Oceanside/Island Park Herald 03-07-2024

Oceanside’s ‘Anthem Girl’ set to debut at MSG

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

Oceanside’s Ali Berke is gearing up for a milestone moment in her career, as she prepares to take center stage at Madison Square Garden to perform the national anthem before Sunday’s game between the Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Berke, 23, has sung “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Major League Baseball games, and has set a goal of performing it at all 30 MLB ballparks across the United States and Canada — a feat that no one else has accomplished. Her performance at the Garden will mark another significant achievement.

Ali’s father, Jack, a sports agent, hanCOntinued On pAGe 12

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

The annual Oceanside Chamber of Commerce cocktail party, held at Temple Avodah last Thursday, was an evening marked by worthy recognition, gratitude and a celebration of outstanding community members and businesses. Nearly 200 attendees gathered to honor those who have enriched the fabric of the Oceanside community.

Oceanside School Board President, Seth Blau underscored the rich history of the

chamber, which has been a pillar of the community since 1926, and emphasized its crucial role in supporting local businesses and fostering collaboration within the community.

Newly elected Nassau County Legislator Patrick Mullaney swore in the chamber board and John Dianellos, the new chamber president, expressed gratitude to outgoing president Paul Engel.

“He was president right after the pandemic, and it was very, very tough for him and we thank him for all the work that he put in,” Dianellos said.

Dianellos also recognized the hard work of various individuals behind the scenes, including chamber secretary Brittany Humes, treasurer Leslie Braun and long-time chamber member and community leader Maria Heller.

The highlight of the evening was the recognition given to two exemplary community leaders — Brianna O’Hagan and the Ramalho family. O’Hagan was bestowed with the chamber’s “Citizen of the Year” award in recognition of her charity work and community engagement. As the general

manager of the gastropub EGP Oceanside, O’Hagan has been instrumental in organizing annual toy drives and the annual Fall Fest fundraisers, which benefit a local family facing hardship.

This past holiday season, O’Hagan held her 11th annual toy drive and adopt a family

event in which more than 1,000 toys were donated. The local “Adopt a Family” drive organizes local children’s wish lists for the holiday season and distributes gifts. The rest of the toys are donated to NYU Langone Cancer Center for Kids, every holiday season. Brian Driscoll,

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Courtesy Jack Berke

Oceanside’s ‘Anthem girl,’ Ali Berke, will make her Madison Square Garden debut this Sunday.

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Dawn Delirium Fashion Show raises funds for post prom party

A total of 115 Oceanside High School seniors and district and school staff members were decked out in their finest Thursday eve ning for the Dawn Delirium Fashion Show on Feb 29. at the High School gym. The event rais es funds for the post-prom party known as Dawn Delirium.

New fashion show traditions have taken hold in the last few years, mirroring recent prom trends that erase the pressure of needing a date for the event. Instead, many students walk the runway with friends or siblings, in pairs and trios. A few were brave enough to face the spotlight solo. Some staff members walked with their children. There were of course the more traditional couples and even a few promposals. Most importantly, the event helps provide a safe, fun post-prom activity for students, with loads of prizes and a final fare well to high school.

“The goal of Dawn Delirium is to keep our students safe in a drug and alcohol free environment,” said Fashion Show chair Tara Stromer, who noted that the post-prom party is free for all students.

Co-chair Jennifer Zoffinger thanked local vendors such as Blossom Health, which donat ed all the flowers, and Dazzling Parties for the runway curtains. Daren Snider from Snider’s Formal Wear has for several years provided the tuxedos for student models and staff. All of the PTA units also donated baskets for raffles. “So many local businesses donated goods and ser vices, including those used in the raffle bas kets, and we are so grateful to them,” Ms. Zoffinger said.

The Dawn Delirium Committee was com posed of Rosemarie Auleta, Tara Brash, Michelle Ebel, Laura Lisi, Kim Moran and Sandie Schoell.

— Kepherd Daniel

Island Park students explore big science day

Island Park students at Lincoln Orens Middle School participated in Big Science Day, an in-school program facilitated by the New York Hall of Science. The event took place in the school’s gymnasium on Feb. 15 and gave students the opportunity to explore various STEM-related activities.

In addition to each of the middle school grades participating, Island Park pre-K students partnered with eighth grade buddies who helped them enjoy the hands-on experiences.

Six interactive stations were set up in the gymnasium which included a Shake Table Challenge giving students a chance to construct a structure capable of withstanding a simulated earthquake, Water Striders were created using various materials to make objects float and move to wind power, and Whirlygigs also known as paper helicopters were made to test flight patterns.

A Rocking’ Rockets station allowed students to explore the principles of flight by designing and launching a straw rocket, students created an optical illusion toy by learning about paper animation and students built a ramp to launch a marble at the ski jump table to explore energy.

— Kepherd Daniel

Courtesy Oceanside School District

Simon W., an Oceanside junior, stepped out of the audience to make his promposal to Gina R. She said yes.

Brian K. was an iconoclast in the evening’s only white jacket; pals Alex and Jake added some color via their vests and bow ties.

Brothers Brian and Michael H. were looking extra dapper in their colored vests and bow ties.

Courtesy of Island Park Public Schools

Lincoln Orens Middle School students enjoyed Big Science Day on Feb. 15 with visiting representatives from New York Hall of Science.

Island Park students had fun exploring various STEM activities.

Middle School students got a chance to construct their own experiments.

A Centereach man was sentenced to seven years in prison for a hit-and-run collision in July 2022 that killed a 30-year-old man.

Corey Henson, 33, pleaded guilty on Nov. 15 to Manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death and driving while intoxicated. He was sentenced to 2-1/3 years to seven years in prison.

Man sentenced for fatal hit-and-run in Island Park Oceanside students travel the world

“Dodanim Emanuel Chavez was a devoted husband and father, who was simply moving furniture to a new home with the help of some friends when he was struck and killed by an intoxicated Corey Henson,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “Henson fled the scene and finally crashed five miles later into a guardrail and disabled his vehicle. Through the combined efforts of the Nassau County Police Department Homicide Squad, the Freeport Police Department, and my prosecutors, we were able to find this defendant, retrace his movements, and hold him accountable for Mr. Chavez’s senseless and tragic death. Hit-and-run investigations are notoriously difficult to prosecute. I commend the officers and prosecutors who tracked down this defendant and brought him to justice. We continue to hold Mr. Chavez’s family in our thoughts.”

Donnelly said that, according to the charges, on July 11, 2022, 30-year-old Dodanim Emanuel Chavez was moving belongings to a new home with the help of two friends. The victim was standing along the driver’s side of his friend’s pick-up truck on Long Beach Road in Island Park when Henson struck him.

Chavez suffered severe head trauma and was taken to Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

After the collision, Henson crashed his van into a guardrail on South Main Street in Freeport and the van was towed to a local yard. The following day, Freeport police contacted the Nassau County Police Department about the van when he learned of the fatal hitand-run collision in Island Park.

Henson was arrested on July 13, 2022, by members of the NCPD and Freeport Police Department when he arrived at the tow yard to claim his van.

A subsequent investigation revealed that prior to the collision, Henson drank multiple alcoholic beverages over the course of two hours at a local restaurant before driving his vehicle and was intoxicated when he struck the victim.

by Joan Chittister

Your writer was grateful to find author Chittister’s book, subtitled “Growing Old Gracefully”, written by her at age seventy, the same age your writer turns this year.

Inevitably, we come to see things differently as we age. In “The Gift of Years” these changes in the “capstone years” as she calls them, present the gift of becoming more fully alive than ever. Cicero notes that old age is richer in reflection, force of character and judgement. The maturity and mellowing of character allows the older generation to provide a behavioral model for younger generations showing them the way to a fullness of life.

Seneca said these years abound with pleasure if we know how to use them. Free of obligations and deadlines, there is freshness in these years. Understanding, enjoyment and love of life all increase, allowing for deeper, richer and more important experiences. The world looks different — more to be treasured, explored and enjoyed.

get

— Kepherd Daniel Three trips were offered to Oceanside High School students during the February break: Italy, France and Spain, and Japan. Each trip was composed of students studying the language and culture of the region visited.

A certain serenity sets in.

Chittister writes “But we are here to depart from this world as finished as we can possibly become. Old age is...exactly the time to grow in new ways [making] sense out of all the growing we have already done. It is the softening season when everything in us is meant to achieve its sweetest, richest, most unique self”.

Chittister calls it a damping-down time of life where anger, jealousy, envy, and pride subside to awaken another whole level of life.

“As Agatha Christie put it, we ‘bloom’ as we grow. New abilities emerge, new insights arise. New vision is possible.”

A certain urgency and intensity in living sets in as we become aware of the presence of time. With forty short chapters on subjects such as Regret, Joy, Possibility, Letting Go, Success, Wisdom, Time and Appreciation, “The Gift of Years” provides an indispensable guide to aging well.

Rome and Sicilty were the destinations for eighteen Italian language students and their chaperones Patrick Turk, Allenby Lyson and Bridget Amthor.

Beginning in Rome, the group toured the city and visited the Colosseum and Vatican, among other landmarks. Then it was off to Sicily. In Catania, the students tried their hand at cooking fresh pasta and arancini under the tutelage of a local chef. Next were stops in Taormina, Siracusa and Mount Etna.

The tour to France and Spain, attended by 19 juniors and seniors and chaperones Kelly George, Mike Communiello, and Jim Smith, began in Paris and ended

in Barcelona. Over ten days, the students visited Chenonceau Castle, Dune du Pilat, the coastal city of Biarritz, the bull run in Pamplona, and the mountain monastery in Montserrat, among others.

The third group visited Japan, a first for OHS. Fifteen students, along with chaperones Ya Feng Tsao, Alexandrina Leahu and Angelo Musto encountered the bustling streets of Tokyo and tasted the delicious foods of Osaka.

They also visited fascinating Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines of Kyoto, with Mount Fuji offering a majestic backdrop to their travels. Many of the students are enrolled in Ms. Tsao’s Japanese and Mandarin Chinese courses.

Students put their language skills to use as they navigated their way through beautiful, ancient countries and left with memories to last a lifetime.

— Kepherd Daniel

Courtesy Oceanside School District Oceanside School students at Mount Etna during their trip to Italy, which included Rome, and Sicily.

It doesn’t

more iconic than the Eiffel Tower. Oceanside High School students headed to Spain after touring France.

Please explain why Dr. Laurie Zelinger writes books

By JEFFREY BESSEN jbessen@liherald.com

Since she was around 8-years-old, Dr. Laurie Zelinger kept a diary writing short stories and poems, and in the fourth grade she wrote a play her class performed.

Zelinger, 71, became a board certified psychologist who worked in schools for 40-plus years, including 10 in the Oceanside school district, and has had a private practice in Cedarhurst for more than 20 years, counseling children.

The writing gene has never left her and since 2009, Zelinger who shares her practice with her husband, Fred, has written books geared for children to ease their concerns about such topics as Alzheimer’s disease, terrorism and vaccines.

TSomeone said why don’t you turn them into a book.”

That book was “Please Explain Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy to Me.” The son, Jordan, one of four, is now a neuropsychologist.

The books’ topics are generated from a combination of a real life incident and her practice. Grandson Seth hurt his finger and Zelinger spontaneously made up a story related to the bandage and that became “Baby Bandage & His First Aid Family.”

hey are all researched and evidencebased so they are a trustworthy source for parents

DR. LauRiE ZELiNgER certified psychologist

Her latest book, “Please Explain Divorce to me, Because My Parents are Breaking up,” with illustrations by Lynbrook resident Elisa Sabella, explains the breakup of a mother and father with three kids.

“Actually I love to write,” said Zelinger, who lives in Cedarhurst. “My son had his tonsils out when he was 6 and I kept notes. They got tattered.

“They are all researched and evidence-based so they are a trustworthy source for parents,” Zelinger said, about her books.

That is what drew Victor Volkman, the publisher of Michigan-based Living Healing Press, to publish Zelinger’s books.

“Her credential as a board certified psychologist is impeccable,” he said. “I knew she was an expert and she has a deft touch knowing a child’s development and understanding what practical things make themselves understand the situation.”

Reading “Please Explain Divorce to me,” as an adult, it is a breezy 25-page read that provides simple but coherent

having the disease.

“It speaks to the empathy with the subject she is dealing with and her desire to help provide practical solutions,” Volkman said. She researches her subjects in depth, has detailed, fully referenced theoretical approaches. She’s just a gem.”

Lynbrook resident Elisa Sabella has illustrated three of Zelinger’s books.

“I generally start designing the characters from a rough bunch of designs, then Laurie picks hair from one, the face of one, kind of Laurie’s rough ideas on the pages,” Sabella said, who added that sometimes she starts in pencil, but mostly works in Photoshop. “We try thumbnail sketches and narrow it down.”

For Sabella, “It’s fun, I love it.”

What Zelinger appears to love is helping her youthful patients and alleviate their anxiety.

“Children are really more afraid of divorce than death,” she said, recalling one time when working at a school there was a fire drill and of course everyone had to leave the building quickly.

insight into how children most likely will view the break up of their parents’ marriage. Volkman noted that Zelinger writes from a personal perspective such as her book, “Please Explain Alzheimer’s to Me,” which came from her father

“A girl had a lost a family member and she was afraid that all these people (who had died) fell out of the sky,” said Zelinger, noting that the feedback from kids before the books are published is genuinely positive.

All of Zelinger’s books are available on Amazon.

Courtesy Barbara Alster Dr. Laurie Zelinger, a Cedarhurst-based psychologist, has written another Please Explain book, this one ‘Please Explain Divorce to me, Because My Parents are Breaking up.’

Projects, pros honored at REAL Awards

Long Island’s most prolific real estate leaders highlighted at annual event

By Parker Schug

The diverse Long Island real estate scene includes industry experts from every niche specialty from construction and design, to insurance and sales. And the best of the best were honored last week as part of Herald Community Newspapers and RichnerLive’s third annual Real Estate Achievement and Leadership Awards, or REAL Awards.

“It’s a relatively small island, but a lot of things are happening,” said Chris Kelly, the marketing vice president at Tritec Real Estate Co.

Held at The Heritage Club at Bethpage, this year’s awards once again honored many leaders in the space who have been in the game for decades, as well as up-and-coming professionals — all with successful projects and happy clients to show for their work.

Antoinette Biordi, four-time Emmy Award-winning anchor and reporter for News 12, handed out a number of awards split into nearly 30 categories that included Broker of the Year, Construction Group of the Year, and the top residential and commercial broker.

Sara Gore, real estate saleswoman and four-time Emmy Award-winning television host for “Open House” and “New York Live” on NBC, was a keynote speaker and recipient of the special “Trailblazer” award.

“I’ve been in this business for a long time,” Gore said. ”But now to be on the other side of things — and be on the real estate side and really feel like I’ve solidified my place, my stake in this industry — it feels really good to be a part of it.

“I’m so proud to be included within this group of professionals that are here tonight.”

Mel Pulatani and son Dan of MP Construction D — a general contracting company specializing in luxury residential and sophisticated commercial projects — were given the Father & Son Power Team special award.

“I mean it’s obviously an honor to be honored at this event,” Dan Pulatani said. “But I have to give all credit to my father. He’s the real reason we’re here. He’s the guy that makes the dream happen. I’m lucky and honored to be his partner every day.”

Eric Alexander, executive director of Vision Long Island, accepted the NotFor-Profit special award.

“The theme of our work is connecting to local communities,” Alexander said. “And that’s how real estate development is successful: When they work with local communities. It means a lot when a number of the other honorees, too, are connected to local communities. I’m in great company.”

Steven Krieger, chief executive of B2K Development, was selected as Power Developer of the Year.

“Hard work leads to luck,” Krieger said. “I’ve been so lucky to meet so many great people in this business.”

Beth Donner, founder of Melvillebased Beth Donner Design, was honored

with the Interior Designer of the Year special award. Christopher Robinson, president of R&M Engineering, accepted the engineering special award, while also celebrating 25 years in the business.

Elisabetta Coschignano, of the Sahn Ward Braff Koblenz Coschignano law

firm, was among those honored in the commercial real estate category.

“I pride myself on being prepared in the Long Island real estate world, and especially as it relates to zoning and land use,” Coschignano said.

Connie Pinilla, principal agent for the

Connie Pinilla Team at Compass, received the brokers’ award in the residential category for her 21 practicing years.

“I love real estate,” Pinilla said. “It makes me feel on top of the world.”

Gold Sponsors of the event included B2K Development and Beth Donner Design.

Silver Sponsors were All State Abstract, Amazon, Anthony A. Nozzolillo Esq., Breslin Realty Development Corp., Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency, Brown Harris Stevens, Champion Elevators, Cronin & Cronin, Damianos Realty Group, Empire Electrical Corp., GC Advisory Group, Harris Beach PLLC, Long Island Board of Realtors, Men on the Move, Merritt Environmental Consulting Corp., Metropolitan Realty Associates, Mojo Stumer Associates, MP Construction D, PX4 Development, R&M Engineering, Sahn Ward Braff Koblenz Coschignano, Signature Premier Properties, Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency, the Connie Pinilla Team at Compass, the Crest Group and Tritec.

The ballroom filled with guests ready for the ceremony to begin.

Mark Stumer of Mojo Stumer Associates.

Tim Baker/Herald photos Sara Gore, host of Open House NYC, was the keynote speaker for the evening.

Kelly Heck accepts on behalf of Tritec. Eric Alexander of Vision Long Island.

Beth Donner with her crystal award.

Christopher Robinson of R&M Engineering.

Joseph Farkas accepting his special award for Real Estate Investment/Development Company of the Year.

Kevin Leatherman of Leatherman Homes and president of LIBOR.

Steven Krieger of B2K Development

Honoree Connie Pinilla, right, at the REAL Awards photo booth.

Honorees Justin Breslin and Elisabetta Coschignano.

Honorees Marco Scarda, left, Daniel Scarda, Chuck Merritt and Cara Cronin at RichnerLive REAL Awards last week.

Father and son power duo Dan and Mel Pulatani.

Natasha Williams of LIBOR with her son.

Holden Leeds/Herald photos Julia Krispeal from Serhant.

Michael Puntillo of PX4 Development.

Jack Martins of Harris Beach PLLC.

Chamber gala honors community excellence

of the Oceanside Community Warriors, presented the award to O’Hagan and highlighted her selflessness and dedication to serving others.

“I have not met anyone who puts literally everybody before herself,” Driscoll said. “Your selflessness and thoughtfulness deserve to be recognized. On behalf of the chamber, we do not want it to go unnoticed.”

O’Hagan expressed gratitude for the recognition and shared her journey of giving back to the community, including plans to establish the Love Ava project, a nonprofit organization in honor of Ava Salonia, the Oceanside teen who lost a hard-fought battle against cancer in August.

“One thing I continually pride myself on is never doing any of the things I do for any sort of recognition or accolades,” O’Hagan said. “It is something that is done purely out of wanting to help those in need and setting a positive example for others.”

The Ramalho Tree Service was honored as the chamber’s “Business of the Year” for its longstanding commitment to serving the Oceanside community. The Ramalho family’s three-generation legacy of providing exceptional service and support, particularly during challenging times, was recognized.

Congressman Anthony D’Esposito commended the honorees and emphasized the significance of community service in building a better society.

“As we know, it’s becoming harder and harder to be a local business — the lifeblood of our community here in New York state — and when you have people and families who continue to fight the good fight, who stand at the frontline, you want to invest in our local communities so that we can do better, be better and see into the future,” D’Esposito said.

D’Esposito also lauded O’Hagan’s selflessness and dedication, citing her as a shining example of civic responsibility and compassion.

Ramalho Tree Service dates to 1958, when John Ramalho I, now 87, started the business, and John II and his wife Victoria Ramalho now carry the load with their sons, John III, 29, Jake, 23,

and Sam, 20. Joe Cibellis, newly installed vice president of the chamber, in his remarks, highlighted the Ramalho family’s unwavering support and generosity, underscoring the importance of family values and community solidarity.

“Coming from a family business myself, I know the stress and toll it takes on everyone because I run a family business,” Cibellis said. “It is a 24/7 job, to balance your employees, your expenses, your estimates, billing, and most importantly, your spouse and your children. To be successful is exhausting and doing that for three generations is something truly amazing and special.”

John Ramalho III expressed gratitude for the recognition and shared poignant anecdotes of the family’s journey in serving the community. He emphasized the importance of family unity and community engagement in fostering a vibrant and supportive environment for all.

“My parents were raised in Oceanside and chose to raise my brothers and me, in Oceanside” he said. “Oceanside will continue to be a place I can call home. You have my word that Ramalho Tree Service will do our best to do our part.”

Keith Rossein/Herald Photos

Members of the Oceanside Fire Department, from left, Steve Bresin, Bob Sutton, Lt. Mark Sparberg, Chief Sean Lynch, Commissioners Vincent Staffa and Blagio Rosano, and Robert Davis.

Theresa Di Capua, far left; Shayna Polansky; Citizen of the Year honoree Bri O’Hagan; Barbara Mari and Jackie Amato.

Town of Hempstead officials and the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce honored the Ramalho family for three generations of operating the Ramalho Tree Service, which the Chamber named its 2024 Business of the Year.

Brian Driscoll presents the Citizen of the Year award to Brianna O’Hagan.

By MICHAEL HINMAN mhinman@liherald.com

We’ve heard a lot about the economy in the years coming out of the coronavirus pandemic — and those conversations will only get louder as we head into what is expected to be a rather contentious presidential election.

But when it comes to the economy on Long Island — at least for now, it’s rebounding. At least according to the man whose collection of gold in Manhattan far exceeds what’s found in Fort Knox.

John Williams, president and chief executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, paid the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Uniondale a visit last week, sharing the state of the economy with members of the Long Island Association. And there’s plenty to talk about.

“As business leaders, you all know all too well the impacts the pandemic had on our communities in our economy,” Williams said “In many way, Long Island’s economy mirrors New York City’s, and both were hit especially hard in 2020. In fact, much harder than what we saw in the rest of the country.”

Inflation was rampant, the job outlook was unstable, and the supply chain was struggling to regain its once super-efficient form.

But an important milestone was reached last year, Williams said: total employment numbers returned to what they were before the pandemic.

“Last year was also a turning point for the U.S. economy overall,” Williams said. “The economy grew far faster than anyone expected a year ago, boosted by increases in the labor force and productivity.”

The fact that the financial market has held for the past two years also is significant, Williams said, since that’s the longest stretch in five decades.

And although inflation continues to be a concern, at least as far as personal consumption expenditures go,

numbers are falling from the 40-year high experienced just a couple years ago to levels considered far more stable.

Williams visited with the LIA as part of an overall Long Island tour that included stops in Suffolk County as well as at Hofstra University. Although monetary policy itself is decided on Capitol Hill and the White House, the Reserve Bank of New York is where the nation’s monetary policy is implemented as part of the larger Fed.

Williams visited Long Island at a time when the economy here has stabilized, according to LIA president and chief executive Matthew Cohen.

“Our gross domestic product is $200 billion,” Cohen said. “About 45 percent of adults have a college degree — which is higher, actually, in both New York City, and the state as a whole. And, as a region, we have a low unem-

ployment rate.”

That’s pretty significant for a region that is larger than 15 states. Which is why it’s important businesses on Long Island work together, Cohen added, to lead the rest of the nation in the ongoing recovery.

“We need to work together — everyone in this room, everyone in our region — to create new good-paying jobs to support the growth of both legacy sectors and these emerging industries,” he said. It’s also important to “cultivate entrepreneurship so that the next Apple can be built here.”

Over the decades, Long Island and the country has proven to itself it can weather a number of storms. But the economy is ever-changing, Williams said, and the pandemic proved it’s important to strengthen the country’s financial infrastructure.

“It’s kind of a recognition of our limits to that resiliency,” Williams said. “Supply chains have become extremely complex.

“That’s one of the lessons — that when you have extreme movements in demand supply … things can crack in that system. People are recognizing that, in terms of businesses, of having more resiliency.”

Williams can’t make predictions of what the economy will bring, but can say the world we live in now is already different, and will continue changing as we move forward. Like the movement of more and more people to continue working from home, or maintaining hybrid work environments where they may only be in the office a couple times a week.

A potential solution?

“To do office space in the modern world, you have to invest a lot to make that office space attractive,” Williams said. “It’s just one of those kinds of evolutions that is jarring that we go through in cities like New York where things have changed, and we need to adjust to that. I’m confident we will be able to do that.”

Michael

John Williams, right, president and chief executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, joined Long Island Association president and chief executive Matthew Cohen for a discussion on Long Island’s economy during a visit to the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Uniondale last week.

Ali Berke will sing before Knicks game

dles the bookings for all of her performances, and came up with the idea for her to sing at every stadiums, which inspired her nickname, “Ali the anthem girl.”

“She’s at seven (stadiums) right now, which, not for nothing, but it’s pretty amazing,” Jack said. “How many people do you know that have done even more than one?”

Ali sang at Citi Field, before a MetsPhillies game in 2017. She has also performed at Citizens Bank Park, in Philadelphia, before a Phillies-Nationals game; at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, in Baltimore, before an Orioles-Blue Jays contest and at Fenway Park before a Dodgers and Red Sox game last August. She most recently performed the anthem at a Brewers-Cubs game at Milwaukee Brewers Stadium on Oct. 1.

She described singing at MSG as a lifelong dream come true. “Madison Square Garden is the biggest deal ever in my book,” she said. “I feel like that’s just been, like, my whole goal since I started. Madison Square Garden is what I want. It’s always just kind of been my dream. It’s something that I’ve been looking forward to since I was a child, so I’m very, very excited.”

Berke said she hoped to perform a headlining show at the Garden in the future, but is happy to get her foot in the door. Her journey has been marked by hard work. Despite juggling multiple jobs and personal commitments, she remains focused on her music career.

“I definitely put in the hours, staying up late, and it’s definitely a struggle,” she said of focusing on music while working. “Singing is what I want to do for the rest of my life … I’m just hoping that it all pays off in the end, for what I actually do want to do.”

Berke has written more than 30 songs, and said she hopes to perform them at festivals and open for other artists on tour.

“In a perfect world, I’d be touring, selling out, and making sure my music was heard by more people,” she said. “My whole goal is just for my music to be heard, and … for people to understand who I am as an artist.”

Throughout her career, Berke has relied on the support of her family, including her dad, her grandmother and her boyfriend. Their encouragement, she said, has been instrumental in fueling her determination to succeed in the music industry. Her biggest motivation is to succeed for her mother, who died of cancer in July 2022.

“I wish that my mom was here so that she could experience it with me, but I know that she’ll be with me in spirit,” she said. “The hardest part of this whole thing is wishing somebody was there that’s not, but that’s what drives my motivation further and makes me want to keep going and keep achieving all of my dreams for her.”

Jack revealed that Ali’s demos, sent to various teams and industry professionals, have attracted a lot of attention, which should lead to more opportuni -

ties. He emphasized the importance of persistence and networking in securing gigs and media coverage.

Ali will be back on the road again, with a performance before the Oakland A’s-Houston Astros game in Oakland on May 26, and a Miami Marlins-Texas

Rangers game in Miami on June 2. Jack hopes she will eventually perform at Dodger Stadium and Crypto Arena in Los Angeles.

For now, though, his daughter said, she wants to take it one step at a time and hope for the best. “I’m just really

focused on Madison Square Garden,” she said. “I’m so excited. I feel very thankful, and I feel very blessed that I’m even getting this opportunity.”

Berke can be found on Instagram and TikTok, at Alitheanthemgirl and aliberkeofficial.

Photos courtesy Jack Berke

Oceanside singer Ali Berke is looking to perform in every Major League Baseball Stadium and expand to other major sports.

sing the national anthem at Fenway Park. Berke before her most recent performance in Milwaukee

COntinued FrOM PAge 1

Islanders to host 2026 NHL All-Star Game

By TONY BELLISSIMO

tbellissimo@liherald.com

The next National Hockey League All-Star Game will be played at UBS Arena in Elmont.

The announcement came Sunday afternoon during the first intermission of the Islanders-Rangers Stadium Series game at MetLife Stadium. Islanders legend Denis Potvin broke the news alongside Islanders legend Bryan Trottier during a live interview on ABC with reporter Emily Kaplan.

It’ll take place in 2026 and serve as an appetizer to that year’s Winter Olympics. There will be no All-Star Game next season as the NHL pivots to a 4 Nations Face-Off.

“The National Hockey League is thrilled to have the best and brightest of our game hosted at the spectacular UBS Arena for the 2026 NHL All-Star Weekend,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “We have been looking forward to UBS Arena playing host to one of our major League events since before construction of this wonderful arena began. We have every confidence that the Islanders organization, led by Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky, will deliver a celebration that will make the greater New York region and the NHL proud.”

Additional information on the NHL’s midseason showcase including its dates, ticketing and broadcast information, will be announced when available.

“We are honored to be invited to host the National Hockey League, the game’s finest players and fans from around the world to join us in New York for the 2026 NHL All-Star Weekend,” said Malkin, the Islanders’ Majority Owner.

“Whether our guests will be watching the talented players on the ice in UBS Arena, a building built specifically for hockey, shopping in Belmont Park Village

Elmont’s UBS Arena will host the next National Hockey League All-Star Game.

or enjoying pre- and post-game festivities in The Park, the 2026 All-Star weekend will show NHL fans the outstanding destination we have for hockey, shopping and entertainment,” he added.

The 2026 All-Star Weekend will mark the second time the Islanders host NHL All-Star activities, with first being the 1983 edition featuring the Campbell Conference All-Stars defeating the Wales Conference All-Stars 9-3, and Wayne Gretzky claiming NHL AllStar MVP honors at Nassau Coliseum.

“After an impressive All-Star Weekend earlier this month, the players are looking forward to raising the bar even higher at UBS Arena in 2026 where we know the New York Islanders will be great hosts for the event,” said Marty Walsh, NHLPA Executive Director. “The NHL All-Star Weekend will be an exciting lead-in to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.”

Fans can sign up to receive news and updates on the 2026 NHL All-Star Weekend. Visit www.nhl.com/ Islanders for more information.

BUILDER

Aquacade Pools

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Brothers 3

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Fidelity National Title Group

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MacGregor Abstract Corp.

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Greencare Tree Service

We Care Tree Service

Wonderland Tree Care + Landscapes, Wonderland Tree Care + Landscapes

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A & B Upholstery

East Meadow Upholsterers Corp.

Tony’s Decorating-Upholstering

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Marcor Construction

Panther Siding & Windows, Inc. Unified Home Remodeling

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Hofstra University

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ARTrageous Studio, LLC

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Brittany Beauty Academy, Levittown

Long Island Nail Skin & Hair Institute

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PRESIDENT

Christine M. Riordan, PhD, Adelphi University

James Lentini, DMA, Molloy University

Susan Poser, PhD, Hofstra University

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Dance Mechanix Hart & Soul Dance and Performing Arts

Sarah Beth Academy

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CATS (Children’s Athletic Training School)

KidStrong, Carle Place

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HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

Alexandra Greenberg, George

W. Hewlett High School

Hank Williams, Lawrence

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MARTIAL ARTS

Goshinkan Jujitsu Dojo

Pakua Martial Arts

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MUSIC SCHOOLS/CLASSES

Center Stage Music Center

Long Beach Guitar School

The Children’s Orchestra Society

NURSERY SCHOOL

Bellmore United Methodist Nursery School

Bright Star Academy

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SPORTS CAMP

Beach Baseball Camp and Clinics

CATS (Children’s Athletic Training School)

Hofstra Summer Sports Academy Camps

PEOPLE & PLACES

B&B/INN

Ram’s Head Inn

Southhampton Inn

The Ocean Bay House

EVENT VENUE

Epic Escape Rooms Long Island

Kombert Caterers

Long Island Children’s Museum

HOTEL

Hampton Inn & Suites Rockville Centre

The Garden City Hotel

Uniondale Marriott

LOCAL TOURIST

ATTRACTION

Long Island Aquarium

Nunley’s Carousel

Raynham Hall Museum

MUSEUM

Cradle of Aviation Museum

Long Island Children’s Museum

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PLACE TO HAVE A PARTY

Epic Escape Rooms Long Island

Kombert Caterers

Long Island Children’s Museum

PLACE TO WORSHIP

First Presbyterian Church of Glen Cove

Temple Avodah

Temple Israel - Lawrence

WEDDING VENUE

Bridgeview Yacht Club

Crest Hollow Country Club

Swan Club On The Harbor

SERVICES

ADVERTISING AGENCY

Austin Williams

Creative Focus Designs, Inc.

Jillian’s Circus

ANIMAL ADOPTION/ RESCUE SERVICES

North Shore Animal League America

Ruff House Rescue

Terry Animal Hospital

APPLIANCE REPAIR STORE

Home Appliance

Reliable Appliance

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ARBITRATION & MEDIATION FIRM

Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP

Resolute Systems, Inc.

Vaz Law, PLLC

ARCHITECT

Katherine Serrano Sosa, Rooted Architecture Studio

Long Island Architecture Studio

Stephen G. Hayduk, P.E., Hayduk Engineering LLC

CAR WASH

Majestic Auto Spa

Seaford Car Wash & Detail Center

Ultimate Express Car Wash

CAR/LIMO SERVICE

Broward Limousines

Executive Limousine of Long Island

Long Island Elite Limousines

M&V Limousines, Ltd.

CEMETERIES

Huntington Rural Cemetery

Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum

St. Charles / Resurrection Cemeteries

CORPORATE LAW FIRM

Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP

Love Law Firm, PLLC

Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C.

DIVORCE ATTORNEY

David Mejias, Mejias, Milgrim & Lindo, P.C.

Marina Moreno, Law Office of Marina Moreno, PLLC

Robert Keilson, Esq., Garden City Law Firms

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American Drive-In Cleaners

Delta Cleaners

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ELDER LAW ATTORNEY

Jennifer B. Cona, Cona Elder Law

Marina Moreno, Law Office of Marina Moreno, PLLC

Wendy K. Goidel, Goidel Law Group

EMPLOYMENT AGENCY

Express Employment Professionals

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Jennifer B. Cona, Cona Elder Law

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Stephanie D’Angelo, D’Angelo Law Associates

FAMILY LAW FIRM

Joseph Law Group, P.C.

Law Office of Marina Moreno

Mejias Milgrim Alvarado & Lindo, P.C.

FEMALE MENTORING GROUP

Girl Scouts of Nassau County

Miss Long Island Pageants

Moxxie Network

FUNERAL HOME

Gutterman’s Funeral Homes

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Cona Elder Law PLLC Harris Beach

The Rizzuto Law Firm

LABOR LAW FIRM

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP

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Bayport Laundromat

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Standard laundromat

LAW FIRM (OVERALL)

OVER 35 EMPLOYEES

Miller and Caggiano, LLP

Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C.

The NHG Law Group P.C

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Cona Elder Law PLLC

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The Rizzuto Law Firm

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Levitt LLP

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Law Office of Marina Moreno

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Picarello & Saciolo, P.C.

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Hewlett House

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Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP

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PET GROOMER

Kelly, Spaw Pet Salon of Westbury

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Brian Ozegovich, Park Ave Studio

Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, GSM Communications

Jonathan Ortiz, Creative Focus Designs

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Anthony Nozzolillo, On Point Land Services Corporation

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Ackerman Law PLLC

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The Law Offices of Gilbert L. Balanoff, P.C.

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CubeSmart Self Storage

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Barnes & Barnes, P.C.

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Magical Dad Vacations - Keith Voets

Superior Travel Consultants

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Gabrielle Pimento, DVM, Bond Vet: Merrick

John Foy, DVM, Terry Animal Hospital

Timothy Sheppard, DVM, Sayville Animal Hospital

WASTE MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Jamaica Ash & Rubbish Removal

Long Island Waste Services, LLC

National Waste Services, LLC Winters Bros. Waste Systems

SHOPPING

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Collectors Coins & Jewelry

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THE SHOPPE by Trubee Hill

APPLIANCE/HOME ELECTRONICS STORE

Appliance World P.C. Richard & Son

Reliable Appliance BOUTIQUE

Jolie Fleur

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Uniquely Yours

BRIDAL STORE

Blossom Brides

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CARPET STORE

Carpet Depot

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Glen Floors

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EYEWEAR STORE

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Mt. Sinai Optical

FARMERS MARKET

Crossroads Farm at Grossmann’s

Deep Roots Farmers Market

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FLORIST

Central Florist

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Pedestals Floral Decorators

FURNITURE STORE

Bob’s Discount Furniture and Mattress Store

Furniture Gallery of Long Island

Raymour & Flanigan

GIFT SHOP

Dolce Confections

Pampered Professional

The SHOPPE by Trubee Hill

GOURMET MARKET

Grace’s Marketplace Sons of a Butcher

The Original Salpino’s of Wantagh

GROCERY/SUPERMARKET

Holiday Farms Stew Leonard’s

Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace

LOCAL CHILDREN’S

CLOTHING

Denny’s Fashion, Style, For All Koukla Children’s Boutique

Mur-Lees, Men’s & Boy’s Shop

LOCAL HARDWARE STORE

Costello’s Ace Hardware

Millers True Value

Schaefer’s Ace Hardware

LOCAL JEWELRY STORE

Hislon Jewelers

North Shore Gold & Diamond

Unicorn Jewels

LOCAL MEN’S CLOTHING

B2bespoke Custom Clothier

Mur-Lees, Men’s & Boy’s Shop Standard Thread

LOCAL WOMEN’S CLOTHING

A.J. & MOS

Trois Jours Boutique Etc.

Uniquely Yours

NURSERY & GARDEN

CENTER

Atlantic Nursery & Garden Shop

Dees’ Nursery And Florist

Hicks Nurseries

PAWN SHOP

Collectors Coins & Jewelry

Matthew James Jewelers

Pawn Express

WINDOW TREATMENT STORE

Blinds To Go

Homestead Window Treatments

The Blind Spot Inc.

SPORTS

BICYCLE STORE

Brands Cycle & Fitness

Oceanside Cycle

Trek Bicycle Massapequa

BOXING CENTER

Fit Theorem

iLoveKickboxing

Kayo Boxing

CROSSFIT GYM

CrossFit Merrick

CrossFit Seize The Day

Fit Theorem

GYM & FITNESS CENTER

Fit Theorem

Fit4Life Studios, Inc.

The Bodysmith Fitness & Massage

ICE SKATING RINK

Grant Park Skating Center

Newbridge Arena

Town of Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center

KIDS’ SPORTS LEAGUE

East Coast Football Club

East Rockaway Raiders Football

Hewlett Lawrence Soccer Club

PERSONAL TRAINER

Ava Donaldson, Fit4Life Studios

Leah Stukov, FitX50

Taylor Costello, CSCS, MMP, LMT, The Bodysmith Fitness and Massage

PERSONAL TRAINING

FACILITY

Fit Theorem

Fit4Life Studios, Inc.

Personal Training Institute of Rockville Centre PILATES

Club Pilates Merrick

Fit4Life Studios, Inc.

The Pilates Studio, Inc.

PLACE

Bay Shore

Michael’s

By CHARLES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com

A number of state electeds are calling on the governor to slow down her plans to make school buses electric by 2035 — something they say could have a devastating impact on district finances.

Some like state Sen. Steve Rhoads and state Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick joined Assemblyman John Mikulin and other officials handling fire and safety at schools at the Levittown Public School bus yard in Wantagh last week hoping they can convince Gov. Kathy Hochul to extend the deadline for that mandate deeper into the future to ensure it’s affordability for communities like those in Nassau County.

“There’s nothing magical about this New York state school bus mandate,” Rhoads said.

Citing the main character from the popular children’s television animated series “The Magic School Bus,” Rhoads said “even Ms. Frizzle herself would agree that this burdensome mandate takes chances, makes mistakes, and gets messy.”

The state’s current budget mandates all school buses must have no environmental impact through emissions by 2035, with districts only allowed to purchase electric school buses by mid-2027.

The idea, according to Hochul, is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050. The state’s environmental conservation department blames the transportation sector overall as one of New York’s largest sources of emissions, which contributes to climate change impacts such as increased heat waves, sea level rise and flooding.

“Old school buses are putting children’s health at risk, spewing toxic fumes and pollutants into the air that are proven to have negative health impacts,” Hochul’s office said, in a statement. “After New York vot-

ers approved an Environmental Bond Act that allocated $500 million for zero-emission school buses, Gov. Hochul is working with communities across New York to allocate these funds and ensure they are fully utilized.”

But Rhoads says the mandate does not account for the logistical and financial challenges that school districts, bus companies and power companies will face in implementing the plan. A new, full-sized electric bus costs as much as $450,000 — triple the price of a conventional.

With some 45,000 school buses on the road in the state, Rhoads says the full conversion by 2035 would cost in the neighborhood of $20 billion.

The Levittown school district — with a fleet of 80 buses — is in the beginning stages of the mandate. Superintendent Todd Winch said it would cost the district as much as $32 million to replace their fleet, and will purchase its first electric bus this year.

“We don’t replace a whole fleet for maybe 20 years, but now they’re asking us to replace the whole fleet from 2027 to 2035,” Winch said. “Now you’re talking about a very short time period to replace the whole fleet, which would be very, very difficult.”

In addition, the Levittown bus yard would require 40 charging stations, each one costing between $30,000 and $50,000, Winch added.

The state has offered to help, but Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick said the $500 million offered would only cover a little more than 1,200 buses. The rest would have to paid for by local taxpayers — and that’s not even including infrastructure and charging stations.

“Where’s the rest of that money coming from?” the state senator asked. “You, from the taxpayers, because that’s what the school districts will be forced to do to meet this mandate.”

But the current high costs associated with electric buses are expected to come down over time, Hochul said. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority announced last September it believes the price of an electric school bus should be on-par with a gasoline-powered bus as early as 2027 thanks to advances in battery technology, more manufacturing, as well as lower fuel and maintenance expenses.

Rhoads calls Hochul’s mandate a rushed plan.

“We all want to see a greener future,” he said. “There is no question about that. But we have to make sure that if our goal is providing affordable, safe, and reliable transportation to our students, we have to make sure we have a plan which gets us to that future, but still accomplishes that primary goal.”

Charles Shaw/Herald

STEPPING OUT

FOREVER A)

By Karen Bloom

Laughing along with Joe Gatto

All roads lead back to Lynbrook it seems. Certainly for Joe Gatto.

He’s stepped away from his comfort zone — “The Impractical Jokers” — to the dismay of many folks. His loyal cadre of fans came to know him from the popular improvisational hidden camera show, which he hosted with his buddies Brian “Q” Quinn, James “Murr” Murray, and Sal Vulcano, for nine seasons.

Fans were certainly disappointed when he moved on from Q, Murr and Sal in 2021 to focus on co-parenting his two kids, Milana and Remington (now 9 and 7).

But you needn’t fret. Gatto is doing just fine — as is “Jokers,” now in its 10th season.

Since leaving his pals to carry on “Jokers” without him, the jokes certainly continue as Gatto’s taken his energy — and his comedic talents — to the stand-up circuit.

His tour, “Joe Gatto’s Night of Comedy,” arrives Friday at The Paramount in Huntington. Minus his friends, fans get an hour of Gatto, as he riffs on life, his family, and probably even his dogs.

“I’m extremely proud of this hour of comedy I’ve put together, and am so excited to film it at the first theater I performed on this tour back in February 2023,” Gatto says. “It also happens to be one of my favorite theaters, too, which is nice since it’s in my ‘hometown’ of Long Island.”

Of course, there were some nerves involved in going solo.

“After my time with ‘Jokers,’ I needed to figure out the next step in my career,” Gatto reflects.

• Friday, March 8, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

• $59.75, $39.75, $29.75

• Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com

• The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington

“I needed to figure out different ways to make people laugh because that’s what I love to do. Stand-up presented itself as a way to do that. My agents and managers were like, ‘Why don’t you give stand-up a shot?’”

And so he did, on a winter’s evening in a small club in Appleton, Wisconsin, in January 2022, for a brief 35 minutes.

“I enjoyed it right from the get-go,” he says. “It quickly graduated into an hour show, and I moved up to theaters. Fans were coming out, and we’re having a great time. Telling stories of my life and thinking about different ways that I could express myself to get people to know me a bit better has been a really fun journey.”

Gatto readily admits it’s been a learning experience.

“It was a different format that I wasn’t necessarily versed in, so I was a little nervous,” he says. “The biggest thing for me was I had never performed live before. For 20 years, I was part of an ensemble, stand-up being its own art was a thing I needed to adapt to. I quickly took to it.

“The challenge of writing the hour, curating it, and thinking of what stories I want to tell and how to tell them and punch up the jokes, was fun to do.”

Everyone’s in on the fun right along with him.

“I’ve always been pretty open on ‘The Impractical Jokers,’”

talk about parenting, I’ve got lots of stories of my kids, also

he says. “I was always myself. I didn’t play a character, so when people watched it, they really to got to know the sense of me, my personality. Even a lot of my personal life was in that show as well. People who come to my show know me already from that. But here I get to tell different stories. I talk about parenting, I’ve got lots of stories of my kids, also the craziness of animal rescue with my dogs, growing up with my crazy Italian mother on Staten Island, and of course, my friends, the Jokers. There’s no shortage of stories.”

Janeane Garofalo

Oh yes, about those dogs. There are nine of them in the Gatto household, all older rescues.

“It’s like a pack mentality,” he says, laughing, insisting his four-legged companions “pretty much follow the house rules.”

Eventually the Gattos realized they couldn’t rescue every dog in need. Hence their nonprofit Gatto Pups & Friends, which facilitates adoptions for mainly senior and disabled dogs, opened in Glen Head in November 2022.

“We wanted to do it in our neighborhood,” he says. “We love being around here. We found a cool space for the storefront, right across the street from one of our favorite places for lunch. It just all aligned.”

Although firmly ensconced in Glen Head, the South Shore still calls out to him. Gatto frequently visits Lynbrook, where he lived between 2014 and 2017, and where his sister still resides.

His family ties bring him frequently back to visit.

“I love Lynbrook,” he says.“I had such a great experience there. There’s always something special about your first home.”

Plus, “Vincent’s is still one of my favorite pizzerias,” he adds.

You’ll even find him hanging out at Lynbrook’s Regal, taking in a movie with his niece and nephew.

“I go there all the time with them,” he shares. “They’re movie buffs like me, and that’s our go-to movie theater.”

In fact, a film may be in his future.

“I’m doing pretty good, enjoying my ride right now,” Gatto says. “But I’ve always wanted to write and direct film. That’s actually why I got into entertainment. So that’s what I’m focusing on now. That’s what’s left on the bucket list, along with always creating and thinking of new ways to make people smile.”

And as for his outing at The Paramount, it’s being filmed for a comedy special.

“I’ve been working to two years on the thing,” he says, “so I don’t it want it to just go away.”

And there’s always the possibility of another collaboration with his “Jokers” buddies.

“I never un-united with them,” he says. “They’re still my friends. We’re just not ‘friends from work’ anymore. I love creating with those guys, so who knows what the future holds.”

The comedian-actress, who reigns as the queen of the alt-comedy scene, is eager to speak her mind when she visits here with her latest stand-up tour. 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 film and television, including ‘The Truth About Cats and Dogs,’ ‘Wet Hot American Summer’ and ‘Ratatouille,’ among her memorable roles. Garofalo’s informed opinions and unflinching honesty on topics ranging from everyday life to pop culture inspire laughs and strike a chord with audiences everywhere. Often a lightning 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.’

Friday, March 8, 8 p.m. $33, $28. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at LandmarkOnMainStreet.org or (516) 767-6444.

‘Greatest Show On Earth’

The circus is back. The iconic Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey spectacle returns after a hiatus, re-imagined as a 360-degree experience that brings fans into the action. Packed with explosive excitement, ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ begins and ends with a bang. Lauren Irving, Alex Stickels and Jan Damm join forces as Aria, Stix and Nick Nack, who serve as its soul, rhythm and funny bone. The trio, appearing as show guides, encounter never-before-seen stunts, acrobatic displays, and comedic acts along the way. An international cast of 75 performers take on a variety of enthralling circus acts, including new stunts like the Triangular Highwire, led by the Lopez Family, sixth-generation circus artists hailing from Mexico and Chile. There are also comic clowning, extreme sports, and acrobatic aerial feats — all enhanced with original music.

Friday through Sunday, March 8-10, times vary. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com, or Ringling. com. UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont.

Courtesy Joe Gatto Joe lives his life by a code of pastry and family, loving his wife, two children, cannolis — and his dogs.

Photo by Jonathan Thorpe

THE Your Neighborhood

March 16

JigJam

When virtuoso Irish playing jumps the pond running through the wide open fields of Bluegrass and Americana, JigJam is born. This Offaly and Tipperary-born band has started the Irish invasion of Americana with a brand new band member from Glasgow injecting the magic of Scottish folk music. The lads bring their foot-stomping sound to the Landmark stage, for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, Saturday, March 16, at 8 p.m. Described as ‘The best Irish band in bluegrass’ and ‘sparkling, infectious’ these gents have been hailed as ‘Ireland’s answer to New Grass Revival’. Founding members from Offaly Jamie McKeogh (lead singer and guitar) and Daithi Melia (5 string banjo and Dobro) were joined by Tipperary-born Gavin Strappe (mandolin and tenor banjo) in 2016. They’ve since added Glasgow native Danny Hunter (fiddle) to make up this iGrass (Irish Bluegrass) quartet. They’ve been hailed as “Ireland’s answer to New Grass Revival,” with a sound that has its roots in Irish music and Irish immigration. iGrass and JigJam is what happens when the Irish find their prodigal son. $38.14-$49.48. 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 8, 10:15 a.m. and noon, Sunday, March 10, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, March 13-14,10:15 a.m. and noon. Kids become cast members, singing dancing, and acting on stage 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.

Bird walk

See some birds with the South Shore Audubon Society. All are welcome to join members for another in its series of bird walks, at Massapequa Lake, Sunday, March 10, starting at 9 a.m. Massapequa Lake is at the south end of Massapequa Preserve, between Lakeshore Boulevard and Ocean Avenue. Use street parking on the westbound side of Merrick Road.

Walk leaders, other birders and nature enthusiasts are happy to share their knowledge and experience with you. Bring binoculars. The group will meet at the gazebo. To register, text your name and contact information to (516) 467-9498. No walk if rain or snow. Text regarding questionable weather. For more information, visit SSAudubon.org.

Story time

Baldwin Public Library offers story time for children ages two to four with a parent or caregiver, Thursdays, through March 21, at 11:15 a.m. Enjoy stories, songs and crafts. The session is in the Library’s children’s arts and crafts room. Registration required. 2385 Grand Ave. Visit BaldwinPL.org or call (516) 223-6228 for more information.

Best of Broadway

Adelphi University Performing Arts students celebrate the music of Broadway during their semiannual Best of Broadway concert, Sunday, March 10, 4 p.m. The theme of this season’s concert is a royal one, paying tribute to the kings, queens, “Aladdin,” “Camelot, “ “Six,” “Frozen,” “Anastasia,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Cinderella,” and more. $30, with discounts available to seniors, students, Adelphi alumni and employees.

Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 877-4000 or Adelphi. edu/pac.

Board of Education meeing

Obtain the latest insight into what’s going on the school district. The Baldwin Board of Education meets, Wednesday, March 13, at Baldwin Middle School. 3211 Schreiber Place. For more information, call (516) 4346000.

Having an event?

March 7

Solar Eclipse Observer

Teens can prepare for the April 8 total solar eclipse and obtain community service credit. Eclipse sunglasses are available at the Baldwin Public Library Circulation Desk for free while supplies last.

When you visit EclipseSoundscapes.org/ observer, you will find a form to complete the day of the eclipse and submit to Eclipse Soundscapes to receive a certificate of completion. Prepare now by taking the 15 to 30 minute observer training course any time before April 8.

Once you have your certificate after the eclipse, email teens@baldwinpl.org or go to the Teen Zone to show a staff member and you will receive two hours of community service. 2385 Grand Ave. Visit BaldwinPL. org or call (516) 223-6228 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.

A Taste of Thailand

In concert

Icon and superstar Whitney Houston, has left a lasting legacy that is celebrated an exhilarating spectacle. “Queen of the Night, A Musical Tribute to Whitney Houston,” Saturday, March 9, 8 p.m., at NYCB Theatre at Westbury. An exhilarating tribute to Houston’s remarkable musical repertoire, the electrifying production, which premiered on London’s West End, honors her timeless songs with sensational vocalists and a full live band.

Named after the swaggering hard rock single from “The Bodyguard” soundtrack, the show celebrates 30 years of hits, from “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and “Saving All My Love for You” to “How Will I Know,” “Greatest Love of All” and, of course, “I Will Always Love You.” With the accompaniment of a dynamic band, backing vocalists and dancers, “Queen of the Night” fully conveys the essence and persona of Houston in a captivating production has been described as “a powerhouse performance that delivers on every level.” NYCB Theatre at Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury. Tickets available at LiveNation.com or call (516) 247-5200.

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 ShinrinYoku, 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 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.

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:

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

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.

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.

Legislator Mulé attends Oceanside

Jewish War veterans meeting

Nassau County Legislator Debra Mulé met with members of the Oceanside chapter of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States at IHOP in Oceanside on Feb. 28.

Regarded as a premier voice for Jewish American uniformed service members and veterans, the JWV is focused on defending the rights and benefits of all service members and veterans, fighting antisemitism, supporting the state of Israel, and advocating for all uniformed service members, veterans, and their families.

“Supporting our veterans and groups like the Jewish War Veterans of the United States is crucial for ensuring that the people who served our nation so valiantly receive the respect, care, and assistance they deserve,” Legislator Mulé, ranking member of the Legislature’s Veterans committee, said. “It was a privilege to spend the morning with this impressive group and witness their dedication to uplifting our veterans and the entire community.”

— Kepherd Daniel

Public Notices Public Notices

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.

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

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 SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK INDEX NO. 612001/2023

COUNTY OF NASSAU

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,

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 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 $125,000.00 and interest, recorded on April 29, 1993, in Liber M 15125 at Page 0965, of the Public Records of NASSAU County, New York., covering premises known as 17 PINE STREET, 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

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: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

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

LOCAL LAW NO. 9-2024

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE

that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held February 13th, 2024, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 9-2024, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 9-2024, amending Section 202-1 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include and repeal “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at various locations.

Dated: February 13, 2024 Hempstead, New York

BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD

DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR.

Supervisor KATE MURRAY

Town Clerk

145253

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS

Pursuant to New York

State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public

Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Old Town Hall, 350

Front Street, Room 230, Second Floor, Hempstead, New York on 3/13/2024 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. 165/24. OCEANSIDESBA Properties LLC, Renewal of grant to maintain height variance to maintain 225’ high radio tower., Interior parcel located at West end of R.O.,W. which is situated at the W/s Oceanside Rd. West, 570.46’ S/o Neil Ct., a/k/a 3671 Oceanside Rd. West 180/24. OCEANSIDEFrancheska Gomez, Mother/Daughter Res. (2nd Kitchen)., E/s Skillman Ave., 242.89’ N/o Alvin Ct., a/k/a 3109 Skillman Ave.

181/24. OCEANSIDEJoseph Houghton & Christina Werner, Mother/Daughter Res. (2nd Kitchen)., E/s Lawrence Ave., 1105’ S/o Henrietta Ave., a/k/a 3499 Lawrence Ave.

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 2:00 P.M. 183/24. OCEANSIDEABC Ocean 3453, LLC, Variances, subdivision of lot, lot area, front width from & on street line to front setback line, lot area occupied, construct dwelling with garage., E/s Ocean Ave., 1220’ S/o Waukena Ave., f/k/a 3453 Ocean Ave. 184/24. OCEANSIDEABC Ocean 3453, LLC, Variances, subdivision of lot, lot area, front width from & on street line to front setback line, lot area occupied, construct dwelling with garage., E/s Ocean Ave., 1270’ S/o Waukena Ave. 186/24. - 189/24.

OCEANSIDE - Calogero Contrino, Variances, side yard, side yards aggregate, maintain additions, garage conversion to living space, roof over patio with outdoor kitchen & BBQ, all attached to dwelling; Maintain pool filter with less than required side yard setback; Maintain shed

higher than permitted with side & rear yard setbacks; Special exception to maintain 2nd accessory structure (gazebo) higher & larger than permitted & exceeding horizontal maximum on all sides., E/s Weidner Ave., 80’ N/o Zadig St., a/k/a 3449 Weidner 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. 145245

LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF NASSAU WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR THE POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT DATED AS OF OCTOBER

1, 2004 MERRILL LYNCH MORTGAGE INVESTORS TRUST MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2004-WMC5, V. CINDY B SOMMER, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated March 8, 2023, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR THE

POOLING AND SERVICING AGREEMENT

DATED AS OF OCTOBER

1, 2004 MERRILL LYNCH MORTGAGE INVESTORS TRUST MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2004-WMC5 is the Plaintiff and CINDY B SOMMER, 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 April 4, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 411 WANAMAKER ST, OCEANSIDE, NY 11572: Section 43, Block 219, Lot 88: ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN OCEANSIDE, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 006889/2014. Scott H. Siller, 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. 145294

LEGAL NOTICE

STATE OF NEW YORK

SUPREME COURT: COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO STATE

STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR GSMPS MORTGAGE

LOAN TRUST 2001-1, Plaintiff,

v. MAXIMO A. MACARIO, MIRIAM J. MACARIO, ET AL, Defendants.

NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE

THAT

In pursuance of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the Office of the County Clerk of Nassau County on May 17, 2018, I, Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., the Referee named the Order to Substitute Referee entered August 24, 2023, will sell in one parcel at public auction on April 11, 2024 On the north front steps, facing Old Country Road, of the Nassau County Supreme Court, located at 262 Old Country Road, Mineola, NY, at 2:00PM the premises described as follows:

44 Warwick Road Island Park, NY 11558

SBL#: 43-31-377

ALL THAT TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND situate in the Village of Island Park, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York.

The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 015498/2013 in the amount of $319,315.95 plus interest and costs. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the Court System’s COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale.

Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP

Attorneys for Plaintiff

500 Bausch & Lomb Place Rochester, NY 14604

Tel.: 855-227-5072 145278

Part

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HHA, CNA, COMPANION, BABYSITTER And House Keeper Looking For Private Work. Caring for Your Loved One is My Top PRIORITY. Call Sandy 347-551-7555

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MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16 per hour to $20 per hour.

Email resumes or contact

Making an old home newer

SA Castle? This 8000 Sq Ft Mansion is Full of Character. Amazing Architectural Details, Soaring Ceilings, Stained Glass Windows. 5 BR, 6.55 Bths. Sprawling 1.3 Acre Prop with IG Gunite Pool. SD#14. Near All. Must See This Unique Home!

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Q. We are suing our contractor and need some advice. A year ago, we finished our second-floor addon and first-floor kitchen and rear family room remodel by opening up walls to join them. Everything seemed fine until it rained the first time. The windows began to leak at the bottom, and then around the tops and sides. Our new sliding glass door did the same. The basement flooded, and we are not in a flood area. Then the air-conditioning company said somebody disconnected the ducts, and when we opened the ceilings, more water poured down. The house is now filled with mold, which we clean with bleach where we can get to it, but we couldn’t move out and have two small children under age 4.

Although we have many questions and hired an attorney, we’re wondering whether we should hire an architect to go over all the problems and identify them, with remedies, or hire one of the contractors who said they could fix the problems, or wait until the lawsuit is finished to make it possible for a jury to see the damage. The job architect, whom we never met, has now had their license revoked for the next two years, but we wouldn’t go to them, anyway.

A. Ugh! This is more common than you would think. It starts with not having the architect working for you and instead working for the contractor. I can guess that the contractor was contacted first, and you hired them to get their architect and provide plans. That was your first mistake.

Ask The Architect

Next, people are lazy, expecting that anyone they hire knows all the best techniques to build and knows all the rules, codes and laws. That was mistake number two. Even though you hire people, you should have gone over critical details, especially about waterproofing and structural techniques on the plans, to make sure that the building owner looks for those steps to be carried out. You, the building owner, I always say, are the “eyes and ears” on the job, since the architect often isn’t there at critical times, when waterproofing membranes and materials are joined.

Mistake number three was not doing a water test with a garden hose when the finish siding, windows roofing, etc., had been applied. Simulating rain by pointing a hose skyward so that the water cascades down — not a direct fire-hose hit — tells you right away if something is failing.

You’re going to need a licensed expert — an architect or an engineer — to work with your attorney. Document everything with videos during simulated or storm events to show the water coming in and whatever other failures, such as leaking and disconnected air ducts, and hire people who can do the job correctly as soon as you can. You need to have a healthy home for your family, and a lawsuit could take years while you possibly get sick from the mold and the chlorine you’re breathing. Good luck!

Up

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DIVORCE

Why I joined the Congressional Offshore Wind Caucus

Growing up in Island Park, I was always acutely aware of how lucky I was to be surrounded by beautiful beaches, bountiful waterways and stunning coastlines. Preserving Nassau County’s coastal environs has been a main priority of my tenure in public office, and I am proud to represent so many community partners who share in that goal. Indeed, the pristine nature of our South Shore was recently threatened by a largescale offshore wind turbine project proposed by Equinor, but thanks to unified community opposition, this dubious plan appears to have stalled — for now.

The growing national push to advance offshore wind energy has clearly reached Long Island, and while Equinor’s plan was defeated due to the corporation’s failure to properly liaise with local stakeholders, there will certainly be other developers attempting their own offshore wind projects mov-

ing forward.

Now more than ever, it is vital that our communities make their voices heard on any projects that would impact our coastline, which is why I am proud to announce that I have been made a co-chair of the Congressional Offshore Wind Caucus. This bipartisan panel provides members of Congress from across the country a forum to discuss the growing utilization of offshore wind energy, compare notes on offshore wind projects being advanced, and strategize on how best to approach future development questions. What’s more, my leadership role in the caucus also provides neighbors in the 4th District with an enhanced voice when the panel communicates with turbine developers — ensuring that the thoughts, concerns and opinions of South Shore residents are made known.

We’ve seen interest from other developers seeking to take Equinor’s place.

residents of the Long Beach barrier island, Island Park, Oceanside and beyond during the development of its Empire Wind 2 offshore wind turbine plan. This lack of engagement justifiably led to distrust among community members, and fueled the successful grass-roots campaign to quash the project.

Like my neighbors along the South Shore, over the course of several meetings, Equinor representatives failed to provide me with adequate information on the long-term environmental impacts of the project or outline a proper plan to support the communities that would have hosted facets of Empire Wind 2 — which is why I fought to stop the project from moving forward.

ment, residents’ wishes are respected, and local communities’ bests interests are advanced. If a company can articulate a vision for an offshore wind energy project that safeguards our environment, incorporates robust stakeholder feedback into the development process, benefits the community, and creates good union jobs, I believe it is beneficial for the public to hear them out and approach the plan with an open mind. I intend to utilize my position on the Congressional Offshore Wind Caucus to hold corporate developers accountable by demanding full transparency on any proposed projects that come before the community.

Those residents have recently seen firsthand the difficulties that stem from a corporate entity outright ignoring the concerns of community stakeholders when developing a large-scale project. Indeed, Equinor failed to engage with

Now that Equinor appears to have realized the error of its ways and pulled back from its offshore wind plan, we have seen growing interest from several other developers seeking to take Equinor’s place. As the selection process plays out and companies vie for a chance to develop offshore wind energy in Nassau County, it is vital that stakeholders have a say in project advance-

I will continue to utilize all the tools at my disposal to advocate for the best interests of South Shore neighbors and ensure that our communities are not negatively impacted by overdevelopment. My position as co-chair of the bipartisan caucus will give our community a stronger voice in that arena, and ensure that any proposed plans include real benefits for the South Shore. Long gone are the days when developers like Equinor thought they could simply muscle their way past community opposition. We won’t allow it.

For Democrats, Suozzi’s victory is nothing to brag about

Democrats were understandably elated when former Democratic Congressman Tom Suozzi won the special election in New York’s 3rd Congressional District on Feb. 13, but they shouldn’t be popping any champagne. In truth, Suozzi’s victory over the Republicans’ candidate, Mazi Melesa Pilip, was a lot closer than it should have been.

Suozzi won just under 54 percent of the vote.

Doesn’t that seem a little low? After all, he’s a former mayor of Glen Cove, a former Nassau County executive, and a former three-term representative of the district in Congress. Pilip, meanwhile, is a sophomore county legislator.

An alarming sign for me is the money spent by each campaign for each vote. Suozzi spent $2.36 million and won roughly 91,300 votes, meaning he spent almost $26 per vote. In comparison, Pilip spent just $714,000 and won roughly 78,200 votes, or just over $9 per vote.

That means that Pilip needed on average one-third the cash to bring her vot-

ers out to the polls. That indicates to me that Pilip’s voters were more excited and zealous. Suozzi, on the other hand, had to fight to bring Democrats out.

If Pilip and Suozzi had had the same fundraising numbers, and the cash-pervote numbers held, Pilip would have garnered over three times her vote total. Even if we halved Suozzi’s advantage (to make the comparison a bit more realistic), Pilip still might have won, with over 58.5 percent of the vote, if she’d spent as much money as Suozzi.

HSo, Democrats, is this your grand victory?

Aside from that lingering question, Suozzi ran a good campaign. He attacked Pilip where he needed to and worked hard in just the couple of months that he had, barnstorming through the district. He held a large event in my native Westbury, which I appreciate. The difficult fight he had, and the difficult fight many Nassau Democrats have, was beyond his control.

e spent nearly three times as much campaign money as Pilip for each vote.

To top it off, state Democrats are going to get another chance to draw district lines this year, meaning that Suozzi is almost certainly going to be redistricted into a safer, more heavily Democratic district. Why sink millions into an election that you most likely would have won more easily in nine months?

I read the election results this way: A Democratic political veteran with high name recognition and a 3-to-1 fundraising advantage won an election with the second-worst margin he’s won his House seat with, against a neophyte opponent no one had ever heard of, whom he probably would have more easily defeated in nine months.

For one thing, the political landscape on Long Island is shifting against Democrats. For years in Nassau County, the number of new voters registering as Democrats outpaced those registering as Republicans, but that is changing. In the towns of North Hempstead and Oyster Bay and the City of Glen Cove, which account for most of the population of the 3rd District, voter registration data for the past year confirms that the ratio of Democrats to Republicans is shrinking.

Area Democrats have also been suffering from guilt by association. The Nassau GOP has successfully associated local Democrats with their more leftleaning colleagues in New York City. The Long Islanders are branded with

negative labels like “radical” and “socialist,” or worse, “radical socialist.”

Finally, local Democrats continue to be hammered on bail reform, affordable housing and crime. These attacks are nonsense, but they stick because there is no apparatus in place to respond. None of this is Suozzi’s fault. Rather, the problem lies squarely with the Nassau and state Democratic committees, which have poor fundraising operations, abysmal organizing capacity, and virtually nonexistent communication with voters.

The party is failing to recruit new members, and cannot adequately defend its candidates, let alone go on the offensive. The state Democratic Party continues to fail candidates like Suozzi and the voters that make their existence possible.

That’s why I don’t consider Suozzi’s victory any kind of Democratic renaissance. His hard-fought win doesn’t portend more party wins in Nassau, because a successful two-month campaign can’t fix a state Democratic Party that has lost almost every position of power on Long Island in the past eight years.

Matthew Adarichev is a public policy major at Hofstra University, a political activist and an aspiring journalist whose work has appeared in the Hofstra Chronicle and the Anton Media Group.

Anthony D’Esposito represents the 4th Congressional District.

AnTHonY D’EsposiTo

HeraLd editoriaL Support Local Journalism Sustainability Act a

s objective and independent news writers and editors, we have an imperative to cover the issues most important to you, the people of our community.

Every day, our team of reporters is on the ground questioning elected officials, telling the stories of community changemakers, and uncovering truths that some would rather keep hidden.

But amid industry challenges, it is no longer unfathomable to picture a future when New York state is completely without local newspapers and other local news outlets.

According to the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, 2.5 newspapers now close each week in the United States. More than 3,000 newspapers have shuttered across the country since 2004, and New York has been particularly hard hit.

In 2004, New York boasted 501 newspapers. Today there are only 260. In 2022 alone, 30 newspapers closed across the state.

A quarter of New York’s counties are news deserts — down to their last newspaper. Orleans County recently became the first in the state to have none. These closures have also resulted in thousands of lost journalism and newsroom-supporting jobs.

Local news matters. Studies show that when a community loses its source of local news, it experiences decreased voter turnout and civic engagement. Increased municipal borrowing costs that lead to higher taxes. And decreased transparency among government and business officials, leading to increased waste, fraud and abuse.

As newspapers shutter, communities become more polarized, leaving us stuck in a never-ending doom loop where we lose sight of our shared values. During

Letters

Let these elected officials know that we need to save local news

■ Contact Gov. Kathy Hochul: (518) 474-8390

■ Contact State Sen. Kevin Thomas: (518) 455-3260

■ Contact Assemblyman Ari Brown: (516) 431-0500

Our newspaper is a proud member of the Empire State Local News Coalition. Support the coalition at SaveNYLocalNews.com.

this era of intense national partisanship, local news offers a path forward.

The time to act is now. That is why the Oceanside/Island Park Herald has joined more than 150 other New York local newspapers to launch the Empire State Local News Coalition.

Comprising both print and online local newspapers, this coalition is advocating for sound public policy that ensures the important work of local news organizations can continue in our state. Through our independent journalism, we aim to serve, inform, uplift and protect New York residents.

Our coalition cares deeply about our local communities as well as the future of New York’s free press. However, market forces are making it nearly impossible for us to survive. So, together, we are sounding the alarm bell for our leaders in Albany to hear.

At the heart of our advocacy is the Local Journalism Sustainability Act.

Bruce Blakeman bans trans athletes

To the Editor:

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s recent signing of an executive order banning transgender girls from playing sports in county facilities was a disingenuous performance to ingratiate himself with the cruel anti-LGBTQ movement. These kinds of orders and bans do more harm than good, setting a dangerous tone that can send the message that hateful acts against the LGBTQ community are justified. Nex Benedict, the non-binary 16-year-old from Oklahoma who died last month after an altercation in a high school girls’ bathroom, comes to mind.

Sadly, by targeting transgender young people, Blakeman chose to use his executive power to sacrifice a very vulnerable group, already struggling for acceptance and facing far greater rates of depression and suicide than their peers, for his own political gain. Instead of doing something to help the transgender community in Nassau County, he decided to put them at further risk. Blakeman claims that

Sponsored by State Sen. Brad HoylmanSigal and Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner — with the bipartisan support of 55 co-sponsors — this bill provides tax credits to local news outlets for the employment of local journalists. News organizations are incentivized to actually add jobs, returning reporters to many of the state’s newsrooms, which are becoming increasingly desolate.

Importantly, the bill is also contentneutral, meaning that any legitimate local news outlet — left, right or in between — can benefit from it. The objectivity of the bill’s eligibility requirements means the legislation cannot be weaponized to penalize news organizations critical of government officials.

As New York loses talented journalists, lawmakers must act to ensure the industry is allowed not only to survive, but also to thrive. Only local news outlets — with boots-on-the-ground journalists — can deliver the hyperlocal updates and investigations necessary to sustain a community’s civic and financial wellbeing.

Imagine no stories about the village or town board meeting, or the school budget debate. No pictures of your granddaughter’s first soccer goal. No obituary of your friendly (and eccentric) neighbor. No investigative reporting to hold public officials to account. And no trusted institution to rally the community around a family in need.

We need your help to save local news in New York. To get the Local Journalism Sustainability Act across the finish line, lawmakers need to hear from you about why our newspaper matters and why this bill is important to you.

If you would like to help, reach out to Gov. Kathy Hochul and your local state representatives to let them know you stand with local news.

Electrifying school buses in N.Y.: a shocking oversight

New York state’s recent mandate to electrify all school buses is a fantasyland, progressive step toward a not-so-green future. Beneath the surface, there are glaring issues that threaten the feasibility of this ambitious initiative. While the intentions seem commendable, the lack of infrastructure, exorbitant costs, and practical challenges in certain regions cast a shadow over the state’s commitment to a cleaner environment.

This historic untested and unproven legislation aims for all new school bus purchases to be zero-emission by 2027, and would require that all buses in operation are electric by 2035. The budget includes next to no funding to help districts implement this transition, dedicating a paltry $500 million of the $20 billion that bus electrification would require.

Whichever side of the aisle you’re on when it comes to clean energy, we can all certainly agree that there must be the means to pay for this social experiment, and a methodology to ensure that the system will actually work — and here lies the problem. The state’s decision to

mandate bus electrification without addressing the critical issue of infrastructure is a classic case of putting the cart before the horse. The electrical grid, already strained in some areas, will face an unprecedented load with the addition of electric school buses, leading to potential power outages and system failures.

UThe financial burden of this mandate is another elephant in the room. Electric school buses cost nearly four times as much as conventional buses — roughly $450,000 per vehicle — which would put immense pressure on school districts already grappling with budget constraints. The mandate is an unfunded directive, forcing schools to divert resources from other essential needs, such as classroom supplies, teacher salaries and extracurricular activities.

athletics and other programs.

pstate, where temperatures can plunge, EVs sometimes just don’t work.

Another challenge arises during the frigid winter months, when battery storage and capacity are significantly diminished. In upstate New York, where temperatures can plunge to extreme lows, the effectiveness of electric buses becomes questionable — actually, it’s not questionable; the technology just doesn’t work. Students in these regions could face delayed or canceled bus service due to the weather’s effect on battery performance. The concerns about the reliability of electric buses in areas with harsh winters are real: They would put our children at risk.

mental impact of EVs, highlighting the need for a more holistic assessment of the supply chain.

The safety concerns associated with electric vehicles extend beyond their production. EVs are known to catch fire, and fighting those fires is uniquely challenging. The lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles are extremely difficult to extinguish once ignited, and firefighters often struggle to control such fires. This poses a risk not only to vehicle occupants — our students — but also to first responders, bystanders and the environment.

While electric buses may be a viable option for urban areas with shorter bus routes, the practicality diminishes in rural upstate regions. Some of those areas require buses with a range exceeding 150 miles to shuttle students effectively. The current EV technology falls short, making it clear that a one-size-fitsall approach is impractical. That would leave school districts in remote areas grappling with the dilemma of compromising on buses’ range by eliminating

Letters

“boys” are bullying their way onto girls’ teams, but he’s the real bully here.

KARIN JoHNSoN RVC Pride Rockville Centre

It was obvious why Republicans chose Pilip

To the Editor:

I read the Herald’s coverage of the special election between Tom Suozzi and Mazi Pilip. You didn’t mention that Pilip was a registered Democrat when she ran against Suozzi. She didn’t change her party affiliation until a few days ago.

Right from the beginning, Pilip didn’t want to take many questions from the press, and showed she didn’t know very much about the issues. The Republicans had her run because she was pretty, black, and Jewish, with an interesting background.

MYRoN MARINBACH Lynbrook

Immigrants make our economy stronger

To the Editor:

It’s time to cut through the noise and tell

And while electric vehicles are often championed as a cleaner alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles, there is a dark side to their production that is frequently overlooked. The extraction of key materials essential for EV batteries, such as cobalt and lithium, involves intensive mining, leading to environmental degradation. It is widely acknowledged that the Democratic Republic of Congo, a major supplier of cobalt, uses unethical mining practices and child slave labor. The mining industry’s environmental toll, coupled with the exploitation of vulnerable communities, raises ethical questions about the true environ-

the truth about immigration: our economy and community is stronger because of it. Some leaders would have us think it’s a zerosum game when our country takes in immigrants, but that’s not true at all.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget office estimates that the U.S. economy will grow by an extra $7 trillion over the next 10 years thanks to immigrants!

But we don’t have to wait for the future to see how they are strengthening the economy. In 2021, immigrants paid $524.7 billion in taxes. That’s money that helps fuel our nation’s schools, Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security programs. Immigrants help support our communities as consumers and taxpayers.

Don’t believe it? Even former President Donald Trump’s appointed Federal Reserve chair, Jerome H. Powell, recognized the massive contributions immigrants make in an interview on “60 Minutes,” saying, “A big part of the story of the labor market coming back into better balance is immigration returning to levels that were more typical of the pre-pandemic era.”

So let’s give credit where credit is due, stop the anti-immigrant rhetoric and end the zerosum mindset. Immigration truly is essential for our economic growth and our communities’ prosperity.

Perhaps Gov. Kathy Hochul, known for her commitment to renewable energy, could consider attaching one of her beloved wind turbines to each school bus to help power it. While that might sound like a whimsical suggestion, it underscores the lunacy of such legislation, which is being used as a diversion tactic while other real problems abound — problems like crime and the illegal migrant crisis. The governor wants us to waste our energy discussing fairy-tale ideas such as electric buses and windmills, all the while diverting needed education and security funding to illegal immigrants who have never paid a dime into our tax base.

Governor, it’s time to pump the brakes on this unfunded mandate.

Ari Brown represents the 20th Assembly District.

JoSEPH M. VARoN Long Island chapter, Bend the Arc West

Hempstead