Stu Goldman/Herald
McVey Elementary School celebrated its 75th anniversary with a Fall Festival on Sept. 26. Families flocked to the schoolyard to check out a variety of games and events. Marshall Zhang, 7, Coco Lu, 7, and Xu Gao, 8, had fun in the corn maze. Story, more photos, Page 3.
By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com
Gail Miller’s mission is to listen. She is the founder of the monthly Surviving Tough Times group at the East Meadow Public Library, which imparts one lesson — to love and respect yourself in spite of obstacles.
“The workshop focuses on changing the way we see ourselves and others with a healthy, positive and exciting outlook on life,” she said. Miller, 82, served as a volunteer at the Long Island Crisis Center for 10 years. Her experiences motivated her to pursue other support programs during her retirement years.
“I used to sit in on stuff that they did to help
people who were in crisis,” she said. “One day, I just decided that I would like to do more than just work at the crisis center.”
Almost four years ago, Miller began the groups’ annual Positivity Day on Oct. 27. The day will feature three workshops at 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m., or 6:30 p.m. The groups’ workshops explore a variety of topics like friendships, self-care, decision making, humor, gratitude and more.
“My workshops focus on changing the way we see ourselves,” she said. “We do not talk about our problems. What we talk about is how to get through whatever it is that’s bothering us.”
During the workshops, Miller has made use of handouts that help organize participants’
There’s no place like East Meadow — but you don’t need us to tell you that.
Want to spend the day outside? Head to Eisenhower Park, one of the best parks on Long Island. Looking for something to do this season? There’s always an event on the horizon here, from Community Day to holiday celebrations and everything in between.
East Meadow’s schools are some of the best. With award-winning programs, standout teachers and students who shine in academics, the arts, and athletics, education is at the heart of this community.
This week’s East Meadow Herald is being mailed to every home, and includes our annual East Meadow Community Guide. Inside, you’ll find the places, people, and events that make this community such a great place to live.
East Meadow is also home to countless organizations and community groups that work hard to make a difference. From the Kiwanis Club and local civic associations to houses of worship and volunteer fire departments, neighbors come together every day to support one another and strengthen the fabric of this town. That spirit of connection and service is part of what makes East Meadow so special.
The East Meadow Herald is your newspaper. No one knows this town, its people, and the things they care about more than we do.
If you’re not a subscriber, we hope this week’s edition persuades you to become one. Each week, in these pages and online, we cover the stories that matter most — and bring you the local news you can’t find anywhere else.
To keep quality local journalism strong in East Meadow, subscribe today at LIHerald.com/subscribe or call (516) 569-4000, ext. 7. You can also support our work with a one-time or recurring donation at LIHerald.com/donate.
If you’re already a subscriber, thank you for your support. If you’re new to the East Meadow Herald, welcome — our mission is to cover all the news of your neighborhood: from schools to sports, houses of worship to acts of kindness, and everything in between. Enjoy the paper — and thanks for reading!
Jordan Vallone, Deputy Managing Editor
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
The East Meadow Fire Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association, which has sponsored Fire Prevention Week for more than 100 years, to highlight this year’s theme: “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home.” Fire Prevention Week runs Oct. 5-11, 2025, and this year’s campaign focuses on helping people safely buy, charge and dispose of lithium-ion batteries.
The department will also host its annual Fire Prevention Open House on Friday, Oct. 3, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at fire headquarters, 197 East Meadow Ave., at Front Street.
“Most electronics, including smartphones, laptops, tablets, power tools, headphones and toys, that we use in our everyday lives are powered by lithium-ion batteries,” said Commissioner Keith Hoffman. “When used properly, they’re a safe source of power, but if misused or damaged, they can overheat and start a fire, or even explode. It’s essential for the public to learn how to handle them safely.”
Residents of all ages are invited to attend the open house, which offers the opportunity to learn valuable safety tips and see the firefighting and emergency medical services apparatus used by the all-volunteer East Meadow Fire Department. There will be live demonstrations, as well as fun and interactive activities for children, including a ride on a real fire truck and a visit from Smokey Bear.
“We invite all of our neighbors to attend our annual open house, where they can meet the dedicated men and women who volunteer to protect our community, and learn more about the, rescue and emergency medical services our volunteers provide,” said Commis -
The East Meadow Fire Department will hold an Open House on Oct. 3, featuring live demonstrations and fun and interactive activities for all.
sioner Carey Welt said. “The EMFD is always seeking community-minded residents to join our team, whether as firefighters or emergency medical services volunteers, and we encourage interested residents to stop by for more information.”
The East Meadow Fire Department serves East Meadow and parts of Levittown and Westbury, including Salisbury, and is always seeking new members to
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2025 | 8:00 A.M. TO 10:00 A.M.
Heritage Club at Bethpage
more than 100 years the American Red Cross on Long Island has helped the community prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.
join as firefighters or emergency medical personnel. No prior experience is necessary; the department provides all required training. Volunteers receive benefits including tax breaks, college scholarships, annual health checkups, life insurance, and a service award pension program, all at no cost.
For more information on volunteering, visit EastMeadowFD.com or call (516) 542-4565.
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
A fall festival filled with music, activities and more marked the 75th anniversary of George McVey Elementary School in East Meadow, drawing students, families and community members to celebrate the milestone. Organized by the McVey Parent-Teacher Association, the three-hour-long fanfare kicked off after school on Sept. 26.
Julie Leake, PTA co-president, told the Herald that they were approached last year by McVey’s principal Kerry Dunne about having a fall festival to mark the milestone anniversary. The PTA thought it was a great idea and quickly got to work over the summer, organizing the activities, soliciting food trucks, other vendors, and more.
Allison Vardakis, the PTA’s other copresident, explained that the organization broke the planning down into pieces, allowing many people to get involved.
“The PTA, the executive committee, all of our board — they kind of all took on little pieces of it, kind of distributed a little bit, so that way everyone did something,” she said.
Vardakis has a fifth-grade and firstgrade student enrolled at McVey, and Leake has a fifth-grader and a fourthgrader.
McVey serves over 800 East Meadow students in grades pre-K through fifth. It was built in 1950 and opened as Meadowlawn School. It was renamed to McVey Elementary School in 1969, honoring a prominent educator, George McVey.
The festival was open to East Meadow families, offering an evening of food, entertainment and community spirit. Food trucks and table vendors, led by local families, packed into the festival too, offering savory eats and artisan products for purchase. There were other family-friendly activities, raffles and more. Face painting was provided courtesy of the East Meadow Kiwanis, while the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce sponsored free popcorn for attendees. A highlight for all families was a hayride around the grounds of McVey.
Through Facebook, Leake said they solicited interest from McVey alumni and former teachers to get as many people involved and attending as possible. The McVey community — and many others in East Meadow — are tight knit and multigenerational.
“I actually moved away and came back,” Leake said, “specifically to raise my children here.”
“We’re excited,” Vardakis said, “because so many people decided they wanted to stay in East Meadow or close by, which just means that they had such a great time growing up here.”
The McVey PTA is a driving force behind many school activities, whether it be a touch-a-truck event, the school’s tie-dye day, barbecue and more. For more on what’s ahead this school year and to learn how to get involved, visit McVeyPTA.org.
By JOHN J. O’BRIEN Sr. Correspondent
Dozens of East Meadow firefighters battled a raging house fire late on Sept. 19 on Maitland Street after multiple calls reported possible occupants trapped inside.
East Meadow Fire Communications began receiving calls at 11:48 p.m., and Nassau County Firecom, taking 911 calls, also alerted East Meadow Fire Department volunteers.
Within two minutes, Chiefs Kurt Becker, Jeffrey Rosenthal, and John O’Brien Jr. radioed their response. At 11:50, Becker arrived on scene and immediately transmitted a Signal 10 — a working fire that initiates a general alarm re-alert, calls for a Rapid Intervention Team, and brings in mutual aid assistance either to the scene or to standby in emptied stations.
East Meadow firefighters battled a massive house fire on Sept. 19. The home on Maitland Street sustained extensive damage.
With unconfirmed reports of people inside, all chiefs donned breathing apparatus in an attempt to make rescues. It was soon confirmed that all occupants had escaped.
In the fall of 1990, thirty-five years ago, your writer first heard of the proposition that if you set up a living trust your estate doesn’t have to go to court to settle – the so-called probate court proceeding for wills. Having spent the previous eleven years as a litigation attorney, and having faced numerous problems probating wills, this sounded too good to be true.
At the time, some of the best estate planning lawyers were in Florida. Perhaps you can guess why. In any event, off I went to Florida to train as an estate planning lawyer and, upon returning, closed the litigation practice and founded Ettinger Law Firm in April 1991, to keep people just like you, dear reader, out of probate court.
The reason I was so excited about the living trust, and continue to be so to this day, is the concept of taking back control from the courts and government and giving it back to you and your family. After all, who doesn’t want control over their affairs?
When you go to court, who’s in charge? The judge, right? Now tell me, does the judge
always act in your best interest? Does the judge ever make a mistake? And when the judge says jump, you know what the answer is!
Not only do you pay considerably for this privilege, but it can take many months and often years to complete the probate court proceeding. Meantime, houses cannot be sold, bank accounts accessed, or investment portfolios managed – at least without the judge’s permission which involves additional time and resources to request. Of course, that permission may be denied as well.
With a living trust, your trustee (formerly your “executor” under the will) may act immediately upon death to sell the house, pay the bills and handle the investments – no permission required! An additional benefit is, in the event you become unable to handle your affairs later in life, your trustee may take over by simply getting a letter from your doctor showing you are unable to handle your legal and financial affairs. Essentially then, a living trust gives you back the control your may have thought you had.
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Becker notified incoming units that the first floor was fully engulfed upon arrival and that live power lines were down in the street, creating additional hazards.
Engine 612 was first on scene at 11:52 p.m., laying hose from a hydrant as crews stretched attack lines to the front lawn. Ladder 617 followed close behind. Sirens from multiple directions filled the area as Engine 611, Engine 614, Ladder 619, Engine 613, and Ambulance 615 converged on the scene.
As the fire poured from every opening on the first floor and spread to the second, Engine 2 charged its attack lines and crews began their firefight. Taking no chances, Becker called a second alarm, bringing in additional resources from neighboring departments.
Rescue 5 established a medical command, triage, and treatment area. Once it was confirmed there were no occu -
pants inside, command shifted to an exterior attack to reduce the danger to firefighters. Ladder 617 set up for a water stream from above.
After firefighters gained control of the blaze, they cautiously transitioned back to interior operations.
In all, 55 East Meadow volunteers responded, along with about 30 mutual aid firefighters and EMTs from the North Bellmore, Wantagh, North Merrick, Uniondale, Bellmore, and Bethpage fire departments.
Damage to the home was extensive, but no injuries were reported.
The Nassau County Fire Marshal’s office is investigating the cause. Also on scene were Nassau County police, PSE&G to shut down power, the American Red Cross to assist residents, the East Meadow Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary to support firefighters, and the Town of Hempstead Building Department to secure the home.
Mutual aid units covering East Meadow handled two additional emergencies during the fire — a carbon monoxide alarm and a motor vehicle crash involving an overturned car.
There were no injuries in the Maitland Street fire.
IT WAS A HISTORIC 2024 for Martini and the Warriors as they captured both the Nassau Conference IV and Long Island Class IV titles. One of a handful of returning starters and a rise to Confernece III, Martini is being counted on to produce even more. So far, so good. He led a 35-7 victory at Elmont Sept. 20 with four rushing touchdowns, all coming in the second half. He finished with 195 yards on the ground with his longest score covering 78.
Friday, Oct. 3
Football: Carey at V.S. North 4:30 p.m.
Girls Soccer: Farmingdale at East Meadow
Girls Soccer: Calhoun at Seaford
Football: Mepham at Glen Cove
Football: Baldwin at V.S. Central 6
Football: Plainedge at Lynbrook 6 p.m.
Football: Seaford at East Rockaway 6 p.m.
Football: Oceanside at Massapequa 6:30 p.m.
Football: South Side at Bethpage 6:30 p.m.
Football: Farmingdale at Freeport 7 p.m.
Football: Garden City at MacArthur 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 4
Girls Soccer: Garden City at Wantagh 2 p.m.
Football: Syosset at Uniondale 3 p.m.
Football: Lawrence at West Hempstead 3 p.m.
Football: Hempstead at Hicksville 3 p.m.
Football: Manhasset at V.S. South 3 p.m.
Football: Mineola at Sewanhaka 3 p.m.
Football: Wantagh at Clarke 3 p.m.
Football: Hewlett at Division 3 p.m.
Football: Roosevelt at East Meadow 3 p.m.
Football: Jericho at Kennedy 3 p.m.
Football: C.S. Harbor at North Shore 3 p.m.
Football: Floral Park at Elmont 3 p.m.
High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a fall sport and have earned an AllConference award or higher last season. Please send the following information: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to Sports@liherald.com.
By MARC BERMAN sports@liherald.com
East Meadow’s girls’ volleyball team faced obstacles.
It lost its star libero, Aleece Catalano, to graduation and moved up in conference to the more rugged AAA2.
But if there was any trepidation this wouldn’t be a successful season, it has been erased. East Meadow has blazed to a surprising 6-0 start in conference play (7-1 overall).
Last season, the Jets didn’t win their conference while missing the playoffs despite a winning record. But East Meadow is now on track for a trophy after knocking off Uniondale in a five-setter last Friday to extend its torrid start.
“It’s the chemistry they have on and off the court,’’ coach Devon Hagerstrom said. “They’re a super close team and bring the energy during games and practices. It’s a strong defensive team. We’re undefeated because of our defense. It’s really strong.
Replacing Catalano at libero is junior Tiffany Acosta. She has stepped up to fill Catalano’s shoes impeccably. But the defense is coming from all angles.
The stars are setters, junior Charlee Cuevas and Annika York, who has 81 assists. Senior middle hitter Paulina Kulikowski has been a bedrock on defense, too.
Cuevas and York have made fierce defensive tandem. “They give us a strong double block against any team we play,’’ Hagerstrom said.
Cuevas, a standout as a
Maya Cieloszcyk and the Jets are off to a flying start against their new conference rivals with six consecutive victories.
sophomore on its 11-6 team, has switched positions from outside hitter to setter. It has not been a big adjustment because she’s played setter on travel club teams. She notched 16 assists and 10 digs against Uniondale. “I’m excited we’ve had a good season so far,’’ Cuevas said. “I’m hoping we can play at this
level we’ve been playing, even do better. A lot of us play outside school. It’s helpful when you have club players on the team. We all know how to work systematically.’’
Serving has also been a strength. York has 18 aces.
Acosta, a junior varsity libero in 2024, leads the team with 28 aces.
“We’re doing well with our serving,’’ Hagerstrom said. “It’s really key for us - serving aggressively and getting teams out of system.’’
Cuevas is the embodiment of the Jets’ close unit. “She was real good last year too but she’s stepped up, stays in the full game and leads the team as a junior,’’ Hagerstrom said. “She brings us together with her leadership.’’
Cuevas is 5-foot-8 and notes that height isn’t the team’s top attribute. “I’m kind of short for a volleyball player,’’ Cuevas said. “We have a pretty short team but work hard on coverage and make up for it.’’
The best win so far came Sept. 9 at Hicksville – a tough opponent that had a big lead in the fourth set. It looked like the match was hurtling toward a fifth set but East Meadow rallied to pull through, 3-1.
“It was a great game to watch,’’ Hagerstrom said. “I’ve never seen them play consistently without a drop.’’ Cassandra Snow, only a freshman, is another reliable defender and there’s more depth than ever. Senior Haily Lipack is an offensive threat –9 kills versus Uniondale. Maya Cieloszczyk notched 6 blocks in the 5-setter. Guilianna D’Alessandro, a senior, is one of the spiritual leaders.
The lone loss occurred Sept. 18 at the hands of Farmingdale in a non-league match. The big conference showdown will be against also-unbeaten Baldwin.
“The game is going to show who the best team in the conference is,’’ Hagerstrom said.
By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdalessandro@liherald.com
The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the Alzheimer’s Association’s largest annual event, battling the incurable disease by funding cutting-edge research. This year, the association’s Long Island Chapter is coming back to East Meadow’s Eisenhower Park on Oct. 4.
On the day of the walk, participants honor those affected by Alzheimer’s with the poignant Promise Garden ceremony by carrying flowers of various colors representing their personal connection to the disease.
Tinamarie Hardekopf is the chapter’s director of development, as well as the director for walks in Babylon, Eisenhower Park and Fire Island.
“We definitely grow every year, in numbers of attendees and as well as fundraising,” she said. “It’s really important for people to come out because it gives them an opportunity to show their support for a world without Alzheimer’s — they can also memorialize a loved one they’ve lost, or they can support someone that they’re caring for at this time.”
The Alzheimer’s Association Long Island Chapter provides a community and support system for people with Alzheimer’s, their families, friends, and caretakers, while raising awareness of the importance of brain health.
At last year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Eisenhower Park, the Prunella family stood with the banner of ‘Team Nanna’ to honor a lost loved one.
“We consider our walks the largest support group,” Hardekopf said, “Everyone comes together and they each carry a flower that shows their connection to the disease.”
Tanya Eldemeyer, a resident of Rockville Center, is an advocate of the association. Her father passed away last year due to dementia, but she still stands as a bastion in this community.
“I basically was his sole caregiver,” she said. “It was such a difficult road… There are people out there that are in the same situation, and I felt like this was a way that I could continue my dad’s legacy and help those that may not
have someone fighting and advocating for them.”
Eldemeyer will be receiving a purple flower during the Promise Garden ceremony, which symbolizes losing a loved one to the disease.
There are 426,500 people in New York aged 65 and older with Alzheimer’s Dementia, and over 7 million across the country, according to the Long Island Chapter. While symptoms become severe later in life, the brain changes that cause Alzheimer’s can begin decades before symptoms start. This period of time is a critical opportunity for people at risk of Alzheimer’s and
other forms of dementia to reduce the risk of the disease and catch its symptoms as early as possible.
Ed Miller, the vice chair for the Alzheimer’s Association Long Island Chapter Board of Directors, played a leading role in making the past three year’s walk a success in Nassau County. He joined the Long Island chapter after his father was diagnosed with dementia in 2019. He and his family faced challenges in providing the care an individual with dementia requires, so he began to participate in fundraisers like the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s researchers have made significant progress in early intervention treatments that improve the quality of life of Alzheimer’s patients and caretakers.
“There’s been a lot of breakthroughs that have come out in the news over the course of the last couple of years,” Miller said in a prior conversation with the Herald. “These are treatments that aren’t going to eradicate the disease at this point, but they are treatments, and there is hope.”
So far, the chapter has raised $289,000 out of their $385,000 goal — 75 percent of the way.
The Walk to End Alzheimer’s will happen on Oct. 4 at Eisenhower Park Field 6 and 6A at 9:00 a.m. For more information on the walk and Long Island events, visit act.ALZ.org/Nassau.
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
Seventeen women were honored for their leadership, dedication and service on Sept. 18 at the third annual Women of Distinction ceremony, hosted by State Sen. Steve Rhoads at the Plainview-Old Bethpage Library. The event recognized contributions that have shaped communities across his Senate district.
From the moment honorees entered the auditorium to the sound of bagpipes, the energy in the room was electric. Attendees erupted into applause, signaling appreciation for the honorees’ contributions. Girl Scout Troop 3009 led the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by Mairead Hill Hotz of Wantagh performing the national anthem and a welcoming prayer from Rev. Iwy Patel-Yatri and Pastor Rosa Larios of Hicksville United Methodist Church.
Entertainment included a dance performance by Hollie Werner of 5678 Dance Studio in Levittown and a piano performance by internationally awardwinning pianist Felicia Garramone of Levittown, showcasing the local arts community.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly, a trailblazer in law and justice with more than three decades of experience, delivered the keynote address. Her words inspired the audience, emphasizing the importance of service, perseverance and using one’s talents to strengthen the
community.
Each honoree’s biography was read aloud, highlighting their contributions in volunteerism, advocacy, education, business and the arts. Rhoads personally presented the awards, expressing gratitude for their efforts to improve life on Long Island.
“These extraordinary women show us every day that one person’s courage, vision and dedication can transform a community,” Rhoads said. “Their achievements inspire all of us to work harder, dream bigger and leave a lasting
mark on the world.”
The ceremony concluded with a reception, giving attendees the opportunity to connect, share stories and celebrate the accomplishments of the honorees. Through this annual event, Rhoads continues to honor the achievements of community leaders while inspiring future generations.
Honorees included Susan Maher of Levittown, Nanda Sundri and Farah
Abidi of East Meadow, Judith Bongiovi of Seaford, Janet Goller and Nina Lanci of Bellmore, Dr. Nancy Kaplan and Marie Testa of Merrick, Shashi Malik, Deirdre Trumpy and Laura Dupkin Memisha of Wantagh, Donna RiveraDowney of Hicksville, Catherine Gabreski of Farmingdale, Jennifer Biren of Old Bethpage, Gina McGovern of Bethpage, Cheryl Dender of Plainview and Maryanne Hyland of Westbury.
My mother may soon be applying for Medicaid. How does this affect funeral arrangements?
The latest Medicaid regulations now permit individuals to set aside a portion of their assets in an irrevocable trust account in order to have funds for future funeral expenses. When an individual approaches the time when Medicaid coverage seems likely, social workers generally advise families to look into this funeral pre-funding option.
Here’s how we can help:
• The Family will make an appointment with us to discuss just what we are to do when the death occurs.
• We discuss options and record their wishes not just about preferred funeral home services but cemetery, church, monument inscription, newspaper notices, etc. We inform the family of exactly what the funeral home and third party costs are at the present time.
• Funds to cover those expenses can then deposited in our FDIC insured PRE - PLAN Trust. The Trust pays sufficient interest to allow us to guaranty those future funeral home costs into the future.
• While the funds remain in the name of the individual going on Medicaid, eligibility to receive Medicaid coverage is not affected.
As the Ryder Cup unfolded at Bethpage State Park, golf fans gathered at Eisenhower Park from Sept. 26 to 28 for a weekend of watch parties, concerts, and celebrations.
Hosted on the Kite Field by Nassau County, the free public event brought live-stream coverage of the tournament on a giant screen, golfthemed games, food vendors, and Ryder Cup ticket giveaways.
The festivities began with a watch party on Thursday, followed by another watch party and an electric Steve Aoki performance on Sept. 26 at the lakeside stage.
Crowds packed the park throughout the weekend to enjoy the mix of sports, entertainment, and community spirit, as East Meadow became a hub for fans eager to experience the Ryder Cup atmosphere close to home.
–Jordan Vallone
By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com
Just under six weeks before Election Day, the Town of Hempstead unveiled an 18 percent tax cut in its general fund as part of its 2026 budget.
The tax cut is anticipated to reduce the overall tax levy by $5 million, according to town officials, by “directly putting that money back into the pockets of every single taxpayer,” said John Ferretti, who was appointed town supervisor on Aug. 5 after Don Clavin resigned.
The announcement was made at Hempstead Town Hall on Sept. 25, 50 days after Ferretti was appointed.
“This budget is the result of fiscal responsibility, bipartisan collaboration and a deep commitment to preserving the suburban quality of life that makes the Town of Hempstead so special,” he added.
The budget was crafted to provide relief to families struggling with inflation and rising costs, Ferretti said, without compromising essential town services.
He described unfunded state mandates totaling $15 million as a significant challenge to town finances. Those services and programs, which the state requires but doesn’t pay for, directly impact the town’s budget.
“I’m intently focused on preserving
our community’s suburban dream of an affordable quality of life,” Ferretti said.
“The town’s $576 million budget still manages to cut taxes while preserving vital services, investing in infrastructure and supporting residents of all ages.”
Joe Scianablo, the Democratic candidate for supervisor, agrees that Hempstead residents deserve lower taxes, but he contends that they also deserve more
transparency from the town.
“If Ferretti and his Republican allies truly wanted to save taxpayers’ money, the first thing they’d do is return the hefty raises they quietly gave themselves,” Scianablo wrote in a news release. “If you are going to set the fire and then claim credit for putting the fire out, then go the entire distance.”
Ferretti noted that 4 cents of every property tax dollar goes to the town, and
the rate is less than 1 cent per dollar for those living in incorporated villages. Town services include maintaining 1,200 miles of roadway; managing over 200 parks and recreational facilities; and providing sanitation services for 85,000 homes, clean water for over 121,000 customers and programs for more than 200,000 senior residents, as well as birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, building permits, code enforcement, and much more.
Oceanside resident Danielle Asher said she was perplexed about how the town could cut taxes 18 percent now, after a substantial tax increase was implemented earlier this year.
“I need an explanation of how the problems were resolved that made them raise our taxes 12 percent in the first place,” Asher wrote on Facebook. “If the budget is remaining flat, then who is splitting the bill?”
Richard Schurin, of Island Park, shared those sentiments. “Their budgeting practice makes absolutely no financial sense and appears to be politically motivated,” Schurin posted on Facebook.
The 2026 town budget will be presented to the Town Board for possible adoption on Oct. 16. Public hearings are scheduled for that day, at 2:30 and 7 p.m., in the Nathan L.H. Bennett Pavilion at Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington St., Hempstead.
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By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdalessandro@liherald.com
Long Island is home to some of the nation’s most skilled medical practitioners, the best of whom were honored at the Herald’s fourth annual Long Island Excellence in Healthcare Awards.
The ceremony — at the Heritage Club at Bethpage on Sept. 17 — brought together almost 40 groups representing hospitals, researchers and independent practices.
Stuart Richner, CEO of Richner Communications and publisher of the Herald, began the gala evening by praising Long Island’s medical community for their unrivaled research and innovative programs and services.
“We’re here tonight to honor the doctors, nurses, hospital executives, educators, caregivers, and so many others who keep our families and our communities healthy, safe and informed,” he said. “Our honorees tonight are sources of both strength and inspiration, walking alongside us at some of the lowest and highest moments in life.”
Emmy award-winning investigative journalist Kristin Thorne, the creator of Hulu’s first true crime series “Missing,” emceed the ceremony.
Keynote speaker Dr. Purna Prasad, CEO of Vedi Robotics in Hicksville, led off the night’s awards segment preceding the distribution of honors.
“Our evolution in Vedi Robotics has made us who we are today,” he said. “We identified one problem that is always a challenge for healthcare: a deficit of workforce.”
During his tenure of 30 years at Stanford and Northwell, Prasad observed machine learning and artificial intelligence mature as a field of study. After two and a half years, his team produced a robotic platform that is ready for deployment; it can check in patients, process their paperwork and take their vitals.
“That whole concept of home-grown, state-of-the-art technology — you could say we are a flagship for that,” he said.
Vedi Robotics received the Trailblazers in Technology special award.
“What we’re trying to do is we’re trying to bring a curated artificial intelligence into the arena that is only going to be beneficial,” Vedi Robotics COO John Power added.
A portion of ticket proceeds from the event will benefit the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Center at Stony Brook University. The LEND program, recipient of the Community Health Champions special award, provides interdisciplinary training to prepare the next generation — along with professionals, families and self-advocates — to lead in their fields as providers of high quality care for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities.
“Our team truly excels, in an interdisciplinary fashion, to deliver health care for individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families,” LEND Program Director Michelle Ballan said. “We offer hundreds of hours of training for people with disabilities and healthcare professionals to learn how to work effec-
tively with this group.”
Kerri Anne Scanlon, president of Northwell’s Glen Cove, Syosset and Plainview hospitals, received the Healthcare Visionary special award alongside CEOElect John D’Angelo; Northwell CEO Michael Dowling was honored with the Healthcare Legacy special award.
“I think the foundation of Northwell is really the incredible culture,” Scanlon said. “It’s a culture that truly invests in its employees. It’s a culture about worrying about someone as much as yourself, and then building that engagement so that we can give the best care to our patients.”
Carolyn Quinn, the director of Northwell Health’s Cohen Children’s Medical Center, received the Community Health Champions special award. The pediatric hospital was honored for providing outstanding long-term care for children.
“The team is just over the moon,” she said. “They are an amazing group of women, just an amazing group made up of three nurses and three certified holistic nurses and four Reiki Masters who are also certified and gifted in other holistic services. There’s quite a menu of services that we offer.”
Anne Petraro. founder and CEO of
The team is just over the moon.
CAROLyN QuiNN Director of Cohen Childrens’ Medical Center
Mending Hearts Counseling in Elmont, was honored with a Community Health Champions award for establishing an Article 31 MHOTRS clinic during the pandemic to aid underserved communities, specializing in brain care.
“I would love to change the face of mental health,” she said. “There’s so much stigma against it. And I guess by starting this agency, we’re kind of coming with a different approach, more of like a private practice feeling where everyone feels at home.”
Co-founders Linda Harkavy and Mitchell Goldstein of Form & Function Aesthetics and Wellness in East Meadow received the Power Couple special award.
“We’re focused on now, rather than disease management and crisis management, keeping people well and getting them well and having them enjoy their best lives,” Harkavy said. “We engage in wellness, not only body but mind.”
Their practice now offers Exomind, an advanced non-invasive brain therapy designed to help patients with depression, anxiety and OCD.
“We’ve been doing health care here in Long Island for 40 years, and it’s been our great pleasure helping so many people over these decades,” Goldstein said. “We’ve taken it now to the next level with state of the art medical care and devices to improve people’s longevity and wellness — Nassau County deserves that.”
The following individuals were each recipients of Excellence in Healthcare awards.
Alla Shenkman is the former medical
director of PM Pediatrics in Syosset. After 10 years in the role, she stepped down to return to work as a regular physician.
“It’s my passion,” Shenkman said. “I love it. PM Pediatrics is a great — probably largest — urgent care for pediatric patients in the country, and I’ve been there since day one. I certainly want to thank all my colleagues. Without them, I wouldn’t be here. It was a mutual effort to bring PM Pediatrics to where we are today.”
Howard Goodman, better known as the Long Island Weight Loss Doctor, is the recipient of numerous Herald honors: two Long Island Choice, one Long Island Health and Beauty, and now two Excellence in Healthcare awards.
“All these awards put us on the map,” he said.
Goodman uses all-natural methods to help patients reach their ideal weight while combating common internet misinformation.
“We’re fixing the damage that’s caused by these erroneous medications,” he said.
Brian Caberas is the COO of the People’s Arc of Suffolk, a nonprofit that provides services to people with disabilities across Suffolk County.
“We offer them residential alternatives and the ability to find jobs out in the community and a multitude of other services as well,” he said. “We want the People’s Arc of Suffolk to become the premier provider for people with disabilities.”
Sponsors of the event include Northwell Health, Episcopal Health Services, Henry Schein, Cohen Children’s Medical Center Northwell Health, The Speech Language Place, Brightview Senior Living, Stony Brook University LEND Center, Mending Hearts Counseling, Veda Robotics, LiveOnNY, People’s Arc of Suffolk, Long Island Nurses Honor Guard, PM Pediatric Care, Bellmore Dermatology, The Stroke & Brain Aneurysm Center of Long Island, Harmony Healthcare Long Island and the New York Institute of Technology.
To view a complete list of honorees and photos, visit richnerlive.com/healthcare-awards/honorees.
By Karen Bloom
ANew York moment arrives on the Tilles Center stage when Maestro Louis Panacciuill and his orchestra return with their popular gala musical in support of the Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County. This year the orchestra welcomes back Tony Danza and his band as their guest performers.
The concert continues to feature the Nassau Pops signature blend of popular and classical music as well as an inspiring moment with Creation, the CP Nassau vocal team. This heartwarming tradition dellights both musicians, guest performers and the audience.
“This is one big lovefest,” says Panacciulli, the orchestra’s longtime musical director. I’m so glad to be back at Tilles Center during our 42nd season. So many wonderful people have crossed this stage. It’s always exciting to be here.”
The connection between the Nassau Pops and CP Nassau is special for Panacciulli and the orchestra. He credits his mother, Panacciulli who was a member of the CP auxiliary in Valley Stream, for this special connection.
“When we first started performing, we decided we wanted to do more than just play music. We wanted to do something meaningful,” he recalls.
“In the past we had done benefits for Special Olympics, pop concerts for hospitals. This came about one day when I was discussing with her the idea of doing a benefit concert for CP Nassau. I’m thrilled to carry on Mom’s legacy. Plus it means a lot to the musicians. We’re leaving something behind long after the notes have faded away.”
And he’s delighted to have Danza, who performed with the Nassau Pops in 2023, back to share the stage.
“Tony dances, plays the ukele, always tells a corny joke or two,” Panacciulli says. “He’s very engaging, a wonderful entertainer.”
This collaboration brings a unique twist to Danza’s acclaimed cabaret show, “Sinatra and Stories.” Combining his trademark wit, charm, storytelling, with a dash of soft
Yes:
‘The Fragile 2025 Tour’
Get ready to experience an unforgettable evening of Yes on the Paramount stage, featuring its existential prog masterworks and instrumental pyrotechnics. Throughout a prolific and enduring music career spanning 45 years and 20 studio albums, Yes has electrified audiences with daunting virtuosity, complex musical textures and powerful lead vocals. The band — currently comprising Steve Howe on guitars and vocals, Geoff Downes on keyboards, Jon Davison on vocals and acoustic guitar, Billy Sherwood on bass guitar and vocals, and Jay Schellen on drums — performs their iconic 1971 album “Fragile” in its entirety. “Fragile” holds a special place in Yes’s discography, as it propelled the band to headline status in the U.S.
Tony Danza stars in the return of the orchestra’s gala benefit concert
shoe, he offers up his take on the music of the legendary ‘Ol Blue Eyes, with whom Danza had a personal relationship. Some might not realize that Danza, who grew up on Long Island and attended Malverne High School, is a well-established song and dance man, in addition to his acting chops in television, film and on stage.
Throughout his 60-plus minute set, Danza blends personal anecdotes with Sinatra’s unforgettable tunes.
“He always has a big smile on his face. He’s certainly having a good time. And I guarantee the audience will as well,” Panacciulli says.
The tone is set from the moment the orchestra strikes up their first note.
“We like to start out with something hot and jazzy,” Panacciulli adds.
• Sunday, Oct. 19, 3 p.m.
• Tickets start at $30; available at npso.org/tickets or tillescenter.org
• Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post Campus, Brookville
Certainly the addition of a sax section gets the vibe going, as the orchestra opens the show with a medley of Big Band tunes.
As always, the musicians are joined by Creation — the singing duo who participate in CP Nassau’s Life Options Program — in a heart-warming segment during the concert’s opening. Each has their moment in the spotlight. David Tindal sings Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration,” while Chris Wawrzonek does “Till There Was You” from the Broadway classic The Music Man.
Tindal and Wawrzonek have ‘grown up’ with the orchestra.
“I’m filled with such a sense of gratitude that I can affect two lives by giving them a chance to perform in front of a full orchestra and a large audience,” Panacciulli says. “We share something special, when we share music together. They’re wonderful people and the audience gives them standing ovations every time. It’s just nice to see how they’ve grown up. They’re always smiling and in good humor.”
And for Panacciulli, a Franklin Square resident, who has been at the helm of the Nassau Pops since 1984 (and is on Nassau Community College’s music faculty where he serves as band director) that surely is the concert’s defining moment.
“Creation is a byproduct the wonderful work that CP Nassau does. It does my heart good to help them and give back to the community through the gift of music.”
Panacciulli gratefully acknowledges Long Island-based credit union Jovia (formerly NEFCU), the gala’s title sponsor since 2012. Proceeds from every ticket sold are donated directly to CPNassau.
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m. $152.25, $129.75, $118.75, $108.75, $86.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.
The renowned, horn powered, Grammy-nominated, houserocking “little big band” is ready to celebrate STEPPIN’ OUT!, their first new album in five years. With this album, Roomful of Blues brings something new to the table. After 19 releases with male singers, STEPPIN’ OUT! is the first to feature a female vocalist, the sublime D.D. Bastos. Her powerhouse, soul-stirring voice and her charismatic stage presence bring a whole new spirit to the Roomful sound. For over 50 years, this beloved, iconic and much honored band has been delivering wildly infectious, hard-swinging blues. Guided by guitarist-bandleader Chris Vachon since 19989, Roomful remains a defining musical force in the blues world, with their sound rooted in tradition, but their sights reaching far into the future.
Thursday, Oct. 9, 8 p.m. $38. My Father’s Place in Roslyn, 1221 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn. Tickets available at mfpproductions.com or (516) 5800887.
On Exhibit Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “At Play,” surveys artists’ perennial fascination with entertainment in all forms. Framing this topic between the nineteenth century Belle Époque and today, the exhibit includes works by Pablo Picasso, Reginald Marsh, Everett Shinn, and Max Beckmann among many others. The works are gathered to represent a wide range of expressions, from entertainment-related activities to the fascinating personalities involved. It encompasses dance, music, theater, movies, circus, boating, and beach scenes, along with horseracing and various sports, both active and passive Also featured are archival items from The Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic, including costumes by Marc Chagall for Die Zauberflöte, vintage fashion items by such designers as Alfred Shaheen, and iconic costumes from the FoliesBergère in Paris. On view until Nov. 9.
• Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
• Time: Ongoing
• Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
2025 Walk to End Alzheimer’s Support the Alzheimer’s Association their annual walk, the largest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s care, support and research, in 600 communities nationwide, including Eisenhower Park.
• Where: Eisenhower Park Parking Lot 6/6A
• Time: 9 a.m. check-in; 10 a.m. ceremony
• Contact: alz.org/longisland
Hang out with some Long Island Children’s Museum’s “residents” at the drop-in program. Join an animal educator in the Hive Studio’s in the Feasts for Beasts Gallery to learn what goes into the care of LICM’s animal “residents.” Observe animal bath time.
• Where: Museum Row, Garden City
• Time: 1:30-2 p.m.
• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800
Concert program
East Meadow Library’s Sunday concert series returns with Journey tribute band Any Way You Want It.
Strawberry Fields, an immersive Beatles tribute experience, perform at East Meadow High School. Proceeds benefit the Susan Satriano Foundation for Cancer, which provides school scholarships to children with special needs and cancer.
• Where: 101 Carman Ave., East Meadow
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Contact: Susan Satriano Memorial Scholarship Foundation on Facebook
Join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent Riva Ettus for her popular Brown Bag Lecture. Experience the museum’s exhibition “At Play: Artists & Entertainment” through a lively and informative presentation. Participants are invited to ask questions at the end of the program. Registration not required. First come, first seated.
• Where: Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
Tilles Center’s Atrium becomes an intimate lounge, showcasing 23-year-old Kate Kortum, one of the most exciting breakout artists in the jazz world. Hailing from Houston, Texas, her warm, distinctive sound blends bebop, blues, the Great American Songbook, and musical theater with captivating, storydriven lyrics. Her artistry bridges tradition and innovation, offering audiences a fresh, contemporary take on the jazz vocal legacy. Kortum discovered her passion for music at Houston’s legendary High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, where she studied flute and saxophone before ultimately falling in love with singing. She went on to earn a degree in jazz voice from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music and a master’s degree from the Juilliard School, studying with some of the leading voices in modern jazz. Critics have praised her ability to revitalize jazz with authenticity and daring. “Wild Woman,” her sophomore album. featuresreimagined standards and originals that explore a woman’s relationship with complex emotions like obsession, promiscuity, self-pride, and hatred. She gives her audience a glimpse into the past, present, and future of jazz through her unique arrangements and improvisatory deliveries.
• Where: 1886 Front St., East Meadow
• Time: 2-4 p.m.
• Contact: EastMeadow.info
Pianist Philip Edward Fisher returns to Adelphi University for an afternoon of music for solo piano. He performs three of Chopin’s works: Variations Brilliantes, Fantasie in F minor and Sonata No 2 in B-flat minor. The program also include Haydn’s Fantasia in C Major, along with works by Corigliano, Mompou and Scriabin. Fisher is widely recognized as a unique performer of refined style and exceptional versatility. Tickets start at $35, with discounts available to seniors, students, Adelphi alumni and employees.
• Where: Adelphi University’s Westermann Stage, 1 South Ave., Garden City
• Time: 3 p.m.
• Contact: adelphi.edu/pac or call (516) 877-4000
OCT
8
East Meadow BOE meets East Meadow School Board holds its monthly session. Stay informed on district issues.
• Where: 712 The Plain Road, Westbury
• Time: 7 p.m.
• Contact: EMUFSD.us/events
OCT
9
Kiwanis Installation
East Meadow Kiwanis Club hosts its 74th Installation Dinner at the Coral House. $90 per person.
• Where: 70 Milburn Ave., Baldwin
• Time: 6:30-10:30 p.m.
• Contact: Contact Kevin Kamper for details at knkamper@gmail.com
OCT 10
Visit Nassau County Museum of Art for hour for discovery and conversation. Explore a selection of sculptures sited across the museum property. Each stop on the tour delves into the choices, inspirations and material of the artists and their sculptures. Registration required. $20, $10 members
• Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
• Time: 5-6 p.m.
• Contact: ticketmaster.com or tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100
• Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
11
Art, craft and gift fair
Browse a variety of handmade goods at Eisenhower Park.
• Where: Eisenhower Park, East Meadow
• Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., also Oct. 12
• Contact: NassauCountyFairs. com
16
Little Learners Art Lab
Each week in this engaging workshop, participants are introduced to handson materials, artmaking, and inspiration from artists and techniques. Young kids, ages 2-5, build critical thinking skills, expand vocabulary, and support imaginations as they play, create and explore. This week create one-of-a-kind wave paintings with a sensory twist. $4 with museum admission.
• Where: Museum Row, Garden City
• Time: 11:30 a.m.-noon
• Contact: licm.org or (516) 2245800
• Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor
• Time: 1 p.m.
• Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337
Trunk or Treat
OCT
25
Instead of going door to door, trickor-treaters can go car to car, with vehicles decked out in Halloween decorations with an assortment of sweets and treats to offer, courtesy of East Meadow Chamber of Commerce.
• Where: TBD
• Time: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Contact: EastMeadowChamber. com
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.
By JORDAN VALLONE
jvallone@liherald.com
October is packed with creativity, conversation, and comedy at the East Meadow Public Library. From an award-winning local artist’s work on display, to a discussion of a bestselling novel, to an afternoon of laughter with some of Long Island’s top comics — there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Here are three events you won’t want to miss.
East Meadow native and accomplished artist Theodora Zavala brings her striking work to the library for a special art reception. Zavala, who holds a BA in Fine Art from Queens College and a master’s in elementary education from Hofstra, has earned awards for her dramatic, mood-driven compositions. A member of several art leagues and an experienced illustrator, she also teaches Visual Arts for the NYC Department of Education. She is especially passionate about guiding children in artistic exploration, appreciating their fresh perspective and spontaneity. Her pieces promise to immerse viewers in worlds of mystery and emotion. No registration is needed. The exhibit takes place Sunday, Oct. 5, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Makerspace Rooms A and B.
For book lovers who crave thought-provoking reads, the library’s new daytime book club is set to dive into “The Women” by Kristin Hannah — a title topping The New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times bestseller lists. This moving novel follows one woman’s journey to war while honoring the sacrifices of countless women whose stories have often gone untold. It’s a tale of friendship, courage, and the enduring bonds forged under fire. Readers can expect lively discussion, powerful themes, and the chance to connect with fellow book enthusiasts. The club meets Wednesday, Oct. 15, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the Community Room.
Laughs at the Library with Mark Brier
End the month on a high note with an afternoon of laughter. Beloved East Meadow comedian Mark Brier returns to the library, joined by a lineup of fellow Long Island comics, to deliver lighthearted fun and plenty of punchlines. Brier, who was named Best Comic on Long Island by Bethpage Federal Credit Union’s Best of Long Island, brings his sharp wit and infectious humor to every performance. This event is a perfect way to shake off the Monday blues and share the joy of live comedy with friends and neighbors. Registration opens Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 11 a.m. The show takes place Monday, Oct. 27, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Community Room.
The Walmart in East Meadow has put in plans to expand the original store into a supercenter — a one-stop-shop for groceries, clothes, home furnishings, electronics and more. The blueprint will expand into space previously occupied by Stop & Shop.
The East Meadow Walmart is seeking to expand to create a supercenter — a larger version of the original store format with a full-service supermarket, clothes, home furnishing and electronics, as well as specialty shops and fastfood chains.
East Meadow’s Walmart is at 2465 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow. The storefront is located next to the former location of a Stop & Shop grocery store, which closed last year. Walmart is seeking to expand its building blueprint into the space that Stop & Shop previously occupied, turning the current store into a supercenter.
The plans were submitted to the
Town of Hempstead in August. The expansion, if approved, would increase the store size from just over 63,000 square feet to over 180,000 square feet — more then double its current size. Hempstead officials could make a decision about the storefront’s future within the next six months.
Other nearby Walmart supercenters are located in Valley Stream and Farmingdale. Just up the road in Levittown, there’s a Walmart Neighborhood Market — which is strictly a grocery store under the umbrella of Walmart’s branding.
–Jordan Vallone
ATTENTION STUDENTS:
THE HERALD IS HOLDING A CONTEST TO DESIGN HOLIDAY WRAPPING PAPER
THE WINNING DESIGNS WILL BE PRINTED AS HOLIDAY GIFT WRAP IN 12/4/25 & 12/11/25 ISSUES OF YOUR HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
Who can enter: There will be 2 categories: Students in grades k-5. Students in 6-12
One entry per student
Deadline: Entries must be received by 5 p.m.
Friday, October 31, 2025
Grand prize: Winners will have their design printed as wrapping paper in the Herald and will be featured in an article in their local Herald newspaper.
Entry format: Please use an 8 1/2 by 11 inch piece of unlined paper. All entries should have the student’s name, age, address, telephone number, email, grade and school printed on the back. Design can be reflective of all religious holidays. Entries will not be returned.
Mail or hand-deliver to: Wrapping Paper Contest
Herald Community Newspapers
2 Endo Boulevard, Garden City, NY 11530 OR Scan and email to: ekimbrell@liherald.com
(No Photos of Artwork Will Be Accepted).
Winners will be notified by email or phone by November 14
• Must use 8 1/2 x 11” unlined paper, copy paper or construction paper.
• Be creative & original.
• Use bright colors.
• Fill the entire page.
• Choose paint, crayon, chalk, markers, pens, or other creative materials.
• Remember your design will be used to make a real sheet of wrapping paper.
more information contact Ethan Kimbrell at ekimbrell@liherald.com or 516.569.4000 x 313
Continued from page 1 the Surviving tough t imes group meets at the east meadow public Library monthly, discussing the ways they improved their quality of life.
thoughts and be used for future reference.
“I’m convinced of the innate positivity in everyone, and I want them to be made aware of their specialness,” she said.
Positivity Day, as with all of the library’s events, is open to the public. It also offers extras, such as free magnets, a raffle, and other treats.
“It’s all related to positivity — I never get sick of the word,” she said.
Karen Buttner regularly attends the groups’ events. She volunteered to help Miller expand the project and make Positivity Day possible, in addition to other volunteers from the group. Buttner is bringing a personal touch to this year’s event.
“I have these three ring binders so that every time we have a workshop, I make a new chapter, and I keep everything,” she said. “When [Miller] saw that, she was like, ‘Oh, yeah! That has to be there so people can see.’”
Buttner values the group because of the strong community that has been built between members both new and
old, she said.
“We’re all going through life together, and we all want to celebrate our lives,” she said. “It’s very much about opening up and allowing the process of sharing our lives and what we’re going through. Even if you’re having some down times, we’re there for each other.”
Tammy Bianco is the head of programming at the library. She and Miller have worked closely together to plan community events.
“This is really something out of the goodness of her heart that she does, and she feels very strongly about it,” Bianco said of Miller. “She put in a lot of work for it.
“Positivity Day is a nice thing to bring families and people of all ages into the library,” she added. “There’s a lot of stress in the world, it’s nice to have a day of positivity to bring everyone together.”
The library also offers other programs for all people of all ages: movies, workshops, lectures, crafts and “a lot more than just books,” Bianco said.
To learn more about Positivity Day and other library events, visit EastMeadow.info.
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS-SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NASSAUU.S. BANK TRUST
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff, -againstVICTOR N. WILLIAMS, CHRISTOPHER
NATHANIEL JAMES, MICHAEL SAMUEL
JAMES, SONIA D. JAMES, STEVEN JAMES, AS POTENTIAL HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF ADDIE E. WILLIAMS A/K/A ADDIE
E. JAMES-WILLIAMS; SHERELLE MONIQUE
JAMES, TAMEKA JAMES AND SYLVIA K. SIMMS, AS POTENTIAL HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF ADDIE E. WILLIAMS A/K/A ADDIE
E. JAMES-WILLIAMS, IF THEY BE LIVING AND IF THEY BE DEAD, THE UNKNOWN HEIRS-ATLAW, NEXT-OF-KIN, DISTRIBUTEES, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, TRUSTEES, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS AND SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST AND GENERALLY ALL PERSONS AND PARTIES HAVING OR CLAIMING, UNDER, BY OR THROUGH SHERELLE MONIQUE JAMES, TAMEKA JAMES AND SYLVIA K. SIMMS, BY PURCHASE, INHERITANCE, LIEN OR OTHERWISE, ANY RIGHT, TITLE OR INTEREST IN AND TO THE PREMISES DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT HEREIN; THE UNKNOWN HEIRSAT- LAW, NEXT-OFKIN, DISTRIBUTEES, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, TRUSTEES, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, AND SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST, AND GENERALLY ALL PERSONS OR PARTIES HAVING OR CLAIMING,
UNDER, BY OR THROUGH THE ADDIE E. JAMES A/K/A ADDIE JAMES LIVING TRUST, B Y PURCHASE,INHERITAN CE, LIEN OR OTHERWISE, ANY RIGHT TITLE OR INTEREST IN AND TO THE PREMISES DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT HEREIN; THE UNKNOWN BENEFICIARIES OF THE ADDIE E. WILLIAMS A/K/A ADDIE E. JAMESWILLIAMS LIVING TRUST; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (EASTERN DISTRICT); PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; INC VILLAGE OF LYNBROOK; EMPIRE PORTFOLIOS, INC.; ALISHA MARIE JAMES; NASSAU SURGICAL ASSOCIATES, PC; BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO NORSTAR BANK; NEW CENTURY FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC,; “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #10” inclusive, the names of the ten last name Defendants being fictitious, real names unknown to the Plaintiff, the parties intended being persons or corporations having an interest in, or tenants or persons in possession of, portions of the mortgaged premises described in the Complaint, Defendants - Index No. 619716/2024 Plaintiff Designates Nassau County as the Place of Trial. The Basis of Venue is that the subject premises is situated in Nassau County. To the above named DefendantsYOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your Answer or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a Notice of Appearance upon the Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty
(20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the date of service or within thirty (30) days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York. If you fail to so appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. That this Supplemental Summons is being filed pursuant to an order of the court dated September 4, 2025.
NOTICE-YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME - If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Honorable Jeffery A. Goodstein A.J.S.C.
Dated: September 4, 2025 Filed: September 4, 2025. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage and covering the premises known as 16
Barrington Street, Westbury, NY 11590. Dated: November 26, 2024 Filed: December 3, 2024 Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, Attorney for Plaintiff, By: Mark R. Knuckles, Esq., 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591 Phone: (914) 345-3020 155783
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC, PLAINTIFF, VS. JOANN O’CONNOR, ET AL., DEFENDANT(S).
Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report, Amend the Caption, and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on July 28, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on October 30, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 1595 Midland Drive, East Meadow, NY 11554. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at East Meadow, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 50, Block 455 and Lot 2. Approximate amount of judgment is $494,812.95 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #603044/2019.
Scott Siller, Esq., Referee Greenspoon Marder, 1345 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 2200, New York, NY 10105, Attorneys for Plaintiff 155905
PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…
To place a notice here call us us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com
Of all the phrases I ever thought I would utter, “When I was in Paris…” was never going to be one of them.
As indicated in an earlier essay, last June, armed with 100+ days of French lessons on Duolingo and a fully-packed suitcase for a nine-day adventure, I found myself at Kennedy airport, ready for the seven-hour flight to Charles De Gaulle Airport with an alumni group sponsored by my university, former graduates from different decades and majors, ages 20 to 80.
I was about to find out what I was made of as a hard-core New Yorker with borough and Long Island roots, no matter what Parisian heatwaves and majestic sites had in store.
with a common admiration of art and fashion. And it was those common threads that knitted us into a fine weave somewhere in the neighborhood (okay, arrondissement) of nearly 110 waking hours.
But it wasn’t always the sites that took my attention – but rather the ecosystem of the group and its remarkable leaders. I had never gone to summer camp but given plenty of school excursions I’m pretty sure that many of the same dynamics were in play.
Every place we visited, from the Louve to the Eiffel Tower to Versailles, there were those who lagged behind. Got lost in the book shop. Stayed within their self-devised buddy system. Needed to sit in the back of the bus.
Yet no matter where, fellow passengers really looked out for each other. They took each other’s photos, expressed past travel knowledge, shared Euros, and found the best coffee, croissants and baguettes for all.
We were a team of travelers, entrepreneurs, industry people and designers
Best moments? First, the little 21st century achievements pre-trip including getting the amount of Euros at the local AAA, and figuring out the airport check-in process in which boarding passes, tagging checked suitcases and verification via passport was done by individual passengers on kiosks smaller than bank ATMs. Once there, it was the ambiance and the history all day, every day. And once home, it was the strong and deep hugs I got from family picking me up at the Merrick train station having navigated the Kennedy’s AirTrain with a 50-pound suitcase all by myself.
It was a trip with a daily average of 13,000 steps through gardens and fountains while remarkable French food put my diet on hold. It was adapting to new experiences in my heart. And when the post-travel survey asked,” Where next?” I carefully checked off locales on five continents checking that my passport was not even close to expiration. Ready, set, go.
A contributing writer to the Herald since 2012, Lauren Lev is a direct marketing/ advertising executive who teaches marketing fundamentals as well as advertising and marketing communications courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology and SUNY Old Westbury.
Eric Einhart, an attorney with Russo Law Group, has been recognized in the 2025 Best Lawyers in America awards for his work in elder law.
Einhart, of East Meadow, practices at the Westbury-based firm, which specializes in elder law, estate planning, and trusts and estates. He was honored through the annual Best Lawyers peer-review process, which has highlighted top attorneys nationwide since 1983. The process relies on extensive feedback from lawyers regarding the professional abilities of their peers in specific practice areas and regions.
“This honor reflects Eric’s dedication and outstanding expertise in elder law,” Vincent Russo, founding partner of Russo Law Group, said in a release. “We are proud to see our attorneys recognized for the exceptional service they provide to families navigating elder law, estate planning, and related matters.”
Eric Einhart
Founded in 1985, Russo Law Group provides legal services across New York, with a focus on Medicaid planning, long-term care, estate administration, and special needs planning.
–Jordan Vallone
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Q. We were given two options for building a new building next to a saltwater bay where there are great views. The first option is to build a wood building with siding, and the second is to build a metal building that comes in a kind of kit form, with the option to have the company selling the parts also assemble the building. Which type would you recommend, considering the salt spray we will get, and will we need helical piles in the ground? We were told that we could just build on a 6-inch concrete slab.
A. If you remember the story of the three little pigs, you’ll also remember the big, bad wolf, who huffed and puffed … Salt spray is just one of the natural issues you’re dealing with. If you’re concerned about possible rust, verify with the company engineering the metal system that the building will be subjected to salt.
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A wood building, by the standards of state building codes, would still require metal connections to hold places where wood parts are joined to meet wind-resistance requirements. Wood-to-steel connections aren’t as strong as steel-to-steel connections, generally, due to the reactions of the dissimilar materials. Those reactions include internal expansion and contraction that can loosen wood fibers, warping, twisting and the loss of fiber strength due to changes in moisture of the fibers. The fibers loosen as they expand with moisture, so metal screws or nails can pull out in extreme conditions.
Metal-to-metal will hold together better, because the reactions are similar in metal-to-metal connections. In similar expansion and contraction, the screw connections will stay connected. After virtually every tornado and hurricane disaster, investigators uncover evidence that steel-to-steel connectors held together, while wood connections often failed.
As for the foundation, consider that a helical pile is like a screwed-down fastener and a tree root system combined. Whoever told you that a building next to an open body of water need only be attached to a concrete slab was misleading and uninformed about the power of any large body of water in motion. Just by researching the height of ocean surges on your smartphone, you can educate yourself to the fact that the ocean height rose as much as 32 feet and moved inland at levels between 12 and 15 feet in Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Once the surge contacts land, it can reduce to 7 feet from that greater surge and spill inland, reducing in height to where some people experienced 3 to 4 feet while others saw only ankle-deep water. Good luck!
© 2025 Monte Leeper
Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
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president Trump’s state visit to Great Britain and his meetings with foreign leaders at the United Nations General Assembly emphasized the continued significance of personal diplomacy in international affairs.
Trump’s royal welcome by King Charles III at Windsor Castle demonstrated the lasting relationship between the United States and Great Britain. (I say this as an Irish-American who severely criticized British policy in Ireland in the years before the signing of the historic Good Friday Agreement in 1998.) The reality is that beyond a common language, Americans and Brits share common values emanating from the Magna Carta. British leaders have demonstrated firmness and strength at key moments in our history.
Winston Churchill stood alone, defending Western civilization against Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany in the dark early days of World War II, and then, in the postwar years, alerted the U.S. and the world to the growing menace of Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union’s Iron Curtain.
Margaret Thatcher allied with Presi-
dent Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II to bring down the Soviet empire.
Tony Blair stood with President George W. Bush and America in the aftermath of 9/11. I observed Blair behind the scenes during the negotiations leading to the Good Friday Agreement, and was struck by his extraordinary courage and leadership. That British leadership continues today, as Britain provides weapons to Ukraine and deploys RAF fighter jets to Poland to help the nations resisting Russian aggression.
The state dinner Charles hosted for Trump was more than pomp and ceremony. It was a dramatic affirmation of the special relationship between our nations. This show of unity was particularly vital when totalitarian states — Russia, China and North Korea— threaten world security. In his remarks, Charles urged the U.S. and Great Britain to stand strong against Russian aggression in Ukraine, as we did against Hitler. (My wife, Rosemary, and I met then Prince Charles in Washington in 2011. He was very engaging and down to earth.)
ing, friendly relationship. Their meeting certainly appeared to go well, with Starmer emphasizing the importance of the U.S. and Europe standing with Ukraine.
By all accounts, the president’s visit to Great Britain was a solid success.
F for the General Assembly, a classic performance on the world stage.
The following week, he was in New York for the annual opening of the U.N. General Assembly. Trump was the first major leader to speak, and it was a classic Trump performance brought to the world stage. He began by mercilessly critiquing the U.N. for being consistently ineffective, exemplified that morning by the malfunctioning of an escalator and his teleprompter.
al concessions to Putin).
Just hours after his General Assembly speech — which went three times longer than his allotted time — Trump met with Zelensky, and went beyond just criticizing Russia and Putin. He made a full reversal. Informed by a key adviser, Gen. Keith Kellogg, how weak Russia was after having suffered more than a million casualties, taken control of only 1 percent of Ukraine and with its economy in shambles, Trump hailed Ukraine’s courage and fighting ability. With allied support, he said, Ukraine could win the war and regain its lost territory, and that NATO countries should shoot down Russian planes that violate their air space.
I have supported Ukraine from the start, not just because its position is just, but because it’s in America’s national interest for Russia’s aggression to be stopped.
The following day, Trump met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Though Starmer is a member of the Labor Party and has a number of policy and ideological differences with Trump, the two are known to have a good work-
Not content to assail the organization itself, Trump verbally attacked countries individually and continents collectively. He was particularly critical of Russia and its dictator, Vladimir Putin, for its continued attacks on Ukraine, especially its innocent civilians. Significantly, one country that was spared Trump’s caustic criticism was Ukraine (in stark contrast with Trump’s White House encounter earlier this year with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he criticized for continuing to wage what Trump thought was a futile battle against Russia, because Ukraine had “no cards” left to play and would have to make territori-
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s failure to stop Hitler at Munich because it was a “faraway” war led to World War II and millions of deaths, including more than 400,000 Americans. I believe that Trump’s visit with our closest ally was a reminder of the necessity to follow Churchill’s example, stand with Europe against Russian imperialism and not let the tragic failures of appeasement and isolationism be repeated.
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
Over the past few weeks, Democrats have been having a slugfest over the question of the obligation of party officials to endorse the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani. The debate was triggered by Gov. Kathy Hochul’s decision to endorse Mamdani. State Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs angrily pledged that he would not support Mamdani, in an obvious break with the governor. So who’s right and who’s wrong?
power in the House of Representatives. A state chair’s endorsement of a controversial mayoral candidate could reverberate around the state. and beyond.
First of all, to quote my parents, it’s a free country. You’re entitled to endorse whomever you want, and Jacobs has the right to break from Hochul. She has yet to explain why she endorsed Mamdani, but I have no doubt that she has her own bona fide reasons to do so.
And Jacobs has a lot of reasons to disagree with her endorsement. Next year there will be dozens of congressional races that will decide the balance of
The more I’ve thought about Mamdani’s candidacy, the more I’m convinced that there are lots of reasons why some Democrats will rightly shun him. He made a decision to run for mayor after analyzing the field of potential opponents, and had the backing of the Working Families Party and the Democratic Socialists of America. He had the endorsements of other socialist and progressive groups that have the ability to organize voterturnout operations and have helped elected a number of members of the State Assembly. They’re especially effective when moderate Democrats are sound asleep.
Tmedia and old-time get-out-the-vote operations to win the nomination. He had a story to tell right out of the socialist playbook.
He focused on the high cost of living in the city, and pledged free bus rides, a rent freeze and public grocery stores. While these promises aren’t realistic, they appealed to thousands of young voters, many of whom had never voted in a primary.
he failure of some prominent Democrats to endorse him is no surprise.
Mamdani saw that his Democratic rivals would likely be former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams. Both had a ton of political problems that would affect their chances — indeed, Adams suspended his campaign on Sunday — and that gave Mamdani a clear field to tell his story, and utilize social
Another facet of the campaign is that the vast majority of moderate voters don’t vote in city primaries. They show up in November for the general election, but don’t understand that the primaries determine who the candidates will be in November. It’s no surprise that all of these factors combined to help Mamdani win a decisive victory, which stunned Democratic elected leaders as well as party officials. While they privately conceded that Mamdani won fair and square, they simply couldn’t believe that a socialist might be the next mayor. Aside from the fact that Mamdani wasn’t a moderate candidate, once the primary was over, the media began exploring his views on Israel, and focused on his
Muslim background. He had made numerous controversial statements on the war in Gaza. In the past he has also advocating defunding the police. Post-primary, he has backtracked on a number of previous positions, including that one, but he has failed to satisfy his critics, and he has made other controversial statements that have kept the political pot boiling. In my political lifetime I have often noted that retractions only make things worse, and that the public rarely changes its views after the first missteps.
So the failure of some prominent Democrats to endorse Mamdani is no surprise. Embracing him could be fatal for a moderate member of the party. Other than having won its primary, Mamdani isn’t a traditional Democrat, and there’s no reason to believe that he would act like one come next January. He will temper his past comments now, but he is rumored to be selecting lots of people who are pleasing to him and the socialist movement. In the past, I’ve gone against my party on some major occasions. If I were still in office, I wouldn’t endorse Mamdani, either.
Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. Comments about this column? jkremer@ liherald.com.
Established 2001
Incorporating the Meadowbrook Times and East Meadow Beacon in 1992
Jordan Vallone
BerMan
asilent invasion is making its way across Long Island. From beetles boring through forests to aggressive weeds choking native plants, invasive species pose an urgent and growing threat to the natural beauty, the economy and the very identity of our region.
As these pests encroach on farmland, damaged crops mean higher food prices and struggling farms. Infested woodlands mean fewer tourists and diminished property values. And the loss of treasured natural spaces — from forests and meadows to backyards and parks — erodes the very character of Long Island.
The recent detection of the redbay ambrosia beetle in Suffolk County, likely imported accidentally from Asia and bringing with it a tree-killing fungus, only increases the volume of our collective wake-up call. The question before us is simple: Will we act now to defend our communities, or will we watch as our landscapes steadily degrade and our land-based livelihoods slowly unravel?
Invasive species aren’t a new problem, but their spread has accelerated dramatically in recent decades. Increased global trade, climate change and urbanization have opened doors for pests and plants that don’t belong here, allowing them to thrive in places where native species have no natural defenses. The result is widespread ecological disruption.
In Nassau County, we already know the damage invaders can do. The spotted lanternfly, a deceptively attractive insect with mottled wings, feeds on more than
70 species of plants. Its favorite targets include vineyards, orchards and hardwood forests — ecosystems that support industries that have helped Long Island grow. Left unchecked, lanternfly infestations can cripple agriculture and rob us of the fall foliage many tourists come here to see.
The plant kingdom has its own wellknown adversaries. Japanese knotweed, with its bamboo-like stalks and dense root systems, is nearly impossible to eradicate once it takes hold. It smothers native plants, leaving wildlife without food or shelter, and even undermines human infrastructure, pushing up through sidewalks, driveways and foundations. Its spread is a quiet but relentless reminder that invasive species are as much an economic challenge as an ecological one.
And then there’s the southern pine beetle — a small insect with an outsized appetite that can be found across the Island. This pest can wipe out acres of pine forest, reducing green woodlands to brown arboreal graveyards. The loss is not only aesthetic; forests are essential for carbon storage, stormwater absorption and wildlife habitat.
Together, these threats underscore a sobering reality: Invasive species weaken biodiversity, strain local economies and diminish our quality of life. Each unchecked outbreak increases the costs borne by everyone from homeowners to landscapers to farmers, while also endangering industries like agriculture and tourism that are the backbone of Nassau and Suffolk’s economies.
To the Editor:
Jerry Kremer warns in his Sept 18-24 Herald column, “The battle of egos in the Big Apple,” that “all of New York City and state will suffer” if Zohran Mamdani is elected mayor in November. “Many people, city and suburban voters, have been transfixed by fear about the possibility” of Mamdani becoming the city’s first socialist leader, Kremer notes.
In terms of dynamism and attractions, New York has only a few peers among cities worldwide. London and Paris are two of them. So it could come as a surprise — or, one hopes, a reassurance — to Kremer and others fearful of a Mamdani victory that both London and Paris have been governed by socialists for the past nine and 11 years, respectively.
And voters in those European cities seem quite satisfied with the performance of their progressive mayors. London’s Sadiq Khan was elected to an unprecedented third term last year by an 11-point margin over a Conservative Party opponent. Paris’s Anne Hidalgo won a second six-year term in 2020 by 15 percentage points over a conservative rival.
Khan, a Muslim of Pakistani descent, is a member of a Brit-
The earlier an invasive species is detected, the greater the chance of stopping it before it becomes a living feature of the landscape. Funding for local monitoring programs isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity.
Public education is equally critical. Residents are often the first line of defense against invasive species. With the right tools and training, they can help identify and report harmful insects and plants before they spread out of control. Imagine how much better off we’d be if every homeowner could recognize lanternflies and every gardener knew how to prevent knotweed from hitching a ride in soil or mulch.
State and local governments, environmental nonprofits, research institutions and industry leaders must work together to create a unified strategy. Protecting Long Island’s agriculture, landscaping and tourism sectors requires pooling resources, sharing knowledge and mobilizing communities. A fragmented, haphazard response will only give invasive species more opportunities to occupy new territory.
By investing in prevention, monitoring and education today, we have the power to preserve our island’s future. The rising tide of invasive species is controllable — but only if we act decisively. Long Islanders have always taken pride in protecting our shoreline, parks and communities. Now we must extend that vigilance to these less visible, but no less dangerous, invaders among us. Our environment, economy and way of life depend on it.
ish political organization roughly equivalent to Democratic Socialists of America, to which Mamdani belongs. Hidalgo, a Spanish-French politician, is a prominent figure in France’s Socialist Party.
Has violent crime run rampant in London and Paris under left-wing
leadership? The London police recorded a total of 110 murders in 2023. That’s 10 fewer than in 2015, the final year of Boris Johnson’s tenure as that city’s Conservative Party mayor.
Urban crime rates are difficult to measure in France because such sta-
iwent to a Herald reunion at Garden Social, in East Meadow, a few weeks ago. It’s been 20 years since I worked at the newspaper as an editor, and I got to see some faces I thought I might never see again.
The five years I spent as a journalist were some of the best years of my life. I met so many interesting people, and most of them were the reporters, editors and photographers I worked with.
It was great to see everyone. We talked about the old times and drank ourselves some beers. The conversation was light. What have you been up to? Where do you live now? How many kids do you have? That sort of thing.
I wish we’d spent some time talking about how drastically different the media, and indeed our world, is nowadays.
When we all worked together, we were dedicated to informing, educating
and, at times, entertaining our readership. Today it seems the media’s job is to do nothing but incite, prod and provoke.
John O’Connell, who was the executive editor of the Herald when I left in 2005, was at the reunion.
John’s a teddy bear of a guy — a great journalist, photographer and person. Our viewpoints didn’t always align when we worked together. John’s were mostly on the right, while mine leaned left. He supported the United States’ invasion of Iraq in 2003. I didn’t. There were spirited debates in our office. But those differences never cost us our mutual respect for each other, or our ultimate goal to report what was true. Today we live in nasty, divisive, misinformed times, and I hold the media, in its current incarnation, squarely responsible. There aren’t many places people can turn to for honest, objective news. The Herald, and other publications like it, are thankfully still there. But increasingly, people get their information from cable news talking heads who present opinions as facts. Even worse, people shape their realities on
tistics are kept primarily on a national rather than the local level. But according to a compilation used by the publication World Population Review, Paris was the 23rd safest city in the world in 2024. Safer than Brussels, Madrid, Barcelona and Rome.
Mamdani, meanwhile, has retracted his call for defunding the NYPD — a stance he took at the height of the Black Lives Matter agitation. He has pledged to make public safety a top priority of his mayoralty, along with making New York City more affordable for all of its residents.
Instead of freaking out over political labels, Kremer and other fearmongers should calm down and see how Mamdani actually governs.
Closer to home: I lived in Burlington, Vermont, when Bernie Sanders was mayor. A socialist who had held no previous elected office, Sanders made Vermont’s largest city a more equitable and prosperous place. Burlington’s business community came to regard him as an outstanding mayor.
KEVIN J. KELLEY Atlantic Beach
To the Editor:
As partners in the New York State Tobacco Control Program, Health Systems for a Tobacco-Free NY and the
posts they see on Facebook and Instagram, or in videos on TikTok, with little to no regard for their validity. And it has eroded our society’s common sense and civility.
Too many people fell for the story about the litter box in the school bathroom.
A year or two ago, my daughter Adriana came home and informed me that Woodland Middle School had placed a litter box in a bathroom for a student who identified as a cat. I knew it was utter nonsense, but I pressed my daughter for more information.
Have you seen the litter box? I asked. No, she replied. And who is this child who identifies as a cat? I don’t know, I think some sixthgrader, she said. Though she was sure it was true, I assured her it was likely just a rumor. I explained the danger of believing anything without evidence, and left it at that.
A few weeks later, my friend Tim exasperatedly texted me that his daughter had told him her school had placed a litter box in the bathroom for a student who identified as a cat. I chuckled to myself, and replied that my daughter had told me the same thing, and that it
was hogwash. He swore it wasn’t.
Not long after that, my colleague Erin and I were grabbing lunch when she told me that a friend of hers who worked in security at a local school said they had put a litter box in the bathroom. She was apoplectic, and sure it was true. It was only after I told her of my two previous encounters with this legend that she accepted that it might be false.
Apparently, several politicians and media personalities perpetuated this hoax on posts and podcasts in 2022. It’s not that we didn’t have urban legends back in my Herald days; it’s just that the media didn’t spread them. What’s more, they didn’t incite such vitriol.
I wish I could turn the clock back to the early 2000s, when I used to see those familiar faces every morning in the Herald offices. I wish I could get rid of the talking heads, the social media posts and the viral videos that dominate the media landscape, but I can’t.
The best I can do is implore people to think critically, and not take anything they see and hear at face value. Chances are if you’re reading this, you already do. Encourage others to do so. Politely.
Nick Buglione, who lives in East Meadow, is a teacher, freelance journalist and former editor of the East Meadow Herald.
Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island work together to reduce the burden of commercial tobacco use and support a healthier, tobacco-free Long Island. Since the inception of the state’s comprehensive Tobacco Control Program 25 years ago, cigarette smoking among adults in the state has dropped dramatically, from 23.2 percent in 2001 to 9.3 percent in 2023. Nassau and Suffolk counties have achieved two of the five lowest smoking rates in the state. There has also been a striking decrease in youth smoking since 2000, when 27.1 percent of high school youth reported cigarette use. The latest data show a 92 percent drop, to just 2.1 percent.
Nonetheless, the tobacco industry continues to harm New Yorkers. Industry documents reveal how tobacco companies have deliberately marketed menthol cigarettes to specific populations, including LGBTQ, Black and Hispanic communities, for decades. Data from the Adult Tobacco Survey highlight these disparities: Menthol cigarette use was highest among adults who identify as Black or African American (88 percent) and those who identify as Hispanic (70 percent).
The use of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches is on the rise, especially among youth. Vaping exposes users to serious health risks such as heart disease, lung cancer, asthma attacks and long-term effects from toxic metals. Nicotine can harm the developing brains of adolescents, and nearly one in five high school students in our state report vaping. Add-
ing to the concern, social media have begun promoting pouches as a cheaper alternative to weight-loss drugs.
The closing of the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health puts years of progress at risk. Without this support, states will have a harder time keeping prevention and quit-smoking programs strong. These programs have helped countless families in New York and around the country live healthier lives. The cuts will hit vulnerable communities the hardest.
Here in New York, funding cuts have led to the layoff of more than a dozen key members of the state’s tobacco
control program. This could weaken our free State Quitline services, reduce support for the Health Systems program and limit several other vital tobacco-control initiatives.
It’s imperative that we continue to employ comprehensive, evidence-based strategies to prevent and reduce tobacco product use and nicotine addiction. The decline in cigarette smoking is worth celebrating, but there is still more work to be done.
"Several years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy treatments. I'm now in remission and blessed to still be here, but I was in so much pain. My feet and hands were constantly burning - a tingling sensation, almost like when your leg or arm falls asleep," shared Mary of Westbury.
Mary was suffering from Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy or CIPN. While chemotherapy drugs kill cancer cells, they are not exactly discriminating in what they destroy. The smaller nerves, specifically those in your hands and feet, are some of the first to be harmed. Those suffering from peripheral neuropathy have described this pain as “burning,” “tingling,” “like walking on sharp rocks,” or like Mary explained, that fuzzy, tingling pain you experience during paresthesia (the technical term for when a limb “falls asleep”).
"Standing all day was not just a challenge, it caused me physical agony. Keeping up with my busy schedule - forget about it. I couldn't even go for walks on the beach." Mary, like so many others, was prescribed Gabapentin to help with the pain and told there was nothing anyone could do. In their words: “There is no treatment for neuropathy.”
Fortunately for Mary, where Western medicine fails, Westbury Acupuncture tends to prove itself. Jae Won, National Board-Certified Acupuncturist, has been blending the timetested science of acupuncture with modern, medical technology to design a real solution for peripheral neuropathy that doesn’t involve invasive surgeries or prescription medications with uncomfortable side effects.
specific to Westbury Acupuncture and its network of certified providers, actually treat neuropathy versus attempting to mask its symptoms.
"Acupuncture is incredible at restoring blood flow and stimulating damaged nerves. It’s been used for centuries to treat peripheral neuropathy and similar conditions” tells Jae Won. “We take our treatments a step further by integrating ATP Resonance BioTherapy , which targets specific nerves in the body using microcurrent. ATP Resonance BioTherapy is akin to watering a plant. This treatment stimulates the blood vessels to grow back around the peripheral nerves and provide them with the proper nutrients and energy they need to repair and recover.”
ATP Resonance BioTherapy was originally designed by NASA to speed up healing and recovery. “To have access to this kind of technology has been life changing for our
the incredibly compassionate Patient Care Technicians at Westbury Acupuncture. “We even have people asking if they can take the equipment home, so we’re working on developing some at-home options for our less mobile patients.”
After only four weeks of treatment, Mary is already seeing incredible improvement.
"I've taken the handicap placard off my rearview mirror and I'm finally back to walking on the beach. I can't wait to see how I feel at the end of my program! I used to think that the neuropathy pain was just the price I have to pay for still being alive. Jae Won has really given me hope for a better life!"
Jae Won L.Ac and the staff at Westbury Acupuncture have a 90% success rate in reversing peripheral neuropathy, and not just that caused by chemotherapy. They also have tremendous success in treating diabetic neuropathy and neuropathy of undetermined origin, otherwise known as idiopathic neuropathy.
suffer with neuropathy during her final years and it broke my heart when she was told there was nothing they could do. This condition is one of the main reasons I went into medicine. Since then, I’ve been on a quest to help people truly thrive in their golden years.”
The number of treatments needed to allow the nerves to fully recover will vary from person to person and can only be determined after a comprehensive consultation and detailed neurological evaluation.
If you or someone you love is suffering from peripheral neuropathy, call (516) 500-8281 to schedule.
For new patients, an initial consultation is complimentary. Simply visit www.WestburyAcupuncture.com for more information and to take advantage of this offer.