status. Slavery was wrong in Egypt and was equally wrong in North America or anywhere else in the world for this matter. Did anyone ever learn to work together and fight to abolish inequality between people? Yes! Look no further than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, may their souls rest in peace.

unprecedented march. People of all colors and religions marched together. Rabbi Heschel was there, in the now famous march. G-D was there in the smallest details as well: a Torah, The Five Books of Moses, was dearly and carefully held in support of the marchers. This was a powerful message. If we want a better world, we must unite. Equality is not just another word in the dictionary, we must strive to implement it every day, hour or minute of our lives.

It was January 14, 1963, in Chicago, Illinois. Rabbi Heschel delivered a powerful speech with a clear message. The speech dealt with religion and race. It was a moving and motivating speech, both condemning and comparing the slavery of the Israelites in ancient Egypt and the slavery and racism toward the African Americans. Dr. King was impressed by the speech and the two became friends. Dr. King made his famous, “I have a dream speech”, on August 28, 1963. With a tremendous crowd, believers and supporters, his dream came true but not without struggles. To this day, we are still struggling to perfect his dream. It took plagues for Pharoah to let the Israelites go and it took a civil war to free the African Americans from slavery. Yet, we are strong as we unite to combat this evil, and we will succeed.

On March 21, 1965, Selma, Alabama and the rest of the world watched and saw an

One of the commandments’ of Passover is that every Jewish person should see himself as he himself was just freed from Egypt. This year, I invite us all to see ourselves as we survived slavery, just as Alex Haley did in a brilliant way. The Divine Providence will continue watching over us, His children. Our appearance does not make The Omnipresent love us more or less, in His eyes we are all equal.

Alex Haley, Dr. Marting Luther King and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel might have departed from us physically, yet they are with us through their legacy. This Passover let’s keep their memory and legacy alive. While asking the four traditional Passover questions, look into yourself and ask some more questions. Did I do my utmost to build bridges between people? Can I do better? Am I active enough in my community? Feel FREE to add questions, after all this holiday we celebrate FREEDOM!

Happy Passover, Rabbi Moshe P. Weisblum, PhD

Heschel and King at Arlington National Cemetery, February 6, 1968. (Photo by John C. Goodwin)

Recently Sold HOMES

This spacious colonial home at 93-17 245th Street in Floral Park, located in the Bellerose Terrace neighborhood, sold on March 28 for $570,000. It has a private driveway. The vinyl siding and roof are 10 years old. The home has high ceilings. The home has three bedrooms and one bathroom. The first floor offers a den, living room and an eat-in-kitchen. The bedrooms are on the second floor, including a full walk-up attic. The full, unfinished basement has an above-ground oil tank and a new heating system. New gas was brought into the home four years ago for cooking and hot water heat. The backyard is fenced-in and the one-car garage is detached. The home is conveniently located near public bus transportation, the train station, shopping, restaurants and Cross Island Parkway. The home is located in Nassau County and within the Floral Park School District.

This wonderful old-style Colonial at 108 Mayfair Ave. in Floral Park sold on April 5 for $785,000. It is located in the highly desirable West End of Floral Park within the village boundaries. It has a welcoming enclosed and heated front porch with skylights, leading to a cozy living room that is connected to the formal dining room. It also has an eat-in updated kitchen. This home has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. It has an attic. The first floor bedroom could easily becoming a family room. The basement houses a laundry room, a work room and an aboveground oil tank. The home has gas plumbing for cooking. Village

residency includes usage of the recreation center, village pool, library, village police department and many other amenities. The

train station is within walking distance, four blocks from the home. Tax grievance is available annually.

HOME & DESIGN

Essential Tasks To Tackle In Your Garden

Mid-April is a busy time in the garden, but these tasks will set you up for success as the growing season progresses.

Prepare the Soil

Clear any winter debris: Remove fallen leaves, dead plants, and other debris from your garden beds. This will create a clean slate for new growth.

Prep the soil: Loosen the soil and amend it with compost or organic matter.

This helps improve drainage, aeration, and nutrient availability for your plants.

Plant Cool-Season Crops

Direct sow seeds: If the soil is workable, plant cool-season vegetables and flowers directly in the ground. Examples include lettuce, spinach, radishes, and snap peas.

Harden off seedlings: If you’ve started seedlings indoors, gradually acclimate

Plan and Design

Design your garden: Use this time to plan and design your garden layout. Consider factors like sunlight exposure, companion planting, and aesthetics.

Choose new plants: Visit a garden center and explore new plant varieties. Try something different this year.

Homes shown here represent closed sales, sold by a variety of agencies and are selected for their interest to readers by the

them to outdoor conditions by placing them outside during the day and bringing them in at night.

Inspect and repair: Clean water features, lawn ornaments, and birdhouses. Keep an eye out for migrating birds and hummingbirds.

Media

—Compiled by Christy

Hinko

editor. Except where noted, data and photos are provided courtesy of Multiple Listing Service of Long Island, Inc. and

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It’s the Green Vale di erence.

Green Vale is Long Island’s largest preeminent private school for Pre-Nursery to 8th Grade. But that’s not the only thing that makes us different. Families from some of NY’s top school districts choose Green Vale for our challenging, explorative curriculum; purposely joyful atmosphere; and our contagious smiles. GVS graduates excel at top secondary schools and elite colleges because, like our students, what makes Green Vale different is what also makes us special.

Visit us! Schedule a private tour or attend an event on campus.

Social And Emotional Learning

BY ANTON MEDIA STAFF specialsections@antonmediagroup.com

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has gained increasing recognition in education as a fundamental component of holistic student development. SEL refers to the process through which individuals acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to understand and manage emotions, establish and maintain positive relationships, make responsible decisions, and navigate social situations effectively. As schools and educators strive to meet the diverse needs of students and promote their overall well-being, SEL has emerged as a critical framework for fostering positive school climates, enhancing academic achievement, and preparing students for success in school and beyond.

At the heart of SEL are five core competencies identified by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL):

Self-Awareness

The ability to recognize and understand one’s emotions, thoughts, and values, as

well as their influence on behavior and decision-making. Self-aware individuals are able to accurately assess their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their emotions and reactions in different situations.

Self-Management

The capacity to regulate emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in constructive ways, including managing stress, controlling impulses, and setting and achieving goals. Self-managed individuals demonstrate resilience, perseverance, and adaptability in the face of challenges and setbacks.

Social Awareness

The ability to empathize with others, recognize and appreciate diverse perspectives and cultures, and understand social norms and expectations. Socially aware individuals demonstrate empathy, compassion, and respect for others, as well as an awareness of social justice issues and the impact of their actions on others.

Relationship Skills

The capacity to establish and maintain

healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups, communicate effectively, collaborate with others, and resolve conflicts constructively. Individuals with strong relationship skills demonstrate empathy, active listening, cooperation, and teamwork.

Responsible Decisionmaking

The ability to make ethical, constructive choices about personal and social behavior, based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, social norms, and the well-being of self and others. Responsible decision-makers demonstrate critical thinking, problem-solving, and ethical reasoning skills, as well as a commitment to personal integrity and social responsibility.

Implementing SEL effectively requires a comprehensive, multi-tiered approach that integrates SEL into the school culture, curriculum, and instructional practices. This may involve providing explicit instruction in SEL competencies, fostering supportive and inclusive

learning environments, promoting positive student-teacher relationships, and engaging families and communities in SEL initiatives.

Research has shown that SEL interventions yield numerous benefits for students, including improved academic achievement, enhanced social and emotional skills, reduced behavioral problems, and increased positive attitudes toward school. Moreover, SEL has been linked to long-term outcomes such as improved mental health, increased college and career readiness, and reduced involvement in risky behaviors.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is a vital component of education that promotes the development of essential skills and competencies for success in school, work, and life. By fostering self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making, SEL empowers students to thrive academically, emotionally, and socially, and contributes to the creation of safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments for all.

Photo Getty Images

Oyster Bay Teacher Publishes Book

New book provides innovative ways to teach ELA

BY JENNIFER CORR specialsections@antonmediagroup.com

Dr. Deirdre Faughey, an Oyster Bay High School English teacher, thinks outside the box when it comes to educating students.

“A teacher like her is exactly what you want in the classroom,” said Oyster Bay High School Principal Melissa Argaman. “She’s a lifelong learner herself. She’s collaborative and wants to share what she’s learned and she’s creative. I’m always impressed with the things that are going on in her classroom.”

And to share what she’s learned in the classroom with fellow educators, Dr. Faughey published her book, Restorative Literacy Practices: Cultivating Community in the Secondary ELA Classroom, last spring. She also recently wrote an article about one of her book chapters that was published in English in Texas, a journal published by the Texas Council of Teachers of English.

Her book features the possibilities and limitations of teaching in today’s schools, a problem-solving thought process, vivid anecdotes about students, their work and ability to collaborate, lesson plans, a list of

Dr. Deirdre Faughey, an English teacher at Oyster Bay High School, published her first book, Restorative Literacy Practices: Cultivating Community in the Secondary ELA Classroom. (Photo courtesy the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District)

media to reference, and much more.

Before teaching English at Oyster Bay High School, Dr. Faughey earned her doctorate in curriculum and teaching from Columbia University and worked as a researcher for the New York City Department of Education. There, she interviewed students and faculty and learned about policy-level work.

“Once I got here and started teaching

again, I just was really excited about what I saw in my classroom and thinking about the stories I could tell from what I saw as the magical moments in my experiences with the students,” Dr. Faughey said. “I wanted to be able to share what I saw happening with students and talk about the ideas and the scholarship and the history of education that we could use to understand what was happening and just offer some new ideas to other teachers out there.”

Beyond publishing her new book, Dr. Faughey educates early career and student teachers as a night adjunct professor at SUNY Old Westbury.

“I can draw on all of this writing and give them really clear examples from the classroom on how it all comes together,” Dr. Faughey said. “I like being part of the mix of all of that, the intersection of teaching students and teaching teachers and continuing to think of what I can write and share about in the future.”

She has also traveled out of state to speak at conferences about her classroom innovations and research. Last November, she presented some of her research from the

book at the National Council of Teachers in English Conference in Ohio. In Nashville, she led a presentation to educators at the Literacy Association of Tennessee.

Among Dr. Faughey’s innovations in the classroom include assigning her students a project where they had to make their own movie. As a part of that project, she collaborated with the 3D printing club to have awards made for her students so that they could hold an award ceremony.

“She makes learning fun and she makes the kids get excited about these projects,” Argaman said. “They get excited about these projects and she taps into that creativity and gets involved.”

Dr. Faughey also uses the new innovation lab, known as the CoLab, where students can code, 3D print, build robotics, and collaborate.

“Deirdre has been one of those teachers who had taken advantage of that space and used it to inspire our kids, which is exactly why we built those spaces, to try to bring our building, which is very old, built in 1929, yet we have these 21st-century learning spaces in our building,” Argaman said.

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Syosset Principal Celebrates 200th Episode Of Podcast

BY JENNIFER CORR specialsections@antonmediagroup.com

On April 10, “The College Admissions Process Podcast” reached its 200th episode, where Dr. John Durante, principal of Syosset High School, spoke with Rich Clark, the assistant vice provost and executive director of admission at Georgia Tech University, about Clark’s book The Truth About College Admissions, a comprehensive guide for families during the admission process.

“It’s surreal,” Dr. Durante said. “As a high school principal, we help so many families with the college process, with selecting courses through their four years of high school. But what happened with me, when I went through the process with my own daughters, I felt firsthand the stress that parents talked to me about, but this time it was with my own daughters.” During this time, it occurred to Dr. Durante that not all schools have access to robust counseling programs.

“I came up with the idea because there are so many college admissions reps that were so good to me and my family that if each episode represented a conversation with them about their schools, a little bit of

an insight about their application process, tips for parents and then of course advice for students and parents going through it, I thought I might be onto something,” Dr. Durante said.

The podcast has also caught on among colleges and universities throughout the United States and beyond, with directors of

admissions, deans of admissions and presidents participating in the podcast to share their expertise, as well as provide an insight to what their institutions have to offer.

“It’s just been a real blessing and I’m just so happy to do it,” Dr. Durante said.

When asked what are the top issues facing college applicants today, Dr. Durante

said it was the myth that when a college or university states it’s “test optional,” that they’re not being truthful.

“The reality is that, some of the [Ivy League’s] we know, such as Dartmouth, just went back to requiring tests,” Dr. Durante said. “And there are states like Florida where their governing body requires test scores, but schools that claim to be test-optional really mean it.”

Dr. Durante has been with Syosset High School since 1994, serving initially as a teacher of world languages and assistant principal before becoming principal at Syosset High School 13 years ago.

“Anything that I’ve ever encountered in life, I always want to be the best and work with the best,” Dr. Durante said. “It’s been an honor to work in a school district like Syosset because you have a very educated community that is pro-education and everything that we try to do during the four short years that we have their children at Syosset High School.”

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castro or RSS Feed. For more information, including an alphabetical list of colleges and universities featured in the podcast, visit www.collegeadmissionstalk.com.

Remote And Hybrid Learning

BY ANTON MEDIA STAFF specialsections@antonmediagroup.com

Remote and hybrid learning have emerged as pivotal educational paradigms in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, reshaping the landscape of education and challenging traditional notions of teaching and learning. These models, characterized by a combination of online instruction and in-person components, offer both opportunities and challenges for students, educators, and educational institutions.

One of the key advantages of remote and hybrid learning is its flexibility, allowing students to access educational resources and engage in learning activities from virtually anywhere with an internet connection. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for students with diverse learning needs, those living in remote areas, or those facing physical or logistical barriers to attending traditional brick-andmortar schools. Additionally, remote and hybrid learning can facilitate personalized learning experiences, enabling students to progress at their own pace and access a wider range of educational materials tailored to their interests and abilities.

Remote and hybrid learning models have spurred innovation in educational technology, leading to the development of

interactive digital platforms, educational apps, and multimedia resources designed to enhance student engagement and facilitate collaborative learning experiences. These digital tools offer immersive and interactive learning, allowing students to participate in virtual labs, simulations, and discussions that transcend the limitations of traditional classroom settings.

Remote and hybrid learning also present significant challenges, particularly in terms of digital equity and access to technology. The shift to online learning has highlighted existing disparities in access to reliable internet connectivity, digital devices,

and technical support, disproportionately affecting students from low-income households, rural communities, and marginalized populations. Addressing these inequities requires concerted efforts from policymakers, educators, and stakeholders to ensure that all students have equitable access to the tools and resources needed to participate fully in remote and hybrid learning environments.

Remote and hybrid learning pose unique challenges for educators, who must adapt their teaching strategies and pedagogical approaches to effectively engage students in virtual or blended

learning settings. Educators must navigate issues such as maintaining student motivation and attention during online instruction, fostering meaningful interactions and collaboration among students, and providing timely feedback and support in virtual learning environments. Professional development and training opportunities are essential to help educators develop the skills and competencies needed to thrive in remote and hybrid teaching environments and effectively leverage educational technology to enhance student learning outcomes.

Remote and hybrid learning have become integral components of contemporary education, offering flexibility, innovation, and opportunities for personalized learning experiences. Addressing the challenges associated with digital equity, educator preparedness, and student engagement is essential to ensure that remote and hybrid learning models are inclusive, effective, and equitable for all learners. By leveraging the potential of educational technology and embracing practices in online pedagogy, educators and educational institutions can harness the transformative power of remote and hybrid learning to empower students and prepare them for success in the digital age.

Dr. John Durante (Photo courtesy the Durante family)

Photo Getty Images

Legislation Protects Debt Relief

Borrowers urged to apply for “SAVE Plan”

SBY ANTON MEDIA STAFF specialsections@antonmediagroup.com

enator Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference on Tuesday, April 2, to announce the Codifying SAVE Plan Act, legislation that would codify President Biden’s income-driven repayment program, known as the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan, into law and protect it from being rolled back under future administrations. The SAVE Plan currently has more than 7.7 million federal student loan borrowers enrolled, and New Yorkers have had over $63 million forgiven under the plan.

“The SAVE Plan is the most affordable student loan repayment plan in history and a lifeline for millions of borrowers –allowing them to live without the burden of exorbitant monthly payments hanging over their heads,” said Gillibrand. “The Codifying SAVE Plan Act would ensure that the SAVE Plan remains in place and safeguards a much-needed path to federal student loan forgiveness. I’m proud to fight so the SAVE Plan is protected for future generations, and I urge New York borrowers to enroll in the plan today.”

President Biden’s SAVE Plan was introduced in August 2023 and has helped

millions of borrowers lower their monthly payments. Under the SAVE Plan, borrowers with undergraduate loans are getting their payments reduced from 10 percent to 5 percent of their discretionary income, and those earning under 225 percent of the federal poverty line have had their monthly payments lowered to $0. The SAVE Plan has also canceled the loans of 150,000 borrowers to date. Borrowers can apply for the SAVE Plan to lower the cost of their student loan payments (www.studentaid.gov/save).

Gillibrand has been a leader in taking

action to fix the student loan system and support borrowers. She leads the What You Can Do for Your Country Act, which would allow borrowers to have half of their federal student loan balance forgiven after five years of public service and make sure millions of Americans are eligible for the loan forgiveness they have earned. She also successfully urged the Biden administration to strengthen our

nation’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which enabled hundreds of thousands of public servants to get their student debt discharged. Gillibrand has pushed to encourage our nation’s best and brightest to work in government by offering free college in exchange for public service in cyber and tech disciplines through her Cyber Service Academy scholarship program.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

Photo Getty Images

LIU Vet Medicine Earns Accreditation

The recently completed Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine, designed by SBLM Architects, pairs the school’s extensive educational resources with state-ofthe-art technology. Since opening last year, the veterinary college has already earned a critical accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

The new veterinary college, comprised of the Veterinary Learning Center (VLC) and Teaching Research Center (TRC), was designed to be architecturally contextual with the rest of Long Island University’s campus. Both mid-rise buildings echo Long Island University’s neo-classical style with red brick facades, white paned double-hung windows, and white ornamental accents.

The Veterinary Learning Center is situated in an approximately 30,000-square-foot former warehouse that has been completely transformed to accommodate the newest technologies required in the high-scale program. First-year students study primarily through virtual programs, which

include anatomy and necropsy labs. In addition, the students have access to the Center’s trim rooms, histopathology labs, and multi-head microscope rooms.

The newly constructed 32,000-squarefoot Teaching Research Center contains three 150-seat lecture halls and more than 5,000 square feet of technical

labs, including a clinical skills lab. The curriculum at the Teaching Research Center addresses infectious diseases, comparative medicine and therapeutics, and comprehensive veterinary medical education. There is also a small animal simulation suite that features examination rooms, surgical suites, and a medical imaging center.

“This was an ambitious, two-part project initially conceived in 2017 and temporarily delayed by the pandemic,” said John Kelly, the SBLM principal who led the design team. “Our mission was to create educational spaces that would help LIU develop its far-reaching program and eventually meet the rigorous criteria of the AVMA, for which only 30 institutions in the U.S. qualify.”

Long Island University spent approximately $53 million on the design and construction of the College of Veterinary Medicine. New York State contributed approximately $16 million.

The veterinary college, which opened with 150 students, has tripled its registration within the first year and currently has 450 enrolled students.

—SBLM ARCHITECTS/LIU

The Veterinary Learning Center. (Photo provided by SBLM Architects/LIU)

Healthy School Meals For All

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 30 million children participated in the school meals program, and most of the participants (nearly 80 percent) are from low-income households. When the pandemic shuttered schools and businesses across the country, schools found themselves feeding not just students, but entire communities. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a series of waivers to allow schools to operate in this new normal; one of the waivers allowed schools to provide a free breakfast and lunch to every student through June 2022, effectively providing healthy school meals for all. We must ensure that healthy school meals for all are made permanent.

What are Healthy School Meals for All?

Healthy school meals for all allow all enrolled children in a school that operates the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program to receive free breakfast and free lunch, regardless of their family’s income. Healthy school meals for all negate the need for families to apply or for schools to verify eligibility for the programs and give flexibility to school nutrition programs to keep feeding kids no matter what the new school day structure looks like.

Healthy School Meals for All Promote Nutrition

• A systematic review examining free meals for all policies found that free meals for all are positively associated with school meal participation, and in most cases, are positively associated with diet quality,

food security, and academic performance. It is reasonable to assume that healthy school meals for all could have the same positive impact.

• By negating the need to stand in line to pay for meals, healthy school meals for all allow children more time to eat their meals.

Healthy School Meals for All Advance Equity

• Healthy school meals for all remove stigma from children participating in the program, provide equitable access to healthy meals, and remove draconian measures schools may take to feed children who cannot pay. A recent report found that when all students have access to free meals, perceptions of bullying and fighting decrease, and kids that previously were income-eligible for free- or reduced-priced meals felt safer.

• Healthy school meals for all provides assurance that children will receive free meals at school, even if their family income fluctuates in and out of typical eligibility requirements for free meals.

Healthy school meals for all ensure that children who might be on the edges of eligibility, or children who are experiencing homelessness, have recently immigrated, have caregivers who may struggle with administrative paperwork, or are in foster care do not fall through the cracks. Families are still in crisis as a result of the pandemic’s economic fallout—a recent poll found that 7 to 13 percent of adults

with children reported that their children sometimes or often didn’t eat enough in the last seven days because they couldn’t afford it.

Healthy School Meals for All Support School Nutrition Programs

• Healthy school meals for all help ensure that schools can continue to operate the federal child nutrition programs in a moment of unprecedented financial losses. In school year 2017-2018, 75 percent of school districts had unpaid meal debt. By November 2020, programs reported a collective loss of $2.1 billion.

• Healthy school meals for all reduce administrative burden on school food service staff, provide a steady budget for school food service programs so they may remain fiscally solvent, eliminate unpaid meal balances, and take pressure off school food service programs to increase revenue by serving foods that may be lower in nutritional quality. This allows programs to focus on their primary function: feeding children healthy meals.

—From the Center for Science in the Public Interest

Study Abroad Opportunities For High School Students

A non-profit, public benefit organization, ASSE, is dedicated to promoting closer ties of friendship between the United States and other countries by fostering intercultural understanding through youth exchange programs.

High school students, 15 to 18 years old, qualify on the basis of academic performance, character references and a genuine desire to experience life abroad with a volunteer host family. Students choose their host country, and prior knowledge of the country’s language is not a requirement. Scholarships are available and are based on academic performance, leadership skills and financial need. Families abroad are carefully screened, and students do not need to know the language of the host country prior to departure but will acquire the language skills through

experiencing the day-to-day local culture and attending regular high school classes, along with their new teenage friends.

ASSE also provides the experience of a lifetime to American families who are interested in hosting an international student from Spain, Italy, Germany, Ukraine, Thailand, Japan, and many other countries. These exceptional young students will attend the local American high school for an academic year or semester and participate in the host family’s daily activities.

Students or families interested in learning more about becoming an ASSE exchange student or host family should contact Saphia Lesch at 1-800-4730696, visit www.asse.com or send an email to asseusamidwest@asse.com.

—ASSE International

ASSE International Student Exchange Programs (ASSE) is offering qualified high school students a unique opportunity to explore the world by spending an academic year, semester or summer in Europe, Asia, North or South America, Australia or South Africa. (Photo provided by ASSE International)

Photo Getty Images

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Cannabis Control Board Votes To Waive Licensing Fees For Two Years

Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced that the New York State Cannabis Control Board voted to waive licensing fees for two years for AdultUse Conditional Cultivators. In addition, the Board approved 114 new licenses, including 45 retail dispensaries and 31 microbusiness licenses. Approaching the three-year anniversary of legalization, New York now has 88 licensed dispensaries, with more stores to open statewide. To date, 223 licenses have been granted in 2024 alone.

“Farmers are the backbone of our State, and we’re making sure the family farms across New York that are building our cannabis industry have a real chance to succeed,” Governor Hochul said. “I have made it clear that New York State needs to issue more dispensary licenses and kickstart cannabis sales in New York, and this two-year promise to Adult-Use Conditional Cultivators will make sure these farmers can reap the benefits of this growing industry.”

The fee waiver applies to dispensaries transitioning to non-conditional license types, including cultivation licenses and

microbusiness licenses Fees for conditional cultivator licensees range from $4,500 to up to $40,000 depending on the licensee tier and canopy size.

The Cannabis Control Board (CCB) also issued 114 licenses, with 45 going to applicants seeking to open a retail dispensary and another 31 going to applicants seeking to operate a microbusiness license which allows a licensee to grow, process, distribute and sell all under one license. The CCB also approved 38 non-conditional adultuse cannabis licenses for entrepreneurs who applied during the 2023 application window which opened on October 4.

Office of Cannabis Management Executive Director Chris Alexander said, “New York State’s cannabis market is moving in the right direction, and by waiving licensing fees for two years, we’re making sure conditional cultivators have a chance to reap the rewards of this growing industry. As we mark three years of legalized adult-use cannabis in New York State, we look forward to this next chapter of our cannabis story.”

Cannabis Control Board Chair Tremaine Wright said, “Today our market takes one

step further in building a market of competition, choice, and equity with the issuance of more than a hundred adult-use cannabis licenses. The Cannabis Control Board is here to help this market grow and thrive in the ways we all know is possible, and we can’t wait to issue more of these licenses in our coming meetings.”

Applicants approved for the retail and microbusiness licenses were those who submitted their applications before the November 17 deadline and have a specific location under their control. Additional licenses for applicants who applied by the November 17 deadline, and for applicants who applied by the December 18 deadline, will be issued on a rolling basis at CCB meetings over the next few months. The Office anticipates a significant number of applications will be ready for Board

approval at the subsequent CCB meetings.

In addition to these licenses issued, the Cannabis Control Board also voted to renew permits for 17 cannabis testing laboratories. These testing laboratories are vital to the success of the legal cannabis market as they help to ensure cannabis products sold at licensed dispensaries are tested for contaminates and accurately reflect the potency on the label.

Since the last Cannabis Control Board meeting in February, 16 new adult-use cannabis dispensaries have opened their doors across New York State. This is a continuation of the swift rate of store openings since the December lifting of an injunction preventing New York’s retail cannabis licensees from opening their doors.

—Submitted by the Office of Governor

Kathy Hochul

Long Island Music And Entertainment Hall Of Fame Scholarship

The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) is now accepting applications for its 2024 Student Scholarship program. The deadline for applications is Friday, May 10th, 2024.

LIMEHOF will award $500 scholarships to graduating students. These scholarships will provide funding to eligible graduating high school students from Nassau, Suffolk, Brooklyn, Queens, or Kings (Brooklyn) Counties who have shown an interest in pursuing a career in music. To apply and to read the eligibility requirements, please download the scholarship application.

All applications must be postmarked by the application due date in order to be accepted.

For more information about LIMHOF’s education recognition programs, contact Tom Needham, Education Advisory Board Chairman at info@limusichalloffame. org. More information about LIMEHOF’s Education programs may be found at https://www.limusichalloffame.org/ scholarshipsgrants/

The LIMEHOF Education Committee will base selections on the completed application and the following:

• 400-to-500-word essay on education and career goals.

• High school transcript.

• Letter of recommendation from an

individual who can attest to the applicant’s commitment to a career in music.

Eligibility criteria is:

• Graduating high school senior from Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, or Kings (Brooklyn) Counties.

• Minimum 2.5 GPA.

• Accepted full-time at an accredited college or university.

• Demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in music.

• Financial need.

• U.S. citizen or legal resident with I-55 permanent residency.

Founded in 2004, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the idea that Long Island’s musical and entertainment heritage is an important resource to be celebrated and preserved for future generations. The organization, which encompasses New York State’s Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Kings (Brooklyn) Counties, was created as a place of community that inspires and explores Long Island music and entertainment in all its forms. To date, the organization has inducted more than 120 musicians and music industry executives, and offers education programs, scholarships, and awards to Long Island students and educators.

—Submitted by Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame

Labs To Receive Dept. Of Energy Funding

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) will receive $8.24 billion in the recent government funding bill for the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. As the nation’s primary sponsor of research in the physical sciences, the Office of Science supports the work of BNL and DOE’s other national laboratories across the country, which collectively employ more than 50,000 workers. With the funding it receives from the DOE Office of Science, BNL conducts cutting-edge research that helps improve our nation’s energy security, address environmental challenges, and produce innovative technological breakthroughs that help fuel our economy and create jobs.

“This funding is an important investment that will ensure Long Island continues to be at the forefront of scientific progress and the high-tech economy,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “Brookhaven National Laboratory is an incredible asset for New York and the

nation. Scientists from around the world are drawn to Brookhaven to conduct cutting-edge research that is vital to our nation’s homeland security, and BNL creates thousands of local jobs for the Long Island economy. I was proud to fight for this funding, and I will continue to work with my Senate colleagues to ensure that BNL has the necessary support to succeed in the years ahead.”

Brookhaven National Lab’s National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) is a scientific user facility that creates beams of light 10 billion times brighter than the sun, enabling researchers to study the atomic structure, elemental properties, and electronic behavior of materials. The research conducted at NSLS-II allows scientists to make strides in energy security, advanced manufacturing, quantum materials, and a broad range of other disciplines.

—Submitted by the Office of Kirsten Gillibrand

PSEG Long Island Reminds You To Call 811 Before Breaking Ground

As National Safe Digging Month begins, PSEG Long Island reminds customers, contractors and excavators that the law requires them to call 811 before digging to ensure underground pipelines, conduits, wires and cables are properly marked out.

Striking an underground electrical line can cause serious injury and outages, resulting in repair costs and fines. Every digging project, even a small project like planting a tree or building a deck, requires a call to 811. The call is free and the markout service is free. The call must be made whether the job is being performed by a professional or a do-it-yourselfer.

“Springtime is when people on Long Island and in the Rockaways get started on outdoor improvements to their homes and businesses. Calling 811 ahead of time helps protect underground utility lines and, more importantly, the safety of anyone digging,” said Michael Sullivan, PSEG Long Island’s vice president of Electric Operations. “We thank customers for heeding our message. Last year there were nearly 200,000 markout requests in our service area, and so far this year, there have been nearly 40,000 requests to 811.”

According to Common Ground Alliance, a member-driven association of nearly 1,800 individuals and 250 member companies in every facet of the underground utility industry, 40percent of active diggers in North America do not call 811 because they think their project is too shallow to require it. All digging projects require a call to 811.

A free call to 811 in the service area automatically connects the caller to the local New York one-call center, which collects information about digging projects. The one-call center then provides the information to the utility companies, which send representatives to mark the locations of nearby underground lines with flags, paint or both. Once lines have been properly marked and confirmation from all of the utility owners is received, projects may proceed as long as caution is used around the marked areas.

Here’s important information to consider:

• Underground gas and electric lines are everywhere, even on private properties. These facilities can be easily damaged if dug into, with the potential to cause serious injuries. Digging into these lines can also disrupt vital utility services, resulting in costly delays, expensive repairs and environmental or property damage.

• Whether the job is a major home

Spousal Refusal - Just Say No

Spousal refusal is a legally valid Medicaid planning option in New York. By way of background, certain income and assets are exempt from Medicaid if there is a spouse. Generally, the spouse at home, known as the “community spouse” may keep about $3,850 per month of the couple’s combined income and up to about $150,000 of the assets or “resources”. Not included in those figures are any other exempt assets, such as a home (up to about $1,000,000 of the equity only) and one automobile. The spouse who is being cared for in a facility is known as the “institutionalized spouse”.

improvement project or something as simple as a fence or mailbox post, a call to 811 must be placed beforehand to determine where it’s safe to dig.

• Call 811 at least two business days before the commencement of each job to have underground pipes, wires and equipment located. Each facility owner must respond by providing the excavator with a positive confirmation indicating that marks are in place where utility lines are buried or that there are no existing facilities in the area of the proposed work. This service is free of charge.

• Be sure to wait until all of the utilities have responded. Don’t dig until lines have been marked or you have received confirmation that the area is clear of facilities.

• Property owners must maintain and respect the marks. Always hand dig within 2 feet of marked lines to find the existing facilities before using mechanized equipment.

• If gas lines are damaged or there is a gas smell when excavating, call 911 immediately from a safe area.

Calling before you dig is more than a good idea − it’s the law. Additional information, including a booklet on safe excavating practices and the protection of underground facilities, can be found on the PSEG Long Island website.

PSEG Long Island

PSEG Long Island operates the Long Island Power Authority’s transmission and distribution system under a long-term contract. PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company.

—Submitted by PSEGLI

Many a spouse has advised us that they simply cannot afford to live on the allowances that Medicaid provides. This is where spousal refusal comes in. We start by shifting excess assets into the name of the “community spouse”. He or she then signs a document which the elder law attorney prepares and files with the county indicating that they refuse to contribute their income and assets to the care of the ill spouse since they need those income and assets for their own care and well-being. Note that you may not refuse your spouse’s own income over the $3,850 per month exemption as it is not coming to you.

Once the “community spouse” invokes their right to refuse, and all of the other myriad requirements of the Medicaid application are met, the state Medicaid program must pay for the care of the institutionalized spouse.

After Medicaid has been granted, the county may institute a lawsuit seeking to recover the cost of care from the refusing spouse. Nevertheless, there are a few reasons why spousal refusal makes sense, even in light of this risk. First, in many instances, the county never invokes this right. Secondly, these lawsuits are often settled for significantly less than the cost of care provided. Thirdly, the payment to the county can sometimes be deferred until the community spouse dies. As one county attorney told us when agreeing to such an arrangement, “the county is going to be around for a long time”. Finally, even though the county may seek recovery, it is only for the Medicaid reimbursement rate and not the private pay rate. For example, if the private pay rate is $18,000 per month, which is what you would have to pay, the amount Medicaid has to pay is generally a quarter to a third less. The county may only pursue you for the amount they actually paid.

Photo Getty Images

Sands New York Returns As Sponsor For HIA-LI Trade Show

Procurement information sessions to be hosted by Sands New York

Sands New York will once again serve as the Title Sponsor for the upcoming HIA-LI 36th Annual Business-toBusiness Trade Show and Conference.

For more than 45 years, HIA-LI has been one of the recognized voices for Long Island business and a powerful force for regional economic development. The trade show, scheduled for Thursday, May 23, from 9am to 3pm, will be held at the Suffolk Federal Credit Union Arena at Suffolk County Community College’s Grant Campus in Brentwood. Marking its second consecutive year as the Title Sponsor, Sands New York’s continued partnership underscores its commitment to fostering local business growth and economic development.

This year’s trade show, the largest of its kind on Long Island, is expected to attract over 4,000 attendees, including 78 percent decision-makers, alongside 300 exhibitors representing a broad spectrum of industries. The event serves as a critical platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among the region’s business community.

“We are extremely honored to welcome Sands New York back as our Title Sponsor for the second straight year,” said Terri Alessi-Miceli, President and CEO of HIA-LI. “Their unwavering support not only elevates the trade show but also significantly contributes to our mission of enhancing the economic health and resilience of the Long Island business community. Sands New York’s commitment to utilizing local suppliers and partnering with local businesses is a testament to their dedication to our region’s prosperity.”

Tracey Edwards, Senior Vice President, and Corporate Social Responsibility Officer for Sands New York said, “Should Sands receive a gaming license from the state of New York, it is committed to spending hundreds of millions of dollars with local Long Island businesses, with a particular focus on supporting minority, women, and veteran-owned entities. The HIA-LI Trade Show is an excellent platform for our Sands New York team to engage with business owners who stand to benefit from these opportunities. As this transformational project progresses, we recognize the diverse needs it entails, spanning construction and pre-construction support, technology, professional services, and food and beverage provisions. Long Island businesses must be first in line and fully equipped to seize these opportunities.”

The trade show will feature an array of seminars including two Sands New York procurement information sessions

designed to connect local businesses with Sands executives. This initiative aims to integrate local suppliers into Sands’ procurement process, opening doors to new business opportunities and fostering community engagement. In addition to the info sessions, Ms. Edwards will give opening remarks at the event, and Sands will sponsor a large informational tent for Long Island businesses and leaders to familiarize themselves with the proposed project at the Nassau Hub.

Carol A. Allen, Chair of HIA-LI and CEO of Peoples’ Alliance Federal Credit Union echoed this sentiment. “Sands New York’s role as Title Sponsor and their commitment to local engagement are invaluable to the success of this event. Their support enables us to offer a platform where local businesses can showcase their innovations, engage with decision-makers, and forge lasting partnerships. We are proud to have Sands New York as a key partner in our efforts to promote economic growth on Long Island.” Attendees are encouraged to pre-register to avoid the same-day $10 walk-in fee. For exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Anthony Forgione, HIALI’s Director of Business Development, 631-543-5355 or aforgione@hia-li.org. Registration, exhibitor, and sponsorship

information can also be found at https:// www.hia-li.org/trade-show/.

About HIA-LI

Now in its 46th year, HIA-LI is one of the recognized voices for Long Island business and a powerful force for regional economic development. It also represents the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge, the largest industrial park in the Northeast. The park supports 55,000 jobs, produces $13 billion in goods and services each year, and accounts for eight percent of Long Island’s gross domestic product. For more information, go to www.HIA-LI.org or call (631) 543-5355.

About Sands (NYSE: LVS) Sands is the world’s pre-eminent developer and operator of world-class Integrated Resorts.

Our iconic properties drive valuable

leisure and business tourism and deliver significant economic benefits, sustained job creation, financial opportunities for local businesses and community investment to help make our host regions ideal places to live, work and visit.

Sands’ portfolio of properties includes Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and The Venetian Macao, The Plaza and Four Seasons Hotel Macao, The Londoner Macao, The Parisian Macao and Sands Macao in Macao SAR, China, through majority ownership in Sands China Ltd.

Sands is dedicated to being a leader in corporate responsibility, anchored by the core tenets of serving people, planet and communities. Our ESG leadership has led to inclusion on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for World and North America. To learn more, visit www.sands.com.

—Submitted by Sands New York

Sands New York team at their booth at the 2023 HIA-LI Trade Show. (Photo by Sands New York)

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HOROSCOPES

By Holiday 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 21 letters left over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You’ll gather wisdom from media, though wherever possible, try to get into the same room. Being in the room with people is like a vitamin in its powder form -- whatever quality is there, it is more easily absorbed. ere are opportunities out there for you this week that are about as perfect a t as could ever be.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Remember when you made a mistake and later were glad you did? Maybe it’s time for you to change the word for those. Because if it forwards the plot, it’s not a “mistake,” just a move. Stay in motion. Even if you don’t know where you’re going, forward is the way.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). e obstacles are there, but they are also illusions. Ask more questions. Change the lighting, the angle, your proximity to the problem. At rst, you may only get a glimmer of the illusion, but once you can see the obstacle as “not there” even for a second, there’s no going back. Each step toward the block disappears it a little more.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your emotional connection is immediate with some people, and with others it takes dozens of interactions to develop, if it ever does at all. Truly, neither way is better. It’s good to have many di erent kinds of friendships in your life. Being patient with whatever comes will lead to surprises and sweetness.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Once upon a time, a problem loomed so large in your mind you were losing sleep over it. Now, the same problem has very little impact. Little about the circumstance has changed, but the issue has been made very small by the lens of your mind. You will continue to e ectively adjust in ways that provide ease and levity.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Spoil yourself. It will actually make things easier for everyone around you. By giving to yourself, you take the guesswork out of the equations for others. ey see what makes you happy, what you need and prefer, and will follow your lead. Also, the people you meet through these acts of selfcare will be an excellent t.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). When you put yourself out there, get in the running, tell people what you want or give them your heart, there’s always a chance things won’t go your way. e risk makes life exciting. Going big is for the brave, but so is going at all. is week will require you to push through former limitations, and you’ll have courage aplenty.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). When money comes with a price beyond its dollar value, something’s got to be adjusted -- the dollar amount, the accounting or the product being exchanged. What you do to pay the bills needn’t feel so sacri cial. Balance your nancial pursuits with consideration for your personal happiness. Time and relationships matter more.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). e intensely beautiful emotions, for instance a rush of romantic love, tend to be idealized and simpli ed, but would you want it any other way? e complex nature of relationships will get all too real at times. Welcome those simple, blissful moments when they come. Abandon reason and enjoy; you can always go back and pick it up later.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Mutual respect is like a secret handshake between two partners in crime. As those uent in the language of secret handshakes know, it can take trial and error to develop one and a few practice runs to get it right. But having the equivalent of such a tool will de nitely pay o , bringing power and closeness to the relationship.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’ll come across a trend that’s worth following -not because it’s popular but because it will make your life work better. But with so many options, how will you know which one it is? Free trials are the way, but only if you organize yourself in such a way as to actually try things and, if they don’t work, cancel in a timely manner.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). It can seem like compatibility is some mystical state of spiritual and chemical agreement between people, but in actuality it can be rather straightforwardly observed through how well two individuals interact and engage with each other. Matches are there to be found this week in friendship, love, business and more.

THIS WEEK’S BIRTHDAY

Life enrolls you in a kind of strength training, and you become mighty to an extent that brings improvements across the board. You’ll also put your talent to use to help others be their best. More highlights: You will break through an unfair barrier and contribute good work in an area that was historically reserved for the elite. As a result, others like you will contribute and progress in the future. Your popularity soars, and you’ll be pursued by those who hope for close relationships with you.

INTERNATIONAL WORD FIND WORD FIND

Because I’m happy

Solution: 21 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 21 letters left over. They spell out the alternative theme of the puzzle.

Because I’m happy

Adore Aglow Amused As happy as a clam

Chat

Cheery Chirpy

Comfort Content Ecstasy

Energized Fine Friendly Gayety Genial Glad Glee Good mood Grin Heaven High In awe Jolly Joy Lap up Laugh Merry Nice Open Peace Perky Play Radiant Rapture Relaxed Savor Sunny Sweet Thrill Triumph Untroubled

Creators Syndicate 737 3rd Street Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 310-337-7003 info@creators.com © 2024 Australian Word Games Dist. by Creators Syndicate Inc.

Solution: It’s the greatest feeling

Date: 4/17/24

diamonds and shifts to the jack of spades. South sees that the contract is easy to make if the spades are divided 3-2, since he can eventually establish dummy’s diamond queen and his fourth spade to come to 10 tricks. He therefore begins to think in terms of what he might do if the spades turn out to be divided 4-1.

After taking the spade jack with the king, he plays the A-K of trump and then leads the eight of diamonds. West wins with the ace and returns a diamond to the queen, on which South discards a spade. But when declarer next cashes the ace of spades, West shows out, leaving South with the possibility of losing both a spade and a club for down one.

Declarer can, of course, attempt a club finesse, hoping to find East with the king, but this is a bleak prospect, since West is virtually certain to have the king for his opening bid.

Declarer has two main sources of information that can guide him in working out the composition of the unseen hands. One is the bidding, and the other is the plays already made, which nearly always shed valuable light.

Consider this case where South winds up in four hearts after West has opened the bidding with one diamond. West leads the king of

It is this clue, gained from the bidding, that saves the day for declarer. Instead of trying the tempting club finesse, South plays the ace of clubs followed by the queen!

West wins with the king but is stymied. He has no choice but to lead a diamond or a club, and whichever he chooses, South ruffs in dummy and discards his last spade to bring home the contract.

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 Crossword Puzzle

Answer to last issue’s Sudoku Puzzle

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Two Weber Students Clinch Second Place At Long Island History Day Regional Competition

Eighth-grade students Aliyah Brodsky and Sophia Sobel from Weber Middle School have secured second place in the prestigious Long Island History Day Competition, the regional round of the prestigious National History Day® competition. Each year, this competition chooses a theme around which students research topics of their own choosing and present them in a variety of manners. This year’s theme is Turning Points in History.

On Sunday, March 24, Aliyah and Sophia competed against their peers from schools across Long Island in the junior group documentary category. Their documentary, “Legacies of Controversy: Role of Balfour Declaration Influence in Middle Eastern Geopolitical Affairs,” was researched and created independently over the course of three months. The students had the support of Weber Social Studies Chair Thomas Barbara.

In addition to earning second place in their category, the duo’s documentary earned a special award sponsored by the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County.

Their accomplishment at the regional

Port Washington School District’s Music Education Program Receives National Recognition SCHOOL

Port Washington School District has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education for the tenth consecutive year. Now in its 25th year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to school districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement to provide music access and education to all students.

level now propels them forward to the New York State History Day Contest at SUNY Oneonta. There, they will represent Weber Middle School and vie for top honors among other state-level contenders.

The Port Washington School District extends its congratulations to Aliyah Brodsky and Sophia Sobel for their outstanding achievement and wishes them the best as they advance to the next stage of the competition.

—Information from the Port Washington Union Free School District (portnet.org)

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Port Washington answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, and support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

“I am thrilled that the NAMM Foundation has recognized the accomplishments of our music educators and the Port Washington community with this honor for the tenth consecutive year! Our students and families consistently experience a strong, well-rounded musical experience, and this recognition is yet more proof of the success we have had.

Congratulations to all our music educators and thank you to all the people who support our program,” said Kevin Scully, PWSD Director of Creative Arts.

For more information about the Port Washington Union Free School District, please visit the district’s website at www. portnet.org follow our Instagram/Facebook page: @PortWashSchools.

—Submitted by the Port Washington School District

Vikings Baseball Play Baldwin In Two-Game Series

BY COLE MCDONNELL

The Port Washington Vikings faced off against Baldwin Bruins in the first of a twogame series on Monday, April 8. The game ended in a 1-1 tie, neither team was able to bring a runner home more than once due to the excellent pitching on either side.

Senior Hunter Trenaman had an excellent day on the mound. He recorded 14 strikeouts and only allowed two hits. He pitched 8.2 innings. Mike Jazylo struck out six batters and allowed four hits for Baldwin.

Jackson Garcia hit a lead single in the top of the second inning. He stole second and then used a wild pitch to advance to third.

Brayden Corber hit a double in the right field to bring Garcia for the Vikings’ lone run. The Bruins recorded their run later that inning. Both teams would go scoreless the rest of the game.

The next opportunity the Vikings had to score came in the sixth inning. Sophomore Koki Maezawa walked and then stole second. Garcia bunted to get on second, allowing Maezawa to advance to third. Jazylo however struck out Max Spiryda and forced two more flyouts to get Baldwin out of the inning.

The Vikings and Bruins matched up again on Tuesday, April 9 where the Vikings lost 2-1 to Baldwin, leaving the series with a tie and a loss.

Eighth-grade students Aliyah Brodsky and Sophia Sobel (Photo from the Port Washington Union Free School District | portnet.org)

Anthony Iuorio

Hunter Trenamen

Port Washington vs. Baldwin baseball game

Jackson Garcia (Photos by Cole McDonnell)

Autism Acceptance Month Kicks Off At Spectrum Designs

JULIE PRISCO

jprisco@antonmediagroup.com

To celebrate the start of Autism Acceptance Month, Spectrum Designs hosted an open house on Monday, April 1.

Spectrum Designs is a custom apparel and promotional products business based in Port Washington. Spectrum Designs also works to create meaningful and inclusive employment and vocational training opportunities for people in a neurodiverse world.

To highlight the company’s commitment to providing job opportunities for adults on the autism spectrum, Spectrum Designs opened its doors to the community. Spectrum Designs had a record turnout from the community at the open house.

“The incredible support from the community means a great deal to Spectrum Designs. It signifies a shared commitment to inclusion and the value of every individual,” said Co-Founder and CEO Patrick Bardsley. “The choice to be located on Main Street was intentional, to ensure visibility and integration of people with disabilities into the fabric of the community, and that same community has embraced us with open arms.”

According to Spectrum Designs, nearly 85 percent of adults on the autism spectrum are unemployed in the United States. For 13-plus years, Spectrum has been challenging the status quo and emerging as a model for inclusive business practices nationwide. Today, more than half of Spectrum’s 75 employees are on the spectrum.

Spectrum Designs produces thousands of custom designs and branded merchandise for companies such as Google, JP Morgan Chase, and most recently, Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, as well as dozens of local, regional and national organizations of all sizes.

In addition, the open house provided the community with the opportunity to see the Spectrum Designs’ team’s talents and celebrate a record $5.5 million in sales last year.

Spectrum Designs’ open house included Patrick Bardsley, co-founder & CEO; Marissa Borzykowski, Chief of Staff; Tim Howe, chief operating officer; Kelli Fisher, marketing and development specialist and Anne Marie Kelly, Kelli Fisher’s mother.

Former Spectrum Designs employee Joshua Mirsky attended the open house to join for the raising of the neurodiversity flag, which he designed. In May of 2023, Spectrum Designs raised the new neurodiversity flag at their headquarters in Port Washington. Mirsky created the flag to serve as a symbol of acceptance and inclusion for people on the autism spectrum and other neurological differences.

Attendees received an exclusive tour of Spectrum’s facilities, witnessed the talented team in action, and saw the innovative environment where inclusivity and neurodiversity drive success.

There are large screen printing machines, embroidery systems, and heat-transfer presses where the pieces are created. Spectrum Designs offers t-shirts, water bottles, towels, hats, frisbees and anything else a logo can be printed on.

Jobs can range from folding shirts and packaging boxes to coordinating shipments with shipping companies to working the intricate machines to create items. Individuals on the autism spectrum are placed into a job that suits their strengths and abilities.

Along with celebrating Autism Acceptance Month and celebrating Spectrum Designs’ accomplishments, Spectrum unveiled a

rebrand that included a new marketing campaign and TV commercial inspired by Kelli Fisher, a Spectrum Designs employee. According to Spectrum Designs, “Fisher, an employee diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, inspired the campaign and played a key role in developing the campaign materials. She also takes center stage in Spectrum’s forthcoming TV commercial. Like many in her community, Kelli faced difficulties securing employment after graduating from college. Now, Kelli is eager to share her story of empowerment and success.”

“This year marks a pivotal moment for Spectrum Designs as we embark on our “Out of the Box” campaign. This initiative directly confronts the stigma surrounding autism, shedding light on how society tends to generalize individuals on the autism spectrum, overlooking their unique identities,” said Bardsley. “What makes this campaign particularly significant is that it was born out of a group that included neurodiverse minds. By valuing their perspectives and contributions, we’ve created something truly impactful. It serves as a powerful reminder of the potential that lies within each individual, regardless of any preconceived labels or diagnoses.”

“Through this collaborative process, we arrived at our new tagline, “The best things can be done.” This succinct yet powerful phrase encapsulates the ethos of Spectrum Designs, affirming what we’ve believed in for over 13 years,” said Bardsley.

To learn more about Spectrum Designs, visit spectrumdesigns.org

NYIT And Spectrum Designs Comes In First Place At The CREATE Symposium

NYSID (New York State Industries for the Disabled, Inc.), hosted the 2024 CREATE (Cultivating Resources for Employment with Assistive Technology) Symposium on Monday, April 8, in Albany.

At the CREATE Symposium, college engineering students collaborate with rehabilitative support organizations to develop innovations that help those with disabilities succeed in their jobs. College engineering students from around the state demonstrated their inventions.

This year, New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) paired with Spectrum Designs Foundation and won first place in the competition. As first-place winners, NYIT and Spectrum Designs received a price of $15,000, to be split between students, their universities and their rehabilitation organization partners.

A panel of community business leaders evaluated and scored the CREATE projects. This year, eleven inventions from

five colleges and seven NYSID member rehabilitation organizations presented their assistive technology.

NYIT and Spectrum Designs won with their Gamified Silk Screen Cleaner.

According to NYSID, “Spectrum Designs creates custom apparel using different types of methods. One such method is known as screen printing. The task requires a squeegee and a mesh-type screen to imprint various designs onto the clothing, such as an image or a logo. Currently, the employees are manually cleaning the ink application equipment after application using a chemical and a rag. The ink is very messy, gets all over employees and other products, damages clothing, etc. The team is developing a high-technology apparatus allowing Spectrum Designs Foundation employees to clean the tools in a more sanitary manner.”

NYIT also came in second place with AHRC Nassau and the SafeChef Cutlery

NYIT first- and second-place winners (Contributed photo)

System, winning $10,000. For third place, two colleges tied: Cooper Union paired with CP Unlimited for their Be a Companion Automated Wheelchair Locking Device and Otsego BOCES paired with The Arc Otsego for their Automated Crimper. Each pairing won $5,000.

About NYSID NYSID is a not-for-profit business with

a mission of “Advancing employment and other opportunities for individuals with disabilities and qualified veterans.” Its highest priority is improving workforce inclusion and economic security for all, reducing unemployment and strengthening New York State.

For more information, visit www.nysid.org.

—Submitted by NYSID

Spectrum Designs headquarters located at 366 Main St. (Photo from Spectrum Designs)

UPCOMING SHOWS

UPCOMING SHOWS AT THE LANDMARK THEATRE

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

7:30 PM

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

SUNDAY

JUNE 23 3:00 PM

SUNDAY, JUNE 23

7:30 PM

FRIDAY APRIL 26 7:30 PM

7:30 PM

3:00 PM

SUNDAY, JUNE 23

3:00 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 23 7:00 PM

SUNDAY, JUNE 23

7:00 PM

‘;;;;;;; PORT WASHINGTON

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice of formation of Direct Support Marriage and Family Therapy, PLLC. Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 2/12/24. Location: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent for service of process. SSNY shall mail process to: 1 Harbor View Rd. Port Washington, NY 11050. Purpose: Marriage and Family Therapy. 4-17-10-4; 3-27-20-13-20246T-#246502-PORT

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE FOR CIM TRUST 2015-3AG MORTGAGE-BACKED

NOTES, SERIES 20153AG, Plaintiff AGAINST DOUGLAS HUGH SPADARO, CAROLE A. SCHMIDT-SPADARO, ET

AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered July 26, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 24, 2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 49 COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE, PORT WASHINGTON, NY 11050. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Flower Hill, Town of North Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 6, Block 5304, Lot 520. Approximate amount of judgment $310,672.00 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #000881/2017. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction.

Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. John G. Kennedy, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 16-005470 79766 4-17-10-3; 3-27-2024-4T#246810-PORT

NASSAU

pursuant

Judg-

Foreclosure entered in

Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on February 15, 2024, wherein MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC is the Plaintiff and PHILIP M. SHERMAN A/K/A PHILIP SHERMAN, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on May 7, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 87 POND VIEW DRIVE, PORT WASHINGTON, NY 11050; and the following tax map identification: Section 4, Block J, Lot 775, Condo CA0208, Unit 135 A/K/A Section 4, Block J, Lot 775, Unit 208 F/K/A Section 4, Block J, Lot 753, Condo CA0208, Unit 135.

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS THEREIN CONTAINED SITUATE, LYING AND BEING A PART OF THE CONDOMINIUM LOCATED IN THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF PORT WASHINGTON NORTH, TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU, STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 608506/ 2019. Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 4-24-17-10-3-2024-4T#246908-PORT

ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC, -againstPHILIP M. SHERMAN A/K/A PHILIP SHERMAN, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE

LIVING, AND IF HE/SHE BE DEAD, ANY AND ALL PERSONS UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, CLAIMING, OR WHO MAY CLAIM TO HAVE AN INTEREST IN, OR GENERAL OR SPECIFIC LIEN UPON THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THIS ACTION; SUCH UNKNOWN PERSONS BEING HEREIN GENERALLY DESCRIBED AND INTENDED TO BE INCLUDED IN WIFE, WIDOW, HUSBAND, WIDOWER, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DESCENDANTS, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS, AND ASSIGNEES OF SUCH DECEASED, ANY AND ALL PERSONS DERIVING INTEREST IN OR LIEN UPON, OR TITLE TO SAID REAL PROPERTY BY, THROUGH OR UNDER THEM, OR EITHER OF THEM, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE WIVES, WIDOWS, HUSBANDS, WIDOWERS, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DESCENDANTS, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS, AND ASSIGNS, ALL OF WHOM AND WHOSE NAMES, EXCEPT AS STATED, ARE UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON BEHALF OF THE IRS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the Subject Property described in the Complaint, Defendant(s). MORTGAGED PREMISES: 75 Harbor Hills Drive Port Washington, NY 11050 To the Above named

Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Nassau. The basis of the venue des-

LEGAL NOTICES

ignated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises.

TO UNKNOWN HEIRS OF OLGA M GUYER Defendant

In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Jeffrey A. Goodstein of the Supreme Court of The State Of New York, dated the Twenty-sixth day of February, 2024 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, in the City of Mineola. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage upon the premises described below, executed by OLGA M GUYER (who died on December 2, 2022, a resident of the county of Nassau, State of New York) dated the June 21, 2010, to secure the sum of $660,000.00 and recorded at Book 34969, Page 411 in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk, on the July 12, 2010. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed August 17, 2017 and recorded on August 30, 2017, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book 42345, Page 869. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed February 17, 2022 and recorded on February 24, 2022, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book 46374, Page 998; Said mortgage is to be assigned by an Assignment to be recorded in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk. The property in question is described as follows: 75 Harbor Hills Drive, Port Washington, NY 11050 NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: March 15, 2024 Gross Polowy LLC

Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221

The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 80084 4-24-17-10-3-2024-4T#246878-PORT LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURT -

COUNTY OF NASSAU. U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR LEGACY MORTGAGE ASSET TRUST 2021-GS2, Plaintiff -against- DANIEL MONTAIGNE; ALLISON MONTAIGNE, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated March 4, 2024 and entered on March 11, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court “Rain or Shine” located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on May 14, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. premises situate, lying and being at Port Washington, Town of North Hempstead, County of Nassau and state of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the northerly side of Salem Lane, distant 80 feet easterly from the corner formed by the intersection of the northerly side of Salem Lane and the easterly side of Colby Road; being a plot 100 feet by 80 feet by 100 feet by 80 feet. Section: 6 Block: 045 Lots: 44-47

Said premises known as 9 SALEM LANE, PORT WASHINGTON, NY 11050

Approximate amount of lien $1,444,899.26 plus interest & costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 601249/2023.

MARK RICCIARDI, ESQ., Referee Kosterich & Skeete, LLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 707 Westchester Ave, Suite 302, White Plains, NY 10604 5-1; 4-24-17-10-2024-4T#247068-PORT

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that a license, number NA-052424-07978 for liquor has been applied for by Floras Wine Bar LLC to sell liquor at retail in a restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control

Law at 172 Main Street, Port Washington, New York, 11050 in Nassau County for on-premises consumption.

Floras Wine Bar LLC DBA

Flora’s Wine Bar

172 Main Street, Port Washington, New York, 11050 4-17-10-2024-2T-#247207PORT

LEGAL NOTICE

PORT WASHINGTON

UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

100 CAMPUS DRIVE

PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK 11050

ADVERTISEMENT

Board of Education

Port Washington Union Free School District

100 Campus Drive

Port Washington, NY 11050

Sealed proposals for the following will be received by the Board of Education, Port Washington Union Free School District, Administration Building, 100 Campus Drive, Port Washington, New York 11050, until 11:00 A.M., Wednesday May 2nd, 2024, at which time the proposals will be publicly read at The Transportation Office, 52 Campus Drive, Port Washington, New York 11050

Bid # 050224

COACH BUS SERVICES FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR

BID OPENING: May 2nd, 2024 11:00 a.m.

Port Washington UFSD Transportation Office 52 Campus Dr

Port Washington, NY 11050

The specifications and other contract documents may be secured on or after Wednesday April 17, 2024, at the Transportation office between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M.

The Board of Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids or to accept any which in the opinion of the Board will be in the best interest of the school district.

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Port Washington Union Free School District

By: Robin Moura

Director of Transportation

4-17-2024-1T-#247270PORT

LEGAL NOTICE

ADVERTISEMENT Board of Education Port Washington Union Free School District 100 Campus Drive Port Washington, NY 11050

Seaed proposals for the following will be received by the Board of Education, Port Washington Union Free School District, Administration Building, 100 Campus Drive, Port Washington, New York 11050, until 11:00 A.M., Wednesday May 1st, 2024, at which time the proposals will be publicly read at The Transportation Office, 52 Campus Drive, Port Washington, New York 11050

Washington UFSD Transportation Office 52 Campus Dr

Port Washington, NY 11050

The specifications and other contract documents may be secured on or after Wednesday April 17, 2024 at the Transportation office between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M.

The Board of Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids or to accept any which in the opinion of the Board will be in the best interest of the school district.

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Port Washington Union Free School District

By: Robin Moura

Director of Transportation 4-17-2024-1T-#247271PORT

Nominations Now Open For Town’s 2024 Women’s Roll Of Honor Ceremony

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and Town Clerk Ragini Srivastava are proud to announce that the 31st Annual May W. Newburger Women’s Roll of Honor will be held on Tuesday, June 18, at the Clubhouse at Harbor Links in Port Washington. Supervisor DeSena and Town Clerk Srivastava are calling for nominations for the 2024 Women’s Roll of Honor from now until May 10th.

“We’re thrilled to continue the 31-year tradition of honoring the incredible women in our Town with this year’s June event,” Supervisor DeSena said. “Our Town is so fortunate to have an abundance of outstanding women who exemplify the strength and service it takes to be a community leader. This helps shine a light on these amazing and selfless women.”

Town Clerk Ragini Srivastava added, “I urge our residents to please nominate an outstanding woman from their own communities for the Women’s Roll of Honor.

This is really a unique opportunity to recognize someone who has significantly contributed to community betterment and it inspires others to get involved and do the same.”

This event was founded decades ago in 1994 by the late Supervisor May Newburger, who was the first female Supervisor for the Town of North Hempstead. Supervisor Newburger was an avid champion for women’s rights, and a courageous and forward-thinking leader always looking for innovative ways to make the community better for our residents.

The breakfast and ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June 18, at the Clubhouse at Harbor Links in Port Washington, located at 1 Fairway Dr., Port Washington. Guest reservations will be accepted starting May 20, 2024 through June 7, 2024.

The Women’s Roll of Honor history, photos, videos, news releases, and past honorees can be found on the TONH website, www. northhempsteadny.gov under the

Women’s

Town Clerk’s Office. Please visit www.northhempsteadny.gov/ Roll-of-Honor for the nomination form. For event information and nominee submissions write to, Office of the Town Clerk at: WROH@ northhempsteadny.gov or call 311 or 516-869-6311.

—Submitted by the Town of North Hempstead

Town Honors Local Regeneron Students

A remarkable 22 North Hempstead high school seniors were named winners in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science research competition for high school students. The students were recognized by Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board with proclamations in a special ceremony during the Town Board meeting on April 2.

Winners were named from a number of local high schools, including:

William A. Shine Great Neck South High School:

• Tiffany Zhang

• Alexander Xu

• Maggie Wu

• Helen Tang

• Brian Liu

• Brandon Kim

• Luke Huang

Paul D. Schreiber High School:

• Hannah Rosenberg

• Harrison Roth

• Sadie Muller

• Tej Parekh

• Benjamin Gordon

Roslyn High School:

• Shayla Zheng

• Cayden Shen

• Jacob Gross

Herricks High School:

• Kishan Shanmugananthan

• Heemali Patel

• Rebecca Bover

• Hiuyi Cheng

Manhasset High School:

• Jack Voelker

Mineola High School:

• Luigi Sartori

• Samantha Stewart

—Submitted by the Town of North Hempstead

Solar Eclipse Watch Party

On Monday, April 8, the Yes We Can Community Center in Westbury hosted a Solar Eclipse Watch Party for the children in their after school program. (Photo and information from the Yes We Can Community Center Facebook)

Town Reminds Residents Of Trap-Neuter-Return Program

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board are reminding residents of a free Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program for feral cats offered by the Town’s Animal Shelter. TNR helps the community by stabilizing and eventually reducing the feral cat population and preventing the potential spread of disease.

Working with Helping PAW, a not-for-profit organization, humane traps are provided to town residents. The cats are then spayed or neutered and vaccinated at an on-site mobile hospital. After recovery, the treated cats are returned to their original colony. Currently, a number of spay/neuter clinics are already scheduled. Studies show that TNR effectively manages cat overpopulation by ending the breeding cycle

and is one of the most humane approaches to the issue. It means fewer calls to animal services, fewer kittens at risk, and fewer diseases associated with their reproduction, like cancer.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) endorses Trap-Neuter-Return as a proven method to managing community cat colonies. These programs are successfully practiced in communities across the country, in urban and suburban settings alike. The efforts are widely regarded for improving the lives of feral cats while also improving their relationships with the people who live near them.

For more information about the Town’s TNR program, residents can call 516-869-6311 or 311.

—Submitted by the Town of North Hempstead

Roll of Honor plaque (Contributed photo)

Members of the North Hempstead Town Board pictured with some of the town’s Regeneron-winning students. (Contributed photo)

BY CORY OLSEN

On April 27th, Gogol Bordello, along with some of the legends of New York Hardcore music such as Madball and Murphy’s Law, will be uniting in Tompkins Square Park to raise funds to help Jesse Malin, longtime friend and “keystone figure” of the New York Hardcore scene. Malin, frontman for the seminal hardcore band Heart Attack as well as D Generation, suffered a rare spinal stroke leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

For those unfamiliar with Gogol Bordello, the band formed in 1999 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Having emerged from New York’s Punk and Hardcore scene, they’ve brought that drive and energy and blended it with styles from around the globe. With its strong Ukrainian influences, the mix of accordion and violin give the raw sound a strong dose of folk flavor. In over two decades of touring they have amassed a fan base that spans the world.

The uniquely blended sound of Gogol Bordello is due in no small part to the background of frontman and founding member Eugene Hütz, a Ukrainian immigrant. “I arrived in 1990 to New York and then was shipped to Vermont, where my refugee program was, which turned out to be a great, American, artist-spirited town. The mayor was Bernie Sanders at the time, and his wife, Jane Sanders, they established this teen center, which became a home for hundreds of hardcore shows,” Hütz said.

The significance of these shows at the teen center played a key role in Hütz’s future. “I was an immigrant kid with no place to go essentially, and going to the shows with not only American kids, but a large number of kids from Indonesia and Philippines and from Czech Republic, and Poland were also gathering at these shows, you know, all wearing Dr. Martens and flight jackets and tee shirts, it was kind of a sanctuary. People have a misconception that, when you’re an immigrant, you’re part of this immigrant community, and in a way you are, but if you’re an immigrant punk rocker that’s

Ukrainian Rocker Talks

Fundraising For Friends, 25 Years Of Touring

very different. Immigrant communities are already kind of on the fringe, but immigrant punk, then you’re on the fringe of the immigrant community too.”

In addition to finding a sanctuary, Hütz began making some of the connections that would shape the future for him and his band. After leaving Vermont, Hütz moved to New York and continued to be heavily involved in the Hardcore scene. By 1999, Gogol Bordello had formed and released their first single. The band has seen an eclectic mix of musicians from around globe and people from the local scene.

One of the most pronounced influences in Gogol Bordello’s music is an eastern European sound. “Even in my early hardcore bands that I was in Vermont, there was an

element of that, and actually, it was a pretty pronounced element, but it became more so. The longer I was away from the homeland the more I think subconsciously I was missing that,” Hütz said.

Rhythms and melodies from around the world can also be heard. “We’re the kind of band that thrives on building bridges, and exploring other cultures. Going to punk and hardcore shows was a kind of adventure. Beside hearing mind-blowing, adventurous music, you also were constantly meeting mind-blowing characters. That kind of open-minded cultural environment helped me to form Gogol Bordello. We’ve had members from all of the continents at this point.”

Given Gogol Bordello’s deep roots and

Gogol Bordello to play free benefit in Tompkins Square Park

long-term connection with the hardcore scene in New York, it’s not hard to understand their desire to support other members of that community. “The hardcore community has been absolutely instrumental for me and for Gogol Bordello. It made me feel at home here when I first immigrated. This community, this hardcore scene, has that unifying quality, this kind of special kind of force. This is a community of musicians that have that kind of a communal rescue response. So, when one of my favorite front men of all times and a friend, Jimmy G from Murphy’s Law, asked us to play, the answer was of course, yes.”

More information about the Jesse Malin benefit can be found at https://www. sweetrelief.org/jessemalinnyc.html .

WHERE THE STARS ARE STALLERCENTER FOR THE ARTS

Gogol Bordello is Leo Mintek, Eugene Hütz, Korey Kingston, Pedro Erazo, Gil Alexandre, Sergey Ryabtsev and Erica Mencini.

(Photo by Alison Clarke/Cliqmo)

Patti LuPone

Renée Elise Goldsberry Itzhak Perlman Wanda Sykes Encanto Broadway Broadway Classical Comedy Family

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