Super Smash Bros. tournament at JFK
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‘out of this world’ Purim celebration
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The Bellmore-Merrick school community gathered on March 20 to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, at the annual Chop Your Locks for charity event. Brahim Alam, one of the event’s hosts, interviewed a volunteer ahead of his head shaving. Story, more photos, Page 10.
In the North Bellmore School District’s elementary schools, students and staff embraced National Music in Our Schools Month, celebrated in March. Created by the National Association for Music Education, the nationwide event raises awareness of the importance of children’s access to a quality music education.
Students at the district’s five elementary schools, one in North Merrick and four in North Bellmore, beginning in kindergarten. Some of the teachers shared what children have been learning throughout the year, and the spe-
cial things that took place in March.
“For Music in Our Schools month, we talk with all the students about why we have music education, the way that it develops our brains and helps us get stronger in our thinking,” Alexander Roff, the general music and chorus teacher at Martin Avenue and Newbridge Road elementary schools, said. “It is a way that we express emotion and create music with feelings or intention. Students are making and singing music and assessing or relating what they are sing to how they feel and the impact it has on their education”
Younger children begin their music educa-
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Since Balloon Mission, a nonprofit environmental organization created by North Merrick resident Cynthia Seibold, launched in December 2022, its efforts to combat a relatively simple but nagging problem have taken off, so to speak.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Seibold, like many other people, spent a lot of time outdoors in Long Island’s parks and preserves and on its beaches. Among all the litter that built up in these places, one variety stood out: balloons.
Wharmful.
In particular, Seibold has emphasized the dangers of “balloon releases,” in which people send hundreds of balloons into the sky for celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries.
The organization is not “anti-balloon,” Seibold emphasizes, but rather stresses the importance of using and recycling balloons responsibly.
e have had phenomenal growth.CyNtHIA SEIBolD Founder and director, Balloon Mission
Improperly disposing of both nylon and latex balloons can have devastating effects on the environment, Seibold explained. Balloons are a leading cause of pollution in the oceans, because they break down into microplastics and nanoplastics.
She founded Balloon Mission with the goal of collecting balloons before they were discarded on land and in the ocean, and also to educate society on why they can be so
Throughout 2023, she worked on building partnerships and affiliations with dozens of organizations, like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and ACDS.
Formerly the Association for Children with Down Syndrome, ACDS, which has facilities in North Merrick and Plainview, offers a wide range of services to people with disabilities.
Recently, the work Seibold has been doing extended a step further, to the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.
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Outside of the realm of everyday sports like soccer, football, and baseball, there’s a league of its own eSports. Rising in popularity, eSports is quickly becoming part of school atmospheres across the country. Bellmore-Merrick is no different, and the Central High School District invited dozens of students from its middle and high schools to play in a districtwide tournament of the popular game, Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. is a popular series of crossover fighting games developed by Nintendo, with versions available on various Nintendo gaming consoles. The game play typically involves characters from various Nintendo franchises, such as Mario, Link from The Legend of Zelda, Pikachu from Pokémon, and many others, as well as characters from third-party franchises, battling each other in arenas.
The objective of the game is to knock opponents off the stage, either by dealing damage to them until their damage percentage is high enough that they can be launched off the stage with powerful attacks, or by knocking them off directly with certain moves. Each character has their own unique set of moves and abilities, and the games often feature a variety of game modes, including single-player modes, multiplayer modes, and online play.
Teams of students from Grand Avenue Middle School, Merrick Avenue Middle School, John F. Kennedy High School, Sanford H. Calhoun High School, and Wellington C. Mepham High School partook in the first-of-its-kind interschool eSports tournament. Mid-
While students were waiting for their turn at winning one of the coveted 3D printed trophies, they practiced games against one another.
dle school students faced high school students throughout the eSport battle.
During the coronavirus pandemic, David Prince, the district’s chairperson of secondary math, started getting students signed up for the high school and middle school eSports leagues. Students could compete against each other as well as other students across the country.
Four years later, the district held the first tournament.
“We’re going to talk about sportsmanship,” Prince said. “There is a very good chance an 11-year-old could
be matched up against an 18-year-old, and the 11-yearold could win.”
Each of the five teams has a paid coach to represent them, the same way a coach would represent the football team. The teams are comprised of a variety of students, many of which are part of underrepresented populations of the school, Prince said, especially when it comes to sports. Those with learning challenges or disabilities have a place to come and participate on a team and get into the school spirit.
“I’ve had a number of parents reach out to me, telling me thank you for doing this” Prince said.
Only one thing is lacking for the club, he added, and that’s more girl students.
“We have one girl out of 40 participants,” Prince explained. “That’s something we’ve got to work on. We are doing very well on racial inclusivity, we are doing well with students with disabilities, it’s the next frontier.”
The event on March 22 was a culmination of smaller tournaments at each school, where they sent their best players to compete against one another — over 40 participants in total.
Dan Stiglitz, Merrick Avenue Middle School’s coach, explained that the schools’ club has over 30 students attend their monthly club meetings, eight of which made their way to the all school finals.
The Chabad Center of Merrick-Bellmore-Wantagh celebrated the holiday of Purim with an event that transported attendees to galaxies far, far away.
Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, who was planning to kill all the Jews in the ancient Persian Empire. The story of Purim is recounted in the Book of Esther. The central figures in the Purim story are Queen Esther, who was a Jewish woman married to the Persian king, and Mordecai, her cousin. Haman, the villain of the story, was the royal vizier who plotted to destroy the Jewish people.
Purim usually falls in late February or March on the Gregorian calendar. It’s marked by several customs and traditions including Reading the Book of Esther, both in the evening and the morning of Purim, sending gifts of food to friends and family, eating a festive meal, often including triangular pastries called hamantaschen, which are filled with sweet fillings such as poppy seeds or fruit preserves, and dressing up in costumes.
The outer space theme at the Chabad’s celebration was embraced by many members of the community — although there were plenty of other creative costumes to be seen around the celebration as well. Families has the option to take part in the Purim party at 10:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m., at the Merrick Golf Course Clubhouse.
Children were able to watch a planetarium show in a dome, enjoy an ‘out of this world’ brunch, take part in fun cosmic-themed activities and make “ha-moontash” cookies — a play on words of the traditional hamantaschen.
Whether families came dressed up to celebrate, or just wanted to join in on the Purim fun, the holiday was joyously received by members of the MerrickBellmore-Wantagh Jewish community.
— Jordan Vallone
They’re creepy and they’re kooky! The Abudarham family as the Addams Family.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Happy Easter to you and your families! Thank you for your love for the inspired Word of God. Thank you for your love for the Resurrection appearances of our Lord in this Easter season and the way your lives are set on fire in your meditation and contemplation of these mysteries.
Thank you for your fidelity to the Eucharist and the Sunday Mass and your Catholic spirit of evangelization. Thank you for being instruments of Eucharistic Revival.
In The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis states:
storms of history” and we rely on the Risen Lord and his glorified wounds to touch the wounds in Ukraine, the Middle East, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Armenia and Azerbaijan, the region of the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and Sudan, as well as Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and so many other troubled areas of the world. We ask the Risen Lord and his glorified wounds to touch the wounds experienced in our own country.
ReveRend
John o. BaRRes“Christ’s resurrection is not an event of the past; it contains a vital power which has permeated the world. Where all seems to be dead, signs of the resurrection suddenly spring up. It is an irresistible force...Each day in our world beauty is born anew, it rises transformed through the storms of history ... Such is the power of the resurrection, and all who evangelize are instruments of that power.” (276)
We continue to live through “the
In The Everlasting Man, G.K. Chesterton captured the power of our Lord’s Resurrection experienced in the cycles of history. He wrote: “Christendom has had a series of revolutions and in each one of them Christianity has died. Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave.”
This Easter and every Easter we celebrate this Everlasting Man who knew his way out of the grave and who invites us and the Catholic Church on Long Island to a great Resurrection.
Sincerely yours in the Risen Lord, Most Reverend John O. Barres
Bob Ziglar of Bellmore met Town Supervisor Don Clavin during the Stop Throwing Out Pollutants Program on March 9 in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow. The program allows residents to dispose of harmful pollutants in an environmentally friendly manner.
These are the five steps to creating such a plan.
Step One: Understanding the Family Dynamics. Clients often overlook the inestimable value of getting to know the family dynamic. We are firm believers that the social goes first and the legal should serve the social. Too often it is the other way around. Once we understand who’s who and everyone’s interpersonal relations with each other, we are far better able to craft a plan that will work socially as well as legally. The failure to address the social aspects has led to many a plan tearing the family apart.
Step Two: Reviewing the Client’s Assets. IRA’s and other “qualified” assets (i.e. tax deferred) are treated quite differently, on death or disability, from “non-qualified” assets. The determination of the amount and value of all assets, who owns them, and whether they have named beneficiaries are of the utmost importance in planning correctly, including
saving legal fees and taxes.
Step Three: Reviewing Existing Estate Planning Documents: Not having been prepared by an elder law estate planning attorney, clients’ documents rarely have adequate provisions to take advantage of the many benefits the law provides for our aging population. Wills instead of trusts have often been prepared either because the client was considerably younger and a trust was not needed or a trust was needed but the general practice lawyer was unfamiliar with the specifics of preparing a trust.
Step Four: Developing the Elder Law Estate Plan. We are now in a position to determine which persons are best suited to handle your legal, financial and medical affairs on disability or death, what type of plan should be used and how the estate should be distributed -- keeping in mind the preservation of harmony in the family.
Step Five: Executing and Maintaining the Plan. Legal documents are explained and executed, assets are retitled and beneficiaries on assets changed in keeping with planning objectives. The client is called in to the law firm every three years to ensure the plan meets the client’s current wishes and conforms with any law changes.
whether it’s straws, plastic bags.”
At Wellington C. Mepham High School, senior Ashley Felsberg led a mission to collect used, discarded balloons.
As part of her community service efforts for the Science National Honor Society, Felsberg offered local florists and party planning businesses an option for safe balloon disposal. She also worked with school officials to get the word out to the community that there was a disposal site on the Mepham campus.
Over the course of two weeks earlier this year, Felsberg and the school community collected nearly a dozen bags of balloons — 3,090 in all, a record for Balloon Mission.
Since its inception, the nonprofit has collected over 31,000 balloons.
“The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District has been empowering environmental stewardship with our students and community,” Seibold said. “Mepham has been leading the way in raising awareness about the unintended harm balloons have when they’re released into the sky.”
“Collecting and recycling balloons is important to keep the oceans clean and keep animals and the environment safe,” Felsberg said. “I enjoyed it.”
Collaborative efforts, that Balloon Mission has been a part of to help the environment extend beyond Balloon Mission’s work, Seibold said.
“I cannot believe what we have done in such a short time,” she said. “There’s so many environmental things — so many environmental problems that are out there —
Balloon Mission will take part in several initiatives as Earth Day approaches and more spring-themed events take place over the next few months.
The organization is involved in beach cleanups run by the Town of Hempstead, as well as Earth Day events from New York City to Smith Point Beach in Mastic.
Seibold’s nonprofit has also worked with the Long Island Children’s Museum in East Garden City.
On March 10, young participants helped make Balloon Mission collection bags, so people can bring old balloons to the museum, where they will be properly discarded and recycled.
Schools in Oceanside, Freeport, Baldwin and Lindenhurst, and libraries in Long Beach and East Northport, have joined Balloon Mission’s efforts, serving as locations where balloons can be recycled.
The more people and groups that get involved, Seibold said, the more the community will learn about the potential dangers used balloons present to the environment.
“I’m grateful we can get the message out and hopefully get more people not to do balloon releases,” she said. “We have had phenomenal growth.”
Because Balloon Mission is a nonprofit, it depends on donations and environmental grants. To donate, to learn more about upcoming events and workshops it is hosting, or to find a balloon recycling bin near you, visit BalloonMission.org. Continued from
Balloon mission, a nonprofit
Cynthia Seibold, is continuing to spread its environmental mission across Long island. ashley felsberg, left, a senior at
The Hofstra baseball team missed out on a chance to defend its conference title last year and is fueled for a return to the championship stage in late May this spring.
After reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history during a magical 2022 season, the Pride bats were driven back to earth in 2023 with an eighth-place finish that left the team just short of qualifying for its league’s sixteam double-elimination tournament held Memorial Day weekend.
This season the Pride were picked ninth in the 12 team Coastal Athletic Association and is looking to prove the doubters wrong to have an opportunity to once again compete for the conference’s automatic bid into the NCAAs.
“We got off to a slow start and then towards the end of the season we started playing better and we just missed out on making the tournament,” said third-year Hofstra head coach Frank Catalanotto, a former 14-year Major League Baseball player from 1997 to 2010 with the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets. “It’s a motivating factor for not only the coaching staff, but also for the student athletes to be ready to play these games.”
Hofstra began the 2024 season with two narrow losses to then 14th-ranked Virginia before taking two of three from Liberty and New Mexico on the road the following two weekends. The Pride entered the start of CAA with two close losses at Columbia and Fordham.
Senior catcher Matt Pelcher, a Merrick native, has emerged as one of Hofstra’s leading hitters this season with a .328 average entering the CAA schedule. Pelcher, who played high school baseball at the prestigious IMG Academy in Florida, hit a home run in an 10-8 season-opening loss at Virginia and went 3-for-4 in a narrow 3-2 defeat at St. John’s on March 8.
“He’s made big strides with his swing and has really bought into what we’ve been teaching,” said Catalanotto of
Pelcher, who registered an RBI double in Hofstra’s 12-8 loss at Columbia on March 19. “He’s a big part of what we do and his versatility helps us out quite a bit.”
Pelcher is among four starters hitting above .300, including sophomore Dylan Palmer at a team-leading .450 starting the conference schedule. He earned Second Team All-CAA and CAA All-Rookie honors as a freshman. Senior outfielder Alex McCoy and graduate student third baseman Santino Ross are also shining offensively so far with .364 and .386 batting averages, respectively.
Catalanotto is also hoping two of his other top hitters, Will Kennedy and Steve Harrington, can produce during the CAA schedule after hitting slumps in March.
The pitching staff is led by senior Michael O’Hanlon, who recorded seven strikeouts in a 9-1 victory against Manhattan College on March 15. O’Hanlon
has stepped into the ace role after serving as the closer the last two years.
The Pride has a number of pitching options out of the bullpen including Rockville Centre native Danny Kelleher, a former South Side High School standout who tossed three scoreless innings in a 9-6 loss at New Mexico on March 3. Catalanotto is hoping Kelleher can continue to make strides on the mound and live up to his full potential.
“He’s been doing a good job and he’s gotten much better from last year,” Catalanotto said of Kelleher. “He’s throwing a lot of two seam fastballs that sink and also a good change-up so he’s keeping the ball down and getting ground balls.”
Another local arm on the roster is freshman Nick Apollo, who earned All-
County accolades at Seaford High School last year and led the Vikings to a county title. The versatile Apollo, who Catalanotto sees potential in for a strong future, received playing time at first base in a 17-6 loss to Manhattan on March 16.
Hofstra travels to longtime CAA foe Towson this weekend before hosting Delaware in another critical three-game conference series from April 5-7. The CAA regular schedule concludes at home against Monmouth on May 18 before the conference tournament commences from May 22-28 at UNC-Wilmington.
“It’s a really tough conference,” Catalanotto said of the CAA, which added last year’s 22nd-ranked team Campbell this season. “We are going to have to bring our best every single game.”
An advocacy group determined to save local news in New York rallied in Albany in an effort to bring more lawmakers to their cause.
The Empire State Local News Coalition — a statewide advocacy group of more than 150 local news outlets — joined elected officials at the state capital last week to support the Local Journalism Sustainability Act.
OThe bill — sponsored by state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner — is intended to provide tax credits to local news outlets that employ journalists in their communities. HoylmanSigal joined the rally, along with colleagues like Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, state Sen. Monica Martinez, and Assemblyman David Weprin.
ur local papers are here. They are objective. They provide information. And we need to preserve that.
“This is a full-blown crisis,” HoylmanSigal told those who gathered for the rally in the halls of the capital building. “We live in a deliberative democracy. That means our voters need to be informed to make wise choices. How are they informed? Largely through local news.”
The senate included the Local Journalism Sustainability Act in its One House budget resolution, which organizers describe as a major sign of the bill’s growing support in the legislature.
Both the senate and the Assembly release preliminary One House budgets in response to the governor’s own preliminary budget, which was released earlier this year. The state’s final budget is due April 1, and policies in the final budget almost always must be in one of the three preliminary budgets.
“It is time that New York state steps up and supports one of the most important industries — not just to our economic well-being, but to our democracy,” Hoylman-Sigal said. “The Local Journalism Sustainability Act, which is part of the senate One House budget, will assist in that regard.”
The rally was intended to signal growing pressure on lawmakers to offer much-needed benefits to the local news industry, which has experienced a significant downturn over the past two decades.
The state has lost hundreds of newspapers since 2004, resulting in the loss of not only thousands of jobs, but also thousands of stories that helped keep communities informed. In fact, there are a growing number of communities with little to no access to local newspaper coverage, according to coalition officials. More than a dozen New York counties are down to just one newspaper.
Capped at $20 million statewide, the Local Journalism Sustainability Act is a bill with bipartisan support that provides payroll tax credits for the employment of local news journalists.
News organizations would receive a 50 percent refundable tax credit against the first $50,000 of each newsroom employee’s salary — up to $200,000 per outlet.
The benefit would be limited to print and online newspapers and broadcasters, with 100 employees or less, that cover local community news. This, sup-
porters say, ensures that only truly local news outlets will qualify for this assistance.
“Someone once said that ‘newspapers are the textbooks of democracy, and the lifeblood of freedom,’ and that’s a responsibility newsrooms like ours take very seriously,” said Michael Hinman, executive editor of Herald Community Newspapers, which employs more than 30 journalists across 24 newspapers on Long Island and in New York City.
“Communities depend on their local newspaper, because there is nowhere
else you’re going to get the news about and for your neighborhood, written by someone who knows your neighborhood. Time and time again, it’s been proven that the best communities in America are communities with a strong, local newspaper. And if we don’t do something now, those great communities will be lost to history.”
But in order for this particular bill to move forward, it needs to be supported not just by the senate, but also by the Assembly and by Gov. Kathy Hochul, so that it is included in the final state budget.
“The fight to save local news is a fight to save our democracy,” said Zachary Richner, founder of the Empire State Local News Coalition and director of Richner Communications — the parent company of Herald Community Media.
“Hometown newspapers deliver the hyperlocal updates and investigations necessary to sustain a community’s civic and financial well-being. As local news declines, critical stories are lost, and communities become more polarized.
“We’re proud to have the senate’s support, and we call on Gov. Hochul and the Assembly to support this industry-saving bill and protect critical newsroom jobs.”
Michaelle Solages says she’ll continue to push for the bill’s inclusion in the final state budget with her colleagues in the Assembly.
“We’re continuing our work on Long Island making sure the local story — the story that matters to individual New Yorkers — are heard,” Solages said. “But we really need to make sure we are investing into our community, investing into local journalism, and combatting this growing social media that is spreading misinformation.
“Our local papers are here. They are objective. They provide information. And we need to preserve that.”
tion by learning to read music and about different beats, and a singing versus a speaking voice. Third-graders learn to play the recorder, their first chance to take part in an ensemble. Beginning in fourth and fifth grade, students can try a band or orchestra instrument, which is considered a music elective, while still taking general music classes. In sixth grade, they can begin learning to write their own music.
At Park Avenue and John G. Dinkelmeyer elementary schools, sixth-graders have a special opportunity to audition for a hand chime ensemble, under the directorship of Carol Ng, the general music and chorus teacher at both schools.
Hand chimes are tuned square tubes with an external clapping mechanism, rung by hand, similar to bells. Ng explained that the chimes are initially used in her classroom to teach music theory, and that learning to play them in a group promotes teamwork. The chimes are played individually rather than in unison, she said, and each student is
We were able to put together a nice showcase, displaying what music means to everybody.Maritza Lopez Music and chorus teacher, Saw Mill Road Elementary School
responsible for the chimes assigned to them.
Ng began the hand chime ensemble a decade ago at Park Avenue, and about five years ago at Dinkelmeyer. Before she came to North Bellmore, she taught in parochial schools, where hand chime playing is more common than in public schools.
Students begin learning to play the chimes in her general music classes, and can then audition to be part of the ensemble.
There are 23 students in Park Avenue’s ensemble, and 20 in Dinkelmeyer’s.
“Through ringing, students increase their independent thinking, listening skills, attention span, physical coor-
dination, self-discipline and personal expression,” Ng told the Herald. “Students also gain social and emotional skills through collaboration and the development of self-esteem.”
The hand chime ensembles perform at winter and spring concerts.
Across the district, a talented group of sixth-graders are part of the Saw Mill Road Elementary School’s Festival Chorus, which Roff leads with Maritza Lopez, the general music and chorus teacher. Based on students’ choral performance in their music classes, they are selected by the teachers to take part in the ensemble, which includes kids from each of North Bellmore’s schools.
The group practices on Monday afternoons at Newbridge Road.
“The Month of Music is really just celebrating what we already do all year,” Lopez said, “but making a spotlight on the little musicians that we’re developing here in North Bellmore.”
The Festival Chorus gave a special performance at the Board of Education meeting on March 14, for which it had
been rehearsing for a month, Lopez said.
“They performed a song in Spanish, and they performed another song that was an AllCounty piece,” she said.
“We had some student speakers speak about what music means to them. We were
able to put together a nice showcase, displaying what music means to everybody, because it really does mean something — especially to those kids who really, really love it, and want to continue it when they go on to middle school.”
The entire Bellmore-Merrick school community came together March 20 for the districtwide annual Chop Your Locks for charity event benefiting the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, hosted by Wellington C. Mepham High School.
This year’s event has already raised $56,000 for the foundation, which supports pediatric cancer research and outreach.
Together with teachers Kerry Dennis and Chris Patten, and social studies chairperson Robyn Einbinder, members of the department oversaw various details of the evening’s success. Patten also played the bagpipes with the Amity Highland Pipes Band, of which he is a member.
Seniors Emma Alfaro, Brahim Alam, Olivia Guarascio and Kieran Kehoe were hosts for the evening. Students in Participation in Government classes volunteered as part of their senior service learning project.
Matt Chicco, a teacher from Merrick Avenue Middle School, was the evening’s top fundraiser at $5,210. Mepham senior Kieran Kehoe, was second, raising $4,291.
Members of the Star Wars-themed cosplay group, the 501st Legion, were also on hand to support the cause. The district’s Bellmore-Merrick Broadcasting program documented the event and produced an on-air segment during the fundraiser.
When it came time for the head shaving, students from the district’s cosmetology program, led by instructor Jaime Pendl, operated the hair buzzers. The program is housed at Sanford H. Calhoun High School.
Calhoun’s DECA raised more than $1,000, led by senior Nickolas Mascary. His efforts inspired Assistant Principal Michael Hughes to chop his locks for charity that night.
Donations are still being accepted at StBaldricks.org/events/ mypage/868/2024.
Everyone has a golden ticket to the Chocolate ExpoBy Danielle Schwab
or the love of chocolate, there’s a sweet treat awaiting everyone at this year’s Chocolate Expo.
The popular event — proclaimed as one of the largest chocolate showcases in the United States — is back, ready to tantalize all on April 14.
Chocoholics will delight in the day-long food paradise. An array of 90-plus vendors — including those representing Long Island, New England and even international purveyors — will share their sweet and savory wares with the public during this unique food-centric festival at the David S. Mack Sports & Exhibition Complex at Hofstra University.
Robert Neary honors an icon with a tribute show like no other. With more than 35 years as a Broadway, television and film actor, Neary brings a special flair to his tribute show. With his powerful presence, from the moment he struts on stage wearing trademark black, gray, and silver sequined jacket, Neary, uncannily resembles Neil Diamond at the height of his touring career in the ‘90s and 2000s. His wit and mannerisms on stage are spot on, especially when he plays his guitar. When he speaks and tells the stories and trivia behind some of Neil’s most popular songs, his rich baritone gravelly voice can easily be mistaken for Neil’s own speaking voice. The title says it all. It is the quintessential Neil Diamond concert experience that concludes with a mind-blowing finale.
Saturday, March 30, 8 p.m. $49.50, $39.50, $35, $29.50, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY. com.
“We have a wide variety of interesting products,” says Marvin Baum, the Chocolate Expo’s founder and creator. “It’s like going to a wine tasting. You’re trying something different and exploring. That’s really what it is, for people to come and explore all kinds of culinary delights. In this case, it’s with chocolates, baked goods, specialty foods, wines, cheeses and other products as well.”
Celebrate and indulge in delicious gourmet goodies — even treats for your beloved pooch. Of course, tasting is very much a part of the event, starting from the moment you enter.
• April 14, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
• $20 adult, $10 ages 5-12 ($30 adult, $15 ages 5-12 at door); available from TheChocolateExpo.com
• Hofstra’s David S. Mack Sports & Exhibition Complex, Hempstead
The scrumptious combination of savory and sweet includes chocolate-covered pretzels, artisanal chocolates, bonbons, fudge, rum cakes, hot chocolate, and even chocolate-covered bacon.
And, certainly, no chocolate event would be complete without big chocolate fountains. Guests are greeted by fountains overflowing with dark, white and milk chocolates, which can deliciously drench a selection of fresh fruit, marshmallows pretzels and Rice Krispies Treats.
Visitors will surely enjoy another special treat: An appearance by actors from the original 1971 film “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt), Paris Themmen (Mike Teevee), and Rusty Goffe (who in addition to playing an Oompa Loompa, has also been in five of the Harry Potter movies and in Star Wars ), are the festival’s special guests. Baum proudly proclaims this is the first Wonka cast reunion at a chocolate event.
“We found that there was a true emotional connection for a lot of people, between the movie and their own lives — whether it be with good memories with the family or as being part of an escape,” he says. “And so, for that reason, we think that a lot of people on Long Island are going to respond to and be really excited to see this get-together of the Wonka characters.”
If your palate reaches sensory overload, take a break to check out some of the many activities that round out the day. Shows and demonstrations include chocolate smashing, where participants can break a part of high-quality chocolate molds with hammers. There’s also a demonstration with DJ Chef, the first winner of Food Network’s “Cuthroat Kitchen,” known for spinning tunes while cooking.
The youngest “fun-sized” visitors will enjoy Kidz Zone, enticing them with face painting, balloon twisting and crafts.
The festival, according to Baum, has now taken on a life of its own.
“I said, ‘We need to do something where New York businesses can actually make some money. Instead of just doing tastings, let’s do something where we’re tasting and have sales.’ And basically, that became the first New York Chocolate Expo.”
Participating chocolatiers, bakers and related purveyors offer a mindboggling collection of goodies.
Among the enthusiastic local returnees, Wantagh-based Uncle Jeff’s Pecan Pies is not to be missed. Owner Jeff Church participated for the first time last year, and enthusiastically reports the response to his offerings was “beyond belief.” He’ll offer both his all-natural chocolate and regular pecan pies again this year.
“As soon as they opened the doors, people swarmed the tables saying ‘one of these,’ ‘one of those,’” he says. “It was insane.”
Another bakery, Valley Stream’s Chez Hedwidge, caters to folks with dietary restrictions. All products are gluten-free and soy-free, with vegan options available. Edwidge Oriol — who owns the business with her husband — has been involved with the Chocolate Expo for five years.
“Those who have these (dietary) challenges, they deserve a good treat,” she says.
Among the items Oriol will ll bring is her gluten-free chocolate tart, which won third place in a Culinary Federation of Long Island competition.
Whether you’re looking to grab your local faves or find a new delicious obsession, the expo is the place to indulge in some chocolatey fun.
“Everybody is welcome,” Baum says. “All the noise of day-to-day life, all that’s pushed to the side. We want to get together, have a good time, share memories, share some good food, and support local businesses.”
The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields is recognized for fresh, brilliant interpretations of the world’s greatest orchestral music.
Formed by Sir Neville Mariner in 1958 from a group of London’s leading musicians, it’s become one of the world’s most respected orchestral ensembles. Joshua Bell, music director and Grammywinning violinist, has performed with virtually every major orchestra in the world, and is one of the most celebrated artists of his era. Led by violin virtuoso Bell, this performance showcases Mendelssohn’s deeply emotive Violin Concerto, with Bell himself taking the stage as both soloist and leader. The program also includes Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia Overture, and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61. Set out with Bell and the orchestra on a passionate musical journey of passion and triumph as the extraordinary ensemble demonstrates their artistry.
Friday, March 29, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $80. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.
Mexican
musical multi-hyphenate and Lincoln Center regular Jaime Lozano appears on the Tilles Center stage with his Familia, an all-star Latin lineup of Broadway and OffBroadway performers, Saturday, April 6, 8 p.m.
Heralded by none other than Lin-Manuel Miranda as “the next big thing,” Lozano’s newest work, “Songs by an Immigrant,” is a musical journey about diversity and integration.
Lozano honestly portrays the challenges of the first- and second-generation middle class U.S. immigrant experience: finding a new home, learning a new language, dealing with discrimination, pursuing the American Dream, and searching for ways to build bridges instead of walls. His Familia includes Mauricio Martínez, Shereen Pimentel and Mayelah Barrera, as well as a nine-piece orchestra. The spectacular celebration of Latin talent includes special guests who are students from Long Island University’s Theatre Arts Department, which adds an exciting dynamic to the performance, showcasing the next generation of rising stars in the industry. The collaboration between these seasoned professionals and up-and-coming talents is sure to create a truly unforgettable experience for all who attend. “Songs by an Immigrant” is an inspiring celebration of the immigrant odyssey. Tickets start at $50; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville.
Join L.I. Cabaret Theatre for their latest performance, Saturday, April 6, 2 p.m., at the Elmont Library Theatre. In this spirited show music is on the menu as the cast travels back to different years in the past to find clues and knowledge to save the Melody Diner from demolition. A cast of 35 keeps the action moving along, with a live band. The singers and dancers performs current hits, oldies and also tunes from the Broadway stage. Free admission. Elmont Memorial Library Theater, 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont. (516) 3545280 or LICabaret@aol.com.
Bellmore Presbyterian Church is conducting a shoe drive fundraiser now through April 11. Gently worn, used and new adult or kids shoes, sneakers, boots, or sandals in wearable condition can be dropped off at the church office, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 2740 Martin Ave., Bellmore. Contact the church office at (516) 785-2590 with any questions.
Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “Urban Art Evolution,” is a comprehensive exhibit featuring a diverse range of compositions from the 1980s through the present by creators who were based in the rough and tumble downtown area of New York City known as Loisaida/LES (Lower East Side/East Village) and close surrounding neighborhoods.
Artists pushed the boundaries of what was considered “art” with a primary focus on street/graffiti art. The exhibit’s scope, guest curated by art collector/gallerist Christopher Pusey, offers an even broader view from other creative residents, who worked inside their studios but still contributed to the rich fabric of the downtown art scene from different vantage points and aesthetics.
Works include sculpture, paintings, photography, music, and ephemera from many noted and influential artists. On view through July 7. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
The North Shore Symphony Orchestra is joined by Broadway and New York cabaret stars for “Country Jukebox: Kenny, Dolly & Friends,” Saturday, April 6, 8 p.m., on Adelphi’s Performing Arts Center stage. Your toes will be tapping and your hands clapping during this evening of country classics from the 1950s to today’s hottest contemporary hits.
The dynamic performers, with North Shore Symphony, salute such greats as Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, George Jones, The Judds, Carrie Underwood and more. Tickets start at $45, with discounts available to seniors, students, Adelphi alumni and employees. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 8774000 or Adelphi.edu/pac.
Exercise your right to vote and have your voice heard in the democratic process in the 2024 primary election, Tuesday, April 2, 6 a.m.-9 p.m, at Merrick Library. 2279 Merrick Ave. For further information, (516) 571-VOTE.
Merrick’s Winter Flea Market is open every Sunday, now through March 31, 8 a.m.5 p.m., in the Merrick LIRR parking lot. Vendors pay $50 each Sunday for each vendor space, which is equal to two parking spaces. Pay upon arrival. Corner of Sunrise Highway and Merrick Ave. Visit NassauCountyFairs.com for more.
Friday car shows return, sponsored by The Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores and the Town of Hempstead, Friday, weekly through Oct. 4 (weather permitting), at the Bellmore LIRR parking lot on Broadway.
See a variety of classic and custom cars. Spectators can enjoy the displays free of charge, while car owners are invited to showcase their vehicles for a nominal $5 admission fee. For more information, contact (516) 679-1875.
Converse, collaborate and create at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art, Saturday, March 30, noon-3 p.m. Get inspired by the art and objects in the galleries and then join educators at the Manes Center to explore and discover different materials to create your own original artwork.
Kids and adults connect while talking about and making art together. A new project is featured every week. $20 adult, $10 child. For ages 2-14. Registration required. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. Visit NassauMuseum.org for to register or call (516) 484-9337.
Kids in grades K-6 can participate in a solar eclipsethemed craft, Monday, April 8, at North Merrick Public Library. This is a walk-in craft session, and no registration is required. Get creative and enjoy crafting together.1691 Meadowbrook Rd. Visit NMerrickLibrary.org for more.
Items on The Scene page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to thescene@liherald.com.
Rockville Centre's new Thai Hot Spot, harmonizes traditional
offering a delightful journey through ancient recipes reimagined for contemporary palates.
Sands Point Preserve offers another in its series of Forest Bathing walks, led by certified guide Linda Lombardo, Saturday, April 13, 10 a.m.-noon. Based on the Japanese tradition of Shinrin-Yoku, a wellness practice developed in the 1980s, the walk, on the grounds of the former summer residence of Howard Gould and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim, inspires mindful connections with the natural elements of the woods for a range of healthful benefits. $40, $35 members. Registration required. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.
Enjoy the popular orchestra,as it continues its season,with special guests Deborah Lifton and the Adea Quartet, Saturday, April 6, 7:30 p.m., at the Madison Theatre. Program includes Rachmaninoff’s “Symphonic Dances,” Op. 45; Samuel Barber’s “Knoxville: Summer of 1915,” Op. 24; and Robert Schumann’s “Concertpiece for 4 Horns”, Op. 45. Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at MadisonTheatreNY.org or (516) 323-4444.
Community Mental Health Promotion and Support team hosts a free Grief and Loss Support Group, Monday, April 1, 6-7 p.m., at North Bellmore Public Library. Connect with others who understand your pain, offer comfort, and share guidance. The team provides a safe, confidential space to share feelings and memories, offering coping skills, community resources, and referrals. You are not alone; everyone is welcome. 1551 Newbridge Road. Contact Josh Firer at jfirer@ northbellmorelibrary.org for more.
Immerse yourself in the soothing world of watercolor painting, Tuesday, April 9, at Bellmore Memorial Library. Create a beautiful spring wreath using watercolors while practicing mindfulness meditation techniques. No prior experience is needed; workshop is suitable for beginners and experienced artists alike. A $10 check made payable to Bellmore Memorial Library is needed. Cash will not be accepted. 2288 Bedford Ave., Bellmore. Visit BellmoreLibrary.org or call 516) 785-2990 for more.
The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium is starting to take form in Eisenhower Park.
The temporary 34,000-seat venue will serve as one of the hosting locations for the 2024 International Cricket Council Men’s T20 World Cup, set to take place this June in locations that also include Florida, Texas and the West Indies. And Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman emphasized Eisenhower Park’s involvement by joining ICC officials and renowned professional cricketers at a parade last week to officially bring the World Cup’s trophy “home.”
The trophy was displayed underneath an American flag arch, set up by the East Meadow Fire Department, and escorted by the Nassau County Police Department, dozens of emergency vehicles, bagpipers, and the county’s mounted unit to the stadium site.
“We are in the process of constructing this beautiful stadium that will be here for the duration of the tournament,” Blakeman said. “It’s going to be a great venue for everybody to enjoy cricket. There’ll be so many countries that will be here with their teams — we will have fans from all over the world.”
Eight games are slated for Nassau over the course of 12 days. Eisenhower Park will actually host one of the most highly anticipated games of the tournament — India vs. Pakistan — which both consistently fielding some of the best cricketers in the game.
The Cricket World Cup is the third-most popular sporting event across the globe, only behind the FIFA World Cup and the Tour de France.
“We call it the Super Bowl on steroids,” Blakeman said.
The stadium was designed by Populous, an architec-
At the construction site of the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Eisenhower Park, Ali Khan, a professional cricketer on Team USA, spoke about the excitement surrounding the Cricket World Cup in June. The tournament’s trophy traveled to stadium last week in a ceremonious parade.
ture firm also responsible for creating Yankee Stadium, Citi Field and the UBS Arena, among others. The initia tive is privately funded, and the stadium is being built in the open space behind the park’s aquatic center, adja cent to Field 6.
Tickets for games have been hard to obtain, but ICC officials say fans may still be able to secure some.
“The levels of interest in being part of the event are huge, with more than 3 million ticket applications in
the initial ballot,” Geoff Allardice, the ICC’s chief executive said. “I’m delighted to confirm today that we’ve worked closely with our partners to release more tickets to 51 of the 55 games of the event.”
For those unable to purchase tickets, Blakeman says the county will set up watch parties in various locations details of which will be announced at a later date.
Allardice also thanked the county and Blakeman for their support, saying the ICC had “found a true part -
LEGAL NOTICE
AVISO LEGAL
AVISO DE AUDIENCIA
PÚBLICA, VOTO SOBRE EL PRESUPUESTO Y ELECCIÓN DE FIDEICOMISARIOS DE LA BIBLIOTECA PÚBLICA DE NORTH MERRICK
POR EL PRESENTE SE
NOTIFICA que el 2 de abril de 2024 a las 7:15 p. m. la Junta de Fideicomisarios llevará a cabo una Audiencia Pública de los votantes calificados de la Biblioteca pública de North Merrick (la “Biblioteca”), pueblo de Hempstead, condado de Nassau, Nueva York, en la Biblioteca, 1691 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, Nueva York, con el objetivo de analizar los gastos que se incluyen en el presupuesto propuesto de la Biblioteca para el año fiscal 2024-2025.
POR EL PRESENTE
TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que dicho Voto sobre el presupuesto y dicha elección de los votantes calificados del Distrito Escolar Público de North Merrick, condado de Nassau, estado de Nueva York, calificados para votar en las reuniones escolares en dicho Distrito, se realizarán el miércoles 16 de abril de 2024 en la Biblioteca, en 1691 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, Nueva York, entre las 10:00 a. m. y las 9:00 p. m., para votar mediante una máquina de votación sobre los siguientes asuntos:
1. Adoptar el presupuesto anual de la Biblioteca para el año fiscal 2024-2025 y autorizar la parte requerida de este para ser recaudada con impuestos sobre la propiedad sujeta a tributación del Distrito.
2. Cualquier otra cuestión o propuesta relacionada con los asuntos, los gastos o la autoridad para recaudar impuestos que se pueda presentar para una votación según la Ley de Educación.
ASIMISMO, SE NOTIFICA que, en esta votación y elección que se realizará el 16 de abril de 2024, se elegirán dos (2) miembros para la Junta de Fideicomisarios como se indica a continuación:
1. Elegir un (1) miembro de la Junta de Fideicomisarios de la Biblioteca para un mandato completo de cinco (5) años, que comienza el 1 de julio de 2024 y finaliza el 30 de junio de 2029. El titular es Mark Davis cuyo período finaliza el 30 de junio de 2024.
2. Elegir un (1) miembro de la Junta de Fideicomisarios de la Biblioteca para un mandato sin concluir de cuatro (4) años que comenzará el 16 de abril de 2024 y finalizará el 30 de junio de 2027.
TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que las solicitudes para
nominar candidatos para el cargo de miembros de la Junta de Fideicomisarios de la Biblioteca se deberán presentar ante la Secretaría del Distrito Escolar North Merrick (el “Distrito”), Harold D. Fayette School, 1057 Merrick Avenue, North Merrick, Nueva York, antes del 18 de marzo de 2024, entre las 8:00 a. m. y las 5:00 p. m. Se exigirá una solicitud por separado, debidamente firmada por al menos 25 votantes calificados del Distrito, de conformidad con la ley, en la que se indique la residencia de cada firmante, para nominar a un candidato para cada cargo en particular. Las solicitudes para los miembros de la junta escolar deberán describir la vacante específica en la Junta de Educación para la cual se nomine al candidato; dicha descripción deberá incluir, al menos, la duración del mandato y el nombre del último titular, si lo hubiera.
POR EL PRESENTE
TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA
que se requiere el registro personal de votantes y ninguna persona tendrá el derecho de votar en la reunión si su nombre no aparece en el registro del Distrito escolar en el que se preparó.
La Junta de Registros se reunirá el martes 9 de abril de 2024, entre las 4:00 p. m. y las 8:00 p. m., en la Biblioteca, 1691 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, Nueva York, con el fin de realizar un registro de todos los votantes calificados del Distrito de conformidad con la Ley de Educación § 2014, para añadir al Registro todo nombre adicional, siempre y cuando en dicha reunión de la Junta de Registros se haya conocido o probado a satisfacción de dicha Junta de Registros que tienen derecho a votar a partir de entonces en tal votación para la que se preparó el registro. La Secretaría del Distrito debe recibir los registros presenciales antes de las 4:00 p. m. del jueves 11 de abril de 2024.
POR EL PRESENTE
TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que se puede acceder a una copia de dicho presupuesto o dicha declaración a través del sitio web de la Biblioteca o los residentes del Distrito la pueden obtener bajo solicitud entre las 10:00 a. m. y las 5:00 p. m. a partir del 2 de abril de 2024, salvo los domingos o feriados, en la oficina del director de la Biblioteca, 1691 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, Nueva York, y en la oficina del director en cada uno de los siguientes edificios escolares a partir del 2 de abril de 2024 durante el horario escolar: Camp Avenue School
Harold D. Fayette School Old Mill School
Estos documentos también estarán disponibles en el siguiente sitio web: https://www.nmerricklibr ary.org/ POR MEDIO DEL PRESENTE, TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que las boletas electorales por ausencia y boletas electorales por correo anticipado estarán disponibles para la votación y la elección. La Secretaría del Distrito recibirá las solicitudes de boletas electorales por ausencia y boletas electorales por correo anticipado solo a partir del 30.º día antes de la elección objeto de la solicitud. Las solicitudes de boletas electorales por ausencia y boletas electorales por correo anticipado están disponibles en la oficina de la Secretaría del Distrito, que está situada en Harold D. Fayette School, 1057 Merrick Avenue, North Merrick, NY. Para que se le envíe por correo a su domicilio una boleta electoral por ausencia o una boleta electoral por correo anticipado, deberá presentar una solicitud correspondiente debidamente completada y firmada en la oficina de la Secretaría del Distrito antes de las 4:00 p. m. del 9 de abril de 2024. La solicitud de una boleta electoral por ausencia o una boleta electoral por correo anticipado puede hacerse de forma presencial entre las 9:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m. de cualquier día escolar y hasta las 5:00 p. m. del 15 de abril de 2024. La Secretaría del Distrito debe recibir las boletas electorales por ausencia antes de las 5:00 p. m. del martes 16 de abril de 2024. Las solicitudes también estarán disponibles en el siguiente sitio web: https://www.nmerricklibr ary.org/
POR EL PRESENTE TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que, a partir de la emisión de tales boletas electorales, estará disponible una lista de personas para las que se emitieron boletas electorales por ausencia y boletas electorales por correo anticipado a fin de que los votantes calificados del Distrito la inspeccionen, así como también la lista de votantes inscritos, en la oficina de la Secretaría del Distrito en cada uno de los cinco días previos a la elección, sin incluir el domingo, los días de semana entre las 8:00 a. m. y las 4:00 p. m., el 13 de abril de 2024 con cita y en el lugar de votación en el día establecido para la elección.
POR MEDIO DEL PRESENTE TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que los votantes militares que no estén inscritos actualmente para votar pueden solicitar inscribirse como votantes calificados del Distrito
comunicándose con la Secretaría del Distrito sita en 1057 Merrick Avenue, North Merrick, NY 11566, por correo electrónico a jlong@nmerrick.org o por fax al (516) 282-1822 para recibir una solicitud para registrarse como votante calificado del Distrito para dicha votación y elección el 16 de abril de 2024. El votante militar puede indicar su preferencia de recibir la solicitud de registro por correo, por fax o correo electrónico. La Secretaria del Distrito debe recibir la solicitud de inscripción antes de las 5:00 p. m. del vigésimo sexto día previo a la votación del 21 de marzo de 2024. El registro de votantes preparado y archivado en la oficina de la Secretaría del Distrito deberá incluir los nombres de todos los votantes militares que presenten una inscripción válida de votante militar. Un votante militar es un votante calificado del estado de Nueva York que se encuentra prestando servicio militar en la actualidad y, por lo tanto, no podrá estar presente el día de la inscripción o elección en el distrito en el que está calificado para votar, o bien, ha sido relevado del servicio militar en un plazo de 30 días con respecto al día de la elección o es cónyuge, padre/madre, hijo/a o dependiente del votante militar, quien acompaña o está con el votante, si es votante calificado del estado de Nueva York y un residente del mismo distrito escolar que el votante, o personal militar que reside en una base militar dentro de un distrito escolar del estado de Nueva York durante un período de 30 días inmediatamente anteriores a dicha votación y elección. POR MEDIO DEL PRESENTE TAMBIÉN SE NOTIFICA que los votantes militares que sean votantes calificados del Distrito pueden obtener una solicitud para una boleta electoral militar de la Secretaría del Distrito en 1057 Merrick Avenue, North Merrick, NY 11566, por correo electrónico a jlong@nmerrick.org o por fax al (516)282-1822. Se debe enviar una solicitud de boleta electoral militar de forma presencial o por correo a la oficina de la Secretaría del Distrito antes de las 5:00 p. m. del vigésimo sexto día previo a la votación del 21 de marzo de 2024. El votante militar puede indicar su preferencia de recibir la solicitud de boleta electoral militar por correo, por fax o correo electrónico. Las boletas electorales militares se enviarán por correo o se distribuirán mediante otro método antes de los 25 días previos a dicha votación y elección, que es el 20 de
marzo de 2024. La Secretaría del Distrito debe recibir las boletas electorales militares (1) antes del día de cierre de la votación, el 16 de abril de 2024. Las boletas, además, deben tener una marca de cancelación del servicio postal de los Estados Unidos o del servicio postal de un país extranjero, o un endoso fechado de recepción por parte de otra agencia del gobierno de los Estados Unidos. O bien, (2) antes de las 5:00 p. m. del día fijado para la votación y elección. Las boletas, además, deben estar firmadas y fechadas por el votante militar y un testigo de ello, con una fecha que establezca que no son posteriores al día previo a dicha votación y elección.
Independientemente del medio de transmisión preferido, la solicitud de boleta electoral militar y la boleta electoral militar deben entregarse por correo o en persona. En dicha oficina de la Secretaría del Distrito estará disponible para la inspección de los votantes calificados del Distrito, durante el horario de atención habitual, de 9:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m., (hora vigente), y hasta el día de dicha votación y elección, una lista de todas las personas para las que deberán haberse emitido boletas electorales militares.
ASIMISMO, SE NOTIFICA que cualquier propuesta o consulta a colocarse en las máquinas de votación se deberá presentar por escrito mediante solicitud firmada por al menos 25 votantes calificados del Distrito y se deberán archivar en la oficina de la Secretaría del Distrito a más tardar el 18 de marzo de 2024, con excepción de las solicitudes relacionadas con una propuesta que se deba incluir en el aviso de la votación y elección. Las solicitudes relacionadas con una propuesta que se debe incluir en el aviso de la votación y elección se deben presentar sesenta (60) días antes de esta votación y elección. Los fideicomisarios pueden rechazar cualquier propuesta si su propósito no se encuentra dentro de las competencias de los votantes, o si esta no incluye la asignación específica necesaria, en caso de que se requieran gastos de dinero para la propuesta.
REQUISITOS PARA
VOTAR:
1. Ser ciudadano de los Estados Unidos.
2. Tener 18 años o más.
3. Ser residente del Distrito durante un período de treinta días o más inmediatamente antes de la elección en la que desea votar.
4. Estar registrado para votar. ASIMISMO, SE NOTIFICA
que la votación de todas las propuestas y la elección de candidatos en la votación y elección realizadas el martes 16 de abril de 2024 se llevarán a cabo mediante máquinas de votación. Todas las referencias al momento, al lugar y a la forma de las audiencias, al registro y a la votación en la votación del presupuesto y a la elección están sujetas a modificaciones según la legislación aplicable o la dirección de una entidad con jurisdicción sobre la Biblioteca.
Fecha: North Merrick, Nueva York 17 de enero de 2024 Por orden de la JUNTA DE FIDEICOMISARIOS BIBLIOTECA PÚBLICA DE NORTH MERRICK
North Merrick, Nueva York
Jacqueline Perez, Directora 145045
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING, BUDGET VOTE AND TRUSTEE ELECTION OF THE NORTH MERRICK
PUBLIC LIBRARY NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that a Public Hearing of the qualified voters will be held by the Board of Trustees of the North Merrick Public Library (the “Library”), Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York on, April 2, 2024, at 7:15 PM at the Library, 1691 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, New York, for the purpose of discussing expenditures contained in the Library’s proposed budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that said Budget Vote and Election of the qualified voters of the North Merrick Public School District, County of Nassau, State of New York, qualified to vote at School Meetings in said District will be held on Wednesday, April 16, 2024, in the Library, 1691 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, New York, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., to vote by voting machine upon the following items:
1. To adopt the annual budget of the Library for the fiscal year 2024-25 and to authorize the requisite portion thereof to be raised by taxation on the taxable property of the District.
2. Any other questions or propositions as to matters or expenditures or authority to levy taxes that may be presented for a vote under the Education Law.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that at said Vote and Election to be conducted on April 16, 2024, two (2) members are to be elected to the Board of Trustees as follows:
1. To elect one (1) member of the Library Board of Trustees for a full term of five (5) years commencing July 1, 2024, and expiring on June 30, 2029. The incumbent is Mark Davis whose term expires on June 30, 2024.
2. To elect one (1) member of the Library Board of Trustees for an unexpired term of four (4) years term commencing April 16, 2024, and expiring on June 30, 2027.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that petitions nominating candidates for the office of member of the Library Board of Trustees shall be filed with the Clerk of the North Merrick School District (the “District”), Harold D. Fayette School, 1057 Merrick Avenue, North Merrick, NY, not later than March 18, 2024, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. A separate petition, duly signed by at least 25 qualified voters of the district, as in accordance with law, and stating the residence of each signer, shall be required to nominate a candidate to each separate office. Petitions for school board members shall describe the specific vacancy on the Board of Education for which the candidate is nominated; said description shall include at least the length of the term of office and the name of the last incumbent, if any.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that personal registration of voters is required, and no person shall be entitled to vote at the meeting whose name does not appear on the register of the School District prepared thereof. The Board of Registration will meet for the purpose of conducting a registration of all qualified voters of the District pursuant to Education Law § 2014 at the Library, 1691 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, New York on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to add any additional names to the Register, provided that at such meeting of the Board of Registration he or she is known or proven to the satisfaction of said Board of Registration to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at such election for which the register is prepared. In person registration must be received by the Clerk of the District not later than 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, 2024.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS
HEREBY GIVEN, that a copy of such budget or statement may be accessed on the Library’s website or obtained by any resident of the District upon request between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. beginning April 2, 2024, except Sunday or
holidays, at the Library Director’s office, 1691 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, New York and the Principal’s office in each of the following school buildings beginning April 2, 2024 during school hours:
Camp Avenue School
Harold D. Fayette School Old Mill School These documents will also be available on the following website: https://www.nmerricklibr ary.org/
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that absentee ballots and early mail ballots will be available for the Vote and Election. Applications for absentee ballots and early mail ballots may be received by the District Clerk no earlier than the 30th day before the election for which it is sought. Applications for absentee ballots and early mail ballots are available in the Office of the District Clerk, which is located at Harold D. Fayette School, 1057 Merrick Avenue, North Merrick, NY. To have an absentee ballot or early mail ballot mailed to your home, an applicable completed and signed application must be in the District Clerk’s Office no later than 4:00 p.m. on April 9, 2024. Application for an absentee ballot or an early mail ballot may be made in person between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m on any school day and up until 5:00 p.m. on April 15, 2024. Absentee ballots must be received by the Clerk of the District not later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Applications will also be available on the following website: https://www.nmerricklibr ary.org/
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS
HEREBY GIVEN, that a list of persons to whom absentee ballots and early mail ballots are issued will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District commencing with the issuance of such ballots, as well as the list of registered voters, in the office of the Clerk of the District on each of the five days prior to the election, excluding Sunday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on weekdays, and on April 13, 2024 by appointment, and at the polling place on the day set for the election.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS
HERBY GIVEN that Military Voters who are not currently registered to vote may apply to register as a qualified voter of the District by contacting the District Clerk at 1057 Merrick Avenue, North Merrick, NY 11566 or by email jlong@nmerrick.org or fax sent to (516) 282-1822, to receive an application to register as a qualified voter of the District for said Vote and Election on
April 16, 2024. The Military Voter may indicate their preference for receiving the registration application by mail, by facsimile or email. The application to register must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 P.M. on the twenty-sixth day before the vote which is March 21, 2024. The register of voters prepared and filed in the District Clerk’s office shall include the names of all military voters who submit a valid military voter registration. A military voter means a qualified voter of New York State who is in actual military service and will, therefore, be absent from the District in which he or she is qualified to vote on the day of registration or election or is discharged from military service within 30 days of an election, or a spouse, parent, child or dependent of the military voter, accompanying or being with such voter, if a qualified voter of New York State and a resident of the same school district as the military voter, or military personnel residing on a military base within a school district in New York State for a period of 30 days immediately preceding said Vote and Election.
AND FURTHER NOTICE IS
HEREBY GIVEN that
Military Voters who are qualified voters of the District may obtain an application for a military ballot from the District Clerk at 1057 Merrick Avenue, North Merrick, NY 11566 or by email jlong@nmerrick.org or fax sent to (516)282-1822. A military ballot application must be returned in person or by mail to the Office of the District Clerk, no later than 5:00 P.M. on the twenty-sixth day before the vote which is March 21, 2024. The Military Voter may indicate their preference for receiving the application for a military ballot by mail, by facsimile or email. Military ballots will be mailed or otherwise distributed no later than 25 days before said Vote and Election which is March 20, 2024. Military ballots must be received by the District Clerk (1) before the close of the polls on April 16, 2024 and show a cancellation mark of the U.S postal service or a foreign country’s postal service, or showing a dated endorsement of receipt by another agency of the U.S. government or (2) by 5:00 P.M. on the date set for the Vote and Election and signed and dated by
the military voter and one witness thereof, with a date which is ascertained to be not later than the day before said Vote and Election. Irrespective of the preferred mode of transmission, the military ballot application and military ballot must be returned by mail or in person. A list of all persons to whom military ballots shall have been issued will be available for inspection to qualified voters of the District in the said Office of the District Clerk during regular office hours, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., (Prevailing Time), until the day of said Vote and Election.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER
NOTICE that any propositions or questions to be placed upon the voting machines shall be submitted in writing by petition subscribed by at least 25 qualified voters of the District and filed in the office of the District Clerk on or before March 18, 2024, except for petitions relating to a proposition which must be included in the notice of the vote and election.
Petitions relating to a proposition which must be included in the notice of the vote and election must be submitted sixty (60) days in advance of the vote and election. Any proposition may be rejected by the Trustees if the purpose of the proposition is not within the power of the voters, or if the proposition fails to include the necessary specific appropriation, where the expenditure of monies is required by the proposition.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR VOTING:
1. A person shall be a citizen of the United States.
2. Eighteen or more years of age.
3. A resident of the District for a period of thirty days or more next preceding the election at which he or she offers to vote.
4. Must be registered to vote.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the vote on all propositions and the election of candidates on the Vote and Election held on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, will be conducted by voting machine. All references to the timing, location, and manner of hearings, registration, and voting in the budget vote and election are subject to modification based on applicable legislation or direction by an entity with jurisdiction over the Library.
Dated: North Merrick, New York
January 17, 2024
By Order of the BOARD OF TRUSTEES NORTH MERRICK PUBLIC LIBRARY
North Merrick, New York
Jacqueline Perez, Director 145043
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY
COMPANY. NAME: TRL Distribution LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 02/06/2024 NY
Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to:8 Tellar Drive, Islip Terrace, NY 11752
Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity. 145162
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
MELLON F/K/A THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS SUCCESSOR TO JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NOT
INDIVIDUALLY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR THE HILDERS OF THE BEAR STEARNS ALT-A TRUST 2004-10, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2004-10, Plaintiff, Against LUIS A. QUIJANO; ET AL; Defendant(s)
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 03/22/2023, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on 4/25/2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 174 Babylon Turnpike, Merrick, New York 11566, And Described As
Follows:
ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being At Merrick, Town Of Hempstead, County Of Nassau, State Of New York.
Section 2555 Block 166
Lot 158
The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $1,154,373.34 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 005630/2015
If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain
or shine.
Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee. MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573
Dated: 1/29/2024 File
Number: 17-300295 CA 145590
LEGAL NOTICE
BELLMORE-MERRICK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT NORTH MERRICK, NEW YORK 11566
REQUEST FOR
PROPOSALS
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE BELLMORE-MERRICK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT HEREBY INVITES THE SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS FOR THE
FOLLOWING:
ATHLETIC TRAINER SERVICES
2024-2025
RFP SPECIFICATIONS MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE BELLMORE-MERRICK CHSD BUSINESS OFFICE LOCATED AT 1260 MEADOWBROOK ROAD, NORTH MERRICK, NY 11566 OR BY E-MAILING A REQUEST TO: MSTILES@BELLMOREMERRICK.K12.NY.US IN ALL CASES CONDITIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS OF THE BELLMORE-MERRICK CHSD SHALL APPLY.
SEALED PROPOSALS MUST BE MARKED, “ATHLETIC TRAINER SERVICES RFP”, AND WILL BE RECEIVED UNTIL 11:00 A.M. ON APRIL 16, 2024, AT THE BELLMOREMERRICK CHSD BUSINESS OFFICE LOCATED AT 1260 MEADOWBROOK ROAD, NORTH MERRICK, NY, 11566.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CONSIDER QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, AND REPUTATION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT ATHLETIC TRAINER SERVICES FIELD, AS WELL AS THE SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS OF A PROPOSER SET OUT HEREIN, IN
Sunday was a great day for the Jewish community of Bellmore-Merrick to celebrate Purim, at the 29th Annual Mel Polay Purim Carnival. Founded by Evelyn Polay, a member of Congregation Beth Ohr in Bellmore, in honor of her late husband, Mel, the Purim celebration has been a fixture in the community for years.
About five years ago, Congregation Beth Ohr merged with Temple Israel of South Merrick. Temple Israel’s former location on Clubhouse Road is now Beth Ohr’s Merrick annex, and has served as the perfect spot for the carnival since the merger.
Purim celebrates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, an official of the First Persian Empire, who was planning to have all of Persia’s Jewish subjects killed. Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the Persian King Xerxes is credited as the heroine, alongside her cousin Mordecai, for saving the Jewish people. Today, the holiday is celebrated by reading the Book of Esther — or the Megillah — and by completing 5 mitzvot, or commandments.
These mitzvot include attending a Megillah reading during the evening on the day Purim begins, and attending a second reading the following morning.
Additional mitzvot include giving gifts to the poor, doing the same for friends and family members, and enjoying a traditional Purim feast.
During readings of the Megillah, which is a large scroll, and can take about a half hour to listen to in full, it’s tradition to try and “block out” the name “Haman,” every time it is read, which can make for a fun time for families and children.
Around the carnival, staple games such a ring toss and basketball throw were set up, with countless other activities. Children were able to win prizes, enjoy sweet treats and get caricature’s by an attending artist.
Polay, who was a congregant at Temple Israel before the merger with Beth Ohr, told the Herald, that many years ago, after her husband died, the men’s club at the
temple wanted to do something in his honor, and raised $20,000. The carnival has take place every year since, in Mel’s name.
Purim is often celebrated by dressing in costume, evident around the carnival.
— Jordan Vallone
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WOODMERE
Q. I live in the flood area, which happened during Sandy. I am required to lift my air conditioning unit. I was told it had to be at least 4 feet above the ground, and could be set on a platform or put on a bracket against the house. The platform seems to kill the space in my side yard, so I’m opting for the brackets. Now that I have discussed them with my neighbors, they told me the brackets, which will be on the outside of my bedroom, are going to make the air conditioner vibrations annoying, because I’ll hear them right through the wall. I don’t want that, but the platform would take up space and would be much more expensive to build. Is there another alternative, or can I prevent the noise from the vibrations from coming through the wall? It will drive me crazy if I’m awakened every time the unit goes on. What can I do?
A. This has been a problem addressed in different ways, either by dampening the unit or brackets, relocating the unit to a different place on brackets outside a room, such as a utility, laundry or storage room, building the platform or mounting the unit on a roof. The roof mounting is really a last resort, since the unit needs to be accessible and level. The only place I have designed roof-mounted units is on new homes where flat (low-slope) roof sections are planned. If you have a steeper-sloped roof with asphalt shingles, this method is not worth considering.
As for the less costly method, mounting brackets that are made for air conditioning outdoor condenser units have accessory dampeners and isolation cushions that can be installed, so obviously the industry recognizes the problem.
Comments I have gotten are that, over time, the brackets may wear down and screws and bolts may loosen. One person told me that he lessened the problem by tightening all the fasteners, but I believe this is temporary, and I don’t see the average homeowner climbing a ladder to tighten the connections unless they become completely frustrated. Only locating the condenser unit on a wall area of a seldom-used area of the home, like your utility, storage closet, garage or laundry room, will reduce this problem.
Otherwise, the separate tower is your best option, even though it will cost at least $1,000 more to do. I rarely hear of this problem, but it still does happen. The same thing occurs with washing machines and dryers located on a wood structure adjacent to bedrooms. In such cases, I design a separate, floating structure, isolated by gaskets and dampening shoes or pads. The other alternative is using concrete, but it still needs designed separation dampers. I hope you understand that moving or installing the unit is still costly with new wiring and refrigerant lines being installed to reach the relocated unit, whichever way you go. Good luck!
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Oh, most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this necessity. Oh, Star of the Sea, help me and show herein you are my mother.
Oh, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech thee from the bottom of my heart to succor me in this necessity. (Make request). There are none that can withstand your power. Oh, show me here. in you are my Mother. Oh, Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee (3x). Oh Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (3x) Sweet Mother I place this cause in your hands (3x). Thank you for your mercy to me and mine. This prayer must be said for 3 days and after, 3 days your request will be granted, and the prayer must be published. Thanks for many favors! S.D..
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It has arrived. Baseball’s opening day.
When I was a kid growing up in Queens, this greatly anticipated moment was my reassurance that all was well with the world. Coinciding with the coming of warm spring weather and the sale of the new season’s edition of baseball cards, it focused the attention of my friends — whether Dodgers, Yankees or Giants fans — first on the upcoming pennant races, and then on the World Series.
pETER KInG
This was the golden age of baseball in New York. During the 11 seasons from 1947 to 1957, the Yankees won nine pennants; my team, the Dodgers, six; and the Giants, two. In every year but one, there was at least one New York team in the World Series, and both teams in the fall classic were from New York eight times.
As far as we were concerned, baseball was New York, and New York was baseball. There was nothing like going to Ebbets Field, Yankee Stadium or the
Polo Grounds and being struck by the colors of bright green grass, white baselines and players’ uniforms that were so intense compared with what we saw on our 12-inch black-and-white television screens. No other sport during that era generated such attention. The football Giants often played before a lot of empty seats in the Polo Grounds, and the Knicks actually played NBA championship games in a National Guard Armory because the circus was using Madison Square Garden.
My friends and I had to take the train to Flushing Meadow to play on grass.
Because there was no grass anywhere in our Sunnyside neighborhood, we adapted with our baseball simulations of stickball, curb ball, stoop ball and punchball or softball on the concrete field in the nearby city park. When we reached age 11, we formed our own team, enrolled it in the PAL and took the Queens 7 line train to Flushing Meadow, which had grass fields. The team’s equipment consisted of two bats and a catcher’s mask. Batting helmets were nonexistent, as were parents, or any adults at all. We were on our own. And if we lost or played badly, there was no one to console us.
Much had changed, of course, by the
time my son, Sean, started playing Little League ball at Seaman’s Neck Park in Seaford in the late 1970s: There were Opening Day parades, grass fields, uniforms, umpires, adult coaches, team batting helmets and stands filled with parents, grandparents and neighbors. That was all new to me, but made for great memories.
I really noticed the differences when, starting in 2013, my grandson Jack began playing, first in the Wantagh Little League and then on Long Island travel teams, including the Chiefs and Titans. The changes that struck me most were the equipment — individual batting helmets and customized bats — and the level of play — 11- and 12-year-olds routinely turning double plays and catching high fly balls. What was unchanged was the level of family support and community enthusiasm, with no Bad News Bears adult tantrums or boorishness.
Travel team baseball was a whole new experience. Not just the higher level of skill, but playing across Long Island and traveling to tournaments in upstate Cooperstown as well as Connecticut, Maryland and even South
Carolina. At every destination, the Long Island kids played well and distinguished themselves.
Now a new baseball season is upon us, from Little League to the major leagues. Much has changed over the years. The Dodgers and Giants abandoned us for California over six decades ago. Major League Baseball, which at one time never played west of St. Louis, has expanded from two eightteam leagues to 30 teams and six divisions, and plays regular-season games in Asia and Europe. There has been a diffusion of intense fan interest beyond baseball to the NFL, NBA and NHL. And there is now an overlap of sports seasons, with the NBA and NHL cutting into months of the baseball schedule.
At the local level, the travel team phenomenon draws away from Little League and high school play. Still, baseball remains strong in New York, with the Mets and Yankees, and especially on Long Island, with our outstanding facilities and, most important, supportive families and communities. I know I’m still enthused and ready. Play ball!
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
Netanyahu is a supporter of one party: himself
Ihave known Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer since 1972. I have watched him grow from being a state assemblyman to one of the most powerful political leaders in the United States. Schumer is a serious and smart lawmaker, and he measures his every word with the greatest of caution. When he speaks, it is well planned, because he is conscious of the fact that the press will hold him accountable for his actions.
JERRY KREMER
Schumer’s recent call for new elections in Israel, and for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step down, was a do-ordie plea for peace in the Middle East. I have heard some of my friends call Schumer out for that plea, and describe it as dangerous, or even as a form of terrorism, and I have tried to tell them to consider all the facts before they speak.
Netanyahu has been playing political games for as long as I can remember. He
is not some well-meaning leader of a country who is being picked on. To begin with, Bibi, as he is often called, has been in and out of courtrooms in Israel for two years. He has been charged with various forms of corruption. In Israel, cases like his can drag on for years with no resolution.
For the past two years, Bibi has been hopeful that if he can change the way the courts work, his case will be dismissed. He has pushed for a change in the law that would give the country’s legislature, the Knesset, the power to run the courts and end any kind of judicial interference. His efforts to undermine the judicial system have split the country in half and have given rise to massive demonstrations calling for his ouster. To stay in power, he has forged alliances with right-wing leaders who have their own plans to change Israel from a democracy to a banana republic.
er, and has lost the confidence of the people, are 100 percent correct. As a congressional leader, Schumer has every right to speak out on Israel’s political challenges, because America sends billions of dollars to Israel each year and is Israel’s strongest supporter.
C huck Schumer was right: Bibi has lost the confidence of his people.
Schumer’s speech calling for new elections in another country may have stepped over the line, but his claims that Bibi is no longer the nation’s true lead-
If your best friend thinks you have lost your way, he or she has every right to tell you so, out of love, and not any other motive. Schumer has been Israel’s most loyal member of Congress, and has fought off other members who have questioned the need to provide so much aid to other countries.
Israel had every right to invade Gaza after Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7, one of the most brutal assaults on any nation. The conduct of Hamas will go down in history as another Holocaust, and there had to be a response to such vicious conduct. Israel responded with an all-out war against a cruel and undisciplined mob that kills and steals from its own people.
The United States has asked Bibi what his plans are for Gaza when the
war is over and Hamas has been defeated, and he has no answer. As long as he stays in power, he can avoid having to face the possibility of going to prison. He has a plan, but it focuses on holding on to his job, even if his country no longer trusts him to be its leader. In the interim, he will try to hold on to power by playing partisan politics.
It’s no secret that Netanyahu has always embraced the American Republican Party. He worked against President Barack Obama, and came to Washington to promote Donald Trump on a number of occasions. He has every intention of holding on to his power in the hope that Trump will be elected again this year.
Bibi will do whatever it takes to keep his job. Schumer spoke out forcefully for one reason, which was to keep Israel a democracy. The world needs Israel to survive, and there is no question that under Netanyahu’s control, its very existence is threatened.
Jerry Kremer was an Assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? jkremer@liherald.com.
they’re good people. They’re strong. And they’re heroes.
That’s how people in New York describe volunteer firefighters, according to a survey conducted by the Firefighters Association of the State of New York. And nearly half of all people who were asked said they would love to become one of these strong, good heroes.
And now they have their chance.
Volunteer fire departments — like the one in your hometown — are opening their doors the weekend of April 13 to not only remind our neighborhoods of how important those fire departments are, but also to help bring more firefighters to the fold.
It’s called RecruitNY weekend, and leading up to it, the firefighters association is asking businesses, government buildings and anyplace else where exteriors are lit to make those lights red to show solidarity with our firefighters.
“The lights symbolize our commitment to a tradition of community help, and a need for more volunteers,” Edward Tase Jr., president of the association, said.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is doing his part, lighting the dome red on the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola in the first two weeks of April. The hope is that other major landmarks across the region and state will light up
To the Editor:
Long Island Rail Road riders have to ask why Phase 2 of the LIRR’s $168 million Jamaica Capacity Improvements wasn’t completed prior to the initiation of full-time service for the $11.6 billion East Side Access to Grand Central Madison in February 2023.
Phase 2 is scheduled to be completed by December 2026. The work will raise maximum allowable train speeds, increase train throughput — the number of trains that can pass through a section of line in a given time — as well as parallel routing capabilities, implement universal 12-car platform capacity and ensure a full state-of-good-repair throughout the Jamaica Station complex. It will include critical work on bridges carrying trains, and expansion of the Hall Interlocking.
Prior to this, there was the $450 million Phase 1 of the Jamaica Capacity Improvements, for which funding was approved in 2010, using grants from the Federal Transit Administration. It included capital improvements in and around the station, encompass -
red as well.
Being a volunteer fire department has been getting tougher. Membership has dropped, while calls have increased. And not because people don’t want to be firefighters — it’s just hard to make that commitment in our busy lives, amid a turbulent economy that requires many of us to work more than we may have in the past to pay the bills.
But there are benefits beyond simply making a difference — and potentially saving lives — to being a volunteer firefighter. And those are benefits worth considering. For example, volunteer firefighters get free training and free equipment, as well as tax breaks and essential insurance coverage — all provided by the Volunteer Firefighter Benefits Law, first passed in 1957.
Some of those tax breaks include income tax credits of $500 to $1,000 per year, as well as property tax reductions of up to 10 percent, assuming your local government has opted in.
And, depending on what individual departments have set up, there could be pension opportunities as well, established through the state’s Length of Service Award Program.
For younger people, there are scholarships and tuition reimbursement available, too.
Of course, becoming a volunteer firefighter isn’t about the financial incentives, although they help. What really
draws most people to serve is a chance to give back to the communities they love in ways they simply can’t do otherwise.
Volunteer firefighters play a crucial role in protecting their homes and neighbors from emergencies and disasters beyond simply putting out fires, although there is nothing simple about that. They are also there for medical emergencies and natural disasters like major storms, always contributing to public safety and well-being.
These days we see firefighters needed to respond to flooded basements, lithium-ion battery fires, downed power lines and car accidents.
Volunteers also get to fulfill a dream many of us have had since the moment we saw a firefighter for the first time. We knew that’s what we wanted to be, too. So why not do it?
Visit your local volunteer fire department next month. See what it’s like to be a firefighter, and how you can make a difference. And then ask where you can sign up.
President George W. Bush once said that “the willingness of America’s volunteer firefighters to risk their lives for others is a testament to the spirit of service that pervades our nation.”
Let’s continue prove him right. Find out how — and where — you can volunteer today. Visit FireInYou.org/volunteer.
ing tracks, signals, third-rail power and interlockings, designed to support increased operational capacity necessary for future service to Grand Central Madi-
son. When the FTA grants were approved, this proposed new service was many years away. Thirteen years was ample time to complete both Phase 1 and 2.
the American Jewish Committee recently released its annual State of Antisemitism in America 2023 Report, which revealed that 63 percent of American Jews say the status of Jews in the U.S. is “less secure than a year ago” — a 22-percentagepoint increase in just one year, and a 32-point increase over two years.
Forty-six percent of American Jews say they have changed their behavior out of fear of antisemitism, a jump from 38 percent last year.
While these numbers are daunting and cause for concern, several of the key takeaways from the report, on Holocaust and antisemitism education, are positive.
state offer varying degrees of Holocaust education, in accordance with State Education Department regulations, and we also know that quality Holocaust education has been shown to reduce antisemitism and all forms of hate.
AJC’s report found that 92 percent of American Jews, and 89 percent of all U.S. adults in the Northeast, believe it is important for public schools to invest more resources in teaching age-appropriate lessons about the Holocaust to all students. There is also overwhelming support among both the Jewish community and the general public for teaching modern manifestations of antisemitism in public schools.
We know that schools in New York
Jewish students, however, should not be seen solely through the lens of the Holocaust. We should incorporate the Jewish community in any diversity efforts, and encourage the celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month in May, to promote awareness and appreciation of Jewish contributions to American society.
In addition, over the past several years, school districts across Long Island have implemented character education initiatives to address all forms of hate and racism, and help students understand the consequences of actions and words on others.
It is critical that we also teach about the modern manifestations of antisemitism, not just the historical ones. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel, we have seen a steep increase in antisemitic graffiti and incidents in Long Island public schools. This is on top of an already growing problem with anti-
Why wasn’t Phase 2 completed before the service to GCM began? And will its completion increase overall rush hour capacity, including additional Atlantic branch Brooklyn service, and reduce travel time between Jamaica and Penn Station, GCM, Flatbush Avenue, Hunters Point or Long Island City? LIRR commuters, taxpayers, transit advocacy groups and elected officials deserve a detailed explanation from MTA Chairman Janno Lieber and Acting LIRR President Robert Free for why this work was delayed so long.
LARRY PENNER Great Neck
Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a director of the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.
Mistake-free Medicare?
You’re dreaming, Jerry.
To the Editor:
Re Jerry Kremer’s recent column “Check your Medicare statement carefully”: I think Jerry is naïve to think Medicare will have the time and manpower to investigate billing
semitism here and nationwide.
Given that antisemitism is often not well understood, education is crucial in fostering an environment with zero tolerance for anti-Jewish bigotry and all forms of hate. It is also critical to reassure Jewish families that districts see them in this moment, and are prioritizing their children’s safety and well-being. Several Jewish organizations, including AJC, offer training for students, teachers and administrators.
In these moments of uncertainty and anxiety for American Jewry, it is also important to consider what is being reported when Israel is in the news more than usual, as has been the case since Oct. 7. Criticism of Israel is not inherently antisemitic. In fact, it is a feature of its democracy, and Israelis do it all the time. But there are occasions when antiIsrael rhetoric can become antisemitic, including statements that deny the Jewish people’s right to self-determination.
sau and Suffolk counties, New York state and the federal government, criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic, but, for example, “applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation” does cross that line.
The IHRA definition can be helpful in evaluating whether antisemitism exists in school settings. Establishing a system to report antisemitism and all forms of hate, reviewing and publicizing key school policies, including social media, and communicating with families when antisemitism and hate occur are also vital.
The more we all know about antisemitism, the more we can identify it, fight it and keep it on the fringe of society. When that happens, not only Jews will feel more secure, we all will.
scams, like the one he detailed involving catheters, when they are devoting resources to denying reimbursement for preventive services that are listed in their handbook. I will explain.
I recently had a PSA test whose reimbursement was denied because of a billing code error. I am 77 years old, and per Page 49 of the Medicare handbook, this is a preventive service to which I am entitled every 12 months.
I did not have this test for several years. I called Medicare to get the service reimbursed, and was told I had to get a letter from my doctor explaining the need for the service, and with that document to file an appeal. This meant the doctor had to send me a letter, and I had to fill out a claim form and mail it to Medicare. Medicare now has to evaluate the appeal and rule on it.
The request for an appeal for coverage of this preventive service couldn’t be approved with a phone call, even after I was transferred to two different people with hold times of roughly 20 minutes. Everyone I spoke to on the phone agreed that it didn’t make sense, but they had no authority to approve the service, even though it’s listed in their manual as one that’s covered.
LEWIS ALTMAN MerrickAs noted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s Working Definition of Antisemitism, which has been adopted by the AJC and major American Jewish organizations, Nas-
Eric Post is the Long Island director of the American Jewish Committee. Bob Vecchio is the executive director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association.
Framework by Tim Baker
