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Oceanside/island park

Vol. 56 No. 8

Law firm seeks to probe commissioner people, both online and in-person.” In a text message to the HerOceanside Sanitation District ald on Monday, Graff said that a No. 7 Commissioner Ryan Hems- meeting had not yet taken place. ley has yet to meet with the law He said after the Feb. 4 meeting firm that was hired to investi- that Hemsley said he was absent gate claims that he was behind from the session because he had racist, homophobic and anti- to be at his regular job as a Semitic Facebook posts, despite sheetmetal worker in Queens. the firm’s attempts Graff held the to conduct the meeting with Coprobe. ch a i r m a n Jo h n At the Feb. 4 Mannone and meeting of the Commissioner Joe Board of CommisSamoles. sioners, which Though Graff Hemsley and Comand the board inimissioner Pat tially said they Doherty did not would conduct the attend, Chairman investigation in Austin Graff said o r d e r t o s av e Hemsley had not money, Hemsley yet met with anysaid he preferred one from the firm. to have an indepenAUStiN GRAFF T h e V a l l e y Sanitation chairman dent firm take on Stream-based the case. He did not C h a n d l e r L aw respond to a Firm is conducting the investi- request for comment about why gation. Calls to the firm request- he missed the board meeting ing comment were not returned and had not yet met with the as of press time. attorneys. “The interview has not been Hemsley has missed several scheduled yet, despite the attor- meetings since October, when neys’ attempts,” Graff said. “At old, controversial posts attached this point, he hasn’t sat for an to his Facebook profile were interview, so that’s the status of that. I’ve been asked by a lot of Continued on page 12

By MikE SMolliNS msmollins@liherald.com

Courtesy Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association

DESPitE thE CoViD-19 pandemic, the Oceanside United Soccer Club hosted the 54th annual Rudy Lamonica soccer tournament, honoring a former Oceanside High School standout athlete who died of cancer at age 17.

Oceanside goes forward with Lamonica soccer tourney By toM CARRozzA tcarrozza@liherald.com

For months, the inability to hold large gatherings because of the coronavirus pandemic meant sports were off the table. After a year of learning and adapting, and a little help from Coleman Country Day Camp in Merrick, the Oceanside United Soccer Club hosted an unusual but successful iteration of the annual Rudy Lamonica indoor tournament.

The 54th Rudy Lamonica Tournament, held this year on Jan. 30 and 31, is among the oldest continuously run youth indoor soccer tournaments in the country. The tournament was named for Oceanside High School’s leading goal scorer in the 1968 and 1969 seasons, when the Sailors were Long Island champions. Lamonica scored more than half the team’s goals during those two seasons, and played in the tournament that now bears his

name until his death from bone cancer in 1970, at age 17. The tournament’s legacy and longevity are due in large part to Rudy’s mother, the late Bessie Lamonica, who spearheaded fundraising efforts and was a fixture in Ocean- side soccer before her death last June. She is considered the club’s matriarch by its current leadership, and helped form the first girls’ soccer team in Oceanside. Continued on page 12

he interview has not been scheduled yet, despite the attorney’s attempts.

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Roundtable discusses teen cyberbullying tcarrozza@liherald.com

Cyberbullying among teens has been a problem for some time, and the issue has been exacerbated during the pandemic. On Thursday, Feb. 11, a group of panelists came together to address the issue in a virtual roundtable discussion. Hosted by Sen. Todd Kaminsky, the panel included students, educators, law enforcement officials, parents, advocates, and Dr. Scott Poland, an internationally recognized expert on youth suicide and self-harm. Panelists discussed their experiences and provided ideas on how to combat the issue going forward. Sue Moller, a guidance counselor at Lynbrook High School, said that cyberbullying has evolved during the pandemic. “There’s a lot more exclusion bullying versus outright bullying,” Moller said. A 2020 study by the Cyberbullying Research Center found that one in five children between the ages of 9 and 12 have seen or been the victims of cyberbullying. “You really don’t see physical bullying anymore,” Ashley Ganesh, a senior at Baldwin High School, said. “That’s been a really apparent change from elementary school to high school. It’s all online now, especially on TikTok.” Ganesh, an ambassador in the Northwell Health-Cohen’s Anti-Bullying Ambassador Program, also said that she has seen Instagram and TikTok rumor accounts that can spread hurtful or damaging rumors with near total anonymity and a lack of accountability from either the account owner or the social media platforms. Panelist Stacey Seltzer shared the story of her 13-year-old daughter’s experience with cyberbullying where a TikTok

Courtesy Sen. Todd Kaminsky

aT The virTual roundtable on Feb. 11, stakeholders and Sen. Todd Kaminsky discussed the prevalence of cyberbullying in New York state, explored its root causes and spoke about possible solutions in addition to Kaminsky’s pending legislation to establish a state task force on the issue. user took images from her private account and added sexually explicit music. Seltzer contacted local law enforcement and her child’s school and eventually was able to stop the harassment, but she struggled to get any sort of response from TikTok or Instagram. “There’s just no way to get anyone, so no one is held responsible,” Seltzer said. “This is like the tobacco companies. They’re cashing in on our children’s wellbeing,” Katie Duffy Schumacher, the founder of Don’t Press Send, a campaign aimed at educating and empowering peo-

ple to use technology responsibly, said. Solomon Noyem Akaeze, a sophomore at Valley Stream Central High School and the president/founder of Students Committed to Social Justice, warned that barring kids and teens from phones is not a permanent solution. Rather, he said, it will take a culture change to get people to stop cyberbullying and that will involve parents making their kids aware of the effects of prolonged social media use. “You need to educate your kids on the gravity of the situation,” Akaeze said, “and how much it can really affect them.”

Dr. David Kilmnick, president of the LGBT Network, likewise cautioned that simply taking phones away might not be helpful. For LGBTQ+ teens, surrendering their phone might not be helpful if they do not have supportive parents. “LGBT youth are two to three times more likely to commit suicide to begin with,” Kilmnick said. “If they get rejected by their family, they’re eight times more likely to commit suicide.” He urged parents to avoid punitive measures and educate their kids so that they understand the ramifications of what they say online. “When we know kids are involved in bullying, we should not hesitate to ask them questions about hopelessness, thoughts of giving up and thoughts of suicide,” Poland said. A psychology professor at Nova Southeastern University, Poland also spoke of the importance of supporting victims and providing consequences for bullies. The CDC currently lists suicide as the second leading cause of death for teens aged 15 to19. And now with social media platforms where anonymity can be achieved, kids and teens are likely to say things they would not if they were face-to-face. From a legislative standpoint, Kaminsky is sponsoring Senate Bill S. 623, which would establish a task force to explore the effects of cyberbullying in New York state and seek to implement measures to address those effects. The bill has been introduced and is now on the floor calendar after the Internet and Technology Committee voted seven to zero in favor of it. “This is an issue that needs to be front and center,” Kaminsky said in a news release after the roundtable. “We discussed many possible solutions, and I will fight to implement them in Albany.”

Oceanside native authors book about students By Tom Carrozza tcarrozza@liherald.com

Oceanside native Shannon Kelly Dass has combined her loves for teaching and writing to help youth and parents alike to understand students with special needs like the ones she works with every day. In her recently published book, “Charlie’s Journey,” Dass aims to give a voice to the students she teaches and is inspired by. Dass attended the University of Hartford, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary English education with a concentration in literature. During her school breaks, she spent time in classrooms with students with special needs. “And as I got to know that population a little bit better, I kind of just fell in love with working with them,” Dass said. Her positive experience with the classroom environment led her to pursue a master’s degree in special education from Teachers College at Columbia University. Alexandra Gordon, a friend of Dass’, said the profession for perfect for her. “Shannon is very patient, understanding and outgoing,” Gordon said. “She is

Dass to start conceptualizsuch a caring friend and ing her book. always makes time for the Dass wanted to explore people close to her.” Gorsome of the emotional don added that Dass was effects that can come from always willing to help her the experience of the onewith papers and offered to on-one teaching relationhelp with schoolwork. ship. Readers spend the After completing her book inside the head of schooling, Dass started out the titular character as he in an elementary school in meets and comes to like Jericho working as a his resource room teacher resource room teacher. Ms. Keenan. Dass drew on Her experiences there Courtesy Shannon Kelly Dass her experiences as a stuhelped create some of the oCeanside naTive dent who struggled in scenarios seen in “Charshannon Kelly Dass some classes and those of lie’s Journey.” Dass now the students she works teaches at H. Frank Carey recently published her with to give a voice to the High School in Franklin book, “Charlies Journey,” in special education populaSquare, helping special which she aims to give a education students who voice to students with spe- tion about the challenges they face. might be struggling with cial needs who she teach”I think it was the culEnglish classes. es and have inspired her. mination of working with When Covid-19 created so many different students shutdowns in March, Dass used her creative writing skills fostered of so many different ability levels, and then on top of that thinking of my own throughout her schooling as a form of therapy. Her re-ignited passion for writ- experiences, like how I felt in school ing coupled with her experiences with when I was struggling, especially for me teaching in a resource room setting led when it came to math,” Dass said of

characterizing Charlie. Dass noted that the pandemic has made connecting with students a challenge. She only sees her students every other day and the rest is over Google Meet, where sometimes students don’t want to turn their cameras on. “It’s difficult,” she said. “I would say it’s better that we’re back, but you can feel that lack of connection and what it’s doing to the students.” Dass said she is excited to continue to explore the connection between her passions for writing and teaching. As she continues with her teaching career, she said, she is also pleased to continue to learn more about her students’ experiences and make them known to a wider audience. “I think what I love about the book is that even though it’s a children’s book, it’s an opportunity for adults to learn,” she said. The subject of the book is something that Dass is passionate about and she said she feels that more people should have a better understanding of. Additionally, she said, she wants readers to realize the work that the students put in.

OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD — February 18, 2021

By Thomas Carrozza

Blackhawks score a championship Despite some Covid-19-related delays, the Oceanside Roller Hockey team recently completed its season. The Blackhawks

knocked off the Islanders, 2-1, in a best-ofthree series to decide the championship in the Mite Division.

Courtesy Stop & Shop

Stop & Shop provided lunch to more than 1,000 front-line workers at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in celebration of the grand reopening and the remodeling of the Oceanside store.

Stop & Shop reopens in O’side

Courtesy Robert Tanner

Fine Italian Cuisine in the Heart of Long Beach

Stop & Shop recently unveiled its newly remodeled store at 465 Atlantic Ave. in Oceanside. In celebration of the remodel, and in support of the Oceanside community, the store provided lunch to more than 1,000 front-line workers at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital. The store, which opened its doors in 2011, is now noticeably brighter and more modern. It not only has a new look, but it also has new features that are centered around delivering fresh, healthy and convenient options to make grocery shopping easier. Highlights of the remodeled Oceanside store include: ■ Stop & Shop Pickup — orders placed online at stopandshop.com can be picked up at the store from the comfort of a customer’s car while a store associate delivers their order right to their trunk. ■ An expanded deli department that features an expanded assortment of offerings ■ An expanded bakery department complete with cakes, cupcakes and other treats

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MAIN PHONE: (516) 569-4000 ■ WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/oceanside ■ E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: oceaneditor@liherald.com ■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: Ext. 265 E-mail: oceaneditor@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ SUBSCRIPTIONS: Press ”7” E-mail: circ@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ ClASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Ext. 286 E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com Fax: (516) 622-7460

■ New self-checkout zone for added convenience ■ Organic and natural products integrat-

ed within the grocery aisles allowing customers to see all product options available “We’re excited to share our newly remodeled store with our local shoppers,” said Carl Caixeiro, store manager of the Stop & Shop in Oceanside, according to a news release. “We’ve added more of what our customers want and upgrades they need to get their shopping done faster and get back to what matters most.” The lunch provided to MSSN staffers included sandwiches, beverages and snacks in a gesture of thanks for the hospital employees’ heroic service to the Oceanside and Long Island communities throughout the pandemic. “Stop & Shop has been an incredible partner and true corporate citizen during this most challenging and difficult of years,” MSSN, Senior Vice President Joe Calderone said, according to a news release. “The thousands of meals and snacks they have provided to our frontline staff at the hospital helped keep our staff ’s bodies nourished but, as importantly, provided comfort and encouragement to our spirits during this ongoing fight against the Covid virus. Just knowing that the community and businesses like Stop & Shop care about what is happening inside the walls of the hospital is very heartening to all of us.” Courtesy Stop & Shop; compiled by Mike Smollins

nd! la Is g n o L , s o b b a h S d Goo Friday Feb 19 Candle lighting 5:16 Torah reading: Terumah

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■ DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: sales@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643 The Oceanside/Island Park Herald USPS 398610, is published every Thursday by Richner Communications, Inc., 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Periodicals postage paid at Garden City, NY 11530 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to Oceanside/Island Park Herald, 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Newsstand Price: $1 Subscription rates: $50 for 1 year within Nassau County. Out of Nassau County: $60 for 1 year. Copyright © 2021 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

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February 18, 2021 — OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD

events and activities

community update Thursday, Feb. 18

we can’t meet in person right now, enjoy these 20-minute videos from PlayHooray in your home, at your convenience. Videos will be made available on the Island Park Public Library’s website. Register at islandparklibrary.org or call (516) 432-0122.

Village of Island Park Board Meeting The Village of Island Park hosts its monthly board meeting at 7 p.m. at Village Hall, 127 Long Beach Road. For more information or the agenda, visit villageofislandpark.com.

Thursday, March 4

Virtual Cranberry Ricotta Cake

Sanitation Meeting

At your leisure, watch a video as the baking coach instructs you in a Cranberry Ricotta Cake workshop. Make this delicious cake that is a cross between pound cake and cheesecake! Limit of 24 participants. $3 fee must be paid upon pick-up of ingredients at the Library. The library will email you when it is ready for pick-up. Sign up online at islandparklibrary.org through our calendar (right-hand side of screen). Visit islandparklibrary.org for more information and the video link.

Oceanside Sanitation District No. 7 will host its next board meeting at 7 p.m. at sanitation headquarters, 90 Mott Street, in Oceanside. It will also stream on the district’s YouTube channel.

Wednesday, March 24 Oceanside Board of Education

Friday, Feb. 19 Courtesy MSSN

Virtual Chair Yoga Join Marianne Bochilo for a relaxing session of online chair yoga, from the comfort of your home presented by the Oceanside Library at 12:30 p.m. For more information and the virtual link, visit oceansidelibrary.com.

Love grows at Mount Sinai South Nassau Patients at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital were served some extra “heart” with their lunch on Friday, as they were given a long-stemmed rose just in time for Valentine’s Day. It marked the third consecutive year that Flowers by Mike owner Mike Graham, center, joined with members of MSSN’s culinary department to deliver 350 individual roses on patient’s lunch trays in celebration of the holiday.

Make Heart-shaped Pizza Join the Island Park Public LIbrary this Valentine’s Day and get into the spirit of the holiday by baking heart-shaped pizza. You must register in order to receive a kit with the ingredients. The kit costs $3 and is limited to one per family. The library will call you when the kits are available for pick up. Visit islandparklibrary.org to find the link to the instructional video by a baking coach, or call (516) 432-0122 for more information.

Saturday, Feb. 20 Saturday Vinyasa Yoga with Dot Scott Start your weekend off on the right foot and grab a mat and some blocks (use whatever you can around the house for

l l l l l

support) and join the Oceanside Library for an online session with Dorothy Scott from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. For more information and the virtual link, visit oceansidelibrary.com.

sion of meditation vitually to begin your week on the right foot at 2 p.m. For more information and the virtual link, visit oceansidelibrary.com.

Monday, Feb. 22

This week’s craft is a foam mitten frame. Stop by the Island Park Library to pick up a craft. You can also call the library or email iplchildrens@ islandparklibrary.org to arrange a pick up time.

Island Park Board of Education The Island Park Public Schools Board of Education will host its next board meeting at 7 p.m. at Lincoln Orens MIddle School, 150 Trafalgar Blvd. It will also be streamed online. For information on how to live stream or phone in, visit www.ips.k12.ny.us.

Monday Meditation Join Pat Anderson for a relaxing ses-

Grab & Go Craft

Virtual Tai-Chi and Chi Cong Join the Island Park Library virtually for this program at 10:15 a.m. Register at islandparklibrary.org or call (516) 432-0122.

Stars of Hope

Join the Oceanside Library in painting wooden stars as a sign of hope in the community during the tough times we’ve faced over the past year. Register to receive a Take & Make kit. After registering, you will receive an email from a librarian to set up a time to pick up your kit, along with additional details. Earn one hour of community service for this project. Attend the library’s painting workshop on Tuesday, March 2 at 7 p.m. for an additional hour of community service. For more information and the virtual link, visit oceansidelibrary.com.

Tuesday, Feb. 23 Play Hooray Videos Watch Molly Mouse from home! Since

The Island Park village board meets on Feb. 18. Virtual yoga is available through the O’side Library on Feb. 20. The Island Park school board meets on Feb. 22 Make a grab-and-go craft at the Island Park Library Feb. 22 Play Hooray videos are available via the Island Park Library.

The Oceanside Board of Education will host its next public meeting at the School No. 6 auditorium at 7:30 p.m. It will also be held virtually on YouTube. To submit questions, email mbarbella@oceansideschools.org under the Subject Line “Public Meeting” before 5 p.m. the day of the board meeting. The board is also hosting a special meeting on March 3, which will be its third budget workshop.

HaVING aN EVENT? Items on the Community Update pages 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 msmollins@liherald.com

OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD — February 18, 2021

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Mary Trump leads quiet life in RVC Best-seller on her uncle, the former president, catapulted her into the spotlight By James Bernstein jbernstein@liherald.com

Although she is a member of a wealthy and well-known family, Mary Trump, niece of former President Donald Trump, has led a quiet life in Rockville Centre for the past two decades, putting her daughter through local schools, dining at North Village Avenue eateries and riding her bike through local parks. Life was peaceful, she said. Then, last summer, her blockbuster best-selling book, “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man,” was published. Instantly, Mary Trump, 55, became a household name, and she star ted appearing regularly on cable TV news programs. Despite her virtually overnight fame, Trump generally shies away from the spotlight. She enjoys spending time at home, including reading the Rockville Centre Herald. “I’m a regular reader,” she said. “It keeps me up to date.” In an interview with the Herald last Friday, Trump said she came to the village in 1998, from Garden City, because she had heard good things about the schools. Amid the Co-vid-19 pandemic, she rarely ventures outside, and “has lots of stuff ordered.” She said she has not publicly encountered hostility from her uncle’s supporters on village streets. But, she said, “I get some of that on Twitter.” When she does leave the house, Trump wears double masks and sunglasses, and thus she is rarely recognized. A clinical psychologist who earned a doctorate from Adelphi University, Trump no longer practices. Instead, she is working on a second book, about the trauma caused by the pandemic and how people might overcome it. “Hopefully, the book will be timely and helpful,” she said, adding that she planned to include the trauma that has resulted from the attack on the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6. “When I was wrapping up my first book, George Floyd was killed,” she said. Her first book had to include the killing of the unarmed Black man at the hands of the Minneapolis police last May. The recovery from the pandemic and the Jan. 6 insurrection will be slow, Trump emphasized. “It’s as if this country were at war, and we were all called up at the same time and we all came back at the same time,” she said. “That should be helpful — that we’re all in this together — but we have to mobilize resources” both psychological and social. “And we’ve never been good in [this] country mobilizing psycholo gical resources. “The trouble is in this long pandemic, we’ve forgotten how to be social beings,” she said, and getting back to

mary trump, niece of former President Donald Trump, has lived in Rockville Centre for the past two decades. normal “will depend on how dedicated we are and how the current administration responds to the crises.” She worries that once many people receive their Covid-19 vaccinations, they will believe everything is back to normal, and it really won’t be. When her book was published, Trump said, her own life would have changed more had it not been for the sheltering that the coronavirus forced on her. “Everything’s at home now,” she said. Asked if she regretted not having written the book sooner, to alert the public about her uncle’s behavior, she said, “If I had written it before, it wouldn’t have made a difference. Donald was getting away with everything.” She acknowledged that it’s impossible to know whether her book played a role in his loss in November’s election. “I hope it did,” she said. Trump said that she and her uncle got along when she was growing up, but “I can’t say we were close.” He hired her to work on his second book, “The Art of the Comeback,” but neglected to inform his publisher, who had another writer in mind, ending her involvement in the project. Donald Trump has insisted he won the election in a “landslide.” Does she believe he really believes that? “It’s not that he believes it,” Mary Trump said. “But it’s that he can’t believe he lost. That’s not acceptable in my family. It’s hard to underestimate the [influence] my grandfather has had on Donald.” In her book, she writes that Fred Trump Sr., ruled the family with an iron fist, and was extremely harsh to his oldest son — her father, Fred Trump Jr., whom the senior Trump had pegged to take over the family real estate busi-

Photos courtesy Mary Trump

mary trump’s Best-seller, “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man,” brought her widespread acclaim — and some derision on Twitter. ness. But as Fred Jr. drifted away from the business, becoming an airline pilot, his father turned to Donald, his second son. It wasn’t a happy choice, Mary Trump wrote: “When things turned south in the late 1980s” for the family business, “Fred could no longer separate himself from [Donald]’s brutal ineptitude,” but “had no choice but to stay invested.” Fred Jr. died of a heart attack in 1981, at age 43. Her uncle, she said, is “psychologically disordered” and became “more unhinged” after his election loss. She described feeling “miserable” about the impeachment trial last week,

because many Republican senators did not appear to be listening, and some even consulted with the former president’s lawyers on the case. Jan. 6, Trump said, “was not a joke. People died. A police officer was murdered.” She believes her uncle must be held accountable for his role in riling up the mob before the riot. Work on her second book, she said, will take up much of her time. And now that her daughter is away at college, she is thinking of moving back to Manhattan, where she attended Columbia University, to earn a master’s in English literature.

What’s neWs in and out of the classroom

OHS Patriots Club hosts food drive for veterans The Oceanside High School Patriots Club, whose co-advisors are Julia Nappi and Todd Nussen, is sponsoring a food drive for veterans. Through Island Harvest’s Operation HOPE, a program that helps veterans readjust to civilian life, students learned that many veterans on Long Island struggle with food insecurity. The students were hoping to collect 300 items by Valentine’s Day. Patriots Club Vice President Victoria Gamarra proposed the fundraiser and the rest of the club eagerly joined in. The students also participate in Wreaths Across America and sent valentines to veterans.

Courtesy Oceanside School District

Courtesy Oceanside School District; compiled by Mike Smollins

Oceanside HigH scHOOl Patriots Club officers were flanked by advisors Julia Nappi and Todd Nussen. The students included, from left, Victoria Gamarra, club vice president, Tara Campo, Jeremy Feder, president, Scott Yanover, Michael Esposito and John Justin.

O’side students celebrate World Read Aloud Day

Courtesy Oceanside School District

stepHen Heidt, a DECA first place winner in the Stock Market Game, with DECA advisors Erica Dzwlewicz and Michelle Velasco.

Courtesy Oceanside School District

students frOm scHOOl No. 9E celebrated World Read Aloud Day on Feb. 3, and waited for a Google Meet with Dr. Beth Zirogiannis, director of English Language Arts, who read to students in kindergarten through sixth grade in separate online sessions. Oceanside schools joined with students and schools around the world to celebrate the power of reading aloud on Feb. 3, which marked the 12th annual World Read Aloud Day. Dr. Beth Zirogiannis, director of English Language Arts for kindergarteners through 12th graders, read via Google Meet to kindergarten and elementary students throughout Oceanside. She has been perfecting her read aloud talents since creating an Instagram account celebrating #booklove in the spring of 2020. Oceanside middle and high school students also participated in #WRAD. World Read Aloud Day highlights the importance of sharing stories by chal-

lenging participants to grab a book, find an audience, and read-aloud. The global effort is now celebrated in more than 173 countries. The shared experience and connection of reading aloud and hearing stories not only brings communities together, it helps students learn to love books and reading. Reading aloud focuses on what matters most — the magic of shared stories and the building of literacy. Listening to capable readers helps students strengthen vocabulary and comprehension and encourages them to read for pleasure. Courtesy Oceanside School District; compiled by Mike Smollins

Stock Market Game is a family affair Another Oceanside student has won in the Stock Market Game in the high school’s first year of participating in the competition sponsored by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, or SIMFA, Foundation. Stephen Heidt, a ninth-grader, competed and took first place in the North Atlantic region of DECA, or the Distributive Education Clubs of America. DECA is a co-curricular club for students interested in careers in business and marketing. Stephen now qualifies for DECA’s International Career Development Conference. His DECA co-advisors are Erica Dzwlewicz and Michelle

Velasco. Last month, Stephen’s sister, Julia, an OHS student, took first place in a separate division of the competition. Julia won in both the Long Island and New York state divisions of the stock market game. The SIFMA Foundation’s goal is to foster knowledge and understanding of the financial markets, thereby increasing opportunity and access across communities. The organization focuses on youth, providing financial education programs and tools. Courtesy Oceanside School District; compiled by Mike Smollins

OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD — February 18, 2021

Herald ScHoolS

HERALD Covid-19 EMERGENCY WORKERS LORI EDELMAN I

RICHARD WALLIS

LIDO BEACH Director of Nursing, Mount Sinai South Nassau Oceanside

NORTH BELLMORE Patient care tech, Emergency Department, MSSN

have been in the nursing profession since 1977, and I’ve been director of nursing at Mount Sinai South Nassau since 2006. The Covid pandemic has been the worst thing I have seen in my career. I saw Sandy, SARS and HINI, but this has been even worse. We are seeing a moderate decline in cases at the moment, but I'm worried about the Super Bowl. You saw people in Tampa crowded around one another and many mot wearing masks. I worry about all these kind of events where crowds of people get together. The worst of the crisis was last spring. People were working 24/7. We have 22 critical care beds, and we had 80 patients at one point. Not all were Covid cases, but we had to expand to other areas of the hospital to take care of these very sick people. In April 2020,

I got Covid myself, not from a patient, but someone walked into my office and said she felt sick. I was out for three weeks at home. But when I came back, the strict rules we had got even stricter. No one was allowed to be anywhere without a mask, and we had PPE equipment to wear. I was affected the same way many others were. My father died in January 2020, and my family and I were not allowed to spend time with my mother. We had to go by her window and talk to her. I think the people who refuse to wear masks or think this is all some kind of hoax should come here and work. How dare they endanger other people’s health. I don’t understand what they don’t understand.

y job is to assist the medical staff, doctors and nurses in taking care of patients' needs while they’re with us in the Emergency Department. During the height of Covid-19, it was crazy and chaotic. When it was at its worst in the Emergency Department, we were very limited with space and the number of beds, and the influx of patients was just overwhelming for what we had space for. We had patients everywhere. If there was six inches of space, there was a patient there. Nobody knew what to expect, and I think it was worse than what anybody could have imagined. The severity of the cases coming in, it was all brand-new to everybody from the doctors to the nurses to us. It was just a learn as you go type of atmosphere.

HERALD HOMETOWN HERO

Treatment wasn't like it is today, so a lot of people that came in sick, they weren't getting better. They were just getting sicker, and now they have a better handle on it, how to treat it and how to handle the virus. I never saw a group of doctors, nurses or patient care techs come together for the betterment of the patient than I did during the peak of Covid. And it definitely affected many patients' outcomes. We're still getting plenty of cases coming in, but they're not as severe as they were a year ago, which is good for everybody all around. We've been able to keep up with it, the hospital has kept up with it, and when that happens, it's going to be a better outcome for the patient, and I think they've done a great job in handling this pandemic.

HERALD HOMETOWN HERO

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February 18, 2021 — OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD

THEIR FRONT-LINE STORIES IN THEIR OWN WORDS JAMES AVONDET

SOUND BEACH Director of Operations, Hunter EMS Mercy Hospital Rockville Centre

have been certified EMT-B for over 10 years. I started working at Hunter EMS as a EMT-B four years ago and am currently the director of operations. I oversee the daily operations, training and community education. I enjoy teaching the newer certified EMTs on the standards of the pre-hospital care and patient transportation, along with the great relationship between Hunter EMS and the Catholic Health hospitals. It’s been an up-and-down rollercoaster, especially on the health care side. In the beginning, it was ever-changing. We had to figure out how to organize, and how to restructure quickly in order to get certain things done. There are have been good things and bad things. We’ve seen a lot of people come together, even though, outside of this, there’s been a great divide,

ROCKVILLE CENTRE 1st Assistant Chief, Rockville Centre Fire Department

but we’ve seen how a lot of people did come together, hunker down, listen. But then we have the horror stories of people getting sick, losing family members, and it’s hard in that sense. Someone close to me spent four months in the hospital; he had his ups and downs, they didn’t think he was going to make it twice. He pulled through, and he’s in rehab and bouncing back. Others weren't so lucky. Now, we have a better handle on things at least. I think it’s a little bit better getting people transferred and getting people help than it was in the beginning. And now, going forward, with the vaccinations, I think it should be a lot better.

HERALD HOMETOWN HERO

am a critical-care EMT, and like everyone else, Covid has affected the fire department tremendously. It’s cost us time and money, as we’ve had to purchase PPE supplies. We always focus on safety and pay attention to the situation so we can understand what we’re walking into. We now have to first talk to people from the doorway before entering the home so we can determine if it’s a Covid case. My job is to look out for the safety of the members of the fire department, and take care of the residents I’ve been sworn to protect. Last April, I tested positive for Covid-19, and had very mild symptoms. Fortunately, I carried antibodies and had antigens, and was able to donate plasma. This pandemic has made me more concerned about bodily substance isolation, and ensuring we’re using protective

gear such as gloves, masks and eye shields to control the spread. I’m waiting for everyone else in the department to get vaccinated, and then I’ll get mine last. Out of about 200 department members, only 22 still have to get vaccinated, which will hopefully be done by the end of next week. This is the hardest thing I’ve had to do — scheduling the vaccinations is a daunting task. The system from the state is flawed, but I’m trying to work around it and get my membership taken care of.

HERALD HOMETOWN HERO Why an annual checkup, a meaningful succession plan and other best practices are a must. The best family businesses understand how to mitigate the unique set of challenges they face and how to make the most of their potential opportunities. This episode of Inside LI will cover key legal and financial steps that may ultimately spell the difference between multi·generational success and a failed business that can also impact family harmony. Whether you’re an established family business or you’re thinking about launching one, register now to join the conversation! Register to submit your questions for the panelists or ask them live during the webinar. REGISTER @ LlHerald.com/FamilyBusiness CAN’T MAKE THE LIVE WEBINAR? REGISTER AND YOU’LL RECEIVE THE RECORDING! 1121034

OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD — February 18, 2021

BRIAN SMITH

February 18, 2021 — OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD

Soccer tourney succeeds despite pandemic ConTinued from fronT page

OUSC President Mike O’Malley said the club had strict protocols for the Lamonica tournament — the same protocols that enabled the club to host its Labor Day indoor tournament and hold its fall season. In-person spectators were not allowed, but the club live-streamed games instead. “That turned out to be wildly successful because we had probably more than 6,500 or 7,000 views over the course of the weekend,” said Richard Eisenberg, OUSC board member and tournament registrar. “We knew that people in Germany and Italy and Latin America were watching the stream. So, a little community event could be reaching people through the internet all over the world.” O’Malley credited Coleman Country Day Camp in Merrick as a major reason why the tournament was a success. “We have been holding the event for the past several years at Coleman Country Day Camp, and Ross Coleman and his staff are the gold standard from our perspective,” he said. He added that the soccer club’s members felt

secure because Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines were followed by both the club and camp. The camp installed air-filtration and circulation systems to protect the health of anyone using the facility, O’Malley said. The tournament comprised 48 teams of children in the 9- to 13-year-old brackets. There were 12 sessions on Saturday and Sunday, with four teams using the field in each session. This was done to limit the number of people in the camp’s winter bubble at any time. Ten referees from the Long Island Soccer Referees Association volunteered for the tournament. “It’s been great to see kids and their teams playing the sport they love since last summer; this bit of normalcy has returned to their lives,” said Randy Vogt, director of public relations at the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association. The tournament provides a positive impact on and off the field, with donations from the event helping to pay for college scholarships, organizers said. In all, the NYYSA has given out $450,000 in scholarships, and the Rudy Lamonica tournament is annually one of its biggest fundraisers.

Courtesy ENYYSA

The 54Th annual Rudy Lamonica soccer tournament was held Jan. 30 to 31 at Coleman Country Day Camp.

Law firm seeks to meet with commissioner ConTinued from fronT page

unearthed. At the last meeting he did attend, on Dec. 17, he called for an independent investigation into the posts that he was alleged to have authored. “I’m not going to be investigated by the people I believe are responsible for this,” he said at the time. “I look forward to a full and thorough external investigation. I will not be answering questions about anything.” Hemsley joined the board in January 2020, after Commissioner Matthew Horowitz ste pped down. Because he took over in the middle of Horowitz’s term, Hemsley had to run in the September election, in which he defeated challenger Dawn Veit, garnering more than 1,000 votes. In mid-October, the posts were uncovered, and the board asked him to resign in response, but he has refused. The board and the Town of Hempstead have no authority to force Hemsley to resign, and the only course for removal would be for a district attorney or resident to take the case to State Supreme Court, arguing malfeasance in office. After initially denying that any of the posts were his, Hemsley then told a Herald reporter that some were his and others were not, and said some were “doctored or completely made up.” If Hemsley were to resign, the sanitation board could appoint a new commissioner, pending approval by the Hempstead Town Board. The new commissioner would then have to run in June to finish the final year of Hemsley’s term, and then again in June 2022 for a full five-year term, if he or she wanted to stay on. If Hemsley were to stay on the board, his term would end in June 2022.

a timeline January 2020: Ryan Hemsley is appointed to the Oceanside Sanitation District No. 7 Board of Commissioners after Matthew Horowitz steps down. september: Hemsley defeats challenger Dawn Veit to maintain his seat on the board with more than 1,000 votes.

Courtesy Ryan Hemsley

oCeanside saniTaTion disTriCT No. 7 Commissioner Ryan Hemsley, right, did not appear at the Feb. 4 board meeting, and has yet to meet with the law firm in charge of investigating inappropriate Facebook posts he allegedly published. Above, Board of Commissioners Chairman Austin Graff swore Hemsley in before the controversy. State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, a Democrat from Long Beach, and Assemblywoman Judy Griffin, a Democrat from Rockville Centre, are preparing to propose new legislation that would enable officials in such cases to be more readily removed from office. The legislation would give special districts the power to recall elected officials with a petition of signatures from 10 percent of the electorate or 5,000 votes, whichever number is smaller. The board representing the district would then vote to approve the recall and set a special election. The elected officials said they plan to bring the legislation to the Senate and Assembly floors at a later date,

and if approved there, Gov. Andrew Cuomo must sign it into law. Griffin called the Facebook posts “deplorable,” and said New York needs a way to “hold officials accountable.” In his statement, Kaminsky said the new law was “crucial.” “By putting the power back into the hands of local taxpayers to hold special district commissioners accountable, we can ensure elected officials are held to the highest standard,” he said. “Racism and bigotry will not be tolerated — especially from those in positions of power — and this legislation says that loudly and clearly.”

october: Racist, homophobic, anti-Semitic and other negative Facebook posts allegedly published by Hemsley are unearthed. He initially denies making all of the posts, then says that his fellow sanitation commissioners “doctored or made up” some of the posts, and some of them were published by him. The board calls on him to resign, but he refuses. nov. 4: Hemsley skips the first monthly sanitation board meeting after the controversy started, saying he feared for his safety. nov. 10: Town officials gather at Oceanside Sanitation headquarters

to call for Hemsley’s resignation. dec. 17: Hemsley appears at a sanitation meeting for the first time since the posts surfaced, and calls for an independent party to conduct the investigation into the social media posts after the board expressed desire to keep it in-house. January 2021: State Sen. Todd Kaminsky and Assemblywoman Judy Griffin introduce plans for legislation that would give special districts the power to recall elected officials with a petition of signatures from 10 percent of the electorate or 5,000 votes, whichever number is smaller. feb. 4: Hemsley misses another sanitation meeting. Board of Commissioners Chairman Austin Graff announces that the Chandler Law Firm was hired to conduct the investigation into the Facebook posts, but has been unable to interview Hemsley.

The Power of Play: How to Make the Most of Your Children’s Playtime

What if I Don’t Like Playing? Photo: Pond Saksit via shutterstock.com

You may have heard that “play is the work of children” (famously touted by one of the first child development experts, Jean Piaget). Not only do we trust our kids to have fun while playing, but we also know that through play, they learn countless skills. But did you know that playing with your children is also one of the best ways to communicate? We’re breaking down the why, how, and what of creating growth and connection through play.

Why Should Children (and Parents!) Play?

Play isn’t a broad category for anything that’s “not learning;” on the contrary, play allows children to practice what they’ve learned and experiment with new skills and ideas. You may have noticed your children playing games that reflect other aspects of their life - your 6-yearold uses Legos to build a summer camp (he’s missing his camp friends), or your 8-year-old is always on a superhero mission (her new friends at school love Marvel). Watching your kids play can be like a window into their world. Better yet? Playing with your children will give you a foot-inthe-door; you’ll suddenly be an active participant in their most important work, and this role will give you credibility and insight when you need it to work through future situations.

You can see why play is central to a child’s development and that your role in play is crucial for building connection and communication, but what if you don’t like to play? You’re not alone. Many parents find that playing pretend or collecting your 100th Pokémon isn’t an enjoyable way to spend time – and that’s okay. You don’t have to love playing these games, and you’re not a “bad” parent if you’d rather do something else. Just keep three things in mind: 1. Negotiating is one of the skills that your child learns through experience, so feel free to collaboratively decide what’s on the agenda. 2. You don’t necessarily have to play for a long time for it to be meaningful, so opt for short 10-minute sessions of your least favorite games. 3. You get to choose what games and tools are in the house, so make the most of this power by choosing wisely!

How Play Builds Skills

Giving your children space to play not only introduces some fun but also allows them to explore feelings, thoughts, and questions that may be too complex for words. It’s often easier to see what a toddler learns from play

Photo: George Rudy via shutterstock.com

Choosing the Right Tools

Play can happen spontaneously or at a planned time, with toys or without, alone or in groups – its versatility means that there are almost infinite tools available that market themselves as “the best.” Because play provides so much of your child’s foundational experience and creates a way to build connection and communication, it’s important to spend time thinking about the tools that you provide for playing. Consider a few questions when building your home’s play toolbox: 1. Are there tools and opportunities for outside play? 2. Is this toy open-ended or is it limited in scope? 3. Do we have toys and tools that address various aspects of learning (social, emotional, physical, etc.)? 4. What are my child’s interests, and do we have ways for them to explore these? 5. Feel like you’re “supposed to” shy away from digital tools/games? Don’t! Often, online games provide an approach that can help fill in the gaps. When choosing digital options, look for things that are created by child development experts. A great example of a digital tool is Mightier. A research-backed video game platform that helps kids to practice navigating emotions through play. Along with teaching emotional regulation skills, it can help to enrich play and communication between kids and parents in a way that’s often hard to target through traditional toys. If the work of children is to play, then it’s up to parents to provide the best tools for the job. By actively participating in our children’s play and offering games and opportunities for exploring a whole range of skills, we can ensure that they are well-equipped to continue their most important work of growing up! To learn more about Mightier, go to our website at www.mightier.com/newyear Sponsored Content

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– fine motor skills, colors, object permanence. What’s more challenging is seeing the value that comes from an older child’s playtime: when kids play low-stakes games, they can freely practice high-importance skills. When play is self-directed without an adult agenda, children are more likely to persist when confronted with challenges. Practicing patience, persistence, and resilience ultimately lead to success and confidence-building. Similarly, risk-taking during games can help kids learn what it feels like to forge ahead even when scared and seek out resources during difficult situations. Playing with others is a prime space for navigating social roles and developing empathy.And when kids play with their parents? They learn that adults can have fun and make mistakes, and that communicating with their parents is not always adversarial.

OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD — February 18, 2021

Engaging in playtime with your kids can be more powerful than you think! By seeing play for the skill-building practice that it is, getting involved with your kids when they do it, and expertly crafting your toy toolbox, you can unlock the power of play for your family!

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Libraries to receive $340k in CARES funds By reiNe BethANy and AlyssA seidmAN

help for local libraries

aseidman@liherald.com

On Feb. 9, alongside local library directors, Hempstead Town Supervisor Donald Clavin announced that the town has approved more than $340,000 in grants to support several public libraries within the township (see box). The allocation was made possible by funding through the federal CARES Act, which was secured by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer last year. Each library will receive a more than $20,000 grant to help pay for unbudgeted expenses incurred during the pandemic. Clavin said the funding will also allow these institutions to continue to provide essential programs and services to their communities. “They might have lost some sort of benefit they’d given the community,” he explained. “No one in our town was spared from the impacts of this pandemic and the financial toll it has taken, [and] we are proud to be able to provide this funding to our neighborhood libraries so they can continue serving the residents of Hempstead Town.” Most libraries have continued to offer a full complement of services throughout the pandemic with Covid-19 safety measures in place. These include high-grade Plexiglas shields for circulation and reference desks, personal protective equipment for staff, daily sanitizing procedures, UVlighting to disinfect books and printed materials and reconfiguration of library

Courtesy Town of Hempstead

oN FeB. 9, Hempstead Town Supervisor Donald Clavin, at lectern, announced that the town will allocate more than $340,000 of federal CARES Act funding to support several libraries within the township. spaces to maintain social distancing. The announcement came from outside the Levittown Public Library on Feb. 10. Levittown Library Trustee Steve Dalton commended town officials for their support. “There are two broad purposes for this money,” he said. “It’s one, to make inperson library use safer for our patrons and our staff, and two, to expand digital and virtual access to library materials.” Digital and virtual access includes lending hotspot devices and installing Wi-Fi routers and boosters so patrons can access the library’s Wi-Fi during off

hours. Town Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby pointed out that the libraries could also use the funds to keep developing virtual literacy programs, which are increasing children’s skills with computer programs like Zoom and strengthening their adjustment to remote learning. Town Councilman Christopher Carini recalled fond memories of leading civic association meetings at the Seaford Public Library, further proving their importance. Town Councilman Anthony D’Esposito

East Meadow Public Library Elmont Memorial Library Franklin Square Public Library Hempstead Public Library Island Park Public Library Island Trees Public Library Lakeview Public Library Levittown Public Library Merrick Library Peninsula Public Library Seaford Public Library Uniondale Public Library Wantagh Public Library West Hempstead Public Library Baldwin Public Library Rockville Centre Public Library North Bellmore Public Library regarded the institutions as “a central location for meetings” that have the ability to bring community members together. “No one could have anticipated the impact that Covid-19 would have on libraries and so many other aspects of our daily lives,” he said, “and these relief funds will go a long way to helping them get back on their feet.”

Inside LI webinar focuses on estate planning By Nicole AlciNdor nalcindor@liherald.com

The coronavirus pandemic has, like never before, demonstrated to families that they must prepare now, not later, for any eventuality. Herald Inside LI recently held a webinar, “2021 Estate and Medicaid Planning,” to provide guidance to Long Islanders on how to do just that. The event, sponsored by Family Care Connections LLC and by D’Angelo Law Associates, included guests Frank D’Angelo, of Family Care Connections, and his daughter, Stephanie D’Angelo, of D’Angelo Law Associates. Stephanie, who has been a trust and estates attorney for 10 years, spent the first 30 minutes speaking on the importance of having a will. “Everyone should have a will, and if you have a bank account, it makes you able to distribute your finances,” she said. “If you don’t have a will, you will have to go through a process called administration—which means the law dictates where your money goes. With a will, you can distribute the assets in the way you want to.” Be sure, she said, to store a will in a fireproof box when keeping it at home, and keep it in good condition, without staples or tears. “We look to see if the will is in good

condition, and this impacts how we view the person’s intent, and just because you wrote something out does not make it a will,” she said. “People should create a will with an attorney that focuses and specializes in this area of law.” D’Angelo advises married couples with children to meet with a trustworthy attorney to review their estate and draft a will. D’Angelo added that adult children with disabilities would require special treatment in a will. “Look for a power of attorney for that person with disabilities, and you may have to get guardianship over that child if they can’t vouch for themselves by signing documents,” she said. “People can get a special-needs trust for their children to protect their child’s finances.” D’Angelo said that despite the difficulty of talking about death, it’s vital for people to hold conversations about their wills with loved ones. “We all know that at some point our parents will be gone, and if your family doesn’t normally talk about things like this, go to an attorney and then reach out to your elderly loved ones,” she said. After, Frank shared about his work at Family Care Connections helping people qualify for Medicaid, which provides medical insurance for low-income people. Eligible populations include chil-

dren, pregnant women, single individuals, families, and individuals certified blind or disabled. “Family Care Connections is a comprehensive service that aims to aid people who are facing many things that come with aging,” he said. “Generally, a home-care Medicaid application is processed in about one to two months tops, which includes eligibility and getting the care.” For 2021, he said, a single individual who is 65 years or older must have an income of less than $2,382 per month to qualify for Medicaid. This applies to nursing home Medicaid, as well as assisted-living services, “This number went into effect last January, and the qualifications for Medicaid change every year at the beginning of the year,” he said. “If you make a higher income than the Medicaid qualifications, then you have the option to do a pooled income trust—which is a trust that can be set up with a nonprofit organization where you can put your income, and then you identify your monthly income and expenses, and expenses get paid through that income.” Fo r t h e p o o l e d i n c o m e t r u s t , D’Angelo said, people are typically required to pay a monthly fee for trust management. The trust allows people to take their excess income and apply it to monthly expenses or payments, and

then qualify for Medicaid. “People always come to me wondering what they should do with their additional income,” he said. “My answer is usually, ‘You need to transfer all assets, which will enable you to qualify for Medicaid. And, of course, always talk to your financial adviser to know what the parameters are.’”

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News Brief items including awards, honors, promotions and other tidbits about local residents are welcome. Photographs may be emailed as well. Deadline for submissions is noon Thursday, week prior to publication. Send to execeditor@liherald.com

February 18, 2021

OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD — February 18, 2021

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February 18, 2021 — OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD

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OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD — February 18, 2021

Be good to your heart

Don’t miss a beat for cardiovascular health

ebruary is about far more than conversation hearts and romantic rendezvouses: the month of love also marks American Heart Month, which calls major attention to heart health. And for good reason: as the fifth largest and most important organ in your body, your heart beats a hundred thousand times a day, pumping blood to all of your organs and enabling you to perform everything from driving a car to performing downward facing dog. In other words, when your heart is in jeopardy — of the physical sort, mind you — so is your life. Indeed, heart disease — which affects more than 43 million American women per year —is the number one killer in both men and women, rendering it a greater hazard than breast and prostate cancer. While genetics may play a role in your predisposition to heart disease, a quarter of deaths from cardiovascular failure are preventable. Lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of heart disease by a whopping 80 percent. What’s more? Key tweaks to your daily activities allow for a richer, more fulfilling existence. Here are some leading changes you can implement today to keep your ticker safe tomorrow. Skip the pasta Italian might be more your thing, but the point is this: eating more fish — specifically low-mercury fish—can be a boon for your heart, thanks to its healthy doses of omega-3 fats. Take it from the American Heart Association: “Omega-3 fatty acids fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people, and those at high risk of—or who have —c ardiovascular disease. Research demonstrates that omega-3 fatty acids decreases the risk of arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats), which can lead to sudden death.” Further, upping your consumption of fish supports normal blood pressure. Low-mercury is critical here, however. Mercury — a heavy metal found naturally in the environment and absorbed by fish — can irritate the lining of your blood vessels and serve as a potential cause of atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries that may render you more susceptible to stroke. Salmon, freshwater trout, herring, tilapia and tuna are all excellent choices, while high-mercury choices like ahi and tuna, King mackerel and swordfish should be minimized. Floss your teeth Studies have shown that periodontitis raises your risk of heart disease, in part because of inflammation and the increased thickness of blood vessels in the neck. While further research remains to be done, oral health — accomplished by brushing after meals and flossing once a day, preventative care and cleanings — is often indicative of how well a person takes care of themselves in general. Forgo the salt Let’s get one thing out of the way: salt is critical for life. It’s an essential mineral for every cell in the body — it helps regulate your heartbeat, blood pressure, nerve transmission, muscle contraction, stomach acid and pH balance. The problem, however, rests in the average American’s consumption of salt, which exceeds the daily recommendation of 1,100 to 3,300 mg of sodium each day for adults. (To picture this, one teaspoon of salt gives you 2,300 mg of sodium.) And, as you probably know, high amounts of salt in the

diet have been associated with high blood pressure, which can cause ischemic heart disease. The solution lies not in removing salt from your diet completely but in finding the right balance of sodium to potassium — two components that work together in a unique way to regulate your water balance, which, in turn regulates your blood pressure. Indeed, studies demonstrate that when sodium is decreased and potassium is increased, blood pressure can drop. In short, aim to increase the potassium in your diet by eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, which are rich in potassium and low in sodium. At the same time, be mindful of the type of salt you consume. Commercial salt goes through a dramatic metamorphosis before it reaches your dinner table — it’s heated, bleached, stripped of its minerals and oftentimes treated with anticaking agents that contain aluminum. Reach for unrefined salt that comes from the sea instead, and use it sparingly. Dine early A wholesome diet is crucial for maintaining (or improving) heart health. But recent research suggests that it isn’t just what you eat but also when you eat that matters. According to the American Heart Association, eating more calories earlier in the day and fewer calories at night may decrease your chances of stroke, heart attack or other heart and blood vessel diseases. Take it from Marie Pierre St. Onge, a nutrition researcher at Columbia University. “We may not process sugars as well at night as we do during the day, and studies of shift workers have linked this schedule with a greater risk of obesity and heart disease than a typical day job,” she says, going on to cite that 30 percent of Americans skip breakfast. Which is a shame, given that eating breakfast is associated with lower weight, a healthier diet overall and a lower risk of heart disease. Join the healthier side of the statistic by making your morning meal a priority. Aim to eat protein, fruits and/or veggies, and some heart-healthy omega-3s. One dish that hits all three? A slice of chia-seed or whole wheat toast topped with nut butter and a sliced banana. Schedule in some ‘me time’ The link between chronic stress and heart disease cannot be underemphasized. Such negative stress has a profound impact on your body, from higher levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, to changes in the way your blood clots. What’s more, chronic stress — whether derived from a grueling work schedule or troubles at home — tends to spur lifestyle changes that may further increase your risk for heart disease, including over-eating, under-exercising, smoking and over-imbibing. To mitigate the stress in your life, it’s imperative that you carve out time for you —and you alone. “Me time,” however that may be defined, allows you to catch your breath, decompress, assess where you are (physically, spiritually and emotionally) and enjoy life’s riches. Above photo: Caring for your heart through a healthy diet and regular physical activity is the secret weapon. While many may assume that popping a few pills that your healthcare provider prescribed is enough to quell symptoms or prevent a heart attack, the real preventative power lies with real changes to your lifestyle,

Exercise matters Find a routine you’ll stick with

Exercise, along with heart healthy eating, is essential if you want to keep your ticker at its best. To get heart-healthy benefits, you need to get your heart rate up. There are dozens of activities you can do to help your heart. Whether it is a structured exercise program or just part of your daily routine, all physical activity adds up. Consider these tips from personal trainers to get the most out of your exercise program. Pick up your pace Aerobic exercises done 30 minutes a day is excellent for increasing your heart rate. Climbing the stairs, a brisk walk, cross trainer exercise machine or treadmill, anything to get your heart rate up. Any moderate-intensity exercise like swimming, jogging, zumba and yoga is good. Exercising your heart muscle means exercising your body. You don’t need a gym, just a bit of motivation and a good pair of walking shoes. Tone up Strength training is a great complement to aerobic training and helps to prevent age-related bone and muscle-mass losses. Keep in mind that strength training doesn’t increase heart rate but does increase stamina. Use it to target areas where muscletone is needed and don’t forget the other muscle groups. If you already do a vigorous aerobic routine or enrolled in an exercise class, then three days a week for 20 minutes a day is good.

For adults that are 65 and older or anyone with chronic conditions or limited mobility, you need the same amount of exercise as younger people — the activity can be less intense. Use good judgment and follow your doctor’s advice. Stick to a schedule If you “don’t have time” then fit shorter but more frequent periods of time, like 5-10 minutes several times a day throughout your day. Take the stairs, park your car further away from the door, and definitely count in those house chores such as mowing the lawn, vacuuming, or a short brisk walk around the block at lunch or for a break. With any plan, start strength training slowly and build up to heavier weights and repetitions especially if you are new or out of shape. The old adage “no pain, no gain” is more often inappropriate and can be dangerous. Stretching exercises done twice a week helps keep flexibility, which is very important. Consider 10 minutes of stretching twice a week to improve your flexibility With any exercise program, it’s good to start slowly by warming up, then increasing the pace. A good cooling down afterwards is also equally important. Above photo: It’s easier than you might think to improve your health with exercise. You don’t have to jog for an hour a day. In fact, some studies have shown greater health benefits from light to moderate exercise simply because people are more likely to stick with it.

HEALTH MEMO

Neurosurgeon Yusef Mosley joins NSPC Brain & Spine Surgery

usef I. Mosley, M.D., a Dr. Mosley uses the most neurosurgeon innovative procedures to ensure specializing in that his patients recover faster, complex and minimally invasive experience less post-operative spine surgery, has joined NSPC pain, and return to their normal Brain & Spine Surgery. With lives as soon as possible. seven offices on Long Island, When he’s not treating and 22 neurosurgeons available patients on Long Island, Dr. to see patients, NSPC is one of Mosley has a passion for the country’s largest private volunteer work. Each year, he brain and spine surgery joins a group of neurosurgeons practices. who spend two weeks providing “Dr. Mosley is an operative care to adults and outstanding addition to our children at the Black Lion Hospital Yusef I. Mosley, M.D. practice,” says Michael H. in Addis Abba, Ethiopia. Dr. Brisman, M.D., Chief Executive Mosely has also traveled to Officer (CEO) and a senior partner at NSPC. “He’s hospitals in Guatemala, China, Tanzania, and an experienced neurosurgeon who most recently Ghana to perform complex pediatric and adult was Associate Director of Complex & Minimally spine cases. Invasive Spine Surgery at the Saint Luke’s Marion Dr. Mosely sees patients in Rockville Centre. He Bloch Neuroscience Institute in Kansas City, MO. Dr. will perform surgery at Oceanside’s Mount Sinai Mosley’s arrival further enhances our group’s South Nassau and Mercy Medical Center in ability to provide,” he notes, “highly-specialized, Rockville Centre. university-level care in a community setting.”

About NSPC Braine & Spine Surgery Founded in Freeport in 1958, NSPC Brain & Spine Surgery has grown to become one of the largest, private neurosurgical practices in the U.S. with seven conveniently located offices on Long Island. The practice’s experienced neurosurgeons and interventional neuroradiologists are experts in “Bloodless” brain and spine surgery, including laser spine surgery, ultrasonic spine surgery, endoscopic spine surgery, vascular coiling, stereotactic radiosurgery, and other advanced minimally invasive techniques which are used to treat brain tumors, brain aneurysms, trigeminal neuralgia, herniated disc, spinal stenosis, chronic back pain, and other neurosurgical conditions. Please visit www.nspc.com to learn more.

100 Merrick Road, Suite 128W, Rockville Centre, NY 11570 • 844-NSPC-DOC Health memos are supplied by advertisers and are not written by the Herald editorial staff.

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At the heart of your hearing It may seem unlikely, but your heart and your hearing are connected! Increasingly, studies show that people with compromised cardiovascular health are at increased risk for impaired hearing and even decline of cognitive function, underscoring the need for broad scale health and wellness management. Because both your hearing and your heart rely on healthy blood vessels, individuals with poor circulation, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or high blood pressure, should be particularly vigilant about checking their hearing and sharing this information with their audiologist. In fact, nearly 70 percent of adults with diabetes over the age of 40 have some level of hearing loss, which can be well-managed when found and treated early. Optimal heart and hearing health can be maintained with

regular exercise, a balanced diet, proper sleep, good hygiene, and no smoking. At Comprehensive Audiology, we thoroughly review your cardiovascular history and are committed to helping you achieve your best self — heart and hearing included. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 516-387-4000 or at comprehensiveaudiology. com/make-appointment/. Follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Google, or Instagram @comprehensive_audiology, or visit us at www.comprehensiveaudiology.com.

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OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD — February 18, 2021

MOUNT SINAI HEART CARE, WITHOUT THE COMMUTE. You can get quality heart care without going to Manhattan or the North Shore. Mount Sinai South Nassau is the only Long Island hospital associated with The Mount Sinai Hospital, which has a U.S. News Top 10 cardiac care department. Offerings include: -

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HEALTH MEMO

February 18, 2021 — OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD

Ranked “High Performing” in heart failure by U.S. News & World Report, Mount Sinai Heart at Mount Sinai South Nassau’s team of accomplished specialists includes (L to R) Dr. Kanner, Dr. Athan Smyrlis, Dr. Jason Freeman, Dr. Sherry Megalla and Dr. Pilar Haynes.

A healthy heart

Know your symptoms and do not delay lifesaving cardiac care

ust before Valentine’s Day 2019, as her husband prepared a cozy fire, Linda McCabe, 74-year-old grandmother of three, felt short of breath. She went to the local urgent care center, which called 9-1-1 to transport her to Mount Sinai South Nassau’s Emergency Department. Linda was admitted to the ICU with a rapid pulse, shortness of breath, sweating, and vomiting. Cardiologist Dr. Sherry Megalla ordered an angiogram that revealed she had heart failure and an EKG showed an irregular heart rhythm. Dr. Lawrence Kanner, Chief of Cardiology, Director of Electrophysiology/ Arrhythmia Services, performed an ablation to restore her heart to a normal rhythm. Feeling better than she had in months, Mrs. McCabe went to a follow-up appointment that fall, where Drs. Kanner and Megalla diagnosed her with a coronary branch blockage, which delays the delivery of electrical impulses that make the heart beat efficiently. A defibrillator and pacemaker were implanted by Dr. Kanner to correct what could have resulted in worsening heart failure or even a fatal heart attack. “This has changed everything…I feel really good,” said Mrs. McCabe. “I have to thank Drs. Kanner and Megalla. They are great doctors.” In addition to Drs. Kanner and Megalla, the Mount Sinai Heart program at Mount Sinai South Nassau features a roster of accomplished cardiologists and cardiovascular specialists. This includes specialists from Mount Sinai Heart’s program at The Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, including Noah Moss,

MD, heart failure specialist; Robin Varghese, MD, cardiovascular surgeon; William Whang, MD, electrophysiologist; Ali Zaidi, MD, adult congenital heart disease specialist. In addition to the expanded staff, Mount Sinai Heart at Mount Sinai South Nassau uses the latest advancements in cardiovascular technologies and procedures, including: Rotational atherectomy, a revolving diamond-tipped instrument that spins at a high speed to effectively break up complex calcified plaque in a clogged coronary artery, restoring blood flow to the heart. The Impella is the world’s smallest temporary assistive heart pump for patients with severe coronary artery disease and diminished heart function who are undergoing a coronary intervention, such as stenting to unblock a clogged artery. CardioMems is a small receiver placed in the pulmonary artery for patients with congestive heart failure that transmits vital data of the heart’s function back to the cardiologist that can be used to adjust the prescribed treatment plan, without a visit to the hospital. Requiring no radiation or surgery, cardiac MRI is 3D imaging technology that helps cardiologists pinpoint exactly where the heart is not pumping well and diagnose what is causing the problem. The information produced by the cardiac MRI results in treatment plans tailored uniquely for each patient. Mount Sinai Heart at Mount Sinai South Nassau is among the nation’s leaders in providing balloon angioplasty in an emergency.

Mount Sinai Heart at Mount Sinai South Nassau’s cardiovascular specialists, including Dr. Sherry Megalla, left, provide advanced care that patients such as 74-year-old Linda McCabe need to overcome debilitating and potentially life-threatening heart diseases. It consistently completes the procedure in approximately 58 minutes, 32 minutes faster than the national standard door-to-balloontime benchmark of 90 minutes. (Door-toballoon time is the time measured in minutes from the moment the patient walks in the door to the point the artery in the heart is reopened with a stent procedure). Designated a 4-star achiever by the American College of Cardiology and ranked “High Performing” in heart failure by US News & World Report, Mount Sinai Heart at Mount Sinai South Nassau is accredited by the Intersocietal Commission for Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories; is designated an Aetna Institute of Quality for interventional cardiology and rhythm disease diagnosis and

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treatment; and has The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for its heart failure program, For more information or to schedule a consultation, call 516-632-3670.

One Healthy Way Oceanside, NY 11572 877-SOUTH-NASSAU (877-768-8462) www.mountsinai.org/southnassau

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It’s pretty safe to say that many people fell off the healthy eating wagon during 2020 — stress from the pandemic to remote learning at home for the kids to actual quarantining left lots of us reaching for the chips and cookies. Regularly scheduled meal times also fell by the wayside as Zoom meetings and Google Classrooms took over the house. As we settle in to 2021, let it be a reset for all kinds of things, including nutrition. Jessica Crandall, registered dietician, says this is a great time to get back to the basics of healthy eating. And, she adds, if you’ve gained weight during the past year for whatever reason, it’s important not to be tempted by fad dieting. “Trendy things to avoid include keto, fasting and cleanses,” she said. “There is no quick fix! And there is little data to support longterm benefits for any of these trendy diets. A high-fat diet (like keto) is not recommended for anyone with cardiac issues. And the keto diet is often low in fiber, which has long studied and proven health benefits! “Fasting can have a negative effect on your metabolism, making it harder to lose weight in the long term,” said Crandall. “It can make it difficult to get your nutritional needs met as well. And there is no scientific research to support the benefit of most cleanses. The best way to detoxify your system is to eat a balanced diet with as little processed foods as possible! We all know that improving our diet can drastically improve overall health. Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet can reduce your risk for heart disease, reduce your risk for many types of cancer, and can help you experience a better quality of life and even live a longer life. Unfortunately, when many people think of improving their diet, they think of “going on a diet.” They imagine something similar to a New Year’s resolution where they cut back on everything and make sweeping changes to their lifestyle. And while it is definitely a good idea to want to change your lifestyle and eating habits, most of us realize that “going on a diet,” as we tend to think about it, is really difficult and can even make us feel worse about

ourselves if we fail. Instead, those drastic, sweeping changes should be thought of as an end-goal of a healthy nutrition plan, and instead of changing everything about your diet all at once, it’s much more manageable to make small improvements along the way to help reach that end goal of a healthier diet. Consider these some important tips to get back on track and focused on a heart-healthy lifestyle. Drink more water. Water helps as an aid in digestion, and helps to flush bacteria from the bladder, normalizes blood pressure, stabilizes heartbeat, as well as maintaining hydration. Eat more fiber. Don’t fear carbs! A highfiber diet helps you feel full, lowers cholesterol, helps control blood sugar levels and maintains bowel health/regularity. Good sources of fiber include whole fruits, vegetables, potatoes (especially the skin), beans/legumes, whole grains (such as brown or wild rice, quinoa, barley, farro and whole grain pasta). Eat more plants. Purchase whole fruits and vegetables in their natural state and prepare as desired (raw, roasted or sautéed). Include bean/legumes and nuts. Try to include at least one fruit or vegetable with each meal. Eat enough for breakfast. Think of it as fueling your day! Having a good (as in balanced, with some fiber and protein) breakfast will help control your appetite throughout the rest of the day. Eat fewer processed foods. Processed meats are high in sodium and usually high in saturated fat. Processed plant-based meats are also high in sodium and often high fat also. Snack foods, sugary cereals and candy are nutritionally void and do not satisfy your hunger. Prepared foods — such as boxed, flavored rice mixes, instant potatoes and canned soups — have added sodium. Above photo: Every choice you make to improve your nutrition matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of heart disease, among other health risks.

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February 18, 2021 — OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD

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OBITUARY

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Reggie Jones Sr., Jones Beach’s longest-serving lifeguard and a longtime resident of Bellmore who grew up in Baldwin, died on Jan. 30 at 93. Jones tried out for the Jones Beach Lifeguard Corps in 1944 at the age of 17. In a 2007 Herald interview at the home that he built on a south Bellmore canal, Reggie Jones Sr. Jones recounted the more than 120 muscled young men with whom he was competing for a job. “I went down and looked at these guys,” Jones remembered. “I said, I’m

News BRIef O’side schools transportation request deadline is April 1

not going to make it. I’m going to be in my father’s grease pit for life.” He was one of 10 to earn a spot that year, however, and he continued to serve as a lifeguard every summer until he was 81. He remains the longest-serving lifeguard at Jones Beach. Jones passed strength and stamina qualifications every year he served. At 80, he still sported tanned, toned arms, a broad chest and an easy smile, as the

Herald reported in 2007. Jones, a retired Garden City social studies teacher, was drafted into the Navy when he turned 18. He was sent to combat training in Sampson, N.Y., and World War II came to an end shortly thereafter. After receiving an honorable discharge, Jones said, “I went back to the beach.” He is survived by his sons, Reggie

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The Oceanside School District’s Transportation Office needs all requests for transportation to non-public schools for the 2021-22 school year to be submitted on or before April 1. Transportation requests will be rejected based on a late registration card. All requests must be by April 1. In keeping protocol with Covid 19 procedures, mail your card to the transportation office:

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Jones Jr., of Point Lookout, and Gavin Jones, of Oceanside, and two granddaughters. Memorial services will be held at the beach this summer. He died in Rockville Centre. The Herald will publish a full-length obituary in the issue of Feb. 18.

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OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD — February 18, 2021

Lifeguard legend Reggie Jones dies at 93

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*MECHANICS *SALES *COUNTER *SHIPPING *OFFICE / INTERNET. 1966 Wantagh Ave, Wantagh, NY 11793 1-800-649-3739. info@brandscycle.com

HANDYMAN WANTED

Must have clean driver's license. Must be able to do light plumbing and carpentry. 4-day work week. $700 per week. 100% Medical & Dental, 401K, Uniforms, Paid Vacations, Sick and Holidays. Apply in person: MondayFriday between 9am & 7pm At: CALL-A-HEAD CORP. 304 Crossbay Blvd., Queens, NY 11693

HEAD TEACHER F/T NEEDED FOR 3K classroom- Ralph Hirschkorn Child Care Center, Far Rockaway. Friendly and supportive atmosphere. Certified w/ MA- $62,295 BA & study plan-$40,456 email resume: rhccclynn@hotmail.com 718-327-1141 Medicinal Chemist: Angion Biomedica Corp in Uniondale, NY seeks a Medicinal Chemist to utilize synthetic methodologies and techniques and modeling tools to design and execute the syntheses of target compounds; conduct multi-step synthesis and optimization through effective reaction planning, troubleshooting, and systematic analysis; purify and characterize compounds using a variety of techniques; enable chemistry via new technologies and maintain lab instruments; potentially help set up and manage a synthetic chemistry lab; maintain all appropriate corporate standards for lab safety and hazardous material management; execute daily chemistry operations with an approach designed to minimize r isks and hazard waste streams; maintain lab notebook, instrument and inventory records in accord with department guidance and regulatory requirements. Must have a Ph.D. in Chemistry, Biochemistry or a closely related field. Mail resume to Angion Biomedica Corp, 51 Charles Lindbergh Blvd., Uniondale, NY 11553.

OFFICE/ FULL CHARGE BOOKKEEPER F/T

Office Manager, Quickbooks, Email, Microsoft-word/ People Skills. Customer Service. Beach Club/ Atlantic Beach. Call: 516-239-2150 Or Email: catalinabeachclub1@gmail.com

$22.50 PER HOUR PLUS MEDICAL/DENTAL. Employment type: Full time /Overtime available Multiple Shifts Available LOOKING TO HIRE TODAY!!! No Lay offs! WILL TRAIN. CALLAHEAD OFFERS 2 WEEKS PAID VACATION, HOLIDAY S , 4 0 1 K , A N D H E A LT H A N D DENTAL BENEFITS. PLEASE APPLY IN PERSON MONDAY- FRIDAY AT 304 CROSS BAY BLVD, QUEENS NY 11693 PRESS-ROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME Pressroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for a motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com RECEPTIONIST PT ROCKVILLE CENTRE LAZY BOY. Thursday & Fr iday 5-9PM, Every Other Saturday 10AM-6PM, Must Be Flexible To Cover Vacation Shifts. Basic Computer & Phone Skills Necessary. Filing & Processing of Credit Cards and Finance Applications. Fax Resume 516-766-1992 Email lzbgalleries@aol.com

ROUTES AVAILABLE AT CALLAHEAD Corp.

NO CDL required, 4 DAY WORK WEEK, (enjoy 3 days off). Run your own route. Year round No lay offs! 100% medical, dental, uniforms, 2 weeks paid vacation. 401K. Plus commission. Will train! 4am-2:30pm. . Route driver $800.00 per week, includes $100.00 weekly bonus program. Plus 10-12 hours overtime. Apply in person Monday- Friday 9am-7pm at 304 Crossbay Blvd, Queens NY 11693

Sherlock Homes Sherlock Homes OCEANSIDE PROPERTIES in

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TRUCK DRIVER NEEDED F/T, CDL Class A License And 1 Year NYC Driving Experience Req. Home Every Evening! RC Supply Corp. Freeport. 516-415-7733

VILLAGE OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE NEIGHBORHOOD AIDE PT 19.75 HRS PER WEEK, $20 PER HOUR. Must pass background check and physical. Valid NY Driver's License requir ied. Application Available At www.rvcny.gov/humanresources/files/ pre-employment-questionaire Return Application to RNugent@RVC.NY.US

Health Care/Opportunities CNA: MALE & FEMALE CAREGIVERS Will provide Proof of Negative COVID Test. Exp. w/Dementia, Alzheimer's & Parkinson Patients. Caring & Dependable. Driver References Available. Derrick@917-363-8924

HEWLETT BAY PARK 40 Heron Dr, BA, NEW TO MARKET!! 10,000 Sq Ft Waterfront Property on an Acre of Parklike Grounds Tucked away in Cul de Sac. 5 BR, 5.5 Bth Contemporary. Soaring Ceilings. IG Pool, Hot Tub. 285' Vinyl Bulkhead Raised & Redone Dock. 3 Car Garage.............................................................$4,650,000

2678 COLONIAL PLACE 253 W. WINDSOR PARKWAY cl

SALES P/T 2 Days Per Week For Window Covering Store In Oceanside. Computer Knowledge, Some Sales Experience Nec. mlcwc89@aol.com SEWING MACHINE OPERATOR For Awning Manufacturing Business. Experienced With Commercial Sewing Machines Necessary. 516-250-8094; tgawnings@aol.com

Ronnie Gerber 516-238-4299 OPEN HOUSES BY APPOINTMENT SUNdAY, 2/21/21 e s t. 1 9 1 1

3315 3RD STREET SOLD PRICE: $499,000

2544 YORKTOWN STREET SOLD PRICE: $395,000

43 N. Park Ave. Rockville Centre • 516-764-2601 REAL ESTATE Apartments Wanted

APARTMENT WANTED

Reliable, mature professional looking for a reasonably priced one or two bedroom apartment in a building or private home. Excellent credit. Excellent references. Same employer for 20 years. Would be willing to do upkeep for a frequent traveling homeowner. Please reply to HeraldApt1@gmail.com

Open Houses EAST ROCKAWAY 1 Thompson Dr, OPEN HOUSE BY APPT, 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Ranch w/Open Layout in Waverly Park Area. Updtd EIK. O/S Prop w/Deck. Att Gar. SD#20..$599,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman RE 516-238-4299

1120782

Help Wanted

OFFICE HELP WANTED: MANY POSITIONS AVAILABLE

1120970

EMPLOYMENT

1119953

If you need care from your relative, friend/ neighbor and you have Medicaid, they may be eligible to start taking care of you as a personal assistant under NYS Medicaid CDPA Program. No Certificates needed.

Open Houses HEWLETT HARBOR ba, 236 Richards Lane 5 BR, 5.5 Bth Contemporary Home on an Acre Of Resortlike, IGP, Open Floor Plan. Full Fin Bsmt. Main Flr Master. SD14...$1,499,00 Ronnie 516 238-4299 Douglas Elliman WOODSBURGH 185 BAY Dr, OPEN HOUSE BY Appt, 5/6 BR, 4.5 Bth Exp Ranch on Parklike 1/2 Acre Prop. Guest Q u a r t e r s , F u l l B s m t , 2 C a r G a r. SD#14...$1,450,00 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

House For Sale HEWLETT BAY PARK 40 Heron Dr, NEW TO MARKET!! 10,000 Sq Ft Waterfront Proper ty on an Acre of Parklike Grounds Tucked away in Cul de Sac. 5 BR, 5.5 Bth Contemporary. Soaring Ceilings. IG Pool, Hot Tub. 285' Vinyl Bulkhead Raised & Redone, Dock. 3 Car Garage...$4,650,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman RE 516-238-4299

70 Heron Dr, BA, 6 BR, Contemporary with Open Layout on an Acre of Parklike Property. Move Right in! SD#14 .................................................... REDUCED $1,650,000

HEWLETT HARBOR NEW EXCLUSIVE! 7 BR, 4 Bth Exp Ranch w/ Full Fin Bsmt on Quiet St in SD#20. 2 Car Att Gar. Won't Last! ......... $1,198,000 105 Lake Dr, BA, NEW TO MARKET!! Spectaular Water & Golf Course Views. 4 BR, 4.5 Bth 4500 sq Ft Contemporary w/ Open Layout & Soaring Ceilings, 2 Car Gar, SD#14 $1,995,000 236 Richards Lane, BA, 5 BR, 5.5 Bth Contemporary Home on an Acre Of Resortlike Prop with IG Pool. Open Floor Plan. Full Fin Bsmt. Main Flr Master. SD14 ... REDUCED! $1,499,000

WOOdSBURGH 185 Bay Dr, BA, 5/6 BR, 4.5 Bth Exp Ranch on Parklike 1/2 Acre Prop. Guest Quarters, Full Bsmt, 2 Car Gar. SD#14 ....................................................................... $1,450,000 EAST ROCKAWAY 1 Thompson Dr, BA, 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Ranch w/Open Layout in Waverly Park Area. Updtd EIK. O/S Prop w/Deck. Att Gar. SD#20 ......................................................................... $599,000 WOOdMERE 1 Meadow Dr #2B, BA, NEW TO MARKET! Updated 2 BR Coop in Elevator Bldg. Spacious Rms, Hi Ceiling. Prime location........................................................................ $289,000 One phone call, one order, one heck of a good price to run your ad in any state, or across the country.

Call the USA Classified Network today!

1-800-231-6152

Houses seem to be growing taller

Homes

HERALD

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 • “Going Above & Beyond to find your Dream Home”

Rhonda Healy

This is the seller’s market you’ve waitingmarket for. This isbeen the seller’s you’ve been waiting for. This is the seller’s market you’ve been waiting for.

M: (516) 236-7269

Verdeschi & Walsh Realty 1025 W. Beech St. | Long Beach, NY

10 Court Street E. Rockaway, NY 10 Court Street MLS# 3243679.NY E. Rockaway, $559,000. MLS# 3243679. 10 Court Street $559,000. E. Rockaway, NY MLS# 3243679. $559,000.

House For Sale

Karen Elefante, CBR Real Estate Salesperson Karen Elefante, CBR 516.678.1510 Real Estate Salesperson c.516.398.5055 516.678.1510 karenelefante@danielgale.com Karen Elefante, CBR c.516.398.5055 Real Estate Salesperson karenelefante@danielgale.com 516.678.1510 Brendan Gallagher c.516.398.5055 Real Estate Salesperson Brendan Gallagher karenelefante@danielgale.com 516.678.1510 Real Estate Salesperson c.917.676.3985 516.678.1510 brendangallagher@danielgale.com Brendan Gallagher c.917.676.3985 Real Estate Salesperson brendangallagher@danielgale.com Rockville Centre Office 516.678.1510 36 S. Park Ave, Rockville Centre, NY c.917.676.3985 Rockville Centre Office danielgale.com danielgale.com brendangallagher@danielgale.com 36 S. Park Ave, Rockville Centre, NYEach Office is Independently Owned and Operated. danielgale.com danielgale.com Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Rockville Centre Office 36 S. Park Ave, Rockville Centre, NY danielgale.com danielgale.com Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

Rent Your Apartment through the Herald and PrimeTime Classified section. Call us for our great *specials. 516-5694000, press 5 for Classified Dept. *(private party only)

HEWLETT HARBOR 105 Lake Dr, NEW TO MARKET!! Spectaular Water & Golf Course Views. 4 BR, 4.5 Bth 4500 sq Ft Contemporary w/ Open Layout & Soaring Ceilings, 2 Car Gar, SD#14..$1,995,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman RE 516-238-4299

CoOps & Condos/Sale LAWRENCE PRESTINE CO-OP 2 Bds, 2 Baths, Completely Renovated Kicthen & Baths,Terrace, Garage, Near House Of Worship, Great Area. For Sale By Owner. 516-313-9694

OneKey Multiple Listing Service ®

1120869

Real Estate Salesperson, abR, SRS E: Rhonda.Healy.VW@gmail.com

1120998

February 18, 2021 — OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD

Apartments For Rent CEDARHURST NO FEE Pr ivate Entrance, Modern 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, CAC, W/D, Storage, Wall To Wall Carpeting, Indoor Parking Space. Starting At $1450 For O n e B e d r o o m W h e n Ava i l a bl e. (516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/ (516)582-9978

EAST ROCKAWAY: 3 BR, Fbth, LR, DR, EIK, Parking. Water/ Heat Included. Pets Ok. $2,200. 516-596-9470

Helping you find a HOME or sell a HOME … a place to call your own. Suburb or country, house, condo, townhouse or apartment, our Classifieds can help you find a HOME that fits your style, your budget and Real Estate needs... it’s a MUST SEE!

Call us today!

Your Hometown Newspaper

To Place an Ad Call: 516-569-4000

•

Press 5

Elmont $650,000 Theodora Street. Colonial. 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Formal dining room. Den/family room. First floor master bedroom. Taxes: $10,902 Merrick $699,000 Ellen Drive. Splanch. 5 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Formal dining room. Den/family room and skylight. Custom garage doors. Taxes: $16,025.44 Long Beach $590,000 W. Olive Street. Ranch. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Formal dining room. Den/family room. First floor master bedroom. Taxes: $12,271.45

Herald

Home Sales A sampling of recent sales in the area

Bellmore $838,000 Judith Drive. Hi Ranch. 5, bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen. Formal dining room. Den/family room and home office. Taxes: $17,059.45 East Meadow $700,000 Gates Avenue. Colonial. 5 bedrooms 4 bathrooms. Finished basement with accessory apartment with separate entrance. Eat-in kitchen. Formal dining room. Den/family room and skylight. Taxes: $13,567.35 East Rockaway $650,000 Waverly Avenue. Colonial. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Eatin kitchen. Formal dining room. Spacious great room with fireplace. New central air conditioning. Taxes: $15,062.50

Oceanside $750,000 Murdock Avenue. Hi Ranch. 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Formal dining room. Den/family room and home office. Skylight. On deep water canal with large yard. Taxes: $21,403.64 Valley Stream $508,000 Marlow Road. Cape. 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Partial finished basement. L-shaped dining room. First floor master bedroom. Taxes: $12,294.54 Rockville Centre $729,000 Tarence Street. Colonial. 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Formal dining room. Den/family room and home office. Taxes: $22,590.04 Woodmere $765,000 Ocean Avenue. Farmhouse. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in kitchen. Formal dining room. Den/family room. Taxes: $14,606.78 Source: The Multiple Listing Service of Long Island Inc,, a computerized network of real estate offices serving Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Brooklyn.

Q. A few homes in my neighborhood are much taller. What are the rules for how tall a house can be — like how many floors, and what’s legal? I mostly see only two stories, but the new ones are at least three stories. Is this a new thing that you can build taller? Was it just traditional to only build two stories until now?

A. Recently, influences have changed the thinking on allowed height. Hurricane Sandy’s flooding caused New York to promote house lifting in flood zones. Influence also came from the Federal Emergency Management agency, which, in essence, is a publicly funded insurance company, covering people in areas where regular onte eeper home insurance companies avoid the risk of insuring. to lift or build higher is to avoid huge flood insurance cost increases by building above flood levels, with the lowest level only allowed to be for a garage and storage, not living space. By making the first livable floor higher, above the flood level, insurance rates are kept lower. People have shown me that their rates went from $500 to $5,000 a year, increasing annually since Sandy in 2012. Some homes are much higher than codes and incentives intended, due to misinterpretation of reasons to build higher and misrepresentation in the review process. For example, a home’s first floor is no longer a first floor if it’s higher than 6 feet above the ground. Over 6 feet high, the floor level automatically becomes a second floor, meaning the next floor above is a third floor, which requires zoning board approval, interior sprinklers, escape terraces and wind strengthening. I’ve seen home plans misrepresented as being two stories by not correctly showing the floor level heights or describing a second floor as a first floor, the next floor as a second floor that is really a third floor and even where a fourth floor is shown as a mezzanine or roof level balcony. There’s a small country town in Tuscany, in central Italy, San Gimignano, that is famous for its skyline of towers that people built on their homes during medieval times. As the story goes, one prominent homeowner built a tall tower to watch for potential attackers. His neighbor jealously built a tower a little higher, and, not to be outdone, several adjacent homeowners began building towers higher and higher than one another. History repeats itself. Thirty feet from the ground or the center of the road is your maximum roof height. The safety code intends to protect people from perishing in fires. The first code chapter addresses wind resistance, since the taller you build, the more turbulence from adjacent buildings and wind destruction, not just to your building but also to adjacent buildings. With the 75-mph gusts of wind we’ve been known to have, wind, like flooding, is a real concern. Manhattan towers aren’t wood and nails for a reason. Decisions to build higher have to take community safety and appearance into account, and until recently, they did.

Ask The Architect

© 2021 Monte Leeper Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

Market Place • • To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5

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JOBS, MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... JOBS, MERCHANDISE, It’s in the Herald Classifieds... REAL ESTATE & MORE... Call 516-569-4000 JOBS,To Advertise MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... JOBS, MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... press 5

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HERALD

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To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 MERCHANDISE MART Antiques/Collectibles We Buy Antiques, Fine Art & Jewelry Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluations, 40 Year Family Business. Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid.. SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

Pets For Sale/Adoption

Electricians E-Z ELECTRIC SERVICES, INC. All Types Residential/Commercial Wiring, Generators, Telephone/Data, Home Entertainment, Service Upgrades, Pools, Spas. Services/Repairs. Violations Removed. Free Estimates Low Rates. 516-785-0646 Lic/Ins.

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Autos Wanted

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DRIVE OUT BREAST Cancer: Donate a car today! The benefits of donating your car or boat: Fast Free Pickup - 24hr Response Tax Deduction - Easy To Do! Call 24/7: 855-905-4755

Cement Specialist, Brickwork, Interlock Bricks, Belgium Blocks, Stoops, Patios, Basement Entrances, Pavers, Waterproofing. Quality Work, Lic./ Ins. Owner Always Onsite Free Estimates 516-354-5578 THE GENERAC PWRCELL, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-888-871-0194

Miscellaneous DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 7/21/21. 1-888-609-9405

MINI GOLDENDOODLES

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FINDS UNDER $100 Finds Under $100 CLARINET "OLDS" GOOD condition. good for student. may need some pads. $65.00 516-593-2249 DISHWASHER: PORTABLE, APT Size. Brand new never used, w/manual. $85.00 516-593-2249 GE WINDOW AIR conditioner : model AEM10HQA1, Excellent condition paid $315 , $99. 516-360-8752 . PET STEPS, HELP small pets reach sofas, beds. Plastic frame, faux wool cover $5. 516-546-2644 ROUND COFFEE TABLE 40" with 4 cushioned seats that go underneath table. Excellent $99 516-808-7535

SERVICES

Answers

Home Improvement

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HANDY DANDY NO JOB TOO SMALL! *Kitchens/ Baths *Painting *Sheetrock *Taping/ Spackling *Installations Ceramic/ Vinyl Tile *Carpentry *Alterations *Repairs/ More. FREE ESTIMATES. Dan 516-342-0761

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Careers/Training TRAIN AT HOME TO DO MEDICAL BILLING! Become a Medical Office Professional online at CTI! Get Trained, Certified & ready to work in months! Call 855-543-6440. (M-F 8am-6pm ET)

Education COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! (844) 947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET)

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AUTOMOBILE & MARINE

Autos For Sale BUICK ROADMASTER 1994: Leather Interior, Excellent Working Condition, Must See To Appreciate. $3750. 516-428-3915 MERCEDES BENZ E350, 2006: 4-Matic, 70K Miles, Excellent Condition. Must See! $12,000. 516-603-8697

Autos Wanted ***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS $Highe$t Ca$h Paid$ All Years/Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct + Ca$h. DMV ID#1303199 Call LUKE 516-VAN-CARS 516-297-2277

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Classifieds All for an amazing price! Your add will run until you sell your vehicle. Just call one of our expert classified account executives today and you will be on your way to making a great deal on your set of wheels!

516-569-4000 press 5, then 2

HErald

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OpINIONS

e lost our sense of normalcy in recent years, didn’t we? Nearly every morning of his presidency, Donald J. Trump treated us to one outlandish tweet after another, one more extreme, more incendiary, than the next, until finally that routine became our new normal. We were conditioned, as if in a Pavlovian experiment, to jeer or cheer, depending on party affiliation, when his tweets appeared in big, bold letters on the TV news, usually first thing in SCOTT the morning. So we began each day BRINTON feeling angry and despondent, or elated and victorious, depending on whether we disagreed or agreed with the president’s rhetoric. I, like so many others, felt fear in my heart when the U.S. appeared on the brink of nuclear war with North Korea. I felt helpless rage when babies, many the children of narco-violence refugees, were ripped from their parents’ arms and separated and caged in sterile detention facilities. I felt numb last summer when the president sent federal forces to disperse peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters near the White House with tear gas and rubber bullets so he could stage a photo op, holding up a Bible, then simply walk-

ing away. And I felt mournful and depressed — and, again, helpless — as I watched him mock basic hygiene measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and convene mass rallies to boost his already hyper-inflated ego, while hundreds of thousands of Americans died and the economy tanked. Since he first announced his candidacy for president in June 2015, it has been all Trump all the time. The circus should have ended Nov. 3, the day Joe Biden was elected our 46th president with the largest popular vote in the nation’s history — more than 81 million ballots cast for him. It didn’t, however. Trump sought, by any means necessary, to overturn an election that, by all official accounts except his, was an efficient and lawful exercise in democracy. Many had predicted that violence would erupt. When you condition a dog to maul, it will when called on to do so. On Jan. 6, the mob of Trump supporters, conditioned by the president’s continual tweeting and provoked by his now infamous “fight like hell” speech, attacked, unleashing collective fury on a Congress that had gathered to count the Electoral College votes and once and for all certify the results of the election. And so, last week, when we should have been focused on Covid-19 vaccine distribu-

tion and economic stimulus, Trump was once again front and center in the national consciousness. None of us were happy about it. His detractors felt deep loathing. His supporters, I imagine, were riled up, angrier than ever to see him tried in the Senate for the second time. For those who oppose Trump, the impeachment trial was a necessary exercise in futility, knowing there likely wouldn’t be 17 Republican senators courageous enough to vote to convict him, but believing he should at least be shamed publicly for his role in the Capitol insurrection. For those who love Trump, meanwhile, the trial was yet another occasion to revel in his seeming invulnerability, no matter what he might have done. The question is, how do we recover from the past five years of uninterrupted political turmoil, and now very real death and destruction? How do we find peace again? I, for one, desperately want to feel normal again. I hate feeling angry and depressed. I need to start enjoying my life once more, without a sense of impending doom. I want to wake up feeling free — free of Trump and the angry mob of Jan. 6. We must end the coronavirus pandemic for any of us to feel entirely free again, but resolving our political differences would go a long way toward restoring our sense of normalcy.

ow do we recover from the past five years of uninterrupted political turmoil?

Personally, I want what we had in America long ago, before House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Fox News declared war on our political establishment in the 1990s, leading us down a slippery slope that, over time, sent us hurtling into the Trump presidency, which ended, predictably, with Capitol rioting. I want what I had as a teenager and young 20-something back in the 1980s and early ’90s — the ability to debate critical issues — abortion, environmental regulation, monetary policy — with friends and acquaintances, of all political stripes, and then hang out over pizza and a game of basketball. Politics played an important role in people’s lives back then, but it wasn’t the center of our universe. Trump, as the nation’s first shock-jock president, forced his firebrand politics into the very core of our being. His presidency became our national psychosis. Setting politics aside, what I love about Biden thus far is this: He doesn’t need to be the center of our collective attention at all times. Day by day, he is quietly leading, offering straight talk, and perhaps — perhaps — that is how we recover from the recent years of fear and rage: four years of honesty and compassion. Let the healing begin. Scott Brinton is the Herald Community Newspapers’ executive editor and an adjunct professor at the Hofstra University Herbert School of Communication. Comments about this column? SBrinton@ liherald.com.

Grab your ladle: The soup’s on the table

This column is back by popular demand. Well, in truth, only one reader, shivering through the freezing weather, remembered that I once wrote about winter soups, and asked me to do another one. My pleasure. I cook every night, and over the years, I’ve gathered a collection of recipes, tweaked to a healthier way of eating. Mind you, we aren’t fanatics, but I’m happy to avoid any soup made with cream or excessive amounts of butter. Also, there’s no meat in these prepRANDI arations. KREISS These days, weeks and months through the pandemic, I have been making big, and I mean big, pots of soup, and then, before my husband can see how much is there, I siphon off a quart or more and hide it in the freezer. This neutralizes his portion-control issues and addresses my what-if fears, like if we both get sick at the same time, how will we eat?

But let’s not go down that dark path. Let me share a few faves:

Manhattan clam chowder ■ 2 tablespoons olive oil ■ 1 large onion, chopped ■ 1 clove garlic, minced ■ 1 red or green pepper, diced ■ 2 celery stalks with leaves, diced ■ 2 small cans chopped clams, including juice ■ 2 bottles clam juice ■ 1 16-ounce can crushed tomatoes ■ 1 bay leaf ■ ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves ■ ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram leaves ■ 1/8 teaspoon black pepper In large pot, heat garlic, add onion, celery, peppers and sauté. Drain clams and set aside. Add all other ingredients and simmer 30 minutes. Add clams and adjust seasoning. Serve with wedges of toasted homemade sourdough bread, which is another whole story.

Chicken tortilla soup

■ Buy a roasted or rotisserie chicken, or use raw chicken thighs or breasts, cut into pieces (about 3 cups)

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 3 cloves garlic, minced 8 cups chicken broth 1 large can chopped tomatoes 1 teaspoon cumin 1 can fat-free refried beans 1 can mild green chilies 1 tablespoon lime juice ¾ cup diced avocado ½ cup chopped cilantro ½ teaspoon pepper ¼ teaspoon salt Parmesan cheese

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add all the other ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips broken into the soup. Add more spices and cheese to taste.

Mushroom barley soup ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

14 cups chicken stock or broth 1¼ cups pearl barley 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 cups chopped onions 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced

■ 1/3 cup chopped dried shiitake mushrooms ■ 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced ■ 1 parsnip, peeled and thinly sliced ■ 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced ■ Salt and pepper to taste Sauté garlic and onion in olive oil. Add fresh mushrooms and sauté 5 minutes. Add sautéed mix with all other ingredients to large pot of chicken stock. Rinse barley before adding. Simmer for 1 hour. Adjust spices.

Spinach egg drop soup (can be doubled) ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

4 cups chicken broth or stock 1 bag fresh spinach 4 cloves garlic, minced Juice of 1 fresh lemon 1 egg, beaten Salt and pepper Fresh parsley or cilantro to taste

Sauté minced garlic. Add all ingredients except egg to broth and simmer 5 or 6 minutes. Just before serving, pour egg into simmering soup, forming the egg drop threads. Serve immediately. Copyright 2021 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD — February 18, 2021

Finding peace again, post-Trump

Herald ediTorial

Oceanside/island park

February 18, 2021 — OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD

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Vaccine distribution needs improvement

he rollout of New York state’s Covid-19 vaccine distribution has been, at times, disorganized, even chaotic, but in fairness, the state has received a mere 300,000 doses per week, while the need is significantly greater than that — there are nearly 19.5 million people living in the state, and more than 7 million of them are currently eligible to receive the vaccine. Three hundred thousand represents 1.5 percent of the state’s population. The actual percentage of people receiving the vaccine, however, is less than 1 percent per week, as each person must receive two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine to achieve 95 percent immunity to the coronavirus. So, at the current rate of vaccination, we would need more than 100 weeks — about two years — to vaccinate everyone in the state, and at least 60 weeks, or a little more than a year, to achieve “herd immunity.” As is the case with all other states, New York’s weekly allocation is determined by the federal government. Last week, President Biden announced that his administration had finalized deals to buy 200 million more vaccine doses from Pfizer and Moderna by this summer, so it appears increasingly likely that he will be able to make good on a promise to ensure that all Americans who choose to be vaccinated can be. These are frustrating months. Life-saving vaccines started streaming into the public in early December, but slowly. That is behind us, though. Now we must focus on the future. We urge people to be patient as more vaccine is manufactured and sent out to the states. Your turn will come — soon. In the meantime, keep following the critical

Who’s next for an inoculation? New York state began the second part of Phase 2b of its Covid-19 inoculation distribution plan on Monday. Those in the phase include women who are pregnant and people with: ■ Cancer, current or in remission, including 9/11-related cancers ■ Chronic kidney disease ■ Pulmonary disease ■ Intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Down syndrome ■ Heart conditions, including high blood pressure ■ Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) ■ Severe obesity (body mass index of 40 safety protocols that we have heard repeated again and again over the past year — stay home as much as possible, keep at least six feet of distance between you and others, wear a mask (or two) when in public (KN95 masks are five-layered and tight-fitting), wash your hands often and use hand sanitizer when you cannot. And even after you receive the vaccine, be sure to continue these measures. We were surprised to see that food bank workers were not included in New York’s staged vaccine distribution plan. Those who work at food banks, many of them volunteers, are doing God’s work, feeding the hungry and the poor. If they don’t show up to work, people don’t eat, lowering their immune systems, making them

leTTers A push for in-person learning To the Editor: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated their guidelines for opening schools for full-time and in-person learning. These guidelines include mask mandates, and encourage students and staff to wash hands, clean, ventilate, contact trace and social distance (which is now allowed at less than six feet). Their findings also state that in-person schooling is not associated with any increase in Covid-19 cases. A former CDC director said, “When it comes to where children are safest during the pandemic, schools are the best place to be.” It is there that everyone must wear a mask. Additionally, there is no evidence that hybrid schooling results in fewer cases than full-time, in-person schooling. The negative effects of remote and hybrid learning are alarming. Many students are less likely to participate

kg/m2 or higher), obesity (body mass index of between 30 kg/m2 and 40 kg/ m2) ■ Sickle cell disease or thalassemia ■ Type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus ■ Cerebrovascular disease ■ Neurologic conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia ■ Liver disease Previous phases included health care and emergency workers, educators, essential workers and those over age 65. For more information and instructions on how to schedule your vaccine, go to the New York State Department of Health website, covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov. more vulnerable to disease, including Covid-19. Clearly, food bank workers are among our most essential workers, and should have been included in any vaccine distribution plan. We are calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo and our state legislators to rethink the plan — and include them in the current round of inoculations, labeled Phase 1b. Finally, when your turn comes to be vaccinated, be sure to schedule your inoculation as soon as you can. People have reported reactions that include muscle soreness and mild to moderate flu-like symptoms, but these side effects pale in comparison with the virus itself, which, strangely, leaves some unharmed, while ravaging — and killing — others.

opinions

here are many benefits to getting older, although I often wish that I were a lot younger. When it comes to Long Island politics, I have pretty good recall going back to the mid-1950s. As a fledging reporter for a weekly newspaper, I met County Executive A. Holly Patterson, and in later years had some battles with his successors Ralph Caso and Fran Purcell. I served in the Assembly with the late Tom Gulotta, another former county executive, and of course know U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, JerrY who also occupied the executive’s kremer office. While all of those characters had different personalities, by and large they were good county executives who performed their jobs responsibly. They made sure the streets were plowed after snowstorms and the potholes on county highways were filled. They all had their challenges, and like all human beings, they made their share of mistakes. All of this leads me to some observations about current County Executive Laura Curran.

Nassau County, like all suburban counties, isn’t an easy place to govern. It has a major police force, a large workforce and facilities all over the place. There are county parks and numerous recreation facilities. We are blessed with beautiful beaches and waterfront facilities, which require maintenance and supervision. But if I had to pick the toughest part of Curran’s job, it is managing the county’s finances, and that includes tax collections. On the few occasions that I dealt with the county’s tax assessment system, I usually met with some department employee who worked with old yellow assessment cards that looked like they’d been used since the Civil War. The agency has never been easy to run, and its assessment of homes has been a source of anxiety for Curran, as it was for her predecessors. There is no way to make any aggrieved homeowner happy, and Curran has done the best she could to keep the system from imploding. Long before she came to the job, the county was in deep financial trouble. For years and years, it ran up major deficits, and for political reasons kept deferring any increase in real estate taxes. Executive after executive tried to paper over the

f she doesn’t know the answers, she promises to get them, and keeps her word.

LeTTers and more easily distracted when learning from home, and the lack of social interaction — particularly during middle and high school years — results in a major increase in anxiety and depression for many. I am strongly advocating that the Central Administration and the Board of Education, along with middle and high school staff, prepare to offer an in-person, full-time option for our Oceanside students as soon as possible. I advocate conferring with local districts, such as Bethpage, Bellmore, Merrick, Farmingdale, Massapequa and, more recently, Long Beach, all of which have successfully been offering this option. It seems obvious that our students deserve this opportunity. Parents who wish for their children to remain on remote or hybrid schedules should continue to have those choices. Clearly, this would reduce the numbers of students in these two buildings. If school officials choose not to offer full-time, in-person learning, our middle school and high school students will have lost a year and a half of full-time learning, and our seniors will have missed out on their very special year, one that their friends in other districts around Long Island have been enjoying with no harmful effects. Come on, Oceanside! Let’s work together to give our children the education — both socially and academically — that

growing deficits, but eventually the chickens came home to roost. In 2000, the county was near bankruptcy. In order to save it from itself, the State Legislature created the Nassau Interim Finance Authority to monitor Nassau’s finances and serve as the equivalent of a control board. NIFA is similar to boards that have been created for New York City, Yonkers and Buffalo. It keeps a close eye on the county’s operations, and a mere threat from NIFA can give the county executive and the Legislature a major migraine. NIFA isn’t a paper tiger. It has the ability to force dramatic changes in the county budget and operations. The past two years have been especially tough for Nassau and Suffolk counties. Sales tax collections have been declining at the same time that mandated expenses have been ballooning. Expenses have increased dramatically during the pandemic, which no one could have anticipated. The county’s share of Medicaid expenses is dictated by the federal and state governments, and there’s no source of funds to counterbalance them. Just keeping the county afloat is enough to keep Curran busy.

The other criteria I use in judging any public official’s performance is their public personality. Curran is bright, outgoing and genuinely pleasant. She is out in the community frequently, and when she faces the press, she is confident and factual. If she doesn’t know the answers, she promises to get them, and keeps her word. I’ve seen her speak outside Long Island, and she gets high marks from total strangers who think she comes across as very professional. I’m aware of one other facet of Curran’s performance in office. She speaks her mind, and on occasion has tangled with Gov. Andrew Cuomo over county issues. It’s hard to govern a county of over one million people and not have differences with the people in Albany or Washington. I have no dealings with the Nassau County government, so I’m not seeking any special favors. After four years of President Donald Trump and a lot of Washington ineptitude, it’s nice to focus on local competence for a change, and Curran is a good example of that. 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.

Framework by George Schuchman

they deserve. LARAINE MILLMAN Oceanside

Kreiss column was ‘preposterous’ To the Editor: Randi Kreiss’s column “When it comes to Trump, newspapers go BIG” (Jan. 14-20) was preposterous. Kreiss asserted that former President Trump incited his supporters to violence, yet she brought no examples and no proof. I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt, because maybe she didn’t see his speech. But even so, she wrote, “I sure hope we do more as a society than take away his freaking Twitter account.” So Kreiss wants us, as a society, to do more than censor someone’s opinion on a private app? That idea would be fascist. Kreiss also brought up the man at the Capitol who wore a ocratic politicians support such behavior. In addition, the man wearing the Nazi T-shirt wasn’t in a position of power. But Louis Farrakhan has met with Democratic elected leaders, some of whom have potential ties to the Nation of Islam leader. Kreiss’s description of the riots was full of misinformation and lacked context. There were tens of thousands of people there, perhaps as many as 100,000, but

The sky clears after another storm — Valley Stream

only hundreds were not peaceful. Furthermore, FBI investigations show that the violence was planned weeks in advance. The rioters’ behavior was unacceptable. However, was it acceptable that stores and businesses were looted and people were killed during the BLM protests, which were encouraged by then Sen. Kamala Harris? Kreiss called the election “fully legitimate.” Yet in 2005, a bipartisan commission, chaired by former President Jimmy

Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker, concluded, “Absentee ballots remain the largest source of potential voter fraud.” If that’s the case, then universal mail-ins are even less reliable, leaving me more skeptical about the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. All misinfor mation needs to be brought to light, and reporting must have proper context. MORDECHAI NEWMAN Oceanside

OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD — February 18, 2021

Laura Curran is handling Nassau County with aplomb

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February 18, 2021 — OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD