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Vol. 22 No. 3

JANUARY 13 - 19, 2022

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First snow for E.M.

Students help Toys for Tots

ING

East Meadow reacts to county mask orders State Education Department, and we don’t know right now.” “I can imagine that every mwilson@liherald.com Board of Education in Nassau Nassau County Executive County is doing the same thing,” Bruce Blakeman signed execu- Baroukh said, “because it is just tive orders on Jan. 6 directing uncertain what any of this truly local boards of edumeans for us.” cation to vote this “We are aware of month on whether the county executheir districts tive’s order and are should mandate awaiting fur ther mask use, while also guidance from the lifting the mask New York State Edum a n d at e fo r a l l cation Department,” county agencies and Kenneth Card, the state’s temposuperintendent of rary mask mandate the East Meadow in public places. School District, said A number of East in a statement. Meadow residents Blakeman’s orwere quick to quesders read in part, tion whether the “[G]iven the historiexecutive order callcal data on Covid-19 ing on schools to and the ongoing vote was legal, but debate over whether local districts offimasks are more cials were awaiting harmful than benefiBETTY RoSA guidance. cial to children and “We’re waiting to Commissioner, to school environhear from the New NYSED ments in general, we York State Educashould protect the tion Department,” freedoms and statuAlisa Baroukh, president of the tory rights of students and parEast Meadow Board of Educa- ents by resting with the parents tion, said on the day Blakeman the decision whether their chilsigned the orders. “. . . We take dren should wear masks in our guidance from the New York Continued on page 16

By SCoTT BRiNToN, CRiSTiNA ARRoYo and MAlloRY WilSoN

Courtesy Cassandra Jones

ThE ENTiRETY oF Huntington’s Wall Street was covered in snowflakes painted by Cass Jones, an artist from East Meadow.

E.M. resident creates winter wonderland in Huntington By MAlloRY WilSoN mwilson@liherald.com

East Meadow resident and artist Cassandra “Cass” Jones designed and painted the entire Huntington Holiday Spectacular herself this past December — all while suffering from an autoimmune disease amid the coronavirus pandemic, requiring her to receive special permission from her doctors to undertake the project. Jones, 34, was asked by Ste-

phen Ubertini, the co-owner of the Paramount concert hall in Huntington for the second straight year to complete the project, which includes painting the streets, storefronts and the inside of an 80-foot Christmas tree. She made stencils from coat hangers to create the whimsical snowflakes that lined the street, painted with white masonry paint and spray paint. “I 100 percent didn’t know what I was doing,” Jones said,

“but I knew from my years of experience that I could do it.” The Huntington Holiday Spectacular began last year when the Town of Huntington wanted to create a holiday display that allowed onlookers to enjoy the scenery without fear of contracting Covid19, transforming Wall Street into an interactive display with a “tree of hope,” light shows, snow cannons, music and street art. The event was a partnerContinued on page 9

he State Education Department expects school boards will follow all legal requirements, including the face-covering regulation.

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January 13, 2022 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

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1/7/22 10:34 AM

What’s up next door and around the corner

EAST MEADOW HERALD — January 13, 2022

Herald neigHbors

Courtesy Richie Krug Jr.

Christian Krug, 6, left and his sister McKenzie, 4, enjoyed the snow and built a snowman.

East Meadow’s first winter wonderland

Courtesy Laura Mugurusa

Courtesy Benny Diasparra

From leFt, Xavier David, Maceo Barry and Nicholas Vecchiano enjoyed sledding at Parkway Elementary School. Joliena Diasparra, 4, couldn’t contain her excitement for the snow. 9-year-olD holly varDaKis found a great place to lay in the snow–her backyard table. ryan seCK, 2, celebrated the first snow of the year and his birthday all in one day.

Courtesy Meghan Seck

Courtesy Allison Vardakis

East Meadow enjoyed the first snowfall of winter 2022 on Jan. 7. According to the National Weather Service, East Meadow received 7 inches of s n o w. S n o w f l a k e s were coming down at a rate up to 2 inches an hour at some points. Most snowfalls started to stop midFriday morning. The National Weather Service reported the highest amount on Long Island was in Glen Cove, with 9.3 inches. Setauket had the most snow in Suffolk County with 8.7 inches. Dozens of school districts closed because of snow and cold weather and the East Meadow School District was one of them. With schools closed, everyone got to work enjoying the snow day. Kids got to work playing in the snow building snowmen, going sledding and having snowball fights.

News brief Ferretti sworn in for new term as Legislator

Jose Antonis

Victor Almandades-Zavala

Oscar Marcia

Robbery in East Meadow According to detectives, on Dec. 31, Oscar Marcia, 27, Jose Antonis, 33 and Victor Almandades-Zavala, 28 entered the BP Gas Station at 1878 Hempstead Tpk., in East Meadow and committed robbery at 11:08 p.m. Zavala, of Hempstead, approached the 25-year-old male employee at the front register and pointed a handgun at the victim demanding cash and lottery tickets. Zavala, Marcia, of Levittown, and Antonis, of Hempstead, exited the gas station and fled the scene in their blue 2012 Dodge Caravan. While driving onto the Southern State Parkway near the intersection of Newbridge Road, the vehicle struck a traffic safety sign, disabling it. The three then exited the

vehicle and fled on foot but were all arrested later by police. After conducting an investigation it was found that Zavala was also responsible for a robbery that occurred at the same BP Gas station on Dec. 11. All three are charged with robbery in the 1st degree, robbery in the 2nd degree and criminal possession of a f i re a r m . A d d i t i o n a l ly, Z ava l a i s charged with robbery in the 1st degree, assault in the 2nd degree and resisting arrest. Antonis is also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 3rd degree and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 4th degree. They were arraigned in the First District Court in Hempstead on Sunday, Jan. 1.

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On Monday, Jan. 10, John Ferretti special revenue fund I helped create is was sworn in for a new term in the used to address the opioid epidemic.” Ferretti, a Republican, is serving Nassau County Legislature for the 14th another ter m as Nassau Legislative Session covering County Legislator in the 2022-2023. Former Congress15th district after winning man Peter King administhe 2017 election and bids tered the oath of office to for re-election in 2019 and the Majority Caucus of the 2021. The 15th legislative Legislature at an induction district encompasses all of ceremony held in the Peter Levittown, Salisbury, and J. S c h m i t t L e g i s l a t iv e parts of East Meadow, BethChamber. “It is an honor to have page, Wantagh and Seaford. been swor n in to serve Prior to being a legislaanother term as a legislator tor, Ferretti served as the John Ferretti for the 15th district,” FerretChief Deputy County Clerk ti said. “I am grateful for the of Nassau County. He cursupport our residents continue to pro- rently practices law as an associate vide and I look forward to taking on the trial attorney with the 45-year-old Minchallenges that lie ahead over the next eola-based law firm Nicolini, Paradise, two years, particularly fighting to cut Ferretti & Sabella where he specializes taxes, keeping our communities safe, in bodily injury, subrogation, no-fault, repairing our roads, and ensuring the real estate, zoning and land use law.

New infections for the week.

462

EAST MEADOW UPDATE:

Total infections to date. 7,070

RecRuiting a great team is Really simple.

GIVEAWAY

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■ DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: rglickman@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643 The East Meadow Herald USPS 336580, is published every Thursday by Richner Communications, Inc., 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Periodicals postage paid at Garden City, NY 11530 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to East Meadow Herald, 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Newsstand Price: $1. Subscription rates: $60 for 1 year. Annual Subscription Rates, $9.75 per quarter auto-pay or $50 one-time payment within Nassau County or $60 outside of Nassau County. Copyright © 2022 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

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January 13, 2022 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

What’s neWs in and out of the classroom

The Barnum Woods Student Council teamed up with members of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve to collect Toys for Tots this holiday season. Earlier this month, the Barnum Woods Elementary School c o m m u n i t y c o l l e c t e d n e w, unwrapped toys, which were later distributed by the Marine Corps to underprivileged children. Both Student Council leaders and members of the Marine Corps spoke about giving back to people in need. Through the collection, students learned about the importance of demonstrating kindness by helping others. Additionally, one of the Marines surprised their son after they picked up the collection.

MeMbers of the U.S. Marine Corps picked up Toys for Tots at Barnum Woods Elementary School on Dec. 16.

Courtesy East Meadow Union Free School District

EAST MEADOW HERALD — January 13, 2022

Herald ScHoolS Barnum Woods helps Marines collect toys for tots

January 13, 2022 — HERALD

HERALD — January 13, 2022

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January 13, 2022 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

events and activities

Friday, Jan. 14

Wednesday, Jan. 19

Easy exercise

Game day

Join the East Meadow Public Library for virtual easy exercise at 10 a.m. Ann Rothman will lead this class. The Zoom link will be sent the morning of the class. To register visit https://eastmeadow.info/.

Join the East Meadow Public Library for game day starting at 11:30 a.m.. There will be tables set up in the makers space downstairs.

Easy exercise Join the East Meadow Public Library for virtual easy exercise at 10 a.m. Ann Rothman will lead this class. The Zoom link will be sent the morning of the class. To register visit https://eastmeadow.info/.

Saturday, Jan. 15 Acoustic Outlaws The band Acoustic Outlaws will be playing at Whiskey Reds Sports Bar and grill at 2552 Hempstead Tpk., in East Meadow at 8 p.m. Stop by to grab a bite to eat and to listen to some tunes.

Thursday, Jan. 20 Current events

YA art club Any artist is grades 6 through 12 can stop by the library at 2:30 p.m. to help make props, backdrops and decorations for upcoming library programs. To register visit eastmeadow.info. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Peaceful sunset Join Pinots Palette at 2557 Hempstead Tpk., in East Meadow to paint a peaceful sunset from 1 to 3 p.m. This class is $42 per person. To register visit https://www.pinotspalette.com/eastmeadow/events.

Sunday, Jan. 16

Handling bipolar depression

Sunday divine liturgy

Sunday concert Head down to the East Meadow Public Library community room at 2 p.m. for a Sunday concert featuring guitarist Toby Walker. Internationally and nationally acclaimed Toby Walker has been hailed as an award winning, roots music finger-style guitar virtuoso and songwriter who has toured the U.S., the United Kingdom, and Europe. Blending the styles of blues, ragtime, country, bluegrass, old-time jazz and rock, Walker has developed his own style and as such received numerous awards, including being the 1st place recipient of the International Blues Challenge Award in Memphis and the NY Music Award for best instrumental CD. Walker has also been inducted

l l l l l

Chess club

On Tuesday, Jan. 18 Katherine Gorlesky will be at the East Meadow Public Library at 7 p.m. to discuss her journey with bipolar depression. The event will take place in the downstairs meeting room. Visit the library website to register. into the NY Blues Hall of Fame. To register visit eastmeadow.info.

The Divine Liturgy is celebrated every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church at 369 Green Ave., in East Meadow. Those interested in the church’s ancient traditions and liturgical life welcome. Coffee hour follows. For further info email htocem@gmail.com.

Monday, Jan. 17 Easy exercise Join the East Meadow Public Library for virtual easy exercise at 10 a.m. Ann Rothman will lead this class. The Zoom link will be sent the morning of the class. To register visit https://eastmeadow.info/.

Blossoming bridge

VFW Post 2736

Join Pinots Palette at 2557 Hempstead Tpk., in East Meadow to paint a blossoming bridge from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. This class is $42 per person. To register visit https://www.pinotspalette.com/ eastmeadow/events.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2736 will be having their meeting at the American Legion Hall at 294 Bellmore Rd., in East Meadow at 7:30 p.m. For any questions call (516) 599-5380.

Senior discussion

Tuesday, Jan. 18

The East Meadow Public Library is having a hybrid senior rap at 10 a.m.. This is a time to get together with peers and discuss issues of concern. To register visit eastmeadow.info.

McVey might market The East Meadow Kiwanis will be collecting food at McVey Elementary School for those in need. Stop by to donate whatever you can.

Morty Kugal will be on Zoom at 10:30 a.m. to all about current events. Register for this program at east meadow. info to stay up-to-date with what is happening in the world. The Zoom link will be sent the morning of the event. To register visit eastmeadow.info.

East Meadow Kiwanis The East Meadow Kiwanis will be meeting at 7:15 p.m. at Garden Social, 1964 Hempstead Tpk., in East Meadow. New members are always welcome. Social distancing is enforced. Mask should be worn when not eating. For further information contact the club President Jennifer Reinhardt (516)-351-9891.

Join the East Meadow Public Library for chess club starting at 1 p.m. Chess club meetings are in the lower level.

HAVinG An EVEnt? Items on the Community Update pages 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 mwilson@liherald.com

The Carltun will be having their annual food and wine festival on Jan. 21 from 6 to 10 p.m. La Novella will be having psychic readings with Brenda Lee on Jan. 25. Penny Lane will be playin gat Borrelli’s on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m. Clarke Middle School and High School will be having a virtual bingo fundraiser on January 30. The Carltun will be having a charity cigar event on Jan. 28 at 7 p.m.

Despite health issues, artist got to work

hat she did was crazy, and when I saw it I was amazed.

on the street a photo-op, rather than having everyone crowd near the tree.” Last year, she painted for 40 hours over four days. This year, she put in 80 hours over 11 days. “What she did was crazy, and when I saw it I was amazed,” her father said. “Twenty people should’ve done that project, but it was just her.” The surrounding restaurants kept Jones fed, and she slept at the Paramount, where a workstation was set up for her. “It was just easier to sleep there,” she said. “I would just knock out and then be back at it again the next morning.” At first, her doctors worried about possible Covid-19 infection and feared that Jones would be unable to handle the work because of her autoimmune disease. “They told me all of the things I was at risk for if something went wrong,” she said. “I told them, ‘Let’s talk about,” and they knew that I knew myself well enough to take care of myself.” If Jones is asked back, she said, she would return next year. “We really want to continue this next year,” Palladino. “We’ll definitely have her back.”

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ship among the town, Huntington Hospital Northwell Health, the Huntington Business Improvement District, the Huntington Business Recovery Task Force, the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce, Looks Great Services and the Paramount. Local businesses offered special deals and promotions to attract residents from across Long Island to check out the display. “I couldn’t believe the dedication she put into this project,” Jack Palladino, the Huntington BID president, said. “She was out there every night for hours, and what she created was amazing.” The spectacular took place Nov. 27 to Jan. 7, with the same holiday magic as last year, but with one difference: This year it was dedicated to health-care workers. Jones said the theme was dear to her heart. “Last year, without the hosts knowing, I worked to create the holiday spectacular with a paralyzed stomach,” Jones said. “This November I was contacted once again to paint, and with doctor’s approval I stepped up.” Jones explained to her doctors how important the project was for her, espe-

“When they learned I had other abilicially since it was to honor health-care workers. Aside from her own bouts of ties other than painting and body paintillness, she has had to help with her par- ing, they chose to take advantage of my ents’ ailments as well. Her mother, Mil- skills and called me last year and asked lie Jones, died in 2019 after years of bat- if I wanted to participate in the holiday tling breast and pancreatic cancer. Two spectacular,” Jones said. “It was very weeks after completing the holiday spec- hush-hush because they had never done tacular last year, Jones had it before.” to advocate virtually for her The street was closed father, Dave Jones, who then to give restaurants an outdoor dining area to help spent time in the hospital them during the pandemic, after suffering from septic but the town wanted to do shock. more. Jones, who studied design “They were trying to help at the School of Visual Arts the businesses and the comin Manhattan, has been an artist since she was a child. munity because at this point everyone was on lockdown, She used to help her dad, and there was still a curalso an artist, with his projDave Jones few,” she said. “They called ects before starting to secure me and asked me what I her own jobs. Currently, she Father could do to help the street works as an artist doing body painting at events, tattoo work and look better.” other art gigs. She chose snowflakes as a theme “She’s always been great at art,” Dave because they created a winter wonderJones, her father, said. “She can do all land feel. The flakes were spread around different types of art.” the street to help keep people socially Cassandra first met Ubertini in 2019 distanced. while working at Spotlight, an art bar “There’s no rhyme or reason to the and restaurant at the Paramount, doing snowflakes,” she said. “Having the snowflakes everywhere made anywhere live body painting for a show.

EAST MEADOW HERALD — January 13, 2022

continued from front page

Bringing local sports home every week

SpoTLIGhT AThLETE

Herald sports East Meadow’s offense sets tone By GARRETT D. URIBE sports@liherald.com

DALLySShA MoREno

Baldwin Senior Basketball MoREno IS LookInG to lead Baldwin to its eighth straight Nassau Class AA championship and has drawn interest from a handful of D1 college programs. She is a two-time All-County selection and was an impact player as a sophomore during the team’s last county title run. She scored 10 points in its 60-52 victory over Syosset in the Class AA final held March 8, 2020 at Nassau Coliseum, marking her seventh game that season scoring in double figures. She averaged 14 points as a junior.

GAMES To wATch Thursday, Jan. 13

Girls Basketball: East Rockaway at West Hemp.....4:45 p.m. Girls Basketball: Lynbrook at Lawrence...................... 5 p.m. Boys Swimming: Wantagh vs South Side (at Jeircho) 7 p.m. Gymnastics: Valley Stream at Hewlett ........................ 7 p.m. Gymnastics: Sewanhaka at South Side ..................... 7 p.m. Girls Basketball: North Shore at Seaford ................... 7 p.m. Boys Basketball: Westbury at Baldwin ....................... 7 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 14 Girls Basketball: Glen Cove at Sewanhaka ..................... 5 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Roslyn at Elmont ............................ 5 p.m. Wrestling: Freeport at Oceanside ..............................5:30 p.m. Girls Basketball: New Hyde Park at MacArthur................ 7 p.m. Boys Basketball: Island Trees at Clarke ........................... 7 p.m. Boys Basketball: Seaford at Lawrence ............................ 7 p.m.

Boys Basketball: V.S. North at South Side................. 7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 15 Wrestling: Baldwin Tournament ........................................9 a.m. Boys Bakisetball: V.S. Central at East Meadow.............. 12 p.m. Boys Basketball: East Rockaway at West Hemp. ........... 12 p.m. Girls Basketball: Kennedy at South Side ..................... 12 p.m.

A collective sigh of relief has segued to more familiar shouts of excitement at East Meadow, as the Jets appear to have quashed early questions surrounding their quest for an eighth-straight trip to the Nassau County Class AA girls’ basketball playoffs. When All-Conference eighth-grade phenom Alie Twible (now a freshman) transferred over the offseason, it meant that East Meadow, in an instant, had lost its playmaking scoring leader, 3-point basket leader, and only game-tested true point guard – an individual set of attributes singularly hard to come by. But happily for Jets head coach Pete Olenik, no law stated it couldn’t be replaced by a combination. Senior Lindsay Solenski – East Meadow’s No. 4 scorer in spring (4.7 points per game) – was shifted from shooting guard over to point, while first-year starter Charlotte Viola (sophomore) slid into Solenski’s old spot on the wing. Et volia. Solenski, keys in hand, has trebled last season’s offensive pace (17.2 ppg) to rank second in conference scoring, Viola – not far behind (14 ppg) – has made 17 treys tying for second in league, and East Meadow (6-3 overall) sits atop Conference AA2 at 3-1 as owner of the league’s second-leading defense (40.4 ppg) and No. 3 offense (50.2 ppg). “I think we’re looking like a playoffbound team,” Olenik said. “Our ability to put the ball in the basket is a little surprising. Lindsay has really stepped up in our time of need. I can’t say enough about her. She has a good supporting cast, of course. Charlotte’s a dual threat; she’s a shooter, but can also get to the rim. She’s a coach’s dream, prepares and works hard. When you do those things, good results come. For her they’re coming at a rapid pace.” Still better results could loom on the Jets’ horizon, as forward Isabella Pota (junior) is poised to return from an earlyseason injury (ankle). Entering the thick of conference play, Olenik said East Meadow will need the fourth-year co-captain’s contributions to stay competitive with

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OC1035_RunningMan_Herald_Strip_10.25x2.5_Basketball_v2.indd 1

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SEnIoR LInDSAy SoLEnSkI poured in 20 points on Dec. 21 to help East Meadow defeat Westbury, 64-48, in a Conference AA-II game. rivals. “With Isabella out, that’s about 15 points a game we’ve been missing,” Olenik said. “We’re about to start facing teams like Baldwin, which can be humbling. But with [Pota] in the lineup, we’ll have four legitimate scoring options. We should be peaking at the right time.” That fourth option Olenik alluded to would be sophomore Brooke Vislocky, who in her first season starting at wing is third on the club with 8.1 ppg, and second with eight 3-pointers. “Brooke’s a very important part of our team,” Olenik said. “She

can shoot the three, play defense, does all the right things. She’s a calming influence on the floor, and an excellent accent to Viola and Solenski.” Having kicked off the season with a three-win run (non-league), East Meadow stumbled 1-3 before winning two straight. “We’re going to be coming into our own,” Olenik said. “We had a couple rough games. But with our full complement of players, we’re a good team. I’m excited about what this team might be capable of doing.”

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Live Operators Are Standing By

Hempstead elected leaders sworn in SuperviSor don Clavin gave a speech following his inauguration.

By Kepherd daniel kdaniel@liherald.com

Town of Hempstead officials began their new term Jan. 4 at Town Hall. During the nearly two-hour inauguration, Supervisor Don Clavin, Town Clerk Kate Murray, Senior Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, and Councilmen Anthony D’Esposito and Dennis Dunne were sworn in following their re-election this past November. Clavin was sworn in first by Nassau County Republican Committee Chairman Joseph Cairo. Months into Clavin’s first term as supervisor, the coronavirus pandemic erupted and took a toll on Hempstead. Clavin secured tens of millions of dollars in federal CARES Act funds that went to the community, including millions for hospitals, schools, food banks, villages, fire departments and community organizations. The Town Board also rolled out the first mobile vaccination unit in New York state, which has provided nearly 10,000 vaccine and booster shots to residents to help fight the coronavirus pandemic. “Today is really about just saying thank you,” he said. “We work together and for the betterment of all the residents, from the town’s finances to bond upgrades to services through the pandemic.” Murray, sworn in next, led creation of online accessible parking permits, posted one-stop passport shop events and established outdoor service trailers where residents can continue to access clerk’s office programs. Murray became the first elected official in New York to conduct weddings online. In October, she reached a milestone when she performed her 500th wedding ceremony. Attorney General Letitia James swore in Goosby, who is the first-ever African-American woman on the Town Board, now entering her 22nd year representing the 1st District.

Christina Daly/Herald

During her last term, Goosby assisted in supplying free PPE kits for businesses and churches, secured personal air filters for residents at risk, helped launch the outdoor dining initiative to help residents stay open during the pandemic and sponsored food pantries that donated more than a million meals to residents in need. “My colleagues are of a different party,” she continued, “but it didn’t matter to them that I’m a Democrat and they aren’t. I’ve worked with wonderful people, and I respect them and they respect me. We made a lot of progress in this town.” D’Esposito was then sworn in by State Assemblyman Edward Ra. D’Esposito, a retired New York Police Department detective, has taught his Narcan training program

to town employees, community groups and residents. He has helped expand the program, with the town recently announcing distribution of 10,000 Narcan kits in Hempstead. “The last four years we’ve delivered budgets to save taxpayers money, holding the line or lowering taxes,” he said. “We’ve been lauded by Wall Street, earning outlook upticks and credit upgrades. ” Dunne, who served with the U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War, remains a leader among local American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars organizations, and has been pivotal in crafting legislation to create a permanent property-tax exemption for Cold War era veterans, providing a tax reduction for eligible recipients.

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Outgoing county exec. pushes gender inclusivity By Cristina arroyo rodriguez carroyo@liherald.com

gender inclusive definitions

On her second-to-last day in office, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran issued an executive on Dec. 30 to create a nine-member Nassau County Adviso■ sex: biological status that is typiry Committee for Gender Inclusivity to cally categorized as male, female, or address gender identity discrimination intersex. in the county’s charter, administrative code and other regulations. The commit■ gender: attitudes, feelings and tee would report behaviors that a given culture assoto the county ciates with a person’s biological sex. executive. Bruce Blake■ gender identity: deeply felt, man, who inherent sense of being a boy, a man became county or male; a girl, a woman or female; executive Jan. 1, or an alternative gender. said he would not start the commit■ gender expression: presentation, tee, saying the including physical appearance and executive order was intended to behavior that communicates aspects Laura Curran play to the press. of gender or gender role. Instead of creating the com–American Psychological Association mittee, “this administration will respect the [LGBQT] community by placing important stakeholders on the Human Rights Committee,” Blakeman said, cit- this vulnerable population.” ing the 15-member human rights comIndeed, the policy was the first in mission chaired by Bobby Kalotee. Nassau’s history to protect in EEO poliCurran’s executive order came three cy a class of “sex” against gender-idenyears after she enacted an Equal tity discrimination in the workplace. Employment Opportunity Commission The policy also protects employees who policy that upgraded sexual harassment report harassment and/or discriminaprevention measures, including having tion from retaliation and provides intera separate complaint form active training to educate all for sexual harassment and employees in identifying prompt investigations into and reporting instances of discrimination or harassdiscrimination and/or sexument allegations. al harassment. “We are working to eradiKilmicky, however, also cate all forms of discriminanoted that, despite these poltion in the workplace and to icies, transgender workers ensure equal employment may still face discriminaopportunity for all members tion. of our team,” Curran said “Across our nation, memduring a 2019 news briefing. bers of the transgender “This new policy will do community continue to more to protect the civil endure elevated levels of rights of our employees poverty, housing discriminathan has ever been done tion, workplace bias and a arnoLd W. before.” risk of suicide and mental The chief executive of druCker health challenges. They are t h e L G B T N e t wo rk i n Legislator the victims of fatal violence Hauppauge, Dr. David Kilmwith infuriating frequency,” icky, praised Curran’s work Legislator Arnold Drucker, in making the county safer and more a Democrat, said. inclusive throughout her tenure as He then added that Blakeman has county executive. “This long-overdue publicly expressed his commitment to policy change for Nassau’s transgender helping all Nassau residents, so Drucker people and families sends a clear mes- asserted, “Following through on the forsage that all county employees are enti- mation of this committee would put the tled to work in an environment that is power of action behind his words and safe and free from harassment and dis- bring us one step closer to fulfilling the crimination,” he said at the news brief- promise of ‘liberty and justice for all.’” ing. In October, Curran also signed into Jay Kaplan, the LGBTQ youth servic- law a bill that created a 15-member dises manager at the Bellmore-based Pride abilities advisory council, comprising for Youth, echoed the sentiment, saying, members with disabilities and people “This policy is the first in Nassau Coun- representing organizations that serve ty’s history to explicitly protect trans- and advocate for those with disabilities, gender people, and it is hopefully the tasked with providing recommendafirst of many policies that will be intro- tions to the county executive and legisduced to end discrimination against lature.

he [transgender community] are the victims of fatal violence with infuriating frequency.

1159877

January 13, 2022 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

• Licensed, Bonded & Insured Dealer • Member of the American Society of Appraisers • AAA Rated Member of the Better Business Bureau

elevate the Conversation Politics, science and mandates aside, room, the restaurant, the arena, the stadiwhat was toughest to understand when um, even the cities we visited. Now, on the threshold of 2022, the considering the magnitude of the pandemic at its onset was the realization of the masks requirements have shifted again with a need for a greater ability to filter need and best use of masks for protection. In short, mask fatigue isn’t just in the particles and droplets in the air given Omicron. It feels a lot like deja vu wearing, but in the researchas we return back to the drawing as well. ing board, reading up on N95 My family and I started in and KN95 masks and the beneMarch 2020 with thin scarves fits of layers: fabric with tied behind our backs. We paper. tried to fold bandanas to fit Like most, I have stopped our faces. We explored fabric predicting when this pandemmasks that required inset filic and all of these new behavters, paper masks to wrap iors will end. I am biding my around our ears and material time, waiting for the day when masks in every color and patwe will be able to erase that tern retailers offered. perpetual mental state of Where we cooperated as a auren ev mind, what the New York family on other issues surTimes has recently called rounding our response to “languishing.” But when the Covid-19, inexplicably we disagreed about masks: the cost, the delivery day comes, I do know that I won’t miss the time, even the amount of conversation we constant fog on my glasses, the bent ear needed to have about them. Upon further lobes and the need to speak up because no consideration, I think we were non-com- one can understand me. Instead, that mittal about investing in masks because sound you will hear, uncovered and unfilwe didn’t realize how critical they would tered, will be me sighing with the world’s become. Or how long we would need them. loudest sound of relief. Looking back, this is extremely ironic, because our family has consistently worn A contributing writer since 2012, Lev is an face coverings every day, in every situation East Meadow resident and a direct marketI can remember, often feeling like we were ing/advertising executive who teaches marthe only four masked people around: in the keting communications courses at FIT.

I My Community

EAST MEADOW HERALD — January 13, 2022

Mask fatigue

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News brief Abrahams to host tax grievance workshop

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1148557

Nassau County Legislator Kevan M. sentatives will contact you directly. Residents who would like to participate Abrahams, a democrat who covers Uniondale, Roosevelt and parts of East Meadow in these virtual tax grievance workshops should visit www.nassaucounis partnering with the Nassau tyny.gov/LD1. For more inforCounty Assessment Review mation contact Legislator Commission to host free virtuAbrahams’s office at (516) 571al community tax grievance 2455 or email his office at workshops to inform resikabrahams@nassaucountyny. dents about how to challenge gov. their property taxes online. Abrahams has served as a The workshops will be held on Nassau County Legislator in Thursday, Jan. 27 from noon the 1st Legislative District, to 2 p.m. and Thursday, Feb. 17 after winning his seat in 2002. from 7 to 9 p.m. When first elected in 2002, During these virtual workKevan Abrahams Abrahams was the youngest shops, taxpayers who disagree legislator ever elected to the with the assessed value of Nassau County Legislature. their property can submit via chat any questions to the representatives Since his election, Abrahams has made from ARC and learn how to navigate the the needs of the communities his top prionline grievance process and dispute their ority, in particular highlighting problems assessment. Questions will be answered regarding the stabilization of property after the presentations and/or the repre- taxes.

January 13, 2022 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

Locals react to Blakeman’s mask orders continued from front page school.” School boards must vote “to determine whether or not parents and children should be granted the constitutional right to reject mask mandates while in the classroom.” Parents in the area were quick to voice their opinions on the school mask order. Covid-19 “is a virus just like the flu. It’s not going anywhere,” Mariann DeRidderRoche wrote to the Herald. “Common sense is if your child, or anyone for that matter, is not feeling well stay home.” “We didn’t mask up for the flu. There is no need for this,” she added. “It should be a choice.” “This is our choice as parents and our right to make the decision if they should be masked all day long or not,” Diana Schmidt, an East Meadow parent of two who wrote to the Herald. “These are our children who need the parents (not district board members) to be making the choice of their well being. I hope that East Meadow makes the right decision in giving us back our rights for our children.” Not all parents agreed with the new county executive’s decision, though. “I’m very against taking away the mask mandate,” Melinda Geraghty, an East Meadow mother of a daughter in kindergarten and a son in nursery school. “Both wear masks with no problem. They both understand it’s how we stay safe and can have a relatively normal life.” “. . . Nassau County has the highest positive rate in the state. Now is not the time to remove masks,” she said. “If you remove the masks, rates will go up. I can’t trust my children’s health to other parents.” She also said she was nervous because her daughter is vaccinated, but her son is still too young to be inoculated. In a memo to local school districts,

Christina Daly/Herald

County ExECutivE BruCE Blakeman announced on Jan. 6 that local school boards must vote on whether students should wear masks. State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa reacted to Blakeman’s action, writing, “Counties are required to enforce school masking regulations. The regulation, which applies to schools and many other sectors, requires local health departments to enforce school mask mandates. “Counties do not have the legal authority,” the commissioner continued, “to require boards of education to vote on specific issues. School officers take an oath to obey all legal requirements. The State Education Department expects school boards will follow all legal requirements, including the face-covering regulation.” William Biamonte, chief of staff to the County Legislature’s Democratic minority, said, “When ideology trumps science

Public Notices

LEME1 0113

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed proposals for contract COMMUNITY ROOM INTEGRATED AV SYSTEMS AT EAST MEADOW PUBLIC LIBRARY, EAST MEADOW, NEW YORK 11554-1700. For the East Meadow Public Library, East Meadow, New York will be received by Carol Probeyahn, Director, East Meadow Public Library, East Meadow, Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, at the East Meadow Public Library, 1886 Front Street, East Meadow, New York 11554-1700 (in accordance with Section 103 of Article 5-A of the General Municipal Law), on or before Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at 3 pm, and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud.

Mandatory walk-through meeting is not required. Vendors requesting to visit the site may schedule with Assistant Library Director, Rocco Cassano at 516-794-2570 x1227. This Information for Bidders, General Requirements of Contract, Form of Bid and Specifications, may be obtained at the office of the Director, East Meadow Public Library, 1886 Front Street, East Meadow, New York 11554-1700 beginning Friday, January 14 between the hours of 9 AM and 4:30 PM. The Board of Trustees of the East Meadow Public Library, Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, or its duly appointed representatives, reserves the right to waive any informalities in or to reject any or all bids, or

any part of any bid, or accept that bid, or any part of that bid which, in its judgment, is in the best interests of the Library. No bid shall be withdrawn pending the decision of the Board. Board of Trustees, East Meadow Public Library By Carol Probeyahn, Director East Meadow Public Library East Meadow Town of Hempstead Nassau County, New York Dated: January 3, 2022 East Meadow Public Library 129168

LEGAL NOTICE TO THE TAXPAYERS OF THE EAST MEADOW FIRE DISTRICT: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Fire Commissioners of the EAST MEADOW FIRE DISTRICT, Town of Hempstead, County of

Nassau, State of New York, has set the following schedule for meetings for the calendar year 2022. The board will meet at the district office located at no. 197 East Meadow Avenue, East Meadow, New York on the third Monday of each month beginning at 8:30 p.m. The general public is welcome to attend and observe these meetings. Dated: January 3, 2022 BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS EAST MEADOW FIRE DISTRICT TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD ATTEST: Eric Becker Secretary 129169

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

and politics are prioritized over the common good of society, our most vulnerable residents stand to suffer the most. “County Executive Blakeman,” he continued, “can say that ‘Nassau is normal again’ all he wants, but as Omicron continues to spread like wildfire and hospitalize more children than any other Covid variant to date, this is a recipe for disaster.” Blakeman, a Republican, said he was directly opposing an order put in place in early December by Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, requiring mask use in public spaces. The state mandate was originally set to expire in mid-January, but Hochul recently extended it through Feb. 1. “As governor,” she said Dec. 10, “my two top priorities are to protect the health of New Yorkers and to protect the health

of our economy.” The governor said at the time that she expected the positivity rate would rise with the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. The legal counsel for the county executive drafted the executive orders signed by Blakeman, said Chris Boyle, the county executive’s spokesman. State Sen. Kevin Thomas, a Democrat who represents the 6th District, said in a statement that Blakeman’s “dismissive attitude” at a time when Covid-19 rates are rising at an alarming rate is “concerning” and “downright irresponsible.” “The governor has been clear that the county does not have the authority to supersede state law in this matter,” Thomas said in a statement. “The county executive should focus his efforts on working collaboratively with the state to keep our youngest residents safe, not politicizing the issue and creating more conflict and division within our communities.” Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the State Education Department said Thursday that local school boards cannot vote to violate either SED or State Health Department policy. Long Island’s daily positivity rate, among the highest in the state, has been spiking at more than 25 percent, and a growing number of school districts are reporting increased transmission of the disease, with some, such as Long Beach, being forced to close some schools because of staffing shortages. Hospitalization rates are rising as well. The county, Blakeman said, is distributing tens of thousands of testing kits, as well as N95 masks, particularly for teachers.

Neighbors iN the News Mommas House is recognized Wantagh-based organization Mommas House recently received an award for its commitment to the betterment of the Long Island community. Law firm Jaspan Schlesinger LLP, which has a location in Garden City, recently honored Mommas House as part of its Heart of the Community Award, which honored 75 nonprofit organizations that demonstrate a commitment to improving communities. It coincides with the 75th anniCourtesy Matt Ferremi versary of the firm. SaBina anSElmo, lEft, and Simone Freeman, Pat Shea started Mommas House right, both of Jaspan Schlesinger LLP, gave the over 35 years ago after she began taking in young homeless pregnant and community award to Mommas House Executive parenting women into her own home. Director Pat Shea. Sabina Anselmo volunteers her culture,” Steve Schlesinger, co-managing time with Mommas House by taking photos at the nonprofit’s fundraising partner said in a press release. “With these awards, we hope to recognize the not-forevents. “Giving back, whether through volun- profit leaders from the New York metropolteerism or philanthropy, has always been a itan area and highlight the worthy causes cornerstone of Jaspan Schlesinger’s firm that they support.”

Employment

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Fax your ad to: 516-622-7460 E-mail you ad to: ereynolds@liherald.com E-mail Finds Under $100 to: sales@liherald.com DEADLINE: Monday, 11:00 am for all classified ads.

To pLACE your AD CALL 516-569-4000 - press 5

Every effort is made to insure the accuracy of your ad. Please check your ad at the first insertion. Credit will be made only for the first insertion. Credit given for errors in ads is limited to the printed space involved. Publisher reserves right to reject, cancel or correctly classify and ad.

IVERS R D S U B D WANTE

Civil Service Positions

NEW

Non-Benefit Rate *Some restrictions may apply.

EDITOR/REPORTER

F/T Compensation Range: $24,829 - $27,737 P/T and Subs Compensation Range: $15.35 - $17.07 hourly (dependent on school-based exp.)

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EMPLOYMENT

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ADMINISTRATIVE CLERK FT:

Established Envelope Company. Excellent Phone/ MS Office/ Email/ Internet Skills. Handle Mail/ Filing. Bruce 516-582-1236 Email Resume Bruce At bruced@themercurycompanies.com

ADMINISTRATIVE

Richner Communications - a rapidly growing multimedia company and publishers of the Herald newspaper group has several administrative job openings: Receptionist (F/T), Accounts Receivable/Billing Collections Clerk Multi-Media Coordinator (Hours Flexible) Qualified candidates are fast learners with good organizational and people skills - entry level ok. Role requires working knowledge of Microsoft Office and ability to learn custom software programs. If you would like to join a communitydriven, fast-paced environment, please send your resume to: careers@liherald.com.

CAREGIVERS With Elderly P/T Shifts Available Experience Required

Driver a Plus

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EDUcATIoNAl BUS TRANSpoRTATIoN 516.454.2300

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*NYS Ed Dept. Fingerprint Clearance and Possession of valid Security Guard License issued by the NYS Dep’t. of State req’d.

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CSC Holdings, LLC seeks a Lead Business Systems Analyst in Bethpage, NY to create, evaluate, and document workflows to enable reporting and delivery for business development initiatives. Perform root cause analysis and perform research to identify process breakdowns and drive business insights from data to identify solutions. Prepare business models and requirement documents, and perform costbenefit analysis to inform business decisions. Create and continually update documentation to reflect current operational procedures, and to support process standardization. Re-evaluate processes and procedures to maintain compliance with technologies and standards, improve customer experience, and increase operational efficiency. Position requires a Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a directly related STEM field, and 2 years of analyzing and redesigning business processes, and implementing operational improvements experience. Experience must include a minimum of: 2 years of experience with creating process flow diagrams for process improvement planning and business development; 2 years of experience with using business analytics tools to visualize operations; 2 years of experience with utilizing statistical computer languages to scrub data and generate insights and KPIs; and 2 years of experience with Hadoop, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Visio, MongoDB, PostgresSQL, Python, R, SQL, and Tableau. Requirements of this position include demonstration of either full vaccination status against COVID-19 or company-provided weekly COVID-19 testing. To apply, submit resume online at https://www.alticeusacareers.com/ and search by job title or enter job ID number 2022-30801.

DELI COUNTER AND PREP PERSON Full Time And Part Time. Weekends A Must. Experienced. Long Beach. Call 516-431-5515

DRIVERS WANTED

Full Time and Part Time Positions Available! Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to ehecker@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239

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 sbrinton@liherald.com HAIR CUTTER NEEDED Barber Shop Rockville Centre. F/T. Experienced, Immediate. 516-491-6611. 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. 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

Sales Executives Outside Sales

Richner Communications has openings for Outside Sales Executives to Sell Digital and Print advertising Service and sell both existing and developing new business. If you have the desire to succeed in our fast paced business and are motivated, dependable, have strong communication skills and can manage your own time, We would like to hear from you! Base salary with commission plan. Paid sick/personal days, vacation and paid holidays. Sales experience is a plus but we will train the right person to learn the industry. email resume to careers@liherald.com TAX PREPARER P/T Franklin Square Experience Needed. Retirees Welcome. C a l l 5 1 6 - 3 5 8 - 9 4 5 5 Fa x R e s u m e 516 358-9483. Email Resume: ed@loturco.com.

TREASURER P/T

For Public Library, 5- 7 Hours Per Week average. 5+ Years Experience In Finance/ Banking/ Accounting Required. Responsible For Financial Reporting, Managing Investments, Check Signing And Bank Reconciliations. CPA A PLUS! $50 Per Hour Send Resumes To Elizabeth Olesh: eolesh@baldwinpl.org by Friday, January 21, 2022.

Positions Available

Special Education Teacher Aide & General Education Teacher Aides Qualifications for Civil Service: • Must have knowledge of classroom routines. • Must have the ability to perform basic clerical tasks. • High School Diploma • Must be at least 21 years of age. Duties Include: • Assist teachers in the classroom by performing varied duties associated with teaching. • Must have the ability to maintain positive classroom environment. • Must have the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, parents, and school staff members. • Supervise students at lunch and recess. Send letter of interest along with your resume and a copy of your diploma to the Personnel Office, Attention Nancy Soevyn at the address above or by email to: Nsoevyn@elmontschools.org

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Positions Wanted STOCK WAREHOUSE WORK NEEDED P/T. Immediate Experienced. Call Andrew 516-238-5774 cel// 516-223-2722 home.

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F/T (approx. 30 hrs. per week) P/T & Subs (on will call / as needed basis) Salary: $18.42/hr Qualifications: Must have NYS CDL, Class B or C with appropriate passenger endorsement Must pass a NYS DMV Physician’s Exam Must pass pre-employment US DOT drug screen & random drug screenings thereafter Must pass NYSED Dept. Physical Performance Test Must pass fingerprint and background check by NYS Dept. of Criminal Justice Services & review by US FBI

If interested, submit letter of interest & resume to:

Dr. Alison Offerman-Celentano, Asst. Supt.

FAX (516) 431-7550 Equal Opportunity Employer A Service of Nassau BOCES

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EAST MEADOW HERALD — January 13, 2022

HERALD

Adding to the attic

Westbury

Exclusive Community

January 13, 2022 — HERALD

HOME Of tHE WEEK

Q. A few contractors have looked at my attic so I can finish it for more bedrooms and a family room. The 1920s house has a very large attic with stairs to the second-floor landing. The attic stairs are much steeper and narrower, and the contractor says the walls will need to be taken down and wider and longer stairs put in. Is this necessary? The stairs are already there, and even though they’re steep, they work. Also, one of the contractors said that the horizontal 2x4s going across the attic, which are too low to walk around, could be removed or raised. Is that true? He said we could put them higher and add more so we can add finished wallboards to them. Do you agree, and is there anything I should know about doing this before we start?

ou will love coming home to this beautiful and dramatic 3 bedroom Townhouse in the exclusive community of Meadowbrook Pointe. Enjoy the gorgeous master suite on the main floor with cathedral ceilings. The vaulted living room with fireplace is exquisite and the eat in kitchen with breakfast room leads to a private patio and yard. The upper den looks over the sprawling floor below and has an additional 2 bedrooms and full bath. This home boasts a one car attached garage and 2 car driveway. You are close to the clubhouse, pool and gym. This is a private community with 24 hour gatehouse. $1,099,000.

A. Good thing you asked before you started. Instead of starting, you need to stop and take a few steps back. What you’re describing has multiple issues that you have to address. First, your state building code doesn’t allow the occupancy of a third floor in a single-family, woodframed dwelling. This is because of the many danonte eeper gers involved in surviving a fire at that level. In the process of getting the permit to occupy a third story, which you left out of the description of your investigation, you would need to have a licensed architect or engineer prepare plans that include specific methods of escape, including the correct size and number of windows, distances to exterior and interior levels below to escape to, sprinkler locations along the entire path of travel to get out of the dwelling, heights of ceilings and fire-rated materials to be installed. This is because, as I have often written, the chances of surviving a fire in the third floor of a wood-framed dwelling are statistically remote, only 5 percent. That means you or your loved ones could be among the 95 out of 100 who will die from smoke inhalation or burns. The plans for a finished third story are submitted to both your local building department, which will rightfully reject them, and to the State Codes Division for a public hearing, where your case will need to be represented by a code-knowledgeable professional. I have seen people represent themselves, which generally doesn’t go very well, since safety is the reason for the codes, and there are many laws and standards that the average owner is unaware of. The stair access must be 3 feet wide, and the tread must be at least 10¼ inches, while the risers cannot exceed 8¼ inches. The horizontal 2x4s you described are collar ties, and they serve the important function of holding the roof together, especially in high winds and under snow loads. Moving or removing them can be dangerous. The higher up, the less effective, and without first calculating several factors, it should not be done.

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OpINIONS

n Christmas Day, NASA sent into space the James Webb telescope, which, if all works out as planned, will provide us with our first look into the beginning of time. The telescope will bring into focus the oldest stars in the universe, and examine the atmospheres of nearby exoplanets for signs of life. But who the heck was James Webb? He has largely been lost to history. He was a Marine Corps pilot, an aide to several members of Congress, JAMES undersecretary of to President BERNSTEIN state Harry S. Truman, president of a New York company, Sperry Gyroscope, and NASA’s second administrator. A pretty impressive biography. But just as Webb’s name has largely been forgotten, so has a tragic incident that occurred during his administration that almost ended America’s space program. On Jan. 27, 1967, three astronauts

— Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, 40, Edward H. White, 36, and rookie Roger Chaffee, 31 — were killed on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida when a fire erupted in their command module during pre-flight training. At the time, it was the world’s worst space disaster. Little is said or written these days about the three astronauts and their destroyed Apollo 1 spacecraft. For one thing, there was the success of the moon landings beginning in 1969. And there have been other disasters — two space shuttles, Challenger, in 1986, and Columbia, in 2003, were lost, resulting in the deaths of 14 astronauts. The country was in shock after the ’67 fire in Apollo 1. NASA’s carefully cultivated image of infallibility had been badly damaged. There were calls from various corners to nix the space program, and let the Russians have the moon. It wasn’t worth human lives, some editorials in leading newspapers said. Webb saw it differently. But perhaps the most distinguishing factor of his leadership, something rarely seen in gov-

ernment or politics these days, was that Webb publicly took the blame for the disaster, pulling no punches. “We’ve always known that something like this was going to happen soon or later,” he told the press at the time. “Who would have thought that the first tragedy would be on the ground?” Not only did he shoulder the blame, but Webb was determined to get all the facts and keep the space program moving forward. America, he thought, had to be first on the moon. He went to President Lyndon Johnson and asked that NASA be allowed to handle the investigation into the fire, promising to be truthful with the agency’s findings. Webb was grilled by various congressional committees, and kept the backlash away from NASA and the Johnson administration. As a result, Webb was assigned much of the blame, and NASA ultimately regained its “right stuff ” image. An investigation indicated that a faulty electrical wire inside the Apollo 1 command module likely caused the fire.

fter a tragedy, he was determined to keep the space program moving forward.

Webb retired from the space agency in October 1968, just as the Apollo program was nearing completion. Astronauts landed on the moon a year later. There were bumps along the way in Webb’s career. In 2015, a Seattle Times columnist revived talk that when Webb was undersecretary of state, thousands of gay men and women lost their government jobs in what was known as the “Lavender Scare.” There was never any evidence that Webb had anything to do with the firings, although people speculated he must have known about them. Perhaps the thing to remember about James Webb is that he kept the complex machinery of NASA humming so America could stay true to the goal that President John F. Kennedy set in 1962: to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade and bring him back safely to Earth. Much of the technology had not even been invented yet when Kennedy made that bold pledge, and many thought the goal was impossible. Webb was one of the believers. Jim Bernstein is editor of the Long Beach Herald. Comments about this column? JBernstein@liherald.com.

Choosing to read hope in the crystal ball

hat if we got knocked out of our socks by a brilliant turnabout in our national life? At the moment, “Happy New Year” rings hollow. We all know how heavy the baggage is that we dragged from December to January this year. But my hope is in the mystery of the future. We could never have predicted the dreadful twin plagues of Covid and civil unrest, and that is exactly why we can’t predict a change, a windfall of good RANDI karma and good KREISS timing. Twenty-two years ago, I wrote a New Year’s column for the Heralds offering my predictions for the year ahead, 2000. First, I suggested, sell all your stock. In my capacity as a person with little understanding of financial markets, I firmly believed that stores would become obsolete as online shopping became more popular. The markets would go south from there. As it turned out, if you just kept your stocks for these 22 years, you would have made a tidy bundle. So my first predic-

tion was dead on arrival. Even with the dot-com bust in the early 2000s and the Great Recession, the average annual return in the stock market was about 10 percent. I also predicted that that we would not go to war with Saddam Hussein. On the national front, I lamented the scandals in Congress, and said our officials would out one another until no one would be left in government. That one was particularly interesting: Apparently, the worst thing I could imagine about Congress 22 years ago was that folks were having sexual flings. Man, wouldn’t you take that scenario in a heartbeat? What if someone told you back then that on New Year’s 2022, our country would be stumbling ahead, staggered by more than 800,000 deaths from a virulent pandemic that shut down schools and services and sent millions into isolation and quarantine? Could you possibly have believed that political fighting, a violent attack on the Capitol and hordes of know-nothing anarchists would threaten the integrity of Congress, the presidency and the Supreme Court? Would you have believed that a Marjorie Taylor Greene could exist

if I described her to you back then? How about this one: Donald Trump would get elected president in 2016. Hell, 22 years ago, the twin towers were still standing in all their massive glory at the tip of Manhattan. Perhaps it’s best that crystal balls are cloudy. The unexpected is what I am counting on — that unpredictably good things may save us. As I think about the year ahead, my head and my heart do battle. Our hearts don’t heal according to a turn of the calendar page. My heart is aching for our losses. Some friends have died. My city is set back on its heels. Our kids are out of school yet again, as we enter the third year of the pandemic. Part of my head is worried about tomorrow. But I’m going with the part of my brain that knows unexpectedly beneficent events in the year ahead could heal the country and get us healthy again. We can go back to work, and bring back birthday parties and theater and family dinners. The virus could burn out. Our political leaders may find their best selves. Airplane travel will take off and people, too long sequestered in their homes, will embrace one another again.

nexpected events in the year ahead could heal the country and get us healthy again.

This could happen, and is no more unlikely than a raging global pandemic that stopped the clock for two years. I wish this for all of us in 2022: that we are off-the-charts lucky and blessed in our lives and work. In the meantime, the poet John Roedel offers this advice: “My heart is always sad about/something that happened yesterday/while my head is always worried/about something that may happen tomorrow, I lamented . . . “My gut squeezed my hand./‘I just can’t live with my mistakes of the past/or my anxiety about the future,’ I sighed . . . “My gut smiled and said: ‘In that case/ you should stay with your lungs for a while . . . “If you are exhausted about/your heart’s obsession with/the fixed past and your mind’s focus/on the uncertain future/ your lungs are the perfect place for you/ there is no yesterday in your lungs/there is no tomorrow there either/there is only now/there is only inhale/there is only exhale/there is only this moment/there is only breath/and in that breath/you can rest while your/heart and head work/their relationship out.” Let us say goodbye to 2021 hoping to be astonished, in a good way, by 2022. Copyright 2022 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

EAST MEADOW HERALD — January 13, 2022

The Webb telescope is up, but who’s James Webb?

Herald editorial

East mEadow

January 13, 2022 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

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No school district should overturn mask mandate

n his first week on the job, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman addressed the coronavirus pandemic in a way that can best be described as premature, if not downright foolhardy. Last week, Blakeman, a Republican from the Five Towns, signed a set of three executive orders, all of which were intended to loosen state regulations whose purpose was to protect public safety during this most recent surge of infections caused by the Omicron variant. Blakeman was clearly thumbing his nose at Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, who on Dec. 10 ordered mask wearing in public to reduce the spread of Covid-19 as it fans out like wildfire across New York state, and the nation. Before taking office, Blakeman had said he would not enforce the public mask mandate, as required by Hochul. Then, on Jan. 6, he took this political showdown one step further when he signed a surprise executive order directing local boards of education across Nassau to vote on whether to require masks in the schools. Refusing to enforce the mask mandate was bad enough. To require school districts to weigh in on a measure that is, incontrovertibly, intended to protect the health and safety of students — many of them unvaccinated — along with teachers and school workers, represents an abdication of his duty as county executive to protect Nassau’s most vulnerable. It’s been a while since Blakeman, 66, has been in school, but surely he must

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letters Blood drive a success To the Editor: Owing to a blood emergency, we sponsored a blood drive through Long Island Blood Services on Dec. 16. Even though this was during the holiday season, an impressive 56 pints of blood was donated by the generous residents of our districts. We want to thank all of these individuals, Library Director Jessica Tymecki and Library Board President Brandon Gimpelman for the cooperation of the staff and board of the North Bellmore Public Library in hosting this event. It is certainly encouraging to see people come together to help others. TOm mCKEvITT District 13 legislator STEvE RHOADS District 19 legislator

remember the conditions in which students and teachers work. Twenty to 30 people are confined to a room for six to eight hours a day, with ventilation systems that are often decades old, unless a district has recently upgraded them. In short, students and teachers must spend hours a day within feet of one another, in rooms of stagnant air. One infected student or teacher could spread the coronavirus to dozens of people in a single day. Why not mask up? What, precisely, is Blakeman’s point here? Anyone who enters a school must wear a mask, period. Some parents say they worry about the potential psychological effects of their children wearing masks throughout the day. In studies since the start of the pandemic, however, children were found to be highly resilient, reporting few, if any, effects from mask wearing, and health experts across the country have weighed in, saying children are, generally speaking, doing just fine wearing masks. At the same time, as we reported in last week’s editorial, numerous studies indicate that mask wearing does, in fact, reduce the spread of the coronavirus. That is, there is no real downside to children wearing masks in school — and only an upside, the likely reduction of community spread of the coronavirus. Thus, it would be just plain wrong of any school district, for what could only be described as political reasons, to overturn the state’s mask mandate in a vote. Hochul quickly weighed in on the mat-

ter last week, saying that any school district that voted to overturn the mandate, ordered by both the State Education Department and the State Department of Health, could — and likely would — face the loss of state aid for education. She was right to weigh in aggressively. There will be those who say that the Omicron variant, according to studies, is less virulent and less deadly than previous strains of the coronavirus. They are correct. This variant is still, however, a virus with the capability to send the unvaccinated to hospitals. And people who believe that even a three-dose vaccination will entirely protect them from it should think again. The vaccinated are becoming infected as well. They might not experience the heavy symptoms that unvaccinated people do, but they can still get sick. Further, the risk of a vaccinated person being hospitalized by the Omicron variant is extremely low, but it is not zero. The bottom line: Blakeman appears to be playing a game of political brinkmanship, which has garnered him a good amount of publicity across the state and made him something of a hero to farright conservatives. That is why we find his first two weeks in office to be so disappointing. We honestly expected better of him. We hope and trust he will see the error of his ways and restore one of the best measures that we have to guard against the coronavirus — the mask mandate.

opinions

ational Public Radio and ABC News warn, “Teachers are on the front lines in the Jan. 6 culture war.” Depending on where they work, teachers experience different political pressure when it comes to how to discuss with students the events that rocked the U.S. Capitol a year and a week ago. For younger children, important themes are community decision-making and fairness, the building blocks of a democratic society. In grades five to eight, students aLan learn about the foundations of the sinGer democratic process — rights and responsibilities, civic action and voting — along with injustices. In grades 11 and 12, students should follow congressional hearings, evaluate media coverage and discuss the implications of current events. For these grades, the anniversary of Jan. 6, with expanded media coverage, offered a teachable moment for more in-depth analysis. While students and teachers are entitled to their opinions about the implications of the events, discussion in class about them must be respectful, and speakers must support statements with evi-

dence. The teacher must prepare documents for evaluation, ask questions of student speakers and moderate discussion. The teacher must guide students through multiple sources with different perspectives so they can form their own questions, evaluate the sources and information, and arrive at conclusions supported by evidence. This process must not include deciding whether the Jan. 6 insurrection happened. It happened, and it was indeed an insurrection, intended to block certification of the presidential election. One difficulty in addressing the events of that day is the country’s partisan divide. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey found that despite widely viewed video footage, 60 percent of Republicans claimed the attack on the Capitol was not violent or somewhat violent. Here, teachers should ask students to suggest additional documents to allow them to discuss and decide whether the events were violent or not. To be clear, more than 700 people have been charged with various crimes at the Capitol. The FBI estimates that about 2,000 people were part of the mob that breached the building after a pro-Trump rally at which then President Donald Trump and other speakers repeated

t offers a teachable moment for indepth analysis, if discussed respectfully.

Letters No wonder Democrats are in trouble To the Editor: Alan Singer’s analyses of why the Democratic Party is in peril of losing control of government (“Democrats election perils have little to do with ‘wokeness,’” Dec. 9-15) is yet another anti-Republican screed with selective omissions of facts. Nowhere in his op-ed piece does he mention the Southern border, which is a lawless catastrophe for our country as well as for Biden, Harris or whoever is supposed to be in charge. Singer fails to mention that with no clear mandate, a 50-50 Senate and a razorthin majority in the House, Biden and company are trying to pass a multi-trillion-dollar package that can only be paid for with higher taxes. Nowhere does he mention the murder, mayhem and chaos that are a direct result of flawed policies in Democratic-run cities across the country. Weakening support for Israel; kneeling to an Iran deal, which is a pathway to a nuclear weapon for a country with a malevolent, untrustworthy government; abandoning friends and weapons in

unsubstantiated charges that the election was stolen. Some 140 law enforcement officers were injured during the attack, one died, and the Capitol sustained more than $1.5 million in damage. More than 160 of the rioters entered guilty pleas in exchange for lighter sentences. Seventy have been sentenced. Thirty-one were jailed and 18 received home detention. The longest prison term so far is five years. About 100 defendants have ties to extremist groups. Trump tweeted many times on the afternoon on Jan. 6, attacking then Vice President Mike Pence more than once. At 2:38 p.m. — more than an hour and a half after Trump supporters first breached the Capitol — Trump tweeted, “Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!” At 4:17 p.m. Trump tweeted a video in which he told his followers, “I know your pain, I know your hurt. We love you, you’re very special. You’ve seen what happens, you’ve seen the way others are treated . . . I know how you feel, but go home, and go home in peace.” Sen. Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah, called what happened on Jan. 6 “an insurrection, incited by the president.” On Fox News, Rep. Liz Cheney, a Republican from Wyoming, said, “There’s no

question the president formed the mob. The president incited the mob. The president addressed the mob. He lit the flame.” The New York Times published useful lesson ideas to aid teachers. It also recommends consulting the websites of Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance), Facing History and Ourselves and the Anti-Defamation League. The Times package includes documents with questions sorted by these themes: ■ Understanding what happened and reacting to it. ■ Investigating President Trump’s responsibility. ■ Exploring why democracy requires a peaceful transfer of power. ■ Understanding the roots of the riot. ■ Considering the role of the news media and the power of language. ■ Scrutinizing how social media can facilitate insurrection. ■ Putting Jan. 6 into historical context. Dr. Alan Singer is a professor of teaching, learning and technology and the director of social studies education programs at Hofstra University. He is a former New York City high school social studies teacher and editor of Social Science Docket, a joint publication of the New York and New Jersey Councils for the Social Studies. Follow him on Twitter, @AlanJSinger1.

Framework by Joe Abate

Afghanistan; sitting idly by as China steals land in the South China Sea to build military outposts; closing down the Keystone Pipeline (while green-lighting Russia’s), which has led to soaring gas prices as we struggle to electrify, are just a few other omissions. Throw in the teaching of a flawed critical race theory, the 1609 Project, FBI surveillance of school board meetings, support of the corrupt and often violent Black Lives Matter movement and consideration of reparations for descendants of people who were slaves more than 150 years ago, and it’s quite understandable why the Democratic Party is in trouble. Its record of failure in one year is breathtaking. Most people who are, or will turn from, blue to red are neither racist nor violent. They abhor the Jan. 6 insurrection. They are pragmatic! And yes, like it or not, Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted by a jury of his peers who heard all of the evidence. To become purple, we need moderate leaders on both sides of the aisle who listen to and respect one another. Ignoring reality when it conflicts with one’s point of view is a prescription for failure. DR. MEL YOUNg Lawrence

The first of how many? — Island Park

EAST MEADOW HERALD — January 13, 2022

How to teach about the Jan. 6 insurrection

January 13, 2022 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

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