Issuu

ElEction 2020

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Merrick

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JFK alum creates voting resource

Calhoun cellist gives back

Merrick fighter eyes UFC deal

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NOVEMBER 5 - 11, 2020

In record turnout, voters re-elect Rice, McDonough to local seats hERAlD stAFF REpORt In an election that saw record voter turnout both at the polls and through the mail due to the coronavirus pandemic, tens of thousands of absentee ballots remained to be counted in Nassau County as of midnight on Tuesday. In the 4th Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice, a Democrat from Garden City, declared victory against Republican challenger Douglas Tuman. She received 52 percent of the vote. “It is an extraordinary honor to be re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives,” Rice said in a statement. “As we await the final results from across the country, I am hopeful that this will be a good night for our nation. Long Islanders and Americans of all political backgrounds want an end to the dysfunction in Washington, and we can only achieve that if we work together.” In the 14th Assembly District, longtime Assemblyman David McDonough, a Republic a n f ro m N o r t h M e r r i ck , retained his seat, winning 58 percent of the vote. “I’m very grateful to be reelected, and am looking forward to continue doing what I do,” McDonough told the Herald Wednesday morning. “I really

Residents fly the flag high Neighbors start community movement in Merrick turned into almost a daily hanging of flags.” Fellow Mer rick resident Have you noticed all the new Marie Deacon’s family noticed American flags flying through- the Ruisis’ patriotic display and out Bellmore and Merrick? The quickly started a Facebook page, initiative is the Flags Fly High in work of a group of Merrick, to invite Merrick residents residents to join who hope to build and get their neighpatriotic pride in bors to hang flags the community, on their street in a they said. show of unity. The idea to hang “Why not try do zens of flags doing it all over around the area Merrick?” said Joe was sparked when Endrich, Deacon’s Clark Street resison. dents Nancy and The two families Sal Ruisi noticed have helped hang red, white and blue hundreds of flags, in front of several with more being homes in Wantagh hung in the days and some in Mer- JOE ENDRICh leading up to Veterrick. They gathans Day on Nov. 11. ered their neigh- Member, D o u g G e r b e r, b o r s t o d o t h e Flags Fly High owner of the Smith same, and soon it Street Deli, funded blossomed into a the flags that the full blown-project. Ruisis hung along Smith Street, “We thought it was so beauti- and the Deacons provide flags — ful, so why don’t we start hang- which are $30 each — when famiing them on our own block?” lies contribute the funds. Each Nancy said. “We asked our participating block has leaders neighbors, and everyone was so that distribute letters to every enthused. Cars would pull over home to get other residents on and ask us to also hang them in front of their homes — it’s Continued on page 3

By ANDREW GARCIA agarcia@liherald.com

Courtesy Assemblyman McDonough

lONGtIME AssEMBlyMAN DAVID McDonough, a Republican from North Merrick, retained his seat in Albany. am an employee of my constituents — I work for them.” In what will likely be his last ter m, McDonough said he planned to focus on taxes, health care and education. “It’s important that we get kids back in school,” he said, “especially the younger kids, who are missing out on socialization . . . The virus is still a very big concern, but we’re going to try and help our people through that crisis.” As Rice does in Washington, McDonough envisions a less

divisive future in Albany. “At the state level, we have to start working together,” he said. “The word I hate most is politics. We have to overcome the politics and learn to come together.” Nassau County Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs d e cl a re d S t at e S e n . Jo h n Brooks, of Seaford, the winner of his uncontested race just before midnight on Tuesday. Brooks ran unopposed in the 8th District, which covers Bellmore and Merrick.

ElEction RESUltS office

VOl. 23 NO. 45

Winner

opponent

4th c.d.

Kathleen Rice (d) – 52%

doug tuman (R) – 48%

8th S.d.

John Brooks (d)

uncontested

14th A.d.

dave Mcdonough (R) – 58% Kevin gorman (d) – 32%

18th A.d.

taylor darling (d) – 74%

Cherice Vanderhall (R) – 14%

t’s uniting everyone in a moment when everything is about dividing people between two [political] parties.

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MERRICK HERALD LIFE — November 5, 2020

Photos courtesy Marie Deacon

heMpsteaD town councilMan Christopher Carini, far right, and Nassau County Legislator Steve Rhoads, far left, awarded the Flags Fly High in Merrick group a citation for its efforts.

Marie Deacon’s husbanD, Chris, has helped assemble and hang many flags on utility poles throughout the area.

Flags Fly High spurs community unity continueD froM front page board. Flags Fly High now has hundreds of members from Merrick and Bellmore. Deacon, along with her husband, Chris, Endrich and his wife, Brianna, and residents Jeremy Gillott and Maria Spoltore have been hanging flags on utility poles every weekend for the past two months. They have hung close to 500 flags, Deacon said. “It’s really cool to go out and hang all of the flags,” Endrich said. “Some people drive by and wave or give a thumbs up. There’s a lot of positive feedback — people are appreciative of it.” The organizers agreed that the flags have brought about community unity in a time of intense isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic. “We’ve lived here for 24 years,” Nancy Ruisi said, “and we’ve met people we didn’t meet in those 24 years.” The flag-hanging initiative is non-political, Deacon added, and any posts involving politics are removed from the Facebook page. “I love to see flags on every pole,” Dea-

con said. “I think it’s created a sense of community. Neighbors have been coming out and speaking to other neighbors they’ve never talked to, especially for us, since we only moved here four years ago.” “It’s uniting everyone in a moment when everything is about dividing people between two [political] parties,” Endrich said. For Deacon, the unity harkens back to Sept. 12, 2001, when neighbors hung flags with pride after the 9/11 attacks. “All Americans felt it, and everyone had flags hanging everywhere,” she said. “Some see [the flags] as one-sided, but people on both sides have been in support” of the effort, Endrich said. “It’s exactly the reason we started this, because politics are dividing everyone. A flag shouldn’t be a political thing — that’s pride in your nation.” To honor their efforts, Hempstead Town Councilman Christopher Carini and Nassau County Legislator Steve Rhoads awarded citations to the group. Deacon said she hopes to continue the project in the spring after the flags are taken down for the winter.

Merokean Marie Deacon has led an initiative to hang American flags throughout Merrick and Bellmore, above. reD, white anD blue flags now hang near Sunrise Highway, left. the Deacons have assembled dozens of flags from home over the past month, far left.

JFK alum’s website helps get out the vote By AlyssA seidmAn aseidman@liherald.com

A John F. Kennedy High School alumnus has created an online resource to aid voters during election season. Over the summer, Merrick native Zack Hecht, of Ann Arbor, Mich., spent hours after work and on weekends compiling the locations of every ballot drop box and drop-off site in the country into a comprehensive, interactive website, dropoffballot.com. “It was quite hard to find ballot drop box [and] drop-off locations for most states,” Hecht explained, “[so] I wanted to provide an easy-to-use and appealing application that could be used by the masses.” For weeks, Hecht, a software engineer at Barracuda Networks, scraped every state website to identify which governments offered ballot drop-off locations at a statewide level. “Most didn’t, so I had to go county by county in some states, and that was pretty meticulous,” he said. Dropoffballot.com displays green and yellow circles that users can click on to find the nearest ballot drop box or dropoff location near them; it also lists the hours and dates of early-voting site in a given county. Users can alternately type their zip code in a window in the top right-hand corner to locate a drop box or drop-off location. The window also gives users an option to apply for an absentee ballot in their state or track their ballot if

Courtesy Susan Hecht

signs Advertising dropoffBAllot.com, a website created by Merrick native Zack Hecht, can be seen around the community, as well as in parts of upstate New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Michigan, California and Virginia. it was submitted by mail. According to an Ann Arbor Observer article, Hecht’s website lists more than 100,000 ballot drop-off locations in 44

states and Washington, D.C. — “Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas and South Carolina don’t allow noexcuse [absentee] voting,” he told the

paper. Hecht said he created dropoffballot. com to alleviate stress on the United States Postal Service during the 2020 election. “It seems . . . we are going to have a record turnout of voters, and I wanted to ensure their vote was securely dropped off and counted,” he said. “[This is] one of the first elections that I, and I think a lot of younger voters, finally started to pay attention to. You [see] headlines of Texas maybe turning blue, Florida, and it really goes to show that the younger generation and their votes mean something.” Back home in Merrick, Hecht’s mother, Susan, made signs to advertise the website. They can be seen throughout Bellmore-Merrick, as well as in parts of upstate New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Michigan, California and Virginia. Susan said her son’s website is “a helpful tool” that provides important voting information that is otherwise hard to find. “He just wanted to do something that would make a difference,” she said. “I hope even in this small window of time that the word got out, and people were able to utilize it.” Hecht said he programmed the website to be updated for future elections. “Everyone is doing their part this upcoming election, and I just wanted to contribute something as well,” he added. Visit www.dropoffballot.com for more information.

Users cAn zoom in on the map to locate early-voting locations near them, and see the dates and times sites are open.

Dropoffballot.com screenshot

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MERRICK HERALD LIFE — November 5, 2020

HERALD

PAPER

DESiGN

CONTEST CONTEST RULES:

Who can enter: There will be 2 catergories: Students in grades k-5 • Students in 6-12 One entry per child. Deadline: Entries must be received by 5p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. Grand prize: Winners will have their design printed as wrapping paper in the Herald and will be featured in an article in their local Herald paper. Entry format: Please use an 8 1/2-by 11-inch piece of unlined paper All entries should have the student’s name, age, address, telephone number, email, grade and school printed on the back. Design can be reflective of all religious holidays. Entries will not be returned. Mail or hand-deliver to: Wrapping Paper Contest Herald Community Newspapers 2 Endo Boulevard, Garden City, NY 11530 OR Scan and email to: cmyers@liherald.com

THE WINNING DESIGNS WILL BE PRINTED AS HOLIDAY GIFT WRAP IN A DECEMBER ISSUE OF YOUR HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

HELPFUL HINTS

• Must use 8 1/2 x 11” unlined paper, copy paper or construction paper. • Be creative & original. • Use bright colors. • Fill the entire page • Choose paint, crayon, chalk, markers or pens, or other creative materials. • Remember your design will be repeated to make a real sheet of wrapping paper.

(must be a high-res jpg) Winners will be notified by email or phone by November 27

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November 5, 2020 — MERRICK HERALD LIFE

Bringing local sports home every week

Herald sports POPS softball perseveres amid pandemic By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

Just like every sports organization at every level, 2020 brought unprecedented challenges for POPS 40 & Over Softball, which recently completed its 22nd year on the South Shore of Nassau County. “We’re thrilled to say we played a whole season without any member testing positive for the virus,” said POPS founder and commissioner Keith Pastuch, a retired chiropractor who resides in East Atlantic Beach. “It took a lot of work to pull it off, and this was the most rewarding year out of the 22.” POPS traditionally conducts two seasons each year from early May through late August, but had to eliminate fall ball for 2020 after Covid-19 forced its spring/summer schedule to be delayed by more than two months. “The thanks and appreciation I’ve received from players and their wives and family members has been incredible,” Pastuch said. “Probably the one thing everyone missed was the camaraderie after games. We had to ask guys not to hang out in the parking lot or stick around to watch other games after they played.” POPS, which had 400 players this year, down from the usual 550, not only followed New York State Department of Health guidelines for Covid-19, but also took additional precautions to keep everyone safe, Pastuch noted. “Because we’re dealing with older players, we were advised to have everyone wear a mask in the dugout areas,” he said. “Because of guidelines, catchers wore masks during games, as well as the first- and third-base coaches and the umpires.” Similar to youth org anizations, POPS players were not permitted to share equipment or drink bottles, or celebrate with the usual high-five or fist bump. Postgame handshakes were replaced by the tip of a cap. One unexpected hurdle to get the season off the ground, Pastuch said, was securing enough field per mits. Because if Covid-19 restrictions, some familiar fields were not available or only available through the end of August. Because of this year’s delay, fields were needed until mid-October to get a 12-game regular season in, plus playoffs. “It came down to the wire in terms of getting enough permits,” Pastuch said. When the action finally began July 13, players took the field with heavy hearts. A beloved member of the POPS family, longtime director Bob Lashinsky, lost his battle with Covid-19 in March. Pastuch organized a drive-by past Lashinsky’s Bellmore home to

Photos courtesy Keith Pastuch

TEaM PaSTuch, aBOVE, captured the 60 and older division championship in the POPS softball league, which overcame a myriad of obstacles to get a full season in. TEaM GrEGOrETTI fINIShEd No. 1 in the 40-plus division. ThErE waS NO stopping Team Cohen, below, in the 50-C division.

pay respects, and nearly 100 cars took part. A scholarship, presented to a graduating high school senior related to a POPS member, was established in Lashinky’s name in honor of Bob and his father, Leo. While there’s long been a waiting list to join POPS, Pastuch said that would not be the case for 2021. With the help of six directors and seven field supervisors, he has already secured additional weeknights at various fields to accommodate m o r e g a m e s . Fo r m o r e information, visit www.popsoftball.com.

Calhoun cellist gives back through music

MERRICK HERALD LIFE — November 5, 2020

By AlyssA seidmAn aseidman@liherald.com

A Calhoun High School freshman has used his musical talents to raise money for Long Island Cares and The Harry Chapin Food Bank. Last month, Joseph Darcourt, of Merrick, received a letter from the organization, which said that roughly 259,000 people struggle with hunger on Long Island. It also said that a $100 donation could help provide more than 100 meals to residents in need. “I wanted to give back to the community and raise people’s spirits during these times,” said Joseph, 14. The letter “inspired me to go back to play cello in front of the New York Public Library.” Joseph, who is a pre-college cello student at Juilliard, first played in front of the library four years ago — “the beginning of his cello journey,” he said. As a fifth grader at Camp Avenue Elementary School, he participated in The Harry Chapin Practice-A-Thon after some encouragement from his music teacher, Gary Beck, who inspired him to take up the string instrument. Last month, Joseph hauled his cello to Manhattan, using his case as a collection box as he strummed sweet symphonies at the steps of the library. He was able to raise $400 in a single day. “In this pandemic a lot of ppl are struggling,” Joseph said, “so whatever I

Photos courtesy Joseph Darcourt

Joseph dArcourt used his cello case to collect donations from passersby. can do I want to do to give back.” Joseph donated $100 to The Harry Chapin Food Bank, which will provide 110 meals to Long Islanders. The remaining $300 will go towards a project Joseph is working on at Juilliard, which would bring meditative music practices to public school children through the United Nations.

“My first Juilliard school project . . . was to experiment how the arts can foster meaningful connections, strengthen community and inspire social change, so I shared how breathing meditation helped my music journey,” Joseph said. “Stress is the No. 1 issue in my generation, and I believe that music and meditation can help youth for [their] mental well-being.”

Joseph recently hAuled his cello to the New York Public Library in Manhattan to raise money for Long Island Cares and The Harry Chapin Food Bank.

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Herald Inside LI focuses on development By Briana Bonfiglio bbonfiglio@liherald.com

Panelists from several different sectors involved in commercial real estate offered a positive outlook on Nassau County’s economic development during the latest Herald Inside LI webinar on Oct. 29. Financial, legal, government and development professionals engaged in discussion about current projects and how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted their work. Those speakers were Michael Maturo, president of RXR Realty; John S. Madigan, senior vice president and director of Emerging Corporates-Long Island, Citi Commercial Bank; Kyle Strober, executive director at Association for a Better Long Island; Sophia A. Perna-Plank, associate at Jaspan Schlesinger LLP; Harry Coghlan, CEO and executive director of Nassau County Industrial Development Agency and Tom Pistore, president of commercial operations for UBS Arena at Belmont Park. Skye Ostreicher, of Herald Community Newspapers and RichnerLive, moderated the discussion. RichnerLive produced the webinar and started the Herald Inside LI series in August to spark conversations about how the Covid-19 crisis has impacted life on Long Island. In this webinar, the big questions were: How has commercial real estate been impacted, and what does this mean for Nassau’s economy? One of the newest commercial projects in the works is the UBS Arena at Belmont Park, being built on Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont, which will open with the Islanders 2021-22 hockey season. Pistore said he sees the project as a “beacon in the community” during this dark time — it will create 10,000 construction jobs, 3,000 permanent jobs and build a new railroad in Elmont, he said. He noted that the build is following the “three S’s” — sanitization, security and sustainability. He also said that developers are working closely with partners, such as Northwell Health, to create a diversity and inclusion plan to ensure the community benefits from the project. “There’s a lot of darkness right now — a lot of uncertainty, a lot of anxiety,” Pistore said. “The construction continues; we are on track. We’re making great strides

with our Islanders fans. We’re making great strides with our premium fans, with our music lineup that’s about to be announced, with our partner UBS, which is our naming partner, and Northwell.” Maturo, whose company is developing the Nassau HUB near Nassau Coliseum, noted that before the pandemic, there was a real interest in creating vibrant, walkable downtowns on Long Island. While this still stands, there are now many more factors involved, including people staying home more than they used to. People are also working from home — Maturo said his commercial office buildings are only 10 to 12 percent occupied at this time — and there is an influx of people moving from the city to the suburbs. Taking all of this into account, Maturo said he believes that post-pandemic, once there is a vaccine, “there’s going to be an explosion in activity,” he said. “There will be greater connectivity, both literally in terms of how we move between the city and the suburbs, but more so how the suburbs collaborate and integrate with the city in terms of economic activity.” Maturo advocated for more public transportation in Nassau County’s future, which he hopes to integrate into the Nassau HUB, a multi-use, village-style development. The pandemic has also brought new companies leasing office buildings on Long Island — as residential real estate has climbed, so has commercial, in markets such as offices and rental buildings. “We are seeing a lot of our clients, especially from Brooklyn or Queens, are looking to move their facilities out to Long Island,” Madigan said, “so a lot of commercial real estate requests we’re getting right now are companies looking to move out here. Long Island is definitely benefiting.” Strober added that eventually people will return to their offices, and that will be a plus, as well. He did warn, however, that the economy may need another boost well before things start returning to normal. “The federal government shot the economy in the arm,” he said, referring to the CARES Act, which offered loans to businesses across the country, as well as stimulus checks and unemployment benefits that allowed people to spend their dollars,

Herald Inside LI photo

“and slowly we’re going to be weaning off that high and we’re going to need another shot.” Perna-Plank said she represents several big-box clients filing for bankruptcy, such as retailer Pier 1, which recently closed all its brick-and-mortar locations. This puts landlords in a situation in which they need to fill large spaces with new leases. “Our landlords have to get creative,” she said. “They have to start breaking up these large leasable areas. If they have a store that’s 5,000 square feet, they’re going to have to do some work and chop those up so that they can start filling those spaces.” As businesses struggle during the pandemic, Perna-Plank also said landlords are working with their tenants to negotiate plans for rent payments. Coghlan also spoke about his role in aiding businesses that want to open and thrive in Nassau County, such as offering several different types of tax incentives. The Nassau County IDA is one of 109 IDAs

CloCkwise from top right: Moderator Skye Ostreicher; John S. Madigan, senior vice president and director of Emerging Corporates-Long Island, Citi Commercial Bank; Michael Maturo, president of RXR Realty; Tom Pistore, president of commercial operations for UBS Arena at Belmont Park; Kyle Strober, executive director at Association for a Better Long Island; Harry Coghlan, CEO and executive director of Nassau County Industrial Development Agency; and Sophia A. Perna-Plank, associate at Jaspan Schlesinger LLP, discussed economic development on Long Island during a Herald Inside LI webinar on Oct. 29.

in New York and one of eight on Long Island. Its programs help Nassau County’s economy remain competitive with surrounding regions, the panelists said. “We address the affordability,” Coghlan said. “There’s a lot of discussion about PILOT programs and things we do… We’re not giving corporate welfare; we’re not destroying the tax base of Long Island. It’s frustrating when we work hard on a great project and you just see ‘tax breaks’ in the headline … “I look at it as tax creation,” he continued. “We’re not going to do anything that’s going to destroy the tax base. We’re only seeking to grow it, which will offset the burden on our residents as we’re working with manufacturing companies and wholesale companies who move here.” RXR Realty, Citibank and Jaspan Schlesinger LLP sponsored the webinar. Herald Inside LI is a weekly webinar series. To view a recording of this webinar and to register for future ones, visit liherald.com/insideli.

Webinar to discuss youth mental health In recent years, local school districts have placed greater emphasis on mental health improvement initiatives and support systems for students. Now, amid the Covid-19 crisis and a rapidly changing world as we head into the holiday season, students may need those resources more than ever. During the next Herald Inside LI webinar on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m., school officials and behavioral specialists, as well as a local elected official working closely on the issue, will discuss how schoolaged children have been impacted by the pandemic and what solutions Long

Island has available to it. Panelists will include: ■ Dr. Vera Feuer, child and adolescent psychiatrist, Northwell Health ■ Dr. William B. Johnson, state monitor of Hempstead School District and former superintendent of Rockville Centre School District ■ State Sen. Todd Kaminsky ■ Dr. Jeffrey L. Reynolds, president and CEO of Family & Children’s Association ■ Dr. Charles Schleien, chair of pediat-

ric services at Northwell Health Skye Ostreicher, of RichnerLive and Herald Community Newspapers, will moderate the conversation and deliver questions from viewers. The webinar will also touch upon Northwell’s partnership with several Nassau County school districts to provide mental health services at Cohen Children’s Behavioral Health Center on Merrick Road in Rockville Centre, as well as FCA’s partnership with the North Shore and Great Neck school districts. RichnerLive, a division of Richner

Communications, which publishes Herald Community Newspapers, launched the Herald Inside LI webinar series in August to speak with leaders on a weekly basis about issues impacting Long Island communities, especially during the pandemic. To register for “Mental Health: Coping for Kids,” visit liherald. com/mentalhealth. To submit your questions in advance, email insideli@liherald.com. To sponsor a webinar or for more information about Herald Inside LI, contact Amy Amato at aamato@richnerlive.com or (516) 569-4000, ext. 224.

MSSN poll shows reluctancy for Covid-19 vaccine mine that a Covid-19 vaccine is safe and home or when they cannot social distance. effective to release. “If together we are going to continue “We clearly have our work cut out for us in terms of educating the public on the our rigorous recovery from the oversafety of a Covid vaccine, assuming one is whelming disruption caused by the panfully developed, tested, demonstrated to demic and ensure that we don’t experibe safe and efficacious, and approved by ence significant setbacks from a second wave as well as the flu season, the FDA,” said Dr. Aaron we must remain vigilant and Glatt, the chairman of the wear masks in public and Department of Medicine. practice social distancing,” “The poll results show that MSSN Chief Medical Officer there is significant concern Dr. Adhi Sharma said. about the approval process. It About a month into the will be up to us in public school year, parents and health and in the government guardians with children back to make the case for a Covid in school responding to the vaccine once it becomes availpoll said the retur n has able. I have faith in the been successful. On a scale of approval process being conDr. Aaron Glatt 1 to 10, in which 1 means not ducted by the FDA and that successful and 10 means very all the data will be analyzed successful, the mean score by independent professionals. These professionals will be guided by the was 6.82, and 7 percent of respondents offered a score of 1 to 4. science and nothing else.” Parents and guardians are a bit less The public’s desire to vaccinate for Covid-19, as well as the flu, comes at a likely to attest that their children’s return time when their trust in government to school has been safe. Using a similar agencies is at a low point. Just 32 percent scale, for which 1 means extremely unsafe of the poll’s respondents said they trust and 10 means extremely safe, the mean the CDC “a lot,” while 44 percent said score was 6.35, and 12 percent offered a score of 1 to 4. About half of the parents they have “some” trust. Overall, the public has widespread and guardians reported that at least one acceptance of mask wearing and main- of their children has returned to school at taining social distancing to prevent the least part time, with New York City households more likely to have a student spread of the virus. In all, 92 percent of poll respondents said that they either back in school than Long Island housewear a mask all the time when outside the holds.

The poll also found that work life is still in recovery from the tumult caused by the pandemic. While three-quarters of area adults who were employed before Covid-19 are currently employed at the same job, 11 percent are at a different job and 14 percent remain unemployed. Of those who are at a different job or unemployed, 82 percent experienced a job change/loss because of the pandemic. Additionally, New York residents are more likely to have experienced a job change or lost their job than Long Island residents. Only 18 percent of white respondents have changed or lost jobs since the pandemic started, compared to 31 percent of Black respondents, 31 percent of Hispanic respondents and 32 percent of other race respondents. Almost one in four (23 percent) of black respondents who were employed before Covid-19 are now unemployed. The survey marked MSSN’s third poll of 2020, sponsored by Bethpage, on the region’s response to coronavirus. It is a survey of Long Island and New York City adult residents that aims to gather data about attitudes on key public health topics. The poll was conducted from Oct. 4 to 8 via landlines and cell phones with 600 residents in New York City and on Long Island. Courtesy Mount Sinai South Nassau; compiled by Mike Smollins

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS:

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Skye Ostreicher

Moderator & Host Herald Community Newspapers

Todd Kaminsky New York State Senator

Dr. Vera Feuer

Director, Pediatric Emergency Psychiatry, Cohen Children’s Medical Center

Dr. William B. Johnson State Monitor, Hempstead UFSD Former Superintendent, Rockville Centre UFSD

Dr. Jeffrey L. Reynolds President & CEO, Family & Children’s Association

Dr. Charles Schleien Senior Vice President, Executive Director & Chair, Pediatric Services, Northwell Health

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MERRICK HERALD LIFE — November 5, 2020

Nine months into a worldwide pandemic, less than half of metro area residents said they plan to get a Covid-19 vaccine when it becomes available, according to the latest Mount Sinai South Nassau public health poll. The poll’s findings underscore concerns about the vaccine’s development and lack of trust in the Food and Drug Administration’s regulatory process to ensure its safety and effectiveness. However, most area residents responded that they believe the reopening of local schools has gone well, the poll showed. Forty-one percent of those polled have school age children, and about half of them said their children returned to school at least part-time. More than 90 percent of them gave schools high marks for successfully reopening. And mask wearing in public has gained widespread acceptance, according to the poll. Another key finding of the poll: Respondents reported high Covid-19 job losses among minorities in the area compared to whites. And only half of those over 65 who were employed before the pandemic are still working at the same job. Only 46 percent of respondents to the poll said they would get a Covid-19 vaccine. Among those who said they would not get it, two-thirds said they believed the vaccine is being rushed, and they questioned its safety. In all, 54 percent of 600 metro area residents polled indicated they trust the FDA to impartially deter-

Merrick resident treks towards UFC ring By ANDREW GARCIA Agarcia@liherald.com

He may have faced a recent misstep, but Merrick resident Dennis Buzukja is determined to make it to an Ultimate Fighting Championship ring. Buzukja, 23, has been squaring up in matches for roughly five years. After building up a win streak in a few professional matches, he was selected to participate in Dana White’s Contender Series, in which winners have the chance of receiving a coveted UFC contract. “That’s your shot to get in,” Buzukja said. “There were a lot of nerves. This is the one fight that can change your life, so there was a lot of pressure, but the training was always fun and with good people — everyone comes around to support you.” Despite putting up a strong fight and getting a takedown in the first round, the judges ultimately voted in favor or Buzukja’s opponent, Melsik Baghdasaryan, after the Sept. 1 fight. But Buzukja’s determination to make it to a professional level has not faltered, he said. “I’ll come back stronger, learn from it and fix my mistakes — I’ll clean everything up and be ready to beat the next guy,” he added. “What’s done is done, you can’t take it back.” Buzukja, who grew up in Staten Island, continues to train in Garden City alongside his housemate and fellow fighter Al Laquinta, and former middleweight cham-

pion Chris Weidman, of Baldwin. Next year, fans can anticipate Buzukja’s return to a ring, he said. “The limit to my skillset is whatever I set it at,” Buzukja said. “I put the limits on myself and it’s up to me to be as good as I can be — the best in the world.” Buzukja gained his love of the sport when he was an amateur fighter and achieved his first knock out, ushering roars from the crowd. He then moved out to Long Island to join a fighting gym under the Serra-Longo team, led by renown east coast fighters Matt Serra and Ray Longo. Over his short career, Buzukja has already gained an online following from the Albanian community, who can be seen leaving comments of encouragement throughout his social media pages. Some fans even stayed up late into the night to watch Buzukja’s Contender Series match overseas. “It’s pressure,” Buzukja said, “I’m 23 years old — I’m just a kid — but still, I love it. If anyone can do it, it’s me.” Every time he enters a ring, Buzukja keeps one thing in mind: “Just have fun,” he said. “I remember what I do is for myself and for my family, but also I have to have fun. It can be really stressful, but when you remind yourself to enjoy yourself and the competition, it makes it much more fun.” Buzukja can be followed on Instagram at @dennisbuzukja, where he posts progress pictures and videos of his training.

DENNIs BuzukjA, A Merrick resident, often reps the Albanian flag before fighting in the ring.

Photos courtesy Dennis Buzukja

BuzukjA took DoWN his opponent during a recent match.

HERALD

This year, Halloween will look different than it has before, but one thing remains the same: we will still dress in costume to celebrate. Send us your best costume photos of everyone in the family, including your four-legged, furry members! Submit your costume photo from October 25 to November 9, 2020. Winning photos will be announced and featured in the November 19 issue of Herald Community Newspapers. NOMINATION CATEGORIES:

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN AT

• Cutest Baby Costume (ages 0-2) • Best Adult Costume (Ages 20+) • Best Children’s Costume (ages 3-8) • Scariest Costume • Best Tween & Teen Costume (ages 9-19) • Funniest Costume • Best Family or Group Costume • Most Original Costume • Best Sibling Costumes • Best Pet Costume One entry per category. 1st and 2nd place winners will be selected from each liherald.com/halloween category. Over $1,000 in gift certificates from local businesses will be given away. DEADLINE: Winners will be notified by email after the November 9 deadline.

For more details and to enter visit liherald.com/halloween.

November 9

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November 5, 2020 — MERRICK HERALD LIFE

Tom New York salon returns after Covid closure

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Tom New York was founded in 2012 by Tom Pecora. He is a 50-year veteran of the beauty business and is proud to now serve the Merrick community. Pecora’s experience spans from Paris to London to New York City. He has clients that travel from all over the country specifically for his services, and he’s always motivating his team with the newest techniques in the art of hair. The vision of Tom New York is to create a culture of individual beauty with an enthusiastic team and an environment that feels like home. Pecora is proud of the hard-working team he has right now, as their positive attitudes and passion for hair is an inspiration every day. The salon is following strict Covid19-related measures to keep its clients and employees safe. Temperatures are being taken, masks are worn at all times and a new HEPA filtration system has been installed. Tom New York is at 135 Merrick Road in Merrick. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (516) 492-2922.

NOW.

One of the nation’s top values in higher education, Molloy is close to home but far from ordinary. With career-focused programs, real-world connections and personal guidance, we’re open and here for you – in person or online – for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.

Photos courtesy Salon Tom

Tom New York has reopened to clients with new Covid-19-related measures in place.

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MERRICK HERALD LIFE — November 5, 2020

FouNder aNd owNer Tom Pecora has been serving the Merrick community for the past eight years.

MOL883_RightNow_TheHerald_VirtualOH_5.04x12.75.indd 1

10/14/20 3:35 PM

Covid-19

hoMetoWn heroeS

robin Shultz S

Kindergarten teacher, chatterton School MerricK

ince the pandemic broke out, I really haven’t done anything different than all the other teachers at Chatterton. The school is just an amazing place where every teacher has gone above and beyond to make sure every child is happy and safe, and to make it a fun learning environment for everyone. We all needed to adjust quickly to change due to Covid. The younger children are now seated at independent desks that we’ve decorated to look like Jeeps. We’ve had to change a lot of our daily routines — like colored tape on the floor so the children have a safe and comfortable “box” to stay in. The beauty of being a kindergarten teacher is that they come in at 4 and 5 years old — they don’t know any different. Children are very resilient; I was very worried about how they would have their masks on for extended periods and how they’d cope with that. But they have absolutely no problem keeping their masks on — it’s almost become a little fashion statement. The truth is, they have absolutely no problem keeping a mask on all day long. I never would have thought that kindergarteners would be sitting at individuals desks and rows all day long, but they do it and they do it well. They’ve learned to be socially distanced from each other. To get them accustomed to that, we taught them to hold their arms in front of them and walk like a monster. Any time a child has to leave the room and come back in, we wash our hands, and we sanitize throughout the day. The room looks different — there are no more rugs, and the desks are in rows.

hoMetoWn hero

Michael clara T

FarMingdale oWner, ciro’S Pizzeria eaSt MeadoW

he community was great to us and still supported us during the pandemic. Business was still down because our dining room was shut down beginning March 16. Then we had a power outage because of the tropical storm over the summer. We’ve been doing takeout and curbside throughout the pandemic. Then our dining room reopened over the summer, and slowly, but surely, it’s been picking up again. We’re operating at 40 to 45 percent capacity and have taped off every other booth for social distancing. We also have an outdoor seating section that has been a big help. I’ve been giving discounts to first responders, firefighters, police officers and veterans. Back in April, one woman came in who worked at a rehabilitation center in Bellmore, and I donated a bunch of meals to her to feed the staff there. We’ve been here for 24 years. When we opened, it was half the size, and I took it over and then made it into a full restaurant in 2000. We have another location in Glen Head we opened two years ago. And the first opened in Floral Park in 1975. My brother Frank worked under the original owner, and I joined him in the mid-’80s. Now I stay at the East Meadow location, Frank is at the Glen Head location, and we have partners at the Floral Park one.

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MERRICK HERALD LIFE — November 5, 2020

Their fronT-line sTories in Their own words SuSaN FiNck MElaNiE VOlz MaSSapEqua WaNTagH ValEdicTORiaN, WaNTagH HigH ScHOOl

HEad OF cHildREN SERVicES, WaNTagH libRaRy

e initially closed on March 16. It was a confusing time. At first, we were a bit surprised that we were going to close completely, but that was the right decision. Once we did close, though, we were very fortunate that we were able to hit the ground running with our programs. I was able to reach out to several of our programmers, and we learned and practiced on how to use Zoom. We got the hang of it. By April 1, we had a lot of programs back virtually, but we could only do the programs that translated to the online platform. Now, we do have programming in the building. They are smaller programs, and we limit the size to a small group of kids. For those who choose to attend, they seem very comfortable with it. They seem to enjoy the experience. We’ve missed our families very much. It was very emotional for us when we got to see them back in the programs again. It felt good that we could be there for them and provide some sense of normalcy. We love what we do. I think librarians are always going to look for ways and solutions to help serve their community. That’s is why we are here.

started getting really interested in math after my dad died when I was 10. I think my mom wanted to give me something to keep my mind busy. She’d give me these “mad minutes” — one-minute quizzes with 30 math problems. The idea was to solve as many as possible in a minute. My mom and I practiced until I could answer all 30 in a minute. To me, math is fun, it’s creative. People have an idea that a problem only has one answer or one way to solve it. But I like to try to find different ways of solving the same problems, different ways of looking at them. My favorite area of math is geometry, so that’s the area I want to work in. I haven’t decided on where I want to go next year. Probably more a liberal arts school than n MIT-type school, but I’m still applying. I’ve always been active in clubs and extracurriculars, and I play clarinet in the wind ensemble, too. So [the Covid shutdown] has been challenging that way. But mathematicians do a lot of work independently. So that part doesn’t feel that different.

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At the Merrick legion’s 2019 Veterans Day ceremony, Calhoun High School student Hayden Okonowitz played taps as members of Boy Scout Troop 351 saluted.

Veterans Day ceremony in Merrick Members of the American Legion Post 1282 of Merrick will hold its annual Veterans Day ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Merrick’s Veteran Memorial Park (1580 Merrick Ave., North Merrick) at 10:30 a.m. The park is at the corner of Merrick and Lee avenues, across the street from

the Camp Avenue Elementary School. Face masks and social distancing will be required. Guests are asked to bring their own chair if they need one. — Alyssa Seidman

Non-profit leaders to talk Covid-19 challenges The impacts of the coronavirus pandemic have been widespread. Like businesses and schools, non-profit organizations too have faced major challenges and needed to adapt during these times. RichnerLive, a division of Richner Communications, which publishes Herald Community Newspapers, will host its “Not-For-Profit Summit: Covid-19 and Beyond,” a special, one and a half-hour webinar featuring leaders in the non-profit industry, on Nov. 12 at 10 a.m. In many cases, these past few months have created a greater need among the populations that non-profit organizations serve — for child care, for food, for financial assistance — while the non-profits themselves are also dealing with limited resources. From creating new fundraising methods to keeping the people they serve engaged in different ways, this conversation will focus on how not-for-profits have overcome tough times in recent months. Every non-profit is struggling in some way, and this discussion will guide viewers on: ■ Financial sustainability ■ Fundraising ■ Program operations ■ Board engagement and growth The morning’s keynote speaker will be Dr. Jeffrey L. Reynolds, president and CEO

of Family & Children’s Association. Reynolds also served five years as executive director of the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, where he launched programs helping vulnerable youth populations. He also currently serves on several drug task forces, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Heroin Prevention Task Force. Other panelists will include: ■ Paule Pachter, CEO of Long Island Cares ■ Andrea Rieger, CFO of Variety Child Learning Center ■ David Rottkamp, CPA partner and notfor-profit practice leader of Grassi Advisors & Accountants ■ Jennifer L. Smith, community development officer, Investors Bank Skye Ostreicher, of RichnerLive and Herald Community Newspapers, will facilitate the discussion among the non-profit experts and deliver questions from event participants. To register, visit liherald.com/notforprofit. To submit your questions in advance, email insideli@liherald.com. To sponsor a webinar or for more information about Herald Inside LI, contact Amy Amato at aamato@richnerlive.com or (516) 569-4000, ext. 224.

MERRICK HERALD LIFE â€” November 5, 2020

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Public Notices

obituaries

November 5, 2020 — MERRICK HERALD LIFE

LMER1 1105

LEGAL NOTICE 2020 NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL ELECTION THE ANNUAL ELECTION OF THE NORTH MERRICK FIRE DISTRICT SHALL BE HELD ON THE 8TH DAY OF DECEMBER 2020 BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 2:00 P.M. AND 9:00 P.M. THE ELECTION WILL BE HELD AT THE NORTH MERRICK FIRE DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS BUILDING LOCATED AT 2095 CAMP AVENUE, NORTH MERRICK, NEW YORK, 11566. PLEASE NOTE THAT ONLY THOSE PERSONS WHO RESIDE IN THE NORTH MERRICK FIRE DISTRICT AND ARE REGISTERED WITH THE NASSAU COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS ON OR BEFORE THE 16TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2020 SHALL BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE. THE ELECTION WILL TAKE PLACE FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITION: FIRE COMMISSIONER (FIVE YEAR TERM) BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2021. FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT NOMINATIONS FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED OFFICE OF FIRE COMMISSIONER, SHALL BE SUBMITTED ONLY ON THE NORTH MERRICK FIRE DISTRICT, PETITION FORM. PETITION FORM MAY BE OBTAINED IN PERSON ON OR AFTER THE 1ST DAY OF NOVEMBER 2020 AT THE FIRE DISTRICT OFFICE, 2095 CAMP AVENUE, NORTH MERRICK, NEW YORK 11566. SAID PETITION FORM SHALL BE SUBSCRIBED TO BY AT LEAST (25) TWENTY-FIVE QUALIFIED VOTERS OF THE NORTH MERRICK FIRE DISTRICT. THE PETITION FORM SHALL SET FORTH THE NAME OF THE CANDIDATE, HIS OR HER ADDRESS, AND THE OFFICE FOR WHICH THE CANDIDATE IS NOMINATED. ALL NOMINATING PETITIONS SHALL BE FILED AT THE NORTH MERRICK FIRE DISTRICT OFFICE WITH DAVID WARD, DISTRICT CLERK, 2095 CAMP AVENUE, NORTH MERRICK, NEW YORK, 11566 ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER 18TH, 2020 4 PM. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS DAVID WARD DISTRICT CLERK NORTH MERRICK FIRE DISTRICT OCTOBER 20, 2020 123625 LEGAL NOTICE AMI Environmental Services, LLC. Filed with SSNY on 10/01/2020. Office: Nassau County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail copy to: 1 Linden Lane, Merrick, NY 11566. Purpose: Any lawful. 123529

Place a notice by phone at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com

LEGAL NOTICE New York State Surrogate’s Court New York State Bar Association Official OCA Form JA-6 Accounting Citation File No.2017-2689/D CITATION SURROGATE’S COURT, NASSAU COUNTY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, By the Grace of God Free and Independent TO:Grassi & Co Attorney General State of New York Jasper Surety Beatrice Beder Joyce Alpert Louise Gilbert Milton Glasser Paul Glasser and any and all unknown persons whose names or parts of whose names and whose place or places of residence are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained, distributees, heirs-at-law and next-ofkin of the said HOWARD GHELBER, deceased, and if any of the said distributees named specifically or as a class be dead, their legal representatives, their husbands or wives, if any, distributees and successors in interest whose names and/or places of residence and post office addresses are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained A petition having been duly filed by Public Administrator of Nassau County, who is domiciled at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York 11501. YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TO SHOW CAUSE before the Surrogate’s Court, Nassau County, at 262 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York, on December 8, 2020, at 2:30o’clock in the afternoon of that day, why the account of Public Administrator of Nassau County, a summary of which has been served herewith, as Administrator of the estate of Howard Ghelber, should not be judicially settled. [X] Further relief sought (if any): 1. Releasing and discharging the Petitioner from all liability, responsibility and accountability as to all matters set forth in the account of proceedings; 2. Allowing the commissions of the Petitioner in the amount of $55,540.00 pursuant to SCPA 2307(1) and the reasonable and necessary expenses of the office in the amount of $18,616.00 pursuant to SCPA 1207(4); 3. Fixing and determining the attorney’s fees of Mahon, Mahon, Kerins & O’Brien, LLC attorney for petitioner in the amount of $87,271.14 of which $15,271.14 has been paid and $72,000.00 is unpaid;

4. Fixing and determining the accounting fees of Grassi & Co, CPA’s, PC in the amount of $6,775.00 of which $3,775.00 has been paid and $3,000.00 is unpaid; 5. Releasing and discharging the surety; 6. And why each of you claiming to be a distributee of the decedent should not establish proof of your kinship; and why the balance of said funds should not be paid to said alleged distributees upon proof of kinship, or deposited with the New York State Comptroller on account for the unknown next of kin of HOWARD GHELBER, decedent should said alleged distributees default herein, or fail to establish proof of kinship; 7. Granting such other and further relief as to the Court is just and proper. Dated, Attested, and Sealed, HON. Margaret C. Reilly, Surrogate October 21, 2020 s/ Seal Debra Keller Leimbach, Chief Clerk Richard T. Kerins, Esq. Attorney Name Mahon, Mahon, Kerins & O’Brien, LLC (516) 538-1111 Firm Telephone 254 Nassau Blvd. South, Garden City South, New York 11530 rkerins@mahonlaw.com Address Email (optional) NOTE: This citation is served upon you as required by law. You are not required to appear. If you fail to appear it will be assumed that you do not object to the relief requested. You have a right to have an attorney appear for you, and you or your attorney may request a copy of the full account from the petitioner or petitioner’s attorney. 123629

LEGAL NOTICE New York State Surrogate’s Court New York State Bar Association Official OCA Form JA-6 Accounting Citation File No.2018-3025/A CITATION SURROGATE’S COURT, NASSAU COUNTY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, By the Grace of God Free and Independent TO:Grassi & Co Attorney General State of New York Sure Tec Insurance Company Robert S. Nielsen, Jr. Linda M. Skinner Joyce K. Giordano and any and all unknown persons whose names or parts of whose names and whose place or places of residence are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained, distributees,

heirs-at-law and next-ofkin of the said THEODOR THOMPSEN, deceased, and if any of the said distributees named specifically or as a class be dead, their legal representatives, their husbands or wives, if any, distributees and successors in interest whose names and/or places of residence and post office addresses are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained A petition having been duly filed by Public Administrator of Nassau County, who is domiciled at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York 11501. YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TO SHOW CAUSE before the Surrogate’s Court, Nassau County, at 262 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York, on December 8, 2020, at 11:00 o’clock in the forenoon of that day, why the account of Public Administrator of Nassau County, a summary of which has been served herewith, as Administrator of the estate of Theodor Thompsen, should not be judicially settled. [X] Further relief sought (if any): 1. Releasing and discharging the Petitioner from all liability, responsibility and accountability as to all matters set forth in the account of proceedings; 2. Allowing the commissions of the Petitioner in the amount of $61,368.64 pursuant to SCPA 2307(1) and the reasonable and necessary expenses of the office in the amount of $21,271.99 pursuant to SCPA 1207(4); 3. Fixing and determining the attorney’s fees of Mahon, Mahon, Kerins & O’Brien, LLC attorney for petitioner in the amount of $91,381.25 of which $12,381.25 has been paid and $79,000.00 is unpaid together with disbursements totaling $110.84 all of which is paid; 4. Fixing and determining the accounting fees of Grassi & Co, CPA’s, PC in the amount of $6,250.00 of which $3,250.00 has been paid and $3,000.00 is unpaid; 5. Releasing and discharging the surety; 6. And why each of you claiming to be a distributee of the decedent should not establish proof of your kinship; and why the balance of said funds should not be paid to said alleged distributees upon proof of kinship, or deposited with the New York State Comptroller on account for the unknown next of kin of THEODOR THOMPSEN, decedent should said alleged distributees default herein, or fail to establish proof of kinship;

Mary Nelson, 79 Mary Nelson, originally from Merrick, died in Cape Carteret, N.C., on Monday, Oct. 26, at the Crystal Coast Hospice House of Newport. She was 79. “To nurture and care for those around you is a calling, a gift — Mary was the rock that protected us from the waves,” Nelson’s family said. “She was the warm comfort when you were cold. She was your protector but not afraid to tell you where you went wrong. If a life is measured in love then mom left us full. We will miss her, but she will never be far away.” A funeral service was held on Friday, Oct. 30, at Noe-Brooks Funeral Home of Morehead City with Father Tom Davis officiating, followed by a burial at Greenwood Cemetery in Morehead City, N.C.

Nelson is survived by her husband of 58 years, Lee Nelson, of Cape Carteret; her son, Lee Nelson Jr. and his wife, Tammy, of Beaufort; her daughter, Deborah Poe, and her husband, Curt, of Durham; her son, Michael Nelson, and his wife, Kim, of Cape Carteret; her six grandchildren, Caitlin, Kristen, Gavin, Lindsey, Ryan, and Owen; and her brother, William McGrath, and his wife, Dale, of Timber Lake, N.C. Nelson was predeceased by her parents, Joseph and Mary McGrath, and her brother, Joseph McGrath. Donations may be made to your local Alzheimer’s Association. Condolences and life tributes may be sent to the family at www.noebrooks.net

JoAnn Zarnoch, 71 JoAnn Zarnoch, of Lee, Mass., former- Jonathan Foote 1778 House B&B. This ly of Merrick, died at home on Oct. 14 was truly her dream job. Zarnoch enjoyed from Lewy body dementia. She was 71. decorating the inn and seeing that guests Zarnoch grew up in Freeport, the had a wonderful experience. She was able daughter of Nicholas to utilize her impressive and Felicia (Silipo) Laricooking and baking cos. She was predeceased skills and juggle the by her parents and her many tasks that are a sister, Georgia Laricos. necessary part of innZar noch had fond keeping. She truly loved memories of studying making people happy. In dance as a youngster. In her spare time, she was a her outlook on life the voracious reader and glass was always half enjoyed living in a colofull. One of life’s highnial period home surlights was when she and rounded by antiques. her husband, Bruce, Zarnoch is survived married and went on by Bruce; her daughter, their cross-country jourBritt Zarnoch, and her ney for nine months. Zarhusband, Nicholas Packnoch worked her way Courtesy Kelly Funeral Home ard, and stepdaughter, through college as a waitRachel Packard; her sisJoAnn ZArnoch ress. After undergrad, ters-in-law, Patricia Zarshe went on to attain a noch, Barbara Giglio and master’s degree in urban and environ- Nancy Casanova (Jacques); her brothermental planning from Rensselaer Poly- in-law, Joseph Zarnoch; and many nieces technic Institute in upstate Troy, N.Y. and nephews. Zarnoch worked for the Long Island Due to Covid-19, services were private. Bus Authority, achieving the position of In lieu of flowers, donations may be made depot director for para-transit services for to Hospice of Central and Western Massathe disabled. chusetts or the Elizabeth Freeman Center, After taking an early retirement, she in care of the Kelly Funeral Home, 3 Main and Bruce moved to Lee to operate the St., Lee, Mass., 01238.

Public Notices

7. Granting such other and further relief as to the Court is just and proper. Dated, Attested, and Sealed, HON. Margaret C. Reilly, Surrogate October 9, 2020 s/ Seal

Debra Keller Leimbach, Chief Clerk Richard T. Kerins, Esq. Attorney Name Mahon, Mahon, Kerins & O’Brien, LLC (516) 538-1111 Firm Telephone 254 Nassau Blvd. South, Garden City South, New York 11530 rkerins@mahonlaw.com

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

request a copy of the full account from the petitioner or petitioner’s attorney. 123627

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES… Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com TO PLACE AND AD CALL 516-569-4000 x 232

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Full Time Job – Day/Night Shifts Email or mail copy of resume to:

dlawlor@malverne.k12.ny.us Human Resources, Administration Building 301 Wicks Lane, Malverne, NY 11565 RESIDENT COUNSELORS NEEDED FOR

Project REAL SUPERVISED CR - Plainview Location Apartment Treatment Program - Freeport Location 41894_Malverne School District Some Local Travel Required. Richner Communications VALID DRIVERS LICENSE A MUST 2 Columns (3.125) x 3" Excellent Benefits

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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

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Help Wanted AWNING MECHANIC/ FABRICATOR FT/ PT. Experienced With Awning Fabricat i o n / C a nva s s M a n u fa c t u r i n g . C a l l 516-250-8094; Email tgawnings@aol.com

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Must have clean driver's license. Must be able to do light plumbing and carpentry. 4-day work week. $700 per week. 100% Medical & Dental, 401K, Uniforms, Paid Vacations, Sick and Holidays. Apply in person: MondayFriday between 9am & 7pm At: CALL-A-HEAD CORP. 304 Crossbay Blvd., Queens, NY 11693

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House For Sale HEWLETT BA 1657 Warwick Rd, BA, NEW TO MARKET!. Outstanding 4 BR, 3.5 Bth Col Built in 2012. Soaring Ceilings Throughout. Open Layout Perfect for Entertaining. Radiant Heated Flrs. Fin Bsmt with Hi Ceilings. SD#20...$1,250,000 Ronn i e G e r b e r, D o u g l a s E l l i m a n R E 516-238-4299 WEST HEMPSTEAD / GARDEN CITY BORDER. On Corner Large 4 Bedroom, 2/1/2 Bath New Basement with Kitchen, Beautiful FIireplace, Yard w/Deck, 1 Car Garage, $599k. By Owner. 516-232-1377.

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OPEN HOUSES BY APPOINTMENT SUNdAY, 11/8/20 HEWLETT 1610 Hilary Ct, BA, NEW TO MARKET! Create your own Dream House! 5 BR, 3.5 Bth Col, Gutted & Ready for Finishing. O/S Property, Full Bsmt. 2 Car Gar. Needs finishing touches. SD#20 .................................................................................................... $749,000 1657 Warwick Rd, BA, NEW TO MARKET! 4 BR, 3.5 Bth Col Built in 2012. Soaring Ceilings Throughout. Open Layout Perfect for Entertaining. Radiant Heated Flrs. Fin Bsmt with Hi Ceilings. SD#20 ...........................................................................$1,250,000 154 Midgely Dr, BA, NEW! 4 BR, 3 Bth Col, Old Woodmere Area. Updtd Gran/Wood Kit. Newer Windows, Slate Roof, Full Bsmt. SD#14. Close to all .................................$659,000 WOOdMERE 78 Gertmin Rd, BA, NEW TO MARKET! 4 BR, 3.5 Bth Grand CH Col on 1/3 Acre Double Lot in Old Woodmere. Full FBsmt. 2 Car Det Gar. SD#14. Near All ..................$1,250,000 78 Burton Ave, BA, REDUCED! 5 BR, 4.5 Bth Col in Great Old Woodmere. Large EIK, FDR, LR/Fpl, Den & Office. Full Bsmt, 2 Car Gar. Near All. SD#14 ................... $899,000 946 Midwood Rd, BA, NEW! Renovated 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Col, Academy Area. Gran/Wood EIK, LR/Fpl, FDR & Den. Fin Bsmt. Gar ................................................................$999,000 WOOdSBURGH 185 Bay Dr, BA, NEW! 5/6 BR, 4.5 Bth Exp Ranch on Parklike 1/2 Acre Prop. Guest Quarters, Full Bsmt, 2 Car Gar. SD#14..............................................................$1,450,000 891 Keene Lane, BA, REDUCED & MOTIvATED!! Magnificently Renovated While Retaining Charm, Stone Cottage. 3 BR, 2.5 Bth, Tremendous Potential for Expansion. Brand New Mstr Bth. Over 1/2 Acre of Property! Near All ................................ $999,000 HEWLETT HARBOR 3 Payne Circle, BA, 5 BR, 3.5 Bth Spacious Split State of the Art EIK, 2 Dens, Bsmt, & 2 Car Gar. SD#20 ............................................................................................... $1,190,000 236 Richards Lane, BA, REDUCED! 5 BR, 5.5 Bth Contemporary Home on an Acre Of Resortlike Property with IG Pool. Open Floor Plan. Full Finished Basement. Main Floor Master. SD14 ......................................................................................... $1,599,000 HEWLETT BAY PARK 70 Heron Dr, BA, 6 BR, Contemporary with Open Layout on an Acre of Parklike Property. Move Right in! SD#14 .......................................................................$1,699,000 159 Meadowview Ave, BA,REDUCED! Stately 5200 Sq Ft Col Feat. 6 BR, 6.55 Bths on Acre Of Resortlike, IGP, Tennis Ct,Outdoor Kit. FBsmt, 2 Car Gar, SD#14 ..... $2,699,000 30 Heron Dr, BA, Magnificent 8500 Sq Ft Waterfront, 2 Acre Resortlike, Pool, Tennis/ Sport Ct, New Landscaping, Waterfall, 3 BR Guest House w/ Kit, LR, Den. 300 Ft New Bulkhead. 4 Car Htd Gar. SD#14 .................................................. REDUCED! $4,690,000 90 Anchorage Rd, BA, Over an Acre of PRIME WATERFRONT! Macy Channel, 135' Bulkhead, Open Layout, Main Flr Mstr Ste, Potential for Expansion ...............$1,999,000 EAST ROCKAWAY 18 Thompson Dr, BA, NEW TO MARKET! 4 BR, 3 Bth Exp Ranch. Updtd Gran/Wood EIk, Huge Great Room, FDR. Master Ste Boasts Bath & Closet that was a Room. SD#20 ..$825,000 1 Thompson Dr, BA, 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Ranch w/Open Layout in Waverly Park Area. Updtd EIK. O/S Prop w/Deck. Att Gar. SD#20 .....................................................$599,000 101 Emmet Ave, BA, WATERFRONT! Rebuilt in 2010, 4 BR 3.5 Bth Split/Pool, Outdoor Kit & Deck. Open Layout. Private Mstr Ste, 2 Car Gar, SD#20 ........................$1,250,000

Where Dreams Come Home

Apartments For Rent CEDARHURST NO FEE Pr ivate Entrance, Modern 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, CAC, W/D, Storage, Wall To Wall Carpeting, Indoor Parking Space. Starting At $1450 For O n e B e d r o o m W h e n Ava i l a bl e. (516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/ (516)582-9978 LAWRENCE Large 2 Bedroom in private home on quiet tree lined block near transportation, shopping and many restaurants. Dining room off kitchen, 7 closets. Your own separate entrance. New stainless steel range, dishwasher and Refrigerator. Newly refinished hardwood floors and freshly painted. No Pets, No Smoking, Good Credit Required. Call Mark $2150. 516-287-0784.

Offices For Rent OFFICE/STORE FOR RENT 1100 Sq. Ft. Corner Store, Large Windows, Designated Parking. Wantagh/ Bellmore Merrick Road. $3,150.00. 631-678-6546 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 said it was simple. We didn’t say it was easy.)

RICHNER

Cleaner/ School Bus Driver

Tax Foreclosed Real Estate Auction Saratoga County • Online Only 40+ parcels available: Lots, Acreage, Homes, Commercial Properties

Due to COVID-19 mandates and regulations, this auction will be conducted 100% online.

Online Auction Start: November 17TH, 10AM Online Auction Closing Begins: December 2ND, 10AM

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To participate in this online only auction, please visit our website and complete the “Online Bidder Registration Packet”. Originals must be received at our office no later than 11/27.

For complete information, visit www.auctionsinternational.com/liveauctions or call 800 -536-1401, Ext. 110

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HERALD

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MERRICK HERALD LIFE — November 5, 2020

HERALD

The rules exist for all of us

Homes

HERALD

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

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

Q. I hired a carpenter to rebuild my garage because it was rotted and leaning. The roof was OK, so we kept it, but all the walls were stripped away and replaced. In the middle of the job, an inspector showed up and stopped it, saying we needed a permit. I hired an architect, he made a plan and we filled in the permit. Now the plans have been rejected because, according to the inspector, they have to show fireproof walls and roof. That’s crazy! Ask The Nobody has that, so why am Architect I being made to do this? It’s expensive, and I shouldn’t have to do it. I think they’re making me pay for starting with no permit, right?

Hewlett Harbor

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njoy quality living at this beautiful waterfront property in upscale Hewlett Harbor. Nestled on the shore of Aurbach Channel, it’s in a wonderful neighborhood with serene views of the water and golf course. This home features 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, family room with wood-burning fireplace, sauna, spacious master suite and two car garage. You will enjoy a gorgeous private backyard with mature landscaping that gives this home a park-like setting. This home boasts an in-ground swimming pool, hot tub and boating from your own dock. You'll fall in love with this home the moment you pull into the driveway. For additional information and a private tour please contact the Compass V.I. Properties Team at 516-791-1313

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We look forward to providing home buyers and sellers with the highest level of personalized service and support.

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Real Estate Salesperson, abR, SRS E: Rhonda.Healy.VW@gmail.com Verdeschi & Walsh Realty 1025 W. Beech St. | Long Beach, NY

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A. Not exactly, but you have to look at the big picture. You may feel like you’re getting burned, but the building code is actuonte eeper ally named The Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code. Fire prevention is a primary reason that the building laws exist. In many cases, building departments allow existing garages to have minor repairs without a permit, but only for things like replacing a garage door, a rotted section of wall base plate, shingles or siding, although you should always verify before starting. You described a near-complete rebuild, only saving the roof part of the garage, and your building official has determined that, beyond 50 percent change, the code for new buildings applies. Even though your zoning code allows a free-standing accessory structure to be 2 feet to 4 feet from a property line, depending on your community, garages that are closer than 5 feet to a property line must have materials that are rated to prevent flame spread for an hour. This is especially important in places where there’s a volunteer fire department that must take the time to assemble from all over the community before even heading off to put out the flames. In that precious time, without flame-retardant materials, the structure may not just become completely engulfed, but also spread fire to adjacent houses and other structures. Unless you never catch the news, you can clearly see how vulnerable whole towns and cities are, and just because we don’t live next to a forest, the unthinkable can still happen. As for cost, aluminum siding, which actually still exists, may cost less, can be painted to match the house and lasts an average of 35 years. Fiber cement siding also does the job, but costs more. Other choices include stucco over cement board and steel panels, all more costly. Aluminum or cement board eaves, gutters and roofing are also required, and even though most of the home construction industry doesn’t read or know the regulations, the requirements still exist, and cost the most when they aren’t adhered to and the work has to be done twice. So don’t feel like you’re being singled out or being held to the fire. The rules exist for all of us. Good luck!

516-791-1313 vip@compass.com vipropertiesny.com 1208 Broadway Hewlett, NY 11557

1102930

November 5, 2020 — MERRICK HERALD LIFE

© 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.

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

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opinions

y the time you read this, the 2020 presidential election will either be over or not. There will be a clear winner, or there won’t. The Herald properly advised its columnists that we couldn’t endorse presidential candidates, because we don’t speak for the newspaper. But I can tell you how I think the candidates’ policies and personal character stacked up. Donald Trump was not an accidental president. He didn’t win the White House in 2016 in a fluke, or because Hillary Clinton was a more flawed candialfonse date who ran a d’aMato weak campaign. He won because he tapped into the valid concerns of Americans — both diehard Republicans and disaffected Democrats — about the future of the country. These Americans decried the flood of good jobs out of the country in the name of “free trade” and “globalization.” They understood that the unchecked flood of illegal immigrants into the country further threatened good-paying jobs here with cheap labor. They were weary of exorbitantly expensive foreign wars, with

lost American lives and floods of dollars that went to fight them instead of helping rebuild America. They wanted to see America put first, not last. Trump merely distilled these legitimate concerns into that “America First” campaign. Americans responded to his straightforward pledge to Make America Great Again. This may have surprised and dismayed some of the media and academic elites who live lives far removed from the American mainstream, but it didn’t surprise me, because I’ve lived my whole life in that mainstream. As president, Trump largely kept his promise to restore American peace and prosperity. He ended foreign wars and avoided new wars. He grew the economy and jobs with lower taxes and less regulation. He nominated conservative judges he said he’d nominate. He kept his word. Then Covid-19 struck, and Trump was swept up in his own flaws. He couldn’t concentrate long enough to see the huge threat the virus posed. He couldn’t overcome his know-it-all attitude to let Mike Pence and an able Coronavirus Task Force do its job. He just had to run the task force’s press briefings himself, dig-

ging ever deeper holes for himself. It was as if FDR had tried to one-up Eisenhower by announcing D-Day the day before the troops hit the beach. So if Trump has lost, or loses, his reelection bid, it won’t be because the old elites hate him, though they do. It will be because he just couldn’t help himself, and talked his way out of the presidency. It won’t be because of fake news, but because of his flawed penchant to make news. He’ll have only himself and no one else to blame. And what about Joe Biden? Full disclosure here: Biden is an old and dear friend of mine. I’ve known him for 40 years, and I believe he’s a decent and honorable man. I also know he’s not a leftwing ideologue who is hankering to impose a socialist revolution on America. Biden, like me, has lived his life in the American mainstream, and by nature he’s not inclined to swim out of it. Joe’s problem, if he has, or does, become president, will be with the same left-wing elites who have battled Trump. If he’s real lucky, the GOP will retain control of the Senate, so he’ll have a handy foil for not pursuing the left’s most radical agenda. But if he sweeps into office with

hen Covid-19 struck, President Trump was swept up in his own flaws.

both Houses of Congress in Democratic control, he’ll be hard-pressed to hold back the legislative floodgates. If a President Biden and a compliant Congress impose steep new taxes and regulations in the midst of a fragile economic recovery, that recovery could collapse. If he jumps back into the globalized freetrade mishmash, more U.S. jobs will hemorrhage out of the country. If he rejoins the deeply flawed Paris Agreement on climate change that imposed heavy burdens on the U.S. — while giving competitors like China and India a pass — more jobs still will flow out. If Biden accedes to the wild-eyed demands of enviro-extremists to dismantle America’s oil and gas industries, he could destroy America’s hardwon energy independence and further stifle any economic recovery. What Biden would have to do to have a successful presidency is follow his own conscience and his own path. He would have to bang heads with the radicals in his own party. He would have to disappoint the same elites that cheered on his candidacy. He would have to lead, not follow. 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.

I’m smitten with Smitten and coveting Envy

y go-to source of comfort at this time of year is apples, particularly apples born and bred in New York state. One of the sweetest compensations for the end of summer and the turn toward winter is the homey apple. It’s sad to say goodbye to cherries and peaches and plums, but apples take center stage in October and they hang on well into winter. Under the right conditions, apples can Randi be stored for five kReiss to six months. Try that with a peach. Plums, peaches and cherries don’t have the same cultural and mythological powers as apples. Eve didn’t pick a plum in the Garden of Eden. The Evil Stepmother didn’t offer Snow White a peach. Apples have cachet. It is said that Alexander the Great enjoyed dwarf apples in Macedonia in 300 B.C. Today there are some 7,500 different cultivars, with qualities ranging from tooth-aching sweetness to mouth-puckering tartness. The most expensive apple you can buy is the Sekai Ichi, grown in Japan. They go

for around $21 each. Do not use for baking. Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has developed dozens of apple varieties, including the popular Cortland, Macoun, Empire and Jonagold. It leads the search for fruit that is delicious, offers crunch, has eye appeal, is disease-resistant and is blessed with a long shelf life. In recent years, horticulture professor Susan Brown led the breeding program for SnapDragon and RubyFrost at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in upstate Geneva. Her past varieties include Fortune and Autumn Crisp. SnapDragon is an offspring of Honeycrisp and an unnamed apple in Cornell’s breeding program that is described as similar to Jonagold. I haven’t found one yet in stores, but they are said to be sublime in their appleness. Forgive me if I indulge the memory of apple picking every autumn through the 1980s, when my kids were growing up. If I breathe deeply enough, I can still smell the baskets of apples in the back seat on the way home, and the scent of sugary fried doughnuts, always part of the outing. It was one of those activities actual-

ly as good as you expected it to be. The picnic lunch, the freedom of running through the orchards, the climbing and collecting, and then the eating and baking and cooking apple sauce comprised a perfect day. Even the bee stings and poison ivy were worth it. Many self-picking orchards are still open for business and observing Covid-19 precautions. My personal apple favorites are Pink Lady, Macoun and Honeycrisp. If I’m looking for an import, then Envy is it, from New Zealand. New York McIntosh are perfect if you’re in a slightly tart mood, and Rome and Cortlands head my list for baking. Apparently there was a juicy apple scandal that rocked the horticulture world some years back. When the succulent Honeycrisp made its debut following a romantic propagation at the University of Minnesota, it was said to be a blend of the Macoun and the Honeygold. But someone who apparently had way too much time on his hands questioned the new apple’s paternity, conducted genetic fingerprinting and discovered that the Keepsake, not the Honeygold, was the father. Great embarrassment ensued in the world of apple cross-cultivation. I

t’s apple season, and here’s my advice: Don’t use the Sekai Ichi for baking.

don’t know if anyone ever conclusively proved who grafted to whom and how. Apples are the main event in crisps, cakes, pancakes, cobblers and stove-top compotes. They are the crowning glory of muffins and cupcakes and cookies. We associate apples with holidays, the Jewish New Year (apples and honey) and Halloween. If you have young teeth, think apple jelly. In my home, from October to May, there is always a bowl of apple compote in the refrigerator that we enjoy with cereals, yogurt and especially ice cream. Recently I tried a Smitten apple, whose rich parentage includes Gala, Braeburn, Falstaff and Fiesta breeding lines. It’s a keeper. Apples have always been associated with knowledge, immortality, temptation, sex and yes, sin. Of course, today we have to think about the other Apple. Why did Steve Jobs decide to call his company Apple? According to the Walter Isaacson bio, Jobs said he thought of the name while he was on an all-fruit diet. He thought it sounded “fun, spirited and not intimidating.” I guess he was on to something. And now I understand why my Mac is called a Mac. Copyright 2020 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

MERRICK HERALD LIFE — November 5, 2020

The 2020 election: win or lose?

22 Merrick

Herald editorial

Merrick

November 5, 2020 — MERRICK HERALD LIFE

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Clearing up Covid-19 misconceptions

o doubt, understanding the coronavirus takes work. We hear a seemingly endless stream of arcane reports emanating from an alphabet soup of acronym-laden government agencies, and our heads start spinning. Then along comes a hopefulsounding research paper, and suddenly many among us breathe a sigh of relief, believing, as President Trump would have us think, that things aren’t really as bad as CNN makes them out to be and we’re “rounding the corner.” Case in point: A single research paper, published online over the summer by Dr. John Ioannidis, of Stanford University, indicated the Covid-19 death rate for those under age 70 was 0.04 percent, according to the Associated Press. That figure spread rapidly on social media, and many people took it as license to carry on with business as usual. We see this irrational fearlessness reflected in the “herd immunity” approach to the virus touted by one of Trump’s top advisers, Dr. Scott Atlas, a neuroradiologist and a senior fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution, a conservative think tank. Atlas, who cited the 0.04 figure in July, has suggested we should let the virus run its course among young people to build “natural immunity.” We also see it reflected in an assertion by a Herald reader who wrote last week to say the survival rate for those under age 70

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letters Saluting their service To the Editor: In anticipation of this Veterans Day 2020, I salute veterans, currently active men and women of the armed forces, and their families. Their sacrifices are extraordinary in ordinary times, but Covid-19 has brought more anxiety and uncertainty to their unique situations. For nearly 140 years, the American Red Cross has been there for these brave families, to provide compassionate support to address critical needs at every stage of service. As part of our Service to the Armed Forces Program, Red Cross volunteers provide home comforts and critical services on bases and in military hospitals across the country and around the world; they support military families during deployments and during emergencies; and they continue serving our nation’s veterans after their service ends, both in person and virtually. Since the coronavirus pandemic started, the Red Cross team has been working around the clock to address an array of

was greater than 99 percent. Thus, he appeared to suggest, we should think twice about shutting down again. Many conservatives across the country latched on to the 0.04 percent figure, and have used it — or, rather, misused it — as evidence to support a push to fully reopen the economy and end what they say are intrusive policies, such as New York’s mask mandate in public spaces. The trouble is, that could lead to tens of thousands of more needless deaths, even among young people. The 0.04 percent figure is likely accurate, but without context, it can leave the false impression that virtually no one under age 70 is dying of the coronavirus, when, in fact, tens of thousands are. At the Herald, we have written too many obituaries this year for people in the prime years of their lives cut down by this merciless virus — a firefighter EMT, a pharmacist and a philanthropist among them. You need not take our word for it, however. National Institutes of Health statistics tell us that, among those killed by Covid-19 in the United States, 8.3 to 22.7 percent are under age 65. That is to say, of the more than 231,000 Americans who have died in the past eight months, 19,000 to 52,500 have been people under age 65. By comparison, 58,200 Americans died in the Vietnam War, which carried on for years. When we look at Covid-19’s impact in this way, we suddenly see that America’s

alarmingly — and unacceptably — high death toll includes many, many younger people, and we have no idea whom the virus will take next. It is an indiscriminate killer. It infects many, but leaves some unharmed; others come down with what is essentially a bad case of the flu; and others contract pneumonia and die. Each life lost is precious. Each life lost is irreplaceable. Amid the flurry of statistical information generated by government agencies, it is all too easy to forget the human devastation that the coronavirus has caused. Moreover, many Covid-19 survivors under age 65 now suffer long-term symptoms, including memory loss, known as “brain fog,” joint pain, high blood pressure and heart palpitations, and we cannot say for certain what their prospects are for future recovery. Finally, we must remember that we cannot hermetically seal our elderly in virusfree bubbles. The greater the infection rate is in our larger population, the greater the chance that older adults will contract Covid-19 and die. We must accept that the virus is with us, and we must do all we can to preserve life. We’ll say it again: Wear a mask. Wash your hands often. Keep your distance. Avoid mass gatherings. Work from home if you can. Get a flu shot. And pray for a vaccine.

opinions

hinking about allegations of “fake news,” assertions that Covid-19 is a hoax and the denial of climate change in the face of expert testimony and extreme weather events, I began to wonder: How do we know what we think we know? I thought of the biblical quote, “The truth shall make you free,” and its variants, used as a motto at a number of universities as a secular declaration devoid of its biblical origins. This is a fitting slogan for universities, because they are chartered to pursue the ideal of truth in accord roBerT a. with facts. In fulsCoTT filling this mission, universities serve three distinct roles. They are creators of new knowledge grounded in objective study and independent research; they are curators of what is thought, whether true or false, in books or databases; and they are critics supporting pursuit of questions that ask, “What if ?” and about fairness, justice and truth. But how do we know the truth? I think there are three ways that people claim something as true. Some seek truth

through empirical evidence that is supported by findings that can be replicated by others. This way of knowing a truth is based on trial and error and controlled experiments. In this way, we can learn the biological origins, manifestations and consequences of disease. Medical scientists and public health experts explain what they know from objective studies. Their findings can be tested by others and reported in peer-reviewed journals in order to minimize the potential for bias to influence results. Some others express as truth what they “know” through epiphany, or revelation. They know this truth because they believe it, often because of religious inspiration and teachings. To say that someone believes something is true without empirical evidence is not to cast doubt on their conclusion, but to clarify the process by which they determined what they consider to be true. At times, such “received wisdom” becomes an orthodoxy that brooks no challenges. Still another expression of a truth is based on emotion, including fear and prejudice. These irrational “truths” can be the foundation of hate and discrimina-

e must stand against fearmongering and lies about public health measures.

LeTTers emerging challenges — including those related to health concerns, longer periods of time away from loved ones and increased stress — that the virus has created for on veterans, service members and their families. To that end, the Red Cross has adapted our crisis counseling and family workshops to a virtual setting, and improved supply distribution to ensure health protocols. Each day across Nassau and Suffolk counties and across the country, we help support military families. Nationally, since 9/11 we have served more than one million military families. During this time of crisis, we stand ready to continue to support the next million. To all active and retired service members and their families, please know that on Veterans Day and every day, our gratitude for your sacrifices remains as strong as ever. NEELA LOCkEL CEO, American Red Cross on Long Island

tion. When President Trump claimed that Mexican immigrants were “murderers and rapists” he was expressing a prejudice, making an emotional claim, a fear of the “other,” not a fact supported by evidence. His claim was true only as an opinion grounded in bias. I think that each way of knowing — fact, faith and fear — must be acknowledged. We also must understand that we cannot argue against an expression of truth held by belief or bias by relying on empirical evidence alone. Beliefs and biases are not susceptible to reason — but they can be the subject of ethical analysis. We must take a stand against fear-mongering, racist rants and lies about public health measures. We must expose the nature and character of the assertions made or the actions taken. As the late Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant,” so we must expose falsehoods and discrimination for what they are. Someone might assert that climate change isn’t occurring or isn’t caused by human behavior, but that shouldn’t stand in the way of taking steps to mitigate climate disasters. Someone else might assert

that wearing masks and social distancing are denials of individual liberty. But such an opinion doesn’t give that person license to deny the rights of others who seek protection from a deadly virus. One can argue with the scientists about how to behave during the pandemic, and the extent to which human behavior is threatening our planet, but we must do so with facts, not opinions based on emotion or epiphany. By emphasizing the importance of facts, we may offend others who “know” a truth through another means. But they must honor our path to truth just as we must respect their right to an opinion. Indeed, the very foundation of democracy requires civility, the willingness to listen to alternative views. But we shouldn’t allow opinions to negate facts and prejudice to deny freedoms. So let’s acknowledge that there are different paths to what we consider truth, some based on empirical evidence, some based on emotion or bias, and some based on belief. Further, let’s agree that each of us can hold our position without denigrating a way of knowing expressed by another, unless that belief or bias endangers others and curtails their legal rights. We can disagree without being disagreeable. Dr. Robert S. Scott is president emeritus of Adelphi University.

Framework by Christina Daly

At last, the election is over To the Editor: Election Day has come and gone. This reminds me of “The Outer Limits,” the 1960s television show. With the end of around-the-clock commercials by politicians, political parties, political action groups and pay-for-play special-interest groups, we now return control of your television back to you — until the next election cycle. No more candidates’ campaign mailings clogging our mailboxes and weighing down our hard-working postal employees. Finally, some peace and quiet! Now, if only all the winning and losing candidates would pick up all the thousands of campaign signs that litter our roads and highways to help clean up our environment. They could use leftover campaign funds to hire either the Boy Scouts or the Girl Scouts to collect the litter. They could pay our young people a nominal fee, which I’m sure would be appreciated. LARRy PENNER Great Neck

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MERRICK HERALD LIFE — November 5, 2020

How do we know what we know? Fact, faith, fear.

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