Oceanside/Island Park Herald 12-15-2022

Who needs reindeer when you have a jet?

Nursery sends off Christmas trees

By KARINA KoVAC kkovac@liherald.com

To spend time with your family over the holidays is a privilege many take for granted. But for those overseas ready to fight for freedoms, holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah are fraught with thinking instead about mission, and maybe even survival.

Dees’ Nursery & Florist in Oceanside, however, has been able to make Christmas more accessible with yet another annual installment of its

Operation Holiday Cheer.

The partnership between the nursery and shipping giant DHL has sent more than 15,000 trees to servicemembers over the years. This year, the local nursery sent hundreds of trees, decorations and handwritten letters from local schoolchildren to Djibouti, Bahrain, Iraq and Kuwait.

Operation Holiday Cheer began in 2004 when the mother of an Iraq-based soldier asked Dees’ Nursery if she could send a Christmas tree to

IDA considers excluding utility companies from PILOTs

By KARINA KoVAC kkovac@liherald.com

Vincent Randazzo is not a fan of PILOTs.

The payment in lieu of taxes process has been a cornerstone of the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency as a way to encourage businesses to make their home in this part of Nassau County.

But on the heels of the E.F. Barrett Power Station assessment the Island Park schools superintendent says caused a financial pitfall for taxpayers, Randazzo hopes to prevent the same thing from happening with Equinor.

The Norwegian petroleum company has partnered with BP to construct a wind energy off the South Shore and near Montauk. Yet despite a combined market cap north of $200 billion, both Equinor and BP hope Hempstead town officials will chip in some money in the form of deferred taxes.

Equinor spokesman Brian Young said his bosses are reviewing the programs offered at the state, county and local levels “that would not only assist in the success of our projects, but would also further support the project’s potential for economic growth within the community.”

Making it clear the company

was still very early in the development process, Young added that Equinor was reviewing a number of municipal economic development programs, and trying to determine “whether any will be pursued.”

In its redacted 2021 project application to the town, Equinor asks the terms of the PILOT be 28 years starting when construction begins. The amount wasn’t spelled out, except that town officials would create a schedule of the estimated amount of PILOT benefit based on anticipated tax rates and assessed valuation as soon as the application was approved.

“Island Park residents have

been burned before,” Hempstead town supervisor Don Clavin told the IDA last week. “It is the responsibility of the Hempstead town board to be on the lookout for taxpayers, which is why we are urging our township’s IDA to put an end to PILOTs for utility companies.”

Councilman Anthony D’Esposito, an Island Park native

who will soon be on his way to Washington as a congressman, says his hometown continues to contend with the lost potential tax revenue from the E.F. Barrett deal, especially to nearby Oceanside schools that depend on such funds.

“They are living, breathing proof of the damage that can be

Courtesy DHL

NAssAu CouNtY polICE officers lined the steps of the DHL 767 jet headed overseas filled with Christmas trees, decorations, hand-written holiday letters from children, and Hanukkah menorahs, all for servicemen and women overseas and all part of Operation Holiday Cheer, now in its 19th year.

Rabbi Uri Goren delivers a Hanukkah note

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eightday Jewish holiday that celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the oppressive SyrianGreek empire and the subsequent rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The holiday is marked by the lighting of the menorah, a nine-branched candelabra, with one candle lit on the first night and an additional candle lit on each subsequent night.

But beyond the festive traditions, Hanukkah also carries a powerful message about the value of religious tolerance and respect. The holiday serves as a reminder of the importance of standing up for one’s beliefs and the right to practice religion freely.

During the time of the Maccabees, the Syrian-Greeks sought to suppress the Jewish religion and impose their own beliefs on the Jewish people. But

the Maccabees, led by the brave Judah Maccabee, fought back against their oppressors and won a miraculous victory. This victory not only freed the Jewish people from oppression, but also allowed them to rededicate the Holy Temple and reclaim their right to practice their religion.

The story of Hanukkah reminds us that religious tolerance and respect are essential for a peaceful and harmonious society. It is a time to celebrate the diversity of beliefs and to recognize the right of all individuals to practice their faith without fear of persecution.

As we celebrate Hanukkah, let us remember its message of religious tolerance and respect. Let us work towards building a world where all people are free to practice their religion without fear, and where we can all live in harmony and understanding.

Toys for Tots brings in dozens of goodies

Rabbi URi GoRen

Courtesy of Oceanside Community Warriors

Toys upon toys covered the floor of the Oceanside Veterans of Foreign Wars for its annual Toys for Tots drive.

not a politician — I’m doing this to serve’

By JAMES BERNSTEIN jbernstein@liherald.com

During his campaign in November to represent the 20th Assembly District, which encompasses Long Beach and the Five Towns, Republican Ari Brown, a builder, frequently used a slogan to show how strong he also was politically.

“I swing a hammer,” he would say. Even before he takes his seat in Albany, Brown is already taking a hammer to a proposal by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, criticizing her plan to increase tolls on the New York State Thruway, with the exception of the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.

A Thruway Authority spokesman said the tolls will increase by 5 percent in 2024 and again in 2027 for New York E-ZPass customers. The additional fee for on E-zPass users would increase to 75 percent of the toll, and the tolls for the Cuomo Bridge would increase by 50 cents each year from 2024 to 2027.

The spokesman said the decisions to raise the tolls were made by the board of the authority – not the governor. He said the authority will hold public hearings on the tolls.

The, increases would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

The Thruway Authority said that tolls

have not been raised since 2010, and the additional money is needed “to ensure the Authority will meet its growing capital and infrastructure needs for a system that is approaching 70 years in age.”

Brown — and some Democrats — are having none of it.

In a news release last week, Brown stated, “New York has already ditched toll booths, laying off thousands of workers to lighten their books, and now they want more from our already cashed-strapped families. It was just this year that the governor gloated about New York’s rich coffers, and now she’s raising taxes — unconscionable.”

Asked how wise it is for a relative newcomer to take on the governor, who in November was elected by a wide margin to her first full term, Brown responded, “Why not?

I’m one of the older state legislators.” He is 55. “I’m not a politician. I’m doing this to serve. I’m not looking to make this a career.”

Jim Moriarty, a spokesman for Long Beach Republicans, said that speaking out politically always involves risk. But, he added, “Any legislator has the opportunity to voice his opinion. Being a legislator is not just about passing legislation.

It’s about digging into things and speaking out on the things that are wrong.”

Brown, who lives in Cedarhurst won a special election last April to succeed Melissa “Missy” Miller, a Republican who was appointed to the Hempstead town board. She replaced Bruce Blakeman, who is now Nassau County executive. In November, Brown swamped Mike DeLury, a former Long Beach City Council member, in the Assembly election. Brown was previously the deputy mayor of the Village of Cedarhurst.

Brown is coming to Albany with a suitcase full of proposals:

■ He wants all electric auto charging machines in the state to be built with parts made in America.

■ Occupational therapists, he said, should be paid on a par with teachers in New York state.

■ Firefighters should have two special license plates, front and back — not just the single one they have now — to provide them more access on the road.

■ Senior citizens should have access to home aides who can treat them for psychological issues.

■ Children with special needs should be

on school buses for no longer than an hour and a half.

Brown said he would continue to fight cashless bail and those calling to “defund the police.” Both were flashpoints in the November elections. Hochul and state lawmakers have clarified New York’s bail laws, making more crimes eligible for bail and giving judges more discretion when setting bail.

Brown is far from convinced that Hochul has gone far enough. He wants to eliminate cashless bail entirely, and says the bail system is “a mess” that was created by Democrats.

Lawrence C. Levy, executive dean of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra, said that Brown’s success may depend on his ability to be a moderate.

“Does he want to align with the right wing of his party, or take a more nonpartisan approach?” Levy said. “The latter would give him more of an advantage.”

Levy added that Brown could work with Democrats on two key issues — improving the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Long Island Rail Road, and health care. “These are the things people care about,” Levy said.

Whatever political path he chooses, Brown said he is always mindful that he is at heart a builder. Will he be swinging that hammer? “Of course,” he said. “I always do.”

‘I’m

Ari Brown prepares for first full two-year term

Tim Baker/Herald

ARI BRowN AccEpTEd congratulations on election night in November at Republican headquarters.

I ’m not looking to make this a career

ARI BRowN Assemblyman 20th District

Remembering the man who made it happen

her son. Dees’ owner Tom Di Dominica Sr., tried to explain the logistical difficulty in fulfilling such a request when Jim Adelis, manager of Ogden Security at John F. Kennedy International Airport, overheard the discussion.

Thinking of his own son stationed in Iraq at the time, Adelis used his connections at JFK — working with Cathy O’Reilly, the manager of commercial air aviation for shipping company DHL — to make Christmas a reality not just for this one soldier, but many.

It would become not just a one-time event, but one Adelis would repeat year after year, until he died of complications related to Covid-19 in 2020. Adelis was remembered during a community event at Dees’ this past week as the man who helped make Operation Holiday Cheer possible.

“For those who knew Jim, he had a knack for getting things done,” O’Reilly said. “He never let anything — or anybody — stand in the way.”

Manny Alvarez, said everyone who met his uncle liked him.

“If you had the privilege of meeting Uncle Jim, you would know that he was funny, serious, sometimes mysterious. But most of all, he embodied what the holiday season is all about,” Alvarez said. “It’s about others and not about ourselves. Through partnerships and relationships, we see the incredible

power we have when we all work together.”

Tom Di Dominica Jr., who succeeded his father in running Dees’, said Opera-

tion Holiday Cheer is something that brings the whole community together.

“You can see some of the schools that are here,” he said. “The Chaminade hockey team is here that helped us pack up the boxes, as well as the Oceanside Patriots and the many school children that are here from the local school districts. So, this has turned into a great event. And many other good things have started because of it.”

It’s also an event that’s very important to DHL Express, according to its American chief executive Greg Hewitt.

“Of the thousands of holiday deliveries that DHL makes this time of year, this initiative is among the most rewarding and meaningful for all of us at DHL,” Hewitt said, in a release. “It is a true pleasure to donate our global shipping network to deliver Christmas trees and other holiday gifts to our brave and selfless troops.”

The supplies had a special escort from the Atlantic Avenue nursery to

JFK, thanks to a police motorcade. There, the holiday decorations — trees, menorahs and the like — and letters were loaded onto a DHL 767 jet. After a quick stop, the donated items were flown nonstop to DHL Bahrain, where they are dispatched to military personnel in the region.

In addition to the trees from Dees’, other holiday gifts were donated by community organizations like the Adopt-aSoldier Platoon, Proctor-Hopson Post 1896 Veterans of Foreign Wars, John McLaughlin VFW Post 8540, and other VFW chapters.

“Remember what Abraham Lincoln said,” Nassau County Police Department commissioner Patrick Ryder told children at the event as a parting message. “‘A country that does not honor its heroes will not endure.’

“Because of you all here today, I know our freedoms that we enjoy today we will enjoy in the future because of all of what you do to remember our heroes.”

Courtesy DHL

Chaminade high SChool hockey players filled a DHL 767 jet at John F. Kennedy International Airport with Christmas and Hanukkah supplies bound for members of the U.S. armed forces celebrating the holidays overseas. It was all a part of Operation Holiday Cheer, now in its 19th year.

New IP civic committee obtains party status

Thomas Jefferson once said, “An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.”

In Island Park, it seems residence are taking that to heart. Branching out of the Island Park Civic Association is a new committee, the Island Park/Equinor Windmill Committee, which has come onto the scene to inform locals and get their seat at the table in the Equinor wind farm discussions.

Vying for Article VII party status, the committee was approved Friday, three days after their first official meeting that took place at the Island Park Public Library. Leading the charge is Richard Schurin, Stephen Gawron and Tom Hyland and officers from the civic association including Debbie Rothman, the president.

Their first goal of obtaining party status completed, they look now to using the party status after Equinor’s application is fully submitted to advocate for the best set of community benefits. They sit at the table alongside the Village of Island Park, Island Park school district, City of Long Beach and other community stakeholders.

“There’s a lot happening that’s going to be very impactful to everyone in Island Park and I don’t think enough has been publicized about it” said Schurin. “This community has a lot of needs. We should all look at this as an opportunity, a once in a lifetime opportunity, to have those needs addressed. And finally, for somebody to care about us.”

At the meeting Hyland brought up the issue of a reassessment after the wind farm is deemed obsolete in the near future and how it will affect the estimated value of the Pop’s property Equinor acquired over the summer.

“It’s as simple as this,” Hyland said, “think about this Pop’s restaurant can serve 1000 people in a year. So, there’s a valuation on that. This substation, they’re saying they’re going to be able to generate enough electrical power to power 2 million homes in New York State.

What’s the value of that property now? 1000 meals or 2 million homes,” he asked the audience.

Residence can look to the “Island Park (Equinor)

Windmill Project” Facebook page for upcoming meeting schedules at the library.

— Karina Kovac

Karina Kovac/Herald

The very firsT meeting of the Island Park/Equinor Windmill Committee meets at the Island Park Public Library.

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.

How to Attend and Comment

Attend a Public Meeting (all meetings are virtual): Register at https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/stateactivities/empire-wind

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

• Tuesday, December 13, 2022; 5:00 PM ET

• Thursday, December 15, 2022; 1:00 PM ET

Comment Online: Search for Docket No. BOEM-2022-0053 at http://www.regulations.gov, select “Comment” below the document link, enter your comment and then select “Submit.”

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

HempsteadWorks one-stop shop for job seekers

By MARK NOLAN mnolan@liherald.com

Searching for a new job at any stage can be daunting. Among myriad challenges are cold calls, maintaining contact lists, constantly updating social media profiles and customizing resumes, and recruiting references.

It’s enough to give even the most stalwart job hunter a feeling of timidity.

But there are resources available: HempsteadWorks. A joint effort between the Town of Hempstead’s occupational resources department and Long Beach’s city workforce development board, HempsteadWorks is intended to provide assistance at all phases of hunting for that next position.

Those services can include everything from workshops on how to create resumes and write cover letters, how to best approach a job interview, ways to utilize social media sites like LinkedIn, and even training and certification programs.

All for free to anyone living in the town or in Long Beach.

“If someone doesn’t have computer skills, we help them,” said Mary Drangel, a business services representative for HempsteadWorks. “Some don’t have a computer at home, so they can come in and use the computer resource room and work on their resume.”

HempsteadWorks, Drangel said, offers services for a wide range of professions — from truck driving to engineering.

“They are matched with a career counselor,” she said, “and we find out what their needs are and what career path they want to take. From there we have all of the services that they might need.”

While unemployment rates nationally and locally remain near record lows, there are still plenty of people in need of jobs, or even a new job. HempsteadWorks helps not just the unemployed, but the underemployed as well.

“For the adults, we have training and workshops so they can get a certificate or credential in any field,” Drangel said.

HempsteadWorks is especially skilled at helping young

and at-risk job seekers, Drangel said — even those with criminal records. The youth services program is currently helping nearly 150 Hempstead teens and young adults with job training, transportation and child care.

It’s a comprehensive program designed to eliminate potential barriers to getting hired.

“We want them to be self-sufficient,” said Nene Alameda, a co-worker of Drangel. “Some of the youth we work with have been involved with the justice system. We find companies that are willing to give them a second chance. We try to identify barriers and mitigate them. We want to help them find a sustainable wage to live on Long Island.”

The youth services program helps job seekers between 18 and 24 who dropped out of high school, have a criminal record, are homeless, pregnant, or economically disadvantaged. HempsteadWorks also has a program designed to help those trying to escape from the influence of gangs.

“We have a pro bono attorney to help them clean up their rap sheet,” Drangel said.

There are also services for those with physical and learning disabilities, as well as English language learners. Job seekers must, of course, have a legal right to work in the United States.

Job searches would be fruitless without jobs. Drangel and Alameda said that HempsteadWorks develops great relationships with businesses to meet their needs, and not just the needs of those looking for jobs.

A recent job fair in Freeport, for example, attracted 1,500 job seekers and 70 companies.

“I always feel like we’re a bit of a professional matchmaker,” Alameda said. “We work with companies to understand their needs, but we’re also working with participants who have workforce needs. How do we find that perfect fit?”

Drangel changes leadership, not her priorities

By MARK NOLAN mnolan@liherald.com

One of Hempstead’s most influential employment recruiters will soon find herself out of a job.

But on her terms.

Mary Drangel will retire from HempsteadWorks as a career center representative on Jan. 31, after 14 years of service.

But the Oceanside resident has a much longer resume with the Town of Hempstead, with jobs that include purchasing and procurement, the tax receiver’s office, and real estate. Drangel’s passion has been helping people find a job, and she exudes excitement when talking about helping them overcome the hurdles.

“It has been challenging, but also rewarding at the same time,” Drangel said. “I have to say, I feel proud of what I’ve done here.”

Drangel is getting ready for warmer temperatures with plans to move to Florida with her husband, Scott. He recently retired from the New York City’s environmental protection department. Their son, Michael, is a Rockville Centre resident, and Mary’s mother and two sisters live locally, so the couple plan to spend plenty

of time visiting back home.

Drangel plans to continue her passions for nature photography and hiking.

Drangel’s replacement, Nene Alameda, has been a part of HempsteadWorks since

June, and is intimately aware of all the programs and resources the office provides. Still, she is only grudgingly celebrating Drangel’s retirement.

“When they invent the machine for

downloading of brains, I want to connect to Mary and keep downloading everything she knows,” Alameda joked. “Everything she touches turns to gold.”

Alameda has been largely responsible for HempsteadWorks’ social media campaign designed to attract younger job seekers.

She also added QR codes — two-dimensional bar codes people can scan with their smartphones taking them to specific websites.

“Our flyers are very dynamic,” Drangel said. “When you look at them, you’re attracted right to them. Nene is phenomenal at creating flyers.”

While Drangel has had good things to say about her successor, Alameda credits Drangel for much of HempsteadWorks’ success — especially after Covid-19.

“I said, ‘Why don’t we just think out-ofthe-box and do a job fair on Zoom?’” Drangel said. When asked how she was going to do that, Drangel had a simple answer.

“I said, ‘I don’t know. I’ll figure it out’” she said. “And it turned out that it really took off.”

“Who would have thought that a job fair online right after the pandemic started would take off,” Alameda said. “I don’t want her to leave.”

Mark Nolan/Herald

NENE ALAMEDA, LEFT, and Mary Drangel reviewed plans for upcoming job fairs offered by the Town of Hempstead’s occupational resources department through its HempsteadWorks Career Center.

Mark Nolan/Herald

HEMPSTEADWORKS CAREER CENTER employees Lily Dou, far left, Tamia Anderson, Maria Reed, Kurt Rockensies, Eric Mallette, Mary Drangel, Nene Alameda, Christopher DeRita and Jeanie Robano-Stocker provide comprehensive career services for Hempstead town residents.

sports

Hofstra seeks CAA championship run

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

The Hofstra men’s basketball team is poised for another high finish in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) and hopes it can carry over regular season success into the postseason.

The Pride won eight of nine games last year to end the CAA schedule, but was quickly bounced in the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament by College of Charleston as the third seed.

“The goal is always to win a championship,” said head coach and former Pride star Speedy Claxton, who guided Hofstra to a conference title and NCAA Tournament as a star point guard in 2000. “We put together a tough non-conference schedule to prepare us for the physical teams we will face in conference play.”

Hofstra returned redshirt senior guard Aaron Estrada, the reigning CAA Player of the Year who Claxton says has a potential to become an NBA player. Estrada, who transferred to Hofstra from Oregon last year, scored 33 points in the Pride’s 85-80 home win against George Washington on Nov. 14.

“He is our hardest worker,” Claxton said of Estrada. “He is our best player for a reason because he is always in the gym working on his game.”

Estrada was sidelined by an ankle injury for the Pride’s Dec. 7 road trip to fourth-ranked Purdue and in his absence saw the emergence of red-shirt freshman guard Amar’e Marshall, who scored 24 against the Big Ten power.

Hofstra (6-4) opened the season with an 83-77 come-frombehind win at Princeton on Nov. 7 in which Estrada scored 27 points and the Pride ended the

game on a 10-1 run. The game also saw an emergence of sophomore guard Jaquan Carlos, who hit the eventual game-winning three pointer, the first of many clutch baskets he has made this season.

Sophomore Darlistone Dubar, a second-year Hofstra player after transferring from Iowa State, is making strides early this season averaging 10.9 points through the first 12 games. Redshirt senior guard Tyler Thomas, a Sacred Heart University transfer, has also provided an offensive spark, averaging 12 points a game including 26 in an 83-78 win against Iowa at home on Veterans Day.

Hofstra was picked second in the CAA preseason coaches poll behind Towson. The Pride’s CAA home opener is slated for New Year’s Eve at 1 p.m. against league newcomer North Carolina A&T. The Pride’s home conference schedule is highlighted by a Feb. 4 matchup against Long Island rival and CAA newcomer Stony Brook for a 4 p.m. tipoff.

pride women off to promising start

The Hofstra women’s basketball team is making strides early on in the new season after an 8-20 record in the 2021-22 campaign.

The Pride already achieved half of last year’s win total with a 56-53 home win against Army West Point on Dec. 7 that put the team at 4-4. It nearly got win number five last Saturday, but dropped a 62-61 overtime heartbreaker at Loyola (Md).

“I’m excited for what this season is going to hold,” said fourthyear head coach Danielle Santos Atkinson. “I truly believe we have a team that wants it and they’re willing to work for it.”

Hofstra returned six from last year’s team that reached the

CAA quarterfinals including AllCAA Defensive team selection Rosi Nicholson, who also displayed her offensive ability with 16 points in a season-opening 73-68 loss to Big Ten foe Rutgers. Senior Sorelle Ineza is also back after starting 11 games as a junior.

Baldwin native Brandy Thomas, a graduate student who transferred from nearby Long Island University (LIU), has become the team’s leading scorer early on averaging 13.3 points per game including 22 in a 76-68 loss at Wagner on Nov. 26.

“She’s very competitive and pushes everyone else to be competitive as well,” said Santos Atkinson of Thomas, Junior 6-3 center Zyheima Swint is the third leading scorer early in the season and gives the Pride a strong inside presence to complement its perimeter game.

The Pride’s roster features seven newcomers including Zaniyyah Ross-Barnes, a Stony Brook transfer who is the team’s fourth leading scorer. Junior guard Ally Knights, an Australia native who transferred from North Florida, is a key rebounder and defender also capable of hitting big jump shots.

New additions to the team this season also includes freshman Emma Von Essen of Rockville Centre, who shined as a four-year member at Long Island Lutheran. Von Essen is quickly gaining minutes and got her first start in a 74-71 victory against LIU on Dec. 3 in a game where she netted season-high 17 points.

Hofstra was picked to finish last in the 13-team CAA and will look to prove the doubters wrong starting with its league opener at Delaware on Dec. 30. The Pride’s CAA home opener is scheduled for New Year’s Day against Stony Brook at 2 p.m.

Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletics Communications PRiDE REDshiRt sENiOR guard Aaron Estrada, right, is the reigning CAA Player of the Year.

hOfstRA’s WOmEN’s tEAm is making early strides and aims to prove the preseason rankings wrong.

Santa gets his flu shot ahead of ‘tridemic’

Despite the rising rate of community transmission of flu, Covid-19, and respiratory syncytial virus —and the reality that all three diseases are spreading in a “tridemic” across New York City, Long Island, and beyond—results from the latest Mount Sinai South Nassau “Truth in Medicine” Poll indicate that the public’s urgency to get vaccinated for flu and Covid-19 is low.

Fewer than two-thirds of 600 poll respondents have received a flu vaccine since Sept. 1, 2022, while just 56 percent of respondents have updated their Covid-19 vaccination with a bivalent booster.

“It makes me sick” and “I never get one” are the two main reasons for those who have not had, and don’t intend to get, a flu vaccine. But, as Mount Sinai South Nassau President Adhi Sharma says, “This fall and winter, the flu is highly con tagious along with Covid-19 and RSV. The flu and Covid-19 vaccines have been updated, and they are safe and very effec tive. I strongly urge people to take action now and get vaccinated.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that, so far this sea son, there have been at least 8.7 million ill nesses, 78,000 hospitalizations, and 4,500 deaths from flu. Those who should give strong consideration to following Shar ma’s advice are unvaccinated individuals, including those among the 36 percent of respondents who said they plan to attend large holiday gatherings and among the 60 percent of respondents who have mini

percent have “heard nothing.” After the tridemic was explained to uninformed poll respondents, concern remained rather low, with 5 percent saying they are very concerned and 36 percent saying they are somewhat concerned.

The CDC says it is safe to get the Covid19 and flu vaccines together, even during the same visit to the doctor or pharmacy, although some might prefer to vaccinate at separate times to minimize the reac-

RSV typically spreads during the fall and winter and is spreading very actively at this time in communities throughout New York. RSV is spread through contact with droplets from the nose and throat of infected people when they cough and sneeze. Typical symptoms resemble the common cold, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children younger than 1 year old in the United States.

“If you have never received the ‘pneumonia vaccine’ against pneumococcal pneumonia, those 65 years or older or between the ages of 19 through 64 with underlying medical conditions or risk factors should discuss getting it with their doctors,” advises Aaron Glatt, Chair of the Department of Medicine and Chief of Infectious Diseases, and hospital epidemi-

t ips to stay safe this holiday

In addition to getting vaccinated, Glatt and Sharma recommend following these standard precautions, which will also help prevent newborns or young children as well as older adults from getting respiratory syncytial virus:

■ Wash your hands: If your hands are potentially contaminated, wash them with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds.

■ Wear a mask: People at higher risk for getting serious illness should consider wearing a mask when indoors among unvaccinated people and maintain social distancing as much as possible.

■ Cover your coughs: Stop transmission by covering sneezes and coughs with a tissue or your elbow.

■ Be considerate of others: If you are sick, stay home.

■ Rest up: Eat healthy, stay hydrated, and get sufficient rest.

■ All in moderation: Do not overindulge; stick to your normal calorie intake and avoid excessive alcohol consumption.

■ Cleanliness: Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces, including doorknobs, light switches, electronics, and counters, regularly.

ologist at Mount Sinai South Nassau. “It would be dispiriting if we took a step backward from the gallant and determined recovery we have achieved in the wake of the pandemic,” said Linda Armyn, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at Bethpage Federal Credit Union.

— Karina Kovac

Sue Grecio/Herald

flu shot by a nurse at Mount Sinai South Nassau.

Com-Sci honor society inducts first students

More than 20 science minded students became the first inductees into the Oceanside High School Computer Science Honor Society on Nov. 21, with math and computer science teacher Brandon Crofts as advisor. The honor society’s mission is to encourage students, including more girls, to engage in computer science. Members will volunteer to assist students starting their computer science journey.

The inductees are Nicholas Alvarez, Allison Azanedo, Alec Berenshteyn, Dahrian Bowe, Joseph Capone, Jake Foster, Matthew Getchell, Paul Grech, Brayden Handleman, Stephen Heidt, Logan Kowalski, Ian Lebowitz, Colin McCarthy, Andrew Minelli, Luke Pender, Jayden Posner, Dylan Ronan, Kyle Schirrmacher, Daniel Seidita, Matthew Slifkin, Charles Wang and Bryce Whiteside.

In early December, the honor society members met with middle school students who had signed up for an Hour of Code, an annual global event promoted by the non-profit Code.org to expand opportunities for students to learn computer science. The honor society members helped the students with questions and problems as the middle schoolers learned to code in the game Minecraft.

— Karina Kovac

Courtesy Oceanside school district

Newly iNducted computer Science Honor Society students help OMS students learn coding as part of Hour of Code event.

No decision yet on how to use PILOT funds

caused by utility company PILOTs,” D’Esposito said. “The Town of Hempstead IDA should focus on bringing strong development to our township without threatening the wallets of taxpayers.”

Opponents of such tax breaks say utility companies save money, but don’t pass those savings on to their customers. Instead, those savings turn into profit.

The Hempstead town board has noted they support doing more with less, having cut or frozen taxes for various businesses throughout the past few years. Many times, those efforts bring jobs and additional tax revenue that wouldn’t have come otherwise.

The Long Island Power Authority, which currently owns the near-obsolete power plant, settled with Nassau County to reduce tax assessments at E.F. Barrett Power Station over the next five years, after years of LIPA claiming for years its plants were overtaxed.

“Our goal as the school district, I think with any economic development within the community, is to have developers pay their fair share of taxes like the rest of the community,” Randazzo told the IDA. “It’s just not fair that the burden gets shifted onto Class 1 property owners, which has really been the case. And I think we’ve seen more and more of that with the LIPA settlement.

“I would say what we were here to do, we were able to accomplish.”

But the breakdown of who pays for

what hasn’t been fair, Clavin said.

“Town of Hempstead residents are paying more for groceries, energy and other essential supplies,” the town supervisor said. “We should not be picking up the check for utility companies that have more than enough resources to pay their fair share. We strongly urge the IDA to stand with the Hempstead town board and our residents in making utility companies ineligible for PILOTs.”

IDA director Fred Parola says he’ll take into consideration the voices like Randazzo’s against PILOTs, but nothing will be decided right now.

“Although we have been approached,” he said, “there will be no further action on any of this until we have a conversation with you (Randazzo) and also the public officials in the town who have been very outspoken and helpful with us formulating whether we should move forward or not move forward.”

Equinor’s plan calls for a number of wind turbines to be constructed miles off the coast, generating clean energy as part of a $3 billion project. The turbines will be as close as 15 miles offshore, with a tip height of nearly 900 feet, and a rotor diameter of nearly 775 feet. All of it will span 80,000 acres of ocean.

Equinor hopes to build a substation to help process the energy at the former site of Pop’s Seafood Shack & Grill in Island Park, although neighbors there have pushed the company to use the E.F. Barrett substation instead.

Herald file photo

Equinor, a norwEgian petroleum company, is hoping the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency will grant its $3 billion wind energy project a deferment on assessments known as payments in lieu of taxes. Some — including U.S. Rep.-elect Anthony D’Esposito — say utility companies shouldn’t get tax breaks without offering savings to customers.

Grand Central Madison deadline looms large

By JUAN LASSO jlasso@liherald.com

Only a few months ago, all signs were pointing to the imminent opening of Grand Central Madison — Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s new, fully operational terminal in Manhattan’s East Side meant to redefine the way commuters get around by putting the Long Island Railroad to full use with a new terminal station.

The MTA has conducted a number of public meetings explaining new commuting patterns in the wake of updated train schedules. Top MTA and LIRR executives hosted private leadership events enlisting the help of business leaders and local leaders to hammer home the message: Grand Central Madison is coming by the end of this year, so get ready.

Passengers might have been ready, but the MTA apparently may not. Yet, the state organization has not veered from its message — the latest flurry of public advertisements relaying the sweeping words “All aboard for Grand Central!”

With the end-of-the-year deadline looming and still no official word about when Grand Central Madison might open, some observers have begun to question whether commuters will have to reset expectations about what they’re getting. At least while the calendar still reads 2022.

One thing is certain: it has been a complicated final stretch of construction for

the $11.6 billion mega-project.

The MTA cleared a regulatory hurdle last month that would have otherwise derailed any hopes of opening train service thanks to a federal waiver that pushed the deadline for engineers to install new federally mandated safety technology meant to prevent Amtrak trains from entering East River tunnels until February.

MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan says passengers should be rest-assured technology is already in place that helps prevent trains from speeding, colliding or derailing. In the meantime, the MTA will have to submit weekly safety reports to the Federal Railroad Administration, and conduct tests before the terminal goes online.

Then came a project update that parts of the LIRR’s concourse and facilities at Grand Central won’t be completed until February. That, at least, according to a capital program committee meeting report from last month citing the need for additional time.

“Opening a facility this size is an enormous task,” said Jamie Torres-Springer, president of MTA Construction & Development, during that meeting. “It is a 700,000-square-foot terminal station with three-and-a-half tunnels to Queens attached to it. It’s like laying the Chrysler Building on its side to get a sense of the complexity of the systems that need to operate to make this concourse, terminal and platforms function.”

Torres-Springer is, nevertheless, hold-

ing fast to the MTA’s promise that passenger trains will run at Grand Central by the deadline.

“I want to emphasize that the terminal is complete in every visible and functional way,” he said. “The escalators and elevators are running, and the fire alarm is installed. So the project is looking great, and we’re confident about opening service this year.”

Torres-Springer noted, however, that while systems are installed, they are currently undergoing testing and commissioning to ensure the project meets safety and operational standards. A major challenge currently at play is finalizing the test of the terminal’s airflow system.

“This is to confirm that we can move air quickly throughout the platform and the concourse in the event of a smoke condition,” he said. Testing “becomes very complex, and there’s a lot of (professionals) involved to make sure the system is safe.

“Obviously we won’t open our facilities before we are signed off on the safety of the system.”

Over the weekend, LIRR took over operational control of Grand Central Madison, making the terminal and tunnels federally regulated railroad territory. MTA officials described that as a significant step to getting the station up and running before the end of the year.

The MeTrOpOLiTAN TrANSpOrTATiON Authority is entering the final hours before opening passenger train service from Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central Terminal ahead of its endof-year deadline despite hurdles and concerns over its completion.

Courtesy Metropolitan Transportation Authority

STEPPING OUT

Toss off those shoes and skate away

alongBy Karen Bloom

f you’ve never tried “sock skating” you’re definitely missing out. Yes, there’s plenty to enjoy about putting on skates and zipping along the ice, but sometimes the effort of dealing with the cold feet, etc., may seem a bit much for a family outing.

Long Island Children’s Museum’s indoor version enables everyone to stay warm and content while experiencing plenty of skating fun. The museum’s “ice rink,” which first made a brief appearance in Summer 2021, is back for the holiday season in a big way, through Jan. 8.

“This idea grew out of the many (post-pandemic) requests we received for physical activity for the kids,” says Maureen Mangan, the museum’s communications director. “There is a need to get kids off their screens and into some physical play. This is a great way to burn off energy and an opportunity to have a winter experience inside — warm and cozy.”

In fact, it’s been so well-received that the museum plans to make this an annual event during the holiday season.

The 800-square-foot indoor Snowflake Sock Skating rink (the equivalent size of a four-car garage) opened in mid-November to the delight of the museum’s young visitors — and their adult companions, who are just as keen to be in on the action.

“The kids are eager to get on the ‘ice,’ Mangan says. “And the parents are, too. They go out with them. You’ll see them twirling and spinning.”

WHERE WHEN

• Now through Jan. 8, Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• $15 admission

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

•

The rink is made from a high-tech synthetic polymer surface that lets everyone slide around without blades, ringed by candy cane-striped posts topped with a “snowball.” Right outside, blue-hued bean bag chairs of various sizes have been placed so the “skaters” can take a break as needed.

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

“We frequently see kids fling themselves on the chairs for a quick rest before jumping back on the ‘ice,’” Mangan notes.

Off the “ice” a Snowflake Village beckons.

“We expanded on the concept to include plenty of experiential activities,” Mangan says. Kids can become a “baker” in the holiday sweet shop, step inside a giant (nine-foot) snowman and serve up some hot cocoa, take a turn in the rink’s “ticket booth” and “warm up” around the rink-side virtual “fire pit” where the entire family can relax, sit on a “tree stump” share stories and make some “s’mores.”

Adds education director Aimee Terzulli: “Kids use their imaginations as they take on roles associated with these familiar winter activities.”

Winter at its best — without the chill and the need to bundle up.

Families can slip on sock skates”’ and take a spin — whatever the weather — on the museum’s seasonal skating rink, with plenty of activities to occupy their ‘off-ice”’ time.

Buddy is back!

Step into the world of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole, in this special production of the holiday musical. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toymaking abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New Yorkers remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Directed by Madison Theatre artistic director Angelo Fraboni — a Broadway veteran — the charming show features a versatile cast of Broadway professionals and Molloy University CAP21 Theatre Arts students, with Matteo Mennella, of Rockville Centre, and Malverne’s Brady Schumacher sharing the role of young Michael Hobbs.

Saturday, Dec. 17, 3 and 8 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 18, 2 and 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 20, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2 and 7 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, Dec. 22-23, 7 p.m. Madison Theatre, Molloy University campus, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. (516) 323-4444, or MadisonTheatreNY.org.

Eileen Ivers

The Grammy-winning fiddler and her band return to the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center stage for a lively holiday show, ‘Eileen Ivers: A Joyful Christmas.’ Ivers captures her Irish and American roots in a concert that blends traditional, story-filled, ageold Wren Day songs, poems, foot stomping, and hollerin’ roots music. Ivers and the ensemble combine their numerous instruments and voices in what surely is a soulful celebration capturing the true spirit and joy of the season. She continues to push the fiddling tradition boundaries from folk music staples to a fiercely fresh, powerfully beautiful, intense world stage experience, celebrating the glorious story of Christmas with unbridled joy.

Sunday, Dec. 18, 4 p.m. Tickets start at $50, with discounts available to seniors, students, alumni and employees. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 8774000 or Aupac.Adelphi.edu.

Photos courtesy Long Island Children’s Museum

Photo:

THE SCENE

Baby Shark Live: The Christmas Show!

Splash along with Baby Shark and Pinkfong, on the Tilles Center stage, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 6 p.m., as they journey into the sea for the holidays to sing and dance through some of your favorite songs. This immersive experience, on the LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville, specially appealing to ages 2-6, will have families dancing in the aisles. Join Baby Shark and friends for exciting adventures into the jungle and under the sea to explore shapes, colors, numbers and more. Enjoy hit songs in this dazzling kids spectacular, including “Baby Shark,” “Five Little Monkeys,” “Wheels On The Bus,” and “Monkey Banana Dance,” as well as holiday classics such as “Jingle Bells.” Tickets are $69.50, $59.50, $49.50, $39.50; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Art talk

Join Nassau County Museum Director Charles A. Riley II, PhD, for a Director’s Seminar, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 4 p.m. He’ll discuss “Photography: Beauty and Truth,” in a session that is keyed to the photojournalism of Robert Capa and the Magnum group as well as the pioneering work of Walker Evans and Lewis Hine. He’ll compare their approach with the digital manipulation of images (including video) in the media of our time and consider the relationship between the photographer as documentarian and as artist who holds the mirror up to nature. Participation is limited; registration required. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

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.

Las Posadas Poinsettias

Celebrate Las Posadas, the popular Latin American tradition, at Long Island Children’s Museum, Saturday, Dec. 17, 1-3 p.m. Learn about the story of La flor de Nochebuena and the significance of poinsettias during this holiday, at the drop-in program. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM. org.

Dec. 17 Dec. 15

Island Park Winter Wonderland

Island Park Menorah Lighting

Kick off the festival of lights on the Village Green, Sunday, Dec. 18, at 6 p.m.

Holiday fun

Visit the streets of 19th century London during the darkest days of the year, in this adaption of “A Christmas Carol,” with the Experiential Theater Company, Thursday and Friday, Dec. 15-16, 10:15 a.m. and noon; Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 17-18, 2 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 21-22, 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 Celebrate the change of seasons with this beloved classic tale. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 2245800 or LICM.org.

Oceanside Menorah Lighting

Join Chabad of Oceanside for the community menorah lighting, at Schoolhouse Green, Sunday, Dec. 18, at 6 p.m.

Intro to acting/ improv

Learn confidence-building acting and improv techniques with Thomas Biamonte, Friday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m., at Oceanside Library, 56, Atlantic Ave., For information contact OceansideLIbrary.com.

Having an event?

Come out to the Village Green for ice skating, hot chocolate and cookies plus face painting, Saturday, Dec. 17, noon-4 p.m. With a DJ,.ornament decorating, letters to Santa, and more.

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.

Holiday Market

Support small businesses at the Barrier Brewing Co. Holiday Market, Friday, Dec. 16, 7-10 p.m. Browse among artisan goods, at 3001 New St., Oceanside.

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.

Matinee time

Join crafty Jack Frost on a magical, musical winter adventure, in Plaza Theatrical’s production of “Jack Frost,” Saturday, Dec. 17, 11 a.m. The story, narrated by the groundhog Pardon-Me-Pete, tells 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 Public Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Oceanside United hosts 33rd annual Turkey Bowl

Half a world away from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Oceanside United Soccer Club of the Long Island Junior Soccer League hosted its Alumni Game, the 33rd Annual Turkey Bowl, on Thanksgiving morning. Thanksgiving is utilized as people are home for the holiday and the weather is still conducive for outdoor soccer on Long Island. It’s a time to relive the many friendships and memories started years ago while kicking around a ball.

Oceanside United was founded 60 years ago in 1962. The historic venue for the Turkey Bowl was the Rudy Lamonica Memorial Field at the Merle Avenue School, named after the teenager who played on that original team in ‘62 and who scored more than half of Oceanside High School’s goals in the 1968 and ‘69 seasons in leading the Sailors to consecutive Long Island championships before his tragic death from bone cancer in 1970.

Over two-dozen Oceanside United coaches, administrators plus former players had fun in the Turkey Bowl, including 90-year-old Alfredo

D’Antonio (second from right, bottom row in photo above), to be inducted this month into the Eastern New York Adult Soccer Association Hall of Fame. Alfredo played midfielder for Italian Serie A side Torino from 1946 to ‘63 before emigrating to the United States the next year and winning five Long Island Soccer Football League titles with Oceanside, Lynbrook and Glen Cove.

“The Turkey Bowl went beautifully,” explained Oceanside United’s Rich Eisenberg, who organizes the annual event. “This game brings together the community with people from like 10 different cultures playing. It brings us united and shares all that we have in common.”

The goodness did not end there because at the same time inside the school’s gym, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association Registrar Mike D’Ambrosio and his many friends from the Oceanside Interfaith Council and Oceanside Community Service distributed hundreds of Thanksgiving meals to those facing food insecurities.

Girl Scouts Troop donates Toys for Tots for kids in need

Girl Scouts with Service Unit Troop No. 2238 in Oceanside are giving back to those less fortunate this holiday season.

Working in collaboration with Frank Colón, a member of the Rockville Centre Volunteer Fire Department and the commander of American Legion Post No. 303, the Oceanside scouts helped collect and donate toy items for Toys for Tots.

Danielle Davoli and Alyssa Dube, coleaders of Troop 2238, said that since the girls are starting to grow up and become teenagers, they wanted to give them the opportunity to choose a community ser-

vice project.

“We were trying to think of something fun to do for the holidays to get the girls involved so they can actually see and talk to someone and understand why its important to do it,” Davoli said.

Toys for Tots is a program that was founded by members of the US Marine Corps Reserve in 1947 to help distribute donated toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them during the holidays. To learn more about the program and ways to donate, visit toysfortots.org.

— Daniel Offner

Daniel Offner/Herald

Oceanside service Unit Girl Scouts Samantha, Rachel, Lauren, Adele, and Kaitlyn with Troop No. 2238 join co-leaders Alyssa Dube, Danielle Davoli, and Commander Frank Colón of American Legion Post No. 303 in Rockville Centre to donate Christmas presents to Toys for Tots.

Legislature approves secretive cyber contract

By MARK NOLAN mnolan@liherald.com

A cybersecurity services contract unanimously approved by the Nassau County Legislature’s rules committee on Dec. 5 has raised the eyebrows of an open government expert since this approval came in secret.

Yet, such discretion is necessary, county officials, said, since they believe not giving away the game plan is the best way to protect sensitive data from hackers.

At issue is a contract for Nassau County’s massive computer network. But it’s not just how the vendor will operate that remains cloaked, but also how much it will cost — and who the vendor is. All of this, according to the expert, is standard information courts have ruled the public has a right to.

The crippling malware attack on Suffolk County’s network on Sept. 8 sent shockwaves through government offices nationwide charged with protecting computer systems. Nassau officials immediately urged the legislature to act, which is exactly what its rules committee did a few months later.

A full vote of the legislature is not required under county law for contracts.

But why a secret? It’s simple, rules committee vice chair Howard Kopel said: ransomware.

“The vendor suggested (secrecy) would be a very important thing,” the legislator said. “We don’t want the crooks to know who (the vendor is) and what their methods of operation are.”

Ransomware is when someone remotely locks up a computer network or servers, releasing them only after the owners of those networks pays a monetary ransom.

Yet, is computer security enough to keep the details of a taxpayer-funded project secret? Shoshanah Bewlay, executive director of the state’s Committee on Open Govern-

ment, disagrees. If the contract has been finalized and signed, Bewlay said, there is no reason not to disclose who the vendor is and how much taxpayer money is being paid.

“I can’t imagine what FOIL exemption would apply to permit the county to withhold the name of the vendor and value of the contract,” Bewlay said, referring to the Freedom of Information Law. “‘Cybersecurity’ isn’t on the list of exemptions to FOIL disclosure.”

Kopel said legislators were advised by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s staff it could be against the

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law to provide more details about the contract.

They “told us not only is it unwise to release this information, but it’s potentially improper — potentially even illegal,” Kopel said. “We questioned the administration very closely for well over an hour, which is very unusual for a contract. We did vet this as closely as we could. We’re satisfied they did follow procedures properly.”

Blakeman spokesman Christopher Boyle defended the secrecy.

“This contract pertains to the cybersecurity of the county, and has been vetted by a committee composed of representatives from the office of the inspector general, county attorney, district attorney and police department to ensure its effectiveness and integrity,” Boyle said, in an email statement.

Public scrutiny of government contracts is a vital part of maintaining open government, Bewlay said. With the Nassau cybersecurity contract, the public does not know who the vendor is or how much they are being paid, or if the vendor is reputable or insured.

“Nobody wants hackers to compromise anybody’s systems,” she said. “But again, it is difficult to imagine how disclosing the name of a vendor — and the value of the contract for the vendor’s services — reveals the county’s critical infrastructure information such that it would be exempt from FOIL disclosure.”

Kopel agreed government needs better defenses against hackers, but also believes the public should trust the county that it is taking steps to protect the computer systems at the expense of details.

“What the public should know is that this is a huge problem,” Kopel said. “It is an ongoing, ever-present problem. Crooks will typically look for the easiest opportunity, the fastest buck.

“If we make it really, really hard, maybe they will go somewhere else.”

Tim Baker/Herald NAssAu COuNty LegisLAtuRe’s rules committee approved a new cybersecurity contract to protect government computers and servers. But who is servicing that contract — and how much of taxpayer dollars they’re being paid — is a secret.

WINNER:

BEST BOUTIQUE

Artisan Jules Gifts and Goodness

215 Glen Cove Ave, Sea Cliff, NY 11579 (516) 240-1894 www.artisanjules.com

FINALISTS: Madison’s Niche Multiple Locations (516) 246-9964 www.madisonsniche.com

Hummingbird Boutique 321 Sea Cliff Ave, Sea Cliff, NY 11579 (516) 671-2281 www.welovehummingbird.com

BEST GIFT SHOP

THE L.I. GUIDE TO:

HOLIDAY SHOPPING

BEST LOCAL WOMEN’S CLOTHING

WINNER: Ruby and Jenna 433 Glen Cove Rd, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 (516) 801-3444 www.rubyandjenna.com

FINALISTS: Rose and Eye 893 W Beech St, Long Beach, NY 11561 (516) 544-4477

Temptations for Her 3175 Long Beach Rd, Oceanside, NY 11572 (516) 678-1150 www.temptationsforher.com

WINNER:

Artisan Jules Gifts and Goodness

215 Glen Cove Ave, Sea Cliff, NY 11579 (516) 240-1894 www.artisanjules.com

FINALISTS:

Dolce Confections 1319 Broadway, Hewlett, NY 11557 (516) 347-1940 www.dolceconfections.com

White House Home 288 Hempstead Ave, Malverne, NY 11565 (516) 887-1288 www.white-house-home.business.site

BEST LOCAL JEWELRY STORE

WINNER:

Ritz Jewelry 3574 Long Beach Rd, Oceanside, NY 11572 (516) 255-0465 www.ritzjewelryinc.com

FINALISTS:

Hewlett Jewelers 1344 Broadway #6, Hewlett, NY 11577 (516) 374-3950 www.hewlettjewelersny.com

Matthew James Jewelers 76 Rockaway Ave, Valley Stream, NY 11580 (516) 561-3080

BEST LOCAL MEN’S CLOTHING

WINNER: Mur-Lees Men’s & Boy’s Shop 24 Atlantic Ave, Lynbrook, NY 11563 (516) 599-7777 www.murleesclothing.com

FINALISTS: Bertalia 15 N Park Ave, Rockville Centre 11570 (516) 536-3100 www.bertalia.net

MyTuxes at Ginos Galleria Tuxedos 234 NY-109, Farmingdale, NY 11735 (631) 753-4466 www.tuxes.business.site

BEST LOCAL CHILDREN’S CLOTHING

WINNER: Denny’s Fashion. Style. For All. 343B S Oyster Bay Rd, Plainview, NY 11803 (516) 681-4490 www.shopdennys.com

FINALISTS:

Morton’s Official Camp Outfitter 533 Central Ave, Cedarhurst (516) 347-1940 www.dolceconfections.com

Cathy’s Touch 67 Merrick Ave N, Merrick, NY 11566 (516) 377-1127 www.cathystouch.com

BEST LOCAL SHOE STORE

WINNER: Hummingbird 321 Sea Cliff Ave, Sea Cliff, NY 11579 (516) 671-2281 www.welovehummingbird.com

FINALISTS:

Eric’s Comfort Shoes 426 Hillside Ave, Williston Park, NY 11596 (516) 877-2002 www.ericshoes.com

Halperin Comfort Footwear and Orthotics 1 N Village Ave, Rockville Centre, NY, 11570 (516) 766-9220 www.halperinfootwear.com

BEST CONSIGNMENT/THRIFT STORE WINNER: LuxeSwap 21 Berry Hill Rd, Oyster Bay, NY 11771 (516) 226-1055 www.luxeswap.com

FINALISTS: National Council of Jewish Women Thrift Shop 342 Central Ave (516) 569-0510 www.longislandthriftncjw.com

Lucky Finds Boutique

7A N Park Ave, Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 442-4600 www.luckyfindsboutique.com

Living nativity scene show now in its 28th year at St. Peter’s church

St. Peter’s of Baldwin presents an annual family tradition – A Living Nativity. Now in its 28th year, this kid-friendly event which lasts about 30 minutes including pre-show, features actors, dancers and live animals. The animals will be available after the show for pets.

Admission is free and there will be three shows Sunday, Dec. 18 at 3, 4 and 5 p.m. St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church is located at 2332 Grand Ave, Baldwin. For further information, visit “St. Peters Lutheran Church” Facebook page.

— Karina Kovac

Crime

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE IN TRUST FOR THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF MORGAN STANLEY ABS CAPITAL I TRUST 2006-HE6, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-HE6, Plaintiff, vs. THOMAS COCCHIOLA, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Three arrested at Oceanside smoke shop for sale of THC

Narcotics detective placed three people under arrest Dec. 9, at 4:30 p.m., at the Oceanside retail shop Da Smoke Shop on Merrick Road.

Officers determined that cannabis and chocolate bars containing THC were being sold at the location and during the investigation, found a large quantity of cannabis products containing THC.

Mariah M. Verhun, 20, Ryan C. Schweiker, 28, and Stephen J. Jensen, 26, were all arrested without incident.

The three face a number of charges that include criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance, and criminal possession of cannabis.

All three were arraigned Dec. 10. — Karina Kovac

Two arrested for cannabis at Merrick Road smoke shop

The Nassau County Police Department’s Major Case Bureau reported they arrested two men at a Baldwin based tobacco store during a narcotics investigation this past week.

According to Narcotics and Vice Squad detectives, officers arrested and charged Ariel Mendoza, 24, of Brooklyn, and Joshua Gruver, 20, of Oceanside with criminal

possession of a controlled substance, criminal sale of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of cannabis.

They were arrested at Sam Smoke and Tobacco located on 768 Merrick Road.

The pair are accused of selling cannabis and chocolate bars containing THC at the smoke shop.

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on May 7, 2018, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on January 17, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 181 Nassau Parkway, Oceanside, NY 11572. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in Oceanside, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 54, Block 142 and Lot 456. Approximate amount of judgment is $1,159,297.51 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #6777/2014. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.

Mark Ricciardi, Esq., Referee

Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, 10 Bank Street, Suite 700, White Plains, New York 10606, Attorneys for Plaintiff 135951

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, PS FUNDING, INC., Plaintiff, vs. W HENRIETTA PROPERTIES LLC, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on October 3, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 17, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 307 West Henrietta Avenue, Oceanside, NY 11572. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the

Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 43, Block 345 and Lot 43. Approximate amount of judgment is $696,448.59 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 614017/2020. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.

Mark Ricciardi, Esq., Referee Chartwell Law, One Battery Park Plaza, Suite 710, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff 135949

PAUL BUNNEY;

DEVELOPMENT;

OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; “JOHN DOES” and “JANE DOES”, said names being fictitious, parties intended being possible tenants or occupants of premises, and corporations, other entities or persons who claim, or may claim, a lien against the premises, Defendants.

COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

The following notice is intended only for the defendants who are owners of the premises sought to be foreclosed or who are liable upon the debt for which the mortgage stands as security.

YOU ARE HEREBY PUT ON NOTICE THAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT, AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.

PLEASE BE AWARE:

(1)that debt collectors, in accordance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq., are prohibited from engaging in abusive, deceptive, an unfair debt collection efforts, including, but not limited to: i.the use or threat of violence;

LEGAL

NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU INDEX NO: 606362/2021 D/O/F: 05/19/2021

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

Premises Address: 251 Perkins Avenue, Oceanside, NY 11572 WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, AS TRUSTEE OF UPLAND MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST A, Plaintiff, againstUnknown heirs at law of RODNEY BUNNEY A/KA RODNEY PAUL BUNNEY, his next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors, and successors in interest, and generally all persons having or claiming, under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, any right title or interest in and to the premises described in the complaint herein, all of whom and whose names and places of residence are unknown to the plaintiff and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained;

DANELLE BUNNEY AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF RODNEY BUNNEY A/KA RODNEY PAUL BUNNEY; JANINE TREIBET AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF RODNEY BUNNEY A/KA RODNEY PAUL BUNNEY; DANA HERWICK AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF RODNEY BUNNEY A/KA RODNEY PAUL BUNNEY; RODNEY BUNNEY, JR., AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF RODNEY BUNNEY A/KA RODNEY PAUL BUNNEY; SCOTT BUNNEY AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF RODNEY BUNNEY A/KA RODNEY

TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your Answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a Notice of Appearance on the Plaintiff’s Attorneys within twenty (20) days after service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, where service is made by delivery upon you personally within the State, or within thirty (30) days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner, and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: The foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon.

David P. Sullivan, a Justice of the Supreme Court, Nassau County, entered Nov. 23, 2022 and filed with the complaint and other papers in the Nassau County Clerk’s Office.

THE OBJECT OF THE ACTION is to foreclose a mortgage recorded in the Office of the clerk of the County of Nassau on July 29, 2010 in Book 35018, Page 576, covering premises k/a 251 Perkins Avenue, Oceanside, NY 11572 a/k/a Section 43, Block 307, Lot 243.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

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

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

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

YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE

ii.the use of obscene or profane language; and iii.repeated phone calls made with the intent to annoy, abuse, or harass.

(2)If a creditor or debt collector receives a money judgment against you in court, state and federal laws may prevent the following types of income from being taken to pay the debt:

1.Supplemental security income, (SSI);

2.Social security;

3.Public assistance (welfare);

4.Spousal support, maintenance (alimony) or child support;

5.Unemployment benefits;

6.Disability benefits;

7.Workers’ compensation benefits;

8.Public or private pensions;

9.Veterans’ benefits;

10.Federal student loans, federal student grants, and federal work study funds; and

11.Ninety percent of your wages or salary earned in the last sixty days.

TO THE DEFENDANTS: The Plaintiff makes no personal claim against you in this action.

TO THE DEFENDANTS: If you have obtained an order of discharge from the Bankruptcy court, which includes this debt, and you have not reaffirmed your liability for this debt, this law firm is not alleging that you have any personal liability for this debt and does not seek a money judgment against you. Even if a discharge has been obtained, this lawsuit to foreclose the mortgage will continue and we will seek a judgment authorizing the sale of the mortgaged premises.

Dated:

Sandy J. Stolar, Esq.

THE MARGOLIN & WEINREB LAW GROUP, LLP

Attorneys for Plaintiff 165 Eileen Way, Suite 101 Syosset, New York 11791 516-921-3838 #99953 135748

SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN

PEOPLE

Stephen JenSen

ryan Schweiker

Mariah verhun

ariel Mendoza Joshua Gruver

EMPLOYMENT

Help Wanted

ADMINISTRATIVE

Richner Communications - a rapidly growing multimedia company and publishers of the Herald newspaper grouphas several administrative job openings: Receptionist (P/T), Accounts Receivable/Billing Collections Clerk

Multi-Media Coordinator (Hours Flexible)

Qualified candidates are fast learners with good organizational and people skills - entry level ok.

Role requires working knowledge of Microsoft Office and ability to learn custom software programs.

If you would like to join a communitydriven, fast-paced environment, please send your resume to: careers@liherald.com.

American Software Resources Inc. is seeking 1 FT professional (40 HW) for the position of Data Engineer II at 4 Brower Ave, Ste # 4, Woodmere, NY 11598 for competitive salary. Data Engineer II: Analyze, Design, Develop & Test general computer applications software using Power BI, Tableau, Alteryx, Microsoft Project/Excel/Access/Visio, SQL Server, Power Apps, Sharepoint, SQL, Snowflake, Microsoft Analysis Services, Database Management, Spend Analytics, Supply Chain & Logistics Management, Accounts Receivable/Payable, Project Costing, Asset Management, Billing, Purchasing, Supplier Relationship Management, Root Cause Analysis, Lean Six Sigma. Educational &

Exp Requirements: Masters in Comp Sci or Tech Mgt in Engg Tech or Info Tech + 12 months of experience as Comp Software Professional. We offer comprehensive benefits. Travel within the USA is required for the position. To apply send your resume to the above address.

CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE

Full Time/Part Time Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department. Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc. STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multitask, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com

DRIVERS WANTED

Full Time and Part Time Positions Available! Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Night Availability is a Must.

Email

EDITOR/REPORTER

The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com

HIRING MAIL SORTERS $16.00-$17.00, Pickers/ Packers Springfield Gardens, $17.00. Mystery Shoppers Ages 21-25 $20.00. 860 Long Island Ave., Deer Park NY 631-586-4699

OFFICE MANAGER/ RECEPTIONIST: Private Dental Practice Far Rockaway/ Lawrence. Insurance Experience Necessary. Great Salary/ Benefits. jonfriedmandds@gmail.com 917-435-7138

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Salary, Commission, Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Will Consider Part Time. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X286

PRESS-ROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME Pressroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for a motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

RECEPTIONIST EXPERIENCED P/T Seasonal. Jan- Mid April. Franklin Square. CALL: 516-358-9455. FAX RESUME: 516-358-9483. E MAIL: ed@loturco.com.

SD#20 $1,599,000

1534 Broadway #103, BA, Magnificent New Renovation! One of a Kind Ranch Style Living in Luxurious Jonathan Hall Condominium with Doorman & Elevator. Just Move into This Gut Renovated, Spacious 2 BR, 2 Bath Apt with Open Layout. Large Designer Eat in Kitchen with Sep Pantry & Laundry Rm. Master BR Boasts Gorgeous Bth & Walk in Closet. Terrace Faces into Courtyard. Garage Parking Incl REDUCED $699,000

1534 Broadway #205, BA, Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedrooms (Originally 3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/ Dryer in Unit. Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living BIG REDUCTION!! $699,000

E

a ST ROCK aWay

8 Acorn Rd, 2-3:30, 5 BR, 3 Bth Front to Back Split on Beautiful Quiet St in Lynbrook SD#20. Fin Bsmt, Att Gar. CAC,

Open Houses

This beautiful 2 bedroom, 2 bath Oceanview condo with a private deck features stunning ocean and pool views from the living and bedrooms. It has a master bedroom with en suite private bath and an additional full bath. The building has a heated saltwater pool as well as private tennis courts and sensational full gym. It comes with a designated indoor garage spot and personal storage bin. Come live by the beach!

Apartments For Rent

Cemetery Plots

Herald Home Sales

A sampling of recent sales in the area

Baldwin $580,000

Edwards Street. Cape. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Updated eat-in kitchen with stainless steel appliances. First floor bedroom. 2 car garage. Central location near all.

Taxes: $15,290.84

Bellmore $695,000 Oak Street. Colonial. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. New eat-in kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Spacious living room. Formal dining room. Many updates.

Taxes: $11,737.22

Cedarhurst $940,000 Harbor Drive. Hi Ranch. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen. Den/family room. Deck and enlarged driveway. Security system.

Taxes: $8,470

East Meadow $580,000 Harton Avenue. Cape. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. New eatin kitchen with quartz countertops. Open floor plan. Formal dining room. Den/family room and exercise room. Many updates, including whole house water filtration. Oversized property. Convenient location near LIRR and park.

Taxes: $8656.81

East Rockaway $599,000 Thixton Avenue. Contemporary. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Updated eat-in kitchen with quartz countertops and ample storage. L-shaped dining room. Den/family room and home office. 2 gas fireplaces and cathedral ceiling. Screened Trex deck.

Taxes: $14,931.77

Franklin Square $729,000 Craft Avenue Colonial. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in chef’s kitchen with cherry cabinets, granite countertops and high-end appliances. Open floor plan. Living room with vaulted ceiling. Large master bedroom. Den/family room.

Taxes: $15,077

Freeport $566,500 Maryland Avenue. Colonial. 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms. Finished basement. Updated eat in kitchen with granite countertops. Living room with fireplace. Formal dining rom. Large bedrooms. Oversized property with patio and Trex deck. Second deck over 2 car garage.

Taxes: $11,596.47

Long Beach $620,000 W. Hudson Street. Colonial. Westholme neighborhood. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Formal dining room. Covered front porch. Spacious yard with fire pit. Central air conditioning. Parking for 5+ cars. Convenient location near LIRR, restaurants, shopping.

Taxes: $9,499.90

Oceanside $615,000

Davis Street. Ranch. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. L-shaped dining room. Den/family room.

Taxes: $13,090.82

Source: The Multiple Listing Service of Long Island Inc,, a computerized network of real estate offices serving Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Brooklyn.

Are you raising a grandchild, young relative or child of a family friend in the absence of the biological parents?

Are you raising a grandchild, young relative or child of a family friend in the absence of the biological parents?

Costs in the postpandemic world

Q. We are concerned we may have waited too long because of inflation. It seems nearly impossible to afford our renovation. We got “ballpark” estimates, and just look at each other in wonder when we think about how things changed from before the pandemic. Do you see prices coming down? Should we wait, rethink or do the repairs to our roof that led to doing the bigger job and just live with it? Are some cost increases real or made up?

Ask The Architect

Then you’re a Kinship Caregiver!

Are you raising a grandchild, young relative or child of a family friend in the absence of the biological parents?

Then you’re a Kinship Caregiver!

Want to keep your family healthy and safe?

NYS Kinship Navigator provides information, referral and assistance with financial needs, legal options, school enrollment, kinship law and other resources. Help is just a phone call away. 877-454-6463

A. Your decision will be made based on what you’re willing to pay, not on what you can afford. Some prices are dropping, slightly, but as a window representative said recently, if you were a trucker being paid more to haul perishable groceries than windows, which would you choose? Across the board, as the pandemic waned and people went back to work who were being paid not to work, they had to be enticed with higher wages at the same time that the world economy shifted due to war and sanctions. Who could have guessed that the U.S. would become the largest oil producer in the world?

Monte Leeper

Want to keep your family healthy and safe?

NYS Kinship Navigator provides information, referral and assistance with financial needs, legal options, school enrollment, kinship law and other resources. Help is just a phone call away. 877-454-6463

NYS Kinship Navigator provides information, referral and assistance with financial needs, legal options, school enrollment, kinship law and other resources. Help is just a phone call away.

TTY: NY Relay 711 or 1-800-421-1220 nysnavigator.org

TTY: NY Relay 711 or 1-800-421-1220

NYS Kinship Navigator can help. nysnavigator.org

877-454-6463

TTY: NY Relay 711 or 1-800-421-1220

NYS Kinship Navigator can help. nysnavigator.org 1194471

People often look back in their lives and ask themselves, “How did we do it?” when pondering some of the most seemingly unmanageable situations. This is not to suggest that you gamble, but you must project the terms: whether you will need to earn more, and how, borrow more and work longer to pay, settle for a little less, change or abandon the goal.

The cost of any project is the number one question I get, and the most unpredictable, since, even before the life-changing pandemic, construction bids were generally all over the place. It isn’t uncommon to get an extremely low bid against an extremely high one and wonder why. The four primary factors in a contractor’s bid are overhead, labor, material cost and profit. Labor, and the choice of how much to add in for profit, would seem to be the most controllable, while overhead costs and material prices are often not controllable.

As I go about the everyday tasks of building design and construction, I speak with a whole range of people, from real estate salespeople to bankers, developers, contractors and tradespeople to lawyers, material representatives and the end users. The whole picture of where costs are going is influenced by many factors, and trying to pinpoint the cause of fluctuations is based more on people trying to simplify something extremely complex than on looking at a much broader picture.

Energy production dropped and costs increased. Fewer people were driving or working, so debt and prices increased. Add to this a world in conflict and the huge debt of war, and you begin to see that the project you want to do is affected by issues that are far beyond your control. Design can reduce some costs, finish material choices can save money, but only you can determine your willingness to “settle” or go for it. Good luck!

Antiques/Collectibles

SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

Miscellaneous For Sale

KING

CHRISTMAS DECOR: HUGE assortment. Call for details and pics $40 & under. 516-225-919

DOLLS, DOLL HOUSE MINIATURES & ACCESSORIES. Under $99.00. Call Joy Evenings, 917-743-7695 Leave Message

EARLY AMERICAN COFFEE Table: 48"x28", Shelf on bottom of table, Nutmeg Finish, $55.00. 516-781-1520

GIRLS CLOTHES SIZES 5 & 8: New with tags. Tops, Jeans. $8 each. 917-420-5814

GOLDTONE LIGHTER BY Colibri, Brand new with butane refill, vintage $20,00 take all (516)579-9089

HENRI BENDEL BACKPACK & Wallet. Maroon, B/W Stripe. Ltmd edition, Brand New. $99 516-320-1906

HUMMEL : LOST sheep $45, the brother $40. Mint condition 646.206.4610

HUMMELS: CELLIST, THINKER, each $50. mint condition 646.206.460

MANY NEW CHRISTMAS items, vases, musical statues, much more, everything under $10.00 (516)579-9089

WICKER COFFEE TABLE: 30"Wx18"Dx18"H, Brown Wicker Table, $25.00. Ginny 516-781-1520

Finds $100-$350

BODY CRAFT ROWING MACHINE: Folds For Storage, Original Over $1000. New Condition. $350. bbj1407@aol.com 516-889-3042

KITCHEN

Finds $100-$350

MASSAGE TABLE: BRAND New. Still In Box. Asking $165.00. Call Anthony 516-872-8486

TREADMILL GYM SIZE Great Condition. $300 516 668 8877

SERVICES

Electricians

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

Handyman

HANDYMAN

Repairs and Installations for the Household. Careful and Reliable and Vaccinated. Licensed and Insured. 30-Year Nassau County Resident. Friendly Frank Phone/Text 516-238-2112 E-mail-Frankcav@optonline.net

Heating

AROUND THE CLOCK REFRIGERATION INC. Specializing In Gas Furnaces/ Ductless Heat Pump Installations/ Repairs. $99 Annual Gas Furnace Maintenance/ Inspection. FREE Estimates. Gregory 516-214-0178 gregory@clockhvac.com

Home Improvement

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 866-393-3636

CARPENTRY & PAINTING: Residential/ Commercial. All Phases. Licensed/Insured. FREE ESTIMATES! Anthony & J Home Improvements 516-678-6641

DON'T PAY FOR Covered Home Repairs Again! American Residential Warranty covers ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. 30 DAY RISK FREE/ $100 OFF POPULAR PLANS. 833-398-0526

HANDY DANDY HOME IMPROVEMENTS

* Full Or Partial Kitchens/ Baths *Painting *Sheetrock *Taping/ Spackling *Installations Ceramic/ Vinyl Tile *Carpentry *Alterations *Repairs/ More. FREE ESTIMATES. Dan 516-342-0761

WIREMAN/CABLEMAN FLAT TVs mounted, Phone, TVs&Computer wiring installed & serviced, camera &stereos , HDTV – Antennas- FREE TV www.davewireman.com Call Dave 516-433-WIRE (9473) 631-667-WIRE (9473) or Text 516-353-1118

Miscellaneous

BEST

Plumbing

PLUMBER!

AUTOMOBILE & MARINE

Autos For Sale

ACURA 2003, 3.2 CLS, 2 door, Silver, Black Interior, 160K Plus. Needs Battery. $2100 516-668-8877

VOLKSWAGON 2012 BEETLE, Red Black Interior, 98K, Excellent Condition, Original Owner. $8000 516-302-7745

Autos Wanted

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

Autos Wanted

WHEELS FOR WISHES benefiting MakeA-Wish® Northeast New York. Your Car Donations Matter NOW More Than Ever! Free Vehicle Pick Up ANYWHERE. We Accept Most Vehicles Running or Not. 100% Tax Deductible. Minimal To No Human Contact. Call: (877) 798-9474. Car Donation Foundation d/b/a Wheels For Wishes. www.wheelsforwishes.org.

Tile

TILE INSTALLATION:

Satellite/TV Equipment

DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/23. 1-866-595-6967

GET DIRECTV FOR $64.99/mo for 12 months with CHOICE Package. Save an additional $120 over 1st year. First 3 months of HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz and Epix included! Directv is #1 in Customer Satisfaction (JD Power & Assoc.) Some restrictions apply. Call 1-888-534-6918

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Education

COMPUTER

TRAIN

Call 855-543-6440. (M-F 8am-6pm ET). Computer with internet is required

Health & Fitness

ATTENTION VIAGRA USERS: Generic 100mg blue pills or generic 20mg yellow pills. Get 45 plus 5 free $99 + S/H. Call Today. 877-707-5523

Beware the lure of DeSantis

Former President Donald Trump has been hit with a barrage of bad news in the past few weeks. It’s also clear that his popularity is taking a hit due to the failure of his anointed candidates to win a number of contests around the country last month. With each passing day, more Republican voices are raising their fears of a potential wipeout in 2024, and are promoting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a possible presidential candidate. Having closely followed the actions of DeSantis, my advice to the party is to be careful what you wish for.

him. Some call him “tough” and others describe him as “forceful,” but none of his admirers are able to articulate what makes him so great.

issue, and cruise ship owners were forced to shut down for months.

may be forced to hire people who are unlicensed and have no formal training.

JERRY KREMER

There is no question that DeSantis is a true conservative, and that he is outspoken on many issues. My friends who spend their winters in Florida rave about him. A number of them have chosen to become permanent residents, primarily to avoid New York state taxes. But I have yet to find one fan of DeSantis who can spell out specifically what they like about

There is no question that he comes off as a bold leader of his state. He embraces issues that he thinks will eventually make him popular beyond Florida, but he has been careful not to announce any presidential ambitions. If you take a close look at his record, you will find him to be anti-business, and reckless in his views on public education. One good example of his antibusiness attitude is the way he has treated Florida’s two biggest money generators.

At the height of the Covid scare, DeSantis decided that it was good politics to be anti-mask and impose no government health restrictions. Florida residents liked the idea that there should be no mandates, but many tourist industry leaders felt differently. The heads of the three biggest cruise lines insisted that their passengers wear masks when they were in public areas of the ships. DeSantis made numerous threats over this

The Walt Disney Company fiasco is another example of DeSantis’s poor judgment. Disney is the largest taxpaying business in the state, and its top attraction. The former Disney chief executive Bob Chapek criticized DeSantis for his position on gay education restrictions. DeSantis decided that Disney had no right to speak out and had the company’s special legislative status revoked. In the end, it isn’t Disney that will suffer as much as the communities that surround the park, which will be forced to pay for costly fire, police and health facilities in 2023.

DeSantis has decided that his administration must be the only voice on the education of Florida’s students. His education commissioner has recommended all types of restrictions that have frightened teachers around the state. Numerous teachers have left the Florida system for fear that they might be punished for teaching subjects that are not stateapproved. Next year, Florida will have a shortage of thousands of teachers, and

And, of course, DeSantis was anxious to get in on the program of sending immigrants to liberal northern cities as a protest against the Biden administration. In September he approved a plan to fly 50 immigrants who were detained in Texas to Martha’s Vineyard. They were not on Florida soil, and DeSantis used unauthorized federal funds for the trip. Even Maryland’s Republican Gov. Larry Hogan called the stunt a “terrible idea.” There are countless other DeSantis actions that merit some daylight, but it’s fair to say that most people outside Florida have no clue as to how reckless he is. You can bet that the national press corps will have a field day when he throws his hat into the ring of the presidential campaign sometime next year. For now, his is just a name being used by the “anyone but Trump” faction of the party, but if he’s the ultimate choice to run, the DeSantis story will not be a pretty one.

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

Standing in the doorway of 2023, with the holidays ahead, I want to focus on the ways we Americans connect and love one another. This is a challenge during our great political divide, but my hope is that we can disagree peacefully, argue with civility, and celebrate our common appreciation for millions of things, from the majesty of our Rocky Mountains to same-day delivery by Amazon.

the problem. They feel loyal to the former administration.

The former president, now a 2024 presidential candidate, spoke last week about dissolving the Constitution. He hosted a dinner two weeks ago at Mar-a-Lago at which two guests felt empowered to indulge in antisemitic slurs. Perhaps we are reaching a tipping point. We need room for people to re-evaluate their loyalties and reconsider their alliances with people like the men and women who participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

stand why many people are reactive to our brave new world and want to go back to simpler times. Life has been unfair to large swaths of people across America. I understand it, but the “simpler times” refer to a whiter, male-dominated heterosexual culture with little room for people who were different. Our world has changed, not fast enough for some people and too fast for others.

keep our elders safe through the holidays.

Across America, people of every stripe and every polka dot and from every corner of every small town, east, west, north and south, will be traveling, feeling the love of family, and sharing food at common tables.

There will be the inside family jokes and the debate over eggnog and the best recipes for chocolate chip cookies.

There has always been open and lively conflict across America, but we are witnesses, today, to disturbing political and cultural warfare, real threats to democracy. This time around could be the last time around if we don’t figure out a way forward.

RANDI KREISS

That said, I own every single word I have written about former President Donald Trump and his extremist followers. I believe with all my heart that his MAGA movement has already compromised our democracy, but not irreparably. I acknowledge — and I have the letters to prove it — that many readers see things differently. They see President Biden as

I have not yet heard any Trump loyalist defend his comments about the Constitution. The principles of this document are our reason for being as a democratic country. The words matter. How does anyone reconcile his verbal attack on the Constitution?

I believe in the possibility of change. As voters and our law enforcement agencies move toward holding the former president accountable, we will have time and space to find the best in one another again. May the accountability unfold with dignity and gravitas.

Looking at the rapid shifts in our society and culture, it is possible to under-

We can likely agree that political sideshows on all sides are unproductive and self-serving. We need to get behind quality candidates who can check off the basic boxes: Honest? Skilled? Work well with others? See themselves as public servants?

Let’s take a breather over the holidays.

Hanukkah is coming up, with remembrances of hope and heroism going back to ancient times. Jewish people and their friends will light the candles and eat the latkes and give their children food and goodies over the eight days.

Christmas and Kwanzaa approach with people feeling more comfortable gathering with family, especially with vaccines and healthy protocols in place. Some of us will mask up, not as a political statement, but as a sensible way to

This is the season of miracles. It shouldn’t take one to bring together a people who settled a new country, fought wars for freedom together, laughed at the same movies, cried together on 9/11 and suffered together during the terrible years of the pandemic. We should be able to get it together, literally and figuratively.

After the holiday parties, we have work to do. We have children way behind in their academic studies; teenagers psychologically traumatized by lockdowns; people, including hurricane survivors and immigrants, who need safe places to live and jobs and acceptance. If we are pulling in different directions, it will be challenging to move forward.

Two things can be true at once. We are divided, and we share values and traditions. We can try to stand in one another’s shoes instead of stepping on one another’s toes.

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

Yes, left and right, we are more alike than not

This is the season of miracles. It shouldn’t take one to bring us together.

Most people outside Florida have no clue how reckless the governor is.

Fusion can augment clean-energy creation

it existed for just five seconds — but it was enough to power a home for an entire day.

It was a result of nuclear fusion, taking place last February in Culham, England, a village of barely 500 people not far from the University of Oxford. A machine there called a tokamak created heat measuring upward of 270 million degrees Fahrenheit — 10 times hotter than the core of the sun — and used a series of high-powered magnets to contain it.

It produced 59 megajoules of energy, but like many experiments before it, it used more energy than it ultimately yielded.

All of that changed on Dec. 6, when U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm revealed that scientists working at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California had accomplished what no others had done before: created a fusion reaction that resulted in a net energy gain.

All of this might not seem substantial, but the breakthrough is extraordinary. Especially in a world where new, cleanenergy sources are crucial for breaking our dependence on fossil fuels, which is rapidly destroying our environment.

Fusion would be just that: clean energy. When we hear about anything nuclear, we think either weapons, or dangerous — and highly wasteful — ways of generating power. Today’s nuclear power plants depend on a process that harnesses energy from splitting the atom, a highly radioactive process that just isn’t sustainable long-term.

But fusion is different. Instead of splitting atoms, scientists smash them togeth-

er. Unlike fission, we wouldn’t need uranium. Instead, fusion depends on isotopes of hydrogen like deuterium and tritium — both naturally available in seawater.

Of the two, tritium is radioactive. But the amount of fuel needed to create fusion is so small that very little waste is generated. Even better, fusion doesn’t produce carbon dioxide — the primary contributor to our planet’s so-called greenhouse effect — meaning that instituting technology like this could be the very means needed to reduce global warming.

Yet as much as all of this is being hailed as a breakthrough, don’t start planning for your fusion-powered car or home anytime soon. We are still years, if not decades, away from putting fusion to practical use. The Culham experiment lasted only five seconds, because that’s how long the magnets could withstand the heat. The Livermore experiments had better results, but it’s still only the beginning. Creating something that can become a regular part of our lives still requires far more research and development.

And the Earth might not have that long. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says we have to move out society to a “net-zero” carbon emission system in a little more than 25 years. To even have a shot at reversing the climate change damage, we need to cut our current greenhouse emissions in half before this decade ends.

Fusion might not be here yet, but alternative energy sources are — like wind and solar. Our focus on electric vehicles is also a significant step, but not if we have to use

coal or other fossil fuels to generate the electricity to power them in the first place.

New York enacted the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act in 2019, requiring 70 percent of electricity consumed in the state to come from renewable sources by 2030, with the hope of being completely carbon-neutral by 2040.

It’s one of the most aggressive laws in the country, and one that PSEG Long Island — through the Long Island Power Authority — has been working around the clock to achieve. A number of projects are also well underway, including wind farms planned for 15 miles or so off the coast of Long Island.

Projects like that are certainly not without controversy. Fishermen fear that the wind farms will disrupt their livelihood and affect natural habitats. Closer to home, some Island Park residents have challenged plans of the Norwegian energy company Equinor to build a substation for wind energy in their neighborhood, rather than up the road a bit at the E.F. Barrett Power Station.

Achieving our renewable-energy goals will take a lot of work, as well as give and take, from both sides. And no matter what, we can’t lose focus on the end goal: To leave a beautiful planet for our children and grandchildren. The same beautiful planet we enjoy now.

But it will only stay beautiful if we make changes now. Otherwise, by the time we can turn five seconds of fusion power into something sustainable, there might not be a planet left to benefit from it.

letters Should government manage electricity?

To the Editor:

Thank you for publishing the opinion piece by Ronald J. Rosenberg (“Energy efficient may become a contradiction in terms,” Dec. 1-8). Rosenberg clearly explained the importance of our upcoming decision regarding whether to name LIPA to oversee PSEG.

The public continues to see increases in rates and lower service. Management of both LIPA and PSEG give themselves large pay increases. Will the government do a better job at managing our electricity? The correct direction for the immediate future is unclear to me. I hope Albany will handle this situation wisely. The future will tell if we selected the correct direction for the public interests.

opinions

It’s a strange time to be a Jew, but when isn’t it?

igrew up in a non-religious family, but it was always important to my parents that we knew we were Jews, and my family followed certain traditional rituals. My father went to work on Saturdays, and the only religious holidays on which he shut his luncheonette were Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. My younger brother and I were bar mitzvahed, and attended youth services on Saturdays and holidays. The rule in our family was, no synagogue Saturday morning, no ball playing that afternoon; no synagogue on Jewish holidays, then you go to school.

aLan sinGer

My wife and I used to celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas with our children, who are grown now and have kids of their own. For Hanukkah, we invited the staff and families from her day care center for a latkes festival in our apartment, where I turned 20 pounds of potatoes and four pounds of onions into potato pancakes and told the story of the Maccabees as a freedom struggle. After Hanukkah, we set up a Christmas tree with a giant origami peace crane as its crown and pres-

ents underneath, to be opened on Christmas morning.

As an adult, I’m a confirmed atheist. I joke that I’m an evangelical atheist because I recruit. I can’t support Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands on the West Bank of the Jordan River, and its treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and Israel proper. I believe Israel has the right to exist, but not as a religious state, and not as an occupying power, and I won’t visit the country while these policies are in place. But I always identify as a Jew — a secular Jew, a Jew by birth, a Jew by history, and a Jew by tradition. I call myself a Jew, not Jewish, because I know that in many households in this country, the word Jew is still used as a curse.

Today there is a lot of antisemitism in the air in the U.S., and I feel that it’s important to publicly be a Jew. The losing gubernatorial candidate in Pennsylvania, Republican Doug Mastriano, said he wanted America to be a Christian nation, and attacked his opponent, Democrat Josh Shapiro, who won, as an “elitist,” but we knew he meant Jew. In the past, attacks on the “Rothschilds” for supposedly controlling global banking were really claims that Jews somehow

Letters

She’ll take O’Connell’s agenda

To the Editor:

Excellent column by John O’Connell (“I’ll take the GOP agenda — without Trump — any day,” Nov. 24-30). The headline was deadon, and very refreshing. (The Herald’s liberal slant is relentlessly consistent, and regularly has me gnashing my teeth.)

The Republicans have to move on from Donald Trump, and they need to do it decisively and quickly. If Trump would put the country above his ego, he would step into a background role and let new leaders take the reins and reassert many of the policies his administration instituted. That would win the next election.

I fear we’ll have him as a Republican nominee or a third-party candidate, and either scenario is a loser. I Hope I’m wrong, but we’re running out of time to get our country back on track.

LINDSAY ANDERSON Glen Cove

Modernize the ‘Bottle Bill’

To the Editor:

Concerned citizens across the state are pushing for a modernization of New York state’s 40-year-old bottle deposit law. The proposal would increase the deposit from a nick-

secretly ran the world. Few people remember the Rothschilds, so now the antisemites blame George Soros, another Jew, and claim he is the evil puppet master conspiring with his co-religionists.

Kanye West has declared that he was “going death con 3 on Jewish people,” and basketball player Kyrie Irving tweeted a link to a book and movie that denies that Jews are really Jews. These claims echo positions taken by a small group that calls itself the Black Hebrew Israelites. West and Irving may be nuts, but it’s dangerous to dismiss deep antipathy toward Jews as the work of cranks.

Former President Donald Trump has been very cozy with antisemitic groups, and we know what happened in Europe in the 1930s.

Recently I attended a play about the Holocaust, and I suspect that very few non-Jews were in the audience. It was a one-actor show about the life of Jan Karski, a Polish Christian who put his life at risk to help European Jews, and it was excellent. As a teacher, as I sat there with tears in my eyes, I wondered how relevant the Holocaust and the murder of European Jews is to American students today who aren’t Jewish. The Holocaust

happened over 75 years ago, and for students, that’s ancient history. Since then there have been so many other horrific events — genocides in Bosnia, Rwanda, Cambodia and the Congo and wars and the forced displacement of populations all over the world — that the near-extermination of European Jewry no longer stands out, at least for me, as a topic that deserves a special place in the school curriculum.

Politically, I’m on the left. I can’t support the Israeli occupation, and I don’t agree with expanding Holocaust education. But I am a Jew, and I know that if antisemites take power, my family and I will be threatened. I am a Jew, which is why I am compelled to fight for rights for all people — for sexual, ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities, and for immigrants and refugees, no matter their legal status. I fight for their rights as the best way to protect my own and my family’s. Shalom.

Dr. Alan Singer is a professor of teaching, learning and technology and the director of social studies education programs at Hofstra University. He is a former New York City high school social studies teacher and editor of Social Science Docket, a joint publication of the New York and New Jersey Councils for the Social Studies. Follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/ AlanJSinger1.

Framework by Tim Baker

el to a dime and would expand the types of containers recycled to include sports drinks, iced teas, juices, wine and liquor. Dairy products and infant formulas containers would be exempt.

Enacted in 1982, the New York State Returnable Container Act, commonly known as the “Bottle Bill,” has been extremely successful in boosting the state’s recycling rates, and has reduced litter. But expansion of the types of bottles recycled would bring immediate and long-lasting financial and environmental benefits to solid-waste programs. It is essential that New York City’s Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management support efforts to improve the Bottle Bill and call on our elected officials in Albany to act now.

As it stands, the bill requires a 5-cent refundable deposit to be placed on eligible beverage containers. When it was passed, the law covered only beer and soda bottles, but it was subsequently expanded to cover wine coolers and water bottles. It requires retailers who sell covered beverages to accept returns of empty containers for the products they sell and to refund the deposits. It also requires beverage distributors to compensate retailers for the cost of collecting and recycling empty containers by paying them a small handling fee per container.

JOSEPH M. VARON West Hempstead

Varon is a volunteer with the Long Island Chapter of Food & Water Watch and a member of the Jewish Climate Action Network.

Horse and carriage rides at the Christmas tree lighting — Bellmore

my wife and I used to celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas with our children.

Buy a Brick

Celebrate or honor your loved ones this holiday season and give the gift of a lasting legacy in the Mount Sinai South Nassau garden, located at the corner of Oswald Court and One Healthy Way. Purchase an engraved brick, tree, or garden bench, or name the entire plaza and garden space that thousands of patients, visitors, and employees will see every year as they enter and exit the hospital’s front entrance

Honor a loved one or someone who made a di erence in your life. Remember a special person or celebrate a special occasion. Support Mount Sinai South Nassau’s mission and vision for a healthier tomorrow.