Rockville Centre Herald 01-19-2023

By DANIEl oFFNER doffner@liherald.com

The St. Agnes Cathedral School’s Dinner Dance will be held at the Long Island Marriott in Uniondale on Feb. 4, following a three-year hiatus necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Cecilia St. John, principal of the Rockville Centre school, said she was looking forward to once again spending an evening in the company of friends and family

from the school community.

“It’s our biggest event of the year,” St. John said. “It’s a night where we honor our past parents and benefactors for their continued support and commitment to the school.”

The annual event recognizes members of the school community for their continued support for Catholic education. This year’s honorees include Carmine and Lynda Rubino, who will be presented with the St. Thomas

Aquinas award for their ongoing contributions to the St. Agnes grammar school.

The Rubinos said that when they moved to Rockville Centre in the 1990s, they were considering placing their kids in the public school district, but changed their minds after attending an open house at the St. Agnes school.

“Our minds were made up

Mobile app will enhance school security

By DANIEl oFFNER doffner@liherald.com

Concern for student safety and security remains a top priority in the Rockville Centre school district, which has continued to look for ways to update and modernize its facilities to prepare for the possibility of a school shooting.

The efforts to improve security come less than eight months after a gunman shot and killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

At the district Board of Education’s Jan. 5 meeting, John Murphy, the assistant superintendent for human resources, gave the trustees an update on what he describes as a myriad of upgrades made at district schools, including the recent implementation of the Rave Mobile Safety application, which has helped to make the facilities more secure.

Rave Mobile was first presented to school officials last September during a talk by Nassau County Police Commissioner

Patrick Ryder, which focused on accessing the tools to “prevent and respond” in the event of a shooting.

“It’s all about time,” Ryder explained. “Slowing the shooter, getting the cops there faster, protecting people inside the building. And that’s how we save lives.”

Murphy said that the average response time for police using the Rave app is just 1½ to two minutes — significantly faster than the average 911 response time. The app essentially serves as a panic button for a school, alerting the nearest police of a situation on campus. The intention is to help provide law enforcement with access to the building, even if backup units have yet to arrive.

District Superintendent Matt Gaven said that Ryder had gone “above and beyond” to keep school officials aware of the Nassau County Police Department’s latest tactics as they evolve.

“The system not only changes, the guidance sometimes changes,” Gaven said. “What

Tim Baker/Herald

Sonia Hood bids

By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com

Sonia Hood, the central director of curriculum and instruction with the Rockville Centre school district, recently announced that she has accepted a new job as the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for the Elwood school district.

News of her departure was “bittersweet,” according to Superintendent Matt Gaven, who said while he would normally take the next five months to benefit from her expertise and knowledge, she will begin her new job on Jan. 17.

“For me as a person and a colleague, in six months, you came to mean a great deal to me with your expertise, your friendship, what you know, and your passion for kids,” Gaven said. “I want to congratulate you. I am thrilled for you, because you deserve it and because Elwood is getting an outstanding educator that is centered on the needs of kids.”

FERAzANI

Prior to joining the Rockville Centre school district at the end of the 2020-2021 school year, following the Covid-19 pandemic, Hood spent more than 20 years as an educator, assistant principal, and International Baccalaureate director with the Hempstead School District.

While she was able to make a seamless transition into her role in the district, she continued to pursue her doctorate degree from St. John’s University and is currently an adjunct professor at Molloy University. In

schools fond farewell

addition to her work in public schools, she is a published author, a member of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honors Society in education, and a recipient of the 2009 Long Island Business News 40 Under 40 Award.

“You have been amazing,” Trustee Christine Ferazani said during the school board meeting on Jan. 5. “Their gain is our loss.”

Trustee Tara Hackett said that she knew right away that Hood was someone who was going places, and that getting to be part of her journey and watching her grow as an educator has been both a thrill and a pleasure.

“We’re all better for you being here,” Hackett said. “Elwood is going to benefit from your expertise and your knowledge and they will love you as much as we love you. I wish we weren’t losing you, but I am so happy for you. I think you’re just a wonderful human being. You really are a kind, inclusive, knowledgeable leader and I just couldn’t express my gratitude to you more.”

Donna Downing echoed the rest of the board in wishing Hood warm congratulations and a sad farewell. “I’m glad to know you’re moving up and over to another great district that is going to benefit from your dedication,” Downing said. “I have no doubt this is the next important step for you in a wonderfully productive and brilliant career.”

Hood said that as the incoming assistant superintendent of the Elwood schools, she plans to continue to support excellence in teaching and learning in schools.

“There is so much I am going to miss,” Hood said. “Most of all I will miss the students, teachers, administrators, and their collaborative spirit.”

Daniel Offner/Herald SONIA HOOD HAS accepted a new role as the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction with the Elwood school district in Huntington.

CHRISTINE

school board trustee

Molloy honors MLK with Day of Service

Molloy University honored the late-Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Jan. 16, with an entire day of community service activities, workshops and historical tours.

The MLK Day of Service event started in 2019 with the goal of inspiring others to take action within their communities instead of simply treating the national holiday as a day off from school or work.

Their fifth annual MLK Day of Service began with a keynote presentation, entitled “Unearthing Pathways to Consciousness and Action,” by guest speaker Michael Rosino, an assistant professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Molloy, followed by a panel discussion on topics of service, Democratic ethics, community, and personal improvement.

Service activities and historical tours began at 10 a.m., with a training class on CPR. This life-saving technique is used in several emergencies and is good practice for anyone in the event that someone should need to be resuscitated.

Participants also pitched in to help organizations like the Long Island Coalition for Homeless and Midnight Run by collecting much-needed toiletry items for the homeless, and helped prepare “smile bags” and similar care packages which will be distributed to children, teens and seniors in the community and around the world.

The MLK historical tours also provided a unique experience for particpants, who were given the opportunity to see and hear Dr. King’s lost “Fill up the Jails” speech through the use of a virtual reality headset.

Travis Williams of Elmont said that the interactive virtual experience provided the unique opportunity of actually witnessing one of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s iconic speeches.

mary mccormack, ElizabETh Cotter, and Geraldine Moore participate in Molloy University’s MLK Day of Service event.

William shuarT, 12, of Bellmore helps fold boxes during the MLK Day of Service event at Molloy University.

NursiNg sTudENT mElissa Jaco instructs the class on how to correctly perform CPR, during the MLK Day of Service event at Molloy University.

kENdra TEraN, aN 11th grade student from Freeport High School tries out the virtual experience during the MLK Day of Service at Molloy University.

molloy uNivErsiTy’s dEaN of Students Karl Koeppel participates in the MLK Day of Service events.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

–Daniel Offner

The Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (“MAPT”)

For those who don’t qualify for long-term care insurance or can’t afford it, the Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (“MAPT”) can protect your assets from the high cost of long-term care in your home or in a facility.

The MAPT sets up two roadblocks that Medicaid cannot break through. First, you cannot be your own trustee. Usually, one or more of the adult children act as trustee.

Secondly, you, as the creator of the MAPT, are entitled to the income only, not the principal. If you don’t have access to the principal (your home or other assets in the trust), then Medicaid doesn’t have access to the principal. The MAPT makes good sense for assets you’re not going to spend – like your home and investments you’re not using. As we often say, if you don’t need it to live on, then why not protect it for your family instead of losing it to pay for long-term care.

When you apply for Medicaid for nursing home care, if you’ve transferred any assets in the past five years, you are ineligible. The full protection of the trust only takes place five

years after you establish the trust. This is why you want to plan ahead. Under new rules to take effect in the next year or two, you will also need to have the MAPT in place two and half years in advance to be eligible for care in your own home.

The MAPT does not affect your lifestyle. You still receive your pension, social security checks, minimum distributions on your retirement plans, interest and dividends. You have the exclusive right to use and enjoy your home. You keep all your property tax exemptions. You can sell your house, buy a new one, or invest the proceeds, which remain in the trust, still protected.

The MAPT is also flexible. You can change trustees and you can change who you leave it to.

Although the MAPT is an irrevocable trust, not only does it have the flexibility mentioned above, but in New York there is a mechanism to revoke an irrevocable trust. All that is required is for all parties, you and your children, to sign. We even have a workaround just in case one of the children refuses to sign.

District implements new school safety measures

they recommend tactically in different situations changes from time to time as the police learn things.”

In November, members of the Rockville Centre Police Department, the NCPD and the Department of Homeland Security conducted a series of walk-throughs of the schools to make their presence known, and to ensure that specified school personnel who are equipped with the app understand how to operate it if and when that becomes necessary.

“The walk-through has been informational, because when we’re going through these protocols, there is a lot of conventional wisdom that changes from day to day,” Murphy said. “Something as simple as locking the door can be subject to different interpretations, and the police departments have been great sounding boards, as well as verifications for that information.”

Murphy said that he is currently working with Sgt. Peter Pellegrino of the Rockville Centre department on planning drills to better prepare students and staff for what they should do in a worst-case scenario involving an active shooter.

Murphy also indicated that the administration is working with Northwell Health to coordinate what he referred to as “Stop the Bleed” training.

“The worst-case-scenario drills will take on a slightly different feel in different schools, depending on the age of the children,” Murphy explained, adding that the drills may be initiated at atypical times to reflect real-life situations’ uncertainty. “Not that you’re ever going to cover all eventualities, but you can look for the holes in the system and learn from each of them, both in terms of response time, and who did listen and who didn’t.”

As part of the district’s recent security upgrades, more than 100 cameras have been swapped out for newer, higher-reso-

lution models, which can be accessed by police in a major emergency, and new security booths have been installed at the high school.

These security upgrades, which may include the installation of a video intercom system and additional cameras outside the school buildings, Murphy said, are designed to help maintain an atmosphere that is safe while still conducive to learning. “The schools have to be safe, but they’re not lockdown facilities,” he said.

“Everything is not cataclysmic.”

For Rockville Centre schools, the national debate over hiring armed security personnel is largely irrelevant, according to Murphy, since the response by trained police officers is so fast.

“It’s an evolutionary process,” he said. “The thing about security training is that you can’t say we have everything, because the system changes and we have to learn to be flexible.”

The district is also discussing several ways to address other safety issues, including training students in CPR. Murphy said that while they would not be certified in resuscitation skills, the intention would be to give them more confidence in themselves and the schools.

Daniel Offner/Herald

John Murphy, assistant superintendent of Human Resources for the Rockville Centre school district, discussed the implementation of the Rave Mobile Safety app.

spotlight athlete

Herald sports

South Side eyes playoff run

By BRiaN KaChaRaBa sports@liherald.com

Most teams would happily accept being 10-4 with five conference wins heading into the final weeks of the season. But South Side girls’ basketball head coach Dan Ferrick isn’t completely satisfied.

CaYlee DeMeo

Carey Senior Basketball

a tWo-tiMe all-CoUNtY selection and last season’s Conference Player of the Year when she averaged 22 points per game, DeMeo joined elite company Jan. 7 when she scored her 1,000th career point. The milestone basket came in Carey’s win over Glen Cove and was part of a 28-point performance. She’s the third player in program history to reach 1,000 points and currently ranks second in Nassau County in scoring.

gaMes to WatCh

thursday, Jan. 19

Gymnastics: Wantagh at North Shore 6 p.m

Gymnastics: Massapequa at South Side 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Port Washington at Baldwin 7 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 20

Girls Basketball: Malverne at West Hempstead 5 p.m.

Boys Swimming: So. Side/Lynbrook at Long Beach 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Lawrence at Clarke 7 p.m.

Boys Basketball: V.S. Central at Oceanside 7 p.m.

Boys Basketball: East Rockaway at Seaford 7 p.m.

Boys Basketball: West Hempstead at Malverne 7 p.m.

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

Girls Basketball: Seaford at East Rockaway 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Hicksville at Freeport 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Oceanside at V.S. Central 7 p.m.

saturday, Jan. 21

Boys Basketball: Jericho at MacArthur 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: New Hyde Park at Mepham 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: G.N. North at South Side 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Wantagh at V.S. North 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: North Shore at V.S. South 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: G.N. South at Long Beach 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Elmont at Sewanhaka 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: V.S. North at Wantagh 12 p.m.

With less than a month to go, the Cyclones’ bench boss is still tinkering with his rotation in hopes of finding the right combination that will take his team deep into the playoffs. South Side, which is two wins shy of last year’s total, finds itself again in the mix for a conference title despite moving up a division.

“As much as you sit there and say 10-4, great record and everything else, I think this team is a lot better than it’s showing so far,” he said. “Sometimes, we have a slow start, we go through some lulls, but I think we’re fine. It’s a young team. I have to keep reminding myself of that.”

South Side was riding high with three straight conference victories and had a one-point lead after the first quarter of its big matchup with division-leading Garden City last Friday night, but the Trojans caught up and slowly pulled away over the last three stanzas for a 46-38 victory.

Kyla Murphy had 12 points and Dakota Evans added 9 for the Cyclones, who sit a game behind Garden City in the Conference A2 standings at press time.

“It came down to the fact that we weren’t shooting well,” Ferrick said.

“Their starting five is very good and we just didn’t shoot well from the second quarter on.”

The versatile Murphy is averaging just over 14 points a game and has been instrumental in many of the wins. She had a season-high 24 points against Oceanside on Dec. 6 and scored 17 of her 20 points in the second half as the Cyclones rallied for a 59-38 win at Roslyn in the conference opener on Dec. 14.

But she has also been the poster child for Ferrick’s lineup adjustments this season.

“Kyla’s having a good year,” Ferrick said. “She plays multiple positions and right now we’re still trying to figure out what’s the best position for her. She

starts at the ‘3’, [but] she should probably be more of a ‘4’ because she has post moves and everything else. She’s one of the hardest workers on the team.”

Sophomore Charlotte Rathjen (9.1 ppg) and Evans (8.7) have supplied secondary scoring and senior center Ava Kelly had a 10-point game that contributed to a 52-45 win over a talented Plainedge team on Dec. 4.

Unlike last winter, South Side has remained generally healthy this season,

with only junior point guard Katherine Ahern getting hit with the injury bug. Freshman Elle Lennon was called up from the JV and had 14 points in a win over Elmont on Jan. 10.

South Side faces all six conference foes again over the next four weeks and the division title could be decided in its final two games against third-place Elmont on Feb. 7 before the much-anticipated rematch at Garden City three days later.

Ron Manfredi/Herald DaKota evaNs, Right, has provided consistency at both ends of the floor for the Cyclones, who won 10 of their first 14 games.

EMMANUEL DEPAS, LEFT, Marie Pereira, Judith Hospedales and Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages, gathered at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building the day before the 13th anniversary of the 2010 Haiti earthquake to raise awareness for new immigration policy.

Migrating from Haiti, with a little support

By ANA BORRUTO aborruto@liherald.com

It’s been more than a decade since an earthquake devastated Haiti, killing more than 200,000 people, and leaving so many more thousands homeless. To this day, the Caribbean country continues to recover, all while facing other ongoing challenges such as limited access to health care, as well as poverty, political instability and violence.

While a lot of political talk in Washington is focused on what’s happening at the U.SMexico border, Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages has joined immigration law professionals to share details of an expanded program under the Biden administration intended to provide legal pathways to America for migrants from Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela as well as war-torn Ukraine.

“This is a positive development, and a humanitarian way to allow people to seek asylum,” Solages said. “We have witnessed so many people risking their lives in order to make it here in the United States.”

This new policy allows up to 30,000 individuals from these four countries to come to the United States per month for a period of up to two years —all receiving work authorization. These individuals must have an eligible sponsor, and pass a series of vetting and background checks.

To reduce overcrowding and wait times at U.S. ports of entry, those who are legal immigrants or citizens of the United

States can apply for someone in Haiti to come to America through an online application called the I-134A form, which gives that sponsor a chance to provide a declaration of financial support.

“They are basically asking you how are you going to take care of this person you are legally sponsoring, the person who is now called the beneficiary,” said Marie Pereira, founder of the Haiti Immigration Project. “Do you have the financial resources to take care of this person’s needs, from health to housing to clothing? Everything.”

Once the sponsor is approved, the beneficiary is required to submit their fingerprints and undergo an extensive background check. They also must be vaccinated for Covid-19, have a valid passport, and proof they are a Haiti native, Pereira added.

Those younger than 18 have to be accompanied by an adult who is their parent or legal guardian.

Judith Hospedales, an immigration law expert and formerly of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said with the influx of displaced migrants in various states, the administration is trying to cut back on the issues migrants face when they arrive to the border.

Many migrants are seeking asylum — meaning they fear for their safety, or they believe they could be harmed if they stay in their home country — and want protection from another nation, like the United States.

But there are many who may not qualify for asylum status. In that case, they can

Who can become a sponsor?

Anyone who has legal status to live in the United States can sponsor a Haitian immigrant to the United States by submitting a free I-134A application.

That legal status means being a U.S. citizen, green card holder, or someone with temporary protection status.

However, sponsors should be wary of trying to bring in strangers, said Judith Hospedales. The further apart

the relationship between the sponsor and the person looking to come from Haiti, the more difficult it will be to prove that a person can be a suitable sponsor and financially responsible for the beneficiary.

To learn more, visit tinyurl.com/ SponsorHaiti.

–Ana Borruto

apply for temporary protection status, more commonly known as TPS. This status is for certain individuals who cannot return to their countries of origin because of circumstances within the country, such as those same countries not having the resources or capacity to take back their citizens at that particular time.

Emmanuel Depas, immigration attorney, founder and first president of the Haitian American Lawyers Association in New York, said prospective sponsors must take this process very seriously. Solages emphasized the importance of working with professionals like Depas when going through the sponsorship process.

“You have to say ‘yes’ with caution and understand what you’re getting into,” Depas said. “In those two years, you’re going to have to support (beneficiaries) financially, socially and help them get them acclimated to U.S. culture.

“I implore you to develop patience throughout this process.”

The Haitian American population is one of the fastest growing demographics in Nassau County, Solages said, with many living in communities like Elmont,

Freeport, Uniondale, Valley Stream and Hempstead. According to the most recent census numbers, the total Haitian population was just over 850,000 nationwide, with nearly 155,000 living in New York alone.

Haiti itself has a little more than 11 million people.

Elsie Smith has lived in the United States for 52 years, spending the last decade in Elmont. She wants to sponsor six family members who now live in Haiti — a widower father, his sister and his four kids, whose mother passed away five years ago. The children had to stop going to school last September.

Smith is grateful for the humanitarian relief program as it will give these children better opportunities in the United States.

“This is something for a country that is suffering too much, and we have so much we can offer in this country,” Smith said, through tears. “I live in a house with six bedrooms all by myself — I will provide, (the father) can get his papers for work, and the four children can go to school.”

This is something for a country that is suffering too much, and we have so much we can offer in this country.

ELSIE SMITH Haitian Elmont resident

Ana Borruto/Herald

Trident Physical Therapy opens up shop

Physical therapist Matt Barle recently celebrated the opening of his new storefront, located within Energy Fitness at 298 Sunrise Highway, on Monday evening, with members of the Rockville Chamber of Commerce.

Barle, a Massapequa native, is the founder of Trident Physical Therapy, an orthopedic outpatient practice that pro-

vides a one-on-one experience that tailors treatment to a patient’s specific needs.

To find out more about his new business location, visit TridentPhysicalTherapy.com.

briefs

The Ugly Duckling closes RVC location

Less than a year since it opened, the Ugly Duckling in Rockville Centre has closed its location at 21 S. Park Avenue.

“We have made the difficult decision to cease operations and close the Ugly Duckling in Rockville Centre,” a sign posted on the door of the restaurant addressed to patrons reads. “Thank you for a great year and we hope to see you soon at our locations in Long Beach and in the East Village. We thank you for your business.”

The Ugly Duckling is the creation of

Max Feinberg, who first opened his flagship restaurant in Long Beach in 2020. They later expanded to include a second location in New York City.

Prior to opening its third location in RVC, the restaurant was previously home to The Breakfast Club, a brunch-focused eating establishment, which officially closed last January, after two years in business.

Kevin McCleneghan/Herald

From left: Marisol Rosales, Denise Barle, Jim Barle, Chris Barle, Joseph Barle, Stephanie Barle, James Barle, and Matt Barle, join members of the Rockville Centre Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon cutting ceremony.

–Daniel Offner

The Ugly D

–Daniel Offner

Hempstead taking measures to protect data

There may not be a government official unaware of the dangers posted by cyberattacks.

The ramifications of the September 2022 ransomware attack on Suffolk County continue to send officials racing to upgrade software and security features. The industry mantra — “It’s not if but when” is a guiding principle for network security.

The Town of Hempstead unanimously approved spending $59,200 for a firewall security contract on Jan. 10 as part of its ongoing information technology security.

While town officials were reluctant to discuss specifics of the contract, the approved resolution authorizes Computer Integrated Serves of New York City to review the town’s “firewall security configuration”.

“As hackers and scammers become more prevalent, the importance of cybersecurity continues to increase,” said Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin.

The town would not provide details of the contract or its existing IT security. A statement from the town said the firewall contract was part of “routine security contracts” updated annually.

“There are numerous other methods the town employs to maintain the integrity of the data, which are understandably kept confidential,” the statement read.

An audit of the town’s IT systems conducted by the New York State comptroller

from Jan. 2018 through Oct. 2021 was largely positive of Hemsptead’s security. In an official response from the town dated Aug. 2, 2022, Hempstead Commissioner of Information and Technology Arthur R. Primm, Jr. said the town has “implemented many new procedures and programs that have alleviated most of the concerns” in the audit.

The comptroller’s audit acknowledged that the town has worked to improve IT security, stating that Hempstead officials “agreed with our recommendations and indicated that they were in the process of implementing corrective action.”

In the written statement to The Herald, Hempstead stated it has “longstanding extensive security procedures to keep both employees’ and residents’ information secure… We take cybersecurity very seriously in Hempstead Town and we maintain a robust, adaptable cybersecurity defense plan.”

Clavin reiterated that the town’s goal of thwarting cyberattacks remains foremost. “(Hackers’) attempts are growing both in frequency and shrewdness, and the Town of Hempstead is committed to protecting our residents’ information by continuously updating and improving our cyber defenses.”

“We take cybersecurity very seriously in Hempstead Town and we maintain a robust, adaptable cybersecurity defense

plan.”

–Mark Nolan

Courtesy Gov. Hochul

cybersecurity concerns. Gov. Hochul

Nassau GOP calls on George Santos to resign

By MICHAEL MALASZCZYK mmalaszczyk@liherald.com

U.S. Rep. George Santos has faced stiff opposition from his colleagues since arriving at Capitol Hill at the start of the new year. It looks like he won’t have an easy time at home, either.

Republican leaders from across the county gathered at GOP headquarters in Westbury last week calling on Santos to resign immediately amid his trail of fabrications on his work and education history, as well as the growing questions surrounding how he financed his campaign.

In fact, those in attendance — led by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman — went as far as declaring they would not work with Santos. Instead, they would direct constituent issues to newly minted U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito or U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino. And if they can’t go there, local Republicans would reach out to U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer or Kirsten Gillibrand — both Democrats.

“I am joined here with my colleagues in calling on George Santos’s resignation, because he cannot serve anymore,” Blakeman said, calling the congressman a “pathological liar.”

“My office will have no interaction with George Santos or his staff until he resigns. “

D’Esposito — who joined Congress the same time as Santos — made it clear through a video link from Washington

that Santos is not fit to serve.

“I think that what’s most important as a public servant is treating the public with respect and gaining authority — something that all of you behind that podium have done,” D’Esposito said, referring to his fellow Republicans at the news conference. “George Santos does not have the ability to serve here in the House of Representatives, and should resign.”

State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick took particular issue with one of the claims Santos made during his campaign — that he was Jewish, and that he was descended from Holocaust survivors. Investigations by a handful of news outlets have questioned those claims, not finding any evidence of his grandparents being anything other than Catholic, and finding no record of them being in Europe during the World War II era.

“It is a great stain on the Republican Party of Nassau County that he worked with us,” Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick said. “I am particularly offended also, as a representative of the Five Towns and the Orthodox community. What he did regarding his religious status was exceptionally offensive.”

But even as his fellow Republicans were delivering these calls for him to be removed, Santos told reporters outside his Washington office that he had no intention of leaving his position. He maintains that if the 142,000 voters who elected him decide he should go, then he

will go — but they won’t get the chance to express that until 2024.

“George Santos has no business serving in Congress,” Hempstead town supervisor Don Clavin said. “On behalf of all the board members — and frankly, the 750,000 residents living in the Town of Hempstead — it’s time to go. He’s a national joke. He’s an international joke. But this joke’s got to go. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Today.”

Those were sentiments shared by Clavin’s counterpart in Oyster Bay.

“George, I’m speaking to you,” town supervisor Joe Saladino said. “It’s time to step down.”

Santos has been under fire since a New York Times expose last month challenged pretty much everything he has said about himself throughout this recent campaign, and his 2020 unsuccessful run against Tom Suozzi. Everything from education, employment, philanthropic activity, and salaries simply don’t check out.

Nassau GOP chair Joseph Cairo has taken some heat through all this, with a number of people questioning how much he knew of Santos’ past, and why there wasn’t better vetting. Cairo believed the Republican establishment there had already checked out his claims.

“He’s disgraced the House of Representatives, and we do not consider him one of our congress people,” Cairo said.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy won’t personally take action to have Santos removed, saying it’s a decision voters should make. However, the congressman is under investigation at multiple levels — including potential criminal investigation about campaign finance.

Over the weekend, U.S. Rep. James Comer — the new House Oversight Committee chair — said if Santos is found to have broken campaign finance laws, he will be removed

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Michael Malaszczyk/Herald NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTIVE Bruce Blakeman says his office will have no dealings with U.S. Rep. George Santos.

Mary (MaryKay) Connors

Sands casino coming to Nassau Coliseum?

By JEFFREY BESSEN jbessen@liherald.com

A touch of Las Vegas could soon make its way to Uniondale’s Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum with hotels, performance stages, and even a casino.

The Las Vegas Sands, a resort company founded by late billionaire Sheldon Adelson, wants to develop what it calls a “multibillion-dollar flagship hospitality, entertainment and casino project” at the former home of the New York Islanders off the Hempstead Turnpike near the Meadowbrook Parkway. But the acquisition of up to 80 acres of the site would require state approval.

“The plan would include a casino accounting for 10 percent of the total project, outdoor community spaces, four- and five-star hotel rooms, and a world class live performance venue honoring the legacy of live music at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman shared on Twitter.

There also would be celebrity chef restaurants, convention space and ballrooms, along with a luxurious day spa, a swimming pool, and a health club.

“We strongly believe Long Island can be home to one of the region’s great entertainment and hospitality developments,” said Robert Goldstein, Las Vegas Sands chair and chief executive, in a news release.

Sands, which is worth more than $42 billion on the New York Stock Exchange, says it wants to collaborate with the surrounding communities to create a plan as a way to maximizes economic opportunity while protecting the quality of life. Part of that plan would include creating 12,000 construction jobs, and then employing 5,000 people.

But making such a collaboration work will require Sands to listen, County Legislature Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams said.

“It is imperative for Sands resorts to conduct extensive community outreach, and then incorporate the feedback they receive into their proposal,” Abrahams said. That means not only talking to the people who live in the area, but also talking to officials at Hofstra University, Nassau Community College, as well as both Hempstead town and village.

Sands also needs to reach out to local fire departments, school districts, civic associations, chambers of commerce and others as a “necessary first step for addressing concerns and identifying opportunities.”

Scott Rechler is optimistic about a Sands development after nearly two decades of working to overhaul the Coliseum site.

“The plan envisioned by Sands is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create the kind of world-renowned entertainment and hospitality destination that has been

sought after by Long Islanders,” said Rechler, chief executive and chair of RXR Realty, in the release.

But not everyone shares that enthusiasm. Protesters have gathered outside the Coliseum opposing the casino component, which they say promotes multiple addictions. Others believe such a development would add to the existing traffic logjam while creating a blight on the environment.

And then there are people like Jay Goldmark from Woodmere who is OK with the plan.

“Surprisingly I have no absolutely no issue with them building a casino as long as they have absolutely no exemptions granted under any circumstances as far as any construction, sales or use taxes,” Goldmark posted on social media. “If they can afford to build for millions of dollars and fees etc., they surely can afford to pay the sales taxes. It will also create hundreds of jobs.”

THE LAS VEGAS Sands resort company is considering the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum property as a site for a new upscale casino. It’s championed by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, but being met with cautious optimism by others, like County Legislature Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams.

Herald file photo

STEPPING OUT

those

Monster trucks invade Long Island

By Karen Bloom

onster truck madness is back on Long Island this weekend when for two action-packed days at Nassau Coliseum. In this version, families can watch their favorite Hot Wheels trucks come to life when the Hot Wheels ‘Glow Party’ lights up the arena, Jan. 21-22.

While geared to the younger generation of monster truck fans, there is nothing tame about this version. You’ll still experience all the action of the 12-foot-tall, 10,000-pound machines will that bring audiences to their feet, racing and ripping up a customdesigned track full of obstacles to soar over — or smash through — delighting onlookers. A laser light show adds to the spectacle — the trucks maneuver their way through their stunts in a darkened arena.

Their names — Gunkster, Race Ace, Mega Wrex, Bone Shaker, Tiger Shark, Bigfoot and Demo Derby — reflect the outrageous mix of racing and showmanship that enthrall both the drivers and their fans.

WHERE WHEN

• Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 21-22; times vary

• Tickets start at $40 adult, $24 child; $10 additional for Crash Zone (prices are subject to change); available at HotWheelsMonsterTrucksLive. com or NassauColiseum.com

• Located at Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale

“Big trucks, big engines, crushing cars, hanging out with the fans, I love it all,” says Eric Steinberg, 22. “It’s an indescribable adrenaline rush.”

It’s clear Steinberg loves his job. In fact, he doesn’t describe his role as a “job.” It’s his passion — what he was born to do.

Like his fellow drivers, Steinberg became enthralled with the big trucks at a young age. Missouri-born and raised, he was 3 years old when he went to his first monster truck event. From that moment on he was hooked.

“I just knew this is what I wanted,” he says. “Monster trucks are amazing, and caught my attention more than anything else. I looked up to the drivers as my heroes. I remember how I felt and that helped me transition to being a driver.”

Branford Marsalis

After some scheduling delay — in part due to the pandemic — the renowned saxophonist makes his long-awaited appearance at the Madison Theatre with his quartet. The NEA Jazz Master, triple-Grammy Award winner and musical polymath with his stellar ensemble — pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner — bring the brilliance that has made this quartet one of the most revered and influential in jazz. Marsalis is equally at home performing concertos with symphony orchestras and sitting in with members of the Grateful Dead, but the core of his musical universe remains the Branford Marsalis Quartet. After more than three decades of existence with minimal personnel changes, this celebrated ensemble is acclaimed for its uncompromising interpretation of a kaleidoscopic range of both original compositions and jazz and popular classics.

Friday, Jan. 20, 8 p.m. $40-$95. Madison Theatre, Molloy University campus, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. (516) 323-4444 or MadisonTheatreNY.org.

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company

monster truck world, was Steinberg’s entrée into the circuit. He debuted Gunkster, first created by Hot Wheels for its 2021 Monster Trucks Series collectibles, in 2022.

He’ll be in high gear with all his tricks, driving Gunkster through all the non-stop action, which includes a wheelie competition, long jumps, freestyle, and even motocross. And if that is not enough, there’ll be a special appearance by the car-eating, fire-breathing transforming robot Megasaurus.

Steinberg encourages everyone to come to the Crash Zone pre-show, Saturday, at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., and Sunday, at noon. Crash Zone gives fans access to the arena floor where they can view of the trucks up-close and meet the drivers, get autographs and take photos and, of course, check out some toy versions of the big trucks.

“Fans love it,” says Steinberg. “The kids are excited to see the trucks before the show. It’s all for them. For me, I always wanted to meet the drivers as a kid. I always looked up to them as my heroes. And now I want to be that hero. Meeting the fans is truly special and encourages us.”

hooked up with the Bigfoot

Determined to follow his dream, he enrolled in State Technical College of Missouri’s Automotive Technology HighPerformance Program. After his 2021 graduation, he hooked up with the Bigfoot team. Bigfoot, a name synonymous with the

Top photo: Gunkster, driven by Eric Steinberg, and other popular trucks, including Tiger Shark, will thrill fans with exciting car-crunching feats as they fly more than 35 feet in the air. Three stories tall and weighing more than 50,000 pounds, Megasaurus — at left — roars into the arena ready to chomp.

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company welcomes the coming of spring, the Year of the Black Water Rabbit. It’s a spectacular experience for all ages, combining traditional Chinese dance with modern flair. The Red Lions dance to a hip hop beat. The Golden Dragon brings good luck and fortune for the coming year. The ensemble also showcases a contemporary dance work, ‘Ashes of A Dead Frog,’ choreographed by legendary Polish Choreographer Jacek Luminski that was commissioned by Nai-Ni Chen almost a decade ago. Guest artists from the Chinese Music Ensemble of New York provide traditional and contemporary music on classical and folk Chinese instruments. Dancers, acrobats and musicians perform in festive costumes in red, gold, blue and purple colors symbolizing their prayer for a peaceful and harmonious New Year with plenty of prosperity and good fortune for everyone to enjoy and share.

Sunday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m. $52, $42, $32. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. (516) 299-3100 or TillesCenter.org.

Courtesy Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live

THE SCENE

Psychic Night Dinner

Get your own private reading from lead psychics and mediums with a three-course dinner at George Martin The Original, 65 N. Park Ave. in Rockville Centre, on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 6- 9 p.m. Cost is $70 per person plus gratuity. To make a reservation call (516) 678-7272.

Play Date at RVC Library

Bring the young ones to play time at Rockville Centre Public Library, 221 N. Village Ave. in Rockville Centre, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Kids from 15 months to 4 years old can come and meet up with old friends and make new ones.

Registration begins on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 9 a.m. For more information visit RVCLibrary.org

Friends of the Brothers

Friends of the Brothers visits the Landmark stage with their dynamic tribute to the Allman Brothers, Friday, Jan. 27, 8 p.m. Their powerful celebration of the Allman Brothers, featuring musiciansclosely associated with the original band, continues the brotherhood with passion, committed to the ideals of every night being special and unique. Their first-hand experience with the Allman Brothers Band and their deep knowledge of the repertoire and the music’s roots and heritage allows them to play with an unrivaled depth. Hear songs from every stage of the Allman Brothers’ career, backed by a band of inspirational, veteran players. $33, $28. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

Sisterhood Game Night

Play mah jongg and canasta with the Sisterhood of Congregation B’nai SholomBeth David at their weekly game night,Tuesday, Jan. 24, 7:309:30 p.m., in the synagogue lobby, 100 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre.

Art talk

Grab your lunch and join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent Riva Ettus for her popular “Brown Bag Lecture” live, via Zoom, Thursday, Feb. 23, 1 p.m. She’ll discuss the current exhibition, “The Big Picture: Photography Now.”

Participants are invited to ask questions at the end of the program. Register at least 24 hours in advance to receive the program Zoom link. Also Feb. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Family yoga

Revolution Yoga invites parents and kids to a special family yoga session, Sunday, Jan. 22, 12:15-1:15 p.m. Practice breathing exercises, partner poses, play games, and have lots of fun. Cost is $25 parent and child, $5 for each additional family member. Pre-registration is required due to limited space. For more information visit RevolutionYogaSpace.com.

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.

Jan. 26

The Best of the Eagles

Get into the Eagles’ groove when the tribute band visits The Paramount stage, Thursday, Jan. 26, 8 p.m.

With special guest Fleetwood Macked. This authentic recreation features individual bandmates taking on the persona of the original Eagles members. $39.50, $29.50, $19.50.

The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticktmaster.com or ParamountNY. com.

St. Agnes School’s Dinner Dance

St. Agnes Cathedral School hosts its annual Dinner Dance for the first time following the two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Saturday, Feb. 4. The event honors Carmine and Lynda Rubino, Bernard and Margaret Mary O’Connell, and Frances Barricelli for their continued support of Catholic Education.

Having an event?

Hear, discuss and learn with Robert Stringer

Special guest Robert Stringer, a music historian, professor, and performer will be paying a visit to the Sandel Senior Center, located at 50 S. Park Ave. in Rockville Centre, on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2:15 p.m. Revisit the music of the Count Basie Jazz Orchestra, Aretha Franklin, Ruben Stoddard of American Idol fame, and tap dancing living legend Maurice Hines. After the discussion, there will be a live performance highlighting music’s evolution through the decades. The event is open to the public. For more information call (516) 6789245.

Mass for children with special needs

St. Agnes Cathedral, at 29 Quealy Place, hosts a monthly mass for special needs children, adults and their families, Saturday, Jan. 21, 5 p.m., in the lower hall of the Msgr. Melton auditorium. This location has an elevator for handicap access.

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.

The Pigeon Comes to Long Island!

Step into activities pulled directly from the pages of Mo Willems’ books, during opening weekend of Long Island Children’s Museum’s new exhibit, Sunday, Jan. 22, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., in residence through May 14. Step into activities pulled directly from the pages of Mo Willems’ books, make art inspired by his work, engage in dramatic play and learn about the rich social and emotional lives of the author’s characters. Interact with Willems beloved characters: best friend duo Elephant and Piggie, faithful companion Knuffle Bunny, and The Pigeon. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

RVC residents tie the knot

Courtesy Town of Hempstead

Rockville Centre residents Keith Livingston, Jr. and Dalia Branford tied the knot at Hempstead Town Hall on Dec. 14, 2022, with a wedding ceremony officiated by Town Clerk Kate Murray.

Can you move beyond your upbringing? News brief

If you were raised in a tumultuous home, raped by your mother’s boyfriend, dropped out of high school and became a teen mom, how could you expect anything good to happen in your life? Such a beginning is clearly a prescription for disaster!

Yet Maya Angelou, author, poet and civil rights activist did indeed rise from these dreadful circumstances to become a towering figure of hope, beauty and insight for people of all ages, all backgrounds.

How did she do it? Her own words are a testimony to her strength of character. Here are a few of my favorites:

My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.

People will forget what you said; people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Nothing will work unless you do.

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.

A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer; it sings because it has a song.

Every storm runs out of rain.

Hate: It has caused a lot of problems in the world but has not solved one yet.

Do the best you can until you know better; then when you know better, do better.

My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return.

As long as you’re breathing, it’s never too late to do some good.

If someone shows you who they really are, believe them.

Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps, hurdles, leaps, fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.

Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage none of the other things are possible.

You may shoot me with your words; you may cut me with your eyes; you may

kill me with your hatefulness; but still, like air, I’ll rise.

You may not control all the events that happen to you but you can decide not to be reduced by them.

You shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.

Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.

Can you be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud? Yes, you can - so get going!

■ Be the light for a soul who’s living in darkness.

■ Be kind to someone who’s going through a rough time.

■ Inspire a broken heart to live life anew.

■ Awaken the joy of living to one who’s downtrodden.

©2023

Linda Sapadin, Ph.D., psychologist, coach and author specializes in helping people improve their relationships, enhance their lives and overcome procrastination and fear. Contact her at DrSapadin@aol.com. Visit her website at www.PsychWisdom.com.

Amy Schumer featured in Madonna video

To announce her upcoming world tour celebrating four decades of her greatest hits, pop music icon Madonna has assembled a team of celebrities, including South Side High School alum comedian/actress Amy Schumer, for a promo video paying homage to her groundbreaking 1991 documentary film “Truth or Dare.”

Also featured in the video are several artists, musicians, actors, and comedians including Diplo, Judd Apatow, Jack Black, Lil Wayne, Bob the Drag Queen, Kate Berlant, Larry Owens, Meg Stalter, and Eric Andre.

The 35-city global tour, produced by Live Nation, will kick off its North America leg on July 15, with a performance at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, followed by stops in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. The tour continues into Europe, where Madonna will hit 11 major cities including London, Barcelona, Paris, and Stockholm, this fall.

For tickets and more information visit Madonna.com.

–Daniel Offner

Linda Sapadin

Guest Column

Baron inspires children, one poem at a time

By MARK NOLAN mnolan@liherald.com

Lindamichelle Baron wrote her first poem when she was 6. And it was a hit piece, making fun of her cousin Gerard’s big ears.

“I have a cousin named Gerard, I think his ears are very odd.”

Upon hearing those words, Gerard grew out his hair to cover his ears.

With that first venture into slant rhyme, Baron discovered the thrill — and impact — of the written word. “That’s when I saw the power of poetry.”

Poetry has been embedded in Baron’s life ever since. She leaned on writing to support her through teasing in elementary school, and ultimately made a career through verse.

Now 72, she is the first poet laureate for the Town of Hempstead. Her mission is to bring poetry to every corner, including Malverne — where she presented previously — and West Hempstead — where she has yet to recite her poems.

“This is just absolutely amazing,” said Baron, the author of three poetry books and an associate professor at York College.

She was ahead of her time, throwing shade at childhood rivals decades before social media existed. She eventually developed poetry that inspires. Blessed with an infectious laugh and sense of humor and wonderment about the world,

Baron infuses verse into just about everything she does.

Poetry has been the constant throughout her life.

“People who know me know I’ve been in the community and library and organizations for decades,” she said. “They know my energy, my love of life and language and people — it’s all embedded in my poetry.”

A former New York City teacher, Baron became a professor who teaches aspiring teachers. And she insists her students understand poetry shouldn’t be relegated to English class.

“So much of what I taught used poetry,” Baron said. “Even if it was math. Teachers would say they don’t have the time. You embed poetry into everything you do.”

Budget cuts cost Baron her city teaching job, leading her to become an educational salesperson until 1988. She made a name for herself throughout the tri-state area — not as a saleswoman, but for using rhymes to sell educational materials.

“I would use poetry in my presentations to teachers,” she said. “They saw that poetry can be used to extract contextual knowledge and get students to think critically. They kept asking me back.”

One of her books, “The Sun is On,” is recommended for middle schools by the state, and has sold more than 100,000 copies.

“So many people of so many different

backgrounds have embraced my poetry, and that makes me so happy,” Baron said. “So much of my poetry has connections to my background as a woman of African descent, but it does capture everybody.”

Living in Hempstead village, Baron has read poetry to many local groups over the years. Her desire is to bring poetry to more than just students.

“Poetry should not be conceptualized as stagnant on the page,” she said. “My goal is to promote the power of poetry and enjoyment of the gift of poetry to the entire community.”

As the town’s first poet laureate, Baron really won’t change much, if anything. She will continue to speak to children and adults at schools, libraries — pretty much anywhere and everywhere someone will listen to the beauty of poetry.

Town councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, who recommended Baron for the non-paying position, said the appointment would lead to a greater understanding of the positive power of poetry.

“Poetry is meaningful and beautiful,” Goosby said. “It’s a creative outlet that provides a way for people to express themselves.”

Baron will continue writing poetry as she always has, while paying homage to the many people who have helped her since she was young. Her father introduced her to Langston Hughes and Gwendolyn Brooks, and the family of a child she babysat for as a teenager gave her an album of Maya Angelou reciting poetry.

Baron hopes to inspire others to enjoy poetry by honoring those literary role models and her heritage. When she sees a child’s face light up as she recites a poem, she realizes she is achieving her ultimate goal of making poetry accessible.

“That makes me so happy,” Baron said. “My poetry is for the entire community.”

Courtesy Lindamichelle Baron LINDAMICHELLE BARON HAS been named the first poet laureate for the Town of Hempstead. She has written three poetry books, and spent a lifetime sharing the beauty of poetry with anyone willing to listen.

Larceny

■ A customer at MOJO on Sunrise Highway reported on Jan. 14 that someone had stolen her wallet while inside the restaurant.

Harassment

■ Princeton Road resident reported on Jan. 12 that his neighbor was yelling at him after he was served with a stay-away order of protection from the court against the same neighbor.

Narcotics Destruction

■ On Jan. 6, police transferred 20 lbs. of pharmaceuticals from the drug takeback box to Nassau County Police for destruction.

Unusual Incident

■ Dartmouth Street resident reported on Jan. 2 that someone accessed several of her online shopping accounts, changed her contact information, and attempted to make purchases.

■ N. Forest Avenue resident reported on Jan. 5 that someone fraudulently used her EBT card.

■ S. Centre Avenue resident reported on Jan. 5, that someone fraudulently withdrew money from his bank account in Queens.

■ S. Centre Avenue resident reported on Jan. 7 that she was the victim of a phone scam.

■ Maple Avenue resident reported on Jan. 10 that someone fraudulently opened a credit card in his name.

■ S. Marion Place resident reported on Jan. 10 that a juvenile rang his doorbell and ran from the house.

Property Damage

■ A motorist reported on Jan. 12 that someone damaged her vehicle while it was parked along Lincoln Avenue.

Leaving the Scene

■ A motorist reported a vehicle struck his car on Jan. 5, before leaving the scene along Merrick Road.

People named in Crime Watch items as having been arrested and charged with violations or crimes are only suspected of committing those acts of which they are accused. They are all presumed to be innocent of those charges until and unless found guilty in a court of law.

News brief

Mount Sinai South Nassau nurses to unionize

Mount Sinai South Nassau nurses are heading for a union, with 56 percent of them voting to join the New York State Nurses Association, the largest union and professional association of registered nurses in the state.

With some 800 nurses, South Nassau represented the last non-union facility in the Mount Sinai Health System.

“The South Nassau nurses worked for too long without a voice, without adequate compensation, and without a seat at the table to improve care and uplift standards at the hospital,” union president Nancy Hagans said, in a release. “When nurses are in unions, we find standards rise and quality care increases. The nurses at South Nassau have banded together to make their lives and their patients’ lives better in the long run.”

Mount Sinai officials, however, said that while they “respect the decision” made by the nurses, “our focus remains on supporting Mount Sinai nurses and all our employees in delivering the excellent patient care we are known for and that our community has come to expect from us, ensuring that Mount Sinai South Nassau continues to be one of the best places to work.”

On Saturday, Mount Sinai added to their statement that administrators there “recognize the tremendous sacrifices Mount Sinai South Nassau nurses have made during the pandemic and the

challenges posed by a nationwide nursing shortage.”

Nurses there received 17 percent pay increases over the last 15 months, officials said, while hiring 250 nurses last year alone.

“We look forward to continuing to work together to provide the high level of nursing care our patients have come to expect,” Mount Sinai said, in a statement.

In Nov. 22, nurses at South Nassau nurses informed the National Labor Relations Board it was selecting the nurses association as their union representative. The labor board scheduled a secret ballot union for Thursday, with polls closing at 9 last night.

The nurses association say the vote comes on the heels of what they called a successful nurses strike in New York City this past week, where nurses at Mount Sinai Hospital and Montefiore Medical Center walked off the job for three days before finally reaching an agreement with hospital officials. That agreement, according to the union, “improved safe staffing levels and enforcement, increased wages by approximately 19 percent over the three-year contract period, protected health care benefits, and improved pandemic health and safety and community benefits.”

–Karina Kovac

St. Agnes school to honor five at dinner dance

after walking around the school,” Carmine told the Herald.

Having both attended Jesuit colleges, the Rubinos felt that St. Agnes was a much better fit for their children’s grade school education.

“We’ve always been very involved in St. Agnes,” Lynda said. “It came to kind of feel like home.”

Lynda

Rockville Centre resident

She added that while public schools are funded by property taxes and state aid, Catholic education relies on the donations of the school community to cover operating expenses and help lower the cost of tuition.

“Catholic schools don’t have the same funding,” Lynda said. “Parents really have to show their support in order to make sure that students have the resources they need.”

To help raise money for the school, the Rubino family arranged a performance in 2010 featuring the Irish tenor Ronan Tynan, whose stirring rendition of “God Bless America” helped him become an official member of the New York Yankees franchise. The recital drew a large crowd to the parish center, many of whom came to see Tynan perform with the St. Agnes choir.

Lynda Rubino is an accountant with the firm Ernst and Young, and Carmine is the managing partner of a Manhattan law firm.

O’Connell will be presented with the St. Catherine of Siena Award for their continued support of the school, its teachers and parent organizations.

The O’Connell’s have helped plan the dinner dance for 12 years. “It’s a great night,” Margaret said. “A lot of people are working very hard to put this event together.”

She added that her family has been a proponent of Catholic education in the community for the past two decades. All four O’Connell children graduated from St. Agnes, and both parents have served on the Board of Education. They have also

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE Community Development Block Grant Program 2023-2024 49th Program

Year

Notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing will be held at the Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, February 13, 2023, at 7:00PM in the Court Room, Municipal Building, One College Place, Rockville Centre, New York. The Hearing will be held to explain Community Development Block Grant Program Guidelines for activities associated with the 49th Program Year. Past activities will be reviewed and an opportunity for proposals from the public will be offered.

The U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development and the Code of Federal Regulations require that

Community Development funds primarily benefit low and moderate income persons in Rockville Centre and assist in the prevention and/or elimination of blight.

To accomplish this, a wide range of activities are available such as Acquisition of real property, Disposition of property, Improvement of Public Facilities, Public Services, Interim Assistance – alleviation of emergency or harmful conditions in public or private property, Rehabilitation, Relocation, Code Enforcement, Special Economic Development relating to physical or economic distress, Historic Preservation Planning and Administration.

Not Eligible–General improvement of government buildings as defined in CFR 570.3(d), schools, stadiums,

cultural and art centers, purchase of equipment or furnishings, operating and maintenance expenses, government expenses or political activities associated with these facilities.

All interested persons will have the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing and may submit their program or funding requests to the Village of Rockville Centre Community Development Agency, One College Place, P.O. Box 950, Rockville Centre NY 11571.

The Village complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Disabled persons with special needs should contact the Village Clerk’s office at 516-678-9212 at least three business days prior to the hearing, so that reasonable efforts may be made to accommodate such needs.

Dated: January 9, 2023

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE 136786

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES…

Printed in this publication can be found online. Search by publication name at: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: Zephyr Tax and Advisory LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 11/28/22. NY Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to: 95 Lakeview Ave, Rockville Centre, NY 11570.

Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity 135987

taken part in several of the school’s annual events, including the Garden Potpourri and Breakfast with Santa.

Margaret, herself a St. Agnes alum, is a real estate agent for Daniel Gale Sotheby’s in Rockville Centre. Bernard, who is also the product of a Catholic education, works for the Royal Bank of Canada. He has been the treasurer of the St. Agnes Fathers’ Club for the past eight years.

The Rubino and O’Connell families acknowledged that the impact the school has on the success of its students is the result of its excellent leadership and the compassion and dedication of its teachers and staff.

Frances Barricelli, the library-media specialist at the St. Agnes School, will be presented with the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award, in recognition of her 18 years of service to Catholic education.

“I am completely humbled, overwhelmed with gratitude to be bestowed with such a highly regarded honor,” Barricelli said. “Over the years, I have been granted the gift of teaching students from such loving and supportive families.”

As an educator, she said, she wears many different hats, teaching students from kindergarten through eighth grade about literature, search engines and iPad skills, sprinkled with creative twists on technology. Barricelli has also been involved in numerous community service projects, which have helped provide art supplies for SIBSPlace, a free program

facilitated by Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital, dedicated to helping people cope with severe illness. And she has helped provide backpacks and school supplies for children in Uganda.

“I love what I do. It’s just an open book with endless possibilities,” Barricelli said. “I am a person who helps to nurture my students’ Catholic identity while simultaneously tapping into their individual interests. Family, faith, and learning, all intertwined.”

This year’s dinner dance will also welcome two distinguished guests. Dr. William Kaelin, an alumnus of St. Agnes, was a recipient of the 2019 Nobel Prize for medicine, and Bishop Bill Koenig, of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, is a former rector of the St. Agnes Parish.

Kaelin is now a professor of medicine at Harvard and a physician-scientist with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. He was awarded the Nobel, along with Peter Ratcliff and Gregg Semenza, for their research on how cells sense and adapt to oxygen based on its availability.

Koenig was appointed rector of St. Agnes in 2009. His service concluded in 2020, when he was appointed the vicar for clergy of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. In April 2021 he was named bishop of the Wilmington diocese, succeeding the Most Reverend W. Francis Malooly.

For tickets, reservations, journal ads and more information on the upcoming dinner dance event, go to StAgnesSchool.org.

Honorees Bernard and Margaret Mary

Courtesy St. Agnes Cathedral School

Honorees at tHe St. Agnes Cathedral School’s annual dinner dance will include Margaret Mary and Bernard O’Connell, second and third from left, Lynda and Carmine Rubino, third and fourth from right, and Frances Barricelli, fourth from left. With them were, from left, the Rev. Michael Duffy, St. Agnes Principal Cecilia St. John and Assistant Principal Mary Brower.

We’ve always been big believers in Catholic education.

rubino

dr. William Kaelin

bishop bill Koenig

Send Resume To pvenezia@numc.edu.

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Role requires working knowledge of Microsoft Office and ability to learn custom software programs. If you would like to join a communitydriven, fast-paced environment, please send your resume to: careers@liherald.com.

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Health Care/Opportunities

IN BRIEF

V.I.Properties Welcomes Zina Israelov!!

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Realtors are encouraged to send briefs and photographs to: Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd.., Garden City, NY 11530.

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A zoning variance for a bigger den?

Q. I wanted to add on to the den on the side of my house. The den has been there since 1930. The problem I’m having is that if I want to make the addition so that it’s in alignment with the current den, the side distance to my property line is too close, by 12 inches, according to my building department. They say that I have to match the code requirement that was adopted in 1938, so instead of having a straight wall going all the way back, I either need to make a jog in the wall or go for a zoning variance. It just doesn’t make sense. I’m not adding a monster-sized addition, just 10 feet by 10 feet on the side of my house, behind tall hedges. My neighbor doesn’t mind, so what can I do about this?

A. Not much, except decide whether you want a ridiculous-looking room with a jog in the wall or want to spend the money and time to go through the zoning variance process. When I see cases like this, I understand the intent of the law, but not the “spirit” of the law. The intent is to prevent the construction of buildings too close to a property line, based on historical catastrophes such as the London fire and the Chicago fire, both of which saw hundreds of lives lost and tens of thousands of buildings destroyed, mainly because of their closeness to one another and their ability to burn easily.

We live in a modern age in which materials have been tested, analyzed, certified and regulated to limit flame spread, and communities have been set up with strict guidelines to leave spaces between buildings for safety and appearance. But knowing, or not remembering, this, communities may invoke the strictness of the law like a stern punishment, or look at the separate conditions and merits of each case, deciding that your straight wall versus a jogged wall isn’t going to hurt anyone and, being located on the side or behind your house, isn’t going to detract from the character of the community.

Some building departments have been given the flexibility to make these decisions, to avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater, and have the authority to give approval for minor issues. Some municipalities have even gone so far as to pass ordinances allowing the discretion of building departments to allow for the alignment of built structures, previously approved, on the first story. It makes sense not to put homeowners through an unnecessary hearing process, sometimes costing thousands of dollars and many months of delay, just so they can have a straight wall.

Allowing alignment with a previously approved part of a building isn’t the same as having a flammable wall too close to a property line or another building. In the long run, a variance will be worth it. Otherwise the weird wall shift won’t be understood or be beneficial to you. Good luck!

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MoneyTo Lend

© 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.

Ask The Architect Monte Leeper

MERCHANDISE MART

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OpINIONS

The Republicans have sent in the clowns

One of my all-time favorite comedians was Groucho Marx. He always had the right response to the question of the moment. He used to say, “No matter what you ask for, the answer is no.” That describes the crazy new Republican majority in the House of Representatives.

can candidates who have run for Congress have campaigned on the promise to make government smaller. They made it a point never to explain which programs they were after, because they knew specifics would kill them.

Democratic Senate will no doubt vote against such changes, but that would leave the country without a budget.

of the House majority.

JERRY KREMER

For decades, the federal government has been providing funds for Social Security, Medicare, Homeland Security and the Department of Defense. Most rational people will tell you that these are crucial parts of the government, but various members of the new majority have targeted these programs for extinction.

When asked why they would seek to end one of these key programs, the individual Republican members would answer, “Because I don’t like it.” The idea that many members of the new majority want to bring government to its knees should be a warning sign to every American.

The Republican effort to dismantle American government is nothing new to political observers. Hundreds of Republi-

Eliminating programs goes along with the entire package of rules that were just adopted by the House of Representatives under the leadership of its new speaker, Kevin McCarthy. McCarthy has wanted to be speaker for over a decade. In 2015 he lost the job to John Boehner, and Boehner gave it to Paul Ryan. This year, for McCarthy, the speakership was now or never.

To avoid never, he agreed to a set of rules changes that at best could be described as insane. At the top of the list is a rule that will allow any one of the 435 House members to make a motion to take away the speakership from McCarthy.

Another rule allows members to single out any federal agency and vote to eliminate its budget. Because the House is empowered to craft the government’s spending plan, this rule could wipe out the entire budget of the Defense Department or the allocation for Medicare, with little or no debate in the House. The

What spells more trouble is a requirement that any increase in the debt ceiling must be matched by reductions in federal spending, which could target Social Security and Medicare. What is the next ugly byproduct of McCarthy’s failure to give into the far-right mob?

Spending limits, counterbalanced by cuts in programs, would create the possibility that Congress would default on its requirement to pay the nation’s debt. A debt default could lead to a global meltdown and a downgrading of America’s credit rating. The Republican House majority threatened debt default under President Barack Obama, but in the end, the Republicans came to their senses and approved the borrowing to keep the government functioning.

Apparently, rules changes weren’t enough for the 20 or so fringe House members as McCarthy sold his soul. In addition to giving in to them on rules, he agreed to appoint them to key committees, including the powerful Rules Committee. In effect, the group of 20 will have more power than the other 202 members

It is important to explain the significance of the appointment of troublemakers to the Rules Committee. The committee has the authority to do virtually anything during the course of consideration of a measure, including deeming it passed. It can rewrite parts of a bill, or the entire measure. House members such as Lauren Boebert, of Colorado, can hold the committee hostage. It’s a recipe for disaster.

Some readers might call these observations partisan, but any student of government will tell you that all of these changes are a recipe for disaster. As an example of the thinking of this power cluster, Rep. Jim Jordan, of Ohio, was asked why he favored cuts in the Defense Department, and he answered that there are too may generals in the military, and we have to get rid of many of them.

When all of these so-called reformers announced their plans, I thought of the word “clowns,” and then the song “Send in the Clowns” popped up in my thinking. Clowns are funny, but not this group of them.

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.

Playing hide-and-seek with top secrets

Imagine my surprise when I opened my toaster oven to slide in a meatloaf and found a bunch of classified documents inside. Wow, I thought, secret docs are really popping up all over the place.

the documents were his because, well, just because. His team resisted turning them over, although the law demands that important papers get returned to the government after a president leaves office.

wizards.

People wondered if spies were hanging around Mar-a-Lago, hoping to read our nuclear codes over the dessert buffet. Or maybe someone was thinking about selling information to the other side, a kind of monetizing of the outgoing presidency.

Let me retreat a bit. After all, I did lose my most precious Covid-19 vaccine card just a week after I got the jab in January 2021. I awoke in the middle of the night and couldn’t remember where I had put it for super-safekeeping. I began to toss the room and the closet.

fight the government’s request to return the papers to safekeeping.

I once forgot to turn off the stove. Another time, I misplaced the code for my bicycle lock. Nearly every day I forget why I jumped up to run upstairs.

The papers were in a folder that said Top Secret, so I read them immediately. Showing up in my oven makes them mine, right? Also, I took the extra precaution of declassifying them by chanting the order of the planets according to their distance from the sun, even Pluto, which is officially a nano planet. I mean, I don’t want to break any laws.

RANDI KREISS

Just a few months ago, everyone was talking about a former president possessing bundles of classified documents, which he or someone close to him stuffed in various cabinets and closets in and around Mar-a-Lago, his golf club and happy place. The Justice Department, not known for leaping into action, actually raided the premises — that’s how worried it was that secrets may have fallen into the hands of spies. The former prez said

A special counsel was appointed by the DOJ to investigate the case of the purloined papers. Think: a kind of Wizard of Oz operating behind a screen.

Starting in early November, more secret documents were discovered, this time in offices and homes owned or formerly occupied by President Biden. He said he was surprised that classified material turned up under his watch, and his people did move with alacrity to give the paperwork back to the proper authorities in the government. Still.

Who is minding the store? How do secrets get passed around and land in somebody’s garage? A second special counsel was appointed. Now we have two

HAfter two days of misery, I tried to contact someone at the vaccine location. Someone there told me I had to appear in person, and even then I might not be successful. So I started all over again, searching my room and closets and, in case I really misplaced it, the fridge and the inside of my sneakers. On Day 4 I found the card exactly where I had put it originally, in a drawer. So I understand these lapses, but my vaccine card isn’t a nuclear code.

Biden apparently set down some papers and then forgot where they were, or when they needed to be returned to the government archives. More likely, he didn’t think about it all, and it was his staff that messed up.

Not so much with the other guy, who claimed possession of what were clearly classified papers and hired lawyers to

But shouldn’t the Secret Service, Homeland Security, the FBI, the president’s briefers and the CIA do better? Hell, I did better hiding my diary from my sister when I was 12. No way MI-5 or the code breakers of Bletchley Park would have stashed spy secrets under a cushion.

I was surprised, but not really shocked, to find the eyes-only documents in my toaster oven. How to get rid of them? Roast? Convection bake? Air fry? I tried them all, and now I have a pile of ashes in my oven that I probably have to bake into another meatloaf, for security reasons.

This may not be the end of the story. All the president’s men and women somehow thought it was OK to store spycraft information in POTUS’s sock drawer or the ottoman at Camp David. Our government, bless its confused leaders, apparently subscribes to a special protocol for keeping secret documents secret, known as L.G.

That would be Loosey Goosey.

Copyright 2023 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

ell, I did a better job of hiding my diary from my sister when I was 12.

Twenty fringe House majority members have more power than the other 202.

We don’t need Albany’s concrete fist in Nassau

New York has lost Oyster Bay. Well, more accurately, the state has lost 300,000 people — the town’s population — in just a single year.

Only California lost more people from domestic migration in the past year, and it wasn’t by much. But at least according to census numbers, New York can only watch as an average of 820 people move to another state. Each day.

Those are the kinds of numbers you’d expect from a state that’s struggling financially. But New York is anything but. In fact, it’s hard to find a time when New York was more prosperous. It’s just a prosperity that far too many people can’t afford to take part in.

“Over the last 10 years, our state had created 1.2 million jobs, but only 400,000 new homes,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in her recent State of the State address.

Without a robust supply of homes, prices remain high. That’s great for developers and landlords, but bad for everyone else. The simple fact is, if our family members, friends and neighbors can’t afford to live in our communities, they’ll find a neighborhood where they can.

“Many forces led to this state of affairs,” Hochul said.

“But front and center are the local landuse policies that are the most restrictive in the nation. Through zoning, local communities hold enormous power to block growth.”

There are certainly benefits to such power, like preserving neighborhoods’ suburban single-family feel. But that feel isn’t cheap. The median sales price of homes in Nassau County in 2021 was $620,000, according to the state’s taxation and finance department. Outside New York City, the closest counties are Rockland, at $550,000, and Suffolk, at $510,000.

To afford a home like that, you’d have to

make at least $45 an hour — nearly three times the minimum wage. A typical salary in New York pays a little less than $25.

But you can’t work in New York if you can’t live in New York. And with the dearth of truly affordable housing, that just isn’t happening. It’s not that our local government officials don’t want affordable housing. It’s just that many don’t like the best way to create such housing: apartment buildings.

“Between full-on bans of multifamily homes, and onerous zoning and approval processes, they make it difficult — even impossible — to build new homes,” Hochul said. “Think about that. People want to live here, but local decisions to limit growth mean they cannot. Local governments can — and should — make different choices.”

Those choices need to begin here. Between 2010 and 2018, the governor said, counties like Nassau granted fewer building permits per capita than virtually all suburban counties across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Northern Virginia and Southern California.

“With less supply, demand drives up prices,” Hochul said. “And who gets squeezed? Middle-income families and low-income families.”

Yet, not to fear, Hochul has a plan to fix it. She calls it the New York Housing Compact, and its intent is to build 800,000 new homes in the state over the next decade, setting “clear expectations for the growth we need, while at the same time giving localities plenty of tools, flexibility and resources to stimulate growth.”

Doing that requires downstate localities like Nassau to increase their housing stocks by 3 percent every three years. That can happen through redevelopment of dilapidated sites like old malls and office parks, incentivizing new housing production, or simply updating zoning rules.

In return, Hochul said, the state will offer new funding for schools, roads and sewers while removing some of the bureaucratic barriers standing in the way of new housing.

But failure to meet these goals on Hochul’s timetable means facing the governor’s mighty concrete fist. Albany will override local authority, and implement what she calls a “new fast-track approval process” to get home construction under way.

That’s one step too far. Forcing such change by trampling local government not only makes a bad mess worse, but also sets a bad precedent for the kind of power the governor wields over these communities.

What the concrete fist needs is a velvet glove in the form of incentives, as well as good education on what properly planned housing can bring.

There is a constant fear of city encroachment on our suburban way of life, but even a good suburb finds room for everyone from every walk of life.

How often do we hear friends talk about how much they enjoy visiting the vibrant town centers of places like Rockville Centre, Long Beach and Farmingdale? All of that is thanks to multifamily housing done right — not just for those who don’t necessarily make a lot of money, but for our young neighbors, who are just starting out in the world, and our older neighbors, looking to downsize and enjoy a simpler life.

This can happen by shining light on these successes, and how housing diversity grows neighborhoods rather than destroying them.

But let’s do it without the threats, without the negativity. Let’s provide the right incentives to make housing more affordable in our communities, and show why our Nassau County neighborhoods are indeed the best places to live.

letters

Next week, a nationwide focus on school choice

To the Editor:

You likely don’t need me to tell you that children all over the country are suffering the academic consequences of the pandemic, and New York is no exception.

A 2022 survey revealed that 52 percent of American families were looking for a new school. To put it in personal terms, in a classroom of 25 students, 13 families are not satisfied with the education their children are receiving.

A great K-12 education for every child is no small undertaking, and we know there are many learning environments that help different students achieve their potential.

Every child is different — with different abilities, personality and needs. In a place like New

Pence can persuade America he’s the president it needs

one thing I should have learned from my 28 years in Congress and the 15 years before that in the maelstrom of New York politics and government is that political life is very tough and all-consuming — especially at the national level.

Now that I’m away from the incessant turbulence of campaigning, and can wake up in the morning knowing I can go back to sleep and not have to worry during the day about prying reporters or angry constituents, I am increasingly aware of how unnatural the political world can be — and usually is.

This was reinforced for me during a recent meeting and subsequent radio interview with former Vice President Mike Pence. The meeting was in the fifth-floor Manhattan office of the Red Apple companies headed by John Catsimatidis, one of New York’s most successful entrepreneurs and business leaders. Among John’s companies is 77WABC Radio, which has

become a major political force in New York.

(Full disclosure: I am a 77WABC contributor and co-host, and consider Mike Pence a good friend.)

The meeting with the former vice president was the latest of many that Catsimatidis has had with prospective national and statewide candidates and political heavyweights. Joining him were a number of executives, staff members and Sid Rosenberg, who hosts the station’s most popular show.

It went well from the start. Though his questions about a possible presidential candidacy were probing, Catsimatidis made clear his admiration and respect for Pence. As did the participants. Pence’s demeanor was calm and relaxed, and his answers were thoughtful and coherent.

Following the 50-minute meeting, John, Mike Pence, Sid Rosenberg and I took the elevator down to the 77WABC studio on the second floor to record interviews with Sid for “Sid and Friends,” and with John and me for “Cats at Night.” On both floors, there were the

requisite photos with staff members, studio workers and technicians. Mike Pence handled it all with smiles and good humor. Then he was off to his next engagement with his four staff assistants.

All of this sounds calm and rational. But think of how many times Mike Pence must go through this drill. How many business and political leaders, how many special-interest advocates and former politicians must Mike Pence meet, and how many radio and television interviews must he do, realizing that one word or expressed thought taken out of context could endanger — or even torpedo — his possible campaign?

How many big cities, suburban centers and small towns must he visit? How many early mornings and late nights will he have?

How will he keep to his endless schedule? I couldn’t help but notice the understandably tense looks on the faces of the Pence assistants trying to keep him at least reasonably close to his schedule without offending anyone at these meetings, while thinking about how they

would explain his lateness at the next meeting, and the meetings after that.

Mike Pence’s real challenges, though, as he thinks through a presidential run, are:

■ Figuring out how to claim justifiable credit for his real contributions to the Trump-Pence administration while disclaiming the Trump excesses — particularly the shameful events of Jan. 6, 2021, when Pence acted with courage and honor.

■ Understanding how, in a time of political anger and rage, such a sharply divided nation can be persuaded to get behind a candidate of experience, knowledge and calm demeanor.

These challenges must be met while enduring the exhausting rigors of endless travel, interminable meetings, raising campaign funds, and unexpected news stories about the latest misadventures of Donald Trump. It won’t be easy. It will certainly be difficult. But I, for one, hope that Mike Pence stays in the arena, perseveres, and makes the run.

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. A version of this essay previously appeared in The Hill.

Letters

York, families need the flexibility to choose the school that will set their child up for success — whether it’s a traditional public school, a public charter school, a public magnet school, a private school, online learning or home-schooling.

If it’s been a while since you had school-aged children, you may not realize just how different the landscape of options is than it was even a decade ago.

A 2022 survey by the Harris Poll revealed that since the pandemic, home-schooling and public charter schools were the first and second most popular options for parents who decided to switch their children’s schools.

What’s more, some six in 10 parents said their children were happier with the change.

On the other hand, interest in open enrollment in traditional public schools, as well as magnet schools, remains high. Private school choice programs have expanded in many states in the last few years, and learning pods and micro-schools are a new and growing option.

But time is of the essence. Due to the explosion of education options in many places, application deadlines often fall as early as

January for the next academic year.

The upcoming National School Choice Week — Jan. 22-28 — will streamline things for parents through a national public awareness campaign and thousands of events hosted by schools around the country.

Parents who have chosen a school they love can also empower others by sharing their own experiences.

All families can help their kids achieve academic success.

The first step is to choose the perfect school fit, and the best way to do that is by being aware of the local options and regulations.

To learn about the academic alternatives in New York, parents can visit SchoolChoiceWeek.com/ new-york.

While parents in New York and across the country are exploring and choosing schools next week, I hope they can count on all of our support.

SHelBY DOYle

Nashville, Tennessee

Doyle is vice president of public awareness of the National School Choice Awareness Foundation.

Framework by Carol Vallone

Catching Cinderella up on the news 1,100 miles away — Walt Disney World, Orlando

He should claim credit for his contributions while disclaiming Trump’s excesses.