__________________ Merrick _________________
HERALD Birthday parties are for everyone
light display aids animal rescue
learning about Native culture
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Vol. 25 No. 49
$1.00 $1.00
DECEMBER 1 - 7, 2022
Bond vote set for school renovations projects, were also included in the survey’s findings. In October, the district Board North Bellmore School Dis- of Education adopted a bond restrict taxpayers are one week olution, totaling just over $39 away from a special vote in million, to cover the cost of the which they will decide the fate renovations. Ahead of the vote, of a bond that could bring exten- Superintendent Marie Testa and sive renovations to each of the Jacqueline Rehak, assistant district’s six school buildings. superintendent for business, told The district, the Herald what which serves pretaxpayers should Polls are open schoolers through keep in mind before sixth-g raders in they vote on the on Dec. 8 from North Bellmore and bond on Dec. 8. 6 a.m. to 9 a portion of North p.m., at Merrick, undertook What’s really on the a mandatory surNewbridge Road ballot? vey of buildings Testa said the School in North conditions in 2020. district passed a Bellmore. The findings were bond in 2010 that submitted to the funded renovations state in early 2021. m o s t ly at N ew The John G. Dinkelmeyer, bridge Road School, the oldest Martin Avenue, Newbridge facility. There were smaller projRoad, Park Avenue and Saw Mill ects at other schools across the Road elementary schools have district, including new flooring, kindergarten through sixth- ceiling and masonry work. grade classes. Jacob Gunther is A bond that included HVAC leased to Wee Friends Too nurs- renovations had failed to pass in ery school, and houses some dis- 2008, she added. trict offices. “Since probably around 2005, The review uncovered a hand- the surveys have been showing ful of issues to be addressed, that the community has got to including needed overhauls of address these HVAC systems,” every building’s HVAC system. Testa said. “I think a misnomer The lack of elevators in five of the schools and other, smaller Continued on page 10
By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
Courtesy Cynthia Seibold
A DisCARDED BAllooN at Lido Beach, a Town of Hempstead park, found by Cynthia Seibold, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Balloon Mission.
Balloon Mission is up and away Planning initial projects, nonprofit sets tone for future By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
Where do balloons go when they’re released into the sky? Cynthia Seibold had that same question. The North Merrick resident, who has a background in insurance underwriting, spent a lot of time outdoors at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and noticed that among all the litter that is found at Long Island’s parks, preserves and beaches, one category stood out: balloons. Or rather, shreds of balloons. Seibold found their strings, and particles from their plastic or rubber bodies, impacting trees and plants
and, of course, wildlife, which may mistake balloon pieces for food. During the pandemic, Seibold said, people looked for different ways to share events like birthdays, graduations and retirements. Balloon releases have always been popular, but they became even more so, as people looked for ways to express their emotions and celebrate in any way they could. “Balloons are (a) leading cause of pollution in our waters and our air — they break down into microplastics and nanoplastics,” Seibold said. “I kept saying to myself, ‘There has to be a better way.’ “We’re always on the defense,” she added. Continued on page 2