Freeport Herald 03-05-2026

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around Freeport.

By ANDREW FRANCIS afrancis@liherald.com

The Freeport Memorial Library closed out its Black History Month celebration on Feb. 25, when art historian and professor Dennis Raverty was invited to discuss the vibrant African American art scene during the Harlem Renaissance.

Raverty spoke about the contributions of several African American artists from the early 20th century and the often-complicated context these artists lived in and how they portrayed that in their work.

The library program, titled

“When Harlem was Hot,” was initially slated to be an in-person presentation, but was moved online via Zoom due to the blizzard that occurred earlier in the week, impacting Freeport and much of the surrounding region. Still, over 20 devices tuned in to the discussion.

Tanisha Mitchell, a librarian at the Freeport library, stated that the presentation was held in conjunction with the 2025-26 Arts Season at the library, dubbed “Modern Arts in the 20th Century,” which intersected with Black History Month.

Raverty, a retired associate professor of art history at New Jersey City University, detailed

during the presentation that one of his specialties in art history is West African art. Since the beginning of his professional life, however, Raverty noted that recognition and inclusion of art from the Black Diaspora was largely missing from history books.

“It wasn’t until 1992 when art history started to commonly include Black artists,” Raverty lamented.

Raverty explained that this pattern of exclusion for Black art precedes him and even the Harlem Renaissance artists he spoke of from the 1920s and 1930s. The only mainstream art of Black people in Western cul-

Village honors efforts of six Black leaders

By ANDREW FRANCIS

afrancis@liherald.com

Freeport residents, community leaders and Nassau County officials crowded into the program room of the Freeport Recreation Center on Feb. 26 to celebrate Black History Month and the contributions of the village’s own Black community members. The event was hosted by village administrators and the FreeportRoosevelt chapter of the NAACP.

The celebration was titled “Still We Rise: A Century of Black History,” and featured presentations, musical performances and speakers. The highlight was the presentation of community Black History Month awards for notable service to communities within the Village of Freeport and beyond. The honorees were Vashti Burke, Donnetta Cumberbatch, Michael Gordon, Ladonna Taylor, Denton Watson and Bishop Frank White.

Burke, the music facilitator for the Freeport school ConTinueD on paGe 10

Library celebrates global Harlem Renaissance art

ture typically resulted in caricatures that intended to exaggerate or insult Black faces and culture, and Black artists could rarely break into the white-dominated intellectual art society.

Raverty described Black artists as later taking the position of “we’ve been taken out of history, so we’ll put ourselves back into history.”

One of the key points of Raverty’s talk was that he believed the term “Harlem Renaissance” inadequately portrays the widespread movement and impact of Black urban life. He stated that the term “New Negro Movement,” which had been used more commonly in the past, is more

ConTinueD on paGe 3

Stu Goldman/Herald

Denton Watson, Vashti Burke, Donnetta Cumberbatch, Ladonna Taylor, Michael Gordon and Frank White received special recognition for their service in and

Library hosts Black History Month read-in

By ANDREW FRANCIS afrancis@liherald.com

The power of the pen and the written word are indispensable vessels for change.

DEBRA Mulé

Nassau County

Alternate Deputy Minority Leader

Roosevelt residents assembled at the Roosevelt Public Library on Feb. 21 for its annual Black History Month read-in. Despite attendance being lower than usual due to the impending blizzard that occurred the following days across Long Island, the event served as a great effort to recognize Black literary contributions. The event’s lead organizer, Roosevelt Public Library’s Black Heritage Librarian Carol Gilliam, described the read-in as a constructive, social and free event that puts Black literature in the spotlight. The Roosevelt Public Library’s Black Heritage collection, which Gilliam boasts is the third largest across the state of New York, provides ample resources to reflect on the works of African American, Caribbean, African and other members of the Black Diaspora.

“This year I chose Langston Hughes to talk about,” Gilliam explained. “One of the reasons I chose him is because not only do I like his work as a poet, but when I started my library career, I started in Harlem. I was actually trained under the New York Public Library, and that was one of the libraries where Langston Hughes wrote his poetry during the Harlem Renaissance.

The annual Black History Month read-in has been

occurring for at least ten years, according to Gilliam, and this year a special guest in Nassau County Legislature Alternate Deputy Minority Leader Debra Mulé. “In every quest for justice and equality, the power of the pen and the written word are indispensable vessels for change, progress and celebrating a community’s unique and beautiful identity,” Mulé said after the event. “That is why it is wonderful to see events like the Roosevelt Library’s Black History Month read-in succeed, and I thank Carol (Gilliam) for her efforts in bringing this enlightening gathering together each year.”

Gilliam wants to encourage local residents to explore the available literature that the Roosevelt Public Library has to offer.

“We have it all here at the library, and a lot of people who live in this community, unfortunately, have never been in this library,” Gilliam said. “People say libraries are becoming extinct, but they aren’t, because we have audio books and we have all different forms of ways that you can do research on Black literature.”

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE ROOSEVELT CHILDREN’S ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL Board Retreat

Date: Friday March 27, 2026

Time: 9:00am-1:00pm Place:

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE ROOSEVELT CHILDREN’S ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL Board Meeting

Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 • Time: 6:00pm Place:

Courtesy Office Alternative Deputy Minority Leader Debra Mulé

The Roosevelt Public Library welcomed Alternate Minority Leader Debra Mulé for a special discussion on African American literature.

Black renaissance art making its mark

accurate, as Black art and culture was strengthened outside of Harlem in places like Chicago and Paris.

Similar to New York City, Chicago was a desirable urban destination for many Black people in the southern United States. The military draft of Black men into World War I and their mass deployment in France helped lead to an eventual growth in Black artwork of various forms internationally.

The majority of Raverty’s presentation primarily focused on the work of painters Aaron Douglas and Archibald Motley Jr. During the presentation, Raverty displayed and discussed the symbolism and complex scenes portrayed in various paintings and other art forms from the era.

Despite all the positive contributions of these artists, Raverty mentioned, “African Americans were a part of the disparaging of African culture as primitive.” He explained that the artwork often further perpetuated inaccurate characterizations of African people and culture by the African Americans who depicted it.

Further education on true African culture and appreciation would later come, however, as artists would later draw inspiration from the grandeur of African empires of old, like in ancient Egypt.

Being a white man has not stopped Raverty from appreciating the artworks of diverse artists and studying the context of what an artist depicted and dealt with in their own lives.

Raverty stated that his appreciation for Harlem Renaissance or New Negro Movement art has gone as far as working with a descendant of Motley to learn more about the artist’s life and mindset. He also expressed approval over the increase in female artists in the industry over the last few decades.

Raverty said he also wrote a book for

in 1939, augusta Savage sculpted “the Harp,” inspired by the song “Lift every Voice and Sing.” the sculpture was done in plaster and was originally commissioned for the 1939 new York’s World’s fair in flushing meadow. the original sculpture stood at 16 feet high, before being destoryed in 1940 along with other works.

undergraduate college art students, titled “Struggle Over the Modern,” which looks at a more diverse look at art history and examining the work of other illustrators.

Attendees did not let the online experience dampen their appreciation for the art talk, and concluded the program by asking Raverty questions and inquiring about his work on art history.

Mitchell stated that future art talks and classical music concerts at the library are to be scheduled for later this year.

Photos courtesy Freeport Memorial Library

“Blues,” a 1929 painting by archibald J. motley Jr., depicts a club in paris, where Black culture grew significantly at the time.

“the Song of the towers,” a 1934 painting by artist aaron douglas, illustrates the intersections of african culture and contemporary aspects of african american life.

How Giving Increases Wealth

Freeport receives nearly $200k from state

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Feb. 19 that state officials had approved $150 million in Temporary Municipal Assistance for state cities, towns and villages as a part of its Aid and Incentives for Municipalities funding program. Out of the $6.3 million coming to Long Island, the Village of Freeport is receiving $189,156.

According to statements from State officials, Hochul’s $150 million for fiscal year 2027 triples the amount of funds used for fiscal year 2025, which sat at $50 million.

This state funding includes most major cities, towns and villages outside of New York City.

Elena Villafane, the president of the Nassau County Village Officials Association, said in response to the funding announcement, “The Nassau County Village Officials Association is grateful for Governor Hochul’s commitment to increase support to local governments across New York State. The additional $150 million in assistance, including the increase in Temporary Municipal Assistace, will help many villages here in Nassau County.”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced additional funding assistance for Long Island areas, including Freeport.

Villafane continued, “Villages across the County face increased fiscal pressures as they seek to provide essential services in the face of ever-increasing costs and state and federal mandates. This funding represents an important initial step in strengthening municipal stability and supporting our communities.”

Roosevelt man charged after fleeing arrest

Nassau County Police Department’s Third Squad reported the arrest of Jadale Golding, 20, of Roosevelt, on Feb. 26 for an alleged robbery that occurred on Nov. 19 in Carle Place.

The robbery occurred at approximately 8:05 p.m. at a Stop and Shop store at 95 Old Country Road. According to Nassau County detectives, police responded to the residence of Golding on Brooklyn Avenue in Roosevelt and attempted to place him under arrest. When detective approached the residence, they observed Golding in his vehicle. When they attempted to approach Golding in the car, he fled on foot and has briefly pursued by officers on foot, before being successfully apprehended and placed under arrest.

After his arrest, officers recovered a loaded Glock .40 caliber handgun inside the defendant’s vehicle.

Jadale GoldinG

Golding has been charged with robbery in the first degree, due to his alleged involvement in the Stop and Shop robbery, and subsequent charges of menacing in the second degree, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree and assault in the third degree.

Golding was arraigned on Feb. 26 at the First District Court of Hempstead.

–Andrew Francis

Herald file photo

The history and traditions of shamrock season

By ABIGAIL GRIECO

agrieco@liherald.com

Every March 17, communities across the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with parades, music and plenty of green. What began as a religious feast day honoring Ireland’s patron saint has grown into a global celebration of Irish heritage and culture. Here are three things to know about the holiday and its history.

St. Patrick’s Day began as a religious feast, not a party

Observed each year on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day honors Ireland’s patron saint, St. Patrick, who is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century. The date marks the traditional anniversary of his death in A.D. 461. The day was originally a solemn religious feast day in Ireland, marked by church services and family meals. For much of its history in Ireland, the day was observed quietly, and pubs were even closed by law until the 1970s. Irish immigrants later transformed it in the United States into a public celebration of heritage and pride. Today, cities across the country host parades, festivals and cultural events. While it’s often associated with revelry, the holiday’s roots are spiritual and historical, commemorating Irish identity and resilience.

Why we wear green — and other symbols

Green became associated with St. Patrick’s Day because of Ireland’s nickname, “The Emerald Isle,” and the shamrock, which Irish legend says St. Patrick used to explain the Holy Trinity. Wearing green is also said to make someone “invisible” to mischievous leprechauns in Irish folklore. Other popular symbols include Celtic crosses, harps and pots of gold; the cross symbolizes Irish Christianity, the harp represents Ireland’s long musical and cultural heritage, and the pot of gold comes from legends of leprechauns said to hide treasure at the end of the rainbow. Even rivers get in on the tradition — the Chicago River is famously dyed bright green each year as part of the city’s festivities.

Signature dishes are essential for celebrations

While many people consider corned beef and cabbage a classic St. Patrick’s Day meal, it’s more Irish American than traditionally Irish. In Ireland, bacon and cabbage were more common, but Irish immigrants in cities like New York City substituted corned beef because it was more affordable and readily available from local butchers. Over time, the dish became closely tied to March 17 celebrations in the United States, symbolizing both adaptation and the blending of Irish heritage with American life. Another traditional favorite is Irish soda bread, a simple loaf made with baking soda instead of yeast that dates back to rural Irish kitchens. Often served alongside the main meal — and sometimes sweetened with raisins in American versions — soda bread has become a staple of holiday tables.

Michael Carpinone Funeral Director

Think you know camp? Think again CAMP & SCHOOL – A guide to programs and activities

Camp has become a staple of the summer season. Each year, millions of children, youth and adults head to the hills, lakes, valleys, and parks to participate in the time-honored tradition of camp. And, while most people easily conjure up images of campfires and canoes, there is a lot more to the camp experience. Here are some things you may not have known about the camp experience, courtesy of American Camp Association.

Camp is older than dirt, almost literally Started in 1861, the camp experience turned an impressive 150 years young in 2011. The secret behind the longevity? “Camps are adapting to meet the needs of today’s campers,” says Tom Rosenberg, formr president/CEO of the American Camp Association.“At the same time, the impact camp has on campers, the lifechanging experience, has remained after all these years.”

Camp is worth its weight in gold, and then some!

The camp experience is life-changing –developing friendships and memories that last well beyond the final campfire. And, there is a camp for literally every budget. Often camps offer special pricing or financial assistance, and some camp experiences qualify for tax credits or for payment with preGreen is “zen.”

Research shows that first-hand experience with nature, like those at camp, reduce stress in children and help them better handle stress in

the future. In addition to teaching children how to be good stewards of the environment, camps are teaching children how to enjoy the world around them and take a minute to breathe deep and feel the nature, which ultimately teaches them how to de-stress the natural way.

Mommies and Daddies do it too.

Camp is not just for children and youth. There are family camp experiences, and camps for single adults, senior adults, and any adult that wants to relax and enjoy all camp has to offer. Adults benefit from the same sense of community, authentic relationships, and selfdiscovery that children do. Camp is an excellent vacation option, allowing adults to try a variety of new activities in a safe and fun environment.

Try this on for size!

Camp is a great place to try new activities and hobbies. Afraid of rock walls? According to ACA research, 74 percent of campers reported that they tried new activities at camp that they were afraid to do at first. And, those activities often leave lasting impressions. In the same survey, 63 percent of parents reported that their child continued new activities from camp after returning home.

Manners matter, and often linger.

The camp experience teaches more than just archery or lanyard making. The entire experience is made of teachable moments, perhaps one of the biggest is how to live with a group of people. Campers learn to pick up after themselves, respect each other’s property, and to say

“Please” and “Thank You.”

Camp gets those neurons pumping Education reform debate and concern over summer learning loss have pushed academic achievement into the spotlight. Research shows that participation in intentional programs, like camp, during summer months helps stem summer learning loss. In addition, camp provides ample opportunity for developmental growth, which is a precursor to academic achievement. And, because of the “hands-on” nature of camp, often children who struggle in traditional edu-

cation settings do well at camp.

Camp builds leaders for the 21st century and beyond Independence, resiliency, teamwork, problem-solving skills, and the ability to relate to other people these are the skills that tomorrow’s leaders will need, and the skills camp has been adept at building for 150 years.

Photo: Long after the final campfire fades, the skills and friendships built at camp continue to shine.

see

ccenassau.org/dpf-4-h-camp/employment

The sound of success Unique ways music education supports academic achievement CAMP & SCHOOL – A guide to programs and activities

In today’s schools, science, technology, engineering and mathematics often dominate the academic spotlight. Yet educators and researchers continue to point to another powerful driver of student success: music education.

According to the Arts Education Data Project, an estimated 2.1 million American students lacked access to arts education including music as of 2022. That gap is concerning, as mounting research shows that music instruction strengthens performance across multiple academic areas.

Mathematical Thinking

Music and mathematics share more than a passing resemblance. Reading rhythms involves fractions and division. Recognizing musical patterns mirrors algebraic reasoning.

A 2019 study published by the American Psychological Association found that students who learned to play an instrument and continued in band or orchestra performed nearly one academic year ahead of their peers in several subjects, including math. The structured logic of music timing, sequencing and symbolic interpretation reinforces the same analytical skills students rely on in advanced mathematics.

Boost Literacy And Language Skills

Music education also enhances reading and writing development. Learning to interpret

notes on a page parallels decoding words in a book. Both require attention to symbols, comprehension of meaning and the ability to selfcorrect.

Singing lyrics and studying musical storytelling introduce students to new vocabulary and poetic structure, strengthening comprehension. Research in neuroscience suggests that musical training activates brain regions associated with language processing, giving young learners an added advantage in literacy.

Build Discipline And Study Habits

Mastering an instrument takes time, patience and consistent practice. Students quickly learn that improvement comes from repetition and focus lessons that translate directly to homework, long-term projects and exam preparation.

The resilience developed while tackling challenging passages or preparing for performances can foster greater academic persistence overall.

Enhance Cognitive And Emotional Well-Being

Music engages multiple areas of the brain simultaneously, supporting memory, concentration and problem-solving. At the same time, it offers a creative outlet that can reduce stress and build confidence. Students who feel emotionally supported and

creatively fulfilled are often better equipped to handle rigorous coursework and classroom demands.

Foster Collaboration And Communication

Participation in band, choir or orchestra teaches students to listen closely, follow direction and contribute to a shared goal. Ensemble performance requires cooperation and accountability skills that mirror group projects in science labs, history presentations and other academic settings.

Balanced Learning

As schools continue to prioritize STEM ini-

SPORTS STEAM & SPECIALTY CAMPS

tiatives, many educators advocate for a broader STEAM approach that includes the arts. Music education does more than enrich school culture; it strengthens cognitive development, academic performance and social skills. By investing in music programs alongside core academic subjects, schools create wellrounded learning environments that prepare students not only for higher test scores, but for lifelong success.

Photo:The skills developed in the music room often echo far beyond the stage.

CAMP & SCHOOL – A guide to programs and activities

Academic support

The hours after school can feel like a sprint to bedtime. There are snacks to serve, carpools to manage, practices to attend and homework to complete all while academics remain the priority. For families whose children need extra academic support, adding tutoring to the mix can feel overwhelming.

Yet when approached thoughtfully, tutoring can become a powerful and positive investment in your child’s growth not just another obligation on an already crowded calendar.

Start With A Supportive Conversation

Before beginning the search for a tutor, talk openly with your child. Frame tutoring as support, not punishment. A simple, reassuring approach “Reading feels tricky sometimes, so we’re going to find someone who can help” emphasizes growth rather than deficiency.

Most children are aware when they’re struggling. While they may feel apprehensive, involving them in the decision fosters cooperation and reduces resistance. Encouragement and confidence from parents go a long way toward building buy-in.

The Right Fit

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to tutoring. The right setting depends on your child’s needs, personality, schedule and budget.

Some families prefer one-on-one private tutoring. Others choose small-group instruction

at a learning center or opt for online services. When evaluating options, consider class size, location convenience and cost. Research shows that consistent, frequent sessions often yield stronger academic gains.

Recommendations from teachers, guidance counselors and other parents can help narrow your search. Be sure to check references and ask about measurable results, such as improved grades, stronger test performance or increased homework completion.

Set Goals — Together

Successful tutoring works best when everyone is aligned. Teachers, tutors, parents and students should collaborate on clear, realistic goals.

Parents remain an essential part of the learning process. After each session, ask what your child is expected to practice before the next one and provide gentle support at home.

Building Skills — and Confidence

One of the greatest benefits of tutoring is individualized attention. Whether a child needs help mastering multiplication facts, expanding vocabulary or strengthening study skills, oneon-one instruction allows lessons to be tailored to specific learning styles.

Tutoring isn’t only about catching up or getting ahead. It can also help students manage learning differences, organize assignments or gain confidence in challenging subjects.

Tutors may incorporate visual aids, discussion, hands-on activities or technology depending on what resonates most with your child.

Create A Supportive Environment

If you have other children at home, establish clear expectations during tutoring sessions. Institute “quiet Hours by encouraging quiet activities such as reading, homework or creative play. Turning off televisions and limiting device use can help maintain focus. When possible, outdoor play or activities in another part of the house can give siblings space to burn off energy while preserving a calm learning environment indoors.

Coordinate breaks and boundaries. Children’s attention spans vary by age. Younger students may focus for 20 to 30 minutes before needing a short break; older students may manage 30 to 40 minutes. Work with your tutor to determine appropriate breaks, boundaries and incentives that suit your child. It’s often best for parents to step back during sessions. Hovering even with good intentions can disrupt concentration. Establish in advance where you’ll be during tutoring time, and allow your child to build independence.

Photo:Tutoring can become an opportunity for growth — not just extra homework.

Writing therapy results in veteran’s book

By ANDREW FRANCIS afrancis@liherald.com

Lifelong Freeport resident and U.S. Army Veteran William J. Marinaccio, 82, recently published a book which details much of his experiences in the military after being drafted in 1966. Entitled “Vietnam 1968: My Year in Duc Pho,” Marinaccio documents the mental and physical struggles he experienced as a soldier in the Vietnam War.

Marinaccio stated that a key motivation for writing this book, which was published in January 2026 by Bay Creek Publishing, was the deterioration of his mental and emotional health once he began retirement.

“I had terrible nightmares and anxiety from PTSD,” said Marinaccio. “A VA (Veteran Affairs) therapist had me write down so many of these things. As I was writing some of these things down, it turned out that my nightmares would start to go away, because instead of experiencing the real thing over and over again, it was just words on a page now.”

few decades. Notably, Marinaccio says that the nightmares were not present during his professional life. Being able to repurpose his stories and experiences, in addition to continued mental health services, helped Marinaccio be able to turn his nightmares into constructive testimony for others.

“I also had 300 photographs that I took in Vietnam, and I made drawings of things I didn’t have photographs of,” he explained. “So, I was able to put the book together with the help of the Freeport Historical Society.”

Before being one of over 300,000 men drafted in 1966 during the ramp up of the Vietnam War, Marinaccio had abandoned his academic career at the State University of New York at New Paltz shortly before receiving his draft notice. He would then spend four and a half months at military intelligence school at Fort Holabird in Baltimore, Maryland.

After leaving the U.S. Army with an honorable discharge in 1969, Marinaccio returned home and worked predominantly on fishing boats for the next

Marinaccio added that getting the book published has been a long time coming, with its version being finished and unpublished almost ten years ago. In June 2025, David Dodd, publisher at Bay Creek Publishing based in St. Louis, Missouri, had Marinaccio revise the book by adding in further details of how the experiences made him feel emotionally and mentally, eventually producing the finalized version.

Marinaccio advises other veterans, current military service members and their families to make mental health a priority for those leaving active duty.

“The therapist that I had… her job was to interview every returning soldier from overseas to make sure that they were mentally sane, and it turns out that as they were interviewed early on, then they could be treated early and it wouldn’t extend to the things that it did for me,” said Marinaccio. “They (other service members) should make sure that they see somebody right after they come from overseas.”

Copies of “Vietnam 1968” are available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes and Noble retailers.

and

and

Courtesy Bay Creek Publishing U.S. veteran, William J. Marinaccio chronicled his experiences

state of mind from when he experienced the gore

destruction of the Vietnam War firsthand.

WIllIAm J. mARINACCIo

Celebrating Freeport’s own Black History

district and a music teacher at John W. Dodd Middle School, is a graduate of Freeport High School and has lived in the village for more than 40 years. She is recognized as an innovative school leader, founded the Dodd Drama Company and has led other student performingarts groups.

“I’m a proud member of some incredible organizations that strive to make indelible imprints on our community daily,” Burke said, thanking Freeport and the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority for their impact on her life.

In the midst of this moment in our nation, I want to encourage everybody: Let your light shine

Frank a. WhIte Bishop, Church of God in Christ

Cumberbatch, a member of the Freeport Police Department, has made a significant impact on the community with her work in the department’s Community Outreach Unit, the village’s AdoptA-Cop program, the Girls Scouts of Nassau County and more.

“I let people know, especially the younger generations, to not limit yourself,” Cumberbatch said before the event, explaining that she endeavors to be a source of inspiration, particularly for young women. “If I can be a civil servant and protect and serve, anybody who says in their mind that they want to do it can do it.”

Gordon is a lifelong Freeport resident who made village history in 2024 when he became the first Black chief of the Freeport Fire Department.

“Black History Month is personal for me,” Gordon told the Herald. “It represents resilience, perseverance and progress. Being elected the first Black chief of the Freeport Fire Department isn’t just about me, it’s about generations before me who didn’t always get the opportunity.”

Ladonna Taylor, who also grew up in Freeport, has worked in social services and youth development in the village and for Nassau County. After earning a Ph.D. in social work, she worked for Nassau County Child Protective Services before becoming vice president of the Freeport-Roosevelt Economic Opportunity Council. She described Black history as a motivating force in her career and her life.

“It drives me, commits me to be fair, to give opportunity and to unite here in Freeport,” Taylor said after receiving her award. “Giving back isn’t something I talk about — it’s something that I have been filled (with) in my family and I commit myself to do every day.”

Watson, who also gave the keynote speech, is an accomplished journalist, biographer, activist and a professor of American Studies at SUNY Old Westbury. He is a former assistant director

bishop of the Church of God in Christ in Freeport, having inherited the leadership of the church from his late father, Bishop Frank O. White. White challenged event attendees, quoting Genesis, to be light in the midst of a dark and complex world.

“Darkness can never overcome the light, but the light will always overcome the dark,” he said. “So in the midst of this moment in our nation, I want to encourage everybody, let your light shine.”

Along with Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy and members of the village board, the attendees included State Assemblyman Noah Burroughs; the Nassau County Legislature’s alternate deputy minority leader, Debra Mulé; and Town of Hempstead Deputy Supervisor Dorothy Goosby.

The event concluded with food from Bobby

of public relations for the NAACP under Executive Director Roy Wilkins, and wrote a biography of civil rights

activist Clarence Mitchell Jr. White has been a leader in the Freeport community for over 50 years, as

Q’s Jus Like Mama’s restaurant.

the ceremony included musical and artistic performances, including a step routine by the atK alphas Step team, from the Caroline g atkinson School.

freeport deputy mayor Jorge martinez, trustee evette Sanchez, mayor robert Kennedy and trustee Jacques Butler expressed their appreciation for the village’s cultural diversity.

Honoree denton Watson was the program’s keynote speaker.

Stu Goldman/Herald photos

f ire Chief michael gordon with members of the department after receiving his Black History month honor.

Nassau boosts security amid Iran conflict

By ABIGAIL GRIECO agrieco@liherald.com

Nassau County officials said Monday they have heightened security measures and increased police deployments in response to the escalating military conflict with Iran, citing concerns about potential retaliatory attacks, self-radicalized individuals and cyber threats.

Speaking March 2 at the Ceremonial Chamber in the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said the county began reviewing and expanding its security posture immediately after the conflict began.

“As we all know, we are engaged now in a military conflict with Iran,” Blakeman said. He added that he believed the federal government’s response was “an appropriate action to take” and that “Iran has been nothing but an irritant and a danger to America for a long, long time.”

Blakeman said Nassau County is home to residents of Iranian descent, some of whom, he said, have expressed support for changes in their country of origin.

“They are now celebrating the liberation of a once great country that was taken over by a very brutal and dictatorial regime, and that is now come to an end, and I can say, on my own behalf, we are very grateful that that action was

taken by President Trump,” Blakeman said.

In Nassau, he said, public safety remains the top priority.

“That is our number one mission, and we take that mission very seriously,” he said. “When there are extraordinary events that occur — whether it’s a mass gathering, a celebration or a situation where someone may have an ax to grind — we always take special precautions.”

Blakeman said he and Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder have been in constant contact since the outbreak of hostilities, reviewing intelligence and determining how best to deploy additional resources.

Officials referenced a recent shooting at a Texas bar that authorities believe may have been motivated by the overseas conflict. While that investigation remains ongoing, Blakeman said preliminary information suggests the attack may have been influenced by events in Iran.

“That brought especially to light the fact that there may be a lone wolf that could be motivated, or even a terrorist cell that could be activated,” he said. “Therefore, we will take extraordinary precautions to make sure that our community is safe.”

Specialized units, including the Bureau of Special Operations, criminal intelligence teams and the Strategic Response Team, have been deployed. K-9

units, mounted patrols, drones and aviation assets are also in use. Ryder said officers conducted more than 1,500 visits to critical infrastructure sites over the weekend.

Police are coordinating daily with the New York City Police Department, Suffolk County Police Department, the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Ryder said, sharing intelligence across agencies.

Blakeman urged residents to assist law enforcement by reporting suspicious activity.

“If you see someone that looks suspicious, if you see a package left somewhere, a suitcase or a backpack — anything that might be suspicious — please call 911 immediately.”

He also warned residents about potential cyberattacks linked to the conflict.

“Do not open suspicious emails,” Blakeman said. “If something doesn’t look right, don’t open it. We don’t want you to be the victim of a cyberattack or someone hacking your internet or social media accounts.”

With the Jewish holiday of Purim beginning Monday evening — a celebration that often includes large gatherings and costumes — police had already planned intensified patrols, Ryder said. In light of current events, the county is asking residents not to wear masks while traveling to and from houses of worship so officers can more easily

outlined during a news conference on March 2, the heightened security measures in Nassau County following the military conflict with Iran.

identify individuals in public spaces. Blakeman said additional patrols have been assigned to Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Sikh houses of worship and schools, noting that religious institutions have historically been targets of violence.

Officials said the heightened security posture will remain in place until law enforcement determines that extraordinary measures are no longer necessary.

SEATS AVAILABLE FOR KINDERGARTEN

ROOSEVELT CHILDREN’S ACADEMY CHARTER

Abigail Grieco/Herald Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman

An invisible threat in Long Island’s waters

Researchers study acidification and its potential effects on the future of oysters and clams

By ABIGAIL GRIECO, WILL SHEELINE & JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO of the Herald Community Newspapers

Third installment in a series about water.

For generations, the waters surrounding Long Island have defined its identity — from the wide-open waterfronts of the South Shore to the shellfish beds of the North Shore. But beneath the surface, a quieter transformation is underway.

Ocean acidification is often called climate change’s “evil twin,” and refers to the lowering of the water’s pH, the scale used to measure the concentration of hydrogen ions in the water. While global warming refers to rising temperatures, acidification describes a shift in seawater chemistry.

The science begins with carbon dioxide. As levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increase — predominantly from the burning of fossil fuels — the ocean absorbs roughly 25 to 30 percent of it. When carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater, it forms carbonic acid, making the water more acidic, and lowering its pH.

farmers — industries that have experienced both revival and setbacks in recent decades — these chemical changes aren’t just theoretical. They are measurable, seasonal and, increasingly, part of daily operations.

The ‘evil twin’ of climate change

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, a nonprofit advocacy organization in New York and Connecticut, describes ocean acidification as a hidden but mounting crisis for Long Island’s waters — one intensified by warming temperatures, nitrogen pollution and poor circulation in local bays.

“It’s commonly understood that roughly a third of all carbon dioxide emissions released into the atmosphere are absorbed by the marine environment,” Esposito said. That absorption increases acidity levels in bays, estuaries and the open ocean.

The pH scale is logarithmic, meaning that even a small numerical drop represents a significant shift in chemistry. The ocean is naturally slightly alkaline, but since the Industrial Revolution, average ocean surface pH has dropped by about 0.1 units — roughly a 30 percent increase in acidity. That shift reduces the availability of carbonate ions, the building blocks shellfish such as oysters and clams need to form their calcium carbonate shells.

Ryan Wallace, assistant professor of environmental science at Adelphi University, explained that these acidity levels are not evenly distributed.

On Long Island, acidification is not driven by global carbon emissions alone. Local factors intensify the problem. Nitrogen discharged from wastewater, septic systems and fertilizer runoff flows into bays and harbors, fueling harmful algal blooms. When those blooms die and decompose, the process consumes oxygen and releases additional carbon dioxide in the water, further lowering pH.

The result is a compounding effect: global atmospheric carbon dioxide combined with local nitrogen pollution accelerates acidification in shallow, enclosed estuaries.

Warming waters add another layer of stress. As temperatures rise, marine organisms’ metabolic demands increase, but warmer water holds less dissolved oxygen. Together, warming and acidification can weaken shellfish during their most vulnerable larval stages, making it harder for them to survive and build shells.

For Long Island’s oyster and clam

Some bays and harbors on the North Shore are measured at 450 parts per million, close to the ideal level of roughly 300 ppm, while others, particularly in the western portion of Long Island Sound, measured as high as 2,000 ppm.

Wallace emphasized that while these may not sound like huge differences, even minor changes in CO2 levels can have a drastic impact.

“To put it into perspective, over the last 800,000 years or so, the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was only about 300” parts per million, Wallace explained. “Two thousand is a lot more than that, so when you get to concentrations that are that high, this can have implications for, you know, organisms that are living in these ecosystems.”

While the data reflect a global pattern, the consequences are being felt at the regional level as well. As Esposito noted, Long Island’s problems do not exist in isolation.

“It’s being exacerbated by an increase in temperature of the waterways and more nutrient runoff, such as nitrogen, going into waterways,” she said. “All of that causes unfortunate degradation to our water bodies.”

While algae is an important part of a healthy ecosystem, excess nitrogen can fuel algal blooms that, when they die off, consume oxygen and further stress marine life — compounding the chemical impacts of acidification with biological ones.

In the South Shore’s Western Bays, limited water circulation compounds the problem. Research by Stony Brook

University has shown that it can take up to 180 days for water to fully flush out through an inlet into the Atlantic Ocean. Instead, Esposito said, the water “sloshes back and forth” before eventually reaching the ocean, trapping heat and pollutants in the process.

Coastal areas such as the western portion of the Sound are especially vulnerable because of limited circulation. Wallace stressed that scientists differentiate between open-ocean acidification and coastal-ocean acidification because of the unique challenges those areas face.

In Hempstead Harbor, the issue of acidification has been a focus for local environmental organizations for decades. The Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor was formed in 1986 to address a range of environmental issues facing the area, including acidification.

Michelle Lapinel McAllister, the coalition’s programs director, explained that pH monitoring is one of the core services that the nonprofit provides for the harbor. Measuring occurs yearround, with particular emphasis from May to October, when the harbor, in

common with other waterways, sees annual spikes in nitrogen levels.

“Each season we will see periods of low dissolved oxygen, and whenever dissolved oxygen gets low, then we’ll see pH drop as well,” Lapinel McAllister said. “That will typically happen around the hottest part of the year.”

Another complication is the fact that enclosed waters respond more quickly to environmental stressors than the open ocean, meaning local ecosystems can feel the impacts sooner and more intensely.

“The more stagnant the water body is, the more these acidity levels build up,” Esposito said. “The more the temperature builds up, the more damage the increase in acidity levels can do.”

She described three primary consequences of ocean acidification: “reduced water quality, the impact on shellfish and finfish and the degradation of the overall habitat due to low oxygen.”

Shellfish such as oysters and clams struggle to build and maintain their shells in more acidic conditions, while

Joseph D’Alessandro/Herald

Peter Martin, the shellfish restoration manager of the Flax Pond Marine Laboratory, sterilizing a flask of algae with a blowtorch before exposing it to the air.

Rising acidity, rising stakes for coastal shellfish

Continued from PreViouS PAGe

finfish larvae have lower survival rates — threatening both the ecosystem and the region’s maritime economy.

“Acidification actually reduces the availability of carbonate ions that are needed for these organisms to build their shells, so that’s a major issue,” Wallace said. “Like shellfish aquaculture, it can impact fisheries, and then there’s this cascading effect that can influence things like recreational activities and tourism.”

This is especially relevant because shellfish play an important role in regulating nitrogen levels. An adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, depending on size and environmental conditions, while a clam can filter roughly half that.

Across Long Island, and across the country, local environmental organizations and governments are throwing their support behind shellfish hatcheries and protection programs, including the towns of Hempstead, Oyster Bay and Babylon. Lapinel McAllister explained that while these efforts serve an important role in safeguarding healthy ecosystems, they can’t singlehandedly save marine ecosystems.

“On their own, shellfish can’t improve the water quality to healthy levels,” she said, “but having a good, healthy, strong population is going to be part of that overall puzzle of maintaining the stability of pH over long term.”

While local efforts to restore wetlands, upgrade sewage-treatment plants and rebuild shellfish populations are making progress, Esposito said the root cause remains global. “The main culprit of ocean acidification is the burning of fossil fuels,” she said. “The only thing we can do is support more renewable energy so that we’re not pouring more carbon dioxide into the waterways.”

The wet work of marine scientists

Across Long Island, scientists are working together to find ways to improve the quality of local waters. A leading solution is all-organic: Restoring local populations of filter-feeders could, with careful management, bear the brunt of decontamination efforts.

The Flax Pond Marine Laboratory, in Old Field, is nestled in the marshes of the North Shore, overlooking the Long Island Sound. This laboratory is a research hatchery, working toward “improving local coastal water quality and replenishing natural shellfish populations,” according to its shellfish restoration manager, Peter Martin.

The facility’s current focus is the Ribbed Mussel Bioextraction Project, in which staff test what growth strategies lead to the healthiest shellfish that could be reintroduced to coastal waters to rejuvenate them.

“There’s a lot of coastal communities and little inlets and even out-of-use small pockets of water that are just polluted and are in need of cleaner water,” Martin said. “Fundamentally … shellfish are natural filters. All they do is filter feed, so they’re cleaning the water as they grow.”’

“One of the big pollutants that we’re focused on is nitrogen removal,” hatchery Research Specialist Ashley Lopez said. “Shellfish take in the bad form of nitrogen, process it in their body, and they still expel some nitrogen, but it’s a safe and more bioavailable kind of nitrogen.”

The ribbed mussel program is exploring new methods of shellfish cultivation; according to Lopez, there is no consensus in the field about growing large amounts of these shellfish. In their nascence, ribbed mussels have delicate health — a larva is as small as a grain of sand. The Citizens Campaign for the Environment staff regularly sterilize equipment and filter externally sourced seawater to minimize diseases and infections from plankton and bacteria.

The researchers grow eight different varieties of algae to feed adult ribbed mussels, which are kept in temperature-stabilized basins. This conditioning pro-

nonprofits like the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor play a vital role in the fight against acidification. Staff members such as michelle Lapinel mcAllister, right, programs director, and Carol diPaolo, water-monitoring coordinator, track pH levels and coordinate a shellfish restoration program to keep the harbor healthy.

Acidification, by the numbers

■ 30 percent of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean.

■ From 2008 to 2017, fossil fuel burning and land use changes were responsible for 40 billion tons of emissions per year.

■ Surface waters are 30 percent more acidic than their pre-industrial levels.

■ While the ocean on average has seen a 0.06 decrease in pH units, meaning increasing acidity, since 1985, the Long Island Sound has seen a decrease of 0.04 per decade, according to UConn Marine Sciences.

■ In the past 25 years, the $6 billion clamming industry has seen a 93 percent reduction in harvests, according to the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation.

■ More than 12,000 acres of Long Island waterways have been closed to shellfishing due to algal blooms, according to the Suffolk County Health Department.

■ 76 percent of the nitrogen in the waters off Long Island — home to 40 percent of the state’s population — comes from faulty septic systems.

cess is meant to “ripen the gonads” of the mussels and help them reproduce as effectively as possible, according to Martin.

“What we’re doing is trying to find out the best way

to grow a lot of them from birth on and have them actually survive,” Lopez said. “And the starting point, we think, is the feeding regimens that we’re giving them. So that’s why we’re doing different diets — to see what kind of spawn they produce and see how the larvae survive after that.”

“This two-year project is Phase Two of a larger project,” Martin added. “Phase One was from ’23 to ’25. Each phase is getting further and further, doing more to figure out the best way to grow these things.”

In addition to ribbed mussel cultivation, CCE staff are involved with other restoration efforts, including a Community Aquaculture Restoration and Education program, in which scientists partner with community volunteers to sow “spat-on-shell” oysters into local estuaries, from which larvae will grow and mature into underwater custodians.

The Flax Pond hatchery works with groups ranging from the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County and Stony Brook University to the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. It is one ecological collective of many working toward improving the quality of local waters from the east end of Long Island to the shores of Nassau County.

Setting course for a healthier future

Even as Long Island’s waterways face the threat of rising acidification, the experts emphasize that all is not lost. Thanks to the efforts of the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor and other environmental groups, the region’s waters have bounced back from near-toxic levels of acidity, not to mention numerous pollutionrelated threats of the 1980s.

According to Wallace, the efforts of scientists and local volunteers, from the South Shore to coastal Connecticut, to monitor and address these issues have already made an impact.

“There’s been a lot of positives,” he said, “but we can’t stop there. There’s more work to be done.”

Herald file photo

The physical therapist with a mission to serve

By HAILEY FULMER hfulmer@liherald.com

Emilian Emeagwali has built a life rooted in service, driven by a deep, generational commitment to uplifting and supporting the community around her.

Born and raised in Onitsha, Nigeria, Emeagwali, 60, emigrated to the United States in 1992, where she faced a dramatic change of lifestyle. In Nigeria, she had been surrounded by support, with help raising a baby girl and managing her daily responsibilities. “Everybody was helping with the baby,” she said. “I was like a queen.”

In America there was no such support system, leaving her to adjust to life with just her husband and their daughter, and to take on a variety of responsibilities herself, from child care to cooking and cleaning.

Determined to adapt, Emeagwali immersed herself in American culture. She spent time watching movies, listening to the news and reading books to better understand her new environment. Even everyday things like food and weather required adjustment.

After moving from Nigeria, Emeagwali received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brooklyn College. In 2003 she enrolled at Stony Brook University, where she earned a doctorate degree in physical therapy. Balancing school and family life proved difficult, because she was commuting 50 miles from Elmont and now caring for two children.

Despite these challenges, Emeagwali remained focused on her goal of helping others. After finishing her degree, she was motivated to continue her education by a desire to make an impact.

Her psychology classes helped her understand how to approach and connect with people, but she ultimately felt she could make a greater difference through physical therapy. While working as a therapist’s assistant in hospital settings, she became dissatisfied with the fastpaced environment, in which she often treated multiple patients in a short period of time.

Wanting to provide more personalized care, Emeagwali decided to open her own practice. In 2007 she founded State of the Art PT OT, a clinic in Valley Stream that has now been serving patients for nearly two decades. Her approach centers on treating people with the same care and attention she would give her own family.

That philosophy, she said, stems from her upbringing. As a child, she watched her parents give money to people in need, ensuring that they had food to eat. That instilled in her a lasting commitment to helping others and giving back.

“That is how I was raised,” she said. “I think that was embedded in me when growing up.”

In 2009, Emeagwali expanded that mission by founding the nonprofit Giving Back to Community Corp., headquartered in Valley Stream. The organization, which is funded by fundraisers and donations, focuses

on providing food, educational resources and other support to underserved people in surrounding communities as well as in Nigeria.

Whether through her clinic or her nonprofit work, Emeagwali’s impact extends far beyond individual patients, strengthening entire communities and carrying forward the values that first inspired her to give back.

At South Nassau, a steady hand in cardiac care

By ABIGAIL GRIECO agrieco@liherald.com

As director of noninvasive cardiology at Mount Sinai South Nassau, Dr. Pilar Stevens-Haynes has built a career centered on precision, compassion and the belief that medicine can be both life-saving and lifechanging.

That sense of connection is what ultimately steered her toward cardiology. Born and raised in the Elmont/ Valley Stream area, Stevens-Haynes discovered her love of science in high school, drawn to biology and fascinated by a senior-year anatomy and physiology elective.

Though she once envisioned herself as a surgeon, clinical rotations changed her mind. “I thought I would just love surgery,” she said. “But I actually found I loved speaking to patients. In surgery, your patients are unconscious.”

Instead she chose a field that allows her to combine long-term patient relationships with moments of dramatic intervention. While many areas of internal medicine focus on managing chronic illness, StevensHaynes noted that cardiology allows physicians to intervene in acute, life-threatening situations — heart attacks, heart failure or dangerous arrhythmias — and dramatically improve outcomes.

“In cardiology, you can treat someone and sometimes give them back the life they had before,” she said. “I find true joy in taking care of people over time and watching them heal.”

A graduate of SUNY Geneseo, Stevens-Haynes completed her medical training in the Mount Sinai system before joining South Nassau over a decade ago. Her current role centers on cardiac imaging, from

electrocardiograms and echocardiograms to multiple forms of stress testing. Four days a week she oversees the lab, ensuring that the facility meets national accreditation standards.

“The lab has to do what it says it’s going to do,” Stevens-Haynes said. “We have to perform the studies accurately and meet the standards that are set.”

Patient care remains central to her. “I’ve got the best

of both worlds,” she said. “I get to practice medicine, but I also get to do a little bit of curative medicine.”

Throughout her career, she has also navigated the realities of being one of few women — and often the only woman of color — in the room. “You have to get very comfortable by being the one and only,” StevensHaynes said. Early on, she admitted, she was “very, very quiet and shy,” hesitant to draw attention to herself. Over time, however, she came to recognize the importance of representation.

“Patients will say how wonderful it is to see women physicians and to see people that look like them take care of them,” she said. “They trust me because I look like me.”

Mentorship has become one of the most meaningful aspects of Steven-Haynes’s work. She recalled sitting down with a tearful young physician who worried that starting a family would jeopardize her medical career. Stevens-Haynes encouraged her to do both. That physician is now a cardiology fellow.

“It’s important that women know they can have grand professional goals and personal goals — and achieve them,” she said.

Stevens-Haynes credits academic medicine with offering flexibility that has allowed her to balance professional growth with family life. She and her husband, Hector Luna, are raising four children in Baldwin. She remains driven by the passion that first led her into medicine, and by her belief that physicians can build meaningful careers without sacrificing the aspects of life that matter most.

“Even if it feels overwhelming or like an all-boys club, you can find your niche anywhere,” she said. “Chase your dreams. You don’t have to sacrifice.”

Courtesy Emilian Emeagwali Emilian Emeagwali, a physical therapist and the founder of the nonprofit Giving Back to Community Corp., is originally from Onitsha, Nigeria.

influential women on long island

Joan whitney Payson co-founder and owner new York Mets grace hartigan abstract expressionist painter

Courtesy Mount Sinai South Nassau

Dr. Pilar Stevens-Haynes, left, a Long Island native and the director of noninvasive cardiology at Mount Sinai South Nassau, examined an echocardiography image with lead echocardiographer Iris Cruz.

New ICE office in Woodbury sparks concerns

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is renting office space in Woodbury for what could be as many as 40 agency attorneys, Newsday has reported. The move is drawing concern from immigration advocates and prompting calls for transparency from local officials.

Last month, ICE began leasing offices in a four-story building at 88 Froehlich Farm Blvd., according to Craig J. Padover, president of the Hauppaugebased Aresco Management, which owns the property. The space, Padover said, is being used for legal offices, but he did not confirm the size or extent of the lease, nor could he verify how many ICE attorneys would ultimately work there.

He added that the space would not be used to house detained immigrants.

The expansion comes as controversy intensifies over President Trump’s deportation campaign. ICE received nearly $80 billion in funding through Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” passed last July, increasing the number of agents from roughly 10,000 to 22,000 this year, making it the largest-funded federal law enforcement agency.

ICE already maintains a presence at the federal courthouse in Central Islip and at the Nassau County Correctional Center in East Meadow, where detained

Luke Feeney/Herald

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is leasing office space at 88 Froehlich Farm Blvd. in Woodbury.

migrants are housed. Agents covering Long Island are based primarily in New York City offices.

“One of the most important things to remember is that the Department of Homeland Security and [Secretary] Kristi Noem has not been transparent about what’s going on,” Sylvia LivitsAyass, a partner at Livits Ayass Baskin PLLC and the immigration chair of the Nassau County Bar Association, said.

In Central Islip, marked and unmarked vans have been seen near district courts. Attorneys from ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor repre -

sent the Department of Homeland Security in immigration-removal proceedings, and can facilitate warrants and enforcement actions.

“My guess is that there will be a ramp-up in ICE presence in Nassau and Suffolk, and they’re probably going to try and facilitate these enforcement actions through warrants and by supporting these operations,” Livits-Ayass said, emphasizing that that remains speculation.

She explained that there are different types of warrants. An administrative warrant is not reviewed by a federal

judge, and is often signed by an ICE officer or agency official. A judicial warrant, by contrast, must be signed by a U.S. District Court judge and typically identifies the court, the name and birth date of the subject of the warrant, and the address to be searched.

“Just because they have a warrant doesn’t mean they can go wherever they want,” Livits-Ayass said.

Because immigration court for downstate New York is at Federal Plaza in Manhattan, she added, the Woodbury lease is surprising. She suggested that it could signal expanded enforcement operations, but also noted that it could simply be cost-effective for ICE to house its attorneys on Long Island. “The bottom line is we don’t know,” she said, “because they’re not telling anybody.”

In a letter to Noem, Rep. Tom Suozzi asked if the lease was accurate and how ICE has engaged with local governments.

In a statement to the Herald, Suozzi wrote, “Expanding deportation operations in safe communities creates fear and undermines trust in local enforcement, and would be a bad policy. Our focus should be on removing dangerous criminals while protecting families who contribute to our local economy and way of life.”

ICE offices in New York City did not respond to the Herald’s request for comment.

STEP RIGHT UP

Ringling reinvents the Big Top

By Abbey Salvemini

Get ready to cheer, dance and gasp — the legendary Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is back, and it’s dazzling audiences in ways few could have imagined. The self-proclaimed “Greatest Show on Earth” has been boldly reimagined for a new generation, bringing a high-voltage spectacle to UBS Arena from March 6 through March 8.

This is not the circus of decades past. Gone are the traditional three rings and animal acts; in their place is a fast-paced, immersive experience that blends worldclass acrobatics, cutting-edge choreography, live music and vibrant storytelling. The arena transforms into a colorful celebration that feels as much like a concert and dance party as a circus performance.

The energy begins the moment everyone walks through the doors. An interactive pre-show sets the tone, introducing audiences to the dynamic Ringling Hype Crew — a lively cast of dancers and performers who invite everyone to move, clap and join in the fun. Before the first aerialist soars or the first stunt takes flight, the crowd is already part of the action.

At its heart are the performers.

• Friday March 6, 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8, 11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m.

• Tickets start at $39.35, $20 kids tickets for all performances; available at ticketmaster.com

• UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont

The 65-person cast, representing 17 countries, is a truly international ensemble that fuses time-honored circus traditions with bold, contemporary feats. Among the most buzzed-about moments is the crisscross trapeze act, in which elite aerialists launch themselves along intersecting flight paths, slicing through the air in breathtaking near-misses that leave audiences holding their collective breath.

The stars of this new incarnation of circus include 33-year-old trapeze artist Miles Postlethwait. He grew up in Florida, attending Ringling shows (and Disney on Ice). Caught up in the spectacle, he in love with trapeze at age 10. A trapeze performer for 10 years (six professionally), he landed at Ringling in November.

Recalling his early circus memories: “I remember going to see Ringling Bros when I was very young. Honestly, what I remember most was the toys (specifically the dragon sword) and the cotton candy. But my mom tells me I was enamored with the acrobats.”

That fascination stuck, leading him to his tour “home” and what’s now billed as “The Greatest Party On Earth,” according to the Ringling mantra.

“Who wouldn’t want to be a part of The Greatest Show On Earth? I saw the previous tour multiple times and loved the show. It’s nonstop fun because you’re part of the show the whole time, interacting with other performers and the audience,” Postlethwait says.

The vibe is fueled by today’s cultural influences — reimagined through the lens of pop culture, concerts and festivals.

Back to the aforementioned trapeze stunt, he points out that the crisscross rig is unique and requires intense precision, but years of training make the nearmisses almost instinctive.

“It keeps me on my toes, and the crowd’s reaction

STEPPING OUT

courtesy Feld Entertainment

A 150-year tradition leaps into the future as the reimagined spectacle delivers fresh thrills, bold artistry and gravity-defying feats that redefine the modern circus.

is incredible.”

The thrills keep on coming. Other highlights include the Double Wheel of Destiny, in which four daredevils leap and jump rope on spinning wheels.

A Chinese acrobatic bicycle act, created exclusively for Ringling, features gravity-defying human pyramids and fearless athleticism, with one acrobat running across the backs of nine moving bike riders. Salsa Colombia, a fiery dance and acrobatics troupe, brings the energy of Latin rhythms to the arena floor. And audiences are fascinated by Cam, a content creator and unicycle rider, who stacks up to 25 wheels towering nearly 35 feet high. Also watch out for Bailey the Robo Pup, a high-tech canine character and PT (Party Time), Ringling’s first-ever hype character, who keeps the crowd engaged and amplifies the celebratory atmosphere.

Giant LED screens and cameras capture acrobats from impossible angles, giving every seat the feel of front-row access.

Music powers the show. A DJ spins everything from hip-hop to Latin beats, driving the action from start to finish, with beat drops, live drumming and dance battles.

Those in the audience are not just spectators — they’re all in. Kids are drawn into onstage interactions, while the LED screens highlight stunts from content creator Cam, adding an extra layer of excitement. From split-second trapeze timing to jaw-dropping acrobatics, the spectacle keeps everyone on the edge of their seats while leaving lasting memories for all involved. The result is a full-on celebration with a festival-style energy that transforms classic circus elements.

Postlethwait sums it up simply: “It’s a super fun, energetic party. Families come and say everybody had a blast. It’s a show where kids aren’t just watching — they’re a part of the action.”

Perhaps most importantly, according to Postlethwait, the spectacle inspires young audiences to dream big.

“I hope they see that anything is possible. Circus acts show that humans’ limits go so much further than we think.”

Whether you’re in it for the stunts, the music or the interactive fun, this version of “The Greatest Show On Earth” promises something for everyone. Experience firsthand why Ringling Bros. has thrilled audiences for generations — now with a fresh, modern twist that makes the circus feel entirely new.

Jessie’s Girl

Drag out that neon once again and give your hair its best ‘80s ‘do. Those crazy days are back — as only Jessie’s Girl can pull off, on the Paramount stage. The band of NYC’s top rock/pop musicians and singers gets everyone into that “Back To The Eighties” vibe with the latest edition of their popular concert experience. With a lineup including four pop-rock vocalists dressing and performing as 80s icons, backed by a dynamic band, this is the definitive ‘80s experience. Jessie’s Girl’s primary line-up includes a team of NYC’s top rock and pop vocalists: Jenna O’Gara, Jerome Bell-Bastien, and Mark Rinzel. They are backed by one of the tightest bands in the city comprised of 20+ year veterans of the NYC music scene, each with dozens of credits performing with authentic ‘80s icons who made the music famous to begin with! Their motto: There’s no decade like the Eighties and no party like Back To The Eighties with Jessie’s Girl.

Friday, March 6, 8 p.m. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

South Shore Symphony welcomes Jane Monheit

With a voice radiating warmth, refinement and emotional depth, jazz vocalist Jane Monheit brings her celebrated interpretations of Great American Songbook classics to the Madison Theatre in a special collaboration with the South Shore Symphony Orchestra. Renowned for breathing fresh life into beloved standards, she headlines an unforgettable afternoon, blending the intimacy of jazz with the grandeur of full orchestral sound. Under the baton of Music Director Adam Glaser, the South Shore Symphony accompanies her in a series of orchestral arrangements that highlight both her vocal artistry and the timeless beauty of these enduring songs. The program also offers audiences a more intimate jazz club feel, with Monheit backed by a trio, including Glaser on piano, for several selections.

Sunday, March 8, 3 p.m. Molloy University campus, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444.

Photos

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

Molloy University’s CAP21 Musical Theatre students tackle Shakespeare. The Bard’s beloved comedy is a magical tale that explores the irrationality of love, desire, friendship, jealousy and magic. When the mortal worlds of four young lovers and a bungling group of amateur actors collide with a feuding fairy kingdom in a mystical forest on a midsummer eve, romantic misadventures ensue, causing chaos that only a bit of fairy magic can sort out.

• Where: Madison Theatre, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: 8 p.m.; also March 7, 2 and 8 p.m.; March 8, 3 p.m.

• Contact: madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444

Talking About Literature

Freeport Library welcomes all to a lunchtime book discussion on the novel “Orbital,” by Samantha Harvey. The book follows six astronauts as they orbit Earth in the International Space Station.

• Where: 144 West Merrick Road

• Time: Noon

• Contact: freeportlibrary.info or (516) 379-3274

Family theater

Long Island Children’s Museum stages “Pete the Cat,” the charming musical based on the book series by Kimberly and James Dean. Life is certainly an adventure for Pete, no matter where he winds up. So the minute the groovy blue cat meets The Biddles, he gets the whole family rocking. That is, except for young Jimmy Biddle, the most organized second grader on planet Earth. But when Jimmy draws a blank in art class during the last week of school, it turns out Pete is the perfect pal to help him out. Together, they set out on a mission to help Jimmy conquer second grade art, and along the way, they both learn a little something new about inspiration. $11 with museum admission ($9 members), $15 theater only.

• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

• Time: 10:15 a.m. and noon; also March 7, March 11-12

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

Double Dutch

This newly added Freeport Recreation Center winter program invites children in grade 1 and up,

Celtic Woman

mar

The Grammy-nominated global sensation returns to the stage with their highly anticipated new tour, Celtic Woman — A New Era. Featuring the mesmerizing talents of Mairéad Carlin, Muirgen O’Mahony, Ciara Ní Mhurchú, and the dynamic new addition Caitríona Sherlock, this production fuses the ensemble’s signature ethereal harmonies with innovative orchestrations, captivating stagecraft, and a contemporary energy that honors Ireland’s rich musical and cultural legacy while embracing Celtic Woman’s ongoing evolution. Audiences will be transported on a spellbinding journey through Irish music, from timeless classics to stirring original compositions. The evening promises breathtaking vocal performances, intricate instrumental mastery, and the rhythmic grace of traditional Irish dance. Accompanied by a full ensemble, the performers bring to life Celtic staples — including the bagpipe, bodhrán, tin whistles, and Uilleann pipes — creating a lush and immersive soundscape that resonates with both tradition and modernity. From evocative Irish ballads and contemporary favorites to classical masterpieces and fresh original songs, their tour celebrates the vibrancy of modern Ireland while paying tribute to centuries of musical heritage. It is a concert experience that blends elegance, passion, and cultural storytelling, offering audiences an unforgettable evening of artistry, energy and enchantment.

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

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

a full orchestra.

• Where: 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: 3 p.m.

• Contact: madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444

Giblyn PTA Meeting

accompanied by an adult, to learn the basics of simple and engaging double Dutch routines.

All skill levels are welcome.

• Where: 130 East Merrick Road

• Time: Noon

• Contact: (516) 377-2314

S.T.O.P. Collection

The Town of Hempstead encourages residents to clean their homes of hazardous materials. Dispose of such toxic items as antifreeze, drain cleans, pesticides, fluorescent bulbs, and oil-based paints at a S.T.O.P collection event.

• Where: Eisenhower Park, Parking Field 3, East Meadow

• Time: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Contact: Contact: hempsteadny.gov or call (516) 378-4210

Climate Change: How To Help Our Planet

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes families with kids ages 6-10 to explore how climate change impacts our environment and learn ways both scientists and families can help protect it. These workshops are part of a scientific study surrounding climate education.

• Where: 11 Davis Ave.,

Garden City

• Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30-2:30 p.m.

• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800

Larson Legacy Concert

Acclaimed composer and 2025 Jonathan Larson Grant recipient Dylan MarcAurele performs at Adelphi University Performing Arts Center continuing Adelphi’s tradition of showcasing emerging talents in musical theater. MarcAurele, recognized for his innovative contributions to the genre, performs selections from his current projects, including the critically acclaimed musical “Pop Off, Michelangelo!, which recently enjoyed a successful run in London. His concert is a cabaret-style showcase of music from past productions and future productions (including his upcoming parody musical “Heated Rivalry” that sold out in a matter of hours). Joining him are Taylor Fagins, Mateo Chavez Lewis, and Yael Rizowy.

• Where: Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City

• Time: 3 p.m.

• Contact: adelphi.edu/pac or (516) 877-4000

Professional Championship Bull Riders

Buckle up — ’cause you ain’t seen nothin’ like this before.

The PCB has been a full-throttle tour de force: a mano-a-toro showdown where the toughest cowboys on the planet face off against the rankest bulls in the game. May the boldest rider win. And it’s not just the cowboys. Watch the cowgirls blaze through barrel racing, showcasing speed, agility and sheer determination in a race for the fastest times.

• Where: Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com

Jane Monheit in concert

Internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist

Jane Monheit joins the South Shore Symphony for their next concert. Monheit’s signature warm, expressive sound enhances the lush orchestral arrangements. Known for her elegant interpretations of jazz standards and contemporary classics, she brings her rich vocals to the symphonic stage for a performance that blends jazz sophistication with the power of

Come learn about the current state of the Leo F. Giblyn Elementary School and discuss the issues and matters impacting tudents.

• Where: 450 South Ocean Ave.

• Time: 6 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 867-5260 mar

Dodd Honor Society Induction

The best and brightest of J.W. Dodd Middle School are celebrated during an induction ceremony for the Dodd National Junior Honor Society. Parents, guardians and families are invited to attend the special program.

• Where: 25 Pine St.

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 867-5280 mar

11

An intimate chat with Valerie Bertinelli

Long Island LitFest hosts an appearance by the actress-turned-author on her book tour, at the Madison Theatre. Moderated by Paulina Porizkova, Bertinelli’s most vulnerable book yet, “Getting Naked,” offers wisdom hard-won through divorce, menopause and generational pain, with a powerful message of self-acceptance and embracing the past with compassion. Each ticket includes a signed copy.

• Where: Madison Theatre, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: 7 p.m. mar

Having an event?

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

March 5, 2026 —

LEGAL NOTICE

Public Notices

SURROGATE’S COURTNASSAU COUNTYNEW YORK

SUPPLEMENTAL CITATION

File No. 2025-2068

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, By the Grace of God Free and Independent. TO: Michael Slass, Pamela Slass, Elizabeth Slass, and to the unknown heirs at law, and the next of kin of Spencer Michlow, deceased, if they be living, and if they be dead, to their Executors, Administrators, Creditors and Lienors, their husbands or wives or successors in interest.

A Petition having been filed by Barbara Selwitz, who is domiciled at 320 Central Park West, New York, New York 10025, praying for a decree that the Last Will and Testament of Spencer Michlow be admitted to Probate and that Letters Testamentary be issued to said Barbara Selwitz. YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TO SHOW CAUSE before the Surrogate’s Court, Nassau County, at 262 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York on March 11, 2026 at 9:30 AM in the forenoon of that day why a decree should not be made in the Estate of Spencer Michlow, lately domiciled at 335 Arthur Street, Freeport, New York 11520 admitting to probate a Will dated December 23, 2023 as the will of Spencer Michlow, deceased, relating to real and personal property, and directing that Letters Testamentary issue to Barbara Selwitz, 320 Central Park West, New York, New York 10025.

NOTICE: THIS SUPPLEMENTAL CITATION IS SERVED UPON YOU AS REQUIRED BY LAW. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO APPEAR. IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR IT WILL BE ASSUMED YOU DO NOT OBJECT TO THE RELIEF RQUESTED. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY APPEAR FOR YOU.

Dated, attested and Sealed, January 13, 2026 Hon. David P. Sullivan Judge of the Surrogate’s Court Attorney for Petitioner: William F. Chimeri, Esq., 113 W. Sunrise Hwy., Freeport, New York 11520

516-238-7145 wchimeri@gmail.com 158372

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. SAMINA ASAD, ET AL., Defendant (s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on February 19, 2025 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 March 16, 2026 at 3:30 PM, premises known as 644 GUY LOMBARDO AVENUE, FREEPORT, NY 11520. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 62, Block: 102, Lot: 222. Approximate amount of judgment is $640,750.60 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 620490/2023. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Mortgagee’s attorney, or the Referee.

PAUL MELI, Esq., Referee

Roach & Lin, P.C., 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 185, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff 158369

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, Plaintiff, vs. RICOT PAILLANT, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale After Inquest and Appointment of Referee duly entered on January 27, 2020, 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 March 23, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as

1395 Circle Drive West, North Baldwin, NY 11510. 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, Section 36, Block 468-02 a/k/a 46802 and Lot 48. Approximate amount of judgment is $485,221.39 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 602216/2019. Cash will not be accepted. Ellen Durst, Esq., Referee

Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff 158485

LEGAL NOTICE Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action Supreme Court Of The State Of New York County Of Nassau ACTION TO FORECLOSE A MORTGAGE INDEX #: 610076/2024 U.S. Bank Trust, N.A., As Trustee For LSF10 Master Participation Trust Plaintiff, vs Alexis W. Ramos AKA Alexis Ramos, Ikiesha T. Alshabazz AKA Ikiesha Alshabazz, AKA Ikiesha Al-Shabazz, Aka Ikiesha Al-Shabazz Whittaker Moses Boone, AKA Ikiesha Whittaker As Heir To The Estate Of Janet D. Whittaker, Shamgod J. Whittaker, Sr. AKA Shamgod J. Whittaker, AKA Shamgod Whittaker As Heir To The Estate Of Janet D. Whittaker, Unknown Heirs Of Janet D. Whittaker AKA Janet D. Whitaker, AKA Janet Whittaker If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have An Interest In, Or General Or Specific Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Nex t Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All

Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, People Of The State Of New York, United States Of America On Behalf Of The IRS, New York State Department Of Taxation And Finance John Doe (Those unknown tenants, occupants, persons or corporations or their heirs, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, assignees, creditors or successors claiming an interest in the mortgaged premises.) Defendant(s).

MORTGAGED

PREMISES: 62 Ann Drive South Freeport, NY 11520 To the Above named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Nassau. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Unknown Heirs of Janet D. Whittaker AKA Janet D. Whitaker, AKA Janet Whittaker Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served

upon you by publicatio n, pursuant to an order of HON. Jeffrey A. Goodstein of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Ninth day of February, 2026 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, in the City of Mineola. The object of this action is to foreclosure a mortgage upon the premises described below, dated September 24, 2007, executed by Alexis W. Ramos AKA Alexis Ramos and Janet D. Whittaker AKA Janet D. Whitaker, AKA Janet Whittaker (who died a resident of the county of Nassau, State of New York) to secure the sum of $328,776.00. The Mortgage was recorded at Book M 32422, Page 117 in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk on October 17, 2007. Said Mortgage was subsequently modified by a Loan Modification Agreement executed by Alexis W. Ramos AKA Alexis Ramos and Janet D. Whittaker AKA Janet D. Whitaker, AKA Janet Whittaker on February 21, 2011 and recorded May 6, 2011 in Book M 36015, Page 922 in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk. The mortga ge was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed December 6, 2012 and recorded on January 7, 2013, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book M 38154, Page 573. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed May 24, 2013 and recorded on September 30, 2013, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book M 39198, Page 551. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed January 18, 2018 and recorded on February 20, 2018, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book M 42684, Page 898. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed March 14, 2019 and recorded on March 26, 2019, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book M 43359, Page 909. Said Mortgage was subsequently modified by a Loan Modification Agreement executed by Alexis W. Ramos AKA

Alexis Ramos and Janet D. Whittaker AKA Janet D. Whitaker, AKA Janet

Whittaker on August 23, 2019 and recorded October 29, 2019 in Book M 43770, Page 915 in the Office of t he Nassau County Clerk. The mortgage was subsequently modified by a Deferral Agreement on August 8, 2022. The property in question is described as follows: 62 Ann Drive South, Freeport, NY 11520 HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS IN FORECLOSURE NEW YORK STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE SEND YOU THIS NOTICE ABOUT THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME. IF YOU FAIL TO RESPOND TO THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR HOME. PLEASE READ THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT CAREFULLY. YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT AN ATTORNEY OR YOUR LOCAL LEGAL AID OFFICE TO OBTAIN ADVICE ON HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF. SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE The state encourages you to become informed about your options in foreclosure. In addition to seeking assistance from an attorney or legal aid office, there are government agencies and non-profit organizations that you may contact for information about possible options, inclu ding trying to work with your lender during this process. To locate an entity near you, you may call the toll-free helpline maintained by the New York State Department of Financial Services at 1-800-342-3736 or the Foreclosure Relief Hotline 1-800-269-0990 or visit the department’s website at WWW.DFS.NY.GOV. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME AT THIS TIME. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO STAY IN YOUR HOME DURING THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME UNLESS AND UNTIL YOUR PROPERTY IS SOLD AT AUCTION PURSUANT TO A JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AND

SALE. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN YOUR HOME, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PROPERTY AND PAY PROPERTY TAXES IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL LAW. FORECLOSURE RESCUE SCAMS Be careful of people who approach you with offers to “save” your home. There are individuals who watch for notices of foreclosure actions in order to unfairl y profit from a homeowner’s distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay them a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profit to enter into a contract which fully describes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from you until they have completed all such promised services. § 1303 NOTICE 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: February 11, 2026 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221 The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 89113 158427

LEGAL NOTICE REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU LPP MORTGAGE, INC. F/K/A LPP MORTGAGE LTD., Plaintiff - against - GERARD Y. OLIVIER A/K/A GERARD OLIVIER, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on January 3, 2025. 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 the 19th day of March, 2026 at 2:00 PM. All that certain plot, piece, or parcel of land situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Premises known as 134 North Long Beach Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520.

(Section: 55., Block: 384., Lot: 39) Approximate amount of lien $633,213.36 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Index No. 613787/2022. John Boklak, Esq., Referee. Stein, Wiener & Roth LLP

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 1400 Old Country Road, Suite 315 Westbury, NY 11590 Tel. 516-742-1212 OLIVIER-79584

Dated: January 19, 2026

During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale. Auction Locations are subject to change. 158418

Place a notice by phone at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU

DEUTSCHE BANK

NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR HSI ASSET

SECURITIZATION CORPORATION TRUST

2006-OPT3, MORTGAGE-PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES

2006-OPT3, -againstTERESA BYRD, AS VOLUNTARY

ADMINISTRATRIX AND AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JOEL

JOHNSON A/K/A JOEL

F. JOHNSON, 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 September 17, 2024, wherein DEUTSCHE BANK

NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR HSI ASSET

SECURITIZATION CORPORATION TRUST

2006-OPT3, MORTGAGE-PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES

2006-OPT3 is the Plaintiff and TERESA BYRD, AS VOLUNTARY ADMINISTRATRIX AND AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JOEL

JOHNSON A/K/A JOEL

F. JOHNSON, 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 March 26, 2026 at 2:00PM, premises known as 49 SHONNARD AVENUE, FREEPORT, NY 11520; and the following tax map identification: 55-225-465 & 466. 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 FREEPORT, 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.: 608875/2019. Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq.Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid,

Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 158614

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., -againstCRAIG FORLADER, 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 January 6, 2026, wherein WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. is the Plaintiff and CRAIG FORLADER, 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 March 26, 2026 at 2:00PM, premises known as 154 SOUTHSIDE AVE, FREEPORT, NY 11520; and the following tax map identification: 62-078-6.

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF FREEPORT, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 611243/2023. 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. 158616

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. DARIO CHARLES, et al, Defts. Index #603899/2023.

Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered April 1, 2024, I will sell at public auction on the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on March 31, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. prem. k/a Section 36, Block M, Lot 20 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. Foreclosure auction will be held “rain or shine.” If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the sale. MERIK AARON, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Dr., Great Neck, NY. #102796 158610

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

NASSAU COUNTY

ATCF II NEW YORK

LLC, Plaintiff against ROBERT STERLING VAILES, et al

Defendant(s)

Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Hersko & Ehrenreich P.C., 555 Willow Avenue, Cedarhurst, NY 11516, (516) 942-4216.

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered November 14, 2025, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 31, 2026 at 2:00 PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being, and identified on the land and tax map of the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau in the State of New York. Premises known as 223 Commercial St., Freeport, NY 11520. Sec 55 Block 210 Lot 7. Approximate Amount of Judgment is

$5,267.88 plus interest, fees, costs and Attorney fees. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 608202/2024. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee File # 21-4871 158612

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF CANCELED BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the regularly scheduled Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Freeport scheduled for Monday, March 9, 2026 at 5:00 P.M. has been CANCELED and RESCHEDULED for Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 5:00 P.M in the Municipal Building, Main Conference Room, 46 North Ocean Avenue, Freeport, New York.

Pamela Walsh Boening Village Clerk DATED: Freeport, New York March 5, 2026 158743

LEGAL NOTICE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS PUBLIC HEARING – March 19, 2026

NOTICE IS HEREBY given that a Public Hearing with the Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 6:30 P.M. in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Main Conference Room, 46 N. Ocean Avenue, Freeport, New York on the appeals and applications of cases as they appear on the calendar; residential applications that do not extend their prior nonconforming status may be called first; public comment invited. INTERESTED PROPERTY OWNERS and other persons should appear at the above time and

place to have questions answered and to voice opinions. All applications are non-conforming with zoning regulations herein specified for the districts in which they are located.

Application #2026-1 –70 North Bayview Avenue, Residence A–Section 54/Block 070/Lot 32 – Ernst Dreux Maintain 12.16’ x 14.16’ Pergola Variances: Village Ordinance §210-6A. Conformity Required §210-43A(2) Required yards

Application #2025-16 –186 Atlantic Avenue, Residence AA–Business B-Section 62/Block 113/Lot 216 – Eric Weinstein Proposed 1631 SF one story addition Variances: Village Ordinance §210-6A. Conformity Required §210-3 Parking Space. §210-86 Required yards. §210-87 Plots abutting more restricted districts. §210-172 Required Parking Spaces. §210-180 Plots abutting residential districts

Application #2026-2 –250 Woodcleft Avenue, Marine Commerce Section 62/Block 175/Lot

346 – Jenny Chen Change of use from an ice cream store to a restaurant Variances: Village Ordinance §210-6A. Conformity Required §210-3, §210-172A (4) Required Parking Spaces

Application #2025-1 –157 Gordon Place, Residence A – Section 62/ Block 092/ Lot 400 – JTL

Real Property Corp. C/O

Patricia O’Keefe – Code compliance for apportionment to create a new buildable lot A, 40’ x 100’ (4,000 sq. ft.) with existing 1,856 SF 2 story, 1 family dwelling Variances: Village Ordinance §210-6A, §210-40 Lot area; street frontage; lot width, §210-41 Lot coverage; floor area ratio, §210-43C(2) Required yards

Application #2025-2 –157 Gordon Place, Residence A – Section 62/Block 092/Lot 400 –JTL

Real Property Corp. C/O

Patricia O’Keefe – Code compliance for apportionment to create a new buildable lot B, 40’ x 100’ (4,000 sq. ft.) with proposed 1,832 SF 3 story, 1 family dwelling Variances: Village Ordinance §210-6A,

§210-40 Lot area; street frontage; lot width, §210-41 Lot coverage; floor area ratio

Application #2026-3 –250 Garfield Street, Residence A – Section 62/Block 091/Lot 423 –Frederick V. Maurer –Proposed 520.8 SF rear deck replacement with new steps

Variances: Village Ordinance §210-6A, §210-43C(2) Required yards BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

Pamela Walsh Boening, Village Clerk 158742

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING DATE CHANGE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to §128-5 of the Freeport Village Code, a Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Freeport to conduct public hearings on Monday, March 9, 2026 HAS BEEN CANCELED AND RESCHEDULED to Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 5:30 P.M., in the Municipal Building, Board of Trustees Conference Room, 46 North Ocean Avenue, 2nd Floor, Freeport, NY adjacent to the Mayor’s Office.

Pamela Walsh Boening Village Clerk Issue Date: March 5, 2026 158744

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE

The bond resolution, a summary of which is published herewith, has been adopted on the 26 day of January 2026, and an abstract thereof has been published and posted as required by law and the period of time has elapsed for the submission and filing of a petition for a permissive referendum and a valid petition has not been submitted and filed. The validity of the obligations authorized by such resolution may be hereafter contested only if such obligations were authorized for an object or purpose for which the Incorporated Village of Freeport, in the County of Nassau, New York, is not authorized to expend money or if the provisions of law which should have been complied with as of the date of publication of this notice were not substantially complied

with, and an action, suit or proceeding contesting such validity is commenced within twenty days after the date of publication of the notice, or such obligations were authorized in violation of the provisions of the constitution.

PAMELA WALSH BOENING Village Clerk BOND RESOLUTION OF THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF FREEPORT, NEW YORK, ADOPTED JANUARY 26, 2026, AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION OF TWO FIRE-FIGHTING VEHICLES FOR THE VILLAGE FIRE DEPARTMENT, STATING THE ESTIMATED MAXIMUM COST THEREOF IS $1,845,131, APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT THEREFOR, AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $1,845,131 BONDS OF SAID VILLAGE TO FINANCE SAID APPROPRIATION.

The class of objects or purposes for which the bonds are authorized is the acquisition of two fire-fighting vehicles for the Village Fire Department.

The maximum amount of obligations authorized to be issued is $1,845,131. The period of probable usefulness is twenty (20) years.

A complete copy of the bond resolution summarized above shall be available for public inspection during normal business hours at the offices of the Village Clerk of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, located at Village Hall, Freeport, New York. 158745

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD LOCAL LAW NO. 22-2026 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 on the 24th day of February 2026, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 22-2026, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of

Hempstead Local Law No. 22-2026, to amend Section 197-5 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include “ARTERIAL STOPS” at various locations.

Dated: February 24, 2026

Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD JOHN FERRETTI Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 158649

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU CALCON MUTUAL MORTGAGE LLC DBA ONETRUST HOME LOANS, Plaintiff AGAINST 317 SOUTH MAIN RE HOLDINGS LLC; BOBKATT INVESTORS INC.; ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered October 8, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 7, 2026 at 2:30 PM, premises known as 317 South Main Street, Freeport, NY 11520. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 62 Block 44 Lot 395. Approximate amount of judgment $1,306,469.45 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #605312/2023. James Leonard, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 25-004074 88948 158636

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS LEGAL TITLE TRUSTEE FOR TRUMAN 2016 SC6 TITLE TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. JAMES VICTOR, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on January 3, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public

Police have special Valentine’s lunch with seniors

Members of the Freeport Police Benevolent Association hosted its annual Valentine’s Luncheon for seniors on Feb. 17, hosting hundreds of senior residents across three locations.

John Hrvatin, the executive director of the Freeport Housing Authority, expressed his appreciation for the Police Benevolent Association’s continued, intentional service for senior residents.

“I’ve been here for thirteen years, and they’ve done it every year, the residents always look forward to it,” Hrvatin stated. “It is a nice opportunity for the police officers to interact with our residents and the seniors look forward to meeting police officers as they are being served a hot lunch.” Hrvatin also detailed that the Police

Benevolent Association makes significant effort to make their luncheon services accessible to as many residents as possible, where if any seniors are unable to come to the community center to eat and enjoy, officers will hand deliver meals to their doors.

“The Freeport Housing Authority is very thankful to the officers who participate, as well as the Mayor,” Hrvatin said.

Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy also saluted the service of the participating Freeport police officers.

“Many of these police officers do this on their own time and spend their own money on the food,” Kennedy said. “By police reaching out to seniors in the community, they are improving the

Public Notices

auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 6, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 17 Leonard Street, Freeport, NY a/k/a 17 Leonard Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. 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 Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 55, Block 369 and Lot 259-260. Approximate amount of judgment is $945,194.77 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of

filed Judgment Index # 003714/2016.

Massimo Santoli, Esq., Referee

Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 211883-1 158733

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU

U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee for Securitized Asset

Backed Receivables LLC Trust 2006-WM1, Plaintiff, Against Claudia Yon, Isaias Yon, Jose Vasquez, Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 08/18/2022, 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 4/9/2026 at 2:00PM, premises known as 169 Meister Boulevard, Freeport, New York 11520, 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 Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 54 Block 331 Lot 32

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is

$823,369.16 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 602090/2019 For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Ellen Durst, Esq., Referee. SHELDON MAY & ASSOCIATES Attorneys at Law, 255 Merrick Road, Rockville Centre, NY 11570

Dated: 1/21/2026 File Number: 35520 MB 158735

bonds within the community and encouraging seniors to call when they need something. More importantly, they’re making sure seniors don’t feel forgotten.”

This year, the officers provided lunch for more than 300 residents at The Rev. Malette Senior Apartment Building, The Rev. John Madden Apartments and The Rev. Timothy C. Peternana Terrace Apartments.

In addition to the Police Benevolent Association, the Freeport Housing Authority also collaborates with the Freeport Police Department and Freeport Fire Department on programs to benefit the residents, including fire awareness and Medicare benefits. Some programs are open to the public if space allows. For more information about such programs and availability, please call 516-623-2508.

–Andrew Francis

Courtesy Village of Freeport

Mayor Robert Kennedy and members of the Freeport Police Benevolent Association provided sincere service during its Valentine’s Luncheon for seniors.

Mayor Robert Kennedy was also joined by Village Trustees to greet seniors and assist with the luncheon.

Seniors got to partake in a warm meal and converse Freeport officers and officials.

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Taking a contractor to court

Q. We are suing our contractor and need some advice. A year ago, we finished our second-floor addon and first-floor kitchen and rear family room remodel by opening up walls to join them. Everything seemed fine until it rained the first time. The windows began to leak at the bottom, and then around the tops and sides. Our new sliding glass door did the same. The basement flooded, and we are not in a flood area. Then the air-conditioning company said somebody disconnected the ducts, and when we opened the ceilings, more water poured down. The house is now filled with mold, which we clean with bleach where we can get to it, but we couldn’t move out and have two small children under age 4.

Although we have many questions and hired an attorney, we’re wondering whether we should hire an architect to go over all the problems and identify them, with remedies, or hire one of the contractors who said they could fix the problems, or wait until the lawsuit is finished to make it possible for a jury to see the damage. The job architect, whom we never met, has now had their license revoked for the next two years, but we wouldn’t go to them, anyway.

A. Ugh! This is more common than you would think. It starts with not having the architect working for you and instead working for the contractor. I can guess that the contractor was contacted first, and you hired them to get their architect and provide plans. That was your first mistake.

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Next, people are lazy, expecting that anyone they hire knows all the best techniques to build and knows all the rules, codes and laws. That was mistake number two. Even though you hire people, you should have gone over critical details, especially about waterproofing and structural techniques on the plans, to make sure that the building owner looks for those steps to be carried out. You, the building owner, I always say, are the “eyes and ears” on the job, since the architect often isn’t there at critical times, when waterproofing membranes and materials are joined.

Mistake number three was not doing a water test with a garden hose when the finish siding, windows roofing, etc., had been applied. Simulating rain by pointing a hose skyward so that the water cascades down — not a direct fire-hose hit — tells you right away if something is failing.

You’re going to need a licensed expert — an architect or an engineer — to work with your attorney. Document everything with videos during simulated or storm events to show the water coming in and whatever other failures, such as leaking and disconnected air ducts, and hire people who can do the job correctly as soon as you can. You need to have a healthy home for your family, and a lawsuit could take years while you possibly get sick from the mold and the chlorine you’re breathing. Good luck!

2026 Monte Leeper

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The Town of Hempstead needs a checkup

Like members of many families in the Town of Hempstead, I sit at my kitchen table and look at the same numbers you do. Mortgage. Property taxes. Utilities. Groceries. Gas. Insurance.

Everything costs more than it did a year ago. When you’re stretching every dollar just to keep up, the least you should expect from your local government is straight answers about where your tax money is going.

That’s why I formally requested that the New York state comptroller conduct an independent audit of the Town of Hempstead’s finances.

The comptroller’s office exists to provide independent, professional oversight of municipal finances. That kind of objective review strengthens public confidence and protects taxpayers. When questions arise, independent verification reassures everyone. The last publicly available audit on the town’s website is from 2019. Since then, leadership has changed. Budgets have shifted. Taxes have gone up. Financial decisions have been made that directly affect residents across the town.

Yet updated, audited financial statements are not readily accessible to the public.

Earlier this year, the town acknowledged in a public filing that its audited financial statements for fiscal year 2024 weren’t submitted on time. Officials said that a third-party firm had missed the deadline. But accountability ultimately rests with the town.

IAn audit isn’t just a stack of paperwork; it’s the public’s window into how their government manages their money. It tells taxpayers whether finances are stable, whether spending is sustainable, and whether today’s decisions will become tomorrow’s tax increases. Without clear, timely audits, residents are left guessing, and guesswork is no substitute for accountability.

account. Reserve funds are meant to provide stability during true emergencies or unexpected downturns. Just like a family’s savings, that money is there for when something goes wrong.

When that savings account is tapped, residents deserve to understand why, how much was spent, and what the long-term plan is to replenish it. If savings aren’t rebuilt, the pressure often shows up later as higher taxes, layoffs, or reduced services.

’ve requested that the state conduct an independent audit of the town’s finances.

Last year the town approved a 12 percent tax increase. By the end of the year, officials boasted that they would deliver an 18 percent reduction. But many residents say they didn’t feel meaningful relief. Some homeowners, particularly those outside incorporated villages, are reporting higher 2026 town tax bills. When the government says one thing but families experience another, confidence erodes.

The town has also drawn from its reserve funds — essentially its savings

That’s why transparency matters now, not years from now.

I’ve spoken with neighbors who attended budget hearings, hoping for straightforward answers, only to leave more confused than when they arrived. I’ve heard from residents who submitted Freedom of Information requests and received extension after extension, delaying answers they’re still waiting for. I’ve watched financial questions at Town Board meetings get redirected instead of answered directly.

Taken together, these concerns point to a simple conclusion: the need for clarity. An audit isn’t an attack. It’s a checkup. If everything is being managed properly, an independent audit will confirm that. If adjustments are needed, better to identify them now, before small con-

cerns become larger financial burdens for families already feeling squeezed.

I’m a Marine combat veteran. I later served as an NYPD officer and as a prosecutor. In each of those roles, accountability wasn’t optional; it was the foundation of trust. You follow the rules, meet deadlines, answer for your decisions. Government should operate by those same principles.

The same applies to the town animal shelter, a taxpayer-funded service that recently closed. Residents deserve clear explanations about decisions that affect services and tax dollars alike.

Families are working hard to stay in the Town of Hempstead. Seniors are trying to remain in the homes they’ve owned for decades. Young couples are wondering if they can afford to own a home and raise a family.

I know what matters to my family. Stability. Honesty. Affordability. Like you, we sit at the kitchen table and plan for the future. We count every dollar. We shouldn’t have to worry about surprises from Town Hall, because when every dollar matters at home, it should matter in government.

At the end of the day, this is about whether the people who built this community can afford to stay in it. That’s what I care about, and that’s what I’m fighting for.

Joseph Scianablo is the Democratic candidate for Town of Hempstead supervisor.

Shielding savings New Yorkers work a lifetime to build

If you’re a first-time homebuyer making a down payment, a seller waiting on the proceeds from a home sale or a family expecting settlement funds, you trust your attorney to safeguard your money in an escrow account. For many New Yorkers, that money represents years of savings — funds meant for a home, a fresh start or long-term security — not for misuse.

Yet far too often, clients become victims of theft when attorneys misappropriate funds from escrow accounts — special trust accounts in which lawyers are required to safeguard their clients’ money, most commonly during real estate transactions. Just last year, a former real estate attorney was sentenced to up to 10½ years in prison for stealing nearly $1.8 million from 32 clients over a three-year period. He did so by withholding sale proceeds and down payments that rightfully belonged to them.

The case was far from isolated. Since

New York established the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection in 1982 — which reimburses clients who lose money or property due to a lawyer’s dishonest conduct — more than $112 million in stolen real estate escrow funds has been returned to victims. Clients deserve to make life-changing financial decisions without worrying about whether their money is safe.

ing every firm — regardless of size — an equal chance of review. Entities would be randomly selected for audits, but this wouldn’t preclude an audit for suspicious activity.

We’re in need of a statewide Random Audit Compliance Program.

That’s why I introduced legislation with Assemblyman Charles Lavine to establish a statewide Random Audit Compliance Program that would conduct periodic audits of law firms managing real estate escrow trust accounts. The bill, S9129, is designed to strengthen protections for New Yorkers’ hardearned funds, ensuring that client money is properly safeguarded and kept separate from attorneys’ personal or business finances.

The legislation would direct the chief administrator of the courts to establish the program within the Office of the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection. The chief administrator would also oversee the development of a software system to randomly select law firms for audit, giv-

The bill also specifies which records would have to be produced, who would conduct the reviews, who could represent a firm, and the standards auditors would have to follow to ensure fairness and consistency. It would authorize the Lawyers’ Fund’s board of trustees to hire qualified auditors with appropriate credentials, while retaining flexibility to update those requirements as needed.

We cannot ignore the growing number of trust violations in New York. A 2025 report by the New York City Bar found that the Lawyers’ Fund paid 94 awards totaling $11.6 million in 2024 — a 31 percent increase in awards and a 90 percent increase in payouts from the previous year. The report further noted that real property escrow losses accounted for $9.9 million in awards, while theft of settlement proceeds accounted for an additional $415,000plus. This growing pattern demands action to protect client funds before

more damage is done.

This wouldn’t be the first randomaudit program of its kind in the country. New Jersey has conducted random audits of attorney trust and business accounts since 1981 to ensure compliance with its recordkeeping rules. Despite having about one-fifth as many attorneys as New York, New Jersey paid just $1.1 million in client protection awards in 2024–25. Since the program began, the state has completed more than 18,000 audits, and only 4.5 percent have resulted in disciplinary action.

Several other states have adopted similar programs. In Connecticut, compliance improved dramatically, with the percentage of audits requiring no corrective action rising from 14 percent in 2017 to 30 percent in 2024. These programs show that random audits work, and it’s time for New York to do the same. If implemented, this program would strengthen the fiduciary duty attorneys owe their clients, protecting the savings families work a lifetime to build. I am committed to fighting for its passage and working with my colleagues to get it done, so New Yorkers can have peace of mind that their hard-earned savings are protected.

Siela Bynoe represents the 6th State Senate District.

Freeport

Also serving Roosevelt

Established 1935

Incorporating the Freeport Leader in 2013

Andrew FrAncis

Reporter

John LAibAch

2 Endo Boulevard Garden City, NY 11530

Phone: (516) 569-4000

Fax: (516) 569-4942

Web: www.liherald.com

E-mail: freeporteditor@liherald.com

HERALD

Sunshine week keeps democracy in the light

every March we observe Sunshine Week, a national initiative dedicated to one of democracy’s most powerful disinfectants: light. This year, Sunshine Week will be celebrated March 15 to 21, anchored by Freedom of Information Day on March 16, the birthday of James Madison. The timing is symbolic and significant. Sunshine Week reminds us that open government is not a luxury. It is a necessity.

Launched in 2005 and rooted in the pioneering 1972 Colorado Sunshine Act, Sunshine Week was created to raise awareness of the public’s right to know. At its core is a simple but profound idea: Democracy works best when the people can see what their government is doing. Transparency is not about satisfying curiosity, it’s about accountability, trust and ensuring that power remains where it belongs: with the citizens.

Sunshine Week’s foundation is the principle that government records and proceedings belong to the public. Taxpayer dollars fund government operations; therefore, the public has both a legal and moral right to understand how decisions are made and how money is spent.

Freedom of Information laws at the federal and state levels give citizens access to public documents, from village board minutes to federal agency communications. But these laws are only as strong as the public’s willingness to use them. Like muscles, transparency laws weaken without exercise. When citizens

stop requesting records, attending meetings and asking questions, secrecy grows stronger.

Open meetings and public records are not bureaucratic technicalities; they are the mechanisms that keep democracy breathing. Transparency reveals how taxpayers’ money is spent, how contracts are awarded and how policies are shaped. It enables watchdog groups, journalists and everyday citizens to trace decisions from proposal to outcome.

Without openness, the risk of waste, fraud and abuse increases. History repeatedly shows that secrecy breeds complacency and, at times, corruption. Open government, by contrast, ensures that decisions must withstand scrutiny. It does not weaken institutions — it strengthens them. Sunshine Week underscores a critical truth: When the public can see the process, officials are more likely to act responsibly.

In times of crisis — economic downturns, national security challenges or public health emergencies — secrecy often expands. Officials may argue that swift action requires less oversight. While emergencies can justify temporary discretion, they must never become permanent excuses for opacity.

Democracy demands vigilance. Sunshine Week serves as an annual reminder that transparency must be defended, especially when it feels inconvenient. Freedom of information cannot be indefinitely sidelined without eroding public trust.

Supporting Sunshine Week means protecting democracy itself. Openness prevents the concentration of unchecked power and ensures that elected officials remain responsive to citizens rather than to special interests.

Transparency helps parents question school board policies, residents examine zoning proposals and taxpayers track infrastructure spending. It provides communities with the tools to advocate for fair and effective governance.

It also allows us, as journalists, to do our jobs. We rely on open-records laws to uncover stories about misuse of funds, conflicts of interest and public safety failures. It’s why studies show that the presence of a local newspaper in a community mitigates waste, fraud and abuse.

Public trust in government is fragile. One of the most effective ways to build and sustain that trust is through transparency. When agencies proactively release information and conduct business in public view, suspicion diminishes.

Transparency does not guarantee agreement. Citizens, and government officials, may still debate policies and priorities. But openness fosters understanding, and understanding is the bedrock of trust.

So this Sunshine Week, take a moment to reflect on the importance of open meetings and public records. And vow to step up whenever someone tries to turn off the light of transparency.

It’s ‘the power of the state against the people of the nation’

To the Editor:

Re Peter King’s column, “There are better ways to resolve the immigration crisis,” in the Feb. 12-18 issue: Immigration is a problem, but Immigration and Customs Enforcement exemplifies the real, much larger crisis. Immigration is a longstanding issue, and many “better ways” have been proposed over the past 30 years, as Mr. King knows. In fact, one such proposal was on track for bipartisan approval last year until President Trump and his allies killed it. ICE has operated for decades with little notice. Violence was seldom used, citizens were not arrested, and habeas corpus was observed — until Trump. The Border Patrol previously confined its racist brutality close to the Mexican border, until Republicans expanded the “border” to a 100-mile-wide

opinions Protecting those that can’t protect themselves

in the Town of Hempstead, we believe in putting compassion before convenience and responsibility before profit. That belief guides our approach to public safety, quality of life and, increasingly, animal welfare. Today it compels us to confront a growing problem in communities across the nation: unlicensed backyard breeding of cats and dogs. Let me be clear — this is not about responsible, licensed breeders who follow the law and treat animals humanely. This is about unregulated, profit-driven operations that put money over the well-being of animals. It’s about puppies and kittens born into overcrowded, unsanitary conditions. It’s about animals separated from their mothers too early. It’s about preventable suffering.

Protecting animals is not a fringe issue. It is a reflection of who we are as a community.

When breeding is left unchecked, the consequences ripple far beyond a single household. Overpopulation strains local shelters. Inbreeding leads to serious, lifelong health problems. Animals raised without proper veterinary care

Letters

or humane conditions often become sick or behaviorally distressed. Too many are ultimately abandoned or surrendered when medical bills mount or behavioral challenges become overwhelming.

At the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter, we see the results firsthand. Our dedicated staff works tirelessly to rehabilitate, treat and rehome animals that deserved better from the start. I’m proud to say that our shelter is a no-kill facility, committed to longterm case management, specialized rehabilitation, behavior training and strong partnerships with rescue groups and sanctuaries. But even the best shelter can’t solve a problem that begins with irresponsible breeding practices.

waccountability where, too often, there has been none.

e’re cracking down on the unlicensed breeding of cats and dogs.

Additionally, the legislation limits female cats and dogs to no more than one litter in a 12-month period. This will help prevent overbreeding, which can be physically taxing and dangerous for animals. The law will also prohibit the transfer or adoption of puppies or kittens before they are 8 weeks old, unless a veterinarian determines it is medically necessary. Those first weeks are critical to an animal’s development. Separating them too early can lead to long-term health and behavioral issues.

on proper medical care. They rely entirely on us. When breeding becomes a backyard business driven by quick cash, animals pay the price — with their health, their safety and sometimes their lives.

This legislation is about prevention. It targets a root cause of shelter overcrowding and animal suffering. By requiring registration, limiting excessive litters and ensuring that basic standards are met, we can reduce the number of animals that end up abandoned, neglected or surrendered in the first place.

That’s why we are passing legislation to crack down on unlicensed backyard breeders and establish meaningful oversight.

Under our proposal, any litter of puppies or kittens born in the Town of Hempstead must be registered with the town within 30 days. The registry — operated through the animal shelter — will document the approximate birth date, species and breed, the address where the animals are housed and the veterinarian providing care. This simple step will introduce transparency and

zone. Even then, cities were not invaded — not even El Paso or Brownsville, much less Portland or Milwaukee — until Trump.

The Department of Homeland Security pursued its intended mission: defending against 9/11 or Beirutand Benghazi-style attacks by foreign terrorists, seldom making the news. Then Trump decided that the homeland itself — Chicago, Los Angeles, Springfield, Ill. — was the “enemy within,” rife with “domestic terrorists” like Alex Pretti, who must be prevented from voting. Meanwhile, Trump allied himself with Saudi Arabian interests, the major sources of the 9/11 and other “homeland” assaults. Remember Jamal Khashoggi.

The FBI, formerly our premier law enforcement agency, is now Trumpified, refusing to investigate homicides by federal agents, interfering with state ballots, arresting journalists and charging members of Congress with sedition. In earlier times, Peter King himself might have been among those in such felonious jeopardy. The depth, breadth and pervasiveness of corruption in all of this is obvious, with beneficiaries openly paying well for more of this new form of republican government — modeled on ancient Rome’s republic of patricians and plebes, paterfamilias all. Our government is using the power of the state against the people of the nation. That is the crisis. Currently, the best — and perhaps only — way to resolve both the crisis and the problem is to end MAGA’s abuse of government, from Blakeman and Garbarino to Vance and Trump.

BRIAn KELLy Rockville Centre

Violations would carry fines starting at $250 and increasing to $500 for repeat offenses. But our goal is compliance, not punishment. Enforcement will largely be complaint-driven, empowering residents to report suspected illegal breeding in their neighborhoods. Our Building Department and the animal shelter will work together to investigate and enforce the law.

Some may ask: Why focus on this? Why make it a priority?

Because the way we treat animals speaks volumes about our values.

Animals cannot advocate for themselves. They cannot report abuse, demand clean living conditions or insist

Framework by Tim Baker

Communities across the country are grappling with the consequences of backyard breeding. Here in the Town of Hempstead, we intend to lead. We have long been at the forefront of animal welfare initiatives, and we will continue to make animal safety a priority of this administration.

Protecting animals is not only the right thing to do — it strengthens our entire community. Fewer animals in crisis means fewer strained resources, safer neighborhoods and more successful adoptions. Most important, it means fewer animals suffering in silence.

In the Town of Hempstead, we are proud to say: paws before profits. And we will continue working every day to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

John Ferretti is the Town of Hempstead supervisor.

Celebrating the Year of the Fire Horse with a Lion Dance at Green Acres Mall — Valley Stream