East Meadow Herald 12-01-2022

Birthday parties for everyone Page 3 HERALD east meadow

Terrific kids in E.M. schools

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Meet the Robot Man

Curt Gray makes sculptures out of recycled material

With both dyslexia and ADHD, Curt Gray couldn’t focus on much as a child — except his art. Now, the 61-year-old’s childhood hobby has grown into something much bigger.

About 18 feet bigger.

Gray has been obsessed with robots his entire life. He collected toy robots, and displayed them in his room at home in South Wantagh, where he grew up. Slowly but surely, he started building them, too.

Tim Baker/Herald

“As a little kid, maybe like 4 years old, I’d run in the basement and I would take wood blocks and build robots and show my mom,” Gray said. “It’s been that way my whole life.

Continued on page 16

Grand Stage Diner helps feed those in need for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for all that you have.

To show just how thankful they are to the East Meadow commu nity for all of its support, the Grand Stage Diner decided to give back — by giving away hun dreds of Thanksgiving meals.

The idea was the 2020 brain child of Michelle Debatto, of Levittown, and her husband, Al, because they thought people would need help, especially because of the Covid-19 pan demic. And now, neearly three years later, the food giveaway is still going strong.

“There are a lot of families in need,” Michelle said. “It’s sad with how many people show up and are in need, and this year, food is way more expensive.”

On Nov. 21 and 22, for 12 hours, the Debattos and two of the diner’s owners, brothers Nick and George Argyris, stood outside under a tent that was set up in the parking lot. They gave out more than 800 free meals, complete with turkey, freshly made pies from the diner and canned goods.

Local elected officials came down to help load meals in peo ple’s cars. Hempstead Town Councilman Dennis Dunne Sr., who helped the drive get cover

age on social media in 2020, whipped out his phone to make sure that people knew that there was food if they needed it.

“Thank you to my dear friends at the Grand Stage Diner,” Dunne said in a state ment. “I look forward to helping them continue this Thanksgiv ing tradition for many years to come.”

The Debattos have been cus tomers at the diner, on Hemp stead Turnpike in East Meadow, for over three years, and have become friendly with Tom Argyris, one of its owners and Nick and George’s father. When Michelle wanted to put together a food giveaway, she asked the

owners if they wanted to get involved, and they very quickly agreed.

“We’re such good friends, and they were able to accommo date me getting all of the sup plies here and keeping it down stairs,” Michelle said. “Plus, they offered to donate turkeys and pies, so we decided to do this together.”

For a number of years, the Argyris family managed the Stage Door Delicatessen in Man hattan, which had two locations, but both closed by 2016.

Continued on page 4

CuRT GRAY hAS been creating sculptures since he was a child. After moving to East Meadow in 1998, he decided to take his hobby to another level.

By MAlloRY WIlSoN mwilson@liherald.com

Gerald Dickens to perform ‘A Christmas Carol’

The East Meadow Public Library will present “A Christmas Carol.” The great, great grandson of Charles Dickens will perform “A Christmas Carol” on stage at the East Meadow Public Library on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.

This timeless seasonal classic is per formed by Gerald Charles Dick ens, the great-great grandson of literary icon, Charles Dickens. Gerald, an actor and producer hailing from Oxford, England, will be per forming his captivating ren dition of this heartwarm ing holiday tale.

Admission is free. Gerald bears more than a passing resemblance to his famous ancestor, who originally toured the U.S. in 1867 reading his literary works before spellbound audiences. The histo rians report that “A Christmas Carol” was his favorite piece to perform.

According to Gerald, his great-great grandfather adored theater and initially wanted to be an actor but pursued writing as a career for practical purposes. For many years Gerald says that he himself “avoided anything to do with Dickens like the plague,” but in 1993 when a friend

asked him to do a reading of “A Christ mas Carol” on its 150th anniversary of its publication to help raise money for a his torical restoration project, he couldn’t turn him down. To his surprise, he enjoyed doing it and has been delighting audiences around the world with his rendition ever since.

During his energet ic one-man show, Ger ald conjures “A Christmas Carol” with minimal set and props. As he leaps, sobs, and laughs, 26 charac ters of the classic tale are brought viv idly to life. Gerald has created different pos tures and voices for each character, achieving this so adeptly that the audience has no doubt about “who is who.”

“A Christmas Carol” is a wonderful way to start the holiday season with love, generosity and kindness toward all. This fall Gerald returns to the U.S. for his 2022 tour that will take him to both coasts with many stops in between. He will transform businesses, churches, hotels, and muse

The easT Meadow Library will be hosting Gerald Dickens on Dec. 6 as he performs, his grandfather’s well-known story, ‘A Christmas Carol.’

ums into scenes straight out of the classic holiday tale, much as Scrooge was trans formed from a dispirited miser to a joyous soul after his Christmas Eve encounter with ghosts from the past, present and future.

His performance is produced by Byers’

Choice Ltd., makers of the nationallyknown Carolers® figurines, located in Chalfont, PA. Mr. Dickens will be avail able to sign his book “Dickens and Staple hurst: A Biography of a Rail Crash.” Books will be available for purchase after the show.

Herald file photo

A chance to celebrate, no matter your ability

As Burgers Go Inc. specializes in parties for those with special needs

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

For over 22 years, Lauren Budd has been helping children over come barriers — whether they be speech, eating or other senso ry-related conditions.

A speech pathologist and United States Air Force veteran, Budd raised her son in Merrick, and now resides in East Mead ow. She has a breadth of experience in her field of expertise, having previously worked in both educational and medical settings, before entering the private sec tor, with her corporation Speech Can Teach.

“A majority of my cliental has had sen sory processing issues, or some sort of process ing issue,” Budd said. “I’ve found that kids have dif ficulties with being a picky eater, or with hav ing different sen sory needs.”

LAuREN BuDD

Founder, As Burgers Go Inc.

Post-Covid, as the world returns to some type of normalcy, Budd said a lot of chil dren are having trouble adjusting back into a social rhythm. Under Speech Can Teach, Budd created “Social Thinking Language Groups.”

“It’s activity based learning — I take children out into the community so they can be themselves, so they can get accli mated and deal with their sensory issues, so they can learn how to self regulate in a place that is chaotic,” she explained. “That’s what the social groups are about.

“I get them out each week to a different activity that’s educationally based, struc turally based.”

Budd said the groups have been suc cessful in helping children overcome sen sory conditions. She decided to take her idea for the groups a step further, and cre ated As Burgers Go Inc., a different corpo ration that offers inclusive birthday par ties for special needs children.

“I wanted to get these kids in some thing, and be able to have a party, since most of these kids haven’t been able to go to a birthday party,” she said. “Their needs have not been met.”

A lot of birthday parties are geared towards things that might make a child with sensory processing issues feel over whelmed, she explained. Running around, loud noises and sounds, and other things can create turmoil for special needs chil dren.

“These parties are all structurally based,” Budd said of As Burgers Go. “There for those kids that have difficulty being in room that’s over stimulated. They are engaged in activities that are sensory based so it accommodates their needs.”

There’s dozens of options for parties and different packages, Budd explained, and she’s able to work with parents to cus tomize things that work for their child. Lego parties, magnetic tile parties and interactive sports table parties are just some of the parties she offers.

“It engages every child,” she said. “You do not have to be special needs but I am targeting that population because these kids have been left out.”

Parties for those local would take place at space Budd rents at 263 Horton High way, Mineola, but she said she is willing to travel and bring the party to families. Depending on distance, some travel fees may apply.

“Everything is self explanatory for all

the parties,” she said. “I also do open play where people could come on do play dates.

“I am trying to get this out there so people know there’s place to go for their special needs children, or any body who wants a party that’s very different,” she said, “with the sup port that they need to accommodate their needs, with someone who’s a speech pathologist.”

Budd’s corporation is online at AsBurgersGo.com. There, people can view all of the packages she offers, and also get in touch with her to dis cuss pricing, and something a little more custom. To email Budd directly, contact service@asburgersgo.com.

ThOugh gEARED TOwARDs children with special needs, the parties are really for anyone, Budd explained.

CREATED As A stem from her regular, private sector corporation, Speech Can Teach, Budd offers several party packages and custom parties.

LAuREN BuDD, A speech pathologist, founded As Burgers Go Inc., a corporation that offers birthday parties packages for children with special needs or sensory processing issues.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

Most of these kids haven’t been able to go to a birthday party.

Helping the community one turkey at a time

years. Now the family is active in the Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis, and often hosts their meetings.

“It’s great to give back to the commu nity and help the community,” Nick said. “We just wanted to do something good especially during Covid, and now when money is tight and food is more expensive. We wanted to show people that there is hope and peo ple that care.”

In 2020, 450 meals were given away. As the years have gone on, more and more meals have been provided.

The Debattos have always been chari table. For every holiday season they fill a cart with groceries and donate to food pantries in need. For this food giveaway, Michelle does all of the shopping her self.

“It takes me about three weeks to get everything,” Michelle said. “I was look ing around for the best deals so that we can get as much as we can.”

Money is gathered from a collection that Michelle runs on Facebook, but the majority of the cost of the food is split between the Debattos and the Grand Stage Diner.

“This is all about giving back,” Michelle said. “There’s people who can’t afford to buy a meal. We always tell our

kids that if you’re lucky enough to have, you can give back.”

Long Island Cares reports that more than 272,000 Long Islanders are hungry or experience food insecurity, equating to one in every nine people. Of that num ber, more than 89,000 of them are chil dren. According to the USDA, the aver

age cost of a turkey has increased to nearly $2 per pound in 2022, up from $1.15 in 2021. So for many, this meal give away is crucial.

“We like to help the community,” George said. “With the economy and inflation there’s more people in need and we wanted to do the right thing.”

Mallory Wilson/Herald photos

the Debattos anD the Argyrises gave away over 800 meals, complete with turkey, canned goods and fresh pie from the diner.

Lianne Webb, Natalia Suaza take home crowns

Baldwin, Valley Stream contestants win at Miss Long Island pageant

By daniEL oFFnER doffner@liherald.com

Lianne Webb and Natalia Suaza stood out from among dozens of contestants from across Nassau and Suffolk counties, crowned winners of Miss Long Island and Miss Teen Long Island.

The two young women from Baldwin and Valley Stream were among those who gathered at the Madison Theatre at Molloy College on Nov. 20, selected by a panel of judges based on their talents, drive, beauty and compassion.

Before stepping on stage, Suaza said that she set out to complete the New York City Marathon as a way to take herself out of her comfort zone and face her fears head-on.

Upon her coronation as the new Miss Teen Long Island, Sauza says she plans to work with Long Island communities, spreading her message of cancer aware ness.

“With my title, I hope to partner with the Center for Hope at Northwell Hospi tal and the Calvary Hospital,” she said.

Having lost her father when she was just 9, these organizations helped pro vide Suaza an opportunity to talk about him — just as they helped others with loved ones who have passed, and to try and live the lives that they would’ve wanted them to live. Suaza also praised their free summer camp that was offered for her and her siblings.

“This really impacted my life and made me as strong as I am today,” she said.

Leanne Baum, executive director of the Miss Long Island pageants, said that over the next year, both of the winners will make guest appearances to promote their platform.

Webb’s platform aims to promote advocacy for children. She works as a

behavioral therapist with Achieve Beyond, where she works with students with autism. She’s also a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island.

By promoting these different causes across Long Island, the goal is for the pageant winners to become role models for change in the world. This year, for example, all of the pageant contestants came together before the big night to help collect food for Island Harvest, Baum said. In fact, they ended up with more than 400 pounds of food for Long Island’s largest food bank.

Both Webb and Sauza now move on to compete for Miss New York USA and Miss Teen New York USA next August.

Some of the runners-up from this year’s Miss Long Island competition include Jenna Hofmann of West Islip, Alexandra Ali of Commack, Alliyah St. Omer of North Baldwin, and Michelle Lent of Glen Cove.

The Miss Teen Long Island competi tion runners-up include Emily Hall and Valarie Goorahoo of Valley Stream, Rudra Patel of Farmingdale, and Kyra Smith of East Hampton.

Miss Long isLand Teen 2023 Natalia Suaza, from Valley Stream, joined by Miss Long Island Pageants executive director Leanne Baum, and Miss Long Island 2023 Lianne Webb, from Baldwin.

ThE 2022 Miss Teen Long Island winner Jessica Fuentes crowns her successor, Natalia Suaza, of Valley Stream.

ThE 2022 Miss Long Island winner Nadgeena Jerome crowns fellow Baldwin native and 2023 Miss Long Island winner Lianne Webb.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

Miss Long isLand contestants hit the stage at the Madison Theatre in their glorious gowns, showing their best for judges Matthew James Graziano, Yasmeen Gumbs, Amy Amato of RichnerLive, Peter Andolina and Edson Estime

D’Esposito in driver’s seat to House floor

By KARINA KOVAC kkovac@liherald.com

He was an obscure candidate from Island Park who went up against a Republican powerhouse — and won.

His name was Al D’Amato, who would go on to serve 18 years in the U.S. Senate before being upended himself by Chuck Schumer in 1998. D’Amato’s early political career in Island Park involved him running village elec tions, which helped him get his feet wet before heading to Congress.

Now, four decades later, voters have sent another Island Park resident to Washington as Anthony D’Esposito makes his way to the floor of the House of Representatives, in congressional seat he flipped from Democrat to Republican.

“I don’t think that coming from a small community prepares you to be in politics,” D’Esposito said, after defeating Laura Gillen in the November election. “I think it opens your eyes to what community is all about.”

But getting involved on a local level in the fire depart ment, Kiwanis, chamber of commerce or a civic group is “really what opens people’s eyes to further public ser vice” — paralleling how the Hempstead town council man got his start.

Mentioning D’Amato’s influence during his victory speech election night, D’Esposito says he’s pleased to be adding to the village’s story.

“That’s a piece of history, especially coming from a small tight-knit community,” he said. “It’s a place where I was born, raised, called home. The fact that we’ve sent two members of our little village to represent us in Washington, D.C. I think is pretty cool.”

On Long Island, those within the Town of Hempstead have wondered who will fill his empty seat on the town board. D’Esposito still has a month or so left before he

has to pack up and head to Capitol Hill, but says he’ll “figure that out when the time comes.”

He spent his first week in Washington undergoing ori entation, and hopes when it comes time to join commit tees, he’ll find himself on homeland security, and trans portation and infrastructure.

Worried about the state of people’s pocketbooks as well as their quality of life, D’Esposito says nothing has

changed his campaign promises since winning.

“The duration of this campaign, the message has been the same,” D’Esposito said. “And people are con cerned about things that affect their pockets. They’re concerned about crime, and they want someone to repre sent them that’s willing to cross party lines and work with others in order to deliver for our communities.”

But then again, he’s already posting negative com ments on social media about some Democratic col leagues like U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. D’Esposito says their track records leave much to be desired.

“When it comes to Nancy Pelosi, the fact that we can all ask ourselves, ‘Are we better off today than we were two years ago when Joe Biden took office?’ And she’s been nothing but a rubber stamp for the Biden adminis tration,” he said. “And I think a lot of the issues that we’re dealing with on Long Island are issues that are reflective of the administration.”

So, which Democrats will D’Esposito work with?

“People that are there to deliver for the communities that they represent,” he said. “Not just be a loud mouth piece and looking for headlines on Twitter and CNN.”

Sitting down as a delegation after Thanksgiving, D’Esposito says he’s looking forward to making America safer, the economy stronger, and energy greener. But his first focus will be eliminating the cap on state and local taxes, otherwise known as a SALT cap.

“For me, what’s most important is delivering change to Long Island,” D’Esposito said. “Working hard to repeal the SALT cap, so that we can bring tax relief to commu nities here in New York — some of the individuals who pay the highest taxes in the nation. So, there’s a lot of work to do.

“But I look forward to getting to D.C. again, rolling up my sleeves, and getting to work.”

Courtesy Anthony D’Esposito

By the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building sits freshly elected Anthony D’Esposito, a Republican from Island Park, getting ready for his first day in Congress.

News brief

Meet Santa, the

It’s another holiday season of the Heide Family in Merrick rais ing money and collect ing supplies for the Freeport-based Bobbi & The Strays Animal Shelter.

This year, stop by the Heide’s family home, famously fea tured on national tele vision, at 2509 Yale Place, Merrick.

From 6 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 3, the family is hosting a “Santa Night” — Santa, Mrs. Claus and the Grinch will be in attendance. The characters will be on hand, taking photos with everyone inside of Santa’s giant sleigh.

Grinch,

just down the road

Free hot chocolate, cookies and candy canes will be distributed. The first 400 kids in attendance will also receive a gift from Santa.

Festivities won’t end with the gift giv ing, however. There will be an epic, snow ball fight between Santa and the Grinch all night long. Those planning to attend are encouraged to wear red to show your

love for Santa, or wear green to cheer on the Grinch.

Proud supporters of Bobbi & The Strays, visit BobbiAndTheStrays.org for more information on what will be collect ed, and stop by the house all season long for a great display that isn’t worth missing.

Crime watCh

Arrests

■ A California man was arrested on Nov. 15 for having a gun. Nassau County Police were called to the Coliseum Motor Inn, at 1650 Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow around 8:50 a.m. for a distur bance where someone had displayed a gun in the hallway. Miguel Lara, 31, of of 321 El Camino Drive, Delano, was arrest ed after police found a loaded Sig-Saur pistol in his room. Lara was charged with criminal possession of a firearm and was arraigned in court on Nov. 16. The First Squad reports on an Arrest of a California man for the Criminal Pos session of a Firearm that occurred on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at 8:50 AM in East Meadow.

■ A Queens man was arrested on Nov. 21 in East Meadow for assualt and harass ment. According to Nassau County police, a woman and her seven-year-old daughter were waiting near the bus stop outside of NUMC when Marcelo Sanchez Hidalgo, 36, went up to them and started verbally and physically harassing the child. After taking her child inside the hospital, an officer found and arrested Hidalgo and brought him to the Third

Precinct. During the arrest process, Mar celo of Corona, Queens attacked a police officer and bit him on the right arm, causing substantial pain and swelling. Marcelo and the officer were both brought to a nearby hospital for assess ment and treatment Hidalgo is charged with assault in the second degree, Een dangering the welfare of a child, and harassment in the second degree. He will be arraigned when medically practical.

Fatal

■ A male inmate died of a drug over dose in the East Meadow jail on Nov. 23, according to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. Nikita Pertsev, 29, of Brooklyn, suffered a “medical episode” around 1 p.m. while at the jail, according to Nassau County Police. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, and pronounced dead by a doctor. “We are sorry for the death of one of our inmates who died of an overdose,” Blakeman said in a statement. “There will be a full and transparent investigation to determine how the contraband got into our facility.” The investigation is continuing.

People named in Crime Watch items as having been arrested and charged with violations or crimes are only suspected of committing those acts of which they are accused. They are all presumed to be innocent of those charges until and unless found guilty in a court of law.

–Jordan Vallone

Jordan Vallone/Herald Visit the heide Family’s home in Merrick this weekend for a holiday display and Santa Night like no other. Gifts will be distributed to the first 400 children, and the family will be collecting items for Bobbi & The Strays Animal Shelter.

STEPPING OUT

‘First Couple’ of ‘Up, Up and Away’ with Marilyn McCoo Billy Davis Jr.

By Mary Malloy

It’s easy to see why seven-time Grammy winners Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., have been married for 53 years. A dynamic duo on and off the stage, the former members of the 196070s group The 5th Dimension have an easy way of sharing the conversation, finishing each other’s sentences, and endearingly calling each other “baby.” They are in true harmony — and headed to Tilles Center for the Performing Arts for “Up, Up and Away! A Musical Fable,” with special guest The Next Dimension, on Saturday.

As two of the lead vocalists with one of the top pop-R&B-soul-jazz groups of the era, their popular classics — among them “Up, Up and Away,” “Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “One Less Bell to Answer” and “Stoned Soul Picnic” — live on. Graced with McCoo’s three-octave vocal range, the group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002, and have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the St. Louis Walk of Fame.

After a decade with The 5th Dimension, McCoo and Davis decided to step away in 1975 to establish themselves as a duo. They had immediate success with the single “You Don’t Have to Be a Star (To Be In My Show)” which hit No. 1 on the charts and earned them a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. They have since enjoyed enduring success through the years as recording artists, performers and authors. Throughout their career, this showbiz couple has been honored with seven Grammy Awards and earned 15 gold and three platinum records, as well as enjoyed starring roles on television and the Broadway stage.

• Sat., Dec. 3, 8 p.m.

• Tilles Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall, LIU Post, 720 Northern Blvd. Brookville

• Tickets are available at TillesCenter.org, or by calling the box office at (516) 299-3100

Their many endeavors go beyond their musical achievements. They also have a movie coming out during the holidays, “The Waltons Thanksgiving,” on the CW network. “It’s family-oriented, and it’s so perfect for this time of year,” McCoo says. “It’s nice for people to remember the warmth and love and excitement that comes from family.”

From East to West

“We are so looking forward to being in New York,” says McCoo, who, with Davis, calls California home. “We’ve visited, but we haven’t done a show there in quite a while. We truly always enjoy coming back … Long Island is such a pretty area, and we’re very excited.”

“We love New York, we have a history with New York,” Davis adds.

“Up, Up and Away” is a journey and musical celebration of their iconic music. The concert also includes tributes to fellow music legends including The Beatles (McCoo and Davis’ contemporaries) and The 5th Dimension’s original lineup.

They will perform some songs from their newest CD, “Blackbird: Lennon-McCartney Icons,” a celebration of The Beatles’ timeless music. The album covers 10 Beatles classics and solos. “It’s so relevant,” Davis says about the title track. “It fits in with things that are happening today. The young people are very concerned with what was going on in the world.”

And what about their own iconic songs as the “First Couple” of Pop & Soul?

“Of course, we’ll enjoy doing many of our hits,” says Davis. “They wouldn’t let us off the stage if we didn’t!”

Tony Danza

The actor-entertainer croons the classics in his cabaret turn. In ‘Standards & Stories,’ he performs a selection of his favorite standards from the Great American Songbook, plus selections from Jason Robert Brown’s score for ‘Honeymoon in Vegas,’ while interweaving stories about his life and personal connection to the music. Danza combines timeless music with wit, charm, storytelling, and a dash of soft shoe and ukulele, in this evening of glorious songs and personal storytelling, backed by a four-piece band. Perhaps best known for his starring roles on two of TV’s most cherished and long-running series, “Taxi” and “Who’s The Boss,” Danza has also established himself as a song and dance man, and received rave reviews for his performance in the Broadway musical comedy ‘Honeymoon In Vegas.’

Friday, Dec. 2, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. $62. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, Route 25A, Brookville. (516) 2993100 or TillesCenter.org.

Judy Collins: Holidays & His

The iconic legend lends her voice to holiday standards along with her classic hit songs as only she can. Collins performs holiday classics, along with songs from her latest album ‘Spellbound’ — her 55th album and first complete album of originals — and beloved songs culled from her six-decade career. Collins is as creatively vigorous as ever, writing, touring worldwide, and nurturing fresh talent. She is a modern-day Renaissance woman who is also an accomplished painter, filmmaker, record label head, musical mentor, and an in-demand keynote speaker for mental health and suicide prevention. She continues to create music of hope and healing that lights up the world and speaks to the heart.

Saturday, Dec. 3, 8 p.m. $70, $65, $60. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

WHERE WHEN

Courtesy Darren Stone/Jon Carrasco

Photos: Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., honored with multiple Grammy awards numerous gold and platinum records, return to the concert stage with their iconic hits — and some surprise selections.

THE SCENE

On stage

Plaza Theatrical continues its season with “Grumpy Old Men: The Musical,” Thursday, Dec. 1, 2 p.m; Friday, Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 3, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 4, 2:30 p.m.

Based on the beloved 1993 film, which starred Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and AnnMargret, this stage adaptation captures the lovably crotchety characters through humor, great songs, and the affectionate depiction of a small town that feels like home to everyone. It’s performed at Plaza’s stage at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $49, $45 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Legally Blonde: The Musical

The ultimate Broadway tribute to girl power arrives at Tilles Center, Saturday, Dec. 10, 4 and 8 p.m. Elle Woods, is ready to prove who’s in charge (again) in this ultimate Broadway tribute to girl power, on the LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Based on the beloved movie, the musical follows Elle’s transformation as she tackles stereotypes, sexism, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams, and proves that you can be both ‘legally blonde’ and the smartest person in the room. Tickets are $89, $69, $59, $49; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Happy Hanukkah

Get ready for Hanukkah by learning all about dreidels, at Long Island Children’s Museum, Saturday, Dec. 3, 1-3 p.m. Discover the game’s history and rules, and decorate your own dreidel to take home, at the drop-in program. Visit the museum on Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

Salisbury holiday lighting

The Salisbury holiday and tree lighting will be on Friday, Dec. 9, at 4 p.m., on Carmen Avenue next to Carvel. The East Meadow Fire Department will be there with Santa and holiday songs will be sung by the Salisbury school choirs.

Holiday lighting

The East Meadow Chamber of Commerce and Council of East Meadow Community Organizations holds their holiday lighting, Thursday, Dec. 1, 6 to 7 p.m., at Veterans Memorial Park. Santa will be making an appearance. Any questions contact Dolores Rome at (516) 972-9872 or Liz Fries at (516) 359-4269.

Art talk

Join Nassau County Museum Director Charles A. Riley II, PhD, for a Director’s Seminar, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 4 p.m.

He’ll discuss “Photography: Beauty and Truth,” in a session that examines the intensely emotional approach to photography taken by many of the greats, including Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans, and the analytic, formal path of the Bechers, Struth, Hofer and many Contemporary artists. Participation is limited; registration required.

Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Having an event?

Holiday fun

Visit the streets of 19th century London during the darkest days of the year, in this adaption of the classic “A Christmas Carol,” with the Experiential Theater Company, Thursday and Friday, Dec. 1,-2 10:15 a.m and noon; Saturday, Dec. 3, 2 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 4, 2 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 7, 10:15 a.m. and noon, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage Meet the Cratchit family, Mr. Scrooge, and the ghosts of past, present and future in this interactive show that weaves together music, humor, puppetry and collaboration. Celebrate the change of seasons through this beloved literary tale. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 2245800 or LICM.org.

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

Free Christmas concert

Celebrate the season with a Christmas concert, Saturday, Dec. 3, at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 369 Green Ave., in East Meadow. The Vespers evening candlelit prayer will start at 6 p.m., with the concert starting at 7 p.m. With choral music and traditional carols from both East and West sung by the church choir, and reception following. For information contact (516) 483-3649.

Celebrate Christmas at St. Francis

Head down to St. Francis National Catholic Church, 1752 Harton Ave., in East Meadow, Sunday, Dec. 4, for a Christmas fundraiser dinner. Starting at 3 p.m. there will be traditional holiday dishes, raffles, and a special appearance by St. Nicholas. The price is $20 for adults and $10 for children. RSVP by Nov. 25 to Monika (516) 794-5189.

On exhibit

Photography’s ascent in the art world is an international phenomenon. Nassau County Museum of Art’s star-studded exhibition spans the historical roots of the medium. View works by Ansel Adams and his generation and the thrilling, large-format color works of such contemporary masters as Cindy Sherman, Thomas Struth, James Casebere and Gregory Crewdson, among others. From the documentary to the painterly, images bear witness to the times. On view through March 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 4849337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Matinee time

Join crafty Jack Frost on a magical, musical winter adventure, in Plaza Theatrical’s production of “Jack Frost,” Saturday, Dec. 3, 11 a.m. Also Dec. 17. The story, narrated by a groundhog name Pardon-MePete, tells us about the immortal winter sprite, who falls in love with a human girl named Elisa after rescuing her. Tickets are $15. Bring the kids to the Plaza stage at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical. com.

Herald Sc H ool S

Board of Education honors its Terrific Kids at meeting

The East Meadow Board of Education recognized the district’s Terrific Kids dur ing its Nov. 16 board meet ing at the Leon J. Campo Salis bury Center.

W.T. Clarke Middle School Prin cipal Stacy Breslin and Woodland Middle School Principal James Lethbridge announced the Terrif ic Kids from their respective schools for the months of Septem ber, October and November. Ter rific Kids is a student recognition program sponsored by the East Meadow Kiwanis Club that pro motes character development, selfesteem and perseverance.

Woodland Middle School’S Terrific Kids for the months of September, October and November were recognized during the East Meadow Board of Education’s Nov. 16 board meeting.

Courtesy East Meadow School District

From trash in a junkyard to his front yard

started out small, with six-foot pieces, and my whole room was set up like that.”

Now a contractor by trade, Gray builds his robots as tall as he wants and sets them up on his front lawn on Chestnut Avenue in East Meadow. He said he gets up to 20 people a day stopping by to take photos.

All of his creations are made out of recycled materials. Whether he’s scouring junkyards himself or having a little help from his friends, he always finds the part he wants to use. He has piles of stuff in his backyard, and a photograph ic memory is what helps him put his hand in a pile and find whatev er he needs.

“People are constantly drop ping parts off for me, or they’ll tell me where to find it and I’ll pick it up,” he explained. “They all want to have a piece of it because it makes it special. When I get a part from somebody I call it an “exspart” because it’s an extra special part.”

Currently, there are three pieces on his lawn that have been on display for about a year. Wonder Woman, Batman, and Iron Man all stand between 16 and 18 feet tall, and if you take the time to really look at each piece, you can start to recognize what he’s used for each part of the robot’s body.

Iron Man’s shoulders are made of kiddie wagons, and his knees are from swing sets. Wonder Woman’s knees and shoulders are wheels from little kid electric ride-on cars.

“I create what I want to create. If I get an idea for something, I just build it,” he said. “Its robotic-like sculptures, but I started out doing plain robots, and other things too like dragons, lizards, giant mon keys — I build anything and everything.”

As soon as inspiration strikes, Gray said he starts sketching the piece he has in

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS

Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Old Town Hall, 350 Front Street, Room 230, Second Floor, Hempstead, New York on 12/7/22 at 2:00 P.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 2:00 P.M.

807/22. EAST MEADOWSalisbury Partners, LLC, Variance in off-street parking (construct building for retail business)., S/s Hempstead Tpke., 326.78’ W/o Front St., a/k/a 2000 Hempstead Tpke. (S.E.Q.R. determination not made)

817/22. NR WESTBURYATPLI, LLC d/b/a Empire Adventure Park, Special exception for place of public assembly & amusement in portion of existing building (proposed indoor adventure park)., S/W cor. Old Country Rd &

Merchants Concourse, a/k/a 1500 Old Country Rd. (S.E.Q.R. determination not made) 818/22. NR WESTBURYTS Golf, LLC d/b/a X-Golf, Special exception for place of public assembly & amusement in portion of existing building (proposed indoor golf simulators)., S/W cor. Old Country Rd. & Merchants Concourse, a/k/a 1500 Old Country Rd. (S.E.Q.R. determination not made) 819/22. NR WESTBURYLesso Mall Development (Long Island), Inc., Variance in off-street parking in conjunction with Samanea Mall., S/W cor. Old Country Rd. & Merchants Concourse, a/k/a 1500 Old Country Rd. (S.E.Q.R. determination not made)

ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550. This notice is only for new cases in East Meadow and Westbury within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available a t https://hempsteadny.gov/ 09/Board-of-Appeals

The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.gov/ 576/Live-Streaming-Video Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it.

135688

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

mind.

“Suddenly I get a flash in my head and I have to start sketching out a horrible sketch,” he joked. “I build the piece in my head and then I build it with the parts.”

Gray said he has a secret to keeping his robots standing — which he found through trial and error — and so far it’s worked pretty well. They’ve even survived hurri canes.

He started his giant robot endeavor in 1998 when he first moved to East Meadow. “When I first got my own house, I was like ‘let’s put one on the lawn,’” he said. “I started out with a couple of eight footers and people would stop by and say, ‘wow,’ so I said why not make them bigger.”

raw materials for the sculptures are found all over the place. Usually Gray gets inspiration in his head before building anything.

and would show Gray his ways.

“I would watch my father at night. He had a big drawing table with all its parts on it with a little handsaw,” he said. “My father would make such incredible beauti ful small things.”

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.

NAME: Brennan Entertainment, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 2/1/21. NY

Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to: Brennan Entertainment LLC, 2981-2991

Hempstead Tpke #1023, Levittown, NY 11756.

Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity.

134949

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to N.Y. Election Law Article 17, Title 2, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York, and N.Y. Public Officers Law Article 7, the Open Meetings Law, public hearings will be held by the Town of Hempstead Temporary Redistricting Commission in the Nathan L. H. Bennett Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Village and Town of Hempstead, New York, on December 13, 2022 at 10:30am, to receive input regarding the reapportionment and composition of the Town of Hempstead’s councilmanic districts to be used beginning with the Town election of 2023.

ALL PERSONS

INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard and give input at the times and place aforesaid.

Dated:Hempstead, New York November 15, 2022 BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK.

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor 135671

His first really big piece for his lawn didn’t have a name, he said, but it looked like a transformer. It was made up of a bunch of car parts, with a Volkswagen hood for the chest.

Creating art through these sculptures has been the one thing that has helped him stay focused. “It gave me a goal,” he said. “Growing up dyslexic and as an adult is rough. The English language is kind of like a foreign language to me.”

He explained that as a kid, he could never concentrate, and when he got out of control, his teachers would send him down to the art teacher. “I’d stay with the art teacher for like half a day,” he recalled. “I’d actually help him with his classes.

“A lot of the older kids wouldn’t like a younger kid like me helping them out, but I had a lot of skill.”

Gray said that he was one of the first people to be prescribed Ritalin, a drug used as part of a treatment program to control symptoms of ADHD and that the dosage was outrageous.

“They started me on 75 milligrams,” he said. “It shut me down, I was like a zombie.

“From eighth to tenth grade I was not as efficient to create, I had no desire or cre ativity.”

He stopped taking the drug after the side effects started to catch up with him, and ever since he hasn’t stopped building things.

Being creative is in his blood and his dad aided in that. His dad was a minia tures specialist and made ships and planes

It used to take Gray about a year to build one of his really big pieces, between thinking of an idea, finding the correct pieces, and building it. Each one is done by hand and is constructed with epoxies, nuts and bolts, glue, and minimal welding. He then spray paints them himself too. Some of them even light up at night from solar powered lights.

He started out using a lot of metal for his pieces but eventually gravitated towards the pieces he uses now from junk yards. He’s created thousands of pieces, whether they be full sculptures or just heads and legs. He used to have them all on display in his house — until his house went up in flames in 2015.

“I lost everything,” he said. “All of my collectibles and my first pieces. It got me really depressed.”

Now, he creates whenever he wants and sometimes he’ll make multiples of one part if he feels like he can’t get it right.

Over the years Gray has done a few shows where his work always gets a lot of attention. He’s been to the Bellmore Street Fair, showed his pieces at the East Meadow Library, and displayed his sculptures in Central Park. For the past 10 years, he’s brought his pieces to Eternal Con, Long Island’s version of Comic Con. But, he’s only sold a few pieces.

“This is my hobby, and maybe one day it’ll take off, but until that happens I take it day by day,” he said. “I don’t want to be a celebrity. I just like showing my art because I get pleasure out of it, especially if someone stops to take a picture with it.”

Gray doesn’t have a website, but any one can see his pieces outside of his house. And if you catch him while he’s home, he’ll take a picture of you with his sculptures.

Tim Baker/Herald photos Curt Gray used to work with metal more often, like this metal head with real deer antlers, but eventually he switched to using plastic and stuff he found in junkyards.

TEACHERS: SPANISH SPEAKING A+. BA/ Associate Degree In Early Childhood Education. Teacher's Salary $32K. EMAIL RESUME: kgreene@fivetownsmail.org 516-239-6244 Ext. 237

Private Paradise on Long Island

This Mediterranean-style estate is perched atop a peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides. The home was carefully designed for entertaining as well as comfortable day-to-day living. With its 7 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, this home is filled with luxurious details, from the indoor pool with stunning harbor and the sunset views, to the private home theatre, party room, and home gym. Outside, a newly constructed 84-foot dock and an amazing glass entertaining deck that wraps around the house. For a private tour please contact V.I.Properties at 516.791.1313

A deck becomes a nightmare

Q. We bought a house with a deck and didn’t know it never had a permit until we went to make a home office out of the garage. We then learned that the deck posts are resting on the patio, with no footings in the ground, so the deck won’t pass an inspec tion. The problem is that we got estimates for the con crete posts, 3 feet deep in the ground, and it’s going to be a lot more than we expected, like $12,000. We decided to take the deck down instead, but then we saw that the crumbled concrete steps underneath have to be replaced. Between demolition costs and new back steps, we feel stuck. Any alternative ideas would be greatly appreciated.

A. Once again, an avoidable problem created by someone not investi gating the right way, before building, then pass ing the problem on to an innocent buyer. An engi neer’s building report before buying might have caught this problem, but like many other instances, the problem is pushed off because it seemed like a minor reason to not buy the house.

1208 Broadway Hewlett, NY 11557 516-791-1313 vipropertiesny.com

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Ask The Architect Monte Leeper

The building code requires the support posts extend into the ground in your region at least 3 feet deep, so the post bottoms are below the front line. This is to avoid uplift that causes damage when the ground is frozen in the colder months. Ice crystals form that crowd out the posts and force them upward. Resting on a patio, not only is the deck moving up and down with the slab, but it has no safe anchorage to resist high winds from ripping it to pieces. So now you need an anchorage manage ment class before you get too upset.

A publication on barn-building for the farming industry, mostly in the American Midwest, often publishes techniques with many cost-saving engi neering diagrams and discussions about using treated wood posts, coated or uncoated, extending into the ground and resting on thick rubber disks down below the 3- to 4-foot-deep frost line. The discs come in sizes from 12 inches to 36 inches in diame ter, to spread the loads, which must be calculated to select the correct-sized column base footing pad.

The same requirement of flared-out spread is required in the building code for concrete posts and must be calculated, no guessing or shortcuts allowed, and there actually are code tables outlin ing the minimum required spread size of column bases. This technique, without concrete, was devel oped to save money and time. If you can imagine the constant stresses and strains the wind and earth can impose on a freestanding barn in a Midwest blizzard, you can imagine that the person who came up with this idea must have been out standing in their field.

Since you will need plans for the deck to show this money-saving solution, hire a licensed profes sional who will review the code, the right method and save you much more than the cost of their ser vice. You can already see what guessing led to. Good luck!

© 2022 Monte Leeper Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

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OpINIONS

The challenges for the Long Island Four

Once upon a time, there was a group known as the Long Island Nine. They were the nine Republican state sena tors who wielded enormous power in Albany. We now have a new group of seven Republican senators, but the spotlight is shifting to a new Long Island Four: the newly elected Republi can members of Congress, who will have enor mous influence due to the fact that the Republi cans in the House of Representa tives will be gov erning with such a small margin.

JERRY KREMER

The Long Island Four are Representatives Andrew Garbari no, Anthony D’Esposito, George Santos and Nick LaLota. On almost any issue where a critical vote is needed, those four must support the needs of the lead ership, and that’s where the headaches begin. Sometimes what your leadership wants could be a vote that would do enormous damage back at home. I know from personal experience as a state leg islator that bucking the leaders isn’t

easy, but you aren’t elected just to do what the bosses want.

Santos was the first of the four to make a public statement about the House’s mission in 2023. He made it clear that he was “not interested in a Congress that spent all of its time investigating the enemy,” and wanted to be a part of productive actions. Santos and his colleagues will be tested very early in the new session, when the far-right wing proposes the impeachment of President Biden and investigations into the business activities of his son Hunter.

The next test will be whether to shut down the federal government to appease a group that would like to cut back on entitlements such as Medicare and Social Security. That will be fol lowed by resolutions to strip certain Democrats of their committee assign ments to get even for last year’s actions against Congresswoman Marjorie Tay lor Greene of Georgia. I could go on, but that’s just a taste of what is likely to happen early on in their tenure.

Most Long Island voters are just like any other rational voters. They want government to work, and are generally

tired of partisan bickering. Inflation is an issue that hurts voters of all parties, and Congress must be prepared to take action that will heal our economy. Last month’s election taught Washington pol iticians that there is overwhelming sup port for a woman’s right, in consultation with her doctor, to decide whether she should have an abor tion. Women in the four local congressional dis tricts expect their voices to be heard, and that promis es to be another dilemma for the Long Island Four.

To add to these new members’ potential politi cal challenges is the fact that most of them received substantial funding from the Republican Congressional Cam paign Committee. Without that money, a couple of them might never have made it to Washington. How do you vote on an issue that hurts your district but is a priority of the party leadership? That headache reminds me of the old Tip O’Neill reminder that “all politics is local.”

Of course, there’s a positive side to being a member of the majority. With the backing of your party leaders, you can get grants for programs and proj

ects that will make the voters happy. You also get sufficient staff to be able to han dle the thousands of requests for help from your constituents. One of the cru cial things that help candidates get reelected is good constituent service. There are numerous cases of members of Congress losing their seats because they ignored the day-to-day demands of their voters.

Representing our suburban congres sional districts shapes up as an enor mous challenge. Long Island is a very informed and progressive region. There are no secrets about how our represen tatives vote on contentious issues, and bad votes will be part of the debate when they seek re-election. Local voters have many issues they care about at the federal level, and they won’t be bashful about demanding action. As one who served almost a lifetime in public office, I wish the Long Island Four the best of luck as they embark on their new chal lenge. They will need a lot more than luck to stay in office.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strat egies, a business development and legis lative strategy firm. Comments about this column? JKremer@liherald.com.

Being vulnerable, a new holiday ritual

Can we settle in and be real?

No, not everyone is having a better time than you. No, you aren’t the only one who wishes you’d passed on the second slice of coconut custard pie. Yes, we’ve said it before, but that doesn’t make it any less true: Families coming together for holi days are a movable feast of food and family history, old gripes and edgy new connections.

And, yes, the coronavirus pan demic and politi cal fractiousness will take seats at our tables this year.

Ph.D. researcher-scientist who’s a pro fessor at the Universities of Texas and Houston. She says she has studied cour age, vulnerability, shame and empathy for the past few decades. She says she is a storyteller. She has a Netflix docu mentary out, several books that hit bestseller lists and podcasts galore. She has a unique style propelled by wit and infused with intel ligence. She tells us we need to be vulnerable. She tells us that when we’re willing to be vulnerable, we connect with people in more genuine ways.

nabes. So smart, so funny and so authentic. I identified with her immedi ately when she told a story of her daughter going to a prom. Her date picks her up in his pickup truck. The girl is dazzled; the guy is strutting. All Brown can think is, “They’re going to crash.” I get that. She was willing to share that tendency to cat astrophize, which as a mother, I own.

I know it all sounds like stuff we know, but try her podcast or her Netflix doc umentary and see for your self.

ly can learn from my experience.

So, to be more vulnerable, I shared some truths with my daughter I haven’t thought to mention in 45 years. I initiat ed a few risky talks with my son. I told stories on myself to the teenage grand kids, not the usual morality tales I prof fer but the real stuff, the dumb stuff, the mistakes that I was lucky to survive. I told them I pretty much stayed within my own no-risk zone all my life, and I know I should have stepped out, and I hope I still may.

RANDI KREISS

So give your self a break. With Thanksgiving just behind us and this month’s Hanukkah/Christmas/New Year’s Eve trifecta ahead, we need to treat our selves with care. We’ve all been through a meat grinder. It’s OK if the fruitcake isn’t homemade. It’s fine if the gift-giv ing isn’t a whirlwind of gimme-gimmegimme.

To strike a vulnerable note myself, these ideas didn’t come to me just like that. Lately I have been watching and reading Brené Brown, the MSW and

“I believe that you must walk through vulnerabili ty to get to courage, there fore … embrace the suck,” Brown says. “I try to be grateful every day, and my motto right now is ‘courage over comfort.’”

Vulnerability might look like shar ing something about yourself you might tend to hold back, or telling somebody they have hurt you in some way, or stepping out of your comfort zone to try some new adventure or job or social group. Brown talks a lot about vulnerability, and how it makes us so much more approachable.

She’s an influencer who has the creds to influence, unlike so many wan

I brought all my new found wisdom (not that much) to the Thanksgiving table, and now call on myself to be vulnerable and tell you most of the truth of my own holiday experience with the whole family.

The mélange included kids, grand kids (all teens), ex-wives, new partners, airplane travel, car trips, weather, secrets, trying to squeeze 75 years of life lessons into words of wisdom for the grandkids, not because I should or because they want to hear it but because that is who I am. I need to teach, to hope that my words land in fertile ground and set roots, so my fami

This isn’t a recipe, but I noticed that when I opened up a bit with an honest personal story, so did others. Not every one, but the teenagers did let a crack of light into the mysterious interior of their adolescent lives.

It feels like a challenge with a big payoff. I’m going to keep reading Brené Brown. I’m pushing myself, and it feels right.

Try it for Hanukkah and Christmas and New Year’s. Talk to strangers at the party. Invite someone for dinner. Actu ally go to the shelter to deliver food. Find a way to find warmth after this long winter apart.

The best of times and the most chal lenging times lie in the holiday weeks ahead.

Copyright 2022 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

A popular author suggests it, so I gave it my best shot at the family gathering.

O ur newest members of Congress must support the needs of the party leaders.

Remembering for those who no longer can

Where were you when Kennedy was shot?”

Many of us remem ber asking that, or being asked. That question has since been supplanted by ones like “Where were you when the Challenger explod ed?” or “Where were you on Sept. 11?”

But those singular tragedies were hardly the first to dominate our everyday lives on such a massive scale. That is a tragedy remembered for decades with its own question: “Where were you when Pearl Harbor was bombed?”

Yet there are very few people left who can answer that. Not surprising, since the stunning attack that officially brought the United States into World War II happened over 80 years ago. Without those living witnesses, however, we risk the possibility that the attack, the war itself, and atrocities like the Holocaust will become mere footnotes in history.

And that’s simply not acceptable.

This was the time of what NBC anchor Tom Brokaw coined the Greatest Generation. People who lived through the suffering of the Great Depression, only to find themselves fighting for something greater: freedom. Not for Americans, but for people on a global scale. We fought to destroy fascism as well as its key components, totalitarian ism and authoritarianism, as well as hate.

Not that we were perfect in doing so —

far from it. But if anything good came from that period, it was the fact that our global society at least took some signifi cant steps forward.

Conflict has been a part of human his tory, but never on the scale we saw in World War II. Never in the numbers of people lost. The outright attempted geno cide of an entire religious ethnicity. We have to take time to remember because, as Winston Churchill said, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Part of that education comes from exploring what happened at Pearl Har bor — a place thousands of miles away, practically across an ocean, on a group of islands that, at the time, were merely an American territory. The attack killed 2,403 U.S. personnel and destroyed or damaged 19 ships — nearly half of them battleships.

By the time World War II ended in 1945, American deaths would reach near ly 420,000, while globally, 15 million sol diers and 45 million civilians would lose their lives.

The pain from that war — and World War I, “the Great War,” before it — was felt for generations, to the point where governments worked as hard as they could not to let any other conflict balloon to such a global scale. But memories fade, hastened by the loss of those who experienced that suffering firsthand.

Now we live in a time when fears of a

worldwide conflict are stronger than they have been in decades. It’s not just political polarization, but also what has become a broader tolerance of intoler ance and outright hate — something that can never be allowed to normalize, whether it’s antisemitism, racism, sex ism or homophobia. Attacking where someone is from, how they worship — or if they worship — or even how they iden tify gender-wise.

History is fading, and with it its les sons. And we can’t let that happen. That’s why Dec. 7 is so important. Or Jan. 27 — International Holocaust Remembrance Day — as well as spring’s Yom Hashoah. Because you can’t even begin to talk about loss during this peri od without talking about the 6 million Jews who were killed — a third of Jews worldwide. Or the 2 million ethnic Poles. Or 500,000 Roma. Or thousands more who were gay, or who were political or religious prisoners.

The late Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survi vor himself, once said, “To forget a Holo caust is to kill twice.” And that can be applied to any tragedy we try to forget.

Next week, we have a chance to remember on the 81st anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. There might be few left to ask where they were when this tragedy took place, but remember ing means we’re learning. And learning gives us a fighting chance to never repeat those horrors again.

letters

O’Connell sure didn’t pull any punches

To the Editor:

Don’t you love freedom of the press? That basic right enables people like John O’Connell, former executive edi tor of the Heralds, to blatantly cast aspersions on public figures without including specific evidence to support his claims.

In his op-ed last week, “I’ll take the GOP agenda — without Trump — any day,” O’Connell refers to Hillary Clin ton as a “backstabbing, secretive, supercilious, lying, characterless cypher.” While I don’t love Hillary, I question what purpose such unsup ported name-calling achieves, except perhaps to justify why O’Connell opted to vote for Trump, despite his “unap pealing, obnoxious,” “insufferable” and “bullying” behavior.

O’Connell goes on to blast our sit ting president, vice president, trans portation secretary and governor,

‘Energy efficient’ may become a contradiction in terms

Hearings are getting under way on a proposal to socialize energy on Long Island. It would make the Long Island Power Authori ty the region’s sole entity responsible for keeping our lights on. Its structure would replicate virtually every government agency, bureau or department that you have cursed as inept, incompetent or indifferent.

The hearings, by a special com mission, are the result of legisla tion signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul. It directs the review of a plan to convert the existing public-pri vate partnership that manages our electrical grid to one that would, in essence, make the governor ultimately responsible for its operation and mainte nance.

To set the stage for these hearings, you need to understand that LIPA currently owns most of the Long Island electrical grid, including the bulk of our power plants. It has an incentive contract with PSEG Long Island, which actually runs the system. If PSEG does well and hits certain performance criteria, it is finan cially compensated. If it fails, it will take a financial bath. This is the essence of

why capitalism is always better, and why it provides for more-efficient creation and distribution of goods and services than any government-controlled or socialized economy.

What is instructive about this forced march to complete govern ment control is that these hearings were mandated by law to be held by the end of September, but are just beginning now. The govern ment commission couldn’t even get its act together to hold them on time. Good thing it isn’t responsible for directing our electrical future.

Oh, wait. It is.

James Hanley, a fellow with the Empire Center for Public Policy, is a seasoned observer of Albany’s political stinkpot. “It’s hard to predict what will come of this proposal,” Hanley has written. “Public power (left wing) advocates clearly want to eliminate any role for a private utility in operating LIPA’s grid. They don’t have any evidence that LIPA could improve upon PSEG’s management; they seem to think the word `public’ is a magical incantation that will make everything better.”

In truth, it makes everything worse. An example? Which delivery service is more reliable, the government controlled U.S. mail, or the privately owned Federal Express? The answer is obvious.

Letters

among others, again without a logical explanation. He cites the GOP agenda, familiar to most of us. However, he does not mention the many Americans who suffer from a housing shortage, food insecurity, climate change, or a lack of adequate gun control. He also exhibits no concern for the recent increase in racist, antisemitic and homophobic violence against fellow human beings. Will these people merely be casualties of war as the GOP tries to stifle the voic es of its opposition? Surely a nation as great as ours must be able to find a way to achieve compromise so that the needs and safety of so many of its citizens are not ignored.

PAm SInGER Malverne

Trump’s ‘great’ accomplishments?

To the Editor:

John O’Connell asserted in his nov.

24-30 column that he doesn’t like Donald Trump, but that the former president accomplished “great things.”

What in the world would those “great things” be?

His disrespect for the country’s courts and its diplomatic and intelli gence services? His refusal to accept the results of an election? Deepening politi cal divisions and encouraging racial bigotry?

O’Connell’s column derides potential Democratic candidates for president and vice president, but omits any men tion of the many GOP members of Con gress who have gone along with Trump’s lies about a rigged election. n or is there any mention of Trump’s attempt to defy the will of American voters by backing a coup.

O’Connell even claims there is a “GOP agenda.” And what would that be? more stunts such as votes to end Obam acare?

Hanley has identified the ideological underpinnings of this power grab. It has little to do with the efficiency, innovation and accountability demanded of PSEG Long Island under a strict don’t-screw-up contract with LIPA. Rather, it is about a progressive agenda of grow ing government whenever it can, assuming authority over infrastructure that it has no competence running and operating costs it has no interest in cutting.

What makes this power play particularly toxic is that LIPA had been tasked with running the grid before. It failed, miserably, when Superstorm Sandy came ashore a decade ago. As a result, then Gov. Andrew Cuomo required LIPA to engage private industry in running the grid, and to use financial incentives and penalties that are employed in the real world. Hav ing had such a raving success with cash less bail, today’s progressive powerbro kers seem quite content to ignore those lessons, and now seek the keys to the power grid.

How would that work? For starters, the people currently working for PSEG would probably be asked to transfer their skills and expertise to LIPA, a government enti ty. As LIPA employees, they would be given salaries, benefits and pensions that you and I would pay for. The LIPA man

Framework

agement structure would balloon with executives making six-figure salaries. There would be no financial incentives for any of them to work smarter, better, more efficiently.

Compare that with a recent J.D. Power survey that found dissatisfaction with PSEG Long Island among businesses on the Island. That could mean a financial hit for the utility management company, because its compensation is directly tied to customer opinions of its performance. Were LIPA in charge, and faced with such a report, its response would undoubtedly be “Feh,” for there would be no account ability under a socialized structure. That would be good news for those who feast on political patronage, because one suspects someone’s brother-in-law would be in charge of consumer complaints.

We can assume that it will be Hochul’s decision as to whether Long Island’s power goes progressive. She needs to, but probably doesn’t, appreciate, or care, that if that’s the future of LIPA, her office number will be on speed dial for 2.7 mil lion Long Islanders the next time a hurri cane takes down the grid. And if last month’s elections proved anything, it’s that those LIPA customers vote.

Ronald J. Rosenberg has been an attorney for 42 years, concentrating in commercial litigation and transactions, and real estate, municipal, zoning and land use law. He founded the Garden City law firm Rosen berg Calica & Birney in 1999.

by Fatima Lasso

Centre

LARRy mcCOy Rockville

In a season of crowded stadiums, a moment to appreciate where it all began — Rome

i n Albany, a potential plan to gut the public-private management of our electricity.

ronaLd J. rosenBerG

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