Bellmore Herald 03-24-2024

‘Wellness Week’ a success at JFK

Last week, students and staff at Bellmore-Merrick’s John F. Kennedy High School focused on promoting healthy mental and physical habits during Wellness Week.

The nonprofit Therapy Dogs of Long Island visited on March 11, with a black lab named Porter — much to the excitement of students.

Kennedy’s Principal Gerard Owenburg encouraged all of families “to take some time out next week to focus on wellness” in his weekly email about school happenings. “As adults, we can get busy with work and responsibilities and it’s important for us to all be good role models for self-care for our students,” he said.

Above, Jillian Power, Emily Narain and Evrocina Hanna met Porter. At right, Masie Leo connected with the therapy dog, who’s presence inspired a sense of relief during Wellness Week.

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Boxing empowers bodies and minds at Friedberg JCC

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

Dozens of athletes gather at the Friedberg JCC each week for a unique lineup of boxing classes that are quickly becoming the undisputed champion in the community. The program has taken off under the leadership of North Merrick resident Steve Solomon.

The Friedberg JCC has branches located in Oceanside, and in South Merrick, at the former Temple Israel of South Merrick. Located at 2655 Clubhouse Road, the facility is now an annex of Congregation Beth Ohr in Bellmore.

The JCC offers three classes — one for those with special needs, another for those with Parkinson’s disease, both for JCC members, and a third for the general population. The general class is open to JCC members and nonmembers alike, and has quickly become a favorite among boxing enthusiasts across Long Island. The center becomes a sanctuary — a place where they can push their physical limits and find solace in the rhythms of the ring.

Kevin Payne, 24, of New Hyde Park, says the classes have changed his life. Battling

weight gain and searching for a sense of belonging, Payne found refuge in the gym. With the guidance of Solomon and the support of his classmates, Payne not only shed pounds, but also gained a newfound sense of purpose.

“I was 215 pounds, and I’m down to 168 now,” he said. “I was going down a bad track. I wasn’t taking care of myself, and I was super-unhealthy. But I was able to come here every day, and I’m in way better shape now. The thrill of it is what kept me doing it. There’s nothing similar to it.”

Payne, who praised Solomon for helping him get into shape, is looking to enter the world of professional fighting.

“I’m trying to get into MMA,” Payne said, referring to mixed martial arts. “I want to go to different gyms and get all the work possible. Just get good at fighting, because I want to be able to protect myself and my kids one day, and if I have a son, teach him.”

The general class is open to men, women and teens, and Solomon likes to keep things fun, mixing obstacle courses and a variety of exercises with the boxing training and sparring.

Gabe Santiago, a freshman

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Photos courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District

JCC has locations in Beth Ohr’s annex

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at Oceanside High School, is the youngest member of the class at 15. He had tried wrestling before, but after watching the boxing film “Creed,” Santiago became enamored of boxing, has enjoyed the classes at the JCC and said he wants to stick with it.

“I really like that you can get some instruction, but then also do your own thing, too,” he said.

Solomon is a respected figure in the local sports scene, and boasts many years of boxing on Long Island, dating back to when he was a student at East Meadow High School. He took part in a boxing program at Echo Park, in West Hempstead, run by the late Arthur Mercante Sr., one of the sport’s best-known referees, who worked the legendary heavyweight championship between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1971, as well as other title bouts.

Solomon taught special-needs students health and phys. ed. in several school districts throughout his career, including 30 years in the Uniondale School District. He implemented boxing in the schools, and when the JCC was looking for a boxing coach last year, Solomon was recommended for the position for his extensive work with the special-needs population.

D.J. Dingle, 40, a Long Beach native who works with the special-needs community in a multi-sports program at the

JCC, found himself at a crossroads after a knee injury from basketball sidelined him two years ago. Hesitant to return to the court, Dingle discovered a new passion in boxing.

“I was out for, like, 12 weeks when I broke my knee, and as soon as I was able to come back, I was pushing basketball to the side and I’m focusing more on this,” he said. “It builds some discipline, and especially working with the special-needs community, you need patience and discipline, and that kind of transfers to them, because they feed off of that energy.”

Solomon’s son Zach, 23, is following his father’s path, and has a background in adaptive physical education. An alumnus of Sanford H. Calhoun High School in Merrick, Zach started working with people with special needs at the JCC along with Dingle, and assists his dad in the general boxing class. Zach also attends Adelphi University part-time, and, like his father, is a skilled boxer and an allaround athlete.

“I was around (the special-needs) population, so I have a nice, big heart for them, and I always wanted to help

them out,” he said.

Zach was inspired when he saw his father box when he was young, and his dad coached him in multiple intramural sports, including basketball. As the boxing program continues to grow, Steve said, he hopes to be able to continue coaching alongside his son, even after he starts coaching at a local school district.

“We want to coach together,” Steve said. “I got my license and he’ll get his. Maybe we’ll be working in the schools together because together we’re a good combination.”

Keith Rossein/Herald photos this boxing class packs a punch. from left are max muzykus, Ken altman, Zachary Solomon, gabriel rodriquez, Kevin payne, instructor Steve Solomon, gabriel Santiago, adrien resto and tyler Corcoran.

instructor Steve Solomon sparring with his son Zachary.

Women’s History Month artwork well received

A math teacher by training, Eileen Kelly holds degrees in both mathematics and computer science, working as a high school teacher for over 20 years. Kelly always used art as an outlet and as a passion, but never a formal study.

“I’m really happy to have my hands in both worlds now, because I love them both” she said.

On Saturday, the North Bellmore Public Library hosted a met the artist reception for guests to learn more about Kelly and her works. For Women’s History Month, Kelly is using the month to honor women, and the female artists that came before her. Kelly will be displaying her paintings in the show entitled “It Takes Time To See” inspired by those of the female artists she admires at the library for the month of March.

This meet the artist event and Gallery Above the Shelves exhibit is in honor of Women’s History Month.

“Creating is the fun part, because there is no expectations,” Kelly said.

Kelly also founded her business, The Healing Arts at Artistic Aftermath, focusing on art therapy, life coaching, and reiki sessions — a type of energy healing using gentle touch to promote relaxation and reduce stress. Currently, she teaches workshops for adults at East End Arts in Riverhead and joined the teaching staff as a part-time professor at Hofstra University, teaching math once again and giving her the ability to continue to teach and inspire others in both realms.

“I’ve always been very involved with inspiring people, inspiring the future, through knowledge, because I always tell everyone knowledge is power,” Kelly said. “So, I’m empowering you, whether it’s through math or with art.”

— Rachele Terranova

Caroline Bert/Herald photos Artist Eileen Kelly celebrated a reception for her artwork at the North Bellmore Public Library on March 16. The meet the artist event and Gallery

Above the Shelves exhibit is in honor of Women’s History Month.

Caitlyn Jenner backs transgender athlete ban

By PARKER SCHUG

pschug@liherald.com

Caitlyn Jenner wouldn’t be allowed to participate in women-focused team sports on Nassau County property — but she’s OK with that.

The transgender former Olympic gold metal-winning decathlete joined County Executive Bruce Blakeman in Mineola Monday to express her support for Blakeman’s ban on transgender girls and women participating in teams geared exclusively toward girls and women on county property.

“I have empathy for all LGBT people, and I have a thorough understanding of all the struggles, no matter how different our circumstances,” Jenner said.

Jenner — who transitioned into a woman in 2015 had a six-year career in the Olympic men’s decathlon, taking the gold at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Before, Jenner played college football for the Graceland Yellow Jackets.

She recounted her time training and competing in the Olympics, and the saliva tests that the International Olympic Committee used to test for biological male and femaleness.

“It is done in a matter to protect the integrity of the competition,” Jenner said. “Today, the problem is even more clear. Trans women are competing against women, taking valuable opportunities from the law-protected class under Title IX, and causing physical harm.”

Jenner talked about a North Carolina high school volleyball player who said she was injured after a transgender opponent spiked the ball on her during a game.

“In volleyball, we think of it as a non-contact sport,” Jenner said, “but these are the statistics.”

The women’s net is 7.5 inches lower than the men’s net, making it easier to spike, she said. Men also tend to

be 8 inches taller than women on the volleyball scene, and can jump 6 inches higher.

“The average spike for the men, a good spike, is 82 miles an hour,” Jenner said. “The average spike for women, 64 miles per hour, 30 percent greater velocity playing a man. And that’s why we have to protect women’s sports.”

Since her transition, Jenner has become a transgender rights activist, and has starred in her own reality television show, “I Am Cait,” documenting her transition.

Jenner ran as a Republican for California governor during the 2021 unsuccessful recall election, earning just 1 percent of the vote.

But not everyone agrees with what Jenner stands for — even in the LGBTQ+ community. David Kilmnick, president and founder of Long Island-based LGBT Network, said Jenner’s support of Blakeman’s executive order is a contradiction to her own identity.

“Embracing policies or ideologies that undermine the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ individuals is not only hypocritical, but also harmful,” Kilmnick said, in a statement. “Jenner’s alignment with such positions not only perpetuates discrimination, but also adds fuel to the rising number of violent and hate incidents committed against transgender individuals.”

Blakeman signed his executive order last month demanding sports, leagues, organizations, teams, programs or sport entities operating in county facilities designate themselves based on male, female or co-ed, and then only accept athletes who meet that criteria according to what was originally listed on their birth certificate.

While those born male would not be allowed to participate in female teams, the order does not ban females from joining male teams.

“My executive order has one goal, and that is to make sure that competition is fair and safe in Nassau County,” Blakeman said. “That we protect women and girls, so that when they train for an athletic competition — when they train to get on a team, when they’re in a meet or tournament — they have the ability to compete fairly.”

Attorney General Letitia James sent a cease-anddesist letter to Blakeman earlier this month, demanding he rescind his executive order, calling it not only transphobic, but also illegal under the state’s human rights and civil rights laws.

Blakeman responded a few days later by joining Mark Mullen, a Nassau County parent of a female athlete, to file a federal lawsuit contesting the order.

Parker Schug/Herald Caitlyn Jenner joins Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman to support his executive order banning transgender athletes from women’s sports in Nassau County.

Guests spoke with Eileen Kelly in front of her work at the North Bellmore Public Library. She uses printmaking techniques and a variety of mediums inspired by other female artists.

Floral paintings lined the walls of the North Bellmore Public Library.

NUMC hosts Calhoun High School Medical Club

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

The staff loves to welcome students.

Earlier this month, high school students had the opportunity to visit the Nassau University Medical Center for an experience like no other. The hospital in East Meadow played host to the Sanford H. Calhoun High School Medical Club on March 5 and students got to take a tour of the hospital, meet members of the NUMC leadership team as well as doctors, and also got to view two surgeries that were in progress.

MEg RyAN Interim president and chief executive officer Nassau University Medical Center

Meg Ryan, the interim president and chief executive officer at NUMC, told the Herald that the hospital has affiliations with colleges and medical programs on Long Island and Queens, who work with NUMC for teaching purposes. The hospital began working with high school students pre-coronavirus pandemic, she added.

“This is the first time though, that the viewing rooms for surgeries has been open to the public since Covid,” she said of the Medical Club’s visit.

Students who participate in Calhoun’s Medical Club engage in medical-related volunteer work, which includes fundraising for certain charities, as well volunteering at hospitals, such as NUMC’s pediatric ward.

The Medical Club is overseen by its advisor, Kristine Fico, and club officers Patrick Smith and Megan Bhansingh, both presidents; Hallie Klimov and Hailey Sofia, both vice presidents; and Luke Pierce and Jacob Graber, both treasurers.

“The staff loves to welcome students,” Ryan said. “They’re proud of the work they do, so they were excited. It was nice hosting them.”

NUMC has the only hyperbaric chamber on Long Island, which allows patients to breathe 100 percent, pure oxygen — and the students even got to go

themselves may become estranged or at odds with parents or their siblings. Sometimes, an in-law is involved that seems to turn the client’s son or daughter into someone completely different from the child they raised. The pain that these clients are going through is palpable.

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

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

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

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

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

inside it.

The Medical Club’s officers, in a joint statement shared with the Herald by Fico, said they were thankful that NUMC was able to give the club such an amazing experience.

“It was a great opportunity for the members to observe how the hospital environment functions,” they said. “For our first year as club officers, we are very proud of the progress we have made in revamping the club and providing our members with information that will benefit them in future careers in the medical field.”

Fico also said the consensus from the club’s members positive.

“The trip was a very enjoyable and eye-opening experience for us,” club members wrote in a group statement.

“We got insight into what doctors and medical staff do in the ER each day through the tour we took, as well as the surgery we observed.”

Ryan said high school tours of the facility are field trips during the school day, as surgeries take place during the morning. The hospital is always happy to connect with groups interested in volunteering or visiting the hospital. Those interested can contact publicaffairs@ numc.edu for more.

“The staff at NUMC gave our Medical Club students an outstanding learning opportunity,” Fico said. “Their dedication to the medical field, helping and educating others was evident. This was a great experience, and we are so grateful for their kindness, patience and expertise.”

Courtesy Nassau University Medical Center

Students in Sanford H. Calhoun High School’s Medical Club recently toured the Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow.

‘Robyn Reads’ spreads her love of books

By RACHELE TERRANOVA rterranova@liherald.com

Robyn Bonavita, a North Bellmore book reviewer, was looking for connection like many others during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. She decided to start a book Instagram, or “Bookstagram,” to connect with other readers. Over the past four years, she has garnered over 17,000 followers on her Instagram page, @robyn_reads1.

What started as a way to build community turned into Bonavita receiving books from publishers to review for her thousands of followers.

This is not Bonavita’s first time reviewing books — she was a book reviewer many years ago for print magazines and websites before she let the hobby fall to the wayside when she went to work as a teacher. Now, a stay at home mom, she has been able to reignite her love for book reviewing.

“It was totally for fun,” Bonavita said. “I didn’t know that it would kind of take off the way it did. I got very lucky in the way that my friends and family were so supportive, and they were always telling people ‘Oh, my person is a bookstagramer, you should follow her if you love to read.’”

Eventually, when she gained enough traction, publishers started sharing her page as well.

Bonavita’s love for reading soon spread beyond sharing her current reads on her

Instagram page. She decided she wanted to open a Little Free Library.

Little Free Library is a nonprofit based in St. Paul, Minnesota, that provides free access to books for the community. The global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library book boxes are placed in communities around the world where people can come take a book and leave a book at any time. The goal is to provide greater access to books and empower all people to read.

“Not everybody could afford books,” Bonavita said. “And sometimes you just want to find something new, and I get so many books from the publishers that I would love to share with people.”

Enlisting her husband to build the book box, in its customary house-like design, she registered to have the Little Free Library right in North Bellmore. Now, the box is open and stands proud, even crafted with siding to match their own home.

“I truly feel like when you share books, you’re sharing a different message to each person because everybody looks at books differently,” she said. “Everybody will take a different message from the same book— and you never know if you’re giving someone just an escape or a relief or just even happiness. So, every time you share a book, you’re just sharing your happiness.”

Visit LittleFreeLibrary.org/map/ to find a Little Free Library in the area, including Bonavita’s.

Courtesy Robyn Bonavita

Robyn Bonavita opened a Little Free Library in North Bellmore for residents to have access to books, and the opportunity to share their favorite books with their community.

Embracing AI — but in a responsible way

By Rachele Terranova, Parker Schug & Brendan Carpenter

Continuing a series exploring the presence of artificial intelligence in our schools — and, over time, in society as a whole. Thoughts? Questions? Ideas? Email us at execeditor@liherald.com.

What place does artificial intelligence have in schools? Should it be feared? Embraced? Somewhere in between?

These are conversations that didn’t even exist a year ago — at least as far as education is concerned. But as AI becomes more and more accessible, students and teachers alike are finding they can use software to ask questions, find answers, and even complete their work faster — and maybe even better — than they ever could.

But no matter how some may feel about AI — or simply not even understand what AI is — the tool is making its way into schools and curriculum. How fast and how much depends on the district. But at this point, it seems teachers and administrators on Long Island are accepting AI rather than running from it.

Revolutionizing teaching and learning

One of those districts is Bellmore-Merrick Central High School, which is not just introducing AI to its students — it’s already turning it into a college-level course.

Offered through the computer science department at Calhoun High School in Merrick, the magnet course partners with Long Island University to offer the college credit to not only Calhoun students, but also those from Kennedy and Mepham high schools in Bellmore, too.

“Each project is aligned with artificial intelligence topics that showcase the practical applications of AI,” said Danielle Caliendo, the district’s mathematics and computer science chair.

Students learn the Python programming language while creating AI chatbots. They also program a robot created by a French technology company to use AI features like facial recognition. And they fly drones.

Students also completed a linear regression project designed to make predictions based on existing data, like how public company stocks might perform.

Each project is aligned with AI topics that showcase the tool’s practical applications.

Joe Innaco, who leads the district’s administrative and instructional technology efforts, sees technologies like ChatGPT— a free chatbot system designed to provide a human-like response to a prompt— as fascinating possibilities.

try class.

“If you look at the history, there was a lot of resistance because it would eliminate all the thinking of doing trigonometry,” he said. “It was used, and it was embraced. And it saves more time for creative thinking and innovation.”

“Our vision is of opportunity and innovation,” he said. “That’s how we see technologies like these. Opportunities and innovations for teachers. We want to provide training. We want to encourage exploration in model classrooms, spotlight success, and really host conversations about it.”

Embracing AI goes right to the stop of the Bellmore Public Schools district, where superintendent Joe Famularo already serves on several AI advisory boards at institutions like Adelphi University, New Tech Institute and LIU. He also participates in think tanks conducted to discover how to incorporate AI into the classroom in a safe and responsible way.

While change might be daunting to many, Famularo points out that it’s not unprecedented. Just think about how much opposition there was to bringing something as simple as a slide ruler into a trigonome-

Eventually came scientific calculators, and then the internet. Both received significant pushback, but now who could imagine a classroom without them?

Learning responsible use of AI Instructors at Lawrence Woodmere Academy in the Five Towns are guiding students there in to use AI responsibly. John Tiliakos — who teaches computer science in the middle and upper schools — tends to let his students lead discussions surrounding AI.

AI is coming into his middle schoollevel engineering and technology classes, as well as his more high school-level courses in aviation, aerospace and computer programming.

But even before that, Tiliakos was spreading the word about AI, teaching a class at LWA on how artificial intelligence works in our world.

While that class no longer exists, Tiliakos said he and the other teachers at LWA are still focusing on the same values of providing knowledge for proper use of the technology.

“AI is a great tool,” Tiliakos said. “There’s nothing wrong with it, if it’s used in a positive way.”

That’s why he focuses so much of his attention on inputs — the written instructions given to AI systems. Tiliakos believes that inquisitive nature of teenagers could lead to devious uses of the technology — like writing term papers and the like.

His responsibility, Tiliakos said, is to direct students toward feeding AI prompts that result in helpful information to be used for beneficial causes.

“When you use AI, you see scenarios based on what you did,” he said. “Every action is a reaction.”

But some teachers — even at LWA — aren’t too keen about the AI presence.

“I don’t think it’s positive or negative,” said Christopher Clark, a senior at the school. “It just depends on how you use it.”

One unlikely way of putting AI to use is through another somewhat newer technological offering: podcasting.

“AI is still new. But for podcasting, it’s still very, very new,” said Henry McDaniel, a theatre arts and oration teacher at LWA. “What it can do is help you write a script for your podcast.”

Podcasting students also can use AI to reproduce their own voice to read their scripts, McDaniel said. They then post the productions online.

“Our motto here is ‘at home with the world,’” he said. “What we’re trying to do is give them skillsets, but (also) teach them the responsible way of using those skillsets.”

Testing the waters

Implementing AI has been a little slower going in Long Beach, where the discussion on how best to use it continues.

Lorraine Radice, the school district’s literacy director, has worked to alleviate many of the fears some Long Beach teachers might have when it comes to AI, while looking for ways they could try to implement the technology into their respective classrooms.

“Over the summer, I taught two professional development courses in the district and taught teachers how to use ChatGPT,” Radice said. “I surveyed teachers in the fall across the district as to who was using ChatGPT and who knew about it. Even in the fall after about nine months of ChatGPT being in social media circulations and in the news — not as many people had used it as I expected.”

While Radice would very much like developing ways on how AI chatbots like ChatGPT can be used in classrooms, a lot of her time is still focused on educating teachers what exactly the AI software is.

“So, part of the goals of those summer professional development courses was to raise awareness of how to use it,” Radice said,” and then to really start to support teens in thinking about how it could be used from the planning side of being a teacher. And then also how it can be used as a tool to provide support and equitable access to writing and generating ideas for

Courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District

New to schools in Bellmore and Merrick is a college-level artificial intelligence course. Partnering with Long Island University, the class is offered at Calhoun High School, where students can earn college credit by learning about the emerging technology.

Some teachers worry AI goes a little too far

ConTinued From PreViouS PAge

kids.”

Having access to AI has impacted classrooms already by allowing students to use it to aid research, while many teachers worry they could go too far and have AI completely answer questions and even write essays for them.

But that just means adapting.

A I is a great tool. There’s nothing wrong with it, if it’s used in a positive way

John TiliAkos teacher, Lawrence Woodmere Academy

“A teacher raised a great question during a session when talking about using artificial intelligence tools to analyze classical texts,” Radice said. “The same question has been asked so many times, and she asked, ‘If I could just get the answer from a tool like ChatGPT, then what’s the point of even asking this type of question?’

“That’s a great thing for people to think about. What is the point of this question? Can I rephrase this question that really puts the student at the center of the thinking, and not so much (a) media tool?”

But there is still a ways to go before AI becomes more commonly accepted in classrooms, Radice said. At least on Long Beach.

“I wouldn’t say that there is a push,” she said. “I think part of that is because of the privacy. We want to make sure that we’re using tools that are safe to use in school. And once we do that, then it can become a more consistent part of our practice.”

Parker Schug/Herald

Lawrence

HERALD SPORTS

Hofstra pushes for CAA playoff berth

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

After an up and down nonconference schedule, Hofstra women’s lacrosse gets a chance to hit the reset button with the start of conference play.

Hofstra entered the start of the Coastal Athletic Association portion of its schedule with a record of 3-4 and kicked off the league slate on an uplifting note with a 13-10 win at Campbell last Saturday.

The Pride is now looking to qualify for the four-team CAA tournament in early May after missing out on the postseason for the first time since 2018 last spring.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for a new season and I think we have started to find out a lot about ourselves and who we are as a team,” said 12th-year Hofstra head coach Shannon Smith. “Overall we have started to play better and we’re starting to hit our stride at the right part of our season when we go into conference play.”

The Pride have already equaled their win total from last season when Hofstra went 4-12 with two of those victories coming prior to a seasonending knee injury to rookie phenom Nikki Mennella. The now redshirtfreshman attacker is back healthy and is third on the team with 16 goals despite missing two games.

Graduate student Taylor Mennella, the older sister of Nikki, is tied for first on the team in scoring with 29 points on 19 goals and 10 assists. Hofstra has also gotten a boost from graduate student attacker Melissa Sconone, a University of North Carolina (UNC) transfer who also has 29 points.

“She brings a lot of leadership and a lot of experience and a calming presence,” said Smith of Sconone, who tal-

lied 35 goals during her UNC career and was part of the Tar Heels’ 2022 national championship team. “She’s been nothing but a tremendous addition and asset to our team.”

Senior midfielder Kerry Walser has provided key veteran leadership in her final season with —- goals so far. The Bay Shore native was an integral part of the 2021 Hofstra team that received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament her freshman season.

The Hofstra defense– led by Trinity Reed, Brynn Hepting, Ashlyn McDonald and Christine Dannenfelser— held Wagner scoreless for three quarters in a dominating 15-2 win on March 5. Sophomore goalie Luchianna Cardello is starting in net for the second straight season and recorded 10 saves in a season-open-

ing 13-5 victory against Long Island University on Feb. 10.

The Pride’s roster features plenty of Long Island players including senior attacker Grace Pupke, who was a standout at Seaford High School. Pupke registered an assist late in the Wagner win and is often utilized in the player-up situations on the offense.

“Grace is one of our hardest workers on our team,” said Smith of Pupke, who registered 44 goals and 16 assists during her final high school season at Seaford in 2019. “She’s a great person and a great teammate and brings a lot of energy to our practices.”

Hofstra will host William & Mary in its CAA opener this Friday, March 22 at 5 p.m. before returning home Sunday to face Elon at noon. The Pride will also

host Monmouth on April 12 at 5p.m. and close the conference schedule on April 27 versus Drexel at noon. The remaining road league schedule is highlighted by an April 21 visit to Long Island rival and defending CAA champion Stony Brook at noon.

“Every game that you play is a backyard brawl and anyone can win on any given day in our conference,” Smith said. “I’m just super excited for the journey that we’re about to go on with our team for conference play.”

Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletics Communications Grad student Taylor Mennella is off to a sizzling start for the Pride with 29 points through seven games.

Redshirt freshman Nikki Mennella has found the back of the net 16 times already this spring.

Crime watCh

Hempstead man arrested for Merrick robbery

A Hempstead man was arrested for a robbery that occurred on March 16, around 10:50 p.m., in Merrick.

According to Nassau County detectives, Marquis Jacobs, 41, of Hempstead, walked into a 7-11 located at 203 Sunrise Highway. He allegedly approached three male juveniles and displayed a knife, placing them in fear for their safety. He then forcibly removed the victim’s necklaces and fled the scene,

heading east on Sunrise Highway.

Officers then located Jacobs nearby, and placed him under arrested without incident. No injuries were reported.

Jacobs is charged with robbery, criminal possession of a weapon and three counts of menacing. He was arraigned on March 27 at the First District Court in Hemsptead.

— Jordan Vallone

Marquis Jacobs

News briefs

Bus transportation applications due April 1

The North Bellmore Union Free School District provides transportation for students who are residents of the district in grades kindergarten through third living a distance greater than a half mile up to 15 miles and grades fourth through sixth living a distance greater than one mile up to 15 miles from the schools they attend.

Transportation to a day care provider within the district may be provided under certain circumstances. With questions, contact the business office and transportation department prior to April 1, at (516) 992-3000 ext. 3017.

To be eligible for transportation to a private or parochial school, a parent or guardian must have registered with the

district and must make a written request for such transportation prior to April 1 of each school year. This will enable the school district to budget the necessary funds to provide this transportation the following September. A “Transportation Application for NonPublic Schools” can be found on NorthBellmoreSchools.org.

Requests should be sent to the district’s business office, located at 2616 Martin Ave., North Bellmore.

Applications for children in grades 7 or higher must be sent to the BellmoreMerrick Central High School District. Call (516) 992-1024 for more information.

— Jordan Vallone

Learn about Narcan, fentanyl next week

The South Merrick Community Civic Association will host a Fentanyl Awareness and Narcan Training event on March 26 at the Merrick Golf Course Clubhouse.

The clubhouse is at 2550 Clubhouse

We want to know what you think. Send your letters to 2 Endo Blvd, Garden City, NY 11530 or email execeditor@liherald.com

nonprofit community-based counseling drug and substance abuse counseling center, with locations in the Brookside School of the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.

Attendees must by 18 or older, or www.liherald.com Let us hear from you

On March 5, teams from the Grand Avenue Middle School Science Research

the Long Island Science & Engineering Fair Middle School Fair.

Students place at science, engineering fair

On March 5, teams from the Bellmore-Merrick’s Grand Avenue Middle School Science Research Program traveled to the Crest Hollow Country Club to compete in the Long Island Science & Engineering Fair Middle School Fair.

At the competition, the team of Anna Kaplun, Mia Tascarella and Milena Chomicz-Grabowska took home first place with their project, “Will the addition of biostimulants such as Stress RX or Ascophyllium nodosum result in the improved growth of Lactuca sativa as compared to a traditional fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro?”

The team of Patrick Mulvey and Aidan Cheung took third place for their project, “How will a decrease in the pH level of ocean water affect the

At the competition, the team of Anna Kaplun, Mia Tascarella and Milena ChomiczGrabowska took home first place with their project.

ability of Uca rapax , fiddler crabs, to find food using olfaction?”

The team of Isabel Ziegler and Anna Schellberg also took third place for their project, “How Will Artificial vs. Natural Sweeteners Affect the Mass, the Gender and Population Size of Drosophila melanogaster?”

“By placing first, Kaplun, Tascarella and Chomicz-Grabowska have now been nominated to take part in the inaugural Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, previously the Broadcom Masters, a program of the Society for Science, to be held in Washington, D.C. later this year,” explained Tami Cruz, their science teacher. “Only students who are named in the top 10 percent of an affiliated science fair are eligible to participate in Thermo Fisher JIC.”

Photos courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District

Program traveled to the Crest Hollow Country Club to compete in

The team of Patrick Mulvey and Aidan Cheung took third place for their project as well.

The team of Isabel Ziegler and Anna Schellberg took third place for their project.

STEPPING OUT

An artistic revolution on view at Hofstra Museum Unlocking the

By Danielle Schwab

Dreams collide with reality and the subconscious reigns supreme. That’s the essence of the transformative approach of the avant garde artists at the forefront of the Surrealist Movement. Inspired by André Breton’s 1924 Surrealist Manifesto in France, artists, writers and filmmakers diverged from conventional thought to explore ideas such as the unconscious and the irrational.

Step into the fascinating creativity of the surrealists at Hofstra University Museum of Art’s new exhibit “Les Visionnaires: In the Modernist Spirit.” It’s a deep dive into what became a new movement that transformed how artists moved on from rigid historical styles to invent new ways to respond to their world.

The exhibit commemorates the 100th year of the Surrealist Manifesto, which forever changed artistic practice. More than 70 works from 1924 through the 1970s — sourced from the Museum’s permanent collection and the Howard L. and Muriel Weingrow Collection of AvantGarde Art and Literature from Hofstra University Special Collections — are on view.

something powerful,” Giordano adds. “Their partnerships and collective approach captured the realities and hopes of modern society.”

She cites Salvatore Dalí’s lithograph “Untitled from Memories of Surrealism,” (a suite of 12 prints he created in 1971 reflecting on his long artistic career) as a prime example of the movement’s significance.

Rick Wakeman

Keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman is headed back on the road for one last jaunt, ‘The Final Solo Tour.’ Known for his incredible talents, sense of humor, and multitudinous back catalog, expect to hear some of his best-known hits from both his solo career and his collaborations with Yes, Bowie and more among musings and hilarious tales from his 50-plus years in the music industry. Wakeman — who has become almost as well-known for his intimate piano shows as his prog rock extravaganzas — has decided that after a decades spanning career spanning he is calling a halt to lengthy American one-man show tours, in order to concentrate on composing, recording and collaborating with other musicians. In addition to his musicianship, Wakeman has evolved into a well-loved television presenter and author, with his bawdy British wit endearing him to audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.

Friday, March 22, 8 p.m. $75, $5, $45, $29.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

• Now through July 26

• Saturday and Sunday, noon4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Emily Lowe Gallery, Hall, South Campus, Hempstead.

“The manifesto is important because artists from this time period are breaking away from the French Academy,” Alexandra Giordano, Hofstra University Museum of Art’s director and co-curator of the exhibit, explains. “It’s a concrete way to unify artists working in different styles. The manifesto really engages the unconscious mind, the importance of dreams and free association, the rejection of rational thought. It’s revolutionary because it’s really about the liberation of the imagination.”

• For information, and to RSVP to related events, call (516) 463-5672 or visit Hofstra.edu/ museum

Suddenly, artists whose work was tethered to the French Academy, established in 1635, realized that new modalities, mediums, and methodologies were a more appropriate way to respond to the rapidly changing world in which they lived. “Political, economic and cultural shifts inspired a new forward-thinking attitude in artists who, in turn, discovered radical innovations in aesthetic forms, techniques and content. Paris was the epicenter. Artists were drawn to the city, where a drive for pushing boundaries and sharing their transformative vision thrived,” Giordano explains in the forward to the exhibit catalog.

Jean Arp, Marc Chagall, Jean Cocteau, Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst and Joan Miró are among the 25 artists and writers represented here. Besides the artworks, first-edition books are on display including an original copy of the Surrealist Manifesto. Françoise Gilot, who had a tumultuous, decade-long partnership with Picasso and is the mother of two of his children, also figures prominently in the exhibit. Gilot had a close association with Hofstra and was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1982. She was an honorary conference chair of the 1985 Hofstra Cultural Center conference “Toward a Reappraisal of Modernism,” a program on avant-garde art and literature.

The Surrealist movement emerged in response to shifting political and societal landscapes.

“You had World War I and World War II that were devastating events, but at the exact same time you had Sigmund Freud’s interpretation of dreams,” Giordano says. “All of these new ideas were being explored, juxtaposed to these scary world events. Artists were responding to it all.”

Paris became a hub for artists to collaborate — sharing ideas, living spaces, lovers, and friends.

“They show us how we can work with our peers to produce

“It reflects on the stream of consciousness with this out-of-body experience,” she says. “You have this large eye in the background, there’s a clock on the pupil and (in the forefront) there’s butterflies. It captures otherworldliness.”

Not only was a change of ideas happening at the time, but also a change of mediums.

“They focused on interdisciplinary vision using a lot of different materials,” Giordano says. “In addition to this dream-like quality and imagery, there is also this idea of collaboration for bookmaking, photography, collage, poetry, set design and film. These artists created these new ideas towards art, which was a deviation from the expected outcome.”

One of the ‘Les Visionnaires’ as they were known, was filmmaker and artist Jean Cocteau, who directed the 1946 adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast” (La Belle et la Bête). Based on the original fairytale with a surrealist twist, the film is a testament to bringing the traditional to reinvention. Visitors can view portions of the film throughout the exhibit.

As always, related programming enhances the exhibit. For those who want a more in-depth look, join Giordano for a guided exhibit tour and discussion, Tuesday, April 16, at 5 p.m. During the tour, as Giordano puts it, participants will learn all the “juicy tidbits.”

As Long Island’s only nationally accredited public-facing academic museum, Hofstra Museum is an important local resource.

“Our neighboring communities don’t realize that they don’t have to travel to New York City to see wonderful art, they can come here,” Giordano adds. “They can be nose-to-nose with important artists, and experience this beautiful art in their backyard.”

The exhibit includes Salvador Dalí’s etching and lithograph, Untitled, from Memories of Surrealism, Portfolio, 1971. A gift of Benjamin Bickerman. Also Françoise Gilot’s lithograph IX, from On the Stone: Poems and Lithographs (Sur La Pierre: Poemes et Lithographies), 1972. Courtesy of Special Collections, Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library, Hofstra University.

Comedy’s ‘Ivy League’

The Ivy League of Comedy arrives on Long Island with their elite brand of clever humor. Carmen Lynch (above), Ryan Reiss and Shaun Eli deliver the laughs in this fast-paced evening of stand-up. Lynch, who made it to the semi-finals of NBC’s ‘Last Comic Standing,’ is known for her deadpan delivery and riffs on life. A rising star from a bilingual family, who lived in Spain as a child, she’s appeared on a string of latenight television shows,’Inside Amy Schumer,’ and more. Funnyman Reis, also a writer-actor, began his career while attending NYU, and quickly became a favorite act on the scene. His quick wit and instant likability have made him one of the most sought-after comics on the club circuit. Eli has rightfully been called one of America’s smartest comics. Whether it’s a story about dining with a vegetarian or successfully fighting a parking ticket in criminal court, master storyteller Eli shows you that there’s hilarity in the ordinary if you approach life with a comedic warp. For just about anything he’s experienced he has hilarious stories at the ready.

Saturday, March 23, 8 p.m. $45-$50. Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at MadisonTheatreNY.org or (516) 323-4444.

Francois Gilot

Salvador Dali

THE Your Neighborhood

March 30

So Good: The Neil Diamond Experience

Get ready for an unforgettable night on the Paramount stage, Saturday, March 30, 8 p.m. Robert Neary honors an icon with The Neil Diamond Experience, a tribute show like no other. With over 35 years as a Broadway, TV, and film actor, Neary brings a unique touch to this production, weaving Neil Diamond’s greatest hits with stories from interviews, quotes, and autobiographical books. Neary creates an incredible cut above the rest tribute show. You will swear you are watching the master himself as he and the band perform Neil Diamond’s greatest hits. With his powerful presence, from the moment he struts on stage wearing trademark black, gray, and silver sequined jacket, Neary, uncannily, resembles Neil Diamond at the height of his touring career in the 90s and 2000s. His wit and mannerisms on stage is spot on, especially when he plays his guitar. When he speaks and tells the stories and trivia behind some of Neil’s most popular songs, his rich baritone gravelly voice can easily be mistaken for Neil’s own speaking voice. But make no mistake about it at all, if you close your eyes and listen to him sing any of the 22 classic Neil Diamond songs with the magnificent band behind him, you will swear you are listening to the Master himself. This truly is, the most authentic tribute to one of the greatest artists in musical history. The title says it all. It is the quintessential Neil Diamond Concert Experience. With a finale that will blow your mind, the show is guaranteed to have you on your feet dancing and cheering. $49.50, $39.50, $35, $29.50, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

March 24

Bird walk

See some birds with the South Shore Audubon Society. All are welcome to join members for the next in its series of bird walks, at Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve, Sunday, March 24, starting at 9 a.m. The entrance road to the Norman Levy Preserve is located on the south side of Merrick Road, just east of the Meadowbrook Parkway.

Walk leaders, other birders and nature enthusiasts are happy to share their knowledge and experience with you. Bring binoculars. The group will meet at the gazebo. To register, text your name and contact information to (516) 4679498. No walk if rain or snow. Text regarding questionable weather. For more information, visit SSAudubon.org.

Bellmore Presbyterian Church Shoe Drive

Bellmore Presbyterian Church is conducting a shoe drive fundraiser now through April 11. Gently worn, used and new adult or kids shoes, sneakers, boots, or sandals in wearable condition can be dropped off at the church office, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 2740 Martin Ave., Bellmore. Contact the church office at (516) 785-2590 with any questions.

On exhibit

Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “Urban Art Evolution,” is a comprehensive exhibit featuring a diverse range of compositions from the 1980s through the present by creators who were based in the rough and tumble downtown area of New York City known as Loisaida/LES (Lower East Side/East Village) and close surrounding neighborhoods.

Artists pushed the boundaries of what was considered “art” with a primary focus on street/graffiti art.

The exhibit’s scope, guest curated by art collector/gallerist Christopher Pusey, offers an even broader view from other creative residents, who worked inside their studios but still contributed to the rich fabric of the downtown art scene from different vantage points and aesthetics.

Works include sculpture, paintings, photography, music, and ephemera from many noted and influential artists.

Opens March 23, on view through July 7. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Literary conversation

Poet-essayist Elizabeth

Schmermund, who is an assistant professor of English at SUNY Old Westbury, reads from her works, as part of Hofstra University’s Great Writers Great Readings series, Wednesday, March 27, 4:30 p.m.

Her work has appeared in The Independent, Mantis, and Gyroscope Review, among other venues. Her first poetry chapbook, “Alexander the Great,” is published by Finishing Line Press. Free and open to the public. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus, Hempstead. Register in advance at events.hofstra. edu or call the Hofstra Cultural Center at (516) 463-5669 for more information.

Friday Film

Enjoy a movie on Merrick Library’s big screen. See “The Color Purple” on Friday, March 22, 1-3:20 p.m. This musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel portrays the enduring struggles of an African American woman in the southern United States during the early 1900s. Starring Taraji P. Henson, this PG-13 rated film promises a compelling viewing experience. Light refreshments served. No registration necessary. 2279 Merrick Ave. Visit MerrickLibrary.org for more.

Merrick Winter Flea Market

Merrick’s Winter Flea Market is open every Sunday, now through March 31, 8 a.m.5 p.m., in the Merrick LIRR parking lot. Vendors pay $50 each Sunday for each vendor space, which is equal to two parking spaces. Pay upon arrival. Corner of Sunrise Highway and Merrick Ave. Visit NassauCountyFairs.com for more.

Friday Night Car Show

Friday car shows return, sponsored by The Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores and the Town of Hempstead, Friday, weekly through Oct. 4 (weather permitting), at the Bellmore LIRR parking lot on Broadway.

See a variety of classic and custom cars. Spectators can enjoy the displays free of charge, while car owners are invited to showcase their vehicles for a nominal $5 admission fee. For more information, contact (516) 679-1875.

Having an event?

Art explorations

Converse, collaborate and create at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art, Saturday, March 23, noon-3 p.m. Get inspired by the art and objects in the galleries and then join educators at the Manes Center to explore and discover different materials to create your own original artwork.

Kids and adults connect while talking about and making art together. A new project is featured every week. $20 adult, $10 child. For ages 2-14. Registration required. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. Visit NassauMuseum.org for to register or call (516) 484-9337.

Temple Beth Am

Purim Party

Temple Beth Am hosts a 60s Purim Dance, Sunday, March 23. $30 per person for Social Club members; $36 for non Social Club members. 2377 Merrick Ave., Merrick. Registration required. Visit TempleBethAmMerrick.org/ form/60’sPurim to register or for more information.

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.

In concert

Plaza Theatrical welcomes spring with a lively tribute to The Temptations, Saturday, March 23, 7:30 p.m. Groove along with The Fellas, in their concert “Just My Imagination,” a powerful salute to the Motown icons. Enjoy all those great tunes, including “Just My Imagination,” “My Girl,” “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and more. See the concert at Plaza’s stage at the Elmont Library Theatre. 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $40, $35 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Get hoppy

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes spring when it opens its doors for an after-hours celebration, “Spring EGGstravaganza,” Saturday, March 23. Peter Cottontail greets families, 6-9 p.m., with a night of engaging activities celebrating iconic symbols of the season. Children can start their evening by decorating a Cool Carrot goody bag to collect items throughout the night. Activities include the creating such spring-themed items as a Bunny Puppet Pal, How Does your Garden Grow planter, an Everywhere a Chick Chick necklace and a Spring has Sprung hat. Also test your skills in egg relay races and take part in a museum-wide scavenger hunt. All that celebration got you egg-hausted? Make a sweet treat to recharge your energy.

The LICM Theater hosts eye-popping performances of BubbleMania Jr. with bubbleologist Jim Napolitano (6:15, 7:05 and 8 p.m.) Sit back and witness fascinating bubble sculptures being crafted and discover soap bubble tricks, with plenty of comedy and audience interaction woven into this spell-binding show. Dancing bubbles, bubbles inside bubbles, arches and a bubble fountain on display create a truly memorable performance. (Additional ticket required for theater performance.) $15 per person ($13 members); BubbleMania Jr. ticket fees are $4 with EGGstravaganza admission ($3 members). Advance tickets are recommended for this popular event. Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

North Bellmore gives accolades to artists

Two dozen young artists from the North Bellmore School District were recognized for their talents at the North Bellmore Board of Education meeting on Feb. 8.

Their drawings and paintings were displayed for all to see, and proud parents snapped photos before art teachers presented certificates.

Artists from the five elementary schools were honored. North Bellmore’s art teachers, Jillian Bock, Erica Farley and Amy Lopez, selected works to showcase a variety of projects across all grade levels that students completed in the first half of the school year. The

1260 Meadowbrook Road, Merrick, New York, 11566, and at said time and place publicly opened and read aloud.

The Contract Documents may be examined at the Office of the Architect, BBS Architects, Landscape Architects and Engineers, P.C., 244 East Main Street, Patchogue New York, (631-475-0349); however

the Contract Documents may only be obtained thru the Office of REV Plans, 28 Church StreetSuite 7, Warwick, New York 10990 (845-651-3845)

beginning on March 13, 2024. Complete digital sets of Contract Documents shall be obtained online (with a free user account) as a download for a nonrefundable fee of OneHundred ($100.00) Dollars at the following website: bbs.biddyhq.com. Optionally, in lieu of digital copies, hard copies may be obtained directly from REV upon a deposit of One-Hundred ($100.00) Dollars for each complete set. Checks for deposits shall be made payable to the BellmoreMerrick Central High

School District, and may be uncertified. All bid addenda will be transmitted to registered plan holders via email and will be available at the above referenced websites. Any bidder requiring documents to be shipped shall make arrangements with the printer and pay for all packaging and shipping costs. Plan holders who have obtained hard copies of the bid documents will need to make the determination if hard copies of the addenda are required for their use, and coordinate directly with the printer for hard copies of addenda to be issued. There will be no charge for registered plan holders to obtain hard copies of the bid addenda. The bid deposit for hard copies will be returned upon receipt of plans and specifications, in good condition, within thirty days after bid date, except for the lowest responsible bidder, whose check will be forfeited upon the award of the contract.

The Contract will be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder or the proposals will be rejected

pieces reflected the use of different artistic techniques and mediums.

“This art show is a visual representation of students’ artistic learning and growth, and the positive impact of arts education in our schools,” said Saw Mill Road Elementary School Principal Jeffrey Rosof, who supervises the district’s art program.

The district congratulates its featured artists:

At John G. Dinkelmeyer Elementary School: Siya Gahra, Erin Loechner, Vincent Maltese and Yirui Zhang.

At Martin Avenue Elementary School: Tess Daly, Vivienne Ferrie, Vin-

cent Samaniego and Reese Walker.

At Newbridge Road Elementary School: Kayla Diaz, Paul Sloven, Luke Watson and Connor Weidemann.

At Park Avenue Elementary School: Catalina Fioranelli, Caleb Littman, Wyatt Roussine and Madison Scholl.

At Saw Mill Road Elementary School:

within 45 days of the date of opening proposals. Bids shall be subject, however, to the discretionary right reserved by the School District to waive any informalities in, accept or reject any alternatives, reject any proposals and to advertise for new proposals, if in its opinion the best interest of the School District will thereby be promoted.

Bidder may not withdraw its bid until forty-five (45) days after the bid opening, except in accordance with General Municipal Law Section 103(11).

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting uncertainty with regard to when the Owner’s schools will be in session during the 2024 school year, the restrictions, if any, applicable to construction activities in the Owner’s facilities as a result of State, Federal or Local orders, laws, regulations or rules related to the COVID-19 pandemic (including but not limited to prevention measures of social distancing and disinfecting), and the duration of any such

restrictions, the Owner may modify the construction schedule, including the anticipated start date, set forth in the Contract/Bid Documents.

By submitting a bid, the Bidder consents to any such schedule modification and further acknowledges and agrees that there shall be no additional compensation for schedule modifications caused directly or indirectly by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bidder further acknowledges and agrees that the sole remedy for any schedule modifications or delays caused directly or indirectly by the COVID-19 pandemic shall be an extension of time, to be determined in the sole discretion of the Owner.

Dated: March 11, 2024 By

Grace Cho, Sean Egan, Noah Gwyther, Alexa Olmo, Lucas Shek, Brielle Tambini, Olivia Thomas and Averie Volpe.

The framed student artwork will be on display throughout the district for the next year. Central office and building administrators proudly selected pieces of art to hang in their offices.

The artists’ drawings and paintings were displayed for all to see, and proud parents snapped photos before art teachers presented certificates

There were a variety of projects across all grade levels that students completed in the first half of the school year.

Photos courtesy North Bellmore School District

North Bellmore art teachers Erica Farley, left, Amy Lopez, center, and Jillian Bock congratulated the student-artists who were recognized at the Feb. 8 Board of Education meeting.

The framed student artwork will be on display throughout the district for the next year. Central office and building administrators proudly selected pieces of art to hang in their offices.

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We asked for a variance and were turned down

Q. After a lot of delays, due partly to Covid, we were turned down for a zoning variance and are wondering what to do. We have a café that has been operating for over 20 years, which we bought from a couple who were retiring, and everything seemed to be legal. Our building department told us that we needed a variance because we didn’t have enough parking, and that we had 20 seats instead of 12. Twelve seats was a takeout, but these days, if you don’t have enough seats, you won’t stay in business very long. So we asked for a variance, and we were turned down. Also, our plans didn’t show that we do have parking on the street, and use a public lot and some other businesses nearby. What can you tell us about our situation? We don’t want to lose our location, and anything we do will need plans, and we realize our architect had never dealt with this before.

A. As common as this problem is, you would need to appeal your case by filing for the appeal with the court, with an attorney, within 30 days, in what is referred to as an Article 78. In order to make your case, you would need accurate plans, plus what you already have, the minutes of your hearing for an attorney to review, plus any documentation you already had through the process of the building application over all the time you described.

Ask The Architect

Monte Leeper

In addition, you would need all the old records of the property that were filed for any and all permits for the previous uses going back to the very beginning of the take-out or retail space. It sounds like a lot, and it might be, but you have a difficult case to prove, because parking on your property is usually the biggest issue in any use variance. A use permit always requires that there be adequate parking, and if there isn’t enough on-site parking, the request for a variance (to vary from the requirements) would then be your appeal.

By changing the use from takeout, where people are coming and going, to an assembly space of people who are lingering, triggers all kinds of building and safety codes. Once you get to a restaurant from a take-out by serving more than 12 people, you need male- and female-use restrooms or, depending on the jurisdiction, enough fixtures and privacy to serve the occupants, based on specific chapters from the plumbing code, the handicapped-access code and the building code, requiring more floor space.

You also have issues with fire marshal and fire safety equipment, depending on the area in square feet area and the number of occupants. Your attorney and architect can craft your case, but you have to be flexible enough to meet certain basic codes to be able to convince a court that the first level of the process can be overturned. You can do this! Good luck!

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It’s time we find common ground on ‘Raise the Age’

Long Island has become the center of new York’s — and the nation’s — political conversation. In recent elections, state and local policies have had an enormous influence on nassau and Suffolk County campaigns that ultimately played a decisive role in determining control of Congress.

CHarLes LaVINe

but while politicians and party operatives struggle to find a political advantage in laws passed by Albany or our County legislature, real people affected by these policies are waiting for those of us in office to find common ground on issues that should bring us together, not divide us.

look at the Raise the Age law, for example. In 2017, I was proud to join both my Democratic and Republican colleagues in support of ending new York’s shameful status as one of the last two states to prosecute all 16- and 17-year-olds as adults. Today, thanks to the law, a large majority of young people’s cases move through family court, where the goal is rehabilitation through effective intervention rather than criminalization.

Raise the Age is a crucial component in building a healthy, sustainable future. It allows young people to get the services they need to get their lives on track. It also allows them to access quality jobs and fully contribute to our society without convictions from when they were teenagers holding them back.

sContrary to false claims labeling family court a “slap on the wrist,” young people may face mandatory programs, supervision by law enforcement, pretrial detention, and placement in residential facilities. but when the system is working well, they are connected with a range of community-based services and resources, which aim to address the underlying factors that led them to commit crimes. And they can use of those services — and the opportunities they provide — without the burden of an adult criminal record.

reduction in shootings with injuries from 2021 to 2023.

As a former public defender, I know firsthand how crucial services like SnUG are to the health and safety of our young people and their communities. by targeting the crux of the issue, they reduce recidivism and help struggling youth become wellfunctioning, productive members of their communities.

etting young offenders straight without burdening them with adult criminal records.

Since Raise the Age took effect, thousands of young people who would otherwise have spent months or even years of their childhood in adult jails and prisons have had access to services designed to help them improve their lives and avoid future interactions with the criminal legal system. For some, this is the first time they have had trusted adults whom they can rely on and turn to for guidance.

vices, serious crimes perpetrated by those under 18 decreased by 12 percent in nassau County and a stunning 57 percent in Suffolk. These statistics demonstrate the efficacy of, and critical need for, community-based programming to make our neighborhoods safer.

Despite Raise the Age’s success, its implementation has received a mere fraction of the funding state leaders promised. It’s been reported that as of 2022, only $270 million of the $800 million that was appropriated for it had been invested in community-based programs and services for young people around the state. Think of how much more successful Raise the Age could be if the state adequately funded it, and community-based organizations and service providers could apply for and receive that funding directly.

one such service is the SnUG Street outreach program, which uses a public health model to reduce gun violence throughout the state by mediating conflict, mentoring youth, and working with local partners to make our streets safer. The 13 communities that are home to the program — including Hempstead — reported a 36 percent

Letters

in the world, the USA, became that because so many of its citizens are immigrants, or children of immigrants. They came mostly from civilized countries, and came legally.

With the Industrial Revolution booming, America needed skilled and unskilled workers, and they came in droves. Most were checked over at Ellis Island, and all were required to become citizens. Yes, we quarantined the sick for a couple of weeks, in not the most luxurious accommodations, but it worked.

We do not need the number and the caliber of those coming across our borders in illegal fashion. We don’t need the crime, and we don’t need what they turn our cities into. We can’t afford to clean up the world, and we aren’t all in desperate need of gardeners, but rather skilled welders, carpenters, etc.

Having these illegal immigrants among us costs us money, and destroys our school systems. They don’t even try to blend in — they dress, act and expect us to learn their culture. Sometimes the raw truth hurts, but they are the only ones benefiting from their crime of crossing our borders illegally.

Politicians? Guilty.

RobERT CASAlE Glen Head

We thought Randi was gone

To the Editor:

My wife and I, loyal readers of the Merrick Herald, are among Randi Kreiss’s biggest fans, and we were thoroughly dismayed when we thought she disappeared last year. but a letter to the editor in the Feb. 29-March 6 issue, “At your library, borrow a book — or a telescope,” which mentioned her column on libraries, made us realize that Randi is still here!

We have now read all her monthlies since she started them in September. What an ordeal she and her husband have been through. We wish both of them all the best, and are beyond delighted that Randi’s observations on our society, her humor, her book recommendations, and her overall words of wisdom can continue to be part of our lives.

KARIn SPEnCER & MARISA HoHEb Merrick

In recent years, I’ve been disappointed by how many of my misinformed colleagues have attempted to blame Raise the Age for an increase in crime on long Island, especially when the data say otherwise. This should be a law that unites us.

From the law’s implementation in 2018 through 2022, according to the state Division of Criminal Justice Ser-

It’s high time that we rise to the occasion and demand more for the most vulnerable members of our communities, and that starts by calling on Albany to invest in our youth by fully funding Raise the Age and supporting evidence-based strategies that create pathways for our young people’s rehabilitation, growth and opportunity. let’s not let fear-mongering and political mudslinging talk us out of public policy that is proven to work — and that lifts all of us up.

Framework by Tim Baker

Charles Lavine represents the 13th Assembly District.