Oceanside/Island Park Herald 12-01-2022

Friends meet on the field again

l.I. winner announced

Giving a hand to those in need

Robert Schulman’s nonprofit helps people with limb differences

By KARINA KoVAC kkovac@liherald.com

Imagine trying to comb your hair or tie your shoes without arms. Ride a bicycle or swim with no legs.

That’s the daily battle of some 2 million people in this country who have had an amputation or were born with a limb difference. And it’s a bat tle Oceanside prosthetist Rob ert Schulman has endeavored to resolve by giving a hand — quite literally — to those in need with his nonprofit Limb Kind Foundation.

And he’s getting help from a group of gifted students at Oceanside Elementary School No. 3 known as Project Extra. In fact, the students have raised enough money for 8-year-old Sadie McGill — who has a limb difference — to participate in this year’s “Show Your Shine” competition, hosted by Limb Kind.

The competition features participants from all walks of life with limb differences strut ting their stuff on the runway.

Schulman started his non profit some five years ago after

F.D. welcomes 1947 Mack fire truck back to Oceanside

By KARINA KoVAC kkovac@liherald.com

It was a symbol of strength, power and durability. The 1947 Mack Model 45S was a pioneer ing apparatus at the time, and was heavily used in efforts by fire stations across the country to fight blazes — including right here in Oceanside.

But this particular Mack truck has returned to the Colum bia Engine Company No. 1 after crossing many miles of America and undergoing years of restora tion.

It was a journey that started simply enough 16 years ago with senior members of the fire

department — Bill Lynch, Paul Facella and Fredrick Robinson — reminiscing about fire engines of yesteryear. The 1947 Mack was quite high-tech for its time because of a booster reel used to easily drench the many grass fires in the salt marshes of Oceanside.

It was then they came up with an idea: Let’s track down that old truck the Oceanside fire depart ment replaced in the late 1950s that had, up until that moment, been lost to obscurity.

It was the kind of investiga tion that would make even Sher lock Holmes proud. Forming a historical committee, the three followed clues that led them

through fire departments not only Bohemia an hour away, all the way to central Florida with the Highlands Volunteer Fire Department.

“We found out they had decommissioned this truck in Florida, and it was sitting idle, they didn’t know what to do with it,” Facella said.

When some history-minded firefighters from Long Island came knocking, however, the Cit rus County firefighters knew exactly what to do: Offer the deal of a lifetime.

“Got it for a dollar,” Facella said — something Lynch added they haven’t even paid yet. Their investigation produced

a fascinating journey for the Mack truck that spanned more than four decades of active ser vice.

“It was ordered in ‘46 right after the war, and built in ’47,” Facella said. The engine “served 12 years here in Oceanside, and then went to Bohemia.”

There, the engine lasted another 14 years before making

its way to Florida around 1973.

“It served, in total, about 40 years of service in the fire ser vice,” Facella said. “Which is a long time for a truck.”

None of the historical com mittee ever used the truck, but Karl Thuge was more than famil iar with it.

In fact, there was a time when

Karina Kovac/Herald

StuDENtS FRoM oCEANSIDE Elementary School No. 3 had a thoughtful discussion about how differences don’t define an individual with Sadie McGill, 8. She was joined by members of the Limb Kind Foundation, with Jill Smith and founder Robert Schulman.

Energy cost to rise mildly with wind power

By BRENDAN CARPENTER bcarpenter@liherald.com

Equinor, the Norway-based ener gy company set to build wind turbines in the Atlantic Ocean off Long Beach, is hoping to drum up public support for its project by visiting local organizations and explain ing its plans.

Last week, Equinor officials appeared before the Long Beach Chamber of Com merce at its monthly meeting, and com pany representatives said they would make two other local appearances in the coming weeks.

Whether or not they succeeded in convincing people that wind turbines represent the future of energy genera tion, company officials delivered some news that many who attended the meet ing, at the Bay Vista Assisted Living Community, did not like: Energy bills are likely to increase.

In response to a question from the audience, Josh Verleun, Equinor’s direc tor of permitting, said, “Each house hold’s energy bills should increase slightly. It should be about 95 cents monthly, and approximately $12 a year.”

Equinor’s approved $3 billion project,

Empire Wind, will have two parts, Empire Wind 1, which will supply power to the Brooklyn area, and Empire Wind 2, which will supply power to the Long Beach area and connect to the E.F. Barrett Power Station in Island Park. Empire Wind 1 and 2 — stations housing the wires that transfer energy from the wind turbines to land — will be built 15 to 30 miles offshore, and 147 tur bines, each 886 feet high, will be three to five miles farther out.

“It will also include up to 216 nautical miles of interarray cable, which is the cable between the turbines offshore,” Susan Lienau, Equinor’s community engagement manager for Long Island, explained.

“Then there will be up to 66 nautical miles of submarine export cables, which are the cables that bring the power back onto land.”

Lienau said that one of the biggest questions she is asked is, “What is the

view from the beach?” Container ships, she said, would frequently pass in front of the turbines, making them less visi ble from the Long Beach shoreline.

The submarine export cables will run under ground, routed beneath the beach and boardwalk at Riv erside Boulevard. They will run north, under Lincoln Boulevard, before crossing Long Beach Road when they reach East Harrison Street. There they will follow the path of the Long Island Rail Road tracks up to where Pop’s Seafood Shack and Grill is now, on Railroad Place in Island Park.

This summer was the last for the restaurant. Equinor bought the property. There, a large substation will be built, which the cables will pass through before continu ing along the LIRR tracks to the Barrett Power Station.

The attendees at Mon day’s meeting asked a number of ques tions, including the one that had many

people curious, if not concerned: How much are energy bills going to be impacted? Many said they were dis mayed to find out that those bills will increase, even if, as promised, only slightly.

Equinor officials told them that those increases would make thousands of jobs available.

Harrison Feuer, the company’s New York director of public affairs, said that “every dollar the project spends is an investment of $1.70 into the local econo my.” Equinor is partnering with Farm ingdale State College to offer training for those interested in working for the company.

“We recognize the opportunity the offshore wind industry has to be more in the community than power into the grid,” Feuer said. “We put a priority on being open and collaborative. We want to do it the right way, with engagement from everybody in the communities where we’re working.”

Equinor will hold two more forums in the coming weeks. The first will be Nov. 29, at Lincoln Orens Middle School in Island Park, and the second will take place at the Long Beach Public Library on Dec. 8.

Brendan Carpenter/Herald

SuSAN LiENAu, EquiNoR’S community engagement manager for Long Island, led part of the discussion at the company’s presentation to the Chamber of Commerce.

W e want to do it the right way, with engagement from everybody in the communities where we’re working.

HARRiSoN FEuER public affairs director, Equinor

Preserving history, one fire engine at a time

the now-94-year-old would sell trucks just like it for Mack, and even worked in the Long Island City factory where the truck were assembled.

“I started (selling) at age 19, and I gave it up at age 80,” Thuge said. “It was more than a job.”

In fact, he swore by the trucks, even serving as chief of the Lynbrook Fire Department for 20 years.

When this particular Mack returned to Oceanside, its age was showing. It would take five years to get it back into shape.

“It was a complete restoration,” Lynch said — all completed by Richard Par tridge Jr., at his Rescue Vehicles shop in Bohemia, producing yet another home coming.

“The body work was done, the paint work was done, it had no lights on it, didn’t run didn’t drive,” Partridge said. “So, all the impor tant things” needed work.

The Mack was only the second antique vehi cle Partridge had worked on to that point, but he wasn’t nervous. He knows what he can do.

Still, seeing the final touches — period-accu

rate helmets and the dedication plaque — was “unreal,” he said.

“The final touches really bring it all together,” Partridge added. “It was a plea sure working with those guys. I’m looking forward to the next project.”

The station’s new mascot has done wonders to boost morale there, Facella said.

“It means a lot to the company,” he said. “The history means an awful lot to the guys. It makes the guys feel good, and it’s a nice parade apparatus.”

In addition to the Mack dedication, the firehouse had a new plaque installed dedi cated by the historical committee in honor of the five trustees who, in 1951, mortgaged their houses to build the cur rent Smith Street station.

a model of power and resil ience, the 1947 Mack truck has served its pur pose dutifully for nearly a halfcentury fighting fires, and can finally rest at the Columbia Engine Company No. 1 station.

Photos by Karina Kovac/Herald They soughT iT, and found it — a 1947 Mack truck that has been the focus of a quest by Columbia Engine Company No. 1 Historical Committee members Fredrick Robinson, Paul Facella and Bill Lynch for some time. After a restoration, the antique engine has now returned home.

an eCsTaTiC Karl Thuge sat at the driver’s wheel of the historic 1947 Mack truck that he and members of the Columbia Engine Company No. 1 Historical Committee — includ ing Bill Lynch, left, and Fredrick Robinson — sought. Thuge worked in the same factory in which the truck was built in 1947.

Friends return to the field 41 years later

They say the sun always seems to shine for the annual Oceanside Turkey Bowl. And they’re right. It was a beautiful low 50 degrees and bright sunny day on Nov. 26 when the Oceanside High School Class of 1984 held is 41st annual Turkey Bowl game.

The game was played at Oceans ide’s School No. 6, the site of the first game back when the core group of friends were in ninth grade and the school was better known as the Merle Avenue Junior High.

Participants included members across the years such as Oceanside High’s Classes of 1984, 85, 86 and 89, and their sons and nephews. After the game, the group was joined by additional classmates and celebrat ed while catching up at EGP Oceanside on Long Beach Road.

“To be able to still do this, on the same field where it all started 41 years ago, with many of the same friends who were there for that first game, is pretty amazing,” said Joe Cuomo from the Class of 1984. “The multi-generational vibe we

have now is awesome. The kids let us older guys take a break here and there, but they also help to keep the game fun and competitive. My friend Kevin Kolano threw three touchdown passes to his son Zach on Saturday. How great is that.”

Catching up with current events or remembering the good ole days, it’s always a special day said Kevin Kolano from the Class of 1985. “I find myself really looking forward to this annual game every time the leaves start to fall,” he said.

Mike Tricarico from the Class of 1984 added, “For some reason, the sun always seems to shine on Turkey Bowl Saturday.”

Class of 1984 Leonardo Bilello says it’s a lucky thing to still be in contact with so many high school friends after decades of being out of high school. “It is a true blessing to still be in contact with so many of my OHS friends after all these years. Each year this game gives us a chance to get together, share a lot of laughs, and reminisce about our OHS days.”

— Karina Kovac

Courtesy Joseph Cuomo

Oceanside HigH’s classes of 1984, 85, 86 and 89, and their sons and nephews played and reminisced at the 41st annual Turkey Bowl on Nov. 26.

Lianne Webb, Natalia Suaza take home crowns

Baldwin, Valley Stream contestants win at Miss Long Island pageant

By daniEL oFFnER doffner@liherald.com

Lianne Webb and Natalia Suaza stood out from among dozens of contestants from across Nassau and Suffolk counties, crowned winners of Miss Long Island and Miss Teen Long Island.

The two young women from Baldwin and Valley Stream were among those who gathered at the Madison Theatre at Molloy College on Nov. 20, selected by a panel of judges based on their talents, drive, beauty and compassion.

Before stepping on stage, Suaza said that she set out to complete the New York City Marathon as a way to take herself out of her comfort zone and face her fears head-on.

Upon her coronation as the new Miss Teen Long Island, Sauza says she plans to work with Long Island communities, spreading her message of cancer aware ness.

“With my title, I hope to partner with the Center for Hope at Northwell Hospi tal and the Calvary Hospital,” she said.

Having lost her father when she was just 9, these organizations helped pro vide Suaza an opportunity to talk about him — just as they helped others with loved ones who have passed, and to try and live the lives that they would’ve wanted them to live. Suaza also praised their free summer camp that was offered for her and her siblings.

“This really impacted my life and made me as strong as I am today,” she said.

Leanne Baum, executive director of the Miss Long Island pageants, said that over the next year, both of the winners will make guest appearances to promote their platform.

Webb’s platform aims to promote advocacy for children. She works as a

behavioral therapist with Achieve Beyond, where she works with students with autism. She’s also a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island.

By promoting these different causes across Long Island, the goal is for the pageant winners to become role models for change in the world. This year, for example, all of the pageant contestants came together before the big night to help collect food for Island Harvest, Baum said. In fact, they ended up with more than 400 pounds of food for Long Island’s largest food bank.

Both Webb and Sauza now move on to compete for Miss New York USA and Miss Teen New York USA next August.

Some of the runners-up from this year’s Miss Long Island competition include Jenna Hofmann of West Islip, Alexandra Ali of Commack, Alliyah St. Omer of North Baldwin, and Michelle Lent of Glen Cove.

The Miss Teen Long Island competi tion runners-up include Emily Hall and Valarie Goorahoo of Valley Stream, Rudra Patel of Farmingdale, and Kyra Smith of East Hampton.

Miss Long isLand Teen 2023 Natalia Suaza, from Valley Stream, joined by Miss Long Island Pageants executive director Leanne Baum, and Miss Long Island 2023 Lianne Webb, from Baldwin.

ThE 2022 Miss Teen Long Island winner Jessica Fuentes crowns her successor, Natalia Suaza, of Valley Stream.

ThE 2022 Miss Long Island winner Nadgeena Jerome crowns fellow Baldwin native and 2023 Miss Long Island winner Lianne Webb.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

Miss Long isLand contestants hit the stage at the Madison Theatre in their glorious gowns, showing their best for judges Matthew James Graziano, Yasmeen Gumbs, Amy Amato of RichnerLive, Peter Andolina and Edson Estime

seeing the devastating physical affects of the earthquake that struck Haiti had on the children there. He’d already spent decades in the business at that point, but what he saw on his screen moved him to action, expanding his yearly reach to places like Ethiopia, Kenya and the Phil ippines to bring what are otherwise cost-prohibitive prosthetics to those who need the most.

In fact, a simply prosthetic in some of these countries costs enough to feed a family. For a year.

It’s not inexpensive back here at home, either, with prosthetics typically ranging between $10,000 and $15,000, or more.

Schulman likens it to a recipe he’d like to share with everyone.

“I have this knowledge of how to make something that’s well-needed around the world,” he said. “When I went to Haiti, I really noticed the need for these prosthe ses. And it just felt terrible. Like, here, I have this recipe on how to make something very well-needed.”

Schulman actively visits local schools to show kids that those with limb differences are no different than themselves.

“Every school that we get to do is wonderful because, truly, most of these kids have never seen anyone with limb loss in-person,” he said. “They hadn’t seen the pros thesis in-person,” so it normalizes it more.

And for those like Sadie, where this was her first inperson experience talking about her condition, Schul man says it can inspire her, too.

“These children — whether it’s limb difference or limb loss — they’re used to being stared at,” he said. “It’s hard because people stare at them like they’re an oddity. So, when we do events like this, it allows people to be empowered. But it also teaches all the other people here that they’re just a kid, just like everyone else. They’re no

different.”

Because of Project Extra’s fundraising efforts, when “Show Your Shine” take place Jan. 21, Sadie’s expenses for the day of her modeling debut will be paid for. This includes limo bus transportation, lunch, hair and make up appointments, and anything else associated with the event.

Meeting her peers who helped make it possible allowed a chance for Sadie to answer some of their burn ing questions about her daily routines. In return, it gave Sadie an opportunity to challenge them to step into her place trying everyday tasks without the use of their appendages.

Sadie told the students she had open-heart surgery while still an infant to help correct a genetic condition. But that doesn’t stop her from doing what she loves — like Irish step dancing, drawing, and playing modified sports.

Representation matters, says Stasia Scocta, Sadie’s mother. She remembered a time growing up where there weren’t a lot of people she knew of with differences. Scocta has shown Sadie the way of navigate life and make it easier.

“She can see and mimic me,” Scocta said, “which I think will make her ability to be independent easier.”

Project Extra coordinator Stacy Greenfield said the goal of bringing Sadie was a way to increase awareness among her students when it comes to others who might be a little different. Even better, Sadie had a chance to interact with a smaller group of students, rather than potentially become overwhelmed with a large crowd.

“The program is based on research and interviewing and understanding real world problems and how we can become better problem-solvers,” Greenfield said. “This ties into how we can be better in general.”

Karina Kovac/Herald

Sadie McGill, 8, showed amazed Oceanside Project Extra students how she puts her socks and shoes on with out the use of arms. Later, the students were asked to try themselves. While some succeeded, they did so with far more difficulty than Sadie.

D’Esposito in driver’s seat to House floor

By KARINA KOVAC kkovac@liherald.com

He was an obscure candidate from Island Park who went up against a Republican powerhouse — and won.

His name was Al D’Amato, who would go on to serve 18 years in the U.S. Senate before being upended himself by Chuck Schumer in 1998. D’Amato’s early political career in Island Park involved him running village elec tions, which helped him get his feet wet before heading to Congress.

Now, four decades later, voters have sent another Island Park resident to Washington as Anthony D’Esposito makes his way to the floor of the House of Representatives, in congressional seat he flipped from Democrat to Republican.

“I don’t think that coming from a small community prepares you to be in politics,” D’Esposito said, after defeating Laura Gillen in the November election. “I think it opens your eyes to what community is all about.”

But getting involved on a local level in the fire depart ment, Kiwanis, chamber of commerce or a civic group is “really what opens people’s eyes to further public ser vice” — paralleling how the Hempstead town council man got his start.

Mentioning D’Amato’s influence during his victory speech election night, D’Esposito says he’s pleased to be adding to the village’s story.

“That’s a piece of history, especially coming from a small tight-knit community,” he said. “It’s a place where I was born, raised, called home. The fact that we’ve sent two members of our little village to represent us in Washington, D.C. I think is pretty cool.”

On Long Island, those within the Town of Hempstead have wondered who will fill his empty seat on the town board. D’Esposito still has a month or so left before he

has to pack up and head to Capitol Hill, but says he’ll “figure that out when the time comes.”

He spent his first week in Washington undergoing ori entation, and hopes when it comes time to join commit tees, he’ll find himself on homeland security, and trans portation and infrastructure.

Worried about the state of people’s pocketbooks as well as their quality of life, D’Esposito says nothing has

changed his campaign promises since winning.

“The duration of this campaign, the message has been the same,” D’Esposito said. “And people are con cerned about things that affect their pockets. They’re concerned about crime, and they want someone to repre sent them that’s willing to cross party lines and work with others in order to deliver for our communities.”

But then again, he’s already posting negative com ments on social media about some Democratic col leagues like U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. D’Esposito says their track records leave much to be desired.

“When it comes to Nancy Pelosi, the fact that we can all ask ourselves, ‘Are we better off today than we were two years ago when Joe Biden took office?’ And she’s been nothing but a rubber stamp for the Biden adminis tration,” he said. “And I think a lot of the issues that we’re dealing with on Long Island are issues that are reflective of the administration.”

So, which Democrats will D’Esposito work with?

“People that are there to deliver for the communities that they represent,” he said. “Not just be a loud mouth piece and looking for headlines on Twitter and CNN.”

Sitting down as a delegation after Thanksgiving, D’Esposito says he’s looking forward to making America safer, the economy stronger, and energy greener. But his first focus will be eliminating the state and local taxes cap, known as SALT.

“For me, what’s most important is delivering change to Long Island,” D’Esposito said. “Working hard to repeal the SALT cap, so that we can bring tax relief to commu nities here in New York — some of the individuals who pay the highest taxes in the nation. So, there’s a lot of work to do.

“But I look forward to getting to D.C. again, rolling up my sleeves, and getting to work.”

Courtesy Anthony D’Esposito

By the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building sits freshly elected Anthony D’Esposito, a Republican from Island Park, getting ready for his first day in Congress.

The Barry and Florence Friedberg Jewish Community Center has been awarded the “Next Big Idea” grant from the Butler Endowment Fund through UJA-Federation of New York to begin a Teaching Assistant Development Pro gram. This new and innovative program will teach adults with disabilities the skills to work in early childhood class rooms and school-age childcare programs.

The curriculum will consist of classes taught by staff from the Child Care Coun cil of Nassau County, in subjects such as child development, health and safety, supervision, and age-appropriate activi ties. Students will also be given intern ships in childcare settings run by the Friedberg JCC and their partners. The goal is for individuals to learn to work with children in a supportive environ ment with curriculum and job placement adapted to their abilities.

“We believe that this program will lead to paid employment in child care pro grams.. This is something that is severely needed in Long Island,” said Marcy Hall erman, Friedberg JCC Senior Program Director. For more information about the TADP, those interested can contact Jose Saint-Louis, Teaching Assistant Develop ment Program Coordinator at tjsaint-lou is@friedbergjcc.org or (516) 299-6527.

The Jack Fanning Memorial Founda tion “Angels for Autism” fund has award ed the Friedberg JCC with a grant to pro

vide sexuality classes to adults with Autism and other developmental delays. The funding will allow for individuals to enroll in the Elevatus Sexuality Educator and Trainer course.

“Sex Education is a topic that is not taught to many individuals with disabili ties. As a result, they do not understand how their bodies work, and they are at a much greater risk of being taken advan tage of than other people their age. Hav ing the ability to offer these classes to members of our community will give them accurate information and skills for making healthy decisions about sexuali ty,” said Marcy Hallerman, Friedberg JCC Senior Program Director. For more infor mation about this program, contact Marcy Hallerman at mhallerman@fried bergjcc.org or (516) 634-4173.

For more than 60 years, the Friedberg JCC has been a foundation of the South Shore community, providing social and educational programs, plus vitally needed services for individuals of all ages. Locat ed in Oceanside with additional Early Childhood Centers in Long Beach, Lyn brook and Merrick, the JCC operates pro grams for new mothers/new babies, day care, nursery school, after school activi ties, summer camps, teen programs, adult activities, special needs programs, holi day events and cultural activities.

— Karina Kovac

Herald Photo Archive

The Barry and Florence Friedberg Jewish Community Center has been awarded two grants that will assist adults with disabilities.

STEPPING OUT

‘First Couple’ of ‘Up, Up and Away’ with Marilyn McCoo Billy Davis Jr.

By Mary Malloy

It’s easy to see why seven-time Grammy winners Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., have been married for 53 years. A dynamic duo on and off the stage, the former members of the 196070s group The 5th Dimension have an easy way of sharing the conversation, finishing each other’s sentences, and endearingly calling each other “baby.” They are in true harmony — and headed to Tilles Center for the Performing Arts for “Up, Up and Away! A Musical Fable,” with special guest The Next Dimension, on Saturday.

As two of the lead vocalists with one of the top pop-R&B-soul-jazz groups of the era, their popular classics — among them “Up, Up and Away,” “Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “One Less Bell to Answer” and “Stoned Soul Picnic” — live on. Graced with McCoo’s three-octave vocal range, the group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002, and have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the St. Louis Walk of Fame.

After a decade with The 5th Dimension, McCoo and Davis decided to step away in 1975 to establish themselves as a duo. They had immediate success with the single “You Don’t Have to Be a Star (To Be In My Show)” which hit No. 1 on the charts and earned them a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. They have since enjoyed enduring success through the years as recording artists, performers and authors. Throughout their career, this showbiz couple has been honored with seven Grammy Awards and earned 15 gold and three platinum records, as well as enjoyed starring roles on television and the Broadway stage.

WHERE WHEN

• Sat., Dec. 3, 8 p.m.

• Tilles Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall, LIU Post, 720 Northern Blvd. Brookville

• Tickets are available at TillesCenter.org, or by calling the box office at (516) 299-3100

Their many endeavors go beyond their musical achievements. They also have a movie coming out during the holidays, “The Waltons Thanksgiving,” on the CW network. “It’s family-oriented, and it’s so perfect for this time of year,” McCoo says. “It’s nice for people to remember the warmth and love and excitement that comes from family.”

From East to West

“We are so looking forward to being in New York,” says McCoo, who, with Davis, calls California home. “We’ve visited, but we haven’t done a show there in quite a while. We truly always enjoy coming back … Long Island is such a pretty area, and we’re very excited.”

“We love New York, we have a history with New York,” Davis adds.

“Up, Up and Away” is a journey and musical celebration of their iconic music. The concert also includes tributes to fellow music legends including The Beatles (McCoo and Davis’ contemporaries) and The 5th Dimension’s original lineup.

They will perform some songs from their newest CD, “Blackbird: Lennon-McCartney Icons,” a celebration of The Beatles’ timeless music. The album covers 10 Beatles classics and solos. “It’s so relevant,” Davis says about the title track. “It fits in with things that are happening today. The young people are very concerned with what was going on in the world.”

And what about their own iconic songs as the “First Couple” of Pop & Soul?

“Of course, we’ll enjoy doing many of our hits,” says Davis. “They wouldn’t let us off the stage if we didn’t!”

Tony Danza

The actor-entertainer croons the classics in his cabaret turn. In ‘Standards & Stories,’ he performs a selection of his favorite standards from the Great American Songbook, plus selections from Jason Robert Brown’s score for ‘Honeymoon in Vegas,’ while interweaving stories about his life and personal connection to the music. Danza combines timeless music with wit, charm, storytelling, and a dash of soft shoe and ukulele, in this evening of glorious songs and personal storytelling, backed by a four-piece band. Perhaps best known for his starring roles on two of TV’s most cherished and long-running series, “Taxi” and “Who’s The Boss,” Danza has also established himself as a song and dance man, and received rave reviews for his performance in the Broadway musical comedy ‘Honeymoon In Vegas.’

Friday, Dec. 2, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. $62. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, Route 25A, Brookville. (516) 2993100 or TillesCenter.org.

Judy Collins: Holidays & His

The iconic legend lends her voice to holiday standards along with her classic hit songs as only she can. Collins performs holiday classics, along with songs from her latest album ‘Spellbound’ — her 55th album and first complete album of originals — and beloved songs culled from her six-decade career. Collins is as creatively vigorous as ever, writing, touring worldwide, and nurturing fresh talent. She is a modern-day Renaissance woman who is also an accomplished painter, filmmaker, record label head, musical mentor, and an in-demand keynote speaker for mental health and suicide prevention. She continues to create music of hope and healing that lights up the world and speaks to the heart.

Saturday, Dec. 3, 8 p.m. $70, $65, $60. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

Courtesy Darren Stone/Jon Carrasco

Photos: Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., honored with multiple Grammy awards numerous gold and platinum records, return to the concert stage with their iconic hits — and some surprise selections.

THE SCENE

Become a warrior for the community

Join the Oceanside Community Warriors for weekly community cleanups around the hamlet every Sunday. Contact Oceansidewarriorsny@gmail.com for information on the location of their next cleanup.

Dec. 3

‘Dames at Sea’

On stage

Plaza Theatrical continues its season with “Grumpy Old Men: The Musical,” Thursday, Dec. 1, 2 p.m; Friday, Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 3, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 4, 2:30 p.m. Based on the beloved 1993 film, which starred Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and AnnMargret, this stage adaptation captures the lovably crotchety characters through humor, great songs, and the affectionate depiction of a small town that feels like home to everyone. It’s performed at Plaza’s stage at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $49, $45 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Legally Blonde: The Musical

The ultimate Broadway tribute to girl power arrives at Tilles Center, Saturday, Dec. 10, 4 and 8 p.m. Elle Woods, is ready to prove who’s in charge (again) in this ultimate Broadway tribute to girl power, on the LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Based on the beloved movie, the musical follows Elle’s transformation as she tackles stereotypes, sexism, snobbery and scandal in pursuit of her dreams, and proves that you can be both ‘legally blonde’ and the smartest person in the room. Tickets are $89, $69, $59, $49; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Back after a 25 year hiatus, the Theatre Guild of Oceanside is proud to show the public “Dames at Sea,” Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3-4, at Oceanside School 6 Theater. Book and lyrics by George Haimsohn and Robin Miller, music by Jim Wise. Tickets are $15 for seniors, students and district staff and $20 for the general public. Tickets are available at ShowTik4U.com, search for ‘Oceanside.’

Letters to Santa

Drop off your letter for Santa in the Island Park Library’s special mailbox with express delivery to “The North Pole!” Each letter with a legible name and address will be answered by Santa before the holiday. Pick up a helpful form at the library, 176 Long Beach Rd., or write your letter on your own, through Dec. 16.

Dec. 11 Dec. 1

Santa run with OFD

Holiday fun

Visit the streets of 19th century London during the darkest days of the year, in this adaption of the classic “A Christmas Carol,” with the Experiential Theater Company, Thursday and Friday, Dec. 1,-2 10:15 a.m and noon; Saturday, Dec. 3, 2 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 4, 2 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 7, 10:15 a.m. and noon, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage. Meet the Cratchit family, Mr. Scrooge, and the ghosts of past, present and future in this interactive show that weaves together music, humor, puppetry and collaboration. Celebrate the change of seasons through this beloved literary tale. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 2245800 or LICM.org.

Art talk

Join Nassau County Museum Director Charles A. Riley II, PhD, for a Director’s Seminar, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 4 p.m.

He’ll discuss “Photography: Beauty and Truth,” in a session that examines the intensely emotional approach to photography taken by many of the greats, including Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans, and the analytic, formal path of the Bechers, Struth, Hofer and many Contemporary artists. Participation is limited; registration required. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Having an event?

Santa will visit Oceanside early this year, on Dec. 11, with the help of the Oceanside Fire Department. Follow the route using a digital tracker on the fire department’s Facebook page and come visit Santa in real life as he makes stops in Oceanside along the way. Santa’s first flight will begin at 4 p.m. from OFD headquarters.

Happy Hanukkah

Get ready for Hanukkah by learning all about dreidels, at Long Island Children’s Museum, Saturday, Dec. 3, 1-3 p.m. Discover the game’s history and rules, and decorate your own dreidel to take home, at the drop-in program. Visit the museum on Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

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

On exhibit

Photography’s ascent in the art world is an international phenomenon. Nassau County Museum of Art’s star-studded exhibition spans the historical roots of the medium. View works by Ansel Adams and his generation and the thrilling, large-format color works of such contemporary masters as Cindy Sherman, Thomas Struth, James Casebere and Gregory Crewdson, among others. From the documentary to the painterly, images bear witness to the times. On view through March 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Matinee time

Join crafty Jack Frost on a magical, musical winter adventure, in Plaza Theatrical’s production of “Jack Frost,” Saturday, Dec. 3, 11 a.m. Also Dec. 17. The story, narrated by a groundhog name Pardon-Me-Pete, tells us about the immortal winter sprite, who falls in love with a human girl named Elisa after rescuing her. Tickets are $15. Bring the kids to the Plaza stage at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Public Notices

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 12/7/22 at 9:30 A.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:

THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED

STARTING AT 9:30 A.M. 787/22.

OCEANSIDERose Caliendo, Renewal of grant to maintain 5’ high fence in principle front yard of dwelling on Concord St., S/E cor. Concord St. & New York Ave., a/k/a 2309 Concord St. 796/22.

OCEANSIDEKrzysztof Bogdanowicz, Special exception to maintain shed higher & larger than permitted & exceeding horizontal maximum with less than required front yard setback to Morton Ave., S/E cor. Foxhurst Rd. & Morton Ave., a/k/a 290 Foxhurst Rd.

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. 135675

LEGAL NOTICE CITATION

SURROGATE’S COURT, NASSAU COUNTY

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, By the Grace of God Free and Independent TO:Basil Bozonelis, Phoebe Speck, Jennifer Bojonell, Hilarie Bojonell, Jeoffrey Bojonell, Phoebe Gregor, Valerie Johnides Kane, Helen Castorino, Office of the NYS Attorney General and any and all unknown persons whose names or parts of

whose names and whose place or places of residence are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained, distributees, heirs-at-law and next-of-kin of the said JOAN SMITH, deceased, and if any of the said distributees named specifically or as a class be dead, their legal representatives, their husbands or wives, if any, distributees and successors in interest whose names and/or places of residence and post office addresses are unknown and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained.

A petition having been duly filed by Nassau County Public Administrator, who is/are domiciled at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York 11501.

YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TO SHOW CAUSE before the Surrogate’s Court, Nassau County, at 262 Old Country Road, Mineola, New York, on January 18, 2023, at 9:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day, why a decree should not be made in the estate of Joan Smith lately domiciled at 3202 Ocean Harbor Drive, Oceanside, New York 11572, United States admitting to probate a Will dated December 11, 2018 (and Codicil(s), if any, dated _____________), a copy of which is attached, as the Will of Joan Smith, deceased, relating to real and personal property, and directing that: [ ] Letters Testamentary issue to

[ ] Letters of Trusteeship issue to f/b/o f/b/o f/b/o f/b/o

[X] Letters of Administration c.t.a issue to Public Administrator of Nassau County

[X] Further relief sought (if any): Filing of a bond be dispensed with.

Dated, Attested, and Sealed, 11/02/2022

___________________( Seal)

HON.HON. MARGARET C. REILLY Surrogate

s/ Debra Keller Leimbach

Chief Clerk

Signature of Attorney Richard T. Kerins, Esq.

Print Name of Attorney Mahon, Mahon, Kerins & O’Brien, LLC

Firm Name (516) 538-1111

Telephone 254 Nassau Boulevard South, Garden City South, New York 11530

Address rkerins@mmkolaw.com Email (optional)

NOTE: This citation is

served upon you as required by law. You are not required to appear. If you fail to appear it will be assumed that you do not object to the relief requested. You have a right to have an attorney appear for you. 135274

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE

OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as Trustee, for Carrington Mortgage Loan Trust, Series 2005-NC5 AssetBacked Pass-Through Certificates, Plaintiff AGAINST Joseph Mosey; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 15, 2017 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on December 13, 2022 at 2:30PM, premises known as 224 Pennsylvania Avenue, Island Park, NY 11558. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, at Island Park, Long Beach, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 43 Block 92 Lots 19-21. Approximate amount of judgment $422,368.13 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 004383/2014. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the Tenth Judicial District. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Janine T. Lynam, Esq., Referee

LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: October 17, 2022 135324

plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in Oceanside, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 54, Block 222, Lot 59. Approximate amount of judgment $206,952.03 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #616322/2018. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and a s such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Mark Ricciardi, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 18-007850 73646 135227

Search for notices online at: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to N.Y. Election Law Article 17, Title 2, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York, and N.Y. Public Officers Law Article 7, the Open Meetings Law, public hearings will be held by the Town of Hempstead Temporary Redistricting Commission in the Nathan L. H. Bennett Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Village and Town of Hempstead, New York, on December 13, 2022 at 10:30am, to receive input regarding the reapportionment and composition of the Town of Hempstead’s councilmanic districts to be used beginning with the Town election of 2023.

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

Plaintiff designates NASSAU as the place of trial situs of the real property SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

Mortgaged Premises: 3232 ELLIOTT BOULEVARD, OCEANSIDE, NY 11572 Section: 43, Block: 212, Lot: 4, 5 & 6

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 $544,185.00 and interest, recorded on November 19, 2007, in Book M 32512 at Page 547, of the Public Records of NASSAU County, New York., covering premises known as 3232 ELLIOTT BOULEVARD, 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.

your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action.

YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Dated:October 28, 2022

ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC

Attorney for Plaintiff Oluwatobi Adedokun, Esq. 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310 Westbury, NY 11590 516-280-7675 135276

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

LEGAL NOTICE

Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action Supreme Court Of The State Of New York County Of Nassau Action to Foreclose a Mortgage Index #: 603698/2022

LEGAL

NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST KIMBERLY J. MORAN, THOMAS J. MORAN, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered December 4, 2019, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on December 13, 2022 at 2:30PM, premises known as 527 DERBY DRIVE EAST, OCEANSIDE, NY 11572. All that certain

ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard and give input at the times and place aforesaid.

Dated:Hempstead, New York

November 15, 2022

BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK.

KATE MURRAY Town Clerk DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor 135671

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK INDEX NO. 613285/2021

COUNTY OF NASSAU

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., Plaintiff, vs.

DOREEN ALBANESE, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MURIEL R. DI NICOLA, if living, and if she/he be dead, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF MURIEL R. DI NICOLA; any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, “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

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

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home.

Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect

Mortgage Assets Management, LLC F/K/A Reverse Mortgage Solutions, Inc., Plaintiff, vs unknown Heirs Of Samuel Carattini If Living, And If He/She 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 Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors , Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, United States Of America

Acting Though The Secretary Of Housing And Urban Development, United States Of America Acting Though The IRS, People Of The State Of New York; John Doe (Those unknown tenants, occupants, persons or corporations or their heirs, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, assignees, creditors or successors claiming an interest in the mortgaged premises.), Defendant(s).

Mortgaged Premises: 2922 Oceanside Road Oceanside, NY 11572 To the Above named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of servi ce (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Nassau. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Unknown Heirs of Samuel Carattini, Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. David P. Sullivan of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Twenty-Seventh day of October, 2022 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, in the City of Mineola. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage upon the premises described below, dated May 31, 2012, executed by Samuel Carattini (who died on December 14, 2020, a resident of the county of Nassau, State of New York) to secure the sum of $525,000.00.

The Mortgage was recorded at Book 37646, Page 879 in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk on August 31, 2012. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed May 3, 2021 and recorded on May 24, 2021, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Book 45450, Page 315; The property in question is described as follows: 2922 Oceanside Road, Oceanside, NY 11572

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

Winterfest comes to the Nautical Mile

Sparkle on Stage embraces the seasonal change in Freeport to welcome all

By MOHAMED FARGHALY mfarghaly@liherald.com

Freeport’s own youth theater group, Sparkle on Stage has relo cated to the Nautical Mile and wants everyone to know that there is still much to do even in the win ter.

Sparkle on Stage, Inc., the young the atrical group formed by Freeport resi dent Workman years ago, had been look ing for a perma nent home for several years. They moved into their new home at 195 Woodcleft Avenue in May and renovated it to include an indoor theater with dressing rooms and prac tice space.

ROBYn WORkMAn Founder, Sparkle on Stage

Sparkle on Stage is holding their first annual ‘Winterfest’ to commemorate their first winter on the Nautical Mile, with activi ties taking place every weekend beginning late November and into the new year.

“Since this is Sparkle on Stage’s first year down on the mile, we wanted to bring the mile alive,” Sparkle on Stage founder, Robyn Work man said, “We wanted to let the commu nities know that it’s not just a summer location, that there are events going on down here and that they could come and visit.”

Beginning with Thanksgiving week end, the organization will host holiday events every weekend. Musical perfor mances by various artists, such as mem bers of the national choir singing along side guest artists, a performance with a magician, their personal interpretation of the ‘Nutcracker,’ and many more themed events, are available throughout the month.

Their Nutcracker will be a reinterpre tation of the classical theatrical experi

ence, with a blend of tunes from many genres and specialized choreography. The facility will also hold arts and crafts workshops where members of the public may come down and paint whatever they want on a canvas.

Sparkle on Stage has also collaborated with nearby local establishments such as Pip’s Ice Cream Parlour to provide ice cream during their events and BrewSA Brewing Company to serve alcohol at their establishment across the street.

Sparkle on Stage, as a community cul tural arts center, hosts a range of shows and exhibits available to the public. The venue is used by both casual and profes sional participants, and any member of the community can find an outlet for their creativity.

Their objective is to provide afford able accommodations for both perform ers and audiences. Sparkle on Stage pro duces musical, cultural, and educational programming that embraces and reflects Long Island’s diversity.

Children and adults alike can take part in their mentorship programs,

Public Notices

career-building activities, and obtain artistic experiences, such as training in backstage and back-office professions like lighting, audio-visual, costume and set design, ticket sales, bookkeeping, marketing, and publicity.

Workman, a performer and perfor mance instructor with a 30-year career, founded the youth theater organization when the pandemic thwarted her efforts to put together a board to assist her cre ate a cultural arts center in Freeport. She has planned many occasions for her

group to showcase their talents and skills during the winter, with more to come.

“I want people to know, not just from Freeport but also from Baldwin and Oceanside that there is a lot of stuff to do down here in the winter, it should not be an area that is just popular in the summer,” Workman said.

Visit SparkleonStage.org for addition al information on Winterfest dates and events, or to donate to the nonprofit orga nization.

tHE tHEAtRicAL GROup organizes a wide range of activities throughout the year, such as their monthly ‘Drag Queen Bingo Night.’

Photos courtesy Sparkle on Stage

SpARkLE On StAGE put on their summer performance of ‘Frances and the Sea’ earlier this year, which was the first production they were able to rehearse and perform on their new stage.

W e wanted to let the communities know that it’s not just a summer location, that there are events going on down here and that they could come and visit.

Private Paradise on Long Island

This Mediterranean-style estate is perched atop a peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides. The home was carefully designed for entertaining as well as comfortable day-to-day living. With its 7 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, this home is filled with luxurious details, from the indoor pool with stunning harbor and the sunset views, to the private home theatre, party room, and home gym. Outside, a newly constructed 84-foot dock and an amazing glass entertaining deck that wraps around the house. For a private tour please contact V.I.Properties at 516.791.1313

A deck becomes a nightmare

Q. We bought a house with a deck and didn’t know it never had a permit until we went to make a home office out of the garage. We then learned that the deck posts are resting on the patio, with no footings in the ground, so the deck won’t pass an inspec tion. The problem is that we got estimates for the con crete posts, 3 feet deep in the ground, and it’s going to be a lot more than we expected, like $12,000. We decided to take the deck down instead, but then we saw that the crumbled concrete steps underneath have to be replaced. Between demolition costs and new back steps, we feel stuck. Any alternative ideas would be greatly appreciated.

A. Once again, an avoidable problem created by someone not investi gating the right way, before building, then pass ing the problem on to an innocent buyer. An engi neer’s building report before buying might have caught this problem, but like many other instances, the problem is pushed off because it seemed like a minor reason to not buy the house.

1208 Broadway Hewlett, NY 11557 516-791-1313 vipropertiesny.com

REAL ESTATE

Open Houses

EAST ROCKAWAY 12/4. 3-3:30 8 Howland Rd, FIRST TIME ON MARKET! 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Ranch on Beautiful Tree Lined St in SD#20.LR,DR,EIK, Den & Enclosed Porch. Full Fin Bsmt.1 Car Gar. CAC, Gas Ht, HW Flrs. Update to Your Taste!..$699,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman RE 516-238-4299

EAST ROCKAWAY BA 8 Acorn Rd, OPEN HOUSE By Appt, REDUCED! BR, 3 Bth Front to Back Split on Beautiful Quiet St in Lynbrook SD#20. Fin Bsmt, Att Gar. CAC, Gas Ht, HW Flr., ..$749,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

FAR ROCKAWAY BA 33-47 Bay Ct, REDUCED! Enjoy The Waterviews in This Bayswater 4 BR, 1.5 Bth Split Tucked Away in Cul de Sac. Fin Bsmt. Att Gar. O/S Resortlike Yard on the Bay. Opportunity to Make This Your Dream Home!..$675,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT 12/4, 12-1:30, 1608 Ridgeway Dr, Move Right Into This Completely Gut Renovated 4 BR, 3.5 Bth Col on 1/4 Acre Prop. New Kosher EIK, FDR, LR w/ Fpl, Den & Enclosed Porch. Radiant Htd Flrs. Full Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Att Gar. MUST SEE!! SD#20...$1,599,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-429

ROCKVILLE CENTR BA , 133 S. Centre Ave, REDUCED & MOTIVATED! Move Right Into This Renovated 4/5 BR, 3 Bth Colonial w/ LR, DR & Gran/Wood EIK with Stainless Steel Appl. Full Bsmt, 2 Car Gar. RVC Schools..$899,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

Apartments For Rent

CEDARHURST NO FEE Private Entrance, Modern 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, CAC, W/D, Storage, Wall To Wall Carpeting, Indoor Parking Space. Starting At $1450 For One Bedroom When Available. (516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/ (516)582-9978

EAST MEADOW: BRIGHT 1BR, LR/Kitchen Combo, Full Bath, Lots Closets And Storage. No Smoking/Pets. $1,700 All. 516-659-3189

FRANKLIN SQUARE IMMEDIATE. 3 Room, Lower Level, Includes All Utilities. No Smoking/ Pets. $1,350. 516-205-3225.

MoneyTo Lend

ARE YOU BEHIND $10k OR MORE ON YOUR TAXES? Stop wage & bank levies, liens &

Ask The Architect Monte Leeper

The building code requires the support posts extend into the ground in your region at least 3 feet deep, so the post bottoms are below the front line. This is to avoid uplift that causes damage when the ground is frozen in the colder months. Ice crystals form that crowd out the posts and force them upward. Resting on a patio, not only is the deck moving up and down with the slab, but it has no safe anchorage to resist high winds from ripping it to pieces. So now you need an anchorage manage ment class before you get too upset.

A publication on barn-building for the farming industry, mostly in the American Midwest, often publishes techniques with many cost-saving engi neering diagrams and discussions about using treated wood posts, coated or uncoated, extending into the ground and resting on thick rubber disks down below the 3- to 4-foot-deep frost line. The discs come in sizes from 12 inches to 36 inches in diame ter, to spread the loads, which must be calculated to select the correct-sized column base footing pad.

The same requirement of flared-out spread is required in the building code for concrete posts and must be calculated, no guessing or shortcuts allowed, and there actually are code tables outlin ing the minimum required spread size of column bases. This technique, without concrete, was devel oped to save money and time. If you can imagine the constant stresses and strains the wind and earth can impose on a freestanding barn in a Midwest blizzard, you can imagine that the person who came up with this idea must have been out standing in their field.

Since you will need plans for the deck to show this money-saving solution, hire a licensed profes sional who will review the code, the right method and save you much more than the cost of their ser vice. You can already see what guessing led to. Good luck!

© 2022 Monte Leeper Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

Handyman

Heating

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OpINIONS

The challenges for the Long Island Four

Once upon a time, there was a group known as the Long Island Nine. They were the nine Republican state sena tors who wielded enormous power in Albany. We now have a new group of seven Republican senators, but the spotlight is shifting to a new Long Island Four: the newly elected Republi can members of Congress, who will have enor mous influence due to the fact that the Republi cans in the House of Representa tives will be gov erning with such a small margin.

JERRY KREMER

The Long Island Four are Representatives Andrew Garbari no, Anthony D’Esposito, George Santos and Nick LaLota. On almost any issue where a critical vote is needed, those four must support the needs of the lead ership, and that’s where the headaches begin. Sometimes what your leadership wants could be a vote that would do enormous damage back at home. I know from personal experience as a state leg islator that bucking the leaders isn’t

easy, but you aren’t elected just to do what the bosses want.

Santos was the first of the four to make a public statement about the House’s mission in 2023. He made it clear that he was “not interested in a Congress that spent all of its time investigating the enemy,” and wanted to be a part of productive actions. Santos and his colleagues will be tested very early in the new session, when the far-right wing proposes the impeachment of President Biden and investigations into the business activities of his son Hunter.

The next test will be whether to shut down the federal government to appease a group that would like to cut back on entitlements such as Medicare and Social Security. That will be fol lowed by resolutions to strip certain Democrats of their committee assign ments to get even for last year’s actions against Congresswoman Marjorie Tay lor Greene of Georgia. I could go on, but that’s just a taste of what is likely to happen early on in their tenure.

Most Long Island voters are just like any other rational voters. They want government to work, and are generally

tired of partisan bickering. Inflation is an issue that hurts voters of all parties, and Congress must be prepared to take action that will heal our economy. Last month’s election taught Washington pol iticians that there is overwhelming sup port for a woman’s right, in consultation with her doctor, to decide whether she should have an abor tion. Women in the four local congressional dis tricts expect their voices to be heard, and that promis es to be another dilemma for the Long Island Four.

To add to these new members’ potential politi cal challenges is the fact that most of them received substantial funding from the Republican Congressional Cam paign Committee. Without that money, a couple of them might never have made it to Washington. How do you vote on an issue that hurts your district but is a priority of the party leadership? That headache reminds me of the old Tip O’Neill reminder that “all politics is local.”

Of course, there’s a positive side to being a member of the majority. With the backing of your party leaders, you can get grants for programs and proj

ects that will make the voters happy. You also get sufficient staff to be able to han dle the thousands of requests for help from your constituents. One of the cru cial things that help candidates get reelected is good constituent service. There are numerous cases of members of Congress losing their seats because they ignored the day-to-day demands of their voters.

Representing our suburban congres sional districts shapes up as an enor mous challenge. Long Island is a very informed and progressive region. There are no secrets about how our represen tatives vote on contentious issues, and bad votes will be part of the debate when they seek re-election. Local voters have many issues they care about at the federal level, and they won’t be bashful about demanding action. As one who served almost a lifetime in public office, I wish the Long Island Four the best of luck as they embark on their new chal lenge. They will need a lot more than luck to stay in office.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strat egies, a business development and legis lative strategy firm. Comments about this column? JKremer@liherald.com.

Being vulnerable, a new holiday ritual

Can we settle in and be real?

No, not everyone is having a better time than you. No, you aren’t the only one who wishes you’d passed on the second slice of coconut custard pie. Yes, we’ve said it before, but that doesn’t make it any less true: Families coming together for holi days are a movable feast of food and family history, old gripes and edgy new connections. And, yes, the coronavirus pan demic and politi cal fractiousness will take seats at our tables this year.

Ph.D. researcher-scientist who’s a pro fessor at the Universities of Texas and Houston. She says she has studied cour age, vulnerability, shame and empathy for the past few decades. She says she is a storyteller. She has a Netflix docu mentary out, several books that hit bestseller lists and podcasts galore. She has a unique style propelled by wit and infused with intel ligence. She tells us we need to be vulnerable. She tells us that when we’re willing to be vulnerable, we connect with people in more genuine ways.

nabes. So smart, so funny and so authentic. I identified with her immedi ately when she told a story of her daughter going to a prom. Her date picks her up in his pickup truck. The girl is dazzled; the guy is strutting. All Brown can think is, “They’re going to crash.” I get that. She was willing to share that tendency to cat astrophize, which as a mother, I own.

I know it all sounds like stuff we know, but try her podcast or her Netflix doc umentary and see for your self.

ly can learn from my experience.

So, to be more vulnerable, I shared some truths with my daughter I haven’t thought to mention in 45 years. I initiat ed a few risky talks with my son. I told stories on myself to the teenage grand kids, not the usual morality tales I prof fer but the real stuff, the dumb stuff, the mistakes that I was lucky to survive. I told them I pretty much stayed within my own no-risk zone all my life, and I know I should have stepped out, and I hope I still may.

RANDI KREISS

So give your self a break. With Thanksgiving just behind us and this month’s Hanukkah/Christmas/New Year’s Eve trifecta ahead, we need to treat our selves with care. We’ve all been through a meat grinder. It’s OK if the fruitcake isn’t homemade. It’s fine if the gift-giv ing isn’t a whirlwind of gimme-gimmegimme.

To strike a vulnerable note myself, these ideas didn’t come to me just like that. Lately I have been watching and reading Brené Brown, the MSW and

“I believe that you must walk through vulnerabili ty to get to courage, there fore … embrace the suck,” Brown says. “I try to be grateful every day, and my motto right now is ‘courage over comfort.’”

Vulnerability might look like shar ing something about yourself you might tend to hold back, or telling somebody they have hurt you in some way, or stepping out of your comfort zone to try some new adventure or job or social group. Brown talks a lot about vulnerability, and how it makes us so much more approachable.

She’s an influencer who has the creds to influence, unlike so many wan

I brought all my new found wisdom (not that much) to the Thanksgiving table, and now call on myself to be vulnerable and tell you most of the truth of my own holiday experience with the whole family.

The mélange included kids, grand kids (all teens), ex-wives, new partners, airplane travel, car trips, weather, secrets, trying to squeeze 75 years of life lessons into words of wisdom for the grandkids, not because I should or because they want to hear it but because that is who I am. I need to teach, to hope that my words land in fertile ground and set roots, so my fami

This isn’t a recipe, but I noticed that when I opened up a bit with an honest personal story, so did others. Not every one, but the teenagers did let a crack of light into the mysterious interior of their adolescent lives.

It feels like a challenge with a big payoff. I’m going to keep reading Brené Brown. I’m pushing myself, and it feels right.

Try it for Hanukkah and Christmas and New Year’s. Talk to strangers at the party. Invite someone for dinner. Actu ally go to the shelter to deliver food. Find a way to find warmth after this long winter apart.

The best of times and the most chal lenging times lie in the holiday weeks ahead.

Copyright 2022 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

A popular author suggests it, so I gave it my best shot at the family gathering.

O ur newest members of Congress must support the needs of the party leaders.

Remembering for those who no longer can

Where were you when Kennedy was shot?”

Many of us remem ber asking that, or being asked. That question has since been supplanted by ones like “Where were you when the Challenger explod ed?” or “Where were you on Sept. 11?”

But those singular tragedies were hardly the first to dominate our everyday lives on such a massive scale. That is a tragedy remembered for decades with its own question: “Where were you when Pearl Harbor was bombed?”

Yet there are very few people left who can answer that. Not surprising, since the stunning attack that officially brought the United States into World War II happened over 80 years ago. Without those living witnesses, however, we risk the possibility that the attack, the war itself, and atrocities like the Holocaust will become mere footnotes in history.

And that’s simply not acceptable.

This was the time of what NBC anchor Tom Brokaw coined the Greatest Generation. People who lived through the suffering of the Great Depression, only to find themselves fighting for something greater: freedom. Not for Americans, but for people on a global scale. We fought to destroy fascism as well as its key components, totalitarian ism and authoritarianism, as well as hate.

Not that we were perfect in doing so —

far from it. But if anything good came from that period, it was the fact that our global society at least took some signifi cant steps forward.

Conflict has been a part of human his tory, but never on the scale we saw in World War II. Never in the numbers of people lost. The outright attempted geno cide of an entire religious ethnicity. We have to take time to remember because, as Winston Churchill said, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Part of that education comes from exploring what happened at Pearl Har bor — a place thousands of miles away, practically across an ocean, on a group of islands that, at the time, were merely an American territory. The attack killed 2,403 U.S. personnel and destroyed or damaged 19 ships — nearly half of them battleships.

By the time World War II ended in 1945, American deaths would reach near ly 420,000, while globally, 15 million sol diers and 45 million civilians would lose their lives.

The pain from that war — and World War I, “the Great War,” before it — was felt for generations, to the point where governments worked as hard as they could not to let any other conflict balloon to such a global scale. But memories fade, hastened by the loss of those who experienced that suffering firsthand.

Now we live in a time when fears of a

worldwide conflict are stronger than they have been in decades. It’s not just political polarization, but also what has become a broader tolerance of intoler ance and outright hate — something that can never be allowed to normalize, whether it’s antisemitism, racism, sex ism or homophobia. Attacking where someone is from, how they worship — or if they worship — or even how they iden tify gender-wise.

History is fading, and with it its les sons. And we can’t let that happen. That’s why Dec. 7 is so important. Or Jan. 27 — International Holocaust Remembrance Day — as well as spring’s Yom Hashoah. Because you can’t even begin to talk about loss during this peri od without talking about the 6 million Jews who were killed — a third of Jews worldwide. Or the 2 million ethnic Poles. Or 500,000 Roma. Or thousands more who were gay, or who were political or religious prisoners.

The late Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survi vor himself, once said, “To forget a Holo caust is to kill twice.” And that can be applied to any tragedy we try to forget.

Next week, we have a chance to remember on the 81st anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. There might be few left to ask where they were when this tragedy took place, but remember ing means we’re learning. And learning gives us a fighting chance to never repeat those horrors again.

letters

O’Connell sure didn’t pull any punches

To the Editor:

Don’t you love freedom of the press? That basic right enables people like John O’Connell, former executive edi tor of the Heralds, to blatantly cast aspersions on public figures without including specific evidence to support his claims.

In his op-ed last week, “I’ll take the GOP agenda — without Trump — any day,” O’Connell refers to Hillary Clin ton as a “backstabbing, secretive, supercilious, lying, characterless cypher.” While I don’t love Hillary, I question what purpose such unsup ported name-calling achieves, except perhaps to justify why O’Connell opted to vote for Trump, despite his “unap pealing, obnoxious,” “insufferable” and “bullying” behavior.

O’Connell goes on to blast our sit ting president, vice president, trans portation secretary and governor,

‘Energy efficient’ may become a contradiction in terms

Hearings are getting under way on a proposal to socialize energy on Long Island. It would make the Long Island Power Authori ty the region’s sole entity responsible for keeping our lights on. Its structure would replicate virtually every government agency, bureau or department that you have cursed as inept, incompetent or indifferent.

The hearings, by a special com mission, are the result of legisla tion signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul. It directs the review of a plan to convert the existing public-pri vate partnership that manages our electrical grid to one that would, in essence, make the governor ultimately responsible for its operation and mainte nance.

To set the stage for these hearings, you need to understand that LIPA currently owns most of the Long Island electrical grid, including the bulk of our power plants. It has an incentive contract with PSEG Long Island, which actually runs the system. If PSEG does well and hits certain performance criteria, it is finan cially compensated. If it fails, it will take a financial bath. This is the essence of

why capitalism is always better, and why it provides for more-efficient creation and distribution of goods and services than any government-controlled or socialized economy.

What is instructive about this forced march to complete govern ment control is that these hearings were mandated by law to be held by the end of September, but are just beginning now. The govern ment commission couldn’t even get its act together to hold them on time. Good thing it isn’t responsible for directing our electrical future.

Oh, wait. It is.

James Hanley, a fellow with the Empire Center for Public Policy, is a seasoned observer of Albany’s political stinkpot. “It’s hard to predict what will come of this proposal,” Hanley has written. “Public power (left wing) advocates clearly want to eliminate any role for a private utility in operating LIPA’s grid. They don’t have any evidence that LIPA could improve upon PSEG’s management; they seem to think the word `public’ is a magical incantation that will make everything better.”

In truth, it makes everything worse. An example? Which delivery service is more reliable, the government controlled U.S. mail, or the privately owned Federal Express? The answer is obvious.

Letters

among others, again without a logical explanation. He cites the GOP agenda, familiar to most of us. However, he does not mention the many Americans who suffer from a housing shortage, food insecurity, climate change, or a lack of adequate gun control. He also exhibits no concern for the recent increase in racist, antisemitic and homophobic violence against fellow human beings. Will these people merely be casualties of war as the GOP tries to stifle the voic es of its opposition? Surely a nation as great as ours must be able to find a way to achieve compromise so that the needs and safety of so many of its citizens are not ignored.

PAm SInGER Malverne

Trump’s ‘great’ accomplishments?

To the Editor: John O’Connell asserted in his nov.

24-30 column that he doesn’t like Donald Trump, but that the former president accomplished “great things.”

What in the world would those “great things” be?

His disrespect for the country’s courts and its diplomatic and intelli gence services? His refusal to accept the results of an election? Deepening politi cal divisions and encouraging racial bigotry?

O’Connell’s column derides potential Democratic candidates for president and vice president, but omits any men tion of the many GOP members of Con gress who have gone along with Trump’s lies about a rigged election. n or is there any mention of Trump’s attempt to defy the will of American voters by backing a coup.

O’Connell even claims there is a “GOP agenda.” And what would that be? more stunts such as votes to end Obam acare?

Hanley has identified the ideological underpinnings of this power grab. It has little to do with the efficiency, innovation and accountability demanded of PSEG Long Island under a strict don’t-screw-up contract with LIPA. Rather, it is about a progressive agenda of grow ing government whenever it can, assuming authority over infrastructure that it has no competence running and operating costs it has no interest in cutting.

What makes this power play particularly toxic is that LIPA had been tasked with running the grid before. It failed, miserably, when Superstorm Sandy came ashore a decade ago. As a result, then Gov. Andrew Cuomo required LIPA to engage private industry in running the grid, and to use financial incentives and penalties that are employed in the real world. Hav ing had such a raving success with cash less bail, today’s progressive powerbro kers seem quite content to ignore those lessons, and now seek the keys to the power grid.

How would that work? For starters, the people currently working for PSEG would probably be asked to transfer their skills and expertise to LIPA, a government enti ty. As LIPA employees, they would be given salaries, benefits and pensions that you and I would pay for. The LIPA man

Framework

agement structure would balloon with executives making six-figure salaries. There would be no financial incentives for any of them to work smarter, better, more efficiently.

Compare that with a recent J.D. Power survey that found dissatisfaction with PSEG Long Island among businesses on the Island. That could mean a financial hit for the utility management company, because its compensation is directly tied to customer opinions of its performance. Were LIPA in charge, and faced with such a report, its response would undoubtedly be “Feh,” for there would be no account ability under a socialized structure. That would be good news for those who feast on political patronage, because one suspects someone’s brother-in-law would be in charge of consumer complaints.

We can assume that it will be Hochul’s decision as to whether Long Island’s power goes progressive. She needs to, but probably doesn’t, appreciate, or care, that if that’s the future of LIPA, her office number will be on speed dial for 2.7 mil lion Long Islanders the next time a hurri cane takes down the grid. And if last month’s elections proved anything, it’s that those LIPA customers vote.

Ronald J. Rosenberg has been an attorney for 42 years, concentrating in commercial litigation and transactions, and real estate, municipal, zoning and land use law. He founded the Garden City law firm Rosen berg Calica & Birney in 1999.

by Fatima Lasso

Centre

LARRy mcCOy Rockville

In a season of crowded stadiums, a moment to appreciate where it all began — Rome

in Albany, a potential plan to gut the public-private management of our electricity.

ronaLd J. rosenBerG

for

The Empire Wind offshore wind project, located off the southern coast of Long Island, will generate 2.1 gigawatts (GW) of wind energy, enough to power more than 1M homes, an important contributor to New York’s climate action goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 85% by 2050. The project is under development by Equinor, one of the world’s largest offshore wind developers, in partnership with bp.

The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) published a Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the project November 18, opening a 60-day public comment period, which ends at 11:59 p.m. ET, January 17, 2023.

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• Wednesday, December 7, 2022; 5:00 PM ET

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Comment via Postal Mail: Send written comments to Empire Wind COP DEIS, Program Chief, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166