East Meadow Herald 03-14-2024

Soaring Jets!

East Meadow High School’s girls’ basketball team captured its first-ever Long Island championship last Sunday, defeating Westhampton 51-46 at Farmingdale State College for the Class AA crown. Story, additional photos, page 9.

Town of Hempstead golf courses added to Lifetime Liberty Pass

By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com

The Town of Hempstead officials announced a new program Monday that will allow qualifying, disabled veterans to play golf for free, at courses throughout the township.

The resolution was adopted at the Town Board meeting on March 12 and was officially launched Wednesday.

Joined by local veterans, golf enthusiasts and representatives from the Metropolitan PGA Foundation, Town Supervisor Don Clavin and other members of the Town Board, shared the details of the program. Representatives from

PGA HOPE — which stands for Helping Our Patriots Everywhere — were also present.

PGA HOPE is an adaptive golf program offered to veterans free of charge, to introduce to them to the game in effort to enhance their overall quality of life. While the program is open to all veterans, it is geared specifically towards those suffering with disabilities.

In the Town of Hempstead, there are two golf courses — a 9-hole course in Merrick, and an 18-hole course in Lido Beach. Each course has a driving range. Veterans currently pay $10 for every round of weekday golf, and $12 on the weekends. Non-veterans pay $20 on weekdays,

NUMC remains on life support

New reports indicate hospital may close by July, maybe sooner

By BRANDoN CRUZ bcruz@liherald.com

Nassau University Medical Center, a public benefit hospital serving over 270,000 patients annually and Long Island’s only Level One trauma and burn center, is on the brink of a financial collapse and could cease to operate by July, according to hospital Chairman Matthew Bruderman.

TThis week, County Legislator Siela Bynoe and other Democratic officials called for Bruderman’s resignation after the state health commissioner, James McDonald, informed the hospital and the County Legislature that in order for them to receive $83 million in emergency funds, NUMC would have to agree to the state’s terms: to conduct a nationwide search for a new chief executive, submit a detailed five-year plan for improving operations and reducing losses, submit monthly progress reports, review its organizational structure and

implement a quality-improvement plan.

But according to Bruderman, who led a recent two-hour “employee town hall,” the hospital has already done these things, and he is refusing to comply further, calling the state’s demands and the legislators’ calls for his resignation “extortion,” and characterizing claims that the hospital is being mismanaged as false.

“The state decided that in our state, we want to make sure that everyone can access health care,” Bruderman said. “That’s what we pledged to do through legislation — it doesn’t matter your color, creed, religion, or how much money you have. The three safety-net hospitals were set up to serve the people with a special mission.

“Now, the state needs to make good on its promise and pay its bill,” he said. “Eightythree million dollars, you know what that is? That’s extortion and blackmail, for the sake of

Continued on page 10

Media Origin Inc./Herald

Kindergartners dance, get into the groove

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

For the last four years in the East Meadow School District, kindergarten students have been able to get into the groove and learn dance, taught by professionals in the field. The multiweek program took place between mid-January and mid-February this year, and was led by Gina Petitto, a dance teacher and East Meadow resident who raised her kids in the community.

Petitto co-owns JAM Dance and Fitness Center, which is just down the road from East Meadow in Bellmore.

Over the course of four weeks, kindergartners in each of East Meadow’s elementary schools — which includes Barnum Woods, Parkway, McVey, Bowling Green and Meadowbrook — got to spend a part of their day learning the basics of dance. Each school gets its own day and period of time for its dance classes, Petitto explained, so students get out of the classroom just once a week.

“We start with just the basics,” Petitto said. “We start with stretches, stuff like that. It’s all about balance, using your body, what muscles you use to balance.”

This all leads to breaking down music into counts and learning different moves.

“It’s really amazing how much they learn,” Petitto said. “By the last week, we don’t have to do it with them. They know what to do. They hold their arms out, they do their kicks, they’re literally doing everything we’re doing.”

In the past, Petitto led the dance program in each elementary school by herself. This year, she brought in a teacher from JAM, Alexis Muenckler, to assist with the classes.

“I used to teach her when she was younger,” Petitto said. “So it was full circle. I taught Alexis, now she teaches for me at the studio, and now she’s helping me teach the kindergarten program.”

Each class ended with a routine, where students would follow the leads of their teachers — who incorporated everything they learned earlier that day in class.

“It’s really cool that we get to see at the end of the four weeks that they really listened to us,” Petitto said.

The program includes a wide range of skills that apply outside of dance — whether it’s counting beats, or following instruction.

“We’re really trying to incorporate other things, and it’s nice for the kids to come out of their classroom in the middle of the day and see us and have fun,” Petitto said. “It’s not really anything strict — we’re not getting ready for a performance. So we really have the time to do whatever we want. To see the kids really just change within the four weeks is really amazing.”

At JAM, Petitto said that young girls take a lot more of the studio’s creative dance classes, while young boys tend to lean more towards taking a class like

Students learn a lot over the course of the program that is offered in all five of the district’s elementary schools.

hip hop. But in East Meadow’s program, she gets to teach everyone all together, which is something she’s enjoyed.

Petitto added that the program is really a tremendous highlight within East Meadow schools.

“I’m proud of East Meadow for doing this program and incorporating dance into kids lives at such a young age,” she said. “There could be kids that never were able to take a dance class or didn’t think they wanted to. I think it’s an important program and I really love that East Meadow does it.

“For me, it’s incredible to be able to grow up dancing in East Meadow, and now I’m teaching it in all the schools,” she added. “It’s very sweet for me to be able to do that.”

To learn more about Petitto’s studio in Bellmore, visit JAMDanceAndFitness.com.

The dance classes serve as a great break in a student’s day for them to learn and take part in something they may not have been able to in the past.

Photos courtesy Gina Petitto

Kindergarten students in East Meadow schools participate in a four-week dance program every year, that allows them to learn the basics of dance, movement, balance and more.

The program is led by Gina Petitto, right, who co-owns JAM Dance and Fitness Center. Petitto above, with Alexis Muenckler, who taught classes with her.

“Elder Law Estate Planning” is an area of law that combines features of both elder law (disability planning) and estate planning (death planning) and relates mostly to the needs of the middle class. Estate planning was formerly only for the wealthy, who wanted to shelter their assets from taxes and pass more on to their heirs. But today estate planning is also needed by the middle class who may have assets exceeding one million dollars, especially when you consider life insurance in the mix.

Estate planning with trusts became popular starting in 1991 when AARP published “A Consumer Report on Probate” concluding that probate should be avoided and trusts should be used to transfer assets to heirs without the expense and delay of probate, a court proceeding on death. Trusts are also widely used today to avoid guardianship proceedings on disability, protect privacy, and reduce the chance of a will contest in court.

As the population aged, life expectancies increased, and the cost of care skyrocketed, the field of elder law emerged in the late 1980’s to help people protect assets from the cost of long-term care by using Medicaid asset protection strategies.

We have been practicing “elder law estate planning” together for over thirty years to address these needs:

• Getting your assets to your heirs, with the least amount of court costs, taxes and legal fees possible.

• Keeping your assets in the bloodline for your grandchildren and protecting those assets from your children’s divorces, lawsuits and creditors.

• Protecting your assets from the costs of long-term care and qualifying you for government benefits to pay for your home care or facility care.

• Avoiding guardianship proceedings if you become disabled and probate court proceedings on death.

Man arrested for falsely reporting incident

A Hicksville man was arrested for reporting a false incident on Feb. 26 around 3 a.m. in East Meadow.

According to Nassau County Police Department detectives, Enrique Hurtado Mazzada falsely reported to police that he had been the victim of a robbery. He allegedly claimed that he had been carjacked and assaulted by two unknown individuals, causing the loss of his vehicle and several injuries.

An investigation was conducted and

it was determined that Mazzada had fabricated his claim. He was arrested on March 8 in East Meadow without incident.

Mazzada is charged with falsely reporting an incident and making a punishable false statement. He was issued an appearance ticket, returnable to the First District Court in Hempstead.

–Jordan Vallone

E.M. man charged in attempted burglary

An East Meadow resident was seen on camera allegedly getting into a car in Cedarhurst and stealing property on March 5 at 5:17 a.m., according to Nassau police.

Thomas E. Taylor, 53, also allegedly opened the garage door of the house with a remote found inside the vehicle, but did not take any other items, police said.

Thomas E. Taylor

After the subsequent investigation, police found Taylor outside of 255 Lawrence Ave., in Inwood, at 2:40 p.m. that Tuesday and arrested him.

Taylor is charged with attempted

burglary and petit larceny.

Police also found that Taylor had an open county bench warrant from an Inwood incident in February of 2018. The charges then were for criminal mischief and also petit larceny.

Taylor’s next court date is March 25. He pleaded not guilty. A temporary order of protection was issued and he is out on bail. The Legal Aid Society of Nassau County is representing him.

–Jeffrey Bessen

Courtesy Metro Nassau police say a Hicksville man reported a false incident in East Meadow.

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F.D. to hold recruitment event on April 13

Decreased membership, coupled with increased requests for service, has created a need for additional members in volunteer fire departments across New York State, and the East Meadow Fire Department is no exception. To continue to provide the optimal level of fire and emergency medical services for its residents, the East Meadow Fire Department is seeking to boost its ranks.

East Meadow residents aged 18 and older interested in becoming volunteer firefighters or emergency-medical-services providers can learn more at a Recruitment Open House on Saturday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the firehouses listed below.

■ Fire Headquarters, 197 East Meadow Ave., at Front Street, East Meadow

■ Station No. 1, 346 East Meadow Ave., near Franklin Avenue, East Meadow

■ Station No. 2, 590 East Meadow Ave. and Park Ave., East Meadow

■ Station No. 3, 350 North Newbridge Road and Salisbury Park Drive, Levittown

■ Station No. 4, 3 Bob Reed Lane and Carman Ave., Westbury

The event is being coordinated with RecruitNY, a joint effort of the Firefighters Association of the State of New York and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, organizations dedicated to addressing the critical issue of the declining number of volunteers statewide.

“The men and women of the East

Meadow Fire Department are vitally important for the health and safety of our community,” Fire Commissioner James Surless said. “Residents interested in gaining satisfaction by helping their neighbors are encouraged to attend one of our open houses or to check out the fire department website for more information.”

Commissioner Keith Hoffman added

that, aside from the personal rewards of volunteering, there are numerous additional benefits, including local propertytax exemptions and state-income-tax advantages, scholarships for full- and part-time students attending Nassau Community College, free training and health checkups, and a length-of-service award program, which provides a monthly stipend based on years of vol-

unteer service.

Many volunteer fire and emergency medical service members use the training and experience they’ve gained to transition to professional, paid careers in the emergency services field, such as fire and rescue, law enforcement, and medicine.

For more information, call (516) 5424565, or visit EastMeadowFD.com.

Beautification group takes root in East Meadow

By RACHELE TERRANOVA rterranova@liherald.com

At the East Meadow Public Library, a new nonprofit organization called Friends for a Beautiful East Meadow gathered residents together for it’s first meeting to discuss beautification and preservation efforts they are hoping to implement in East Meadow.

Organization directors Edward Rosenthal, Richie Krug Jr., Taleen Krug, and Todd Weinstein led the meeting, introducing the initiatives in store for the upcoming months.

“Tonight, we want to introduce to the community what our organization is about and how we’re starting,” Rosenthal said. “We’re looking for comments, for people who want to get tot work, hear what it is you want to get to work on.”

Residents at the meeting voiced their concerns on topics such as sidewalks, replacing trees, art installations, and desires for outdoor dining.

In response, the board shared the plans that are the pillars of the organization. Green initiatives such as planting trees, flowers, and greenery are planned for visual appeal as well as a healthier environment. Community clean ups will also be initiated on a regu-

lar basis in streets, parks, and public spaces.

A unique draw is the plans for public art installations. In hopes of working with local schools, the organization believes in the power of art installations

in public spaces for creating a sense of cultural appreciation and fostering unity amongst the community. Environmental conservation is also at the forefront of the organization. Its website says: “Friends for a Beautiful

East Meadow is committed to raising awareness about the importance of environmental conservation. Through educational programs, workshops, and seminars, we aim to inspire the community to actively participate in preserving our natural resources.”

Residents raised questions about the direction of the organization in response to the wide spectrum of ideas being brought up throughout the meeting.

“You say what we’re doing here is very broad,” Weinstein explained. “It is, because we’re just starting out. But what we’re hoping is that we will have passionate people such as yourself that take on multiple grassroots projects like this. We in this room have the ability to shape what this organization is going to look like in the future.”

Nassau County Legislator Tom McKevitt as well as a representative for State Sen. Steve Rhoads was in attendance for the meeting, supporting the efforts of the organization.

“Thank you all for doing this,” a community member in the audience said. “I think community is of the utmost importance.”

To join the organization as a member or to donate, visit FABEM.org.

Courtesy Firefighters Association of the State of New York

The East Meadow Fire Department will hold a recruitment event on April 13 at each of its firehouses.

Rachele Terranova/Herald Members of the community gathered on March 4 at the East Meadow Public Library with the new nonprofit organization Friends for a Beautiful East Meadow to discuss ways to beautify the town. The organizational directors, from left, Richie Krug Jr., Todd Weinstein, Taleen Krug, and Edward Rosenthal, led the meeting.

Thanking veterans, on and off the course

Continued from page 1

and $23 on weekends.

“A number of our veterans have pointed out a great program in New York state called the Lifetime Liberty Pass, and it gives an added bonus for veterans who have a disability of 40 percent or more,” Clavin said. “I’m happy to announce that after the advocacy of our wonderful veterans, and of course Town Board members, we’ll be passing legislation where we will be adding the town facilities, particularly our golf courses, to the Lifetime Liberty Pass.”

This is a piece of legislation that makes sense.

Don Clavin

Hempstead town supervisor

The Lifetime Liberty Pass permits qualified New York state veterans with disabilities discounted use of state parks, historic sites and recreational facilities. It includes free vehicle entry to most state parks and other facilities.

To qualify, a veteran must reside in the state and have a 40 percent or greater service-connected disability, as certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans who have been awarded an allowance by the federal government towards the purchasing of an automobile because of their disability at any time in their life may also be eligible.

Once the pass is issued, it never expires.

“This is a piece of legislation that makes sense,” Clavin said. “How do you say thank you to the men and women who put their lives out there? And now for those who have disabilities — they want to enjoy our town facilities, and they will.”

Town Councilman Dennis Dunne, who represents Levittown and parts of Bellmore, East Meadow, Merrick, Seaford and Wantagh, played a major part in introducing the program to the board. A United States Marine Corps veteran, who served in the Vietnam War, Dunne has been at the forefront of advocating for veterans while in public

town Supervisor don Clavin recently announced a new program

disabilities to play golf for free.

office. He was previously a Nassau County legislator, before his appointment to the Town Board in 2017.

“If you have a 40 percent disability or more, you’re entitled to this free pass,” he said. “We’re including our golf courses in it, which means a lot, because (there’s) a short period of time in our lives where we’re going to be able to physically play golf without the pain. This is for the guys and gals that are serving right now, and the guys and gals that have served, that still have the ability to get out on the course.”

Dunne said the program is all about helping people.

“I love what we’re all about — helping people, helping disabled (people) and especially helping the men and women who served our country,” he said.

Clavin said veterans who want to apply for the pass must also go through the state. Visit ParksNY.gov/Admission/Lifetime-Liberty-Pass.aspx for more information on the program and to learn how to apply.

“We’re working very closely with the state,” Clavin said. “If anybody ever has

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a question, where to get it from the state, you can talk to any of our teams at any of our town facilities, and we’ll direct you there.”

Clavin said the program is just one small part of what the Town of Hempstead has done, and will continue to do for veterans.

Thomas

“We can never do enough to thank our vets,” he said. “This is just a small step and if anybody has any other ideas about what we should be doing more of, we always will embrace it.”

For more on the town’s golf courses, visit HempsteadNY.gov/274/GolfCourses.

There is absolutely no fee or other charge in New York State when you make “pre-arrangements”. Moreover when you pre-fund those arrangements through the Pre-Plan Trust there is no additional expense in establishing the trust account. A trust account that remains under your control and your funds are FDIC insured.

No commission, no set-up fees, no extra expenses. Just accurate, helpful information, and a plan that conforms to all New York State Regulations and SSI-Medicaid regulations as well. An enhanced rate of interest on the Pre-Plan Trust enables us to guarantee the funeral home costs when a complete funeral is arranged and paid for.

If you would like to discuss these issues, call us and we’ll arrange to have one of our licensed funeral director professionals meet with you and answer your questions.

Leo F. KEARNS, Inc. Funeral Directors Thomas L. Kearns, Patrick J. Kearns, Paul C. Kearns-Stanley (516) 794-0500 or 1-800-640-9500 (NYS) 445 East Meadow Ave., East Meadow (across from the East Meadow Post Office) www.LEOFKEARNS.com

Jordan Vallone/Herald

at town of Hempstead golf courses, allowing veterans with

HERALD SPORTS

East Meadow wins L.I. championship

By TONY BELLISSIMO

tbellissimo@liherald.com

Finishing runner-up in the Nassau Conference AA-1 girls’ basketball standings and getting the No. 7 playoff seed fueled the East Meadow Jets’ fire heading into the postseason.

And for the second time in a week, they made history.

Six days after completing a Cinderella run to capture its firstever county championship, East Meadow led after every quarter in Sunday afternoon’s Long Island Class AA title game and defeated Westhampton, 51-46, before packed stands for both sides at Farmingdale State College.

“We just keep building off our last win and keep making history,” said junior Allie Twible, who led the Jets with 18 points. “It’s really amazing. Our program had never been to the semifinals before and now we’re county and Long Island champs. It doesn’t feel real.”

Freshman Angelina Cronin added 14 points, senior Keziah Philip had 8 points and 8 rebounds, and sophomore Kayla Lederer chipped in 5 points as East Meadow improved to 20-5 and advanced to face Albertus Magnus in a state Class AA semifinal this Friday at Hudson Valley Community College at 8:45 p.m. The state championship game is Saturday at 8:45 p.m.

“We’re on Cloud Nine,” East Meadow head coach Peter Olenik said. “It wasn’t pretty basketball, but sometimes you have to grind and find ways to win an ugly one. Westhampton is a scrappy, young and hungry team and we just had to keep battling.”

East Meadow led all the way and had to overcome a 3-point third quarter and struggles from the foul line in crunch time to hold off the Hurricanes, who knocked off Bellport in the Suffolk County AA final.

“We watched their county championship game twice and our biggest concern was their point guard,” said Olenik, referring to Westhampton’s Sandra Clarke. “We contained her to a large extent with Kayla doing a lot of the work, so that was big.”

For Westhampton (21-3), freshman Kate Sweet had 18 points and sophomores Jasmine Taylor and Clarke added 10 and 9, respectively.

East Meadow led 13-9 after the first quarter as senior Charlotte Viola beat the buzzer with a layup. The advantage was 33-26 at halftime, but the teams combined for just 10 points in the third

quarter. The Jets still led 36-33 entering the fourth.

“Their defense got in our face a bit more than we’re used to, but our defense was just as strong in the third quarter and we never relinquished the lead,” said Olenik, who’s assisted by Nora Tracey.

Twible and Cronin got the offense moving again in the fourth and East Meadow’s dream season has at least another week left.

“Winning the county championship was incredible but I said to the girls all week don’t stop now,” Olenik said.

After opening the Nassau AA playoffs with a win over No. 10 Roslyn, the Jets upset the No. 2 (Garden City), No. 3 (MacArthur) and No. 1 seeds (Manhasset) to win their first-ever county crown.

Now they’re two wins away from a state title.

“It’s hard to put into words,” Philip said. “We’re just so excited. That’s the best way to describe it. We’ve rallied around each other since the playoffs started and took things one step at a time. Beating Garden City gave us so much confidence.”

Photos by Media Origin Inc./Herald

The Jets celebrated their first-ever Long Island championship last Sunday after holding off Westhampton, 51-46.

Freshman Angelina Cronin poured in 14 points in the historic victory that has the Jets headed upstate to Hudson Valley Community College for the Class AA Final Four.

Senior Keziah Philip, right, had 8 points and 8 rebounds in East Meadow’s 20th win of the season.

NUMC a vital part of county’s health care

Continued from page 1

poor people’s health care. No, I’m not going to comply with the state’s demands, and I’m not going anywhere.”

The 3,200 health care workers at NUMC aren’t worried about whether Bruderman will remain, but instead whether they will still have jobs in the coming months. Ron Gurrieri, president of CSEA Local 830, the union that represents hospital employees, told reporters that workers are worried about their jobs, and how the hospital would continue to stay open and operate if it doesn’t receive the funding.

This is very bad for the community

BarBara Powell Hempstead NAACP

According to a report released last month by consultants for the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, a state board that controls both NuHealth and county finances, NUMC may run out of money by late April.

Bruderman insisted that the state is at fault for the fiscal condition of the hospital, saying he inherited a complete mess when he was appointed almost two years ago. He also blamed a massive drop in state funding as the main contributor to the hospital’s financial woes. Since 2017, state funding for NUMC has plummeted by more than $160, million from $189 million to just $30 million this year, according to County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s office. That is just about all the money NUMC has left to operate — which Bruderman told reporters he believes is enough to last through July, but not without possibly having to cut nearly 300 jobs very soon.

He also claimed that state officials, whom he did not name, have told him that their plan is to shut down the hospital and force patients into the for-profit health care system — claims that Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office and county legislators deny, with Bynoe describing Bruderman’s “town hall” as a “bewildering tirade” that eventually “devolved into a disconcerting spectacle of blame-shifting and the promotion of unsubstantiated conspiracy theories for over two hours,” she added, “with no clear direction.”

In a statement released Tuesday, Hochul’s office called Bruderman’s claims “as baseless as they are misguided,” and adding that the governor “remains fully committed to health care accessibility for all,” but “the state cannot give a bailout using taxpayers’ dollars without ensuring structural reforms.”

No matter who is at fault, a hospital in which 70 percent of patients are members of racial minorities and more than 80 percent are on Medicaid or Medicare, a permanent closure would be a burden that the county’s most vulnerable would bear — with taxpayers also remaining on the hook for over $100 million in debt.

“This is very bad for the community,”

monday

‘mismanagement’ in the hospital’s leadership.

said Barbara Powell, president of the Hempstead NAACP. “Catastrophic, even.” Powell said she believed that because of the demographics of the patients that NUMC’s closure would affect, Bruderman and the state believe they can play politics at the expense of the community’s health care lifeline — especially for Uniondale, which does not even have an urgent-care facility within its borders.

Assemblywoman Taylor Darling said she believed that if NUMC — which also serves the county’s incarcerated population — is to be saved and kept afloat, leaders of the hospital, the county and the state need to stop pointing fingers and come together “to think beyond political semantics and look at real solutions” before it is too late.

nassau university medical Center Chairman matthew Bruderman held a two-hour-long “employee town hall” in which he blamed the state and gov. Kathy Hochul for the hospital’s financial problems and called for more funding for numC without conditions.

Herald file photo

nassau university medical Center is on the brink of collapsing financially as soon as april, according to recent reports by the nassau interim f inance authority, a state board that controls both nuHealth and county finances.

County executive Bruce Blakeman said he would have no problem negotiating with the state on behalf of the hospital, saying that democrats’ calls for hospital Chairman matthew Bruderman’s resignation were ‘playing politics.’

Brandon Cruz/Herald photos

County Legislator Siela Bynoe and some of her colleagues held a news conference on

calling for numC Chairman matthew Bruderman’s resignation in light of what she called

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HERALD SPORTS

Hofstra aims for conference tournament

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

After just missing out on reaching its postseason conference tournament for a second straight year, the Hofstra men’s lacrosse team is sharply focused on extending its 2024 season into the month of May.

The Pride entered the final season game against Stony Brook in a win or go home scenario and fell 11-10 to its Long Island rivals and missed out on a tiebreaker for the final spot in the fourteam league tournament to compete for an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament. The Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) preseason coaches poll projects Hofstra to finish fifth in the eight-team conference, which would leave Hofstra just shy once again of the postseason.

“After losing the tiebreaker two years in a row it doesn’t sit well with us,” said longtime Hofstra head coach Seth Tierney.

Hofstra enters the start of CAA play this weekend at 3-4 following a 21-9 loss to 18th-ranked North Carolina at home last Saturday in the program’s first meeting with the ACC power since 2018.

Junior attackman John Madsen (21 goals) and redshirt junior midfielder Rory Jones (16 goals) have paced the offense so far this season. Madsen, a Locust Valley High School graduate, tallied 27 points as a junior, while Jones neatly set a program record for goals in a game with eight in a season-opening 21-9 win against Wagner.

Madsen and Jones lead a deep Hofstra offense featuring multiple scoring options including Colton Rudd, Griffin Turner and Justin Sykes.

A key part of assuring Hofstra is in the offensive end of the field for much

of the game is the play of graduate student faceoff specialist Chase Patterson, who earned preseason All-CAA honors. Patterson led the CAA in faceoff win -

ning percentage at 59.5 percent last year and is at 60 percent through seven games this season.

“He’s been very self motivated and won some big face offs for us,” said Tierney of Patterson. “He very much thinks like a coach as even after a successful game he finds the negatives, he finds the ones that he missed and he continues to work each week to miss less and less.”

The defense is led by redshirt sophomore goalie Sean Henderson, who recorded 19 saves in a 17-13 victory against St. John’s on Feb. 13. Graduate student goalie Max May, a Hewlett High School product who previously played goalie at Muhlenberg College, serves as a solid backup behind Henderson and tallied three saves at the end of the Wagner game.

“They push each other every day in practice and no one can take a day off,”: said Tierney of his two top goalies. “Right now we are staying with what we’re staying with, but Max is right there ready to go to help the team when necessary.”

The starting defense in front of Hen-

derson features Henry Troy, Will Delaney and Blake Cooling. Graduate student long stick defensive midfielder is also a key component of the defense and earned All-CAA preseason accolades after playing 14 games at North Carolina last season.

The Hofstra defensive unit also features two local players in redshirt sophomore Ryan Kiernan, a Rockville Centre native and Chaminade graduate, along with junior short-stick defensive midfielder Chris Barry, an East Meadow High School alum.

The CAA season kicks off Saturday at Fairfield followed by a March 23 road trip to two-time defending champion Delaware. The conference home opener is set for March 30 against Monmouth at 1 p.m.

Hofstra’s late season schedule also includes an April 16 non-league game against Yale at 7 p.m., which will mark the program’s first meeting with the Ivy League school since 1995.

“They are a tremendous team with a lot of talent,” said Tierney of Yale. “It is another opportunity to sharpen our swords against a quality opponent.”

Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletics Communications

Midfielder Rory Jones is off to a strong start for the Pride with 16 goals through seven games, including eight in the seasonopening victory over Wagner.

Attack John Madsen, a Locust Valley product, leads the Pride with 21 goals.

By MOHAMMAD RAFIQ mrafiq@liherald.com

The Town of Hempstead is gearing up once again to a job fair — this one scheduled for Thursday, March 21 at the Freeport Recreation Center.

Appointments are already filling up for the event, set to run between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., at the center, located at 130 E. Merrick Road — all aimed to connect job seekers with prospective employers.

HempsteadWorks — a branch of the town’s occupational services department — has hosted the fair since 2021. Established more than 40 years ago, HempsteadWorks serves as a career center for not only the town, but also for Long Beach. Its primary mission is to provide access to training, develop skills, and share job opportunities across various industries, including health care, construction and manufacturing.

“Our primary goal is to help people within our township to better themselves, promote , careers that are up and coming, provide them access to training and skills,” said Nene Alameda, a business representative who works for the town.

“And if they don’t have those skills, we we give them access to occupational skills training.”

More than 85 such companies already

have registered to participate in the Freeport job fair, That includes prominent entities like the U.S. Postal Service, the New York Police Department, Mount Sinai Hospital, Brookhaven National Lab, Amazon, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

“We have the job fair to make sure that companies who are looking for people are partnered with people who are looking for jobs,” Alameda said.

The fair is experiencing radical growth in every iteration, Alameda adds, growing from fewer than 1,000 attendees in 2021, to more than 2,100 in its most recent outing. For next week’s event, more than 1,100 job seekers have

already signed up.

This rapid growth has produced long lines. To make everything more convenient, HempsteadWorks has instituted a time slot-based registration system, which job seekers can sign up for at HempsteadWorks.com/jobfair.

This registration system already was in effect last year, Alameda said, cutting down the wait from two hours to almost nothing.

The first hour of the fair, beginning at 9:30, is dedicated to veterans and people with disabilities. But no matter what time you sign up, attendees are advised to bring several copies of their resume.

Caroline Coyne, a 22-year-old Maris College graduate, says her current job hunt “has been pretty terrible.”

“It seems like there’s an oversaturation of applications because so many people are getting laid off and so many people didn’t get jobs during Covid when they were graduating,” she said. “So now, along with the 2022 graduates, you have the 2023 and the upcoming 2024. And everybody’s just trying to find their way at the same time.”

But, Alameda said, it’s important to remain optimistic and not despair.

“For every job seeker that’s out there, there (are) two positions,” she said. “Employers are in dire need of workers.”

In fact, the HempsteadWorks job fairs have likely helped at least 500 people find jobs directly in recent years. The end of pandemic-era benefits may also play a role in the sudden increase of people looking for work, as those bonuses and extra money are no longer available.

“As the largest and most diverse township in America, the Town of Hempstead is dedicated to leading the way in job creation and economic growth throughout the community,” said Town Supervisor Don Clavin, in a release.

“With dozens of employers participating in this year’s HempsteadWorks Job Fair, we encourage all job-seekers to come on down to the Freeport Recreation Center on March 21.”

Defending against an invisible enemy

Can laws solve the problems of noise pollution?

By Nicole Formisano & Will Sheeline

Continuing a series exploring the impact pollution from air, noise and light has on our communities and way of life. Thoughts? Questions? Ideas? Email us at execeditor@liherald.com.

How can local representatives protect people from an invisible, ever-present hazard? That’s the question small governments across Nassau County have been trying to answer when it comes to noise pollution — all to varying degrees of success.

“Inevitably, you might be creating a standard that is unfair, that is inequitable,” said Kevin Walsh, an attorney who’s helped draft noise ordinances for municipalities like Malverne and Farmingdale. “Not because it isn’t applied equally, but because it hurts people that don’t have a problem with it.”

Noise pollution — excessive or frequent noise — is said to come with health risks like increased stress, hypertension and sleep disruption, according to the World Health Organization. But for some communities, dealing with excessive noise is nothing new.

Glen Cove’s noise ordinance, for example, has been largely unchanged since 1997, limiting noise that is “clearly audible at 50 feet.” Village ordinances for Sea Cliff — dating back to 1995 with updates more than a decade ago — define unreasonable noise as any constant, continuous or repetitive loud sound which “annoys” or “disturbs” the peace and comfort of neighboring residents.

But — despite what neighbors of barking dogs or chronic partiers may

wish — there is no legal definition of “annoying.” Noise ordinances often use subjective language, because noise pollution is a subjective experience, Walsh said. Sound that irks one neighbor may be hardly noticeable by another.

Finding a way to differentiate

“It’s difficult because it’s trying to regulate human behavior,” he said. “When you try to regulate people’s enjoyment of their existence like this, on relatively subjective degrees, it’s a problem.”

When someone wants to play music while their neighbor wants their child to go to sleep, where does law enforcement draw the line? The incongruous — yet equally defensible — interests are “making it more and more difficult to get a balance between what is acceptable noise and what is not,” Walsh said.

Finding that balance

So, the question becomes, what is a fair standard to regulate noise? Do municipalities put the noise limit at the lower end to shield more sensitive people, and risk discouraging others from enjoying time outside?

Or do municipalities create more lenient ordinances that allow more noise, and risk leaving sensitive people unprotected?

“It’s a no-win situation, because, inevitably, you make one person happy. You’re making one person sad.”

Managing these conflicting expectations can result in local officials walking a tightrope. But Elena Villafane, Sea Cliff’s mayor, says that is an inherent part of serving the community.

“So, as with every local government, where you are managing how people reside in a community together, you’re always balancing a variety of interests.” she said. “Right now, we seem to be at a happy equilibrium.”

It’s a balancing act Glen Cove has had to grapple with.

“It is a very subjective criteria when one person’s noise pollution is another person’s ‘fun time,’ so to speak,” said Christopher Ortiz, deputy chief of the Glen Cove Police Department. “So, in that sense, it is difficult trying to precisely determine what is an excessive amount of noise, and it becomes kind of a gray area.”

And that “fun time” is on the rise, especially since Covid-19. People these days are spending more time in their backyards since the pandemic, Walsh said.

Malverne mayor Tim Sullivan noticed that trend as well.

“What we found is, during Covid, a lot of homeowners invested in their backyards,” Sullivan said. “Whether pools, or outdoor bars and kitchens and sound systems. The backyard has become a renewed entertainment focus of the home.”

Sound-measuring technology,

though, has dramatically improved in the decades since those original laws were passed, Walsh said — another reason why more governments across the county are passing updated noise ordinances.

Malverne’s noise ordinance, passed in December, limits outdoor music to 80 decibels — about the noise level of a vacuum cleaner — measured at the property line. Glen Cove considers 65 decibels — about the noise level of a conversation — “disturbing,” but also allows for subjectivity by employing a standard of whether the noise is “clearly audible” at 50 feet.

Too many variables?

But even something seemingly objective — such as a measurable standard like decibel level — presents new obstacles. A noise level that constitutes a nuisance to one neighbor may not bother another.

Sometimes, Walsh said, police will visit a property that is technically violating the noise ordinance, but the officer will personally find that the sound level or quality shouldn’t break the law.

So even with a measurable standard, enforcement is subjective.

And the actual sound level isn’t the only thing that matters — the source does, too.

Things like fire whistles and barking dogs polarize neighbors, Villafane said. Gas-powered leaf blowers are another malefactor that often earn their own section of noise ordinances.

The city ordinances also differentiate between how much noise various types of properties can make at different

Herald file photo

In growing numbers, local villages are passing noise ordinance to curb excessive or unwanted noise in their neighborhoods. But airplanes — perhaps the biggest noisemakers — are beyond local jurisdiction. The Town of Hempstead is working with the Federal Aviation Administration, but with little success.

Sands New York Donates $200,000 to Family and Children’s Association to Expand Services

Family and Children’s Association (FCA), Long Island’s leading health and human services nonprofit organization, announced the opening of two FCA Gambling Support and Wellness Centers, one in Hempstead, the other in Hicksville. The services available in these centers will be made possible partially through a $200,000 donation made by Sands New York.

“We know that most people who gamble, do it as a form of entertainment. As a responsible community partner and industry-leading entertainment company we must identify and help solve for issues in our community,” said Ron Reese, Senior Vice President at Las Vegas Sands. “We are proud to partner with FCA to provide this valuable resource to Long Islanders.”

According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, about 85% of U.S. adults have gambled at least once in their lives, with 60% having gambled within the past year. However, between 1% and 2% of the U.S. adult population, or 2 to 4 million adults, will

experience a gambling disorder in their lifetime. “From the state lottery expansion to casinos to online sports betting, which became legal in New York in 2021, gambling is here to stay. It’s imperative that we introduce new programs to identify and treat problem gambling especially as the need emerges,” said FCA President and CEO Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds. “This is particularly important for college kids and people who already have a casino that blinks, beeps and beckons in their back pocket 24/7. We want to make the resources readily available to every Long Islander who needs or wants help.”

With the increase in online sports betting, gambling has reached newer, younger audiences, many unaware of the larger consequences of problem gambling. New York recently announced that it generated $862 million from mobile sports wagering in its second year of operation. When added to the $693 million and $200 million in licensing fees collected in 2022, that brings the total generated revenue to $1.75 billion.

We want to make the resources readily available to every Long Islander who needs or wants help.

Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds, Family and Children’s Association President and CEO

We are proud to partner with FCA to provide this valuable resource to Long Islanders.

Ron Reese, Senior Vice President at Las Vegas Sands

The developer of a proposed multi-billion-dollar flagship hospitality and entertainment project on Long Island

Fca will open two Gambling support and wellness centers on Long Island

Photo provided by Sands

Photo: Senior Vice President at Las Vegas Sands Ron Reese speaks at a press conference at the Family and Children’s Association headquarters in Garden City.

Las Vegas Sands Named to Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies List for its 10th Appearance

one of only two hotel and gaming companies included, sands’ 2024 recognition demonstrates the value it delivers to host regions and the hospitality industry

Las Vegas Sands has again been named one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies in the news outlet’s 2024 list of the most respected and reputable global businesses, marking the company’s 10th appearance on the list.

“Sands’ being included on Fortune’s list is an endorsement of our performance in delivering economic, social and environmental value to our communities, Team Members, investors and customers,” said Patrick Dumont, President and Chief Operating Officer of Las Vegas Sands. “Entering 2024 with this recognition demonstrates our ability to successfully navigate change and evolution, while remaining focused on the positive impact we strive to deliver.”

Sands is the largest global developer and operator of world-class integrated resorts. Combining luxury hotel rooms and suites, gaming, state-of-the-art meeting and convention facilities, expansive retail offerings and an array of entertainment attractions, the company’s iconic integrated resorts are premier attractions that draw hundreds of thousands of business and leisure tourists to its regions annually.

In each of its regions, Sands is focused on being the employer and partner of choice; keeping its communities strong by making them ideal places to live, work and visit; and minimizing environmental impact by being a leader in preserving natural resources and incorporating sustainable practices.

With the goal of achieving measured, ongoing environmental, social and governance progress in these areas, the company established 2021-2025 ambitions to invest $200 million in workforce development, contribute 150,000 volunteer hours to its communities and reduce carbon emissions by 17.5% by the end of the period, mapping to its People, Communities and Planet corporate responsibility pillars.

Under the Communities pillar, the company surpassed its 150,000 community service hours at the end of 2022 because of extensive support for pandemic-related initiatives, along with core Sands Cares volunteer efforts. The new 2025 target will be announced in Sands’ next ESG report in spring 2024, along with progress toward all three ambitions.

As of 2022 reporting, the company had invested $56 million in workforce development initiatives, bringing its cumulative investment to $113 million since 2021, well past the halfway point. Carbon emissions reduction was at 50%; however, that figure reflected continued pandemic-related impact on property visitation and will be updated in the 2023 ESG report.

Sands’ designation on the Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies list follows recent recognition on Newsweek’s 2024 America’s Most Responsible Companies list as well as the 2023 Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America Indices.

As in the past, Fortune collaborated with its partner Korn Ferry on this survey of corporate reputations, which began with a universe of about 1,500 candidates: the 1,000 largest U.S. companies ranked by revenue, along with nonU.S. companies in Fortune’s Global 500 database that have revenues of $10 billion or more. The assortment was winnowed to the highestrevenue companies in each industry, a total of 660 in 29 countries. The top-rated companies were picked from that pool of 660; the executives who voted work at the companies in that group.

To determine the best-regarded companies in 52 industries, Korn Ferry asked executives, directors, and analysts to rate enterprises in their own industry on nine criteria, from investment value and quality of management and products to social responsibility and ability to attract talent. A company’s score must rank in the top half of its industry survey to be listed. For complete rankings, visit fortune.com.

Continued from page 1

The addition of 3 downstate gaming licenses to be awarded by New York State is expected to further increase state revenue from gambling. Sands New York is currently preparing a bid for one of the three available gaming licenses for its planned integrated resort and entertainment center at the Nassau Coliseum property in Uniondale, New York.

FCA, with its 140-year history of helping Long Islanders, has won state certification from the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) to provide problem gambling counseling and support to those who need or want help. FCA’s new Gambling Support and Wellness Centers will offer individual, group, and family counseling including financial counseling and planning to individuals and families experiencing problem gambling issues.

The announcement was made during a press conference at FCA headquarters in

Sands New York and Minority Millennials partner to host NextGen Supplier Diversity Gathering

In a bid to bolster local supplier diversity and entrepreneurship, Long Island-based Minority Millennials and Sands New York recently joined forces on The NextGen Supplier Diversity Gathering at the Barclays Center for a spirited Brooklyn Nets game.

This partnership event served to offer essential resources and connections for Minority, Women, and Veteran-owned business proprietors potentially interested in bidding for contracts with the Sands’ planned development in Uniondale. This collaboration between Sands New York and Minority Millennials not only equips business owners with vital information and contacts but also beckons the next wave of community entrepreneurs, eager to carve their niche in the Long Island economy.

"These types of intimate networking opportunities with likeminded business owners are rare and extremely valuable. Getting to speak face to face with other suppliers and Sands executive leadership can really be a game changer for my company," said Daphne Baptiste, from Valley Stream.

Participants seized the opportunity, recognizing the potential to expand their networks and stimulate economic growth, facilitating invaluable connections, shared insights, and fostering potential partnerships.

Sands New York looks forward to continuing programming that highlights its commitment to nurturing local business prospects

and cultivating the professional advancement of diverse, young talent, underlining their unwavering dedication to fostering a vibrant and inclusive local economy.

Garden City. Joining FCA President and CEO Jeffrey L. Reynolds, PhD at the podium were FCA Assistance VP Clinical Services Nicolle Vasselman; Pam Brenner-Davis, Regional Team

Lead NY Council on Problem Gambling Resource Center; Ron Reese, Sr. Vice President Las Vegas Sands; Representatives from Jake’s 58".

Photo provided by Sands

Photo: Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds, Family and Children’s Association President and CEO, announces the opening of two Gambling Support and Wellness Centers at a press conference at FCA’s headquarters in Garden City.

Photo provided by Sands

Photo: Members from Sands New York and Minority Millennials met at the NextGen Supplier Diversity gathering held at the Barclays Center in February.

Sands New York engages local businesses for procurement opportunities

Sands procurement executives Chad Forster and Uzoma Ehimere joined the Business Development and Tourism Work Group on Thursday, Feb. 22 to build a plan to engage local businesses into the Sands procurement pipeline for opportunities stemming from the project.

The work group was convened to connect Sands with Long Island local and regional stakeholders and has met consistently for over a year to help inform the public about the project and direct local business owners on how to get involved in the tremendous opportunities the development presents. With the work group's guidance, Sands and the regional chambers have produced the procurement academy and resource fair event series at Nassau Community College, Suffolk Community College, and virtually, as well as the widely attended Chambers Clink + Collaborate event at the Coliseum.

The most recent meeting centered on building out the next steps for local businesses in the Sands procurement pipeline. The robust discussion included representatives from the local and regional chambers, small business development centers, and local business non-profits to ensure that Long Island’s business community is fully informed on how to stay involved as the project grows closer.

who we are:

Photo provided by Sands

Photo: Chad Forster and Uzoma Ehimere of Sands New York meet with the Business Development and Tourism Work Group to identify opportunities for local business owners.

times. For example, a private residence can be penalized for making 50 decibels or more of noise after 10 p.m., and before 7 a.m., while a commercial property operating at the same time would need to reach 70 decibels before neighbors can make a complaint.

These different standards for businesses and private residences can sometimes boil over in communities. Because Long Island is very much suburbia, Walsh said, the interests of commercial and residential parts of towns often conflict — commercial districts often create more noise, which is at odds with the interests of residential communities that typically neighbor them.

Fly-by-night (and day) noise

But the arguably biggest culprits of excessive noise may also be the hardest to manage. The constant drone of airplanes flying overhead is seemingly ever-present, but comes with its own challenges.

With John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports right next door, neighbors across the county are dealing with the near-constant drone of planes flying overhead.

The Town of Hempstead created the Town-Village Aircraft Safety and Noise Abatement Committee to deal specifically with this nuisance. But try as they might, local government has no sway over the conduct of airplanes — that’s all the Federal Aviation Administration.

“Everyone wants airlines to be safe,” said James Vilardi, the noise abatment committee’s executive director. “But is there a way to maintain the highest levels of airplane safety, and to accom-

modate the residents on the ground that are dealing with the airplane influence? We maintain that there is.”

The committee’s primary goal right now is to get accurate, specific decibel readings from FAA monitors.

The problem, Vilardi said, is the information the FAA provides right now is warped because the decibel readings are averaged out among neighborhoods.

But if the committee gets the raw data and finds that the decibels violate municipal or federal code, they can appeal to the FAA to make changes.

The FAA, however, is largely unwilling to even acknowledge the noise abatement committee.

“It’s difficult to make changes in their policy without them being willing to talk to us,” Vilardi said. “We’re pushing as hard as we can to get this data so we can have a real conversation with them.

“Unfortunately, it’s a problem that our residents face, that our local elected officials do not have the power to directly impact. “There’s no way that the supervisor — or the county executive, or even a congressman — can say ‘OK, stop flying over Franklin Square.’ Or ‘fly 20 feet higher.’

“They just don’t have the jurisdiction to do it.”

The timeline for progress is in the air, so to speak, until the federal agency finally has a dialogue with the town.

In the meantime, local governments are still striving for progress in the fight against noise pollution using new and updated noise ordinances. Although noise is largely inescapable, its excess can be mitigated when we focus on what we can control, experts say — local government’s responsibility to us, and our responsibility to each other.

Nassau makes federal case of trans ban

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

Bruce Blakeman wants to ban transgender athletes who identify as female from participating in women sports on Nassau County playing fields. But Letitia James says he can’t do that.

So, the Nassau County executive is joining Mark Mullen — the father of a female athlete he says is protected by such a ban — to file a federal lawsuit contesting the state attorney general’s ceaseand-desist order halting Blakeman’s efforts to restrict who can be on a sports team.

“What the attorney general was asking us to do was a violation of federal Constitutional law and federal statutory law,” Blakeman told reporters in Mineola last week. “Our response was to file a lawsuit, for a declaratory judgment, requiring the attorney general to come before a federal judge and explain why this cease-and-desist order has been issued and the threat of sanctions and litigations against the county, when we in Nassau County are protecting women and girls, who are a protected class under the constitution, and under federal law.”

James sent her cease-and-desist letter to Blakeman on March 1, demanding he rescind his executive order banning transgender athletes identifying as female from participating in women’s

sports in county facilities. She called the executive order was transphobic and illegal under the state’s human rights and civil rights laws.

With the cease-and-desist, James ordered the county to rescind the executive order or face potential legal action.

“Not only will the order impact a wide array of Nassau-based teams and leagues, it will undoubtedly deter inclusive teams and transgender women and girls who participate in women’s and girls’ sports from other parts of the state who want to participate in sporting events and competitions in Nassau County,” James wrote.

A spokesperson from the attorney

general’s office reiterated that after Blakeman’s news conference, saying the laws protecting people from discrimination are not “up for debate.”

“The executive order is illegal,” the spokesperson said, “and it will not stand in New York.”

Blakeman cited the New York City Marathon as an example where males and females compete exclusively in their own classified groups.

“There is a reason for those classifications,” he said. “Males are bigger, stronger and faster. And it wouldn’t be a fair competition with females.”

The county’s action is consistent with the Constitution, Blakeman added, treat-

ing women and girls as a protected class under federal law.

“Transgender women who are biological males are not a protected class under federal law,” he said.

And because of that, Blakeman believes his order is not transphobic.

“Transgender athletes can compete freely here in Nassau County, and we welcome it,” Blakeman said. “If you’re a biological male and you identify yourself as a female, you can play against other biological males. Or, you can play in a co-ed league.”

Blakeman posed an idea with reporters of starting a transgender league, something he said his parks commissioner, Darcy Belyea, is open to.

Blakeman issued his executive order last month with County Legislator Samantha Goetz and sports activist Kimberly Ross standing by his side.

The executive order demands sports, leagues, organizations, teams, programs or sport entities operating in county facilities to first designate themselves based on gender makeup, 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 someone born female from joining a male team, or for anyone who is transgender from participating on a co-ed team.

Parker Schug/Herald

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman says he’s filing a federal lawsuit contesting the state attorney general’s cease-and-desist order on his ban of transgender athletes identifying as female playing in women’s sports on county property.

STEPPING OUT

JigJam

Spring forth by donning some green

Savor the flavor of St. Patrick’s Day

By Karen Bloom

Spring is in our sights and we’re sure ready for its embrace. The arrival of St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday always is a welcome harbinger of the season. Enjoy some of the lively parades nearby, even a concert, and certainly bring St. Patrick’s Day into your home with some tasty Irish cuisine. Favorites include corned beef and cabbage, and, of course, soda bread.

Among these quintessential Irish foods, Irish Soda Bread is a tempting quick bread that everyone enjoys and is quite easy to make. It gets its name from the baking soda used as a leavener, instead of yeast. While the traditional version is made with only flour, buttermilk, salt and baking soda, consider adding a modern version to your repertoire.

Classic Irish Soda Bread

• 3 cups pastry flour blend or unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• Heaping 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup currants or raisins

• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds, optional

• 1 large egg

• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Topping:

• 1 tablespoon milk

• 1 tablespoon coarse white sparkling sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the pastry blend or flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, currants, and caraway seeds.

In a separate bowl, or in a measuring cup, whisk together the egg and buttermilk (or milk and yogurt).

Quickly and gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir in the melted butter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Draw your finger around the edge of the pan to create a “moat.” Drizzle the bread with the 1 tablespoon of milk; the moat will help prevent the milk from running down the sides of the loaf. Sprinkle with the coarse sugar.

Bake the bread for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean; the interior of the bread will measure 200°F to 210°F on a thermometer.

Remove the bread from the oven, loosen its edges, and after five minutes turn it out onto a rack to cool. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap airtight and store at room temperature.

Serve with hot tea and organic jam, Irish stew, traditional Irish cabbage dishes, or enjoy on its own!

Savory Irish Cheese Soda Bread

• 2 1/2 cups flour

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons caraway seed

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper, ground

• 1/2 cup shredded Irish Cheddar cheese

• 2 eggs

• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and seasonings in large bowl. Stir in cheese. Set aside. Mix eggs and buttermilk in medium bowl. Add to dry ingredients; stir until well blended. Spread in lightly grease 9-inch round cake pan.

Bake 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Tip: Make muffins instead of bread. Prepare dough as directed and divide among 12 greased muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Irish Soda Bread Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1 1/2 cups currants (first choice) or raisins

• 1/2 to 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, to taste

• 1 large egg

• 1 cup buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream

• 6 tablespoons butter, melted; or 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• sparkling white sugar, for topping

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin pan; or line with papers, and grease the papers.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, currants or raisins, and caraway seeds.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk (or equivalent) and melted butter (or equivalent).

Quickly and gently combine the dry and wet ingredients; honestly, this won’t take more than a few stirs with a bowl scraper or large spoon. As soon as everything is evenly moistened, quit; further stirring will cause the muffins to be tough.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, filling the cups about 3/4 full; the stiff batter will look mounded in the cups. Top with sparkling white sugar, if desired.

Bake the muffins for 20 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove them from the oven. Tip the muffins in the pan, so their bottoms don’t get soggy. Wait five minutes, then transfer the muffins to a rack to cool. Serve them plain, or with butter and/or jam.

When virtuoso Irish playing jumps the pond running through the wide open fields of bluegrass and Americana, JigJam is born. This Offaly- and Tipperary-born band has started the Irish invasion of Americana with an injection of the magic of Scottish folk music. The lads — described as ‘The best Irish band in bluegrass’ and ‘sparkling, infectious’ — bring their footstomping vibe to Long Island for a lively St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Founding members from Offaly Jamie McKeogh (lead singer and guitar) and Daithi Melia (five-string banjo and Dobro) were joined by Tipperary-born Gavin Strappe (mandolin and tenor banjo) in 2016. They’ve since added Glasgow native Danny Hunter (fiddle) to make up this iGrass (Irish Bluegrass) quartet. With a sounded rooted in Irish music and Irish immigration, the Irish have found their prodigal son in JigJam.

Saturday, March 16, 8 p.m.

$38.14-$49.48. Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at LandmarkOnMainStreet.org or (516) 767-6444.

Blippi

The colorful YouTube sensation known as Blippi is ready to delight preschoolers when The Wonderful World tour visits Tilles Center. Families will dance, sing and learn with Blippi and special guest, Meekah, as everyone discovers how different cities are unique and special. Will there be monster trucks, excavators, and garbage trucks galore? You bet! So get ready to shake those wiggles out and O.J. Twist your way through this musical party. The lively show expands upon creator Stevin John’s engaging world that inspires curiosity in young families. Clad in his iconic blue and orange outfit, Blippi — along with best friend Meekah — clearly excites preschoolers with experiences that are relatable and accessible and make learning fun. Kids 4 and younger quickly respond to Blippi’s endearing personality as they explore the world around them through adventures that relate to everyday life, involving fire trucks, zoos, animals, and so much more.

Tuesday, March 19, 6 p.m. Tickets start at $32. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Classic Irish Soda Bread

Savory Irish Cheese Soda Bread

Soda Bread Muffins

THE Your Neighborhood

March 23

Comedy’s ‘Ivy League’

The Ivy League of Comedy is the premier group of stand-up comedians touring America. Known for their elite brand of clever comedy, you’ve heard their brilliant comedic voices on latenight TV and Comedy Central. Now come see them live when Carmen Lynch, Ryan Reiss and Shaun Eli bring their act to the Madison Theatre, Saturday, March 23 , 8 p.m. 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 bi-lingual family, who lived in Spain as a child, she’s appeared on a string of late night TV shows. Shes’s also appeared “Inside Amy Schumer,” “That Damn Michael Che,” “Life & Beth,” and the documentary “Hysterical.” Funnyman Reis, also a writer-actor, began his career while attending NYU, and quickly became a favorite act on the scene. He made his network TV debut on “Late Night With Seth Meyers.” His quit wit, instant likeability and unique way of engaging any audience have made him one of the most sought-after comics on the club circuit and a favorite audience warm up performer. 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. Even job interviews. For just about anything he’s experienced he has hilarious stories at the ready. $45-$50. Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at MadisonTheatreNY.org or (516) 323-4444.

Family theater

Inspired by L. Frank Baum’s stories, this clever adaptation puts the audience front and center, literally, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday, March 15, 10:15 a.m., noon, 6:15 p.m. (sensoryfriendly performance); Saturday, March 16, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, March 20-21,10:15 a.m. and noon. Kids become cast members, singing dancing, and acting on stage alongside the professional cast. One of the museum’s most interactive shows, it received rave reviews in its prior run. Going beyond the traditional telling of the Oz stories, the performance uses personal journal entries and historic newspaper headlines to bring the history of L. Frank Baum and illustrator W.W. Denslow to life. Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion take the audience with them on this lively, playful trip down the yellow brick road. $10 with museum admission ($8 members), $14 theater only. Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

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.

March 27

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.

Easter Egg Hunt

Stew Leonard’s in East Meadow hosts an Easter Egg Hunt, Tuesday, March 26, 4 p.m. Kids ages 8 and under will be provide with a bag to collect Easter eggs filled with candy throughout the store. Five lucky children will open an egg and reveal a special ticket, redeemable for a grand prize. Tickets are required to attend due to the popularity of the event. Visit EventBrite.com and search Stew Leonard’s’ to reserve a ticket. 1897 Front St., East Meadow.

Breastfeeding Support Group

Mercy Hospital offers a peer to peer meeting for breastfeedingsupport and resources, facilitated by a certified breastfeeding counselor, every Thursday, 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Bring your baby (from newborn to 1 year) to the informal group setting. All new moms are welcome, regardless of delivering hospital.

Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 705-2434 to secure your spot. Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org/ mercy-hospital.

Mah Jongg

Enjoy Mah Jongg and canasta, Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m., at East Meadow Beth El Jewish Center. $5 contribution. No outside food allowed. Bring your own games and cards. Lessons available. 1400 Prospect Ave. Call (516) 483 4205 for more information.

Having an event?

Tech Help

Do you have questions about your computer or laptop?

Want to learn more about Zoom, streaming movies, or downloading ebooks to your device? East Meadow Public Library’s popular technology assistance program is still going strong. Help is available in the lobby area on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2-4 p.m. Feel free to drop in with your tech questions. No appointment necessary. 1886 Front St. Visit EastMeadow.info for more information or call (516) 7942570.

Chamber Egg Hunt

East Meadow Chamber of Commerce hosts its 5th annual Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, March 30, 11 a.m. 2 p.m., in Veteran’s Memorial Park. Registration required. 1700 Prospect Ave., East Meadow. For more, visit EastMeadowChamber.com.

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.

Bird walk

March 17

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 Mill Pond Park in Wantagh, Sunday, March 17, starting at 9 a.m. The Park is on the north side of Merrick Road, four blocks west of the Wantagh State Parkway. Meet at the gazebo. 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) 467-9498. No walk if rain or snow. Text regarding questionable weather. For more information, visit SSAudubon.org.

Mary Ruchalski Foundation Run

Participate in the Mary Ruchalski Foundation 5K and Fun Run, Sunday, April 7, in Eisenhower Park. The run raises money for pediatric cancer research to support families impacted by cancer. Check in is 8 a.m.; the race begins promptly at 9 in Field 2 of the park. Register online for the 5K, which costs $30, or the 1-mile fun run, which costs $15. For more, visit Events.EliteFeats.com/24Ruchalski.

Mobile Office Hours

State Senator Steve Rhoads holds mobile office hours at East Meadow Public Library, Saturday, May 18, 10 a.m.- noon. This is a great way to meet with Sen. Rhoads about issues and questions affecting the 5th State Senate District. Appointments are required, but walk-ins are welcome if time permits. 1886 Front St. To schedule an appointment, call (516) 8820630. Sen. Rhoads is holding office hours at other nearby libraries as well during different days throughout the spring.

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME:

Macela Santos A. International LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 01/06/2021.

NY Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to 1630 Powers Ave, East Meadow - NY 11554.

Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity 144784

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS LEGAL

TITLE TRUSTEE FOR TRUMAN 2016 SC6 TITLE TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. JANET ROBERTS, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order

Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on January 11, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 28, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 1167 Warwick Street, Uniondale, NY 11553. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 50, Block 7 and Lots 91-92. Approximate amount of judgment is $408,344.99 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 616060/2019. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.

Ellen Durst, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No. 201214-1 144989

LEGAL NOTICE

STATE OF NEW YORK

SUPREME COURT:

COUNTY OF NASSAU

UMB BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL

CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY

AS LEGAL TITLE TRUSTEE

FOR LVS TITLE TRUST XIII, Plaintiff, v.

ANY UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, DISTRIBUTEES OR SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST OF THE LATE

JOHN MARKERT, ET AL, Defendants.

NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT

In pursuance of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the Office of the County Clerk of Nassau County on January 6, 2023, I, Scott H. Siller, Esq., the Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on April 11, 2024 at On the north front steps, facing Old Country Road, of the Nassau County Supreme Court, located at 262 Old Country Road, Mineola, NY, at 2:00PM the premises described as follows:

1903 Chester Drive

East Meadow, NY 11554

Section: 50 Block: 456

Lot: 11

ALL THAT TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND situate in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York.

The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 007407/2016 in the amount of $466,074.15 plus interest and costs. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the Court System’s COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale.

Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP

Attorneys for Plaintiff 500 Bausch & Lomb Place Rochester, NY 14604 Tel.: 855-227-5072 145280

LEGAL NOTICE

CASE NO. 21527

RESOLUTION NO.231-2024

Adopted: February 27, 2024

Councilmember Dunne offered the following resolution and moved its adoption:

RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING AND SETTING ASIDE CERTAIN PARKING SPACES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES FOR THE SOLE USE OF HOLDERS OF SPECIAL PARKING PERMITS ISSUED BY THE COUNTY OF NASSAU TO PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS.

WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 223-2024, adopted February 13th, 2024, a public hearing was duly held on the 27th day of February, 2024, at the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the proposed establishment and setting aside of a certain parking space for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits

issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons, in accordance with Section 202-48 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, all as set forth in said resolution; and WHEREAS, after due consideration, this Town Board finds it to be in the public interest to establish and set aside a certain parking space for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that in accordance with Section 202-48 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, the following parking spaces be and the same hereby is set aside for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons:

FRANKLIN SQUARE

CLEVELAND STREETeast side, starting at a point 88 feet south of a point opposite the south curbline of Wool Avenue, south for a distance of 18 feet.

(TH-15/24)

UNIONDALE PAFF AVENUE - west side, starting at a point 227 feet north of the north curbline of Pine Place, north for a distance of 22 feet (TH-26/24)

(NR) WESTBURY WESTLEY ROAD - north side, starting at a point 119 feet west of the west curbline of Washington Avenue, west for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-14/24)

and on the repeal of the following locations previously set aside as parking spaces for physically handicapped persons:

LEVITTOWN STONECUTTER ROADwest side, starting at a point 360 feet north of the north curbline of Rigger Lane, north for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH- 362/10 - 4/23/10)

(TH-30/24)

; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk shall enter this resolution in the minutes of the Town Board and shall publish a copy of this resolution once a newspaper having a general circulation in the Town of Hempstead, and shall post a copy hereof on the signboard maintained by her, and file in her office affidavits of such publication and posting.

The foregoing resolution was seconded by Councilmember Goosby and adopted upon roll call as follows:

AYES: SEVEN (7)

NOES: NONE (0) 145418

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

LOCAL LAW NO. 13-2024

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE

that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held February 27th, 2024, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 13-2024, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 13-2024, amending Section 202-1 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include and repeal “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at various locations.

Dated: February 27, 2024 Hempstead, New York

BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR.

Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 145415

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE OF DWELLING SERIES IV TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. BERNADETTE O’ROURKE

A/K/A BERNADETTE GONZALEZ, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on November 2, 2018 and an Order Extending Sale Deadline and Other Relief duly entered on February 6, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 16, 2024 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 218 Belmont Avenue, East Meadow, NY 11554. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the

East Meadow’s student musicians were among 125 students who were selected for the Honor Concert Band.

East Meadow students take to stage at NYSBA Symposium

From March 1 to 3, selected students from East Meadow High School and W.T. Clarke High School participated in the 2024 NYSBA Symposium in Syracuse.

Roughly 500 student musicians were nominated from across the state and 125 were selected for the Honor Concert Band. East Meadow High School students Samuel Abrons and John Turnbull, and W.T. Clarke High School students Charlotte Huang and Scott Serafin

were selected to participate in the symposium.

During the course of the weekend, students participated in rehearsals with guest conductor Dr. Shayna Stahl. The weekend culminated in a final performance on Sunday afternoon.

The East Meadow School District said it commends all of the student musicians on their professionalism and hard work.

Photos courtesy East Meadow Union Free School District From March 1 to 3, East Meadow student musicians John Turnbull, left, Scott Serafin, Samuel Abrons and Charlotte Huang participated in the 2024 NYSBA Symposium in Syracuse.

Help Wanted

EDITOR/REPORTER

Part Time & Full Time. 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. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com

MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for 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. Salary Ranges fromo $16 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

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Q. I’m planning to redo my whole backyard, and I live on a waterway. I plan to have a swimming pool, open bar, cabana with a shower room at the back of it, running water, outdoor kitchen and a fire pit. The yard is sloping to the water, so the seawall (bulkhead) will have backfill and then a concrete patio with stone paving on top. The question came up, and I’m wondering, can I rest the concrete patio on top of my seawall, or should the patio be built separately and have a separate foundation? I’ve seen where some bulkheads were damaged in a previous storm, so I’m wondering, before I spend all this money, which way to go?

A. I recently returned from an ocean voyage that included South America and Antarctica. During the trip, we were detoured away from ports that had been damaged by storms, and after seeing the aftermath of seawall damage, as far as a mile upriver from a port entrance, I have a profound respect for what Mother Nature can do to bulkheads, no matter where they are.

Your bulkhead is intended to take average to extreme horizontal loads from a body of water impacting it. Just remember, though, that just like bridges and skyscrapers being designed to work with the extreme impact of forces from wind and water, with built-in expansion joints and the ability to rock back and forth, so too is your bulkhead moving much of the time. Because you plan to put a rigid construction made of concrete and pavers next to that seawall, you’ll need to realize and work with the dynamic movement, and concrete isn’t flexible. It may be strong, but it has very little ability to resist being twisted, lifted and shifted.

You’re better off considering the bulkhead as a buffer that can lessen the impacts of water and wind and build your concrete structure separately, with its own supports and with engineered reinforcement to work with the natural movement. This means more foundation support, expansion joints, and internal reinforcement. Not working with nature will mean working through experimentation and, ultimately, failure.

Another alternative is to build with wood materials and no backfill, since wood has greater flexibility. The problem is that wood — even chemically treated wood — tends to deteriorate, so if you’re going for a look of stone or concrete, you need to work with professionals who may cost more than just guessing, but the whole idea is to develop a better structure that won’t need rebuilding, at a much higher cost, than a well-designed construction. Without placing the correctly coated steel reinforcement in the proper strength concrete on the correctly located underground supports, you’re just guessing, and either overbuilding at greater cost or under-building, at even greater cost. You’ll save money resting the concrete on the new bulkhead, and then spend the money to do it all over again. Good luck!

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St. Patrick’s is so much bigger than one day

St. Patrick’s Day is in reality no longer a one-day festive occasion celebrated on March 17, but an almost three-week-long celebration full of parades, luncheons, dinners and parties.

On Long Island alone there will be more than two dozen parades and hundreds of events this month at Hibernian halls, bars, restaurants and community centers from western Nassau County to eastern Suffolk.

pETER KinG

And, of course, New York City’s parade up Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, drawing a crowd of more than 500,000 and lasting more than seven hours, is the largest Irish celebration in the world.

As a proud Irish-American, I have marched in many St. Patrick’s Day parades over the years, including the

city’s, where I was grand marshal 39 years ago, and Huntington’s, last Sunday, where I was privileged to march with the grand marshal, a longtime family friend, Monsignor Steve Camp.

I remember around the time I was grand marshal in New York’s parade, there was discussion about whether, going forward, younger generations would continue to support it. The answer is a definite yes. Attendance is growing every year, and new parades are actually forming elsewhere. The Wantagh parade, for instance, which only began in 2019, draws overflow throngs all along the parade route, up and down both sides of Wantagh Avenue.

One beautiful pane in the stained-glass window that is America.

This increased interest and enthusiasm is a welcome development at a time when everyday life has become so frenetic and fast-paced, and institutions and traditions are under siege from some and ignored by others. Perhaps it is this societal turbulence that

moves good people to reach out for something that gives them and their families and friends a sense of stability and permanence. And I apply this to all ethnic groups and religions. While America is generally described as a melting pot, I prefer the late New York Gov. Mario Cuomo’s description of our magnificent country as a beautiful mosaic where each group maintains its uniqueness in the large stained-glass window that is America.

Parades are an expression of that uniqueness, and the mosaic. Whether it’s the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, Italians on Columbus Day, Germans on Steuben Day, Poles on Pulaski Day, Jews on Israel’s Day of Independence, Greeks on Greek Independence Day, Puerto Ricans on Puerto Rican Day or any of the many newer people in our country celebrating their heritage, these parades honor the traditions that combine to make America

such a shining city on a hill.

They also recall the travails and adversities each group had to overcome to become part of the American dream. For instance, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade represents so much more than the trivial stereotypes of green beer and leprechauns. The parade is always led up Fifth Avenue by the 69th Infantry Regiment (in which I proudly served), in recognition of this Army unit’s predominantly Irish membership protecting parade marchers from being attacked and St. Patrick’s Cathedral from being burned down by antiCatholic nativists in the 1860s.

All races, ethnic groups and religions can point to what they have achieved and what they have overcome in their American experience. That is why celebrating our heritage is celebrating America, which has made it all possible. Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and God bless America.

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

The challenge of a Supreme Court that isn’t supreme

As a lawyer, I have the greatest respect for the American court system. Our country is one of the few in the world whose courts are not used for political vendettas, as is the case in Russia. That system is manipulated by one man, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and there are countless cases in which he has punished his political enemies by using the judicial system.

JERRY KREMER

There is no question that some judges appointed to our courts have philosophical or personal views that color their decisions. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who is hearing the case involving former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents, has appeared to favor him on a number of occasions. Some judicial observers believe Cannon will find ways to stop Trump from being brought to justice before November’s election.

Many judges, including those appointed during Trump’s tenure, have

shut down multiple attempts to throw out the 2020 election results. Upward of 60 judges have overseen election fraud suits, and all of them have ruled against the team headed by former New York City Mayor Rudy Guliani. That gives me, and countless others, a degree of comfort.

Will it prevent any prosecution of Donald Trump before the election?

Regrettably, that doesn’t apply to members of the U.S. Supreme Court, which of late has been dominated by a majority that is willing to bend its decisions to fit its philosophy. Our country has had some Supreme Court majorities that have approached most of their big cases with strong personal views, but in the end have chosen more moderate positions.

During my lifetime, different Supreme Courts have been known as the Warren Court, the Burger Court, the Rehnquist Court. They get those label based on who the chief justice is, and whether the court is in fact guided by him. In the case of the current court, Chief Justice John Roberts has been unable, in most big cases, to steer the court to positions that fit his philosophy.

Because this court is so strongly

guided by its five ultra-conservative members, there is no doubt that the decisions it will make in some pending cases may have a strong impact on the November election. There are at least six cases yet to be decided that fit into that category. One, which will stir up the pro-choice movement, involves the legality of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion drug mifepristone. Considering that more than half of the women in America who have abortions use pills, if that legalization is overturned, it will likely lead to nationwide protests.

Another case in that arena involves the legality of restraining orders that prohibit granting gun permits to people with a history of domestic violence. It is universally agreed that spouses should be protected from a spouse with a history of violent conduct. But this court is so wedded to protecting the Second Amendment that it’s likely that it could rule in favor of gun owners.

Another case involving guns is the challenge to an executive order by then President Trump that makes it illegal to add a “bump stock” to a gun that

turns it into a machine gun. That order came about as the result of a mass killing at a Las Vegas concert. If you took a national poll on this issue, an overwhelmingly majority would express their opposition to the use of bump stocks. But this is another case in which the court could side with gun rights.

One of the biggest cases the Supremes will soon decide is whether a former president is immune from prosecution for an alleged crime he committed when he was in office. A federal court has written a lengthy opinion denying such immunity, but the Supreme Court has taken the case to put its own imprint on this issue. Some court followers have conjectured that it did so to prevent any prosecution of Trump before the election.

People unfamiliar with the courts often aren’t aware of how much mischief a court can create. But sadly, the current highest court in the land has shown that it is anything but a “supreme” court.

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

HeraLd editoriaL

Shining light where government remains dark “K

nowledge will forever govern ignorance,” President James Madison once said.

“And a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”

Madison may not be the most wellknown of the Founding Fathers — not even getting the most prominent of roles in the hit musical “Hamilton” — but it’s hard to imagine an America without him. Not only was he an early advocate of the U.S. Constitution, but Madison is also credited as the author of the Bill of Rights — the first 10 amendments to the Constitution that address, among other things, the freedom of the press — and, by extension, the ability to arm ourselves with the very knowledge he championed.

So it’s fitting that Sunshine Week — this week, when we promote open government and the freedom of information — happens to include Madison’s birthday, March 16. But sadly, more than two centuries later, we still have a long way to go to ensure the transparency in government that the founders promised us.

Established by the American Society of News Editors nearly 20 years ago, Sunshine Week is an important reminder of the vital role transparency plays in a democratic society. It’s vital we protect the public’s right to know.

While New York might lead the nation in many different categories, one area in which the state is not a pioneer is government transparency. In fact, four states have the right to open government spelled out in their state constitutions,

according to the New York Coalition for Open Government, but none of them are New York.

A bill offered by Assemblyman Phil Steck and state Sen. Rachel May would fix that by enshrining access to public information as a fundamental right in the state constitution, because it’s a “necessary and vital part of democracy and public deliberation.”

“The right of the people to inspect and/or copy records of government, and to be provided notice of and attend public meetings of government, shall not be unreasonably restricted,” according to the legislation.

Yet even if that constitutional amendment passed, enforcement would be nearly impossible. Right now, the only way any of us can ensure that government is transparent is by taking it to court. But even if we win, courts are not required to also award attorneys’ fees unless someone “substantially prevails” in such a case — something that is quite subjective and hard to prove.

With that, governments can simply run up legal costs until someone exhausts their financial resources. And if there were a violation of open-government laws, it would never reach a judge.

Instead, the open-government coalition is pushing a bill from Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal that would create a hearing-officer system to adjudicate those issues and impose penalties.

It’s certainly not a new approach. The open-government coalition points out the small-claims assessment reviews for property tax assessment disputes, in which homeowners complete a simple

NUMC needs state funding restored

To the Editor:

I write to underscore the critical situation facing the Nassau University Medical Center, as reported in the Herald in recent weeks. Without restoration of state funding that was drastically cut from the hospital in 2020, this vital community resource could be lost.

NUMC stands as a cornerstone of our community, providing vital health care services to hundreds of thousands of patients annually, with a significant portion relying on Medicare or Medicaid. Reductions in state aid — not current leadership — have endangered the hospital’s ability to provide care for Long Island’s most vulnerable populations.

Despite these challenges, NUMC’s team has forged ahead, with those we serve remaining our top priority. Hospital leadership has initiated comprehensive reforms to improve financial health. These reforms are already demonstrating the hospital’s commitment to financial sustainability.

Unfortunately, NUMC, as a safety-net hospital, cannot overcome these challenges alone. It’s paramount for lead-

application, pay a filing fee, and then have their case decided by a hearing officer. More than 100,000 such complaints made their way through the system in 2020, costing just over $100 each. The same system is needed for disputes over government records, and Rosenthal is pushing just that. But she has yet to get any support from anyone in the state Senate.

The coronavirus pandemic introduced many of us to livestreaming online — especially when it came to government meetings. Now that we are on the other side of the pandemic, those online streams are not as common. Yet a bill from Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and state Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. would require all public bodies to not only broadcast their meetings, but record them, and leave them online for five years.

Even more important is a chance for members of the public to comment at meetings — something that is not guaranteed by the state’s open meetings law, and which a number of organizations don’t make time for. Unfortunately, there’s nothing in front of lawmakers yet to make this happen — but it’s needed.

Sunshine Week is important to remind us that we have some work ahead of us as citizens, but it’s also good to remind government officials that they need to prioritize transparency and accountability as well. It’s vital that we stay informed and engaged, and reach out to our lawmakers so that these bills — and others designed to make our government more open — will indeed see the light of day.

Where do our young leaders fit in the age debate?

It’s a common refrain your wellmeaning, often younger friend or coworker might tell you to dampen your fears of getting older: “Age is just a number.”

Of course, to our inner cynics, these are just pretty words. But it’s true, isn’t it? Judging oneself based purely on one’s time spent on earth can lead to false conclusions. And if we struggle to extend this generous thinking to ourselves, imagine how hard it’s been for voters to extend it to this year’s presidential candidates. Fate is pointing toward a rematch between President Biden and former president Donald Trump, the two oldest nominees in history — as they were when they faced off four years ago. Their age has given voters plenty to talk about.

In fact, age — and its toll on the physical and mental fitness of the candidates — has become a leading issue in the campaign.

Trump would be 82 at the end of a second term. Biden, who is already the oldest president in history, would be 86.

If current polls are correct, most Americans are less than thrilled about another four years of a geriatric presidency.

The endless media clips of incoherent garble, memory slips and puzzling public performances by both candidates have done little to quell fears. Instead, they’ve served as endless fodder for speculation and rumor, with words like “dementia,” “senile” and “incompetent” dripping from commentators’ lips.

Much of the panic is over-hyped, medical experts say. Forgetting things and stumbling over words are not, by themselves, telltale symptoms of cognitive decline, they explain — rather, symptoms of just being human.

they’re in a cohort all their own. They are “super seniors,” pushing the limits of an average lifespan while competing for the hardest job in the world.

It’s one thing not to judge people by their age, but quite another to ask the American public to ignore the effects of aging on these two people.

a merica today isn’t the America in which Biden and Trump came of age.

Age is a factor for the average senior managing the strains and pressures of a normal life, to say nothing of one who’s dealing with the unthinkable pressures of leading the free world. Can either Trump or Biden do it? Sure they can. But if the past few months are any indication of the next four years, it won’t be pretty.

ing to Pew Research. For a senator, it’s 65.

Is it any wonder that young people feel they have been shut out of a place at the decision-making table, and that their concerns don’t rank high among their representatives’ priorities?

Young people’s alienation from and skepticism about politics have created a vacuum of engagement that older politicians have exploited in their own interests, as evidenced by the culture war focusing on gender in universities and school board meetings — and by extension against young people, who are by and large more open than past generations to redefining such concepts.

They remind us that no president under 24-hour media scrutiny has been spared cringe-worthy moments. Who can forget the gaffes of President George W. Bush, a spring chicken compared with Biden and Trump?

Nonetheless, I think Americans do have a right to be worried.

The fact that we must consider the possibility that either man could die in office of natural causes should give us pause. Doctors tell us that both are exceptionally healthy for their age, but

Letters

ers in Albany to restore the funding in this year’s state budget. Without this essential aid, NUMC’s capacity to fulfill its mission will be in jeopardy.

I implore our governor, legislative leaders and local state legislators to prioritize our community’s health and well-being by reinstating funding for NUMC and ensuring its long-term sustainability.

CARMINe CARMONe Director of environmental services, NUMC Levittown

Peter King, who’s to blame for the border crisis?

To the editor:

I am one of the growing number of American voters who are politically unaffiliated. I have no allegiance to either party or personality cult.

I believe that we have to have a functioning border system. There’s a difference between who I believe, and who former Congressman

Peter King believes, is to blame for the border crisis (“Reflections on the special election,” Feb. 29-March 6).

The Republicans have historically scuttled any attempts to resolve this issue. There really are many instances of this, but I’ll just list a few. In 2013, then House Speaker John Boehner refused to allow a comprehensive reform bill to come to the floor of the House. Recently, a bipartisan bill that had been worked on for months was voted down in the Senate by Republicans, after House Speaker Mike Johnson had numerous discussions with former President Donald Trump and said that it would be “dead on arrival” in the House.

During the Trump administration, one of the most disgraceful border policies separated minor children from their parents and put them in chain-link enclosures to provide photo opportunities for the Republicans. Now Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has spent more than $150 million to send migrants to socalled sanctuary cities so that other Republican officials can share in the fun. Perhaps that money would be better spent on helping the victims of the recent

The problem is bigger than just Trump and Biden — it’s a sign of deeper trouble with our politics. We complain about our leaders being too old, but we’ve paid too little attention to the other side of that coin: Where are our young leaders?

Socially and technologically, America today is not the America in which Biden and Trump came of age. Yet those in their 40s and younger are still passed up and overlooked for positions of power. The median age of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives is 58, accord-

Those generational differences are also evident in the sluggish pace with which the government has mobilized technology and legislation to combat climate change, despite the urgent cries of young people demanding change now.

And those differences are brutally obvious in the lack of progress toward rethinking the cost of education and housing, for which young people stand most to lose.

Our present discontent toward our aging leaders is neither inevitable nor forever. It’s something we’ve chosen by refusing to let our young people take the lead and have a say in their future.

Juan Lasso is editor of the Valley Stream Herald, Comments? jlasso@liherald.com.

wildfires in Abbott’s home state.

So, Mr. King, I don’t believe Republicans want to solve this problem, because they want to use it for political gains. What have you done to encourage your fellow Republi-

cans to solve it? Did you ever work on a bipartisan solution? Just asking.

JUan

Lasso