Merrick Herald 06-15-2023

The Garden at Temple B’Nai Torah celebrates harvest

By MICHAEl MAlASZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com

It all started with a simple question: Can we have a garden like this?

When Rona and Bob Kauffman, two members of Wantagh’s Temple B’Nai Torah, attended a class led by Rabbi Daniel Bar-Nahum and the Rev. Mark Genzsler, of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Bellmore, a number of years ago, comparing interfaith scriptures, the subject of the garden at St. Francis came up.

Intrigued, the Kauffmans met with Susan Salem, the garden’s creator and coordinator, and became regular volunteers there, were parishioners grow fresh produce to fight local hunger. Salem and the Kauffmans wanted to bring that effort to Temple B’Nai Torah — which was originally known as Suburban Temple before it merged with Massapequa’s Temple Judea in 2008 and East Meadow’s Temple EmanuEl in 2018. The interest grew stronger when Temple B’Nai Torah brought the temple’s youth group to the St. Francis Garden in 2019 for a Sukkot activity.

A year later, B’Nai Torah took action.

“When Covid hit, we realized that if we were ever going to do this, we should do it now, because

Cancer journey documentary set to premiere

By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com

If there’s one thing that Christina Mathieson-Segura wants women with a recent cancer diagnosis to know, it’s that “I’m OK, and you’ll be OK too.”

Shauna Le Claire/Herald WHEN lIfE gIVES you lemons, you sell lemonade. That’s what an 8-and-under Merrick Mayhem baseball team did last Saturday at the Merrick Bellmore Little League World Series, to raise money for ALS research. Umpire Rich Blue purchased a cup from team members.

Amazing $4,200 raised for the ALS Association

By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com

An 8-and-under baseball team with Merrick Mayhem, a travel baseball and softball organization, rallied behind a team member’s family last Saturday to raise money for and awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS is an incurable chronic condition that weakens muscles and impacts physical functions.

The team’s head coach, Russ Berman, of Merrick, whose son Charlie is one of the players, said the squad has been together for a little over a year, and the boys have been learning and growing together over the last few seasons. The team recently won the 2023 East Coast Baseball Spring League championship in

the 8U bracket.

Berman and the team’s other coaches had recently been thinking about hosting some fundraisers, he said, to raise money for entry fees for tournaments and rental fees for practice fields.

A better idea sprouted from their conversations, when an assistant coach, Russ Miller, suggested that they host a fundraiser for the ALS Association, because his mother, Susan Miller, has the disease.

“Russ brought up the ALS foundation, because he did some stuff for that outside of the travel baseball team, and thought it would be a great cause for the team to rally behind because it’s near and dear to his heart,” Ber-

Continued on page 2

That motto ultimately became the driving force in Mathieson-Segura’s own cancer journey, and inspired her not just to be a survivor, but to take what happened to her and transform her most vulnerable moments into something beautiful.

“I wanted my journey to be of value to somebody, someday,” she said. “I had the worst anxiety of my life. I would go to sleep, and I would wake up at 2 in the morning, gasping for air, realizing I had cancer — and it was debilitating.”

treatment, she decided to begin recording herself — short selfie videos documenting everything she was experiencing.

CHRIStINA

Accumulating upward of 150 videos, her journey is now officially a documentary, “You’ll Be OK Too: Christina’s Journey,” set to premiere on June 20 at the Bellmore Movies, at 7 p.m. Mathieson-Segura also created a nonprofit of the same name, with the mission of empowering women to get tested for cancer, giving a voice to cancer survivors and creating a community that revolves around feeling at peace with a diagnosis.

MAtHIESoNSEgURA

Breast cancer survivor

She is now 58, and it’s been nearly three years since Mathieson-Segura was diagnosed with breast cancer, and two years since she finished treatment. Throughout her months of

Her journey

“When I was 17, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Mathieson-Segura said. “At that time, in the late ’70s, it was like a kiss of death.”

Her mother underwent a single mastectomy at a time when reconstructive surgery was not an option, and she also endured

Continued on page 4

I wanted my journey to be of value to somebody, someday.

Team raises money in honor of local family

man said. “We thought it was a great idea to have the team participate, and do what they can to help raise money for a great cause.”

Aside from competing in travel leagues, Merrick Mayhem’s baseball and softball teams also play in local Little Leagues, like the Merrick Bellmore Little League. Last Saturday, the league held its World Series for the spring season at Chatterton School in Merrick — the perfect spot for the fundraiser to take place.

Berman’s team sold lemonade, snacks and other treats for four hours on Saturday afternoon, with the hope of collecting at least $1,400 — $100 per player on the 14-member team. If people didn’t want treats, and just wanted to give a donation, there was also a Venmo link available. The team ended up raising over $4,200, three times more than the initial goal.

Russ Miller, who’s also from Merrick and whose son Dylan is on the team, said his mother was diagnosed with ALS two years ago. She became part of the ALS Association, and was added to its website with a team name, Susan’s Journey. All donations

the family has received thus far have been passed on to the association by way of her website link.

Despite the devastating diagnosis, Russ Miller said he wanted to keep his mother’s story as uplifting as possible, and to raise awareness of what funding actually pays for. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, a viral social media challenge in 2014 that raised $115 million worldwide, helped fund a new drug to fight the disorder, he said.

“A lot of times, you do these donations if you do fundraisers, and people don’t know where the money goes, or what they’re going to fund,” Miller said. “If my mom was never diagnosed with ALS, I wouldn’t have known that those proceeds went to form this new drug.”

The support the team has given his family, he said, has been extraordinary, and the players have come to know his mom, who has been attending games ever since her diagnosis. “It was different — she was able to walk, to talk,” Miller said. “Now, unfortunately, my mom’s ALS is where she no longer has use of her arms, her legs — she can’t speak anymore without a machine. It’s very, very difficult. So I think it’s

awesome that the team is involved, showing support for Dylan.”

Berman said that the coaches try to instill in their players values that extend beyond baseball. “To us, it’s more about teaching the kids there’s more to life than just playing baseball,” he said. “It’s sacrificing your time, teaching them about community, and being part of something bigger than just your baseball team.”

“Yes, we want the kids to win — yes, we want them to have a good time,” Miller said “But from a social aspect, it’s a fantastic thing that we can grow together.”

Julie Berman, who helped organize the fundraiser, said the generosity of the community was touching, and the boys worked hard at the sale. “At one point, they took the laminated menu cards we had and were accepting mobile orders and delivering to fans in the stands at the championship games being played on the fields,” she said. “The boys all worked so well together, and showed the true meaning of teamwork.”

For more on the team’s efforts or to make a donation to the Miller family’s cause, visit TinyURL. com/SusansJourney.

Shauna Le Claire/Herald GreGory Goldman, 8, gave a cup of lemonade to Brody Applebaum, 2, at the June 2 fundraiser.

photos

ohAv ShAlom’S open house was full of fun and games.

Outside the synagogue, Rabbi Ira Ebbin joined some of the congregation’s younger students in a game of Simon Says. The kids also played Red Light, Green Light with some of Ohav Shalom’s leaders.

An open house for Congregation Ohav Shalom

Synagogue celebrates Hebrew school graduates, hosts fun events for students and families

Congregation Ohav Shalom in Merrick recently hosted its end of year celebration, as well as a Hebrew School open house for prospective students.

The congregation, affectionately referred to as the “BellmoreMerrick synagogue,” was founded in the 1960s, and has been under the leadership of Rabbi Ira Ebbin since 2010. Today, Ohav Shalom is a vibrant and modern Orthodox synagogue, that is passionate about Judaism and the community.

The JFI Stone Family Hebrew School at Ohav Shalom offers an abundance of learning opportunities to various age groups. There is a program for Kindergarten and the first-grade, a 2nd- through 6th-grade program and a 7th-grade program. Throughout their educational experience, the students learn how to read Hebrew fluently, experience engaging lessons on holidays and traditions and get individualized bar and bat mitzvah training.

The end of year celebration at Ohav Shalom on May 31 brought out plenty of students and families to celebrate a moving up ceremony for the Hebrew School’s youngest students, as well a graduation ceremony for the 7th-grade. Among speeches from students and the congregation’s leaders, there were games, food and other fun activities to participate in.

Hebrew School registration is now open at Ohav Shalom, and to register, visit Ohav.org/school. Those interested in the program can also call (516) 378-1988 or email office@ohav.org for more information. The congregation is located at 145 S. Merrick Ave., Merrick.

— Jordan Vallone

the Afternoon event brought families together. Far left, Jacob Ben-Dayan, center, with his grandparents Avram Gabay and Lucie Gabay.

SAmAnthA vittA, 9, with Rabbi Ebbin during the ceremony.

At CongregAtion ohAv Shalom’s end of year celebration and Hebrew School graduation, Kayla Moont, 13, and Jacob Ben-Dayan, 12, spoke at a ceremony.

Tim Baker/Herald

Sharing a vulnerable journey on the screen

intense chemotherapy.

“The chemotherapy was really like, in my opinion, let’s bring somebody as close to death as we possibly can and hope this works,” Mathieson-Segura said. “It was a completely different time.”

Her mother’s cancer metastasized into her bones, and she succumbed to the disease at age 48, when Mathieson-Segura was 23. Watching her mom suffer was traumatizing, she said.

“I had that etched in my memory, and I buried it,” she said. “Our brains do wonderful things to protect us.”

A businesswoman, MathiesonSegura has spent much of her adult life as a go-getter. A single mom, she described herself as a problem-solver. “I’ve spent a lot of my life trying to help, empowering women,” she said. “I took a lot of pride in shoving a square peg into a round hole with nobody telling me I couldn’t do something. I was on a mission.”

When she was 54, MathiesonSegura met her husband, Jose, and they were engaged in September 2019.

What should’ve been the happiest chapter of her life quickly

changed, however, because in November 2020, she was diagnosed with cancer.

“You couldn’t even go into a doctor’s office for them to tell you that,” she said. “My primary care physician called me on the phone, and she said, ‘We got your results back and you have breast cancer. You’re going to need a surgeon and an oncologist.’”

Between January and June of 2021, Mathieson-Segura underwent six months of chemotherapy treatment. That August, she had a double mastectomy, reconstructive surgery and a complete hysterectomy, all at once, in 12-hour long procedure.

The documentary

“Throughout the process, I kept making these videos, and I thought the next woman that goes through this is going to at least have something to look at when you feel awful because you’re bald and you don’t have eyebrows,” she said. “Or you feel awful because the chemotherapy is making you gain weight.

“I wanted every woman to know that she was entitled to be mad, sad, angry, upset, anxious,” she added, “and that it was OK to ask for help.”

She said she wanted the story to encompass more than just her own journey, and ended up interviewing four additional women who were willing to share their thoughts and experiences. With the help of producers Charlie Steiner and Holli Haerr, her vision came to life.

Mathieson-Segura said she wants women to know that resources are available to them and that they should get regular mammograms.

The most common genetic mutations that cause breast cancer are BRCA1 and BRCA2, and while Mathieson-Segura does not have these mutations, she has another, called ATM mutation, which also increases the risk for breast cancer.

To learn more about Mathieson-Segura’s journey and her documentary, visit YoullBeOkToo. org.

Looking back on her cancer journey, Mathieson-Segura called her newfound outlook on life “post-traumatic growth.”

“After you go through something, you realize how strong you are and how powerful you are,” she said. “Your life is never the same. My life is now the happiest it’s ever been.”

Courtesy Christina Mathieson-Segura

ChrisTina MaThieson-segura has spent most of her life supporting women in business. Her life was turned upside down in November 2020 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She turned her journey into a documentary, which is set to premiere next week at the Bellmore Movies.

with Michael and Suzanne Ettinger Attorneys-at-Law

Book Review: “The Good Life”

by Robert Waldinger, MD and Marc Schulz, PhD

Published this year, “The Good Life” reports on the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest scientific study of happiness ever done. Tracking the lives of hundreds of participants for over 80 years, the report concludes that it is the strength of our relationships with friends, relatives and coworkers that most determine quality of life, health and longevity.

Regarding older adults, the authors note that time is suddenly very precious. Questions arise such as:

• How much time do I have left?

• How long will I stay healthy?

• Am I losing it mentally?

• Who do I want to spend this limited time with?

• Have I had a good enough life?

• What do I regret?

“The fewer moments we have to look forward to in life, the more valuable they become. Past grievances and preoccupations often dissipate...research has shown that human beings are never so happy as in the late years of

their lives. We get better at maximizing highs and minimizing lows. We feel less hassled by the little things that go wrong, and we get better at knowing when something is important and when it’s not. The value of positive experiences far outweighs the cost of negative experiences, and we prioritize things that bring us joy. In short, we’re emotionally wiser, and that wisdom helps us thrive.”

We learn that neglected relationships, like muscles, atrophy. Our social life, being a living system, needs exercise. Further, the reason social relationships are so valuable has a biological basis – a means of protection from predators. Without meaningful relationships, we remain in a state of stress, often unknown to us.

Make the effort. Most of us have friends and relatives who energize us and who we don’t see enough. As Mark Twain said, “There isn’t time, so brief is life, for bickerings, apologies, heartburnings, callings to account. There is only time for loving, and but an instant, so to speak, for that”.

622-7460

DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: rglickman@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643

New Navy attack sub named USS Long Island

By KARINA KOVAC kkovac@liherald.com

A new Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine has been named the USS Long Island, paying homage to the multitude of veterans from Long Island and the island itself. The announcement was made to active sailors and media on Pier 88 in Manhattan during the 35th annual Fleet Week, the city’s time-honored celebration of the sea services, by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro.

The submarine is the third U.S. Navy ship named after Long Island, but a long way from the original USS Long Island steam trawler purchased by the Navy in 1917. As an attack submarine, the 377-foot-long vessel is designed specifically to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships, project power ashore with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Special Operations forces, carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, support battle group operations and engage in mine warfare.

“New York has been a Navy town since our nation’s founding,” Del Toro said at the announcement. “Today over 200,000 veterans are spread across the five boroughs, with over 50 percent living on Long Island, in Brooklyn and Queens. The service of these veterans throughout our nation’s history has been admirable, and it’s an honor to recognize them as well as the district itself with this submarine naming.”

Capt. Patrick Evans, a naval special assistant for public affairs, wrote in an email to the Herald about the history of the original USS Long Island: “It served as a minesweeper, harbor patrol ship, and an icebreaker until after the first world war and (was) decommissioned in 1919.”

The second ship to bear the name Long Island was an

escort carrier, the first of its class at the time. Notably, it was the first of the Navy’s prototype aircraft carriers, which launched squadrons of attack aircraft in the Pacific theater in World War II.

Earlier, in 1941, the ship cruised the East Coast on neutrality patrol, keeping a watchful eye on potentially dangerous patrolling German submarines. A year later, the ship would prove instrumental in assisting with the Guadalcanal campaign.

Fighting at the Battle of Guadalcanal, one of the turn-

ing points in the war, the USS Long Island helped save the island of Guadalcanal from a Japanese onslaught. The vessel carried Marine Corps dive bombers, and two squadrons of Grumman Wildcat fighters, built in Bethpage, into the skirmish.

After the war, the USS Long Island trained pilots and ferried returning American troops home from the Pacific as part of Operation Magic Carpet, the largest combined air and sealift ever organized to bring troops back. Many of them, no doubt, were coming home to Long Island.

Courtesy U.S. Navy/Amber Speer SeCRetARy Of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announces the name of the Navy’s newest submarine, USS Long Island, on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp on May 25 during Fleet Week.

GOLD SPONSOR: SILVER SPONSORS: GIFT BAG SPONSOR: SNACK SPONSOR:

VENUE SPONSOR :

Herald sports

Arcangelo wins historic Belmont Stakes

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

There was no Triple Crown on the line, but the 155th running of the Belmont Stakes was historic nonetheless.

Trainer Jena Antonucci etched herself into thoroughbred racing history last Saturday when Arcangelo, ridden by jockey Javier Castellano, pulled away down the stretch to finish atop the nine-horse field before a roaring crowd of 48.089 at Belmont Park.

The Florida-based Antonucci, 47, became the first-ever female trainer to capture any of the Triple Crown races and did so with her first-ever entry. Castellano, meanwhile, has now won all three.

“It’s the horse and I am so grateful,” said Antonucci, who began training on her own in 2010. “I will forever be indebted to his honesty to us, his heart, and he is why you get up seven days a week. I didn’t get a lot of sleep the last few nights. I’m not going to lie. I’m so grateful.”

The race marked the 50-year anniversary of Secretariat’s electrifying 31-length Belmont triumph. One of the symbols used to honor “Big Red” this year was the addition of blue roses to the traditional blanket of white carnations awarded to the winner, reminiscent of the famous blue and white checkerboard silks of Secretari at’s owner, Meadow Stable.

Owned by Blue Rose Farm, Arcangelo was full of run throughout as he sat behind pacesetters National Treasure, the Preakness winner, and longshot Tapit Shoes along the backstretch. As the field approached the turn and with Angel of Empire and Hit Show still very much involved after a mile in 1:37.41, Castellano made a decisive move to put the lateblooming son of Arrogate in ideal position going into the turn.

A retreating Tapit Shoes left clear running room for Arcangelo to sneak up along the inside of National Treasure, who dropped out of contention at the quarter pole. Drawing away at the eighth pole, Arcangelo then held off late-charging favorite Forte and Tapit Trice to win by 1 ½-lengths in 2:29.23.

“This is a dream come true. To win two Triple Crown races in the same year, it’s amazing,” said Castellano, who rode Mage to victory in the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May and guided Bernardini and Cloud Computing to Preakness scores in 2016 and 2017, respectively. “Everything worked out good,” he added. “There’s always something to shoot for, but I’m just going to keep working hard. But this is so special. He was so impres-

sive. He was always there for me.”

Castellano entered 2023 0-for-15 in the Kentucky Derby and 0-for-14 in the Belmont Stakes. Last Saturday’s win was redemptive for the 45-year-old Venezuelan native, who finished runner-up in the Belmont on three occasions — all by narrow margins, including a three-quarter length loss aboard Stay Thirsty to Ruler On Ice in 2011; a head defeat to Tonalist in 2014 when piloting 28-1 shot Commissioner; and a nose defeat to Creator in 2016 aboard

Destin.

Arcangelo, a $35,000 purchase who didn’t make his career debut until December, won his third consecutive start and was coming off an impressive triumph in the Grade 3 Peter Pan at Belmont May 13. He paid $17.80 to win and earned a $900,000 payday to boost his lifetime earnings to $1,067,400 in five starts.

Jon Ebbert, owner of Blue Rose Farm, was in awe as he earned his first Grade 1 win of his career and said he always had

ArcANgELO,

the

faith in the grey ridgling.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “What an amazing ride. I’m so proud of the horse. He’s an amazing horse. He’s all heart. We knew he had it in him. Javier rode him perfectly and Jena is an amazing trainer. I’m so lucky to find her. The rest is history.”

Forte nosed out Tapit Trice for second. Angel of Empire and Hit Show finished in a dead heat for fourth. Rounding out the field was National Treasure, Il Miracolo, Red Route One and Tapit Shoes.

Eric Dunetz/Herald photos

A 7-1 ShOT ridden by Javier Castellano, pulled away down the stretch to capture

155th running of the Belmont Stakes last Saturday before a crowd of more than 48,000.

JON EBBErT, fAr left, owner of Blue Rose Farm, jockey Javier Castellano and trainer Jena Antonucci.

Hats off to the middle school graduates

Throughout a day full of fanfare, pomp and circumstance, the Grand Avenue and Merrick Avenue Middle Schools’ Class of 2023 celebrated their moving up on June 9 at four indoor ceremonies. At Grand Avenue’s ceremony, Jake Schwartz sang “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which was followed by Amanda Cantwell leading Grand Voices in a rendition of “You Will Be Found.”

While addressing the crowd, Principal Carlo Conte recalled a childhood memory about overcoming his fear of the basement.

“My fear in attempts to avoid the basement were just a habit — a habit that I finally overcame by facing it over and over until I became a little stronger, a little braver,” he recounted. “They say bravery isn’t the absence of fear, but the strength to confront your fears head on. It’s the willingness to take risks, step out of your comfort zone, and pursue your passion — despite the uncertainty.”

Damian Hamilton, a student speaker during the session II graduation, talked about his trepidation when first starting Grand Avenue.

“Grand is so much more than school,” he said. “It is a nurturing community that brings us all together in the pursuit of success. Grand gave all of us an opportunity –whether that was a sport, a club or an education. The wide range of sports and clubs allowed me to connect with like-minded people.”

At Merrick Avenue, to kick off the ceremony, Word of Mouth, led by director Dana Brandwein sang “The StarSpangled Banner” and “True Colors.”

Assistant Principal Kate Caporusso greeted guests, talking about witnessing the eighth graders transition during the last two years.

“It has been one of the great joys of my 25 years as an educator to watch them learn to enjoy middle school,” she said. “They started with masks and barriers and now they greet friendly faces with a smile. They know what it’s like to go through school with and without restrictions and appreciate a return to normal.”

Principal Katelyn Dunn emphasized students’ growth and perseverance during their middle school experience.

“Look ahead and do it with a confidence that you grew here,” she said. “Put your energy and focus on the possibilities.”

Guest speaker, Luke Feldman, a John F. Kennedy High School senior, recalled his feelings entering freshman year and how he expected to “coast through high school on the sidelines without much participation.”

“Only to find that high school and everything it offers provides everyone here the opportunity to make the next four years of their lives the best they’ve ever had,” the University of California Berkeley-bound Feldman said. “You just have to let yourself try and take that very first step outside of your comfort zone. I made my closest friends only after breaking out of my shell and my biggest regret is not having the courage to do it sooner.”

eMiLy McDeRMott anD Chloe McCann said goodbye to middle school at Grand Avenue’s ceremony on June 9. Students in 8th grade moved up to high school in four seperate ceremonies throughout the day.

a gRoup of friends including Angelica Kasimatis, Patrick Keane, Karim Kessba, Hollyn, Jayden Lopez and Madeline Lynch at Merrick Avenue Middle School’s ceremony.

naina KapaDia waS a student speaker from team 8 at one of Merrick Avenue’s moving up ceremonies on June 9.

Photos courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District RobeRt LaSpinSa, Matthew LaSpina and Matteo LaSpina celebrated their graduation from Grand Avenue Middle School at a ceremony on June 9.

State files suit against anti-abortion group

By BRANDON CRUZ bcruz@liherald.com

State Attorney General Letitia James announced on June 8 that her office had filed suit against Red Rose Rescue, a rightwing anti-abortion organization, for blocking access to three Planned Parenthood locations in Nassau and Westchester counties, including the Planned Parenthood in Hempstead on July 7, 2022.

The lawsuit, announced just over two weeks before the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe V. Wade, claims that several members of the pro-life group, Christopher “Fidelis” Moscinski, Matthew Connolly, William Goodman, Laura Gies and John Hinshaw, have interfered with clinics by lying to clinicians to gain access to the facilities under the guise of being a patient and having an appointment.

Once inside, James’s office said, a Red Rose Rescue member posing as a patient will open a back door, allowing others inside, where they have occupied waiting rooms and refused to leave, barricaded entrances, threatened staff and clinicians, and physically blocked access to women’s health care services, all in an effort to stop clinics from operating.

“Red Rose Rescue has made it their mission to terrorize reproductive health care providers and the patients they serve,” James said. “Only we have the right to make decisions about our own

bodies — not anti-choice legislators, not religious extremists and bigoted zealots, and not Red Rose rescue.” She continued, “We will not allow Red Rose Rescue to harass and harangue New Yorkers with their outrageous militant tactics. Make no mistake — abortion is health care, and as New York’s Attorney General, I will continue to protect and defend everyone’s legal right to safely access health care in this state.”

James also announced that she would

seek to ban members of Red Rose Rescue from coming within 30 feet of any reproductive health care facility in the state. Under the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and the New York State Clinic Access Act, it is illegal to block access to reproductive health care clinics or harass their patients.

At the news conference announcing the suit, Dipal Shah, the chief external affairs officer for Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, thanked James for

holding Red Rose Rescue accountable for actions that he said impact not only Planned Parenthood patients, but staff and volunteers as well.

“It’s unacceptable,” Shah said. “We see, on an almost daily basis, anti-abortion protesters outside our health centers … using harmful tactics to block patients’ access to our health centers — everything from verbally abusing them, forcing pamphlets in their face, and blocking them from entering.” He added, “These top tactics are not just disruptive, they’re psychologically destabilizing and they’re incredibly harmful.”

Catherine Lederer-Plaskett, president of Choice Matters and founder of Project CATCH (for the Center for Analysis and Tracking of Clinical Harassers), share her experiences with Red Rose Rescue.

“I would bet that everyone in this room has a day that changed their lives forever,” Lederer-Plaskett said. “I have mine. It was Nov. 27, 2021. That was the day All Women’s Medical in White Plains was invaded,” Red Rose Rescue managed to take over the entire facility, she said.

“If they had trespassed in a mall, they would have been evicted, removed, taken out immediately,” Lederer-Plaskett said, “but because it was only women’s health care, the police could be heard saying they didn’t want to get involved.”

James said she hoped to continue being a leader in the fight for a woman’s

To learn more about Paws With A Cause and to find out how you help, just download this app and watch the story come to life!

To learn more about Paws With A Cause and to find out how you help, just download this app and watch the story come to life!

To learn more about Paws With A Cause and to find out how you help, just download this app and watch the story come to life! GET

Brandon Cruz/Herald StAte AttORNey GeNeRAl Letitia James addressing the media about her office’s new lawsuit against Red Rose Rescue.

STEPPING OUT

How does your Get outside and go green grow?

By Karen Bloom

ne of the best things you can grow in a garden is a life-long gardener. With summer upon us, the world outdoors beckons. Starting at home. Your personal landscape is a great place to enjoy being outside.

The kids can benefit in so many ways from digging right in. Literally. There’s growing body of research that indicates gardening-related activities boost physical and emotional health, even academic performance, besides the all-around benefits of family bonding.

So parents and grandparents who are not already getting down and dirty with the kids, what are you waiting for?

From the onset, prepare to pivot. Gardening with kids requires flexibility. Most kids prioritize exploration and discovery in the garden rather than appearance or production. You might have a planned activity, but they prefer to focus on the grasshopper they just found. Rather than corral them back to the task at hand, try talking to them about the grasshopper, sharing their wonder and excitement, and then finding a way to connect it to your activity.

Remember that positive associations with gardening are the goal. If they walk away with those, you’ve succeeded. And they’ll be back to learn more.

Let kids choose what to plant. Offer guidance and guarantee some sure-success plants are among their picks. But if they want beets, roses and petunias, why not? Giving kids agency over what plants they grow also gives them the incentive to continue engaging with their plants over time. Don’t forget that gardening isn’t confined to a raised bed or backyard. You can grow a multitude of plants indoors, on windowsills, porches, or balconies, you name it!

Choose garden projects that work for your needs. To set yourself up for success, always consider projects or activities you might want to try through the lenses of the kids’ age and ability levels, your budget, available space, available time, safety concerns, and growing conditions in your area.

Leave room for good old-fashioned digging. Many kids love to dig in the dirt, and digging and observing are excellent for their sensory systems, gross and fine motor skills, and practicing focus and empathy for small creatures. Leaving a designated dig space in the garden gives them a spot to search for worms and grubs, and helps keep disruptive digging out of other areas of the garden.

Make the garden a joyful place. Positive associations with nature early on in life give kids a sense of belonging to the natural world and responsibility for it. Help with the behind-the-scenes maintenance of kids’ gardens so they continue to be an inviting space for them. Give them opportunities for responsibility, but don’t turn gardens into a chore or punishment they would rather avoid. Embrace kids’ preferences, and avoid

The Fab Faux

pressing them to taste, touch or smell something they don’t want to.

Ensure activities are geared toward equal access. Think through how to share a gardening experience equally with all the kids participating. Try collaborative gardening: One kid digs a hole, another sprinkles compost, another kid places a seedling in, and so on. This helps multiple kids be involved in smaller garden tasks.

Set aside time when kids can explore the garden without an intended activity. Positive associations also come from moments when kids are allowed to observe, explore and play in a self-led way.

And just as important, enjoy gardening yourself. One of the most powerful teaching tools is the use of modeling. Don’t underestimate how impactful showcasing your enthusiasm for gardening can be on the kids you’re working with.

A garden is a wonderful place for kids to try caring for a living thing and being responsible for the success or failure of a growth cycle. And when failures happen, it’s a space for kids to learn how to deal with an undesired outcome, grow their resiliency, and try again.

With a commitment to the accurate reproduction of Beatles’ repertoire, The Fab Faux treat the seminal music with unwavering respect, known for their painstaking recreations of the songs (with emphasis on the later works never performed live by the Beatles). The musical virtuosity of The Fab Faux — in actuality five New York City-based musicians — upends the concept of a Beatles tribute band. Far beyond extended cover sets, their shows are an inspired rediscovery of The Beatles’ musical magic. Imagine hearing complex material like ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ or “I am the Walrus” performed in complete part-perfect renditions. Or such harmony-driven songs as ‘Because,’ ‘Nowhere Man,’ and ‘Paperback Writer,’ reproduced with extra vocalists to achieve a double-tracked effect. That’s The Fab Faux experience.

Friday, June 16, 8 p.m. $75, $55, $45, $35. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com, or ParamountNY.com.

Felice Brothers

A folk-Americana-rock-country band with deep roots in varied genres, The Felice Brothers are lauded as ‘musician’s musicians’ and poets. The brothers — Ian on guitar and lead vocals, and James, a multiinstrumentalist and vocalist — hail from the Catskills. Their early songs echoed off subway walls and kept company with travelers and vagrants. Their current lineup, with the addition of bassist and inaugural female Felice member Jesske Hume and drummer Will Lawrence (also a singer/songwriter) as their rhythm section, promises to be the best yet. Their latest tunes carry messages that beg listeners to think deeply about the environment, humanity, legacy, and death. Many of the songs depict nostalgia, transience and getting older. For songwriter Ian Felice, there must also always be a current of hope in the music.

Sunday, June 18, 7:30 p.m. $37 and $32. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

THE SCENE

Tom Chapin & The Chapin Sisters

Harry Chapin’s family holds a special place in the long rich history of family ensembles. Always busy with their many endeavors, the family unites for a rare performance together on the Landmark stage, Thursday, June 22, 7:30 p.m. Their successful musical careers are a testament to Harry’s enduring legacy. His brother Tom Chapin, with daughters Abigail and Lily Chapin, who perform as The Chapin Sisters; along with bandmate Michael Mark on electric bass and Jon Cobert on piano, will enthrall the audience with their pristine harmonies and folk-influenced melodies. A fixture on the music scene for decades, the Chapins, of course, continue to carry on Harry Chapin’s philanthropic legacy. Non-perishable food items will be collected for Long Island Cares, the Harry Chapin Food Bank. $150 and $75. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

June

Whale of a Drink fundraiser

On exhibit

Nassau County Museum of Art’s exhibition, “Eye And Mind: The Shin Collection,” highlights the extraordinary collection masterworks assembled by 31-year-old connoisseur Hong Gyu Shin, an internationally recognized figure in the global art world. He shares his treasures, including works by Whistler, Lautrec, Boucher, Daumier, Delacroix, Klimt, Schiele, Balthus, Warhol, de Kooning, Gorky and many other important names from art history provocatively juxtaposed with the painting and sculpture of our own time from both Asia and the West. On view through July 9. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Support The Whaling Museum by participating in Sandbar restaurant’s Whale of a Drink, Whale of a Cause fundraising effort, now through June 21. Enjoy the Sandbar’s iconic cocktail, the Whalebone, and a portion of the purchase will be donated to the museum. A “mocktail” version is also available. To help promote the fundraiser, mixologist Dan Leopold will offer a mixology demonstration and Whalebone tasting at the Museum’s Whales & Ales event on June 3, 2:303 p.m. Funds will support the Whaling Museum’s community education programs during its 2023 summer season. 55 Main St, Cold Spring Harbor. For information, visit SandbarColdSpringHarbor.com.

Moonlight Mile

EliteFeats is hosting a Moonlight Mile at Newbridge Road Park in Bellmore at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 11. The event will take place rain or shine, and runners can get a soft, glow in the dark t-shirt. Event can be completed as a race or walk. The cost to register is $25. 2600 Newbridge Road, Bellmore. Visit Events.EliteFeats.com for more information.

Art talk

Join Nassau County Museum

Director Charles A. Riley II, for a Director’s Seminar, Tuesday, June 20, 4 p.m. He’ll discuss “Baldessari and the Making of the Avant-Garde.” John Baldessari’s roster from Cal Arts featured famed artists, from Eric Fischl (who never technically took a class with him) to David Salle, James Casebere, Tony Oursler, Ericka Beckman, Ross Bleckner, Carrie Mae Weems, James Welling and so many other art stars. Examine not only Baldessari’s own art but some of the famous assignments offered by the man many consider the most influential art school teacher of the 20th century. Participation is limited; registration required. $40, $20 members. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. Visit NassauMuseum.org or call (516) 484-9337.

Men’s Club BBQ

Merrick Jewish Centre hosts a Men’s Club Barbeque, Thursday, June 22, 6:30 p.m. With food, drinks, games and more. Free for paid-up Men’s Club members; $5 per member’s spouse or child, capped at $15 per family. $10 non-members. RSVP at MerrickJC.org. Payments can be mailed to 225 Fox Blvd., Merrick, or Venmo @ MerrickJC-MensClub. Contact (516) 379-8650 for more.

‘Blinded By The Light’

June 17

Bruce Springsteen tribute band E Street Shuffle rocks Eisenhower Park, 17, June 17, 8 p.m. Hailing from Asbury Park, N.J., E Street Shuffle is a band that built itself from the ground up on the principals of being as musically authentic as humanly possible, while embodying the spirit, power and camaraderie of Springsteen and the E Street Band’s legendary live concerts. Bring seating. Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, Eisenhower Park, East Meadow. For information, visit NassaucCountyNY. gov.

Father’s Day Car Show

The 15th Father’s Day Car Show, sponsored by the Nassau County Sheriff’s COBA, is set for Sunday, June 18, at the Merrick LIRR Station. Stop by from 9 a.m. to 3 pm. This is a non-judged event; trucks and motorcycles also welcome. Food trucks will be on site. Admissions for cars is $15 if pre-registered, $20 day of. Visit NassauCOBA.com for more.

Having an event?

Jewish Awards Breakfast

The Jewish Committee on Scouting hosts the Annual Jewish Awards Breakfast, Sunday, June 18, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at Temple B’nai Torah. 2900 Jerusalem Ave., Wantagh. For more information, visit CBOhr.org.

Yard Sale

The United Methodist Church of Merrick hosts its annual yard sale, Saturday, June 17, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. 1425 Merrick Avenue, North Merrick. There will be something for everyone. Any questions, contact kplady97@gmail.com.

Car Show

The 15th Father’s Day Car Show, sponsored by the Nassau County Sheriff’s COBA, is set for Sunday, June 18, at Merrick LIRR Station, 9 a.m. to 3 pm. This is a non-judged event; trucks and motorcycles also welcome. Food trucks will be on site. Admission for cars is $15 if pre-registered, $20 day of. Visit NassauCOBA. com 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.

On stage

Families will enjoy another musical adventure, ripped from the pages of Mo Willems’ beloved children’s books, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Thursday and Friday, June 15-16, 10:15 a.m. and noon. This musical comedy adventure stars Willems’ beloved character The Pigeon, who is eager to try anything and everything. When a bus driver takes a break from the route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take the driver’s place — a pigeon. The audience is part of the action, in this innovative mix of songs, silliness and feathers. $9 with museum admission ($7 members), $12 theater only. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

Westbury House Tour

For many years visitors to Westbury House at Old Westbury Gardens asked what was beyond the first floor corridor. Now beyond the door and discover “secrets of the service wing,” during a 60-minute guided tour, Friday, June 16, noon; Sunday, June 18, 1:30 p.m.; Monday, June 19, noon, Wednesday, June 21, noon; Thursday, June 22, noon and 1:30 p.m. Be introduced to the intensive labor required to create the lifestyle experienced by the Phipps family and their guests; tour the many rooms that were “behind the scenes” to create the formal dining experiences of early 20th century. Go along the corridors to the butler’s pantry and silver cleaning room then descend the 17 steps to the kitchen, scullery, and wine storage rooms located on the ground floor. Reservations required. 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information contact (516) 333-0048 or visit OldWestburyGardens.org.

Smoke of wildfires raises health concerns

Air quality advisories were issued five days in a row amid worst pollution in memory

By NICOLE FORMISANO nformisano@liherald.com

The thick yellow haze that descended on Long Island last week was more than a natural sepia-toned filter — the unnervingly post-apocalyptic scene brought with it some serious health concerns.

The blanket of smoke that blocked out the sun on June 7 was a result of a soonerthan-typical start to what is projected to be Canada’s worst wildfire season ever. The resulting smoke plume was like nothing New York state had ever seen, according to officials from the Department of Environmental Conservation.

“It’s certainly the worst in memory, by far,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said of the air quality at a June 7 news conference. “It certainly is unprecedented.”

Long Island, like most of New York, received health advisories regarding degraded air quality every day from June 5 to 9. The advisories came as no shock to residents who were experiencing a yellow, smoke-scented world.

It “smelled like a campfire I couldn’t escape from,” one Facebook user commented to the Lynbrook Herald. “Amber skies, and fire pit smell everywhere,” wrote another.

The Air Quality Index, created by the Environmental Protection Agency, measures the level of pollutants in the air and the resulting health concern. Sensitive groups — children, seniors, pregnant women, or those with heart or lung conditions — should be mindful of AQI ratings of over 100, and everyone, regardless of health, should be careful when ratings rise above 150. Places in Nassau County saw ratings of over 300 during the June 7 peak of bad air. New York City had a rating of 484, briefly making it the most polluted city on earth.

“If you’ve been looking out the window the last couple of days, you can see the effects of the Canadian wildfires,” Dr. James McDonald, acting commissioner of the state Department of Health, said at Wednesday’s news conference. “If you’re out walking and all of a sudden you’re coughing, you’re feeling short of breath, that’s a signal. When your body speaks to you, you want to listen to your body.”

The DEC and other environmental and health organizations urged people to limit time outdoors. Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a statement urging all schools to suspend outdoor activities, and the Public High School Athletic Association canceled a number of sports events on Long Island.

“When we’re talking particularly about wildfire smoke, we know that contains fine particulate matter, which we know can enter the lungs,” Trevor Summerfield, the director of advocacy in New York for the American Lung Association, said. “These particulate matters could be potentially toxic as well. We don’t want anything in the lungs that’s coming from burning. We know that’s just not healthy for you.”

Short-term exposure to such pollutants can cause coughing, sneezing, shortness

of breath, a runny nose, and irritation of the eyes, nose or throat, according to the DEC. Significant long-term exposure can lead to more serious complications, such as asthma. The DEC and the American Lung Association urged people to stay indoors as much as possible, and to wear an N95 mask if a trip outside was unavoidable.

Last week’s conditions were something of a perfect storm of atmospheric anomalies. According to Nelson Vas, the warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service, the intensity of the smoke Long Island experienced was exacerbated by a poorly timed low-

Environmental and health resources

Check air quality near you airnow.gov

Safety tips and air quality forecasts @NwSNewYorkNY on Facebook and Twitter

Questions about wildfire smoke’s effects on your lungs?

(800) LUNG-USA (586-4872)

pressure system that funneled smoke from extreme fires in Quebec south to Long Island and the metropolitan area. The stifling smog, Vas said, was so intense that Long Island temperatures dropped several degrees.

“Some of the wildfires have spread a bit,” Vas said. “That and the wind direction have all come together to really increase the concentrations down here.”

The severity of the fires is due largely to an extended dry season in Canada. Vas explained that New York has not experienced such a dry spring, making a similar wildfire season here unlikely.

Nonetheless, even more concerning is

the possibility that this is only the beginning of a pattern that could continue to threaten the Northeast with smoke. Climate change is a direct cause of the increased intensity and longevity of wildfires, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. “We’re really concerned about climate change,” Summerfield said. “We know that climate change has an impact on our lung health because of incidences like this. I think it’s just getting worse.”

He added, “In New York, we’re blessed to have great air quality, for the most part. And when we’re used to that, and then you get (June 7), which is like the worst you could possibly see, it’s a pretty stark wakeup call.”

The stifling smog has given way to normal atmospheric conditions, but if the experts are right, and Long Island can potentially expect future run-ins with wildfire smoke, a hazy yellow world may be added to the growing list of “unprecedented events” people should get used to.

Tim Baker/Herald

ThE SMOkE ThAT drifted south from the fires in Canada obscured the skyline and reduced visibility across Long Island.

Courtesy Elysa Parker

ThE vIEw FROM North Woodmere Park as a plane landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport on June 7.

High-performing heart care, right here on the South Shore.

Get superior cardiac care at Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside.

Our comprehensive care includes the latest diagnostic testing, and expertise in minimally invasive treatments—making us a top choice for Long Islanders seeking help with heart conditions.

Rated high performing in Heart Attack and Heart Failure by U.S. News & World Report, Best Hospitals 2022-23 , and recipient of the Coronary Intervention Excellence Award™ from Healthgrades , we’re the only hospital on Long Island connected to the renowned heart experts of the Mount Sinai Health System.

Learn more at mountsinai.org/southnassauheart

Event focuses on pedestrian, bicycling deaths

By KARINA KOVAC kkovac@liherald.com

“I am living with this unimaginable pain, grief, emptiness,” Diana Alati, an advocate at Families for Safe Streets who lost her 13-year-old son, Andrew in a bicycle crash, told the audience at the first ever Walk Bike Long Island Summit. The event, held at Farmingdale State College, was organized to fight what advocates are calling “the silent epidemic” — the stunning and often overlooked number of pedestrian and bicycling fatalities.

Andrew was bicycling home from a friend’s house for dinner on Hempstead Turnpike, in Levittown, on June 30, 2019, when a speeding 19-yearold driver doing 55 mph in a 40-mph zone, trying to make it through a yellow light, struck and killed him. The Alati family, worried about how long Andrew had been gone, checked the Life360 app to see his location. They saw that his icon wasn’t moving, and rushed out. At the scene, his mother screamed to paramedics, “Is he OK?” saying over and over, “Andrew, please don’t go. Don’t leave me.”

But the affectionate young boy who loved baseball, hockey, music and riding his bicycle was gone, and “our family forever changed,” Alati said.

Along with other advocacy groups, Alati is part of a growing movement demanding changes that would reduce the number of deaths on the streets. Simple road design changes, such as rumble strips, consistency of school zone limits from town to town, and accurate police report documents, in the case of a fatality, are ways she has suggested could help, because “my son’s life was not an oopsie.”

Cynthia Brown, executive director of the New York Coalition for Transportation Safety, remembers the days of advocating for seatbelts to be a law. She recalls the combined efforts of medical professionals recounting the horrors of seeing car crash victims, public figures lending their voices, and public service announcements shown in movie theaters, and how they succeeded.

Brown said she believes that a similar group effort is

now necessary to draw attention to the severity of the issue, which has only worsened since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. “I think we need something like this now,” Brown said. “I don’t know how to bring people’s attention to what a serious problem (this is). It was bad before Covid, (but) since Covid it’s a nightmare.”

Speeding, impairment, distraction, and fatigue account for 90 percent of all fatalities, Kazem Oryani, an engineering professor at Farmingdale State College, said. “Thirty percent of the fatalities are related to speed,” he said. “This is the one (worth) fighting (now). There are others, which are education on other things, which would come later.”

Daniel Flanzig, an attorney and a member of the New York Bicycling Coalition board of directors, said he believes the next step for the next generation of drivers is automated enforcement, which works effectively in Europe and New York City — changing the incentive from relying on empathy to forcing open wallets after an impartial machine dishes out a ticket. Other than that, Flanzig said, little tweaks in a town can alter roadway behaviors, like changing the radius of a turn or painting bike lane lines more clearly with inexpensive paint.

Engineer Matthew Carmody stated that intersections and streets are safer when we can see eye to eye with one another. One improvement that accomplishes that is called daylighting, which bans parking near an intersection so pedestrians and bicyclists can see motorists, and vice versa. For this, Carmody said, no traffic study needs to be done; it’s just a matter of convincing the public to lose two a couple of parking spaces in order to save lives.

Karina Kovac/Herald

DIANA AlAtI, AN advocate at Families for Safe Streets, shared her heart-wrenching story of losing her young son, Andrew, to a reckless speeder at the first Walk Bike Long Island Summit, meant to fight the ‘silent epidemic’ of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities.

Feeding the hungry, harvesting local goodwill

the food pantries were really having a problem keeping food on their shelves,” Rona Kauffman recalled. “And thankfully, the temple board was willing to take a chance on it.”

It turned out that Temple B’Nai Torah had a playground that was no longer in use, and that spot was chosen for the garden. After much reworking, sand boxes became garden beds for growing vegetables, all of which would be donated.

Though not a member of the Temple Torah, Susan Salem continued to lend her gardening skills to the effort. “Susan and I share some responsibilities, and exercise different responsibilities depending on what’s needed,” Kauffman said. “We work very well together as a team.”

Salem brings her gardening prowess to the project, while Kauffman — in addition to her own gardening knowledge, learned from Salem — coordinates all of the volunteer efforts. She is the co-chair of the temple’s Social Action Committee.

“I grew up with my grandparents, and my grandfather was a gardener,” Salem said. “I grew up in Bellmore. But what really started it (was) when my son was young, we joined a community-supported agriculture farm — the Dominican Sisters of Amityville. That’s where you pay the farmer so that they could get the supplies they need — essentially, you invest in the farm. Eventually they asked me if I wanted to work there, which I did.”

Salem kept at the effort, serving as a consultant for numerous churches and schools that wanted to get involved in community-supported agriculture.

It was important, according to Salem, to ensure that although the garden was at the temple, it was truly a community garden.

“Doing something unknown is always scary,” Salem said. “People are concerned about teenagers, about vandalism. At St. Francis, we took a chance and took down the fence, turning it into a compost bin. And instead of calling it the St. Francis Garden, we started calling it the Garden at St. Francis, to send out the message that everyone is welcome. And it totally shifted the mindset.”

That’s what the temple did, too — and its plot is known as the Garden at Temple B’Nai Torah. You don’t have to be a member of the temple to volunteer and contribute to the garden.

“It was so incredibly brave of them to take a chance,” Salem added. “And what a beautiful response to Covid, when we’re feeling helpless and not knowing what’s going to happen.”

According to Salem, the vegetables grown in the garden include artichokes, sweet peas, radishes, cucumbers, Swiss chard, lettuce, beets, turnips, onions, garlic, lettuce and carrots.

“Pretty much everything but corn,” she said. “Corn is really hard to grow on Long Island organically.”

On the distribution end, Rona Kauffman said that the temple typically donates to the Island Harvest warehouse, in Uniondale; the Bethany House of Nassau County; Community Solidarity, based in Hempstead, and various residences of temple members.

To celebrate the success of the project, which has now had four seasons of harvest, Temple B’Nai Torah hosted a Garden Party on June 10. It was an hourslong event at which members from all of

the temple’s communities — Wantagh, Seaford, Bellmore, Merrick, and East Meadow — came together to honor the hard work for a good cause.

“Temple B’Nai Torah is very proud of Rona, Bob, Susan, and their dedicated committee’s accomplishments,” the temple said in a news release before the event, “which provide ‘Tzedakah,’ a Hebrew word meaning justice, specifically doing the right things by helping people or causes in need.”

Edwin Chavez/Herald Rabbi Daniel baR-nahum, far left, with Rona and Bob Kauffman and Susan and Phil Salem. The Kauffmans and Susan Salem are in charge of the Garden at Temple B’Nai Torah.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

A non-profit religious organization located in Merrick, NY is seeking sealed bids for sales and installation of security related enhancements. The project includes obtaining and installation of: 1.New solid interior doors with new frames and automatic closing and locking hardware to replace selected interior doors. 2.New double pane locking security windows with shatterproof glass & limited opening hardware

3.Physical access control equipment (card readers, door strikes, panic bars), to enable remote lock release capability that is compatible with our current systems for selected interior doors.

4.Acquire and install panic buttons in selected areas of the building (hardwired and/or portable wireless)

5.Acquire and install additional high-definition security cameras compatible with our existing video surveillance system. 6.Acquire and install LED dusk to dawn ground level lighting for exterior of the building

7.Acquire wireless portable Public Address System with both interior and exterior speakers.

Selection criteria will be based on knowledge of doors, door installation, security windows & installation, security cameras, security lighting and public address systems.

Experience and specific knowledge of all or some of items 1-7 listed above, adherence to projected work schedules, prior experience, references, and cost. Bids will be accepted for either individual items listed above or any combination of those items. Specifications and bid requirements can be obtained by contacting us at bidstbame@gmail. com. All firms who intend to bid and are interested in receiving the bid requirements must provide the following information in your email request: firm name, owners’ names, business address, primary contact, telephone, fax, and email address by no later than 5:00pm Friday June 30, 2023. Bids will be accepted until 5:00pm on Friday July 21, 2023. Work is to commence by Tuesday September 5, 2023 and be completed by October 31, 2023

140067

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC

HEARING PLEASE TAKE

NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Nathan L. H. Bennett Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, Town Hall Plaza, 1 Washington Street, Village and Town of Hempstead, New York, on the 20th day of June, 2023 at 10:30 o’clock in

the forenoon of that day, to consider the enactment of an amendment to Chapter 99 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead entitled “Registration and Permitting of Property” in relation to accessory structures and penalties. The proposed local law is available at hempsteadny. gov, on the bulletin board at Town Hall as of the publication of this notice, and on file in the Office of the Town Clerk of the Town of Hempstead, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, where the same may be inspected during office hours. ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.

Dated:Hempstead, New York June 6, 2023 BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK.

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk

DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor 140098

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

LOCAL LAW NO. 362023 PLEASE TAKE

NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held May 23rd, 2023, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 36-2023, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No.36-2023, amending Section 202-1 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include and repeal “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at various locations. Dated: May 23, 2023 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 140115

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD LOCAL LAW NO.39-2023

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE

that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held on the 23rd day of May, 2023, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No.39-2023, the following the closed of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Local Law No.39-2023, to amend Section 202-52 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead to repeal a bus stop

location in Merrick. Dated: May 23, 2023 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR.

Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 140118

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NASSAU COUNTY

WELLS FARGO BANK N.A., AS TRUSTEE, FOR CARRINGTON MORTGAGE

LOAN TRUST, SERIES

2006-NC4 ASSETBACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, Plaintiff against ABRAHAM KLEIN, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Fein Such & Crane, LLP, 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800, Rochester, NY 14614.

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered June 8, 2018, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on July 19, 2023 at 2:30 PM. Premises known as 2794 Lincoln Boulevard, Merrick, NY 11566. Sec 63 Block 127 Lot 64, 65, 66 & 74. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in at Merrick, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York.

Approximate Amount of Judgment is $779,655.70 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 007490/2015. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.” Karl C. Seman, Esq., Referee CARN203

140161

LEGAL NOTICE UPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATE HOLDERS OF THE CWMBS, INC., CHL MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH TRUST 2004J9, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES

Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on July 18, 2023 at The North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501, County of Nassau, State of New York, at 2:00PM the premises described as follows: 107 Byron Ct Merrick, NY 11566 SBL: 62-27-202 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 and State of New York. The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 004047/2016 in the amount of $960,146.38 plus interest and costs. Foreclosure Auctions will be held Rain or Shine. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Richard S. Mullen Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP Plaintiff’s Attorney 500 Bausch & Lomb Place Rochester, NY 14604 Tel.: 855-227-5072 140129

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR OPTION ONE MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST

2003-3, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2003-3, Plaintiff, vs. KEVIN P. MURPHY A/K/A KEVIN MURPHY, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale After Inquest and Appointment of Referee duly entered on January 31, 2017, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on July 18, 2023 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 1811 Bedford Avenue, Merrick, NY 11566. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 55, Block 123 and Lots 61, 62, 63 & 108. Approximate amount of judgment is $321,049.80 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 12007487. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or

6-year-old helps keep her neighborhood safe

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

Olivia Chinnici, a 6-year-old from North Merrick with a big heart, wanted to do her part to help keep her neighborhood safe. As the weather turns warmer on the busy street of Cameron Avenue, where dozens of kids live and play outside — Olivia was worried for their safety, and she set out to make change.

“Since she was young, she’s always wanted (a children at play sign) because she knew we have a lot (of kids) on our block,” her mom, Maria Chinnici explained. “Lots and lots of kids, and a lot of them are younger. It was an older block, and then all of a sudden, new blood came in, and its at least 21 — I think 23 — kids on just our block.”

Maria said Olivia, a first grade student at Old Mill Road School in the North Merrick School District, first mentioned the signage when she was 4, but she didn’t think much of it, until recently when she mentioned it again.

“She saw it on another block and she was very adamant about it,” Maria said. “She said ‘We have so many kids, I’m worried for their safety, because people drive crazy.’”

Over winter break, Maria had off from work, so her and Olivia decided to write a letter to the Town of Hempstead’s Traffic Control & Street Lighting Division, requesting the installation of a sign. In a handwritten letter, Olivia said, “My name is Olivia. I’m six. There are 21 kids on our block. I’m worried for their safety. I am asking you to consider putting a ‘Child At Play’ sign on our street.”

The town’s attorney, John Maccarone, ended up writing back to Olivia in lateFebruary, and said he was impressed by the letter and her concern for the young children in her neighborhood. He said the

request would be reviewed, and that a traffic control inspector would be assigned to investigate the roadway.

Maria said they didn’t quite know what to expect out of the process, but her and Olivia were thrilled when they received a response in the mail so quickly. “It was a typed letter, and it had her name on it and everything.” Maria said. “For a 6-year-old to write a letter for the town, I thought that was pretty cool. The whole thing took about two months.”

Just two weeks ago, Olivia got the surprise of a lifetime when she was told the sign had been installed on the block.

“One of my neighbors had said they noticed the sign was up, so we ran out,” Maria said. “They had signs up at both ends of the block, and they had put up two signs with the miles per hour and the ‘Children at Play’ sign, so the whole block was really excited about that.”

Court Appointed Referee

Courtesy Maria Chinnici OLiViA ChiNNiCi, 6, of North Merrick, wrote a letter to the Town of Hempstead, requesting that a ‘Children At Play’ sign be installed in her neighborhood, where over 20 kids live and play outside. Recently, two were installed on her street, Cameron Avenue.

Administrative Opening Monticello Central School

Assistant Elementary Principal

The successful candidate should possess: Knowledge of research-based instructional programs & practices; exp. w/ teacher supervision & evaluation; a record of successfully improving learning experiences and enhancing school to home communication; and can provide a supportive environment with knowledge of social-emotional competencies, restorative practices, and promote a culturally responsive educational climate.

Salary Range: $95,000 to $105,000

NYS SDA/SDL/SBL Certification Required plus 3 yrs. exp as a classroom teacher preferred.

Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE

Administrative Opening Monticello Central School

High School Principal

The Monticello CSD is seeking forward thinking and dynamic School Building Principal who can lead MCSD’s highly engaged faculty, staff, parents, students, and community. The successful candidate will have a vision of educational excellence, be highly motivated, and demonstrates an ability to impact student learning.

Starting Salary: $150,000

NYS SDA/SAS/SBL Certification Required plus 2 yrs. of previous administrative leadership and 3 yrs. exp as a classroom teacher preferred.

Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE

Administrative Opening Monticello Central School

Assistant Secondary Principal

The successful candidate should possess: Knowledge of research-based instructional programs & practices; exp. w/ teacher supervision & evaluation; a record of successfully improving learning experiences and enhancing school to home communication; and can provide a supportive environment with knowledge of social-emotional competencies, restorative practices, and promote a culturally responsive educational climate.

Salary Range: $95,000 to $105,000

NYS SDA/SDL/SBL Certification Required plus

3 yrs. exp. as a classroom teacher preferred.

Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE

DRIVING

EDITOR/REPORTER

The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry.

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

LINE COOK: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday 10am-6pm. Sandwiches/ Salads. Beach Restaurant. Great Summer Job. 516-835-2819

Manager On Duty

At Blaze, Old Bethpage Village Outdoors From September Through November 5-8 Hour Shifts. Serve As The Primary Point Of Contact For All Issues That May Occur During The Event, Seeing Each Through To Resolution. Serve As The Primary Point Of Contact For Emergency Personnel Hourly Rate $25-$30 To Apply: https://hudsonvalley.org/ employment/

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT Inside Sales

Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. We offer salary, commission, bonuses, health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Will consider part time. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286

OFFICE HELP PT/FT: Computer Literate. Answer Phones, Packing, Process Orders. Baldwin Dental Supply Company. 516-783-7800

Help Wanted

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Salary, Commission, Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and

Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

Path Monitor

At Blaze, Old Bethpage Village Outdoors From September Through November

5-8 Hour Evening Shifts

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

UP TO $20.70 NYC, $20.00 L.I., $16.20 Upstate NY! If you need care from your relative, friend/ neighbor and you have Medicaid, they may be eligible to start taking care of you as personal assistant under NYS Medicaid CDPA Program. No Certificates needed. 347-713-3553

Childcare Offered

CHILDCARE AVAILABLE SUMMER PROGRAM Infants - 12 Years Custom Hours Nights and Weekends Indoor and Outdoor Activities Arts and Crafts, All Meals NYS Licensed/ DSS CPR

HomesHERALD

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

East Atlantic Beach

Rare Double Lot

The perfect 2 family home situated on a double lot in coveted East Atlantic Beach, offering exclusive access to private beaches with a locker for all of your beach essentials. A spacious open layout is perfect for entertaining, and the gorgeous kitchen boasts stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and a large pantry. A side deck leads to a beautifully landscaped yard. The primary bedroom features a walk-in closet and a private entrance to a full bathroom. The lower floor has two additional bedrooms, a full bathroom, an oversized laundry/utility room, and additional storage space. Upstairs boasts a spacious onebedroom apartment with a large living room, kitchen, full bathroom and private balcony, perfect for accommodating guests or as a rental unit to generate additional income. There is parking for 3 cars, a rare commodity. Close to the trendy west end of Long beach with local restaurants and shops, offering convenient access to all the amenities you need.

The Barbara Mullaney Team

Berkshire Hathaway

Laffey International Realty

The Petrey Group 860 West Beech Street Long Beach 516-582-6096

REAL ESTATE

Open Houses

HEWLETT BA 1193 E. Broadway # M23

& Sun Rm Overlooking 1/3 Acre Resortlike Prop w/ IG Lap Pool, Hot Tub, Bar & Gazebo. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Gar. SD#20 $1,149,000

1193 E. Broadway # M23, BA, Move Right Into This Stunning Gut

Renovated 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Garden Town. Gourmet Kit W/Thermdore St Steel Appl Opens Into DR & LR. Primary BR w/Bth Plus Spac 2nd BR. W/D in Unit. New Self Controlled CAC. Oak Flrs, LED Lights. Near LIRR. Parking

Avail. SD#14. You Don’t Want to Miss This

REDUCED! $359,000

1599 Lakeview Dr, BA, 4 BR, 3 Bth Exp Ranch on Tree Lined St in SD#14. Spacious LR, DR & Family Rm, EIK & Fin Bsmt. Att Garage. HW Flrs. Near Park, Trans, Shops & Houses of Worship

REDUCED! $799,000

1534 Broadway #103, BA, Magnificent New Renovation! One of a Kind Ranch Style Living in Luxurious Jonathan Hall Condominium with Doorman & Elevator. Just Move into This Gut Renovated, Spacious 2 BR, 2 Bath Apt with Open Layout. Large Designer Eat in Kitchen with Sep Pantry & Laundry

Rm. Master BR Boasts Gorgeous Bth & Walk in Closet. Terrace Faces into Courtyard. Garage Parking Incl REDUCED & MOTIVATED!! $599,000

1534 Broadway #205, BA, Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedroom (Originally

3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit.

Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style

Living BIG REDUCTION!! MOTIVATED SELLER! $579,000

220 Jackson Pl, BA, WHOLE HOUSE RENTAL! 4 BR, 2.5 Bth CH Col on OS

Prop at the End of Quiet Dead End St. LR, FDR, Den/Fpl & Spac EIK. Primary

Ste w/ Bth. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Att Gar.

What permits do we need before we sell?

Q. I’m trying to figure out what to do about the old construction on my house that I am being told needs permits before I can finish selling. First, I understand that I may have to pay a penalty, and second, I’m wondering why my buyer says they will take over and get permits after we close but their attorney says it’s a lot more complicated because we didn’t get a flood repair permit after Hurricane Sandy. What can you tell me about this? It seems much more complicated than it needs to be.

A. This is a typical case of “you snooze, you lose.” I regularly hear from people who tell me that their friends, contractors, even their attorneys, in some cases, give them “off the record” advice not to make waves, not to do anything. But the issues and requirements don’t just go away, and design professionals are held back from what you really wanted them to do, like an addition or a home makeover, many years later.

REDUCED Move Right Into This Stunning Gut Renovated 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Garden Town. Gourmet Kit W/Thermdore St Steel Appl Opens Into DR & LR. Primary BR w/Bth Plus Spac 2nd BR. W/D in Unit. New Self Controlled CAC. Oak Flrs, LED Lights. Near LIRR. Parking Avail. SD#14. You Don't Want to Miss This...$359,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT BA 1638 RIDGEWAY DR.

FIRST TIME ON MARKET Well Maintained 6 BR, 3.5 Bth 3500 Sq Ft Exp CH Colonial on Beautiful St. LR/Fpl, Spac Fam Rm/Fpl, FDR, EIK & Sun Rm Overlooking 1/3 Acre Resortlike Prop w/ IG Lap Pool, Hot Tub,Bar & Gazebo. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Gar. SD#20...$1,149,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT BAY PARK BA,190 Meadowview Ave Ever Dream of Living in A Castle? This 8000 Sq Ft Mansion is Full of Character. Amazing Architectural Details, Soaring Ceilings, Stained Glass Windows. 5 BR, 6.55 Bths. Sprawling 1.3 Acre Prop with IG Gunite Pool. SD#14.Near All. Must See This Unique Home!..$3,200,00 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas elliman 516-238-429 ba

Open Houses

WOODMERE BA, 504 Saddle Ridge Rd.,

FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Move Right Into This Renovated 4 BR, 2 Bth Split with Open Layout in Prime Location! Granite/Wood EIK Opens to Dining Room & Living Room. Lower Level Den. HW Flrs, Gas Heat, CAC. Oversized Property! SD#14.Near All!..$999,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

Apartments For Rent

CEDARHURST NO FEE Private Entrance, Modern 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, CAC, W/D, Storage, Wall To Wall Carpeting, Indoor Parking Space. Starting At $1450 For One Bedroom When Available. (516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/ (516)582-9978

Garages For Rent

OCEANSIDE 2 CAR Garage.Great Location.Good for Classic Cars or Storage. Call For Further Informations. Must See! 516-476-8787

MoneyTo Lend

ARE YOU BEHIND $10k OR MORE ON YOUR TAXES? Stop wage & bank levies, liens & audits, unfiled tax returns, payroll issues, & resolve tax debt FAST. Call 888-869-5361 (Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-5pm PST)

Waiting and ignoring the requirements has put you in a much more difficult situation. Since Sandy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has required that people who received funding, whether directly from the federal agency or through public funds like New York Rising, had to confirm that the funds were put toward the repairs they were meant for. It’s just like providing your car insurance company the receipts and/or an inspection to confirm that the money they gave you for repairs was spent on the car, and not on some fraudulent luxury expense.

In 2013, your municipality required a repair permit, and instead of repeatedly contacting you, they opted to say that they notified you (once or twice), and now it’s your problem that you didn’t respond. The friction this created has lasted long after the memory of the flood turmoil has diminished. People feel ambushed, but arguing or passing on the requirement doesn’t make it go away.

In fact, one of the requirements is a “proof of loss” letter issued to the property owner, preferably the person who owned the property at the time of the flood. Switching to the next owner just complicates the process. Even though repair permits do not have a permit fee, most people made improvements during repairs, and your municipality recently doubled the fees for property improvements. So putting off the repair is now going to cost even more, which your buyer’s attorney might also realize while protecting the buyer.

When it comes to building department fees, one of the biggest municipalities, whose fees were more lenient, just raised them substantially. A couple who applied for permits in 2019, later hampered by the pandemic, saw their projected fees go from $2,000 to $4,600 this past month. Yes, it really did take that long, due to the pandemic and the stages of approval they had to go through, and they weren’t snoozing. Listen to the buyer’s attorney and follow through. Good luck!

© 2022 Monte Leeper

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

Ask The Architect Monte Leeper

Barbara Mullaney

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announcements

WITNESS WANTED To The Accident

That Occured On May 15th around 2pm At The Intersection Of Lakeville Road And Marcus Avenue. Please Call 347-235-0525

MERCHANDISE MART

Antiques/Collectibles

We Buy Antiques, Fine Art, Coins & Jewelry Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluations, 45 Year Family Business. Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid. SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

FINDS UNDER $100

Finds Under $100

30X12X12 FISH OR reptile tank with matching screen cover and 30" wooden stand. $75. 516-366-4004

CUSTOM SURF FISHING rod. Lamiglass Honey color SB1213M, cork tape butt, fuji conventional guides. $99. 516-781-7069

CUSTOM SURF FISHING rod. Lamiglass Honey color SB1362M, cork tape butt, mildrum spinning guides. $99. 516-781-7069

GOLF CART LIKE New $25.00 Assorted Woods $15.00 each Like New 516 781-8313

Finds Under $100

GOLF CLUBS COMPLETE set Tourney Irons $30.00 Golf Bag $25.00 Very Good Condition 516 781-8313

VINTAGE CHODZIEZ BONE china complete service for 8. Made in Poland $80.00. 516-785-601

WOOD HEADBOARD TWIN bed with Sealy Mattress (excellent) box spring and frame hardware. $99 516-366-4004

SERVICES

Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry

*MICHAEL LO BAIDO CONSTRUCTION*

Cement Specialist, Brickwork, Interlock Bricks, Belgium Blocks, Stoops, Patios, Driveways, Sidewalks, Basement Entrances, Pavers,

Electricians

E-Z ELECTRIC SERVICES, INC. All Types Residential/Commercial Wiring, Generators, Telephone/Data, Home Entertainment, Service Upgrades, Pools, Spas. Services/Repairs. Violations Removed. Free Estimates Low Rates. 516-785-0646 Lic/Ins.

Handyman

HANDYMAN

Repairs and Installations for the Household. Careful and Reliable and Vaccinated. Licensed and Insured. 30-Year Nassau County Resident. Friendly Frank Phone/Text 516-238-2112 E-mail-Frankcav@optonline.net

Home Improvement

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 866-393-3636

HANDY DANDY HOME IMPROVEMENTS

* Full Or Partial Kitchens/ Baths *Painting *Sheetrock *Taping/ Spackling *Installations Ceramic/ Vinyl Tile *Carpentry *Alterations *Repairs/ More. FREE ESTIMATES.

Dan 516-342-0761

Home Improvement

LITO CONSTRUCTION

Home Improvement/ Construction

10% OFF ANY JOB OVER $2,000

Masonry, Brick Work, Stone Decor, Pointing, Tile, Driveways, Sidewalks, Steps, Framing, Foundations, Remodel Interiors, Extensions, Bathrooms, Basements. Licensed/ Insured. Free Estimates. 516-564-8315, 516-376-9365

ROOFING GREAT PRICES ! NEW ROOF SPECIALS

SIDING- Best Prices

RENOVATIONS & ALL REPAIRS

SUPER COMPETITIVE PRICES! Licensed / Insured. Free Estimates Nassau License. # H-0102710000 Call John - 516-852-9830

Miscellaneous

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

Painting

OLD SALT PAINTING

Small Job Specialist

Great Rates, Free Estimates 516-312-9643

Power Washing

POWERWASHING ALL SURFACES: Houses, Fences, Concrete/ Brick, Decks/Sealing. . ANTHONY & J HOME IMPROVEMENT, INC. 516-678-6641

Sprinkler Syst./Irrig.Wells

Health & Fitness

VIAGRA AND CIALIS USERS! 50 Pills SPECIAL $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW! 855-413-9574

AUTOMOBILE & MARINE

Autos For Sale

DODGE 1995 STEALTH R/T CLASSIC Red, Auto, P/S, P/B, Good Condition $3500. 516-236-2565.

MAZDA MIATA 2015 Club Edition, Silver Black Interior, 17,000 Miles, Perfect Condition. If Looking for a Miata, This is a good One To Buy. $23,800 917-273-3737

Autos Wanted

***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS $Highest$ Ca$h

Tree Services

T&M GREENCARE TREE SERVICE

*Tree Removal *Stump Grinding *Pruning *Roof Line Clearing. Residential and Commercial. "We Beat All Competitors' Rates." Lowest Rates. *Senior Discount. Free Estimates. *516-223-4525, 631-586-3800 www.tmgreencare.com

Satellite/TV Equipment

DIRECTV. NEW 2-YEAR Price Guarantee. The most live MLB games this season, 200+ channels and over 45,000 on-demand titles. $84.99/mo for 24 months with CHOICE Package. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918

DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/31/24. 1-866-595-6967

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Education

COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM!

Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! 844-947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET). Computer with internet is required.

TRAIN ONLINE TO DO MEDICAL BILLING! Become a Medical Office Professional online at CTI! Get Trained, Certified & ready to work in months! Call 855-543-6440. (M-F 8am-6pm ET). Computer with internet is required

To date, there are at least 10 Republican Davids who have announced that they are running for president, and there are perhaps another five coming. This should very much please the Goliath, Donald Trump, who welcomes as many competitors as possible.

Almost all of the declared candidates have one thing in common. They are afraid to attack the former president, even though doing so would make them look truly independent. Former Vice President Mike Pence criticized Trump for his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, but then pledged to support the eventual party nominee.

From candidate to candidate, the story is the same. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis takes pokes at Trump and tries to outdo him, but refuses to aim any direct hits at him. DeSantis wants the support of the pro-Trump movement, so he won’t take on Trump in any meaningful way.

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley has some impressive credentials,

Ten Davids and one Goliath

and talks about “moving forward,” but she can’t muster the nerve to say anything negative about Trump. On issues like abortion, she is wishy-washy, saying she is pro-life and not criticizing DeSantis for his six-week abortion ban. She claims she does “not want to get into the numbers game.”

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is well respected in the Senate. He is very articulate, but when confronted with specific issues, he dances around like Fred Astaire. He could become a formidable candidate, but if he hedges like all the other candidates, he won’t get any traction.

Vivek Ramaswamy is a former tech and finance executive who relatively few people have ever heard of. He is prominent in conservative circles. He has a lot of work to do to get public recognition, and even though he declared back in February, he hasn’t made a dent in any public opinion polls. He is silent on Trump.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has great executive experience and is working hard to attract independents. He has made some negative comments about Trump, primarily about Trump’s

role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Hutchinson has a very conservative record on taxes and abortion, which might attract some voters. But he is too low-key at a time when more vocal candidates get noticed.

Doug Burgum, the governor of North Dakota, is a new face on the national political scene. In his home state he is known for cutting taxes and anti-transgender policies. Money is no issue, because Burgum is a billionaire. But a governor from an obscure state won’t ever be a favorite to lead the pack. He appears to be running primarily for name recognition, which may help in the next election cycle.

One of my favorite candidates is former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Coupled with the fact that he is a former U.S. attorney, he is articulate and tough. At his announcement of his candidacy, Christie ripped into Trump with humor and sharp barbs. Few political observers think he can win the nomination, but he has the ability to cause some damage to Trump.

While all of these announced candidates are running around Iowa, New Hampshire, Arizona and Georgia,

Trump is sitting back and thinking, the more the merrier. In the coming weeks there will be more entrants into the presidential horse race, which will make him even happier. The latest polls show him with a wide lead over his nearest rival, DeSantis. In recent weeks, DeSantis has seen a drop in his support due to some of his very unpopular actions in Florida.

Is it possible Trump could lose his party’s nomination? In politics, anything can happen. He faces two indictments (so far), in New York and Florida, which would sink almost any other candidate. But his continuing popularity among Republicans could keep him viable as a candidate, even one who’s been indicted.

And it’s possible that even if he’s not the eventual nominee, Trump will run anyway. He may be willing to burn the Republican house down, even if he’s in leg irons.

For now, it’s the Davids against Goliath, and Goliath is looking hard to topple.

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.

Column writing through hell and high water

I’ve written my column through hell and high water. To be specific, I wrote my heart out after 9/11, grieving with so many readers who lost loved ones in the towers. I scribbled my way through blackouts, epic blizzards, hurricanes and, for three years, the pandemic.

I wrote about how to sleep better and eat better and find friends and keep friends. Sometimes an idea landed on the page full blown, and sometimes it’s been a struggle to compose a cogent piece. I spent my 750 words in wildly different ways, from a tribute to a courageous teacher friend going through chemotherapy to a send-up of the muchreviled New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, to one column many years ago in which I advertised for a prom date for my daughter. (She was in on the joke.).

written about my children’s lives, their mitzvahs and their missteps. My breast cancer. My husband’s heart surgeries. I struggled for days trying to find just the right words to honor my parents when they died. In some ways the column has been a running history of our times in our Long Island communities. After all, don’t we share the same lives and dreams, worry about the same threats to our mother Earth and hope for a safer world for our kids?

RANDI KREISS

My work has been personal. I have

Many of my columns have suggested or reviewed books, the other love in my life. In return, many of you have pitched books my way that turned out to be thrilling and illuminating.

As politics got nasty and toxic in recent years, I jumped in, wanting to use my 750 words a week to rally support for our democracy, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights and laws that ensure equality for every community and every human being. I think these were words well spent, although at times the backlash has been fierce. That’s what opinion columns are for: to stir the pot,

open up the debate and disagree without getting too creepy.

When I was lucky enough to travel, I wrote to you from places as far-flung as Mumbai, the Maldives, Japan, Norway, Komodo Island, Normandy, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Dubai. The first question I asked when booking a trip was, “Will there be Wi-Fi?”

AOver the decades, I had one official week off per year, the end-of-year edition of the Heralds, when we publish special editorial pages. I consider the obligation to turn in a column every week, on deadline (most times), a sacred privilege and a joy. Mine used to be considered a “humor” column, and I miss that, but the world is only intermittently funny these days.

Maybe you can tell: I love newspapering. So it is with some sadness that I write today to tell you that I am taking a two-month leave starting next week.

My husband, my Donnie, is facing a serious medical challenge, and I want to be there for him 100 percent. I hope to see him through it, help him get healthy

and strong again, and come back to this page with fresh ideas, good news and renewed focus.

Over the next few weeks, we’ve decided to revisit some winning columns from the past 20 years, and hope they still offer a laugh or an insight or a reason to write an angry letter. I did briefly consider using ChatGPT to write my column while I’m away, but I’d hate to find out that I can be replaced by an app that’s writing fake college essays for a living.

I am keeping a journal of this time, and if you’d like to stay in touch, please write to my email below and I’ll share some of what I’m writing on our medical adventure. I wish we were off on a Hawaiian Islands fling. Or a return to Komodo Island, even with the monstrous, salivating dragons. I’d even settle for the North Seas cruise where the waves were 20 feet high and the sun didn’t shine for 14 days.

This turn of events is not what I would have expected or wished for in our lives, but it is what has been given us at this time.

Wish us luck.

Copyright 2023 Randi

Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

nd now a break, so I can focus on Donnie’s health. So we’ll rerun some favorites.

DeSantis, Pence, Haley, Scott, Ramaswamy? Who can take out Trump?

JERRY KREMER

HERALD

Don’t let our map of history disappear

“History is not the past, but a map of the past,” historian Henry Glassie once said, “drawn from a particular point of view, to be useful to the modern traveler.”

We explore that map through collections of stories, drawings and photographs. Later, through moving images and even elaborate recreations on the silver screen. Yet no matter how advanced our mapmaking skills of history have become, there is not a single plot point or directional as effective in truly connecting us with history than directly interacting with those who were there.

That’s why we are so grateful for efforts like the UJA-Federation’s Witness Project. Similar to other efforts with variations on the same name, the UJA started the Witness Project five years ago, as an effort to tell stories from the Holocaust and World War II directly from the source: those who witnessed it.

As part of a recent featured exhibit and film, “The Ties that Bind Us,” at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, the Witness Project showcased its efforts to tell stories directly to high school students in twice-monthly small group meetings where each has a chance to interact with

Another private energy company, Jerry?

To the Editor:

As former Assemblyman Jerry Kremer writes, “The PSEG love affair is over” (June 1-7). There is no prospect of LIPA continuing to contract management of our electrical system to PSEG. But Kremer is wrong to suggest that after the breakup, Long Island should get back out there and seek a relationship with a different private company.

Our current arrangement, in which a public utility (LIPA) outsources management to a private corporation (PSEG), is a unicorn found nowhere else, because it’s unworkable. PSEG wastes tens of millions of dollars a year, and gave us high electric bills, substandard service, and the lowest customer satisfaction in its class.

But the problem is bigger than one underperforming company. The incentives of outsourcing are all wrong. PSEG’s incentive is to

someone who experienced the horrors of the genocide, and later the triumphs of the period when it ended.

One of the witnesses who took part in the project is Fred Zeilberger, who was ordered to stack bodies of fellow prisoners like firewood at a makeshift concentration camp in Latvia. He was just 14, and was one of just 27 Jewish prisoners to survive that camp, out of 1,000 who ultimately ended up there.

“I was working every day,” Zeilberger recounted. “If you didn’t work, you didn’t survive.”

Some might question why we, as a society, spend so much time focused on history, when we have the present — and the future — to deal with. But that’s the thing. You can’t understand the present or prepare for the future without exploring the past. That means the bad, the good. The horrific, the triumphant. There is no room for filters, only for an honest assessment of what we, as a society, have cobbled together over the years, decades and centuries.

And yes, a lot of our history will make us quite disappointed in our ancestors. We may even feel terrible about what happened, even though we personally did not do any of those things.

No one, of course, wants to feel bad. But a little bit of guilt is far different than the pain and suffering so many others experienced before us. And if feeling bad helps us better understand the plight of those who came before us, it’s a small price to pay.

It’s an oft-repeated quote, so often that it could be argued that it’s cliché. But George Santayana was right: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Remembering the past might not ensure that it won’t be repeated, but it’s the best defense we have for breaking the cycles of pain and anguish that fill our history books.

Our darkest period in modern history is, by far, the Holocaust. Every story from this time couldn’t be more important. But as each year ticks by — as the Holocaust rapidly approaches the century mark — it’s vital that we keep listening. We keep learning. We keep seeking.

A map might make our travels easier by pointing the way, but it doesn’t simply make them easy. There are many obstacles blocking our way from the bright future we all want, and it’s important that we look at our own societal map — past, present and future — to ensure that we find our way.

Quality of life takes center stage in Hempstead Town

serving as a police officer in the New York City Police Department and the police departments of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for 22 years, I saw firsthand the effectiveness of the “broken windows” model of policing. This theory on policing suggests that visible signs of crime and disorder encourage further crime and disorder — especially serious crimes.

The theory proposes that having police enforce minor crimes, such as graffiti, public drinking, trespassing and fare evasion, will create an atmosphere of order and lawfulness. This model proved effective in New York City, when the city was transformed from the murder capital of the country in the 1990s to record low crime rates in the 2000s.

Albany’s soft-on-crime approach, with

cashless bail and the “Raise the Age” statute, has broken the windows of our community, and it’s our responsibility as elected officials to fix these windows.

Although the Town of Hempstead doesn’t have its own police force, we do have hardworking CSEA Local 880 employees who know how to get the job done.

The Town of Hempstead will be doing our part to help restore quality of life by tackling local community issues such as graffiti and illegal advertisements — and Supervisor Don Clavin and I created a Quality-of-Life Task Force whose sole responsibility will be to right these wrongs. By actively targeting minor offenses and keeping our township clean and pristine, we are taking a proactive step to discourage further illegal activity.

Since my days as a civic leader, I have battled these very same quality-of-life problems that deteriorate neighborhoods and bring down home values. I brought this initiative with me to the town, and formed a graffiti task force to quickly eradicate any reported graffiti. Capitaliz-

Letters

serve shareholders, which it does well, posting impressive profits. It also does well for itself, with big executive salaries and bonus packages.

It’s the same with other private utility companies. National Grid tried holding New York hostage by halting all new gas hookups unless it got a new pipeline, bringing local development to a standstill and damaging our economy. The company pursued its own interests at the expense of the public’s, and didn’t back down until the state imposed a $36 million fine and threatened to yank its operating license. Then National Grid had the chutzpah to turn around and push for a rate hike.

Putting ratepayers first would mean lower bills, shorter outages, and better service. Serving the public interest would mean faster ramp-up of renewables, and giving local voices a say in planning and oversight. Outsourced private management isn’t designed to deliver these things. That’s why, instead of getting enmeshed with another private company after PSEG, LIPA should switch to full public power, and manage the system for the benefit of Long Islanders.

LISA TYSON Executive director, Long Island Progressive Coalition Massapequa

The outdoor season is the noisy-aircraft season

To the Editor:

There are only a few short months during which we who live on Long Island can enjoy being outdoors, riding bikes, taking walks, sitting in the backyard, gardening and eating outside.

And we are bombarded by the sound of jets taking off from Kennedy Airport every 60 to 90 seconds.

The scream of the engines is a health threat. It’s a proven fact that excess noise impacts hearing; raises blood pressure, stress, anxiety and depression; and can lead to cardiovascular problems.

Can’t air traffic controllers shoot these aircraft out over the Atlantic Ocean until they reach significant height, and then turn them back over urban areas, rather than creating havoc with our lives in Rockville Centre, Lynbrook, Malverne and other communities that are in path of the takeoff patterns?

There is a Port Authority noise control number where you can lodge a complaint about the intolerable, brutal noise blasts. Call (800) 225-1071 and say something. If enough of us call, perhaps the P.A. will do something to let us enjoy our lives in the summertime while paying monumentally high taxes to do so. We deserve some peace and quiet.

JIM PAYMAR Rockville Centre

ing on this, I partnered with Clavin and the Town Board in expanding this task force to protect the quality of life in our township.

While we continue to fight against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s attempt to seize control over local zoning, the town will also fight illegal signs, overgrowth on public land, littered roadways, messy parking lots and, of course, graffiti. The task force is not limited to land and streets maintained by the town; it will also target signs on utility poles, and will not be hindered by bureaucratic red tape.

Low-level crimes blight our community, and by not holding criminals accountable, we’re pretending that these crimes don’t matter. We need proper leadership in Albany to do its part by equipping law enforcement with the resources needed to go after low-level crimes. Policies like cashless bail and “Raise the Age” only encourage this behavior, and we’re starting to see an increase in crimes such as graffiti at town parks.

Hateful graffiti was recently found at

a park in Seaford. While the drawings and handwriting were crude and childish, the message it tried to perpetuate was one of intolerance. The town was swift to remove the graffiti, but it’s not uncommon for the act to be a repeat offense. There is no fear of repercussion, and that empowers people to confidently scrawl messages of hate.

The town will continue to do its best to remove illegal signs and graffiti — especially those that infringe on the town’s zero-tolerance policy regarding hatred of any form — but sometimes the effort feels like it’s one step forward, two steps back. This needs to change.

We all want the same thing: safe, affordable and scenic neighborhoods in which to live, work and raise our families. It is my mission to keep the Town of Hempstead on this track, and I’m proud that our Quality-of-Life Task Force will continue to beautify a new area every day. We’re doing our part to fix the broken windows, but Albany would make this mission a whole lot easier if its leaders held criminals accountable.

Hempstead Town Councilman Christopher Carini represents the town’s 5th District.

Framework by Tim Baker

Serving it up at Eisenhower Park’s second annual Volleyball PrideFest — East Meadow

a special task force will rein in graffiti and keep the town clean and pristine.

CHristopHer Carini