Long Beach Herald 06-01-2023

Also serving Point Lookout & East Atlantic Beach

The virus didn’t stop volunteers

Long Beach Soup Kitchen adapted, and kept helping those in need

By BRENDAN CARpENTER bcarpenter@liherald.com

The coronavirus pandemic may be over for many people, but the Long Beach Soup Kitchen — a battle station during the long health crises — is busier than ever.

The soup kitchen, across from the Recreation Center, at 140 W. Pine St., has a different normal than most other places. When Covid-19 was at its peak, and virtually everything else was closed, kitchen President Robert Blau and volunteers were working and the facility

remained open. Meals were in high demand, and the occupants of vehicles that pulled up often asked for not just one, but sometimes five or six meals, for an entire family.

Before March 2020, meals could only be given out and eaten inside the kitchen, at its tables. Once the coronavirus began to spread, that wasn’t possible anymore, but more people than ever needed meals. So an adjustment was made that is still in operation today: meals-to-go.

“Once Covid hit, we couldn’t Continued on page 10

The pandemic led this family from Brooklyn to the beach

By JAMES BERNSTEIN jbernstein@liherald.com

When the coronavirus pandemic struck New York City in March 2020, the Jackowitz-Solomon family, then living in Brooklyn Heights, felt they had to do something fast. The schools, museums and parks were closed. And there was no indication when any of them would reopen.

The family decided to take a trip to Tampa, where Beryl Jackowitz-Solomon, 42, was raised. She, her husband, Michael, 47, and their two sons, Abe, now 10, and Jonah, now 8, moved in with her father in Florida for 10 weeks.

They knew they needed to come back to New York — but not to Brooklyn Heights, where the amenities of the city they loved were not available. And the schools remained closed, it turned out, that entire year.

Jackowitz-Solomon, who runs an e-commerce business, said that the couple prepared to leave their apartment in the city and began searching for places to live in Long Beach. She and Michael, who is in the real estate business and is also an attorney, spent the summer of 2020 look-

ing at homes while their children attended a day camp that was open in Roslyn.

“We were the first couple to be allowed to enter the homes physically,” Jackowitz-Solomon recounted. “We wore masks. It was crazy.”

“We had used New York City as our backyard,” she said. “We went to the museums and parks. These weren’t open to us anymore. We couldn’t sit outside. Everything became so difficult.”

In Brooklyn Heights, she said, their apartment was too small to

keep the kids indoors all day long.

And Long Beach, she said, had so much appeal for the family. The couple had met on Fire Island, and Long Beach was as close to that beach setting as possible. They could walk to the beach and the Long Island Rail Road station. They were allowed to sit in the parks. The air

seemed fresh and clean.

“We wanted a unique place,” Jackowitz-Solomon said. She wanted to be outside, and to ride her bike. But, she said, “we had to act fast.”

There was lots of competition from others who also wanted to leave the city, David Kasner, a broker for Coldwell Banker

Continued on page 12

Tim Baker/Herald

SoUp kITCHEN VolUNTEER Tom O’Brien preparing some meals to go.

Good rides, good food and good times

Annual carnival returns to the city to help mark

For a few nights, the large dirt lot on the corner of East Broadway and Edwards Boulevard was more than a just parking lot of summer beach goers. It was a carnival, with rides, games, food and laughs.

The carnival was up and running last Friday through Monday and was open to the entire community. The Chabad of the Beaches ran it Sunday and Monday and offered many more Kosher food options for the Jewish community. The city ran the carnival on Friday and Saturday.

“It’s open to the entire community Friday and Saturday,” Rabbi Eli Goodman said. “And it’s open Sunday and Monday and for the Jewish community because they can’t be there on the other days. We have this way so everybody gets to participate and everybody has a chance to enjoy.”

There were tons of rides, ranging from carnival classics including a slide, the giant swing, a Tornado, bumper cars and a 70-foot Ferris wheel. There were also game booths, face painting, traditional carnival food, and Kosher options, and a Torah workshop on Sunday and Monday.

“It’s an amazing carnival. We have it every year here in the summer,” Goodman

said. “It’s just a phenomenal event for people to come by the beach and people get a chance to have a good time.”

Goodman said over 1,000 people come each day of the carnival. The annual event, which has been going on for about 15 years, has continuously been a big event for the entire community.

–Brendan Carpenter

AriAnnA, 7, And Andrea Mejia, 6, who are sisters from Long Beach, enjoying some of the carnival rides.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

The cArnivAl hAd many rides, including a giant Ferris wheel and swings.

Hundreds observe Memorial Day in L.B.

A day to honor nation’s fallen with flags and music on a sunsplashed day in the city

By Sean Kennedy Herald intern

Bells rang, sirens blared, and excitement filled the air as the City of Long Beach’s Memorial Day Parade took to the streets Monday.

The march, organized by the Joint Veterans Organization and the city, kicked off around 10 a.m. at Ohio Avenue and West Beech Street.

With a waving crowd lining the streets, red, white, and blue adorning the curbsides, marchers and parade goers were able to memorialize the country’s service members and workers, both locally and nationally.

“It’s always great to remember our fallen, especially from our community,” said Anita Myles, 81, of Long Beach. “Our city has had so many beautiful men and women sacrifice for us.”

“It’s a way to remember our service members.” said Sr. Mary Claire Rhatigan of Long Beach. “We’re thankful for our policemen and firefighters and all service members in our community, we truly can’t thank them enough.”

“It’s been an amazing experience,” added Sr. Sheila, both of whom celebrated outside the local VFW Post 1384 along Park Avenue. “The noise, the flags, it was just so wonderful.”

For resident Lillian Baum, the parade was not only a celebration, but a way to connect to her past.

“Memorial Day is a time to remember, and I personally choose to remember my father’s service,” she said. Her father, Lester, served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Despite remembering the fallen troops, it was important to thank those that are still here today, no matter how they served “Thank you for your service, sir,” said a marcher, directed toward a veteran and parade goer on the curbside.

The marchers followed a parade route from West Beech Street to New York Avenue, which led to City Hall, where the parade and celebrations concluded.

Dozens of groups marched in the parade, with everyone from service workers to community organizations like the Long Beach Public Library and the Long Beach Public Schools. The school’s band played music throughout the duration of the march.

“I thought the music was great,” added Rhatigan.

Lines of service workers paraded as well, as both the Long Beach Fire Department and the Long Beach Police Department.

An entire fleet of fire trucks from the LBFD sounded their sirens to giddy chil-

dren along the roadsides. They were amazed by the engines and their sirens.

Temperatures were in the low mid-70s and the skies were an azure blue.

The only complaint for some- the wind.

“It was certainly windy, but it was great as it made our beautiful flag fly,” one resident said.

Those who marched displayed patriotism, with some holding and waving miniature versions of the flag.

Others were covered in beads, singing along with the music from performers up and down the parade path.

“Overall, I’m so happy that our city is able to commemorate our veterans like this,” said resident Lisa Cangemi. “As always, it was such an amazing experience.”

Long

Bob Arkow/Herald photos

Long Beach’S MeMoriaL Day Parade saw hundreds turn out in support.

ThiS year’S grand marshal was Denise Ford, a longtime county legislator and Long Beach resident.

Beach neighBorS Nicole and Kira Samorovkova and Madeline and Lilian Curran enjoying the parade.

The ciTy’S voLunTeer fire department rode in style during Monday’s parade.

Trying to explain the whys of wind farms

Audience skeptical of state project to construct turbines 20 miles offshore

By Sean Kennedy Newsday Intern

A group of experts attempted to explain to a large crowd at Long Beach’s City Hall last Wednesday the need for a plan by New York State to construct a wind farm off Long Island’s South Shore.

The plan has generated considerable controversy in Long Beach and Oceanside, over health issues generated by cables stretching from the wind turbines to the E.F. Barrett Power Plant in Island Park.

But the experts were not always successful.

The presentation was organized by the Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) along led by its executive director, Adrienne Esposito.

Topics included the basics of the Offshore Wind project, the dangers of electromagnetic fields (EMFs), how the project will affect marine life and the benefit for local labor and jobs.

Esposito explained what the Offshore Wind project is and why the state is moving along with the project. She said that, in order for the project to operate, the turbines must be connected to a cable that will run underneath Long Beach’s streets.

Esposito said New York’s lost over $100 billion amid 31 extreme weather events that occurred in the 2010s, highlighted by Super storm Sandy in 2012. Esposito also

pointed towards tornadoes hitting Long Island last September as well.

Esposito said that, according to a study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2017, the ocean may rise up towards Merrick Road in Oceanside, effectively capsizing the entirety of the barrier island.

At times, when opponents shouted at Esposito during her presentation, she responded that, “These are just the facts, and either you accept them, or you don’t I’m just telling you the facts, I can’t change them.”

Elder Law Misconceptions

One of the most common and devastating misconceptions about elder law estate planning is that it is too late to save money from nursing home costs. On the contrary, there are crisis planning tools that may save substantial assets from being spent on nursing home costs, even after the client has already entered the nursing home. Almost always, if there are assets left, much can be saved.

There are only three ways to pay for nursing home costs – your own assets, long-term care insurance (owned by less than five percent of the population), or Medicaid provided by the government.

Many people know about the “five-year look-back period” and assume nothing can be done without advance planning. The five-year look-back rule means that if you gave any gifts away within the last five years, when asking for Medicaid to pay for expensive nursing home costs, the gift amount creates a penalty period, which results in a period of ineligibility for Medicaid coverage.

Despite the five-year look-back, New York law allows people to protect assets from nursing home costs, even without pre-planning. For single applicants, you may be able to save about half of the assets through the “gift and loan” strategy. For married couples, where one spouse needs a nursing home, “spousal refusal” may protect substantial amounts of assets for the spouse at home. These techniques are discussed in detail at trustlaw.com, under “Practice Areas”, then “Medicaid Strategies”.

The five-year look-back rule does not affect eligibility of Medicaid home care, also known as “community” Medicaid. Currently, an applicant may transfer their assets out of their name and still qualify for home care in the next month.

Many assets, such as retirement accounts, rental properties and the family home in some cases, are exempt from Medicaid. The bottom line is that if someone you love is in failing health, the sooner you consult an elder law attorney the more you will likely be able to save.

Dr. Ben Cotts, a principal engineer at Menlo Park, Calif.-based Exponent, Inc., was brought to the presentation as an expert on EMFs and the potential harm that be done to the community.

Cotts emphasized that EMFs were not harmful to the Long Beach community, and will not interrupt the community differently than other normal day-to-day objects.

However, midway through Cotts’ presentation, contention arose from the opposition. “Where do you live?” a resident shouted at Cotts. “Do you and your family live in Long Beach?”

After Cotts concluded, a presentation on marine life from Rob DiGiovanni of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society was offered, explaining that despite the fact that whales are going through what NOAA says is an “unusual mortality event,” these are more often than not caused by vessel strikes off the coast, according to their necropsies.

On the labor side, presenters wanted to make it very clear that abandoning this project would have large ramifications.

“I just ask that you consider the people sitting to your left and right,” said Ryan Stanton, the executive director of the Long Island Federation of Labor. “The people to your left and right have to provide for their families, and I have to advocate for them. If they don’t advocate for their work, their

work doesn’t move forward, and they can’t provide for their families.”

After the panel spoke, the conference turned to a question and answer, and the most prevalent topic was on EMFs.

Long Beach resident Kelly Martinsen raised questions to Cotts on a study recently published by the National Library of Medicine. The study, published in May 2021, concluded that “...significant associations were observed between exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and childhood leukemia.”

In response, Cotts clarified that, according to classes from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (ICRC), EMFs were classified as a Class 2B, or “...possibly carcinogenic.”

“I think the most important part is that they’re putting a cable through such a densely-populated community, especially [a cable] where [Cotts] said that the data on what EMFs can do to humans is inconclusive,” reacted Christopher Fry, 43, of Long Beach.

“The fact that we couldn’t get a conclusive answer to most of our questions across the board, it leads me to believe they don’t have the answers,” added Fry.

“Or, in a worse way- they do.”

■

■

■

■

Tim Baker/Herald photos a memBer who attended objected to the wind farm plan, saying cables that would run beneath Long Beach might pose health threats.

adrienne eSpoSito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, speaks with an attendee about the state’s plan for a wind farm.

Open Houses

Wednesday, May 3

Bridgeview Yacht Club, Island Park

11 a.m. – 2 p.m., 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Thursday, June 8

Allegria Hotel, Long Beach

11 a.m. – 2 p.m., 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Please Join Us!

We are excited to welcome you to Equinor’s upcoming Empire Wind Open Houses. Join us at one or more of the events to meet one-on-one with project experts to learn more about offshore wind, and about the Empire Wind project.

The Empire Wind projects are being developed with a robust approach to community engagement to ensure public input is considered in project planning. These open houses will provide the community with an opportunity to ask questions, contribute ideas, and visit with project experts.

An activity table will be available for children attending with their parents or guardians. Spanish interpretation services will be available, and light refreshments will be served.

A link to a virtual version of the open houses will be provided at www.empirewind.com/community/communityevents/

For more information and to register to attend, scan the QR code.

We look forward to seeing you there!

www.empirewind.com

Minority Millennials declare they are future

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

They come from all walks of life, with diverse backgrounds and even more diverse plans for their individual futures. They are Minority Millennials, and they visited Hofstra University recently as a way to prepare to become tomorrow’s leaders.

The summit — which took place at the school’s David S. Mack Complex — was known as “We are the Future,” featuring sessions and presentations from a lineup of today’s thought leaders that included elected officials the state’s lieutenant governor, a number of New York City councilmembers, and Assemblywoman Taylor Darling.

The summit featured workshops and panel sessions designed to emphasize the importance of civic power, financial literacy, and taking on leadership roles. It featured live programming aimed to promote civic power and economic freedom, all while educating and empowering Black and brown young people from across the five boroughs and Long Island.

Minority Millennials is a nonprofit civic and youth development organization founded in 2017, and serves as a resource for emerging generations of color as they seek equity in social, political and economic developments.

“We created Minority Millennials and

now the We are the Future summit to bridge the gap between policy culture,” said Dan Lloyd, founder and president of Minority Millennials, in a release.

“We firmly believe the fundamental piece to economic freedom is ensuring young people of color are educated about the value of civic engagement.

Once a person understands their role in society and how powerful their voice is within a larger democracy, their leverage of power shifts, and their ability to develop both personally and professionally dramatically increases.”

In an effort to access inter-generational networking opportunities, the summit

included panel sessions and keynote presentations from New York City public advocate Jumaane Williams, as well as Suffolk County police commissioner Rodney Harrison, and Gen-Z activist Chelsea Miller.

“Coming up, the people who had the biggest impact on me and my future were the people who looked like me. Who gave me a chance. And who led by example,” said Brooklyn borough president Antonio Reynoso, in a release. “I’m glad to see the We are the Future summit creating this opportunity, not just for young adults, but for the adults who have a responsibility to empower the next generation of change-makers.”

AT&T was a major supporter of the summit, providing 1,000 free tickets for Long Island, Bronx, and Brooklyn high school students to attend.

“AT&T is proud to support such an important and meaningful summit, and applauds the organizers and all of the esteemed presenters for their commitment to engage in meaningful conversation about the importance of civic responsibility,” said Magdalonie ParisCampbell, a spokeswoman for AT&T, in a release. “As a company that connects people across all aspects of life, we are thrilled to support this effort to engage so many New York City and Long Island youth with the opportunity to inspire them to be the next generation of changemakers and civic leaders.”

Courtesy Daniel Lloyd

MINoRIty MILLENIALs fIRst We are the Future summit at Hofstra University, emphasized to Black and brown young people the importance of civic power, financial literacy and taking on leadership roles.

Moriches Field Brewing Company received $18,750 to revitalize an empty downtown space.

(Cheers to that.)

Revitalization grants are just one of the ways we help businesses on Long Island and in the Rockaways. For Moriches Field Brewing Company, a grant from our economic development program was a perfect fit to help them renovate a previously vacant property. A discount through our Vacant Space Revival Program saved them more than $4,000 on their electric bills, and rebates for upgrading to LED lighting are keeping them saving month after month.

Helping revitalize our Island, one business at a time, is something we’re proud to be part of and something definitely worth celebrating.

Grants | Rebates | Incentives | Assessments | Community Support

For more information, visit PSEGLINY.com/EcoDev

Hofstra softball regains championship form

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

The Hofstra softball team captured its first Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title since 2018 in dramatic fashion and in the process kept a tradition alive for the storied program.

The Pride, aided largely by five fifthyear players who used an extra year of eligibility due to the canceled 2020 season at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, made sure the freshman class from 2019 experienced the taste of a championship and an NCAA regionals appearance after knocking off Towson with a 5-4 walk-off victory on May 13. The come-from-behind win on Hofstra’s home turf of Bill Edwards Stadium in which the Pride trailed 4-2 in the sixth inning, kept the program’s streak going of every freshman class since the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in the early 1990s hoisting a championship trophy.

“We had a very special fifth year class who really wanted to be part of that championship culture,” said second-year Hofstra coach Adrienne Clark, who as a player led the Pride to four straight CAA titles from 2002 to 2005. “It was really incredible.”

One of Hofstra’s fifth-year players, Angelina Ioppolo, stepped up in the clutch with Hofstra trailing 4-3 with two outs in

the bottom of seventh when she delivered a two RBI bases loaded single to left field setting off a raucous celebration. The hit scored fellow fifth-year player Kasey Collins with the tying run with senior Chelsea Manto then crossing the plate to clinch Hofstra’s 13th CAA title and 21st conference championship overall.

Hofstra faced adversity in the 2023 CAA title run when it fell to that same Towson team 2-1 the previous day to put the Pride in the losers bracket of the double elimination tournament. After staying alive with a 9-8 win against Long Island rival Stony Brook on the evening of May 12, Hofstra forced a deciding game with another elimination win, 6-4, against Towson.

Fifth-year player Meghan Giordano stepped up in the CAA championship run with a key three-run homer in the first Towson win to produce some key insurance when the Pride were clinging to a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning. She then blasted a solo homer in the decisive game to tie the game 2-2 in the fourth inning.

One of the biggest hits in Hofstra’s CAA championship journey came off the bench from junior Brianna Morse when the Mepham High School graduate hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh with the Pride trailing 4-3 to help spark the eventually winning rally.

“She is such an amazing athlete and

person,” Clark said of Morse. “We had a lot of unsung heroes on the team.”

Morse’s younger sister, Alanna Morse, had a standout freshman season starting at third base and produced three hits in Hofstra’s NCAA regional losses to Oklahoma and Cal.. The game against topseeded Oklahoma, who entered the tourney at 54-1, on the Sooners’ home field was broadcasted nationally on ESPNU.

Another local talent who shined in the postseason was sophomore pitcher Anna Butler of Seaford, who threw two key innings of relief in the 9-8 Stony Brook win and also got time out of the bullpen in both of Hofstra’s NCAA regional games.

“She is extremely competitive in everything that she does,” Clark said of the Seaford High School graduate. “She did an incredible job of mixing up her pitches.”

While Hofstra was shut out in both of its NCAA tourney games against stiff competition, Clark hopes the experience pays dividends as she looks to grow the program back to when she was an assistant coach with the Pride decade ago and the team reached the NCAA super regionals.

“They were fearless in how they approached those games,” she said. “The experience of competing in a regional sets up the success of future teams.”

Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

ThE PRiDE CAPTuRED the Colonial Athletic Association softball title in walk-off fashion, beating Towson, 5-4, after trailing late by two runs.

ChElsEA MANTO CElEBRATED after crossing the plate with the CAA championship-clinching run.

Impressive spring for Long Beach track

By GARRETT D. URIBE sports@liherald.com

A late-season kick continued for Long Beach at the Nassau Class AAA girls’ track and field spring championships.

A week after posting six All-Division finishes at the May 15 Division 2A championships at Mepham – which included first-place personal bests by juniors Kayla Carney (400-meter hurdles) and Mikella Gray (pole vault) – Long Beach, led by Gray, a school-record-setting Carney, and senior co-captain Jewel Jones, kept up its push with three All-County showings May 22 at MacArthur.

“The team did very well,” said Long Beach coach Meg Grahlfs, whose team – which finished eighth overall among 18 schools at the county meet – went 10-2 in regular-season meets to rank second in Division 2A. “They actually were very impressive this season, considering we graduated 12 seniors from last year.”

Gray – a county indoor runner-up this past winter and two-time All-Division vaulter in spring – matched her winning mark from the division meet, a career-best nine feet, to take her first county title in the pole vault. Gray had tied county indoor champion teammate Kirsten Lilly’s winning 8-foot-6 vault at the Class A winter championships in February, but finished runner-up behind Lilly at the meet due to attempts. Roles reversed this spring, as Lilly also vaulted a personal-best nine feet at county, but wound up placing fourth on tries as Gray took her turn atop the podium.

“Hard work and dedication to really understanding the event helped [Gray] improve,”

Grahlfs said. “And putting a lot of time and effort into practicing.”

Carney, who finished All-Division for a second straight spring in both the 100- and 400-meter hurdles – clocking a personal-best 1:09.63 to take firstplace in the latter at division – set a program record in the 100 hurdles placing second at the county championships in 15.58 seconds, while Jones – All-Division this spring in the 800-meter run – finished less than seven seconds off her alltime mark to set a season-best in the 2000 steeplechase, placing second in the county meet in 7:56.22.

“Kayla had a really strong start out of the blocks and ran a very clean race, a really great race” Grahlfs said. “She was determined to have her personal best, and then she ended up breaking the school record.”

“Jewel had a great performance and she’s just a really strong athlete,” Grahlfs said of the former county indoor 1000-meter champion Jones, who is bound for SUNY Cortland. “She has won a lot of awards in her four seasons, and she’s just fun to coach, always smiling and a great team leader and senior captain.”

Alongside co-captain Akya Alexander and fellow senior Liel Sagy, Carney and Jones also were part of the Marines’ 4x400-meter relay, which again finished All-Division this spring to extend a long streak. “Our 4-by-400 relay scored a lot of points in league meets and also in divisions, which really helped the team,” Grahlfs said.

Carney will compete in the 100 high and 400 intermediate hurdles at this week’s state qualifier at North Shore, alongside Jones in the 2000 steeplechase, and Gray and Lilly in the pole vault.

Media Origin Inc./Herald

SEnIoR co-cApTAIn JEwEl Jones had a notable spring for the Marines and finished second in Nassau Class AAA in the 2000 steeplechase.

Brooklyn family finds a better life in Long Beach

dead during the winter months, but

picked up this spring. Brokers are hearing the same stories they did during the pandemic. “People want to live closer to the water,” Tozer said. “They want to have a life, and they don’t want to be stuck inside.”

Long Beach Middle School sixth-graders took part in their annual rocket launch project on May 25. The students built rockets in class and learned about their structure and function. A launch pad was set up by the baseball field behind the middle school where teachers, administrators, staffers and students gathered to count down and cheer each other on.

Courtesy Long Beach Public Schools

Herald File Photo

Beryl Jackowitz-Soloman moved her family from Brooklyn Heights to Long Beach when Covid made them rethink life in the city.

STEPPING OUT

Mamma Mia

Celebrated South Shore

Some final notes: music director bids farewell

By Karen Bloom

t’s the end of era. The South Shore Symphony’s distinguished music director and conductor Scott Jackson Wiley will pass on his baton after the orchestra’s performance at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre on Sunday.

Broadway comes to Long Island with Plaza Theatrical’s staging of ‘Mamma Mia,’ based on ABBA’s timeless songs. Journey to the Greek Isles in this jukebox musical. ABBA’s greatest hits are woven into the sunny tale, an ultimate feel-good show. On the eve of her wedding, a bride’s quest to discover her father’s identity brings three men from her mother’s past back to the place they last visited 20 years ago. Inspired by the storytelling magic of ABBA’s songs — from ‘Dancing Queen’ and ‘Take A Chance On Me,’ to ‘Super Trouper’ and ‘Thank you For the Music’ — an enchanting story of family and friendship unfolds. Relive those ‘70s melodies in a joyous show that’ll have everyone humming along.

STEPPING OUT

Creative advocacy

The annual concert at the majestic church is a fitting finale to Wiley’s 25-year tenure. The full orchestra — all 80 musicians — demonstrate the breadth and depth of their musicianship performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection.” The Diocesan Choir with guest soloists — along with organist Michael Bauer, director of music at St. Agnes — also participate. The vast work, lasting nearly 90 minutes, commands a complete orchestra, with extra brass, choir, soprano and contralto soloists.

“This is the third time in 25 years that we’ve played it,” says principal cellist Wayne Lipton, who is delighted the orchestra has another opportunity to perform Mahler’s masterpiece with Wiley at the podium.

“It’s an overwhelming experience with the sound of so many musicians. The music is just incredible,” he says. “It’s a very dramatic piece. Each time we do it, the audience jumps to their feet at the end.”

He expects a similar reaction yet again.

“The organ in the last movement is very powerful. Plus, we have a huge amount of brass, five trumpets and 11 or 12 French horns. So that’s a lot of firepower, plus two harps and the organ. You add it all together and it’s a powerful statement. If I were going out as a conductor, this is the piece I’d want to conduct. We’re so pleased to play it as his swan song.”

By Karen Bloom

WHERE WHEN

• June 4, 7 p.m.

From their roots in the Five Towns back in 1983, the South Shore Symphony has grown and flourished as a regional orchestra of note. For much of that time, Lipton — as the orchestra’s president since 1991 — and Wiley, who came on board in 1997, have been a forceful presence in guiding the orchestra through its many phases of growth.

Thursday, June 1, 2 p.m.; Friday, June 2, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 3, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, June 4, 2:30 p.m., $49, $45 seniors. Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont. For tickets, visit PlazaTheatrical.com, or call (516) 599-6870.

Pat McGann

• Free admission; $20 per person suggested donation

• Saturday and Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

• St. Agnes Cathedral, 29 Quealy Place, Rockville Centre

“When Scott arrived, we were playing at South Shore Middle School. Since then, we’ve grown exponentially,” Lipton says. “For me, I’ve learned the orchestral repertoire as principal cellist. He took his time with us and challenged us. One of his greatest attributes is as a teacher.” (Wiley taught at Mannes College and as a diction coach in Italian, French, Spanish and Catalan, among his other roles).

• Emily Lowe Hall Gallery, South Campus, Hempstead. For information and to RSVP, call (516) 463-5672, or visit Hofstra.edu/museum

“I’m proud to have been the music director of the South Shore Symphony for these past 25 years and to be named its Conductor Laureate,” Wiley says. “It’s been immensely rewarding to have worked in close collaboration with Wayne Lipton, an important leader in the community. Through the orchestra’s residency at the Madison Theatre and under its director Angelo Fraboni, we have established an enduring bond with Molloy University, and have forged extraordinary musical partnerships.

• Visit SSSymphony.org for information

“When We All Stand,” Hofstra University Museum of Art’s new exhibition, examines the collective power of the arts in society.

“I am also proud as well to have founded and directed Long Island Lyric Opera, under the sponsorship of Marty Bevilaqua, and to have brought operatic masterpieces by Mozart, Bizet and Puccini to the Madison Theatre. A home for all serious orchestral musicians, I am particularly pleased that the South Shore Symphony continues to draw an ever-increasing number of its players from the ranks of the gifted and dedicated music teachers of Long Island, who are the true stewards of music in the community.

Curated by Alexandra Giordano — the museum’s assistant director of exhibition and collection — the exhibit underscores artists’ civic responsibility and influence.

The orchestra’s move to the then-newly opened Madison Theatre on the Molloy University campus in 2012 brought Wiley and his orchestra to greater prominence. New collaborations included a yearly performance of “The Nutcracker” with local dance company, Leggz Ltd. Dance. There was also opera and musical productions with University’s CAP21 theatre arts students, and special guests.

“I’m honored to pass the baton to maestro Adam Glaser, of Hofstra University and the Juilliard School, and I look forward greatly to following the orchestra under his leadership.”

“It highlights the vital role that artists have in activating democratic values that promise equality and freedom, encouraging civic engagement, and cultivating unity,” Giordano says. “Artists often lead the charge and expose truths that may otherwise be ignored. The artists in this exhibition take a stand and call out injustices through their art and activism on issues such as immigration, gender, reproductive rights, mass incarceration, voting rights, racial bias, gun violence, and promises unfulfilled. They all combine the making of art with public service that has a grassroots approach in the hope of mobilizing their communities and the nation to ignite movement, create awareness, and inspire others to stand with them.”

“It’s been a long and successful trip with Scott,” Lipton adds. “I’m thrilled to have been a part of his life all these years.”

As for Wiley, an accomplished French hornist who also plays the violin, the piano, and the flamenco guitar, it’s a time of transition. But not certainly not “retirement,” in the traditional sense.

This exhibit, which runs through July 28, is in conjunction with Hofstra’s 13th presidential conference on the Barack Obama presidency coming up in April.

Wiley will remain active as music director of the Centre Symphony Orchestra in Manhattan and as a guest conductor. He will also continue as a conducting teacher and coach, and with his own studies.

His musical journey continues, as it surely does for the South Shore Symphony. “It’s been a wonderful year,” Lipton adds. “This the best orchestra we’ve ever had and a nice way to end our run with Scott. We’re a wonderful family of people creating together and there’s much more to come.”

“We were interested in the idea that the artist has a civic responsibility,” says museum director Karen Albert. “The initial idea for this exhibition was inspired by an Obama Administration White House briefing that took place on May 12, 2009, where more than 60 artists and creative organizers met with administration officials to

Jessie’s Girl

Pat McGann is quickly rising as one of the sharpest stand-ups on the comedy scene. A relative latecomer to comedy, he began doing standup at 31 after realizing he was not very good at selling packaging. He hustled his way to become the house emcee at Zanies Chicago, where he distinguished himself as especially adept at working the crowd. A husband and father of three young children, McGann’s appeal stems from his quick wit and relatable take on family life and marriage. In 2017, McGann began touring as the opening act for Sebastian Maniscalco, moving with him from clubs to theater, to arenas, including four soldout shows at Madison Square Garden. McGann’s relatively short, but impressive resume, includes Montreal’s famed Just For Laughs Festival, Gilda’s LaughFest, The Great American Comedy Festival, and more. McGann still calls Chicago home.

Saturday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. $40, $35, $30, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

It’s time to drag out that neon once again and give your hair its best ‘80s ‘do. Those crazy days are back— as only Jessie’s Girl can pull off. The band of NYC’s top rock/pop musicians and singers gets everyone into that ‘Back to the Eighties’ vibe with a 10th anniversary edition of their popular concert experience. It features a lineup that includes four pop-rock vocalists dressing and performing as ‘80s icons, backed by a dynamic band. Throw on top of that dynamic choreography, audience participation, props, costumes bubbles and confetti — and you have a party that audiences don’t want to leave. Jessie’s Girl has mastered over-the-top renditions of the some of world’s most unforgettable songs, all while dressed up as the iconic characters of that decade. This is theatre meets live music, covered in ‘80s glitz.

Friday, June 2, 8 p.m. $45, $35, $30, $20. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com, or ParamountNY.com.

Photos courtesy South Shore Symphony

Maestro Scott Jackson Wiley (top right) will pick up his baton one more time as conductor of the South Shore Symphony Orchestra for its annual concert at St. Agnes Cathedral.

Can art change the world? It’s a question that’s been at the focus of our collective culture for centuries. Now as society navigates the complexities of modern life, art as a path for social change is at the forefront of artistic expression.

THE SCENE

Iris Dement

The Americana singersongwriter visits the Landmark stage, Friday, June 9, 8 p.m., with her timeless songs that blend traditional folk, country, and gospel influences. Iris DeMent is considered one of the finest singer-songwriters in America today, with an inimitable voice as John Prine described, “like you’ve heard, but not really.” Her unforgettable melodies are rooted in hymns, gospel and old country music. Praised for her storytelling and songwriting abilities, her career has spanned over three decades, seven studio albums and collaborations with John Prine, Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle, among others. On her transcendent new record, “Workin’ On A World,” DeMent faces the modern world — as it is right now — with its climate catastrophe, pandemic and epidemic of violence and social injustice — and not only asks us how we can keep working towards a better world, but implores us to love each other, despite our very different ways of seeing. Her songs are her way of healing our broken inner and outer spaces. $43, $38, $33. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

On exhibit

Nassau County Museum of Art’s exhibition, “Eye And Mind: The Shin Collection,” highlights the extraordinary collection masterworks assembled by 31-year-old connoisseur Hong Gyu Shin, an internationally recognized figure in the global art world. He shares his treasures, including works by Whistler, Lautrec, Boucher, Daumier, Delacroix, Klimt, Schiele, Balthus, Warhol, de Kooning, Gorky and many other important names from art history provocatively juxtaposed with the painting and sculpture of our own time from both Asia and the West. On view through July 9. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Art talk

Join Nassau County Museum Director Charles A. Riley II, for a Director’s Seminar, Tuesday, June 20, 4 p.m. He’ll discuss “Baldessari and the Making of the Avant-Garde.” John Baldessari’s roster from Cal Arts featured famed artists, from Eric Fischl (who never technically took a class with him) to David Salle, James Casebere, Tony Oursler, Ericka Beckman, Ross Bleckner, Carrie Mae Weems, James Welling and so many other art stars. Examine not only Baldessari’s own art but some of the famous assignments offered by the man many consider the most influential art school teacher of the 20th century. Participation is limited; registration required. $40, $20 members. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. Visit NassauMuseum.org or call (516) 484-9337.

Breastfeeding Support Group

Mercy Hospital offers a peer to peer meeting for breastfeeding support and resources, facilitated by a certified breastfeeding counselor, every Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Bring your baby (from newborn to 1 year) to the informal group setting. All new moms are welcome, regardless of delivering hospital. Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 705-2434 to secure you and your baby’s spot. Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.

June 1

Colin Jost

The SNL star brings his standup act to The Paramount stage, Thursday, June 1, 8 p.m. As one of SNL’s main writers, he’s never at a loss for words. $89.50, $79.50, $69.50, $59.50, $39.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticktmaster. com or ParamountNY.com.

Empire Wind Open House

Equinor will be hosting an open house about the Empire Wind project, Thursday, June 8, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then again from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Allegria. The community has an opportunity to ask questions, contribute ideas and visit the Empire Wind Project team. 80 W. Broadway.For more information, visit EmpireWind. com.

Passion for Pride

Support PFY, a division of Long Island Crisis Center, at a 30th Anniversary Benefit celebration, Tuesday, June 13, 6-10 p.m. With drag bingo and performances by Ivy Stalls and Syn; also special guest honoree actor-author-activist Maulik Pancholy. The event, honoring PFY’s 30 years serving Long Island/Queens’ LGBTQ+ communities, is at Westbury Manor, 1100 Jericho Turnpike, Westbury. For more information and tickets, go to tinyurl.com/ pfyevent2023.

Having an event?

Storybook Stroll

Bring the kids to Old Westbury Gardens for a storybook adventure, Saturday, June 3, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Stroll the gardens and listen to Arnold Lobel’s “Frog and Toad Are Friends.” Later create a unique take home craft. For ages 3-5. Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information visit OldWestburyGardens.org or contact (516) 333-0048.

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.

On stage

Back by popular demand, families will enjoy a musical adventure, ripped from the pages of Mo Willems’ beloved children’s books, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Thursday and Friday, June 1-2, 10:15 a.m. and noon; Saturday, June 3, 2 p.m.

Elephant and Piggie storm the stage in a rollicking musical romp filled with plenty of pachydermal peril and swiney suspense perfect for young audiences. Together with nutty backup singers, The Squirrelles, the comedic duo even gets the audience involved in the action. $9 with museum admission ($7 members), $12 theater only. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org

Whale of a Drink fundraiser

Support The Whaling Museum by participating in Sandbar restaurant’s Whale of a Drink, Whale of a Cause fundraising effort, now through June 21 Enjoy the Sandbar’s iconic cocktail, the Whalebone, and a portion of the purchase will be donated to the museum. A “mocktail” version is also available. To help promote the fundraiser, mixologist Dan Leopold will offer a mixology demonstration and Whalebone tasting at the Museum’s Whales & Ales event on June 3, 2:30-3 p.m. Funds will support the Whaling Museum’s community education programs during its 2023 summer season. 55 Main St, Cold Spring Harbor. For information, visit SandbarColdSpringHarbor.com.

Through June

New Alzheimer’s respite care park offers some peace

By MALLORY WILSON mwilson@liherald.com

A new space dedicated exclusively to those with Alzheimer’s disease and their families has been added to Eisenhower Park.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America and Nassau County opened a new respite care relief park to help those living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, as well as their caregivers. The Eisenhower Park location is the second one of its sort in the country — the only other one is in the Town of Babylon.

More than 50,000 people on Long Island — or 3 percent — live with Alzheimer’s disease. Across the country, that number jumps to 6.2 million people — or one in every 53 — said Chuck Fuschillo, president and chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. There are more than 100,000 caregivers.

We created “a respite relief park to give them a place to get out in the open,” Fuschillo said. “Obviously in the beautiful park that’s here in Eisenhower Park, but also for the caregivers to come to a safe setting to avoid caregiver burnout. The caregivers in this county — and throughout the island — really are our heroes.”

The park was created both to serve those living with the disease, and to recognize the caregivers. It includes educational information about dementia and Alzheimer’s, along with benches, a brick walkway, a gazebo, and greenery. Its purpose is to enable a caregiver to have much-needed relief, and learn more about what resources are available for them.

It’s also a place for a caregiver and their individual with Alzheimer’s or dementia to come and chat in a peaceful, outdoor area.

“This is an integral part of what this park is about,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said. “It’s not just about sporting events, it’s not just about cultural

events, it’s not just about entertainment — it’s about a place where people can go to be with nature, in a peaceful setting. And it’s incredibly important to those who have been afflicted with Alzheimer’s and dementia.”

Blakeman heard from many who have family members with Alzheimer’s or dementia about how disrupting it is for those families.

“They need places to go. They need programs. And that’s what the American Alzheimer’s Foundation does,” the county executive said.

“They create these programs. They create an environment to help not only people who are afflicted, but also those people who are living with it each and every day — the families and the caregivers.”

Private donors funded the park’s creation. Other money came from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, a charitable organization that gives money for health care and health-related initiatives in New York. The foundation helped fund the Town of Babylon location, and a new one that will be built in Yonkers this fall.

Fuschillo thanked county legislator Tom McKevitt for taking the lead on the project after the legislature approved the park.

“Alzheimer’s is not only so tough for the person who’s going through it, but especially to the family and caregivers — it’s completely consuming to their life,” McKevitt said. “They want to have a place where they can go with their relative, with their loved one, and have a few moments of peace.”

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America was founded in 2002 by Bert Brodsky, whose mother lived with Alzheimer’s disease between 1980 and 1992. At the time that he was caring for her, Brodsky found there was not a lot of information out there regarding the disease, and he struggled with how to find support.

Now, the foundation helps hundreds of thousands of people annually.

“I never thought I could affect anybody’s life but my own, but I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to start the foundation and help those families that are dealing with this terrible, terrible disease,” Brodsky said.

“The respite park is a perfect example of what could happen when you put your mind to something, and you try and make the world just a little bit better.”

Mallory Wilson/Herald BeRt BROdSkY, the founder and board chair of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, shares his experience of taking care of his mother, who had Alzheimer’s, during the unveiling of a respite care relief park at Eisenhower Park’s Field 6.

Living in a world after the Covid-19 pandemic

By MICHAEL HINMAN mhinman@liherald.com

The country officially returned to normal on May 11 with the end of the federal public health emergency surrounding Covid-19 — but for many, it’s been pretty close to normalcy for months.

Virtually no one asks for proof of vaccination. Masks, while occasionally seen, have found themselves primarily back on the faces of medical professionals. And the floor markings intended to help people put six feet of distance from their neighbors have almost faded into time.

This week — and in the coming weeks — the Herald is exploring local life in a post-pandemic world. We’re following up on the heroes and the stories that filled these pages from the very beginning of the pandemic lockdown, to the height of the virus invasion, to the aftermath. All with the hope we never have to experience such troubled times ever again.

Covid

Yet, the federal end to the emergency is far from ceremonial. Washington has stopped buying vaccines and treatment, although plenty of supplies already purchased remain on-hand. It once again became more difficult to qualify for Medicaid — something that has loosened significantly at the height of the pandemic. However, states like New York isn’t expected to address eligibility at the more local level until later this summer.

And, of course, many of the financial assistance programs that had almost become commonplace are long gone, but free vaccines for children remain thanks to efforts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pfizer and Moderna — the two major pharmaceutical companies that supplied most of the country’s vaccine doses — vow they’ll continue providing free vaccines to those who can’t afford it, or don’t have the insurance to cover it.

Much closer to home, government officials with Nassau County as well as the towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay, had nothing to say about the pandemic. County Executive Bruce Blakeman went after mask mandates — especially in schools — within minutes of being sworn in more than a year ago.

“The governor should adhere to the law, follow the science, and allow local officials to decide what is best for their hometown communities,” Blakeman said at the time. “Nassau is not in crisis, and shouldn’t be painted with the same broad brush as the rest of New York state.”

And more local programs, like the Household Assistance Program that offered a $375 per household grant from federal funds, as well as the Emergency Rental Assistance Program — ended last fall, with a lot of the money unclaimed.

In the end, nearly 6.7 million positive cases were reported statewide, with New York City accounting for nearly half of that with 3.1 million cases. Long Island reported 1.1 million cases, while 5,346 people in Nassau County died.

Nearly 85 percent of people in Nassau received at least one vaccine shot, representing more than 1.1 million people — the best overall percentage in the state, behind the 88 percent from Queens and Manhattan.

One woman the coronavirus would not defeat was Nancy Casale of Wantagh. Last year, the then-95-year-old walked out of the Glen Cove Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation on her own power, after months of fighting Covid-19 and its aftermath.

“Nancy is a wonderful soul, said Lynda Torel from the Glen Cove center. “At 95, she’s energetic, eager and willing — all the qualities that make her a fighter. She’s been on a fantastic journey. She never said ‘no.’”

Laura Lane/Herald file

NANCy CAsALE stops to thank pulmonary rehabilitation director Lynda Torel outside the Glen Cove Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation last July, after battling Covid-19 and its aftermath for months. Nancy never let her age — 95 — stand in the way.

SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM

Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is the nation’s largest youth employment program, connecting the Town of Hempstead (TOH) and City of Long Beach youth between the ages of 16 and 20 with career exploration opportunities and paid work experience each summer.

By participating in structured project and work-based opportunities, Long Island youth are better prepared for careers of the future.

WHAT THE PROGRAM OFFERS

Career Exploration: Hone your research skills and uncover exciting new career possibilities.

Structured Work-based Opportunities: If you're a TOH and City of Long Beach youth between the ages of 16 and 20, you can get paid to learn about different careers and make a positive impact in your community through work-based activities.

Work Experiences: TOH and City of Long Beach youth between the ages of 16 and 20 can develop job readiness skills and explore diverse career pathways through paid summer jobs in various industries throughout Nassau County.

Earn Money: Don't miss out on the chance to earn money while gaining valuable experience and exploring your career options!

WORKSITE PARTNERS

Partner with the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) at HempsteadWorks and provide valuable work experience to youth while expanding your business's staff at no cost. The program pays participant wages in full, so there's no financial burden on the hosting employer. As a SYEP worksite, you can play a vital role in the region's economic development and access a pool of talented, hyperlocal youth who are the future workforce.

Please review the important information below for details on this summer's program.

SYEP 2023:

Participants can work up to 30 hours per week

Rate of pay is $16 per hour, paid by the TOH Participants go through physical clearance and drug screening

Worksite Responsibilities:

Ensuring youth time and attendance procedures are followed, and the timesheets are complete and accurate Supervision of participants, along with guidance and training as appropriate Monitoring youth attendance, punctuality, and job performance

Don Clavin Supervisor

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice of formation of ELANA AXELROD LCSW, PLLC, a professional limited liability company, Arts. Of Org. filed with the Secretary of State of the State of NY (SSNY) on 11/30/2022. Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated for service of all process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to the PLLC, 236 East Broadway, Apt 4P, Long Beach, NY 11561.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose. 139481

1.Releasing and discharging the Petitioner from all liability, responsibility and accountability as to all matters set forth in the account of proceedings;

2.Allowing the commissions of the Petitioner in the amount of $ 23,082.40 pursuant to SCPA 2307(1) and the reasonable and necessary expenses of the office in the amount of $ 6,434.60 pursuant to SCPA 1207(4);

request a copy of the full account from the petitioner or petitioner’s attorney. 139479

accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

139477

LEGAL NOTICE

Jewish Cuban immigration story told in new book

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

Longtime Five Towns resident Miriam Bradman Abrahams has her harrowing story of immigration from Cuba told in the new book “Incident at San Miguel.”

LEGAL NOTICE CITATION SURROGATE’S COURT, NASSAU COUNTY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK,

By the Grace of God Free and Independent

TO:

Bonnie Hibscher Hamilton

Grassi & Co.

Jasper Surety Attorney General of the State of New York and any and all unknown persons whose names or parts of whose names and whose place or places of residence are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained, distributees, heirs-at-law and next-ofkin of the said Dorothy Stiehler, deceased, and if any of the said distributees named specifically or as a class be dead, their legal representatives, their husbands or wives, if any, distributees and successors in interest whose names and/or places of residence and post office addresses are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained

A petition having been duly filed by Public Administrator of Nassau County, who is domiciled at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York 11501, United States.

YOU ARE HEREBY CITED

TO SHOW CAUSE before the Surrogate’s Court, Nassau County, at 262 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York, on June 14, 2023 , at 9:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day, why the account of Public Administrator of Nassau County, a summary of which has been served herewith, as Administrator of the estate of Dorothy Stiehler , should not be judicially settled.

[X] Further relief sought (if any):

3.Fixing and determining the attorney’s fees and disbursements of Mahon, Mahon, Kerins & O’Brien, LLC attorney for petitioner in the amount of $ 40,289.38, of which $ 4,289.38 has been paid and $ 36,000.00 is unpaid;

4.Fixing and determining the accounting fees of Grassi & Co, CPA’s, PC in the amount of $ 10,175.00, of which $ 4,175.00 has been paid and $ 6,000.00 is unpaid;

5.Releasing and discharging the surety;

6.Directing each of you claiming to be a distributee of the Decedent to establish proof of your kinship, and show cause why the balance of said funds should not be paid to said alleged distributees upon proof of kinship or deposited with the New York State Comptroller on account for the unknown next of kin of Dorothy Stiehler, decedent, should said alleged distributees default herein or fail to establish proof of kinship; and

7.Granting such other and further relief as to the Court is just and proper.

Dated, Attested, and Sealed, April 28, 2023

Seal

HON.

MARGARET C. REILLY

Margaret C. Reilly, Surrogate

/S/ Debra Keller Leimbach

Debra Keller Leimbach, Chief Clerk

Richard T. Kerins, Esq.

Attrney Name Mahon, Mahon, Kerins & O’Brien, LLC

Firm

(516) 538-1111

Telephone 254 Nassau Blvd. , Garden City South, New York 11530

Address

NOTE: This citation is served upon you as required by law. You are not required to appear. If you fail to appear it will be assumed that you do not object to the relief requested. You have a right to have an attorney appear for you, and you or your attorney may

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF NASSAU

U.S. BANK N.A. AS TRUSTEE ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERS OF THE J.P. MORGAN MORTGAGE ACQUISITION CORP.

2006-FRE1 ASSET BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES

2006-FRE1, V. JAMES S.H. LEE, ET. AL.

NOTICE OF SALE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated December 16, 2022, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein U.S. BANK N.A. AS TRUSTEE ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERS OF THE J.P. MORGAN MORTGAGE ACQUISITION CORP.

2006-FRE1 ASSET

BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES

2006-FRE1 is the Plaintiff and JAMES S.H. LEE, ET AL. are the Defendant(s).

I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the NORTH SIDE STEPS OF THE NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on June 13, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 146 SCHOOL LANE, LIDO BEACH, NY 11561: Section 60, Block 69, Lot

20:

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING AT LIDO BEACH, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 604011/2018. Malachy Lyons, Jr., Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF NASSAU WELLS FARGO BANK, NA, AS TRUSTEE FOR OPTION ONE MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2005-3, ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-3, V. ISAAC DAHAN AS EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF JOLANDA FISCHER A/K/A YOLANDA FISCHER, ET. AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated December 15, 2022, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein WELLS FARGO BANK, NA, AS TRUSTEE FOR OPTION ONE MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2005-3, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-3 is the Plaintiff and ISAAC DAHAN AS EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF JOLANDA FISCHER A/K/A YOLANDA FISCHER, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on June 27, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 2 RICHMOND ROAD, Unit #3X, LIDO BEACH, NY 11561: Section 59, Block 66, Lot 15A, Unit 224: ALL THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF LAND SITUATE IN THE COUNTY OF NASSAU, STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 008412/2011. Mary Ellen Divone, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH

Legal Notices are everyone’s business READ THEM

Abrahams, lived in Lawrence and Woodmere for 27 years. She now lives in Long Beach. Born in Cuba, her parents left with her when she was 1.

The historical fiction book will be released May 19 and tells Abraham’s Jewish Cuban American family story of her father, Juan Bradman, a refugee, and immigrant, and, and his brother, Salomon, a Communist idealist who chose to remain in Cuba during Fidel Castro’s reign. The story illustrates the hardships of emigration and immigrants, and includes the details of how Abrahams and her parents fled Cuba to the U.S.

The book was written by Abrahams’s longtime friend and novelist, AJ Sidransky. Sidransky, began writing fulltime in 2013 after years in the real estate business. His first novel “Forgiving Maximo Rothman’’ was shortlisted by the National Jewish Book Awards for Best Debut Fiction in 2013.

Abrahams is a volunteer reviewer for Jewish Book Council for the Jewish Book World publication and reviewed Sidransky’s first novel for the Jewish Book World publication and the two became friends.

Abrahams originally wanted to write a memoir for her father. She had published articles about her travels to Cuba but never published a book. She had a collection of 85 pages of interviews and stories about her family’s history in Cuba and their exit from Cuba. She presented the memoir to Sidransky in 2019.

“I gave him 80 pages of interviews with my parents and my thoughts and memories, and he was fascinated and told me that he could take all that information and make a fictional story around it,” Abrahams said.

Sidransky focuses on murder mysteries and historical fiction and said the story of Abraham’s family would be perfect to style into a historical fiction novel.

“The stories that I seek are about ordinary people faced with extraordinary circumstances,” Sidransky said. “How do they rise to the occasion when faced with these situations? I said to her [Abrahams], how would you and your parents feel about me using some of this for a novel?

Sidransky met with Abraham’s parents, and they fell in love with the idea immediately. Sidransky conducted inter-

views with over 30 other Cuban Americans and Jewish Cuban Americans, whose families had left Cuba, and said he came to understand was there was an overriding feeling of paranoia that develops in communist societies which he felt could be captured in his writing style.

“These stories of immigration are always heartbreaking, but at the same time, they’re inspiring,” Sidransky said. “I felt that this is something that readers would help them to understand the trauma of living through something like the Cuban Revolution and what it feels like to have to leave your home, become a refugee someplace else, and make a new life all over again.

Cuba When Castro took over 90 percent of the Jewish community left Cuba, and Abrahams says the book represents much of what many who emigrated experienced.

“People know that there was a Jewish community in Havana and other parts of Cuba, but I don’t think they know details about how communism affected the residents,” Abrahams said. “It’s a relevant story for anybody interested in emigration, immigration, the hardships of learning a new language, and leaving your family behind. Especially in Cuba, that’s 90 miles off Key West and we don’t really know anything about it.”

“Incident at San Miguel” will be available on Amazon.

Courtesy Miriam Bradman Abraham MIRIAM BRADMAN ABRAHAMs wrote the foreword in AJ Sidransky’s new book ’Incident at San Miguel’ which describes Abrahams dramatic family story of emigrating from Cuba during the reign of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.

Employment HERALD

Administrative Opening Monticello Central School High School Principal

H ebrew Academy of Long Beach seeks educators to join our exceptional school faculty in fostering a culture of academic exploration and excellence and dedication to spiritual, intellectual, and personal growth of all students. We are currently looking for candidates in the following divisions:

Lev Chana Early Childhood: Early Childhood Assistant Teachers

HALB Elementary School: Assistant Teachers

Part Time Morah

Middle School Morah

Full Time Rebbe

Middle School Math Teacher

DRS Yeshiva High School for Boys:

English Teacher

Science Teacher

Learning Center Teacher

Assistant College Guidance Counselor

SKA High School for Girls:

Graphic Design Teacher

Ivrit Teacher

Halacha Teacher

AP Computer Science Teacher

To learn more about our school community, please visit www.halb.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

Please send resumes or inquiries to resumes@halb.org

The Monticello CSD is seeking forward thinking and dynamic School Building Principal 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 demonstrates an ability to impact student learning.

Starting Salary: $150,000

NYS SDA/SAS/SBL Certification Required plus 2 yrs. of previous administrative leadership and 3 yrs. exp as a classroom teacher preferred.

Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE 1134561216569

Administrative Opening

Assistant Elementary Principal

The successful candidate should possess: Knowledge of research-based instructional programs & practices; exp. w/ teacher supervision & evaluation; a record of successfully improving learning experiences and enhancing school to home communication; and can provide a supportive environment with knowledge of social-emotional competencies, restorative practices, and promote a culturally responsive educational climate.

Salary Range: $95,000 to $105,000

NYS SDA/SDL/SBL Certification Required plus 3 yrs. exp as a classroom teacher preferred.

Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE

Assistant Secondary Principal

The successful candidate should possess: Knowledge of research-based instructional programs & practices; exp. w/ teacher supervision & evaluation; a record of successfully improving learning experiences and enhancing school to home communication; and can provide a supportive environment with knowledge of social-emotional competencies, restorative practices, and promote a culturally responsive educational climate.

Salary Range: $95,000 to $105,000

SDA/SDL/SBL Certification Required plus

yrs. exp. as a classroom teacher preferred.

choose

Administrative Opening RICHNER Printing Services

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

proficient and experienced with Quick Books, bank reconciliations, and be comfortable with handling phones and working with customers and vendors. The position is three days per week (M, W, F, preferred), hours are flexible minimum of twenty hours per week. We offer the same time off benefits as with our full-time employees, including all major holidays (8) plus Five (5) sick days per year. Vacation weeks accrue after one year service. Liberal salary based on experience. (minimum of $30.00 per hr.) This position is available immediately. Serious and qualified applicants only need to apply. Qualified Retirees are welcome to apply. Kindly forward resume with references and salary history to: President @ orders@autostatcorp.com

Help Wanted UP TO $20.70 NYC, $20.00 L.I., $16.20

Upstate NY! If you need care from your relative, friend/ neighbor and you have Medicaid, they may be eligible to start taking care of you as personal assistant under NYS Medicaid CDPA Program. No Certificates needed. 347-713-3553

Childcare Offered

CHILDCARE AVAILABLE

SUMMER PROGRAM

Infants - 12 Years

Custom Hours

Nights and Weekends

Indoor and Outdoor Activities

Arts and Crafts, All Meals NYS Licensed/ DSS CPR Certified 23 Years Experience 516-743-2955

REAL ESTATE

Open Houses

CEDARHURST BA, 332B Peninsula Blvd, 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 in Unit.Pull Down Attic.SD#15. Convenient to Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship...$449,00 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT 6/4, 12-1:30, 1638 RIDGEWAY DR. FIRST TIME ON MARKET Well Maintained 6 BR, 3.5 Bth 3500 Sq Ft Exp CH Colonial on Beautiful St. LR/Fpl, Spac Fam Rm/Fpl, FDR, EIK & Sun Rm Overlooking 1/3 Acre Resortlike Prop w/ IG Lap Pool, Hot Tub,Bar & Gazebo. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Gar. SD#20...$1,149,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT BA, 1193 E. Broadway # M23, REDUCEDMove Right Into This Stunning Gut Renovated 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Garden Town. Gourmet Kit W/Thermdore St Steel Appl Opens Into DR & LR. Primary BR w/Bth Plus Spac 2nd BR. W/D in Unit. New Self Controlled CAC. Oak Flrs, LED Lights. Near LIRR. Parking Avail. SD#14. You Don't Want to Miss This...$359,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-429

HEWLETT BAY PARK BA,190 Meadowview Ave Ever Dream of Living in A Castle? This 8000 Sq Ft Mansion is Full of Character. Amazing Architectural Details, Soaring Ceilings, Stained Glass Windows. 5 BR, 6.55 Bths. Sprawling 1.3 Acre Prop with IG Gunite Pool. SD#14.Near All. Must See This Unique Home!..$3,200,00 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas elliman 516-238-429 ba

Open Houses

HEWLETT HARBOR BA 1299 Seawane NEW! Move Right Into This Beautiful 4 BR, 3 Bth Exp Ranch with Open Layout in Prime Location. LR, FDR, State of the Art Kit & Great Room Overlooking Magnificently Landscaped æ Acre Property. SD #14...$1,799,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

WOODMERE BA, 504 Saddle Ridge Rd., FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Move Right Into This Renovated 4 BR, 2 Bth Split with Open Layout in Prime Location! Granite/Wood EIK Opens to Dining Room & Living Room. Lower Level Den. HW Flrs, Gas Heat, CAC. Oversized Property! SD#14.Near All!..$1,149,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

House For Sale

POINT LOOKOUT: WATERFRONTLargest Selection of Beach Homes, Sale/ Rent. Our Home Listings Sell FA$T! VIDEOS. HUG R.E. 516-431-8000 www.hugrealestate.com

Apartments For Rent

CEDARHURST NO FEE Private Entrance, Modern 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, CAC, W/D, Storage, Wall To Wall Carpeting, Indoor Parking Space. Starting At $1450 For One Bedroom When Available. (516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/ (516)582-9978

MoneyTo Lend

ARE YOU

One phone call, one order, one heck of a good price to run your ad in any state, or across the country. Call the USA Classified Network today! 1-800-231-6152 Homes HERALD To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 Rent Your Apartment through the Herald and PrimeTime Classified section. Call us for our great *specials. 516-5694000, press 5 for Classified Dept. *(private party only)

HomesHERALD

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

Rockville Centre

Stunning One Of A Kind

Enjoy the summer breeze from your inviting porch, then step inside and be greeted by a stunning formal living room, spacious formal dining room, and eat-in kitchen which features an island and room for a full dining table with a convenient laundry room beyond. Continue on to the oversized den with a cathedral ceiling, skylights, and cozy woodburning stove you can enjoy on a chilly night. Swinging French doors open to an inviting paver patio overlooking the expansive, fully fenced-in yard, large enough for you to add an inground pool, sport court, and more. The second floor boasts a king-sized primary bedroom (once two separate bedrooms) with a jacuzzi-tub en suite plus two additional bedrooms. Hall stairs lead to the thirdfloor attic which is perfect for storage. With a detached 2-car garage, this property has it all. $1,149,000.

Christine Ferramosca

Lisc. R. E. Salesperson

Cell: 516-835.8468

Office: 516.669.3700

Douglas Elliman Real Estate 304 Merrick Road Rockville Centre, NY 11571

The finer points of roofing

Q. We finally found a home and have fixing-up to do. The first thing is new roofing. We interviewed roofers. One told us he “cuts” in the valleys where the roof meets, and another said he would not recommend that. What do you recommend, and are there other things we should know? The gutters are old and sagging, and not really draining, either.

A. A roof is one of the first things any home buyer should look at before a purchase. The slope of the land and the roof condition are very important.

Ask The Architect Monte Leeper

Roof shingles are chosen depending on the slope of the roof. For example, a steeper slope will get greater wear due to the velocity of the running water, so a heavier architectural shingle is my first choice. Thinner shingles can be used on less sloped roofs, although I recommend the longerlasting, more heavily constructed shingles for steep and low slopes anyway, because they tend to last longer.

If the slope of the roof is less than 3 inches vertically for every 12 inches horizontally, called a 3-in12 pitch, then you should pay more attention to the underlayment. You should pay more, and get the self-adhering, flexible membrane, often referred to as “ice and water shield,” although that is actually a trade name of W.R. Grace. The code refers to the membrane as “ice barrier underlayment.”

The current building code allows for roofing shingles on a 2-inch to 12-inch pitch, but be mindful that building codes establish the minimum requirement, and failure can easily occur on a lower sloping roof when ice forms and water pools and backs up under the shingles and through the hundreds of nail holes that were made when the shingles were nailed into place. Flexible membrane underneath has performed very well over the life of roofing, and grips the nails to limit leaking, but be safe and have the membrane installed across the entire roof. The code requires only that the membrane be installed around the perimeter edges of the roof and on either side of the roof ridge.

As for cutting the valleys — the troughs where the roofs join — I understand that many roofers like the look and believe that seeing the clean metal valley is better because the water runs faster, but the tradeoff is that any time you cut a material and create a joint, the possibility for water penetration is increased. Ice and snow buildup in the valley can cause water to dam and get into the roof.

I recommend weaving the valleys by alternating the shingles and not exposing the valley trough, which should still be installed underneath the woven shingles, over membrane, because, as I have often written, redundancy is the most important thing in construction to prevent leaks. Have the gutters installed so that the downspouts are attached at corners, on trim. It’s a cleaner look. Good luck in your new home!

© 2023 Monte Leeper

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

MERCHANDISE MART

Antiques/Collectibles

We Buy Antiques, Fine Art, Coins & Jewelry Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluations, 45 Year Family Business. Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid. SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

Wanted To Buy FREON WANTED: Certified buyer looking to buy R11, R12, R22 & more! Call Clarissa at 312-535-8384.

FINDS UNDER $100

Finds Under $100 32 X 32 Mirror beveled edge etchings in corners, hardware included for hanging.$70.00 (516)579-9089 excellent

Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry

*MICHAEL LO BAIDO CONSTRUCTION*

Cement Specialist, Brickwork, Interlock Bricks, Belgium Blocks, Stoops, Patios, Driveways, Sidewalks, Basement Entrances,

Home

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable

Home Improvement

ROOFING GREAT PRICES ! NEW ROOF SPECIALS SIDING- Best Prices RENOVATIONS & ALL REPAIRS SUPER COMPETITIVE PRICES! Licensed / Insured. Free Estimates Nassau License. # H-0102710000 Call John - 516-852-9830

Painting

OLD SALT PAINTING Small Job Specialist Great Rates, Free Estimates 516-312-9643

Power Washing

tions Ceramic/ Vinyl Tile *Carpentry *Alterations *Repairs/ More. FREE ESTIMATES. Dan 516-342-0761

Health & Fitness

VIAGRA AND CIALIS USERS! 50 Pills SPECIAL $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW! 855-413-9574

AUTOMOBILE & MARINE

Autos For Sale

MAZDA MIATA 2015 Club Edition, Silver Black Interior, 17,000 Miles, Perfect Condition. If Looking for a Miata, This is a good One To Buy. $23,800 917-273-3737

Autos Wanted

POWERWASHING ALL SURFACES: Houses, Fences, Concrete/ Brick, Decks/Sealing. . ANTHONY & J HOME IMPROVEMENT, INC. 516-678-6641 Sprinkler Syst./Irrig.Wells

***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS $Highest$ Ca$h Paid$. All Years/ Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct + Ca$h. DMV ID#1303199. Call LUKE 516VAN-CARS. 516-297-2277

DRIVE OUT BREAST Cancer: Donate a car today! The benefits of donating your car or boat: Fast Free Pickup - 24hr Response Tax Deduction - Easy To

Tree Services

T&M GREENCARE TREE SERVICE

*Tree Removal *Stump Grinding *Pruning *Roof Line Clearing. Residential and Commercial. "We Beat All Competitors' Rates." Lowest Rates. *Senior Discount. Free Estimates. *516-223-4525, 631-586-3800 www.tmgreencare.com

Satellite/TV Equipment

DIRECTV. NEW 2-YEAR Price Guarantee. The most live MLB games this season, 200+ channels and over 45,000 on-demand titles. $84.99/mo for 24 months with CHOICE Package. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918

DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/31/24. 1-866-595-6967

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Education

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! 844-947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET). Computer with internet is required.

TRAIN ONLINE TO DO MEDICAL BILLING! Become a Medical Office Professional online at CTI! Get Trained, Certified & ready to work in months! Call 855-543-6440. (M-F 8am-6pm ET). Computer with internet is required

Long Islanders have all kinds of non-romantic love affairs. They love their school boards, their teachers and their garbage collectors, and they even show some love for their utility companies. But when things go wrong, the love affair is over. That applies especially to the companies that provide electricity, gas or cable service. The shortest of the love affairs is when the lights go out for a long period of time.

The problems with lighting companies date back to the early 1960s, when the Long Island Lighting Company was Public Enemy No. 1. Those of you who were living on Long Island at the time should remember that just uttering the word LILCO would get somebody mad. It was a powerful organization that had many friends in high places, but it made mistake after mistake, and its ratepayers wanted heads to roll. The company’s biggest calamity was when power was knocked out for weeks while its chair-

OpINIONS

The PSEG love affair is over

man was in Italy. He didn’t come home until it was too late, and that was the moment of truth.

For the following 20 years, ratepayers demonstrated, howled, screamed and went to war against LILCO, demanding that the state take it over. In 1988, Gov. Mario Cuomo signed a bill establishing the Long Island Power Authority, whose sole purpose was to take over LILCO and keep the lights on forever. LIPA bought out LILCO, and took over its workforce and operations. LIPA did a decent job, but it was always understood that someday the Long Island operation would be contracted out to a larger utility company.

Around 2010, LIPA decided to publicly ask the utility industry to consider operating on the island. Two companies, Con Edison and Public Service Electric and Gas, offered to become the power provider. Con Ed was well known, but many new arrivals from New York City had a bad taste in their mouths from its service, and PSEG began to get serious consideration. It had a lot of friends in high places, and in a short time won the con-

tract to provide electrical power to Long Island’s 1.3 million residents. The utility got a bad break when, two days after its contract took effect, the Island was hit with a major snowstorm, but we Islanders can be very forgiving, and PSEG was spared any criticism.

The romance with PSEG continued for quite some time, until we had three 100year storms in one year. Thousands of ratepayers were without power for weeks, and the company’s response was slow and inefficient. Part of the reason it was unable to get its customers post-storm relief was the aged power system. Its communication operation, as well, was antiquated, and the grid had to be made stronger and more efficient. That took money, and that meant rate increases. PSEG began taking long-overdue steps such as massive tree trimming, but the bonds of love had already broken.

Over the past few years, there has been a new effort to get the state to consider letting the power system be managed locally again, but with a whole new approach: municipalization, which means that LIPA would be overseen by a

whole new bunch of local citizens who would be responsible for its operation. The state created a commission and gave it $2 million for hearings and consultants. To date, the process has fallen flat, and it will be some time before it gets moving ahead again.

There are two things wrong with the drive to let John Q. Citizen run the power system. First of all, why not sit down with other power companies and see if they are willing to be the operators? It’s possible that we can find a company with the credentials to keep the lights on without jumping into some untested, citizenrun operation.

Second, even if we can’t immediately find a suitor, giving a group of local neighbors the power to dictate to professionals is a very dangerous move. Long Islanders don’t ask for much in the course of the average day. They need their lights to stay on, and the best way to accomplish that is to have people running our system who know what they’re doing.

Jerry Kremer was an Assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? jkremer@liherald.com.

Summer reading: To escape or go deep?

Of course, we must have a summer to take up the subject of summer reading. Which reminds me of a great book about Krakatoa, which was blown to oblivion in 1883 when a volcano erupted, creating what became known as the year without a summer. The book “Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded,” by Simon Winchester, explains that the massive volume of debris thrown into the atmosphere darkened the world for months, not just in Indonesia, but around the globe.

of those people who eventually combusts from the pressure of awful news in the world and starts screaming at the TV or running down the street with my hair on fire. When I was a kid, my escape from stress was reading, and it still is. Still, it’s so hard to concentrate when I see with my own eyes glaciers the size of Rhode Island breaking off the Antarctic continent.

Possibility of Life,” by Jaime Green, on the search for other life in the universe. Think of it as the ultimate escape: Who’s out there, and how can we make contact? Spoiler alert: They won’t come in human form.

nonfiction account of an American soldier who goes back to Afghanistan after the war. His mission is to find the man who worked with him in country and help him escape.

RANDI KREISS

Anyway, what I was saying is that we’ve had plenty of chill winds this spring, but the days ahead look promising. If you’re still in indoor mode, you might pick up Winchester’s book and commiserate with the millions of people in the 19th century who lived in the shade of Krakatoa. I would put that book in the category of “escape,” and I would add a few to the list for those reading to run away. Heaven knows, many of us have our traveling pants on. I feel as if I could become one

But we must persist. Add to the escape literature a blockbuster by a prince of a guy, Harry, the Duke of Sussex. He narrates “Spare,” the audible version of his memoir, in a warm and ironic voice. His tone is intimate and his affect is humble. The royals are an endless source of skullduggery and palace intrigue. This book is infused with tasty morsels of delicious gossip.

Also, pick up “Priestdaddy,” by Patricia Lockwood, the comic memoir of her childhood in a rectory as the daughter of a priest. She uses her own life as copy, and she gets why it would be an entertaining subject even for those of us whose fathers aren’t priests but just fathers.

One more on that list would be “The

If distraction and escape aren’t possible, if you’re too consumed by the political and cultural moment, then just give in and read deeply and widely so you can broaden your base of information and at least understand why the world is going to hell.

I’m leaning toward nonfiction and short stories these days. Try “The Great Leveler,” by Walter Scheidel. In this wellreviewed nonfiction book, he argues that only catastrophes like pandemics and great, violent upheavals like world wars can ever address economic inequality. Hey, you’re depressed anyway — might as well be educated as to why.

“The Soul of America,” by the great Jon Meacham, is a glorious history that basically asks, over many illuminating pages: How do we save our democracy?

“The Naked Don’t Fear the Water,” by Matthieu Aikins, is a timely and telling

“Tenth of December,” on the other hand, is both escapist and deep. The short stories by George Saunders — author of the popular and weird “Lincoln in the Bardo” — are challenging, but you can do it. They require concentration and focus, and that’s a good thing, because it means you may be able to tune out the news. I can’t begin to explain the stories; they defy summarizing. But I urge you to read them and absorb what Saunders has to say about our American culture.

Finally, you can read any number of books about the rise of Donald Trump, the end of civility in America, the undermining of our democracy and the threat of totalitarianism. But if you truly want to examine the real possibilities of the past serving as prologue to the present, try a nonfiction masterpiece, “Hitler,” by Ian Kershaw. One critic called it “mesmerizing,” and said that what was most amazing was the number of opportunities when Hitler might have been stopped in his mad rise to power. Nuf said.

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

Broaden your base of info, and understand why the world is going to hell.

B ut giving neighbors the power to dictate to professionals is dangerous.

JERRY KREMER

Learn about dementia, for your sake and others’

Memory loss is common as we get older. Going to the grocery store and forgetting what you went there for. Trying to remember the name of an actor from your favorite movie. Even panicking because you have no idea where you left your keys.

These are experiences many people can relate to, especially once you reach your 50s.

But memory loss may be more than just a sign of aging. It can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s.

June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month. More than 55 million people worldwide live with the disease or another type of dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Now is a great time to get checked, because early detection could make a major difference in how the disease progresses.

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, but doctors recommend medications like galantamine, rivastigmine and donepezil. They’re helpful, according to the National Institute on Aging, because they prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, which is important for memory and learning.

Put simply, the drugs help nerve cells communicate.

There are opportunities for everyone to observe Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month. Spreading the word about the

letters

D’Esposito punted on Santos

To the Editor:

importance of being tested for the disease as well as learning about the different types of dementia is something everyone should do.

And knowing the signs of Alzheimer’s can help you help others. The most obvious, of course, is memory loss — specifically about recent events. Difficulty completing tasks that were once part of your routine is another. And sometimes people’s personalities change, and they may become more aggressive, angry or hopeless.

Not being able to find the right word to express oneself is often another sign, as is an inability to do tasks that were once routine.

And while it might not seem related, it really is important to prevent and address hearing loss, even if it involves buying hearing aids. According to Johns Hopkins, hearing loss is estimated to account for 8 percent of dementia cases. Scientists believe hearing loss may actually be a cause of dementia. When you can’t hear, your brain works overtime as it strains to hear and fill in the gaps, which comes at the expense of other thinking and memory systems.

Researchers are also finding that hearing loss causes people to be less engaged. We can all think of a relative who sits in a corner and doesn’t participate at family functions, complaining they can’t hear

The Herald seemed intent on misleading its readers as to the actions of U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito in last week’s story “D’Esposito wants George Santos out of Congress.”

The article stated that D’Esposito “spoke out in support of a resolution to expel his fellow Long Island Republican representative,” leaving the impression that he did all he could to remove Santos from Congress.

What the article left out, however, is that D’Esposito did not vote to expel Santos. Instead, he introduced the resolution that resulted in the matter of expulsion being referred to the House Ethics Committee, which has been investigating Santos since March.

D’Esposito disingenuously defended this vote by claiming that it would be the “quickest way” to rid Congress of Santos. Of course, that is false. The quickest way would have been for the majority of House Republicans — including all those who have called for Santos’ removal — to vote for his expulsion.

Instead, a direct vote on expulsion was blocked by the D’Esposito resolution. While D’Esposito’s rhetoric on Santos is welcome, actions speak louder than words. The people of Long Island and the nation deserved better.

JAy K. GOLDBERG Woodmere

This Floridian agrees with Kremer about DeSantis

To the Editor:

Re Jerry Kremer’s column “Something’s going wrong in Florida” (May 18-24): I totally agree with his observations.

Back in the 1970s, I was a Nassau County Democrat. I spent many days at headquar-

what’s being said.

Don’t ignore them. It’s important for them to be socially engaged, because they need to remain intellectually stimulated in order to avoid dementia. A little patience and encouragement from those around them can go a long way.

If you do find out you have early signs of Alzheimer’s or dementia, don’t give up. Find ways to train your brain to fight the disease. Do crossword puzzles, word searches, Sudoku. Play chess, or even video games. Challenge yourself to learn new information or skills, like how to knit. Enroll in a class.

And for those who can still find their keys, reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s or dementia by getting enough sleep, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and managing your blood sugar.

Looking for a way to make a difference? Help people with Alzheimer’s by volunteering. The Long Island Alzheimer’s and Dementia Center, in Westbury, often has volunteers helping at its day program. They act as companions, and help people with memory loss be creative in arts and crafts. It can be a very rewarding experience.

Until there is a cure for Alzheimer’s, it’s important to take care of yourself by being tested and helping those around you who may need that little push. And it’s important to take care of yourself, too.

ters in Mineola. Today I’m living in St. Augustine, Florida. When we moved to this area, Ron DeSantis was our congressman. Then, amazingly, Trump propelled him to the governor’s mansion.

I agree totally with Kremer’s assessment of the person I call “DeMentis” because he’s so crazy. With a compliant and willing legislature, he is turning Florida into our country’s leading autocracy. This state is a stark

Why Nassau needs a strong inspector general’s office

as a legislator who served during the height of corruption in Nassau County and witnessed the indictment of former County Executive Ed Mangano, I know firsthand how important it is to have mechanisms in place to protect taxpayer money from the pitfalls of waste and fraud.

Over the past few years, I have worked closely with my colleagues in the County Legislature’s Democratic minority caucus to strengthen the integrity of Nassau’s procurement system and make the process of awarding contracts as fair and secure as possible. We did so by increasing the rigor of our contract reviews; requiring vendors to submit the names of all principals and any political contributions they have made; and mandating the disclosure of any violations an applicant may have been issued.

Soon afterward, we created the Office of the Inspector General and appointed the county’s first inspector general, Jodi Franzese, with unanimous bipartisan

support following an extensive search. After the fights and scandals of the previous years, this was a truly proud moment in my legislative career, and represented real progress in our ongoing efforts to root out corruption in the county.

Operating as an independent official, the inspector general and their team promote transparency and increase the accountability of county operations by reviewing each contract to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and the abuse of taxpayer money in county procurement. Continued support for the office is critical to ensure the integrity of our procurement system — one that encompasses hundreds of millions of dollars each year.

At a time when the county has received hundreds of millions of dollars in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds and tens of millions more in settlements from the opioid manufacturers and distributors who flooded our communities with dangerous, addictive prescription drugs, I believe this function is especially vital. And with the Legislature’s vote on May 22, the county is also likely to face an array of substantial contracts in the not-too-distant future relat-

Letters

contrast to what it was when we first moved here in 1992. At that time it was affordable, safe and sane. Today it is expensive, dangerous and crazy.

Kremer is correct in his commentary on the sad social and political conditions in Florida in 2023 under the misguidance of Ron DeMentis. I do not believe he can or will win the 2024 Republican nomination, but I am fearful that he can persuade the state legislature to change the two-term governorship limit. That would be devastating to a state his policies have already crippled.

RICHARD CORTELL St. Augustine, Florida

Post-pandemic, we need a new way forward

To the Editor:

During the coronavirus pandemic, New York froze. In particular, health care services froze in their tracks under the strain and demand, and shifted to responding to the new threat to the population’s health.

Unfortunately, health care services and interventions not related to Covid-19 were put on the back burner. As a result, non-Covid health issues were not prioritized, resulting in people getting sicker for a variety of reasons.

Although the pandemic was a prioritizing focus for health departments and the government, other issues did not need to be pushed to the side.

One issue that was left behind was the focus on reducing rates of sexually transmitted diseases, with an increase in infections reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2020.

ed to the redevelopment of the Nassau Hub in Uniondale, the outcome of which will profoundly shape our county for a generation.

However, it appears that there are efforts being made to weaken this crucial government watchdog at a time when I believe it is needed the most.

After her four-year term expired at the end of 2022, Franzese worked for months without being reappointed by the Legislature, putting herself and the entire office in an uncertain position. Without the protection of being formally appointed by a bipartisan, 13-vote supermajority, her ability to accomplish her mission of serving as an independent watchdog was inherently weakened. Our minority caucus introduced legislation in April to extend her contract through 2026. Unfortunately, the majority rejected our proposal.

I can’t help but wonder whether political considerations were a factor in the decision to stall Franzese’s reappointment. Consider this fact: If Republicans capture just one more seat in November, they will establish a 13-vote supermajority in the Legislature. With that, they

Due to the pandemic restrictions imposed to make people safer, many sexual health clinics and health care providers reduced service or close entirely.

Additionally, government resources previously dedicated to reducing STD rates were redirected to address the pandemic.

This allowed rates of STDs such as syphilis and gonorrhea to increase. This scenario is most harmful to adolescents and young adults, who are at disproportionately greater risk of testing positive for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, as the CDC recommends routine testing for this age group. But the pandemic disrupted this routine for many.

In addition, disparities for marginalized communities, such as people of color and men who have sex with men, were exacerbated, with men of color who had sex with men disproportionately testing positive for STDs during the pandemic.

Although the government was required to redirect national health initiatives to address the crisis, a new way forward is needed, because these disparities persist, and there are proven methods of addressing them. Targeted interventions are required to eliminate these disparities, making better use of our local communities to keeping us healthier going forward.

Redirecting funding back to local organizations and health care providers that are addressing these issues is an important start.

Go get tested, and stay safe!

DANIEL MORALES

would have full control of every arm of county government, and could feasibly install an inspector general who would rubber-stamp whatever contracts come before the Legislature, undermining its ability to provide checks and balances as a truly coequal branch of government.

Such an atmosphere would be a tremendous disservice to county taxpayers.

I fear it would also create a fertile breeding ground for a return to the troubles of our recent past at a time when those taxpayers simply can’t afford to go backward.

For all these reasons, I am passionate about preserving and enhancing ethics safeguards like the inspector general’s office. Not only do such entities protect taxpayer money from waste, fraud and abuse, but they also deter future bad actors and help to ensure that elected officials have all the information they need to reach informed decisions. The minority caucus will continue to fight tirelessly to improve the procurement process to make it more open, inclusive and cost-effective, because it is essential for Nassau County to continue down the path of good government and transparency.

Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, of Glen Cove, represents Nassau County’s 11th Legislative District.

Framework by Tim Baker

Illuminated art, projected onto a wall of the high school — Baldwin

It appears there are efforts to weaken this crucial government watchdog.

DeLIa

DerIGGI-wHItton

The author is studying for his master’s degree in public health and management at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy.

The statute in the columbarium at St. James Episcopal Church in Long Beach, mentioned in the story “St. James seeks to expand its cemetery space,” in last week’s issue, is of St. Francis, not St. Peter.

One of the best. Once again. Right here in Oceanside.

High Performing in Nine Areas of Care