Freeport Herald 01-12-2023

Barry Tech students organize successful blood drive

By MOHAMED FARGHALY mfarghaly@liherald.com

A Nassau BOCES Joseph M. Barry Tech

Career and Technical Education High School student from Freeport helped organize and recruit volunteers for a successful blood drive that is expected to save many lives.

Students at Barry Tech, in New Cassel recently participated in a service learning project by organizing a blood drive in December.

Held twice a year, the blood drive is open only to students and employees of Nassau BOCES. A tradition at the school for at least the last 20 years, the event is run by the medical assistant class and is organized in part by lead medical assistant teacher Karen McLean.

“We’re currently facing a national blood

shortage, so it’s really important that we get blood,” McLean said. “It ends up helping a lot of people. The criteria is like one out of every 10 people are going to need blood at some point. So, it really is a lifesaving community service effort.”

In addition to the school’s academic programs and classes, Barry Tech has a strong commitment to service learning and community service for its students. Each class at the school is required to participate in a service learning project, which allows students to apply their skills and knowledge to real-world situations and make a positive impact in their community.

Each class is given the opportunity to choose a project that aligns with their interests

Freeport girl fighting rare, fatal epilepsy

By MOHAMED FARGHALY mfarghaly@liherald.com

Alexis Rodriguez, a 19-yearold from Freeport, is facing a difficult and uncertain future as she battles a rare and fatal form of epilepsy.

Alexis was a healthy and active young woman, participating on the high school swim team and enjoying hobbies such as playing the violin, reading and spending time with friends. She had always been a top student, excelling in school and even volunteered as a candy striper at the hospital where her Mother works.

As a high school sophomore, she began experiencing seizures.

“It was Feb. 27, 2016, that was our first seizure,” Alexis’ mother, Altagracia Cruz said. “We were actually at my sister’s house. She was in the kitchen showing something to Alexis and the next thing I know, my sister’s screaming for me that

there was something wrong with Alexis.”

The initial seizure was a terrifying and perplexing event for both Alexis and her family, and although it was initially misinterpreted as a joke, the family quickly realized that this was a serious matter.

“I thought she may have been having a seizure, and sure enough, she was,” Cruz said. “It was just so scary; we didn’t actually know what was going on”

In an effort to determine why Alexis’ seizure happened when it did, she was brought to a number of different hospitals. She was soon diagnosed with epilepsy and put on the medication Keppra. The diagnosis and medication seemed to be effective for nearly two years before the next development.

“We were just three days shy of two years without a seizure,” Cruz said. “You know, everything was fine before it started to happen again.”

Courtesy Barry Tech Career and Technical Education High School NASSAU BOCES JOSEPH M. Barry Tech Career and Technical Education High School students at the school’s annual Barry Tech blood drive.

B ecause it really does rob your child of everything, cognitively, physically and verbally.

ALTAGRACIA CRUZ mother

Village boasts tax affordability for residents

By MOHAMED FARGHALY mfarghaly@liherald.com

The Village of Freeport has announced its annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which includes a zero percent increase in the tax rate for the tenth consecutive year. This is thanks to the village’s efforts to scrutinize and change the way tax dollars are utilized, through strict accountability and an increase in non-tax revenues.

“Throughout all the economic problems and turmoil that are going on in the world, all the increases to medical costs to pension costs, to contractual costs, we’ve still been able to keep ourselves at a zero increase,” Village Attorney Howard Colton said.

cies, as well as reductions in Federal and State aid.

This budget also allows for the hiring and maintenance of a record number of new police officers, bringing the total number to 107, which has contributed to a 56 percent reduction in crime in the village. Additionally, village services such as sanitation, DPW, electric and water are not to be affected by this budget.

HOWARD COLTON Village Attorney

Despite the challenges presented by the global pandemic, the village has continued to prioritize economic development and has successfully shored up its tax base. This, coupled with the reduction of expenses across all levels of government, has allowed the village to further reduce costs and manage the mandated increases in pension, labor costs, property insurance, and flood insurance poli-

As an outcome of these efforts, the average homeowner’s tax rate is projected to be 61.649 per 100 dollars of assessed valuation, a 1 percent decrease from the current rate.

“98 percent of the people in the village will see their tax bill remain the same as it was 10 years ago, and in fact, it will even decrease by 1 percentage point due to cost measures by the village,” Colton said.

Residents of the Village of Freeport can rest assured that they have access to reliable and affordable essential services, thanks to the village’s ability to provide its own water, electric and other services. Freeport is an independent municipality, with its own government and the ability

to provide services to its residents, much like a city.

“Even though Freeport is a village, effectively we’re a city,” Colton said. “We have our own water, our own electricity, our own police, we have everything.”

expressed appreciation and gratitude to everyone involved in the budget process and emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between preserving village services and stabilizing the tax burden for the majority of residents during times of economic stress.

Mayor Robert Kennedy and the village

Herald File Photo

FREEPORT VILLAGE CONTINUES its legacy of fiscal responsibility with the tenth consecutive year of zero percent tax increase.

Board of Education celebrates success

Rejoicing in the accomplishments of their student body

By MOHAMED FARGHALY mfarghaly@liherald.com

During the meeting of the Freeport School District Board of Education, Kishore Kuncham, the superintendent of schools, board members, board president Maria Jordan-Awalom, and administrators honored a number of remarkable and exemplary student accomplishments.

The Freeport High School sinfonietta, led by Jill Boardman, set the festive mood for the gathering early on by playing a number of seasonal classics during the meeting on Dec. 14.

Representatives Michael Serao and Patricia Fulton Lawrence of the Freeport Educational Foundation generously donated $31,697 to the board of education. The funds from this donation will be utilized to fund both scholarships and innovative school initiatives.

“The Freeport Educational Foundation is made up of a group of volunteers who raise funds to support Freeport Public Schools,” resident Patricia Fulton Lawrence said. “Freeport Public Schools is a quality school district and donors know that their donations will be used to educate our children.”

Kuncham established the Freeport Education Foundation in 2015 to offer students access to innovative programs and distinctive educational opportunities so they may get the most out of their education. The foundation aims to create connections between the school and the community through programs that bring together students, teachers, and families.

“The Freeport Educational Foundation was founded seven years ago and has been providing funding to support our schools and our programs,” Kuncham said. “We appreciate their efforts on behalf of our students and their continued support of our goals.”

Freeport High School Principal Gisselle Campbell-Ham proudly introduced the Class of 2023’s top 10 seniors. Dr. Kuncham, board members and administrators each read the students’ impressive resumes including their academic achievements, school and community involvement, and college and career goals.

Aidian Sasenarine, Kenly Moran, Jayden Easy, Kimberly Rosa, Vanessa Marroquin, June Cumento, Chinwe Okike, Isabelle Menjivar, Ryan Retzlaff, and Jeffrey Hernandez are the top ten seniors in the Class of 2023.

“We appreciate and thank you for being who you are and for taking advantage of every opportunity offered to you from Freeport Public Schools to achieve your full potential,” Kuncham said. “Congratulations to the beginning of many more recognitions I am sure you will receive during the remainder of the school year.”

The girl’s varsity volleyball team from Freeport High School was introduced by

Board of Education President Maria Jordan-Awalom expressed her congratulations to all of the excellent students, student-athletes, and their families. “We congratulate you on your hard work, dedication and success,”she said.

Jonathan Bloom, director of health, physical education, and athletics. This team was named a scholar-athlete team and was the conference champion for this year. The team finished the regular season 16-0 and undefeated.

Photos courtesy Freeport Public Schools

FREEPORT HIGH SCHOOL Class of 2023 Top 10 were recognized by Superintendent of Schools Kishore Kuncham, Board of Education President Maria Jordan-Awalom, board of education members and administrators during the Board of Education meeting.

FREEPORT SUPERINTENDENT OF Schools Kishore Kuncham and Board of Education President Maria Jordan-Awalom accepted a donation from Freeport Educational Foundation representatives Patricia Fulton Lawrence and Michael Serao during the board of education meeting.

FREEPORT HIGH SCHOOL grirl’s varsity volleyball team conference champions and scholar-athlete

team were recognized during the district’s board of education meeting.

Schumer promises push for tech, environment

By JAMES BERNSTEIN jbernstein@liherald.com

Chuck Schumer has three goals for the new year: improve mass transit, ensure water and air quality are safe, and promote high technology on Long Island.

The New York Democrat who maintained his role as majority leader in the U.S. Senate after last year’s mid-terms, told more than 1,000 people attending last week’s Long Island Association breakfast in Woodbury that he has, in the past two years, secured federal money to help the Metropolitan Transportation Authority recover from the worst of the Covid pandemic, while still getting money earmarked to protect the Long Island Sound and even clean up aging lead pipes.

The event at Crest Hollow Country Club was LIA’s annual State of the Region gathering that attracted both movers and shakers, as well as elected leaders like the executives from both Nassau and Suffolk counties. Schumer’s participation comes after he was elected to a fifth six-year term in the upper chamber of Capitol Hill, defeating Joseph Pinion, a conservative columnist who claimed Schumer had been in office too long with too little to show for it.

But history is written by the victors, and Schumer had a lot of history to share.

“We had one of the most productive legislative sessions in years,” the senator

said, ticking off a list of legislative wins that included his role in shepherding through President Joe Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure bill, as well as securing $15 billion for the MTA, which operates the Long Island Rail Road.

“No one was riding the trains” during the pandemic, Schumer added.

“For the first time, New York state got back more money that it gave out,” the senator said, referring to the give-andtake of funding with the federal government. New York has traditionally been a “giving” state, meaning its federal dollars usually went to help other states. This past year, the state was more of a receiver.

How productive the next two years will be is a big question. Republicans took control of the U.S. House — but only by a slim margin. That might mean pushing through bills that could win over at least some moderate Republicans.

One of those efforts will focus on improving transportation. The MTA funding, for example, would pay for repairs and upgrades of cars, tracks and electronic systems. Money also would be directed to portions of the Sunrise Highway in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Another $5 million will build a transit hub in Ronkonkoma.

Schumer also budgeted $106 million to clean up Long Island Sound, and that’s just the beginning. He also plans to use $60 million to help remove some of the contami-

nants from the Long Island aquifer.

Yet, the Senator sounded most enthusiastic about a project to install electricitygenerating windmills off Long Island’s South Shore — likely within the next few years.

Equinor, a multibillion-dollar Norwegian conglomerate specializing in petroleum, hopes to build a wind energy farm just a few miles off the coast with a substation delivering power directly to Island Park — a plan that has aroused controversy with neighbors.

The $3 billion project must still pass a plethora of bureaucratic hurdles, however.

“Long Island will be the capital for offshore wind,” Schumer said, “not just in New York, but across the country.”

The senator also wants to promote two of Long Island’s largest high-technology institutions — Brookhaven National Lab and SUNY Stony Brook.

“Long Island can be the center for (microchip) production and manufacturing,” Schumer said. “BNL and Stony Brook are at the cutting-edge of technology.”

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, told the Herald there was more in the works for this part of Long Island as well. He’s heard chatter about a strong interest in securing a casino, possibly at the Nassau Hub.

But for that to happen, anyone developing it would need to make sure the facility is first acceptable to the community.

“We wouldn’t be interested in anything but a first-class hospitality venue with a casino,” Blakeman said.

Happy New Year to all!

There have been significant changes in the law in a number of areas as of January 1, 2023.

The gift tax exclusion, which many people still think is $15,000, is now $17,000, up from $16,000 in 2022. Each person may give up to $17,000 to as many people as they want to without incurring any Federal gift tax liability and without using any of their Federal estate tax exemption at death.

Speaking of the Federal estate tax exemption, that has been raised from $12,060,000 to $12,920,000. Since the exemption amount is adjusted for inflation, and inflation was high in 2022, there was a large jump. Same for the New York estate tax exemption which jumped from $6,110,000 to $6,580,000.

The higher Federal exemption is due to tax reform initiated by President Trump commencing in 2016. Fiscal restraints required that the higher Federal exemption expire after ten years. At the end of 2025 then the Federal exemption is slated to return to

New York levels. Since you can use any of your now almost $13,000,000 per person as a tax-free gift while you are living, many savvy clients have moved and are continuing to move family wealth to trusts for their children. Often, the parents choose to maintain control of these trusts, and they not only get the assets out of their estate while the getting is good, they also get all of the growth on those assets out of their estate.

Medicaid rates have changed so that an individual who needs care, either at home or in a nursing facility, may keep up to $28,133.00 in assets. If one spouse is at home, and the other spouse is in a nursing home, the spouse at home may keep up to about $150,000 in assets. The value of the home, up to $1,033,000 is exempt from Medicaid if a spouse is living there (while the other is in a facility) or for an individual receiving Medicaid for home care.

Finally, the age at which an individual must take their IRA required minimum distribution has been raised from age 72 to 73.

Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Additional reporting by Daniel Offner.

Daniel Offner/Herald U.S. SEN. ChUCk Schumer told the Long Island Association last week he would seek to promote the environment, transportation and technology this term.

Barry Tech students manage a blood drive

and skills. The medical assistant class, for example, has chosen to lead the organization of the blood drive. As a result of their participation in the blood drive, students are given two hours of community service, while students in the medical assistant class receive 30 hours of community service due to the ongoing nature of the project.

“The blood drive is a major undertaking, and we are extremely grateful to all those who helped to support it,” said William Poll, Barry Tech associate principal. “These individuals not only helped their community, they helped to save lives.”

Kiara Hernandez, a student from the Freeport area and her classmates organized the successful blood drive on behalf of the New York Blood Center, collecting a total of 158 pints of blood. Their effort is expected to save nearly 500 lives.

Hernandez, studying medical assisting at Barry Tech, was instrumental in promoting awareness, recruiting volunteers, and ensuring the smooth operation of the drive.

Hernandez is currently a senior in high school with an interested in pursuing a career in nursing after being inspired by her mother.

“When I was younger, I would always go to work with her,” said Hernandez. “I saw how she would take care of the patients and how dedicated she was to help save lives. And that’s when I knew I wanted to become a nurse.”

Hernandez is scheduled to enroll at Molloy College in the fall on a full academic scholarship to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. She has found the experience of participating in the blood drive program to be valuable and has gained useful skills that will be beneficial to her future career in the healthcare field.

“During Covid, I didn’t really know if I wanted to be in the health care system, because of all the problems that were arising,” Hernandez said. “I was scared at first, but coming to BOCES helped me realize that I really did want to become a nurse.”

The blood drive event not only helps alleviate the national blood shortage and potentially save three lives per donation, it also serves as an introduction to blood donation for students and helps to alleviate any fears they may have about the process.

“It’s a way to introduce students to becoming blood donors and to kind of take away that fear as a first introduction,” said Theresa Schaefer-Bell, Information Specialist at Nassau BOCES. “I think we hope that they become lifelong blood donors because of this.”

The school’s staff and administration played a crucial role in coordinating and supervising the event by providing support and assistance to the students who were organizing the blood drive. McLean emphasized that donating blood can have a positive impact on overall health,

includ ing reducing the risk of cancer and helping to prevent blood clots.

“Donating blood can become a positive habit for people, especially if they start at a young age,” McLean said.

Hernandez’s participation in the blood drive and service learning program at Barry Tech have provided her with valuable learning experiences and the opportunity to give back to her community.

Courtesy Barry Tech Career and Technical

MEDICAL ASSISTING STUDENTS

BOCES

Tech

a total of 158 pints of blood for the New York Blood Center. From left were Alondra Diaz, Christopher Caruana, Zohra Uddeen, Kiara Hernandez, Litzy Rosales, Teacher Karen McLean and Associate Principal William Poll.

Education High School

from Nassau

Barry

collected

spotlight athlete

JaMes DesiMoNe

Clarke Senior Basketball

a thiRD-YeaR vaRsitY starter, DeSimone is a major part of Clarke’s impressive 9-1 start. An All-County selection last season after earning a Nassau coaches award in the Covidshortened campaign, he’s averaging close to 16 points per game to go along with 4.4 assists. He’s scored in double digits in every game so far while hitting 21 three-pointers. He hit for a seasonhigh 23 against Long Beach on Dec 5.

gaMes to WatCh

Friday, Jan. 13

Boys Basketball: G.N. North at Sewanhaka 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Lynbrook at Plainedge 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Friends Academy at V.S. South 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Hewlett at Carey 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Long Beach at New Hyde Park 5 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Plainedge at Lynbrook 5 p.m.

Boys Swimming: Long Beach at Jericho 5 p.m.

Girls Fencing: Valley Stream at Hewlett 5 p.m.

Girls Basketball: East Rockaway at Malverne 5:30 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Malverne at East Rockaway 6:30 p.m.

Boys Basketball: South Side at Garden City 6:45 p.m.

Boys Basketball: East Meadow at Baldwin 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Plainview at Oceanside 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Jericho at Calhoun 7 p.m.

saturday, Jan. 14

Wrestling: Baldwin Tournament 9 a.m.

Wrestling: V.S. Central Tournament 9 a.m.

Boys Basketball: Wheatley at West Hempstead 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: V.S. Central at Port Washington 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Oceanside at Plainview 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Baldwin at East Meadow 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Farmingdale at Freeport 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Seaford at Carey 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Port Washington at V.S. Central 12 p.m.

sports

Defense ignites balanced Freeport

By toNY BellissiMo tbellissimo@liherald.com

Losing just once in 13 games has Freeport girls’ basketball booming with confidence but also with some work to do to achieve its No. 1 regular-season goal of capturing the Conference AA-1 title.

The Red Devils’ lone defeat so far was a 49-48 decision at conference rival Massapequa on a day they were missing a starter and their top reserve. They stand at 4-1 in AA-1 heading into this Saturday’s matchup at home against Farmingdale at noon.

“That loss eats at us but in a good way,” Freeport head coach Meredith Jones said. “It’s motivating because we were shorthanded and still led in the second half before running out of steam.

“We finish the first half of the schedule against Farmingdale and then start seeing everyone else again,” she added. “The girls of course are looking forward to the Massapequa rematch. Our confidence is high but the girls are also focused on one game at a time.”

Freeport has six players averaging at least 5 points per game and that depth was on display last Saturday when it defeated Syosset, the Nassau Class A runner-up last season, 45-40, at Farmingdale College. Senior Taneece Wooden (14 points) was the lone double-digit scorer for the Red Devils, who got plenty of other contributions. Juniors Nia Phillips and Star Asia Gaines had 8 points apiece, junior Ania Crocker had 6, senior Anayah Lloyd 5 and junior Queenasha Ellis 4.

“We have balance when it comes to scoring,” Jones explained. “If someone has an off night, there’s always someone else to pick up the slack.”

Defense, however, is first and foremost, Jones noted.

“We have a defense-first mentality,” she said. “It’s funny because when the girls ask to see game stats, they want to see steals and rebounds. We’re averaging more than 20 steals per game. Offense isn’t the first thing on their minds.”

Wooden, the closest thing Freeport has to a true forward among the starting five, is leading the offense at 14 points per game

seNioR poiNt guaRD Anayah Lloyd is thriving as the Red Devils’ floor general after missing last season with an injury.

and providing strong physical play. The Honorable Mention All-County selection last winter also leads the team in blocked shots. “She does so many things well,” Jones said.

Crocker is averaging 12.5 points and looking to put together back-to-back AllCounty campaigns. “She’s long and lanky and has a nice outside shot and can also drive,” Jones said.

Lloyd is the floor leader at the point and a tenacious defender. She didn’t play last season due to injury and was sorely missed, Jones said. Lloyd’s two late free

throws sealed a 43-40 victory over Class A title contender Lynbrook in the championship game of the Ernie Kight Invitational Dec. 29. “She never gets tired and loves to set up teammates,” the coach said.

Phillips and Ellis are outside threats and excelling on the defensive end. Gaines features a smooth mid-range jumper, and junior Brianne Belizaire is called upon to bolster the effort on the boards.

“I think we’re a quiet 12-1,” Jones said. “People aren’t paying too much attention to us but we’re going toe-to-toe with some of the better teams in the county.”

Ron Manfredi/Herald

Healthy outlook for a healthy year

NResolve to achieve a better you in 2023

ew Year’s resolutions are full of expectations. Common goals like eating healthier or losing weight are admirable, but there are plenty of other goals you can set in 2023 as well, like upping your sleep regimen, talking with a friend every day, or going on more walks.

Since the emergence of Covid, it has become more essential than ever to take care of yourself and enhance your immunity. In addition to physical health, mental health is equally important. Many people make New Year’s resolutions that they soon forget. It can be due to a lack of commitment, self-doubt, or unrealistic goals.

So, start by making short-term and realistic goals you can achieve without putting too much pressure on yourself. Once you list what you want to achieve this year, stick to it and believe in yourself to accomplish them.

Exercise more

Much like changing a diet, exercising is often seen as a means to weight loss. While that’s a positive side effect of daily exercise, daily or frequent exercise is an all-around health benefit.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, exercise helps lower the risk of heart disease and hypertension by 40 percent while lowering the risk of depression by 30 percent. In addition, men and women with a family history of diabetes should know that regular exercise lowers their risk of type 2 diabetes by nearly 60 percent. So while exercise is a great means to losing weight, it’s even better at helping reduce the risk for serious disease.

When incorporating exercise into a daily routine, start slowly and gradually work your way up to more vigorous exercise regimens. Going full speed from the outset is a great way to increase risk of injury, and no one wants that.

Find 30 minutes a day to walk

Getting the recommended 30 minutes of exercise each day can be as simple as taking a walk. If you’ve got a busy schedule, take three 10-minute walks throughout your day.

“That’s 10 minutes before work, 10 minutes at lunch and then 10 minutes after work. Make it fun! Grab a partner at work to get you through your lunch routine. Then have a friend or family member meet you for an evening stroll,” suggests physical therapist Stacie Page.

Your diet matters: healthy and well-balanced is achievable

This year, promise to eat right. Choose whole foods instead of packaged ones. Crash diets and eliminating foods from your daily intake can deprive you of needed nutrition and may not be effective in the long run.

Keep your mental health in check

Mental health is as vital as physical health, and it needs attention. The daily stress of life and other factors may lead to serious health issues, including depression and anxiety. Mental health issues can make it hard for you to cope with everyday life and interfere with your work and relationships.

If you feel something is wrong, believe your instinct and get help. Practicing self-care techniques can also help combat mental health issues. Try to find the positives and adopt habits that can benefit your well-being, such as meditating.

Manage stress

Stress is a cause of many serious illnesses, such as heart disease. It can negatively impact your physical and mental health. Stress can become regular if you are always busy or have other problems related to finances or relationships. It is crucial to take steps to manage your stress. You can manage stress through meditation, exercise, or other relaxation techniques.

Sleep well

Improve the quantity and quality of your sleep. Getting enough sleep enhances your health by ensuring the smooth functioning of your body. It is also critical that you have a sound sleep. Regular interruptions can disrupt your sleep pattern, causing low energy and fatigue during the day. Getting a good night’s sleep is definitely something you should add to your 2023 checklist.

Limit social media usage and screen time

Just as you’ve decided to finish a task or go to sleep, you receive a social media notification alert. As you check the notification, something else catches your attention, and before you know it, you’ve spent an hour doomscrolling. Invariably, this leaves you feeling worse than before. If this resonates with you, you are not alone.

Social media, particularly when used for long hours, is reported to have contributed to an increased risk of a variety of mental health concerns like anxiety and low mood. This could be because of social comparison, isolation and cyberbullying. It also increases screen time, which can impact sleep and leave you less time to engage in other activities. Reducing your social media usage might help your anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleep problems and the fear of missing out.

Practise meditation and mindfulness

Meditation and mindfulness give you space to pause and reflect, allowing you to slow down and increase your emotional awareness, in a chaotic and bustling world. In fact, practising meditation and being mindful can help you in improving emotional regulation, reduce physical pain and alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Meditation and mindfulness require consistent effort. Starting with mindfulness for even one minute every day can be helpful. You can slowly increase the time as you see fit. Mindfulness and meditation apps like have also proven to be useful in improving mental health.

Create (and keep) those resolutions

Taking a good, hard look at daily behavior is the key to setting realistic self-improvement goals

The early Babylonians believed that what people did on the first day of the year affected what they did for the rest of that year. Many of us see the New Year as a perfect opportunity to start over or to change bad habits.

According to several surveys, the most popular resolutions people make are related to health and fitness (eating better, losing weight, and exercising), reducing consumption of alcohol, caffeine, quitting smoking, and becoming more financially responsible by promising to spend less and save more.

Unfortunately, over 70 percent of resolutions are broken by the end of January, and this can leave a person feeling discouraged.

You might even consider New Year’s resolutions like romantic relationships: They’re easier to start than maintain.

One in four people who makes a New Year’s resolution will drop out within the first seven days, statistics show. About half jump ship within six months.

Resolutions are complicated, and being able to achieve them usually requires taking a hard look at our thoughts and behaviors. Setting goals keeps us on track, but stamping out old habits is difficult, and may even require the help of a professional for some.

But there’s hope.

Striving for self-improvement and setting goals for ourselves gives us a sense of purpose and hope for the future. Be sure to make your goals a priority, be specific, and work at them daily.

Your goal should be specific and measurable. Make your goal concrete, and if necessary, break it down into smaller steps.

Setting vague goals such as “I want to lose weight” can be ineffective. Instead, ensure your resolution is quantifiable. If your goal is to shed some pounds, identify the number you’d like to lose within a specified period of time. If your aim is to exercise more in 2023 set a specific objective for the number of hours you’ll work out each week.

Or, if your resolution is to consume fewer carbohydrates, resolve to eat carbohydrates only at one meal per day rather than resolving to eliminate carbohydrates entirely. Once you are successful, begin to decrease your consumption further.

Don’t set unrealistic resolutions that will be impossible to keep. If you resolve to eat healthier by cutting down on desserts, switch to an alternative you enjoy rather than forcing yourself to eat a vegetable you’ve hated since childhood. For example, swap ice cream for Greek yogurt or fruit rather than raw cauliflower sprouts (unless you enjoy them, of course).

Be nice to yourself. Changing habits isn’t easy, so you’re likely to struggle at some point in your journey. Take it easy. Minor bumps are normal. The important part is jumping back on the bandwagon and continuing momentum forward.

Write your resolution down and put it somewhere where you can see it on a daily basis. This will help you to stay focused.

Keep it manageable. Keep the scope of your New Year’s resolution practical by working toward changing one or two behaviors at a time.

Have coping strategies in place to deal with obstacles that may arise along the way. For example, if your goal is to drink less alcohol you may consider skipping parties or events that involve a lot of drinking or bring a sober friend along to provide you with support and to help keep you on track.

On the bright side. Stay focused on the benefits of the change you’re making rather than what you’re giving up. Rally your mind around how much better you’ve been feeling instead of lamenting the loss of your daily chocolate-chip muffin.

Photo: Sometimes it’s the littlest things that make the biggest impact. Rather than setting a major health or fitness goal that takes you far out of your comfort zone, start the new year by committing to small changes here and there.

Hold yourself accountable and lean on others. Use a support network to help stay motivated. Discuss your resolution (and the accompanying struggles) with friends and family members. Consider joining a group with common goals, whether a collection of friends teaming up to quit smoking or an exercise class at the gym.

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With the heart of winter upon us, it can be tough to stick with our fitness goals. And so much for our new resolve to exercise more.

But wait! It doesn’t have to be so. Fitness experts offer some helpful tips to reinvigorate those resolutions.

Treat exercise as your personal “time out.” Your time to exercise is your opportunity to “recharge your battery.” It refreshes your mind, spirit, and energy. It not only benefits you, it has a positive impact on your relationships, your work and how you cope with stress.

Set realistic, incremental goals. Start with small, attainable goals that you can achieve with relative consistency. 15 minutes a day is a meaningful starting point. Build from there.

Do what you enjoy. Physical activity comes in many forms. Will a brisk walk in the open air help you unwind and relax? Is it a workout at the gym with state-of-the-art equipment and the energy of others that helps motivate you? Is it the convenience of jumping rope in your basement that will keep you feeling good about yourself? The possibilities are endless.

Schedule it as you would any important appointment. Designating a time to exercise is a key factor in making it happen. Put it on your calendar. But remember, regular exercise doesn’t have to mean regimented exercise.

Track it. Whether you track it on paper, your computer or an app, you reinforce your commitment to taking care of yourself, and you see the progress you are making.

Make it social. One of the greatest benefits of exercise can be the quality time you spend with friends and family. An exercise buddy or group can help motivate you to stick with it, while offering social interaction and the additional support you may need. Surround yourself with people who also want to enjoy the benefits of physical activity. Motivation and lifestyle choices are contagious! Note: Health clubs are filled with people who have the same goals as you.

Be flexible and allow yourself breaks. Exercise is a lifestyle

choice that will improve your quality of life throughout your entire lifetime. If you need to miss a workout or several it’s okay. Just get back to it as soon as you can. It’s the long-term commitment to taking care of yourself and enjoying the physical and emotional benefits of exercise that will keep you going.

Mix it up. Add variety to sustain your interest. Feel free to be creative in what you do. Modern-day gym equipment is great. Or try out a new class. Or ask a trainer to show you some bodyweight exercises.

Incorporate other activities you love. If your idea of relaxing is listening to music, reading a good book, or watching a funny television show, find ways to exercise while engaging in these pastimes you really enjoy.

Reward yourself. You have reason to feel proud when you take care of yourself through exercise. In today’s sedentary, overscheduled world, it’s not an easy thing to do. So go ahead and reward yourself in healthy ways when you’ve met your goals. Treat yourself to a massage, buy music you enjoy, or get that new outfit you’ve been wanting.

But remember: the greatest reward you can give yourself is that feeling of well being that comes when you make exercise a regular part of your life.

Photo: Make exercise a part of your lifestyle, not just a New Year’s resolution.

Fundraising for a better future for Alexis

In 2018, Alexis had another seizure, which led to an onset of ongoing blackouts and a sense of lost time. Despite taking the prescribed medicine for her epilepsy, the seizures came more frequently and showed a variety of symptoms, which resulted in the terrible diagnosis in 2019.

Alexis’ mother took her to the hospital after she began experiencing accidental falls. Specialists recommended genetic testing.

When the genetic screenings came back, the doctors told Alexis that she had the rare disease, Lafora disease.

Lafora disease is a severe form of epilepsy that typically begins in adolescence and is characterized by rapidly progressive cognitive decline and physical disability. This can lead to seizures, muscle spasms, and eventually, cognitive decline and physical disability. Most victims of Lafora disease do not live past their adolescence or early 20s.

There is currently no cure for Lafora disease, and treatment is focused on managing symptoms and improving quality of life for those affected.

Given the rarity of the disease and the possibility of underdiagnosis in some parts of the world, it is challenging to estimate the exact number of people who have Lafora disease. However, it is generally believed to be a condition that affects fewer than 100 people worldwide.

Alexis is confined to a wheelchair and can barely speak as she requires constant care. The family copes with the emotional and financial toll of dealing with a chronic health condition, and they have had to make difficult decisions about Alexis’s care.

Despite the challenges she has faced, Alexis remains a loving and caring young woman. As she navigates this difficult journey, Alexis and her family are seeking support and seeking answers in the face of this rare and

Help support her

If you would like to help support Alexis Rodriguez and her family, you can visit their GoFundMe campaign to learn more about her story and how you can make a difference by being one of ‘Alexis’s Angels’ at tinyurl.com/AlexisAngels.

–Mohamed Farghaly

potentially fatal condition.

Cruz, who previously worked full-time at Mt. Sinai South Nassau, has been forced to switch to a part-time schedule in order to oversee her daughter’s care.

Her family has started a GoFundMe effort to raise money to assist with medical expenses and enhance her quality of life. Although there is currently no cure for Lafora disease, Alexis’ family is seeking to collect $150,000 so they can afford a treatment that, in theory, would halt the disease’s progression until a cure could be found.

“Right now, there is only one treatment available and that’s just to hold off the disease to keep it from progressing,” Cruz said. “Because it really does rob your child of everything, cognitively, physically and verbally.”

With the help of a team of medical professionals and the support of her loved ones, Alexis is fighting to overcome the challenges of Lafora disease and live a full and meaningful life.

“I’m very hopeful and I do want to believe in my heart that I’m going to be able to get the help that we need and give her the life that she so much deserves,” Cruz said.

Sileny Urena and Aquil Jackson get married

Courtesy Altagracia Cruz ALEXIS RODRIGUEZ, 19, of Freeport, defies the odds and shows strength as she battles Lafora disease with the love and support of her family.

Courtesy Town of Hempstead

SILENY URENA AND Aquil Jackson of Freeport celebrated their marriage on Dec. 14 with Hempstead town clerk Kate Murray, who officiated at their wedding. It all took place at Hempstead town hall.

STEPPING OUT

Culinary inspiration for a wintry weekend

By Karen Bloom

January is the ideal time to decompress and get into the kitchen and work on those “Top Chef” skills. It’s not that difficult with some great comforting — healthy — foods to nourish and warm our soul.

Experiment with new culinary creations that incorporate bold flavors for delicious results. Nothing pleases the senses quite like a hearty dish on a chilly evening. Try adding these recipes to your repertoire.

Rustic Roasted Winter Vegetable Chowder

• 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch dice (about 2 cups)

• 3 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch dice (about 1 cup )

• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch dice (about 1 cup)

• 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch dice (about 1 cup)

• 1/2 fennel bulb, quartered & sliced thin (about 1 cup)

• 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or coarse sea salt

• 2 tablespoons plus 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 medium onion, diced (about 2 cups)

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 2 cups) 4-5 fresh thyme sprigs

Hearty Beef Stew

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 1/2 lb beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup Burgundy, Zinfandel or other red wine

• 3 cups beef broth

• 1 1/2 cups ready-to-eat baby-cut carrots

• 4 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 1/2 pound small red potatoes, cut in half

• 2 dried bay leaves

• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Cook beef in oil 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Remove beef to bowl; cover to keep warm.

In Dutch oven, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion and garlic in oil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Return beef to Dutch oven. Sprinkle with flour; cook and stir 1 minute. Add wine; cook 1 minute, scraping to loosen any browned bits from bottom of pan. Stir in broth, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper.

Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves before serving.

• 1 cup milk or unsweetened plain almond milk

Additional salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

More pepper and thyme leaves for garnish

Heat oven to 400 F.

In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash, parsnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, and fennel with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast until tender and browned in places, about 40 minutes, turning a couple of times while roasting.

While the veggies are roasting, prepare the base of the soup. To a large saucepan over low heat, add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion along with a pinch of salt and a bit of pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in the vegetable broth. Add the potatoes and thyme. Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Remove from heat. Pick out the thyme stems and discard.

Stir in the roasted vegetables. Carefully transfer about 3 cups of the chowder to the pitcher of a blender. Puree until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to the pot and stir to combine. The soup should be thick, rich, and creamy.

Stir in the milk. Place the pot back on the burner, and, with the heat on medium-low, return to a simmer, stirring often to prevent burning.

Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve garnished with an additional turn of cracked pepper and thyme leaves.

Lucky Chops

This big, brassy and unapologetically bold six-piece band comes at you with every hue in the rainbow. Their sound pays homage to New Orleans brass band tradition while incorporating eclectic rock, Caribbean, Arabic, Eastern European, funk, jazz, ska, gospel and EDM influences. Their irresistible groove is led by co-founder Josh Holcomb’s soulful trombone, Daro Behroozi’s soaring sax and Joshua Gawel’s powerful trumpet. Their high-energy brassy funk has attracted listeners since forming in New York City in 2006. Starting in the underground halls of subway stations, Lucky Chops went viral when a video of their mash-up of Lipps Inc.’s ‘Funkytown’ and James Brown’s ‘I Feel Good’ amassed hundreds of millions of views across social media, and led to an online subscriber base almost two million strong. They’re now back on tour for the first time since the end of 2019.

Thursday, Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m. $33. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

America

The perennial classic rock favorite enters 2023 on the road again as founding members Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell celebrate the band’s 53rd anniversary. The pair (along with former band mate Dan Peek), who met in high school in London in the late 1960s, quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of their signature song ‘A Horse With No Name.’ More than 40 years later, these friends are still making music together, touring the world and thrilling audiences with their timeless sound. Yet beyond their impressive catalog of hits, listeners discovered there was always much more to America than surface perceptions. The combination of Beckley’s melodic pop rock and Bunnell’s use of folk-jazz elements, slinky Latin-leaning rhythms and impressionistic lyric imagery contrasted well with Peek’s more traditional country-rock leanings and highly personal lyrics.

Friday, Jan. 27, 8 p.m. $99, $79, $69, $59. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. (516) 299-3100 or TillesCenter.org.

ith the holidays behind us, cozy up to some comfy winter nesting. And, of course, it’s time to refocus on healthier eating now that we’re finished with weeks of festive over-indulgence.

THE SCENE

Art talk

Grab your lunch and join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent Riva Ettus for her popular “Brown Bag Lecture” live, via Zoom, Thursday, Jan. 19 , 1 p.m. She’ll discuss the current exhibition, “The Big Picture: Photography Now.” Participants are invited to ask questions at the end of the program. Also Feb. 23. Register at least 24 hours in advance to receive the program Zoom link. Also Feb. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Musical Bingo

Branford Marsalis

The renowned saxophonist visits the Madison Theatre, on the Molloy University campus, with his quartet, Friday, Jan. 20, 8 p.m. The NEA Jazz Master, triple Grammy Award winner and musical polymath with his stellar ensemble — pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner — bring the brilliance that has made this quartet one of the most revered and influential in jazz. After more than three decades of existence with minimal personnel changes, this celebrated ensemble is revered for its uncompromising interpretation of a kaleidoscopic range of both original compositions and jazz and popular classics. $40-$95. 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. For tickets and information visit MadisonTheatreny.org or call (516) 323-4444.

Families can participat in a musical version of bingo, Thursday, Jan. 19, at Freeport Memorial Library. Dance along to popular kids’ tunes like “The Hokey Pokey” as you play and try to get bingo. If you win, you’ll get a prize. For kids in grades pre-K to 4, 144. W. Merrick Road. Visit FreeportLbrary. info or call (516) 379-3274 for more information. Also offered Feb. 9.

In concert

David Alterman returns to the stage with Altzim, Friday, Jan. 13, at My Father’s Place supper club. Enjoy an evening of music that Alterman describes as “Dylan with a twist,” with special guest Cathy Rose Virgilio. Rich Demand and his band also appear. Doors open at 6 p.m., concert is at 8 p.m. The Metropolitan, 3 Pratt Blvd., Glen Cove. For tickets/ information, visit MyFathersPlace. com or call (516) 580-0887.

Cemetery Cinema

Join Sparkle on Stage for Cemetery Cinema movie night, Saturday, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m. Horror, thrills, screams! What a way to start the new year, at 195 Woodcleft Ave. Tickets are $10 and available to purchase at Sparkleonstage. org. For more information email sparkleonstage17@gmail.com.

Forest Bathing

Take a meditative Forest Bathing walk, led by certified guide Linda Lombardo, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2-4 p.m. Based on the Japanese tradition of ShinrinYoku, a wellness practice developed in the 1980s, the walk, on the grounds of the former summer residence of Howard Gould and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim, inspires mindful connections with the natural elements of the woods for a range of healthful benefits. $40, $35. Pre-registration required. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy. org or call (516) 571-7901.

Having an event?

New

Visions

PTA STEM + Families Science Festival

Join New Visions for an evening of science, technology, engineering, and math fun for the whole family, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 6:30- 8 p.m. The New Visions PTA STEM + Families Science Festival features hands-on activities, demonstrations, and experiments for all ages in the New Visions gymnasium, 80 Raynor St. All children must have a caregiver with them. Email Qkarikari@ gmail.com for more information.

Speak Hope Foundation

Gala

The Speak Hope Foundation invites all to its second annual gala, Sunday, Jan. 15, 5-9 p.m., at the Coral House, 70 Milburn Ave. Proeeds supports people struggling to pay for mental health services. For more information call (516) 459-2920.

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

Volunteer for SPLASH

View seabirds nesting and shorebirds skimming through the air, up close, while helping preserve the waters on which they depend. Volunteer on an Operation SPLASH boat. Volunteer crews depart from Guy Lombardo Marina, 898 Guy Lombardo Ave., once or twice a day, seven days a week, to clean the marine shores of Freeport. To participate, go to OperationSplash. com/boat-schedule/, click on the Freeport link, and find the contact information for the time slot you want. You can also email info@ operationsplash.com or call (516) 378-4770.

On exhibit

Photography’s ascent in the art world is an international phenomenon. Nassau County Museum of Art’s star-studded exhibition spans the historical roots of the medium. View works by Ansel Adams and his generation and the thrilling, large-format color

Yoga at the Rec Center

Fresh air, flexibility, and the peaceful traditions of yoga are featured in yoga classes, Wednesdays, at the Freeport Recreation Center, 130 E. Merrick Rd. The classes start at 7 pm., outdoors if weather permits. Call (516) 377-2314 for information.

Let Freedom Ring with MLK

Visit Long Island Children’s Museum for a workshop honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., Monday, Jan. 16. Families will learn about MLK beyond his “I Have a Dream” speech and gain a better understanding of his impact on the civil rights movement. Also participate in a gallery walk of images from the Civil Rights Movement and then create a bell to “let freedom ring.” $4 with admission, $3 members. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

works of such contemporary masters as Cindy Sherman, Thomas Struth, James Casebere and Gregory Crewdson, among others. From the documentary to the painterly, images bear witness to the times. On view through March 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

New town redistricting long way from finish

By ANA BORRUTO aborruto@liherald.com

Voters talked, but at least according to them, a committee tasked with drawing new boundaries for Hempstead town elected officials didn’t listen.

At least that was the takeaway during the latest public hearing last week over the state of redistricting in the town.

Yet, it was a meeting just before the winter holidays that took most of the attention — a meeting where a number of speakers during public comment demanded lines be redrawn for the six town districts in what they called a more balanced representation through the inclusion of three “minority-majority” districts. That is, where an overall ethnic minority would be grouped into a majority as a way to help diversify a leadership board like the town council.

That same week, new map proposals were released. Yet, after further review, critics of the earlier drafts claimed most of their recommendations were ignored.

“While I hope that the commission changes course on these maps, I doubt (they) will because (they) have to show us that (they’re) listening to what residents are saying,” said Amil Virani of Valley Stream.

But there were changes. For example, the committee has proposed grouping together Elmont, North Valley Stream, a portion of the Five Towns and Franklin Square into a single district. Baldwin — which went from three to two representatives on the latest maps — was split in half.

The idea, according to Hempstead town attorney John Maccarone, was to ensure villages were kept whole, in accordance with the law. However, hamlets like Baldwin don’t enjoy the same protections.

Elmont, Valley Stream and Franklin Square are per-

fect for this new district, said Elmont resident Mimi Pierre-Johnson, but it should also have included Bellerose, Bellerose village, South Floral Park, Floral Park and New Hyde Park.

“That would’ve been a perfect minority-majority,” she said. “Everyone in that district would have had a fair share of choosing their elected official.”

Baldwin has been split into three council districts since the 2010 census. The Baldwin Civic Association collected more than 400 signatures on a petition urging the committee to place the entire hamlet of Baldwin under the 11510 ZIP code and one Town of Hempstead council district.

“Again, (the redistricting committee) has cracked Baldwin,” Janet Poretsky said. “My vote in Baldwin Harbor won’t count, it will be canceled out by someone in Wantagh-Seaford. I don’t think that’s fair, and I have nobody who is really representing my area.”

The last time officials got together to redraw district lines, it was done to benefit legislators without any concern for the needs of Nassau County communities, said Karen Moskowitz, cochair of the League of Women Votgers of Nassau County’s redistricting committee — specifically communities of color.

The lATesT RedisTRicTiNg map for Hempstead town elected officials reveals little change to what a number of people asked for ahead of the revision last month. Their desire is to see a better chance of creating a more diverse town council by creating ‘minority-majority’ districts.

As a town where 40 percent of its residents are people of color represented by a council that is mostly white, Moskowitz added that the latest map proposals show this intention has not changed in Hempstead.

The 2020 census revealed a 12 percent drop in the town’s white, non-Hispanic population, according to supporters of the minority-majority district concept. At the same time, the Hispanic and Latino population grew 32 percent, while the Black population increased by 4

percent.

“The league takes positions on a variety of policy issues, but never supports or opposes any political party or candidate,” Moskowitz said. “Our review of the commission’s proposed maps reveals deliberate manipulation of district lines.”

Another redistricting meeting was scheduled for Jan. 9, and the town attorney confirmed more such meetings will be scheduled before the board votes on a new map.

Ana Borruto/Herald

CRIME WATCH

Arrests

■ Following a traffic collision, Freeport police officers arrested a man who was determined to be driving while intoxicated on Dec. 31. The defendant was then transferred to the Freeport Police Department for processing.

■ Following a verbal disagreement, a suspect was arrested by police officers for damaging the property of another on Dec. 30. The suspect was detained without incident and transferred to Freeport Police Headquarters for processing.

■ Police were called to an allegation of petty larceny at a nearby business on Dec. 27. Police investigated the matter and apprehended the individual who took property from the location’s counter. The suspect was arrested without incident and transferred to Freeport Police Headquarters for processing.

■ An individual who damaged another person’s property during a dispute was arrested by Freeport police officers on Jan. 8. The suspect was then without incident taken into custody and sent to Freeport Police Headquarters for processing.

■ Following a car collision on Jan. 7, officers arrested an individual who was later discovered to be driving while intoxicated. The suspect was then taken into custody and transported to Freeport Police Headquarters to undergo arrest processing.

■ Following a verbal argument, a suspect was arrested by Freeport police after getting into a physical altercation that injured another person on Jan. 4. The suspect was then without incident taken into custody and sent to Freeport Police Headquarters for processing.

Petit Larceny

■ A complaint was received by Freeport Police for an individual who removed products from a local business without permission or payment on Jan. 1. Local detectives are investigating the situation.

■ Police obtained a report on two unknown individuals who stole a bicycle from a neighborhood house without permission or payment on Jan. 1. No further police action was requested.

■ A report was obtained by Freeport Police on Dec. 29 regarding a person who took car parts from a vehicle without permission. Local detectives are investigating.

■ A report was filed by the Freeport

Police on Jan. 8 regarding two unidentified subjects who took a wallet that was dropped by an individual without authorization or permission.

■ Police secured a report on Jan. 5 that an unknown individual stole two tires

Three men arrested on weapon charges

Three South Carolinian men were arrested Jan. 2 in Island Park for suspected drug and weapons charges. Isiah Morant, Trevonte Miller and Hampton Blvdthe pistol found arrested -

THE TOP 3 FINALISTS IN

DINING

Churchill’s IHOP-Oceanside Toast Coffeehouse

BUBBLE/BOBA TEA: Bubble Hut Kung Fu Tea YAAAS TEA

BUFFET: China Buffet King Diwan Indian Restaurant and Bar Flaming Grill & Supreme Buffet

BURGER: American Burgers Ay! Caramba!

Burgerology

BUSINESS LUNCH: City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill Frank’s Steaks Remy’s Italian Restaurant

BUTCHER SHOP: Charlie’s Butchers Chubs Meats Sons of a Butcher

CATERER: Bagel Boss Barnum Ballroom

Bialystok & Bloom

CHINESE FOOD: Danny’s Chinese Kitchen Little Fu’s

Omandarin

COCKTAILS: Da Nicola

Dirty Taco + Tequila

Lia’s Pizzeria - Oceanside

DELI/SANDWICH SHOP:

Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen Restaurant & Caterers

Farmer Joel’s Pantano’s Gourmet

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

DESSERT: Dolce Confections

Frank’s Steaks Sugarberry Bakery Cafe

DINER: Apollo Restaurant Diner Imperial Diner The Pantry

Artie’s South Shore Fish Market & Grill Hewlett Fish Market Inc. Jordan Lobster Farms

FRENCH FRIES: All American Hamburger Drive In Brooklyn Dip & Burger Press 195

FRIED CHICKEN: Chicken Carnival Swingbellys Beachside BBQ Zorn’s of Bethpage

GERMAN FOOD: Das Biergarten

Oak Chalet

Plattduetsche Park

GREEK FOOD: B Greek Kitchen

GREEKTOWN

Mykonos Greek Restaurant

HAPPY HOUR:

Dirty Taco + Tequila

J Paul’s Terrace Cafe

Michael’s Billiards

ICE CREAM: Carvel - Merrick Dolce Gelateria

Marvel Frozen Dairy

INDIAN FOOD: Color of Spices

Diwan Indian Restaurant & Bar

Raagini

ITALIAN FOOD: Friendlier 76

Lia’s Pizzeria - Oceanside

San Marzano Brick Oven Pizza & Fresh Pasta

JAPANESE FOOD: Himawari

Izumi Sushi & Hibachi Steakhouse Kashi

LATIN FOOD: Cabo RVC Island Empanada of Merrick The Cuban

LOCAL COFFEE SHOP: Coffee Booths

Heavenly Coffee Kookaburra Coffee Co

MEXICAN FOOD:

Frida’s Mexican Grill

Margaritas Cafe

The Cabana Mexican American Restaurant

NEW RESTAURANT:

Casarecce Italian Tap Room

The Chef’s Table - Lynbrook

ORGANIC/NATURAL FOOD:

Bob’s Natural Foods

Fit by Globish

Organic Krush Lifestyle Eatery

OUTDOOR DINING:

Lazy Lobster Point Lookout Clam Bar SALT - Merrick

PIZZA: Friendlier 76

Lia’s Pizzeria - Oceanside Vincent’s

PRETZEL: Knot of this World Pretzels

Philly Pretzel Factory Pretzel Stop/Pretzel Town USA

RAMEN: 8RAMEN

MB Ramen - Huntington Ni Ramen

ROMANTIC RESTAURANT: Da Nicola Livorno

Remy’s Italian Restaurant

SEAFOOD: Artie’s South Shore Fish Market & Grill

Hungry Crab Juicy Seafood and Bar

Jordan Lobster Farms

SMOOTHIE: Fit by Globish SoBol Hewlett Tropical Smoothie Cafe

SPECIALTY PIZZA: Friendlier 76

Lia’s Pizzeria - Oceanside Vincent’s

STEAKHOUSE: Frank’s Steaks

Jimmy Hays Steak House

Rothmann’s Steakhouse

SUSHI: Himawari

Izumi Sushi & Hibachi Steakhouse

Sushi Palace

THAI FOOD:

Ra-Kang Thai Cuisine

Seeda Thai

Thai Station Restaurant

Thai Table Restaurant

VEGETARIAN/VEGAN:

Bob’s Natural Foods

Energy Fuel Garden City

Organic Krush Lifestyle Eatery

WINGS:

Croxley’s Ale House

Pearsall’s Station

Swingbellys Beachside BBQ

YOGURT: Hewlett Station Yogurt Swirls & Twirls

TCBY

Courtesy Nassau County Police Department ONE OF THE guns recovered by Fourth Precinct officers during the arrest of the three Californian men on Jan. 2

Congrats to all the Top 3 Finalists in the 2022 Herald Long Island Choice Awards presented by PSEG Long Island! Check back each week for the Top 3 Reveal in each category leading up to the Oscar-style awards ceremony in April 2023. Did your favorites make it to the top? Visit www.LiChoiceAwards.com! *Finalists are listed alphabetically, not in order of placement.

HHERALDERALD

LEGAL NOTICE

Public Notices

NOTICE OF ADOPTION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that in accordance with §5508 of the Village Law of the State of New York, after a public hearing on January 9, 2023, with due notice, a budget showing revenue and expenditures for the fiscal year 2023/2024 has been duly adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, New York, on January 9, 2023. A copy of the budget is available at the office of the Village Clerk, where it may be inspected by interested persons during office hours.

Incorporated Village of Freeport Summary of Budget

Fiscal Year Ending February 29, 2024

LEGISLATIVE 136,617

JUDICIAL 1,376,925

EXECUTIVE 368,910

FINANCE 1,573,613

STAFF 3,597,223

SHARED SERVICES 2,847,388

SPECIAL ITEMS 3,884,470

PUBLIC SAFETY 26,964,287

DISASTER EXPENSE 0

HEALTH 3,900

TRANSPORTATION 1,734,586

ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE 183,646

CULTURE AND REC 3,725,566

HOME AND COMMUNITY SVS 34,900

SANITATION 5,034,245

OTHER COMM SVS STORMWATER 60,200

OTHER HOME COMM SVS 11,000

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS 23,363,167

DEBT SERVICE 5,265,840

TRANSFER TO OTHER FUNDS 1,107,507 Total Appropriations $81,273,990

Tax Rate per Hundred Dollars $ 61.649

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, New York.

Pamela Walsh Boening Village Clerk 1201248

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF ADOPTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that in accordance with the provisions of the Village Law, §4-412(9), after a public hearing on January 9, 2023, with due notice, a contract between the Incorporated Village of Freeport and the Freeport Volunteer Fire Department has been duly adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, New York, on January 9, 2023 for a fee of $151,000.00. A copy of the contract is available at the office of the Village Clerk, where it may be inspected by interested persons during office hours.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, New York.

Pamela Walsh Boening Village Clerk

Issue Date: January 12, 2023

136648

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, by virtue of the authority invested by law, shall conduct a public hearing to be duly held on the 23rd day of January 2023, to consider an amendment of Chapter 128 entitled Housing Standards, by adding an article entitled “Board-Up Material Specifications.”

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the foregoing notice of public hearing shall be entered in the minutes of the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, and published in the Herald and a printed copy thereof posted conspicuously in at least three (3) public places in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Nassau County, New York.

STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NASSAU, VILLAGE OF FREEPORT, ss: I, PAMELA WALSH BOENING, Clerk of the Village of Freeport, Nassau County, New York, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of said notice duly authorized by the Board of Trustees of the said Village at a meeting of the Said Board of Trustees, calling for a public hearing to be duly held in the conference Room of the Municipal Building of the Village of Freeport, New York on the 23rd day of January 2023 at 7:15 P.M., and of the whole thereof, as entered upon the minutes of the proceedings of the said Board kept by me as Village Clerk.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Corporate seal of said Village this 9th day of January 2023.

Pamela Walsh Boening Village Clerk

Dated:Freeport, New York January 9, 2023 136652

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, by virtue of the authority invested by law, shall conduct a public hearing to be duly held on the 23rd day of January 2023, to consider adding an article entitled “Transient Rental Properties.”

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the foregoing notice of public hearing shall be entered in the minutes of the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, and published in the Leader and a printed copy thereof posted conspicuously in at least three (3) public places in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Nassau County, New York.

STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NASSAU, VILLAGE OF FREEPORT, ss: I, PAMELA WALSH BOENING, Clerk of the Village of Freeport, Nassau County, New York, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of said notice duly authorized by the Board of Trustees of the said Village at a meeting of the Said Board of Trustees, calling for a public hearing to be duly held in the conference Room of the Municipal Building of the Village of Freeport, New York on the 23rd day of January 2023 at 7:15 P.M., and of the whole thereof, as entered upon the minutes of the proceedings of the said Board kept by me as Village Clerk.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Corporate seal of said Village this 9th day of January 2023.

Pamela Walsh Boening Village Clerk

Dated:Freeport, New York January 9, 2023 136653

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION: 55., BLOCK: 23601, LOT: 222. Approximate amount of judgment $565,937.88 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #001309/2015. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 Protocols located on the Office of Court Administration (OCA) website (https://ww2.nycourts.gov /Admin/oca.shtml) and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com. Peter A. Bee, Esq., Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-029399-F01 74511 136447

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 Protocols located on the Office of Court Administration (OCA) website (https://ww2.nycourts.gov /Admin/oca.shtml) and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Brian Davis, Esq., Referee Fein, Such & Crane, LLP 1400 Old Country Road, Suite 103N Westbury, NY 11590 SPSJN347 74418 136449

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES… Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com TO PLACE AND AD CALL 516-569-4000 x 232

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT: NASSAU COUNTY. LOAN FUNDER LLC, SERIES 14227, Pltf. vs. ROSE100 GROUP CORP,, Defts, Index #610091/21. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale dated March 14, 2022, I will sell at public auction on the north side front steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on January 24, 2023 at 2:30 p.m., prem. k/a 100 Rose Avenue, Roosevelt, NY a/k/a Section 55, Block 486, Lot 14. Approx. amt. of judgment is $315,146.90 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Foreclosure auction will be held “rain or shine.” If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the auction. SCOTT GUARDINO, Referee. DEUTSCH & SCHNEIDER, LLP, Attys. for Pltf. 79-37 Myrtle Avenue, Glendale, NY. File No. LF-280#99956 136243

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

Richard S. Mullen Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP

Plaintiff’s Attorney 500 Bausch & Lomb Place Rochester, NY 14604 Tel.: 855-227-5072 136251

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, V. NIMBOKO B. MILLER, ET AL.

NOTICE OF SALE

OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU Wilmington Trust, NA, successor trustee to Citibank, N.A., as Trustee f/b/o holders of Structured Asset Mortgage Investments II Inc., Bear Stearns ALT-A Trust 2006-8, Mortgage PassThrough Certificates, Series 2006-8, Plaintiff AGAINST Sergia M. Minaya, Julio Estevez, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered June 15, 2018, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 8, 2023 at 2:00PM, premises known as 34 Grand Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE, ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERS OF THE ACCREDITED MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2007-1 ASSET BACKED NOTES, Plaintiff AGAINST EMMANUEL TOUSSAINT A/K/A EMMANUEL TOUISSANT; ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered November 7, 2019, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 6, 2023 at 2:00PM, premises known as 63 Centennial Avenue A/K/A 63 West Centennial Avenue, Roosevelt, NY 11575. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Roosevelt, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 55 Block: 413 Lot: 25. Approximate amount of judgment $561,460.56 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #007021/2011. The

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, RESIDENTAL MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2013-TT2, BY U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS LEGAL TITLE TRUSTEE, Plaintiff, vs. DONOVAN HONEGAN, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on April 15, 2019, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 23, 2023 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 38 Shonnard Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Village of Freeport, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 55, Block 222 and Lot 540 & 541. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 7613/16. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.

Charles J. Casolaro, Esq., Referee Berkman, Henoch, Peterson, & Peddy, P.C., 100 Garden City Plaza, Garden City, NY 11530, Attorneys for Plaintiff 136247

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com TO PLACE AN AD CALL 516-569-4000 x 232

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU TRUMAN CAPITAL HOLDINGS, LLC, Plaintiff, v. SHERRIL BAEZ A/K/A SHERRIL S. BAEZ, ET AL, Defendant. NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT

In pursuance of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the Office of the County Clerk of Nassau County on October 21, 2022, I, Scott H. Siller, Esq. the Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on January 26, 2023 at The North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501, County of Nassau, State of New York, at 2:00 PM the premises described as follows: 808 South Ocean Avenue Freeport, NY 11520 SBL No: 62-180-429

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

The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 614142/2019 in the amount of $769,435.71 plus interest and costs.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated June 8, 2018, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION is the Plaintiff and NIMBOKO B. MILLER, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on January 24, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 352 WESTSIDE AVENUE, FREEPORT, NY 11520: Section 62, Block 66, Lot 299:

ALL THAT PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS

THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE VILLAGE OF FREEPORT, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 006688/2015. Ralph J. Madalena, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 136249

County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 24, 2023 at 2:00PM, premises known as 205 Lincoln Avenue, Roosevelt, NY 11575. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Roosevelt, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION 55, BLOCK 474, LOT 304, 305, 306. Approximate amount of judgment $316,059.72 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #607150/2019. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Mark S. Ricciardi, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 19-002950 74030 136024

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES… Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS

CWALT, INC., ALTERNATIVE LOAN TRUST 2006-17T1, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-17T1, Plaintiff, AGAINST FRANK CAMMARATA, et al. Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale duly entered on May 25, 2018.

LEGAL

NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU THE MONEY SOURCE INC., Plaintiff AGAINST LUIS A. ROMERO, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered August 18, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau

I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 24, 2023 at 2:00 PM premises known as 3394 Bertha Drive, Baldwin, NY 11510. Please take notice that this foreclosure auction shall be conducted in compliance with the Foreclosure Auction Rules for Nassau County and the COVID 19 Health Emergency Rules, including proper use of masks and social distancing.

Public Notices

All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Baldwin Harbor, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York.

Section 54, Block 551 and Lot 55.

Approximate amount of judgment $1,041,428.53 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment. Index #008646/2015.

Rita Solomon, Esq., Referee, Aldridge Pite, LLPAttorneys for Plaintiff - 40 Marcus Drive, Suite 200, Melville, NY 11747 136231

If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Index Number 0012297/2014.

MARIA SIDERIS, ESQ., Referee David A. Gallo & Associates LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 47 Hillside Avenue, 2nd Floor, Manhasset, NY 11030 File# 8150.22 {* FREEPORT LEADER*} 135996

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL

NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., Plaintiff, AGAINST MARIA MUSTAFA AKA MARIA E. MUSTAFA A/K/A MARIA BENITEZ, MARTIRES BENITEZ A/K/A MARITES J. BENITEZ A/K/A MORTIRES BENITEZ, et al.

Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale duly entered on September 6, 2016.

judgment $214,957.88 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 002855/2015. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the Tenth Judicial District.

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU MTGLQ INVESTORS, LP, Plaintiff -against- SHANAI L. JACKSON A/K/A SHANAI JACKSON, RICHARD T. JACKSON A/K/A RICHARD JACKSON, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated January 22, 2019, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on January 24, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. premises situate, lying and being at Roosevelt, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the Easterly side of Pennsylvania Avenue, distant 246.00 feet Northerly from a point formed by the intersection of the Easterly side of Pennsylvania Avenue and the Northerly side of Debevoise Avenue when measured along the Easterly side of Pennsylvania Avenue; being a plot 44.00 feet by 89.56 feet by 44.04 feet by 87.78 feet. Section: 55 Block: 423 Lot: 4 All bidders must wear a face mask/shield at all times and social distancing must be observed by all bidders at all times. Bidders who do not comply with the face mask and/or the social distancing mandate will be removed from the auction.

Said premises known as 150 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, ROOSEVELT, NY Approximate amount of lien $318,860.51 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU PATCH OF LAND LENDING LLC # 201500001, Plaintiffagainst- COLUMBUS N. 259 CORP., et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated October 21, 2022 and entered on October 24, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on January 20, 2023

at 2:30 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at the corner formed by the intersection of the Southerly side of Bedford Avenue with the Westerly side of North Columbus Avenue; being a plot 60 feet by 100 feet by 60 feet by 100 feet.

Section: 55 Block: 361 Lot: 1108, 1109-1110.

All bidders must wear a face mask/shield at all times and social distancing must be observed by all bidders at all times. Bidders who do not comply with the face mask and/or the social distancing mandate will be removed from the auction.

Said premises known as 259 N. COLUMBUS AVENUE, FREEPORT, NY Approximate amount of lien $390,163.48 plus interest & costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.

Index Number 614801/2020.

ADRIENNE HAUSCH, ESQ., Referee WALDMAN, KALAHAR & ASSOCIATES, PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 315 MADISON AVENUE, 3RD FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10017

{* FREEPORT LEADER*} 135998

To place a notice here call us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com

I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 23, 2023 at 2:00 PM premises known as 150 West Fulton Avenue, Roosevelt, NY 11575-2027.

Please take notice that this foreclosure auction shall be conducted in compliance with the Foreclosure Auction Rules for Nassau County and the COVID 19 Health Emergency Rules, including proper use of masks and social distancing.

All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 55, Block 414 and Lot 52.

Approximate amount of judgment $267,475.76 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment. Index #009181/2013.

Ellen Durst, Esq., Referee, Aldridge Pite, LLPAttorneys for Plaintiff - 40 Marcus Drive, Suite 200, Melville, NY 11747 136233

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST Corey Brewer as heir at law and next of kin to Rozetta Brewer; et al., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 6, 2019 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 24, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 272 North Columbus Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of NY, Section: 55 Block: 357 Lot(s): 1089 & 1090. Approximate amount of

The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the Tenth Judicial District. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Peter Bee, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC

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

Dated: December 8, 2022 136241

LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: November 21, 2022 136239

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU

U.S. Bank NA, successor trustee to Wachovia Bank, N.A., as Trustee, on behalf of the holders of Multi-Class Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates Series 2005-1, Plaintiff AGAINST Rochelle Goldman a/k/a Rochelle S. Goldman; Bruce Goldman a/k/a Bruce N. Goldman; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered October 10, 2018 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 26, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 1030 Cedarhurst Street, North Woodmere, NY 11581. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Valley Stream, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 39 Block 544 Lot 145.

Approximate amount of judgment $555,071.20 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 010004/2015. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the Tenth Judicial District.

Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Janine Lynam, Esq., Referee

LEGAL

NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, CITIMORTGAGE, INC., Plaintiff, vs. CHRISTINE ARIS, ET AL., Defendant (s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on October 12, 2022 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Nassau County Supreme Court, on the North Side steps, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, New York on January 26, 2023 at 3:00 P.M., premises known as 66 MARTHA STREET, FREEPORT, NEW YORK 11520. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 62, Block: 095, Lot: 132, 133, 134. Approximate amount of judgment is $303,577.10 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 612262/2019.

If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Mortgagee’s attorney, or the Referee.

JOHN G. KENNEDY, Esq., Referee

Roach & Lin, P.C., 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 185, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff 136235

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Bank of New York as Trustee for the Certificateholders CWABS, Inc. AssetBacked Certificates, Series 2006-IM1, Plaintiff AGAINST Domenick Bonanno a/k/a Domenick Bonano; et al., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered August 1, 2007 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 26, 2023 at 2:00PM, premises known as 126 Westside Ave, Freeport, NY 11520. All that certain plot piece or

parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, Village of Freeport, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section: 62 Block: 139 Lot: 26. Approximate amount of judgment $522,492.54 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 008618/2006. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the Tenth Judicial District. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Scott Siller, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: November 29, 2022 136237

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU State of New York Mortgage Agency, Plaintiff AGAINST Gwendolyn Webb; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered October 28, 2016 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 2, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 36 New York Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Residence Park, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 54 Block 57 Lots 149 & 150. Approximate amount of judgment $449,801.26 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 006721/2012. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the Tenth Judicial District. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Janine T. Lynam, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: December 13, 2022 136415

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. R AND K-3 REALTY 2016-LLC, et al, Defts. Index #612836/2020. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered October 25, 2022, I will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on January 31, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. prem. k/a Section 62, Block 178, Lot 487. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Foreclosure auction will be held “rain or shine.” If property social distancing cannot be maintained of there are other health of safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the sale. SCOTT SILLER, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Dr., Great Neck, NY. #99934 136417

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE SPECIALTY UNDERWRITING AND RESIDENTIAL FINANCE TRUST MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES SERIES 2007-BC1, Plaintiff AGAINST JANINE GUILFORD, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered April 27, 2017, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 30, 2023 at 2:00PM, premises known as 336 W. Seaman Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION 36, BLOCK 537, LOT 15. Approximate amount of judgment $623,819.04 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #009116/2014. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety

concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Peter T. Bauer, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 00-305223 74377 136315

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION, Plaintiff AGAINST ERICA PHILLIPS, MELVIN PHILLIPS, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered January 17, 2020, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 30, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 332 South Brookside Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, and State of New York, Section 54, Block 524, Lot 30. Approximate amount of judgment $450,735.18 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #001454/2017. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Malachy Lyons Jr., Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 18-001757 74040 136313

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU CITIMORTGAGE, INC., Plaintiff -against- RAFAEL CARRASQUILLO, MICHAEL STIGLITZ, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated April 7, 2015, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at (CCP) Calendar Control Part Court Room of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Dr., Mineola, NY on January 27, 2023 at 2:30 p.m. premises situate, lying and being in the

Public Notices

Incorporated Village of Freeport, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, bounded and described as follows:

BEGINNING at a point on the southerly side of Morris Street, distant 325 feet westerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the southerly side of Morris Street with the westerly side of South Bay Avenue; being a plot 101.89 feet by 50 feet by 101.89 feet by 50 feet. S/B/L: 62/36/8.

All bidders must wear a face mask/shield at all times and social distancing must be observed by all bidders at all times. Bidders who do not comply with the face mask and/or the social distancing mandate will be removed from the auction.

Said premises known as 27 MORRIS STREET, FREEPORT, NY

Approximate amount of lien $453,505.28 plus interest & costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.

If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney.

Index Number 7027/2012.

SCOTT SILLER, ESQ., Referee

David A. Gallo & Associates LLP

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 47 Hillside Avenue, 2nd Floor, Manhasset, NY 11030 File# 4722.1705

{* long Island Graphic*} 136287

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS LEGAL TITLE TRUSTEE FOR TRUMAN 2016 SC6 TITLE TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. CURLINE J. BRETT, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on June 7, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 1, 2023 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 50 Mirin Avenue, Roosevelt, NY 11575. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 55, Block 454 and Lots 130-132. Approximate amount of judgment is $352,169.01 plus interest and costs.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 610032/2017. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.

George Peter Esernio, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff Firm File No. 190221-1 136411

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

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LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR SECURITIZED ASSET BACKED RECEIVABLES

LLC TRUST 2006-WM1 Plaintiff, Against CLAUDIA YON, ISAIAS YON, JOSE VASQUEZ, Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 08/18/2022, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501. This Auction will be held rain or shine on 2/2/2023 at 2:00 PM, premises known as 169 Meister Boulevard, Freeport, New York 11520, And Described As Follows:

ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being the Incorporated Village Of Freeport, Town Of Hempstead, County Of Nassau And State Of New York.

Section 54 Block 331 Lot 32

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $823,369.16 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 602090/2019

If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction.

Ellen Durst, Esq., Referee.

SHELDON MAY & ASSOCIATES Attorneys at Law, 255 Merrick Road , Rockville Centre, NY 11570

Dated: 12/8/2022 File Number: 35520 LD 136415

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NASSAU COUNTY

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, AS TRUSTEE FOR CIT MORTGAGE

LOAN TRUST, 2007-1, Plaintiff against MARIE BIENVENU, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Stern & Eisenberg, P.C., Woodbridge Corporation Plaza, 485B Route 1 South, Suite 330, Iselin, NJ 08830.

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered September 25, 2017, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 30, 2023 at 2:00 PM. Premises known as 19 West Roosevelt Avenue, Roosevelt, (Town of Hempstead) NY 11575. Sec 55 Block 427 Lot 50, 51, 52, & 253. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $563,243.45 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 009997/2013.

During the COVID-19 health emergency, Bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of the sale including but not limited to wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6-feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Should a bidder fail to comply, the Referee may refuse to accept any bid, cancel the closing and hold the bidder in default. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction.

Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Michael Zapson, Esq., Referee NY201800001134-1 136413

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

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LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Section 202-48 of the code of the Town of Hempstead entitled, “Handicapped Parking On Public Streets,” a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 24th day of January, 2023, at 7:00 o’clock in the afternoon of that day, to consider the adoption of a resolution setting aside certain parking spaces for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons at the following locations:

ELMONT

237th STREET - west side, starting at a point 163 feet south of the south curbline of 115th Terrace, south for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-563/22) OCEANSIDE SARATOGA STREET - east side, starting at a point 197 feet south of the south curbline of New York Avenue, south for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-554/22)

ROOSEVELT ELMWOOD AVENUEsouth side, starting at a point 168 feet west of the west curbline of Willet Place, west for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-560/22)

DELISLE AVENUE - east side, starting at a point 173 feet south of the south curbline of Elizabeth Street, south for a distance of 40 feet.

(TH-564/22)

MONROE AVENUEsouth side, starting at a point 312 feet west of the west curbline of St. Francis Street, west for a distance of 20 feet.

(TH-567/22)

ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.

Dated: January 10, 2023 Hempstead, New York

BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 136611

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

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LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

The Freeport Housing Authority will hold a Public Meeting on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, at 5:00 PM. The meeting will be held at 100 North Main Street Community Center, Freeport, NY 11520. 136654

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR FURNISHING OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING SERVICES TO FREEPORT ELECTRIC FOR THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF FREEPORT NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK

Notice is hereby given that the Purchasing Agent of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, New York will receive sealed proposals for “FURNISHING OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING SERVICES TO FREEPORT ELECTRIC” until 4:00 P.M. on Friday, January 27, 2023, in the Purchasing Department, 46 North Ocean Avenue, Freeport, New York 11520.

Specifications may be obtained at the Office of the Purchasing Agent, Municipal Building, 1st Floor, 46 North Ocean Avenue, Freeport, New York, 11520 or on the Village website, www.freeportny.gov, from 9:00 A.M. on Friday, January 13, 2023, until Friday, January 27, 2023.

The Board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received and subject to these reservations, shall award the contract to the highest qualified and responsible vendor. Proposals which in the opinion of the Board are unbalanced shall be rejected.

In submitting a proposal, vendors agree not to withdraw their proposal within forty five (45) days after the date for the opening thereof.

Kim Weltner

Purchasing Agent

Village of Freeport VILLAGE OF FREEPORT Issue Date - January 12, 2023 136649

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

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PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES… Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

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LEGAL NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

OIL

Specifications, proposal and proposed contracts may be seen and obtained at the Office of the Purchasing Agent, Municipal Building, 1st Floor, 46 North Ocean Avenue, Freeport, New York 11520, or by visiting the Village’s Website at www.freeportny.gov.

Specifications, proposal and proposed contracts will be available from 9:00 A.M. on Friday, January 13, 2023, until 4:00 P.M. on Friday, January 27, 2023.

The Board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received and subject to these reservations, shall award the contract to the highest qualified and responsible vendor. Proposals, which in the opinion of the Board are unbalanced, shall be rejected.

In submitting a proposal, vendors agree not to withdraw their proposal within forty five (45) days after the date for the opening thereof.

Kim Weltner Purchasing Agent Village of Freeport VILLAGE OF FREEPORT Issue Date - January 12, 2023 136651

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

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LEGAL NOTICE

SITE PLAN REVIEW BOARD MEETINGJANUARY 24, 2023

NOTICE IS HEREBY given that a Public Hearing will be held before the Site Plan Review Board on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, at 6:45 P.M., in the Incorporated Village of Freeport, Main Conference Room, 46 N. Ocean Avenue, Freeport, New York, on Site Plan applications as they appear on the calendar; public comment invited. The Board will meet at 6:00 P.M. in the Trustees Conference Room to discuss cases not requiring a public hearing; open to the public, no public comment.

INTERESTED PROPERTY OWNERS and other persons should appear at the above time and place to have questions answered and to voice opinions.

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS-SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NASSAU- REVERSE MORTGAGE FUNDING LLC., Plaintiff, -againstKAREN LETITIA REESE, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF KENNETH A. REESE AKA KENNETH A. REESE, SR., DECEASED if she be living and if she be dead, the respective heirs-at-law, next-of-kin, distributes, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or inheritance, lien or otherwise any right, title or interest in or to the real property described in the complaint; KENA TANYA REESE HARMON, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF KENNETH A. REESE AKA KENNETH A. REESE, SR., DECEASED; KENNETH A. REESE, JR., AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF KENNETH A. REESE AKA KENNETH A. REESE, SR., DECEASED; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION; DISCOVER BANK; ANY AND ALL KNOWN OR UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, AND ALL OTHER PARTIES CLAIMING AN INTEREST BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST THE ESTATE OF KENNETH A. REESE AKA KENNETH A. REESE, SR., DECEASED; DENNY PONCE AS JOHN DOE 1; JOHN DOE (REFUSED NAME) AS JOHN DOE 2 through 6; DefendantsIndex No. 616165/2021

default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. That this Supplemental Summons is being filed pursuant to an order of the court dated December 2, 2022.

NOTICE-YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME - If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (REVERSE MORTGAGE FUNDING LLC) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Honorable David P. Sullivan, J.S.C. Dated: December 2, 2022 Filed: December 9, 2022. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage and covering the premises known as 300 Branch Avenue, Freeport, NY 11520. Dated: November 1, 2022 Filed: December 9, 2022 Greenspoon Marder LLP., Attorney for Plaintiff, By: Angelo A. Regina, Esq., 590 Madison Avenue, Suite 1800, New York, NY 10022 P: (212) 524-5000 F: (212) 524-5050 (No Service by fax) Please respond to Cypress Creek Office: Trade Centre South, 100 W. Cypress Creek Road, Suite 700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 P: (888) 491-1120 F: (954) 343-6982 136321

TESTING

FOR THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF FREEPORT ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK

Notice is hereby given that the Purchasing Agent of the Incorporated Village of Freeport, New York will receive sealed proposals for “OIL TESTING” until Friday, January 27, 2023 at 4:00 P.M.

SP-3611 - 233 Church Street, Section 62/Block 55/Lot 36. Residence A. Christopher Thuman. Construct new 22’ x 22’ garage. SP-3613 - 25 East Avenue, Section 62/Block 76/Lot 10. Residence A. Shairoon HoseinChitaman. Maintain a 22’ x 24’ detached garage.

BY ORDER OF THE PLANNING BOARD Pamela Walsh Boening, Village Clerk 136655

Plaintiff Designates Nassau County as the Place of Trial. The Basis of Venue is that the subject action is situated in Nassau County. To the above named Defendants-YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff’s Attorney(s) within 20 days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES… Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

TO PLACE AN AD CALL 516-569-4000 x 232

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES… Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

TO PLACE AN AD CALL 516-569-4000 x 232

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES… Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

TO PLACE AN AD CALL

516-569-4000 x 232

Richner

send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com

CLEANING PERSON FT Needed For Local Cleaning Company. Will Train. If Interested Call Bill 516-678-5943

CONSTRUCTION WORKERS Assist

General Contractor. Drivers License. Knowledge Of Construction. Call Mike. 516-887-8877.

DRIVERS WANTED

EDITOR/REPORTER

The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com

SCHOOL PROGRAM

individuals to supervise elementary school aged children from 2:45 pm to 5:00 or 6:00 pm weekdays. Experience helpful. If interested email merrickbasp@aol.com or call (516)379-4245

Hewlett

Spacious Side Hall Colonial Near All

Nestled in the prestigious school district 14, you will find this bright and airy Side Hall Colonial that also offers plenty of space. This home features 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and a finished basement that provides additional living space for entertainment. The formal dining room and living room are perfect for hosting guests while the kitchen with an island allows for plenty of prep space when cooking up your favorite meals. The backyard deck and lush lawn provide a great spot to relax or entertain friends. You're also just minutes' walk from Grant Park - perfect for enjoying a beautiful day outdoors. This home is conveniently located close to transportation, shops, and restaurants. Don't wait - come see this wonderful home today! For a private tour contact us at 516.791.1313.

Adding to the attic

Q. A few contractors have looked at my attic so I can finish it for more bedrooms and a family room. The 1920s house has a very large attic with stairs to the second-floor landing. The attic stairs are much steeper and narrower, and the contractor says the walls will need to be taken down and wider and longer stairs put in. Is this necessary? The stairs are already there, and even though they’re steep, they work. Also, one of the contractors said that the horizontal 2x4s going across the attic, which are too low to walk around, could be removed or raised. Is that true? He said we could put them higher and add more so we can add finished wallboards to them. Do you agree, and is there anything I should know about doing this before we start?

A. Good thing you asked before you started. Instead of starting, you need to stop and take a few steps back. What you’re describing has multiple issues that you have to address.

Ask The Architect

HEWLETT

1208 Broadway Hewlett, NY 11557 516.791.1313 vipropertiesny.com

OPEN HOUSES SUNday, 1/15/23 CE da RHURST

332B Peninsula Blvd, 12-1:30, Move Right Into This Updated 3 Br, 2.5 Bth Coop Townhouse. LR, DR, Gran/Wood Kit w/ Stainless Steel Appl. Trex Deck Off LR. Primary Ste Features Updtd Bth & WIC. Att Gar Plus 1 Pkg Spot incl in Maintenance. W/D.Pull Down Attic. SD#15. Convenient to Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship $449,000

HEWLETT

257 Willard Dr, BA, NEW TO MARKET!! Spacious 5 BR, 3 Bth Exp Ranch With Open Layout. Main Floor Mstr Ste Plus Potential Mstr Ste on 2nd Flr. LR/Fpl, FDR, EIK & Sundrenched Family Rm w/ Doors to Deck. Fin Bsmt. Att Gar. Loads of Updates!! SD#20 (Lynbrook) No Flood Insurance Req. MUST SEE THIS! $1,098,000

1608 Ridgeway Dr, BA, Move Right Into This Completely Gut Renovated 4 BR, 3.5 Bth Col on 1/4 Acre Prop. New Kosher EIK, FDR, LR w/ Fpl, Den & Enclosed Porch. Radiant Heated Flrs. Full Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Att Gar. MUST SEE!! SD#20 DRASTIC REDUCTION! $1,469,000

1534 Broadway #103, BA, Magnificent New Renovation! One of a Kind Ranch Style Living in Luxurious Jonathan Hall Condominium with Doorman & Elevator. Just Move into This Gut Rvated, Spacious 2 BR, 2 Bath Apt with Open Layout. Large Designer EIK with Sep Pantry & Laundry Rm. Master BR Boasts Gorgeous Bth & Walk in Closet. Terrace Faces into Courtyard. Garage Parking Incl REDUCED $699,000

1534 Broadway #205, BA, Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedroom (Originally 3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living BIG REDUCTION!! $699,000 E a ST ROCK aWay 8 Acorn Rd, BA , 5 BR, 3 Bth Front to Back Split on Beautiful Quiet Street in Lynbrook SD#20. Finished Bsmt, Att Gar. CAC, Gas Heat, HW Flr REDUCED! $749,000

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Monte Leeper

First, your state building code doesn’t allow the occupancy of a third floor in a single-family, woodframed dwelling. This is because of the many dangers involved in surviving a fire at that level. In the process of getting the permit to occupy a third story, which you left out of the description of your investigation, you would need to have a licensed architect or engineer prepare plans that include specific methods of escape, including the correct size and number of windows, distances to exterior and interior levels below to escape to, sprinkler locations along the entire path of travel to get out of the dwelling, heights of ceilings and fire-rated materials to be installed. This is because, as I have often written, the chances of surviving a fire in the third floor of a wood-framed dwelling are statistically remote, only 5 percent. That means you or your loved ones could be among the 95 out of 100 who will die from smoke inhalation or burns.

The plans for a finished third story are submitted to both your local building department, which will rightfully reject them, and to the State Codes Division for a public hearing, where your case will need to be represented by a code-knowledgeable professional. I have seen people represent themselves, which generally doesn’t go very well, since safety is the reason for the codes, and there are many laws and standards that the average owner is unaware of.

The stair access must be 3 feet wide, and the tread must be at least 10¼ inches, while the risers cannot exceed 8¼ inches. The horizontal 2x4s you described are collar ties, and they serve the important function of holding the roof together, especially in high winds and under snow loads. Moving or removing them can be dangerous. The higher up, the less effective, and without first calculating several factors, it should not be done.

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

CEMETERY

CAT

all Cats. $35. 516-476-7819

CHRISTMAS DECOR: HUGE assortment. Call for details and pics $40 & under. 516-225-919

DOUBLE HUNG WOOD WINDOW: with screen. 52 X 29 1/2" Marvin Integrity, $45. 516-537-3941

GIRLS CLOTHES SIZES 5, 8, & 10: New with tags. Tops, Jeans. $8-9 each. 917-420-5814

KNITTED SKI BANDS One Size Fits All "BELLMORE" White lettering, Navy acrylic, New, $5. 516-320-1906

MULTI MEDIA OAK Storage Cabinet, "New in Box" Half Price at $50 Firm. 516-486-7941

NORTH FACE WAIST Length Coat, Black, Women's Medium, Excellent Condition, $25. 516-476-7819

WALL SAFE: HEAVY Steel "New in Box," Mount Surface or in Wall. $50 Firm. 516-486-7941

Finds $100-$350

BAR STOOLS 2 Brass

SERVICES

Electricians

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

Handyman

HANDYMAN

Repairs and Installations for the Household. Careful and Reliable and Vaccinated. Licensed and Insured. 30-Year Nassau County Resident. Friendly Frank Phone/Text 516-238-2112 E-mail-Frankcav@optonline.net

Home Improvement

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 866-393-3636

Home Improvement

HANDY DANDY

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

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

WIREMAN/CABLEMAN FLAT TVs mounted, Phone, TVs&Computer wiring installed & serviced, camera &stereos , HDTV – Antennas- FREE TV www.davewireman.com Call Dave 516-433-WIRE (9473) 631-667-WIRE (9473) or Text 516-353-1118

Miscellaneous

BEST SATELLITE TV with 2 Year Price Guarantee! $59.99/mo with 190 channels and 3 months free premium movie channels! Free next day installation! Call 888-508-5313

Plumbing

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BOYS

KITCHEN

TREADMILL

CARPENTRY & PAINTING: Residential/ Commercial. All Phases. Licensed/Insured. FREE ESTIMATES! Anthony & J Home Improvements 516-678-6641

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PLUMBER! PLUMBER! PLUMBER! FREE ESTIMATES! Heating, Repairs, Installations. $25 OFF New Customers. 24 Hour Emergency Response. 516-599-1011

Tile

TILE INSTALLATION: 25 Years In Business. FREE Estimates. We Specialize In Quality Work. Broadway Tile Company. Call Jeff 516-647-2604 Or email estimating@broadwaytileco.com

Satellite/TV Equipment

DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/23. 1-866-595-6967

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Education

OpINIONS LIRR to Grand Central Madison? We’re still waiting.

Once again, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has left coal in the stockings of Long Island Rail Road commuters.

Every Christmas since 2011, the MTA has failed to initiate the promised East Side Access to Grand Central Madison service. The original Federal Transit Administration capital investment — or New Starts — grant agreement with the MTA was approved in 2006.

time in the coming weeks.

The ESA project cost has grown to $11.6 billion. This doesn’t include debt service payments of $1 billion for borrowing costs buried in the MTA’s operating budget. There are also $4 billion worth of LIRR readiness projects to support the start of service — including such things as third-track construction and capacity improvements at Jamaica Station — which are separate from the official budget. Without these projects, the LIRR lacks the expanded operational capabilities to support the new service.

LARRY pENNER

It included a project cost of $6.3 billion, with the start of passenger service — including a promise to run 24 hourly trains on the LIRR’s 10 branches to Grand Central Madison during rush hour — in 2011. We still don’t know when that service will begin.

The temporary shuttle service that did not start last month, as promised, will come nowhere close to meeting this commitment. I can just imagine the overcrowding on shuttle trains between Jamaica and Grand Central Madison when this service begins — likely some-

Even when East Side Access service begins, thousands of potential new LIRR customers will continue to be out of luck in Hunters Point, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Elmhurst and Woodhaven, Queens because of limited or no service. The LIRR currently runs a handful of morning rush-hour trains westbound from Jamaica to Hunters Point and Long Island City, returning east in the evening rush hour. There is no rush-hour, hourly off-peak or evening bi-directional service to those other communities.

Another problem: Penn Station is a

24/7 facility. Grand Central Terminal is closed overnight from 2 to 5:15 a.m. Unlike the LIRR, Metro North provides no service in or out during that time period. The LIRR has the advantage, but Long Islanders who commute at odd times — or come home late from events in Manhattan that end well after midnight — and want to use Grand Central will lose that advantage to incomplete service. A simple analysis of the proposed schedules reveals that depending on your branch or station, there will be no LIRR service to or from Grand Central Madison for three to five hours overnight on weekdays or weekends.

Catherine Rinaldi is the first MTA official to serve as president of both the LIRR and Metro North. Those extrahours riders might want to ask her why the LIRR must be subject to the Metro North’s schedule shortfalls. Isn’t it time to make Grand Central, too, a 24/7 facility?

As well, whenever East Side Access service to Grand Central Madison begins, the LIRR will suspend virtually all direct, one-seat, ride-through service between Jamaica and Atlantic Terminal

Brooklyn. Thousands of LIRR riders bound for downtown Brooklyn, Wall Street, the World Financial Center, the World Trade Center or other destinations in downtown Manhattan via Atlantic Terminal Brooklyn will now have longer commutes. One rider’s gain in time savings — being able to get to Manhattan’s East Side via Grand Central Madison instead of Penn Station — will be a loss for another rider trying to access destinations via Atlantic Terminal Brooklyn. Was investing $12.6 billion in East Side Access worth it? The verdict is still out. It is doubtful, in a post-Covid-19 world, that there will be anywhere near the anticipated 160,000 daily riders using Grand Central Madison, as the MTA predicts. Time will tell if commuters and taxpayers will see all of the benefits from this project, which has been promised for decades by elected official and MTA and LIRR presidents. When it comes to East Side Access, the LIRR’s 1960s motto, “Line of the Dashing Dan,” should be changed to “Line of the Slow Moving Sloth.”

Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who worked in the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management for three decades.

Writing predictions in disappearing ink

As I look back on my New Years’ columns over these last many years, I might as well have been writing in disappearing ink. Pretty much nothing I expected came to pass, and a whole lot of stuff I never saw coming changed my life and yours, too. So why even try to predict? It’s in our DNA, I suppose, conferring the illusion of control when we have none.

ies is and will be zero.

With that as a caveat, let me hope rather than predict that we will not have a recession; that the markets will rally in 2023 and, somehow, all the thousands of people who are literally dying to get into our country will be matched with all the jobs that are begging to be filled.

Will Covid surge again? Will some new bug emerge from the virulent epidemic in China? I wonder if Kim Jung-un will hold on to his rockets or let them fly. When will Ukraine find peace, and will it be before Putin snaps? How will our children and teenagers recover from the grief and academic setbacks of the pandemic lockdown? When can we feel safe in our lives again?

No one, except for Bill Gates and some epidemiologists who were ignored, predicted the greatest catastrophe of our lifetime, the coronavirus pandemic, the more than 1 million deaths here at home and more than 6 million deaths worldwide.

Everyone predicted a huge Republican sweep in the midterms, and that didn’t happen. And with the MAGA loonies running the GOP, to predict what will happen in 2023 would be folly indeed.

Bullish? Bearish? Last week the big dailies posted predictions for the markets. Inflation, recession, deflation, higher mortgage rates? Columnist Jeff Sommer wrote in The New York Times: “It’s simply impossible to forecast the path of the markets six months or a year ahead with accuracy and consistency, as many academic studies have shown. That the financial services industry continues to label these unreliable numbers as forecasts is a triumph of breathtaking chutzpah — a technical term for shameless audacity.”

RANDI KREISS

In politics, too, the prediction business is bust. We — all of us — lived through the 2016 presidential election, in which pretty much everyone with an opinion, from columnists to people on the street to professional pollsters to Las Vegas bookies and even many supporters of Donald Trump, absolutely did not believe that he would or could win. How many times did we hear pundits say that his path to victory was slim to none? How much airtime and ink were wasted on the assumption of a Hillary Clinton victory and how that would play out? Folks thought DJT would ride that escalator into oblivion.

On New Year’s Eve we toasted 2023 with wishes for good health and peace on earth and peace of mind. Wishes. As hostages to fate and dysfunctional politics, that’s the best we can do. We humans have never tolerated the existential uncertainty of being a person alive on earth. So we turn to exit polls and Svengalis and any grifter who hangs out a palm-reading sign. The truth? I’m even down on Punxsutawney Phil.

I can’t and won’t believe anyone who ever again purports to know the future of an election or an economy or the course of a disease or the likelihood of an earthquake striking any particular location at any particular time.

We are in the game, and it changes day to day.

Yearning for a seed of certainty, yesterday I booked a hotel in Dallas for April 8, 2024, when a full solar eclipse will be seen for two minutes and 20 seconds. I predict, with 100 percent certainty, that it will occur.

Which leads me to predict that the value of their elaborate algorithmic stud-

The very least we could take away from that election was healthy skepticism. Pollsters, even the academic knowit-alls, have little success predicting the results of an election or anything else.

In our personal lives, it’s painful to accept that we cannot know what the future will bring. Life reads like a mystery, not an itinerary. We can’t know what comes next or if we’ll make an appearance in the next chapter.

The track record of clairvoyants is abysmal.

What isn’t sure is if I will get to see it. There may be clouds overhead, or clouds in my life. I am choosing to have faith that the eclipse will occur as scheduled, on April 8 in Dallas. I plan to be there. It’s a small thing, but I’m counting on it.

Copyright 2023 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

Life reads like a mystery, not an itinerary. We can’t know what comes next.

Phone: (516) 569-4000

Fax: (516) 569-4942

Web: www.liherald.com

E-mail: freeporteditor@liherald.com

We all deserve a chance to pursue our dreams

the federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 an hour for 14 years — a time period during which mere adjustments for inflation would now have it over $10.

Congress isn’t expected to act on raising that wage anytime soon, so many municipalities and states — like New York — have taken matters into their own hands. New York City and Long Island both have a $15 minimum wage, as does Westchester County. Last week, upstate New York rose to $14.20.

In fact, 27 states raised their minimum wage at the beginning of 2023, according to the National Employment Law Project, with new baselines ranging from $9.95 in states like Montana to $15.74 in Washington state.

We hear a lot about the minimum wage. What we don’t ever talk about is something that many may not even know exists: the subminimum wage.

It’s real, and it has been since the Fair Labor Standards Act, which first established a federal minimum wage, was signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1938. Many have credited the law with helping to guide the United States out of the Great Depression. And the framework of the Fair Labor Standards Act — 40-hour work weeks, child labor restrictions, extra pay for overtime — fuels our labor economy to this day.

But if you look closely at the law — particularly at Section 14(c) — you might be surprised to learn that not everyone is eligible for the minimum wage. Even at $7.25. It allows employers to apply for a certificate from the federal government to pay less than minimum wage to workers with disabilities.

It’s an archaic law based on an archaic

way of thinking when it comes to people with disabilities.

When the legislation was first passed, “it was assumed that a worker with a disability was less productive than a non-disabled worker,” former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge wrote in a 2021 opinion piece in USA Today. “In retrospect, it was a flawed assumption. We want to be fair to the intent of the original legislation, which was to provide individuals with disabilities an opportunity to enter the workforce.”

When the former Pennsylvania governor wrote those words, he was nearing the end of a long chairmanship of the National Organization on Disability, an advocacy group for a class of people who are, more often than not, overlooked. Ridge described paying people with disabilities less than minimum wage as “no less than another critical civil rights issue.”

And he was right. Treating an entire group of people differently from everyone else simply because they have disabilities is a relic of the distant past that should stay in the distant past.

Yet efforts to eliminate this disparity over the years, by both Republicans and Democrats, have come up short on the federal level. Most recently, President Biden tried to remove the subminimum wage as part of the American Rescue Plan at the beginning of his administration, but never got it through Congress.

Since then, however, more than a dozen states have abolished the subminimum wage, according to the Association of People Supporting Employment First. But New York isn’t one of them. Not that our legislators haven’t tried — it’s just that none of their efforts have ever made it out of committee.

Closer to home, there are many who are trying to make a difference — like the Backyard Players & Friends of Rockville Centre, which describes its mission as seeking “unity without uniformity, and diversity without fragmentation.” The organization opened the Front Porch Market next to its headquarters on North Long Beach Road, conceived to provide creative work in a retail environment, treating everyone equally no matter what they bring to the table.

The market officially opens Jan. 17, and will feature crafters from around the community, classes on creating things like candles and soap, along with small retailers like Popcorn for the People and Smile Farms Hot Sauce.

The percentage of people with disabilities finding jobs is growing, but only 1 in 5 in that community is working. And of those, more are finding employment because they’re working for themselves rather than getting hired by someone else — a rate far higher than those without disabilities.

Even if the subminimum wage were finally abolished, there are many other hurdles that must be swept away for those with disabilities, and they can’t be ignored, either. But right now, hundreds if not thousands of our neighbors and community members aren’t getting the same consideration for pay as those without disabilities.

That must change. And if it can’t happen on the federal level, we need to focus our efforts much closer to home, blocking the availability of subminimum wages in our state.

Because as Tom Ridge made very clear, “all Americans should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams.”

letters

Elected officials should resolve to be transparent this year

To the Editor:

Many will start the new year with goals to exercise more, eat better and lose weight. January will also be when newly elected public servants or incumbents starting another term take office across New York state.

Old habits are hard to change in people — and especially hard to change in government. The biggest issue in government today is the lack of trust the public has in their elected leaders. The best way to build trust as an elected official is through transparency.

Elected officials should begin 2023 by conducting the public’s business in an open and transparent way. To show their commitment to open government, elected officials serving on a village board,

Long Island’s energy future: vision vs. mirage

Follow the money. This adage never gets old.

For decades, gas pipelines and other delivery infrastructure have been a reliable cash cow for utility companies, which recover the costs of building their distribution systems from our utility bills, which give them a fat return on their investments. This traditional utility profit model is now at odds with a climate-driven energy transition, creating all kinds of perverse incentives. And while hikes in heating costs are grabbing the headlines, the jostling over the future of heating isn’t getting much attention.

In order to succeed in the challenging but essential task of decarbonizing its economy in the coming decades — as mandated by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which it passed in 2019 — New York state will need to embrace an all-electric future and eschew fossil fuels, including natural gas. Utilities like Con Edison and the Long Island Power Authority, which together serve about 60 percent of the state’s electric customers, have endorsed this scenario. Many builders and households are already going all-electric, because gas fouls our homes and communities, and modern electric homes are cheaper and superior.

This is the approach espoused by almost all experts because, as the electric grid becomes cleaner, the rest of the economy will naturally follow. This is also the most cost-effective and energy-efficient decarbonization strategy for buildings, because electric heat pumps use only a fraction of the energy of their fuel-based counterparts.

Heat pumps and Long Island are a match made in heaven. With relatively mild winters, Long Island homes don’t need the top-gun units for efficient, reliable heating and cooling. LIPA’s electric load peaks at around 5 gigawatts in the summer, but barely makes it to 3 gigawatts in the winter. Adding winter load will spread the fixed grid costs over more usage and reduce per-kilowatt-hour prices.

In an effort to conserve their profitable gas distribution system, some utilities have floated their own “clean energy vision” involving green hydrogen and biomethane, marketed as renewable natural gas, or RNG — a so-called fossil-free duo that could supposedly flow through their pipeline network forever.

But consider the science and the economics of this vision. It took NASA months to fix hydrogen leaks on its recent Artemis 1 moon mission. Any proposal to pump highly explosive hydrogen, which

Letters

town board, City Council, community board or county legislature should introduce and pass a New Year’s resolution stating they will:

■ Post timely notice of all meetings at least one week prior to those meetings.

■ Post online meeting agendas and all meeting documents at least 24 hours before a meeting.

■ Post draft meeting minutes online, no more than two weeks after a meeting.

■ Allow members of the public to speak at the beginning of a meeting regarding agenda items and non-agenda items — whether they attend in person or remotely.

■ Livestream meetings by video and post the video recording online afterward.

■ Only conduct private executive sessions on rare occasions, in accordance with the New York State Open Meetings Law.

Just because you can hold an executive session doesn’t mean that you have to. A motion to hold an executive session to discuss “litigation,” “personnel” or “collective bargaining”

isn’t sufficient, as the Open Meetings Law requires motions to state more information when holding an executive session.

■ Agree not to hold private political party caucus meetings. There is no reason, at the local level, to hold private political party caucus meetings to discuss political business or public business. Secret meetings build a lack of trust among the public.

■ Have information regarding the Freedom of Information Law posted in a visible place on their websites. Proactively post documents online as much as possible so the public can access information without having to file a FOIL request. Post an easy fill-inthe-blank form that assists the public in filing a FOIL request by email on the website.

■ Commit to ensuring that all FOIL requests are acknowledged within five days, as required by law, and that information is provided to the public promptly.

PAUL WOLF Amherst

Wolf is president of the New York Coalition for Open Government.

has the tiniest molecules in the universe, through 50,000 miles of pipe in New York should raise serious doubts. Multiple studies have also warned of the risk of damage to the steel in pipes and appliances posed by gas blends with significantly more than 5 percent hydrogen.

Moreover, it shouldn’t take a NASA scientist to question the wisdom of heating homes by burning the stupendously expensive green hydrogen produced from renewable electricity, when that electricity can directly power energysipping heat pumps. Not surprisingly, expensive experiments and demonstration projects involving the use of hydrogen for heat, the kind of boondoggles being developed in the Town of Hempstead, are already being scrapped or failing in other parts of the country and the world.

Hydrogen’s partner in crime, RNG, is produced by capturing and refining the naturally produced biogas in landfills and wastewater treatment plants. But naturally derived biomethane can meet only a minuscule fraction of the home-heating demand, so much of it will need to be artificially generated from organic waste streams. Its global warming potential isn’t much lower than that of fossil gas because of inevitable releases and leaks of methane, which is much more destructive to the climate than carbon dioxide.

Fossil-free doesn’t mean emissionsfree, and the scheme doesn’t satisfy the science-based methane accounting methodology of New York’s climate law.

Produced naturally or intentionally, RNG is significantly more expensive than fossil gas, and its supplies will be limited by feedstock availability. Even the rosiest projections in the gas utilities’ own studies show that there won’t be enough of it for every possible use that those companies are touting it for, home heating being the least practical one.

The gas utilities’ so-called fossil-free clean-energy vision based on hydrogen and RNG is a mirage that doesn’t pass scientific, technical, economic or legal muster. To make matters worse, burning hydrogen would produce high levels of nitrous oxide, a health hazard, and RNG would cause indoor pollution from leakage and combustion akin to fossil gas, which is linked to myriad health risks, with the latest research attributing almost 19 percent of all childhood asthma in New York to gas stoves.

Pollution for profit shouldn’t have a place inside homes and businesses.

Anshul Gupta is a Steering Committee member of the Climate Reality Project’s NYS Coalition. Gordian Raacke is executive director of Renewable Energy Long Island.

Framework by Tim Baker

At the Twin Lakes Preserve — Wantagh

ansHUL GUpta

GorDian raaCke