Three council incumbents are running again
By JAMES BERNSTEIN jbernstein@liherald.comLong Beach’s three incumbent City Council members who are up for re-election this year say they plan to seek office again in the fall. James Hodge, former board chairman of the Martin Luther King Center, said he is exploring the possibility of a run.
For Klondike Derby, no snow required
The lack of snow didn’t discourage the members of Long Beach Boy Scout Troop 215 as they assembled and took off with their sledges at this year’s Klondike Derby, at Muttontown Preserve in East Norwich, on Jan. 28.
At council meeting, long-delayed hearing on boardwalk tables
By BRENDAN CARPENTER bcarpenter@liherald.com
The official discussion of tables is tabled no longer.
The Long Beach City Council voted 3-1 on Tuesday night to create a mechanism to allow tables and chairs to be used on the boardwalk on a seasonal basis, ending a dispute between the city and Brian Braddish, owner of the popular eatery Riptides.
Council member Roy Lester cast the lone no vote, saying, “The new resolution makes no sense, and solves nothing. It is also poorly written.”
Braddish did not attend at Tuesday night’s meeting.
Nearly two months after the city sent letters to boardwalk eateries — including not only Riptides but Beach Burger, Marvel, Skudin Surf and Shakers and Shuckers — notifying them that it was revoking their permits to have tables and chairs on the boardwalk, and postponing a public hearing for one of those months, that hearing finally took place at Tuesday’s meeting.
The council was expected to hold a hearing on the boardwalk-furniture tiff at the Jan. 3 meeting, but instead, yes, tabled the discussion until the fol-
In an email last week, incumbents Karen McInnis, Tina Posterli and Liz Treston told the Herald they would run as a team. Referring to themselves in the third person, they wrote that in the few years they have been on the council, “they have helped get the city out of the most fiscally stressed municipality in the state by the NYS Comptroller’s office. They advocated and received millions of dollars for needed projects. They want to continue moving Long Beach forward.”
were elected in 2021.
At a council meeting Tuesday night, Hodge said, “Don’t believe what you read in the newspapers, but maybe you should.” He was referring to a posting on the Herald website last weekend reporting that he was in fact running.
Asked for clarification Wednesday morning, Hodge said he was “exploring the possibility” of running, and then added, “I plan on making it to the ballot.”
Potential City Council candidateMcInnis and Treston were elected to four-year terms in 2019, and Posterli, council President John Bendo and Roy Lester
In an email, McInnis wrote, “I wish James all the best with his candidacy. I can see why he would want to be a part of all the great work that this administration has done … and will continue to do so … I can tell you governing through this period of transformation for me has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to truly make a lasting, positive impact on the future of the city by the sea for generations to come.”
At the Christian Light MisContinued on page 5
Don’t believe what you read in the newspapers, but maybe you should.
JAMES HoDgE
Hempstead approves ‘discriminatory’
By ANA BORRUTO aborruto@liherald.comThey were angry, expressing those feelings as shame on the Hempstead Town Board. They are the group that has attended meeting after meeting, hoping to get some voice into how town board district lines would be redrawn, only to end up disappointed.
It was an unsurprising end, but one that resulted in boos.
“That’s nice, ladies and gentlemen,” Town Supervisor Don Clavin said, with unmistakable sarcasm. “That’s very polite of you.”
They had pushed for what they considered to be better representation on the town board — providing more opportunities for Hempstead’s growing minority populations to serve in elected positions through the creation of “minority-majority” districts. If they had passed, districts would be created where ethnic minorities were, in fact, the voting majority.
But none of them came to pass. Most surprisingly, with the help of Deputy Town Supervisor Dorothy Goosby — who notably challenged what she called Hempstead’s discriminatory at-large voting system in 1988 — who remained silent throughout the redistricting process, only to finally vote yes to the new map.
“In this moment in time, we are reinventing the same revisionist, segregationist history that has kept so many people behind,” said Mida Mereday of Baldwin. “Our voices have not been heard all this time — it’s not going to be anything different.”
Since the beginning of the Hempstead redistricting discussions, the concerns raised by opponents to the initial town-drawn maps has not changed: District lines should be redrawn to have a more balanced demographic representation.
These methods fall under partisan gerrymandering — giving one side an advantage in a single district but no others, or simply breaking up voter blocs so a particular type of candidate can’t get enough support to win.
“The New York state constitution (says) the district shall not be drawn to discourage competition, or for the purpose of favoring or disfavoring incumbents or any other particular candidates or parties,” said Terry Bain, a former immigration judge from Rockville Centre. “It looks to me like this proposal may violate this spirit, as well as the letter of our state constitution.”
If Hempstead finalizes this current map, it could expose the town to costly litigation — all at taxpayer expense. Especially since a number of people in the audience who oppose the new map say they are willing to take the matter to court.
Ana Borruto/Herald
faced some heat from the crowd gathered to discuss redistricting with claims he failed to listen to their concerns. Many of them had pushed for at least three ‘minority-majority’
HEMPSTEAD TOWN SUPERVISOR Donald
But under the guidance of the Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders law firm as well as redistricting expert Sean Trende, the Town Board released a redistricting map proposal last month they said took into account public comments as well as the views of the redistricting commission — who recommended the board keep communities intact.
However, some doubted these intentions. When looking at the final map, attendees said there are communities still in danger of “packing” and “cracking,” such as Elmont, Uniondale, North Bellmore and Baldwin.
Dan Oppenheimer, a Hempstead village resident, says it’s interesting the final redistricting map was adopted while one of the six council district seats — formerly occupied by now U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito — remains vacant.
As the vacancy approaches two months, some are anticipating the Hempstead town board will continue its ages-old tradition of appointing someone to fill the seat. These vacancies are often created when a council member runs successfully for another position. Recent appointments by the board to the town council include Thomas Muscarella, Melissa Miller and Dennis Dunne.
Clavin’s response to this practice when questioned about it was only that the board plans to “comply with Town of Hempstead law.”
“This is not something to do with voting representation when you have a history, year in and year out, of appointing rather than allowing for votes,” Oppenheimer told Clavin. “You are bypassing the electoral system that the districts are supposed to address.”
Clavin
Jazz and Blues concert for Black History
Singer Emilie Surtees highlights the day at the public library
By JAMES BERNSTEIN jbernstein@liherald.comBlack History month ended in Long Beach Sunday afternoon with a soulful medley of songs by the independent artist Emilie Surtees, who did her own interpretation of such jazz and blues greats as Billie Holiday, Nina Simone and Etta James, at the Long Beach Public Library, to a standing-roomonly audience.
The hour-long performance by Surtees, organized by Artists in Partnership in conjunction with the Long Beach Art League, was part of a daylong tribute to Black Artists. Paintings by Ayrielle Ashley, 34, of Long Beach. and Janelle DeSouza, 26, of Hempstead, and others, were posted on the walls of the library’s second-floor.
Johanna Mathieson-Ellmer, executive director of Artists in Partnership, said the celebration of Black art and music in Long Beach will continue long after Black History Month ends, in February.
“We’re always just at the beginning,” Mathieson-Ellmer said. “Black History is every day. The fact that we are celebrating this month just reminds people of our American history.
Surtees performed Holiday, Simone and James in her own style. Roman Ivanoff on piano, Essiet Okom Essiet on cello and Leroy Chisholm on drums, backed her up. She did such favorites as Holiday’s “Good Bless the Child,” and “Summertime and the Living is Easy.” The crowd roared for an encore.
In an interview after the concert, Surtees, said she felt the biggest contributions by Black artists is that
“they make people feel they are not alone.” Many performers, she said, suffered from psychological issues and addition.
“But they overcame them,” she said.
“Their contribution was that they were making connections. We all have problems, and we are not alone.”
Surtees, born and raised in Manhattan, began her work life trying to become a marketing executive.
“I was trying to fit into Corporate America,” she said with a laugh. She was the youngest of 12 children, and always loved music. She lost a marketing job and then attended an open-mike show on Columbus Avenue in Manhattan.
At first, she said, she was too timid to do anything more than perform as a background singer.
But she built up her nerve and has gone on to perform at BB King’s Blues
Club in Manhattan and the Highline Ballroom in Chelsea, the City Winery at Café Wha? And other nightspots. DeSouza said she favors expressionist art. “I paint what is in my soul at the moment,” she said.
EMIlIE
dRuMMER chISholM cApTuREd the attention of the crowd with a steady beat alternating with a jazzy style.
Police sergeant rescues a resident in flaming house
A Long Beach police sergeant ran into a burning home on Sunday and saved the life of a resident, the city police department said.
Sgt. Judy Arroyo was on patrol at about 2:15 a.m., when she was flagged down by a residents who said a house, at 38 W. Penn St., was on fire. The resident ran into the house to try and help, with Arroyo quickly running into the house as well.
Long Beach Police Commissioner Ron Walsh said Arroyo never hesitated to go in to save the homeowner, Stephen Pryke, and the another other resident got out before the house became completely engulfed.
Arroyo “goes to the back of the house and it was pretty much engulfed in flames,” Walsh said, “She then finds the owner of the house in one of the bathrooms and she tells him ‘You have got to get out of here now.’ Then, she kind of drags the guy out of the house and helps the other resident as well.”
While helping the residents, Walsh said Arroyo suffered second-degree burns
on her hand, forehead and ear while trying to get upstairs to see if anyone else was in the house. She was treated at a nearby hospital afterwards and is expected to recover fully.
The Long Beach Fire Department said five hose lines were used inside and outside the house to bring the fire under control within 40 minutes. Oceanside, Point Lookout-Lido, Lawrence-Cedarhurst, Inwood, Rockville Centre, Freeport, Baldwin and East Rockaway Fire Departments and Atlantic Beach Rescue assisted.
“Long Beach has a new hero,” Walsh said. “She put her own safety and wellbeing to the side and ran in selflessly to save the lives of people in a fire and a very, very dangerous situation. She’s a hero.”
The fire is under the investigation of the Nassau County Fire Marshal’s Office, the Nassau County Police Arson Bomb Squad and the Long Beach Police Department.
–Brendan Carpenter
Courtesy Long Beach Fire Department
A fire eArly Sunday morning left the house at 38 W. Penn St. completely destroyed from the damage.
Four are running this fall for three open seats
continued from front page
sionary Baptist Church on Sunday, Hodge, 47, said he would be running. He confirmed it later that day at a Ladies of Jazz & Blues tribute concert at the Long Beach Public Library. Hodge, who is usually a casual dresser, showed up at the library in a crisp blue suit, white shirt and tie, and shook many hands.
If elected, Hodge would be the first Black member of the council since Anissa Moore was elected in 2015. (Moore is now a deputy Nassau County executive.) He has been posting about his community and civic activities on social media for weeks, hinting at a run.
A former board chairman of the MLK Center, Hodge is a frequent speaker at council meetings and a fiery orator. He led marches in the city after George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis in 2020, and the police killing of Brenna Taylor in Kentucky that year.
At times Hodge has been a controversial figure in Long Beach. He was board chairman of the MLK Center for 16 years, during which he led efforts to provide meals for the poor and homeless and educational and recreational services for
children.
But his tenure was also marked by disputes with the city, which owns the building in the largely Black North Park section of town. In 2020 the city shut down the center, citing building and fire violations. Hodge complained that the city’s action prevented him from providing food for the poor, and he set up cooking facilities outside the building.
He resigned as the center’s board chairman in 2021, and last year the city filed eviction proceedings against the center, saying the organization had “consistently failed to meet” with city negotiators to iron out details for a lease. Those negotiations are continuing, city and center officials have said.
Hodge forged “a good professional relationship” with Rabbi Jack Zanerhaft of Temple Emanu-El of Long Beach, Zanerhaft said earlier this week. Hodge once said that Zanerhaft had taught him how to make challah bread.
Crystal Lake, a leader of the Black community in North Park, said she believed Hodge would garner considerable support from whites and Blacks.
And James Mulvaney, of Long Beach,
a former Newsday investigative reporter who is now an adjunct professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan, wrote in an email, “James Hodge has deeper roots in the community than any of the current city council members. He is a strong voice for the underserved population in North Park. He has
also been an advocate for the next generation, making sure Long Beach youngsters are positively engaged and helping them prepare to become future leaders. Other politicians run to the spotlight, James Hodge is a guy who spots problems and tries to fix them, not for the glory but because it is the right thing to do.”
Tim Baker/Herald James Hodge, former board chairman of the MLK Center, is considering a run for City Council.I can see why (James Hodge) would want to be a part of all the great work that this administration has done.
Karen mcInnIs councilwoman
Connecting trails from Manhattan to Montauk
By MALLORY WILSON mwilson@liherald.comStretching some 175 miles, the Long Island Greenway is intended to serve walkers and cyclists alike on a trail beginning in Manhattan and terminating on the east end of Montauk.
The brainchild of the nonprofit Trust for Public Land, the trail would connect parks, trail and other public land within communities, allowing people to bike, jog or walk for leisure. And, in many cases, could even become a green means to commute to work.
Construction is set to begin next year, focusing on a 25-mile stretch between Eisenhower Park in East Meadow and Brentwood State Park.
“The abundance of beautiful parklands, trails and natural open spaces are one of the aspects that make our island such a desirable place to live,” John Cameron, Long Island Regional Planning Council chair, said in a release. “The Long Island Greenway will connect our communities and enable Long Islanders to better enjoy an active lifestyle.”
Carter Strickland, the Trust for Public Land state director, presented details about the project’s progress to the planning council last week. That includes a trail linking 26 parks, 46 train stations and 60 bus routes through a combination of off-road and on-road connections among more than two-dozen communities. It’s estimated to draw roughly 34 million visitors annually.
“Some of the benefits of ending in these existing parks — or beginning — is that they have bathrooms, they have parking areas, we can minimize that need to build anything new,” Strickland said. “Along the themes of making the most of our existing assets, that’s the whole vision.”
Throughout this 25-mile stretch, there are more than 130,000 residents who would find access. More than a
construction — connecting Eisenhower Park to Brentwood State Park — is set to start next year.
dozen parks can be accessed by the trail, and another 36 schools and universities are within a mile.
One of the benefits of the trail overall, Strickland says, include a safer area for pedestrians and bikers to traverse.
“Long Island, unfortunately, kind of leads the state in terms of pedestrians killed or injured,” he said. “The statewide average is a third or a quarter of the amounts in Nassau and Suffolk, and it’s a public health crisis. We’ve got to address it.”
Increased physical activity is another reason to sup-
port this trail.
“We know that in our day and age, obesity, chronic diseases are problematic,” Strickland said. “It’s what kind of plagues us. To prevent that, one of the best ways is to create recreational infrastructure, increase walking, or biking physical activities. It doesn’t always have to be superrigorous.
“If we weave it into our lives, it’ll make us healthier, and overall reduce health care costs.”
The route aims to include the Nassau Hub, Belmont Park, and others throughout the island. The greenway would be the Long Island leg of New York state’s 750-mile Empire Trail that connects New York City to areas like Buffalo, Albany and Plattsburgh.
The plan is funded through a combination of private and taxpayer support. Now, the trust is applying for a federal grant to pay for the second phase of the trail between Riverhead and Montauk — approximately 50 miles.
They hope to get a grant under President Biden’s infrastructure law and its Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity program. With the support of the planning council, Strickland sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation showing its support for grant money to help with the design stage of the next leg.
“The benefits of hike and bike trail networks are welldocumented,” the letter, signed by Cameron, stated. “Trails create more livable communities through the revitalization of downtown areas and creation of transportation alternatives, improve public health by increasing access to recreational opportunities, and represent a meaningful equity investment in providing safe infrastructure to diminish reliance on private vehicle ownership.”
The trust hopes to be construction-ready for the second phase by 2025.
with Michael and Suzanne Ettinger Attorneys-at-LawWhen Does a Trust Make Sense
By now most people know that trusts avoid probate which is required with a will -if there are “probatable” assets, in other words those in your name alone. While many assets can be set up to avoid probate by putting joint owners on or by naming beneficiaries, titles to real estate in New York may not have beneficiaries and there are tax and liability reasons for not naming joint owners on real estate. As a result, real property generally goes through probate.
Other reasons to use trusts, besides avoiding probate for the home, are as follows:
1. Out-of-State Property. New York residents who own property in another state face two probates, one in New York and another in the other state. However, you may transfer both properties into your New York trust and avoid the “multiple probate problem”.
2. Trusts Are Private. Unlike wills, trusts are not filed in court, so there is no public record of how much you had, who you left
it to, where they live, and who you left out.
3. Special Needs Children. If you leave assets to a special needs child in a will, the court will appoint a lawyer to represent the special needs child which will require your estate to pay two lawyers and significantly delay the proceedings.
4. Keeping Your Assets in the Bloodline. Wills generally leave assets to your children and have no provisions for what happens after they get the inheritance. As a result, when your child dies, assets often go to inlaws and their families. Trusts can provide that your assets will stay in your bloodline for generations to come.
5. Protecting Assets from Long-Term Care Costs. Wills take effect on death and offer no long-term care asset protection. Often, the cost of care ends up leaving nothing for the heirs at death. Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts not only avoid probate, but also protect assets from being lost to longterm care costs.
Courtesy Metro Commons
Vets can get free emergency mental health care
By MALLORY WILSON mwilson@liherald.comSuicides among military veterans have been in decline over the past couple years, but today, a former soldier still takes his or her life every 85 minutes on average.
But now, veterans deemed to be in “acute suicidal crisis” can receive free emergency mental health services, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. That’s help that includes up to 30 days of in-patient care, and three months outpatient.
Veterans can find that help at any VA or non-VA health care facility at no cost. They don’t even need to be enrolled in the VA system to use this benefit.
Part of the Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care and Treatment — or COMPACT — Act of 2020, the new rule allows veterans discharged after more than two years of service under conditions other than dishonorable are eligible for the care, which will either be paid for or reimbursed by the VA. The expanded care is meant to, “help prevent veteran suicide by guaranteeing no cost, world-class care to veterans in times of crisis,” according to a news release.
“Free or not free, the priority is getting them health care,” Pete Wenninger, immediate past commander of the East Meadow American Legion Post 1082, said. “The being burdened with a cost is not going to be helpful to them, but it is critical that when a veteran needs mental health, that they get it.”
The policy will provide, pay for, or reimburse for treatment of those who qualify for emergency suicide care, transportation costs, and follow-up care at a facility. It will also help veterans by making appropriate referrals while determining eligibility for other VA services and benefits.
“I think it was a great move,” said Ralph Esposito, director of the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency.
“These kids coming home today from Iraq, Iran and everything, they got problems. And they’re hurting.”
The policy will also apply to former members of the armed forces, including reserve members, who served “more than 100 days under a combat exclusion or in support of a contingency operation.” It’s also open to those discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, who were the victim of sexual assault, sexual battery, or sexual harassment while serving.
“The need is more and more, that’s why the government — I believe — started this program,” Esposito said. “They see it. It’s happening all over. And we’re doing all we can to get them out.”
At the Nassau VSA in East Meadow, vets needing mental help are sent to speak with counselors that are right there for them, Esposito said. There’s also a food pantry if they’re hungry, and where they can pick up other supplies as well.
“It’s heartbreaking because they’re young,” he said.
BREAKING DOWN BOUNDARIES WITH CANCER BREAKTHROUGHS
A NEW FEDERAL policy will allow veterans in ‘acute suicidal crisis’ to receive free mental health care, including in-patient care for up to 30 days, and outpatient care for up to three months.
Neil Miller/Herald file“It’s a big thing, but I’m really happy that they did this and that we have this program going.”
According to the National Veteran Suicide Prevention annual report, there were 6,146 veteran suicides in 2020 — down 5 percent from the year before, and “lower than each prior year since 2006.”
“Veterans have a hard time dealing with the military experience,” said Frank Salamino, quartermaster for the East Meadow Veterans of Foreign War Post 2736. “They have a very hard time. I know myself firsthand.
The new program is a step in the right direction for veteran care, Salamino added, but more needs to be done. Starting with talking to veterans before they leave the service about what they’re thinking and what they need.
And when they do get home and look for medical care from the government, appointments are hard to come by — oftentimes spread out with months in between.
“It took me a long time to get some help,” Salamino said.
Our doctors are raising health by pioneering innovative approaches to cancer from novel chemotherapy techniques to first-in- the-nation robotic mastectomies with minimal scarring. Because when it comes to cancer, there’s no status quo. There’s only “how far can we go?”
LIJ Medical Center is in the top 10% of hospitals nationally for oncology, according to U.S.News&WorldReport.
Tables and chairs have to be gone by Nov.
lowing meeting, on Jan. 17, but it didn’t happen then, either.
In his last meeting as corporation counsel on Tuesday, Rich Berrios read the new update of the city code, saying there would be two phases of enforcement, with the first in effect through 2025. It applies to “restaurants, luncheonettes, stands and other businesses directly adjacent to the north boundary of the boardwalk” — the railing closest to Broadway.
There’s a general prohibition in the code on tables and chairs on the boardwalk.
Rich BeRRios corporation counsel
“There’s a general prohibition in the code on tables and chairs on the boardwalk,” Berrios said. “This amends it to permit said tables and chairs with a written agreement or permission from the city. So additionally, under this, notwithstanding any permission, between Nov. 15 and March 15, all tables and chairs have to be removed from the boardwalk — essentially the offseason for all these boardwalk businesses.”
In Phase Two, which begins in 2026, the code will be amended so businesses that want to put tables out will apply to the parks commissioner, Joe Brand, and he will either approve or deny the request.
Ron Paganini, a Long Beach resident, was one of the two to speak during the public comment portion of the hearing. He said that Braddish’s original agreement with the city, allowing al fresco dining at Riptides, did not include starting and ending dates.
Braddish agreed to pay $100 per year per boardwalk
State of the Art Dental
table in 2021, for a total of seven tables. The lease with the city that Braddish signed, which includes those fees, expires in September 2025.
The new code amendment requires new business to pay $500 per season.
“It mentions seasons in the charter,” Paganini told the council. “There’s no date in the original charter of when to take the tables off. So when does (Braddish’s) season end?”
Berrios didn’t answer the question directly, and Councilwoman Karen McInnis said only that she was “not sure we should be talking about this specific agreement for a specific individual.”
Lester responded to Paganini by saying, “When you look at the contract, where it says background information, it says any additional concessions will be allowed to operate from May 1 to Sept. 30 — the prime season — during the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.”
Wholly fresh, made for you!
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If you are someone who values conscious consumption, loves organic, fresh produce, and wants to support the local independently owned business, come meet us! We believe you will love what Wholly Fresh has to o er you and our community.
STEPPING OUT
By Karen BloomPigeon is here. Elephant and Piggie, Knuffle Bunny, too. Families will have “Mo” fun at Long Children’s Museum, with “The Pigeon Comes to Long Island! A Mo Willems Exhibit,” which encourages all to step inside Willems’ imagination.
This being the children’s museum, of course, the traveling exhibit — co-organized by Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art — is fully hands-on — inspired by the art and characters of the beloved children’s author.
“We know our audience, families, finds these books really appealing,” says Ashley Niver, the museum’s director of education. “Kids really relate to these characters, their feelings and how they work through their conflicts. The characters are playful and curious and the kids identify and respond to them.”
• Now through May 14, Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• $17 museum admission, $16 seniors 65 and older; additional fees for theater programming
• View the LICM events calendar at LICM.org for additional information or call (516) 224-5800
The Hot Sardines
The band brings their distinctive sound to the Landmark stage. Emerging a decade ago from the underground parties of Brooklyn to touring worldwide and recording a string of albums that’s racked up more than 60 million streams across digital platforms, the Hot Sardines’ own “potent and assured” (The New York Times), “simply phenomenal” (The Times of London) brand of reinvigorated classic jazz landed them at the center of a whirlwind. Their unique recipe blends hot jazz and sultry standards from the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s, rich New Orleans sounds, a dash of ’40s Paris flavor, and vibrant musical surprises. It’s all steeped in salty stride piano and the music Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt and Fats Waller used to make. The result is straight-up footstomping jazz. Their name says it all: their iconic ‘hot’ styling will paint a vibrant picture with smoky sounds and audiences revel in the steamy, swanky influence of their art form.
Saturday, March 6, 8 p.m. $60, $50, $46. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.
• Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City.
The familiar characters immediately get an enthusiastic response — including best friend duo Elephant and Piggie, faithful companion Knuffle Bunny, and The Pigeon, that wily city bird best known for his antics in “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” Activities showcase Willems’ whimsy and humor, giving families opportunities to make art-inspired by Willems and learn about the rich social and emotional lives of the author’s characters. Illustrations, including sketches and other preliminary materials, are also on display.
At the heart of it all, the exhibit is designed to instill a love of reading.
“Mo Willems’ books are frequently the starting point for a child to understand the power of choice they hold in what to read and reread,” vice president for program and visitor experience Aimee Terzulli explains. “Willems creates characters that get children invested in wanting to spend more time with them as they choose to read more of his popular stories.”
The many components are approachable, even for the youngest kids. Highlights include:
• A bus station where kids can put on a bus driver costume and “drive around” the exhibit space.
• Kids can have hilarious conversations in the voices of Elephant, Gerald and Piggie at the “Elephone” double-sided phone booth.
• Use the hot dog launcher to launch foam hot dogs at The Pigeon and play the plinko game to give Duckling a cookie. “So silly and fun,” Niver adds. “Kids get a kick out of the hot dogs flying through the air.”
• Explore the laundromat and uncover Knuffle Bunny and other surprises among the clothes.
• Dress up Naked Mole Rat and send him down the runway for a one-of-a-kind fashion show.
• Work with the “lightbox” to try out illustration techniques that Willems uses for his books.
As always, related programming enhances the exhibit experience. The museum theater is especially active at the moment, with performances of Willem’s newest show “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!” (through March 25), followed by the return of the always-popular “Elephant & Piggie’s “We are in a Play!” (April 23 to June 3).
‘The Rocketman Show’
Remember when rock was young? You sure will at this tribute show. Rus Anderson, Elton John’s official body double for his Farewell Yellow Brick Road world tour launch, recreates an early Elton concert complete with colorful and flamboyant costumes actually worn by Elton himself. Enjoy a nostalgic night of Elton’s greatest hits, wildest outfits and outrageous stage antics. Anderson recreates the magic and live persona of a young Elton like no other. Storming around the stage with a fun-loving sense of flamboyance; part diva, part soccer player, killer vocalist, fierce piano player, all rock ‘n roller. His painstaking attention to detail includes wearing outlandish and spectacular costumes, including Elton’s iconic boots, glasses and jumpsuits from 1973, as well as a sparkly Swarovski tuxedo from 1984.
Friday, March 17, 8 p.m. $60, $45, Saturday, March 18, 8 p.m. $65, $45, $35, $30. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.
Ladies’ Night
THE SCENE
Feb. 26
Art talk
Meet Yong Yangliang when he visits Nassau County Museum of Art, Sunday, Feb. 26, 3 p.m. What a journey it has been for this famous artist, from Shanghai to the Metropolitan Museum to his new studio in Roslyn. His lyrical, dreamy work is also a journey in time, back to the fabled era of Tang dynasty literature and ink painting, the inspiration for the masterwork on view. Join him for a conversation on art, poetry and Asian aesthetics today and in ancient times. Participation is limited; registration required. $20 non-members. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
Musical revue
March 6
Brandon ‘Taz’ Niederauer
The young guitar sensation visits the Landmark stage, Saturday, March 6, 8 p.m. Nineteenyear-old Brandon Niederauer, nicknamed “Taz” for his ferocious guitar playing, is living proof that dreams really do come true. Having performed in some of the most legendary venues with many of the most prominent musicians ofof our time, he has already earned himself quite the reputation. It all started at eight years old, when he watched the movie “School of Rock.” From then on, his guitar rarely left his hands. Just four years later, Brandon was cast in the principal role of guitarist “Zack Mooneyham” in the Tony Award-nominated Broadway production of “School of Rock the Musical.” And he never looked back. $30, $25. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main
Plaza Theatrical continues its season with “Bette, Babs & Beyond!,” a showstopping tribute to the legendary ladies of music, Sunday, Feb. 26, 2:30 p.m. It’s at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tunrpike, Elmont. $40, $35 seniors. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.
All night is ladies’ night at Anchor Tavern, Thursday, Feb. 23. Drink specials will have reduced prices, including twofor-one glasses of wine, $8 cosmopolitans and $8 martinis. The deals begin at 5 p.m. until close, at 20 W. Park Ave. For more information, call (516) 889-1680.
Gentle Yoga
Participate yoga class for health and peace, Monday, Feb. 27, at Long Beach Public Library, 111 W. Park Ave. The class is designed to build strength and flexibility along with a calmer mind. The class will be in the public library’s auditorium and on Zoom, for those you cannot go in person, from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. Poses will be a combination of standing and seated. For more information, visit LongBeachPL. LibraryCalendar.com.
Voyage
The Journey tribute band visits
The Paramount, Saturday, Feb. 25, 8 p.m. The popular band takes everyone back to the ‘80’s when Journey’s timeless music ruled the airwaves. Hailed by fans and critics alike as the world’s top Journey tribute band, this group performs their music with chilling accuracy. Fronted by Hugo — a dead ringer for Steve Perry, both visually and vocally — he continues to delight fans with his miraculous resemblance, exact mannerisms and identical
On stage
Mo Willems’ popular The Pigeon comes alive on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 2425, 2 p.m.; Thursday, March 2, 10:15 a.m. and noon. Pigeon is eager to try anything, with the audience part of the action.
LICM, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM. org.
City Council Meeting
The Long Beach City Council meets, Thursday, March 7,at 7 p.m. on the sixth floor of City Hall, in Community Hall, 1 W. Chester St. The meeting will also be streamed on YouTube. For more information, visit LongBeachNY.gov.
Too Fat Guys
The music duo “Too Fat Guys” play live tunes at JJ Coopers, 124 W. Park Ave., on Sunday, Feb. 26 Parons can enjoy the music with their meals from 1 to 4 p.m. For more information, call them at (516) 431-3133.
Pokémon Card Trading Club
Got to catch them all! Long Beach Public Library is calling all Pokémon card collectors ages 8 through 16 for a club meeting and to trade, mingle and battle cards, Friday, March 3. The meeting will be in the program room, 111 W. Park Ave., starting at 4 p.m. For more information or to register, visit LongBeachPL.com or call the library at (516) 432-7201
Seinfeld trivia night
Long Beach Brewing Company holds a Seinfeld trivia night, Thursday, March 2. Drinks and some food will be available for purchase. It begins at 7 p.m., at 3350A Lawson Blvd. in Oceanside. For more information, visit their Facebook page or call (516) 5540800.
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.
Absolute Adele
Vocalist Jennifer Cella, who performs with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, returns to her alma mater, Nassau Community College, with a tribute to Adele, Saturday, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Mainstage Theatre, Garden City. Tickets are available through the NCC online box office at Nassau.BookTix. com/seating.php. For information, visit NCC. edu or call (516) 5727676.
On exhibit
Photography’s ascent in the art world is an international phenomenon. Nassau County Museum of Art’s star-studded exhibition spans the historical roots of the medium. View works by Ansel Adams and his generation and the thrilling, large-format color works of such contemporary masters as Cindy Sherman, Thomas Struth, James Casebere and Gregory Crewdson, among others. From the documentary to the painterly, images bear witness to the times. On view through March 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor. (516) 4849337 or NassauMuseum.org.
Family theater
The beloved fairy tale springs to life in a delightful musical romp, presented Plaza Theatrical Productions, Friday, Feb. 24, 11 a.m.; Sunday, Feb. 26, noon. All the ingredients that have made this story a perennial favorite are here, including Cinderella, a zany Godmother, a trip to the royal ball, and a glass slipper. Tickets are $16. Visit the Plaza stage at The Showplace at Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Ave., Bellmore. For information/tickets, go to PlazaTheatrical.com or call (516) 599-6870.
V.S. gymnast is part of the first HBCU team
By BRENDAN CARPENTER bcarpenter@liherald.comA Valley Stream graduate is part of the first gymnastics team from a historically Black college or university to compete at the NCAA level.
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education established before 1964 with the mission of educating and serving primarily Black Americans. There are currently over 100 HBCUs across the country, each competing at the NCAA level in various sports, but only one of them does so in
gymnastics.
At the start of this year, Fisk University, in Nashville, became the first and only HBCU to compete in gymnastics at the NCAA level, debuting its team at the Super 16 event against North Carolina, Southern Utah and Washington on Jan. 6 in Las Vegas. Other schools have gymnastics programs but do not compete at that level against others.
Fisk gymnast Kaylei McDonald, 19, grew up playing different sports, primarily basketball, around Valley Stream. When she turned 8, she was getting bored and wanted to try something new. She
decided on gymnastics.
“I actually didn’t even start out thinking about gymnastics,” McDonald said. “I tried all the sports to see what I liked, and eventually I found gymnastics.”
She began taking classes at Long Island Gymnastics Academy in Cedarhurst just to try it out. After learning the basics and practicing, she quickly started getting the feel of it and competed in small, local events.
Soon, McDonald was ready to the join the district team. She joined the squad in seventh grade and was captain all through her years at Valley Stream South
STATE OF NEW YORK PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
CASE 22-T-0346 - Application of Empire Offshore Wind LLC for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need for the Construction of Approximately 12 Miles of Transmission Lines from the Boundary of New York State Territorial Waters to a Point of Interconnection in the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County.
NOTICE INVITING PUBLIC COMMENT AND ANNOUNCING PUBLIC STATEMENT HEARINGS
(Issued February 10, 2023)
Public comment is sought regarding a request by Empire Offshore Wind LLC (EOW) to construct, operate and maintain the New York portion of the transmission facilities required to interconnect EOW’s proposed Empire Wind 2 Offshore Wind Generating Facility, to be located within the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management designated Renewable Energy Lease Area OCS-A 0512, to a Point of Interconnection with the New York State Transmission System, located at an expansion of the Barrett 138-kilovolt (kV) Substation located in Oceanside in the Town of Hempstead, New York (the NY Project). The NY Project includes several components: three three-core 230-kV high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) submarine export cables located within an approximately 7.7-nautical mile (nm) submarine export cable corridor from the boundary of New York State waters three nms offshore to the cable landfall; a cable landfall in the City of Long Beach; three 230-kV onshore export cable circuits, each with three single-core HVAC onshore export cables within an approximately 1.5-mile-long onshore export cable corridor from the cable landfall to the onshore substation; an onshore substation in the Village of Island Park, within the Town of Hempstead, which will step up the voltage to 345-kV for the onshore interconnection cables; and, up to three 345-kV interconnection cable circuits, each with three single-core HVAC interconnection cables within an approximately 1.7-mile-long interconnection cable corridor from the onshore substation to the point of interconnection.
Under New York State Law, the Commission may adopt or reject EOW’s proposal, in whole or part, or modify it. In doing so, the Commission will consider input from the participating parties and the general public. Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) are presiding over the gathering of public comments and all evidence related to the NY Project. As indicated in this Notice, public statement hearings will be held to obtain comments from the public concerning EOW’s proposal.
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that virtual public statement hearings will be held before ALJs Ashley Moreno and Lindsey Overton as follows:
Date: Thursday, March 9, 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Event Number: 2339 722 2371
Password: Mar9-1pm
Phone-Only Access: (518)549-0500 Access Code: 2339 722 2371
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Event Number: 2330 951 2704
Password: Mar9-5pm
Phone-Only Access: (518)549-0500 Access Code: 2330 951 2704
Those wishing to comment on any aspect of this proceeding will have the opportunity to make a statement on the record at the virtual public statement hearings. Any person wishing to provide a public statement on the record at the hearings must pre-register to do so by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.
To pre-register and provide a statement electronically:
Participants who would like to provide a statement and will log in to a hearing electronically must pre-register by the date and time indicated above by visiting www.webex.com , where they should click “Join” at the top right-hand corner of the screen, enter the event number listed above, and provide all requested information.
When logging in on the date and time of the hearing, participants will be asked to “select audio system.” It is recommended that participants opt to have the system “call me” or “call using computer.” The “call me” option will require participants to enter their phone numbers.
To pre-register and provide a statement by phone:
Any participant who is not able to log in to a hearing electronically may participate by phone. Call-in participants wishing to make a statement must pre-register by the date and time indicated above by calling 1-800-342-3330, where they should follow prompts to the appropriate hearing and provide the following information: first and last names, address, and phone number.
On the day and time of the hearing, all call-in participants should dial 518-549-0500 and enter the access code listed above to join the hearing.
The public statement hearings will be held open until everyone who has registered to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements to submit comments into the record have been made. Reasonable time limits may be set for each speaker as necessary to afford all registered speakers an opportunity to be heard. It is recommended that lengthy comments be submitted in writing and summarized for oral presentation. A verbatim transcript of the public statement hearings will be made for inclusion in the record of this case.
Persons with disabilities requiring special accommodations should call the Department of Public Service’s Human Resources Management Office at 518-474-2520 as soon as possible. TDD users may request a sign language interpreter by placing a call through the New York Relay Service at 711. Individuals with difficulty understanding or reading English are encouraged to call the Department at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services regarding this notice.
Other Ways to Comment:
For those who cannot attend or prefer not to speak at the public statement hearings, there are several other ways to provide your comments to the Commission. Comments should refer to “Case 22-T-0346.” Although comments will be accepted throughout the pendency of this proceeding, they are requested by March 24, 2023.
Internet or Mail: Go to www.dps.ny.gov, click on “File Search” (located under the heading “Commission Files”), enter “22-T-0346” in the “Search by Case Number” field, and then click on the “Post Comments” box located at the top of the page. Alternatively, comments may be mailed to the Hon. Michelle L. Phillips, Secretary, Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350. All written comments will become part of the record considered by the Commission and may be accessed on the Department of Public Service website by searching the case number, as described above, and clicking on the “Public Comments” tab.
Toll-Free Opinion Line: You may call the Commission’s Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120. This number is set up to take comments about pending cases from in-State callers 24-hours a day. These comments are not transcribed verbatim, but a summary is provided to the Commission.
(SIGNED) MICHELLE L. PHILLIPS, Secretary
High School.
She qualified for the 2017 Level 8 State Championships in eighth grade and placed second on balance beam at the 2018 Level 8 State Championships. For the 2019 season, she moved up to Level 9, where she placed ninth on floor exercise. She qualified for the 2020 Level 9 State Championships, but no one competed due to Covid-19. She has also been a New York State Public High School Athletic Association Section 8 State Gymnastics member for three years. She helped bring the Valley Stream gymnastics teams to the state championships four times.
Levels 8-10, the highest and most competitive levels, are considered optional, and gymnasts in these tiers are considered masters of their routines and have the ability to create their own unique routines during their meets.
Being a part of the inaugural HBCU competitive gymnastics team means a lot to McDonald, and she hopes progress will continue. This summer, Talladega College in Alabama will launch its own women’s gymnastics team. Talladega’s team began forming on Jan. 14 with the help of Brown Girls Do Gymnastics, an advocacy group that supports athletes from Black and brown communities. The group also helped start Fisk’s program.
“It means a lot because we are the first place to start this,” she said of gymnastics at HBCUs. “So, we’re like the stepping stone and other universities will hopefully follow our lead in the future.”
TRAILBLAZER
DEIRDRE O’CONNELL CEO
DANIEL GALE SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
MEET THE 2023 HONOREES*
RichnerLIVE’s second annual R.E.A.L. Awards will spotlight entrepreneurs, professionals, and visionaries in Long Island’s real estate industry who have achieved success in their respective roles while also involved in community contributions and advocacy.
RESIDENTIAL
SPECIAL PROJECT
THE RESIDENCES AT GLEN HARBOR
Michael W. Stanco
Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker
Stanco Misiti Team at Compass BROKERS (Individual)
Gina Marie Bettenhauser
Associate Real Estate Broker
Coldwell Banker Distinctive Homes
President, Long Island Board of REALTORS®
Hilary BeckerPresident
Becker Realty Services, Inc.
Molly Deegan
Owner & Licensed Broker
Branch Real Estate Group
John Gandolfo & Barbara Gandolfo
Licensed Associate Brokers
Coldwell Banker American Homes
Kevin Leatherman
Owner & Licensed Broker
Leatherman Homes
Donna O’Reilly Einemann
Branch Manager | Rockville Centre Office
Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Luciane Serifovic
CEO & Founder
Luxian International Realty
Shawn Steinmuller
Founder & Licensed Broker
Shawn Michael Realty
Mark Stempel & Jennie Katz
Ceo/Owner & President/Owner
Blue Island Homes
Helena Veloso
Senior Executive Manager of Sales
Douglas Elliman Real Estate
LICENSED SALESPERSON
Malka Asch
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
Coach Realtors
Miriam Hagendorn
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
SERHANT.
Ricki Noto
Team Leader,
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
Coldwell Banker American Homes
Scott Wallace
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty
OFFICE MANAGER
David Kasner
Branch Manager
Coldwell Banker American Homes
COMMERCIAL
BROKERS
Thomas DeLuca
Senior Director & Real Estate Broker
Cushman & Wakefield of Long Island Inc.
DEVELOPERS
Anthony Bartone
Managing Partner
Terwilliger & Bartone Properties, LLC
Kenneth Breslin, Esq.
President
Breslin Realty Development Corp.
Christopher Capece President
Heatherwood
Rob Gitto
Vice President
The Gitto Group
Mark Meisner
President & Founder
MAJOR SPONSORS:
The Birch Group
GENERAL CONTRACTOR & CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
EW HOWELL CONSTRUCTION GROUP
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS
SPECIAL AWARDS
REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT/ DEVELOPER OF THE YEAR
Michael Maturo
President
RXR Realty
REAL ESTATE SERVICES/ PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Martin Lomazow
Senior Vice President
CBRE
ATTORNEYS
Michael S. Ackerman
Managing Attorney
Ackerman Law, PLLC
John D. Chillemi
Partner
Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C.
Bryan P. McCrossen
Partner
Jaspan Schlesinger Narendran, LLP
Christopher H. Palmer
Managing Partner
Cullen and Dykman, LLP
Ellen N. Savino
Partner
Sahn Ward Braff Koblenz PLLC
COMMUNITY CHAMPION
- TRADE GROUP
Commercial Industrial Broker
Society of Long Island (CIBS)
David Pennetta SIOR, LEED GA Co-President
ENGINEERING
Stephen A. Hayduk, P.E.
Principal & Chief Engineer
Hayduk Engineering LLC
FATHER/DAUGHTER TEAM
Gilbert Balanoff
Owner
The Law Offices of Gilbert Balanoff, P.C.
Tiffany Balanoff
Licensed Real Estate Agent
Douglas Elliman Real Estate
LENDER
Nicholas Ceccarini
Owner & Broker
Weatherstone Mortgage Corp.
Christine Curiale
Mortgage Branch Manager
Valley Bank
Melissa Curtis
Sales Manager and Senior Loan Originator
Contour Mortgage
RISING STAR
Alex Lipsky
Owner Lipsky Construction
TAX CERTIORARI
Sean M. Cronin, Esq.
Partner
Cronin & Cronin Law Firm, PLLC
TECH AWARD
Ryan J. Coyne
Chief Technology Officer
SERHANT.
TECH PLATFORM OF THE YEAR
VincePropertyShark
Business Development Manager & Corporate Sales Lead
PropertyShark.com
TITLE COMPANY
HABITAT ABSTRACT
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY
COMPANY. NAME:
TETRIK, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 11/5/2022. NY Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to:_232 West Bay Drive, Long Beach, NY 11561
Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity.
137110
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT
COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff, vs. GLORIA MICHELL, ET AL., Defendant(s).
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on September 29, 2008 and an Order duly entered on May 2, 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 March 7, 2023 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 26 East Market Street A/K/A 26 Market Street, Long Beach, NY 11561. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the City of Long Beach, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 59, Block 96 and Lot 218. Approximate amount of judgment is $647,819.24 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 23192/2007. 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.
Melissa Levin, Esq., Referee
Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, 10 Bank Street, Suite 700, White Plains, New York 10606, Attorneys for Plaintiff 137112
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT
COUNTY OF NASSAU
U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as owner trustee for
RCF 2 Acquisition Trust
c/o U.S. Bank Trust National Association, Plaintiff AGAINST
James Connelly a/k/a
James M. Connelly; et al., Defendant(s)
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered November 16, 2022 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 March 14, 2023 at 2:00PM, premises known as 448 West Hudson Street, St. Long Beach, NY 11561. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the City of Long Beach, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 59 Block 32 Lot 136. Approximate amount of judgment
$492,352.14 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 613083/2021. 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 Kramer, Esq., Referee
(516) 510-4020
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: January 13, 2023
137272
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS AND NOTICE OF OBJECT OF ACTION
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NASSAU INDEX NO. 603991/2019
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR J.P. MORGAN MORTGAGE
TRUST 2006-A4, Plaintiff, vs. SUSAN GONZALES; VINCENT GONZALES if living, and if he be dead, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law,
next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; CAPITAL ONE BANK, USA NA; THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises, described in the complaint, Defendants. Plaintiff designates NASSAU as the place of trial situs of the real property.
Mortgaged Premises: 345 LIDO BOULEVARD LONG BEACH, NY 11561
Section: 60 Block: E Lot:
750 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 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) in the event the United States of America is made a party defendant, the time to answer for the said United States of America shall not expire until (60) days after service of the Summons; and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint.
The foregoing supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. David P. Sullivan of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. Dated the 6th day of January, 2023 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau
NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF
SOUGHT
THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of $516,000.00 and interest, recorded on December 20, 2005, at Liber M 29857 Page 659, of the Public Records of NASSAU County, New York, covering premises known as 345 LIDO BOULEVARD LONG EACH, NY 11561. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. NASSAU
County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county.
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 (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Dated: January 2, 2020 Zeichner Ellman & Krause LLP
By:___/s/___BJFinneran____ BJ
Finneran,Esq.
1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036 (212)223-0400 137182
School district proposes 2 percent tax hike for new year
By JAMES BERNSTEIN jbernstein@liherald.comAfter three years of zero increases in taxes, the Long Beach school district has released tentative budget figures that propose a possible 2 percent hike for the 2023-’04 school year.
For an average sing-family home paying about $7,000 in taxes, the 2 percent hike translates to about $140.00, according to school officials.
“that does not mean that the projected tax levy will decrease or remain at the same level in order to support the current level of programs.”
Staff salaries are also projected to rise, 1.9 percent, to $78.7 million.
The district said that if ten teachers retire, it can save $700,000 in replacement salaries.
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, MORTGAGE ASSESTS MANAGEMENT, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. BRANDON C. WINICK A/K/A BRANDON WINICK, AS COADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF HILDA SONNER, DECEASED, ET AL., Defendant(s).
Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on December 15, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on March 28, 2023 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 2 Richmond Road, Unit 138 a/k/a Unit 2LL, Long Beach, NY 11561 a/k/a Lido Beach, NY 11561. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the City of Long Beach, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 59, Block 66 and Lot 15U Unit 138 together with an undivided 0.0108591 percent interest in the Common Elements. Approximate amount of judgment is $1,106,463.28 plus interest and costs.
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of
Mike Devito, the Long Beach district’s assistant superintendent for finances, said the increase is due to higher costs of fuel, electricity and healthcare, which accounts for the largest of the increases. The district is looking at about a $2 million increase in such costs, to about $35,116,562.
“After two years of zero tax levy increases, the district is facing an increase,” Devito said.
MIkE DEvITo Assistant superintendent for finance, L.B. schoolThe proposed budget totals $151,915,903, compared to $151,208,300 in the last budget.
The district noted that while the 2023’-4 proposed budget is projected to decrease,
Devito noted that the budget process is in a preliminary stage, and that the public will have a chance to speak on the proposal at several hearings, including on March 14.
The district is expecting about a 1 percent increase in state aid, to about $25 million.
Sam Pinto, a member of the school board, said, “We were the only district in the area to have held the line against tax increases for the last three years, but inflation is everywhere. We live in a real world.”
The budget last year passed 683 to 315. A proposition to include expenditure from the Long-Range Building and Capital Improvement Fund and the 2018 Capital Improvement Fund, also passed, 733 to 248.
filed Judgment Index # 015520/2013. 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,
A fter two years of zero tax levy increases, the district is facing an increase.
EMPLOYMENT
Help Wanted
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FT: RVC. Administrative Work, Answering Phones, Computer Skills – Microsoft, Excel, Outlook, Financial background helpful. No Health Beneifts. 516-763-9700 frances.difede@lpl.com
ADMINISTRATIVE OPENINGS MONTICELLO Central School School Building Principal (2 positions) The Monticello CSD is seeking forward thinking and dynamic School Building Principals who can lead MCSD's highly engaged faculty, staff, parents, students and community. The successful candidate will have a vision of educational excellence, be highly motivated and demonstrate the ability to impact student learning. Starting salary: $125,000, commensurate with experience. NYS
SDA/SDL/SBL Certification Required plus 2 yrs. of previous administrative leadership and 5 yrs. exp. as a classroom teacher preferred. Please apply online by March 5th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire EOE
ADMINISTRATOR/ GENERAL MANAGER Immediate F/T position. For Assisted Living Facility to oversee & manage entire facility. Fast paced, excellent in communication & Administrative skills, multitask & organized. Excel salary & Benefits. Must have experience and recent checkable references. Please send resume to: Estiefriedman@icloud.com
Fax your ad to: 516-622-7460
E-mail your ad to: ereynolds@liherald.com
Aesthetician/ Laser Technician Oceanside,NY-PT (may lead to FT) Saturdays are mandatory. Must have a valid NYS Aesthetician & Laser Certification Friendly, punctual, responsible & detail oriented.
Duties include Laser Hair Removal / Microneedling / Facials Call 516- 240-1919 or email resume to dolceaestheticsny@gmail.com
ASSISTANT BOOKKEEPER
Valley Stream, NY
We are a small real estate management firm looking for support to our Accounting Department. Must have previous Accounts Payable and Receivable experience. This full-time position will require knowledge of Microsoft Excel. Will also include light clerical work.
To apply, please email Alyson at alyson@dewseven.com with a brief intro letter and resume
AUTO TECHNICIAN FT Experienced And Reliable. NYSI A Plus. Busy Merrick Shop. Call 516-781-5641
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FULL TIME LIBRARY AIDE Are you customer-service focused? Do you love libraries? Apply for a FT Library Aide position at the Baldwin Public Library. This is a rare opportunity that does not require a Civil Service exam. Job is 35 hours per week with at least one night per week and rotating on Saturdays. $30,000-40,000 depending on qualifications and experience. Possibility of Sunday hrs. Send resume and cover letter to dkelly@baldwinpl.org.
Kaplan & Associates CPAs PLLC seeks Accountant (Mineola, NY) to prep. tax return/financ. stmt./payroll tax, perf. tax rsrch., asst. audits, etc. Req. Bachelor degr. in Acct., w/ 6mon+ work exp. at same or related role, e.g. accountant/tax project asst., with CPA firm. $66,310-$78K. Mail res. to Kaplan & Associates CPAs PLLC at 23 Roslyn Rd, Mineola, NY 11501, or email paul@cpakaplan.com
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REAL ESTATE
Real Estate
RETIRED NYC EMS fire lieutenant selling quarter to half acre lots in Palm Coast Florida. We pay closing costs. We have a travel program to buy call 1-386-437-7058
Open Houses
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Open Houses
HEWLETT 1534 BROADWAY #103, OPEN HOUSE BY APPT, REDUCED! Magnificent New Renovation! One of a Kind Ranch Style Living in Luxurious Jonathan Hall Condominium with Doorman & Elevator. Just Move into This Gut Renovated, Spacious 2 BR, 2 Bath Apt with Open Layout.Large Designer Eat in Kitchen with Sep Pantry & Laundry Rm.Master BR Boasts Gorgeous Bth & Walk in Closet. Terrace Faces into Courtyard. Garage Parking Incl...$699,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299
HEWLETT 1534 BROADWAY #205, Open House By Appt! 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...$699,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299
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Retail Space For Rent
GREENPORT: NORTH FORK commercial/retail. Prime main street village location. 857 sq. ft. Original floors and architectural details. Excellent exposure. Owner, 516-241-8135.
To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 • To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5
Hewlett
Gorgeous Renovated Colonial
Q. We’re in a quandary about insulation. Our house was built in 1948, and isn’t insulated well. We decided to add a master bedroom and kitchen extension and insulate as much as we can. Our building plans examiner wants something called a ResCheck from our architect, and wants to know how much of the house we’re going to do. We only want to tell them about the additions, even though we want to do our attic and the whole exterior from the outside, if we can. We understand that if we tell the plans examiner about the rest of the house, they can make us do a more expensive energy analysis, which we don’t think is necessary. Also, our contractor wants to only insulate the attic floor, but the architect said that the latest energy code requires us to insulate the roof and not the attic floor. Can you advise?
Open House - Sunday Feb 26, 12-1:30
1608 Ridgeway Drive, Hewlett
Move right into this beautifully renovated 4 bedroom colonial with open layout. The spacious new granite/wood kosher kitchen with top of the line appliances is a delight. The living room with gas fireplace, formal dining room, family room and sun room will get plenty of use. The master suite boasts a new bath and walk in closet. This home sits on a 1/4 acre of property with patio and room for Pool! It also has radiant heat throughout the first floor, a fabulous finished basement, 2 car attached garage, new plumbing, electric, gas heating system and stucco exterior. It is in Lynbrook’s School District #20. Join me at an Open House Sunday, February 26 from 12-1:30 or Call to Arrange a Private Viewing 516-238-4299.
Ronnie Gerber 516-238-4299
OPEN HOUSES SUNday, 2/26/23
HEWLETT
1608 Ridgeway Dr, 12-1:30, Move Right Into This Completely Gut
Renovated 4 BR, 3.5 Bth Col on 1/4 Acre Prop. New Kosher EIK, FDR, LR/ Fpl, Den, Enclosed Porch, Radiant Heated Flrs. Full Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Att Gar. MUST SEE!! SD#20 DRASTIC REDUCTION! $1,469,000 ALSO FOR RENT $6,500 per month
257 Willard Dr, BA, 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! REDUCED!! $1,025,000
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
Eat in Kitchen with Sep Pantry & Laundry Rm. Master BR Boasts
Gorgeous Bth & Walk in Closet. Terrace Faces into Courtyard.
Garage Parking Incl REDUCED & MOTIVATED!! $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!! MOTIVATED SELLER! $699,000 CE da RHURST
332B Peninsula Blvd, BA, 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 Atti,.
SD#15. Convenient to Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship $449,000 Fa R ROCK aWay
33-47 Bay Ct, BA, Enjoy The Waterviews in This Bayswater 4 BR,
1.5 Bth Split Tucked Away in Cul de Sac. Fin Bsmt. Att Gar. O/S Resortlike Yard on the Bay. Opportunity to Make This Your Dream Home! REDUCED! $675,000
RONNIE GERBER
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Mobile: 516-238-4299 Office: 516-623-4500 Ronnie.Gerber@elliman.com
Douglas Elliman Real Estate 2300 Merrick Road Merrick, NY 11566
Results t hat Move You
A. Last week I described the ResCheck energy analysis to show the designed heat loss that architects and engineers are required to prepare for most renovations, and the more expanded Home Energy Rating System that is prepared by a certified engineer for projects that constitute over 50 percent of the home area or value.
From what you’ve described, your contractor just wants to do whatever they want, and although the approved construction plans are supposed to be binding and the contractor must abide by them, this doesn’t happen as often as you would expect. Many times, the contractor waits to see whether the building official will notice that the plans weren’t followed, and the contractor then seems enabled to do whatever they want to when their work passes, anyway.
Since the owner usually just wants to get the job done the cheapest way possible, the building designer, who was held to a higher standard by a plans examiner than the contractor, is left to wonder why so much effort went into the energy analysis in the first place. When the plans require changing to match what the contractor did and what the inspector passed, the owner often uses the “m” word, for mistake, to describe to the architect why the plan changes should be done for free. Basically, the process becomes muddled in a power struggle, when the real intention was to protect the owner from expensive utility bills for the rest of their life in their home and to cut waste.
The reason for the attic rafters to be insulated instead of the attic floor is because many people have cooled air-conditioning ducts running through hot attics. Somebody figured out that this makes no sense, and that insulating the attic to be part of the air-conditioned space, at about 75 to 80 degrees instead of 120 to 130 degrees, just makes more sense. The latest energy codes require an incredible R-49, which is more than a foot-thick insulation, unless a “parts” method is broken down and identified, piece by piece, in the ResCheck previously described. Good luck!
© 2022 Monte LeeperReaders are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
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Is creativity a thing of the past?
Human civilization has developed side by side with technology — some may say, in competition with it. Technological innovations have diminished the need for workers in jobs requiring physical labor, efficient repetition or mass production, because such skills are easily replaceable.
Artificial intelligence is a leap forward in such technology that is no longer a dream of science fiction movies. Rather, it is a reality that threatens to change the way we interact with the world. AI recognizes our faces when we unlock our iPhones, gives us movie recommendations on our favorite streaming services, and now, with the creation of ChatGPT, AI is a student’s dream come true: It can write essays.
Historically, the replacement of humans with machines isn’t an uncommon occurrence. And now I can’t help
but ask, is creativity, too, a thing of the past?
Before machines, there were skills valued as attributes that couldn’t be replicated. During the Industrial Revolution, however, the skill of sewing a dress — and later, in the second Industrial Revolution, the ability to put a tire on a car — became devalued, because they were no longer abilities unique to humans. A “skilled” worker wasn’t enough; machines were just as “skilled,” and technology had raised the standard.
In more recent times, the achievements of NASA’s “human computers,” whose intellect put a man on the moon, no longer compare to the mathematical and computational power of the smartphones we hold in our hands. Even intelligence seems to be replaceable. Now a computer claims to generate creativity, jeopardizing the jobs of those with abilities like programming and writing. If your talent is something that a computer can do, it’s not good enough.
As a student with access to techno-
logical resources that simplify everything from conducting research to learning a language, I suppose I should embrace technological advancement. But quite frankly, I’m tired of it. For one thing, my dependence on the newest gadgets and gizmos has limited my practical abilities. I don’t know how to search through a library to conduct a research project. I find it difficult to study without online aids. And I can’t even hand in an assignment without internet access to Google Classroom.
Is it too much to ask to be able to turn in an essay without worrying that a teacher will question whether it was written by a robot?
I fear that technology has not only limited our independence in our daily activities, but has also undermined the values of hard work and self-achievement. My high school offers an introductory class called Writing Lab, giving ninth-graders a year of individualized instruction on how to craft a concise and engaging essay. But ChatGPT knows how to write an introduction, a thesis
and three body paragraphs — with citations in MLA format — in less than a minute, which is more than some freshmen can do by the end of the year.
The potential uses of ChatGPT raise a host of philosophical questions. If, supposedly, technology’s completion of creative tasks is as effortless as its mastery of physical labor, does this suggest that creativity isn’t a distinctly human quality? And that creativity itself is synthetic, predictable and reproducible?
I worry about what effect this will have on my own future. Will there come a day when years devoted to academic achievement will be devalued in an instant? And, even scarier, is every hour that I devote to my love of writing now worth no more than a two-minute chatbot query?
To ease my concerns, I imagine that we can learn to live in cooperation with technology, not in competition with it. The true value of progress lies in our use of the tools at our disposal to enhance, not replace, human achievement. Let’s remember that technology is our puppet. We are still its masters.
Thirteenth letter to my grandchildren
Hey, sweeties, Can it be that you are now 20, 18, 16 and 14?
Do you read the paper?? Are you catching this online? Or is this exercise something I do to feel connected with all of you, geographically scattered, but emotionally the pulsing blips on my grandma radar?
Stay with me. This is a big ask, and a big confession.
Authentic, uncomplicated love is a precious thing, and when I think of each of you, every single day, singing or sad, dancing, skiing, studying, making videos, shooting hoops, finding friends, making trouble, growing into your own skins, what I feel is that … uncomplicated love.
From time to time over the years, I’ve dedicated columns to you. The moments seemed to demand it. I imagine readers understand the impulse to put a pin in history for the next generation as we live our lives.
In 2008 I wrote a celebratory column etching in memory the election of
Barack Obama. Of course, you were only 5, 3 and 1. One of you hadn’t been born yet. You had no way to know how profoundly that election changed history.
Then I wrote in 2012. I was worrying about President Obama’s re-election. He was running again Mitt Romney, but Romney was a decent man, and the stakes didn’t feel like life and death. I wrote to you about the Arab Spring and concerns about the economy, but all in all, things were OK.
In 2017, my letter to you described the shocking political tragedy of Donald Trump’s election and all the ways it threatened our freedom, our democracy and our sense of right and wrong. It turned out worse than I imagined. Trump’s ascension cleaved America in half, and we are still in bitter conflict. By then you were 14, 12, 10 and 8.
In the next election, 2024, two of you will vote.
I start with the political because the personal we share day to day, with calls and texts and intuition and telepathy. My worries aren’t so much for each of you, but for all of us, collectively.
Since that 2017 letter, you’ve survived a global pandemic that killed more than
a million people in our country. One million. We closed your schools, subjected you to constant Covid tests, and canceled your sports, your proms and your college dreams. The pandemic threatened your health, confined you to your rooms and compromised your life for over two years.
We were scared, and we didn’t have any defense against a virus that could kill so many people so quickly.
I say this to acknowledge what you suffered, your disappointment and your pain in all that was lost. We can’t change the catastrophe that was Covid-19. The four of you, and millions of other kids, got through it, day after boring day, and I am in awe of your resilience and strength. How do you trust the world again? We read that anxiety and stress are epidemic among teens.
So this is your time, and your challenge.
The story of hope is written in our history. Teenagers have survived and healed and triumphed and lived brilliant lives after world wars, genocide and national disasters. Today in Ukraine, teens are fighting for their
lives. Every day in our high schools, teenagers must summon courage just to attend class in a gun-crazed society.
We have let you down with our disregard for our planet. We have allowed fakery to displace truth in our communications. We have sent clowns to Congress.
For those of us who believe in a free and fair and healthy America, our backs are to the wall. Across the country, women’s rights have been upended. In Florida, which is ground zero for racism and division, a state college won’t host an art display called Embracing Our Differences because it depicts racial and gender diversity. And Pensacola Christian College canceled a performance by an a cappella group because one of the singers is gay.
This is another pandemic, of bigotry and fear.
You kids have survived a historic global catastrophe. Give it its due, get the help to get yourselves healthy again, and then do the work that will make America healthy again. We can only move forward, and many of us are here to help. As I said, it’s a big ask, but I have faith in each of you and the energy of your rising generation.
Love, Grandma
Copyright 2023 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.
RANDI KREISS
The four of you, and millions of other kids, got through the pandemic, and I am in awe.Ilana Greenberg, of Valley Stream, is a sophomore at North Shore Hebrew Academy High School, in Great Neck.
Technology has left us clueless in a real library, and now there’s ChatGPT.IlANA GREENbERG
Teddy Roosevelt: a president who defied labels
Monday was Presidents Day, a holiday that, unless you work in a bank or the government or a school, you might have missed.
At the federal level, the holiday marks the birthday of George Washington, who was born Feb. 22, 1732. It’s observed on the third Monday of February, and is intended to honor not only Washington, but all the presidents — whether you liked them or not.
It’s easy to label many of our presidents. Washington, of course, was the “father of the country.” Abraham Lincoln was a liberator and a unifier — even if it took a war to make that happen. James Madison was a father, too — considered the “father of the Constitution.”
While many commanders in chief would find their way to Long Island for various reasons, none have a connection to our home like Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th president, who spent the last 30 years of his life at his beloved Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay.
Although he was born in New York City, the Roosevelt family had a long association with Long Island, like many wealthy families in the city at the time. Teddy, however, came to love 150 acres or so of land on Cove Neck — just north of Oyster Bay Cove — that he bought just before he entered politics in 1880, when he was just 22.
He would spend upward of $500,000 in today’s money to build a 22-room mansion he had intended to call Leeholm, after his wife, Alice. But she died before the house was finished, and Teddy would
letters
Randi takes on George Santos
To the Editor:
Thanks to Randi Kreiss for her column last week, “Minx or madman: the George Santos story,” on the enigmatic nut job, George Santos, or whatever his name may be.
I worry for our kids and grandkids and the future of America. Just what is warping our brains? It started with the vast wasteland of TV for us baby boomers, and continues with portable devices/social media.
And why do 99.9 percent of the cuckoos surface in the Republican Party?
As I write, I’m babysitting for our newest grandson, who’s 2½. How to teach him the difference between good and evil, right and wrong? Is there hope? And is “Paw Patrol” a safe venue to begin his adventures?
Thank you, Randi, for your contributions each week. They’re a ray of hope, sanity and humor in a chaotic landscape.
remarry. Instead of naming it in honor of future First Lady Edie Carow, Teddy instead named it Sagamore Hill, an Algonquin word for “chief.”
Labeling Roosevelt is no easy task. When he first stepped into the White House as president in 1901, following the assassination of William McKinley, he was a Republican. Yet he was also described as “progressive” — something many Republicans today would consider an insult.
T.R. was certainly a conservative — for the environment, that is. In just a few years, he doubled the amount of forests protected by the federal government. He did so much that Congress limited the power the president had to designate national forests.
Teddy, however, was also an imperialist. “Speak softly, and carry a big stick — you will go far” summed up his approach to international diplomacy of coming in peace, but if things don’t go your way, be ready to back it up with might.
While we see the United States as a military superpower today, at the beginning of the 20th century it was not. European powers counted their soldiers in the millions. America? In the tens of thousands. It wouldn’t be until the U.S. entry into World War I — in the final two years of Roosevelt’s life — that President Woodrow Wilson would commit billions of dollars to build what he called a million-man army.
Even with a small military, Teddy was committed to supporting the Monroe Doctrine, which treated any European influence on the politics of the Americas
as a hostile act against the United States. Roosevelt used the doctrine not only to kick Spain out of Cuba, but also to construct the Panama Canal. The Monroe Doctrine had never been popular in other countries of the Americas, but it never bothered Teddy.
He was a fan of diversity, but only to a point. During the Spanish-American War, his Rough Riders took men from all walks of life. And T.R. appointed more African Americans to federal government positions than all the presidents before him — combined.
But Roosevelt made it clear that once you were an American, you were an American. That hyphens should be left at the door, fearing it would permit the United States to become a “tangle of squabbling nationalities.”
These are just some examples of where Teddy’s policies and philosophy conflicted with both major political parties of today. Then again, a lot has changed in the 120-plus years since he was in the White House, and where we draw the lines in 2023 is much different from where they were drawn in the sand in 1901.
No matter his philosophy, his triumphs — even his flaws — we can’t deny that Teddy Roosevelt was very much his own man, and because of that, was also a great president. The United States is a better place today because of his leadership.
Here’s hoping you didn’t overlook Presidents Day, and miss how special Roosevelt’s role was, especially right here in our own backyard.
It’s time for our energy to go public m
ost Long Islanders are rightly confused about who is responsible for our ever-rising electricity bills. On TV we see PSEG commercials. On the streets we see PSEG trucks. We get our electric bills from PSEG. Yet there is also the Long Island Power Authority, as well as National Grid. Who does what? And how does this add up to unnecessarily high electric bills?
Long Island has a unique way of providing electricity to customers.
The Long Island Power Authority, which most people know little about, owns the wires and substations. But this public authority hires private companies like PSEG to actually run the system. Nor does LIPA own any power plants. It purchases the electricity we use mostly from National Grid, the same company that sells natural gas on Long Island.
LIPA was created by New York state after the Long Island Lighting Company almost bankrupted ratepayers with its
failed Shoreham nuclear power plant. LIPA brought in another for-profit utility, KeySpan, to manage and operate the system. KeySpan was later bought out by National Grid. Still with me?
After National Grid badly mismanaged the preparation for and aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, it was replaced by PSEG, a New Jersey-based utility. PSEG’s own management performance proved so terrible during Hurricane Isaias, in 2020, that LIPA sued it for “corporate mismanagement, misfeasance, incompetence and indifference.” The suit was withdrawn only after a new LIPA-PSEG contract was renegotiated last spring, imposing more controls over PSEG for the remaining three years of the agreement, through 2025.
Three for-profit utilities — LILCO, KeySpan/National Grid and PSEG — have made lots of money off Long Island ratepayers. Even though LIPA pays PSEG an $80-million-per-year management fee, LIPA has faced continual frustration. Most recently, PSEG has been taken to task for its dismal customer satisfaction
Letters
The polarization began many years before Clinton and Trump
To the Editor:
Re Peter King’s column last week, “How political extremism became the norm”: Mr. King’s answer goes astray from the start, using Yeats too broadly. “Things fall apart; the center cannot hold…” applies to only one party. With Mr. King’s 28 years of experience in Congress, he must remember that the major turning point toward extremism was House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s intentional and explicit radicalism.
“This war,” Gingrich said, “has to be fought with a scale and a duration and a savagery that is only true of civil wars,” and he referred to Democrats as “ thugs,” “crooks” and “traitors.” Thus, Clinton-Trump in 2016 was the fruit, not the root, of our current polarization.
Mr. King is also surely aware of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s trajectory from Tea Party aggression through Freedom Caucus ideology to the “further rejection of tradition and civility” the current House displays. Mr. King’s call for the “sane forces on both sides to step forward” is disingenuous, because the sane Republicans have been culled. Mr. King, being among the sane, should volunteer his
counsel to any others he can find.
BRIAN KELLY Rockville CentreGo easy on the coffee, East Side LIRR riders
To the Editor:
Re Juan Lasso’s story “Full LIRR service to East Side finally coming” in last week’s issue: Not when it comes to critical ridership amenities.
Remember the long lines commuters faced in the Seventh Avenue Penn Station LIRR restrooms? At the new $12.6 billion LIRR East Side Access Grand Central Madison terminal, nothing has changed. There are only two men’s restrooms, with a total of 18 urinals and 13 toilets; two women’s restrooms, with a total of 25 toilets; one lactation room; and two single-capacity gender-neutral bathrooms. If you have to go, you’d better have a strong bladder to make it from the upper- or lower-level platforms and mezzanine to a restroom on the Madison Concourse level.
LARRY PENNER Great
ratings. LIPA board members past and present have voiced serious questions about continuing to “outsource” our electrical system.
State legislators from Long Island, working with ratepayers, community groups and the Reimagine LIPA campaign, created after Isaias, lobbied for the establishment of a state legislative commission to chart a future for LIPA without PSEG. The Legislative Commission on the Future of LIPA, created last spring, has been tasked with coming up with a plan for 2025 that would allow LIPA to run the electrical system directly, saving ratepayers lots of money.
This is neither a radical nor a fanciful idea. Nonprofit, publicly owned electric systems are common. In some of the most conservative states in the nation, like Nebraska and Mississippi, virtually every community is served by a nonprofit utility. These public power systems are a matter of civic pride and customer satisfaction. Like water service, electric power works best when not run by private interests.
Hundreds of businesses on Long Island
have long sought the low-cost electricity made available by the New York Power Authority, the state’s nonprofit power supplier. The communities of Freeport and Rockville Centre have nonprofit municipal electric systems, and enjoy rates that are as much as 40 percent lower than what the rest of us PSEG customers pay.
How do they do it? They eliminate as much profit-making as possible from the cost of electricity. Getting rid of high salaries at PSEG and profits for its shareholders would mean major saving for ratepayers. Public ownership, through LIPA, of renewable electricity sources would dramatically reduce the cost of that electricity.
Eliminating the profit from the production of electricity is a sure-fire way of lowering rates. And it’s a tried-and-true idea. The New York Power Authority has been providing cheap electricity for over 60 years. LIPA and Long Island ratepayers need the same opportunity. Now is the time to move forward on the full municipalization of LIPA.
Fred Harrison, a retired history teacher at Calhoun High School in Merrick, is a ratepayer advocate working with Food and Water Watch, which is part of the Reimagine LIPA campaign.
Framework by Tim BakerF or-profit utilities have made too much money off Long Island customers.Fred Harrison
