Bellmore Herald 06-11-2026

Runners

long

Island champions!

Kennedy High School’s baseball team defeated Hauppauge, 9-3, last Saturday to earn its first L.I. title in program history. Story, more photos, Page 7.

By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com

Free food and music are going to fill the streets of downtown Bellmore this summer as local businesses assemble to nourish the neighborhood’s spirit.

The Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores is partnering with local businesses to create the Bellmore Block Party, which will occur June 18 and again in July.

This June, food trucks and musical acts will take Bedford Avenue by storm from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Musicians will fill the area with 80’s-themed music,

the main theme of the event, inviting local adults to socialize with safe and secure fun after working hours.

Robert Saylor, president of the chamber of commerce, is a passionate advocate for community engagement.

I t’s to give back to the community.

RoBERT SAyloR President

of the Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores

“I was born and raised in Bellmore and still reside there,” he said. “We constantly try to find new ways to promote all member’s businesses… we have an Easter parade,

we have a Halloween parade, we have a tree lighting, a menorah lighting, all that good stuff.”

An essential part of the event is that everything is completely free to attendees, according to Chamber Vice President Joseph LoPresti.

“We’re not having any vendors, no crafting, nothing — it’s just for businesses to come out and get exposed, to eat, drink, listen to the music and just have a good time,” he said.

Bellmore block party invites adults to nourish the community

“It’s to give back to the community.”

Several businesses are contributing to the event and bringing a wide arrangement of treats and meals.

“We have Donna’s Sausage coming down,” LoPresti said.

“We have a lobster truck, we have a barbecue truck, and then on top of it, the restaurants: we have Kumo on the

block, we have a really good sushi place. The avenue will be out, but seating will be accommodated, food and drinks.

The two block parties are made possible through a partnership between Bellmore’s chamber of commerce and the Lunchbox Brewing Company, based out of Bedford Avenue,

Continued on page 2

Media Origin Inc/Herald

Chamber hosts summer fun

which plans to offer a large outdoor setup.

Patrick Campion, Merrick resident and cofounder of the brewing company, is one of the voices who floated the idea of a revamped community party event.

“We saw how all the other towns surrounding us are doing ‘live after five’ summer street shutdowns… we’re going to bring in live music, we’re going to have a huge stage with some big artists coming in,” he explained. “We’re trying to add some energy to the town, and it’s to really support all the local businesses in there: the restaurants, the bars, some new shops opening up as well.”

This is the first official Bellmore Block Party, said Campion, an experiment that could become an annual tradition that rounds out the town’s annual calendar by adding appealing things for older demographics.

“We do have the street fair, (which is) geared more primarily towards younger kids. This is more for a little bit of an older crowd as well,” he said. “The planning and effort going into these first initial events is to make it sustainable for the next generations to come…. Bellmore is a fantastic, incredible town, and this just elevates it to the next level.”

Local restaurants and businesses sponsoring the event include Avenue Social Kitchen and Cocktails, Twisted Fork Brunch Company, Pierogi Bites and More, Fat Boy’s Burrito Co., Cue Bar, McBride’s Bar and Grill, Chiusano Construction and The Seth Levy Team.

BELMONT PARK VILLAGE

News brief

Mitzvah Day feeds families

Nine congregants from Temple B’nai Torah dedicated their time, giving back to families facing difficult circumstances, as part of the congregation’s annual Mitzvah Day. B’nai Torah is located in Wantagh, and serves many members from East Meadow, Merrick, Bellmore, Seaford and other surrounding areas.

Volunteers traveled to the Ronald McDonald House associated with Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park on May 17, where they prepared, cooked and packaged 53 dinners for residents staying there while their children receive medical treatment. The meals provided comfort and support to families who are often far from home while caring for seriously ill children, Debbie Abrons, one of the volunteers, told the Herald in an email.

A Mitzvah Day is a Jewish-led day of faith-based social action, where often community volunteers of all ages and backgrounds come together to give their time in order to help others.

Participating volunteers included Debbie and Mitchell Abrons, Amy Neidle, Jennifer Rubinstein, Carol and Rob Meyerson, Elice Toscano, and Lauren and Howard Lev.

Temple B’Nai Torah’s annual Mitzvah Day encourages members to put the Jewish value of “tikkun olam” — repairing the world — into action through community service projects. This year’s effort at the Ronald McDonald House, volunteers shared, was a rewarding experience for all involved and provided much-appreciated support to families in need.

Courtesy Robert Saylor

the Bellmore Block party will take Bedford avenue by storm on June 18, offering free food and music after 5:00 p.m.

— Jordan Vallone

Runners hit the streets for annual Robbie’s Run

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

Hundreds of runners flocked to Merrick this weekend to take part in the 19th Annual Robbie’s Run on May 30. The morning featured a traditional 5K race, as well as a 1-mile mini run and a half-mile children’s fun run.

The event serves a great day to run, walk and enjoy food and various forms of entertainment, but it also serves a very important purpose: to raise money and awareness for Forever 9, The Robbie Levine Foundation.

Founded by Jill and Craig Levine in 2006, it honors their son, Robbie Levine, who died suddenly at the age of 9, when his heart stopped while he was running the bases during a Little League team practice in September 2005.

The foundation offers CPR and Automated External Defibrillator, or AED, courses annually, and educates on the importance of having AEDS in treating sudden cardiac arrest, with a special focus on children.

The run is the foundation’s major, annual fundraiser, and takes place in the streets of South Merrick, with Norman J. Levy Lakeside School’s parking lot serving as the finish line.

After runners finished the race, they were greeted by volunteers who provided them with food and beverages. Music, entertainment and a ceremony followed, with awards being given to the top finishers in 5-year age groups.

Additional reporting by Joseph D’Alessandro

Michael Rechter/Herald photos

Robbie’s Run is an annual baseball event that helps young children have fun while learning important safety tips. The event includes a 5k Marathon and a one-mile run for young people.

Nichloas Maggio, left, Jarod Madoff, Lori Dror, Malorie Friedman, Jeff Krauthama, all from Merrick, supported the cause.

Senator Steve Rhoads, left, Legislator Michael Giangregorio, Event Organizer Jill Levine, Councilman Christopher Schneider and Shannon Fredericks representing Assemblyman Dave Mcdonough attended the event.

Bellmore’s Hayley Rozea, left, Adrianna Bartone and Kate Treuberg, all 12, jumped at the chance to run in the marathon.

Cristen Delaney-Guille, 54, of Long Beach, was the 1st place female runner.

Tyler Braterman, 13, left, and Mitchell Sapir, 12, represented their hometown of Merrick.

Heralds win three awards from Press Club of L.I.

By JEFFREY BESSEN jbessen@liherald.com

Herald Community Media captured three awards at the annual Press Club of Long Island Media Awards and Long Island Journalism Hall of Fame induction dinner on June 4.

Oceanside/Island Park Herald reporter Abigail Grieco won the James Murphy Cub Reporter of the Year award, given to “emerging journalists who show strong early promise in the field.” Journalists who have worked full-time for fewer than 18 months are eligible. Grieco was an intern with the Herald in 2023, and began working full-time in October 2025.

Deputy Managing Editor Jordan Vallone and previous senior reporter Mohammad Fariq shared a second-place award in the transportation category for the story “Southern State: a road still stuck in the past,” which was part of the Herald’s 2025 series on the Southern State Parkway.

“A compelling and well-structured piece that effectively examines the longstanding dangers of the Southern State Parkway,” judges wrote. “The article succeeds in connecting historical design flaws with present-day traffic realities, clearly explaining how outdated infrastructure continues to contribute to

accidents.

“Particularly strong is the integration of data, expert references, and concrete examples, such as low overpass collisions and hazardous curve segments,” the judges added. “The writing remains clear and accessible while addressing a complex safety issue. Overall, a thoughtful and informative investigation with clear public relevance and lasting value.”

Photographer Erik H. Lee earned a third-place award for a photo of the Wantagh High School baseball game.

“These awards reflect our commitment to strong local journalism and to telling the stories that matter most to Long Island communities,” Stuart Richner, CEO of Richner Communications, said. “We are especially proud to see our emerging reporters, experienced editors and talented photographers recognized for work that informs the public and has a lasting impact.”

Four veterans of Long Island journalism were inducted into the PCLI’s Hall of Fame: Photojournalist Michael DelGiudice, radio reporter Sophia Hall, former Newsday editor Anthony E. Insolia, and Shirley E. Perelman, who covered many major stories for Newsday, from the Long Island garbage barge to the trial of O.J. Simpson.

For more information on the press club, go to PCLI.org.

Book Review: “The Gift” by Edith Eger

Volunteer deputy arrested after loaded handgun found

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

A volunteer sheriff’s deputy in Nassau County was arrested after authorities said a loaded handgun was discovered in his carry-on luggage at John F. Kennedy International Airport, drawing renewed attention to a controversial program created by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

Gaetano “Guy” Savia, 67, of Bellmore, was arrested May 28 at Terminal 4 after a Transportation Security Administration agent detected a loaded .380-caliber Ruger handgun in his bag during routine screening, according to reports.

Savia was charged with knowingly and unlawfully possessing a firearm in violation of the terms of a license. He was released on his own recognizance and is scheduled to appear in court next month.

The incident involves one of approximately 75 volunteer special deputies appointed through a program established by Blakeman in 2024. The program recruits civilian volunteers who can be granted police powers during a declared emergency and assist professional law enforcement personnel.

At a roundtable interview with the Herald last fall, Blakeman expressed support for his civilian deputy force, which he said is not a “militia.” Under state law, he said, county executives have the right to declare emergencies and deputize people for service.

“I created nothing more than a database of people who are willing to serve, who will be willing to train without getting paid,” he told Herald reporters. Most are military veterans or former law enforcement, he added, and will undergo firearms training in accordance with state law.

The identities of many special deputies remained under court seal until last month, when records became public through the ongoing litigation.

I created nothing more than a database of people who are willing to serve.

BRucE

BLAkEMAN Herald Roundtable, Oct. 2025

The special deputy initiative has faced criticism and legal challenges since its inception. Opponents have questioned whether the program complies with local law and has raised concerns about oversight, transparency and the qualifications of participants.

A lawsuit filed by Nassau County legislators last year argues that county law permits only trained officers from other agencies to be deputized during emergencies. Critics have also questioned the ages and backgrounds of some participants. Recent court filings in the case alleged that several members had faced arrests or warrants and noted that some volunteers were older than New York’s mandatory retirement age for law enforcement officers.

According to Newsday, Blakeman said after the arrest that Savia had failed to properly secure his firearm and that the matter would proceed through the court system. He also indicated that Savia would undergo an administrative review but had not been asked to step down from the program.

The Herald contacted Blakeman’s office seeking comment on whether any disciplinary action would be taken against Savia pending the outcome of the criminal case, details of the administrative review process, and whether the incident had prompted a review of policies, training or oversight procedures for members of the special deputy program. No response was received by press time.

The arrest comes as Blakeman, a Republican candidate for governor, continues to defend the volunteer deputy initiative. The incident has renewed debate over the county’s use of civilian volunteers in law enforcement-related roles and whether additional oversight of the program is needed.

Savia is a Bellmore businessman whose investments reportedly include a commercial real estate company and a medical supply firm.

NCC, Connoisseur Media announce partnership

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

Nassau Community College has announced a new partnership with Connoisseur Media Long Island aimed at providing students with expanded access to internships, professional mentorship and hands-on experience in the media industry.

The collaboration, announced June 4, brings together the college and Connoisseur Media Long Island, which owns and operates several local radio stations, including KJOY 98.3, WALK 97.5, 103.1 The Wolf, 94.3 The Shark and WHLI.

College officials said the partnership is designed to strengthen connections between higher education and Long Island’s media industry while creating pathways for students interested in careers in broadcasting, journalism, marketing, digital media, sales and related fields.

Under the agreement, Nassau Community College will provide opportunities for Connoisseur Media Long Island to engage with students through the college’s radio station, WHPC 90.3 FM, and select campus events. The college will also make available WHPC-produced public affairs programming and student-produced content for possible use across Connoisseur Media’s stations.

In return, Connoisseur Media will provide students with priority access to internships and employment opportunities in several departments, including broadcasting, sales, marketing, journalism, video production, engineering, graphic design and web design.

The company will also offer guest speakers for classes, tours of its Farmingdale studios and professional development opportunities for student broadcasters. The partnership could eventually provide WHPC students

with access to professional broadcast facilities at The Studio at The Paramount, creating opportunities for live and recorded broadcasts and celebrity interviews.

Dr. Maria Conzatti, Nassau Community College’s chief administrative officer, said the collaboration supports the college’s focus on experiential learning and workforce development.

“As Nassau Community College continues to expand opportunities for experiential learning and workforce development, this partnership with Connoisseur Media Long Island represents an exciting investment in our students’ futures,” Conzatti said. “By connecting classroom learning with industry expertise and professional environments, we are helping students develop the skills, networks, and experiences necessary to thrive in today’s evolving media landscape.”

WHPC Director Shawn Novatt said the agreement builds on the station’s longstanding role as a training ground for aspiring media professionals.

“I am most excited about the fact that this partnership strengthens that mission by giving our students direct exposure to industry leaders, professional facilities, and a clear path that can help launch successful careers in the media and communications industry,” Novatt said.

Kristin Okesson, regional senior vice president and market manager for Connoisseur Media Long Island, said the partnership will help cultivate future talent in broadcasting and media.

“Partnerships like these create a direct pipeline for passionate students to gain real-world experience, build important industry connections, and ultimately become the future superstars of our business,” Okesson said. “We look forward to working together to support students as they begin their careers in broadcasting and media.”

Nassau Community College announced a new partnership with Connoisseur Media Long Island aimed at providing students with expanded access to internships, professional mentorship and hands-on experience in the media industry.

JUNE

Herald file photo

The Colts were nothing short of dominant last Saturday in beating East Islip, 7-1, for the L.I. Class

Calhoun tops East Islip for L.I. softball crown

By TONY BELLISSIMO

tbellissimo@liherald.com

Calhoun had never played for a Long Island softball title before, but the Colts proved more than worthy of sharing the same stage with defending Class AA champion East Islip.

Featuring a wicked curveball, sophomore pitcher Sophia Nicastro was dialed in last Saturday. She struck out 14 and allowed only six baserunners in a dominant performance to lead Calhoun to a 7-1 victory at Martha Avenue Park in Bellport.

Five days after capturing their first Nassau County title, the Colts added another chapter to the history books.

“We’ve been waiting for this game all week and it feels amazing to win,” Nicastro said. “We knew they had some strong hitters, but I just trusted my stuff and the defense behind me. The curve is my best pitch and it worked well today.”

Calhoun (16-12) will face Minisink Valley in the state semifinals at 2:30 p.m. Friday in Binghamton. The state Class AA title game is Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

“We’ve come a long way as a program, from Conference 3 to Conference 2 to Conference 1,” Calhoun coach Michael Pisano said. “These girls have believed in each other and believed in the mission from Day One. They’ve all worked so hard and hit stride at the perfect time.”

East Islip’s lone run came in the bottom of the first on Kayla Varga’s sacrifice fly.

Nicastro walked three in the first but was lights out thereafter. She struck out the side in

the second, fourth and seventh.

“They were simply better than us today and we were impressed by their pitcher,” East Islip coach Jason McGowan said. “We came in here confident and prepared, but you’re not going to win a LIC with one run so credit to Calhoun.”

The Colts, who scored in the top of the first on catcher Kaitlyn DiPaola’s sac fly that brought home Ruth Small, took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the second. Small singled home Alexa LaBarbara and scored on a Nicastro sac fly.

They added two runs in the third for a 5-1 cushion. Megan Hobdy swiped home and LaBarbara doubled in Selma Radoncic.

East Islip (16-6) got back-to-back singles from Marisa Rengeneschi and Lexi Kneisel to start the bottom of the third, but Hobdy pulled off a huge defensive gem in center, catching a fly from Varga and nailing Rengeneschi at third base trying to tag.

Radoncic scored again in the sixth on an error and DiPaola belted a solo homer over the fence in center in the seventh.

DiPaola calls the pitches and knew early on Nicastro and the Colts were destined for a big day.

“Sophia is insane,” DiPaola said. “She’s pitched great all year.”

East Islip’s third and final hit was a leadoff double in the seventh off the bat of Kate Vessalico. But Nicastro needed just a dozen pitches to strike out the next three batters to punch the ticket to Binghamton.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity,” Nicastro said.

Erik Lee/Herald photos

AA title at Martha Avenue Park in Bellport.

Catcher Kaitlyn DiPaola capped Calhoun’s big victory with a seventh-inning home run.

Kennedy captures first L.I. baseball crown

By DYLAN BUTLER

sports@liherald.com

The dream season continues for the Bellmore JFK baseball team.

After dramatically winning their first county championship, the Cougars claimed their first Long Island crown, defeating Hauppauge, 9-3, to win the Class AA title last Saturday at Farmingdale State College.

Kennedy (22-5) will advance to the New York State Class AA semifinals in Binghamton to face Cornwall Central on Friday at 7 p.m. The championship game is Saturday at 4 p.m.

“We have another week of baseball together, and then this will be it,” Cougars coach Mike Gattus said. “Our message all year has been to take it day by day, be where your feet are, be present. The kids have really embraced that, and they’re echoing that, which is a great thing for me to see as a coach, that they’re taking that to heart and they’re living it.”

Junior Ryan Yormack set the tone with a leadoff double in the first inning and scored on an error. A sacrifice fly by junior Matt Toliplano gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead.

“He’s hit into some tough luck recently, but just always puts together tremendous at-bats and he found the left field wall almost to start the game,” Gattus said of Yormack. “That was big for us and big for him.”

Senior Zach Adelstein added RBI doubles in the second and fourth innings as Kennedy took a 4-2 lead into the fifth inning.

“He was a guy who throughout his career has been a day one pitcher for us, and when we ask him to play the outfield, he does that,” Gattus said. “We ask him to lay a bunt down, he does that. And then he just steps up tremendously with some great hitting at the

bottom of the lineup to drive some runs in and turn the lineup over. Really can’t ask for more out of him.”

The Cougars tacked on another run in the fifth courtesy of an RBI single to left by senior Alex Demas. Eight different batters had a hit in the game, and Kennedy scored in every inning but the third.

“It’s always been different guys,” Gattus said. “That’s just kind of our mentality. We’ve obviously had some big-time superstars who have led the way, but we are a complete team with a lot of really good players and great kids.”

Hauppauge (20-9) threatened in the top of the sixth inning, with back-to-back doubles by Kevin Hoeler and Brendan Magill, chasing junior starter Dylan Babek, who gave up three earned runs on six hits, striking out four with two walks in five-plus solid innings to get the win.

“Great hitting team,” Babek said. “I knew they were going to be aggressive, and I learned later through the game that they would hit the fastball, so I had to work with my off-speed [pitches], and they worked for me.”

In relief, Ryan Yormack was perfect, retiring all six batters he faced.

“He’s a big-time pitcher, and we’ve been fortunate enough to keep him in the field most of the time,” Gattus said of Yormack. “It’s just an incredible luxury as a coach knowing that we could go to him at any point and he could bring it like he did yesterday to throw two shutout innings. His off-speed is so good, and he throws hard. He’s just a complete two-way player, and he wanted it.”

The Cougars sealed their first Long Island championship with four runs in the sixth inning, highlighted by Demas’ two-run single up the middle.

“It feels great,” Yormack said. “We’ve been working so hard for this, so it just feels like all our work paid off there.”

Media Origin Inc./Herald photos

The Cougars defeated Hauppauge, 9-3, for the Long Island Class AA baseball championship last Saturday afternoon at Farmingdale State College.

Junior Dylan Babek picked up the win on the mound for Kennedy, going five-plus innings.

LIRR expands service for golf’s U.S. Open

By AIDAN WARSHAVSKY awarshavsky@liherald.com

The 126th U.S. Open Championship, which begins next week, is being played at the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club — known as one of the “cathedrals” of golf — for the first time since 2018.

Eric Steimer, senior director of U.S. Championships at the United States Golf Association, said the USGA’s transportation strategy is intended to reduce congestion around the site while providing multiple travel options for fans attending the tournament.

The plan, developed in collaboration with the Long Island Rail Road, Suffolk County and New York state officials, will be in effect from June 15, three days before the tournament starts, until June 21, the day it ends.

Steimer said that the 15-person team that planned transportation operations recognized early that travel logistics would be one of the event’s biggest challenges. “Any time we’re out here in eastern Long Island at Shinnecock Hills, transportation is a challenge,” Steimer said. “We’re doing a lot of different things to really try to mitigate that.”

As it did eight years ago, the LIRR’s Montauk Branch will provide transportation to and from the tournament. A temporary station will be constructed in Tuckahoe, across from Shinnecock Hills, on the south side of County Road

With the 126th U.S. Open set to tee off at Shinnecock Hills, the USGA and transportation companies like the LIRR announced travel plans for the tournament.

39, adjacent to Stony Brook University’s Southampton campus. A temporary pedestrian bridge will span the roadway.

From June 15 to 17, the LIRR plans to operate 10 inbound trains and dozens of outbound trains, more than double the service it provided in 2018. During the championship rounds, June 18 to 21, 12 inbound trains and 13 outbound trains are scheduled to operate.

“The Long Island Rail Road is ready,” its president, Rob Free, stated in a news release. “Avoid the traffic and use our

exceptionally reliable service to and from Shinnecock Hills for all the golf action. Extra staff will also be on hand at Southampton to help customers throughout the championship for a great customer experience.”

Steimer explained that this year’s transportation differs from 2018 because satellite parking operations have moved from Gabreski Airport to Calverton Executive Airpark.

“We will have complimentary parking and complimentary shuttle buses to and from the championship,” Steimer

said. “Anyone that looks at Calverton on a map is going to see that it’s pretty far away from Shinnecock Hills, but at the same time it is very accessible for anyone that’s coming from points west or coming along the Long Island Expressway.”

For residents of Southampton, Sag Harbor, Easthampton and neighboring communities, Steimer recommended using a rideshare program operating from Stony Brook Southampton’s campus.

Hamton Jitney will operate shuttle service for spectators traveling from Montauk, Amagansett, Sag Harbor, Bridgehampton, Water Mill and Southampton. Pickups and drop-offs will be located near Admission Gate 2 on the Stony Brook campus.

Fans traveling from New York City will have the option of using Blade helicopter service from June 18 to 21, with return flights scheduled each evening after play ends.

Steimer urged commuters not to arrange drop-offs on County Road 39, and said there would be increased police presence at intersections around the golf course.

“This is a plan that’s been carefully articulated with local experts to be able to implement this plan,” he said. “Now is the time to bring it to life.”

For more information on train service, go to MTA.INFO/document/209406.

Why Long Island stands to gain from clean energy

For many Long Islanders looking ahead, a major cause for concern is the lack of economic investments that bolsters financial opportunity for the next generation. This looks like great paying jobs with benefits while keeping everyday necessary expenses affordable so that they can afford to buy homes and raise their families where they grew up.

Long Island sits at a crossroads, having the opportunity to build an industry that can provide that economic investment, train an entire generation of skilled workers, and give our kids the chance to obtain great paying jobs, all at the same time as stabilizing energy costs.

Offshore wind, solar power and battery storage are solutions to those challenges.

Starting With Affordability

Energy costs matter everywhere, but especially on Long Island, where household budgets are already stretched. John Durso, President of the Long Island Federation of Labor, said battery storage can help by leveling demand and reducing

off

expensive peak pricing.

“When there is a heavy pull, it evens out the energy so you don’t have highs and lows,” Durso said. “You don’t have to pay the higher rate because of the great demand.”

Jobs, Careers and Local Investment

Clean energy is already reshaping the labor market. Construction of offshore wind transmission, solar installations, battery facilities and supporting infrastructure requires everything from electricians, engineers and ironworkers to

experts in law, math and science.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity here for our environment, for jobs, for the future,” Durso said. “We want to create careers.”

Long Island has long watched younger residents leave for more affordable regions or larger job markets. Clean energy advocates say emerging industries can help reverse that pattern.

Safety and Reliability Matter

Battery storage projects have drawn public scrutiny in some

communities, but industry officials say safety standards have significantly evolved to include strict codes, testing and emergency planning.

“These systems are being developed with safety in mind from the start,” said Paul Rogers, a retired FDNY lieutenant and founding principal of Energy Safety Response Group.

Building the Next Long Island Economy

Supporters believe clean energy could become another major chapter — one that combines infrastructure investment with local employment and community stability.

For many residents, that future would be measured not in megawatts, but in whether Long Island remains home.

Click here for more.

Block Island Wind Farm, located

the shore of Rhode Island, marked the first commercial offshore wind farm in the U.S. Now, for areas like Long Island, offshore wind is a driving force to clean, affordable energy and a healthy economy.

USGA/Fred Vuich

NYU Langone plans major academic medical center

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

NYU Langone Health has announced plans to build a new academic medical center in Melville, a multibillion-dollar project that would expand healthcare services on Long Island while creating thousands of jobs and establishing a new hub for medical education and research.

The proposed campus, located on a 45-acre parcel in the Huntington Quadrangle near the intersection of the Long Island Expressway and Route 110, would include a hospital with more than 500 private inpatient rooms, a 70-bay emergency department, advanced operating suites and diagnostic imaging facilities.

The development would also house the NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine and dedicated research space, creating a comprehensive center for patient care, education and scientific discovery. The project remains subject to state and local approvals, including environmental review.

“This is one of the most ambitious and exciting projects ever undertaken by NYU Langone,” said Dr. Alec C. Kimmelman, dean and CEO of NYU Langone. “The benefits to Long Island will allow us to better serve patients across Nassau and Suffolk Counties with the highestquality care, in a modern facility that offers the latest technologies.”

NYU Langone completed the purchase

NYU Langone Health has announced plans to build a new academic medical center in Melville, which would include a hospital with more than 500 private inpatient rooms, a 70-bay emergency department, advanced operating suites and diagnostic imaging facilities.

of the Melville property on May 21 for $135.5 million. Officials said the site was selected for its accessibility and ability to accommodate a large healthcare campus while preserving green space and supporting broader redevelopment plans for the Melville Town Center.

Construction of the project is expected to generate up to 8,000 union construction jobs and an additional 2,500 indirect jobs throughout the region. Once completed, the facility is expected to employ thousands of permanent workers.

The announcement marks another major expansion for NYU Langone on Long Island, where the health system already operates more than 120 physician practices and employs more than 13,000

people. The organization added NYU Langone Hospital—Suffolk to its network in 2024 and has continued expanding outpatient and specialty services across Nassau and Suffolk counties.

NYU officials said they will maintain a significant presence in Mineola, where they plan to expand emergency, cancer, cardiology and neurology services. Those programs will remain in Mineola even after the Melville campus opens.

The health system has also invested heavily in Nassau County in recent years. In 2024, it opened NYU Langone Ambulatory Care Garden City, a 260,000-square-foot facility housing 32 clinical specialties. The organization has also acquired the former Lord & Taylor

building at 1200 Franklin Ave. in Garden City for future healthcare development.

The Melville campus will also serve as a new home for the NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, a tuition-free medical school focused on primary care. According to NYU Langone, 40 percent of the school’s most recent graduating class will remain on Long Island to continue their medical training or careers.

Local officials welcomed the announcement.

“This is a tremendous victory for Long Island,” Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine said in a statement. “This new facility will bring a new level of care and research, create jobs for thousands, provide educational opportunities and become part of the community.”

Ed Smyth, supervisor of the Town of Huntington, said the proposed medical center could become a major component of the planned Melville Town Center redevelopment.

The project will require multiple approvals from state and local agencies. An environmental impact study will also be conducted, with opportunities for public comment before final decisions are made.

If approved, the medical center would become one of the largest healthcare developments on Long Island in recent decades and significantly expand NYU Langone’s footprint in the region.

Courtesy NYU Langone

Students race handmade boats in Raingutter Regatta

Creativity, teamwork and scientific discovery came together at Park Avenue Elementary School as firstand fifth-grade students teamed up for the annual Raingutter Regatta, a hands-on STEAM activity that challenged them to design, build and race their own boats.

The project paired younger and older students in a collaborative learning experience that combined engineering, science and problem-solving skills. Throughout the school year, first graders participated in a variety of building challenges, while fifth graders conducted scientific investigations. The regatta provided an opportunity for both groups to apply what they had learned in a fun and engaging setting.

Over the course of three sessions, students worked together to design and construct boats using materials such as pool noodles, plastic cups, wooden sticks, straws, duct tape, rubber bands and paper. The activity encouraged students to think creatively while testing different design concepts.

On May 20, students from Patricia Assande’s and Alexa Laskowitz’s first-grade classes joined their fifthgrade buddies from Mary Berry’s and Jenna Stack’s classes for the culminating races.

Modeled after a traditional Boy Scouts activity, the Raingutter Regatta featured inflatable tracks filled with water. Student teams competed head-to-head, relying on wind power generated by large fans to propel their boats down the tracks.

The races quickly became a spirited competition as students cheered on their creations and watched to see which designs performed best. Teams advanced through multiple rounds until a winner emerged.

Beyond the excitement of the competition, the activity served as a practical lesson in science and engineering. Students explored concepts including buoyancy, force and energy while observing how different materials and designs affected their boats’ performance.

Teachers said the project gave students an opportunity to collaborate across grade levels, build relationships and apply classroom learning in a real-world setting. The older students helped guide their younger partners through the design process, while first graders contributed ideas and enthusiasm.

The event highlighted the school’s emphasis on STEAM education and hands-on learning experiences

that encourage innovation, critical thinking and teamwork.

By the end of the regatta, students had not only tested their boats but also gained a deeper understanding of the scientific principles that helped them stay afloat and move across the water.

— Hernesto Galdamez

Participants, from left, Gianluca Milack, Anthony Lombardo, Zachary Cruz and Clayton Corbin set up their boats for the race.

JFK Cougars celebrate Long Island title with lunch

Fresh off the first Long Island baseball championship in school history, the Bellmore JFK Cougars were honored with a victory lunch at Dario’s Pizza in West Hempstead on June 7.

Following the Cougars’ 9-3 win over Hauppauge in the Long Island Class A championship game, Dario’s owners Louis Cretella, Chris Cretella and Dario Carosi hosted the team for lunch, fulfilling a promise made during the championship run.

Players were joined by the coaching staff, family members and supporters as they celebrated the historic achievement.

The Cougars now turn their attention to the state tournament in Binghamton this weekend, where they will represent Long Island. The team also posed for photos at the pizzeria, capping a memorable week for the program and the Bellmore community.

— Hernesto Galdamez

Courtesy of the North Bellmore School District

First and fifth graders at Park Avenue Elementary School participated in the Raingutter Regatta on May 20.

Courtesy Jay Rogoff

The Bellmore JFK Cougars were honored with a victory lunch at Dario’s Pizza in West Hempstead on June 7.

News brief

The best places to watch the World Cup

This week marks the beginning of the World Cup. The first matches will be played on June 11. Two bars have committed to providing the best World Cup watching experience on Long Island.

The Cabana in Long Beach’s West End, and Das Biergarten, nine blocks down in East Atlantic Beach, each have large TVs as well as TVs throughout their establishments, all of which will play World Cup matches.

“We plan on having all the games on, they’re mostly afternoon games,” Bob Johnson, owner of the Cabana, said. “We also had World Cup games on in 2022, but there’s much more excitement this year because it’s happening in the U.S., we wanted to use that opportunity.”

Johnson also explained that there would be World Cup themed drink specials, bucket deals for beers and seltzers, and brunch deals for early games. He also teased a ‘best dressed soccer fan’ deal with a free drink reward. The Cabana has a stage in its outside seating area as well, so there will also be live music during some of the games.

Although Cabana and Das Biergarten are rival businesses by proximity, their owners are friends. “Drew [Andrew Hetzler] has always been a

great friend, even though he’d tell you we’re the music spot and he’s the real World Cup place,” Johnson joked.

Andrew Hetlzer, owner of Das Biergarten, embraces his restaurant’s title as the ‘real’ World Cup watching venue. “We’ll be hosting every game,” he said. “Especially big events for the U.S., Germany, and Mexico.”

Hetzler said he would be advertising for the World Cup games on all Das Biergarten’s social media, including its Instagram and Facebook. “I’ll be running my ads in English, German, and Spanish, just for fun,” he said. “I want to target all of our friends in the Latin community in the Long Beach area as well.”

Das Biergarten will have food and drink specials not dissimilar to Cabana, including a ‘2-liter boot of beer.’

Hetzler’s restaurant has been hosting World Cup games as well as EuroCup games since 2018. “We opened in 2014, but it was right after the World Cup, and that was the one that Germany won too, so we just missed out on it,” Hetzler said. “We’ve gotten big crowds every year since then, though.”

— Noah Peretz

Reworld celebrates Long Island environmental leaders

By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdalessandro@liherald.com

Herald Community Media and Reworld partnered to celebrate Long Island’s leading environmental advocates and innovators during the Herald Sustainability Awards of Long Island, held May 14 at the Heritage Club at Bethpage.

The event recognized individuals and organizations making significant contributions to environmental sustainability while also honoring student leaders working to protect Long Island’s natural resources.

“Nothing unites Long Islanders more than our natural environment, from beaches and bays to wetlands and parks — these treasures are our fountain of life, beauty and resources,” said Stuart Richner, CEO of Richner Communications. “Tonight, we gather to honor environmental champions who are working tirelessly to protect Long Island’s natural ecosystem for future generations. Their efforts are challenging but vitally important and we thank them for their unwavering dedication.”

The ceremony, emceed by comedian Tom Kelley, also featured awards for four Student Champions for Sustainability and a total of $7,500 in student sustainability initiative prizes.

Adel Omrani, president of Reworld’s East Region, highlighted the company’s role in transforming waste into energy.

“You don’t think of waste when you put it at the curb, and you usually don’t think about disposal, but there’s a lot of processes that goes into that,” he said. “We generate electricity out of that and recycle metals. Just for Long Island, for example, we power 100,000 homes just from processing this waste and using it as fuel.”

Omrani said collaboration among environmental leaders remains essential.

“It’s a very big part of what we do as a community,” he said.

Reworld Market Area Director James Regan stressed the importance of sustainable waste management on Long Island.

“For Long Island, an issue like sustainable waste management is extremely important given how populated it is and how limited resources are,” he said. “Reworld, for us, has a focus to continue to partner with all

these great champions of sustainability to ensure we have sustainable waste management for decades to come.”

New York State Senator Siela Bynoe spoke during the dinner portion of the event.

“I have really had the environment in mind as I’ve been in my various roles in government,” she said.

Bynoe’s life experiences motivated her to pursue environmental advocacy, witnessing increased cancer rates due to local contamination in the Caribbean and disproportionate harm done to marginalized communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I set off on a path to make sure that we can conserve water, make sure we have clean water, and make sure that we are doing what we can to ensure that we sustain this community, this county and this state (so) that we have a bright future,” she said.

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, a longtime environmental advocate, discussed his commitment to protecting Long Island’s future.

“I’m very concerned about the direction we’re going as a state and as an island, and I’m looking to change that direction by doing a number of things,” he said.

Romaine cited efforts to improve municipal waste management, expand solar energy infrastructure and advance environmentally friendly policies.

“I could have retired long ago, but there are things that I want to accomplish,” he said. “We need to see change.”

Among the evening’s featured speakers was sports broadcaster and former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason, who reflected on his connection to the Great South Bay.

“When I was a kid, between the ages of 14 and 17, I spent a lot of my summers on the Great South Bay — I was a clammer,” he said. “It was great, but there were areas of the Great South Bay that we couldn’t clam in because it was considered polluted... It took many years for it to turn around and to start going back the other way, and it’s one of the things I’m most proud about.”

Esiason praised young environmental advocates being recognized at the event.

“I’m very, very proud of them, and very proud of what they’re trying to do for the beaches of the Great South Bay,” he said.

Girl Scouts Emma Klein and Zoe Lazarus, of Savyille High School, Roslyn High sophomore Charles Metzger and Hauppauge High se-

nior Matias Kalaitzis were all winners of the Student Champions for Sustainability Award. The four were recognized for their civic service, from cleanups to awareness efforts. National Grid Ventures, the main natural gas utility for over 600,000 residential and business customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties; Tritec, primarily known for mixeduse developments, transit-oriented communities and commercial property management across Long Island; and UBS Arena, the home of the New York Islanders, were all recognized with team awards.

As the presenting sponsor, Reworld continues to support environmental progress across Long Island. The company operates facilities in Westbury, West Babylon, East Northport and Ronkonkoma, processing two-thirds of Long Island’s waste, recycling thousands of tons of metals and generating electricity for local homes while helping reduce landfill use and greenhouse gas emissions.

For more information about Reworld and its initiatives that support various community empowerment and environmental programs fostering positive change locally and globally, visit ReworldWaste.com.

To view more pictures, visit RichnerLive.com.

Tim Baker/Herald

The Sustainability Awards powered by Reworld brought together leaders, innovators, and advocates committed to building a more sustainable future for Long Island

Sponsors for the night (back, from left) included Ricardo Salce, Bobby Green, Rudy Winkler, Rob Balbierz, James Regan, Bill Murphy, David Sharp, Adel Omrani, Maureen Early, Ed Sandkuhl, Matt Augi, Brian Aerne and (front, from left) Kamrun Haque, Vickey Ardounis, and Rehan Simonia from the team at Reworld.

Honoree Suffolk County Executive, Edward P. Romaine with special guest, former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason.

Honoree State Senator Siela Bynoe, District 6.

College Student Champion Honoree Vienna De Lombaerde, who attends Hofstra University.

The duo team honorees for the Student Champion Award: Sayville High School 9th graders Emma Klein, left, and Zoe Lazarus.

Student Champion honorees: Roslyn High School 10th grader Charles Metzger, left, and Hauppauge High School graduating senior Matias Kalaitzis with special guest Kyle Palmieri of the New York Islanders.

National Grid Ventures’ honor team included Kamona Ayres, left, Robert Wittmer, Tom Garry, Alanna Russo, and Retha Fernandez.

Tianna D’Italia, left, Michael Sciortino, Mike Santeramo, Joe Giarraputo, Caroline Shipps, and Erin Nourijanian of UBS Arena’s honoree team.

Michael O’Leary, left, Robert Kent, Shannon Coughlan, Jim Coughlan, Jimmy Coughlan, and Chris Kelly of TRITEC Real Estate Company’s honoree team.

A special thank you to Adel Omrani, President of Reworld East Region, whose vision and leadership helped bring this inspiring celebration of sustainability to life.

STEPPING OUT

‘Good times never seemed so good…’ Neil Diamond’s tunes are always in style

By Karen Bloom

For those who can’t get enough of Neil Diamond, perhaps the next best thing to seeing him perform, is when Robert Neary takes on legendary singer-songwriter’s persona.

The multi-hyphenate performer brings his acclaimed show, ”So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience,” to Tilles Center, on Sunday, featuring his band and a special “hometown” guest performance. The East Meadow High School Chamber Choir concludes the concert with a six-song finale, under the direction of Chorus Director Samantha Schick. The collaboration is especially meaningful, as Neary is an alumnus of East Meadow High School, and the production’s trumpet player, Stephen Engle, formerly served as head of the music department at the school.

The stage, TV and film star has created an acclaimed tribute experience. The show celebrates the timeless songs and storytelling of Neil Diamond, with the beloved hits from Diamond’s extensive catalogincluding “Sweet Caroline,” “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “America, ,” and many more. Known for his remarkable vocals, Neary has earned praise for delivering a heartfelt and high-energy tribute to one of America’s most iconic entertainers. The concert was also filmed as a documentary feature that is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, where it continues to receive rave reviews from audiences nationwide.

With decades in the entertainment industry, Neary has starred in three Broadway lead roles and appeared in more than 60 major television and film guest-starring roles. He has also built a worldwide social media following of more than half a million fans. Neary created “So Good! The Neil Diamond Experience” in 2019 and, alongside New York-based band The Mystic, developed the show into the nationwide hit it is today. The production continues to sell out venues across the United States and is now set to expand internationally.

“I’ve always been a fan,” says Neary, of Diamond. “I even learned how to play the piano to Hello Again and knew I could emulate his voice since high school. I was an actor for 40 years, but in 2018, the business for me, started to slow down. After hearing he was

• Sunday, June 14, 3 p.m.

• Tickets available at tillescenter.org or ticketmaster.com or (516) 299-3100

• Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville

retiring due to Parkinson’s, I set out to create the best Neil Diamond tribute I could.”

And audiences certainly agree.

“We always hope that for the two hours they come to our show, they [audiences] are able to forget about the craziness going on in the world, and relive the happy moments with the Neil Diamond’s iconic music. People relate to his music and so many favorites bring so many people back to those beautiful days,” Neary continues.

Part of the show’s enduring appeal is Neary’s commitment to honoring Diamond’s catalog while keeping the performance dynamic and engaging for both new and returning audiences.

“I went right to his 50th anniversary hits album and compared each song to the success of each one and chart history. We now touch on 28 of them in a full show. We do various medleys that are able to incorporate more songs and with the fabulous multimedia, it really brings the songs to life. I also go into the audience for Sweet Caroline and high five and hug on as many people as I can,” Neary adds.

Over the years, the production has evolved into a full-scale theatrical concert experience.

“I set out to do exactly what it has become. So having it all continue to fall into place, has been all part of the plan. We continue to evolve in our production. Its started with eight members on stage and 22 songs. We now have amazing background singers, a violinist and a full multimedia presentation that is amazing. We also have included a full overture highlighting Neil’s career through the decades.”

His band, The Mystic, certainly adds to the experience.

“I am beyond blessed to have this amazing band,” Neary says, enthusiastically. “I met them playing at a huge Halloween party and asked if they would like to join me in this venture and they said, yes. To have this band and the comradery that they possess, having been together for 30 years, is just icing on the cake. We have such a great time on stage as well as touring together and it shows. Countless accolades say how amazingly tight the band is and that we all look like we are having fun.”

One could say that that that this performance’s special closing is the icing on the cake for Neary.

“I’m incredibly proud to return home and share this experience with students from East Meadow High School. Music education played such an important role in my life, and having these talented young performers join us for the finale makes this performance especially meaningful. It’s going to be a really memorable afternoon,” he continues.

“I’ve always wanted to add a choir, and with this Tilles show, being as big as it is, I figured now’s the time to make it happen. My best friend from junior high Stephen Engle, suggested them and I I immediately said, “Of course!”

Neary, who now resides in Melville after leaving East Meadow all those years ago to pursue his dreams in L.A., is delighted to be back on his home turf, especially reconnecting with his high school.

“It feels wonderful. So humbling and so blessed to be back where I was when my career was only a dream away. The first time we played Eisenhower Park, was very emotional and now to play the Tilles Center with the EMHS choir, on such a grander scale, is even more unbelievable.”

Robert Neary enthusiastically gets his audiences involved in this celebration of the singersongwriter’s enduring catalog of hits.

Contemporary swing revival band

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy visits the Paramount ready to cut loose. Since their formation in the early ‘90s in Ventura, Calif., they’ve toured virtually nonstop, performing on average over 150 shows a year, and produced a sizable catalog of recorded music. Early on, during their legendary residency at the Derby nightclub in Los Angeles, they reminded the world, in the midst of the grunge era no less, that it was still cool to swing. The band, co-founded by singer Scotty Morris and drummer Kurt Sodergren, was at the forefront of the swing revival of that time, blending a vibrant fusion of the classic American sounds of jazz, swing, and Dixieland, with the energy and spirit of contemporary culture. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy — famously named after an autograph by blues legend Albert Collins — has appeared in concert venues across the world, sold millions of records, and had their music appear in movies and television shows. The band continues to celebrate and revitalize jazz and swing music and bring joy to audiences around the world.

Saturday, June 13, 8 p.m. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

Conversations in art

Nassau County Museum of Art hosts an engaging conversation with curator and collections expert Lauren Brincat, whose work and expertise helped shape the current exhibition “250 Years of Art on Long Island.” Brincat, Chief Curator and Director of Collections at Preservation Long Island — a key lending partner to the exhibit — offers an in-depth exploration of the show’s themes, giving visitors a closer look at the wide-ranging artworks and historical objects on view. Her talk illuminates how the exhibit brings together painting and decorative arts to trace the evolution of Long Island’s artistic identity across the centuries. She also discusses the collaborative research and curatorial process behind the exhibition, highlighting how artists, collectors and communities have contributed to shaping and preserving the region’s visual legacy.

Sunday, June 14, 3 p.m. $20, $15 seniors, $10 students (members free). Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor. Register at nassaumuseum.org or call (516) 484-9337.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Photos courtesy Robert Neary

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

JUN

11

North Bellmore BOE meets The North Bellmore Board of Education holds it monthly meeting. Let your voice be heard.

• Where: 2616 Martin Ave.

• Time: 7:30 p.m.

• Contact: northbellmoreschools.org

David Lerner

Associates Police Appreciation Run

Runners hit the pavement in Eisenhower Park, demonstrating appreciation for local police.

• Where: Field 2, Eisenhower Park

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: Events.EliteFeats. com/26appreciation

Live After Five

Don’t miss out on Merrick’s Live After Five, back for another year. Merrick Community Civic Association hosts an evening dedicated to supporting local businesses. Participating restaurants and shops offer special promotions for the evening for all customers. Enjoy music at the Gazebo near the LIRR (weather permitting).

• Where: Along Merrick Avenue, from LIRR to Loines Ave, and into the Merrick Mall

• Time: Beginning at 5 p.m.

• Contact: For the most up to date list of participating businesses, check out @ MerrickLiveAfterFive on Instagram

JUN

12

Friday Night Car Show

Drop by to check out hundreds of antique and custom cars, every Friday, through Oct. 30.

• Where: Bellmore LIRR parking lot on Broadway between Bellmore and Bedford avenues

• Time: 5-10 p.m.

Family theater

Long Island Children’s Museum stages “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!,” for a final weekend. With a script written by Mo Willems, the creator of the award-winning “Pigeon” picture books, and featuring music by Deborah Wicks La Puma (Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play!), this show is even more fun than staying up late and having a hot dog party! It’s not easy being the

JUN

Daniel Tosh’s: My First Farewell Tour

JUN

22

Tunes with The Chiclettes Eisenhower Summer Concert Series welcomes The Chiclettes and Vinnie Medugno. Celebrate the remarkable women who reigned supreme on the charts! Gracie, Mikayla, and Jennie deliver an exceptional blend of female vocal groups and artists, spanning from the early rock ‘n roll and Motown eras to disco, R&B, ‘80s/90s pop and more. The Chiclettes are set to energize you as they celebrate the female artists who have graced the music scene from past to present.

• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow • Time: 6 p.m.

JUN

Bellmore Fireman’s Fair

25

Enjoy a fun-filled weekend with the family. Check out carnival rides, games, entertainment.

• Where: Bellmore LIRR Station • Time: 5-10 p.m., also varied times through June 28

• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington

• Time: 7 and 9:30 p.m.

Get ready for an evening of sharp observations and quick-fire punchlines that are Daniel Tosh’s signature irreverent style when he brings My First Farewell tour to The Paramount stage. Acclaimed for his quick wit and deadpan delivery, he’s built a devoted following through both stand-up and television. After graduating from the University of Central Florida with a degree in marketing, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue comedy full-time. His career gained national attention following a standout appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman in 2001, leading to appearances on programs including Comedy Central Presents, Premium Blend and The Tonight Show. Tosh became a household name as the creator and host of Tosh.0, the long-running Comedy Central hit that paired viral internet videos with his trademark commentary and satirical take on pop culture. The series became one of the network’s most successful and enduring comedy programs, helping cement Tosh’s reputation as one of stand-up’s most recognizable voices. Expect an energetic set filled with new material, unexpected twists and the unapologetic humor that has defined Tosh’s career.

Pigeon since you never get to do anything. But when the Bus Driver has a crisis that threatens to make her passengers (gasp!) late, maybe that wily bird can finally do something. Featuring an innovative mix of songs, and feathers, the show is sure to get everyone’s wings flapping. $11 with museum admission ($9 members), $15 theater only.

• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

• Time: 10:15 a.m. and noon.; also June 13-14

• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800

Harmonize with Long Island Harmonizers

Love to sing? So do the Long Island Harmonizers. The Barbershop Harmony Society chapter is a chorus of more than 20 singers, now welcoming new members. The ensemble performs four-part a cappella harmony in the barbershop style, entertaining audiences at libraries, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and local events. All are welcome to visit one of their weekly rehearsals. Come listen, meet the JUN

chorus, and — if you’d like — join in and sing. No musical experience is necessary, just a love of singing and a desire to have fun making music together.

• Where: Faith Lutheran Church, 231 Jackson Ave, Syosset

• Time: Tuesdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

• Contact: Call: Rich, (516) 521-4779, or Dennis, (516) 680-8036, or visit longislandharmonizers.org

JUN

18

Bellmore Block Party

The business community, in collaboration with the Bellmore Chamber of Commerce, hosts the family-friendly event. With entertainment, food and beverages from local businesses. Pour Some 80’s On Me band performs.

• Where: Bedford Avenue, from Pettit to Wilson Avenues

• Time: 6-10 p.m.

• Contact: bellmorechamber.com

Juneteenth Celebration

Eisenhower Summer Concert Series continues with an Earth Wind & Fire Tribute by D’votion, a Gospel Choir and DRIFT

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

featuring members of TAUK and MJT.

• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 572-0200

FIFA World Cup Watch Party

19

Get in on the action at Eisenhower Park when USA takes on Australia.

• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow

• Time: 3 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 572-0200

JUN

Pollinator

Week Program

Celebrate Pollinator Week with a free community event featuring activities and education about pollinator gardens and environmental stewardship at the Garden at St. Francis Where: 1692 Bellmore Ave, North Bellmore

• Time: 9 a.m.-noon

• Contact: Beth Baier at (516) 825-5514 or Tara at (516) 557-8117 or Rev. Grace Flint at (516) 679-1184

Brick Builders: Build Something Wild Old Westbury Gardens welcomes families to spend an afternoon exploring, building and creating together! Brick Builders invites children and their grownups to enjoy building a LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Tropical Toucan. The program begins at the beech tree and includes a guided walk through some of the featured exhibit Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects made with LEGO bricks. After the tour, head to the Barn at Orchard Hill to build a LEGO kit to take home For ages 5+. | $24 per child (includes admission, guided tour, and LEGO kit). $22 per adult (includes admission and guided tour), with member discount. Registration required.

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: 4:30-5:30 p.m.

• Contact: oldwestburygardens.org or call (516) 333-0048

Having an event?

Items on the Calendar 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 kbloom@ liherald.com.

Grand Avenue students step back in time

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

For half a century, a unique piece of Grand Avenue Middle School history remained hidden behind a wall, waiting for the moment when a future generation would finally discover what students and staff from 1976 had left behind.

That moment arrived on June 2, when school officials opened a time capsule created by the Class of 1976 inside the Bellmore school, fulfilling a promise made 50 years ago. Grand Avenue is part of the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.

The capsule, sealed during the nation’s bicentennial year, was covered by a plaque bearing a message from the students of that era: “Presented by the Class of ’76 to be opened June 2026 when our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary.”

Students and staff throughout the building watched the unveiling via livestream during an extended advisory period. In the days leading up to the

event, advisory classes participated in activities designed to build excitement while helping students understand what

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR THE RMAC TRUST, SERIES 2016-CTT, Plaintiff AGAINST SHAWN WHALEN, JANET WHALEN, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 7, 2024, 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 June 25, 2026 at 3:00 PM, premises known as 402 Marle Place, Bellmore, NY 11710. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with t .he buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Bellmore, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 56, Block 351, Lot 87-89. Approximate amount of judgment $417,139.32 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #600417/2020. Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221

19-007424 89871

160403

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF BOGOMATCH LLC. Application for Authority filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/15/2026. Office Location: Nassau County. LLC formed in DE on 04/10/2025. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 911 Harlane Circle, North Bellmore, NY 11710. Principal business address: same. DE address: c/o Northwest Registered Agent Service, Inc., 8 The Green STE B, Dover, DE 19901. Cert. of LLC filed with DE Secretary of State, 401 Federal St., Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful act. 160399

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF VOLUNTARY RECOGNITION

In accordance with §201.6 of the Department of Civil Service Rules and Regulations, the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District is required to publish and post notice that on June 3, 2026, the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School

District extended voluntary recognition to the Civil Service Employees Association, Local 1000 AFSCME, AFL-CIO of a unit composed of security aides. North Merrick, New York

June 3, 2026

Pattianne Guccione, District Clerk 160669

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS

Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Town Hall Plaza, One Washington Street, Hempstead, New York on 06/24/2026 at 2:00 P.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 2:00 P.M. 345/26. BELLMOREJRA Realty LLC, Install one double-faced, illuminated, detached ground sign 142 sq. ft. per face overall size 284’ sq. ft.; Overall height 22’ 9.5” &

setback 2’ 4.5” from Bedford Ave. & 6’ 8” from Merrick Rd. & within the clear sight triangle., N/E cor. Merrick Rd. & Bedford Ave., running thru to Winthrop Ave., a/k/a 2711-2729 Merrick Rd. ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550. This notice is only for new cases in Bellmore within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available at https://hempsteadny.go v/509/Board-of-Appeals The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.go v/576/Live-StreamingVideo

Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it. 160655

life was like when the capsule was created.

According to Social Studies Chairperson Ann Donaldson, students first learned about the purpose of time capsules before making their own predictions about what might be found inside.

“All of our students spent a bit of time exploring the concept of a time capsule and guessing what would be in the GAMS capsule,” Donaldson said.

Many students proved to be surprisingly accurate.

“Many advisory classes guessed that there might be a record, baseball cards and bicentennial memorabilia — and all were correct,” said social studies teacher Kristin Fusaro, who played a key role in organizing the event.

The capsule’s unveiling became more than just a look into the past. Students also participated in an interactive “Inflation Station” activity, estimating the 1976 prices of everyday items such as milk, eggs, gasoline and Nike sneakers before comparing them to today’s costs.

Another activity challenged students to identify pieces of now-vintage technology based solely on the sounds they made.

“Students also got to listen to various audio clips to try and guess the 1976 tech that made the sound,” Donaldson said. “Some of the sounds were from a record

Kristin Fusaro, left, a social studies teacher at Grand Avenue Middle School, and Howard Fields, right, dean of students and social studies teacher, invited students to inspect the relics contained within the 50-yearold time capsule.

player, a Polaroid camera and a typewriter.”

The school embraced the spirit of the decade throughout the celebration. Hallways were filled with music from the 1970s during passing periods, giving students a taste of the era their predecessors experienced.

“There have been several days of 1970s music playing in the hallways during passing time, and kids were even treated to some impromptu teacher dance parties,” Mary Allegretta, an English chairperson, said.

The unveiling was organized through a collaborative effort involving the Student Council, Grand Avenue Principal Carlo Conte, Howard Fields, the dean of students and social studies teacher, and Fusaro.

While the opening marked the end of one chapter in the school’s history, it also signaled the beginning of another.

“In September, Grand Avenue will build a new 50-year time capsule to replace the 1976 one, and students have already begun contributing ideas regarding what to include that best captures 2026,” Fusaro said.

The new capsule will be sealed for the next generation of Grand Avenue students to discover, continuing a tradition that has connected the school’s past and present for half a century.

Fifty years after it was sealed inside a wall at Grand Avenue Middle School, a time capsule created by students and faculty in 1976 was officially opened during the school’s extended advisory period on June 2.

Courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District photos

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EMore about homes close to the water

Q. We’re looking for a house, and have run into a pattern where every house we see has some real problems. We’re wondering, after our home inspector looked at a house recently and found major foundation cracks, how we can figure out what to negotiate for the repairs. The house is on a canal, and also has other additions that have no permits (we checked). How do we go about discussing this with facts, and try to resolve what it will really cost if we buy the house?

A. I have a sinking feeling about the house, as you described. Some of the homes I have seen in high water tables, next to canals, in what are known as flood plain areas, are expensive and require a lot of engineering work to repair. Unfortunately, time doesn’t heal all wounds, and many people looking in areas adjacent to water don’t realize what they’re looking at.

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The history of these close-to-the-water neighborhoods is an interesting study in civil engineering. Most of the areas, especially along shorelines, were previously swampland that was “reclaimed.” This means that tall reeds were often plowed under and covered with sand, dredged to make the adjacent canals deeper and more navigable while shooting the sand with water cannons, in a process called hydro-fill, to stabilize and level out the land for construction of developments. At the time, unfortunately, there wasn’t the same level of scrutiny in issuing permits, and testing from those eras is sometimes questionable. One of the most obvious test reports I have ever seen was one in which every soil boring taken on a single property was written on a chart so that every number on every line was the same. A trained professional would realize that is nearly impossible. I imagine the person just filling in each line with the same ditto information just so they could get past filing the required report.

It’s all too common to see record plans, taken from building departments, showing standard foundation walls with no spread footing, and therefore no piles. Piles are the large, long poles or large helical screws that are jammed down into the earth until they reach a point where they can’t be jammed any farther. If you really love the location, you should hire an experienced engineer or architect, who will need to investigate the old records on file and also look at the foundation conditions.

If it turns out the house has either no underground pile report or a certified pile log, which is not unusual, then the foundation cracking can be caused by the continued settling of the house into the less stable ground. Will the settling stop at some point? Not for a long time — several lifetimes, predictably. There are ways to insert pile supports around the foundation, utilizing brackets and angled piles, to stop the settling. At that point, you need a professional’s plan and a pile company estimate to negotiate. Good luck!

© 2026 Monte Leeper

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opinions

What I learned walking in the places history left behind

Like many Jews of my generation, I grew up learning about the Holocaust. I attended religious school, read the books, watched the documentaries, and listened to survivors tell their stories. I understood the facts, the timelines and the staggering death toll. Yet nothing prepared me for what it felt like to stand in the places where that history unfolded.

My wife and I recently took a Jewish Heritage Tour through Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic. While the trip included beautiful cities, remarkable architecture, and centuries of European history, what stays with me are the places where absence speaks louder than anything still standing.

Before the tour began, we traveled to Radom, Poland, where my wife’s father lived before World War II. She located the building where her father’s family once lived, which was still there.

As we walked along the cobblestone street, people were going about their daily lives. It was an ordinary neighborhood. Yet not far away, in the city’s his-

torical museum, photos and records documented the destruction of the once thriving Jewish community there.

Before the war, Jews made up roughly one-third of the city’s population. My wife’s grandfather and aunt were murdered by the Nazis. Her father and uncle escaped and survived. I found myself thinking less about history and more about what was missing. The buildings and streets remained, but the people who had filled those streets with life were gone.

That feeling followed me for much of the trip.

Tchambers and crematoria forces you to confront the reality that the statistics represent human beings.

The Holocaust is often discussed in terms of numbers because the scale of the crime was so immense. Six million Jews were murdered. Yet in Auschwitz, those numbers begin to disappear. Instead, you think about parents separated from their children, young people whose futures were stolen, and families that vanished.

hey were reminders of what can happen when prejudice goes unchallenged.

In Warsaw, we walked through the former Warsaw Ghetto. In Prague and Budapest we visited Jewish quarters, synagogues and cemeteries that testified to communities that had flourished for centuries before being devastated. We repeatedly encountered reminders of vibrant Jewish life alongside reminders of how much had been lost.

Nothing, however, compared to Auschwitz and Birkenau.

I had seen photos of the camps throughout my life. But photos cannot convey what it feels like to stand there. Walking through the barracks where prisoners were housed, seeing the conditions in which they lived and the gas

One stop that particularly affected me was Terezín, in the Czech Republic. The camp was used by Nazi propagandists to create the illusion that Jews were being treated humanely. Today, drawings and writings by children imprisoned there remain on display. I was struck by the innocence reflected in their artwork and words. Most of those children didn’t survive the war.

As powerful as these experiences were, they felt especially relevant because of what we are living through today. Antisemitism is rising in the United States and across the globe. Jewish institutions increasingly require security measures that would have been unthinkable a generation ago. Jewish students report harassment and intimidation on college campuses. Hate crimes

directed at Jews continue to occur at alarming rates.

The lesson I took away from Eastern Europe is how easily hatred can become normalized when people stop challenging it. The destruction of Europe’s Jewish communities didn’t begin with concentration camps. It began with prejudice, scapegoating and the gradual acceptance of discrimination.

I returned from the trip with a renewed conviction that combating antisemitism cannot be left solely to the Jewish community. Every community has a stake in confronting hatred wherever it appears. History shows that intolerance rarely confines itself to a single target.

The places we visited serve as powerful reminders of what can happen when prejudice goes unchallenged. They also remind us that preserving memory, while essential, isn’t enough. The responsibility that history places on each generation is to apply its lessons in its own time.

Holocaust victims can’t tell their stories. The responsibility to remember them — and to ensure that the hatred that consumed so much of Europe never gains such a foothold again — belongs to all of us.

Arnold Drucker represents Nassau County’s 16th Legislative District and is the Legislature’s deputy minority leader.

The lessons our leaders should take from the LIRR strike

The three-day Long Island Rail Road strike last month did more than disrupt commutes. It highlighted just how interconnected New York City and Long Island truly are. For 72 hours, the effects rippled across the entire metropolitan region. State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli estimated that the work stoppage cost as much as $61 million per day in lost economic activity. The losses weren’t confined to any one county or borough. They were shared by all of us, because our regional economy functions as one interconnected system.

I heard from employers immediately concerned about staffing shortages, delayed deliveries and declining foot traffic. The reason was simple: The workforce connection between Long Island and New York City is enormous.

According to Census data, around 240,000 Long Island residents commute into New York City for work, while roughly 310,000 New York City residents work in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Queens alone sends around 95,000 work-

ers into Nassau County and another 28,000 into Suffolk County every day. Queens residents are among the largest workforce pipelines for Long Island employers, particularly in health care, construction, retail, transportation and professional services.

When that flow stops, even briefly, the economic consequences are immediate.

Too often, some elected officials and commentators have tried to frame Long Island and New York City as competitors, as though economic success on one side of the city line somehow comes at the expense of the other side.

It doesn’t.

Long Island’s economy is deeply dependent on New York City’s, and vice versa.

We saw this dynamic emerge during the pandemic, when some suburban leaders openly encouraged businesses to leave New York City and relocate to Long Island. More recently, some politicians have continued to take rhetorical swipes at the city’s struggles as a way to score political points.

But the LIRR strike demonstrated exactly why that mindset misses the bigger picture.

Long Island’s economy is deeply dependent on New York City’s economic strength, just as the city depends on

Long Island. Roughly 150,000 Suffolk County residents work in New York City’s five boroughs, with many commuting into Manhattan and Queens every day. Nassau County’s economic ties are even deeper. Meanwhile, businesses throughout the city rely heavily on Long Island residents as customers, employees and business partners.

Queens and suburban Long Island, in particular, share extraordinarily close economic ties. Queens is home to Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, major health care institutions, construction projects and entertainment destinations that employ thousands of Long Islanders. Long Islanders help staff schools, hospitals, financial firms and transportation systems throughout the city. At the same time, Queens residents support Long Island’s retail centers, restaurants, beaches and small businesses. That’s why the true competition facing our region isn’t between Queens and Nassau or between Manhattan and Suffolk. It is coming from states aggressively attracting residents and employers away from New York altogether. Florida. Texas. The Carolinas.

When families leave the metropolitan area because housing costs become unsustainable, Long Island and New York City both lose. When businesses relocate operations out of state, the economic pain is shared throughout the downstate region.

Instead of trying to outcompete one another for headlines or short-term political advantage, regional leaders should be working together to address the challenges we all face: affordability, transportation reliability, housing shortages and public safety.

The LIRR strike also reinforced another important truth: Infrastructure matters. Reliable transportation is the backbone of the downstate economy. Millions of people depend on the seamless movement of workers and consumers throughout the region every day. When that system breaks down, even temporarily, it reminds us how fragile — and how interconnected — our economy really is.

In the future Long, Island and New York City will succeed or fail, rise or fall, together. That isn’t political rhetoric. It is an economic reality.

Tom Grech is president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce and acting chair of the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency and Local Development Corporation.

WHERALD

Taking care to the streets

hen communities confront homelessness, the conversation often becomes trapped between competing concerns: public safety, housing costs, mental health, addiction and strained social services. But programs that make a real difference recognize a simple truth: Homelessness is both a humanitarian crisis and a public health crisis.

Addressing it requires more than temporary shelter or emergency interventions. It requires meeting people where they are — literally and figuratively. That is what makes street medicine and community outreach programs such powerful and innovative models.

Instead of waiting for vulnerable people to navigate a complicated health care system, outreach teams bring services directly to them. They visit train stations, commuter lots, wooded encampments, shelters and other places where homeless individuals live and gather.

The approach acknowledges a reality often overlooked in policy discussions: People struggling to survive day to day rarely have the ability to prioritize medical appointments, transportation, paperwork or insurance requirements. For many, simply getting through the next 24 hours is challenge enough.

Long Island’s most recent Point-InTime Count found more than 4,500 unhoused adults and children in Nassau and Suffolk counties, the highest total recorded since 2007.

letters

Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and Brown are silent on Israel

To the Editor:

In a pair of opinion pieces in the May 28-June 3 issue of the Herald, Assemblyman Ari Brown (“New York’s radical mobs are testing America’s spine”) and State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (“Our state must do more to combat antisemitism”) deplored the rise in antisemitism locally, nationally and globally. The two legislators called for stronger measures to protect Jews from harassment and the threat, or actuality, of violence.

No New Yorker of goodwill would oppose such protective efforts or deny that hatred of Jews is growing and spreading. It must also be acknowledged that Hamas is a terrorist organization that committed unspeakable atrocities in murdering 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023.

But neither Brown nor CanzoneriFitzpatrick offers the slightest criticism

Behind every statistic is a person facing enormous barriers to proper health and stability. Chronic illnesses often go untreated. Mental health conditions worsen without care. Substance-use disorders become more dangerous. Small medical problems can become lifethreatening emergencies.

Traditional systems are often not designed to reach people living in these circumstances. Outreach programs are. What makes these efforts especially effective is their emphasis on trust. Team members may spend significant time with one person, providing medical evaluations, wellness education, supplies, referrals and, perhaps most important, human connection. People who often feel ignored, judged or invisible are treated with dignity and respect.

That trust-building is not a “soft” benefit. It is the foundation of successful intervention. People who trust service providers are more likely to seek treatment, follow medical advice, complete paperwork and engage with housing services. Those relationships can become the bridge that leads someone from instability to recovery and ultimately to permanent housing.

The results of street medicine programs across Long Island and the nation demonstrate the value of this approach. People have been connected to urgent medical care, chronic conditions have been managed before they became emergencies, and individuals have been guid-

ed into stable housing. While the numbers may seem modest compared with the scale of the crisis, they represent something larger: individualized, community-based care that works.

Housing itself is a public health issue. Stable housing improves physical health, mental well-being, medication compliance and overall quality of life. Yet obtaining housing often requires medical evaluations and documentation that many homeless people struggle to access. Outreach teams help bridge that gap.

These programs also serve as a reminder that homelessness can happen to anyone. Job loss, illness, family breakdown, disability or financial hardship can push an individual into crisis. People do not choose homelessness, yet they are often judged as though they did. Compassion alone will not solve homelessness. Neither will enforcement alone. Communities need practical, scalable solutions that combine health care, housing support and human connection. Street medicine and communitybased outreach programs are proving that such solutions exist. As homelessness continues to rise, communities should look closely at these models and invest in expanding them. If society wants to help people move off the streets, it cannot wait for them to come through the door. Sometimes the most effective solution is to bring the door to them.

opinions

How $1 becomes $1.60 on L.I.: the multiplier effect

most Long Islanders have a pretty good feel for the local economy, with housing demand up, unemployment down and new businesses replacing older ones. What many people don’t see is how all of those activities are connected.

A new apartment building isn’t just a construction project. A restaurant isn’t simply a place to grab dinner. A law firm does more than provide legal advice. each of these businesses creates economic activity that extends well beyond its front door, generating jobs, income and spending throughout the region. economists call this the multiplier effect, and it impacts Long Islanders every day.

Our economy is often discussed in terms of individual industries — health care, education, construction, technology, hospitality, retail, professional services. yet one of the reasons the economy has remained resilient through economic cycles is that no single industry dominates it. Instead, thousands of businesses of varying sizes create a diverse and interconnected economic ecosystem.

That diversity helps explain why Long Island’s economy has grown into some-

thing much larger than many residents realize. Nassau and Suffolk counties together generate approximately $256 billion in economic activity annually. If Long Island were a state, its economy would rank roughly 23rd in the nation.

While those numbers are impressive, the more interesting story is how that economic activity is created.

our economy is powered by thousands of interconnected decisions we make every day.

Consider a neighborhood bagel shop. When a customer purchases breakfast, the economic impact doesn’t stop at the cash register. The bakery purchases flour, cream cheese, utilities, equipment, insurance, accounting services and transportation. employees spend their wages at local stores, restaurants and service providers. The original dollars continue to circulate through the economy, creating value long after the first transaction takes place.

This process happens every day, in every corner of Long Island.

Over the past year, the LIA Research Institute has been examining these relationships through input-output analysis, a methodology used to measure the direct, indirect and induced impacts of businesses and institutions. The findings reinforce something many business owners already know from experience: local spending creates local prosperity.

Take a hypothetical Long Island law firm generating $1 million in annual

Letters

of the Israeli government’s military response to Hamas’s barbarism. And silence on this score is used by bigots to assert — falsely — that all Jews are complicit in the slaughter of Muslims.

Reputable sources, including the Israel Defense Forces, confirm that Israel has killed over 70,000 Palestinians in Gaza in the past two and a half years. That toll is known to include several thousand children and hundreds of humanitarian workers.

In addition, Israel has killed more than 3,000 civilians in Lebanon in the past few months in retaliation for Hezbollah terrorist attacks that have taken the lives of about 100 Israelis.

The relentless, merciless and disproportionate response on Israel’s part has caused support for the Jewish state to plummet in the U.S. and worldwide. Only 37 percent of Americans now view Israel favorably, according to a Pew Research Center poll. Sympathy for Palestinians has risen correspondingly.

Anti-Israel sentiments do sometimes take the form of antisemitism. But most U.S. activists, including the many Jews who denounce the actions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, cannot be fairly accused of religious or ethnic bigotry.

Influential figures like Brown and Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick are not helping shield Jews by ignoring the causes of Israel’s isolation. They also ought to be pointing out that Israel’s security will not be enhanced through endless warfare that gives rise to new generations of Palestinian militants.

The cycle of hate, death and destruction is certain to continue until Israelis and Palestinians work cooperatively toward a twostate solution.

KevIN J. KeLLey Atlantic Beach

Editors’ note: Ari Brown’s and Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick’s op-eds did not appear in all print editions of the Herald, but can be found at liherald.com.

revenue. The direct activity supports attorneys, staff and business operations. But the firm’s impact extends to office suppliers, maintenance providers, technology vendors and numerous other businesses. When those secondary effects are included, the original $1 million generates roughly $1.6 million in total economic output throughout the region.

The multiplier effect becomes even more visible with large-scale investments. Consider the construction of a multifamily housing development. Before a single family moves in, the project generates significant economic activity through construction workers, architects, engineers, legal professionals, material suppliers, trucking companies, and dozens of supporting industries.

Our analysis of a hypothetical $100 million apartment development found that the project could support more than 600 jobs and create roughly $166 million in total economic output. This is in addition to the benefit of adding to our region’s housing stock to address the high demand and low inventory, which pushes up prices.

That’s why discussions of economic development should never focus solely on the initial investment. The broader impact often tells a much larger story. For example, the LIA Research Institute

estimated that the 2025 Ryder Cup generated roughly $160 million in economic activity, not simply because spectators attended the tournament, but because visitors stayed in hotels, dined in restaurants and utilized transportation services. The ripple effects spread through our communities, strengthening the broader economy.

Long Island’s economy is powered by thousands of interconnected decisions made every day by entrepreneurs, workers, consumers, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and investors. From a neighborhood bagel shop to new construction, from a local law firm to an international sporting event, economic activity rarely stops where it starts. every transaction creates additional opportunities that ripple across our region.

The next time you buy a bagel, hire an attorney, dine at a local restaurant or drive past a construction site, remember that you are seeing the multiplier effect in action.

On Long Island, dollars we spend at local businesses become wages for workers, revenue for suppliers and opportunities for families across our region. That’s how $1 becomes $1.60 — and why the strength of our economy depends on the success of the businesses and institutions that keep that cycle moving forward.

Steven Kent is chief economist of the Long Island Association and an associate professor of economics and finance at Molloy University in Rockville Centre.

Framework by Christina Gerbore