The future of a policy aimed at protecting a student’s class average despite a poor performance on a state Regents exam is in question in the HewlettWoodmere school district.
The “Do No Harm” Policy omits students’ Regents exam grades from their class averages if they underperform on the state tests. It was introduced during the coronavirus pandemic due to the interruptions in instruction.
By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com
A crowd of community members and members of Congregation Beth Sholom gathered for the synagogue’s 70th annual dinner on June 8 in Lawrence.
The night began with a dinner reception, which was followed by a program honoring men and women who have served the nearly 100-year-old synagogue and the Five Towns community.
Bruce Schneider, Congregation Beth Sholom’s president, kicked things off by recognizing Michael Novick with the Special Service Award. Novick, who was the synagogue’s exec-
utive director for nearly 16 years, retired this year. He was executive director during Hurricane Sandy and the coronavirus pandemic, and despite the crises, he worked to expand and strengthen the congregation’s programs and activities. Randy Levin succeeded him.
“It’s a mixture of sadness and excitement that I stepped down as executive director at Beth Sholom and begin my next journey in retirement,” Novick told the attendees. “It’s been my goal to strengthen and support Beth Sholom’s programs, activities and events and to be persistent in every way possible to you as mentors.”
Shani and Yaakov Hersh were presented Continued on page 14
The Regents exams measure student achievement in high school-level courses. To graduate, students must pass five Regents exams: English Language Arts, math, science, social studies and an additional exam of their choice. Students can earn an Advanced Regents diploma if they pass additional exams. Some begin taking the tests as early as middle school.
The score on the Regents exam normally accounts for 20 percent of a student’s final average. If the Regents result were not figured in, each quarter’s grade would count for 25 percent of the final grade.
Amanda Kavanagh, the school district’s assistant super-
intendent for teaching, learning and technology, was expected to address the policy at Wednesday’s Board of Education meeting, after the Herald went to press.
Though the details of the policy can be viewed on the district’s website, Barbara Giese, a spokeswoman for Hewlett-Woodmere, said it would not discuss until Kavanagh made her presentation.
According to the website, the current school year was the first full return to pre-pandemic teaching and learning. Remote instruction has not been utilized, and students were taught Regents course curriculum in pre-pandemic fashion to prepare them for the exams, and are currently studying for them.
Ahead of a board work session scheduled for June 7 that was canceled as the Canadian wildfires wreaked havoc with local air quality, Valley Stream resident Amil Virani sent an email to board members and Superintendent Ralph Marino Jr. making the case that the “Do No Harm” policy should be extended for students who have not yet fully recovered to their pre-pandemic performance lev-
Continued on page 22
The smell of barbecue and the sight of colorful beach balls have awakened our senses now that summer is upon us. Here in Lawrence High School there are so many amazing and fun-filled activities to look forward to but before I get to that I would like to reflect on my senior year here at Lawrence High.
From the first day of school, I can remember walking through the big glass doors and seeing the faces of smiling individuals that at the time I didn’t know would help me to become the person that I am today.
I remember turning to my sister and saying “this year will be the best year of my life” and was I right! I would love to take a second and give thanks to those who have just been there through everything.
Thank you to my parents for the unconditional love and support throughout everything, to my loving sister for her “lame jokes” that got me through my senior year, to my best friends Ryanna Lopez and Jillian Knights for just being them, to my two time All-County favorite football player Jackson Mondesir for all the smiles and laughter, to the
Bran family for all the love and support throughout my school career.
To Principal Jennifer Lagnado-Papp for all the handwritten compliments would help me to strive to write better articles. To my teachers including Patrick Palleschi, Shelly Goldman, Paul Vega, Kelli Squiccarini, Janora Blackman and Hugh Walker for being exemplary teachers who have given me so much confidence and life advice that will come in handy one day.
To all the other staff including the assistant principals, guidance counselors, lunch staff, custodial staff, music teachers, security personnel, and others who have ultimately kept our school safe, fun and bellies full.
Without all of these individuals, my senior year would not have been the same.
Being a senior at Lawrence has given me opportunities that I wouldn’t be able
to partake in if I was at any other high school.
I was given the opportunity through teachers and students to lead clubs including Lawrence High School’s student government, the Tri-M Music Honor Society, Dance Honor Society, Cheerleading Captain, Key Club, Drama Club, National Honor Society and much more.
I know that it looks like I have spread myself thin but by doing all of these things; I was able to spread my wings and open my eyes to learn new things. Many of our school events wouldn’t have occurred without these clubs.
Being a senior does come with its privileges including exclusive senior only events like Senior Car Wash, Senior Breakfast, Senior Bowling, Senior Ice Skating, Senior Bingo Night, and much more not including senior beach day, senior fun day (exclusively
brought to us from Lawrence’s awesome PTA), prom and all the other senior events at the end of this year.
But being a senior doesn’t exclude us from our school events including our most Lawrence Pride Homecoming football game, Pep Rally, several movie nights, Talent Show, Teacher’s vs. Students, Battle of the Classes, and as you imagine much more.
As I reflect on all the memories from this year, it breaks my heart to leave but also encourages me to make new memories as I take on rigorous nursing classes this upcoming school year at Molloy University, along with one of my closest friends, Angel Bran, who will be majoring in music education.
I would also like to congratulate my best friend and favorite sister, Alexandra Acosta on her spectacular and wellearned achievements as she takes her psychology studies at APU this fall.
Though I hate to say adios to my school, I sure am excited to see what awesome new adventures await. Last but not least, thank y’all for reading and embarking on my senior year with me. And with that, I say goodbye and I hope you have enjoyed this column.
On the Lawrence village board since 2008, as a trustee appointed by then mayor C. Simon Felder, to serving as a deputy mayor for a few years under current municipal leader Alex Edelman, Michael Fragin has helped navigate Lawrence through a few challenges.
“I believe in volunteerism, public service,” Fragin said, about why he wanted to be a trustee. “It’s an opportunity to make your community better.”
After serving nearly eight two-year terms, Fragin, who is term limited, attended his last board meeting as a trustee on June 8, where received accolades and a plaque for his service.
Fragin, 49, has lived in Lawrence since 1999, where he and his wife raised half a dozen children. Other family members also moved to Lawrence and neighboring Cedarhurst. He is a real estate investor and political consultant.
“I look back on the 16 years,” Fragin said, of being a trustee, “still an incredible demand to live in the village of Lawrence.”
He called Lawrence a “premier community” and noted that the primarily Orthodox Jewish community has “access to excellent yeshivas, a diversity of synagogues.”
Touting the summer weather, he said he “doesn’t decamp for the summer.” “I think summer is delightful in the village,” said Fragin, who is a golf-playing member of the village owned and operated Lawrence Yacht & Country Club.
Challenges overcome
Not long into his tenure on the board, Fragin and his fellow trustees were thrust into a debate over the decommissioning of the village’s sewage treatment plant.
“Incredibly controversial at the time,” he said, adding that “people were very vociferous,” about it thinking there was a “underhanded deal with the county.”
Nassau County wanted Lawrence and Cedarhurst to shutdown their plants and send the villages’ effluent by pipe to the Bay Park Treatment Plant.
“That has literally saved the village millions of dollars,” Fragin said. “Not just on an operating basis, but also we got a very advantageous bond. It’s paid incredible dividends to the taxpayers.”
The nearly 4 acres Lawrence retained was sold for $8.5 million and it is expected that several one-family homes will be built after the deal is finalized.
Oct. 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck.
“Lived through Sandy, easily the most trying time. Without a doubt,” Fragin said, noting that it is difficult to be an elected official with people constantly registering many types of complaints and concerns, and there are times you can help and other you cannot.
“With Sandy we were powerless, literally, there was no power,” he said. “There was no communications. Nothing was functioning. There were no lights in the village. There were no traffic lights. Every municipality was competing for resourc-
es. It was an incredible challenge. I was in Village Hall every day, we had a generator set up, trying to get resources.”
He credits then Mayor Martin Oliner for doing a tremendous job of addressing the issue of Lawrence and the Five Towns being forgotten. Fragin recounted the protests at the Long Island Power Authority offices and recalled that the antiquated dispatching slowed the restoration of power.
Calling it “depressing,” he said the village bounced back strongly, which included a makeover of the country club’s clubhouse, the installation of a new heating system and replacing, at no cost to village taxpayers, its fleet of damaged golf carts.
In March of 2020, Lawrence like the entire world faced the Covid-19 pandemic. With less control, village officials dealt with the issues. Fragin called the mandates to stay out of houses of worship “arbitrary” and noted that a lesson learned is Lawrence should webcast its meetings as the public should be aware of village business that impacts their lives.
Having run for re-election several times, Fragin, like many politicians, run on a platform of aiming to improve services. At times it could appear that the Lawrence village board could be at odd ends and other times in sync.
“The thing with a five-person board is you try, especially in a small village, you try to achieve consensus, and I think sometimes it’s hard to achieve consensus,” Fragin said.
He noted that Felder, a Holocaust survivor, was a Five Towns pioneer, becoming the first Orthodox Jewish person to get involved with Lawrence village government. As well as Oliner who was born in a displaced persons camp after the Holocaust. Fragin listed the many people he has served with as well.
“I’ve had the opportunity over the years to serve with really great people,”
he said. “People whop really want to give back. There were significant disagreements on different issues. I think everybody should be commended for the hard work they have done over the years.”
Looking back at his first years on the board, Fragin said that before that there was a tradition of “never disagreeing” and that is not health for democracy, he noted. Adding that he is an advocate for transparency, Fragin agrees with the point of a question that both the public and even elected officials need to be more fully versed in how certain government department and related laws work.
“I take the idea of spending the people’s money extremely seriously,” he said. “I’m frugal with the people’s money. There are no perks. No free golf even.”
Governing is about balance, Fragin said.
“Like with every decision you make in
government there are going to be people who are really happy with it and there are going top be some people who’ll be less happy,” Fragin said, noting that with other issues the village has to deal with, such as building developments, that having multiple layers of government that don’t act together is a problem.
On the flip side, as a point of political pride, he noted that Lawrence is the most Republican municipality in the state and supported the candidacies of Rep. Anthony D’Espositio, County Executive Bruce Blakeman and Town of Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin.
Now taking a step back, how does he wants to be remembered?
“I want to be remembered as the kind of person you called up if you need help, I’m there to help you,” said the 26-year member of Hatzalah of the Rockaways & Nassau, a volunteer ambulance corps.
Woodmere Middle School sixth-graders Aviva Kravets, Sarah Levi, Mikayla Oren and Jacqueline Soltanovich and Andrew Levin and Eli Rochler were among the winners of PSEG Long Island’s Long Island Energy Conversation Public Service Announcement contest.
Kravets, Levi, Oren and Soltanovich created a video called “Save Energy” and were guided by teacher Hope Hoolan. Levin and Rochler produced a video called “Recycle” and were directed by teacher Susan Sheppard. Their PSAs were among the 11 that made the final cut from 273 submissions. Winners were announced on a PSEG webinar on June 7.
“We were so happy so,” Levi said. “The project was a lot of work, so were really happy,” added Kravets.
Fellow sixth-grader Eitan Farago put together an individual project that made it into the Top 30.
Concepts such as conserving energy, reducing the reliance on fossil fuels, the benefits of renewable energy and diminishing pollution were part of the PSAs in the annual “I Am EMpoweredEnergy Conservation” competition.
“It’s great to see how these young learners are embracing the concepts of clean energy,” Michael Volts, PSEG Long Island’s director of energy efficiency and renewable energy, said in a news release.
“They are adding to the discussion about what we can do to protect and nurture our planet.”
The 11 videos will be shown at the Long Island Children’s Museum in Garden City from late June through July 11. The videos and a recording of the announcement are available on YouTube.
Go to YouTube.com/psegli and “I AmEm-powered PSA contest winners 2023” playlist.
— Jeffrey Bessen■ On June 2, police said an unknown man stole a television at 33 Lafayette Dr in Woodmere at 4:48 p.m.
■ Salvatore Isola, 60, of Atlantic
Beach was arrested on June 1 for criminal mischief at 1582 Park St. in Atlantic Beach at 8:20 p.m.
■ Elder Corea Rodriguez, 30, was arrested for criminal mischief at 14 Mott Ave in Inwood on June 5 at 2:30 a.m.
People named in Crime Watch items as having been arrested and charged with violations or crimes are only suspected of committing those acts of which they are accused. They are all presumed to be innocent of those charges until and unless found guilty in a court of law.
Nassau police arrested a Queens mans for the alleged burglary of a Cedarhurst home at 1:45 a.m. on June 6.
Robert Bascom, 59, of Nameoke Street, Far Rockaway, allegedly entered the house on West Broadway and stole a backpack that contained assorted items along with an unspecified amount of money left in the front foyer before leaving, police said.
Published this year, “The Good Life” reports on the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest scientific study of happiness ever done. Tracking the lives of hundreds of participants for over 80 years, the report concludes that it is the strength of our relationships with friends, relatives and coworkers that most determine quality of life, health and longevity.
Regarding older adults, the authors note that time is suddenly very precious. Questions arise such as:
• How much time do I have left?
• How long will I stay healthy?
• Am I losing it mentally?
• Who do I want to spend this limited time with?
• Have I had a good enough life?
• What do I regret?
“The fewer moments we have to look forward to in life, the more valuable they become. Past grievances and preoccupations often dissipate...research has shown that human beings are never so happy as in the late years of
their lives. We get better at maximizing highs and minimizing lows. We feel less hassled by the little things that go wrong, and we get better at knowing when something is important and when it’s not. The value of positive experiences far outweighs the cost of negative experiences, and we prioritize things that bring us joy. In short, we’re emotionally wiser, and that wisdom helps us thrive.”
We learn that neglected relationships, like muscles, atrophy. Our social life, being a living system, needs exercise. Further, the reason social relationships are so valuable has a biological basis – a means of protection from predators. Without meaningful relationships, we remain in a state of stress, often unknown to us.
Make the effort. Most of us have friends and relatives who energize us and who we don’t see enough. As Mark Twain said, “There isn’t time, so brief is life, for bickerings, apologies, heartburnings, callings to account. There is only time for loving, and but an instant, so to speak, for that”.
Robert BascomThe subsequent investigation created a
description of Bascom who was found by police walking near the intersection of Central Avenue and Rockaway Turnpike in Lawrence, where he was arrested around 10:15 p.m. the same day.
Bascom, who is in custody, is charged with burglary and petit larceny. His next court date is June 22. He is being represented by the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County.
— Jeffrey Bessen
By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com
Bea Rothenberg of Cedarhurst will turn 100 years old on June 23 and be honored by Cedarhurst Mayor Benjamin Weinstock. Rothenberg was born in Brooklyn and has lived the majority of her life in the Five Towns.
Rothenberg, whose maiden name is Kolnick, married her husband Ed in 1944 and they were married for 65 years before he died 10 years ago. The couple moved into their own house, in Cedarhurst after having their first daughter Cheryl. Bea has three children, Cheryl, Sandra and Elysa, and two grandchildren, Bradley and Zachary Parker.
Wearing multiple hats as a wife, mother, college student, and accountant, Rothenberg raised a family not without challenges. Her middle daughter, Sandra, was born mentally disabled and lived at home with aides until the age of 9. Sandra died at age 21 from a seizure.
Ed Rothenberg was part of the first graduating class from the Number Five School in Cedarhurst after it was built in 1926. He was drafted to the army in December 1944 during World War II, and Bea sold war bonds and received an award for her efforts. She recalled the love letters Ed would send during his service, which the family still has today.
Bea was a junior accountant for Cedarhurst village for many years and was a volunteer accountant during tax season for the seniors in the community. She did bookkeeping for major companies and modeled for well-known designers.
A lover of education, Bea entered college in her 50s after Elysa enrolled her as a Mother’s Day surprise. Bea graduated from Nassau Community College, magna cum laude in accounting. She used her degree to work parttime and volunteer to do tax returns for seniors at local libraries.
On Election Days, Bea and Ed worked as poll watchers. The two traveled to several countries including Israel, Norway, Japan, Thailand, and several states including Maine, Hawaii and Alaska. Her youngest daughter Elysa Rothenberg Parker spends most of her time with her mother, and said the two have a special connection.
“We think alike that in a lot of ways,” Elysa said. “We’ve always been close, and I am always in the neighborhood. When I went back to teaching, my kids were young, and it was mostly
my mother and father who took care of my boys like second parents.”
Bea has three rotating aides that live with her, but Elysa keeps her mother busy every day, with a weekly schedule that includes trips to the JCC, Café Europa, Temple Hillel, tours through North Woodmere, and games of mah jongg. Bea goes with her daughter Elysa and son-in-law Larry Parker, to library talks and shows, senior center concerts. Her favorite activity is her 2-mile wheelchair ride around Valley Stream Park.
“Elysa is in charge of me,” Bea said. “We go all over the place, we go shopping, together and I enjoy all her activities.”
During the pandemic, with the help of her grandson Bradley, Bea became an internet sensation with TikTok and Instagram following, as her raps, danc ing routines, and interviews went viral. One of her videos appeared on Good Morning America in 2020.
Bea was still driving until the age of 96 and is still not slowing down as she is scheduled to throw out the first pitch in Citi Field at the Mets home game on July 18. She hopes to be able to see her grandchildren get married and be the oldest flower girl ever. She says the secret to a long and happy life is positivity.
“I always think that good things are going to come along,” she said.
There was no Triple Crown on the line, but the 155th running of the Belmont Stakes was historic nonetheless.
Trainer Jena Antonucci etched herself into thoroughbred racing history last Saturday when Arcangelo, ridden by jockey Javier Castellano, pulled away down the stretch to finish atop the nine-horse field before a roaring crowd of 48.089 at Belmont Park.
The Florida-based Antonucci, 47, became the first-ever female trainer to capture any of the Triple Crown races and did so with her first-ever entry. Castellano, meanwhile, has now won all three.
“It’s the horse and I am so grateful,” said Antonucci, who began training on her own in 2010. “I will forever be indebted to his honesty to us, his heart, and he is why you get up seven days a week. I didn’t get a lot of sleep the last few nights. I’m not going to lie. I’m so grateful.”
The race marked the 50-year anniversary of Secretariat’s electrifying 31-length Belmont triumph. One of the symbols used to honor “Big Red” this year was the addition of blue roses to the traditional blanket of white carnations awarded to the winner, reminiscent of the famous blue and white checkerboard silks of Secretari at’s owner, Meadow Stable.
Owned by Blue Rose Farm, Arcangelo was full of run throughout as he sat behind pacesetters National Treasure, the Preakness winner, and longshot Tapit Shoes along the backstretch. As the field approached the turn and with Angel of Empire and Hit Show still very much involved after a mile in 1:37.41, Castellano made a decisive move to put the lateblooming son of Arrogate in ideal position going into the turn.
A retreating Tapit Shoes left clear running room for Arcangelo to sneak up along the inside of National Treasure, who dropped out of contention at the quarter pole. Drawing away at the eighth pole, Arcangelo then held off late-charging favorite Forte and Tapit Trice to win by 1 ½-lengths in 2:29.23.
“This is a dream come true. To win two Triple Crown races in the same year, it’s amazing,” said Castellano, who rode Mage to victory in the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May and guided Bernardini and Cloud Computing to Preakness scores in 2016 and 2017, respectively. “Everything worked out good,” he added. “There’s always something to shoot for, but I’m just going to keep working hard. But this is so special. He was so impres-
sive. He was always there for me.”
Castellano entered 2023 0-for-15 in the Kentucky Derby and 0-for-14 in the Belmont Stakes. Last Saturday’s win was redemptive for the 45-year-old Venezuelan native, who finished runner-up in the Belmont on three occasions — all by narrow margins, including a three-quarter length loss aboard Stay Thirsty to Ruler On Ice in 2011; a head defeat to Tonalist in 2014 when piloting 28-1 shot Commissioner; and a nose defeat to Creator in 2016 aboard
Destin.
Arcangelo, a $35,000 purchase who didn’t make his career debut until December, won his third consecutive start and was coming off an impressive triumph in the Grade 3 Peter Pan at Belmont May 13. He paid $17.80 to win and earned a $900,000 payday to boost his lifetime earnings to $1,067,400 in five starts.
Jon Ebbert, owner of Blue Rose Farm, was in awe as he earned his first Grade 1 win of his career and said he always had
faith in the grey ridgling.
“It’s amazing,” he said. “What an amazing ride. I’m so proud of the horse. He’s an amazing horse. He’s all heart. We knew he had it in him. Javier rode him perfectly and Jena is an amazing trainer. I’m so lucky to find her. The rest is history.”
Forte nosed out Tapit Trice for second. Angel of Empire and Hit Show finished in a dead heat for fourth. Rounding out the field was National Treasure, Il Miracolo, Red Route One and Tapit Shoes.
Atlantic Beach, Lawrence, Hewlett Bay Park, Hewlett, Hewlett Neck and Woodsburgh villages will hold elections for board trustees on June 20. For results, go to liherald.com/fivetowns.
Lawrence
Tammy Roz and Aroni Parnes, both members of Lawrence’s Park Commission, are on the ballot unopposed. Longtime Trustee Michael Fragin is term limited and Trustee Jeff Landy, who served as deputy mayor, stepped down.
Parnes, 57, has lived in Lawrence for over 23 years. He’s been on the Park Commission for over 10 years. He states that he’s running because he wants to offer a lot more to the neighborhood.
“I’ve been asked a few times to run and I didn’t want to run against certain people that were friends of mine or neighbors,” he said. “I felt that this was a good opportunity for me to help the village and move up into being a trustee.”
Parnes thinks civic involvement is important.
“You got to give back to the community,” he said. “I’ve always been active in the community and I was blessed with the way I was brought up. I’m very happy with the community and this is the thing I believe that I could do to help and give back for what they’ve given to me.”
If elected, Parnes aims to be transparent with neighbors on whatever issue they may have.
Roz, 47, a community member for 25 years, has made Lawrence her home after growing up in the Belle Harbor section of Queens.
“I love the neighborhood and I want to give back because I feel the neighborhood and the community has been so good to me,” she said.
Roz is a local dentist with a private practice in Woodmere since 2002. Many of her patients talk about the issues and Roz said she has listened, and discussed ways they could help the neighborhood for current and future families.
“What I’d like to do as a village trustee is listen to people regarding all different aspects of the neighborhood, parks, homes, highways, roads, anything we could do to make it better,” she said. “As a park commissioner, we were limited to just for the club. I want to be able to do even more and really listen to what people want.”
Voting at the Lawrence Yacht & Country Club, 101 Causeway in Lawrence, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Atlantic Beach
Nathan Etrog, 77, is running for a twoyear term as trustee. In April, he was appointed to fill retiring trustee Andy Rubin’s position.
A lifelong lifeguard, Etrog began working as one in Atlantic Beach in 1965. He has served as village park commissioner and chairman since 1976 and previously served as a village trustee from 1988 to 1992.
If elected, he is committed to ensuring the protection of the ocean and its surrounding area, and being an advocate for drowning prevention.
“Maintaining the beach is probably one of our most important resources,” he said. “The whole issue with plastics in the ocean and pollution. People are really not very careful and that is something I’m very committed to protecting the ocean to protecting the shoreline.”
Etrog has also been a member of the Atlantic Beach Rescue Squad for 23 years and has been captain of the water rescue team for over 12 years.
First appointed in the winter of 2020 and officially elected in June 2021, Patricia Beaumont is running for re-election for a seat to remain as a trustee.
Beaumont, a special education teacher in the Rockville Centre school district for 29 years, found a home in Atlantic Beach in 2012.
She would like to see more community events. If re-elected, Beaumont hopes to be an advocate for those who enjoy yearlong events in the Village.
“We have the beach in the summer, which is amazing,” she said. “I felt that we bring resources to the community. 24-hour beach access, road safety because we have beach clubs and I lobbied for speed bumps. Now we have junior lifeguards to the children, bike safety courses, concerts on the beach and things that bring the community out of their yard.”
As trustee, Beaumont said she is most proud about addressing the awareness for speed bumps and 24-hour beach access.
Other events she has organized are Beach Clean-Ups, movie days, food drives, holiday events and others.
Voting is at Village Hall, 65 The Plaza in Atlantic Beach from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Hewlett Harbor
Roman Mazo and Trustee Gil Bruh are running uncontested for two-year terms. Mazo is currently the village treasurer. Mazo, 44, is a bank managing director and has lived in the Village for 8 years. Bruh, 41, is the owner of a tech company and has lived in the village for 6 years. Both said they are running to take on challenges involved in village infrastructure, security, and road maintenance.
Voting is at Village Hall from noon to 9 p.m. at 449 Pepperidge Road in Hewlett Harbor.
Hewlett Bay Park
Trustees Jay Levy and Renee Zylberberg are running uncontested for twoyear terms and, Michael Davidov is running for a one-year term. Levy, 67, is an insurance agent, who has served as a trustee for more than a decade.
Voting is at Village Hall from noon to- 9 p.m. at 30 Piermont Ave., in Hewlett.
Hewlett Neck
Sitting Trustees Isaac Showman and
Michael Levine are running unopposed for two-year terms. Both could not be reached by press time.
Woodsburgh
Mayor Jacob Harman and Trustee Alan Hirmes are running unchallenged for two-year terms. Dr. Barry Rozenberg is running unopposed for two years. Voting for Hewlett Neck and Woodsburgh will be held from noon to 9 p.m. at the Keystone Yacht Club at 190 Woodmere Blvd. S in Woodmere.
What’s up next door and around the corner
Barbara Harrison was honored as the Person of the Year and Inwood resident David Hance was recognized as the Business Leader of the Year for the Cedarhurst-based Marion & Aaron Gural JCC at the service-oriented organization’s annual gala at its HarrisonKerr Family Campus in Lawrence on June 6.
“It was a wonderful evening celebrating two very special people, Barbara Harrison and David Hance!,” Gural JCC Executive Director Stacey Feldman posted on Facebook. “Looking forward to the Ribbon Cutting of our Barbara Harrison Sensory Gym.”
Hance wrote on Facebook:
“I want to thank my Family, my Friends & the Entire 5 Towns Community for this Amazing Honor. A huge thanks & congratulations goes out to Mrs. Barbara Harrison our JCC Person of the Year … Barbara has dedicated her life to helping others and may God Bless Her Always. Thank you to everyone who took the time to come out & support a great Organization, great people & great causes!
–Jeffrey BessenGural JCC Person of the Year Barbara Harrison endorses the annual gala on June 7.
Past JCC exeCutive Director Joel Block with current Executive Director Stacey Feldman, center, and Executive Director Emeritus Rina Dhkolnik.
Business leader of the Year David Hance speaks at the Gural JCC gala in Lawrence.
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The thick yellow haze that descended on Long Island last week was more than a natural sepia-toned filter — the unnervingly post-apocalyptic scene brought with it some serious health concerns.
The blanket of smoke that blocked out the sun on June 7 was a result of a soonerthan-typical start to what is projected to be Canada’s worst wildfire season ever. The resulting smoke plume was like nothing New York state had ever seen, according to officials from the Department of Environmental Conservation.
“It’s certainly the worst in memory, by far,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said of the air quality at a June 7 news conference. “It certainly is unprecedented.”
Long Island, like most of New York, received health advisories regarding degraded air quality every day from June 5 to 9. The advisories came as no shock to residents who were experiencing a yellow, smoke-scented world.
It “smelled like a campfire I couldn’t escape from,” one Facebook user commented to the Lynbrook Herald. “Amber skies, and fire pit smell everywhere,” wrote another.
The Air Quality Index, created by the Environmental Protection Agency, measures the level of pollutants in the air and the resulting health concern. Sensitive groups — children, seniors, pregnant women, or those with heart or lung conditions — should be mindful of AQI ratings of over 100, and everyone, regardless of health, should be careful when ratings rise above 150. Places in Nassau County saw ratings of over 300 during the June 7 peak of bad air. New York City had a rating of 484, briefly making it the most polluted city on earth.
“If you’ve been looking out the window the last couple of days, you can see the effects of the Canadian wildfires,” Dr. James McDonald, acting commissioner of the state Department of Health, said at Wednesday’s news conference. “If you’re out walking and all of a sudden you’re coughing, you’re feeling short of breath, that’s a signal. When your body speaks to you, you want to listen to your body.”
The DEC and other environmental and health organizations urged people to limit time outdoors. Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a statement urging all schools to suspend outdoor activities, and the Public High School Athletic Association canceled a number of sports events on Long Island.
“When we’re talking particularly about wildfire smoke, we know that contains fine particulate matter, which we know can enter the lungs,” Trevor Summerfield, the director of advocacy in New York for the American Lung Association, said. “These particulate matters could be potentially toxic as well. We don’t want anything in the lungs that’s coming from burning. We know that’s just not healthy for you.”
Short-term exposure to such pollutants can cause coughing, sneezing, shortness
of breath, a runny nose, and irritation of the eyes, nose or throat, according to the DEC. Significant long-term exposure can lead to more serious complications, such as asthma. The DEC and the American Lung Association urged people to stay indoors as much as possible, and to wear an N95 mask if a trip outside was unavoidable.
Last week’s conditions were something of a perfect storm of atmospheric anomalies. According to Nelson Vas, the warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service, the intensity of the smoke Long Island experienced was exacerbated by a poorly timed low-
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pressure system that funneled smoke from extreme fires in Quebec south to Long Island and the metropolitan area. The stifling smog, Vas said, was so intense that Long Island temperatures dropped several degrees.
“Some of the wildfires have spread a bit,” Vas said. “That and the wind direction have all come together to really increase the concentrations down here.”
The severity of the fires is due largely to an extended dry season in Canada. Vas explained that New York has not experienced such a dry spring, making a similar wildfire season here unlikely.
Nonetheless, even more concerning is
the possibility that this is only the beginning of a pattern that could continue to threaten the Northeast with smoke. Climate change is a direct cause of the increased intensity and longevity of wildfires, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. “We’re really concerned about climate change,” Summerfield said. “We know that climate change has an impact on our lung health because of incidences like this. I think it’s just getting worse.”
He added, “In New York, we’re blessed to have great air quality, for the most part. And when we’re used to that, and then you get (June 7), which is like the worst you could possibly see, it’s a pretty stark wakeup call.”
The stifling smog has given way to normal atmospheric conditions, but if the experts are right, and Long Island can potentially expect future run-ins with wildfire smoke, a hazy yellow world may be added to the growing list of “unprecedented events” people should get used to.
This Sunday, June 18, is Father’s Day, it will be the first one in my life without my dad.
Harvey Bessen died on Oct. 31, of last year.
Father’s Day became even more special to me after my son, Matthew, was born in April 1997.
I got to celebrate being a son and a father.
When my daughter, Elizabeth, was born in October 2005, it added to the specialness of the day.
Being a father gave me insight and understanding of the things my dad did and said throughout the years.
He always told me and my brother, Alan, that he would and could watch us for hours doing the things we did just for the pure enjoyment of seeing his kids act in and react with the world.
When Matt was born I used to watch him sleep, then later on I would watch him play with his toys or even a box that he imagined was a tent, a rocket ship or whatever his mind could conjure.
Later on when Liz was born I would do the same thing. From her constant squirming and moving around, that earned her the nickname “Busy Lizzy” I’d watch her with what I hoped was the same amazement my father watched me and my brother.
When my parents moved to Florida not long after Matt was born, it became a Sunday night ritual to call my parents and fill them in on all Matt’s doings as he went from baby to nearly 8 years old in nanoseconds.
ask was how the kids were. I reported how Matthew and Liz were doing in school and their extracurricular activities from Little League to dance to when Matt became a volunteer firefighter at 18 to Liz growing from a dancer to a volunteer helper with special needs dancers in her teen years.
He remained amazed by his grandkids from Matt becoming a police officer to knowing that Liz was graduating high school and going to college.
Jeffrey BessenAfter my mom, Carrie, died in February 2005, which that year was on Super Bowl Sunday, I continued to call dad, duly at 8 p.m., which ironically is when halftime of the Super Bowl occurs.
The first thing he would always
Throughout the years I have been a father, I have tried very hard to take time out from what we consider to be a busy life to stop and watch my children grow and appreciate their maturity.
Dad never stopped asking about
his grandchildren, however unfortunately because of Covid and his natural stubbornness about not wanting to travel as an older person, they didn’t get to see him in the past few years.
I spoke about him and continue to remember my dad and remind myself the things he taught me and what he did for me throughout my life was special.
Remembering when he wrapped his arms around my wife, Christine and I at our wedding saying, “You guys put this together,” and smiling.
Then for one of my birthdays racing out as his pants were on fire (as my mother said) to buy me a CD player for my birthday when I was perfectly capable of affording such an item.
I hope that I am passing that sentiment on to my children, that it takes hold and one day I can see them watching their children as I watched them and as I was watched by the man who taught me how to be a father.
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with the Young Leadership Award. The couple helped initiate a favorite program at Beth Sholom, the Motzei Shabbos Parent-Child Learning Program, which Yaahov said their children had benefited from.
The night’s guests of honor were Barry and Suzanne Gurvitch. Barry served as the shul’s president for six and a half years, which included the most challenging time in its history, the pandemic.
Although Gurvitch and the congregation were not prepared for Covid, he spoke about the smooth transition from his administration to the current one that kept the synagogue operating, which he said he was most proud about.
“When I look back at the sixplus years of my presidency, I see many accomplishments, not the least of which was helping navigate us through Covid,” he said. “One of the most important things our administration accomplished, and the one that makes me proud, is continuity. Our shul could not be in better hands with Rabbi Yechezkel Freundlich, Rabbi Avi Miller, Bruce (Schneider) and his administration.”
Suzanne Gurvitch, a lifelong Lawrence resident who recently retired after 33 years on the New York City Board of Education, has been active with the synagogue’s Sisterhood and book club, and served twice as Sisterhood president.
“I’ve been coming to visit this shul since I was a little girl,” Suzanne said. “Who would have thought that I’d be honored in this shul in this room? From my parents, I
learned that involvement in the shul community is very important and an integral part of one’s life.”
Founded in 1928 as Congregation Derech Yosher — “Way of Righteousness” — Congregation Beth Sholom was considered the first Orthodox synagogue on Long Island, according to information it provided. Its original location 131 Washington Ave. in Lawrence.
The name was changed in the years before World War II, and construction on a new building, at 390 Broadway in Lawrence, began in 1949.
From 1960 to 1970, Rabbi Gilbert Klaperman led the growing orthodox population of the Five Towns until his
retirement in 1988. Rabbi Kenneth Hain followed, and led the congregation through three decades, until his retirement last year.
Next month, Freundlich will mark his first full year as the congregation’s spiritual leader.
“We had no idea what to expect upon arriving here,” he said. “But we have found such warmth, authenticity, kindness, engagement, people and members interested in classes. We are so grateful and pleased to be here, and bless all of us with many good years of health together and continued growth in every way.”
We are so grateful and pleased to be here.freundliCh Rabbi Hernesto Galdamez/Herald Celebrants gathered for the 70th annual dinner at Congregation Beth Sholom in Lawrence on June 8.
ne of the best things you can grow in a garden is a life-long gardener. With summer upon us, the world outdoors beckons. Starting at home. Your personal landscape is a great place to enjoy being outside.
The kids can benefit in so many ways from digging right in. Literally. There’s growing body of research that indicates gardening-related activities boost physical and emotional health, even academic performance, besides the all-around benefits of family bonding.
So parents and grandparents who are not already getting down and dirty with the kids, what are you waiting for?
From the onset, prepare to pivot. Gardening with kids requires flexibility. Most kids prioritize exploration and discovery in the garden rather than appearance or production. You might have a planned activity, but they prefer to focus on the grasshopper they just found. Rather than corral them back to the task at hand, try talking to them about the grasshopper, sharing their wonder and excitement, and then finding a way to connect it to your activity.
Remember that positive associations with gardening are the goal. If they walk away with those, you’ve succeeded. And they’ll be back to learn more.
Let kids choose what to plant. Offer guidance and guarantee some sure-success plants are among their picks. But if they want beets, roses and petunias, why not? Giving kids agency over what plants they grow also gives them the incentive to continue engaging with their plants over time. Don’t forget that gardening isn’t confined to a raised bed or backyard. You can grow a multitude of plants indoors, on windowsills, porches, or balconies, you name it!
Choose garden projects that work for your needs. To set yourself up for success, always consider projects or activities you might want to try through the lenses of the kids’ age and ability levels, your budget, available space, available time, safety concerns, and growing conditions in your area.
Leave room for good old-fashioned digging. Many kids love to dig in the dirt, and digging and observing are excellent for their sensory systems, gross and fine motor skills, and practicing focus and empathy for small creatures. Leaving a designated dig space in the garden gives them a spot to search for worms and grubs, and helps keep disruptive digging out of other areas of the garden.
Make the garden a joyful place. Positive associations with nature early on in life give kids a sense of belonging to the natural world and responsibility for it. Help with the behind-the-scenes maintenance of kids’ gardens so they continue to be an inviting space for them. Give them opportunities for responsibility, but don’t turn gardens into a chore or punishment they would rather avoid. Embrace kids’ preferences, and avoid
pressing them to taste, touch or smell something they don’t want to.
Ensure activities are geared toward equal access. Think through how to share a gardening experience equally with all the kids participating. Try collaborative gardening: One kid digs a hole, another sprinkles compost, another kid places a seedling in, and so on. This helps multiple kids be involved in smaller garden tasks.
Set aside time when kids can explore the garden without an intended activity. Positive associations also come from moments when kids are allowed to observe, explore and play in a self-led way.
And just as important, enjoy gardening yourself. One of the most powerful teaching tools is the use of modeling. Don’t underestimate how impactful showcasing your enthusiasm for gardening can be on the kids you’re working with.
A garden is a wonderful place for kids to try caring for a living thing and being responsible for the success or failure of a growth cycle. And when failures happen, it’s a space for kids to learn how to deal with an undesired outcome, grow their resiliency, and try again.
With a commitment to the accurate reproduction of Beatles’ repertoire, The Fab Faux treat the seminal music with unwavering respect, known for their painstaking recreations of the songs (with emphasis on the later works never performed live by the Beatles). The musical virtuosity of The Fab Faux — in actuality five New York City-based musicians — upends the concept of a Beatles tribute band. Far beyond extended cover sets, their shows are an inspired rediscovery of The Beatles’ musical magic. Imagine hearing complex material like ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ or “I am the Walrus” performed in complete part-perfect renditions. Or such harmony-driven songs as ‘Because,’ ‘Nowhere Man,’ and ‘Paperback Writer,’ reproduced with extra vocalists to achieve a double-tracked effect. That’s The Fab Faux experience.
Friday, June 16, 8 p.m. $75, $55, $45, $35. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com, or ParamountNY.com.
A folk-Americana-rock-country band with deep roots in varied genres, The Felice Brothers are lauded as ‘musician’s musicians’ and poets. The brothers — Ian on guitar and lead vocals, and James, a multiinstrumentalist and vocalist — hail from the Catskills. Their early songs echoed off subway walls and kept company with travelers and vagrants. Their current lineup, with the addition of bassist and inaugural female Felice member Jesske Hume and drummer Will Lawrence (also a singer/songwriter) as their rhythm section, promises to be the best yet. Their latest tunes carry messages that beg listeners to think deeply about the environment, humanity, legacy, and death. Many of the songs depict nostalgia, transience and getting older. For songwriter Ian Felice, there must also always be a current of hope in the music.
Sunday, June 18, 7:30 p.m. $37 and $32. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.
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June 15, 2023 — NASSAU HERALD
Nassau County Museum of Art’s new exhibition, “Eye And Mind: The Shin Collection,” highlights the extraordinary collection masterworks assembled by 31-year-old connoisseur Hong Gyu Shin, an internationally recognized figure in the global art world. He shares his treasures, including works by Whistler, Lautrec, Boucher, Daumier, Delacroix, Klimt, Schiele, Balthus, Warhol, de Kooning, Gorky and many other important names from art history provocatively juxtaposed with the painting and sculpture of our own time from both Asia and the West. On view through July 9. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
Mercy Hospital offers a peer to peer meeting for breastfeeding support and resources, facilitated by a certified breastfeeding counselor, every Thursday, 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Bring your baby (from newborn to 1 year) to the informal group setting. All new moms are welcome, regardless of delivering hospital. Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 705-2434 to secure you and your baby’s spot. Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.
Children in K-12 can register for Peninsula Public Library’s summer reading program, Wednesday, June 22, from 4 to 6 p.m., at the special opening party in the Children’s Room to get books, a reading log and raffle tickets. 280 Central Ave., Lawrence. Information at PeninsulaPublic.org.
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Acoustic Retro, playing the music of the 1960s and ’70s, performs as part of the Hewlett Bagel Boss concert series, Saturday, June 17, at 10 p.m. 1352 Peninsula Blvd, Hewlett.
The Gural JCC and the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway are collaborating on “The Event,” on Tuesday, June 20, at the Seawane Club. It includes golf, tennis, pickleball, a casino night, raffles, and more. 1300 Club Drive, Hewlett Harbor. To register, go to TheEvent.Haftr.org.
Learn about the early Jewish settlers on Long Island as author Brad Kolodny discusses his latest book, “The Jews of Long Island: 1705-1918,” Thursday, June 22, 7:30 p.m., at Temple Hillel, 1000 Rosedale Road. Valley Stream. $6 temple members, $8 non-members. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Refreshments.
Families will enjoy another musical adventure, ripped from the pages of Mo Willems’ beloved children’s books, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Thursday and Friday, June 1516, 10:15 a.m. and noon.This musical comedy adventure stars
Willems’ beloved character
The Pigeon, who is eager to try anything and everything. When a bus driver takes a break from the route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take the driver’s place — a pigeon. The audience is part of the action, in this innovative mix of songs, silliness and feathers. $9 with museum admission ($7 members), $12 theater only. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.
Support The Whaling Museum by participating in Sandbar restaurant’s Whale of a Drink, Whale of a Cause fundraising effort, now through June 21. Enjoy the Sandbar’s iconic cocktail, the Whalebone, and a portion of the purchase will be donated to the museum. A “mocktail” version is also available.
To help promote the fundraiser, mixologist Dan Leopold will offer a mixology demonstration and Whalebone tasting at the Museum’s Whales & Ales event on June 3, 2:30-3 p.m. Funds will support the Whaling Museum’s community education programs during its 2023 summer season. 55 Main St, Cold Spring Harbor. For information, visit SandbarColdSpringHarbor.com.
Play canasta, mah jongg and Scrabble in the Bentley Room of Peninsula Public Library, 280 Central Ave., Lawrence, Monday, June 19, 2-4:30 p.m. Seating is limited and is first come, first seated. Masks recommended.
See “Sound of Metal,” Wednesday, June 21, at 2 and 7 p.m., at Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library. A heavy metal drummer’s life is thrown into freefall when he begins to lose his hearing in the movie, directed by Darius Warder and starring Riz Ahmed and Olivia Cooke. Rated R the film runs 2 hours. 1125 Broadway, Hewlett. For information, visit HWPL.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 number. Submissions can be emailed to thescene@liherald.com.
Bruce Springsteen tribute band E Street Shuffle rocks Eisenhower Park, Saturday, June 17, 8 p.m. Hailing from Asbury Park, N.J., E Street Shuffle is a band that built itself from the ground up on the principals of being as musically authentic as humanly possible, while embodying the spirit, power and camaraderie of Springsteen and the E Street Band’s legendary live concerts. Bring seating. Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, Eisenhower Park, East Meadow. For information, visit NassaucCountyNY.gov.
For many years visitors to Westbury House at Old Westbury Gardens asked what was beyond the first floor corridor. Now beyond the door and discover “secrets of the service wing,” during a 60-minute guided tour, Friday, June 16, noon; Sunday, June 18, 1:30 p.m.; Monday, June 19, noon, Wednesday, June 21, noon; Thursday, June 22, noon and 1:30 p.m. Be introduced to the intensive labor required to create the lifestyle experienced by the Phipps family and their guests; tour the many rooms that were “behind the scenes” to create the formal dining experiences of early 20th century. Go along the corridors to the butler’s pantry and silver cleaning room then descend the 17 steps to the kitchen, scullery, and wine storage rooms located on the ground floor. Reservations required. 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information contact (516) 333-0048 or visit OldWestburyGardens.org.
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A new Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine has been named the USS Long Island, paying homage to the multitude of veterans from Long Island and the island itself. The announcement was made to active sailors and media on Pier 88 in Manhattan during the 35th annual Fleet Week, the city’s time-honored celebration of the sea services, by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro.
The submarine is the third U.S. Navy ship named after Long Island, but a long way from the original USS Long Island steam trawler purchased by the Navy in 1917. As an attack submarine, the 377-foot-long vessel is designed specifically to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships, project power ashore with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Special Operations forces, carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, support battle group operations and engage in mine warfare.
“New York has been a Navy town since our nation’s founding,” Del Toro said at the announcement. “Today over 200,000 veterans are spread across the five boroughs, with over 50 percent living on Long Island, in Brooklyn and Queens. The service of these veterans throughout our nation’s history has been admirable, and it’s an honor to recognize them as well as the district itself with this submarine naming.”
Capt. Patrick Evans, a naval special assistant for public affairs, wrote in an email to the Herald about the history of the original USS Long Island: “It served as a minesweeper, harbor patrol ship, and an icebreaker until after the first world war and (was) decommissioned in 1919.”
The second ship to bear the name Long Island was an
escort carrier, the first of its class at the time. Notably, it was the first of the Navy’s prototype aircraft carriers, which launched squadrons of attack aircraft in the Pacific theater in World War II.
Earlier, in 1941, the ship cruised the East Coast on neutrality patrol, keeping a watchful eye on potentially dangerous patrolling German submarines. A year later, the ship would prove instrumental in assisting with the Guadalcanal campaign.
Fighting at the Battle of Guadalcanal, one of the turn-
ing points in the war, the USS Long Island helped save the island of Guadalcanal from a Japanese onslaught. The vessel carried Marine Corps dive bombers, and two squadrons of Grumman Wildcat fighters, built in Bethpage, into the skirmish.
After the war, the USS Long Island trained pilots and ferried returning American troops home from the Pacific as part of Operation Magic Carpet, the largest combined air and sealift ever organized to bring troops back. Many of them, no doubt, were coming home to Long Island.
State Attorney General Letitia James announced on June 8 that her office had filed suit against Red Rose Rescue, a rightwing anti-abortion organization, for blocking access to three Planned Parenthood locations in Nassau and Westchester counties, including the Planned Parenthood in Hempstead on July 7, 2022.
The lawsuit, announced just over two weeks before the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe V. Wade, claims that several members of the pro-life group, Christopher “Fidelis” Moscinski, Matthew Connolly, William Goodman, Laura Gies and John Hinshaw, have interfered with clinics by lying to clinicians to gain access to the facilities under the guise of being a patient and having an appointment.
Once inside, James’s office said, a Red Rose Rescue member posing as a patient will open a back door, allowing others inside, where they have occupied waiting rooms and refused to leave, barricaded entrances, threatened staff and clinicians, and physically blocked access to women’s health care services, all in an effort to stop clinics from operating.
“Red Rose Rescue has made it their mission to terrorize reproductive health care providers and the patients they serve,” James said. “Only we have the right to make decisions about our own
bodies — not anti-choice legislators, not religious extremists and bigoted zealots, and not Red Rose rescue.” She continued, “We will not allow Red Rose Rescue to harass and harangue New Yorkers with their outrageous militant tactics. Make no mistake — abortion is health care, and as New York’s Attorney General, I will continue to protect and defend everyone’s legal right to safely access health care in this state.”
James also announced that she would
seek to ban members of Red Rose Rescue from coming within 30 feet of any reproductive health care facility in the state. Under the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and the New York State Clinic Access Act, it is illegal to block access to reproductive health care clinics or harass their patients.
At the news conference announcing the suit, Dipal Shah, the chief external affairs officer for Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, thanked James for
holding Red Rose Rescue accountable for actions that he said impact not only Planned Parenthood patients, but staff and volunteers as well.
“It’s unacceptable,” Shah said. “We see, on an almost daily basis, anti-abortion protesters outside our health centers … using harmful tactics to block patients’ access to our health centers — everything from verbally abusing them, forcing pamphlets in their face, and blocking them from entering.” He added, “These top tactics are not just disruptive, they’re psychologically destabilizing and they’re incredibly harmful.”
Catherine Lederer-Plaskett, president of Choice Matters and founder of Project CATCH (for the Center for Analysis and Tracking of Clinical Harassers), share her experiences with Red Rose Rescue.
“I would bet that everyone in this room has a day that changed their lives forever,” Lederer-Plaskett said. “I have mine. It was Nov. 27, 2021. That was the day All Women’s Medical in White Plains was invaded,” Red Rose Rescue managed to take over the entire facility, she said.
“If they had trespassed in a mall, they would have been evicted, removed, taken out immediately,” Lederer-Plaskett said, “but because it was only women’s health care, the police could be heard saying they didn’t want to get involved.”
James said she hoped to continue being a leader in the fight for a woman’s right to choose.
Saturday, June 24, 2023 Saturday, June 24, 2023 11AM-4PM 11AM-4PM
Dredsurfer
Grill
In celebration of Men's Health Month, join us for a day about Men's Health & Wellness, with activities and education for the whole family. Complete your "Passport to Wellness" booklet to receive a free swag bag!*
Speaking Sessions Dredsurfer Grill 16-27 Seagirt Boulevard 16-27 Seagirt Boulevard Far Rockaway, NY 11691 Far Rockaway, NY 11691
"Beyond the Stigma" - Barber Shop Mental Health Program
- by Assemblyman Khaleel M. Anderson
Men's Mental Health
Other Activities Including:
Wellness & Community Vendor Fair
Healthy Food Tastings
Free Health Screenings
Family Activities including Face Painting, Bouncy Castle & Games
Entertainment including DJ and Comedian
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Continued from front page
els. Virani graduated from Lawrence High School in 2019.
“It would be unfair to deprive our students of the opportunity to achieve good grades based on a single exam that accounts for 20 percent of their overall grade,” Virani wrote. “We must prioritize their educational well-being and provide them with a fair chance of succeeding.”
The Lawrence school district also has a special policy of its own for its students from last school year for exams taken in June and August 2022, which continued this year for exams in January, June and August.
“If your child received a score of 50-60 on one or more Regents exams taken during one of more of the periods described above and attained a course average in the course that meets or exceeds the required passing grade in each quarter of the school year,” Andrew Weisman, Lawrence’s supervisor of pupil personnel services, wrote in a letter to parents, “he/she/they will receive a Special Appeal (SA) on their transcript.”
Even before the pandemic, the HewlettWoodmere district addressed the issue by
incorporating a sliding scale for its students after the state Board of Regents adopted Common Core State Standards in 2010, because of the possibility of a negative impact of substandard Regents scores.
Virani argued that colleges and universities consider other factors when evaluating potential students, and do not base their potential on a single exam score. “Admissions processes have evolved to consider a holistic view of a student’s accomplishments, extracurricular activities and person qualities,” he wrote.
David Volpe, vice president of enrollment and marketing at Five Towns College, a fouryear institution in Dix Hill, said he would not call a school district to ask why a student was exempt from a Regents exam.
“It’s the GPA, it’s the individual courses that were taken, certainly grades and specific courses that may be more in line with their intended major,” Volpe said. “We are SAT/ACT-optional, and we have students prepare a personal statement that we also review as well.”
“Extending the ‘Do No Harm’ policy for the New York State Regents is a progressive and fair approach to grades,”
Herald file photo the hewlett-woodmere and Lawrence school districts have a policy stating that if a student does poorly on a Regents exam, either the grade will be omitted or the student will receive a special notation on their transcript. Above, a Lawrence High School student working on the math Regents in 2014.
Virani wrote. “It recognizes that students’ abilities and potential cannot be reduced to a single exam score and ensures that their overall performance is accurately
reflected.”
Have an opinion on “Do No Harm”? Send a letter to jbessen@liherald.com.
e xtending the ‘Do No Harm’ policy for the New York State Regents is a progressive and fair approach to grades.
amil Virani Lawrence High School graduate
“I am living with this unimaginable pain, grief, emptiness,” Diana Alati, an advocate at Families for Safe Streets who lost her 13-year-old son, Andrew in a bicycle crash, told the audience at the first ever Walk Bike Long Island Summit. The event, held at Farmingdale State College, was organized to fight what advocates are calling “the silent epidemic” — the stunning and often overlooked number of pedestrian and bicycling fatalities.
Andrew was bicycling home from a friend’s house for dinner on Hempstead Turnpike, in Levittown, on June 30, 2019, when a speeding 19-yearold driver doing 55 mph in a 40-mph zone, trying to make it through a yellow light, struck and killed him. The Alati family, worried about how long Andrew had been gone, checked the Life360 app to see his location. They saw that his icon wasn’t moving, and rushed out. At the scene, his mother screamed to paramedics, “Is he OK?” saying over and over, “Andrew, please don’t go. Don’t leave me.”
But the affectionate young boy who loved baseball, hockey, music and riding his bicycle was gone, and “our family forever changed,” Alati said.
Along with other advocacy groups, Alati is part of a growing movement demanding changes that would reduce the number of deaths on the streets. Simple road design changes, such as rumble strips, consistency of school zone limits from town to town, and accurate police report documents, in the case of a fatality, are ways she has suggested could help, because “my son’s life was not an oopsie.”
Cynthia Brown, executive director of the New York Coalition for Transportation Safety, remembers the days of advocating for seatbelts to be a law. She recalls the combined efforts of medical professionals recounting the horrors of seeing car crash victims, public figures lending their voices, and public service announcements shown in movie theaters, and how they succeeded.
Brown said she believes that a similar group effort is
now necessary to draw attention to the severity of the issue, which has only worsened since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. “I think we need something like this now,” Brown said. “I don’t know how to bring people’s attention to what a serious problem (this is). It was bad before Covid, (but) since Covid it’s a nightmare.”
Speeding, impairment, distraction, and fatigue account for 90 percent of all fatalities, Kazem Oryani, an engineering professor at Farmingdale State College, said. “Thirty percent of the fatalities are related to speed,” he said. “This is the one (worth) fighting (now). There are others, which are education on other things, which would come later.”
Daniel Flanzig, an attorney and a member of the New York Bicycling Coalition board of directors, said he believes the next step for the next generation of drivers is automated enforcement, which works effectively in Europe and New York City — changing the incentive from relying on empathy to forcing open wallets after an impartial machine dishes out a ticket. Other than that, Flanzig said, little tweaks in a town can alter roadway behaviors, like changing the radius of a turn or painting bike lane lines more clearly with inexpensive paint.
Engineer Matthew Carmody stated that intersections and streets are safer when we can see eye to eye with one another. One improvement that accomplishes that is called daylighting, which bans parking near an intersection so pedestrians and bicyclists can see motorists, and vice versa. For this, Carmody said, no traffic study needs to be done; it’s just a matter of convincing the public to lose two a couple of parking spaces in order to save lives.
Karina Kovac/HeraldLEGAL 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 June 26, 2023 at 2:00 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:
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
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*}
139710
LEGAL NOTICE
Village of Lawrence
Legal Notice NOTICE IS
HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Appeals of the Incorporated Village of Lawrence will hold a work session beginning at 6:45 P.M. followed by a public meeting on June 22, 2023 at the Lawrence Village Ha140174ll 196 Central Ave Lawrence, New York 11559 beginning at 7:30 P.M. to conduct the following Public Hearings and to attend to such other matters as may
properly come before the Board: “Wolff, 15 Beechwood- Section 21248.B of the Village Code states, the minimum rear yard setback for a pool is 20 ft. Section 212-48.C of the Village Code states, in a Residence District B the minimum side yard setback for a pool heater is 15 ft. The order in which the listed applications are heard shall be determined the night of the meeting. The applications and accompanying exhibits are on file and may be inspected at the Village Office during normal business hours between 8:00a.m.and 4:00p.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:May 24, 2023
140174
LEGAL NOTICE
SANITARY DISTRICT NO.
1 TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. NOTICE IS HEREBY
GIVEN, that pursuant to Town Law, the Nassau County Civil Divisions Act and a Resolution of the Board of Commissioners of Sanitary District No. 1, Town of Hempstead, New York, an election will be held by the qualified voters of Sanitary District No. 1, Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, on July 10, 2023 between the hours of 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. at the premises of Sanitary District No. 1, One Bay Boulevard, Lawrence, New York, for the purpose of electing one resident of Sanitary District No. 1 as a member of the Board of Commissioners for a term of five (5) years to succeed Avi Fertig, whose term expires on July 10, 2023.
A copy of the aforesaid Resolution is on file with and may be inspected during regular business hours, at the premises of Sanitary District No. 1, One Bay Boulevard, Lawrence, New York. PLEASE TAKE
FURTHER NOTICE, that nominations for the office of Commissioner shall be made by petition subscribed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the Sanitary District, addressed to and filed with the Secretary to the Board of Commissioners at least thirty (30) days prior to the election. Such petition shall state the residence of each signer and shall state the name and residence of the candidate and the specific vacancy of the Board of Commissioners for which the candidate is nominated, which description shall include at least the length of the term of office. PLEASE TAKE
FURTHER NOTICE, that the inspectors of election of this Sanitary District shall meet on Friday, June 23, 2023, between the hours of 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. at
the premises of Sanitary District No. 1, One Bay Boulevard, Lawrence, New York, for the purpose of preparing a register of the qualified voters of this District for the said annual District election, at which time any person shall be entitled to have his/her name placed on such register provided that at such meeting of the inspectors of elections, he/she is known, or proven to the satisfaction of the inspectors of election to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at the annual District election for which such register is prepared.
PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that the register shall include all qualified voters of the District who shall personally present themselves for registration and voters registered with the Board of Elections of the County of Nassau on or before the 23rd day immediately preceding said election of July 10, 2023. PLEASE TAKE
FURTHER NOTICE that applications for absentee ballots for the Sanitary District election may be applied for at the Office of the Clerk of the District and must be received by the District Clerk no earlier than thirty (30) days before the election for which an absentee ballot is sought. To obtain an absentee ballot by mail, completed applications must be received by the Office of Sanitary District No. 1 at least seven (7) days before the election. The absentee ballot will be mailed to the address set forth in the application, no later than six (6) days before the election. To obtain an absentee ballot in person (applicant or his or her agent), the completed application must be delivered to the Office of Sanitary District No. 1 not later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on Sunday, July 9, 2023. A list of all persons to whom absentee ballots shall have been issued will be available for inspection in the Office of Sanitary District No. 1 during regular business hours. PLEASE TAKE
FURTHER NOTICE that military voters who are not currently registered may apply to register as a qualified voter of the sanitation district. Military voters who are qualified voters of the sanitation district may submit an application for a military ballot. Military voters may designate a preference to receive a military voter registration, military ballot application or military ballot by mail, facsimile transmission or electronic mail in their request for such registration, ballot application or ballot.
Military voter registration application forms and military ballot application forms must be received in the Office of Sanitary District No. 1 no later than 5:00 p.m. on July 10, 2023. No military ballot will be canvassed unless it is returned by
mail or in person and (1) received in the Office of Sanitary District No. 1 before the close of the polls on election day and showing a cancellation mark of the United States Postal Service or a foreign country’s postal service, or showing a dated endorsement of receipt by another agency of the United States government; or (2) received by the Office of Sanitary District No. 1 by no later than 5:00 p.m. on election day and signed and dated by the military voter and one witness thereto, with a date which is ascertained to be not later than the day before the election. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE, that applications for absentee ballots for the annual District election may be applied for at the office of the Secretary to the Board of Commissioners. A list of all persons to whom absentee ballots shall have been issued will be available at the office of the Secretary to the Board of Commissioners during regular office hours and until the day of the election, and such list will also be posted at the polling place during the election. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SANITARY DISTRICT NO. 1 TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK James J. Vilardi, Chairman Board of Commissioners Dated:May 17, 2023
140171
LEGAL NOTICE
HEWLETT-WOODMERE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTICE OF SCHOOL DISTRICT PUBLIC HEARING, PROPOSED REPAIR RESERVE FUND EXPENDITURE JUNE 28, 2023 4:50 P.M. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to Section 6-d of the General Municipal Law of the State of New York, a Public Hearing will be held on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at 4:50 p.m. prevailing time at the Woodmere Education Center, 1 Johnson Place, Woodmere, New York, at which time and place the Board of Education of the Hewlett-Woodmere Union Free School District will propose to appropriate monies, not to exceed $1,834,600 from the athletic repair reserve fund for the purpose of repairs to the turf field and track at Woodmere Middle School. By order of: District Clerk Hewlett-Woodmere Union Free School District
Date: June 15, 2023
140093
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Nathan L. H. Bennett Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, Town Hall
The St. John’s ICARE Foundation received a $38,000 grant from the Amazin’ Mets Foundation for teens in Far Rockaway.
The Amazin’ Mets Foundation, whose name pays homage to the 1969 New York Mets championship team, grant was donated to support the Episcopal Health Services Teens Project.
With the help of the grant, it will supply 1,000 reusable duffle bags containing products like shampoo, soap, lotion, towels, deodorant and feminine hygiene products.
“Personal hygiene products are expensive and often overlooked, which has a substantial effect on youth who are entering puberty. Good hygiene helps to prevent the spread of infectious diseases and it helps boost confidence,” Nancy Leghart, Executive Director of ICARE Foundation, wrote in a news release. “We are so grateful to Mrs. Cohen and the Amazin’ Mets Foundation for helping us meet the needs of local teens in the Rockaway community.”
Herald file photo
The ST. John’S ICARE Foundation receives a $38,000 grant from the Amazin’ Mets Foundation for teens in Far Rockaway. With the help of the grant, it will donate personal hygiene products for those in need.
100 organizations in its community and surrounding affiliate teams since 2021.
Incepted in 2021, The Amazin’ Mets Foundation is aimed to provide needed services and opportunities to children, families, and underserved groups, hoping to inspire others to make a difference on and off the field. The foundation has funded over $5 million in grants to over
“Personal hygiene products support dignity, health, and the opportunity to thrive. Everyone deserves to feel clean and at their personal best,” said Alex Cohen, president of the Amazin’ Mets Foundation and owner of the New York Mets. “The Amazin’ Mets Foundation is pleased to support ICARE Foundation’s important work in our community.”
Also founded in 2021, the St. John’s ICARE Foundation stands for Innovation, Compassion, Respect and Empathy.
–Hernesto GaldamezPlaza, 1 Washington Street, Village and Town of Hempstead, New York, on the 20th day of June, 2023 at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day, to consider the enactment of an amendment to Chapter 99 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead entitled “Registration and Permitting of Property” in relation to accessory structures and penalties. The proposed local law is available at hempsteadny. gov, on the bulletin board at Town Hall as of the publication of this notice, and on file in the Office of the Town Clerk of the Town of Hempstead, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, where the same may be inspected during office hours. ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.
Dated:Hempstead, New York June 6, 2023 BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK.
KATE MURRAY Town Clerk
DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor 140098
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
LOCAL LAW NO. 372023 PLEASE TAKE
NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held May 23rd, 2023, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 37-2023, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No.37-2023, amending Section 197-5 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include “ARTERIAL STOPS” at various locations. Dated: May 23, 2023 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR.
Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 140116 LEGAL
OF HEWLETT HARBOR
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Board of the Incorporated Village of Hewlett Harbor will convene and hold a public hearing via ZOOM June 27, 2023, at 7:00PM. All residents and professionals wishing to attend are directed to contact Village Hall at 516-3743806 for further ZOOM information/instruction or visit our website at www. hewlettharbor.org. All interested parties will be given the opportunity to be heard on the following applications for relief:
1)Mr. Lemuel Santana 20 Thixton Drive Hewlett Harbor, NY 11557 has applied to the Planning Board for site plan, elevation plan and landscape design review for a new one family home, 2 car garage, driveway and inground pool.
2)Mr. Yechiel Abekassis 1220 Harbor Road Hewlett Harbor, NY 11557 has applied to the Planning Board for site plan, elevation plan and landscape design review for additions and alterations to an existing one family dwelling. At said hearing, all interested parties will be given an
opportunity to be heard. Copies of the proposed application will be available at the Village Hall at least five (5) days before the public hearing and may be seen during the regular business hours. Those persons planning to attend the meeting and who require special accommodations because of a disability are requested to notify the Village Clerk no less than 48 hours prior to the meeting. Dated: June 7, 2023 Hewett Harbor, New York BY ORDER OF THE PLANNING BOARD OF THE VILLAGE OF HEWLETT HARBOR TED MAY Planning Board Chairman MICHAEL RYDER Building Inspector 140172
Non-profit organization is taking open bids for installation of the following: - bollards - blast resistant doors - access control system Licensed contractors with valid insurances only. Email your contact info to alparker5555@gmail.com to schedule an estimate.
140070
The successful candidate should possess: Knowledge of research-based instructional programs & practices; exp. w/ teacher supervision & evaluation; a record of successfully improving learning experiences and enhancing school to home communication; and can provide a supportive environment with knowledge of social-emotional competencies, restorative practices, and promote a culturally responsive educational climate.
Salary Range: $95,000 to $105,000
NYS SDA/SDL/SBL Certification Required plus 3 yrs. exp as a classroom teacher preferred.
Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE
The Monticello CSD is seeking forward thinking and dynamic School Building Principal who can lead MCSD’s highly engaged faculty, staff, parents, students, and community. The successful candidate will have a vision of educational excellence, be highly motivated, and demonstrates an ability to impact student learning.
Starting Salary: $150,000
NYS SDA/SAS/SBL Certification Required plus 2 yrs. of previous administrative leadership and 3 yrs. exp as a classroom teacher preferred.
Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE
The successful candidate should possess: Knowledge of research-based instructional programs & practices; exp. w/ teacher supervision & evaluation; a record of successfully improving learning experiences and enhancing school to home communication; and can provide a supportive environment with knowledge of social-emotional competencies, restorative practices, and promote a culturally responsive educational climate.
Salary Range: $95,000 to $105,000
NYS SDA/SDL/SBL Certification Required plus
3 yrs. exp. as a classroom teacher preferred.
Please apply online by June 15th at https://monticelloschools.tedk12.com/hire or OLAS EOE
DRIVING
EDITOR/REPORTER
The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry.
To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com
LINE COOK: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday 10am-6pm. Sandwiches/ Salads. Beach Restaurant. Great Summer Job. 516-835-2819
Manager On Duty
At Blaze, Old Bethpage Village Outdoors From September Through November 5-8 Hour Shifts. Serve As The Primary Point Of Contact For All Issues That May Occur During The Event, Seeing Each Through To Resolution. Serve As The Primary Point Of Contact For Emergency Personnel Hourly Rate $25-$30 To Apply: https://hudsonvalley.org/ employment/
MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT Inside Sales
Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. We offer salary, commission, bonuses, health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Will consider part time. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286
OFFICE HELP PT/FT: Computer Literate. Answer Phones, Packing, Process Orders. Baldwin Dental Supply Company. 516-783-7800
Help Wanted
Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships.
Salary, Commission, Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Will Consider Part Time.
Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250
Path Monitor
At Blaze, Old Bethpage Village Outdoors From September Through November 5-8 Hour
PRESS-ROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP
Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME Pressroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for a motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
UP TO $20.70 NYC, $20.00 L.I., $16.20 Upstate NY! If you need care from your relative, friend/ neighbor and you have Medicaid, they may be eligible to start taking care of you as personal assistant under NYS Medicaid CDPA Program. No Certificates needed. 347-713-3553
Childcare Offered
CHILDCARE AVAILABLE SUMMER PROGRAM Infants - 12 Years Custom Hours Nights and Weekends Indoor and Outdoor Activities Arts and Crafts, All Meals NYS Licensed/
To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 • To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5
The perfect 2 family home situated on a double lot in coveted East Atlantic Beach, offering exclusive access to private beaches with a locker for all of your beach essentials. A spacious open layout is perfect for entertaining, and the gorgeous kitchen boasts stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and a large pantry. A side deck leads to a beautifully landscaped yard. The primary bedroom features a walk-in closet and a private entrance to a full bathroom. The lower floor has two additional bedrooms, a full bathroom, an oversized laundry/utility room, and additional storage space. Upstairs boasts a spacious onebedroom apartment with a large living room, kitchen, full bathroom and private balcony, perfect for accommodating guests or as a rental unit to generate additional income. There is parking for 3 cars, a rare commodity. Close to the trendy west end of Long beach with local restaurants and shops, offering convenient access to all the amenities you need.
The Barbara Mullaney Team
Berkshire Hathaway
Laffey International Realty
The Petrey Group 860 West Beech Street Long Beach 516-582-6096
Open Houses
HEWLETT BA 1193 E. Broadway # M23
FDR, EIK & Sun Rm Overlooking 1/3 Acre Resortlike Prop w/ IG Lap Pool, Hot Tub, Bar & Gazebo. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Gar. SD#20 $1,149,000
1193 E. Broadway # M23, BA, Move Right Into This Stunning Gut
Renovated 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Garden Town. Gourmet Kit W/Thermdore St
Steel Appl Opens Into DR & LR. Primary BR w/Bth Plus Spac 2nd BR. W/D in Unit. New Self Controlled CAC. Oak Flrs, LED Lights. Near LIRR. Parking
Avail. SD#14. You Don’t Want to Miss This REDUCED! $359,000
1599 Lakeview Dr, BA, 4 BR, 3 Bth Exp Ranch on Tree Lined St in SD#14. Spacious LR, DR & Family Rm, EIK & Fin Bsmt. Att Garage. HW Flrs. Near Park, Trans, Shops & Houses of Worship REDUCED! $799,000
1534 Broadway #103, BA, Magnificent New Renovation! One of a Kind Ranch Style Living in Luxurious Jonathan Hall Condominium with Doorman & Elevator. Just Move into This Gut Renovated, Spacious 2 BR, 2 Bath Apt with Open Layout. Large Designer Eat in Kitchen with Sep Pantry & Laundry
Rm. Master BR Boasts Gorgeous Bth & Walk in Closet. Terrace Faces into Courtyard. Garage Parking Incl REDUCED & MOTIVATED!! $599,000
1534 Broadway #205, BA, Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedroom (Originally
3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit.
Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style
Living BIG REDUCTION!! MOTIVATED SELLER! $579,000
220 Jackson Pl, BA, WHOLE HOUSE RENTAL! 4 BR, 2.5 Bth CH Col on OS
Prop at the End of Quiet Dead End St. LR, FDR, Den/Fpl & Spac EIK. Primary
Ste w/ Bth. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car
Q. I’m trying to figure out what to do about the old construction on my house that I am being told needs permits before I can finish selling. First, I understand that I may have to pay a penalty, and second, I’m wondering why my buyer says they will take over and get permits after we close but their attorney says it’s a lot more complicated because we didn’t get a flood repair permit after Hurricane Sandy. What can you tell me about this? It seems much more complicated than it needs to be.
A. This is a typical case of “you snooze, you lose.” I regularly hear from people who tell me that their friends, contractors, even their attorneys, in some cases, give them “off the record” advice not to make waves, not to do anything. But the issues and requirements don’t just go away, and design professionals are held back from what you really wanted them to do, like an addition or a home makeover, many years later.
REDUCED Move Right Into This Stunning Gut Renovated 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Garden Town. Gourmet Kit W/Thermdore St Steel Appl Opens Into DR & LR. Primary BR w/Bth Plus Spac 2nd BR. W/D in Unit. New Self Controlled CAC. Oak Flrs, LED Lights. Near LIRR. Parking Avail. SD#14. You Don't Want to Miss This...$359,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299
HEWLETT BA 1638 RIDGEWAY DR.
FIRST TIME ON MARKET Well Maintained
6 BR, 3.5 Bth 3500 Sq Ft Exp CH Colonial on Beautiful St. LR/Fpl, Spac Fam Rm/Fpl, FDR, EIK & Sun Rm Overlooking 1/3 Acre Resortlike Prop w/ IG Lap Pool, Hot Tub,Bar & Gazebo. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Gar. SD#20...$1,149,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299
HEWLETT BAY PARK BA,190 Meadowview Ave Ever Dream of Living in A Castle? This 8000 Sq Ft Mansion is Full of Character. Amazing Architectural Details, Soaring Ceilings, Stained Glass Windows. 5 BR, 6.55 Bths. Sprawling 1.3 Acre Prop with IG Gunite Pool. SD#14.Near All. Must See This Unique Home!..$3,200,00 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas elliman 516-238-429 ba
Open Houses
WOODMERE BA, 504 Saddle Ridge Rd., FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Move Right Into This Renovated 4 BR, 2 Bth Split with Open Layout in Prime Location! Granite/Wood EIK Opens to Dining Room & Living Room. Lower Level Den. HW Flrs, Gas Heat, CAC. Oversized Property! SD#14.Near All!..$999,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299
Apartments For Rent
CEDARHURST NO FEE Private Entrance, Modern 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, CAC, W/D, Storage, Wall To Wall Carpeting, Indoor Parking Space. Starting At $1450 For One Bedroom When Available. (516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/ (516)582-9978
Garages For Rent
OCEANSIDE 2 CAR Garage.Great Location.Good for Classic Cars or Storage. Call For Further Informations. Must See! 516-476-8787
MoneyTo Lend
ARE YOU BEHIND $10k OR MORE ON YOUR TAXES? Stop wage & bank levies, liens & audits, unfiled tax returns, payroll issues, & resolve tax debt FAST. Call 888-869-5361 (Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-5pm PST)
Waiting and ignoring the requirements has put you in a much more difficult situation. Since Sandy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has required that people who received funding, whether directly from the federal agency or through public funds like New York Rising, had to confirm that the funds were put toward the repairs they were meant for. It’s just like providing your car insurance company the receipts and/or an inspection to confirm that the money they gave you for repairs was spent on the car, and not on some fraudulent luxury expense.
In 2013, your municipality required a repair permit, and instead of repeatedly contacting you, they opted to say that they notified you (once or twice), and now it’s your problem that you didn’t respond. The friction this created has lasted long after the memory of the flood turmoil has diminished. People feel ambushed, but arguing or passing on the requirement doesn’t make it go away.
In fact, one of the requirements is a “proof of loss” letter issued to the property owner, preferably the person who owned the property at the time of the flood. Switching to the next owner just complicates the process. Even though repair permits do not have a permit fee, most people made improvements during repairs, and your municipality recently doubled the fees for property improvements. So putting off the repair is now going to cost even more, which your buyer’s attorney might also realize while protecting the buyer.
When it comes to building department fees, one of the biggest municipalities, whose fees were more lenient, just raised them substantially. A couple who applied for permits in 2019, later hampered by the pandemic, saw their projected fees go from $2,000 to $4,600 this past month. Yes, it really did take that long, due to the pandemic and the stages of approval they had to go through, and they weren’t snoozing. Listen to the buyer’s attorney and follow through. Good luck!
© 2022 Monte Leeper
Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
Announcements
WITNESS WANTED To The Accident
That Occured On May 15th around 2pm At The Intersection Of Lakeville Road And Marcus Avenue. Please Call 347-235-0525
Antiques/Collectibles
We Buy Antiques, Fine Art, Coins & Jewelry Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluations, 45 Year Family Business. Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid. SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464
FINDS UNDER $100
Finds Under $100
30X12X12 FISH OR reptile tank with matching screen cover and 30" wooden stand. $75. 516-366-4004
CUSTOM SURF FISHING rod. Lamiglass Honey color SB1213M, cork tape butt, fuji conventional guides. $99. 516-781-7069
CUSTOM SURF FISHING rod. Lamiglass Honey color SB1362M, cork tape butt, mildrum spinning guides. $99. 516-781-7069
GOLF CART LIKE New $25.00 Assorted Woods $15.00 each Like New 516 781-8313
Finds Under $100
GOLF CLUBS COMPLETE set Tourney Irons $30.00 Golf Bag $25.00 Very Good Condition 516 781-8313
VINTAGE CHODZIEZ BONE china complete service for 8. Made in Poland $80.00. 516-785-601
WOOD HEADBOARD TWIN bed with Sealy Mattress (excellent) box spring and frame hardware. $99 516-366-4004
SERVICES
Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry
Cement Specialist, Brickwork, Interlock Bricks, Belgium Blocks, Stoops, Patios, Driveways, Sidewalks, Basement Entrances, Pavers,
Electricians
E-Z ELECTRIC SERVICES, INC. All Types Residential/Commercial Wiring, Generators, Telephone/Data, Home Entertainment, Service Upgrades, Pools, Spas. Services/Repairs. Violations Removed. Free Estimates Low Rates. 516-785-0646 Lic/Ins.
Handyman
HANDYMAN
Repairs and Installations for the Household. Careful and Reliable and Vaccinated. Licensed and Insured. 30-Year Nassau County Resident. Friendly Frank Phone/Text 516-238-2112 E-mail-Frankcav@optonline.net
Home Improvement
BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 866-393-3636
HANDY DANDY HOME IMPROVEMENTS
* Full Or Partial Kitchens/ Baths *Painting *Sheetrock *Taping/ Spackling *Installations Ceramic/ Vinyl Tile *Carpentry *Alterations *Repairs/ More. FREE ESTIMATES.
Dan 516-342-0761
Home Improvement
LITO CONSTRUCTION
Home Improvement/ Construction
10% OFF ANY JOB OVER $2,000
Masonry, Brick Work, Stone Decor, Pointing, Tile, Driveways, Sidewalks, Steps, Framing, Foundations, Remodel Interiors, Extensions, Bathrooms, Basements. Licensed/ Insured. Free Estimates. 516-564-8315, 516-376-9365
ROOFING GREAT PRICES ! NEW ROOF SPECIALS SIDING- Best Prices
RENOVATIONS & ALL REPAIRS
SUPER COMPETITIVE PRICES! Licensed / Insured. Free Estimates Nassau License. # H-0102710000 Call John - 516-852-9830
Miscellaneous
BEST SATELLITE TV with 2 Year Price Guarantee! $59.99/mo with 190 channels and 3 months free premium movie channels! Free next day installation! Call 888-508-5313
Painting
OLD SALT PAINTING
Small Job Specialist
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To date, there are at least 10 Republican Davids who have announced that they are running for president, and there are perhaps another five coming. This should very much please the Goliath, Donald Trump, who welcomes as many competitors as possible.
Almost all of the declared candidates have one thing in common. They are afraid to attack the former president, even though doing so would make them look truly independent. Former Vice President Mike Pence criticized Trump for his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, but then pledged to support the eventual party nominee.
From candidate to candidate, the story is the same. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis takes pokes at Trump and tries to outdo him, but refuses to aim any direct hits at him. DeSantis wants the support of the pro-Trump movement, so he won’t take on Trump in any meaningful way.
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley has some impressive credentials,
and talks about “moving forward,” but she can’t muster the nerve to say anything negative about Trump. On issues like abortion, she is wishy-washy, saying she is pro-life and not criticizing DeSantis for his six-week abortion ban. She claims she does “not want to get into the numbers game.”
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is well respected in the Senate. He is very articulate, but when confronted with specific issues, he dances around like Fred Astaire. He could become a formidable candidate, but if he hedges like all the other candidates, he won’t get any traction.
Vivek Ramaswamy is a former tech and finance executive who relatively few people have ever heard of. He is prominent in conservative circles. He has a lot of work to do to get public recognition, and even though he declared back in February, he hasn’t made a dent in any public opinion polls. He is silent on Trump.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has great executive experience and is working hard to attract independents. He has made some negative comments about Trump, primarily about Trump’s
role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Hutchinson has a very conservative record on taxes and abortion, which might attract some voters. But he is too low-key at a time when more vocal candidates get noticed.
Doug Burgum, the governor of North Dakota, is a new face on the national political scene. In his home state he is known for cutting taxes and anti-transgender policies. Money is no issue, because Burgum is a billionaire. But a governor from an obscure state won’t ever be a favorite to lead the pack. He appears to be running primarily for name recognition, which may help in the next election cycle.
One of my favorite candidates is former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Coupled with the fact that he is a former U.S. attorney, he is articulate and tough. At his announcement of his candidacy, Christie ripped into Trump with humor and sharp barbs. Few political observers think he can win the nomination, but he has the ability to cause some damage to Trump.
While all of these announced candidates are running around Iowa, New Hampshire, Arizona and Georgia,
Trump is sitting back and thinking, the more the merrier. In the coming weeks there will be more entrants into the presidential horse race, which will make him even happier. The latest polls show him with a wide lead over his nearest rival, DeSantis. In recent weeks, DeSantis has seen a drop in his support due to some of his very unpopular actions in Florida.
Is it possible Trump could lose his party’s nomination? In politics, anything can happen. He faces two indictments (so far), in New York and Florida, which would sink almost any other candidate. But his continuing popularity among Republicans could keep him viable as a candidate, even one who’s been indicted.
And it’s possible that even if he’s not the eventual nominee, Trump will run anyway. He may be willing to burn the Republican house down, even if he’s in leg irons.
For now, it’s the Davids against Goliath, and Goliath is looking hard to topple.
Jerry Kremer was an Assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? jkremer@liherald.com.
I’ve written my column through hell and high water. To be specific, I wrote my heart out after 9/11, grieving with so many readers who lost loved ones in the towers. I scribbled my way through blackouts, epic blizzards, hurricanes and, for three years, the pandemic.
I wrote about how to sleep better and eat better and find friends and keep friends. Sometimes an idea landed on the page full blown, and sometimes it’s been a struggle to compose a cogent piece. I spent my 750 words in wildly different ways, from a tribute to a courageous teacher friend going through chemotherapy to a send-up of the muchreviled New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, to one column many years ago in which I advertised for a prom date for my daughter. (She was in on the joke.).
written about my children’s lives, their mitzvahs and their missteps. My breast cancer. My husband’s heart surgeries. I struggled for days trying to find just the right words to honor my parents when they died. In some ways the column has been a running history of our times in our Long Island communities. After all, don’t we share the same lives and dreams, worry about the same threats to our mother Earth and hope for a safer world for our kids?
My work has been personal. I have
Many of my columns have suggested or reviewed books, the other love in my life. In return, many of you have pitched books my way that turned out to be thrilling and illuminating.
As politics got nasty and toxic in recent years, I jumped in, wanting to use my 750 words a week to rally support for our democracy, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights and laws that ensure equality for every community and every human being. I think these were words well spent, although at times the backlash has been fierce. That’s what opinion columns are for: to stir the pot,
open up the debate and disagree without getting too creepy.
When I was lucky enough to travel, I wrote to you from places as far-flung as Mumbai, the Maldives, Japan, Norway, Komodo Island, Normandy, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Dubai. The first question I asked when booking a trip was, “Will there be Wi-Fi?”
AOver the decades, I had one official week off per year, the end-of-year edition of the Heralds, when we publish special editorial pages. I consider the obligation to turn in a column every week, on deadline (most times), a sacred privilege and a joy. Mine used to be considered a “humor” column, and I miss that, but the world is only intermittently funny these days.
Maybe you can tell: I love newspapering. So it is with some sadness that I write today to tell you that I am taking a two-month leave starting next week.
My husband, my Donnie, is facing a serious medical challenge, and I want to be there for him 100 percent. I hope to see him through it, help him get healthy
and strong again, and come back to this page with fresh ideas, good news and renewed focus.
Over the next few weeks, we’ve decided to revisit some winning columns from the past 20 years, and hope they still offer a laugh or an insight or a reason to write an angry letter. I did briefly consider using ChatGPT to write my column while I’m away, but I’d hate to find out that I can be replaced by an app that’s writing fake college essays for a living.
I am keeping a journal of this time, and if you’d like to stay in touch, please write to my email below and I’ll share some of what I’m writing on our medical adventure. I wish we were off on a Hawaiian Islands fling. Or a return to Komodo Island, even with the monstrous, salivating dragons. I’d even settle for the North Seas cruise where the waves were 20 feet high and the sun didn’t shine for 14 days.
This turn of events is not what I would have expected or wished for in our lives, but it is what has been given us at this time.
Wish us luck.
Copyright 2023 Randi
Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.
nd now a break, so I can focus on Donnie’s health. So we’ll rerun some favorites.
DeSantis, Pence, Haley, Scott, Ramaswamy? Who can take out Trump?JERRY KREMER
jeffrey bessen Deputy Editor
Kepherd daniel Reporter
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“History is not the past, but a map of the past,” historian Henry Glassie once said, “drawn from a particular point of view, to be useful to the modern traveler.”
We explore that map through collections of stories, drawings and photographs. Later, through moving images and even elaborate recreations on the silver screen. Yet no matter how advanced our mapmaking skills of history have become, there is not a single plot point or directional as effective in truly connecting us with history than directly interacting with those who were there.
That’s why we are so grateful for efforts like the UJA-Federation’s Witness Project. Similar to other efforts with variations on the same name, the UJA started the Witness Project five years ago, as an effort to tell stories from the Holocaust and World War II directly from the source: those who witnessed it.
As part of a recent featured exhibit and film, “The Ties that Bind Us,” at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, the Witness Project showcased its efforts to tell stories directly to high school students in twice-monthly small group meetings where each has a chance to interact with
To the Editor:
Notwithstanding the noble efforts expended by the volunteer board members of the Nassau County Bridge Authority who help run the Atlantic Beach Bridge, it’s time for the bridge to be taken over by, run by and maintained by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
The bridge is an integral portion of an emergency evacuation route, and the waters below are an important conduit for commercial vessels as well as pleasure craft. The failure to have E-ZPass available is just one example of why a local authority shouldn’t be administering such a vital structure.
Drivers attempting to cross the bridge on a hot summer day shouldn’t have to wait in line, engines idling, to pay a toll. It’s a waste of time, money and fuel! MEL
someone who experienced the horrors of the genocide, and later the triumphs of the period when it ended.
One of the witnesses who took part in the project is Fred Zeilberger, who was ordered to stack bodies of fellow prisoners like firewood at a makeshift concentration camp in Latvia. He was just 14, and was one of just 27 Jewish prisoners to survive that camp, out of 1,000 who ultimately ended up there.
“I was working every day,” Zeilberger recounted. “If you didn’t work, you didn’t survive.”
Some might question why we, as a society, spend so much time focused on history, when we have the present — and the future — to deal with. But that’s the thing. You can’t understand the present or prepare for the future without exploring the past. That means the bad, the good. The horrific, the triumphant. There is no room for filters, only for an honest assessment of what we, as a society, have cobbled together over the years, decades and centuries.
And yes, a lot of our history will make us quite disappointed in our ancestors. We may even feel terrible about what happened, even though we personally did not do any of those things.
No one, of course, wants to feel bad. But a little bit of guilt is far different than the pain and suffering so many others experienced before us. And if feeling bad helps us better understand the plight of those who came before us, it’s a small price to pay.
It’s an oft-repeated quote, so often that it could be argued that it’s cliché. But George Santayana was right: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Remembering the past might not ensure that it won’t be repeated, but it’s the best defense we have for breaking the cycles of pain and anguish that fill our history books.
Our darkest period in modern history is, by far, the Holocaust. Every story from this time couldn’t be more important. But as each year ticks by — as the Holocaust rapidly approaches the century mark — it’s vital that we keep listening. We keep learning. We keep seeking.
A map might make our travels easier by pointing the way, but it doesn’t simply make them easy. There are many obstacles blocking our way from the bright future we all want, and it’s important that we look at our own societal map — past, present and future — to ensure that we find our way.
serving as a police officer in the New York City Police Department and the police departments of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for 22 years, I saw firsthand the effectiveness of the “broken windows” model of policing. This theory on policing suggests that visible signs of crime and disorder encourage further crime and disorder — especially serious crimes.
The theory proposes that having police enforce minor crimes, such as graffiti, public drinking, trespassing and fare evasion, will create an atmosphere of order and lawfulness. This model proved effective in New York City, when the city was transformed from the murder capital of the country in the 1990s to record low crime rates in the 2000s.
Albany’s soft-on-crime approach, with
cashless bail and the “Raise the Age” statute, has broken the windows of our community, and it’s our responsibility as elected officials to fix these windows.
Although the Town of Hempstead doesn’t have its own police force, we do have hardworking CSEA Local 880 employees who know how to get the job done.
The Town of Hempstead will be doing our part to help restore quality of life by tackling local community issues such as graffiti and illegal advertisements — and Supervisor Don Clavin and I created a Quality-of-Life Task Force whose sole responsibility will be to right these wrongs. By actively targeting minor offenses and keeping our township clean and pristine, we are taking a proactive step to discourage further illegal activity.
Since my days as a civic leader, I have battled these very same quality-of-life problems that deteriorate neighborhoods and bring down home values. I brought this initiative with me to the town, and formed a graffiti task force to quickly eradicate any reported graffiti. Capitaliz-
ing on this, I partnered with Clavin and the Town Board in expanding this task force to protect the quality of life in our township.
While we continue to fight against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s attempt to seize control over local zoning, the town will also fight illegal signs, overgrowth on public land, littered roadways, messy parking lots and, of course, graffiti. The task force is not limited to land and streets maintained by the town; it will also target signs on utility poles, and will not be hindered by bureaucratic red tape.
Low-level crimes blight our community, and by not holding criminals accountable, we’re pretending that these crimes don’t matter. We need proper leadership in Albany to do its part by equipping law enforcement with the resources needed to go after low-level crimes. Policies like cashless bail and “Raise the Age” only encourage this behavior, and we’re starting to see an increase in crimes such as graffiti at town parks.
Hateful graffiti was recently found at
To the Editor:
As former Assemblyman Jerry Kremer writes, “The PSEG love affair is over” (June 1-7). There is no prospect of LIPA continuing to contract management of our electrical system to PSEG. But Kremer is wrong to suggest that after the breakup, Long Island should get back out there and seek a relationship with a different private company.
Our current arrangement, in which a public utility (LIPA) outsources management to a private corporation (PSEG), is a unicorn found nowhere else, because it’s unworkable. PSEG wastes tens of millions of dollars a year, and gave us high electric bills, substandard service, and the lowest customer satisfaction in its class.
But the problem is bigger than one underperforming company. The incentives of outsourcing are all wrong. PSEG’s incentive is to serve shareholders, which it does well, posting impressive profits. It also does well for itself, with big executive salaries and bonus packages.
It’s the same with other private utility companies. National Grid tried holding New York hostage by halting all new gas hookups unless it got a new pipeline, bringing local development to a standstill and damaging our economy. The company pursued its own interests at the expense of the public’s, and didn’t back down until the state imposed a $36 million fine and threatened to yank its operating license. Then National Grid had the chutzpah to turn around and push for a rate hike.
Putting ratepayers first would mean lower bills, shorter outages, and better service. Serving the public interest would mean faster ramp-up of renewables, and giving local voices a say in planning and oversight. Outsourced private management isn’t designed to deliver these things. That’s why, instead of getting enmeshed with another private company after PSEG, LIPA should switch to full public power, and manage the system for the benefit of Long Islanders.
LISA TYSON Executive director, Long Island Progressive Coalition Massapequa by Tim Bakera park in Seaford. While the drawings and handwriting were crude and childish, the message it tried to perpetuate was one of intolerance. The town was swift to remove the graffiti, but it’s not uncommon for the act to be a repeat offense. There is no fear of repercussion, and that empowers people to confidently scrawl messages of hate.
The town will continue to do its best to remove illegal signs and graffiti — especially those that infringe on the town’s zero-tolerance policy regarding hatred of any form — but sometimes the effort feels like it’s one step forward, two steps back. This needs to change.
We all want the same thing: safe, affordable and scenic neighborhoods in which to live, work and raise our families. It is my mission to keep the Town of Hempstead on this track, and I’m proud that our Quality-of-Life Task Force will continue to beautify a new area every day. We’re doing our part to fix the broken windows, but Albany would make this mission a whole lot easier if its leaders held criminals accountable.
Hempstead Town Councilman Christopher Carini represents the town’s 5th District.
a special task force will rein in graffiti and keep the town clean and pristine.CHristopHer Carini
