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EMS squad needs local support public funding through taxes and largely relies on billing ambulance rides to patients’ Bellmore-Merrick’s Emergen- insurance companies. The goal cy Medical Services is primarily has been to keep patients out of funded through insurance bill- hospitals, however, meaning ings for ambulance transports — many patients have been treated but as at-home responses become at the scene of calls. As a result, more frequent to keep patients funding for the department has out of hospitals, “dropped dramatimuch of that cally,” Resnik said. money has dried The group has up. Thankfully, offialso been busier cials said, there has than ever. The call been an outpouring volume has of support from the increased, somecommunity. times with two or “I can’t stress three calls at once, this enough: The and members often support has been assist other emerabsolutely amazg e n cy re spon se ing,” Assistant agencies. AdditionChief Scott Resnik al personnel have SCoTT RESNIk said. “And that’s also been hired to w h a t k e e p s u s Assistant chief, staff the headquargoing.” Bellmore-Merrick EMS ters 24 hours a day. Bellmore-MerCommunity rick EMS prepared support — includfor the coronavirus outbreak ing fundraising — has not early with new policies and slowed down. Donations through practices to protect members the Bellmore-Merrick EMS webfrom exposure and prevent its site and through mailers have spread within the department been consistent or even higher (see box, Page 4) — “but we than in past years, Resnik said. couldn’t prepare for the economA fundraiser was also started ic impact,” Resnik said. on Facebook by Merrick resiHe explained that the Bellmore-Merrick EMS receives no Continued on page 12

By ANDREW GARCIA agarcia@liherald.com

Courtesy Merrick Library

MEIRA BRoDERICk, ASSoCIATE head of Youth Services at the Merrick Library, is leading online story times and sing-alongs for children on Facebook and Instagram.

Bellmore-Merrick libraries keep readers engaged online By AlySSA SEIDMAN aseidman@liherald.com

Although closed to the public to curb the spread of Covid-19, local libraries are keeping readers engaged and entertained online during the pandemic. “The building may be closed, but the library is always open online,” said Bellmore Memorial Library Director Elaine CummingsYoung. Having access to library

resources can be essential for people at all stages of their lives, especially during times of crisis. So earlier this month, 50 Nassau County libraries began offering digital library cards to give residents without one the chance to use the digital resources of their library while facilities are closed (see box, Page 3). Similarly, Bellmore-Merrick’s librarians have expanded online services to reach readers craving some time “in the library.”

Merrick library While you may not be able to walk through the doors right now, the staff at the Merrick Library is working to keep patrons engaged through its remote services. Through April 30, Merrick Library patrons can compete in a “Community Reading Challenge” with Bellmore Memorial Library patrons. Readers are asked to submit the title and author of a book they have read through a link Continued on page 3

e are in total solidarity with our community. We shall get through this.

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Libraries move online amid Covid-19 on the library’s website — each book counts as one point. Extra points are allotted if you post a picture of your book on social media with the hashtag #BellmoreMerrickBookBattle. Additionally, teens can earn community service while sitting at home by submitting book reviews on the library’s website. Each review equals a half-hour of community service credit. Story time has been brought into the virtual world, as well. Meira Broderick, associate head of Youth Services at the Merrick Library, is leading online story time and sing-along sessions for children to follow on Facebook and Instagram. The library is also using its 3D printers to produce face shields to help relieve the shortage of personal protective equipment in local hospitals. Last Friday, library staff delivered 15 face shields to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow. For a full list of resources, visit the library’s website, www.merricklibrary. org, or on Facebook and Instagram at @ merricklibrary.

Bellmore Memorial Library

Aside from engaging in some healthy competition with Merrick’s readers, the Bellmore Memorial Library is offering virtual programming via Zoom to help patrons stay connected to one another. The programs include Social Circle, a weekly afternoon program for which adults can craft or knit together; Teen Evening Chat, a young adult program for which teens can swap interests and activities to keep busy during quarantine; and Virtual Music & Movement, for which children can hear rhymes and songs to move and dance to. Patrons can register for virtual programs on the library’s website, www.bellmorelibrary.org.

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 16, 2020

CoNtiNued froM froNt Page

North Merrick Public Library

The North Merrick Public Library is offering virtual programs, too, including a community reading challenge and remote fitness classes. T h e K i d s ’ C o m m u n i t y Re a d i n g Challenge encourages patrons to read together while they’re apart. “For every 100 books we read as a community, we’ll add something special to the Children’s Room to enjoy together,” read a post on the library’s website. For every book children read, they receive a vote to put toward deciding a decoration or special addition for the Children’s Room. Patrons can download eBooks and access magazines from the library’s virtual newsstand using their library cards. North Merrick is also promoting free online classes that residents can take to pass the time during quarantine.

North Bellmore Public Library

O n t h e N o r t h B e l l m o re P u bl i c Library’s website, parents and caregivers can scan through a list of o n l i n e d at ab a s e s fo r s t u d e n t s i n g rades kindergarten through 12 to help keep children occupied at home. The library also posted a list of area museums offering virtual tours. Next week, the library is promoting Strive’s Virtual College Exploration Week. From April 20 to 23, students and families can take part in nearly 100 panel presentations related to the college search. Each 45-minute presentation includes perspectives from at least three different institutions. Those interested can re gister through the library’s website, www. northbellmorelibrary.org.

Courtesy Merrick Library

PatroNs of the Bellmore and Merrick libraries can compete in a Community Reading Challenge through April 30.

read on with a digital library card

Herald Life file photo

the North MerriCk Public Library is hosting the challenge for children through its website.

The digital library card enables people to explore the full complement of online library services from the comfort of their homes. Readers can download the Libby app to borrow eBooks and audiobooks. Some libraries provide access to streaming entertainment apps like Kanopy or Hoopla that can be installed on smart TVs. Other resources include live homework help from tutor. com, interactive language learning from Pronunciator and current-issue popular magazines from RB Digital. Residents with active library cards can visit their library’s website to discover resources that are already available to them. Those who do not have a card can visit nassaulibrary.org/digital-card-application to get started.

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Police: Deceased man found near Mar Thoma Church in Merrick 1086152

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Courtesy Google Streetview

A mAn in his 60s was found dead near Mar Thoma Church in Merrick, according to Nassau County police.

By AnDREW GARCiA agarcia@liherald.com

A deceased man was found near the Long Island Mar Thoma Church in Merrick, according to Nassau County police. The body was discovered near the church, located at 2350 Merrick Ave., and

was reported to police on Friday, April 10 at 5:29 p.m. The identity of the male is unknown, but he appeared to be AfricanAmerican and in his 60s. As of presstime, there were no public updates available regarding the case, but it was non-criminal in nature, according to NCPD.

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■ DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: sales@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643 The Merrick Herald life USPS 017651, is published every Thursday by Richner Communications, Inc., 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Periodicals postage paid at Garden City, NY 11530 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to Merrick Herald, 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Subscription rates: $36 for 1 year within Nassau County. Out of Nassau County: $58 for 1 year. Copyright © 2020 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

the coronavirus effect on minorities

Sources: Nassau County, U.S. Census, American Community Survey. Illustration by Christina Daly/Herald

Governors get together over reopening the economy es,” referring to the possibility that Covid19 cases might climb again if people were to go back to work without adequate The governors of Delaware, Connecti- guidelines and insufficient preparation. cut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said the and Rhode Island gathered Monday in a coronavirus spread along his state’s Interteleconference to announce a regional sate-95 corridor, otherwise known as its panel that will study how best to reopen “commuter corridor.” The virus, he t h e e c o n o my a n d t h e appeared to suggest, was schools. spread by commuters in and Governor Cuomo, leadout of New York City. ing the effort, announced Pennsylvania Gov. Tom the creation of the panel, Wo l f s a i d a r e g i o n a l which will comprise three approach to reopening the representatives from each economy is vital. “We all state — a health official, an know we can do anything economic official and the better when we work togethchief of staff of each goverer,” he said. “We need to do nor. The governors are callthis right.” ing it a regional advisory He said he believes the council, which will not have Gov. andrew six-state approach will decision-making power, but become a model for reopenrather will help formulate Cuomo ing regional economies plans for a re gional across the country. approach to reopening that are subject to Delaware Gov. John Carney said the the governors’ approval. key question is, “How do we reopen “New York believes we have reached a things in a way that’s safe?” plateau” of new coronavirus cases, “The state boundaries,” he noted, Cuomo said. “This is relatively good news “mean very little to this virus.” in a world of bad options.” The objective, Rhode Island Gov. Gina With cases leveling off, he said, it is Raimondo said, is to “develop new guidetime to begin planning for the day when lines for this new normal.” businesses are allowed to resume operaAll of the governors are Democrats. tions and students may return to classes. The announcement came after PresiNew Jersey Gov. Philip Murphy said dent Trump over the weekend signaled the regional approach would help avoid that he believes he will be the arbiter of “inadvertent and unintended consequenc- when the economy will reopen.

By SCott Brinton sbrinton@liherald.com

ew York believes we have reached a plateau [of Covid-19] cases.

Herald file photo

Governor Cuomo Gathered five other Northeast governors to announce a regional advisory council to develop plans to reopen the economy regionally. In addition to New York, the council will include representatives of Delaware, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 16, 2020

Covid-19 has affected minority populations and densely populated areas more than others. The maps below show the correlation between coronavirus hot spots in Nassau County and population density.

April 16, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

Cuomo calls for SALT repeal amid pandemic By Scott Brinton sbrinton@liherald.com

In his Saturday address, Governor Cuomo called on Congress and President Trump to repeal the SALT provision of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to provide relief to residents of hightax states like New York and California amid the pandemic. The SALT provision eliminated all but $10,000 of the federal deduction for state and local taxes, known commonly as the SALT deduction, costing New Yorkers millions of dollars annually in federal taxes. “You want to help New York … you want to help the places that are affected [by Covid-19], then repeal the SALT provision,” Cuomo said. The provision “targeted” states like New York, the governor said. In a March 26 editorial, the Herald called for repeal of the SALT provision. For an excerpt from it, see box. Cuomo urged people not to play politics around Covid-19, particularly given that it is a presidential election year. President Trump, he said, has been responsive to New York’s needs amid the coronavirus crisis. “Keep politics out of the discussions,” Cuomo said. He noted that he does not plan to run for president, despite some pleas within the Democratic Party that he should jump in the race — Joe Biden is now the presumptive nominee after Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out last week. Some 783 people died of the coronavirus statewide overnight from last Friday into Saturday. The governor noted that was not an all-time high, which came three days earlier when 799 peo-

From the Herald’s editorial….

Gov. Andrew cuomo is asking Congress and President Trump to eliminate the SALT provision of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to provide financial relief to New Yorkers battered by the coronavirus. ple died. He also said the number of intensive care unit admissions and number of intubations were both down dramatically, which could indicate the state had hit a plateau of infections. Cuomo described the current phase of the pandemic in New York as the “end of the beginning.” He urged people to continue to “stay

the course” and practice social distancing. He noted that without it, a second wave of infection is possible. When New York’s economy should fully reopen is a subject of study and debate, the governor said. Reopening it, he said, “cannot be at the expense” of human life.

In high-tax regions like New York and California, the weight of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was already causing enormous fiscal strain for many homeowners, who lost all but $10,000 of the federal deduction for state and local taxes, known commonly as the SALT deduction. Loss of that single deduction in high-tax regions has cost people thousands of dollars. Many Long Island taxpayers reported that their federal tax bills rose $3,000, $5,000, $8,000 or more last year. Those bills are not expected to abate this year, unless Congress acts. It should immediately reinstate the SALT deduction. People here will certainly take $1,000 or $2,000 [in stimulus funds], but restoring the deduction would do far more for many homeowners who are suffering because of the coronavirus. For the full editorial, see liherald.com.

New York coping with a rising death toll By Scott Brinton sbrinton@liherald.com

Governor Cuomo said at his news briefing last Thursday that additional funeral directors would be brought in to aid with final arrangements for the hundreds of New Yorkers who are dying of the coronavirus. Overnight that day, he said, 799 people had succumbed to the disease, bringing the total who had died in New York to more than 7,000. That was the highest overnight death toll New York had seen to date, and at press time, it remained the highest. As of April 13, there were 846 Covid19-related deaths in Nassau County, and 23,553 people had been diagnosed with the illness. Cuomo spoke of the coronavirus as a “silent killer.” “9/11 was supposed to be the darkest day” for New York in a generation, he

Social distancing, he said, is about said. As of Wednesday, April 8, Covid-19 protecting the most vulnerable in socihad killed more than twice as many ety. The governor ordered all American people in New York than 9/11, when the flags to fly at half-staff in total number of deaths honor of the dead. statewide reached 6,268. By executive order, he As of Monday, nearly also declared that all New 9,400 were reported dead in Yorkers can vote by absenNew York. tee ballot for the June 23 “Our hospitals and primaries. health care workers continAnd all unemployed ue to be stretched to the New Yorkers will receive an limit,” Nassau County additional $600 payment, Executive Laura Curran and unemployment benesaid. fits were extended from 25 Cuomo, speaking in to 39 weeks. some of the strongest terms T here were positive he had used yet last week, Gov. Andrew s igns las t we e k. Both called Covid-19 a “vicious Cuomo and Curran said predator of a virus” that cuomo social distancing appeared preys on those whose to be working and was health has already been compromised because of underlying reducing the number new hospitalizations. medical conditions.

/11 was supposed to be the darkest day for New York in a generation.

To maintain the plateau, they said, people must stay at home unless they are essential workers. Rapid testing for the coronavirus on a mass scale could allow people to return to work, Cuomo said he believes. He warned, however, that the virus may come in waves. He noted that the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 struck in three waves. And already, he said, there were scattered reports, including in The Los Angeles Times, that Wuhan, China, may be experiencing a second wave of infections. A secondary infection wave could come, he said, if the virus were to mutate into a new form, potentially infecting those with immunity to the first virus. There is an emotional toll the pandemic has had on many people, the governor said. Those in need of help can call the state’s Emotional Support Hotline at (844) 863-9314.

Officials: MSSN still performing surgeries sbrinton@liherald.com

Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside is still open for trauma and emergency cases, despite an influx of critically ill coronavirus patients in recent weeks. That was the message that Joe Calderone, MSSN’s senior vice president of corporate communications, and Dr. Rajiv Datta, the hospital’s chief of surgery, delivered to the public via a 15-minute Facebook Live session last Thursday. “We are still a trauma center,” Datta said. “We still take care of acute cases.” MSSN is the South Shore’s only trauma center, which treats the most urgent cases such as car crash and gunshot victims. An emergency patient, by contrast, might be suffering from an acute medical condition such as appendicitis. To remain a Level II trauma center, the hospital must maintain a trauma operating room and keep a trauma surgeon on duty at the hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As of last Thursday, Calderone said, the hospital had 450 patients in total — 300, or 66 percent, were Covid-19 patients. All trauma and emergency patients are tested for coronavirus upon entering the hospital, Datta said, “so we can protect them, and we can also protect our staff.” The operating room is equipped with a

Facebook Live screenshot

Dr. rajiv Datta, chief of surgery at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside, and Joe Calderone, senior vice president for corporate communications, held a Facebook Live session in front of the hospital Thursday to let the public know trauma and emergency surgeries are still be performing at MSSN. HEPA filter to ensure the air remains pure, and all surgical tables and equipment are wiped down with bleach, he said. Surgical patients recover in the operating room, and then they are segregated in a non-Covid-19 section of the hospital. “The staff is very keenly aware of which patients are Covid positive and which are not,” Datta said. “That information is delivered to everybody.”

He emphasized, “The operating room is still functional, only doing trauma cases and emergency cases.” Follow-up care is provided in MSSN’s outpatient facility in Valley Stream and via telehealth video chat. “It’s a new way of practicing medicine,” Datta said. There is no longer visitation at the hospital. After patients are sufficiently recovered from surgery, family members or

friends must pick them up at the front entrance of the hospital on Merrick Road. They cannot enter the hospital. “This is an all-hands-on-deck situation at South Nassau,” Calderone noted. Several staff members from hospital’s surgical team, both surgeons and nurses, have been redeployed to medical wings of the hospital to help treat Covid-19 patients. Normally, the hospital might have 22 patients on ventilators. It had 80 as of last Thursday. “I’m amazed to see how our staff is helpful,” Datta said, noting that retired surgeons have called to volunteer their services. “So far we have been able to accommodate,” he said. “Everybody is stretched.” The hospital is still performing a small number of elective surgeries for cancer patients, said Datta, who is medical director of MSSN’s Feil Cancer Center in Valley Stream. Primarily, however, cancer patients are being treated with radiation and chemotherapy in cordoned-off wings — chemo at the front of the hospital, and radiation at the back. Both Calderone and Datta emphasized the importance of social distancing. “We are not out of the woods by any stretch of the imagination,” Calderone said. To watch the full video, see liherald.com.

Northwell Health clinical trials under way By Scott Brinton sbrinton@liherald.com

The Northwell Health medical system, with hospitals throughout the greater New York metropolitan area, has conducted clinical trials for a possible treatment for Covid-19 since March 18, and an effort that began with two patients now involves hundreds. That’s according to Dr. Christina Brennan, vice president of clinical research at Northwell’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset. Brennan sat down with video producer Rob Hoell for a Facebook Live interview last Thursday in which she discussed the ongoing clinical trials that Northwell is engaged in. She noted Northwell was among the first health systems in the nation to undertake clinical trials for a treatment. Locally, trials are taking place at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset and Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens. Early on, Feinstein Institutes researchers teamed up with Gilead Sciences and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to identify potential treatments for Covid-19 patients who are hospitalized with moderate to severe conditions. The goal, according to a Northwell release, is “to improve recovery and speed discharge from hospitals.” Brennan said last week that Northwell also undertook an additional study to gauge the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug that has been touted often by President Trump. With Gilead, the Feinstein Institutes is examining the safety and effectiveness of remdesivir (RDV), an investigational antiviral drug, to reduce the intensity and duration of Covid-19 in hospitalized patients. RDV, Northwell officials said, has “demonstrated positive effects” on other viruses such as MERS and SARS. The trial with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, which now involves 216 patients, is examining the safety and efficacy

Facebook Live screenshot

of sarilumab, a human antibody that may help prevent severe pneumonia in some Covid-19 patients. It is normally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Brennan said. “We’re really excited about the three opportunities and more to come of the trials,” she said. Northwell is not engaged in clinical trials to develop a vaccine against Covid-19, she noted. Brennan could not say how long development of a treatment drug or drugs would take, and if any of the drugs now in trials would ultimately be proven effective. Patients’ participation in all clinical trials is voluntary. Daily, Brennan said, clinical researchers are feeding data back to the pharmaceutical companies involved in the trials, and the companies are analyzing that information. When a sufficient data set is amassed, the companies will then approach the Food and Drug Administration for possible approvals. Northwell physicians on “the front lines” are selecting

Dr. chriStina Brennan, vice president of clinical research at Northwell’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, sat down with video producer Rob Hoell for a Facebook Live session last Thursday to discuss ongoing clinical trials for a Covid19 treatment at Northwell.

patients for the trials with Feinstein researchers. “It can be tough as investigators,” Brennan said. “You so desperately want to help patients and find the right treatment for them.” She said, however, “We’re seeing more discharges daily from our clinical trials, so we’re hopeful.” Speaking of the clinical researchers, Hoell said, “You guys are, to my mind, the unsung heroes … Every day we get closer and closer to maybe finding out what’s going to work and what’s going to knock out this virus.” Brennan did say clinical research appears to substantiate anecdotal evidence from physicians in the field that Covid-19 is potentially more deadly for older adults and those with pre-existing medical conditions, and that anyone, of any age, can be infected and suffer its effects, including older teenagers. To watch the entire interview, see liherald.com.

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 16, 2020

By Scott Brinton

April 16, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

Three MSSN employees die of coronavirus By mike smoLLins msmollins@liherald.com

Three employees at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital have died after contracting the coronavirus. Dr. Jesus Zambrano, 54, an attending pediatrician who worked in Freeport, died on March 29, while Mario Salonga, 59, a per diem physical therapist in home care, recently died, and Ferdinando Moretti, 73, an MSSN painting crew foreman, died on April 4. The hospital did not disclose the date Salonga died, and an inquiry was not returned. “They exemplify what makes every Mount Sinai South Nassau employee and medical staff member special, the willingness to be present during a time of unprecedented crisis with a special commitment to the patients we serve,” MSSN President and CEO Richard Murphy said in a statement. Zambrano was a Brooklyn resident and joined the MSSN medical staff in 2012. He worked with Dr. Luis HerreraAcevedo at a Freeport practice. He previously attended medical school in Santo

Christina Daly/Herald

three empLoyees of Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital died after contracting the coronavirus. Domingo, Dominican Republic, and trained as a pediatric resident at Lincoln Medical Center in the Bronx. He was board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, and many of his patients and

colleagues saw him as a beloved figure. Salonga had been a part of MSSN’s inhome patient care staff for five years and worked for the Visiting Nurse Service. He was described as a kind, gentle soul and

an upstanding father, husband and friend. He provided compassionate and professional care for patients and his daughter, Katrina, said he was dedicated to his profession, according to a news release from the hospital. She added she was raised by the motto “always put others first,” and her father exemplified it. In addition to Katrina, Salonga is survived by his wife, Cecilia, and their son, Joseph, in Valley Stream. Moretti retired from MSSN in 2014 after 31 years of service. He returned to work per diem in 2015 to support the hospital’s various expansion projects. His colleagues recalled that Moretti was lighthearted and quick with a joke, and that he was well versed in topics ranging from construction to cooking. He is survived by his daughter, Andrea, son, Mario, and four grandchildren. His wife, Olga, predeceased him. “I cannot sufficiently express my appreciation and respect for the contribution each of them has made to the life of Mount Sinai South Nassau,” Murphy said. “We extend our prayers and deepest sympathy to their families.”

Judge to decide if L.B. boardwalk can reopen By James Bernstein jbernstein@liherald.com

A Nassau County Supreme Court judge was to hear to hear a case filed Friday by an attorney who wants the City of Long Beach to reopen its 2.2-mile boardwalk, which was closed March 26 to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. At press time Monday, no decision had been reached. Scott Cohen, who filed the case on behalf of Francis McQuade, an unsuccessful candidate for Nassau County District Attorney last year, said Long Beach acted improperly in closing the boardwalk because it did not have the permission of the New York State Department of Health to do so. “I have a problem with the boardwalk being closed,” Cohen said Monday. “It wasn’t done in the right way.” McQuade called the city’s decision “arbitrary.” Long Beach officials said the city does not comment on pending litigation. But city officials had noted that the Nassau County Department of Health had not overturned Long Beach’s decision to close the boardwalk. The suit was filed against the five elected city council members, interim City Manager Donna Gayden and her assistant John McNally. Cohen said the closing left Long Beach residents with only two ways to enter the beach, at Pacific Boulevard and New York Avenue. He said this created a hardship for people who want to walk on the beach, as well as for residents of those two streets. An excess of cars could be parked on those streets, Cohen said. “I’d like the decision to be overturned,” Cohen said. He said the boardwalk was closed at a time when fewer people were aware of the dangers of the coronavirus. “People are now more aware” of social distancing and other measures, he said. The boardwalk was closed, city officials had said, because large crowds had been gathering there and few were observing social distancing. The boardwalk is an iconic part of Long Beach, attracting thousands during summer holiday weekends. It is also a favorite spot for joggers and cyclists. The boardwalk has bathroom facilities and a large food stand. As of April 7, Long Beach City Council President

John Bendo said the number of confirmed cases in the city stood at 285, a large jump from the previous ago, when there were about 200 cases. “We’ve been informed that some of this increase is attributed to increased testing and ramped up processions of tests,” Bendo said on the City’s website. “But officials are also projecting that this and next week will see Nassau County reaching its peak epidemic. While this may be welcome news of sorts, please know that now is the time to double down on our social distancing efforts, not to relax them.” Bendo also said that Long Beach police are following up on complaints by some residents that some restaurants and bars are not adhering to social distancing and have stepped up patrols to enforce the guidelines. The city has also temporarily suspended recycling. The boardwalk close had the support of Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and State Sen. Todd Kaminsky. a Long Beach Democrat, as well as by some civic organizations. Sam Pinto, president of the Eastholm Civic Association, said, “Right now, under the current pandemic situation, having the boardwalk closed will help flatten the curve. Closing it is a benefit.” The case is to be heard via Skype.

Photos by Christina Daly/Herald

a Long Beach lawyer filed a lawsuit against the City of Long Beach to reopen the boardwalk, which was closed in March because officials say people failed to adhere to social distancing.

Car parades in Merrick a cause for celebration By AlyssA seidmAn aseidman@liherald.com

Merokeans are still finding ways to celebrate birthdays, bat mitzvahs and other milestones amid the coronavirus pandemic. Car parades, for example, have become a popular custom for people to spread the love while abiding by social distancing orders.

A virtual mitzvah

Merrick Avenue Middle School student Zara Selvin, 12, spent more than a year practicing her haftorah in preparation of her bat mitzvah, but because of New York’s social gatherings ban, she had to deliver it via Facebook Live. Her mother, Sabrina, said it was viewed by “so many people.” Zara’s par ty was scheduled for April 4, but is now postponed until November. Selvin, who is a partner with her husband, Jared, at Selvin Law Firm in Seaford, said she didn’t want the date to pass without doing something special. So last Saturday, a family friend, Jodi Goldberg, organized a car parade in honor of Zara’s bat mitzvah. An “overwhelming amount of cars” drove by the Selvin’s home in south Merrick that day. As Hebrew music blasted in the backg round, Zara’s friends waved to her from their sunroofs, brandishing signs and balloons, and dropped off gifts in the driveway. “I was very surprised,” Zara said. “It felt really special that all my friends got together to do this whole parade for me. I love my friends, and I’m really happy they did that for me.” Seeing an outpouring of support and friendship on what would’ve been her daughter’s bat mitzvah day was “emotional” for Selvin, she said. “We’re grateful that we were still able to practice a longtime [Jewish] tradition,” she added. “No matter what is going on in the world . . . our customs persist.”

Keeping 50 fabulous

To celebrate her 50th birthday, Debbie Pressman, of Mer rick, had planned to go to Miami with 14 of her girlfriends. But because of the pandemic, she had to cancel her travel plans. Her family noticed that she was “bummed out,” she said, so Pressman’s husband recruited her girlfriends to drive by the house on March 29 — Pressman’s 50th birthday. It was a rainy Sunday. The Pressmans set up a tent in the driveway and called Debbie outside — a line of cars were lined up around the park near her house. Pressman’s girlfriends drove by honking their horns, brandishing signs and throwing gifts her way, sharing her birthday from afar. “Everyone’s really down because of this time, but they made it really special,” Pressman said. “It was a better birthday than I could’ve imagined. Pressman is a sales manager for

Courtesy Sabrina Selvin

ZArA selvin’s friends made sure she felt loved on April 4, the day she was supposed to celebrate her bat mitzvah.

Courtesy Debbie Presser

Although her originAl birthday plans were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, Debbie Presser said her 50th birthday was better than she could have imagined. PIX11 News, and leads a busy lifestyle. The pandemic, however, has allowed her to appreciate her time spent at home. “I’m eating dinner with my family every night, and sketching and drawing with my daughter,” she said. “I haven’t done that since college.” Pressman added that a silver lining of this unprecedented time is being able to self-reflect and reset, and she recommends others do the same. “Do the thing for yourself that you’ll never get a chance to do,” she said.

deBBie Presser, of Merrick, got a special 50th birthday surprise from her girlfriends — a car parade.

Courtesy Sabrina Selvin

ZArA selvin, 12, who was supposed to mark her bat mitzvah earlier this month, read her haftorah on Facebook Live.

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 16, 2020

Residents show support for friends marking milestones amid Covid-19 pandemic

April 16, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

Athletes chasing college dreams impacted by virus By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

The NCAA is giving all spring sports athletes — whose 2020 seasons ended after about three weeks of play due to coronavirus — an extra year of eligibility (see box). Of course, that’s not an option at the high school level. The suspension of high school spring sports, which includes lacrosse, baseball, softball, and track and field, not only affects seniors clinging to slim hopes to wear their uniforms again. Juniors are in danger of missing crucial games to make an impression on college coaches who can offer coveted scholarship dollars, and many sophomores and freshmen could miss gaining valuable experience at the varsity level. Empty fields and tracks will be commonplace in Nassau County until at least the first week of May after President Donald Trump extended social-distancing guidelines through the end of April. Section VIII Executive Director of Athletics Pat Pizzarelli said no decision would be made on spring sports until schools get the green light to reopen. “The girls are still working out on their own, and if there’s no season, USA Track and Field holds meets late into the summer that we’d look to attend,” said Calhoun High School’s girls’ track and field coach Joe Migliano. “I’ll do anything to get the girls exposure to help them at

the next level.” The Lady Colts have won three straight indoor and outdoor conference titles, and Migliano said they had hopes of making a run at the Nassau Class AA championship this spring. The roster is full of underclassmen who were already drawing college interest, including juniors Faith Dwyer, the Conference 2 3,000-meter champ, and Kristina Losquadro and Nicole Devine, part of a winning 4x800 relay. “We have every event covered with AllCounty caliber talent,” Migliano said, adding that he typically leads the recruiting process for kids by contacting a list of colleges provided by families. The only two juniors on John F. Kennedy High School’s softball team, catcher Jess Nachamie and third-base player Morgan Tesser, took a proactive approach once the season was suspended by sending videos and emails to college coaches. Tesser, who has D1 aspirations, has posted workouts on Twitter (@morgantesser) and plays for Intensity Softball’s New Jersey program. Nachamie plays travel ball for the Long Island Chargers. “I’ve narrowed down my college choices, emailed those coaches and plan to have Zoom meetings with them once the recruiting dead period ends,” Nachamie said. “With colleges and scouting, I believe everything is going to work out. I just want to have a chance to play at some point this year because I love it so much.”

Ncaa suspends in-person recruiting until May 31 In response to the pandemic, the NCAA has suspended all in-person recruiting though the end of May. Schools have also been asked to suspend official and unofficial visits. This time period will be treated similarly to a dead period, during which time phone calls and digital communication are still permitted. It’s possible the NCAA will decide to extend this date again.

Mepham High School juniors Tyler O’Neill, a pitcher, and Billy Kender, an infielder, find themselves in a similar situation. With an important recruiting season in jeopardy of not happening, they’ll rely on travel games and showcases. “I’m not in my usual throwing rhythm but I’m doing as much work as I can,” said O’Neill, a member of Oceanside’s Oil City Bandits travel team who has a fourpitch arsenal, including a fastball clocked in the mid-80s. “If we can’t play the high school season, the travel games and showcases will be even more important.”

Eric Dunetz/Herald

DISTaNcE ruNNEr FaITh Dwyer is part of a strong junior class that anchors Calhoun High School’s talented girls’ track and field team.

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HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 16, 2020

Hempstead Town Is Here For You! During this challenging time, we want residents to know that employees and the Town Board are working hard to keep your essential services running.

NEED HELP FROM A TOWN DEPARTMENT? Email the following departments at: Building Department:

tohbuildingquestions@tohmail.org

Town Clerk’s Office:

tohtownclerkquestions@tohmail.org

Tax Office:

tohtaxquestions@tohmail.org

Parks Department:

tohparksquestions@tohmail.org

or call (516) 812-3600

For a list of other department email addresses, please visit hempsteadtownny.gov/directory

STAY CONNECTED • For email updates: hempsteadtownny.gov/townnews-mailing-list • Swift 911 emergency notifications: hempsteadtownny.gov/ emergency-services/ swift911-emergency-notification • Facebook: @hempsteadtown • Twitter:

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• Instagram: @hempstead_town

Have Questions About COVID-19? Join Supervisor Don Clavin, Councilman Anthony D’Esposito and Dr. Dave Neubert for three Facebook Live sessions:

Friday, April 17 at 2 p.m. Monday, April 20 at 2 p.m. Friday, April 24 at 2 p.m. IMPORTANT COVID-19 RESOURCES:

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New York State (NYS) Coronavirus Hotline .........................................................................(888) 364-3065 New York State (NYS) Coronavirus Website .................................................... coronavirus.health.ny.gov Nassau County Coronavirus Call Center .............................................................................(516) 227-9570 CDC Coronavirus Disease Hotline ........................................................................................(800) 232-4636 CDC Coronavirus Disease Website ...................................................................................coronavirus.gov NYS COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline ..........................................................................(844) 863-9314

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April 16, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

THE ANIMALS ARE DEPENDING ON US TO BE HERE FOR THEM... CRISIS OR NOT North Shore Animal League America is facing critical challenges during the coronavirus pandemic – but that will never change our NO-KILL PROMISE to care for homeless dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens.

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First responders need community’s help continued from front pAge dent Edward Zilberman, who feels a sense of personal gratitude for the EMS. Earlier this year, when he called 911 due to heart disease concerns, members of the Bellmore-Merrick EMS were the first to respond. “These are Bellmore-Merrick EMS volunteers, but I see them as neighbors,” Zilberman said. “They are the first ones coming when there’s an emergency.” The Facebook fundraiser has collected more than $1,500, which will go to the EMS’s day-to-day operations — “but it’s not enough,” Zilberman said. “I think the community can do more.” After the coronavirus outbreak, Zilberman made it a personal goal to help the EMS regularly, he said. The community is also keeping the volunteers well fed after food stocking costs were among the first items to be cut to reduce expenses and control the department budget. Full meals have been donated from multiple businesses, including Bagel Boss of Merrick and Fat Boy’s Burrito Co., and from community members in the Bellmore Merrick Helping Our Heroes Facebook group. The support has helped keep BellmoreMerrick EMS afloat, but the department is still struggling with limited restocks of personal protective equipment, such as masks, gloves or gowns, Resnik said. If residents have coronavirus concerns, they can call the Bellmore-Merrick EMS at (516) 742-3300, Resnik said, even if

Scott Brinton/Herald Life

Bellmore-merrick emS ASSiStAnt Chief Scott Resnik helped the department prepare for the coronavirus outbreak early on, but its funds have still taken a hit. The community has helped relieve the burden by donating money and food. they are unsure about being symptomatic and just want reassurance, or if a family member needs to be checked on. “We are in total solidarity with our community,” Resnik said. “We shall get through this.”

new policies and practices Bellmore-Merrick Emergency Medical Service instituted a number of new policies and practices to keep members safe from the coronavirus. The first limits the number of members responding to calls to only “essential personnel.” Responders are notified by the dispatcher if a patient reports coronavirus symptoms.

The second is a “no-presence” policy, under which members who show signs of illness must remain home. Non-essential meetings and trainings have also been canceled. And responders can meet patients at the door of their homes to pre-screen them to limit the amount of time spent inside a house and reduce exposure.

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Mutts and Butts remains open, but profits have fallen

For the ninth consecutive year, the Merrick School District has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education. The Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to school districts that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and access to music education. To qualify, the district answered detailed questions about Courtesy Merrick School District funding, graduation requireStuDENtS fRom mERRICk’S Chatterton School performed in the Honors Chorus. ments, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, and and its more than approximately 10,000 members around support for music programs. This year, Merrick is one of 754 school communities the world. The foundation advances active participation awarded the Best Communities for Music Education in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving, and public service honor. “The Merrick Music Community is very proud to programs. “This award celebrates districts and schools that are once again be named one of the 2020 Best Communities for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation,” said working hard to assure that music education is part of a Merrick School District’s music coordinator Richard well-rounded education available to all students,” said Nasto. “We are extremely honored to share this award NAMM Foundation Executive Director Mary Luehrsen with those who have made music education thrive in in a video message sent to the recipients. “We hope this Merrick. It is through the consistent support of our par- news also lifts teachers, parents, school administrators, ents, students, staff, music department, Board of Educa- community leaders and most of all, students, and suption and school administrators that makes this acknowl- ports the commitment we all share to advance music education to all students, everywhere.” edgement is possible.” The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in — Compiled by Andrew Garcia part by the National Association of Music Merchants

Tax Deadline Extended to July 15th

By ANDREW GARCIA agarcia@liherald.com

Mutts and Butts owner Mike Silverman has kept operations running amid the coronavirus outbreak, but keeping profits high has been a struggle — the Merrick pet store is making less than half of what it was before, he said. Silverman has been offering the community curbside pickup and free deliveries of pet food and supplies. Two or three customers are allowed inside Mutts and Butts at a time, and many customers wait outside for what they need, Silverman said. Still, the business is taking a hit and making “less than half of what we usually do,” said Silverman, who has owned the spot since 1975. “And we’re doing twice the amount of work.” All nine Mutts and Butts employees remain on the job, he said, including two 35-year-long staff members and several college-aged workers. In his years of owning the pet store, Silverman has never laid off anyone. “I can’t see laying anyone off,” he said. However, he has never seen an event as impactful as this, he added, even when Hurricane Sandy kept the storefront shuttered for nine days. PetSmart, also on Merrick Road, has temporarily cancelled their grooming services, but they are also offering curbside pickups and deliveries. They are limiting the number of customers in the store to two family members at a time, who must stay six feet away from employees. “Please support local businesses,” Silverman said, adding that what they bring to the community, including in school taxes, “makes towns what they are.” Mutts and Butts is located at 2076 Merrick Road in Merrick. They can be reached at (516) 379-6391.

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HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 16, 2020

Merrick School District named ‘Best Community for Music Education’

$500,000 IN GRANTS AVAILABLE NOW TO LOCAL BUSINESSES

SMALL BUSINESS MARKETING GRANT

Apply for your share of the $500,000 marketing grant available to assist locally owned businesses.

STUART RICHNER Publisher Herald Community Newspapers

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. We are a small business ourselves, so we understand the pain that small business owners are going through right now. We at the Herald want to do our part to make sure that members of our small business community can continue to promote themselves during this trying period.”

Herald Team

WHO For all locally owned and operated small businesses on Long Island that have been negatively impacted by coronavirus.

WHAT A $500,000 grant program to support local small businesses. Each local business is eligible to receive up to $15,000 of matching grant funds, which can be used for Herald Community Newspapers print, digital and direct mail products in April through July 15, 2020.

WHERE Apply at www.liherald.com/grant.

WHEN Applications will be accepted until April 30, 2020 or until maximum grant funding has been distributed. Businesses will be contacted within two business days of submitting their application.

WHY Studies show that businesses that continue to market themselves during down times are the ones that fare the best long-term. This grant program will allow Long Island small businesses to continue promoting themselves and any new services they are offering during these unprecedented times.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS: • Every dollar that a grant recipient spends on marketing in Herald products will be matched with a dollar of grant funding, up to the award amount, to be applied towards marketing costs. • Businesses must be locally owned and operated. • Grants range from $300 to $15,000. • Grants can be applied to any Herald Community Newspaper marketing product or service during April through July 15, 2020. • Grants applied to direct mail products are net of postage/mailing costs.

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April 16, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 16, 2020

UNFORTUNATELY, ORTHOPEDIC PAIN DOESN’T STOP IN A CRISIS.

With our new on-call only model, neither does the opportunity to receive care. Balancing the need to be there for our patients with the health and safety of our staff and community, we’re temporarily becoming an “on-call” practice – offering both in-person and telehealth visits – for those experiencing orthopedic pain. If you think you have an orthopedic issue that can’t wait, call Orlin & Cohen and a member of our team will work with you to assess whether you need immediate attention. It’s a new, creative approach to our practice: Because in this crisis, protecting each other should be everyone’s top priority.

In light of this broad accessibility to our services and for everyone’s safety, we are suspending our Merrick after-hours and weekend walk-in clinic for the duration of the crisis.

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Foundation raises $11K for front-line workers

April 16, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

By AlyssA seidmAn aseidman@liherald.com

Wearing his best pair of pajamas, John Larocchia, of Bellmore, sat at his computer Saturday night to begin a Zoom call from his living room. He wasn’t meeting with coworkers or leading a lecture, but rather hosting a benefit comedy show, which was livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube to nearly 5,000 viewers. The show was organized by the Laughter Saves Lives Foundation, founded by Larocchia, a former New York City fireman, to support first responders and medical personnel on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Since the livestream, the foundation has raised more than $11,000 and counting. Nearly 20 comics graced the virtual stage on April 11 to give audiences a much-needed laugh (see box). “The first time you do something like this, you expect a lot of glitches,” Larocchia said. “You expect people to say, ‘is this thing on?’, or, ‘can you see me?’, but there was not too much of that. The comics played well off each other and the ‘zoom-a-thon’ was a success.” During the five-hour show, which was produced in coordination with Strong Island Television, viewers made PayPal donations on the foundation’s website. The proceeds will be used to purchase N95 masks for essential workers battling through the pandemic. “I was a member of FDNY Haz-Mat Co. 1 for 10 years and never made an entry without the proper suit and clean equipment,” Larocchia wrote in a Facebook post. “What they are doing out there with these masks is insane.” Larocchia explained that once a N95 mask is used, it should be thrown away, but because the pandemic has created a shortage, “nurses are wearing them for three to four days at a time,” he said. “Some leave it on all day so they don’t have to throw it out, which means they don’t eat. We need to get our first responders and personnel [these] masks so less of them get sick and less of them die.” Before his career in the firehouse, Larocchia was a stand-up comedian. After 19 of his brothers died on 9/11, he started the foundation to support firefighter- andpolice-based charities through the power of laughter. The foundation also sponsors the Laughter Saves Lives Comedy Tour, which provides high-quality, comedic

Photos courtesy Butch Seltzer

John lArocchiA, left, of Bellmore, founder of the Laughter Saves Lives Foundation, was joined by comedian Frankie Morano during his virtual comedy show to benefit workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

entertainment to audiences nationwide as a way to honor the selfless acts of service members all over the country. The foundation has already donated masks to FDNY units, Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside, St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, St. Albans VA Medical Center and Northport VA Medical Center. The fundraiser will remain open through the end of the week. Those interested in donating can visit www.laughtersaveslives.org.

featured comedians The Laughter Saves Lives Foundation’s virtual fundraiser featured comedy by: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Maureen Langan Mary Kennedy Chris Roach J Jay Boyd Tom Dadario Joe Pontillo Les Degan

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Leighann Lord Pat Marone John Consoli John Santo Frank Failla Stevie GB Teddy Smith

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Sandy Ehlers Paul Bond Davin Rosenblatt Jim Dailakis Stephanie Lombardo Scott Stanford Joe Piscopo

comediAn lArry lomBArdi, above, wore his "Saturday best" during the livestream. the lAughter sAves Lives Foundation hosted a live online comedy show to benefit first responders and medical personnel on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

By TIMOTHY DENTON denton@liherald.com

Courtesy PSEG Long Island

Osprey cams offer respite from Covid-19 PSEG Long Island has installed two webcams to offer a peek into the daily lives of local ospreys. Employees work throughout the year to balance PSEG Long Island’s commitment to deliver power for its customers with its commitment to being a good environmental steward, utility officials said. Providing a safe nesting area for the osprey away from vital electrical infrastructure helps PSEG Long Island maintain strong electric service reliability. Ospreys often use utility poles and transmission structures for nesting, which jeopardizes system reliability, causes outages and equipment. “The osprey have made a triumphant comeback here since the 1970s, and PSEG Long Island works to make sure that they can continue to flourish,” said Dan Eichhorn, president and CEO of PSEG Long Island. “Especially now, with so many of us remaining inside our homes for the sake of public health, these webcams offer a much-needed front-row seat to the comings and goings of these majestic

birds.” PSEG Long Island has installed 24-hour webcams at two of the nests that were relocated by line workers during the time of year when the birds are not raising young. The first shows a live feed of a nest in Oyster Bay; a second webcam has gone live from a nest in Patchogue. At the Oyster Bay location, the osprey pair returned late last month. Since the resurgence of the osprey population, PSEG Long Island and its team, with the guidance and support from environmental partners, have identified best practices for when to move a nest, and when to create alternative safer nest locations for the ospreys, utility officials said. PSEG Long Island workers have relocated two-dozen osprey nests to ensure the birds are out of harm’s way from high voltage systems. View the cameras online at https:// www.psegliny.com/wildlife/ospreycam.

ToH earmarks $40M for road improvements By J.D. FrEDA and TIMOTHY DENTON jfreda@liherald.com; tdenton@liherald.com

Town of Hempstead Supervisor Donald Clavin announced a $40 million stimulus package last week “in an effort to get people back to work once it is safe to do so.” Clavin said the money would be used for roadway improvements. With more than 1,200 miles of roadways in the town, the investment could “help workers recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, while enhancing quality-of-life and driver and pedestrian safety.” The town’s 2020 approved budget allocated roughly $150 million to fund the highway department and its various duties. Which new projects will be undertaken with the allocation remains to be determined. Some of the repair work has already

begun, according to Town Councilman Christopher Carini, whose district encompasses Wantagh and Seaford. Repaving the stretch of Beltagh Avenue between Forest Lake School and Old Mill Road began on March 23. “The road surface will be replaced, and, in addition, new concrete curbs, driveway aprons and handicap ramps will be provided,” Carini said. “Being near an elementary school, it’s an important improvement that will increase safety for residents. I look forward to its planned completion in the middle of May.” Clavin said the stimulus package represented a movement toward a return to normal life, following the Covid-19 virus. “This major capital investment symbolizes a significant step toward economic recovery … as we face the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic together,” he said.

As the wizards of finance begin to g rapple with the fallout from the Covid-19 crisis, it is clear that sales tax revenue — a major component in Nassau County’s 2020 budget — will drop off by at least 4 percent, according to a New York Association of Counties study. The study, cited in Moody’s Investors Service’s commentary on the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, estimated the loss “could punch a sizable hole of at least $50 million” in Nassau County’s 2020 budget, according to Moody’s Senior Credit Analyst Robert Weber. Because the county had already estimated a year-over-year increase of $33 million in sales tax revenue, the loss will likely be more than $80 million, or 2.5 percent of the budgeted general fund revenue for the year, Weber wrote. Citing the same NYAC study, however, Nassau County Comptroller Jack Schnirman said the sales tax losses could be as high as $180 million, or 12.7 percent of the budget. “No one knows how long this will last or how deep the hole will be,” Schnirman said. The one bright spot was the strength of NIFA’s credit quality, Weber wrote. The authority is rated Aa1; Nassau County has a rating of A2

Courtesy Nassau Interim Finance Authority

ADAM BArskY, cHAIrMAN of the Nassau Interim Finance Authority since 2018. — still solidly investment grade. But NIFA’s higher rating will enable the county to borrow money at lower interest rates — critical in the coming recovery, Weber wrote. Finally, the 2021 budget for New York State includes provisions for restoring NIFA’s bonding authority. It also extends the Authority’s oversight of county finances to 2051 from 2025, enabling the county to continue to benefit from NIFA’s stronger credit.

Comptroller to launch study of post-Covid recovery to crisis-related expenses, the modeling is complex and challenging, he added. Schnirman said the Covid-19 crisis Nassau County Comptroller Jack more closely mirrors the economic Schirman announced late last week that downturn of 2008-09 than the aftermath his office will begin conducting an in- of Hurricane Sandy. “We need to know a depth analysis of the impact the Covid- range of potential impacts on county 19 virus has had on the counrevenues so we can ensure ty’s finances. The analysis essential government servicwill provide “a series of proes will continue unimpedjections on critical revenues, ed,” he said. so that Nassau can best preThe financial impact pare for recovery,” Schniranalysis will provide projecman said in a news release. tions of models relating to “Covid-19 is an unprecesales tax and various fees, to dented threat to the health project the county’s finanand safety of our communic i a l t re n d l i n e s i n t h e ty, as well as our fiscal months ahead, Schnirman health,” Schnir man said. said. Jack schnirman The difficulty in making any On the expense side, projections is that “we do direct purchases have not not know how long his will yet had a critical fiscal last or how deep the hole will be,” he impact relative to previous crises, said. because only a few million out of a Economically dependent sales tax “is multi-billion dollar budget have been key to plan for the immediate future” spent thus far, Schnirman explained. “It and what comes after that, Schnirman is the revenue side that will take longer said. Because revenue losses take longer to materialize and is of greater concern to materialize than potential increases at present,” he said.

By TIMOTHY DENTON tdenton@liherald.com

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 16, 2020

Sales tax losses ‘punch hole’ in county budget

PsEG LONG IsLAND has installed two osprey cameras — one in Oyster Bay and the other in Patchogue — so people can watch the daily lives of these birds.

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$18.50 P/H NYC • $16 P/H LI CDPAP Caregiver Hourly Pay Rate! Under NYS CDPAP Medicaid program you can hire your family or friends for your care. Phone: 347-713-3553

HOME Of tHE WEEK

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Rockville Centre

Absolutely Meticulous!

OFFICE HELP WANTED FULL TIME

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COMBINED INSURANCE EXPANDING Long Island operation! Full time W2 sales agent opportunity full company benefits and leads provided. Call Bob (516) 567-7733 for immediate interview.

DISPATCH WANTED

No Experience Needed, we will train!!!!! F U L L T I M E M O N D AY - F R I D AY 11:30- 8:00 5-20 HOURS OF OVERTIME!! MEDICAL, DENTAL, 401K. 2 WEEKS VACATION, HOLIDAY PAY. $15.00 PER HOUR PLUS OVERTIME. APPLY IN PERSON AT: CALLAHEAD C O R P. 3 0 4 C R O S S B AY B LV D , QUEENS NY 11693 APPLY MONDAY- FRIDAY 12:00- 7PM JOB OPPORTUNITY $18.50 P/H NYC $16 P/H LI Up to $13.50 P/H UPSTATE NY CDPAP Caregiver Hourly Pay Rate! Under NYS CDPAP Medicaid program you can hire your family or friends for your care. Phone: 347-713-3553

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, one of the fastest growing media, event and communications companies on Long Island is seeking a Sales/Marketing candidate to sell our digital, events, sponsorships and print media products. Salary, Commission, Eligible for Health benefits, 401k and paid time off. Will consider part time. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to rglickman@liherald.com

Child/Eldercare Offered A LOVING PERSON Will Care For Your Loved Ones. 20+ Years Experience, CPR Certified, Good References, Own Transportation. 347-205-3554

his 11 Room, 2 story home is completely renovated, inside and out. Grand open living room with gas fireplace has custom cabinetry, shelves and archway to family room. This home boasts a beautiful formal dining room, eat-in-kitchen with Italian Carrera marble countertops, Thermador professional series appliances with oversized cast iron Kohler farm sink, Monogram Advantium micro/convection oven, double electric ovens, pantry, custom cabinetry including dishwasher and refrigerator, gas heat and 175’ deep lot. The bath-

Kevin Leatherman Real Estate Broker Direct Line: (516) 362-1828 | Client Text: (516) 271-2236 Leatherman Homes 25 S Village Ave. Rockvile Centre, NY

Child/Eldercare/Help Wanted CAREGIVER WANTED: Experienced, Oceanside. 9am-8pm, Must be Certified and have References. Must Drive, Clean License. Becky 929-248-2272

rooms are high-end white and red onyx, Travertine flooring, paver walkway and driveway with power gates leads to 4 car garage used as 3 with 10’ wide doors. It also has brown wave stone, custom coco Andersen windows, barrel gutters and is professionally landscaped..A legal 2 family home with highest and best use as a single-family is located in the South Incorporated Village. a prime location for being in the heart of the village, just 3 short blocks to LIRR and in the Riverside Elementary School District Near All! $1,350,000. Taxes $18,529.50 © 2018 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. All rights reserved. CENTURY 21® and the CENTURY 21 Logo are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. It is your responsibility to ensure that the marketing materials you choose or create are compliant with real estate and other local laws in your area.

Administrative Assistant:

Robert Lewis Real Estate Broker

REAL ESTATE

American Homes The Gandolfo Team

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FORECLOSURE DEFENSE

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Interested in selling your home, buying, or investing? An experienced Realtor, former Baldwin High School Business Educator, & local resident for 35+ years, I’m an expert in helping people buy, sell, & invest in residential and commercial real estate on Long Island and in New York City. Contact me today for a free, confidential consultation and a free market appraisal.

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Help Wanted

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April 16, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

One phone call, one order, one heck of a good price to run your ad in any state, or across the country.

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We’re All In This Together. Stay Home, Stay Healthy! Wishing you all well.

© 2020 Monte Leeper Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

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A. Unfortunately, no onte eeper one knows the answer to your question. We’ve heard many ideas from the medical community, but nothing is certain other than keeping a distance to avoid transmission. I just learned that I now have to stay at least 6 feet away from Bengal tigers as well. The theory and observation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health is that the coronavirus lives and multiplies in cooler and drier environments, and not as well in warmer, more humid environments. The rate of death has us all concerned for our safety and health. I’m beginning to hear of the deaths of people I either knew or who are related to friends, so it’s becoming more and more alarming as it becomes more personalized. I’m not sure what’s best in your particular circumstance, because absorbent finishes such as carpet, drapes and clothing require more effort to clean than hard flooring and furniture, for example. It is speculation, however, to think that these materials hold the virus longer than 24 hours, assuming that it is capable of latching onto surfaces, but people keep sending me bulletins about how it can live on hard surfaces, like metal and plastic, for that long. We can learn from the past, and 100 years ago, when the Spanish influenza struck, the equivalent of the surgeon general told the public, in the middle of winter, to keep their windows open. He believed that getting a breath of fresh air could keep the illness at bay. I can only tell you that it would have gotten pretty cold pretty quickly indoors. That’s the reason why, even for decades afterward, steam-fed radiators were so large and overdesigned — and why people regularly kept the windows open. Just under 30 million people died worldwide, and everyone knew of someone who was laid out in the parlor of their home, since funeral parlors were overburdened. In 1920, when the pandemic had ended, Ladies Home Journal made the uplifting suggestion that the parlor, a place of bad memories and sadness in the home, be renamed the living room. Room-unit air conditioners aren’t specifically made to filter viruses, so get some fresh air and keep a safe social distance.

Organize With alice

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

1085480

Ask The Architect

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

1082954

I’m concerned about the coronavirus getting into my home. We live near a shopping strip where a lot of people come and go. We only use our single- room air conditioners when it’s absolutely necessary. I’m noticing that in warm-weather states, they’re still contracting the virus, so I doubt it will go away just because it’s getting warmer outside. Will my room air conditioners be enough to filter the air, and should I rely on them instead of opening my windows? We like the fresh air and need to save money by not running the units if we don’t have to.

Market Place •

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HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 16, 2020

Keeping the coronavirus outside

HERALD

Stuff

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

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

Real Estate

Appliance Srvc./Repair

Miscellaneous

Sprinkler Syst./Irrig.Wells

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Tree Services

Junk Cars Wanted

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April 16, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

All Cars Bought, 24/7 FREE Pickup, Serving Nassau County 41 Years. No Title, No Keys=No Problem ID Required. CALL US LAST! Call us at 516-766-0000

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516-569-4000 press 5, then 2

Answers

to todAy’s puzzle

opInIons

t’s good news that Congress was able to reach agreement on a financial rescue of our economy at a moment of grave national emergency. More than $2 trillion will pump oxygen into an economy that’s gasping for life. Along with the extraordinary measures the Federal Reserve has adopted to help keep businesses and financial institutions alive, the rescue legislation represents for our economy what respirators and ventilators are to those suffering from Covid-19 itself: a life-saving intervention to give them a chance to aLfonse survive. d’amato It’s particularly heartening that the legislation wasn’t held up for narrow political purposes. Partisanship has no place here. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has shown that kind of nonpartisan leadership. As he has pointed out, the coronavirus doesn’t play politics. It kills Democrats and Republicans alike. Congress didn’t play politics with the economic life of the nation, either. In a period of just three weeks, bills to help our health care system fight the virus and strengthen social safety net programs like unemployment insurance, Medicaid and

food stamps were sent to President Trump and signed into law. Language added to the rescue legislation provided greater transparency and accountability in the disbursal of $500 billion it set aside for loans to help American businesses meet their cashflow shortfalls and keep workers on their payrolls. The legislation stipulates that none of the funds can be used by corporations for stock buybacks or executive pay raises. And like the GMChrysler rescue bill passed during the Great Recession in 2008, the bill provides that once companies recover, they must repay as much of the money as possible. If more billions or even trillions of dollars are needed in the next few weeks or months to deal with this crisis, Congress should pass additional appropriations bills and send them to the president, who has signaled that he would sign whatever necessary spending legislation the lawmakers pass. That legislation should provide more help to state and local governments and our hospitals to help them meet the extraordinary costs they face. The ongoing emergency also presents Washington with a challenge to address some of the underlying problems the spreading virus has highlighted. America can no longer afford to be reliant on China

or other countries to produce drugs or medical equipment. That critical production must be brought home to America. Another thing this crisis has taught us is that the government and business can accomplish more when they cooperate in public-private partnerships. Witness how quickly our auto industry converted to the manufacture of desperately needed ventilators, and how the pharmaceutical industry is working with the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and our academic research facilities to fast-track new treatments and an eventual vaccine. Cutting bureaucratic red tape has been central to getting these things done, and this flexibility should continue to guide government as we move forward. There are other areas where our government must take a new view. Our unemployment insurance system is proving woefully outdated when it comes to handling an unprecedented flood of jobless claims. Congress should look carefully at replacing unemployment insurance with employment insurance like that offered in Germany, where, in times of economic contraction, the government pays part of workers’ wages to keep them on company payrolls. We’ll also ultimately need to do some-

awmakers cut bureaucratic red tape to get people the help they need.

thing to assure that American workers’ health insurance isn’t interrupted by business downturns, and that they have adequate paid medical leave so they can stay home when they’re sick. The emergency bills move in this direction on both fronts, and that progress should continue. Our education system needs to learn a lesson from this crisis, too. Families have been getting a crash course in distance learning. In the future, our schools should fully embrace online education to allow students to more seamlessly do their schoolwork at home. That will require making sure that all students are equipped with the computers and internet connections they need. And for our higher education system, as I’ve said before, that also means discarding an outmoded teaching model that is bankrupting students with crushing debt and inadequate preparation to enter the workforce. When colleges and universities open this fall, they will face a drastically changed landscape, and they will need to change with it. The emergency measures Congress has taken are bold, life-saving ones that can help get our economy out of this emergency. America has stepped up to battle a crisis. Let’s keep it up. Al D’Amato, a former U.S. senator from New York, is the founder of Park Strategies LLC, a public policy and business development firm. Comments about this column? ADAmato@liherald.com.

Living through Covid-19, in bits and pieces

’ve been thinking about wagon trains; I’ll tell you why later. If I remember. Yeah, a serious side effect of the pandemic is definitely attention deficit disorder. It is increasingly difficult to focus and concentrate. Composing a sentence, which requires a grabby subject followed by a lively predicate, is challenging. Putting together 750 words is work. So I gave up. This week I will share the fragments that have been ricocheting around my brain. * * * My family is now the husband and me, and we seem to have shed RandI all the amenities of kReIss civilized life and regressed to our prehistoric roles. Example: He, the hunter-gatherer, risked his life this week to raid the local market in search of baking yeast. My hero. As the tender of the hearth, I decided to bake bread. Apparently, baking bread is an activity that fires all the endorphin receptors at once. * * *

I had a nightmare that dogs could carry the virus. That scenario would have terrible implications for Lillybee and all beloved pets. Real life is tough enough; why does the imagination offer up even more horrific iterations of the catastrophe? * * * How quickly we revert to basic survival mode. My friends and I are bartering: two rubber bands for a spool of thread, matzo ball soup for homemade muffins, hand sanitizer for a printer cartridge. * * * After years of railing against the dangers of too much screen time, my eyeballs are basically falling out of my head from looking at screens all day, my phone, my computer and my iPad all vying for my attention. * * * My husband has a bra on his face. It’s mine, and it’s nothing weird; we’re just following orders. We saw a website that explained how to make two masks from one bra, so I made the ultimate sacrifice and we now have two “brasks.” * * * There’s something about a global pandemic that flushes people out of hiding. I’ve been contacted by two long-lost rela-

tives, one I haven’t seen for 19 years and the other I haven’t seen for 27. They didn’t care if I was dead or alive for decades; now, suddenly, they want to say hello. * * * I’ve learned something about myself during this siege. I’ve always been fond of social distancing. I don’t mind time alone, and I don’t need to fill it up with phone calls or constant Zooming gettogethers. I’m composing a book about cooking through Covid-19 called “The Last Supper?” Everyone in the family is required to submit recipes and photos. I’ll trade you a copy for 5 Ziploc bags. * * * Our Seder was a table for two. We didn’t want to miss the fun part, so we hid the matzo (a Passover tradition) from Lillybee. She never found it, although it was hiding in plain sight on the carpet. This proves for all time that matzo is more cardboard than food. Lillybee can sniff out a peanut across the room, but matzo, not so much. * * * I stop in my tracks three or four times a day because I can’t believe something I’m reading or seeing in the news. There was the mother whose daughter had just died in her arms after contracting Covid-

19 while working in a nursing home. She had no protective gown. There were no masks. Then there was the doctor, a Kuwaiti refugee, who traveled on his own dime and at his own risk to work alongside the doctors in New York. He looked into the camera and said, “Don’t worry. We’re here. We’ll take care of you.” * * * I miss my kids and my grandkids, and I have no plans to see them. All these open-ended questions of contagion and immunity and pressing mortality preclude any planning at all. Enter the wagon train, last night’s epiphany. Our kids are out West. We won’t fly or drive in the foreseeable future. We aren’t great drivers, so an RV is out of the question. The obvious solution is to buy a wagon and a horse and rumble across the country in a convoy with other like-minded travelers. It could be OK. We could social distance. The only problem I can foresee is hitting the Rockies just as winter sets in. Come November we could get stuck in Donner Pass, and we all know how that ends. Copyright 2020 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 16, 2020

Congress steps up to battle the coronavirus crisis

22 Merrick

Herald editorial

Merrick

April 16, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

HERALD HERALD and Merrick Herald News Established 1994

Incorporating Merrick Beacon 1950-2020

AlyssA seidmAn Editor Andrew GArciA Reporter Audrey cohen robert cumminGs Advertising Account Executives office 2 Endo Boulevard Garden City, NY 11530 Phone: (516) 569-4000 Fax: (516) 569-4942 Web: www.liherald.com E-mail: merrickeditor@liherald.com Copyright © 2020 Richner Communications, Inc.

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS Robert Richner Edith Richner Publishers, 1964-1987 ■ clifford richner stuArt richner Publishers

Students, educators need to know what’s next

ew York City Mayor Bill de Blasio probably overstepped his authority when he decided late last Friday that he would keep the city’s 1,800 public schools closed through June, and he certainly bungled the decision politically. For starters, he didn’t tell Gov. Andrew Cuomo first — but he did tell Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, according to The New York Times. And when de Blasio did inform the governor, he did so by text. That led Cuomo to argue Saturday that only he has the authority to make such a decision, and he wanted to take a coordinated regional approach to school closings. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran immediately backed Cuomo, saying

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she, too, would like to see a regional approach. We agree. Lost in all the rhetoric, however, was an important point that de Blasio was making: He wanted to provide greater certainty to students, educators and parents about what they could expect over the next two and a half months. The governor has taken a wait-and-see approach to school closings, shutting them down two weeks at a time. We understand the need for such an approach. We shouldn’t be hasty in deciding to close the schools. Everyone wants children back in the classroom as soon as possible. That approach, however, leaves all parties involved in limbo, wondering what will come next. What educators and children need is certainty.

Don’t wait — fill in your census forms

pril 1, Census Day, came and went, but if you didn’t fill in your census forms, it isn’t too late to do so, and we urge you to complete them. With the coronavirus battering New York in every conceivable way — including financially — the state could use all the federal financial help it can get. The federal government uses census data to determine the number of representatives states have in the U.S. House of Representatives. The 435 House seats are apportioned based on the population of each state. The larger its population, the more seats a state receives — and the greater the voice it has in federal decisionmaking. The federal government also uses census data to distribute funding for pro-

grams like Medicare and Medicaid. In fact, a 2015 paper by the U.S. Census Bureau found that 132 federal programs used census data to distribute more than $675 billion in funds that year. Here’s the thing: If a state is underrepresented in the decadal census, then it receives fewer representatives and less federal funding than it deserves, and New York, by many accounts, is typically undercounted in the census. Now, not later, is the time to go online and fill in the census, or fill out the paper census you received in the mail and send it in. If you don’t, federal workers will swing by your home looking to count you and everyone who lives there. At a time like this, when a potentially deadly virus has spread among us, census workers shouldn’t have to do that when it

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Right now, there is no coordinated approach to how schools should handle the state’s curricula, and so, statewide, we have a hodgepodge of approaches. Some districts are fully online, with regular teaching schedules. Others, citing privacy concerns, are not teaching remotely, but rather are emailing students their assignments. Many students — particularly those in low-income areas — don’t have computers and internet connections. The state must make a decision soon about the fate of this school year, and if the schools are to remain closed through June, there should be one plan for all that ensures children will continue learning during this trying time.

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Spring brings signs of hope To the Editor: New Yorkers are celebrating the arrival of spring differently this year and in their own way. Although we come from different faiths, the season brings a message of resilience, renewal and hope. Spring is a metaphor for positive change and rebirth. We can all agree that hope is more important now than it has been at perhaps any moment in the recent past. We are all facing unprecedented challenges and anxiety for ourselves and our loved ones. At this moment, our faith, our family and our friendships are more important than ever. This is the time for us to try to be the best partners, parents, siblings, friends and neighbors that we can be. As we take the time for spiritual reflection, consider what brings us together. The things we have in common, our shared love of family and community, are what will carry us forward. I wish every-

takes only 10 minutes or so to fill out the forms online. According to the Census Bureau, you should be counted where you are living and sleeping most of the time as of April 1. If you’re responding for your home, count everyone who lives and sleeps there most of the time. That includes young children, foster children, roommates, and any family members or friends who are living with you, even temporarily. If someone is staying with you because of the Covid-19 pandemic, however, they should be counted where they usually live. This includes college students, who should still be counted at school, even if they’re home early. If they live in student housing, the college will count them. If they live off campus, they should respond for their offcampus addresses.

opiNioNs

ewly released data highlight major racial disparities in deaths from Covid-19, and it’s not surprising. It’s a reflection of the structural racism that has created an unequal foundation for so many aspects of life in America, including widely documented, underlying health disparities for African-American and Latinx people. It should move us to examine structural racism more closely, illuminate its impacts, and redouble our efforts to eliminate it. According to data released by the City of New eLaiNe York, black and Gross Latinx people are dying of coronavirus at twice the rate of white people. In New York state, excluding New York City, blacks account for 18 percent of deaths, despite comprising just 9 percent of the population. Fourteen percent of the deaths are Latinx people, who make up 11 percent of the population. In Michigan, according to The Washing Post, African-Americans account for 33 percent of Covid-19 cases and roughly 40 percent of deaths, despite comprising only

14 percent of the population. In Chicago, according to The New York Times, African-Americans account for more than half of those who have tested positive and 72 percent of virus-related fatalities, even though they make up a little less than a third of the population. Beneath these numbers are underlying health disparities for African-Americans and Latinx people. It is those underlying health problems that land people in the hospital and that lead to more deaths from the virus. Higher rates of infection for African-Americans are likely exacerbated by such factors as whether they can work from home, whether they work in “essential” services, whether they have routine access to health care, and how quickly they can get that care, among others. A study by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer found that 75 percent of so-called front-line workers in the city — grocery clerks, bus and train operators, custodians and child-care workers — are minorities. Those circumstances are a function of structural racism, not a function of race, which is a social construct. In considering these racial disparities, we shouldn’t confuse the two. We shouldn’t give credence to the idea that there is something inherently

different about African-American or Latinx people that makes them have higher death rates — other than the circumstances of structural racism. What we should focus on is this: How do we address the racism that has caused and continues to cause health and other disparities? That’s the question that rightly examines the impediments to racial equity that are leading to these racial differences in Covid-19 deaths. Structural racism is partly a function of conditions that are baked into our society: the effects of slavery, Jim Crow, redlining and other historic conditions. But it is also partly a function of ongoing activities. ERASE Racism’s own research, and a recent landmark investigation by Newsday, evidenced widespread, contemporary racial discrimination in real estate practices on Long Island, for instance. That discrimination continues to steer black and Latinx people to less-integrated communities with fewer resources, and thus to lessintegrated schools with fewer resources. Anecdotal evidence already identifies disparities in students’ access to distance learning. Some schools send students home with laptops, for instance, while others do not. Some schools provide students

hreequarters of the city’s nonemergency frontline workers are minorities.

Letters one a healthy gift of spring. THoMAS DINAPoLI New York state comptroller

Objects to town budget practices To the Editor: Covid-19 has unleashed a catastrophic financial crisis. our economy is shuttered, and it is uncertain when it will rebound. Leaders must make every effort to retain workers, but also to tighten spending. Shockingly, as municipalities across the country are doing just that, Supervisor Don Clavin and the Town of Hempstead Board gave $770,000 in promotions, raises and new jobs for party favorites on March 30. With unemployment in New York soaring 360 percent and more than 10 million Americans suddenly left jobless, with no income or health insurance, last week it was Christmastime in Hempstead. Clavin and Council members Anthony D’Esposito, Dennis Dunne, Tom Muscarella, Bruce Blakeman, Chris Carini and Dorothy Goosby gave away almost $1 million in taxpayer dollars to friends and family while they thought no one was looking. In an empty, debate-free meeting lasting 10 minutes, they doled out political favors while hardworking residents wondered how they would pay their bills. As 450,000 New Yorkers lined up for initial unemployment assistance, Clavin’s cronies, Hempstead GoP club leaders and their children lined up at Town Hall to collect unbudgeted raises and promotions.

t’s with video-based instruction, while others to give them packets of material. New York cu state has left the details of remote learning gra to individual school districts, and that just amplifies the differences between the well- $2 trilli my tha resourced schools and those with fewer Alo resources. Again, structural racism is the determi- sures t help ke nant. The overwhelming percentage of black and Latinx students are in segregated and less-resourced schools, and are at a disadvantage now and, most important, in the fall, when they will most likely return to school behind their peers and the grade level standards. In 2018, ERASE Racism launched an ongoing regionwide public initiative called How Do We Build a Just Long Island? That’s exactly how we should approach this problem: How do we look at this data and together seek a just America — an America of shared action to disassemble structural racism. The coronavirus is creating a new future. Let’s create a future together that wasn’t does not accept the idea that these dispari- poses. In N ties are unchangeable. Let’s take advantage of the light that Covid-19 is shedding shown on our society and come together to reflect ship. A that light onto a path to justice. It’s time to rus doe and Re work together as a nation and root out Con structural racism for good. econom period Elaine Gross is president of the Long our he Island-based ERASE Racism. strengt unemp

Framework by Christina Daly

Compounding this outrageous and irresponsible betrayal was the March 30 vote to reduce the town’s fund balance by more than 50 percent. The fund is a rainy-day reserve to see the town through difficult times. Years of Nassau GoP patronage and irresponsible hiring practices, aggravated further by last week’s largesse, have led a financial structure in which payroll and related costs exceed 60 percent of the town’s budget. Couple this with the town’s debt burden, the new fund balance would not be sufficient to cover just two months of required payroll and debt service, not to mention utilities and other important expenses. At this meeting, there was no mention of how any of this might harm the unconnected rank and file. No one mentioned that the current town comptroller inflated revenue projections for 2020 — a concern that I raised during the budget process before Covid-19 hit. There was also no mention of shrinking mortgage recording tax fees, permit fees, recreation fees, a potential increase in health and pension costs, and potential decreases in utility payments from cash-strapped consumers. None mentioned how all of this might impact the town’s bond rating. This matters to residents, because when our bond ratings plummet, town costs rise, leaving fewer dollars for infrastructure and services. Not one board member mentioned Hempstead residents’ current pain before giving away their money. There was no voice of dissent speaking up for the rest of us. LAuRA GILLEN Rockville Centre Gillen was Town of Hempstead supervisor from 2018-19. Clavin, then the town tax collector, defeated her last November.

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 16, 2020

No surprise: More blacks and Latinos are dying of Covid-19

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April 16, 2020 â€” HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS