Adam Schefter, one of the most well-known media personalities in the NFL, who grew up in Bellmore and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School, was honored last week by County Executive Bruce Blakeman as part of the county’s ongoing 125th anniversary celebration.
One of football’s best known faces honored by Nassau County executive
By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
Nassau County is marking its 125th anniversary this year by highlighting influential people who have called the county home, and have made an impact or become highly accomplished. One of those people, Adam Schefter, was honored last week in the Ceremonial Chamber of the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building, in Mineola, by County Executive Bruce Blakeman. Schefter, 57, who was born in Valley Stream but grew up in Bellmore, graduating from John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District in 1985, is a widely known sports reporter and analyst who covers the National Foot
ball League for ESPN. He joined ESPN as an NFL insider in 2009, and now appears on a variety of programs. He has been named a “Top 40” NFL media member by Sports Illustrated in the past.
Schefter is also known for his book, “The Man I Never Met,” released in 2018. It’s about his wife, Sharri’s, first husband, who was killed in the Sept. 11 attacks at the World Trade Center, and Schefter’s experience joining the family after his death. It was a national bestseller and received many positive reviews.
“As many of you know, we have so many people of accomplishment throughout our 125-year history of Nassau County, and we are honoring them,” Blakeman said at the
Domestic ducks struggle to live in the wild
By CHARlES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com
John Di Leonardo wants you to know that releasing domestic waterfowl into the wild doesn’t save them, but is instead a death sentence.
Last month, Humane Long Island, a nonprofit animal-advocacy organization, received a call that two domestic ducklings had been spotted wandering around Mill Pond on the BellmoreWantagh border. Di Leonardo, the group’s executive director, said that it managed to retrieve only one of the ducklings.
pared to live on their own: They can’t fly, they don’t have natural camouflage and they lack the instincts necessary for survival.
Abandoned waterfowl, Di Leonardo said, are a problem particularly in the Town of Hempstead, where he and other Humane Long Island volunteers have rescued hundreds of birds in waterways, parks and preserves from Baldwin to Seaford.
T hey’re as different from your wild ducks as your house cat is from a tiger.
JoHN Di lEoNARDo Executive director, Humane Long Island
“I assume one died in short order, and then we were able to rescue the other one,” he said. “So we already adopted that one out to a home on Shelter Island.”
Every year, Di Leonardo said, his organization rescues hundreds of domestic waterfowl, such as ducks and geese, that are released into the wild on Long Island. He explained that these animals are not pre-
“Unfortunately, these animals have very low survivability there,” he said. “The ones we’ve rescued there, they’ve been in bad shape. We’ve rescued ones with shattered wings, we rescued ones with bacterial infections, staph infections, eye infections. They cannot survive without human care.”
The spring and summer months are the worst, according to Di Leonardo, because ducks are purchased as Easter gifts or used for hatching projects in classrooms, where, after
CoNtiNuEd oN pAgE 5
Jordan Vallone/Herald
HERALD neighbors
Park Avenue field day filled with excitement
The sun was shining and the energy was high for field day at Park Avenue Elementary School in the North Bellmore School District on June 7. Donning their blue and white T-shirts, students competed in various activities on the back field during a day that was filled with school pride.
Students in grades K-2 spent the morning outside, while grades 3-5 took the afternoon session. Activities were coordinated by physical education teacher Bill Green and based on sports and games they have played throughout the year. Chicken Cacciatore was a relay-race in which students from two teams passed off a rubber chicken to each other, ran around a circle and tried to tag the opponent. In Guard The Castle, students had to try to sink a basketball into a heavily-protected bucket.
There were also traditional activities like the tug-of-war, and a sponge relay race that proved to be a great way to cool down.
Sixth graders, enjoying their final elementary field day, had a full-day experience. Each class spent a half-day playing the games and the other half leading the stations for their younger peers. The latter is a tradition that allows them to take on a leadership role as the oldest students in the school.
Courtesy North Bellmore School District
North Bellmore Superintendent Marie Testa, back row, second from right, and Board of Education Trustee Christopher Nardo greeted students at Park Avenue Elementary School’s field day on June 7.
Students got plenty of exercise as they raced across the back field.
Traditional games like the tug-of-war were part of the festivities.
In chicken cacciatore, students tried to track down their opponent to tag with a rubber chicken.
Fire departments compete in drill competition
By JACK SCHWED Intern
The North Bellmore Fire Department hosted a fire drill team competition at the Four Towns Fireman Training Facility in Merrick on June 8.
For over 100 years, fire departments throughout New York State have gathered for this competition, featuring events that measure each teams’ ability to efficiently execute fire drill procedures. These competitions provide fire departments an opportunity to pursue expertise in fundamental firefighting skills and foster teamwork among colleagues.
At the June 8 competition, various fire departments from across New York State were once again put to the test. The teams that participated were the North Bellmore Rinky Dinks, Hicksville Hicks, West Hempstead Westerners, North Lindenhurst Piston Knockers, Baldwin Tomcats, Islip Wolves, Bellmore Ballbreakers, Hagerman Gamblers, Carle Place Frogs, Westbury Turtles, Oyster Bay Teddy`s Boys, North Merrick Stump Jumpers, South Hempstead Rascals, West Sayville Flying Dutchmen, and Copiague Yellowbirds.
For each event, the teams were assessed on their speed in accomplishing the given tasks successfully and were awarded with points based on their performance. The competition began with the Three Man Ladder event, in which two team members were tasked to securely position a ladder in order for three other members to quickly climb the ladder and reach the top. The ladder events that followed, “B Ladder” and “C Ladder,” tested the same procedure, but incorporated the use of two different vehicles.
Teams were then evaluated on their ability to properly operate a hose, the primary tool used to extinguish fire and control its spread. Similar to the previous ladder-based events, the hose-based events included one by foot, called “Efficiency,” and two using the same vehicles as before, called “B Hose” and “C Hose.” For each of these events, the teams were tasked to connect one end of the hose to a fire hydrant, stretch it to its fullest extent, then release water to strike a target. The subsequent Motor Pump event followed nearly the same procedure, but used a motor pump, which expels water at a greater pressure and distance.
The final event was the Buckets event, which tasked each team to carry buckets filled with water to the top of a ladder, empty them, toss them back to someone on the ground, and repeat this until every bucket was empty.
Once every event had concluded, the points were tallied up, and the five highest-scoring teams were announced. The South Hempstead Rascals came in fifth place, the Hagerman Gamblers came in fourth place, the North Bellmore Rinky Dinks came in third place, the North Lindenhurst Piston Knockers came in second place, and the West Sayville Flying Duchmen emerged victorious with first place.
This competition showcased New York State Fire Departments’ unwavering dedication to serving the community and extraordinary commitment to ensuring their preparedness for emergencies.
Bill Kelly/Herald photos
The Bellmore Fire Department took part in a fire drill competition at the Four Towns Fireman Training Facility in Merrick.
The event, on June 9, was hosted by the North Bellmore Fire Department, who took part in a 3-man ladder competition.
North Bellmore’s competitors in the ‘B Ladder’ contest.
The West Hempstead Westeners took part in the ‘C Hose’ part of the competition.
The North Merrick Stump Jumpers in the efficiency contest.
Adam Schefter, JFK grad, talks football and more
June 20 ceremony. “We have astronauts, scientists, famous doctors, business people, athletes, performers — people from every walk of life — that have accomplished greatness and come from Nassau County.”
Schefter is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Northwestern University, and jump-started his career by working as an editor for the Michigan Daily, a student newspaper. He freelanced for the Chicago Tribune, interned with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and then moved to Denver, where he wrote for the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post. Before he joined the NFL Network in 2004.
“He’s widely known by so many throughout the United States for his very, very entertaining and insightful analysis of football,” Blakeman said. “I’m a big fan. I love my Saturday with college football, I love my Sundays with the NFL.”
Schefter was joined by his daughter, Dylan, at the ceremony. Blakeman declared June 20 Adam Schefter Day, adding that Schefter not only grew up locally, but still lives in Nassau County.
“It’s just very, very nice that you now have moved back to Nassau County — Nassau County is home,” Blakeman said. “Dylan is attending high school here in Nassau County. We’re just very proud that you grew up here and that
Book Review:
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Subtitled “Getting Older Without Getting Old”, this new book starts with the premise “... imagine bringing a whole lifetime of knowledge, experience, skills, talent, relationships, wisdom (and, let’s face it, money) to two or three more decades ahead of you in which to leverage all those assets into an ongoing wonderful experience.” With the Baby Boomer generation far outliving and “outhealthing” any prior generation, we are in the era of the “superager”, founded upon seven pillars.
Attitude: Believing in exciting new possibilities, optimism is a major life extender. Purposes and goals are a result of an active curiosity about the potential for the gift of these years. Practice a positive thinking booster program everyday. Search for “positivity apps” and get daily positive quotes. They work!
Awareness: Whereas older adults previously accepted the advice of professionals as gospel, today’s superagers are avid consumers of information. The challenge today is the approach to information gathering and the curating of the “informational torrent”. Tips and techniques for searching and filing your information are provided.
Activity: Keeping fit, mentally and physically
delves into the nine components, arising out of the Blue Zones Project, for extending longevity -- move naturally, have a purpose (worth an extra 7 years!), downshift, the 80% rule for eating, plant-based diet, moderate alcohol, faith-based community, family, social networks.
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Attachment: The health risks of loneliness are well documented. Superagers reach for more connection, often digitally. New adult communities are arising right on college campuses, creating exciting new intergenerational possibilities.
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a blessing to have you here today.”
Schefter thanked Blakeman for the honor. The county not only invited media personnel to attend the ceremony, but also its summer interns, who were encouraged to ask Schefter questions about his upbringing, and for advice.
“It’s a great honor to stand at a podium and look out at the people who ask questions and take video, being that I’ve been in that chair for 35 years,” he said. “That’s what I’ve done for 35 years. I sat in those chairs. I’ve asked the questions. I transcribe the press conferences. It’s nice to be in this position.”
Schefter spoke with young audience members about his work in sports outside football, shared some off-the-record predictions for the upcoming football season, and even offered some advice on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
“I think most jobs, done the right
way, are time-consuming,” he said. “It’s up to you to figure out the balance, and it’s very difficult, no matter who you are, no matter what you do, to strike the right balance. Sometimes if you’re giving your career more, your family suffers, and if you’re giving your family more, your career suffers. There’s really no right answer other than it’s in your gut.
“You just keep working hard at both and doing the best job you can,” he added. “I always think that as long as you’re dedicated — dedicated to your professional work and your personal world — usually people are understanding. It’s a battle all along, and you’re just trying to do the best job you can.”
Schefter said that Nassau County has always been “near and dear” to his heart. “It’s great to be a resident in Nassau County,” he said, “and it’s great to be before you here today.”
Jordan Vallone/Herald
adam Schefter, center, with his daughter, dylan, and County executive Bruce Blakeman.
Be smart with your sprinklers, experts urge
By NICOLE FORMISANO nformisano@liherald.com
More than 100 billion gallons of water will be used for lawn maintenance alone across Long Island this summer — enough to fill 150,000 Olympic-sized swimming polls — and the cost shows up in more than just your water bill.
It’s also hitting the ecology hard, according to officials, which is why the Long Island Commission for Aquifer Protection is urging neighbors to be mindful of their water usage.
“The heat wave has to make us realize that water, particularly in Nassau County, is a finite resource,” Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, told reporters last week at the West Hempstead Water District.
“It is all of our responsibility to protect that water supply.”
The entirety of Long Island’s drinking water comes from natural aquifers. They’re like giant underground sponges — when it rains, the water seeps underground and is absorbed by sand and gravel, creating natural reserves of freshwater.
“In Nassau County, we’re experiencing what’s called groundwater mining, which means that we’re taking more water out of the groundwater system than the rain is able to replace naturally,” Esposito said. “This is not a good recipe for sustainability.”
Nicole Formisano/Herald
Protecting Long Island’s groundwater is about protecting its longevity and local ecosystem, said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment.
The groundwater serves three vital functions, explained Bret Bennington, chair of Hofstra University’s Department of Geology, Environment and Sustainability. First, it’s pumped to the surface to be used as freshwater. Then it directly feeds just about every lake, stream and tributary on Long Island. Finally, when it travels to the shoreline and is released along the coast, it prevents saltwater from moving in underneath the island.
In other words, as long as groundwater
is continually flushing outward, the saltwater doesn’t intrude upon Long Island’s natural freshwater resources, which could ultimately destroy this vital reservoir.
There needs to be enough groundwater to adequately perform all three of those functions, Bennington explained. So, the problem isn’t that Long Island will entirely run out of water — it’s that the more neighbors drain these natural reserves, the more significant consequences they’ll see on the entire groundwater system.
Lakes and rivers become dry. Saltwater contaminates the fresh water under the island, rendering the reserves undrinkable. To compensate, more drinking water must be pumped from other reserves. The process snowballs into a vicious cycle — and it shows up on water bills.
“The more we pump, the more it costs to treat,” said Jason Belle, who chair the aquifer protection commission. “So, by reducing our pumps, not only do they reduce their water bill, it reduces the district’s bill, which will in turn keep the rates low.”
So how can people do their part? As the island approaches the peak season of water usage, officials said, perhaps the best way for residents to be efficient with their landscape-related water usage may be to adopt smart irrigation.
Smart irrigation is a “holistic approach to using water” in landscaping, said Mike Dwyer, director of the Irriga-
tion Association of New York.
If someone notices a brown spot on their lawn, Dwyer said, don’t just turn up the sprinklers run time. Check out the sprinklers in that zone to see if they’re running efficiently.
Are the nozzles clogged? Are the sprinklers blocked by plant growth? Are the heads rising fully out of the grass?
Plus, not all brown spots are from lack of water — insects or disease may be culpable.
And rather than relying on timers, he added, switch to a controller based on evapotranspiration — or ET — which adjusts how long sprinklers will run depending on how wet the ground is.
Why water your lawns on a rainy day?
“We’re not here to tell people to not water their lawns,” Belle said. “All we’re saying is that you can have the best of both worlds — a nice healthy lawn, while also reducing the amount of water to achieve it.”
“There are many good reasons to preserve groundwater, whether it’s for drinking water, for our ecology, or for our sustainability,” Esposito said. “We’re asking people to start now. Don’t wait until August when we’re in another summer heatwave and a drought. Start good water conservation practices today.”
Those who take the conservation pledge on the commission’s website a OurWaterOurLives.com has a chance to win a smart sprinkler controller.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Summit stresses cyclist, pedestrian safety
By SCOTT BRINTON Special to the Herald
Martin Buchman talked up the Long Island Greenway Trail outside the amphitheater at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow last week, a table full of maps, charts and pamphlets before him.
The retired high school teacher who’s also a board member of the New York Bicycling Coalition, said ground will break next year on the nearly 200-milelong cycling trail that will connect Eisenhower Park with Montauk, nearly 200 miles away.
“The real hope is to get bicycle infrastructure that does not compete with cars,” Buchman said.
The cycling advocate and enthusiast was at NUMC for the second annual Walk Bike LI Summit, at which “vulnerable road users” such as bicyclists and pedestrians were the primary point of discussion. He understands all too well the dangers cyclists face on the island’s heavily trafficked roads — and the need for safe spaces of their own.
Buchman has been hit twice by cars while riding his bike over the last seven years. The first time was Bike-to-Work Day in 2017. He was cycling 25 miles from Stony Brook to Plainview-Old Bethpage High School when a left-turning driver ran into him.
He broke his collarbone, and was one of three cyclists who wound up in the same emergency room together, all biking to work.
Buchman was struck a second time in 2022, cracking his fibula and needing 45 stitches to repair a gash in his lower leg.
A number of crash victims who enter NUMC — including pedestrians and cyclists — do so “hoping to walk out,” said Daniel Flanzig, a personal injury attorney at the Mineola-based Flanzig & Flanzig, who’s also a bicycling coalition member with Buchman. But “a lot of people do not. When my phone rings, somebody’s never having a good day.”
Nassau County recorded more than 37,700 crashes last year that killed 62 and injured more than 12,500 others, according to state statistics presented at the summit. Of those accidents, 421 involved bicyclists, with 358 injured and one person killed.
That means the injury rate involving vehicle-on-vehicle crashes was roughly 33 percent. The rate when a vehicle struck a cyclist was 85 percent.
Megan Ryan, NUMC’s interim chief executive and president, explained that most anyone who has suffered a traumatic injury in a crash throughout the county — in particular, a cyclist or pedestrian — will be sent to NUMC because it is a Level I trauma center. Ryan, who sits on the North Merrick education board, spoke of a high school student who was recently hit while riding his bicycle in her neighborhood and was rushed to NUMC. And then, on the day of the summit, a 12-year-old was hit by a car while riding his bike on the North Bellmore-Wantagh border. He was airlifted to Cohen Children’s Medical
When complete, the Long Island Greenway Trail will stretch from Manhattan to Montauk, measuring nearly 200 miles — 60 percent of which will be off-road. The trail will connect with the Empire State Trail, which begins at the Battery in Lower Manhattan, and runs 750 miles to Buffalo. The Greenway Trail will connect with 60 bus routes and 46 train stations, and will be within a 10-minute walk of 27 Long Island communities, according to the Trust for Public Land, which is spearheading the effort to construct the pathway.
Center in Queens, where he was reported in stable condition.
“Pedestrian safety, bicyclist safety, it’s very important,” Ryan said. “It’s something that I think is overlooked. We try to teach (pedestrian/bicyclist safety) for younger children, but it’s very important for the older students, older children, and adults, as well.”
Wendy Tepfer, executive director of the Community Parent Center in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, came to the summit to hear any
suggestions that might help improve the center’s driver education programming.
The center, Tepfer said, stresses the need to stay focused on the road, without distractions, in large part to protect cyclists and pedestrians. She noted that when drivers are distracted by cell phone calls, they are only able to focus 35 percent of their attention on the road, so their mind zeroes in on the cars in front of them while limiting their peripheral vision.
Pedestrians and cyclists, however, are
Tips for staying safe
Given the 2.2 million cars in the region, cycling on Long Island involves a degree of risk. But it’s risk that can be mitigated, according to the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University, with these safety tips:
■ Always ride to the right with the flow of traffic
■ Leave three feet of space between you and parked cars to avoid opening doors
■ Wear a helmet
■ Use bike lights
■ Use hand signals when turning
most likely to be found on the sides of roads — that is, in drivers’ peripheries.
“We talk about distractions all the time,” Tepfer said.
Cynthia Brown, executive director of the Westbury-based New York Coalition for Transportation Safety, said redesigning roads to improve safety is tough, if not impossible, because doing so often involves condemning properties to make way for new infrastructure.
“The only thing that you can really try to change,” Brown said, “is driver behavior.”
Courtesy Trust for Public Land
Courtesy Scott Brinton
Daniel Flanzig — a member of the New York Bicycling Coalition board — and Cynthia Brown, executive director of the New York Coalition for Transportation Safety, were among the featured speakers at the second annual Walk Bike LI Summit at Nassau University Medical Center, where bicyclist and pedestrian safety was front and center.
Fresh produce coming your way this fall
By NICOLE FORMISANO nformisano@liherald.com
Thousands of people across Nassau County go to food banks and soup kitchens each month for much-needed sustenance. But soon, the food bank may come to them.
Long Island Cares, a nonprofit focused on helping hungry families, expects to debut its Mobile Food Truck in September.
The new service specifically aims to make fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible to those who otherwise struggle to purchase them. When people have to pay for their medication, clothes and children’s school supplies, for example, spending the extra money on fresh produce is often out of the question.
“When people struggle with food insecurity, they oftentimes have to make difficult decisions with what they do with their money,” said Paule Pachter, chief executive of Long Island Cares. “And sadly, oftentimes what’s considered healthy food options — like lean chicken, lean proteins, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit — sort of become less important than paying for your rent. And so it becomes a focus — and almost, in my opinion, a responsibility — of food banks to make sure that people have access to the most healthy foods possible.”
Long Island Cares works with more than 350 local food pantries, but many
Courtesy Long Island Cares
The Mobile Food Truck for Long Island Cares — expected to deliver fresh produce across Nassau County — was made possible by a $250,000 grant from Bank of America Long Island. Bank of America executives Mark Perez and Jaime Stojanowski, left — as well as Jennifer Porti, fourth from left — presented the grant to Long Island Cares representatives Jessica Rosati, Yenny Buitrago and Paule Pachter.
simply do not have the storage capacity to house the fresh produce people need.
The Mobile Food Truck, by contrast, could deliver enough fruits and vegetables to fill up nearly five refrigerators, Pachter said. Local pantries can simply schedule a time for the truck to visit them, and their produce needs will be supplemented by the truck’s refrigerated storage.
The program is more needed now than ever, Pachter said. Fresh produce — already more expensive than less healthy
options — has skyrocketed in price since the coronavirus pandemic, according to multiple studies in the National Institutes of Health. Only around 1-in-10 people get their recommended daily serving of fruits and vegetables, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Mobile Food Truck is expected to improve those statistics for hungry people on the island.
A refrigerated food truck is a concept Long Island Cares has worked on for a
while now — but it was a $250,000 grant from Bank of America’s Long Island branch that finally brought the produce truck to fruition.
With that money, Long Island Cares can buy the truck with refrigerated storage and wrap it with the charitable organization’s name.
The partnership isn’t new. Bank of America is one of the largest donors helping hungry people, Pachter said — the bank’s previous $500,000 grant to Long Island Cares was directly responsible for opening new satellite locations, including one that is coming to Valley Stream.
“Access to healthy, nutritious food is more important than ever, and the new mobile farmers market will allow Long Island Cares to distribute fresh produce to more individuals and families in need,” said Mark Perez, president of Bank of America Long Island, in a statement.
And the program helps more than the hungry.
“This can be seen, in many ways, as a real boon to both the state and regional economy, because we always make it our business to first buy from Long Island when produce is able to be harvested in season” Pachter said. “So, this is really supporting New York in many ways, and supporting the Long Island farm community in many ways. ”
To find food near them or to volunteer, visit the Long Island Cares website at LICares.org.
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HERALD — June 27, 2024
Chabad honors pre-K graduates in uplifting ceremony
The Chabad Center for Jewish Life of celebrated graduates of Alan & Tatyana Forman Early Jewish Learning Center with a ceremony on June 17 athe Brookside School in North Merrick. The ceremony consisted of music, prayer, guest speakers and individual recognition for each young student celebrating this major accomplishment.
The ceremony kicked off with a welcome address from program director Chanie Kramer, who runs the Chabad Center with Rabbi Shimon Kramer. Rabbi Kramer led the ceremony’s invocation, and Rabbi Daniel Haramati then led attendees in prayer.
Marianna Borets, the administrative director of the learning center, later shared her thoughts on state. The graduating students said the Pledge of Allegiance and sand God Bless America, among several additional songs.
The ceremony also thanked all of the Chabad’s teachers for their work throughout the school year. To wrap up the ceremony, each students’ names were individually called and they received a diploma to celebrate the accomplishment.
State Sen. Steve Rhoads, who represents the distrist the Chabad is located in, shared his thoughts on Facebook following the grduation cremony. “A jubilant and joyous moving up ceremony this morning marked the momentous milestone for our Pre-K graduates of the Chabad of Merrick-Bellemore-Wantagh Jewish Early Learning Center,” Rhoads wrote. “Congratulations to all of the graduates. May your futures be bright and filled with joy and success.”
Tatyana and Alan Forman were presented with a gift from the Chabad’s classrooms.
— Brian Norman
Tim Baker/Herald photos
The Chabad Center for Jewish Life held its graduation ceremony for pre-K students of the Alan & Tatyna Forman Early Jewish Learning Center.
Michael Rovensky was among this year’s graduates.
Chanie Kramer, who directs the Chabad with Rabbi Shimon Kramer, welcomed families to the ceremony.
Marianna Borets, the administrative director of the learning center, offered remarks during the ceremony.
Class moms and members of the learning center’s administration.
STEPPING OUT
with Thomas the Tank Engine
Go on an adventure on the rails at Long Island Children’s Museum
By Danielle Schwab
All aboard! The lovable blue tank engine Thomas and his friends have rolled into Long Island. With a cargo full of interactive STEM activities for families to explore, Long Island Children’s Museum staffers — and visitors — are excited to welcome back the returning exhibit, “Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails.”
“Long Island Children’s Museum had opened the exhibit in early 2020 to great audience reaction,” explains museum president Erika Floreska. “Then Covid happened and the museum shut down. The exhibit sat in our empty building for months, anticipating the return of visitors. By the time the museum was able to reopen, the exhibit had to move on to its next scheduled destination.”
At long last, everyone can board once again as the train fulfills its intended route.
In real life, the islands just off the English mainland near Barrow in Furness, in Cumbria, has been home to the engines of industry — submarine manufacturing plant, undersea coal mining, petrochemicals and a hotly contested nuclear energy plant.
But for generations — baby boomers who read the Rev. Wilbert Awdry’s Railway Series books and the children of the ‘80s who experienced those stories, too, on a popular television series — the only island that counts in the gleaming distances of the Irish Sea is Sodor.
Sodor — home to Thomas the Tank Engine, that is, where the trains are as busy as ever.
“You’re stepping into another world, visiting Knapford Station on the Island of Sodor,” says Long Island Children’s Museum education director Ashley Niver.
Awdry originally created the beloved trains in the early 1940s as stories for his son, Christopher. The fictional tank locomotive has since captivated families worldwide.
While the look of trains has changed since Thomas first came to be, the message is clear: trains don’t lose their appeal.
“There is something super magical and enticing about playing with toy trains. It seems to triumph over any other vehicle,” Niver says. “When you see a train, it’s like, ‘Wow, that’s a special trip.’”
The traveling exhibit, created by the award-winning Minnesota Children’s Museum in partnership with Mattel’s Fisher-Price, rolled into the museum in late May and will continue to charm families through Sept. 8.
Targeted especially for kids between 2 and 7, the exhibit incorporates foundational STEM learning that can perhaps inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and physicists.
Through engaging play, families arrive at creative solutions to problemsolving using mathematical thinking and experimentation as they respond to challenges.
“Kids are learning how to engineer together,” Niver says. “It’s a really nice area where you can let your kids roam free. They can explore, and there’s a lot of socialization happening too.”
First, look inside a Sodor train.
“You’re welcomed with a bright, shiny Thomas, a giant life-size one which the kids can board,” Niver says. “Some levers and parts create train noises, whistles and steam.”
Then, help out the green train, Percy, repair a wobbly wheel. Continue on to move coal into Percy’s coal box and fill his tank with water. Also load luggage,
• Now through Sept. 8, Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• $17 museum admission, $16 seniors 65 and older; additional fees for theater programming
• View the events calendar at LICM.org for additional information or call (516) 224-5800
• Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City.
livestock and addtional cargo into two train cars.
Even become part of Thomas’ world by suiting up as a conductor, exchanging money, and selling tickets to passengers.
And naturally, it wouldn’t be a “Thomas & Friends” experience without some toy trains.
Families can play at an oversized Thomas wooden railway table, bringing people through all Sodor’s iconic destinations such as Tidmouth Sheds, Brendam Docks, and the Sodor Search and Rescue Station.
While in actuality trains connect us to various places both familiar and new, the “connection” here is an emotional one.
“What’s really important about Thomas is that he is super hard-working,” Niver says. “He’s the smallest train, but he never gives up, and he always tries to help people learn to work together, to cooperate, to be kind to one another.
“Children find him really endearing and connect on a deep level with him.”
As North Western Railway Controller Sir Topham Hatt always says: “Thomas is a very useful engine.”
‘And stars fill my dream…’
Get the Led Out rocks out with their tribute to what many consider rock ‘n roll’s greatest band, in ‘A Celebration of the Mighty Zep.’ From the bombastic and epic, to the folky and mystical, GTLO has captured the essence of the recorded music of Led Zeppelin and brought it to the concert stage. The six veteran musicians who make up the Philadelphia-based group deliver all passion these bluessoaked rock anthems deserve. GTLO re-creates songs, in all their depth and glory, with the studio overdubs that Zeppelin themselves never performed. No wigs or fake English accents, the band brings what the audience wants — a high-energy Zeppelin concert with honest, heartthumping intensity with a strong focus on Led Zeppelin’s pivotal early years.
Friday and Saturday, June 28-29, 8 p.m. $75. $45, $30. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.
There’s also something nostalgic for the parents who grew up watching the televised version of Thomas. On view are model engines from the original live-action series, and copies of the original drawings along with 75 manuscripts, among the memorabilia documenting the history and evolution of Thomas.
to another, “Thomas &
From one generation to another, “Thomas & Friends” continues to captivate audiences in a powerful way.
children with that you can
“Anything that you remember raising your own children with that you can then pass down is the coolest thing, to have that connectivity years,” Niver adds.
Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘Iolanthe’
through the
Mortals and immortals come face to face in the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company’s of Long Island’s production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic ‘Iolanthe.’ The comic opera, which debuted in 1883, is one of the most beloved of all the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Its perfect balance of words and music, humor and drama, and political satire resonates to this day. The whimsical story involves a half fairy/ half mortal shepherd lad who falls in love with wealthy heiress that sets up a conflict between the wily Lord Chancellor and the cosmically powerful Fairy Queen. Featuring some of Sullivan’s most stunning music, including ‘Oh Foolish Fay,’ and what is popularly known as ‘The Nightmare Song,’ expect an evening of first class entertainment and riotous fun suitable for all ages.
Sunday, June 30, 3 p.m. $30, $25 seniors/children. Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at MadisonTheatreNY.org or call (516) 323-4444.
Photos courtesy Long Island Children’s Museum Thomas has chugged into the museum and invites families to stop on by.
Explore the Island of Sodor for an adventure on the rails.
A future train conductor checks in.
Visitors collaborate to repair Percy’s wobbly wheels.
It’s Your Flag… Display
THE Your Neighborhood
July 7
The English supergroup, fronted by original member Geoff Downes, along with a brand new lineup, is reinvigorated and back on tour, appearing on the Paramount stage, Sunday, July 7, 7 p.m . Today, the legendary band comprises Geoff Downes, John Mitchell, Harry Whitley, and Virgil Donati. Their new tour, “Heat of the Moment,” additionally features Focus, Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash), Curved Air, and Roger Dean as special guests. Asia was the biggest selling album of 1982, Number 1 on Billboard for nine weeks and pioneers of the MTV era!
Downes’ new iteration of Asia first began to evolve last summer, at the concert held in memory of late lead singer, songwriter and bassist, John Wetton (King Crimson, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, Wishbone Ash, UK, Asia, John Wetton Band, Icon). Downes invited old friend John Mitchell (It Bites, Frost*, Lonely Robot, Kino, John Wetton Band, Icon) and newcomer Harry Whitley to join him on stage to celebrate Wetton’s life by performing some of the classic Asia hits. Such was the uproarious reception to their set that Downes wondered if something magical was beginning to take shape. Downes’ new-look Asia once again features Mitchell on guitars and Whitley on lead vocal and bass. The quartet is made complete by the addition of Virgil Donati (UK, Southern Sons, Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth) on drums. The band will perform the hits you know and love, including “Heat of the Moment,” “Only Time Will Tell,” “Sole Survivor,” and more. $99.50, $79.50, $69.50, $69.50, $59.50, $49.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.
Dramatic Play
Theatre Playground returns to Long Island Children’s Museum with “Dramatic Play!,” Monday, July 1, 1 p.m., taught by Lisa Rudin, Director of Theatre Playground. In this interactive, theater-inspired workshop, children will act out an original story and help choose how it unfolds. Music, props, and sound effects create a theatrical world where participants are immersed in the story.
Children are encouraged to express themselves as they create characters, explore different worlds, stretch their imaginations and build selfconfidence. This week’s theme: Calling All Superheroes! Costumes encouraged. $5 with museum admission. Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 2245800 or LICM.org.
Barnaby Bye
The band returns to My Father’s Place, Saturday, June 29, 8 p.m. Come celebrate the music, the memories and the good times with Billy, Bobby, Peppy and Mike! Doors open at 6 p.m., concert is at 8 p.m. 221 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn,. For tickets/information, visit MFPProductions.com or call (516) 580-0887.
On exhibit Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “Urban Art Evolution,” is a comprehensive exhibit featuring a diverse range of compositions from the 1980s through the present by creators who were based in the rough and tumble downtown area of New York City known as Loisaida/LES (Lower East Side/East Village) and close surrounding neighborhoods.
Artists pushed the boundaries of what was considered “art” with a primary focus on street/graffiti art. The exhibit’s scope, guest curated by art collector/gallerist Christopher Pusey, offers an even broader view from other creative residents, who worked inside their studios but still contributed to the rich fabric of the downtown art scene from different vantage points and aesthetics.
Works include sculpture, paintings, photography, music, and ephemera from many noted and influential artists. On view through July 7. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
STARRING TONY AWARD® WINNER JAMES MONROE IGLEHART
Car Show
Bellmore Presbyterian Church hosts a car show fundraiser, Sunday, July 14 , 9 a.m.-4 p.m. With tunes with DJ Night Train, children’s games, breakfast for participants, raffles, and more. Tickets for walk-ins cost $2 per person. Car registration costs $20 per car, or $15 earlybird price for vehicle. 2740 Martin Ave. For more information, call (516) 790-2475 prior to the event, or (516) 816-1404 on the day of the event.
Independence Day 4 Mile Run/Walk
Bellmore Striders hold their 40th annual Independence Day 4 mile run, dedicated to the memory of former Striders member Matthew Warkala, Thursday, July 4 , starting at 8:30 a.m. Run begins at the Bellmore Fire House. Cost to participate is $14. All are welcome. 230 Pettit Ave. For more information, visit BellmoreStriders.com.
Celebrate Israel
Salute Israel, while welcoming Eisenhower Park’s summer concert season, at the annual Celebrate Israel concert, presented by Jewish Community Relations Council of Long Island, Sunday, June 30, 6 p.m. Israeli superstar Raviv Kaner performs. Bring seating. Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, Eisenhower Park, East Meadow. For more information, visit Facebook. com/jcrcli.
In concert
Dance the night away as Decadia plays tribute music from the ‘80s and beyond, Tuesday, July 2, 7:30 p.m., at Newbridge Road Park in Bellmore. The concert is sponsored by the Town of Hempstead. Those attending are asked to bring a chair or blanket. Visit HempsteadNY. gov for more information.
Having an event?
Celebrate America
View the pyrotechnic spectacle, as part of Eisenhower Park’s annual holiday double bill, TD Bank’s Celebrate America, which also includes a concert, at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, Wednesday, July 3, 5:30-10 p.m. With performances by the popular local Allman Brothers tribute act Allmost Brothers and Chicken Head. Bring seating. Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, Eisenhower Park, East Meadow. For information, visit NassauCountyNY.gov.
Summer sounds
Enjoy a tuneful summer evening at the Town of Hempstead’s Neighborhood Concert Series, Wednesday, July 17, 8 p.m.
Hear So Good the Neil Diamond Experience at Merrick Road Park. Bring seating. 2550 Clubhouse Road. For information, call (516) 292-9000 ext. 7480.
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.
Film Screening
Visit Nassau County Museum of Art for a viewing of “Wild Style,” a 1983 film regarded as the first hip-hop movie, Saturday, June 29, 3 p.m. A hybrid project that exists as both a musical and a documentary, the film features hip-hop pioneers of the period, including Fred “Fab Five Freddy” Brathwaite, Lee Quiñones, Lady Pink, The Rock Steady Crew, The Cold Crush Brothers, Queen Lisa Lee of Zulu Nation, Grandmaster Flash, and Zephyr, who play themselves in a loosely scripted story shot entirely in the South Bronx, the Lower East Side, and MTA subway yards.
A Q&A follows with director Charlie Ahearn and critic-curator, Carlo McCormick. Seating is limited and reservations required. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
Summer sounds
Visit Eisenhower Park’s Field #1 for its Noontime Concert series, Wednesday, July 3, noon-2 p.m. Enjoy “The Many Voices of Dennis Dell.” Dell’s vocally stylings transport his audience to another world. Hear your favorite songs brought to life with originality and authenticity. Bring seating. For information, visit NassauCountyNY.gov.
Amazing Animator’s Stop Motion Camp
Kids can gain hands-on experience in stop-motion animation by creating a stop-motion movie at the North Merrick Public Library, starting Wednesday, June 10, 4-5:30 p.m. All children entering grades 3-6 are welcome. By signing up for this event, attendees are committed to all sessions: July 10, 17, 24; also Aug. 7, 14. Registration is required. 1691 Meadowbrook Road. For information and to register, visit NMerrickLibrary.org.
Friday Night Car Show
The Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores holds its Friday Night Car Show, through Oct. 4, at the Bellmore LIRR parking lot. Show opens at 6 p.m., closes at 10 p.m. Free for all spectators; admission for cars is $5. For more, visit BellmoreChamber. com.
2024 Zoetry Live
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Iota Theta Zeta chapter, hosts a night of poetry and spoken word at Merrick Clubhouse on Friday, June 28, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. $25 for guests and $30 for performers. All funds raised will be put toward the sorority’s scholarship program. 2550 Clubhouse Road.Visit IotaThetaZetaChapter.com for more information.
BRUCE A. BLAKEMAN
NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTIVE
presents FREE LAKESIDE THEATRE CONCERTS
EISENHOWER PARK, East Meadow | Parking Field #6 All Events weather permitting. Call 516-572-0200 for up-to-date information.
Joro ‘spider invasion’ dubbed a web of lies
By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com
JUNE
Saturday, June 15
8:00-9:30pm Ja Rule at Mitchel Field Athletic Complex
Sunday, June 16 ..................
6:00-8:30pm Indian American Night
Wednesday, June 26
7:00-9:30pm Greek American Night
Saturday, June 29 ...............
6:00-8:30pm Chinese American Night
Sunday, June 30
6:00-8:30pm Israeli American Night
JULY
Monday, July 1
7:00-9:30pm German American Night
Wednesday, July 3
5:30-10:00pm TD Bank’s Celebrate America Fireworks & Show featuring The Allmost Brothers Band & Chicken Head Rocks
Friday, July 5 Fireworks Rain Date
Saturday, July 6
7:00-9:00pm
So Good – The Neil Diamond Experience
Sunday, July 7
6:00-8:00pm Opera Night with Christopher Macchio
Monday, July 8
5:00-6:30pm
Senior Afternoon Concert: The Excellents and The Demensions
Thursday, July 11
7:00-10:00pm Rock of Ages Tribute: Shoot 2 Thrill - AC/DC
Completely Unchained - Van Halen Return to Paradise - Styx
Friday, July 12
7:00-9:00pm
Streetfighter – Rolling Stones Tribute
Saturday, July 13
7:00-9:00pm Misty Mountain – Led Zeppelin Tribute
Sunday, July 14
6:00-9:00pm Harry Chapin Tribute Show & Food Drive with The Harry Chapin Band and Will Sing For Food
Monday, July 15
7:00-9:00pm The Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra
Thursday, July 18................
7:00-9:30pm Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “A Grand Night for Singing” by Plaza Productions
Friday, July 19
7:00-9:30pm Creole American Night
Saturday, July 20 ................
7:00-9:00pm Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway
Sunday, July 21
6:00-8:30pm Bangladeshi American Night
Monday, July 22 ..................
7:00-9:00pm Italian American Night
Thursday, July 25
7:00-9:00pm
Barometer Soup - A Tribute to Jimmy Buffet
Friday, July 26 .................
7:00-9:00pm Doo Wop Show: Johnny Farina of Santo & Johnny, Phil Cracolici and The Mystics, Vito Picone and The Elegants, Jimmy Gallagher of The Passions
Saturday, July 27
7:00-9:00pm The Hilarious Hitmen, a Comedy Musical Spectacular
Sunday, July 28
Korean American Night
Monday, July 29
6:00-8:30pm
5:00-6:30pm
Senior Afternoon Concert: The Fireflies and The Devotions AUGUST
Friday, August 2
7:00-9:00pm
Dancing Dream – ABBA Tribute
Saturday, August 3
6:30-9:30pm
Salute to Vets Show with Face to Face & American Bombshells
Sunday, August 4
6:30-8:30pm
The Midtown Men featuring Stars from the Original Cast of Jersey Boys
Monday, August 5................ 7:00-9:30pm
Irish American Night
Thursday, August 8 7:00-9:00pm
Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack
Friday, August 9 .................. 7:00-9:00pm
45 RPM
Saturday, August 10 7:00-9:00pm
This is Garth featuring JD Leonard
Sunday, August 11 .............. 6:30-8:30pm
Living Colour
Monday, August 12
5:00-6:30pm
Senior Afternoon Concert: Vinnie Medugno & The Chiclettes
Thursday, August 15 7:00-9:00pm
UB40 : Red Red Wine Tour
Friday, August 16
7:00-9:00pm
Zac Brown Tribute Band (ZBTB)
Saturday, August 17 7:00-9:00pm
Doo Wop Show: Manhattan Skyline, Stan Zizka & The Del Satins, Larry Chance’s Earls
Sunday, August 18 .............. 4:00-8:00pm Pakistani American Night
Monday, August 19 7:00-9:30pm Ukrainian American Night
Thursday, August 22 ........... 7:00-9:00pm
Let’s Sing Taylor - Taylor Swift Experience
Saturday, August 24 7:00-9:00pm Disco Unlimited
Sunday, August 25 .............. 7:00-9:00pm Don Felder former lead guitarist of The Eagles
Friday, August 30 7:00-9:00pm That Motown Band SEPTEMBER
Sunday, September 1 ......... 7:00-9:00pm The Purple Experience - Prince Tribute
Sunday, September 8 5:00-7:30pm
Turkish American Night
Saturday, September 14 .... 7:30-10:00pm
World Renowned Puerto Rican Salsa Orchestra
Friday, September 20 7:00-10:00pm
Legendary House DJ TBA with LI’s Own DJ Theo opening
Sunday, September 29 2:00-9:00pm Latino American Night
Bring Blankets or Chairs
The arrival of joro spiders, which are native to East Asia, in the United States has sparked concern and some sensational headlines. According to experts, however, the potential impact on Long Island’s North Shore is likely to be far less dramatic than feared.
The joro spider, Trichonephila clavata ,was first documented in North America in Georgia in 2014, and has since spread to several southeastern states. The spider takes its name from a creature of Japanese folklore called a jorogumo, a legendary spider and seductress that can shape-shift into a woman, breathe fire and control other spiders.
There have been reports suggesting the spider’s imminent invasion of northern states, including New York. But John Di Leonardo, an anthrozoologist and the president of Humane Long Island, urges caution and perspective.
“They’re native to Asia, but they were introduced to Georgia and somewhat made their way to neighboring states,” Di Leonardo noted. “There is no evidence that they’ve made their way to New York.”
Despite the dramatic headlines about giant flying spiders, Di Leonardo emphasizes that these descriptions are greatly exaggerated. He explained that the female spiders’ bodies are only up to an inch long, and the males are smaller.
The joro spider, which has a distinctive yellow and blue-black pattern with red markings, has often been described as a venomous and invasive species, but Di Leonardo clarified that while they are venomous, their venom poses no significant threat to humans.
I■ Native to: China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan
■ Body size: 0.67-0.98 inches (females), 0.28-0.39 inches (males)
■ Diet: Flies, mosquitoes, stink bugs, other small insects
■ Risk to humans: None
vastly overstated,” Di Leonardo said. “They can kind of make little parachutes and balloon themselves when they’re only tiny babies.”
In terms of ecological impact, there could even be potential benefits. With rising temperatures contributing to an increase in insect populations, joro spiders might help control pests. According to a 2021 news release from the University of Georgia, where entomologists have been studying the spiders since they first appeared in the state, they have been observed eating other invasive species, like the brown marmorated stink bug.
t’ll be a long time before we see them in New York, if ever.
JoHN
DI LEoNarDo
President,
Humane Long Island
“They’re no more venomous than your average house spider,” he said. “We’re not talking about a brown recluse or black widow.”
Moreover, the term “invasive,” Di Leonardo said, might not even apply to joro spiders. He pointed out that despite the fact that they have been in the U.S. for around a decade, there has been no evidence of negative impacts on local ecosystems.
“They’re exotic and non-native, but there’s no science to show that they’re actually invasive,” he said. “If they were going to have a negative impact, we probably would have seen it by now.”
While fears of the spiders “ballooning” their way north are prevalent, Di Leonardo explained this phenomenon. Ballooning is a dispersal method known among tiny juvenile spiders, not adults. While it certainly helps young spiders spread themselves out, it’s not a means of long-range movement that will carry them across multiple state lines.
“They can’t really fly. I think that’s
“Spiders are our friends, not our foes,” Di Leonardo said. “I think humans have a largely symbiotic relationship with spiders. Of course we do have a natural fear of them, and it’s good to have a healthy fear, but let’s not be paranoid.”
Whether the spiders can survive in colder northern climates remains uncertain. The climate in Georgia is markedly different from New York, and it is still unknown whether the spiders can endure harsher winters. Despite the hyperbolic coverage, Di Leonardo stresses the importance of maintaining a balanced perspective.
“It’ll be a long time before we see them in New York, if ever,” he predicted. “Headlines and social media can easily turn a harmless thing into a perceived deadly threat.”
Di Leonardo also urged focusing on more pressing ecological issues, such as the impacts of animal agriculture on the environment, rather than demonizing these spiders. People have far more reason to be concerned about cross-species diseases and toxic and inhumane husbandry practices, he said, than headlines about giant flying spiders.
Research on Joro spiders is continuing, primarily in Georgia and other states where they have been found. Universities are studying their ecological impacts, though Di Leonardo noted that much of that work is local to areas where joro spiders have established populations.
Chabad celebrates Shavuot with fun and flavor
By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdalessandro@liherald.com
At the Chabad Center for Jewish Life, led by Rabbi Shimon Kramer, the Jewish community celebrated Shavuot with a Divine Dairy Party on June 12.
Shavuot is a holiday of great spiritual importance, commemorating when the Jewish people received the Ten Commandments at the top of Mount Sinai over 3,300 years ago, after 49 days of exile from Egypt.
The Chabad center’s party had parents and their children eat ice cream, play with arts and crafts and read from the Torah.
“One of the things that we do is we take the actual original Torah, the same Torah that existed 1000s of years ago, and we read once again the 10 commandments,” Kramer said. “As we read, we envision as if we’re standing at Mount Sinai receiving the 10 commandments.”
WCelebrating holidays is important spiritually, and it also plays a role in educating young members in ways they can better understand.
“I think the reason why they come to these holiday programs is because this is all part of the same mission,” Kramer said. “It’s a well done, hands on, fun way where we teach them the values and how to work with others, to share with others, and social skills.”
Chabad staff member Allison Perski was delighted to see the community come together.
e tried to bring excitement and flavor into it.
R ABBi SHimON
KRAmER
Chabad Center for Jewish Life
Kramer combined study with entertaining activities to make studying the Torah exciting and accessible for the youngest members of the community.
“We tried to bring excitement and flavor into it,” he said.
This balance has proven successful, evidenced by the large turnout, which is important to keep the community thriving, Kramer said.
”We had the entire community; it was about 200 people that came, many of them children, maybe about half, which is very special because the children are the next generation,” he explained. “So they’re going to pass the Torah and study to the next generation.”
“It was really nice to have all the parents with their children coming together and enjoying the holiday,” she said. “And it was nice because the kids got to hear the Torah and they got stickers to decorate a Torah, it was just so much fun — and of course we all had fun at the ice cream party.”
Perski was originally a parent with a child enrolled in the Chabad Center’s education program, and she enjoyed the experience so much that she joined the team.
“My child went here last year and I have met so many amazing moms and dads through it,” Perski said. “It’s just such an amazing community and when they have events like this, it just brings us all together. And now, especially with everything that’s going on in Israel and the world, it’s very nice to have a community that’s willing to come together for the good and the bad.”
“They do wonderful things for the community,” Chris Devlin, a volunteer staff member at the Chabad Center said. “They put their heart and soul into this. It’s amazing, what they do.”
Public Notices
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT
NASSAU COUNTY
The young participants decorated their ice cream with sprinkles and many other toppings.
WELLS FARGO BANK N.A., AS TRUSTEE, FOR CARRINGTON MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, SERIES 2006-NC4 ASSET-BACKED PASSTHROUGH 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 9, 2024 at 2:00 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 File # CARN203 147251
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, D/B/A CHRISTIANA TRUST, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE ON BEHALF OF CSMC TRUST 2015-2, Plaintiffagainst- WAFA ABBOUD, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated October 25, 2018, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on July 8, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.
ALL that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, known and designated as Section 63 Block 146 Lot 34. Said premises known as 2739 MERRICK AVENUE, MERRICK, NY 11566
Approximate amount of lien $1,216,154.12 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 2017-003460
LAWRENCE FARBMAN, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 For sale information, please visit www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. DLG 37135 {* Merrick Life*} 147140
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU U.S BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR STRUCTURED ASSET INVESTMENT LOAN TRUST MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2206-2, Plaintiff, Against NIDIA JIMENEZ, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 06/14/2023, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 7/29/2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 813 Jerusalem Avenue, North Merrick,
New York 11566, And Described As Follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the County Of Nassau, State Of New York.
Section 50 Block 357 Lot 29 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $755,517.64 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 605870/2018 Peter Kramer, Esq., Referee. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine.
MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573
Dated: 6/10/24 File Number: 560-2178 SH 147647
Joseph D’Alessandro/Herald photos
The Torah in the Chabad Center for Jewish Life was taken from its safe for a community reading, commemorating over 3,300 years of the Ten Commandments.
DRIVERS WANTED
Full Time and Part Time Positions Available!
Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239
DRIVING INSTRUCTOR
Company Car/ Bonuses. Clean Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome!
$20 - $25/ Hour Bell Auto School 516-365-5778
Email: info@bellautoschool.com
DRIVING INSTRUCTORS WANTED Will Certify And Train HS Diploma
NYS License Clean 3 Years
$20 - $25/ Hour Call 516-731-3000
EDITOR/REPORTER
Part Time & Full Time. 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. Salary range is from $20K to $45K 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
FULL TIME - PART TIME POSITIONS AVAILABLE
Garden City Childcare Center
Immediate Start
$16-$22 per hour Call 516-572-7614
HANDYPERSON WANTED
Immediate Opening at our Garden City Location DESIRED SKILLS: Electrical * Welding * Carpentry Mechanical * Plumbing Part Time/Fulltime (benefits available with full time) $18-$30 per hour based on experience Richner Communications, Inc 2 Endo Blvd Garden City, NY 11530 Send resume to careers@lixtherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 ext 211
LAW CLERK. FT. $61k/yr. Yao Legal Group LLC. Great Neck, NY. Reqs.: LL.M. / J.D., 12+ mo exp as law clerk / lgl asst / paralegal in a law off, exp in Surrogate’s Ct cases. Spprt atty in civil / crim litig, RE trxn, corp/biz law, estate dispt, etc.: 1) cndct lgl res; 2) dft lgl docs, file w/ Cts; 3) hdl stndrd discov; 4) trial prep; 5) corp dd, res. & comm. clsgs prep. Asst atty in off mgmt. Email CV to Dan Yao at dyao@yaolawoffice.com / mail CV to 15 Canterbury Rd Ste A3, Great Neck, NY 11021. Plz mention Job ID# 0611 in Cov Let.
MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP
Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for 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. Salary Ranges fromo $16 per hour to $20 per hour.
Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
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/
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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. Compensation ranges from $33,280 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286
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. Earning potential ranges from $33,280 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250
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PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS
FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $20 per hour to $30 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
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Level. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen. Spacious room. Meticulously maintained charming property. Convenient location near shopping schools, park, and more.
Taxes: $11,838.69
Long Beach $892,500
Wilson Avenue. Contemporary. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen. Formal dining room. Den/family room. Updates include cathedral ceiling and skylight.
Montgomery Avenue. Split Level. 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen with granite countertops. Formal dining room. Den/family room and home office. Security system.
Taxes: $11,739.85
Valley Stream $765,000
N. Grove Street. Colonial. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen with custom cabinetry. Formal dining room. Den/family room and home office. Spacious rooms. Updates include new boiler and ductless air conditioning units. Convenient location near parks, dining, shopping and LIRR.
Taxes: $10,234.69
West Hempstead $730,000
Park Avenue. Expanded Cape. 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen with granite countertops. Open layout. Formal dining room. Den/family room and home office, with wet bar and exercise room. Spacious rooms with ample closet space. Paver patio and 1.5 car garage. Mother/daughter with proper permits. Convenient location near parkway, shopping, park.
Taxes: $11,373.37
Different answers from everyone we ask, Part 2
Q. We’ve been interviewing contractors and architects to get an idea about adding a double dormer to our home. The conversations about what to do, how long it should take and the cost are just all over the place. How long should it take, and how much should a double dormer cost to build? Some contractors said they needed to see plans, and that they could personally get the permit in a day or two, and some architects gave us wild time frames that seem ridiculous, like a year or more from start to finish.
A. There are many contributing factors that determine construction cost, and even though you are focused on getting the partial second floor reconstructed to a full second floor, many unanticipated issues may need to be resolved. When a design professional comes to your home, they may be looking at how to join other roofs to the new construction, and how the exterior will look, shed rain and snow, fit in with or stand out from the architecture of neighboring buildings.
Then there are the legal issues. For example, many municipalities, since the time when the house was originally built, have changed their zoning regulations. This may mean that you can’t build directly on top of what you have, because setback distance requirements may have changed. Even though it might make sense to build right on top of the existing outside wall, some jurisdictions will require a lengthy delay, waiting for a zoning hearing to request to vary from their regulation so you can break the setback plane again.
If you decide to set the second floor back farther, it means that the upper walls will have to land on structure that has to be added, and there needs to be special care for waterproofing. This may seem simple, but often leads to problems with leaks and sagging structure if not handled properly.
Regulation changes may not have taken the expense or logistics into account, and are often taken for granted, but either way the owner decides to go, the cost is greater than the original estimate.
The experienced design professional may ask about other things, like the deck, shed, pool, fences, hot tub or central air conditioning unit in the yard. These items delay the project and add cost. Requirements to legalize the location and construction of every one of these items have been around for at least two or three decades, so when the owner says their air conditioning or pool company wasn’t required to get a permit, this is a common fallacy. Knowing it is the owner’s problem or thinking it will never come up is generally the motivation to avoid the approvals, but it now also adds to the extra cost and time you may not have been anticipating.
Labor, overhead for licensing and insurance all add to why contractors’ costs will vary. Taking all of these cost and time issues into account is important. Choose based on more than price. Work with facts, not just sales language. Good luck!
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
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II’m running to fight for women’s freedoms
n June of 2022, a drastically conservative Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ripping away our constitutional right to make our own health care decisions — a right Americans had held for nearly 50 years. This disastrous decision, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, was the direct result of Republicans’ decadeslong, methodical attack on women’s reproductive freedom, and it ignited a fervor among extreme anti-choice groups to challenge access to abortion care, in vitro fertilization and birth control at both the state and federal levels — including here in New York.
Two years later, the fight for our bodily autonomy persists in courtrooms, statehouses and Congress. This November presents a pivotal opportunity to reinstate Roe v. Wade as the law of the land, remove the government from our doctors’ offices, and protect women’s fundamental freedoms once again. Since Roe was overturned, legisla-
“progress” and “Albany,” unfortunately, have not been synonymous over the past few years, with good reason. Albany has gotten a lot of things wrong: bail reform, reckless spending increases, and energy policy, just to name a few. But sometimes, Albany does something right. Those instances — when Democrats and Republicans come together in good faith to address a problem — are when real progress occurs. Most recently, that happened when the State Legislature acted to protect our children from the dangerous influence of big tech through social media. Virtually everyone knows of social media’s enormous influence, both positive and negative, on people of all ages. It has changed dramatically over the years. Once upon a time, your Facebook feed mostly consisted of posts
tors and governors in more than a dozen states have imposed harsh restrictions and outright bans on abortion. The repercussions have been devastating. Cases like that of a child rape victim who was forced to travel out of state for an abortion; or a woman who developed sepsis after doctors denied her an abortion for a nonviable pregnancy; or a woman who was denied an exception for abortion care for a nonviable pregnancy by a judge even when her ability to have more children was at risk, illustrate the dire consequences of these laws.
would impact New York.
We can create policies to broaden reproductive health care.
Republican extremists like my opponent in the race for the seat in the 4th Congressional District, the incumbent, Anthony D’Esposito, would have you believe that women in blue states like New York will be spared this suffering because, they say, abortion is now solely a statelevel issue. That claim completely ignores the federal-level efforts that farright anti-abortion groups have launched to restrict reproductive rights nationwide, like the outrageous legal campaign to ban medication abortion and House Republicans’ support for a national ban on abortion — which
On top of these efforts, state-level bans can have spillover effects on abortion access in New York. In 2023, thousands of women traveled from abortion-hostile states to protected states, including 6,000 women who traveled to our state. This strains the capacity of our providers, impacting care and access for New Yorkers.
Despite the very real threat to abortion access here in New York, my opponent is continuing to push an anti-choice agenda that’s completely out of touch with the values and needs of Long Island.
D’Esposito’s record is clear: He endorsed a federal ban on abortion that would apply to New York. He endorsed Donald Trump — who proudly claims credit for dismantling Roe — for president. D’Esposito voted to fund misleading so-called “crisis pregnancy centers,” which peddle dangerous misinformation about reproductive health care to women here on Long Island, and backed restrictions on abortion access for military servicewomen. If re-elected, he will continue to empower, and ally himself with, antichoice extremists who aim to restrict
our ability to decide when and how we start a family.
This election will be a turning point. We can rectify past injustices, restore our freedoms and implement policies to broaden reproductive health care. Achieving a pro-choice majority in Congress could reaffirm Roe as the law of the land, shield against attacks on birth control and IVF, and promote inclusive policies like enhanced contraception coverage and equitable maternal care. As a woman, as a mother of daughters and as someone who doesn’t believe the government should make our medical decisions, ensuring that this fundamental freedom is reinstated for women is personal to me — and I’ll do everything in my power to fight back against extreme attacks on our rights.
We stand at a crossroads in this election. By choosing leaders committed to protecting and expanding reproductive health care, we can counteract the damage inflicted by the Dobbs decision and by anti-abortion extremists like Anthony D’Esposito. Failure to do so risks irrevocable setbacks to our freedom. The choice is clear, and it is ours to make.
Laura Gillen, a former Hempstead town supervisor, is a Democratic candidate in the 4th Congressional District.
Albany gets one right for our kids
from your friends or pages you chose to follow. Today it’s predominantly ads, sponsored content, and other posts that secretly developed, ever-changing algorithms determine are best suited for you. Basically, they decide what you get to see, with almost no ability for you to change it.
Control at that level is not only frustrating, it’s dangerous. Especially when it comes to children who, given their age and maturity level, are more easily swayed and influenced.
Social media has been tied to significantly higher rates of youth depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation and self-harm. Some research found that time spent on social media is 10 times more dangerous than non-social media internet use. Among girls, the association between poor mental health and social media use is stronger than the connections between poor mental health and binge drinking, obesity or hard drug use. Concern about this is nearly universal among parents I speak to.
M aking social media companies restrict addictive feeds for those under 18.
success, but in many ways, that’s what social media companies have been allowed to do. Not surprisingly, it hasn’t worked, because there’s an inherent conflict of interest. Feeds have been specifically designed to create addiction. Addictive feeds keep users on the platform longer, where they see more ads and the company collects more of their data, all directed toward the goal of earning higher profits.
Big Tech’s failure to appropriately self-regulate is endangering children, which is why we needed to act. Democrats and Republicans in the Senate and Assembly worked together with Gov. Kathy Hochul on legislation to protect children from some of the harms they’re currently facing.
on users’ behavior, such as how long they look at certain media or the materials they click on, and are designed to be predictive of what content will keep them on the platform for as long as possible. Companies will also be prohibited from sending notifications about feeds to minors from midnight to 6 a.m. without parental approval. The Child Data Protection Act, which I cosponsored as well, prohibits online sites from collecting, using, sharing or otherwise processing any personal data of those under 18 without informed consent. Minors’ data cannot be disclosed to third parties without a written binding agreement. Both bills passed the Legislature with broad bipartisan support and I’m happy to report that Hochul signed the bills into law on June 20.
Self-policing is rarely a recipe for
Under the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act, which I cosponsored, social media companies must restrict addictive feeds on their platforms for users under 18 unless parental consent is granted. These feeds are created based
Protecting children should always be a priority, never a political issue. Thankfully, that’s exactly how this was treated. For all the dysfunction and failures Albany created in recent years, it’s heartening to see that progress is still possible. Let’s hope this is a sign of better things to come.
Steve Rhoads represents the 5th Senate District.
LAURA GILLEn
HeraLd editoriaL
Lessons learned, friendships forged
as the hot days of June envelop Nassau County, a palpable sense of achievement fills the air.
It’s the season of graduations — when students from every corner of our communities take center stage to mark significant milestones in their academic journeys. Whether they’re stepping up from kindergarten, advancing through middle school, or donning their caps and gowns to receive high school diplomas, each graduation represents more than just an academic feat — it’s a celebration of resilience, growth, and the promise of a brighter future.
Here, this tradition of honoring our graduates is more than ceremonial. It’s a testament to our values as a community. It underscores our commitment to nurturing young minds and preparing them for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Each graduation ceremony isn’t just a rite of passage, but a collective acknowledgement of the dedication and hard work that students, educators and families have invested throughout the academic year.
For those moving up from kindergarten, it’s a moment filled with innocence and wonder, marking the beginning of their formal educational journey. These young learners are applauded not just for completing a grade level, but for embracing the joy of discovery and laying the foundation for future academic success.
Their excitement is infectious,
Letters
Vallone kicked Butker’s butt (metaphorically)
To the Editor:
reminding us all of the boundless potential in every child.
Middle school graduations — often overlooked amid larger celebrations hold a special significance. They signify a pivotal transformation from childhood to adolescence. It’s a time of exploration, self-discovery and personal growth. Recognizing these students’ achievements empowers them to embrace the challenges of high school with confidence and determination.
And then there are the high school graduations — perhaps the most anticipated and emotionally charged of all. These ceremonies are not just about crossing a stage; they are about crossing a threshold into adulthood. They mark the culmination of years of academic rigor, extracurricular dedication, and personal development.
Each diploma handed out represents a unique story of perseverance, triumph over adversity, and the unwavering support of families and educators.
Beyond the individual achievements, celebrating graduations strengthens the fabric of our community. It fosters a sense of pride and belonging, reinforcing our shared commitment to education and the future of our youth. These ceremonies serve as poignant reminders of the impact that a supportive community can have on shaping young lives and inspiring future generations.
In a world often marked by rapid change and uncertainty, these rituals
Herald Senior Editor Jordan Vallone was absolutely on point in her criticism of Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker in her column “Hello, Harrison Butker? Women can be heroes, too” (June 13-19). In his commencement speech to the graduating class of Benedictine College, Butker singled out the women in the class when he said, “I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”
I would echo Ms. Vallone’s one-word response: Really? Is this the summation of values that Butker espouses for these young women who have spent four-plus years dedicated to their education? I would venture to say they are most excited about applying their hearts and minds to careers in their chosen fields. Butker went on to say, “I’m on the stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation … and embraces one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.” Really? Butker was only on that stage because he can kick a pigskin farther then most humans. And I’m fairly certain that when he was selected 233rd in the 2017 NFL draft, he wasn’t focused on his potential role as a stay-at-
provide a sense of continuity and tradition. They remind us of the enduring values that bind us together — values of knowledge, compassion, and the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to succeed.
By celebrating our graduates, we not only honor their accomplishments, but also reaffirm our collective responsibility to nurture and uplift future leaders, innovators and change-makers.
As we gather to applaud the Class of 2024 and beyond, let us remember that their achievements aren’t just milestones in their lives, but milestones for our communities as a whole. Each graduation ceremony is a testament to the strength of our educational system, the dedication of our teachers, and the unwavering support of families and mentors. It is a moment to reflect on the past with gratitude, embrace the present with joy, and look to the future with optimism.
So, to all of our graduates — from kindergarten to high school — congratulations! Your hard work, determination and resilience have brought you to this momentous occasion. As you embark on the next chapter of your journey, may you carry with you the lessons learned, the friendships forged, and the dreams that fuel your aspirations.
We stand proud of every one of you, celebrating not just what you have accomplished, but the boundless potential of what you will achieve.
opinions
Our future should include transit-oriented development
the Iroquois, the first inhabitants of what became New York state, adopted a code of living about 500 years ago that still stands as a model of forward-thinking decisionmaking. Their Great Law of Peace stipulated that “in every deliberation, we must consider the impact on the seventh generation.”
How regressive, then, that many of today’s Nassau County elected leaders are failing to consider how their decisions will affect even the next couple of generations.
For example, the rejection of a proposed windpower project far out to sea from Long Beach reflects indifference to the impact of fossil fuel-generated climate change on that community’s children and grandchildren. And now Town of Hempstead officials are poised to kill a zoning change that would allow residential and retail development near the Lawrence and Inwood Long Island Rail Road stations. The effect of that action would be to perpetuate environmentally destructive sprawl into the second half of the 21st century — and beyond.
The Hempstead Town Board had unanimously adopted the currently threatened transit-oriented development initiative five years ago. The ordinance declared that the plan would “achieve multiple municipal goals: encourage walking and bicycling; increase transit ridership; emphasize mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented development; reduce potential automobile dependency associated with new land uses … and support a larger commercial tax base for North Lawrence and Inwood.”
Y
this “smart growth” planning organization adds, “It’s no longer just ‘Not in My Backyard’; it’s now ‘Not in My Region.’”
This desire to preserve a 1950s version of suburbia may be understandable, but it’s also shortsighted and narrow-minded. As Kyle Strober, director of the Association for a Better Long Island, observes, “The boomer notion of white picket fence suburbs is a thing of the past. Young people want to move into areas with cool downtowns.”
oung people have expressed a preference for non-automotive transport.
But those favoring repeal of the zoning designation now warn that transit-oriented development would diminish “community character” and represent “a threat to public health, safety and welfare.”
What happened in the past five years to bring about such a 180-degree shift in attitude toward this kind of development? One important factor was the fierce opposition to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s move in 2023 to mandate denser housing development in Nassau County and other suburbs around the state. Eric Alexander, director of Vision Long Island, points to a still-cresting “wave of anti-development sentiment in communities across Long Island.” The leader of
Letters
home dad.
Ms. Vallone’s article brought to mind Elizabeth Keller, a clinical medical physicist at Emory University. According to Wikipedia, a medical physicist is a health professional with specialized education and training in the concepts and techniques of applying physics to medicine, particularly in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Keller is married, and is now Elizabeth Butker, the proud mother of, you guessed it, Harrison Butker. Did he not pause to see the irony in his condescending speech before he delivered it?
Ten years ago, as a school board trustee in the East Meadow School District, I wrote an article about my musings on Graduation Day as to where our children would be in the future. I ended by saying that I envisioned myself sitting anxiously in a hospital waiting room years later. Across the room, I saw a young woman to whom I had handed a diploma quietly approaching me and saying, “Don’t worry, Mr. D., she’s going to be just fine.” I sincerely hope that she is now delivering these words to other worried loved ones. Maybe Mr. Butker should think of his mom’s profession while writing his next commencement speech. Or better yet, just confine his thoughts to putting the ball through the uprights.
JOSEPH DANENzA East Meadow
There’s plenty more advice that Biden needs
To the Editor:
Re Jerry Kremer’s recent column, “Some advice Joe Biden badly needs”: Please add the following to “It’s the economy, stupid”: It’s the grocery shock, stupid. It’s the gas prices, stupid. It’s the high interest rates, stupid. It’s the southern border, stupid. It’s the illegal migration, stupid. It’s the revolving crime, stupid. It’s the raging wars, stupid.
And above all, it’s the weaponization of the Department of Justice, stupid!
I was a lifetime Democrat until 2016, when I gave my vote to Donald Trump. The Iraq war and the Libyan war that Hillary Clinton had voted for were turning points.
No Russian told me to vote for Trump. I have not regretted my vote ever since.
In 2020, I was hesitant to vote for Trump, but the vaccine his administration had produced in Operation Warp Speed in just 10 months gave me hope. Despite hearing all the media about the Trump administration, I still voted for Trump.
With the weaponization of the DOJ, I have lost all hope in the Democratic Party. KUSH MAKHIJANI
Transit-oriented development can give them what they want. It could enable some of the 55 percent of 20- to 34-year-old Long Islanders now living with their parents or other older relatives to buy or rent apartments near amenities such as restaurants, cafes and clothing stores. It would also cater to the preference for non-automotive transport that many young adults have expressed in numerous surveys. Rather than increasing traffic congestion, as opponents warn, building homes and stores near train stations would reduce car trips to supermarkets, dry cleaners and other everyday destinations.
As of now, however, millennials on Long Island can find few convenient and affordably priced homes outside the
transit-oriented developments planned or being built in communities such as Baldwin, Farmingdale, Lynbrook, Mineola and Ronkonkoma. And that’s because their elders often make it difficult, or impossible, to build apartment houses or row houses. Over the past decade, the Regional Planning Association noted in a 2022 report, Nassau and Suffolk counties permitted the lowest rate of new housing construction in New York state.
Transit-oriented projects are “vital to our economic health on Long Island,” Strober says. “They’re vital to the creation of a young and vibrant workforce that can call Long Island their home.”
Residents of Nassau County — not just those in Inwood and Lawrence — who want to leave a legacy of affordability, diversity and economic dynamism should make their views known at the July 2 Town of Hempstead public hearing on the repeal of the transit-oriented development zoning designation. Seven generations may be too far into the future to contemplate, but we can surely be sensitive to the needs of those who will closely follow us.
Kevin J. Kelley was a congressional staff member in the 1980s, and is a retired journalist and journalism professor who worked for newspapers in New York, Vermont and Kenya and taught at St. Michael’s College in Vermont. He lives in Atlantic Beach.
Framework by Nancy Rosenblatt
Beneath Jeff Koons’ ‘Puppy’ at the Guggenheim Museum — Bilbao, Spain