Rockville Centre Herald 01-05-2023

By dANiEl oFFNER doffner@liherald.com

The Backyard Players and Friends recently opened the Front Porch Market, a new storefront next door to its location on North Long Beach Road in Rockville Centre that, like BYP, focuses on inclusivity and the special-needs community.

The market was conceived to provide creative work in a

retail environment for neurodiverse craft makers, artists, authors and entrepreneurs to produce and sell their wares.

The one-of-a-kind shop gives participants offering unique handmade crafts and curios for purchase the chance to learn customer service and marketing skills by interacting with the public.

Ellen White, one of the directors of the Backyard Players organization, said

that the market had held a “soft opening” on Dec. 17. “It was wonderful,” White said. “Everyone was so proud to show the items they had made.”

The Backyard Players made over 300 cookies and served hot cocoa to everyone who visited the market that afternoon. Pianist Sophia DeMarco, an International Baccalaureate music student

A synagogue visit in Tokyo

Michael Shenker meets with the transplanted Rabbi Andrew Scheer

By dANiEl oFFNER doffner@liherald.com

A lucky Rockville Centre resident had the opportunity to be one of the first few tourists allowed to visit Tokyo in nearly two and a half years, since the entire nation of Japan closed its borders to foreign travelers as the coronavirus pandemic spread.

But that was only half of what made this trip so special.

Michael Shenker, an accountant, the treasurer of Congregation B’nai SholomBeth David and a member of the synagogue’s board of directors, made the journey in October to visit a synagogue there.

“I didn’t know what to expect going in,” Shenker told the Herald. “They learn the religion just as anyone else does in America. We’re all connected by the same religious aspects.”

Jews have been living in Japan since at least the 1860s and possibly earlier. The Tokyo synagogue, the Jewish Community of Japan, was chartered in 1953,

making it the third in the country, following the ones established in Nagasaki, in 1889, and in Kobe, in 1937.

At the time it was built, the temple was described by one of the Jewish Community of Japan’s lay leaders as “a microcosm of the cosmopolitan world living at peace.” The structure was torn down in 2008 and replaced by a new, more modern building in September 2009, which was designed by the renowned architect Fumihiko Maki.

Before heading overseas, Shenker connected with Rabbi Andrew Scheer of the Jewish Community of Japan online. Shenker described the rabbi as a young, dynamic and very personable man who lives in an apartment above the synagogue with his wife, Tali, and their son.

Scheer, who was born and raised in Woodmere, studied at Yeshivat Sha’arei Mevaseret Zion in Israel, and earned a degree in Jewish History from

Courtesy Backyard Players and Friends

AidAN CoNloN HElpEd stock the Backyard Players kitchen, working with the nonprofit’s wish list.

Kids enjoy visiting the Dinosaur Carnival

Parents and kids looking for a funfilled way to spend their holiday break paid a visit to the Dinosaur Carnival at the Center for Science, Teaching, and Learning in Rockville Centre.

The five-day event provided families with the chance to witness these prehistoric marvels up-close while enjoying several dinosaur themed activities, games, face painting, refreshments, giveaways, and prizes.

“The Center for Science, Teaching and Learning has created a fun and interactive educational experience for our families here on Long Island,” CSTL Executive Director Ray Ann Havasy said. “Through the exhibit’s Dinosaur displays, children and their parents can engage in various activities while learning about the adaptation and evolution of dinosaurs and animals that live right around us today.”

The only attraction of its kind on Long Island, the CSTL dinosaur exhibit provides visitors with the unique opportunity of learning more about these extinct creatures and the ways that these cold-blooded reptiles evolved. The live animals exhibit also provides families with the opportunity to interact with an assortment of wild critters face-to-face, including owls, emus, golden pheasants, goats, alligators, lizards, turtles, frogs and more.

The CSTL is an education based not-for-profit organization located in the center of the Tanglewood Preserve, an 11-acre park and nature center on Long Island, where people of all ages can learn bout science and the environment. To find out more, visit CSTL.org.

Colton and

2, get a close look at the dinosaurs.

noah Estrada, 4, bravely pets Xavier, a ball python, held by Zach Dowling.

Ellis andErson, 4, plays the ring toss game during the Dinosaur Carnival at the CSTL.

FilomEna BEllonE, 5, and her brother, Alfonso, 8, brush for fossils.

miChaEl santillo, 10, with Max Beutler, 9, and Kaelib Robinson, 8, points to an animatronics Pachycephalosaurus.

dylan Foschi,

–Daniel Offner

Sue Grieco/Herald photos

adia mason, 8, and her younger brother, Aden, 5, use the interactive tools at the Center for Science, Teaching, and Learning.

Front Porch Market holds ‘cold opening’

at South Side High School, played holiday music, and there was a special visit from Santa. White estimated that between 200 and 350 people stopped by to show their support, including village officials and local business owners.

“Front Porch Market is just another example of the positive work being done by the Backyard Players and Friends here in the village,” Mayor Francis Murray said in a statement. “This new initiative showcases crafters and local artists in an inclusive retail space and craft workshop. Thank you to the volunteers and directors for providing these opportunities for our inclusive community.”

Every item for sale in the shop was handmade by local artisans, and all of the profits will fund Backyard Players and Friends programs.

By

One way people can get the new tax year off to a good start is by checking their federal income tax withholding. They can do this using the Tax Withholding Estimator on IRS.gov.

This online tool helps employees avoid having too much or too little tax withheld from their wages. It also helps self-employed people, who have wage income, estimate tax payments that they should make to avoid unexpected results at tax time. Having too little withheld can result in a tax bill or even a penalty at tax time. Having too much withheld results in less money in their pocket. The estimator can help them get to a balance of zero or a desired refund amount.

Taxpayers can use the results from the Tax Withholding Estimator to determine if they should complete a new Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate and submit it to their employer, or make an additional or estimated tax payment to the IRS.

The Tax Withholding Estimator asks taxpayers to estimate their 2023 income, the number of children they will claim for the child tax credit and earned income tax credit, and other items that will affect their 2023 tax return when they file in 2024.

The Tax Withholding Estimator does not ask for personally identifiable information, such as a name, Social Security number, address, and bank account numbers. The IRS doesn’t save or record the information entered in the Estimator.

Created in 2015, the Backyard Players is a nonprofit dedicated to providing a space where people can come together and share ideas, openness, joy and creativity through classes designed to help participants with disabilities develop physically, emotionally and creatively.

White said that about 80 percent of people with developmental disabilities are unable to find or keep a job. According to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021, roughly 19.1 percent of people with disabilities are employed.

BYP created the Front Porch Market with the hope of trying to address this statistical gap. “We’re selling customer service,” White said. “There was a great connection between all of the participants and the public.”

The market will support a variety of businesses, including Popcorn for the People, Smile Farms Hot Sauce, Elf Emma, and local authors Brent Anderson and his “Unintentional Humor Book,” and Megan Bomgaars and her book, “Born to Sparkle.”

It also welcomes crafters from around the community, who share their talents

and teach their skills. Most recently, the market held a class on creating candles and soaps, which are available for purchase at the store. Other items include handmade wooden charcuterie boards, knit hats, and locally sourced honey.

The Front Porch Market, at 213 N. Long Beach Road, will officially open on Jan. 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will be open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The BYP also plans to hold special events in the future, such as artist showcases and book signings.

“On a side note, we had a wish list to outfit our new kitchen,” White wrote in an email. “A young man from town, Aidan Conlon, took it upon himself to help us clear our entire wishlist and stocked our new kitchen. Aidan contacted friends and family and sat outside the BYP to bring awareness to the project, and with Aidan’s help our kitchen is now fully stocked.”

For more information, go to BYPAndFriends.com/FrontPorchMarket.

the front Porch Market, top, was created

P.J. Marckesano, above, created goldand silver-painted shell designs that are available for purchase at the market.

Dorothy hines, frienD of the Backyard Players, top left, joined Emma Venticinque, a neurodiverse craft maker and founder of Elf Emma, to show off some of the handmade items on display at the Front Porch Market.

as an inclusive space for neurodiverse entrepreneurs to create and sell their ideas while learning customer service skills by selling their wares to the public.

Photos courtesy Backyard Players and Friends

Jonathan Wolfsohn MBA, CFP, EA, ATA

rockville centre

spotlight athlete

Herald sports

County qualifiers lead South Side

By BriaN KaCharaBa sports@liherald.com

The South Side/East Rockaway wrestling team surprised many – including their own coach – by sending seven grapplers to the Nassau Division 1 tournament last winter. Half of them are back for another go and the team overall could again turn heads if some highly touted freshman can develop quicker than expected.

aNDie aDaMs

Lawrence Senior Basketball

there’s a NeW an all-time leading scorer for Lawrence’s girls’ hoops program. Senior point guard Andie Adams, who last winter reached the 1,000 mark, entered this season 46 points away from breaking 1999 graduate Danielle Moorer’s record of 1,049 career points and did so in a win over Roosevelt on Dec. 6. Adams earned AllCounty honors last season and averaged 23.5 points per game.

gaMes to WatCh

thursday, Jan. 5

Gymnastics: Oceanside at South Side 7 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 6

Wrestling: East Meadow at Long Beach 6 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Syosset at Freeport 7 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Port Washington at Oceanside 7 p.m.

Boys Basketball: East Meadow at V.S. Central 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: V.S. Central at East Meadow 7 p.m.

Wrestling: Mepham at MacArthur 7 p.m.

Wrestling: Roosevelt at Hewlett 7 p.m.

saturday, Jan. 7

Girls Basketball: Clarke at North Shore 10 a.m.

Boys Basketball: MacArthur at Long Beach 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Jericho at Mepham 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Roslyn at Elmont 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Kennedy at South Side 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: North Shore at Clarke 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Manhasset at Hewlett 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Glen Cove at Carey 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: South Side at Kennedy 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Mineola at Lynbrook 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Hewlett at Lawrence 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Long Beach at MacArthur 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Seaford at Lawrence 4 p.m.

The youthful roster has yet to translate into any team victories for the Cyclones, who are winless in one-on-one duals in the early going, but the individual victories during those meets are coming from those who could be among the favorites in February’s county qualifier.

Coach Mike Robinson said the main focus until then is to get the returnees ready for that event and hope that some of the newcomers can begin to develop a solid foundation for the future.

“Most of the team is made up of freshmen,” Robinson said. “We’re missing a few guys, but the guys that we have are going to do well [and] we’re going to get them ready for the qualifier. That’s our outlook. We’re looking for those guys to progress to get to that level.”

Junior Joe Souto was a finalist in last year’s county qualifier and his success has carried over while competing mostly at the 126-pound level. He won his first four matches at the Sprig Gardner Tournament from Dec. 9-10 before dropping a tough 5-4 decision in the final and placed third at the Frank Giampaolo Cyclone Tournament at South Side a week later while dominating his dual matches.

“He’s doing an outstanding job and progressing very nicely,” Robinson said.

Junior Lucas Cortarzar (138) had three straight pinfalls in under three minutes at the Sprig Gardner before finishing third and has two pinfalls and two decision wins in four dual matches. Cortarzar, who was fourth in the county qualifier, is expected to compete in the 132-pound weight class later this season.

“Lucas is coming along,” Robinson said. “He’s one of the more technical wrestlers on the team. He’s a blue-collar

kid and I’m looking forward to him making the counties and doing well.”

Robinson said that Liam Hosey (118) is another tough competitor who he hopes will stay healthy after being beset by injuries that past two seasons and that fellow senior Logan Kelly (160) is a coachable wrestler who is poised for a strong finish.

Junior Nate Modico (132), who had some clutch wins for the Cyclones last year, finished fifth at the Sprig Gardner. Robinson lauded the improvement of junior Brendan Russell (152), who had a

pinfall win against Oceanside on Dec. 7 and expressed excitement for the return of junior Evan Russell (172) from injury.

“Evan is a big, strong kid and we’re looking forward to him coming back and being successful at the end of the season,” he said.

Some of the up-and-coming freshmen on the team include Lachlan Tarpey (102), Gavin McDaid (126) and Lukas Papadopulos (145).

“[They’re} wrestling hard, getting better and I’m looking for some great things out of them,” Robinson said.

Paul Grassini/Herald

JuNior Joe souto was a finalist in last year’s county qualifier and his success has carried over while competing mostly at the 126-pound level.

Shenker reflects on post-Covid trip to Japan

New York University. He went on to study at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in Riverdale, in the Bronx, where he was a Wexner Graduate Fellow and a participant in the Museum of Jewish Heritage’s Fellowship at Auschwitz for the study of professional ethics.

Scheer served as a rabbinic intern at Congregation Sherith Israel, in Nashville, Tennessee, and Congregation Orach Chaim, on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. He was also in the U.S. Army Reserve for five years, as a chaplain candidate assigned to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

After he was ordained, Scheer worked as a Jewish chaplain on Rikers Island, and completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education during a residency at the VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, where he was senior rabbi for the hospital.

Between his college and seminary education, Scheer taught English in the Japanese countryside, and Sunday school at the Jewish Community of Japan.

The Tokyo synagogue’s congregation comprises roughly 100 families, most of them relocated from the U.S., Europe and parts of the former Soviet Union. For the high holidays — Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur — foreign dignitaries including Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, were invited to attend services there.

During the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, all of the kosher meals for Jewish competitors were prepared in the synagogue’s kitchen.

“What a remarkable facility it was,” Shenker said of his visit. “It’s a beautiful synagogue.” He added that he was very grateful to the synagogue for granting him access to the country.

The congregation has about 50 students who attend classes twice a week, learning in both English and Hebrew. But because of the slow opening of the country’s borders as the pandemic has eased, Shenker wasn’t allowed in the classrooms when he visited on a Sunday morning, while students were in the midst of bar and bat mitzvah lessons.

Shenker brought along a copy of the Herald, which he gave to Scheer as a reminder of life back home on Long Island.

“I can’t believe my luck as I relax on the couch with a copy of the Herald in my hands,” Scheer said in a text message to Shenker. “$12.95 for an oil change at Anton’s is a real bargain. Wish I could get that deal in Tokyo.”

For more about the synagogue and its congregation, visit JCCJapan.jp online.

Michael Shenker, near left, with his wife, Mindy, and Rabbi Andrew Scheer of the Jewish Community of Japan.

Courtesy Michael Shenker

Echo Park closing doors for

By MARK NOLAN mnolan@liherald.com

The Echo Park indoor pool complex in West Hempstead has a long history of providing entertaining relief for Hempstead town residents. But that history will have to pause over the next several months while town officials push through the first phase of renovations, closing the pool until at least around Labor Day this year. And those $2 million worth of construction is just the beginning.

potentially save on energy bills.

That should bring Echo Park into the late summer or early fall, a town spokesperson said. What comes next is still being decided by town officials.

“The new and improved Echo Park will surely make a splash when completed,” Clavin said.

million renovation

DON

“The renovation of Echo Park is a multimillion-dollar project that will be completed over the next few years,” said Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin. “The Town of Hempstead is committed to upgrading this facility while minimizing the inconvenience for our local swimmers who frequent the park year-round.”

The first phase of construction includes a new air ventilation system,

In the meantime, typical Echo Park visitors can travel to East Meadow instead to use the indoor pool there. The Nassau County Aquatic Center will accept passes issued by the Town of Hempstead during the renovation project.

Echo Park is generally open to all town residents, providing a rate discount to those who don’t live inside an incorporated village or special park district. Daily rates there are typically $8 to $9 for individuals, and $4.50 for children between 5 and 9, as well as senior citizens, the disabled, and volunteer first responders.

Nassau County offers similar rates in its East Meadow complex for those living

reopened in January 2018 after a $208,000 renovation that included resurfacing several indoor areas and refinishing the diving boards. The year before, Echo Park was part of a town-wide $1.26 million recreational facility improvement plan that focused on restroom and locker room upgrades.

Despite the inconvenience this time around, town councilman Thomas Muscarella says the upgrades are needed.

“Improvements to the pool are long

overdue,” he said. “Echo Park is a beloved facility in our area. Residents frequent the indoor pool all year.”

Other than this brief closure each winter, the Nassau Boulevard Echo Park facility is open seven days a week, year-round. It’s also home to a number of other yearround aquatic, physical fitness and cultural arts programs.

For more information on the center and using the Nassau County facility, call the Echo Park office at (516) 483-7400.

Herald file

A $2 MiLLiON renovation project will shut down the Echo Park indoor pool complex in West Hempstead through this coming summer, instead redirecting swimmers to the county facility in East Meadow.

Duffy promoted by county attorney

Gary R. Duffy of Rockville Centre has been promoted to Detective Investigator III by former Appellate Court Justice Thomas A. Adams. Judge Adams is presently the county attorney for Nassau County.

Duffy has worked for the county for the past 20 years and investigates claims involving civil litigation. He is a 52-year veteran of Law Enforcement having started his career with the NYPD in 1969 after graduating from Holy Cross High School. He then graduated from St. Francis College in Brooklyn in 1981 after attending night school.

Duffy was a highly decorated member of the NYPD before retiring as a Lieutenant in the Organized Crime Bureau Narcotics Squad. He was appointed as a special agent with the National Insurance Crime Bureau and subsequently became a member of a joint FBI Task Force investigating organized crime.

He was selected by the police commissioner to attend the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and graduated from

the 144th class in 1985. He also attended CUNY Law School while he served as the commanding officer of the NYPD Advocates Office.

Duffy and his wife, Ann Marie, have been residents of Rockville Centre since 1983 where they raised three children, Brendan, Christin, and Kaitlin.

In his spare time, he teaches civil service courses to aspiring police, firefighter, and court officer candidates. He has been teaching for 40 years and has taught over 250,000 students. In his role at the county attorney’s office, he and the litigation bureau teach a class at the Nassau County Police Academy to all newly hired police officers on civil litigation and courtroom testimony.

In addition, he and his wife enjoy taking ballroom dance classes and describe themselves as lifelong beginners, although, he danced at the Waldorf Astoria with the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in 1977. He credits his wife for his success due to her unwavering support during their 44 years of marriage.

Calderon named managing principal

Brinster & Bergman, a full-service accounting firm based in Rockville Centre, has named Erika L. Calderon as the organization’s new managing principal.

Calderon has been an accountant with the firm for over 20 years and is a recognized leader in the accounting profession, with a broad knowledge of general accounting and tax and an expertise in the areas of healthcare and construction.

“Erika is a highlyregarded accounting expert and financial professional. She is a leader and knows how to work with clients and solve their problems. As Managing Principal, she will oversee our team of professionals and staff and facilitate growth. Erika has helped to build a ‘family- like’ culture at the firm and she has proven herself capable of leading us into the future,” the company’s founder, Gary F. Brinster, said.

In her new position she plans to work diligently to help grow the firm, support clients, and attract new talent. She also said that she is focused on building on the firm’s foundation and bringing services to different verticals, and leveraging technology to ensure they operate

effectively and efficiently.

“Gary Brinster and the team have built a firm that is respected by clients and peers,” Calderon said. “I will continue to work closely with Gary as he will now focus his time on serving clients and identifying new growth opportunities.”

Calderon joined the firm in 2001 and has built a strong reputation as a leader and expert in the construction and home healthcare sectors. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Queens College and currently resides in Smithtown with her husband Louis and their children, Alexa and AJ (Alan).

Brinster & Bergman is dedicated to providing high-quality professional financial services and planning and accounting for clients with a wide variety of special needs that require specific customized solutions. They routinely assist clients with retirement planning, estate and gift-tax planning, income tax planning, insurance planning, investment planning and planning for the funding of higher education.

To find out more about Brinster & Bergman, visit BBCPA.biz.

Local business donates Toys for Tots

The Pinnacle Financial Group in Rockville Centre was successful in collecting over 1,000 toys this holiday season, which were donated to Toys for Tots. Employees, clients, and various walk-ins each helped donate. South Side High School students also pitched in to help give away toys to less fortunate children.

“Elder Law Estate Planning” is an area of law that combines features of both elder law and estate planning and relates mostly to the needs and concerns of the middle class.

Estate planning was formerly only for the wealthy who wanted to shelter their assets from taxes and pass more on to their heirs. But today estate planning is also needed by the middle class who may have assets exceeding one million dollars, especially when you consider life insurance in the mix.

Estate planning with trusts became popular starting in 1991 when AARP concluded that probate should be avoided and trusts should be used to transfer assets to heirs without a court proceeding. Trusts are also widely used today to avoid guardianship proceedings on disability, protect privacy, and reduce the chance of a will contest in court.

As the population aged and life expectancies increased, the field of elder law emerged in the late 1980’s to help people protect assets from nursing home costs by using Medicaid asset protection strategies.

The two fields of elder law and estate planning still tend to be separate, which can

work against a client needs. For instance, a client may see an elder law attorney for Medicaid asset protection planning in the event of disability, but overlook the benefits of estate planning, such as avoiding estate taxes or keeping assets in the bloodline. Similarly, a client may have prepared an effective estate plan for death with an estate planning attorney, but failed to avail themselves of Medicaid asset protection strategies for their lifetimes.

For this reason, we have been practicing “elder law estate planning” together for over thirty years to address these needs:

• Getting your assets to your heirs, with the least amount of court costs, taxes and legal fees possible.

• Keeping your assets in the bloodline for your grandchildren and protecting those assets from your children’s divorces, lawsuits and creditors.

• Protecting your assets from the costs of longterm care and qualifying you for government benefits to pay for your care either at home or in a nursing facility.

• Avoiding guardianship proceedings if you become disabled and probate court proceedings on death.

Courtesy Pinnacle Financial Group

Erika L. Calderon

Gary R. Duffy

Cancer care you can trust, right here on Long Island.

When Jimmie rang the Victory Bell to signify his final cancer treatment at Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside, our team celebrated with him. Our cancer experts were able to be at his side every step of the way because we offer the full spectrum of cancer care, from chemotherapy to radiation therapy to surgery. Long Islanders are also able to participate in national cancer clinical trials through Mount Sinai, right here in Oceanside.

With this multidisciplinary approach, we help you overcome not only the cancer, but whatever else cancer brings with it.

Learn more at southnassau.org/cancer

RVC bar owners close doors to LGBTQ spot

By KARINA KOVAC kkovac@liherald.com

BTW, an LGBTQ bar in Oceanside that stands for ‘Born This Way’ has closed its doors due to bad timing and fiscal strain, for now. Owners and allies Gina and Dave Wuestmann of Rockville Centre own the North Village Tavern in RVC, and after hearing customers discussing safe spaces in the bar decided to open BTW in Oceanside. The only caveat being the Covid pandemic, which ultimately lead to too many sunk costs and problems during start-up.

“We got really screwed with Covid, we were building it and then Covid happened, and it really set us back about a year,” said co-owner Gina, “Our timing was just horrendous.”

The couple said they opened their doors Nov. 2020 the day before New York prohibited gatherings at non-essential businesses between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., decimating their chance of revenue during high-activity hours of operation. And although people weren’t coming in, the costs still were, including rent, insurance, electric and other supplies.

Dec. 17 was the official closing date of BTW, but the owners are currently in negotiations with a prospective buyer about purchasing BTW and keeping it an LBGTQ bar. Gina said once they opened BTW, her and her husband became more aware of the needs of the LGBTQ community like the bar. It was also one of the only gay bars on

Long Island, with only a handful left. “In the 80s and 90s there used to be a really nice LGBTQ bar scene, but it seemed to go away,” said Gina.

“Some people don’t understand why there has to be a separate base when we’re trying to advocate for inclusivity,” said Gina, “But the fact of the matter is, like everybody, you want to sometime be with your own people who understand what you’re going through…Not everyone is open minded, I think through the years, it’s gotten better, but it still needs a lot of work as far as accepting everybody. And that’s what the bar is about. It’s about everybody just being who they want to be, what they want to be and nobody judging it.”

Although they won’t be operating BTW, they’ll still be helping the cause through philanthropy by volunteering their time at different organizations. The Wuestmann’s are the founding chapter members of the Long Island Pride Lions Club, which is the fourth LBGTQ Lions Club Chapter in the nation.

And have worked with Project Safety Net, a not-for-profit offering sexual and mental health services, and Pride for Youth run by the Long Island Crisis Center, which has programs and services addressing the needs of the LGBTQ community and their families.

“We plan on doing some fundraising for the LGBTQ in general. It’s not the last of us, you’ll see us. Hopefully this all works out and we can go in and be customers and hopefully watch a legacy begin,” Gina said.

Courtesy of Gina Wuestmann DAVe AND GINA Wuestmann owned two bars, the North Village Tavern in Rockville Centre and BTW in Oceanside. Due to the pandemic they had to close their doors at LGBTQ bar BTW.

PK Toy Drive gives back to help local kids

More than 1,000 local children received presents this year thanks to the generosity of the community.

PK Toys held its second annual toy drive event at Kasey’s Kitchen and Cocktails in Rockville Centre just prior to the December holidays to try and spread cheer to families who can use a little extra help.

Alan Owens, who set up

Santa and hiS helper assist with the PK Toys foundation efforts this year. the donated giftS were all arranged by age groups to assist the parents.

the foundation in memory of his brothers Patrick and Kevin, said the event is all about bringing friends and family together to try and give back to those in need.

“The event was a huge success,” Owens said.

Thousands of toys were given away during the event at no cost to families in need.

–Daniel Offner

LIJ Medical Center is in the top 10% of hospitals nationally for oncology, according to U.S.News&WorldReport.

Our doctors are raising health by pioneering innovative approaches to cancer from novel chemotherapy techniques to first-in- the-nation robotic mastectomies with minimal scarring. Because when it comes to cancer, there’s no status quo. There’s only “how far can we go?”

Joe Abate/Herald photos

STEPPING OUT

Dancing With The Stars Live

Heroism unfolds in an epic adventure

By Karen Bloom

elcome the New Year with another dose of that wonderful world of Disney. The latest Disney ice extravaganza arrives at UBS Arena in Elmont to the delight of families who can’t get enough of their favorite Disney moments. Audiences can relive some of the iconic characters and stories — classic and new — when Disney on Ice’s “Into the Magic” brings a lineup of Disney “royalty” here for four days, opening Jan. 5.

WHERE WHEN

• Thursday through Sunday. Jan. 5-11; times vary.

• Tickets start at $20 (pricing may fluctuate based on demand); available at Ticketmaster.com or DisneyOnIce.com

• UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont

This production showcases inspiring favorites from the Disney canon, including those spunky royal sisters, Anna and Elsa, from the always popular mega-hit “Frozen.” Joining this spirited pair are the forever-enchanting Belle, dauntless Rapunzel and the charming bandit Flynn, the determined Cinderella, the aspiring young musician Miguel, and the daring and fearless Moana. Their courage and plucky grit to live their best lives are set forth in lively — albeit condensed — re-tellings of “Beauty & the Beast,” “Coco,” “Tangled,” “Cinderella,” “Frozen” and “Moana.”

These unforgettable characters and their adventures are brought to life on ice in a captivating production that transports audiences to worlds where imaginations soar and in true Disney spirit “anything can happen if you just believe.” Guided by Mickey and Minnie and their crew, of course — with the assistance of two hosts this time around — these tales are told through graceful, artful skating and dynamic special effects, set to the soundtrack fans know and love.

In keeping with longstanding Disney tradition, it’s a fast-paced spectacle with rapidly changing segments.

“All celebrate why these stories are so special,” says Chase Belmontes, who performs as Gaston, Belle’s strapping suitor. “The uplifting nature of these stories all end strongly with an inspiring message about finding your dreams and finding your inner hero.”

That message surely resonates with the 27-year-old Las Vegas native, who is in his third year with Disney On Ice. “I grew up with Disney as a

kid,” he says. “I loved Disney and watched all the movies. Being here now is a personal accomplishment.”

As with his fellow cast members, Belmontes’ competitive skating skills enhance the high level of athleticism that is the hallmark of these productions. Solos, pair and fast-paced ensemble skating with high-flying jumps add to the appeal of the stories the audience knows so well.

“There are so many iconic moments,” he says, noting the pairs sequence in his “Beauty and the Beast “ portion, which also includes a dramatic ensemble routine. “It’s all very exciting.”

And, of course, “Frozen” elicits an enthusiastic response. As Belmontes says: “Always a fan favorite.” Especially when it comes time for “Let It Go.”

“It’s absolutely magical,” he continues. “Everyone sings along to every single word. It’s such a wonderful experience.”

There’s plenty of singing, with the audiences up on their feet throughout the show. And, naturally, Belles, Cinderellas and many others are scattered throughout the arena.

“Everyone dresses up in costume, even adults.” Belmontes says. “It’s amazing. So sit back and soak it all in. There’s a lot to look at and enjoy.”

indeed.

The popular dance showcase is back on tour this winter to celebrate its 31st season. The tour delivers electrifying dance performances from world-renowned dancers including Brandon Armstrong, Alan Bersten, Sasha Farber, Gleb Savchenko, Emma Slater, Britt Stewart, and ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ winner Alexis Warr, who now appears on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ See the ballroom brought to life in this new production featuring your favorite ‘Dancing’ pros, plus special guest stars, performing original numbers as well as some of the showstoppers featured in Season 31. With dazzling routines in every style, fans will enjoy an unforgettable night full of all the magic of the television competition series and more. Experience the excitement, glitz and glamour they see in the ballroom live, up-close and personal.

Tuesday, Jan. 10, 8 p.m. $99, $79, $59, $49. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. (516) 299-3100, or TillesCenter.org.

Literary Luncheon

Madison Theatre hosts Deborah Goodrich-Royce, who discusses ‘Reef Road,’ her latest psychological thriller that explores the psychology of criminals and their victims, while drawing from real-life events that happened before she was born. Goodrich Royce is the author of the widely praised psychological thrillers ‘Ruby Falls’ and ‘Finding Mrs. Ford.’ A former film and television actress, she is remembered by soap opera fans as Silver Kane, sister of the legendary Erica Kane, on ABC’s ‘All My Children.’ She later worked as a story editor for Miramax Films and was instrumental in developing such films as ‘Emma’ and ‘A Wrinkle in Time.’ With her husband, Chuck, she restored the Avon Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut, which now operates as a not-for-profit dedicated to independent, classic, foreign, and documentary films.

Wednesday, Jan. 18, noon. $50. Molloy University’s Larini Room, Public Square Building, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. (516) 323-4444, or MadisonTheatreNY.org.

Photos courtesy Feld Entertainment

Photos: Old and new favorites lace up their skates for a show that encourages everyone to ‘find your inner hero.’

THE SCENE

In concert

David Alterman returns to the stage with Altzim, Friday, Jan. 13, at My Father’s Place supper club. Enjoy an evening of music that Alterman describes as “Dylan with a twist,” with special guest Cathy Rose Virgilio. Rich Demand and his band also appear. Doors open at 6 p.m., concert is at 8 p.m. The Metropolitan, 3 Pratt Blvd., Glen Cove. For tickets/ information, visit MyFathersPlace. com or call (516) 580-0887.

New Beginnings Build-A-Board Workshop

Art talk

America

The perennial classic rock favorite is still going strong, appearing on the Tilles Center stage, Friday, Jan. 27, 8 p.m. Founding members Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell celebrate the band’s 53rd anniversary on their current tour, on the LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. The pair (along with former band mate Dan Peek), who met in high school in London in the late 1960s, quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of their signature song “A Horse With No Name.” America became a global household name and paved the way with an impressive string of hits following the success of their first #1 single. Forty plus years later, these friends are still making music together, touring the world and thrilling audiences with their timeless sound. Tickets are $99, $79, $69, $59; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

The Sanctuary Within, located at 10 S. Village Ave.,welcomes you to learn the foundations of Charcuterie Art with this New Beginnings Build-a-Board Workshop on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2-4 p.m. Join Merry Masson, the founder of Made by Merry, and awaken and align your Chakras for the New Year. Attendees will have their own personal board to design using an exquisite selection of cheese, fruit, nuts, honey, and jams, associated with the seven core chakras. Tickets cost $135, which includes the cost of supplies. No experience is necessary to join. Space is limited. To register and for more information visit MadeByMerryNY.com.

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.

Forest Bathing

Take a meditative Forest Bathing walk, led by certified guide Linda Lombardo, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2-4 p.m. Based on the Japanese tradition of ShinrinYoku, a wellness practice developed in the 1980s, the walk, on the grounds of the former summer residence of Howard Gould and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim, inspires mindful connections with the natural elements of the woods for a range of healthful benefits. $40, $35. Pre-registration required. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy. org or call (516) 571-7901.

Virtual Martin Luther King Exhibition

Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave. in Rockville Centre, will host the first of its series of virtual exhibitions honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., Friday, Jan. 13, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The “Day of Learning” event is designed for local community organizations, public and parochial schools to experience the recreation of his “lost” speech. Through this exhibition, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the historical developments of the civil rights movement, share a key transformative experience in the legacy of race and civic engagement in the United States, and the grassroots activism of everyday citizens. This event is free and open to the public.

Keeping up with the schools

The next meeting of the Rockville Centre Board of Education will be held on Thursday, Jan. 5, at 7 p.m. in the South Side High School auditorium at 150 Shepherd St.

Mothers’ Club Winter Wonderland dance

The St. Agnes Cathedral School’s Mothers’ Club will host its annual Winter Wonderland dance on Friday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Msgr. Kelly Parish Center at 29 Quealy Place in Rockville Centre, behind the cathedral.

Student-directed plays

South Side High School drama students will put on two performances showcasing a series of student-directed plays on Saturday, Jan. 7, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the school auditorium at 150 Shepherd St. in Rockville Centre.

Having an event?

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

On exhibit

Photography’s ascent in the art world is an international phenomenon. Nassau County Museum of Art’s star-studded exhibition spans the historical roots of the medium. View works by Ansel Adams and his generation and the thrilling, large-format

color works of such contemporary masters as Cindy Sherman, Thomas Struth, James Casebere and Gregory Crewdson, among others. From the documentary to the painterly, images bear witness to the times. On view through March 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Skate on

Long Island Children’s Museum’s “skating rink” is open for a final weekend, Friday through Sunday, Jan. 6-8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Related crafts activities throughout the weekend. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

Diocese names new Chief Human Resources officer

The Diocese of Rockville Centre recently named Allison Cannon to the role of chief human resources officer. She will assume her new position on Jan. 9.

Cannon, who previously served as the chief administrative officer at Quality in Real Time in Floral Park, will lead the diocesan human resources team.

The diocesan HR offices are based in Hicksville, on the ground of Holy Trinity Diocesan High School. There, Cannon will join the senior operations team, which advises Bishop Barres and diocesan leadership on temporal issues regarding diocesan operations.

“Allison’s broad and deep HR experience is a critical capability that will serve the diocese well now and into the future,” said Father Eric Fasano, the vicar general of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

Cannon joins the diocese from one of the largest coding, billing, and consulting providers in the U.S. for the post-acute healthcare industry. Here she developed and led the human resource division for this fast-growing company, which was later acquired by McBee Associates in 2020.

She worked on the post-acquisition of the two companies in the areas of employee integration, culture integration, and retention during that period. During her years with Quality in Real Time, Cannon was responsible for developing and maintaining the strategic people plan for the company as well as for all HR matters including benefit management, recruitment and retention, onboarding, compensation and performance analysis, succession planning, training and development and employee engagement and relationships.

“I am extremely grateful to Bishop Barres and his team for this opportunity,” Cannon said. “My faith has been an

important part of my life and the opportunity to serve the Diocese of Rockville Centre is both humbling and exciting. The continued success of the diocese is due to the excellent, committed, passionate and engaged people who work for it, and I look forward to getting to know and support all throughout the diocese.”

Cannon previously worked for nine years at St. John’s University in the legal division. There, she worked on HR investigations and complaints, employee and union matters, collective bargaining negotiations, and policy development.

She is a graduate of the Unviersity of Albany and holds a Master’s in government and politics with a concentration in public administration from St. John’s University.

News brief

Hochul signs ‘Nightlife Narcan’ legislation

Assemblywoman Judy Griffin recently hailed New York Governor Kathy Hochul for signing her “Nightlife Narcan” legislation.

“I am so proud to close out 2022 with the signing of this vital legislation,” Griffin said in a release. “Once enacted, this measure has the potential to save lives across New York State. With the everincreasing rise of fentanyl-laced drugs, people can unexpectedly overdose in a matter of minutes.”

Griffin said that statistics show overdoses more frequently occur at nightlife establishments. By creating a public-private partnership between the state and willing nightlife establishments, she feels that this could spare families of the devastating heartache of potentially losing a loved one to an overdose.

“These tragic deaths are preventable, and we have conscientious local business owners across Long Island and through-

out New York State who are eager to be equipped with training and resources that will enable them to assume a role in these crucial lifesaving minutes,” Griffin said in a statement.

This legislation was inspired by a similar pilot program, which provided nightlife establishments with Narcan so that in the vent of an opioid related overdose, they would have the necessary tools to try and prevent it.

“Please know you are not alone,” Griffin said. “There are amazing service providers bringing hope to our fellow New Yorkers and their families every single day, and I deeply appreciate their commitment to seeing this lifesaving bill through to law.”

If you or a family member are struggling with addiction, help is available 24/7 at 1-877-8-HOPENY or via text at 467369.

Submitted Diocese of Rockville Centre

Courtesy Diocese of Rockville Centre Allison CAnnon will assume her post as chief human resources officer on Jan. 9.

Submitted Assemblywoman Judy Griffin.

James “Jimmy” Byrne

James Joseph Byrne died suddenly on Dec. 20, 2022 at the age of 54. He was a cherished husband to his wife, Liz, to whom he was married for 24 years, and a devoted father to his two children, Jack and Eileen.

“He was extremely generous, compassionate, and always had a bright smile on his face,” his wife said. “A truly wonderful coworker, parent, and coach.”

Byrne was born and raised in Rockville Centre, where he attended the St. Agnes Cathedral School. He was adored by his siblings Christine Ahern (deceased Brian), John (Jean), Kerri Reynolds (Terrence), and Jean Marie Griffo, and was most appreciated by his nieces and nephews, Danielle, Jenna, Matthew, Sean, Kaitlin, Kelly, Briana, Christopher, Jacklyn, and Billy, who he always enjoyed spending time with.

In high school he caddied at the Rockville Centre Links Club, and through his will and determination, was able to put himself through college at St. John’s University. He went on to have a successful career as a bond broker for the US government and most recently, worked for the international financial

services company, TradeWeb Markets.

When he was not working, he spent much of his time on the golf course. He could often be found on the links at the Garden City Golf Club or Cape Cod National, where he most enjoyed being with his many friends. His wife said that he loved the sport so much that he would even travel to Europe for the opportunity to play.

He was a well-loved and respected friend, husband, and father. Both of his children would also attend school at St. Agnes, where, as a parent and CYO basketball coach was very involved.

Family and friends were invited to attend visitation for Jimmy Byrne on Thursday, Dec. 22, at Macken Mortuary, 52 Clinton Ave. in Rockville Centre. A funeral service followed on Friday, Dec. 23 at St. Agnes Cathedral, 29 Quealy Place in Rockville Centre.

In lieu of flowers, donations will be graciously accepted to the Mary Ruchalski Foundation, 28 Bulson Road, Rockville Centre, NY 11570. Venmo: @TheMaryRuchalskiFoundation

–Daniel Offner

John “Paul” Coogan died peacefully at 77, on Monday, Dec. 19, 2022, after a battle with cancer.

Paul was born on Feb. 7, 1945, to Jack and Alice Coogan and was the younger brother of the late Mary Alice. Paul spent his childhood in East Rockaway and Long Beach.

After graduating from Xavier High School in NYC, he earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1966, followed by his law degree from Fordham University. Paul married Mary Elaine McArdle in 1973, and their son Jack was born in 1980. The family resided in Rockville Centre for 42 wonderful years.

Paul was an avid sports fan. He was a past president and member of the Hempstead Golf and Country Club, and his love of golf took him on numerous golf trips, both domestic and abroad, including a few rounds at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland.

The New York Yankees, Paul’s favorite baseball team, were regularly on TV, and he was quite proud of his baseball knowledge, often ready to test his friends with a trivia question. Paul was a New York Islanders season tickethold-

er and was in attendance for the Islander’s first Stanley Cup win over the Philadelphia Flyers in 1980. Horse racing and gambling were also favorite pastimes.

His favorite pastime was cheering on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on college football Saturdays. Most years, he and Jack would attempt to see at least one game in person –home or away. If he wasn’t traveling to see them, he was fixed in front of the TV with a bowl of onion dip and a bag of potato chips.

Paul and Elaine retired to Fort Myers, Florida, where they enjoyed golf, sunshine, and socializing with new and longtime friends within the Heritage Palms community.

Paul is survived by his son, Jack, daughter-in-law, Katie, grandchildren, Paul and Molly, and his beloved dog, Lucy, who was by his side day and night. He was exceedingly proud of his family and will be greatly missed by his son, grandchildren, family, and longtime friends.

A memorial mass will be held on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023; at St John XXIII Catholic Church in Fort Myers, Florida at 1:30 p.m.

John “Paul” Coogan

James “Jimmy” Byrne

Herald Sc H ool S

South Side students make first quarter honor roll

11th Grade High Honor Roll

Onorato, Bianca M

Papadopulos, Nicholas J

Parker, Ava G

Parker, Trey P

Paternostro, Ava G

Paulino, Alyson L

Pefanis, Giulianna D

Pennecke, Fiona L

Perry, Alexander X

Petrone, Alissa Jane

Piccola, Juliette A

Picone, Michele H

Porter, Hannah C

Prezioso, Samantha F

Prince, Noelle E

Puccio, Thomas James

Puello, Sophia

Quirk, Sean C

Reardon, Lucy A Reid, Emma G

Reinholdt, Kelsie E

Remy, Preston Rodriguez, Jaylein V

Rosa, Sergio M

Rossiello, Dominic P

Russell, Brendan P

Russell, Maggie E

Ryan, Delia P

Salazar, Antonio D

Sciacca, Kevin A

Sciallis, Harrison O Shakham, Sofia H Shrimpton, Jack Sitterly, Emma C Skrodzki, Natalia Slade, Grace E Smith, Madeline R Souto, Joseph S Spicknell, Nicola Grace Steere, Madeline C Sullivan IV, James J Synnott, Thomas Taran, Jude S Tarpey, Ronan J Tear, Sarah D Testa, Avery J Truesdell, Leann E Turner, Allana H Vargas, Alex Johel Vargas, Sofia R Varvaro, Sydney M Vasconez, Keira L Villalta, Derek S Waller, Jillian R Wang, Liam M West, Owen R Young, Matthew Joseph Zamor, Richard W Zervas, Laura N

12th Grade Honor Roll

Altman, Abigail S Aranki, Ava R Ardito, Julia G Brandon, William G Brown, Jack H Brutus, Hersy J Brutus, Rolph F Cardi, Nicholas B Coico, Keira E DiClemente, Sofia Espinal, Leander Gallagher, Reese C Gigante, Taylor Nicole Grella, Robert A

Gutierrez Gonzalez, Kelvin Hendry, Brian T Hosford, Connor M Jahn, Nicholas J Joseph, Brendan L Lennon, Jacob D Mann, Charlotte F Martinez-Medina, Kayla C McClelland, James P Meehan, Aidan Joseph Milone, Dominick R Moone, Robert M Nellis, Christopher A O’Connell, Callie E O’Keeffe, Thomas M

Peralta, Justin P Rhodes, Nicholas A Rosenbaum, Christopher R Schaefer, Jack Michael Scorcia Caroccia, Aiden T Stewart, Chloe Kaleah Tassani, Jonathan A Thompson, Haven N Waiters, Alanna Y Wettstein, Robert M Woram, Kieran Michael Yarris, Juliana R.

12th Grade High Honor Roll

Acosta, Elias Fernando Aguirre, Darcy B

Aramayo, Evan Guillermo Araneo, Alice M

Aromiskis, Drew M Backus, Kelsie L Baetens, Taylor N Barrett, Bridget M Barshak, Hannah R Bartolomeo, Alexandra Bath, Logan M Batkin, Graham W Bechtle Jr, Christopher Bee, Jacquelyn E Belling, Gavin James Bernabeu, Spencer M

Beyrer, Timothy James Bivona, James A Bo, Cara S Bo, Mark A Bo, Michael A Bochilo, Annie N Bohan, Christopher K Borruso, Sarah E Boyens, Ava L

Bradley, Michael J Brazzano, Francesca R Britt, Sean J

Burgie, Vanessa N Byrne, Owen R

Cedrone, Thomas J Chanda, Ayush Chanda, Shudi Chiffriller, Margaret O

Clark, Loren S Coles, Isabella M

Coletti, Cameron R Collins, Ava E Colvin, Maggie R Conley, Maureen Connors, Katherine M Cook, Jamie R

See more from the South Side High School High Honor Roll next week.

BEAUTY HEALTH & WELLNESS

www.LiChoiceAwards.com!

ORTHOPEDIC GROUP: Mirza Orthopedics

Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic Group

The Central Orthopedic Group

ORTHOPEDIST: Craig L. Levitz, MD Justin Mirza, DO William A. Facibene, MD

PAIN MANAGEMENT: Hadi Medical Group - Long Beach Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic Group

Pain Institute of Long Island

PEDIATRIC DENTIST: Charles Pillar, DDS

Denise Cohen, DMD

Jennifer S. Zuckerman, DDS

PEDIATRICIAN: Matthew S. Cohen, MD

Roberto N. Marchitelli, MD

Stuart Schiff, DO

Vicki Ellin Jetter, MD

New York Brain Center

NSPC Brain and Spine Surgery | Long Island

The Stroke & Brain Aneurysm Center of Long Island

CARDIOLOGIST: Beevash Ray, MD

David Hersh, MD, FACC

Thierry Duchatellier, MD

CBD STORE: Curaleaf NY Carle Place

Natural Remedies - Merrick Sea Cliff Hemp Co.

CHIROPRACTOR: Adam Kritzberg, DC

Jill Feldhurn, DC

Matthew E. Goldschmidt, DC, PC

COSMETIC SURGEON: Antonio L. Uria, MD

Ari Hoschander, MD

James C. Marotta, MD

COSMETIC SURGERY GROUP: KH Plastic Surgery

Long Island Plastic Surgical Group, PC

Marotta Plastic Surgery Specialists

DENTIST: Alina Bergan, DDS, PC

Joshua S. Rolnick, DDS

Yefim Khanimov, DDS

DERMATOLOGIST: Elie B. Lowenstein, MD

Suzanne J. Sirota Rozenberg, DO

Tina Funt, MD

GENERAL PRACTICE DOCTOR: Carolyn M. Castiglia, DO

Ralph K. Della Ratta, MD

Sarah Marie Spadafina, MD

HAIR SALON:

Ambiance Salon

Belle Beauty Salon Spa

East Coast Hair Studio

HEALTH INSURANCE AGENCY: Grober Imbey Insurance Agency

JLS Insurance Solutions

UnitedHealthcare

HEALTH INSURANCE AGENT: Alexander Anderson - Allstate Insurance Jay Silverman - JLS Insurance Solutions

Michael Krantz - UnitedHealthcare

Calla Lily Rose Beauty Spa

Calmer U Holistic Health Center & Spa Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa

MEDICAL SUPPLY: Health Mart Pharmacy LifeVac LLC

Long Beach Surgical Supply

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES/ORGANIZATION: New Horizon Counseling Center North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center Tempo Group, Inc.

NEUROLOGIST: Arthur E. Farkash, MD Mariel Brooke Deutsch, MD Tej-Preet Singh, MD

NEUROSURGEON: Daniel E. Choi, MD Kimon Bekelis, MD, FAANS Salvatore J. Palumbo, MD, FACS

NURSING HOME: Beach Terrace Care Center Grandell Rehabilitation and Nursing Center South Shore Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

OB/GYN: Arnelle H. Blinderman, MD Betsy Lantner, MD

Thomas Erhart, DO

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY: Metro Physical & Aquatic Therapy NY Physical Therapy & Wellness Theralympic Speech Therapy

ONCOLOGIST: Doron Weiner, MD

Ryan Sugarman, MD Vincent Paul Vinciguerra, MD

OPHTHALMOLOGIST: Brad Kligman, MD Richard C. Nauheim, MD Stanley J. Berke, MD

OPTOMETRIST: Gail E. Correale, OD Steven B. Agin, OD Yael E. Gatenio, OD Doctor of Optometry

ORTHODONTIST: Christopher Paladino, DDS Natalie Bitton, DDS Seth Kleinrock, DDS

PEDICURE: Beach Nails Belle Beauty Salon Spa

Bewitched at Cheveux Salon

PHYSICAL THERAPIST: Joseph Cottone

Michael DeFeo, DPT Timothy Stauder, DPT

PHYSICAL THERAPY: Metro Physical & Aquatic Therapy

NY Physical Therapy & Wellness

Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy

PODIATRIST: Gideon P. Tarrash, DPM

Jay Kerner, DPM & Daniel Zilberbrand, DPM Michael Klein, DPM

REHABILITATION CENTER: Beach Terrace Care Center

Grandell Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

South Shore Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

SPA/MEDICAL SPA: Clarity Spa

Dolce Aesthetics

Rainforest Med Spa

SPEECH THERAPY: Suffolk Center for Speech The Speech Language Place Theralympic Speech Therapy

SPINE CENTER: New York Spine Institute

Spine Medicine & Surgery of Long Island

The Central Orthopedic Group

URGENT CARE CENTER:

AFC Urgent Care

CityMD Urgent Care

Northwell Health - GoHealth Urgent Care

VEIN/VASCULAR CENTER: Island Vein Specialists of Mineola

Long Island Heart & Vascular Specialist

USA Vein Clinics

WAXING:

Calla Lily Rose Beauty Spa

European Wax Center

Wax Addictss

WEIGHT LOSS CENTER: New York Bariatric Group

Nu Med - Med Spa & Integrative Wellness

Ultra Body Weight Loss Centers

Congrats to all the Top 3 Finalists in the 2022 Herald Long Island Choice Awards presented by PSEG Long Island!

each week for the Top 3 Reveal in each category leading up to the Oscar-style awards ceremony in April 2023.

top?

*Finalists are listed alphabetically, not in order of placement.

LEGAL NOTICE

Village of Rockville Centre

Nassau County, New York Notice of Board of Zoning Appeals

Hearing Date: January 11, 2023

Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 340 Rockville Centre Village Code NOTICE

IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Appeals of the Village of Rockville Centre will hold a Zoning Appeals Hearing at the Eugene J. Murray Village Hall 1 College Place, Rockville Centre at 7:00 p.m.

LEGAL NOTICE

January 11, 2023, at 7:00 PM Case # 39-2022 - Nuvo Development Partners LLC - Continued from December 7th, 2022

To construct a selfstorage building, within a “Business A District” which requires sixty-four (64) parking spaces where seven (7) nonconforming spaces are provided with no with driveways and aisles as per the standards and dimensions of Charts I, II and III where driveways and isles are required.

Premises known as 490-500 Sunrise Highway Case # 01-2023 - David Monaco

To construct an in-ground swimming pool 18’ x 38’ with a proposed rear yard setback of 5.5 feet and a side yard setback of 8.9 feet where 10.0 feet is the minimum required, pool equipment 5.7 ft from the property line where 10.0 feet is the minimum required and fencing 6 feet high surrounding pool equipment not within the rear setback line of the principal dwelling, within a Residence A district.

Premises known as 95 Yale Place Case # 02-2023 - Shari & Daniel Levine

To construct a two-story rear addition with interior alterations with a proposed principal building lot coverage of 34% where 30.0% is the maximum allowable, impervious lot coverage of 50% where 45 % is the maximum allowable, and a Floor Area Ratio of 54.4% where the maximum allowable is 50% in a Residence A district.

Premises known as 24 Tarence Street

Case # 03-2022 - John & Daniela D’Amato

To construct a one-story side addition with rear roofed over wooden porch with a proposed principal building / accessory lot coverage of 30.3% /31.2% where 25%/30.0% is the maximum allowable lot coverage of a lot exceeding 8,000 sq. feet, corner plot front yard setback of 11.4 feet on the longest street frontage where 20.0 feet is the minimum required, in a Residence A district.

Premises known as 1 Wright Road Case # 04-2023 - John Mongiello

To construct a two-story side addition with interior alterations on a corner plot with a setback of 23 feet 2 inches on the shortest street where the Average Front Yard Setback is 28 feet 10 inches and the minimum required, Lot Coverage of 15%/39.42% exceeding 25%/30 the maximum allowable, and an Impervious Surface Area of 55.9% exceeding the maximum of 45% in a Residence A district.

Premises known as 108 Liberty Avenue Dated: December 28, 2022

BOARD OF APPEALS OF THE VILLAGE OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE, Rockville Centre, New York

J. Robert Schenone, Chairman Patrick D. O’Brien, Secretary Information and records for appeals cases are available at the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Appeals, 110 Maple Avenue, RVC, NY 136509

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE UNDER SECURITIZATION SERVICING AGREEMENT DATED AS OF AUGUST 1, 2005 STRUCTRED ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATION, STRUCTURED ASSET INVESTMENT LOAN TRUST MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-HE3 Plaintiff, Against FOLMAREMI ABIOLA, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 2/1/2018, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501. This Auction will be held rain or shine on 1/19/2023 at 2:30 PM, premises known as 1288 Dekoven Street, Rockville Centre, NY 11570, and described as follows:

Incorporated Village of Rockville Centre, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 38, Block 432 and Lot 135. Approximate amount of Judgment is $997,915.92 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 002601/2013. 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.

Peter Famighetti, Esq., Referee

Greenspoon Marder, 590 Madison Avenue, Suite 1800, New York, NY 10022, Attorneys for Plaintiff 136163

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT: NASSAU COUNTY.

News briefs

Village Hall to officially reopen on January 10

Eugene J. Murray Village Hall at 1 College Place in Rockville Centre was temporarily relocated to 34 Maple Ave., the former home of the Rockville Centre Police Department, in order to renovate the facility’s HVAC system and bathroom.

Mayor Francis Murray said that after having been closed for several months due to the renovations, the municipal offices will return to Village Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 8 a.m.

“Originally constructed in 1892 as the first South Side High School, our Village Hall has been through alterations to customize the building to accommodate the needs of our growing village over the years,” Murray said in a statement. “We look forward to be back ‘home’ to serve our residents.”

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice of Public Hearing

Village of Rockville Centre

Nassau County, New York Meeting Date: January 9th, 2023

Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 330 Rockville Centre Village Code NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Exterior Design Review Board of the Village of Rockville Centre will have a Public Hearing at the Eugene J. Murray Village Hall, 1 College Place, Rockville Centre

LEGAL NOTICE January 9, 2023 at 7:00 PM Case No. 16-2022 Nessa Acquisitions LLC 566 Merrick Road Rockville Centre, NY 11570

Description: To construct a one story addition, with partial basement, mezzanine, and interior alterations.

Premises known as: 566 Merrick Road

The Exterior Design Review Board OF THE VILLAGE OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE

Eugene Murray Village Hall, Rockville Centre, New York

George Bella, Chairperson of the consultants to The Exterior Design Review Board

Thomas Domanico, Secretary to The Consultants Information and records for Exterior Design Review cases are available the Office of the Secretary, 110 Maple Avenue, RVC 136508

ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Rockville Centre, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 38 Block 114 Lot 905, 906 & 907. The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $557,690.22 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 15-010953

Janine Lynam, Esq., Referee. McCabe, Weisberg & Conway, LLC, Suite 205, 10 Midland Ave, Port Chester, NY 10573 Dated: 11/3/2022 File Number: 15-315268 PCO 135939

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, ONE WEST BANK, FSB, Plaintiff, vs. ROBERT SILVERMAN, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on November 9, 2021 and a Short Form Order duly entered on October 14, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on January 24, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 15 Shell Bank Place a/k/a 15 Shellbank Court, Rockville Centre, NY 11570. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the

BERGEN STREET COMMONS LLC, Pltf. vs NORTH VILLAGE CENTRE INC., et al, Defts. Index #615259/2020. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered Oct. 11, 2022, I will sell at public auction on the north side front steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, NY on January 24, 2023 at 2:30 p.m., prem. k/a 43 North Village Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY a/k/a Section 38, Block 295, Lot 3. Said property located at a point on the Easterly side of Village Avenue, distant 76.57 ft. Northerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the Easterly side of Village Avenue and the Northerly side of Sunrise Highway (formerly known as Observer Street); Running thence NE, 29.70 feet; Thence SE, 110.45 feet; Thence SW, 29.80 feet; Thence NW, 104.75 ft. to the Easterly side of Village Avenue, the point or place of beginning. Approx. amt. of judgment is $1,305,506.85 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Foreclosure auction will be held “rain or shine.” If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the auction. JANE P. SHRENKEL, Referee. JAY L. YACKOW, Attys. for Pltf., 355 Post Avenue, Ste. 201, Westbury, NY. #99918 136161

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: Zephyr Tax and Advisory LLC. Articles of Organization were filed

In order to help facilitate the move back to Village Hall, the building will be closed to the public on Friday, Jan. 6 and Monday, Jan. 9, and will not be open for in

person payments. Noncash payments can still be made at the drop box or via the village website at RVCNY.gov.

–Daniel Offner

RVC Little League to create a Hall of Fame

Rockville Centre Little League President Peter Klugewicz and the board of directors recently announced plans to create a Hall of Fame, honoring the players, coaches, administrators, founders, and past teams.

Chairman Frank Keating said that the 2023 Hall of Fame induction class includes players Bill Carey and Chris Carter of the 1978 Easter Regional Champions. It will also include coaches Charlie Jansen and Bob Glover, administrator and 10-year president Bob Klein, and founders William Seward and John Nofi, who created the minor league, opening the organization to more children in the early ‘50s.

The induction ceremony will be held during the Little League parade and Opening Day festivities on Saturday, April 23. In the event of inclement weather, the parade may be postponed, but the induction ceremony and family cocktail party will take place rain or shine at 11:30 a.m.

This year marks the Little League’s 72nd year of operations and the 45th anniversary of the 1978 Eastern Regional Championship.

The Rockville Centre team was the

Public Notices Public

first on Long Island to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The ’78 team received multiple mentions this past year, when the Massapequa Coast Little League advanced to the 2022 World Series almost 44 years later.

The Rockville Centre Little League Hall of Fame selection committee is chaired by Keating and consists of Dan Lennon, Tom Michels, John Aicher, and Mike Lawless. Each were All-Star players during their Little League careers and most served as coaches for their children’s teams and a few became board members or administrators.

The next board meeting of the RVC Little League will take place on Monday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at MacArthur Park, 1 Maple Ave. in Rockville Centre.

Those interested in joining the Little League this spring, can register in-person at the John A. Anderson Recreation Center, 111 N. Oceanside Rd. in Rockville Centre, on Saturday, Jan. 7 and Saturday, Jan. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon. and Wednesday, Jan. 11 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Online registration is available to returning players only.

Herald File Photo

EugEnE J. Murray Village Hall in Rockville Centre will officially reopen following a series of renovations to the building’s HVAC systems and bathrooms.

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My building’s in need of a tenant

Q. I have a building that has been unoccupied for three years. I bought it because it was going to have a long-term tenant. They backed out, so I need to get the building rented. I have a prospect who wants me to get the permits for their animal grooming service operation, with possible overnight boarding. They’re only interested if the permits are ready to go. What is the minimum I can do to get the permit and get the tenant into the building to rent? The building is 8,000 square feet, and the tenant only needs about 5,000. Do I need more permits for another tenant, and can I get them both together to save money? I need to do this quickly, or the tenant will go elsewhere. What can be done?

A. Time and cost are a problem. You probably won’t get results in under seven months to a year. Building plans take time, and must involve the tenant’s specific input as to where walls, plumbing and equipment will be located.

Most people treat plans like they’re just a suggestion, to be changed later, but the reality is that the plans need to show very specifically what will be done. Those plans have to be filed with all the required application papers and a property survey with the building department, which will then put the plans in a lineup with all the other plan folders that come in that will eventually be reviewed. Depending on the size of the community, this process can take three to four months before you first hear back that your plans are objected to or rejected.

Once you learn that you can’t be approved with a straight-away permit, you may request that the file go into a request for varying from the zoning code, since most municipalities do not allow overnight animal boarding. This is the zoning variance request. A zoning case is separate from a building permit, and requires the preparation of a map of the property, along with neighboring properties — sometimes, depending on the community, as far away as 600 feet. For commercial use, some municipalities require that the map show the accurate outline of all buildings and names of tenants and owners on each property, prepared by a licensed land surveyor.

If the plans you submit on behalf of your potential tenant do not reflect the true layout of the shapes and sizes of rooms, the location of equipment, etc., you may find yourself applying again to repeat the process when a building inspector sees that the plans were not followed, so you and the tenant have to treat this process seriously.

Also, if the building is not yet outfitted with sprinklers, plan on another seven- to 10-month process with the fire marshal. It can take less, but this is a common time frame. This process cannot be rushed, and isn’t like getting a driver’s license. Each tenant’s plans will need to be filed for separately. Good luck!

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

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The ups and downs of 2022

Yes, 2022 was quite a year. Politics were at their ugliest. The world was in turmoil. War raged in the Ukraine. Overall, it was a tumultuous year. Here are some thoughts on it. The election had many surprises for New Yorkers. Kathy Hochul became the first elected woman governor in state history, but won her first full term by only 5 percentage points.

JERRY KREMER

Hochul ran a remote campaign, and failed to do local events. Her Republican opponent, Lee Zeldin, made it a closer contest than expected, using the issue of crime effectively.

Long Island made history by electing four Republican members of Congress, who helped their party cement its majority in the House. One of the winners, George Santos, turned out to have lied about his entire resume. Candidates sometimes exaggerate a chapter of their history, but not the entire story. At this writing, Santos was about to be investigated by the Nassau County district attorney. Even if he’s able to hang on to his job, he’ll definitely be a one-term member of Congress.

There were some other big local winners. Nassau Republican chair Joe Cairo’s candidates unseated two state senators, and his party now has seven out of nine Long Island senate seats. We can hope that the winning seven will find a way to work with the two Democrats whose party controls the senate. Cairo also produced a winning margin locally for Zeldin, which helped make the final results much closer.

Love him or not, President Biden had some big victories last year. Congress passed a bipartisan gun control bill, the first of its kind since the early 1990s. Of course, it took a number of major tragedies to spark a major defeat for the National Rifle Association, which had successfully blocked previous bills.

As well, new microchip legislation will pave the way for microchip factories in the United States. New York will get its own major chip facility upstate, which could bring thousands of jobs.

Another bipartisan win was the passage of a major bill that will fund the battle against climate change, a first in the country’s history. New York did its share by passing a $4 billion bond to combat global warming in the state. It will pay for

badly needed repairs to water and sewer systems and provide dollars for new forms of clean energy. Considering the measure’s high cost, its approval by voters was a miracle.

Those voters also sent a clear message to the Albany establishment on the issue of bail reform. Whether or not crime rates are as high in your community as some claim, the State Legislature will have to clean up the current law, or Democrats will take a bigger beating in 2024 and possibly lose control of the Senate.

And 2022 was supposed to be the year when cannabis would be sold at retail dispensaries. Some permits were given to people who’d had marijuana-related convictions, but otherwise the program stalled. New York is far behind Massachusetts and Rhode Island when it comes to legalized pot sales.

Our battle against the coronavirus last winter was successful. The number of New Yorkers suffering from the disease dropped dramatically. Covid vaccines proved to be effective. While mandates to wear masks were finally lifted, wearing masks in 2023 in crowded places will still be effective in keeping the numbers down.

Last November’s election results were historic. Over the past 50-plus years, the

president’s party has almost always lost seats in Congress, and has sometimes lost control of the House or Senate as well. But this time around, the Democrats, who some forecast would lose both houses, surprisingly kept control of the Senate, and almost retained control of the House.

So, 2022 was the year that prosecutors and the Jan. 6 committee painted a vivid picture of numerous wrongdoings by former President Donald Trump. He is facing grand jury deliberations, and even many of his staunchest supporters acknowledge that his reputation has taken a major hit. The failure of the candidates he endorsed in November didn’t help, either. This may be the year that he is called to account for his missteps.

The nation needs a cleansing from Trump’s grip on the Republican Party, which will help both political parties refocus on making government work — or at least they will try. This was quite a year. Hopefully, our leaders will learn from their mistakes, and produce some positive results for we the people.

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.

Happiness is a reach, but we have long arms

Happiness is a reach, but we have long arms

As the new year begins, let us look up to the stars that light our winter nights.

The transition from 2022 to 2023 has been showered with starlight. Fresh off the front lines in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky, the most unlikely of heroes, came to America to thank us for our support, and ask for more. As it turns out, the man in green fatigues roused something in us that had been beaten lifeless over the past few years: pride in our will to do good, faith in our democracy and a clear demarcation between right and wrong. Heroism is a rare commodity, but it walked into Congress on Dec. 21 and reminded us of who we are.

invaded, he stepped out of his old life and into battle dress. His visit to the U.S. shook something loose in our pervasive national cynicism and growing mistrust of one another. Here is a good guy, brave, not afraid to die for his country, a real David against a monstrous Goliath.

The Ukrainians face a winter without heat or running water, under constant bombardment by Russia. Their courage reminds us what death-defying bravery looks like after years of Trumpist self-serving corruption.

RANDI KREISS

“It is often in the darkest skies that we see the brightest stars,” the philosopher Hannah Arendt said. Just in these last weeks, as 2022 ended and as 2023 begins, the sky seems afire with hope.

human-rights and voter-rights legislation through Congress.

Heroes come in unlikely personas at odd times. Cassidy Hutchinson is in the news, too. The 26-year-old former assistant to Mark Meadows, the Trump White House chief of staff, a woman who knows right from wrong, decided to tell the truth about President Trump’s alleged crimes despite enormous pressure to dissemble. It is hard to overstate the significance of her testimony. She is key to the Department of Justice investigation of Trump and the insurrection. A woman who had to look up the history of Watergate to guide her may be key to preserving our democracy.

cal behavior at NYU Langone. The article alleged longstanding policies on the part of hospital administrators to offer favorable treatment to powerful donors and celebrities and political figures. The reporting stood boldly against those who think that might makes right, and in support of those who surrender to privilege or who are resigned to “the way things work.”

In the wake of the Times story, maybe those bending the rules will be held accountable. It’s going around.

The fact that we have newspapers and reporters who sweat the details and follow up and write truth to power is another bright star in our firmament.

Nothing about the Ukrainian presidential visit was business as usual. Zelensky’s superheroic persona was forged in the fires sparked by Russian missiles and tanks. Seems like a minute ago he was an entertainer raising a family in a safe and bustling society. But when the Russians

There was something uplifting in how it all looked: the man from Ukraine hugging the outgoing Speaker of the House and embracing the American president. Political pundits have been busy hounding aging boomers out of the public spotlight and urging older statespeople to retire. Yet it was 82-year-old Nancy Pelosi and 80-year-old Joe Biden who were getting things right, and getting the people’s work done. It was 72-year-old Sen. Chuck Schumer who pushed some critical

Then there’s the January 6th congressional committee and its 800-somethingpage report, released during these weeks of wonder. Another unlikely force for good, the committee, over 18 months, compiled a detailed and disturbing account of a rogue presidency, an attempted coup, and a coterie of accomplices to crimes against our nation.

Accountability is in the air, and it isn’t only playing out in our government. More locally, The New York Times recently ran a front-page story detailing alleged unethi-

For these many years of political travail and pandemic grief, newspapers have kept us informed. Stories like the expose on NYU prove that we have people in our profession who care about public corruption and work hard to bring it to light.

Correspondents on the ground in Ukraine risk their lives every day to bring us the human story unfolding there.

We survived the shortest day of the year. As the daylight lingers, is it harmony in our homeland we see in the new year? Moments of happiness? Certainly the stars are brilliant in our cold, dark skies, and we can read that as hope.

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

I s it harmony in our homeland we see in the new year? Moments of happiness?

This was quite a year. We can hope that our leaders will learn from their mistakes.

When ‘it’s just government’ isn’t an excuse

it’s a new year. A time of renewal. A time when we look ahead to brighter days.

Many people, however, woke up a couple of days before Christmas to heavy rain and wind that once again brought a frightening amount of flooding to residential streets and primary roadways.

The early-winter storm evoked memories of 2012’s Hurricane Sandy, which was considered a once-in-a-century weather event. One South Shore resident even said that the storm was “giving me Sandy vibes.”

As early-morning motorists maneuvered through small rivers of water, it wasn’t surprising that some thought, “No, not again.” But they may have scratched their heads at the next thought: “Where are all those Sandy flood-mitigation projects we were promised?”

Less than a year after Sandy, New York state — under the direction of then Gov. Andrew Cuomo — established the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery to centralize the rebuilding and recovery efforts. One of its programs, New York Rising Community Reconstruction, empowered local communities to provide input into resiliency projects. Sandy was one of three storms — along with Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee in 2011 — that were under the storm recovery office’s umbrella.

Roughly $4.4 billion was made available to the state through federal funding for an assortment of resiliency projects as well as for residential home rebuilding. For the NYRCR program, communities assembled committees of civic leaders. There were public meetings. Engineers were consulted. Ideas were exchanged. Public comment

letters

Does the columnist understand the waves?

To the Editor:

Re Matthew Adarichev’s column “The red wave that wasn’t, and the crime wave that isn’t” (Dec. 8-14):

I guess Adarichev didn’t see or understand the election results here, where people rejected the Democrats’ message of being soft on crime and bail reform.

He writes that fear of crime enabled Republicans to pull the red wave here.

So let me get this straight: We were supposed to elect people who couldn’t care less about us being free and safe in our neighborhood and homes while democracy and inflation were the two top issues?

The left loves throwing the word “democracy” around, but when you ask them for a definition, their minds go blank.

Adarichev goes on to say that there’s no

was collected.

From the list of NYRCR projects provided by the storm recovery office, 45 have been completed in Nassau County, while 30 others are in progress. These projects total nearly $334 million. GOSR has done a heck of a job.

However, getting to this point is one thing, but finishing is something else. What started as a well-run program looks as if it’s going to be a tough haul to complete.

Local officials tasked with cooperating with their state counterparts have found the process, which continues today, annoyingly slow and frustrating. There have been too many meetings, too much talk, and a lack of coordination — to the point where it felt like projects were constantly stopping and starting.

One of the problems appears to have been self-inflicted. As local officials pushed to move the projects forward, not only were there too many personnel changes in the state storm-recovery office, but the incoming officials, based in New York City, were unfamiliar with Long Island. Some projects went through nearly 10 iterations. It seemed that the process had to start from scratch any time there was a change in GOSR leadership.

Storm recovery representatives were also constantly interpreting federal language differently, creating more bumps in the road. The large volume of paperwork that moved back and forth between municipalities — requirements put in place by federal agencies as a response to the rampant fraud, waste and abuse of funds after Hurricane Katrina —slowed projects down.

Then, in 2020, the world shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. Projects that were in the works were given extensions because of unforeseen conditions that created supply-chain issues. That was understandable.

But don’t misunderstand: Much has been accomplished. There is a pump station in Cedarhurst, for example, that surely could help reduce flooding on Peninsula Boulevard.

Cuomo’s idea of having one central entity to oversee the projects was a good one. And the grass-roots NYRCR program won numerous national awards. But as more projects move forward, the state’s execution needs to be better. Now that there is a record of what was done — good and bad — there should be an audit, and what is learned from it should be applied as soon as possible.

The state’s newly created — and much more permanent — Office of Resilient Homes and Communities will now take over the storm recovery office portfolio. We hope that a permanent department will mean less staff shuffling and a streamlining of the bureaucracy. Importantly, state officials need to be more familiar with the communities they are supposed to be helping.

At one of many public meetings held several years ago, one resident was heard to say, “It’s just government,” in response to proposed plans that neighbors did not completely agree with.

That’s not an excuse our government should hide behind. To start the new year off right, the state should move the remaining projects to completion as soon as possible — before the next storm strikes.

Does Kirsten Gillibrand care about Long Islanders?

new York state’s missing U.S. senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, recently surfaced on Long Island. That must mean that Gillibrand finally got around to analyzing November’s election results and the near-death experience that will be seared into Gov. Kathy Hochul’s memory. Say what you will about our senior senator, Chuck Schumer — and there’s much to say — at least he knows where Long Island is. Before he became majority leader, Schumer seemed to be on the Island every weekend, holding news conferences on topics ranging from baby products to the width of airline seats. He understood the power of Long Island’s potent voter base and its propensity to swing right or left, depending on issues and personalities.

Schumer has been in our faces, like him or not, because he understands politics and the importance of engaging voters. He has long recognized that if you take Long Island for granted, you do so at your own political peril.

Gillibrand? She has long been absent on issues. Absent on voter engagement.

Absent on personal appearances. Just plain absent. Even Newsday was compelled at one point to ask, “Where is she?”

Well, you can tell that she has checked the calendar, and discovered that re-election is just two years away. Last month she met with journalists in Melville. In what was described as a wide-ranging discussion, Gillibrand announced that Long Island’s “red wave” would end in 2024. While suggesting that her party was trounced in November because “a lot of Long Island is libertarian,” she added, “I intend to run for re-election and win the state back, along with Long Island.”

These are bold words from someone who has failed to make a serious connection with Long Island voters. Over the years, Gillibrand has made a handful of announcements about federal programs, with little evidence that she pursued them specifically for our region, or even the state. In some instances, she has simply piggybacked off press statements from Schumer’s office.

To be fair, a search reveals that she held a town hall meeting at Hofstra in October. At that event, in which she engaged with students, the focus was the

Letters

crime wave, and that it’s OK to steal your catalytic converter. These thieves aren’t looking for their next meal or hanging out at soup kitchens. They are highly organized criminals, along with a few complicit junkyard owners, netting hundreds of thousand of dollars a year.

It sickens Adarichev that there’s another shooting, another corpse and some boyfriend beating up his girlfriend.

No mention of how the victims feel being pushed in front of a train or mugged on the street, or of bullets shot through children’s bedroom windows. Welcome to the world of bail reform, criminals’ get-out-of-jailfree card. But according to Matt, we have nothing to worry about.

Then he brings up a price cap to reduce the cost of gas. Here’s an idea: open drilling and exploration, like the last administration did. We were energy-independent and gas was $2 a gallon.

Now President Biden begs for gas from Venezuela, which is run by a dictator, and Saudi Arabia, which still hasn’t come clean about 9/11.

MICHAEL APPICE

Westbury

Government shouldn’t control energy on L.I.

To the Editor:

The recent column by Ronald Rosenberg (“‘Energy efficient’ may become a contradiction in terms,” Dec. 1-7) hits the nail on the head. Proposed moves away from the current public/private energy setup, which works well, are supported by left-wing activists who want further government control.

Current conventional energy producers and purveyors tend to be Republican and conservative. The cries for clean and green energy have less to do with saving the planet and more to do with consolidating power among Democrats and socalled progressives. More and more analysis has shown that electric cars, wind power and solar power are fraught with failures. Wake up, folks — the real goal here is to consolidate power among the radical left, not to save the planet.

MIKE TARTAGLIA Franklin Square

Supreme Court’s ruling on abortion. She told the Herald that she was in favor of term-limiting the justices. Ironically, that’s a suggestion she has not proffered for members of the Senate.

Gillibrand described herself as “very progressive” in her Melville interview, which raises the question: Just how far out of step is she with the majority of New Yorkers and those Long Island “libertarians” who voted in the last election cycle? Does she appreciate that being “very progressive” may serve to short-circuit a primary challenge from the left, but leaves her totally at odds with moderates in both parties?

Being frightened of a left-wing primary challenge led Hochul to ignore such profound issues as crime, high taxes, and municipal zoning authority. Her election night turned rather tense as returns demonstrated that a state with nearly twice as many Democrats as Republicans wasn’t going to give her the margin of victory her consultants were touting.

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin has given no indication of what he plans to do for the next two years. He has been mentioned as a potential choice as the next state GOP chairman, who could infuse new blood and strategic vision into that posi-

tion. There is also speculation that he could run for Senate, confronting Gillibrand’s progressive candidacy with the grounded policies of moderates and conservatives who want an engaged senator who knows the difference between AOC and the LIE.

Another Long Islander who would make a formidable opponent to Gillibrand is Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. He has quickly established his credentials as a tireless campaigner who embraces policies that are welcomed by those who describe themselves as Republicans, as well as independents who are in search of common sense. Comfortable before the media, popular “at home” and dedicated to public service, Blakeman would be an attractive candidate on many levels.

While two years is a lifetime in politics, Gillibrand’s recent return to Long Island is like Halley’s Comet, an event that happens very rarely. And her description of our red wave as the product of a bunch of libertarians is a reflection of the fact that she may visit every once in a while, but she doesn’t know us. And never has.

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

Framework by Tim Baker

Preparing to ring it in at the Electric Light Parade — Long Beach

the senator may visit every once in a while, but she doesn’t know us, and never has.

ronaLd J. rosenBerG