Baldwin Herald 04-06-2023

Higher Education

OF 9

AWARDS

Mount Sinai polls for obesity Page 3

BHS students shadow Hofstra professionals

By ANDRE SILVA asilva@liherald.com

Baldwin High School students had the opportunity to study alongside a number of health care industry professionals, as well as those in other careers, at Hofstra University and Northwell’s annual Shadow Day on March 16.

For 25 years Hofstra has partnered with the Baldwin School District to offer students the chance to network with students and faculty. This year, 38 students — the largest group in the program’s history — experienced a day in the life

of a medical student at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine, or got a feel for another profession.

“I really appreciated Shadow Day at Hofstra,” said Ian Chan, a sophomore. “It completely opened my eyes to the opportunities I can explore in the medical field.”

The students who gathered at the medical school were introduced to Joanne Willey, a professor and the chairwoman of science education, for a workshop that focused on the outbreak of cholera in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Her new family was all about salsa, an unfamiliar dance

By ANDRE SILVA asilva@liherald.com

Evelyn Eick-Quinones, 64, says that dancing has always been a way for her to express joy and connect with people — that is, until she met her future husband and his extended family, who danced salsa at family parties.

Eick-Quinones, a former teacher from Baldwin who is of German heritage, found herself in a bind after marrying Jose Quinones, a Peruvian-American from Freeport, in 1995. Evelyn, who considers herself an avid casual dancer, felt uneasy among members of what she described

as the “fun-loving and fiery” Quinones family, due to her inability to confidently dance salsa.

“I could tell that my husband used to be a little bit embarrassed (with) me when we danced,” Evelyn recalled. “It presented a barrier when trying to connect with that side of the family.” The family accepted her, but she had the feeling that she was seen as something of an outsider due to her unfamiliarity with Latino music.

She had danced often as a young student, starting at Baldwin High School, where she graduated in 1976 — but not the kind of dancing that required

lessons. At the “Student Environment” Saturday-night events, Evelyn and her friends danced to bands playing the best dance music of the ’70s — Billy Joel, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead, Peter Frampton, Bruce Springsteen. She recalled that the last song was always something slow, usually “Color My World,” by Chicago.

Evelyn continued dancing when she attended SUNY Farmingdale, where she studied liberal arts, and she and her friends frequented dance clubs like the Oak Beach Inn South. She earned a degree in marketing with a minor in business management at Bentley University in

Massachusetts, and her dancing days peaked, she said, when she moved back to Baldwin while working in New York City as a human resources manager for a tech firm. On weekends she went to dance clubs in Manhattan such as Danceteria and the Limelight.

Evelyn earned a master’s in education from Hofstra Universi-

ty in 1991, and started teaching at an elementary school in Inwood. The following year she met Quinones. She said that she and Jose fell in love partially because of their shared love of music and dancing.

Music was a big part of Jose’s life in Long Beach. But when she met his family, Evelyn said, she

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Courtesy Hofstra University

DOZENS OF BALDWIN High School students had the opportunity to shadow various industry professionals at Hofstra and Northwell’s annual Shadow Day on March 16.

Students get a feel for a variety of careers

CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

by way of a case study. Willey also talked with the students about careers in medicine and biomedical sciences, and the skills necessary to be successful in those careers.

In the second session, students met with Joel N.H. Stern, a professor of neurology, molecular medicine, urology and science education, who discussed the recent scientific advances in immunology. The students also theorized about potential drugs to help treat autoimmune diseases.

“I was very impressed with how they were able to answer all of my questions and how quickly they were able to apply their knowledge, and the knowledge they just learned, to advanced current problems in the field,” Stern said in a news release. “They came up with outstanding drug designs and explained the rationale behind each of their drugs. In fact, amazingly, some of the drugs they came up with are already on the market.”

Later in the day, students toured the medical school’s Structure Lab, where the focus is on anatomy, with instructors David Elkowitz, Shannon Knutson and Rosemary Bassey, who guided them

through lab demonstrations, which included examining real and model specimens. Students had the chance to study the brain, heart and lungs.

Baldwin High Junior Rihanna Hodge said she found the Structure Lab the most engaging and exciting part of the day. She said she “loved the opportunity to get hands-on,” with real specimens, “rather than look at pictures of them in a classroom.”

“It was a great experience that helped open my eyes to what’s possible” in the medical field, Hodge added.

“Before, I was scared to possibly become a surgeon.”

After the Shadow Day program, she said, “It’s not a big fear at all.”

The school district said that students also had the chance to meet with the faculty and staff of Hofstra’s DeMatteis School of Engineering, the Herbert School of Communication, and the Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute, longtime participants in the Shadow Day program.

Cydney Herrera, a junior at the high school junior, said she could see herself pursuing a career in communications after Shadow Day. She said she was thankful for the opportunity to meet and

shadow John Mullen, general manager of WRHU, the university’s FM radio station.

“I was able to speak with students focused on editing media content, and work with the college radio station, speaking on local Islander games,” Herrera wrote in an email. “Students worked with cameras and troubleshot technological issues, while other students created segments for student-led organizations

SOME OF THE Baldwin High students who took part in Hofstra’s Shadow Day discussed recent scientific advances in immunology. In one session, they theorized about potential drugs to help treat autoimmune diseases.

including Hofstra Today and WRHU.”

Herrera said that she and other students had individual conversations with Mullen, which made for a more personalized experience as they considered whether they might want to pursue a career in the media.

“Hofstra Shadow Day enhanced the idea that I belong in communications,” Herrera said, “whether it be broadcasting, journalism or public relations.”

Courtesy Hofstra University

I t was a great experience that helped open my eyes to what’s possible. RIHANNA HODGE Baldwin High School junior

Sanitation district an open book in audit

Audit found discrepancies in Sanitary District No. 7 financial records

By KARINA KOVAC kkovac@liherald.com

Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips’ audit of Oceanside Sanitary District No. 7 reveals a lack of policies and procedures for hiring, budgeting, fuel inventory, payroll processing and health benefits, in addition to showing a deficit of $357,932.

The audit, which covered records from 2018 through 202, noted that in 2021, the district took in $9 million in revenue, primarily from property taxes, and had $9.4 million in expenses, 89 percent of which went to employees’ salaries and benefits.

The audit was called for by district commissioner Austin Graff after he was elected and before the coronavirus pandemic, to see what positive changes the district could make overall and during day-to-day operating.

“I reached out to the comptroller’s office, and I asked them to audit, and I’m glad that they did,” Graff said. “Now we will have, or already put in place, policies that strengthen our financial protections for taxpayer money.”

Throughout the auditing process, the comptroller’s office and the district have been in continuous communication to troubleshoot the systems in place and develop newer ways to keep track of operating costs.

“Audits have the power to help local municipalities, agencies, and departments manage government resources efficiently and effectively. By auditing these agencies, the comptroller’s office provides accountability for the use of tax dollars,” a press release from Phillips’ office stated.

In the formal response to the audit reports, Oceanside

About Oceanside

Sanitary District No. 7

The district is a special improvement district that provides curbside garbage collection, recycling, and special pick-up services to more than 13,000 households and 950 businesses in Oceanside and parts of Baldwin and East Rockaway. During audit fieldwork, the district had a fleet of 29 vehicles, 15 garbage trucks, eight pickup trucks, and six various other vehicles. It also had 21 ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel-powered and eight gas-powered vehicles.

Sanitary District No. 7 board chair John Mannone said, “For far too long the district was run by a group of people who ran the district without regard for the taxpayers’ concerns and the concerns of the employees of the district, as was found in prior audits.”

Mannone continued, “This board believes the comptrollers’ recommendations are appropriate, important to implement, and in some cases have already been implemented. If the recommendation has not already been implemented, it will be done so shortly by the district.”

The audit discovered that expenditures had been kept in four different places — and when all those were recovered, statements differed. Auditors noticed specifically that the fund balance information in the district’s QuickBooks file did not agree to the fund balance information

in the district’s audited financial statements for 2019 and 2020.

According to the audit report, when asked about these differences, the “district treasurer stated that the district’s fund balance had not been recorded in QuickBooks. Instead, the fund balance was tracked outside of QuickBooks in a separate Microsoft Excel worksheet. The district treasurer was not sure why this had been done.” This wasn’t the first time during the audit that an employee didn’t know an answer.

The audit determined that dental benefits were inappropriately being given to those who were no longer employed. The individuals were still being listed as fulltime employees in monthly reports to the Civil Service Employees Association. The report states, “The investigation also identified certain district employees who were responsible for this mishandling of the district’s dental benefit. When questioned about who monitored the IBT dental plan if the names were not included on the invoices, the then-board chairman responded, ‘I guess no one.’”

Discrepancies arose mostly when auditors looked at the district’s procurement, purchasing, vendor payments and cash controls. Disorganization of vendor lists led to auditors having a tough time trying to review audit trails. They did find that contracts were not maintained in individual vendor files for hard-copy or digital versions and that a complete list of vendor contracts didn’t exist. When doing business with vendors, the auditors found that the district didn’t generate 1099 forms for all applicable vendors, which led to a potential under-reporting of $93,542.

The full four-part audit report can be found at NassauCountyNY.gov/2377/Field-Audits.

Karina Kovac/Herald file

Oceanside Sanitary District No. 7 shows the district needs a new set of procedures and policies for nearly every aspect of operations.

Powers of Attorney Are for Everyone

What happens if you have an accident or an illness whereby you are unable to handle your legal and financial affairs? Many people incorrectly believe their spouse is legally able to handle their affairs. Similarly, a parent has no legal authority to handle the affairs of a child, once the child attains the age of majority – eighteen years. Without a power of attorney, you would have to apply to a court to be named a legal guardian. These proceedings are expensive, time-consuming and fraught with peril. The judge has no obligation to name the spouse or parent as legal guardian and may appoint a stranger. For example, the judge may feel that the spouse or parent has a conflict in that they are the beneficiary of the incapacitated person’s assets, or the judge may decide that someone else has more knowledge and experience in handling such matters.

Who should you choose as your “agent”? In our experience, the vast majority of powers of attorney name the spouse first and one or more of the children second. While on its face this seems reasonable, experience has shown it may not

be a good idea. We often need to use the power of attorney when the client is quite elderly and infirm. Often, so is the spouse at that time. Son or daughter wants to step in and help out with bill paying, etc. only to find they are unable to use the power of attorney for dad unless they can prove that mom can’t.

How do you prove she can’t? First you have to get the doctor to write a letter that mom is unable to handle her legal and financial affairs. Will the doctor write the letter? Will the letter be clear and unequivocal? Will each of the third parties you have to deal with accept the letter? These are not easy hurdles to overcome.

We believe there is a better way. We simply say either mom, or son, or daughter may act as agent. The problem is eliminated. You are protected from son or daughter misusing the power of attorney by the fact that they do not have the document – you keep it in your possession and make it available if and when they need to use it. Bottom line: all adults should have a power of attorney.

EVELYN EICKQUINONES, WITH her husband, Jose, struggled to connect with his extended family at parties because of her inexperience with salsa dancing, but no longer.

Quinones family, including Evelyn, now dances together

quickly realized she didn’t have a natural feel for the beat of his family’s favorite music, salsa and meringue.

Eick-Quinones said it was difficult to connect with the lively Latino family without being able to dance alongside them at family parties. She spent lots of time trying to coordinate her hip and shoulder movements to the music, but it wasn’t the same kind of dancing she was familiar with.

“Everyone danced, but that beat evaded me,” she recounted. “Others would politely smile with a look that said, ‘Ella es tratando,’ or, ‘Oh, isn’t that sweet, she’s trying!’”

She would eventually see their polite smiles fade, and her love for dancing turned into indifference, and even into disdain. She said she eventually learned to smile graciously and watch her family from beyond the dance floor at parties. She resigned herself to the apparent fact that she would never be able to coordinate her movements with the intricacies of salsa — and would never be able to dance with her new family.

This all changed one day in the late 1990s, when she was taking a lunch break from her job as an administrative assis-

tant for a textile distributor in Valley Stream, at the Green Acres Mall food court. She found herself listening to the music over the loudspeakers, and for “no apparent reason,” she said, she swayed rhythmically as she ate a McDonalds hamburger.

“I then realized I was listening to a salsa version of the Police’s ‘Synchronicity,’ Eick-Quinones recounted. “I’m not sure what happened, but my body and the music had finally introduced themselves to each other. I was suddenly able to coordinate my head, shoulders and hips.”

That sparked a confidence to move and express herself through dance in a new way to Latin music. Since then, she said, she has been able to join her extended family on the dance floor, in stark contrast to the years of her marriage to Jose when she felt excluded.

While she says she is not a superb salsa dancer, Eick-Quinones said she has refined her relatively new skill to the point where she is no longer reluctant to dance in public. Now, in fact, she said, she is the first to get up and dance when a Gloria Estefan or Ricky Martin song is played at the family’s Christmas Eve parties.

Courtesy Evelyn Quinones

CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

I

t presented a barrier when trying to connect with that side of the family.

EVELYN EICKQUINONES Baldwin

New poll finds one-third of area is overweight

By KARINA KOVAC kkovac@liherald.com

Each year millions of America’s make resolutions on the stroke of midnight to exercise more, eat healthier and lose weight, but for a variety of reasons many fail. Now, with the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Ozempic, Wegovy and other weight loss injections, many are turning to off-label prescriptions who don’t necessarily need them. Mount Sinai South Nassau decided to investigate and clarify the purpose of the therapies, who needs them most, and the risks in their new Truth in Medicine Poll.

The poll, which was conducted between Feb. 16 and Feb. 21 this year via both landlines and cell phones with 600 Long Island and New York City residents uncovered that nearly one-third of metro area residents consider themselves overweight and almost one-quarter say they would take a prescription weight-loss drug to shed extra pounds.

Ten percent of poll respondents are currently taking or know someone who uses the prescription drugs Ozempic, Mounjaro, or Wegovy to lose weight. Most of them are women under 50 and Black. While all three drugs can generate weight loss, only Wegovy is FDA-approved for weight management in obese or overweight teens and adults with at least one weight-related comorbidity. Ozempic, the most well-known brand name, and Moun-

jaro are only approved for patients with type 2 diabetes to control blood glucose levels.

Adhi Sharm, the president of Mount Sinai South Nassau, said that the “biggest danger is what we call the yo-yo diet.” He said since our bodies have a certain metabolism that is set by various factors internally, when we diet, we alter those factors.

“Healthy diets don’t impact those factors as much as actually how our body is designed to consume food,” he said.

So, when residents go on fad diets, it teaches the body to go into starvation mode, Sharma explained, which in most low-calorie diets isn’t sustainable. People then begin to binge eat or allow one cheat day to becomes two or three. Now, Sharma said, the diet has failed, but the body has slowed down the metabolism and now the opposite effect is happening: you’re gaining weight.

The poll found that one-half of respondents admit to binge eating. Sixty percent confirmed they eat two or more fast-food

meals per week and 22 percent said they consume four or more fast-food meals regularly. Meanwhile, 60 percent of area residents reported that inflation has changed their buying habits at the grocery store.

Off-label use of prescription drugs as an alternative to dieting and exercise to lose weight is contributing to supply shortages in the United States and globally for the people — most of whom have diabetes — that they were created to help. For example, France’s national drug safety agency estimates that over the course of a year, more than 2,100 patients in France were prescribed Ozempic, even though they did not have diabetes.

The Truth in Medicine Poll is a component of Mount Sinai South Nassau’s mission of improving education around critical public health issues. This is Mount Sinai South Nassau’s 15th Truth in Medicine Poll and first of 2023. The poll seeks to evaluate public knowledge and sentiment toward key public health issues. Sponsored by Bethpage Credit Union, the poll aims to gather data about attitudes on key public health topics and helps spur education to improve public health.

“Bethpage is proud to partner with Mount Sinai South Nassau in advocating and prescribing exercise and a balanced diet to achieve a healthy weight,” said Linda Armyn, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at Bethpage Federal Credit Union.

Karina Kovac/Herald

MOUNT SINAI SOUTH Nassau Hospital hosted a Truth in Medicine poll briefing panel consisting of hospital president Adhi Sharma, medicine department chair Aaron Glatt, endocrinology chief Effie Tsomos, endocrine service administrator Meghan Costigan, and public affairs vice president Dana Sanneman.

Police

search for three people involved in a 7-Eleven assualt

The Nassau County Police Department is searching for three people who assaulted a 7-Eleven employee on March 29.

First Squad detectives said a man and woman entered a 7-Eleven at 1271 Grand Ave., and removed several items from the store without paying for the items and left. Two employees, 26 and 55, confronted the two men in front of the store. After a verbal dispute the employees recovered the items and both subjects entered a blue SUV operated by a third person.

Before leaving the scene one person exited the vehicle and attacked the 26-year-old employee with a hammer, striking him in the head causing serious head trauma.

All three people then fled in the vehicle headed east on Grand Terrace Avenue. A Nassau County Police Department ambulance transported the employee to a local hospital for treatment

One of the men was described as Black, and wore a black puffy jacket, black pants, black sneakers and a grey beanie hat.

The second person is a Black woman, who wore a black jacket, red hooded sweatshirt, black sweatpants, black slide sandals and a purple bandana.

Police said the third person was white woman.

The investigation is ongoing

Police seek two alleged Baldwin burglars

Two men allegedly entered and stole money, clothing and other valuables from a Baldwin home early in the morning on March 20.

Nassau police said the men entered an unoccupied home on Anderson Street through an unlocked door in the back of the house and removed a safe containing an undetermined amount of money, and a duffle bag filled with miscellaneous items and clothing, before leaving. They headed south on Essex Court in a light-colored sport utility vehicle, police added.

One man is described as black with a heavy build.

They said he wore black clothing, red sneakers, a black hat and a black facemask.

Another man is described as white with a medium build. Police said he wore a black hooded sweatshirt, gray sweatpants, black sneakers and a black facemask.

Police are asking anyone with information about this incident to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 244-8477, or call 911.

All calls are confidential.

—Andre Silva

Police investigating Friday morning shooting mystery

A shooting on Dean Drive on Friday morning didn’t injure anyone, and has left a lot of questions for the authorities.

The Nassau County Police Department said someone from a vehicle fired several shots around 11:30 a.m., on Dean Drive, which connects Mc Donald Place with Fenmore Place just south of the Southern State Parkway.

–Andre Silva

Yet, at this point, that’s all police know. They don’t know how many people were in the car, what kind of car it was, or even what they were shooting at. Officers responded to reports of gunfire, and were able to recover several shell casings from the scene.

— Staff Report

Karina Kovac/Herald file

THE NASSAU COUNTY Police Department is searching for a person who fired from a vehicle on Dean Drive.

The Twin Team - Davorka Bender Broker Owner, Eva Boci Broker Associate of Sailing Home Realty

Hofstra sets sights on CAA softball crown

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

Hofstra softball entered year two of the Adrienne Clark era determined for a better finish after a heartbreaking end to the 2022 season.

Clark, former standout softball player for the Pride from 2002 to 2005, led her alma mater to a second place finish in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) before the season ended suddenly with two one-run losses in the conference playoffs. This spring the Pride will have a chance to compete for the program’s first CAA title and automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament since 2018 in front of its home fans when Hofstra hosts the league’s tournament for the first time in 10 years.

“There’s nothing lat Pride Rock and getting that home field advantage,” said Clark, who was an assistant coach at Hofstra from 2012 to 2014 before holding coaching positions at Connecticut and Purdue. I do think it adds a little bit of extra motivation to want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to put ourselves in a position to be there at the conference tournament.”

The Pride jumped out to a 5-1 start in league play this season beginning with a

sweep of CAA newcomer Stony Brook on March 18-19. Hofstra then took two of three against another CAA addition, Monmouth last weekend capped with a 3-0 home win on March 26.

The bulk of last year’s roster returned led by senior center fielder Chelsea Manto, who led the team with a .358 batting average along with 21 stolen bases to earn First-Team All CAA accolades. Graduate student shortstop Meghan Giordano, brings power to the lineup after smashing seven home runs last season

Graduate student second baseman Kasey Collins leads the team in hitting with a .309 average in her final season of collegiate baseball. Junior catcher Becca Vaillancourt, a UMass-Lowell transfer, and graduate student first baseman Angelina Ioppolo were also among Hofstra’s leading hitters heading into April.

Hofstra’s lineup has a strong local presence that includes the sister duo of junior Brianna Morse and freshman Alanna Morse, who both starred at Mepham High School in North Bellmore. Brianna Morse knocked in four runs in Hofstra’s 6-5 win over Monmouth on March 24 while Alanna registered two RBIs in the team’s 4-1 victory at Stony Brook on March 19.

“I remember having them come to games when I was an assistant coach here and they they loved everything about the game of softball and Hofstra so it’s so cool to now see them living out what was once a childhood dream to them,” Clark said. “They are phenomenal athletes and even better people.”

Amanda Maffucci, a graduate student outfielder and Kennedy High School (Bellmore) product, is coming off a senior season in which she batted .300 to earn Second Team All CAA honors. Sophomore Anna Butler, a former three-time All Nassau County selection at Seaford High School, is also playing college softball in her backyard and recorded a pinch-hit RBI in a 3-2 win against Holy Cross on March 4.

The pitching staff is led by Nikki Mullin, Haley Venturini and Julia Apsel. All three are capable starters who Clark can turn to for key games based on who is pitching their best.

“We are really fortunate to have a staff of some really phenomenal pitchers that all bring something different to the table,” said Clark, who was a standout pitcher for the Pride in her playing days. “We spend a lot of time focusing on the staff element and not the individuality behind it, which we do because the message and the mindset and philosophy behind that is that it’s going to take all of them to be able to win a conference championship and all of

them will contribute along the way.”

After a road series at CAA newcomer North Carolina A&T, Hofstra returns to Bill Edwards Stadium on April 7 for a doubleheader against Towson starting at 1 p.m. Hofstra will also be home for a three-game series versus Elon on April 22-23 and Delaware April 29-30.

Hofstra will host the CAA Tournament for the first time since winning the conference title in 2013 from May 9-13.

Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

GRADuAtE stuDENt shORtstOp Meghan Giordano, brings power to the lineup after smashing seven home runs last season.

MEphAM pRODuCt BRiANNA Morse drove in four runs in the Pride’s win over Monmouth March 24.

Moriches Field Brewing Company received $18,750 to revitalize an empty downtown space.

(Cheers to that.)

Revitalization grants are just one of the ways we help businesses on Long Island and in the Rockaways. For Moriches Field Brewing Company, a grant from our economic development program was a perfect fit to help them renovate a previously vacant property. A discount through our Vacant Space Revival Program saved them more than $4,000 on their electric bills, and rebates for upgrading to LED lighting are keeping them saving month after month.

Helping revitalize our Island, one business at a time, is something we’re proud to be part of and something definitely worth celebrating.

Grants | Rebates | Incentives | Assessments | Community Support

For more information, visit PSEGLINY.com/EcoDev

Herald newspapers honored with state awards

Herald Community Newspapers took home nine state awards at the New York Press Association’s annual Better Newspaper Contest last weekend in Albany.

Long-time sports editor Tony Bellissimo earned first place in the sports feature category for his touching story of Dunia Sibomana’s amazing path from a victim of a near-fatal wild chimpanzee attack in the Congo, to an honor roll student — and a Nassau County wrestling champion — from Long Beach Middle School.

“Amazing story,” said one of the judges from the Colorado Press Association, which judged this year’s competition. “I couldn’t believe it as I read it. An incredible journey the young kid has been on.”

Sibomana was just 6 when the chimpanzees attacked his family near Virunga National Park, killing both his brother and cousin. Sibomana survived, but his lips were torn off, his cheek was lacerated, and he suffered muscle damage that made it hard to swallow or talk.

He has since undergone more than a dozen surgeries, beginning at Stony Brook University Children’s Hospital in 2016, to restore his appearance and facial functions.

Herald photo editor Tim Baker won two awards for his pictures — feature photo and sports feature photo, both for the East Meadow Herald.

“Loved this photo,” the judges said of

Baker’s photo of Andy Butera, captured in an emotional moment as the East Meadow Fire Department and American Legion Post 1082 celebrated his 100th birthday with a drive-by parade.

“Just perfect composition. Great lighting, and (Butera’s) face tells a story all itself. Raw emotion.”

Baker also earned honors for his photo of Peter Hawkins and Greg Waxman, who raced 50 miles through Malverne as part of “Operation Hero,” a charity event for veterans and first responders.

The Long Beach Herald — edited by James Bernstein — won an honorable

mention for the Past Presidents’ Award for General Excellence.

“The classified layout was very nice, as was the emphasis on community and culture,” judges said. “The pictures and art were very good.”

Laura Lane, senior editor for the Glen Cove Herald, won second place for her obituary coverage.

“Wonderful ledes take a reader straight into the stories of these two people’s lives,” the judges said about Lane’s stories high lighting the lives of Teddy Roosevelt re-enactor James Foote as well as Glen Cove teenager Penny Doerge.

The Franklin Square/Elmont Herald team of Robert Traverso, Ana Borruto, Brian Pfail and Kepherd Daniel earned an honorable mention for education coverage.

“The stories do not shy away from controversial issues, reporting them well and providing context and depth as to why the community should care,” the judges said. “The energy and thoughtfulness of the reporting shows in the coverage. Keep up the great local journalism.”

Herald art director Jeffrey Negrin won a pair of first places for best special section cover for the chain’s Great Homes special section, and best multi-advertiser pages for a Halloween-themed section for the Merrick Herald.

And the Nassau Herald won third place for advertising excellence, honoring Herald sales vice president Rhonda Glickman.

“The press room, production, finance, editorial, marketing and sales team all together put out great newspapers 52 weeks a year,” Glickman said. “So great for our team to be recognized for the work we do, and bring home awards.”

Stuart Richner, publisher of Herald Community Newspapers, said it’s “always a great honor to be recognized by our peers in the newspaper industry.”

“Congratulations to all our winners. But our real reward is making sure our readers get the best and most complete news in their neighborhood each and every week.”

Karen Bloom/Herald

SOmE OF ThE winners who were in Albany for this past weekend’s New York Press Association Better Newspaper Contest awards include, from left, photo editor Tim Baker, sales vice president Rhonda Glickman, executive editor Michael Hinman, Glen Cove Herald senior editor Laura Lane, Long Beach Herald senior reporter Brendan Carpenter, Franklin Square/Elmont Herald senior reporter Ana Borruto, and Riverdale Press editor Gary Larkin.

PRESENTS

FIGHTING AGAINST FRAUD:

the 411 on Recognizing a Scam

Help protect yourself from fraud and scams! This FREE webinar series will cover identity theft, elder fraud abuse and how to recognize the warning signs. Representatives from AARP Long Island and United States Postal Inspectors will also provide information about scams targeting people age 50-plus and their families, tactics fraudsters use, and resources available to help prevent fraud.

Advance registration is required.

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023

12-1PM

IDENTITY THEFT:

Each year thousands of Americans fall victim to Identity (ID) Theft. Consumers reported losing nearly $8.8 Billion to scams in 2022. This webinar will focus on:

• Understanding Personal Identifiable Information (PII)

• Scams that target your PII

• Tips to safeguard your identity

REGISTER at www.LIHERALD.com/identity

THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

12-1PM

ELDER FRAUD ABUSE:

Con artists don’t really care about your age or your needs. Their only goal is to separate you from your hard-earned money. Learn how to recognize scams. We’ll cover:

• Grandparent or Relative in Need scams

• Lottery and Sweepstakes Scams

• Investment Scams

REGISTER at www.LIHERALD.com/elder

FREE AARP LONG ISLAND IN-PERSON SHREDDING EVENTS

Shred your personal and financial documents at a location near you. Register and reserve your spot for a FREE drive-through contactless shredding event. (Limit 3 bags per car)

SATURDAY APRIL 22, 2023

10AM-1PM • IN-PERSON

LOCATION:

Nassau Community College

One Education Drive • Garden City, NY (Entrance to parking lot at Miller Place)

REGISTER at https://bit.ly/ShredGardenCity

SATURDAY MAY 6, 2023 9AM-12PM • IN-PERSON

LOCATION: Michael J Tully Park 1801 Evergreen Avenue • New Hyde Park, NY

REGISTER at https://bit.ly/ShredNewHydePark

SATURDAY MAY 20, 2023

• IN-PERSON

LOCATION: Farmingdale Library 116 Merritts Road • Farmingdale, NY

REGISTER at https://bit.ly/ShredFarmingdale

Michael Hinman Executive Editor Herald Community Newspapers SPEAKERS

Michael V. Del Giudice Postal Inspector Team Leader New York Division

Bernard Macias Associate State DirectorLong Island AARP New York

Donna Harris Public Information Representative United States Postal Inspection Service Headquarters

STEPPING OUT

‘Little’ films in the spotlight

Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo

Forty

years with the Asbury Short Film Concert

STEPPING

By Karen Bloom

Creative advocacy

Roll out that red carpet. After a three-year pandemic-imposed hiatus, those “small” films are back on the local stage, as presented by the Asbury Short Film Concert.

If you’re looking for that tentpole blockbuster, then Hollywood’s got you covered. But for those who crave films with a bit more heart and soul that strike an emotional chord, Asbury’s “concert” is for you. This national touring showcase makes it way to the Madison Theatre on the Molloy University campus on Friday, April 21.

By Karen Bloom

WHERE

Pat McGann

The Benatar/Giraldo partnership is acclaimed as an unstoppable force. Pat Benatar’s staggering vocals and take-no-prisoners attitude, along with Neil Giraldo’s trailblazing artistry as a guitarist, producer and songwriter forged the undeniable chemistry and unique sound that created some of rocks most memorable hits: ‘We Belong,’ ‘Invincible,’ ‘Love Is A Battlefield,’ ‘Promises In the Dark,’ ‘We Live For Love,’ and of course, ‘Heartbreaker.’ Together they have created two multiplatinum, five platinum and three gold albums, as well as 19 Top 40 hits — selling more than 30 million records worldwide, and winning an unprecedented four consecutive Grammy awards. Their stage presence is as undeniable as their more than three-decade rock-and-roll love affair. Benatar and Giraldo continue to share their special relationship on stage, selling out concerts everywhere. Their chemistry will undoubtedly be thrilling music fans for a long time to come.

His formula certainly has resonated with its audience. Asbury Shorts is celebrating its 40th anniversary season with an ever-growing national presence.

WHEN

With a diverse, yet focused lineup — in many cases featuring up-and-coming filmmakers — the audience gets a look at smaller efforts you generally won’t find on the big screen.

And, yes, think “concert,” not festival.

Can art change the world? It’s a question that’s been at the focus of our collective culture for centuries. Now as society navigates the complexities of modern life, art as a path for social change is at the forefront of artistic expression.

• Friday, April 21, 7:30 p.m.

• All seats $15

• Saturday and Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

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

• Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. For tickets, visit MadisonTheatreNY. org or call the box office at (516) 323-4444

• Emily Lowe Hall Gallery, South Campus, Hempstead. For information and to RSVP, call (516) 463-5672, or visit Hofstra.edu/museum

The two-hour show moves along briskly. Up to a dozen films are on the program, ranging from the shortest of shorts at three minutes, to 20 minutes.

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

Thursday, April 13, 8 p.m. $159.50, $99.50, $69.50, $69.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY. com.

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

“When We All Stand,” Hofstra University Museum of Art’s new exhibition, examines the collective power of the arts in society.

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

Curated by Alexandra Giordano — the museum’s assistant director of exhibition and collection — the exhibit underscores artists’ civic responsibility and influence.

Pat McGann is quickly rising as one of the sharpest stand-ups on the comedy scene. A relative latecomer to comedy, he began doing standup at 31 after realizing he was not very good at selling packaging. He hustled his way to become the house emcee at Zanies Chicago, where he distinguished himself as especially adept at working the crowd. A husband and father of three young children, McGann’s appeal stems from his quick wit and relatable take on family life and marriage. In 2017, McGann began touring as the opening act for Sebastian Maniscalco, moving with him from clubs to theater, to arenas, including four soldout shows at Madison Square Garden. McGann’s relatively short, but impressive resume, includes Montreal’s famed Just For Laughs Festival, Gilda’s LaughFest, The Great American Comedy Festival, and more. McGann still calls Chicago home.

‘Come Sail Away ...’

LeClaire, who’s been involved in commercial and film production for more than two decades, has been passionate about short films since his student days at New York Institute of Technology.

“Our No. 1 priority is the enjoyment of our audience,” he says. “We’re proud to provide an outlet for the filmmakers’s product. For us, it is all about the theatrical experience, showing these films to an audience. We give them the opportunity to experience great films on a big screen the way they were meant to be seen.”

“It highlights the vital role that artists have in activating democratic values that promise equality and freedom, encouraging civic engagement, and cultivating unity,” Giordano says. “Artists often lead the charge and expose truths that may otherwise be ignored. The artists in this exhibition take a stand and call out injustices through their art and activism on issues such as immigration, gender, reproductive rights, mass incarceration, voting rights, racial bias, gun violence, and promises unfulfilled. They all combine the making of art with public service that has a grassroots approach in the hope of mobilizing their communities and the nation to ignite movement, create awareness, and inspire others to stand with them.”

And these films sure do stick that ending. Among the highlights, LeClaire points to “Six Foot Scoundrel,” a brief comedy about two women who suspect foul play regarding a man’s death. “A widow is mourning her deceased husband, but there’s more going on than you might think. It moves along very quickly, but there’s a great payoff at the end.”

Another standout is “The Waiting Room,” produced, directed and written by former Nassau County film commissioner Debra Markowitz. The multiple festival award-winning 12-minute dramatic comedy reunites a woman and her ex-husband in heaven.

Saturday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. $40, $35, $30, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

“It’s a performance piece with smart dialogue,” LeClaire notes. “The ensemble cast does a great job.”

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

This exhibit, which runs through July 28, is in conjunction with Hofstra’s 13th presidential conference on the Barack Obama presidency coming up in April.

As for the rest, well, you’ll have to attend and see for yourself. LeClaire doesn’t like to reveal too much, promising some “unannounced surprises” in celebration of Asbury’s 40th anniversary.

Join L.I. Cabaret Theatre for a ‘Musical Cabaret Cruise,’ in this spirited show about a group of cabaret singers and dancers on a world cruise who encounter a rogue captain, a tropical island, a band of pirates, and many other surprises. ‘Cruise directors’ Barry Greenfield and Erica Iacono — with Capt. Keith, and a cast of 30 — keep the action moving along, with a live band. The ensemble of singers and dancers performs current hits, oldies and also tunes from the Broadway stage. It’s a lively afternoon that will take you away on a fantastic voyage.

“We were interested in the idea that the artist has a civic responsibility,” says museum director Karen Albert. “The initial idea for this exhibition was inspired by an Obama Administration White House briefing that took place on May 12, 2009, where more than 60 artists and creative organizers met with administration officials to discuss the collective power of the arts to build community, create change, and chart a pathway for national recovery in the areas of social justice, civic participation and activism.”

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

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

To that end, unlike other recent exhibits that showcased the museum’s permanent collection, Giordano reached out to contemporary artists who loaned

This is the Madison Theatre’s 10th year hosting Asbury, and LeClaire is grateful to have finally returned to what he considers their Long Island home.

“We’re very heartened by the audience at Madison,” he says. “It’s been a terrific relationship and we welcome everyone back after the hiatus, in true Asbury style. To celebrate our 40 years on Long Island means a lot. It’s where the show was born, and so to be here is extra special to us.”

Saturday, April 15, 2 p.m. Free admission. Elmont Memorial Library Theater, 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont. (516) 354-5280, or licabaret@aol.com.

Adelphi University’s ‘new music’ series welcomes Yarn/Wire.

its

The Waiting Room -

Six Foot Scoundrel

THE SCENE

April 6

Grand Baldwin Festival

The Community Coalition of Baldwin invites everyone to the Grand Baldwin Festival, Saturday, April 29, noon4 p.m. With music and art performances, and numerous Baldwin-based businesses showcasing their goods, taking place in the municipal parking lot behind Subway. For more information, visit GrandBaldwinFestival.com.

On exhibit

April 15

Wish You Were Here

Go over the moon with Wish You Were Here’s celebration of 50 years of the groundbreaking and iconic musical masterpiece “The Dark Side of the Moon,” on the Tilles Center stage, Saturday, April 15, 8 p.m. With the iconic album as its anchor, the 10-piece band, known as “The Sight and Sound of Pink Floyd,” continues its 28-year tradition as a leading Pink Floyd tribute act, combining sight and sound to capture the mood, emotions, and intensity of the Floydian theatrical concert experience. The multi-media show’s unique setlist includes Floyd classics and obscurities of all eras — from “Syd” to “The Division Bell.” LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Tickets are $59, $49, $39: available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Nassau County Museum of Art’s new exhibition, “Eye And Mind: The Shin Collection,” highlights the extraordinary collection masterworks assembled by 31-year-old connoisseur Hong Gyu Shin, an internationally recognized figure in the global art world. He shares his treasures, including works by Whistler, Lautrec, Boucher, Daumier, Delacroix, Klimt, Schiele, Balthus, Warhol, de Kooning, Gorky and many other important names from art history provocatively juxtaposed with the painting and sculpture of our own time from both Asia and the West. On view through July 9. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

April 8

Spring Flowers

Bring the kids to Long Island Children’s Museum to celebrate National Garden Month, Saturday, April 8, noon-2 p.m. Create a beautifully blooming paper flower to take home at the drop-in program, suitable for ages 3 and up. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 2245800 or LICM.org.

Breastfeeding Support Group

Mercy Hospital offers a peer to peer meeting for breastfeeding support and resources, facilitated by a certified breastfeeding counselor, every Thursday, 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Bring your baby (from newborn to 1 year) to the informal group setting. All new moms are welcome, regardless of delivering hospital. Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 705-2434 to secure you and your baby’s spot. Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.

Autism Walk

Tai Chi classes

Join Tai Chi classes at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Mondays, at 11 a.m., Wednesdays, at 7 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m. A small donation is optional to attend. 1375 Grand Ave., Baldwin. Any questions, email forevertaichi4you@gmail.com.

Day trip to the Catskills

SoHappy2Bfit, a member of the Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, invites all on a day trip to Resort World in the Catskills, Wednesday, May 31, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. To join, mail a check, cash, or Venmo a nonrefundable $50 fee; contact Sheila Clark at (516) 655-7967.

Baldwin Homemakers Annual Auction

The Baldwin Chapter of Homemakers invites everyone to their annual auction, Wednesday, April 26 starting at 7 p.m. Enjoy a night of raffles, coffee and snacks, at Baldwin Middle School, 3211 Schreiber Place. For more information, call (516) 341-1986.

AP U.S. History Prep

On stage

Back by popular demand, families will enjoy a musical adventure, ripped from the pages of Mo Willems’ beloved children’s books, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Monday through Friday, April 10-14, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Elephant and Piggie storm the stage in a rollicking musical romp filled with plenty of pachydermal peril and swiney suspense perfect for young audiences. Carefully cautious Gerald and spirited playful Piggie share a day where anything is possible in an imaginative exploration of the meaning of friendship. Together with nutty backup singers, The Squirrelles, the comedic duo even gets the audience involved in the action. $9 with museum admission ($7 members), $12 theater only. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

‘The Wizard of Oz’

April 22

One Happy Hangout Place holds an Autism Walk, Saturday, April 22,1 p.m., at Baldwin Harbor Park, 3232 Grand Ave. For more information contact (5516) 375-1102.

Having an event?

Board of Education Meeting

The Baldwin School District meets, Wednesday, April 19, at 8 p.m., at Meadow Elementary School, 880 Jackson Street.

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

iInstructor Brian China, an experienced AP history teacher, offers an AP U.S. History prep course, Saturday, April 22, 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Learn strategies on answering questions, review rubrics, important exam concepts and how to earn all possible points. Class is held at Oceanside Lutheran Church, upper room, 55 Fairway Ave., Oceanside. Course fee is $125. Register at bit.ly/ APoceanside. Call (516) 216-0633 for information.

Journey down that Yellow Brick Road when the beloved story springs to life, presented Plaza Theatrical Productions, Wednesday, April 12, 11 a.m. All the ingredients that have made this story a perennial favorite are here. Join Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion as they make their way to Oz not knowing what awaits them. Share Dorothy’s epic adventure as she flees from the wicked witch and learns that there’s no place like home. Tickets $15; performed at Plaza’s stage at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. Visit PlazaTheatrical.com or call (516) 599-6870.

Alexandra Francois and Sydney Jones win state merits

Baldwin High School freshman Alexandra Francois, and Meadow Elementary School second-grader Sydney Jones, were recognized with a merit award in the New York State PTA Reflections annual competition, where students provided artistic interpretation of the PTA Reflections theme, “Show Your Voice.”

The pair managed to impress several judges at multiple levels in the Reflections program. They were honored among 563 of participating students across the state.

The school district said Francois was honored in the “dance choreography” category for her entry, “Still I Rise.” It is the fifth time she’s been recognized by PTA Reflections program. She was recognized for her ballet talent and active involvement with the organization, “Brown Girls Do Ballet,” which promotes diversity in the arts by providing annual scholarships, a mentor network, and community programs to empower young girls.

Jones was honored in the “photography” category for her entry, “Express Yourself: Girl Power.” In addition, students from Meadow Elementary and Baldwin High were recognized as Nassau County Region PTA finalists for their entries in the visual arts, photography, film production, literature and musical composition categories.

The school district said the National PTA Reflections program provides oppor-

tunities for recognition and access to the arts, which can boost a student’s confidence. They said the program helps students explore their own thoughts feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence, and find a love from learning. More than 300,000 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade created and submitted original works of art, which, based on state PTA rules and guidelines, may be submitted for stateand national-level awards and recognition opportunities.

The school district said student winners from the local level could move up through their district, region, council, and state PTA programs to the national level.

The school district said many other Baldwin students were recognized at the Nassau County regional level. Finalists from Meadow Elementary include Sothanee Sainsurin for her photography entry, “I am not a Killer,” and Niam Singh for his visual arts entry, “Voting Voice.”

Baldwin High also sported a few regional finalists like Nia Green for her film production entry, “Perspectives of Self Expression,” Ali-Marie Bissessar entry in literature, “The Girl in The Reflection,” Gabriela Lucas’s, “Cyberbullying,” Savion Atkins’ “Blessed,” Ashley Brown’s, “Types of Captivity” and Tyler Means’ Walking Seed.” —Andre Silva

LI’s largest hospital fundraiser tees off May 15

By JAMES BERNSTEIN jbernstein@liherald.com

There’s nothing bigger on Long Island — at least as far as annual hospital golf fundraiser goes, and it kicks off Monday, May 15 at three Nassau County courses.

Sponsored by Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, the 39th Annual Golf Outing raises money to serve patients and communities across the South Shore. And it will honor both the Long Beach fire chief, and a longtime facility vice president with the hospital.

Scott Kemins has spent more than 40 years as a civil servant, growing up in Long Beach “as a nice Jewish boy” whose mom wanted him to become a lawyer or a doctor. She did not conceive of him becoming a firefighter or a police officer. But that’s exactly what he did.

Now 60, Kemins, has been chief of the Long Beach Fire Department for more than two decades, joining the force in 1980. He was the youngest chief elected at the age of 26.

Kemins joined the Long Beach building department in 1995, becoming its commissioner in 2002. Kemins also earned Nassau County’s Bronze Medal of Valor for helping rescue someone from a burning apartment at an assisted living facility in Long Beach in the late 1980s. He also spent 40 years as a lifeguard.

Kemins — who is receiving the hospitals community service award at the event — shares twin 14-year-old daughters, Casey and Hailey, with his wife, Gayle. Both were born at Mount Sinai South Nassau, spending two weeks in the hospital’s neonatal care unit.

“My wife and I are eternally grateful to the hospital and its staff for the expert care they provided to our twins,” Kemins said, in a release. “We will never forget the kindness and expertise we witnessed first-hand when our girls were in the NICU.”

Dr. Adhi Sharma, the hospital’s president, said in a statement that Kemins’s leadership has helped emergency services on the barrier island improved significantly.

“He always works to better coordinate services in the field with area hospitals,” Sharma said. “He is an asset to our community, and it is our pleasure to recognize his

essential contributions to our community.”

Also earning recognition at the charity event is Andrew Triolo, Mount Sinai South Nassau’s vice president of facilities, design and construction.

“A builder, collaborator and problem-solver, Andy is always available to lend a helping hand, and has been essential to the growth of the hospital and the continuation of its excellence in the delivery of quality health care,” said Jeff Greenfield, co-chair of the golf committee, in a release. “And Scott is a first responder of the first order. He shows up whenever his community calls.”

Triolo also oversees construction of the hospital’s $130 million, four-story, 100-square-foot Feil Family Pavilion in Oceanside. Expected to be completed next year, the pavilion will double the size of the Fennessy Family Emergency Center, increase the critical and intensive care inpatient capacity to 40 beds, and add nine new operating rooms equipped with the latest surgical technologies.

Mike Sapraicone, who co-chairs the golf committee with Greenfield, says Kemins and Triolo are cut from the same cloth.

“They are built to serve,” he said, “and their service makes a measurable difference in the lives of our patients.”

The tournament itself will be held at three venues: The Seawane Club in Hewlett Harbor, the Rockaway Hunting Club in Lawrence, and the Rockville Links Club in Rockville Centre,

Last year’s outing broke records, grossing just under $640,000, with $435,000 of that going directly to expand and improve hospital services across the South Shore.

Sponsorships, journal ads and foursomes are available for the outing, as well as a pickleball tournament for those who don’t golf. To learn more about sponsorship, or to register for golf or pickleball, call (516) 377-5360, or email lynne.nordone@snch.org.

PRINTING PRESS OPERATOR OVERNIGHT SHIFT

The Printing Press Operator will be responsible for operating all machinery in the printing of newspapers/other products in a safe and sound condition. Responsible for regular maintenance/upkeep of the presses, roller settings, and maintaining the quality of product being produced off the presses.

Key Responsibilities: Setup/operate web printing presses to produce high-quality printed materials with speed, accuracy, and within established waste parameters; Monitor/adjust 4-color ink flow, registration, and pressure settings during production to ensure consistent quality output; Troubleshoot/resolve printing issues and folder operations to minimize downtime and maximize production efficiency.

Requirements : Must have knowledge of printing techniques, understanding basic ink/water balance, press quality standards; Three (3) years of Press Operator experience is preferred; Demonstrated mechanical ability; Able to climb ladders to 2nd level of press repeatedly and work long hours on feet performing repetitive tasks.

Qualified candidates can send their resume to careers@liherald.com or call (516) 569.4000 x239

Courtesy Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital

ScoTT KEMINS, chIEf of the Long Beach Fire Department, will earn Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital’s community service award at its 39th Annual Golf Outing, with hopes of topping the $640,000 raised last year for health care on the South Shore.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

INDEX NO. 606756/2022

COUNTY OF NASSAU

DEUTSCHE BANK

NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR GSAMP TRUST 2006FM2, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-FM2

Plaintiff, vs. KRYSTAL FORD, if living, and if she/he 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 the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next 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; MORTGAGE

ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC.; FREMONT INVESTMENT & LOAN; THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises, described in the complaint, Defendants.

Plaintiff designates

NASSAU as the place of trial situs of the real property

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

Mortgaged Premises:

1071 WASHINGTON STREET, BALDWIN, NY 11510

Section: 54, Block: 375, Lot: 1341, 1342, 1343, 1344

To the above named Defendants YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days

after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service. Your failure to appear or to answer will result in a judgment against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. In the event that a deficiency balance remains from the sale proceeds, a judgment may be entered against you.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT

THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of $356,160.00 and interest, recorded on July 07, 2006, in Liber M 30698 at Page 868, of the Public Records of NASSAU County, New York., covering premises known as 1071 WASHINGTON STREET, BALDWIN, NY 11510.

The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above.

NASSAU County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

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

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

Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action.

YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Dated: February 21, 2023

ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorney for Plaintiff

Oluwatobi Adedokun, Esq.

900 Merchants

Concourse, Suite 310 Westbury, NY 11590

516-280-7675

137941

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NASSAU

COUNTY

U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSF9 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST, Plaintiff against KELLY DOUGAN A/K/A KELLY ANN DOUGAN, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s)

Fein Such & Crane, LLP, 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800, Rochester, NY 14614. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered February 26, 2020, 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 April 17, 2023 at 2:30 PM. Premises known as 1483 Kingston Avenue, Baldwin a/k/a North Baldwin, NY 11510.

Sec 36 Block 319 Lot 5. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being at Baldwin, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Approximate

Amount of Judgment is $301,374.96 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 606573/2019. 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.”

Richard Langone, Esq., Referee AYSN358 137931

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS; Index No.:603668/2022

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU

-----------------------------X

BR MADISON LLC, Plaintiff, -againstJAMES BOWEN a/k/a

JAMES BOWENS, if he be living, if he be dead, his respective heirs-at-law, next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors, and successors in interest, and generally all persons having or claiming under, by, or through JAMES BOWEN a/k/a JAMES BOWENS, if he be dead, whether by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, including any right, title or interest in and to the real property described in the compliant herein all of who and whose names

and places of residence are unknown to the plaintiff; MONOGRAM HOME EQUITY CORP.; TRUIST BANK as successor to CRESTAR MORTGAGE CORP.; ROSANNE DEFRANK, if she be living, if she be dead, her respective heirs-at-law, next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors, and successors in interest, and generally all persons having or claiming under, by, or through ROSANNE DEFRANK, if she be dead, whether by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, including any right, title or interest in and to the real property described in the compliant herein all of who and whose names and places of residence are unknown to the plaintiff; AND JOHN AND JANE DOES 1-10, the last ten names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises described in the complaint, Defendants

-----------------------------X

TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your Answer or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a Notice of Appearance, on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within thirty (30) days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. Plaintiff designates Nassau County as the place of trial. The basis of the venue is the situs of the real property that is the subject of this action. The address of the real property is: 49-51 Peters Avenue, Hempstead, New York 11550. Dated: Great Neck, NY, March 8, 2023

ROBERT BICHOUPAN, P.C.,By: Carolyn Bichoupan, Esq., Attorneys for the Plaintiff, 175 East Shore Road, Ste. 270, Great Neck, New York 11023. (516) 482-1186. The object of the action is to declare Plaintiff the record holder and owner of all rights, title and interest in and to the premises known as 49-51 Peters Avenue, Hempstead, New York 11550 and identified as Section 36, Block 049, Lot 014 (the “Premises”).

Notice of Electronic Filing: Efiling is Mandatory for Attorneys, who must record representation on the NYSCEF site at 222.nycourts.com/efile or file a Notice of Opt-Out form with the clerk.

To register for e-filing or for more information regarding e-filing, visit www.nycourts.gov/efileunrepresented or obtain court contact information at www.nycourts.gov.

The foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Amended Order of Judge R. Bruce Cozzens, Jr., a Justice of the Supreme Court, Nassau County, entered March 10, 2023.

137947

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU

Wells Fargo Bank, NA, Plaintiff AGAINST

Toqir Hussain Malik a/k/a

Toqir H. Malik a/k/a Toqir Malik; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 15, 2017 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 25, 2023 at 2:00PM, premises known as 1115 Jackson Place, Baldwin, NY 11510. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in Baldwin, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 54 Block 357 Lots 823-825. Approximate amount of judgment $596,236.54 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 006885/2011. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the Tenth Judicial District. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.” Scott H. Siller, Esq, Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC

Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff

175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: March 2, 2023

138112

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU

JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, Plaintiff AGAINST Jessica Mordi; Giovana Smith a/k/a Giovana Mordi; et al., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered November 1, 2018 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 24, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 99 East Pennywood Avenue, Roosevelt, NY 11575. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Roosevelt, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section: 55 Block: 483 Lots: 225 and 226. Approximate amount of judgment $341,969.56 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 005321/2016. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19

Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the Tenth Judicial District. Foreclosure Auctions will be held Rain or Shine.

Michele Bencivinni, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP

f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC

Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: January 31, 2023

138110

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY

COMPANY.

NAME:

Carole’s Legacy, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 01/28/23. NY Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to:1834 Fargo Street, Baldwin, NY 11510

Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity.

138302

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, WILMINGTON SAVINGS

FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT SOLEY AS TRUSTEE FOR FINANCE OF AMERICA

STRUCTURED ACQUISTION TRUST 2019-HB1, Plaintiff, vs. GERI F. NUSSBAUM AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN OF IRWIN NUSSBAUM; ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on January 9, 2020 and an Order for Extension of Time to Conduct Foreclosure Sale duly entered on January 9, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at

the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on May 4, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 1000 Howard Court, 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 54, Block 583 and Lot 22. Approximate amount of judgment is $447,979.56 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 001179/2017. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.

Lisa Segal Poczik, Esq., Referee Greenspoon Marder, 590 Madison Avenue, Suite 1800, New York, NY 10022, Attorneys for Plaintiff 138290

LEGAL NOTICE

REFEREE’S LEGAL NOTICE OF POSTPONEMENT OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiffagainst - MARIE AMBROISE, et al Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on October 30, 2019. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 “Rain or Shine” on the 14th day of March, 2023 at 2:00 PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Baldwin, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York.

Premises known as 3051 Grand Avenue, Baldwin, NY 11510.

(Section: 0054, Block: 00409-00, Lot: 00075) Approximate amount of lien $467,106.06 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale.

Index No. 613132/2018.

Brian J. Davis, Esq., Referee.

McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 840 New York, NY 10170 Tel. 347/286-7409

For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832

Dated: December 15, 2022

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

The above sale, originally scheduled for 3/14/2023 at 2:00 p.m. has been postponed. The new sale date is April 11, 2023 at 3:30 pm. at the same place. Brian J. Davis, Esq., Referee. Dated: March 10, 2023 138529

Search for notices online at: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF NASSAU OCWEN LOAN SERVICING, LLC, V. WANDA CRAFT.

NOTICE OF SALE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated December 12, 2018, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein OCWEN LOAN SERVICING, LLC is the Plaintiff and WANDA CRAFT is the Defendant. 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 May 9, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 38 ALLERS BOULEVARD, ROOSEVELT, NY 11575: Section 55, Block 330, Lot 237 & 238: ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING AT ROOSEVELT, IN THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 001898/2013. Christina D. Jonathan, 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

Grand Baldwin Festival is set for late April

The Community Coalition of Baldwin is hosting the Grand Baldwin Festival on April 29 and promises the event will be the biggest ever in its history.

The Community Coalition of Baldwin will host over 100 vendors for their Grand Baldwin Festival on April 29 from noon to 4 p.m. in the municipal parking lot behind the Baldwin Public Library at 2385 Grand Ave to celebrate the Baldwin community.

The event will feature a marketplace atmosphere, which include vendors selling crafts and other retail goods, food, and live entertainment, and an emphasis on showcasing Baldwin’s finest businesses and residents.

The planning committee said they have been working diligently to prepare for the festival and there are still opportunities for interested and sponsors to participate. To sign up, register online on the festival’s website GrandBaldwinFestival. com. The deadline for registration is April 10, 2023. The registration fee for Baldwin based businesses is $75, while all non-Baldwin based businesses can register for $125. Food vendors must additionally file for Temporary Food Service per-

mits with the Nassau County Department of Health. Additional information is available on the Festival website.

The Grand Baldwin Festival was first

Public Notices

SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

138563

www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

NASSAU COUNTY

MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. AS NOMINEE FOR LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, TRUSTEE, Plaintiff against STANLEY SMITH, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Fein Such & Crane, LLP, 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800, Rochester, NY 14614. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered September 20, 2006, 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 May 8, 2023 at 2:00 PM. Premises known as 5 Church Street, Baldwin, NY 11510. Sec 54 Block 481 Lot 423. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being at Baldwin, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $387,480.45 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 007909/2005.

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.”

Ellen Durst, Esq., Referee SPSJN209 138565

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S.

BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE ON BEHALF OF THE CITIGROUP MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST INC. ASSET-BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-OPX1, Plaintiff AGAINST ANCILLA BLACK, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered January 18, 2019, 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 May 9, 2023 at 2:00PM, premises known as 881 LORENZ AVENUE, NORTH BALDWIN, NY 11510. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected,

situate, lying and being at Baldwin, Town of Hempstead, County Nassau and State of New York, Section 54, Block 38, Lot 182 & 183. Approximate amount of judgment $331,289.13 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #002599/2017. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Mark S. Ricciardi, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221

17-002259 75468 138525

LEGAL

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on November 17, 2016 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Nassau County Supreme Court, on the north side steps,100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, New York on May 10, 2023 at 2:30 P.M., premises known as 1112 JACKSON PLACE, BALDWIN, NEW YORK 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: 54, Block: 356, Lot: 838-840. Approximate amount of judgment is $688,988.33 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 009776/2014. 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.

Alexander Sklavos, Esq., Referee Roach & Lin, P.C., 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 185, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff 138546

legalnotices@liherald.com

held in 2019 and hundreds of community members came out to show their support. Following a brief pause in 2020 due to Covid-19, the Festival returned in 2021 uniting the community once again, featuring more than 75 vendors, who sold an assortment of items, such as handcrafted jewelry, clothing, books, paintings, crafts, and more.

Food vendors were primarily local restaurants and eateries offering meals, baked goods, and refreshments. Art students from the Baldwin High School showed their talents by producing a chalk art exhibit and painted ‘tattoos’ on the hands of young children.

A storm in 2022 forced the postponing of the festival to this spring, so most of

the events will still be with a spring theme. The Festival’s sponsor, the Community Coalition of Baldwin, is an offshoot of the Baldwin Council Against Drug Abuse and it is their mission to bring community stakeholders together to mobilize a more cohesive community.

Funds raised from the Grand Baldwin Festival are used to implement other community-building projects and events that bring Baldwin’s people together. In addition, this year’s funds will be used for three $500 scholarships for graduating seniors who have exhibited outstanding community service.

For more information about the festival, contact the email baldwingestival@ gmail.com. — Andre Silva

Photos courtesy Community Coalition of Baldwin

THE COMMUNITY COALITION of Baldwin will host over 100 vendors for their Grand Baldwin Festival on April 29 from noon to 4 p.m., in the municipal parking lot behind the Baldwin Public Library at 2385 Grand Ave., to celebrate the Baldwin community

THE GRAND BALDWIN Festival was first held in 2019 and hundreds of community members came out to show their support. Following a brief pause in 2020 due to Covid-19, the Festival returned in 2021 uniting the community once again, featuring more than 75 vendors, who sold an assortment of items, such as handcrafted jewelry, clothing, books, paintings and crafts.

EMPLOYMENT

Administrative Assistant Various Office Duties

Must Be Proficient In Word And Outlook

Monday, Wednesday 12-6 Tuesday,Thursday, Friday 9:30-3:30

Will Train Right Candidate Email Resume To: jwpersonal@ wilsoncollegeconsulting.com

No Phone Calls Or In-Person Inquiries

AUTO TECHNICIAN FT IMMEDIATE

Experienced And Reliable. NYSI A Plus. Busy Merrick Shop. Call 516-781-5641

CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE

Full Time/Part Time Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department.

Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc.

STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multitask, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com

DRIVERS WANTED

Full Time and Part Time

Positions Available!

Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers.

Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience.

Hours Vary, Night Availability is a Must.

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

DRIVING INSTRUCTOR Company Car/ Bonuses. Clean Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome! Bell Auto School 516-365-5778

Email: info@bellautoschool.com

DRIVING INSTRUCTORS WANTED

Will Certify And Train HS Diploma NYS License Clean 3 Years Call 516-731-3000

EDITOR/REPORTER

The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry.

To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. We offer salary, commission, bonuses, health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Will consider part time.

Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286

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

Lev Chana Early Childhood:

Early Childhood Head Teachers

Early Childhood Assistant Teachers

Administrative Assistant

HALB Elementary School:

Assistant Teachers

Part Time Morah

Middle School Morah

Full Time Elementary School Rebbe

DRS Yeshiva High School for Boys:

English Teacher

Science Teacher

Ivrit Teacher

Math Teacher

Learning Center Teacher

Guidance Counselor

Assistant College Guidance Counselor

SKA High School for Girls:

Graphic Design Teacher

Ivrit Teacher

History Teacher

Halacha Teacher

AP Computer Science Teacher

Art Teacher

American Sign Language Teacher (ASL)

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

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Salary, Commission, Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off.

Will Consider Part Time.

Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

PRESS-ROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP

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

PROPERTY and OPERATIONS MAN-

AGER WANTED Freeport. Experienced

Professional in Property Management, Operations and Maintenance. 4pm-7pm.

Saturdays. 646-481-3076

EMAIL eagertoserve@verizon.net

https://eagertoserve.site/

RECEPTIONIST - FULL TIME

Receptionist (full-time) needed for Publisher and Self-Storage Facility located in Garden City. The ideal candidate should have excellent communications and customer service skills, be professional, dependable and have reliable transportation. Candidate should have computer knowledge and working knowledge of MS Office. Candidate MUST be reliable, punctual and be able to work a CONSISTENT schedule:

Monday and Wednesday 8am to 4pm

Tuesday and Thursday 8am to 6pm Friday 8am to 5pm

Job Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Answering phones and greeting customers, assisting new customers by showing storage facility options and pricing, collecting payments from customers, contacting customers for late payments, applying payments and updating the customer files /data base and other general administrative responsibilities on an as needed basis. Hourly pay, plus eligible for Holiday Pay, PTO, Medical, Dental, 401k with company matching, plus other benefits. Qualified candidates should email their resume, cover letter and salary requirements. No phone calls please. Job

Salisbury Entertainer's Dream

fireplace and sliders to the resort style backyard with fully permitted outdoor kitchen and diamond pavered entertainment area. This home also boasts central air-conditioning, a 1 car garage and security system with so much more.

Open Houses

HEWLETT 1534 BROADWAY #205, Open House By Appt! Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedroom(Originally 3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living...$699,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT BA, 1267 Peninsula Blvd, BA, NEW TO MARKET! 5 BR, 2 Bth Exp Cape in SD#14 (Hewlett-Woodmere) Living Room, DR & Updtd Gran/Wood EIK & Bths. Det 1.5 Gar & Driveway for 4/5 Cars. HW Floors. Gas Heat. Near LIRR, Shops, Trans & Schools. A Steal!

.....$599,000 RONNIE GERBER 516 238-4299

HEWLETT BA, 1534 Broadway #103, REDUCED AND MOTIVATED! Magnificent New Renovation! One of a Kind Ranch

Style Living in Luxurious Jonathan Hall Condominium with Doorman & Elevator. Just Move into This Gut Renovated, Spacious 2 BR, 2 Bath Apt with Open Layout.Large Designer Eat in Kitchen with Sep Pantry & Laundry Rm.Master BR Boasts Gorgeous Bth & Walk in Closet. Terrace Faces into Courtyard and the Garage Parking is Incl..$699,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT BA, 1599 Lakeview Dr.,

FIRST SHOW! 4 BR, 3 Bth Exp Ranch on Tree Lined St in SD#14. Spacious LR,DR & Family Rm, EIK & Fin Bsmt. Att Garage. HW Flrs. Near Park, Trans, Shops & Houses of Worship...$829,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-429

Open Houses

HEWLETT BA 257 WILLARD Spacious 5 BR, 3 , open house 12-1:30, 4/2, Bth Exp Ranch With Open Layout.Main Floor Mstr Ste Plus Potential Mstr Ste on 2nd Flr.LR/Fpl, FDR, EIK & Sundrenched Family Rm w/ Doors to Deck. Fin Bsmt. Att Gar. Loads of Updates!! SD#20(Lynbrook)No

Flood Insurance Req. MUST SEE THIS!..$1,025,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETTE 1608 RIDGEWAY Dr, BA, Drastic Reduction! Motivated Seller!Move Right Into This Completely Gut Renovated 4 BR, 3.5 Bth Col on 1/4 Acre Prop. New Kosher EIK, FDR, LR w/ Fpl, Den & Enclosed Porch. Radiant Htd Flrs. Full Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Att Gar. MUST SEE!! SD#20...$1,399,000

Stonegate Real Estate 2a Poole Street Oceanside, NY 11572 516-740-2777

info@stonegatere.com www.stonegatere.com

Ronnie Gerber 516-238-4299 1211059 happy holidays!

DR, Family Rm, EIK & Fin Bsmt. Att Garage. HW Flrs. Near Park, Trans, Shops & Houses of Worship $829,000

1608 Ridgeway Dr, BA, Move Right Into This Completely Gut Renovated 4 BR, 3.5 Bth Col on 1/4 Acre Prop. New Kosher EIK, FDR, LR/ Fpl, Den & Enclosed Porch. Radiant Heated Flrs. Full Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Att Gar. MUST SEE!! SD#20 DRASTIC REDUCTION! MOTIVATED SELLER! $1,399,000 ALSO FOR RENT $6,500 per month

1267 Peninsula Blvd, BA, NEW TO MARKET! 5 BR, 2 Bth Exp Cape in SD#14 (Hewlett-Woodmere) LR, DR & Updtd Gran/Wood EIK & Bths. Det

1.5 Gar & Driveway for 4/5 Cars. HW Floors. Gas Heat. Near LIRR, Shops, Trans & Schools. A Steal! $599,000

1534 Broadway #103, BA, Magnificent New Renovation! One of a Kind Ranch Style Living in Luxurious Jonathan Hall Condominium with Doorman & Elevator. Just Move into This Gut Rvated, Spacious 2 BR, 2 Bath Apt with Open Layout. Large Designer Eat in Kitchen with Sep Pantry & Laundry Rm.Master BR Boasts Gorgeous Bth & Walk in Closet. Terrace Faces into Courtyard. Garage Parking Incl REDUCED & MOTIVATED!! $699,000

1534 Broadway #205, BA, Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedroom

(Originally 3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living BIG REDUCTION!! MOTIVATED SELLER!$699,000 CE da RHURST

332B Peninsula Blvd, BA, Move Right Into This Updated 3 Br, 2.5 Bth Coop Townhouse. LR, DR, Gran/Wood Kit w/ Stainless Steel Appl. Trex Deck Off LR. Primary Ste Features Updtd Bth & WIC. Att Gar Plus 1 Pkg Spot incl in Maintenance. W/D. Pull Down Attic. SD#15. Convenient to Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship $449,000

Making an old home newer

Q. Our new home is pretty old, from 1920. We want to update it and have a lot of concerns, with taxes if we enlarge it, cost if we get rid of walls, widening our driveway to park more cars and what you think about getting rid of our garage for more room instead of building up. It’s a one-story with low ceilings on the second floor that are really too small for bedrooms. My parents have been reading your column for many years and suggested you could help. What can you tell us?

A. It’s hard for me not to feel as old as your house when you put it that way, but after writing this column for 32 years, I’m often doing work for children of former clients, and have gotten your question thousands of times. First, almost anything you do that adds space to your home also adds value, and value increases taxes. Cosmetic changes like siding, windows or an asphalt or concrete driveway generally don’t affect the value, but luxury materials, such as stone facing or interlocking pavers, will.

Most of the time, people complain about taxation but rarely, if ever, do they collectively attempt to do anything about it. The methods for deciding value, or even using value as a gauge for tax increases, are questionable, especially because we used to be taxed based on square feet. As we transition into not leaving our homes, communicating digitally, the tax system perpetuates without challenge.

In many villages and towns, garages are required, and hard surfaces for any kind of paving are considered “impervious,” not replenishing groundwater. There are limits on how much of your total property you can cover. You will need to investigate your specific jurisdiction’s requirements. Sidewalks, patios and driveways are all impervious, but pools and decks generally are not.

You’ll need your property survey, which is a map of your lot, house size and location, but you’ll also discover that surveyors generally don’t provide the dimensions of porches, sidewalks, driveways or steps. Get out a tape measure and accurately document the property’s hard surfaces if you’re in a community that requires impervious-area information. When you hire an architect or engineer, that’s what we have to do.

The only way to answer questions about removing walls is to assess the whole house: where to disperse loads, how to brace exterior walls against wind shear, how to handle snow loads and wind uplift, where pipes and wires would be relocated, how the spaces function and will be finished.

Package all this to be reviewed by building officials and receive permission to build — sounds simpler than it is, especially when workers leave details out or change something and we start adjusting all over again, only after much discussion, time and money. That’s also part of the age-old process. Avoid changes once you decide, save money doing so and your old house will be like new again.

© 2022 Monte

Ask The Architect

Monte Leeper

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Tag Sales

FREEPORT: FRIDAY 4/7/23 And SATURDAY 4/8/23 10am- 3pm. 270 North Columbus Avenue. Something For Everyone!

Garage Sales

MERRICK INDOOR SALE Saturday 4/15, Sunday 4/16. 10am-4pm. Sunrise Yacht Club. 1980 Bayberry Avenue. Multi Family.

MERCHANDISE MART

Antiques/Collectibles

We Buy Antiques, Fine Art & Jewelry Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluations, 45 Year Family Business. Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid. SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

Miscellaneous For Sale

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT: EXCELLENT Condition. Joerns Hoyer Journey 340, Sara Stedy And Upright Walker. Negotiable. 516-593-6687

FINDS UNDER $100

Finds Under $100

CRYSTAL STEMWARE (WATER, wine, champagne). Macys, brand new, original boxes $99. (516)225-9191.

KARCHER POWER WASHER: Brand New, Never Used. Still in the box. $95. 347-512-1652

VINTAGE 1967 SILEX Juicer deluxe, working & clean. $35. 516-798-2098

VINTAGE ELECTROLUX MODEL G, working, brown metal canister. $30. 516-798-2098

YAMAHA SPEAKERS, OUTDOOR surround sound all weather model, NS-AW 592. In original boxes $99 (516)225-9191

Finds $100-$350

TREADMILL PROFORM GYM SIZE Great Condition. $250 516 668 8877

SERVICES

Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry

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New York is going to pot, very slowly

New York state is a big and complex entity. It provides services that meet the needs of millions of people, and at the same time, it creates law after law that is supposed to meet those needs. Sometimes the state trips over its own regulatory feet and falls flat on its face.

When it comes to the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act, you can toss a coin as to whether it is a hiccup or a major bureaucratic headache. The MRTA law turned 2 years old last week. When you create a massive statewide undertaking, there are always fits and starts. But sooner or later, the whole process gets on track and almost everyone is happy.

There is no doubt that the legislators who sponsored the original MRTA law had the best of intentions, and were hopeful that the law would be in place and slowly but surely be producing rev-

enue for the state and creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs. Regrettably, the state has gotten zero dollars from the program, and you can count the number of new jobs with your fingers.

I’m not pointing one of mine in blame at any officials in particular, because they have a tough and thankless job. But the visions of success have been premature. At present, there are hundreds of licensed growers around the state who will very soon have a product that is available, but no one to sell it to. There are only a handful of legal dispensaries, and they can’t handle the amount of cannabis that is being grown. So what should a pot grower do with tons of mature plants? Farmers must have a place to sell their products, but New York’s cannabis growers don’t. While the state has been in the process of getting the system functioning, one group has done very well. If you take a drive around New York City or many other parts of the state, you’ll see

an enormous number of mini-stores that call themselves “smoke shops.” You can be sure that they aren’t surviving on the proceeds from the sales of $12 packs of Marlboros. They do sell nicotine products, but their money comes from the sale of marijuana.

These days there is so much pot on the streets of our state that you can smell it on many street corners. I recently took our granddaughter to the American Museum of Natural History and smelled pot near the dinosaur exhibit. Gov. Kathy Hochul has introduced a bill that would shut down all of the smoke shops and impose massive fines on those that fail to comply.

When I was a member of the Assembly, we had an old adage: Where there’s a new law, there’s a lawsuit to follow. So far, the state has been sued twice by companies and individuals claiming that the licensing process for selling pot has either been “unfair” or “arbitrary.” Because my law firm represents some prospective licensees, I won’t comment

on the merits of those claims.

But suffice it to say that not everyone is in love with MRTA. Friends complain to me frequently about the legalization of pot, but I explain to them that it is now legal in more than 20 states, both red and blue. In its first year of legalization, the state of Colorado collected over $250 million in revenue, and now that revenue is closer to $1 billion annually. What state wouldn’t want to cash in on the pot business?

Sooner or later, the New York Legislature will help implement the MRTA more effectively, and the state might even see a few dollars that are now going to the smoke shops.

And if you think the pot law got off to a slow start, watch how the casino licensing process goes forward. No doubt that new headache will be like turning an aircraft carrier around, not once but multiple times.

Jerry Kremer was an Assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? jkremer@liherald.com.

America, where have all the flowers gone?

We ponder big themes this week. Biblical plagues, miracles, resurrection, insurrection, and the elevation of false gods. And that’s just our political world.

We also mark the days of Passover and Easter. For those who observe, this religious week reminds us that nothing in our lives is unique. Kings have risen and kings have fallen. Democracies have triumphed and then failed, in cycles that repeat themselves over the ages.

TRUMP INDICTED.

The road ahead is unclear. The wheels of justice love a well-worn path, and this time around there is none. The presumption of innocence supersedes all other aspects of the case, but how the process unfolds, with Donald Trump exonerated or convicted, will grab headlines and social media attention for years to come.

tive spoke of the little girl’s favorite activities in her preschool days. That is how the lives of 9-year-olds are eulogized.

Nashville, of course, is just the most recent crime scene where murdered children were laid to rest. More than 6,000 American children were hurt or killed by gunfire in 2022, according to ABC News. No single issue in our lives is more important, and more demanding of our action than this: The leading cause of death among children in the United States is gun violence.

the deaths from firearms for those ages 1 to 18 are homicides, with about a third being suicide. In 2020 in particular and in recent years more generally, the number of firearm homicides within this age range spiked.”

Each of us has a voice and a pen and a vote. If we love our children more than we love the patronage of the NRA, we need to make those voices heard.

The people in Nashville who were murdered in cold blood with military style weapons were Evelyn Dieckhaus, William Kinney and Hallie Scruggs, all 9 years old; Katherine Koonce, 60, the head of the school; Mike Hill, 61, a custodian; and Cynthia Peak, 61, a substitute teacher.

RANDI KREISS

Still, last week was a remarkable one for those of us living on earth in 2023. After years of investigations and a multi-year media free-for-all, a former president of the United States was indicted by a grand jury in New York. I saved the front page for my grandchildren to preserve the moment, because it is historic and because I want them to know that everyone is equal under the law, even an American president. Almost all the headlines in all the big newspapers featured two words set in large bold type:

For me, the most distressing consequence of the former president’s indictment was that it wiped off the front pages the story of the shooting of six people in Nashville earlier in the week. This is how it goes these days: Horrific shootings of children have become bloody blips on our screens. The news feeds zap our devices with details of yet another crazed shooter, bodies in classrooms, police charging the killer, statements of sympathy, first ladies off to the funerals. And the world watches as tiny caskets go into the ground, and traumatized families and friends experience the first days of what will be a lifetime of longing and grief.

At one of the funerals of one of the 9-year-olds killed in Nashville, a rela-

Reflecting on the Nashville murders in The Washington Post, columnist Philip Bump quoted from a book by Ta-Nehisi Coates, remembering a child killed in a violent encounter. “Think of all the love poured into him,” Coates wrote, delineating specific ways in which parents invest in and show their love for their children: music lessons, birthday parties and kids’ books. Then, he added, “And think of how that vessel was taken, shattered on the concrete, and all its holy contents, all that had gone into him, sent flowing back to the earth.”

Mr. Bump went on to write, “Most of

If we take away anything from the last chaotic week, let it be a commitment to stop the killing of our children. This is a uniquely American abomination, our new American exceptionalism.

During this week of political drama and religious meditation, can we not use our voices and our votes to demand change in our gun laws? In my youth, we raised our voices to protest the killing of our kids in war. Pete Seeger’s lyrics resonated in that time and place.

They still ring out: “Where have all the flowers gone?”

Copyright 2023 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

Horrific shootings of children have become bloody blips on our screens.

The handful of legal dispensaries can’t handle the volume being grown.

JERRY KREMER

HERALD

Kids will lead, if we let them

What’s the best way to teach a child? The better question is, what’s the most effective way a child learns?

Lagging student achievement is not new. As schools grapple with declining test scores caused by the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, education leaders need to find a solution.

Schools nationwide have been using project-based learning to better reach kids. Students identify real-world problems — like climate change or food scarcity — and then research solutions and present their findings. The goal is for students to acquire knowledge and problem-solving skills, instead of focusing on traditional learning by sitting in rows and memorizing facts.

Students make all the decisions. Teachers? They’re along for the ride.

Sometimes the best lesson is for adults to shut up, stand to the side and let kids take charge. Leaders in the Village of Malverne did just that when a group of high school students, following the model of project-based learning in curriculums across the country, sought to rename a street honoring a former Ku Klux Klan leader.

Over a few years, students researched the topic, petitioned school and village officials several times, and built a communitylevel outreach program. The result? Lindner Place was renamed Acorn Way in January. The new name is a nod to Malverne’s motto, “Oaks from acorns.”

Certainly, there were other people

LETTERS

Where do you stand, Congressman D’Esposito?

To the Editor:

Every day last week, I called U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito’s office, inquiring about his stance on gun violence, while the TV hummed news of another school shooting, like an excruciating soundtrack to my calls.

Days 1-3: “I haven’t had the chance to speak to the congressman about this issue, but I will pass along your concerns on the matter.”

Day 4: “I’ve heard from others in the office that the congressman is working on a statement.”

Day 5: “I haven’t had the chance to speak to the congressman about this issue, but I will pass along your concerns on the matter.”

I kept hoping to hear the leadership and independence that Congressman D’Esposito was elected by my district to demonstrate. The freshman congressman from District 4, the one made famous by the LIRR massacre that brought Carolyn McCarthy to Congress, ran on a platform of “public safety.” Why, then, was it so hard to receive a response about his position on the ultimate pub-

involved, from civic leaders to community activists. And they came from nearby Lakeview and West Hempstead as well as the village. But children were at the forefront.

This wasn’t a school assignment or an application booster for college. Students came up with the idea. They did the research and spoke to village leaders at public meetings. No one told them they had to do this. Students identified and researched a problem, created solutions, and persuaded the public they were right.

Not only was the Acorn Way renaming a great example of students learning through project-based learning, but it also improved the community. Gone is a street sign celebrating a person who believed in hate. And while Paul Lindner was influential in the village’s history, the evil he promoted cannot be overlooked.

The Acorn Way street renaming garnered national attention, a clear indication of the impact children can have on the world. There are examples of children solving problems all around us by way of PBL — from a high school girl in Bellport who raised money and then helped build a water-filtration system for an all-girls school in Pakistan, to a high school boy in Las Vegas who created a nonprofit that collects and donates shoes.

There are virtually innumerable ways kids can volunteer at almost any age. Parents can reach out to local or national and international groups for ideas. Better still, ask a child what he or she would do to

make the world a better place.

Educators are deeply concerned about learning in the 21st century. American schoolchildren continue to lag behind those in dozens of other countries in math and science. Certainly there are other measures of student learning, but the decline remains troubling.

The latest focus is on what are called the 4 C’s of 21st-century Learning: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication. Project-based learning is the epitome of this concept. The Malverne students took it further by adding “community.”

Is the purpose of an education to get a job and make money? Or is it something more meaningful? By allowing students to guide their own learning, the greater Malverne community is a better place — not only now, but in the future.

More students will follow the example of those in Malverne, and more communities will be made better places. Schools can continue to expand PBL throughout all grades to encourage students to explore problems and solutions. Communities can offer competitions to entice students to solve problems. Parents can pose open-ended questions to push their child’s critical thinking.

There are more opportunities like this in every town. Schools, community leaders, and others should spread the story of Acorn Way to encourage more children to explore problems and solutions.

All we have to do is get out of their way.

It’s time to rethink windstorm insurance coverage

What is a windstorm? That might sound like a question with an obvious answer. And for the National Weather Service, it is.

But in New York, there isn’t a single answer — there are many. More than 100, in fact. And it all depends on your homeowners insurance policy. And even then, the answer might not be so clear.

This might not seem like a big deal, but it is. Which definition your policy uses could impact the amount you have to pay out of pocket if a windstorm damages your property. And really, none of the options are cheap.

A lack of a standard definition ultimately affects windstorm deductibles. If the wind speed doesn’t meet the definition of a windstorm outlined in your policy, you will likely see your standard deductible — anywhere between $500 and $2,000.

But if you have a policy where wind

speeds match its definition of a windstorm, say goodbye to that standard deductible, and instead look at opening your wallet to pay a percentage of your home’s value, typically 5 percent. That means if your home is worth $500,000, forget paying $500 or even $2,000. You’ll be on the hook for $25,000.

All while your neighbors might be paying much less, for the same storm. All because they have different policies than you.

It’s a roulette wheel of coverage — the kind where the odds remain in favor of the house. You know, the insurance companies.

New York isn’t the South, which is prone to storms like hurricanes. But that doesn’t mean our homes aren’t susceptible to wind damage. Hurricane Sandy may have taken place a decade ago, but there have been other storms since then that, while smaller, could still trigger the much higher deductible, and make it nearly impossible for many homeowners to afford the repairs they most desperately need after a storm.

This is hardly a new problem, and

LETTERS

lic safety issue of our time?

Despite the overwhelming pessimism and the sense that nothing will ever be done to change it, Congressman D’Esposito actually has an opportunity to make a difference and to lead on the issue of gun reform, beginning with an assault weapons ban, which a majority of the American public supports. He is a member of a narrow band of swing state representatives whom he can encourage to work in a bipartisan manner to solve this urgent problem.

All Long Islanders may not be on the same page, but our representatives owe us a clear statement of where they are on this issue so we might begin dialogue and seek solutions together. You can’t lead if nobody knows where you stand or where you are headed.

As a lifelong educator, I believe in the possibility of change and growth, and in this spirit I will keep calling the congressman’s office and hoping for a new response — a meaningful one.

DIANE CARACCIOLO West Hempstead

The lives those Nashville 9-year-olds missed

To the Editor:

As an elementary school teacher for 38 years, I taught almost 1,000 9-year-olds, so my heart goes out to the three youngest

Nashville school shooting victims, Evelyn Dieckhaus, William Kinney and Hallie Scruggs. They’ve had a combined 200 or more years of life stolen from them, and I mourn them with these numbers:

None of them ever got to celebrate a double-digit birthday.

If they had lived to graduate from high school, these three children would at least have had a combined 54 years of learning and laughter. Turning 22 and graduating from college would have afforded their mothers and fathers a combined 66 years of parental pride.

Had they reached 50, besides their AARP memberships, they would have had 150 years in which to have marriages and children, not to mention providing their own parents with grandchildren to spoil.

Had they reached the Social Security age of 62, that would have meant a combined 186 years of life, including working at jobs that would have contributed to many aspects of American life. Getting to retire and earn Medicare benefits at age 65 would have meant a combined 195 years of living life to its fullest, including award-winning careers after which they’d receive their gold watches, and never need to worry about health insurance.

Given their actuarially expected life spans of 80 years, they would have had 240 years, in which they would even have had grandchildren of their own.

there is a solution: Establish a standard definition for windstorms that would apply to all homeowners policies with a windstorm deductible.

Defining windstorms for the purposes of insurance coverage would not upend the underwriting of coastal homeowners policies. Instead, it would make it easier for New York homeowners to understand when a windstorm deductible might apply.

Albany has tried to solve this problem since long before Sandy, but simply hasn’t gotten anywhere. Bill after bill has been introduced in the Legislature, and bill after bill has died there. Last session, a bill standardizing the definition of a windstorm passed the Assembly, but couldn’t make its way out of the Senate.

This session, lawmakers are trying again. Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato and Sen. James Sanders Jr. have companion bills that are seeking a path to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk. A.2866 and S.4199 would require insurance companies to make clear how much financial exposure a homeowner would have to

windstorm damage.

It’s easy to mistake a 5 percent deductible as meaning a homeowner would have to pay 5 percent of the overall cost of repairs — not 5 percent of the home’s total value, which would be much more.

The bills would also standardize the “trigger” — the event that activates the policy in the first place. Uniform standards would make it easier for homeowners to compare different insurance offerings, and get the coverage they expect, and need. It’s something both New Jersey and Connecticut have recently accomplished, and it would also help make sure deductibles are reasonable, and not something that’s going to make the pain of dealing with a damaged home even worse.

Ask your elected officials if they will be a part of the solution. In the meantime, call your insurance agent and make sure you understand what triggers your windstorm deductible, and how much you could be paying out of pocket.

It’s a surprise — and an added expense — none of us needs.

Gary Slavin is president-elect of Professional Insurance Agents of New York State, and an agent with MassMutual in Massapequa.

FRAMEWORK by Tim Baker

A member of the welcoming committee at Norman J. Levy Park & Preserve— Merrick

RICHARD SIEGELMAN Plainview

The odds remain in favor of the house. You know, the insurance companies.

GARY SLAVIN

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