Bellmore Herald 09-22-2022

Pedaling the continent, always headed north

It has been over two years since the spread of the coro navirus upended our way of life. And as we slowly transition back to some sem blance of normal, it’s important to stop and acknowledge the resiliency and strength of the Bellmore commu nity through it all.

This year has not been easy, but our community has been able to find light in the darkness. We’ve celebrated holidays together, gone to parades and festi vals, and watched our neighbors and businesses do great things in Bellmore and beyond.

Ian Randman, 22, a North Bellmore native, is on an epic cross-country trip from Key West, Florida, to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska — the southern and northernmost points in the continental United States that are accessible by road. The trip is daunting, but it’s for a good cause: Randman is raising money in honor of his cousin, Joshua Randman, who died in 2018 of a form of pediatric cancer, at age 20. Story, more photos, page 3. and inspires

stuck it out with you, and it is our pledge to show the same resiliency that you, as a commu nity, have shown through it all.

Producing the news, however, is a costly endeavor. We must pay the salaries of reporters, editors, photographers, graphic artists, advertising account executives, press operators, drivers and manag ers. Now, more than ever, we are relying on you, our readers, to support us, as we have sup ported you through this crisis.

Model trains and class reunions: friendship in the wake of Covid-19

By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com

When Gary Gaccione was diagnosed with Covid-19 in March 2020, he didn’t know if he was going to make it.

“When I was in the hospital the first night, I said to the doc tor, ‘Am I going to be oK?’” Gac cione recounted. “I myself didn’t realize how bad Covid was. He said, ‘I don’t really know. I can’t tell you — I can’t lie to you.’”

Gaccione, a former North Bellmore School District art teacher, spent many weeks at the hospital, and then more in rehab, before he was finally able to come home that May, on oxy gen and for the most part con fined to his house.

That was over two years ago.

His is a story of resiliency, Gaccione said, and how you han dle what life gives you.

In the wake of some of his darkest days, and the recovery

that followed them, Gaccione took time to rediscover himself, re-form connections with people he’d known in the past, and look toward his hopefully brighter future.

All aboard!

For 45 years, Gaccione has lived next door to Frank Martuc ci, and they’d always had a good, neighborly relationship. In the first weeks after Gaccione came

The Herald has been with you through it all. We remain focused on delivering what mat ters most to you, whether it’s our coverage of the annual Bellmore Family Street Festival, or the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District’s sports teams.

Through these ever-changing times, all of us at the Herald strive to report the news of the day swiftly and accurately. We have adapted to provide you with even more information, going above and beyond, to give you the latest scoop online at LIHer ald.com, and in our newsletter.

Even though the pandemic stretched us to our limits, we

Please consider taking an annual subscription to the Herald. See our subscription ad on Page 17. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support. We hope you are pleased with our coverage, and if so, you might consider taking a two- or threeyear subscription.

We want to hear what you have to say about the issues affecting our community. Feel to contact me, and let me know what you’d like to read about. Email me at jvallone@liherald. com, or call me at (516) 569-4000, ext. 287.

Enjoy the paper, and we hope to hear from you!

JorDAN VALLoNE Senior Reporter

Courtesy Ian Randman

School Daze with Talya Lippman

Since the beginning of middle school, I have managed to be one of the few Bellmore residents to attend an outside school.

In the faraway land of Hewlett, I attend Stella K. Abraham School for Girls, more often referred to as SKA. My school com munity prides itself on being a vibrant and welcoming center of Jew ish education. Not only does SKA offer in-depth classes on Judaic topics, but it has a huge range of secular classes as well. This includes vast Advanced Placement classes, theater activities, special event programs, and sporting competitions.

For the average SKA stu dent, a school day entails tak ing both Hebrew and English classes. This inevitably results in longer days, but the upside is a greater scope of education. I have been taking classes in the Hebrew language, Jewish philosophy, and Jewish history since elementary school, all the while having the standard secular studies incorporated into my school day.

Living in North Bellmore has its own perks and faults. The one disadvantage that I most relate to is the feeling of isola tion from my school community. Whenev er I would like to host a get-together, the immediate response is the debate of who has to ask their parents to drive the 45-minutes to North Bellmore. This ines capably causes a divide between my friends and me.

More often than not, I lose sight of the fact that I am an outsider both here and there. On the other hand, there are times

where I tend to enjoy the remoteness of Bellmore. I believe that all high school students can attest to how school can be extraordinarily, academically demanding and forcibly inclusive at times. The sepa ration of my school life and home life allows me to have peaceful nights and weekends, both of which I take advantage of.

From my experience, pri vate schools differ from pub lic schools primarily in the classes that are deemed important. A student’s per spective on the similarities and differences between pub lic and private high schools would be fascinating. These intricacies could be revealed in a hypothetical scenario through trading places with another student at a public school. I personally would participate in a social experiment of this nature, that would aid in expanding my education beyond simply academics.

Though I can’t speak for all private schools, this type of exposure could stim ulate a greater understanding of teen relationships that students could seek.

The deeper relationships and potential connections formed would be highly ben eficial for all those involved. This is essen tially what I believe will foster teen rela tionships both now, and when they enter society later on.

NeighborS iN the NewS

Bellmorite’s thrilling U.S. Navy career

Lina Rose Deguerre, a native of North Bellmore, is serving the U.S. Navy as a member of Fleet Logis tics Multi-Mission Squad ron 50 located in San Diego.

Deguerre, joined the Navy two years ago. Today, Deguerre serves as a yeo man with Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron.

“I joined the Navy because the majority of my family has a history of serving in the military,” Deguerre said. “I was also looking for a career and to make some money. I am the first in my family to join the Navy.”

Growing up in North Bellmore, Deguerre attend ed Sanford H. Calhoun in Merrick and graduated in 2018.

Today, Deguerre relies upon skills and values sim ilar to those found at home to succeed in the military.

—Talya Lippman Lippman is a student contributor, writ ing a School Daze column on a bi-weekly basis for the Bellmore Herald.

Talya Lippman

Courtesy Navy Office of Community Outreach

Lina Rose DegueRRe of North Bellmore is serving on one of the United States Navy’s newest tilt-rotor aircraft squadrons. She joined the Navy two years ago because the majority of her family has also served in the military.

From Key West, Fla. to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska

North Bellmore bicyclist makes daring, once-in-a-lifetime journey for a good cause

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

Ian Randman is taking the journey of a lifetime — on a bike.

The North Bellmore native departed from Key West, Fla., the southernmost, accessible point in the continental United States on June 1, with only a handful of items packed onto his bike, and his end destination being some 6,000 miles away, in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.

What lied ahead of him was a grueling journey, that wasn’t for the faint of heart. But Randman took the trip for a reason, to honor his cousin, Joshua Randman, and raise money for Tackle Kids Cancer, which Joshua was deeply involved in.

Joshua, who lived in New Jersey, was diagnosed with a desmoplastic small round cell tumor, a rare soft tissue cancer, in 2015. It has a 5-year survival rate of just 15 per cent. He succumbed to the illness in 2018, at the age of 20.

“Josh was big into technology,” Randman said. “He founded a robotics team in his high school, and is the reason I got into the computing field.”

Randman, 22, graduated Wellington C. Mepham High School in 2017, and went on to obtain his bachelor’s degree in software engineering from the Rochester Insti tute of Technology. He graduated this spring, with a mas ter’s in computer science, also from RIT.

He decided before he started job hunting, this would be the time to take the trip.

Randman likes to bike, but the longest trip he’d endured prior to this one was just 360 miles long. He grew up biking around his neighborhood, he added, and in the parking lot of the North Bellmore Stop & Shop off Newbridge Road.

He’s an Eagle Scout, and through his involvement with the Boy Scouts of America, he had some experience camping, and forging in the wilderness. He had been pre paring for this trip for a couple of years, he explained, and planning his route. He flew down to Florida in midMay, where he spent some time with his grandparents, and built a website to showcase his journey, before departing in June.

“The most important thing is gear,” he said. “I only planned the specifics. And in terms of training — Flori da is pretty flat. So that was my training.”

Throughout his journey thus far, he’s encountered many things: some extreme weather conditions, a hand ful of animals, and rough roads.

During the first stretch of his journey in Florida, he was put up against a tropical depression, that dumped tons of rain on the southern half of the state. In Wyo ming, he battled 40-mile-per-hour headwinds, and in Col orado, he saw about 5 tornadoes in the distance, though one never touched down near him.

As he headed further north, he said he’s seen a num ber of bears, and some elk. Heading through Yellowstone National Park, he added he was surprised — and slightly disappointed — to not see bison, which the nature for tress is known for.

Paved roads and highways are the safest and most reliable to travel on, but occasionally, he’s had to trek on dirt and gravel paths. Last Friday, he was in Fairbanks, Alaska, 500 miles out of his final destination. That last and most difficult stretch, he said, would have him facing some of the most questionable conditions, and freezing temperatures.

On average, he estimated he was biking anywhere from 75 to 80 miles a day.

His bike, he said, has given him some major issues. “The bike is terrible,” he said, laughing. “If I have to never pedal for the rest of my life, I’d be okay with that, but it’s gotten me to where I am. A lot of parts are not the same as when I started. I prepared for a while, so I was pretty sure of what was ahead of me.”

Tackle Kids Cancer, the foundation Randman is bik ing to raise money for, is based in Hackensack, New Jer

sey. Since 2015, Eli Man ning, the former New York Giants quarterback, has served as a Team Captain for the organization, and as a philanthropic contrib utor.

Through his work with the group, Josh got to know Manning, Randman explained, and in support of his journey, Manning tweeted about it on July 13.

“While courageously battling cancer, Josh still helped others and was a great advocate for Tackle Kids Cancer,” Manning wrote. “He inspired a lot of us, including his cousin, Ian Randman, who is hon oring Josh’s legacy with a cross-country bike ride.”

There’s a few things, Randman said, he wasn’t expecting on his journey, including the incredibly kindness of people he’s met. While taking a rest at a museum in Alabama, he met a couple from St. Louis, Mo., who said if he was heading that way, he had a place to stay. When Randman eventual ly got to St. Louis, that offer was still on the table.

“People see me, and they help me out, with whatever it is,” he said. “They’ve given me food, water, which is kind of important sometimes.”

Many of these people, he added, he’s kept in touch with.

He hopes to reach Prudhoe Bay on Sept. 27 or 28. From there, he said he’ll catch a ride back to Fairbanks, and head home on a flight on Oct. 1, just in time to celebrate his birthday, on Oct. 2. He said he’s a bit homesick, but for his cousin, the trip has been worth it.

To see Randman’s online fundraiser, and learn more about him, his cousin, and his remarkable journey, visit IanRandman.com.

ThE JOuRNEy hAs had Randman biking on all sorts of terrain — from paved roads, to gravel paths. The scenery, and the kindness of people he’s encountered, have been extraordinary, he said.

DuRiNg ThE NORThERNmOsT parts of his trip, Randman has been able to see the aurora borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights.

Photos courtesy Ian Randman

ON JuNE 1, Ian Randman set off on the journey of a lifetime. He is traveling from Key West, Fla. to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, on bike, in honor of his cousin Joshua Randman, who died from pediatric cancer in 2018.

Getting ready for Sixth Battalion Parade & Drill

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

The Merrick Fire Department is gearing up to host the Sixth Battal ion Parade & Drill this weekend.

The festivities will kick off with an early-Saturday drill, at 10 a.m., at the Four Towns Training Center on Merrick Road. Later that day, departments in the battalion will march through the streets of Merrick, and enjoy an after-parade fes tival in the lot of the Merrick Train Sta tion.

The battalion consists of ten depart ments — Merrick, North Merrick, Bell more, North Bellmore, East Meadow, Wantagh, Levittown, Seaford, Mass apequa and North Massapequa. The parade and old-fashioned drill tourna ment, take place annually, and the hosting department simply rotates on a yearly basis.

Fans of fire drill competitions are like ly most familiar with motorized events, in which departments compete in hose and ladder competitions, with the assistance of vehicles. At the upcoming drill, this won’t be the case — in old fashioned com petitions, the departments compete with out the aid of trucks or engines.

The department’s public information officer, and ex-chief Ron Luparello, said old fashioned drill events are truly a site to see.

“The firefighters race against each

other to compete in cer tain events to get the fast est time,” he explained.

“Instead of vehicles — they’re pulling carts. You need people running down with the cart, pull ing the ladder. There is a lot of strength and endurance involved in these events.”

Over the years, drill events have become very competitive, he said. The top 5 teams will be awarded trophies, fol lowed by a parade of champions around the circuit. “The winners of the drill get on one of their fire engines, and they parade around the track with their tro phies,” Luparello said. “This is a longstanding tradition.”

Luparello said the drill should take about 3 or 4 hours to complete, and it will be free of charge to enter. Later on Saturday, at 6 p.m., the fire departments will also take part in a parade, that follows a non-traditional parade route through Merrick.

Starting on Meadowbrook Road, the

parade will go south on Babylon Turn pike, and make a left onto Smith Street, before turning right on Merrick Avenue. It will take the fire departments directly through some residential areas.

Thelma Avenue, Elsie Avenue, Gorm ley Avenue, and Carroll Avenue will be used as staging areas for the departments and temporarily closed. The parade, Luparello said, should at most take an hour-and-a-half to complete.

The competition for departments doesn’t end with the drill, either.

During the parade itself, there are vari ous awards the departments can rack up, including Best Appearing Fire Depart ment, among many others. An honor departments often aim to win is Most Members In Line — which means, by per centage, based on that particular depart ment’s number of members, the one at the parade with the highest percentage of its men and women marching will take home the top prize.

Some guest departments from upstateNew York will also take part in the

parade.

The day concludes with a festival in the train station parking lot in Merrick. There will be food trucks, refreshments, bounce houses and musical entertain ment. During the festival, judges will tally the scores from the parade, and announce winners.

Luparello said, that despite the parade taking place residentially, the department will make sure everything is cleaned up afterwards. Trash receptacles will be available throughout all staging areas, and after all the festivities conclude, mem bers will collect additional garbage. A final cleanup will take place the following morning, in case anything was missed on Saturday night.

The Merrick F.D., he added, is looking forward to hosting the events.

“The big part of this is that it is a tradi tion that has gone for many, many years,” he said. “In volunteer fire departments, the competition between departments has always been a big thing. We are just carry ing on the tradition.”

Jordan Vallone/Herald

ThE MERRick FiRE Department is ready to host the Sixth Battalion Parade & Drill this weekend, featuring all of Bellmore-Merrick’s fire departments. Above, the Merrick F.D. took part in Merrick’s Memorial Day Parade earlier this year.

Bellmorites take on the trash, and contribute to cleanup

Twins Aiden and Jaxen Dwojak of North Bellmore collected 52 pieces of garbage, weighing in at 2.9 pounds over the weekend at Lido Beach, where the Town of Hempstead host ed International Coastal Cleanup Day. The large amount of trash collected included straws, cigarette butts, balloons and underwear. Supervisor Don Clavin was impressed by all their hard word and thanked them for contributing to the good cause.

Down, set, hike: Bellmore Merrick Braves football organization is ready for the new season

The Bellmore Merrick Braves Football organization kicked off their season with plenty of games — and lots of cheers to be had. Town Councilmen Chris Carini and Anthony D’Esposito were in atten dance for the opening day festivities.

Courtesy Town Councilman Christopher Carini

Courtesy Lauren Glancz

Turkish family continues its Hislon legacy

By ALEXA ANDERWKAVICH aanderwkavich@liherald.com

It’s been 12 years since Jeff Kaspar brought Hislon from Turkey to Long Island. But the owner of Hislon Jewelers is finding plenty of success — so much, he’s opened a second location in Merrick. No longer producing his renowned Hislon Watches, Kaspar’s second store is the rebirth of a family legacy, and an homage to a century-long lineage of arti san jewelers.

“We want to continue our quality ser vice and our close relationship with our returning customers at our second loca tion, as the business continues to grow and thrive with the support of new and loyal customers,” said Adrien Ricci, His lon’s business and marketing manager, and Kaspar’s wife.

Jewelry runs within the blood of this family. Some might even go as far to say they are partially made of gold. Kaspar’s father, grandfather — Roje Hisarli — and great-grandfather, Leon Hisarli, have been in the business for decades, making His lon Watches a well-known name across Europe.

By the 1960s, Hislon was worn among both younger and older generations because of the fine craftsmanship and alluring detail.

When Roje died in 1998, an Istanbul

magazine published an obituary sharing the great sorrow Turkey felt in losing a true watchmaker who played a crucial role in bringing up the watch and jewelry industry within their communities.

Now, Kaspar shares his family tradi

tion that blossomed in Europe by planting roots here and continuing the timeless craft of watchmaking as well as designing and selling jewelry on Long Island.

Kaspar enjoys repurposing jewelry and creating something new from a pre

cious item. He also likes to restore jewelry to its former glory, and of course, being part of the process of finding the perfect piece.

“Jeff adores designing engagement rings and being part of the couple’s spe cial moment,” Ricci said. “It creates a life long connection with the store.”

Hislon Jewelers offers on-site ear piercing, jewelry repairs and professional engraving at its new 2164 Merrick Road location. It also provides a wide variety of watch brands — Kaspar’s second love — and is the only private jewelry store to be an authorized Pandora retailer.

Fine jewelry includes sterling silver, yellow and white gold, gemstones, beyond diamonds, and of course, diamonds.

Just as the Hisarli family grew to be a part of their community by becoming a common icon — laid on the wrist of gen erations of people in Turkey, Switzerland and across Europe — Kaspar knew that establishing a connection with the locals is an important part of the business.

“We hope that this continues to be a family business and would like to create a strong foundation with the community,” Ricci said. “We get a lot of value in that and creating deep roots with Merrick and hope to become the ‘got-to’ jewelers on the South Shore.”

To learn more about Hislon Jewelers, visit HislonJewelers.com.

Tim Baker/Herald

HIsLoN JEWELERs NoW has two locations, with its newest storefront on Merrick Road. The shop has its roots in the famous Hislan Watches, from Jeff Kaspar’s family.

Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum in Farmingdale — known for its exception ally beautiful grounds and world-class arboreta — hosted its 5th Annual Ladybug Release for hun dreds of Long Island community resi dents. Three sessions, which took place last month, gave families and community members the opportunity to learn more about the positive envi ronmental impact ladybugs have on the ecosystem, and to experience the release of over 500,000 in the environ ment.

“Ladybugs are essentially nature’s greatest superheroes,” Fred Hoff mann, Pinelawn’s Grounds Supervi sor said. “As a reliable defender of plant life, ladybugs work on the front lines to protect plant life from Aphids, which when not controlled, can cause damage to the health of plants. This allows us to provide a much safer alternative to the environ ment and limit the use of pesticides.”

The family-friendly event gave participants the opportunity to par ticipate in a live, educational session with Pinelawn’s knowledgeable grounds staff, who demonstrated how integral ladybugs are to pest manage ment throughout the grounds. Staff members took questions from partici pants on how the common garden pest, the Aphid, can harm the health

of plant life and the ways in which their population can be controlled through the introduction of their nat ural predator, the Lady Beetle, also known as the ladybug. Ladybugs can eat up to 5,000 aphids in their life time.

The hands-on events welcomed 150 Suffolk and Nassau County Boy and Girl Scouts, ages 6 through 11 and their parents.

“Most know ladybugs for bringing us beauty and good fortune, but what they don’t know are the great benefits they bring to the environment,” Kristyn Hovanec, Director of Com munity Outreach at Pinelawn said. “We are thrilled to have the opportu nity to share our knowledge with the community, so that together, we can all become better caretakers of the environment we live in.”

Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum is a non-sectarian ceme tery prided on creating and maintain ing a beautiful and serene environ ment where families can find tran quility and comfort. Its open and expansive landscape features hun dreds of acres of manicured grounds, unique architecture, flowing bronze fountains and flower-lined walks.

For more information on Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum, or to schedule a tour of the property, visit Pinelawn.com or call (631) 249-6100.

Courtesy Pinelawn Memorial Park and Aboretum Nebula larreyNaga, 6, of North Bellmore, held live ladybugs during Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum’s educational children’s event last month. The event, which detailed the ladybug’s significance to the park’s ecosystem gave participants the opportunity to learn more about nature’s superheroes and distribute over 500,000 ladybugs throughout the gardens.

spOtlight AthlEtE

Herald sports

Mepham rolls past MacArthur

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

An early goal-line stand last Saturday triggered quite the turnaround for Mepham in its rematch with MacArthur from last season’s Conference II football playoff setback.

RAy tORChiA

Kennedy Junior Football

COMiNg OFF AN injury-plagued 2021, Torchia got his junior campaign off to quite a healthy start Sept. 10 while helping the Cougars snap a 14-game losing streak. He rushed for three touch downs, including the game-winning score in overtime, as Kennedy defeated Roslyn/Friends Academy, 34-28. Torchia carried only 12 times and racked up 203 yards rushing. He scored on runs of 54, 85 and 8 yards.

gAMEs tO WAtCh

thursday, sept. 22

Boys Soccer: Baldwin at East Meadow 4:30 p.m.

Girls Soccer: Long Beach at Lynbrook 4:45 p.m.

Girls Soccer: Kennedy at Calhoun 5 p.m.

Girls Soccer: MacArthur at South Side 5 p.m.

Girls Soccer: Hewlett at Clarke 5 p.m.

Girls Volleyball: South Side at Calhoun 5:45 p.m.

Friday, sept. 23

Boys Soccer: Sewanhaka at Elmont 4:30 p.m.

Boys Soccer: Long Beach at South Side 5 p.m.

Boys Soccer: Mepham at Kennedy 5 p.m.

Boys Soccer: Clarke at Lynbrook 5 p.m.

Football: Massapequa at Freeport 6 p.m.

Football: North Shore at Seaford 6 p.m.

Football: Hewlett at Bethpage 6 p.m.

Football: V.S. North at Glen Cove 7 p.m.

saturday, sept. 24

Football: Long Beach at MacArthur 2 p.m.

Football: Sewanhaka at Kennedy 2 p.m.

Football: Locust Valley at Malverne 2 p.m.

Football: Carey at Lynbrook 2 p.m.

Football: Calhoun at Mepham 2 p.m.

Football: Division at Wantagh 2 p.m.

Football: Lawrence at West Hempstead 2 p.m.

After MacArthur reached the Mepham two-yard line with an over eight minute opening drive, senior line backer RyanThier stuffed a fourth down run. The Mepham offense then drove 98-yards the other way capped by a Thier one-yard touchdown early in the second quarter that set the tone for a convincing 42-0 win 10 months after MacArthur had ended the Pirates’ 2021 season with a 21-18 win in the Confer ence II semifinals.

“The playoff game last year was on all the kids’ minds and it is something that was a bit of a rallying cry for us all summer,” said Mepham head coach Matt Moody, whose team fell to MacAr thur at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium despite out-gaining them 354-196. “Start ing in December the team printed out color pictures of that final score 21-18 and posted it all over the weight room so all offseason and during the summer as we were lifting that was a constant reminder for the kids of how hard we needed to work to never feel the way we felt on that day.”

The floodgates opened after Mepham’s defensive stand and nearly length of the field touchdown drive with the Pirates tallying another three touch downs in the second quarter for a 28-0 halftime advantage. Thier scored his second touchdown from three yards out for 14-0 lead and junior wide receiver Steven Mulqueen made it 21-0 after a 44-yard touchdown reception from quar terback Dominick Novello.

Mepham (2-0) tallied 369 total yards on the day which included a big day from Novello, who went 8-of-9 passing for 203 yards and 50 yards on the ground. His 5-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter made it 28-0 going into the locker room.

“He does everything you need the

leader of the team to do,” said Moody of Novello, who also led the team in tackles on defense with 10. “He’s the hardest working and sets the tone for how every one else should be in practice and on game day.”

Michael Eddelson and Chris Norris also keyed Mepham’s shutout with an interception apiece. Junior Nick Sedita led the Mepham rushing attack with 73 yards and registered two touchdowns in the second half.

MacArthur brought back just two starters from last year’s 9-2 team that reached the county finals and is still working through some inexperience

early on in the new season. The Gener als knocked off Calhoun in the season opener, 31-7 led by 80 yards rushing and three touchdowns from senior running back Rocco Hogan.

“We had a good opening drive and we didn’t finish and they finished when they had to,” said MacArthur head coach Bobby Fehrenbach of the opening drive against Mepham. “We left them 98 yards to go and they capitalized.”

The Generals will look to return to the win column at home Saturday against Long Beach for a 2 p.m. kickoff. Mepham hosts crosstown rival Calhoun Saturday also at 2 p.m.

Donovan Berthoud/Herald MEphAM’s stEvEN MulquEEN, left, had a 44-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter of last Saturday’s win over MacArthur.

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

Steven Schwartz has always liked telling stories. The Bellmore-based children’s book author began creating all sorts of tales when his son was younger, but he never quite put pen to paper. Now twice-published, he has two books up for sale on Amazon, “The Whale and the Caribou” and “The Cricket and the Frog.”

If you go on Amazon, with the intent of shopping for a children’s book, Schwartz said there’s thousands of options for par ents to choose from. With his books, he said, he tried to creation something “a little more meaningful.”

“I want to immerse both the child and the reader in something a little more spe cial,” he said, “so it touches them, and sticks with them.”

Despite the animal-themed titles both the books have, he said they touch upon real world topics, like diversity and grati tude.

Each, he said, contains what he considers an “a-ha” moment at the end. “It gives a lesson of life that touches the reader,” he said. “The book speaks to the reader directly.”

Despite the bounds of children’s books that stack shelves, Schwartz said he found that he didn’t struggle when it came to writing them. “I have a very playful per sonality, so it fits me,” he explained. “The challenge is doing something that isn’t really out there.”

Schwartz’s books are published under the name “S.R. Schwartz” — the “S” standing for Steven, and the “R” for his middle name, Ray. He said as an author, the name is not gender specific, and having written a poetry book when he was younger, it was just always the name he’d used for writing.

Schwartz said aside from writing, he’s been an active community member for many years. “I’ve always been a person who wants to help those who need help,” he noted.

A portion of the proceeds from the books’ sales will be donated to “Cure Blind ness” — an organization with a mission to provide high-quality, cost-effective eye care to underserved areas across the world.

Both of Schwartz’s books, and his author profile, can be found on Amazon, at TinyURL.com/29ZS595M.

And next month, on Oct. 16, he has a meet-and-greet at the Bellmore Memorial Library, starting at 11 a.m. Schwartz will read “The Cricket and the Frog,” followed by a craft. Copies of the book will be avail able for purchase. The book is intended for children aged 3 to 8. Registration for BML cardholders opens Oct. 1.

The library is at 2288 Bedford Ave., Bellmore.

His purpose for writing his books, and sharing his tales, is not for financial reasons, he explained.

“It’s my creation I am sharing with the public — with a hope that is sticking with a child,” he said. “I love creat ing that ‘a-ha’ moment at the end. That is so important for me.”

Courtesy Steven Schwartz

BELLmORE-BAsED AuthOR s.R. Schwartz hopes to tell stories that stick with a child. One of his books, “The Whale and the Caribou,” is now available for purchase on Amazon.

From art to still inspired

home, they struck up a conversation about, of all things, model trains. It turned out that they both collected Lio nel trains, and Martucci had even built a layout in his basement.

The neighbors saw this connection as the perfect time to build not only a display for Gaccione, but also a friend ship.

Gaccione had a room in the upper floor of his Bell more home where much of his model train collection was in display cases along the wall. When the two men decided to build a train display, their vision was simple.

“The first step was framing a table,” Martucci said. “It’s basically just two 4 by 8 wood panels — and then Gary designed a nice track layout.”

“The very first thing we did was make the track plan,” Gaccione added. “And then we started to fill it.”

Over the next eight months, that table came to life, with all sorts of features, from houses and buildings to multiple tracks, and of course, trains.

The trains, and some of the buildings, were directly collected or purchased from Lionel, the men explained, but some of the figurines, plants, rocks and tunnel sys tems were fashioned out of materials they found in craft stores, and even their backyards.

“When you start off, you know, it’s overwhelming,” Gaccione said. “What we did is, we said, look, we’re going to do a little at a time, and just concentrate on each section. And it kind of built itself.”

Every time you look at the display, you see something new. From a wedding outside of a church, to prisoners apparently doing community service work in the “hills,” the display depicts the good and bad of everyday life.

“I had all this time on my hands, and, you know, the thing is, we became very good friends,” Gaccione explained. “We’re not just saying hello to each other any

Bellmore residenT Gary Gaccione nearly died in 2020, after a long battle with Covid-19. In his recovery at home, he connected with friends from the past and pres ent, and created an impressive Lionel model train display.

more, we’re sharing a hobby. And that’s how it all hap pened.”

program in which students created a play during their lunch hour.

The principal questioned his proposal, because Gac cione had no formal background in teaching theater. “I said, ‘I’m not going to teach them — we’re going to learn together,’” he recalled. “We’ll come up with a theme, and create it as we go.”

The program grew, and by 1979, the district asked Gac cione to teach it in all give of its elementary schools. It was so popular that The New York Times wrote about it — twice.

Gaccione said he saw the creative potential in all his students. “People are in different areas of creativity,” he said, “but they all talk the same language.”

When he was battling Covid, many of his former stu dents found out, and he received an outpouring of love and well wishes. A Facebook group was created so they could reconnect with one another and their beloved teacher.

His students are still in touch, and are even planning a reunion, at the Merrick Golf Course on Oct. 8.

“You changed the dynamics of art in our little school in North Bellmore,” former student Kristen Sayers Park er wrote to Gaccione. “You took an art department teach er position and changed not only what the arts mean in schools, but the lives of thousands of children over your tenure.”

Gaccione retired in 2005, and his program faded out of the district with him. But he still remembers those days fondly — and the lessons he taught. That creativity he inspired in his students, all these years later, came

“When you’re an artist, you have a voice,” he said. “People listen to people who are artists — they have a voice, and have a way of telling people what’s going on,

Jordan Vallone/Herald

Sen. Brooks delivers funding to The Hagerdorn Little Village

State Sen. John Brooks presented a funding award of $10,000 to The Hagedorn Little Village School to support its Cre ative Arts and Recreation Program.

Founded in October 1969 by Caryl Bank and Barbara Feingold, The Hagedo rn Little Village School, is a publicly fund ed, not-for-profit school that provides edu cational and therapeutic programs to infants, pre-school, and elementary school children with a wide range of develop mental disabilities.

The students present with various dis abilities, which may include cognitive delays, social and emotional deficits, autistic spectrum disorders, speech and language delays, orthopedic and or motor impairments, visual impairments, or sig nificant medical issues.

Growing from three children in a oneroom schoolhouse to now serving approx imately 500 children, ranging in age from birth through elementary school, in a state-of-the-art school, the mission at the school is to help each child they serve achieve their highest potential, educationally, emotionally and socially by creating a nurturing environment for the child and a supportive framework for their families.

A full range of support services are offered to families residing in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and New York City, including special education, inclusionary

programs, and therapeutic services that strive to help improve the development of young children with and without disabilities.

Licensed professionals are also available to provide eval uations, early intervention, special education services and therapies at no cost to families.

One such support program offered is the Creative Arts and Recreation Program, a 6-week summer program con ducted on site, and taught by a NYS Certified Special Edu cation teacher, where chil dren participate in a variety of educational, recreational, and therapeutic activities –an emphasis of the program is to reinforce academic con cepts and to strengthen social skills.

“I am so proud to deliver this funding award to The Hagedorn Little Village School so they can continue to deliver exceptional programs to support their students’ development,” Brooks said. “With this award, I also pay tribute to the hard work undertaken by Hagerdon Little Village School executives and staff, and

for their determination to delivering dis ability services for our Long Island com munity.”

“The students and families of The Hagedorn Little Village School are grate ful for all of the support that Senator Brooks provides us and the rest of the

special needs communities,” Jon Fein gold, the school’s executive director said. “The current funding that the sena tor has allocated to us will help to offset the expense of providing the specialized instruction and equipment that our stu dents require in our CARP program.”

Courtesy Office of State Sen. John Brooks State Sen. John Brooks with The Hagedorn Little Village School Staff Principal Patti Pizza, Executive Director Jon Feingold and Assistant Principal Wendy Sciubba.

STEPPING OUT

The life of a city:

New York City. By Karen Bloom

The iconic city never ceases to fascinate. It elicites strong opinions from those who simply can’t get enough of the Big Apple, and from the naysayers who prefer to stay away. But one thing’s for certain: NYC surely captures our attention.

And throughout the decades it’s captured the eye and lens of photographers who are enthralled by “the city that never sleeps.”

Hofstra University Museum of Art reaches into its vast collection again to continue the fall exhibit season with “New York, New York: Photographs from the Collection.”

These 45 photographs capture New York City in its infnite complexity and variety, not only celebrating the city’s evocative architecture, but reveling in its everyday streets and signage, authentic faces, and dynamic street scenes. The blackand-white images were made over a span of 75 years from 1932 to 2008 yet are unifed through the use of monochrome, creating connections between disparate decades.

While the photographers including Berenice Abbott, Diane Arbus, Andreas Feininger, Harold Feinstein, Donna Ferrato, Joel Meyerowitz, Dorothy Norman, and Garry Winogrand are not all native New Yorkers, they are inheritors of this miraculous city, dedicated to seeking its intricacies, grandeur, joy and hardships. Their distinct vision chronicles a city that continually reinvents itself.

“We haven’t done an exhibit focusing on photography in some years,” says museum director and curator Karen Albert. “This is another opportunity to showcase one of the strengths of our collection.”

The exhibit guest curated by photographer Susannah Ray, a former adjunct Hofstra faculty member is grouped into four segments. The “Iconic City” examines the skyline and signage, celebrating the city as both a symbol and a place.

“This is the traditional image people have when they think of Manhattan,” notes Albert.

When: Through Dec. 9

Where: Emily Lowe Gallery, behind Emily Lowe Hall, Hofstra University’s South Campus For more information, and to RSVP for tour, call (516) 463-5672, or visit Hofstra.edu/museum

“Streetscapes and Signage” is building focused, also including handmade signs and ads that were and still are aimed at grabbing the attention of pedestrians rushing from one block to the next. “New York Portraits” is a look at real life, and real people populate the city streets, clubs and living rooms.

Finally, “Street Scenes” offers images of the city, pulling the entire exhibit together. These are what Ray describes as “a quintessential New York photograph, which combines iconic architecture, everyday streets, and idiosyncratic people into one rapidly observed composition: the street photograph. They describe everything that might happen in a given second in New York, and remind the viewer that there is always more happening just around the next corner. The photographers spent lifetimes to craft their visions, returning again and again to photograph this ‘helluva town.’”

Of note, Albert cites Andreas Feininger’s photo of an elevated trestle. “It’s a classic image of a New York that doesn’t exist anymore, with the lights flling onto the downtown streets below.”

Another by Diane Arbus, of a young man in curlers, “is a good representation of Arbus’ work seeing people in all aspects of society.”

The public is invited to a curator’s gallery tour at the Emily Lowe Gallery, Thursday, Oct. 6, at 4 p.m. Ray will share insights about what she selected during the tour.

Top left: Diane Arbus, ‘A Young Man in Curlers at Home on West 20th Street, NYC,’ 1966, gelatin silver print. It was a gift of Steven Yager.

Top right: Donna Ferrato, ‘34 Leonard St., formerly Provenzano Garage,’ 2007, pigment on fiber print, from the portfolio ‘Tribeca.’ It was a gift of Susan and Steven Ball.

Bottom: Andreas Feininger, ‘Elevated Trestle, Division Street,’ c. 1941, gelatin silver print, from the portfolio Vintage New York,’ 1987. It, too, was a gift of Susan and Steven Ball.

Gangstagrass

Gangstagrass brings together different kinds of American music and creates a whole new category, greater than the sum of the parts. As their latest album, ‘No Time For Enemies,’ climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard bluegrass chart, Americana Highways magazine proclaimed the Emmy-nominated bluegrasship hop ensemble ‘America’s Band’ because they take so much of what’s amazing about this country ingenuity, creativity, freedom, unity across differences, people’s individual strength and struggles and distill it into a message of common ground in the form of original songs that have everyone up and dancing.

Friday, Sept. 23, 8 p.m. $40, $35, $30. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444, or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

‘Guys and Dolls’

Plaza Theatrical opens its fall season with Broadway at its show-stopping best. Hailed by many as the perfect musical comedy, this Tony-winning favorite follows a rowdy bunch of gamblers, gangsters and sassy showgirls in a wild game of chance then love sneaks in. Set in bustling 1950s Manhattan, the beloved classic features some of Frank Loesser’s most memorable tunes, including the hilarious ‘Adelaide’s Lament,’ and the crowd-pleasing classic ‘Luck Be a Lady,’ along with other favorites, including ‘Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ The Boat.’

Saturday, Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 25, 2:30 p.m.; Thursday, Sept. 29, 2 p.m. $49, $45 seniors. Elmont

Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont. (516) 5996870, or PlazaTheatrical.com.

THE SCENE

The Sixties Show back to the ‘60s at NYCB Theatre at Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury, the energetic their Sixties Show, Saturday, Sept. 24, 8 p.m. These dynamic musicians are known for re-creating spot on, note for note re-creations of the hits, B-sides and deep album cuts from the greatest songs of the era that defined a generation. The concert experience includes a full multi-media production with time travel special effects, narration, 60s archival audio and newsreel footage and a light show. For information/tickets, visit TheTheatreAtWestbury.com or LiveNation.com or call (516) 247-5200.

Neighborhood Farm Stand

Eggs, honey, and fresh vegetables are sold every Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Garden at St. Francis. outside the church or in the church hall. Visit 1692 Bellmore Ave., North Bellmore. Local produce is available through late October. Leftover produce is donated to local charities in Bellmore-Merrick.

Volunteer Opportunity

Want to brush up on your farming techniques, and contribute to a community garden? Every Wednesday from 3 to 5 p.m., and every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, visit the Garden at St. Francis, 1692 Bellmore Ave., North Bellmore, to help with garden tasks. Open to everyone, regardless of physical abilities. For more information, call (516) 679-1184.

Dog Days

Old Westbury Gardens goes to the dogs during its annual fall dog celebration, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24-25, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Stroll through the gardens with your furry friend (leashed, of course). There are also activities devoted to man’s best friend. Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information visit OldWestburyGardens.org or contact (516) 333-0048.

Merrick Fall Festival

The Merrick Fall Festival is back this year, from Oct. 21 through Oct. 23. Rides and games for the carnival will be open on Friday night, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Food and craft vendors will line Merrick village, starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The festival will take place at the Merrick Train Station off of Sunrise Highway, and along Merrick Avenue. For information, visit MerrickChamber.org.

Art talk

Grab your lunch and join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent Riva Ettus for her popular “Brown Bag Lecture” live, via Zoom, Thursday, Oct. 13, 1 p.m. She’ll discuss the current exhibition, “Other Worlds than This: The Supernatural in Art.” Participants are invited to ask questions at the end of the program. Register at least 24 hours in advance to receive the program Zoom link. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

On exhibit

Art has access to worlds beyond the one we know. Explore the next dimension as seen through eyes of artists throughout the centuries, at Nassau County Museum of Art’s current exhibition, “Other Worlds than This: The Supernatural in Art,” now through Nov. 6. The exhibit summons a celestial realm of demons, ghosts and extra-sensory phenomena as conjured by such Surrealists as Dalí, photographers who specialize in the occult, Old Masters including Goya, contemporary talents including Betye Saar, Luc Tuymans, Michaël Borremans and many others. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Annual Fall Harvest Fair

The Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church is having its annual Fall Harvest Fair on Oct. 15. 1294 Bellmore Ave., Bellmore from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hand crafted items, raffes and baskets and baked good available for purchase. Children’s activities will also take place. Please call (516) 785-5029 for more.

Sept. 27

NLS Techmobile Hands-on Tech Help

Bellmore Family Street Festival

The Bellmore Family Street Festival is returning for its 36th year, between Sept. 22 and Sept. 25. The carnival in the Bellmore Long Island Rail Road parking lot, with rides and games, opens on Thursday at 6 p.m. Craft and food vendors will line the streets of Bellmore village on Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festival will take place on Bedford and Pettit avenues, Broadway, and in the train station lot. For more information, contact the Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores at (516) 809-5892.

Weekly Car Show in Bellmore

The Bellmore Chamber of Commerce’s weekly car show takes place every Friday through Oct. 7. Admission is free for pedestrians, and entry fees for cars are $5 per vehicle. It runs from 6-10 p.m., in the Bellmore LIRR parking lot.

Having an event?

The NLS Techmobile will be onsite at the Bellmore Memorial Library, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., to provide hands-on tech assistance to patrons who bring their own devices and answer basic technology questions. RSVP at BellmoreLibrary.org or call the Reference Desk at (516) 7852990.

Beneft concert

Enjoy an evening with the Felice Brothers, with special guest Will Lawrence, Saturday, Saturday, Sept. 24, 7 p.m. admission; 8 p.m. concert, at RJ Daniels, 279A Sunrise Highway, Rockville Centre. Presented by the Tommy Brull Foundation’s Shine A Light Music Series, with all proceeds donated to Mr. B’s Inclusive Playground. Tickets are $35, available at Eventbrite.com/e/377774843727.

Meet the Author John F. Scalesi Jr.

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

Join Bellmore Herald’s Person of the Year 2010, active Bellmore frefghter/EMT, past President of Bellmore Lions and Kiwanis Clubs, former WWE timekeeper, and veteran, John F. Scalesi Jr. for a signing of his biography, “From Disabled to Abled: One man’s Journey,” at Bellmore Memorial LIbrary, 2288 Bedford Ave.,Oct. 1, 11 a.m. With artifacts and photos from past WWE events on display during the signing. Personalized signed copies will be available for purchase until 3 p.m. The frst 90 people to purchase a book will receive an offcial WWE t-shirt. Proceeds will be donated to charities supporting people with disabilities. RSVP at BellmoreLibrary.org or call the Reference Desk at (516) 785-2990.

Animal shelter says to ‘Adopt, don’t shop’

By MICHAEL MALASZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com

On the lookout for a new, four-legged member of the family? Officials with the Town of Hempstead say you don’t have to look any further than its Wantagh-based animal shelter.

Town officials have picked up and shel tered animals off the street since Wood row Wilson was president, now housing dogs and cats at 3320 Beltagh Ave. It boasts one of the highest adoption rates of any animal shelter, despite being the only one inside the country’s largest township.

“Our main thing is stray animals — most of our calls are that a dog is running loose,” said Ashley Behrens, the shelter’s assistant director. “But the other thing is if someone has to move and can’t bring the pet where they’re moving, or if a fami ly member becomes allergic.”

The animals don’t spend all of their time at the shelter, however. Very often, the animals are sent out to loving foster homes where they get to live the kind of carefree existence the rest of us envy while awaiting adoption.

“Sometimes these animals can get sick in the shelter,” Behrens said. “Cats are especially susceptible to upper respiratory infections, sometimes from the stress of being in a shelter. And it’s good to send them to a foster home to recover.”

The animals are, nevertheless, in seem ingly good care at the facility, with dedicat

ed staff and volunteers taking care of them on a daily basis. The dogs are brought outside into a yard for social interaction, and are also walked.

“We have volunteers who do a lot of hands-on training with them,” Behrens said. “We do an enrichment program for the dogs, and we always treat them to toys filled with peanut butter and such.”

Cats get a similar deal, although their days are more focused on social interac tion with human volunteers. And while both dogs and cats are kept busy, their cages are cleaned.

What sets the town’s shelter apart from others is its “trap, neuter, return” — or TNR — program for cats. Many of these felines are feral, and simply too wild to be welcomed into a family’s home. But through trapping and neutering, the shel ter can return these animals back to the familiar territory they found them, all while ensuring they won’t add to the exploding feral population.

“Because we are a government agency, we don’t get to choose the animals we bring in the way private shelters do,” Beh rens said. “But we have a great TNR pro gram.”

Trapping, neutering and returning cats likely plays a small part in fighting the puppy and kitten mill epidemic as well, shelter officials said. These “mills” are typically non-reputable breeders who reportedly don’t treat their bred animals with as much esteem as they should. They

tend to be known for caring more about profit than the animals, and still attract a lot of support from various pet stores looking to stay well-stocked.

But even with high adoption rates, find ing homes for many of the dogs and cats at the town shelter isn’t easy. Stigma is partially to blame, with many believing shelter animals are there because they are dangerous, or for some other nefarious reason.

Yet, the vast majority of the animals taking up residence in the town shelter are there simply because they have nowhere they can go. Shelter employees evaluate the dogs and cats there regularly

DExtEr AnD DunKIn, two dogs currently available for adoption at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter. Located on Beltagh Avenue in Wantagh, the town’s lone shelter offers adoptions for pets like Dexter and Dunkin for $25.

for how aggressive they are around food, how they react to strangers, and how well they get along with their fellow pets.

“We give all of the information out to adopters on how these animals have done on the tests,” Behrens said. “Of course, shelter behavior isn’t always translated into the home. So that’s why we recom mend a foster period for potential adopt ers as a trial.”

Anyone looking to give it a try can do it for just $25 by visiting the shelter at 3320 Beltagh Ave, anytime Sunday through Sat urday between 9 a.m., and 5 p.m.

To learn more, visit HempsteadNY. gov/179/Animal-Shelter.

Courtesy Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter

Delivering dollars to combat opioid addiction

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

Nassau County has nearly $70 million collecting a little dust in a bank account — but not for long. County Executive Bruce Blakeman has earmarked $2.5 mil lion for opioid addiction treatment, and local hospitals, clinics and other commu nity organizations should expect millions more.

“We are committed to make sure that all of the money goes toward the three goals that the money was provided for,” Blakeman told reporters last week. “That is prevention, education and treatment.”

The money was part of a $26 billion national settlement with opioid distribu tors last February — AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson — as well as Johnson & Johnson for what has been alleged as their role in creating the opioid addiction epidemic in the first place.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officially declared it a public health emergency in 2017 — the same year more than 600 people on Long Island died from opioid overdoses, accord ing to a 2019 report from the Fiscal Policy Institute.

The $70 million represents just about 7 percent of the funds allocated to New York intended specifically for Nassau, first hammered out more than a year ago.

The money, Blakeman said, will go a long way to reducing the strain on health

care providers and addiction specialists. The county already is working on spend ing another $15 million — something the county executive says he hopes can be an annual disbursement to help combat the opioid epidemic.

But although there is still a lot of money left, Blakeman says his adminis

tration is working slowly and carefully to ensure all funds go exactly where they’re needed.

Nassau County Legislator Delia DeRig gi-Whitton, representing the county’s minority caucus, emphasizing the histor ic importance of the donations while hop ing Blakeman and Republicans might

move faster to get the $70 million distrib uted to those who need it most.

“I’m so glad that these opioid compa nies are finally being held responsible for what they’ve done to our kids,” DeRiggiWhitton said. “In my opinion, I support (Blakeman) for being careful. But I also really hope we expedite this as quickly as possible.”

Matthew Bruderman, chair of Nassau University Medical Center’s board of directors, made it clear to reporters last week that time alone hasn’t made the cri sis any better in the county, Long Island, or the United States. Without funds like these, hospitals and community health organizations are ill-prepared to deal with the scope of the issue.

“We all know the opioid epidemic and drug addiction is damaging the lives of many people across the country,” Bruder man said. “NUMAC is the only hospital on Long Island that has an in-patient detox facility. (Yet), 90 percent of the time, we are at full capacity.”

Nassau County’s new health commis sioner, Dr. Irina Gelman, praised the county’s commitment to improving pub lic health, making her job much easier.

“I think this funding will be instru mental in really starting to address the issue at hand, and provide necessary ser vices to our community,” Gelman said. “As the county executive said, this is only the beginning. And I’m definitely looking forward to more to come.”

Will Sheeline/Herald

NaSSau CouNty ExECutIvE Bruce Blakeman says he’s directing nearly $2.5 million toward opioid addiction treatment centers. It’s all part of a broader $70 million the county received from the historic $26 billion nationwide settlement with opioid distributors and manufacturers, in an effort to get the opioid addiction crisis under control.

holiday greeting

A holiday greeting for Rosh Hashanah

Former NASA Astronaut James A. Lovell said, “There are people who make things happen, there are people who watch things happen and there are people who wonder what happened. To be suc cessful, you need to be a person that makes things happen.”

We have the power to make good things happen. Each year, we approach the Jew ish Holidays with high expectations and anticipation. Why not? It is a time for new beginnings, ones we can create for ourselves. In just a few days, on Rosh Hashanah, the Jew ish New Year, the sound of the shofar blasts will be heard. It is a time for the High Holidays; time that we gather with our families, neighbors and friends and concentrate on prayer and introspection.

A time to give thanks for the ways in which we have been blessed and strive to improve our relationships by asking forgiveness and making amends. These are the Days of Awe to acknowledge the Almighty as the creator and ruler of the universe; renew and strengthen our commitment to a spiritual way of life, and pray for a sweet new year — a healthy and peaceful year. Make no mistake — this is no easy task. We can choose to become the authors of our own chapter in the Book of Life or a passive puppet.

the wisdom of our heritage. At the same time, we look ahead toward future genera tions, knowing that what we choose for our own lives today will affect our chil dren, our children’s children, and, indeed, the future of the world. When we choose to align our way of life with the divine presence, we are doing our part to help create a society that is humane and Godly.

This is a time of return, or repentance when we are focused on the process of improving ourselves and coming closer to the Almighty. By actively engaging ourselves through self-evaluation, reconcilia tion, prayer and giving an extra measure of charity—we are choosing life, just as the generation in the desert did after they heard the Biblical Moses’s message.

Rabbi Moshe Weisblum

We all have a choice. Each one of us has the free will to decide how to direct our thoughts and actions. Each of us can choose to hold on firmly to the principles and values of faith and gratitude. Each of us can choose to do one more good deed, one more act of kindness, to help tip the balance of the world toward life.

On Rosh Hashanah, we look to our past, as well as to our future, for the grow ing of spiritual strength as well as staying committed to a positive energy way of life. We reach back into our collective his tory to draw inspiration and to learn from

As the High Holidays begin, we look back on all the moments during the past year that give us reason for hope. Around the world, a new gen eration is reaching for their universal healing of the pandemic and all its consequences. In our community, we’ve responded to our challenges by focusing on what really matters–educa tion, friendship, family and community. This last year was one of hardship for people everywhere. Too many of our friends and neighbors continue to strug gle in the wake of difficult health and eco nomic challenges. And beyond our bor ders, many of our closest allies, face the uncertainties of an unpredictable age.

As Jewish tradition teaches us, we may not complete the work, but that must never keep all of us from trying. In that spirit, I wish you and your families a sweet year full of health, happiness and peace. L’Shana Tova Umetuka.

Rabbi Moshe Weisblum Weisblum is the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Tikvah.

LEGAL NOTICE Public Notice

Public Notices

Notice is hereby given that the fiscal affairs of the Bellmore Fire District for the period beginning on January 1, 2021 and ending on December 31, 2021, have been examined by an independent public accountant, Craig, Fitzsimmons & Meyer, LLP and that the report of the external audit by the independent public accountant has been filed with the New York State Office of the State Comptroller and the Town of Hempstead where it is available as a public record for inspection by all interested persons.

John M. Fabian, Secretary Board of Fire Commissioner Bellmore Fire District 134231

LEGAL NOTICE SURROGATE’S COURT, NASSAU COUNTY CITATION

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, By the Grace of God Free and Independent TO:NYS Office of the Attorney General, Grassi & Co., Jasper Surety, Kaija Volckening , Laurence Volckening, Christian Volckening, Johanna Volckening, Natalie VolckeningTsoupra, and any and all unknown persons whose names or parts of whose names and whose place or places of residence are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained, distributees, heirs-at-law and next-ofkin of the said George Volckening, deceased, and if any of the said distributees named specifically or as a class be dead, their legal representatives, their husbands or wives, if any, distributees and successors in interest whose names and/or places of residence and post office addresses are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained

A petition having been duly filed by Nassau County Public Administrator, who is domiciled at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York 11501.

YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TO SHOW CAUSE before the Surrogate’s Court, Nassau County, at 262 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York, on November 30, 2022, at 9:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day, why the account of Nassau County Public

Legal

Administrator, a summary of which has been served herewith, as Administrator of the estate of George Volckening, should not be judicially settled.

[X] Further relief sought (if any):

1.Releasing and discharging the Petitioner from all liability, responsibility and accountability as to all matters set forth in the account of proceedings;

2.Allowing the commissions of the Petitioner in the amount of $ 12,728.76 pursuant to SCPA 2307(1) and the reasonable and necessary expenses of the office in the amount of $ 2,958.88 pursuant to SCPA 1207(4);

3.Fixing and determining the attorney’s fees and disbursements of Mahon, Mahon, Kerins & O’Brien, LLC attorney for petitioner in the amount of $ 31,372.52 of which $ 6,372.52 has been paid and $ 25,000.00 is unpaid;

4.Fixing and determining the accounting fees of Grassi & Co, CPA’s, PC in the amount of $ 7,500.00 of which $ 1,500.00 has been paid and $ 6,000.00 is unpaid;

5.Releasing and discharging the surety;

6.Directing each of you claiming to be a distributee of the Decedent to establish proof of your kinship, and show cause why the balance of said funds should not be paid to said alleged distributees upon proof of kinship or deposited with the New York State Comptroller on account for the unknown next of kin of George Volckening, decedent, should said alleged distributees default herein or fail to establish proof of kinship;

7.Granting such other and further relief as to the Court is just and proper Dated, Attested, and Sealed, September 13, 2022 (Seal)

HON. HON. MARGARET C. REILLY Surrogate

s/ Debra Keller Leimbach Chief Clerk

Signature of Attorney Richard T. Kerins, Esq.

Print Name of Attorney Mahon, Mahon, Kerins & O’Brien, LLC

Firm Name (516) 538-1111

Telephone 254 Nassau Boulevard South, Garden City South, New York 11530

Address rkerins@mmkolaw.com

Email (optional) NOTE: This citation is served upon you as required by law. You are not required to appear. If you fail to appear it will be assumed that you do not object to the relief requested. You have a right to have an attorney appear for you, and you or your attorney may request a copy of the full account from the petitioner or petitioner’s attorney. 134192

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. MARIANNE HUTTER, AS TRUSTEE OF THE SULLIVAN FAMILY TRUST DATED 10/23/03, et al, Defts. Index #612497/2021. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered August 24, 2022, I will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on October 18, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. prem. k/a District 4, Section 56, Block M, Lot 61-63. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Foreclosure auction will be held “rain or shine.” If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the sale. SCOTT SILLER, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Dr., Great Neck, NY. #99761 134101

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice of formation of UPSCALE TOWNHOUSES LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/26/2022. Office: NASSAU County. Howard K. Pollack, Esq. Attorney for the LLC designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Howard K. Pollack, Esq. Attorney for the LLC at 300 Bedford Avenue Suite 203, Bellmore, NY 11710 Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 133801

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule of the State of New York, both as amended, a

public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 3rd day of October, 2022, at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day to consider the enactment of a local law to amend Section 197-5 of the code of the Town of Hempstead to INCLUDE “ARTERIAL STOPS” at the following locations:

BELLMORE MARLBORO PLACE (TH 422/22)- STOP - All traffic traveling south on Ansbro Place, shall come to a full stop.

MARLBORO PLACE (TH 422/22)- STOP - All traffic traveling south on Wilson Place, shall come to a full stop.

NORTH BALDWIN CIRCLE DRIVE EAST (TH 380/22)- STOP - All traffic moving eastbound on Mayfair Road,shall come to a full stop.

ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid. Dated: September 20, 2022 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 134210

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com TO PLACE AN AD CALL 516-569-4000 x 232

LEGAL NOTICE

Mount Sinai South Nassau Transitional Care Unit (TCU) Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy

It is the policy of Mount Sinai South Nassau TCU not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, religion, color, national origin, gender, handicap, disability, blindness, source of sponsorship, source of payment, marital status, age, sexual preference, genetic disposition or carrier status in employment or in the admission, retention and care of residents and patients. All persons and organizations that have occasion to either refer prospective residents or patients to Mount Sinai South Nassau TCU are advised to follow this nondiscriminatory policy. 133644

EDITOR/REPORTER

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

Help Wanted

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR

Richner Communications is looking for a hands-on Human Resources professional to oversee all HR functions on a strategic and tactical level. Exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and expanding Garden City, Long Island media company. This position has a flexible schedule, part-time job share would be considered.

Responsibilities: Talent acquisition: Source, screen, and interview potential candidates and manage new employee onboarding Benefits administration: Liaise with brokers, providers and facilitate enrollment and updating of coverage. Manage annual open enrollment and employee benefits review. Administration of 401(k) plan. Employee relations: Provide day- today support and problem resolution in regards to employee concerns, questions and policy issues. Performance management: Coach, counsel and recommend disciplinary actions Compliance: Maintain indepth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of employees, reducing legal risk and ensuring regulatory compliance Payroll: Process biweekly payroll through payroll vendor for population of 150 employees Requirements: Bachelor's degree, preferably in business or HR, or equivalent experience Minimum 5 years HR generalist experience Knowledge of Federal, State & Local regulations governing employment Experience with payroll processing Self-motivated, ability to prioritize and work well under pressure Customer-focused attitude, with high level of professionalism and discretion Excellent oral and written communication and quantitative skills Proficiency with Microsoft Office Qualified candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to: careers@liherald.com.

HVAC DISPATCHER F/T

Phones, Handle Customer Inquiries, Schedule Jobs Good Phone/ Computer Skills East Rockaway Location office@allhoursenergy.com 516-596-2200

MEDICAL ASSISTANT FT Pulmonary Office. Lawrence And Rockville Centre. Experienced Preferred. Vital Signs, Patient Care, Phone Work, File And Prepare Charts. Pulmonary Function Studies A Plus. Email Resume To: southshore360@gmail.com Or Call 516-569-6966

MUSIC TEACHERS: PIANO, All. Kathryn Brickell www.music-instruction.com Call 800-285-5732; Text 516-729-1961

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

PRIVATE DRIVER NEEDED Weekly Hours Vary. Occasional Overnight Stay. Use Of Company Car. Background Check And DMV Check. Call For Details. Barbara 516-705-4804

RECEPTIONIST - FULL TIME Receptionist (full-time) needed for Publisher and Self-Storage Facility located in Garden City. The ideal candidate should have excellent communications and customer service skills, be professional, dependable and have reliable transportation. Candidate should have computer knowledge and working knowledge of MS Office. Candidate MUST be reliable, punctual and be able to work a CONSISTENT schedule: Monday and Wednesday 8am to 4pm Tuesday and Thursday 8am to 6pm Friday 8am to 5pm

Job Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Answering phones and greeting customers, assisting new customers by showing storage facility options and pricing, collecting payments from customers, contacting customers for late payments, applying payments and updating the customer files /data base and other general administrative responsibilities on an as needed basis. Hourly pay, plus eligible for Holiday Pay, PTO, Medical, Dental, 401k with company matching, plus other benefits. Qualified candidates should email their resume, cover letter and salary requirements. No phone calls please. Job Type: Full-time. Salary: $15.00 /hour Email your resume to: careers@liherald.com

RECEPTIONIST FULL TIME: Busy OBGYN Office Rockville Centre. Call Maureen 516-764-1095

OFFICE ASSISTANT Various Other The jwpersonal@ wilsoncollegeconsulting.com Salary Requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X286

TAILOR: P/T EXPERIENCED. Flexible Days And Hours. For Dry Cleaners in Merrick. 646-593-1357 FT/ RVC Vicinity. I Am Experienced. Call 516-536-6994

REAL ESTATE Houses

EAST ROCKAWAY BA, 25 Thompson Dr, NEW! 6 BR, 4.5 Bth Renovated & Expanded 4500 Sq Ft Home with Open Layout. 2 Story EF, Huge Gran/Wood Chefs Kitchen w/2 Islands, LR/Fpl & Fam Rm. Primary Ste Boasts Rad Htd Bath, 2 WICs. SD#20 in Waverly Park Area. MUST SEE!...$1,139,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT 1534 BROADWAY #103, OPEN HOUSE BY APPT, REDUCED! Magnificent New Renovation! One of a Kind Ranch Style Living in Luxurious Jonathan Hall Condominium with Doorman & Elevator. Just Move into This Gut Renovated, Spacious 2 BR, 2 Bath Apt with Open Layout.Large Designer Eat in Kitchen with Sep Pantry & Laundry Rm.Master BR Boasts Gorgeous Bth & Walk in Closet. Terrace Faces into Courtyard. Garage Parking Incl...$799,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT 1534 BROADWAY #205, Open House By Appt, NEW TO MARKET! Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedroom(Originally 3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living...$799,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

his elegant and spacious 5000 square feet classic Colonial is situated on one of the most desirable streets in Hewlett Harbor. It features 5+ bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, huge formal dining room, Chef’s kitchen with adjoining great room, den, and an extra-large living room. The backyard also includes an in-ground gunite pool, koi pond, two car garage and an extralarge driveway. Call Alissa Lurie today to schedule your private viewing! 516-967-8828 of Park-Like Grounds! Harbor

Open Houses

HEWLETT HARBOR BA 1299 Seawane Dr Beautiful 4 BR, 3 Bath Exp Ranch with Open Layout in Prime Location.Updtd Wood/Marble Kitchen & Great Room Overlooking Magnificently Landscaped 3/4 Acre Parklike Prop. Main Floor Primary Ste. SD#14...$1,799,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4

HEWLETT HARBOR BA, 206 Albon Rd, FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Grand & Elegant 6200 Sq Ft Col Tucked Away on over an Acre of Parklike Prop w/ IG Pool. 7 BR, 7.5 Bth, All Spacious Rms. Elevator. 4 Car Att Gar. Opportunity to Make This Your Dream Home...$2,399,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

Retail Space For Rent

GREENPORT: NORTH FORK commercial/retail. Prime main street village location. Captain’s house. Original floors and architectural details. Excellent exposure. Owner, 516-241-8135.

Apartments For Rent

CEDARHURST NO FEE Private Entrance, Modern 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, CAC, W/D, Storage, Wall To Wall Carpeting, Indoor Parking Space. Starting At $1450 For One Bedroom When Available. (516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/ (516)582-9978 516-569-4000

Alissa Lurie Lic. R.E. Salesperson 516-967-8828 alurie@coachrealtors.com Coach Realtors 1315 Broadway Hewlett, NY 11557 www.coachrealtors.com Att Gar. CAC, Gas Ht, HW Flr. REDUCED! $749,000 25 Thompson Dr, BA, NEW! 6 BR, 4.5 Bth Renovated & Expanded 4500 Sq Ft Home with Open Layout. 2 Story EF, Huge Gran/Wood Chefs Kitchen w/2 Islands, LR/Fpl & Fam Rm. Primary Ste Boasts Rad Htd Bath, 2 WICs. SD#20 in Waverly Park Area. MUST SEE! $1,139,000

HEWLETT Jackson Pl, BA, NEW FULL HOUSE RENTAL in SD#20. Immaculate/Furnished Colonial at the End of Private Dead End St. Mstr BR/Bth Plus 3 Addl BRs & Bath on Second Level. LR, FDR, Sunken Den w/ Fpl & Spacious EIK. 2 Car Att Gar. Fin Bsmt. O/s Prop $4,950 1534 Broadway #103, BA, Magnificent New Renovation! One of a Kind Ranch Style Living in Luxurious Jonathan Hall Condominium with Doorman & Elevator. Just Move into This Gut Renovated, Spacious 2 BR, 2 Bath Apt with Open Layout. Large Designer Eat in Kitchen with Sep Pantry & Laundry Rm. Master BR Boasts Gorgeous Bth & Walk in Closet. Terrace Faces into Courtyard. Garage Parking Incl REDUCED $769,000 1534 Broadway #205, BA Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedroom (Originally 3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living B ig REDUCT ion!! $699,000 ROCKVILLE CENTRE 133 S. Centre Ave, BA, Move Right Into This Renovated 4/5 BR, 3 Bth Colonial w/ LR, DR & Gran/ Wood EIK with Stainless Steel Appl. Full Bsmt, 2 Car Gar. RVC Schools REDUCED!! $949,000 299 Princeton Rd, BA, Move Right Into This 3 BR, 2.5 Bth Colonial on Lovely Street. LR w/ Fpl, FDR,Sun Room & Updated Gran/Wood EIK. Master Ste Has Updtd Bth. Walk Up Attic with Cedar Closet. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Det Gar. Rockville Centre SD REDUCED! $799,000 CE da RHURST 332B Peninsula Blvd, BA, FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Move Right Into This Updated Townhouse Featuring 3 Spacious Bedroom, 2.5 Bths, Living Room, Dining Room & Gran/ Wood Kit w/ Stainless Steel Appl. Attached Garage Plus 1 additional Pkg Space. Washer/ Dryer. Pull Down Attic Has Lots of storage. Trex Deck off LR. CAC 2 Zones, Gas Ht. Convenient to Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship, SD#15 $449,000 Fa R ROCK aWay 33-47 Bay Ct, BA, FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Enjoy The Waterviews in This Bayswater 4 BR, 1.5 Bth Split Tucked Away in Cul de Sac. Fin Bsmt. Att Gar. O/S Resortlike Yard on the Bay. Opportunity to Make This Your Dream Home! $719,000

Wishing All A Happy & Sweet New Year

Everybody wants money upfront

Q. We’re in the middle of getting our house reno vated, and we’re talking to three contractors. Each one wants a large amount of money to start the job. Our architect also got more than a third up front, and we were concerned about that, too. Now the contractors want between 25 and 30 percent of the total cost, upfront, and won’t start the job without it. Why does it have to be so much, and how do we protect our selves if they take our money and run away? Our neighbor had that happen to them. What if we hold back money? Do you have any suggestions?

A. Good question! The exchange of money should go hand in hand with a good contract, one that protects both parties. Payment creates good faith, and allows a compa ny to devote its staff and resources.

Homes

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5

Mortgages & Loans

Offices For Rent

ROCKVILLE CENTRE

Part-time Office Available Main Floor, In Large Medical Building. About 120 sq. ft. Furnished With Waiting Room Cleaning Service, Parking, Near Public Transportation Wheelchair Accessible Call David Ilson 516-317-4590

PATH TO HOMEOWNERSHIP

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It takes time to prepare plans — more than the average person realizes — due to regulations, prob lem-solving and a lot of limitations. Expecting an architect to carry the costs to pay their expens es as a favor to the owner is unrealistic. People often forget that the plans prepared, signed and sealed by an architect or engineer are a part of the contract to the contractor. Plans are a critical com ponent, because they show what is expected to be completed by the contractor. Unfortunately, many people, including owners and contractors, believe that plans are a how-to manual for building. In fact, plans represent what the results are intended to be.

Not paying a down payment, upfront, gives the architect and the contractor very little ability to commit resources, including their time, to carrying out the first steps in their parts of the process to get you a meaningful result. Everyone has bills to pay, and expenses like overhead insurances, license fees and equipment costs, aside from groceries, mortgages and taxes. Expecting anyone to fulfill the tasks you hire them for without the ability to pay their bills is the beginning of misunderstandings and miscommunication.

Most government contracts I’ve seen include major delays in payment, from months to years, where it is expected that companies that will ulti mately get paid far more than what a private proj ect would cost have to wait. This waiting creates a situation in which companies either borrow money or take money from one customer to cover the costs of another customer’s project. In essence, not pay ing in a timely manner but expecting results cre ates a Ponzi scheme that nearly every company has to develop to survive. Small businesses take money from one customer to cover costs while trying to finish and get paid by the one before.

When you delay, underpay or shortchange the people providing a service, you’re part of the whole economic roller coaster that causes many business es in your local community to fail in the first five years. Prevent this instability by looking for reputa ble companies, have a good contract and accept that you are half of a commitment. Good luck! The

© 2022 Monte Leeper Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

Vacation Sales

ST. MAARTEN TIMESHARE: One BR, Sleeps 6, On The Beach. July Week. $7000. Call 516-680-4246

MoneyTo Lend

ARE YOU BEHIND $10k OR MORE ON YOUR TAXES? Stop wage & bank levies, liens & audits, unfiled tax returns, payroll issues, & resolve tax debt FAST. Call 888-869-5361 (Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-5pm PST)

Monte Leeper

MERRICK: Friday 9/23/22 , Saturday 9/24/22, Sunday 9/25/22 10am- 4pm. Keeler Avenue.

COMMODORE 64 COMPUTER, Monitor $60. Printer $25 includes Power Supply, Cables, Manual, Original Boxes. 516-445-3212

GRACO PACK-N-PLAY TURNS into napper to change with 2 sheets. Like new $90.00 516-791-2838

GREY FUTON WITH two storage drawers. Excellent condition. $75.00 516-442-2135

IRONING BOARD: 48X15"; Adjustable 38" high; Separate Iron Rest Spot; Steel mesh top. $65 516-320-1906

IRONING BOARD: 48X15"; Separate Restspot; Non-skid feet; Adjustable; Steel mesh top. $65 516-320-1906

LITTLE TYKES ADJUSTABLE basketball hoop LeBron edition new condition $15.00 (516) 462-2656

MAPLE FIREWOOD SINGLE Species Bundle Dried $50 S. Freeport 516-279-7696

VINTAGE 13 PC Canister Spice jars: Mepocoware Ceramic Lidded, Floral design, Opal luster $85 516-350-3539

VINTAGE 13 PC Canister Spice Jars Mepoco Ware German Ceramic Lidded Handpainted, Floral $85 516-350-3539

WINTER COVER FOR 15 ft. above ground round pool, $45 516-887-2656

Y BIKE EXPLORER 2.0 red/black $30.00 (516) 462-2656

ZOBO HIGH CHAIR with tray, Gently used. $20.00. 516-835-3092

Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry

*MICHAEL LO BAIDO CONSTRUCTION* Cement Specialist, Brickwork, Interlock Bricks, Belgium Blocks, Stoops, Patios, Basement Entrances, Pavers, Waterproofing. Quality Work, Lic./ Ins. Owner Always Onsite Free Estimates 516-354-5578

Electricians

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

Fences

QUALITY FENCE INSTALLATION AT A GREAT PRICE. Vinyl Fence, Aluminum Fence, Chain Link Fence, Wood Fence, PVC Railings. Free Est. Licensed/Insured. DG Fence. 516-860-9555.

Handyman

HANDYMAN

Repairs and Installations for the Household. Careful and Reliable and Vaccinated. Licensed and Insured. 30-Year Nassau County Resident. Friendly Frank Phone/Text 516-238-2112 E-mail-Frankcav@optonline.net

Home Improvement

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 866-393-3636

ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debrisblocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off and 0% financing for those who qualify. PLUS Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-877-763-2379

HANDY DANDY

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

* Full Or Partial Kitchens/ Baths *Painting *Sheetrock *Taping/ Spackling *Installations Ceramic/ Vinyl Tile *Carpentry *Alterations *Repairs/ More. FREE ESTIMATES. Dan 516-342-0761

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ROOFING GREAT PRICES ! NEW ROOF SPECIALS

SIDING- Best Prices

RENOVATIONS & ALL REPAIRS

SUPER COMPETITIVE PRICES! Lic/ Ins. Free Estimates Nassau Lic. # H-0102710000 Call John - 516-852-9830

THE GENERAC PWRcell, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-888-871-0194

WIREMAN/CABLEMAN FLAT TVs mounted, Phone, TVs&Computer wiring installed & serviced, camera &stereos , HDTV – Antennas- FREE TV www.davewireman.com Call Dave 516-433-WIRE (9473) 631-667-WIRE (9473) or Text 516-353-1118

Miscellaneous

BEST SATELLITE TV with 2 Year Price Guarantee! $59.99/mo with 190 channels and 3 months free premium movie channels! Free next day installation! Call 888-508-5313

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Pet Services

GRACIE'S DOG WALKING & SITTING: Looking To Have Your Dog Walked Or Watched While At Work Or Away? You Found Me. Please Call Kim 516-554-1847

Plumbing

PLUMBER! PLUMBER! PLUMBER! FREE ESTIMATES! Heating, Repairs, Installations. $25 OFF New Customers. 24 Hour Emergency Response. 516-599-1011

PLUMBING & HEATING ALL TYPES Boilers, Bathrooms. Small/Large Jobs. Free Estimates. Call Tony 516-281-6061

Power Washing

POWERWASHING ALL SURFACES: Houses, Fences, Concrete/ Brick, Decks/Sealing. . ANTHONY & J HOME IMPROVEMENT, INC. 516-678-6641

Tree Services

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Satellite/TV Equipment

DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/23. 1-866-595-6967

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Education

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! (844) 947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET)

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Health & Fitness

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AUTOMOBILE & MARINE

Autos Wanted

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Junk Cars Wanted Nassau County 41 No Title, No Keys=No Problem ID Required. CALL US LAST! Call us at 516-766-0000

opinions

A history of King Charles not worth repeating

The world continues to mourn the passing of Queen Elizabeth II while welcoming a new sovereign, King Charles III.

Charles waited 70 years to become king since being named the Prince of Wales — the heir apparent to the British throne. That’s longer than any other prince or princess in the direct line. And, at 73, he is the oldest mon arch crowned in British history.

Like his moth er, Charles chose to keep the name given to him at birth. His grandfa ther Albert was the last to change his regnal name, choosing George VI to honor his father.

King Charles III is the first Charles on the throne since Charles II, who reigned for 25 years after the restoration of the British monarchy from Oliver Cromwell in 1660.

The United States, of course, has been officially separated from what was once the British Empire since the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783. But I actually lived under the reign of Elizabeth II for two years when I called the small Caribbe an island of Grenada home. Although

independent from Britain, too, Grenada is part of the Commonwealth of Nations — 56 former territories that still recognize the British monarch as head of state.

Oddly enough, however, my family has a deeper connection to the throne — that is, if longstanding legend is to be believed.

My great-great-greatgreat-great-great-great grandfather, Sgt. Edward Hinman, arrived in Boston from England in late 1649, eventually settling in Fair field County, Connecticut. Although he and many of his descendants would help settle key parts of that colo ny, Sgt. Hinman rarely talk ed about his life before he crossed the Atlantic.

One story was popularized in the late 19th century, however, by Connecticut’s then-secretary of state, Royal R. Hinman. In a book he published in 1856, Royal claimed that his great-grandfather had actually led the guard tasked with protect ing King Charles I, who took the throne in 1624.

If that story is indeed true, my ances tor wasn’t exactly a great kingsguard. The reign of Charles I ended abruptly in 1649 when he found himself on the wrong side of an executioner’s ax during Cromwell’s revolt. But it was that war — and that exe

cution — that forced Edward to flee Eng land and seek refuge in the colonies.

It’s a fascinating story, but one I didn’t even know until the coronavirus pandem ic. While I’ve always been fascinated by genealogy, I usually spent my time researching my mother’s side of the family, which has some of its own interesting history. I shied away from my father’s because no one in the family ever talked much about it.

I suspected we migrated over in the 19th century, and decided it was time to find out. As I worked my way backward through ances tors, I was shocked to dis cover that each passing gen eration was still in America. Where I once thought I was a third- or maybe fourth-generation American, I am actually a part of the 10th generation of Hinmans here.

I also picked up some other fascinating tidbits along the way. My family moved from Connecticut to Vermont, and from there to western New York, about the same time that Royal Hinman was writ ing his books.

My great-great grandfather, Franklin Hinman, owned lots of farmland in Elli cottville, now probably best known as a ski resort community just south of Buffa

lo.

His youngest son — my great-grandfa ther, born when Franklin was 51 years old — was the postmaster in one of the small communities near Ellicottville. My dad was born and raised just south of there, in Salamanca, on reservation land con trolled by the Seneca Nation of New York.

Despite that connection — and the fact that I still have a number of relatives in that part of the state — none of us knew that the land once owned by Franklin is now known as Hinman Valley. Well, more specifically, the Hinman Valley Wetland Complex, a 100-acre marsh and wet mead ow overseen by the state’s environmental conservation and transportation depart ments.

As you’re reading this, I’m back home in that part of the region, and I could very well be making my first-ever visit to these lands so closely connected to my family’s history.

And I certainly hope for a successful reign of Charles III — something leaps and bounds ahead of the previous sover eigns to take his name.

But if I can make one suggestion to the king: Best to make sure your guard isn’t led by a Hinman. There isn’t good history there.

Michael Hinman is executive editor of the Herald Community Newspapers. Com ments? Execeditor@liherald.com.

Work for Donald Trump, wind up in handcuffs

is that the scent of autumn apples in the air? No, I believe that’s the smell of subpoenas, dozens of subpoenas served in recent weeks to Trump employees, former employees, White House staff and basically anyone and everyone whose behavior, emails, texts and experiences might help illuminate the dark corners of the former Trump administration.

Who lurks in those dark cor ners? According to early reports, there are big-time grifters like Steve Bannon, now indicted for fraud, money launder ing, conspiracy and scheming in connection with raising money for We Build the Wall Inc., the former guy’s plan to keep out Mexican immigrants.

Bannon, long associated with Trump, ran a media empire, and now he’s in handcuffs, awaiting trial. Even a degree from the Harvard Business School didn’t make Bannon smart enough to steer clear of Trump.

The Trump curse goes way back. Dur ing his tenure, I wrote, “If the White House calls, just hang up. Put down your

phone, run out of your house, change your number and move to a remote town where you can live off the grid for the rest of your life.”

Sadly the words were prophetic. Many people would be better off today if they had never been drawn into Trump’s orbit.

Ronnie Jackson, the presidential physician from central casting, might have continued to serve presi dents for decades, enjoying the perks and power that access to the White House confers. But Trump decided to promote him to secretary of the Veterans Administra tion. Unvetted, inexperi enced and apparently fatal ly flawed, Jackson rapidly crashed and burned as a prospective secretary.

Rob Porter, Hollywood handsome and popular among his colleagues, was enjoy ing his high-profile job as the president’s top aide. Porter was a rising star until the Trump spotlight revealed his dark side. Two of his wives went public with accu sations of mental and physical abuse. There were photos. Porter took the exit.

Tom Price — do you even remember him? He was the secretary of Health and Human Services for seven months. He might have continued his career else

where without incident, but in the Trump administration, he took 25 private flights in a few months, spent like he was queen for a day and resigned amid charg es of indiscriminately using taxpayer dollars for his personal benefit. Gone. I imagine Paul Manafort has mixed feelings, at best, regarding his association with Trump Inc. Manafort, charged by the feds with various financial crimes, might have continued living the high life, consorting with oligarchs and lining his pockets, if not for Trump’s ascendancy to the presidency. Under the scru tiny that accompanies high office, Manafort proved to be a liability to Trump, and vice versa. He served time in jail and, in 2020, was pardoned by Trump.

Michael Cohen, the former guy’s long time personal lawyer, was known for his fierce loyalty to Trump. For decades he basked in the celebrity surrounding his boss, and ran interference for him. Maybe some people didn’t like his style, but his boss did, and that’s what counted. That was then. Now Cohen is rehabili tating his reputation after serving jail time and losing his law license. Among the other movers and shakers

who got in serious legal trouble are Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organization’s CFO, Mike Flynn, Rick Gates, Ken Kur son, Roger Stone, George Papadopoulos, Corey Lewandowski, Elliot Broidy, Imaad Zuberi, Rep. Chris Collins, and so on.

Space limitations prevent me from list ing all the miscreants associated with Trump. Some went to jail, some got par doned by Trump, and some never got over the trauma of the Trump White House years. I do wonder if the individuals were corrupt, and therefore drawn to the Trump enterprises. Were they rotten apples, or was the barrel corrupt?

What stands out is the number of peo ple who bent and broke the law in the ser vice of Trump, his businesses and his administration.

Who came out unscathed? Richer? Rewarded by a job well done? Only Trump has so far avoided accountability for his alleged misdeeds. He’s still rich, he plays golf, he eats well and he is free. He enjoys all the perks of being a former president. Many of the people who served him are still digging their way out of legal troubles.

As the Department of Justice lets loose its flight of subpoenas, we will see if the Trump curse finally comes home to roost.

Copyright 2022 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

i

f longstanding legend is to be believed, my family has a connection to the throne.

M any folks would be better off today if they had never been drawn into his orbit.

Phone: (516) 569-4000

Fax: (516) 569-4942 www.liherald.com belleditor@liherald.com

Closing one chapter, but preparing for the next

“ the pandemic is over.”

With those words last weekend, President Biden declared an end to the coro navirus pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 6.5 million people, and more than 1 million in the United States.

Of course, the pandemic won’t truly be over until the World Health Organization says so. But even if public health officials do determine that we’re out of this crisis, the virus that causes Covid-19 is still out there. It’s still infecting people. It’s still killing people. It’s still creating long-term health effects for many who contract it.

Still, to feel like life may finally return to normal is a relief. It’s been more than 900 days since New York first shut down as Covid cases exploded. Schools and businesses shuttered. Streets emptied. Many people found themselves isolated from the rest of the world, connecting only through Zoom and depending on television specials like “Haircut Night in America” to help with basic tasks for which we once depended on others.

Now that we can sit in restaurants again, attend classes, and pay for some one else to cut our hair, it’s hard not to be grateful that the worst is behind us. But society has a long road to recovery both economically and socially. Supply chains remain disrupted, fueling infla tion. Many people are still out of work, even as unemployment returns to pre-

pandemic levels.

Polarization — especially the political variety — remains sharper than ever. And it’s only been in the past couple of weeks that we could officially stop wear ing masks on public transportation, although many stopped doing it months ago.

As the pandemic winds down, it’s never too soon to start planning for the next one. Sure, this has felt like a once-ina-lifetime event, but it really isn’t. When we first learned of Covid, the world was already in the grip of another pandemic: HIV/AIDS, which has killed more than 40 million people.

Before that, we had two other smaller flu pandemics, in the late 1950s and late 1960s, each of which killed up to 4 million people. And then there was the 1918 flu, which is believed to have claimed the lives of as many as 100 million people around the globe.

If there’s anything we’ve learned, it’s that Mother Nature has no shortage of infectious diseases. Even in the wake of Covid, we’ve been reminded about the dangers we face by the recent monkeypox epidemic, and the fear that there may be a resurgence of polio.

One thing that should be crystal clear by now, however, is that pandemics and epidemics do not need to be a way of life. Many of them are preventable, or at worst, manageable. But that means better

letters

Is it all Trump’s fault, Jerry Kremer?

To the Editor:

Jerry Kremer’s column

“Thoughts on saving the two-party system” (Sept. 8-14) expresses a valu able goal, but his analysis — the usual, and now tiresome, “It’s all Trump’s fault” — misses the cause. Of course it would great if, as in past generations, there was ideological room in both parties for a variety of viewpoints. Richard Nixon — anoth er bête noir of Mr. Kremer’s party — warned of this long ago, in 1959, when he said, “I think one of the attributes of our political system has been that we have avoided generally violent swings in administrations from one extreme to the other. And the reason we have avoided that is that in both parties, there has been room for a broad spectrum of opin ion.”

Of course, Mr. Kremer’s party thought that Nixon was the worst

monitoring of hot spots where deadly viruses can jump from animals to humans. Identifying new public health concerns quickly. And then taking them seriously.

With false alarms in the past like Ebola and SARS, it’s no wonder so many of us had become complacent by the time the coronavirus rolled around. We can’t let that happen again. What we have built as a society is too important. We are too important.

There are some scholars who are con vinced that nothing has had a greater impact on our history than pandemics and epidemics. The bubonic plague, for example, cut down half of the global pop ulation, by some accounts.

But what you might not know is that that plague didn’t ravage the planet just once — it turned living into a literal coin flip twice. We’re most familiar with the Black Death of the 14th century, which killed as many as 200 million people. But there was also the Plague of Justinian in the sixth century, which was proportion ately just as deadly.

We can wear masks when needed. We can avoid contact when asked. And we can get vaccines when they’re available. But our true first line of defense is our leaders. And it’s hoped that no men or women who succeed Biden will ever again find themselves needing to declare a devastating pandemic finally over.

opinions

The dilemma of choosing a college

This is a busy time of year for fami lies. Getting the children back to school and focused on homework is a big challenge for any parent. And there’s another group of parents who are physically and emotionally chal lenged. They are the parents of collegebound students, many of whom will be traveling from coast to coast and in between, trying to find a college that is suitable for their son or daughter.

I’ve experi enced the college hunt four times in my life, and I can attest to the fact that it is a daunt ing task. Unless you are fortunate enough to have kids who know exactly where they want to go to college, you either are or will be a road warrior. Most future college students have highereducation wish lists that are pages long. They have some notion about what type of school they want to attend, but after one or two campus visits, their thinking may move dramatically in another direc tion.

My search for the right colleges was easy in the case of three of our daugh ters. All of them had one major choice, and we concentrated on how to please the admissions committees of those chosen schools. The fourth daughter had no idea where she wanted to go, but she had a list of 12 possible schools. Because of her uncertainty, we drove to campuses in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. After all that mile age, she chose a college in New York.

During our exhausting trek around the Northeast, I asked her what criteria she was using in picking poten tial schools. Her two major sources of information were U.S. News & World Report and the Barron’s guide. I mention these resources because of the current news about how U.S. News recently downgraded Columbia Universi ty, based on faulty numbers provided by the school on, for example, the degrees of its professors and the size of its classes. Those reports shined a spotlight on the world of publications that high school juniors and seniors use to select colleges.

There is no doubt that Columbia Uni

LeTTers

thing that ever happened. But what about the unquestionably moderate John McCain and Mitt Romney, both of whom were falsely denounced as extremists?

Well, the Democrats didn’t want McCain or Romney, so they got Trump, a virtual creation of the left, which is now doing everything possible to keep its creation alive.

TeRRANCe J. NOlAN Lynbrook

Plastic pollution continues to plague us

To the editor:

We’ve all heard the warnings about cleaning up our trash at the beach and recycling, but it’s easy to feel helpless, or that it’s a problem so distant that there’s no point in worrying about it. Well, here on long Island, plastic pollution affects us directly. Not only does it make a mess of our beautiful beaches, but it also threatens wildlife and our vital marine ecosystems. long Island is an extremely important estuary, a breeding ground for fish and other marine wildlife. This means that how we treat our beaches is of utmost importance, and affects fisheries around the world. Historically, however, we lead wasteful lifestyles that lead to plastic pol lution, which threatens our ecosystems.

every plastic bag we use, every pair of plastic sunglasses, every phone case we discard takes thousands of years to break down, and usually ends up in our oceans. Besides ruining the natural beauty of our beaches, plastic pollution can have extremely detrimental effects on wildlife, from small fish and shrimp ingesting deadly microplastics to sea turtles and seals getting caught in plastic fishing nets. The population decreases that plas tic pollution causes also have the poten tial to collapse our marine ecosystems, driving away the marine mammals we are beginning to see on the Island for the first time in years.

Although it’s easy to feel helpless in these situations, there are many ways for long Islanders to prevent plastic pollu tion from getting into our oceans. There are many things you can do in your home, from recycling to reducing your own plas tic use and opting for more sustainable alternatives. The New York Marine Res cue Center, a nonprofit rescue-and-release organization, helps treat the many ani mals that suffer the consequences of plas tic pollution, and hosts beach cleanups, whale and seal-watching events, and even an annual 5K. The center is always accepting donations and new volunteers, so we can work together and prevent plas tic pollution from destroying our beaches.

AvA MeRCeD Shoreham

versity is one of the top schools in the nation. It offers a wide variety of pro grams, and many of its graduates go on to distinguished careers. But Columbia fudged the numbers, and an alert faculty member brought that fudging to wider attention. That created a great deal of negative pub licity for the school that got national attention. The underlying question is, how reliable are such sources as a guide to your child’s selec tion of a college?

According to Dr. Robert Scott, a past president of Adelphi University, U.S. News & World Report is one of the “shakers of salt.” Scott believes that many colleges provide question able data to U.S. News, and that the rank ings that emerge are highly questionable. He goes as far as to say that some schools manipulate their numbers in the hope of rising in the rankings. Once a school on the list gets a higher rating, it will market the news in the hope of attracting stu dents who rely heavily on those ratings.

Reed College a well-regarded college in Oregon, took on U.S. News in the 1990s, refusing to submit any data to the maga zine. It no doubt lost some potential stu

dents, but today its reputation is that of a stellar school.

Scott suggests that there are many other reliable college guides that provide meaningful information for aspiring entrants. He cites the Fiske Guide to Col leges as one example of a publication that shows students how their aspira tions fit with particular schools. If you search the internet, you will find multi ple sources that detail colleges’ course offerings, safety, campus culture and sur rounding communities. Don’t pay too much attention to all the student post ings, because some are sour grapes due to bad test grades.

Choosing a college is a major decision for any family, especially given the cost of higher education. Using as many sources of information as possible may be a little confusing, but relying on one or two of the college guidebooks can prove to be a major mistake. Kudos to Scott for speaking out as an expert on this volatile subject.

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

Framework courtesy Karina Kovac

T he process was diffcult enough even when you could trust U.S. News’s rankings.

At Istanbul, Turkey

JerrY