The West Hempstead Community Support Association held its biannual cleanup at Halls Pond Park on Sunday, and thanks to a few sets of little hands, the park is much cleaner. Twice a year, the association’s volunteers and residents gather for an enjoyable day of cleaning the park. Story, more photos, Page 4.
Bob Mackreth has fit a lot of life into 100 years. Between his boyhood in Malverne during the Great Depression, his involvement in U.S. intelligence in World War II and his decades as a family man, he is a living testament to the importance of community history.
Anyone who spends more than five minutes with Mackreth is likely to be charmed by his wink-and-elbow sense of humor, which he often uses to dismiss others’ well-deserved praise of him. “I don’t see what the big deal is,” he said after being honored by Mayor Tim Sullivan on May 12, two days after his 100th birthday. “All I did was live a long time.” He did much more than that.
To this day, Mackreth can’t eat cabbage without hearing his mother telling him and his siblings to clean their plates. During the Depression, he recalls, meals were usually some variation of boiled cabbage and potatoes, which were cheap options at a time when families struggled to put food
on the table.
Mackreth remembers Long Island’s experience of the Depression with striking clarity. Unemployed men would commute into the city for some semblance of a routine; women would negotiate with grocers to charge food on overdue accounts; businesses performed half-services to accommodate tight wallets. Mackreth, who is writing a memoir, explains that there was a reward inherent in saving money, in being able to fix
Continued on page 4
It has been a busy week on the House floor, especially for U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito. He not only passed his Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights, but spoke out in support of a resolution to expel his fellow Long Island Republican representative, George Santos.
The resolution was reportedly first introduced by a Democratic House member from California, U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia.
Santos was indicted this month, accusing him of 13 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds, and making materially false statements to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Last week, D’Esposito took to the podium to urge the bipartisan House Ethics Committee to take swift action in getting rid Santos, who he called a “pathological liar.” The House ultimately voted to refer the resolution to the House Ethics Committee instead of voting on the resolution itself.
“I was the first member of Congress to say that he should resign, but unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that in order for a member to be expelled, you need two thirds of the vote of Congress,” D’Esposito said. “They don’t have the numbers, so that’s the problem.
“I don’t think that George should serve another day in Congress. The quickest way to rid this institution of this stain is to refer this issue to the House Ethics Committee.”
With 18 months to go until the general election, seven candidates have already put their hats in the ring looking to take over Santos’ district. Former Democratic Hempstead town supervisor Laura Gillen and Olympian Sarah Hughes seek to face D’Esposito for his seat in the fourth congressional district.
Gillen lost to D’Esposito in November’s election, but recently said in her official announcement she is running
again “because public service can be a noble calling that makes people’s lives better.” However, “too many in Washington care about political gamesmanship, sound bites and photo opportunities than actually making real progress for our families.”
Gillen previously told the Herald one of the reasons she decided to run was because of the Republican position on the national debt crisis. The GOP insist President Biden reduce spending before they will agree to raise the debt ceiling.
D’Esposito recently helped House Republicans pass the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023, which is intended to
increase the federal debt limit and decrease spending. The bill also quashes several tax credits, modifies the permitting process and other requirements for energy projects, expands work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and nullifies actions by the federal education department to suspend federal student loan payments, discharge debt and implement a new income-driven repayment plan.
D’Esposito dispelled concerns the bill would make financial cuts to Veterans Affairs. Instead, he said it essentially caps discretionary spending and decreases the spending level for fiscal 2024.
“It grows the economy, it saves taxpayers money, and it protects veterans, defense spending, Social Security and Medicare,” D’Esposito said. “We believe the Limit, Save, Grow Act is exactly what this country needed, and more importantly, it was this first step in negotiations with the president and the Senate.”
With the Santos “stain” potentially damaging the reputation of the Republican Party, Democrats could come out in full force to reclaim his district, D’Esposito’s and others to take back the House, where the GOP maintains a very slim majority.
Reflecting on the policies and efforts brought forth by his colleagues such as Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin, Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, D’Esposito believes voters aren’t focused on the alleged misdeeds of one man, but looking at what the party is doing as a whole.
“I don’t believe Santos has tainted Republicans,” D’Esposito said. “I think voters see that the Republican way of governing Nassau County and Long Island is the right one.
“I’m preparing the same way I’ve prepared for every election in my life, and that is working hard now. It’s delivering on promises.”
Courtesy Matthew Capp
They are musicians, activists, scholars, and more — Gen-Z students stepping up as leaders in their community. These three Malverne High School students were honored by Assemblyman Brian Curran as young leaders in the 21st century for their dedication to their education and their commitment to helping others.
Olivia Brown, 10th grade, Malverne High School
On top of excelling in academics, Brown is a talented athlete and musician. She sings, plays volleyball and softball, and is involved in the color guard and debate team. Even more, Brown is currently an intern at an engineering firm in Manhattan where she helps professional engineers design electrical systems and draft blueprints. She credits her success to her parents and two siblings, who she says push her to be the best version of herself.
“It’s very gratifying to have my work recognized,” Brown said. “This award has motivated me to keep doing what I’ve been doing, and hopefully I can pass it forward.”
Brown was also heavily involved in the “What’s In A Name?” project, which successfully saw Linder Place, named for a high-ranking KKK member, renamed to Acorn Way.
Brown asserts that it’s important to stay aware of today’s issues and fight for
change. “I received this award for righting a wrong from 100 years ago,” Brown said. “And 100 years from now there might be a young student receiving an award for righting a wrong that is happening today. It is never too late to stand up for your morals and make a small change.”
Raymond Cecere, 12th grade, Malverne High School
Cecere is the first Malverne High School student to be recognized as a National AP Scholar, and is also recognized by the College Board as a National Hispanic Recognition Scholar. He also attended the Youth Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California, where he was named a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar. He is vice president of the National Honors Society.
Alongside his achievements in academics, Cecere is also captain of the varsity tennis team, a section leader of the Pride of Malverne marching band, president of the Mechanical Mules Robotics club, treasurer of the Service Legion club, and an Eagle Scout.
One of his most impressive accomplishments is his independent study, “The Effects of the Jacobean Routes Have on Residents,” which he said allowed him to evaluate residents’ wellbeing while also conducting in-depth research into his heritage. It also helped Cecere discover he has a knack for data analysis, which inspired him to pursue a degree in Operation Research.
Cecere, an aspiring Naval Officer, will be attending a 6-week basic training at
the United States Naval Academy this June.
To Cecere, this award only furthers his drive to strive for excellence. “Being recognized for my hard work feels incredibly rewarding and fulfilling,” Cecere said. “It boosts my motivation and confidence, knowing that my contributions are valued by others.”
Sabrina Ramharakh, 12th grade, Malverne High School
Ramharakh is the valedictorian of the 2023 graduating class. On top of maintaining high grades in all her classes, she is the president of student government where she works to enhance student life and advocate for student needs. She is also an athlete, and has been a starting player on both varsity soccer and varsity lacrosse since her freshman year. Her dedication has earned her the position of captain of the varsity soccer team.
Ramharakh volunteers at both South Shore Children’s Soccer Camp and Camp Curiosity, where she helps kids hone their athletic and academic skills. As if that’s not impressive enough, Ramharakh is also the section leader of the Pride of Malverne marching band, where she plays the trumpet, baritone, and euphonium.
She’ll be attending the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School in the fall, where she will pursue Economics in hopes of one day establishing a company that will benefit others.
“I’m committed to working hard and dedicating myself to my goals, with the
Olivia Brown
10th grade
Raymond Cecere
12th grade
Sabrina Ramharakh 12th grade
hope of contributing to society,” Ramharakh said.
“Receiving this award means so much to me because it represents the impact that I have been able to make in my community,” said Ramharakh. “It serves as a reminder that even modest efforts can have an impact and that persistence pays off in the long run.”
Despite young people’s reputation as phone-absorbed, it’s clear that for many students — Brown, Cecere, and Ramharakh in particular — community betterment is at the forefront of their priorities.
“Young people are powerful,” Curran said in a statement. “I want to encourage young people to be bold. Change the world. Don’t be afraid to be a part of something bigger. Use your powers to make our small planet a better place.
Olivia, Raymond, and Sabrina are great examples of young leaders.”
Courtesy Malverne school district MALvERNE HIgH SCHOOL students Olivia Brown, Sabrina Ramharakh, and Raymond Cecere were recognized as Young Leaders in the 21st Century by Assemblyman Brian Curran.The West Hempstead Community Support Association held its biannual Halls Pond Park cleanup on May 21.
Neal Rosenblatt worked with the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation & Museums to secure all the needed supplies for the event as well as the truck to haul the trash away. Santos Welti worked to promote the event to get the community out for the cleanup.
“We thank all the board members that attended as well as the community for their support,” said Maureen Greenberg, president of the West Hempstead Community Support Association. “Neal works tirelessly with the county to keep this park clean and in good repair.”
Greenberg said there is still much
work to be done to make Halls Pond Park safe for children and residents.
“Unfortunately, it takes too long for repairs and requested signs to be placed by the county,” she said.
“The playground currently is dangerous and has been reported to be repaired. Hopefully, this won’t take another year to repair.”
To alert the West Hempstead Community Support Association to any concerns in the area, email Rosenblatt at nr.whcivic@aol.com. For more information about the association, including volunteering for future events, visit WestHempsteadCivic.org.
–Mark Nolancontinued from front page
something or extend its period of usefulness that is missing in today’s age of quick disposal and easy replacement.
Malverne looked different then. With a population of less than 1,000, there seemed to be more fields than people. With his signature wit, Mackreth recalls that he would often walk down the Southern State Parkway with a childhood friend on their way to the carousel at Hempstead State Lake Park, “and walking along the parkway, every once in a while, a car would go by.”
When he was around 9, Bob started a publication called “The Weekly Cargo.” His mother, Sarah “Sallie” Mackreth (née Reva) was the editor in chief of the Malverne Herald for over 40 years — so it’s not surprising that he was, and remains, a talented writer. Ahead of her time, Sallie was ambitious and adventurous. Bob recalls her flying in an airplane with an open cockpit, and promising him that she would drop him her red scarf. The scarf, however, landed several blocks away, and was found by another kid.
“I came running over, saying, “Hey, that’s my scarf,’” Mackreth recounted. “He wouldn’t give it back.” Here he paused playfully, inviting his listener to fill in the blank. “But I went home with the scarf.”
Mackreth enlisted in the Army when the United States entered World War II. He was chosen to participate in a specialized Army Intelligence training program. There, alongside men including future U.S. Sen. Frank Church and Henry Kissinger, Mackreth learned to interpret aerial photographs. He used his skills during his time overseas in England, France and Germany — even spotting the artillery stationed at the Ludendorff Bridge, the site of a significant Allied win.
During his service, he wrote letters to his “sweetheart,” Helen Rogan, and always carried a picture of her. They would eventually be married for 69 years.
After returning home from the war, Mackreth earned a degree at Hofstra University — studying French because it was the only subject he ever failed at Malverne High School.
After earning a master’s from Adelphi, he began a career in social work that he would continue though his mid90s, focused on helping disadvantaged children.
He and Helen married on Nov. 9, 1947, and Bob Jr. came along a couple of years afterward. Later they had two more children, Bill and Patricia.
“They were a unit — a partnership,”
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Patricia, who’s now 62, said of her parents.
“They supported each other.”
Helen was instrumental in keeping the Mackreth family connected — according to Patricia, she never forgot a birthday or anniversary. When Helen started having a difficult time in her mid-90s, Bob left his job to care for her full-time. She died in 2017, at age 93.
I think he felt, this is my job and I’m going to do it for my wife,” Bob Jr., 72, said. “My father has always had a strong sense of duty. When he sees something wrong, he tries to fix it.”
Bob’s father, Andrew Mackreth, was a prominent member of the early Malverne community. One of the village leaders, Paul Lindner, who was also the head of the local Ku Klux Klan chapter, tried to recruit him, but Mackreth was staunchly opposed to racial injustice, and rejected Lindner.
Soon afterward, a burning cross was
raised on the Mackreth family’s block, but they were not swayed by the threat.
Bob was delighted last year when the student-led project What’s In a Name? resulted in the renaming of Lindner Place to Acorn Way in September. He has spent his adult life taking part in racial equality marches — with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., among others — speaking out during the AIDS crisis, and caring for overlooked children in the foster care system.
“He’s a crusader,” Patricia said. “He’s always tried to fight for what was right. He’s still someone concerned about his family, his friends, his community and the world.”
today
Mackreth still living independently, remains close with his children and four grandchildren, and says they are the accomplishment he is most proud of.
“They’re the most beautiful, wonderful kids you can imagine,” he said of his grandkids.
“I am completely in awe of them, and very proud. So perfect.”
Mackreth keeps the history of Malverne, and his own life, close to his heart. Helen lives on in his meticulously maintained calendar, which lists every family occasion. And the memory of 1930s Malverne lives on in the memoir now in progress, which doesn’t yet have a title, but does have a subtitle: “Recollections of a Lucky Boy.”
“I can only tell you that I’m a very lucky person,” he said. “Lucky to have been born in Malverne, lucky to have been raised in Malverne. Lucky to be part of this celebration. Just lucky to be here. It’s something I appreciate very much.”
Those interested in seeing more of, and hearing more from, Mackreth can do so on Monday, when he will serve as grand marshal of the Memorial Day Parade.
“He said Malverne is in his heart,” Mayor Sullivan said.
“We wanted to give Malverne’s heart back to him in honor of his 100th and all of his contributions, and the memories of our village.”
Maureen Lennon/Herald photos MeMbers of the West Hempstead Community Support Association, from left, Bob Shelly, Santos Welti, Neal Rosenblatt, BaBa Carseck and Kurt Rockensies during the annual spring cleanup. Courtesy Bob Mackreth Jr. bob Mackreth In uniform early in World War II, at around age 20. He turned 100 this month.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.
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.
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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
It was an experience that provided plenty of perspective, including for Frank Torres.
“Whenever I’m honored and recognized for what I do in my field of law, it’s so humbling,” said Torres, an associate attorney with Duffy & Duffy. “I never would have expected so many years later after getting out of law school that I would have gotten to this point.”
That point was being recognized as one of the Top Lawyers of Long Island during a ceremony last week, May 17, at the Heritage Club at Bethpage. Hosted by RichnerLive — the events division of Richner Communications and Herald Community Newspapers — the event featured some 300 attorneys, all mingling and congratulating each other on their achievements.
Lawyers were awarded for their accomplishments in a wide range of fields, including civil rights litigation, land use and zoning, commercial litigation, personal injury, and dispute resolution.
Jothy Narendran, a co-managing partner with Jaspan Schlesinger Narendran, was named one of the philanthropists of the year. She encourages everybody at her firm to get involved with a charity that they connect with on some level. For Narendran, that work involves Spectrum Designs, a custom apparel shop that employs individuals who are neurodiverse.
“It’s so nice to be recognized, especially in the community that we’re in,” Narendran said. “I don’t think there’s success without giving back.”
Amy Amato, executive director of RichnerLive, expressed gratitude for all who attended and made the event possible. Herald publisher and chief executive Stuart Richner described the gala as a “great way to celebrate all of the legal firms and professionals that contribute to our community. They are critical to ensuring that everyone’s interests are represented both fully and fairly. And I congratulate all of the winners for their hard work, passion and expertise.”
A portion of the ticket proceeds were donated to the Suffolk County Bar Association Charity Foundation, and the Nassau County Bar Association We Care Fund. There the money will be used for educational and charitable purposes, including the improvement of citizenship and justice, and to provide scholarships, grants and charitable programs to help those in need.
Brad Cronin, founding partner of Cronin & Cronin Law Firm, was honored with the lifetime achievement award for tax certiorari. He’s been practicing in his field for 40 years.
“You do a lot of hard work to get to this point,” Cronin said, “but the wonderful thing is I have a wonderful staff that’s been with me for 20, 30 years. And it means a lot that they’ve been able to support me and everything I do.”
Giuseppe Franzella, member of Bond Schoeneck & King, was honored for his work in commercial litigation. Franzella chose this particular path of law because of his family, and that he’s known that that was what he wanted to do since he knew what work was.
“I just wanted to be able to advocate for people and really solve people’s problems, which is what I do today as a litigator,” Franzella said. “I’m very flattered to be honored. It feels great to have the support of my firm and the local legal community, and it’s an honor to be among this group that’s been nominated, which is people I’ve worked with in the legal community, and looked up to, for a long time.”
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Tim Baker/Herald photos TOp LAWYeR HONOReeS enjoying dinner during the awards ceremony with friends, family & loved ones. THe VISHNIck McGOVeRN Milizio LLP team. HON. IRA B. Warshawsky (Ret.) from Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C. & NAM (National Arbitration and Mediation).
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Richard P. Byrne of L’Abbate, Balkan, Colavita & Contini | National Arbitration and Mediation
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THe SaHn Ward Braff Koblenz PLLC team. BrIan K. ZIegLer from Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP. aLySon MaTHeWS FroM Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC. gLenn M. JoneS from Harris Beach PLLC. FranK TorreS oF Duffy & Duffy, PLLC.Thirteen turned out to be an unlucky number for the Malverne softball team this spring since that win total wasn’t good enough to qualify for the playoffs. But on the flip side, the number represented the continued progress the program has made in recent seasons.
KieRaN Kehoe
Mepham Junior Baseball
it DiDN’t taKe long for Kehoe to work his way into the heart of the Pirates’ batting order this spring. He began the season hot and quickly caught fire, earning All-County honors and maybe more. He finished the regular season with 5 homers and 37 RBIs to go with a whopping .650 batting average and 1.100 slugging percentage. Then in Mepham’s Class A playoff opener he blasted another home run and drove in three to lead a victory over Carey.
Boys laCRosse
thursday, May 25
Class A semifinals at Hofstra 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.
friday, May 26
Class C semifinals at Hoftra 4 and 6 p.m.
Monday, May 30
Class A championship game at Hofstra 5 p.m.
Class B championship game at Hoftra 7:30 p.m.
tuesday, May 31
Class C championship game at Hofstra 5 p.m.
Class D championship game at Hoftra 7:30 p.m.
giRls laCRosse
tuesday, May 31
Class D championship game at Adelphi 5:30 p.m.
Class A championship game at Adelphi 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 1
Class B championship game at Adelphi 5:30 p.m.
Class C championship game at Adelphi 7:30 p.m.
The Mules finished the season hot by winning nine of their last 11 games to finish 13-5 in Conference VI play and 13-6 overall. The wins were three more than last year and a whopping 11 from the 2021 squad that struggled mightily.
Malverne finished fourth in Conference VI behind undefeated Elmont, Valley Stream South and Lawrence, schools it went 1-5 against this year, but coach Nick Moreno was still very happy with his team’s performance.
“These girls worked hard, they really did,” he said. “Definitely they were running the bases better and fielding [better]. We lost seven starters last year and they definitely picked it up.”
Malverne was missing a lot of its starters during a 1-3 slide in early April that ultimately cost the Mules a playoff spot, but the girls avenged a 15-1 loss at Lawrence on April 11 with a 15-6 triumph on May 3. Olivia Brown, Julie Brienza and Anyely Rijo combined to drive in 12 runs to back pitcher Nirvana Cole, who went the distance for her third win.
“That was definitely one of our most gratifying wins, showing Lawrence that they might have had us that one game, but if we had our starters, we could’ve been 2-0 against them.” Moreno said.
Seniors Brienza (.607 average, 3 HR, 45 RBI) and Samantha Frey (.629, 1 HR, 34 RBI, 30 SB) put plenty of fear in opposing pitches from the 3-4 spots in the lineup, while the latter paced the team with 10 pitching wins with 71 strikeouts and 4.75 earned-run average in 59 innings. Both earned All-Conference honors for their efforts.
“Her and Samantha Frey, at three and four, was just unreal,“ Moreno said. “We knew we were going to get a run in in any inning they were hitting. Losing
them is going to hurt.”
Those RBI opportunities were set up by top of the order batters Rijo, Julie Rodriguez and Olivia Jenkins. Rijo, a junior who never played softball before, batted .400 with 14 RBI and 17 runs scored, and Rodriguez posted similar numbers (.396, 18 RBI, 31 runs). Jenkins, a sophomore, hit .429 and was successful on all 17 of her base stealing attempts.
Junior outfielder Luz Rodriguez hit .300 on the season, including a walk-off single against Uniondale on April 22, and sophomore Brown is developing
into the team’s “next power hitter,” according to Moreno. Cole had 58 strikeouts in 43 innings pitched during her sophomore campaign while batting .326 on offense.
Despite losing Brienza, Frey and Julie Rodriguez to graduation, Moreno is already excited for 2024 because of the talent coming up from the JV squad and the continued growth of Brown, Rijo and Jenkins.
“We should be contenders again next year, without a doubt,” Moreno proclaimed.
Oceanside schOOl nO 4 was just one of several schools taking a field trip to an open house hosted by the Nassau County Police Department at
Mack Center for Training and Intelligence, just in time for the organization’s 98th anniversary. More than a thousand people came to each of the three days of the event.
By KaRina KOVac kkovac@liherald.com
It’s not quite a century, but when anything reaches the ripe age of 98, it’s certainly time to celebrate. And that’s what he Nassau County Police Department did recently with its second annual open house — a three-day event at the David S. Mack Center for Training and Intelligence, that attracted somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000 people each day.
Among those helping the department celebrate its near-milestone were groups of students from various schools who gathered to see demonstrations, learn more about the history of the department at the police museum, and visiting Children’s Safety Town.
“We have progressed like the rest of the country has with police reform and the needs, as technology advances, as types of guns on the street, drugs, different ways to commit crimes” have advanced, we have advanced,” police commissioner Patrick Ryder said. “We are very fortunate here in Nassau County that we are, I like to say, ahead of the curve.”
Staying ahead of the curve means undertaking a new training village that will replace the usual tactical training the department has done since 1925 with what Ryder describes as a more accurately simulated real-life scenario. It’ll be complete with different locations such as a school, house of worship, different types of residences, a bank, a police station, and even a train station with a trestle and platform for specialized situational training.
Through new technology and analytics, the department can adjust to the complexities modern law enforcement can encounter out in the field, Ryder said.
“Life has gotten complicated with the amount of mental health crisis people out
there” are experiencing, Ryder said. “How do we do it? And how do we do it better?
It’s a challenge for us every day. We’re working to make it better.”
The open house aimed not only to familiarize the public with police work, but also to bridge any divide in communities where trusting the police could be lacking. Ryder acknowledged past mistakes and said the department is committed to moving forward with the public’s support. And really, in the long run, they are the good guys, after all.
“We’re here to help,” he said. “You know, yeah, sometimes you’re dealing with bad things. Things happen, and you know, people are upset. We got that. We understand that. But we want them to understand. We’re here to help you. And trust in us. We’ve got to build that trust.
“We know we have errors. We’ve made mistakes. We want to get better.”
One attendee eager to see the police was Jack Mallon. The 2-year-old wore a police vest and enjoyed the repelling demonstration.
“We came just to show him a little bit and to support the police and get his interest piqued a little bit,” said Christina Mallon, Jack’s mother.
It’s important to support law enforcement, she added, because “they do so much for us so we should do a little bit for them.”
Visitors watched an array of demonstrations beyond repelling like using the Jaws of Life to help rescue people from crashed cars, and a display of police canines. Officer Michael Leone, one of the officers involved in the K-9 demonstration, was signing specialty made K-9 cards given to the kids after the display — something they could take home as a souvenir.
It was “exhilarating” to see the kids rush him for autographs, Leone said, adding that “it’s nice to be appreciated by the public.”
Steve Dembo took his children out of school early to attend some of the open house. He knew it was law enforcement
week, so he reached out to the department to see if anything was going on, and found out about the training center event he knew his two children would enjoy.
“I think it’s important for them to see what the police officers do every day,” Dembo said. “It’s interesting. They’re interested in it.”
Together, the family saw the repel demonstration, the new state-of-the-art robot dog, and even met the motorcycle unit.
“They love really everything so far,” Dembo said. And that allowed the dad to take his kids home with them the lesson that “police are your friends, and if you have any kind of trouble at all, they’ll help you.
“It’s very important that kids know that,” Dembo added. “Not to be afraid of them.”
Karina Kovac/Herald photos the David S. nassau cOunty POlice Department commissioner Patrick Ryder stands in front of a repelling demonstration off the David S. Mack Center for Training and Intelligence, where the department celebrated its 98th anniversary recently with an open house. Tim Baker/Herald
As PFY is gearing up to celebrate the month of pride in June, and the LGBTQ community in general, this year it is also celebrating its own history, as 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of the agency, which was the first of its kind in a suburban setting in the United States.
PFY, which formerly stood for Pride For Youth, is now known simply by its acronym, because a grant allowed the organization to expand the reach of its services, and it now provides lifelong assistance to anyone who identifies as LGBTQ on Long Island and in Queens.
The Bellmore-based organization was founded 30 years ago as an offshoot of the Long Island Crisis Center, Tawni Engel, the associate executive director of the crisis center and PFY, explained, because its founders recognized the need for services for LGBTQ individuals.
The crisis center operates a 24/7 hotline for people with mental health crises, and in the early 1990s, Linda Leonard, its former executive director, noticed an influx of calls from members of the LGBTQ community, Engel said.
“Really over the years, it’s grown exponentially into what it is today,” Engel said of PFY. “And back then, with society, the climate was very different — things were very different.”
The crisis center actually lost funding from private and public donors in the 1990s because they didn’t want to support organizations catering to the LGBTQ community, Engel said.
“I will say that we did the right thing, obviously,” she said. “What we’re sort of known for is just saying, no, we want to meet the needs, and the needs that we are seeing. There’s obviously a gap in services, and we want to be the ones saying we’re filling that gap.”
Devon Zappasodi, PFY’s director, said that as the organization celebrates the momentous anniversary, it is also important to reflect on the work that still needs to be done.
“It’s really exciting when we’re growing and creating these new, innovative programs that are really meeting
Home care paid for by New York State is known as “Community Medicaid”. Paying your own living expenses, plus the cost of caregiving services, is beyond the means of many.
Since 2020, there have been numerous attempts to create a new thirty month lookback period for Community Medicaid eligibility. So far, none of these attempts have been successful and now 2024 is the earliest expected date for implementation. There is no current look-back period for Community Medicaid in New York. This means that you may move assets out of your name this month and obtain Medicaid home care benefits next month, provided you need the care.
Currently, an individual may keep about $1,700 per month plus the amount of any health care insurance premiums. Any excess income must be used towards their care. What if your living expenses exceed $1,700 per month? Enter the “pooled income trust”.
Certified by the state, pooled income trusts are used to allow you to send your
excess income, i.e. the amount over the $1,700 per month you are allowed to keep, to the trust along with copies of your bills for food, rent, mortgage, utilities, home repairs, etc. The trust pays your bills and any amounts unused will accumulate in your account and eventually be added to the “pool” to be used for charitable purposes after your death. Any monies paid to the pooled income trust are not counted as income for Medicaid purposes, allowing you to qualify for Community Medicaid.
The number of hours you will receive depends on the county’s assessment of your needs regarding the activities of daily living (ADL’s). Some of these are eating, bathing, shopping, cooking, personal hygiene, ambulating, housekeeping, dressing, etc.
Several non-profit organizations exist that offer pooled trusts. Applying to join is a formal process with which the elder law firm will assist. Costs generally include minimal start-up fees, an initial deposit and reasonable maintenance fees.
needs and helping folks,” Zappasodi said. “But there’s also, like, this somber tone, because, you know, we’re growing and growing, but then there are still needs that are just unmet.”
Some of the problems facing the LGBTQ community today include food insecurity, the inability to obtain consistent housing and job insecurity, among others. Many people struggle with their mental health, and with accessing and understanding health care services, and PFY works constantly to make sure those issues are addressed.
At the organization’s 2050 Bellmore Road location and at its Suffolk County center in Deer Park, it offers rapid HIV and syphilis testing. PFY recently partnered with the Suffolk County Department of Health to run a mobile medical clinic, where things like free Covid-19 and HPV vaccinations were offered. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease that can cause long-term issues such as cancer if untreated.
To celebrate the anniversary and Pride Month, the organization has an upcoming Pride Gala on June 13 at the Westbury Manor. Ninety-four percent of all proceeds will be devoted to helping the LGBTQ community through PFY’s services.
Attendees will hear from award-winning actor Maulik Pancholy, who is openly gay and known for his role in the sitcom “30 Rock,” among other series. For information on the gala, visit tinyurl.com/PFYEvent2023, and for more on the agency, visit LICCPFY.org.
We’re “always keeping the community close to us,” Zappasodi said, “because without them, we’re nothing — it’s really coming from them — 30 years of working with and in collaboration with the community.”
Courtesy Tawni Engelt’s the moment we’ve been eagerly awaiting: Memorial Day weekend has arrived. Besides the observances, parades and barbecues, for so many of us, that annual trek to Jones Beach to watch the action overhead during the Bethpage Air Show is a beloved tradition not to be missed. This year’s extravaganza, on Saturday and Sunday, May 27-28, is helmed once again by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.
By Karen BloomThe distinguished squadron, back for their 9th headlining appearance, is joined by other elite military pilots including the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team, the U.S. Marines F-35B Demonstration Team, the U.S. Navy F-18 Growler Legacy Team, and the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod Team.
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 Thunderbirds, “America’s Ambassadors in Blue,” demonstrate the extraordinary capabilities of the F-16 Fighting Falcon — the Air Force’s premier multi-role fighter jet. The elite military pilots proudly showcase the capabilities of the $18 million,19,700-pound fighter aircraft, which can travel at speeds up to 1,500 mph. Grace meets power in this mix of six aircraft performing formation flying and solo routines. Flying only a few feet from wingtip to wingtip, observers can glimpse the superb skills that all fighter pilots must possess.
• May 27-28, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
minutes of dynamic maneuvers. We’re always improving our planes and refining our routines.”
His team is a close-knit group of five pilots, with decades of military and professional experience.
• Saturday and Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
• $10 vehicle use fee
• Jones Beach State Park, Wantagh
“I like to say once you check in you never check out. The camaraderie of our team is what makes us special,” he says.
All ages will enjoy some Memorial Day weekend fun on the Tilles Center lawn, with Grammy Award-winner Dan Zanes and Haitian-American jazz vocalist Claudia Zanes. They perform a mix of old and new songs from near and far in a style that has been called ‘all-ages social music,’ also described as an all-ages party. This interactive concert will have you dancing and singing along as the duo performs homespun, joyful music for everyone to enjoy. It’s a relaxed performance open to all, with modified sound levels and quiet spaces for those who wish to move around. Zanes occupies a unique place in American music where sea shanties, English music hall, North American and West Indian folk music, party songs, the spirit of early rock-and-roll, and soulful originals collide. Kids will also enjoy games, bubbles, face-painting and crafts, starting at 12:30 p.m., with a barbecue lunch available for purchase.
Saturday, May 27, 2 p.m. $25. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. TillesCenter.org, or (516) 299-3100
BALDWIN HERALD — February 9, 2023
• For up-to-date information, visit BethpageAirShow.com.
“We’re thrilled that this is our 20th year with the show. It’s so important to us as it’s our home show. For many of our friends, it’s the only time they get to see us (perform). We are always excited to be here and put a smile on people’s faces. It’s great fun to fly down low and see everyone on the beach. This is an awesome weekend, and all the performers are great at what they do.”
• Emily Lowe Hall Gallery, South Campus, Hempstead. For information and to RSVP, call (516) 463-5672, or visit Hofstra.edu/museum
“When We All Stand,” Hofstra University Museum of Art’s new exhibition, examines the collective power of the arts in society.
Curated by Alexandra Giordano — the museum’s assistant director of exhibition and collection — the exhibit underscores artists’ civic responsibility and influence.
Other renowned civilian performers include the always popular Skytypers and their flight squadron of five vintage World War II aircraft. Mike Goulian, North America’s most-decorated aerobatic pilot. Folds of Honor Biplane with Ed Hamill. The American Air Power Museum Warbirds. Long Island’s daredevil pilot David Windmiller. The Warbird Thunder team. The Civil Air Patrol. And the Farmingdale State College Flying Rams, who will fly several of their 22 college-owned aircraft.
The Skytypers, an air show favorite, combine the best of old and new. The team uses five of the remaining World War II-era NA SNJ planes left in the world, meticulously restored with the latest technology.
“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.”
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.
“These were Navy scout planes used on missions in World War II and the Korean War,” explains Larry Arken, Skytypers’ flight leader. “We’ve modernized them and give them plenty of TLC. We have to take care of our warbirds. They’ve got quite a military history. They’ve landed on aircraft carriers and as fighter trainers they trained the Greatest Generation.”
“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 discuss the collective power of the arts to build community, create change, and chart a pathway for national recovery in the areas of social justice, civic participation and activism.”
The Farmingdale-based Skytypers are, of course, a familiar sight along beaches in the northeast with their skytyped messages generated at an altitude of 10,000 feet with puffs of smoke in dot matrix-style letters. Those messages will be on full display during the show, following their aerobatic routine.
“We like to think of this as the largest text message in the world,” Arken says.
Each message is two miles long and as tall as the Empire State building. Visible for 30 miles, they can be seen by 4 million people, according to Arken.
To that end, unlike other recent exhibits that showcased the museum’s permanent collection, Giordano reached out to contemporary artists who loaned the museum their selected works. Some 36 pieces are on view — representing all media — from Emma Amos, Molly Crabapple and the Equal Justice Initiative, For Freedoms, Miguel Luciano, Michele Pred, Hank Willis Thomas, and Sophia Victor.
“The way our climate is now, this exhibit could not be more timely than at this moment,” Albert adds.
His planes’ flying maneuvers also command attention in their five-ship formation.
“We fly low, at 500 feet,” Arken says. “We’re known for our precision skills that involve 18
Among the highlights, she points to the series of prints from the collective For Freedoms. Their four large scale photos are based on Norman Rockwell’s 1943 oil paintings inspired by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1941 State of the Union address that outlined what he considered the essential four democratic values freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. For
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.
Two gifted performers pair up for an exciting double bill on the Landmark stage. These legendary singer-songwriters will enthrall their audience in an evening filled with story-telling, ballads passionate gritty blues. Tom Rush, a gifted musician and performer, offers not just a performance but a musical celebration. His distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. For the past 52 years, Loudon Wainwright III has carved out a distinguished career as one of our most original singer-songwriters; a six-string diarist with material that is by turns, tongue-in-cheek, tender, sarcastic, heart-wrenching, and always deeply personal. Along the way, he’s released more than 20 albums, won a Grammy, acted in film and television, and had his songs recorded by artists including Johnny Cash, Mose Allison, Bonnie Raitt, and his own son, Rufus Wainwright.
Friday, June 2, 8 p.m. $55, $49, $45. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444, or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.
Now in its 18th year, Adelphi University’s ‘new music’ series welcomes Yarn/Wire. The intrepid New York-based piano-percussion quartet has forged a singular path with endlessly inventive collaborations, commissions and performances that have made a significant contribution to the canon of experimental works. The quartet features founding member Laura Barger and Julia Den Boer on piano and Russell Greenberg, also a founding member, and Sae Hashimoto playing percussion.
June 2
Two gifted performers pair up for an exciting double bill on the Landmark stage, Friday, June 2, 8 p.m. These legendary singer-songwriters will enthrall their audience in an evening filled with storytelling, ballads and gritty blues. Tom Rush, a gifted musician and performer, offers not just a performance but a musical celebration. His distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. For the past 52 years, Loudon Wainwright III has carved out a distinguished career as one of our most original singer-songwriters, a six-string diarist with material that is by turns, tongue-in-cheek, tender, sarcastic, heart-wrenching, and always deeply personal. Along the way, he’s released over 20 albums, won a Grammy, acted in film and TV, and had his songs recorded by artists including Johnny Cash, Mose Allison, Bonnie Raitt, and his own son, Rufus Wainwright. $55, $49, $45. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.
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.
The annual Memorial Day parade in Malverne is Monday, May 29, starting at 10 a.m. The parade begins at the gazebo at Chester A. Reese Veterans Memorial Park on Church Street. The parade route continues through the Westwood Section, and returns to Church Street at 11:15 a.m. for a ceremony and wreath laying.
The West Hempstead Memorial Day parade is Monday, May 29, starting at 10 a.m. The parade begins at the St. Thomas the Apostle Chapel at 875 Hempstead Ave. and continues on Hempstead Avenue to Woodlawn Road. The parade will then turn right on Woodlawn Road and end at the American Legion Post 1087.
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.
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.
West Hempstead Class of 1953 will celebrate its 70th reunion, Saturday, Sept. 30, 5-9 p.m. at Plattduesche Park Restaurant in Franklin Square. Tickets are $95 per person. With dinner, dessert, coffee and a DJ. For more information, contact Karl Riesterer at Karl282@aol.com or (516) 315-1312. Payment must be made by June 1. Checks should be made payable to Charles Riesterer, 210 Bedell Terrace, West Hempstead.
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.
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.
The Village of Malverne holds its monthly meeting, Wednesday, June 7, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Village Hall. 99 Church St. For more information, call the village at (516) 599-1200.
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.
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, Wednesday, May 31, 10:15 a.m. and noon; Thursday, June 1, 10:15 a.m. and noon. 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.
For many years visitors to Westbury House at Old Westbury Gardens asked what was beyond the first floor corridor. Now beyond the door and discover “secrets of the service wing,” during a 60-minute guided tour, Friday, May 26, noon-1 p.m.; Monday, May 29, noon-1 p.m.; Wednesday, May 31, noon-1 p.m. and 1:30-2 p.m. Be introduced to the intensive labor required to create the lifestyle experienced by the Phipps family and their guests; tour the many rooms that were “behind the scenes” to create the formal dining experiences of early 20th century. Go along the corridors to the butler’s pantry and silver cleaning room then descend the 17 steps to the kitchen, scullery, and wine storage rooms located on the ground floor. Reservations required. 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information contact (516) 333-0048 or visit OldWestburyGardens.org.
Anyone receiving a voter mail check card erroneously identifying them as a registered Democrat, there are a few things to know.
First, it was caused by human error. Second, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman does not want any blame to be leveled at county Democrats.
According to Blakeman, in the past couple of weeks, the county has fielded many calls from disgruntled voters claiming that they received these cards that misidentified their voter registration over the past couple weeks, Blakeman — a Republican — said. There also were claims that other details like township and Assembly district were also incorrect.
But there is no conspiracy, Blakeman said. Instead, it was a simple mistake admitted to by Phoenix Graphics, the vendor used by the county elections board to print and distribute these cards.
“The voter check cards were sent out with information on a card about people and where they’re supposed to vote, what district they’re in, and what their registration was,” Blakeman told reporters at a recent news conference. “In this circumstance, everyone was identified as a Democrat. Not Republican. Not Working Families. Not the Green Party. So obviously, you can imagine that people who are Republicans or in another party were very concerned that their registration had been changed by someone else.”
This has spurred concern that voters could be confused about how they can vote in upcoming primaries, thinking their registration has been changed. Another potential concern is that the other details that could be
cards are not. That is the disconnect.”
Phoenix Graphics is based out of Rochester, and while admitting to “human error” over the party affiliation, did claim no other part of the card was incorrect.
“As soon as it was discovered, we moved immediately to remedy the situation,” the company said, in a statement.
“This is an isolated event, but we apologize for our mistake, especially to Nassau County officials, who bear no responsibility for this problem. We have fixed the error and, at no cost to taxpayers, will deliver corrected voter information cards as soon as possible.”
In recent years, voter fraud concerns have risen nationwide, with many Republicans blaming Democrats for creating such situations, despite presenting little — if any — evidence to back up those claims. The most prominent case involves former president Donald Trump, who continue to state the 2020 election was stolen from him — once again with no evidence to support the claim.
But Blakeman does not wish to see that kind of sentiment rise in Nassau.
wrong — like township or Assembly district — could add to that confusion caused by this issue.
Blakeman says he’s reached out to the elections board, and is working to not only resolve this, but ensure it doesn’t occur again.
“If you got this, don’t go vote in the Democratic primary,” he added. “The voters rolls are accurate. These
“I don’t think the Democratic Party is engaged in a conspiracy to create havoc in their own primary side,” the county executive said. “I would assume that the Democratic Party doesn’t want a bunch of Republicans showing up for their primary. So, I don’t think there’s anything nefarious on the part of the Democratic Party.
“With respect to my party, I wouldn’t want a bunch of Democrats voting in our primaries.”
The county elections board said voters can expect registration cards with the correct information coming to their mailbox ahead of the primary elections in late June.
ShAdiA SuhA, AT left, and Hilary Rojas Rosales joined Sacred Heart Academy principal Sister Jean Amore to celebrate the $40,000 scholarship and 12-week internship they earned for next fall when both begin college. Shadia and Hilary balanced an intense academic schedule with relaxing activities like raising parakeets and staying sharp on musical instruments.
An internship while in high school can be extraordinary. But an internship and a scholarship?
That’s exactly what Shadia Suha and Hilary Rojas Rosales were awarded recently, the Sacred Heart Academy seniors named winners of the $40,000 Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship for 2023 — and a paid summer internship with Amazon.
Returning home from school one afternoon, both young women were surprised to find the award waiting for them. The scholarship is good for $10,000 each year toward an undergraduate degree in engineering or computer science. The 12-week internship will come after their freshman year in college.
That means both Shadia and Hilary will have a chance to work on some of Amazon’s groundbreaking technologies and core platforms, like Alexa voice technology, Amazon Web Services, and the Amazon retail platform.
Hilary, a Hempstead village resident, has always had a passion for computer science. She plans to attend SUNY Binghamton’s Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science in the fall. Aside from the challenging science and research program, Hilary says she’s made new friends each year in the program, while still finding time to take care of two parakeets, Bella and Jacob.
Shadia, who lives in West Hempstead, cites the friendships she’s made at Sacred Heart, as well as a research project she worked on with Brookhaven National Laboratories, which helped reinforce her passion for the study of medicine through engineering and robotics.
And somehow she still finds time to play the violin, the piano and the guitar — just for fun.
“Not only are Shadia and Hilary intelligent, hardworking scholars, they lead with compassion, courage and commitment,” said Sister Jean Amore, Sacred Heart’s principal, in a release.
“Sacred Heart Academy is so proud of them.”
Sacred Heart’s focus in science and math prepares students to apply their scientific knowledge to real-world challenges. Both Shadia and Hilary have spent a great deal of time in Sacred Heart’s science research center, a stateof-the-art facility designed specifically for student-developed research projects.
Students from historically under-represented and under-served communities represent just 18 percent of computer science bachelor’s degrees across the country, according to Victor Reinoso, global director of philanthropic education initiatives at Amazon.
“We believe that connecting students to computer science education and opportunities help create a more equitable and inclusive future — across all industries and sectors — for generations to come,” Reinoso added, in a release.
Those winning Amazon scholarships were selected based on academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, community involvement, work experience, future goals and financial need. In all, Amazon handed out 400 such scholarships across the country.
Founded in 1949, Sacred Heart Academy is an all-girls Catholic college preparatory school sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Current students come from more than 40 school districts, and graduates go on to recognized top-tier colleges and universities.
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF NASSAU
U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE UNDER THE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF DECEMBER 1, 2006, GSAMP TRUST
2006-HE8, MORTGAGE
PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES
2006-HE8, V. MARITA ARRINGTON, ET. AL.
NOTICE OF SALE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated March 20, 2023, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE UNDER THE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF DECEMBER
1, 2006, GSAMP TRUST
2006-HE8, MORTGAGE
PASS-THROUGH
CERTIFICATES, SERIES
2006-HE8 is the Plaintiff and MARITA ARRINGTON, 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 6, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 49 CAROL ST, WEST HEMPSTEAD, NY 11552: Section 35, Block 538, Lot 30 & 45:
ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS
THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 002877/2013. George Esernio, 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 COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.
139220
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT
COUNTY OF NASSAU
Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as trustee, on behalf of the holders of the Impac Secured Assets Corp., Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates Series 2006-5, Plaintiff AGAINST Jose D. Cruz, et al., Defendant(s)
Pursuant to a Judgment
of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered August 29, 2018, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on June 7, 2023 at 2:00PM, premises known as 350 Coventry Road a/k/a 350 Coventry Road North, West Hempstead, NY 11552. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, Lakeview, County of Nassau, New York, SECTION: 35, BLOCK: 514, LOT: 54. Approximate amount of judgment $378,606.83 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #001855/2016. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 Protocols located on the Office of Court Administration (OCA) website (https://ww2.nycourts.gov /Admin/oca.shtml) and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Karen C. Grant, Esq., Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-056564-F01 75887 139189
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSF10 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST, Plaintiff AGAINST TREVLYN LATORE, ET AL.,
Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered January 13, 2023, 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 6, 2023 at 3:00PM, premises known as 26 HARRIMAN AVENUE, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Hempstead, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 34, Block 362, Lot 88, 89, 90. Approximate amount of judgment
$441,675.80 plus interest
and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #616092/2018. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure
Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Russell S. Burman, Esq, Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 18-002451 75609
139183
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY
COMPANY. NAME: Elite Hydration and Wellness Spa, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 3/23/23. NY Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to:704 Jennings Ave, West Hempstead, NY
11552 Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity
139393
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION, Plaintiff, vs. JOSEPH SOLLOWEN, AS FIDUCIARY OF THE ESTATE OF JOHN KENNETH GORMAN, DECEASED, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 23, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on June 15, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 40 School Street, Malverne, NY 11565. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Village of Malverne, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 38, Block 018 and Lot 20.
Approximate amount of judgment is $463,576.95 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 603426/2020. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side
steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.
Peter Kramer, Esq., Referee (516) 510-4020 Greenspoon Marder, 590 Madison Avenue, Suite 1800, New York, NY 10022, Attorneys for Plaintiff
139406
Memorial Day is a solemn occasion to honor and respect men and women who sacrificed their life while serving in the U.S. military. It is an annual tradition in communities across the country, and here on Long Island, neighbors take pride in honoring those who sacrificed.
Here is a partial listing of nearby Memorial Day parades:
The annual Memorial Day parade in Malverne will be held on Monday, May 29 starting at 10 a.m.
Chamber of Commerce, Malverne Civic Association, The “Pride of Malverne” High School Marching Band, Malverne Volunteer Ambulance Corps, the Malverne Fire Department, and many more.
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT
COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISTION TRUST C/O U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff, vs. LVNV FUNDING LLC, ET AL., Defendant(s).
Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 28, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on June 15, 2023 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 381 Oakford Street, West Hempstead, NY 11552. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 35, Block 407 and Lot 10. Approximate amount of judgment is $160,633.96 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #615753/2021. Cash will not be accepted. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.
Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee Knuckles, Komosinski & Manfro, LLP, 565 Taxter Road, Suite 590, Elmsford, NY 10523, Attorneys for Plaintiff 139404
The parade begins at the gazebo at Chester A. Reese Veterans Memorial Park on Church Street. The parade route continues through the Westwood Section, and returns to Church Street at 11:15 a.m. for a ceremony and wreath lying.
Participating in the parade are: Malverne Village officials and community leaders, American Legion Post 44, Sons of the American Legion Post 44, American Legion Auxiliary Post 44, Malverne
The West Hempstead Memorial Day parade will take place on Monday, May 29 starting at 10 a.m. The parade begins at the St. Thomas the Apostle Chapel at 875 Hempstead Ave. and continues on Hempstead Avenue to Woodlawn Road. The parade will then turn right on Woodlawn Road and end at the American Legion Post 1087.
Popular viewing areas for the parade are in front of the Young Israel of West Hempstead, Hebrew Academy of Nassau County Elementary School, Bagel Town, Creative Corner, Congregation Anshei Shalom, The Sunflower Bake Shop, Sauly’s Pizza, and Reisterer’s Bakery.
Compiled by Mark Nolan
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE TO BIDDERS SEALED PROPOSAL WILL BE RECEIVED by the Division of Purchasing of the Town of Hempstead, 350 Front Street, Room 122, Hempstead, N.Y. 11550-4037 until 11:00
AM prevailing time Thursday, June 1, 2023 at which time the following Formal Bids and Contracts will be publicly opened, read and approved as soon thereafter as practicable
FB#21-2023
Labor And Material To Repair/Replace Parts For TOH Existing Dust Collector
FB#22-2023
*Furnish & Install 3”
Thick Foam Insulated
Patio Roof and Two (2) Dry Wells
FB#23-2023
Complete Restoration Of Courtroom Benches
FB#24-2023
Purchase And Installation Of Two (2) AC units For DGS Printshop
YEARLY REQUIREMENTS FOR: *TOWN BOARD TO MAKE AWARD Bid/RFP/RFQ packets may be picked up only between the hours of 9:00 A.M. to 4:15 P.M. Bid/RFP/RFQ Packets may also be obtained via email request to Paul J. LoRaso paullor@hempsteadny.go
v Please include Firm name, address, contact person
and contact telephone number. Also include Bid/Offer number that you are requesting. All Bids/Offers must be made on bidding sheets furnished by the Division of Purchasing of the Town of Hempstead and subject to all specifications, terms and conditions stated therein. The Division of Purchasing and or the Town Board reserves the right to reject any and all Bids/Proposals and to accept the Bid/Proposal(s) that is deemed most favorable to the interests of the Town
ATTENTION VETERANS:
You have certain rights under Section 162 of The New York State Finance Law in connection with public contracts for the purchase of commodities or provision of services.
Specifically, This law may authorize acceptance of a bid submitted by a “Qualified Veteran’s Workshop” provided that the bid shall not exceed the lowest responsible bid by greater than 15%. It is incumbent on you to submit all required documentation to the Town, demonstrating your qualification for treatment under that section. You should consult your attorney to determine your qualification for treatment under this
provision.
Under local law 62.5 this law may authorize acceptance of a bid submitted by a local veteran-owned business that maintains a place of business in or sells supplies, materials or equipment manufactured in the County of Nassau and submit a bid not to exceed 7.5% more than the otherwise lowest responsible bidder, and also does not exceed the bid of the otherwise lowest responsible bidder who qualifies for the local (non-veteran) preference by more than 2.5%.
Certification as to the enterprise is required to be by the NYS Office of General Services or US Department of Veterans Affairs.
DATED: May 19, 2023
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y.
DONALD X. CLAVIN JR.
SUPERVISOR
KATE MURRAY
TOWN CLERK
DOMINICK A.
LONGOBARDI
DEPUTY TOWN
COMPTROLLER 139613
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the MALVERNE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS will hold a PUBLIC HEARING on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at the MALVERNE VILLAGE HALL, 99 Church Street, Malverne, New York 11565 and will hear the following cases at 7:00 PM:
Dennis White 133 Woods Ave.: Residential “A” District Permit Application No.: 2023-0307 & Fence Application No.: 2023-0308
Proposes to construct 12 ft. x 24 ft. semi-inground steel wall swimming pool with drywell.
George & Bridget Gunn 57 Lawrence Ave.: Residential “B” District Fence Application No.: 2022-0159
Proposes to install 6 ft. high front, left, right, and rear facing solid PVC fence with one out swinging self-latching gate, all as part of pool barrier safety enclosure. All interested parties should appear at the above time and place. BY ORDER OF THE MALVERE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF MALVERNE Averil Smith, Village
Dated:
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:
Childhood Assistant Teachers
HALB Elementary School:
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
To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 • To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5
Agreat location that is perfect for a large family. This spacious home has 5 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms, plus additional rooms for home gym and home office. This home boasts 2-zone gas baseboard heat, new electric service, new roof, new water service, new boiler, new hot water heater, new sewer lines and all new masonry in the garage. There's a fire sprinkler system throughout the home, and a new first floor double-size outside deck perfect for entertaining, with a 2 car garage plus another parking spot behind the home. You will enjoy the ceiling fans and hardwood floors that are throughout the home. It is close to shopping, restaurants and public transportation, with the beach just blocks away. Come see for yourself, this maintenance-free home has it all! Low Flood Insurance and FEMA compliant.
Coletti EllimanQ. We started doing work to our home and are just finishing, and the painter suggested that a wall could be taken down to open up the rooms. He says he can do this himself because it’s not a support wall. We’ve looked into it, thinking about an island in the kitchen and matching the floor or replacing it. The painter said we might need an architect, but since the work is interior, it won’t need a permit. We’re wondering what we should do, because we know you’ll say we need a permit, but the painter says we can get one after the work is done, and he can start right away so he can finish the work and avoid interruptions. Do you think this is a good idea?
A. The permit, as a piece of paper or a process of reviewing the work, isn’t the point. As you read this, hundreds of projects around you are underway with no permits. Most of them will either never be found out or are of such small consequence that when an issue comes up, it will be ignored.
Open Houses
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Usually, I only learn about problems when either a buyer or a lending bank wants something put on record. I receive frantic calls asking if plans can be made quickly and a permit obtained before the closing in a week. Anyone who tells you the permit process is quick is trying to sell you something.
But remember, the permit document isn’t really the important thing. The permit is a symbol representing a more important issue — safety. Safety not only includes your well-being against doing something dangerous; it also means preventing health risks and the potential of losing a large sum of money if something goes wrong.
Removing a non-structural wall is a little misleading. The wall may not be supporting anything, but it has weight that you want to replace with another load. In general, people rarely look at any kind of building as a system of puzzle pieces, all fitting together in a specific way.
Lined St in SD#14. Spacious LR, DR & Family Rm, EIK & Fin Bsmt. Att Garage. HW Flrs. Near Park, Trans, Shops & Houses of Worship REDUCED! $799,000
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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
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
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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!..$1,075,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299
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As an example of what can happen, I once got a call from someone who had that wall removed and added an island. The wall load was removed from the beams below, which was a good thing because those beams were now carrying less of a load. Then an island was installed, a four-foot-wide model with a beautiful quartz countertop, a sink and a sixburner stove. The homeowner also wanted an open display for restaurant-sized canned peeled tomatoes, ready for use with one of their famous recipes.
The island load was calculated after the finished flooring began to distort and come loose and sagged 4 inches, when I was called to figure out what was going wrong. The island weighed at least six times the load of the wall, and the beam below was buckling. The floor bounced and the wine glasses in a nearby cabinet clinked together every time someone walked by.
© 2022 Monte LeeperReaders are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
Garage Sales
LONG BEACH: Saturday 5/27/23, Sunday 5/28/23, Monday 5/29/23; 64 Franklin Blvd. 10am-5pm. Something For Everyone! China, Silverware, Appliances, Housewares, Comic Books, Etc.
VALLEY STREAM: Saturday 5/27/23
And Sunday 5/28/23 9am- 4pm. 85 Jedwood Place. Something For Everyone!
WANTAGH: SATURDAY 5/27/23 9am-1pm 1276 Holiday Park Drive. Beautiful Swivel Navy Chair, Crystal, Unique Items!
MERCHANDISE MART
Antiques/Collectibles
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SERVICES
Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry
Home Improvement
LITO CONSTRUCTION Home Improvement/ Construction 10% OFF ANY JOB OVER $2,000
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The ongoing influx of undocumented immigrants into New York City now threatens not just to overwhelm the city, but to spread into the suburbs, as we have already seen in Rockland and Orange counties, raising serious quality-of-life issues.
Let me make it clear from the start. America is a nation of immigrants. They have always been the lifeblood that gives America its unique sense of determination and ingenuity. I am a grandson of immigrants. Like the late Gov. Mario Cuomo, I consider America to be more a mosaic and stained glass window than a melting pot.
No country has more legal immigration than the United States. Having said that, we cannot be a nation without borders or one that allows entry to unlimited numbers of migrants. There must be an orderly process and procedure for immigration, not just to safeguard our society and communities, but for the welfare of the immigrants. We cannot financially afford the surge of undocumented immi-
grants we are seeing today.
Coming out of the coronavirus pandemic, our economy was straining to recover. Mental health and education needs caused by Covid had to be met and paid for, with diminished revenues. Crime in our streets had to be brought under control to protect our residents and to make cities safe for people to return to work and play. Housing had to be provided for the growing numbers of homeless, including America’s veterans. Adding 60,000 undocumented immigrants to New York City is unsustainable, especially since we have virtually no idea who these people are and what physical, mental and educational needs they have. Nor do we know the criminal histories some may have. While the overwhelming majority of undocumented immigrants are good people, some are not. I saw examples of the negative results of uncontrolled illegal immigration on Long Island in 2014 and 2015, when there was a surge of undocumented minors across the southern border. A significant numbers of those kids were sent by the federal government to communities such as Brentwood and Central Islip, many of whose residents are
hardworking immigrants from Central America. This put a severe burden on the local school districts, which had to accept these kids on very short notice while addressing their unique educational and psychological needs and deficiencies as well as the language challenges.
pDespite Rep. Steve Israel and I making requests and introducing legislation, the Obama administration refused to provide these school districts with any added funding. There was also the chilling reality that a number of these young people were connected to the MS-13 gang, which was recruiting new members and carrying out brutal acts of violence against other students. In the 18 months from the fall of 2015 to the spring of 2017, MS-13 carried out a reign of terror in the immigrant community, brutally murdering 25 mostly young people.
You can understand why residents in communities in Brooklyn and Staten Island are so opposed to large numbers of undocumented immigrants being housed close to schools and neighborhood facilities.
This crisis of undocumented migra-
tion would be severe enough if there were any end in sight. Instead, more buses of immigrants arrive at the Port Authority every day. New York City Mayor Eric Adams wants to lessen the city’s burden by sharing it with neighboring counties, which are no more able to provide the necessary services than the city. Not surprisingly, Rockland and Orange counties are resisting through legal proceedings, and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has made clear his opposition to Adams’s plan.
The only answer to this humanitarian crisis is for the Biden administration to secure our porous border as quickly as possible. Despite the president’s protestations, he doesn’t need congressional authorization to get the job done. He has the necessary power and authority.
Congress will not consider legislation on undocumented migrants already in the country until there is assurance that the border is secure, and the asylum system is reformed so that just claiming asylum won’t provide long-term sanctuary until hearings are held years in the future. Our challenge must be to stop illegal immigration while ensuring that America remains a nation of immigrants.
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security.
The Memorial Day acai bowl just will not work. Neither do I want to see a tofu hot dog or an Impossible Burger vegging out at my table. Save the kale smoothies for another time. This year, after all the pandemic deprivations and accommodations and missed celebrations, I look forward to an old-time cookout, me and my old friends: carbs and salt and fat.
Even as I write this, it feels transgressive. I’m a good girl — I am. I eat healthy day in and day out. For heaven’s sake, even on Thanksgiving I now prepare stuffed butternut squash as a main dish and cooked fruit for dessert.
Eating natural didn’t come naturally. I didn’t grow up breakfasting on mango, granola and yogurt, lunching on avocado toast and dining on six ounces of salmon. I grew up the old-fashioned way, boosted by sugar, highly processed cereal, egg salad with mayo for lunch and liver and red meat for dinner. I stored bags of potato chips under my bed. I
know, you’re as surprised as I am that I reached this age.
My parents’ childhood diet was worse. As Jewish people of European descent, they ate everything with a scoop of chicken fat on top. Chopped liver was a fave. They were poor, so my mother’s family of six would share one chicken and fill themselves up with mounds of mashed potatoes (laden with chicken fat, of course). They served up pots of soup, also glazed with fat. The preferred cooking method was frying, and they weren’t using canola oil, believe me.
My mom and dad lived to 95 and 97, which does raise the question of whether chicken fat is an undiscovered health food. In their 60s they started eating fish and chicken, broiling instead of frying, consuming very little sugar and bulking up fruits and vegetables. They also started exercising, every day, in dogged moderation.
My food evolution began in college, when, after playing the vending machine cookie and cocoa slots, I gained 12 pounds. I hadn’t thought about it before: Would eating cookies and drink-
ing sugar make me unhealthy? Was I prepared to buy all new clothes to accommodate my chocolate chip cookie habit?
As my parents improved their eating habits in the 1960s, I too educated myself about nutrition and began grazing at the salad bars rather than the dessert buffet.
I was an awful cook when we set up our first apartment. At my first official dinner party for the family, I cooked Cornish hens, plated them, and served them to our parents. They were hens on steroids, and it looked as if a flock of geese had landed on our table. When my mother-in-law stuck a fork in hers, blood spurted out.
Some food fads of the day were fondues, either chocolate or cheese, processed white bread and Tang (dehydrated orange juice). I did own a fondue pot, but eventually, dipping bread chunks into melted cheddar lost its appeal. Everyone I knew had a bun warmer to hold the doughy rolls we served with dinner.
Eventually I learned to cook, and have been doing it every day for more than 50 years. We have moved toward
the food paradigm of lots of vegetables and a small amount of protein, preferably fish. I eat lower-fat foods and less sugar because I believe in science, and I know that a hot dog a day will put me away. But one or two a year is good for my personal sense of well-being.
We all associate food with memories, and the coming together on Memorial Day, a holiday both celebratory and somber, has always included a gustatory launching of the summer season. The meal demands fresh corn and watermelon. Beer for the grownups.
This weekend, as we honor those who have given their lives keeping us safe and strong, let’s go back to basics. Even as fake news, fake intelligence and photo fakery overtake us, let’s serve up real hot dogs, rolls, sauerkraut, relish, hamburgers and ketchup, and let’s top it all off with a gaudy and gigantic red, white and blue Jell-O mold, which has no real ingredients at all aside from food coloring.
I don’t know why the prospect of an old-fashioned barbecue feels so satisfying, and I’m not going to analyze it. Just save a seat for me at the long table with the paper tablecloth and pass me a dog with the works.
Copyright 2023 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.
RANDI KREISS
I know that a hot dog a day will put me away. But this weekend, serve ’em up.
resident Biden must secure our porous borders as quickly as possible.
Malverne/West HeMpstead
Established 1994
Incorporating:
Malverne Community Times
1964-1994
West Hempstead Beacon
1950-2020
Mark NolaN Editor
Nicole
Political animosity in America is as old as the Constitution.
Divisiveness and rancor are not traits unique to American politics, either. Humans have learned and relearned how to debate without smashing one another over the head with clubs. Politics is messy. It will always be a blood sport. Political parties exist to dismantle their enemies. But hope remains that discourse will win the day over destruction.
Last week in Nassau County, there was a moment of collective breath-holding for those who support the rule of law, after a printing company made every active voter in the county a Democrat.
The company, Phoenix Graphics, of Rochester, assured the public the mistake was a printing error, and that no one’s party registration had been changed by the Nassau County Board of Elections. Phoenix promised to fix the error, and print and mail updated voter registration cards to everyone.
County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, held a news conference anyway, clutching one of the incorrectly printed voter registration cards.
To his credit, Blakeman resisted a rhetoric-filled speech to score political points. It would have been so easy for him to blame Democrats or cast doubts on the June primaries and the November election, especially since this election cycle will be the first with newly redrawn county legislative districts.
Redistricting is a bare-knuckled politi-
cal process that already causes voter confusion. Blakeman could have added to the confusion and distrust by blaming political enemies. He didn’t.
In fact, Blakeman explicitly said that Democrats weren’t engaged in a conspiracy. He emphasized that the county’s voter rolls are correct. He said there was nothing “nefarious” in the printing error. And he made light of any possible allusion to a conspiracy by saying that it would be nonsensical for Democrats to want Republicans to vote in Democratic primaries.
Pause and reflect for a moment on how significant Blakeman’s actions and words were. He could have made vague accusations, sown doubt and appeared to supporters as a hero battling dark forces.
The era of McCarthyism, the Gilded Age, the Civil War — there have been a number of times in our history when all hope of working with political rivals seemed dead. Our present-day political polarization has been described as among the most divisive in history. The ability to talk respectfully with people who disagree seems all but lost. Gerrymandering and U.S. Supreme Court rulings continue to separate us, and at any time there are a host of wedge issues that prevent reform.
Mention “stolen election” and people reach for pitchforks and torches.
Blakeman may not have scored political points with overzealous conspiracy theorists. Much more important, he sought to calm the electorate and reassure people’s faith in voting and democracy.
To the Editor:
Re Steve Grogan’s letter to the editor, “Democrats favor felons over disabled veterans” (May 11-17), referring to the Democratic lawmakers who have decriminalized adult-use recreational marijuana in New York:
Grogan argues that Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary licenses to sell marijuana have gone to convicted felons, without providing the context behind the assertion. According to a March article in the Albany Times Union, state officials have reserved more than 300 “justice-involved” licenses in the first round, begun last November, for those previously convicted of a marijuana offense, or those whose immediate relatives were convicted. Lawmakers did so, in large part, to help compensate historically marginalized communities of color that were harmed by disproportionately higher marijuana possession arrests compared with predominately white areas.
From January to March 2018, for example, 93 percent of those arrested for marijuana possession in New York City were people of color. Of 4,087 arrests, 2,006 were Black people, 1,621 were Latino, and 287 were white, according to the Innocence Project. Yet Brookings Institution statistics from the time tell us there was relative-
Now that he has poured cold water on a potential simmering issue, he and county legislators must focus on continuing to reassure voters that the county’s voting systems are secure. First, the county must investigate how the printing error occurred. Was it caused by an inadvertent keystroke? Did Phoenix check information before printing nearly 1 million copies of the registration cards?
Next, Nassau legislators must adopt a local law that stipulates that vendors are responsible for fixing such errors at no cost to taxpayers, and that vendors submit a statement of accuracy verification prior to publication. Phoenix voluntarily owned up to its mistake and said it would pay to fix it, but county taxpayers shouldn’t have to rely on the goodwill of vendors when they err.
Finally, the county must insist on prior review by a Board of Elections employee, who would examine voter registration cards and give the OK for printing.
Blakeman should hold another news conference with Democratic and Republican legislators before next month’s primary to reassure voters that the voter rolls are correct, and that no party registrations were incorrectly changed.
Partisanship in our country is close to all-time highs. Blakeman deserves credit for resisting an easy layup to score political points. He and the Legislature must, however, work hard in the coming months to reassure voters that their registration information is correct, and that their votes will be accurately counted.
ly little difference in marijuana use among people of different races.
Grogan writes that licenses went “mostly” to convicted drug dealers, with-
out attributing the statement to a source.
Meanwhile, Section 137 of the state’s cannabis law prohibits anyone convicted of marijuana trafficking within the last
In many corners of the world today, instability and democratic backsliding reign supreme. We see this phenomenon playing out in real time as Russia continues its malicious invasion of Ukraine, China further cracks down on human rights, and Sudan braces for a potentially protracted civil war.
In the face of such a deteriorating international security situation, it is extraordinarily important that the United States reaffirms its commitment to standing for freedom, and continues to nurture democracy around the globe wherever there is fertile soil. America’s greatest ally in this generational struggle is Israel — a free country whose miraculous establishment by the Jewish people and survival against great odds has often drawn the ire of its antisemitic, authoritarian neighbors.
Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Israel as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation led by House Speaker
Kevin McCarthy, to see for myself the manifestation of that country’s great democracy and celebrate the 75th anniversary of Israel’s hard-fought freedom. During our time in Israel, my House colleagues and I met with President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana, and several other Israeli lawmakers, and briefed them on ways Congress is working to help Israel combat violence perpetrated by terrorist groups and state sponsors of terror, such as Iran.
While speaking to our Israeli partners, my colleagues and I reaffirmed our support for enhancing Israel’s “Iron Dome” missile defense system, and announced our participation in a new joint U.S. House-Knesset Parliamentary Friendship Group — a bilateral association of legislators from the United States and Israel designed to promote avenues of cooperation between our countries.
What’s more, the American delegation formally delivered a copy of a congressional resolution I co-sponsored that calls for
three years from obtaining a license, pending state board review. All license applicants must also prove they have owned a profitable, legal business for at least two years. For more, go to bit. ly/436glY2.
Finally, Grogan states that no disabled veterans have received licenses in Round One, again without attribution. The state’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act of 2021, however, requires that service-disabled veterans receive priority treatment in the licensing process, along with minority- and women-owned businesses and distressed farmers.
For more, go to Cannabis.ny.gov.
To the Editor:
The State Legislature is again considering legislation (A.6696/S.6636) that would exponentially expand damages awardable in wrongful death lawsuits. This bill is very nearly the same as one that was — thankfully — vetoed by Gov. Kathy Hochul last January. The physicians at the Nassau County Medical Society and throughout the state worked tirelessly to have this bill vetoed, but this issue is now resurfacing.
As doctors, we have great sympathy for the grieving families of our patients, and we understand that this legislation seeks
to help them. However, any legislation to expand costly lawsuits must be balanced to help prevent the enormous adverse impact it would have on our health care system. Had the first bill been signed into law, it would have made it even more difficult for our struggling community hospitals and medical practices to continue to provide needed patient care.
While the new bill purports to respond to the governor’s veto, it in fact does not.
Hochul identified several reasons for vetoing the earlier bill, including that it “would increase already high insurance burdens on families and small businesses and further strain already distressed health care workers and institutions,” which would be “particularly challenging for struggling hospitals in under-served communities.”
Furthermore, the governor articulated her concerns that the bill “passed without a serious evaluation of the impact of these massive changes on the economy, small businesses, individuals, and the State’s complex health care system.”
The new bill does not address these concerns. It would continue to enable the awards of new categories of damages that multiple actuarial studies show will lead to a nearly 40 percent growth in liability costs, on top of the already unaffordable costs facing our physicians and hospitals.
Studies from Diederich Healthcare show that from 2019 to 2021, New York had the highest cumulative medical liability payouts of any state in the country, $1.4 billion, nearly twice as much as the secondhighest state, Florida. It also had the high-
the strengthening of the Abraham Accords. The accords — a historic framework brokered by Nassau County’s own David Friedman, who served as America’s ambassador to Israel — provide a path to lasting peace in the Middle East, and I am proud that a Long Islander played such a large part in their formation. We were shown such warmth by the Israeli people as we toured large swaths of Jerusalem, including the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — moving visits to sites important to my Catholic faith. I also paid my respects to the victims of the Holocaust at Yad Vashem, which serves as a palpable reminder to the world that we must work tirelessly to prevent such evils from ever being carried out again.
Indeed, Jerusalem truly is a holy city, and I am grateful to the Israeli people for their considerate caretaking of so many important religious places of worship and other sacred sites. Sadly, however, the carefully maintained peace established by Israel that I observed was shattered as rockets fired from Gaza targeted innocent
Israelis in the southern sections of the country near the end of my visit — a painful reminder that Israel remains under siege, and that underscores the need for the United States to continue supporting our greatest ally in its struggle for survival.
On my flight back to New York from Jerusalem, I couldn’t help but think of those poor Israeli men, women and children forced to live in fear of indiscriminate death falling from the sky. We cannot allow this to remain the reality for the people of Israel.
I have seen firsthand how Israel stands as a beacon of hope in a world cloaked by darkness, and a shining example of the power of liberty in building a free, fair and just society. The United States must do everything in our power to safeguard our Israeli allies, for Israel’s very existence is a victory for the free world, and its success is America’s success. As a member of Congress, I will continue to do everything in my power to provide Israel the tools necessary to ensure that the blue and white banner forever flies high over the country’s eternal capital of Jerusalem. Israel will remain.
Framework by Tim Bakerest per-capita liability payment, 33 percent more than the second-highest state, Pennsylvania. And it far exceeds states like California and Texas, which New York is competing with to attract and retain the best and brightest physicians.
We just completed a budget cycle in which significant steps were taken to address the stability of our community health care providers, particularly those providing needed care in our undeserved areas. Yet this legislation would under-
mine the positive steps the Legislature has taken to protect access to care.
I urge the Legislature to work toward the adoption of truly balanced legislation that can expand the rights of grieving families, while at the same time preserving our patients’ ability to continue to receive needed health care in our communities.
DR. DAVID PODWALL President, Nassau County Medical Society Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Camp Avenue School — Merrick Congressman Anthony D’Esposito represents New York’s 4th Congressional District.we cannot allow indiscriminate bombing to remain the reality for its people.