Merrick Herald 04-08-2021

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State study: Public water is feasible structure improvements and transaction costs.”

The study was put in motion by Cuomo According to a recent study ordered by in early February, and gave the DPS until Gov. Andrew Cuomo and conApril 1 to declare its results. ducted by the state DepartRory Lancman, the department of Public Service, the ment’s special counsel for municipalization of New ratepayer protection, overYork American Water’s Long saw the study.

Island infrastructure is not The DPS recommended only feasible, but also in resithat the State Legislature act dents’ best interests. quickly to remove the “onerNYAW provides water to ous property tax burden” on the Bellmore-Merrick area.

NYAW’s ratepayers. Law“The study determined makers had pushed legislathat such municipalization is tion within the state budget both feasible and, under a that would provide a path for variety of scenarios, in the JoHN BRooKs a public takeover, but it has public interest,” the DPS State senator since been removed and will report reads, “even with an be legislated separately after upfront investment of nearly the budget stalled in the $800 million for the purchase of NYAW’s Assembly, according to Sen. John Brooks, assets (or a pro rata amount for parts of a Democrat from Seaford. the system), ongoing and near-term infraContinued on page 3

By ANDREW GARCIA and MIKE CoNN agarcia@liherald.com

I

Courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District

love for languages covers the halls ANGElINA lIx, AN eighth-grade Spanish student in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, stood with her “Live, Learn, Love Language”-theme poster for the World Languages Department’s annual poster contest. Story, more photos, Page 6.

believe the creation of a water authority is the right thing to do.

JFK grad, first gay judge on N.Y.’s highest court, dies Merrick native ‘made an extraordinary impact’ on Court of Appeals

By ANDREW GARCIA agarcia@liherald.com

Judge Paul Feinman, a Merrick native, John F. Kennedy High School graduate and the first openly gay member of the state’s highest court, died on March 31 of a blood disorder. He was 61.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo nominated Feinman to the Court of Appeals in 2017, and he was confirmed by the Senate in June of that year. “It is a tremendous honor to be nominated to the Court of Appeals,” Feinman said in a statement at the time.

After his death was announced, there was an outpouring of condolences from state officials and Feinman’s colleagues in the legal profession.

“Judge Feinman was a bright, experienced and knowledgeable jurist who made an extraordinary impact on the Court of Appeals and the law of our state,” New York’s chief judge, Janet DiFiore,

wrote in a lengthy statement. “He was also a kind and gentle man who was loved by many,. Judge Feinman served with excellence at every level of our judiciary, and his broad experience, knowledge and wisdom earned him the respect and warm personal regard of his judicial colleagues.

Judge Feinman was a meticulous, disciplined and humble jurist who weighed the legal interests at stake in each case with great integrity in order to arrive at the correct and just result.”

“It’s often said that law reflects the morals of society, and Judge Feinman reflected the very best of New York,” Cuomo wrote in a statement. “The first openly gay person to serve on the Court of Appeals, he was a lifelong champion of fairness, progress, equality and justice — the very cornerstones of our state’s history and our country’s democracy. And just as importantly, he was a mentor, friend and role model to countless LGBTQ attorneys, helping to shepherd us out of

an era where being openly LGBTQ could mean disbarment and into an era where government embodies the public it serves. It was my honor to appoint him to the bench.”

“I’m saddened to hear of the passing of Justice Paul Feinman,” state Attorney General Letitia James wrote on Twitter. “The first LGBTQ Court of Appeals Judge in New York, Justice Feinman was a trailblazer, and his legacy and inspiration to New Yorkers will live on.”

Feinman was president of the International Association of LGBT Judges from 2008 to 2011, a former president of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Bar Association of Greater New York and a member of the National LGBT Bar Association.

The LGBT Bar Association of New York wrote in a statement, “We are deeply saddened by the passing this morning of our dear friend, Judge Continued on page 4

Brooks pushes tax relief legislation in Senate

By REINE BETHANY and ANDREW GARCIA agarcia@liherald.com

State Sen. John Brooks is fighting to alleviate the tax burden felt by his business and home-owning constituents. The Seaford Democrat has recently sponsored and co-sponsored three pieces of property tax legislation that, if passed into law, would not only ease the tax burden on small business owners and active military members, but also address the school district wealth gap on Long Island.

The bill that affects small business owners aims to effectively eliminate the cap placed on state and local tax, or SALT, deductions for businesses in New York.

Federal legislation in 2017 capped the amount of state and property taxes that individuals can deduct from their federal income tax forms at $10,000 — but many New Yorkers, especially on Long Island, pay much more in property taxes alone.

Owners of S corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies in New York currently pay their taxes as individuals. The bill, S2915, would give business owners an option to pay these taxes through their business entity, which is not subject to the SALT cap.

Regarding school funding, Brooks takes a novel approach to homeowner property tax relief, particularly in lesswealthy school districts. Such districts often exist where profitable businesses

Courtesy office of Sen. John Brooks

STATE SEN. JoHN Brooks chatted with his staff on the Senate floor in 2019. are few, or where businesses have payment-in-lieu-of-taxes, or PILOT, agreements.

A PILOT allows a business to agree with a municipality not to pay its full property. Lack of business tax income can pass the burden of funding a local school district to homeowners, whose property taxes get raised to make up the difference.

However, if Brooks’ legislation, which is currently introduced on the senate floor, passes, homeowner property taxes would not be expected to fund more than 50 percent of a school district’s budget.

New York State would alleviate any shortfall.

“Here on Long Island in particular, in so many districts we’re funding 70 per-

cent or more of our education through property taxes,” Brooks said. “Easily, [taxpayers] are going over the $10,000, and they’re getting double-taxed on the money that’s in excess of the $10,000 — we need to put an end to that.”

“All of this will equal $1.1 billion in savings to working and middle-class homeowners without raising any taxes,” according to Brooks.

Additionally, the gap in per-pupil spending between more and less wealthy districts would be reduced, so educational opportunities could be much more evenly distributed.

Another bill, which has unanimously passed the state senate, will help active military members. According to a press release from Brooks’ office, the legislation will authorize municipalities to offer a real property tax exemption for property owned by active-duty service members in a combat zone.

“This bill is meant to provide further stability and support for military families,” Brooks said. Currently, U.S. military veterans can claim a property tax exemption under New York state law, but Brooks said the same exemption should be available for those who are currently serving.

If the bill is signed into law, active-duty military members can claim an exemption for up to 15 percent of their home’s assessed value, but the claim cannot exceed $12,000.

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April 8, 2021 — MERRICK HERALD

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MERRICK HERALD — April 8, 2021 Alyssa Seidman/Herald

Public water advocates say the study conducted by the state Department of Public Service shows that all of Nassau County could be one step closer to municipal water.

Public water authority is ‘right thing to do’ continued from front Page If NYAW were granted an exemption from a franchise property tax, lawmakers said, more of a tax burden would be put on ratepayers of other utilities, such as National Grid.

“In virtually every other area of the state, water is not taxed at all,” Brooks said. “So, the fact that NYAW was being taxed, we were effectively subsidizing much of the Island by having a tax that no one else had to pay. It’s how you look at it: The glass is half empty or half full.”

“But I don’t think we should ever tax a natural resource that’s required to support life,” Brooks said. “There never should have been a tax on water to begin with.”

The legislation would have also established a new public authority, likely called the Nassau County Water Authority, as recommended by the DPS. The Water Authority would have the power to purchase all or parts of NYAW’s assets in the county, or obtain them through eminent domain proceedings.

If the authority is established, it could choose to operate the infrastructure itself, contract operations to established publicwater providers or merge all or parts of NYAW’s assets into existing water providers.

The report advised that time is of the essence in establishing a public water authority. The state Public Service Commission is still reviewing NYAW’s proposed sale of its Long Island infrastructure to Liberty Utilities for roughly $608 million.

NYAW’s rates are also scheduled to rise as much as 26 percent on May 1.

In addition to Bellmore and Merrick, NYAW serves Wantagh, Seaford and other select areas in the Town of Hempstead and Massapequa. It also serves the Sea

Cliff Water District, which includes Sea Cliff and Glen Head, as well as parts of Glenwood Landing, Glen Cove, Old Brookville and Roslyn Harbor.

“This is a comprehensive report,” NYAW President Lynda DiMenna said.

“As always, our number one priority is our customers, and we will be reviewing the details of the report to understand the impact on them. We are gratified to see that the governor’s press release and the report acknowledges what we have been saying for years: that the special franchise tax is overly burdensome for New York American Water customers, and tax reform is key to providing affordability for our customers.”

State Sen. Jim Gaughran, a Democrat from Northport whose district includes Sea Cliff Water District communities, also pushed for the legislation to be adopted in the budget, along with Brooks.

“We haven’t given up on anything,” Brooks said. “I believe the creation of a water authority is the right thing to do.”

Cuomo has maintained that a public water authority should encompass all of Nassau County. A Nassau County Water Authority, Gaughran said, could work similarly to the Suffolk County Water Authority, which he chaired from 2010 until he was elected to the Senate in 2018, in that it might consolidate some of the county’s smaller water districts in the future. This could also be a crucial step toward a Long Island-wide water authority, he added, which could deal more effectively with water-quality issues, an aging infrastructure and the protection of underground aquifers.

“It appears that dreams really do come true,” said Agatha Nadel, a director of the public advocacy group North Shore Concerned Citizens, of the study’s findings. “I just can’t think of another issue for this

community that could be solved that could be so gratifying and rewarding.”

Claudia Borecky, co-director of Merrick-based advocacy group Long Island Clean Air Water and Soil, said the creation of a Nassau County Water Authori-

ty would be “ideal.”

“That would be perfect,” said Borecky, who has been advocating for a public takeover for years. “I’m grateful for the people. If there hadn’t been such a public outcry we wouldn’t have gotten this far.”

History repeats itself In 2016, after more than five years of deliberations and a $90,000 feasibility study, the board of directors of the Water Authority of Southeast Nassau County voted against a local public takeover of New York American Water, effectively dissolving WASENC. The authority was charged in 2010 with investigating whether the towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay could — and should — assume control of American Water. The body was impaneled by the towns after a number of residents complained that the private company was charging significantly higher rates for the same water that the towns provide to residents in surrounding communities such as East Meadow.

WASENC retained George E. Sansoucy, P.E., LLC, to study the feasibility of a public acquisition. The draft study was completed in November 2013, according to WASENC’s secretary at the time, John Reinhardt, Hempstead’s water commissioner, but the public had yet to see those findings for more than six months, prompting a protest in July 2014.

The Sansoucy study found that a take-

over of American Water’s assets in local communities by eminent domain could cost as much as $80 million, which would have to be bonded. Reinhardt said the board voted against a public takeover in 2016 because there was no evidence to suggest that it would save ratepayers money, and noted that it would likely cost them $73, or 11.6 percent more per year over the first three decades of the takeover.

The State Legislature created WASENC in 1991 to determine whether a public takeover of New York Water Service Corporation, the private company that provided water to the region at the time, made economic sense. Aqua America took over New York Water Service Corporation, and then American Water Works Company took over Aqua New York, the Aqua subsidiary responsible for the area. American Water Works now provides water to communities such as Merrick, Bellmore, Wantagh, Seaford and Massapequa Park through NYAW. Previously reported in the Herald

Feinman, first gay judge on Court of Appeals, dies ta Law School in 1985. He began his Paul Feinman. As the first openly gay legal career at the Legal Aid Society of judge on New York’s highest court, he Nassau County, Criminal Appeals broke down bar riers and inspired Bureau, in 1985, and from 1987 to 1989 he was a senior staff attorney for the Legal LGBTQ lawyers and students.”

Feinman helped “the next generation Aid Society, Criminal Defense Division, in Manhattan, according of LGBTQ+ lawyers,” the to Cuomo’s office. From association wrote, by 1989 to 1996 he was a prinserving on its Judicial cipal law clerk to Justice S e l e c t i o n C o m m i t t e e, Angela M. Mazzarelli. which helps mentor law Feinman was a Civil students.

Court judge, first elected He was also a member in 1996 and re-elected in of the Richard C. Failla 2006. He was elected to the LGBT Commission, which Supreme Court in 2007 is dedicated to promoting and appointed associate equal participation by and justice of the Appellate access to the courts to all Division by Cuomo in people, regardless of sex2012, after serving as an ual orientation, gender acting Supreme Court jusidentity or gender. tice from 2004 to 2007.

On Twitter, the comOn the LGBT Bar Assomission wrote that its Judge pauL feinman, a ciation of New York’s members were “absolute- John F. Kennedy High website, www.lqbtbarny. ly devastated and heart- School alumnus, was conorg, a video was shared broken” about Feinman’s firmed to the state’s highthat features an interview death. “We will be creat- est court in 2017. He died with Feinman created for i n g a n a n nu a l aw a rd on March 31, at age 61. the organization’s 40th named after him to anniversary. remember his trailblazing “My advice always is to le gacy for the LGBTQ pursue what makes you alive, on fire, community,” it wrote.

Feinman received a bachelor’s degree and that you do with passion,” Feinman from Columbia University in 1981 and a said in the video, “because that passion law degree from University of Minneso- translates.”

Continued from front page

Photos courtesy LGBT Bar Association of New York

the LgBt Bar Association of New York released a recorded interview with Feinman, above, after his death. after feinman’s Confirmation to the state’s highest court, members of the LGBT Bar Association of New York joined the NYC Pride Parade with shirts and signs that read “Feinmania.”

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The housing market has moved past the recovery phase and is now booming. The word home is taking on a whole new meaning this year, and buyers are starting to look for new features as they rethink their needs and what's truly possible.

Photos courtesy North Bellmore School District

Newbridge road elemeNtary School sixth graders, from left, Olivia Zummo, Sean Roderick, Aleeza Azeem and Justin Sammons completed Women’s History Month research project on people who made meaningful contributions to society.

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The housing market has moved The housing market has past the recovery phase is nowphase and is now past theand recovery successful in all aspects of isislife and to past the phase and now past the recovery recovery phase now booming. The word home isThe taking booming. wordon homeand is taking on help others achieve their goals”. booming.

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© 2020 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY. 110 WALT WHITMAN ROAD, HUNTINGTON STATION, NY 11746. 631.549.7401

Fourth graders, above, from left, Thomas Maroney, Paola Rivera, Tai Franco and Marissa Cera contributed class posters with quotes from notable women in history.

© 2020 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY. © 2020 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY. 110 WALT WHITMAN ROAD, HUNTINGTON STATION, NY 11746. 631.549.7401 110 WALTDOUGLAS WHITMANELLIMAN ROAD, HUNTINGTON NY 11746.OPPORTUNITY. 631.549.7401 © REAL EQUAL ©2020 2020 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REALESTATE. ESTATE.STATION, EQUALHOUSING HOUSING OPPORTUNITY. 110 110WALT WALTWHITMAN WHITMANROAD, ROAD,HUNTINGTON HUNTINGTONSTATION, STATION,NY NY11746.

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KiNdergartNers viNceNt giordaNo and Ava Sbrocchi learned about famous females from multiple time periods.

Famous females in focus at Newbridge Together” quilts, with each student contributing a piece to highlight a different person.

In sixth grade, students completed “All About” pamphlets about some lesserknown figures who had significant achievements or made important contributions to society. Aleeza Azeem learned about Julia Bowman Robinson, the first woman to serve as president of the American Mathematical Society, while Sean Roderick researched Alice Ball, who discovered a treatment for leprosy.

Courtesy North Bellmore School District; compiled by Andrew Garcia.

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516-569-4000

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From kindergarten to sixth grade, students completed research projects on famous females to celebrate Women’s History Month at Newbridge Road Elementary School in the North Bellmore School District.

Kindergartners did poster projects on notable women from multiple eras, from Joan of Arc, who was born in the 15th century, to 20th century figures like Rosa Parks and Princess Diana. They included biographical information and accomplishments.

Fourth graders created posters with quotes from famous females, and fifth grade classes created “We Are All Woven

MERRICK HERALD — April 8, 2021

I’m Here to Guide You Every Step of the WayI’m

6

What’s neWs in and out of the classroom

April 8, 2021 — MERRICK HERALD

Herald ScHoolS

Photos courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District

WellinGton c. MephaM High School Italian teacher Kristen Montuori, left, stood with Italian National Honor Society members Samantha Spencer, Jaclyn Trapani, Danielle Scalamandre, Elisabeth Bracco, who was learning remotely, Emily Boccone and Juliana Cifarelli.

eiGhth Grade Mandarin student Sebastian Fu showed off his poster hanging in Grand Avenue.

Languages Department holds poster contest

Grand avenue eiGhth graders Ethan Adjei, Tyler Rannacher, James Pelini, Henry Bayer and Anthony Carlo posed in front of their creations.

SpaniSh teacher erika Feldman, left, and Spanish National Honor society members Brianna Barzola, Taya Carlin, Kailynn Wilson and Sam Cates stood in front of Wellington C. Mepham High School’s wall of posters.

The World Languages Department across Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District hosted its annual poster contest, with colorful displays donning the halls of each building, from March 8 through 12. The contest was a celebration of National World Languages Week.

“The festivities began with our annual poster contest, the theme of which was Live, Learn, Love Language,” explained Chairperson Rosa Kaplan.

Students and faculty had the opportunity to vote throughout the week.

“To show our building spirit, each day was dedicated to a different country or cultures with dress up days, informational posters displayed throughout the building and a beautiful decoration display throughout the buildings,” added Chairperson Renee Owenburg.

Winners from Wellington C. Mepham High School included Emma De Oliveira in first place, Caitlin Flannery in second place and Meagan Flannery in third place.

At Sanford H. Calhoun High School, Gary Solorzano-Ruiz took first place, while Lauren Kissel won second and Lauren DeMarco won third. Max Cortez-Cruz won an honorable mention.

John F. Kennedy High School students Stephanie Pedone, Michael Papazis and Ariana Khan won first, second and third place, respectively.

At Grand Avenue Middle School, first place went to Juliet Degree, second place went to Nicholas Jimenez and third place went to Sebastian Fu. Merrick Avenue Middle School student Ryan Levinter won first place, while students Angelica Hanna and Brianna Deputy tied for second place. Caroline Jacoby won the third-place prize.

Courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District; compiled by Andrew Garcia.

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Racial disparities persist in vaccinations aFteR months oF waiting, 71-year-old Rase Denny, of Uniondale, was able secure a Covid-19 vaccine appointment through Walgreens.

By Damali RamiRez Scrolling through the Walgreens’ Covid-19 vaccination homepage recently, 71-year-old Rase Denny, a retired nurse who worked for more than 30 years at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, had no luck finding an appointment near his Uniondale home. After weeks of having his name down on the waiting list and searching at different locations, Denny received a phone call about an available appointment.

Walgreens “didn’t have anything, and then I got a call that somebody didn’t show up, and at that point, I was able to automatically book my second appointment 30 days after,” he said.

Denny is among the roughly 43,800 Black residents on Long Island — out of a total population of more than 250,000 — who have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and now he faces challenges securing an appointment for his sister.

Across the nation, the vaccination rate among communities of color has been significantly lower than in white communities, despite the higher Covid-19 infection rates in such areas.

On Long Island, of the nearly 811,000 people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine to date, 84.6 percent have been white, including Hispanic people; 8.6, Asian; 5.9 percent, Black; and .9 percent, other, according to New York State Department of Health data by race. The Census Bureau definition of white includes anyone of European, North African or Middle Eastern descent.

The state further parses out data by ethnicity. According to this data set, 9.6 percent of Hispanic or Latino people on Long Island have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

White people — not Hispanic or Latino — comprise about 63 percent of Long Island’s total population, but to date, they have received 75 percent of Covid-19 vaccine does. Meanwhile, the percentage of Black people receiving one dose is roughly 5 points lower than their percentage of the population, and for Hispanic people, it’s more than 7 points lower.

That is, non-Hispanic white people are overrepresented among those receiving their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and Black and Hispanic people are underrepresented, while Asians are slightly overrepresented.

Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds, the president and chief executive officer of the Garden Citybased Family and Children’s Association, said he was not surprised when the data showed lower vaccination rates among Black and Hispanic communities, noting past health-care disparities between white communities and communities of color.

“I think what Covid initially did was it exposed all the fault lines that have been around since the beginning of time and made them clearer,” he said. “There’s a number of reasons particular to Covid.

The disparities were there, but some of them relate to the prevalence of pre-existing conditions, and some of them relate to essential workers and the jobs they’re doing.”

According to the Fiscal Policy Institute,

Damali Ramirez/Herald

a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institute, Long Island has roughly 311,000 essential workers; 11 percent of them support their families on low-incomes, with a family of four earning less than $53,000 a year. Women, immigrants and Blacks are overrepresented among essential workers.

Roughly 61 percent of women, 28 percent of immigrants and 17 percent of Black people are considered essential workers.

Reynolds explained that Black and Hispanic residents are more likely to live in tightly cramped homes and use public transportation, which leads to higher infection rates of communicable diseases, including the coronavirus.

Vaccine hesitancy

force the notion in their communities that health care has no place for them.

“I’ve spoken to a lot of folks who have a fundamental distrust of vaccines and the medical establishment, and I want to be careful because we don’t want to be in a position of calling anyone who has questions about the Covid vaccine an antivaxxer,” he said.

Reynolds said he believes health and government experts should have an open dialogue with people of color and answer fundamental questions about the vaccine. He also said vaccine pop-up sites should be located in accessible places that the community knows and trusts and enlist community leaders who can promote the vaccines.

“I think it’s very easy to say, well, the community doesn’t trust it, they don’t want it. Actually, there’s a lot Reynolds of people who do. You’ve got to make sure that that access is there,” he said.

State Sen. Kevin Thomas, a Democrat from Levittown, represents the 6th District, whose constituents are a little over a third Black and Hispanic. His office, he said, has been increasing efforts to make the vaccine more accessible to people of color, hosting more vaccine pop-up sites, sending out mailings, and attending church and PTA meetings to spread the word about the vaccines and vaccination sites.

“In the very beginning, there was a lot of misinformation out there about the vaccine. We had to get over that hurdle,” he said. “We had to go into [Black and Hispanic] communities, talk about facts, and as more people got vaccinated that look like them, they start changing their mind.”

Experts like Reynolds believe low vaccination rates can be partly explained because of vaccination hesiDr. Jeffrey tancy. “There’s a high degree of distrust in minority communities of the health-care system, vaccines, government,” he said, “and there’s a lot of history in place that reinforces some of that distrust.”

Although he believes the 1932–1972 Tuskegee syphilis experiment — in which Black men, without their knowledge, were given a placebo rather than a promised treatment to see what would happen if the venereal disease went unchecked — explains the distrust that many Black people feel toward the health-care system, Reynolds does not think it is the only explanation. Health-care disparities, coupled with a general lack of cultural competence among many health-care workers, also are factors.

When Black and Hispanic residents go in for routine healthcare procedures, they often do not see workers who resemble them, and many times they need transla- Fundamental vaccine issues tors. If there are no available translators, Aside from vaccine hesitancy, Reynolds non-English-speaking Black and Hispanic said he believes that a lack of resources is residents are put on a phone line. Reyn- also causing the low vaccination rates. olds said he believes these disparities rein- Many Black and Hispanic residents do not

have the technology or technological skills to navigate websites to schedule appointments.

“Lots of our employees talked about sitting with multiple screens opened up on their desktops, trying to get an appointment, as if they were buying concert tickets,” he said. “Not everybody has the time to do that. If you’re ambivalent about the vaccine, you’re not going to take the time to do that.”

Poor communities that are disproportionately Black and Hispanic are more likely to rely on public transportation and work two jobs to support their families financially. They are less likely to have the time to drive to far-away locations to get the vaccination and are restricted by public transportation.

When Reynolds recently received his vaccine at Suffolk Community College, he sat in the waiting area for 15 minutes and played on his phone. He then realized health and government experts are missing opportunities to tackle other healthcare issues, he said.

According to Feeding America, 1 in 17 people struggle with hunger on Long Island. The U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) reported that roughly 26.6 percent of New York adults reported anxiety or depressive disorder symptoms this March.

Reynolds said vaccine waiting areas would be an ideal place for nonprofits to set up around the perimeter, offer people information about food, mental health issues and resources about substance abuse counseling. Research has shown mental health disorders, anxiety, depression and substance use have increased markedly during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We should be creating a catalog of the lessons learned, and there’s been more discussion about minority health over the past year than there has been in a long time, because those disparities were on display,” he said.

Scott Brinton contributed to this story.

9

HERALD — April 8, 2021

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10

MSSN mobile vaccine unit hits the road DR. aDhi shaRMa, chief medical officer at Mount Sinai South Nassau, stood with Town of Hempstead government officials at the unveiling of the Vaxmobile.

By ReiNe BethaNy March 31 marked a milestone in the Town of Hempstead’s battle against Covid-19.

At a news conference, Town Supervisor Don Clavin announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, you’re standing in front of the very first mobile Covid-19 vaccination unit in the entire State of New York, otherwise known as the Vaxmobile.”

Behind Clavin in the senior center parking lot was an oversized van with a medical team from Mount Sinai South Nassau ready to administer 100 doses of the Johnson & Johnson SARS-CoV-2 vaccine to the center’s residents. The van was made possible by federal CARES funds.

Purchasing and equipping the van, Clavin said, required a five-month collaboration between the Town of Hempstead board and the MSSN administration and staff. Clavin particularly credited Councilman Anthony D’Esposito for responding when Richard Murphy, president and CEO of MSSN, reached out to the Town of Hempstead with the vision for the mobile unit.

D’Esposito represents the 4th Councilmatic District, where MSSN is located in Oceanside.

The mobile unit is vital, Clavin said, because widespread vaccination cannot be achieved without “getting into every community, and this mobile unit’s going to start that process.”

Dr. Adhi Sharma, MSSN’s chief medical officer, said, “We want to thank the supervisor, his vision with Councilman D’Esposito and the town board, which allowed us to start planning way ahead of time for this. … We’re giving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. It’s one shot, and we’re getting it to those communities who are chal-

Reine Bethany/Herald

lenged” — seniors and anyone without transport to a vaccination site.

Elizabeth Haggood and Willie Dent, both of Uniondale, received the first doses. “I didn’t even feel it,” Haggood said.

At one of the five vaccination stations set up in the senior center parking lot, nurses Valentina Griffiths and Luz Otero were two of the official vaccinators assigned to the mobile unit.

Otero said, “The patients who can’t come to us, we go to them,” including setting up drive-by vaccination stations where “we do everything while [the patients] are

sitting in their car.” The vaccinators also might arrange a central station in the activity room of a senior housing unit, or walk through the unit to vaccinate bedridden residents.

Vaxmobile shots are by appointment only. To be placed on a list and notified of when the Vaxmobile will come to their area, people can call the Town of Hempstead Clerk’s Office at (516) 812-3046.

Organizations or centers interested in scheduling a visit for eligible residents or for more information may call the Town of Hempstead at (516) 812-3678 or send an email to VaxMobile@snch.org.

Nassau Dems:

More police oversight is needed in new plans

By Melissa KoeNig mkoenig@liherald.com

After an independent review board to oversee the Nassau County Police Department was left out of the county’s police reform plan, the Legislature’s three members of color have written a letter to state officials, calling on them to allocate the financial resources to create a regional office of the State Law Department’s Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office.

The state office receives complaints about alleged police misconduct from the more than 500 police departments throughout New York, and evaluates each one. A more regional office, however, Legislators Siela Bynoe, Kevan Abrahams and Carrié Solages argue in their March 26 letter to Attorney General Letitia James — who oversees the LEMIO — would be dedicated to reviewing the complaints brought against Nassau County police and determining the proper courses of action for each complaint received.

“This is an opportunity to really circumvent what happened in the Legislature,” Solages, a Democrat from Lawrence, told the Herald.

He and the two other legislators — all Democrats — have pushed for increased oversight of the police department for years, co-sponsoring a bill in 2014 to introduce a body camera program, which was shot down, and asking for more data to be

siela Bynoe

Kevan abrahams

collected and made public about arrest rates by race since Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced over the summer that all municipalities would have to create a plan to reform their local police departments after the killing of George Floyd and the nationwide protests that followed.

With cases like these in mind, Bynoe, of Westbury, proposed an amendment on March 17 to include an early-intervention system in the police reform plan as a “non-punitive tool whose purpose is to proactively identity and address potential issues before they become problems,” like the final report to the county from the Police Executive Research Foundation suggested. Currently, Solages said, Nassau County police officers are only required to undergo a psychological evaluation when they are first hired.

Additionally, Bynoe proposed the creation of a review board to determine which officers might need intervention —

Carrie solages

such as a change in assignment, additional supervision or training and referrals to counseling — before they are accused of police brutality, and the department, she said, should re-evaluate its programs regularly “to consider new and more effective interventions.”

Abrahams, the Legislature’s minority leader from Freeport, meanwhile, also asked County Executive Laura Curran on March 11 to consider creating a public safety committee that would release useof-force data, information about complaints and traffic stop data at biannual public hearings on policing in Nassau.

Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder later agreed to hold biannual public hearings to release data on complaints made against police officers, which would also be available online, but said a local public review board could not be included in the plan without a collective bargaining agreement between the county and the

police unions. Instead, he said, every complaint is forwarded to the State Attorney General’s Office for review, unless it is a complaint about a violation of the police department’s rules.

“They’re the early intervention,” Ryder said at the public hearing on March 22. “We’re not.”

But without an independent board to review police misconduct, the three legislators said, the county’s police reform plan does not include enough measures to oversee the police department, and they voted against it.

“It’s not going to get us where we want to be,” Solages said of the plan, which he voted against, with Bynoe adding at the hearing, “There needed to be a little bit more meat on the bone.”

The plan, the legislators said in their letter to the attorney general, also failed to include alternative approaches to oversight, such as empowering a local county human rights agency to oversee it, like Suffolk County did, or creating a thirdparty police complaint hotline for the purpose of recording and transmitting complaints, and expanding the scope of a local ethics board to review police misconduct complaints, like the Village of Hempstead did. And while the plan includes a provision to give officers bonuses for body cameras, the legislators said, they are not “a panacea for officer misconduct and abuse.”

April 8, 2021

ENIOR

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MERRICK HERALD — April 8, 2021

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13

MERRICK HERALD — April 8, 2021

Hope on the horizon

I

What older adults need to look out for (and the people who love them)

f you’re an older adult, or you care about someone who is, this is a pivotal moment in the pandemic. Covid-19 vaccination is well under way and many older adults have already been immunized and now inching toward a return to “normalcy.”

But this hopeful moment comes at the exact same time that new, mutated forms of the virus threaten to speed up the spread, adding to already high levels of Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

So as the pandemic enters its second year, older adults may feel a mixture of hope, anxiety, fatigue, anger, fear and resolve.

“Older adults have been disproportionally affected by this pandemic, and not just in terms of their physical health,” says Preeti Malani, M.D., an infectious disease and geriatrics specialist at Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan’s academic medical center, and the director of the National Poll on Healthy Aging. “As this year moves on, it’s important to find safe ways to engage with others, get outside and move around, and take care of your medical needs.”

Here are top tips to follow through if you’re an older adult, or if you live with or love someone who is (these tips also apply to younger people who have health conditions that make them more vulnerable to the worst effects of Covid-19, including people with autoimmune conditions, or immune systems that have been weakened by a condition they have or treatments they receive): Get the vaccine as soon as you can It’s safe and will help keep you from getting a bad case of Covid-19 if you do get exposed. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need to use an unfamiliar website or mobile app to do so. Don’t let a little technology stand between you and the vaccine that can protect you!

Also, make sure you’re scheduling the appointment through an official source — don’t be taken in by scam sites that have fooled some older adults.

Once you’re vaccinated, don’t act as if you have superpowers First of all, it takes up to two weeks for the first dose to teach your immune system about the coronavirus. And it takes two doses of the vaccine, several weeks apart, to get full protection (unless you’re getting the Johnson & Johnson version).You can still get seriously ill with Covid-19 in those first weeks if you were exposed to coronavirus just before or just after getting vaccinated (but the vaccine can’t give you Covid-19, because it doesn’t contain a whole virus.)

Even after your second dose, you can still get infected, though you probably won’t get nearly as sick as you would have. You may still be able to infect others, though researchers are working to see how likely this really is. That makes this next step important too.

Whether you’ve gotten the vaccine yet or not, keep wearing masks and maintain social distancing protocols.

The virus is still widespread, so even as more people get vaccinated and their vaccine takes effect, it could take months for the spread to slow. It’s still important to do all the things we’ve been doing (or should have been doing) since spring to reduce the chance of getting or spreading the virus.

Masks are critical to slowing the spread of coronavirus,

Get outside Make a plan to meet a friend outside, with masks on and staying apart, if you’re feeling well. The weather is starting to warm up, but even if it’s chilly, dress appropriately (including footwear with appropriate grip) and enjoy a walk, hike, explore a park, have a chat or do other activities.

If the sun is out, make a special effort to get outside by yourself or with others, since sun exposure can help your mood and vitamin D levels especially since we’ve just emerged from a difficult winter.

If you go outside to meet someone who doesn’t live with you, keep masks on, and keep your distance physically. And don’t leave home if you know you’ve been exposed to someone with Covid-19 in the last two weeks, or you have symptoms of any illness.

For dining or drinking outside or in ‘igloo’ type structures, which means no masks, it’s still best to stick with members of your household or one other household that you agree to form a “pod” with.

Move every day Even if you can’t go outside, or don’t want to brave a cold or rainy day, just walking around, climbing stairs, stretching, or tuning in to an exercise class online or on television can help you keep your mood up and your muscles working.

It may be tempting to sit on the couch or in front of the computer for hours on end, but even if you do, make sure to get up at least once an hour to move around, get a drink of water, look out a window, or even doing a “standing meeting” with coworkers, friends or relatives, where you stand or walk around while you talk or have a video chat.

Connect Even if still you’re not comfortable getting together with people outside, or going into stores for essential trips, you should make a special effort to connect with others virtually — especially if you live alone or are home alone most of the day. Loneliness and social isolation have doubled among older adults during the pandemic.

If you know another older person who may need more connection during this time, don’t be afraid to reach out.

Phone calls, texts, video chats, virtual classes and book clubs, television or movie “watch parties” and social media can all help.

Also be sure to check your local library, senior center or even a museum (such as Hofstra University Museum of Art and Nassau County Museum of Art, and arts venues, such as Tilles Center, which continue to offer online events.

Help others The pandemic, and its economic effects, have hit some people much harder than others.

If you have the ability to give time, money or expertise to a cause or organization you believe in, or to help neighbors with simple tasks such as pet walking or outdoor chores, this is a good time to do so. You may find that helping others helps you too.

Above photo: Special risks mean special care is needed, even as the vaccine becomes available.

Social Engagement Whether socializing in place or getting out, connections are more important than ever Everyone needs social connections to survive and thrive.

But as people age, they often find themselves spending more time alone. Growing older means adapting to new social challenges, which can be burdensome enough without dealing with a pandemic at the same time.

Being alone may leave older adults more vulnerable to social isolation, which can affect health and well-being. Studies show that loneliness and social isolation are associated with higher risks for health problems such as heart disease, depression, and cognitive decline.

Maintaining social connections and staying mentally and physically active is key to reducing social isolation and loneliness among older adults, particularly now, as we continue to deal with the Covid-19 national health crisis.

Here are some ideas to stay connected.

Reach out. Try to call a family member or friend every day, write them a note or send a card. Schedule time each day to stay in touch with family, friends, and neighbors in person, by email, social media, voice call, or text. Talk with people you trust and share your feelings. Suggest an activity to help nurture and strengthen existing relationships.

Find an activity that you enjoy. You might even restart an

old hobby or take a class to learn something new. You might have fun and meet people with similar interests.

Stay active, mentally and physically. Move more and sit less. Engage in physical activity such as a walk or online group exercise classes. Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes (2 1/2 hours) of activity a week that makes you breathe hard.

Flex your brain. Draw a sketch, write a poem or short story, or start journaling.

Create connections using technology. Use online tools to connect with friends and family.

Attend virtual events and concerts or tour museums from home. Read a book online. If you’re not tech-savvy, sign up for an online or in-person class at your local public library or community center to help you learn how to use email or social media.

Welcome a furry companion into your home. Consider adopting a pet if you are able to care for them. Animals can be a source of comfort and may also lower stress and blood pressure.

Focus on your faith.

Deepen your spirituality at your church or synagogue and engage with others in activities and events.

Above photo: Being socially engaged improves the quality of life for older adults and is associated with better mental and physical health.

HEALTH HEALTHMEMOS MEMO

April 8, 2021 — MERRICK HERALD

14

Register now for third NSPC “Virtual” Health Science Competition

R

egistration for the third NSPC Brain & Spine Surgery (NSPC) Health Science Competition (HSC), a program of the Center for Science Teaching & Learning (CSTL), is open at www.cstl.org/nspc. Like last year’s event, the 2021 program will be staged online to assure the safety of participants, judges, educators, and sponsors.

Applications for the “virtual” competition must be received by no later than 4:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday, April 30, 2021. A $30 non-refundable registration fee per team applies to all entries. The NSPC HSC is available only to Nassau and Suffolk County high school teams.

In 2020, over 280 students representing 37 Long Island high schools participated in the competition and 50 prize-winning teams shared over $80,000 in score-based awards.

To compete, teams will create a Google site and upload: 1) Images of their poster board/digital poster board or a 20 slide PowerPoint presentation; 2) A 10 minute video in which team members can be seen explaining their project, and 3) All executed competition documents. Entries

must be received by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 19, 2021. Results are to be announced and live streamed on Tuesday, June 15.

Student teams will be judged in one of five categories: Behavioral Sciences; Biology-Medicine/Health; BiologyMicrobiology/Genetics; Health Related Biochemistry/Biophysics, and Bioengineering and Computational Biology.

The five first place winners in last year’s competition were: Anushka Gupta of Great Neck North High School in the “Behavioral Sciences” category; Suchir Misra of Jericho Senior High School in the “Bioengineering and Computational Biology” category; Tiffany Guo of Paul D. Schreiber High School in Port Washington in the “Biology-Genetics” category; Lianna Friedman of Roslyn High School in the “Biology-Medicine/Health” category, and Chelsea Pan of Ward Melville High School in the “Health Related Biochemistry & Biophysics” category. Each first place winner received a $5,500 prize. The exact breakdown of prizes can be found at www.cstl.org/nspc/hsc-prizes/.

“The young people who were part of our first two competitions,” observes Michael H. Brisman, M.D., an attending neurosurgeon and chief executive officer of NSPC Brain & Spine Surgery,“ were brilliant and inspiring. Their understanding of medicine and health-related subjects was impressive. These students are exactly the people we need to address the high demand for STEM, health science, and healthcare-related jobs here on Long Island and across the nation.”

For more information about the NSPC Health Science Competition (HSC), complete competition rules, and deadlines, visit www.cstl.org/nspc or call 516-764-0045.

About Neurological Surgery, P.C. (NSPC) Founded in Freeport in 1958, NSPC Brain & Spine Surgery (NSPC) has grown to become one of the largest, private neurosurgical groups in the U.S. with seven conveniently located offices on Long Island. The practice’s 22 experienced neurosurgeons are experts in “Bloodless” spine and brain surgery, including

endoscopic spine surgery, laser spine surgery, ultrasonic spine surgery, radiosurgery, endoscopic brain surgery, and other advanced, minimally invasive techniques which are used to treat herniated disc, spinal stenosis, chronic back pain, brain tumors, brain aneurysms, trigeminal neuralgia, and other conditions.

Please visit www.nspc.com for more information.

About The Center For Science, Teaching & Learning The Center for Science, Teaching & Learning (CSTL) is a Rockville Centrebased, not-for-profit organization with a mission of encouraging learning and literacy. CSTL develops programs for people of all ages and uses inquiry-based learning at its foundation for program development. To learn more about CSTL, visit www.cstl.org.

100 Merrick Road, Suite 128W, Rockville Centre, NY 11570 • 844-NSPC-DOC Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

HEALTH MEMO

T

HEALTH MEMO

Two ears are better than one

wo ears are, indeed, better children’s voices and whispers, are than one for a number of soft sounds that are better picked up reasons. Just like our eyes, our with two hearing aids. brains are wired to receive sound Less strain on you while from both ears. Many first-time listening: With only one hearing aid hearing aid wearers think starting you may often strain to hear various with just one hearing aid may be sounds and become fatigued, but easier to adjust to or perhaps save with two hearing aids, listening is them some money. However, two more relaxed. hearing aids are truly better than one.

Listening balance: Our natural Here are some reasons why: state is hearing with both ears. With Dr. Esther Fogel Better localization: This is the two hearing aids, you won’t be ability to tell where sounds are turning your good ear to hear. Better Owner/Director, Comprehensive Audiology coming from. When our brain detects hearing is also linked to better overall sound signals from both ears, it is balance and less risk of falls. able to then pinpoint the original location of the Lastly, higher success and satisfaction: sound, by calculating the timing and volume Studies indicate people who wear two hearing aids differences from each ear. This provides a better are much more satisfied with their hearing aids. listening experience in a crowd, by allowing us to You’ve got two ears — might as well use them both discern who is speaking. It is also an important to hear the world around you. After all, you don’t safety factor, by allowing the brain to determine the want to miss a single sound. exact location of sound, such as a car honking.

Comprehensive Audiology is located at Better hearing in background noise: 261 Broadway in Lynbrook. Appointments can be Background noise is annoying, even for people with made by calling 516-387-4000 or emailing info @comprehensiveaudiology.com. Follow us on normal hearing. Hearing with two ears allows our brain to filter out some of the background noise and Facebook, Linkedin, Google, or Instagram @comprehensive_audiology, or visit us at focus on what is important for us to hear www.comprehensiveaudiology.com. conversation. For people with hearing loss, background noise can be even more annoying.

Using two hearing aids that are properly tuned, cuts through some of the background noise, enabling you to hear more clearly and easily.

Better sound quality: Hearing the world in 261 Broadway, Lynbrook • 516-387-4000 stereo versus mono provides a better and more www.comprehensiveaudiology.com natural listening experience. Sounds of nature, Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

Lessons learned in the time of Covid

By Jennifer B. Cona, Esq.

M

arvin contracted Covid and wound up in the hospital for four months. A widower with two daughters on the West Coast, Marvin needed someone to attend to his financial affairs. But he never signed a Power of Attorney.

There was no one who could step in to pay his mortgage, utility bills, keep oil in the tank to heat his house, and keep the pipes from freezing. Of course, Marvin never expected something like this would happen to him. We never do.

Ruth took care of her estate planning but was not comfortable with asset protection planning. She did not want to give up control. She became very ill from Covid due to underlying conditions and now resides in a nursing home. Because she did not protect assets, Ruth will have to spend down one-half of her assets on the cost of her care. Had she planned ahead when we did her estate planning, she could have protected ALL of her assets.

We’ve learned a lot of lessons in the time of Covid. Now is not the time to be complacent. Now is

the time to take action to protect your assets and your loved ones. You’ll be ready to enjoy summer and live your best life!

Cona Elder Law offers a free Vaccine Assistance Hotline to assist older adults in securing vaccination appointments and currently offers free consultations to provide barrier-free access to legal services during these challenging times. Access both by calling 631390-5000.

Cona Elder Law PLLC is an award-winning law firm concentrating in the areas of elder law, estate planning, estate administration and litigation, and health care law.The firm has been ranked the #1 Elder Law Firm by Long Island Business News for eight consecutive years. For additional information, visit www.conaelderlaw.com.

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Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

15

MERRICK HERALD — April 8, 2021

LONG LIVE LONG ISL AND

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When we see Long Island, before all else, we see you— every unique, astounding one of you.

Because it’s your rich and vibrant lives that breathe life into our island. So, at every Catholic Health hospital, practice, and care facility, we’re able to provide the highest quality, most innovative care for your body because our culture cherishes your humanity.

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Sleep struggles

THEY NEED YOU MORE THAN EVER

Your changing body and sleep patterns

By Julia Price

Thanks to your generosity, North Shore Animal League America has saved the lives of over 1,100,000 rescue dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens.

During these uncertain times, they need you now — more than ever! Your support will ensure that our no-kill mission continues for the animals who’ll be relying on us in the future.

Your tax-deductible donation helps us to bring more homeless pets to safety, provide them with critical medical care, and find them loving, responsible homes.

animalleague.org/helptoday 516.883.7575 • Follow Us!

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Parents often monitor their kids’ sleeping patterns as a way to ensure they’re getting a quality night of zzz’s. But who monitors our sleeping routines once we’re older? How are we supposed to know whether we’re getting enough sleep or how to prepare for if we need more? According to the National Sleep Foundation, one of the most common concerns elderly people have is that they sleep for less time than when they were younger, plus they may report waking up multiple times during the night or having difficulty falling asleep in the first place.

There are various stages of sleep that cycle throughout the entirety of one’s night — light and deep — and many seniors tend to experience an increase in their number of light stages, which could cause more tiredness throughout the day. A major factor contributing to this change is linked to medications prescribed for physical and psychological illnesses, although some of it is completely natural.

For example, as we age, we organically tend to get tired earlier in the evening and, in turn, rise earlier in the morning. A sleep therapist can help change your circadian rhythm, utilizing light therapy, traditional therapy or other resources.

For a list of sleep therapists near you, call your health insurance company or look on its website.

If you’re looking to take matters into your own hands, there are many homeopathic and natural remedies that are quite easy to introduce into your nightly and daily routines. At night, try to avoid television, the computer and your cell-

phone for at least one hour before you retire to the bedroom. Because your body wants to stay awake when it thinks it’s daytime, these devices can create a sort of fake “daylight” effect, throwing off your natural sleep rhythm.You also should try to avoid drinking water or other liquids for at least an hour before bedtime.

Stretching and meditation are also great tools to help slow down your system into complete relaxation mode, calming and quieting the mind. If you have trouble meditating on your own, there are many assisting apps you can use; however, if you require assistance, make sure that your phone or other device has the light turned all the way down so that you avoid bright lights as recommended above. You might also try taking a warm bath or shower before sleeping, making sure to focus on slow breathing and the way the water feels on your skin. Sometimes humming slowly or chanting a mantra can also calm your mind and put you into a completely surrendered state of calm.

If none of the above works, melatonin is a great natural sleep aid that will help sooth you into sleep without giving you some of the “hangover” effects you may feel from an over-thecounter or prescribed sleeping pill. Melatonin is a natural chemical found in the body, so taking it merely enhances your body’s ingrained clock that tells it when to go to sleep. This shouldn’t be used nightly, however. It should be used only when necessary. That’s because when the brain is exposed to too much melatonin, it becomes unresponsive, according to Richard Wurtman, who pioneered the use of melatonin in helping people sleep.

Make Your World More

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With Better Hearing

516.387.4000 261 Broadway • Lynbrook

ComprehensiveAudiology.com | Dr. Esther Fogel, Au.D.

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Call today to schedule your appointment!

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April 8, 2021 — MERRICK HERALD

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Why does everything hurt?

17

MERRICK HERALD — April 8, 2021

Understanding and dealing with age-related pains

By Kristen Castillo

Aging can bring some aches and pains, such as arthritis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of all people over age 65 have reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis.

What happens as we get older? The Mayo Clinic reports that as we age, our bones shrink in size and density, making them weaker and more susceptible to breaking. Plus, our muscles lose strength, flexibility and endurance, all of which can imact our balance, coordination and stability.

To promote good bone, joint and muscle health, the clinic suggests adults get at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium every day. Women over age 51 and men over age 71 should take 1,200 milligrams daily. Get vitamin D, too. Adults up to age 70 need 600 IU a day, while those over 70 should get 800 IU. The Mayo Clinic also recommends weightbearing exercises, such as walking, climbing stairs, jogging and playing tennis to help keep bones strong and slow bone loss.

Move It! While age-related pain varies from person to person, it’s not necessarily a doom and gloom situation.

“The expectation that pain comes with aging is an unfortunate one and can lead to helplessness that there isn’t anything that can

be done,” says physical therapist Devra Sheldon.

“This couldn’t be further from the truth. Aging does not equal pain.”

Sheldon, who specializes in helping patients manage pain through movement, encourages those with general aches and pains to find the movements and exercises they like.

“If you’re not into a particular type of exercise, then that’s not the one for you,” she says.

She teaches patients to look for “movement opportunities.” For example, when getting up from a chair or couch, perform five sit-to-stands.

When standing at the bathroom sink, do 10 heel raises.

Wear and Tear “As we age, we suffer from years of wear and tear in our joints,” says certified personal trainer and nutritionist Adnan Munye, noting that people over 50 can be affected by arthritic pain, a lack of mobility, muscle imbalances and impact injuries from falls.

He recommends exercising daily, with a focus on being gentle. Swimming and Pilates, for example, are great ways to stay active without straining joints.

“Some movement every day helps to keep circulation in good order,” says Munye. “It keeps synovial fluid production in the joints high, helping arthritis, and improves cardiovascular health.

He also advises using a sauna two to three times a week, which can reduce inflammation

and improve circulation.

Yoga According to Harvard Health Publishing, studies show yoga can help people with chronic low back pain, as well as those with fibromyalgia osteoporosis-related curvature of the spine and other conditions. Plus, yoga can improve a person’s mood and psychosocial well-being.

“A regular yoga practice can also improve core strength and balance to prevent against falls and injuries and has been shown to improve respiratory function and circulation,” says yoga instructor Leslie Conner, noting the exercise can strengthen muscles and increase stability in joints.

Yoga is highly adaptive, too, so it’s a fit for people of all ages and physical abilities. Patients with multiple sclerosis, for example, can practice yoga from a chair instead of a mat on the floor.

Weightlifting Pick up those dumbbells. If the idea of weightlifting to reduce pain seems counterintuitive, think again.

Nick Rizzo, director of training and fitness at

RunRepeat, did a meta-analysis of over 126 scientifically peer-reviewed studies on the benefits of weight training and strength training for seniors.

He found that studies on age-related pain have shown weightlifting improves overall quality of life by easing general aches and pains, as well as disorder-specific ones.

He says weightlifting is also good for your brain, helping improve your memory.

Managing Pain Aching feet and legs? Wear medical compression stockings or socks to help ease swelling, improve circulation and prevent blood clots.

Sooth body aches by soaking in a warm bath with Epsom salts.

Ease joint pain by applying heat to joints when they’re stiff and icing them when they’re swollen.

As always, consult your doctor before trying new therapies and if a new injury or pain develops.

Above photo: Yoga is highly adaptive, so it’s a fit for people of all ages and physical abilities.

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HEALTH MEMO

April 8, 2021 — MERRICK HERALD

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Mount Sinai South Nassau and Town of Hempstead launch

Mobile Vaccination and Testing Unit

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s the warmer weather approaches, look for a mobile unit sponsored by Mount Sinai South Nassau and the Town of Hempstead that could be coming soon to your neighborhood to administer Covid-19 vaccinations. Mount Sinai South Nassau received CARES Act funding through the Town of Hempstead to purchase the mobile testing and vaccination bus, which will serve all areas of the Town.

“This mobile unit will allow us to bring Covid-19 rapid testing and vaccinations directly to communities within the Town of Hempstead, particularly areas that have been hard hit by the pandemic,” said Adhi Sharma, MD, Executive Vice President for Clinical and Professional Affairs and Chief Medical Officer, adding, “We are proud to partner with the Town.”

The handicapped-accessible mobile unit is expected to be up and running in the coming weeks. The Town and hospital will be working with community leaders to arrange vaccination visits at convenient and popular locations, including faith-based organizations, libraries, recreation centers, senior centers, parks, and train stations.

In addition to eliminating the barrier of transportation, the unit will feature a bilingual clinical staff that will help residents navigate registration requirements or potential language barriers that otherwise could discourage them from getting the help they deserve and need. The interior of the unit includes a private exam room, computerized clinical workstations, medical testing and lab technologies, and secure storage areas.

Additional information about the mobile unit and its future schedule will be posted on the Town and hospital websites.

“We’re proud to once again team up with Mount Sinai South Nassau to provide this essential Covid-19 service to our residents,” said Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin.

“We thank Senator Schumer for making the funding available to our town that has led to the creation of many programs to keep our residents safe.”

“Supervisor Clavin and the Town Board have been invaluable partners in our fight to stop the spread of the virus,” said Richard J. Murphy, President & CEO of Mount Sinai South Nassau. “We appreciate their leadership and willingness to fund and join us in this important public health effort.”

Meanwhile, Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Covid-19 Vaccination Center, at 519 Merrick Rd., Rockville Centre, reached a significant milestone on Friday, March 12, when it administered its 10,000th dose of the Covid vaccines. The center is also the host site of the Teacher’s Vaccination Pilot Program, a collaborative initiative of Mount Sinai South Nassau and Nassau County to vaccinate area

Qualified Mount Sinai South Nassau staff will be on hand to administer the vaccine. The mobile unit, pictured here with images of (left) Theresa Clarke, Nurse Practitioner and (right) Karine Austin, RN, is designed to bring vaccines to hard-hit communities.

Medicine, Chief of Infectious Diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau. “I encourage everyone to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible.”

With the recent approval of the Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine, plans are being established for its distribution. Dr. Glatt advises to get whichever vaccine is available to you as soon as possible. For the most current information on the availability, use, effectiveness, and timing of these vaccines, visit www.southnassau.org/ covid19vaccine.

Brian Warner of Hempstead, was one of the first Town of Hempstead residents to receive their Covid-19 vaccine in the community from the ‘Vaxmobile,’ a mobile vaccination bus made possible through a partnership by Mount Sinai South Nassau and the Town. Brian, pictured here, was vaccinated at the Uniondale-Hempstead Senior Center, where hospital staff vaccinated 90 residents. teachers and school staff members from local school districts so that schools can continue to achieve their plans to reopen rapidly and safely.

“As vaccines for other life-threatening

diseases have demonstrated, the Covid-19 vaccines will help keep you and your family from getting seriously ill, even if you do get Covid-19, while reducing risk for others,” said Aaron E. Glatt, MD, Chair of the Department of

Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

One Healthy Way Oceanside, NY 11572 877-SOUTH-NASSAU (877-768-8462) www.mountsinai.org/southnassau

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MERRICK HERALD — April 8, 2021

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April 8, 2021 — MERRICK HERALD

20

Bellmorite finds kidney, with celebrity help

By ANDREW GARCIA agarcia@liherald.com

Bellmore native Geff Gruber was 26 when he was surprised to learn that he had a rare kidney disorder: He had been born with only one. Now 31, Gruber is the recipient of a donated kidney from someone who only weeks ago was a stranger in Texas.

“Pretty much the week after the transplant, I was fine,” said Gruber, who underwent the operation late last month at NYU Langone Health in New York City.

“There’s minimal pain.”

Gruber said he lived an active lifestyle before he was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, or FSGS. He was a landscaper and a bodybuilder. Doctors first noticed a high level of creatine in his blood, and a sonogram later revealed that he only had one kidney.

“I was surprised,” Gruber said, “but my parents were more upset and shocked than anything.”

Because he had had only 50 percent kidney function since birth, his lone kidney deteriorated over time. It had to work overtime, unbeknown to Gruber, which eventually caused scarring.

Although he never felt severe symptoms, he began to feel dizzy and weak at work last June. He went to the hospital and was put on dialysis.

“Then I couldn’t work anymore,” he said. “Every time you overexert yourself — going upstairs, running — you get winded very easily.” Finding a donor became even more imperative: Gruber’s kidney had deteriorated too much to sustain itself, and he couldn’t stay on dialysis for too long.

As a result of his treatment, health insurance costs skyrocketed. Gruber’s sister, Noelle, kicked off a social media campaign with a GoFundMe page and a search for a potential donor. As of early this month, the GoFundMe campaign had raised $15,530, exceeding the goal of $15,000.

GRuBER, fAR RIGht, posted this photo to his social media after his operation.

GRuBER AND hIs sister, Noelle, used the show “Supernatural” to boost attention for their donor search.

The search for a donor started when “Supernatural” — one of Gruber’s favorite shows — was coming to an end. With a “Supernatural” theme, Noelle posted a photo of her brother on Twitter to try to catch fans’ attention.

From there, the search reached a popularity that neither had expected. The post was shared by celebrities of “Supernatural” fame, including Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins.

The campaign eventually caught the attention of Lauren Angelini, a Texas resident. Angelini got tested to see if she was a match, and she was.

Angelini flew to New York for the operation. She and Gruber met face to face for the first time in the hospital before the operation, where they bonded over their love for the show.

“It was the right thing to do,” Angelini told the Herald. “I did my research, and there are no long-term effects. It was easy to do, and a benefit for him.”

“It really shows the power of social media,” Noelle said. “It’s incredible what people will do for a stranger.” “‘Supernatural’ saved my life,” Gruber said.

He had been on the wait list at NYU to receive a kidney from a deceased donor, but that wait could have taken over a decade. A kidney from a living donor means it will have a longevity of 20 years or more.

As for lifestyle changes, Gruber will need to eat healthy and lightly exercise.

He needs to be extra careful with common household activities, for now — he can’t put his hands in his fish tank to feed his fish, and he can’t sleep with his cats, and risk scratches. It will take him more than a year to fully heal.

He has been sharing his story on social media and hopes to provide inspiration for others who might be in a similar position. Potential donors or anyone with questions can reach Gruber via his Instagram, @bbmaktiger, or email, geffneedsakidney@gmail.com.

Photos courtesy Geff Gruber

GEff GRuBER, A Bellmore resident, is a recent kidney donation recipient thanks to his donor, Lauren Angelini.

NCC theatre director recalls pandemic’s effects

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out. Acting classes changed venues, too, for the same reason, and plastic barriers were installed in between students. And campus studios were equipped with WiFi and 84-inch monitors to allow students tuning in via Zoom to participate.

“A lot of the faculty had to deal with dual modality of some students are face to face and some students are on Zoom,” Ginsburg said, “and you have to address them and give them material, and they have to be evaluated … at the same level.”

But in the arts, there’s learning in the classroom and there’s performance.

“Without the performance space, there’s no proof in the pudding,” Ginsburg said, explaining that putting together seven or eight shows a year and performing each one 10 nights in a row helps students grow. That kind of growth can’t happen in a classroom, he said. Performances are the students’ labs.

The spread of Covid-19 meant that live audiences were a thing of the past, at least temporarily. After reimagining the format for productions, the department staged “Dracula” around Halloween via Zoom. Fully costumed actors used different Zoom backgrounds.

From there, the department focused more on becoming a miniature television and film production company. New equipment was brought in, and about 400 hours were devoted to revamping the school’s multipurpose ballroom with lighting, projection and other technical features for the dancers.

Dance students also learned to edit their own video reels to be able to market themselves after graduation.

“We have to shift,” Ginsburg said. “It is the nature of theater to reinvent itself and work its way out of every problem, because as the adage is, the show must go on.”

In the past year, the department put on productions of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Sistas on Fire,” a homemade variety show and more. And its first streaming production, Dominique Morisseau’s “Pipeline,” is scheduled for the end of April. While many of the shows are available online, alongside a donation button in lieu of purchasing tickets, “Pipeline” will charge viewers $5.

To nominate, go to LIHerald.com/NominateAHero today!

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For Richard Ginsburg, taking on a new role as chair of the Nassau Community College Theatre and Dance Department turned out to be more challenging than he anticipated, because he did so during a pandemic.

Ginsberg started the job last August, after some 36 years in the department, teaching set and costume design and lending his expertise to theater and dance productions at the college.

“I’m not working with strangers,” he said. “I’m working with family.”

And with the use of modern technology and support from the school’s administrators, the department’s operations changed with the onset of the pandemic — quickly.

Ginsburg, 63, recalled the last dress rehearsal for “Smokey Joe’s Café” last year, when the prospect of a lockdown became a reality. “When the school closed down by state decree, it was like a 2 o’clock phone call, and everybody was asked to be off campus by 3 o’clock,” he said. “And we were in shock. We put whatever we could away, and I went to my office and I gathered the hard drives and everything I thought I might need for a couple of weeks.”

The entire college geared up to go online, which meant that the faculty had to learn Zoom and adjust the curriculum accordingly. “We had one online class — theater appreciation — that had always been online,” Ginsburg explained. “But the rest of us are very tactile experiences, be it dance, theater, even theater history. It was an abrupt reboot for teaching.”

The faculty had to reinvent and brainstorm innovative ways to continue teaching nearly 300 students in the department.

Administrators helped professors and students adapt to the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state orders to allow for some in-person classes so Ginsburg and his colleagues could “keep our educational goals and still function as a theater and dance department,” he said.

The dance program was moved to a larger space so that dancers could spread

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HELP WANTED GRAPHIC ARTIST (GARDEN CITY) Richner Communications, Inc., an expanding Long Island publisher and commercial printer seeks a Graphic Artist. Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, ad design and layout, editorial layout, photo scanning and photo color correction. Candidates must be creative and have a good eye for design and detail, and should be able to remain motivated under pressure, as ours is a deadline driven environment.

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bdownes@liherald.com

HELP WANTED

MERRICK HERALD — April 8, 2021

By Bridget downes

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April 8, 2021 — MERRICK HERALD

LMER1 0408

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE Notice is hereby given that an Order granted by the Supreme Court, Nassau County, on the 9th day of March 2021 bearing the index number 97-21 , a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Nassau County Clerk located at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York, grants me the right to assume the name of Finnbar Joseph McNamara.

My present address is 1963 Henry Road, North Merrick, NY 11566.

The date of my birth is 02/26/2001; the place of my birth is Mineola, New York; the present name is Joseph Finnbar McNamara.

125352 LEGAL NOTICE ASSESSOR’S NOTICE OF COMPLETION OF THE FINAL ASSESSMENT ROLL THE ASSESSOR OF THE COUNTY OF NASSAU HEREBY GIVES NOTICE that he has completed the 2021/2022 final assessment roll, which will be used for the 2022 levy of Town and County Taxes in the Towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead and Oyster Bay, and the City of Glen Cove and the City of Long Beach, and for the 2021/2022 levy of school taxes in such Towns and in the City of Long Beach.

A certified electronic copy of the roll was filed with the Department of Assessment on April 1, 2021. The electronic roll may be examined on public terminals located in the offices of: DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENT NASSAU COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING 240 OLD COUNTRY ROAD, FOURTH FLOOR MINEOLA, NY 11501 where the same will remain open for public inspection for fifteen days.

Dated this 1st day of April, 2021. ___________________ DAVID F. MOOG, IAO Nassau County Assessor 125373

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF BUDGET HEARING, ANNUAL MEETING, ELECTION AND REGISTRATION OF VOTERS, MERRICK UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MERRICK PUBLIC LIBRARY TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a public budget hearing of the Merrick Union Free School District, Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, will be held at the Lakeside Elementary School, Merrick, New York on May 4, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of discussion of the expenditure of funds for the 2021-2022 school

year and the budgeting thereof and for such other business as is authorized by the Education Law of the State of New York. If allowed by Executive Order or law, the public budget hearing will be held virtually on the afore-stated date and time instead of at Lakeside Elementary School.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that a public budget hearing of the Merrick Library will be held at the Merrick Library, Merrick, New York on May 11, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. for the purpose of discussion of the expenditure of funds for the 2021-2022 fiscal year and the budgeting thereof and for such other business as is authorized by the Education Law of the State of New York. If allowed by Executive Order or law, the public budget hearing will be held virtually on the afore-stated date and time instead of at the Merrick Library.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that the vote upon the appropriation of the necessary funds to meet the estimated expenditures of said school district and library for the 2021-2022 school year (school budget and library budget) will be held at the annual meeting of said school district on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at the Norman J. Levy-Lakeside School, Merrick, New York.

Voting shall take place between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Voting machines will be used for voting at said annual election.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that an election to fill three (3) vacancies, each for a term of three (3) years for the office of member of the Board of Education and two (2) vacancies for a term of five (5) years for the office of trustee of the Library Board will be held at the Norman J. LevyLakeside School, Merrick, New York, on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. The polls for voting at said election will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required for the school year 2021-2022 for school purposes and library purposes may be obtained by any resident of the district during the fourteen (14) days preceding the vote, except Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays, at the schools of the district from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, Pursuant to Chapter 258 of the Laws of 2008, Section 495 was added to the Real Property Tax Law and requires the School District to attach to its proposed budget an exemption report. Said

exemption report will show how much of the total assessed value on the final assessment roll used in the budgetary process is exempt from taxation. The report will list every type of exemption granted, identified by statutory authority, and will show the cumulative impact of each type of exemption expressed either as a dollar amount of assessed value or as a percentage of the total assessed value on the roll, the cumulative amount expected to be received from recipients of each type of exemption as payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) or other payments for municipal services, and the cumulative impact of all exemptions granted. This exemption report shall be posted on any bulletin board maintained by the District for public notices and on the website maintained by the District.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that petitions nominating candidates for the office of member of the Board of Education and trustee of the Library Board must be filed with the Clerk of the District between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and no later than 5:00 p.m., Monday, April 19, 2021. Such nominating petition must be signed by at least thirty (30) qualified voters of the district for election to the Board of Education and twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the district to the Library Board. The candidates receiving the highest number of votes will be elected to office.

Personal registration is a prerequisite for voting at all elections in this school district, and no person will be entitled to vote at such election whose name does not appear upon the register prepared for such election; except that any person, a resident of the district, who is permanently registered with the Nassau County Board of Elections to vote at elections other than a school district election and whose registration is current, shall also be qualified to vote at this election without further registration.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that the District Clerk will be in the District Office in said district on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. for the purpose of preparing the register of the school district for such election; at such time and place, any person will be entitled to have his or her name placed upon such register provided that he or she is known or proven to the satisfaction of the Board of Registration to be entitled to vote at the meeting or election for which such register is to be prepared. Qualified

individuals may also register between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on days when school is in session at the schools of the district, except that no registration shall take place less than five (5) days preceding the election, this year May 13, 2021.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that the Board of Registration will meet on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at the Norman J. LevyLakeside School, Merrick, New York, between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 9:00 P.M. to prepare the Register of the School District to be used for meetings or elections held subsequent to the annual School District election and budget vote, at which time any person may be entitled to have his or her name placed on such Register provided that at such meeting of the Board of Registration he or she is known or proven to the satisfaction of said Board of Registration to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at the school meeting or election for which said Register is so prepared.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that the register thus prepared will be filed in the office of the Superintendent of Schools and that such register will be open for inspection to any qualified voter of the district at the office of the Superintendent of Schools and the District Clerk in the Katherine E. Reif Administration Center between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. during each of the five (5) days prior to the day set for the election, except Sundays, and on the Saturday prior to the election by appointment only.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that applications for absentee ballots may be applied for at the Office of the District Clerk. An application for an absentee ballot must be received by the District Clerk no earlier than thirty (30) days before the date of the election. An application for an absentee ballot must be received by the District Clerk at least seven (7) days before the election if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election if the ballot is to be delivered personally to the voter or his/her designated agent.

Upon receiving a timely application for a mailed absentee ballot, the District Clerk will mail the ballot to the address designated on the application by no later than six (6) days before the election. No absentee voter ballot shall be canvassed unless it shall have been received at the Office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on the date of the election. A list of all persons to whom absentee ballots have been issued will be

available in the Office of the District Clerk on each of the five days prior to the election except Sunday.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that military voters who are not currently registered may apply to register as a qualified voter of the school district. Military voters who are qualified voters of the school district may submit an application for a military ballot.

Military voters may designate a preference to receive a military voter registration, military ballot application or military ballot by mail, facsimile transmission or electronic mail in their request for such registration, ballot application or ballot.

Military voter registration application forms must be received in the Office of the District Clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 22, 2021. Military ballot applications must be received in the Office of the District Clerk by mail or in person by also no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 22, 2021.

No military ballot will be canvassed unless it is returned by mail or in person and (1) received in the Office of the District Clerk before the close of the polls on election day and showing a cancellation mark of the United States postal service or a foreign country’s postal service, or showing a dated endorsement of receipt by another agency of the United States government; or (2) received by the Office of the District Clerk by no later than 5:00 p.m. on election day and signed and dated by the military voter and one witness thereto, with a date which is associated be not later than the day before the election.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that the Board of Education shall convene a special meeting thereof at the Katherine E. Reif Administration Center within twenty-four hours after the filing with the District Clerk of a written report of the results of the ballot, for the purpose of examining and tabulating said reports for the results of the ballot, for the purpose of the ballot and declaring the results of the ballot; that the Board hereby designates itself to be a set of poll clerks to cast and canvass ballots pursuant to Education Law Section 2019-a.2-b, at said special meeting of the Board.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that at the election of the Merrick Union Free School District, qualified voters of the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District shall vote for the following purposes: a)To vote upon the annual school budget for the 2021-2022 school

year, and to authorize the levying of a tax upon the taxable property of the district for the foregoing purposes. b)To vote upon such other propositions as may properly come before the meeting.

DATED:March, 2021 Merrick, NY

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MERRICK UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT PAMELA AMON, DISTRICT CLERK 125143 Search for notices online at: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

LEGAL NOTICE AVISO DE AUDIENCIA SOBRE EL PRESUPUESTO, REUNIÓN ANUAL, ELECCIÓN Y REGISTRO DE VOTANTES, DISTRITO ESCOLAR MERRICK UNION FREE Y BIBLIOTECA PÚBLICA DE MERRICK PUEBLO DE HEMPSTEAD, CONDADO DE NASSAU, NUEVA YORK POR EL PRESENTE SE NOTIFICA que se celebrará una audiencia pública sobre el presupuesto del Distrito Escolar Merrick Union Free, pueblo de Hempstead, condado de Nassau, Nueva York, en Lakeside Elementary School, Merrick, Nueva York el 4 de mayo de 2021 a las 7:00 p. m. para analizar el gasto de los fondos para el año escolar 2021-2022, su correspondiente presupuesto y otros asuntos según la autorización de la Ley de Educación del estado de Nueva York. Si la orden ejecutiva o la ley lo permiten, la audiencia pública sobre el presupuesto se celebrará de manera virtual en la fecha y el horario mencionados anteriormente, en lugar de celebrarse en Lakeside Elementary School.

ASIMISMO SE NOTIFICA que se celebrará una audiencia pública sobre el presupuesto de la biblioteca de Merrick en la biblioteca de Merrick, Merrick, Nueva York el 11 de mayo de 2021 a las 7:00 p. m. para analizar el gasto de los fondos para el año fiscal 2021-2022, su correspondiente presupuesto y otros asuntos según la autorización de la Ley de Educación del estado de Nueva York. Si la orden ejecutiva o la ley lo permiten, la audiencia pública sobre el presupuesto se celebrará de manera virtual en la fecha y el horario mencionados anteriormente, en lugar de celebrarse en la biblioteca de Merrick.

TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que durante la reunión anual de dicho distrito escolar, que se celebrará el martes 18 de mayo de 2021 en Norman J. LevyLakeside School, Merrick, Nueva York, también se votará la asignación de

los fondos necesarios para cubrir los gastos estimados del distrito escolar y la biblioteca (el presupuesto escolar y para la biblioteca) para el año escolar 2021-2022.

La votación se realizará entre las 7:00 a. m. y las 9:00 p. m. Se usarán máquinas de votación en dicha elección anual.

TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que se celebrarán elecciones para cubrir tres (3) vacantes con un mandato de tres (3) años para el cargo de miembro de la Junta de Educación y dos (2) vacantes con un mandato de cinco (5) años para la oficina del fideicomiso de la Junta de la Biblioteca en Norman J. Levy-Lakeside School, Merrick, Nueva York el martes 18 de mayo de 2021. Las urnas para dicha elección estarán abiertas desde las 7:00 a. m. hasta las 9:00 p. m.

TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que cualquier residente del distrito podrá obtener una copia de la declaración del monto de dinero que será requerido para el año escolar 2021-2022, a los fines de invertirlos en la escuela y la biblioteca, durante los catorce (14) días previos a la votación, excepto los sábados, domingos o feriados, en las escuelas del distrito, entre las 9:30 a. m. y las 3:30 p. m.

TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que, de conformidad con el Capítulo 258 de las Leyes de 2008, se agregó la Sección 495 a la Ley del Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles y requiere que el distrito escolar adjunte a su presupuesto sugerido un informe de exención. Este informe de exenciones mostrará qué parte del valor total estimado de la lista de tasación final utilizada en el proceso presupuestario queda libre de impuestos. En el informe se mencionará cada tipo de exención, otorgadas por la autoridad legal, y se mostrará el impacto acumulativo de cada tipo de exención, expresado en un monto en dólares del valor estimado o como porcentaje del total del valor estimado en la lista, el valor acumulativo que se espera recibir de los beneficiarios de cada tipo de exención como pagos en lugar de impuestos (PILOT) u otros pagos para servicios municipales, y el impacto acumulativo de todas las exenciones otorgadas.

Este informe de exenciones se publicará en cualquier tablero de anuncios que el distrito designe para avisos públicos y en el sitio web del distrito.

TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que las peticiones para nominar a candidatos para la oficina de miembros de la Junta de Educación y fideicomisario de la Junta de la Biblioteca deberán presentarse ante la secretaria del distrito

entre las 9:30 a. m. y las 3:30 p. m. y antes de las 5:00 p. m. del lunes 19 de abril de 2021. Dicha petición debe estar firmada por al menos treinta (30) votantes del distrito calificados para elección para la Junta de Educación y veinticinco (25) votantes del distrito calificados para la Junta de la Biblioteca. Los candidatos que reciban la mayor cantidad de votos serán electos para el cargo.

El registro personal es un requisito previo para votar en todas las elecciones de este distrito escolar y nadie podrá votar en esta elección si su nombre no aparece en el registro preparado para dicha elección; a excepción de cualquier persona residente del distrito que esté registrada de manera permanente en la Junta de Elecciones del condado de Nassau para votar en otras elecciones que no sean del distrito escolar y cuyo registro esté vigente, quien también podrá votar en esta elección sin registro adicional.

TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que la secretaria del distrito estará en la oficina del distrito el martes 4 de mayo de 2021, entre las 12:00 p. m. y las 4:00 p. m., con el propósito de preparar un registro de este distrito escolar para dicha elección, momento y lugar en los que cualquier persona tendrá derecho a que su nombre se incluya en el registro, siempre y cuando se sepa o se demuestre, para satisfacción de la Junta de Registros, que dicha persona tiene derecho a votar en la reunión o en la elección para la cual se prepara dicho registro.

Las personas calificadas también podrán registrarse los días en que la escuela esté en sesión entre las 9:30 a. m. y las 3:30 p. m. en las escuelas del distrito, pero no se harán registros con menos de cinco (5) días de anticipación a la elección; este año el límite es el 13 de mayo de 2021.

TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que la Junta de Registros se reunirá el martes 18 de mayo de 2021, entre las 7:00 a. m. y las 9:00 p. m. en Norman J. LevyLakeside School, Merrick, Nueva York, para preparar el registro del distrito escolar que se usará en las reuniones y elecciones subsecuentes a la votación del presupuesto y elección anual del distrito escolar, en cuyo horario cualquier persona tendrá derecho a inscribirse en el registro, siempre que en tal reunión de la Junta de Registros se sepa o se demuestre, a satisfacción de dicha Junta de Registros, que esa persona tiene derecho, entonces o en lo sucesivo, a votar en la reunión o en la elección escolar para la

cual se prepara el registro.

ASIMISMO SE NOTIFICA que el registro preparado se presentará en la oficina del superintendente de escuelas y estará disponible para que cualquier votante calificado del distrito pueda inspeccionarlo en la oficina del superintendente de escuelas y de la secretaria del distrito en Katherine E. Reif Administration Center cada uno de los cinco (5) días previos al día establecido para la elección, de 9:30 a. m. a 3:30 p. m., excepto los domingos, y el sábado anterior a las elecciones únicamente con cita previa.

TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que las solicitudes de boleta electoral por ausencia pueden realizarse en la oficina de la secretaria del distrito.

La secretaria del distrito deberá recibir las solicitudes de boleta electoral por ausencia no antes de los treinta (30) días previos a la fecha de la elección. La secretaria del distrito debe recibir las solicitudes de boleta electoral por ausencia por lo menos siete (7) días antes de la elección si la boleta debe enviarse al votante por correo, o hasta el día antes de la elección si la boleta debe entregarse al votante o a la persona designada por este en persona.

Al recibir una solicitud oportuna para enviar por correo una boleta electoral de voto por ausencia, la secretaria del distrito enviará por correo dicha boleta a la dirección indicada en la solicitud a más tardar seis (6) días antes de la elección. Las boletas electorales por ausencia no serán escrutadas, a menos que se hayan recibido en la oficina de la secretaria del distrito antes de las 5:00 p. m. del día de la elección.

Habrá una lista de todas las personas para las que se emitieron boletas electorales por ausencia disponible en la oficina de la secretaria del distrito durante los cinco previos al día de la elección, excepto los domingos.

TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que los votantes militares que no estén registrados actualmente pueden solicitar registrarse como votantes calificados del distrito escolar.

Los votantes militares que sean votantes calificados del distrito escolar podrán enviar una solicitud de boleta electoral militar.

Los votantes militares pueden indicar su preferencia de recibir una solicitud de registro de votantes militares, una solicitud de boleta electoral militar o una boleta electoral militar por correo postal, fax o correo electrónico en dicho pedido de solicitud de registro, solicitud de boleta o boleta.

Los

formularios de solicitud de registro para votantes militares deben recibirse en la oficina de la secretaria del distrito antes de las 5:00 p. m. del 22 de abril de 2021.

Las solicitudes de boleta electoral militar deben recibirse en la oficina de la secretaria del distrito por correo o en persona también a más tardar a las 5:00 p. m. del 22 de abril de 2021.

Las boletas electorales militares no serán escrutadas, a menos que se envíen por correo o se presenten en persona y (1) la oficina de la secretaria del distrito las reciba antes del cierre de las urnas el día de la elección y tengan una marca de cancelación del servicio postal de los Estados Unidos o del servicio postal de un país extranjero, o un endoso fechado de recepción por parte de otra agencia del gobierno de los Estados Unidos, o bien (2) la oficina de la secretaria del distrito las reciba antes de las 5:00 p. m. del día de la elección, y estén firmadas y fechadas por el votante militar y un testigo de ello, con una fecha asociada que no sea posterior al día previo a la elección.

TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que la Junta de Educación organizará una reunión extraordinaria para tratar este tema en Katherine E. Reif Administration Center en un plazo de veinticuatro horas con posterioridad a la presentación ante la secretaria del distrito de un informe por escrito con los resultados de la votación con el objetivo de evaluar y tabular estos informes con los resultados de la votación, para los fines de la votación, y declarar los resultados de esta; y que la Junta, mediante el presente, se designa a sí misma como el grupo de secretarios encargados de emitir y escrutar los votos conforme a la sección 2019-a.2-b de la Ley de Educación en la reunión extraordinaria de la Junta.

TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que, durante la elección del Distrito Escolar Merrick Union Free, los votantes calificados del Distrito Escolar Central de Escuelas Secundarias Bellmore-Merrick votarán con los siguientes fines: a)Votar sobre el presupuesto escolar anual para el año escolar 2021-2022 y autorizar la imposición de un impuesto sobre la propiedad sujeta a tributación del distrito para los propósitos anteriores. b)Votar sobre cualquier otra propuesta que pueda presentarse oportunamente en la reunión.

FECHA:marzo de 2021 Merrick, NY POR ORDEN DE LA JUNTA DE EDUCACIÓN DISTRITO ESCOLAR

MERRICK UNION FREE PAMELA AMON, SECRETARIA DEL DISTRITO 125145

To Place A Notice Call 516-569-4000 x232

LEGAL NOTICE Notice is hereby given that an Order granted by the Supreme Court, Nassau County, on the 5th Day of March 2021 bearing the index number 120/21, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Nassau County Clerk located at 240 Old County Road, Mineola, New York, grants me the right to assume the name of Jilda Nicole Barrera.

My present address is 343 Frankel Blvd, Merrick New York 11566.

The date of my birth is October 8, 1996. the place of birth is Queens, New York the present name is Gilda Nicole Barrera.

125421 Notice to Bidders The BOARD OF EDUCATION of the Merrick Union School District of the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, New York, hereby invites the submission of sealed bids for: MITSUBISHI SPLIT DUCTLESS AIR CONDITIONING UNITS AND UNITS WITH HEAT PUMPS – UNIT ONLY AND/OR UNIT WITH INSTALLATION Bids will be received at the Merrick Union Free School District, Business Office, 21 Babylon Road, Merrick N.Y., 11566, Attention: Facilities and labeled Mitsubishi Split Ductless Units, until 12:00 p.m. on Friday, June 28, 2019.

Specifications, conditions, bid forms and related documents may be obtained at the Business Office and are currently available. The Board of Education reserves the right waive any informalities in the bids, or, to reject all bids, or, to accept any bid, which in the opinion of the Board of Education will be in the best interest of the school district(s).

Participating Districts: Amityville, Baldwin, Bellmore, BellmoreMerrick, Bethpage, Carl Place, East Meadow, East Rockaway, East Williston, Elmont, Floral Park Bellrose, Freeport, Garden City, Glen Cove, Great Neck, Herricks, HewlettWoodmere, Hicksville, Island Trees, Jericho, Lawrence, Levittown, Long Beach, Lynbrook, Malverne, Manhasset, Massapequa, Merrick, Mineola, New Hyde Park/Garden City Park, North Bellmore, North Merrick, North Shore, Oceanside, Plainedge, Plainview-Old Bethpage, Port Washington, Rockville Centre, Roosevelt, Seaford, Syosset, Uniondale, Valley Stream 30, Valley Stream CHSD, Wantagh,

West Hempstead, Westbury.

Clarice Rebentisch District Clerk Merrick UFSD Town of Hempstead Nassau County, New York 125428

Search for notices online at: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

LEGAL NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE OF NASSAU COUNTY TREASURER’S SALE OF TAX LIENS ON REAL ESTATE Notice is hereby given that commencing on May 5, 2021, will sell at public on-line auction the tax liens on certain real estate, unless the owner, mortgagee, occupant of or any other party in interest in such real estate shall have paid to the County Treasurer by May 3rd , 2021 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 percent per six-month 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 2019 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.nassaucount y n y. g o v / 5 2 6 / C o u n t y Treasurer Should the Treasurer determine that an inperson auction shall be held, same will commence on the 5th day of May 2021 at the Office of The County Treasurer 1 West Street, Mineola or at some other location to be determined by the Treasurer.

A list of all real estate in Nassau County on which tax liens are to be sold is available at the website of the Nassau County Treasurer at: http://www.nassaucounty ny.gov/DocumentCenter/ View/32293 A list of local properties upon which tax liens are to be sold will be advertised in this publication on or before April 22, 2021.

Philip L. Williams Memorial Scholarship open to seniors of 43 years. “He made a difference to his fellow veterans, his co-workers, as well Mer rick American as his family and friends Legion Post No. 1282 will by reminding us to inteagain award a Philip L. grate these beliefs into Williams Memorial Scholeveryday life.” arship to a Bellmore-MerThe Williams family rick high school senior hopes to find a senior who who best exemplifies Wilis committed to these same liams’s core values of values and is determined strong morals, patriotism, to make a difference. family values, community The deadline for appliPhIlIP l. WIllIAms service and a strong work cations is April 16. All high ethic. school seniors who are “Phil was an inspiration interested in applying and because he took every opportunity to need further details about the $1,000 exhibit and incorporate these morals in scholarship can send a request to plwmehis life,” said Sharon Williams, Phil’s wife morialscholarship@gmail.com.

By ANDREW GARCIA agarcia@liherald.com

Public Notices

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.

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, audiotape or other alternative formats. For additional information, please call (516) 571-2090 ext.

1-3715.

Dated: March 26,2021 THE NASSAU COUNTY TREASURER Mineola, York ___________________ TERMS OF SALE 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 Soldiers’ 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 tax 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) and 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 Nassau County Treasurer reserves the right to intervene in any bankruptcy case/litigation where the property affected by the tax liens sold by the Treasurer is part of the bankruptcy estate. However, it is the sole responsibility of all tax lien purchasers to protect their legal interests in any bankruptcy case affecting their purchased tax lien, including but not limited to the filing of a proof of claim on their behalf, covering their investment in said tax lien. The Nassau County Treasurer and Nassau County and its agencies, assumes no responsibility for any legal representation of any tax lien purchaser in any legal proceeding including but not limited to a bankruptcy case where the purchased tax

lien is at risk.

The rate of interest and penalty at 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 for 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 amounts 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 shall 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 the sale, rights of purchasers, maximum rates of interest and other legal incidents of the sale.

Furthermore, as to the bidding, 1. 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.

2. 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 made to, directly or indirectly, induce any other bidder to refrain from bidding on any tax certificate, to submit complementary bids, or to submit bids at specific interest rates.

3. The bids to be placed by the Bidder will be made in good faith and not pursuant to any direct or indirect, agreement or discussion with, or inducement from, any other bidder to submit a complementary or other noncompetitive bid.

4. If it is determined that the bidder(s) have violated any of these bid requirements then their bid shall be voided and if they were the successful bidder the lien and any deposits made in connection with said bid shall be forfeited.

Dated: March 26, 2021 THE NASSAU COUNTY TREASURER Mineola, New York 125386

To Place A Notice Call 516-569-4000 x232

23

MERRICK HERALD — April 8, 2021

Public Notices

LMER2 48

HERALD

Employment

CLASSIFIED

To pLACE your AD CALL 516-569-4000 - press 5

Fax your ad to: 516-622-7460 E-mail you ad to: ereynolds@liherald.com E-mail Finds Under $100 to: sales@liherald.com DEADLINE: Monday, 11:00 am for all classified ads.

Every effort is made to insure the accuracy of your ad. Please check your ad at the first insertion. Credit will be made only for the first insertion. Credit given for errors in ads is limited to the printed space involved. Publisher reserves right to reject, cancel or correctly classify and ad.

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EMPLOYMENT Help Wanted $18.50 NYC, $17 L.I. up to $13.50 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

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Architectural Designer; Furniture Design Studios, Inc; Plainview NY: Obtain & assemble data to prep. arch. designs, & coord. w/ other tech. consultants. Prep. interior layout for commercial buildings using CAD equipment & software. Provide factories in China w/ design interpretation & tech details. Req. U.S. Bachelor's Degree in Architecture & 2 mo. exp. as architectural designer under direct supervision of a licensed architect, during which applicant must have completed at least 2 arch. design projects creating 3D models of ext. & int. designs of properties. Those 2 projects must incl.: using all following architectural drafting software: SketchUp, 3ds Max, Revit, Inventor, & 2020 Design; 50 hrs. of online/offline communications with clients to identify design preferences, purposes of projects; 100 hrs. of space planning and 3D modeling; 100 hrs. of AutoCAD drawings w/ specs for project realization. Fluent in both written & spoken Chinese being able to communicate product designs with Chinese factories. Send resume & college transcript to: Charles Monaco, Design Director, at 1500 Old Country Road, Plainview, NY 11803.

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

Phone: 347-713-3552

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EDITOR/REPORTER

The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team!

This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry.

To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to careers@liherald.com

Please mail or fax letter of interest & resume by Apr. 19 to: Dr. Wayne Loper, Assistant Superintendant for Finance & Operations Valley Stream Central H.S. District One Kent Road, Valley Stream, NY 11580 FAX: (516) 872-7787 No Phone Calls, Please * EOE

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Perform maintenance tasks for our Buildings & Grounds.

Contractual Salary & Benefits.

OHEL CHILDREN’S HOME AND FAMILY SERVICES F/T & P/T work with individuals with developmental disabilities

Medical Escort: 8am-1pm, DSP: 3pm-11pm & Overnight Community Habilitation & Respite Positions H.S. Diploma or equivalent, must drive, speak and write English. $15-$18/hr. Excellent benefit package.

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Electronic Assemblers, Wirers, and Operators for our location at 95 Carlough Road, Bohemia, NY 11716.

516-791-1313 1208 Broadway, Hewlett, NY 11557 www.VIPROPERTIESNY.com

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Ronnie Gerber 516-238-4299

e s t. 1 9 1 1

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OPEN HOUSES SUNday, 4/11/21 HEWLETT Bay PaRK

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Penfield Central School District is seeking a dynamic and collaborative instructional leader with a focus on supporting the social and emotional needs of all learners. Ideal candidates will possess teaching and leadership experience, strong knowledge of student developmental levels and a passionate commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion for all learners.

Interested candidates please visit www.penfield.edu, click on the Job Opportunities and follow directions to apply.

EOE

Help Wanted EXECUTIVE PERSONAL ASSISTANT needed for busy Pres/CEO Wholesale Trading company located Lido Beach.

Freight Routing Experience HUGE+. Mature experienced individual capable developing trust quickly. Call to discuss our needs/your qualifications. 516-633-0093

GRAPHIC ARTIST

(GARDEN CITY) Richner Communications, Inc., an expanding Long Island publisher and commercial printer seeks a Graphic Artist.

Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, ad design and layout, editorial layout, photo scanning and photo color correction. Candidates must be creative and have a good eye for design and detail, and should be able to remain motivated under pressure, as ours is a deadline driven environment. Must also be able to work well with others, and possess a flair for typography design.

Proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite and Mac OSX required. Previous newspaper experience a plus. The position is currently remote due to COVID-19, but will transition to our state of the art offices in Garden City. We offer paid time off, health plan and 401(k).

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter with salary requirements and resume to careers@liherald.

HHA/PCA

$15-16 Hour Double Holidays P/T and F/T Hours Call AGENCY 516-328-7126 KITCHEN STAFF

Dish, Prep, Cold/ Hot Stations. Apply In Person. BUOY BAR, Point Lookout.

516-432-3975 PRESS-ROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME Pressroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for a motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key.

Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

Rockville Links Club.

Positions Immediately Available For Our Busy Spring And Summer Season. Previous Experience Preferred. Hourly Pay Based On Experience. Call To Schedule An Interview 516-766-9200 Ext. 277

70 Heron Dr, 2-3:30, 6 BR, Contemporary with Open Layout on an Acre of Parklike Property. Move Right in! SD#14 .......................REDUCED $1,599,000 40 Heron Dr, BA, NEW TO MARKET!! 10,000 Sq Ft Waterfront Property on an Acre of Parklike Grounds Tucked away in Cul de Sac. 5 BR, 5.5 Bth Contemporary. Soaring Ceilings. IG Pool, Hot Tub. 285' Vinyl Bulkhead Raised & Redone Dock. 3 Car Garage ...........................................................$4,650,000

HEWLETT HaRBOR

267 Channon Rd, NEW! BA, 7 BR, 4 Bth Exp Ranch w/ Full Fin Bsmt on Quiet St in SD#20. 2 Car Att Gar. Won’t Last! .............................................$1,198,000 105 Lake Dr, BA, NEW TO MARKET!! Spectaular Water & Golf Course Views.

4 BR, 4.5 Bth 4500 sq Ft Contemporary w/ Open Layout & Soaring Ceilings, 2 Car Gar, SD#14................................................................................ $1,995,000 236 Richards Lane, BA, 5 BR, 5.5 Bth Contemporary Home on an Acre Of Resortlike Prop with IG Pool. Open Floor Plan. Full Fin Bsmt. Main Flr Master.

SD14 ............................................................................... REDUCED! $1,499,000

D LOSE

D LOSE

C

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C

686 Koelbel Ct, Baldwin

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2678 Colonial Pl, Oceanside

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583 Georgia St, S. Hempstead

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HEWLETT

1390 Broadway #102, BA, NEW! 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Luxurious Hewlett Townhouse. LR/DR, Updtd Kit & Office/Den. Elevator, 24 Hr Drman, Valet Pkg, Pool. Priv Storage Area. Great Location Near Shops & Trans ............. $375,000

WOOdMERE

4 Clubside Dr, BA, NEW TO MARKET! Renovated 3 BR, 3.5 Bth Townhouse in Cedar Glen. Updtd Gran/Wood EIK & Bths. HW Flrs. Fin Lower Level. Att Gar. Community Pool & Tennis. Near All. SD#14 ........................................ $725,000

WOOdSBURGH

185 Bay Dr, 12-1:30, 5/6 BR, 4.5 Bth Exp Ranch on Parklike 1/2 Acre Prop.

Guest Quarters, Full Bsmt, 2 Car Gar. SD#14 ................................... $1,450,000 891 Ivy Hill Rd, BA, Move Right In To This 6 BR, 4.5 Bth 4000 Sq Ft CH Colonial on Parklike 1/2 Acre Prop. All Spac Rooms. 5 BRs on 2nd Flr. Full Bsmt w/ Hi Ceiling. 2 Car Gar. SD#14................................................ $1,699,000

CEdaRHURST

223 Washington Ave, BA, GREAT INVESTMENT MULTI FAMILY PROPERTY! 4 BR, 1.5 Bth Colonial, Plus 2 BR Apt & 3 BR Apt. Deep Property with Parking.

Near Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship ............................................. $879,000

Help Wanted SUBSTITUTE MAINTENANCE PERSON ON-CALL.. Immediate. Island Park Public Library. Must Be Avail. Weekday Mornings.

Saturday Availability A Plus. Must Be High School Graduate With A Valid Driver's License.Who Can Lift 40 lbs. Email Jessica Koenig jkoenig@islandparklibrary.org or CALL 432--0122 ext. 222..

Help Wanted VJX-RAY- LEADING MANUFACTURER of high performance, reliable & cost-effective X-Ray components - Is hiring OPERATORS & ASSEMBLERS in Bohemia, NY E-Mail Resume: jobopps@vjt.com Call the One phone call, one order, one heck of a good price USA Classified Network to run your ad in any state, today! or across the country.

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Your Hometown Newspaper

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•

Press 5

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND. Best selection of full/partial week rentals. FREE Color Brochure. Holiday Real Estate, Inc: 1-800-638-2102 Online reser vations: www.holidayoc.com. $50 discount - new rentals. Code: "ToTheBeach2021" (Expires 2021-06-01)

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HERALD

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DBA BOB PHILLIPS PLUMBING

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at Se Habla Espanol

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the

in

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senior Citizen Discounts

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Verdeschi & Walsh Realty 1025 W. Beech St. | Long Beach, NY

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Dave marlOWe Plumbing, inC.

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1127934

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*Power washing sPecialist*

Residential and Commercial - All Surfaces Call Anthony Romeo “The Local Guy” “Anthony & J Home Improvement, Inc.” Also specializes in ★ Deck Renovation ★ Driveways ★ Siding ★ Masonry ★ Fences ★ Roofing ★ Interior/Exterior Painting.

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1126109

1125278

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1121852

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Rent Your Apartment through the Herald and PrimeTime Classified section. Call us for our great *specials. 516-5694000, press 5 for Classified Dept. *(private party only)

1122918

April 8, 2021 — MERRICK HERALD

26

Market Place •

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

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

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1121980

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suff.

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1127023

Specializing in: • Tree removal • STump grinding • land Clearing • pruning • STorm prevenTion

we Care More Than The REST For LESS

M

1109488

If Your Plumbing STINKS

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CLUTTER

driving you

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BRIAN CONNELLY

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OFF

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1128557

$25

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PIPING & HEATING CORP.

Any Service Call

is a PDF exported from page 2 and converted to

/ 516-623-8447 516-234-4388 grayscale. Use 600 dpi for exporting.

CRAZY?

sales@liherald.com to run a FREE "Finds Under $100"

1127133

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Email your Ad to the Herald and PrimeTime Classified Department at

A. As I wrote two weeks ago, you have the design issues with water and movement prevention, considering wind, rain, sun and fire. You have zoning and building code issues to resolve, and you have the cost issue, which is tied to everything else. The strong winds we’ve been experiencing are often taken for granted, but a deck is like onte eeper any other kind of building structure, vulnerable to weather and wind forces.

In the past, decks were something that a group of friends got together with some cold beers over the weekend and started in one spot, nailed a board to the house and then began nailing the frame together to posts sitting on the old patio. In some states, where severe weather is more frequent, decks ripped away and landed in roadways or living rooms and splintered into pointed boards that were photographed as novelties, impaling tree trunks. A different kind of group then got together, the kind that has to solve emergency problems — insurance company representatives and building officials.

Suddenly there were rules and regulations, laws about how to build for greater safety.

Architects and engineers were designated the gatherers of information, and tapped to be the calculators of how materials would perform, and how joining materials would be done to resist potential destruction. Once the details were worked out by engineering companies that developed connectors and safe methods, the information spread far and wide.

I remember when there were no pre-manufactured steel connectors for decks, when permits were required only if you got caught, and only for big buildings. I also remember living in Ohio’s Tornado Alley and losing the entire side of our family’s home when I was 11. Once I took structural analysis classes and made the mental connection between living and using a building and how to make it perform and protect us, I had a new respect for structures’ design.

Decks need to be envisioned as ripping apart in order to make them stay together. Being attached to your home incorrectly will cause the two structures to pull at each other. Water flow into joints, wind resistance and uplift will be covered next.

Ask The Architect

Wanted dead or alive

nass.

LIC. # H2904450000

Q. We’re planning a deck for our second floor so we have a better view of the water from our house.

Part of the deck will be over our roof, and part will go into our backyard and give shade to our patio. A contractor we called said we need plans first, and that he would make the deck attach to the back of the house with something he called a “ledger.” We looked it up, and were wondering if there was another way, since we would have to remove the gutters we just paid a lot of money to install. We wanted the deck to be above the gutter so we could use the gutter for our roof to drain into; otherwise the water will just pour onto our patio from underneath. What do you suggest?

L

© 2021 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.

MERRICK HERALD — April 8, 2021

HERALD

Second-floor deck, Part 2

27

HERALD

Stuff

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 ANNOUNCEMENTS Adoption Family-oriented single woman looking to welcome a child into her life. Any ethnicity welcome, expenses paid. Please call (347) 470-5228 or my attor ney: (800)582-3678 for information.

MERCHANDISE MART Antiques/Collectibles We Buy Antiques, Fine Art & Jewelry Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluations, 40 Year Family Business. Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid..

SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

FINDS UNDER $100 Finds Under $100 20" CYLINDER STYLE vase with crystal beads, silk flowers, excellent. Paid $75.00 asking $35.00 516-579-9089 BOYS CLOTHES: SIZE 3T & 4T. New w i t h Ta g s. Tex t fo r p i c s. $ 7 e a c h .

917-420-5814 CRYSTAL WINE DECANTER, beautiful etchings, wine 6 glasses, brand new. Paid $50.00 asking $25.00 516-579-9089 GIRLS CLOTHES: SIZE 5. New with Tags. Jeans, hoodies. Text for pics. $8 each. 917-420-5814

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

SERVICES

Home Improvement

Miscellaneous

Cleaning Services

BRIAN CONNELLY SEAMLESS GUTTERS

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

M A R I N A ' S C L E A N I N G S E RV I C E S : Cleaning Homes, Apartments, Condos, Offices. Experienced. FREE Estimates. Serving Long Island. 516-670-7764

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*MICHAEL LO BAIDO CONSTRUCTION*

Handyman

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ALL HOUSEHOLD REPAIRS Interior and Exterior Services Painting, Plumbing, Carpentry, Electrical, Tile work, Pressure Washing, Flat Screen TV Installation Others Services Available Call 516 578 6980

THE GENERAC PWRcell, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-888-871-0194

HErald

Crossword Puzzle

Junk Cars Wanted

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Power Washing POWERWASHING ALL SURFACES: H o u s e s , Fe n c e s , C o n c r e t e / B r i ck , Decks/Sealing. . ANTHONY & J HOME IMPROVEMENT, INC. 516-678-6641

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NEED A CAR? Find it in the HERALD Classifieds.

Deals on Wheels

Sprinkler Syst./Irrig.Wells

• System Turn-Ons

• Installations/Renovations Service • Repairs Certified Backflow Tester Free Estimates Licensed and Insured

Joe Barbato 516-826-7700

1124799

April 8, 2021 — MERRICK HERALD

28

Tree Services FRANCISCO'S TREE SERVICE

AND LANDSCAPING: Tree Removal, Stumps, Fertilization, Planting, Land Clearing, Topping. Free Estimates. Lic# H206773000. Office 516-546-4971, Cell 516-852-5415 T&M GREENCARE TREE SERVICE *Tree Removal *Stump Grinding *Pruning *Roof Line Clearing. Residential and Commercial. "We Beat All Competitors' Rates."

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Careers/Training TRAIN AT HOME TO DO MEDICAL BILLING! Become a Medical Office Professional online at CTI! Get Trained, Certified & ready to work in months! Call 855-543-6440. (M-F 8am-6pm ET)

Education COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now!

Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! (844) 947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET)

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AUTOMOBILE & MARINE Autos Wanted ***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS $Highest$ Ca$h Paid$. All Years/ Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct + Ca$h. DMV ID#1303199. Call LUKE 516VAN-CARS. 516-297-2277 DRIVE OUT BREAST Cancer: Donate a car today! The benefits of donating your car or boat: Fast Free Pickup - 24hr Response Tax Deduction - Easy To Do! Call 24/7: 855-905-4755

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516-569-4000 press 5, then 2

&/877(5 GULYLQJ \RX J\

CRAZY?

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Answers

to todAy’s puzzle

29

opINIoNS

W

e Americans have experienced a horrible year since the coronavirus invaded out shores. We’ve been confined to our homes, prohibited from traveling to vacation places and denied most of the many pleasures we took for granted pre-Covid. We have lost loved ones and been denied the chance to hug the people who are most important in our lives.

Millions of doses of vaccines have been distributed around the country. The news JERRY is promising, but to quote the great KREMER Yogi Berra, It ain’t over till it’s over.

President Biden optimistically promised that we would have 100 million vaccinations in his first 100 days, and now he has upped that goal to 200 million.

Pfizer, using new and remarkable technology, has predicted that in a short time it will be able to produce 100 million doses a month. Johnson & Johnson has also made bold promises, even with the recent loss of 10 million doses due to

I

“human error.”

It is estimated that approximately 65 percent of all people over age 65 in New York state have been vaccinated. The numbers for people under 65 aren’t as high, but with the announcement that anyone over age 18 will now be eligible for the shots, it’s anticipated that by mid-summer, a vast majority of New Yorkers will have had one or both shots. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

Not according to Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who tearfully stated recently that the country was in danger of a fourth wave of Covid-19 that could wipe out all of our progress to date. Her fear for the public is based on the fact that some 18 states have declared that the there is no longer any need for masks and social distancing, and their inhabitants can go back to life as usual. Businesses have been told that it’s time to open up, with no qualifications.

Similar warnings have come from Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Many doctors like sports analo-

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gies, and Fauci has proclaimed that we shouldn’t “spike the ball on the 5-yardline.” In plain talk, Fauci says that the number of reported cases and deaths have plateaued, and despite all the vaccinations, more and more people are defying health warnings and exposing themselves to the possibility of serious illness. The latest bump in new cases is hitting the 25-to-40 age group hard, and the people in it are just being declared eligible to get vaccinated.

The statistics that are announced every day don’t reach most people, but the television reports of the spring break crowds in Miami, flashed on the news many nights in a row, showed how reckless the college and post-college crowd can be. Miami police were forced to make hundreds of arrests, and blocked off the bridges leading to downtown Miami. It’s too early to assess how many new cases will be reported, but there’s no doubt that there will be an uptick in Covid reports.

Many other people will contract Covid in the weeks and months to come due to other factors. For some stupid reasons, many people who call them-

hen you flout social distancing, you punish a lot more people than you think.

selves Republicans have decided that wearing a mask is a political statement, and they want no part of it. The antivaccine movement has contributed to the increase in cases, and some rightwing groups have embraced the antivaccers as a way to gain attention.

Over the past year, we have learned other interesting facts. When cases go up in your hometown, businesses are hit with new restrictions. More reported cases cause occupancy numbers to be reduced, and that hits your suffering local business owner right in the pocketbook. Every bundle of new cases forces a local official to punish innocent merchants. When you take off that mask and flout social distancing, you punish a lot more people than you’d imagine.

Things could get a lot better in the months to come, and the increasing number of vaccinated people is promising. But Berra would be the first to acknowledge that as of this point in April, this national crisis is far from over.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years.

He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? JKremer@liherald.com.

Oldies but goodies have the right stuff

married an older man, and this week he’s turning 75. When we met, I was 14 and he was 15. Fortuitously, on this landmark birthday, it’s golden to be golden. All the good guys are over 75 these days. In fact, presidentially speaking, my guy isn’t quite old enough.

If he were running for office, he would need another three or four years of maturing to be ready for the Oval Office.

I’m old enough to remember the election of Jack Kennedy when he was 43, and let me tell you, our Joe RANDI Biden is no Jack KREISS Kennedy. Apparently the passing of torches and high-energy moon-shot talk are out of favor, and white hair and marital fidelity are in. Sailing off Cape Cod is out and riding Amtrak is in.

Politico released a story featuring President Biden’s cabinet appointees, referring to the cabinet as his “senior center.” And with good reason. The average age of the first 12 nominees is 63.

Among other leadership, House Speaker

Nancy Pelosi is 80. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is 70. The GOP’s Mitch McConnell is 79. Not to mention Bernie Sanders.

In the run-up to the 2020 election, I wrote a column arguing that Biden was too old to run for presidency. I was concerned that his age could compromise his performance in office. Ideally, a president should be at the peak of his powers.

But we don’t live in an ideal world.

When the race came down to Trump vs. Biden, there was no question at all: Biden had to win. He had to replace the man and the messengers who were infusing corruption and authoritarianism into our government agencies and offices. Many of us who voted for Biden felt destabilized by the previous administration. We wanted someone we could count on.

There is something about Biden’s age that makes it all work in this moment.

He has the gravitas, the experience and the emotional stability to give us our best chance of building bridges, literally and figuratively. He walks in step with many diverse groups of Americans, and

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they know he knows their lives.

He is building a team of professionals who have done this job before and know the ropes.

Perhaps the emergence of the old man as political hero began with Sanders in the 2016 election.

Among the many bizarre aspects of that race was the phenomenon of young people driving the Sanders election machine.

Bernie’s supporters loved him because he seemed like an honest broker to them, and that’s a rare commodity in modern political life. Biden’s supporters stand with him because they connect with him on an emotional and ethical level. They are tired of trauma and melodrama emanating from the White House. They are tired of decrees by tweet and, truthfully, tired of a madman at the helm of our ship of state.

Watching Biden’s steady hand on the wheel is heartening. His longtime relationships smooth the way for getting things done. Yes, he’s old. Yes, he occasionally flubs a line, but this happens to be his unique time to change the course of American history.

ith a landmark birthday, charting the emergence of the old man as political hero.

So what does this have to do with my husband turning 75? Biden has neutralized the age issue. What do I care if my partner of 48 years has wrinkles and white hair? What do I care if he gets out of breath playing basketball with the grandkids?

Sure, I remember the 17-year-old hunk I dated at Lawrence High School in 1964. Yes, I know he had shoulders to die for and a killer jump shot. Today he walks a bit more slowly, and sometimes searches for a word. But he’s so in. Like the Bern, his voice is sometimes raspy, and he, too, waves his arms when he talks. But we have a meeting of the minds on the state of the world and politics. We have successfully worked together for more than five decades on raising our kids and grandkids and caring for aging parents.

It’s true, my old man has arthritis in his neck, and sometimes heavy breathing means he is walking up too many stairs. But who would want a callow youth? The ascendance of Joe Biden has taught us that 70-something can be a starting line. Anything is possible.

My birthday boy has four years to decide whether to run for president.

Copyright 2021 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

MERRICK HERALD — April 8, 2021

Some of us are killing our friends without bullets

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Herald editorials

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April 8, 2021 — MERRICK HERALD

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High-speed rail for L.I. deserves public support

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ith the Biden administration pushing a $2 trillion national infrastructure plan, what once seemed like a fantasy — high-speed rail for the Northeast — is slowly, steadily becoming a distinct possibility, and Long Island could play a central role in the proposed project.

The Long Island Association last week hosted an hour-long Zoom panel discussion of plans for a high-speed rail line that would run from New York City to Ronkonkoma, across the Long Island Sound to Hartford, Conn., and then to Boston. Total trip time: 1 hour, 40 minutes, compared with the 3½ hours that it now takes by car — if you hit no traffic along the way. If driving conditions are poor, getting to Boston from New York can take four to five hours.

The $100 billion rail line, a public-private partnership, would take an estimated 20 years to complete. Trains on the line would travel 150 to 225 mph.

Slower-speed spur lines from Oyster Bay and Riverhead would connect with the main high-speed branch, which would run down the middle of Nassau County and part of Suffolk County.

The rail line and its spurs, officials said, would connect Nassau’s major research institutions, like Hofstra University, with its counterparts in Suffolk, like Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory, in Upton. Through the main line, such centers would be connected with other major research institutes in New York City and Boston.

The Northeast is one of America’s most important research corridors, with many of the nation’s great universities and institutes here, but they are now hopelessly disconnected by sclerotic traffic arteries.

High-speed rail could very well lead to a renaissance of scientific — and economic — progress in the region.

At the same time, an injection of $100

billion, 90 to 100 percent of which the federal government would provide under the proposed infrastructure bill, would be a massive economic stimulus to the region, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Local residents, officials noted, would not, for the most part, have to worry about their properties being taken by right of eminent domain to build the rail line, because most of it would be constructed on current underused or abandoned rights of way. And environmentalists needn’t worry about disturbing the Long Island Sound’s ecosystem, because a 16-mile-long tunnel would be constructed well below the bottom of the sound.

Clearly, this project would be a win-win for the Northeast — Long Island, in particular. To ensure that it happens, though, the public needs to apply pressure to Congress to pass Biden’s infrastructure plan and include the North Atlantic Rail Initiative in it.

Jim HArmon

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Should municipalities opt out on marijuana?

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ov. Andrew Cuomo, once an ardent detractor of any measure to legalize recreational marijuana, last week signed the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, making the sale of all forms of cannabis in the state legal. New York joins 15 other states and Washington, D.C., in allowing use of the drug.

We’re not here to debate the merits of the law. Legalizing recreational marijuana, the governor projects, will bring in around $350 million in what we acknowledge is much-needed tax revenue each year and create 30,000 to 60,000 jobs.

Immediately after Cuomo signed the legislation into law, the mayors of four South Shore villages — Atlantic Beach, Freeport, Island Park and Rockville Centre — announced that they would opt out of the law and ban marijuana sales, as villages, towns and cities are allowed to do.

Atlantic Beach Mayor George Pappas told the New York Post that he would aggressively enforce no-smoking ordinances on the beach to ensure that people aren’t getting high there. “It’s a moral imperative to opt out,” Island Park Mayor Michael McGinty said. “I’m not going to permit marijuana here. It’s that simple.”

But is it really that simple? Shouldn’t the mayors have left it up to the people in their municipalities to decide whether they would forgo marijuana sales taxes from legal shops? Shouldn’t they have put a ballot measure to a public vote?

Frankly, we would have preferred to see a statewide vote on whether to legalize recreational marijuana in order to gauge the will of the people — that is, whether a majority of New Yorkers were willing to accept the inherent risks involved with full cannabis legalization, including poten-

letters Why is Kremer so worked up over voting laws?

To the Editor: Re “The party of Lincoln becomes the party of George Wallace” (March 25-31): Jerry Kremer never ceases to amaze me. He forgets that the Democratic Party was once supported by the Ku Klux Klan. During his 47 years in office, Joe Biden at times praised Sen. Robert Byrd, a former member of the KKK, and cited his friendships with segregationist Dixiecrats. Kremer really needs to take something for his Trump derangement syndrome.

tially higher rates of use by children and teens (studies are mixed), in favor of the hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue that legalizing recreational cannabis is likely to bring in.

Our elected leaders, however, made the decision for us, based in large part, it appears, on the economics of legalization.

Now that marijuana is legal, does it make sense for any municipality to opt out without first checking with the local citizenry? If Rockville Centre users can’t get marijuana in town, they’ll simply drive to Baldwin or Lynbrook, potentially toking up along the way. Meanwhile, the village will lose out on the commerce generated by local cannabis shops.

Other local municipalities would do well to carefully consider how to proceed on legal marijuana before arbitrarily banning it.

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opinions

ow that state lawmakers in Albany have legalized recreational marijuana, it’s time to ensure that public safety, public health and quality-of-life concerns are addressed as part of the rollout process. The stakes are high. If implementation is hurried or goes awry, the dreams of those who pushed for legal weed will go up in smoke and the worst fears of opponents will become reality.

Then we all lose.

Here are some proactive steps that lawmakers can take in the next 30 days to ensure that JeFFrey one of the biggest reynoLds policy changes in New York history is a success: ■ Launch a statewide public health campaign that educates the general public, including parents, consumers and retailers, on the potential health consequences associated with cannabis use, the importance of preventing youth access, the importance of safe storage and preventing exposure to secondhand smoke, information for pregnant or breastfeeding women and warnings about the overconsumption of edible cannabis products.

■ Convene three broad-based, diverse

Implementation Workgroups — one for Long Island, one for New York City and another for upstate and the Southern Tier — to invite stakeholder input and hash out program details with a regional eye. Participants should include local government officials, law enforcement personnel, legal experts, mental health professionals, addiction specialists, clergy, labor leaders, school personnel and child welf are experts, community activists and advocates from both sides of the debate willing to work cooperatively to ensure the best possible outcomes.

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mpaired driving is a major concern, especially on car-centric Long Island.

■ Fifteen other states and Washington, D.C., have legalized cannabis, and undoubtedly have lessons to share about their experiences. We could probably avoid some pitfalls and build on best practices by deepening our dialogue with other states, counties and municipalities that have wrestled with these issues in the past decade.

■ Properly evaluating the impact of cannabis legalization in New York requires the state to start collecting and cataloging data now, so fair comparisons can be made.

Key metrics include changes in marijuana use and public perceptions of the drug; emergency-room visits and poison-controlcenter calls; addiction treatment and psychiatric admissions; school incidents and

Letters He spews the leftist mantra that “America would be turning back the clock to the dark days of the Jim Crow era” if Republican proposals intended to “dramatically cut voter turnout” were to pass at the state level. These proposed laws have nothing to do with Jim Crow, but Kremer and others like him push the narrative.

Most European countries have banned mail-in ballots for people not living abroad or require a photo ID because of concern over fraud. Kremer and others like him say voter identification is racist. You need to show ID, though, for air travel, banking, motor vehicle transactions and entrance to a federal office building, as well as to receive a passport.

What is Kremer worried about? News flash: The voting laws in Biden’s home state of Delaware are stricter than the new laws in Georgia — Delaware, for example, allows 10 days of early voting, compared with 21 in Georgia.

Kremer claims the Republican Party has become the party of the white man.

However, the BBC, which I trust more than the American media, said Trump gained support among minorities.

MICHAEL APPICE Westbury

criminal complaints; car crashes, traffic tickets and impaired driving arrests; marijuana sales data and changes in pricing; energy consumption at cultivation sites; and tax revenues collected and jobs created. This research may be best conducted by an independent firm rather than state personnel, but the study protocols, research questions and baseline data need to be deter mined immediately.

■ Impaired driving is a universal concern, especially on Long Island, where many of us spend hours each day in our cars. Absent a “Breathalyzer” that can detect a driver’s level of marijuana impairment, welltrained police officers are our best tool for preventing crashes. New York should help the Nassau County Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies secure and complete the necessary training. We need both emergent technology to measure cannabis intoxication objectively, and a focused driver education campaign to promote highway safety.

■ Businesses — especially those with safety-sensitive positions — will have to solve thorny dilemmas created by employee drug testing and workplace impairment, and should receive very clear guidance and support as the new law takes

effect.

■ New York state has had a well-run medical marijuana program since 2016. Beyond the structural changes required by the recently approved Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, the cannabis market is about to shift. Steps should be taken to ensure continued access for those with medical marijuana cards.

■ Long Island’s cities, towns and villages have until Dec. 31 to opt out of having retail stores in their communities, though residents can force the issue through local referendum. Some municipalities, like the Town of Oyster Bay, have already started to pass new zoning laws to keep marijuana shops out of neighborhoods and restrict them to light industrial areas. These hyper-local conversations are bound to get heated, but we need to start talking now.

Finally, and most important, while all this is going on, and whether or not you choose to get involved in these community conversations, please talk with your own children and family members about marijuana and drug use in general. Just because it’s now legal doesn’t make it suddenly safe. As we navigate this policy change, we need to do more to keep our families and communities safe and healthy.

Dr. Jeffrey L. Reynolds is president and CEO of the Family and Children’s Association, one of Long Island’s oldest nonprofits providing addiction treatment and mental health services to local residents.

Framework by Bill Bleyer

Nassau leads the way on vaccines To the Editor: As of last week, 500,000 Nassau County residents had received their first Covid-19 shots. That’s about half of the county’s adult population.

With four county Department of Health vaccination sites, a designated hotline for seniors and veterans, robust partnerships with community providers and a unique pre-registration vaccination website, Nassau has become a model of Covid19 vaccine distribution in New York state.

It currently has the highest percentage of residents —36.7 percent — with at least one dose of the vaccine among state counties with populations greater than 500,000.

The county has been leading the state in vaccinations, and we will continue to move full speed ahead to get our residents protected against this deadly virus. Thank you to the award-winning Department of Health and the fantastic Medical Reserve Corps volunteers who have been doing an extraordinary job of swiftly vaccinating our population.

The vaccine is our passport back to normal, and we have been building up infrastructure as both supply and eligibly increase. I am proud that we have reached

At low tide, an avian social hour — Mill Neck Creek

the milestone of half a million residents vaccinated, but we’re not stopping here.

The county has established a designated way for both veterans and seniors to receive appointments. Veterans can make appointments through the county’s Veterans Service Agency by calling (516) 5726565. A hotline for seniors was also created to get shots in the arms of the vulnera-

ble. Seniors can make appointments by calling (516) 227-9590.

For more information on the vaccine and for available appointments at county and partner locations, please visit www. nassaucountyny.gov/vaccine.

LAuRA CuRRAN Nassau County executive

MERRICK HERALD — April 8, 2021

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New York has legalized marijuana. What now?

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