Baldwin
HERALD wwii veteran ‘hero’ honored
Floyd protesters out in force
remembering James Carroll
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Vol. 27 No. 23
JUNE 4 - 10, 2020
Seniors honor their teachers District hosts virtual recognition ceremony for soon-to-be grads by a grant from the Baldwin Foundation for Education, the program nominates the seniors According to tradition, 10 based on their contributions to Baldwin High School graduating their schools, as well as their seniors were recently honored character. by their teachers and asked to BHS senior Regina Gutierrez speak about three educators who recalled her days at Lenox Elehad the greatest mentary School, impact on them where art teacher during their acaLy n n M o l i n a r i demic careers at influenced her creBaldwin schools. ativity and served The In Recognias a role model. tion of Excellence Some of her earliceremony — held est memories of virtually this year ar t be g an with because of the Molinari, Gutiercoronavirus panrez explained, adddemic — took place ing that she plans rEgiNA May 26. to study graphic Board of Educa- gUtiErrEz design at the Rhode tion President Island School of A n n i e D o r e s c a Baldwin High School Design this fall. introduced each senior Gutierrez sharstudent, who selected her memory of ed three teachers drawing the Eiffel — one from elementary school, Tower in Molinari’s class and one from middle school and one comparing her version with her from high school. teacher’s, recalling that Molinari The event celebrates students made her feel as though hers and teachers whose actions have was just as good. made a difference in one anoth“That subtle moment of her er’s lives. Seniors shared stories encouragement sticks with me about the ways in which their in everything I do now,” Gutierteachers have touched them, rez said, crediting her teacher both on the scholastic and personal levels. Sponsored in part Continued on page 3
By BridgEt dowNEs bdownes@liherald.com
m
Bridget Downes/Herald
A loNE CommUtEr wearing a protective mask waited for the bus on Grand Avenue in Baldwin.
Business owners react to L.I. reopening plans By sCott BriNtoN and BridgEt dowNEs bdownes@liherald.com
As projected, Long Island began the Phase One reopening of its battered economy on May 27, paving the way for construction and wholesale trade companies to restart operations, along with retailers for curbside pickup only. David Perez, assistant manager of the Costello’s ACE Hardware in Baldwin, said the business has
remained open for the last couple of months, but with adjusted business hours and additional services, including free deliveries and curbside pickup and drop-off. “People are able to come in as long as there’s masks,” he said. “If it gets too crowded, we start lines outside.” The store adheres to safety guidelines such as employees wearing protective gear and practicing social distancing. Clear plastic was installed as a barrier between customers
and employees, and lines on the floor mark six feet between people. Business has skyrocketed, Perez said, and most of the struggle has been endured by the employees. Some patrons get too close to the employees, disrespecting the social-dist a n c i n g g u i d e l i n e s, h e explained, and sometimes the store is short-staffed. But while other businesses have reduced their staff, Costello’s ACE Hardware has Continued on page 3
s. Molinari set my foundation in becoming a confident artist.
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June 4, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
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Students honor teachers in ‘Excellence’ ceremony with her plans to pursue art as a career path. “Ms. Molinari set my foundation in becoming a confident artist.” The senior also gave a shoutout to former Lenox Principal Bernice-Theresa Acevedo. “It was inspiring to live under the example of a woman of color leading my community during my formative years,” she said. “I continue to look up to her positive leadership and guidance.” She also honored middle school teacher Barbara Raniere and high school teacher Michelle Liemer-Kelly. BHS senior Nicolette Carrion said she was intimidated by high school teacher Alisa Russo when she first sat down in her class. She said Russo challenged her students with 100-page packets and SATlevel questions. “Then, by the end of sophomore year, I found out that she was going to be the adviser for one of my favorite and most important clubs: Key Club,” Carrion said. “I could come to her class and talk to her whenever. She gave me not only Key Club advice, but also life advice, and, as copresident currently, she always had my back, and I always felt she understood me and understood my tenacity.” Russo was someone she could confide in, Carrion said, and helped her tremendously. “I guess you could say she’s my school mom,” she said. “She’s helped me along the way by doing what any great teacher does — making their student feel seen.” Carrion, who will attend Georgetown University in the fall, also honored elementary teacher Denise Heuer and middle school teacher Kathryn Carnacchio. BHS senior Patrick Mulvey also credited his career path to one of his most
Student honored Regina Gutierrez Yaw Bonsu Alexa Zuniga Abbie Wong Nicolette Carrion Taylor Parides Patrick Mulvey Alexa Stegmuller Trevor Watts Ashley Zingale
Elementary school teacher Ms. Lynn Molinari Ms. Randy Arnold Ms. Jessica Piccarillo Ms. Janie Gillen Ms. Denise Heuer Ms. Janie Gillen Ms. Lynette O’Brien Ms. Kelly Laibach Mr. Michael Smyth Mr. Michael Smyth
Middle school teacher
Ms. Barabara Raniere Mr. Chris Fahey Ms. Elizabeth Cook Ms. Sonia Maroudas Ms. Kathryn Carnacchio Ms. Barbara Raniere Ms. Teresa Leite Dr. Kathleen Hurley Mr. Thomas Girolamo Ms. Sonia Maroudas
High school teacher
Ms. Michelle Liemer-Kelly Mr. Greg Kelley Mr. Ronald Ventura Coach Hoover (field hockey) Ms. Alisa Russo Mr. Ronald Ventura Ms. Lauren McCarthy Mr. Scott Dunn Mr. Vincent Leis Ms. Michele Leonardo
impactful teachers, middle school teacher Teresa Leite. “It was in her class that I really feel that I bloomed as a [Science, Technology, Engineering, Math] student,” Mulvey said, “and I can actually attribute the fact that I enjoyed that class so much to the point that I am going to college to study biology. She’s helped me to recognize my career path so I have to thank her for that.” Mulvey, who plans to attend the University of Delaware in the fall, also recognized e l e m e n t a r y s ch o o l teacher Lynette O’Brien and high school teacher Lauren McCarthy.
BaldwIn HIgH SCHool senior Nicolette Carrion honored three of her most impactful teachers at the virtual In Recognition of Excellence ceremony on May 26.
Photos Courtesy Baldwin School District/Vimeo
Baldwin shops adjust to reopening ContInuEd fRoM pagE 1
hired new employees. “There was a pretty critical point where everybody was gone from the store, scared of coronavirus,” he said of former workers, “and essentially, we were able to build another team.” Perez himself began working for the store only a couple of months before the Covid-19 crisis began, and now finds himself working more than 52 hours a week. Despite some struggles, the Costello family dropped in to the store to help out in hands-on ways, he added. “We’re doing pretty good at this point,” Perez said. “We got a little bit of structure back.” Perez also encouraged shoppers to buy locally and support the community. “Thank God our elected officials are finally opening up our starving businesses,” said Erik Mahler, Baldwin Chamber of Commerce president. A representative of Atlantic Hard-
ware in Freeport — a Baldwin chamber member — said that the store has remained open throughout the crisis as an essential business. When the virus first started to spread in the area, the shop implemented special hours and would close early, but is now back to normal hours. The reopening of the Long Island economy will play out by region in three distinct phases hereafter: Phase Two: Professional services, finance and insurance, retail, administrative support, and real estate, rental and leasing. Phase Three: Restaurants and food services, beyond takeout and delivery. Phase Four: Arts, entertainment and recreation, and education. If the number of deaths, hospitalizations and new Covid-19 cases remains stable or declines for two weeks, a region can move on to the next phase of reopening.
BHS SEnIoR patRICk Mulvey recognized three of his Baldwin teachers.
HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — June 4, 2020
In Recognition of Excellence honorees
ContInuEd fRoM pagE 1
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June 4, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
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Pipe band honors ‘hometown hero’ To mark Memorial Day, World War II veteran Edward Olvera, a Baldwin resident, was honored for his service to the country outside his home on May 25. John Stone, of the Wantagh American Le gion Pipe Band, made arrangements with Anne Egal, Olvera’s assistant and friend, to organize a hometown hero parade, friends told the Herald. At 10:30 a.m., a few members from the pipe band marched to 97-year-old Olvera’s yard and performed traditional songs. The parade began at the Long Island Rail Road parking lot on Sunrise Highway and led to Olvera’s home on Milburn Avenue. Friends said Olvera is a sweet man who helps many people with his generous heart and kind words. He made a speech on his front porch at the intimate hometown hero ceremony. In his early days, Olvera left high school and enlisted in the U.S. Army three weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 20, 1941. Friends said he served in an antiaircraft, 683rd AA unit in Burma, and he shot down a Japanese Zero plane. Olvera came home in 1945.
edwaRd olveRa, a 97-year-old Baldwin resident and World War II veteran, was honored by an intimate ceremony on Memorial Day May 25.
Photos courtesy of Maureen Lennon
membeRs of The Wantagh American Legion Pipe Band performed.
OBITUARY
James Patrick Carroll, St. Christopher deacon, dies The Rev. James Patrick Carroll, a man who friends said dedicated his life to serving others, died on May 29. Those who knew him said Carroll spent a lifetime of service to his fellow man. At a young age, he made the military his calling. Carroll was a highly decorated warrior as he defended our way of life serving proudly in Vietnam and faraway battlefields across the globe. His bravery was recognized throughout his military services and the nation. He later served the people of New York City as a dedicated police officer and was again recognized, time after time, for his bravery and dedication to the city he loved.
Carroll’s love for the community of Baldwin, where he and his wife Ellen raised their two daughters, brought him once again into service to his fellow man as he joined the ranks of the Baldwin Fire Department in 1986. Carroll served with distinction in Rescue, Truck Company and ended his career in service to Hose Company Three, decades later. In 1992, he was appointed Chief of Safety among his many other duties in the department. Retirement was not in his blood, as Carroll began work with the Nassau County District Attorney’s office, where he worked until his passing on May 29, surrounded by family.
Baldwin
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MAIN PHONE: (516) 569-4000 ■ .WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/baldwin ■ E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: baldwineditor@liherald.com ■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: Ext. 246 E-mail: baldwineditor@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ SUBSCRIPTIONS: Press ”7” E-mail: circ@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ ClASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Ext. 286 E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com Fax: (516) 622-7460 ■ DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: sales@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643 The Baldwin Herald USPS 50398, is published every Thursday by Richner Communications, Inc., 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Periodicals postage paid at Garden City, NY 11530 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to Baldwin Herald, 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Newsstand Price: $1 Subscription rates: $36 for 1 year within Nassau County. Out of Nassau County: $58 for 1 year. Copyright © 2020 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
Courtesy Baldwin Fire Department
The Rev. James Patrick Carroll, pictured above, center, with the family of Baldwin Fire Department Public Information Officer Jerry Brown, died on May 29. Carroll also turned to the Lord and dedicated much of his life to St. Christopher’s parish in Baldwin. Friends said he was a well-loved deacon in the parish and served with wisdom and passion until his death. Colleagues said Carroll spent a lifetime of giving as he consistently placed himself in harm’s way to protect his fellow man. He leaves behind his wife, Ellen, and
daughters, Marisa Carroll and Fabienne Delgado, and his beloved grandchild, sonin-law, and many other friends and family. Services at Fullerton’s Funeral Home in Baldwin are scheduled for June 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral mass was scheduled for June 2 at St. Christopher’s Church in Baldwin at 10 a.m. Covid-19 restrictions will be honored throughout the services.
Advocacy groups hold George Floyd protest sbrinton@liherald.com, rreyes@liherald.com, dyanes@liherald.com.
People started to stream into the demonstration in front of the Nassau County Legislature and Executive Building in Mineola nearly an hour before the scheduled 5:30 p.m. start time on Monday. They had come to protest the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Shouting “I can’t breathe” and brandishing handmade signs, they arrived from parts across the county and beyond. A coalition of Nassau advocacy groups planned the protest, “Justice for George Floyd.” The demonstration followed the Memorial Day death of Floyd, 46, an African-American man who died after officer Derek Chauvin, 44, pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes before he stopped speaking or moving. Police, according to authorities, responded to a report of a man attempting to pass a counterfeit $20 at a shop. Barbara Powell, an executive board member of the Hempstead NAACP, described Floyd’s death as a “modernday lynching,” noting, “People are fed up and disgusted with how things are and how they keep repeating.” Patrick Ryder, the Nassau police commissioner, attended the rally. “People are here to speak their minds and get their message across,” he said. “What happened in Minneapolis should never have happened. We have a good relationship with our communities. People are exercising their rights, and we hope to continue to do so peacefully.” Leslie Davis, president of the Westbury NAACP, said, “We want to come together peacefully to support our communities. People all over the world are standing up against this injustice. This is a peaceful movement.” Darleyne Mayers, of F ree por t, branch secretary of the Freeport/Roosevelt NAACP, emphasized that Floyd’s death has been witnessed by all who have watched the video of it. “George Floyd’s murder was visible,” she said. “We saw all eight minutes of it. It was reprehensible. We have to send a message, but we have to do it peacefully.” Andrew Nelson, of Uniondale, spoke at length about what Floyd’s death means to him personally. “It’s meant a lot, right, because a lot of injustices are being done. It’s unspeakable feelings,” he said. “I’ve witnessed so many murders of so many different people that look like me, and it hurts on a different level.” Among the protest sponsors were the Young Progressives of Nassau County, Indivisible of Nassau County (formerly Indivisible of Rockville Centre), the
Hempstead NAACP, Freeport/Roosevelt NAACP, Nassau County chapter of the National Action Network, Anti-Racism Project and Americans of Pakistani Heritage As of Monday mor ning, protests against police brutality had swept across the nation, in nearly 70 cities, including in New York City, according to The New York Times. At times, they turned violent, as was the case in the city Saturday night. On Saturday in Brentwood, in Suffolk County, there was a peaceful demonstration, attended by dozens of protesters who practiced social distancing. On Friday, Curran tweeted her statement on Floyd’s death. It read, “I was horrified after watching the video of the death of George Floyd and hearing his cries. I believe charges must be brought to ensure the accountability and justice all should expect in our nation.” Chauvin was charged with thirddegree murder and manslaughter, but as of press time Sunday, none of the other three officers at the scene had been charged. “This cruel act,” Curran continued, “does not represent the vast majority of police officers who, with professionalism and honor, serve and protect our communities. Nassau is committed to community policing because it works. Building trust works, and we always strive to do better.” Governor Cuomo spent much of his Sunday coronavirus briefing addressing the protests that had turned violent, including in New York City. Racism is the central issue at hand, he noted. “People are outraged, and I understand that. I’m outraged,” he said, speaking of Floyd’s death. He said, however, that “violence never works. “Bur ning down your own house never works,” he added. “It dishonors Mr. Floyd’s death. “The goal has to be effecting change,” Cuomo said. “Don’t tell me we can’t change ... Use this moment to demand real change.” According to the governor, people must demand that federal and state legislation be enacted to: ■ Prohibit local investigations of officer-involved deaths. Any such investigation should be conducted by an impartial third party, he said. ■ Define one standard of excessive police force across the nation. ■ Require the release of of ficers’ records in cases such as Floyd’s death. “Be smart, be directed,” the governor said. “Help your community, don’t hurt your community. “George Floyd,” he said, “must not have died in vain.”
HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — June 4, 2020
By Scott Brinton, ronny reyeS and darwin yaneS
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Christina Daly/Herald
Baldwin School diStrict residents are to vote in the district budget and trustee election by June 9.
Vote in district budget, trustee election by June 9 By Bridget downeS bdownes@liherald.com
The Baldwin Board of Education adopted a 2020-2021 school budget of about $138 million in March, and community members are expected to vote in the upcoming district election. Absentee ballots — the only way to vote this year, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, because of the coronavirus pandemic — are due by June 9. The tax levy, or the amount the district needs to raise through property taxes, is about $98 million, school officials said, which represents an increase of about $2.6 million over the current year’s budget. The total budget represents an increase of about $4.1 million over the current year. Overall, School Superintendent Dr. Shari Camhi said at a Board of Education meeting, there is a budget-to-budget increase of 3.11 percent, but it stays within the tax cap of 2.78 percent. The administrative piece comprises about 11 percent of the budget, while capital comprises about 12 percent and program, about 75 percent. Administrative costs are expected to be about $16 million, while capital is about $17.7 million, and program, $104 million.
District officials recognize the economic climate in New York because of the pandemic and said that it will almost certainly have a negative impact on school aid for years to come. Between ten and 50 percent of aid may be cut because of coronavirus complications. The budget currently maintains programs, including arts, athletics and extracurricular clubs — 18 at the elementary level, 22 at the middle school and 34 at the high school. Additionally, Board of Education trustee Karyn Reid is seeking another term unopposed. Additionally, earlier this year, State Sen. Todd Kaminsky and Assemblywoman Judy Griffin secured more than $2 .6 million in Smart School funding for the Baldwin School District. These funds are intended to be used to improve internet connectivity infrastructure and upgrade security systems throughout the district. The district plans to install electronic security systems, cameras, access control mechanisms, locks and intercoms to bolster safety for all students in Baldwin public schools. The district is also using the funds to replace and repair wiring throughout the school system to improve internet service.
June 4, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
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What’s neWs in and out of the classroom
Herald ScHoolS
Lenox hosts car parade for students, families Lenox Elementary School faculty and staff both past and present recently united for a reverse car parade for Baldwin families. Instead of the traditional setup, the vehicles lined up with students and their families inside wearing purple to show Lenox pride. Teachers, administrators, students and their families waved and displayed affectionate messages from safe distances away.
administrators and former staff members shared affectionate messages.
Photos courtesy Baldwin School District
students wore purpLe to show off their Lenox pride.
Lenox students waved to teachers and administrators from afar.
Lenox students heLd up posters.
the car parade featured Baldwin students and families. coLorfuL posters decorated the cars in the parade.
Photos by Brian Stieglitz/Herald
Nassau jail activists call for transparency By BRIAN STIEGLITZ bstieglitz@liherald.com
Activists for the rights of inmates at the Nassau County Correctional Center are calling on Sheriff James Dzurenda to provide daily updates on the number of Covid-19 cases in the jail and to release inmates with a high risk of contracting the virus. On April 24, activists first protested outside the jail in East Meadow for the same cause. Some held signs along the sidewalk and others honked from cars and drove passed the jail’s East Meadow Avenue entrance. Then, on May 20, the same group stood outside the county legislative building in Mineola and live streamed a rally calling for additional measures to be taken at the jail to protect inmates, correction officers and the community at large. Among the group were representatives of the Long Island Social Justice Action Network, New York Civil Liberties Union, New York Communities for Change and the Long Island chapter of New Hour for Women and Children. The activists said that the county never provided a space for members of the press or families of the incarcerated to ask questions about the jail in public. They are urging Nassau County Executive Laura Curran to add statistics about jail Covid-19 cases in her daily briefings about the virus and that such information also be posted on the sheriff ’s website. “They’re not just numbers, they’re our family members and our loved ones and they’re just as important as the people on the outside,” said Jayette Lansbury, a member of the Nassau County Jail Advocates and chair of criminal justice of the New York chap-
ter of the National Alliance of Mental Illness. Lansbury also criticized the use of “keep-lock,” or holding inmates in their cells for almost 24 hours a day to ensure social distancing and said that it “exacerbates already high levels of anxiety and depression.” In late March, Sherif f James Dzurenda posted a letter on the jail’s website detailing the steps it was taking to prevent the spread of the virus. Every new inmate is tested for the virus during initial processing and, if cleared, held for an additional 14 days in a New Admission Housing Unit. Inmates with Covid-19 symptoms are moved to a quarantine unit, where they are medically monitored, have their temperatures taken and meet with mental health staff members. Inmates in regular housing are still offered outdoor recreation in small groups. They are also given facemasks and free phone time to contact loved ones and support networks. Requests for comment from the sheriff following the May 20 rally were not answered as of press time on Tuesday. Dzurenda told Newsday on Thursday that fifty-seven inmates have tested positive for Covid-19 since March. Fortyseven have recovered, eight have been discharged and two remain incarcerated, the Newsday article read. The jail’s population, which changes on a daily basis, was 612 on Thursday. Serena Liguori, the executive director of New Hour, said that she and her fellow advocates “applaud meaningful steps taken by Nassau Sheriff Dzurenda to increase PPE provisions in the jail.” However, she said that they “urge transparency about the jail conditions for those who prove to be symptomatic.”
SOmE hELd SIGNS along the sidewalk and others honked from cars and drove passed the jail’s East Meadow Avenue entrance. AcTIvISTS fOR ThE rights of inmates at the Nassau County Correctional Center are calling for increased measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the jail.
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HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — June 4, 2020
ON ApRIL 24, activists first protested outside the jail in East Meadow.
June 4, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
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NCC pulls programs for students with autism County Legislature won’t approve college’s 2020-2021 budget By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com
Nassau Community College’s decision to remove a pair of popular programs designed to help students with autism spectrum disorder in and out of the classroom has parents and educators concerned. They want the programs restored. Citing finances as the main reason, NCC interim Vice President Valerie Collins sent a letter to the coordinators of both programs, known as ASPIRES and Achilles, to inform them that the programs would not be offered in the 2020-21 academic year. “Please do not make or continue to make any plans to recruit new students going forward,” read the letter from Collins, dated April 20. “The Achilles and Aspires programs will continue through the conclusion of this semester,” it continued. “The decision to end the programs this semester was, of course, influenced by financial concerns.” Roughly 35 students took part in the programs in the 2019-20 academic year. Multiple calls and emails to NCC requesting the amount of savings the cost-cutting move would bring for 2020-21 were not returned. Frances Viscovich, an NCC environmental science professor who coordinates the ASPIRES program, offered to volunteer her time and identified other individuals at the school who could assist at no cost. However, according to a statement released by NCC, volunteer hours could not be accepted. “I thought this would be my chance to give back to the community under Covid-19,” Viscovich said. “I felt like this would be my frontline volunteer work. These are such important programs. These students get essential individual and group counseling.” The ASPIRES program provides comprehensive support to students with ASD in weekly counseling sessions as well as programming designed to address executive functioning and social skill deficits. “The program started with one student six years ago,” Viscovich noted. “Now we have a waiting list. We should be promoting it, not ending it.” Wantagh resident Vanessa Kelly said her son Jimmy, a 2018 graduate of MacArthur High School, has seen con-
Christina Daly/Herald
The removal of two vital programs for students with autism has brought Nassau Community College’s decision into question. siderable improvement both academically and socially as a result of the ASPIRES program. His grade average has jumped from a B-minus in high school to an A-minus at NCC. “It’s a crucial program, and the social support has given Jimmy so much confidence,” she said. “He’s more independent as a student and a person.” The Achilles program has been around for nearly two decades and is for twice exceptional students — those who are gifted but learning challenged. Valerie Lagakis, an English and reading professor at NCC, has overseen the program since 2010.
“Students are specifically attending our school because of the Achilles program,” Lagakis said. “I’m upset for the new students who won’t be able to get into the program.” Baldwin resident Denise Baird is concerned her daughter Rebecca, a 2017 Oceanside High School graduate who just completed her first year at NCC, will not continue to excel at her current pace without ASPIRES. “The program is a Godsend,” Baird said. “Rebecca has benefitted a great deal.” State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat from Long Beach, is encouraging the college to reconsider its decision. “The ASPIRES and Achilles programs at NCC support our county’s differently abled students who have just as much desire to succeed as all other young people,” Kaminsky said. “The programs help them develop the tools necessary to thrive at the next level, and there is simply no substitute for what they provide.” On May 27, the Nassau County Legislature, which votes to approve NCC’s yearly budget, sent a letter to college President Jermaine Williams to inform him it would not approve the 2020-2021 as it stands. Presiding Officer for the County Legislature, Richard J. Nicolello, wrote to Williams: “I urge you to restore the funding to these programs for the upcoming academic school year and beyond. Without such action, I do not see a path forward for the approval of the proposed Nassau Community College budget for this year.” The college released a statement. “Nassau Community College is focused on providing all of our students with the support they need to complete their academics at the college,” Lindsey Angioletti, the director of marketing and communications, wrote. “After careful consideration, students in the ASPIRES and Achilles program have been transitioned from the formal program to now receive individual campus services in our Student Personnel Services area and our Center for Students with Disabilities. “While we appreciate the offer of a member of our staff to voluntarily run the program, contractually we were not permitted to do so,” the statement continued. “It is of the utmost importance to the college that the students in the former ASPIRES and Achilles program have access to the tools they need to succeed in their academic journey.”
Comptroller releases ‘troubling’ projections By TIMOTHY DENTON tdenton@liherald.com
As Nassau County neared a phase-byphase reopening of nonessential businesses, county Comptroller Jack Schnirman released a report two weeks ago that analyzed projected sales tax losses, as a result of the shut-down that be g an in March in response to the novel coron av i r u s . T h e report also ran stresses based on possible outcomes if the Covid-19 v i r u s we re t o recur later this year. Jack Schnirman “The county currently depends on sales tax for 40 percent of its revenue,” Schnirman said, calling the losses already sustained as a result of business closures “really troubling.”
According to Schnirman, the report showed that in a best-case scenario, the county is already facing losses of 12.25 percent for the year, or more than $156 million. In a worst-case scenario, the report posited losses in sales tax revenue of more than 28 percent, or $360 million, for 2020. In the event of a recurrence of the virus, Schnirman said losses for the two fiscal years 202021 could amount to between $665 million-$1 billion. The largest source of sales tax for the county is retail, at 58.4 percent. Accommodation is next, accounting for 11.4 percent. Automobile dealers, retail clothing and gasoline stations account for 40 percent of retail activity in the county — businesses that have been at nearly a standstill in the past nine weeks. “Covid-19 has dealt the county economy an unprecedented gut punch, and these numbers show the potential effect on county government,” Schnirman wrote in a statement. “Based upon our available data, our new sophisticated modeling tool currently projects worse consequences than
previously anticipated.” The extent of the losses would depend largely on the timing and pace of reopening, Schnirman said on releasing his agency’s report. With more than 2 million New Yorkers currently unemployed, he thought it unlikely that restarting the economy could be quick or seamless. “We’re in no position to make predictions about that,” Schnirman said, adding that the role and responsiveness of the federal government would also be crucial in determining outcomes. On a more positive note, the county’s solid financial condition, reflected in its high investment-grade credit rating; its ability, restored in this year’s state budget, to capitalize on the Nassau Independent Finance Authority’s even higher credit rating to borrow at lower rates; and its almost limitless tax base, giving it the ability to bond far beyond any currently imaginable scenario suggested the county would be able to weather the fiscal typhoon, however painful the process might be.
Sales tax break-out Retail Accommodation Wholesale Information Other services Manufacturing Administration, support, waste management Real estate Utilities Professional services, scientific, technical
58.35 % 11.37 5.14 4.88 8.74 2.77
2.66 2.07 2.07
1.95
Clearing out day laborers
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HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — June 4, 2020
Advocates, however, criticize village’s removal of trailer, camps By RONNY REYES rreyes@liherald.com
The Freeport Village Attorney’s Office has begun a criminal investigation into the Freeport Trailer — a small trailer near Sunrise Highway where day laborers have gathered for about 20 years to find work safely and access public resources — after village officials alleged that the trailer had failed to comply with state public health laws amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Village Attorney Howard Colton said. The Freeport Trailer was run by the nonprofit CoLoKi, Inc., and had been under the management of Mirna CortesObers, a social worker from Freeport. As of press time, Cortes-Obers could not be reached for comment. After the village moved the trailer from its Bennington Avenue location to the Department of Public Works on Albany Avenue in south Freeport in April, the village recently cleared out a nearby homeless encampment where many of the day laborers had lived. The area was known as “The Montaña,” Spanish for Mountain, as those living there had built a mountain-like landscape, village officials said. Both locations are adjacent to the former New York State Department of Transportation yard, which the Village of Freeport won control over in a lawsuit back in January. Village officials have said they hope to transform the yard into a residential and retail area. While Freeport officials defended the decision to clear out the area, many day laborer organizations and advocates have criticized the action, saying Mayor Robert Kennedy’s decision to shut down the trailer and clear the encampment hurt an already vulnerable population. “For the mayor of Freeport to evict the workers from the trailer and then bulldoze their homes during a global pandemic is an unconscionable human rights violation,” said Lilliam Juarez, executive director of the Workplace Project, a Long Island-based nonprofit that advocates for the rights of immigrant workers. “The village should protect workers, not persecute them.” Kennedy referred all statements to Colton, as the matter is currently under criminal investigation. Colton said the village had repeatedly found multiple people congregating at the trailer, despite Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s orders prohibiting large gatherings. He said the village had requested the gatherings to end several times before shutting down the trailer. He added that the village had asked the homeless people at “The Montaña” to leave for years. The village gave the people 72 hours to leave before clearing the area, where village officials said they found sewage pits and other health hazards. “There’s not even a question that there was a health risk there,” Colton said. “The way it was, it could have been a hotspot for Covid-19...and it could have creat-
The Freeport Trailer The Freeport Trailer has existed for about 20 years as one of the few, official sites on Long Island where day laborers could gather for work. At the trailer, day laborers would be treated to a warm breakfast as they waited for employers to stop by and pick them up for work. Both day laborers and employers would enter their names into a sign-in sheet at the trailer and would have to come back together and sign out in order to ensure that the day laborers were not taken advantage of. The trailer also helped connect the day laborers with local resources, such as food from hunger-relief organizations like Long Island Cares and Island Harvest. Day laborers would attend English as a Second Language classes and Occupational Safety and Health Administration seminars at the trailer. Many of the day laborers were also encouraged to apply for library cards and enjoyed games of soccer with one another at the trailer. The Village of Freeport officially sanctioned the Freeport Trailer in 2010. The village removed the trailer on April 6 from its location at the east end of Bennington Avenue The homeless encampment known as “The Montaña” was located in the nearby wooded area off Sunrise Highway. ed a huge health hazard for the village and for individuals who were staying there.” Village officials added that they had informed the homeless people there of where to find shelter. Nadia Marin-Molina, the co-executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, which advocates for day laborers’ rights across the U.S., said that while the village might claim to have acted in the best interest of the day laborers and homeless people in the area, Kennedy failed to provide them real help. “He should be supporting these essential workers rather than displacing them,” Marin-Molina said, “including providing masks/PPE, ensuring that they have access to health care and housing, and establishing a new location that will meet the specific needs of Freeport’s day laborers.” She and other advocates added that the village had gone against the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines by clearing the homeless encampment. The CDC states that local municipalities should not clear out these areas,
Ronny Reyes/Herald
ThE villagE REmOvEd the Freeport Trailer from its location on Bennington Avenue for allegedly violating public health laws. as “clearing encampments can cause people to disperse throughout the community and break connections with service providers. This increases the potential for infectious disease spread.” The CDC also said that the encampments should only be cleared when there are alternative shelter options for the homeless people, and although the village said that they told the people at “The Montaña” where they could stay, many said they would not be able to find proper shelter. “We’ll see what we do and where we go,” said Samuel Garcia, a day laborer who frequented the trailer, speaking in his native Spanish. “We may have to stay
under a tarp overnight for a time.” “It’s unfair because of the [little] time they give us,” added Ariel Medina, another homeless person at the encampment, also speaking Spanish. “Here we don’t cause any problem at all. We just come to sleep. We don’t interfere with anyone.” Colton added that along with the criminal investigation over violating the governor’s orders, his office was also looking into whether the Freeport Trailer knowingly aided the construction of the homeless encampment. He said the matter would either be handled by the Freeport Village Court or by the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office once the investigation concludes.
Pier 1 to shut down its stores Pier 1 imports seeks to close all of officer and chief financial officer. “We its remaining 541 stores, including its are grateful to our dedicated and hardlocation in Freeport, after the Covid-19 working associates, millions of cuspandemic halted plans for tomers and committed venthe retailer to find a new dors who have collectively buyer, Pier 1 of ficials supported Pier 1 for announced on May 19. decades. We deeply value The struggling retailer our associates, customers, had closed about nearly business partners and the half of its locations in Jancommunities in which we uary, including eight on operate, and this is not the Long Island. The stores in outcome we expected or Free por t, Lake Grove, hoped to achieve.” Massapequa Park and The Texas-based retailer Rocky Point were the four officially filed motions remaining stores on the with the U.S. Bankruptcy island. Court for the Eastern DisPier 1 had filed for trict of Virginia on May 19. bankruptcy in February Pier 1 has proposed an and had been looking for a asset bid deadline on July buyer to continue operat1, auction date on July 8 ing its stores to no avail. and sale hearing on July 15. “ U n fo r t u n at e ly, t h e Orders would still be fulchallenging retail environ- ROBERT filled through the compament has been significantny’s website, Pier1.com. ly compounded by the pro- RiESBEck Stores will be closed and found impact of COVID-19, CEO liquidation sales will begin hindering our ability to once retailers begin to secure such a buyer and reopen based on the Covidrequiring us to wind down,” said Rob- 19 guidelines from state and local govert Riesbeck, Pier 1’s chief executive ernments.
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e deeply value our associates, customers, business partners and the communities in which we operate.
June 4, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
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Silent vigil held outside nursing homes By Jill Nossa jnossa@liherald.com
Two weeks ago, nurses and nursing assistants participated in silent vigils outside of the Rockville Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and the Grand Pavilion for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Rockville Centre as a way to pay respect for the patients and colleagues who lost their lives during the coronavirus pandemic. The local event coincided with vigils taking place across the state outside of nursing homes as a way to also recognize the extra burden employees have faced since the onset of the pandemic. “Every time someone dies, you lose a little part of yourself,” Felicia Glasgow, a nurse at The Grand Pavilion said. “I don’t think the management realizes what we go through.” Glasgow, 65, a licensed practical nurse, has worked at The Grand Pavilion in Rockville Centre for 30 years and has been working in the facility’s Covid unit since it was created in March. The outbreak, she said, has put strain on the staff, and has made it particularly hard to tend to her long-term patients, many of whom are chronically ill and need full-time care. “It’s one thing to take care of them under normal circumstances,” Glasgow said. “It’s another thing in a time of Covid.” She works the night shift and has had to work extra hours during the pandemic, partly because they are overloaded with patients and partly because they are understaffed. Glasgow, who lives in Roosevelt, said that she has even worked on her days off because no one else was available. She does this, she said, because she is dedicated to her patients. The patients, she said, become like family. “It’s sad to know we are doing everything we are supposed to do, giving the proper care, and we still lose them,” Glasgow said. “And we’re not being recognized for it.” She said she wants the corporate managers to recognize its employees’ worth. For five weeks, the nurses were getting an extra $2 per hour in hazard pay for their work during the pandemic. Then, the payments suddenly disappeared. “I did not see that hazard pay for a month, and then it only lasted five weeks,” Jessica Lizana said. “We are face
Christina Daly/Herald
Nurses participated iN a silent vigil outside of Rockville and Grand Pavilion nursing and rehab centers. They said the parent company, Care Rite, has not provided them with the proper PPE and has removed the extra $2 an hour they were receiving in crisis pay without warning. to face with these patients every day, we still have a quarantine unit and we still have seniors testing positive.” Lizana has worked at The Grand Pavilion since last September, and said she has also been concerned about the lack of protective equipment available to staff. Some of the patients, she said, get physical with nurses, spitting on them or scratching them. They do not have extra gowns or protection and are putting themselves and other patients at risk. “It’s scary knowing I could have Covid on me and going to another resident’s room and spread it,” Lizana said. “These people in long term care are like family, and I see them more than I see my own family. I want to give them the best care, but I don’t know if I’m doing that. It’s so upsetting because we care…we go above and beyond because we love them.”
For both women, the job has become physically and emotionally draining. “I’m so tired, my body is shaking,” Glasgow said. “It takes a toll after awhile.” Still, she said, she is attached to her patients and is committed to their care. “I do this because I’m dedicated to the profession,” Glasgow said. “I think more about my patients than I do about myself.” Attending the silent vigil, she said, “is a way of remembering our residents, giving them honor. We did the best we could for our residents and patients. You get to know the residents and they get to know you. They become like family, and every loss takes a piece of you.”
Molloy health clinic provides counseling By BriaNa BoNfiglio bbonfiglio@liherald.com
The Mental Health and Wellness Center at Molloy College is currently accepting patients for several types of counseling. Residents can seek individual therapy, group and couples therapy and support group therapy from the Rockville Centre clinic, located at 30 Hempstead Ave., by calling or emailing. Currently, all sessions are being held virtually. “We are eager to continue to serve the community,” Dr. Laura Kestemberg, who founded the clinic in January 2019. “Someone will answer your call or email and get back to you right away.” Kestemberg is an associate professor, chair, associate dean and director of Molloy College’s Master of Science Program and Department of Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She launched the clinic as a way to give graduate psychology students practical training in mental health counseling.
Now, one full-time, licensed mental health professional supervises a handful of students who provide the services, as well as three additional supervisors who are also licensed professionals. The supervisors oversee all the clinic’s cases, support the students and assist with services for individual clients and support groups. “My vision was always to have a training clinic where graduate counseling students could train under the supervision of licensed mental health professionals,” Kestemberg said. “I’m very proud of our program because we’ve come such a long way in a short time.” Molloy’s master’s of science program in clinical mental health counseling is accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The accompanying mental health center offers treatment at low costs to the community. It is also a vital learning experience for Molloy’s clinical counseling graduate students earning their degrees. “We are a training site for our stu-
dents, where they learn how to be the best and most compassionate counselors,” Kestemberg said. Since the coronavirus pandemic hit, the clinic has been offering tele-mental health services. All clinicians and graduate students underwent vigorous training to offer the virtual therapy for patients. Kestemberg noted that many mental illnesses or substance addictions could be exacerbated due to job loss or changes in normal routines. Even those without previous mental health conditions could be seeking counseling because of added stressors, like working from home or coping with childcare, due to the pandemic. Others could also be coping with the death of a loved one. In addition to individual treatment, the clinic runs regular support groups. “More than ever people are isolated in their homes,” Kestemberg said, “Support groups, even ones held remotely, are a powerful sounding board, it’s a real source of comfort for people. “We want to help people share their
experiences, this normalizes their feelings and people attending our support groups realize what they are feeling is universal,” she added. “There’s an underlying anxiety that we all share that we don’t know what’s coming.” Each support group focuses on a theme, such as communication skills, mindfulness, self-esteem or coping with grief. On June 15, Kestemberg and the clinic’s director, Kellyanne Brady, will lead a Covid-19 first responders group session via Zoom video conference. “First responders have been under a significant amount of stress during the current pandemic,” Brady said. “This group will focus on providing first responders with a place to explore their stressors and learn ways to manage stress and promote self-care.” To schedule an appointment or register for a support group, call the clinic at (516) 323-3854 or email at MHWC@molloy. edu. For more information, visit the clinic’s website at molloy.edu/mhwc.
Covid-19 antibody testing available in Freeport
Residents can help feed those impacted by the coronavirus or show their appreciation to frontline workers through programs organized by Nassau County Legislator Judy Griffin. Griffin is hosting a virtual food drive with Long Island Cares, one of the largest hunger-relief organizations on the island. Residents can purchase items through the food drive, and all items will be directly delivered to LI Cares, which distributes the food to families in need. To donate to the virtual food drive, visit www.yougivegoods.com/Griffin. Griffin is also inviting kids and teens to create homemade “Thank You” cards for nursing homes and assisted living workers, who have been taking care of seniors during the Covid-19 pandemic. All letters can be mailed to Griffin’s office at 74 North Village Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY 11570. Letters can also be dropped off directly at the office’s mail slot. The letters will then be distributed to local nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
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HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — June 4, 2020
Covid-19 antibody testing will be available at the Long Island Federally Qualified Health Clinics in Freeport, Elmont, Hempstead and Westbury starting on June 2. The antibody tests are authorized by the Food and Drug Administration, and have a high degree of reliability. The presence of Covid-19 antibodies in one’s system is an indication that a person was probably exposed to the virus, even if he or she did not have any symptoms, and that he or she may have some degree of immunity to the virus, although this is not proven yet. Testing will be available by appointment only for new and established patients, and will take place only on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Freeport LIFQHC is located at 101 South Bergen Pl., behind the Freeport Memorial Library parking lot. To make an appointment, or for more information, call 516-396-7500.
TesTing is 11 available at the LI FQHC at 101 South Bergen Pl.
Covid-19
hoMEtown hEroEs
ElEna CorrEnti nti
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Baldwin PhysiCal thEraPist, Mount sinai south nassau hoME CarE rEgional
s a physical therapist and rehabilitation supervisor for Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Home Care program, I am considered an essential worker. I make joint visits with my staff, who directly care for Covid patients. I feel very proud to have witnessed my co-workers rise to the unprecedented challenges brought on by the coronavirus. I have listened to [the] staff’s concerns and offered support. Utilizing personal protective equipment during home visits promotes both staff and patient safety. My work and personal life has been altered by the Covid pandemic. At the height of the curve, accommodations were made for me to work remotely. Having health issues of my own, there is always that underlying fear that I can contract the virus. Meetings and case conferences with staff, as well as holiday celebrations, are now conducted using the technology application Zoom. Life is different now, but I remain grateful for my health.
JaMEs hodgE
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long BEaCh ChairMan, Martin luthEr King CEntEr long BEaCh
he coronavirus has affected many people in my family and many people I know. We are doing what we can to meet the needs of the people during this pandemic and time of national emergency. We’re trying to meet the essential needs in people's lives with the best possible healthy food with a team of volunteers and workers, risking their lives to help others like many others are doing. From 7:30 a.m. until around 5 p.m. is for preparation of food, delivering and doing everything we need to do to prepare and follow best practices from [the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] that let us provide in the safest, healthiest way possible that will affect change in people's lives. We have worked with a global pandemic expert, Gregory Marks, who has given us pointers on what we should and shouldn’t do. He is volunteering his service, where others have forgotten that we exist, and he is giving us expert advice on things we should take precautions on. I continued to serve my community and do all the necessary things I needed to do for my job, working for the City of Long Beach. A few weeks later, I was terminated from my job. I will continue to serve and do the best I can; even though the city has decided to terminate me, I have not wavered.
hoMEtown hEro
hoMEtown hEro
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their Front-Line stories as toLd to our reporters Freeport Nurse, Maple poiNte assisted liviNg rockville ceNtre
n
he same week state-mandated employee testing for Covid-19 began at Maple Pointe Assisted Living in Rockville Centre, I found out that I passed my state boards and was officially a registered nurse. Juggling classes at Helene Fuld College for Nursing in New York City while working at Maple Pointe managing active coronavirus cases has been quite a challenge for me. I had been an LPN supervisor for five years and am a past recipient of Nurse of the Year honors from the NY State Center for Assisted Living. I have always dreamed of becoming a registered nurse, and Maple Pointe has brought me to recognize that my passion lies in caring for the elderly population. The recent pandemic made me realize that nursing was definitely the right path for me. I am thankful to live in a place that offers so many educational opportunities for women. I came from a modest background, and college always seemed like a distant dream. I am still soaking it in and feel so proud to be able to put RN after my name.
Freeport Nurse MaNager, MssN oceaNside
ydia White has spent her entire nursing career, of 17 years, at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, where she currently serves as a nurse manager of critical care. For her work in helping local patients through the Covid-19 pandemic, New York State Assemblywoman Judy Griffin named White a Warrior for Wellness. The Warriors for Wellness program acknowledges and expresses gratitude to healthcare workers, first responders and essential workers at the front lines of the pandemic. White was recognized for skillfully directing her team of nurses to service a patient-load of historic proportions at MSSN, all while continuing to keep the team motivated to give it their all every day. Griffin noted despite the strife and struggles caused by the pandemic, White continues to foster a love for her career and her fellow human beings. “Nydia continues to be fascinated every day about all of the intricacies associated with critical care and, ever the optimist, is convinced that this experience has caused everyone’s hearts to grow larger as well,” Griffin said. “For both Nydia and [the other Wellness Warriors], this pandemic has made them truly understand how vital their role is in the hospital ecosystem,” she added. “Not only as the primary human connector between the patient and their families, but also as the one person who can physically be there to offer comfort, reassurance, and peace of mind.”
hoMetoWN hero
hoMetoWN hero
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Oceanside native aids the hungry Company helps feed families in Uganda during coronavirus pandemic
oceanSide native JaSon Steinberg started a basketball program at a high school in Pohnpei, Micronesia, in 2014, which led him to establish the International Sports and Music Project a year later.
By Mike SMollinS msmollins@liherald.com
When Oceanside native Jason Steinberg set out to bring smiles to people around the globe facing hardship through his nonprofit, the International Sports and Music Program, he never envisioned there being a global pandemic. Now, those very same people are relying on his company to help them battle starvation. Steinberg’s company, headquartered in Brooklyn, brings sports and music initiatives to Greece and Syrian refugees to give them a better life. However, when Charles Mubiru, a teacher at a school in Uganda where Steinberg’s company helped bring the first of only five FIFAregulation soccer fields in the country, called Steinberg in April with harrowing news, the company pivoted. “The tone in his voice and the message that he was delivering was vastly different than anything I ever heard from him before,” he recalled of Mubiru, with whom his organization has partnered for a number of years. “He said the kids have nothing to eat and the staff doesn’t either. There were 1,400 people they were trying to feed.” After, Steinberg contacted his business partners and asked for fundraising support from Oceanside and other communities. Through research, they discovered
Photos Courtesy Jason Steinberg
that it costs $1.30 to feed one child in Uganda three meals per day. Now, his
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company is continuing to raise funds, and he sends the money to Mubiru, who purchases items like oil, flour, rice and beans in bulk to deliver to students at the school. “We are pivoting in a very profound way to emergency food relief,” he said. “Rather than working on the next soccer field or dance teacher, we are organizing a food bank and organizing food packages.” In 2015, Steinberg quit his day job with a book publishing company to focus fulltime on his passion: bringing sports and music to people — especially children — facing hardship around the world. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014, he spent a year teaching English through WorldTeach at a high school on the small island of Pohnpei, Micronesia. While there, he realized how much the children loved basketball. But they had no team. The next week, he invited students to join him on the basketball court, and about 50 high-schoolers played, even though they were barefoot. Shortly after, he contacted family, friends and others through Facebook and sought donations. Within a week, he said, he received enough money to buy sneakers, jerseys and basketballs for the budding athletes. He helped the school start two boys’ teams and a girls’ team, allowing anyone to participate. Then Steinberg began seeing positive changes in the students, mentally and academically. Steinberg graduated from Oceanside High School in 2010, and was a peace, war and defense major in college. He minored in music, and plays guitar and piano. After a year, Steinberg left the island and founded ISMP in the summer of 2015. Besides maintaining the basketball program in Micronesia, he wanted to expand his organization. He eventually organized hubs in Greece and Africa, where he
helped create many programs, including basketball, soccer, music and dance initiatives at orphanages, schools and rehab centers. ISMP also has a hub in New York, where they offer basketball training and music lessons to teenagers living in homeless shelters in Manhattan. He noted that his focus shifted after the call from Muribu. With much of the world locked down and businesses closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, Ugandans do not have government assistance, large savings accounts or any safety net to rely on. They need help. “Sports and music are on hiatus, and that very lockdown has caused our partners and students to be thrust into a hunger crisis,” Steinberg said. “We don’t have a lot of experience in food delivery, but in this particular situation, our partners are relying on us, and we have access to people who are hit the hardest by this catastrophe.” Steinberg added that through work on an emergency campaign with shelters and his partners, they were able to brainstorm ways to provide money to Uganda, which was used to feed the hungry. Those who live close to the school can pick up the items when they are brought there, and others who live farther away can arrange for delivery. He said with all that is going on, issues with hunger in other parts of the world have largely been ignored. “Not everyone is thinking about the hunger crisis,” he said. “Everyone is dealing with their own problems, so we feel like it’s our responsibility to be a voice for the voiceless. One day we’ll get back to soccer, we’ll get back to dancing, but right now there are other urgent needs, and I just feel grateful that I’m a part of a community that rises to these challenges.”
15
OBITUARY
By James Bernstein jbernstein@liherald.com
Kenneth Ostrove was proof of what is often said about Long Beach: you can leave, but you always come back. And Ostrove did. He was born and raised in Long Beach, served as a lifeguard and pitched for the Long Beach High School baseball team. He married, moved to Merrick and raised two children there and was an elementary school teacher for decades in Far Rockaway and in Ozone Park. But he kept returning to the barrier island. “He loved Long Beach,” his son, Rick Ostrove of Merrick, said. “I can’t tell you how many times my sister and I were taken to the boardwalk. He loved to talk about Long Beach.” Ostrove regaled people with tales of his youth on the beach and at the high school. Only last year, he attended a reunion of LBHS, seeing old classmates like Roy Tepper, a retired Long Beach judge. Ostrove, 84, died April 28 at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, of coronavirus. He had been living at the Bristal, an assisted living facility in East Meadow. “I was happy to see him in September” at the LBHS reunion, Tepper wrote in an email. “Ken was a great guy and a terrific ballplayer in his day.” Ostrove was a starting pitcher for the LBHS team and worked as a lifeguard along with his brother, Don. When he attended C, W. Post (now LIU Post) Ostrove was the starting pitcher for the first baseball game in Post’s history. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in education. He served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Ger-
many. Ostrove was strongly patriotic, and after he left the Army, he volunteered to serve in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He taught in elementary schools in underprivileged areas, including Far Rockaway and Ozone Park, in Queens, He often worked second jobs to help support his family. Ostrove was married for 50 years to his wife Zelle, who died in 2017. “Together, they created a beautiful, loving home in Merrick for me and my sister,” his son said. “They loved their children with all their hearts. They supported us in every way. They taught us to be good people and care for others. They were proud to help both of us receive post-graduate degrees and establish successful careers.” Besides his son, Ostrove is survived by his daughter, Elissa Lesser, and a granddaughter Madison Lesser. “Madison was the light of his life,” his son said. “Ken is featured in many of her TikToks.” Only 10 people were permitted to attend the funeral at Mount Ararat Cemetery in Farmingdale, because of restrictions related to the coronavirus. To honor their father and grandfather, the family is collecting money to distribute to local Long Beach businesses and hospital care workers. Rick Ostrove recalls how a nurse at Winthrop rubbed his father’s neck while he lay in a hospital bed. The family has raised $7,000 and is planning on how best to distribute it. “This way we can support the local economy while providing well-deserved meals for the health care workers who are putting their lives in jeopardy to care for the ill, “ Rick Ostrove said.
HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — June 4, 2020
Kenneth Ostrove lived with sand in his shoes
Courtesy Rick Ostrove
Ken OstrOve died on April 24 due to complications with Covid-19. Pictured with his wife, Zelle, who died in 2017.
ToH rolls out ‘concierge service’ at beaches areas, including picnic areas, are also closed.
By darwin Yanes dyanes@liherald.com
Hempstead officials announced a new “Coronavirus Concierge Service team” on May 22 to help keep patrons socially distanced and safe amid the pandemic while the town prepares to welcome hundreds of beachgoers on Memorial Day weekend. The initiative was introduced at a news conference at Town Park at Point Lookout. Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin announced that the concierge team would help with parking guidance, directions to bathrooms and swimming locations and assistance with social distancing, among other responsibilities. The town will also give out hand sanitizers, gloves and face masks. “We’re trying to put forth the steps to protect not only you but our co-workers here in the Town of Hempstead,” Clavin said. Lifeguards will be on duty starting Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at town beaches. Protocols put in place to protect residents include: ■ Admission to all Town of Hempstead beaches is limited to residents of Nassau County. ■ Parking access will be restricted to 50 percent of the lot, subject to lifeguard discretion.
■ Only two people are allowed in each restroom at a time and restrooms will be cleaned every half hour. ■ Visitors are asked to carry their trash off of the beach. ■ All group contact activities, including games or sports, are prohibited. ■ All playgrounds will remain closed until further notice. ■ Beach rules prohibiting dogs, smoking, vaping or use of drones remain in effect.
Darwin Yanes/Herald
tOwn Of Hempstead officials announced a support team to keep residents safe, while at town beaches. ■ All visitors must wear face coverings or masks. Masks must be worn when people arrive at the beach, move through the parking lot, walk down or up from the beachfront; when in the restroom are or any other public area and when approaching a lifeguard, town employee or another patron. ■ Visitors may remove their masks when in the water or when stationary on a towel, blanket, chair, with their group.
■ Depending upon beach and water conditions, lifeguards may restrict swimming up to 20-30 feet from the shoreline, or at most, 10 feet past the “Wave break.” ■ Visitors must practice social distancing, maintaining a distance of six feet from other beachgoers. ■ Blankets and chairs on the beach must be 10 feet apart from other groups. In accordance with state guidelines, concession areas are closed. Social gathering
Pamphlets with the information will be handed out to residents when they visit the beaches. The Town of Hempstead operates the Town Park at Point Lookout, Lido Beach Town Park, Lido West Town Park, Town Park at Sands and also provides lifeguards for Nickerson Beach, which is run by Nassau County. Town Councilman Christopher Carini, whose district covers Point Lookout and Lido Beach, praised Nassau County lawmakers for their decision to limit beaches to county residents. “One of the concerns of my residents, in my district, was the fifty percent capacity,” Carini said. “This will do a lot to alleviate the concerns of the residents here so that we could enjoy our beaches.”
16
SSHS alum graduates from Coast Guard Academy
June 4, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
By Jill Nossa jnossa@liherald.com
For the first time in the 100-year history of Rockville Centre American Legion Post 303, a U.S. Coast Guard ensign was commissioned at the post on Maple Avenue on May 20. Joseph Busching, a 2016 graduate of South Side High School, is the first SSHS alumnus to graduate from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy as an ensign. He was commissioned in a ceremony outside the post entrance, with several dozen socially distanced people in attendance, including members of his family, the post and the village Fire Department, as well as Mayor Francis X. Murray. “This is the first time in the history of our post, over 100 years, that we’ve had a member get commissioned at the post,” Commander Frank Colon told the audience. “It’s quite an honor.” Under normal circumstances, Busching’s graduation and commissioning would have taken place at the academy, in New London, Conn., the culmination of a weeklong series of events including a formal ball and a barbecue. But those events were canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic, so the village stepped up, and its ceremony included a drive-by parade of fire trucks. “Being in Rockville Centre for many years, I’ve had the privilege of watching Joe grow up,” Murray said, noting that Busching used to spend Sundays at the firehouse with his father, John, a 36-year member and a former captain. “There are many paths a young man can take in this world, and in this village. Some choose the wrong one; some choose the easy one. Joseph has not chosen the easy one. He took the right path to excellence, and has done a great job.” Busching graduated from SSHS with an International Baccalaureate diploma, and Regents honors in math and science. At age 13, he had become an inaugural member of the Fire Department’s Juniors Program. “He rose through the ranks from second lieutenant to first lieutenant,” Murray said, “and became a two-term captain.”
Photos courtesy Rich Law
The RVCFD huNg a flag above the American Legion for the occasion. Busching was a Town of Hempstead lifeguard from age 16 until he left for college, and joined the American Legion two years ago. Murray presented him with a proclamation from the village, telling him, “This village was behind you before and is behind you now, and everything you go through as an ensign in the United States Coast Guard.” Busching, who earned a bachelor’s degree in occupational research and computer analysis, and his fiancé, Gabrielle Dinsmore, who also graduated from the academy, will be stationed in Key West, Fla. They will be married on May 31 in a small ceremony in Illinois, where Dinsmore’s family lives. Busching was sworn in by Paul Casazza, lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army and vice commander of the post, and his first-cousin-once-removed Bruce Schwarting, who served in the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division
during Vietnam, gave him the traditional first salute. Though it wasn’t the graduation he had envisioned, Busching said he appreciated the turnout. After the ceremony, Joseph, his parents, his grandmother and Colon watched the live-streamed graduation ceremony from New London in the legion hall. His father said that, overall, it was the ultimate “turning lemons into lemonade” scenario, because it was much more personal. The family would have been given only four tickets for the graduation at the academy, and holding the commissioning in Rockville Centre allowed more friends and family to participate, even if only briefly. “The fact that they were able to do this for Joe made such a difference,” his father said. “It made it so much more unique, and really meant a lot to us.”
Molloy College freezes tuition for 2020-21 By BRiaNa BoNFiglio bbonfiglio@liherald.com
As part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic, Molloy College will freeze tuition for the 2020-21 academic year. This means that Molloy’s 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students will not see an increase in their tuition costs in the fall. Tuition typically rises year to year. “Students and their families have been severely impacted by the virus, including financially,” John P. McEntee, chair of the college’s board of trustees, said in a Molloy news release on May 22. “The board recognizes that and is taking this unprecedented step to help make a Molloy education as affordable as possible.” In addition to freezing tuition, Molloy has refunded about $1 million to students in meal plans, service fees and other expenses as a result of the closure of the Rockville Centre campus in March. For Molloy student Jack Ryan, 21, of Bellmore, the freeze is “a weight off my shoulders,” he said. “I can allocate and save my money for things that I need, like food and textbooks.” Ryan is a rising senior at Molloy and praised the college board of trustee’s decision to not raise tuition for the 2020-21 school year. “I’m eternally grateful for the decision the board of trustees made,” he said. “It reflects some of the college’s core values, one reflecting community. It says we’re all in this together and will find a common solution that will benefit everyone.”
While attending Molloy full time, Ryan normally juggles four part-time jobs to pay for college. He worked at a local restaurant and a catering hall, and held two jobs on campus as a student ambassador and an orientation leader. However, when coronavirus hit, he was furloughed from every single one. “Not being able to have some sort of financial income is certainly impacting me,” Ryan said. “Molloy has been very accommodating for those who have experienced negative impacts of the virus.” Ryan said he knows many other students who worked one or more jobs, which they have lost due to the virus, and that the tuition freeze will help them, as well. Linda Albanese, head of admissions, noted that in making the decision, college officials reflected on conversations they’ve had with parents and students in the past two months. “In many cases, jobs have been lost and the financial impact has been severe,” she said. She added that a large number of students work to pay for college and have either lost those jobs or seen parents lose their jobs. While she acknowledged that freezing tuition rates would have an impact on Molloy’s 2020-21 budget, the college’s priority lies with its students. “The biggest consideration was our students,” Albanese said. “That is always our focus and one of the reasons why people choose to come to Molloy. They know we have their best interests at heart.”
Christina Daly/Herald
iN RespoNse To economic challenges many have faced during the coronavirus pandemic, Molloy College has provided refunds to students for certain services and frozen tuition fees for the 2020-21 school year.
NYCB Live aNNouNCed on May 16 that it would be launching drive-in movie weekends this spring and summer at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale.
17
LBAL1 0604
LEGAL NOTICE Notice is hereby given that a license, number 1326724 for restaurant wine has been applied for by the undersigned to sell beer, wine and cider at retail in a restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 924 Atlantic ave, Baldwin, NY 11510, Nassau County for on premises consumption. 3RD EYE FOOD SERVICE LLC dba Raagini Restaurant 122034
To place a notice here call us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com
LEGAL NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR TRANSPORTATION OF PUPILS Baldwin Union Free School District 960 Hastings Street Baldwin, New York 11510 The Board of Education of the Baldwin Union Free School District invites the submission of sealed proposals from reputable and qualified bus transportation companies for provision of student transportation services to the Baldwin Union Free School District for the period beginning upon award through June 30, 2021 with the option to renew in accordance with applicable law for each of the following contracts: (1) Home-to-School Transportation, including In and Out-of-District Transportation for Public, Private, Parochial and Special Needs Schools and Programs, (2) Field Trips, and (3) Athletic Trips. RFP #2020/06-01-001, including forms of proposals, certification, conditions, specifications, and cost for the same may be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Agent via email at bidrequest@baldwinscho ols.org, commencing on Monday, June 1, 2020. Specifications may also be requested via telephone at 516-434-6040.
In all cases, it must be understood that the conditions and specifications set forth in the request for proposals issued by the Baldwin Union Free School District shall apply. Sealed proposals will be received until Monday, June 22, 2020 at 10:00 am at the District’s Purchasing Office located at 960 Hastings Street, Baldwin, New York 11510, at which time and place all proposals will be publicly acknowledged. All proposals shall be clearly marked “Pupil Transportation Proposal Do Not Open Until June 22, 2020 at 10:00 am.” The Board of Education reserves the right to reject all proposals, waive any informalities in proposals and to negotiate any portion of proposals. Questions regarding this Request for Proposal will be accepted by the District Purchasing Agent until Monday, June 15, 2020 at 10:00 am and answers to all questions will be distributed in the form of an addendum to all potential proposers by Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at 9:00 am. Please submit your questions in writing via email at Robinsonj@baldwinschoo ls.org. Proposals for each transportation contract will be evaluated on a weighted system established by the District for each of the categories to be reviewed. Any aspects of the service not addressed by specifications are left for the Proposer to address. The board of education shall evaluate each proposal from a responding contractor according to criteria established by the Commissioner of Education, which criteria shall include at a minimum: (i) the previous experience of the contractor in transporting pupils, (ii) the name of each transportation company the contractor has been an owner or a manager, (iii) a description of any safety
programs implemented by the contractor, (iv) a record of accidents in motor vehicles under the control of the contractor, (v) driving history of employees of the contractor, (vi) inspection records and model year of the motor vehicles under the control of the contractor, (vii) maintenance schedule of the motor vehicles under the control of the contractor, (viii) financial analysis of the contractor, (ix) documentation of compliance with motor vehicle insurance requirements, and (x) total cost of the proposal. Proposals will be evaluated and awarded based on the following criteria by the School District pursuant to Section 305 and 3625 of the Education Law and Section 156.12 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. Category Weight 1 Previous Experience of Contractor in School Transportation 15 2 Names of Previous Transportation Companies where the Contractor has been an Owner or Manager 5 3 Description of Safety Programs Implemented by the Contractor 5 4 Record of Accidents in Vehicles under the control of the Contractor 5 5 D r i v i n g History of Employees of the Contractor 10 6 F l e e t Inspection Records, Model Year of each of the Vehicles under the Control of the Contractor 10 7 Maintenance Schedules of Vehicles under Control of the Contractor 5 8 Financial Analysis of the Contractor 5 9 Documentation of Compliance with Motor Vehicle Insurance Requirements 5
10 Total Cost of Proposal - Total Cost to Provide the Transportation Services under the Contract 35 TOTAL 100 Notwithstanding the provisions of any general, special, or local law or charter, a board of education, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the Commissioner, may award a contract for the transportation of pupils involving an annual expenditure in excess of the amount specified for purchase contracts in the bidding requirements of the General Municipal Law in compliance with the bid law or subsequent to an evaluation of proposals submitted in response to a request for proposals prepared by or for the board of education of a district. The Commissioner, in addition to his existing statutory authority to approve or disapprove transportation contracts, may reject any award of a transportation contract that is based on an evaluation of proposals submitted in response to a request for proposals if he finds that (1) the contractor is not responsive to the request for proposal, or (2) the proposal is not in the best interests of the district. Security in the form of a bond or certified check payable to the Baldwin Union Free School District in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the first year of each contract is required to be submitted with a proposal. A performance and payment bond in a sum of 100% of the annual amount for each of the contracts will be required as set forth in the request for proposal. Board of Education Baldwin Union Free School District 960 Hastings Street Baldwin, New York 11510 122033
To place a notice here call us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com
to host drive-in movies NYCB Live announced on May 16 that it would be launching drive-in movie weekends this spring and summer at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale. The first movie screening will be DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls starting on May 29 with multiple show times throughout the weekend. “For the last several weeks we have been speaking with the county to see how we might be able to safely launch a drivein movie theater, and we were very pleased to receive the green light to move forward,” said Nick Vaerewyck, the senior vice president of programming and business operations at NYCB LIVE. “We miss hosting world-class sporting events, concerts, and family-friendly programs that bring people together, and this is the safest way to begin to return to entertaining Long Islanders once again.” The movies will be displayed on a large backlit LED screen outside the venue facing Hempstead turnpike, with audio made available through a partnership with Hofstra radio station, WRHU. “The iconic Coliseum, in the heart of Nassau County, is the perfect backdrop for a drive-in,” said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. “We welcome this
fun, new entertainment option for our residents looking for family-friendly activities this summer.” NYCB LIVE will have food trucks available in the parking lot to provide guests with food and non-alcoholic beverage options for purchase, though guests are permitted to bring outside snacks onsite. Mobile bathrooms and multiple sanitizing stations will also be available. “While we want to make this a fun experience for everyone, we encourage all guests to take proper social distancing measures on-site. All drivers must be wearing a face covering, and anyone who exits their vehicle must comply with wearing a face covering and abiding by social distancing of six-feet from anyone outside of members from your car,” Vaerewyck added. Attendees are encouraged to buy their tickets in advance at ticketmaster.com/ artist/2756410. Tickets will be $30 per car in advance, or $35 at the gate via credit/ debit only. Guests will be permitted onsite an hour ahead of show times, with limited space available per showing. For more information, visit NYCBLIVE.com. —Brian Stieglitz
HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — June 4, 2020
Public Notices Nassau Coliseum
Christina Daly/Herald file photo
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HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — June 4, 2020
Place Homes HERALD Market •
HERALD
Who can we trust? Q. We met with three architects, three contractors
and an interior designer and also went to our building department because we just want everything to go smoothly, with no problems, since we’re doing a big job, adding a full second floor on our cape, a family room, garage and kitchen extension. The problem we’re now facing is that we got a lot of the same answers from everyone, but we also got a lot of conflicting information. One contractor and the interior designer told us that many things we were doing could be done by them, and the architect would just draw from their sketches. The building official told us basics, but Ask The said it’s best to speak to the Architect architect (we choose). Family members who have used the interior designer say they’re very knowledgeable and can handle everything, but some of the answers didn’t square with the building official. We’re very confused, so how do we sort out what advice each one is giving us before we start?
A. I know I’ve written
Monte Leeper
this many times, that when I sat in classes in architecture school, design studios, art classes, art history, physics and calculus, I never knew that what lay ahead for me was that others who have no background, no qualifications and only a smidgen of training would be the ones to wrongly steer the projects I would be developing. I thought I’d be able to freely create. Instead, I often find that I have to spend most of my time trying to straighten out messes, fill out paperwork and try to troubleshoot. Why this happens isn’t a mystery. Armed with computers and the internet, everyone who wants to believe they can design and solve building problems feels empowered. In any endeavor, there must be one responsible leader. The word responsible isn’t to be taken lightly, because it doesn’t mean the one most easily able to dump the blame on. That individual must be the most capable of solving every angle of the project, starting with the most restrictive issues, like the law, otherwise known as government regulations, and also the laws of nature, such as structural, mechanical and technical issues. Who would that person be? While the interior designer may be comfortable and confident at advising you about space planning and finish selections, can you trust them to engineer the building loads, snow and wind loads or even the project’s energy and ventilation calculations? And while the contractor is great at hands-on problem solving, putting every detail of the building together, will they be able to follow all the regulations and be called on to sign documents guaranteeing your safety? Government, at every level, has imposed a ton of restrictions on the building process, mostly as a reaction, over centuries, to building disasters. You must decide whether overly confident, under-qualified people will be there not only to be creative, but also to protect you. Good luck!
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Have ADHD/ Executive Function Disorder? Take a Free Virtual FOCUS Assessment Test to better understand your attention challenges 516-984-9365 OrganizeU4Life-Learn to Live Better
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OpiniOns
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ur country is suffering through the worst health crisis since the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, and the worst economic crisis since the 1929 crash and subsequent Great Depression. Under a federal government emergency program dubbed Warp Speed, scientists are offering hope that promising vaccines will beat back the coronavirus over the next year. In the meantime, the economic damage America has suffered needs a similar major ongoing commitment from Washington. alfOnse Much has already been done d’amaTO to help keep the economy functioning during the past few months of lockdown. Congress has enacted over $3 trillion in support, including substantial help for both workers and businesses. The Payroll Protection Program provided major grants and loans to small businesses to keep them afloat and able to retain workers. Yet even with this help, 40 million Americans are out of work. The jobless are being helped with a $600-a-week federal supplement in addition to state unemployment benefits, but this program will expire in two months.
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The economic situation shows no sign of getting better soon. White House economic advisers project that unemployment could top 20 percent before the economy begins to revive. And the chairman of the Federal Reserve has pointedly noted that even though the Fed has already pumped $2 trillion into the financial system, “It may well be that the Fed has to do more,” Jerome Powell told “60 Minutes.” “It may be that Congress has to do more … [to] help businesses avoid … insolvencies and … do the same for individuals — keep workers in their homes, keep them paying their bills. Keep families solvent.” That’s very important advice from the world’s most powerful banker. Congress and the White House should take it seriously and act on it. The key to achieving another round of federal stimulus relief will be a willingness of all parties to put aside political differences to deliver meaningful help to the country. That means the Democratic leadership of the House of Representatives should drop its insistence on loading up the next relief bill with every item on the liberal wish list. The rescue package should focus on continued funding of research to defeat the coronavirus and support for a strong economic recovery. President Trump and the Republican
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leadership of the Senate have signaled their support for additional federal spending during this extraordinary crisis. Yes, the deficit and the national debt will climb, but failing to resuscitate our economy could have even more dire economic consequences. The economy right now is like a Covid-19 intensive care patient hanging on life support. This is no time to argue about how much more effort should be made to save the patient. Washington should not get sidelined by political arguments. Here’s a prescription for dealing with the crisis:
es, the deficit and the national debt will climb, but that’s not the big worry.
■ Authorize generous spending on speeding up the development of a vaccine and a way to deliver it to every American as soon as it’s ready. ■ Provide another round of direct $1,200 stimulus checks to individuals and their dependents to help families pay mortgages and rents and put food on their tables. Trump has indicated that he’s open to this proposal. It’s worth the extra cost. Cash in the hands of desperate families is key to saving many from destitution. ■ Renew and improve the Payroll Protection Program with additional funding and key reforms to its operation. Small businesses, especially, need more flexibility on
how the grants they receive can be used. Keeping employees on the payroll won’t protect their jobs in the long haul if businesses are forced to close because they can’t meet other operating costs. ■ Along with reforming the PPP, convert the current $600 additional federal unemployment insurance supplement into an employment supplement. Instead of paying employees to stay home from their jobs, let’s pay them a “job bonus” to get back to work. ■ Provide substantial assistance to states and localities to help with the extraordinary costs imposed by the pandemic and to help them cover their operating costs. State and local tax revenues have dropped drastically since the pandemic began in every state. Helping them to keep providing critical services is not only reasonable, it’s necessary. That doesn’t mean writing a blank check to every state. ■ Finally, finally come to agreement on a national infrastructure program, putting jobless people to work rebuilding America. These are extraordinary times, calling for extraordinary measures. Washington must step up to the challenge, now. Al D’Amato, a former U.S. senator from New York, is the founder of Park Strategies LLC, a public policy and business development firm. Comments about this column? ADAmato@liherald.com.
When, and how, do you recover a lost first kiss?
here is no Plan B for young love. Through this pandemic, we are all living some version of Plan B, but my heart aches for our teenagers, for whom Plan B doesn’t work so well. They have been locked down and shut out by the Coronavirus, and they have far fewer coping mechanisms than adults. Some parents are struggling with teens who are sleeping all day or refusing to pitch in with chores. Being a teenager in the best of times is hugely inconvenient, and acting out is normal. I think any human who just survives the years between 13 and 19 reasonRandi ably intact is doing kReiss a splendid job. I actually remember what it was like to be 13. Everyone has his or her own hell. Mine was being tiny. I was so small that my mother couldn’t find “teenage” clothes in my size, so, of course, I hated my mother. I threw my Mary Janes at her one day because she thought I would put them on my feet and actually
be seen in public, when everyone knew that you don’t wear Mary Janes when you’re 13. I was generally miserable from ages 13 to 16, when I discovered boys and the pimples subsided and I fell in love. How might that have played out if we had gone through a global pandemic between 1958 and 1964, when I was “becoming”? I would have been holed up in my house with my mother and father and younger sister. We weren’t the let’s-bring-out-theMonopoly-board kind of family. Our parents didn’t play with us. They loved us and fed us and told us what to do. Sequestering without 600 channels of TV, no Internet and no phones would have been a claustrophobic experience. Today, kids do have many more opportunities to launch Plan B. They just don’t want to. No school? Well, heavens, in the virtual world, kids with access to the internet can tour museums, wander the galaxy, practice new recipes and star in musicals. Every day, I send my grandkids links to magic shows and master classes for
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kids and invitations to Facetime and books that tell the stories of teenagers who lived through adversity and came out stronger and bolder and happier. In other words, I send them stuff they ignore. And I understand the lassitude. I’m just doing the grandma thing, trying to engage, but part of me knows the kids are surviving as best they can. They’re suffering from the isolation, and they have no place to vent their anger and their fear because the cultural message is to push through and do your work and don’t complain when others have it worse. One of my grandkids is about to enter his senior year in high school, and I also remember what it was like to be 17, when passion ruled. Do you remember your first kiss? Take a moment. Remember. You were probably a teenager and I hope it was thrilling, and sweet. Now, teens are being told to social distance, a suggestion that is antithetical to their very existence. No kissing or fooling around for months, or a year? Being told that if you hang out with a friend or find love, you
eing told to social distance is antithetical to teenagers’ very existence.
might be endangering your family or killing your grandma? I have four grandkids in various stages of moving up in school. One is leaving elementary school for middle school. One is going from seventh to eighth grade, one is leaving middle school for high school and one is the rising senior. They have been “attending” school at home and passing the time as best they can, while parents weave in and out of their days and multiple screens shine an everlasting light on them. They are isolated from the only other human beings who know how they feel — other teenagers. I see them on Facetime and, really, they look slightly unfamiliar, a bit stunned, after days of little interaction with other people. I wish they would keep a diary or a photo journal. The gift they already possess is a great story to tell, but I understand the inertia of this moment. So, for now, kids, it’s enough just to get through, and you will Then, because you’re young and strong and smart, you will move on and make up for lost time. In the meantime, take notes. You are caught up in the drama of a lifetime. Copyright 2020 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.
HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — June 4, 2020
Americans need more help from Washington, now!
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June 4, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS
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We must end systemic racism to find peace
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wave of angry protests over the merciless alleged killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer sparked a wave of more than 70 angry protests in cities across the nation last week and into the weekend. The majority were peaceful, but others turned violent, with vandals looting and burning businesses. It was a sadly familiar scene, a nightmare that has been repeated time and again for decades. We must end this national shame. White police officers brutalizing and killing black men who are in their custody is criminal, period. Derek Chauvin and the three other officers who held Floyd down deserve prison. As one African-American commentator rightly pointed out, what we witnessed in the cellphone video of the killing was the slow, painful lynching of a black man by a white officer in the light of day, surrounded by witnesses.
This was not Jim Crow America. This was Minneapolis, 2020. And what caused it all? A counterfeit $20 bill that Floyd was alleged to have tried to pass at a store. Yes, most police officers are good, honest and hardworking. Even one officer the likes of Chauvin, however, is one too many. Protests turned to riots over the weekend in cities across the country, including New York City. We must condemn the looting we witnessed. Rioting is wrong. It is illegal. It should never have happened. And it does nothing to accomplish the goals at hand. As a nation, however, we must pause a moment and reflect on why people in communities of color would, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo remarked, burn down their own house. We do not presume to speak for them, but we can imagine that the killing they witnessed turned long-simmering
Vote ‘yes’ on the Baldwin School District budget
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t a time when district administrators are striving to enhance school safety and increase the quality of programs — all amid the coronavirus pandemic — it is as important as ever to support school budgets. Despite the struggles that came with the spread of the coronavirus, the Baldwin Board of Education adopted a $138 million budget for the 2020-21 school year that we believe is responsible — it maintains programs for students and holds the line on taxes. The tax levy — or the amount the district needs to raise through property taxes — remains under the state cap of 2.78 percent. We believe school administrators and trustees have done their best to provide educational, athletic and extracurricular
opportunities for students while limiting the cost to taxpayers. The district recognizes the economic climate in New York, and that it will almost certainly have a negative impact on school aid for years to come. And even as up to 50 percent of aid may be cut because of coronavirus complications, district officials offered assurances that students would have access to a wide variety of courses, clubs and internship opportunities. The district boasts a 98 percent graduation rate and a designation of a Recognition School from the New York State Department of Education, along with many other achievements and awards. The district was also set to host the School Superintendents Association National Redefining Ready Summit this spring. Baldwin schools are a part of the School
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anger into rage, and the riotous behavior was a way to vent it. It is a rage pent up not only because of a single killing, but also because of a longtime pattern of police killings. Taken together, they constitute what is called structural, or systemic, racism, the racism that is built into our very institutions — our police departments, our hospitals, our schools, our governments. Last year, the Herald undertook a nearly yearlong investigative series, “The Racism Around Us,” reporting on the structural racism in institutions here in Nassau County. The results were, in many ways, not surprising, but at the same time entirely shocking. The bottom line is that racism is to be found at all levels of our society, including in the media. Until we solve the issue of structural racism, we will never find the peace that our nation seeks — the peace that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. prayed for.
letters
The state is fighting pandemic-related fraud
To the Editor: As Long Islanders suffer from the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, it is simply disgraceful that some unscrupulous people have swindled New Yorkers’ hard-earned money during this time of need. Recent press reports indicate that at the peak of the pandemic, our state was duped into paying nearly $86 million for life-saving ventilators that never showed up. Meanwhile, my office was inundated with reports of price gouging on everything from cleaning supplies to masks and hand sanitizer. Every taxpayer is disgusted to see this during a pandemic.
Superintendents Association’s Innovation and Transformational Leadership Network, which allows superintendents to study best practices. Only 20 districts across the country were selected. Students have access to an annual mentoring program that connects students to teachers and staff members, extracurricular clubs — 18 at the elementary level, 22 at the middle school and 34 at the high school — and award-winning athletics and fine and performing arts departments. Vote “yes” on the budget. This year, voting is taking place only by absentee ballot. All ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on June 9. Additionally, Board of Education Trustee Karyn Reid is seeking another term unopposed, and we encourage residents of the Baldwin School District to vote for her.
A Tribute to All the Daves
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omehow, in April, I missed observing National Siblings Day, and then the time rolled by and along came Memorial Day. So I’m taking this opportunity to talk about my brother, David Kremer, and salute the many other brothers and sisters who really shouldn’t need a special day. This first week of June will mark a year since Dave (he liked that better) died at age 89. I’m sure that every one of our readers who enjoy a special relationship with a sibling understands how significant a role they play in JERRY our lives. Those KREMER of you who are lucky enough to have a living sibling know how important they can be, provided you haven’t let some petty grievance get in the way. As a rule, most of us reach out to a sibling at almost any time of the day or week for a kind word or just reassurance that all is well. Two of my friends recently lost sib-
LETTERS
lings, and they described to me at length missed opportunities or a lifetime of strong bonds that are irreplaceable. All of their comments reminded me of my loss, and the fact that Dave is no longer a part of my life. A day doesn’t go by without a moment when I think about reaching out to him, just to exchange a few simple words. It took quite a few years for my brother to express his love, but getting older does that to people. Dave had a lot of unique qualities. He was the family historian, and had an encyclopedic memory of just about everything. He knew not only the day, but also the hour that I was born, and where he was as he anxiously waiting to greet his baby brother. He would regale me with facts about distant relatives and their family history. His knowledge of family trivia was bottomless. He had photos of relatives who I didn’t know existed. When I ran for public office, Dave was always there, pushing me to take care of all the minute details of success-
K
ful campaigning. When I would arrive at some campaign event, he was waiting outside the building, staring at his watch and reminding me that I was two minutes late. He would usher me into the building quickly, making sure that I didn’t linger too long with a faithful voter. I consider myself a devout Yankees fan. I check the baseball scores whenever the team is playing, even if it’s early in the season and the games don’t really mean that much. I would spot him at some dinner listening to the game with earphones, while everyone else was chatting away. On days when I called him to announce some Yankee mistake or achievement, he would tell me he’d heard about it hours earlier. I always thought I was up on all things Yankees, but he eclipsed me. Last year, we decided we should observe Dave’s birthday at a place he would really enjoy. So as a family, we bought a bunch of tickets to Yankee Stadium on the week of his 89th birthday.
eep special family members close, no matter how far away they may live.
FRaMEwoRK by John O’Connell
As a former federal corruption prose-
HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — June 4, 2020
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The plan was to get his name on the scoreboard and salute him for another milestone in his life. As fate would have it, he didn’t make it to the game. But the whole family went, and shared a special the 192 moment when his name flashed on the Depres screen. The nieces and nephews cheered emerge the loudest for Uncle David. scienti I write this not as a sad remembrance, but rather as a reminder of the importance of siblings in our lives. Having a special brother or sister can be an enormous blessing. It’s an experience that can’t be replicated, so long as you stay close to those special family members and are willing to meet them halfway on life’s issues. Make those short phone calls just to say hello. Keep them close no matter how far away they may live. If you’re lucky to have the right relationship, then every day will be National Siblings Day.
Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman few mo for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s enacte Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. ing sub He now heads Empire Government Strat- busine egies, a business development and legisThe lative strategy firm. Comments about vided m this column? JKremer@liherald.com. busine retain million jobless $600-ation to this pr
men- cutor, I know this fraud and abuse needs ts to to be curbed immediately — and these are rricu- the steps we can take to fight back: I recently cosponsored several pieces l, 22 at
of legislation to combat profiteering amid the pandemic. One bill would ban price cs andgouging for medical supplies — from ts. masks to medications — imposing hefty ar, vot-penalties on those who jack up the price bal- of these items in excess of 10 percent of p.m. what they cost prior to a public health emergency. Another measure would bar Trust- companies caught and convicted of price gouging during a pandemic from receivm ing state contracts, economic relief funds nts of and tax deductions. or her. Most recently, I introduced legislation to incentivize whistleblowers to report the defrauding of state tax dollars by allowing judges to award them a substantial financial reward for information leading to the prosecution of wrongdoers during times of need. Fraud in the midst of a pandemic. is unconscionable. Our state government stands ready to fight back. TODD KAMINSKY State senator, 9th District
Protest, yes. Turn to violence, no To the Editor: I share the pain of all Americans regarding the senseless and tragic killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. No one should ever have to worry that such a
T
ers, for They h by the fewer c Som who ar
A bundle of energy, still for a fleeting second — Bayville
nonviolent encounter with the police might end in death. At the same time, I stand with the hardworking and dedicated officers from the Nassau County Police Department, and the neighboring New York City Police Department, who protect us daily
here in the Village of Lawrence. I am appalled by the images of NYPD vehicles being destroyed by anarchists. There is a need to protest injustice, but such protest should never turn to violence. I thank Nassau County’s 4th Precinct Inspector Joseph Barbieri as well as Com-
missioner Patrick Ryder for always step- was lik ping up to keep our village and its resi- own he dents safe. small t age” cl vMichel Fragin hated m Deputy mayor, at her Village of Lawrence would
WE WERE HERE FOR YOU BEFORE COVID AND WE’RE HERE FOR YOU NOW.
Don’t put off seeking medical care, including elective surgery, in fear of COVID-19. Mount Sinai South Nassau has dedicated non-COVID patient care areas, including within our Emergency Department. All units have undergone a deep cleaning to ensure your safety. All patients undergoing procedures are tested for COVID-19 within three days prior to admission. Our frontline staff of physicians, nurses and support personnel are equipped with full Personal Protective Equipment to help halt the spread of infectious diseases. Your health shouldn’t be defined by COVID-19.
DON’T PUT YOUR HEALTH ON HOLD. COME WITH CONFIDENCE.
mountsinai.org/southnassau
Mount Sinai South Nassau is certified as an Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence (CoE) by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Photo top left courtesy of Jeff Basinger, Newsday.
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