The next congressional election is still a year and a half away, but the roster of candidates lining up to evict Congressman George Santos from his House seat is already sizable.
Elisa Dragotto/Herald
Jessica Bader, the recently appointed principal of James H. Vernon School in the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District, “will be away from the building for some time,” according to an email sent to parents by district Superintendent Francesco Ianni on Sept. 28. Her departure was not explained, nor was whether “away from the building” meant that she had been fired, took a leave of absence or was placed on administrative leave.
The Herald’s attempts to reach Bader were unsuccessful.
Bader, who lives in Nesconset, was hired by the
district last year as the director of humanities, and had been chosen to serve as principal of Vernon this summer. Anastasia Smith, the school’s assistant principal, will serve as principal for the indefinite future.
“The only thing I can say is that I, unfortunately, can’t discuss any personnel matters,” Ianni said.
“It’s one of those things that I can’t comment on, but what I can comment on is how well our students are doing, and how well they are adjusting to the new school year.”
Several parents indicated that they did not feel comfortable commenting on the issue. But there are many rumors circulating, and residents have
The scandalplagued freshman lawmaker has come under unperfected scrutiny for fabricating his life story, and faces a 13-count indictment for embezzlement, unemployment fraud, and lying to Congress about his finances.
So far, eight Democrats and seven Republicans have announced their bids to unseat the disgraced Congressman, including Jim Toes, president and CEO of the Security Traders Association.
Son of a former New York City police captain, the 60-year-old was born in Levittown, raised in Melville and is a 30-year resident of Manhasset where he and his wife, Jeanine, raised four children. He says his decades-long
career in finance and in the securities industry, as well as meeting with house members to discuss legislation and regulation, have prepared him to serve in Congress. Toes says his strength as a political outsider with hands-on experience dealing with the federal government on national issues puts him in a unique position.
While attending Fordham, Toes initially dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps to become an officer with the New York Police Department. But when reflecting on his career he declined to join the department.
Toes began bartending in Manhattan’s South Street Seaport, which at the time, was a well-known hotspot for those working on Wall Street. From there, he handed out his resume to patrons, waiting for someone to take a chance on him.
His big break came that December when he connected with a patron from OppenCONTINUED ON PAGE 2
heimer and Co., Inc., and was hired as an assistant to a financial trader. In 1993 Toes joined Merrill Lynch, a wealth management division of Bank of America, as the Division Head of Broker Dealer Sales. He rose to the ranks of managing director, where he held various management positions and interacted with a broad range of clients, including institutional and middlemarket asset managers, broker-dealers and retail investors.
His experience in finance led him to become the President and CEO of the Security Traders Association, a grassroots trade organization, which serves individuals employed in the financial services industry. There, Toes advocates for free-markets and “common-sense” market regulation with both Republican and Democratic congressional members in Washington, DC.
Toes has testified in front of Congress twice on topics of capital market structure, and worked with congressional members who view the financial markets in the context of capital formation and regulation. His understanding of legislative and regulatory processes helped him discuss a wide range of complex regulatory and legislative issues.
“It’s an incredible opportunity to see what your congressional members are doing and what they’re thinking about,” Toes said. “It’s an incredible opportunity for them to get input and to be educated on a topic. It gives citizens an incredible view into what their government is doing and the questions that they’re asking. On the flip side it is giving the representatives an opportunity to learn.”
Toes said he didn’t vote for Santos because of his “extremist,” views, but was surprised by the news of the numerous allegations. Immediately after hearing
the alleged allegations, Toes searched four of Santos’ aliases via Finra Broker Check, a free tool available to the public, which helps research, the professional backgrounds of investment professionals, brokerage firms and investment adviser firms. Toes found nothing that traced back to Santos after entering the queries.
The number one priority for government, he said, should be to protect its citizens, which includes handling financial crises as well as upholding constitution-
al rights.
“This is a real civil servant type of job if you have the right attitude about it,” Toes said. “I’ve heard politicians tell me something in their office, and then have them do something different publicly. I’ve had politicians that I’ve come across that are real civil servants, and they’re doing this for the right reason, and I’ve seen politicians do things that would make the worst CEO in financial services look like a child.”
By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com
Cancer is one of the most well-known diseases, and while the physical symptoms are well-documented, the mental strain from battling the horrible illness can take its toll. Now five Long Island residents have banded together to form a nonprofit, The Basic Six Inc., that helps women fighting cancer feel beautiful again, creating a six product, sixminute beauty routine which is not too physically demanding and can help restore self-confidence and a sense of personal beauty.
The members of The Basic Six originally met through the American Cancer Society, according to founding members June Bleich and Jorge Hernandez. They and the other four founders, Thomas Kechejian, Guillermo Roa and Richard Ziminski, all worked for the Cancer Society’s “Look Good, Feel Better” program, which is “dedicated to improving the appearance, confidence and selfesteem of individuals undergoing cancer treatment” according to their website.
Bleich said that seven years ago the Cancer Society broke ties with the program, causing her and the founding members of The Basic Six to come up with the idea of starting their own similar organization. She added that an important aspect of creating the organization was in establishing a quick and physically non-taxing beauty regime, making it easier for women undergoing chemotherapy to do.
“I said to the guys, we need something fast, we need something inexpensive and that’s doable for every woman,” Bleich said. “It’s empowering, it really is, for a woman who has lost her hair, her brows, her lashes, every part of her aesthetic that is so important, to see that replaced in six minutes is fabulous.”
The charity held their first event on Sept. 26 at Hernandez’s hair salon, Morel Hair Design in Locust Valley. Hernandez and Kechejian, who are professional cosmetologists also certified to provide cancer patients with makeup services through their prior work with the Cancer Society, gave two women undergoing chemotherapy makeovers while teaching them to replicate it for themselves.
Hernandez said that they hope to hold similar events two Mondays every month going forward, and that the charity would be offering the service in both English and Spanish. There is also a therapy dog, a chocolate lab named Molly, in attendance during the session, to help reduce stress and provide comfort for the women.
Molly, a chocolate lab who is trained as a therapy dog, helps the cancer patients feel more comfortable. She was brought by her trainer Guillermo Roa, one of the organization’s co-founders, to their first event.
Hernandez explained that women undergoing chemotherapy, in addition to the wellknown hair loss, also often experience skin discoloration and other physical issues which can affect their appearance. He said that by making the process easy and providing suggestions tailored to an individual’s skin tone, it’s possible for any woman to feel beautiful again.
“We teach them the technique using whatever they’re comfortable with, but we give them suggestions as to what they can use if there’s certain cosmetics that have certain components and ingredients that are not good for that skin type,” Hernandez said.
Anyone seeking to learn more about The Basic Six or looking to donate can visit TheBasicSix.com for more details.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
shared their opinions on Facebook.
Vicki Walsh, an Oyster Bay town councilwoman and a former president of the district’s parent association, expressed her concern on behalf of the students.
“The only comment I have is that I am deeply troubled by the reports coming out of the school district,” Walsh said, “and believe it’s of utmost importance to protect the safety of our children.”
Bader, 51, was an assistant principal at George J. Ryan Middle School 216, in Manhattan, for nine years.
She is a former fifth-grade teacher at the Bronx’s P.S. 175 City Island, a kindergarten through eighth grade school.
One of Bader’s former students, Erin Neeson, recalled having her as teacher at P.S. 175 in 1997.
Although Neeson has not spoken with Bader for decades, she remembered her
Our offices are located at 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530 and are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
MAIN PHONE: (516) 569-4000
■ WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/oysterbay
■ E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: llane@liherald.com
■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: Ext. 327 E-mail: oysterbayeditor@liherald.com
■ SUBSCRIPTIONS: Press ”7”
fondly as a teacher.
“She was a great teacher — she was very involved with the students,” Neeson said.
“She used to help kids with the talent shows and stuff. She was one of the greatest teachers we ever had.”
Bader also appears to have worked at East Meadow High School in the early 2000s, according to a photo from the school’s 2005 East Meadow yearbook posted to Facebook. In it she is listed as being a member of the English department. She did not disclose having worked there in a previous interview with the Herald. The East Meadow school district was unable to confirm Bader’s employement and why she left by press time.
Below is the statement in part that Ianni released Thursday to parents in the district announcing Bader’s absence from Vernon School:
“I am writing to notify you that Jessica Bader, principal of the James H. Vernon School, will be away from the building for some time. My main priority is to alleviate any concerns that you may have regarding the day-to-day operation of the James H. Vernon School and to reassure you that all students will continue to learn in the most educationally sound and safe environment.
Anastasia Smith, the current assistant principal of James H. Vernon will be serving as acting principal while Ms. Bader is out of the building. Ms. Smith will also have the strong support of the entire central office team in conjunction with my direct supervision and presence in the building.”
Then last Friday, an additional email was sent to parents from Ianni. In part it read:
“Today I was fortunate to spend my day at Vernon to ensure the day went smoothly.
“I spent time rotating between classes and saw our amazing students and staff in action.
I understand that the notification sent home yesterday regarding building leadership was concerning to some members of our school community. Although I am unable to share personnel matters, I would like to reassure you that I will be in the building every day to support the students, along with the assistant principal, Ms. Smith.”
Elisa Dragotto/Herald Parents remain unsure why their new principal, Jessica Bader, is no longer leading Vernon School.
Of the Sea Cliff-Glen Head Herald Libraries remain the hub of their communities, and one way they are serving neighbors is by coordinating efforts to help those in need.
As part of the Great Give Back — a community service program started in Suffolk County and now offered throughout the state — many Nassau County libraries are helping their communities by initiating service projects throughout October.
The program started in 2017 when the Suffolk County Public Library Directors Association and the Suffolk Cooperative Library System sought a way to help communities. The program soon spread throughout the state and last year, 299 New York libraries participated, and more than 27,000 items were collected and donated.
“A few colleagues and I wanted to create an event in Suffolk County that brought positivity to our communities and showed that libraries are a central hub for giving back and creating good,” said Derek Ivie, youth services coordinator of the Suffolk Cooperative Library System.
Nassau libraries have offered hundreds of service-oriented projects, including food and pet supply drives and clean-ups of parks, according to
Renee McGrath, manager of youth services for the Nassau Library System.
“The Great Give Back enables our member libraries to offer their patrons an opportunity to participate in a day of service-oriented projects,” McGrath said.
This year’s event will take place on Oct. 21, but many libraries are offering projects throughout October. Dozens of Nassau libraries are participating, including Sea Cliff Village Library, Gold Coast Public Library, Locust Valley Library, Glen Cove Public Library and Oyster BayEast Norwich Public Library.
Each library has selected a charitable organization to work with for part of or in some cases the entirety of the month. While the causes and contributions vary, each library is doing its part to give back.
Marion Dodson, the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Public Library’s adult program coordinator, said the library had partnered with Birthday Wishes, a national charity which donates birth -
day presents and gift bags to homeless and financially struggling children and their families. The library will be gathering party supplies until Oct. 21, when from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. volunteers will help assemble and wrap the boxes of birthday goodies to be shipped to the charity’s headquarters.
“We participate every year,” Dodson explained. “This year we wanted to do something different than what we’d done in the past.”
The Locust Valley Library is holding live music events at the library every Friday evening, where they will collect donations of socks to send to soldiers through the Warm Feet For Warriors charity, according to Michael Vinas, the library’s adult program coordinator.
The Sea Cliff Village Library will be gathering contributions for NOSH Delivers, Inc., a food bank in Glen Cove. People interested in donating non-perishable foods like canned goods, rice, pasta and other similar products can drop them off at
Visit Planting Fields Arboretum for their third annual Fall 5K, the perfect way to celebrate the season and get some fresh air.
The course is both scenic and challenging, taking participants through various terrains of the Olmsted Brothers-designed landscapes of Planting Fields at its autumn peak. The Fall 5K will take runners on a journey through history, as they pass by landmarks like the Carshalton Gates and Taxus Field.
Participants are encouraged to run or walk at their own pace and enjoy the energy
of the community as they make their way to the finish line. All registrants will receive a personal bib, photo, and finisher medal.
The 5K will be held on Sunday at Planting Fields, located at 1395 Planting Fields Road in Oyster Bay. Registration opens at 7:30 a.m., with a race time set for 8:30 a.m.
To register in advance visit PlantingFields.org/happenings. For further information, contact Katie Walsh, Community Engagement Manager at kwalsh@plantingfields.org or (516) 922-8680.
both the main library and Children’s Library.
Glen Cove Public Library is working with Cove Animal Rescue, an animal shelter in Glen Cove, collecting different kinds of cat and dog foods as well as treats for the animals, cleaning materials and paper plates. Amy Mondello, the library’s head of adult services, said the library’s circulation desk will be receiving donations throughout the month until Oct. 31.
“With Covid and the prices of thing going up, we just thought it would be a nice way to help the community and the animals of our community and the volunteers and workers at the Cove Animal Shelter,” Mondello said.
The Gold Coast Library will be holding its Great Give Back on Oct. 28, inviting children from grades 6-12 to get community service hours by painting pumpkins which will be donated to a local nursing home. While Michael Morea, the library’s director, said that a nursing home has not yet been selected to be the recipient, he added that he and the library staff saw this as an opportunity to brighten the season for the Gold Coast’s golden residents.
Anyone interested in learning more about how to donate can visit any of the participating libraries’ websites or visit TheGreatGiveBack.org for more details about the program.
The Bayville Village Arts
Council will present “An Afternoon of Opera” on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Bayville Community Center, 88 Bayville Ave., Bayville. Come hear Dory Agazarian, soprano, Christina Russo, mezzo and Joe Stroppel, tenor who will be accompanied by Brianna Brickman on piano. Admission is free.
Stroppel, a tenor, is a Glen
Cove resident who also sings Broadway hits and songs from the Great American Songbook. Agazarian, a soprano, has performed leading roles in several operatic and musical theater productions.
Russo, a mezzo-soprano, a Hofstra University graduate, has a master in music from Binghamton University. She is a singeractor who performed in operas.
The Great Give Back enables our member libraries to offer their patrons an opportunity to participate in a day of service-oriented projects.
RENEE McGRATH Manager, Youth Services Nassau Library System
Nassau county is breaking ground on a new facility that officials say will transform police training like never before in the nation.
The $12 million project next to Nassau Community College — called Phase II Training Village — will replicate a village to mirror real-life communities. That includes everything from schools, banks and houses of worship — complete with role players — so police officers can get hands-on experience in a simulation before going out into the field of the real world.
“This is to take you out of the classroom and put you into that real-life scenario,” Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder told reporters last week. “No longer do you learn from a PowerPoint and a room that we say, ‘OK, pretend this is the mosque or this is a synagogue.’
“No, there will be a synagogue. There will be a mosque. There will be a church.”
The added realism of a village environment will allow police officers to learn a vital skill that was neglected in the past — a community-centric focus.
“Unfortunately, for the last 50, 60 years, we’ve trained only tactical,” Ryder said. “It’s always about tactics — keeping the officers safe, keeping the people safe, firing your weapons, using your baton, using your horses in crowd control situations.
“But now we’re going to police about community.”
The facility will be open to all agencies and departments in the region, not just the county police department. The village will be largely populated by NCC students participating in roleplays for a criminal justice credit.
Through the roleplay scenarios, officers learn how to
handle a variety of situations they may face on the job. Examples include confronting an armed homeless person, managing a group of protesting students, or helping a woman give birth while stuck in traffic.
“We are going to train our cops like no one else has ever trained them before in this country,” Ryder said.
“It’s about training for the community, so that we reflect what is needed and asked for by our community. And we do it right.”
Part of that community-centric focus is helping officers practice connecting people they encounter with government resources like social services. The new method of training is also in response to criticism the NCPD has received in recent years.
“We went through reform, we went through challenges and stuff in the community,” Ryder said. “It was asked of us to do better. Well, we’re going to do better.
“When it’s done, I get to sit down with the white kid, the Black kid, the Hispanic kid, the LBG person, the transgender person, the Jewish person, the Catholic person, the Muslim person, and they’re going to tell me what I did wrong.“I’m going to learn from them, but they’re going to learn from me.
“And that’s what the beauty of this is — whatever today’s society is, you’re going to have it in that village.”
The village is expected to be open and ready for use in 2025. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a project leader, promised it would open right on schedule.
“I want to make sure that if I’m not re-elected or I don’t run for office, it gets done before I leave office,” Blakeman said. “This will be a source of pride for not only our police department, but all the residents of Nassau County.”
This kind of comprehensive, multidimensional training will help create officers that can better serve their communities, Ryder added.
“If you take community and you consider that in your decision-making, you make better decisions,” the police commissioner said. “We are part of the community, the community is part of us. And that’s what this is all about.”
We recently had the opportunity to visit Sunrise of Dix Hills, an assisted living community — part of a group of Sunrise communities across Long Island, Brooklyn, Westchester and Rockland, New York.
A number of things impressed us on our visit. Everywhere we went on our tour of the community, staff warmly greeted us as well as each other and the residents. Residents were actively engaged in group activities including playing games, listening to live music and doing art and crafts. It felt like summer camp for older adults. Lunch was surprisingly tasty with many choices and we were pleased to find the menu changes daily. We were also glad to see diners in groups of three or more.
There was a resident cat who kept turning up and we also learned that residents’ own pets are allowed.
Before moving in, staff meets with the resident, their families and their physician to
determine appropriate care levels, likes and dislikes, and hobbies and interests to develop an Individualized Service Plan (ISP). The ISP is updated regularly according to a schedule.
Sunrise designs activities to support physical, mental and spiritual wellness through eight focus areas: exercise, excursions, art, music, education, intergenerational mentoring, community service and spirituality.
Sunrise also provides transportation services to residents for shopping, therapies, diagnostic testing, and doctor and dentist visits -- taking the burden off family members who often have to take time off work or are too far away to manage.
While many clients over the years have told us they would rather stay in their own homes, this often leads to loneliness, isolation and rapid cognitive decline. Being engaged with others has been proven to be one of the greatest tonics for increasing one’s “healthspan”.
There’s a bit of a power struggle happening in Nassau County — and it quite literally has everything to do with power.
Dozens gathered in front of a closed office building in Seaford belonging to PSEG Long Island demanding the utility end its quasi-private management of the Long Island Power Authority and replace it with a fully public entity.
The coalition — which included community organizations, environmental groups, businesses, and various members of chambers of commerce — had already signed on to a letter addressed to Gov. Kathy Hochul and state legislators to help make that happen.
“It demonstrates the widespread support, both regionally and statewide, for a fully public LIPA,” said Ryan Madden, sustainability organizer for the Long Island Progressive Coalition.
Madden’s coalition hosted the recent event as part of its larger “Reimagine LIPA” campaign, calling for the public entity to become wholly locally controlled.
Madden describes the public-private PSEG model as expensive, unreliable and structurally flawed. Those flaws were made especially clear in 2020 when Tropical Storm Isaias swept through Long Island and left some 645,000 homes and businesses without power — some for as long as eight days.
Albany has been paying attention to the demands, however. Legislation was passed last year creating a commission tasked with developing a roadmap for a restructured LIPA. The Legislative Commission on the Future of Long Island released a draft report this past April detailing a key financial finding: That LIPA can save between $50 million and $80 million a year by operating
Charles Shaw/Herald
David Osorio joined Oceanside’s Jill Weber at a rally in front of a closed PSEG Long Island office in Seaford demanding the utility end its private-public partnership with Long Island Power Authority, and let distributing electricity be solely a public job. PSEG officials, however,
the local electric grid itself.
“It has shown that a fully public LIPA will lower rates and provide more transparency and accountability.” Madden said.
LIPA has been managed by PSEG Long Island since 2013 under a contract that runs through 2025.
Christopher Hahn, PSEG Long Island’s vice president of external affairs, told the commission during a hearing in Hauppauge a day after the rally that the public-private model is the best option for Long Island and the Rocka-
ways, and that LIPA — as a public entity — has already produced a muddy track record.
He cited a 175 percent jump in payroll since 2015, and increasing the organization’s debt from $7.6 billion to just under $13 billion. That has caused LIPA’s operating budget to grow an average of 25 percent each year for the past decade.
“Historically, empire building by government agencies — unchecked and unchallenged — does not produce efficiencies,” Hahn said, according to his written testimony. “And to believe this one would be different is just wishful thinking.”
Hahn also said the partnership provides the benefits of public power with accountability. Yet those who gathered in front of PSEG’s Seaford offices disagree.
“From Montauk to the Rockaways, Long Islanders are facing economic hardships and an affordability crisis that makes living and thriving here harder and harder each year,” Joseph Sackman, a member of the Long Island Activists, said at the rally. “With frequent and dangerous storms and an already outdated electric grid, we can add uncertainty and risks to life and property as well.”
John Hyland, a retiree member of the Professional Staff Congress — a union representing faculty and staffers at CUNY — says public power would prioritize serving the needs of the people.
“More transparency, accountability, lower rates, and a commitment to environmental sustainability and justice, are so important to Long Island communities.” he said.
“You cannot guarantee that a fully municipalized system will not drastically raise ratepayer costs, or that mismanagement and politics won’t run rampant,” PSEG’s Hahn said. “Are you willing to gamble our region’s electric grid with your constituents’ hard-earned dollars for a hypothetical savings of $3 per customer?”
WHAT’S UP NEXT DOOR AND AROUND THE CORNER
There was a free concert on the lawn at Sagamore Hill national Historic Site that Theodore Roosevelt probably would have loved. The Sagamore Hill Band and the Roosevelt Songbirds performed 16 songs at “Teddy’s Wonderful World,” with some dating back to 1903.
The band and songbirds, which formed in 1983, are an ensemble of professional musicians dedicated to the preservation and presentation of music dedicated or connected with Roosevelt and his Oyster Bay Cove home. They have recorded three CD’s of Theodore Roosevelt music. The crowd that assembled to hear the concert may not know about the recordings, but they may be inspired to purchase them after enjoying the concert.
Several people came to the concert.
Their absence has been sorely missed by Nassau Pops fans, CP Nassau, the concert’s beneficiary, and orchestra members. Now, after a three-year pandemic-imposed absence, Maestro Louis Panacciulli and his orchestra are back on the Tilles Center stage with their popular gala concert in support of the Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County, next Sunday, Oct. 15. This year the orchestra welcomes Tony Danza and his band as their special guests.
The concert continues to feature the Nassau Pops signature blend of popular and classical music as well as an inspiring moment with Creation, the CP Nassau vocal team that has made their annual appearance a heartwarming tradition since 2004.
Acclaimed as a masterful storyteller, the singer-songwriter visits the Landmark stage for ‘An Intimate Evening of Songs and Stories.’ She’s joined by her longtime guitarist, Gerry Leonard, performing a careerspanning show including favorites like Tom’s Diner, Luka and more. Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk-music revival of the early 1980s when, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, she sang what has been called contemporary folk or neo-folk songs of her own creation in Greenwich Village clubs. Bearing the stamp of a storyteller who ‘observes the world with a clinically poetic eye’ (The New York Times), Vega’s songs have tended to focus on city life, ordinary people, and real-world subjects. Notably succinct and understated, her work is immediately recognizable — as utterly distinct and thoughtful.
“I’ve truly missed this concert,” says Panacciulli, the orchestra’s longtime musical director. “The orchestra is family, and this is one big lovefest. I’m so glad to be back at Tilles Center during our 40th season. It’s always exciting to be here. So many wonderful people have
The collaboration between the Nassau Pops and CP Nassau goes back to his mother, who was a member of the CP auxiliary in Valley Stream.
inspiring the orchestra’s crossed this stage.” for her idea
By Karen Bloom“In the past, we had done benefits for Special Olympics, pop concerts for hospitals,” he recalls. “But the idea for doing this came one day when I was discussing with her the idea of doing a benefit concert for CP Nassau. I’m thrilled to carry on her legacy.”
And he’s delighted to return to Tilles Center.
“Music crosses over all lines, whether you’re young or old, no matter if you’re on the right side of the aisle or the left. The Nassau Pops is back at full strength, doing what we set out to do — not only to make music, but to make a difference.”
Friday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m. $195 and $99 premium VIP packages, $61, $51, $41. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.
• Saturday and Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
“We knew it had to be special and are so fortunate to get Tony Danza to participate,” Panacciulli says. “He was very interested in working with a symphonic band.”
“We knew it had to be special and are so to
• Sunday, Oct. 15, 3 p.m. $59.50, $49.50, $37.50; available at NPSO.org/tickets • Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post Campus, Brookville. Information available at TillesCenter.org or NSPO.org
• Emily Lowe Hall Gallery, South Campus, Hempstead. For information and to RSVP, call (516) 463-5672, or visit Hofstra.edu/museum
That’s where Creation comes in, the singers who participate in CP Nassau’s Adult Day Treatment Program. As part of the opening segment, they’ll perform “Sweet Caroline,” “Georgia on My Mind” and “God Bless the USA.”
“When We All Stand,” Hofstra University Museum of Art’s new exhibition, examines the collective power of the arts in society.
Singers David Tindal and Chris Wawrzonek have “grown up” with the orchestra.
Curated by Alexandra Giordano — the museum’s assistant director of exhibition and collection — the exhibit underscores artists’ civic responsibility and influence.
This collaboration brings a unique twist to Danza’s acclaimed cabaret show, “Songs and Stories.” Combining Danza’s wit, charm, storytelling — with a dash of soft shoe and even Danza on the ukulele — the “Taxi” and “Who’s the Boss” actor sings his favorite standards from the Great American Songbook while he interweaves stories about his life and personal connection to the music.
“It highlights the vital role that artists have in activating democratic values that promise equality and freedom, encouraging civic engagement, and cultivating unity,” Giordano says. “Artists often lead the charge and expose truths that may otherwise be ignored. The artists in this exhibition take a stand and call out injustices through their art and activism on issues such as immigration, gender, reproductive rights, mass incarceration, voting rights, racial bias, gun violence, and promises unfulfilled. They all combine the making of art with public service that has a grassroots approach in the hope of mobilizing their communities and the nation to ignite movement, create awareness, and inspire others to
Some might not realize that Danza, who grew up on Long Island and attended Malverne High School, is a well-established song and dance man, in addition to his acting chops in television, film and on stage.
“I’m filled with such a sense of gratitude that I can affect two lives by giving them a chance to perform in front of a full orchestra and a large audience,” Panacciulli says. “We share something special when we share music together. The audience gives them standing ovations every time. It’s so amazing to see what they can do.”
Pat McGann is quickly rising as of the sharpest stand-ups on the comedy scene. A relative latecomer to comedy, he began doing standup at 31 after realizing he was very good at selling packaging. He hustled his way to become house emcee at Zanies Chicago, where he distinguished himself especially adept at working the crowd. A husband and father three young children, McGann’s appeal stems from his quick wit and relatable take on family life and marriage. In 2017, McGann began touring as the opening for Sebastian Maniscalco, moving with him from clubs to theater, to arenas, including four soldout shows at Madison Square Garden. McGann’s relatively short, but impressive resume, includes Montreal’s famed Just For Laughs Festival, Gilda’s LaughFest, The Great American Comedy Festival, and more. McGann still calls Chicago home.
And for Panacciulli — a Franklin Square resident, who has been at the helm of the Nassau Pops since 1984 (and also serves as band director at Nassau Community College) — that moment defines this concert.
This exhibit, which runs through July 28, is in conjunction with Hofstra’s 13th presidential conference on the Barack Obama presidency coming up in April.
“He brings a lot of different things to the show,” Panacciulli says. “He draws in the crowd with ‘Angel Eyes,’ the big Frank Sinatra tune.”
“We always want to leave something behind after the notes have faded away,” he adds. “Creation is a by-product the wonderful work that CP Nassau does. It does my heart good to help them and give back to the community through the gift of music.”
“We were interested in the idea that the artist has a civic responsibility,” says museum director Karen Albert. “The initial idea for this exhibition was inspired by an Obama Administration White House briefing that took place on May 12, 2009, where more than 60 artists and creative organizers met with administration officials to discuss the collective power of the arts to build community, create change, and chart a pathway for national recovery in the areas of social justice, civic participation and
And throughout his 70-minute set, Danza is thoroughly enjoying himself.
“He always has a big smile on his face,” Panacciulli says. “He’s certainly having a good time. And I guarantee the audience will as well.”
Panacciulli gratefully acknowledges Long Island-based credit union Jovia, which has been the gala’s title sponsor since 2012. Proceeds from every ticket sold are donated directly to CP Nassau.
Mixing rumba, flamenco, salsa and pop, the Gipsy Kings featuring Nicolas Reyes will have you moving to their irresistible rhythms and melodies from the very first song. Their fast flamenco guitar leads and rhythmic strumming are truly captivating. What really sets them apart is Nicolas Reyes’ gritty, intense and instantly recognizable vocals. You feel the passion in every note he sings. Since they debuted more than three decades ago, France’s most successful group has performed all over the world, earning gold and platinum albums along the way. Thirty years is an eternity in pop music, but the story of the Gipsy Kings has the depth to endure. Theirs is a music that extends through generations, to the sounds of their ancestors — Spanish Romani people who fled the Catalonia region during the Spanish Civil War — and reflects the vibrantly eclectic and peripatetic history of the gitanos.
Saturday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. $40, $30, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com ParamountNY.com.
while about personal Some might not realize that in addition television, clearly Panacciulli.
To that end, unlike other recent exhibits that showcased the museum’s permanent collection, Giordano reached out to contemporary artists who loaned the museum their selected works. Some 36 pieces are on view — representing all media — from Emma Amos, Molly Crabapple and the Equal Justice Initiative, For Freedoms, Miguel Luciano, Michele Pred, Hank Willis Thomas, and Sophia Victor.
The language of music is clearly special to
Yarn/Wire
Sunday, Oct. 8, 8 p.m. $99.50, $89.50, $69.50, $49.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY. com.
Now in its 18th year, Adelphi University’s ‘new music’ series welcomes Yarn/Wire. The intrepid New York-based piano-percussion quartet has forged a singular path with endlessly inventive collaborations,
Can art change the world? It’s a question that’s been at the focus of our collective culture for centuries. Now as society navigates the complexities of modern life, art as a path for social change is at the forefront of artistic expression.
Multifaceted
American jazz pianist and composer Emmet Cohen is one of his generation’s pivotal figures in music and the related arts. He visits the Landmark stage, Friday, Oct. 13 , at 8 p.m. A recognized prodigy, Cohen began Suzuki-
View the landmark exhibition “Modigliani and the Modern Portrait,” at Nassau County Museum of Art. Devoted to the way that Modigliani powerfully re-defined the art of
The Oyster Festival, known throughout the region for its fun mixture of new activities and old favorites that are certain to entertain the entire family including live entertainment, ships, top-notch artisans, pirate shows, midway rides, and the iconic oyster eating and shucking contest. And of course, the food court, where volunteer chefs and culinary pros work side by side, cooking and serving dozens of unique oyster, clam and other seafood concoctions along with traditional festival fare. Festivities take place throughout Oyster Bay’s downtown, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 14. Visit TheOysterFestival.org for information.
Grab your lunch and join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent Riva Ettus for her popular “Brown Bag Lecture,” now back on-site at Nassau County Museum of Art, Thursday, Oct. 19 , 1 p.m. Enjoy an in-depth presentation on the current exhibition “Modigliani and the Modern Portrait.” Participants are invited to ask questions at the end of the program and to join the 2 p.m. public tour of the exhibit. 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
Enjoy an Octoberfest at St. Patrick’s Church, Saturday, Oct. 21. With food trucks, beer, live music, pumpkin patch, games and raffles. 235 Glen St.
Nassau County Museum of Art welcomes those interested in improving their art skills or those who simply want to explore their creativity to participate in one of their many stimulating classes. The fall schedule includes Watercolor Florals: Beginner to intermediate levels (adults and teens 16+), Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.-noon, Nov. 2-Dec. 14. $300, $270 members. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. For information and to register visit NassauMuseum.org or call (516) 484-9338.
Talking birds
The South Shore Audubon Society invites all to a lecture program, “Horseshoe Crabs: Blue-Blooded Laboratory Stars,” with Dr. John Tanacredi, at its monthly meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m., at Freeport Memorial Library.
Dr. Tanacredi has tracked up to 115 locations for horseshoe crab breeding conditions and habitats on Long Island; he’ll discuss why they and their habitats are so important.
A Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences and Director of the Center for Environmental Research and Coastal Oceans Monitoring at Molloy University, he is a founding member of the IUCN SSC Horseshoe Crab Specialist Group. 144 W. Merrick Road (at S. Ocean Avenue) in Freeport. For more information about the program or South Shore Audubon, go to SSAudubon. org.
Dave Diamond performs, Thursday, Oct. 12 , at Still Partners. 225 Sea Cliff Ave. Visit StillPartners.com for more.
Enjoy the spirit of the season at a Howloween Masquerade
Gala benefiting Freeport-based Bobbi and the Strays animal rescue, Thursday Oct. 26, 7 p.m.-12 a.m., at Russo’s on the Bay. $125 ticket price includes four-course dinner, dancing, entertainment and raffles. All funds raised support sheltering and medical needs of the rescued dogs and cats. 162-45 Cross Bay Blvd., Howard Beach. For information, call (917) 2139840 or (718) 845-0779.
Enjoy the season at Simpkins Park at Garvies Point, Saturday, Oct. 7, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. With inflatables and bounce houses, carnival games, prizes, photo booth, airbrush body art, and more. Also food trucks including Sid’s All American, Mr. Flavors Ice Cream, EmpanadasNellys, along with Garvies Point Brewery will be joining next to the beer garden.
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.
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, Oct. 6, noon-1 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 8, 1:30-2:30 p.m. and 3-4 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 9, noon-1 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 11-12, noon-1 p.m. Be introduced to the intensive labor required to create the lifestyle experienced by the Phipps family and their guests; tour the many rooms that were “behind the scenes” to create the formal dining experiences of early 20th century. Go along the corridors to the butler’s pantry and silver cleaning room then descend the 17 steps to the kitchen, scullery, and wine storage rooms located on the ground floor. Reservations required. 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information contact (516) 333-0048 or visit OldWestburyGardens.org.
Celebrate the season at Orkestai Farm’s Harvest Moon Fall Festival fundraiser, Saturday, Oct. 7 , 3:30-6:30 p.m. at the farm located within Planting Fields Arboretum. Enjoy delectable vegetable platters prepared by local chefs with produce from the farm, drinks from local breweries and roasteries, with entertainment by the Rusty String Band and Yin Mei Dance, and a community art project that inspires the art of movement. Planting Fields, Oyster Bay. Visit OrkestaiFarm.org or call (516) 817-6420/
Participate in Glen Cove Public Library’s at-your-own-pace hour walk, every Thursday, at 9:15 a.m. All fitness levels are welcome and attendees are encouraged to walk at their own pace, 4 Glen Cove Ave., Glen Cove. Register at GlencCoveLbrary.org or call (516) 6762130 for more information.
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
JERICHO WATER DISTRICT
REQUIREMENTS
CONTRACT FOR CHEMICAL BULK
STORAGE AND PETROLEUM BULK STORAGE TANK ALARM MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS
CONTRACT NO. G1-24
Sealed Bids for Contract No. G1-24 Requirements
Contract for Chemical Bulk Storage and Petroleum Bulk Storage Tank Alarm Maintenance and Repairs will be received by the Jericho Water District, located at 125 Convent Road, Syosset, New York, no later than 9:00 a.m. (Local Time), on Friday, October 20, 2023, and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud. COVID-19 protocols will be in effect.
The scope of work in this on-call contract includes furnishing all labor, materials, equipment, tools, vehicles, and incidentals as necessary for the maintenance and repairs of chemical and petroleum bulk storage tank leak and level monitoring equipment located throughout the Jericho Water District as needed and as directed by the District.
The Contract Documents, consisting of Advertisement for Bids, Instructions to Bidders, Bidder’s Checklist, Bid, Bid Bond, Statement of Surety’s Intent, Agreement, Performance Bond, Payment Bond, General Conditions, Supplementary Conditions, Wage Rates, Specifications and Addenda, may be examined at the following locations: Jericho Water District 125 Convent Road Syosset, NY 11791
D&B Engineers and Architects, D.P.C.
330 Crossways Park Drive Woodbury, NY 11797-2015
No formal pre-bid meeting will be held. Please see Instructions to Bidders section for details.
Complete digital sets of Bidding Documents, drawings and specifications, will be available no later than Friday, October 6, 2023, and may be obtained online as a download at the following website: dbea.biddyhq.com under ‘public projects.’ Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsible for full or partial sets of the Contract Documents, including Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than the issuing office. All bidders must become registered plan holders and obtain a set of the Contract Documents and All Addenda.
Complete sets of Bidding Documents, Drawings and Specifications, may
be obtained from REVplans, 28 Church Street, Warwick, New York 10990, Tel: 1 845-651-3845, as a download upon payment of a $100.00 nonrefundable bid fee. Any bidder requiring hard copies of the documents shall make arrangements directly with REV and pay for all reproduction, packaging and shipping costs.
Each Bid must be accompanied by a certified or bank cashier’s check made payable to OWNER, or a Bid Bond issued by a surety licensed to conduct business in the state where the Project is located and having a Best Rating of A- or better from A.M. Best Company and named in the current list of “Companies Holding Certificates of Authority as Sureties on Federal Bonds and as Acceptable Reinsuring Companies” as published in Circular 570 (amended) by the Financial Management Service, Surety Bond Branch, U.S. Department of the Treasury, in an amount not less than 5% of the amount of the Bid submitted. The list may be ordered from the Government Printing Office Bookstore, 26 Federal Plaza, Room 110, New York, NY 10278, (212) 264-3825.
Each Bidder must complete and submit with his/her bid the “Iranian Investment Activities
Certification” provided in the Bid Form in compliance with General Municipal Law 103-g, Iranian Energy Sector Divestment.
Each Bidder must complete and submit with his/her Bid the “Certification of Compliance with New York State Labor Law
Section Two Hundred One-G” provided in the Bid Form regarding the implementation of a written policy addressing sexual harassment prevention in the workplace.
The Bidder to whom the OWNER proposes to award the Contract will be required to furnish performance and payment bonds and the necessary insurance certificates as prescribed in the General Conditions and the Supplementary Conditions upon the execution of the Agreement within ten (10) days of the Notice of Award.
Bidders are required to execute a non-collusive bidding certification required by Section 103-d of the General Municipal Law of the State of New York.
The attention of Bidders is particularly called to the requirements as to the conditions of employment to be observed and the minimum wage rates to be paid under the
contracts.
Bidders are also required to comply with the antidiscrimination provisions of Sections 290-301 of the Executive Law of the State of New York.
The OWNER reserves the right to reject any or all of the Bids received, to readvertise for Bids, to abandon the project, to waive any or all informalities in any Bid received and to accept any proposal which the OWNER decides to be for the best interest of the OWNER.
A public meeting may also be held at the time and place noted above wherein the District will conduct such regular and other business which is properly brought before the Board of Commissioners. In response to the concerns relative to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Board of Commissioners reserves the right to hold Board Meetings via a phoneconferencing platform pursuant to Chapter 417 of the NYS Laws of 2021. For up-to-date information, please visit the District’s website, www.jerichowater.org.
Bidders may hand deliver bids to the District’s Headquarters, if desired, or via mail or other courier service. Directions for on-site hand delivery of bids will be posted on the front door on the day of the bid opening. If community COVID transmission rates are high, and the Commissioners close the bid opening to the public, all vendors who requested bid packages will be notified. The Bid Totals for each submitted Bid will be posted on the District’s website immediately following the bid opening.
Note: All questions must be submitted, in writing, to Frank Merklin, no later than 9:00 a.m. on Friday, October 13, 2023. Questions must be sent via email to fmerklin@dbeng.com.
Board of Commissioners
Jericho Water District
Date: By: James Asmus, Secretary 142361
LEGAL NOTICE
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS JERICHO WATER DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS CONTRACT FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROLS
CONTRACT NO. G2-24
Sealed Bids for Contract No. G2-24 Requirements Contract for the Maintenance of Instrumentation and Controls will be received by the Jericho Water District, located in the conference room at 125 Convent Road, Syosset,
New York, no later than 9:00 a.m. (Local Time), on Friday, October 20, 2023, and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud. Covid-19 protocols will be in effect.
The scope of work of this contract includes furnishing all necessary labor, materials, tools and equipment and perform all work as specified herein and/or as required for miscellaneous instrumentation and control equipment troubleshooting, maintenance and repair work at various well and booster pump stations and storage tanks located throughout the Water District.
The Contract Documents, consisting of Advertisement for Bids, Instructions to Bidders, Bidder’s Checklist, Bid, Bid Bond, Statement of Surety’s Intent, Agreement, Performance Bond, Payment Bond, General Conditions, Supplementary Conditions, Wage Rates, Specifications and Addenda may be examined at the following locations:
Jericho Water District 125 Convent Road Syosset, New York 11791 D&B Engineers and Architects, D.P.C. 330 Crossways Park Drive Woodbury, NY 11797-2015
No formal pre-bid meeting will be held.
Please see Instructions to Bidders section for details.
Complete digital sets of Bidding Documents and specifications will be available no later than Friday, October 6, 2023, and may be obtained online as a download at the following website: dbea.biddyhq.com under ‘public projects.’ Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsible for full or partial sets of the Contract Documents, including Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than the issuing office. All Bidders must become registered plan holders and obtain a set of the Contract Documents and All Addenda.
Complete sets of Bidding Documents, Drawings and Specifications, may be obtained from REVplans, 28 Church Street, Warwick, New York 10990, Tel: 1 845-651-3845, as a download upon payment of a $100.00 nonrefundable bid fee. Any bidder requiring hard copies of the documents shall make arrangements directly with REV and pay for all reproduction, packaging and shipping costs.
Each Bid must be accompanied by a certified or bank cashier’s check made payable to OWNER, or a Bid Bond issued by a surety licensed to conduct business in the state where the Project is
located and having a Best Rating of A- or better from A.M. Best Company and named in the current list of “Companies Holding Certificates of Authority as Sureties on Federal Bonds and as Acceptable Reinsuring Companies” as published in Circular 570 (amended) by the Financial Management Service, Surety Bond Branch, U.S. Department of the Treasury, in an amount not less than 5% of the amount of the Bid submitted. The list may be ordered from the Government Printing Office Bookstore, 26 Federal Plaza, Room 110, New York, NY 10278, (212) 264-3825.
Each Bidder must complete and submit with his/her bid the “Iranian Investment Activities Certification” provided in the Bid Form in compliance with General Municipal Law 103-g, Iranian Energy Sector Divestment.
Each Bidder must complete and submit with his/her Bid the “Certification of Compliance with New York State Labor Law Section Two Hundred One-G” provided in the Bid Form regarding the implementation of a written policy addressing sexual harassment prevention in the workplace.
The Bidder to whom the OWNER proposes to award the Contract will be required to furnish performance and payment bonds and the necessary insurance certificates as prescribed in the General Conditions and the Supplementary Conditions upon the execution of the Agreement within ten (10) days of the Notice of Award.
Bidders are required to execute a non-collusive bidding certification required by Section 103-d of the General Municipal Law of the State of New York.
The attention of Bidders is particularly called to the requirements as to the conditions of employment to be observed and the minimum wage rates to be paid under the contracts.
Bidders are also required to comply with the antidiscrimination provisions of Sections 290-301 of the Executive Law of the State of New York.
The OWNER reserves the right to reject any or all of the Bids received, to readvertise for Bids, to abandon the project, to waive any or all informalities in any Bid received and to accept any proposal which the OWNER decides to be for the best interest of the OWNER.
A public meeting may also be held at the time and place noted above wherein the District will conduct such regular and
other business which is properly brought before the Board of Commissioners. In response to the concerns relative to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Board of Commissioners reserves the right to hold Board Meetings via a phoneconferencing platform pursuant to Chapter 417 of the NYS Laws of 2021. For up-to-date information, please visit the District’s website, www.jerichowater.org.
Bidders may hand deliver bids to the District’s Headquarters, if desired, or via mail or other courier service. Directions for on-site hand delivery of bids will be posted on the front door on the day of the bid opening. If community COVID transmission rates are high, and the Commissioners close the bid opening to the public, all vendors who requested bid packages will be notified. The Bid Totals for each submitted Bid will be posted on the District’s website immediately following the bid opening.
Note: All questions must be submitted, in writing, to Frank Merklin, no later than 9:00 a.m. on Friday, October 13, 2023. Questions must be sent via email to fmerklin@dbeng.com.
Board of Commissioners
Jericho Water District
Date:
By: James Asmus, Secretary 142362
LEGAL NOTICE
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
JERICHO WATER DISTRICT SUPPLY AND DELIVER LIQUID HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
CONTRACT NO. G9-24
Sealed Bids for Contract No. G9-24 Supply and Deliver Liquid Hydrogen Peroxide will be received by the Jericho Water District, located in the conference room at 125 Convent Road, Syosset, New York, no later than 9:00 a.m. (Local Time), on Friday, October 20, 2023, and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud. Covid protocols will be in effect.
The scope of work of this contract includes supplying and delivering liquid hydrogen peroxide to the various Jericho Water District well facilities.
The Contract Documents, consisting of Advertisement for Bids, Instructions to Bidders, Bidder’s Checklist, Bid, General Conditions, Supplementary Conditions, Specifications and Addenda may be examined at the following locations:
Jericho Water District 125 Convent Road
Syosset, New York 11791
D&B Engineers and Architects, D.P.C. 330 Crossways Park Drive
Woodbury, NY
11797-2015
No formal pre-bid meeting will be held. Please see Instructions to Bidders section for details.
Complete digital sets of Bidding Documents and specifications will be available no later than Friday, October 6, 2023, and may be obtained online as a download at the following website: dbea.biddyhq.com under ‘public projects.’ Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsible for full or partial sets of the Contract Documents, including Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than the issuing office. All Bidders must become registered plan holders and obtain a set of the Contract Documents and All Addenda.
Complete sets of Bidding Documents, Drawings and Specifications, may be obtained from REVplans, 28 Church Street, Warwick, New York 10990, Tel: 1 845-651-3845, as a download upon payment of a $100.00 nonrefundable bid fee. Any bidder requiring hard copies of the documents shall make arrangements directly with REV and pay for all reproduction, packaging and shipping costs. Each Bidder must complete and submit with his/her bid the “Iranian Investment Activities Certification” provided in the Bid Form in compliance with General Municipal Law 103-g, Iranian Energy Sector Divestment. Each Bidder must complete and submit with his/her Bid the “Certification of Compliance with New York State Labor Law Section Two Hundred One-G” provided in the Bid Form regarding the implementation of a written policy addressing sexual harassment prevention in the workplace.
Bidders are required to execute a non-collusive bidding certification required by Section 103-d of the General Municipal Law of the State of New York.
Bidders are also required to comply with the antidiscrimination provisions of Sections 290-301 of the Executive Law of the State of New York.
The OWNER reserves the right to reject any or all of the Bids received, to readvertise for Bids, to abandon the project, to waive any or all informalities in any Bid received and to accept any proposal which the OWNER decides to be for the best interest of the OWNER.
A public meeting may also be held at the time and place noted above wherein the District will conduct such regular and other business which is properly brought before
the Board of Commissioners. In response to the concerns relative to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Board of Commissioners reserves the right to hold Board Meetings via a phoneconferencing platform pursuant to Chapter 417 of the NYS Laws of 2021. For up-to-date information, please visit the District’s website, www.jerichowater.org.
Bidders may hand deliver bids to the District’s Headquarters, if desired, or via mail or other courier service. Directions for on-site hand delivery of bids will be posted on the front door on the day of the bid opening. If community COVID transmission rates are high, and the Commissioners close the bid opening to the public, all vendors who requested bid packages will be notified. The Bid Totals for each submitted Bid will be posted on the District’s website immediately following the bid opening.
Note: All questions must be submitted, in writing, to Frank Merklin, no later than 9:00 a.m. on Friday, October 13, 2023. Questions must be sent via email to fmerklin@dbeng.com.
Board of Commissioners
Jericho Water District
Date:
By:
James Asmus, Secretary, 2023 142363
LEGAL NOTICE
PUBLIC NOTICE
OYSTER BAY SEWER DISTRICT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the qualified and registered voters of the OYSTER BAY SEWER DISTRICT in the Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau, State of New York, that an election will be held within said District, at the Administration Office of the Oyster Bay Sewer District, located at 15 Bay Avenue, Oyster Bay, New York, on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, between the hours of six (6:00) o’clock p.m. and nine (9:00) o’clock p.m., for the purpose of the election of (a) a Sewer Commissioner for said District for a term of three (3) years beginning January 1, 2024 and expiring December 31, 2026. The incumbent, Thomas D. Galasso, is running for election. Said election is called pursuant to Sections 211 and 212 of Article 13 of the Town Law of the State of New York.
Section 213 of the Town Law of the State of New York provides that no person shall be entitled to vote for improvement District Commissioners unless he or she is a registered voter who shall have resided in the improvement District for a
period of thirty days next preceding any election of Commissioners. Pursuant to Subdivision 2 (a) of Section 213-a of the Town Law of the State of New York, only those persons registered with the Board of Elections on or before the 23rd day before such election and those persons whose names are placed on the improvement District register pursuant to the provisions of such Law, shall be entitled to vote in the Oyster Bay Sewer District Election.
FURTHER NOTICE IS
HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to Subdivision 20 of Section 215 of the Town Law of the State of New York, the Board of Commissioners of the Oyster Bay Sewer District has adopted a resolution providing that candidates for the office of Sewer Commissioner shall file their names with the Secretary of the Board of Commissioners at least thirty days prior to the date of the District election, and, in addition, such nomination must be submitted in petition form subscribed by twenty-five registered voters of the Oyster Bay Sewer District.
By Order of the Board of Sewer Commissioners of the Oyster Bay Sewer District.
Dated: Oyster Bay, NY
September 27, 2023
BOARD OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS
142343
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that SEALED PROPOSALS for:
THE ROOF REPAIR AT DISTRICT
HEADQUARTERS
CONTRACT NO. G10-22 will be received by the JERICHO WATER DISTRICT in the Conference Room at 125 Convent Road, Syosset, New York 11791, no later than 9:00 A.M., Prevailing Time on Friday, October 20th, 2023, at which time and place they will be publicly opened and read aloud.
Specifications, Proposal and Contract Documents may be examined at the office of the Jericho Water District, 125 Convent Road, Syosset, NY 11791 (516) 921-8280 on and after Friday, October 6th, 2023 between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M.
Complete digital sets of Bidding Documents and specifications will be available on Friday, October 6th, 2022, by emailing jwdinfo@jerichowater.org
. The Owner will not be responsible for full or partial sets of the Contract Documents, including Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than the issuing office. All bidders must obtain a set of the Contract Documents and All Addenda
Each Proposal submitted must be accompanied by a bid bond from a surety company authorized to do business in NEW YORK STATE or a certified check drawn on a bank with its principal place of business in NEW YORK STATE, in an amount of five (5%) percent of the amount bid. The bid bond or certified check shall name the JERICHO WATER DISTRICT as oblige or payee, and is given as assurance that if the bid is awarded to the bidder, the bidder will enter into a contract and furnish the required bonds and insurance; and upon such failure the bid security, if in the form of a certified check, shall be retained by the JERICHO WATER DISTRICT as liquidated damages; and if the security is in the form of a bid bond the District may enforce its rights under the bond.
Wages and supplements payable to all laborers, workers and mechanics on this project shall be paid at the prevailing rate established under the NYS labor law. Proof of completion of an approved OSHA 10 or 30 hour safety course for each individual must accompany each payment request.
Each Bidder must complete and submit with their bid the “Iranian Investment Activities
Certification” provided in the Bid Form in compliance with General Municipal Law 103-g, Iranian Energy Sector Divestment.
Each Bidder must complete and submit with their Bid the “Certification of Compliance with New York State Labor Law
Section Two Hundred One-G” provided in the Bid Form regarding the implementation of a written policy addressing sexual harassment prevention in the workplace.
No bid may be withdrawn until after the expiration of forty-five (45) calendar days after the date of the opening of the bids. Any withdrawal of a bid must be in writing and actually delivered to the District.
Bidders are also required to comply with the antidiscrimination provisions of Sections 290-301 of the Executive Law of the State of New York. The District reserves the right to reject any or all bids, waive any informalities and to accept such bid, in its opinion, is in the best interest of the District.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
A public meeting may also be held at the time and place noted above wherein the District will conduct such regular and other business which is properly brought before the Board of Commissioners.
Note: All questions must be submitted no later
than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, October 13th, 2023. Questions must be sent via email to Peter Logan @ plogan@jerichowater.org.
BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS
JERICHO WATER
DISTRICT JAMES ASMUS SECRETARY
DATED:October 6th, 2023 142348
LEGAL NOTICE
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
JERICHO WATER
DISTRICT
CONTRACT NO. C1-24
REQUIREMENTS
CONTRACTS FOR THE PURCHASE OF GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON SYSTEMS Sealed Bids for Contract No. C1-24, Requirements Contract for the Purchase of Granular Activated Carbon Systems will be received by the Jericho Water District office, located at 125 Convent Road, Syosset, New York, no later than 9:00 a.m. (Local Time), on Friday, October 20, 2023, and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud. COVID-19 protocols will be in effect.
The project consists of furnishing Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption System consisting of two (2) adsorption vessels for various facilities within the District.
The Contract Documents, consisting of Advertisement for Bids, Instructions to Bidders, Bidder’s Checklist, Bid, Bid Bond, Statement of Surety’s Intent, Agreement, Performance Bond, Payment Bond, Maintenance Bond, NYSEFC Equivalent Terms and Conditions and Guidance, General Conditions,
Supplementary Conditions, Wage Rates, Drawings, Specifications and Addenda may be examined at the following locations: Jericho Water District 125 Convent Road Syosset, NY 11791
D&B Engineers and Architects, D.P.C.
330 Crossways Park Drive Woodbury, NY 11797-2015
No formal pre-bid meeting will be held.
Please see Instructions to Bidders section for details.
Complete digital sets of Bidding Documents, drawings and specifications, will be available no later than Friday, October 6, 2023, and may be obtained online as a download at the following website: dbea.biddyhq.com under ‘public projects.’ Neither Owner nor Engineer will be responsible for full or partial sets of the Contract Documents, including Addenda if any, obtained from sources other than the issuing
office. All bidders must become registered plan holders and obtain a set of the Contract Documents and All Addenda.
Complete sets of Bidding Documents, Drawings and Specifications, may be obtained from REVplans, 28 Church Street, Warwick, New York 10990, Tel: 1 845-651-3845, as a download upon payment of a $100.00 nonrefundable bid fee. Any bidder requiring hard copies of the documents shall make arrangements directly with REV and pay for all reproduction, packaging and shipping costs.
Each Bid must be accompanied by a certified or bank cashier’s check made payable to OWNER, or a Bid Bond issued by a surety licensed to conduct business in the state where the Project is located and having a Best Rating of A- or better from A.M. Best Company and named in the current list of “Companies Holding Certificates of Authority as Sureties on Federal Bonds and as Acceptable Reinsuring Companies” as published in Circular 570 (amended) by the Financial Management Service, Surety Bond Branch, U.S. Department of the Treasury, in an amount not less than 5% of the amount of the Bid submitted. The list may be ordered from the Government Printing Office Bookstore, 26 Federal Plaza, Room 110, New York, NY 10278, (212) 264-3825. This project is to be funded in whole or in part using funds from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (NYSEFC). All projects funded by the NYSEFC must conform to the goals stated in NYS Executive Law - Article 15-A. The Contractor will agree to make documented “good faith efforts” to utilize combined goal of 30% Minority Business Enterprise(s) and Women’s Business Enterprise(‘s) for this project, and a 6% Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business goal. All of the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials covered by the BABA and/or AIS Requirement, as required used in the project will be and/or have been produced in the United States in a manner that complies with the BABA and/or AIS Requirement, unless a waiver of the requirement is approved.
Each Bidder must complete and submit with their bid the “Iranian Investment Activities Certification” provided in the Bid Form in compliance with General Municipal Law 103-g, Iranian Energy Sector
To celebrate Hank Williams’ birthday centennial, the New York-based country singer Tennessee Walt will be performing an all-Williams concert on Oct. 7 at the Locust Valley Public Library.
The show will include classic Williams songs such as “I Saw the Light” and “Your Cheating Heart,” but also lesser known Williams songs and rarities, including songs that were never
commercially recorded and survived only as posthumously released demo tapes. Walt will also talk about the stories behind the songs and the man who wrote them.
The library is located at 170 Buckram Road in Locust Valley. For more information, call (516) 671-1837, and register at LocustValleyLibrary.org. The event will begin at 2 p.m.
Town of Oyster Bay residents are invited to participate in an Oyster Bay Harbor cleanup, rescheduled for Saturday at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park in Oyster Bay near the gazebo. Cosponsored by the Friends of the Bay, this event offers volunteers — individuals, families, companies and organizations — an opportunity to give back to the environment by removing litter and debris from the shoreline. Certificates are available upon request for students seeking to fulfill volunteer requirements.
“This is a great opportunity to roll up your sleeves, giveback to Mother Earth, and have fun while learning more about our local marine life and environment,” Joseph Saladino, Town of Oyster Bay supervisor, said. “I hope to see you at the Oyster Bay Harbor Cleanup.”
Volunteers are invited to participate in the cleanup, which will run from 9 a.m. to noon. The central meeting place will be Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park launching ramps and waterfront
gazebo off of Larrabee Avenue in Oyster Bay. Additional cleanup locations include Stehli Beach in Bayville and Centre Island Beach in Bayville.
All volunteers should check in at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park. Typically, in year’s past, harbor and beach clean-up events have resulted in roughly 40,000 pounds of debris being collected by volunteers and town workers.
“Each year, countless amounts of paper, food, plastics and other trash are discarded on beaches or dumped overboard from recreational and commercial vessels,” Steve Labriola, Town of Oyster Bay councilman, stated. “Allowing this litter to remain on our shorelines will only lead to increasingly worse damage for the environment.”
Individuals and groups who are interested in registering for this environmental cleanup should contact the town’s Department of Environmental Resources at (516) 677-5943 or visit OysterBayTown.com/volunteer.
Divestment.
Each Bidder must complete and submit with their Bid the “Certification of Compliance with New York State Labor Law Section Two Hundred One-G” provided in the Bid Form regarding the implementation of a written policy addressing sexual harassment prevention in the workplace.
The Bidder to whom the OWNER proposes to award the Contract will be required to furnish performance and payment bonds and the necessary insurance certificates as prescribed in the General Conditions and the Supplementary Conditions upon the execution of the Agreement within ten (10) days of the Notice of Award.
Bidders are required to execute a non-collusive bidding certification required by Section 103-d of the General Municipal Law of the State of New
York.
The attention of Bidders is particularly called to the requirements as to the conditions of employment to be observed and the minimum wage rates to be paid under the contracts. Bidders are also required to comply with the antidiscrimination provisions of Sections 290-301 of the Executive Law of the State of New York. Contractors shall comply with all NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation (NYS EFC), Minority/Woman’s Business Enterprise (M/WBE) and ServiceDisabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOB), American Iron and Steel and by American Program requirements as well as all applicable District, County, State and Federal Laws and Regulations.
The OWNER reserves the right to reject any or all of the Bids received, to readvertise for Bids, to abandon the project, to
waive any or all informalities in any Bid received and to accept any proposal which the OWNER decides to be for the best interest of the OWNER.
A public meeting may also be held at the time and place noted above wherein the District will conduct such regular and other business which is properly brought before the Board of Commissioners. In response to the concerns relative to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Board of Commissioners reserves the right to hold Board Meetings via a phoneconferencing platform pursuant to Chapter 417 of the NYS Laws of 2021.
For up-to-date information, please visit the District’s website, www.jerichowater.org.
Bidders may hand deliver bids to the District’s Headquarters, if desired, or via mail or other courier service. Directions for on-site hand delivery
of bids will be posted on the front door on the day of the bid opening. If community COVID transmission rates are high, and the Commissioners close the bid opening to the public, all vendors who requested bid packages will be notified. The Bid Totals for each submitted Bid will be posted on the District’s website immediately following the bid opening.
Note: All questions must be submitted, in writing, to Frank Merklin, no later than 9:00 a.m. on Friday, October 13, 2023. Questions must be sent via email to fmerklin@dbeng.com.
Board of Commissioners
Jericho Water District
Date
By: James Asmus, Secretary 142360
Most people view politics as a simple business. There are winners and losers. But there are other factors that can determine who emerges as a victor or suffers defeat, and the public hears little if anything about them. I refer specifically to the terms “coattails” and “down ballot.”
The best example of the first phenomenon I can think of was last year’s race for governor of New York. The contest featured Democrat Kathy Hochul, who was well known for her activities as lieutenant governor under former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. She had ascended to the governor’s office when Cuomo resigned. Her opponent was then U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, a military veteran who had also been a state senator. Thanks to a number of hot issues, such as bail reform, Zeldin came much closer to beating Hochul than anyone expected, with the highest percentage of the vote for a Republican gubernatorial nominee in 20 years. After a brutal campaign, Hochul
won by a margin of 5 percentage margins. Generally, Republicans running statewide usually have little or no chance to win, but Zeldin mounted a spirited campaign, using crime as his major issue, and he spent an enormous amount of time in four of New York City’s traditionally Democratic boroughs. His aggressive campaign turned out to be a big bonus for other New York Republicans.
Thanks to what we call the coattail effect, Zeldin helped no fewer than five Republican candidates for Congress win in what were traditional Democratic districts. Thanks to Zeldin’s efforts, those five winners helped the Republicans take control of the House of Representatives. In addition to the impact on congressional races, Republicans also won a number of Democratic Assembly seats in Brooklyn and Queens.
If you research state and federal campaigns, you’ll find very few examples of candidates at the top of the ticket sweeping other candidates into office. The first race that I can recall where there was a massive shift in power thanks to the top candidate was President Lyndon Johnson’s campaign
in 1964.
Johnson was opposed by conservative Republican Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona. Goldwater spoke for the extreme elements of the party, and as a result, Johnson was able to craft a campaign that helped elect hundreds of Democrats around the nation. Johnson’s effort was so strong that the Democrats were even able to unseat New York’s Assembly speaker, Joseph F. Carlino, with an unknown car dealer named Jerome McDougal.
Presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama were able to help a few members of their party limp to victory. But their triumphs had none of the magnitude of the Johnson landslide. Candidates for almost every office often hope that the nominee at the top of the ticket will somehow magically propel them into office.
Of course, in some cases, candidates at the bottom of the ballot have to worry that the party frontrunner doesn’t cost them their own elections. Being swept out of office by a weak designee at the top of the ticket isn’t a rare occurrence. In 1972, Democrats chose the ultra-liberal Sen. George McGovern
as their presidential headliner. McGovern won only one state, and caused the party to lose numerous down-ballot races.
In 1988, the Democrats chose Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis as their presidential candidate, and many candidates on the slate, including me, had to run strong individual campaigns to survive.
Both parties are already confronting the issue of whether their candidate for president will help or hurt them. Republicans are especially concerned about whether former President Donald Trump will head their ticket and cost them seats. And Democrats are worried about whether President Biden will have any impact on the party turnout.
As the 2024 races unfold, the highprofile candidates will be the subject of much of the discussion of winning and losing, but their parties will be just as concerned with coattails, and what the results will mean down ballot.
Jerry Kremer was a state 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.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s mirror must be broken. In a mindboggling television appearance last week, she finally acknowledged that the migrant crisis was “a real problem,” but then cleverly shifted blame to Congress for not limiting who can cross the border. She completely misunderstands the situation, or willfully misrepresents it.
In either case, she fails to acknowledge that she’s largely responsible for this mess.
MARTINSIt’s not as if the suburbs haven’t already suffered from her failed policies.
Cashless bail, rising crime, and a half-baked accessory housing plan have left Long Islanders reeling. But no problems are as pressing today as the migrant crisis now overwhelming New York.
So, let’s be clear about its origins. By executive order, and without legislation, the governor declared New York a “sanctuary” state. Not one to be
out-virtue signaled, New York City Mayor Eric Adams then doubled down with the city’s “right to shelter” policy. The resulting disaster was predictable. More than 100,000 migrants poured in seeking help, and chaos ensued.
The governor then declared a state of emergency, marshaled over $2 billion in taxpayer funds for the effort, and even mobilized the National Guard, fully conceding that things were out of control. Yet despite all this — despite daily reports from overwhelmed neighborhoods, despite thousands of New Yorkers raising their voices in protest — she changed nothing. Even now, she refuses to take the most obvious course of action: to rescind our sanctuary status and enforce existing laws.
Imagine you came home and found a busted pipe flooding your kitchen. You could, of course, call a plumber, grab some buckets and start mopping up, but the very first thing you should do is close the valve and stop the flow. That’s common sense.
Rather than embrace this approach, Hochul vilifies those who encourage it by falsely accusing them of intolerance. The truth is, she lacks the political conviction to challenge other members of her party, and instead foists the burden of their failed policy onto us. She asks struggling taxpayers to fund it, residents to absorb tent cities with thousands of unvetted migrants, and our already underfunded schools to absorb the overflow under threat of prosecution. All this while she ignores the needs of the most vulnerable New Yorkers, who still live on our streets.
The billions of dollars that have been spent thus far on this irresponsible stance, and the billions more that will be spent, come at the expense of every New Yorker who must look elsewhere for help. Our limited resources are being siphoned off on what is a self-created crisis. As a state senator, I can assure you that Hochul and the legislative majority are diverting funds from schools, veterans, seniors, specialneeds populations, and families strug -
gling to make ends meet.
New Yorkers are among the most generous and welcoming people in the world, time and again opening our hearts and wallets to help our neighbors. We maintain one of the most expansive safety-net programs in the country, and routinely answer the call to aid the less fortunate, but this political folly puts our state on the verge of insolvency. Hochul is aware that New York is now looking at years of deficits, and that continuing this foolish trajectory makes that fiscal abyss that much deeper.
The governor and mayor alone chose sanctuary status, putting out a welcome mat for every migrant who arrives in this country. They chose virtue signaling over good government, and so must bear the consequences. That in no way affords them the luxury of transferring their fiasco to our suburban communities.
Until Hochul reverses our sanctuary-state designation, nobody will take her television soliloquies seriously. We will see them for what they are: mere lip service to protect vulnerable candidates as election season approaches.
Jack Martins represents the 7th Senate District.
JACK
Long after she declared us a ‘sanctuary state,’ she sees the problem.
Counting on strength at the top of the ballot, or concerned about weakness.JERRY KREMER
The horrific charter bus accident on Orange County’s Interstate 84 on Sept. 21 that claimed the lives of a band director and a retired teacher while injuring 16 members of Farmingdale High School’s marching band should be a wake-up call for change. The procedure for ensuring that a charter bus is safe for travel — an inspection, now conducted by the owner of the bus company — should be augmented by the school districts themselves whenever any trip involves our most precious cargo.
Many school districts hire charter bus companies they deem safe by considering past driving records, hiring practices and inspection procedures. A state transportation department spokesman told reporters after the accident that the charter bus, operated by Regency Transportation of Nesconset, had undergone its semiannual inspection in August, and passed.
While it isn’t clear whether there was another inspection before the bus left for the marching band camp in Greeley, Pennsylvania, investigators believe the crash was caused by a faulty front tire. One last inspection — especially by a qualified school district official — possibly could have found the problem, and the outcome of that day might have been quite different.
That’s already happening at schools in Glen Head, Glenwood Landing and Sea Cliff on the North Shore, where
To the Editor:
their own transportation depot, built in 2006, conducts inspections by mechanics employed and contracted by the district. A bus must pass a second inspection before it can leave the depot.
North Shore Schools superintendent Chris Zublionis says that having the depot saves the district money, and brings in revenue when its employees work on buses from other districts. It also gives them all the control necessary to ensure that buses are safe.
The school district’s charter and regular yellow buses all have seat belts, as do yellow buses rented by other districts. Most charter buses have seat belts, too. Initial reports from the Farmingdale accident, however, indicated that none of the 40 students and four adults on the bus were wearing seat belts when it careened 50 feet down a steep slope near Wawayanda after crashing through a guardrail. Several of the injured passengers were ejected.
AAA spokesman Robert Sinclair says that bus passengers should wear seat belts, although many yellow buses from various school districts don’t have them.
“The expense of having them in a school bus is paid for by school districts,” Sinclair said, “and since school buses are the safest vehicle on the road, statistically — with very few crashes — schools may not want to incur the expense.
“It would have been beneficial,” he added, “if they had been wearing them
in this accident.”
But the benefits of wearing a seat belt on a bus aren’t as clear as, say, for a regular passenger car, Zublionis said. One theory is that a seat belt could stop a child from escaping from a bus in an emergency. But Zublionis — along with other superintendents the Herald spoke with — supports wearing one, although no school district requires students to do so.
That needs to change. Sinclair said that it’s far more common for seat belts to protect passengers in a charter bus accident than to be a detriment.
And it wouldn’t be hard to make the change. Before a bus departs, a chaperone or teacher could instruct students to buckle their seat belts, demonstrate how it’s done, and then ensure that they are properly secured — as airline flight attendants do before takeoff.
Taking simple steps like these is the least we could do in light of the Farmingdale High tragedy. This is an opportunity for school districts to be proactive, and make a few changes — like taking control of bus inspections, and ensuring that seat belts are worn. And the state education department could help, too, by sending bus safety guidelines to schools.
Everyone — from parents to school districts to bus operators — wants to protect our children, whether they are in the classroom or on the road. Taking these common-sense steps will help ensure that this happens.
Note to former Congressman Peter King (“We’ve had great people working for us at the U.N.,” last week): Driving into Midtown Manhattan in midafternoon is never a good idea, and a particularly bad one when world leaders gather at the United Nations in late September.
Rather than spending a half-hour traveling five and a half blocks, Mr. King could have taken the subway to his destination. If he had ridden the Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central, the No. 6 train from there would have gotten him to WABC-AM’s studio on East 49th Street in about five minutes.
Imagine: no frustration, and plenty of time to read or nap. The train and subway would have been cheaper too, given Mr. King’s decision to spend at least $30 to park in a garage. Hopefully, congestion pricing will further encourage him, and thousands of other drivers, to opt for the vastly superior alternative of public transit.
KEVIN J. KELLEY Atlantic BeachIn the era of the 24/7 news cycle, it was easy to dismiss what looked like an impending federal government shutdown as the latest bit of political theater that would keep the talking heads yammering on until the next crisis.
But the political posturing in Washington is overshadowing the very real stakes of the federal budget fight for everyday Americans — including the hardworking families on Long Island who are struggling to make ends meet, and retired seniors.
The debate is also revealing what’s actually important to our local congressional representatives, who include Republicans Anthony D’Esposito, George Santos, Andrew Garbarino and Nick LaLota — all willing accomplices in a government shutdown gambit, thankfully unsuccessful, that prioritized the interests of big business and MAGA politics over the constituents they were elected to represent and protect.
As president of the Long Island chapter of the Alliance for Retired
Americans, an organization fighting to protect the rights of seniors, Social Security and Medicare, I know what’s important to me: quality, affordable health care, a reliable safety net, and a responsible government that tries to do right by its citizens and not special interests.
If Long Island’s congressional delegation was willing to join the House leadership in threatening to shut down the government to get their budget proposal passed, they must have thought it was pretty important. So what was in it?
First of all, the Republican budget proposal would end Medicare’s ability to negotiate prescription drug prices, just weeks after the Biden administration began using this new policy to start driving down out-ofpocket costs that often force seniors like me to choose between taking lifesaving medicine or keeping the lights on in our homes.
The party that claims to be concerned about lowering the cost of living would do the opposite in their budget, by cutting the Inflation Reduction Act’s insurance premium subsidies. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, 13 million Americans are already sav-
To the Editor:
I’d like to commend reader Brian Kelly for his thoughtful letter in last week’s issue, “Are we sure Trump’s guilt would be enough?” explaining how former President Donald Trump may escape conviction despite overwhelming evidence. I’d just like to add two things Mr. Kelly didn’t mention.
The first is that a “not guilty” verdict is not synonymous with “innocent.” When a jury foreperson announces “not guilty,” that means only that the jury did not feel the prosecution had a strong enough case to prove the defendant was guilty, even though he or she may clearly not be innocent.
The second is that Trump is only one part of a much bigger problem in our country. That problem is that so many people continue to support him regardless of what he says, how he behaves, or even how many times he is indicted. The most frightening thing is that Trump continues to soar in the
polls. He may actually succeed in once again getting his hands on the reins of this country due to his base of supporters, who don’t seem to care which laws he has broken, and to the many citizens who just don’t care enough to vote.
PAM SINGER Malverne
To the Editor:
Welcome back to Randi Kreiss (“I’ll be choosing my words even more carefully,” Sept. 21-27)! As a reader, I for one welcome her return, and hope her husband is doing well.
I’m sad to hear that she has decided to write her column monthly, as opposed to weekly, but it will give me something to look forward to. Perhaps the Herald can fill her space with other columnists from different stages in life — a Generation X-er and a parent navigating a life with children come to mind. Just a thought.
DEBBIE LEVINE Baldwin
ing an average of $2,400 per year on health care. In New York alone, nearly 119,000 people have saved an average of $362 on monthly premiums — and those savings are expected to keep growing. In 2025, more than 1 million New Yorkers will save an average of nearly $390 thanks to the act’s annual out-of-pocket cost cap.
The House plan would also cut $3.8 billion from the National Institutes of Health, which would stall research in cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and long Covid. That is the very definition of cutting off your nose to spite your face.
But that’s not all. The House Republican plan would cut $30.7 billion in funding for Medicare and Medicaid. These cuts would force roughly 3.8 million seniors and people with disabilities in New York to endure longer wait times when they call the Medicare call center. This reduction in funding would also make it harder to pay hospitals and doctors on time, creating financial challenges for health care providers across the country. And it would limit the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ ability to oversee the safety of New York nursing homes, endangering our seniors.
The list of shortsighted cuts that would only end up costing us more money in the long run includes cuts to the administrative budgets for Medicare and Social Security. So rather than demonstrating fiscal responsibility, our congressional representatives would hamstring the two largest safety net programs for senior citizens and create a future of bad service and long wait times for the people who need reliable delivery of their benefits the most.
When D’Esposito, Santos, LaLota and Garbarino ran for Congress, I don’t remember hearing them say anything about cutting senior citizens’ access to health care in their campaign speeches. So why were they following the likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz down the shutdown path?
It’s time for Long Island’s congressional representatives to decide who they truly represent: their political leadership in Washington, or their constituents here on Long Island. The more than 30,000 Alliance for Retired Americans members in Long Island’s four congressional districts will be watching. And as the old political truism goes: Seniors vote!
Stanley B. Bergman is president of the Long Island Chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans.
by Chelsea Gundrum
Idon’t recall them saying anything about cutting seniors’ access to health care.
