By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
Courtesy Ellen Algunick
At Congregation Beth Ohr, the Hebrew school underwent many changes in the last couple of years, thanks to Ellen Algunick, the director of congregational learning. Now students, like the ones above, can opt to take electives, such as cooking.
Over the past two years, the Hebrew school at Congregation Beth Ohr, in Bellmore, has undergone some extensive changes in both its curriculum and physical appearance.
The lively conservative synagogue, which merged with Temple Israel of South Merrick in 2019, now serves around 60 students in its school, and offers a fun, unique and experiential approach to Jewish learning, thanks to the efforts of Ellen Algunick, Beth Ohr’s director of congregational learning and programming.
Algunick arrived at Beth Ohr two years ago from the Boston area, where she built her career in education. After initially working in
a public school setting, she took some time off to raise her children. Everything after that, she said, was in a Jewish setting. Before moving to Long Island, she finished her time in Massachusetts as principal of a Jewish school.
“It was rough being a school principal during the pandemic,” Algunick said. “Some factors in my life had changed, and I felt I didn’t need to be in Boston anymore. Two of my three kids were here in New York, so I started looking for jobs here — and I found this job, which sounded perfect for a semiretired school principal.”
Algunick began her role in person in August 2021. “When I walked in, I saw a Hebrew school that looked like the Hebrew
Balloon Mission, a nonprofit that was founded — and took off — last December, has made waves in the immediate community, and beyond. Its founder, Cynthia Seibold, wants people to realize that the simple act of releasing a balloon into the sky, or throwing them in the trash after they’ve been used at a party, can be detrimental to the environment and many animals.
“They’re always going to be a plastic,” Seibold said of balloons. “They break down into micro and nanoplastics. The science is there.”
Full balloons — either foil or latex — as well as shreds of them, and their strings, impact trees and plants, and of course, wildlife, which may mistake balloon pieces for food.
From the start, Seibold emphasized that she is not “antiballoon.” Rather, she wants to make people aware of alternatives to balloons, such as bubbles
or burning sage, and to reiterate that if people want to use balloons, they should dispose of them responsibly.
“One of the things that we’re really pushing and raising awareness on is that balloon releases are a problem out in the environment,” she said. “Part of the message that we’re trying to get out is — listen, there are cool alternative to balloon releases.”
WSince January, Balloon Mission has collected 16,387 balloons. Eager partners have included the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, as well as the North Merrick School District. Shore Road Elementary School in Bellmore will be joining the efforts, and Seibold said they’re looking forward to working with even more schools come September.
It’s not just Nassau County communities that are hopping on the trend of recycling balloons. Seibold said in April, Balloon Mission worked with the Town of Babylon at its Earth
4
e want to make it convenient and as easy as possible.
CYNThiA SEiBolD founder, Balloon Mission
school I went to,” she said, “but I saw a lot of potential, because that’s what I like to do. I like to fix and build.”
At Beth Ohr, Algunick is in charge of all learning. But in her first few years, her focus has been on revitalizing and expanding the Hebrew school.
“I’ve expanded the program,” she explained. “Last year, we added a kindergarten component, and this year we’re adding an early childhood class for kids ages 3 to 5.”
The younger students meet for class on Sundays, and Grade 7 meets on Wednesday.
When Algunick first arrived at Beth Ohr, there was no curriculum system in place, so she implemented one with the company Shalom Learning. “The program can actually lend itself to being an online program or be an in-person program, and there’s components to both,” she said. “I felt like an out-of-the-box curriculum, at this point, was something that we needed just to get ourselves going.”
Algunick also piloted an online-only option for some students. She understood that kids have other commitments beyond Hebrew school, like sports or extracurricular activities.
“I was trying to meet families where they are,” she said. “I want to say we had maybe 10 kids participate in the program at that time, and it was successful. I was afraid of kids losing out.
“I have lofty goals, even though we’re only here four hours a week,” she added. “I really wanted to make sure that kids are getting the most out of their time. I wanted to focus on flexible scheduling so kids wouldn’t be missing so much. And I wanted to make it more fun for our kids — frontal learning doesn’t work anymore, so I really wanted to have kids have an opportunity to have things be more experiential.”
With Shalom Learning serving as the backbone of Beth Ohr’s new curriculum, the school also began offer-
ing electives, in subjects many might not expect at a Hebrew school. Students were presented several options, including everything from cooking to yoga to filmmaking.
“I wanted them to come to school,” Algunick said, “and I wanted them to want to be here.”
During the first half hour of Hebrew School, the students are all together in prayer. In the second half hour, they’re in their homerooms with other students their age, learning what’s in the curriculum for that week. And in their last hour of the day, the students are either learning Hebrew or attending their elective.
Whatever they learn in the curriculum gets embedded
into the electives. Electives change twice a year, and Algunick encourages students to pick different ones.
Using the cooking elective as an example, she said, “If they were learning about Hanukkah, they’d be making latkes, or if it was Purim, they’d maybe make hamantash.”
And technology improvements in classrooms have made learning easier and more fun. “The synagogue actually installed screens in every classroom,” Algunick said. “They invested in Chromebooks for us. We also do other hands-on things, Legos and things like that. I’m really trying to make it more 21st-century learning.”
“The synagogue has embraced the changed in our Hebrew school wholeheartedly,” Joseph Weisbord, president of Congregation Beth Ohr, said. “We’re thrilled to see our students thriving and enjoying their time here.
“As a grandparent, when I pick up my grandsons, I am able to see firsthand how excited all of the students are about their experiences,” Weisbord added.
Algunick also helped changed the look of the classrooms — the walls and flooring are now brighter, and new furniture makes the space more flexible. There are now white erasable board tables that can be drawn on, and beanbags and fun stools replaced some traditional desks and seating.
“It’s lighter and brighter, and again, much more 21st century,” she said. “One size doesn’t fit all, so flexible seating is really important. I’m really excited about it, because it will get rid of that whole frontal learning mindset. Everything will be much more collaborative.”
The Hebrew’s school new methods make kids want to come back, Algunick said, and want to learn. Once they graduate, they’re encouraged to stop by, help out, and meet the next generation of students.
“My goal is that I want our kids to just love being Jewish,” she said, “and to find their Jewish identity here.”
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
Long Island’s best known film festival, the Long Island International Film Expo, opened for its 26th year on July 19 at the historic Bellmore Movies. For over two decades, the expo — often referred to as LIIFE — has long united filmmakers, producers, actors, actresses, and moviegoers, right in the heart of Nassau County.
Debra Markowitz, president of the Long Island Film & TV Foundation, cocreated LIIFE with Henry and Anne Stampfel, owners of the Bellmore Movies. The single screen cinema first opened in 1915. For the past 15 years — with the exception of 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic — Bellmore Movies has been the festival’s home.
At an opening news conference last week in the Exempt Hall of the Bellmore Fire Department, located directly next to the Bellmore Movies, Long Island Film & TV Foundation board members joined filmmakers, elected officials and dozens of other people who make LIIFE possible year after year.
“I want to thank all the filmmakers,” Markowitz said, “for making LLIFE the filmmakers’ playground that it is.”
Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips attended the opening ceremony, in place of County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who was unable to attend. She said its economic generators like the film expo that make other things possible across Nassau.
“You are an economic generator,” she said. “And my job is to make sure that we generate the tax dollars that we need to run this county, that we support all
aspects of this county.
“We have the best entertainment industry — and thanks to all the filmmakers here for making that true,” Phillips added. “County Executive Blakeman uses a little phrase — he says ‘Nassau is back, and Nassau is open.’ It’s events like you’re having here that really epitomize what it means that Nassau County is open.”
Sheldon Shrenkel, the CEO and Executive Director of the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency, said the IDA has been a longtime supporter of LIIFE.
“When people think of the film industry, what they think about is New York City and Hollywood,” he said. “Well, they’re wrong. Because right here in Nassau County, we have one of the best film industries and it’s here to stay.”
Shrekel said Nassau’s film industry boasts two studios, Gold Coast and Grumman, and supports more than 70,000 jobs.
“Debra, we thank you for everything you’ve done,” he said, addressing Markowitz. “We wish you continued success.”
Bill Blaney’s film “The Three Phases of Fern” premiered on July 19. What made his film unique, is that it was actually first recorded 37 years ago — and had never been screened before.
“It’s kind of a time capsule,” Blaney said. “It’s so great just to have the opportunity to show something. I’m just so happy to be here, and be able to bring this to you folks, and see what else the festival has to offer.”
Michael Ian Cohen’s film “Humanity Stoked” premiered on July 20.
“It’s a feature length documentary with a cast of 70 of the world’s most iconic professional skateboarders, scientists, musicians, activists, educators, all of whom share a love of skateboarding,” he said. “But the film is about nine or ten
key issues that affect humanity’s ability to move forward together from our understanding of fear and how that affects us, to issues of inequality, injustice, depression, addiction, environmental issues and even what we’re teaching our children. It’s a very inspiring film.”
LIIFE closed on July 23, but Markowitz reminded everyone that its sister festival, “Scared for Your LIIFE,” revolving around all things horror, will return for its 7th year on October 21. For more, visit FilmFreeway.com/ScaredForYourLIIFE.
Day celebration.
“The Town of Babylon has just been incredible,” Seibold said. “They’re taking Balloon Mission out on their own outreach programs. They have put balloon bin stickers on their own recycling bins, and through their outreach programs, we have had schools call us and say hey, ‘We want to be part of the mission and collect balloons.’”
Balloon Mission partnered with the Jones Beach Energy & Nature Center on June 17.
“It was Bubbles over Balloons,” Seibold said.
“So you know, instead of doing intentional balloon releases, for celebrations or in remembrance ceremonies, we blow bubbles instead.”
Aside from the Nature Center, Balloon Mission is also working with the Ocean Conservancy International Coastal Cleanup and the New York Marine Rescue Center.
And perhaps the best thing to come out of Balloon Mission thus far is the nonprofit’s partnership with ACDS, which previously stood for the Association for Children with Down Syndrome. Because the scope of the services the association offers has expanded, ACDS is now known simply by its acronym.
“It’s just been incredible,” Seibold said of the ACDS partnership. “At Balloon Mission, we support inclusion and diversity with our network partners here at ACDS. The smiles on their faces — there’s such a sense of pride and value that they have through this collection program.
“We really want to acknowledge and recognize their efforts here,” she added. “It shows that everyone can make an impact when it comes to saving the environment, saving wildlife.”
Jane Cohen, the supervisor of day habilitation services at ACDS, told the Herald that it has always offered volunteers to various environmental organizations. Its volunteers’ work with Balloon Mission is very beneficial to them.
“Volunteers can work on their office skills and note-taking, so they can feel like they’ve accomplished something,” she told the Herald last year. “It’s very
rewarding for our individuals.”
Seibold said Balloon Mission has collected more latex balloons and pieces than foil. “It’s not just full balloons we collect,” she said. “It’s balloon pieces. So we’re collecting and counting every piece.”
What Balloon Mission really strives to do is simple: create awareness.
“This is a new shift — this is new information,” she said. “Some people say, ‘Now that I know this, I’m not using balloons ever again.’ There are other people in the middle of the road, who are saying, ‘Listen, I get what you’re saying — I still love balloons, and I’m still going to use them. But now I know that there’s a place where I could send them, that there are places that take the balloons.’ We want to make it convenient and as easy as possible.”
To learn more about everything Balloon Mission is doing, visit BalloonMission.org, or contact info@balloonmission. or.
Since January, Balloon mission has collected 16,387 balloons.
Volunteers participated in a beach cleanup at Lido town park, left. they collected 22 balloon pieces and ribbons.
the association for Children with down Syndrome picked up balloon bins for delivery to the merrick Woods day Camp, above left. aCdS pledges to release bubbles, and not balloons, with stickers funded by the national oceanic and atmospheric administration’s marine debris program.
State Sen. Steve Rhoads and County Legislator Michael Giangregorio joined forces with the Nassau County Office of Crime Victim Advocate, Family & Children’s Association, and Nassau County Police Department on June 11 at the Merrick Library to host a Scam Prevention Seminar to help protect and educate our Long Island neighbors about current scam trends and insights.
To a packed-crowd, the presenters covered numerous topics including artificial intelligence, grandparent scams, romance scams, home improvement scams, phone scams, email scams, IRS scams, treasury scams, and telemarketing scams. This valuable seminar explained what scams you need to be aware of, how to identify a scam, how to report and recover form a scam, and how to prevent yourself from becoming the victim of identity theft.
Rhoads has been an advocate for seniors and residents who have fallen victim to crimes and scams. In response to the disastrous cashless bail laws, when Senator Rhoads was in the Nassau County Legislature, he created the Office of Crime Victim Advocate to provide a safe place for Long Islanders to contact whenever they are in a time of need and to ensure that victims of crime and witnesses to crime in Nassau County are afforded all the legal rights, protections, and assistance they are entitled to under the law.
In past few years, scams and identity theft have become more common across
Long Island and even the entire Country. According to the FTC, consumers throughout the Country have lost nearly $8.8 billion due to scams and fraud in 2022, a 30 percent increase from 2021. Rhoads continues to be at the forefront of scam prevention and protecting hardworking residents—that’s why he hosted this Scam Prevention Seminar to give residents the tools necessary to prevent themselves from becoming a victim of scams and identity theft.
Rhoads has also led the charge in Albany to support law enforcement with the necessary tools to stay one-step ahead of
these callous criminals and has been outspoken about repealing the cashless bail laws that have made our community less safe and emboldened scammers and criminals.
Given the positive feedback from this seminar, Rhoads plans to host more Scam Prevention Seminars in the near future to give more people the opportunity to protect themselves against scams and identity fraud. Everyone is encouraged to attend these upcoming seminars and learn about the vital information and resources available.
“In recent years, scams have been on a
sharp rise, that’s why it was extremely important to host this seminar where residents can learn to protect themselves and help protect others during possible scams,” Rhoads said. “Educating yourself is the first action everyone should take when it comes to protecting themselves from becoming a victim. Scammers are only getting smarter, more emboldened, and more advanced so I encourage everyone to attend our upcoming Scam Prevention Seminars so the word can get around surrounding scams and identity theft. I was glad to see the great attendance we had at our first seminar and I hope to see more residents at future seminars.”
“We have been seeing an unprecedented uptick in scam complaints, and scammers are getting more brazen and creative in their attempts to gain personal details to steal your identity or your money,” Giangregorio said. “I am pleased to have teamed up with Senator Rhoads, Nassau County Office of Crime Victim Advocate, the Nassau County Police Department and Family and Children’s Association to host a seminar educating our residents of the red flags of scams and steps to take if you think you have been a victim of scam.”
For information on upcoming seminars, contact Rhoads’ District Office at (516) 882-0630 to get the details about coming seminars.
–Jordan ValloneAbout one-third of Americans 60 and older take multivitamins. Perhaps the remaining twothirds should as well. According to a major new study, the second of its kind to reach the same conclusion, taking multivitamins over age sixty delays the onset of memory loss by about 3 years.
The study used a commonly available multivitamin, Centrum Silver, which contains vitamins D, A, B12, thiamine, riboflavin, manganese and other substances, although it was noted that any high-quality multivitamin would do just as well.
A Washington Post article (5/24/23) about these findings quotes JoAnn Manson of Harvard Medical School “Older adults are very concerned about preserving cognition and memory, so this is a very important finding. They are looking for safe and effective prevention strategies. The fact that two separate studies came to similar conclusions is remarkable.”
Other experts cited were Andrew Budson, Professor of Neurology at Boston University “This study is groundbreaking. Low levels of
vitamins B1 -- also known as thiamine -- B12 and D are associated with cognitive decline. That a simple multivitamin can slow cognitive decline while they are aging normally is quite exciting, as it is something almost everyone can do.”
The reasons that multivitamin “therapy” is so effective is explained by Paul E. Schultz, Professor Neurology at McGovern Medical School, Houston -- the brain requires a lot of vitamins and minerals to function properly. While the goal is to maintain nutrition through a healthy and balanced diet, as we age our bodies may be unable to absorb sufficient levels of the essential elements. In addition, some medications interfere with the absorption of nutrients. Schulz states “Think of a complicated engine that requires lots of specialty parts and needs them all. We regularly see people who are deficient in nutrients come in with cognitive impairment.”
If you are on medications, it is recommended that you consult your doctor before you try a supplement, as some vitamins may interfere with those medications.
the New York State Public High School Athletic Association is going from a five-classification format to six classifications in seven different sports – boys and girls soccer, boys and girls basketball, girls volleyball, baseball and softball – beginning this upcoming school year.
For Nassau and Suffolk County, it means more county champions, more Long Island championship games and more teams competing in state tournaments in those sports. The NYSPHSAA, which last summer voted to approve the new classifications, wanted to create approximate equal numbers across the state in each enrollment classification.
“Every section in the state is different, but for us in what used to be Class A we had more than 30 schools competing for one championship,” Section VIII athletics executive director Pat Pizzarelli said. “Now within that same group there’s an extra opportunity to win a championship.”
For example, Nassau boys and girls basketball had 58 schools compete in the 2022-23 campaign; 15 in Class AA, 34 in Class A and nine in Class B. This coming season, there will be 12 in Class AAA, 24 in Class AA, 17 in Class A, and four in Class B.
Among the second-tiered teams for boys and girls basketball (Class AA) will be Calhoun, Carey, East Meadow (down from the largest grouping), Elmont, Hewlett, Kennedy, Long Beach, MacArthur, Sewanhaka, South Side and Valley Stream Central. Class AA is for schools with an incoming enrollment (grades nine through 11) between 692 and 1,104 for boys, and between 699 and 1,112 for girls. The new Class A numbers are 391691 for boys, and 397-698 for girls.
“With the exception of Floral Park, the new AA schools on the boys side have had the Class A champ for the last 25 years,” said South Side’s Jerry D’Angelo, head coach of the reigning Nassau and Long Island Class A boys’ basketball champions. “So the new setup will give us two county champions among the 41 teams in AA and A.”
Suffolk had 59 boys and girls basketball programs this past winter with 25 competing in Class AA, 22 in Class A and four in Class B. For 2023-24, there would be 18 in Class AAA, 18 in Class AA and 13 in Class A.
Across the board, much of the largest group landscape in Nassau County remains unchanged with many of the fixtures like Baldwin, Farmingdale, Freeport, Massapequa, Plainview, Syosset and Uniondale will vie for a title. However, East Meadow and Valley Stream Central are two schools with dif-
as part
ference classifications based on sport. The Jets remained in AAA in soccer, baseball and softball but dropped to the second largest classification for hoops. The Eagles have an identical setup under the new breakdown but competed in Class A for basketball in recent seasons.
The classification numbers between basketball and soccer are slightly different. For soccer, Class AAA starts at 1,082 students and up on the girls side and 1,090 on the boys side. Softball and baseball breakdowns are closer to soccer than they are basketball, but are all within a range of less than 30.
One minor negative is Nassau and Suffolk will take on an extra expense of securing more postseason venues for some semifinals and finals, and the cost of sending more teams to state competitions.
“It’ll cost a little more money come tournament time with extra playoff games,” Pizzarelli said.
Nassau County softball coordinator Rachel Barry, who coaches Clarke, said the plan at this time is to stick with ability-based conferences during the regular season. “The playoffs will look pretty similar with some smaller brackets,” Barry said. “The extra classification balances our section a little bit better by spreading out the single A schools.
“Suffolk hosts next year’s Long Island championships, so it’s up to them to figure out locations,” she added. “As far as the state championships, softball isn’t going to be impacted as much since we no longer play the semis and finals on the same day. Adding another classification only adds three games to the mix.”
Participating in her second Women’s World Cup, Crystal Dunn is living by a simple philosophy: Embrace the moment.
“The question that many of us who have played in the World Cup get is: ‘Oh, it must be easy now’. I’m like, ‘No, it’s not easy now,’ because each World Cup is different,” she said.
This World Cup is different for the Rockville Centre native because Dunn is a mother for the first time. She has brought her 15-month-old son Marcel to New Zealand for the tournament.
“I took a massive amount of time off last year,” she said. “So everything, every moment that led to this moment is so different. It’s a different journey that I didn’t expect to be on. My message to players in their first World Cup is really just embrace it. It’s going to be wild. It’s going to be crazy. There’s going to be moments where you’re like, ‘Oh, my gosh, what did I sign up for?’ But that’s the beauty in it.”
The left back was a member of the 2019 U.S. team that won its second consecutive world championship in France in 2019. The Americans are vying to become the first team — men or women — to capture three successive World Cups.
“We remember that as the last team standing up, you realize that it was also worth it,” she said. “My message to everybody is play with a little bit of noise. It’s not something that you take for granted at all. People are on their fourth World Cup. People are in their first. You just have to embrace it and take that moment
and just smile and laugh with everybody along the way.”
Dunn and her U.S. Women’s National Team teammates got off to a solid start in this year’s tournament, recording a 3-0 win over Vietnam in their opener in Auckland, New Zealand last Saturday. The former South Side High School standout played 84 minutes before she was replaced by Kelly O’Hara. The Americans’ next Group E game is against the Netherlands this Wednesday at 9 p.m. (Fox, Telemundo, Universo and Peacock). They close out group play against Portugal on Aug. 1 at 3 a.m. (same channels.)
Only nine members of the current 23-player U.S. roster competed in France, so the 31-year-old Dunn is one of the team’s most experienced players.
“I find myself in a new role, being more of a veteran player, a leader on this team,” she said, lamenting that team captain and center back Becky Sauerbrunn couldn’t play due to a leg injury. “Becky is a massive loss for us. She is somebody whose impact is felt not only on the field but off the field.
“We’re ruthless,” Dunn continued. “As a backline that’s how we’ve always trained. Becky has been someone who set the tone and the standard for that. Without her being here, we have to be even more collective and relentless in our defending.”
Rockville Centre native Crystal Dunn played 84 minutes in a 3-0 victory for U.S. over Vietnam in last Saturday’s World Cup opener.
Courtesy Marco Rosa
Former Seaford resident Marie Therese Buley died on July 1 at the age of 90.
Born in New York City to Alice and Harold Dwyer, Buley was raised in Baldwin with her two siblings, Virginia and Jack.
A graduate of Baldwin High School, Buley attended the University of Rochester, where she met her husband, Dale, at freshman orientation. Soon after receiving her bachelor’s degree in nursing and passing the board exam to become a registered nurse, the couple was married in Garden City in 1955.
Marie and Dale then settled in Seaford, where they raised their four children. Their daughter, Anne Buley-Whitman, recalls growing up in a warm, loving, and full household, thanks to Marie.
“She loved, loved, loved to have family gatherings and always having a house full,” Anne said. “She would always, basically, fall all over herself to make everybody happy.”
Buley first worked as a nurse at Freeport’s Lydia Hall Hospital before serving as a director and auditor of ethical healthcare practices at Island Peer Review Organization.
Anne remembers her mother’s compassion and devotion — to her work, her family, and her commu-
nity — very well.
“She really dedicated her life to everybody else,” Anne, said. “I really can’t think of anything that she did for herself.”
Buley was very involved in Seaford’s PTA when her children were young, even serving as PTA president at the former Seaford Avenue School for a period of time. Later on, after Anne had children of her own, Marie and Dale were involved in Seaford’s Lions Club, where Marie was one of the first women members.
After living in Seaford for nearly 50 years, Marie and Dale retired to Ocean Pines, Maryland, where Marie continued to be active in organizations such as the Visiting Nurses Association and the Red Hat Society, an international social organization.
When asked what she’ll remember the most about her mother, Anne didn’t hesitate, quickly recalling Marie’s attitude and teachings.
“Her positivity and enthusiasm for life,” Anne said. “You always needed to pick yourself up and brush yourself off and keep going. And … there was always a positive side to every situation.”
Marie is survived by her husband, her four children Virginia Gore, James Buley, Marie Hurst, and Anne Whitman, her 14 grandchildren, and her eight great-grandchildren.
A private family burial ceremony was celebrated at Calverton National Cemetery earlier in July.
Learning doesn’t have to end at a certain age—it can be a lifelong pursuit. Molloy University empowers learners of all ages by offering high-quality, flexible and adaptable programs to serve and meet the needs of Long Islanders through two outstanding programs: The Molloy Institute for Lifelong Learning (MILL) which was established in 1992 and the new Sister Mary Celeste Lecture Series. In both programs you learn for the fun of learning in a relaxed environment without assignments, exams or grades.
The MILL program is a membership-based program. Most members are retirees, however, not everyone is retired, nor is this a requisite for membership. All ages are welcome, men and women, singles or couples, as long as there is a willingness to participate in learning and to maintain a rigorous mind. The programs meet in-person one day week during the day: Tuesdays or Fridays in Rockville Centre and Wednesdays in Amityville. Membership is valid from September 1 to August 31 each year and lectures usually start mid-September and runs until mid-June.
The Sister Mary Celeste Lecture Series offers individual courses in a variety of areas, offered in-person during the day for one or more sessions in Rockville Centre. Topics may include, current events, music, art, literature, history, finance, heath, philosophy, technology and more. Whether you’re interested in dabbling in a new hobby or just trying to keep up with technology, there’s a class out there for you.
Find out more at our virtual Open House on Tuesday, September 12th at 10 a.m. For more information contact us at: 516.323.3940 | jprasad@molloy.edu | www.molloy.edu/ce to
It’s been a busy couple weeks for the Garden at St. Francis in North Bellmore.
Throughout the spring nd into the beginning of summer, garden volunteers led by Kristin Talbot, the garden’s manager, have been hard at work preparing the bustling hidden farm behind the unsuspecting church for its first farm stand of the season.
The garden celebrated Pollinator Day on June 24, by hosting activities all day long that reflected the mission of the garden and its outreach efforts.
Pollinator Day is part of the more expansive Pollinator Week, celebrated annually during the last full week of June. It raises awareness for pollinators and spreads the word about what people can do to protect them, and how pollinators contribute to a healthy ecosystem.
Talbot introduced the celebration to the garden last year, and its been in full bloom ever since.
“Pollinator Partnership is a national organization, built by people who are trying to spread resources and knowledge about pollinators, to people who are just living in their neighborhoods that are interested in protecting pollinators, farmers like us, (and) people who are turning to land management and have acres and acres in preservation,” Talbot explained last year. “They’re a really great resource.”
At this year’s celebration, volunteers and attendees helped THRIVE Long Island, a recovery community and outreach center plant a recovery garden. THRIVE also hosted a free NARCAN training.
Tours of the garden’s new memorial garden, designed by intern Lily Yepez and Girl Scout Julia Amon, were also held. And it wouldn’t have been Pollinator Day without talks of pollinators — there were plenty of classes during the day revolving around pollinator health, as well as a question-and-answer session with the garden’s beekeeper.
Vegetables were harvested for the first farm stand which took place the following day on June 25.
Though the Garden at St. Francis is affiliated with the Episcopal Ministries of Long Island, it is open to everyone, regardless of age, background, ability or religious affiliation.
“But even if you are not a Christian,” the church’s spiritual leader the Rev. Grace Flint said during her homily on June 24, “or if you are a person of no faith at all, I believe we can all agree on this quote from a prayer: ‘our common life depends on each other’s toil.’
“We have a responsibility, to our families, friends, and neighbors, and to those who come after us, who will inher-
it this land and this earth long after we were gone,” she added.
“We have a responsibility to care for the pollinators that sustain life on earth, and to do everything we can do to sustain their life in return. Just as a few loaves and fish fed a multitude of people we too can make a big difference starting in a very small way.”
Weekly farm stands take place at 11 a.m. on Sundays, either outside the church or inside its meeting hall depending on the weather. The church is located at 1692 Bellmore Ave., Bellmore. For more, contact (516) 679-1184.
By Iris Wiener
n its first incarnation since the pandemic, the 24th Annual Long Island Jolson Festival is ready to delight loyal fans once again. The festival’s latest edition, on Saturday, Aug. 12, will bring together devotees for a full day of nostalgia and music, celebrating the talent of Al Jolson — the performer bestowed with the moniker “world’s greatest entertainer.”
Jan Hernstat — the International Al Jolson Society’s president, who has helmed the festival since its beginning — is excited to remember the icon, who was a pioneer in many genres in the ‘20s, including music, film (“The Jazz Singer”), and theatre “Hold on to Your Hats”). When Hernstat began the festival many years ago, it was simply because he wanted a platform to show his appreciation for Jolson. It quickly turned into something else.
“It has been fun over the years to bring Jolson to people who don’t normally get to see him,” Hernstat says. “When I started doing this, people came to me and said something which I didn’t really understand: ‘Thank you for doing this service to bring this kind of entertainment that we don’t get to see anymore.’ It was just something that I wanted to do, and as a byproduct, I was making people happy. That’s a good feeling.”
It will be next to impossible not to smile at this year’s festival, which will include a performance from mainstay Tony Babino, who has been treating festivalgoers to the vocal stylings of Jolson for years. He is joined by “Mr. Tin Pan Alley,” Richard Halpern, who is participating in the event — at Lambrou’s in Island Park — all the way from California.
Hernstat explains that Halpern brings a unique set of skills to his Jolson interpretation.
By Karen Bloom“A lot of people know Jolson from ‘The Jolson Story’ forward,” he says. “He did 20 songs in that film. The majority of people alive today only know those songs and the style in which he did it, which is what Tony emulates. But Richard does Jolson from the ‘20s and ‘30s, the ‘78 (RPM) Jolson,’ as I like to call it. People will get a little contrast, because with Richard, you’re going to get more of the early Jolson and with Tony more of the later Jolson. It’s going to be great.”
• Tickets are $43.95, which includes entertainment and meals; tickets for show only are $29.95
• Information and tickets available at Jolson.org or call Jan Hernstat at (516) 678-3524.
All Stand,” Hofstra University Museum of Art’s new exhibition, examines power of the arts in society.
Pat McGann is quickly rising as one of the sharpest stand-ups on the comedy scene. A relative latecomer to comedy, he began doing standup at 31 after realizing he was not
He hustled his way to become the house emcee at Zanies Chicago, where he distinguished himself as crowd. A husband and father of three young children, McGann’s appeal stems from his quick wit
and marriage. In 2017, McGann began touring as the opening act for Sebastian Maniscalco, moving
The famed duo steps away from their Las Vegas residency to bring their act on tour, appearing on the Tilles Center stage. Penn & Teller’s brand of awe-inspiring illusions mixed with buddy-comedy shtick has kept the duo at the very top of the magic profession for the past 45 years. Their trademark is the updating of worn out or archaic routines, such as bullet catching, or their recent adaptation of the classic bag escape trick (their version involved a trash bag and lots of helium). From humble beginnings busking on the streets of Philadelphia to acclaimed sold–out runs on Broadway to the longest running and one of the most-beloved resident headline acts in Vegas history, magic’s legendary duo continues to defy labels — and at times physics and good taste — by redefining the genre of magic and inventing their own very distinct niche in comedy. Constantly evolving and refining their unique take on illusion, the pair’s slight of hand always amazes, whether it’s a fresh take on an old ‘trick’ or something altogether new.
Friday and Saturday, July 28, 8 p.m. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets are $94, $84, $58, $48; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.
• Lambrou’s Catering Hall, 4073 Austin Blvd., Island Park
Alexandra Giordano — the museum’s assistant director of exhibition and exhibit underscores artists’ civic responsibility and influence. the vital role that artists have in activating democratic values that and freedom, encouraging civic engagement, and cultivating unity,” “Artists often lead the charge and expose truths that may otherwise be artists in this exhibition take a stand and call out injustices through their art issues such as immigration, gender, reproductive rights, mass incarceration, racial bias, gun violence, and promises unfulfilled. They all combine the making service that has a grassroots approach in the hope of mobilizing their the nation to ignite movement, create awareness, and inspire others to them.” which runs through July 28, is in conjunction with Hofstra’s conference on the Barack Obama presidency coming up in April. interested in the idea that the artist has a civic responsibility,” says Karen Albert. “The initial idea for this exhibition was inspired by Administration White House briefing that took place on May 12, 2009, 60 artists and creative organizers met with administration officials to collective power of the arts to build community, create change, and chart national recovery in the areas of social justice, civic participation and unlike other recent exhibits that showcased the museum’s collection, Giordano reached out to contemporary artists who loaned selected works. Some 36 pieces are on view — representing Emma Amos, Molly Crabapple and the Equal Justice Initiative, Miguel
Also new this year is an appearance by comedian Jeff Greenberg, a longtime society member known for his humorous act, frequently performing near his New Jersey home. The comedy doesn’t end there. Bob Greenberg (no relation) will be tickling the funny bone as characters from oldies acts, such as Oliver Hardy, Ralph Kramden and Lou Costello. Additionally, fans will have the opportunity to meet Brian Gari, grandson of the late performer Eddie Cantor, Jolson’s showbiz contemporary, and can check out a slew of memorabilia from Jolson’s era.
Hernstat is intent on keeping Jolson’s legacy front and center in the public eye.
“He was the first true superstar. In fact, the word ‘superstar’ was not even coined yet,” he says. “He was an international star at a time when there was no real media to promote what he did. Now all you have to do is go on social media and everyone knows you all over the world. When Jolson first started out, there weren’t talking movies, there’s wasn’t radio and TV. For somebody to be as big as he was worldwide, it really talks about your talent. It is a wonderful experience to celebrate his talent, his singing, and his voice.”
When Hernstat reflects on years past, he fondly remembers welcoming entertainers to his gathering, such as Sheldon Harnick (“Fiddler on the Roof” lyricist and songwriter), radio and television superstar Margaret Whiting, and comedian Soupy Sales.
“I don’t want this festival to die,” Hernstat says. “There’s still people out there that love Jolson. I always tell people, ‘We’re not looking to convert you to become a Jolson fan, we just want to find the ones out there who are and let them know that they have this outlet for their enjoyment.’”
Garden. McGann’s relatively short, but impressive resume, includes Montreal’s famed Just For Laughs
Great American Comedy Festival,
Saturday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. $40, $35, $30, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.
Now in its 18th year, Adelphi University’s ‘new music’ series welcomes Yarn/Wire. The intrepid New York-based piano-percussion quartet has forged a singular path with
The ‘King of Queens,’ ‘Mall Cop,’ ‘Kevin Can Wait,’ and Larry (of ‘I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry’) — Kevin James wears many hats. Catch his comedic brilliance when he returns to his Long Island roots with his Irregardless Tour. Young Kevin was a promising college football fullback until the acting bug bit him. After spending his junior summer with the local community theatre, he realized getting laughs was a bigger rush than stopping running backs from scoring a first down. James took to the comedy circuit where he soon made a name for himself, receiving the deal that every struggling comedian dreams of: The chance to develop and star in his own sitcom. The result was ‘King of Queens,’ and the rest is history. Now, he’s back on the stage with his everyman comedy and warm deadpan delivery. He’ll regale everyone with his quietly hilarious observations on life, fatherhood, and the simple absurdities of the world.
Saturday, July 29, 7:30 p.m. $99.50, $79.50, $69.50, $49.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.
change the world? It’s a question been at the focus of our collective for centuries. Now as society the complexities of modern life, path for social change is at the of artistic expression.
The longtime festival is a lively tribute to the ‘World’s Greatest Entertainer’
Revisit the golden oldies with Peter Lemongello Jr. in “An Evening To Remember,” with The Fabulous Acchords, The Tribunes and Teresa McClean, Friday, Aug. 4, 7:30 p.m. With their polished vocal skills and dynamic stage presence, these artists deliver a night of unforgettable entertainment in an energetic show that is pure nostalgia, filled with unforgettable tunes. Headliner Peter Lemongello Jr., is acclaimed as the most explosive and exciting doo-wop performer to appear on the scene in 40 years. The son of singer Peter Lemongello, Peter Jr. has appeared on “American Idol” and performed with The Four Tops, The Temptations, Chubby Checker and Lloyd Price, among others. He’s joined by acapella group The Tribunes, renowned for their authentic New York-bred street-corner harmonies, and The Fabulous Acchords, known for their impeccable harmonies, who captivate audiences with their blend of classic and contemporary songs, spanning genres and eras. The concert, produced by Gene DiNapoli, also features a special appearance by Teresa McClean, who takes everyone on an enthusiastic musical journey with her signature vocals and lush orchestration. $49, $39, $29; available at LandmarkOnMainStreet.org. or (917) 567-5842. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington.
View the landmark exhibition “Modigliani and the Modern Portrait,” at Nassau County Museum of Art. Devoted to the way that Modigliani powerfully re-defined the art of portraiture, the show includes his masterworks along with paintings and drawings by his Parisian contemporaries (Picasso, van Dongen, Laurencin). Modigliani’s enduring influence on artists even in our own time is shown in a selection of Contemporary paintings by such important
Get in the Motown groove with Dr. K’s Motown Revue, at Eisenhower Park, Friday, July 28, 8 p.m. The band’s dynamic renditions of those great tunes are performed with passion and conviction in true Motown style. With special guest Chicken Head. Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, Eisenhower Park, East Meadow. For information, visit NassauCountyNY.gov.
Aug.
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It’s barbecue season and Long Island Children’s Museum is feeling in the spirit, Kids can celebrate National Hot Dog Month by making a customized hot dog craft to bring home, at the drop-in program, Sunday, July 30, 1-3 p.m. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.
Not sure how to get started on your college essay? The Hofstra University Admission Office is offering a virtual workshop to help high school students learn the skills to tell their story in a way that helps them stand out. The final workshop, Thursday, Aug. 17, 4-5 p.m., is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required. Hear from Hofstra Admission counselors about how to brainstorm topics, and compose a thoughtful essay that shows your personality, talents and interests. For more information about Hofstra Admission’s other virtual summer workshops, go to Admission.Hofstra.edu/portal/ virtual_admission_webinars. To schedule a summer in-person visit go to: Hofstra.edu/visit.
Grab your lunch and join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent
Riva Ettus for her popular “Brown Bag Lecture,” now back on-site at Nassau County Museum of Art, Thursday, Sept. 7, 1 p.m. Enjoy an indepth presentation on the current exhibition
“Modigliani and the Modern Portrait.”
Participants are invited to ask questions at the end of the program and to join the 2 p.m. public tour of the exhibit. Also Oct. 19. 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
BenAnna Band, a highenergy duo, performs at Seaford Library, Monday, July 31, 10:15 a.m. Hear pop and throwback covers, traditional children’s songs with a twist and new kids’ music. For all ages. 2234 Jackson Ave., Seaford.
Bring the kids to Old Westbury Gardens for a storybook adventure, Saturday, Aug. 5, 10:3011:30 a.m. Stroll the gardens and open your ears to Kirsten Hall’s modern tale “The Honeybe.” Later create a unique take home craft. For ages 3-5. Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information visit OldWestburyGardens. org or contact (516) 3330048.
Items on The Scene page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to thescene@liherald.com.
For many years visitors to Westbury House at Old Westbury Gardens asked what was beyond the first floor corridor. Now go beyond the door and discover “secrets of the service wing,” during a 60-minute guided tour, Friday, July 28, noon; Sunday, July 30, 3 p.m.; Monday, July 31, noon; Sunday, Aug. 6, 1:30 p.m. Be introduced to the intensive labor required to create the lifestyle experienced by the Phipps family and their guests; tour the many rooms that were “behind the scenes” to create the formal dining experiences of early 20th century. Go along the corridors to the butler’s pantry and silver cleaning room then descend the 17 steps to the kitchen, scullery, and wine storage rooms located on the ground floor. Reservations required. 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information contact (516) 333-0048 or visit OldWestburyGardens.org.
Enjoy game night. The JULIETS are back playing Mah Jongg and cards at Congregation Beth Tikvah, at 3710 Woodbine Ave., in Wantagh, every Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Masks are optional. $5 per person. For more information email mahjonggCBT@yahoo.com or call (516) 785-2445.
Mercy Hospital offers peer to peer breastfeeding support fwith a certified breastfeeding counselor, every Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Bring your baby (from newborn to 1 year) to the informal group. Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 705-2434 .Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.
Intern
American history is a long and complicated tale to tell. But there are still those venturing into the past to uncover stories never told during the making of our country.
“Chronicles of the British Occupation of Long Island” is a new book by David M. Griffin, taking readers back in time to the Revolutionary War when people lived in fear of the British’s brutal power, while slowly gaining a patriotic desire for freedom.
Griffin is an independent researcher and author who’s always been driven to the history of the Revolutionary War, especially in New York region. When he completed his first book, “Lost British Forts of Long Island” in 2017, Griffin reached out to The History Press, a publishing company known for its collection of history books in communities on Long Island and elsewhere.
He was put in touch with acquisitions editor, Banks Smithers, and the two have worked together ever since. When Griffin came to Smithers about the idea of focusing on the British occupation of this part of the world, the two began shaping his current idea into the story it is today.
The novel follows a narrative story between 1776 and 1783, giving a human aspect to what it was like to experience life on Long Island during British rule. Griffin wanted to explore the British movement and American spy activity through various sources from the time.
To do this, he read historical books and even stud-
ied a period diary, which is referenced in the book about what was discussed, heard and spoken when the British loomed over Long Island.
“It’s very hard to write about the time because everything was very secretive,” Griffin said. “So, stories and the order of things that were happening on the island were hidden. You have to rely on a lot of different accounts from different writers.”
He provided images in his novel — some of which included maps the British used as a part of their network — as well as photographs of historical houses where British soldiers were sheltered as part of quartering laws. Griffin thought by showing these, it would create a certain historical depth for the reader.
After a year of writing, the book was published in July and is expected to arrive soon at Long Island bookstores. The History Press hopes to schedule book events once the stores have received the novel.
Griffin sees his book as rather dark because of the topics it covers, focused on how the power over land divided people. Even when Colonists endured the unpredictable effects that led up to — and included — the Revolutionary War, Griffin was shocked at how long the British stayed on Long Island and what they did.
Which made his research all that more compelling.
“I learned a lot more about the conditions of dayto-day life under martial law in the book,” Smithers said. “David paints a harrowing picture of occupied Long Island — something entirely unfamiliar to today’s Long Islanders — and thus exceedingly interesting.”
Courtesy David M. Griffin David M. Griffin’s book — ‘Chronicles of the British Occupation of Long Island’ — is expected to hit bookstores soon, especially on Long Island.The Nassau County Legislature honored three detectives from the Third Squad of the Nassau County Police Department as Top Detectives at the June meeting of the full legislature.
Detectives Thomas Daly, Michael Echavarria, and James Higgins were selected for this honor because of their outstanding work identifying and arresting two Canadian men who were in America to commit elder scams.
These scammers would call up elderly citizens and claim that their grandchildren had been arrested for an auto collision and needed money. When an 86 yearold-woman realized she was being
scammed, she contacted the police, and these three detectives sprang into action.
The detectives were able to detain the scammers when they attempted to pick up the money from the elderly woman. The two men were charged with counts relating to Grand Larceny, attempted grand larceny, conspiracy, and scheme to defraud.
“Sadly, numerous scammers prey on senior citizens and con them out of their money,” Legislator Rose Marie Walker said.
“They get calls saying their grandchildren need bail, or they have been in an accident, or anything that will get the
Leimbach makes dean’s list at Tufts
Haley Leimbach was named to the dean’s list for the spring semester at Tufts University. To qualify for the honor, students like the Wantagh native must earn a GPA of 3.4 or greater.
Tufts has three campuses in Massachusetts, including Boston, as well as in Talloires, France.
Newly graduated from University at Albany
Of the 4,200 students who picked up their degrees at the recent commencement ceremonies at the University of Albany, nearly a dozen of them have local ties.
Graduates hailing from Seaford include:
■ Katherine D’Alto, who earned a certificate of graduate study in computing education.
■ Nicholas Diana, who earned a bachelor’s degree in economics.
■ Kirsten Higgins, who earned a master’s degree in curriculum development and instructional technology.
■ James Mossman, who earned a master’s degree in criminal justice.
Graduates hailing from Wantagh include:
■ Emily Fenter, who earned a certificate of graduate study in computing education
■ Joshua Gold, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
■ Anya Hixson, who earned a master’s degree in curriculum development and instructional technology.
■ Lindsay Lippolt, who earned a master’s degree in reading.
■ Joseph Novak, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business economics.
■ Brianna Roman, who earned a bachelor’s degree in emergency preparedness, homeland security and cybersecurity.
Roman also graduated summa cum laude.
■ Brandon Tiev, who earned a bachelor’s degree in combined computer science. Tiev graduated magna cum laude.
Graduates include both those from the summer, fall and winter from the 2022-23 academic year.
DeKenipp reaches Champlain’s dean’s list
Connor DeKenipp of Levittown has been named to the Champlain College dean’s list for the spring semester.
Students achieving a GPA of 3.5 or higher during the semester earn a spot on the dean’s list. DeKenipp is majoring in game design at the private college, located in Burlington, Vermont.
Dean’s list for University of Hartford announced
University of Hartford honored a number of students with local ties for making the Connecticut school’s dean’s list for the spring semester.
Among them are Rachael Brite and Christina Patmanidis of Wantagh, Anita Farkash and Joseph Haering of Seaford, and Dylan Renart of Levittown.
Coastal Carolina offers honors for locals
There is a strong contingent of Long Island natives attending Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina, and they’re proving themselves academically, too.
Alyssa Bourquin of Wantagh and Rafaiel Lalousis of Seaford made the school’s president’s list for the semester, meaning they achieved a 4.0 GPA during the semester.
Joseph Hespe and Jake Interrante of Wantagh, as well as Madison Calandro of Levittown, were named to Coastal Carolina’s dean’s list for the spring semester. To make the dean’s list, the three needed to achieve a GPA of 3.5 or higher for the semester, or a 3.25 if they are freshmen.
Coastal Carolina welcomes more than 10,400 students from across the country and around the world, offering more than 100 major fields of study.
Courtesy Nassau County Legislature
Three detectives were honored by the Nassau County Legislature for identifying and arresting two Canadian men, who were allegedly in America to commit elder scams.
intended scam victim to open their bank account to them. Thankfully, in this case, these scammers were apprehended, but we all need to be on alert for these scams.
“Thank you to these outstanding
LEGAL NOTICE
detectives for their dedication and precision in setting up this sting and apprehending the criminals.”
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. ROGER DENNIS CHAFFEE, et al, Defts. Index #612456/2022. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered June 12, 2023, I will sell at public auction on the north side steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on August 15, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. prem. k/a Section 52, Block 302, Lot 743. Sold subject to terms and conditions of field judgment and terms of sale. RICHARD L. FARLEY, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Dr., Great Neck, NY. #100570 140638
LEGAL NOTICE
REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR SG MORTGAGE SECURITIES BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-FRE2, Plaintiff - againstSUZANNE M. BRADY, et al Defendant(s).
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on March 15, 2019. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 “Rain or Shine” on the 22nd day of August, 2023 at 2:00 PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Wantagh, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York.
Premises known as 3677 Smith Street, Wantagh, NY 11793.
(SBL#: 57-89-105)
Approximate amount of lien $614,197.89 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale.
Index No. 010340/2015. John G. Kennedy, Esq., Referee. McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC
Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 840 New York, NY 10170 Tel. 347/286-7409
For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832
Dated: June 21, 2023
During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6-feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale.
140736
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU
DEUTSCHER BANK
NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR AMERIQUEST MORTGAGE SECURITIES INC., ASSET-BACKED PASS-THROGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-R6 Plaintiff, Against MICHELLE MARIGLIANO, KENNETH P. SILVERMAN, ACAMPORA SILVERMAN, ET AL., Defendant(s)
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 10/20/2022, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Front Steps of the Nassau County Courthouse, 100 Supreme Court Drive., Mineola, NY 11501. The Auction will be held rain or shine on 8/30/2023 at 3:30 pm, premises known as 561 Rutherford Drive, Seaford, NY 11783, and as described as follows:
ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the at PlainedgeWantagh, Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau and State of New York
Section 0052 Block 00453
Lot 00006
The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $695,832.57 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 016698/2011
If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction.
Malachy P Lyons, Esq., Referee.
MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573
Dated: 6/8/2023
File Number: 19-300740
RS 140920
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR GREENPOINT MORTGAGE FUNDING TRUST
MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-AR6 Plaintiff,
Against PAUL JAMES CARTLIDGE, ET AL.,
Defendant(s)
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 1/11/2023, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Front Steps of the Nassau County Courthouse, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501. This Auction will be held rain or shine on 8/29/2023 at 3:00pm, premises known as 2550 Kevin Road, Seaford, NY 11783, and described as follows:
ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Seaford, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York
Section 65 Block 259 Lot 1
The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $718,415.06 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 612224/2017
If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction.
IRENE V. VILLACCI, Esq., Referee.
MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573
Dated: 6/6/2023
File Number: 18-301488
Help Wanted RECEPTIONIST P/T
Busy Cedarhurst Office
Sundays & Some Week Days
Answering Phones, Filing, And Scheduling Appointments Must Be Computer Literate Call 516-374-1010
THE FRIEDBERG JCC Before/After School Program is seeking passionate and hardworking high school/ college counselors. Before Care hours: 7am-9am. After School hours: 2:45PM-6PM. If interested, send your resume to Program Director Toni Corchado: TCorchado@friedbergjcc.org or call 516-634-4179
Child/Eldercare/Help Wanted
NANNY NEEDED EXPERIENCED
Live-In Or Live-Out
Monday - Friday
English/Spanish Speaking Call 516-672-4040
Eldercare Offered
SANTA CRUZ SERAG Caregivers Provide The Best Male/ Female Caregivers In America. Certified HHA's, Professional. Experts In Dementia, Alzheimers, Parkinsons Cases. Call Gertrude 347-444-0960
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Q. A few homes in my neighborhood are much taller. What are the rules for how tall a house can be — like how many floors, and what is legal? I mostly see only two stories, but the new ones are at least three. Is this a new thing that you can build taller? Was it just traditional to only build two stories until now?
A. The thinking on allowed height has changed recently.
Hurricane Sandy’s flooding moved New York to promote house lifting in flood zones. Influence also came from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which, in essence, is really a publicly funded insurance company, covering people in areas where regular home insurance companies avoid the risk of insuring.
The incentive to lift or build higher is to avoid huge flood insurance cost increases — building above flood levels, with the lowest level only allowed to be for a garage and storage, not living space. By making the first livable floor higher, above the flood level, insurance rates are kept lower. People have shown me their rates went from $500 to $2,500 dollars a year, increasing annually since Sandy in 2012.
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Some homes are much higher than codes and incentives intended, due to misinterpretation of reasons to build higher and misrepresentation in the review process. For example, a home’s first floor is no longer a first floor if it’s higher than 6 feet above the ground. Over 6 feet high, the floor level automatically becomes a second floor, meaning the next floor above is a third floor, which requires zoning board approval, interior sprinklers, escape terraces and wind strengthening. I have seen home plans misrepresented as being two stories by not correctly showing the floor level heights or describing a second floor as a first floor, the next floor as a second floor that is really a third floor — even where a fourth floor is shown as a mezzanine or roof level balcony.
There is a small country town in Tuscany, in central Italy, San Gimignano, that is famous for its skyline of towers that people built onto their homes during medieval times. As the story goes, one prominent homeowner built a tall tower to watch for potential attackers. His neighbor jealously built a tower a little higher, and, not to be outdone, several adjacent homeowners began building towers higher and higher.
History repeats itself. Thirty feet from the new design flood elevation, which may be 2 to 4 feet higher off the ground, could make the maximum roof height 34 to 35 feet in your town. The safety code intends to protect people from perishing in fires, so indoor sprinklers are part of the requirement Decisions to build higher have to take community safety and appearance into account, so height restrictions have been intended to make escape and rescue easier. Statistically, only 5 percent of occupants on a third floor survive a fire. That’s the reason for height restrictions, so taller homes require more safety features.
© 2023 Monte Leeper
Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
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Regardless of the heat wave, I love summer, compared with the brutal wind blasts of December. I know that the summer climate doesn’t satisfy everyone, but the chance to breathe the warm air and be greeted with the bright sunshine is very comforting to me. Summer makes me happy, but I must confess to being very irritated by one subject. I refer to the Yankees and the Mets.
Once upon a time, during my very naïve years, I was told that money buys anything. I didn’t really believe that, because with the passage of time, I saw many instances in which money bought nothing. I know wealthy couples who are the most miserable people. I’ve watched companies flush with money fall apart due to mismanagement.
But I wonder how two great sports franchises, flush with cash, can perform so badly.
Being a lifelong Yankees fan, I will start with my gripes about them.
Media reports indicate that the current payroll of the team is around $280 million, which places them close to the top of the list of the big spenders.
With that kind of money and a fan base that pours millions of dollars into the club treasury, how can management justify the fact that their team is in last place in the American League East?
There’s no doubt that Aaron Judge’s toe injury has been a major setback. But there are many other players who take the field each day and do nothing to win or make the loyal fan base happy. If you follow them as I do, they look like a bunch of people who just show up to collect a paycheck and go home.
They are listless, bored and totally disconnected with the job of keeping baseball America’s so-called pastime.
If these players were street sweepers, I could understand their listlessness. Pushing a broom can be a very dull job. But when players are paid millions of dollars, the fans are entitled to watch a team that is energized and trying to succeed. Have you ever watched the Little League World
Series? It pays to tune in and watch kids yell and scream when a teammate gets a base hit. They hug a fellow player when he strikes out to encourage him to do better the next time he’s at the plate.
There are many big league examples of hunger for victory. The Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays are good examples.
Their players come out to play with smiles on their faces and are determined to win. The lack of passion that the Yankees display is similar to what I observe about this year’s Mets team.
The Mets’ owner, Steve Cohen is a very wealthy man. He can buy just about anything he wants just by dialing his cellphone. He has invested billions in a team that has been called one of the best that money could buy. When he broke the bank to hire Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, Mets fans were jumping for joy.
The rest of the lineup is All-Star quality, but the team could end up in fourth or worse in the NL East at season’s end.
When some team owners speak to
the sportswriters, they sound like the kid who claims the dog ate his homework. They moan about injuries and claim that it will be just a matter of time before their players catch fire. They’re afraid to complain about their players for fear of upsetting them. They seem to forget about the dollars they’re shelling out to those employees.
Many of us longtime Yankees fans wish George Steinbrenner was still alive. When he was, and Yankees players failed to perform, he publicly excoriated them.
And Steinbrenner was never reluctant to trade away a player who didn’t meet his standards.
It’s possible that the Yankees, and the Mets, too, will shake up their teams by the Aug. 1 trade deadline. And maybe they’ll send out a few blunt messages that we long-suffering New York fans are entitled to get our money’s worth when we buy those very expensive tickets.
Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? JKremer@liherald.com.
We all have our breaking points, and I discovered my husband’s last Thursday evening after we arrived at a nearby restaurant for dinner. We had been there once before. The place had good word of mouth, and the reviews said the service was friendly and the food was imaginatively prepared. Perhaps we should have lingered longer over the word “imaginatively.”
know what I’m having,” he said, with great relish. “The tuna steak with bok choy and wasabi potatoes.” Our daughter said she would have the same.
I saw trouble looming on the horizon, and it had fins.
The waiter arrived to take our orders.
“I’ll have the tuna, cooked medium,” my daughter said.
who remembered us from the week before. “Sir, you sent your tuna back three times last week,” he said.
“That’s right,” Don said. ”Because it was raw each time, even though I ordered it well done.”
“I’m sorry,” the manager said. “But the chef won’t cook it past medium.”
Randi is on a brief leave. This column was originally published Jan. 13-19, 2000.
“What’s with all the blue swirls? Paint me polka dots.”
RANDI KREISS
We were dining with one of our favorite people, our daughter, and my husband wanted it to be a special treat for her.
We were seated by one of the friendly staff, and he made a point of removing the white napkins and offering us black ones, saying, “These won’t leave lint on your black slacks.”
“I’m impressed, “ I said. “What a thoughtful accommodation.”
Don was perusing the menu. “I
The waiter looked pained. “We cook the tuna rare,” he said. “Medium, with pink on the inside, is as far as we’ll go.” She said that was fine.
it had fins.
But it wasn’t fine with the big guy. “I would like the same,” my husband purred, “but I want mine well done. I don’t do pink.”
The waiter looked stricken. “I’m sorry, sir, but the chef won’t cook it past medium.”
“I know how I like my tuna,” Don said, quite reasonably. “I won’t send it back because it’s too well done. I like it that way. It’s my dinner, and I want it cooked the way I want to eat it.”
The waiter fetched the manager,
“You mean to tell me that I’m paying for this dinner and I have to eat it the way the chef likes it?”
“Sorry sir.”
“I assume the chef is the owner,” my husband said.
“Yes, sir.”
“And he doesn’t care if he loses a customer?”
“No, sir. He serves his tuna purple in the middle.”
By now my husband was turning purple himself. He canceled the tuna and ordered a vegetable plate.
Our daughter suggested we try to reframe the situation.
“You’re so angry, Dad. Try to think of this from the chef’s point of view. He’s a food artist. He’s the Van Gogh of food, and you’re saying to him,
The big guy wasn’t in the mood to reframe. “He can paint all the blue swirls he wants, but I don’t have to eat them. This guy is telling me that if I want to eat the meal I want to eat, I have to eat it the way he enjoys it.”
I see it as a control issue: Yes, you will. No, I won’t. The chef was a prima donna, an incarnation of “Seinfeld’s” soup Nazi. My husband couldn’t get the meal he wanted, which is, after all, the general idea of dining out, and he was right.
Scrambled eggs with ketchup, peanut butter and banana sandwiches, burnt steaks, matzo balls hard as hockey pucks: culinary idiosyncrasies are an American tradition. In the future, when we hear about a restaurant where there’s an artist at the burners, we will dine elsewhere.
Copyright 2023 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.
At a nearby restaurant, I saw trouble looming on the horizon, and
Many of us Bronx Bombers fans wish George Steinbrenner was still alive.JERRY KREMER
It’s no secret that recent years have been tough on small businesses and on newspapers.
A bipartisan bill, the Community News & Small Business Support Act that has been introduced in Congress, would offer relief to both newspapers and local businesses.
For too many newspapers, help can’t come soon enough. Economic challenges have resulted in too many communities seeing their local newspapers being forced to lay off staff, cut back on publication days, or — worse yet — close. On average, two newspapers are closing each week. That hurts local businesses and residents in the long (and short) run.
However, despite the challenges, what remains true is that local newspapers make a difference in their communities.
But don’t just take my word for it. Let’s look at the numbers, and why America’s Newspapers has been pushing for the Community News & Small Business Support Act to be introduced.
A recent national study of 5,000 Americans older than 18 was conducted by the independent research firm Coda Ventures for America’s Newspapers, and provides compelling evidence of the importance, relevance and vitality of today’s newspapers in the American media landscape.
Readers told us that their local newspaper makes a difference. The study shows that 79 percent of Americans read/use local news “to stay informed” about their cities, counties and communities. They also said they rely on their local paper to feel connected to their community. To decide where they stand on local issues. To find places and things to do. To talk with people about things happening in the commu-
We need to hear much more from Peter King
To the Editor:
nity, because they find it enjoyable or entertaining, and to be a better citizen.
And, contrary to popular belief, readers across all age groups turn to local newspapers and their digital products to stay informed about their communities.
Readers also told us they need more local news from their community paper. As one survey respondent said, “Our paper keeps getting smaller. I would like to see more news items, what’s happening in town, what’s new in politics, etc. And they need to be quicker to respond to breaking news.”
All of that takes a committed, local staff — something the legislation, introduced by U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney, of New York, and Rep. Suzan DelBene, of Washington, will help to make happen.
So, what would this legislation mean to your local community?
Local businesses with fewer than 50 employees would receive a five-year nonrefundable tax credit of up to $5,000 in the first year, and up to $2,500 in the subsequent four years, based on their spending with local newspapers and local media. Our study showed that six out of 10 American adults use newspaper advertising to help them decide what brands, products and local services to buy.
Newspaper readers also are almost twice as likely to purchase products in a number of important advertising categories than nonnewspaper readers, including automobiles, trucks and SUVs; home furnishings; home improvement products and services; and home services like pest control, plumbing and heating.
With this legislation, we expect to see more businesses being able to afford to advertise to consumers, which in turn helps communities thrive.
For local newspapers, a five-year refundable tax credit would help them hire more journalists to bring you more news. It’s a win-win for local communities.
Newspapers would receive a tax credit to be
used for the compensation of journalists. The credit would cover 50 percent of journalists’ compensation in the first year, and 30 percent of compensation — up to $50,000 — in the subsequent four years.
This tax credit would only be available to local community papers with fewer than 750 employees and, if they don’t invest in their newsroom, they don’t get the credit.
And these tax credits are only available to local newspapers. National newspaper outlets are not eligible.
The importance of local newspapers and local business is the reason Reps. Tenney and DelBene introduced the legislation. We are most grateful for their support.
We need your support, as well, to encourage legislators to enact this legislation. Please contact the offices of your senators and representatives in Congress and encourage them to add their support to this legislation.
These tax credits aren’t permanent — they will sunset in five years. But those critical five years will allow the newspaper industry the time needed to address the challenges that it is facing from Big Tech, which often uses newspapers’ content without compensation, as well as other technological and market challenges. Visit USA.gov/elected-officials for the contact information for your legislators.
More local reporting means more access for hometown news readers like you rely on. And stronger newspapers mean stronger advertising vehicles for local businesses.
On behalf of its approximately 1,700 newspaper and Solutions Partner companies, America’s Newspapers is committed to explaining, defending and advancing the vital role of newspapers in democracy and civil life. We put an emphasis on educating the public on all the ways newspapers contribute to building a community identity and the success of local businesses.
Learn more at Newspapers.org.
Dean Ridings is chief executive of the advocacy organization America’s Newspapers.
Re Peter King’s column last week, “At this dinner, true patriotism was on vivid display”: Mr. King’s columns have been mildly interesting, often nostalgic, but the deprive us of his greatest asset. As a former congressman with long experience as a respectable Republican, his informed opinion is valuable to Long Island. Recounting the Patriot Awards Dinner is interesting and nostalgic, but the present need for heroes is expressed only as wishful thinking. Noting the heroes and the 9/11 terrorists should not blind us to the present terrorist threat.
Candidate Donald Trump proclaims the constitutional right to do anything he wants as president. He further details the goals of his mission of “retribution,” involving destruction, uprooting, elimination and the like. His militant acolytes sign on, his team details the means by which they’ll establish an autocracy during
If we are going to save the planet, we need to start by saving the bees. Bees and other pollinators are responsible for one in every three bites of food we eat, but the global decline in honeybee populations has long been documented. Last year, New York beekeepers lost 45 percent of their bee colonies, one of the highest loss rates on record. New York’s native bees and pollinators are at risk of local extinction. The fewer pollinators we have, the fewer fruits and vegetables we will be able to grow. We know bee populations are declining dramatically, yet there is resistance in New York to addressing the main culprit in these losses: neonicotinoid pesticides. They are toxic, and they are killing bees and harming Long Island.
Neonicotinoids, or “neonics,” are the most commonly used pesticide in New York and on the Island. They are best known for their harm to wildlife, but they are also being found in Long
Island’s groundwater. The Birds and Bees Protection Act, which both the Assembly and the State Senate have passed, addresses the core of New York’s neonic contamination problem by prohibiting the needless and replaceable uses of this toxic pesticide, thus eliminating 80 to 90 percent of the neonics entering the state’s environment. Now we need Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign the bill into law.
In recent years, an avalanche of peer-reviewed science has emerged indicating that neonics are not only a major threat to the health of bees and other pollinators, but also pollute water resources, threaten birds and other wildlife, and raise concerns about human health impacts. Neonics may be the most environmentally damaging pesticide since DDT, and action must be taken now to address this growing threat to our environment, health, food and pollinators. Neonics are highly water-soluble and can quickly move through soil into our waterways. Used on lawns and gardens, they can be sprayed at higher rates and enter our waterways as stormwater runoff. So it’s no wonder we are seeing
2025, his media broadcast the message, his donors unsheathe their checkbooks.
Surely the honorable Mr. King has some thoughts on these proposed alterations to the government he helped to preserve? Or on the character of some of those he served with? Or on the unusual tactics of Tommy Tuberville, Marjorie
Taylor Greene or Jim Jordan? Mr. King must feel something about marionettes like George Santos replacing serious public servants like himself. Mr. King’s service is recent and thus still relevant, but it will become less so with time. The time to speak, to advise, is now.
BrIAN KELLY Rockville CentreTo the Editor:
re randi Kreiss’s column last week, “Chimps face N.Y. court test of personhood” (reprised from Jun 11-17, 2015): I usually don’t agree with randi, because we have different political outlooks and worldviews, but this time I do, because cruelty is morally wrong. There are exceptions such as war, but those are rare.
Her quote from Jane Goodall and reference to chimpanzees’ similar DNA were poignant. Why, then, don’t we all extend
the same concern to creatures that share 100 percent of our DNA — an exact match, actually? And these creatures look “just like a human baby,” because they are human, and in fact “persons,” regardless of what current laws say. But unfortunately, most people are like randi’s dinner crowd, who “just couldn’t care about what happens to chimpanzees” — or unborn human children.
I challenge randi to use her own logic to help defend the unborn.
And I will contribute to janegoodall.org.
JACK HOLLAND BaldwinTo the Editor:
re Mark Nolan’s column in last week’s Herald, “You have no idea with teachers deal with”: Yep — all sad but true. My wife is a retired first-grade teacher. It’s hard to believe that so much starts there, but it does.
Yes, teachers are well paid, but most of them really earn it! Thanks to them, and God bless them.
DICK CArDOzO Westburywidespread contamination of the state’s rivers, streams, ponds, and marine environments. The alarming ability of neonics to contaminate water resources is particularly concerning for Long Island’s sole-source aquifer.
Imidacloprid, one of the most used neonics, is found in hundreds of products on the market. It’s used on lawns, turf, golf courses, gardens, farms, pets, ornamental plantings, and in households. United States Geological Survey monitoring of Long Island groundwater in 2016 found imidacloprid to be one of the most frequently detected pesticides, present in approximately 31 percent of samples taken.
State Department of Environmental
Conservation groundwater testing data revealed that imidacloprid was the most common pesticide found in Long Island groundwater, with 890 detections in 179 locations. Long Island is designated as a sole-source drinking water area, meaning that 100 percent of our drinking water comes from groundwater aquifers.
The ubiquitous and unnecessary use of these pesticides is damaging our
drinking water quality and threatening our health. Clean and safe drinking water is a basic human need, and neonics put that at risk.
There is growing scientific evidence of how neonicotinoids threaten human health. Several studies link neonic exposure to developmental harm, including malformations of the developing heart and brain. The longer we wait to ban the most dangerous uses of neonics, the longer we expose New Yorkers to this neurotoxin and amplify the adverse health impacts of chronic prolonged exposure. The Birds and Bees Protection Act targets the heart of New York’s neonic pollution problem. It would prohibit neonic-treated corn, soybean and wheat seeds as well as ornamental uses on lawns, gardens and golf courses.
The State Senate and Assembly passed the bill this legislative session. Now we need Hochul to stand up to the pesticide industry and the chemical companies who are hard at work, aggressively lobbying her to veto the bill. Protecting public health and saving the bees are in the public interest, which needs to be prioritized over corporate interests. We need the governor to sign the Birds and Bees Protection Act.
Framework by Tim Bakertoxic pesticides are killing bees and are being found in L.I.’s groundwater.aDrIenne esposIto