Merrick Herald 09-28-2023

Combating hate at home

Bellmore-Merrick Democratic Club hosts informative panel discussion

By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com

In light of recent events that have brought the issue of hate to the forefront in local communities, the Bellmore-Merrick Democratic Club hosted a panel last week featuring key leaders, to encourage an open discussion about these incidents in order to figure out solutions.

Softball Classic is 30 years strong

A group of Merrick friends and families have been playing softball, and raising money for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, since 1991. Their annual game returns this weekend on Oct. 1. Story, additional photo, Page 3.

Exciting things, programs on the horizon at Merrick Jewish Centre

By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com

On the heels of the High Holy Days at the Merrick Jewish Centre, the congregation and its leaders are looking forward to more innovative and informative programming that attracts people of all ages.

Throughout Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, which was celebrated on Sept. 16 and 17, there were not only traditional services, but fun programs, in which Hebrew school students were invited to engage with professional storytellers, and to “meet” matriarchs and patriarchs that are part of the Jewish religion, like Abraham, Sarah,

Rebecca and Jacob.

Heléna Eilenberg, the MJC’s education director at the Hebrew school, said that to get students and families immersed in Yom Kippur — the holiest day of the year in Judaism — the Bible Players, a comedy group that tells biblical stories in a fun way, visited the synagogue to teach meaningful lessons about the celebration.

And most important, Eilenberg said, the MJC welcomed unique visitors — two goats from the Cornell Cooperative Extension Farm in East Meadow.

“The reason we (had) goats is that on Yom Kippur, we have a reading from the Torah, where the

In late July, swastikas were found spray-painted on a playground in Merrick, and just last week, Temple BethAm of Merrick and Bellmore received a bomb threat, later deemed not credible by Nassau County police. Beyond the immediate area, a boy in Riverhead was subjected to racial slurs in an incident that left Long Islanders everywhere unsettled.

“I don’t know how we’ve gotten to this place, but we have to address it,” Democratic Club President Claudia Borecky said at the Sept. 21 meeting. “We’ve invited a panel of experts, to hopefully teach us how we can help them fight hate on Long

Island.”

The “Hate Has No Home Here” panel featured Donna Bailor, who discussed antisemitism; Christine Liu, from the Chinese-American community; Laura Harding, president of Erase Racism; Kerrie O’Neill, of the LGBT Network; Jasmine Pena, of the Long Island Latino Alliance; and Maria Shaikh, of Pakistani American Community Excellence, also known as PACE.

The two-hourlong event at the Merrick Golf Course attracted dozens of residents of Bellmore, Merrick and surrounding towns.

Bailor, who is active in the Five Towns Jewish community, according to the panel’s moderator, Dave Denenberg, said that of all the groups of people that are affected by racism, bias and other types of hate, a way to combat it would be to rally together.

“Let’s be clear,” Bailor said. “We need all of us. Because despite the differences in our situations, we are more effec -

Continued on page 2

Courtesy Phillip Bank

Speakers emphasize voting importance

tive together than we are apart. We must make the effort to understand each other better than we do now. Groups fighting for the same goal should reach out and connect, form alliances and advocate for each other.”

Bailor emphasized the importance of calling out hate when you see it, and aligning yourself with government leaders that share your ideas. “Vote your beliefs,” she said. “I also want to say, on a personal level, that advocating for what you believe in is good for you, gives you purpose, introduces you to fabulous people, exercises your brain — and keeps your skills sharp.”

Liu, an attorney who formerly worked for the Department of Homeland Security, is running for town council in the Town of North Hempstead. She spoke about the increase in hate crimes against Asians, especially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, when the virus was referred to with derogatory nicknames such as “Kung Flu” and the “China Virus.”

According to the 2020 census, the Asian population in New York has grown 37.6 percent since 2010. Liu said that 11 percent of Nassau County’s population is Asian. Education is key in fighting hate, she said, and incorporating Asian American and Pacific Islander curriculum in classrooms would help.

“The only way that we can fight this is if our children are being taught to respect one another and to understand each other’s histories and civic impacts in this country,” Liu said. “From the children, and then moving forward, is the positive change that we need.

“When we understand each other’s histories and backgrounds, we will know that we are more alike than we are un-alike,” she added. “Leadership matters. Our words matter.”

Harding, of Erase Racism, a regional organization

that promotes racial equity on Long Island, said that all groups of people are harmed when one group is affected by structural racism that is woven into the very fabric of our society. Historical education on how our communities came to be, Harding said, would help invoke positive change.

Shaikh, of PACE, a law student at Hofstra University, explained how Islamophobia — the irrational fear or hatred of Islam and Muslims — manifests as discrimination, prejudice and violence against them. She noted several instances of Muslims being told they need to “go back to their own country.”

“For most of us, especially people of my generation, the United States is our only home,” Shaikh said. “So when someone tells us to go back to our own country,

it’s so hurtful. I’m here becoming an immigration attorney so that I can serve the constituents of this country — so I can give back to the country that has given me the world. What other home is another home than the United States for me?”

Shaikh agreed with her fellow panelists that racism and bias affects everyone. “The issue is all the same,” she said. “Hate impacts almost every community.”

Denenberg led a brief question-and-answer session in which the panelists discussed ways in which people can work with public officials, and even school boards, to see change through in their communities.

A full video of the event was posted on the club’s Facebook page, Bellmore-Merrick Democratic Club. For more, go to BellmoreMerrickDemocraticClub.com.

Jordan Vallone/Herald the Bellmore-merrick democratic Club hosted an informative panel discussion called ‘Hate Has no Home Here’ on Sept. 21. Christine Liu, representing the Chinese american community, spoke about instances of bias and hate asian americans have experienced, and offered solutions for a better future.

Annual softball classic still raising money for a good cause

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

For 30 years, members of the Merrick community have been gathering annually for a softball game. It’s not just any regular game though, because the crew has long been raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, also known as JDRF.

The efforts were started in part by Phillip Bank, and his good friend Brian Katz, who’s daughter, Lauren, was diagnosed with diabetes when she was a baby.

“We were just having a bunch of guys get together to play softball,” Bank explained. “When she was born, and she started having some symptoms, she was diagnosed as having juvenile diabetes. And we said, you know what, we should do this softball game again next year, but we’ll do it as a fundraiser.”

Katz’s daughter, Lauren Epstein, now 33, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was about a year old, Katz said.

“Type 1 involves the destruction of the cells that produce insulin,” he said. “They’re called beta cells in the pancreas, and they are completely destroyed. As a result, in order to live, a Type 1 diabetic had to take daily injections of insulin, so that the body can metabolize food, specifically glucose.”

Today, Lauren is healthy, and recently gave birth to her first son, but there’s a lot that goes into managing diabetes, Katz explained.

“It’s a very tricky management, because you have to take into account the right amount of insulin, the right amount of food and activity level,” he said. “So you’re constantly juggling these three factors to survive on a daily basis. At this point, there is no cure. Management is a lot better than it was when my daughter was diagnosed in 1991, but there still is no cure.”

For children diagnosed, it can be hard to tell when they’re sugar levels are low, especially if they’re 1-year-olds like Lauren, Katz said.

“We pretty much had to learn body language and try to figure out what was going on with her,” he said.

Technology advancements, like continuous glucose monitors that are affixed to a body, that help blood sugar get managed through a simple app, have made treating diabetes much easier. But, research is still key in helping diabetics live even healthier lives — and that’s where organizations like JDRF can make a difference.

JDRF is the leading global organization for diabetes research.

“I think, you know, when we have meetings with JDRF, where we read up on the improvements that are happening with the artificial pancreas and the glucose monitors, and all these developments, it is remarkable scientifically what they’ve done in 30 years, since we started to learn more about it,” Bank said. “But still, in softball terms, it’s a lot of singles and doubles — they haven’t hit a home

run yet.”

Over the last 30 years, the group has raised $87,000 for JDRF. The game has grown over the years, and extended through many generations of friends and families, who all come out to support the good cause.

Their next softball classic is slated for Sunday, Oct. 1, where it will be played in Eisenhower Park in East Meadow on Softball Field No. 3. Their goal for 2023 is to

What’s neWs in and out of the classroom

raise an additional $5,000 for JDRF.

“Technology has gotten better in terms of managing, but what research is trying to do is develop a way to transplant healthy beta cells into a diabetic, so they can produce insulin naturally,” Katz said. “We’re hoping that someday, before Lauren is my age, there will be a cure.”

To donate to the cause, and support the work of the softball classic, Bit. ly/46nnODr.

HERALD SchoolS

Core values make up the fabric of new Park Promise

At Park Avenue Elementary School, young learners promise every day to make a positive difference in their school community. The new Park Promise is based on the North Bellmore School District’s core values and was introduced to students at a welcome back assembly with Principal Michael DeBlasio.

“I want to give our children avenues to be problem-solvers,” he said, adding that if a student struggles to keep the Park Promise, they have the tools to forgive themselves, self-reflect and make a good choice.

The six tenets of the Park Promise are: be an upstander when someone needs help, respect all individuals at Park Avenue School, encourage others to be their very best, give compliments and lift others up, make great choices every day and accept and appreciate others and their differences.

DeBlasio said the goal is to create a school climate where students feel loved, included, supported and welcomed, all of which leads to a learning environment where they can be successful. He also wants students to use their voice by going above and beyond the Park Promise and making their own promises that help achieve this vision.

The Park Promise, he explained, was created with input from teachers and uses common language across all grade levels. While some character education programs are rewards-based, Mr. DeBlasio noted that Park Avenue’s initiative is based on the premise that students and staff want to unite to make the school the best place possible.

“The reward is being a good person,” he said. “The Park Promise is bigger than earning an award or a reward. And it lives everywhere throughout our school community.”

Courtesy Phillip Bank

For 30 years, a group of Merrick family and friends, have been playing a charity softball game to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Courtesy North Bellmore School District

Park Avenue Elementary School Principal Michael DeBlasio and students showcase a bulletin board on North Bellmore’s core values, which provided inspiration for the new Park Promise.

Celebrating 100 years of Chatterton School

The Chatterton School PTA, faculty and staff welcomed families back for the new school year with a picnic.

Popcorn and cotton candy, carnival and giant lawn games, a DJ and dancing were all part of the afternoon’s festivities.

Local Merrick artist, Balloons by Brittany was also on hands for some twisty fun.

Celebrating the school’s 100th birthday,

students wore special T-shirts gifted by the PTA, sang happy birthday and even had a special cake.

“It was so heartwarming to see the Chatterton community together enjoying good food, music and many laughs together,” said Principal Dana Bermas. “This was a wonderful kickoff to our 100th birthday celebration.”

Fifth graders Paisley and Emily received special creations from local artist, Balloons by Brittany.

A Baker’s Dozen Reasons to Use a Trust

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7. Trusts can provide supervision and protection for special needs and other children who have issues with handling financial matters.

8. Trusts can reduce and often eliminate estate taxes for couples with taxable estates.

9. Trusts can avoid guardianship proceedings for gifts made to grandchildren.

10. Trusts can avoid the problems of locating unknown heirs or dealing with heirs abroad.

11. Trusts can move assets out of your estate for income and estate purposes.

12. Trusts can avoid the expense, delay and publicity of a probate court proceeding for your property in New York and out of state.

13. Trusts can protect the inheritances you leave from your children’s divorces, lawsuits and creditors.

Photos courtesy Merrick School District Chatterton Assistant Principal Chris Hoisik and Principal Dana Bermas kicked off the school’s 100th birthday celebration with a happy birthday song and cake at the backto-school picnic.

Pierce, a sixth grader, with the Chatterton 100th birthday sign.

How renewable energy can impact the South Shore

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

The League of Women Voters of East Nassau recently partnered with the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, a nonprofit and nonpartisan environmental organization, to host a vastly informative presentation on the drastic consequences that climate change could have not only globally, but particularly on Long Island.

The league, a 100-year-old organization that grew out of the women’s suffrage movement, is also a nonpartisan organization, believing that voters play a critical role in democracy in the United States. The organization keeps the public informed during elections and throughout the year, and also educates the community through other avenues.

Carol Bergman, a board member of the league’s East Nassau division, said the things we’ve been witnessing — powerful hurricanes, floods, wildfires and heat waves — are all related to climate change.

“But, you’re not here to hear from me,” she said. “You’re here to hear from a professional. Jordan Christensen, from the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, will talk about the organization and how they are helping to combat climate change in New York state.”

The Citizens Campaign for the Environment began in 1985 on Long Island, and has since become a statewide organi-

zation with 120,000 members.

“The biggest existential threat that we’re going to be facing is climate change,” Christensen said. “Our motto is that good science plus good advocacy equals good policy.”

Climate change has already begun to affect Long Island, she said.

“I think for a long time, especially for Long Island, we associated climate change with Sandy and extreme weather,” Christensen said. “You think of the super storms — worse things like hurricanes, things like bomb cyclones, blizzard events. We’re obviously seeing more and more of these ‘100-year storms coming.’”

In the last decade, Christensen said, New York has experienced 31 extreme weather events, costing $100 million in damages.

“The reason why I’m bringing this up is — I’ve been doing this since 2007,” Christensen said. “The argument every time we tried to pass any sort of policy to limit fossil fuel emissions, was that it costs too much. We have to choose either the environment or the economy. And I think it’s very obvious at this point that the cost of doing nothing has actually cost more.”

Globally, Christensen said, the impact of climate change would be severe in “do nothing” scenarios.

“But hyper locally, for the scientists at Stony Brook and other places that are taking this date every day — they’ve been

Learn about Wind Works

Renewable energy is key in combatting climate change, according to the Citizens Campaign for the Environment. Wind Works is a coalition advocating for wind farms on Long Island. Visit WindWorksLongIsland.org to learn how to get involved.

seeing this snowball worse and worse, just for us locally, over the last few years,” she said.

But, Christensen emphasized, there is hope.

In 2019, the state passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which she believes is one of the nation’s most ambitious climate laws. Something that will help the state, and Long Island, is renewable energy — things like wind farms, which have been a hot topic of debate in areas such as Long Beach and Island Park.

Several developments are in the works to bring wind-powered energy to Long Island, Christensen said, and one of them off the South Fork of the island may be

ready by the end of this year.

The one that would source energy to the eastern Nassau is called “Empire Wind 2” — off of Long Beach and Jones Beach, she explained. It could take until 2025 for several governing bodies to approve the work, she said, but once this farm is complete, it will be able to power 600,000 homes.

Proposals for these wind farms have been met with concerns, including if they’re harmful to whales and other creatures, if they’ll be visible from the shoreline and how much it would cost taxpayers.

Christensen said wind farms are not responsible for whale deaths, and they cannot be seen from the shore. A wind farm has been placed off of Block Island in the Long Island Sound, and an artificial reef has flourished thanks to its installation — meaning it is actually improving fish health. And the estimated cost to each taxpayer is somewhere around $10 to $12 a year — or about $1 a month.

Renewable energy is a step in the right direction, Christensen said.

“It’s nice to lead the way, but we kind of need everyone else to do it, too,” she said. “We’ll get some very localized impacts, which are great, and it’ll mitigate the worst for us. New York’s renewable energy goals are very ambitious — but ultimately, it’s going to have to be a global effort.”

SPOTLIGHT ATHLETE

Calhoun begins its title defense

By BRIAN KACHARABA sports@liherald.com

AveRy TeSTA South Side Senior Soccer

IN HER FOURTH year as South Side’s starting goalkeeper, Testa is looking to add to an already impressive resume that includes a pair of county championships, a Long Island title, and a trip to the NYS finals. She was voted team MVP in 2021 when the Cyclones defeated East Islip for the LIC. She has earned Honorable Mention All-County as well as AllConference recognition, and has 20 career shutouts with a goals against average of 0.9.

GAMES TO WATCH

Thursday, Sept. 28

Boys Soccer: Kennedy at MacArthur 5 p.m.

Boys Soccer: South Side at Elmont 5 p.m.

Girls Soccer: V.S. North at V.S. South 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 29

Boys Soccer: V.S. South at Lawrence 5 p.m.

Boys Soccer: Hewlett at V.S. North 5 p.m.

Boys Soccer: Wantagh at Clarke 5 p.m.

Girls Soccer: V.S. Central at East Meadow 5 p.m.

Girls Soccer: Malverne/East Rock at Sewanhaka 5 p.m.

Girls Soccer: Carey at Hewlett 6 p.m.

Football: Baldwin at Syosset 6:30 p.m.

Football: Seaford at Cold Spring Harbor 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 30

Football: Westbury at Uniondale 2 p.m.

Football: Freeport at Hempstead 2 p.m.

Football: Massapequa at Oceanside 2 p.m.

Football: V.S. Central at East Meadow 2 p.m.

Football: East Rockaway at North Shore 2 p.m.

Football: Carey at Garden City 2 p.m.

Football: Mepham at Manhasset 2 p.m.

Football: Wantagh at Lynbrook 2 p.m.

Football: Long Beach at Sewanhaka 2 p.m.

Football: Elmont at New Hyde Park 2 p.m.

Nomimate a “Spotlight Athlete”

High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a fall sport and earned an All-Conference award or higher last year. Please send the following information for consideration: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to Sports@liherald.com.

It’s hard for a team in any sport to win a championship and it may be even harder for them to duplicate that success the following year, especially with a coaching change. But when that new bench boss has an impeccable resume, things can continue to run smoothly.

The Calhoun girls’ volleyball team captured its first Nassau, Long Island and state titles in program history last fall and now has Nassau Athletics Hall of Famer Cheryl Scalice at the helm as the Colts try for a second straight championship. They picked up right where they left off so far, winning eight of their first nine sets during their 3-0 start and reaching the semifinals in two separate tournaments.

Despite the adjustment period, Scalice is understandably pleased with how things have gone so far.

“They’re doing very well,” Scalice said. “Obviously, everything is a big change for them, and me, and I think all have been doing super well together. This team was led by three very strong seniors that graduated and it’s a very different lineup and it’s been challenging, but they’re hard workers and they’re doing great.”

Calhoun swept Port Washington in the opener on Sept. 12 and did the same against visiting Hewlett six days later before taking three of the four sets against Elmont on Sept. 20. Olivia Katz had 10 kills, 13 assists, four blocks, and four aces, while fellow senior Gianna Lucchi added 15 kills, 20 assists, and five digs.

Elmont had won a preseason tournament at Herricks in which Calhoun competed in as well, but the teams did not meet.

“Elmont was a big challenge,” Scalice said. “We really jacked ourselves up for that game and we prepared mentally and I was especially impressed with how well the girls followed the game plan.”

An All-State player last year, Lucchi is considered by many to be one of the top setters on Long Island and leads the team with 50 assists through the first three games. She is also first with 28 kills while

sharing the team lead with nine aces while adjusting to Scalice’s new scheme.

“She was an absolute key [to the team’s success],” Scalice said of her co-captain. “The change that I did with her, out of need, is going from her setting from a 5-1 (formation) and being the only setter, to a 6-2. I did that because she is such a powerful hitter.”

Katz is also playing a bigger role and is second on the team in kills (27), blocks (5) and assists (30). Junior Olivia Ruisi leads the team with 13 blocks and is the other

co-leader with nine aces, and co-captain Grace Miller tops the Colts with 27 digs.

Senior Johanna Esposito is one of the team’s “biggest surprises” after receiving more playing time. Senior Cameron Tighe is a steady presence in the middle with three blocks thus far, and new libero Amelia Secor was “strong” against Elmont and is expected to improve even more as the season progresses, Scalice said.

The Colts visit a Plainview team that had two straight-set victories last week on Friday.

Paul Grassini/Herald Junior Olivia Ruisi dug deep Sept. 20 to help the Colts pass a difficult test against visiting Elmont in four sets.

At MJC, there’s something for everyone

Jewish people choose two goats to represent the Jewish people,” she explained. “One of the goats extends out into the wilderness as a sign of all the sins that the Jewish people have done — they’re going out into the desert, so they’re leaving us. And one of the goats is given to God — I don’t need to say exactly what that means, but it’s pretty simple. So it was a very experiential holiday.”

Rabbi Josh Dorsch, who leads the Jewish Centre, said that the High Holy Days are the two most intense holidays for the Jewish people.

“On a typical Shabbat morning, you’ll have 100, 150 people here,” he said. “On the high holidays, you’ll have well over 1,000 people.”

And the holidays, Dorsch added, don’t end on Yom Kippur. “Just a week later is one of my most favorite holidays,” he said, “because you go from a period of intensity — an incredibly intense period of time, with deep personal reflection, introspection, where you answer some of life’s most difficult and challenging and theologically pressing questions, to a holiday that serves the historical foundation for Thanksgiving. Sukkot is essentially a Thanksgiving for the Jewish people right after this very intense period of time.”

During Sukkot, which begins at sundown on Sept. 29 and ends on Oct. 6, it is tradition to build temporary dwellings called sukkahs.

during the High Holy days, there were innovative programs for students and families to take part in. Students lined the bimah in the shul, and blew shofars alongside rabbi Josh dorsch. Looking ahead, the congregation is excited to celebrate Sukkot and to introduce new learning avenues for teens.

“Our permanent homes become temporary, our temporary homes become our permanent dwelling,” Dorsch said. “We’re just supposed to sit outside, look up at the stars, surrounded by family, and just be grateful for what is the bounty and blessings in our lives.”

Dorsch said that a sukkah was being built at his home, and that throughout the course of the eight-day-long holiday, he and his wife expect to host 1,000 people.

“The Sukkot holiday is much busier and crazier than Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, because we are finding ways to celebrate and express that gratitude in ways that are really meaningful in a

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whole different way,” he said. “The themes are far less intense, but just as important and just as meaningful.”

After Sukkot come the celebrations of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah — but after that, Dorsch said, there’s an entire month when there are no holidays until Hanukkah begins in December.

But even then, Dorsch said, there are always things going on at the center, and he told the Herald about an upcoming program geared toward teenagers, called the Leadership Training Institute.

“It’s a social justice-themed seminar, where we’re going to tackle really pressing social justice issues,” he said. “We’re going to bring in seminars, we’re going

to bring speakers. We’re calling it leadership training, because we’re going to learn about advocacy.”

Details are still being finalized, Dorsch said, but the program will be open to teenagers who will be required to apply for it, and it will culminate in a trip somewhere.

“We’re looking at doing racial, social, justice work in Tennessee for three or four days,” he said, “bringing our group of teens down there and really div(ing) deep into some of the racial history, tensions and relations, and to see where we can do some good work.”

The MJC is also looking into a trip to Washington, D.C., which would involve lessons in advocacy and learning how to lobby, among other things.

Dorsch he expected to get more applications than there are spots in the program, and that it would be the type of program that “you could put on a college application.”

“It’s leadership training,” he said. “We believe that it’s something that’s greatly missing in this upcoming generation of children. We’re gearing it toward ninth-, 10th- and 11th-graders — it’s something that could really give them tools as they move on to the next step.”

For more on the center’s holiday celebrations and programs for teens and all students in both the congregation’s Hebrew school and Hebrew high school, visit MerrickJC.org.

Courtesy Helena Eilenberg

Soirée raises single-event record $1 million

By RACHELE TERRANOVA rterranova@liherald.com

It was about raising money while celebrating three outstanding community members. But above all else, this past weekend’s Soirée Under the Stars at The Lannin at Eisenhower Park was all about ensuring a strong, healthy future for all those within the reach of the Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital.

Mount Sinai South Nassau board of directors co-chair Anthony Cancellieri, radiology department chair Dr. Matthew Rifkin, and Dawn Keiley — the hospital’s senior director of nursing — were honored not just by the crowd joining them on a damp Eisenhower Park weekend, but also by many family and friends who sent their congratulations through video.

Cancellieri was singled out by the hospital for his endless dedication, leadership and selfless service he has brought to Mount Sinai ever since he first joined the board of directors in 2009. A former lieutenant with the New York Police Department, Cancellieri is also a member of the Mount Sinai Health System’s board of trustees. He has dedicated countless hours to securing and overseeing major donations to the hospital, including Mount Sinai’s $500 million capital campaign.

In addition, he is known for volunteering his time to this very event in years past, and has been just as involved with the hospital’s annual golf outing.

“Everything, everything that they promised us and more, they have delivered.” Cancellieri says of the partnership with Mount Sinai Health System.

And Cancellieri knows firsthand the importance of having a strong local hospital like Mount Sinai South Nassau right in everyone’s backyard. When a car struck his daughter more than two decades ago, the ambulance rushed her to Mount Sinai.

“They were supporting me not as nurses, but almost like they were parents, too,” Cancellieri said. “They understood what I was going through.”

Rifkin received the Mary Pearson Award, named for the hospital’s founding administrator, and is presented to an individual who exemplifies selflessness and extraordinary effort in advancing the hospital’s commitment to its mission of compassion and service in the community.

Rifkin is a radiology professor at Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai, and has nearly 50 years of medical experience. His mission has been to expand the hospital’s radiology department, improve imaging services, and include better interventional radiology services in order to help catch diseases earlier and save more lives.

A bi-plane imaging system — where two cameras rotate around a patient to provide front and side views simultaneously — is just one example Rifkin has played a key role in obtaining. The imaging system is expected to begin its service this fall.

Keiley earned the hospital’s Cupola Award, established in 2015 to be given to

a hospital employee who not only lives by the hospital’s mission, but who consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty to deliver excellence for patients.

In her 38-year nursing career, Keiley has climbed the ranks from staff nurse, to assistant nurse manager, to assistant nurse director, to where she stands today: senior nursing director. She has been with the hospital since it was called South Nassau Communities Hospital, and remains under its current Mount Sinai South Nassau moniker.

“When I first started out at South Nassau, I was asked on my interview day, what was my philosophy of nursing?” Keiley said. “I was thinking — I didn’t think I had one. But today, I truly say it’s my three C’s. Be compassionate, care, and always connect.

“You can never miss an opportunity

if you connect with heart.”

Like Cancellieri, Keiley, too, has had personal experience with Mount Sinai, when she was treated for a brain aneurysm at the hospital’s Manhattan campus. Though the commute for treatment took a toll on her and her family, the South Shore hospital will now be equipped with a new comprehensive stroke program so Keiley and her neighbors won’t have to travel so far in the future.

The cocktail event included a performance by the NYPD Pipes & Drums, as well as musical entertainment by Broadway stars Kate Baldwin and Tony

Next month, after a five-year integration period, Mount Sinai South Nassau will finalize its partnership with Mount Sinai Health System.

Yazbeck.

Tim Baker/Herald photos Steven Gold, left, Terri Gold, Karen Lipton and Wayne Lipton were among those who enjoyed the new Lannin at Eisenhower Park as part of Mount Sinai South Nassau’s annual Soirée Under the Stars.

Broadway stars Tony Yazbeck and Kate Baldwin lit up the stage at the Soirée Under the Stars, held last weekend to raise money and honor some of Mount Sinai South Nassau’s best at Eisenhower Park.

Blair Paltrowitz, a registered nurse at Mount Sinai South Nassau, sings the national anthem ahead of the hospital’s annual Soirée Under the Stars, held for the first time this year at The Lannin at Eisenhower Park.

Anthony Cancellieri, co-chair of the Mount Sinai South Nassau board of directors — and a longtime volunteer with the hospital system — was named the 2023 honoree of the hospital’s Soirée Under the Stars fundraiser event at Eisenhower Park.

The Mary Pearson Award was given to Mount Sinai South Nassau radiology department chair Dr. Matthew Rifkin for his selfless and extraordinary effort in advancing the hospital’s commitment to compassion and service in the community.

Honoring heroes with ‘humanitarian spirit’

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

The American Red Cross is known for being there when people need them most, but even those heroes have heroes of their own. And on Thursday, Oct. 26, the Long Island chapter will celebrate those who have taken extraordinary actions to save lives and perform unselfish and extraordinary acts to help their communities.

It’s all part of the Long Island Heroes Celebration, set to begin at 6:30 p.m., at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City. There, the Red Cross will honor Kevin Rivera of Uniondale, Barbara and Robbie Donno of Plandome Manor, and First Quality Enterprises.

Headquartered in New York City, the Greater New York Region of the American Red Cross has served more than 12 million people for a century not just in the city and on Long Island, but also in Rockland and Westchester counties, as well as Greenwich, Connecticut.

“The Long Island Heroes Celebration is an opportunity for us to recognize members in the community who really reflect the humanitarian spirit of the Red Cross,” said Desiree Ramos Reiner, the chief external affairs officer for the Greater New York Region. “We like to take this moment to really recognize people who live on Long Island, or who have companies on Long Island, and really make a difference in people’s lives every day.”

Rivera, a former Amazon driver from Uniondale, is being hailed a hero for coming to the rescue of a Syosset family during a house fire last year. He had just made his final delivery and was driving away when he noticed a small fire near the front entrance of a neighboring home.

He pulled over to call 911, but when he took a closer look, he saw a woman holding a child inside the house — completely unaware of the danger that was quickly spreading. When Rivera got to the front entrance, he

frantically knocked before breaking the door down.

Once inside, Rivera realized the woman and child were not alone, so he rushed to pull everyone outside. Despite a language barrier, Rivera led the six occupants and two dogs to safety through thick black smoke, and the sounds of windows breaking and wood cracking around them.

Rivera — who will be awarded a Good Samaritan Hero — said he hopes to one-day contact the family to see how they’ve been since the fire.

First Quality — a manufacturer of household paper,

The Long Island Heroes Celebration takes place Thursday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m., at the Cradle of Aviation Museum, on Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, in Garden City. Tickets start at $300. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/LIHeroes.

adult, feminine, and baby care products — has been a committed Red Cross supporter for more than a decade, contributing to unprecedented disasters such as Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Harvey, and recently supporting communities impacted by Hurricane Ida in 2021 and Hurricane Ian in 2022.

The Donnos reflect the humanitarian spirit of the American Red Cross because they have dedicated their lives to service. They serve the community through elected office and also through the education system.

Prior to her tenure as mayor, Barbara was a member of the Manhasset School District education board, leading as its president for four years. She is also a former elementary school teacher.

Robbie is the co-founder and chair of Gift of Life, which provides life-saving operations for more than 2,000 people each year. The couple also helps treat children with health ailments in 80 countries, and have a partnership with more than 300 Rotary clubs in order to support these children.

“They really have such a deep commitment to the community and to bringing people together to make a difference,” Reiner said. “They personify the work of the Red Cross.”

Courtesy American Red Cross, Long Island chapter Kevin Rivera of Uniondale rescued people from a burning house. He is one of three honorees who will be celebrated by the Long Island chapter of the American Red Cross at its Long Island Heroes Celebration.

Calhoun’s Colts win big at homecoming game

The Sanford H. Calhoun High School football team defeated Sewanhaka High School, 46-7, at their homecoming game on Sept. 23.

While the ColtFest festivities were canceled due to the rain, Colts Country packed in the homecoming fanfare with a pep rally the day before.

Teams shimmied onto the field as they were announced by student government officers, Ava Kamlet, Sara Mascitelli and Kara Dobbs who served as emcees.

Charlie the Colt, aka Jordan Ovalle, the school’s mascot, was also on hand to spread school spirit.

At the homecoming dance that evening, John Edom and Jaclyn Dobbs were named homecoming king and queen, respectively. The court also included nominees Joseph Sarlis, Nickolas Mascary, Justine Ivory and Brianna Cruz.

“They danced all night and went back and forth between the crowded, dancing gym and the courtyard all night long,” Principal Nicole Hollings said. “I am really glad that this event is part of our culture and will continue to be an anchor in our student events for years to come.”

On game day, the cheer and kickline squads braved the elements, even performing at halftime. The Music Boosters held a 50/50 to support Farmingdale, raising $500 for the families.

Despite a tremendous amoutt of rain that caused ColtFest to be canceled, the Sanford H. Calhoun High School football team defeated Sewanhaka High School, 46-7, at their homecoming game on Sept. 23. The high school celebrated with a pep rally and dance before the game.

Photos courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District The homecoming court, Joe Sarlis, John Edom, Nick Mascary, Justine Ivory, Brianna Cruz, Jaclyn Dobbs.

Charlie the Colt, also known as Jordan Ovalle, the school’s mascot, with Principal Nicole Hollings.

The boys soccer team charged onto the field during the Sept. 22 pep rally.

STEPPING OUT

Momix’s Alice

He’s king of the neighborhood

Leaps from screen to stage

See Alice in Wonderland as you never have before. Seamlessly blending illusion, acrobatics, magic, and whimsy, Momix Dance Co., will send you flying down the rabbit hole in Moses Pendleton’s newest creation, Alice. You’ll be taken on a mind-bending adventure inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic, ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ Alice encounters time-honored characters, including the undulating Caterpillar, a lobster quadrille, frenzied White Rabbits, a mad Queen of Hearts, and a variety of other surprises. Filled with visual splendor and startling creative movement, Alice reveals that nothing in Momix’s world is as it seems. As with every Momix production, you never quite know what you are going to get. Audiences will be taken on a journey that is both magical, mysterious, fun, eccentric, and much more. As Alice falls down the rabbit hole and experiences every kind of transformation, so will you.

STEPPING OUT

By Karen Bloom

Creative advocacy

Saturday, Sept. 30, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $45. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. (516) 299-3100, or TillesCenter.org.

t always turns out to be a beautiful day in the neighborhood when Daniel Tiger and his friends welcome families into their world. The latest stage show, based on PBS’s acclaimed long running hit series “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” arrives at Tilles Center on Oct. 14. For those who may need a refresher, the pint-sized tiger in the familiar red sweater is actually the “son” of the original Daniel the Tiger who appeared on the beloved “Mister

The stage production, along with the PBS series, certainly resonates with families, just as the original Mister Rogers did for so many parents now sharing the “neighborhood” with their kids. Many of the same (or similar) characters — including King Friday, O the Owl (X the Owl’s “nephew”) Mr. McFeely — and songs continue to delight.

“Anyone who watched Mister Rogers as a kid will feel right at home,” Lupacchino says. “Yet, it’s also thoroughly modern for today’s generation. In this tale, the audience follows along with Daniel and his friends through a school day, their lessons, and different activities.”

Pat McGann

Ben Folds

the

Roger’s Neighborhood.” day.

By Karen Bloom

In this modern makeover, Daniel and his friends are involved in a new adventure in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, where Daniel learns just what it takes to be king. New songs, a lively story, and surprise guests captivate the preschool set as Daniel finds out there’s more to being king than being powerful. In this tale, goodness and friendship rule the day.

“Our story is all about kindness, and we need that now more than ever — especially after the last three years,” says Amanda Lupacchino, who commands the show as Daniel. “This is a wonderful honor to Mister Rogers, and I’m so

It ends with a “school performance” with all the characters — What Lupacchino describes as her favorite moment.

WHERE

• Saturday, Oct. 14, 2 p.m.

• Tickets start at $30.60; available at DanielTigerLive. com or TillesCenter.org

• Saturday and Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

• Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post

• 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville

• Emily Lowe Hall Gallery, South Campus, Hempstead. For information and to RSVP, call (516) 463-5672, or visit Hofstra.edu/museum

“Daniel and his classmates put on a ‘play within a play.’ It takes pieces of their journey and brings everything together in a way that’s joyous and meaningful. I walk away with a lot of joy.”

In fact, more than joy. Her character’s relationship with her young audience brings her to tears.

proud to be a part of it. and collaboration.”

“When We All Stand,” Hofstra University Museum of Art’s new exhibition, examines the collective power of the arts in society.

“I love experiencing it all with the kids. At the end of every show, I‘m crying. The kids sing with me and blow me kisses. I just live for that. My connection with them all is truly special.”

Curated by Alexandra Giordano — the museum’s assistant director of exhibition and collection — the exhibit underscores artists’ civic responsibility and influence.

“Fred Rogers left behind a legacy that’s incomparable. One of inclusivity, kindness, love Lupacchino, 32, caught on to Mister Rogers as a child.

From the moment everyone hears “Do you want to make-believe with me?” you know you’ve arrived in that special Neighborhood of Make-Believe.

Pat McGann is quickly rising as of the sharpest stand-ups on the comedy scene. A relative latecomer to comedy, he began doing standup at 31 after realizing he was very good at selling packaging. He hustled his way to become house emcee at Zanies Chicago, where he distinguished himself especially adept at working the crowd. A husband and father three young children, McGann’s appeal stems from his quick wit and relatable take on family life and marriage. In 2017, McGann began touring as the opening for Sebastian Maniscalco, moving with him from clubs to theater, to arenas, including four soldout shows at Madison Square Garden. McGann’s relatively short, but impressive resume, includes Montreal’s famed Just For Laughs Festival, Gilda’s LaughFest, The Great American Comedy Festival, and more. McGann still calls Chicago home.

Dancing and performing since she’s been young, she’s come full circle now.

“I truly feel the connection,” she says. Based in New York City, she’s been charming audiences as Daniel since she joined the show in December 2018.

“It highlights the vital role that artists have in activating democratic values that promise equality and freedom, encouraging civic engagement, and cultivating unity,” Giordano says. “Artists often lead the charge and expose truths that may otherwise be ignored. The artists in this exhibition take a stand and call out injustices through their art and activism on issues such as immigration, gender, reproductive rights, mass incarceration, voting rights, racial bias, gun violence, and promises unfulfilled. They all combine the making of art with public service that has a grassroots approach in the hope of mobilizing their communities and the nation to ignite movement, create awareness, and inspire others to stand with them.”

“Expect a lot of singing and dancing, and interactive moments with all the characters,” Lupacchino says. “Plus you’ll leave in good spirits — and filled with love.”

Indie icon and National Symphony Orchestra artistic advisor Ben Folds visits Long Island on the heels of his recently released What Matters Most. Folds says his first full-length studio album in eight years is his most ‘true’ to date. ‘There’s a lifetime of craft and experience all focused into this one record,’ Folds explains. ‘Sonically, lyrically, emotionally — I don’t think it’s an album I could have made at any other point in my career.’ One of the major music influencers of our generation, Folds’ body of genrebending music includes a string of classic albums with Ben Folds Five and a glorious mix of collaborations and special projects. He takes success in stride and continues to be the humble musician he was been for so many decades. A self-confessed enigma, he prefers to stay out of the limelight, except when touring — but can easily claim credit for some of music’s most unlikely trends.

Saturday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. $40, $30, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com ParamountNY.com.

Monday, Oct. 2, 8 p.m. $99.50 $79.50, $69.50, $59.50, $39.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 7453000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

This exhibit, which runs through July 28, is in conjunction with Hofstra’s 13th presidential conference on the Barack Obama presidency coming up in April.

Courtesy Mills Entertainment Daniel Tiger, O the Owl, Miss Elaina, Katerina Kittycat, Prince Wednesday, and more familiar friends welcome everyone join them as Daniel becomes King for a Day.

Can art change the world? It’s a question that’s been at the focus of our collective culture for centuries. Now as society navigates the complexities of modern life, art as a path for social change is at the forefront of artistic expression.

29

Suzanne Vega

Legends of Hip-Hop concert

Oct. 6

Acclaimed as a masterful storyteller, the singersongwriter visits the Landmark stage, Friday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m., for “An Intimate Evening of Songs and Stories.” She will be joined on stage by her longtime guitarist, Gerry Leonard, performing a career-spanning show including favorites like Tom’s Diner, Luka, and more. Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk-music revival of the early 1980s when, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, she sang what has been called contemporary folk or neo-folk songs of her own creation in Greenwich Village clubs. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has given sold-out concerts in many of the world’s best-known venues. Known for performances that convey deep emotion, Vega’s distinctive, “clear, unwavering voice” (Rolling Stone) has been described as “a cool, dry sandpaper-brushed near-whisper” by The Washington Post, with NPR Music noting that she “has been making vital, inventive music” throughout the course of her decades-long career. Bearing the stamp of a storyteller who “observes the world with a clinically poetic eye” (The New York Times), Vega’s songs have tended to focus on city life, ordinary people and real-world subjects. Notably succinct and understated, her work is immediately recognizable — as utterly distinct and thoughtful $195 and $99 premium VIP packages, $61, $51, $41. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

On exhibit

View the landmark exhibition “Modigliani and the Modern Portrait,” at Nassau County Museum of Art. Devoted to the way that Modigliani powerfully re-defined the art of portraiture, the show includes his masterworks along with paintings and drawings by his Parisian contemporaries (Picasso, van Dongen, Laurencin). Modigliani’s enduring influence on artists even in our own time is shown in a selection of Contemporary paintings by such important figures as David Hockney, Eric Fischl, Elizabeth Peyton and others. The exhibition is being curated by Dr. Kenneth Wayne, founder of The Modigliani Project, which authenticates paintings and drawings (two of the works in the show have been recently approved by the committee). Through Nov. 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr. and The Village of Hempstead host a free concert featuring HipHop legends The Sugar Hill Gang, Rob Base, Hempstead native A+ and Keith Murray, Friday, Sept. 29, 6 p.m., at Denton Green. The concert in Hempstead, one of the bedrocks of early and current Hip-Hop, ncludes vendors, food and activities. Dressing in early Hip Hop-era attire encouraged. 99 James A. Garner Way, across from Village Hall, Hempstead.

Art talk

Grab your lunch and join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent Riva Ettus for her popular “Brown Bag Lecture,” now back on-site at Nassau County Museum of Art, Thursday, Oct. 19 , 1 p.m. Enjoy an in-depth presentation on the current exhibition “Modigliani and the Modern Portrait.” Participants are invited to ask questions at the end of the program and to join the 2 p.m. public tour of the exhibit. 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Art classes

Nassau County Museum of Art welcomes those interested in improving their art skills or those who simply want to explore their creativity to participate in one of their many stimulating classes. The fall schedule includes Watercolor Florals: Beginner to intermediate levels (adults and teens 16+), Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.-noon, Nov. 2-Dec. 14. $300, $270 members. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. For information and to register visit NassauMuseum.org or call (516) 484-9338.

Merrick Fall Festival

The Merrick Fall Festival kicks off on Oct. 20. The carnival and festival is held in the Merrick Long Island Rail Road station and on Merrick Avenue through Oct. 22. The carnival opens on Friday at 6 p.m. and the street festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 11 a.m. Visit MerrickChamber.org for more information.

Fall Harvest Fair

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in North Bellmore holds its Fall Harvest Fair, Saturday, Oct. 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The church is actively searching for additional vendors to come to the fair. For more information, contact (516) 7855029 or email gelcnb@aol.com.

An inspired concert

Conductor-composer Steven Sametz directs The Princeton Singers in “Inspirations,” a program of diverse musical selections, Adelphi’s Performing Arts Center stage, Saturday, Sept. 30, 4 p.m. They have captivated audiences and listeners for 40 years through their versatile musicianship.

Inspirations is a look at how contemporary composers take their inspiration from chant, carnival songs, and spirituals, including works by Josquin des Prez, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, Steven Sametz, and Adelphi faculty member Sidney Boquire. $35. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 877-4000 or Adelphi.edu/pac.

Bingo at Ohav Shalom

Congregation Ohav Shalom hosts Bingo games, every other Sunday, at 145 S. Merrick Ave., Merrick.vFor times and more information, call (866) 222-1920. Visit Ohav.org/ bingo for upcoming dates. All are welcome.

Having an event?

Tribute concert

Plaza Theatricals continues its tribute series, Saturday, Sept. 30, 7:30 p.m., with “Portrait of Aretha.” CeCe Teneal honors the legacy of the Queen of Soul with personalized interpretations of both popular and lesser-known songs from this 18-Grammy-Awardwinning icon’s 50-year career, including “Chain of Fools,” “You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman,” “Rock Steady,” and “Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do).” It’s performed at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $40, $35 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

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,

Quarter page 5.04 x 6.291

Long Island Heroes Celebration

Thursday, October 26, 2023 | 6:30 p.m. Cradle of Aviation Museum, Garden City, NY

To purchase tickets and sponsorships, scan the QR code

Westbury House Tour

For many years visitors to Westbury House at Old Westbury Gardens asked what was beyond the first floor corridor. Now beyond the door and discover “secrets of the service wing,” during a 60-minute guided tour, Friday, Sept. 29, noon-1 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 1, 1:30-2:30 p.m. and 3-4 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 2, noon-1 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 4-5, noon-1 p.m. Be introduced to the intensive labor required to create the lifestyle experienced by the Phipps family and their guests; tour the many rooms that were “behind the scenes” to create the formal dining experiences of early 20th century. Go along the corridors to the butler’s pantry and silver cleaning room then descend the 17 steps to the kitchen, scullery, and wine storage rooms located on the ground floor. Reservations required. 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information contact (516) 333-0048 or visit OldWestburyGardens.org.

Spooky Fest is back

A Halloween experience not to be missed, Spooky Fest is an outdoor adventure perfect for families who don’t want to be scared — or maybe just a little. Join in the fun at the Center for Science, Teaching and Learning, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout October. Along the way in the updated and beautifully lit up, Enchanted Walk you will see dinosaurs, aliens and friendly witches, costumed characters and more. Get your fortune told, make a craft and danceg with the Halloween DJ, along with face painting and the new Amazing Glow tent. For those who want to get a little scared, venture into the Dino Woods. Be on the lookout for the Zombie Robotic Dinosaurs. 1450 Tanglewood Road, Rockville Centre. Visit CSTL.org for more information.

Breastfeeding Support Group

Mercy Hospital offers a peer to peer meeting for breastfeeding support and resources, facilitated by a certified breastfeeding counselor, every Thursday, 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Bring your baby (from newborn to 1 year) to the informal group setting. All new moms are welcome, regardless of delivering hospital. Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 705-2434 to secure you and your baby’s spot. Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.

Lung Force walk debuts on Long Island

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

More than 500 walkers are expected to test their lungs — and help others by defeating lung disease and improving lung health — with the inaugural Lung Force Walk on Long Island.

Set for a 9:30 a.m., start at Eisenhower Park, the American Lung Association-sponsored event is intended to raise awareness — and funds — for vital lung disease research, education and advocacy.

There also will be a range of activities and informational tents set up around Lot 6 to learn about lung health and lung disease. An opening ceremony will kick off the walk at 11 a.m., with routes of a mile and three miles. Afterward, walkers will be welcomed back with a barbecue in the park.

Since the campaign began in 2014, it has grown into a larger awareness and communication project, culminating in walks across the country. Participants walk for all impacted by chronic lung diseases — from cancer, to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, to asthma and pulmonary fibrosis.

For the Eisenhower Park event, the local band from Acoustic Overlook will perform live music. Event speakers include Dr. Nagashree Seetharamu of Northwell Health, and lung cancer survivor Carol Silva.

Funds from the Lung Force Walk will support the lung association’s annual work in research, educational initiatives, and its advocacy work on state and federal levels.

Emily Amitin, a development director with the lung association’s metro New York and Northern/Central New Jersey area, says the Lung Force Walk came about when organizers realized many people didn’t know how dangerous some lung inflictions — especially cancer — are.

“Through a lot of our surveying, we realized that

while cancer was top of mind for individuals, people don’t know that it’s the number one cancer killer nationwide of both men and women,” Amitin said. “Anyone with lungs can get lung cancer. It’s not just a smoker’s disease.”

Next year, New York City will host its 10th annual Lung Force Walk. Its debut on Long Island came after the organizers noticed a large number of participants from the Manhattan event actually came from Long Island.

“It only makes sense to bring the community that brings a groundswell of support their own event,” Amitin said. “We see participation in these events from a range of people who’ve been affected by lung cancer, COPD, asthma, and a range of health conditions — or people that simply care about clean air.”

Touching on awareness about healthy lungs, Hewlett High School students Daniel Tkach and Ryan Weinman started their own New York chapter of the organization For Future Lungs last spring. The parent organization seeks to promote the risks associated with smoking and tobacco use for teens, and promote events dedicated to discussing the risks of tobacco.

Throughout the summer, the two 16-year-olds actively collaborated with an array of organizations, including the American Lung Association. They worked together to create a website, and got involved with a fundraiser that will ultimately benefit the lung association.

They also host a podcast online intended to help spread awareness about the harms of smoking, and how it affects mental health.

Tkach and Weinman will bring a representative from the Nassau County health department to the Lung Force Walk, educating participants about the detrimental effects of smoking.

Suzanne Vo is the development coordinator locally for the lung association, and was the Tkach and Weinman’s

Want to go?

Registration for the inaugural Lung Force Walk Long Island — set for Saturday, Oct. 7 at Eisenhower Park — is free. To learn more, visit LungForce.org/longisland.

first contact when they sought to collaborate.

“Ryan and Daniel email me every day,” Vo said. “Since it’s a larger organization that was started on the west cxoast, they wanted to bring it to the east coast and into their high school to get more students involved.”

In the meantime, the teen duo are working with the lung association to plan a school presentation after the Lung Force Walk about vaping and other lung diseases.

“It takes some time out, but we’re doing it for a good cause,” Tkach said. “If it’s going to result in us staying up an extra hour or two in addition to our schoolwork and everything else we have going on in our lives, that’s totally fine.”

The New York City walk saw 1,000 people participate, raising $275,000. The Long Island walk wants to raise $110,000, and is on track to exceed that goal.

It’s not very often students reach out directly, and Amitin commends the Hewlett teens for taking the lead on these important health issues.

“Within schools, requests to come into and work with students usually come from the administration,” Amitin said. “The fact that these students are taking it upon themselves is unique for us, at least for the metro New York program. I think it’s very encouraging to see people taking action and recognizing the issue.”

A lesson in life unfolded guest

In this back-toschool season, it’s interesting to note how often wisdom can be gained from unexpected sources.

Unreserved Judgment

Last week I was browsing through a book store with my high school sophomore granddaughter, while considering such selfhelp titles as “Using the Crowd to be Independent” and “Why Most Are Too Despicable to Recognize the Universal Goodness in Others,” as well as “Seeing the World Naturally Through Rose-Colored Prescription Designer Lenses” and “How To BE As Unique AS Everyone Else,” my granddaughter couldn’t help but ask (in a voice apparently a bit too loud) how you can love life, get along with yourself and like others all at the same time.

Ron Goldman

“If you try for the sky with your feet on the ground, if what’s tossed and thought lost you’ll search for it till it’s found, if you’re patient with the ancient as the new comes around, then life’s a poem that’s just for you.

“If you’ve heard just one word but one word is enough, if you play it as a you say it with no need to bluff, if you measure your treasure by your deeds not your “stuff,” then like’s a joy that’s just for you.

“If you hold dear the tear from another’s eye, of a friend you defend and you don’t ask why, if you still write the note though you’ll get no reply, then life’s a win that’s just for you.

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. AMY WHEELER, et al, Defts. Index #616379/2022. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered August 2, 2023, I will sell at public auction on the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on October 17, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. prem. k/a Section 56, Block 83 Lot 103. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. KEITH LAVALLEE, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Drive, Great Neck, NY. #100739 141887

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU GREEN TREE SERVICING LLC, Plaintiff AGAINST ELIZABETH VITALE, JACK GANDOLFO, Defendant(s)

With that, an elderly gentleman leaning against the large-print shelf identified himself as a retired music teacher and asked me to remove from his wallet a folded song sheet and recite the lyrics aloud:

“If you wave at a wave when you’re at the shore, if you wiggle when you’re tickled but you beg for more, if rain is a game and you love when it pours, then life’s a song that’s just for you.

“If you embrace time and space with the zest of a teen, if you go with the flow and don’t make a scene, if you state the plate’s great though the portions are lean, then like’s a treat that’s just for you.

“If you stay and you play even though you’re beat; if you smile every mile as you walk the street; if you care that a chair never gets a seat, then life’s a song just for you.”

As I finished reading, the educator turned to my grandchild and commented,” I’ve carried that item for 60-plus years. I can no longer see its print nor can I sing the melody. I hardly remember many of the lines, and, as you can see, I can’t even unfold and handle it. But I can still feel it, and value it, and try to live it and live up to it, and it keeps me alive and happy.”

And with that he strolled away, a very nice man who had taught us both the first (and probably the best) lesson of the new school year.

© 2023 Ron Goldman

Neighbors iN the News

Students named National Merit semifinalists

Seven students in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District have been named National Merit semifinalists in the 2024 competition.

Joseph Darcourt and Fiona Wong of Sanford H. Calhoun High School, Sara Maltempi, Avidan Moont and Cole Wasserman of John F. Kennedy High School and Matthew Keegan and Matt Yang of Wellington C. Mepham High School were among those who earned this distinction.

“We are once again in awe at the academic achievements made by our students,” said Superintendent Michael Harrington. “It’s amazing to watch them flourish in Bellmore-Mer-

rick, especially knowing how well they are supported by our educational staff and faculty.”

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

More than 16,000 students qualified as semifinalists. This year, about 95 percent are expected to attain finalist standing. Finalists will be notified in February 2024 and scholarship winners will be announced in the spring of 2024.

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

LOCAL LAW NO. 60-2023

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held September 6th, 2023, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 60-2023, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 60-2023, amending Section 202-1 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at various locations.

Dated: September 6, 2023 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE TO REAL ESTATE BROKERS

The Merrick Union Free School District is issuing this Request For Proposals (RFP) for the selection of a real estate broker for the purpose of the sale of unused School District property. You are invited to submit proposals in accordance with this RFP.

Proposals will be received until 11:00 am on October 6, 2023 directed to the attention of Ryan Butler, Assistant Superintendent for Business, at the Administrative Offices of the School District located at 21 Babylon Road, Merrick, New York 11566. Proposal forms may be obtained at the aforementioned office or by contacting Ryan Butler at 516-992-7260. The Board of Education reserves the right to reject any proposal or to accept part of any proposal.

MERRICK UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

mask and/or the social distancing mandate will be removed from the auction.

Said premises known as 45 RICHARD AVENUE, NORTH MERRICK, NY Approximate amount of lien $674,050.36 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 606896/2019.

LISA GOODWIN, ESQ., Referee Kosterich & Skeete, LLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 707 Westchester Ave, Suite 302, White Plains, NY 10604 {* MERRICK HE*} 142116

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered September 27, 2018, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on October 23, 2023 at 2:30PM, premises known as 46 SHAW DRIVE, MERRICK, NY 11566. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at North Merrick, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 56, Block A02, Lot 12A-12B. Approximate amount of judgment $614,616.06 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #007977/2014. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Jennifer Ettenger, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 17-001468 77659

141968

DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR Supervisor

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 142144

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD LOCAL LAW NO. 63-2023

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held on the 6th day of September, 2023, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead, on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 63-2023, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Local Law No. 63-2023, to amend Section 192-1 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead by the insertion of a location into subdivisions “T” and “BB” thereof, in relation to gross weight restrictions upon commercial vehicles using certain town highways in North Merrick and Wantagh.

Dated: September 6, 2023 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR Supervisor

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 142147

To place a notice here call us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com

Dated: September 21, 2023 142185

LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU ELIZON MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST I, U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS OWNER TRUSTEE Plaintiff -againstROSEMARIE FRATELLO, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated August 1, 2023 and entered on August 8, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court “Rain or Shine” located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on October 30, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. premises situate, lying and being at North Merrick, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, bounded and described as follows:

BEGINNING at a point on the westerly side of Richard Avenue, distant 250 feet Southerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the westerly side of Richard Avenue and the southerly side of Henry Street; being a plot 125 feet by 75 feet by 125 feet by 75 feet.

SBL# 55,6,803-805

*REFEREE does not accept cash only bank or certified checks payable to Lisa Goodwin, Esq., referee*

All bidders must wear a face mask/shield at all times and social distancing must be observed by all bidders at all times. Bidders who do not comply with the face

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU MCLP ASSET COMPANY, INC., Plaintiff, AGAINST DOLORES ANNE CARUCCI-LAMPITELLI, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF DOLORES MARIA CARUCCI AKA DOLORES CARUCCI, et al.

Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale duly entered on February 4, 2020.

I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on October 26, 2023 at 2:30 PM premises known as 1429 Little Whaleneck Rd, North Merrick, NY 11566 AKA 1429 Little Whaleneck Rd, Merrick, NY 11566.

Please take notice that this foreclosure auction shall be conducted in compliance with the Foreclosure Auction Rules for Nassau County and the COVID 19 Health Emergency Rules, including proper use of masks and social distancing.

All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Merrick (unincorporated area), Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 56, Block 22 and Lot 51.

Approximate amount of judgment $452,331.62 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment. Index #001685/2017.

Janine T. Lynam, Esq., Referee, Aldridge Pite, LLPAttorneys for Plaintiff - 40 Marcus Drive, Suite 200, Melville, NY 11747 142126

All

EMPLOYMENT

Help Wanted

AUTO MECHANIC: Village of Malverne.

Full Time. Experienced. Must have CDL. www.malvernevillage.org/job-postings

CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE

Full Time/Part Time

Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department. Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc.

STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multitask, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines.

Salary Range is $15 per hour to $23 per hour. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com

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 INSTRUCTORS WANTED

Will Certify And Train HS Diploma

NYS License Clean 3 Years

$20 - $25/ Hour

Call 516-731-3000

Fax your ad to: 516-622-7460 E-mail your ad to: ereynolds@liherald.com E-mail Finds Under $100 to: sales@liherald.com

Monday, 11:00

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

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 $15 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $31,200 + 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 $31,200 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

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

P/T CUSTODIAL WORKER FOR ISLAND PARK LIBRARY

Afternoon and evening shifts. MonSat. Drivers license req.. High school graduate. Able to lift 40 lbs., Cleaning inside and outside of library. Program set up. Snow removal, run errands, able to climb ladder. $16-$17 per hour. email: jkoenig@islandparklibrary.org..

RECEPTIONIST

Receptionist needed for Publisher and Self-Storage Facility located in Garden City. The ideal candidate should have excellent communications and customer service skills, be professional, dependable and have reliable transportation. Candidate should have computer knowledge and working knowledge of MS Office. Candidate MUST be reliable, punctual and be able to work a CONSISTENT schedule: Job Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Answering phones and greeting customers, assisting new customers by showing storage facility options and pricing, collecting payments from customers, contacting customers for late payments, applying payments and updating the customer files /data base and other general administrative responsibilities on an as needed basis. Hourly pay $15 to $17 plus eligible for Holiday Pay, PTO, Medical, Dental, 401k with company matching, plus other benefits. Qualified candidates should email their resume, cover letter and salary requirements. No phone calls please. Email your resume to: careers@liherald.com

RESTAURANT

Hostess & Server

Positions Available

(646) 830 4987 email: mc_brando@yahoo.com

Rockville Centre

Quaint Colonial

OPEN HOUSE Rockville Centre

69 Raymond Street

Thursday 9/28 4:00pm-6:00pm Saturday, 9/30 11:00am-1:00pm.

Do I really need my sprinkler system?

Q. I’m wondering about my home sprinkler system, the one in my ceilings, and whether I have to do anything with it. I’ve lived in the house for six months. When I bought it, they told me about the system, but I’m not clear on whether there’s standing water in the pipes, and what to do. Also, I wonder if the pipes can freeze, and whether they need more insulation and maintenance. Frankly, I’m wondering whether the sprinklers will even work. Do I really need them? What can you tell me?

OPEN HOUSES SUNday, 10/1/23

HEWLETT Bay Pa RK

190 Meadowview Ave, BA, Ever Dream of Living in A Castle?

This 8000 Sq Ft Mansion is Full of Character. Amazing Architectural Details, Soaring Ceilings, Stained Glass Windows. 5 BR, 6.55 Bths. Sprawling 1.3 Acre Prop with IG Gunite Pool. SD#14. Near All. Must See This Unique Home! REDUCED $2,700,000 HEWLETT

1390 Broadway #102,BA, Move Right Into This Magnificent

Newly Renovated 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Prestigious Hewlett Townhouse. Open Layout. NEW State of the Art Kitchen & Bths, HW Flrs, Windows, HVAC, Recessed LED Lights, Doors, W/D. Community Pool. Full Service 24 Hr Doorman, Valet Pkg, Elevator, Priv Storage. Gar Pkg. Near Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship $579,000

1534 Broadway #205, BA, Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedroom (Originally 3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/ Dryer in Unit. Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living BIG REDUCTION!! MOTIVATED SELLER! $579,000

WOOdMERE

504 Saddle Ridge Rd, BA, Move Right Into This Renovated 4 BR, 2 Bth Split with Open Layout in Prime Location! Granite/ Wood EIK Opens to Dining Room & Living Room. Lower Level Den. HW Flrs, Gas Heat, CAC. Oversized Property! SD#14. Near All! REDUCED! $950,000

CE da RHURST

332B Peninsula Blvd, BA, Move Right Into This Updated 3 Br, 2.5 Bth Coop Townhouse. LR, DR, Gran/Wood Kit w/ Stainless Steel Appl. Trex Deck Off LR. Primary Ste Features Updtd Bth & WIC. Att Gar Plus 1 Pkg Spot incl in Maintenance. W/D. Pull Down Attic. SD#15. Convenient to Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship $449,000

storage space. Outside, enjoy a spacious backyard with a patio and a two-car detached garage. This charming home is a must-see. MLS# 3505456. $998,000.

Scott Wallace, CBR Real Estate Salesperson Gold Circle of Excellence 516.248.6655 Cell: 516.521.4065 scottwallace@danielgale.com scottwallace.danielgale.com

A. Home sprinklers are required for homes over 2½ stories tall, and were partly the reason that insulation became required in attic ceilings instead of just floors. The piping needs to be on the warm side of insulation. Water stagnates in pipes over time, and putrid water, in a stand-alone system, must have a backflow device to prevent stagnant water from getting into the municipal system.

Stand-alone water testing and back-flow device testing was nixed by most water authorities, because homeowners had the responsibility to arrange for tests (and they could not be relied on to do so), and neglected systems could end up poisoning the neighbors. You’ll need to contact a residential fire sprinkler installer for testing to avoid property or system damage.

Local water departments in many municipalities have higher authority than building codes when it comes to domestic sprinklers. The latest arrangement is a mix of multi-purpose fixtures and a stand-alone system in which the water supply branches after the water service enters the home, directed to the most used toilet water lines (the master bathroom toilet). It is connected to the sprinkler line, where flushing regularly advances enough water to purge standing water in the sprinkler line to keep it from becoming putrid and dangerous, which may preclude testing. A certified installer can look at your installation and see right away if this was done.

Water departments still weren’t satisfied, and insisted on a check valve in the fire sprinkler pipeline as a backup solution to protect the domestic water if the passive solution of water flow and purging to the most used fixture didn’t work as planned. This device ends up in a location where the water company can check your system’s function annually, and certify its continued use. New homeowners might be surprised when they see that the water bill has an additional fee for “backflow prevention device certification.”

Some people don’t disclose the particulars, and it’s good that you’re asking questions. If there is anything faulty about your system or its operation, it could be a serious problem for your household and for neighbors who share the water supply in your immediate area. A negative pressure backup from purging the street lines or any other malfunction could be deadly. Be sure to follow up and ask more questions of your water department and an installation and testing company. Good luck!

© 2023 Monte Leeper

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

Ask The Architect Monte Leeper

HomesHERALD

This Robin won’t rest until you are in your new NEST!

How’s the market?? Please contact me for your free market report and personalized service!

REAL ESTATE

Open Houses

CEDARHURST BA, 332B Peninsula

Blvd, Move Right Into This Updated 3 Br,

2.5 Bth Coop Townhouse. LR, DR, Gran/Wood Kit w/ Stainless Steel Appl.

Trex Deck Off LR.Primary Ste Features

Updtd Bth & WIC. Att Gar Plus 1 Pkg Spot incl in Maintenance. W/D in Unit.Pull Down

Attic.SD#15. Convenient to Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship...$449,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT BA, 1390 Broadway #102,

NEW! Move Right Into This Magnificent

Newly Renovated 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Prestigious Hewlett Townhouse.Open Layout.

NEW State of the Art Kitchen & Bths,HW

Flrs, Windows, HVAC,Recessed LED

Lights, Doors, W/D. Community Pool. Full Service 24 Hr Doorman, Valet Pkg, Elevator, Priv Storage. Gar Pkg. Near Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship...$579,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman

516-238-4299

HEWLETT BA,1534 BROADWAY #205, BIG REDUCTION!! MOTIVATED SELLER!!Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedroom(Originally 3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living...$579,000

Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman

516-238-4299

Open Houses

HEWLETT BAY PARK BA,.190 Meadowview Ave Ever Dream of Living in A Castle? This 8000 Sq Ft Mansion is Full of Character. Amazing Architectural Details, Soaring Ceilings, Stained Glass Windows.

5 BR, 6.55 Bths. Sprawling 1.3 Acre Prop with IG Gunite Pool. SD#14.Near All. Must See This Unique Home!..REDUCED

$2,700,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas elliman 516-238-4299

WOODMERE BA, 504 Saddle Ridge Rd.,Move Right Into This Renovated 4 BR,

2 Bth Split with Open Layout in Prime Location! Granite/Wood EIK Opens to Dining Room & Living Room. Lower Level Den. HW Flrs, Gas Heat, CAC. Oversized Property! SD#14.Near All!..$950,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

Apartments Wanted

RESPONSIBLE PERSON SEEKING Studio In Wantagh Or Seaford. Non-Smoker, No Pets. Call 516-800-6343

Apartments For Rent

CEDARHURST NO FEE Private Entrance, Modern 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, CAC, W/D, Storage, Wall To Wall Carpeting, Indoor Parking Space. Starting At $1450 For One Bedroom When Available.

(516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/

(516)582-9978

BETTER WAY

Rob Kolb

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Tripodi Shemtov Team

Douglas Elliman Real Estate

30

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 • To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 1230572

Parking Space Available

COMMERCIAL PARKING VANS, TRUCKS, TRAILERS, STORAGE CONTAINERS, OVERNIGHT, DAYTIME 516 996 5818

Florida Real Estate

DELRAY BEACH, FL: For Sale, opportunity before it hits the market! Single Story Ranch Condo. Beautifully appointed in desirable Emerald Pointe gated community, Approx 1800 Sq Ft. Furnished, All Appliances, 2 Bed / 2 Bath, Eat-In Kitchen, Walk-In Closets, Great Interior Storage and Exterior Storage Room, Screened-In Porch with Dual Interior Access, New Rheem HVAC Jan 2019, Ceiling fans throughout, 4 Private Parking Spots, Clubhouse with Auditorium, Pool, Gym, Tennis, Pickleball (TBD), Game and Card Rms, Interior Walking-Paths, Pet Friendly, 55+ Community, Easy access to Palm Beach International and Ft Lauderdale Airports. Exciting Downtown Delray offers beautiful Beaches, Shopping, Restaurants, and Nightlife. Asking $309,999. Call David at 248-240-8154 SWCGRPMI@gmail.com

Baldwin $610,000

Field Place. Cape. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Formal dining room. Den/family room and exercise room. First floor bedroom.

Taxes: $11,754.57

Bellmore $785,000

Shore Road. Splanch. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchenwith granite countertops. Formal dining room. Den/family room and home office. Updates include cathedral ceiling.

Taxes: $14,637

East Meadow $725,000

Jeffrey Avenue. Split Level. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen with granite countertops. Den/family room and home office. Updates include cathedral ceiling.

Taxes: $11,440.95

Long Beach $855,00

E. Park Avenue. Duplex. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen with granite countertops. L-shaped dining room. First floor master bedroom with walk-in closet.

Taxes: $13,156.70

Malverne $700,000

Lawrence Avenue. Colonial. 5 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen with granite countertops. Formal dining room. Den/family room.

Taxes: $23,481

Merrick $892,000

Commonwealth Avenue. Colonial. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Partial finished basement. Chef’s eat-in kitchen with custom cabinets, granite countertops and stainless steal appliances. Banquet-size formal dining room. Spacious den and home office. Ultra king ensuite master bedroom. Attached garage and large fenced yard. All large rooms with many updates, including custom moldings.

Taxes: $19,594.14

Oceanside $700,000

Fortesque Avenue. Colonial. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Partial finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Formal dining room. Den/family room and home office. First floor bedroom. Updates include skylight. Security system.

Taxes: $13,704.41

Rockville Centre $965,000

Strathmore Lane. Tudor. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Formal dining room. Den/family room.

Taxes: $19,830.80

West Hempstead $570,000

Robin Court. Cape. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Den/family room and exercise room. First floor master bedroom.

Taxes: $10,938

Woodmere $1,300,000

South End. Colonial. 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms. Gourmet eat-in kitchen with granite countertops. Formal dining room. Den/family room and home office. High end finishes include vaulted ceiling and skylight. First floor bedroom. Security system.

Taxes: $28,269.93

A

TO BUY AND SELL REAL ESTATE!

“Call A Realtor With Proven Experience!”

“Leading Edge Award Winner”

MERCHANDISE MART

Antiques/Collectibles

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

FINDS UNDER $100

Finds Under $100

12- 8" SNACK Plates w inserts to fit 10 matching Teacups $40. 516 445-7390

BOYS' CLOTHES: SIZE 4/4T, New with tags; $8 each piece. 917-420-5814.

GOLF BAG W 3 Woods and 8 Iron, $50. (516) 445-3212

TEENAGE BOYS CLOTHES: sweatshirts, pants, long sleeve-Tshirts. $1-2 each piece. 917-420-5814.

TWA MENUS, 3 1970's, 2 Geneva, 1 Paris, plus Antoine's 1940 Centennial Menu, $30. 516-379-2511.

TWIN XL BED, with mattress and sheets. Like new. Baldwin. $50 (516) 254-3640

VAN GOGH SUNFLOWER painting hard case iPhone 11 $20, Separate clear case $15, 516 445-3212

Finds $100-$350

SUKKAH 6FTX8FT, frame steel pipes, curtain heavyweight plastic; roof bamboo; decorations wax fruit. $350.00.

516.295.1647

Handyman

HANDYMAN

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

E-mail-Frankcav@optonline.net

Home Improvement

SERVICES

Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry

*MICHAEL LO BAIDO CONSTRUCTION*

Cement Specialist, Brickwork, Interlock Bricks, Belgium Blocks, Stoops, Patios, Driveways, Sidewalks, Basement Entrances, Pavers, Waterproofing. Quality Work, Lic./ Ins. Owner Always Onsite Free Estimates 516-354-5578

Electricians

E-Z ELECTRIC SERVICES, INC. All

Sprinkler Syst./Irrig.Wells

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

HANDY DANDY HOME IMPROVEMENTS

* Full Or Partial Kitchens/ Baths *Painting *Sheetrock *Taping/ Spackling *Installations Ceramic/ Vinyl Tile *Carpentry *Alterations *Repairs/ More. FREE ESTIMATES. Dan 516-342-0761

Privacy Hedge! Arborvitae 6-foot Reduced to $125/each. Free Installation, Free Delivery. Fast growing, High-quality Beautiful & Bushy! Order now to reserve for early Fall delivery. LowCostTrees.com 518-536-1367

SECURE YOUR HOME with Vivint Smart Home technology. Call 866-601-1219 to learn how you can get a professionally installed security system with $0 activation.

Miscellaneous

BEST SATELLITE TV with 2 Year Price

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

Power Washing

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

Tree Services

T&M GREENCARE TREE SERVICE

*Tree Removal *Stump Grinding *Pruning

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

Satellite/TV Equipment

DIRECTV Sports Pack – 3 Months on Us! Watch pro and college sports LIVE. Plus over 40 regional and specialty networks included. NFL, College Football, MLB, NBA, NHL, Golf and more. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Health & Fitness

ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 888-514-3044

HEARING AIDS!! HIGH-QUALITY rechargeable, powerful Audien hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Tiny and NEARLY INVISIBLE! 45-day money back guarantee! 855-598-5898

MY CARING PLAN'S local advisors have helped thousands of families with unique needs find senior living. Can you afford 2k a month in rent? We can help for free!

866-989-1812

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

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We’ve had great people working for us at the U.N.

Every September, the annual opening of the United Nations General Assembly wreaks havoc, confusion and congestion for everyone who must travel to and from Manhattan. I was reminded of this when it took me a half-hour in mid-afternoon to drive the five and a half blocks from the FDR Drive’s 49th Street exit to a parking garage on 48th Street on my way to co-hosting “Cats and Cosby” at the WABC-AM studio.

Arriving at the studio, however, I received no sympathy or compassion from station employees, who told me about their experiences earlier in the day with endless gridlock or being unable to call an Uber or hail a taxi.

All of this made me think back on some of my experiences with the United Nations during my time in Congress and the question of the efficacy of this international body.

The General Assembly is a security nightmare for New York, as world leaders from far and wide descend on Manhattan. They include friends and foes; democratically elected leaders and tyrannical despots; serious players and dilettantes. It

takes carefully coordinated efforts by all levels of law enforcement, including the FBI, the Secret Service and, most significantly, the NYPD, to provide the necessary security and transportation arrangements for all these leaders.

Not surprisingly, the one who generates the most attention is the president of the United States. I have been at General Assembly events for Presidents Clinton, Bush 43 and Trump. No matter how jaded you might become after years in politics and government, and no matter the president’s political party, it is always exhilarating to watch our president on the world stage.

I had significant interactions with several of the American ambassadors to the U.N., beginning with Madeline Albright, in the first Clinton administration. Albright and I developed a friendly relationship from the start, sharing memories of Long Island, where she lived in Garden City during the early years of her marriage.

She was a true foreign policy expert, and I distinctly recall her comparing the successful Irish peace process with the inability to get Balkan leaders to follow that example. My last in-depth meeting with Albright was on a visit to Sarajevo with Clinton in 2015, when we reminisced

about bipartisan foreign policy efforts.

Albright was succeeded by New Mexico Congressman Bill Richardson, who had an international reputation as a hostage negotiator. I got to know Richardson well when we were in Congress together, particularly when we traveled to Ireland, Britain and Israel. Bill combined educational knowledge with solid street smarts to find ways to work through insoluble problems and achieve common-sense results.

My wife, Rosemary, and I have a great memory of when we and our daughter, Erin, had dinner with Bill and his wife, Barbara, at his ambassador’s residence in the Waldorf-Astoria. He went on to become governor of New Mexico, and then continued his work as a hostage negotiator until he died on Sept. 1.

Richard Holbrooke, a career diplomat who served as Clinton’s second-term U.N. ambassador, was a larger-than-life force who took no prisoners. I met Holbrooke when he was ambassador to Germany, and then he was assistant secretary of state for Europe, where I saw up close his efforts to resolve the wars in the Balkans, first in Bosnia and then in Kosovo. As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I accompanied him to Sarajevo in 1996 to observe Bosnia’s first free elections.

Holbrooke brought the same energy and drive to the United Nations. He was later appointed special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan by President Obama. Holbrooke died during heart surgery in 2010.

I have great regard for Trump’s first U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley. A former governor of South Carolina, she was a tough, strong and articulate defender of the U.S. at the U.N., unafraid to face down America’s adversaries such as Russia and China. Haley was particularly effective in defending Israel, our strongest ally and the only real democracy in the Middle East, from hypocritical, biased resolutions. I visited her at her U.N. office with my family, and she couldn’t have been more gracious. Haley is currently running for president, and I wish her well. If elected, she would do an outstanding job. Our presidents have appointed very able and dedicated Americans to represent us at the U.N. Unfortunately, while the U.N. has done effective humanitarian work, it has never fulfilled its potential as a force for peace because Russia and China have veto power, and have prevented meaningful action. Nonetheless, our ambassadors have used the U.N. as a forum for defending American values.

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

No more delays in distributing opioid settlement funds

With our children back in classrooms and the leaves beginning their autumnal change, the nation is highlighting another vital milestone as we observe September as National Recovery Month.

Since being established in 1989 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Recovery Month has become a powerful vehicle for promoting and supporting new treatment and prevention practices, honoring the hard work and courage of Americans in recovery, and recognizing the countless service providers, communities and organizations that make recovery available for all who seek it.

In Nassau County and across the country, the perils posed by the disease of addiction are more severe than I can ever remember. As if the fentanyl crisis wasn’t frightening enough, drugs like “tranq” are adding a new kind of danger. Formally known as xylazine, tranq is an animal

tranquilizer that is increasingly being used as an additive to heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. It’s beginning to appear in drug tests at Nassau County treatment centers, and its effects on users are truly horrific. Worse yet, we’re learning of an emerging group of synthetic opioids that may be even more powerful than fentanyl.

In two major recent drug busts in our region, 30 people were arrested in Suffolk County, and illegal guns, two kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of fentanyl — enough to kill 380,000 people — were seized. A day later, a dozen more people were indicted for their alleged involvement in a South Shore Nassau drug ring. There, three kilograms of cocaine and 430 grams of fentanyl were recovered and confiscated.

All of these disturbing new developments illustrate how high the stakes are in the ever-evolving battle against addiction. Now more than ever, if there is a potentially life-saving resource that we can add to our toolkit, we must avail ourselves of it. That’s why my office was one of the first in Nassau County to begin hosting Narcan training sessions years ago, and I have continued to work closely

with stakeholders since then to expand on these tools.

During this legislative term, my minority caucus colleagues and I have cosponsored legislation that would require the county to add fentanyl-detecting test strips to all Narcan kits that we distribute. A second proposed law would facilitate the distribution of kits that safely destroy and dissolve unwanted prescription drugs at home. While I’m disappointed that the legislative majority hasn’t even held a public hearing on these proposals, I won’t give up in the fight to enact common-sense, low-cost and, most important, potentially life-saving policies.

I also remain concerned about the manner in which the county is distributing tens of millions of dollars that we have received from various settlements with opioid manufacturers, distributors and sellers. While significant sums have been earmarked for an array of worthwhile entities that are serving on the front lines of the addiction crisis, we have received little, if any, information from the administration on whether the county has distributed the funds. In fact, our most recent available budget data

shows that only $2.24 million of the $30 million appropriated for the last two years — and nearly $83 million overall — has been delivered. With so many threats on the horizon, it is essential for these resources to be delivered in as expeditious and transparent a manner as possible.

As new proceeds arrive from future settlements, I believe that Nassau County would be well served by using those funds to expand Nassau University Medical Center’s detox and in-patient rehab facilities to ensure that no one is ever prevented from getting treatment for addiction because there isn’t a bed available. Our unique relationship with NUMC offers the county a golden opportunity to establish ourselves as a regional leader in the delivery of recovery opportunities, and it is one we should take full advantage of.

Never forget that people who are in recovery very seldom do it alone — and if you are struggling as you read this, I want you to know that there are people out there who care about you and are eager to extend a helping hand. If you need assistance with substance abuse or a mental health crisis, I encourage you to call the Nassau County Crisis Helpline, at (516) 227-8255, and take that first step toward reclaiming your life.

Delia DeRiggi-Whitton represents Nassau County’s 11th Legislative District.

How about using some of them to fund NUMC’s detox and inpatient rehab?

But traffic, security challenges, and Russia and China work against us.

Deadly Wild West in our backyard

drive a mere exit or two on any of long Island’s main thoroughfares, and you are sure to see at least one roadside shrine remembering the victim of a fatal car crash.

These memorials — already too commonplace — will only become more ubiquitous if nothing is done to stem the rising tide of dangerous drivers on these roads. In fact, just last week, Peninsula Boulevard was sadly the site of two separate fatal accidents. On the same day.

We all have seen the tricked-out cars and motorcycles that zig and zag through traffic — exceeding the speed limit in spades — with no concern about repercussions from law enforcement or consequences to the lives of others.

That sickening feeling you get when your heart skips a beat and you thank heaven to be alive because yet another vehicle comes out of nowhere at 100

Letters

Are we sure Trump’s guilt would be enough?

To the Editor:

mph to cut you off, and then does the same thing to the next car? And the next car? All of us, especially on long Island, know this feeling all too well.

reckless (and noisy) drivers — threatening both public safety and community tranquility — are operating with impunity. And they know it.

Their cars are hard to miss with their illegally modified mufflers that can be heard miles away at all hours of the day and night. Illegal license plate covers and fake temporary tags protect their callous disregard for law and order by making it impossible for anyone to catch their plate, including law enforcement tools like speed cameras. And their friends are now sometimes even setting up lawn chairs on the side of the road to watch cars race in broad daylight — missing the irony that a crash victim’s memorial is often just over their shoulders.

More than 75 people lost their lives

and another 13,000 were injured in nearly 37,000 traffic accidents in our county last year. Those are unacceptable numbers.

It’s difficult to find law enforcement on these central thruways. We need more — not less — patrolling of our roads.

We need more — not less — enforcement of sensible laws already on the books.

We need more — not less — coordination between state and local law enforcement.

And we need more stringent laws and harsher penalties coming out of Albany so that we can make these reckless drivers as scared to continue these dangerous activities as we are to witness them. We implore all jurisdictions to work together to reign in the scourge of irresponsible, dangerous and selfish drivers. Because even one more roadside shrine is one too many.

In his column “Sometimes you just may be guilty until proven innocent,” Jerry Kremer is, I fervently hope, correct in his conclusion that all the facts in the Trump indictments go against him, so he will not escape conviction by some “Houdini” trick. I agree that inside the courtroom, with its rational procedures, Trump’s lawyers will not save him. However, he is not there yet, and outside there is latitude, and time, for manipulation, and for many of his allies to assist. My concerns include:

■ The “delay” escape. It’s temporary, but it allows other interventions to ripen. It’s in the attorneys’ motions.

■ The “electoral” escape. Should Trump, or any MAGA candidate, become president, the get-out-ofjail-free card will be played. This is well under way, from the Freedom Caucus to the Wisconsin legislature to the intimidation tactics of the NY Citizens Audit Civil Fund and Trump’s busy campaign.

■ The “hung jury” escape. It only needs one to succeed. Trump’s “colossal chutzpah” does not shrink from gangsterism, intimidation, bribery, extortion or falsehood. We have seen it. Trump’s recent speeches invite volunteers, his militia-trained thugs remain loyal, deluded acolytes persist, and polls indicate large reservoir of fervent ideologues. These too, are facts — less rational than Mr. Kremer’s, but active for years now, and thus well-practiced. The Houdinis are busy.

Sometimes you may be guilty, but just not convicted.

BrIAN KEllY Rockville Centre

Trump’s guilty?

What about Biden?

To the Editor:

As long as we still have free speech in this country, I would like to address Jerry Kremer’s accusations against Donald Trump in “Sometimes you just may be guilty until proven innocent.” The Democratic Party has put up a strong smoke-

screen to avoid the bigger and more important issue of how ineffective Joe Biden has been as leader of our country.

Biden undid everything Trump achieved as an act of spitefulness. He opened the borders, millions of unvetted illegals are here, and the schools are inundated with non-English-speaking children. He shut down the Keystone X l pipeline, many people lost their jobs, and the price of gas soared to over $4 per gallon. He ran out of Afghanistan and gave

To serve its riders, the MTA needs proper governance

the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is, unfortunately, usually in the news for billion-dollar boondoggles. But local issues and corporate governance problems plague the agency that affects the daily lives of so many riders in Nassau County. The MTA needs some corporate governance and a renewed focus on the commuters it serves, and only then will it be able to lead us out of the pandemic era and into a robust recovery.

The MTA is the largest public transit system in America, shuttling over 11 million passengers on an average weekday, covering 14 counties, employing 70,000 people and serving over 850,000 vehicles across seven bridges and two tunnels. Because of its importance to New Yorkers’ livelihoods and the economy, it is critical that it functions efficiently and serves its constituency well.

The agency has certainly hit some big milestones recently, including increased ridership, back to pre-pandemic levels, and registering over 2 million OMNY fare-payment taps in one day. But at the

same time, the MTA is failing my constituents in the 15th Assembly District, as well as the hundreds of thousands of daily LIRR riders across the MTA’s Long Island footprint.

My district stretches along the eastern border of Nassau, from Farmingdale to Locust Valley, a large portion of which is served by the notoriously problemplagued Oyster Bay line. For years, commuters in this area have had to choose between leaving work ridiculously early in order to make it home to their families, or staying at work longer and missing activities at home.

At first, the excitement over the recent East Side Access project was palpable among Oyster Bay line commuters. After years of unreliable service and difficult train schedules, it seemed like more options were finally becoming available. To our dismay, it turned out that, once again, the line will suffer the brunt of bad schedule changes. The few popular peak trains available are now even fewer and farther between, and require changing in Jamaica.

The situation has become so dire that many people are opting to drive to other stations on other lines. This not only defeats the purpose of commuter rail, it

Letters

the Taliban a gift of billions of dollars of equipment to use against us, and left soldiers and civilians to die.

Trump was accused of colluding with Russia, and was exonerated, but where is the outcry? He recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved our embassy from Tel Aviv, as other previous presidents failed to do. He kept North Korea at bay, and kept Putin from invading Ukraine. Now look at the mess we’re in!

As Teddy Roosevelt said, “Walk softly and carry a big stick.”

PAT KINg Merrick

We’re weary of ‘dense housing’ proposals

To the Editor:

Re Alan Singer’s column, “New housing on L.I.? Not in my backyard” (Sept. 7-13): greedy developers and passive local government have resulted in Long Island being bulldozed over for nearly 100 years. Nassau County is now virtually

devoid of open fields, natural woodlands and marshes, and the working farms I remember as a child. Traffic clogs our roadways, and critical aquifers are being depleted. For example, one mega-development, Riverside Rediscovered, in Suffolk County, is being held up due to a lack of sewage capacity.

These are just some of the reasons many are weary of “dense housing” proposals — not because all Long Islanders are inherently racist, as Mr. Singer quickly concludes. It’s true that most low-cost housing is being constructed in Black and Latino locations. It’s also true that those areas have the greatest need for housing of this kind.

Long Islanders are tired of the false choice being foisted upon us by non-residents: giant multi-story structures that no one here wants, or no affordable housing, period. Our residents, elected officials and developers should work together to find forward-looking, creative solutions to our housing crisis that are scaled appropriately. “Build, baby, build” just doesn’t cut it anymore.

ROBERT KENNEY Sea Cliff

also negatively affects small business owners around the Oyster Bay line train stations who are there to serve commuters.

The problems LIRR riders are facing are a direct result of corporate governance failures at the top.

When Phillip Eng retired as LIRR president over a year ago, the MTA announced that MetroNorth Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi would serve as president of both the LIRR and Metro-North. While Rinaldi may be a capable transit executive, the very nature of this dual role divides her focus and allegiance, which is not fair to Metro-North or LIRR customers, especially those who use the Oyster Bay line.

This arrangement would be untenable in any other arena of government, nonprofit or private business, and we need to get a fast and thorough executive search under way now. The fact that ridership is climbing to pre-pandemic levels means we needed a dedicated and focused LIRR president months ago.

But it’s no surprise that this structure isn’t sounding any alarm bells within the MTA. The same problem exists at the very top of the organizational chart.

Janno Lieber, the chairman of the MTA,

Framework

by Tim Baker

also serves as its chief executive officer. Much like the dual-president role, giving the same person the chairman and CEO powers is an inherent conflict of interest, and runs counter to the transparency and accountability that is supposed to be the bedrock of a public authority.

The private sector has for years now recognized this conflict, and more corporations are splitting the functions of the chairman and CEO. This allows the chair and the board to perform their vital oversight duties, including establishing budgets, ensuring transparency and accountability, engaging in shortand long-term planning, and evaluating executive performance, among other functions, independent of conflict.

These are problems with clear solutions. If the MTA had a better corporate structure, it would be a more transparent, accountable and efficient public authority that serves its customers better. Projects would be delivered closer to on time and on budget, and closer attention would be paid to customers throughout the system.

A clear organizational chart, with dedicated roles and talented executives, including a separate LIRR president, is the first step toward an efficient and responsive MTA. New Yorkers deserve nothing less.

It was a day for the dogs (and their friends) at the Rec Center pool — Freeport

Jake Blumencranz represents the 15th Assembly District.

the agency is failing hundreds of thousands of LIRR riders across the Island.

Jake BLUmenCranZ