Nassau Herald 01-12-2023

hoops

Lawrence hopes to sell Number Five School

By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

For the third time in 16 years, the Lawrence School District is hoping to put a school building up for sale. The former Number Five School, in Cedarhurst — home to the Shulamith School for Girls since 2015 — will be the subject of a public referendum on Feb. 16.

The asking price for the nearly century-old building at 305 Central Ave. is $12.5 million. As of press time, Shulamith, a girls-only Jewish school, was the highest bidder, according to Lawrence Board of Education President Murray Forman, with an offer that equaled the asking price.

“The voters get the final say at the referendum,” Forman said. “If (the sale) is something that the voters are in favor of, it will get done.

“The district has enjoyed renting it,” he added. “The district is about to embark on a

reconstruction of the high school using a combination of district funds and significant funding from FEMA.”

Lawrence High School, Forman explained, will undergo a $60 million to $80 million makeover, using $50 million to $60 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency project funding for damage caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, as well as the projected proceeds from the sale of the Number Five School. New sidewalks, a new heating and air-conditioning system and flood protection walls are planned.

After the school district adopted its version of the Princeton Plan and sent the Number Five students to other district buildings, Lawrence officials approved a lease agreement with Shulamith for payments that began at $500,000 per year and grew to $600,000 this school year.

Shulamith has an early-childhood school, a

on page 4

Cowgirls at the gala

Bridge users want proof that toll hikes are warranted

By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

New Year’s Day brought new tolls on the Atlantic Beach Bridge after their approval in December by the Nassau County Bridge Authority. Questions remain about what prompted the decision.

“Prove to us that you really need to raise the rates,” said Atlantic Beach resident Barry Ringelheim, referring to authority Chairman Samuel Nahmias. Ringelheim added, “He has not shown any grounds for the need to raise the rates.”

Last month, the bridge authority announced that it would raise the tolls for the bridge from $2 to $3 for passenger vehicles, and, to $4 for vehi-

cles not registered in Nassau County — the first increases since 2007.

The bridge authority expects to implement the E-ZPass system later this year.

In a Dec. 5 news release, Nahmias stated that the authority lost nearly $1 million in each of the past three years. Because it has no state or federal funding and all of its revenue is generated by tolls, the increases are intended to keep the authority viable, Nahmias said.

According to a person who is familiar with the finances of the bridge, stated the authority has had a surplus of over $5 million over the past three years. “It is well over $5 million,” the person said.

Nahmias told the Herald that the claim was incorrect. “You have to factor in the reserves,” he said. “Any profits that the authority makes has to be placed in a reserves for future and current maintenance.”

In 2018, a periodic review by Moody’s Investors Service raised the authority’s revenue bond rating from A3 to A2. The report stated that the increase was due

to the authority’s strong fiscal management.

In last month’s news release, Nahmias said the condition of the bridge was rated a 5 by Hardesty & Hanover on a scale of 1 to 7, from poor to excellent. “Make no mistake, this is because we were setup as a separate authority from the start,” Nahmias said, “in order to maintain our own bridge.”

The person familiar with the bridge’s finances said that the

numerical rating of its condition was based on upgrades that have been made to the structure over the past 10 years. The machinery that raises and lowers the drawbridge and the steel grid decking were replaced for the first time in the bridge’s 70-year history, he said.

“Each (component) has an estimated life of 30 years,” the person said. “That’s why the rating is so high. Bridges with a 7 are bridges that were literally

Joe Abate/Herald photos

Jeans and bling were on view at the Kulanu Academy’s Denim and Diamonds dinner on Jan. 7. Shari Shapiro, left, and Cindy Grosz posed for Carl Krause. Story, more photos, Page 20.

I t’s a great location. We love it!

GIlA KoPoloVITZ Shulamith secondgrade teacher

P rove to us that you really need to raise the rates.

BARRY RINGElHEIM Atlantic Beach

Five Towners at Sotheby’s preview

American Friends of Bar-Ilan University hosted an exclusive VIP tour and preview of Sotheby’s Halpern Judaica collection on Dec. 13.

Dozens of people from the New York and New Jersey area, including a number of Five Towns residents attended and had the opportunity to see spectacular one-of-

a-kind Jewish antiquities from the 18th century and had an up close view of how Jewish history lives on.

Bar-Ilan University, which is in Ramat Gan, Israel, educates more than 20,000 students a year from across the globe.

–Jeffrey Bessen

Donating to help women

The Western Nassau Chapter of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom collected items for Hannah’s Project, developed by Cedarhurst-based Rock and Wrap It Up! helps at-risk teenagers and women by providing access to feminine hygiene products.

Sister Members asked members of their mosques, synagogues and other organizations and friends to donate soap, shampoo, tampons and pads either through a special link on Amazon or buying the items and putting them in pre-set collection bins. The items cannot be purchased through the Supplemental Nutrition

Assistance Program. The items will benefit Momma’s House in Levittown and the Domestic Harmony Foundation in Hicksville.

Momma’s House serves mothers 18 to 24 who are pregnant or in need of parenting training for their children.

The Sisterhood is an international organization created to build trust, respect and relationships between Muslim and Jewish women of all ages.

–Jeffrey Bessen

Courtesy American Friends of Bar-Ilan University Five Towns residenTs Shari Shapiro, left, Iris Maidenbaum, Melodie Scharf, Jennifer Zwiebel, Fremed Hirmes and Gail Propp at the American Friends of Bar-Ilan University Sotheby’s VIP Tour last month.

Courtesy Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom sisTerhood oF salaam Shalom members and the items collected for Hannah’s Project.

JCC receives a $300,000 boost for mental health

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

The Cedarhurst-based Marion & Aaron Gural JCC will be able to expand its existing mental health support services as it was one of several Long Island institutions and municipalities to receive federal money in the last days of Rep. Kathleen Rice being in office. Through a $15 million community fund, the Gural JCC would receive $300,000. President Biden signed the financial package into law shortly after the house vote.

“The Marion & Aaron Gural JCC is looking forward to serving members of the greater Five Towns with a variety of new programs and services,” Stacey Feldman, executive director at the Gural JCC stated in a news release. “Mental health concerns, exacerbated by the pandemic and the stress caused by recent inflation, have been skyrocketing. We are honored to be receiving these critical funds, made possible by Congresswoman Rice, which will be used to provide educational programs and supportive services that address the growing numbers of our residents who are struggling with signs of depression and anxiety.”

Cathy Byrne, a gerontologist, registered nurse and the Older Adult Program direc-

tor at the JCC said the will immediately address alarming mental health issues and focus on vulnerable populations (Holocaust survivors, immigrants, Ukrainian refugees, victims of trauma, domestic abuse, and domestic violence.)

“This was a really nice gift, from the congresswoman,”Byrne said. “She understands how trauma has really affected our community and how Covid has magnified many issues, especially with vulnerable populations.”

The Gural JCC has a wide variety of programs that address mental health and have staff that handle all issues, ranging from mental health issues, anxiety, depression, alcoholism, sleep disturbances, and cognitive issues, and have therapists who deal with domestic violence.

The JCC plans to expand upon its services and help vulnerable populations with trauma-trained and behavioral therapy.

“Our initiative is not just in assessment, intervention, and services, but it’s also awareness and education and reaching out,” Byrne said. “The most important thing is to reduce the mental health stigma. We’re hoping through a massive campaign, that we can reduce the stigma and really bring mental health issues to the forefront,

through a media campaign and provide not just a typical therapy session, but all the support services that help a client on their road to recovery.”

Other projects that are being financially supported by what is called the Resilient Impactful Sustaining Empowerment Project. The Town of Hempstead will get $5 million for Part B of the East Meadow Dioxane Mitigation Project. The Baldwin School District will receive $3 million for social and emotional learning programs. Water opera-

tions in the Village of Freeport will be supplemented with $240,00; $173,923 is headed to Freeport schools for a collage and career and center; and $128,468 for afterschool programs at the Hispanic Counseling Center in Hempstead.

“These investments protect our drinking water, expand vital safety net services delivered by local nonprofits, address the mental health and substance use crises, and provide critical job training for Long Islanders,” Rice stated in the release.

HAFTR hoops it up for charity at Nassau Coliseum

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

Nassau Coliseum was a home for hoops on Jan. 3 hosting a tripleheader of games as a part of the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway Scott Satran Memorial Tournament.

HAFTR’s varsity boys and girls basketball teams played the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County squads, respectively. HAFTR won both contests with the girls 44-31 win and the boys 64-42 victory. HAFTR also captured the alumni showcase 31-26. Satran was a former HAFTR basketball and floor hockey player who died at 24 nearly 25 years ago.

The event raised money for the Israel ParaSports Center (formerly the American friends of Israel Sport Center for the Disabled) a world-renowned athletic rehabilitation center in Israel.

After the girl's game, professional wheelchair basketball players from the IPSC played a game with members of the HAFTR varsity team. Brooklyn Nets wheelchair basketball manager Joe Mendez, wheelchair basketball player for the Nassau Kings, Tony Fitzgerald, and Kings manager Jack Lopez, took part in the friendly game and showed the athletes how difficult it is to play wheelchair basketball.

“We have programs that take people who are able-bodied and disabled and bring them together to play sports so they

understand exactly how challenging it is,” said Jennifer Fink, the national executive director for the Parasports center.

Founded in 1960, the center started during the polio epidemic that ravaged Israel at the time. The center is a worldrenowned athletic rehabilitation center in the Israeli city of Ramat Gan. and is a home for more than 2,000 children and

adults with disabilities.

After polio was eradicated, the center became a place for people with physical disabilities to use sports as a vehicle to feel the feeling of success.

“We feel that the world puts a lot of obstacles in just the average person's life and people with disabilities have even more obstacles to overcome,” Fink said.

“Our goal is to teach them that they can overcome anything.”

Beth Grafman, East Coast director for the Israel ParaSport Center highlighted the center’s goals. “Success on the court lets them know that they can be successful in all aspects of life and that’s really the mindset the center really imbues in the athletes that come,” Grafman said.

“The sooner we can get young athletes to the center, the more successful they are in all aspects of life.”

Partnerships with schools mostly involves buying wheelchairs. The center has up to 500 wheelchairs available at all times and every year replenishes 100. Each wheelchair can cost between $3,600 and $10,000 depending on the sport, the size of the athlete and the competitive level of the athlete.

Joey Hoenig, HAFTR’s athletic director has been a champion for the Sports Center for years. Koenig has his athletes take part in a fundraising event every year, and the Israel sports center is often the beneficiary of that effort. The first game of the tournament raised $2,000 and overall raised nearly $10,000.

“It’s not only about the money, it's about creating awareness for them,” Hoenig said.“It's such a great organization and it ties in with sports and athletics. Kids need to know that it’s not just about playing ball, but it's about giving back to the community.”

Courtesy Kianna Brett

THE HAFTR Boys’ varsity basketball team toppled their counterparts from the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County in the Scott Satran Memorial Tournament at Nassau Coliseum on Jan. 3.

Herald file photo FoLKs AT THE Gural JCC,like those in the photo from 2019, are thrilled after mental health support services at the Marion & Aaron Gural JCC received a boost of $300,000 from federal money through former Rep. Kathleen Rice’s office.

M ental health concerns, exacerbated by the pandemic and the stress caused by recent inflation.

sTAcEy FELDMAN JCC executive director

Lawrence to sell fourth school since 1980

lower division, a middle school and a high school that is now housed in a

building on Franklin Place in Woodmere, the former site of a New York Sports Club.

The Long Island City-based GreinerMaltz Real Estate is marketing the Number Five School property for the district. The firm sold the former Number Six School to the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach for $8.5 million in 2014.

On the Lawrence District 15 Facebook group page, a few community members shared their opinions on the possible sale of the building to Shulamith.

“Seems like this land is worth more.”

Elisa Bachrow Hinken added that she believed the property is worth $25 million, based on its size and location.

The Number Five School would be the fourth school sold by the district in the past 43 years.

Happy New Year to all!

There have been significant changes in the law in a number of areas as of January 1, 2023.

The gift tax exclusion, which many people still think is $15,000, is now $17,000, up from $16,000 in 2022. Each person may give up to $17,000 to as many people as they want to without incurring any Federal gift tax liability and without using any of their Federal estate tax exemption at death.

Speaking of the Federal estate tax exemption, that has been raised from $12,060,000 to $12,920,000. Since the exemption amount is adjusted for inflation, and inflation was high in 2022, there was a large jump. Same for the New York estate tax exemption which jumped from $6,110,000 to $6,580,000.

The higher Federal exemption is due to tax reform initiated by President Trump commencing in 2016. Fiscal restraints required that the higher Federal exemption expire after ten years. At the end of 2025 then the Federal exemption is slated to return to

New York levels. Since you can use any of your now almost $13,000,000 per person as a tax-free gift while you are living, many savvy clients have moved and are continuing to move family wealth to trusts for their children. Often, the parents choose to maintain control of these trusts, and they not only get the assets out of their estate while the getting is good, they also get all of the growth on those assets out of their estate.

Medicaid rates have changed so that an individual who needs care, either at home or in a nursing facility, may keep up to $28,133.00 in assets. If one spouse is at home, and the other spouse is in a nursing home, the spouse at home may keep up to about $150,000 in assets. The value of the home, up to $1,033,000 is exempt from Medicaid if a spouse is living there (while the other is in a facility) or for an individual receiving Medicaid for home care.

Finally, the age at which an individual must take their IRA required minimum distribution has been raised from age 72 to 73.

“They have been a good neighbor and have been there for a while,” Celia Sporer posted. “So why not let them buy it.”

“Let the school be,” wrote Gila Kopolovitz, a second-grade general studies teacher in Shulamith’s elementary school. “It’s a great location. We love it!”

Some questioned how the price was determined, saying they believed the building is worth more. “I’d like to know how they came to that $12 million dollar price,” Elissa Jonas Sharin posted.

The Number Three School, in Cedarhurst, was sold to the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway for $1.1 million in 1980, and became HAFTR High School. The Number One School was sold to developer David Neuberg for $29.1 million in 2007, and transformed into a condominium complex.

Voting will take place on Feb. 16 in the gym at Lawrence High School, at 2 Reilly Road in Cedarhurst, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Have an opinion on the proposed sale of the former Number Five School? Send a letter to jbessen@liherald.com.

per quarter auto-pay or $50 one-time payment within Nassau County or $60 outside of Nassau County.

2023 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Jeffrey Bessen/Herald

The former Number Five School, in Cedarhurst, would be the third school the Lawrence School District has sold in the past 16 years, and the fourth since 1980.

NASSAU

years later,

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

The thought of untouched food being thrown out doesn’t come to mind once it’s in the trash. Leave it to Cedarhurst resident Syd Mandelbaum to think of where that food can go next other than a landfill.

The Cedarhurst-based Rock and Wrap It Up! is a nonprofit organization that Mandelbaum and wife Diane created in 1991, in an effort to eliminate hunger and poverty in America. The inspiration drew on a June 1981 trip when Mandelbaum accompanied his father Joseph to Israel at the first world gathering of Jewish Holocaust survivors. His parents were both survivors.

After the ceremony, Mandelbaum left touched. “I feel like I have to go back to the United States,” he said to his father. “To change the world.”

Mandelbaum then became active in several local organizations. With the Five Towns Kiwanis Club, he helped get food

Mandelbaum’s still have more to do

tions for their local holiday events, including the annual Thanksgiving feast, which has been held at the Five Towns Community Center after hosting it in churches in Far Rockaway in past years.

Diane, said, “Once it became national, things started to expand exponentially.”

It received the attention of President Bill Clinton in 1999 as Mandelbaum was honored with the ”Point of Light Award,” which recognizes Americans who dedicate volunteer work to the community.

The Sports Wrap program enables them to work with professional sports teams in New York to donate from clubhouses and events to local pantries and shelters. Teams outside the state, such as the Colorado Rockies and Houston Astros, joined. During the 2016 MLB All-Star Game, Rock and Wrap It Up! recovered 21,000 pounds.

“Bands would tell me where they were going to be played,” Mandelbaum said. “Their backstage food cannot be thrown away but must be fed by the hungry.” Rock and Wrap It Up! comes from the popularity of rock and rap music.

Through relationships with local businesses and food donated by students at schools in the community, the Mandelbaums have been able to acquire dona-

On New Year’s Day, the Mandelbaum’s were honored by the National Football League’s Inspire Change initiative at halftime of the New York Giants game against the Indianapolis Colts. With the victory, the Giants earned a trip to the playoffs, which doesn’t guarantee them a trip to the Super Bowl. The Mandelbaums however, won tickets to the big game in Glendale, Arizona this year.

“The future is already germinated,” Mandelbaum said. “We’ve fed over a billion people since 1991. I’m now 72. I started this when I was 31, and I still have a lot more to do.”

Courtesy Syd Mandelbaum

SyD AND DiANE Mandelbaum were honored at the Jan. 1 New York Giants football game for the work done by Rock and Wrap It Up!

spotlight athlete

JaMes DesiMoNe

Clarke Senior Basketball

a thiRD-YeaR vaRsitY starter, DeSimone is a major part of Clarke’s impressive 9-1 start. An All-County selection last season after earning a Nassau coaches award in the Covidshortened campaign, he’s averaging close to 16 points per game to go along with 4.4 assists. He’s scored in double digits in every game so far while hitting 21 three-pointers. He hit for a seasonhigh 23 against Long Beach on Dec 5.

gaMes to WatCh

Friday, Jan. 13

Boys Basketball: G.N. North at Sewanhaka 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Lynbrook at Plainedge 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Friends Academy at V.S. South 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Hewlett at Carey 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Long Beach at New Hyde Park 5 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Plainedge at Lynbrook 5 p.m.

Boys Swimming: Long Beach at Jericho 5 p.m.

Girls Fencing: Valley Stream at Hewlett 5 p.m.

Girls Basketball: East Rockaway at Malverne 5:30 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Malverne at East Rockaway 6:30 p.m.

Boys Basketball: South Side at Garden City 6:45 p.m.

Boys Basketball: East Meadow at Baldwin 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Plainview at Oceanside 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Jericho at Calhoun 7 p.m.

saturday, Jan. 14

Wrestling: Baldwin Tournament 9 a.m.

Wrestling: V.S. Central Tournament 9 a.m.

Boys Basketball: Wheatley at West Hempstead 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: V.S. Central at Port Washington 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Oceanside at Plainview 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Baldwin at East Meadow 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Farmingdale at Freeport 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Seaford at Carey 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Port Washington at V.S. Central 12 p.m.

sports

Lawrence responds, tops Hewlett

By toNY BellissiMo tbellissimo@liherald.com

Rookie head coach Katie Dascher took advantage of a lengthy bus ride back to Lawrence Jan. 4 following a lackluster performance in a Nassau Conference A-5 girls’ basketball defeat at Friends Academy.

“It was our first game since the holidays and we only had one practice, but a game is a game,” Dascher said. “We were flat and I talked to the girls on the way home about playing with more intensity or else we’re just not going to compete.”

The Golden Tornadoes responded to the directive and put together two spirited practices that ultimately led to a 44-34 nonleague home victory over neighboring Hewlett last Saturday. Senior point guard Andie Adams, who earlier in the season became Lawrence’s all-time leading scorer, poured in a game-high 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and recent eighthgrade call-up Giana Torres and senior Daniela De La Cruz chipped in 8 points apiece.

“We have six seniors and they led us in practice on Thursday and did a great job,” Dascher said after the Golden Tornadoes improved to 4-6. “I definitely noticed a change,” she added. “This was the best first half we played all season. We fought for every loose ball, defended and rebounded.”

Juniors Brianna Ruta (15 points) and Izzy Betancur (10) scored in double figures to lead the Bulldogs, who slipped to 2-8. The visitors raced to a 13-8 lead after the opening quarter but were outscored in each of the last three stanzas, including by a 16-8 margin in the fourth.

“I still believe in our team and potential,” Hewlett head coach Anthony Scro said. “There’s no reason why we can’t be a playoff team, but we have work to do. We absolutely have to cut down on turnovers and convert our fast-break opportunities.”

The Bulldogs, who had a tough time from the foul line going 9-for-26, are 0-3 in Conference A-3 and will look to get in the win column this week with crucial matchups against Roosevelt and Glen Cove. Scro said senior captains Emily Erdos (12.5

points per game) and Jordyn Ziarno are providing the type of leadership it takes for a team to be successful.

“We have to go through growing pains,” Scro said. “We’re dealing with a learning curve and building chemistry game by game. All of the girls are playing more minutes than last season and I’m seeing glimpses of our ability. We just came back from 12 points down to beat Valley Stream South.”

Lawrence also knocked off Valley Stream South, 36-34, on Dec. 20 with Adams accounting for 29 of its points. Two

weeks earlier, she scored her 1,050th career point in a win over Roosevelt to surpass 1999 graduate Danielle Moorer as the program’s all-time leading scorer.

“Andie is a quiet leader who lets her skills to the talking,” Dascher said. “She’s led us in scoring every game and she’s been earning trust in her teammates and making that extra pass.”

Moving forward, Dasher said Torres will join Adams, De La Cruz, Kaitlyn Walsh and Amrosia Frye in the starting lineup. “Gianna has elevated our energy level,” the coach said of Torres.

Eric Dunetz/Herald laWReNCe’s aNDie aDaMs, right, who scored 22 points last Saturday, eyed the basket while avoiding Hewlett’s Izzy Betancur.

Holiday season has past, senior year gears up

Swiftly like a tornado, the holidays are over and the new year has begun. The New Year is always a good time to reflect and make changes that will be beneficial to new endeavors. At Lawrence High School, each grade meets to collaborate and plan awesome events at each grade level.

Looking back to December, the halls were full of cheer at Lawrence High. Junior class representatives including Ariana Watson, Xavier Scott, Melodie Edwards and Danica Hance had planned and successfully pulled off a holiday movie night. The auditorium was full of holiday spirit, warm fuzzy blankets, hot cocoa and popcorn as we enjoyed the “Polar Express” as we did at the Number Two School so many years ago.

money for the enrichment and end-of-year events for all grade levels.

Lawrence Lately

As you may know, being a senior is not easy nor is it cheap. I remember sitting in class in September of 2022 and thinking to myself how I would be leaving for college in a year. It is now January and I can’t fathom the idea that in five short months, I will be walking across the stage at graduation in my cap and gown.

Alexis AcostA

Tri-M Music Honor Society held its annual “Sweet Notes” fundraiser. Students were able to purchase and send a sweet treat to siblings, classmates, teachers, staff, etc. The music department kicked off the “Hall-A-Day” season with winter concerts each morning as students entered the building. I particularly enjoyed the song selections this year from LHS’s chorus, as they sang songs that highlighted multiple cultures around the globe.

Lawrence High School’s Student Government Association is excited to wake up bright and early every Friday morning to sell doughnuts to students to raise

Now with senior activities on the horizon for the end of the year including the cost of senior pictures, senior trip, prom and graduation, the importance of fundraising is a top priority. For seniors specifically, between financial aid, college applications, personal essays, scholarships and decisions it hardly leaves a moment to breathe.

I just want to tell all the seniors out there, to take a break, only a short one is needed. That college application and that college decision will be there when you get back. I have applied early action to multiple schools. I am happy to report that I have been accepted to every school thus far that I applied to, and now the focus is on scholarships and financial aid packages.

While I am both ecstatic and nervous about what the new year will bring, I know I have an amazing support system at home and at LHS. Happy New Year!

What I hope to see … in twenty-three

I cited all the things to do in the new year two-o-twenty-two.

But now, as I review the list, I see the stuff I skipped and missed:

The thank you notes I never sent.

The rules I broke, the rules I bent.

The pounds I gained and didn’t lose.

Good choices that I didn’t choose.

Crises I just watched unfold.

The sad I brought no smiles or fun. The good deeds That I left undone.

Unreserved Judgment

The dust I swept beneath the rug.

The loving folks I never hugged.

The tips I gave that were too small.

Old, loyal friends I didn’t call.

R on G oldm A n

Yes, Twenty-Two I let slip by, But in Twenty-Three I’m gonna try to be much better and thus be sure to have no regrets in Twenty-Four.

PRESS RELEASE

Chairman of the Nassau County Bridge Authority Issues Response to Decal Concerns

Dear Atlantic Beach, Long Beach and Neighboring Resident Communities: The Nassau County Bridge Authority (NCBA) is a separate functioning Authority. Unlike other bridges, the NCBA does not receive Tax Payer, Property Tax, County and State Funding. The NCBA funds 100% of its operations through toll revenue. The Atlantic Beach Bridge spans 1173 feet (40%+ greater than its neighboring Long Beach Bridge)

When I was nominated for this role, I was honored to give back to the communities. Unfortunately, timing is not something we can all control.

My first initiative as Chairman was to review the status of our finances, revenues and capital needs. My second initiative was to work with our engineers at Hardesty & Hanover and our auditor to ensure that we have adequate capital to address our required infrastructure needs. My third initiative and quite an important one, was to address the public outcry on the failing toll plaza.

Over the past three-years, the Authority has lost nearly $1M per year (excluding goodwill). One can assume that this was due to the COVID pandemic and loss of toll revenue. While the Authority was hoping for a return back to profitability, unfortunately this proved impossible at our current revenues.

Just like all American businesses, citizens and public authorities, we are not immune to inflation. We have encountered inflation unlike anyone has seen in 40+ years. This has affected all aspects of the Authority’s finances. We are scheduled to lose over $2M in 2023 and headed towards a path of insolvency unless we address the issues.

In my learnings, I discovered that our prior toll increase took place roughly 17 years ago and the study at the time, indicated that it was only good for about 5 years. The prior board did as much as they could to extend this until now. However, no-one could have predicted the pandemic and subsequent high inflation.

After a vigorous review, our auditor and board determined that a toll increase is required for the viability of the Bridge Authority. As a point of reference, bridges are rated 7 to 1, 7 being in excellent new condition and 1 being the opposite. The Atlantic Beach Bridge is rated a 5, which is incredible for a 70-year-old bridge. Make no mistake, this is because we were setup as a separate Authority from the start, in order to maintain our own bridge. The decision to raise tolls does not come lightly, especially at a time when our residents are hurting due to high inflation. That is why we made the decision to raise the residents at a much lower amount vs. non-residents and commercial vehicles. While going from $2.00 to $3.00 seems excessive, until EZ-Pass is implemented, it is still far below what $2.00 would be worth 17 years later with inflation.

The implementation of EZ-Pass was sound and logical considering the latter. The board could have simply spent similar amounts to upgrade the failing system and keep it as a cash toll. This seemed counterintuitive given the number of complaints ranging from pedestrians not having cash, commercial vehicles having to pull to the side, delivery drivers not knowing what to do and of course the dangerous conditions it causes when vehicles must back out. This is on top of the heavy summer traffic build-up on the 878, that occurs due to only accepting cash.

The biggest issue I want to clarify, is the circulation of ongoing misinformation (see figure #1 below). Misinformation has been circulating that the Decal system and its benefits are being completely eliminated. This could not be farther from the truth. In fact, we are upgrading how we treat Decals. While we are phasing out the Decal “stickers” by mid-2023, we are incorporating the Decal benefits into the EZ-Pass system. Travelers will be able to enjoy all of the benefits of their prior Decals with the current EZ-Pass Reader/Transponder. Travelers will be able to login to their EZ-Pass account and add the Atlantic Beach Bridge to their annual unlimited use for $199 (residents) and $349 (non-residents).

As our commitment to the Atlantic Beach, Long Beach and Neighboring Resident Communities, presently we do not plan to raise tolls again until at least January 2028 and beyond. We are looking towards other revenue streams to help offset our costs and to date are pursing the following:

1. Placing our liquidity in higher interest-bearing accounts at today’s rates. This will result in a financial benefit of roughly $200K annually.

2. Restricting overnight openings for the drawbridge to a schedule which will decrease costs by roughly $100K.

3. We have explored refinancing the bonds and are waiting for the right opportunity to save significantly.

4. Exploring the use of vacant land.

Lastly, with the EZ-Pass upgrade, the security gates in the toll lanes will remain in place. We are planning to add better LED lighting to the bridge, security cameras and having more of a police presence at the Bridge Authority. Rest assured that we are working for the benefit of the people.

Sincerely,

Chairman of

Figure #1: Misinformation:

The gossip that I heard and told.

©2023 Ron Goldman

***Please Note The Bridge Authority of Nassau County is*** changing the prices of the Atlantic Beach Bridge from $2 to S3 for all Nassau County Residents, and $4 for all Non-Nassau County Residents. They are also planning to remove the Atlantic Beach Bridge pass entirely in 2024. This means that the price will rise from $130. a year (the current decal price for nassau county residents), to approximately $4000. per car per year, because in 2024 the decals will be eliminated. We need to have a meeting with the Nassau County Bridge Authority to determine what can be done to minimize damage to residents and businesses in Atlantic Beach, Long Beach, Lido Beach, Point Lookout, and the entire Barrier Island who rely on using the Atlantic Beach bridge for work, school, shopping, and life’s activities.

Samuel Nahmias

the Nassau County Bridge Authority.

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When laziness, listlessness, and lethargy pay a visit

You probably have days when you feel you can conquer the world. Whatever you want to do, you do. You exercise, eat well, get organized, accomplish what you set out to do, get a good night’s sleep and feel terrific!

Then there are the other days. On those days the best you can say is you’ve taken baby steps toward reaching your goals. Maybe you exercised for 5 minutes and then felt too sluggish to continue. Or, you ate well in the morning then munched on anything and everything in the evening. Or, loaded the dishwasher but left clutter in every other room.

tion, not long-term success. We have days when it feels tough to do anything constructive. On those days, our belief in ourselves will be challenged.

Person to Person

All this is true because we’re not machines. We’re imperfect human beings. Hence, the key to moving ahead is not to seek perfection but to view every setback as temporary.

Though they’ll be days you fall off track, do not abandon your goals or let guilt control your mind. Instead, tell yourself tomorrow is another day – a day when you’ll have renewed energy.

For Immediate Release: December 13, 2022

Nassau County Bridge Authority Announces Greater Discounts for Barrier Island Residents

Lawrence, NY - The Nassau County Bridge Authority is proud to announce the implementation of an Electronic Tolling System, E-ZPass® on the Atlantic Beach Bridge. Set to take place in the Spring of 2023, this significant improvement will make the customer’s driving experience safer and timelier.

Yup, they’ll always be some days when laziness, listlessness and lethargy rule the roost. Any attempt to get up and go will have gotten up and gone. It’s then that you may believe you are beyond redemption.

So is it time to abandon your goals? Why fight the fickle finger of fate? Maybe just admit that in the DNA lottery, you were the trifecta loser — idle, inertia, indolent genes — won out over the high octane ones. Perhaps you should stop torturing yourself and accept yourself as you are — warts and all?

Yes! Stop torturing yourself is a great idea. Accepting yourself as you are is another great idea. But neither of these concepts suggests that you cannot alter your habits or adopt new routines.

A new year has just begun.

If you’ve made a resolution or two and have already experienced a lapse into old habits, don’t despair. People promise themselves they’ll change yet most fall off the track. Sure, there are a few well-disciplined folks who never falter, vacillate or backslide. The rest of us, well, we’re more inconsistent.

We don’t feel motivated every day. We don’t respect our self-imposed schedules. We don’t respond well to orders or threats. We dawdle on tasks that we know need to get done. We seek immediate gratifica-

Picture yourself on the road to success. Focus first on little steps, easy stuff, and tasks you know you can do well. As you accomplish these tasks, you’ll begin to feel revitalized, stronger. You’ll remember days when you felt you could conquer the world. The memory will make the next larger steps feel less challenging.

You may long for a kind, understanding coach who is always there to motivate you and get you going. With a coach, it’d be so much easier for you meet your goals. True. However, if no one is coaching you, how about coaching yourself? Picture what a caring coach would say to you to get you moving and to get you back on track. Now, say it to yourself!

What’s most significant is not how motivated you are every single day. It’s how quickly you get back on track when you fall off. Yes, you can do it! Yes, you can do it! Yes, you can do it! Here’s to you and your enhanced living.

©2023

Linda Sapadin, Ph.D., psychologist, coach and author specializes in helping people improve their relationships, enhance their lives and overcome procrastination and fear. Contact her at DrSapadin@aol.com. Visit her website at www.PsychWisdom. com.

Hospital’s first 2023 baby

Noah at 6 pounds, 11 ounces and more than 19 inches long was the first baby born at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway on New Year’s Day. His parents, Samaria Rodriguez and Raymond West, both Rockaway residents, embraced the boy along with hospital staff.

St. John’s showered Noah and his parents with gifts. Baby books, baby care essential, a car seat, clothing, diapers, a diaper bag and a stroller were donated by the hospital’s ICARE Foundation and a baby monitor from Jzanus, a Long Islandbased company that provides professional services for home health care needs. The ICARE Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the hospital.

–Jeffrey Bessen

St.

In addition to the implementation of E-ZPass®, the Authority has proposed significant discounts for Barrier Island residents, shown in the chart below. These proposed rates are scheduled to be voted on by the Board of Commissioners. NCBA tolls remain among the lowest in the region and deliver support for critical infrastructure improvements for the Atlantic Beach Bridge.

“After a public hearing and consultation with elected officials and community leaders, I am recommending to the board that we adopt our initial plan amended with a further reduction in the annual fee for Barrier Island residents who use the bridge on a daily basis.” Said Nassau County Bridge Authority Chairman Samuel Nahmias. “The bridge has not had a toll increase in 17 years, and in order to guarantee the safe operation of the bridge into the foreseeable future, in these inflationary times, it is necessary for the board to take this action.”

2022 2023

Annual Fee - Barrier Island Resident Passenger Vehicle $130.00 $162.50

E-ZPass® - Barrier Island Not Available Resident Passenger Vehicle in 2022 $2.50

Annual Fee - Nassau County Resident Passenger Vehicle $130.00 $199.00

Annual Fee - Non-Nassau County Resident Passenger Vehicle $175.00 $349.00

Pass CardPassenger Vehicle 20 trip $15.00 $30.00

All Cash Tolls Passenger Vehicle $2.00 $4.00

Note: Effective January 1, 2023 all Cash Tolls will be $3.00 until the implementation of E-ZPass®, at which time all Cash Tolls will increase to $4.00.

Decals will be phased out in 2023. Decals will be replaced by unlimited E-ZPass®, which will provide the same function as the decal.

Linda Sapadin

Courtesy SJEH

John’S EPiScoPal Hospital in Far Rockaway celebrated its first baby of 2023.

Healthy outlook for a healthy year

NResolve to achieve a better you in 2023

ew Year’s resolutions are full of expectations. Common goals like eating healthier or losing weight are admirable, but there are plenty of other goals you can set in 2023 as well, like upping your sleep regimen, talking with a friend every day, or going on more walks.

Since the emergence of Covid, it has become more essential than ever to take care of yourself and enhance your immunity. In addition to physical health, mental health is equally important. Many people make New Year’s resolutions that they soon forget. It can be due to a lack of commitment, self-doubt, or unrealistic goals. So, start by making short-term and realistic goals you can achieve without putting too much pressure on yourself. Once you list what you want to achieve this year, stick to it and believe in yourself to accomplish them.

Exercise more

Much like changing a diet, exercising is often seen as a means to weight loss. While that’s a positive side effect of daily exercise, daily or frequent exercise is an all-around health benefit.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, exercise helps lower the risk of heart disease and hypertension by 40 percent while lowering the risk of depression by 30 percent. In addition, men and women with a family history of diabetes should know that regular exercise lowers their risk of type 2 diabetes by nearly 60 percent. So while exercise is a great means to losing weight, it’s even better at helping reduce the risk for serious disease.

When incorporating exercise into a daily routine, start slowly and gradually work your way up to more vigorous exercise regimens. Going full speed from the outset is a great way to increase risk of injury, and no one wants that.

Find 30 minutes a day to walk

Getting the recommended 30 minutes of exercise each day can be as simple as taking a walk. If you’ve got a busy schedule, take three 10-minute walks throughout your day.

“That’s 10 minutes before work, 10 minutes at lunch and then 10 minutes after work. Make it fun! Grab a partner at work to get you through your lunch routine. Then have a friend or family member meet you for an evening stroll,” suggests physical therapist Stacie Page.

Your diet matters: healthy and well-balanced is achievable

This year, promise to eat right. Choose whole foods instead of packaged ones. Crash diets and eliminating foods from your daily intake can deprive you of needed nutrition and may not be effective in the long run.

Keep your mental health in check

Mental health is as vital as physical health, and it needs attention. The daily stress of life and other factors may lead to serious health issues, including depression and anxiety. Mental health issues can make it hard for you to cope with everyday life and interfere with your work and relationships.

If you feel something is wrong, believe your instinct and get help. Practicing self-care techniques can also help combat mental health issues. Try to find the positives and adopt habits that can benefit your well-being, such as meditating.

Manage stress

Stress is a cause of many serious illnesses, such as heart disease. It can negatively impact your physical and mental health. Stress can become regular if you are always busy or have other problems related to finances or relationships. It is crucial to take steps to manage your stress. You can manage stress through meditation, exercise, or other relaxation techniques.

Sleep well

Improve the quantity and quality of your sleep. Getting enough sleep enhances your health by ensuring the smooth functioning of your body. It is also critical that you have a sound sleep. Regular interruptions can disrupt your sleep pattern, causing low energy and fatigue during the day. Getting a good night’s sleep is definitely something you should add to your 2023 checklist.

Limit social media usage and screen time

Just as you’ve decided to finish a task or go to sleep, you receive a social media notification alert. As you check the notification, something else catches your attention, and before you know it, you’ve spent an hour doomscrolling. Invariably, this leaves you feeling worse than before. If this resonates with you, you are not alone.

Social media, particularly when used for long hours, is reported to have contributed to an increased risk of a variety of mental health concerns like anxiety and low mood. This could be because of social comparison, isolation and cyberbullying. It also increases screen time, which can impact sleep and leave you less time to engage in other activities. Reducing your social media usage might help your anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleep problems and the fear of missing out.

Practise meditation and mindfulness

Meditation and mindfulness give you space to pause and reflect, allowing you to slow down and increase your emotional awareness, in a chaotic and bustling world. In fact, practising meditation and being mindful can help you in improving emotional regulation, reduce physical pain and alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. Meditation and mindfulness require consistent effort. Starting with mindfulness for even one minute every day can be helpful. You can slowly increase the time as you see fit. Mindfulness and meditation apps like have also proven to be useful in improving mental health.

Create (and keep) those resolutions

Taking a good, hard look at daily behavior is the key to setting realistic self-improvement goals

The early Babylonians believed that what people did on the first day of the year affected what they did for the rest of that year. Many of us see the New Year as a perfect opportunity to start over or to change bad habits.

According to several surveys, the most popular resolutions people make are related to health and fitness (eating better, losing weight, and exercising), reducing consumption of alcohol, caffeine, quitting smoking, and becoming more financially responsible by promising to spend less and save more.

Unfortunately, over 70 percent of resolutions are broken by the end of January, and this can leave a person feeling discouraged.

You might even consider New Year’s resolutions like romantic relationships: They’re easier to start than maintain.

One in four people who makes a New Year’s resolution will drop out within the first seven days, statistics show. About half jump ship within six months.

Resolutions are complicated, and being able to achieve them usually requires taking a hard look at our thoughts and behaviors. Setting goals keeps us on track, but stamping out old habits is difficult, and may even require the help of a professional for some.

But there’s hope.

Striving for self-improvement and setting goals for ourselves gives us a sense of purpose and hope for the future. Be sure to make your goals a priority, be specific, and work at them daily.

Your goal should be specific and measurable. Make your goal concrete, and if necessary, break it down into smaller steps.

Setting vague goals such as “I want to lose weight” can be ineffective. Instead, ensure your resolution is quantifiable. If your goal is to shed some pounds, identify the number you’d like to lose within a specified period of time. If your aim is to exercise more in 2023 set a specific objective for the number of hours you’ll work out each week.

Or, if your resolution is to consume fewer carbohydrates, resolve to eat carbohydrates only at one meal per day rather than resolving to eliminate carbohydrates entirely. Once you are successful, begin to decrease your consumption further.

Don’t set unrealistic resolutions that will be impossible to keep. If you resolve to eat healthier by cutting down on desserts, switch to an alternative you enjoy rather than forcing yourself to eat a vegetable you’ve hated since childhood. For example, swap ice cream for Greek yogurt or fruit rather than raw cauliflower sprouts (unless you enjoy them, of course).

Be nice to yourself. Changing habits isn’t easy, so you’re likely to struggle at some point in your journey. Take it easy. Minor bumps are normal. The important part is jumping back on the bandwagon and continuing momentum forward.

Write your resolution down and put it somewhere where you can see it on a daily basis. This will help you to stay focused.

Keep it manageable. Keep the scope of your New Year’s resolution practical by working toward changing one or two behaviors at a time.

Have coping strategies in place to deal with obstacles that may arise along the way. For example, if your goal is to drink less alcohol you may consider skipping parties or events that involve a lot of drinking or bring a sober friend along to provide you with support and to help keep you on track.

On the bright side. Stay focused on the benefits of the change you’re making rather than what you’re giving up. Rally your mind around how much better you’ve been feeling instead of lamenting the loss of your daily chocolate-chip muffin.

Photo: Sometimes it’s the littlest things that make the biggest impact. Rather than setting a major health or fitness goal that takes you far out of your comfort zone, start the new year by committing to small changes here and there.

Hold yourself accountable and lean on others. Use a support network to help stay motivated. Discuss your resolution (and the accompanying struggles) with friends and family members. Consider joining a group with common goals, whether a collection of friends teaming up to quit smoking or an exercise class at the gym.

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By JAMES BERNSTEIN jbernstein@liherald.com

Chuck Schumer has three goals for the new year: improve mass transit, ensure water and air quality are safe, and promote high technology on Long Island.

The New York Democrat who maintained his role as majority leader in the U.S. Senate after last year’s mid-terms, told more than 1,000 people attending last week’s Long Island Association breakfast in Woodbury that he has, in the past two years, secured federal money to help the Metropolitan Transportation Authority recover from the worst of the Covid pandemic, while still getting money earmarked to protect the Long Island Sound and even clean up aging lead pipes.

The event at Crest Hollow Country Club was LIA’s annual State of the Region gathering that attracted both movers and shakers, as well as elected leaders like the executives from both Nassau and Suffolk counties. Schumer’s participation comes after he was elected to a fifth six-year term in the upper chamber of Capitol Hill, defeating Joseph Pinion, a conservative columnist who claimed Schumer had been in office too long with too little to show for it.

But history is written by the victors, and Schumer had a lot of history to share.

“We had one of the most productive legislative sessions in years,” the senator

said, ticking off a list of legislative wins that included his role in shepherding through President Joe Biden’s $1 trillion infrastructure bill, as well as securing $15 billion for the MTA, which operates the Long Island Rail Road.

“No one was riding the trains” during the pandemic, Schumer added.

“For the first time, New York state got back more money that it gave out,” the senator said, referring to the give-andtake of funding with the federal government. New York has traditionally been a “giving” state, meaning its federal dollars usually went to help other states. This past year, the state was more of a receiver.

How productive the next two years will be is a big question. Republicans took control of the U.S. House — but only by a slim margin. That might mean pushing through bills that could win over at least some moderate Republicans.

One of those efforts will focus on improving transportation. The MTA funding, for example, would pay for repairs and upgrades of cars, tracks and electronic systems. Money also would be directed to portions of the Sunrise Highway in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Another $5 million will build a transit hub in Ronkonkoma.

Schumer also budgeted $106 million to clean up Long Island Sound, and that’s just the beginning. He also plans to use $60 million to help remove some of the contami-

nants from the Long Island aquifer.

Yet, the Senator sounded most enthusiastic about a project to install electricitygenerating windmills off Long Island’s South Shore — likely within the next few years.

Equinor, a multibillion-dollar Norwegian conglomerate specializing in petroleum, hopes to build a wind energy farm just a few miles off the coast with a substation delivering power directly to Island Park — a plan that has aroused controversy with neighbors.

The $3 billion project must still pass a plethora of bureaucratic hurdles, however.

“Long Island will be the capital for offshore wind,” Schumer said, “not just in New York, but across the country.”

The senator also wants to promote two of Long Island’s largest high-technology institutions — Brookhaven National Lab and SUNY Stony Brook.

“Long Island can be the center for (microchip) production and manufacturing,” Schumer said. “BNL and Stony Brook are at the cutting-edge of technology.”

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, told the Herald there was more in the works for this part of Long Island as well. He’s heard chatter about a strong interest in securing a casino, possibly at the Nassau Hub.

But for that to happen, anyone developing it would need to make sure the facility is first acceptable to the community.

“We wouldn’t be interested in anything but a first-class hospitality venue with a casino,” Blakeman said.

Additional reporting by Daniel Offner.

Daniel Offner/Herald U.S. SEN. ChUCk Schumer told the Long Island Association last week he would seek to promote the environment, transportation and technology this term.

nassau County Bridge Authority finances

2019: Financial statements indicated an operating loss of $766,691.

2020: Operating loss of $2,215,778.

2021: Operating loss of $1,008,104.

Source: NCBA financial statements and Independent Auditors’ Report 2019-21

NCBA’s fiscal health is good, reports state

just built and haven’t had a car go over them. A 5 is outstanding.”

The toll increases are intended to further upgrade the bridge with $6 million budgeted for cleaning and painting, $5 million to install E-ZPass and $5 million for bulkhead replacement.

One bridge user, Katie Grogan, of Long Beach, posted her support for the implementation of E-ZPass system and her dismay at the toll increases on a Long Beach community Facebook page. “Love the E-ZPass,” she wrote “But whoa on the increases!!!”

The bridge has undergone a technological makeover in recent years. It began in October 2020, when the authority began

testing license plate reader technology, so motorists no longer had to stop and pay a cash toll.

The E-ZPass system is expected to be installed in mid-2023. The Atlantic Beach Bridge is the only remaining span in the New York City region that does not accept E-ZPass.

“We re-reviewed the process, the costs, and it had become more feasible,” Nahmias said of the installation of E-ZPass. “Our understanding was that it was not feasible in the past, and it has now become more feasible.”

Have an opinion on Nassau County Bridge Authority issues? Send a letter to jbessen@ liherald.com.

Herald file photo

A 2018 Moody’s Investors Service report indicated that the Nassau County Bridge Authority had strong fiscal management.

Hernesto Galdamez/Herald

After An uproAr about the Atlantic Beach Bridge toll increases, the Nassau County Bridge Authority held a meeting to address the issue on Dec. 15.

STEPPING OUT

Culinary inspiration for a wintry weekend

By Karen Bloom

January is the ideal time to decompress and get into the kitchen and work on those “Top Chef” skills. It’s not that difficult with some great comforting — healthy — foods to nourish and warm our soul.

Experiment with new culinary creations that incorporate bold flavors for delicious results. Nothing pleases the senses quite like a hearty dish on a chilly evening. Try adding these recipes to your repertoire.

Rustic Roasted Winter Vegetable Chowder

• 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch dice (about 2 cups)

• 3 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch dice (about 1 cup )

• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch dice (about 1 cup)

• 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch dice (about 1 cup)

• 1/2 fennel bulb, quartered & sliced thin (about 1 cup)

• 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or coarse sea salt

• 2 tablespoons plus 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 medium onion, diced (about 2 cups)

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 2 cups) 4-5 fresh thyme sprigs

Hearty Beef Stew

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 1/2 lb beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup Burgundy, Zinfandel or other red wine

• 3 cups beef broth

• 1 1/2 cups ready-to-eat baby-cut carrots

• 4 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 1/2 pound small red potatoes, cut in half

• 2 dried bay leaves

• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Cook beef in oil 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Remove beef to bowl; cover to keep warm.

In Dutch oven, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion and garlic in oil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Return beef to Dutch oven. Sprinkle with flour; cook and stir 1 minute. Add wine; cook 1 minute, scraping to loosen any browned bits from bottom of pan. Stir in broth, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper.

Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves before serving.

• 1 cup milk or unsweetened plain almond milk

Additional salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

More pepper and thyme leaves for garnish

Heat oven to 400 F.

In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash, parsnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, and fennel with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast until tender and browned in places, about 40 minutes, turning a couple of times while roasting.

While the veggies are roasting, prepare the base of the soup. To a large saucepan over low heat, add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion along with a pinch of salt and a bit of pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in the vegetable broth. Add the potatoes and thyme. Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Remove from heat. Pick out the thyme stems and discard.

Stir in the roasted vegetables. Carefully transfer about 3 cups of the chowder to the pitcher of a blender. Puree until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to the pot and stir to combine. The soup should be thick, rich, and creamy.

Stir in the milk. Place the pot back on the burner, and, with the heat on medium-low, return to a simmer, stirring often to prevent burning.

Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve garnished with an additional turn of cracked pepper and thyme leaves.

Lucky Chops

This big, brassy and unapologetically bold six-piece band comes at you with every hue in the rainbow. Their sound pays homage to New Orleans brass band tradition while incorporating eclectic rock, Caribbean, Arabic, Eastern European, funk, jazz, ska, gospel and EDM influences. Their irresistible groove is led by co-founder Josh Holcomb’s soulful trombone, Daro Behroozi’s soaring sax and Joshua Gawel’s powerful trumpet. Their high-energy brassy funk has attracted listeners since forming in New York City in 2006. Starting in the underground halls of subway stations, Lucky Chops went viral when a video of their mash-up of Lipps Inc.’s ‘Funkytown’ and James Brown’s ‘I Feel Good’ amassed hundreds of millions of views across social media, and led to an online subscriber base almost two million strong. They’re now back on tour for the first time since the end of 2019.

Thursday, Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m. $33. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

America

The perennial classic rock favorite enters 2023 on the road again as founding members Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell celebrate the band’s 53rd anniversary. The pair (along with former band mate Dan Peek), who met in high school in London in the late 1960s, quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of their signature song ‘A Horse With No Name.’ More than 40 years later, these friends are still making music together, touring the world and thrilling audiences with their timeless sound. Yet beyond their impressive catalog of hits, listeners discovered there was always much more to America than surface perceptions. The combination of Beckley’s melodic pop rock and Bunnell’s use of folk-jazz elements, slinky Latin-leaning rhythms and impressionistic lyric imagery contrasted well with Peek’s more traditional country-rock leanings and highly personal lyrics.

Friday, Jan. 27, 8 p.m. $99, $79, $69, $59. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. (516) 299-3100 or TillesCenter.org.

ith the holidays behind us, cozy up to some comfy winter nesting. And, of course, it’s time to refocus on healthier eating now that we’re finished with weeks of festive over-indulgence.

THE SCENE

Art talk

Grab your lunch and join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent Riva Ettus for her popular “Brown Bag Lecture” live, via Zoom, Thursday, Jan. 19 , 1 p.m. She’ll discuss the current exhibition, “The Big Picture: Photography Now.” Participants are invited to ask questions at the end of the program. Also Feb. 23. Register at least 24 hours in advance to receive the program Zoom link. Also Feb. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Angela Lansbury

Come in person to the Peninsula Public Library, 280 Central Ave., Lawrence, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 11 a.m., or view on Zoom a presentation by entertainment historian John Kenrick on Angela Lansbury. How did this British native become a Hollywood icon? Call Roxanne at (516) 967-5777 to confirm in person attendance. To join on Zoom, go to Tinyurl. com/2p9d3rrf. Meeting ID: 721 207 3003. Passcode: PenPubLib.

Defensive Driving

Jan. 20

changes, this celebrated ensemble is revered for its uncompromising interpretation of a kaleidoscopic range of both original compositions and jazz and popular classics. $40-$95. 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. For tickets and information visit MadisonTheatreny.org or call (516) 323-4444.

Perfect Strangers

Listen to the musical duo Perfect Strangers perform classic rock songs on Saturday, Jan. 14, 9 p.m., as part of the Hewlett Bagel Boss Music Festival, 1352 Peninsula Blvd., Hewlett.

Registration is open for library district residents and opens Jan. 15 to all for the two-night Empire Safety Council Defensive Driving Course Monday, Jan. 23 and Wednesday, Jan. 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. at HewlettWoodmere Public Library, 1125 Broadway, Hewlett. $30. Fee will be collected cash, check or money payable to Empire Safety Council at the first class. To register, go to HWPLl.org/ calendar.

Branford Marsalis

The renowned saxophonist visits the Madison Theatre, on the Molloy University campus, with his quartet, Friday, Jan. 20, 8 p.m. The NEA Jazz Master, triple Grammy Award winner and musical polymath with his stellar ensemble — pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner — bring the brilliance that has made this quartet one of the most revered and influential in jazz. After more than three decades of existence with minimal personnel

Let Freedom Ring with MLK

Visit Long Island Children’s Museum for a workshop honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., Monday, Jan. 16. Families will learn about MLK beyond his “I Have a Dream” speech and gain a better understanding of his impact on the civil rights movement. Also participate in a gallery walk of images from the Civil Rights Movement and then create a bell to “let freedom ring.” $4 with admission, $3 members. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM. org.

Having an event?

Forest Bathing

Take a meditative Forest Bathing walk, led by certified guide Linda Lombardo, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2-4 p.m. Based on the Japanese tradition of ShinrinYoku, a wellness practice developed in the 1980s, the walk, on the grounds of the former summer residence of Howard Gould and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim, inspires mindful connections with the natural elements of the woods for a range of healthful benefits. $40, $35. Pre-registration required. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy. org or call (516) 571-7901.

Items on The Scene page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to thescene@liherald.com.

On exhibit

Photography’s ascent in the art world is an international phenomenon. Nassau County Museum of Art’s star-studded exhibition spans the historical roots of the medium. View works by Ansel Adams and his generation and the thrilling, large-format color works of such contemporary masters as Cindy Sherman, Thomas Struth, James Casebere and Gregory Crewdson, among others. From the documentary to the painterly, images bear witness to the times. On view through March 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Drive. Roslyn Harbor. (516) 4849337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Hewlett Bay Park

The Hewlett Bay Park village board holds its monthly meeting on Thursday, Jan. 12, 6 p.m., at Village Hall, 30 Piermont Ave., Hewlett.

In-person Game Time

Play canasta, mah jongg and Scrabble in the Bentley Room of Peninsula Public Library, 280 Central Ave., Lawrence, Monday, Jan. 16, 2-4:30 p.m. Seating is limited and is first come, first seated. Masks recommended.

Reclamation District

The Board of Commissioners of the Greater Atlantic Beach Water Reclamation District meets, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 5 p.m., at 2150 Blvd., Atlantic Beach.

‘Jerry & Marge Go Large’

Jerry and Marge Selbee win the lottery and use the money to revive their small town in the movie “Jerry & Marge Go Large” being shown Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2 and 7 p.m. in Gold Hall of the HewlettWoodmere Public Library, 1125 Broadway, Hewlett. Rated PG-13, it runs 1 hour, 36 minutes and stars Annette Bening and Bryan Cranston.

Hewlett Bay Park

The Hewlett Bay Park village board holds its monthly meeting, Thursday, Jan. 12, 6 p.m., at Village Hall, 30 Piermont Ave., Hewlett.

Jan. 13

In concert

David Alterman returns to the stage with Altzim, Friday, Jan. 13, at My Father’s Place supper club. Enjoy an evening of music that Alterman describes as “Dylan with a twist,” with special guest Cathy Rose Virgilio. Rich Demand and his band also appear. Doors open at 6 p.m., concert is at 8 p.m. The Metropolitan, 3 Pratt Blvd., Glen Cove. For tickets/information, visit MyFathersPlace.com or call (516) 580-0887.

New town redistricting long way from finish

By ANA BORRUTO aborruto@liherald.com

Voters talked, but at least according to them, a committee tasked with drawing new boundaries for Hempstead town elected officials didn’t listen.

At least that was the takeaway during the latest public hearing last week over the state of redistricting in the town.

Yet, it was a meeting just before the winter holidays that took most of the attention — a meeting where a number of speakers during public comment demanded lines be redrawn for the six town districts in what they called a more balanced representation through the inclusion of three “minority-majority” districts. That is, where an overall ethnic minority would be grouped into a majority as a way to help diversify a leadership board like the town council.

That same week, new map proposals were released. Yet, after further review, critics of the earlier drafts claimed most of their recommendations were ignored.

“While I hope that the commission changes course on these maps, I doubt (they) will because (they) have to show us that (they’re) listening to what residents are saying,” said Amil Virani of Valley Stream.

But there were changes. For example, the committee has proposed grouping together Elmont, North Valley Stream, a portion of the Five Towns and Franklin Square into a single district. Baldwin — which went from three to two representatives on the latest maps — was split in half.

The idea, according to Hempstead town attorney John Maccarone, was to ensure villages were kept whole, in accordance with the law. However, hamlets like Baldwin don’t enjoy the same protections.

Elmont, Valley Stream and Franklin Square are per-

fect for this new district, said Elmont resident Mimi Pierre-Johnson, but it should also have included Bellerose, Bellerose village, South Floral Park, Floral Park and New Hyde Park.

“That would’ve been a perfect minority-majority,” she said. “Everyone in that district would have had a fair share of choosing their elected official.”

Baldwin has been split into three council districts since the 2010 census. The Baldwin Civic Association collected more than 400 signatures on a petition urging the committee to place the entire hamlet of Baldwin under the 11510 ZIP code and one Town of Hempstead council district.

“Again, (the redistricting committee) has cracked Baldwin,” Janet Poretsky said. “My vote in Baldwin Harbor won’t count, it will be canceled out by someone in Wantagh-Seaford. I don’t think that’s fair, and I have nobody who is really representing my area.”

The last time officials got together to redraw district lines, it was done to benefit legislators without any concern for the needs of Nassau County communities, said Karen Moskowitz, cochair of the League of Women Votgers of Nassau County’s redistricting committee — specifically communities of color.

The lATesT RedisTRicTiNg map for Hempstead town elected officials reveals little change to what a number of people asked for ahead of the revision last month. Their desire is to see a better chance of creating a more diverse town council by creating ‘minority-majority’ districts.

As a town where 40 percent of its residents are people of color represented by a council that is mostly white, Moskowitz added that the latest map proposals show this intention has not changed in Hempstead.

The 2020 census revealed a 12 percent drop in the town’s white, non-Hispanic population, according to supporters of the minority-majority district concept. At the same time, the Hispanic and Latino population grew 32 percent, while the Black population increased by 4

percent.

“The league takes positions on a variety of policy issues, but never supports or opposes any political party or candidate,” Moskowitz said. “Our review of the commission’s proposed maps reveals deliberate manipulation of district lines.”

Another redistricting meeting was scheduled for Jan. 9, and the town attorney confirmed more such meetings will be scheduled before the board votes on a new map.

Ana Borruto/Herald

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Notice of Complete Application

Date: 12/29/2022

Applicant: THOMAS GALGANO Facility: GALGANO PROPERTY 1930 BAY BLVD. SEC 58 BLK 79 LOTS 9-16,35,37 ATLANTIC BEACH, NY 11509

Application JD: 1-2820-01758/00003

Permits Applied for: 1-Article 15 Title 5 Excavation & Fill in Navigable Waters: 1-Article 25 Tidal Wetlands

1- Section 401 - Clean Water Act Water Quality Certification

Project is located: in HEMPSTEAD in NASSAU COUNTY

Project Description: The applicant proposes to reconstruct approximately 179 linear feet of bulkheading 18” seaward and up to 18” inches higher in elevation than the existing bulkhead. Also proposed is the placement of 179 cubic yards of fill landward of the bulkhead, the construction of two 6’ bulkhead returns and the reconstruction of the landward ends of the two existing piers as needed to allow for the bulld1ead reconstruction. The project is located at 1930 & 1940 Bay Blvd, Atlantic Beach, Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, NY. NCTM # Sec 58 Blk 79 Lots 9-16, 35, 37.

Availability of Application Documents: Filed application documents, and Department draft permits where applicable, are available for inspection during normal business hours at the address of the contact person. To ensure timely service at the time of inspection, it is recommended that an appointment be made with the contact person.

State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) Determination Project is not subject to SEQR because it is a Type II action.

SEQR Lead Agency None Designated State Historic Preservatio11 Act (SHPA) Determination

The proposed activity is not subject to review in accordance with SHPA.

The application type is exempt and/or the project involves the continuation of an existing operational activity.

Availability For Public Comment

Comments on this project must be submitted in writing to the Contact Person no later than 01/26/2023 or 15 days after the publication date of this notice, whichever is later.

Contact Person

THOMAS

KOHLMANN

SUNY

Brook 50 Circle Rd. Stony Brook, NY 11790-3409 136627

LEGAL NOTICE MEETING NOTICE

The following are a list of meetings of the Board of Fire Commissioners of the Lawrence North Fire District: General MeetingMonday, February 6, 2023 - 7:30 p.m. at LCFD Budget MeetingMonday, September 18, 2023 - 7:30 p.m. at LCFD Public Hearing regarding 2024 Budget - Monday October 16, 2023 7:30 p.m. at the LCFD Annual ElectionTuesday, December 12, 2023 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at a Five Towns Community Center 2024 Organization Meeting - Monday, January 8, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. at LCFD Dovid Lovett, Secretary / Treasurer 136636

LEGAL NOTICE

INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF HEWLETT HARBOR NOTICE OF MONTHLY MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Hewlett Harbor will meet in both public and via Zoom on Thursday, January 12, 2023, at 7:00PM, Eastern Standard Time, for the purpose of holding the Village’s regular monthly meeting. An agenda for the meeting will be made available to the public on the Village Website.

All residents wishing to attend via Zoom can visit www.hewlettharbor.org for instructions. Residents wishing to speak via Zoom or in person must notify the Village Clerk in advance.

Dated: Hewlett Harbor, New York December 23, 2022 BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF HEWLETT HARBOR MICHAEL RYDER VILLAGE CLERK 136510

LEGAL NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held as to the following matter:

Agency: Board of Zoning Appeals

Incorporated Village of Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Date: January 19, 2023 Time: 7:00 PM

Place: Village Hall, 65 The Plaza, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Subject: Case # 22-08-6066, Laurie DiMaina, 75 Eldorado Street, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Applicant proposes to construct front yard additions, side steps/overhang and interior alterations. The applicant is seeking relief

from the following sections of the Zoning Code: 250-21 Lot coverage. The lot coverage shall not exceed 30% of the lot area. The proposed lot area is 45.68% (existing 40.31%). 250-23 Side yards (A) In case of a single-family dwelling with 50 feet or less of frontage where the existing aggregate widths of which are 14 feet and the existing side yard is four feet, any additions shall be permitted to maintain the same aggregate width and side yard setback. Proposed side yard setback north side of property 2.1 feet and side yard aggregate 6.10 feet.250-22 Front Yards (A) The required front yard depth shall be the same as the average front yard depth of the existing buildings within 200 feet on each side of the lot and within the same block in the same use district Proposed front addition encroaches 2.7 feet into the front yard setback.250-25

Permitted encroachments (A)(2) One-story open porches and terraces not exceeding freeboard elevation and projecting not more than six feet into a front yard. Roofs over porches and terraces shall be permitted, providing they are pitched and not accessible as decks from any stories above. Proposed front porch encroaches 1.6 feet and stairs 3.6 feet.250-25

Permitted encroachments (A)(9). Stairs no greater than four feet in width and secondary landings no greater than four feet by four feet projecting into the front yard setback shall be permitted, shall not count towards lot coverage.

Proposed stairs 9.4 feet. Premises are also known as Section 58, Block 16, Lots 17-18 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.

All the said time and place, all interested persons may be heard with respect to the foregoing matter.

All relevant documents may be inspected at the Building Department, 65 The Plaza during normal business hours.

Dated: January 3, 2023 BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

Josie Ficeto, Building Clerk 136632

LEGAL NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held as to the following matter:

Agency: Board of Zoning Appeals

Incorporated Village of Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Date: January 19, 2023 Time: 7:00 PM

Place: Village Hall, 65 The Plaza, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Subject: Case # 22-01-5862, Albert

Milstein, 1560 Bay Boulevard, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Applicant proposes to construct a 10’ X 15’ detached pergola, 4’- 1 Ω” X 18’ outdoor kitchen, 4’ X 5’ outdoor shower and a 2’ X 12’ bench. The applicant is seeking relief from the following sections of the Zoning Code: 250-16.2 Accessory structures. (A) Accessory structures, exclusive of a private garage, shall not include the erection or maintenance hereafter of any structure other than one erected on the ground and not exceeding 80 square feet of ground area and eight feet in height maximum and two feet from the side and rear property line and located in the rear yard, unless authorized as a special exception by the Board of Zoning Appeals.

(1). Proposed outdoor kitchen (4’-1 Ω” X 18’), side yard setback 6 1/8” (2). Proposed outdoor shower (4’ X 5’), side and rear yard setback 0” (3). Bench 2’ X 12’, proposed side yard setback 6 1/8”.

(C) Trellis, not exceeding 80 square feet of ground area and eight feet in height maximum and two feet from the side and rear property line and located in the rear yard, shall not have the yard area occupied calculated in lot coverage. The yard area occupied by such accessory structure shall, however, be included in computing the maximum percentage of the lot area which may be built upon, when exceeding 80 square feet. Proposed 150 square feet and a height of 12’. 250-21 Lot Coverage. The lot coverage shall not exceed 30% of the lot area.

Existing lot coverage 42.01%, proposed lot coverage 45.25% combined.

Premises are also known as Section 58, Block 85, Lots 19-21 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.

All the said time and place, all interested persons may be heard with respect to the foregoing matter.

All relevant documents may be inspected at the Building Department, 65 The Plaza during normal business hours.

Dated: January 3, 2023

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

Josie Ficeto, Building Clerk 136633

LEGAL NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held as to the following matter:

Agency: Board of Zoning Appeals Incorporated Village of Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Date: January 19, 2023 Time: 7:00 PM

Place: Village Hall, 65 The Plaza, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Subject: Case # 22-09-6086, Jerry Finney, Jr., 1610 Bay Boulevard, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Applicant proposes to construct an elevated terrace and patio in the rear yard. The applicant is seeking relief from the following sections of the Zoning Code: 250-21 Lot coverage. The lot coverage shall not exceed 30% of the lot area. Existing lot coverage 27.6%, proposed lot coverage 31.56% Premises are also known as Section 58, Block 84, Lots 24-27 & 40 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.

All the said time and place, all interested persons may be heard with respect to the foregoing matter. All relevant documents may be inspected at the Building Department, 65 The Plaza during normal business hours.

Dated: January 3, 2023

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

Josie Ficeto, Building Clerk 136634

LEGAL NOTICE Village of Lawrence Legal Notice

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Appeals of the Incorporated Village of Lawrence will hold a work session beginning at 6:45 P.M. followed by a public meeting on February 1, 2023 at the Lawrence Village Hall 196 Central Ave Lawrence, New York 11559 beginning at 7:30 P.M. to conduct the following Public Hearings and to attend to such other matters as may properly come before the Board:

Abittan, 247 Juniper Circle E - Section 212-12.1 of the Schedule of Dimensional Regulation states the maximum building coverage for a lot size of 36,013 sq ft. in area is 4,966 sq ft. Section 212-12.1 of the Schedule of Dimensional Regulation states the maximum surface coverage for a lot size of 36,013 sq ft. in area is 10,493 sq ft. Section 212-12.1 of the Schedule of Dimensional Regulation states the maximum front yard surface coverage for a lot size of 36,013 sq ft. in area is 526.44 sq ft. Section 212-12.1 of the Schedule of Dimensional Regulation states the minimum side yard setback for a lot size of 36,013 sq ft. in area is 20 ft. Section 212-12.1 of the Schedule of Dimensional Regulation states the minimum aggregate setback for a lot size of 36,013 sq ft. in area is 40 ft. Section 212-12.1 of the Schedule of Dimensional Regulation states the maximum side yard height/setback ratio for a

lot size of 36,013 sq ft. in area 1.1. Section 212-39.C of the Village Code states the maximum exterior wall height from the base plane to the underside of the eave is 23 ft. Section 212-15.B of the Village Code states the maximum height for a single-family dwelling in a Residential District BB is 36 ft. Section 212-24.D of the Code of the Village of Lawrence states accessory structures must be located in a side or rear yard. Section 212-55.A of the Code of the Village of Lawrence states no recreational structure shall be constructed in a front yard. Section 212-55.A of the Code of the Village of Lawrence states the minimum side and rear yard setbacks for a recreational structure is 20 ft.

The order in which the listed applications are heard shall be determined the night of the meeting.

The applications and accompanying exhibits are on file and may be inspected at the Village Office during normal business hours between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. If anyone needs special accommodations for a disability, such person should contact the Village Clerk at least 5 days before the hearing. All interested parties will have the opportunity to be heard

Premises are also known as Section 58, Block 85, Lots 19-21 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.

All the said time and place, all interested persons may be heard with respect to the foregoing matter. All relevant documents may be inspected at the Building Department, 65 The Plaza during normal business hours.

Dated: January 3, 2023

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

Josie Ficeto, Building Clerk 136635

LEGAL

NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., Plaintiff, v. KEVIN L. CARRERO A/K/A KEVIN CARRERO, ET AL, Defendant. NOTICE OF SALE IN

FORECLOSURE

Plaintiff, Against IGOR B. MONASTYRSKY IF LIVING, AND IF HE/SHE BE DEAD, ANY AND ALL PERSONS UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, CLAIMING, OR WHO MAY CLAIM TO HAVE AN INTEREST IN, OR GENERAL OR SPECIFIC LIEN UPON THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THIS ACTION; AND INTENDED BY INCLUDED IN WIFE, WIDOW, HUSBAND, WIDOWER, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DESCENDANTS, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS, AND ASSIGNEES OF SUCH DECEASED, ANY AND ALL PERSONS DERIVING INTEREST IN OR LIEN UPON, OR TITLE TO SAID REAL PROPERTY BY, THROUGH OR UNDER THEM, OR EITHER OF THEM, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE WIVES, WIDOWS, HUSBANDS, WIDOWERS, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DESCENDANTS, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS, AND ASSIGNS, ALL OF WHOM AND WHOSE NAMES, EXCEPT AS STATED, ARE UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, JULIA MONASTYRSKY, ET AL. Defendant(s)

By

Order of the Board of Appeals Lloyd Keilson Chairman

Dated: January 6, 2023 136630

Place a notice by phone at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com

LEGAL NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held as to the following matter: Agency: Board of Zoning Appeals Incorporated Village of Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Date: January 19, 2023 Time: 7:00 PM Place: Village Hall, 65 The Plaza, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Subject: Case # 22-01-5874, Albert Milstein, 1560 Bay Boulevard, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Applicant proposes to construct a 9’-7 1/4” X 23’-6” pergola attached to the existing dwelling. The applicant is seeking relief from the following sections of the Zoning Code: 250-21 Lot coverage. The lot coverage shall not exceed 30% of the lot area. The proposed lot area is 45.84% (existing 42.01%). 250-23 Side yards (B) In case of a single-family dwelling with 51 feet or more of frontage where the existing aggregate widths of which are 15 feet, and the existing side yard is five feet. Proposed side yard aggregate 13’-4 æ’.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT In pursuance of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the Office of the County Clerk of Nassau County on August 09, 2019, I, Rita Solomon, Esq. the Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on January 24, 2023 at The North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501, County of Nassau, State of New York, at 2:00 PM the premises described as follows: 64 West Avenue Lawrence, NY 11559 SBL No: 40-1-232

ALL THAT TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND situate in the Township of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York.

The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 611223/2018 in the amount of $651,960.82 plus interest and costs.

Foreclosure Auctions will be held Rain or Shine. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the foreclosure auction.

Richard S. Mullen

Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP

Plaintiff’s Attorney 500 Bausch & Lomb Place Rochester, NY 14604 Tel.: 855-227-5072

136165

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF CWALT, INC.

ALTHERNATIVE LOAN TRUST 2004-30CB, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, 2004-30CB,

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 01/17/2020, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501. This Auction will be held rain or shine. on 1/31/2023 at 2:00 PM, premises known as 1491 Peninsula Boulevard, Hewlett, NY 11557, And Described As Follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being At Hewlett, In The Town Of Hempstead, County Of Nassau And State Of New York. Section 39 Block 69 Lot 72

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $373,353.63 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 17-002754

If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction.

If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the

NYSDEC

@ Stony

herald neighbors

Public Notices

Mortgagee or the Mortgagees attorney.

Mark S. Ricciardi, Esq., Referee.

Leopold & Associates, PLLC, 80 Business Park Drive, Suite 110, Armonk, NY 10504

Dated: 12/8/2022 File Number: 7754874 LD 136376

NO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the south curbline of Norwich Avenue, south for a distance of 50 feet.

ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.

Dated: January 10, 2023 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 136623

elevation plan and landscape design review for a new one family home, driveway and inground pool.

2) Mr. & Mrs. Guy and Licethe Friedman 1312 Club Drive (Lot 7) Hewlett Harbor, New York 11557 has applied to the Planning Board for site plan, elevation plan and landscape design review for a new one family home, driveway and inground pool.

accommodations because of a disability are requested to notify the Village Clerk no less than 48 hours prior to the meeting.

Dust off the blue denim, show off the shiny bling t

he Sephardic Temple was transformed into upscale “Urban Cowboy “setting as the Kulanu Academy held its Denim and Diamonds gala fundraiser at the Cedarhurst synagogue on Jan. 7.

Decked out in blue jeans and western

wear along with their best bling, attendees dug into a dinner buffet supplemented by whisky, scotch and spirit tastings and danced to the tunes performed by classic rock band Southbound.

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE

that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on The 24th day of January 2023, at 7:00 o’clock in the afternoon of that day to consider the enactment of a local law to amend Section 202-1 of the code of the Town of Hempstead to INCLUDE “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at the following location: HEWLETT

UNION AVENUE (TH 573/22) West Side -

LEGAL NOTICE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF HEWLETT HARBOR

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Board of the Incorporated Village of Hewlett Harbor will convene and hold a public hearing via ZOOM January 26, 2023, at 7:00pm. All residents and professionals wishing to attend are directed to contact Village Hall at 516-374-3806 for further ZOOM information/instruction or visit our website at www.hewlettharbor.org. All interested parties will be given the opportunity to be heard on the following applications for relief:.

1) Mr. Aamer Hussain 226 Richards Lane Hewlett Harbor, New York 11557 has applied to the Planning Board for site plan,

3) Mr. & Mrs. Guy and Licethe Friedman 1312 Club Drive (Lot 6) Hewlett Harbor, New York 11557 has applied to the Planning Board for site plan, elevation plan and landscape design review for a new one family home, driveway and inground pool.

4) Mr. Stanley Aronov 207 Everit Avenue Hewlett Harbor, New York 11557 has applied to the Planning Board for site plan, elevation plan and landscape design review for a new one family home, 3 car carport, driveway and inground pool.

At said hearing, all interested parties will be given an opportunity to be heard. Copies of the proposed application will be available at the Village Hall at least five (5) days before the public hearing and may be seen during the regular business hours.

Those persons planning to attend the meeting and who require special

Dated: January 3, 2023 Hewett Harbor, New York BY ORDER OF THE PLANNING BOARD OF THE VILLAGE OF HEWLETT HARBOR TED MAY Planning Board Chairman MICHAEL RYDER Village Clerk 136628

LEGAL NOTICE

DISH Wireless L.L.C. is proposing to install new wireless telecommunications antennas on an existing building located at 107 Northern Blvd, Great Neck, Nassau County, NY. The modifications will consist of the collocation of antennas at approx. 63ft, 8in above ground level on the 64ft, 8in tall building. Any interested party wishing to submit comments regarding the potential effects the proposed facility may have on any historic property may do so by sending such comments to: Project 6122011716AMG EBI Consulting, 21 B Street, Burlington, MA 01803, or at (585) 815-3290 136585

The Kulanu Team from left were Carrie Kopper, Executive Director Beth Raskin, Rachael Berg and Bernadette D’Alessandro welcomed gusts to the Denim and Diamonds gala.

maKing sure guesTs at the Kulanu gala could be at their bedazzled best were Stacey Nordowitz, left, and Rachel Tocker from Pomoto Jewelry in Cedarhurst.

— Jeffrey Bessen

Joe Abate/Herald photos as souThbound sTrummed the tunes gala guests hit the dance floor.

billiards was righT up Tamar Scharf’s, left and Caryn Golombeck’s alley at the Kulanu Denim and Diamonds Gala fundraiser at the Sephardic Temple on Jan. 7.

ADMINISTRATIVE

Richner

send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com

CLEANING PERSON FT Needed For Local Cleaning Company. Will Train. If Interested Call Bill 516-678-5943

CONSTRUCTION WORKERS Assist

General Contractor. Drivers License. Knowledge Of Construction. Call Mike. 516-887-8877.

DRIVERS WANTED

EDITOR/REPORTER

The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com

SCHOOL PROGRAM

mature individuals to supervise elementary school aged children from 2:45 pm to 5:00 or 6:00 pm weekdays. Experience helpful. If interested email merrickbasp@aol.com or call (516)379-4245

Hewlett

Spacious Side Hall Colonial Near All

Nestled in the prestigious school district 14, you will find this bright and airy Side Hall Colonial that also offers plenty of space. This home features 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and a finished basement that provides additional living space for entertainment. The formal dining room and living room are perfect for hosting guests while the kitchen with an island allows for plenty of prep space when cooking up your favorite meals. The backyard deck and lush lawn provide a great spot to relax or entertain friends. You're also just minutes' walk from Grant Park - perfect for enjoying a beautiful day outdoors. This home is conveniently located close to transportation, shops, and restaurants. Don't wait - come see this wonderful home today! For a private tour contact us at 516.791.1313.

Adding to the attic

Q. A few contractors have looked at my attic so I can finish it for more bedrooms and a family room. The 1920s house has a very large attic with stairs to the second-floor landing. The attic stairs are much steeper and narrower, and the contractor says the walls will need to be taken down and wider and longer stairs put in. Is this necessary? The stairs are already there, and even though they’re steep, they work. Also, one of the contractors said that the horizontal 2x4s going across the attic, which are too low to walk around, could be removed or raised. Is that true? He said we could put them higher and add more so we can add finished wallboards to them. Do you agree, and is there anything I should know about doing this before we start?

A. Good thing you asked before you started. Instead of starting, you need to stop and take a few steps back. What you’re describing has multiple issues that you have to address.

Ask The Architect

HEWLETT

1208 Broadway Hewlett, NY 11557 516.791.1313 vipropertiesny.com

OPEN HOUSES SUNday, 1/15/23 CE da RHURST

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Monte Leeper

First, your state building code doesn’t allow the occupancy of a third floor in a single-family, woodframed dwelling. This is because of the many dangers involved in surviving a fire at that level. In the process of getting the permit to occupy a third story, which you left out of the description of your investigation, you would need to have a licensed architect or engineer prepare plans that include specific methods of escape, including the correct size and number of windows, distances to exterior and interior levels below to escape to, sprinkler locations along the entire path of travel to get out of the dwelling, heights of ceilings and fire-rated materials to be installed. This is because, as I have often written, the chances of surviving a fire in the third floor of a wood-framed dwelling are statistically remote, only 5 percent. That means you or your loved ones could be among the 95 out of 100 who will die from smoke inhalation or burns.

The plans for a finished third story are submitted to both your local building department, which will rightfully reject them, and to the State Codes Division for a public hearing, where your case will need to be represented by a code-knowledgeable professional. I have seen people represent themselves, which generally doesn’t go very well, since safety is the reason for the codes, and there are many laws and standards that the average owner is unaware of.

The stair access must be 3 feet wide, and the tread must be at least 10¼ inches, while the risers cannot exceed 8¼ inches. The horizontal 2x4s you described are collar ties, and they serve the important function of holding the roof together, especially in high winds and under snow loads. Moving or removing them can be dangerous. The higher up, the less effective, and without first calculating several factors, it should not be done.

© 2022 Monte Leeper Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

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OpINIONS LIRR to Grand Central Madison? We’re still waiting.

Once again, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has left coal in the stockings of Long Island Rail Road commuters.

Every Christmas since 2011, the MTA has failed to initiate the promised East Side Access to Grand Central Madison service. The original Federal Transit Administration capital investment — or New Starts — grant agreement with the MTA was approved in 2006.

time in the coming weeks.

The ESA project cost has grown to $11.6 billion. This doesn’t include debt service payments of $1 billion for borrowing costs buried in the MTA’s operating budget. There are also $4 billion worth of LIRR readiness projects to support the start of service — including such things as third-track construction and capacity improvements at Jamaica Station — which are separate from the official budget. Without these projects, the LIRR lacks the expanded operational capabilities to support the new service.

LARRY pENNER

It included a project cost of $6.3 billion, with the start of passenger service — including a promise to run 24 hourly trains on the LIRR’s 10 branches to Grand Central Madison during rush hour — in 2011. We still don’t know when that service will begin.

The temporary shuttle service that did not start last month, as promised, will come nowhere close to meeting this commitment. I can just imagine the overcrowding on shuttle trains between Jamaica and Grand Central Madison when this service begins — likely some-

Even when East Side Access service begins, thousands of potential new LIRR customers will continue to be out of luck in Hunters Point, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Elmhurst and Woodhaven, Queens because of limited or no service. The LIRR currently runs a handful of morning rush-hour trains westbound from Jamaica to Hunters Point and Long Island City, returning east in the evening rush hour. There is no rush-hour, hourly off-peak or evening bi-directional service to those other communities.

Another problem: Penn Station is a

24/7 facility. Grand Central Terminal is closed overnight from 2 to 5:15 a.m. Unlike the LIRR, Metro North provides no service in or out during that time period. The LIRR has the advantage, but Long Islanders who commute at odd times — or come home late from events in Manhattan that end well after midnight — and want to use Grand Central will lose that advantage to incomplete service. A simple analysis of the proposed schedules reveals that depending on your branch or station, there will be no LIRR service to or from Grand Central Madison for three to five hours overnight on weekdays or weekends.

Catherine Rinaldi is the first MTA official to serve as president of both the LIRR and Metro North. Those extrahours riders might want to ask her why the LIRR must be subject to the Metro North’s schedule shortfalls. Isn’t it time to make Grand Central, too, a 24/7 facility?

As well, whenever East Side Access service to Grand Central Madison begins, the LIRR will suspend virtually all direct, one-seat, ride-through service between Jamaica and Atlantic Terminal

Brooklyn. Thousands of LIRR riders bound for downtown Brooklyn, Wall Street, the World Financial Center, the World Trade Center or other destinations in downtown Manhattan via Atlantic Terminal Brooklyn will now have longer commutes. One rider’s gain in time savings — being able to get to Manhattan’s East Side via Grand Central Madison instead of Penn Station — will be a loss for another rider trying to access destinations via Atlantic Terminal Brooklyn. Was investing $12.6 billion in East Side Access worth it? The verdict is still out. It is doubtful, in a post-Covid-19 world, that there will be anywhere near the anticipated 160,000 daily riders using Grand Central Madison, as the MTA predicts. Time will tell if commuters and taxpayers will see all of the benefits from this project, which has been promised for decades by elected official and MTA and LIRR presidents. When it comes to East Side Access, the LIRR’s 1960s motto, “Line of the Dashing Dan,” should be changed to “Line of the Slow Moving Sloth.”

Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who worked in the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management for three decades.

Writing predictions in disappearing ink

As I look back on my New Years’ columns over these last many years, I might as well have been writing in disappearing ink. Pretty much nothing I expected came to pass, and a whole lot of stuff I never saw coming changed my life and yours, too. So why even try to predict? It’s in our DNA, I suppose, conferring the illusion of control when we have none.

ies is and will be zero.

With that as a caveat, let me hope rather than predict that we will not have a recession; that the markets will rally in 2023 and, somehow, all the thousands of people who are literally dying to get into our country will be matched with all the jobs that are begging to be filled.

Will Covid surge again? Will some new bug emerge from the virulent epidemic in China? I wonder if Kim Jung-un will hold on to his rockets or let them fly. When will Ukraine find peace, and will it be before Putin snaps? How will our children and teenagers recover from the grief and academic setbacks of the pandemic lockdown? When can we feel safe in our lives again?

No one, except for Bill Gates and some epidemiologists who were ignored, predicted the greatest catastrophe of our lifetime, the coronavirus pandemic, the more than 1 million deaths here at home and more than 6 million deaths worldwide.

Everyone predicted a huge Republican sweep in the midterms, and that didn’t happen. And with the MAGA loonies running the GOP, to predict what will happen in 2023 would be folly indeed.

Bullish? Bearish? Last week the big dailies posted predictions for the markets. Inflation, recession, deflation, higher mortgage rates? Columnist Jeff Sommer wrote in The New York Times: “It’s simply impossible to forecast the path of the markets six months or a year ahead with accuracy and consistency, as many academic studies have shown. That the financial services industry continues to label these unreliable numbers as forecasts is a triumph of breathtaking chutzpah — a technical term for shameless audacity.”

RANDI KREISS

In politics, too, the prediction business is bust. We — all of us — lived through the 2016 presidential election, in which pretty much everyone with an opinion, from columnists to people on the street to professional pollsters to Las Vegas bookies and even many supporters of Donald Trump, absolutely did not believe that he would or could win. How many times did we hear pundits say that his path to victory was slim to none? How much airtime and ink were wasted on the assumption of a Hillary Clinton victory and how that would play out? Folks thought DJT would ride that escalator into oblivion.

On New Year’s Eve we toasted 2023 with wishes for good health and peace on earth and peace of mind. Wishes. As hostages to fate and dysfunctional politics, that’s the best we can do. We humans have never tolerated the existential uncertainty of being a person alive on earth. So we turn to exit polls and Svengalis and any grifter who hangs out a palm-reading sign. The truth? I’m even down on Punxsutawney Phil.

I can’t and won’t believe anyone who ever again purports to know the future of an election or an economy or the course of a disease or the likelihood of an earthquake striking any particular location at any particular time.

We are in the game, and it changes day to day.

Yearning for a seed of certainty, yesterday I booked a hotel in Dallas for April 8, 2024, when a full solar eclipse will be seen for two minutes and 20 seconds. I predict, with 100 percent certainty, that it will occur.

Which leads me to predict that the value of their elaborate algorithmic stud-

The very least we could take away from that election was healthy skepticism. Pollsters, even the academic knowit-alls, have little success predicting the results of an election or anything else.

In our personal lives, it’s painful to accept that we cannot know what the future will bring. Life reads like a mystery, not an itinerary. We can’t know what comes next or if we’ll make an appearance in the next chapter.

The track record of clairvoyants is abysmal.

What isn’t sure is if I will get to see it. There may be clouds overhead, or clouds in my life. I am choosing to have faith that the eclipse will occur as scheduled, on April 8 in Dallas. I plan to be there. It’s a small thing, but I’m counting on it.

Copyright 2023 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

Life reads like a mystery, not an itinerary. We can’t know what comes next.

2 Endo Boulevard Garden City, NY 11530 Phone: (516) 569-4000 Fax: (516) 569-4942 Web: www.liherald.com

We all deserve a chance to pursue our dreams

the federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 an hour for 14 years — a time period during which mere adjustments for inflation would now have it over $10.

Congress isn’t expected to act on raising that wage anytime soon, so many municipalities and states — like New York — have taken matters into their own hands. New York City and Long Island both have a $15 minimum wage, as does Westchester County. Last week, upstate New York rose to $14.20.

In fact, 27 states raised their minimum wage at the beginning of 2023, according to the National Employment Law Project, with new baselines ranging from $9.95 in states like Montana to $15.74 in Washington state.

We hear a lot about the minimum wage. What we don’t ever talk about is something that many may not even know exists: the subminimum wage.

It’s real, and it has been since the Fair Labor Standards Act, which first established a federal minimum wage, was signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1938. Many have credited the law with helping to guide the United States out of the Great Depression. And the framework of the Fair Labor Standards Act — 40-hour work weeks, child labor restrictions, extra pay for overtime — fuels our labor economy to this day.

But if you look closely at the law — particularly at Section 14(c) — you might be surprised to learn that not everyone is eligible for the minimum wage. Even at $7.25. It allows employers to apply for a certificate from the federal government to pay less than minimum wage to workers with disabilities.

It’s an archaic law based on an archaic

way of thinking when it comes to people with disabilities.

When the legislation was first passed, “it was assumed that a worker with a disability was less productive than a non-disabled worker,” former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge wrote in a 2021 opinion piece in USA Today. “In retrospect, it was a flawed assumption. We want to be fair to the intent of the original legislation, which was to provide individuals with disabilities an opportunity to enter the workforce.”

When the former Pennsylvania governor wrote those words, he was nearing the end of a long chairmanship of the National Organization on Disability, an advocacy group for a class of people who are, more often than not, overlooked. Ridge described paying people with disabilities less than minimum wage as “no less than another critical civil rights issue.”

And he was right. Treating an entire group of people differently from everyone else simply because they have disabilities is a relic of the distant past that should stay in the distant past.

Yet efforts to eliminate this disparity over the years, by both Republicans and Democrats, have come up short on the federal level. Most recently, President Biden tried to remove the subminimum wage as part of the American Rescue Plan at the beginning of his administration, but never got it through Congress.

Since then, however, more than a dozen states have abolished the subminimum wage, according to the Association of People Supporting Employment First. But New York isn’t one of them. Not that our legislators haven’t tried — it’s just that none of their efforts have ever made it out of committee.

Closer to home, there are many who are trying to make a difference — like the Backyard Players & Friends of Rockville Centre, which describes its mission as seeking “unity without uniformity, and diversity without fragmentation.” The organization opened the Front Porch Market next to its headquarters on North Long Beach Road, conceived to provide creative work in a retail environment, treating everyone equally no matter what they bring to the table.

The market officially opens Jan. 17, and will feature crafters from around the community, classes on creating things like candles and soap, along with small retailers like Popcorn for the People and Smile Farms Hot Sauce.

The percentage of people with disabilities finding jobs is growing, but only 1 in 5 in that community is working. And of those, more are finding employment because they’re working for themselves rather than getting hired by someone else — a rate far higher than those without disabilities.

Even if the subminimum wage were finally abolished, there are many other hurdles that must be swept away for those with disabilities, and they can’t be ignored, either. But right now, hundreds if not thousands of our neighbors and community members aren’t getting the same consideration for pay as those without disabilities.

That must change. And if it can’t happen on the federal level, we need to focus our efforts much closer to home, blocking the availability of subminimum wages in our state.

Because as Tom Ridge made very clear, “all Americans should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams.”

letters

Elected officials should resolve to be transparent this year

To the Editor:

Many will start the new year with goals to exercise more, eat better and lose weight. January will also be when newly elected public servants or incumbents starting another term take office across New York state.

Old habits are hard to change in people — and especially hard to change in government. The biggest issue in government today is the lack of trust the public has in their elected leaders. The best way to build trust as an elected official is through transparency.

Elected officials should begin 2023 by conducting the public’s business in an open and transparent way. To show their commitment to open government, elected officials serving on a village board,

Long Island’s energy future: vision vs. mirage

Follow the money. This adage never gets old.

For decades, gas pipelines and other delivery infrastructure have been a reliable cash cow for utility companies, which recover the costs of building their distribution systems from our utility bills, which give them a fat return on their investments. This traditional utility profit model is now at odds with a climate-driven energy transition, creating all kinds of perverse incentives. And while hikes in heating costs are grabbing the headlines, the jostling over the future of heating isn’t getting much attention.

In order to succeed in the challenging but essential task of decarbonizing its economy in the coming decades — as mandated by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which it passed in 2019 — New York state will need to embrace an all-electric future and eschew fossil fuels, including natural gas. Utilities like Con Edison and the Long Island Power Authority, which together serve about 60 percent of the state’s electric customers, have endorsed this scenario. Many builders and households are already going all-electric, because gas fouls our homes and communities, and modern electric homes are cheaper and superior.

This is the approach espoused by almost all experts because, as the electric grid becomes cleaner, the rest of the economy will naturally follow. This is also the most cost-effective and energy-efficient decarbonization strategy for buildings, because electric heat pumps use only a fraction of the energy of their fuel-based counterparts.

Heat pumps and Long Island are a match made in heaven. With relatively mild winters, Long Island homes don’t need the top-gun units for efficient, reliable heating and cooling. LIPA’s electric load peaks at around 5 gigawatts in the summer, but barely makes it to 3 gigawatts in the winter. Adding winter load will spread the fixed grid costs over more usage and reduce per-kilowatt-hour prices.

In an effort to conserve their profitable gas distribution system, some utilities have floated their own “clean energy vision” involving green hydrogen and biomethane, marketed as renewable natural gas, or RNG — a so-called fossil-free duo that could supposedly flow through their pipeline network forever.

But consider the science and the economics of this vision. It took NASA months to fix hydrogen leaks on its recent Artemis 1 moon mission. Any proposal to pump highly explosive hydrogen, which

Letters

town board, City Council, community board or county legislature should introduce and pass a New Year’s resolution stating they will:

■ Post timely notice of all meetings at least one week prior to those meetings.

■ Post online meeting agendas and all meeting documents at least 24 hours before a meeting.

■ Post draft meeting minutes online, no more than two weeks after a meeting.

■ Allow members of the public to speak at the beginning of a meeting regarding agenda items and non-agenda items — whether they attend in person or remotely.

■ Livestream meetings by video and post the video recording online afterward.

■ Only conduct private executive sessions on rare occasions, in accordance with the New York State Open Meetings Law.

Just because you can hold an executive session doesn’t mean that you have to. A motion to hold an executive session to discuss “litigation,” “personnel” or “collective bargaining”

isn’t sufficient, as the Open Meetings Law requires motions to state more information when holding an executive session.

■ Agree not to hold private political party caucus meetings. There is no reason, at the local level, to hold private political party caucus meetings to discuss political business or public business. Secret meetings build a lack of trust among the public.

■ Have information regarding the Freedom of Information Law posted in a visible place on their websites. Proactively post documents online as much as possible so the public can access information without having to file a FOIL request. Post an easy fill-inthe-blank form that assists the public in filing a FOIL request by email on the website.

■ Commit to ensuring that all FOIL requests are acknowledged within five days, as required by law, and that information is provided to the public promptly.

PAUL WOLF Amherst

Wolf is president of the New York Coalition for Open Government.

has the tiniest molecules in the universe, through 50,000 miles of pipe in New York should raise serious doubts. Multiple studies have also warned of the risk of damage to the steel in pipes and appliances posed by gas blends with significantly more than 5 percent hydrogen.

Moreover, it shouldn’t take a NASA scientist to question the wisdom of heating homes by burning the stupendously expensive green hydrogen produced from renewable electricity, when that electricity can directly power energysipping heat pumps. Not surprisingly, expensive experiments and demonstration projects involving the use of hydrogen for heat, the kind of boondoggles being developed in the Town of Hempstead, are already being scrapped or failing in other parts of the country and the world.

Hydrogen’s partner in crime, RNG, is produced by capturing and refining the naturally produced biogas in landfills and wastewater treatment plants. But naturally derived biomethane can meet only a minuscule fraction of the home-heating demand, so much of it will need to be artificially generated from organic waste streams. Its global warming potential isn’t much lower than that of fossil gas because of inevitable releases and leaks of methane, which is much more destructive to the climate than carbon dioxide.

Fossil-free doesn’t mean emissionsfree, and the scheme doesn’t satisfy the science-based methane accounting methodology of New York’s climate law.

Produced naturally or intentionally, RNG is significantly more expensive than fossil gas, and its supplies will be limited by feedstock availability. Even the rosiest projections in the gas utilities’ own studies show that there won’t be enough of it for every possible use that those companies are touting it for, home heating being the least practical one.

The gas utilities’ so-called fossil-free clean-energy vision based on hydrogen and RNG is a mirage that doesn’t pass scientific, technical, economic or legal muster. To make matters worse, burning hydrogen would produce high levels of nitrous oxide, a health hazard, and RNG would cause indoor pollution from leakage and combustion akin to fossil gas, which is linked to myriad health risks, with the latest research attributing almost 19 percent of all childhood asthma in New York to gas stoves.

Pollution for profit shouldn’t have a place inside homes and businesses.

Anshul Gupta is a Steering Committee member of the Climate Reality Project’s NYS Coalition. Gordian Raacke is executive director of Renewable Energy Long Island.

Framework by Tim Baker

At the Twin Lakes Preserve — Wantagh

ansHUL GUpta

GorDian raaCke