Nassau Herald 03-07-2024

Residents want ban extended

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

Community members seated in the ballroom of the Lawrence Yacht & Country Club at a Lawrence Civic Association meeting on Feb. 29 held printed signs proclaiming their support for extending the Town of Hempstead moratorium on transit-oriented development.

The building ban expires on March 14. The next town board meeting is on March 12.

“Our situation is dire, and needs emergency action by the Town of Hempstead,” Lawrence Deputy Mayor Paris Popack said at last week’s meeting. “I’m not anti-development. Development

ConTinued on pAge 24

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, Woodmere native Modi Rosenfeld, a stand-up comic, has used his long-time craft to provide relief to audiences.

“For an hour and a half, I’m giving people a moment to just breathe and laugh and unite through comedy,” Rosenfeld said.

Rosenfeld has been a comedian for 30 years. He graduated from Hewlett High School in 1988, went on to study psychology and voice at Boston University, music at Yeshiva University’s Belz School of Music, and

later pursued a career in investment banking.

He had never entered a comedy club until his first performance at the Comedy Cellar in Manhattan in April of 1994.

“I was very lucky, in the beginning, I was a very big act,” Rosenfeld said of earning his spot in the comedy scene.

“There’s lots of characters and all kinds of high energy, and I was passed at a lot of the comedy clubs in the city right away.”

Rosenfeld’s mother, Batia, a Woodmere resident, thought her son was funny, but needed assurance from other Five Towns residents.

“Many people in our neighborhood are very big fans of him,” she said.

Before his breakthrough, Rosenfeld worked as a banker for Merrill Lynch from 1993-99.

“I used to imitate the secretaries, and my friends said, ‘You should be doing this on

stage,’” Rosenfeld said.

Once he switched career paths, he was hooked on comedy.

“That was it, I caught the bug right away,” Rosenfeld said.

On Feb. 18, Rosenfeld kicked off his “Know Your Audience” tour at the Paramount in Huntington. The tour will hit cities across the United States.

“I talk a lot about how Jews

love to raise money for charities, I talk about Hatzalah, the Jewish ambulance corps, we talk about Sephardic and Ashkenazi, I talk about my husband and being married to a millennial, I talk about antisemitism,” Rosenfeld said of the show’s content, with much focus on his Jewish roots.

He concludes every perfor-

ConTinued on pAge 14

Parker Schug/Herald

Community members showed their preference for extending the Town of Hempstead’s moratorium on transit-oriented development at the Lawrence Civic Association meeting Feb. 29 at the Lawrence Yacht & County Club.

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Welcome to the Woodmere Fire District

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

This is the first in a series delving into the functions and responsibilities of the Woodmere Fire District.

There’s smoke in a home, a commercial warehouse fire, a flood emergency. The Woodmere Fire Department responds with engines, ladders, safety gear and adequate training to help.

However, it is the board of commissioners of the Woodmere Fire District that makes the decisions on how to spend the taxpayer dollars to help ensure fire protection for a portion of the Five Towns.

Wand a budget for the fire department are just some of the district’s responsibilities of the district along with maintaining an open dialogue with fire department chiefs, district commissioners and department members.

“A Fire District will establish and organize a Fire Department to deliver service to the community,” Stern said.

There are about 850 fire districts in the state Stern said. The Woodmere Fire District is composed of a five-commissioner board, elected by residents, each serving a fiveyear term. Stern, who has served as a commissioner for 20 years was re-elected for another term in December.

e have a great relationship with board of fire commission; they are very supportive of us.

The fire district works behind the scenes to ensure fire protection for the residents, business owners and schools in the district. Since 1923, the district has covered Woodmere, with sections of the area now under adjacent fire districts because of the growth — in population and development of residences and businesses — in the area Commissioner David Stern, the Board of Commissioner’s chairman wrote in an email.

RoSS RiEmAN Chief of department Woodmere Fire Department

“Some of the members of the fire board are also members of the fire department, the majority are,” Chief of Department Ross Rieman said of the commissioners. “They cannot be in a leadership role within the fire department, just for conflict of interest reasons.”

get’s roughly $2.4 million is paid to Liberty Water for using the hydrants.

A portion of the funding goes toward reserve accounts supporting the purchase of buildings, vehicles and equipment, which are less frequent. The reserves are about 2 percent of the budget.

The district budget is part of the Town of Hempstead budget, forwarded to Nassau County so that district taxes can be levied and collected. The town collects the tax, and then turns it over to the fire district.

The fire district’s budget annual increase is subject to the state property tax cap, preventing an increase of more than 2 percent or the rate of inflation, however the district can exceed the cap through a resolution. The district files annual financial reports with the New York State Comptroller’s office.

Tasks such as providing equipment, training for fire department members

Rieman is the primary point of contact for the fire district within the department but other department leadership including first assistant chief, second assistant chief and department members communicate with commissioners as well.

“We have a great relationship with board of fire commission, they are very supportive of us,” Rieman said. “We’re supportive of them.”

Each year, the fire district adopts a budget after a public hearing and board vote. Majority of this money is spent on operational costs of the district including insurance, finance, utilities, upkeep, repairs, fuel, supplies and use of hydrants, Stern said. Nearly 8 percent of the current bud-

In 2024, Stern says the district’s focus is on improving options for flooding rescue and response, something they have seen a need for in recent months. The district is also looking to renovate the Woodmere Fire Department.

“The oldest part of the building is over 100 years old and the newest part is 25 years old,” Stern said.

The fire district also looks to recruit new volunteer members for the department. “We are always interested in new membership,” Rieman said.

To get involved, visit WoodmereFD. com/Become-A-Member/.

H-W Endowment Fund funds student programs

By Nistha Boghra Special to the Herald

From building robots to building businesses, the students of the Hewlett-Woodmere school district have gotten opportunities beyond what the schools could ever imagine to offer. The force behind it all: the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools Endowment Fund.

With roughly 200 sponsors, according to its website, the endowment fund provides financial support for projects that aspire to enrich the learning experience of all Hewlett-Woodmere students. The fund aims to offer money for programs that cannot be funded by the school’s budget and could be eliminated due to fiscal shortfalls.

The grants work on an application basis; any application that falls within the bylaws is then reviewed by the board.

“The overall umbrella of our bylaws is that these grants are to be issued for the benefit of the entire district,” said David Friedman, who is one of the two endowment fund board vice chairpeople “We can’t just issue grants or checks for one individual, they have to benefit the community at large.”

In previous years, grants were given to school departments and programs, such as the Virtual Enterprise course under the Hewlett High School Business Department. The course has students designing a virtual business and selling virtual products throughout the school year, through a competition with more than 3,000 other virtual enterprise businesses around the world. The team took first place for Long Island in 2021 and qualified for the national competition.

“Right now, we just issued new grants to Hewlett Robotics Club, and the Hewlett Community Gardeners, another club we sponsor for the high school,” Fried-

man said.

“During Covid we issued a grant for people in the community who had suddenly lost their jobs, and issued food cards for families to go buy food and make meals at home,” he added.

As the organization and fund continues to grow, the board seeks new members to contribute to their cause.

“Some board members have been working on these

projects for more than 10 years,” said Friedman. “We are looking to get additional community members who have children that are in school now.”

The board is also looking for volunteers to work on their landmark fundraising event: the Arts Below Sunrise STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) Festival. The 11th annual event is on Sunday, May 19. Proceeds from go directly to the endowment fund’s grant fund.

Friedman said the event will feature singers, dancers, and the award-winning robotics team as well as food trucks and entertainment. While it was previously in the fall, the board switched the event to a spring fair after the pandemic.

“It turned out to be quite fortuitous,” Friedman said. “Because since now it is in the spring, the performers have had so much additional time for practice, so that’s worked out to our advantage.”

While the event is planned entirely by the members of the fund, and staffed by community volunteers, the festival seeks sponsors to cover operational costs such as sound engineers, rental fees for tables and stages.

“We, the HWPSEF, produce Arts Below as a way to celebrate the Hewlett and Woodmere communities and our surrounding neighborhoods,” John Roblin, the chairman of endowment fund’s board wrote in an email. “The sponsorships for the event cover our costs and ensure that we have funds available for our grant projects.”

Roblin notes that the festival’s focus “has always been fun and education through STEAM activities.”

Nistha Boghra is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.

Courtesy Ross Rieman Evan Perlzweig, left, Hillel Schreier, to his right and Marc Deutsch, far right, of the Woodmere Fire Department respond to an emergency in November of last year.

Christine Rivera/Herald

Martin Kohn, a Hewlett Fire Department emergency medical technician, teaches Yahav Ahroni, left, and Ariel Harel, lifesaving skills at last year’s Arts Below Sunrise Festival.

Hewlett-Woodmere students rock out

Pro musician Mark Wood turns volume to 11

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

All-District Orchestra Night at Hewlett High School was a product of immense preparation, this year. Mark Wood, an Emmy Award-winning composer, recording artist, performer, producer, innovator and music educator worked alongside the students leading up to the show, to bring in some electricity.

“Learning different types of music really elaborates their focus and helps them try different things,” Andrew Fund, director of art and music education at Hewlett Woodmere school district said.

“They listen to lots of classical and it’s nice to be rocking out with Mark Wood.”

Woodmere Middle School and Hewlett High School students fifth through 12th grade, worked under Wood’s direction on Feb. 26 and 27 learning performance techniques, technical skill, movement during music and more during 40 minute long workshops leading up to the Feb. 27 show.

“If you don’t move music is dying in front of us,” Wood shouted as directing the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders on Feb. 26 in the middle school auditorium.

“We have to resurrect and bring our music up with high energy.”

Wood had students up out of their seats, raising their bows, cheering and dancing while rehearing the songs “String Thang” and “High Hopes” that were performed during the concert.

He emphasized the importance of moving with the music, having a strong stance while playing and lowering their music stand in order to connect with the audience.

Wood also prompted students to play music by memory and rehearsed so they could do that.

“Were trying to introduce emotional intelligence and creative intelligence, those elements, more than quarter notes and eighth notes,” Wood said. “I think that the future is not as much that, as much as it is, what’s the value of this experience for my kid, what’s the value

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for the community and values in our emotional stability.”

Wood found this particularly important in the middle school and high school level in order to prevent stress, anxiety and other mental issues.

“When our emotions become fluid and we express ourselves, music and the arts is a gateway,” he said.

Individual grade levels worked with Wood throughout the day later on Feb. 26. High School students worked with Wood on Feb. 27 throughout the day before the

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7:30 p.m. concert.

“Be more passionate with the music, put more effort and enthusiasm in,” Camilla Yap, a Woodmere Middle School student, said her greatest take away was.

Wood has been educating musicians for 24 years with his program, Electrify Your Symphony, which teaches rock and roll to school music departments. He plays along with students on the electric violin and continues to do so teaching workshops at about 60 schools globally per year.

by Joan Chittister

Your writer was grateful to find author Chittister’s book, subtitled “Growing Old Gracefully”, written by her at age seventy, the same age your writer turns this year.

Inevitably, we come to see things differently as we age. In “The Gift of Years” these changes in the “capstone years” as she calls them, present the gift of becoming more fully alive than ever. Cicero notes that old age is richer in reflection, force of character and judgement. The maturity and mellowing of character allows the older generation to provide a behavioral model for younger generations showing them the way to a fullness of life.

Seneca said these years abound with pleasure if we know how to use them. Free of obligations and deadlines, there is freshness in these years. Understanding, enjoyment and love of life all increase, allowing for deeper, richer and more important experiences. The world looks different — more to be treasured, explored and enjoyed.

A certain serenity sets in.

Chittister writes “But we are here to depart from this world as finished as we can possibly become. Old age is...exactly the time to grow in new ways [making] sense out of all the growing we have already done. It is the softening season when everything in us is meant to achieve its sweetest, richest, most unique self”.

Chittister calls it a damping-down time of life where anger, jealousy, envy, and pride subside to awaken another whole level of life.

“As Agatha Christie put it, we ‘bloom’ as we grow. New abilities emerge, new insights arise. New vision is possible.”

A certain urgency and intensity in living sets in as we become aware of the presence of time. With forty short chapters on subjects such as Regret, Joy, Possibility, Letting Go, Success, Wisdom, Time and Appreciation, “The Gift of Years” provides an indispensable guide to aging well.

Parker Schug/Herald photos

Professional musician, Mark Wood, directed Woodmere Middle School students including Siena Lopez, left and Yuan Malit, to her right on Feb. 26 to prepare for their all-district concert, featuring rock pieces and choreography.

Mark Wood, a professional musician worked with Woodmere Middle School and Hewlett High School students in preparation for their Feb. 27 all-district concert practicing performance techniques.

Fed Bank leader says Long Island is recovering

By MICHAEL HINMAN mhinman@liherald.com

We’ve heard a lot about the economy in the years coming out of the coronavirus pandemic — and those conversations will only get louder as we head into what is expected to be a rather contentious presidential election.

But when it comes to the economy on Long Island — at least for now, it’s rebounding. At least according to the man whose collection of gold in Manhattan far exceeds what’s found in Fort Knox.

John Williams, president and chief executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, paid the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Uniondale a visit last week, sharing the state of the economy with members of the Long Island Association. And there’s plenty to talk about.

“As business leaders, you all know all too well the impacts the pandemic had on our communities in our economy,” Williams said “In many way, Long Island’s economy mirrors New York City’s, and both were hit especially hard in 2020. In fact, much harder than what we saw in the rest of the country.”

Inflation was rampant, the job outlook was unstable, and the supply chain was struggling to regain its once super-efficient form.

But an important milestone was reached last year, Williams said: total employment numbers returned to what they were before the pandemic.

“Last year was also a turning point for the U.S. economy overall,” Williams said. “The economy grew far faster than anyone expected a year ago, boosted by increases in the labor force and productivity.”

The fact that the financial market has held for the past two years also is significant, Williams said, since that’s the longest stretch in five decades.

And although inflation continues to be a concern, at least as far as personal consumption expenditures go,

numbers are falling from the 40-year high experienced just a couple years ago to levels considered far more stable.

Williams visited with the LIA as part of an overall Long Island tour that included stops in Suffolk County as well as at Hofstra University. Although monetary policy itself is decided on Capitol Hill and the White House, the Reserve Bank of New York is where the nation’s monetary policy is implemented as part of the larger Fed.

Williams visited Long Island at a time when the economy here has stabilized, according to LIA president and chief executive Matthew Cohen.

“Our gross domestic product is $200 billion,” Cohen said. “About 45 percent of adults have a college degree — which is higher, actually, in both New York City, and the state as a whole. And, as a region, we have a low unem

ployment rate.”

That’s pretty significant for a region that is larger than 15 states. Which is why it’s important businesses on Long Island work together, Cohen added, to lead the rest of the nation in the ongoing recovery.

“We need to work together — everyone in this room, everyone in our region — to create new good-paying jobs to support the growth of both legacy sectors and these emerging industries,” he said. It’s also important to “cultivate entrepreneurship so that the next Apple can be built here.”

Over the decades, Long Island and the country has proven to itself it can weather a number of storms. But the economy is ever-changing, Williams said, and the pandemic proved it’s important to strengthen the country’s financial infrastructure.

“It’s kind of a recognition of our limits to that resiliency,” Williams said. “Supply chains have become extremely complex.

“That’s one of the lessons — that when you have extreme movements in demand supply … things can crack in that system. People are recognizing that, in terms of businesses, of having more resiliency.”

Williams can’t make predictions of what the economy will bring, but can say the world we live in now is already different, and will continue changing as we move forward. Like the movement of more and more people to continue working from home, or maintaining hybrid work environments where they may only be in the office a couple times a week.

A potential solution?

“To do office space in the modern world, you have to invest a lot to make that office space attractive,” Williams said. “It’s just one of those kinds of evolutions that is jarring that we go through in cities like New York where

Michael Hinman/Herald John Williams, right, president and chief executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, joined Long Island Association president and chief executive Matthew Cohen for a discussion on Long Island’s economy during a visit to the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Uniondale last week.

Kevin Levy nets 1,000 career points HAFTR High

senior helps team advance

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

Kevin Levy, from Woodmere, hit a high school career highlight during the first round of the Metropolitan Yeshiva High School Athletic League Basketball playoffs.

Kevin, a senior guard at Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway High School in Cedarhurst and captain of the varsity basketball team, scored his 1,000th point of his career during the last minute of the team’s first playoff game against Waterbury Yeshiva of Durham, Connecticut.

“It takes a lot of hard work,” David Levy, Kevin’s father said. “This was something that required a lot of dedicated time.”

The Feb. 20 home game was close, 58-56, as HAFTR won.

With 42 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Levy was fouled. He nailed both free throws to hit and exceed the milestone.

“We tried to keep it quiet because we didn’t want to put a lot of pressure on him,” David said, once he and the other spectators knew his son was going to reach this accomplishment. “Every time it he shot the ball, we were like could this be it?”

Levy was interviewed on the HAFTR Athletics live stream about the feat.

“Once the game was over, a ton of emotions ran through me,” Kevin wrote in an email. “It was like a fast forward movie of all images from games I’ve played.”

Immediately after the accomplishment, the game resumed, Joe Hoenig, HAFTR’s varsity coach said.

“When he scored it, it wasn’t celebrated in our school, it was a very tight

game,” Hoenig said. “Kevin is very humble, he wasn’t celebrating it either.”

Hoenig said the team was determined to advance in the bracket.

“As a team, they were focused on that game,” he said.

During his junior season, Kevin suffered a torn labrum injury resulting in missing multiple games.

Dedicated to being the best basketball player he could be, Kevin played in multiple outside leagues including the Amateur Athletic League, getting to the gym at 5:45 a.m. before school and dedicating extra time after practice, David said of his son.

“You put in 10 hours a month more than other kids, and multiply that by 10 years it adds up,” David said.

Kevin’s older brother, Jason Mishkin, a former HAFTR varsity basketball player had a successful high school athletic career, an achievement Kevin aspired to, David said.

“Kevin grew up watching him and wanting to be him,” David said.

Kevin was also part of the United States U18 Basketball Team, a team of 18-year-old athletes from around the country playing at the Pan America Maccabi Games that brought home the gold medal in Argentina. The games celebrate Jewish athletics.

The path for next year is still unclear for Kevin, but he has been accepted into University of Maryland and Yeshiva University.

“I’d like to finish off my HS career with a Championship!” Kevin wrote.

HAFTR defeated Ramaz of New York City in the quarterfinals of MYHSAL playoffs 65-52, and advancing to the semifinals, against Magen David on the road on March 6.

Courtesy David Levy

Kevin Levy hit a HAFTR high school basketball career milestone, scoring 1,000 points. He scored the game winning points during the first round playoff game against Waterbury Yeshiva of Durham, Connecticut.

Projects, pros honored at REAL Awards

Long Island’s most prolific real estate leaders highlighted at annual event

By Parker Schug

The diverse Long Island real estate scene includes industry experts from every niche specialty from construction and design, to insurance and sales. And the best of the best were honored last week as part of Herald Community Newspapers and RichnerLive’s third annual Real Estate Achievement and Leadership Awards, or REAL Awards.

“It’s a relatively small island, but a lot of things are happening,” said Chris Kelly, the marketing vice president at Tritec Real Estate Co.

Held at The Heritage Club at Bethpage, this year’s awards once again honored many leaders in the space who have been in the game for decades, as well as up-and-coming professionals — all with successful projects and happy clients to show for their work.

Antoinette Biordi, four-time Emmy Award-winning anchor and reporter for News 12, handed out a number of awards split into nearly 30 categories that included Broker of the Year, Construction Group of the Year, and the top residential and commercial broker.

Sara Gore, real estate saleswoman and four-time Emmy Award-winning television host for “Open House” and “New York Live” on NBC, was a keynote speaker and recipient of the special “Trailblazer” award.

“I’ve been in this business for a long time,” Gore said. ”But now to be on the other side of things — and be on the real estate side and really feel like I’ve solidified my place, my stake in this industry — it feels really good to be a part of it.

“I’m so proud to be included within this group of professionals that are here tonight.”

Mel Pulatani and son Dan of MP Construction D — a general contracting company specializing in luxury residential and sophisticated commercial projects — were given the Father & Son Power Team special award.

“I mean it’s obviously an honor to be honored at this event,” Dan Pulatani said. “But I have to give all credit to my father. He’s the real reason we’re here. He’s the guy that makes the dream happen. I’m lucky and honored to be his partner every day.”

Eric Alexander, executive director of Vision Long Island, accepted the NotFor-Profit special award.

“The theme of our work is connecting to local communities,” Alexander said. “And that’s how real estate development is successful: When they work with local communities. It means a lot when a number of the other honorees, too, are connected to local communities. I’m in great company.”

Steven Krieger, chief executive of B2K Development, was selected as Power Developer of the Year.

“Hard work leads to luck,” Krieger said. “I’ve been so lucky to meet so many great people in this business.”

Beth Donner, founder of Melvillebased Beth Donner Design, was honored

with the Interior Designer of the Year special award. Christopher Robinson, president of R&M Engineering, accepted the engineering special award, while also celebrating 25 years in the business.

Elisabetta Coschignano, of the Sahn Ward Braff Koblenz Coschignano law

firm, was among those honored in the commercial real estate category.

“I pride myself on being prepared in the Long Island real estate world, and especially as it relates to zoning and land use,” Coschignano said.

Connie Pinilla, principal agent for the

Connie Pinilla Team at Compass, received the brokers’ award in the residential category for her 21 practicing years.

“I love real estate,” Pinilla said. “It makes me feel on top of the world.”

Gold Sponsors of the event included B2K Development and Beth Donner Design.

Silver Sponsors were All State Abstract, Amazon, Anthony A. Nozzolillo Esq., Breslin Realty Development Corp., Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency, Brown Harris Stevens, Champion Elevators, Cronin & Cronin, Damianos Realty Group, Empire Electrical Corp., GC Advisory Group, Harris Beach PLLC, Long Island Board of Realtors, Men on the Move, Merritt Environmental Consulting Corp., Metropolitan Realty Associates, Mojo Stumer Associates, MP Construction D, PX4 Development, R&M Engineering, Sahn Ward Braff Koblenz Coschignano, Signature Premier Properties, Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency, the Connie Pinilla Team at Compass, the Crest Group and Tritec.

The ballroom filled with guests ready for the ceremony to begin.

Mark Stumer of Mojo Stumer Associates.

Tim Baker/Herald photos Sara Gore, host of Open House NYC, was the keynote speaker for the evening.

Kelly Heck accepts on behalf of Tritec. Eric Alexander of Vision Long Island.

Beth Donner with her crystal award. Christopher Robinson of R&M Engineering.

Joseph Farkas accepting his special award for Real Estate Investment/Development Company of the Year.

Kevin Leatherman of Leatherman Homes and president of LIBOR.

Steven Krieger of B2K Development

Honoree Connie Pinilla, right, at the REAL Awards photo booth.

Honorees Justin Breslin and Elisabetta Coschignano.

Honorees Marco Scarda, left, Daniel Scarda, Chuck Merritt and Cara Cronin at RichnerLive REAL Awards last week.

Father and son power duo Dan and Mel Pulatani.

Natasha Williams of LIBOR with her son.

Holden Leeds/Herald photos Julia Krispeal from Serhant.

Michael Puntillo of PX4 Development.

Jack Martins of Harris Beach PLLC.

What’s

up next door and around the corner

HERALD neighbors

LWA rocks to ‘13: The Musical’

One of Lawrence Woodmere Academy’s most youthful and famous alumni returned to the nonsectarian private school in Woodmere for benefit on March 3 to raise money for LWA’s performing arts program.

Andrew Barth Feldman, who played Evan, and his Zneefrock Productions presented “13: The Musical” where after

moving from New York City to Indiana, a 12-year-old navigates his parents’ divorce, his impending bar mitzvah and his new school’s social circles.

The cast included Kuhoo Verma as Patrice, Krysta Rodriguez as Lucy, Ryan J. Haddad as Archie, Antonio Cipriano as Brett, Gracie Lawrence as Charlotte, Sam Primack as Malcolm, Alyssa Wray

as Cassie, Gían Pérez a s Eddie, Sophia James as Molly, Frankie Rodriguez as Richie and Joe Serafini as Simon.

The Sunday night show collected more than $30,000 in ticket sales. A final amount will be tallied by the end of the week, school officials said.

What was considered a magical event was performed in the Barbra Barth

— Jeffrey Bessen

Feldman Performing Arts Center, formerly Hessel Hall, on the LWA’s campus. It is named for Andrew’s mother, who graduated from school in 1982, and served as the summer camp director before being named head of school in January 2019. She died of cancer that August.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

The cast of ‘13: The Musical’ with Lawrence Woodmere Academy alum Andrew Barth Feldman, striped shirt, during the March 3 benefit performance.

Cheering on their school in the play were Elizabeth Teeter playing Kendra, left, and Krysta Rodriguez as Lucy.

Andrew Barth Feldman playing Evan and Ryan J. Haddad playing Archie in 13: The Musical’ at LWA on Sunday.

Kuhoo Verma played the character of Patrice in the musical show fundraiser.

Sam Primack played the role of Malcolm in 13: The Musical.’

HERALD SchoolS

Math Night adds up to fun for Lawrence students

Family Math Night at the Lawrence Primary School spotlighted the students’ — first through third grade — problemsolving skills in various mathematical activities that the children collaborating on board games and complex puzzles.

One of the event’s highlights was a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) challenge that had the students building the tallest snowman that they could using only marshmallows and toothpicks. The kids needed to apply mathematical reasoning to determine how well they made their snowman.

“We were thrilled to see our students and their families enthusiastically participating in mathematical activities,” Lawrence Primary School Principal Kristen Panzarella said in a news release about last month’s event. “Children’s early mathematics achievement is associated with several factors later in life. Events

like Family Math Night make learning math fun and foster a sense of collaboration and critical thing among our students.”

— Jeffrey Bessen

Fratti represents Long Island at national symposium

Hewlett High School senior Stella Fratti was named a finalist in the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium competition. She was one of 11 fellow Hewlett students who were selected as regional semifinalists.

Fratti will represent the Long Island region at the 62nd National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in Albuquerque May 1 to 4. The national symposium will have 245 high school students who qualified by submitting and presenting original scientific papers at regional symposiums.

“When I first found out that I was a regional finalist for JSHS, I was extremely nervous as well as excited,” Fratti wrote in an email. “I was nervous because I was the only one selected from Hewlett H.S. I felt there was more pressure on me to do well. After the regional finalist presentation on Feb. 24, 2024, and discovering that I am one of the five national finalists to represent the Long Island area, I was amazed and grateful for the opportunity to gain more experience.”

Roughly 130 high school teachers, mentors, university educators, military personnel and others will also attend to support the young scientists and engineers, and celebrate their accomplishments.

Fratti studied Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. It is a cancer that causes the abnormal growth of B-lymphocytes or B-cells, a type of white blood cells. When

CLL B-cells are in the human body’s lymph nodes, the growth pattern of the B-Cells changes and resistance to drug treatment could develop. Why this change occurs is not well understood.

How the CLL B-cells interact with just the lymph nodes was what Fratti investigated. Her research showed that specific cells in the lymph nodes and the chemical messengers called cytokines interact in a complex sequence of causeand-effects that could lead to the a typical behavior of those B-cells.

Fratti conducted her research at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, as part of a scholarship she was awarded through the Girl Scots for community service and academic performance.

She said that this was her first time actually conducting science research, beginning after her junior year through the internship, and she was nervous getting ready and competing against others who had done it previously.

“Moving forward in this competition and learning more about science research on the way has given me the confidence to pursue science in college,” Fratti wrote, adding that she appreciates the support of her family, friends and teachers. “I am very proud to be representing Long Island in the national finals of JS&HS competition.”

— Jeffrey Bessen

Сourtesy Lawrence schools Fresia A. worked on building a snowman.

Stella Fratti

Tying his Jewish roots to his comedy act

mance by singing “Hatikvah,” the Israeli national anthem.

Rosenfeld was born in Tel Aviv and lived there until the age of 7. When he moved to Woodmere, he lived in a Jewish-American household, only speaking Hebrew, he said. His family went to Temple Hillel in Valley Stream.

For an hour and a half, I’m giving people a moment to just breathe and laugh and unite through comedy.

Modi RosenFeld Comedian

When the Hamas attacks occurred, Rosenfeld had just finished performing in Israel for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. He was traveling from Tel Aviv to Paris to do more shows, and after a four-hour delay, his flight took off.

“That was a sign that we should definitely keep doing the shows and not cancel them because of what happened,” Rosenfeld said. “I’m performing for an audience in Paris that was on their phone, watching the war unravel, and then all of a sudden, the lights go out, the curtain goes up, and I’m on stage. For an hour and a half, (we) were able to just laugh, and then I sang Hatikvah, and we again remember where our hearts are.”

Leo Veiga, Rosenfeld’s husband, serves as his manager, coordinating tour details, and running social media and publicity.

“We get to travel together and share really special memories,” Veiga wrote in an email.

Off stage, Rosenfeld works in television. His favorite role was playing himself on an episode of the HBO show, “Crashing,” a comedy-drama about entering the industry. He also hosts, “And Here’s Modi,” a podcast showcasing an unfiltered version of his life, which just recently hit 100 episodes and sings as a hobby, enjoying religious tunes but making no money off of this past time.

For more on his shows, podcast and background, go to ModiLive.com.

Courtesy Stephani Spindel

Comedian Modi Rosenfeld, a Woodmere native, is traveling across the United States on his ’Know Your Audience’ tour. He performed at Town Hall in New York City in December.

Electeds want to ‘pump brakes’ on electric buses

By CHARLES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com

A number of state electeds are calling on the governor to slow down her plans to make school buses electric by 2035 — something they say could have a devastating impact on district finances.

Some like state Sen. Steve Rhoads and state Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick joined Assemblyman John Mikulin and other officials handling fire and safety at schools at the Levittown Public School bus yard in Wantagh last week hoping they can convince Gov. Kathy Hochul to extend the deadline for that mandate deeper into the future to ensure it’s affordability for communities like those in Nassau County.

“There’s nothing magical about this New York state school bus mandate,” Rhoads said.

Citing the main character from the popular children’s television animated series “The Magic School Bus,” Rhoads said “even Ms. Frizzle herself would agree that this burdensome mandate takes chances, makes mistakes, and gets messy.”

The state’s current budget mandates all school buses must have no environmental impact through emissions by 2035, with districts only allowed to purchase electric school buses by mid-2027.

The idea, according to Hochul, is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050. The state’s environmental conservation department blames the transportation sector overall as one of New York’s largest sources of emissions, which contributes to climate change impacts such as increased heat waves, sea level rise and flooding.

“Old school buses are putting children’s health at risk, spewing toxic fumes and pollutants into the air that are proven to have negative health impacts,” Hochul’s office said, in a statement. “After New York vot-

ers approved an Environmental Bond Act that allocated $500 million for zero-emission school buses, Gov. Hochul is working with communities across New York to allocate these funds and ensure they are fully utilized.”

But Rhoads says the mandate does not account for the logistical and financial challenges that school districts, bus companies and power companies will face in implementing the plan. A new, full-sized electric bus costs as much as $450,000 — triple the price of a conventional.

With some 45,000 school buses on the road in the state, Rhoads says the full conversion by 2035 would cost in the neighborhood of $20 billion.

The Levittown school district — with a fleet of 80 buses — is in the beginning stages of the mandate. Superintendent Todd Winch said it would cost the district as much as $32 million to replace their fleet, and will purchase its first electric bus this year.

“We don’t replace a whole fleet for maybe 20 years, but now they’re asking us to replace the whole fleet from 2027 to 2035,” Winch said. “Now you’re talking about a very short time period to replace the whole fleet, which would be very, very difficult.”

In addition, the Levittown bus yard would require 40 charging stations, each one costing between $30,000 and $50,000, Winch added.

The state has offered to help, but Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick said the $500 million offered would only cover a little more than 1,200 buses. The rest would have to paid for by local taxpayers — and that’s not even including infrastructure and charging stations.

“Where’s the rest of that money coming from?” the state senator asked. “You, from the taxpayers, because that’s what the school districts will be forced to do to meet this mandate.”

But the current high costs associated with electric buses are expected to come down over time, Hochul said. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority announced last September it believes the price of an electric school bus should be on-par with a gasoline-powered bus as early as 2027 thanks to advances in battery technology, more manufacturing, as well as lower fuel and maintenance expenses.

Rhoads calls Hochul’s mandate a rushed plan.

“We all want to see a greener future,” he said. “There is no question about that. But we have to make sure that if our goal is providing affordable, safe, and reliable transportation to our students, we have to make sure we have a plan which gets us to that future, but still accomplishes that primary goal.”

Charles Shaw/Herald

A number of local elected — like state Sen. Steve Rhoads, state Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and Assemblyman John Mikulin — joined fire and safety as well as school officials in the Wantagh bus yard that serves Levittown Public Schools to ‘pump the brakes’ on a statewide transition to electric school buses.

STEPPING OUT

FOREVER A) ‘

By Karen Bloom

Laughing along with Joe Gatto

All roads lead back to Lynbrook it seems. Certainly for Joe Gatto.

He’s stepped away from his comfort zone — “The Impractical Jokers” — to the dismay of many folks. His loyal cadre of fans came to know him from the popular improvisational hidden camera show, which he hosted with his buddies Brian “Q” Quinn, James “Murr” Murray, and Sal Vulcano, for nine seasons.

Fans were certainly disappointed when he moved on from Q, Murr and Sal in 2021 to focus on co-parenting his two kids, Milana and Remington (now 9 and 7).

But you needn’t fret. Gatto is doing just fine — as is “Jokers,” now in its 10th season.

Since leaving his pals to carry on “Jokers” without him, the jokes certainly continue as Gatto’s taken his energy — and his comedic talents — to the stand-up circuit.

His tour, “Joe Gatto’s Night of Comedy,” arrives Friday at The Paramount in Huntington. Minus his friends, fans get an hour of Gatto, as he riffs on life, his family, and probably even his dogs.

“I’m extremely proud of this hour of comedy I’ve put together, and am so excited to film it at the first theater I performed on this tour back in February 2023,” Gatto says. “It also happens to be one of my favorite theaters, too, which is nice since it’s in my ‘hometown’ of Long Island.”

Of course, there were some nerves involved in going solo.

“After my time with ‘Jokers,’ I needed to figure out the next step in my career,” Gatto reflects.

• Friday, March 8, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

• $59.75, $39.75, $29.75

• Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com

• The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington

“I needed to figure out different ways to make people laugh because that’s what I love to do. Stand-up presented itself as a way to do that. My agents and managers were like, ‘Why don’t you give stand-up a shot?’”

And so he did, on a winter’s evening in a small club in Appleton, Wisconsin, in January 2022, for a brief 35 minutes.

“I enjoyed it right from the get-go,” he says. “It quickly graduated into an hour show, and I moved up to theaters. Fans were coming out, and we’re having a great time. Telling stories of my life and thinking about different ways that I could express myself to get people to know me a bit better has been a really fun journey.”

Gatto readily admits it’s been a learning experience.

“It was a different format that I wasn’t necessarily versed in, so I was a little nervous,” he says. “The biggest thing for me was I had never performed live before. For 20 years, I was part of an ensemble, stand-up being its own art was a thing I needed to adapt to. I quickly took to it.

“The challenge of writing the hour, curating it, and thinking of what stories I want to tell and how to tell them and punch up the jokes, was fun to do.”

Everyone’s in on the fun right along with him.

“I’ve always been pretty open on ‘The Impractical Jokers,’”

talk about parenting, I’ve got lots of stories of my kids, also

he says. “I was always myself. I didn’t play a character, so when people watched it, they really to got to know the sense of me, my personality. Even a lot of my personal life was in that show as well. People who come to my show know me already from that. But here I get to tell different stories. I talk about parenting, I’ve got lots of stories of my kids, also the craziness of animal rescue with my dogs, growing up with my crazy Italian mother on Staten Island, and of course, my friends, the Jokers. There’s no shortage of stories.”

Janeane Garofalo

Oh yes, about those dogs. There are nine of them in the Gatto household, all older rescues.

“It’s like a pack mentality,” he says, laughing, insisting his four-legged companions “pretty much follow the house rules.”

Eventually the Gattos realized they couldn’t rescue every dog in need. Hence their nonprofit Gatto Pups & Friends, which facilitates adoptions for mainly senior and disabled dogs, opened in Glen Head in November 2022.

“We wanted to do it in our neighborhood,” he says. “We love being around here. We found a cool space for the storefront, right across the street from one of our favorite places for lunch. It just all aligned.”

Although firmly ensconced in Glen Head, the South Shore still calls out to him. Gatto frequently visits Lynbrook, where he lived between 2014 and 2017, and where his sister still resides.

His family ties bring him frequently back to visit.

“I love Lynbrook,” he says.“I had such a great experience there. There’s always something special about your first home.”

Plus, “Vincent’s is still one of my favorite pizzerias,” he adds.

You’ll even find him hanging out at Lynbrook’s Regal, taking in a movie with his niece and nephew.

“I go there all the time with them,” he shares. “They’re movie buffs like me, and that’s our go-to movie theater.”

In fact, a film may be in his future.

“I’m doing pretty good, enjoying my ride right now,” Gatto says. “But I’ve always wanted to write and direct film. That’s actually why I got into entertainment. So that’s what I’m focusing on now. That’s what’s left on the bucket list, along with always creating and thinking of new ways to make people smile.”

And as for his outing at The Paramount, it’s being filmed for a comedy special.

“I’ve been working to two years on the thing,” he says, “so I don’t it want it to just go away.”

And there’s always the possibility of another collaboration with his “Jokers” buddies. “I never un-united with them,” he says. “They’re still my friends. We’re just not ‘friends from work’ anymore. I love creating with those guys, so who knows what the future holds.”

The comedian-actress, who reigns as the queen of the alt-comedy scene, is eager to speak her mind when she visits here with her latest stand-up tour. Considered by many as an American institution since she first burst on the scene in 1992, the outspoken activist has plenty to say, in her own inimitable comedic style. Known for her incisive cynical sense of humor, the SNL alum has branched out into film and television, including ‘The Truth About Cats and Dogs,’ ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ and ‘Ratatouille,’ among her memorable roles. Garofalo’s informed opinions and unflinching honesty on topics ranging from everyday life to pop culture inspire laughs and strike a chord with audiences everywhere. Often a lightning rod for controversy, Garofalo finds a way to get her point across with her trademark sense of humor. Known and respected worldwide, Garofalo was also instrumental in the successful launching of the first liberal radio network, Air America Radio, where she hosted her own talk show, ‘The Majority Report.’

Friday, March 8, 8 p.m. $33, $28. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at LandmarkOnMainStreet.org or (516) 767-6444.

‘Greatest Show On Earth’

The circus is back. The iconic Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey spectacle returns after a hiatus, re-imagined as a 360-degree experience that brings fans into the action. Packed with explosive excitement, ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ begins and ends with a bang. Lauren Irving, Alex Stickels and Jan Damm join forces as Aria, Stix and Nick Nack, who serve as its soul, rhythm and funny bone. The trio, appearing as show guides, encounter never-before-seen stunts, acrobatic displays, and comedic acts along the way. An international cast of 75 performers take on a variety of enthralling circus acts, including new stunts like the Triangular Highwire, led by the Lopez Family, sixth-generation circus artists hailing from Mexico and Chile. There are also comic clowning, extreme sports, and acrobatic aerial feats — all enhanced with original music.

Friday through Sunday, March 8-10, times vary. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com, or Ringling. com. UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont.

Courtesy Joe Gatto

Joe lives his life by a code of pastry and family, loving his wife, two children, cannolis — and his dogs.

Photo by Jonathan Thorpe

THE Your Neighborhood

JigJam

When virtuoso Irish playing jumps the pond running through the wide open fields of Bluegrass and Americana, JigJam is born. This Offaly and Tipperary-born band has started the Irish invasion of Americana with a brand new band member from Glasgow injecting the magic of Scottish folk music. The lads bring their foot-stomping sound to the Landmark stage, for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. Described as ‘The best Irish band in bluegrass’ and ‘sparkling, infectious’ these gents have been hailed as ‘Ireland’s answer to New Grass Revival’. Founding members from Offaly Jamie McKeogh (lead singer and guitar) and Daithi Melia (5 string banjo and Dobro) were joined by Tipperary-born Gavin Strappe (mandolin and tenor banjo) in 2016. They’ve since added Glasgow native Danny Hunter (fiddle) to make up this iGrass (Irish Bluegrass) quartet. They’ve been hailed as “Ireland’s answer to New Grass Revival,” with a sound that has its roots in Irish music and Irish immigration. iGrass and JigJam is what happens when the Irish find their prodigal son. $38.14-$49.48. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at LandmarkOnMainStreet.org or (516) 767-6444.

Family theater

Inspired by L. Frank Baum’s stories, this clever adaptation puts the audience front and center, literally, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday, March 8, 10:15 a.m. and noon, Sunday, March 10, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, March 13-14,10:15 a.m. and noon. Kids become cast members, singing dancing, and acting on stage alongside the professional cast.

One of our most interactive shows at LICM Theater, this production received rave reviews in its prior run. Going beyond the traditional telling of the Oz stories, “Journey to Oz” uses personal journal entries and historic newspaper headlines to bring the history of author L. Frank Baum and illustrator W.W. Denslow to life. Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion take the audience with them on this lively, playful trip down the yellow brick road. $10 with museum admission ($8 members), $14 theater only. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

On exhibit

Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “Our Gilded Age,” examines the appearances and the realities of an era that mirrors our own in many ways. Like the nation’s economy, American art and literature flourished during the Gilded Age. The art of John Singer Sargent, Childe Hassam, Louis Comfort Tiffany and others adorned palatial residences designed by Stanford White and Ogden Codman Jr., architect of the museum’s own quintessential Gilded Age mansion.

Drawing heavily upon the local literary history of Long Island, including William Cullen Bryant, Mark Twain (who named the Gilded Age), Walt Whitman, Edith Wharton and others, the exhibition will include paintings, fashion, decorative arts including period silver and china, photographs, manuscripts, first editions and other historic memorabilia.

The “Upstairs, Downstairs” approach to the life of a country house brings to life not only the storied conspicuous consumption for which the Gilded Age was infamous, but also the real lives of these many individuals who maintained the palatial estates where that lifestyle was enjoyed.

On view through March 10 Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

March 7

Weekly Parsha

Chabad of the Five Towns welcomes all to its weekly Parsha class for men and women, Thursdays, at 7:30 p.m. Join R’Yanky Feder for discussion at the Levi Yitzchak Library. 564 Central Ave., in Cedarhurst.

Author visit Hewlett resident Kenneth Karcinell will be in the Boehm Room at Hewlett Woodmere Public Library, Thursday, March 14, at 7 p.m., to speak about his book, “Characters” which outlines the people that he has met through all walks of life. 1125 Broadway, Hewlett.

Discussion group

The popular informal discussion group moderated by Jay Gold is comprised of thought-provoking conversation and congenial company, on Fridays, at 10:30

Games & Crafts

Relax with friends playing a game or work on your ongoing craft project as part of Peninsula Public Library’s in-person Cozy Games & Crafts program, Monday, March 11, 2-4:30 p.m. Bring your own knitting, crocheting or other projects and material. Some games will be provided. No instructors. 280 Central Ave., Lawrence.

Art explorations

Converse, collaborate and create at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art, Saturday, March 9, noon-3 p.m. Get inspired by the art and objects in the galleries and then join educators at the Manes Center to explore and discover different materials to create your own original artwork. Kids and their adult partners connect while talking about and making art together. A new project is featured every week. $20 adult, $10 child. Registration required. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337

March 10

Bird walk

See some birds with the South Shore Audubon Society. All are welcome to join members for another in its series of bird walks, at Massapequa Lake, Sunday, March 10, starting at 9 a.m. Massapequa Lake is at the south end of Massapequa Preserve, between Lakeshore Boulevard and Ocean Avenue. Use street parking on the westbound side of Merrick Road.

Walk leaders, other birders and nature enthusiasts are happy to share their knowledge and experience with you. Bring binoculars. The group will meet at the gazebo. To register, text your name and contact information to (516) 467-9498. No walk if rain or snow. Text regarding questionable weather. For more information, visit SSAudubon.org.

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

In concert

Icon and superstar Whitney Houston, has left a lasting legacy that is celebrated an exhilarating spectacle.

“Queen of the Night, A Musical Tribute to Whitney Houston,” Saturday, March 9, 8 p.m., at NYCB Theatre at Westbury. An exhilarating tribute to Houston’s remarkable musical repertoire, the electrifying production, which premiered on London’s West End, honors her timeless songs with sensational vocalists and a full live band.

Named after the swaggering hard rock single from “The Bodyguard” soundtrack, the show celebrates 30 years of hits sung by the superstar, from “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and “Saving All My Love for You” to “How Will I Know,” “Greatest Love of All” and, of course, “I Will Always Love You.” With the accompaniment of a dynamic band, backing vocalists and dancers, “Queen of the Night” fully conveys the essence and persona of Houston in a captivating production has been described as “a powerhouse performance that delivers on every level.” NYCB Theatre at Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury. Tickets available at LiveNation.com or call (516) 247-5200.

Forest Bathing

Take a meditative Forest Bathing walk, led by certified guide Linda Lombardo, Sunday, March 10, 2-4 p.m. Based on the Japanese tradition of Shinrin-Yoku, 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. Registration required. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.

Best of Broadway

Adelphi University Performing Arts students celebrate the music of Broadway during their semi-annual Best of Broadway concert, Sunday, March 10, 4 p.m.

The theme of this season’s concert is a royal one, paying tribute to the kings, queens, “Aladdin,” “Camelot, “ “Six,” “Frozen,” “Anastasia,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Cinderella,” and more. $30, with discounts available to seniors, students, Adelphi alumni and employees. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave.,

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION

OF LIMITED LIABILITY

COMPANY. NAME: 12

CLANCY PROPERTIES,

LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 04/25/2023.

NY Office location:

Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to: Russell McRory c/o ArentFox Schiff LLP, 1301 Avenue of the Americas, 42nd Floor, New York, NY 10119.

Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity 144829

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

NASSAU COUNTY CHRISTIANA TRUST AS

CUSTODIAN FOR GSRANZ

LLC, Plaintiff against 88 DUTCHESS, LLC, et al

Defendant(s)

Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Hersko & Ehrenreich P.C., 555 Willow Avenue, Cedarhurst, NY 11516.

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered November 15, 2023, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 26, 2024 at 3:30

PM, all that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being, and identified on the land and tax map of the County of Nassau in the State of New York, the premises known as 88 Dutchess St., Atlantic Beach, NY 11509. Sec 58 Block 056 Lot 1 Group Lot 1-2. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $7,938.57 plus interest, fees, and costs and attorneys fees. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 603293/2022.

The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction.

Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee File # 18-4794 145022

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE

that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Hewlett Harbor will meet in both public and via Zoom on Thursday, March 14, 2024, 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.gov for instructions. Residents wishing to speak via Zoom or in person must notify the Village Clerk in advance.

Dated: Hewlett Harbor, New York

February 23, 2024

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF HEWLETT HARBOR NICOLE GIACOPELLI VILLAGE CLERK 145140

Knuckles, Komosinski & Manfro, LLP, 565 Taxter Road, Suite 590, Elmsford, NY 10523, Attorneys for Plaintiff 145080

LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU

RBS CITIZENS, NA F/K/A CHARTER ONE BANK, Plaintiff -against- LAVERN BECKFORD AND NEVILLE LEWIS, et al Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated September 26, 2018, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at (CCP) Calendar Control Part Court Room of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Dr., Mineola, NY on April 2, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. premises situate, lying and being at Valley Stream, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, bounded and described as follows:

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS

Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article

16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Old Town Hall, 350 Front Street, Room 230, Second Floor, Hempstead, New York on 3/13/2024 at 9:30 A.M. & 2:00 P.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 9:30 A.M.

175/24. WOODMEREMichael Kaffash, Variances, side yards aggregate, side yard, construct dwelling with garage (rehearing for case 626/22)., W/s Forest Ave., 110’ S/o Ibsen St., a/k/a 525 Forest Ave.

LEGAL NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE

that the Inc Village of Cedarhurst will hold an election in Cedarhurst Village Hall, 200 Cedarhurst Avenue Cedarhurst, NY on TUESDAY, MARCH 19,

2024 from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM to elect two trustees, for a term of four years. The candidates are:

For Trustee:

Myrna Zisman, 40 Maple Avenue Cedarhurst, New York

For Trustee :

Daniel Plaut, 275 Leroy Avenue Cedarhurst, New York

By order of Mayor Benjamin Weinstock and the Board of Trustees Salvatore Evola Village Clerk-Treasurer March 6, 2024 145316

LEGAL NOTICE

plane to the underside of the eave is 23 ft. Section 212-27.C(3) of the Village Code states, one-car garage shall have clear inside dimensions of not less than 10 feet in width and 20 in depth.

“

200 Juniper Circle N, Soifer - Section 212-12.1 of Schedule Dimensional Regulations states, the maximum surface coverage for a lot size of 11,043 sq. ft. in area is 4,969 sq. ft.

Section 212-48.B of the Village Code states, the minimum rear yard setback for a pool is 20 ft.

Section 212-47 of the Village Code states, in a Residence District B the minimum side yard setback for pool equipment is 15 ft.

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

The proposed law is an Unlisted Action under SEQRA, as to which no environmental determination has been made by the Board of Trustees

Any person having a disability which would inhibit attendance at or participation in the hearing should notify the Village Clerk at least three business days prior to the hearing, so that reasonable efforts may be made to facilitate such attendance and participation.

LEGAL NOTICE

INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF HEWLETT HARBOR

NOTICE OF MONTHLY

MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. ALBERT D. SUROWIECKI A/K/A ALBERT SUROWIECKI, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order

Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on June 6, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 2, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 966 Singleton Avenue, Woodmere, NY 11598.

All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 41, Block 28, Lots 105 and 823. Approximate amount of judgment is $530,294.98 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #609151/2021. Cash will not be accepted. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.

Peter J. Famighetti, Esq., Referee

BEGINNING at a point on the Southerly side of Cedarhurst Street, distant 537.35 feet Westerly and Southwesterly as measured along the southerly and Southeasterly side of Duston Road from the extreme Westerly end of the arc of a curve which connects the Southerly side of Duston Road with the Westerly side of Oakleigh Road; being a plot 129.43 feet by 10.89 feet by 121.28 feet by 112.71 feet by 37.82 feet.

Section: 39 Block: 549

Lot: 41. All bidders must wear a face mask/shield at all times and social distancing must be observed by all bidders at all times. Bidders who do not comply with the face mask and/or the social distancing mandate will be removed from the auction.

Said premises known as 1069 DUSTON ROAD, NORTH WOODMERE, NY 11581

Approximate amount of lien $717,014.19 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.

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 Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney.

Index Number 011136/2014.

RALPH MADALENA, ESQ., Referee

David A. Gallo & Associates LLP

Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 47 Hillside Avenue, 2nd Floor, Manhasset, NY 11030

File# 5025.2735

{* NASSAU HER, NEWSDAY NA*} 145092

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 2:00 P.M.

185/24. HEWLETTFriedman Group, LLC, Use variance, construct addition used for office space, variances, front yards setbacks on Broadway & Trinity Pl., side yard, construct 1-story additions with decks above & 2-story addition, all attached to existing building; waive off-street parking with insufficient stall size & back-up space, special exception to park in a residence “B” district & to park in the front yard setback on Trinity Pl. (existing shed to be removed)., S/E cor. Broadway & Trinity Pl., a/k/a 1133 Broadway

ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550. This notice is only for new cases in Woodmere & Hewlett within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available at https://hempsteadny.gov/ 509/Board-of-Appeals The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.gov/ 576/Live-Streaming-Video Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it. 145248

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 March 19, 2024 at Lawrence Yacht and Country Club, 101 Causeway, 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:

“ 648 Atlantic Ave, Platt - 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.B of the Code of the Village of Lawrence states, the minimum side yard setback for a recreational structure is 20 ft.

“ 217 Juniper Circle S, Lowy - Section 212-12.1 of the Schedule of Dimensional Regulations states the maximum building coverage for a lot size of 9,325 sq ft in area is 2,677 sq ft. Section 212-16.D (1) of the Village Code states, in a Residence District B, the minimum side yard setback is 15 ft. Section 212-16.D (1) of the Village Code states, in a Residence District B, the minimum aggregate yard setback is 30 ft. Section 212-16.D (1) of the Village Code states, in a Residence District B, the minimum rear yard setback is 30 ft. Section 212-16.D (2)(a) of the Village Code states, in a Residence District B, the maximum front yard height/setback ratio is 0.74. Section 212-16.D (2)(c) of the Village Code states, in a Residence District B, the maximum side yard height/setback ratio is 1.5. Section 212-39.C of the Village Code states, the maximum exterior wall height from the base

“ Soifer, as owner of 200 Juniper Circle N. - Appealing the determination of the Building Department’s issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy related to 206 Juniper Circle North. 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

By Order of the Board of Appeals

Lloyd Keilson Chairman

Dated: February 28, 2024 145319

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

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

Agency: Board of Trustees, Village of Hewlett Bay Park

Date: March 18, 2024

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Place: Village Hall, 30 Piermont Avenue, Hewlett, New York

Subject: HBP-2401 . A local law to amend Chapter 79 of the Village Code of the Village of Hewlett Bay Park, to modify regulations relating to the use of gardening power equipment on weekends in the Village of Hewlett Bay Park

HBP-2402- A local law to amend Chapter 53 of the Village Code of the Village of Hewlett Bay Park, to add building permit issuance restrictions

HBP 2403- A local law to amend Chapter 92 of the Village Code of the Village of Hewlett Bay Park, to amend provisions relative to weekend and holiday construction work

All relevant documents may be inspected at the office of the Village Clerk, 30 Piermont Avenue, Hewlett, New York, during regular business hours.

Dated: March 7, 2024

BY ORDER OF THE

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Michelle Blandino, Village Clerk 145318

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice of Self Storage

Sale

Please take notice

Safeguard Self Storage #190104 located at 1176 Broadway Hewlett NY 11557 intends to hold a sale of the property stored in the below listed Storage Spaces. The public sale shall occur as an online auction via www.storageauctions.co

m on 3/25/2024 at 12:30PM. Unless listed below, the contents consist of household goods and furnishings.

David Mitchell units #0130 & #2133; Crystal Loadholt unit #2128. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. See manager for details.

145228

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S.

BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR J.P.

MORGAN ALTERNATIVE

LOAN TRUST, 2006-S4, Plaintiff AGAINST RICKY PAUL GOLDIN A/K/A

RICKY PAULL GOLDIN; ET AL., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered January 30, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 9, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 62

Broome Avenue A/K/A Broome Street, Atlantic Beach, NY 11509. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Atlantic Beach, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION: 58, BLOCK: 58, LOT: 54, 55

AND 56. Approximate amount of judgment $1,400,598.54 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #014941/2012. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 Protocols located on the Office of Court Administration (OCA) website (https://ww2.nycourts.gov /Admin/oca.shtml) and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee FEIN, SUCH & CRANE, LLP 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800 Rochester, NY 14614 SPSNY369 79647 145241

LEGAL NOTICE

INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF CEDARHURST

LEGAL NOTICE

SPECIAL MEETING

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE

THAT the Board of Trustees of the Village of Cedarhurst will hold a Special Meeting on Thursday , March 14, 2024 at 7:00 pm in Village Hall, 200 Cedarhurst Avenue, Cedarhurst, New York for the purpose of gathering public comets regarding Discussing the Lawrence High School SeaWall/Flood Wall Project FEMA will attend the hearing and the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the Lawrence School Board have been invited to attend.

PUBLIC COMMENT IS ENCOURAGED.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER

NOTICE THAT all interested persons will have an opportunity to be heard at said hearing. For more information and updates go to www.cedarhurst.gov

Dated: Cedarhurst, New York

Salvatore Evola March 7, 2024

Village Administrator

By Order of Mayor

Benjamin Weinstock and Board of Trustees 145347

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

is not bad, in the right areas.”

The focuses of residents’ concerns included the Woodmere Club, the Inwood/North Lawrence transitoriented townhouse and row house overlay district, and high-volume roadways such as Central Avenue, Broadway, Peninsula Boulevard, Rockaway Turnpike and Washington Avenue.

“As Village of Lawrence residents, the safety and comfort of living here and in their surrounding communities are top priority,” Popack said, “not more apartments or townhouses or roadhouses with horrific traffic, congestion and legitimate safety issues. Certainly not without more planning or infrastructure as operative emergency evacuation routes.”

Popack added that she fully supported Nassau County Legislator Howard Kopel’s plans for the completion of State Route 878, the Nassau Expressway, in order to alleviate some traffic concerns.

She expressed her disapproval, however, of proposals for transit-oriented development in Inwood and North Lawrence under the Town of Hempstead, including multifamily properties, and blamed a lack of zoning coordination between the villages and town for development plans that raise residents’ ire.

Assemblyman Ari Brown, who also serves as Cedarhurst’s deputy mayor, said at the meeting that in speaking with Town Supervisor Don Clavin, he learned that the town was considering extending the moratorium for three months, and Clavin requested that residents attend the Town Board meeting, scheduled for 10:30 on Tuesday at Town Hall, to show their support.

“The Town Board two days ago approved the public hearing to extend the moratorium to June 18,” Kevin Denning, a representative from Clavin’s office, said. “There’s extra time because there’s an analysis being done by our engineers.”

“Our community, including Inwood, North Lawrence and Rockaway Turnpike, is not the right area for multiple-family development,” Popack said. “The Five Towns currently experiences regular gridlock.”

Transit-oriented development would reduce available parking, she said, given that the areas proposed for development now have hundreds of parking spaces

Neighbors want town to talk to them Team

Another school year, another trip to Houston.

Hewlett High School’s Team 7120 Bionica captured the top award — the first place Inspire Award — at the New York Long Island Regional Championship at Mineola High School on March 3 and now head to the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and

for tenants. Popack said she anticipated that this kind of development would result in more traffic, accidents, inaccessibility for emergency vehicles traveling Five Towns roads, pollution from idling cars and, as a result of all of the above, more vehicle-related deaths.

Murray Forman, president of the Lawrence Board of Education, said that there have not been any proposed solutions for the issues related to overdevelopment since the moratorium was first passed in 2016.

“It should not be a request in the community for this moratorium to be extended,” Forman said. “The Town of Hempstead should be approaching the community and offering up an automatic extension.”

One attendee, Rena Saffra, spoke about the proposed development of the Woodmere Club, saying there appeared to be a lack of consideration for a May 2021 proposal by developers Efrem Gerszberg and Robert Weiss, which included age-restricted condominiums and a nature preserve.

“This plan was seen as a fair compromise, and it would be a win for everyone involved,” Saffra said, directing her comments to Denning. “Unfortunately,

Technology) world championships April 17 to 20.

An enormous orange banner — the high school’s fourth — will highlight the victory, Janine Torresson, the school’s robotics coach, wrote in an email.

Bionica also won individual medals as well. The team also brought home second place wins in the Design, Inno-

vate and Connect categories before being honored with the top prize.

despite our best efforts, despite your insistence that you hear us, despite your promise to serve on our behalf, you have done nothing to bring this wellthought-out plan to fruition.”

Denning did not comment on the 2021 proposal, but said the Woodmere Club developers are again working with the town Board of Zoning Appeals to plan for the future of the property.

Forman said he was unaware of anything from Town Hall regarding modification or abandonment of what he called the “ill-fated zoning rules for transitoriented development.

“I think that, clearly, the petition is a good start,” he said, referring to a “Stop Massive Overdevelopment of the Five Towns petition” created by Judith Bernstein, “but we should follow this meeting with as many emails, letters reaching out to the Town of Hempstead to remind them that we should not have to beg for an extension of this moratorium.”

Have an opinion on development issues in the Five Towns? Send a letter to jbessen@liherald.com.

Team 3540 Roboboogie, which qualified for Houston last year, took the Motivate Award for their work with community outreach, building and sharing (STEM) science, technology, engineering, math) boxes for local elementary school students; sharing STEM kits with book and coat charity donations; and spearheading the Robotic Club’s recruiting efforts to encourage other students to be passionate about robots and science, and share in the club’s pursuit of functioning robots.

Team 5477 Innovo also had a “fantastic day” Toresson wrote, as the team was

— Jeffrey Bessen

ranked in the top 5 of competing teams and had the highest functioning Hewlett robot at the championships. Innovo completed the matches in third place out of 24, which launched them into the semifinals with the top half squads.

Parker Schug/Herald Assemblyman Ari Brown, who also serves as Cedarhurst’s deputy mayor, spoke at the Feb. 29 Lawrence Civic Association meeting. With him, from left, were Judith Bernstein; Jackie Handel, the association’s president; and Lawrence Deputy Mayor Paris Popack.

Courtesy Janine Torresson Hewlett High School’s robotics team 7120 Bionica qualified for the FirSt world championships in Houston April 17-20.

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Q. We are suing our contractor and need some advice. A year ago, we finished our second-floor addon and first-floor kitchen and rear family room remodel by opening up walls to join them. Everything seemed fine until it rained the first time. The windows began to leak at the bottom, and then around the tops and sides. Our new sliding glass door did the same. The basement flooded, and we are not in a flood area. Then the air-conditioning company said somebody disconnected the ducts, and when we opened the ceilings, more water poured down. The house is now filled with mold, which we clean with bleach where we can get to it, but we couldn’t move out and have two small children under age 4.

Although we have many questions and hired an attorney, we’re wondering whether we should hire an architect to go over all the problems and identify them, with remedies, or hire one of the contractors who said they could fix the problems, or wait until the lawsuit is finished to make it possible for a jury to see the damage. The job architect, whom we never met, has now had their license revoked for the next two years, but we wouldn’t go to them, anyway.

A. Ugh! This is more common than you would think. It starts with not having the architect working for you and instead working for the contractor. I can guess that the contractor was contacted first, and you hired them to get their architect and provide plans. That was your first mistake.

Next, people are lazy, expecting that anyone they hire knows all the best techniques to build and knows all the rules, codes and laws. That was mistake number two. Even though you hire people, you should have gone over critical details, especially about waterproofing and structural techniques on the plans, to make sure that the building owner looks for those steps to be carried out. You, the building owner, I always say, are the “eyes and ears” on the job, since the architect often isn’t there at critical times, when waterproofing membranes and materials are joined.

Mistake number three was not doing a water test with a garden hose when the finish siding, windows roofing, etc., had been applied. Simulating rain by pointing a hose skyward so that the water cascades down — not a direct fire-hose hit — tells you right away if something is failing.

You’re going to need a licensed expert — an architect or an engineer — to work with your attorney. Document everything with videos during simulated or storm events to show the water coming in and whatever other failures, such as leaking and disconnected air ducts, and hire people who can do the job correctly as soon as you can. You need to have a healthy home for your family, and a lawsuit could take years while you possibly get sick from the mold and the chlorine you’re breathing. Good luck!

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Why I joined the Congressional Offshore Wind Caucus

GAnTHonY D’EsposiTo

rowing up in Island Park, I was always acutely aware of how lucky I was to be surrounded by beautiful beaches, bountiful waterways and stunning coastlines. Preserving Nassau County’s coastal environs has been a main priority of my tenure in public office, and I am proud to represent so many community partners who share in that goal. Indeed, the pristine nature of our South Shore was recently threatened by a largescale offshore wind turbine project proposed by Equinor, but thanks to unified community opposition, this dubious plan appears to have stalled — for now.

The growing national push to advance offshore wind energy has clearly reached Long Island, and while Equinor’s plan was defeated due to the corporation’s failure to properly liaise with local stakeholders, there will certainly be other developers attempting their own offshore

wind projects moving forward.

Now more than ever, it is vital that our communities make their voices heard on any projects that would impact our coastline, which is why I am proud to announce that I have been made a cochair of the Congressional Offshore Wind Caucus. This bipartisan panel provides members of Congress from across the country a forum to discuss the growing utilization of offshore wind energy, compare notes on offshore wind projects being advanced, and strategize on how best to approach future development questions. What’s more, my leadership role in the caucus also provides neighbors in the 4th District with an enhanced voice when the panel communicates with turbine developers — ensuring that the thoughts, concerns and opinions of South Shore residents are made known.

residents of the Long Beach barrier island, Island Park, Oceanside and beyond during the development of its Empire Wind 2 offshore wind turbine plan. This lack of engagement justifiably led to distrust among community members, and fueled the successful grass-roots campaign to quash the project.

We’ve seen interest from other developers seeking to take Equinor’s place.

Like my neighbors along the South Shore, over the course of several meetings, Equinor representatives failed to provide me with adequate information on the long-term environmental impacts of the project or outline a proper plan to support the communities that would have hosted facets of Empire Wind 2 — which is why I fought to stop the project from moving forward.

dents’ wishes are respected, and local communities’ bests interests are advanced. If a company can articulate a vision for an offshore wind energy project that safeguards our environment, incorporates robust stakeholder feedback into the development process, benefits the community, and creates good union jobs, I believe it is beneficial for the public to hear them out and approach the plan with an open mind. I intend to utilize my position on the Congressional Offshore Wind Caucus to hold corporate developers accountable by demanding full transparency on any proposed projects that come before the community.

Those residents have recently seen firsthand the difficulties that stem from a corporate entity outright ignoring the concerns of community stakeholders when developing a large-scale project. Indeed, Equinor failed to engage with

Now that Equinor appears to have realized the error of its ways and pulled back from its offshore wind plan, we have seen growing interest from several other developers seeking to take Equinor’s place. As the selection process plays out and companies vie for a chance to develop offshore wind energy in Nassau County, it is vital that stakeholders have a say in project advancement, resi-

I will continue to utilize all the tools at my disposal to advocate for the best interests of South Shore neighbors and ensure that our communities are not negatively impacted by overdevelopment. My position as co-chair of the bipartisan caucus will give our community a stronger voice in that arena, and ensure that any proposed plans include real benefits for the South Shore. Long gone are the days when developers like Equinor thought they could simply muscle their way past community opposition. We won’t allow it.

Anthony D’Esposito represents the 4th Congressional District.

Electrifying school buses in N.Y.: a shocking oversight

new York state’s recent mandate to electrify all school buses is a fantasyland, progressive step toward a not-so-green future. Beneath the surface, there are glaring issues that threaten the feasibility of this ambitious initiative. While the intentions seem commendable, the lack of infrastructure, exorbitant costs, and practical challenges in certain regions cast a shadow over the state’s commitment to a cleaner environment.

ARi BRoWn

This historic untested and unproven legislation aims for all new school bus purchases to be zero-emission by 2027, and would require that all buses in operation are electric by 2035. The budget includes next to no funding to help districts implement this transition, dedicating a paltry $500 million of the $20 billion that bus electrification would require.

Whichever side of the aisle you’re on when it comes to clean energy, we can all certainly agree that there must be the means to pay for this social experiment, and a methodology to ensure that the system will actually work — and here lies the problem. The state’s decision to

mandate bus electrification without addressing the critical issue of infrastructure is a classic case of putting the cart before the horse. The electrical grid, already strained in some areas, will face an unprecedented load with the addition of electric school buses, leading to potential power outages and system failures.

UThe financial burden of this mandate is another elephant in the room. Electric school buses cost nearly four times as much as conventional buses — roughly $450,000 per vehicle — which would put immense pressure on school districts already grappling with budget constraints. The mandate is an unfunded directive, forcing schools to divert resources from other essential needs, such as classroom supplies, teacher salaries and extracurricular activities.

athletics and other programs.

pstate, where temperatures can plunge, EVs sometimes just don’t work.

Another challenge arises during the frigid winter months, when battery storage and capacity are significantly diminished. In upstate New York, where temperatures can plunge to extreme lows, the effectiveness of electric buses becomes questionable — actually, it’s not questionable; the technology just doesn’t work. Students in these regions could face delayed or canceled bus service due to the weather’s effect on battery performance. The concerns about the reliability of electric buses in areas with harsh winters are real: They would put our children at risk.

mental impact of EVs, highlighting the need for a more holistic assessment of the supply chain.

The safety concerns associated with electric vehicles extend beyond their production. EVs are known to catch fire, and fighting those fires is uniquely challenging. The lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles are extremely difficult to extinguish once ignited, and firefighters often struggle to control such fires. This poses a risk not only to vehicle occupants — our students — but also to first responders, bystanders and the environment.

While electric buses may be a viable option for urban areas with shorter bus routes, the practicality diminishes in rural upstate regions. Some of those areas require buses with a range exceeding 150 miles to shuttle students effectively. The current EV technology falls short, making it clear that a one-size-fitsall approach is impractical. That would leave school districts in remote areas grappling with the dilemma of compromising on buses’ range by eliminating

And while electric vehicles are often championed as a cleaner alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles, there is a dark side to their production that is frequently overlooked. The extraction of key materials essential for EV batteries, such as cobalt and lithium, involves intensive mining, leading to environmental degradation. It is widely acknowledged that the Democratic Republic of Congo, a major supplier of cobalt, uses unethical mining practices and child slave labor. The mining industry’s environmental toll, coupled with the exploitation of vulnerable communities, raises ethical questions about the true environ-

Perhaps Gov. Kathy Hochul, known for her commitment to renewable energy, could consider attaching one of her beloved wind turbines to each school bus to help power it. While that might sound like a whimsical suggestion, it underscores the lunacy of such legislation, which is being used as a diversion tactic while other real problems abound — problems like crime and the illegal migrant crisis. The governor wants us to waste our energy discussing fairy-tale ideas such as electric buses and windmills, all the while diverting needed education and security funding to illegal immigrants who have never paid a dime into our tax base.

Governor, it’s time to pump the brakes on this unfunded mandate.

Ari Brown represents the 20th Assembly District.

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Herald editorial

Planning smart not overdelopment is needed

“our quality of life is under attack,” is a constant refrain from longtime residents of a community whenever change starts — especially when it involves building homes on previously vacant land, or constructing much larger buildings than what exists in a neighborhood already.

“We already have too much traffic.”

“Our schools will be overrun.” Two more phrases that are typically tossed out by neighbors when they think they’ll be swamped by what they call “overdevelopment.”

Overdevelopment, by the way, is defined by the Oxford dictionary as “the process of building too many new houses, factories, etc. on an area of land.”

But what is too many?

The fact is, population is growing. By a lot. A century ago, more than 114 million people called America home. Today, that number is 340 million.

Woodmere — the most populated community in the Five Towns — watched its population grow from just south of 6,400 in 1940 to more than 17,600 today. And it continues to grow.

It goes without saying — all those people need places to live. But they also need places to shop and get what they need. Places that will need employees to make them function, bringing money back into the community.

Drive across Long Island — and don’t skip the Five Towns — and you’ll see as you move from one community to another there is always the recognizable “strip mall” that usually features an anchor store or business that attracts customers for the pizza place, Chinese takeout, cards and gift store and a barber shop or hair salon.

letters

Bruce Blakeman bans trans athletes

To the Editor:

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s recent signing of an executive order banning transgender girls from playing sports in county facilities was a disingenuous performance to ingratiate himself with the cruel anti-LGBTQ movement. These kinds of orders and bans do more harm than good, setting a dangerous tone that can send the message that hateful acts against the LGBTQ community are justified. Nex Benedict, the nonbinary 16-year-old from Oklahoma who died last month after an alter-

It’s easy to say the Five Towns is already congested with people, traffic and businesses, but not necessarily in a bad way. Whether it be in Hewlett and Woodmere along Broadway with thriving commercial enterprises, to Central Avenue in Cedarhurst and Lawrence, and Doughty Boulevard in Inwood — it is more than likely that a lifelong or longtime resident could point to areas where there was no businesses or homes at one point, but where they exist now.

Still, we have to remain smart about our growth, to make sure it happens in a way we can manage it, without drowning in more people and vehicles.

That brings us to the proposed 110acre Woodmere Club. A three-story Amazon warehouse on the Nassau County-Queens border already in use. More than a dozen approved single-family homes on property formerly owned by the Lawrence Woodmere Academy. Nearly 20 acres of transit-oriented development in Inwood and North Lawrence. The approved Pearsall project in Cedarhurst not yet started. And even Far Rockaway’s Rockaway Village Apartments, which — when finished — will comprise of eight buildings and 1,700 residential units.

All of these will impact the area’s traffic, and potentially make home feel a little more crowded. Especially when the Town of Hempstead’s six-month building moratorium on transit-oriented developments expires next week. Proponents of less development — and smarter development — would like to see the moratorium extended.

Short of that, it’s important to urge developers, government officials, neighbors and local business leaders to join forces — whether it is in the Five Towns

cation in a high school girls’ bathroom, comes to mind.

Sadly, by targeting transgender young people, Blakeman chose to use his executive power to sacrifice a very vulnerable group, already struggling for acceptance and facing far greater rates of depression and suicide than their peers, for his own political gain. Instead of doing something to help the transgender community in Nassau County, he decided to put them at further risk. Blakeman claims that “boys” are bullying their way onto girls’ teams, but he’s the real bully here. KARIN

or in any community — and adopt a more holistic view of development.

Planning should take into account an area’s unique character, strengths and weaknesses. If a place is called “the

Five Towns,” don’t divide the communities even more. Bring them together.

If a place has old or weak infrastructure, build that up before construction on new developments are proposed.

Collaborative development could create jobs, improve the manner public services are delivered, and enhance infrastructure. The decision-making process should be inclusive and transparent.

Developers need to build eco-friendly structures, help to preserve green space, and use energy-efficient technologies to mitigate the environmental impact. In doing so, they contribute to the community, establish themselves as partners with the residents, business owners and the governing municipality.

Government must do its part by understanding the long-term consequences of any development. Instituting strong zoning regulations and using environmental impact assessments to guide the decision-making process should help to ensure development aligns with a community’s quality of life.

And residents need to get off the sidelines and speak with the developers and government officials to address concerns and aspirations for their community to help influence the development process from the beginning.

The next town meeting is March 12. Those who can be there, should be there, to ensure their voices about the future of their neighborhoods — and their quality of life — are heard and defended.

HeraLd editoriaL Support the Local Journalism Sustainability Act a

s objective and independent news writers and editors, we have an imperative to cover the issues most important to you, the people of our community.

Every day, our team of reporters is on the ground questioning elected officials, uplifting the stories of community changemakers, and uncovering truths that some would rather keep hidden.

but, amid industry challenges, it is no longer unfathomable to picture a future when new York state is completely without local newspapers and other local news outlets.

according to the Medill School of Journalism at northwestern University, 2.5 newspapers now close each week in the United States. More than 3,000 newspapers have shuttered across the country since 2004, and new York has been particularly hard hit.

In 2004, new York boasted 501 newspapers. Today, it’s only 260. In 2022 alone, 30 newspapers closed across the state.

a quarter of new York’s counties are news deserts — down to their last newspaper. orleans county recently became the first in the state to have none. These closures have also resulted in thousands of lost journalism and newsroom-supporting jobs.

Local news matters. Studies show that when a community loses its source of local news, it experiences decreased voter turnout and civic engagement. Increased municipal borrowing costs that lead to higher taxes. and decreased transparency among government and business officials, leading to increased waste, fraud and abuse.

as newspapers shutter, communities become more polarized, leaving us stuck in a never-ending doom loop where we lose sight of our shared values. During this era of intense national parti-

Let these elected officials know that we need to save local news

■ Contact Gov. Kathy Hochul: (518) 474-8390

■ Contact state Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick: (516) 766-8383

■ Contact Assemblyman Ari Brown: (516) 431-0500

Our newspaper is a proud member of the Empire State Local News Coalition. Support the coalition at SaveNYLocalNews.com.

sanship, local news offers a path forward.

The time to act is now. That is why the nassau Herald has joined with more than 150 other new York local newspapers to launch the Empire State Local news coalition.

comprising both print and online local newspapers, this coalition is advocating for sound public policy that ensures the important work of local news organizations can continue in our state. Through our independent journalism, we aim to serve, inform, uplift and protect new York residents.

our coalition cares deeply about our local communities as well as the future of new York’s free press. However, market forces are making it nearly impossible for us to survive. So, together, we are sounding the alarm bell for our leaders in albany to hear.

at the heart of our advocacy is the Local Jour-

Letters

It was obvious why Republicans chose Pilip

To the Editor:

I read the Herald’s coverage of the special election between Tom Suozzi and Mazi Pilip. You didn’t mention that Pilip was a registered Democrat when she ran against Suozzi. She didn’t change her party affiliation until a few days ago.

Right from the beginning, Pilip didn’t want to take many questions from the press, and showed she didn’t know very much about the issues. The Republicans had her run because she was pretty, black, and Jewish, with an interesting background.

MYRon MaRInbacH Lynbrook

Immigrants make our economy stronger

To the Editor:

It’s time to cut through the noise and tell the truth about immigration: o ur economy and community is stronger

nalism Sustainability act. Sponsored by state Sen. brad Hoylman-Sigal and assemblywoman carrie Woerner — with the bipartisan support of 55 co-sponsors — this bill provides tax credits to local news outlets for the employment of local news journalists. news organizations are incentivized to actually add jobs, returning reporters to many of the state’s newsrooms, which are becoming increasingly desolate.

Importantly, the bill is also content-neutral, meaning that any legitimate local news outlet — left, right or in-between — can benefit from this bill. The objectivity of the bill’s eligibility requirements means the legislation cannot be weaponized to penalize news organizations critical of government officials.

as new York loses talented journalists, lawmakers must act to ensure the industry is allowed not only to survive, but also to thrive. only local news outlets — with boots-on-theground journalists — can deliver the hyperlocal updates and investigations necessary to sustain a community’s civic and financial well-being.

Imagine no stories about the village or town board meeting, or the school budget debate. no pictures of your granddaughter’s first soccer goal. no obituary of your friendly (and eccentric) neighbor. no investigative reporting to hold public officials to account. and no trusted institution to convene the community around a family in need.

We need your help to save local news in new York. To get the Local Journalism Sustainability act across the finish line, lawmakers need to hear from you about why our newspaper matters and why this bill is important to you.

If you would like to help, reach out to Gov. Kathy Hochul and your local state representatives to let them know you stand with local news.

because of it. Some leaders would have us think it’s a zerosum game when our country takes in immigrants, but that’s not true at all.

The nonpartisan congressional budget office estimates that the U.S. economy will grow by an extra $7 trillion over the next 10 years thanks to immigrants!

but we don’t have to wait for the future to see how they are strengthening the economy. In 2021, immigrants paid $524.7 billion in taxes. That’s money that helps fuel our nation’s schools, Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security programs. Immigrants help support our communities as consumers and taxpayers.

Don’t believe it? Even former President Donald Trump’s appointed Federal Reserve chair, Jerome H. Powell, recognized the massive contributions immigrants make in an interview on “60 Minutes,” saying, “a big part of the story of the labor market coming back into better balance is immigration returning to levels that were more typical of the pre-pandemic era.”

So let’s give credit where credit is due, stop the anti-immigrant rhetoric and end the zero-sum mindset. Immigration truly is essential for our economic growth and our communities’ prosperity.

JoSEPH M. VaRon Long Island chapter, Bend the Arc West Hempstead