Oceanside/Island Park Herald 02-22-2024

What better way to spend a snow day?

Two-year-old Emma, of Oceanside, with her first snowman during last Tuesday’s snow storm.

She’s happy to detail her triple bypass Spreading the word about heart disease in women

By JANET PRETE CORRESPONDENT

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S., and Merrick resident Jayne Dickie is trying her best to significantly lower those numbers.

Her efforts come after Dickie, 70, recently encountered a scare of her own with the disease, which is responsible for one in three deaths among women.

She told her story at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital in Oceanside on Feb. 2, as part of the hospital’s Go Red for Women event, promoting awareness of cardiovascular disease in

women.

Dickie, a trim, petite woman who was a selfdescribed gym rat in her younger days, eats mostly healthy foods, with occasional indulgences like potato chips.

The mother of five and grandmother of 11 said she felt perfectly healthy before she woke up in the middle of the night with what she thought was food poisoning, nine months before she visited her cardiologist. She vomited throughout the night, and when she looked in the mirror, she saw that her face was extremely flushed. At that point, she asked her husband to call an ambulance because she realized something was

ParkMobile woes plague Island Park

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

Residents and merchants blasted Island Park’s new electronic parking management system during a village board meeting last week, one charging that it’s “going to kill” local businesses.

ParkMobile, the village’s new parking system, became fully operational starting Feb. 1, and the initial reviews have been horrible.

Paying by using an app became mandatory in all village parking lots, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday.

Drivers were initially given a grace period while village officials worked on the system internally and rolled out the new parking plan, but as of Feb. 13, violations began to be enforced and tickets were handed out.

While parking is $1 an hour, residents also must pay a 45-cent surcharge when using credit cards through the app. For drivers who don’t own a Smartphone, a phone number is available for them to pay for parking. The Village projects an estimate to take in $50,000 to $100,00 in revenue from the new parking system. According to

the village, $12,000 has been generated since the first week of implementation. As of press time, the total from fines has not yet been calculated.

Representatives from local businesses, including restaurants, florists and laundromats, as well as dozens of Island Park residents, packed the village courthouse during the Feb. 15 village board meeting, complaining that the system was hurting business and reporting a significant drop in customers and revenue since the system’s implementation.

“For the quick in and out, someone’s going to pay $1.45 for a five-minute park job to grab a slice of pizza and go home. I don’t think that’s fair,” Charles Natalello, of Jack’s Pizzeria, said. “They get to come in and grab a slice and pay on top of the slice.”

Residents, particularly seniors, expressed difficulty using the app-based parking system. Some were concerned about their technology skills and the inconvenience of using mobile apps for those who may not be familiar with Smartphone technology.

“I’m 60, I cannot do an app,” resident Christine Servidio

Continued on page 10

Long Beach Humane Society, also known as Kitty Cove in Island Park is back with their annual bowling for kitties fundraisine Event at Maple Lanes in Rockville Centre this Sunday, Feb. 25th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. A generous donor will match every dollar raised at the fundraiser. The shelter is in need of critical funding and in danger of closing.

Long Beach Humane Society saves approximately 300 dogs and cats each year through rescue, foster, and adoption. This event promises fun for families, animal lovers, and bowlers alike. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or via Venmo, or in person at the event. www. longbeachhumanesociety.net

— Kepherd Daniel

Island Park Greek Church celebrates winter charity

— Kepherd Daniel

The Greek Orthodox Panaghia Church of Island Park held their 43rd winter charity gala at Sand Castle in Franklin Square on Feb 4. Andreas and Angeliki Markoulli were honored with the commitment to Parish award. Nikos and Eftihia Fillas with the commitment to Hellenism award and Ari and Ionna Zervoudis with the commitment to philanthropy award.

Daniel Tommasino/Herald

Andreas Markoulli, left, with Father George Kazoulis, Congressman Anthony D’Esposito, Nikos Fillas, Ari Zervoudis, Steve Zervoudis and George Nikias. The event benefitted youth ministries in the community.

Filio Fandaros,left, Andrea Babatsikos, George Nikias, Chris Spirou, Denise Tembelis, Koula Panaghi and Peter Rizik.

Anna Zoitas, left, Karena Kokkinakis, Patricia Ioannou, Pauline Alexander danced the night away.

Father George Kazoulis of the Panaghia greek church of Island park and his wife Dimitra Vasilopoulos Kazoulis enjoyed the festive evening.

Oceanside celebrates Haitian heritage

In the celebration of Haitian tradition the Oceanside Library held a Sunday family concert on Feb. 18 at the Oceanside Jewish Center. La Troupe Zetwal offers Haitian dance classes that include traditional Haitian dance, Hai-

tian folk dance, and Haitian drum classes. The Oceanside community was graced with live drums, brilliant colors of the quadrille dress and traditional dances and stories of Haitian folklore.

— Kepherd Daniel

Jason Thomas/Herald La Troupe Zetwal dancers Irene Siegel, Mickey Nixon, and Sherley Davilmar.

Olivia Joseph, 5,beats the drums with pride.

Tony Iovino, Assistant Director of Oceanside Library welcomes all to an afternoon of Haitian tradition.

Gregory Fanor, Emmanuel Kisley and JeanMarie Edmond teach the crowd a Haitian song.

Sherley Davilmar of La Troupe Zetwal teaches Alan Wong from the audience some Haitian dance moves.

Mickey Nixon dances with crowd members at the Oceanside Jewish Center.

Ashley Saintfort explains the meaning and symbol of the Haitian flag as Alan Wong and Rachael and Olivia Joseph 5 hold the flag.

Four men arrested in failed Island Park robbery

Four undocumented Venezuelan men were arrested following an attempted robbery on Thursday afternoon in Island Park.

The incident unfolded in the parking lot of Ace Hardware at 3965 Long Beach Road, where a 44-yearold man was walking through the parking lot. The man was approached by four men, prompting him to seek refuge in his vehicle. The men began assaulting the vehicle’s windows and forcibly attempted to extract the victim. The victim dialed 911 and clung to the steering wheel until law enforcement arrived.

The apprehended individuals, identified as Jose Urbina Martinez,29, Luis Urbina Martinez,32, Angel Urbina Martinez, 21, and Darwin Botines Pino,36, were taken into custody without further incident. No injuries were reported during the altercation.

All four defendants are facing charges of two counts of attempted robbery. They were arraigned on Feb. 16 at First District Court, located at 99 Main Street in Hempstead.

People named in Crime Watch items as having been arrested and charged with violations or crimes are only suspected of committing those acts of which they are accused. They are all presumed to be innocent of those charges until and unless found guilty in a court of law.

The

approach the exemption. However, for the fortunate few who have assets, including life insurance, that may exceed roughly seven million dollars, there is a significant tax liability.

Changes in New York estate tax law in the last few years introduced a “fiscal cliff”. Whereas formerly New York only taxed the amount over the exemption, if you exceed the limit today (by a mere 5%) they tax the whole estate. You’re over the cliff!

The tax is surprisingly large. On a roughly seven million dollar estate, the taxes payable to New York exceed five hundred thousand dollars. An estate over ten million would owe over a million in estate tax.

These New York estate taxes are avoidable if you have a spouse and you create an estate plan using two trusts, which doubles the exemption. Another way to avoid the fiscal cliff is to use the “Santa Clause” providing that you gift to charities of your choice all amounts over the exemption. Gifts to charities are deductible

from estate taxes.

While the Federal estate tax exemption of 13.61 million is “portable”, i.e. if the first spouse doesn’t use their exemption or any part of it, it passes to the surviving spouse, New York does not allow for portability. It’s use it or lose it.

The Federal exemption is expected to be reduced from the 13.61 million exemption, passed by the Trump administration, to the 6.94 million, adjusted for inflation, that New York uses, at the end of 2025. For larger estates, there remains a planning opportunity by making gifts while the higher exemption is in place. You may use any of your Federal estate tax exemptions to make gifts while you are living. These gifts are reported to the IRS and get subtracted from what you may give at death.

One added attraction to gifting is that New York does not tax gifts -- so that gifts may also be used to avoid onerous New York estate taxes at death. There is a minor exception that gifts made within three years of the death of the donor are brought back into the donor’s estate for New York estate tax purposes.

their wedding vows on Valentines Day.

Oceanside, I.P. residents get vows renewed

In celebration of Valentines Day, Hempstead Town Clerk Kate Murray presided over the vow renewals of 232 Hempstead resident at the Coral House in Baldwin.

The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at South Point is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and does not discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, veteran status, political affiliation, disability or genetic information (in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act)

Angel UrbinA MArtinez

lUis UrbinA MArtinez

DArwin botines Pino

Jose UrbinA MArtinez

Courtesy Town of Hempstead Oceanside residents Mark and Rebecca Greenberg, who have been married 21 years renewed

Island Park residents Suzanne and Edward Bucholtz celebrated 52 years of marriage by renewing their vows on Valentines Day.

Talia Ridi and Bryan Tirado won Honorable Mention in a national writing competition. With them is their teacher, Irene Kossaris.

Oceanside High School students get their shine in national essay contest

Talia Ridi and Bryan Tirado, juniors at O’side High School, earned honorable mention designations on their submissions to the National Writing Award: The Humanities and a Freer Tomorrow sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English and the National Humanities Alliance. English teacher, Irene Kossaris, encouraged student participation.

Students had to write about how the humanities can help foster a more just and free society. The essay prompt was based on the 2023 Jefferson lecture facing history to find a better future delivered by Ruth J. Simmons, professor, and president

emerita of Prairie View A&M, Brown University, and Smith College.

Ridi wrote about Vincent Van Gogh’s painting, Starry Night, and how understanding the artist’s mental health struggles might inform the well-being of youth today striving to find their place in the world.

Tirado focused on W.E.B. Du Bois’s The Souls of Black Folk, about the struggles of Black Americans in the post-reconstruction period, and how its themes of identity, justice, and the pursuit of equality resonate and inspire today.

Island Park middle schoolers honored for innovation with awards breakfast

Lincoln Orens Middle School administration and teachers in Island Park recognized 30 students whose projects were selected as winners from the school’s annual Science Fair on Feb. 1.

For their presentation of research and experiments, honorees were celebrated during a Science Fair Awards Breakfast.

At the breakfast, sponsored by the Island Park PTA, seventh and eighth

Seventh-grade winners:

• Sophia Lajato & Elise LoCastro, “Kimchi Chemistry”

• Delilah Gonzalez & Maxsima Ragnauth, “The Skinny on Moisturizers”

• Colin Bobell, “It’s Hard Work to Harden”

• Luca Mendez & Kevin Weber, “Unraveling the Science Behind Soccer Shots”

• Kaylah Richardson, “Yummy Gummy Bear Osmosis”

• Sophia Hauptman, “Are Fingerprint Patterns Inherited”

• Yhemely Caro & Rianne Altos, “The Destructive Tsunami”

• Stefanie Laos, “Taming a Tsunami”

• Julie Marrero & Kimberly Benites, “Does Stress Affect Your Pulse Rate”

• Andrew Ruiz, “How Do Plants Help Stop Soil Erosion”

grade students were called up as their project was announced and they were each presented with a plaque for their accomplishments.

There were 10 projects selected in each grade level. Sstudents worked individually, and in pairs for their explorations and discoveries.

— Kepherd Daniel

Eighth-grade winners:

• Aryan Mohamed, “How Does Temperature Affect the Growth of Algae”

• Louis Lavado, “What is the Effect of Temperature on the Concentration of Dissolved Oxygen”

• Casey Ramirez & Janae Alvarez, “When Your Sniffer Snoozes, You’ve Got Olfactory Fatigue”

• Lia Caracciolo & Izabella Gonzalez, “How Does the Type of Soil Affect the Growth of Radish Seeds”

• Dylan Evangelista & Joseph Henn, “Windmill Hypothesis”

• Emerson Earley & Leia Almodovar, “The Effect of Stress on the Stroop Effect”

• Kaylee Metz, “Magic Milk”

• Ella Yang, “Will Grey Water Affect a Plants Growth”

• John Fandaros, “How Does the Gap in the Spark Plug Affect How Much Longer the Engine will Run”

• Marisa Curtis & Chloe Kopsachilis, “What is the Best Home Insulation”

Courtesy Oceanside School District

Artificial intelligence through the years:

OpenAI, an artificial intelligence and research company, publicly released ChatGPT-3 on Nov. 30, 2022. Now, a little more than a year later, the sophisticated chatbot — with more than 180 million monthly users — is seemingly developing faster than users can keep up. To understand how this language model became one of the most technologically advanced virtual assistants in the world, you have to go back nearly 75 years.

Imagining classrooms — and a future

By Ben Fiebert, Parker Schug & Nicole Wagner

First part in a series exploring the presence of artificial intelligence in our schools, and over time, in society as a whole. Thoughts? Questions? Ideas?

Email us at execeditor@liherald.com.

Artificial intelligence — it all starts with an idea. One developed by a computer programmed to mimic the human intelligence process through learning, reasoning and self-correction.

AI is already deeply ingrained in society. Whether it be smartphones with virtual assistants like Siri and Bixby, search engines making suggestions for what we’re looking for online, to even the spam filtering and email categorization in email platforms like Gmail.

The fast-growing advancements of AI may be hard to keep up with, especially as more and more platforms develop that specialize in AI like ChatGPT and Canva.

Television and news outlets focus more on how AI can turn your dog into a Muppet, or how it can instantly write a sonnet about someone’s favorite desserts.

But AI is finding its way into more and more of our everyday lives and it’s something that has institutions like our public schools racing to find the best ways to not only adapt, but to appropriately integrate AI into the classroom.

receives,” ChatGPT responded when asked what it was designed for.

It’s commonly used to answer a variety of questions, or brainstorm ideas. It can help draft emails and compose essays. It can help with extensive research, and even translate text from one language to another.

And for those looking to be a little less serious, ChatGPT can tell jokes, strike up a casual conversation, and even participate in storytelling and roleplaying scenarios.

But it can also write term papers, or essays. Or complete homework. And detecting when AI is being used is virtually impossible. That has created some concerns for school administrators, while at the same time tasking them to redevelop curriculum that prepares future minds for a future where AI is prevalent.

Ting Wang, a Stony Brook University associate professor who also directs its Algorithmic Learning, Privacy and Security Lab, describes the original conception of AI as “a feeble attempt to recreate intelligence and to help humans achieve specific tasks.” He believes developers have come a long way in achieving success doing just that.

ChatGPT is a popular example of this. Launched in late 2022, the software describes itself as an online interface that is “like having a conversation with a very knowledgeable and helpful friend — except this friend is actually a computer program.” It has been trained on swaths of data, making it capable of completing many different tasks ranging from gathering information, getting some helpful advice, or even looking to simply have a friendly chat.

“ChatGPT is designed for generating human-like text based on the input it

“From the academic perspective, I think one of the challenges is that it’s becoming harder and harder to obtain these AI models because they’re super expensive, the training costs, and have a requirement of huge amounts of data,” Wang said. “Those type of resources are not so accessible for the academia world.”

Where is AI?

Google, Bing and other search engines have used forms of artificial intelligence for years, but more recently began making its integration more obvious. Google integrated what it calls “generative AI” into its systems some 20 years ago, which typically predicts the next word in a search phrase.

ChatGPT also can edit certain articles, blog posts or other forms of writing. If someone asks ChatGPT to write an email with specific requirements, for example, the AI can handle it because its “training” has covered these sort of scenarios. What makes ChatGPT unique from other AI platforms, Wang said, is the massive amounts of data that “trains” it.

“You can see many artists, especially digital artists, using this program to create content that you cannot easily create manually,” Wang said.

Brett Tanzer — a product management vice president for Microsoft’s cloud platform, Azure — says models created by AI developers are installed in products like Bing and Microsoft Copilot, an

Nicole Wagner/Herald

A reporter asks ChatGPT to describe not only itself, but the artificial intelligence language model that powers it. AI has gone from science-fiction to science-fact, and schools are among a number of institutions around the world working to adapt.

AI companion technology which utilizes ChatGPT among other language models, to aid users in their day-to-day lives.

This helps users brainstorm alternatives for ideas on a given issue if they get stuck.

“It’s already being applied to help people reduce workforce time,” Tanzer said.

Creatives aren’t the only ones utilizing AI for their work. Many in the health care industries are using AI products like those offered by Microsoft to accelerate medical research for advanced treatment and diagnosis of diseases.

“That’s really helping practitioners and doctors in their day-to-day experiences with patients,” Tanzer said.

Educators are utilizing AI in classrooms around Nassau County. In Franklin Square, for example, a robot named Milo interacts with students to help them hone their social and emotional skills.

Pamela Taylor, Franklin Square’s pupil personnel services director, said at the time the school had done a lot of

training to bring Milo into the classroom.

While Milo is the first robot of its kind to be used in a Long Island classroom, its ability to work with students on their confidence in emotional skills is something Taylor is eager to spread throughout the district.

“We are looking to expand,” she said, “because he’s appropriate for all learners.”

An artificial intelligence elective course at Bellmore-Merrick school district’s Sanford H. Calhoun High School is teaching students about the basic principles of AI through exposure to machine-learning algorithms in Python computer programming language.

Danielle Caliendo, a math and computer science chair at Calhoun, says this course prepares students for careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“It also equips them with the skills necessary for today’s world where artificial intelligence is shaping the way we live and work,” Caliendo said, in a

The term ‘artificial intelligence’ is coined by John McCarthy. Computer scientist Arthur Samuel develops a program called ‘Samuel’s Checker Players’ to play checkers, which is the first to ever learn the game independently.

Edward Feigenbaum and Joshua Lederberg create the first ‘expert system’ called Denral, which was AI programmed to replicate the thinking and decision-making abilities of human experts. The purpose of this program was to map the structure of molecules, and to help chemists identify unknown organic molecules.

MIT professor Joseph Weizenbaum creates the first chatbot called Eliza to simulate human conversations. The program was designed to mimic human conversation, utilizing words users entered into a computer, and then pairing them to a list of possible scripted responses.

The U.S. government

little interest in continuing to fund AI research.

1970s:

1980s:

AI is booming. Government funding led to breakthroughs in research. The use of the expert system program becomes more popular, allowing computers to learn from their mistakes and make independent decisions. This leads to the development of the Fifth Generation Computer project, with a goal of creating computers that could converse in human language and express reasoning on a human level.

1997:

2011:

2016:

2014:

2020:

Seeing artificial intelligence in daily life?

recent interview.

What does the future hold for AI?

Overall AI research at Stony Brook is intended to maximize the practical impact of artificial intelligence. Wang works on AI’s resilience against malicious manipulations, preserving privacy among users, and making the data written by AI more transparent and interpretable to users.

“People don’t have a great understanding of what AI can and can’t do,” Wang said. “I think people use AI as a magical box, and it actually may not work as expected for normal users.”

Yties to transform power in engineering, productivity, health care and cybersecurity.

Wang envisions ChatGPT becoming even more customizable and personalized than it is now. Although it’s already quite adaptable, users have their own individual requirements and writing styles that ChatGPT is not necessarily trained to understand.

ou can see many artists . . . to create content that you cannot easily create manually

TIng W Ang associate professor Stony Brook University

As AI models become more sophisticated, Tanzer said, Microsoft has its sights set on developing models with advanced capabili-

“You may want the program to draft an email in your own style and have your own specific writing requirements,” Wang said, “and currently, the chatbot may not be able to do that.

”It’s an ever-evolving landscape,” Wang said. “I think from the perspective of classroom teaching, people are still trying to figure out what is the best way to harness the power of AI, and at the same time kind of limit and curve the harmful impact of this technology.”

third-grade students at franklin Square’s John Street School learn how to hone their social and emotional skills with the help of milo the robot. equipped with adaptive artificial intelligence, milo is designed to read facial cues from those around him to teach students techniques to cope with their emotions.

showed

Deep Blue — a computer run by the AI program alpha–beta search algorithm and developed by IBM — beats world chess champion Gary Kasparov, becoming the first computer program to beat a human chess champion. This kickstarts an era introducing AI into everyday life through innovations such as the first Roomba and speech recognition software on Windows computers.

Apple releases Siri, the first popular virtual assistant, found primarily on the company’s iPhones.

Amazon releases the Echo, powered by a voicecontrolled intelligent personal assistant named Alexa. These devices are smart speakers equipped with microphones for voice commands.

Google releases the Google Assistant and its voice-activated speaker: the Google Nest.

OpenAI starts beta testing GPT-3, a model that uses deep learning — a method of AI that teaches computers to process data in a way that mimics the human brain — to create code, poetry and other writing tasks.

Rei Wolfsohn/Herald file

HOST

ANTOINETTE BIORDI

4X AWARD-WINNING REPORTER NEWS 12 ANCHOR/REPORTER

KEYNOTE

SARA GORE TVHOST, NBC UNIVERSAL LUXURYREALESTATESPECIALIST, SERHANT.

SPECIAL AWARDS

BROKER OF THE YEAR

Ron Koenigsberg

President American Investment Properties

CONSTRUCTION GROUP OF THE YEAR

The Kulka Group

FATHER & SON POWER TEAM

Dan Pulatani

Vice President

MP Construction D, Inc.

Mel Pulatani

President

MP Construction D, Inc.

ENGINEERING

Christopher W. Robinson, PE

President

R&M Engineering

INTERIOR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR

Beth Donner

Founder

Beth Donner Design

NOT-FOR-PROFIT

Eric Alexander

Director

Vision Long Island

POWER DEVELOPER OF THE YEAR

Steven Krieger, Esq.

CEO

B2K Development

POWER REAL ESTATE DUO

Kathy Kirby-Viard

Owner & Broker

Signature Premier Properties

Peter Morris

Owner & Broker

Signature Premier Properties

PROJECT OF THE YEAR

TRITEC Real Estate

Shoregate Project

PROJECT REDEVELOPMENT OF THE YEAR

Michael F. Puntillo

President

PX4 Development, LLC

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT / DEVELOPMENT COMPANY OF THE YEAR

ATTORNEYS

Marna E. Bernstein, Esq.

Partner

Cullen and Dykman LLP

Elisabetta T. Coschignano, Esq.

Member

Sahn Ward Braff Koblenz Coschignano PLLC

Jack M. Martins, Esq.

Partner

Harris Beach PLLC

Jacquelyn L. Mascetti, Esq.

Partner Herman Katz LLP

BROKERS

Paul Leone

Senior Vice President

CBRE

David B. Sargoy

Director-Commercial Real Estate Division

Brown Harris Stevens Commercial Real Estate

DEVELOPERS

Pelops Damianos

Principal Damianos Realty Group LLC

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Brad Griggs

Senior Manager, Economic Development

Amazon

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

International Empire Electrical Corp.

ELEVATOR

Donald Gelestino

President & CEO

Champion Elevator Corp.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Chuck Merritt

President/LEED AP

Merritt Environmental Consulting Corp.

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

Lisa M.G. Mulligan

CEO

Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency (IDA)

Kelly Murphy

Acting Executive Director

Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency (IDA)

TAX CERTIORARI

Cara P. Cronin, Esq.

RichnerLIVE’s third annual R.E.A.L. Awards will spotlight entrepreneurs, professionals, and visionaries in Long Island’s real estate and related industries who have achieved success in their respective roles while also being actively involved in community contributions and advocacy.

To

PRODUCED BY

A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit a local charity.

Joseph A. Farkas

CEO & Founder

Metropolitan Realty Associates LLC

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL BROKER

Gina Coletti

Licensed Real Estate Broker

GC Advisory Group Inc

RISING STARS

Daniel Scarda

Director of Corporate Finance

The Crest Group

Marco Scarda

Director of Business Development

The Crest Group

Jonathan Schuman

Licensed Associate Broker

Blue Island Homes

Justin Breslin

Vice President

Breslin Realty Development Corp.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Stephen Cadorette

Senior Associate

Cushman & Wakefield

TRAILBLAZER

Sara Gore TV Host NBC Universal

Luxury Real Estate Specialist

SERHANT.

ARCHITECT

COMMERCIAL

Mark Stumer

Principal Mojo Stumer Associates

Partner Cronin & Cronin Law Firm, PLLC

TITLE INSURANCE

Angelo Santomauro

Senior Partner & Vice President

All State Abstract

RESIDENTIAL AGENTS

Michelle Keegan

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Douglas Elliman Real Estate

Julia Krispeal

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

SERHANT.

Deborah Pirro

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty

ATTORNEY

Anthony A. Nozzolillo, Esq.

Attorney at Law

Anthony A. Nozzolillo, Esq.

BROKERS

Michael Foley

Licensed Real Estate Broker

Frontline Realty Group

Dr. Sharon R. Frank

Expert Realtor & Business Strategist

Sharon R. Frank Real Estate LLC

Kevin Leatherman

Licensed Real Estate Broker

Leatherman Homes

Connie Pinilla

Principal Agent

The Connie Pinilla Team at Compass

Natasha Williams

Licensed Real Estate Broker

Cornelius Group Real Estate

GOLD

SPORTS

County championship for Rivezzo

By TONY BELLISSIMO

tbellissimo@liherald.com

Fifteen seconds was all Oceanside High School senior Ben Rivezzo needed to turn potential heartbreak into a lifetime achievement.

Trailing Juan Ramos by a point in the waning moments of Nassau County’s Division 1 215-pound wrestling final on Super Bowl Sunday, Rivezzo pulled off a stunning reversal and put the Freeport senior on his back for a thrilling 5-1 victory before a packed Hofstra University Mack Sports Complex.

The No. 5 seed in the weight class, Rivezzo became the school’s first county wrestling champion since Mike Trotta in 2000 and advanced to the New York State tournament Feb. 23-24 in Albany.

“My mind was racing during the third period realizing I didn’t have much time left,” said Rivezzo, who knocked off the No. 12, 4, 1 and 2 seeds on the way to the title. “I knew I was going to do it. I just didn’t know when. I’ve given up so much for this moment and it feels amazing.”

Sailors coach Brian Schoenfelder

said Rivezzo’s ability to keep the deficit at 1-0 for all of the second period and most of the third was critical. “I was OK with Ben down just a point most of the match,” he said. “He stayed close and gave himself a chance to win, and this was the biggest win of them all. Just incredible how he dug deep at the end and found a way.”

Rivezzo opened the tournament with a bye and in the second round pinned Long Beach’s Liam Hastings in just under five minutes. Then in the quarterfinals, he grinded out a 2-1 decision over Freeport’s Jordan Addison, the fourth seed.

In the semifinals the next morning, Feb. 11, Rivezzo ran into red-hot No. 1 seed Luis Lizama, who made quick work of each of his first three opponents with emphatic pins, and produced one of the biggest upsets of the weekend with a convincing 10-4 decision.

Rivezzo takes a record of 35-3 (24 pins) upstate and he won’t be the only one representing Oceanside. He’ll be joined by teammate Jared Marine. A junior, Marine qualified at 190 pounds

with a resilient rebound performance after suffering a difficult 9-8 quarterfinal loss to Farmingdale’s Josh Kama.

Marine won his next four matches, including two one-point decisions, to climb back up the ladder and punch his ticket to Albany. His quest began with a pin of Port Washington’s Jivan Nakashion and continued with a 3-2 decision over Plainview’s Shakor Khaizada, a 6-5 decision over Freeport’s Christian Greene, and a pin of Mepham’s Jason Martin.

“Jared’s story is one of true grit,” Schoenfelder said of Marine’s reset. “In his first wrestleback after he lost, he reinjured a shoulder. Then he basically won three more matches with one arm. He didn’t get the county title but overcame adversity that will make him better in the long run.”

The Sailors had two other All-County finishers, both at 116. Junior Jake Strianese reached the semifinals and placed third, and freshman Chace Morris was fourth. They met in the quarterfinals, with Strianese winning 6-4, as well as the wrestlebacks, where Strianese took a 3-1 decision.

Donovan Berthoud/Herald Oceanside’s Ben Rivezzo, left, became the school’s first county wrestling champion in 24 years with a thrilling victory in the finals Feb. 11.

I.P. merchants say new system is hurting business

said. “I don’t want to. I’d rather just go to the town hall and give 100 bucks a year, and let’s call it a day. This is an immediate problem that has to be compromised, but it can’t be a year from now.”

Baldwin resident Caroline Tocci, who works at Pop’s Wine & Spirits in Island Park, presented the village board with a petition bearing 931 signatures from merchants, employees and Island Park customers who are opposed to the new parking system.

“We’ve been here a long time,” Tocci said. “It’s tough here, and doing this is just making it harder and harder.”

Business owners urged village officials to provide more convenient access to work for their employees to address safety issues of traveling to designated lots late at night after work.

“People are not going to go to certain businesses if they have to pay to do it,” Glenn Ingoglia, representing the Island Park Chamber of Commerce, said. “This area was hit by Sandy 12 years ago, we went through Covid, now businesses are trying to get back on their feet then, and this is going to kill them.”

In January, village business owners and employees paid a $100 yearlong pass to park in merchant-designated village parking lots. Street parking on Long Beach Road is permitted free of charge, however, village officials said the 2-hour time limit is being strictly enforced.

“I’ve seen a constant drop in the customers who come for lunch,” Sanjay Jain, owner of DaVinci’s Restaurant and Lounge, said. “Ladies who come to play cards from Long Beach — they don’t come here anymore, and I have an absolutely empty restaurant during lunch hours. My employees don’t mind paying $100 for the whole year, but allow that ticket to be useful everywhere there is parking.”

Several residents pointed to the decrease in foot traffic and business revenue since the implementation of the new

parking system and emphasized the importance of finding a solution that supports local businesses and encourages customers to visit Island Park.

“We are forcing people to leave the village and go to Oceanside, East Rockaway, and go to Long Beach,” resident Larry Chorne said. “On top of that, the residents of those three towns and cities are not going to come to Island Park when they can park for free in their own town.”

Island Park Mayor Mike McGinty also addressed inquiries about adding more traditional parking meters to accommodate older residents, but he said the cost of doing so would be prohibitive. Representatives from the South Shore Jewish Center raised concerns paying for parking on Saturdays, which conflict-

ed with religious observances. McGinty assured that exceptions would be made for houses of worship on Saturday.

Concerns also were raised about the condition of the village’s parking lots.

“The pavement is all broken, and the lights are not working in Pop’s lot and the other lots,” Island Park resident Kathy Shannon said. “As an elderly citizen. I can’t walk in the door and trip into a pothole. If you want us to pay $1.45, fix the holes and turn on the lights.”

Residents urged the village board to reconsider the new parking system or to make some adjustments, citing its negative effects on businesses and residents. Suggestions included offering grace periods for quick retail and restaurant visits, providing more free or discounted parking options, allowing residents parking passes similar to merchants, and improving accessibility for the elderly.

McGinty informed residents that revenue generated from parking fees would be allocated towards maintenance and repair of parking infrastructure.

“I don’t think the effort to make this their revenue stream is plausible for the businesses. They have to find another option,” Mike Scully, acting chamber president, said. “I think it needs to be rescinded entirely.”

McGinty reiterated that the new program’s aim is to open additional revenue

streams to address financial challenges, including borrowing at favorable rates and seeking recurring revenues to invest in community infrastructure.

“We go out into the marketplace for bond anticipation notes and serial bonds,” McGinty said. Bond anticipation notes and serial bonds are municipal bonds, issued by local governments to raise funds for various projects or capital expenditures. “I’ve had to speak to the Oppenheimer’s of the world, JP Morgan, Chase. We have to find recurring revenue. We thought this might work, and we have a lot of work to do, but they don’t want to hear that we’re collecting property taxes. They want to hear that we’re looking for other income streams so they can invest in us. It’s an ongoing project, and there are so many things that we will try to look at.”

In response to the mounting outcry, McGinty and village trustee Robert Tice assured that community concerns were being taken seriously and pledged to work towards improving the pilot project, acknowledging the need for flexibility and understanding amidst the challenges faced by residents and businesses.

“We’re trying to work with the merchants and their employees,” Tice said. “We don’t have an answer for every situation, but we are trying to tweak, and we are trying to make it better.”

Kepherd Daniel/Herald photos

Members of the village board listened to the complaints of many Island Park merchants and residents and said they would look into everything to improve the parking pilot project.

Residents have complained not only about the new parking system, but also the condition of village parking lots.

Potholes in village parking lots — like this one by Pop’s Wine & Spirits — have added to residents’ dismay.

ContInued fRoM Page 1

Island Park residents and business owners crowded Village Hall to voice their concerns about the new electronic parking system.

STEPPING OUT

Become a bookish

Discover Eric Carle’s tiny world of insects in new sensory adventure

By Danielle Schwab

In the light of the moon, a little egg lay on a leaf.

That’s how the journey started for Eric Carle’s Very Hungry Caterpillar, the beloved character from his acclaimed picture book of the same name. Now, Long Island Children’s Museum takes the magnifying glass to Carle’s curious bugs in its newest exhibit, “Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit.”

Created by the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum and The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, it’s a follow-up of sorts to last year’s popular Mo Willems exhibit, which also encouraged kids to step into the creative imagination of a beloved author-illustrator.

Visitors find themselves inside the pages of Carle’s colorful books. His “Very” series — all illustrated in his hand-painted tissue paper collage technique — introduces five special insects who take journeys of discovery. Each story is a testament to Carle’s love of nature along with his recurring themes of friendship, creativity, and the power of imagination.

The colorful picture books — more than 70 in all — have been captivating young children since Carle’s first publishing effort, the counting book “1,2,3 to the Zoo,” in 1968.

From there, his “Very” books took off the following year, beginning with the one that started it all, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” of course. Families were immediately captivated by Carle’s little bugs with big emotions.

There’s a deep-felt connection to the insects, according to Ashley Niver, the museum’s education director.

“Children have a fascination with things that are even smaller than they are because they’re usually the ones looking up at the world,” she said. “I find that they have a lot of care and concern for these small living things. They enjoy the roleplay of being a friend of one or becoming one, like wearing the wings of a butterfly and flying around.”

And, naturally, the insatiable caterpillar holds a special place in everyone’s hearts.

“We’ve had parents mention that they read ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ as a child and now they are reading it to their child,” Niver says. “The messaging is something that resonates.”

The exhibit may be indoors, but the focus is fully on the outside world, exploring the diversity of the insect kingdom through Carle’s imagination.

“A lot of people relate to ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar,’

• Now through May 12, Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

• $17 museum admission, $16 seniors 65 and older; additional fees for theater programming

• View the events calendar at LICM.org for additional information, or call (516) 224-5800

• Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City.

but there are a lot of other lovely stories,” Niver says. “I don’t think that everyone is as well-versed in some of his other books, so I’m happy that this features some more of them.”

Tumble in the grass, weave a web, find a friend, and even become a butterfly during your visit.

Upon arrival, visitors can follow the Very Hungry Caterpillar’s path on a journey through largerthan-life pages of the book, eating foods on the way to becoming a butterfly. Once the end is reached, you’re now ready to spread your wings.

The Very Busy Spider component includes a giant, web-like structure to step through. This activity tests dexterity, strength and flexibility as kids move across the challenging surface.

At the Very Busy Spider’s Weaving Wall everyone can try to spin their own web on the large wall, experimenting with a variety of stringy materials.

Master new skills at the Very Clumsy Click Beetle Playscape. Here, visitors rummage across a pile of pebbles, crawl through tall blades of grass, step across stepping stones, and walk across the stem of a poppy flower in this playful landscape. Step up to the challenge and persevere like The Very Clumsy Click Beetle.

Also try to catch some light at the Very Lonely Firefly “Find Your Light” interactive station. Move hands and body to lure a firefly toward you. Even work with others to attract multiple fireflies and try to form a group of the beautifully lit insects.

At another component, kids can touch The Very Quiet Cricket and his friends on a relief mural to trigger a sound and create a one-of-a-kind musical composition. The various insect sounds harmonize together to make a “symphony” comprised of rhythms and sounds found in nature.

The exhibit’s studio portion offers up facts about Carle’s life and artistic process.

“Yellow was his favorite color,” Niver says. “Yellow was always the most challenging for him, which I thought was a cool fact. He only mastered four shades of yellow.”

After all that busyness being a bug, families may want to relax by taking a moment to read some books. The nook area is a cozy spot where everyone can nuzzle up in a reading cocoon and read the “Very” stories together.

Through his stories, Carle reminds us: “Simplify, slow down, be kind. And don’t forget to have art in your life — music, paintings, theatre, dance and sunsets.”

Audra McDonald

Audra McDonald is unparalleled in the breadth and versatility of her artistry as both singer and actor. Experience her inimitable talent in a spellbinding evening of song that showcases her extraordinary vocal range. Winner of six Tony Awards, two Grammys and an Emmy, McDonald possesses a ‘lustrous lyric soprano’ (The New York Times) and an incomparable gift for dramatic truth-telling. This stage and screen icon lends her luminous voice and committed stage presence to an intimate concert of Broadway favorites, standards, seldomheard gems, and so much more, accompanied by pianist Jeremy Jordan. With Tony wins in all four eligible acting categories, countless other theatre honors — and a National Medal of Arts conferred by President Barack Obama in 2015, among her other accolades — McDonald is among the most lavishly awarded performers of our time.

Friday, Feb. 23, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $60. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com, TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Flogging Molly

Celtic-punk rockers Flogging Molly have hit the road with their ‘Road to Rebellion’ tour, sure to rouse audiences with their anthemic odes to the Emerald Isle. Formed in L.A. in 1997 by Irish expat Dave King, the band got its start (and its name) from local bar Molly Malone’s, where they performed, grew their following, and laid down the blueprint for eventual success. Their infectious Celtic-tinged reels are perfect for dancing along to, for those who love their Irish heritage, and those who just want a good time. Expect an eclectic mix of old favorites, sing-a-longs, rare acoustic numbers and new material — all strung together by King’s cheeky tales and jokes and first-rate musicianship. With numerous latenight television appearances, a soldout Salty Dog Cruise through the Caribbean, and a yearly St. Patrick’s Day Festival in L.A., the band’s juggernaut continues.

Sunday, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m.

$79.50, $49.50, $39.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

Photos courtesy Long Island Children’s Museum

From caterpillar to butterfly, spider and cricket beetle, Eric Carle’s insects hold a special place in everyone’s childhood. Each element in the gallery relates to specific books in the ‘Very’ series.

THE Your Neighborhood

Tusk

Tusk goes their own way, visiting the Landmark stage with their dynamic tribute to Fleetwood Mac,, Friday, March 1, 8 p.m. Since forming in 2008, Tusk has prided themselves on being the ultimate tribute to ‘70s supergroup. No fancy tricks, no gimmicks, just five musicians recreating the music of Fleetwood Mac to perfection with note for note renditions With Tusk it’s all about respect and authenticity. A group of seasoned musicians that go back some 25 years, their attention to detail, talent and reverence of their subjects has been critically acclaimed, resulting in their accolades as the premiere purveyors of ‘Mac. Time, trust, and close friendship have cultivated an intimate familiarity with each other’s musical nuances, shaping each performance with such precision that even the slightest variation, virtually imperceptible to all but the five musicians sharing the stage, is met with a wink and a nod, and usually an inside joke. Tusk is more than a band; they are a family. So if you’re jonesing for your fix of Fleetwood, you’re in the right place! Made up of Kathy Phillips (as Stevie Nicks on vocals), Scott McDonald (as Lindsey Buckingham, guitar and vocals), Kim Williams (as Christine McVie, keys and vocals), Randy Artiglere (as John McVie, bass) and Tom Nelson (as Mick Fleetwood on drums) the five-piece band will transport you back to the group’s glory days with a set list including hits such as the “The Chain,” “Dreams,” ‘Go Your Own Way,” and more, alongside rare gems fans will love hearing again. $63, $53, $45. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

Family theater

It’s a beautiful sunny summer day in the meadow. Leo Lionni’s beloved children’s books come to life once again, in “Frederick,” on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday, Feb. 23, 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 6:15 p.m. (sensory-friendly performance); Saturday, Feb. 23 ,11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Mouse friends Nellie, Sunny, Baby, Ernest, and Frederick are playing their musical instruments and having fun singing, until a leaf falls from the sky — autumn is here! Winter will be coming soon. All the mice get to work gathering supplies for winter, except, where is Frederick? He is gathering supplies, too, in his own unique way.

With toe-tapping Americana music inspired by bluegrass, gospel, and folk, this is an engaging tale about the power of the arts, community, and that no mouse gets left behind. $10 with museum admission ($8 members), $14 theater only. Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

On exhibit

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

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

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

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

Bird walk

The South Shore Audubon Society welcomes all to join its members for another in its series of bird walks, at Hempstead Lake State Park, Sunday, Feb. 25, starting at 9 a.m. Walk leaders, other birders and nature enthusiasts are happy to share their knowledge and experience with you. Bring binoculars. The group will meet in parking lot #3, off Exit 18 of the Southern State Parkway. To register, text your name and contact information to (516) 467-9498. No walk if it rains, snows or the temperature is below 25 degrees. Text regarding questionable weather. For more information, visit SSAudubon.org.

Nellie McKay performs

The effervescent multiinstrumentalist singer-songwriter returns to My Father’s Place with music from her recently released album, “Hey Guys, Watch This,” Friday, March 1, 8 p.m. Recorded in Charleston, West Virginia with The Carpenter Ants and a roving retinue of musical compadres, her album traces the haunted sounds of Appalachia to a renaissance of revelry.

Doors open at 6 p.m., concert is at 8 p.m. 221 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn. For tickets/ information, visit MFPProductions. com or call (516) 580-0887.

CPR/First Aid with Rob Dexter

IPFD Fire Department member and former chief Rob Dexter demonstrates compressiononly CPR, in this informative class, at Island Park Library, Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 6:30 p.m., and Saturday, March 2, at 11 a.m. Sign up for one session (each session will cover the same information). He will also provide some basic first aid information, including how to stop bleeding. Dummies will be available for practicing CPR. Note: This is NOT a certification class. Registration requested, walk-ins also welcome.

176 Long Beach Road. Visit IslandParkLibrary.org for more information.

Cocktail Reception

The Oceanside Chamber of Commerce will present its annual Cocktail Reception at Kombert Caterers of Oceanside, on Thursday, Feb. 29, at 6:30 p.m.

Having an event?

Feb. 25

Art talk

Join Scott Defrin, owner of European Decorative Arts in Greenvale for Nassau County Museum of Art’s exhibit related program “Collecting Decorative Arts During the Gilded Age; Connoisseurship vs. Decoration,” Sunday, Feb. 25, 3 p.m.

New York was the center for collecting during the Gilded Age. More money was spent on fine art, decorative art and interior decoration than at any time in American history. From Carnegie to Frick, and Morgan to Vanderbilt, Defrin discusses the different approaches to collecting among these magnates and how their fortunes helped establish the permanent collections of today’s museums.

Limited seating with registration required.1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

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

On stage

Princesses and other enchanting heroes and heroines take to the stage, when Plaza Theatricals presents its Winter Princess concert, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23-24 , 11 a.m. Take part in an interactive singa-long featuring an array of everyone’s favorite winter characters. $15. See it at The Showplace at Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Ave., Bellmore (Friday) or at Elmont Memorial Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont (Saturday). For tickets, visit PlazaTheatrical.com or call (516) 599-6870.

Temple Avodah Sisterhood Granny’s Attic Sale

Join Temple Avodah for the Temple Avodah Sisterhood Granny’s Attic Sale, Sunday, March 17, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at the Temple Avodah Annex. Explore a diverse selection of new and gently used items, including toys, children’s books, sporting goods, tools and hardware, housewares and tableware, decorative items, collectibles, linens, small furniture, knitting and craft supplies, and Unique Boutique items. All are offered at bargain prices. Take advantage of this opportunity to discover quality items at unbeatable prices. 3050 Oceanside Road, in Oceanside. For additional information, call (516) 766-6809.

Musical Stylings of Peter LaRosa

Pianist Peter LaRosa performs, Saturday, Feb. 24, 1:30 p.m., at Island Park Library. LaRosa’s warmth and musicality shine through as he performs a variety of styles of music in multiple languages. 176 Long Beach Road. Visit IslandParkLibrary.org for more information.

Have questions about tech?

Need help with your device? Get one hour of one-on-one help from a librarian, at Oceanside Library, every Tuesday, 10-11 a.m. and 11 a.m.noon. For your session, have a clear goal(s) in mind (i.e.: navigating smart phone, attaching documents to email, creating a spreadsheet for a specific purpose, etc.);Come prepared with all login usernames and passwords you might need and bring a notebook in case you would like to take notes. Tech help is by appointment only. Sessions are limited to a maximum of once a month per patron. 56 Atlantic Ave. Register at OceansideLibrary.com or call (516) 766-2360.

Grateful grandma shares saga of heart surgery

wrong, and she wanted to make sure she was taken directly into the emergency room.

The EMTs told her that her blood pressure was 203/140, which is considered a hypertensive crisis and a medical emergency, and she was rushed to NYU Langone Hospital in Mineola. Dickie was admitted to the hospital, but after six days, she was sent home with medication and a recommendation to see a cardiologist.

Dickie started taking the medication but stopped on her own, and never went to see a cardiologist. She admitted that she was in denial, and she still felt fine. But about nine months later, Dickie’s sister suffered a stroke, which was the push she needed to meet with a cardiologist.

During an appointment with cardiologist Dr. Sherry Megalla of Mount Sinai South Nassau, Dickie insisted that she did not want to take any medicine.

Megalla, seeing that Dickie’s cholesterol was high, ordered a calcium score test, which is used to determine possible plaque in the blood vessels. When these levels came back elevated, more tests were ordered, including a stress test. Dickie’s stress test revealed that blood flow was impeded on one side of her body, and she was shocked when she was told that she required triple bypass surgery which she underwent in Oct. 2022.

A two-time breast cancer survivor, Dickie had always kept up with medical appointments and her blood tests and blood pressure readings had always been good. She had no idea that heart disease ran in her family, later discovering that her two grandfathers and a 38-year-old cousin had all died of heart attacks.

“Women’s heart disease is under-recognized, underreported and undertreated,” Dr. Adhi Sharma, president of Mount Sinai South Nassau, said. “The

taking care of everyone else in their lives.”

Although the bypass surgery is performed at Mount Sinai in New York City, the patients’ prior and followup care is available at Mount Sinai South Nassau. A new hospital pavilion on Oceanside Road is scheduled for completion in June, featuring nine large operating rooms. After health department approval, which is expected to take about a year, open-heart surgeries can be performed there. Mount Sinai South Nassau’s current operating rooms are not large enough to hold all the equipment needed for open-heart surgery.

“Jayne’s story is such a strong reminder that an absence of cardiac symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean an absence of heart disease,” Dr. Megalla said.

Megalla added that some symptoms of obstructive coronary disease are the same in men and women, such as exertional chest pain and shortness of breath. When these symptoms are mild, patients may attribute them to not being fit and do less activity to compensate. However, women may also experience vomiting, such as Dickie did, extreme fatigue, exertional jaw pain or exertional left arm pain. Some women have severe flu-like symptoms that don’t go away.

Megalla recommended that women become physically active and keep tabs on their blood pressure, and their numbers from routine blood tests, such as cholesterol and sugar levels. When women hit menopause, risk factors for heart disease change because of a drop in estrogen, so that is a good time to get a cardiac checkup.

As part of the Feb. 2 event, the hospital provided free blood pressure screenings, cholesterol testing, and information on diabetes, smoking cessation and healthy eating and sleeping habits.

symptoms are different and they may not recognize it, and they certainly need to make sure that they take care of themselves because they do such a great job of

Since the surgery, Dicke said she is feeling back to normal, and was up walking around the day after the procedure

Courtesy MSSN

Jayne dickie,

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU

DEUTSCHE BANK

NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE OF THE INDYMAC IMJA

MORTGAGE TRUST

2007-A4, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES

2007-A4, UNDER THE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT

DATED DECEMBER 1,

2007

Plaintiff, Against JILL C. AMANDRO; ANTHONY J. AMANDRO; ELIZABETH AMANDRO

Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 12/06/2023, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 3/7/2024 at 3:00PM, premises known as 2873 Stevens Street A.K.A. 40 Stevens Street, Oceanside, New York 11572, And Described As Follows:

ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in Oceanside, Town Of Hempstead, Nassau County And State Of New York.

Section 38 Block 382 Lot

192

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $471,506.85 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 610519/2020

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

Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee.

MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573

Dated: 12/19/2023

File

Number: 272-3225 CA 144620

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU, WILMINGTON SAVINGS

FUND SOCIETY, FSB, D/B/A CHRISTIANA TRUST, NOT

INDIVIDUALLY BUT AS TRUSTEE FOR PRETIUM

MORTGAGE

ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. VICTOR RIVERA, Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order

Granting Nunc Pro Tunc Relief, Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on July 30, 2019 and a Short Form Order duly entered on May 16, 2022, I, the undersigned

Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 5, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 4050 Massachusetts Avenue, Island Park, NY 11558. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 43, Block 70 and Lots 53-55. Approximate amount of judgment is $551,621.55 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 000028/2017. Cash will not be accepted. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.

Joy S. Bunch, Esq., Referee

Knuckles, Komosinski & Manfro, LLP, 565 Taxter Road, Suite 590, Elmsford, NY 10523, Attorneys for Plaintiff 144618

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERS OF THE CSFB MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2004-CF2, Plaintiff, vs. ALAN MICHAEL BAER AND LESLIE DANA BAER, AS ADMINISTRATORS OF THE ESTATE OF STELLA ANN BAER, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on June 16, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 12, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 103 Knight Street, Oceanside, NY 11572. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Oceanside, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 54, Block 452 and Lot 11. Approximate amount of judgment is $285,512.03 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #004462/2009. This

foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.

David Lieser, Esq., Referee Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, 10 Bank Street, Suite 700, White Plains, New York 10606, Attorneys for Plaintiff 144747

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

INDEX NO. 606079/2023

COUNTY OF NASSAU

MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. DONNA M. TAYLOR

A/K/A DONNA M.

GORDON, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF DONALD GORDON; DONALD D. GORDON JR., AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF DONALD GORDON; ALLEN GORDON, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF DONALD GORDON; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF DONALD GORDON, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming

an interest in or lien upon the premises, described in the complaint, Defendants.

Plaintiff designates

NASSAU as the place of trial situs of the real property

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

Mortgaged Premises: 2532 WASHINGTON

AVENUE, OCEANSIDE, NY 11572

Section: 54, Block: 156, Lot: 19-20

To the above named Defendants YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service. Your failure to appear or to answer will result in a judgment against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. In the event that a deficiency balance remains from the sale proceeds, a judgment may be entered against you.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT

THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of $525,000.00 and interest, recorded on May 22, 2013, in Liber M38721 at Page 386, of the Public Records of NASSAU County, New York., covering premises known as 2532 WASHINGTON AVENUE, OCEANSIDE, NY 11572.

The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above.

NASSAU County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the

summons and protect your property.

Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Dated:January 26th, 2024 ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorney for Plaintiff Orit Avraham, Esq. 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310 Westbury, NY 11590 516-280-7675 144737

LEGAL NOTICE SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS-SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NASSAU - CELINK, Plaintiff, -againstJUSTINE L. WEISEL, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF ROSE M.

LIBRIZZI ; MICHAEL A.

LIBRIZZI, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF ROSE M. LIBRIZZI ; PAUL J.

LIBRIZZI, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF ROSE M.

LIBRIZZI ; DIANE LIBRIZZI AKA DIANE LIBRIZZI KESTER, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF ROSE M. LIBRIZZI ; ANY AND ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES AND ALL OTHER PARTIES CLAIMING AND INTEREST BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST THE ESTATE OF ROSE M. LIBRIZZI ; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY - INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE ; NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE ; DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD ; “JANE DOE” (REFUSED NAME) AS JOHN DOE #1; “JOHN DOE” (REFUSED NAME) AS JOHN DOE #2-3, Defendants - Index No. 607610/2023 Plaintiff Designates Nassau County as the Place of Trial. The Basis of Venue is that the subject action is situated in Nassau County. To the above named Defendants-YOU ARE HEREBY

SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not

served with this Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff’s Attorney(s) within 20 days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. That this Summons is being filed pursuant to an order of the court dated January 24, 2024. NOTICE-YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME - If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (CELINK) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Honorable Jeffrey A. Goodstein, A.J.S.C. Dated: January 24, 2024 Filed: January 25, 2024. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage and covering the premises known as 41 Perkins Avenue, Oceanside, NY 11572. Dated: January 30, 2024 Greenspoon Marder LLP, Attorney for Plaintiff, By: Monica G. Christie, Esq., 590 Madison Avenue, Suite 1800, New York, NY 10022 P: (212) 524-5000

F: (212) 524-5050 No Service by fax) Service purposes only: Trade Centre South 100 W. Cypress Creek Road, Suite 700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 P: (888) 491-1120

F: (954) 343-6982 144735

LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF NASSAU NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A MR. COOPER, V. JAMES LOPEZ, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated April 26, 2023, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A

MR. COOPER is the

Plaintiff and JAMES LOPEZ, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on March 19, 2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 165 NASSAU LANE, ISLAND PARK, NY 11558: Section 43, Block 50, Lot 307: ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF ISLAND PARK, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 611056/2019. Edward Andreas Vincent, Esq.Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 144868

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU

OCEAN FINANCIAL

FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, Plaintiff -againstSHANNON GERARDI a/k/a SHANNO JAKE GERARDI, BETH GERARDI, et al

Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 8, 2023 and entered on June 9, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court “Rain or Shine” located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on March 19, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. premises situate, lying and being at Oceanside, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a corner formed by the intersection of the westerly side of Fulton Avenue and the southerly side of Montgomery Avenue; being a plot 80 feet by 100 feet by 80 feet by 100 feet.

S/B/L: 43/325/20-23

Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and any other applicable rules of the Supreme Court.

Said premises known as 3230 FULTON AVENUE, OCEANSIDE, NY 11572

Approximate amount of lien $595,398.11 plus interest, costs, additional allowances and attorneys’ fees.

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.

Index Number

611613/2018.

MARK RICCIARDI, ESQ., Referee CULLEN AND DYKMAN LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff One Battery Park Plaza, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10004 {* OCEAN ISLAND*} 144851

Search for notices online at: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE OF POSTPONEMENT OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., SUCCESSOR BY MERGER

TO BAC HOME LOANS SERVICING, LP FKA COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS SERVICING, LP, Plaintiff -against- STEVE PODIAS, ROSEANN PADIAS, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated September 26, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court “Rain or Shine” located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on March 5, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. premises situate, lying and being at Oceanside, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the westerly side of Roxbury Road, distant 335.65 feet northerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the westerly side of Roxbury Road with the northerly side of Cypress Avenue; being a plot 100 feet by 40 feet by 100 feet by 40 feet. Section: 0043 Block: 00374-00 Lot(s): 00127-00128

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

Said premises known as 3154 ROXBURY ROAD, OCEANSIDE, NY 11572

Approximate amount of lien $583,639.15 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.

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

Oceanside couple to celebrate 70 Years together

By JANET PRETE CORESPONDENT

One couple in Oceanside is gearing up for an big celebration - their 70th wedding anniversary, a milestone reached by only .12 percent of all married couples, or about 1 in 1000. Joseph and Jean Aniano, now both 90 years old, reminisced about their fateful meeting on the shores of Coney Island when they were just teenagers.

Jean, a week shy of her 16th birthday at the time, vividly recalls the moment she met seventeen-year-old Joseph. He and his friends came over to her friend’s blanket on the beach. Joseph’s suave pickup line, “What have you got to eat?” broke the ice, sparking a conversation that would set the course for their lives together.

Their courtship was marked by youthful adventures and budding romance. They went to a movie a week later followed by another movie the following week. The two hit it off, and have been together ever since.

Joseph served in the military during the Korean War and was stationed for 12 months in Japan and then for 6 months in Korea.

Following Joseph’s return, the couple exchanged vows in a modest ceremony in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn with about 45 guests. Their honeymoon was a week in the Poconos. They started their married life in a small apartment in Brooklyn but soon moved to Island Park. After 4 years, they moved to a bigger home in Oceanside when their children started coming, and after 2 years, they moved into the house they have now. They built a life together, raising four children Thomas, Charles, Jenine, and Lisa, and welcoming 15 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren into their loving embrace.

Reflecting on their journey, Joseph attributes their enduring marriage to dedication and mutual respect. Joseph says there is no secret to a long marriage, but he does admit that marriage is not easy. When Jean and Joseph were young, people got married younger and had more children.

“We had more fun with a lot less way back then,” he said.

Jean says the biggest challenge in their marriage was just getting started. Joseph wanted a job that could support him and his growing family. That’s when he decided to go into the police department for its stability. He knew where he would be for the next 20

years.

After 20 years as a New York City detective, the last seven of which were in the homicide squad, he retired from the police department and started an armored trucking company that later evolved into a successful import/ export business with an office at Kennedy Airport. The company is still in operation today but it’s no longer a family business. JJoseph retired from that company after 20 years. Meanwhile, Jean pursued her career, working for the telephone company and later enjoyed a fulfilling 8-year stint at a department store, which she said was “a lot of fun”.

In their younger years, both Joseph and Jean actively engaged in the American Legion in Island Park. Joseph was the commander of the post and helped to organize the hall rental for weddings and parties. Jean organized bus trips to Atlantic City to raise money for the Legion. Their friends were mostly from the American Legion, and the parents of their kids’ soccer teammates. Joseph coached soccer for about 8 years until the kids graduated high school.

Throughout their marriage, travel has been a source of joy and adventure. They have traveled to many places, including Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Israel. As age began to limit their overseas adventures, weekends in Atlantic City became a tradition.

As they approach their milestone anniversary, Joseph and Jean are grateful for the family they’ve raised and the memories they’ve shared as well as for their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Joseph said he is thankful to have made wise financial decisions so they wouldn’t have to struggle their entire lifetime. When asked what she’s most grateful for, Jean’s answer is simple: “Just being here.”

Their home has sculptures in the corners of various rooms, created by Joseph’s brother. On one wall is a watercolor of a blossoming tree, done by Jean’s sister. The artwork is professionally done and stunning but is a reminder of family. With Valentine’s Day just past, Joseph’s thoughtful gesture - a colorful bouquet on the dining room table and a box of chocolates for Jean - serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring romance that has sustained them for seven decades.

“I didn’t forget,” said Jean. “I never forget Valentine’s.”

Courtesy Jenine Aniano

Joseph and Jean Aniano will celebrate 70 years of marriage on Feb. 27 a rare mark for many marriages, but if you ask them, there is no secret to a long lasting marriage.

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TA kitchen leads to an attic

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None of this has anything to do with the kitchen or patio, which we hoped to have by summer. We suspect our architect made this much more complicated for us, but now we can’t undo what he did. Naturally, he gets more money to do more plans and permits, which we also think is rather sneaky and uncalled for. Can we report the architect for doing this to us, and can we pull back the permit so we can make all this go away and just do our kitchen?

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Ask The Architect

Monte Leeper

Unfortunately, even though most local governments know that most homes have violations, the governments choose not to prosecute every homeowner, since it would be bad for the business of getting re-elected, so code violations go on without a word until you make the first move, which you did, by coming to the attention of the building officials whose job is public safety.

Every day of the week, people ask if we can’t just look the other way. We absolutely can look the other way, but eventually who will believe us for lying or not doing our job? The issues of your home easily come up by simply bringing up satellite images, on-line accessible documents, including tax department records, showing what is in the home and whether the third floor was finished. Your building official doesn’t need the architect or you to figure out the truth about the illegalities in your home. When your architect shows the actual conditions, which he is required to do, including walls removed, walls finished in rooms that the building department has no previous record of, or other changes, he’s only doing his job. Imagine the scrutiny an architect would receive if a building official walked in to check the conditions and discovered that you and the architect had lied.

I have stated in this column, many times, the statistic that only five people out of 100 will survive a fire on the third floor. Ninety-five people will die of smoke inhalation or burns. So do the right thing and follow through, whichever way you choose. I’m pulling for you.

© 2024 Monte Leeper

Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question”

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February is American Heart Month, and this is a story about my heart — literally and figuratively. It’s the reason I am where I am today.

SETH I.

I was born with a significant heart defect called dextrocardia, as well as a ventricular septal defect. Basically, my heart was on the wrong side of my chest cavity and inverted — and it had a hole in it. When I was 3 months old, my doctors told my parents that I needed openheart surgery to close the hole. At the time, however, my mother was pregnant with my sister. My parents decided to wait until my sister was born before I underwent surgery. But somehow, for some reason, my heart decided that it had to be whole, and the hole I was born with began to close. My heart could stay as it was — imperfect and misplaced, but untouched.

A journey of the heart

Growing up, I found that I was doing a lot of things half-heartedly, so to speak. Schoolwork wasn’t heartening, and there were few things that excited me. I dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but I couldn’t muster up the resolve to pursue that dream — LSATs, law school, internships, thousands of dollars in loans, six more semesters of school, and years of building a professional profile.

Deterred by these seemingly insurmountable obstacles, I remained listless through my early 20s. For a few years after college, I worked in sales. I was good at it, but my heart was definitely in a different place.

That is, until it wasn’t.

went more than a dozen cardioversions to restore the heart’s regular rhythm, and tried various cocktails of medications, all to no avail.

A fter openheart surgery, I decided there was nothing I couldn’t make it through.

In my early 20s, I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, or AFib, also known as an irregular heartbeat. It’s fairly common among senior citizens, but as a 20-something in college, I was now a member of a not-so-enviable exclusive club. Over the next several years, I battled my irregular heartbeats, under-

Eventually I met a cardiologist who specialized in adults with congenital heart defects — adults like me. He informed my family and me that the hole in my heart had reopened, and that it was substantially larger than it was when I was a child. This was causing my irregular heartbeat, and it would at last need to be closed. At age 25, because of the placement of my heart, I was about to undergo a potentially first-of-its-kind open-heart surgery.

On March 15, 2007, after five hours of surgery, I awoke with a heart that was beating normally for the first time in almost five years. Making it through that operation sparked something in my soul. Instead of whining about what I had to do to get to where I wanted to be, I decided to ball my fists up, dig in and do it. After all, I had just made it through open-heart surgery. Was there

anything I couldn’t make it through? I finally sat for the LSAT and got myself into law school.

That’s the attitude that’s gotten me to where I am today. When I was burning the candle at both ends, cramming for law school exams and eventually the bar exams, I would remind myself that I was getting stronger. When I was struggling to build my own law practice while juggling my responsibilities as a husband and father, I would remind myself of all that my heart could handle.

Naturally, when I saw an opportunity to run for office, a chance to represent and fight for all the communities our local government has left behind, I knew that I could take the heartburn of an arduous campaign, and that I could win over hearts and minds. That’s the mentality that I bring to my law practice, and to my work with my fellow legislators.

The arc of my life’s journey is proof that we are all stronger than we know — that we are all more capable than we can comprehend.

Seth I. Koslow represents Nassau County’s 5th Legislative District.

It’s Library Lovers Month — borrow a book

Iread “Lady Chatterley’s Lover,” my first banned book, when I was 12. My friend lent me the book, and I found the good parts by the dogeared pages. The experience did not compromise my moral compass or corrupt me in any way I can discern. I am not recommending the book for today’s 12-year-olds, because it’s a pretty boring read, but I am advocating that a broad spectrum of books be available to students who choose to read them.

This month, Library Lovers Month, I want to push back hard against the selfappointed literature vigilantes across our country, who are removing books from school library shelves and banning them from classrooms under the guise of protecting children from inappropriate subject matter.

It’s called censorship, and the problem, of course, is who gets to decide what is appropriate or not. In the past, librarians have had full discretion in selecting books. They are trained for the job and trusted in their choices. In

the best libraries, the books reflect all the ways that children and teenagers can be in the world, including gay or trans or identified with any race or religion or socio-economic group.

work for vulnerable kids.

I don’t know if a book has ever saved someone’s life, but I know for sure that battles over books are endangering lives by keeping young people from information and stories that might validate their choices in important ways.

book-ban list, by definition, express feelings, experiences and political views that the prevailing culture prefers to pretend do not exist.”

SFor some young people, the school library is the only place they can read about kids just like themselves. They can learn that others share their confusion or anxiety or fear of being different.

tudents need open access to all kinds of books by all kinds of writers.

I don’t believe that a teenager can “catch” being gay or trans from reading about it, the underlying prejudice being that there is something wrong with that identity. We can’t scrub young adult literature for references to slavery or minority struggles or even violence, because the best writing reflects real life.

A couple of weeks ago, The New York Times told the story of a librarian in Idaho who organized a “Rainbow Squad,” welcoming children of different backgrounds to read and talk about books. A local church group protested, and the community is battling over whether the Rainbow Squad should be banned, along with the books they’re reading.

I wonder how this group threatens anyone, even as it creates a support net-

In The Washington Post last week, columnist Kate Cohen wrote about the school board in her hometown, Rockingham, Virginia, deciding to ban 57 books in the school library. One-third of the books feature gay or trans characters. Cohen wrote, “Freedom to read is the closest thing we have to freedom to think.”

This month, there can be no more pressing public business than to guarantee age-appropriate, open access to all kinds of books by all kinds of writers, for students across the land.

What can we do? Each of us can become familiar with our school and community libraries, stay informed about the books available to teens and oppose efforts by any groups of book police to decide what teenagers should read. In some communities in Florida, a single parent’s complaint about a book in a school library can get it banned.

As Cohen wrote, “The books on any

I think how lonely and desperate teenagers trying to figure out their lives without access to books must feel. Wellwritten books on racism or sexuality or addiction are a far better source for our kids than TikTok.

We read books for many reasons beyond wanting to be entertained — to solve the mysteries in our lives, to be dazzled or outraged by the way others live. Sometimes we can find our beliefs and lives affirmed in the pages of a new book.

The reason authoritarian entities, be they runaway school boards or governments, ban books is to limit access to ideas that might challenge their power.

We resist by reading and sharing.

The New York Public Library is offering free access to banned books for teenagers anywhere in the country through SimplyE, its e-reader app. The latest banned book pick is “All American Boys,” by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. It is available to all readers ages 13 and older.

There are worlds out there to be explored. I have had this joy in my life, and I want the same for every reader.

Copyright 2024 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

KoSLoW

RAnDI KREISS

HeraLd editoriaL

Thank you for the snow day

in the past couple of weeks, we’ve been getting a lot of something we haven’t seen much of over the past couple of years: snow.

So much, in fact, that schools in our communities had no choice but to close. And because of that, we have just one thing to say to our school districts in Nassau County: Thank you for the snow day.

Yes, education works best when it’s rigorous and on a schedule. If the young minds loading buses each day were robots, then we’d probably be hesitant to interrupt the routine. Thankfully, our children are living, breathing people. And all of us can use a break from time to time — especially one we didn’t expect.

Anyone who grew up in a climate susceptible to winter almost assuredly experienced at least one snow day in their life, if not several. They go all the way back to the 19th century, when schools became gathering points children would flock to — and where safety would become paramount.

In places like Long Island, where crews are adept at clearing roads, even the best can be overwhelmed by significant storms and heavy snowfalls. And while it might feel like a free day off for many of our young learners, nearly all school districts have built snow days into the schedule — meaning any unexpected days off will be made up later in the spring.

We here on Long Island understand

Letters

the value of snow days, but not everyone shares those values. In fact, there is a growing contingent of education leaders right in our backyard who have been working hard to wipe snow days from existence.

It’s not that New York City has it out for an occasional unscheduled school closing. It’s just that the city’s education department has capitalized on the expansion of technology necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic, which made remote learning for all not just possible, but practical.

For the 1.1 million students who attend more than 1,800 schools in the city, instead of sitting inside a classroom to learn on days when it snows, they are sitting in their living rooms and bedrooms instead. All while other people their age, living just a few miles away, grab their snowsuits and sleds and enjoy the winter beauty Mother Nature has delivered.

Learning is important, but snow days are valuable. Quite valuable, in fact. Beyond safety, they provide a muchneeded mental health break — not just for students, but also for the adults responsible for their learning.

The pressure of academic demands and extracurricular activities can be intense. That can lead not just to stress, but even to burnout.

Snow days give all of us a chance to recharge and relax with some unscheduled playtime outdoors. And that’s important, too. We hear too much about

In fighting fires, amateurs are pros

To the Editor:

We are professional firefighters!

I take exception to the comment made by writer Brandon Cruz in his article “Long Island needs more volunteer firefighters” (Feb. 8-14) that our volunteer firefighters are not “professionals.” Cruz reports that if new volunteers don’t join local fire departments, communities will need to hire “professional” firefighters.

Our volunteers are professional firefighters, just not paid for what we do for our communities. We, as volunteers, don’t just put on turnout gear and rush into a burning building without the needed, required and constant training provided by the Nassau County Fire Service at its training facility in Bethpage, and here in Lynbrook, our own department’s training and drills at our training facility in Wilcox Alley.

Back some 44 years ago, the Lynbrook Fire Department was facing a firefighter shortage, and formed the Lynbrook Junior Fire Department for youngsters 12 to 17, to interest them in firefighting, with the goal of becoming firefighters when they turned 18.

During their time as juniors, the youngsters learn basic firefighting methods without actually fighting fires.

how video games, computers and television keep so many of our kids indoors. But freshly fallen snow is irresistible, and will almost assuredly get them outside to have some fun. It’s good for their physical health in a way that sitting in front of a computer, watching a teacher on Zoom, just can’t provide.

And a snow day is a chance to build community. Families come together to shovel sidewalks, or maybe help neighbors in need. Children get together, working to build snow forts, or even a snowman, complete with a carrot nose and a top hat.

And who doesn’t love an impromptu snowball fight?

All of that comes with many parents still working remotely, which helps mitigate child-care issues and costs that might otherwise accompany snow days.

Just remember that these days are not breaks for everyone. Let’s not forget the municipal workers who wake up early to plow the snow, as well as the brave souls at utility companies, hospitals, and fire and police departments who, as first responders, are always prepared for the worst.

Each one of our children will spend more than 1,200 days in class through high school. Let them have a break. And let’s show New York City yet another reason why more and more people choose to live and work here on Long Island.

Because on Long Island, snow days are cool.

It’s time we find common ground on ‘Raise the Age’

Long Island has become the center of new York’s — and the nation’s — political conversation. In recent elections, state and local policies have had an enormous influence on nassau and Suffolk County campaigns that ultimately played a decisive role in determining control of Congress.

But while politicians and party operatives struggle to find a political advantage in laws passed by Albany or our County Legislature, real people affected by these policies are waiting for those of us in office to find common ground on issues that should bring us together, not divide us.

Look at the raise the Age law, for example. In 2017, I was proud to join both my Democratic and republican colleagues in support of ending new York’s shameful status as one of the last two states to prosecute all 16- and 17-year-olds as adults. Today, thanks to the law, a large majority of young people’s cases move through family court, where the goal is rehabilitation through effective intervention rather than criminalization.

raise the Age is a crucial component in building a healthy, sustainable future. It allows young people to get the services they need to get their lives on track. It also allows them to access quality jobs and fully contribute to our society without convictions from when they were teenagers holding them back.

sContrary to false claims labeling family court a “slap on the wrist,” young people may face mandatory programs, supervision by law enforcement, pretrial detention, and placement in residential facilities. But when the system is working well, they are connected with a range of community-based services and resources, which aim to address the underlying factors that led them to commit crimes. And they can use of those services — and the opportunities they provide — without the burden of an adult criminal record.

reduction in shootings with injuries from 2021 to 2023.

As a former public defender, I know firsthand how crucial services like SnUG are to the health and safety of our young people and their communities. By targeting the crux of the issue, they reduce recidivism and help struggling youth become wellfunctioning, productive members of their communities.

etting young offenders straight without burdening them with adult criminal records.

Since raise the Age took effect, thousands of young people who would otherwise have spent months or even years of their childhood in adult jails and prisons have had access to services designed to help them improve their lives and avoid future interactions with the criminal legal system. For some, this is the first time they have had trusted adults whom they can rely on and turn to for guidance.

vices, serious crimes perpetrated by those under 18 decreased by 12 percent in nassau County and a stunning 57 percent in Suffolk. These statistics demonstrate the efficacy of, and critical need for, community-based programming to make our neighborhoods safer.

Despite raise the Age’s success, its implementation has received a mere fraction of the funding state leaders promised. It’s been reported that as of 2022, only $270 million of the $800 million that was appropriated for it had been invested in community-based programs and services for young people around the state. Think of how much more successful raise the Age could be if the state adequately funded it, and community-based organizations and service providers could apply for and receive that funding directly.

one such service is the SnUG Street outreach program, which uses a public health model to reduce gun violence throughout the state by mediating conflict, mentoring youth, and working with local partners to make our streets safer. The 13 communities that are home to the program — including Hempstead — reported a 36 percent

Letters

When they turn 18, they join one of our fire companies, begin formal basic training at the county Fire Service Academy and are considered probationary firefighters for one year while they complete additional training.

Yes, we always need more volunteers, but our junior program is helping to fill our ranks.

Many area fire departments have also formed junior programs, based on ours, to help fill their own ranks. Admittedly, the juniors aren’t always enough, and some years are better than others. Lynbrook’s chief of department and three assistant chiefs came through our junior program. This isn’t the first time that all four chiefs have been former juniors. Many of our current volunteers came through our junior program.

There are now 30 youngsters in the Lynbrook Junior Fire Department. Two former juniors joined fire companies last month alone when they turned 18. It is estimated that over 40 percent of our juniors go on to become Lynbrook firefighters.

STeve GroGAn Lynbrook

Grogan is a 56-year member of the Lynbrook Fire Department and an

ex-captain and honorary chief. He co-founded the Lynbrook Junior Fire Department, and is the department’s public information officer.

We need more governance, less politics

To the editor:

re County Legislator Delia DeriggiWhitton’s column “Stop playing petty political games with county resources” last week: The difference of opinion between the legislative minority leader and the majority leader illustrates the difference between governance and politics. nassau would benefit from more of the former and less of the latter.

The millions of dollars in American rescue Plan Act funds at issue, having not been spent as intended, present a “windfall.” Shall we have Bruce Blakeman billboards or firehouse funds? Are we improvident grasshoppers or prudent and ant-like? Shall we squander millions on a 125th-birthday party or prudently invest in libraries, cybersecurity and clean water?

BrIAn KeLLY Rockville Centre

In recent years, I’ve been disappointed by how many of my misinformed colleagues have attempted to blame raise the Age for an increase in crime on Long Island, especially when the data say otherwise. This should be a law that unites us.

From the law’s implementation in 2018 through 2022, according to the state Division of Criminal Justice Ser-

It’s high time that we rise to the occasion and demand more for the most vulnerable members of our communities, and that starts by calling on Albany to invest in our youth by fully funding raise the Age and supporting evidence-based strategies that create pathways for our young people’s rehabilitation, growth and opportunity. Let’s not let fear-mongering and political mudslinging talk us out of public policy that is proven to work — and that lifts all of us up.

Framework by Tim Baker

Charles Lavine represents the 13th Assembly District.

CHarLes LaVINe

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