Merrick Herald 02-09-2023

‘For That Time’ helps women in poverty across Long Island Organization provides basic necessities to those in need

By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com

When Ryann Jordan, a senior at Calhoun High School in Merrick, learned that there are countless women who can’t afford or don’t have access to basic necessities, like feminine hygiene products, she quickly sprang into action.

Realizing that something needed to be done, Jordan, 18, founded the organization, “For That Time,” to address these needs and make a difference in her local community.

Her sister, Lindsay, a student at Cornell University, told her that many women living in poverty across the U.S. struggle to find not only food and other items from pan -

tries, but also hygiene products.

“In one of her classes, she told me that they talked about period poverty, and I hadn’t really heard about it before,” Jordan said. “I looked more into it and noticed that it was like a really big problem in the world, and it wasn’t really being shared, to my knowl -

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Bellmore-Merrick wrestlers learn basics in youth program Bulldogs offer alternative to team sports

By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com

Traditional team sports may not be for every young athlete, and the Bellmore-Merrick Bulldogs youth wrestling organization understands that. Its administrators and coaches say that being part of the Bulldogs promotes strength and character — on and off the mat — and prepares both male and female wrestlers for a future in the sport.

Olivia Marine, a self-described wrestling mom, wife and daughter, runs the program, and has been involved in the sport for years. Her children are older and are not part of the Bulldogs, and she said she leads the program out of pure love for wrestling.

Years back, Marine said, there was a different youth wrestling group in Bellmore-Merrick, the Tornadoes, but it folded. With the community left program-less, Marine, who lives in Merrick, said that two National Wrestling Hall of Fame coaches

— John Hamilton and Ray Adam, who both have ties to Bellmore-Merrick — approached her and asked her to start another one.

Six years ago, the Bulldogs were founded as a charter wrestling program under the auspices of the Long Island Wrestling Association. It has become a feeder program for wrestling in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, and what young Bulldogs learn, Marine said, prepares them for matches in middle school and high school.

Under her directorship, the program has two head coaches, Steve Romano and Jason Keshinova. Romano focuses primarily on younger wrestlers, in first through third grades, and Keshinova coaches the older ones, fourth- through sixth-graders.

“The younger group will learn basic techniques,” Marine explained. “They learn the rules of wrestling. They learn the commitment that it takes to be a

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Courtesy Ryann Jordan

RYANN JoRDAN, A senior at Calhoun High School, founded the organization ‘For That Time’ to help women in poverty obtain feminine hygiene products.

It’s really just such a great builder of character for everyone.

olIVIA MARINE Bulldogs wrestling director

Learning lessons of life, on and off the mat

wrestler.

“There’s about three moves that they’ll learn and perfect over the course of the season, and when they go to tournaments, they’ll use them there,” she added. “It’s exactly how you would see it in a Little League baseball team, football team — there’s a camaraderie there.” All age groups of the Bulldogs attend tournaments throughout the season, which runs from November through March.

Romano, a teacher in New Hyde Park who used to coach Calhoun’s varsity wrestling team, said that practices with the younger athletes sometimes look like controlled chaos — there are a lot of kids with a lot of energy to burn. But that’s a good thing, he added, because they pump that energy into the sport.

The younger wrestlers, he said, learn basic movements that transition into wrestling positions. They also learn strength training, and even some gymnastics — cartwheels and forward rolls.

With the youngsters, Romano explained, it isn’t always the knowledge of wrestling moves that helps them win, but rather who has more strength and aggression. “Our older group focuses more on tougher techniques that are more advanced,” Marine said of the fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders. “They’re the ones that are going to tournaments and being noticed, and bringing the tech-

niques with them into middle school or high school.

“But really, it’s just learning the basics of wrestling that’s really important,” she added. “We don’t have enough of these types of programs for the sport.”

The Bulldogs are open to both boys and girls, and Romano said their numbers are well distributed around Bellmore and Merrick. About a third of the wrestlers will end up in Calhoun, Mepham or Ken-

nedy High School, depending on where they live. Practices take place twice a week for each age group in Calhoun’s gym.

Romano said he believes that wrestling training helps athletes on and off the mat. “I think they learn very quickly how hard it is,” he said. “When they win, there’s no one that helped them besides themselves.

“Wrestling is a great foundation for any sport — it teaches your body,” he

added. “Body awareness and footwork can translate to any sport.”

The program, Marine said, provides wrestlers a deeper, overall understanding of the sport. “That’s why we’re a feeder program — to teach them the basic techniques, because they’re not just learning what a referee position is, they’re not just learning what points are,” she said. “What this program is about is when they get to the high school level, they’re actually able to use those techniques on the mat — and maybe they’re more advanced then a ninth-grader who just started wrestling that year.”

What Marine finds more important, she noted, is the lessons about life that wrestling teaches. “What I’ve seen just being around wrestling my entire life is what it gives them off the mat,” she said.

“You know — wrestlers have this certain walk about them. You can always tell who’s a wrestler, young men and women.

“There’s a certain empathy and compassion for the sport they play, and understanding what it takes,” she said. “But also in life, there’s a different type of demeanor about them, a different type of respect. And I think that follows them all through life.”

Information about the Bulldogs has mostly spread by word of mouth, Marine said. More can be found on their Facebook page, Bulldogs Wrestling, and at LongIslandWrestling.org.

Courtesy Steve Romano

The Bulldogs are open to both boys and girls, and get wrestlers on the mats young, to start building the foundation they’ll need to succeed in the future.

Yianna Foufas earns state wrestling title Bellmore-Merrick’s female wrestlers break boundaries in male-dominated sport

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

Yianna Foufas, a junior at Wellington C. Mepham High School, captured a state title in wrestling at the first New York State Public High School Athletic Association Girls Wrestling Invitational last month in Syracuse. Foufas, 16, said she hoped her success would inspire other girls to get involved in male-dominated sports.

The USA Wrestling Girls High School Development Committee recently recognized New York as the 37th state to host a sanctioned high school wrestling tournament for girls.

Foufas isn’t the only female wrestler in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District. Talia Robles, also of Mepham, and Gabriella Schechtman, of Kennedy High, are two more trailblazers, and all three competed in the Syracuse invitational on Jan. 27, alongside more than 200 other female wrestlers from across the state, 33 of them from Long Island.

Foufas placed first in the 114-pound weight class.

“All of the girls were very good and strong,” she said of her competitors. “I was very impressed with everyone’s work ethic on the mat.”

She defeated the 10th-ranked wrestler in the nation in her weight class, 2-0, in the finals, scoring with just 16 seconds left in what was a highly anticipated and competitive match.

“We are extremely proud of Yianna for all she has accomplished,” Mepham coach Ken Richards said. “Yianna has worked tremendously hard in the wrestling room and in the off-season to get where she is today. It’s great to see hard work pay off.”

Foufas and Robles have competed in other girlsonly tournaments in the past. In December 2021, they were the first female wrestlers in Mepham’s history to compete in an allgirls tournament, at Copiague High School.

Foufas previously told the Herald that she wasn’t always interested in sports. “In early elementary school, I sucked at all sports,” she recounted. “I was always the kid that got picked last — I did not want to be in sports at all.”

In an effort to make herself faster and stronger, she said, she started running and working out during recess. Toward the end of elementary school, she started to learn Brazilian jiu-jitsu and strength training. “I said to myself, ‘Hey, I’m pretty strong for a girl,’” Foufas recalled.

And it didn’t take long for her to discover her passion for wrestling. “I went from the kid who sucked at all sports to the girl wrestler,” she said. Before she wrestled at Mepham, she was on the Grand Avenue Middle School team.

Her win upstate isn’t going unnoticed in Bellmore-Merrick. The district’s athletic director, Eric Caballero, said that Foufas’s state title came in a sport that is one of the most difficult to compete in.

“She’s always seeking the highest challenge,” Richards said. “She never stops moving, and is constantly looking for different ways to become a better wrestler and just become a stronger athlete in general.”

Off the mat, Foufas said, she tends to be very shy, and focuses on her other passion: art. An avid artist with an interest in fashion design, she joked that her outside interests were “very different from wrestling.” For half of the school day, she attends the Long Island High School for the Arts.

Once on the mat, however, she said, she becomes more aggressive and feels like a different person. In addition to competing in all-girls tournaments, she has wrestled against boys as well. Wrestling, she said, is about breaking stereotypes.

“People always ask me how it is wrestling all boys, and what I say is that the moment you step on the mat, everyone is equal,” Foufas previously told the Herald. “The thing I love about it is that most people think all girls who wrestle are tomboys — it’s just a stereotype.”

Looking ahead, she said, she wants to pursue both of her passions, wrestling and art, in college. “If there’s any girl who’s looking into getting into a combat

sport or a male-dominant sport and they’re afraid, I would like to tell them just to go for it,” Foufas said. “It could be the best thing that happens to them.

“There’s just something so magical

about having your hand raised — it’s a hard sport, and I have a lot of respect for everyone in it.”

Additional reporting by Jordan Vallone.

She’s always seeking the highest challenge.

KeN RIchARDS

Mepham

wrestling

coach

Courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District yIANNA FOuFAS, ceNteR, atop the podium after she won the state title in her weight class last month.

Courtesy Yianna Foufas FOuFAS, whO hAS been wrestling since she was in middle school, said she hoped her efforts would inspire other young girls who want to get involved in male-dominated sports.

Courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District FOuFAS, A wReStleR at Wellington C. Mepham High School in Bellmore, earned a win in the 114-pound weight class at the first New York State Public High School Athletic Association Girls Wrestling Invitational in Syracuse. Above, she won of a match at a tournament last season.

Protecting Your Future with

Michael and Suzanne Ettinger Attorneys-at-Law

Spousal Refusal - Just Say No

Spousal refusal is a legally valid Medicaid planning option in New York. By way of background, certain income and assets are exempt from Medicaid if there is a spouse. Generally, the spouse at home, known as the “community spouse” may keep about $3,700 per month of the couple’s combined income and up to about $150,000 of the assets or “resources”. Not included in those fgures are any other exempt assets, such as a home (up to about $1,000,000 of the equity only) and one automobile. The spouse who is being cared for in a facility is known as the “institutionalized spouse”.

Many a spouse has advised us that they simply cannot afford to live on the allowances that Medicaid provides. This is where spousal refusal comes in. We start by shifting excess assets into the name of the “community spouse”. He or she then signs a document which the elder law attorney prepares and fles with the county indicating that they refuse to contribute their income and assets to the care of the ill spouse since they need those income and assets for their own care and well-being. Note that you may not refuse your spouse’s own income over the $3,700 per month exemption as it is not coming to you.

Working mostly on her own to help women in need

continued from front page

Once the “community spouse” invokes their right to refuse, and all of the other myriad requirements of the Medicaid application are met, the state Medicaid program must pay for the care of the institutionalized spouse.

After Medicaid has been granted, the county may institute a lawsuit seeking to recover the cost of care from the refusing spouse. Nevertheless, there are a few reasons why spousal refusal makes sense, even in light of this risk. First, in many instances, the county never invokes this right. Secondly, these lawsuits are often settled for signifcantly less than the cost of care provided. Thirdly, the payment to the county can sometimes be deferred until the community spouse dies. As one county attorney told us when agreeing to such an arrangement, “the county is going to be around for a long time”. Finally, even though the county may seek recovery, it is only for the Medicaid reimbursement rate and not the private pay rate. For example, if the private pay rate is $18,000 per month, which is what you would have to pay, the amount Medicaid has to pay is generally a quarter to a third less. The county may only pursue you for the amount they actually paid.

edge. It wasn’t really a commonly known thing.”

According to the Journal of Global Health Reports, about two-thirds of the 16.9 million low-income women in the U.S. were unable to afford menstrual products in the last year, with half of them reporting they needed to choose between buying hygiene products and food. In addition, 14.2 percent of college-aged women said they experienced period poverty while menstruating in the past year.

“Typically, when thinking about basic needs like food and shelter, the aspect of hygiene is neglected,” Jordan said in January in a press release sent out by the Lutheran Social Services of New York, an organization she works with. “For people who menstruate, period products are a basic need, and if not properly addressed, health concerns could be a possible outcome.”

As a result, Jordan then began purchasing hygiene products, dropping them off at local shelters in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

“I wanted to get involved in the issue and help in any way that I could,” she said. “I started making little care packages — I contacted my first shelter and did a drop off there — and I really liked it. So, I continued doing it.”

Jordan now runs “For That Time,” which she founded in December 2021. What she does for local shelters remains simple — she purchases items, sometimes in bulk, from warehouse stores like Costco, and creates packages for shelters in Freeport and Amityville. She assembles each package herself and adds an encouraging message to personalize it for the recipient.

There’s not an exact age group she’s targeting, she explained — her packages go to anyone in a shelter who may need them.

Her efforts are mostly solo, Jordan added. “I’m mainly purchasing (the products) myself out of funds from my summer job that I had,” she said.

She did recently sent up a PayPal account for the organization, in hopes of getting donations to aid her cause. “My

hope is to get donations of period products so that I can continue my efforts and be able to donate a lot more,” she said.

Aside from working with shelters, she partnered with the Lutheran Social Services, and provided them a donation of products for refugees the group aids, at a new sanctuary facility, called the Fortitude House.

“At Lutheran Social Services of New York, we pride ourselves on knowing that you must consider all parts of a person when attempting to understand them and properly provide support,” Rachel Bleecker, the executive director of residential services, stated in the release. “Many lowincome women and girls struggle to afford menstrual products, and so we knew this was an important consideration for us to recognize and plan for in supporting the women and girls seeking asylum at our sanctuary facility.”

Jordan said she wants more people to recognize the needs that many women face, in hopes that they’ll offer support to organizations like For That Time.

“It’s really my hope that there’s more light brought to the issue,” she said, “and that I can help — so more people get help.”

To learn more about Jordan’s organization, visit its Instagram page, @4ThatTime. To make a donation to help her purchase more products, visit TinyURL.com/ ForThatTime.

Courtesy Ryann Jordan WORkING WITH lOCAl shelters and charities, Ryann Jordan assembles and delivers care packages to help women in need.

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JANE CLIFFORD

Lic. Real Estate Salesperson, SRES, SFR, CBR

spotlight athlete

Kennedy continues massive season

By toNY BellissiMo tbellissimo@liherald.com

Kennedy is looking to put the finishing touches on a dynamic wrestling season described by longtime coach Brian DeGaetano as “ridiculous.”

aMaNDa MoRRis

East Meadow Sophomore Bowling

a FoURth-YeaR vaRsitY bowler, Morris has earned a third All-County award and on Feb. 11 will try to repeat as Nassau’s individual champion. Last winter, she averaged 197 and earned AllState honors. So far this season, Morris has bowled 19 games over 200 and leads the county with a 210.4 average over 36 games. She rolled 18 consecutive strikes in a match Jan. 5, closing one game with 11 straight and starting the next with 7 in a row.

gaMes to WatCh

The Cougars, who won 18 of 19 dual meets, five tournaments and a conference title during the regular season, will be largely represented at the Nassau County Division 1 championships this weekend at Hofstra.

“It’s definitely our best regular season since 2001,” said DeGaetano, who’s wrapping up his 29th season leading the program. “We’ve got a great group of kids and they’ve been allin,” he added. “We had a disappointing county tournament last year and that gave everyone extra motivation during the offseason.”

Kennedy hosted one of Nassau’s five qualifiers last Saturday and finished runner-up to MacArthur in the eight-team event. Though junior Brandon Goldstein (285 pounds) was the Cougars’ lone qualifying champion, a dozen teammates will join him on the big stage.

Goldstein pinned all three of his opponents in the qualifier and heads into the county tournament undefeated at 28-0.

“Brandon had an incredible sophomore season and beat a lot of the top guys,” DeGaetano said. “He’s improved his mental approach a thousand percent and is very focused. He’s certainly capable of winning it all and getting to the state tournament.”

Senior Joshua Amiel (215) was undefeated heading into the qualifier but was topped by Baldwin’s Rodney Mills in the

semifinals. Amiel is 32-1 and expected to challenge for a spot upstate as well as reach the AllCounty podium. “You hate to see a kid lose, but Josh might benefit from the learning experience,” DeGaetano said. “He’s had an awesome season.”

In a campaign filled with positive results, the apple cart was upset in the qualifier a bit when the No. 1 and 2 seeds at 138, both Cougars, were knocked off in the semifinals.

Top-seeded senior Brian Shindel fell to MacArthur’s James Jennison, and senior Nicholas Jaramillo lost a tight decision to eventual champion Edwar Palomino, also from MacArthur. “That was the toughest weight class and there’s no

doubt in my mind our guys can bounce back,” DeGaetano said.

“They both can beat anyone when they’re on.” Shindel is 35-5; Jaramillo is 25-8.

A group of middle schoolers were elevated to varsity and bolstered Kennedy’s dual meet lineup, led by seventh-grader Peter Mikedis, who has 35 wins and placed third in the qualifier at 126. Eighth-graders Jared Eisenberg (110) and Hendrick Copo (118) are also headed to the county tournament.

Another newcomer, sophomore Vasilios Katranis, a transfer from Queens, was Kennedy’s lone runner-up at the qualifier reaching the 118pound final. Senior Joe Vaccaro (160) has racked up 28 wins

this winter, and junior JJ Pizzirusso has recorded 23. Goldstein’s workout partner, senior Leo Gerunda, advanced to his first county tournament.

Kennedy’s schechtman places fifth in state Sophomore Gabriella Schechtman placed fifth in the inaugural New York State girls’ wrestling tournament held in Syracuse Jan.27, winning four matches at 132. “Gabby trains year-round and is extremely dedicated to the sport,” DeGaetano said. “We’ve had many girls in the program over the years and she’s the most talented. From a technical standpoint, she’s one of the best on the whole team.”

Donovan Berthoud/Herald

seNioR JoshUa aMiel takes a record of 32-1 into this weekend’s county tournament at Hofstra where he’ll contend for the 215-pound title.

Nassau rolls dice on Coliseum casino plans

Las Vegas developer with

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

It could be one of the largest private endeavors in Nassau County’s history — and already one of its most controversial.

The Las Vegas Sands resort company wants to develop the 80 acres of vacant land surrounding the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum — an investment that could well exceed $1 billion. While some have championed a new commercial center complete with a hotel, celebrity chef restaurants, a convention center and a live performance venue, it’s the casino element some aren’t sure is worth the gamble.

Like Hofstra University president Susan Poser.

“So many people in our community are expressing the idea that this is already a done deal, and therefore not understanding that we are at the beginning of a competitive and quite lengthy process,” Poser told the hundreds of people who packed her school’s Monroe Lecture Hall on Saturday.

Poser has made her opposition to the casino project no secret, writing in one published opinion piece that it was a “very bad idea.”

The New York Gaming Facility Location Board opened the window last month for the bidding of three downstate casino licenses. Four licenses are already available upstate. To be successful, a bidder must win approval from a local community advisory committee made up of appointees by Gov. Kathy Hochul, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, state Sen. Kevin Thomas, Assemblyman Edward Ra and Hempstead town supervisor Don Clavin.

Joe Harrison, for one, hopes a casino project at the Hub moves forward.

“For economic growth, it’s going to be a great thing for the area,” said Harrison, vice president for Local One Elevator Constructors. “We’re looking for families to stay and earn living wages.”

The gaming location board explained to those attending the forum how the application process would work. Las Vegas Sands, for example, would have to demonstrate positives in several categories that include local impact, workforce enhancement, and how it will ensure diversity.

Most of the attention, however, will be on economic activity and development. Anyone developing through one of these licenses must work to provide as much tax revenue for state and local governments as possible, and must prove the benefits of the specific site they want to develop. They must also already have expertise in developing and operating a quality gaming facility, as well

international reach looks to beat odds

as be able to have the project come to fruition in years, not decades.

Founded by the late Sheldon Adelson in the late 1980s, Las Vegas Sands is considered one of the largest casino companies in the world, although much of its holdings are now in Asia rather than the United States. It reports assets of well over $20 billion.

Local impact examines how such a development will help — or hurt — businesses immediately surrounding the project, as well as those nearby. Workforce enhancement examines how a developer would utilize the existing labor force in Nassau County, providing an estimated number of construction jobs and developing training programs that serve the unemployed.

One of those training projects is expected to be based at Nassau Community College, with Las Vegas Sands providing, in turn, internships and potential jobs.

That, Sands officials have said, could also help develop its diversity framework, which requires the company in its application to examine workforce demographics of unemployed minorities, woman and service-disabled veterans.

But it’s not neighbors Las Vegas Sands would have to convince, but Nassau’s community advisory committee. Without a thumbs up from them, it will be a hard no from the gaming location board. Approval requires a two-thirds majority.

John Kaman, Suffolk County’s deputy executive, said residents and institutions within the town and surrounding areas should understand one another’s needs, and the impact they have on one another.

“We need to make sure that everybody’s listening, everybody’s participating,” Kaman said. “If something like this was going to go forward or not depends upon what the larger community wants to see in their county, in their town, and their neighborhood.”

Geraldine Hart, who leads public safety efforts at Hofstra, worried about the potential increase in crime.

“There’s a number of criminal activities that are associated with human trafficking,” she said. “They include illegal drug sales, kidnapping, extortion, money

GERALDINE HART, WHO leads public safety efforts at Hofstra University, shared with a community forum over the weekend what she says are risks communities face when casinos — like the one planned for the Nassau Hub — are built. Hart gave an overview of many instances of human trafficking and auto accidents — including some she personally witnessed — she says have direct ties with casinos.

laundering, prostitution, racketeering and gang related crime.”

Hart also cautioned that the Hempstead Turnpike — one of the most popular roadways traveled in Nassau — was also designated the fourth-most dangerous road in the state last year based on average number of fatalities. Hart cited a Journal of Health Economics study claiming a link between casino expansion and alcohol-related fatal traffic accidents.

Neyrely Munoz, a sophomore majoring in television and film at Hofstra, says she’s also concerned about safety, but much closer to home.

“Near a campus with college students, it doesn’t sound like the best idea,” she said. “I feel as though that the women on campus will feel a lot less safe.”

Tim Baker/Herald photos

HUNDREDS ATTENDED A community forum at Hofstra University to discuss the fate of the Nassau Hub, and the potential for a casino to become part of the community there. It’s a plan that has garnered mixed reactions from neighbors, including from Hofstra and nearby Nassau Community College.

W e need to make sure that everybody’s listening, everybody’s participating ... the larger community wants to see in their county, in their town, and their neighborhood.”

JOHN KAMAN Suffolk County deputy executive

Money for a good cause

The EAC Network — a Garden City-based social service agency that empowers, assists and cares for people in need — receives a $2,000 donation from RichnerLive. The money was from a portion of ticket sales from last year’s Herald Excellence in Healthcare Awards Gala, which honored heroes and leaders within the health care industry. Neela Mukeriee Lockel, EAC’s president and chief executive, along with Robert Stricoff — the group’s chief development officer — accepted the donation from Herald Community Newspapers publisher Stuart Richner and RichnerLive executive director Amy Amato. From left, Herald Community Newspapers deputy editor Jeffrey Bessen, Stricoff, Richner, Amato, executive editor Michael Hinman, and Lockel. To find out more about EAC — and how to donate — visit EAC-Network.org.

Sam Sheth honored by chamber, town

Sam Sheth, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores Installation Dinner at the Crest Hollow Country Club, was congratulated by Town Supervisor Don Clavin and Town Clerk Kate Murray. Chamber President Gene Judd, Past President Jim Spohrer, County Legislator Tom McKevitt and U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito were also present.

Party Supplies

Tim Baker/Herald

Courtesy Town of Hempstead

CAMP & SCHOOL – A guide to programs and activities

Extra help

Help your student achieve tutoring success

It’s a whirlwind for your family after school: Your kids need to have a snack, keep up with their activities, complete their homework on and on it goes. All the while academics are the priority. So how do you fit tutoring into a busy household without distracting your struggling student, or making them feel left out of all the fun?

Even when tutoring is necessary, learning sessions can be a tall order for kids who are already over-programmed and overtired. Here are some tips for how you can help your tutor make sessions more effective even if your household is as busy as ever.

Building Skills

One of the biggest benefits of at-home tutoring is giving your student a chance to interact one-on-one with a certified educator. Even young children who need more practice developing basic skills, like problem-solving, vocabulary, and working with numbers, may benefit from working with a tutor.

Of course, hiring a tutor isn’t always about helping your child get ahead. Tutoring also provides students with the extra help they need to complete schoolwork, address a learning disorder, or master content they struggle with. Depending on your child’s learning style, your tutor might use visual aids, audio clips, or art projects. They’ll need enough room and enough supplies to teach effectively.

During the hiring process, talk with your tutor about their plans for your child’s tutoring sessions. What kind of space do they need? Together, pick a quiet area in your home that you can dedicate solely to tutoring sessions. This could be the kitchen table, a study desk, or an out-of-theway corner wherever there’s enough room with limited distractions.

When your child and their tutor have a place that’s all their own to sit down and get to work, it provides the structure and stability for good learning. This routine carries over to every session and makes it easier for your tutor to develop a rapport with your student, so they can accomplish even more together.

Institute Quiet Hours

Have other children? Make sure they understand that the tutor and your student need time and space to work on their own. Establish this boundary early, so your kids all understand that tutoring time is important work time.

Tutoring time can also be good “quiet time” for the rest of your household.

Encourage your other kids to take up quiet activities, like reading, homework, or imaginative play. Turn off devices like TV, phones, or loud games and take a break from constant noise and simulation.

If true “quiet time” is a no-go at your house, try sending your other children outside or to a different part of the

Afternoon rush

Kids nowadays are certainly busier than ever before. The increasingly competitive nature of scholastic life combined with the increase of outside of classroom options available to kids means that kids today are much busier than their school-aged counterparts of yesteryear.

house to play. Most kids don’t get enough exercise or imaginative downtime as it is, and this will help them burn off energy and encourage creativity while keeping indoors relatively quiet for tutoring.

Coordinate Breaks And Boundaries

Most young children can only study for 20 to 30 minutes at a time before they need to move on to another activity or take a break. Teens and tweens can likely study for longer periods of time, from 30 to 40 minutes, before they need to get up and stretch or rest their eyes.

Remember: You’re paying a certified educator for their expertise in subject matter, as well as their knowledge about what makes a successful learning environment. Work collaboratively with your tutor to establish boundaries and rewards that feel appropriate for your student’s needs, your comfort level as a parent, and the tutor’s needs as an educator.

For most tutors and students it’s also best if parents make themselves scarce during tutoring sessions. If you hang around during a session, it could make it more difficult for your student to focus even if they’re on break. Establish with your tutor ahead of time where you’ll be hanging out or working during the session. Encourage your student to follow the rules and have a good time then make your exit!

Emphasize Family Time

Even though tutoring can be fun and engaging, it’s still extra work for your young student. That can make kids feel left out, especially when their brothers and sisters get to spend the time playing, attending after-school clubs, or hanging out with friends.

In order to make your tutored child feel included, make sure to emphasize family time after the tutoring session is over. Whether you all sit down to dinner together, watch a movie, or take a walk around the block before it gets dark, family time helps your student transition from a long workday back into being a kid.

According to a recent study from the Journal of Marriage and Family, the amount of time spent together matters less to a child’s development than the quality of the time. That’s good news for parents struggling to juggle after-school activities and tutoring sessions to boot.

Every family member has individual responsibilities, interests, hobbies, and activities they do on their own.

Helping your child see that tutoring is just one of the things they do makes it less isolating and more independent and confidence-building. Making sure that it’s balanced with quality family time benefits everyone.

Can after-school programs give your children an academic boost? According to a recent study of after-school programs serving low-income elementary and middle school students, the answer is yes. Students who regularly participated in after-school programs surpassed their peers in academic performance. They also exhibited notable improvements in work habits and behavior.

“These findings underscore the importance of high quality afterschool programs and activities for both elementary and middle school youth,” explains Deborah Lowe Vandell, PhD, Chancellor’s Professor Emerita, University of California at Irvine’s Department of Education, and the study’s lead author.

It’s no surprise that after-school programs can do much more than keep your children occupied during the afternoon. In fact, afterschool activities can help them in a variety of ways. Children develop time-management skills, build self-esteem, and practice goal-setting. While it may be tough to squeeze in after-school activities for your children, the benefits are well worth the extra effort.

Time management and prioritizing. Extracurricular activities teach children how to manage their time and prioritize various tasks and commitments.

Exploring diverse interests. The school band, drama club, or any sport may be an activity your children are interested in joining. By allowing your children the opportunity to explore diverse interests, you give them the opportunity to discover what they are passionate about. Once your children find an activity that they enjoy, succeeding in the activity could ultimately build their confidence and selfesteem.

Making a contribution. Extracurricular activities allow your children to make a contribution to their school or community, which is an important step in preparing them for life outside of academics.

Building self-esteem. Mastering new skills can help create confident kids. By participating in after-school activities, they can build their self-esteem in a relaxed setting as their activities provide the opportunity to be successful in something that they are passionate about.

Setting goals. Participation in extracurricular activities and programs present opportunities for your children to develop their goalsetting skills. Most involve reaching or achieving a goal, whether it be the lead actor in the school play, winning the state championship or coming in first place in the science fair. As a result, these activities help encourage students to work toward achieving those goals, while having fun at the same time.

Teamwork. Sports teams, clubs and activities, like dancing and music, all require children to work together toward a common goal. By participating in these activities, your children develop the skills they need in order to successfully work with others. In addition, extracurricular activities let children to build relationships and socialize with peers who share their interests.

College applications. And, of course, after-school activities look great on college applications. In addition to academic performance, colleges want a well-rounded student and look at what activities students are involved in outside of school as a way to fully understand each student.

The day’s far from over once the school bell rings

Photo: Children can benefit from having someone focused on them who can support their learning and help them to understand and accept their own learning styles.

Photo: Recent studies show a correlation between improved grades, behavior and work habits as a result of students’ involvement in after-school activities.

Deciding among the options

Although we are still a while off from the warm weather, it’s never too early to being thinking about summer camp. Since the most popular camps typically fill their rosters long before the first signs of spring, the earlier you begin the process, the more options your family will have available.

When choosing a camp or summer program, reputation and word of mouth are meaningful resources; however, a terrific match for one child and family might not be the best match for your child or family. The best advice is to think about your child’s interests and temperament, and make a list of camp features that are most important to your family and child.

Staff: The staff will play a crucial role in how much your child enjoys himself over the summer. A qualified staff is adept at making all children feel welcome, and will be experienced in making everyone’s time at camp as enjoyable as possible.

When connecting with camps, ask about staff and how the staff is assembled. What education and training is required of the staff? Does the camp run criminal background checks on its staff? A good staff will be trained in first aid and have some type of background in child counseling or education. Camps that simply hire recommends that 80 percent of a camp’s

staff should be 18 or older.

Camp goals: Camps can differ greatly with what they hope to offer a child. Camps can focus on religion, sports, music, recreation, or a host of other interests. If you’re looking for a sports camp, ask about affiliations with any local colleges or professional teams. If it’s a musical camp, ask about what your child can expect to learn from staff.

It’s also important to determine the general temperament of a camp. Does the camp foster a laid back or more competitive environment? This can be a big help in choosing the right camp for your child. For example, a child who isn’t very competitive likely will not enjoy a camp where competition is heavily emphasized, whereas a child who is competitive might not get much out of a camp that is more recreational.

Daily schedule: While some camps might be specialized, most parents send their children to recreational camps that they hope offer their kids a well-rounded experience. Ask to see the schedule from a typical day, and ask about how flexible that schedule is. Will kids be able to choose from different activities each day, or is every day regimented? Remember, kids will be spending their summer vacations at camp, and for many kids camp is an opportunity to relax

and spend some time doing what they want. Camps that feature strict schedules might not be the best fit.

Referrals: Chances are some of your child’s classmates attend camp in the summer. Ask around and seek some advice on what are the top options. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to send your child to a summer camp that some of his classmates also attend, which should make it easier for your child to adapt to camp, especially if it’s a first summer away from home.

If you can’t find any personal referrals, ask a

camp for a list of references. These references shouldn’t weight too heavily in your decision, as a camp director is obviously not going to give you names of parents whose children didn’t have a good time. But the parents should be able to provide an accurate portrayal of how the camp conducts itself and how your child might fare should he attend that camp.

Photo: It’s much more than s’mores and sing-alongs: Camps can provide lifelong memories and skills.

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For many families, the morning rush isn’t the most chaotic time of the day. Instead, the sanity-buster is that long stretch from the time school lets out until the final activity ends and everyone is home.

Surviving the afternoon activities juggle is all about planning and time management and it’s also an opportune time to teach kids some valuable skills.

“The opportunity with activities is it’s a great time for kids to learn time management,” says Carolyn Dalgliesh, a professional organizer who specializes in helping kids who are anxious or distracted. “It’s a skill that will help them throughout their lives.”

Without preparation, the activities crunch can get kids and parents on a quick path to burnout and exhaustion.

Consider these tips from the experts for making your child’s after-school activities a fun and rewarding part of childhood and for teaching your child the skill of time management.

Choose the right activities. There is no need for everyone to run ragged getting to volleyball practice if your child no longer enjoys it. “We talk about mindful choices,” Dalgliesh says. “You want your child to get value out of any activity, whether it’s a great social outlet or a chance to run off a lot of energy.”

Consider timing. If you’re lucky enough to have choices in times, choose wisely. “Think about how well your child does with transi-

tions,” Dalgliesh says. “For some kids, coming home triggers wind-down time, [so] parents may want to go to the library after school to do homework instead of stopping by the house.”

Honor the family meeting. There is a central principle when it comes to family time management: Everyone must get together once a week, with calendars in hand, to plan out the next week. Figure out how each kid will get to and from each activity, and make plans for meals and snacks. When doing the planning, try to carve out at least one night when the family can have dinner together. Make your weekly meeting fun by following it with a family movie or game night. Or, suggests Grey, dole out allowance and lunch money at the end of the meeting.

Maintain a family calendar. Each family member needs his or her own week-at-a-glance calendar, and you also need a family calendar. Yes, that’s a lot of calendars, but it will help ensure all activities are well-planned.

Get the activity bags ready. Get your kids in the habit of packing their activity bags on Sunday night. Designate a place for them to hang or store their bags. For activities requiring a lot of gear, use a checklist to make sure nothing gets left behind.

Embrace meal planning. It’s important to plan simple, consistent meals, especially if you’re a busy family with a lot of activities. For example, kids love theme dinners such as “Taco Tuesday,” and can help with preparation and

assembly. Also plan snacks, making sure to have high-protein nibbles available for kids before they embark on a strenuous activity. Make it portable. Keep healthy drinks and snacks in a car cooler. After all, “we’re a portable society,” Dalgliesh says. In addition to food, keep an “activities bin” for kids to rummage through while hanging out at big brother’s karate practice but only then. “Those activities are special, and they only get pulled out when kids are waiting,” Dalgliesh explains.

Make car time special. If you spend a lot of time driving to and from activities, make that time count. Try an audiobook, choosing a story everyone in the family can enjoy. Dalgliesh plays a conversation game with her children. She has a set of cards with prompts such as, “What is the worst meal you ever had in a restaurant?” or “What is your favorite vacation memory?” She passes the deck to her kids has them pick one. “It’s about finding those moments to connect,” she says.

Have a picnic. If you have to race from your daughter’s after-school soccer practice to

your son’s evening hockey game, pack a cooler and enjoy a picnic supper in the bleachers, at a park, or anywhere else you can find.

Be flexible. Even the most carefully made plans can be rendered useless by a thunderstorm that cancels soccer practice, a sick child, or an unexpected work disaster.

Empower your kids. Give your kids as much control over their own planning and scheduling as they can handle. Different kids need different tools. Especially as kids get older, they need to own their organization system. Some kids like to do everything electronically, others like pretty paper notebooks and calendars. Some kids like to use the latest apps and color-coded pens to stay organized, and others take a minimalist approach, scribbling basic information only.

Electronics and computers. Our devices became our lifelines during the pandemic , and for many it’s a hard habit to break. It’s easy to rely on electronic games and social media during the activities crunch, especially for siblings who are waiting or when you arrive at an activity early. But set limits and use electronic toys as a reward for good behavior, with exceptions to those limits when the tech tool is needed for a school project.

By teaching your kids the skills they need to manage their life inside and outside of school, you’ll equip them for grade school, college, and beyond. You’ll also create a family life that allows all members the opportunity to reach their potential.

Photo: Keeping kids busy after school is a good thing, but participating in many activities without advance planning is inviting miscommunication, forgotten homework, and cranky families. Instead, enlist your kids’ efforts each week in planning their time.

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Summer adventures

Being away from home builds self-esteem, independence

One of the many joys of parenthood is helping children navigate new waters. And, while often these situations are met with hesitation, slight anxiety or in the case of some first-time campers, homesickness it is these moments that develop the 21st century skills needed in adulthood. New situations, such as going away to camp, serve as teachers in life’s classroom developing leadership, self-esteem, teamwork, independence, and problem-solving.

It’s important, even critical, for parents to help children overcome any feelings of hesitation in order to help them grow. Take camp, for example. From a child’s perspective, camp is fun, fun, fun! Parents know that camp provides immeasurable growth opportunities, and is a vital part of childhood. As the day approaches, even the most excited campers sometimes get nervous about being away from home.

“Homesickness is completely normal,” says psychologist Michael Thompson.“If a child loves his or her parents and has a good home, why wouldn’t he or she feel some longing for mom, for dad, for the dog, or for home cooking?”

It is up to parents, then, to help ease the transition to camp, and help their children grow from the experience. Help alleviate anxiety and get a jumpstart on life’s lessons with some advice from camp professionals.

√ Encourage independence throughout the year. Practice separations, such as sleepovers at a friend’s house, can simulate the camp environment.

√ Involve children in the process of preparing for camp. The more they own the decision, the more comfortable they will feel being at camp.

√ Make sure to understand the camp’s philosophy on how issues, such as homesickness, are addressed. Talk candidly with the camp director to understand his/her perspective on the adjustment to camp life.

√ Discuss what to expect at camp before leaving for camp. Consider role-playing anticipated situations, such as using a flashlight to find the bathroom.

For a child who’s going to be away for a while, send a note or care package. Acknowledge missing the child, in a positive way. For example, saying “I am going to miss you, but I know that you will have a good time at camp,” lets the camper know that families are thinking about them, but confident in their ability to adapt to camp.

Above all, avoid bribing behaviors. Families send the wrong message when they link a successful stay at camp to a material object. Families should focus on the real rewards like newfound confidence and independence. And don’t plan an exit strategy. If a “rescue call” comes from the child, offer calm reassurance and put the time frame into perspective.

While most incidents of homesickness pass quickly, parents know their child best. If parents have concerns (for example, the child is not eating or sleeping, or appears overly anxious), they should immediately talk to their camp director. Camp staff are trained to identify and ease homesickness, and are a valuable resource for parents as well as campers.

Photo: Camp is a chance for kids to disconnect, make discoveries and meet new people.

Chatterton School hosts a Community Read Aloud

chatterton School in the Merrick Union Free School District hosted a successful Community Read Aloud on Jan. 27, where local business leaders, community members and other school family members were invited to read to classes.

As part of the school’s Pick a Reading Partner program, better known as PARP, guests gathered for a welcome breakfast ahead of their personal reading experience. Organized jointly by the Chatterton PTA and school librarian Ellen Widawsky, the event went along with the PARP theme of “Reading is a Latte Fun,” where students were gifted reusable coffee cups for their water all week.

“This event celebrates literacy and aims to ignite the students’ love of books,” explained Principal Dana Bermas. “The kids are happy to have these face-to-face interactions and hear firsthand from community members all of the possibilities that can come from reading.”

–Jordan Vallone

Board trustee Nicole Venditti read to her assigned class.

With over 70 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs, we combine academic excellence and leadership with personal mentoring.

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STEPPING OUT

Creative advocacy

By Karen Bloom

WHERE WHEN

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

• 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.

“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.

“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.”

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.

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 Freedoms has interpreted these iconic works for our era.

“It’s the same composition,” Albert says. “From 1940s America, these (works) show what America is today, our diversity and what we look like now.”

As always the museum offers additional programming to enhance the exhibit experience. Upcoming events include an artist panel on Feb. 23, which examines the role of the artist as activist, and a gallery tour with Alexandra Giordano, March 16.

Pat McGann

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.

Yarn/Wire

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. Barger is a frequent guest with many top American contemporary ensembles. French-American Den Boer performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. Greenberg is in demand with varied ensembles. Hashimoto, the newest member, contributes a unique approach to performance cultivated by her intensive classical training .

Friday, Feb. 17, 7:30 p.m. $30 with discounts available to seniors, students, alumni and employees. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 877-4000 or Adelphi.edu/pac.

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.

Courtesy Hofstra Universally Museum of Art

Photos: Norman Rockwell’s celebrated ‘Four Freedoms’ are reinterpreted as photos by Hank Willis Thomas and Emily Shur in collaboration with Eric Gottesman and the Wyatt Gallery.

Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York.

Sculpture: Hank Willis Thomas, ‘Lives of Others,’ 2014, made from black urethane resin and standing 57 inches tall

THE SCENE

Art talk

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

Feb.

Alan Doyle

On stage

Mo Willems’ popular The Pigeon comes alive on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Saturday, Feb. 11, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Sunday, Feb.12, 2 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday, Feb. 15-17, noon. Pigeon is eager to try anything, with the audience part of the action. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

All-Star Comedy Show

Governor’s Comedy Club and GovsRadio.com offer a showcase of the fnest comedy acts from Long Island, New York City and beyond, Thursday, Feb. 16, doors open 6 p.m. This is a rare opportunity to see the best comics in one, big show. Tickets are $14. Must be 16 and older to attend, 2 item minimum per table. 2792 Merrick Road, Bellmore. Call (516) 781-5233.

Gotcha Covered

Musiscal duo Gotcha Covered performs at the North Merrick Library, Sunday, Feb. 19, 1:30 p.m. Enjoy tunes from the 70s through the 2000s, including rock and folk hits of the last 50 years. 1691 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick. Call (516) 378-7474 for more information.

Eric Neumann

Eric Neumann, a rising standup comic who made his debut on The Tonight Show, performs at the Brokerage in Bellmore, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24-25. Doors open at 6 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. Friday, 7:30 p.m. Saturday. $25. Must be 16 and older to attend, 2 item minimum per table. 2792 Merrick Road, Bellmore. Call (516) 781-5233.

BUSTING HIT!

Transportation requests

Requests for transportation to private or parochial schools outside of the North Merrick Union Free School District must be received by April 1. Children must be registered in the North Merrick District first before submitting an application. Families moving into the district after April 1 have 30 days to submit a request.

Transportation is not provided to those older than 6th grade, children who will not be 5 by Dec. 1, 2023, to schools located further than 15 miles from a child’s home, or to schools located less than 2 miles from a child’s home. All requests must be sent to 1057 Merrick Ave., North Merrick. Applications can be picked up at Fayette School, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.

On exhibit

Photography’s ascent in the art world is an international phenomenon. Nassau County Museum of Art’s exhibition spans the historical roots, wth works by Ansel Adams and his generation and such contemporary masters as Cindy Sherman, Thomas Struth, James Casebere and Gregory Crewdson.Through March 5. NCMA, 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

N. Bellmore transportation

iInformation

North Bellmore Union Free School District provides transportation for students in kindergarten through third grade living a distance greater than a half mile up to 15 miles and in grades fourth through sixth living a distance greater than one mile up to 15 miles from the school they attend. Transportation to a day care is also provided under certain circumstances, also to private and parochial schools. Transportation requests to schools outside of the district must be made by April 1 — the child must be registered in the district. Applications are online at NorthBellmoreSchools.org or call 516) 992-3000 for info. Requests should be sent to 2616 Martin Ave., Bellmore.

Volunteer Opportunity

The Garden at St. Francis seeks volunteers, Saturdays, 10 a.m.-noon, at the church’s Charity Crafting Circle. Email stfrancisec@gmail. com for info or call (516) 679-1184. Church is located at 1692 Bellmore Ave., North Bellmore.

Having an event?

Feb. 15

Author talk

Mary Calvi, an Emmy award-winning journalist and national anchor for WCBS-TV and weekend anchor of Inside Edition, visits Molloy University to discuss her book, “If a Poem Could Live and Breathe: A Novel of Teddy Roosevelt’s First Love,” Wednesday, Feb. 15, 7-8:30 p.m. Her novel is an indelible portrait of the authenticity of first love, the heartache of loss, and how overcoming the worst of life’s obstacles can push one to greatness never imagined. $35, includes signed copy of the book. 1000 Hempstead Ave., Larini Room, 2nd Floor of Public Square Building, Rockville Centre. For tickets and information visit MadisonTheatreny.org or call (516) 323-4444.

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.

Keep Our Kids Safe

Platanos Y Collard Greens

See the romantic comedy about what happens when an African American and a Latina college student fall in love, presented by Nassau Community College Theater and Dance Department and the Africana Studies Department, Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 9-11, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 12, 2 p.m. Also Feb. 16-19, with talkback session with playwright David Lamb, immediately following final performance. Threaded by the culture of hip-hop, the lovers defend their relationship, as friends and family learn that this “food fight” calls for fusion instead of feud. Nassau Community College’s Mainstage Theatre, Garden City. Tickets $10; NCC students free with valid ID; $8 veterans, alumni, seniors 60+, students and NCC employees. For tickets/information, visit NCC.edu or call (516) 572-7676.

Family theater

The beloved fairy tale springs to life in a delightful musical romp, presented Plaza Theatrical Productions, Monday, Feb. 20, 11 a.m.; Friday, Feb. 24, 11 a.m.; Sunday, Feb. 26, noon. All the ingredients that have made this story a perennial favorite are here, including Cinderella, a zany Godmother, a trip to the royal ball, and a glass slipper. Tickets are $16. Visit the Plaza stage at The Showplace at Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Ave., Bellmore. For information/tickets, go to PlazaTheatrical.com or call (516) 599-6870.

Prep Academy students craft sensory games

Students in the new Art 3 class at the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District’s Prep Academy program engineered sensory friendly games for one of the component elementary districts.

For the past two months, Heather Lohr’s class of 15 students used class time to brainstorm ideas, explore materials and create the games. On Jan. 27 they brought the finished products to Old Mill Road Elementary School in the North Merrick School District.

“After spending the morning teaching the elementary students how to use the games, we then left everything with them to have and use throughout the year,” Lohr said.

A total of 18 games including puzzles, squishy bags, boxes and toss games were included.

“They made a color mixing bean bag toss game where they have to knock over certain pins and a Poke the Rainbow game where students have to poke popsicle sticks through a box by matching the correct colors,” Lohr explained.

This new addition of the Art 3 course provides opportunities to give back to the community.

“This event allowed my Art 3 students to become the teachers for the day and the warm smiles on everyone’s faces proved to be a huge success,” Lohr added.

Art teAcher heAther Lohr, above left, with the six students, Director of Fine & Performing Arts Cheryl Fontana, Emily Paluseo, the director of special education and pupil personnel services, and Executive Director of Alternative Education Eric Arlin.

Crime watCh

Vehicle fire under investigation in N. Merrick

A vehicle fire that occurred on Feb. 6 is under investigation in North Merrick, police say.

According to Nassau County Police Department detectives, an unknown subject poured a flammable liquid substance on a vehicle parked on Van Nostrand Avenue. The subject then set the vehicle on fire before fleeing the scene on foot in an unknown direction.

The owner of the vehicle looked out his window and saw his 2017 Cadillac Escalade engulfed in flames. The owner was able to extinguish the fire with a gar-

den hose prior the North Merrick Fire Department’s arrival.

No injuries were reported at the scene, and there are currently no further reports on what the subject may look like. The Nassau County Fire Marshall and Arson Bomb Squad were at the scene.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Detective’s ask that anyone with information regarding this incident contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at (800) 244-8477 or call 911. All callers were remain anonymous.

— Jordan Vallone

StellA hong And Jonathan Decicco, left, worked with students on sensory bags.

Photos courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District

Congrats to all the Top 3 Finalists in the 2022 Herald Long Island Choice Awards presented by PSEG Long Island! Check back each week for the Top 3 Reveal in each category leading up to the Oscar-style awards ceremony in April 2023. Did your favorites make it to the top? Visit www.LiChoiceAwards.com!

ADVERTISING AGENCY:

Austin Williams

Didit

Vertigo Media Group

ANIMAL ADOPTION/ RESCUE SERVICES:

All About Cats Rescue

Bobbi and the Strays

North Shore Animal League America

APPLIANCE REPAIR STORE:

Reliable Appliance

The Appliance Doctor

Universe Home Services

ARCHITECT:

Cohen Design/Build Architect

Long Island Architecture Studio

H2M Architects

CAR WARSH:

Majestic Auto Spa

Rainbow Car Wash

Seaford Car Wash & Detail Center

CAR/LIMO SERVICE:

Broward Limousines

Long Island Elite Limousines

S&G Towncar and Limo Service

CEMETERIES:

Catholic Cemeteries

Cemetery of the Holy Rood

Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum

DIVORCE ATTORNEY:

Joseph Trotti, Esq.

Marina Moreno, Esq

Robert C. Keilson, Esq.

DRY CLEANER:

American Drive-In Dry Cleaners

Plaza II Dry Cleaners

Tiffany Dry Cleaners

ELDER LAW ATTORNEY:

Marina Moreno, Esq.

Ronald Fatoullah, Esq.

Stephanie D’Angelo, Esq.

EMPLOYMENT AGENCY:

Express Employment Professionals

Long Island Temps

YAI

ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEY:

Donna M. Stefans, Esq.

James Burdi, Esq.

Stephanie D’Angelo, Esq.

FUNERAL HOME:

Boulevard-Riverside Chapels

Gutterman’s Funeral Homes

Towers Funeral Home, Inc.

LAUNDROMAT:

Atlantic Avenue Laundry Service

Lynbrook Laundry

Super Laundry

LAW FIRM:

Goidel Law Group

Law Offce of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP

Russo Law Group, P.C.

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION:

Hewlett House

Hindi’s Libraries

North Shore Animal League America

PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY - FIRM:

Law Offce of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP

Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C.

The Rizzuto Law Firm

PET GROOMER:

PickApup Boutique

Posh Paws Pet Spa & Boutique

The Barrie Inn

PHOTOGRAPHER:

Franklin Square Photographers

Kornfeld Studios

Park Ave Studio

PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION SERVICES:

Heller & Consultants Tax Grievance

Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group

Property Tax Reduction Consultants

PUBLIC RELATIONS COMPANY:

Austin Williams

Ingrid Dodd Public Relations

ZE Creative Communications

REAL ESTATE LAW ATTORNEY:

Gilbert L. Balanoff, P.C.

Joseph Milizio Esq.

Robert C. Keilson, Esq.

SELF-STORAGE COMPANY:

Central Self Storage

CubeSmart Self Storage

Men On The Move Moving & Self Storage

StorQuest Self Storage

TRAVEL AGENCY:

Herricks Travel

Superior Travel Consultants

Wishes Come True Travel

VETERINARIAN:

Bond Vet

Companions Animal Hospital

North Shore Animal League America

*Finalists are listed alphabetically, not in order of placement.

Public Notices

leGal noTice pUBlic noTice of coUnTY TreasUrer’s sale of TaX liens on real esTaTe

Notice is hereby given that I shall, commencing on February 21, 2023, sell at public on-line auction the tax liens on real estate herein-after described, unless the owner, mortgagee, occupant of or any other party-ininterest in such real estate shall pay to the County Treasurer by February 16, 2023 the total amount of such unpaid taxes or assessments with the interest, penalties and other expenses and charges, against the property. Such tax liens will be sold at the lowest rate of interest, not exceeding 10 per cent per six month’s period, for which any person or persons shall offer to take the total amount of such unpaid taxes as defined in section 5-37.0 of the Nassau County Administrative Code. Effective with the February 21, 2023 lien sale, Ordinance No. 175-2015 requires a $175.00 per day registration fee for each person who intends to bid at the tax lien sale. Ordinance No. 175-2015 also requires that upon the issuance of the Lien Certificate there is due from the lien buyer a Tax Certificate Issue Fee of $20.00 per lien purchased.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Nassau County Administrative Code at the discretion of the Nassau County Treasurer the auction will be conducted online. Further information concerning the procedures for the auction is available at the website of the Nassau County Treasurer at:

https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/526/County-Treasurer

Should the Treasurer determine that an in-person auction shall be held, same will commence on the 21st day of February, 2023 at the Office of The County Treasurer 1 West Street, Mineola or at some other location to be determined by the Treasurer.

The liens are for arrears of School District taxes for the year 2021 - 2022 and/or County, Town, and Special District taxes for the year 2022. The following is a partial listing of the real estate located in school district number(s) 8, 10 in the Town of Hempstead only, upon which tax liens are to be sold, with a brief description of the same by reference to the County Land and Tax Map, the name of the owner or occupant as the same appears on the 2022/2023 tentative assessment roll, and the total amount of such unpaid taxes.

imporTanT

THE NAMES OF OWNERS SHOWN ON THIS LIST MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE NAMES OF THE PERSONS OWNING THE PROPERTY AT THE TIME OF THIS ADVERTISEMENT. SUCH NAMES HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM THE 2022/2023 TENTATIVE ASSESSMENT ROLLS AND MAY DIFFER FROM THE NAMES OF THE OWNERS AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. IT MAY ALSO BE THAT SUCH OWNERS ARE NOMINAL ONLY AND ANOTHER PERSON IS ACTUALLY THE BENEFICIAL OWNER.

Town of HempsTead

scHool:25 merrick Ufsd

Such tax liens shall be sold subject to any and all superior tax liens of sovereignties and other municipalities and to all claims of record which the County may have thereon and subject to the provisions of the Federal and State Soldier’s and Sailors’ Civil Relief Acts.

However, such tax liens shall have priority over the County’s Differential Interest Lien, representing the excess, if any, of the interest and penalty borne at the maximum rate over the interest and penalty borne at the rate at which the lien is purchased.

The Purchaser acknowledges that the tax lien(s) sold pursuant to these Terms of Sale may be subject to pending bankruptcy proceedings and/or may become subject to such proceedings which may be commenced during the period in which a lien is held by a successful bidder or the assignee of same, which may modify a Purchaser’s rights with respect to the lien(s) the property securing same. Such bankruptcy proceedings shall not affect the validity of the tax lien. In addition to being subject to pending bankruptcy proceedings and/ or the Federal and State Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Acts, said purchaser’s right of foreclosure may be affected by the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA), 12 U.S.C. ss 1811 et. seq., with regard to real property under Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) receivership.

The County Treasurer reserves the right, without further notice and at any time, to withdraw from sale any of the parcels of land or premises herein listed.

The rate of interest and penalty which any person purchases the tax lien shall be established by his bid. Each purchaser, immediately after the sale thereof, shall pay to the County Treasurer ten per cent of the amount from which the tax liens have been sold and the remaining ninety per cent within thirty days after such sale. If the purchaser at the tax sale shall fail to pay the remaining ninety per cent within ten days after he has been notified by the County Treasurer that the certificates of sale are ready for delivery, then all deposited with the County Treasurer including but not limited to the ten per cent theretofore paid by him shall, without further notice or demand, be irrevocably forfeited by the purchaser and shall be retained by the County Treasurer as liquidated damages and the agreement to purchase be of no further effect.

Time is of the essence in this sale. This sale is held pursuant to the Nassau County Administrative Code and interested parties are referred to such Code for additional information as to terms of sale, rights of purchasers, maximum rates of interest and other legal incidents of the sale.

Furthermore, as to the bidding,

•The bidder(s) agree that they will not work with any other bidder(s) to increase, maintain or stabilize interest rates or collaborate with any other bidder(s) to gain an unfair competitive advantage in the random number generator in the event of a tie bid(s) on a tax certificate. Bidder(s) further agree not to employ any bidding strategy designed to create an unfair competitive advantage in the tiebreaking process in the upcoming tax sale nor work with any other bidder(s) to engage in any bidding strategy that will result in a rotational award of tax certificates.

•The tax certificate(s) the Bidder will bid upon, and the interest rate(s) bid, will be arrived at independently and without direct or indirect consultation, communication or agreement with any other bidder and that the tax certificate(s) the Bidder will bid upon, and the interest rate(s) to be bid, have not been disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any other bidder, and will not be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any other bidder prior to the close of bidding. No attempt has been made or will be

Public Notices

Continued from previous page

NEWSDAY

City of Long BeaCh

Dist 5028 LONG BEACH HERALD LONG BEACH TRIBUNE NASSAU COUNTY WEBSITE NEWSDAY

Nassau County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to or access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs, or activities.

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice of formation of Lily J. Sweets, LLC. Articles of Organization fled with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 11/5/2022. Offce: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC, Legal Zoom.com, Inc., 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY, 11228. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

137059

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU, NRP MORTGAGE TRUST I, Plaintiff, vs. 1480 JERUSALEM LLC, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order

Confrming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on November 22, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 8, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 1480 Jerusalem Avenue, North Merrick, NY 11566. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 55, Block 540 and Lot 68. Approximate amount of judgment is $685,781.26 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of fled Judgment Index # 612453/2021. 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.

Oscar A. Prieto, Esq., Referee

Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff Firm File No. 211568-1 137066

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

Upon request, accommodations such as those required by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) will be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in all services, programs, activities and public hearings and events conducted by the Treasurer’s Office. Upon request, information can be made available in braille, large print, audio tape or other alternative formats. For additional information, please call (516) 571-2090 ext. 13715.

Dated: February 08, 2023

THE NASSAU COUNTY TREASURER MINEOLA, NEW YORK 1204484

N/W cor. Alfred Rd. East & West Loines Ave., a/k/a 2028 Alfred Rd. East, f/k/a 98 Alfred Rd. East

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED

STARTING AT 2:00 P.M.

128/23. - 130/23.

come before it. 137204

LEGAL NOTICE

Invitation to Bidders

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District

PUBLIC NOTICE: is hereby given for separate sealed bids for: Interior and Site Reconstruction at Grand Avenue Middle School. Bids will be received by the School District, on Monday, February 27, 2023 at 11:00am prevailing time in the District Administration Building, 1260 Meadowbrook Road, Merrick, New York, 11566, and at said time and place publicly opened and read aloud.

The Contract Documents may be examined at the Offce of the Architect, BBS Architects, Landscape Architects and Engineers, P.C., 244 East Main Street, Patchogue New York, (631-475-0349); however the Contract Documents may only be obtained thru the Offce of REV, 330 Route 17A Suite #2, Goshen, New York 10924 (877-272-0216)

beginning on February 7, 2023. Complete digital sets of Contract Documents shall be obtained online (with a free user account) as a download for a nonrefundable fee of FortyNine ($49.00) Dollars at the following website: www.bbsprojects.com under ‘public projects’. Optionally, in lieu of digital copies, hard copies may be obtained directly from REV upon a deposit of One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars for each complete set. Checks for deposits shall be made payable to the BELLMORE-MERRICK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT and may be uncertifed. All bid addenda will be transmitted to registered plan holders via email and will be available at the above referenced websites. Any bidder requiring documents to be shipped shall make arrangements with the printer and pay for all packaging and shipping costs. Plan holders who have obtained hard copies of the bid documents will need to make the determination if hard copies of the addenda are required for their use, and coordinate directly with the printer for hard copies of addenda to be issued. There will be no charge for registered plan

holders to obtain hard copies of the bid addenda. The bid deposit for hard copies will be returned upon receipt of plans and specifcations, in good condition, within thirty days after bid date, except for the lowest responsible bidder, whose check will be forfeited upon the award of the contract.

The Contract will be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder or the proposals will be rejected within 45 days of the date of opening proposals. Bids shall be subject, however, to the discretionary right reserved by the School District to waive any informalities in, accept or reject any alternatives, reject any proposals and to advertise for new proposals, if in its opinion the best interest of the School District will thereby be promoted.

Bidder may not withdraw its bid until forty-fve (45) days after the bid opening, except in accordance with General Municipal Law Section 103(11).

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting uncertainty with regard to when the Owner’s schools will be in session during the 2023-2024 school year, the restrictions, if any, applicable to construction activities in the Owner’s facilities as a result of State, Federal or Local orders, laws, regulations or rules related to the COVID-19 pandemic (including but not limited to prevention measures of social distancing and disinfecting), and the duration of any such restrictions, the Owner may modify the construction schedule, including the anticipated start date, set forth in the Contract/Bid Documents.

By submitting a bid, the Bidder consents to any such schedule modifcation and further acknowledges and agrees that there shall be no additional compensation for schedule modifcations caused directly or indirectly by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bidder further acknowledges and agrees that the sole remedy for any schedule modifcations or delays caused directly or indirectly by the COVID-19 pandemic shall be an extension of time, to be determined in the

sole discretion of the Owner. A pre-bid site meeting will conducted on February 16, 2023 at 3:30pm. Meet outside the main entrance to the building.

Dated: January 25, 2023

By Order of The Board OF Education, BellmoreMerrick Central High School District

137248

LEGAL NOTICE

BELLMORE-MERRICK

CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

DISTRICT

LEGAL NOTICE: Notice is hereby given that the annual inspection for the 2022-2023 year for all school buildings of the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District for fre hazards which might endanger the lives of students, teachers and employees therein, has been completed and the report thereof is available at the District Administration Building, 1260 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, NY 11566-1500 on any business day between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M.

137247

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC

HEARING

BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS

Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Offcers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Old Town Hall, 350 Front Street, Room 230, Second Floor, Hempstead, New York on 2/15/23 at 9:30 A.M. & 2:00 P.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED

STARTING AT 9:30 A.M.

102/23. MERRICKWilliam A. Shuart, Renewal of grant to maintain 2-family dwelling., N/W cor. Sherman Ave. & Sycamore Ave., a/k/a 2287 Sherman Ave. 109/23. - 110/23.

MERRICK - Christopher Lattanzio, Install/Replace 6’ high fence forward of the dwelling; Variance, front yard setback on West Loines Ave., maintain two (2) a/c units attached to dwelling.,

MERRICK - Mary Hickey, Variance, side yard, maintain a/c unit attached to dwelling.; Special exception to maintain accessory structure (shed) higher & larger than permitted & exceeding horizontal maximum; Maintain pool equipment with less than required side yard., W/s Fraser Ave., 75’ S/o William St., a/k/a 73 Fraser Ave. 131/23. - 133/23.

MERRICK - Patryk Jaskowski & Dariusz Jaskowski, Mother/Daughter Res. (2nd kitchen); Special exception to maintain 2nd accessory structure (bbq) with lot area occupied variance; Special exception to maintain 3rd accessory structure (oil tank enclosure) with lot area occupied variance., N/s Camp Ave., 247.63’ W/o Seaman Dr., a/k/a 209 Camp Ave.

ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550. This notice is only for new cases in Merrick within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available a t https://hempsteadny.gov/ 509/Board-of-Appeals

The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.gov/ 576/Live-Streaming-Video

Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC, Plaintiff, vs. HARVEY BERK, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confrming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on May 2, 2019, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on March 15, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 1900 Leonard Lane, Hempstead, NY 11566 a/k/a 1900 Leonard Lane, Merrick, NY 11566. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 62, Block 199 and Lot 15. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of fled Judgment Index # 17-001247. 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.

Joseph Juliano, Esq., Referee Berkman, Henoch, Peterson, & Peddy, P.C., 100 Garden City Plaza, Garden City, NY 11530, Attorneys for Plaintiff 137251

LEGAL NOTICE MERRICK UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT New York State Law requires written transportation requests annually from parents or guardians of children (Grades K - 6) who are residents of the Merrick School District and attend non-public schools. The application must be fled by April 1, 2023 for the

2023-2024 school year or within 30 days after residency is established. A separate application is required for each child. Transportation is provided only to those schools within a 15-mile radius of the child’s home.

Transportation applications for the 2023-2024 school year are available at the Administrative Offces of the Merrick School District, 21 Babylon Road, Merrick, NY 11566 or on the District website www.merrick.k12.ny.us under District/Transportation.

Please contact Merrick Schools Transportation at (516) 992-7285 with any questions. Applications for students entering grades 7 through 12 can be found on the BellmoreMerrick CHSD website or call (516) 992-1024.

137249

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR OPTION ONE MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2003-3, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2003-3, Plaintiff, v. KEVIN P. MURPHY A/K/A KEVIN MURPHY, et al., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale

After Inquest and Appointment of Referee duly entered on January 31, 2017, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 23, 2023 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 1811 Bedford Avenue, Merrick, NY 11566. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 55, Block 123 and Lots 61, 62, 63 & 108. Approximate amount of judgment is $251,553.91 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to

provisions of fled Judgment Index # 12-007487. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.

George P. Esernio, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff Firm File No. 180558-1 136726

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST

Alys Balbes; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered November 5, 2018 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 28, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 2599 Orr Street, Merrick, NY 11566-4745. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of NY, Section 63 Block 135 Lot 861. Approximate amount of judgment $588,637.31 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of fled Judgment Index# 014715/2013.

Irene Villacci, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: December 16, 2022 136926

ADMINISTRATIVE

Administrative Work, Answering Phones, Computer Skills – Microsoft, Excel, Outlook, Financial background helpful. Ask For Fran 516-763-9700 frances.difede@lpl.com

ASSISTANT BOOKKEEPER Valley Stream, NY

We are a small real estate management firm looking for support to our Accounting Department. Must have previous Accounts Payable and Receivable experience. This full-time position will require knowledge of Microsoft Excel. Will also include light clerical work. To apply, please email Alyson at alyson@dewseven.com with a brief intro letter and resume

AUTO TECHNICIAN FT

Experienced And Reliable. NYSI A Plus. Busy Merrick Shop. Call 516-781-5641

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

DRIVING INSTRUCTOR Company Car, Bonuses For Good Work. Must Have Clean Driving Record, Will Train. Eastern Queens & Nassau County. Retirees Welcome! Please call Bell Auto School At 516-365-5778 10am- 6pm Or Email: info@bellautoschool.com

DRIVING INSTRUCTORS WANTED

Will Certify And Train HS Diploma NYS License Clean 3 Years

Call 516-731-3000

Real estate IN BRIEF

V.I.Properties Welcomes

Corrine Hachmon!

We are happy to welcome Corrine Hachmon to team Rozana and Sara at V.I.Properties.

FULL TIME LIBRARY AIDE Are you customer-service focused? Do you love libraries? Apply for a FT Library Aide position at the Baldwin Public Library. This is a rare opportunity that does not require a Civil Service exam. Job is 35 hours per week with at least one night per week and rotating on Saturdays. $30,000-40,000 depending on qualifications and experience. Possibility of Sunday hrs. Send resume and cover letter to dkelly@baldwinpl.org.

MEDICAL SECRETARY/ ASSISTANT PT/ FT: Garden City. Responsible, Reliable. Good Salary. Computer Experience Helpful, Will Train. Call 516-739-0333: Fax 516-739-0344

NAIL TECHNICIAN FT MASSAGE THERAPIST FT For Beautiful Nail/ Med Spa In Garden City. Must Be Licensed. Call 516-739-1111 Email melobeautybarinc@gmail.com

PART TIME ASSISTANTS Garden City Childcare Center Monday through Friday $15 per hour HS Diploma Required Call 516-572-7614

RECEPTIONIST & CLERICAL Positions P/T. Seasonal. Franklin Square. Call: 516-358-9455. Fax Resume 516-358-9483 E Mail: ed@loturco.com.

RECEPTIONIST/ P/T: SEASONAL, Warm, Friendly, Excellent People Skills, Office Work/ Customer Service, Beach Club. 516-239-2150

SECRETARY CHURCH OFFICE P/T $17/p.h. Tues, Weds, Thurs 9am-12pm. Clerical & Computer Skillls Required. Immed.. 516-547-7828. Email Resume vjl1030@yahoo.com UP TO $20.70 NYC, $20.00 L.I., $16.20 Upstate NY! If you need care from your relative, friend/ neighbor and you have Medicaid, they may be eligible to start taking care of you as personal assistant under NYS Medicaid CDPA Program. No Certificates needed. 347-713-3553

Corinne has always had a passion for sales and fashion. She was born and raised in Israel, and has been living in the Five Towns for the last 7 years. For the last 5 years she's been working as a real estate agent. Corinne is devoted to her family. She's a wife and mother of 3 beautiful children. She also enjoys giving back to her community, and is involved with local Chabad organizations. When it comes to real estate, Corinne is an expert listing agent and a strong buyers agent. She loves helping people relocate to the area, buy their first house, upsize or downsize. She prides herself on being able to provide top-notch customer service that exceeds her clients' expectations. Contact Corrine at 857.800.1533 or by email ch@rozana-sara.com

Realtors are encouraged to send briefs and photographs to: Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd.., Garden City, NY 11530.

Open Houses

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Nailing down the permits

Q. We completely rebuilt in 1996, and are ready to retire and sell. Our real estate agent told us they checked our permit records and it was never signed off. Although it’s a long story, our first contractor went to jail and destroyed our original permit papers. The second contractor never got a plumbing permit or electrical sign-offs, even though they had people do the work. Is this going to be a big problem to get everything signed off, because we want to sell within the year to take advantage of the market right now? What can you advise?

A. Sounds like you went through a lot. Most people tell me they could write a book about their experience. You need to see your building department records and get copies of the signed and sealed plans. Many municipalities keep records either in paper form, which you may have to pay for copies of, or microfilm or computer files.

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Then speak with your inspector to find out what they think needs to be done. Most will be very helpful, and allow for the process to continue, asking you to hire a plumber to get a permit, which involves your notarized signature so you know it’s being done. In way too many cases, the plumber or contractor says it was done when it really wasn’t, so most municipalities require the owner’s signature on permit applications so the building department and owner are aware that the process is being done and is not false.

The plumber needs to see your bathrooms, kitchen, heating equipment and any other plumbing to be sure it meets the plumbing code (and building code). The same process must be done with an electrician, but most building departments ask for a certification from a private agency, not your electrician, since most building departments don’t have an electrical inspector. The reason for this is that one of the two leading causes of fire is electrical (the other being use of the kitchen) so your local government wants nothing to do with the liability for fire safety.

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You’ll find that almost everyone in this process wants to avoid responsibility as much as possible. You may have to either call for an inspection agency yourself or, if you suspect that there could be questionable electrical work, hire a licensed electrician to inspect and correct before hiring an agency to detect, if you elect. The private agency charges a few hundred dollars, usually, depending on the number of rooms and outdoor items, like air conditioning condensers, pool equipment and landscape lights, which must also be inspected. After all this is done, you may be able to get a final inspection and a sign-off and certificate from your building department, unless … your building department makes you get plans and a new survey redrawn and updated to the most recent code, which is complicated, time-consuming and expensive — in the thousands of dollars — before you can get a final inspection. Allow plenty of time.

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

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Those horrifc videos, and what they show

“Icouldn’t bear the thought of people being horrified by the sight of my son,” Mamie Bradley, the mother of 14-year-old Emmett Till, a Black kid from Chicago who was tortured and murdered by white racists in Mississippi in 1955, told the press at the time.

“But on the other hand, I felt the alternative was even worse,”

Bradley continued. “After all, we had averted our eyes for far too long, running away from the ugly reality facing us as a nation. Let the world see what I’ve seen.” Bradley had refused to close the lid of her son’s coffin.

What Bradley had to say then has echoed through the decades, and helped inspire America’s civil rights movement.

Her words are still relevant today.

I’ve heard many people say they “can’t look” at the televised footage of the Memphis police beating of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old who died a few

days after he was brutally assaulted by five police officers, who have been charged in his death. The footage has been shown and re-shown. And you could say that seeing it once is enough.

And I agree. But I know of others who refuse to look at all.

Many are the same people who refused to look at the images of the police as they suffocated George Floyd in 2020. They also didn’t want to look at the flag-draped coffins of American service members who had been killed in Afghanistan or Iraq.

The first Bush administration banned photos or video of the caskets of dead returning veterans. That decree wasn’t overturned until the Obama administration.

Some ask why we should look at any of it. What good does it do? To some, it’s similar to the almost unavoidable glances at an auto accident that attracts rubberneckers. Common decency should overcome the morbid desire to slow down to a crawl.

But it’s unacceptable to refuse to look at the images of Floyd as he lay gasping for breath, or of Eric Garner, who died in a prohibited police choke-

hold in 2014, or of Nichols as he was beaten.

In 1955, what Bradley saw was the horribly battered body and the crushed face of her son, who had traveled to the small town of Money, Mississippi, to spend a summer with his sharecropper great-uncle Moses Wright.

WAfter work one night, young Emmett and some friends stopped at a grocery store. Accounts vary, but some say that Till whistled at the store’s white cashier, Carolyn Bryant. In the early-morning hours of Aug. 28, Roy Bryant, Carolyn’s husband, and J.W. Milam, Bryant’s half-brother, broke into Wright’s home and dragged Till out.

He was severely beaten. One of his eyes was gouged out. His nose was so bent out of shape, his mother said, that it resembled an S. Then he was taken to the Tallahatchie River, where he was shot in the head. His body was dumped into the river.

Wright reported the kidnapping to the police the following day, and Bryant and Milam were arrested. The only way police were able to identify Till was by

a monogrammed ring he wore that had belonged to his father.

At the funeral, relatives asked Bradley to close the casket, but she refused. Photos of her son’s body appeared in Jet magazine and the Chicago Defender, two of the most important Black publications in the United States.

Bryant and Milam were acquitted by an all-white jury that deliberated for only four hours. Years later, the FBI extracted a deathbed confession from Milam’s brother, Leslie, who admitted his own involvement. By that time, however, Bryant and J.W. Milam were long dead.

Till’s mother’s decision to let the public see what had been done to her son still resonates today.

Those who ask why we should look at any of these disturbing images say, what good does it do? The footage of Floyd, Garner and, now, Nichols, is more than painful to watch, I agree. But the cameras don’t lie. They force us to see things we don’t want to see, but must see. When we turn away, we are lying to ourselves about the reality of what happens so often to members of minorities in this, our America.

James Bernstein is editor of the Long Beach Herald. Comments? jbernstein@ liherald.com.

Hot love, cold love, new love, old love

These days, when my husband and I share affairs of the heart, there is usually anesthesia and a sameday procedure involved. For us, Valentine’s Day, the fire sale of romantic love, doesn’t speak to a 55-year relationship. Heart-shaped cakes, red roses, pink balloons and chocolates have become cheap (although not inexpensive) symbols of love. We subscribe to a more expansive view of love that includes authentic moments, nourishing memories and new experiences in the world. We learned during the pandemic that a brilliant TV movie or a sighting of a comet in a dark sky can trigger the same endorphins as “love.” It all counts. One of the unintended consequences of living in the time of Covid-19 is an impatience with posturing and a desire for genuine emotion. Let’s sift through the dross of recent weeks for the gold nuggets. Think for a moment of the intense super-joys that give value to your days — the gifts that Hallmark and

Godiva cannot confer.

These past few weeks, I have been leading a book discussion group. I do this all the time, but suddenly this year the group is intensely wonderful. The people in our circle jelled. The talk is fast, funny and wicked smart. Maybe it seems odd to think of this meet-up in terms of love, but we need all the love we can gather, and we each get to define our own experiences.

Other random love bombs:

Last week I caught a glimpse of the green-hued comet that last visited earth in prehistoric times. It was a momentary sighting, but I thought to myself, “Be still my heart” when I spotted the ball of dust and ice that won’t swing by this way again for 55,000 years. What a show.

Two weeks ago, I saw “Shades of Spring,” a new ballet choreographed by Jessica Lang. During a fairly dull week of subpar weather, a week I would give a C+, the evening of dance was a breakout moment. The performance captivated every sense and held our attention until the last bow. It was love.

Then there is Rachel Maddow. She

makes my Mondays, which are the only days she’s on the air at MSNBC with commentary about the dreaded news. An investigative pit bull with a smile on her face and a crisp sense of humor, Maddow helps mitigate the despair I feel after an intemperate eruption from Marjorie Taylor Greene. Maddow’s wit is dead on, and she is rigorous in her craft. I would not want to be in her sights, but I love being in her audience.

My life would be different, and less joyful, without Lillybee, our 5-year-old Coton. I don’t need to explain this to dog lovers. And I can’t explain it to non-dog-lovers. We celebrated her birthday Feb. 1 with a heavy spoonful of shredded pork in her kibble. I heard her whisper, “Be still my heart.”

I love our expanding daylight, which translates to elevated moods, for me and everyone else. There is just no boogying to the 4:30 p.m. Sunset Blues. The happy dance must wait for the sun to travel closer, and it is, by the minute, and I love it.

Another love bomb in my life is pasta al dente, still the most delicious, cheap-

est meal in America. When I’m ready to take on some carbs, a half-box of pasta with olive oil, parsley and garlic is sublime. Anytime we lust for linguine, we have this, right here in all our lives, and it is an affair of the heart as much as the belly.

Great books are the red roses that never fade. Consider the books I talked about this month: “The All of It,” by Jeannette Haien; “The Glass Hotel,” by Emily St. John Mandel; “Lila,” by Marilynne Robinson; and “Drag your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead,” by Olga Tokarczuk. The joy of disappearing into a book, giving up one’s grounding in time and space, is a gift. Then to talk about it with like-minded readers? Enchanting.

Wordle and Spelling Bee, my twin obsessions, have the best words. For the uninitiated, these are New York Times daily word games. And they’re like crack. You can’t stop. When you figure out the puzzle, the rush is unmistakable and familiar: love.

From the ridiculous to the sublime: I embrace my friends on Valentine’s Day and every day, don’t you? They can love anybody, and they choose you, and me. Hold them close, every precious one.

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

RANDI KREISS

Even a comet in a dark sky can trigger the same magical endorphins.

e don’t want to see the images of Floyd, Garner and, now, Nichols. But we must.

JAMES BERNSTEIN

HERALD

Getting what you pay for in the classroom

When we think of the most influential people in our lives growing up, we’re likely to point out our parents, some members of our extended family, maybe even a religious leader or two.

But no list is complete without teachers. It’s a role so important in our development that we spend nearly 13,000 hours of our childhood in front of teachers — whether we’re learning long division, the Civil War, natural selection, Newton’s laws of motion, or even where, exactly, New York is on the planet.

Education is vital, and we depend on teachers more than anyone else to deliver it. Yet when it comes time for us to show our gratitude for their extraordinary contribution to our lives, we instead focus on debates on whether teachers are overpaid, underworked and demanding just too much.

It’s not that exploring whether teachers are appropriately compensated isn’t important — in the public sphere, at least, it’s taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars that pay their salaries. However, such discussions must be done in a way that not only provides an accurate and complete look at educator salaries, but also still respects the essential role teachers fill.

A recent analysis conducted by Newsday found that more than half of all teachers on Long Island — 31,000 of them — are making at least $100,000 a year. A handful of them earned even more — upward of $300,000 and even $400,000. Numbers, we assume, we should be outraged about.

letters

Why ‘Santos, for better or worse’?

To the Editor:

Assemblyman Chuck LaVine’s letter, “It’s Santos, for better or worse,” which appeared in last week’s issue, has me perplexed. The black cloud that U.S. Rep. George Santos finds himself under is clearly his doing, and his alone. If I were a constituent of his, I would welcome a call or email from another representative who understands our Long island issues.

While Lavine said he appreciated Rep. Andrew Garbarino reaching out, the tone in his reply was less than respectful. It seems that Lavine is up to his old tricks by attempting to cast shade on an otherwise respected member of Long Island’s congressional delegation, as well as the Nassau Republican Party. Here’s a concept you might not be familiar with, Chuck: Instead of bickering, try working together, for the people

But those specific large amounts were anomalies, not the norm. Three teachers — two with more than four decades in the classroom — retired from the Central Islip school district with a mountain of sick days for which they were due compensation. These are teachers who were in the classroom nearly every day, providing consistency for their students and saving their district the need to hire substitutes.

Making this more atypical is that Central Islip has a rather unique — and far more generous — benefits package compared with other districts on Long Island.

On average, however, teachers on Long Island made a little more than $110,000 per year. That’s what the Empire Center for Public Policy told Newsweek, pointing out that that average is higher than any other region in the state, and higher than average salaries in other states. Three of the 11 school districts with the highest wage earners were in Nassau County — Jericho, Great Neck and Syosset.

Teachers have built-in holiday breaks —including the entire summer. They are done teaching by early afternoon. Their jobs aren’t physical. Who hasn’t heard these cries about teachers whenever discussions about compensation crop up?

But we also cannot forget that teachers take work home with them. They are there after school, many times giving an extra hand to our kids, helping them get the most out of their educational experience through sports or other extracurricular activities.

And while some might argue that

teachers make up for lower pay than their private-sector counterparts with better benefits, even that can be a tricky mound to stand on. A 2021 report from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College concluded that while teachers might earn the same as those with similar educational backgrounds in the private sector, ongoing across-the-board benefits cuts through pension reform means that new teachers have a far bleaker economic outlook than their more experienced colleagues.

That’s bad. “Uncompetitive compensation may make it harder to recruit highquality individuals into the teaching profession,” the report stated. Low-quality teachers — or worse, simply not enough teachers — means potentially low-quality education.

For a country struggling to keep up with many of our international competitors, an educational system in decline will only make the situation worse.

The United States already falls below the global average in math test scores, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. That put us well behind Singapore, Macao, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. And while our children’s science scores are higher than the global average, the United States remains behind Singapore, Macao, Estonia, Japan and Finland.

We must keep our public schools costs under control — absolutely. But just like anything else, we get what we pay for. And if we pay for high-quality teachers here on Long Island, we’ll continue to get them.

A useful way to enshrine a name we’d sooner forget

“make lemonade out of lemons” is a saying ingrained from an early age in students across the country to teach perseverance in the face of adversity. In essence, when we’re faced with a bad situation, we navigate the circumstances to imagine a positive outcome.

When it comes to U.S. Rep. George Santos, it’s far easier to imagine a steady stream of lemon juice squirted directly into our eyes than successfully following this elementary maxim. Each new day seems to bring a new Santos lie with it, one more outrageous than the next. From a fake resume to a fake address to a fake religion and more, Santos remains as defiant as ever in the midst of his fictional masterpiece: the most sophisticated web of lies ever created in the history of American politics.

My grandparents never talked about the Holocaust

To the Editor:

Great op-ed by Daniel Offner, “We must remember — and teach — the Holocaust (Jan. 26-Feb. 1), about his childhood memories of his grandmother, her history and what she went through.

I can really relate to it, but on my side, my grandparents would never, ever talk about what they lived through in Europe, while they raised their five children (my mom and her four siblings). The only piece of information I know is that all five of them were born in different countries while the family kept running from country to country to try and avoid Hitler. I know my grandparents were in camps, because they both had numbers on their arms, but they never, ever talked about it.

MICHAEL GILLER West Hempstead

Honor Damar Hamlin by learning CPR

To the Editor:

Last month on “Monday Night Football,” we all witnessed a horrific event when Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac

The good news is that people of good conscience all across New York state’s 3rd Congressional District, regardless of political affiliation, are exasperated by the Talented Mr. Santos, and have had enough. Calls for him to resign ring out from the headquarters of both the Nassau Republicans and county Democrats. But being outraged isn’t a solution to our Santos problem.

Santos is an issue for the nation, but let’s not forget that he is a problem of our local creation. Therefore, the burden lies with us here in the 3rd District not just to destroy Frankenstein’s monster, but also to ensure that the next George Santos is barred from ever getting his, or her, name on the ballot.

In the meantime, what Santos — the long-lost brother of fake German heiress Anna Delvey? — has shown us is that guardrails to prevent charlatans and liars from running for office simply don’t exist in the 21st century.

That’s why I’ve proposed the

arrest on the field. Cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the world. Each year, more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States. Almost three out of four of them happen at home.

If you’re called on to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation, you will likely be saving the life of someone you love. The members of our community need us. Our children need us. Our neighbors need us. Our co-workers need us.

The American Heart Association recognizes this need, and has a plan to help. You can be the difference, by learning CPR to save a life. The American Heart Association is committed to being the leader in resuscitation science, education and training.

This month — American Heart Month — the American Heart Association is specifically focused on helping people learn the life-saving skill of CPR, and we want every family and home to have someone who knows it. With the help of local supporters, we can help more of our community be prepared when called on in an emergency.

I encourage you to Be the Beat by learning CPR to be the difference and save a life. To find a class near you, visit cpr.heart.org.

DR. LAWRENCE KANNER Chief of cardiology, and director of electrophysiology/arrhythmia Services Mount Sinai South Nassau

GEORGE Package here in Nassau County, a series of laws named for Mr. Santos: Get Egregious Officials Removed from Government Elections. It features several proposals to keep people like Santos from ever getting elected in the first place. They include:

■ Mandatory background checks for all candidates, just like any employee of any company is subjected to.

■ Barring anyone with an open foreign arrest warrant from holding office.

■ Making it a misdemeanor for a candidate to lie about his or her education, employment history, address or income sources.

The GEORGE Package would not be a guarantor against politicians lying to get elected. It would, however, offer voters more peace of mind that they have an honest choice between two candidates, and assurance for those voters that if candidates don’t play by the rules, they, like us, will be held

accountable.

When James Madison created the framework for the Constitution, never in the wildest dreams of our founders did they envision needing laws like the GEORGE Package on the books. But just as the Constitution is a living document, our governments also must continue to evolve with the times.

And in the age of George Santos, when many politicians take an ends-justify-the-means approach to elevate lies over the truth and perpetrate fraud against the voters in order to win elections, these safeguards are needed now more than ever to protect our democracy.

My hope is that versions of the GEORGE Package pass in Mineola, in Albany and in Washington. If they do, voters across the state will be able to breathe a collective sigh of relief that no matter which candidate wins, no one who is as morally reprehensible as George Santos will be representing them.

Santos may be the lemons, but the GEORGE Package would be our lemonade. Let’s drink up.

Framework by Tim Baker

Josh Lafazan is a Nassau County legislator representing the 18th District.

we must ensure that the next George Santos is barred from getting his, or her, name on the ballot.

JosH LaFaZan

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