Oceanside/Island Park Herald 02-29-2024

Kitty Cove raises $30,000

Tessa Rau with the feline-costumed Annie Melia, of the Long Beach Humane Society, also known as Kitty Cove in Island Park, at the annual bowling for Kitties Fundraising Event at Maple Lanes in Rockville Centre last Sunday. More photos, Page 3.

New Oceanside Chamber president details his vision for the future

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

The Oceanside Chamber of Commerce has ushered in a new era of leadership, naming John Dianellos, the owner of Old Spirit Distillery, its new president. Dianellos replaces Paul Engel, who completed his two-year term as president.

Dianellos, who was appointed the Chamber’s new leader on Jan. 1, wasted no time in outlining his vision for the local business community. He said he wants the Chamber to be a proactive force for business advocacy and support, and stressed the need for small business owners to unite in facing common challenges.

“We are small business owners,” Dianellos said. “We are in the same boat when it comes to different issues that we face — financial issues, regulatory issues, promoting issues, business marketing issues. All these things are issues and problems that we all face one way or another. Not everybody has huge budgets behind them, and we should try to use whatever resources we have and address those issues.”

As he prepared for the Chamber’s installation dinner at Temple Avodah on Thursday, when he was set to officially assume his new duties, Dianellos said his goal is to lead the group into a new era of growth, innovation and collaboration.

LI Pride Lions members share mission to help

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

The LI Pride Lions Club is making waves in Long Island’s LGBTQ community with its dedication to service, fundraising and community engagement. Founded two years ago, the club has quickly become a hub for those passionate about making a difference.

The club convened for its monthly meeting on Feb. 22 at the Halo nightclub in Oceanside. Its president, Michael Caputo, of Oyster Bay, initially joined because he wanted to get more involved.

Island. Through a variety of events, it raises funds for charities and community projects.

“It’s never easy to start a new club, and we’re only about two years out, but already we have an amazing group of people,” Caputo said. “We have a solid board of directors. We try to do at least four big events a year, all fundraising or service activities, and we have a great time doing it.”

on this club, because it’s doing a great job.

“I’ve always wanted to do more volunteer work, and I was lacking in that department,” Caputo said. “I met a group of guys one night at NuBar, which is another gay bar located in Farmingdale, and they were starting a Lions Club, and they’re allowing us to be ourselves. I said, sign me up.”

Lions Clubs International’s mission is to empower volunteers to serve their communities, and their five most important causes are vision, hunger, diabetes, cancer and the environment. The organization encourages special clubs, like LI Pride Lions, which has a mission of its own: to provide support and assistance to LGBTQ organizations across Long

The club has nearly 50 dues-paying members, and meets at different locations across Nassau County. “Everyone’s welcome to come to a meeting,” Caputo said. “There’s no pressure to sign up and become an official member. The goal is to always make sure we have plenty in the charity account so when people come to us in need, we’re able to help them out.”

One of the club’s main events is an annual Tea Dance fundraiser, which was held in September. In the LGBTQ community, a tea dance is a cocktail party that serves as a safe space, where community members are not ostracized for their life choices.

LI Pride Lions also organizes a bowling fundraiser and an annual comedy night, which this year took place Feb 18 at Governor’s Comedy Club in

Dina Ewashko/Herald

Oceanside Middle School celebrates team spirit

Team Spirit at Oceanside Middle School is an annual, week-long celebration of school spirit. It includes games and sports, musical skits and choreography, art, and a lot of very loud cheering.

Most important is the teamwork that goes into each activity.

Four teams per grade, for a total of

eight teams, compete for the support of their peers and to score points toward the Team Spirit crown. It’s all in good fun, encouraging a cohesive sense of camaraderie as each team vies to be number one while also wishing its rivals the best.

The theme for this year was decades and each team chose a period from the 70s

up to today to celebrate. In addition to the skits and sporting activities, students made wall plaques, posters, multi-media sculptures, and glittery bejeweled scrapbooks. At press time, the official winner was unknown, but at OMS, the celebration of school spirit is the point.

— Kepherd Daniel

$8,000 in aid

Assemblyman Brian Curran and Assemblyman Ari Brown met with Oceanside Library officials to present an $8,000 check to the library to commemorate the bullet aid it received from the state. Bullet aid is a type of targeted funding given to schools and libraries.

“I will always support our local libraries, they are places of learning and imagination for people of all ages, which is why I am ecstatic to present the Oceanside Library with this bullet aid,” said Curran. “I know they will put it to good use for the residents of Oceanside, and I can’t wait to come back and see how they have used this money to improve the experience for everyone,”

— Kepherd Daniel

Courtesy Oceanside School District Seventh graders at OMS gathered in the auditorium for Team Spirit. Later, the 8th graders had their turn. There were also activities in the gym throughout the day.

Kitty Cove raises thousands at bowling fundraiser

Long Beach Humane Society, also known as Kitty Cove in Island Park held their annual bowling for Kitties fund raising Event at Maple Lanes in Rockville Centre on Sunday, Feb. 25th

The Humane Society raised over $10,000 at the bowling event, which was then matched by two separate generous donors raising the total over $30,000. The proceeds will go a long way as the shelter enters a busy kitten season in the spring.

Long Beach Humane Society is a Long Island staple, saving approximately 300 dogs and cats each year through rescue, foster, and adoption.

— Kepherd Daniel

Dina Ewashko/Herald

Helen Henry Aloi, Kim Boley, Maureen Galvin, Annie Melia, Tim Rau, Tessa Rau and Katie Rau of the Long Beach Humane Society helped raise a ton of money for the animal shelter.

The grand prize of the day went to Helen who won a trip to the Bahamas.

Many from around the County came to enjoy some bowling and raise money for the Long Beach Humane Society.

Dan Arcoleo created a freehand cat sketch during the event.

Cathy Corbett won two raffles on the day.

Alyssa Celebi celebrated with her raffle prize.

Annie Melia posed in her best cat costume with John Debacker, the largest cat rescuer on Long Island.

Estate Planning for Pets

In the event of their death, many people wish to provide for the adequate care and feeding of their beloved dog, cat, bird or other pet. Here is an abridged version of New York’s statute authorizing a trust for your pet:

a. The intended use of the principal or income, of a trust for the care of a designated domestic or pet animal, may be enforced by an individual designated for that purpose in the trust instrument. Such trust shall terminate when no living animal is covered by the trust.

b. No portion of the principal or income may be converted to the use of the trustee or to any use other than for the benefit of a covered animal.

c. Upon termination, the trustee shall transfer the unexpended trust property as directed in the trust instrument or, if there are no such directions in the trust

instrument, the property shall pass to the estate of the grantor.

d. A court may reduce the amount of property transferred if it determines that amount substantially exceeds the amount required for the intended use. The amount of the reduction, if any, passes as unexpended trust property pursuant to paragraph (c), above.

e. If no trustee is designated or no designated trustee is willing or able to serve, a court shall appoint a trustee and may make such other orders and determinations as are advisable to carry out the intent of the grantor and the purpose of this section.

If you are interested in setting up a trust for your beloved pet, please make an appointment to see us for a free consultation. Should you have no one to take care of your pet, try PetEstates.com, who will perform this service for you.

100 Merrick Rd., Rockville Centre • 3000 Marcus Ave., Lake Success

Other offices in Huntington • Melville • Islandia

Empire Wind Project approved amid turbulent times for industry

The federal government has granted final approval for the construction and operation plan of the Empire Wind projects, marking a significant milestone despite challenges in the offshore wind industry.

cies. Equinor is grateful for a shared commitment to achieving state and federal offshore wind ambitions and Empire Wind is one step closer to delivering renewable power to hundreds of thousands of New York homes.”

With this key permitting action by the Bureau of Ocean Energy, Empire Wind is on track to begin construction in its federal lease area off the southern coast of Long Island later this year. Already well advanced in planning and development, Empire Wind 1 could deliver first power to New Yorkers by 2026. Empire Wind projects, would see turbines starting 12 miles off the South Shore at Long Beach.

In addition, construction to transform the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a major hub for offshore wind could begin as early as this spring.

“We are ready to get to work,” said Molly Morris, president of Equinor Renewables Americas. “The Construction and Operations approval follows years of rigorous review and collaboration with BOEM and other federal agen-

Equinor, the developer, navigates changes in project partnerships and seeks state support for cost adjustments. The approval covers Empire 1 and 2, totaling over 2,000 megawatts, emphasizing clean energy expansion efforts and climate change mitigation.

Empire Wind developer Equinor announced separation earlier this year with its partner developer BP, in which Equinor took over the Empire projects, while BP took on their Beacon Wind projects.

Long Beach, Oceanside and Island Park residents have raised questions about the Empire 2 project. Gov. Kathy Hochul last year vetoed a bill that would have cleared a path for the project.

— Kepherd Daniel

Herald File photo

Coalition formed to advocate for local journalism

A statewide group of local news organizations — comprising of more than 100 newspapers across New York — have launched The Empire State Local News Coalition, a joint advocacy effort to advance a legislative package intended to deliver long-term sustainability to the sector.

The coalition launches at a watershed moment for the journalism industry as well as democracy. More than 3,000 newspapers have shuttered across the country since 2005, resulting in thousands of layoffs and countless communities losing essential platforms for sharing their stories.

In New York state alone, newspapers have declined 40 percent between 2004 and 2019. Since then, the number of journalists has halved, and there has been a 60 percent decrease in overall circulation.

There is a growing number of communities with little to no access to local newspaper coverage. More than a dozen New York counties are down to just one newspaper, and Orleans County in Western New York is the first with no local newspaper at all.

The decline of local journalism is a threat to the health of our democracy, as research from the Democracy Fund shows there is a direct correlation between the breadth of local media coverage and levels of civic engagement — an especially significant factor in an election year.

If newspapers continue to shutter, communities across the state risk being effectively disenfranchised, losing the ability to shape policy conversations, and hold local officials accountable.

“The Empire State Local News Coalition is dedicated to advancing a legislative package with bipartisan support aimed at providing a lifeline to newspapers across the state,” said founding member Zachary Rich-

ensure local papers survive through the 21st century and beyond. Key priorities include:

• The Local Journalism Sustainability Act (S.625B, A.2958C) — Sponsored by state Sen. Brad HoylmanSigal, the bill would provide tax credits to local news outlets for the employment of local journalists, while providing job stability and paving the way for more hiring opportunities, and an expanded workforce in the future.

• Incentivizing small businesses to advertise in local media — This win-win proposal, according to organizers, would encourage local businesses to advertise in local media, driving revenue for hometown papers, while connecting businesses with their customers.

“Democracy places a responsibility on citizens to be informed so they can effectively participate in the electoral process, and in local government,” said Bill Shumway, editor and publisher of North Country This Week in Potsdam, in a release. “A trusted local news source is essential for that to happen. Healthy communities need an unbiased news organization to connect, enrich and inform citizens.”

ner — director of Richner Communications, the parent company of Herald Community Newspapers — in a release. “All New Yorkers deserve to have their voices heard, and hometown newspapers are key to that mission.

“We urge government officials and local stakeholders to rally behind us, safeguarding democracy, and bolstering the future of local journalism in New York.”

The Empire State coalition is championing what it describes as a robust legislative package intended to

“The bottom line is that this proposed legislation would be a major game changer,” said Mark Vinciguerra, president of Capital Region Independent Media out of Clifton Park. “We would be able to increase the number and type of journalists we have on staff. It would allow us to cover more beats, do more video reporting, investigative reporting, and expand our ‘Good News’ initiative we have started.”

A 2022 analysis found more than 350 newsrooms across the state would benefit from the local journalism payroll tax credit. This includes 53 newsrooms in New York City, with 21 of them being ethnic media outlets.

To learn more about the efforts, visit SaveNYLocalNews.com.

Blakeman defends banning trans athletes

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman says he’s protecting athletes in his executive order last week banning some transgender participants in female-centric sports in county facilities. But the action also has raised concerns — and legal questions. Some of which were brought before the Nassau County Legislature on Monday.

We’re confident that as soon as this executive order comes before court, it will be shut down

BoBBy HodGSon director New York Civil Liberties Union

“An individual’s gender is defined as the individual’s biological sex at birth,” Blakeman wrote in his executive order, which demands any sport entities interested in using county facilities to first designate themselves based on male, female or co-ed categories, and then only accept athletes who meet that criteria according to the gender that was originally listed on their birth certificate.

There are nearly 100 facilities in the county that will be impacted, Blakeman told reporters last week.

But Bobby Hodgson — director of LGBTQ rights litigation at New York Civil Liberties Union — says those impacts may not be felt long.

“Were confident that as soon as this executive order comes before court, it will be shut down,” Hodgson said.

The executive order primarily targets athletes born biologically male, but who now identify as female, from participating in teams intended only for girls or women. Blakeman’s order does not require facilities to ban athletes born female and now identifying as male from joining male-centric teams.

Blakeman, however, was quick to add last week, that trans athletes identifying as females aren’t completely banned — they will still be able to participate in co-ed leagues as well as male competitive leagues.

Nassau County Legislator Samantha Goetz backed Blakeman’s directive, citing safety and integrity.

“This is about protecting our female athletes,” said Goetz, whose district primarily represents Oyster Bay. “This is about making sure they’re not denied opportunities for scholarships, or any type of opportunity that comes with playing sports, recognition and things like that.”

Eva Nordman, an 8-year-old who plays basketball, softball and soccer, said it was also about keeping sports equitable.

“Boys have different chromosomes than girls and that makes them stronger,” Nordman said. “It’s not fair if they

college, whether it’s high school, whether it’s just a community league — and it is an unfair advantage for someone who’s a biological male to compete against a biological female.”

Dawn Foster — a former deputy county attorney and an Oceanside resident — stopped by Mineola on Monday to speak out against Blakeman’s executive order in front of the county legislature on behalf of her family.

“In 2021, when I finally stopped fighting against myself and accepted that I was a woman and needed transition, we felt fortunate to live in Nassau County,” Foster said, calling the executive order unlawful, and condemning what she described as efforts to demonize trans women. “That feeling was shattered last week.

“Blakeman and Goetz press conference was a total of repudiation of the humanity of trans people, implying that we are cheaters, liars and bullies.”

compete against us.”

Protesters gathered outside of Blakeman’s news conference last week led by Juli Grey-Owens, executive director of Gender Equality New York, chanting, “Trans kids are our kids.” They will get some support from the NYCLU — a notfor=profit legal right group — say they will consider taking Nassau County to court over what Hodgson described as a disregard of state human rights and civil rights laws.

An amendment to the state’s human rights law in 2019 outlawed gender identity and expression discrimination in employment, housing, places of public accommodation, and non-religious schools, according to state officials.

Hodgson is not alone. State attorney general Letitia James condemned Blakeman’s order, calling it “transphobic and

deeply dangerous.”

“In New York, we have laws that protect our beautifully diverse communities from hate and discrimination of any and every kind,” James said, in a statement. “My office is charged with enforcing and upholding those laws, and we stand up to those who violate them and trespass on the rights of marginalized communities. We are reviewing our legal options.”

But Blakeman told reporters last week he knew of no state policy that could threaten his executive order

“This is not precluding anybody from participating in sports,” Blakeman wrote in his executive order. “What it is, is identifying that there are women and girls who spent a tremendous amount of time and effort to excel and compete in their sports that are women’s sports whether it’s the WNBA, whether it’s

Foster already had support from some county legislators like Carrié Solages and Delia DeRiggi-Whitton.

“I have never, in my many years of government service, had a constituent or parent complain to me about this issue,” Solages said, “making it clear that this embarrassing and illegal order is just another attempt by County Executive Blakeman to distract from the many issues that plague Nassau County.”

But Blakeman is not going to let those efforts dissuade him.

“We are finding out, in the last few months, there was a movement for biological males to bully their way into competing in sports or leagues or teams that identify themselves — or advertise themselves — as girls, or female or women’s teams or leagues,” the county executive said last week. “We find that unacceptable. It’s a form of bullying.”

Parker Schug/Herald photos

Victoria Argueta, from left, Sophia Argueta, Eva Nordman, Julia Nordman and Jenna Nordman join Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman at a news conference, telling reporters he’s banning some transgender athletes from participating in female-centric sports in county facilities.

Juli Grey-Owens, executive director of Gender Equality New York, front, protests outside a Mineola news conference last week where Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced he was banning some transgender athletes from participating in female-centric sports in county facilities.

“There was a different perspective of how everything was set up,” he said. “Now, I’m trying to run it as a business. Everybody brings something to the table. We welcome any constructive criticism we can get from anybody, and we’re going to address issues, whatever they might be.”

Dianellos arrived in the U.S. from Cyprus in August 2001 as a transfer student studying to be an electrical engineer. After completing his associate degree, he went back to Cyprus for a mandatory two-year military service.

He then decided to return to the U.S., enrolling in the New York Institute of Technology, where he graduated with a computer and electrical engineering degree. While attending school, he decided to start a construction company with some friends to earn a living. Dianellos officially became a U.S. citizen in 2005.

When Dianellos and his partners figured out that they all shared the same passion when it came to alcoholic beverages, he ventured into the spirits industry and came to Oceanside in 2017 seeking to fill a void in the market for highquality Passover products.

Despite encountering initial challenges navigating regulatory hurdles and launching his business during a global pandemic, his distillery has persevered, driven by a commitment to craftsmanship and authenticity.

“Whatever John does, I’m excited that

he’s part of it,” Joe Ponte, a member of the chamber’s board, said. “For what he’s brought to Oceanside, the community is fortunate.”

Dianellos said he wanted to entrench himself into the community, which is why he joined the chamber in 2021. He emphasized the importance of establishing camaraderie within the community, which he believes comes from his Cyprus upbringing.

“I grew up in a small community, and we all knew each other,” he said. “Most of us are related in some way. If there is a way where you can contribute one way or another, that’s a good thing. It grows the community. I was trying to find ways to connect, and I was looking into chambers of commerce.

Dianellos reached out and was able to connect with Maria Heller, long-time chamber member and community leader. Joining the chamber around the pandemic saw new challenges that Dianellos wanted to address.

“I started getting involved, and I was going to the meetings, and I saw what was missing on the structural side, and I started getting to know the ins and outs of everything,” he said. “I didn’t want to just promote my business, I wanted to try to see what else was missing that I could apply myself and help other businesses. I see there is a lot of potential out there, and there’s a lot of things to do. There’s a lot of good people in the chamber right now and everybody’s excited.”

The chamber is poised to undertake a

series of initiatives aimed at empowering local businesses. These include educational workshops on topics such as website optimization and financial management, designed to equip entrepreneurs with the tools they need to thrive.

“We all have to chip in,” Dianellos said. “Doesn’t matter where you come from, if you live in an area, you have to be involved in one way or another because your customers are out there. If you don’t take care of the community around you, then you know something is wrong.”

Additionally, Dianellos said he plans to leverage the chamber’s platform to advocate for members’ interests, whether it be addressing infrastructure issues or liaising with policymakers.

“We have those connections and the tools, especially with the politicians who’re always looking to work with us, which is a good thing,” he said. “If we can do something, let’s do it.”

Looking ahead, Dianellos said he envisions the chamber as a catalyst for economic growth and community development in Oceanside. With a team of board members that includes vice president Joe Cibellis, secretary Brittany Humes and treasurer Leslie Braun, and a host of dedicated volunteers, he’s confident in the chamber’s ability to effect positive change and make a tangible difference when it comes to local businesses.

Kepherd Daniel/Herald

LI Pride Lions Club hosts meeting

Levittown. A partnership with the Massapequa and Massapequa Park Lions clubs, the comedy fundraiser sold almost 300 tickets.

LI Pride Lions members hope to pave the way for the establishment of more LGBTQ Lions clubs worldwide.

Anthony Paradiso, a judge in Nassau County’s 2nd District Court, an international director of the Lions organization and a 25-year member of the Rockville Centre Lions Club, is a friend of LI Pride Lions and has served as a “guiding lion.”

“I was very friendly with people in this community, and I knew that there was a need in this community,” Paradiso said, “and I thought that it was important that we expand our reach as Lions and include very important members of the community who are underrepresented. I check on this club, because it’s doing a great job. They’re growing every time they have a meeting … They do great service, raising a lot of money for charities that are important to the community … That’s important to the community as well. Not just raising funds, but they’re also doing service.”

At Thanksgiving, the club volunteered for Harvest for the World, a nonprofit serving the disadvantaged in Roosevelt. Members handed out food and toys to those in need for the holidays. LI Pride Lions members also volunteer at shelters and soup kitchens.

The club welcomes those from all

walks of life, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, and emphasizes the importance of inclusivity and collaboration. Its vice president, Peter Kontos, of Howard Beach, has been friends with Paradiso for years. “I had no desire to be

a Lion,” Kontos acknowledged, “but when Anthony suggested this type of club, it sparked my interest.”

As it looks toward the future, the club remains focused on service, advocacy and community-building. With each

event and project, its members are more committed to creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for LGBTQ people across Long Island. More information can be found on its social media channels.

Courtesy Michael Caputo

the Li pride Lions’ second annual end-of-summer tea dance, an outdoor fundraiser, was held last Sept. 17 at mary Carroll’s pub in Babylon. it had a disco theme, and raised money for pfY and the family and Children’s association. from left were member drew Somer; Jason Schaefer, membership chairperson; peter Kontos, vice president; dr. mary Carlson, treasurer; ariel Sinclair, a drag performer; maryann Veltre, second vice president; Joshua Smith, secretary; michael Caputo, president; and members gina Wuestmann and tawni engel.

High-performing heart care, right here on the South Shore.

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Nassau County vets honor active-duty aviators

American Legion Military Ball hosts the 69th annual Valor Awards

By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com

American Legion veterans and auxiliary members all across Nassau County — including members of Post 1029 in Island Park — gathered at Leonard’s Palazzo in Great Neck on Feb.17 for the annual Military Ball and Post Commander’s Night.

This year’s celebration marked the first time that the American Legions of Nassau County hosted the 69th annual Valor Awards presentation for active duty service members of the American Legion Aviators’ Post No. 743.

The program also acknowledged several distinguished guests, including Department Commander Timothy Collmer, Vice Commander Michael Rodriguez, 10th District Commander James Trainor, Nassau County Commander Sean Hood, Suffolk County Commander Kenneth Dolan, Queens County Commander Casey Bileris and Nassau County Legionnaire of the Year Al Ficalora of Baldwin Post 246.

Members of the American Legion Auxiliary — the world’s largest women’s patriotic service organization — the Sons of the American Legion and the American Legion Riders were also recognized for their contributions and service.

The first Valor Award was presented in 1953 to United States Air Force General Henry “Hap” Arnold for his leadership during World War II.

Since then, it has become an annual tradition to recognize military aviators who performed a feat of valor, as determined by the Chief of Staff of each of the U.S. Armed Forces.

In recognition of their accomplishments in the line of duty, this year’s Military Ball and Post Commander’s night event recognized three esteemed aviators for their distinguished acts of valor.

U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Commander Zachary Bowers, a fleet standardization flight examiner and instructor pilot from Sacramento, California, was presented with the 2019 Aviator Valor Award for a Medevac rescue in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, where he and his crew helped transport a 60-year-old man with respiratory failure and high-risk morbidly obese pregnant female who was at risk of bleeding out if she went into labor despite poor visibility, high winds, heavy rain and engine anti-ice failure. Both individuals were successfully transported to a hospital in Anchorage. The 60-year-old man was later diagnosed with tuberculosis. Had he not been transported to the hospital, he would have died.

Lt. Lars Anderson served both the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard as a flight instructor pilot. He was presented with the 2020 Aviator Valor Award for a non-maritime Medevac rescue of two men in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Throughout the course of his military career he has accrued more than 5,500 flight hours and has received five Humanitarian Service Medals and

numerous commendations for his service. He currently works as a commercial airline pilot and resides in Tennessee, with his wife, Kelly, and four kids Bengt, Hannah, Annika and Linnea.

defense operations. He was presented with the 2022 Aviator Valor Award for a search and rescue mission where he rescued an elderly man, who was suffering from a severe medical emergency in his remote mountain cabin. Bennett calculated an optimal fuel state to allow the crew to have largest amount of power to affect the rescue, which proved critical as whiteout and downdraft conditions in the landing zone required maximum torque available for takeoff.

Coordinating with local emergency services, Bennett set up a transfer at the international airport, due to the inability to offload at Benefis Hospital. He has served as a resource advisor, chief of scheduling, executive officer and currently holds the rank of instructor pilot.

Hundreds of veterans and their families gathered around to celebrate the accomplishments of these three men, who in the face of danger, showed unparalleled bravery and expertise.

U.S. Air Force Captain David C. Bennett, the operations flight commander of the 40th Helicopter Squadron at the Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, is a UH-1N pilot in support of nuclear

Daniel Offner/Herald

Valor Award recipients U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Commander Zachary Bowers, U.S. Marine Corps and Coast Guard Lt. Lars Anderson and U.S. Air Force Captain David C. Bennett and their spouses were recognized during the Nassau County American Legion Ball and Post Commander’s Night.

Francis Herbert, left and Patrick Martin of the Island Park American Legion with Jim O’Neill and Bob Dishman from Merrick.

Nassau County American Legion Historian James Randle and Nassau County Commander Sean Hood

Female veterans of the American Legion were recognized during the annual Nassau County Military Ball and Post Commander’s Night on in Great Neck.

STEPPING OUT

Her theatre life

Tony Award nominee Sheryl Kaller directs Off-Broadway’s ‘The White Chip,’ a play about alcoholism and recovery

By Iris Wiener

When Valley Stream native Sheryl Kaller was 12, she knew she wanted to be a director. It was 1973. She went to a Sunday matinee of “Pippin,” and Ben Vereen sang “Magic to Do,” immediately clinching her dream.

“I always knew theatre was the only place where we can authentically use our imaginations,” she says. “I had the Spidey sense of knowing that it was a collaborative art.”

It was the start to a journey that would lead her to a Tony nomination as she directed Broadway (“Next Fall,” “Mothers and Sons”) and Off-Broadway plays, including “The White Chip,” which follows a theatre director who finds himself spinning out of control with an addiction to alcohol. The play, exploring his journey to recovery, runs through March 9, at MCC Theater.

“Broadway and Off-Broadway always felt like my community,” Kaller says. “My parents were very vigilant about getting me in to see theatre all the time. It informed my exposure to the art and my love of New York City.”

As Kaller grew up in the Green Acres community of Valley Stream, she performed in community theatre with her mother, while her father — who repaired car seat covers for a living — would use his knowledge of sewing to design costumes for the shows. (“They were horrible actually,” Kaller says, laughing at the fond memories.)

In her senior year at Valley Stream South High School, Kaller got her first taste of directing. After landing the role of Rosie in “Bye Bye Birdie,” she realized a big number — “The Telephone Hour” — could use some major help.

“I said to the director, who was great, ‘With all due respect, may I redo (the number)?’ So I redid the whole ‘Telephone Hour.’ That’s when I knew I was much better at directing than acting, and it led me to go to Emerson College — as a director, not as an actor.”

In 2019, Kaller directed “The White Chip” at OffBroadway’s 59E59 with the support of acclaimed playwright Terrence McNally, who, much like the play’s narrator, was

• Now through March 9

• Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space, 511 W. 52nd St., Manhattan

• Tickets available at WhiteChipPlay.com

a recovered alcoholic. When McNally died during the pandemic, Kaller knew she had to bring the play back to the New York theatre community.

“In the world of Covid and in the world of losing community, we felt it was really important to bring it back because ‘The White Chip’ is a hopeful sobriety story, and a serio-comedy. There’s a lot of fun things in it,” she says of the play, which found its new home at the MCC Theater. “We are building community and doing service with this show, while entertaining at the same time.”

According to Kaller, after the pandemic, alcoholism in women doubled, while in men it was up a third.

“AA and addiction meetings were all on Zoom, and everybody kind of fractured,” she says. “This is a story that makes you laugh and cry. It also talks about how there’s no shame in being an addict. Shame touches everybody’s lives in one way or another.”

In deciding to take the piece on again, it didn’t hurt that Tony Award winner Annaleigh Ashford was at the show’s helm as producer.

“She’s very magical,” says Kaller of Ashford, who recently starred in Broadway’s “Sweeney Todd” opposite Josh Groban.

“The White Chip” has such an important message that it also boasts celebrity supporters and producers Jason Biggs, John Larroquette, Edie Falco and Hank Azaria. The pandemic even inspired playwright Sean Daniels to create The Recovery Project, an initiative working to heal the stigma of addiction and recovery through the development of new plays, theatre education programs, and outreach.

“All of our fancy producers are sober people,” says Kaller, of the importance of the play and the initiative. “Every producer who came on board financially was incredibly gracious. They don’t have the best deal in the world because a lot of the money is going into The Recovery Project. If you’re an actor, a designer, in the PR department, if you’re cleaning the toilets, you need resources. At all of our performances so far, at least one person has asked us for help. We have a QR code that gives them resources whether or not they have health insurance.”

The play continues to remind Kaller of the importance of community, a lesson that harkens back to her roots on Long Island.

“One thousand Long Islanders showed up to my dad’s funeral,” she recalls. “I grew up in such a beautiful community there. My heart will always be on the ‘Guyland.’ I got the wonderful suburban, great education at Valley Stream South, and yet I got to go into the city all the time. But I will always remember all of these people who showed up for my family.

“I wish Long Islanders would start coming back to New York theatre because we really do build a lot of beautiful community in the city and it’s worth it. It is apparent with ‘The White Chip’ and with so much more.”

Tusk

Tusk goes their own way, with their dynamic tribute to Fleetwood Mac. Since forming in 2008, Tusk has prided themselves on being the ultimate tribute to the ‘70s supergroup. No fancy tricks, no gimmicks, just five musicians recreating the music of Fleetwood Mac to perfection with note-fornote renditions. Seasoned musicians who 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 every performance with precision. More than a band, they are a family. 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 transports you back to the group’s glory days.

Friday, March 1, 8 p.m. $63, $53, $45. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 7676444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

The Irish Tenors

These gents will warm your soul with the beauty of Irish music. The Irish Tenors have been the acknowledged Celtic music kings since bursting upon the scene during a 1998 television special. With 10 bestselling albums to their credit, they share company with the likes of The Three Tenors and Andrea Bocelli as the biggest money makers PBS has presented. They’ve since become a part of the Irish movement in America, with plenty of talented Irish acts coming after them. They have stood the test of time — audiences of all ages love the Irish Tenors. Now comprised of classically trained tenor Anthony Kearns, doctor-turned-vocalist Ronan Tynan, and tenor Declan Kelly, their repertoire is wide-ranging and they also introduce — or reintroduce — their audiences to Ireland’s exquisite jigs, reels and ballads.

Friday, March 1, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $70. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com,TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Crystal Dickinson, Joe Tapper, and Jason Tam star in playwright Sean Daniels’ autobiographical comedy, a wry theatrical journey of recovery.

Photos by Jenny Anderson

Sheryl Kaller in rehearsal.

THE Your Neighborhood

March 8

Janeane Garofalo

The comedianactress, who reigns as the queen of the alt-comedy scene, is eager to speak her mind on her current stand-up tour, when she visits the Landmark stage, Friday, March 8, 8 p.m.

Considered by many as an American institution since she first burst on the scene in 1992, the outspoken activist has plenty to say, in her own inimitable comedic style. Known for her incisive, cynical sense of humor, the SNL alum has branched out into many memorable film and TV roles, including “The Truth About Cats and Dogs,” “Wet Hot American Summer,” “Ratatouille,” “Steal This Movie,” “Reality Bites,” “Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion,” “Mystery Men,” “The Ten” and “The Cable Guy,” along with including the final season of NBC’s “The West Wing.”

Garofalo’s informed opinions and unflinching honesty on topics ranging from everyday life to pop culture inspire laughs and strikes a chord with audiences everywhere. Often a lightening rod for controversy, Garofalo finds a way to get her point across with her trademark sense of humor. Known and respected worldwide, Garofalo was also instrumental in the successful launching of the first liberal radio network, Air America Radio, where she hosted her own talk show, “The Majority Report.” A lightning rod for controversy, her opinions and candor have inspired laughs, as well as striking a chord with the left, right and everyone in between. $33, $28. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at LandmarkOnMainStreet.org or (516) 767-6444.

Family theater

Inspired by L. Frank Baum’s stories, this clever adaptation puts the audience front and center, literally, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday, March 1, 10:15 a.m. and noon, Saturday, March 2, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday, March 5-7, 10:15 a.m. and noon. Kids become cast members, singing dancing, and acting onstage alongside the professional cast.

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

On exhibit

Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “Our Gilded Age,” examines the appearances and the realities of an era that mirrors our own in many ways.

Like the nation’s economy, American art and literature flourished during the Gilded Age. The art of John Singer Sargent, Childe Hassam, Louis Comfort Tiffany and others adorned palatial residences designed by Stanford White and Ogden Codman Jr., architect of the museum’s own quintessential Gilded Age mansion.

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

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

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

Friends of the Oceanside Library Breakfast

Oceanside Library hosts its annual breakfast, Sunday, March 10, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Tickets available to purchase through the library. 56 Atlantic Ave. Visit OceansideLibrary. com or call (516) 766-2360 for more information.

Island Park Easter Egg Hunt

The Island Park Village board welcomes residents to the annual Easter egg hunt at Masone Beach on Waterford Road. The fun begins at 12 p.m. First come first serve.

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.

St. Patrick’s Day party

Oceanside Knights of Columbus hosts St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Saturday, March 9, 7-11 p.m., at O’Connell Gardens. Live Music by Raggle Taggle Gypsy-O’s. Irish dinners and refreshments will be served. 2985 Kenneth Place, Oceanside. For more info or to RSVP, contact PGK James McCabe at (516) 680-8250.

Breastfeeding Support Group

Mercy Hospital offers a peer to peer meeting for breastfeeding support and resources, facilitated by a certified breastfeeding counselor, every Thursday, 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Bring your baby (from newborn to 1 year) to the informal group setting. All new moms are welcome, regardless of delivering hospital.

Registration required.

Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 7052434 to secure you and your baby’s spot. Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.

Having an event?

Have questions about tech?

Need help with your device? Get one hour of one-onone 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 notebookfor note-taking. 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.

Chili tasting

Island Park Library hosts a vegetarian chili demonstration with chef Rob Dell’Amore, Thursday, March 7, at 6:30 p.m. It’s earthy, aromatic and filling; everyone will get to taste. Limit of 20 participants. Registration required. 176 Long Beach Road. Visit IslandParkLibrary.org for more information.

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.

Forest Bathing

Take a meditative Forest Bathing walk, led by certified guide Linda Lombardo, Sunday, March 10, 2-4 p.m. Based on the Japanese tradition of Shinrin-Yoku, a wellness practice developed in the 1980s, the walk, on the grounds of the former summer residence of Howard Gould and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim, inspires mindful connections with the natural elements of the woods for a range of healthful benefits. $40, $35. Registration required. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.

Art explorations

Converse, collaborate and create at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art, Saturday, March 2 and 9, noon-3 p.m. Get inspired by the art and objects in the galleries and then join educators at the Manes Center to explore and discover different materials to create your own original artwork. Kids and their adult partners connect while talking about and making art together. A new project is featured every week. $20 adult, $10 child. Registration required. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

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.

Pysanky Ukranian Egg Decorating Class

Explore how to make a traditional Ukranian Easter Egg known as Pysanky, at Oceanside Lutheran Church, Saturday and Sunday, March 9-10, at noon. Examine the art and symbolism of transforming a plain egg into a work of art. Friendship Hall, 55 Fairview Ave., in Oceanside. Visit OceansideLutheranChurch.com for more.

Public Notices

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 SHANNON 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

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS

Pursuant to New York State Town Law

of

Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of

350

Hempstead, New York on 3/6/2024 at 9:30 A.M. & 2:00 P.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:

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

136/24. - 139/24.

OCEANSIDE - Kenneth Hanley & Lauren Dazzo, Mother/Daughter Res. (2nd Kitchen); Variances, lot area occupied, side yard, side yards aggregate, construct addition, 2nd story additions, roofed over patio & portico all attached to dwelling; Special exception to maintain accessory structure (shed) higher than permitted, exceeding horizontal maximum, with less than required rear yard setback & with lot area occupied variance; Special exception to maintain 2nd accessory structure (pavilion with outdoor kitchen) larger than permitted, exceeding horizontal maximum on both sides, with lot area occupied variance., S/s W. Waukena Ave., 665.76’ E/o Fulton Ave., a/k/a 49 W. Waukena Ave.

148/24. OCEANSIDEDavid P. & Karen A. Sanchez, Maintain living fence varying in height from 14’ - 16’., W/s Illona La., 1583.97’ S/o Oceanside Rd. E., a/k/a 3812 Illona La.

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

153/24. OCEANSIDEDennis Keehner, Special exception to maintain accessory structure (shed) higher than permitted, exceeding horizontal maximum & with lot area occupied variance., N/s Thompson Ave., 462.56’

W/o Lawrence Ave., a/k/a

78 Thompson Ave.

ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550.

This notice is only for new cases in Oceanside within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available a t https://hempsteadny.gov/ 509/Board-of-Appeals The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.gov/ 576/Live-Streaming-Video

Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it. 145112

U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST Plaintiff, vs. CHRISTAKI I. SOFOCLI A/K/A CHRIS SOFOCLI, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS TRUSTEE OF THE ELENI SOFOCLI FAMILY TRUST; ANDREA SOFOCLI; ELENI SOFOCLI; BENEFICIARIES OF THE ELENI SOFOCLI FAMILY TRUST, if living, and if she/he be dead, 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; CROSS RIVER BANK; PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; 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: 17 PINE STREET, OCEANSIDE, NY 11572

Section: 38, Block: 364,

Lot: 146 AND 147

To the above named Defendants YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the

2024 — OCEANSIDE/ISLAND PARK HERALD 16

OBITUARY

Richard E.Roberti, a devoted sports fan, dies at 71

Known fondly to his friends and family as, “Richie,” he was an avid golfer, reader and diehard New York sports fan. Richie always took the opportunity to take advantage of a good joke. Laughter always followed him.

Peter LaRosa performs at Island Park Library

Island Park Library welcomed the musical stylings of artist Peter LaRosa last Saturday. LaRosa ended the show

with a song that had everyone singing along to God Bless America.

— Kepherd Daniel

He was born on December 12, 1952 to Robert E. Roberti and Margaret M. Dugan of Manhattan. He grew up with his brother, Paul E. Roberti, and sister, Jeanne M. Roberti, spending a majority of their time together at their residence in Oceanside.

Robert was an Oceanside sailor, who graced both the baseball diamond and soccer field, and took on a short-lived “hippie” persona. It was in his young life that he developed a strong love for music, a passion that he passed on to his children.

It was in Oceanside, at Lawson’s Pub, where he met Sheilagh Molloy, the love of his life, and now wife of almost 50 years. Of all his accomplishments, and there were many, his biggest was his family.

Careerwise, Roberti followed in his own father’s footsteps to RMJ Securities, where he eventually sat at the head of the desk, trading U.S. Government Bonds. He had a legendary 35-year career on Wall Street. In his later years, he served as the business director of the Chiari Institute at LIJ Hospital.

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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.

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His daily attire represented his sports affinities, as he was often spotted in New York Yankees, New York Giants, New York Rangers, New York Knicks and Westhampton Country Club shirts — and, at time, he was also spotted in a Georgetown Women’s soccer hoodie. He rode the highs and lows with his sports teams with true passion, never missing the opportunity to discuss these sports tribulations with his adoring family.

He is survived by his wife, Sheilagh; his three children, Christopher (Kristen), Elizabeth and Timothy (Lauren); his seven grandchildren, Will, Tierney, Lillian, George, Rory, Timothy and James; and his sister, Jeanne M. Roberti.

Roberti will be remembered by his family and friends as a gentleman, a storyteller and a loving man.

Services will be held at Macken Mortuary in Rockville Centre on Monday, Feb. 26, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a memorial service to be held at St. Agnes Cathedral on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 9:45 a.m.

Dad… “May The Four Winds Blow You Safely Home.” Until We Meet Again.

Maureen Lennon/Herald Peter LaRosa played contemporary as well as classic songs that the audience tapping the feet to the many different beats.

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 Dated:February 8th, 2024 ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorney for Plaintiff Nadine D. Smith, Esq. 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310 Westbury, NY 11590 516-280-7675 145102

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Peter LaRosa played many different songs to an enthusiastic group at I.P. Library.

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Our floor is expanding

Q. Last fall we had the walls removed between our living room, dining room and kitchen. We had a new kitchen installed with an island plus a wall of cabinets. Now the new flooring is rising at the seams, everywhere. We have a heated floor, and the flooring was specially chosen because it clicks together and “floats.” We were told that with the floor being able to move, it would be better with the heated floor. What caused this, and what can we do?

A. Your floor is expanding, and the ridges at the seams are rising, because the floor has nowhere else to expand to. This problem is common, and was caused by the floor being limited from expanding because the cabinets and island, along with heavy furniture placed over the finished floor, keep the floor from expanding when the heat is on. Wetting the floor to clean it also causes expansion, and should be limited or not done with water at all.

Solving this problem is easier said than done. Basically, anywhere the floor is unable to move defeats the purpose, and only by freeing up the floor will the problem work itself out. There’s a simple wall molding that our ancestors used that seems to be generally forgotten. Even though I include this detail in most of the drawings I prepare, I rarely see this last little strip of molding being installed. What the molding does is act like a gap cover, since properly installed flooring has a quarter- to halfinch gap at the edges of the floor, including around a fixed island and around the room’s perimeter. The whole perimeter will need to be cut so the trim molding will need to be added, unless the vertical trim board has been installed with a space, in which case the flooring has to be able to float (slide back and forth) under the vertical wallboard trim.

Our ancestors were very observant of nature, and skilled finish carpenters passed along their knowledge of the way materials behave. I worked for a finish carpenter while in high school, and learned that molding and trim weren’t just a finishing touch, but also a necessity to hide the places where materials needed room to expand and contract, at ceilings, floors, stairs and doors. Miracle materials have come along since then that were supposed to change the industry, like plastic moldings that are more temperature stable, but nature never disappoints. Natural or not, materials all have to work together, whether it’s the way they react to moisture, sunlight, heat or cold.

You’re going to need to get the contractor to organize the flooring installer and the finish carpenter to coordinate cutting the floor, and either install the shoe molding or space the vertical trim baseboard so the floor moves and adjusts underneath, even at the island and kitchen cabinet bases. Hopefully, the flooring was installed over a moisture-proof expansion membrane. Then enjoy your floor.

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Reflections on the special election

It isn’t often that a congressional race becomes the center of national attention. But that was the case in the campaign between Tom Suozzi and Mazi Pilip to succeed the disgraced George Santos in the 3rd Congressional District.

In less than 12 months in office, Santos became a joke — a very sick joke. After the House of Representatives voted to expel him in December, Gov. Kathy Hochul set a special election for Feb. 13.

pETER KInG

Under state election law, candidates in a special election are selected by party leaders. Not surprisingly, Democrats selected Tom Suozzi, a seasoned veteran of the political wars who had represented the district in Congress for three terms before giving up his seat to make an unsuccessful gubernatorial primary run against Hochul in 2022.

Nassau GOP Chairman Joe Cairo set up a selection committee (that I was part of) that interviewed 22 potential candidates, and overwhelmingly recommended Pilip. Not wanting to repeat the Santos calamity, Cairo had Pilip vetted by several firms, and she passed with flying colors.

IOrdinarily it would be a gamble for a relative newcomer who had served barely one term in the County Legislature to run against a veteran like Suozzi, but Pilip personified the American dream. She’d escaped from Ethiopia to Israel with her family when she was 12, and served in an elite parachute unit in the Israel Defense Forces. She was highly educated, married a Ukrainian cardiologist, moved to the United States and raised seven children in Great Neck. She was the first Republican ever re-elected in the 10th Legislative District.

Pilip was the new running against the old. She was coming off a solid victory against the odds in a Democratic district, while Suozzi had lost badly to Hochul in the primary. Pilip was the legal immigrant who supported strong border security, challenging the candidate of the party that had allowed more than 8 million illegal migrants into the country, many of whom were overwhelming New York City and the parts of Queens that fall in the 3rd District. She was the candidate who was endorsed by the Border Patrol Agents’ union, while Suozzi had recently boasted of throwing Immigration and Customs Enforcement out of Nassau County when he was county executive. Pilip, a

trained soldier, supported strong defense at a time when Israel was at war with Hamas, Russia had invaded Ukraine and China was threatening Taiwan.

Though the Democrats had a significant registration edge over Republicans, 39 percent to 28 percent, President Biden’s popularity was at record lows, and Suozzi was on record saying he supported Biden “100 percent.”

I heard there was real concern in the Suozzi camp right up to Election Day.

Pilip campaigned tirelessly, and was making strong inroads. Suozzi countered by separating himself from prevailing Democratic positions on immigration, border security and support for police and didn’t seek Biden’s endorsement.

In the campaign’s closing days, every published poll had the race within the margin of error. A Republican poll had Pilip up by 5 points. Suozzi never got above 50 percent in any poll, a bad sign for a virtual incumbent. Democratic sources and some friendly reporters told me there was real concern in the Suozzi camp right up to Election Day. When the numbers were in, though, Suozzi won, 54 percent to 46 percent.

It’s still early, but my preliminary thoughts are that:

■ The snowstorm on Election Day hurt Republicans, but not enough to make the

difference.

■ Suozzi effectively managed to separate himself in the eyes of the voters from the sins of his party on immigration and support for the police.

■ Democratic congressional campaign committees provided extensive financial support to Suozzi early on.

■ Though Pilip actually garnered a higher percentage of votes against Suozzi than former President Donald Trump did against Biden in 2020, she couldn’t overcome the built-in Democratic registration edge.

■ Cairo and the Nassau Republican organization worked hard and effectively, but Pilip didn’t receive financial support from national Republicans comparable to what Suozzi received from Democrats.

■ Pilip was handicapped by having to campaign against the backdrop of the antics of congressional Republicans like Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Green, who come across as a gang that can’t shoot straight.

Suozzi won. No complaints. No excuses. But Pilip ran an excellent and courageous campaign, and has an excellent political future.

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

Check your Medicare statement carefully

f a poll were to be taken, I would have to be the last person on this planet who thinks that government is a perfect institution. I respect the FBI and the CIA, and I even trust the IRS. As a senior citizen, I have always considered Medicare one of the finest agencies we have, but some new facts have emerged that have convinced me that it is a sloppy and careless government behemoth.

JERRY KREMER

My loss of faith in the folks who run Medicare started about three months ago, when I opened up my wife, Suzan’s, periodic statements of money spent on her medical needs. I quickly noticed that Medicare had approved $14,300 for a Texas company named Pretty in Pink Boutique. There was a claim for the sale of 600 urinary catheters over a 60-day period to my wife.

I’m happy that Suzan is physically well and by no means has any need for a warehouse full of catheters. Within minutes of discovering that Medicare had approved and paid for all of them, I

placed a call to the agency’s general number. I was connected to a woman named Gladys, who listened patiently to my complaint and, at my request, I was transferred to a Fraud Unit.

The person there noted my complaint, and assured me that it would be passed up the bureaucratic chain, to make sure there was a record of the payment, which was obviously fraudulent. A few days, later I received my periodic Medicare statement, and immediately noticed that Medicare had paid a company in Chicago for a coronavirus vaccine that I had allegedly received. That seemed strange, because I had gotten my shot at a local pharmacy, not connected to any company in Illinois.

In a farreaching scam, people everywhere are getting billed for catheters.

It seems that a woman named Linda Hennis, a resident of suburban Chicago, was checking her January Medicare statement when she noticed that a company she had never heard of had been paid about $12,000 for 2,000 catheters. She had never needed, or received, any catheters. They had been sold by a company called, guess what, Pretty in Pink Boutique.

the catheter billings. She would not confirm whether the claims had been paid. She described Medicare billing scams as “one of these problems that is ever-present and ever frustrating.”

Not to be deterred, I placed another call to the Medicare Fraud Unit, and they dutifully noted my concern about another improper payment for medical services. Satisfied that I had performed my civic duty, I turned my attention back to my law practice and other pursuits. My satisfaction lasted about 48 hours, until I spotted a New York Times article titled “Staggering Rise in Catheter Bills Suggests Medicare Scam.”

It seems that Ms. Hennis and my wife are among the 450,000 Medicare beneficiaries whose accounts were billed for catheters in 2023, up from 50,000 in previous years. It turns out that the massive increase in billing for catheters included $2 billion charged by seven high-volume suppliers, which was the equivalent of nearly one-fifth of all Medicare spending on supplies in 2023. Doctors, state insurance departments and health care groups around the country said this spike in claims for catheters that were never delivered suggests that it is not only a scam, but a far-reaching one.

What is the government doing? Dara Corrigan, who runs Medicare’s Center for Program Integrity, declined to say whether the agency was investigating

It turns out that Pretty in Pink Boutique billed Medicare at least $267 million for catheters between October 2022 and December 2023. The vast majority of the suspicious claims came from seven companies, many of which had shared executives. One of the businesses had a working phone number, but no calls were returned. The Pretty in Pink Boutique has a telephone number connected to a body shop.

Other scams are getting public attention, such as phony Covid vaccine claims, which are slowly surfacing. Regardless of its denials or bureaucratic double-speak, Medicare is failing the millions of Americans who rely on the system to be accurate and honest. Every dollar lost to some con artist is a dollar meant to pay for a legitimate health care claim.

Jerry Kremer was an Assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? jkremer@liherald.com.

HeraLd editoriaL

Let’s be sure we don’t relive some of our history

Black History Month is a chance for us to celebrate the many contributions African-Americans have made to the country. They’ve done this despite discrimination and oppression — something even Long Island, in the past, was not immune to.

For example, when we think of slavery, we think of the Deep South before the Civil War. In fact, slavery existed in New York until 1827, and the state had more enslaved people than all the New England states combined, many of them on Long Island.

At the start of the American revolution, there were roughly 10,000 enslaved Black Americans living on Long Island — nearly half of the state’s total enslaved population. While they were allowed more mobility and financial opportunities than their counterparts in the South, the claim that slavery wasn’t as bad in the North is largely inaccurate.

Throughout the 1700s, New York lawmakers created the Black Codes, which historian and author richard Moss — in his book, “Slavery on Long Island” — claimed were “the harshest criminal laws and penalties enacted by northern colonists.” Punishments for striking a white person included two weeks’ imprisonment and corporal punish-

Letters

Leave trans kids alone

To the Editor:

ment.

Enslaved people were forbidden from gathering in groups of more than three, and prevented from owning property. Children born to enslaved mothers were automatically enslaved at birth. And testimony by enslaved people was inadmissible in court.

One common practice at the time on Long Island and New York was shipping unruly African-Americans to the Caribbean slave colonies. Conditions on islands such as Barbados and Jamaica were particularly brutal, with less than a third of slaves surviving on some plantations.

Even after slavery ended in New York, discrimination did not. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the number of AfricanAmericans in the Town of Oyster Bay dwindled from roughly 17 percent to less than a half-percent as racist real estate practices and federal policies prioritized homeownership for whites while driving Black Americans — and other minorities — from the area through a mix of intimidation, legislation, and rising property rates.

When Levittown — long touted as the model of the modern American suburb — was created in 1947, non-whites were expressly forbidden from owning any of the 17,400 new homes, with the deeds

Bruce Blakeman couldn’t care less about girls’ sports.

By signing an executive order to ban teams that allow transgender girls and women from playing in Nassau County athletic facilities last week, Blakeman continued to distract from his shirking of responsibilities as Nassau County Executive.

Since his marginal win over Laura Curran in 2021, after campaigning on the promise of $128 million in tax cuts, Blakeman has rejected every cut in annual budget proposals.

In 2022, amid the highest rates of new Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations in the county, he issued a series of orders against mask mandates in schools.

What has he been doing instead in his capacity as executive? Attacking the participation of the county’s small percentage of transgender girls and women in athletics, a right that is supported by experts in the field, including the National Women’s Law Center. Blakeman’s order does not mention transgender boys and men — instead he hides his under-researched and dangerous order behind a thin veil of Victorian-era patriarchal values and personal opinion.

“Part of good government is listening to your constituents,” Blakeman said in a recent interview. Listen to this constituent, Bruce: Do your job, and leave trans kids alone.

CArTEr ALLEN Garden City

themselves preventing ownership by “any person other than members of the Caucasian race,” according to a 2011 research paper by Baruch College Sociology professor robert Courtney Smith. robert Moses, the urban planner and public official who is best known today for creating Jones Beach State Park and the state parkway system, designed Long Island parkways to make them impassable for buses, frequently the only mode of transportation for non-white and lowincome families. While some latter-day historians question the validity of this claim, Moses was also known to have fought against integrating public swimming pools in the 1920s.

African-Americans have continuously defied the odds and obstacles set against them — whether it be Jackie robinson playing Major League Baseball, or mathematicians Creola Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson helping NASA put men on the moon. recognizing those contributions — and learning from our mistakes of the past can open the door for even greater accomplishments in the future, as we look to remove more barriers.

The late Maya Angelou once said that “history, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived. But if faced with courage, need not be lived again.”

Kreiss’s column

last week, “It’s Library Lovers Month — borrow a book.” Libraries are the greatest thing. They open the world to anyone willing to look. Not everyone bothers to look, but those who want to have the opportunity.

Writing climate change into the K-12 curriculum

waLaN sINGer

e are living in the midst of a climate emergency, with the expectation that conditions will significantly worsen in the near future. In January, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed that 2023 was the hottest year ever recorded. In New York state, climate change is impacting the environment, society and the economy as extreme weather events increase in frequency and intensity. Floods are more frequent, and the growing season for crops is changing. Climate disasters have cost the northeastern United States over $80 billion since 1980. In response to the threat of a climate catastrophe, there is a renewed push to include climate awareness in the K-12 school curriculum. New Jersey was the first state to mandate climate change lessons in its public schools. New York State Senate Bill S278A would amend state education law, “establishing a course of instruction and learning expectations on climate education in all public pre-kindergarten, elementary and secondary schools.” There is a com-

panion bill in the Assembly, A1559A.

Over 200 educational professionals and organizations representing tens of thousands of members have signed a letter in support of the state legislation. It reads in part:

“New York State has set ambitious climate change adaptation and mitigation goals under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). This Act commits the state to 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040, and a reduction of at least 85% below 1990-level (greenhouse gas) emissions by 2050. The CLCPA implementation plan recognizes that actions to address climate change will be needed at scale and across all sectors of the state, including ‘the need for P-12 curricula to include climate change education,’ as well as ‘a coordinated effort on outreach and education across all sectors of the economy.’ Addressing climate change is an educational project, and we stand ready as educational professionals to assist New York State as it addresses the challenges and opportunities presented by the rapidly changing climate.”

tincludes a guide for teaching about climate and climate change. The Climate and Resilience Education Task Force offers a toolkit for supporting climate action and education.

he New York City Department of Education isn’t waiting for legislative action.

While New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and California want to expand student understanding of the threat of climate change to the world as we know it, a number of states governed by Republican Party climate change deniers, including Florida, Texas and Virginia, are committed to ignorance and obfuscation. In Connecticut, Republican State Rep. John Piscopo is demanding that lessons on climate change include unsupported challenges to the scientific consensus that human action and the emission of fossil fuels into the atmosphere are the primary engine of global warming. Piscopo charges that scientists and teachers who want a climate-awareness curriculum are trying to indoctrinate students.

different grade levels, such as “Rain School,” by James Rumford, a picture book for kindergarten through thirdgrades about children living in the town of Kélo, in the Central African country of Chad. Every year their school must be rebuilt because the building is destroyed by powerful storms.

Monica Pagan-Guzman, who teaches third grade at Public School 83 in East Harlem and took part in the program, started a lunch club in which students discuss climate change.

This month, the Department of Education and the United Federation of Teachers co-hosted a climate change training session for up to 500 educators.

The National Wildlife Federation is already asking teachers to pledge to teach at least 10 hours a year to promote climate change awareness. Its website

Letters

We need to keep that going, and not be controlled by closed-minded people.

You may not know that about one-third of Nassau County libraries allow adult patrons to borrow a telescope just like a book. I have been promoting the Library Telescope Program for almost eight years now, and I work with 17 Nassau County libraries so far.

Everything I do is free to the library. It just needs to buy the telescope and various accessories directly from vendors, totaling about $450. I help by modifying the telescope to make it easy to use and transport, and provide maintenance as needed. I also provide staff and patron training on how to handle and use the telescope, as well as periodic astronomy-related presentations. In March I will be doing eclipse presentations at eight libraries, and occasionally I do Moon Parties as well. All at no cost.

There are now over 1,000 libraries running the Library Telescope Program, mostly in the U.S. and Canada, but also in other countries.

TOM LYNCH Lynbrook

A neighborly winter surprise

To the Editor:

Looking out my bedroom window, noticing the snowfall had just about stopped, I decided to gear up and start the removal process. As I was clearing off the car, readying to start the shoveling, I noticed that part of my front walk has been cleared. Looking even closer, I saw a body working on the front entranceway. My neighbor has often started snow removal for me as I have done for him, so I thought for sure it was either him or one of his sons helping out.

As I got closer to the sidewalk, I realized for sure that this helper, a young man, was unknown to me. I asked why he was helping, and he said, “I got up early, noticed the snowfall and decided to do some shoveling.” He was finishing up the last section of sidewalk, so I went inside to grab some cash to give him, but when I came back outside, he was gone. Off to job No. 2, I suppose.

Whoever you are, thank you!

PHIL GRELLA Rockville Centre

The New York City Department of Education isn’t waiting for legislative action. Last summer, 39 city elementaryschool teachers took part in a four-day training on “Integrating Climate Education in N.Y.C. Public Schools.” The workshop included children’s literature that teachers can use in their classrooms at

Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, human-caused climate change has impacted the globe with the burning of fossil fuels. The debate in classrooms and the political realm should not be over whether climate change is happening, or to what extent it puts human civilization at risk, but rather how societies and individuals should respond. On my website, alansinger.net, I have high school-level lesson material aligned with my book “Teaching Climate History: There is No Planet B.” The package includes documents for use in both science and social studies classes.

Dr. Alan Singer is a professor of teaching, learning and technology and the director of social studies education programs at Hofstra University.

Framework by Tim Baker

At Ogden Elementary School’s Father-Daughter and Special Person Dance — Valley Stream

“The Vacant Space Revival Program qualified us for on-bill credits that really help me manage costs.”

—George Karatzas, James Cress Florist, Smithtown

Unoccupied business spaces are an opportunity to help bring vitality to downtown areas. For George Karatzas, owner of James Cress Florist, staying downtown was a priority, but costs were prohibitive. Then George applied for our Vacant Space Revival Program, which has provided $2,462 in bill credits to help offset his overhead.* And Smithtown continues to have a business that brings warmth and charm to the area. It’s a beautiful thing to see come together—just like George’s floral arrangements.

psegliny.com/EcoDev

*Incentives, grants, and savings will vary with every project.

“The Vacant Space Revival Program qualified us for on-bill credits that really help me manage costs.”

—George Karatzas, James Cress Florist, Smithtown