Issuu

HERALD Franklin square/elmont

DEADLINE APRIL 1ST

Making pottery for charity

Renee DeLorenzo/Herald

Women of Distinction ceremony on March 16 were recognized for their extraordinary career accomplishments and community contributions.

Thanking the women who lift others up

By RENEE DeloRENZo rdelorenzo@liherald.com

Nine women from Elmont, Franklin Square and Valley Stream were honored for their contributions to their communities at Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages’s 12th annual Women of Distinction ceremony on March 16, at Sewanhaka High School.

The 2025 honorees were Gabrielle Barry, Jennifer Bellamy, Erum Hanif, Sonya Jones, Aviva Kane, Claire Leon, Julie Soffientini, Aisha Stevenson and Althea Thomas.

“These honorees uplift others,” host Tawana Gosley said. “They break barriers and inspire future generations in education, business, advocacy, health care and beyond.”

Solages recognized not only the honorees, but also every woman in the community who makes it a better place for residents to live. ContinueD on page 14

Franklin Square welcomes AHRC artwork to library

By RENEE DeloRENZo rdelorenzo@liherald.com

Lifelong Franklin Square resident Donna Nowakoski, an adult member of the AHRC of Nassau, a daytime habilitation program, was congratulated on March 19 by attendees and staff of the program on her diamond art exhibit that was displayed in the Franklin Square Library meeting room.

AHRC of Nassau supports adults with developmental disabilities.

Nowakoski’s collection of 16 diamond art paintings, which are created by individually placing thousands of diamond

studs on canvas templates, took her over seven years to complete.

Nowakoski, 40, recalled being very excited when Melinda Space, the adult programmer at the library, approached her about setting up an art exhibit. While she already had a few pieces ready to go, she quickly got to work adding a few more diamond art paintings to the collection to ensure she could fill the exhibit space.

The program’s staff said art projects are heavily encouraged by AHRC because it teaches members that they can do anything they put their minds to.

Tracey Johnson, a direct

support person at the organization, said it’s important for these adults to understand that they’re not defined by their disabilities.

“They’re not just in a little box,” Johnson said. “They’re more than just a disability.”

The program, Johnson explained, hosts many art exhibits out of the East Meadow Art Gallery on East Meadow Avenue, which rotates themes and projects every few months. Their next exhibit, she said, will be inspired by movies and musicals, and has a tentative schedule to be completed by May.

In preparation, Nowakoski has been helping Johnson cre -

ate her own diamond art paintings. Johnson said she’s on her second project, thanks to Nowakoski’s guidance.

Lisa Polizzi, a family support service worker for AHRC, said diamond art is extraordinarily tedious because artists have to be very patient and precise when placing each of the studs on the template.

“It takes tremendous amounts of fortitude,” she said. When Polizzi sat down to attempt it herself, she recalled how difficult it was for her to keep focus.

But, Nowakoski and other members said doing art helps keep them calm.

Annie Berris, an AHRC

Honorees at the 12th annual

Donna Nowakoski’s art exhibit noted by AHRC

member, said not only does art keep her calm, but she joked that it helps prevent boredom, too. Berris likes to make her own jewelry, such as bracelets and rings, which she often incorporates in her daily outfits.

She also expresses herself through her clothing and festive nail polish, which she paints for each holiday. During the library visit, she had green and gold nails for St. Paddy’s Day.

“I like to be able to do something different,” she said.

Polizzi said because Nowakoski is sensitive to things going on around her, she can see how focusing on a tedious task could help her block out those distractions.

“You can get lost in it,” Polizzi said of diamond art. “It does calm you.”

Nowakoski loves animals, Polizzi added, and even owns a parakeet. While Nowakoski used to volunteer at a nearby animal shelter, it closed down recently. Polizzi has been looking for another shelter for Nowakoski to volunteer at after her daytime program at AHRC dismisses for the day.

In the meantime, Polizzi said, Nowakoski gets plenty of exposure to animals through program-led field trips, and she visited White Post Farms of Melville for their fall festival last year.

I ’m beyond proud. And not only am I proud of her, but I am fulfilled knowing she’s growing.

LIsa PoLIzzI

Family support service worker, AHRC

Support workers like Polizzi help bridge the gap between day programs like AHRC and the direct help adults with disabilities need in their homes. Polizzi, who met Nowakoski at AHRC six years ago, retired from the program in December 2023 and has been assigned as Nowakoski’s support worker since.

She assists Nowakoski at home twice a week with tasks that foster essential social and living skills, and she has been teaching her to cook, read and socialize. They just learned how to make taco soup together, but have been mastering other recipes like cream of chicken, stuffed mushrooms and homemade pizza.

“Instead of her depending on her companion or mom to speak for her,” she said, “we’re trying to get her more comfortable to speak for herself.”

“She was in the bird sanctuary with birds all over her,” Polizzi said laughing.

When Nowakoski gets opportunities to explore her hobbies and interests, Polizzi said it has a positive impact on Nowakoski’s development.

Polizzi said in the last few years she’s known Nowakoski, she’s seen how capable she is of doing so many different kinds of tasks. For example, Polizzi said if Nowakoski knows someone is waiting on an art piece of hers, she makes sure to dedicate her time and focus to getting it done.

When she sets her mind to things, Polizzi said of Nowakoski, she wholeheartedly applies herself to whatever it may be.

“She’s not afraid of anything,” she said. “It’s amazing.”

Nowakoski’s supervisors and peers said they were proud of her accomplishments, and they would like to see more exhibits by AHRC members on display anywhere they are able to.

“I’m beyond proud,” Polizzi said. “And not only am I proud of her, but I am fulfilled knowing she’s growing.”

Continued from page 1

Renee DeLorenzo/Herald

the aHrC celebrated donna nowakoski’s artistic achievements at the franklin Square Library, where she has displayed a diamond art exhibit.

Pottery night welcomes in new donors

Rescuing Families hosted pottery night to raise funds for the disabled while making little gnomes

By REI WOLFSOHN Correspondent

Rescuing Families, a Franklin Square-based nonprofit, hosted a pottery night fundraiser on March 12, during which attendees hand-built and painted their own gnomes to take home.

The event was hosted to raise funds toward home renovations for a family in Valley Stream that has a disabled father and son, and whose mother is their sole caregiver.

T“It’s definitely a good thing that they’ll have something to take home and look at and remember they did this at the Rescuing Families charity event,” Linda Lamberta, volunteer and board member for Rescuing Families, said of the attendees.

hey really have gone above and beyond to help a lot of people in the community that are disabled or elderly and don’t have the financial means.

BRIaN BaRRy donor and recipient, Rescuing Families

Local potter Rachele Leone, who has previously been a vendor at Rescuing Families charity fundraisers, led pottery night. She met the nonprofit’s founder, Gina Centauro, who is also an artist, at their Valley Stream moms group. “I think it’s an amazing organization. Amazing,” Leone said. “They do a lot of good for a lot of people that need it.”

Leone taught attendees the “pinching method” to build the gnomes out of clay, later showing them how to glaze the gnomes in many different colors.

After the event, she brought the pieces back to her studio, The Pottery Workshop located in Lynbrook, to fire them in the kiln. Leone said the gnomes are a celebration of spring.

When they’re ready, she’ll bring them back to the Rescuing Families thrift store and warehouse, which the nonprofit moved into seven months ago. Centauro said the new building makes it easier for visitors to locate where to donate, and for people to come in from the nearby street and discover them.

“We wound up with so many repeat customers, which to me is incredible,” Centauro said. “We know what they buy so we make sure we have that kind of stuff out for them. It’s really cool.”

Attendees paid a flat fee to attend pottery night, but all of them either bought things in the thrift store for a discount or donated a little extra.

Centauro said the donations they received were great. She said her goal is to get new people in their warehouse,

Brian

which events like pottery night help do.

Getting the word out about the charity, she said, helps them become familiar with their location.

Of the 20 donors Rescuing Families welcomed to the event, and almost half of them were new to the charity.

Funds raised during the event will go toward improving accessibility in the Valley Stream family’s home. The charity’s team has already visited the location to shore up their dangerous

ramp and improve the home.

“We’ve done some landscaping for them to just cheer them up,” Centauro said.

The home needs a complete renovation, however. Before getting help from Rescuing Families, the Valley Stream family enlisted the help of a contractor, who opened up walls and ceilings and left the house in complete disarray.

Brian Barry, one of the event’s attendees, said he has been donating to Rescuing Families for five years. He explained how the charity donated $3,000 to him a few years ago after his handicap chairlift became inundated by

water in East Rockaway after a storm. As a stroke survivor, he greatly appreciates Rescuing Families’ donation.

“They really have gone above and beyond to help a lot of people in the community that are disabled or elderly and don’t have the financial means,” Barry said.

Another attendee, Donna Ferrara, said she brings her son’s girlfriend and friend to the thrift store to shop together frequently. She has also attended Rescuing Families’ group psychic reading.

“The people that I met here are the loveliest people and they do good work,” Ferrara said.

The Rescuing Families warehouse accomodated 20 attendees during the fundraiser.

Rei Wolfsohn/Herald photos

Rachele Leone, left, Gina Centauro and Vinny Centauro celebrate the success of Rescuing Families’ Pottery Night.

Barry, donor and recipient of Rescuing Families’ charity, enjoys building his gnome during the fundraiser.

New for the Franklin Square Chamber of Commerce

By RENEE DeLORENZO rdelorenzo@liherald.com

Big plans are underway for the Franklin Square Chamber of Commerce this year, according to FSCC

They’re announcing three new programs to support local businesses

The Community Thrive Program, Main Street Revitalization and Vacant Space Revival programs are being introduced to the Franklin Square community. They are aimed at expanding local businesses and encouraging their growth. According to the FSCC, grant money will be available through these programs to support businesses with energy efficiency solutions, assistance with new accounts, resolving billing issues and referrals for electric vehicle chargers. Sarrica encouraged Franklin Square residents to attend their general meeting on April 2 at Trotters Bar & Grill for a discussion with PSEG Long Island about the programs’ details. He added that the meeting is open to existing members and non-members.

President Santino Sarrica. During his first year as president, Sarrica dedicated 2024 to revitalizing the chamber and implementing new initiatives to welcome even more businesses to their growing community. Between the 2024 Franklin Square Spring Fair,

They’re working with local officials on three new town-wide initiatives

If the FSCC is being brought into the 21st century, so is the town’s welcome sign! For the first initiative, Sarrica said the FSCC is in preliminary stages to redesign their welcome signs, and approve their new locations, with the help of elected officials from the Town of Hempstead. Next, the FSCC is working on a tentative “community cleanup day,” which they are still working on a date for. He said they would be inviting the community to walk through the town and clean up streets and sidewalks. Residents can look out on the FSCC’s social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram for the official announcement. Last, the FSCC is planning on cleaning out dying trees in the town and planting new ones in their place. More details on that are to follow, as well.

Accepting What Is

As estate planners, we consistently meet with people who are suffering from traumatic relationships with their children or grandchildren. Children themselves may become estranged or at odds with parents or their siblings. Sometimes, an in-law is involved that seems to turn the client’s son or daughter into someone completely different from the child they raised. The pain that these clients are going through is palpable.

Some wise sage once said that all pain comes from resistance. Many of these relationship issues may be difficult or impossible to overcome, but one thing we can all do is work on ourselves — by accepting what is. Accepting what is does not mean agreeing with or condoning certain behavior. What it does mean is that you stop saying to yourself that it is not fair, it “should” be otherwise, etc. That will not do you one bit of good and may do you considerable harm. Stress has been called “the silent killer”.

We recall reading a pithy quote a while back that went something like this “when someone disappoints you, you have two choices, you

can either lower your expectations or walk away”. What is disappointment but dashed expectations? Those who learn to expect less are disappointed less.

“Accepting what is” cannot be accomplished overnight. It is a concept or thought process that improves your outlook the more you think about it, work on it and form new neural pathways to forge the new outlook.

Estate planners inevitably become “therapists” for their clients because estate planning involves social relationships. Over the years, we have observed that many social problems occur between the clients two ears. As Shakespeare said in Hamlet “There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” Forget about what’s fair or right and what’s not. You are only hurting yourself. The other person is often blissfully unaware of how you’re feeling. Michael J. Fox, the actor known for his optimism despite suffering from Parkinson’s, put it best when he said “My happiness grows in direct proportion to my acceptance, and in inverse proportion to my expectations”.

LAW FIRM

or email info@trustlaw.com 100 Merrick Rd., Rockville Centre • 3000 Marcus Ave., Lake Success

offices in Huntington

their holiday Light Up the Square initiative, and their new CRM system to make their website more userfriendly for members, Sarrica said he is dedicated to bringing the FSCC into the 21st century.

Here are three things to know about the FSCC this year!

The

2025 FSCC spring fair has officially been set for June 7!

Sarrica said permits have officially been solidified for this year’s spring fair. The event will include a DJ, local food vendors, free games and prizes, bouncy houses, and live performances by local school bands, choruses and cheerleading squads. Just like last year, the Town of Hempstead and Supervisor Donald X. Clavin will provide a stage to accommodate performances. Kids and adults will have the opportunity to participate in the fun, and local businesses will be featured through vendor booths to advertise their services and sell goods. And, Sarrica added, the event will be entirely free because it is sponsored by the FSCC!

■ WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/franklinsquare or www.liherald.com/elmont

■ E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: fseditor@liherald.com

■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: Ext. 282 E-mail: fseditor@liherald.com

■ SUBSCRIPTIONS: Press ”7” E-mail: circ@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942

■ ClASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Ext. 286 E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com Fax: (516) 622-7460

■ DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: rglickman@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643

■ PUBlIC NOTICES: Ext. 232 E-mail: legalnotices@liherald.com

Courtesy Santino Sarrica

Last year’s Franklin Square Spring Fair, hosted by the Franklin Square Chamber of Commerce and Santino Sarrica on June 9, treated residents to a day of fun.

Hofstra softball shows positive signs

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

The Hofstra softball team struggled out of the gate to open the 2025 season but still has time to ready the ship for its bid to reach the postseason.

The Pride dropped 19 of its first 21 games before charting a four-game winning streak and has the bulk of the remaining Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) schedule ahead to earn one of the six available spots in the conference tournament. The winner of the CAA playoffs will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which Hofstra achieved in 2023.

“We definitely have hit some moments of growth and challenges,” said fourth-year head coach Adrienne Clark, whose team took 2-of-3 games from first-place Delaware last weekend to stand at 3-6 in the CAA with 18 league games remaining. “We’re trying not to focus on the outcomes as much and focus on the things that we can control and our adjustments within.”

adjustment entering the season with the loss of ace pitcher Julia Apsel, who was an integral part of the 2023 CAA championship squad and is using her final year of college eligibility at Florida State.

Junior Emma Falen is the team’s new number one pitcher after transferring from UC Riverside. The Folsom, Calif. native recorded eight strikeouts in a 4-1 win against Towson on March 14 to earn the Pride their first league win.

The pitching staff also includes freshman Carley Ernst, a two-time Lancaster-Lebanon League First Team selection during her high school career in Pennsylvania. Senior Haley Venturini, a Rhode Island native, has battled injuries over the past two seasons and Clark is hoping she can play a key part of the rotation down the stretch of the season.

The Pride’s offense returned some key pieces from last year’s 23-26 team including junior shortstop Alanna Morse, a Mepham High School graduate, who hit a home run in Hofstra’s 11-3

Feb. 16. She also has been solid anchoring the infield recording a .932 fielding percentage last season as a sophomore with 79 putouts and 88 assists.

“She’s doing a fantastic job,”said Clark of Morse, who is second on the team with a 308 batting average. “She’s also learning how to be a better teammate and support others and she’s sort of doing it in a way that is allowing her to play free and compete hard.”

Morse’s former Mepham teammate, sophomore right fielder Lily Yepez, has also emerged as a key part of the lineup after registering 14 hits in 20 starts as a freshman.

Senior first baseman Anna Butler, a Seaford High School product, adds to the Nassau County South Shore presence on the roster. Butler tied a program record for most hits during a seveninning game when she 5-for-5 in a 4-3 loss to Cornell on Feb. 28.

Butler also can contribute in the pitching circle as well and made her first relief appearance in a 1-0 victory against Howard on March 18, tossing five innings of scoreless relief to earn

the win.

“She is so committed to competing hard and to the team,” said Clark of Butler. “That dynamic is really what has been allowing her to figure some things out.”

Sophomore center fielder Chelsea Villar has begun to make waves in the lineup and entered the week as the Pride’s leading leading hitter with a .313 batting average and three home runs. Sophomore Mackenzie Fitzgerald is also making strides as a sophomore with a .293 average.

Hofstra will be on the road the next two weekends for series against Campbell and Drexel before hosting UNCWilmington for three games from April 11-13 and College of Charleston from April 18-20. The Pride conclude the regular season by hosting CAA foe Monmouth for a three-game series from May 1-3.

“In the rest of conference play it is about continuing to focus on the things we can control and continue to focus on us,” Clark said. “When we do that, we’re capable of beating any team.”

Junior shortstop Alanna Morse is a two-way standout for the Pride.

“The Vacant Space Revival Program qualified us for on-bill credits that really help me manage costs.”

—George Karatzas, James Cress Florist, Smithtown

Unoccupied business spaces are an opportunity to help bring vitality to downtown areas. For George Karatzas, owner of James Cress Florist, staying downtown was a priority, but costs were prohibitive. Then George applied for our Vacant Space Revival Program, which has provided $2,462 in bill credits to help offset his overhead.* And Smithtown continues to have a business that brings warmth and charm to the area. It’s a beautiful thing to see come together—just like George’s floral arrangements.

*Incentives, grants, and savings will vary with every project. psegliny.com/businessfirst

WOMEN’S

HISTORY MONTH

Helping those who haven’t been heard find voices

By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO azingariello@liherald.com

Continuing a month-long series of interviews with influential area women in honor of Women’s History Month. Helen Dorado-Alessi is CEO of El Dorado Consulting and executive director of the Long Beach Latino Civic Association.

Herald: Tell me about yourself.

Dorado-Alessi: I grew up in Woodside, Queens, a very tight-knit community, so I was very accustomed to that kind of a world. When my husband and I looked for a new place to live when our children were growing up, Long Beach fit the bill for us. Beyond being a closeknit community, we found a community that was very charitable, giving and open.

I’m of Latin descent from the Caribbean, my dad from Cuba, my mother from Puerto Rico. So it’s kind of in my DNA to be close to the water, sun and sand. Youth development has always been a love of mine because of how hard it was for me coming up. There wasn’t any

such thing, so I always wanted to be on that side of my work. I have two kids, two grandchildren — (I’m) always out and about with them. I see the future in my grandchildren’s eyes and want to make sure that I make them proud with whatever work I am doing.

Herald: What do you do? Why?

Dorado-Alessi: I have my own company called El Dorado Consulting. I work on projects that have helped to broker relationships between philanthropy and nonprofits to get the work done. Right now I’m a consultant to Herstory Writers Workshop, an organization that helps people in jails and schools write their social justice memoirs. We ask people, if your words had the power to change hearts, minds and policies, what would they say? Through that work, I’ve been able to help people have confidence in their voice and their his-

tory, their families, their communities, and then share those stories with politicians, with businesses, with others who may not know what it’s like to walk in somebody else’s shoes.

HELEN DORADO-ALESSI

The other thing I do is that I’m the executive director of Long Beach Latino Civic Association. No immigrant is illegal; a person cannot be illegal, but more importantly, their dreams are not illegal. They’ve left some very violent, scary places to come here, to have a life that they could be proud of. If you give people the information and the education, the knowledge, they’re more than happy to be part of Long Beach or New York or the United States.

Herald: What has challenged you in your career so far, and what keeps you going/inspires you?

Dorado-Alessi: The most challenging part of my whole career and life has

been this particular time where there’s so much animosity, hurtfulness and bullying. I think also the biggest challenge is, how do we fight misinformation and bold-faced lies? I could see why a lot of people would want this particular person to be running the country. I understand that they have their views. I’m just hoping that people, when they see what is really happening, will take a step back.

I think the parts that really drive me is when I work with young people, and I think that could have been my mom or my dad having just arrived. When I see them succeed, when I see them with a little bit of help, they’re going to college, or they’re getting a job on Wall Street. I think other men and women in the field who are fighting as hard as I am and we are, that’s what inspires me. I’m not alone.

More information can be found atherstorywriters.org, and LBlatinocivic.org. Responses have been edited for clarity. The rest of this interview can be found online, at liherald.com.

An advocate for the transgender community

By MADISON GUSLER mgusler@liherald.com

Juli Grey-Owens is founder and executive director of Gender Equality New York.

Herald: Tell me about yourself.

Grey-Owens: I am a senior trans women who does advocacy work for our community. I grew up in northwestern New Jersey, had a relatively normal childhood. I knew something was different around (age) 3 or 4. In my preteen years I experimented, but didn’t know what was up because this was the 1960s.

I went to high school and was a good student. I was a decent athlete, co-captain of my football team. Met a girl in eighth grade, and we were friends until we started going out in junior year. My experimentation stopped during high school because I was busy with school, sports — I had a girlfriend. I graduated with high honors and applied to engineering schools.

Then my parents had a tough divorce, and I had no money. College was a mess, trying to work multiple jobs and school. I felt a lot of pressure and began experimenting again.

I was recruited to a Fortune 500 company out of college, started work, paid off my bills, and then I went to a counselor to see if I could get rid of this “thing.”

The counselor was really terrific, and he said to me, “You’re not gonna get rid of it. You have to decide how you’re

gonna deal with it.”

I decided to blend this into my life. I continued as a cisgender man, but on weekends I would maybe go to a party or something, just to try to figure out the community and how I fit in it.

In 1981 a work opportunity brought my fiancée and I to Long Island. I got my MBA, I married that girl from junior year, and at 35 we had a child. As I got older, I felt stifled because between career and family, there was no time to go out.

A real turning point was when my father passed away. I was 47 at the time and I started looking at my life, as you do when your parent passes away, and I decided I needed to be more authentic. I started going to trans events in 2003, and it progressed from there.

ing at Northwell Health and Memorial Sloan-Kettering.

Herald: What has challenged you in your career so far, and what keeps you going/inspires you?

Grey-Owens: The public has a very poor idea of our community, and we suffer as a result. There’s a lot of bad information out there, outright lies in some cases. For example, 8-year-olds are not getting surgery, and school nurses are not giving out hormones. If we don’t get information out, if we don’t start making people aware of our communities, these lies will continue.

My wife and I separated in 2007, and then in 2008 I met my second wife. We’ve been together for 16 years and married for 13.

Herald: What do you do? Why?

Grey-Owens: I’m founder and executive director of Gender Equality New York, a nonprofit that advocates for transgender, gender nonbinary and intersex New Yorkers. The work we do is largely educational: We provide information to agencies, legislators. I provide training to the Nassau and Suffolk police academies. I also provide train-

We currently have a federal government that’s attacking our community and trying to make us disappear. So the work has to be done to normalize our community and make people aware of the conditions we live under.

Herald: What has been the proudest moment in your life?

Grey-Owens: Getting the transgender civil rights bill passed in 2019. Prior to January 2019, a transgender person could be discriminated against in employment, housing and public services.

In 2003, lesbians, gays and bisexuals were able to pass a bill called the Sexual

Orientation Non-Discrimination Act in New York dtate, granting them their civil rights, (but it) specifically excluded the transgender community. It was 16 years before the trans community got their civil rights.

In 2019, the Gender Expression NonDiscrimination Act was signed into law, and we have had civil rights protections in New York state since then. There are no federal protections, so if we leave there are no guaranteed protections.

Herald: What advice do you have to offer? What work is left to be done?

Grey-Owens: Trying to get federal protections for our community is a big thing, but right now we’re just trying to get our community to survive the next four years.

And to some of our younger members, who might still be in school, or living under their family’s rule, and are unable to come out and be themselves: Be patient. Be safe. Make sure you have a roof over your head, that you’re fed and taken care of, get your high school diploma, if you’re able to, get to college. Usually you’re able to be more authentically yourself in college.

It does get better once we get older, but once you’re out as an adult, anything you can do to help move the community forward is important and necessary.

For more information, visit genderequalityny.org or follow @genderequalityny on Instagram and Facebook.

HERALD SCHOOLS

Franklin Square honors music performances

Franklin Square Union Free School District honored “Music in Our Schools Month” with a series of student performances and All-County recognitions at the board of education meeting on March 12.

According to a news release about the event, band and chorus students from John Street School, Polk

Street School and Washington Street School performed individual and group numbers for the administrators, board members and community attendees.

Following the performances, the news release continued, Superintendent Jared Bloom presented certificates of recognition to the students who were selected for the All-County Music Festival.

The news release said students are chosen based on their NYSSMA scores from the previous school year, as well as teacher recommendations.

–Renee DeLorenzo

Alden Terrace hosts a Ramadan read-aloud

In a news release, Alden Terrace School announced a special school-wide Ramadan reading activity as part of the building’s Community Read Initiative.

Students from pre-K to sixth grade joined a virtual read-aloud of “Lailah’s Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story,” by Reem Faruqi, a children’s book about a young girl experiencing Ramadan in a new country.

The school marked the beginning of Ramadan, a special month-long holiday that began on the evening of Feb. 28 this year, by bringing the entire school community together in celebration and learning.

The story follows Lailah, a young girl who has recently moved from Abu Dhabi to the United States. Through her eyes, readers gain insight into the challenges and joys of adjusting to a new culture while trying to hold onto the traditions that connect her to her home and her family.

The book highlights the importance of cultural exchange, the news release said, as Lailah navigates the balance between sharing her Ramadan traditions with her new friends and understanding their curiosity about her faith.

Every classroom participated in the read aloud, the news release continued, fostering a sense of community and shared learning. After the reading, students reflected on the themes of the story.

According to the news release, students who celebrate Ramadan were excited to share personal stories and traditions with their classmates.

–Renee DeLorenzo

Courtesy Franklin Square School District

Franklin Square School District administrators, board members and music staff are celebrated students who performed at the Board of Education meeting on March 12.

Courtesy Elmont Union Free School District

Alden Terrace School second grade students marked the beginning of Ramadan by participating in a school-wide virtual read-aloud of “Lailah’s Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story,” which teaches about the month-long holiday.

A closer look at the Propel NY Energy project

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

The Propel NY Energy project is aiming to revo-

The Big Investment

$3.26 Billion:

Ratepayers fund the total capital cost for the entire project across New York state.

Six Cents a Day:

Estimated additional cost to an average residential ratepayer—about six cents per day—to support the new infrastructure.

The New Grid

90 Miles of Transmission Lines:

The project will construct 90 miles of new underground transmission lines, with 66 miles in Nassau County and additional segments extending into Suffolk County, the Bronx, and Westchester.

3 Additional Interconnection Points:

Long Island currently relies on just two connection points to the statewide grid. Propel NY Energy will add three

lutionize Long Island’s electric grid. The project is currently in the Article Seven permitting process — a two-year review involving environmental and engineering assessments. Construction is slated to

new connections, strengthening overall grid reliability and resiliency.

5 Interconnection Points in Total:

With the new additions, the grid will have five connection points, ensuring that power flows efficiently in both directions.

3

Construction & Permitting Article Seven Permitting:

The rigorous Article Seven process, covering environmental, socioeconomic, and engineering assessments, is expected to take approximately two years, with submissions made in July and anticipated approval around July 2026.

Construction Timeline:

Construction is slated to begin in mid-2026 and continue for three to four years, with completion expected by mid-2030.

begin in mid-2026 and continue until mid-2030. Here’s the key numbers and figures driving this $3.26 billion initiative:

Underground cables will be installed at a depth of roughly 5 to 7 feet, ensuring they are protected from weather and other external risks.

Daily Progress:

Crews are projected to advance between 50 and 150 feet per day per crew, minimizing long-term disruption to local neighborhoods.

Future-Proofing the Grid

50 to 90 Percent Increase in Demand:

As much as a 50 to 90 percent surge in electricity demand is projected over the next 20 years, driven by electrification, including electric vehicles, heat pumps, and data centers.

50 percent Renewable Energy by 2030: By 2030, it’s anticipated that 50 percent of Long Island’s power will come from offshore wind—made possible by the upgraded grid capacity.

Avoided Congestion Savings:

Enhanced transmission efficiency is expected to save the state an estimated $3.3 billion in congestion-related costs over time.

5

Selection & Local Impact 19 Proposals Reviewed:

The project was chosen through a competitive process that evaluated 19 proposals from four developers, with Propel NY Energy emerging as the most cost-effective solution.

Local Workforce:

The project will utilize local union labor and contractors, ensuring economic benefits and community engagement throughout Nassau County and beyond.

The Propel NY Energy project is about building a resilient electrical grid that meets the rising energy demands of Long Island and supports a more sustainable energy future.

Herald publications win seven state awards

By JEFFREY BESSEN jbessen@liherald.com

At the annual New York Press Association Spring Conference in Saratoga Springs last week, Herald Community Media won seven state awards in the 2024 Better Newspaper Contest. Long Beach reporter Angelina Zingariello won a first place award in the Feature Story category, Division 4. With so many submissions in each of six divisions, it is a very difficult award to win.

About the story with the headline “A long, cold, healing journey” the judges said: “Good combination of personal struggle and outcome with unconventional therapy. Well written and edited, a compelling read.”

The Nov. 21 story focused on how Long Beach resident Mindi Dovberg uses cold-water immersion as a technique for an emotional reset when dealing with physical challenges and emotional setbacks.

The Herald took the top spot in Best Large Space Ad, Division 1, which was printed in the Nassau Herald and other Herald newspapers.

“This stunning ad touches me,” one judge wrote. “The simplicity and pure elegance of this is beautiful. Love how white space was used to create such an impact. Proves the point that sometimes less really is more! Outstanding!”

There were 10 entries in the Rookie Reporter of The Year category, and Sea Cliff/Glen Head reporter Brian Norman captured second place with stories ranging from the controversy surrounding the proposed state regionalization plan to how the food is prepared for North Shore High School students.

Sea Cliff/Glen Head reporter Brian Norman, left took second place in the Rookie Reporter of the Year category. His colleagues Melissa Berman and Charles Shaw congratulate him.

The judges said: “Reporter does a great job conveying story to readers, whether the subject be ‘hard’ news or a feature article.”

Norman, a 2024 graduate of Quinnipiac University, interned with the Herald last summer and was hired in September as a full-time reporter for Sea Cliff/Glen Head. He is now a reporter for the Nassau Herald, the flagship newspaper for the community weekly chain.

Photographer Brian Ballweg placed second in the Sports Feature, Division 1 category. The photograph appeared on the front page of the June 13 Rockville Centre Herald.

The judges said: “This photo shows

excellent framing of the lacrosse winners in this overtime state championship moment. Their faces run to the spectrum of elation, stopping the viewer — the joy here is studying their faces, bodies contained in the goal.”

Creative Director Jeffrey Negrin earned a trio of third-place awards.

In the Best Special Section Cover, Division 2 category, the judges said: “Another really excellent use of text on black with fun ‘clinks’ of glasses as backdrop. Long Island Choice Awards makes me want to open this up over a cocktail.”

For Special Sections/Niche Publications-Newsprint, Division 1 the judges said: “Excellent school recognition.”

The publication was the Herald’s annual special section for the Red and Blue competition at South Side High School that was published for the Feb. 29, 2024 Rockville Centre Herald.

In the Best Multi-Advertiser Pages category, judges said: “Cute organic for a shared page. Makes you want to read each one.”

The 2024 Better Newspapers Contest had 132 newspapers statewide submit 2,082 entries in 68 categories. The Missouri Press Association judged the submissions.

“It’s always nice to be recognized by our peers and colleagues,” said Herald Community Media publisher Stuart Richner. “We look forward to continuing to tell the stories of our communities in the weeks and years ahead. Congratulations to our team on well deserved recognition.”

Courtesy NYPA Conference

More than 20 members of the Herald Community Media team attended the annual New York Press Association Spring Conference in Saratoga Springs March 20-21.

Jeff Bessen/Herald photos Long Beach reporter Angelina Zingariello won first place for Feature Story, Division 4.

Solages hosts ceremony honoring women

“Thank you for always being there,” Solages said, “consistently working, supporting, amplifying and ensuring that every girl and every woman has the opportunity to lead, to thrive, and to make her own mark on history.”

Many of the honorees have served their communities for decades as teachers, civic leaders, community advocates and mentors for young children and girls.

Soffientini, 76, has been active in Franklin Square since she moved there over 50 years ago.

In the early 1990s, she became the school district’s assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, and introduced the Accelerated Reading Program. That, she said, was her proudest achievement because it got kids excited about reading.

Soffientini is also a trustee and docent for the Franklin Square Museum, a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee, and president of the town’s library board, as well as a mother and grandmother. She has earned four college degrees over the course of her career in administration, elementary education, reading and anthropology.

“I have unlimited energy,” she said. “I just let myself evolve into things. I think that’s what women of distinction do. That’s why we, as women, are so powerful.”

Barry, 47, a lifelong resident of Valley Stream, has been teaching deaf students science and math using sign language at Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf for 22 years. Being a woman, she said, has greatly impacted her career.

She recalled as a child being told that boys were better at math and science. One math teacher, she said, never called on her when asking the class to solve math problems. “I always knew the answer,” she said. “It drove me nuts.”

That is why, she added, she is determined not to underestimate other women. As an educator, she works to make sure everyone in her classroom has the same opportunities.

Stevenson, 50, has lived in Elmont for almost 30 years and founded the Voices of Elmont Youth Community Choir in 2024. The 50-member choir, she said, currently has members ranging from age 3 to 22. While Stevenson does not have children, she said she views the children in the community as her own, and often acts as a mother figure to them.

Like Barry, Stevenson said that being a woman played a huge role in her career. With a strong female influence early in her life— her mother— Stevenson learned how to navigate the world with compassion and empathy.

“My mother was a great woman,” she said. “And she taught me how to be a woman.”

Her responsibilities in her family and

Your Year of Exploration Explore

Learn

Gain

Earn

community, she said, encompass a wide range of roles— counselor, mother, nurse, doctor, friend. “Being a woman is just a beautiful honor,” she said.

But some of the honorees said that because they are spread so thin, it’s difficult for them to find time for themselves. Soffientini said that because she is so involved in her community, her greatest challenge is fitting in everything she wants to do. Many women, she said, share this struggle to balance all their roles.

Soffientini recalled watching one of her daughters juggle many responsibilities over the years, explaining that at one point, her daughter was raising a family with several young children and working on her doctorate in occupational therapy in the evenings.

It’s critical, she said, for women who take on such demands to find time for themselves. “Always focus on that little time with that little space you give yourself,” she encouraged women.

Stevenson said she, too, struggles to find time for herself, and has only rare moments to pause. “If you can’t take care of yourself,” she pointed out, “you can’t take care of anybody.”

Luckily, Stevenson said, her faith, family and community keep her going. And, most important, other women help support her community efforts.

“Have people around you that are successful and that want the best for you,” she said. “Surround yourself with strong

DeLorenzo/Herald assemblywoman michaelle Solages spoke about the countless ways in which women impact our communities, and why they are crucial to lifting up others.

women so we can lift each other up, because we can’t do it by ourselves.”

Barry agreed, and said it’s important for women to rely on other women who have had similar experiences and challenges in their lives.

“We all came from the women before us,” she said. “So the next generation you’ve got women who fight, and we’re going to keep fighting.”

Renee

STEPPING OUT

‘Little’ ﬁlms with a big heart

In the spotlight at Asbury Short Film Concert

By Karen Bloom

Sure … the Hollywood moviemakers grab your attention. Yet there’s so much more to the movie biz beside that tentpole blockbuster. Check out the Asbury Short Film Concert, which returns to its local “home” at the Madison Theatre next Friday and see an abundance of creative offerings. There’s certainly no denying the appeal of a major feature film. But for those who crave something different that certainly strikes an emotional chord, Asbury’s “concert” is for you. This national touring showcase brings a diverse, focused lineup — in many cases featuring up-and-coming filmmakers — of smaller efforts you generally won’t find on the big screen.

And it’s most deﬁnitely not a festival.

“We present the best in comedy, drama, animation, even the occasional documentary,” says Doug LeClaire, Asbury Shorts’ founder and longtime director. “We call it a concert rather than a festival because there are no awards, no Q&A or panel discussions, it’s all about entertainment value for the audience.”

As in previous years, Asbury Shorts offers up an eclectic mix of ﬁlms, what LeClaire describes as a “potpourri of the short ﬁlm world.”

LeClaire, who was in commercial and film production for over four decades, has been passionate about short films since his student days at New York Institute of Technology. He pivoted to promoting his beloved short films full time and the result has been a resounding success.

“Myself, and those who have been with me the longest, didn’t think our short ﬁlm party that began in Westbury in 1981 would evolve into a major global touring event that has presented Asbury Shorts shows from Berlin to L.A. over the years with many, many stops in between,” LeClaire says. “The mission has always been to keep great short ﬁlms, from all years, projected on real cinema screens as opposed to YouTube, smart phones, computers or tablets or the big screen TVs. Asbury Shorts is strictly a theatrical cinema event, no virtual allowed!

“Our number one priority is the enjoyment of our audience. We’re proud to provide an outlet for the filmmakers’ product. For us, it is all about the experience, showing these films to an audience. We give them the opportunity to experience great films on a big screen the way they were meant to be seen.”

He and his team cull them from the ﬁlm festival circuit — including the prestigious SXSW (South by Southwest), Sundance and Toronto International Film Festival, and Tribeca Festival, among others.

“To get an award at one of these festivals is just as good as an Oscar nomination,” LeClaire says. “These young ﬁlmmakers are so happy to get that wreath. They collect them the way we would collect baseball cards back in the day.”

• Friday, April 4, 7:30 p.m.

• For tickets, visit madisontheatreny.org or call the box ofﬁce at (516) 323-4444

• Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

Think of this as your personal film festival experience. As LeClaire puts it: “We’re bringing these films to folks who can’t get to film festivals.”

His formula certainly has resonated with audiences.

“We have demonstrated that we are entertaining and blessed to have fans that keep coming back,” LeClaire says, “while also reaching out to new audiences.”

The two-hour show moves along briskly. The ﬁlms range from a brief few minutes to 20 minutes at most.

“A good short ﬁlm is to the point, fast paced, and most important of all, is the ending,” LeClaire says. “It must make sense.”

And that ending will surely leave you wanting more.

Among the highlights, LeClaire points to Martín Rosete’s 10-minute “Voice Over,” which depicts the urgency of life’s pivotal moments in a desperate race against time.

Three different stories are told by the same narrator searching for the correct story. The same actor appears in all three. Will the narrator ﬁnd what he’s looking for? We don’t know — maybe, maybe not.

Rosete, a Spanish ﬁlmmaker now based in New York, was awarded the Goya, Spain’s Academy Award, for “Voice Over.”.

LeClaire describes it as “sort of the ‘perfect’ short ﬁlm” due its story and production values.

“It has outstanding and mind boggling production design for an indie produced short ﬁlm and an ending that I really like,” he explains.

Another standout is “Anomaly” from director Ryan Jenkins, which was honored recently with Best Short Film at the Lake Placid Film Festival. In this 15-minute drama, a renowned magician features an inexplicable illusion in his ﬁnal run of performances. Meanwhile, a government agent who witnesses the bafﬂing act becomes hell-bent on uncovering its method.

As for the rest, well, you’ll have to attend and see for yourself. LeClaire doesn’t like to reveal too much, promising it’s all “great fun.”

He is delighted to come back to his Long Island roots with his ﬁlm showcase.

“We’re very heartened by the audience at the Madison. We are grateful to [Artistic Director] Angelo Fraboni and his staff for allowing us to return each year. It’s been a terriﬁc relationship.”

‘Good times…’

Neil Diamond is certainly forever — as honored by Neil Forever, returning to the Paramount stage. David Jacobson, the tribute band’s founder, has a great passion for the music and legacy of the legendary performer. David, along with his son and music director Dylan Jacobson and drummer John Cardoso began their journey in January 2023. Today, the 14-person ensemble delivers an authentic, exciting and joyful concert that captivates the legendary superstar’s fans. Performing Diamond’s music is as much about heart and soul as it is talent; it’s a celebration of the music and the man who created it. The band has forged an exciting path, as discovered by excited and passionate fans, of all ages. Audiences are thrilled by the authentic renditions of classic hits like “Sweet Caroline,” “Forever in Blue Jeans,” “Coming to America,” and “Kentucky Women.”

Friday, March 28, 8 p.m. $59.50, $49.50, $39.50, $29.50, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny. com.

South Shore Symphony

The South Shore Symphony Orchestra springs forward with its next concert, “Slavic Masterworks,” at its Madison Theatre home. The orchestra is joined by renowned cellist Amy Barston, featured in Polish composer Grayna Bacewicz’s Cello Concerto No. 1. A rare gem, according to Barston, she notes that it is fresh to the concert stage in that it is quasi-newly discovered, but it feels like a familiar, beloved masterwork. Electrifying, often dance-like energy, paired with soaring lyrical melodies, it has received an enthusiastic reception from audiences. The evening’s repertoire also includes Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances, op. 46, no. 3 in Ab major and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, op. 64, e minor.

Saturday, March 29, 7:30 p.m. Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at madisontheatreny.org or (516) 3234444.

Courtesy Asbury Shortst

Three extreme situations are actually the same in “Voice Over.”

“Anomaly” stars John Romeo as a detective investigating the work of a suspicious magician.

THE Your Neighborhood

The Wallflowers

Grab those leather jackets, and rock on! The Wallflowers are back on the road and bringing their sound to the Paramount stage, Sunday, April 6, at 8 p.m., with special guest Jackson Melnick. For the past 30 years, the Jakob Dylanled act has stood as one of rock’s most dynamic and purposeful bands — a unit dedicated to and continually honing a sound that meshes timeless songwriting and storytelling with a hard-hitting and decidedly modern musical attack. That signature style has been present through the decades, baked into the grooves of smash hits like 1996’s “Bringing Down the Horse” as well as more recent and exploratory fare like 2012’s “Glad All Over.” Even so, in recent years, Dylan — the Wallflowers’ founding singer, songwriter and guitarist — has repeatedly stepped outside of his band. First with a pair of more acoustic and rootsy records, 2008’s “Seeing Things” and 2010’s “Women + Country,” and then with the 2018 film “Echo in the Canyon” and the accompanying soundtrack, which saw him collaborate with a host of artists classic and contemporary, from Neil Young and Eric Clapton to Beck and Fiona Apple.

But while it’s been nine long years since we’ve heard from the group with whom he first made his mark, the Wallflowers are silent no more. And Dylan always knew they’d return. And return the band has, with “Exit Wounds,” their new studio offering. It marks the first new Wallflowers material since “Glad All Over.” And while the wait has been long, the much-anticipated record finds the band’s signature sound — lean, potent and eminently entrancing — intact, even as Dylan surrounds himself with a fresh cast of musicians. $75, $45, $35, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

Celebrate Holi

Long Island Children’s Museum invites families to participate in Holi, the Festival of Colors, Sunday, April 6, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Originating in India, this Hindu festival marks the end of winter and the arrival of the colorful spring season. During this joyous celebration, families eat sweets, dance to traditional folk music and throw colorful powder made from flowers called gulal.

Crafts, color throwing and dancing will be part of this vibrant event. Welcome spring’s arrival with Holi. Participants are encouraged to wear clothes that they won’t mind getting messy. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. Go to licm.org or call (516) 224-5800 for more information.

Goals for Good

Join Angels of Light for their Goals for Good event supporting families facing lifethreatening illnesses during the NY Islanders game against the NY Rangers, Thursday, April 10 , at 7:30 p.m. at UBS Arena. With a3 p.m. pre-skate event and a 4:30 p.m. bus pickup to transport attendees to the event. Donation minimum is $250 and includes a ticket to the game, round trip transportation, one-hour open bar and more. For more information visit AngelsOfLightHV.org. 2400 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont.

Egyptomania in the 1920s

Join Egyptologists-authorsprofessors Drs. Colleen and John Darnell at Nassau County Museum of Art, Sunday, March 30, 3 p.m., for a fascinating lecture on “Egyptomania” in the 1920s. The Darnells are authors of several books and dozens of articles. With academic careers in Egyptology at Yale University, they are committed to bringing ancient Egypt’s rich history, religion, art, and language to a worldwide audience.

Their passion for vintage fashion and modeling has led to exciting collaborations with Egypt’s premier jewelry designers, photographers and magazines. Limited seating. Registration required. $20, $15 seniors, $10 students; members free. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or nassaumuseum.org.

Are you game?

Bring some friends and make some new ones during game night at Elmont Memorial Library, Wednesdays, 1:30-4:30 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. There are tons of games to choose from! No registration required. First-comefirst-seated. Elmont Memorial Library, 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont. For more information, visit elmontlibrary. org or call (516) 354-5280.

Mercy Hospital offers cardiac screening

You only have one heart. Protect it with a free cardiac screening at Mercy Hospital, Saturday, March 29 , 10 a.m.2 p.m. Getting your coronary calcium score scan can save your life. A coronary calcium score is like a “mammogram” for the heart to screen for blockage(s). This simple, non-invasive test can indicate coronary artery disease before the onset of symptoms or heart attacks. The scan does not require IV or Oral CT contrast.

Limited appointments available 15 minute increments. Last appointment will be at 1:45 p.m. No insurance necessary. 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. Radiology & Imaging (adjacent to Emergency Department). To register, call (516) 62-MERCY (63729)

Senior Chat

Join fellow seniors for companionship, Fridays, at 10 a.m. at Elmont Public Library. Participate, or just listen, to casual discussions on special interests, concerns, and whatever happens to come up. Next meeting is Friday, Jan 3 in room 01. 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont. For more information, visit elmontlibrary. org or call (516) 354-5280.

Back to the ‘80s Bingo Party

Join Rescuing Families for their latest bingo party, Friday, March 28, 7-11 p.m., at VFW Post 2718. If you love the ‘80s and bingo, then this is for you. Dress in your ‘80s finest and come out for a good time and support this vital organization. With cash bingo, raffle prizes, costume contest, buffet dinner Tickets are $40; payable in advance at BackToThe80sBingoParty. EventBrite.com. 68 Lincoln Rd., Franklin Square.

Ma-He-Tu Fest

Think Oktoberfest, but in March! Come to Plattdeutsche Park Restaurant, Saturday, March 29, for their fundraising event, noon4 p.m. With lunch, games, contests, prizes, raffles, crafts and more. Funds raised will go back into the MaHe-Tu organization to be used for camperships and programming. Visit MaHeTu. org for more information. 1132 Hempstead Tpke., Franklin Square.

Having an event?

STEM Explorers

Long Island Children’s Museum opens its doors to a weekend devoted to STEM activities, Saturday and Sunday, March 29-30, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., that will ignite the imaginations of children and adults alike. Guests offer engaging demonstrations, experiments and interactive activities. Highlights include sampling the science of molecular gastronomy at work with flash frozen ice cream; learn about native and invasive species that swim in Long Island waters; discover how oysters are coming to our rescue; study the water cycle and Long Island’s unique geographic formations and more. Activities free with museum admission. . Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. Visit licm.org or call (516) 224-5800 for more.

Items on The Scene page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to thescene@liherald.com.

On Exhibit

Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, the original “Deco at 100” coincides with the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Paris International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts (Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes) which publicly launched the movement. The direct followup to the well-received 2023 exhibit, “Our Gilded Age,” it comparably links the period’s signature innovation in the decorative arts, Art Deco, to the fine arts. The exhibit encompasses significant cultural advancements during Long Island’s Roaring Twenties/ Jazz Age movement, including votes, jobs, and the automobile for women, the beginnings of suburbia with commutation for work, and planned residential communities, which all defined the era, while the following decade brought economic reversals and the WPA program. Works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, Fernand Léger, Guy Pène du Bois, Gaston Lachaise, Elie Nadelman, and Reginald Marsh, among others, along with art deco stylists of poster art and graphics, and photography will convey the Art Deco spirit along with its furniture, decorative arts, and fashion.

Like “Our Gilded Age,” the social scene of Long Island’s Gold Coast, and its personalities — both upstairs and downstairs — will be portrayed, along with the ongoing relationship with the immediate urban context of New York with its skyscrapers and deco-styled architecture. On view through June 15. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Hempstead House tour

April 13

Sands Point Preserve is the backdrop to explore the elegant Gold Coast home that’s the centerpiece of the estate, Sunday, April 13, noon-1 p.m. and 2-3 p.m. Visit the grand rooms inside the massive 50,000-square-foot Tudor-style mansion, the former summer residence of Gilded Age financier Howard Gould and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim. Tours are limited in size and tend to sell out. Arrive early to purchase tickets. $10. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.

Taylor Dayne has come far from Baldwin

By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirad@liherald.com

Taylor Dayne has been singing songs from her heart for over three decades since her first hit, her debut single “Tell It to My Heart” in 1987. Recognized as one of the few artists in history to successfully crossover into multiple genres including Pop, Dance, R&B, Adult Contemporary and Rock, she has earned three Grammy nominations, an American Music Award and was inducted into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2012. In honor of Women’s History Month, Dayne spoke with the Long Island Herald on everything from growing up in Baldwin and her start on Long Island to how she rose up in the industry despite challenges of the time and most recently found her strength to overcome and become a survivor of colon cancer, coming out stronger and with more gratitude and purpose than ever before.

Herald: What are your thoughts on having been inducted into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame?

Dayne: It’s quite an honor to understand the impact we’ve had on the music industry. I was born in New York City, raised in the Bronx and on Long Island. I went to Baldwin Junior and Senior High, and Long Island is part of the true fabric of who I am. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for all the live music places where I got to perform and literally work out and become the artist I am. Live music was so alive here. I got to really do my 10,000 hours that way. There wasn’t a club we couldn’t play live. There’s such talent out of Long Island. You have Lou Reed, Patty Benatar, the great Billy Joel- it’s just enormous.

Herald: What are some places in and around Baldwin that you remember first playing?

Dayne: There were two very memorable places. One of them in Freeport was called The Right Track Inn, and I can’t even tell you how many groundbreaking artists came from there. There was also a rehearsal studio in Baldwin where Joan Jett was rehearsing and the Stray Cats, and I was like one day I’m going to be in that rehearsal studio. My first bands ended up rehearsing there.

Herald: What has given you strength over the years to truly give your all at your live shows?

Dayne: Life has its ups and downs and its challenges. Everybody has challenges, and especially after battling colon cancer, I am a woman up there on stage who knows her purpose even more and is ever grateful. The gratitude is real. This is not an industry for the weak and I am grateful to be on stage singing, living my dream and doing what I love. When I’m on stage, it’s 100 percent. To me, I’m telling a story. It’s like a play; there’s a beginning, middle and end. The story must start, must take you there on the journey and then resolve, and hopefully you feel as complete as I do when I leave. At our live shows, we’re transferring energy, exploring energy, trading energy and we’re also taking it to another frequency- that’s the point. I’m raising the bar, raising the frequency so that I’m doing the right work. I’m doing God’s work. I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing and that’s why it gets better and better.

Herald: I’m sure you have had many career highlights, are there a couple of moments that have stood out?

Dayne: A highlight actually happened this past week. As everyone knows, the west coast got slammed recently, many of my friends and many businesses are devastated. We have done a lot of work with first responders and mental health work. We did an event in Santa Barbara with One805. I can’t tell you how many

“Long

people came out from Michael McDonald to Kenny Loggins, Darius Rucker and Macy Gray. We all just performed. To see 55 station chiefs and first responders watch this and to able to share like that brings tears to my eyes. Watching us all come together and

raise money for mental health needs for these first responders and their families was amazing. Because like I said, life is filled with challenges. There have always been moments. There are moments when I’m sitting in a restaurant and Stevie Wonder is sitting across from me and I go and hug him and we talk. There’s always that, and there’s career highlights, some that I’m really tapped into and remember. I do have to say though, the best is yet to come.

Herald: In honor of Women’s History Month, do you have any advice regarding resilience, overcoming odds and pursuing a dream, that you would like to share with our women readership, in particular?

Dayne: Well, I’m a poster child of overcoming challenges. In our industry, at the time, sexual harassment existed and you just had to keep going. You have to have a tenacious state about you and you have to have grace as a woman. Sometimes I’ve fallen through the cracks and sometimes I was defeated. You know, it’s a man’s world, well boy was it a man’s industry! But at the same time, you find your way. I think being tenacious is something I learned a long time ago from my mother- the good, the bad and the ugly of it. You can’t give up, and that’s what I call ambition. There’s this thing inside me that’s so driven and it’s certainly changed from fame now to recognition to understanding what your purpose is. I’ve spent my entire career, almost 40 years, really evolving to where I am now, and I will continue to evolve.

Herald: And what do you have coming up?

Dayne: Musically we’re starting to get busy again. I’m heading internationally for touring at the moment, going to Germany next. As far as new music, the collaborations are starting. We’re putting things together.

To learn more about Taylor Dayne and her upcoming music and shows, follow her @therealtaylordayne or visit taylordayne.com.

Courtesy Photographer Steve Leung, LIMEHOF

Taylor Day has been a force in the music industry for nearly 40 years, since her first hit, “Tell It to My Heart.”

Courtesy Sequoia Emanuelle

Island is part of the true fabric of who I am,” says Dayne, who has faced challenges including cancer.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF Nassau, U.S. Bank Trust, National Association, as Trustee of the Bungalow Series IV Trust, Plaintiff, vs. Lalchand Lakeram, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on September 17, 2024, 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 April 4, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 82 Oakley Avenue, Elmont, NY 11003. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Elmont, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 32, Block 559 and Lot 324. Approximate amount of judgment is $862,181.16 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #610315/2019.

Christine M. Grillo, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 210491-1 151968

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., F/K/A THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST

COMPANY, N.A., AS TRUSTEE, IN TRUST FOR CHASEFLEX

MULTI-CLASS MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-1

Plaintiff, Against

Sung Choi A/K/A

Thomas Choi A/K/A

Thomas L. Choi A/K/A

Thomas R. Choi A/K/A Tomas Choi A/K/A

Thomas Lee Choi, Capital One Bank New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Capital One Bank (USA), NA, Atlantic City Showboat, Inc., American Express Centurion Bank, Monrovia Growers Company, Boardwalk Regency Corp. d/b/a

Caesars Atlantic City, Trump Taj Mahal Associates (formerly Trump Taj Mahal Associates, L.P.) t/a Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA, Discover Bank, Chase Bank USA, NA Chung Choi Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 11/01/2018, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 4/8/2025 at 2:00 PM, premises known as 16 Park Place, Floral Park, NY 11001, And Described As Follows:

ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Floral Park, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York.

Section 32 Block 65 Lot 187 And 188. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $742,622.44 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 606764/2017

If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine.

Scott H Siller, Esq., Referee.

SHELDON MAY & ASSOCIATES Attorneys at Law, 255 Merrick Road, Rockville Centre, NY 11570

Dated: 2/24/2025

File Number: 32674 CA 151982

LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU

DEUTSCHE BANK

NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE ON BEHALF OF THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF GSAMP TRUST

2005-AHL MORTGAGE

PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES

2005-AHL, -againstMARITZA ESCOBAR, ET AL.

NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on February 15, 2024, wherein DEUTSCHE BANK

NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE ON BEHALF OF THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF GSAMP TRUST

2005-AHL MORTGAGE

PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES

2005-AHL is the Plaintiff and ESCOBAR, MARITZA, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on April 10, 2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 52 LUCILLE AVENUE, ELMONT, NY 11003; and the following tax map identification: 35-36-42, 43 & 44. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING AT FRANKLIN SQUARE (NOT INCORPORATED) IN THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU, AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 602538/2020. Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq.Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 151986

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR ARGENT SECURITIES INC., ASSET-BACKED PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006Ml, Plaintiff, Against LYSTRA M. RAMRATTAN AS HEIR AND ADMINISTRATRIX TO THE ESTATE OF SURDASH RAMRATTAN; RANDALL S. RAMRATTAN AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF SURDASH RAMRATTAN; LYSTRA M. RAMRATTAN AS GUARDIAN OF CHELSEA K. R. RAMRATTAN WHO IS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF SURDASH

RAMRATTAN; ET AL Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 01/10/2019, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 4/7/2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 1069 Concord Street, Franklin Square, New York 11010, And Described As Follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Franklin Square in the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York. Section 33 Block 380 Lot 260 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $882,483.61 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 003792/2015 If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine. Ellen Durst, Esq., Referee. MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573

Dated: 2/24/2025

File Number: 17-300381 CA 151980

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON AS TRUSTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF POPULAR ABS, INC. MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2005-4, Pltf. vs. THEYCESLYN FREEMAN, et al, Defts. Index #610776/2019. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered Jan. 28, 2025, I will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on April 3, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. premises k/a 32 Cerenzia Boulevard, Elmont, NY 11003 a/k/a Section 32, Block 672, Lot 00001. Said property known as and by Lot No. 1 in Block 645 on a certain map entitled, “Amended Map of Argo Village, N.Y., owned by Argo Homes Inc., 481 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, New York, surveyed by Howard J. Teas, Civil Engineers and Surveyors, Homeland Building, Malverne, N.Y., June 23, 1947 under file Number 4421. Approximate amount of judgment is $520,118.02 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale and the right of the United States of America to redeem within 120 days from the date of sale as provided by law. JOHN BOKLAK, Referee. HILL WALLACK, LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 260 Madison Avenue, 9th Floor, Ste. 940, New York, NY 10016. File No. 20292-1223 - #102144 151972

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU CitiMortgage, Inc., Plaintiff AGAINST Kettie Jean; Milius Jean; et al., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered November 2, 2015, and Amended May 24, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 9, 2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 500 Cameron Street, Elmont, NY 11003. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of NY, Section 0032 Block 00543 Lot 00015-00017. Approximate amount of judgment $479,741.91 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 008892/2014. Leslie Feifer, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: February 25, 2025 151976

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. GARY R. KRUG, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on January 7, 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 April 15, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 217 Locust Street, Floral Park, NY 11001. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Floral Park, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 32, Block 209 and Lots 61 & 62. Approximate amount of judgment is $370,516.75 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #616915/2022. See page two for legal description. Michael Sepe, Esq., Referee Greenspoon Marder, 1345 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 2200, New York, NY 10105, Attorneys for Plaintiff SCHEDULE A - LEGAL DESCRIPTION ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING, AND BEING IN THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF FLORAL PARK, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK, KNOWN AND DESIGNATED AS AND BY LOT NOS. 61 AND 62 IN BLOCK 45 ON A CERTAIN MAP ENTITLED. “REVISED MAP OF PROPERTY SECTION J SITUATED AT FLORAL PARK, NASSAU COUNTY, N.Y., OWNED BY NATION WIDE HOME BUILDERS CORP. SURVEYED JUNE 1925 BY GEO A. FAIRFIELD, C.E.” AND FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF THE COUNTY OF NASSAU ON AUGUST 4TH, 1925 AS MAP NO. 570, NEW NO. 3496, AND WHICH SAID LOTS WHEN TAKEN TOGETHER ARE MORE PARTICULARLY BOUNDED AND DESCRIBED ACCORDING TO SAID MAP FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT A POINT ON THE EASTERLY SIDE OF LOCUST STREET, DISTANT 420 FEET SOUTHERLY FROM THE CORNER FORMED BY THE INTERSECTION OF THE EASTERLY SIDE OF LOCUST STREET WITH THE SOUTHERLY SIDE OF MILLER AVENUE; RUNNING THENCE EASTERLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO LOCUST STREET, 100 FEET; THENCE SOUTHERLY PARALLEL WITH LOCUST STREET, 40 FEET; THENCE WESTERLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO LOCUST STREET, 100 FEET TO THE EASTERLY SIDE OF LOCUST STREET; THENCE NORTHERLY ALONG THE EASTERLY SIDE OF LOCUST STREET, 40 FEET THE POINT OR PLACE OF BEGINNING Section 32, Block 209, Lots 61 & 62 Property Address: 217 Locust Street, Floral Park, NY 11001 152123

LEGAL NOTICE Notice of Sale Supreme Court: Nassau County T11 Funding v Joseph Fusco, et al. Defts Index 615980/2019. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale filed and entered October 20, 2022, I will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Dr. Mineola NY 11501 on April 17, 2025 at 3:30 pm premises known as School District 17, Section 35, Block 623 Lot 32, Town of Hempstead , County of Nassau, State of New York Sold subject to the terms of sale and filed judgment of foreclosure. Bank Checks Only, must be payable to the Referee for 25% of Bid Price, No Cash Accepted. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.” Covid-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health and safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Adrienne F. Hausch, Esq., Referee 152259

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR GSAA HOME EQUITY TRUST 2007-3, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-3, Plaintiff, Against JUAN S. ARBOLEDA A/K/A JUAN ARBOLEDA, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 03/07/2023, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 4/23/2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 267 Seidman Place, Franklin Square, New York 11010, and described as follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York.

March 27, 2025 —

Public Notices

Section 0033 Block 00603 Lot 85 And 86.

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $814,558.58 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 608829/2017

Peter Kramer, Esq., Referee. (516) 510-4020

MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573

Dated: 3/3/2025 File Number: 16-300038 CA 152253

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU Freedom Mortgage Corporation, Plaintiff, -againstElizabeth Palma, as Heir to the Estate of Douglas Palma, Olivia Palma, as Heir to the Estate of Douglas Palma, Natassia Palma, as Heir to the Estate of Douglas Palma, Nicholas Palma, as Heir to the Estate of Douglas Palma, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, United States of America - Internal Revenue Service, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Douglas Palma’s unknown heirs-at-law, next-ofkin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors, and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, any right, title or interest in the real property described in the complaint herein, Anthony Palma, John Doe (Refused Name, John Doe (Refused Name), Defendants. Index No.: 609763/2023

Filed: March 7, 2025

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

Plaintiff designates Nassau County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgaged premises are situated.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT(S): YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your Answer or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a Notice of Appearance on the attorneys for the plaintiff within twenty (20) days after service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service; or within thirty (30) days after service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York; or within sixty (60) days if it is the United States of America. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT

THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure $381,562.00 and interest, recorded in the office of the clerk of the County of Nassau on January 06, 2015 in Liber M40139, Page 424 covering premises known as 49 Mckee Street, Floral Park, NY 11001. Thereafter, the loan was modified pursuant to a Loan Modification Agreement made between Douglas Palma and Freedom Mortgage Corporation dated July 11, 2019 recorded on December 12, 2019 in Liber M43870 Page 702 which created a lien in the amount of $321,997.60. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can

lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property.

Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Dated: Bay Shore, New York

March 7, 2025 Frenkel, Lambert, Weiss, Weisman & Gordon, LLP

/s/BY: Karen Sheehan

Attorneys for Plaintiff 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, New York 11706 (631) 969-3100

Our File No.: 01-096515-F01 152226

DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR.

Supervisor

KATE MURRAY

Town Clerk 152430

LEGAL NOTICE CASE NO. 21527

RESOLUTION NO.208-2025

Adopted: March 11, 2025

Councilmember Muscarella offered the following resolution and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION

ESTABLISHING AND SETTING ASIDE CERTAIN PARKING SPACES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES FOR THE SOLE USE OF HOLDERS OF SPECIAL PARKING PERMITS ISSUED BY THE COUNTY OF NASSAU TO PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS

LUCILLE AVENUE - east side, starting at a point 88 feet north of the north curbline of Theodora Street, north for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-36/25)

SEWANEE AVENUEwest side, starting at a point 386 feet south of the south curbline of Atherton Avenue, south for a distance of 18 feet.

(TH-24/25)

SEAFORD

LOCUST AVENUEsouth side, starting at a point 275 feet west of the west curbline of Guildford Park Drive, west for a distance of 15 feet.

(TH-1/25)

UNIONDALE

BRAXTON AVENUEsouth side, starting at a point 188 feet east of the east curbline of Uniondale Avenue, east for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-34/25)

WANTAGH

a copy of this resolution once a newspaper having a general circulation in the Town of Hempstead and shall post a copy hereof on the signboard maintained by her, and file in her office affidavits of such publication and posting. The foregoing resolution was seconded by Councilmember Schneider and adopted upon roll call as follows:

AYES: SIX (6)

NOES: NONE (0) 152432

DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590

DLG# 38723

The above sale, originally scheduled for March 14, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. has been postponed. The new sale date has been rescheduled for April 11, 2025 at the same time and place.

JANE SHRENKEL, ESQ., Referee.

{* Elmont Herald*} 152375

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

and on the repeal of the following locations previously set aside as parking spaces for physically handicapped persons:

ELMONT CLEMENT AVENUEwest side, starting at a point 115 feet south of the south curbline of Langdon Street, south fora distance of 22 feet.

(TH-141/18 - 6/5/18) (TH-58/25) ;and, BE IT FURTHER ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

LOCAL LAW NO. 17-2025

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held March 11th, 2025, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 17-2025, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 17-2025, amending Section 202-1 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include and repeal “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at various locations.

Dated: March 11, 2025 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 203-2025, adopted February 25th, 2025, a public hearing was duly held on the 11th day of March, 2025, at the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the proposed establishment and setting aside of a certain parking space for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons, in accordance with Section 202-48 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, all as set forth in said resolution; and WHEREAS, after due consideration, this Town Board finds it to be in the public interest to establish and set aside a certain parking space for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, that in accordance with Section 202-48 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, the following parking spaces be and the same hereby is set aside for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons: ELMONT

MCDONALD AVENUEwest side, starting at a point 150 feet north of the north curbline of Campbell Avenue, north for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-33/25) and on the repeal of the following locations previously set aside as parking spaces for physically handicapped persons:

(NR) FLORAL PARK 239TH STREET - west side, starting at a point 110 feet north of the north curbline of Superior Road, north for a distance of 16 feet.

(TH-580/24 - 2/4/25)

(TH-580(B)/24)

MERRICK

HARVARD AVENUEsouth side, starting at a point 298 feet east of the east curbline of Central Parkway, east fora distance of 20 feet.

(TH-260/15 - 9/8/15)

(TH-31/25) (NR) WESTBURY WESTLEY ROAD - south side, starting at a point 138 feet east of the east curbline of Fairfield Avenue, east for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-332/20 - 1/5/21)

(TH-47/25) ; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk shall enter this resolution in the minutes of the Town Board and shall publish

LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE OF POSTPONEMENT OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU. U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff -againstUNKNOWN HEIRS TO THE ESTATE OF JOSEPH TANTALO, as if they be dead, etc..., et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated March 7, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court “Rain or Shine” located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on April 11, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. premises situate, lying and being at Valley Stream, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, known and designated as Section 35 Block 496 Lot 83. Said premises known as 815 FRANKLIN AVE, UNIT 4, FRANKLIN SQUARE, NY 11010 Approximate amount of lien $613,074.75 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 612238/2017.

JANE SHRENKEL, ESQ., Referee

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Section 202-48 of the code of the Town of Hempstead entitled, “Handicapped Parking on Public Streets,” a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 25th day of March, 2025, at 7:00 o’clock in the evening of that day, to consider the adoption of a resolution setting aside certain parking spaces for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons at the following locations:

BELLMORE CENTRE AVENUEwest side, starting at a point 106 feet north of the north curbline of Grand Avenue, north for a distance of 17 feet.

(TH-50/25)

ELMONT

JACOB STREET - west side, starting at a point 225 feet north of the north curbline of Atherton Avenue, north for a distance of 22 feet.

(TH-62/25)

OAKLEY AVENUE - east side, starting at a point 378 feet north of the north curbline of L Street, north for a distance of 18 feet.

(TH-56/25)

MERRICK

HARVARD AVENUEsouth side, starting at a point 334 feet east of the east curbline of Central Parkway, east for a distance of 17 feet.

(TH-51/25)

Dated: Hempstead, New York

March 25, 2025 BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR.

Supervisor

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 152435

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Citibank N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST Kathleen Brancaleone, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered June 27, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 29, 2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 497 Tulip Avenue, Floral Park, NY 11001. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Village of Floral Park, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 32, Block: 273, Lot: 26. Approximate amount of judgment $542,666.53 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #609197/2019. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-091795-F00 84695 152385

CLASSIFIED

Fax your ad to: 516-622-7460

E-mail your ad to: ereynolds@liherald.com

E-mail Finds Under $100 to: sales@liherald.com

DEADLINE: Monday, 11:00 am for all classified ads.

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

Help Wanted

DRIVERS WANTED

Full Time and Part Time

Positions Available!

Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience.

Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must.

Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239

DRIVING INSTRUCTOR

Company Car/ Bonuses. Clean Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome! $22 - $27/ Hour Bell Auto School 516-365-5778 Email: info@bellautoschool.com

EDITOR/REPORTER

Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to jbessen@liherald.com

MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16.50 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $34,320 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $34,320 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $20 per hour to $30 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

Eldercare Offered

Senior Caregiver/ Housekeeping Available. Private/ Professional. CNA* HHA* CCA Certified. Experienced/ Excellent References. Emma 516-519-0456

Hebrew Academy of Long Beach seeks educators to join our exceptional school faculty in fostering a culture of academic exploration and excellence and dedication to spiritual, intellectual, and personal growth of all students. We are currently looking for candidates in the following divisions:

Lev Chana Early Childhood:

• Early Childhood Assistant Teachers

• Early Childhood Head Teachers

HALB Elementary School:

• Middle School Language Arts Teacher

• Elementary School Assistant Teachers

DRS Yeshiva High School for Boys:

• Business and Entrepreneurship Teacher

• Science Teacher

• STEM Teacher

• Math Teacher

• Resource Room Teacher

To learn more about our school community, please visit www.halb.org. We look forward to hearing from you! Please send resumes or inquiries to resumes@halb.org.

The permit is taking forever, Part 2

Waterfront Open Bay

AQ. I’m waiting months for a permit and they keep asking for added notes and plan changes, but not all at once. It’s a complete runaround. Why is this happening? My business is losing money and I’m losing patience.

A. Continuing from two weeks ago, people often have unrealistic expectations of the review process. When plans are submitted, the process begins with assigning an application designation. Many departments have a large backlog of applications, which means that they will often get to yours in the order it came in. There are the applications that jump ahead of the line for various reasons, from medical emergencies to fire repair, decisions made by economic development criteria from higher up the government chain, etc.

I’m often asked about who the client can talk to in order to speed things up. This sends a message to me that the whole review process is about to slow down even more. From experience, I reply that the applicant can “try whatever method they want, but be careful.” If someone actually does skip the line, I am aware that it may backfire, because pressuring plan reviewers can sometimes lead to delays and friction when the reviewer kicks the plans back with objections that make the owner insist that the “architect should have known this.”

Objections may seem purposeful, but because they’re legitimate, the application is on hold, and takes pressure off the reviewer. Pressuring the reviewers is not recommended. Architects are burdened enough with never knowing whether they should add all kinds of notes to the plans, or when to keep things simpler. For example, some reviewers want reprints of building code sections on the plans, only to find that another reviewer wants those same notes removed from the plans, causing further delays, to put the researched code notes on plans, and then delays in revising plans afterward. It’s a lose/lose situation guaranteed to cause further delay, but “that’s the way it is.”

There are also delays caused by the fact that your approval process may involve your local jurisdiction, separate review by the fire marshal’s office at the county level, review by the engineering department of your local government and possibly the county department of public works if the property in question is on a county roadway. You may also be asking for something proposed to occupy the building that requires a “change of use” approval, with a zoning case that may add months and even years to the process.

I recently walked with a dentist up and down a commercial district street, and we looked in the windows of three locations the dentist was interested in. Placards on the windows showed announcements for zoning hearings from two to four years ago. All of the businesses were still empty. What does that possibly tell you? There may be inadequate parking or drainage issues, previous open permits not resolved, etc. The process isn’t simple, and you must be prepared for the course it may take. Good luck!

pagne

set 4,

Success, Happiness, Wisdom, $80, 516-884-9994.

BENCH WHITE Excellent Condition $40. S. Freeport 516 279 7696

Exterminating

PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-866-448-8311 Have zip code of property ready when calling!

Home Improvement

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER?

***MASONRY & CONSTRUCTION*** EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS! GIUSEPPE MUCCIACCIARO

We Do Pavers, Cultured Stone, Concrete, Bluestone, Blacktop, Fireplace, Patio, Waterproofing, Walkways, Pool Work. Lic#H2204320000 Family Operation Over 40Years. 516-238-6287

Cable/TV/Wiring

Get DISH Satellite TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 OnDemand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-866-782-4069

Electricians

E-Z ELECTRIC SERVICES, INC. All Types Residential/Commercial Wiring, Generators, Telephone/Data, Home Entertainment, Service Upgrades, Pools, Spas. Services/Repairs. Violations Removed. Free Estimates Low Rates. 516-785-0646 Lic/Ins.

STORM DAMAGE? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-920-9937

BEAUTIFUL BATH UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Superior quality bath and shower systems at AFFORDABLE PRICES! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Call Now! 1-855-399-2076

CARPENTRY & PAINTING: Residential/ Commercial. All Phases. Licensed/Insured. FREE ESTIMATES! Anthony & J Home Improvements 516-678-6641

DO YOU KNOW what's in your water?

Leaf Home Water Solutions offers FREE water testing and whole home water treatment systems that can be installed in as little one day. 15% off your entire purchase. Plus 10% senior & military discounts. Restrictions apply. Schedule your FREE test today. Call 1-866-247-5728

HANKS PAINTING & DRYWALL REPAIR LLC. 5 *Star* *Artist* *Finish. Residential Interior Painting Our Specialty. Drywall Installations/ Repairs, Wallpaper Removal, Skim Coat, Cracks, Gaps Filled, License #201789/Insured. References. Hank 516-330-8396 www.hankspainting.com

*PROFESSIONAL PAINTER* Repairs, Wallpaper, Moldings & More! Free Estimates Ins/Lic#H0106110000

Please Call Sal Today! 516.343.2152

Telephone Services

CONSUMER CELLULAR - the same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No long-term contract, no hidden fees and activation is free. All plans feature unlimited talk and text, starting at just $20/month. For more information, call 1-844-919-1682

Tree Services

T&M GREENCARE TREE SERVICE *TREE REMOVAL *STUMP GRINDING *PRUNING. FREE ESTIMATES. 516-223-4525, 631-586-3800 www.tmgreencare.com

Satellite/TV Equipment

DIRECTV- All your entertainment. Nothing on your roof! Sign up for Direct and get your first three months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choice package $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Health & Fitness

ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 1-855-399-2719

Attention: VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special - Only $99! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 1-855-399-2582

HEARING AIDS!! HIGH-QUALITY rechargeable, powerful Audien hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Tiny and NEARLY INVISIBLE! 45-day money back guarantee! 855-819-7060

1974. All Black, 80K Miles. Best Offer. Call 516-242-3635 Autos Wanted ***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS

opinionS

In Franklin Square, a budget process we’re proud of

Each year, school districts find themselves navigating a unique balancing act. We live in multiple timelines simultaneously — reflecting on past performance, addressing present needs, and planning for future success. In Franklin Square, we’re in the midst of finalizing our proposed 2025-26 budget, a process that underscores our commitment to transparency, inclusivity and fiscal responsibility. Our budgeting process begins from scratch each year in a zerobased approach, meaning we carefully build our spending plan line by line based on actual needs and community input rather than simply adjusting past budgets. To ensure broad participation, we leverage multiple tools, such as ThoughtExchange, which gathers and rates valuable insights from parents, staff and community members on their priorities and concerns.

In addition to ThoughtExchange, our Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council — composed of students from fourth to sixth grade — offers direct stu-

dent perspectives, ensuring that we consider the needs and aspirations of our learners. Complementing this, our Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, guided by a clear directive from the Board of Education, examines discretionary spending and aligns community priorities with strategic district goals.

WSo far this year, we’ve held multiple budget work sessions to ensure transparency and foster dialogue. At our initial session, in January, we outlined our budget timeline and key financial drivers, emphasizing potential impacts such as state aid fluctuations. Unfortunately, we have faced challenges this year, notably influenced by an 18 percent rise in housing prices in Franklin Square, which adversely affected our state aid allocation. Despite these constraints, we remain committed to crafting a responsible budget that shows respect for our community members’ financial pressures, particularly the high cost of living on Long Island.

e invite students and staff as well as community members to get involved.

supports and instructional technology investments to curriculum enhancements aimed at maintaining excellence. We have prioritized comfortable learning environments, ensuring that by September, all classrooms and large instructional spaces will be airconditioned, a proactive step ahead of new state regulations.

Moreover, through our energy performance contract, we secured substantial infrastructure upgrades — including new lighting, boilers and energy-control systems — at no additional cost to taxpayers. This initiative exemplifies our dedication to responsible stewardship of district resources.

Safety and infrastructure improvements also remain priorities. We’re proposing essential enhancements to the parking lot at Washington Street School this summer to address significant pedestrian safety issues and improve utility for staff and families alike.

AIn February’s session, we delved more deeply into the specifics of our budget, examining staffing needs, instructional materials and facility improvements. We discussed key educational programs, from special education

Beyond our budget, Franklin Square proudly celebrates remarkable achievements. We’re honored to receive the Silver Magna Award at the National School Boards Association’s annual conference, which recognizes innovation in education nationally. Additionally, all three

Franklin Square schools earned distinction as Best Elementary Schools in New York state from U.S. News & World Report, alongside recognition from the NAMM Foundation as a Best Community for Music Education.

Remarkably, Franklin Square maintains one of Nassau County’s lowest perpupil expenditures, while dedicating the highest proportion of our resources to curriculum, instruction and student support — demonstrating our unwavering commitment to educational excellence.

Community collaboration is essential. We actively encourage community members to engage in our budget discussions, as your insights directly shape our priorities and strategies. Your involvement ensures that our spending plan truly reflects the values and goals of Franklin Square families.

As we finalize next year’s proposed budget, our commitment remains clear: to deliver outstanding education, maintain financial responsibility and sustain the community’s trust. Together, with your continued support and partnership, Franklin Square will continue providing exceptional learning experiences, unleashing potential for students who leave our district prepared for extraordinary success.

Dr. Jared T. Bloom is superintendent of the Franklin Square Union Free School District.

Some thoughts on books, privilege and girlhood

s an avid reader, I’ve always had a fond place in my heart for historical fiction and period pieces, but I enjoy exploring a number of genres. Toward the end of 2024 and so far this year, I’ve found myself gravitating toward women-centric contemporary fiction and comingof-age novels, which would normally imply that they feature teenagers or young-adult characters and themes, but I think their impact is broader.

We’re constantly changing and growing, and whether we come to realizations about life at 15 or 55, they impact our sense of self.

I’ve often said that the best writers are also the best readers, and as a young woman navigating the craziness of life, I’ve found comfort in books that showcase both the hardships, and the joys, of girlhood. There is so much pressure these days to adhere to societal standards — which can vary so greatly depending on whom you’re talking to — and not enough conversations about

what’s actually important to modern, up-and-coming women. Everything we want for ourselves, and every decision we make, is so important.

fort in knowing that the struggles of young women aren’t unique to our culture, but rather, are shared by many.

SMarch is Women’s History Month, and I considered just rattling off a number of my favorite empowering reads, but I realized I could never narrow down the list. So instead I’m switching gears, and homing in on a recent read of mine, the young adult novel “Firekeeper’s Daughter,” by Angeline Boulley.

This was my first exposure to Native American literature. The book’s protagonist, Daunis Fontaine, is a biracial high school senior who lives in a mostly indigenous community near an Ojibwe reservation in Northern Michigan. The Ojibwe are a large Native group in the Great Lakes region of the U.S. and Canada. While the book is largely about a drug-related scandal that wreaks havoc in Fontaine’s Native community, it also conveys so many important undertones relating to her culture and womanhood. Full of twists and turns, it kept me on my toes, and left me with an understanding of a culture I wasn’t familiar with and a sense of com-

ome days, it’s so hard to be a woman that I wonder if we’re heading backward.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve thought a lot about the concept of privilege because of another book, “Difference Matters,” by Brenda J. Allen, which I read for a class I’m taking through Stony Brook University. Allen crafts meaningful observations about various social groups, and effectively communicates why and how our differences matter in fascinating ways. She defines privilege as “unacknowledged entitlement that one receives,” and in a series of exercises, she encourages readers to think about the things in their lives that have given them privilege.

I’ll be the first to admit that some days, it is so hard to be a woman. The negative rhetoric, and the legal moves that are stripping women in the United States of rights they previously had, sometimes make me wonder if we’re heading backward. Despite those doubts, I am also so proud to be a woman — one with a voice, and drive, and dreams that I know I will work hard to achieve.

Daunis Fontaine has a voice, drive, and dreams, too. As do Rocky, the middle-aged, comical protagonist in Catherine Newman’s novel “Sandwich”; Caroline Ferriday, a real person whose story is told in Martha Hall Kelly’s “Lilac Girls”; and Isabelle Rossignol, a young woman who is part of the French resistance in World War II in Kristin Hannah’s work of historical fiction, “The Nightingale.”

I’ve listed a few additional reads of mine to make this point: I am so privileged to have had access to these works — to read and think about things with free will — and to be able take the time to ponder what they mean to me, and hopefully to other women, too.

The weight of girlhood is heavy, but so is its strength. Reading these stories has reinforced what I’ve always known to be true — that women’s voices, whether in fiction or in real life, hold immense power. The privilege of having access to these narratives is one I don’t take lightly, and as I continue to learn and grow, I hope to carry that same power into the spaces I occupy. Because every woman’s story deserves to be told, and more important, heard.

Jordan Vallone is a senior editor of the Herald Community Newspapers. Comments? jvallone@liherald.com.

JARED T. BLooM

JoRDAn VALLonE

Established 1998

Incorporating the Franklin Square/Elmont Record

Renee DeLoRenzo

HERALD

History should not be a political casualty

recent actions by the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal agencies to remove web pages highlighting the contributions of Black, Hispanic and female veterans raise a critical question: Are we confusing history with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives? And more important, what does the loss of historical information mean for present and future generations?

The removal of these pages from Arlington National Cemetery’s website, along with thousands of other web pages across government platforms, was carried out to comply with an executive order issued by President Trump.

The order, which aimed to eliminate DEI initiatives in federal programs, mandated that any DEI-related content published between Jan. 20, 2021, and Jan. 19 of this year be either archived or removed. As a result, significant historical records, including those recognizing the sacrifices and achievements of marginalized groups in the U.S. military, have been erased from public view.

The decision reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the distinction between diversity efforts and historical documentation. DEI initiatives are designed to promote fairness, representation and opportunity for marginalized communities. History, on the other hand, is an objective record of the past — one that cannot be rewritten or selec-

letters

tively deleted without serious consequences for society as a whole.

When we remove historical information under the guise of eliminating DEI, we are erasing the stories and experiences that have shaped the nation. The contributions of African American soldiers who fought in segregated units during World War II, the bravery of Hispanic servicemen in the Korean War, and the pioneering achievements of female military officers are not “DEI content.” They are part of the fabric of American history.

By erasing these stories from public platforms, we are denying future generations the opportunity to learn from the struggles and triumphs of those who came before them. We are also depriving historically marginalized communities of the recognition and respect they deserve. History gives us a deeper understanding of our nation’s progress — and its failures. Without it, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past and failing to appreciate the diversity and resilience that define America.

The removal of content highlighting the contributions of marginalized groups does not end DEI; it merely attempts to silence the voices of those who have long fought for recognition and equality in our society. The effort to scrub this content from government websites sets a dangerous precedent. It suggests that historical facts can be elimi-

Our representatives must stand up for Medicaid funding

To the Editor:

On March 7, hundreds gathered at the State Office Building in Hauppauge to advocate for a 7.8 percent targeted increase in Medicaid rates for disability services to address rising costs, ensure fair pay for staff, and stabilize the care system for people with disabilities.

As a father of an adult child with disabilities who relies on Medicaid-supported services, I feel an overwhelming responsibility to advocate for the protection and support of staff, whose roles are crucial in caring for those with disabilities. These significant issues have profound personal and far-reaching effects for families like mine.

For over 25 years, my son Bobby has received exceptional care from the Developmental Disabilities Institute in Smithtown. The dedication and compassion of their staff have greatly enriched his life, helping him accomplish daily tasks. Their work is more than just a job; it is a calling driven by empathy and a commitment to improving lives. These critical services deserve fair compensation and job security.

In addition, the proposed hundreds of billion of dollars in cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental

nated or hidden when they become politically inconvenient. That isn’t the behavior of a free and democratic society.

The loss of historical information has far-reaching implications. For educators and students, online resources serve as vital tools for teaching American history. For researchers and historians, they provide access to primary sources and documentation that help us understand the evolution of social and political movements.

Restoring the content that was removed from Arlington National Cemetery’s website and other federal platforms isn’t just about complying with government policy — it’s about protecting the truth. Historical documentation must be treated as sacred, separate from politics or ideological battles. Federal agencies must prioritize the preservation of historical records, regardless of whether those stories align with the current political environment. Educational institutions, historians and advocacy groups must also work to archive and share information through independent platforms to ensure that those stories are not lost forever.

In a democracy, history belongs to the people — all the people. It is our collective responsibility to safeguard that history, not erase it. Without an honest and complete understanding of our past, we cannot hope to build a more just and equitable future.

Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, are deeply troubling. These programs serve as lifelines, supporting people like my son and often the staff caring for him and his peers, many of whom seek supplemental food support

because of their low-wage status. Cutting funds for these programs is more than an economic decision; it is a moral one that will have devastating consequences for vulnerable populations.

opinions Preparing for real work, not just a job

as high school seniors and others contemplate their college plans, it is timely to remind them about the purpose of higher education. This is especially true at a time when there are those who question the value of universities and focus on vocational rather than on advanced education. Critics also tend to focus on the means for learning rather than on its purpose.

roBert a . sCott

A college education is much more than job prep. It is as much about character development and preparation for civic engagement as it is about preparing for a career. Too many people focus on immediate job placement instead of preparing for a life with the potential for multiple careers.

As Bill Gates once said, jobs are eliminated, but “work” — opportunities for solving problems — expands. So how best can students prepare for a future in which they see themselves as problem-solvers in constantly evolving work settings? That’s the role of colleges and universities.

In 1900, farm employment accounted for nearly 40 percent of all jobs. Today it’s about 10 percent. Technology and new management techniques are the

difference. At the end of World War II, service industries accounted for 10 percent of nonfarm employment, compared with 38 percent for manufacturing. Since the 1970s, the American economy has moved away from producing goods to providing services, and the service sector has accounted for an increasing proportion of jobs and workers.

CThe work necessary for sustainable, civil communities will continue to expand. Technological tools are increasingly available, but create ethical challenges and require educated judgment. AI should be used as a tool, not as a crutch or a substitute for thinking. Work requires information verification, not just data gathering. AI will eliminate jobs, and those graduating from colleges and universities must be prepared for this new world of employment options.

ollege is as much about character development as it is about career prep.

ing a civilization compatible with its inhabitants’ aspirations and the limitations of the natural environment; teach students to appreciate other cultures; and apply theory to practical problems. Colleges seek to help students’ transformation into productive citizens and professionals. Cooperative education, internships and service learning all reinforce classroom learning. Students gain the confidence to formulate ideas, take initiative, increase their ability to reason in different modes, solve problems, and develop communication and computational skills as well as imagination, the ability to consider ideas from different angles through exposure to the arts, literature and other cultures.

■ Graduates have lower unemployment rates than those with only a high school diploma. They also report higher job satisfaction and better career prospects.

■ Most graduates view their college education as a good investment.

We know the skills and abilities that organizations want in employees. Beyond technological know-how, they want people who can learn to analyze problems and create ethical solutions — i.e., add value and perform — without AI support. These are the skills and abilities necessary for all work, from corporate to public service to community-based jobs.

The purpose of a college education is to help students advance their knowledge, both general and expert; skills such as writing and speaking; abilities such as analysis and leadership; and values such as respect for others and teamwork. This includes the ability to understand the choices that await them as citizens, consumers, decision-makers, and arbiters of ethical alternatives. The purpose is also is to inspire students to contemplate the meaning of life; help them become capable of build-

Letters

I urge our local congressional representatives, including Nick LaLota and Andrew Garbarino, to oppose these cuts. I encourage them to advocate for sustainable funding that prioritizes the well-being of those who depend on these critical support services. An investment now will secure the present and safeguard the future for people like my son.

JoSePh W. SChMIdT

Board of Directors chair Developmental Disabilities Institute Wantagh

Why is all that opioid money sitting idle?

To the editor:

Nassau County has received $95.5 million from New York state for opioid treatment and awareness, part of the opioid lawsuit settlement. of that amount, $39.5 million has been awarded. h owever, awarded does not mean spent. In reality, the county has only spent $3 million of that

$95.5 million.

Meanwhile, 210 residents died of overdoses in 2023. data for 2024 has not yet been released.

To make matters worse, County e xecutive Bruce Blakeman has been publicly highlighting the $39.5 million in awarded funds — an impressive figure on its face — while omitting the far less impressive $3 million that has actually been spent.

This lackadaisical approach to deploying lifesaving resources is not only negligent and callous, but also appears to be financially motivated. Since receiving the funds, Nassau County has accrued millions in interest from the unspent balance sitting idle on its books.

What does it say about our county executive that he appears willing to gamble with lives for financial gain? Surely there are more ethical and effective ways to manage the county’s finances — ones that don’t come at the expense of public health.

PeTroS KroMMIdAS Baldwin

They learn how to learn on their own as well as in groups. We hope they will learn to think strategically about their lives, even taking a job so they have a base from which to pursue bigger dreams. We also hope they will develop a sense of humor and can laugh at themselves.

The benefits of college graduation are well known:

■ Possessing a degree provides access to a wider array of opportunities.

■ Certain fields in technology, health care and education require a degree.

Framework by Tim Baker

Just think of the work to be done in a society: clean, affordable and dependable energy sources; reliable, inexpensive mass transportation and infrastructure; secure information systems; effective schools, health care, and fire and flood protection; safe, nourishing and affordable food; affordable housing; clean water and sanitation; peaceful relations among nations; and equal access to the rule of law.

These and other requirements for a sustainable, civil society represent problems to be identified, analyzed and solved — work to be done.

Dr. Robert A. Scott is president emeritus of Adelphi University and co-author of “Letters to Student: What it Means to be a College Graduate” (Roman & Littlefield, 2024).