Franklin Square/Elmont Herald 12-24-2020 by Richner Communications, Inc

Franklin Square/Elmont

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Cub scouts make holiday donation

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DeCeMBeR 24- 30, 2020

Vol. 22 no. 52

Teens seek cops’ empathy Elmont Memorial students discuss policing in new video work more harmoniously with community members, and to implement those plans by April As Nassau County’s 185 new 2021 to receive state funding. police cadets learn the ropes of Since then, Nassau County offitheir new jobs during a seven- cials have held several town hall month-long training program, meetings focused on policing, they will watch a video produced and have reached out to various by Elmont Memorial High stakeholders to discuss the issue. School students in “If we are ever which they talk going to change as about their experia society and find ences with police common ground, officers and offer we must listen to suggestions for understand and improving relations respect each othbetween the Nassau er’s opinions,” County Police Ryder said in a Department and statement, calling communities of the NCPD “one of color. the finest in the The Men of country, the best Elmont, a mentoring KeVin DougheRTy trained and very program that was Principal, EMHS engaged in our founded by Princicommunity.” pal Kevin Dougherty “However,” he said, “we can and Raymond Ramos, a school always look to do better. We owe security guard, in 2016, was that to our community and we tasked with creating the video by owe that to our officers.” county Police Commissioner To do so, the students said in Patrick Ryder as part of the their video, police should be county’s effort to expand com- more present at events, and treat munity policing, as ordered by Black people more f airly. Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Following “They’re saying, ‘We, too, are the police-involved killing of human, and we, too, deserve George Floyd in Minneapolis in respect,” Principal Kevin DoughMay, Cuomo directed all police departments to develop plans to Continued on page 18

By Melissa Koenig mkoenig@liherald.com

Melissa Koenig/Herald

The big man comes to town Santa Claus stopped to say “Merry Christmas” to Lucas Harhakis, second from right, on his way through Franklin Square on Dec. 19, when members of the Franklin Square and Munson Fire Department escorted him through town. They were with Capt. Anthony Gregorio, far left, and firefighter Gus Harahkis.

A ‘compassionate giant’

Former Elmont school board member dies at 87 By Melissa Koenig mkoenig@liherald.com

The Rev. Kenneth Williams, a once-constant presence at the Dutch Broadway School and a calming voice on the Elmont Board of Education, died of a stroke on Dec. 16, at age 87. Williams was born to Caribbean immigrants in Harlem in 1933, and grew up with five

siblings, three sisters and two brothers. He attended Morris High School in the Bronx, and studied at Monroe Business School and the City College School of Business Administration, before becoming a “doit-all” employee for American Airlines, he told Newsday in a 2003 article on the Elmont school board election. In the 1980s he helped his brother, Ezra, then a pastor at

Bethel Gospel Assembly in Harlem, find a new building for his cong re gation. The church’s membership was growing exponentially at the time, Louis A. DeCaro recounted in his book, “A Shepherd in Harlem: The Life and Times of Ezra Williams,” which Ezra tried to accommodate by adding more seating options, but any mention of Continued on page 5

hey’re saying, ‘We, too, are human, and we, too, deserve respect.’

A window wonderland

Franklin Square man decorates homes, businesses for the holidays By Melissa Koenig mkoenig@liherald.com

Larry Cozzolino has always been into art, from the time he was a child spray painting the windows at Phil’s Pizzeria and Restaurant in Massapequa to the time he was a young adult painting motorcycles. Now, his work can be seen in windows throughout Franklin Square — at storefronts like Prince Umberto’s, Sew Fine Embroidery, Little Enrico’s Pizzeria and the Philly Pretzel Factory, as well as Deborah Detz Clark’s house on Rosegold Street. “I guess people call me through word of mouth,” Cozzolino, 40, said, noting that he also paints murals for children’s rooms and restaurants. He even made a spray painted lawn sign for Clark’s childrens’ birthdays over the pandemic, and immediately following Thanksgiving, she called him to decorate her sliding glass doors for Christmas — Cozzolino’s busiest time of the year. “I’m a little fanatical with decorating for Christmas,” Clark explained. So, Cozzolino came over to her house earlier this month and spent about an hour spray painting and airbrushing the doors while Clark’s 4-year-old daughter, Charlotte, watched him with

WyldStyle_NY/Instagram

Cozzolino has Created designs for stores throughout Franklin Square. Courtesy Deborah Detz Clark

Charlotte ClarK posed in front of her decorated windows. awe. He bases his designs off of the space available and the type of business or household he is working with. At bakeries, for example, he said he would spray paint Santa Claus eating dough-

nuts, and at pizzerias, he has decorated stereotypical Italian scenes. At Clark’s house, meanwhile, he painted Charlotte, who calls him “my Larry,” as an elf. Then, after the holiday season is

over, Cozzolino said he will go back to the businesses and houses and scrape off his designs, and replace them with Valentine’s Day decorations. “If it’s not one thing,” he said, “I’m doing something else.” For more information about Cozzolino’s work, visit his Instagram @WyldStyle_NY, or call him at (516) 713 - 6271.

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December 24, 2020 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 24, 2020

the Scene in Elmont, which saw about six inches of snow. Ronny Reyes/Herald

Nor’easter blows through Franklin Square and Elmont By Scott Brinton and MeliSSa Koenig sbrinton@liherald.com

Schools in Franklin Square and Elmont were closed on Dec. 17, after a powerful nor’easter whipped across Nassau County, dumping 3 to 6 inches of snow on the South Shore and 4 to 8 on the North Shore. The snow, at times, mixed with light rain, leaving a thin sheen of ice atop the white stuff. Road conditions were better on main thoroughfares and worse on side streets. The Town of Hempstead deployed 165 plow trucks, more than 40 payloaders, 40 pickup trucks and two tractor trailers in preparation for the storm. The town also rented an additional 13 pickup trucks with detachable plows to service the entire township. As of 8 a.m. last Thursday, snow still appeared to be falling lightly, and wind gusts remained strong. Students did not have to attend school remotely in Franklin Square, Elmont or Sewanhaka, and Franklin Square Superintendent Jared Bloom said district officials will provide more information about making up the day at a later time. If the Franklin Square school district needs to declare any other snow days later in the school year, however, he said, the district will “utilize remote learning for all students rather than taking additional days from the spring recess.” The schools reopened on Dec. 18. The Long Island Rail Road, meanwhile, was running 10 to 15 behind schedule systemwide, and the NICE Bus also reported delays. PSEG-LI reported that about 3,300 Long Islanders lost power overnight, with 150 outages on Dec. 17. There was one outage reported in Elmont, according to the utility’s outage map, but crews expected to get the power back up by 5:30 p.m.

Courtesy Carl Gerrato

Courtesy Deborah Detz Clark

Keeley Borg, SaMantha Brunhuber, Charlotte Clark, Leo Brunhuber, Max Brunhuber and Maika Borg enjoyed their day off from school by building a snowman on Rosegold Street in Franklin Square, above. riley, top left, enjoyed her first snow storm.

Courtesy Rony Kessler

rony KeSSler tooK the “Winter Wonderland” photo to the left from his yard in Franklin Square.

obituaries

December 24, 2020 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

Joseph Ottati Joseph Ottati, of East Meadow, died on Nov. 8. He was a proud veteran of the United States Air Force, and a lifelong sports fan. He also managed the Don Bosco Youth League, held a season ticket to New York Giants games and was an Atlantic City aficionado. Ottati is survived by his children, Patricia (Carmine) Vecchione, Anthony (Peggy) Ottati, Maria (Nat) Napi and Paul (Patty) Ottati; his grandchildren, Jennifer, Camille, Nat, Elvira, Anthony, Megan, Joseph, Nicholas and Lena; great-grandchildren Joseph, Nicholas, Jack, Mia, Ronnie, Luca, Daniella, Leanna and Tessa; brother, Louis (Kris) Ottati; and his many nieces and nephews. A funeral service was held for him on Nov. 12 at the St. Catherine of Sienna Roman Catholic Church, and he was interred at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.

Courtesy Natasha Warburton

Cub Scouts donate supplies to children By Melissa KOenig mkoenig@liherald.com

Cub Scouts in Pack 294 recently collected 77 gifts and school supplies for Elmont students in need. Natasha Warburton, the den leader, worked with Elmont Superintendent Kenneth Rosner to find out how many students in the district were in need this holiday season, and drop the gifts off to their

homes for the pack’s annual Operation Christmas. “This year we thought it was best to give back to our community,” Warburton said. “All of us are Elmont residents, and a lot of our children go to school with them.” The pack has previously filled shoeboxes up with school supplies and clothing for children in Malawi, who, Warburton said, “were able to enjoy the Christmas they never had.”

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Joseph Ottati

Josephine Torre could always find Josephine playing in Josephine Cuneo Torre died on Dec. 2. She was born in New York City in 1926 the dirt and tending to her flowers. to Francesco and Angela She was predeceased by Cuneo, and grew up in Calher parents, Francesco vari, Italy. She married and Angela; her husband, Bruno Torre on June 30, Bruno; her sister, Rosa 1946, and together they Zavatteri; and her first retur ned to New York. grandson, BrunoTagliaferThey spent 45 years of ri. She is survived by her marriage in their Elmont sister, Elizebeth Queirolo; home until his passing in brother, Peter Cuneo; January of 1991. daughters, Rosalba (Whip) Josephine was O ’ B oy l e a n d S i l va n a described as very generous (Thomas) Tagliaferri; son and nurturing. Her door Frederick (Rose) Torre; was always open to family granddaughters Patricia and friends. She loved to Walter and Simone Torre; cook and share her deligreat-grandchildren, SilvaJosephine Torre cious dishes with those na Walter, Rocco Walter seated around her large and Eliza Tagliaferri; and kitchen table. It was not unusual for many nieces and nephews. guests to stop by just in time for dinner. A funeral service was held for her on Her other passion was flowers. She Dec. 12 at the St. Boniface Roman Catholic took great pride in having the most beau- Church and she was interred at the St. tiful gardens in the neighborhood. You Boniface cemetery.

Obituary notices

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Community leader, former BOE member dies at 87

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 24, 2020

continued from front

Kenneth Williams school board during a tumultuous time. It had been reported in 2004 that Roslyn school officials had embezzled money from the district, and to prevent something like that from happening in Elmont, Williams encourage his colleagues on the board to undergo training for their roles. By the time the New York State School Boards Association made board trustee training a requirement in 2005, five of the seven members of the Elmont board met the criteria for certification. “He honestly led our school district so that, when that mandate came out, very few of us needed to take the classes,” Phillips recounted. Williams attended several National School Boards Association conferences, and once even stopped by a school where a shooting had recently taken place. “You would not believe he wasn’t one of the locals,” Phillips said of the way Williams interacted with the mourners. “He spoke to people and he comforted people.” “He really understood people in a way that I thought was remarkable,” Phillips added, and recalled how he and Williams once went to a jazz club, and Williams remarked that while the singer had a great voice, “‘she hasn’t lived what she was singing.’” “There was always a nature of peace that surrounded him,” said Carol Parker, a former Dutch Broadway PTA member who used to drop her children off at school at the same time as Williams. He was a friendly face around the school, according to Leonitha Francis, who was a sixth- and seventh-grade classmate of Williams’s son, Corey. She said she always felt comfortable around the elder Williams, describing him as “a compassionate giant.” He once told Francis that she should have told him she didn’t have a ride to a birthday party of Corey’s, and added, “Any time you need anything, let me know.” Williams was predeceased by his parents, Livingstone and Gertrude; sisters Jestina, Geraldine and Ruth; and brothers Ezra and Benjamin. He is survived by his children, Kim and Corey.

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buying a new church was rejected by the older members. Eventually, the church leadership bought the nearby shuttered Public School 120, the old Cooper Junior High School, in an auction, but it needed many repairs before it could open to the public. Then, one day when Kenneth was looking at a downtown storefront, he struck up a conversation with the proprietor, and mentioned all the work he and his brother needed to do to the old school to tur n it into a church. The man told him to get in contact with John D’Eletto, a general contractor from New Jersey. He did, and D’Eletto, a devout Catholic, made it his mission to fix up the building, even spending some of his own money to do so. The church soon fell behind on payments, however, and as Kenneth recounted in DeCaro’s book, he worried about what he and his brother would tell their new friend. But when they met to discuss the matter over dinner, D’Eletto assured them that he would not stop working. In fact, he told them he would advance them a loan so that Bethel could meet its payments, and they would square away their accounts later. The church, which sits across from Marcus Garvey Park, has since become a full-service place of worship, with after-school programs and Bible study classes, and was led until 1999 by Bishop Ezra Williams and the Rev. Kenneth Williams. “His invaluable service to the work of the Lord at Bethel Gospel Assembly will forever be etched in our hearts,” church officials wrote about Kenneth in a Facebook post on Dec. 18. “We pray for his entire family and all of his loved ones.” Kenneth Williams moved to Elmont in the mid-1990s, where he raised two children, Kim and Corey, with his exwife, and where he served on the school board from 1997 to 2006. Though he never served as president, during his tenure, he ensured that all board policies enhanced learning, and that the right people were hired for the right roles, according to his friends Aubrey Phillips and Carol Parker. “Ken believed in leadership by example,” Phillips, who served with him on the school board, wrote in a Facebook post on Dec. 16, after hearing of his death. Kenneth was a member of the National Black Council of School Board Members, and wanted to rewrite the narrative of what a minority school district could do. In fact, Phillips told the Herald, when he and Williams would talk about the Elmont School District’s successes at state and national school board conventions, people “would look at us like we had five heads.” But, Phillips said, “We expected our administration to do its job, and it did.” Williams was a calming voice on the

December 24, 2020 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

events and activities

community update Ongoing

at a virtual Paint Party with Authentic HeARTwork’s Celicia Cargill on Jan. 3 at 1 p.m. Pickup for supplies will be at the Elmont Memorial Library on Dec. 29 and Dec. 30. Registration is required, and the event is only open to Elmont library cardholders.

Make melted snowman cookies Learn how to make melted snowmen cookies from the Franklin Square library’s baking coach. Simply visit the library’s website to learn how to create the cookies out of sugar cookies and assorted candy decorations. The recipe and video will be available throughout the month of December.

Monday, Jan. 4 Learn about the presidency Learn how former presidents have changed the role of the office in a virutal discussion on Jan. 4 at 12:30 p.m. Registration is required on the Elmont Memorial Library’s website. A link will be emailed to all participants before the program begins.

Arbor Day poster contest Participate in the New York State Arbor Day’s annual poster contest by taking a high-resolution photo featuring trees within New York State. The winning artist’s photo will be replicated as the 2021 New York State Original Artwork Arbor Day Poster. Participants are limited to five submissions, and each submission should include a completed artist information form available on the State Department of Environmental Conservation’s website. The submission deadline is Dec. 31. For more information, visit DEC’s website, and to obtain past New York State Arbor Day posters call (518) 402-9428.

Make dog biscuits Visit the Franklin Square Library’s webite during the month of January to learn how to make dog biscuits, which will be donated to a local shelter for community service credit. Participants must snap a photo of themselves making the dog biscuits with the Baking Caoch video and their finished product. They can then drop them off at the library to be donated or can donate them to a local shelter themselves. However, if a participant donates the cookies themselves, they must snap a photo of them dropping the biscuits off at the shelter. Please send those photos to ebach@franklinsquarepl.org

Thursday, Dec. 24 See Santa Claus Members of the Franklin Square & Munson Engine Companies 1 and 2 will be going around on Christmas Eve, starting at 6 p.m. They will not be making any stops this year due to the

l l l l l

Wednesday, Jan. 6 How to manage your paper Pixabay.com

Celebrate Kwanzaa, virtually The Town of Hempstead will host its annual Kwanzaa celebration virtually on Dec. 26 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. It will feature guest speakers, dancers, singers and a traditional Kwanzaa chief to discuss the seven principles of the holiday. The event will be streamed live on the town’s Facebook page. pandemic, and the route is subject to change throughout the evening due to the department responding to emergency calls. Any changes will be posted on the Franklin Square and Munson Fire Department’s Facebook page.

Saturday, Dec. 26 Virtual Kwanzaa celebration The Town of Hempstead will host its annual Kwanzaa celebration virtually on Dec. 26 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. It will feature guest speakers, dancers, singers and a traditional Kwanzaa chief to discuss the seven principles of the holiday. The event will be streamed on the town’s Facebook page.

how robotics, engineering, math and art can create geometric color designs in a live Zoom presentation from the Franklin Square library on Dec. 26 at 2 p.m. The students will use online tools, as well as materials that can be found at home, to make their own amazing designs.

chips from the Elmont Memorial Library and join the children’s librarian on Zoom on Dec. 29 at 4 p.m. for holiday BINGO. Registration is required.

Saturday, Jan. 2 Intermediate Excel class

Tuesday, Dec. 29 Learn to draw cartoons Teenagers in grades seven through 12 can learn the basics of cartoon drawing in a virtual program from the Elmont Memorial Library on Dec. 29. Registration is required to receive a link to the program.

Robotic spirals lesson

Holiday BINGO

Children ages six through 14 can learn

Children can pick up a BINGO card and

The Franklin Square Public Library will be offering an intermediate Microsoft Excel class virtually on Jan. 2 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Participants must use thier own laptop or tablet. Registration is required.

Sunday, Jan. 3 Paint Party Learn how to paint Mr. and Mrs. Frosty

Marie Limpert and Annmarie Brogan will teach patrons techniques on how to manage their every day paperwork with ease in a virtual program on Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. Registration at the Franklin Square library is required.

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 mkoenig@liherald.com

There will be a story in the Jan. 7 Herald about a public hearing on the Belmont project. The Elmont library will be closed on Christmas and New Years. Local restaurant owners can apply for a grant from the County Legislature. The Franklin Square Pharmacy is offering rapid Covid tests by walk-in or appointment. The Elmont Family Health Center is also offering Covid testing on Saturdays only, by appointment

Look at the whole picture

Good tidings for a new year By Carl luBin

By John Jurik I have a favorite Christmas card: a cozy little cabin snuggled in some snowy woods. Yet, it is only a moment in time. If we could see past the edges of that card, we might also see some pretty familiar sights. I wonder if the lot next door has been clear-cut to make way for a subdivision, or if there is at least one rusted-out refrigerator in the woods. I hope I am not ruining your Christmas.What I mean is, even the very best pictures of Jesus and his family do not tell the whole story. You know the story by heart: How the whole town was clogged with travelers, none of whom were there by choice. The emperor wanted them all counted and taxed, and he could have cared less where they John slept. Joseph and Mary got a stall instead of a room, which was not as bad as we sometimes make it out to be, but still, not an ideal situation. We know they got a feeding trough, because that was where they laid their treasure, and that is when the picture was taken — right then, while the star was still overhead and the angels were still singing in the rafters. But twenty minutes later, what? The hole in the heavens had closed up and the

only music came from the bar at the inn. I wonder, as she leaned over to pick him up, did Mary start crying too, and when Joseph tried to comfort her, did she tell him she wanted her mother? If she had just married a nice boy from Nazareth, she would say, she would be back home where she belonged, instead of competing with sheep for a place to sleep. Then she would say she was sorry, she didn’t mean it, and Joseph said not to worry about it. He meant it, too. They both hurt all over and there was nothing to eat and it was cold as the dickens, but you know what? God was still there, right in the middle of the picture. Peace was there, and joy and love — not only in the best of times but also, and especially, in the worst of times, because during those times. Jurik It is the God who comes to us in the midst of life that answers our daily prayers, no matter where we are or if our lives reflect the Christmas cards we send. That is where God is born, in any cradle we will offer, on any pile of straw we will pat together with our hands. John Jurik is the interim pastor at the Ascension Lutheran Church in Franklin Square and St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in West Hempstead.

Wishing you a holiday season filled with joy and hope Your Friends at: Rhonda Glickman, VP Sales Scott Brinton, Executive Editor

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Stuart Richner, Publisher

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 24, 2020

The story of Jesus Christ is not fake news — it’s good news: The good news of God the Son coming to Earth to defeat evil and bring hope and deliverance to all. It is good news that Jesus entered our world as a genuine historical person who walked this earth like other men. It is the good news of the Christ (which simply means “Messiah”), the promised, anointed Savior of men. In a year like we’ve had in 2020, we can sure use some good news. The world that Jesus was born into had been wrecked by poverty, war, and destruction. Today, our world is similarly filled with trouble. We have had a tumultuous election year, a global pandemic and social unrest. There is trouble on every side. HowCarl ever, you don’t have to be troubled, you can choose the joy that Jesus brings. That doesn’t mean the troubles around us disappear, but you can in your soul experience unspeakable joy. As the Christmas carol says, because of Christ’s birth, “The weary world rejoices!” The Christmas narrative also teaches us to “fear not.” In the middle of so much uncertainty, we don’t have to be afraid. We don’t know what tomorrow holds, but we

know who holds tomorrow. When you look at the events of the Christmas story you cannot miss the fact that God actively moved in human history to bring those events to pass. Whether it was predicting the very city he would be born, or even the miraculous manner of his birth, we learn that God is in control. May those thoughts comfort us during this chaotic season. Even when we can’t see it, there is Divine Purpose at work. The best news of all is that Jesus came to be our Savior. Jesus came to seek and to save. The reason for the season is the birth of Christ. The reason for His birth, and entrance into our world, is so that He could die on the cross of Calvary and atone for all our sins. He came to bring forgiveness and deliverance for all mankind; this is what Christmas is all lubin about. As of this writing, our nation is awaiting good tidings of the arrival of a Covid-19 vaccine that will hopefully bring healing and put this pandemic behind us. May we also remember the arrival of Jesus Christ to deal with the problem of evil. May God bring good tidings of great joy to you and your loved ones this Christmas. Carl Lubin is the pastor of the Bible Baptist Church in Elmont

Experts discuss benefits of 5G at Inside LI webinar

December 24, 2020 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

By ANDREW GARCIA agarcia@liherald.com

“It’s safe,” Dr. Purna Prasad, chief technology officer at Northwell Health, said of recent advancements to 5G technology. Thus was the resounding opinion given by experts during the latest episode of the Herald Inside LI webinar series, “The Power of 5G,” in which Prasad and other professionals in the technology field spoke about 5G’s increasing role in public and professional connectivity. Panelists alongside Prasad included Ana Rua, the government affairs manager at Crown Castle; Caitlin Brookner, spokeswoman for New Yorkers for 5G; and Fan Ye, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Stony Brook University. Skye Ostreicher, of Herald Community Newspapers and RichnerLive, moderated the discussion. She kicked off the episode by naming a number of the devices that already use 5G technology, including household security systems, pet and baby monitors, and GPS guidance applications in cars. The potential for 5G is far-reaching, Ostreicher added, such as monitoring elderly parents’ blood pressure while they are in Florida and you are in New York. “The technology has been peer reviewed — both nationally and internationally by renowned and reputable organizations — and it has been found safe,” said Rua, noting the Food and Drug

ThE lATEsT EpIsoDE of Herald Inside LI, “The Power of 5G,” featured, from left to right from top row: moderator Skye Ostreicher; New Yorkers for 5G spokeswoman Caitlin Brookner; Crown Castle Government Affairs Manager Ana Rua; Stony Brook University Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Fan Ye; and Northwell Health Chief Technology Officer Dr. Purna Prasad. Administration, the National Health Institute and the American Cancer Society have deemed the technology safe. On the electromagnetic spectrum, 5G exists in the realm of visible light, with wavelengths similar to other harmless wavelengths commonly found in households. These exist within the non-ionizing spectrum of wavelengths that are lowenergy and low-frequency. In contrast, the ionizing spectrum, which includes gamma rays and X-rays, can harm a person. The debate and discussion surrounding the implementation of technology like 5G has been happening for decades, Prasad said. In the 1990s, he authored a study on the topic and found no evidence of nega-

tive effects. Those findings, he added, have not changed. 5G technology was developed from its four predecessors. When 2G was the norm, mobile phones were basically no different from any others, as they were primarily used for making calls. The era of 3G, however, turned mobile phones into computers, giving unlimited access to the internet, explained Ye. 5G “is just naturally the next step,” Ye said, “because people are always asking for a higher data rate with lower loss and lower latency.” Certain advances are only possible with the assistance of 5G, such as augmented reality, which requires streaming high-

quality video, Ye explained. Doctors can also perform operations on patients thousands of miles away if remote surgery is able to rely on 5G. 5G connectivity allows for the bandwidth needed for advanced medical services. An ambulance responding to an emergency call, for example, can use the full set of tools at its disposal, connect to a doctor via 5G and treat the patient at the scene, Prasad said. “It’s going to save lives,” Prasad said. Although 5G offers an enhancement of 4G technology, 4G isn’t going anywhere, Rua said. The 4G network that exists across Long Island will be the foundation for 5G developments, allowing for public and professional use between the two. “4G is not going to go away — we need to enhance that current infrastructure for 4G and build on top of it for 5G infrastructure,” Rua said. “High speed connectivity really impacts every facet of our lives and will have a large effect on almost every industry out there,” Brookner said. This episode of Herald Inside L.I. — the final episode of the first season — was sponsored by New Yorkers for 5G and Crown Castle. All 14 episodes of the premiere season can be found at liherald. com/insideli. The first episode of the second season of Herald Inside L.I. is set to stream on Jan. 7, 2021 — “Set your calendars,” Ostreicher said. “We have a lot of things planned.”

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Mental health

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FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD â€” December 24, 2020

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Feed your mind

December 24, 2020 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

Superfoods that can soothe your anxiety We all know the important of eating well to improve our physical health, but the all-important superfoods can do wonders for a mental health as well. Recent research indicates that dietary changes may improve cognitive function and reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders.

Oily Fish Numerous studies have revealed that “oily” fish like salmon, mackerel and trout promote optimal brain health. These fish contain high levels of the Omega-3 fatty acid DHA. The study, spearheaded by Professor Welma Stonehouse, at New Zealand’s Massey University, revealed that DHA-rich fish improved both short-term “working” memory and long-term memory in the 176 healthy adults who participated in the study. Findings also reveal that DHA is a key nutrient that has the power to actually prevent the development of Alzheimer’s Disease. Other “oily” fish that are high in DHA include pawns and sardines. High levels of DHA are also found in certain shellfish, such as mussels.

phenolics and flavinoids, which have been found to cleanse the brain, eliminating the toxins that serve to inhibit an array of functions, including memory. According to a study published in the Annals of Neurology, researchers discovered that women who ate strawberries (and blueberries) saw a delay in the on-set of age-related mental decline. The study was performed over the course of 36 years. A total of 16,000 women took part in the study and it was discovered that the women who ate lots of strawberries saw a 2.5 year delay in the on-set of memory problems and the development of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Sage Sage is commonly used to add flavor to a wide range of different culinary dishes, but it also contains powerful antioxidants and compounds that are similar to those Sage has also been found to improve the “interconnectivity” among the different regions of the brain, which serves to improve comprehension speed, concentration and problem-solving speed. Improving memory isn’t the only benefit that sage offers; it also has anti-inflammatory properties and it’s high in Vitamin K (which is also known as a brain-friendly vitamin!)

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Tomatoes Lycopene-rich tomatoes have been found to help individuals maintain optimal brain health for longer, enabling their bodies to stave off the impact of damage that’s caused by free radicals, which progressively damage the brain over time, resulting in an age-related decline in mental capabilities. Tomatoes contain the antioxidant known as lycopene, has been found to combat free radicals, which would otherwise damage brain cells.

•Bring your questions and concerns. •Find support among peers. •Discussions on pre and post limb care. •Discussions on short and long-term goals. •Have your questions answered by our medical team. •Outreach for support services.

Broccoli Broccoli is high in Vitamin K, which has been found to enhance brain function. Vitamin K has been found to reduce your chances of developing age-related dementia.

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Blueberries Blueberries, which are rich in antioxidants and compounds called polyphenolics, have been found to improve short-term memory and concentration, while also delaying the onset of conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Studies performed at Tufts University’s Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging have revealed that the antioxidants successfully cleared away toxins that had accumulated in the brain. These toxins inhibit brain functions, especially short-term memory, attention-span and concentration.

Strawberries Like blueberries, strawberries contain poly-

Pumpkin Seeds Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc, which serves to boost your memory, problem-solving skills, and mental speed. They also contain niacin, which serves to enhance GABA activity in the brain (while also reducing LDL cholesterol levels); this results in decreased anxiety. They also contain lots of protein, antioxidants and essential minerals like copper, iron, magnesium and selenium.

Whole Grains Whole grains such as wheat and oats contain choline, which enhances the body’s ability to produce acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that improves memory. So you’ll enjoy a boost to your short-term working memory and your long-term memory when you eat plenty of whole grains.

You are not alone

hese are unprecedented times. We need to work extra hard to manage our emotions well. Expect to have a lot of mixed feelings. Naturally we feel anxiety, and maybe waves of panic, particularly when seeing new headlines. Our anxiety — while uncomfortable — can be bonding, especially if we manage it well. At the same time, we must make an effort to prevent panic contagion and create periods when we can be screen-free and calm, engaging our attention in normal daily activities. Seize opportunities to share lightness and humor. Laughter right now is a relief for all of us! You can also find moments of hope and resilience all around us despite the uncertainty. It may be helpful for you to make a list of what you can and cannot control right now. Mental health experts suggest radical acceptance of the situations we cannot control, and focus on what we can do. Stay physically safe from the virus In this case, the biggest safety behaviors (physical distancing and hand washing), which decrease transmission of the COVID-19 virus, are also an integral part of anxiety management. Stay home when you can. When outside the home, wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. To help us make the thorough hand-washing a new habit, try this: “Wash as if you just chopped up a jalapeno pepper (without gloves) and you now have to put in your contact lenses.” Don’t forget the sides of each and every finger, the back of hands, palms, the creases and nail beds, and the back of nails. Wash for at least 20 seconds — as long as it takes you to silently hum the Alphabet Song, Happy Birthday, or recite the Loving Kindness Prayer. If you are a speedy hummer, say it twice. Limit media to reduce anxiety By now you have heard this recommendation many times and there is research behind it: Watching or scrolling through the media makes us even more anxious. An excess of news and visual images about a traumatic event can create symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and poor health years later, according to research by UC Irvine’s Roxy Silver, Ph.D., and others. Try to limit Covid-19 media exposure to no more than twice a day (i.e. checking for updates in the morning and before dinner) and try to avoid news about Covid-19 before bedtime. Take a vow to not forward (and thus propagate) alarming headlines to friends and family. Get and provide warm, comforting, social support Find and encourage support by video, phone, or text. This is critical! Taking time to share your feelings and to listen and support others will go a long way. Talking with others who have our best interests at heart makes us feel safe. Use phone, video, text, or email. Fortunately these new highways of social contact are unlimited resources. More than just providing social support about the current crisis, it is a good idea to use these connections to talk about the things you normally would — host your book club online, for example — which can create feelings of connectedness. Host a dinner using FaceTime or Zoom so you can talk while you eat (and talk about some positive things, not just this crisis). Loving and caring for our pets can be phenomenal stress reduction for us too! Find ways of expressing kindness, patience, and compassion Be extra kind to yourself. This is a hard time for everyone. Humans across the world are sharing this experience with you. We are all in this together and we may all emerge with a renewed appreciation for our interconnectedness. Helping others in need is both critical to get through this well, and also creates more purpose to our days and well-being. Donate blood if you are able. The American Red

Staying in control in a world that’s out of control Coronavirus stress takes many forms but can be managed

Cross faces a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations during this coronavirus outbreak. Eligible and healthy donors are strongly urged to make an appointment to donate and help ensure that lifesaving blood products are available for patients. Create new routines and keep practicing health behaviors Routine and ritual are restorative to us. Our brain wants predictable activity so we can relax our vigilant nervous system. Go to bed early and go outside each day to be active. Remember that our activities, thoughts, and mood are closely linked. If you want to change your mood, change your activities and/or your thoughts. Eat well Good nutrition helps our mood. Stress makes us seek comfort foods, and in turn high carbs and sugars impact our mood. Many population-based studies show that a Mediterranean diet has been linked to better mental health and stress resilience, whereas a junk food western diet is linked to depression and anxiety. Try to fill your home with fresh produce, frozen vegetables, and whole foods when possible. Work well enough from home Working from home may be new to you and can have its own challenges, especially in a small home with children. Don’t expect to have the same type of productivity as usual. We are all distracted and needing to cope with a different daily life now, while helping others. Reduce your goals for typical work that is not urgent, if possible. Here are some recommendations on how to stay focused and productive during work hours: Confine your workspace to a specific clear area in your home so your job doesn’t intrude on your personal needs. Use this same space regularly to work. This will focus your mind and increase your productivity. Control sound. Use noise cancelling headphones or earbuds, or use music or fans to create white noise. End the workday with clear boundaries. Put away electronic devices and work tools at the end of your workday and set clear hours in the day for work. Have a morning or evening check-in with a colleague or supervisor to reduce social isolation and provide structure to your day. Use video communications when you can. Seeing faces provides more social connection and information than just talking. Above photo: Covid-19 has disrupted our routines and made everyday activities, such as work and caring for loved ones, challenging. Those changes, on top of the general uncertainty around this pandemic, has resulted in increased stress even for those who are generally not prone to stress-related concerns.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of our lives, from health and exercise to work, school, parenting and socializing. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), many Americans are experiencing considerable stress related to the coronavirus. While you can’t control the virus, you can take steps to control how you respond to it. Coronavirus-related stress takes many forms Covid-19 has impacted many aspects of our lives, so it makes sense that our reactions to it vary widely. Many people experience physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive problems or muscle tension. Some may have problems sleeping or may sleep too much. Others may lose their appetite or overeat. Coronavirus-related stress can also have psychological effects. People whose income has been affected, for example, may be anxious about paying their bills or supporting their families. Working remotely and distance learning can take a toll on both adults and children who thrive on social interaction, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Depression and irritability are common reactions. If you don’t get a handle on your stress, you can raise your risk of more health issues. “When we’re stressed, our blood pressure goes up naturally,” says psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Brackin.“That puts you at higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke, or even developing cancer.” How to deal with stress The pandemic has left many feeling a loss of control over their lives. The usual routines have been disrupted indefinitely, and the future seems uncertain. Coping techniques help. Dr. Brackin offers some tips to help you feel more in control of your life and keep your stress level in check. Maintain routines. No matter what your age is, it can be helpful to create some type of structure in your day. If you exercised before work, for example, try to continue to do so. Have meals at the same time as you did before the virus. Try to maintain familiar routines for yourself and your family. Of course, there will be

some changes, but attempt to create normalcy where you can. Stay in touch. Social distancing requirements have significantly changed how we connect with our friends, coworkers and even our own family members. Except for those in your household, you probably aren’t seeing family as often as you used to. Children and teens may find it particularly difficult to be isolated from their friends and sports groups. It’s important to continue to find ways to connect with people when you can’t see them in person, says Dr. Brackin, such as scheduling weekly phone calls or meeting virtually on Zoom. Getting outside of the house can help relieve feelings of isolation, and spending time in nature has been shown to help reduce stress. Arrange to walk with a friend or get together in the yard while maintaining a safe distance. Get adequate rest. If stress makes it difficult to fall asleep or you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night, take a look at your sleep habits. Avoid looking at your phone, tablet and other screens for an hour before you go to bed. Not only can texting, watching news videos or playing games stimulate your mind, the blue light from screens can interfere with sleep. Having a glass of wine may help you relax, but it can also disrupt sleep later. If you wake up and can’t get back to sleep right away, it can help to leave the bedroom and read or do something else relaxing until you feel sleepy again. Breathe. Any time you feel stressed, take a few minutes to practice deep, mindful breathing. Focusing on your breath can interrupt your body’s stress response, slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure. Take a slow deep breath in for three seconds, hold it for a count of four, exhale for three seconds. Repeat this a few times until you feel calmer. “Mindfulness meditation is a wonderful intervention to give yourself a sense of peace, regardless of what’s happening externally,” says Dr. Brackin. Above photo: Pandemic-related stress affects people in different ways. It depends on age, coping skills, genetics, even a person’s financial situation.

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 24, 2020

Emotional well-being during the pandemic

HEALTH MEMO

NSPC surgeon performs cutting-edge epilepsy treatment at local hospital

eurosurgeon Brian J. About Neurological Surgery, Snyder, M.D., P.C. (NSPC Brain & Spine operated on a young Surgery) man suffering from refractory Founded in Freeport in 1958, seizures with a new deep brain Neurological Surgery, P.C. (NSPC stimulation (DBS) technique at Brain & Spine Surgery) has grown a local Long Island hospital. He to become one of the largest, implanted the Medtronic DBS private neurosurgical groups in the System for Epilepsy to reduce U.S. with seven conveniently the frequency of his patient’s located offices on Long Island, seizures. Dr. Snyder is a partner including offices in West Islip, and attending neurosurgeon Commack, Port Jefferson Station, with Neurological Surgery, P.C. and Riverhead. (NSPC Brain & Spine Surgery), The practice’s experienced Brian J Snyder, M.D. Rockville Centre, NY, and a neurosurgeons and interventional fellowship-trained, board neuroradiologists are experts in certified expert in “Bloodless” brain and spine neuromodulation, surgery for epilepsy, movement surgery, including laser spine surgery, endoscopic disorders, and refractory pain. spine surgery, ultrasonic spine surgery, radiosurgery, Known as bilateral stimulation of the anterior and other advanced minimally invasive techniques nucleus of the thalmus (ANT), the technique uses which are used to treat brain tumors, brain aneurysms, trigeminal neuralgia, herniated disc, electrical impulses delivered by electrodes placed in spinal stenosis, chronic back pain, and other critical portions of the brain to block the onset of conditions. Please visit www.nspc.com to learn seizures. The electrodes are powered by a battery more. placed just under a patient’s collar bone. Affecting nearly 50 million people, worldwide, epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases. “Studies have shown,” observes Dr. Snyder, “that treatments such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) can reduce seizures in epilepsy patients for whom other therapies have failed.” An expert in 100 Merrick Rd., #128w, Rockville Centre DBS, Dr. Snyder has implanted more DBS systems on 516-255-9031 • nspc.com Long Island than anyone else. Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

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Unpredictable can become unmanageable It all seems different — because it is

tress in these unpredictable times is a normal reaction but you can implement techniques that can help you, your coworkers, employees, and friends and family get through these challenging times. The unfolding of this pandemic can lead to individuals experiencing a range of emotional reactions with accompanying symptoms that can occur at varying levels of severity. You may find yourself shocked, scared or traumatized by this experience. You may even cycle between these feelings, going from being scared for what the future might hold to later noting how well you can adapt to the new normal. Your response and the responses of people in your life can vary based on a multitude of factors including perceived risk from Covid-19 to yourself and others, financial status, mental health history, familial/social support, and those helping with the Covid-19 response such as health care providers. Common reactions can include: √ Denial, shock, numbness √ Feeling vulnerable, unsafe √ Anxiety, panic, worry √ Difficulty concentrating √ Withdrawal, isolation √ Remembering other life traumas √ Headaches, fatigue, sleep disturbances √ Helplessness, hopelessness √ Sadness, crying, despair √ Irritability, anger √ Appetite changes √ Being hyper-alert Managing emotional response Stress and anxiety are common responses to scary events like Covid-19. It’s important to remember that psychologically speaking, anxiety and stress are not emotions. Anxiety and stress are physiological responses to physical or emotional threats. Our bodies get into fight or flight mode when we experience psychological danger just as it does when we experience physical danger.The more we can become aware of our emotions and effectively process them, the more you can effectively manage your anxiety. Times like these can provoke a lot of fear, but how we manage our fear can make a big difference in how much psychological distress we experience. Many of us are prone to excessive worried thinking without the Covid-19 pan-

demic, but it may be even more likely given the current global situation. As much as possible, try to be aware of your thoughts, your emotions and what your body is experiencing. Much of the time we are on autopilot and not aware that our minds are going around and around on the same issues. Take a slow deep breath in and out. Check in with your body and see if you are holding tension in your shoulders, chest or jaw. What is your body telling you? Are you feeling fear, sadness, helplessness? What is the narrative going through your mind? Are you worried about the future or catastrophizing? Slow down, breath and count to 10. Now is a good time to remember that there are things that you can control but many that you can’t. Try to let go of the things that you can’t change and change the things that you can. Some other good practices to cope with in these uncertain times: Talk about your feelings. Use the time that you may have been commuting to work to talk to friends or family about your feelings. Instead of texting a friend you haven’t seen in a while, give them a call. Social distancing means that it is more vital than ever to make sure that you are still connecting socially by phone, video chat or in-person (as appropriate). Take care of yourself. Feeling scared can make you act more impulsively.Take care of your body by watching what/how much you eat; your use of alcohol, drugs, caffeine, nicotine, sugar, and medicine. Be sure to get regular exercise by walking around your neighborhood or instituting a daily workout in your home. Now is also a great time to try out that meditation or mindfulness practice. Practice gratitude. Try to find things that you are grateful for. Try to reframe the shelter in place as an opportunity to spend more time with family, catch up on home projects or get outdoors and exercise. Utilize self-compassion. Try to give yourself latitude and kindness during this time. Don’t expect that your level of energy and focus on everyday tasks will be the same as it was before. Expect that some days will be better than others.

Above photo: The emergence of Covid-19 and subsequent major changes to our day to day lives has affected our emotional health.

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 24, 2020

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Metro Physical & Aquatic Therapy expands

etro Physical & Aquatic Therapy, a leading provider of comprehensive therapy and wellness services with locations across Long Island and in Florida, is on the move again, expanding its facilities and rebranding others to reflect its high end, spa-like facilities. Most recently, on Sept. 21, 2020, the organization opened the doors of its Greenvale/ Roslyn facility on Glen Cove Road. This was a relocation from the previous facility inside the nearby Roslyn JCC. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the new facility is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Metro officially introduced this office to the Roslyn/ Greenvale community on Oct. 29, 2020 during a ribboncutting ceremony sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of Roslyn. According to Metro Physical Therapy CEO Michael Mayrsohn, DPT, OCS, “We have been part of the Roslyn JCC community for over 20 years. It was a great experience, but due to Covid-19, increasing patient demand and physician referrals, we needed a standalone space. Our new space affords us the opportunity to serve more patients in the Greenvale community, while also offering the same topnotch facilities and amenities with the addition of parking spaces located right outside the

facility.” Metro Physical Therapy will provide its comprehensive physical, occupational and speech therapies, as well as acupuncture, chiropractic, massage and aquatic therapies. Services are provided by experienced, certified manual therapists who provide one-to-one therapy services for each patient to facilitate the best outcomes. “We are receiving and want to continue receiving a steady increase in patient referrals from area physicians who recognize the value in one-on-one patient care. In addition, we are treating over 100 patients in a week and are looking forward to watching that number grow,” added Mayrsohn. “It is a testament to the high caliber of our medical team and the emphasis we place on quality care. All treatments are performed by experienced healthcare professionals and not assistants. Our goal is to elevate the healthcare experience through a culture of caring, quality, safety, service and innovation.”

50 Glen Cove Rd., Greenvale • (516) 626-8787 • www.metrophysicaltherapy.com Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

HEALTH MEMO

Limb loss and well-rounded care

bout two million individuals in the U.S. are living with a loss of a limb, with more than 185,000 amputations performed each year according to the National Limb Loss Information Center. As many as 54 percent of amputations are caused by vascular disease including diabetes and peripheral arterial disease. Lynbrook Restorative Therapy and Nursing saw a need in the medical field. Patients that have recently lost a limb not only have very specific medical needs but they also have psychological challenges that cannot be ignored. Any rehabilitation facility can care for amputee patients. However, Lynbrook Restorative took the initiative to contact prosthetic companies to discuss how to develop a well-rounded program that would not only focus on the care and education of a new amputee patient but also post amputation support. Rehab will begin immediately; however, before any therapy is begun, an assessment will be carried out by Dr. Rai, our in-house physiatrist. Lynbrook Restorative also has a protocol for safety and pain management. Our dietician is on board to insure dietary needs are met for patients and to promote optimal wound healing. Social work provides support from admission to discharge creating a smooth transition back to the community. Wound care nurses not only care for the patient but also educate them on how to care for their limb. Lynbrook Restorative also hosts an Amputee Support Group. This group is instrumental in assistance of

moving forward with healing. The support among peers brings another level of healing. After all, who better to understand the day to day challenges than others that have been through the loss of a limb themselves. In fact, during a support group meeting one of our former patients admitted to another amputee that she had always loved to paint her toenails. She was feeling depressed she could no longer enjoy that luxury. Her friend in the group assured her she was still able to enjoy pretty painted toes as she could use nail polish on her prosthetic! Our patient was over the moon with the realization that painted toenails was not lost to her. As important as it is to have an educated medical support team, the support from peers can bring a welcomed comfort like no other. Lynbrook Restorative Therapy and Nursing’s Amputee Support Group meets via Zoom on the second Wednesday of the month, from 12 to 1 p.m.; Meeting ID# 818 847 4277, Passcode 234123. For more information about the Amputee Support Group. call (516) 634-1400.

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Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

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Men of Elmont produce police training video continued from front erty said of the students featured, and they do not want Black men and women to be the victims of aggressive policing. In fact, the video begins with the students lamenting to police officers, “For far too long we’ve asked you to see us in a positive light, not a negative one, and understand that all the people of Elmont are not bad and that Black Lives Matter.” “It takes a village,” they said, “and you are part of the village.” But in order to be a productive part of the community, the students said, police officers need to attend more events in Elmont. Senior Akinwale Agesin said his family has had only two experiences with police officers. The first occurred when he was younger, and he and his mother were struggling to bring home bags of groceries. A squad car stopped them, and the police wound up offering to put their groceries in the car and giving them a ride home. His family’s second experience with police, however, Agesin said, took place in April, when his father called New York City police to report a Latino man banging loudly on a door. His father was wearing a suit and tie, Agesin recalled, but the police started questioning him instead of the man who was causing trouble. “My father was discouraged,” Agesin says in the video. “I only hope there will

YouTube

elmont HigH ScHool students Akinwale Agesin and Andrew Candio share their thoughts about policing in a new video that will be used to train Nassau County Police Department cadets. be more stories like mine, and not like my father’s.” Many of the other students, however, said they had seen police only in the area where someone was being arrested. “You shouldn’t have to break the law to engage with police officers,” one student says, with another adding that while he has seen several police cars patrolling the area, none of the officers have ever stopped to say hello or ask how his day

was. Without these types of interactions, they said, they worry about their future interactions with police officers. “Constantly we see stories, images and videos of Black men being killed at the hands of police,” one student says in the video. “You grow up with the fear that you’re going to be the next person.” According to a 2019 study from Northwestern University, Black men are about

2.5 times more likely to die at the hands of police officers than white men, and Black women are about 1.4 times more likely to die than white women. Additionally, the study shows, about one in 1,000 Black men can expect to be killed by the police. “Those who are sworn to protect, those who are there to enforce the laws, are, ironically, killing us,” says Andrew Candio, a junior at the high school, “and we are sick and tired of this.” Candio dreams of a world where he is not in jeopardy of losing his life when a police officer pulls him over, he says, adding that it is up to the police officers to build and regain that trust by letting the community know they are there to protect them and enforce the laws. Still, Agesin said at a virtual town hall discussion with County Executive Laura Curran on Dec. 15 to promote the video, the effort police are already making to reach out to the Black community in Elmont “is not going unnoticed at all,” and Candio said he understands that real change can take a long time. “I just hope this leads to further work and further reform,” Dougherty said of the video. “It’s a great step in the right direction, and now we just have to build on that.” After speaking with the students, Curran said, “I feel really optimistic about the future.”

Town earmarks $5.5M in CARES funds for schools By AlySSA SeidmAn aseidman@liherald.com

Town of Hempstead officials on Monday announced that each of the 36 school districts within the town and the Board of Cooperative Educational Services would receive a $150,000 grant to help pay for coronavirus-related expenses. The $5.5 million allocation was made possible by funding through the federal CARES Act. Nassau BOCES Superintendent Dr. Robert Dillon said the funds are much needed. “School districts spent millions of dollars in preparation to open up schools [in] September,” he said. “This $150,000 gives them a little bit of a cushion to reimburse them for things they’ve already paid for.” Covid-related expenses include hardware and software to boost WiFi bandwith, Chromebooks, personal protective equipment, desk shields and partitions, cleaning supplies and virus tests. Town officials said the grant would help school districts to recoup these necessary expenses. Dillon said school officials in each of the districts would decide how the grants would be spent. “This pandemic has hit everybody in so many different ways . . . and our school districts are no strangers to it,” said Hempstead Town Supervisor Donald Clavin, a Republican from Garden City. “Teachers are essential workers on the front lines trying to educate our children, and they have numerous expenses that

Alyssa Seidman/Herald Life

town of HempSteAd Supervisor Donald Clavin, at lectern, and other town officials on Monday announced an initiative to help reimburse local school districts that have incurred unbudgeted expenses during the coronavirus pandemic. The $5.5 million, made possible by funding through the federal CARES Act, will provide $150,000 to each of the town’s 36 school districts and Nassau BOCES. they need help with.” The announcement followed a string of similar initiatives by the town to use $133 million in CARES Act funding secured by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer earlier this year. According to Clavin, the money has also been used to provide: ■ $4 million to local hospitals. ■ $8 million to area colleges. ■ $4 million for Covid-19 testing initiatives.

■ $6 million for food pantries. ■ More than a half million dollars for local fire departments. ■ $3.5 million for PPE distribution to benefit small business. ■ More than a half million dollars to local villages. “We’re committed to see this money utilized in the town,” Clavin said. “Alba-

ny has mandated school districts to do testing, unfunded. They dropped the burden on our school districts, [which have] no money for it. It’s a recurring theme when I talk to superintendents on a regular basis.” Tow n C o u n c i l m e n A n t h o n y D’Esposito, Dennis Dunne and Christopher Carini called on state and county officials to work to bring more CARES funding to residents on the front lines of the pandemic. “We in the Town of Hempstead would love to give more money to the schools, and each and every school deserves a heck of a lot more than this,” Dunne said. “We’re doing what we can with what we have, and the state has over $4.5 billion that they have not given to the schools yet.” In a statement, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, a Democrat from Baldwin, criticized the town for not allocating more money to school districts. “If the supervisor had not refused to reimburse $50 million for Nassau’s brave first responders who answered the call in the Town of Hempstead during the first wave of the pandemic,” Curran said, “or spent more than $50 million for new bathrooms, along with his sanitation budget and town’s general fund, then all of Nassau’s school districts would have received much-needed funding from the county and in greater sums. School districts are being thrown a proverbial bone at the very last minute when they deserved much more, much sooner.”

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 24, 2020

Staying Local for College MODERATOR

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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.

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(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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real local, real news

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

NO CDL required, 4 DAY WORK WEEK, (enjoy 3 days off). Run your own route. Year round No lay offs! 100% medical, dental, uniforms, 2 weeks paid vacation. 401K. Plus commission. Will train! 4am-2:30pm. . Route driver $800.00 per week, includes $100.00 weekly bonus program. Plus 10-12 hours overtime. Apply in person Monday- Friday 9am-7pm at 304 Crossbay Blvd, Queens NY 11693

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Rent Your Apartment through the Herald and PrimeTime Classified section. Call us for our great *specials. 516-5694000, press 5 for Classified Dept. *(private party only)

Buyers are enjoying lifetime low interest rates. Sellers are getting multiple offers at and above asking prices. Housing inventory is extremely low and buyer demand is strong.

1 Thompson Dr, BA, 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Ranch w/Open Layout in Waverly Park Area. Updtd EIK. O/S Prop w/Deck. Att Gar. SD#20 ...................................................................................$599,000 101 Emmet Ave, BA, WATERFRONT! Rebuilt in 2010, 4 BR 3.5 Bth Split w/ Pool, Outdoor Kit & Deck. Open Layout. Private Mstr Ste, 2 Car Gar, SD#20 ..................................................................$1,250,000

WOOdMERE

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EAST ROCKAWAY 101 Emmet Ave, NEW WATERFRONT! Rebuilt in 2010, 4 BR 3.5 Bth Split w/ Pool, Outdoor Kit & Deck. Open Layout. Private Mstr Ste, 2 Car Gar, SD#20..$1,250,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-429 HEWLETT HARBOR 3 Payne Circle, OPEN HOUSE BY APPT, Spacious Split on Beautiful Street in Cul de Sac. State of the Art EIK, 2 Dens, Bsmt, & 2 Car Gar. SD#20...$1,190,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman RE 516-238-4299

WOODSBURGH 185 BAY Dr, OPEN HOUSE BY Appt, 5/6 BR, 4.5 Bth Exp Ranch on Parklike 1/2 Acre Prop. Guest Q u a r t e r s , F u l l B s m t , 2 C a r G a r. SD#14...$1,450,00 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

Call me for a free professional consultation.

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Apartments Wanted

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1113586

Help Wanted

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

REAL ESTATE

Now is the time to buy or sell a home.

CASHIER WANTED For Grocery Store West Hempstead. Experience Helpful. Email Resume: ianddglatt2@optonline.net Or Call 516-444-6010

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HEWLETT BAY PARK

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

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e s t. 1 9 1 1

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DRIVERS WANTED

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HERALD

January 7, 14, 21, 28, 2021 4 p.m.

Homes 1113585

Phone: 347-713-3552

INC

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HERALD Community Newspapers

HERALD

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December 24, 2020 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

EAST ROCKAWAY WATERVIEW! 3Bds, 2Bths, EIK, FDR, LR, Den, FBasement, Garage,,Large Yard. Zone X-no flood insurance. Too Much To List! 516-241-6075 MLS: 3271059/ Coldwell Banker HEWLETT BAY PARK NEW TO MARKET! 10,000 Sq Fet. Waterfront Property on an Acre Of Parklike Grounds. IGP, 5 bds, 5.5 Baths Comtemp., $4.650,000 Ronnie Gerber 516 -238-4299 Douglas Elliman

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Homes

HERALD

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

HOME OF THE WEEK

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

Q. Due to the pandemic, my family has been home together, and our house needs work. We have outdated stucco walls and a small kitchen. We want to see if we can remove walls, but the plumbing from two upstairs bathrooms goes right down the main dividing wall. Taking out the wall means changing the bathrooms, we’ve been told. That’s more than we can afford, and we don’t want to move out. The bathAsk The rooms were renovated less Architect than five years ago and are on an outside wall. We would like to add seven to 10 feet so we have a breakfast space, possibly with a high ceiling. What would you suggest we do?

Wantagh

A Family Dream Home

here will be no weeping for this willow, you will be cheering! Mint 4 bedroom 2.5 bath custom built 19 year young colonial. This home features sky lit family room with gas fireplace, granite sky lit eat-in-kitchen, king size master bedroom suite with full bath and 2 walk in closets, gleaming hardwood floors, huge finished basement with high ceilings, stunning entertainer’s backyard with saltwater heated in ground pool with waterfall with new liner and outdoor sprinklers with generator hook up. You will also enjoy a 2 car garage. Taxes are confirmed and are $10791.62 with star exemption. Only $999,000.

Laura Dupkin Memisha Licensed Broker Associate laura@therealtyadvisors.com Cell: (516) 984-0343 3342 Park Avenue, Wantagh NY

Sherlock Sherlock Homes Homes

Happy Holidays

75 SEAMAN AVENUE, ROCKVILLE CENTRE o: 516.766.7900 | signaturepremier.com

THINKING OF BUYING OR SELLING? Contact one of our hardworking professionals today for all of your real estate needs!

2678 COLONIAL PLACE, OCEANSIDE 1113739

List Price: $599,000 New to Market! 5 Bedroom 2 Bath Home Large Living Room with Fireplace, Basement, Garage, Gas Heat, New Roof

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A. What it really comes down to is getting the right people to find onte eeper solutions for each of the problems. Doctors and dentists often tell me that many people get the wrong advice from those who are unqualified, so that by the time they break down and seek trained professionals, the problem has gotten much worse, but the solution finally gets solved correctly and often more quickly. Your project has that possibility. All of the conditions, just like medical testing, involve choosing one of two ways to investigate the conditions. Unfortunately, people often expect all the answers to a construction project without the ultimate removal of materials, so the main way to plan is by gathering information on the probable location of main columns and beams as well as piping. Your problem has a solution, which may or may not include the extreme of altering the bathroom finishes. Often, when everything is finally exposed, a trained professional can see creative ways that installers may be afraid to try. In the presence of a plumber and carpenter, I have seen their concern of the unknown, where knowing what calculations to perform, it was possible to figure out the answers. It takes the cooperation of a team of skilled professionals — the architect, plumber and contractor — to plan, cut and assemble all the components to make this work. I suggest that the planning take advantage of the existing structure’s nature: the way the ceiling joists connect, the direction they run, and the potential to move plumbing in the same direction or identify how to correctly intersect the pipes through the main beams. With correct calculations and the right materials, your project can be accomplished without your having to spend the extra money on the bathrooms. Necessary disturbance of surrounding materials may be minimal. You have to make sure that each of the people you hire is communicating, and I highly suggest that you make a point to be in those meetings. Your involvement, your scrutiny that the people you hire are listening to one another and that you hired the right people, is no less important here than if you were advocating with medical staff for a family member’s procedure. The surgery might be much different between a building and a body, but the process isn’t all that different. Good luck!

© 2020 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.

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 24, 2020

It’s not that different from surgery

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ESTATE SALE - LOG HOMES

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December 24, 2020 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

Stuff

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

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MERCHANDISE MART Antiques/Collectibles We Buy Antiques, Fine Art & Jewelry Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluations, 40 Year Family Business. Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid.. SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

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FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 24, 2020

HERALD

Herald editorial

Franklin Square/Elmont

December 24, 2020 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

HERALD Established 1998 Incorporating the Franklin Square/Elmont Record Peter Belfiore Editor Melissa Koenig Assistant Editor Donna laWlor 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: fseditor@liherald.com Copyright © 2020 Richner Communications, Inc.

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS Robert Richner Edith Richner Publishers, 1964-1987 ■ clifforD ricHner stUart ricHner Publishers MicHael Bologna Vice President - Operations

It’s time for renewed vigilance over the virus

he Food and Drug Administration last Saturday issued an emergency-use authorization for the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, which is administered in a series of two shots one month apart. Announcement of the EUA came after a whirlwind week of media coverage following the EUA for the Pfizer vaccine. We can only say bravo to the vaccine researchers who developed these two treatments at breakneck pace, taking months to produce what, in the past, has taken years. The science behind the vaccines seems futuristic, but it’s very much in the here and now. Both use genetic material, rather than the virus itself, to trigger an immune response by the body. Amid the jubilation that so many of us felt as the vaccines were rolled out,

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— to our holiday gatherings, full of family members and friends. We are a long way from that. We are not likely to begin a staged return to our pre-pandemic lives until we see a precipitous drop in the infection and death rates, which Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal government’s leading infectious disease expert, warns could come in April, at the earliest. Over the weekend, we also received word from Great Britain that the coronavirus may have mutated into a new strain there, causing countries around the globe to ban travel from the United Kingdom in the hope of stopping the spread of the mutated virus. No, this is no time for apathy. It is a time of hope, yes, but we must not be lulled into a false sense of security. We’ve been down that road before.

Finally, Congress offers relief

t long last, Congress members agreed on a $900 billion Covid19 relief package that will, we hope and trust, bring desperately needed aid to Americans reeling from the continuing coronavirus crisis. We are closing in on 10 months since the start of the pandemic in the U.S., and job losses remain unacceptably high. The national unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in November, but without the relief package, it could have climbed back up into the double digits. The unemployment rate peaked at nearly 15 percent in April before drop-

craig carDone Art Director

new Covid-19 cases — and deaths — continued to skyrocket. On the same day that the EUA was issued for the Moderna vaccine, the U.S. recorded more than 250,000 new cases — more than on nearly any other day since the coronavirus was first reported here in early March. That same day, some 2,800 people died of the virus. The day before that, nearly 3,300. The day before that, 3,600. We would be foolish to believe we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. It will be months before we understand the true effect of the vaccines. The coronavirus became so widespread in the U.S. that it is now ubiquitous across the land, and is truly inescapable, except through mask wearing and social distancing. We cannot believe that we can, at this moment, magically return to normal life

Remembering pets in verse To the Editor: Reading Randi Kreiss’s column about the end of life of her daughter’s dog, and Randi’s tribute with Mary Oliver’s poem, reduced me to tears (“Saying goodbye to a force of nature on four paws,” Dec. 10-16). It really hit home, and was so well written. This year I had to put my 17-year-old cat to sleep, so I’ll share my poem. Mittens Such a small loss Amidst overwhelming chaos. Such a minor tragedy In this present time of losses. Does the weight of a dying cat Equal one pound of human flesh? How does one measure a life so small

ping steadily in the following months, though the pace of job creation has slowed since September. By infusing another $900 billion into the economy, lawmakers hope to stabilize many of the small and medium-sized businesses that are on the edge of collapse, while continuing to drive down the unemployment rate. We can only say, it’s about time, and what took you so long? Providing relief to the American people at such a dire time should have been a bipartisan nobrainer, but instead it became a protracted battle of political wits that bene-

fited no one, most especially the American worker. The new aid package will provide a $300-per-week supplemental job loss benefit and, for most Americans, a $600 direct stimulus payment. As Presidentelect Joe Biden noted, such a package is a good start, but more will be needed if the pandemic carries on longer than expected. That is why it’s about time that members of Congress set aside their partisan differences and stop playing games with the health and welfare of the American people.

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Our promise to never forget means we must wear our masks

ewant you to remember waking up on the morning of Sept. 12, 2001 — that is, if you had slept at all the night before. Recall how you felt about your country, your neighbors, and especially our lion-hearted first responders, whose bravery, selflessness and sacrifice we promised never to forget. Remember how you felt in the weeks and months that followed, when first responders and volunteers from Long Island and throughout the nation gathered at ground zero to search for survivors and victims and start the diffisara cult task of DIrector rebuilding. We were rightly in awe of our first responders, mourning those who had laid down their lives for us, and profoundly moved by their devastated brethren, who spent months digging through the rubble, atop a smoldering pile of pulverized concrete and glass, dioxin, PCB, benzene,

asbestos and other deadly toxins. There was nothing we would not do for them. Those first responders, and indeed the downtown community of office workers, students, construction workers and residents who returned after the attacks, are now disproportionately filling operating rooms, chemotherapy rooms and oncologists’ offices. They are struggling to breathe, fighting cancer, fighting lung disease, fighting for their lives. Since 9/11, 68 cancers have been linked to the toxins, as well as numerous respiratory diseases. Today, the 9/11 community is in the grips of a health crisis. We have lost more people to diseases that arose in the aftermath of the attacks than we lost that day. What does our promise to Never Forget require of us now? The answer is simple: wear a mask. Many members of the 9/11 community have compromised immune systems and serious co-morbidities that make them especially vulnerable to the effects

Letters

of Covid-19. The men and women who sacrificed so much for us, who rushed to answer the call and who eventually rebuilt New York City’s financial heart, are all around you. They are behind you at the supermarket, picking their kids and grandkids up from school, on your train, on your bus — they are everywhere. Yet if you just look at them, they are unidentifiable. You may not know that your child’s teacher taught in a school in Lower Manhattan on Sept. 11 and now, as a result, suffers from chronic asthma. Or that your co-worker was a volunteer firefighter who answered the call of duty on 9/11, eventually resulting in a diagnosis of lung cancer. If today were Sept. 12, 2001, and Long Islanders were asked to wear masks to protect the 9/11 community from the spread of a virus, we would not hesitate. We would wear our masks with pride — pride for those first responders, and pride for our country. And we would be proud of our-

any members of the 9/11 community are vulnerable to the effects of Covid.

selves, for coming together and protecting those who protected us. Whether you’re a Republican, Democrat or Independent, we are all Long Islanders. Whether you believe that masks can stop or help slow the spread of the coronavirus or not, we are all Long Islanders. Whether you are a member of the 9/11 community or not, we are all Long Islanders. And we now have an opportunity to demonstrate the same unity we did 19 years ago, by following the safety precautions recommended by public health officials: wearing masks, socially distancing, washing our hands frequently and staying home when we’re not feeling well or showing any symptoms of Covid-19. We can protect our families and communities, particularly those with preexisting conditions, and we can and will crush this virus. The 9/11 community did its part. It is time for us to do ours. Never Forget. Sara Director, a native of Glen Cove who now lives in Locust Valley, is a partner at Barasch & McGarry, which representing more than 20,000 9/11 first responders and survivors.

Framework by Alyssa Seidman

In the huge universe? Can the tiny paw petting my arm Or her face tilted to mine Be important enough to earn one day Of mourning among a year of lamentations? These questions hang in the air, The answer written in tears. EvELYN KANDEL Nassau County poet laureate Glen Cove

Stop the LIRR’s fare hikes To the Editor: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is planning to raise fares yet again, during a global pandemic, no less. Just as we return to work and our daily commutes on the Long Island Rail Road, the MTA plans to ask us to cough up even more cash to take the train each day. That’s unacceptable and unconscionable. We need to fight back and make sure the MTA rejects its wrongheaded plan. The MTA needs help from Washington, but it also must make the tough, necessary choices to trim fat, cut waste and deter fraud. But fare hikes always seem to be its answer, no matter the problem, or the decade, or whether service is good or bad. The cost of a monthly pass from any of our communities to Penn Station over the past two decades has doubled, far outpacing the rate of inflation. Indeed, a monthly pass that sold for roughly $150 in 1999 now costs nearly $300. What’s more, hiking the cost of an LIRR ticket at this juncture would do nothing to boost ridership, and frankly could dissuade

Read all about it! — Merrick

many commuters from coming back. Now is the worst possible time to contemplate yet another fare hike, when trust in public transit is low. I spoke out at a recent hearing against the fare hikes, but when we speak loudly with one voice, we can accomplish anything. So please log on to http://bit.ly/fightthefarehikes to submit your testimony to the MTA in opposition to its

proposal to charge us more for an LIRR ride. Together we will fight the fare hikes, and work toward fairness and affordability for Long Islanders. TODD KAMINSKY State senator, 9th Distric

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD — December 24, 2020

meri-

December 24, 2020 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

opinions

‘Long Way Up,’ a deeply satisfying travelogue

anding in Bulgaria nearly 30 years ago, I felt as though I had stepped through a portal into another dimension. After a 24-hour trip, I at last arrived at Sofia International Airport — then a dim, decrepit facility, a far cry from the modern airport that it is today. There was, at the time, a definite divide between West and East. The Soviet Union had crumbled only a year earlier, and Bulgaria, a satellite of the USSR, was reeling, politically and economically. Food and gasoline were in scott short supply and bRinton rationed. In the airport, which was hot and stifling without air conditioning, you realized fast that you were leaving behind the modernity of the West and taking a step back in time to a still developing nation. Bulgaria, where I served two years as a Peace Corps volunteer, has since opened to the world and modernized. Its economy is now fully globalized. But I will never forget those first startling, heartwrenching steps onto Bulgarian soil. Recently watching the wonderful Apple TV+ series “Long Way Up,” with the hosts Ewan McGregor and Charley

Boorman, I was instantly taken back to that steamy June day in Sofia. For the series, McGregor, who played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the middle three “Star Wars” films, among many other roles, and Boorman, also an actor, rode custom-made Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles for 13,000 miles from Ushuaia (pronounced oo-SWAY-a), Argentina, practically the southernmost tip of South America, to Los Angeles in 2019. Toward the end of the 11-episode series, as the pair pass from Mexico into the United States, the stark difference between the two countries is glaringly obvious. At the border, they meet refugees who had fled narco-violence and were camping out in makeshift tents, hoping, praying, to enter the U.S. It is a squalid scene, full of desperation. Then, after a bit of chaos at the border crossing, McGregor and Boorman appear, as if by magic, in America, and all is suddenly well as the two ride, surrounded by a pack of motorcyclists, into Los Angeles. The road is pristine. There is order, a sense of lawfulness. “Long Way Up” shows us the clear socioeconomic differences between the U.S. and the nations south of its border. McGregor and Boorman never intended to play politics, they have said, but they show us the reasons why so many have

fled their homelands in South and Central America and Mexico in search of a better life in the U.S., despite the terrifying uncertainty of the journeys they must undertake. At the same time, our intrepid hosts show us the unwavering resiliency of people living on the edge. “Long Way Up” is a reality TV documentary that is one part travelogue and one part buddy film. It’s about the close friendship between McGregor and Boorman, but more so, it’s about their relationship to the road and the people they meet serendipitously and befriend along the way. They ride through some of the most unforgiving regions of the Western Hemisphere — particularly in Peru and Chile, where they pass through the Andes Mountains and the Atacama Desert, which is so dry that NASA uses it for Mars simulation exercises. Traversing treacherous terrain, the two fall off their motorcycles a lot, and stall occasionally. But they have a capable backup team in producers David Alexanian and Russ Malkin, who travel behind them, though far out of sight most of the time, in two 2.6-tonne Rivian electric pickup trucks. They also bring three stellar videographers — Claudio von Planta, Jimmy Simak and Anthony von Sek — along for

TV series reminded me of going from one world to another.

the ride. With drones, the three capture the breathtaking beauty of the terrain through which the team travels. “Long Way Around” is a perfect antidote for the pandemic cabin fever so many of us are feeling. The show is all about motion — moving from one stage of the journey to the next in rapid-fire succession. McGregor and Boorman never stop anywhere for long before they’re off to their next destination. They linger only when they stop to promote projects undertaken by the United Nations Children’s Fund, ranging from providing schooling for Indigenous people previously denied an education to sheltering orphaned children fleeing violence. McGregor and Boorman have featured UNICEF projects in each of their three travel series — the first two were “Long Way Round” (from London to New York via Central Europe, Eurasia, Russia and Canada in 2004) and “Long Way Down” (through Europe and Africa in 2007). I never realized how much good UNICEF does around the globe. I had to make a donation. “Long Way Up” offers lessons in geography and culture. More so, though, it is a lesson in basic humanity that I would highly recommend watching for yourself, along with its two companion series. Scott Brinton is the Herald Community Newspapers’ executive editor and an adjunct professor at the Hofstra University Herbert School of Communication.

2020: What did you do while you waited?

or me, the theme of 2020 has been waiting learning to wait, summoning the B (balance) C (courage) and D (determination) that Type A’s struggle to find. If someone had told me in February that I would wait months to see my children and grandchildren, that I would wait more than a year to score a Shake Shack burger, that I would wait, mostly in my home, to hug a friend . . . I would RAndi not have found it kReiss credible. Our collective big wait has been for a viable Covid-19 vaccine, and now that it’s here, we’re waiting for our turn in line. I remember when the Salk polio vaccine was administered in my public school in 1955. They told us kids to line up in size order in the cafeteria, and I knew I would be first. Now we wait based on other criteria: age and general health and value to the community as front-line workers. We wait, too, on the political front.

Every process, from the Mueller investigation to the impeachment, to the election and now to the inauguration, has dragged out in agonizingly slow fashion. “Breaking news” generally means we will live with a story for countless days and weeks with little or no resolution. The Trump presidency has forced us to learn patience. Some of us have been waiting for more than four years for the foolishness of the conspiracists and the racists and the ill-informed to be swept into the past. Now it seems more patience will be required. As we wait, we hope this is the beginning of the end of the pandemic. It sinks in slowly that more than 320,000 of our fellow Americans have died in the past year from the disease. As we wait, we come to realize that many might have been saved if we had acted sooner. As we wait, we grieve the personal loss of friends and family and the suffering of 17 million who have struggled with the challenge of raising kids, going to work and getting health care while sick with the coronavirus. There are epic stories of waiting. My

favorite is from the novel “Waiting,” by Ha Jinn, which won the National Book Award in 1999. Based on a true story, it recounts the life of an Army doctor in China who waits 18 years to get a divorce from his wife in their home village so he can marry the woman he loves, a nurse who serves with him. While you’re waiting, you might give it a try. How ironic that we are the children of the instantgratification culture. From Amazon addiction to DoorDash to the ability to connect to others in a heartbeat, we have been trained to be impatient. We expect immediate satisfaction of our needs. We impatiently waited to ride bicycles and then to drive cars and to graduate from schools, and we wait to get through treatments and to dance at landmark birthdays and anniversaries. But 2020 pushed back. The demands of this year forced our attention outside ourselves. Think about this remarkable year, the year we hope to survive, the year we will never forget. It is said that the lesson of nature is patience, as we wait for seeds to sprout

ow ironic that we are the children of the instantgratification culture.

and babies to talk and trees to flower. During the days and weeks and months of waiting, we have become keener observers of smaller things. When you are homebound forever, you notice fluttering red wings outside the window that never caught your eye before. You take the many hours of a day to put together the ingredients of bread, feeling the stretch and pull of the dough because you actually have time to think about it. For women, the iconic wait of our lives is pregnancy, the time we go inward and focus attention on the seed of life growing inside. The young women I know who have had babies this year seem more intensely focused on this life event, more careful, and now they are waiting patiently to introduce their new children to the world outside and to other people. For many toddlers, life has been confined to rooms. We are all waiting for them, and the teenagers, to bust loose. I have tried to find music and art and conversation to get me through. But I am desperately awaiting 2021. I want to quietly close the book on 2020 and leap into a fresh new year. Copyright 2020 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD â€” December 24, 2020

A S E N I O R R E N TA L C O M M U N I T Y

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December 24, 2020 — FRANKLIN SQUARE/ELMONT HERALD

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