East Meadow Herald 04-20-2023

Fire departments turn up the heat on recruitment

by JoRdAN VALLoNE, mALLoRY WILSoN and mICHAEL mALASzCzYK of the Herald

Volunteer fire departments are constantly faced with the challenge of recruiting new firefighters and emergency medical technicians — as call volume increases and the number of active members decreases.

This weekend, fire departments in the Sixth Battalion — which includes Bellmore, East Meadow, Levittown, Massapequa, Merrick, North Bellmore, North Massapequa, North Merrick, Seaford and Wantagh — will open their doors for the 14th annual RecruitNY campaign.

Strengthening community pride by teaching lacrosse

by mALLoRY WILSoN mwilson@liherald.com

When Josh Tobon took over East Meadow’s Nassau County Police Activity League boys’ lacrosse program in 2021, he thought it could use a reboot. He had already been coaching for two years when he was asked if he wanted to be the director, and since he had some ideas, Tobon decided to go for it. Now, two years later, the program is seeing more than tri-

ple the number of boys signing up than it did before his tenure.

“It’s been a huge undertaking and it takes a village,” Tobon said. “I wanted to create an environment where, regardless of ethnicity, culture, or whatever, everyone feels included and has a place and has fun.”

PAL typically serves kids in grades one through six, with seasons running from April to May for first- and second-graders and from March

through May for third grade and up.

While the registration for East Meadow’s girls’ PAL lacrosse has been consistently strong, the boys’ numbers had been waning.

“I just don’t think there was a culture, and there wasn’t enough connection between PAL and Clarke and East Meadow,” Tobon said, referring to the high schools.

“There wasn’t enough promo-

Continued on page 10

At open houses scattered throughout the area on April 22 and 23, those interested in joining departments will have the opportunity to speak with active volunteers, ask questions and learn about the benefits of becoming a firefighter or EMT.

The Firefighters Association of New York estimates that there are 20,000 fewer volunteer firefighters now than there were 20 years ago. Calls are becoming increasingly more varied, as volunteers are called for medical emergencies, flooded basements, downed power lines and car acci-

Head down to any of the following EMFD locations on April 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.:

Fire Headquarters, 197 East Meadow Ave. Station #1, 346 East Meadow Ave., near Franklin Avenue

Station #2, 590 East Meadow Ave., and Park Avenue

Station #3, 350 North Newbridge Rd., and Salisbury Park Drive

Station #4, 3 Bob Reed Lane and Carman Avenue, Westbury (Salisbury)

dents as well as fires, the association said.

Members of the Sixth Battalion are close-knit, according to Chairman Peter Cheswick, the immediate past chief of the East Meadow Fire Department. They meet monthly to discuss business, which also includes ways to recruit new members to their

Continued on page 4

Tim Baker/Herald

HAmzA AbduLLAH, 5, got a taste of lacrosse at the free clinic hosted by East Meadow’s Nassau County Police Activity League last Friday.

Breakfast of Champions ceremony held at EMHS

Nineteen East Meadow High School students were honored for demonstrating exemplary character and conduct during the school’s annual Breakfast of Champions ceremony on March 24.

Honorees were recognized by their parents, teachers, and administrators for displaying admirable character traits and positive qualities both in, and outside of the school community. An East Meadow High School Champion is one who thinks of others and makes consistent positive contributions to his or her surroundings. The honorees were nominated by their teachers for exemplifying academic success, respect, and positivity among their peers, school, and community.

This year’s East Meadow Champions are: Mariam Alvizures Hernandez, Maria Arsany, Kevin Canto, Andrew Dungca, Adriana Faltorusso, Leila Fernando, Olivia Fong, Tiffany Galarza, Sofie Glassman, Ean Gohil, Daniel Kowal, Kiran Maharaj, Nichole Manalil, Juliana Pashalian, Daniel Ratkewitch, Victoria Ribeiro, Matthew Rodriguez, Owen Smith, and Michael Zavlick.

The district congratulates all of this year’s honorees.

Courtesy East Meadow High School

East MEadow HigH School celebrated students for their exemplary character and conduct at the annual Breakfast of Champions ceremony on March 24.

LittLe Leaguers took their caps off for the Pledge of Allegiance

Central Nassau little leaguers are ready to play

The Little League Pledge is as follows: “I trust in God, I love my country and I will reports its law. I will play fair and strive to win, but win or lose I will always do my best.”

Spring was in the air for the Central Nassau Athletic Association annual little league parade and opening day ceremony on April 15. Ballplayers all dressed up, along with their parents and community members marched down Carman Avenue before a ceremony was held at the field to mark opening day of the baseball and softball season.

“Central Nassau Little League is possible because of the contributions you make for

your children,” little league President Joe Aloi said. “Your support of our league does not go unnoticed.

“Through sports, character and a sense of community is built. Our children are our future and with teamwork success happens.”

CNAA takes in kids from ages 4 to 14 from East Meadow, Salisbury and Westbury. Dozens are registered to play on a Rebels squad with children in their age groups this spring.

Local officials were also present for the season kick off. Gift cards to Dick’s Sporting Goods were raffled off, and kids were selected to throw the first balls of the season.

Mallory Wilson/Herald photos

during the ceremony.

Brothers anthony and David Fokas, 9 and 6, were all dressed up for the season.

FamiLies happiLy joined the players in the parade down Carman Avenue.

the Lady reBeLs showed their pride as they made their way to the ball field.

CentraL nassau president Joe Aloi shared a few words during the opening ceremony.

A growing need for firefighters, EMTs

continued from front page

respective fire departments.

“We’re all seeing the same problems,” Cheswick said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s East Meadow, Wantagh, Seaford — we’re all suffering the same problems of low numbers of people wanting to volunteer.”

Cheswick, who started with the East Meadow Fire Department in its junior program when he was 15, and then officially when he turned 18, said that he began seeing the decline in new volunteers about 10 years ago.

Bellmore Fire Chief Timothy Carroll said he started witnessing a decline in membership in his department five to six years ago.

“It’s all relative,” Carroll said. “If you ask a guy from 50 years ago, he says, ‘Back in the day, people were dying to get in here.’ What’s low to me is almost nonexistent to them.”

“We try to explain as best as possible about how much time it will be once they join,” Cheswick said. “But then people actually sit down and realize how much time is actually taken up, and they can’t do it, so they wind up leaving only after a short amount of time.”

The decline also could be attributed to how much more time they need to put into supporting their families. Cheswick said he himself works two jobs, in addition to his work with the fire department.

“You have your family, you have obligations with jobs, maybe two jobs, so it’s harder to keep those members,” Cheswick said. “We’re trying everything we can to lessen the load for people, but it’s hard because you need to train, you need to go to calls, you need to come to meetings and know what’s going on.”

Carroll said, “As the years have gone, the average of the firemen has gotten older. Kids, meaning 18, 19-year-olds, are going away to college, and they’re not coming back.

“It’s so expensive to live here,” he added, “Why would you stay if you can get out of here? People are working two, three jobs, and they don’t have the time anymore.”

Phil Schaaf, a captain in the Wantagh Fire Department’s third station, said the issue is not a decline in numbers, but rather an aging fire department and a lack of younger members.

“Our members are starting to get a little older,” Schaaf said. “So let’s bring in some new — not just younger, but just new — folks to really start to supplement some of those that are not able to be as active due to age and health.”

George Kern, a former chief of the Seaford Fire Department, holds similar views about a department of aging firefighters.

Fire departments are receiving more calls now due to modern smoke and carbon monoxide detectors that automatically alert local departments. So even though the threat in a home may not be serious enough for a response, firefighters are still summoned anyway.

Each department in the Sixth Battalion renders mutual aid whenever one of its independent fire departments needs assistance. In the past, only certain calls required mutual aid, but now more help is needed since there are fewer volunteers answering calls.

Each fire department covers the cost to train new volunteers — and it takes about four to five months to complete training.

“If I swore you in today,” Carroll said, “I could get you into academy classes in May, and you’d be through the fire academy by August, September maybe. But if you join in September, I can’t get you into the fire

HOW TO REACH US

PHONE: (516) 569-4000

■ WEB SITE:

the eaSt Meadow Fire Department, and other members of the Sixth Battalion, are hosting a recruitment fair this weekend.

academy until (next) May, because they can’t run outdoor classes in the winter.”

New members are required to respond to 25 percent of all calls their first year, and must attend 50 percent of all training sessions and 50 percent of all meetings. After the first year, they only need to attend 20 percent of calls, meetings and events, which Carroll estimates is roughly four hours a week.

Fire department volunteers receive benefits, such as college tuition assistance, tax deductions and pension. A volunteer force, as compared to an all-career firefighting force, saves residents $273 million in annual taxes.

Starting ’em young

One of the best ways to recruit and retain volunteers is to get them interested in the fire department at a young age. Most fire departments have a junior fire company, with volunteers starting at age 15 and getting a taste of what it’s like to be a firefighter or EMT.

They can earn the opportunity to attend Camp Fahrenheit 516, a week-long camp held during the summer at the Nassau County Fire Service Academy in Old Bethpage, where they are trained on a variety of practices they need to know to become a firefighter.

In addition, Nassau BOCES operates EMT training courses for high school students. Cheswick said East Meadow Fire Department officials have been trying to speak at more East Meadow School District career days to show students what’s available to them. Carroll said the Bellmore Fire Department also visits John F. Kennedy High School for the same purpose.

“We’ve been really adamant about trying to push the school districts to let us in on their career days,” Cheswick said, “so that we can show them what the volunteer service has to offer.”

Seaford’s fire department only has one firehouse, but former chief George Kern said its doors are open to young people who want to make a difference in the community.

“We’re a big family,” Kern said. “We’re

community-oriented. We’re looking for firefighters, paramedics, and we’re even recruiting for our junior firefighter program, which is for middle school and high school students. They can also be very helpful in getting the word out about us.”

From volunteer to career

For college-aged kids, free tuition at Nassau Community College is available for those who volunteer at their local fire departments. All that is needed is a signed letter from the chief showing involvement within the fire district.

Two of Cheswick’s children, Kasey, 21, and Connor, 19, took advantage of this program. Connor is currently studying emergency management at NCC, and Kasey turned her EMT training from the fire department into a full time EMT gig for New York State at Jones Beach.

The free training received at the local fire department can be taken with members if they want to move on to a paid career in the New York City EMS, NYPD, FDNY or EMT.

Lifelong friendship and brotherhood

According to both Schaaf and Kern, volunteer firefighters are wrapped up in a sense of community and purpose.

“It’s about helping the community and helping your neighbors,” Schaaf said. “There’s a lot of family fun, as well as parades and barbecues that families can partake in. There’s a lot there to kind of, to help each other out, as well as kind of build that camaraderie.”

State Sen. Steve Rhoads, who counts three decades of service in the Wantagh Fire Department, said, “The 30 years I’ve spent in the volunteer fire service has been among the most rewarding experiences in my life. The ability to answer the call of a neighbor in their time of need builds a sense of community that can’t be duplicated in any other way. We are all called upon to serve and use our gifts and talents to benefit others, and whether you join as a firefighter or fire medic, it’s a great way to make a difference in people’s lives in a direct and personal way.”

Tim Baker/Herald file photo

SpOTLIghT aThLETE

East Meadow rallies past Baldwin

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

After spotting Baldwin an eight-run lead after two innings of last week’s Nassau Conference AA-2 baseball series finale April 13, East Meadow relief pitcher Dom Steinmark quieted the Bruins’ bats while the Jets’ sticks stayed hot in the rubber game of the three-game set.

pETEr ThOMaNN

Calhoun Senior Lacrosse

a LONg STIck midfielder who helped the Colts reach the Nassau Class B championship game last spring, Thomann leads Calhoun’s defensive effort and was Honorable Mention AllAmerican in 2022. The two-time AllCounty selection is headed to play at the University of North Carolina. “Peter is the heart and soul of the squad,” coach Jim Femminella said. “He has size, skill, speed and strength, and plays with an edge.”

gaMES TO waTch

Thursday, april 20

Baseball: Island Trees at Wantagh 4:45 p.m.

Baseball: Oceanside at Baldwin 5 p.m.

Baseball: V.S. South at Malverne 5 p.m.

Baseball: Long Beach at Mepham 5 p.m.

Baseball: South Side at Sewanhaka 5 p.m.

Girls Flag Football: Roslyn at Bellmore-Merrick 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Hicksville at Freeport 5 p.m.

Softball: Kennedy at Oceanside 5 p.m.

Softball: Calhoun at East Meadow 5 p.m.

Boys Tennis: Wantagh at Oceanside 5 p.m.

Girls Flag Football: Valley Stream at MacArthur 7 p.m.

Friday, april 21

Girls Flag Football: Westbury at Freeport 4:30 p.m.

Baseball: Floral Park at Hewlett 5 p.m.

Baseball: V.S. Central at West Hempstead 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Garden City at Calhoun 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Baldwin at East Meadow 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Oceanside at Mepham 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Seaford at Carey 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Elmont at Clarke 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: South Side at Wantagh 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Bethpage at Lynbrook 5 p.m.

Boys Tennis: Massapequa at South Side 5 p.m.

East Meadow rallied with four runs in the bottom of the third inning, six runs in the fifth, and eventually won it, 14-13, on senior Devin Lake’s RBI single in the sixth. Lake went 3-for-3 for a second straight game and also earned the save despite walking two batters in the top of the seventh. Senior Mike Feldman drove in four runs and senior Alex Rodriguez scored three times as the Jets improved to 3-2 in conference game and 5-2 overall.

“We really need to cut down on errors and walks, but the kids showed a lot of fight today coming back from a 9-1 deficit,” East Meadow coach Vinny Mascia said. “We had a lot of kids hit the ball hard, but I think Steinmark was the star of the game. We were in a big hole when we brought him in to pitch and he held them down.”

Baldwin (1-5 in conference games, 1-6 overall) got a combined nine runs from its No. 2 through 4 hitters (senior Chris Stegmuller, junior Michael Jazylo and junior Mario Garcia) and rallied to tie the game at 13 with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Junior shortstop Giancarlo Estevez, in his first game of the season following a shoulder injury, had a bases-loaded clearing double in the top of the first.

“We’ve got a ton of underclassmen starting and making progress every day,” Baldwin coach Frank Esposito said. “We let this one slip away, but we’ll get right back at it next week against Oceanside.”

Jazylo, who reached base on all five plate appearances in the finale and scored four times, pitched and hit the Bruins to an 11-7 victory in a sloppy opening game of the series April 10. Both teams made seven errors. Jazylo pitched six innings and scattered eight hits with one walk and eight strikeouts with only one earned run. He also cracked a two-run double in the fourth inning for a 7-4 lead.

“He’s an elite talent,” Esposito said of Jazylo, who plays first base on non-pitching days. “He’s an impact pitcher and an impact hitter. He had a big year last year too.”

Garcia and senior Paul Battiata also knocked in two runs apiece in Baldwin’s first win of 2023.

The second game of the series was all East Meadow. The Jets blasted off with six runs in the top of the first and added eight

more runs in the second on the way to a 24-1 victory April 11. Lake had six RBIs, while senior Devin McQuillan and junior Kevin Canto drove in three runs apiece. On the mound, sophomore Spencer Kemler proved tough to solve with a two-hitter and seven strikeouts over four innings.

“We’ve still got an awful lot of work to do,” Mascia said. “We have to throw more strikes and do a better job at catching the baseball.”

Donovan Berthoud/Herald photo SENIOr DEvIN LakE had the game-winning RBI and the save in the Jets’ 14-13 victory over Baldwin April 13.

D’Esposito introduces cops ‘bill of rights’

By KARINA KOVAC kkovac@liherald.com

He’s calling it the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights, a direct jab at what he calls the “defund the police” movement. And as a former cop himself, U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito says his new legislation introduced on Capitol Hill last week is exactly what police departments need to move forward in a new world.

The Republican lawmaker surrounded himself with officials from the local Police Benevolent Association union at their Mineola headquarters to share details of H.R. 285, which has already attracted a dozen GOP cosponsors — including U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino.

The bill, if passed, is intended to give privileges and securities to officers not offered before, D’Esposito says, such as the right to self-defense against physical threats and legal recourse if a civilian attempts to assault them. The congressman hopes other lawmakers will follow suit on the state level to create similar bills.

“It condemns calls to defund, disband, dismantle or abolish any police agency,” D’Esposito said. “It encourages dialogue between law enforcement and their communities to improve public safety, and engage all of the society’s stakeholders. And lastly, it respects the rights of police officers to carry out their duties, to protect our communities with integrity, and have essential protections during investigations.”

D’Esposito quoted a statistic from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund that found 224 law enforcement officers died in 2022. He also claimed many more are at risk of being hurt because of the “defund the police movement” in minority communities, where officers keep seeing “body bag after body bag removed.”

The most recent significant calls for police reform emerged following the death of George Floyd while being arrested by Minneapolis police officers in May

2020. One of the police officers was later found guilty of murder and manslaughter, and sentenced to more than 22 years in prison.

The number of officer fatalities in 2022 has remained slightly above levels in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s save the early 2020s, which included a large number of deaths related to Covid-19.

Thomas Shevlin, president of the Nassau County PBA, said it’s time to “get back to common sense.” He also called on politicians from both sides of the political aisle to support the bill.

Brian Sullivan, the president of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association, said that for years he and other law enforcement and court officers have been sounding the alarm about the harm of bail reform, discovery reform, and the implications of the reforms endangering not only officers, but society. He said the issue shouldn’t be seen as law enforcement against liberals, and that what matters is helping the general public

who is suffering because of previous litigation.

“We have a very low headcount,” Sullivan told the crowd that gathered for the news conference about the population behind bars. “What does that tell you? You see it in that the proof is in the pudding, the criminals are in the streets. We need to mobilize the base of the citizenry to support their law enforcement and realize what’s going on behind the scenes here.”

Sullivan cited the “insanity” of bail reform by offering an example he saw in the news recently where a Bronx judge, Naita Semaj, let the accused killer of a teenaged boy go free on his own recognizance without bail.

“The judge in the Bronx, because of what’s going on in this state, disregarded the cries and the pleas of not only the prosecutors,” Sullivan said, “but of the boy’s mother to hold this guy in jail.”

The bill was officially introduced April 10, and was immediately referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

Karina Kovac/Herald

U.S. Rep. ANthONy D’Esposito introduces his Law Enforcement Bill of Rights legislation alongside local police and correction officer benevolent associations at the Police Benevolent Association headquarters in Mineola last week.

There’s nothing kids look forward to more than vacation, especially summer vacation. But summer can also be a prime time for the “summer slide” when students forget the reading and math skills they learned during the school year, according to the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL).

Kids not exposed to ongoing summer learning, such as reading and solving math problems, can lose anywhere from one to three months of what they learned in the previous grade. When that happens, children start the next year playing catch up. If they suffer the slide continually in the early years, it creates a potentially life-long problem. We already know that children who are not reading proficiently by third grade tend to stay behind in future grades, and that they are four times less likely to graduate from high school.

The summer slide is especially devastating to children from low-income families. Summers without academic practice contribute to the big achievement gap that exists between disadvantaged kids (who qualify for free or reduced lunch) and their more advantaged peers.

That learning gap forces teachers to play catch-up when school starts again in the fall.

“Parents can play critical roles in ensuring children maintain their academic skills in reading and other subjects over the summer,” the NCFL emphasizes .”The key is to associate learning with fun activities.”

The good news is, there are many rewarding, enriching educational experiences for families to halt the summer slide. Reading is the single most impactful activity for children in the summer. A summer reading program helps maintain and advance reading and language comprehension from one grade to the next grade. Make it a family effort with siblings, parents and relatives devoting regular time to reading and reading aloud to young children.

Encourage Bright Spots

Parents and students often associate the summer with remedial classes. But encouraging your children’s interests and strengths is a great way to associate fun with learning. Try enrolling them in classes or camps that focus on their strengths and let them develop lifelong hobbies that are fun and good for them.

Be creative: A quick search online should yield a lot of great suggestions for creative, fun learning activities both online and off. For example, the nonprofit website Wonderopolis. org encourages children and parents to explore the things they wonder about with daily content, like “Why Do You Get Ice Cream Headaches?” or “How Can You Be a Human Compass?”

You and your children can also nominate your own “Wonder of the Day” on Wonderopolis. org by submitting your own curious question. You can even create your own video and include the link to it in your submission.

Let them run wild — in the library: Make a big deal out of frequent trips to the library where kids can pick out anything they want to read that is age-appropriate. Experts say reading four or five books over a summer will maintain reading skills, so long as the selections are challenging enough.

Plan learning adventures: Take excursions to museums, national parks, zoos or aquariums. Or try a hike that focuses on birds, plants or any special theme. Tie a book or educational program to the adventure (either before or after), so your child will connect real life to learning. Alternatively, you can expose a child to a new piece of music before a concert the whole family can enjoy.

Embrace Family Time

Enjoy excursions to museums, parks, local historical sites, the beach, etc. as a family. Challenge your child to think about what they learned from the experience by describing interesting details of what they learned or what they still want to know. Ask them questions

that stretch their thinking, such as “Why do you think that?” or “What would happen if…?”

Cook together and have the children reference the recipes and make shopping lists using their creativity and emerging writing skills, even if they are only able to draw pictures and “scribble”. Each one of these early steps prepares them for writing in school.

While at the grocery store, challenge your children to find items on the shelves by looking for the first letter in the title or a picture of the item. Ask children to guess how many pasta shells are in a box or ask them questions about what they notice – like the cold and warms parts of stores.

Whatever you do, make it fun and interactive. Your child will enjoy new adventures, especially if they are with the people they love most in this world their parents and families.

Photo: That break from the school year routine is great time to relax and let loose, but it’s still essential to keep kids’ minds working during when school’s not in session — and throughout the year.

naled the ingly the lar projects admissions. events over best so lenge.

be focused Consider strategies success. home by assignments, for that study haphazard ners books up don’t space a set tines. regular breaks). play, and what’s end-of-school be ners

Spring Open House

Saturday, April 29th OR Thursday, May

10am-12pm 6pm-8pm

Academically Rigorous: College

Preparatory

All-Girls: A Lifetime of Sisterhood

Catholic High School Matters

360-Degree Support: In and Out of the Classroom

Leadership and Confidence Grow Here

6th, 7th and 8th Grade Girls and their parents choose from 15-minute workshops on topics such as:

Why Catholic HS Makes a Difference College Prep Starts Now

5 Reasons All-Girls Schools Lead Choosing an Academically-Rigorous Path

Starting players young to fire their passion

continued from front page Boys in prekindergarten through eighth grade got a chance to hone their lacrosse skills April 12-14 at East Meadow High School.

tion of the sport.”

Tobon, a 1999 graduate of East Meadow High, said East Meadow has a rich history in lacrosse. John Danowski, the head coach of the men’s lacrosse team at Duke University in North Carolina, grew up in East Meadow and played on the lacrosse team from 1969 to 1972. He helped his team twice win the county championships during his tenure.

Tom Schreiber, a professional lacrosse player who was once voted the best player in the world, grew up in East Meadow as well. Although Schreiber went to St. Anthony’s High School in Huntington, Tobon said that he got his start in the East Meadow PAL.

“For a town that has such a great history of lacrosse, to not even be competitive, I knew we had to fix it,” said Tobon, whose sons Miles and Jack, in fifth and fourth grade, respectively, also play lacrosse. “It’s not about me, it’s about the kids, and I have a lot of helping hands.”

Matt Caramente, a 2015 graduate of East Meadow High, got his start playing lacrosse in the East Meadow PAL program. He said that he has fond memories growing up in PAL, playing with friends and having his dad coach the team.

Now, Caramente has been back in the district to help coach the high school boys’ lacrosse team. He volunteers his time to help Tobon with PAL.

“The boys’ lacrosse program was

doing really well when we were younger, and then it kind of started to fade,” Caramente said. “The high school players now, there really was no PAL lacrosse program when they were all PAL age.

“We have a lot of kids saying how much they love to play, but they really weren’t introduced until maybe late mid-

If You Don’t Understand the Plan, You Don’t Have a Plan

So many people who come in to see us do not understand the estate plan they have or do not know what is in their current plan. Some of the reasons for this are (1) time has inevitably blurred their memories, (2) the plan may be written in legalese and was never properly explained to them, (3) they may have misconceptions and misunderstandings of what their plan is; and (4) their lawyer may have lacked the knowledge required to find the right solution for their family in the event of death and disability. To this we say, “if you don’t understand the plan, you don’t have a plan.”

Ettinger Law Firm developed a process, in use for over thirty years, to avoid these problems. First, we offer a free initial consultation to go over the pros and cons of having a will or a trust and the differences between revocable and irrevocable trusts. So many people have misconceptions about trusts based on what friends have said or what they have read on the internet. For example, many clients are afraid to create an irrevocable trust because they think they will lose control. We explain why that is incorrect and how you can still

change the trustee, change who you leave it to, take money out and even how you can revoke an irrevocable trust!

After the overview provided in the initial consultation, we give you a copy of our plain English book, “Elder Law Estate Planning”, and advise which chapters apply to your situation -maybe an hour or so of reading. We also invite you to watch the thirty minute estate planning video at trustlaw.com.

We arrange for you to come in about two weeks later for a second free consultation to have any remaining questions answered, draft an estate plan together with the new “knowledgeable” you and give you a written proposal. Once you accept, we arrange for the signing and completion of your estate plan two or three weeks later. From start to finish the process usually takes about eight weeks.

Finally, we call you in for a free review every three years to review your plan, refresh your recollection and update where necessary so your estate plan works when you need it.

dle school or high school.”

Caramente started playing because his two older brothers played and he quickly grew to love the sport. He remembers his time in PAL as a fun learning experience.

He reminisced about a lacrosse camp he attended as a kid, which included competitions and prizes.

“One thing I strictly remember was on Wednesdays everybody would get ice cream,” Caramente said. “So I use what I remember to bring it to the clinic now. It’s a really big group effort and we’re all using what we have, and I think it’s been working out really well.”

Tobon believes that lacrosse doesn’t stop once the season is over. He offers clinics for prekindergarten- and kindergarten-age kids to let them get the hang of holding the stick and throwing the ball. There are also summer clinics and free fall clinics for the little ones. On April 12-14, a free lacrosse clinic was held

for boys in pre-K through eighth grade. For the clinics, dads are out there coaching with the assistance of East Meadow varsity lacrosse players.

“The grass-roots (of PAL) is what makes it special,” Tobon said. “It’s the first time most of these kids have ever started playing a sport.”

Tim Baker/Herald photos

Four-year-old Colton reinhardt learned how to cradle and throw the ball at the clinic.

STEPPING OUT

Asbury Short Film Concert

The latest edition of the short film showcase has made its way back to Long Island. With a lineup of classic shorts from Asbury’s past combined with film festival winners currently on the circuit — and in many cases, featuring up-and-coming filmmakers — audiences can get a peek at these “smaller” films that don’t often get a big-screen showing. The eclectic mix of films offers a look at the best in short film comedy, drama and animation, highlighting emerging filmmakers along with seasoned directors. The fast-paced evening includes such stand-outs as ‘The Waiting Room,’ produced, directed and written by former Nassau County film commissioner Debra Markowitz. The multiple festival award-winning 12- minute dramatic comedy reunites a woman and her exhusband in heaven.

home of

As seen through the artists’ eyes

By Karen Bloom

Our spaces have taken on a new importance in recent years. “Home,” in all its variations, has inspired us — and renewed us. Heckscher Museum of Art explores the spaces we inhabit in its latest offering, “Raise the Roof: The Home in Art,” on view through March 2024.

Friday, April 21, 7:30 p.m. $15. Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. (516) 323-4444 or MadisonTheatreNY.org.

STEPPING OUT

Home.

personalities and the values of the people who lived there.

Creative advocacy

“It’s a life-size piece that takes up an entire wall,” Bennett says. “It makes you feel immediately at home. “Everyone responds to it. They recognize the scenes and tell us it reminds them of their own house.”

The exhibit — featuring more than 50 works — reflects the many meanings of home, as it delves into how artists creatively define life at home.

“This exhibit came out of the pandemic,” says Justyce Bennett, the museum’s curatorial assistant. “The idea of home really shifted. It became our office space, our leisure place, our everything. The same thing happened with artists, it became their studios. Over the past four years, we’ve deepened our understanding of what home looks like.”

From that shift in how we live, an exhibit evolved.

“The majority of the artworks on view were created before the pandemic, demonstrating the central role that our homes have always played in our lives and in art,” says curator Karli Wurzelbacher. “In light of the recent pandemic, home continues to evolve. And we connect to this artwork with new eyes.”

The exhibit includes what Bennett describes as “old favorites” with never-before-seen works. “This show combines the tried-and-true with new art — the classics and recent additions to our collections”

Raise the Roof debuts significant works by contemporary artists such as Courtney M. Leonard, Kenji Nakahashi and Stella Waitzkin. Never-beforeexhibited photographs by Larry Fink, prints by Robert Dash, along with works by Romare Bearden, Salvador Dali, Olafur Eliasson, Miriam Schapiro, and Esphyr Slobodkina are also featured.

“She also remembered the artwork her grandparents had in that house, so it represents art in art — in a really cool way.”

Englishtown Project

By Karen Bloom

Centerport-based Pat Ralph, an artist with a longtime connection to the museum as a trustee collections committee member, is represented with “The Visit Home.” Bennett describes the piece, which shows a man reclining in his childhood home, as”bright and dreamy.”

Also of note is Robert Carter’s mixed media painting “Mama Taught Me Piano and Much More.” It’s a powerful maternal work that pays tribute to the role of mothers.

Can art change the world? It’s a question that’s been at the focus of our collective culture for centuries. Now as society navigates the complexities of modern life, art as a path for social change is at the forefront of artistic expression.

“Robert also has a long history with the museum and this is only the second time it’s been on view,” Bennett says. “We’re so happy to show his piece. It’s my personal favorite in the show.”

WHERE WHEN

• Now through March 2024

• Open Thursday through Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

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

• Emily Lowe Hall Gallery, South Campus, Hempstead. For information and to RSVP, call (516) 463-5672, or visit Hofstra.edu/museum

• $5 suggested admission non-members; members and children under 13 free

• Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington (631) 380-3230, or Heckscher.org

“When We All Stand,” Hofstra University Museum of Art’s new exhibition, examines the collective power of the arts in society.

Curated by Alexandra Giordano — the museum’s assistant director of exhibition and collection — the exhibit underscores artists’ civic responsibility and influence.

Visitors are immediately drawn to the exhibit’s anchor, Becky Suss’s large-scale painting “Living Room,” a recent acquisition (actually six paintings) that is based on Suss’s memories of her grandparents’ house in Great Neck. The array of artwork and objects she depicts captures the

“It highlights the vital role that artists have in activating democratic values that promise equality and freedom, encouraging civic engagement, and cultivating unity,” Giordano says. “Artists often lead the charge and expose truths that may otherwise be ignored. The artists in this exhibition take a stand and call out injustices through their art and activism on issues such as immigration, gender, reproductive rights, mass incarceration, voting rights, racial bias, gun violence, and promises unfulfilled. They all combine the making

Englishtown Project visits the Landmark stage with their dynamic tribute to a classic unforgettable concert. This all-star jam band commemorates one special concert. The group — featuring members of New Riders of the Purple Sage, Zen Tricksters, and Max Creek, recreates the legendary Sept. 3, 1977, show in Englishtown, New Jersey, which was headlined by the Grateful Dead, who had just completed its legendary Spring/Summer 1977 tour featuring a batch of new material from ‘Terrapin Station.’ They were joined by the Dead family’s New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the good-time, southern rock Marshall Tucker Band. This tribute extravaganza includes healthy ‘doses’ of selections from each band’s sets that day in a relaxed, festival-style program.

Saturday, April 22, 8 p.m. $35, $30. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444, or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

Courtesy Heckscher Museum of Art

• Top left: Becky Suss, Living Room from the Collection of Ninah and Michael Lynne.

• Top right: Pat Ralph, The Visit Home, 1983.

• Bottom right: Robert Carter, Mama Taught Me Piano and Much More, 2007.

It’s where the heart is, where our lives unfold — and where imagination takes flight.

THE SCENE

Itzhak Perlman

The reigning virtuoso of the violin makes his long-awaited return, appearing on the Tilles Center stage. Sunday, May 7, 4 p.m. Experience his impeccable musicianship as never before. The intimate performance gives Perlman fans a deeply personal glimpse into his boyhood in Tel Aviv and New York, and the earliest years of his long and celebrated career. Enjoy an afternoon of music and storytelling as Perlman presents rarely seen archival photos and videos and shares memories, stories, and musical selections that you won’t hear anywhere else. On stage and performing with Perlman for this unforgettable afternoon is his longtime collaborator, pianist Rohan DeSilva, who’s been a constant presence by his side over the years. Tickets are $150, $100, $75: available at TillesCenter. org or (516) 299-3100. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville.

April 20

Breastfeeding Support Group

On exhibit

Nassau County Museum of Art’s new exhibition, “Eye And Mind: The Shin Collection,” highlights the extraordinary collection masterworks assembled by 31-year-old connoisseur Hong Gyu Shin, an internationally recognized figure in the global art world. He shares his treasures, including works by Whistler, Lautrec, Boucher, Daumier, Delacroix, Klimt, Schiele, Balthus, Warhol, de Kooning, Gorky and many other important names from art history provocatively juxtaposed with the painting and sculpture of our own time from both Asia and the West. On view through July 9. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Mercy Hospital offers a peer to peer meeting for breastfeeding support, 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. All new moms are welcome, regardless of delivering hospital. Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 705-2434 to secure a spot. Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.

Art talk

Join Nassau County Museum Director Charles A. Riley II, for a Director’s Seminar, Tuesday, May 23, 4 p.m. He’ll discuss ‘Balthus and Neo-Classicism,” in a session that is keyed to Balthus, along with Derain and such figures as Nijinsky and Prokofiev, who were experimenting with the re-invention of classical forms and motifs, notably those of the Renaissance. A decadent in the manner of Wilde, an Old Master painter among the Cubists, Picasso considered him a great talent. Registration required. $40, $20 members. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. Visit NassauMuseum.org or call (516) 484-9337.

Bingo at Beth-El

Get your game on at a weekly bingo game at East Meadow Beth-El Jewish Center at 1400 Prospect Ave., in East Meadow, starting at 6 p.m. Prizes, progressive games, bell jar prizes and refreshments will be provided. Proof of vaccination is required. For information, contact (516) 483-4205

EMFD recruitment open house

Anyone looking to join the East Meadow Fire Department can stop by their recruitment open house, Saturday, April 22, 10 a.m. to noon, Interested men and women can attend the open houses at any of the following EMFD locations: Fire Headquarters, 197 East Meadow Avenue, at Front Street; Station #1, 346 East Meadow Avenue, near Franklin Avenue; Station #2, 590 East Meadow Avenue and Park Avenue; Station #3, 350 North Newbridge Road and Salisbury Park Drive, Levittown; Station #4, 3 Bob Reed Lane and Carman Avenue, Westbury (Salisbury).

Having an event?

June 13

Passion for Pride

Support PFY, a division of Long Island Crisis Center, at a 30th Anniversary Benefit celebration, Tuesday, June 13, 6-10 p.m. With drag bingo and performances by Ivy Stalls and Syn; also special guest honoree actor-authoractivist Maulik Pancholy. The event, honoring PFY’s 30 years serving Long Island/Queens’ LGBTQ+ communities, is at Westbury Manor, 1100 Jericho Turnpike, Westbury. For more information and tickets, go to tinyurl.com/pfyevent2023.

EMCON animefest

Animefest is back at East Meadow Library, Saturday and Sunday, April 22-23. Enjoy the different artists, events, voice actors, cosplays, video games and more, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, at 1886 Front St., East Meadow. For information, visit EastMeadow.info.

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.

All Kids Fair

The 12th annual All Kids Fair returns to Samanea Mall, Sunday, April 23, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 1504 Old Country Road, Westbury. With bounce houses, petting zoos, face painting, balloon animals, cotton candy, child ID kits, and more. To purchase tickets in advance visit allkidsfair.com/tickets.

‘What’s your best guess’

Join creator and host, East Meadow resident Rosa Yordan for an interactive trivia game that will take you down memory lane, Thursday, April 27, 1 to 3 p.m., at East Meadow Library. Topics include films, Broadway plays, celebrities, music, famous places, sports and more. Dancing is permitted! 1886 Front St. For information, visit EastMeadow.info.

Mobile office hours with Steve Rhoads

State Senatpr Steve Rhoads will host mobile office hours at East Meadow Library, Saturday, April 29, 11-1 p.m. Rhoads wants to hit the road, to get to know his constituents. Visit EMPL at 1886 Front St., in East Meadow. Call (516) 882-0630 for additional info.

On stage

Back by popular demand, families will enjoy a musical adventure, ripped from the pages of Mo Willems’ beloved children’s books, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday, April 21, 10:15 a.m. and noon; Sunday, April 23, 2 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, April 26-27, 10:15 a.m. and noon. . Elephant and Piggie storm the stage in a rollicking musical romp filled with plenty of pachydermal peril and swiney suspense perfect for young audiences. Cautious Gerald and playful Piggie share a day where anything is possible in an imaginative exploration of of friendship. Together with nutty backup singers, The Squirrelles, the comedic duo even gets the audience involved in the action. $9 with museum admission ($7 members), $12 theater only. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

Dancing into spring

Craft Beer, Cocktails, Wine & Spirits.

Lunch & Dinner Menu, Sushi and Brunch with Weekly Specials!

Trivia Tuesday Nights & Taco Tuesday Specials. Happy Hour ½ off Apps 4-6pm Weekdays. Inquire for Your Next Private Event on our Website. Tasting Room & Dining Room with dock & dine access. Visit Us on Open Table to make a reservation.

Taproom Hours: Mon-Thurs: 2pm-9pm | Friday-Saturday: 12pm -11pm | Sunday: 12pm-9pm

Restaurant Hours: Monday: Closed | Tuesday-Thurs: 5pm-9pm | Friday: 12pm-10pm | Saturday: 12pm-10pm | Sunday: 12pm-9pm

April 26-27

Adelphi Department of Dance students present their semi-annual dance showcase on the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center stage, Wednesday through Friday, April 26-27, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 29, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 30, 2 p.m. Dancers are working with guest artist Alberto “Tito” del Saz, artistic director of The Nikolais/Louis Foundation for Dance, to present “Four Brubeck Pieces,” featuring music from Dave Brubeck’s classic album “Time Out.” The performance also features choreography by dance faculty members Frank Augustyn, Orion Duckstein, Adelheid B. Strelick, and adjunct faculty Bivi Kimura. The show will be also livestreamed during the Saturday matinee and evening performances. Tickets are $30, with discounts available to seniors, students, Adelphi alumni and employees. Livestream access is $20. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 877-4000 or Adelphi.edu/pac.

It was enough fentanyl to kill 2 million people

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

Three kilograms of pure fentanyl might not seem like a lot. But as a powerful synthetic opioid that is at least 50 times more potent than morphine — that much fentanyl can kill. A lot.

That’s likely why the Nassau County Police Department and county officials are calling the arrest of Juan Cruz, who they say was holding all three kilos, a “historic seizure of pure fentanyl.”

“This is a story about triumph and tragedy,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said. Tragedy that young people are unwitting victims to peddled pills. Triumph in the form of stopping those pills from hitting the street.

The 50-year-old Cruz lives in the Bronx, but is said to be a citizen of the Dominican Republic. Police reportedly stopped him after Second Squad detectives received a tip that he was bringing the drug into the county last week, police commissioner Patrick Ryder said.

A single kilo of fentanyl has the potential to kill up to 500,000 people, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Three times that could kill the entire population of Nassau County, with

enough fentanyl left over to kill 100,000 more.

“Fentanyl is cheap,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said. “It’s plentiful. And it’s coming into the county in droves.”

Cruz pleaded not guilty to felony counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a narcotic drug, as well as a traffic infraction for operating an unregistered vehicle. He is being held behind bars without bail.

Cruz was not known to Nassau detectives before his arrest Wednesday, Ryder said, but they now believe he is a “major dealer” operating in the county.

The drugs reportedly come from Mexico and South America — something Blakeman says supports his position of stopping immigration.

unless we close our borders,” Blakeman said. “We have crime rings that are oper ating here from south of the border. They’re stealing cars. They are stealing catalytic converters. They’re doing orga nized burglaries. And of course, they are dealing in very, very, very dangerous drugs.”

NASSAu COuNty ExECutIvE Bruce Blakeman, far left, joined Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly, Nassau County Legislator Tom McKevitt, Nassau County Police Department commissioner Patrick Ryder, and county legislator Rose Walker to share news of what they described as a historic seizure of fentanyl.

police to identify him because he had burned his fingertips, they said, mutilating his fingerprints. Doing that was a way Cruz had hoped not to be deported again something officials last did in 2012. Because it’s an active investigation,

Donnelly said she was “extremely limited” on what she could comment on.

“What I will tell you is this,” she said. “Defendants like Juan Cruz are peddling this poison in our neighborhoods to our children.”

Roksana Amid/Herald

Juan Cruz

PRESENTED

Public Notices

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 May 1, 2023 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 138388

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU

U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as owner trustee for RCF 2 Acquisition

Trust c/o U.S. Bank Trust National Association, Plaintiff

AGAINST

Brenda J. Waynes a/k/a

Brenda Waynes a/k/a

Brenda J. Weeks a/k/a

Brenda Weeks; Edward Weeks a/k/a Edward N. Weeks, Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered January 30, 2023 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on May 8, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 852 Smith Street, Uniondale, NY 11553. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected,

situate, lying and being in Uniondale, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 50 Block 395 Lot 32. Approximate amount of judgment

$156,934.84 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 607834/2019. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19

Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed

Property established by the Tenth Judicial District. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Mary Ellen Divone, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP

f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC

Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624

(877) 430-4792

Dated: March 6, 2023

138603

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSF9 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. SALVATORE J. VALLONE, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on May 26, 2022, 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 on May 11, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 2469 Cypress Avenue, East Meadow, NY 11554. 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 51, Block 273 and Lot 28.

Approximate amount of judgment is $569,286.75 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #001492/2008. Cash will not be accepted. 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.

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU

U.S. Bank National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as trustee for the RMAC Trust, Series 2018 G-CTT, Plaintiff AGAINST

Brian Taggart; et al.,

Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale

duly entered January 6, 2023 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on May 16, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 2760 Cypress Avenue, East Meadow, NY 11554. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in East Meadow, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 51 Block 17 Lot 73.

Approximate amount of judgment $343,984.71 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 608076/2019. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the Tenth Judicial District.

Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Jane P. Shrenkel, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP

f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC

Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: March 2, 2023

138772

LEGAL NOTICE

REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR FIRST FRANKLIN MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2006-FF16, ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-FF16, Plaintiff - againstANGELA LEWIS, et al Defendant(s).

Premises known as 290 Arcadia Ave, Uniondale, (Town of Hempstead) NY 11553.

(SBL#: 50-43-163)

Approximate amount of lien $478,268.99 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale.

Index No. 612932/2019. Mark S. Ricciardi, Esq., Referee.

Davidson Fink LLP

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 400 Meridian Centre Blvd, Ste 200 Rochester, NY 14618 Tel. 585/760-8218

For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832

Dated: March 8, 2023

During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6-feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale.

138695

Fashion show raises $60,000 for FCA

More than 200 people showed up recently to not only celebrate Women’s History Month, but to support a charity as well, raising more than $60,000 for Family & Children’s Association.

It was all part of FCA’s second annual Long Island Women in Philanthropy breakfast and fashion show that honored present-day philanthropist and social activist Leah Fisher. She is senior vice president of special projects at the Uniondale-based Arbor Realty Trust Inc.

Fisher is a heroine and champion of women in her own right as a founding member of “Conversations For Change,” a podcast exploring social activism through challenging conversations. Topics are selected based on overt areas of strife and inequity, current events, and what women experience in everyday life.

“FCA was founded on the ideas and ideals of philanthropic-minded women nearly 140 years ago,” said Jeffrey Reynolds, FCA’s president and chief executive, told attendees, which included former New York governor David Paterson. “Today, women continue to play an important role in FCA’s leader-

ship, staff, volunteers and donors. Together they work to help and strengthen individuals, communities and each other to fulfill their potential, and give back.”

FCA’s original orphanage, the Temporary Home for Friendless Children, was spearheaded in 1984 by Louisa Lee Schuyler — a great-granddaughter of Alexander Hamilton — and a group of like-minded women committed to the welfare of vulnerable children.

Today, FCA has six predominantly women-led divisions ranging from addition prevention and recovery, to children’s mental health and wellness, to family support. Each of the divisions were represented in the fashion show by client and volunteer models whose lives were positively impacted by FCA programs.

Altar’d State, which operates out of Roosevelt Field Mall, provided the fashion, while Sewanhaka High School’s cosmetology department provided hair and makeup.

For more information on how to support FCA programs, reach out to Paige O’Brien at (516) 746-0350, Ext. 4320, or at pobrien@fcali.org.

Public Notices

time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Gerard M. Bambrick, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 18-007538 75618 138837

LEGAL NOTICE

at The North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501, County of Nassau, State of New York, at 2:00 PM

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS

the premises described as follows:

141 Ruxton Street Uniondale, NY 11553 SBL No.: 50-010-74

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

John Boklak,

Esq., Referee

Knuckles, Komosinski & Manfro, LLP, 565 Taxter Road, Suite 590, Elmsford, NY 10523, Attorneys for Plaintiff 138605

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on February 23, 2023. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 “Rain or Shine” on the 16th day of May, 2023 at 2:00 PM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being at Uniondale, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York.

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION, Plaintiff AGAINST ILEANA LORENZO-WALWYN, CURTIS WALWYN, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered January 11, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on May 24, 2023 at 2:00PM, premises known as 2504 CYPRESS AVENUE, EAST MEADOW, NY 11554. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at East Meadow, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 51, Block 018, Lot 0039. Approximate amount of judgment $301,589.77 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #613007/2017. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR NOMURA ASSET ACCEPTANCE CORPORATION, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-AF1, Plaintiff, v.

MARLIN ZARATE A/K/A

MARTIN E. ZARATE, RENE ZARATE, ET AL Defendant. 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 December 05, 2017, I, Lawrence M. Schaffer, Esq. the Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on May 24, 2023

The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 004232/2015 in the amount of $542,274.49 plus interest and costs.

Foreclosure Auctions will be held Rain or Shine. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the foreclosure auction.

Richard S. Mullen Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP

Plaintiff’s Attorney 500 Bausch & Lomb Place Rochester, NY 14604 Tel.: 855-227-5072 138942

Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Old Town Hall, 350 Front Street, Room 230, Second Floor, Hempstead, New York on 4/26/23 at 9:30 A.M. & 2:00 P.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED

STARTING AT 9:30 A.M. 253/23. - 255/23.

LEVITTOWN - Nayi Alzate, Variance, front yard average setback, maintain roofed over open porch attached to dwelling; Variances, side yard, side yards aggregate, maintain addition attached to dwelling; Special exception to maintain shed exceeding horizontal maximum with rear yard variance., E/s Gardenia La., 306’ S/o Orchard Rd., a/k/a 37 Gardenia La.

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED

STARTING AT 2:00 P.M. 266/23. EAST MEADOWMitchel Field Senior Citizens Redevelopment Company,

Variance in off-street parking (proposed improvements to existing parking area in conjunction with senior housing)., N/s Front St., 605’ W/o Merrick Ave., a/k/a 1485 Front St. S.E.Q.R. determination not made.

ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550. This notice is only for new cases in East Meadow and Levittown within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available a t https://hempsteadny.gov/ 509/Board-of-Appeals

The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.gov/ 576/Live-Streaming-Video

Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it. 138902

Help Wanted

RECEPTIONIST - FULL TIME

Receptionist (full-time) needed for Publisher and Self-Storage Facility located in Garden City. The ideal candidate should have excellent communications and customer service skills, be professional, dependable and have reliable transportation. Candidate should have computer knowledge and working knowledge of MS Office. Candidate MUST be reliable, punctual and be able to work a CON-

SISTENT schedule:

Monday and Wednesday 8am to 4pm

Tuesday and Thursday 8am to 6pm Friday 8am to 5pm

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

Salary: $15.00 /hour Email your resume to: careers@liherald.com

Eldercare Offered

LOVING PERSON TO Care For Your Loved One. Own Car. Live-out. References. Novelette 347-285-5053 Or Antoinette 347-653-3980

EMPLOYMENT

Help Wanted

Administrative Assistant

Various Office Duties

Must Be Proficient In Word And Outlook

Monday, Wednesday 12-6 Tuesday,Thursday, Friday 9:30-3:30 Will Train Right Candidate Email Resume To: jwpersonal@ wilsoncollegeconsulting.com

No Phone Calls Or In-Person Inquiries

AUTO TECHNICIAN FT

4 Day Work Week

Experienced And Reliable. NYSI A Plus. Busy Merrick Shop. Call 516-781-5641

CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE

Full Time/Part Time Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department. Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc.

STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multitask, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com

DRIVERS WANTED

LIBRARY CIRCULATION CLERK P/T, Up to 17 hours per week at the Baldwin Public Library, depending on Library’s needs. May include mornings, afternoons; includes at least 1 evening per week, rotating Saturdays. This is a non-competitive Civil Service position. $15.50 / hour.

Please send resume to: dkelly@baldwinpl.org, by August 5.

DRIVING INSTRUCTORS

OUTSIDE SALES

REAL ESTATE

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

EDITOR/REPORTER

The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team!

This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry.

To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com

Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. We offer salary, commission, bonuses, health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Will consider part time.

Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com

Call 516-569-4000 X286

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Salary, Commission, Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off.

Will Consider Part Time.

Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

Open Houses

PRESS-ROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP

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

Open Houses

HEWLETT BA, 1599 Lakeview Dr, NEW! 4 BR, 3 Bth Exp Ranch on Tree Lined St in SD#14. Spacious LR, DR & Family Rm, EIK & Fin Bsmt. Att Garage. HW Flrs. Near Park, Trans, Shops & Houses of Worship...$829,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT BA 257 WILLARD Spacious 5 BR, 3, 4/2, Bth Exp Ranch With Open Layout.Main Floor Mstr Ste Plus Potential Mstr Ste on 2nd Flr.LR/Fpl, FDR, EIK & Sundrenched Family Rm w/ Doors to Deck. Fin Bsmt. Att Gar. Loads of Updates!!

SD#20(Lynbrook)No Flood Insurance Req. MUST SEE THIS!..$1,025,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETTE 1608 RIDGEWAY Dr, BA, Drastic Reduction! Motivated Seller!Move Right Into This Completely Gut Renovated 4 BR, 3.5 Bth Col on 1/4 Acre Prop. New Kosher EIK, FDR, LR w/ Fpl, Den & Enclosed Porch. Radiant Htd Flrs. Full Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Att Gar. MUST SEE!!

SD#20...$1,399,000 ALSO AVAILABLE FOR RENT $6,500 per month Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

LYNBROOK 4/23, 12-1:30, 125 Sherman St, FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Immaculate, Well Maintained 3 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Cape in the Heart of Lynbrook.Spacious Entry Foyer Leads to LR w/ Fpl, Formal DR & Updtd Gran/Wood Kit w/ Stainless Steel Appl. 2 Main Flr BR & Upper Level Primary Ste/Full Bth/WIC.Full Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Det Gar. Manicured Yard w/ Brick Patio.

SD#20 (Lynbrook)...$629,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman RE 516-238-429

ROCKVILLE CENTRE 4/23, 2-3:30, 55 Lenox Rd, # 2J, FIRST SHOW! Spacious 2 Bedroom Coop in Prestigious Bldg in the Heart of RVC. Corner Unit Features Large Entry Foyer, Living Rm/Dining Rm & EIK. Loads of Closet Space. HW Flrs. Assigned Pkg. New Elevator.. Close to Shops, Restaurants, LIRR.RVC School District. Won't Last!...$359,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-

House For Sale

POINT LOOKOUT: WATERFRONTLargest Selection of Beach Homes, Sale/ Rent. Our Home Listings Sell FA$T! VIDEOS. HUG R.E. 516-431-8000 www.hugrealestate.com

Houses For Rent

FRANKLIN SQUARE COMPLETLY RENOVATED Cape 4bds, 1.5bths,

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

Hewlett Bay Park

New Modern Colonial

New and fully renovated 8,919 square foot home, including basement, beautiful amenities, and convenience. This home is located on a large .78 acre lot. You couldn’t ask for more! A stunning seven bedroom, seven and a half bath modern Colonial that features many upgrades and luxury finishes; creating the perfect combination of opulence and livability. Top-quality porcelain radiant flooring flows from one impressive room to another, highlighted by the abundance of natural light pouring in through the high end windows. The quiet cul-de-sac neighborhood is located minutes from top-performing schools and shopping, The Seawane Club, Atlantic Beach clubs, and area businesses allow entertainment and work to be convenient but far enough away to enjoy your privacy.

Sara Abikzer

Signature Premier Properties

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Cell-516-984-6798

Office-516-741-4333 info@saraabikzer.com @SaraSellsLI

Are windowstriple-pane worth it?

Q. We’re planning to replace our old windows, and are doing research online to make sure we make the right decision. I saw that there’s an option for “triple pane” windows instead of double panes. It appears to be much more money, but the writer of one article says it’s well worth it. Are you familiar with triple panes, do we need permits to change our windows and is it worth the expense? We’ve lived in our current home for five years and plan to be here for the rest of our lives, hopefully a long time, while we raise our family. What do you think?

A. I could simply say that you get what you pay for, but I’m certain you need more of an explanation, since you’ve taken the time to investigate and educate yourself. In your investigation, I’m sure you saw engineering data, lots of comparative numbers and U-values, the rating acronym for glass unit values. The lower the U-value, the better the insulating value of the glass.

Because the majority of heat or cool transmission or loss of energy is through the windows, while the walls, floor and roof are more insulated, it’s most important to do something to prevent losing all that energy you’re paying to create. Whether it’s your air conditioning or your heat, the outside of your house, referred to simply as the “envelope,” is of critical importance to insulate, especially with ever-rising energy prices. While most building departments don’t require a permit for changing out the windows “in kind,” meaning in the same size and location, some will require a permit for any little thing, like sanding your floors or adding closets, and I’m not kidding, so it’s best to check their rules online, or call your local building department directly.

Another thing to be aware of is that changing windows can trigger fire safety escape rules, referred to as egress windows, and most up-anddown, or double-hung colonial windows don’t meet the requirement if you don’t have at least one window in every habitable room with a size of 5.7 square feet. The window must have a clear escape opening of 20 inches in width and a minimum height of clear opening of 24 inches. Remember that a large fire rescuer must be able to save you.

Triple pane is a great value, because you’re always losing costly energy, so the return on investment, especially if this is your long-term home, makes it well worth it. Windows lose the most energy at the edges, so the type of gasket joining the windows to the frame is critical. The most effective frames have insulation blocking, not just a thermal break in the frame. A thermal break is usually a thin gasket between the outside and inside frames. Adding insulation, instead of leaving open air spaces in the frame, saves more energy, so it’s important to look for.

© 2022 Monte Leeper

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

Monte Leeper

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Garage Sales MERRICK APRIL 29th, APRIL 30th 1548 Little Whaleneck Road. 10am-4pm. PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT CHILDHOOD CANCER.

MERCHANDISE MART

Antiques/Collectibles

We Buy Antiques, Fine Art & Jewelry Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluations, 45 Year Family Business. Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid. SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

FINDS UNDER $100

Finds $100-$350

SERVICES

Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry

JB MASONRY : Driveways, Patios, Stoops, Sidewalks, Retaining Walls, Pool Areas, Stucco, Cultured Stone, Brick Work, All Types Pavers, All Concrete Slabs Restorations. FREE Estimates. 516-428-6388

Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry

*MICHAEL LO BAIDO CONSTRUCTION*

Cement Specialist, Brickwork, Interlock Bricks, Belgium Blocks, Stoops, Patios, Driveways, Sidewalks, Basement Entrances, Pavers, Waterproofing. Quality Work, Lic./ Ins. Owner Always Onsite Free Estimates

516-354-5578

Decks

DECKS DECKS Our Only Business COMPOSITES/WOOD Excellent References & Many Photos Lic./Ins. Free Estimates C & S DECKS 516-729-5859

Electricians

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

Handyman

HANDYMAN: All Kinds OF Interior Repairs. Baths, Kitchens, Tiles, Plumbing, Sheetrock, Painting, Carpentry. Licensed And Insured. Emergency Work. 516-810-0067 l handynyman.com

HANDYMAN Repairs and Installations for the Household. Careful and Reliable and Vaccinated. Licensed and Insured. 30-Year Nassau County Resident. Friendly Frank Phone/Text 516-238-2112

E-mail-Frankcav@optonline.net

Home Improvement HANDY DANDY HOME IMPROVEMENTS

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

LITO CONSTRUCTION

Home Improvement/ Construction 10% OFF ANY JOB OVER $2,000 Masonry, Brick Work, Stone Decor, Pointing, Tile, Driveways, Sidewalks, Steps, Framing, Foundations, Remodel Interiors, Extensions, Bathrooms, Basements.

Licensed/ Insured. Free Estimates. 516-564-8315, 516-376-9365

Sprinkler Syst./Irrig.Wells

AUTOMOBILE

& MARINE

Autos For Sale

Home Improvement

ROOFING GREAT PRICES ! NEW ROOF SPECIALS SIDING- Best Prices

RENOVATIONS & ALL REPAIRS

SUPER COMPETITIVE PRICES!

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Nassau License. # H-0102710000 Call John - 516-852-9830

Power Washing

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

Tree Services

T&M GREENCARE TREE SERVICE

*Tree Removal *Stump Grinding *Pruning *Roof Line Clearing. Residential and Commercial. "We Beat All Competitors' Rates." Lowest Rates. *Senior Discount. Free Estimates. *516-223-4525, 631-586-3800 www.tmgreencare.com

‘The Things They Carried,’ and the lessons they taught

I’m known as a surly crank. I’m blunt but honest, satirical yet sympathetic. I can be both acerbic and considerate.

In my 20s, I was called “curt and condescending” in an employee evaluation. My parents laughed. I wore it like a medal.

Time hasn’t tempered my temper.

So when Vietnam War veteran Carl Johnson of West Hempstead told me that an Army lieutenant — a “real schmuck” — was the reason why it has been hard for him, as a civilian, to go along to get along, I knew I had met a fellow crank.

Johnson said the lieutenant’s ineptitude resulted in the deaths of Johnson’s three best friends in combat one day in 1970. “That lieutenant really screwed me up mentally,” Johnson recalled, “with the ability to tell the difference immediately whether somebody was really sharp, and someone I wanted to work for, or not.”

On April 27, 1970, while Johnson was on jungle patrol, one of the soldiers near him was shot. Johnson was the

radio operator, and he asked the lieutenant for orders to radio the captain. “He’s frozen,” Johnson said of the lieutenant. “We’re laying on the ground and he can’t talk because he’s so shaken.”

When Johnson had time to reflect on the battle, he realized his platoon shouldn’t have been on point that day. But because the lieutenant was what the soldiers called “shake ’n bake” — a noncommissioned officer who wore his lieutenant bar visibly despite the danger of being identified by snipers — he put the platoon in danger.

“He was a jerk, to put it mildly,” Johnson said. “He’s the reason my three buddies got killed.”

When he came home, there were no parades or bands greeting him at the airport. Johnson earned a degree from Adelphi University, and shifted jobs over the years. “Sometimes I would get in trouble,” he said. “My wife says it’s hard for me to take orders.”

Johnson got married, raised children, and learned how to cope with his grief. He became active in veterans organizations, and continues to help his fellow veterans — even those he meets by chance. He has spent decades volunteering with veterans groups. He initiat-

ed and researched a Vietnam War Memorial at Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park, his alma mater, to honor nine of its graduates who were killed in Vietnam.

He talks about his war experience as a cathartic and therapeutic way of coping.

A few years ago, Johnson was asked by a Sewanhaka student to speak to her AP literature class. The class was reading the Vietnam War novel “The Things They Carried,” by Tim O’Brien — a book about the possessions soldiers kept with them and the emotions they grappled with.

Johnson agreed, of course, to help teach the students about the meaning of service to country.

Johnson prayed in Vietnam, and carried a Bible he passed on to his grandson, who is now enrolled in the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He said the war made him a flag-waver. He tears up when he sees the flag.

As I sat in the dining room of the Johnsons’ home, I heard earnest concern in Carl’s voice as he talked about the country he defended with literal blood, sweat and tears. He spoke of fractured friendships because of his political beliefs. One friend got up and walked

away after Johnson made a political comment.

Carl and I talked about how the Pledge of Allegiance isn’t required in school, and how kids don’t salute the flag. We agreed on the meaning of the quote often attributed to Voltaire — “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” — even though we realized we aren’t cut from the same political cloth.

We agreed that the pervasive divisiveness in the country is dangerous, though we likely disagree on the causes of that divisiveness.

Carl and I share an inability to suffer fools and a love of country. We agreed that if there is a way to repair the deep divide between Americans, it begins with being able to find things that we have in common.

At a time when every comment is scrutinized through a political prism, it was refreshing to be able to have an honest and respectful conversation with someone with different views.

Carl defended my right to disagree with him. I do so with profound respect, and an inability to ever repay his debt of service.

Mark Nolan, the editor of the Lynbrook/ East Rockaway Herald and Malverne/ West Hempstead Heralds. He taught high school English for 11 years. Comments? mnolan@liherald.com.

Living the life between alone and lonely

Last week, a woman described as an “extreme athlete” emerged from a cave in Spain after 500 days in total isolation. A human being — in this case, Beatriz Flamini, a 50-year-old woman — had voluntarily descended into a 70-meter-deep cave when she was 48 and popped out a year and a half later.

RANDI KREISS

She had spoken to no one, had no showers, heard no other human voices (aside from auditory hallucinations), and spent her time reading, knitting and exercising. She said she lost track of time after two months. That was 16 months ago!

According to the BBC, she was monitored by researchers, but no one made contact.

What if everyone on earth had been wiped out by a virus or an asteroid while she was underground? But that’s a different movie, I guess.

Was this purely an endurance challenge, pushing the boundaries of experience to an extreme? Or did it also suit her on some level to disappear and be alone,

buried away from the world?

We’ve heard cave survival stories before. In 2010, 33 miners spent 69 days trapped underground before being rescued from a copper and gold mine in Chile. In 2018 the whole world witnessed the rescue of an entire team of teenage Thai soccer players trapped in a flooded mine. The thing is: These people all wanted to get out. Their entrapment was horrific. The Spanish spelunker shut the door on the world.

What would make a person choose this challenge? I can only recall the time my kids were 6 and 4, and they were both heaving with a nasty stomach virus and my husband was on a business trip and it was snowing and the dog came back from the groomer with fleas. No question, I would have dived into the cave thing. In a heartbeat I would have been underground, knitting sweet little nothings and reading books.

divided into camps, determined most probably by genetics. My husband, for example, does not like being alone. As soon as he finds himself in a room with no possibility of immediate plans, he turns on the TV, cranks up the iPhone and flips open the computer, preferably all at once. Lots of noise. Chatter to the level of chaos.

being alone. But 500 days in a cave?

Sometimes I want to escape a large gathering where there’s just too much noise and chatter signifying nothing. But a cave? For 500 days? One hopes this extraordinary feat may yield good data. When it comes to isolation, I see people

My hunch is that people who need people all the time and in big numbers often partner up with people who get easily overwhelmed by too much talk and socializing. I don’t know why.

But caves are a unique challenge.

Fifteen years ago, we were on a driving trip in the Lascaux area of France. I persuaded my husband, who is awfully good-natured about these things, to join me on a tour of one of the caves that have prehistoric drawings. One problem was that the tour was in German, but I thought, how difficult can that be? Lots of German words are similar to English. I told my husband I thought I could translate.

We were a group of about 20 (18 Germans, two Americans). We descended 40 steps into a dark, narrow passage. I heard

the sound of the massive wooden doors slamming shut at the top of the stairs.

“I’m out of here,” I said to my husband.

“You can’t leave,” he said. “I can’t speak German.”

But I was on automatic pilot, in the grip of a panic attack. I ran up the stairs and banged on the door until someone opened the vault. My husband was stuck on the tour, and got to see the petroglyphs, but the spiel? Nein!

The cave woman in Spain said her experience was “excellent” as she stepped into the light. I want to hear more of her story, to know what it was like without having to do it myself.

Apparently, some of us just want to mix it up, go out to a bar, invite 20 people for dinner, and some of us want to turn down the noise and enjoy being alone.

But a cave for 500 days? Nein.

Much has been written about loneliness and isolation, and its effects on teenagers and older people locked down by the pandemic. Perhaps the significant factor is choice. What feels like loneliness to many is the peace of aloneness to others.

Thoreau had his cabin in the woods, and he said that nothing was as companionable as solitude.

Some of us want to turn down the noise and enjoy

Carl Johnson prayed in Vietnam, and carried a Bible he passed on to his grandson.

Web: www.liherald.com

E-mail: emeadoweditor@liherald.com Copyright

Lithium-ion batteries pose a real threat

Buyer beware. Many of today’s most popular electronics — including Tesla cars, e-scooters and smartphones — are powered by lithium-ion batteries, due to their ability to store large quantities of energy in a small space.

If used correctly, these products are harmless. Many are laboratory tested to be safe, and have functions that can detect when they have received enough juice to hold a charge.

It’s a modern marvel to use the internet from almost anywhere in the world using a portable device and the push of a button, or travel to work without the impact of harmful carbon emissions. But no product is without its faults. As more and more of us come to rely on these batteries for energy, the potential for fires — and in some instances, even explosions — increases.

The growing popularity of micromobility products like electric scooters and bikes has created some concern, particularly in New York City, where, in the past year, more than 200 fires were started by lithium-ion batteries, killing six people and injuring nearly 150 others. But the trend extends beyond the boroughs.

Last September, a woman died in Hempstead in a fire caused by a lithiumion battery. Another home burst into flames in Rockville Centre in January.

“It has absolutely been a problem here on Long Island,” James Hickman, Nassau County’s assistant chief fire marshal, said. “With lithium-ion batteries,

letters

Randi goes to Mars!

To the Editor:

What a cruel joke Randi Kreiss played on me (I cannot speak for others) as I read her op-ed, “It’s a go for the voyage of a lifetime” in the March 30-April 5 issue.

I was filled with glee as she announced that her chances of going to Mars were excellent. I was almost weightless as I read that she made it through psychological and psychiatric screenings at the space center last spring. I grabbed a table to hold myself down and read on.

Food allergies? Gastrointestinal disorders? I knew Randi would soar over those obstacles. Have you read any of her recipes?

I smiled as I read that she’d received permission to go public with the information about her trip to outer space. I wondered how many hundreds, or thousands, of Herald readers would have highly recommended that she be taken on this Mars mission. Or to the moon.

I thought of Randi putting together green salads as she discovered lichens on the Martian sur-

when they fail, they burn very quickly, and very hot . . . and will ignite nearby combustibles.”

The biggest concern about the batteries, according to fire officials, is the use of after-market batteries and chargers. They are typically not manufactured to the same safety standards as name-brand products.

In order to prevent such fires from occurring, Nassau County firefighters recommend purchasing batteries and chargers from reputable companies, and always following their safety instructions. If they need to be repaired, make sure they are returned to the manufacturer, and only use the battery designed for the device.

It is important not to store electronics near anything that could catch fire or help a fire spread. This includes leaving laptops or other electronic devices on a bed. Even under the best circumstances, these products will get warmer, because the heat from the battery doesn’t have a chance to dissipate. That’s why, in the event that something goes wrong, it’s safer to keep them away from household items that are easily combustible.

And with summer approaching, it is highly recommended not to store any electronics in direct sunlight. Not only can this damage a device and cause it to fail, but it can trigger a chemical reaction known as a “thermal runway,” where the temperature of the battery increases faster and faster until it catches fire.

Another safety tip is to make sure not to charge electronics near your front

door. This could cut off an entrance and exit in the event of an emergency.

Damaged lithium batteries are extremely volatile. They emit harmful gases that can speed up the spread of a fire, and in some cases even reignite one, making it challenging to extinguish.

“Sometimes we’re our own worst enemies,” Hickman said. “We have to charge everything these days.”

While the batteries themselves can be a fire hazard, plugging in too many devices at once — overloading the power supply — can exacerbate the danger. Surge protectors can be helpful in keeping this from happening, but they, too, can be ineffective if they’re off-brand or counterfeit. Plugging in certain electronics — particularly portable space heaters — is a leading cause of fires nationwide.

The National Fire Prevention Association recommends that you stop using a battery at the first sign of odor, change in color, overheating, change in shape, leaking or odd noises. If it is safe to do so, move the device away from anything that can catch fire and call 911.

To properly dispose of a lithium battery, do not put it in the trash. Take it to a battery recycling location, or contact community officials for proper e-waste disposal instructions. A number of retailers also accept these batteries for disposal, like select Home Depot, Walmart and Macy’s stores, according to state officials. Visit Call2Recycle.org/locator for more.

For more safety tips on lithium ion batteries, visit NFPA.org, or contact your local fire department.

Time to give the Five Towns some respect

Long Island is made up of hundreds of communities that proudly proclaim their famous past and any special historical facts that would attract new homeowners. The Five Towns has always stood out as an affluent and well-respected region in southwestern Nassau County. But its political status has been overlooked.

According to Wikipedia, the informal grouping of Cedarhurst, Hewlett, Inwood, Lawrence and Woodmere has been called the Five Towns since 1931. The name was born when Community Chest groups, organized for charitable giving, banded together to form the Five Towns Community Chest. Over the years, all manner of organizations have embraced the Five Towns designation. Many other local communities have, too, including Hewlett Bay Park, Hewlett Harbor, Hewlett Neck and Woodsburgh. Ask any residents of North Woodmere what geographic conglomerate they’re part of, and they’ll

claim the name Five Towns as well. There is lots of fascinating history associated with the area. Many buildings there date their origins to the early 1920s, when developers built summer homes in Hewlett. Alexander Cartwright, a Woodsburgh resident, published the first rules of baseball in 1845 for the New York Knickerbockers. Mobster Arnold Rothstein opened a casino in Hewlett Harbor in 1916. Between 1937 and 1941, the Five Towns hosted the professional Negro league baseball teams the Black Yankees and the Brooklyn Royal Giants.

Some real estate brokers eager to associate themselves with the Five Towns named their enclave West Lawrence, as distinct from Far Rockaway. Over the past 20-plus years, a large number of Orthodox families have been attracted to the Five Towns, which has caused a major jump in real estate values. Anyone who has followed the history of the area can attest to the fact that “Back Lawrence,” as it was once called, has been home to many wealthy bankers and developers.

Every decade, based on the latest U.S.

Letters

face, and mixing them in white plastic trays filled with NASA-green pasty spacecraft foods as her fellow astronauts looked like they’d just bitten into lemons. Remember guys: In space, no one can hear you scream.

Other pleasurable visions came to mind, but they all crashed to earth when I read, “Happy April Fools’ Day.” Randi, you had me over the moon for you. I have to thank you for that.

JOHN SCHULTz Oceanside

Every vehicular mistake, caught on camera

To the Editor:

I thought now would be a good time to update you on the latest and greatest in regard to Nassau County’s ongoing venture into dystopia. A few years back, I was advocating against red-light and speed cameras. Let’s repeat upfront: Nobody is advocating for lawlessness. That’s why we have police officers. I said good luck regaining a right you’ve given up, so let’s fight for it.

The silence was deafening.

So what do you say we update where our local surveillance state is today? I do so hope you’re enjoying those $150 redlight tickets. The actual fine is $50, but ya

gotta love those added fees. It seems that in 2015 and 2016 (the only years I could find numbers for; I didn’t do a deep dive), Nassau pulled in, get ready for it, $82.2 million of our money. Were you then surprised to see that that time you didn’t make a complete stop on red before turning at 3 a.m. on a completely empty road got you another $150 bill? Fun stuff.

We’re getting our pockets picked for millions. But did you really think that was going to be the end of it once the powers that be saw the money they were raking in? You’re better off trying to take blood away from a vampire.

So, to update, have you checked out a school bus lately? That’s right, they now have cameras on the sides, and should you pass one with its stop signs deployed, wait by your mailbox for the $288 bill.

But wait, there’s more. Now there are proposals for not only speed cameras, but license plate-reading cameras on the Southern State Parkway as well. And you wonder why our children can’t move away from here fast enough?

Heck, the absolute least they could do would be to install countdowns clocks underneath every traffic light where there’s a camera, to give us half a chance of avoiding a ticket — and getting rearended!

I don’t want to be an I-told-you-so, but who are we kidding? I told you so.

FRED GEFEN Woodmere

census figures, the legislative district lines of the Five Towns have been redrawn, and elections for the Assembly, State Senate and Nassau County Legislature have been dramatically impacted. Once upon a time, the Five Towns was treated with the greatest respect by government mapmakers. Sadly, however, it has been carved into many pieces, and it no longer has the political clout that it once claimed.

I recall many political names that were connected to the Five Towns. Presiding Supervisor Palmer D. Farrington, along with U.S. Rep. Herbert Tenzer, Town Councilman Eugene Weisbein, State Sen. Karen Burstein and Assemblyman Eli Wager were among its prominent elected officials. In the mid-1960s, Barbara Boxer deserted the Five Towns for California and eventually became a U.S. senator.

From 1972 to 1989, I had the honor of representing the Five Towns in the State Assembly. I knocked on hundreds of doors as a candidate, and attended dozens of events sponsored by the Community Chest and other worthy charities. I viewed the Five Towns as an important

power base. The Herald Community Newspapers, now read across Nassau County and beyond, were born in the Five Towns.

The reason for this walk down memory lane is to lodge an informal protest that no current local elected official has ever aggressively fought to keep the Five Towns as one political unit. The Assembly and Senate district lines, as well as the County Legislature, have been crafted with no respect for the historical identity of these very closely knit communities. This isn’t some form of snobbism; just a commentary on why people who want your vote don’t speak out at the time when new voting districts are created.

We should hope that in 2030, when the next federal census takes place, some dynamic local official will take up the cause of once again making the Five Towns into one united political region. Its great history deserves some extra respect.

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.

Framework by Tim Baker

A momentary pose in Arthur J. Hendrickson Park — Valley Stream

County and state district lines have divided these closely knit communities.

JerrY kremer

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