Issuu

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COMMUNITY UPDATE Infections as of April 30

4,902

Infections as of April 25 4,879

$1.00

HERALD

Winner of poster contest

Historical figures celebrated

Runner wins county championship

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VOL. 21 NO. 19

MAY 6 - 12, 2021

An Earth Day contest brings student honors opportunity to express themselves without using pen and paper. And they were allowed to Juliette Markesano and Pavly work on the project with another Zaky placed in the top 10 among student if they chose to, which 207 videos submitted by fifthwasn’t possible at through eighththe height of the grade students in coronavirus panPSEG’s Earth Day demic. Video PSA Contest “The for mat, a on April 22. The video, helped me to public service motivate them and announcement projget them excited,” ect was a win for she said. “The PSA their Woodland Midgave them an oppordle School science tunity to do somet e a c h e r, K a r e n thing different and Alonge, too, who creative.” described herself as Allison Fullam, a an environmental Wo o d l a n d s i x t h advocate. grade science teach“I love everyer, introduced the thing about Earth PSEG program to Day and am a big the school for conadvocate of protectsideration. “I ing the environment brought it to the any way we can,” ALLISON FULLAM chair of the departAlonge said. “This Woodland ment in person, program allowed me science teacher because it gives chilto show my students dren ownership to t h at l i t t l e d a i ly be aware of environchanges … can make a positive mental issues,” Fullam said. “It impact. I am very proud of the was an opportunity to be part of time and amazing effort both something bigger than ourselves Pavly and Juliette put into their and [to be] taught how to use our videos.” renewable resources better. The Alonge attributed some of the children were surprised that students’ enthusiasm to the CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

By LAURA LANE llane@liherald.com

Christina Daly/Herald

TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD Supervisor Don Clavin and Clerk Kate Murray announced the return of the “Do Not Knock” program at the Vardakis residence.

Town announces return of ‘Do Not Knock’ program By JENNIFER CORR jcorr@liherald.com

After a long day, the Vardakises’ East Meadow residence is finally quiet. Their youngest, a 2-year-old, is asleep, and parents Allison and Andrew are getting their other children, ages 8 and 5, ready for bed. Then the doorbell rings. A salesperson waits outside. The family dog begins to bark, the baby starts to cry and, Allison says, “It’s very hard to calm everyone down.” Since the Vardakis family lives on a busy street, with no shortage of solicitors at all hours, they were delighted

when the Town of Hempstead announced that it would be bringing back the “Do Not Knock” program, in which residents place stickers on their door sporting that message to protect them from unwanted interruptions. Andrew Vardakis said he was glad to see the program return, because, he explained succinctly, if he and Allison aren’t at a store, they’re “not in the mood for buying.” “We get enough spam calls, we get enough robo-calls, we get enough mass-phishing emails,” Andrew said. “I’m just glad the Town of Hempstead is taking a step to at

least leave a little bit of that in the past.” Town officials gathered at the Vardakis home on April 29 to announce the return of the pro g ram, originally launched in 2015 under then Supervisor Kate Murray, who is now the town clerk. “The idea is, when husbands and wives are both working, you want quality time with your kids,” Supervisor Don Clavin said. “You want to enjoy yourself. You don’t want to be bothered. What happens is you have individuals knocking on your door, and some of them are CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

t was an opportunity to be part of something bigger than ourselves and [to be] taught how to use our renewable resources better.

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May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

Making a PSA helps in a ‘weird year’

they could make a difference, and wanted to get the word out.” She added that even though none of her students won, they enjoyed making the PSAs and learning about energy conservation. Teachers submitted their three favorite videos from each class. Alonge, who teaches three classes, submitted nine videos. Three of her students’ creations were judged among the top 35, with Juliette and Pavly’s video in the top 10. Pavly, 11, who lives in East Meadow, said he had fun creating his PSA, “Lilly Knows LED’s,” in recognition of Earth Day. “I enjoyed the editing and learning about the small things we can do to protect the environment,” he said. “Doing this, I learned that by doing small things around the house, we can help the environment.” Every time he leaves a light on when he’s not in the room, his family tells him to turn it off, he said, because he’s wasting energy. His PSA features Lilly the talking dog asking why the lights are on with no one in the room, and reminding a boy that energy is being wasted. Then Lilly asks why LED lights aren’t being used. The boy first asks the obvious, “You can talk?” Lilly sounds a bit impatient when she answers that she can, then she asks the boy if he was listening. After assuring her dog that he was, he adds that he’s been learning about the importance of energy conservation in school. Juliette, 11, who also lives in East Meadow, said she, too, enjoyed editing her PSA, entitled, “5 Easy Ways to Save Money.” “I loved filming everything in the video, too,” she said. “My parents talk about the importance of protecting the environment. I learned a lot of stuff, one being ways you can save energy, water and how to stop pollution.” Her video not only explained different ways to save energy, but also what will be gained by doing so. When Juliette suggests that lights and fans be turned off when no one is in the room, she adds that money as well as energy will be saved. And by turning off the water while you brush your teeth, you’ll save 1,000 gallons of water per year. Woodland students took part in PSEG’s “I AM EMPowered Program and Student Challenge.” The program, created for PSEG by educational consultant D. Barrett Associates, offers science, technology, engineer-

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

Courtesy EMCSD

NADINE MOORS, FAR left, Allison Fullam, Karen Alonge, Alison Thoben and Jana Alfarone with Woodland PSEG Earth Day Video PSA Contest participants Juliette Markesano and Pavly Zaky, who placed in the top 10 among 207 videos. ing and math-related coursework on energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy. Nearly 4,500 students on Long Island and in the Rockaways followed a curriculum tailored for classroom and virtual learning as well as hybrid combinations. This is the first year that PSEG sponsored the program and contest. Suzanne Brienza, PSEG Long Island’s director of customer experience and utility marketing, co-hosted a Zoom event on Earth Day in which the 10 winning videos were shown. “It was so exciting to see these award-winning videos and to announce the 10 winners,” she said. “The students’ messages of protecting our oceans, conserving electricity and using energy-efficient light bulbs are lessons for all of us.” Juliette and Pavly said that they try to follow Earth Day’s message, to conserve energy every day. “I don’t remember if I’ve ever done a beach cleanup on Earth Day,” Juliette said, “but I have done a bunch of stuff to help our environment.” Pavly said he had participated in a beach cleanup in

the past. “Every Earth Day, I help my mom plant fruits and vegetables in my mom´s garden,” he added. Alonge, a first-year full-time teacher at Woodland, said that Pavly is an excellent student, with an average of 100 in her class. “He is very intelligent,” she said, “and enthusiastic.” Juliette is also an excellent student, Alonge added. “She is very motivated and great to have in my class,” she said. “Her PSA stuck out. I felt like she didn’t seem shy in front of the camera, and I liked her color coordination — her red lipstick and pink background in the room. The colors made the video more esthetically pleasing, her graphics were great and she had awesome information.” Taking part in the contest and learning about how they could pitch in to help make a better world is important, Fullam said. “It’s been a weird year for our students,” she said. “This gave them a different way to present themselves. And it gave them a common goal, to make the environment and the world a little bit better.”

NEWS BRIEF Barnum Woods fourth-grader a winner of TOH recycling poster contest Just one day after Earth Day, seven talented winners of the Town of Hempstead Covanta Energy Recycling Poster Contest were recognized by town officials. Reyansh Kulkarni, a fourth-grader at Barnum Woods Elementary School in East Meadow, took home first place prize in the grades one through four categories. As a winner of the contest, his recycling poster artwork will be displayed on Town of Hempstead Recycling Trucks. The socially distant awards ceremony was held at Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve in Merrick, where the students’ artwork was on display as Town Supervisor Donald Clavin, along with the Town Board and Covanta Energy, revealed this year’s winners of the poster contest. “Spring is in full swing and so is Hempstead Town’s commitment to a greener future,” said Clavin. “The Town of Hempstead Covanta Energy Recycling Poster Contest is a beloved tradition for Hempstead town students, and it’s great to see our next generation already demonstrating that same environmentally-friendly commitment.” This annual poster contest is a partnership between the town and Covanta Energy that challenges young students to create a poster that promotes the importance of recycling, reducing and reusing. Students compete for a variety of prizes, with the top three finishers in both age

Courtesy Town of Hempstead

brackets earning the right to have their artwork displayed on the side of town recycling trucks, immortalizing their eco-friendly, artistic efforts. What’s more, the student winners were awarded with special prizes from Covanta Energy as well as town certificates. Accepting submissions from hundreds of students, a total of seven winners were selected for their artwork.

CONTEST WINNER AND Barnum Woods fourthgrader Reyansh Kulkarni, was joined by Councilman Chris Carini, left, Councilman Anthony D’Esposito, Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, Supervisor Don Clavin, Receiver of Taxes Jeanine Driscoll, Town Clerk Kate Murray and Covanta Energy Representative Maureen Early.

The submissions were divided into two categories, grades one through four and grades five through eight. Covanta Energy provided extra prizes for the winners, including a Barnes & Noble tablet for the first place finishers and Barnes & Noble gift cards for the second and third place finishers.

EAT MEADOW FIRE DEPARTMENT

CRIME WATCH

Woman arrested after assaulting officer, medic

May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

Cindy Dosette, 39, of Wyandanch, was arrested for assault on April 24 in East Meadow. According to Nassau County Police Department Third Squad detectives, Dosette was involved in a verbal dispute with a male employee at Walmart in East Meadow. Police and an ambulance were called to assist with the disturbance. Prior to the arrival of police, Dosette took off her shirt and walked out the front door of the store. When they arrived, officers attempted to place Dosette into a Nassau County Police

Department ambulance for medical treatment. She kicked a police officer in his neck causing pain and contusions and kicked a female police medic in her chest, causing pain and bruising. The defendant also spit into the faces of multiple officers and witnesses. Both the officer and the medic were treated for their injuries and released. The defendant is charged with two counts of assault in the second degree. She was arraigned on April 25 in Mineola.

NEIGHBORS IN THE NEWS Courtesy EMFD

WITH THE MAIN body of house fire knocked down, additional firefighters reported to the front door.

East Meadow F.D. puts out fire, occupants safe Just as many East Meadow firefighters and emergency medical technicians had returned home from their Sunday morning training, Engines 3, 4 and Ladders 1, 2, were told to on April 28 respond to a house fire on North Bellmore Road. Within minutes they arrived. The chiefs saw heavy smoke coming from the windows and doors at the rear of the home in an area that was converted into living space. Chief of Department Paul J. Kosiba was in command of the operation. A Signal 98 was transmitted (First pumper in connects to a fire hydrant and stretches (2) attach hose lines to the fire, re-alert initial response adding EMS). Moments later, “first due” Engine 613 arrived on the scene pulling hose lines

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with the help of Engine 614’s crew. Ladder 2 arrived on the scene followed by Ladder 1, with crews to check for any trapped occupants, to gain access for the hose team, and provide ventilation to assist in the fire attack. Within 10 minutes the fire had been knocked down. Firefighters continued their work checking for any hidden pockets of fire. Although the occupants of the home were not in the house they were checked to be sure they were not injured. The alarm was handled without any addition resources needed, and there were no firefighter injuries.

Photos courtesy East Meadow School District

STUDENTS SELECTED A historical figure or celebrity to research and dress up as.

–John J. O’Brien Sr.

east meadow ______________

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MAIN PHONE: (516) 569-4000 ■ WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/eastmeadow ■ E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: emeditor@liherald.com ■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: Ext. 246 E-mail: emeditor@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ SUBSCRIPTIONS: Press ”7” E-mail: circ@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ ClASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Ext. 286 E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com Fax: (516) 622-7460 ■ DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: sales@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643 The East Meadow Herald USPS 336580, is published every Thursday by Richner Communications, Inc., 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Periodicals postage paid at Garden City, NY 11530 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to East Meadow Herald, 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Newsstand Price: $1 Subscription rates: $50 for 1 year within Nassau County. Out of Nassau County: $60 for 1 year. Copyright © 2021 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

APRIL 29 WAS dress-up day at Barnum Woods.

Research skills with a living museum Second grade students at Barnum Woods Elementary School in the East Meadow School District participated in a living museum project on April 29. Each student selected a person, from historical figures to celebrities, and used books, the internet and other reference sources to gather information.

This activity tied in with their reading and ELA curriculum, in which they were introduced to biographies and conducting research. On April 29, all of the second grade students dressed up as who they researched in culmination of the comprehensive and interactive project.

BRINGING LOCAL SPORTS HOME EVERY WEEK

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

It was a banner day for East Meadow’s cross-country programs on April 17 when the girls finished Nassau Class 1 runner-up to Syosset, and Zach Van Houten captured the boys’ county championship. Van Houten, who will run at the next level at Hofstra University, dominated the field in the Class 1 race at Eisenhower Park. His winning time of 15 minutes, 19.2 seconds was more than nine seconds better than runner-up Vincent Simonetti of Massapequa. Had there been a state meet this season, Van Houten would’ve qualified for a third time. “Nobody was really close to Zach all season,” East Meadow coach Michael Ringhauser said. “Some kids hung with him for the first few miles, but Zach always finds an extra gear for the last mile and pulls away. He loves running and is a real student of the sport.” Van Houten finished 7th in the county as a sophomore and placed 4th as a junior. He played soccer in the fall as a freshman, Ringhauser noted. “Zach does everything it takes to be the best he can be,” the coach said. “He trained hard through the pandemic and has an inspiring work ethic that rubs off on other kids.” Junior Nick Chimienti stepped up as the Jets’ No. 2 runner and was a big reason why they finished the regular season with a 10-3 record and placed fourth in Class 1. Chimienti earned All-County by finishing 21st in the Class 1 race in a pinch over 17 minutes. “Nick put in a great amount of work and is a disciplined runner who executes

his game plan,” Ringhauser said. “He has potential to be a top 10 finisher next season.” In addition to Van Houten and Chimienti, East Meadow had Samir Khan, Matt Rice, Sam Lam, Kyle Samida, and Dan DeGregori earn All-Conference honors. On the girls’ side, the Jets had six All-County finishers led by junior standout Leslie Villafuerte-Castro, who finished 3rd (19:30.91) in the Class 1 championship race. It was her second straight All-County campaign. She was a state qualifier in the fall of 2019. “Leslie doesn’t shy away from big moments,” Ringhauser said. “She likes to test herself and measure herself against the top competition.” The next five Jets (seniors Megan Sohl and Ella Foster, junior Silvia Ronemus and sophomores Dakota Eira and Becca Silverman) always ran in a pack, the coach said, and rarely finished in the same order. “Each week a different one would finish as our No. 2,” Ringhauser said. “They ran in a pack and worked together.” East Meadow went 12-1 and won its first division title since 2016. Silverman was 15th in the county, Eira, a firstyear runner, cut a minute off her previous best time and finished 16th, Sohl was 17th, Ronemus placed 19th, and Foster crossed the line 22nd. They all ran between 20:38 and 20:55.

SENIOR ZACH VAN Houten cruised to victory in the Nassau Class 1 championship race at Eisenhower Park on April 17.

Courtesy Lori Van Houten

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EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

HERALD SPORTS Big finish for East Meadow’s Zach Van Houten

May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

on a recent Thursday at the Nassau County Police Academy in North Massapequa, recruits practiced arresting a suspect during a felony car stop, in which the vehicle that was pulled over had reportedly been used in a crime.

Photos by Scott Brinton/Herald

An arresting lesson in N.C. police work By Scott Brinton sbrinton@liherald.com

Part three in a photo series on the Nassau County Police Academy. A Signal 15 comes in over the radio: A stolen vehicle used in a felony — perhaps a bank robbery, maybe a kidnapping — has been pulled over. Officers must quickly assess the situation: Is the vehicle occupant armed? Hostile? Ready to run? With so many unknowns, officers are trained to follow step-by-step procedures to take the suspect into custody without a fight. The objective of this high-stakes, potentially deadly scenario is to “keep everyone safe,” Officer Arthur Zanelli, a Nassau County Police Academy instructor, said on a recent Thursday, just before academy recruits ran through a mock felony car stop. “You want [the suspect] to have his day in court.” De-escalation, talking a suspect through the car stop with specific instructions that leave no room for error, is the key to everyone walking away unharmed, according to Zanelli. The recruits practiced talking suspects through a stop, instructing them precisely how and when to leave their vehicle. There were four recruits in two police cruisers, whose objective was to bring in two suspects in a single vehicle, one of whom ran off, while the other stayed and was captured. It was a mock exercise, but the nervous tension was palpable as of ficers approached the vehicle, their dummy guns drawn. Communications is key in this scenario, Zanelli said, and the recruits called out to one another throughout the exercise. Once a suspect is handcuffed, then the Continued on neXt page

officerS practiced drawing their guns. The objective, police academy instructors said, is to avoid firing a weapon, to ensure that police, the public and the suspect all stay safe. officer arthur Zanelli, above ran recruits through their paces during the mock exercise. officerS muSt give suspects step-by-step instructions on how to proceed when exiting a vehicle during a felony car stop.

Recruits practice to make the perfect arrest detective work begins. Who is this person? Did he or she commit the felony in question? It might very well not be the bad guy, Zanelli noted. It could, for example, be a relative who had nothing to do with the crime in

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

continued from PreViouS Page

question, but that person must be treated as a suspect until proven otherwise. The felony car stop, he noted, is among the most dangerous scenarios that a police officer might encounter in the field.

Photos by Scott Brinton/Herald

A recruit prActiced placing handcuffs on a suspect, who was played by an actual police officer for this exercise.

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NEWS BRIEF result. Congregate commercial and social events in New York—such as those at venues that host sports competitions, performing arts and live entertainment, and catered receptions can exceed the social gathering limits of 500 people outdoors or 250 people indoors if all attendees over the age of four present either proof of full vaccination status or recent negative Covid-19 test result and the required social distancing can be accommodated.

Starting May 19, large-scale indoor event venues will operate at 30 percent capacity, which is an increase from the current 10 percent capacity limit. Largescale outdoor event venues will operate at 33 percent. Social distancing, masks, and other applicable health protocols will still apply, including the requirement of attendee proof of full vaccination or recent negative Covid-19 test result. While most industry capacity restrictions will be lifted, industry-specific

requirements will remain in effect for a longer period of time, including state or local health authority event notification, health screening, contact information for tracing, enhanced air handling and building system standards, hand hygiene and environmental cleaning and disinfection protocols. The state will continue to provide additional guidance on these provisions as they apply to each industry.

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced on May 3 a significant easing of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on the region’s businesses, venues and gatherings, given significant progress in vaccinations and sustained reduction in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations. The announcement comes after all hair salons, barber shops and other personal care services were given the g re e n l i g h t t o expand to 75 percent capacity on May 7. Cuomo Gov. Andrew Cuomo also announced on April 28 that food and beverage service and catered event curfews would end this month. “The tide is turning against Covid-19 in New York, and thanks to our increasing vaccination rates, as well as our successful, data-based regional approach, we’re able to take more steps to reopen our economy, help businesses and workers, and keep moving towards returning to normal,” Cuomo said. He added that New Yorkers should continue to take proper precaution in order to keep moving in a positive direction. “So, let’s be safe and for anyone who has yet to be vaccinated, please do so as soon as you can,” Cuomo said. “With the addition of walk-in appointments, we’ve made it as easy as every to get your shot, so there are truly no excuses.” Effective May 19, most business capacities, which are currently based upon percentage of maximum occupancy, will be removed in New York and New Jersey. Businesses will only be limited by the space available for patrons or parties of patrons to maintain the required social distance of 6 feet. This new distancebased maximum capacity will apply across commercial settings, including retail, food services, gyms and fitness centers, amusement and family entertainment, hair salons, barber shops and other personal care services, among other settings. It will also apply in houses of worship. In New York beginning May 10, the outdoor social gathering limit will increase from 200 to 500 people. Beginning May 19, the indoor social gathering limit will increase from 100 to 250 people. Also, the outdoor residential gathering limit of 25 people will be removed, reverting to the social gathering limit of 500 people with space for appropriate social distancing. Indoor residential gathering limits will increase from 10 to 50 people. In New York, any event gatherings in excess of the social gathering limits may only occur if all individuals present have proof of full vaccination status or recent negative Covid-19 test

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

Pandemic restrictions to ease in tri state area

May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

COMMUNITY UPDATE Thursday, May 6

Thursday, May 13

A Time for Kids

Chair Yoga with April Diane

Join the East Meadow Public Library virtually at 10 a.m. for songs, games and fun activities. In this Time for Kids, there will be a Mother’s Day craft and activity. Supplies will include three sheets of colored paper, scissors, glue, markers, crayons and noise makers. Register for the event at eastmeadow. info. For more information, call (516) 794-2570.

Every Thursday at 4 p.m. there will be chair yoga from the East Meadow Public Library. Chair yoga is a modified version of hatha yoga for individuals with health implications. Register for the virtual program online at eastmeadow.info. For more information, call (516) 739-1700.

Breathing, energy meditation Join State Sen. Kevin Thomas and Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi for a free webinar at 6:30 p.m. Learn relaxation techniques to reduce stress and improve overall health and wellbeing. Register at thomas.nysenate.gov. For more information, call (516) 739-1700.

Tackling Student Loan Debt Join Sen. Kevin Thomas and the Community Service Society in an online event from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. for a conversation about the latest federal student loan relief updates. Learn about repayment options and ways to eliminate student debts. Register at thomas.nysenate.gov. For more information, call (516) 739-1700.

Friday, May 7 Easy excercise Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m., East Meadow Public Library patrons are invited to start the day with some easy excercise. This class, led by Ann Rothman, is good for those who are not athletes and it’s also a chance to see and talk with fellow East Meadowites. Register for the program online at www.eastmeadow.info. For more information, call (516) 794-2570.

Saturday, May 8 ‘Hanging with Mom’ Celebrate Mother’s Day by painting a mom sloth with her child. This event is happening in the East Meadow Pinot’s Palette from 1 to 3 p.m. Social distance and mask wearing is mandatory. Each party will be seated six-feet away from each other. There is also a food and drink menu on site. Admission is $40. Register online at pinotspalette. com/eastmeadow. For more information, call (516) 390-8740.

l l l l l

Hiding Anne Frank

Herald File Photo

East Meadow Public Library EMCON Party EMCON is back. Celebrate the return of East Meadow Public Library’s convention for art, anime, culture and media on May 14 with a virtual party starting at 7 p.m. To register, visit eastmeadow. info. For more information, call (516) 794-2570.

Sunday, May 9 Virtual paint class Paint a boquet of peonies to keep or give as a gift from anywhere with this virtual paint class offered by Pinot’s Palette in East Meadow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A canvas, brushes, paint palette and acrylic paints will be packaged for participants. Supplies can be delivered or picked up. Upon registration to the $40 class, watch the tutorial virtually. To register, visit pinotspalette.com/ eastmeadow. For more information, call (516) 390-8740.

Monday, May 10 Journaling During a Pandemic This time in history needs to be saved for the future and everyone has a

story to tell. Join professor Kathleen Volk from 7 to 8 p.m., hosted by the East Meadow Public Library, to pratice writing towards emotional well-being and psychological healing. This is a virtual program, To register, visit eastmeadow.info. For more information, call (516) 794-2570.

Tuesday, May 11 Trivia night Test your knowledge at Garden Social, 1964 Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow. Trivia nights are held every Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. Food and drink specials will be available. For more information, call (516) 750-5338.

Drawing with a fine artist Join the East Meadow Public Library

and artist Mary Nagin for a series of art classes via Zoom on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Nagin will be starting with still life drawings, and she will lead patrons through different mediums. Register online at eastmeadow.info. For more information, call (516) 794-2570.

Wednesday, May 12 ‘It Came From the Radio’ In this ‘It Came From the Radio’ program from the East Meadow Public Library, there will be a special guest, writer and illustrator Enrique F. Lopez, the co-founder of art by Quique. The program, which will be hosted by the East Meadow Public Library, will begin via Zoom at 7 p.m. To register, visit Eastmeadow.info. For more information, call (516) 739-1700.

As part of the East Meadow Public Library’s Kindness Series, there will be a solo show written and performed by Prudence Wright Holmes and written by Danielle Winston at 7 p.m. Miep Gies was a secretary to Otto Frank when he asked her to help him hide his family. She saved Anne Franks diary and tried to buy the Franks’ freedom after they were arrested. Learn her story by registering for the online profram at Eastmeadow.info.

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

East Meadow Baseball Softball Association summer camps open for registration. Register for East Meadow Public Library’s virtaul EMCON on May 15. Passport days for TOH are on May 15 and June 6 from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Make appointment: (516) 812-3100. East Meadow Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast to take place June 6 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. East Meadow School 2021-2022 budget and Board of Education trustee vote on May 18.

County undertakes campaign to plant 500 trees

RICHNER

Reine Bethany/Herald

State Sen. Kevin Thomas, Ernest Catanese, and County Executive Laura Curran shoveled earth around a newly planted magnolia tree in Uniondale last Friday. an environmental issue, it’s also an economic issue.” Thomas spoke to the meaning of Arbor Day, saying it “calls attention to the increased importance of reforestation, not only in our national forests, but also

in commercial forests, rain forests and wetlands around the world.” Catanese took the microphone briefly to say, “When I grew up in Manhattan, I had to walk three blocks to see a tree, so this is really great. My wife deserves

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On April 30 — Arbor Day — a 93-yearold Uniondale resident named Ernest Catanese joined Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and New York State Sen. Kevin Thomas to kick off the new Nassau County Tree-Planting Campaign. The location was the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Park in Uniondale. Curran started the day’s ceremony by thanking Catanese, saying, “Ernest Catanese and his wife are really the reason this park is here.” In 2009, Catanese and his wife, Marie, won a five-year fight to turn the trashy northwest corner of Uniondale Avenue and Nassau Road into the flowering little park. The pretty, well-maintained space is only one of many civic projects that the couple had taken part in since moving to Uniondale in 1955. Marie died in 2019. On Arbor Day, after thanking Catanese, Curran outlined the campaign, which aims to plant 500 trees in Nassau County during 2021. “As we speak right now,” she said, “of those 500 trees, we already have 207 in the ground. We expect to have 233 in the ground by the end of today, and by the end of Tuesday, 270.” Evergreens will be planted in the fall. Each new tree, Curran said, will yield “three to five times their initial cost in benefit to the community, so it’s not just

every accolade . . . She was an endless worker on this.” Tree Advisory Board Chairman Lawrence Fernandez further explained the planting campaign: “We’re studying and putting together recommendations for trees that will grow in narrow sidewalk areas.” Trees die, he said, “because they’re living in a space that’s too small, or if they happen to do well, they break the sidewalk.” As part of the campaign, tree experts are inspecting locations around Nassau to deter mine which types of trees will best fit different surroundings. For sunny MLK Jr. Peace Park, the board chose a Southern magnolia, native to King’s home state of Georgia. “This is a hardy Southern tree,” Curran said, “and I think it will carry forward that spirit of perseverance that is embodied by the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” Paul Gibson, president of the Uniondale Community Land Trust, was asked by Curran to add a few words. The UCLT rehabilitates blighted homes to create affordable housing, and said Gibson, “We preserve the trees that we can, and if we can’t, we plant new ones.” The day’s ceremony concluded with Curran, Thomas and Catanese shoveling dirt into the prepared pit where the magnolia sat, its buds full with the promise of blossoms to come.

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

By Reine Bethany

May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

E.M. family first to get ‘Do Not Knock’ sticker Murray explained that all peddlers and solicitors conducting business in the legitimate, some of them aren’t. People town must display a town-issued photo don’t want that. They want peace of identification. They must also have a cermind.” tificate of authority from the The problem isn’t limited New York State Department to East Meadow, Clavin said; of Taxation and Finance. it’s reported all over the town. Under current town code, He, too, has been interrupted adopted in 2015, peddlers and by a knock at the door after solicitors are also not allowed coming home from work, to enter private property when he wants to spend time where there is a sign that with his children, who are 13, says, “Do not knock, no solic10 and 8. The last thing he iting, no peddlers.” And pedwants to do, Clavin said, is dling and soliciting is legal talk to a salesperson — espeonly between 9 a.m. and 9 cially during a pandemic, p.m. when in-person interaction “Peddlers and solicitors with strangers is a bad idea. who are found breaking those “We’ ll have a process town codes can have a fine up where you’ll be able to basito $500,” Murray said. cally get a sticker, have it on KATE MURRAY Nonprofits, on the other the door and stop having Clerk, hand, do not have to obtain a these peddlers bother you,” Town of Hempstead permit from Murray’s office, he said. and the “Do Not Knock” pro“This is about protecting gram does not apply to them. our very hard-earned few hours of respite “I think of Allison Vardakis, who is a that we have in our homes after long, busy days,” Murray said. “We don’t want great [Girl Scout] cookie mom,” Murray any interruptions at all, and even this said, looking over at Vardakis, who was past year, we’ve been even more con- holding her 2-year-old. “I spoke to one of cerned with the Covid-19 pandemic if you your neighbors a minute ago, and he spoke about buying Girl Scout cookies see a stranger on your front step.” CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

his is about protecting our very hardearned few hours of respite that we have in our homes after long, busy days.

Christina Daly/Herald

HEMPSTEAD TOWN COUNCILMAN Dennis Dunne, left, Clerk Kate Murray and Supervisor Don Clavin, with the Vardakis girls, placed a “Do Not Knock” decal on the door. from your girls every year. Organizations like the Girl Scouts, church groups, other not-for-profits, are not impacted.” Murray added, however, that nonprofits selling, for example, Girl Scout cookies should alert their local police precinct

before heading out so they will be aware if someone calls the police to complain about peddling in their neighborhood. To obtain a “Do Not Knock” sticker, call the Town of Hempstead’s clerk’s office at (516) 489-5000.

A friendly family fundraiser in East Meadow in Nassau and Suffolk. Julia, the eldest of the Smith daughters, was happy to accompany her mother Kelly Smith, a lifelong East Meadow to drop off the check. “I love helping peoresident, can remember holding annual ple just like Mommy does,” Julia said. “I garage sales with her like helping kids f a t h e r, R i c h a r d smile too.” Judge. It was a tradiSmith, a social tion that she wanted worker, knows just to pass down to her how important it is daughters, who are to allow children three and five years who are facing a difold. ficult situation with “But I wanted to their family experiput more of a spin on ence some normalcy it that we would give on their special day. back to the communi“I see how devast y, ” S m i t h , 4 3 , tating homelessness explained. “Sadly, my can be for children dad passed away a and to hear that kids few years back and I had birthdays and didn’t want to do their parents [garage sales] anycouldn’t afford a gift m o re b e c a u s e i t or a birthday cake,” reminded me too JASON SMITH, AN avid griller, preparshe said, “And that much of him and it ing the pulled-pork sandwiches for the devastates me was sad. But last fundraiser. because I have young year, I said, ‘You kids as well.” know what, we have So, she decided to to do it again.” hold a fundraiser for Birthday Wishes of Last year the Smith family home was Long Island again this year on April 10, the scene of a garage sale, with goods but with pulled-pork sandwiches and popdonated by community members and a corn this time. The Smith family ultimatepopcorn machine that provided a crunchy ly raised over $1,000. and buttery snack. All the proceeds — $400 Local businesses got involved with the — would ultimately help provide a dona- mission to ensure that no child goes withtion to the non-profit, Birthday Wishes of out a special birthday as well. Long Long Island, which provides birthday par- Island’s Own Home Food Service donated ties to children living in homeless shelters 120 pounds of pork, Giavanna’s Bread Dis-

By JENNIFER CORR jcorr@liherald.com

Photos courtesy the Smith Family

E.M. FAMILY JULIA, 5, Jason, Rebecca, 3, and Julia Smith have raised over $1,500 in two years to help give children living in homeless shelters birthday parties. tributors donated the bread and Creative Confections by Lu donated cupcakes and brownies. Smith’s husband and East Meadow High School sweetheart, Jason Smith, 45, was thrilled because barbecuing is his hobby. He considered it a challenge to make all 120 pounds of pulled pork but added that it was fun for him too. “It’s a very rewarding experience,” Jason said. “It’s great to get involved and to give back a little bit.” The fundraiser was a hit in the East

Meadow community. Smith said she even got phone calls after the fact asking if they had any leftovers. “My oldest is almost 6 now and she’s starting to understand it and identify what community outreaching and helping other people really is,” Smith said of her daughter Julia, who is also a member of Daisy Troop 1119. “We’ve been talking a lot about giving back to your community and understanding that although we’re one family, it’s our job to help others and pay it forward.”

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Nurses have always been on the front lines of health care, but never more so than since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Long considered the heart and soul of the health care system, now, their role as teachers, advocates, caregivers, critical thinkers and innovators has put them in the forefront of this transformational moment in public health. On these pages, meet some of the exceptional nurses in our communities.

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May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

True heroes:

KERINTH AFFLICK

ADAM ATLAS

Population Health Department, St. John’s Episcopal Hospital

Glen Cove Hospital/ Northwell Health Medical Unit 2 South

s a nurse in the Population Health Department of St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, Kerinth Afflick follows up with patients after they are discharged from the hospital and helps to make sure they are getting and taking their medications and they are making and getting to their follow up visits to doctors. “When you first become a nurse you are so young, and a little ignorant,” said Afflick, who will admit to being in her early 50s. She has been a nurse for 28 years. “You learn. You learn patience, learn to listen, listen to problems and follow up. You become a psychiatrist as the patients need someone to speak with and you become a great listener.” There was one patient, she said who was undocumented that Afflick assisted to ensure they were aware and used all the resources available to them for more than two years.

There are some other patients who, because of the coronavirus pandemic, are alone. “One patient didn’t use our pharmacy (St. John’s has an in-house pharmacy), they were isolated because of Covid,” she said. “They tried to rely on CVS and we called CVS and asked them to please deliver the meds.” Which was done. Afflick said for her being a nurse is about giving back. “It’s not about the thank you so much as making sure that [the patients] are OK."

TRUE HEROES:

’ve been a registered nurse for just over a year, I entered the field after many years as a short story writer, translator, teacher, even a bartender. Originally from Louisville Ky., I met my girlfriend and moved to Manhattan about 10 years ago. I entered an accelerated nursing program at Mount Sinai about 18 months ago — before Covid happened — but recognized this capacity for being a nurse about 10 years ago by caring for my dying father. So, I got my license in February 2020, Covid happened, and we moved out here. My girlfriend has a home in Locust Valley. That means I’m new to nursing and at 45, working in what has essentially become a Covid ward, keeping up with younger nurses. I don't know if that’s good luck or bad, however, with the experience and expectations of someone at my stage in life, it wasn’t a shock. Anyhow we

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

SARAH AVIS

JEANINE CAPPELLO

St. John’s Episcopal Hospital

Operations Manager, Mercy Hospital Family Care Center

eing an emergency room nurse Sarah Avis said is like “trying to thrive in controlled chaos. You have zero patient info, teamwork is critical and you trying to find the missing piece of a puzzle.” When Avis, 34, was young her mother was very ill. “I like how there was people to help in my mother’s time of need,” she said, explaining why when she went to college she chose nursing as her profession. Now eight years in, Avis views the role of nurse as multifaceted. “It means just being there through an extreme time and making someone as comfortable as possible and being someone they can trust,” she said, “especially during Covid. Families are limited. We play the role of caregiver, friend, family member. It can be hard. As a nurse you are supposed to have an emotional barrier. We see so much certain

trauma and a lot of grief, it’s emotional. As a nurse you also want to be there. It is very challenging.” Recently, Avis witnessed “a young life lose. “It was extremely emotional,” she said, describing how a family member sank to the floor. There was hugging to console this person and more family handholding and hugging. Sometimes just being a presence is very challenging for a very busy ER.” St. John’s emergency department serves nearly 49,000 patients annually.

don't choose the time for things. As a Covid ward there are peaks and troughs. It’s busy, it's chaotic, but we make our way through it. Now that there are protocols and we've been vaccinated, the world’s gotten used to a new normal. But people are sick, hundreds are dying, every day. Becoming a nurse, I’ve learned we're all human. Our time on earth is precious and finite. And I’ve learned that it’s possible to be removed, dispassionate, but remain passionate about treating people with humanity.

always wanted to be a nurse. My uncle was a physician, so growing up I used to go into work with him and see him taking care of all the patients. At 14-years-old I was a candy striper, later I volunteered in a local hospital feeding babies, and then I went and started as a PCA. And through that, I put myself through nursing school. My first job was at an Ob-Gyn office and there were a lot of young women there with teen pregnancies in the community I was working in, and I just really took a passion to it. So, I grew in it and became a part of the Nassau County Perinatal Service Network, where we focus on the underserved communities to make sure they have easy access to prenatal care. Covid hit our population very hard. A lot of our patients are living in multi-family

households, and Covid just ran rampant. A lot of them don’t have access to healthcare, so we really made sure we advocated for them. Through a grant, we were able to provide our patients with PPE. We were also able to provide our patients with food. A lot of patients were out of work because of Covid, so there was no food for their families. Not only do we treat the patient, but we treat the family. We watch the children grow and then they have kids again and they trust us and want to come back to us.

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

TRUE In HEROES: IN THEIR OWN WORDS TheIr own words

Our nurse heroes WeThank you

May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

Eva Jones

Kayla Rein, RN

Relief Staff Nurse, Fresinius

Mount Sinai South Nassau

My amazing sister, Eva Jones, RN, is the exemplary model of a nurse who is compassionate, caring and expertly skilled. With 35 years of dialysis experience, working for both major national dialysis companies, Davita and Fresinius, Eva offers the ultimate level of competence, bringing heart and kindness to ensure her patients’ smoothest and most comfortable sessions three times per week. They feel her love and confidence and are glad Eva’s in charge. Through pandemic Eva worked in a Covid-only outpatient dialysis clinic every day, sometimes up to 105 hours in a twoweek period, perpetually short staffed because other staff called out. She opened the clinic at 4 a.m., leaving at 10 or 11 p.m. Think about that. When a situation lands in your lap and you step up to the plate to do what is necessary, that’s an extraordinary person with a conscience. Thank God for nurse angels like Eva Jones!

Kayla Rein is my hero, my nurse, You may consider me biased because Kayla is my granddaughter. She worked tirelessly, 12 hour overnight ER shifts throughout the height of the pandemic and continues to do so today! I was there for her offering moral support along the way. Little did I know I, myself, would become an ER admittance in mid-January — due to a DVT. I witnessed first-hand the arduous, hard-working nursing staff. Needless to say, I was the “lucky” one, having granddaughter to attend to my unexpected needs. Thank God for our outstanding nurses and all other health care workers who routinely go above and beyond — day in and day out! — Virginia Rein-Biehl, Oceanside

Ross Rieman

Phyllis Imbriano

Northwell LIJ/Northwell Forest Hills

Phyllis Imbriano was honored by Tiegerman Schools at their gala on March 25. Phyllis has worked with Tiegerman for 21 years; as the school Nurse at Tiegerman Preschool, Elementary School, UPK and A.L.L. for Kids, also serving as the full-time nurse at Glen Cove Preschool/ Elementary School. Among the many tributes to Phyllis: “When my daughter Grace was younger, she attended Tiegerman Elementary School. Nurse Phyllis took great care of her and the other students. As a parent of a special needs child, you are always anxious when you get a call from the school! The first thing Nurse Phyllis would say is,“Grace is fine. I am calling about...”. I loved how aware she was and I can imagine she had the same sensitivity for the other students. I never worried about my child in school because I knew how supportive Nurse Phyllis and the staff were.”

Healthcare heroes don’t just touch the lives of their patients, but also the lives of their loved ones. From the perspective of a family member and also a future wife, we are amazed at the dedication, commitment and sacrifice Ross Rieman has devoted to saving lives, not only in the emergency room as a nurse practitioner at both Northwell LIJ and Northwell Forest Hills, but also as a volunteer (Second Assistant Chief) in the Woodmere Fire Department. In a hospital located at the epicenter of the pandemic, Ross tirelessly attended to Covid-19 patients in an overflowing emergency room without regard to his own welfare. He took extra shifts when his dedicated colleagues were ill with Covid-19. When not treating patients, Ross served his community through the fire department, ensuring that people who experienced Covid-19 symptoms received the care they needed. Ross is the epitome of what a true healthcare hero represents.

School Nurse Supervisor, Tiegerman Schools

— Jame Krauter, Director of Fund Development, Tiegerman

— Audrey Rieman and Kristen Brocavich, Hewlett

— Maxine Mayreis, Glen Cove

Mary Stillwagon Retired

Jennifer Ryan, RN

NYU Langone Winthrop Hospital Jennifer Ryan, my wife, was a true a beacon of selflessness and compassion throughout the grimmest days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Jennifer provided outstanding to patients afflicted with Covid-19 in a homecare setting. The courageous, compassionate care delivered by Jennifer and her homecare colleagues was instrumental in reserving local hospital capacity and resources for the most critically ill patients at the apex of the pandemic. I salute and commend these true American heroes! — Brendan Ryan, North Merrick

My mother, Mary Stillwagon (BSN-BC, MS, Lac.), retired from a 40+-year tenure at Glen Cove Hospital Northwell Health in May 2020. She started her healthcare journey in the ICU at Glen Cove Hospital and continued her career there up until last year, amidst the pandemic. Mary also went on to receive her Masters in Science and became a Licensed Acupuncturist in 2005, all while working full time at the hospital. What nurses do for the world is truly amazing. Mom worked hard and sacrificed to ensure the comfort, care and treatment of each patient she oversaw. She treated countless patients, worked alongside hundreds of other healthcare professionals and always did it with grace, relentless dedication, and love in her heart. On behalf of our family, her friends, and associates, Thank You, Mary. Your retirement is well deserved! Now it’s time for us to take care of you. — Laura Stillwagon, Glen Cove

Priti Chohan

South Shore University Hospital I am so proud of the selflessness and dedication my daughter, Priti Chohan, BSN, MBA, RN, Patient Care Services Manager at South Shore University Hospital, has shown throughout the pandemic. She has stepped in countless times to assist her team on the front-line, maintaining order in such a hectic environment, and sacrificing time on the personal and familial front to give to caring for those affected. Most importantly, she has given her time to support her team, who were exposed to the virus and on the front-line daily. Healthcare is truly a special calling, deeply rooted in compassion and empathy Therefore, I would like to extend my gratitude to all the courageous essential workers who have helped to support our community throughout this tumultuous time. — Sudesh Chohan, Huntington

Susan Atwell

Mount Sinai Hospital Susan Atwell is a special person in my life. She is a registered nurse, RN BsN, who works in the PACU (Recovery) Department of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. She has been the most dedicated and determined nurse for her patients for the past 11 years at Mount Sinai Hospital. She began her nursing career 36 years ago with that same determination to help others in need, and it has only grown stronger through the years. In addition, Susan, who lives in Woodmere, is a devoted mother of three incredible children, Robert, Christine and Matthew. She raised them by herself while holding a fulltime nursing job. She is the happy grandmother of an adorable 1-year-old little guy, Daniel, too! Susan is my real hometown hero. I am very privileged to be her friend. — Donna Shulman, Hewlett

Our nurse heroes

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TRUE HEROES:

started off in banking, but switched to nursing because I love taking care of people. Today, nursing is very challenging due to the pandemic. At the beginning, during spring 2020, we nurses were in-service constantly, getting educated by our supervisors about Covid-19. That’s what pulled us through. On the job, we wear a mask, goggles, surgical headwear, and a disposable gown. Every time we leave a patient’s room, we discard the mask and gown, and wash the goggles. It’s uncomfortable, but to fight the virus, we have to start with our first-line workers for the protection of the residents. Our staff members are all tested for Covid-19 twice a week, in a little unit that does the nasal swabbing here on site. Not having family members of patients visiting the facility makes our job a lot easier,

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Megan always has a smile on her face. Her warm and caring attitude is only matched by her stellar clinical skills. There was a time when I required wound care after a prolonged and complicated hospital stay. I was scared or in pain, and really able to trust that Megan was going to take care of me. Megan is always “on the ball”. I am so grateful for Megan during that time and I know that I healed so well in large part to the level of care Megan provided. Even after thewounds were healed, Megan would consistently check up on me. It was so nice that Megan continued to care about me. I am so impressed with Megan’s “can-do” attitude, and that she was always willing to lend a helping hand to other nurses and nursing assistants who needed it.

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Emergency Nurse, Long Island Jewish Valley Stream because we have to control interaction from the outside. But we do help our patients communicate with loved ones virtually. The virtual chats are scheduled with our recreation person. A nurse or aide can hold a cell phone so a patient can speak using FaceTime. We can also have the family members visit on-site, but not inside the facility. They stand in the entrance foyer between the double glass doors. The inner glass door is locked and the resident is brought down to sit on the inside. Then they talk with their loved ones on cell phones while smiling at them through the glass. We are trained to let our residents know what’s going on, but to keep them comfortable, and to give them respect and dignity at all times. Remember, this is their home.

have a brother with Down syndrome so I was kind of a nurse even in my childhood, and I kind of grew up with him, favoring caring for people with a personal touch. I went to nursing school and graduated in 1987, during the AIDs epidemic. I graduated from St. Vincent’s School of Nursing, and worked in the East Village where the AIDs epidemic was really fired up, so I had seen a lot of death and dying back in the 1980s. I thought I’d never see it again. And then Covid came. The first wave was very heavy in our Emergency Department, but we pulled through. The Northwell Health system quickly got it together, and we were very organized. We have a tiny Emergency Department, and as the volume increased we transferred out to the North Shore facilities. The wisdom that I brought having had been

through something terrible like this before was that I knew I had to dress in the full PPE, the personal protective gear. Back in the 1980s we didn’t know it was sexually transmitted so we were wearing all sorts of hats and gowns and face masks. So I guess that was the little bit of wisdom there that I had. I also gave a little support to the newer nurses, letting them know that we’re going to get through this. But it was also very overwhelming for myself. People were coming into triage and they could barely say their name, and then they would just drop dead in front of you. It was very scary. We did the best we could with what we had. But even when it got overwhelming you still had to stop and give that extra personal touch, whether it was giving my phone charger to them so they could try and call a family member.

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

THANK YOU NURSES FOR PUTTING YOURSELF OUT ON THE FRONT LINES. WE GREATLY AppREciATE YouR sERvicE!

May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

In celebration of our

By Scott Brinton sbrinton@liherald.com

e had always known that nurses were heroes; the women and men who offered us a modicum of comfort at our darkest hours while quietly monitoring our heart rate, blood pressure and medications prescribed by our doctors. They watched over us, soothed our pain with a smile. We never really knew, however, what heroes they were until the coronavirus pandemic struck Long Island in March last year, sending already tired hospital staffs into overdrive. Nurses were at the very front lines of the crisis, and the physical and mental toll that they endured was unimaginable to most. Nurses were, of course, accustomed to death. It is part of medicine. No amount of training, however, could have prepared them for the onslaught of Covid-19 cases that they would see between March and June 2020 — or the rapidly rising death toll. With family and friends barred from entering hospitals during this grave period, nurses were often the very last people that the dying saw before they took their last breaths. 2020 and 2021 have very much been a battle for survival, and our nurses have fought it valiantly. Many of them have been infected with Covid-19 themselves. Some have died. We cannot thank our nurses enough for all that they did for us last year, but we should try. In this photo essay by Herald Photo Editor Christina Daly, we make the attempt, showing you, our readers, some of the faces who carried on through all the confusion and fear and heartache to protect and preserve life. For more photos, see liherald.com.

Photos by Christina Daly/H

1: Nurse Danielle Frantino, front, is in the Emergency Services Unit at Northwell Health Glen Cove Hospita Nurse Cel Christian Lumbera is her left. 2: Nurses Jaya Roy and Maria Cardone, of the Rehabilitation Unit at Northwell Health Glen Cove Hospital.

3: At Northwell Health LIJ Hospital in Valley Stream, nu educator Savita Amin reviewed notes with nurses De Pellitteri, Christine Luongo and Emily John, of the Pa Services Unit.

4: Taking in a lighter moment outside Northwell Health Hospital were Patient Services nurses Villaflor Andre Pascual, Ivana Klanac-Stern, Ann Marie Distanislao, Sheleema Harinandan, Benyanoot Rodthong, Emily Jessica Ruggierro, Debra Pellitteri, Saige Amoruso an Catherine Naranjo.

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

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5: At Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre, nurses Jeanne Colamussi and Claire Odayan, nurse manager Meghan Clark, and nurses Bincy Mathew and Jennifer Okoye celebrated their profession. 6: Nurse Mary Sloane held a newborn in the Mercy Hospital Maternity Unit.

shortly after, with her family still in the parking lot. Asha said the experience made her cherish her time with her family. 10: Chris Frasco, left, and, Frank Masi, nurses at NYU Langone Hospital in Mineola.

7: Curtis King, a transporter, at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside. 8: Nurse April Dones, of the Maternity Unit and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Mount Sinai South Nasau, was all smiles behind her mask recently. 9: Nurse Asha Ali, of NYU Langone Hospital, spoke of a 40-year-old patient who arrived at her unit struggling to breathe. The patient grasped her hand and told her, “You are you my angel.” The patient died of Covid-19

True heroes:

May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

TheIr own words TRUE In HEROES: IN THEIR OWN WORDS MEGHAN EVANS

JOEMELLE KHAN

Emergency Department, Mount Sinai South Nassau

Nassau University Medical Center

chose to become a nurse because I wanted to work in the medical field and be at the bedside caring for patients. Growing up, I was inspired by the nurses I met and saw first-hand how they took care of people, not only physically, but also emotionally. The nursing profession means teamwork. I am beyond lucky to work in an area that has incredible teamwork. I would not be able to provide the best care without the help of our amazing patient care technicians and unit clerks, also amazing doctors and physician assistants who have taught me so much over the years. I have been an Emergency Department nurse at MSSN for nearly 10 years, also a member of the ED’s Unit Based Council and ED Trauma Committee for more than five years. We are always working on creating new ways to provide excellent nursing care for our patients. The nursing profession has taught me a

lot about life. I enjoy helping people and find myself helping others inside and outside of the hospital. I see first-hand how fragile life can be, so I try to keep a positive mindset and take care of myself physically and emotionally. We never know what is going to come through those ED doors and we must be prepared for anything and everything. We laugh together and we cry together. We lift each other up when we are feeling down or scared and celebrate the happy moments with each other. Nursing has always been a profession that is challenging yet rewarding. Emergency nursing is typically fast-paced and can be stressful. When the Covid-19 pandemic arrived in March 2020, we were challenged in ways we had never imagined. Our team came together — we cared for our patients, we cared for their family members and we cared for each other.

TRUE HEROES:

’m from Harlem and lived in Queens near Valley Stream. My first degree was in finance, but when my father went into a hospital with a stroke it struck me that hospital workers had good intentions, but there was not enough help, and I was drawn to nursing. It helps that I come from a family with a lot of doctors and nurses in it, so I asked a lot of questions, did some research, and seven years ago became a licensed nurse. For me nursing is a great field if you are the kind of person who cares. The money’s good, you can go anywhere in the country and you can help a person just by holding their hand. I worked at the Nassau County Correctional facility, and then two years ago I came to work at the Emergency Room at Nassau University Medical Center. We get it all. Helicopters come in and out, drownings, stabbings, shootings,

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

HAYDEE LAJERA

MITCH MARAVILLA

Director of Nursing, Lynbrook Restorative Therapy & Nursing

Medical/Surgical/ Oncology Unit, Mount Sinai South Nassau

’ve been in long-term care nursing for 28 years, and Director of Nursing for 15 years. I consider being a nurse as a calling. It requires dedication and compassion because, while we take care of patients' and residents’ physical needs, we must also address their emotional and spiritual needs. During this pandemic, our dedication to our profession was put to the test. We could not stay home from work to avoid the deadly virus. Some of us isolated ourselves from our families for fear of exposing them. Many of us got Covid and some died. As the Director of Nursing, I had to care for my staff. They feared catching Covid and infecting their own families. I ensured that they were educated and had enough PPE, encouraged them, cried with them when they were emotionally drained, and sometimes bought them food or sewed masks for them.

For our residents, I crocheted hats and scarves during the winter, which made them smile. When nursing homes were closed to visitation, nurses brought phones and tablets to Covid-positive patients so that their families could say goodbye to them. I once held a patients’ hand as she took her last breath and told her son who lived in another state that she died peacefully. One day I had to “sneak in” a priest to administer a patient’s last rites. Now our facility is Covid-free. We have passed several inspections and continue to follow all infection control guidelines from the CDC and the New York State Department of Health. We have vaccinated most of our employees and residents, and hope the public will do the same so this pandemic will end soon.

car accidents. In the last year Covid took over. That was challenging in part because I took the pandemic personally. My cousin, Marilyn Howard, a mentor to me, was the first school nurse in New York City to die of Covid. Emergency room work has made me an even more compassionate person. You need a tough exterior, but still care. But I have plenty of support for that at home. My wife is also a nurse. We talk to each other about all these issues.

hen I was in high school, my dad was sick and in and out of the hospital. I had to help my mom take care of him, and that’s when I decided to take up nursing in college. The nursing profession is a calling. It is indeed a tough and stressful job. You need to have a certain virtue to become a good nurse. We call those virtues “TLC,” tender, loving care. It requires a lot of patience and dedication. Even if you are an experienced nurse, you don’t assume that you know everything. Every day is a continuous learning process. I’ve learned a lot in two decades of being a nurse. It’s made me stronger, resilient and appreciative of those people around me, such as my friends, family and co-workers, as well as my patients and their families. When the pandemic started, our floor was turned into one of the Covid-19 units. I was so scared. I’ve never been in this kind of

overwhelming situation in my entire career. I was physically, mentally and emotionally drained. There was a time when one of my patients could barely breathe, and I remember him saying, “Help me. Help me. I feel like I’m drowning.” As I waited for the rapid response team, I held his hand and encouraged him. I felt hopeless and prayed for him. I was his only support. It was also devastating when some of my co-workers got sick with Covid, including my husband, who is also an employee at the hospital. Our unit has remained the Covid floor for the hospital, but this year has been more manageable. I’m proud and privileged that I am a part of the process. Nursing is tough, but when you think of the lives you have touched, the lives you saved, it’s such a wonderful feeling. It’s priceless.

TRUE HEROES:

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

LYSTRA BULLEN

Glen Cove Hospital ER/ Northwell Health

Oceanside Care Center

’ve been a nurse for 33 years, first at St. Vincent in Manhasset on a ventilator floor, labor and delivery, post-partum care and in the emergency room at Glen Cove the last decade. I know it’s a cliché, but I think nursing found me. I was an average student in high school and didn’t have a lot of confidence. That all changed in nursing school. I felt like this was where I needed to be. The book part’s a large component, but taking care of people is not something you learn in a book. It comes from having empathy for others, understanding that it’s not just people, it’s somebody else’s mother, somebody’s child. This whole last year has been difficult. It’s the first time I felt I don’t know if I can make it. I have another eight years and I hope I can get through it. We’re not a trauma hospital, but an emergency room sees everything, and beginning

last March Covid is all we saw. It was scary at first — new information every day about PPE, about treatment. But we got better at it. And the community support was really special, like a parade. Maybe the parade’s moved on, but we’re still here doing the work. Still, nursing is an excellent career, so many kinds of jobs. It doesn’t have to be all high drama. Financially it’s great, you can’t be outsourced. There will always be a place for nurses.

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

DIANE PAEZ I

y job as a Certified Nursing Assistant is really a story about my dad. After my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, my sister took him in, but he would do unpredictable things like leaving the house unannounced. Within a short time after we put him in a nursing home, he was totally different. When I visited him, he would say, “I ain’t givin’ no trouble,” and I could tell he was getting good care. About a year after he entered the nursing home, I decided to help others like the home helped my father, and I became a CNA. My job is hands-on. I bathe the patients, feed them, take them to the bathroom, talk to them, and learn the little things that help them feel calm. My work takes dedication because, when people can’t do self-care anymore, they go through a kind of depression. They miss their families. They may have underlying medical

conditions. We have to be very patient and sensitive. We approach each one individually and build bonds, step by step. When the pandemic began, everyone’s heart was bleeding for our patients. Families couldn’t visit in person anymore. Patients coming back from the hospital had to be isolated for Covid testing. But the patients understood because they watched the news, and they respected our explanations. They wanted their families to be safe, so they accepted window-side visits, video chats, and phone calls. These protocols are still in effect at this time. The nurses and CNAs have had to work extra hard to give the patients what they need. It’s been trying, but because we know our patients so well, everyone has adapted.

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IN THEIR OWN WORDS

BARBARA SIMMS Nurse Practitioner, Mercy Hospital

Nassau University Medical Center

was a medical assistant for 20 years in a family practice office in Seaford. When my daughter went to college I decided to go back to school to be a nurse. Everyone thought I was a nurse, anyhow. I managed to get my degree and 15 years ago, became a regular staff nurse at NUMC’s pediatric unit. I just got this position as assistant nurse manager at the end of January. I love going to work. It's a job that I wouldn’t mind being at forever. In a pediatric unit, we get a little bit of everything. I also float to the nursery, neo-natal. So, I’ve gotten to see a variety of patients, newborn to age 21. When I was a medical assistant I dealt with adults, but in pediatrics you’re dealing with the parents too, making sure they’re knowledgeable ofwhat’s going on with their child. When Covid hit there was so much we didn’t

know. I took out my sewing machine and made caps and masks for whoever needed them. The load was so heavy, we were stressed out, but we had to put that aside. But the pandemic also put us in the public eye in an incredible way. Recently I pulled into a gas station in my scrubs and a man at another pump, a total stranger, shouted out, “Thank you!” That’s the kind of thing that makes you feel appreciated as a nurse.

worked in the airline industry in human resource management and I had a sister that worked here (Mercy Hospital) as a nurses’ aide. My sister was diagnosed with cancer while she was an employee here, and she had a tough battle for seven years. She was an employee here, a patient here, and she passed away here. After she passed away, I made the decision to become a nurse. And going to nursing school, I knew that I only wanted to work at Mercy because I felt that it was paying back for what I felt they did really well for my sister. I started nursing school in 2005 when I was 39, and I came straight here in 2008 and I’ve been here ever since. My mother went into nursing at the age of 40, so I think that let me know that no matter what the age, if you want to change, you can change. When Covid hit, my patient was the first

patient on the floor to get it. For me I think it was just trying to do the best that you can to keep your patients OK. And Covid was an eyeopener as far as seeing how fast a patient can decline, unfortunately. I think for most nurses, when you go into nursing you don’t go into it looking for someone to praise you for what you do or sacrifice. You do it because it’s something in your heart.

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May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

BEHIND EVERY LIFE WE SAVED, THERE WAS A TEAM OF DEDICATED NURSES. THANK YOU.

We are pleased that the Year of the Nurse has been extended from 2020 through 2021 in recognition of your hard work, bravery, and commitment to save lives. Thank you. This Nurses Week, we thank you for showing up, stepping up, and putting our patients before yourselves during this pandemic. Behind every life we saved, there was an extraordinary team of dedicated nurses.

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WHAT’S NEWS IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM

Equity 4 LI Youth, a committee that confronts long-standing barriers to connect diverse populations of young people to employment, training and mentoring opportunities to address inequities, held its first Virtual Career Expo on April 10 for high school students. This event, designed for adolescents, celebrated diversity in the field of STEM, law, engineering, medicine and politics. One of the major goals was to create a safe space for experts in the field and teenagers to discuss challenges and successes related to the pursuit of education and the pursuit of a career. Partners for the event included Cedar more Cor poration, the Long Island Black Educators Association, the Long Island Latino Teachers Association, the NAACP, East Meadow schools, and Freeport Cares. The hosts were two recent East Meadow High School graduates and advocates for social justice — Jake Schneebaum and Kevin Martin. Schneebaum and Martin guided attendees through the presentations by several experts in the fields of politics, law, medicine and engineering. Then a discussion with speakers was opened to

student questions. The sub-committee chemical engineer Dr. Randolph McGee and Bradley Lewis, of Northwell Health. chair, Patrice Dobies, the director of It is with great humility that Equity special education for East Meadow for LI Youth acknowledges Schools, and keynote speakthe contributions of the er Dorian R. Glover, an speakers and the impact attorney and the president their conversations had on of the Nassau County Bar attendees. In total, 85 people Association, supported the registered, ranging geoevent as well. graphically from the Bronx Topics of the career expo to upstate New York to Cenwere delineated into two tral Islip and beyond. The groups: Politics and Law, feedback that was received guided by Jake Schneewas encouraging, as 79 perbaum, and Medical, STEM, cent of responses were very and Engineering, guided by satisfied, with the remainKevin Martin. After 45 mining 21 percent stating they utes, par ticipants were were satisfied with the pregiven the opportunity to senters and the information join the other group to gain PATRICK and i n s i g h t s o n a l l a r e a s MARCELLA PIZZO offered. Another encouraging offered. For politics and law, part of the event was the participants were joined by the Hon. Linda Mejias, Assemblyman peer-led leadership of Schneebaum and John Mikulin, attorney Dominique Dob- Martin. Schneebaum graduated from son and police officers Adekunle Aking- East Meadow High School with honors ba, and Daniel Capellan. Speakers for in 2018 and currently attends New York medicine and engineering were emer- University, majoring in pre-law. He is gency medical technician Hector Felici- well-known in East Meadow for his leadano-Nieves, Dr. Crystal Thomas McGee, ership and advocacy for equity. Martin

nother encouraging part of the event was the peerled leadership of Schneebaum and Martin.

graduated from East Meadow High School in 2018 and currently attends Stanford University. His advocacy and scholarship in East Meadow, and beyond, has continued during his studies at Stanford University. The committee plans on this Virtual Career Expo being the first of many opportunities for adolescents to engage in conversations related to challenging systemic racism. Future events will be virtual, but when appropriate, in-person events will also be held. Positive, collaborative change will be achieved working together for a more diverse future. For young people interested in Equity 4 LI Youth, please visit the website: www.Equity4LIYouth.org. There is information posted to assist in career planning, scholarships, internships and job opportunities at all levels of employment. There are also many educational resources for issues related to equity and equality. If the information sought is not available on our website post a suggestion. –Patrick and Marcella Pizzo

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OBITUARIES

Happy Anniversary

When we can, prior to attending a education or the amount of rehabilitanearby wedding or other special occa- tion time my mother needed at the medision, we take a trial run, driving the cal center. He’s the one who stands by route so that we can note specific direc- and helps when someone is getting sick tions and don’t have to guess which left in the bathroom, I’m more of the disinor right turn on the day of the affair. fecting wipes who swoops in afterwards. Barbeque, gardening and feeding the This has been a “go to” approach for years, even with benefit of GPS or a birds? Him. Tax papers, cell phones and computer updates? Me. How to do high Google map. school math? Me. How to But circa 1989, drivers handle a high school bully? didn’t have this exacting luxHim. ury. As a courtesy to our Last year, given the shelwedding guests, my then ter-in-place requirements, it husband-to-be and I drove was almost our anniversary the complete route to the when I decided I’d bake a temple as well as the catering black forest cake from a hall, jotting down directions brand name devil’s food cake that would be typed and foldmix, white frosting and chered into our invitation. I ry filling. It was the best I remember the cars leaving could do at the time, deterthe ceremony on that May auren ev mined to emulate our wedafternoon, an unofficial orgading cake from so many nized line navigating the years ago. streets of Queens. And I think that was the best part This week, my husband and I celebrate over three decades of commitment about it. It was a small symbol of our marriage, one of many small symbols since we wrote out those directions. Three decades in which the only and gestures only 30 years can accrue. A things I have longer than his devotion is gentle celebration of a life-affirming day. a folding card table and desk lamp that And as long as I accurately calculate how saw me through my high school and col- many years we are celebrating — I never lege studies. As well as three decades seem to remember that quickly — it will plus of memories and teachable be the “cherry on top” of our (im)perfect bliss. moments. I have accepted the reality that there is almost nothing my spouse and I agree A contributing writer to the Herald since on. Nothing except for some of the hard- 2012, Lauren Lev is an East Meadow resiest, most important decisions we have dent and a direct marketing/advertising had to make throughout our union. executive who teaches marketing fundaWe’ve fought about a dish sponge and the mentals as well as advertising and marsize of the parking lot at the storage unit keting communications courses at the company. But we have been a single uni- Fashion Institute of Technology and fied voice for defending our children’s SUNY Old Westbury.

Carole Jane Bergman Carole Jane Bergman, (nee Korn), 93, of East Meadow, died on April 21. A passionate artist and poet, she wrote several thousand poems, and published two collections, “Heartbeat” and “Echoes of the Heart.” Carole was also an artist, creating pastels, sculpture, and most prolifically, her own style of Japanese brush painting. A featured artist in many Long Island art shows and events, she was recognized for the delicate and unusually colorful style she created. Carole taught her unique style of Japanese brush painting and led many workshops and group classes across Long Island. She also frequently performed poetry readings across the island. Her engaging, charismatic personality, and compassionate nature were

Robert S. Stepnowski, 79, of East Meadow, died on April 19. Beloved husband of the late Dolores; loving father of Dawn, Tara and Brian; adored grandfather of Connor and Savannah; dear brother of Ronald and his wife Linda, Edward and his wife Lynn. Arrangements entrusted to Charles J. O’Shea Funeral Home. Interment Long Island National Cemetery.

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beloved by all who met her. A lover of the arts, she supported and encouraged the musical abilities of her surviving children, Roxanne, Glenda (Lubin), Helene, Jason and Bethany. Her passion for literature, theatre, art, music and family was shared with all who came in contact with her, as well as her gift for spreading and sharing love. Her indomitable spirit and genuine and heartfelt way of communicating benefited all who knew her. An unforgettable presence, Carole will be dearly missed by her children; grandchildren, Arielle and Gregory Lubin, Elizabeth, Jonathan, Kathryn, Alexina and Ruby. She and her husband Ray, who died in 1993, shared an incredible devoted love. She left a legacy of many poems written to celebrate and express that love. Carole is predeceased by her son, Brian Adam, who died in 1973. Donations in her memory can be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Lions Eye Bank for Long Island.

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May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

Employment

CLASSIFIED

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

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

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

Seeking Candidates for the Following Positions: SUBSTITUTE CLEANERS Salary: $16.00 per hour District Wide – All Shifts

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SUBSTITUTE MONITORS $14 per hour District Wide SUBSTITUTE SECURITY AIDES Salary: $15.00 per hour District Wide Candidate must have continuing possession of NYS registration as a security guard issues by the NYS Department of State. Security or law enforcement experience preferred.

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• Must be detail oriented • Must possess strong clerical and computer skills including proficiency with Microsoft Word • Principal responsibilities include: recording minutes at all BOE meetings, maintaining BOE records, preparation of weekly information packets and management of BOE correspondence • Must be a Nassau County resident

(We said it was simple. We didn’t say it was easy.) to join our outside sales team, contact Rhonda glickman. send your resume today. rglickman@liherald.com, 516-569-4000 x250. salary, commission, bonuses and benefits. must have own vehicle and valid driver’s license.

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SEnD LETTER of appLICaTIon anD RESumE by 5/7/21 To:

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Candidates are to submit a letter of interest with resume and credentials to: Ms. Jacqueline A. Scrio Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations East Rockaway UFSD 443 Ocean Avenue East Rockaway, NY 11518 (516) 887-8300 Ext. 1-553

VALLEY STREAM BOARD OF EDucATiOn cEnTRAL HiGH ScHOOL DiSTRicT

1128591

EAST ROCKAWAY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

HERALD

Full Time Job – Day/Night Shifts Full Time Job –w/Full Day/Night Shifts 10 Month Position Union Benefits 10 Month Position w/Full Benefits Full Time Job Island, – Day/Night Long NewUnion York Shifts 10Full Month Position UnionShifts Benefits Time Job –w/Full Day/Night $19.37 per hour $19.37 w/Full per hour 10 Month Position Union Benefits per hour Required: NYS$19.37 Certification w/security photo ID Full Time Job – Day/Night Shifts $19.37 per w/security hour Required: w/security photo Required:NYS NYS Certification Certification photo ID ID

Security Guards School Bus Driver Security Guards Guards Please Position email orw/Full mail resumes to: 10Security Month Union Benefits Please email or mail resumes $19.37 hour Please email or per mail resumes to:to: dlawlor@malverne.k12.ny.us dlawlor@malverne.k12.ny.us dlawlor@malverne.k12.ny.us Please email or mail resumes to: ID Malverne, UFSD. HR, Admin Bldg Security Guards Required: NYS Certification w/security photo Malverne, UFSD. HR, Admin dlawlor@malverne.k12.ny.us 301 Wicks $19.37 Lane, Malverne, NY Bldg 11565 Malverne, UFSD. HR, Admin Bldg per hour Required: NYS Certification w/security photo ID

Please email or mail to: 301 Wicks Lane, Malverne, NY 11565 Malverne, UFSD. Admin Bldg Malverne Union Free School District isHR, an Equalresumes Opportunity Employer. 301 Wicks Lane, Malverne, NY 11565 Required: NYS Certification w/security photo ID dlawlor@malverne.k12.ny.us 301 Wicks Malverne, NY 11565 Malverne Union FreeLane, School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Malverne Union Free School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please email or mail resumes to: Malverne, Admin Bldg Malverne Union FreeUFSD. School DistrictHR, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 301 dlawlor@malverne.k12.ny.us Wicks Lane, Malverne, NY 11565 Malverne, UFSD. Admin Malverne Union Free School DistrictHR, is an Equal OpportunityBldg Employer. 301 Wicks Lane, Malverne, NY 11565 Malverne Union Free School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 1131178

Call the One phone call, one order, USA Classified 5th_floor • Clients • m-Clients • Malverne • 42563 Malverne Richner Communicatio one heck of a good price 3.125x• 3" Richner•Communications 5th_floor • Clients • m-Clients Malverne 42563 Malverne Richner Communicatio Network 1 3.125x • School Bus Driver/Security Guards 3" Richner to run your ad in any state,5th_floor • Clients •Pg m-Clients • Malverne •Communications 42563 Malverne Richner Communicatio Pg 1 3.125x •today! School Bus Driver/Security Guards 3" Richner Communications 5th_floor • Clients • m-Clients • Malverne • 42563 Malverne Richner Commun • Clients • m-Clients • Malverne • 42563 Malverne Richner Communications or across the country. Pg3.125x 1 • 3" School Bus Driver/Security Guards Richner Communications 3.125x• 3" Richner•Communications 1-800-231-6152 • Clients • m-Clients Malverne 42563 Malverne Richner Communications Pg 1 • School Bus Driver/Security Guards

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Employment

HERALD

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

IVERS BUS DR TED WAN DoN’T MISS The Bus!

EDITOR THE JEWISH STAR

NEW

STARTING SAlARIES Big Bus Van Non-Benefit Rate

$21.41/hr.

Non-Benefit Rate

Sign On Bonus $2,500.00 for CDL driver bus and van

*Some restrictions may apply.

$500.00 for non CDL drivers. Will train qualified applicants

1131089

$24.18/hr.

EDUcATIoNAl BUS TRANSpoRTATIoN 516.454.2300

1130666

If you need care from your relative, friend/ neighbor and you have Medicaid, they may be eligible to start taking care of you as a personal assistant under NYS Medicaid CDPA Program. No Certificates needed.

Franklin Square UFSD c SchOOl BUS DrIverS WanteD Must Have B License With PS Endorsement And NYS Fingerprints Required. Guaranteed 6 Hours/Day. Offering Benefits, Retirement Fund And Holiday Pay. $24.85/Hour With Contractual Increases.

516-481-4100 ext. 3630

jcentrella@franklinsquare.k12.ny.us

The editor will seek out and initiate story ideas, assign and write articles, edit staff and freelance submissions, and work with the Publisher on planning print and digital products. The Jewish Star covers Jewish news on Long Island and in New York City, with supplemental coverage of Israel and Jewish America. While The Jewish Star's circulation has primarily been on Long Island, it is about to embark on a major expansion into New York City. The Jewish Star is an 18-year-old division of Richner Communications Inc., a 140-employee family-owned company that publishes more than 30 community newspapers and shopping guides on Long Island and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Riverdale Press. It maintains its own printing operation and more. Interviews will be conducted over the next few weeks so candidates should respond in a timely manner - with a cover letter, resume, writing samples and salary objectives, to: Jobs@TheJewishStar.com

Check out our Service Directory for all your repair, decorating, party planning, cleaning or moving needs, and much more!

Immediate Positions Available • Parts Room Attendant • Dispatcher • HVAC Technicians/Installers Competitive Wages And Benefits. Email Resumes To info@osicomfort.com Or Call 516-763-1400 For More Information EMPLOYMENT Help Wanted $18.50 NYC, $17 L.I. up to $13.50 Upstate NY! If you need care from your relative, friend/ neighbor and you have Medicaid, they may be eligible to start taking care of you as personal assistant under NYS Medicaid CDPA Program. No Certificates needed. 347-713-3553 ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE Full time position available. Will train but applicant must have knowledge of excel and understand accounting and finance. Well established company over 30 years at same location near JFK Int'l Airport. Contact: applicantsubmissionrequest@gmail.com with a resume and available times/days you can talk. Thank you ASSISTANT TEACHERS - INFANT TODDLERS PRE-SCHOOL. IMMEDIATE. P/T-F/T. High School Diploma With 2 Years Experience Working With Children. Merrick Location. 516-867-7404.

Help Wanted

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 careers@liherald.com

ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLER WIRERS Leading manufacturer of X-Ray components is hiring Assembler Wirers. Email jobopps@vjt.com

One phone call, one order, one heck of a good price to run your ad in any state, or across the country.

Call the USA Classified Network today!

1-800-231-6152 1130159

If interested, please contact and email resume to our Personnel Office at

The Jewish Star, the quality Jewish newspaper in NY metro, is considering candidates for its top editorial position. The current editor is stepping down to devote more time to the publication's business side. The position requires community news experience and familiarity with and sensitivity to Jewish issues. Jewish Star readers are primarily (though not exclusively) Modern Orthodox Jews with a strong attachment to Israel.

$18.50 NYC, $17 L.I., up to $13.50 Upstate NY!

Phone: 347-713-3552

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

1130238

May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

AUTO VALET

FT OR PT MORNINGS

Checking Cars In, Parking Cars And Vacuuming Customers Cars Clean Drivers License A Must Benefits. Gregoris Nissan Call 516-872-9755, Ext.1 Or Email Resume gregmotor@optonline.net BOOKKEEPER FT/PT: Position in Direct Marketing Ad Agency. Bookkeeping/ intermediate Excel experience required. Must be accurate, thorough, trustworthy. Includes Medical, dental, 401K. $36K-$40K. Email resume: jobs@incrementalmedia.com

BRANDS CYCLE

(WILL TRAIN) *MECHANICS *SALES *COUNTER *SHIPPING *OFFICE. 1966 Wantagh Ave, Wantagh 1-800-649-3739. info@brandscycle.com

CASHIER/ STOCK PERSON FT

For Busy Grocery Store In West Hempstead. Call Carol/ Steven 516-489-6926

Help Wanted

GRAPHIC ARTIST

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

(GARDEN CITY) Richner Communications, Inc., an expanding Long Island publisher and commercial printer seeks a Graphic Artist. Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, ad design and layout, editorial layout, photo scanning and photo color correction. Candidates must be creative and have a good eye for design and detail, and should be able to remain motivated under pressure, as ours is a deadline driven environment. Must also be able to work well with others, and possess a flair for typography design. Proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite and Mac OSX required. Previous newspaper experience a plus. The position is currently remote due to COVID-19, but will transition to our state of the art offices in Garden City. We offer paid time off, health plan and 401(k). Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter with salary requirements and resume to careers@liherald. HANDYMAN TRAINEE ASSISTANT PROPERTY MANAGER - P/T, Repairs Gardening. Car Necessary. Reliable, Trustworthy, & Work Alone. 516-485-6738

IMMEDIATE HIRE DSP’s for Day Hab 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR Paraprofessionals, HS General Education Teachers & PartTime Adaptive Physical Ed Teachers Kulanu Academy Cedarhurst, NY 516-569-3083 ext. 235. OFFICE HELP PT: Computer Literate. Answer Phones, Packing, Process Orders. B a l d w i n D e n t a l S u p p l y C o m p a n y. 516-783-7800 PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER Part Time; 2-3 full days per week, nights and weekends a must. Duties include: Patrols throughout the Village, issuance of code violations citations. Qualifications: HS graduate or equivalent. Valid driver’s license with satisfactory driving record. Contact: Inc. Village of Atlantic Beach 516-371-460

PRIVATE DRIVER NEEDED

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

Restaurant Staff Needed Line Cooks, Prep Cooks Dishwasher, Servers And Bus Boys

PT And FT Positions Available Bellmore Location Please Call Joe 516-322-6149 SEWING MACHINE OPERATOR And AWNING INSTALLER For Awning Manufacturing Business. Experience Necessary. 516-250-8094; tgawnings@aol.com

Health Care/Opportunities CNA: MALE & FEMALE CAREGIVERS Will provide Proof of Negative COVID Test. Exp. w/Dementia, Alzheimer's & Parkinson Patients. Caring & Dependable. Driver References Available. Derrick@917-363-8924

Why Not Print

choose

RICHNER Printing Services

• Eco friendly facility • Environmentally safe soy based inks • Recycled paper • Help reduce the carbon footprint

Call Lou today at 516-569-4000 ext 223

JOBS, MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... JOBS, MERCHANDISE, It’s inESTATE the Herald Classifieds... REAL & MORE... To Advertise Call 516-569-4000 JOBS, MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... JOBS, MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... press 5

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 1130872

Ronnie Gerber 516-238-4299 OPEN HOUSES SUNday, 5/9/21 e s t. 1 9 1 1

HEWLETT Bay PaRK

70 Heron Dr, BA, 6 BR, Contemporary with Open Layout on an Acre of Parklike Property. Move Right in! SD#14.................................................. REDUCED $1,599,000 40 Heron Dr, BA, NEW TO MARKET! 10,000 Sq Ft Waterfront Prop, Acre of Parklike Grounds Tucked in Cul de Sac. 5 BR, 5.5 Bth Contemporary. Soaring Ceilings. IGP, Hot Tub. 285' Vinyl Bulkhead Raised & Redone Dock. 3 Car Gar ........................ $4,650,000

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

Homes

HERALD

• To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 • To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 HOME OF THE WEEK

Far Rockaway

Beautiful Beach Living!

ou can walk right into this beautiful centrally located semi-detached Condo on Beach 17th Street located steps from the beach. This property features 3 bedrooms, 1 full bathroom and 1 half bathroom. It is listed at $520,000. Contact Esther Shalitzky for more details. Call or text (917) 699-8244 or send an email to eshalitzky@coachrealtors.com

HEWLETT HaRBOR

105 Lake Dr, BA, NEW! Spectacular Waterfront Prop With Golf Course Views. 4 BR, 4.5 Bth 4500 sq Ft Contemporary, Open Layout & Soaring Ceilings, 2 Car Gar, New Bulkhead, SD#14 .............................................................................................$1,995,000 236 Richards Lane, BA, REDuCED! 5 BR, 5.5 Bth Contemp. Acre Of Resortlike Prop, IGP, Open Plan. Full FBsmt. Main Flr Master. SD14 .......................................$1,499,000 267 Channon Rd, BA, NEW! 7 BR, 4 Bth Exp Ranch. Full FBsmt on Quiet St in SD#20. 2 Car Att Gar. Won’t Last! ............................................................................... $1,198,000 339 Pepperidge Rd, BA, NEW!! 5 BR, 3 Bth Exp Ranch on 1/2 Acre Resortlike Prop., IGP & Golf Course View!. SD#20.................................................................... $1,149,000

HEWLETT

NEW EXCLUSIVE! 4 BR, 3.5 Bth, Exp Ranch on Oversized Prop. Beautiful Street. Open Layout. Spacious Rooms. 2 Car Gar. Potential for Expansion. SD#14 ...$979,000 1610 Hilary Ct, 12-1:30, Beautifully Gut Renovated 4600 Sq Ft Colonial in Cul de Sac, 5 BR, 3.5 Bth, Full FBsmt, 2 Car Att Gar. SD#20 ........................ REDUCED! $1,279,999 1390 Broadway #102, BA, NEW! 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Luxurious Hewlett Townhouse. LR, DR, updtd Kit & Office/Den. Elevator, 24 Hr Drman, Valet Pkg, Pool, Priv Storage Area. Great Location Near Shops & Trans .........................................................$375,000

EaST ROCKaWay

NEW EXCLUSIVE! Diamond 4 BR, 3 Bth Contemporary Ranch with Open Layout & Vaulted Ceiling. New Deigner EIK. Resortlike, IGP & Pavered Patio. SD#20. Just Move In!........................................................................................................................$949,000

WOOdMERE

4 Clubside Dr, BA, NEW TO MARKET! Renovated 3 BR, 3.5 Bth Townhouse in Cedar Glen. updtd Gran/Wood EIK & Bths. HW Flrs. Fin Lower Level. Att Gar. Community Pool & Tennis. Near All. SD#14..........................................................................$725,000

WOOdSBURGH

185 Bay Dr, BA, 5/6 BR, 4.5 Bth Exp Ranch on Parklike 1/2 Acre Prop. Guest Quarters, Full Bsmt, 2 Car Gar. SD#14............................................................................$1,450,000

My Mission is a Result That Will Move You!

Esther Shalitzky 917.699.8244 1315 Broadway, Hewlett, NY 11557 516.374.0100 coachrealtors.com

Sell | Buy | Rent

2020 Leading Edge Award Winner

Andrea Tafuri

now hiring

516-524-6435 maureen.greenberg@elliman.com The Leading Broker In Nassau By Far

REAL ESTATE Open Houses HEWLETT 5/5, BA, 1610 Hilary Ct, NEW TO MARKET! Beautifully Gut Renovated 4600 Sq Ft Colonial in Cul de Sac.5 BR,3.5 Bth with Full Fin Bsmt, 2 Car Att Gar. SD#20.....$1,279,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299 HEWLETT HARBOR, BA , 267 Channon Rd NEW! 7 BR, 4 Bth Exp Ranch w/ Full Fin Bsmt on Quiet St in SD#20. 2 Car Att Gar. Won't Last!...$1,198,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-429 HEWLETT HARBOR, BA, 339 Pepperidge Rd, FIRST SHOW! 5 BR, 3 Bth Exp Ranch on 1/2 Acre Resorrtlike Prop with IG Pool & Golf Course View!. SD#20...$1,149,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

House For Sale HEWLETT HARBOR 105 Lake Dr, NEW TO MARKET!! Spectaular Water & Golf Course Views. 4 BR, 4.5 Bth 4500 sq Ft Contemporary w/ Open Layout & Soaring Ceilings, 2 Car Gar, SD#14..$1,995,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman RE 516-238-4299

1127908

LICENSED REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON 390 FRANKLIN AVE, FRANKLIN SQUARE, NY

House For Sale HEWLETT NEW EXCLUSIVE! 4 BR, 3.5 Bth, Exp Ranch on Oversized Prop. Beautiful Street. Open Layout. Spacious Rooms. 2 Car Gar. Potential for Expansion.SD#14...$979,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

Apartments For Rent CEDARHURST NO FEE Pr ivate Entrance, Modern 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, CAC, W/D, Storage, Wall To Wall Carpeting, Indoor Parking Space. Starting At $1450 For O n e B e d r o o m W h e n Ava i l a bl e. (516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/ (516)582-9978

Vacation Rentals/Prop. OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND. Best selection of full/partial week rentals. FREE Color Brochure. Holiday Real Estate, Inc: 1-800-638-2102 Online reser vations: www.holidayoc.com. $50 discount - new rentals. Code: "ToTheBeach2021" (Expires 06-21-2021)

Real Estate Agents Experienced & New

AvAilAble nOW!

Send Resume: Roger Hart (Broker / Owner) MrRogerHart@yahoo.com 516-764-2601 43 N Park Ave, Rockville Centre 1130930

“Going Above & Beyond to find your Dream Home”

Rhonda Healy

With Concierge Service Offices Between 500 – 2000 SF

Merrick Road, Lynbrook

Contact (516) 766-7709

1131066

MAUREEN GREENBERG

Newly renovated offices and executive suites

Where Dreams Come Home

M: (516) 236-7269

Real Estate Salesperson, abR, SRS E: Rhonda.Healy.VW@gmail.com Verdeschi & Walsh Realty 1025 W. Beech St. | Long Beach, NY

OneKey Multiple Listing Service

1126184

Call for your FREE multi-faceted marketing plan

DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOUR HOME IS WORTH?

Call for Your FREE Home Market evaluation now!

Lisa a. Fava CBR, sRs, aBR

LiCensed assoCiate BRokeR

516-815-2434

www.lisafavarealtor.com

50 Hempstead avenue, Lynbrook, nY

2119 Bedford Ave. John Lawlor, CBR, SFR Bellmore, NY 11710 Michele Librett-Lawlor, CBR, SFR

NYS LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER / SALESPERSON

BestLiHomes.com • 516-418-3333

1127934

LET MY EXPERIENCE WORK FOR YOU TO GET THE BEST RESULTS

Tired Of Working From Home?

Happy Mother’s Day To All

INDIVIDUAL OFFICES FOR RENT IN RVC ON SUNRISE HWY

BUILDING AMENITIES INCLUDE: • Shared Kitchen • Conference Room CALL US TODAY! • Reception Area 516-405-3918 • Municipal Parking

1129897

1129432

1127986

Licensed Associate Broker (917) 969-8096 cellular andreatafuri@aol.com

Place Homes HERALD Market •

HERALD

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

May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

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

FREE WATER

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

WATER WELLS INSTALLED FOR YOUR LAWN SPRINKLER

2-3 YEAR PAYBACK FROM YOUR WATER BILL SAvINGS

Real estate

ExPENSIvE WATER 1130282 the Best for Less!

FOR AN ESTIMATE TEXT:

917-642-4308

Over 15 Years Experience Licensed • Insured

FREE ESTIMATES

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Kitchens • Bathrooms • Painting Roofing • Sheetrocking • Plumbing Electrical • Concrete • Powerwashing Carpentry • Basements • Baby-Proofing Ikea Furn. Assembly • Computer Repairs

If Your Plumbing STINKS

Call The WeNKS! 516-889-3200

Father & Son Owned

RYAN 516-695-4527 917-697-3647

1130108

HANDYMAN SERVICE

$189

wenkpipingandheating.com

W eNK

PIPING & HEATING CORP.

$25

OFF

Any Service Call For New Customer Exp. 5/16/21

1126459

Installed

FLAT ROOFS SHINGLE ROOFS

Realtors are encouraged to send briefs and photographs to: Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd.., Garden City, NY 11530.

• Oil to Gas Conversions • Hot Water Heaters • Boilers All Plumbing & Heating Work For House Lifts • Licensed and Insured!

FREE ESTIMATES 4 HR EMERGENCY SERVICE

FUTURE WINDOWS & SIDING 718-224-7079 917-945-7079 SPECIAL!

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Sunday, August 2020Small!" 11:27:28 AM "No Job02, Too Get

WATER

GARY CAPARELLI InC.

COMPLETE RENOVATIONS

OWA_LessIsMore_BW_Bold

Following a successful 20+ career with major Couture brands, Andrea turned to sales as Director of Business Development for Premier Wealth Advisors. There she learned the important role that real estate plays in family wealth creation. With these skills and her experiences having bought, sold, and renovated properties over the years, Andrea has made the leap into the real estate. She chose Daniel Gale given the integrity, brand resources and global outreach that they provide to meet every client's unique needs. “My mission is to educate clients, help them to visualize the possibilities, and facilitate a smooth transaction. I want to make the overall real estate process pleasant and stress-free for my clients.” Andrea is a board member of the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, actively involved in PTA committees and lives in Lido Beach with her beautiful family. Andrea can be reached directly at (203) 887-7742 or andreaciminera@danielgale.com

FREE

1126768

IN BRIEF Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty Long Beach welcomes Andrea Ciminera

1128687

$999 VINYL SIDING Up to 1000 sq ft

home improvement speciaList no JoB too BiG or smaLL

raf industries corp. home improvement

516-867-2603

1129924

free estimates

Lic./Ins. Nassau - Lic #154401 • Long Beach - Lic #14401

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY Transfer your 8mm, Super 8mm, VHS Tapes & Slides to DVD or Flash Drive - Transfer DVDs to Flash Drive

1125278

305 Bedford Ave. Bellmore NY 11710

516-352-3188

info@nyphotovideogroup.com

WINDOW REPAIR

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DO YOUR WINDOWS FALL DOWN • NEED CAULKING VINYL AND ALUMINUM ALSO NEW WINDOWS • MOBILE REPAIR SHOP SERVICE

2 is 4C constructed in InDesign. This page WindowPage Palace Quality Work At is a PDF exported from page 2 and converted to lic.#H0806980000 Reasonable Prices grayscale. Use 600 dpi for exporting.

INSTALLATIONS • REPAIRS/ SERVICES PROFESSIONAL DESIGN • SPRING START-UP & WINTER CLOSING SERVICE CONTRACTS • ATHLETICS FIELDS

When You Buy From Us, You Get

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ORDER NOW & WE WILL UPGRADE YOUR HEAD CONNECTION WITH BLAZING SADDLES & SWING JOINTS!

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SERVICES:

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Safe Roof and Exterior Cleaning, Gutter Cleaning, Repairs, Installations

• Weekly Lawn • Mulch/Sod/Top Soil Maintenance • Planting Design • Spring/Fall Clean-Ups • Pruning • Power Washing Free Estimates! call Ralph Fully Insured! 516-238-1880

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Photography & Videography for All Occasions, Weddings, Sweet 16’s, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs $99 Communion Photo Session Special In our studio Includes 1 - 11x14, 2 - 8x10's

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Market Place •

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

tree removal tree pruning stump grinding lot clearing call today for a free estimate 1124744

Nassau & suffolk tel: 631-cut-tree 631-288-8733

Dave marlOWe Plumbing, inC.

mention this ad and get $25 off 1130403

greenleaftreenY@gmail.com www.greenleaftreeremovalnY.com

fully licensed & insured

DBA BOB PHILLIPS PLUMBING

Over 100 Years Of familY Plumbing Oil to Gas • Toilets • Faucets • Repairs & Replacements Waste Piping • Water Piping Mention this ad and get

10% Off • Permits & Legalizations • Certified NYS Backflows • Licensed Master Plumber • Insured • FREE Estimates 1113171

OffiCe: 516-766-4583 Call/TeXT: 516-840-9432

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& lANdSCApINg • Tree Removal • Stumps • Fertilization • Planting • Land Clearing • Topping

Wanted dead or alive

FREE ESTIMATES

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FRANCISCO’S TREE SERVICE

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Lic# H206773000

Office: 516-546-4971 Cell: 516-852-5415

tree service • free estimate Spring has sprung and so will your trees. Contact us now for all your pruning needs.

we Care More Than The REST For LESS Owner/Operated • residential/COmmerCial

516-216-2617

suff. LIC.# 54512-H

1127023

Specializing in: • Tree removal • STump grinding • land Clearing • pruning • STorm prevenTion nass. LIC. # H2904450000

ALFREDO’S CONSTRUCTION

Licensed & insured

BLACKTOP

BeSt priceS in town

senior Citizen Discounts

Call For Spring SpecialS

• ConCrete • BriCk Patios • stooPs • stuCCo • Belgium BloCks • sidewalks • drainage ProBlems • Cellar entranCe • waterProofing • driveway sealing demolition • dumPster serviCe • Powerwashing • handyman rePairs

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Se Habla Espanol

the

Free estimates

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*Power washing sPecialist*

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Residential and Commercial - All Surfaces Call Anthony Romeo “The Local Guy” “Anthony & J Home Improvement, Inc.” Also specializes in ★ Deck Renovation ★ Driveways ★ Siding ★ Masonry ★ Fences ★ Roofing ★ Interior/Exterior Painting. (516) 678-6641 - Licensed & Insured

Free estimates...Best Price For High Quality service

Chimney King, Ent. Inc.

(516) 766-1666 FREE • Chimneys Repaired, Rebuilt & Tuckpointing ESTIMATES • Stainless Steel Liners Installed Fully licensed and insured Nassau • Suffolk • NYC

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MENT THIS AD

NY DOT # 6929 • NJ DCA # PC 00537 US DOT # 125563 • ICC # MC-2934

185 Price Parkway Farmingdale, NY 11735 Tel: 516-396-8600 • 800-645-2798 C: 516-650-9821 • mshelley@molloybros.com

ALL CLEAR DRAIN & SEWER SERVICE

(516)409-9696 • (631)422-9696 Sinks • Tubs • Toilets • Sewer Lines

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Chimney Cleaning & Masonry Services Done By Firefighters That Care chimneykinginc.com

Moving and storage 1129531

Specializing

A. As I often must say, you need permits, but I also know that it’s a licensed professional’s job to provide a legal service. As people who are not enforcers, we professionals walk a fine line, trying onte eeper to prepare what can be filed for doing work legally, with you, the property owner, the responsible party to follow the law. It’s always a concern when clients are pricing out the penalties for getting caught instead of intending to do things the prescribed way, but because government has placed a remedy for the problem that isn’t as extreme as the loss for being patient, you’re opting to follow the penalty route instead. You would rather ask for forgiveness instead of permission. That being said, the system of getting government approvals leaves most people wondering why they ever tried to do the “right thing.” Yes, there are multitudes of requirements, and to do the project correctly requires at least five or six lengthy stages — planning, plan review, plumbing review, electrical, plumbing and building inspections, and often the need for resubmitting documents or reinspection. The system of approval is arduous enough, but then it gets even more complicated when you don’t phrase questions properly after waiting 40 minutes on your third phone attempt. The permit fees vary from $100 for smaller projects, like decks or sheds, to a few thousand for second-story additions where the first floor is nearly gutted. In your county there are over 70 building departments, and all require plans to be given full review and inspection, whereas New York City has one department in each borough, and “self-certification” to prevent the logjam of waiting months to get a permit. With self-certification, the architect or engineer submits documents, taking responsibility instead of the building department, a system I have always questioned because it means that you, the consumer, are completely in the hands of the same person who prepared plans, kind of like the fox guarding the henhouse. The second-party independent government review is reduced in that system. Fines are usually a few hundred dollars to $1,000 for the offense in your community, while New York City charges $1,000 per day or more for offenses, as a comparison. I see work done without permits every day, and too often see missing components, like connectors or reduced insulation, etc. That penalty is worse than a court can assess. Good luck!

on labor only

Safe Roof and Exterior Cleaning, Gutter Cleaning, Repairs, Installations

Q. The pandemic caused prices to go up, and we really need to work on our home. We know you’d tell us we need a permit, but we have to save everywhere we can. I want to know whether we can get permits just for some things we do later. We’re doing the work ourselves, and have relatives helping who do plumbing and electric to make it possible to save money. How much are permits and, if necessary, fines? Ask The What are the penalties for Architect the plumbing and electric work, too?

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© 2021 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.

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

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Answers

to todAy’s puzzle

OPINIONS

covered the Bellmore-JFK High School Homecoming parade in the fall of 2004, photographing the revelers and floats as they headed from the Bellmore Long Island Rail Road station off Sunrise Highway to the Bellmore Avenue school. It was a sunny day, full of carefree teenagers. I could never have imagined then that day would haunt me still. All journalists who’ve been in the profession a while have stories they can’t shake. You might think you SCOTT had locked them away at the back BRINTON of your brain, but they reappear without warning, leaving you in a state of disbelief or sadness or anger. Thinking back on that Homecoming parade leaves me feeling all three. Covering the recent West Hempstead Stop & Shop shooting, in which 49-yearold Ray Wishropp, a father of seven from Valley Stream, was killed and two others were injured, sent the memories of that parade streaming back. That day, I snapped photos of Carol Kestenbaum, a 17-year-old JFK senior, as she drove the Homecoming king and queen in her white convertible. A little

more than two years later, Kestenbaum was shot dead while studying education at the University of Arizona. She had warned a friend that the young man she was dating seemed unhinged. The 22-year-old found out about the warning, killed Kestenbaum and her best friend, Nicole Schiffman, another Kennedy High graduate who was studying journalism at the University of Maryland, and then took his own life. Schiffman had come for the weekend to celebrate Kestenbaum’s 20th birthday. They were among the tens of thousands of Americans who have died in a perpetual cycle of gun violence in this nation. I held back tears when I covered their funerals on a cold winter day in 2007. They were buried side by side at New Montefiore Cemetery in West Babylon. I knew Carol’s mother, Rita Kestenbaum. In 1999, she won a seat on the Hempstead Town Board. She lost it in the next election, but remained active in local politics for years after that. At the JFK Homecoming parade, she walked behind her daughter’s car from the train station to the school, beaming with pride. Her daughter was the first person I knew to die of gun violence. Her death leaves me feeling unsettled to this day, understanding how suddenly and sense-

lessly a life can be taken in this country. Wishropp was a Stop & Shop manager. Nassau County police said his alleged killer, a 31-year-old Hempstead man, had sought a transfer to another supermarket. When he didn’t get it, he left the store, but returned 40 minutes later and started shooting. I’m a runner. Last Saturday, I ran to the top of the giant hill at the Town of Hempstead’s Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve in Merrick, where there’s a human sun clock dedicated to Carol Kestenbaum. You stand in the middle of the circle, where a rectangular stone block forms the centerpiece of this hallowed ground. The 12 months are marked on it. On a sunny day, if you stand on the month you’re in and raise your hand straight to the sky, your shadow will point to a number from one to 12, giving you the approximate time of day. “The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time,” reads the plaque in honor of Kestenbaum. I sat enjoying the 63-degree weather on a sunny, windless day. The azure sky stretched out before me, with wispy cirrus clouds high above. I could hear the creaky windmill to my left spinning, its moving blades forming a frenetic shadow on the seashell-coated path before me. In a grassy patch to my right, a family — a mother and father, their children and the

he deadly Stop & Shop shooting took me back to a Bellmore Homecoming.

kids’ grandparents — had spread out a blanket to sit and talk and laugh. It all felt so normal, peaceful, a world away from the chaos of gun violence that had erupted at the West Hempstead Stop & Shop April 20 and in Arizona all those years ago. Kestenbaum, who wanted to become a teacher, would have loved the sound of children at play, I imagined. Then a loud shot rang out, I believe from the gun range just across the Meadowbrook Parkway in Freeport, piercing the quietude, an eerie reminder that guns are never far away in America. As I ran down the hill to head home, I heard three more pops of a gun in rapidfire succession. Then again, and again. The shots continued as I ran out of the park. I had heard them many times before while at the preserve, but had never paid much attention to them. Now I wanted them to just go away, never to be heard again. I only wish our elected leaders at the federal and state levels might sit in Carol Kestenbaum’s circle, soaking up the normalcy of everyday life and imagining this young light of the world extinguished in a heartbeat. How would they vote on gun-control legislation then? Scott Brinton is the Herald Community Newspapers’ executive editor and an adjunct professor at the Hofstra University Herbert School of Communication. Comments about this column? SBrinton@ liherald.com.

Why are young girls mean to one another?

ime-travel with me. The year was 1957. We had just moved to Cedarhurst from Queens, and it was the first day of class at Number Three School on Broadway. I slid into my chair in Mrs. Haggerty’s sixth-grade classroom, and knew I would fall out of the same chair, dead, in a minute if I couldn’t get away from the stares and whispers of the other girls. After a few minutes of mounting distress, I burst into tears, thus condemning myself to an entire school year of teasRANDI ing and ostracism KREISS and bullying. You can’t cry. It just feeds the frenzy. In 1957 there was no counseling, no help, just day after day of preteen hell. I was actually one of the few, possibly the only, sixth-grader in America to get the “black spot” from a clique of girls in the class. Do you know your “Treasure Island”? The pirates passed a piece of paper with a black spot on it to someone about to be killed. So, did It make it better that I was the target of a literary group of

mean girls? When I opened the folded-up note left on my desk and saw the black spot, I knew I was doomed. I wasn’t your regulation kid. I couldn’t help that. The other girls were consumed with “American Bandstand,” a daily live TV dance show out of Philly. They followed that program, and the real-life teens who appeared on the show, with a devotion I could neither fathom nor fake. I just wanted to come home after school, cut up a few oranges and retreat to my room with a book. Reading “Gone With the Wind,” I consumed a small grove. Eventually I made friends and kept friends and got married and had children and then grandchildren. What is a troubling issue in my granddaughters’ lives? Mean girl power plays, cliques and the popularity drama humming beneath the radar of most parents and teachers. Girls are still forming exclusive groups in elementary and junior and senior high school; they are still finding someone to be “it”; they are still causing other girls enormous emotional stress and anxiety. And it is mostly girls. Boys interact in entirely different ways. Of course, there

are bullies and guys’ cliques, but girls seem to deploy meanness in more creative and devastating ways. I asked a few of my friends if they remember if they were mean girls in school, and every one of us recalled whether we were in the cool, mean group or with the uncool outsiders. And everyone who copped to being mean acknowledged that they knew it was wrong, but they were afraid that if they didn’t join the power clique, they would become a target. Pretty savage equation, isn’t it? Meanness equals survival. In the decades since I survived the black spot, psychologists, educators and parents have studied the relationships among young girls and defined the behaviors and the interactions. But the meanness still exists in the whispers and the pacts to leave someone out and the comments on someone’s unacceptable clothes or habits or affect. There are attempts at discussion groups and sensitization groups and psychological services in the schools, but the toxic comments have leapt to the internet, where it is so much easier to target a classmate, anonymously and persistently.

hen I opened the note and saw the black spot, I knew I was doomed.

“Mean Girls,” the show and the movie, was hilarious, intuitive and sharp in its send-up of the popular girls who reigned supreme at a typical American high school. The production, which was, first of all, entertainment, glossed over the real pain young girls feel as victims of a meangirl power surge. Rosalind Wiseman, author of “Queen Bees and Wannabes,” urges parents to look at their own behavior, how they talk about neighbors or friends and the capacity they model for accepting people into their circle. Other suggestions she offers: Stay engaged with your child. Realize it isn’t only other kids who are the mean girls. Contact the school and calmly convey your concerns. Band together with other parents to discuss the issues. I’m not sure what to say to my own granddaughters. Perhaps remind them to keep talking to the trusted adults in their lives. Perhaps remind them that they are surviving a once-in-a-generation pandemic with courage and grace, and they can survive this, too. Look at me. I got the black spot 64 years ago and I’m still here. I don’t even remember the names of the girls who tried to ruin my sixth-grade life. Copyright 2021 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

The story that haunts me all these years later

HERALD EDITORIAL

East mEadow

May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD

HERALD

Established 2001 Incorporating: Meadowbrook Times 1963-2001 East Meadow Beacon 1950-2020 Laura Lane Senior Editor Jennifer Corr Reporter robert Cummings Advertising Account Executive offiCe 2 Endo Boulevard Garden City, NY 11530 Phone: (516) 569-4000 Fax: (516) 569-4942 Web: www.liherald.com E-mail: emeadoweditor@liherald.com Copyright © 2021 Richner Communications, Inc.

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For goodness’ sake, get vaccinated

e’re steadily getting there — herd immunity, when a minimum of 60 to 70 percent of Americans will be vaccinated against Covid-19. As of press time this week, about 34 percent of New Yorkers had been fully vaccinated, a number roughly equal to the national percentage. That’s good, but not necessarily great. Here’s why: Officials at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the vaccination rate has slowed in recent weeks, and if the percentage of inoculated Americans continues to drop each week, we may be unable to reach herd immunity by summer’s end. That would be bad. So much of what we held dear during pre-pandemic times — the ability to work and earning a living, visit family members and friends, take in a ball game or concert — hangs in the balance. Mercifully, we have seen a major drop in the number of infections across New York state over the past month. That trend, officials said, is due in large part to widespread vaccination of New Yorkers. It also may partly be a function of the slowing spread of the virus as warmer weather sets in. Officials had predicted that winter would bring the highest levels of infection and death, and it certainly did, peaking on Jan. 8, when the U.S. saw 259,564 new Covid-19 cases. Following that peak, health officials said, we would see a decrease in cases, with summer predicted to bring the lowest levels of infection since the pandemic erupted here in March of last year. Already we have seen the overall infection rate across the state fall below 2 percent, with only the Finger Lakes and western New York seeing rates slightly above that figure. The infection rates in the Capital

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Published by richner Communications, inc. 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530 (516) 569-4000

LETTERS Keep up the vaccinations To the Editor: Last week Nassau County reached a vital milestone in our quest to defeat the pandemic: Half of the county population had received at least one shot, including two-thirds of adult residents. I am proud of the collective effort being made by the Nassau Department of Health, hospitals and community partners to get shots into the arms of residents. If we keep up our vaccination progress, we will save more lives, get our economy fully reopened sooner rather than later and enjoy a normal summer. We can do it, Nassau! LAURA CURRAN Nassau County executive

Walk in or schedule an appointment All New York state mass vaccination sites are now open to eligible New Yorkers ages 16 and over for walk-in vaccinations on a first-come, first-served basis. Walk-in appointments are reserved for first doses only, with second doses to be scheduled automatically after administration of the initial shot. All vaccine providers are encouraged to allow walkin appointments for those eligible. People who would prefer to schedule Region and Southern Tier have already fallen below 1 percent, with Long Island not far behind, at 1.4 percent. All of this, of course, is excellent news. But will it lead to vaccine complacency, with unvaccinated New Yorkers falsely believing that the virus is gone for good, leading them to think they don’t need the shot? To be clear, even if we see the positivity rate drop below 1 percent — as it did last summer — the virus will not be gone unless we reach herd immunity. Unless a substantial majority of the state is vaccinated, we will risk the possibility that the virus will lurk among us and return with a vengeance, as it did this past winter. So, we are pleading with those who are on the fence about whether to be vaccinated to get the shot. This is truly a matter of life and death for thousands of your fellow citizens. Beyond that, all of our livelihoods depend on our ability to earn a living in a thriving economy. Our economy will not be fully rid of the current governmental constraints until the virus is at last vanquished.

an appointment at a state-run mass vaccination site can do so on the Am I Eligible app or by calling (833) 6974829. They may also contact their local health department, pharmacy, doctor or hospital to schedule an appointment where vaccines are available, or visit vaccinefinder.org to find information on vaccine appointments near them. Source: Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo

State vaccinations by the numbers Total doses administered: 15,643,329 Doses administered over the previous 24 hours: 93,940 Doses administered over the previous seven days: 1,208,303 Percentage of New Yorkers with at least one dose: 46.5 Percentage of New Yorkers with completed vaccine series: 34.9 Statistics as of Sunday, May 2. Source: New York State Department of Health

Each of us will play a small but integral part in defeating the coronavirus. Winning the war will depend on whether average New Yorkers cast aside their lingering doubts and political allegiances and get the shot, which is free and accessible to anyone over age 16.

OPINIONS

t was recently reported that a group of Rockville Centre parents accused a high school social studies teacher of criticizing police during class, and wanted her to be reprimanded. The district superintendent, without referring to the specific incident, wrote to parents, “Lessons and activities that create divisiveness or that marginalize anyone have no place in our schools.” The teacher did not attack police officers or call for police departments to be defunded. To ALAN engage students in a discussion SINGER about police actions after the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial, she shared statistics about police killings of Black men. The superintendent is right that no lessons should marginalize a racial, ethnic or religious group, but it had better be OK to “marginalize” neo-Nazis and white nationalism. If the superintendent’s policy were implemented, that would mean eliminating from discussion any controversial issue that might challenge students to think, like women’s reproductive rights, racism in American society, climate change denial or citizenship opportunities for Deferred Action

for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, recipients. It would allow a small group of parents to censor the curriculum, intimidate teachers into silence and cripple students’ education. The irony is that the Rockville Centre teacher was following guidelines outlined in the New York state social studies framework. An essential component of social studies education is teaching students to “respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims and evidence made on all sides of an issue, and resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task.” The Rev. Dr, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at South Side High School in March 1968. Would he be banned today because his ideas on racism, militarism and poverty would make certain parents uncomfortable? Other cases involving teachers’ rights and responsibilities have recently been in the news. In San Clemente, Calif., a fourth-grade teacher was investigated after she took part in the Jan. 6 protest at the Capitol in Washington. She was temporarily suspended, and then reinstated after an investigation found no evidence that she acted illegally in Washington or

that she brought her political views into the classroom. I think her conspiracytheory politics are crazy, but she has the right to be a teacher. The same principles that protect her also protect the teacher in Rockville Centre. The Oneonta City School District upstate has a somewhat different issue that officials there are trying to sort out. Former students reported that a middle school social studies teacher gave them the finger and screamed obscenities when he drove by residents protesting the police shooting of a young African-American man. This case is difficult, because the teacher was acting, no matter how reprehensibly, as a private citizen. The district is now investigating him to determine whether there is evidence that his political views creep into his teaching, with students reporting that in lessons on the Civil War, he denied slavery played any role. If the accusations about his teaching are substantiated, he is directly contradicting the state framework that reads, “Westward expansion, the industrialization of the North and the increase of slavery in the South contributed to the growth of sectionalism. Constitutional conflicts between advocates of states’ rights and supporters of federal power increased tensions in the nation;

e can’t eliminate controversial subjects that challenge students to think.

LETTERS

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO

Dr. Alan Singer is a professor of teaching, learning and technology and the director of social studies education programs at Hofstra University. He is a former New York City high school social studies teacher and editor of Social Science Docket, a joint publication of the New York and New Jersey Councils for the Social Studies.

FRAMEWORK by Christina Daly

New York is making Seeking justice progress on infections for George Floyd To the Editor: Last week, the statewide Covid19 positivity rate dropped to 1.49 percent, falling below 1.5 percent for the first time since Oct. 28. Every single day, New York state is moving forward in the race between the infection rate and the vaccination rate. More New Yorkers are getting vaccinated and hospitalizations are declining, which is good news, but we need New Yorkers to stay vigilant to ensure that we don’t lose any of the progress that we have made. Washing hands, wearing masks and staying socially distant are critical behaviors that each of us can practice, individually and in our communities, to slow the spread. In the meantime, New York is continuing to make the vaccine more accessible, and opening more pop-up sites. Spring is here, and we’re making progress, but there is a way to go before we reach the light at the end of the tunnel.

attempts to compromise ultimately failed to keep the nation together, leading to the Civil War.” In a joint statement, the president of the local chapter of the NAACP and a school board vice president said, “We are disheartened to hear of the allegations that an Oneonta City School District teacher drove by the demonstration in Muller Plaza on Sunday, yelling obscenities and flipping off the crowd . . . While people have the right to disagree with the demonstrators, it is important that those who work for the OCSD remember that while they are entitled to their opinions, they represent the district, and their actions reflect on their competency in the classroom.” The teacher is entitled to due process, but it appears he should have been investigated a long time ago. School administrators need to examine his lesson plans and monitor his teaching. If the district finds that racism not only shapes his politics, which is his right, but also affects how he teaches, he should be removed from the classroom, and the state should suspend his teaching certification.

To the Editor: For almost a year, we had been told that conscienceless former police officer Derek Chauvin mercilessly kept his knee on George Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Now the trial has taught us that the actual time was 9 minutes and 29 seconds — an additional 43 seconds of torture. Just think about the most painful or frightening 43 seconds of your life, and how agonizingly and excruciatingly long 43 extra seconds of that would have felt and seemed. I suggest that to whatever prison time Chauvin is sentenced to, we add an extra 43 months, or, for greater justice, an extra 43 years. RICHARD SIEGELMAN Plainview

Nesting oystercatchers — Nickerson Beach

EAST MEADOW HERALD — May 6, 2021

Maintaining a teacher’s freedom to teach

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May 6, 2021 — EAST MEADOW HERALD