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South Side senior runs for Autism Speaks “I’ve been very passionate about inclusivity and have always promoted that within Abbey Brull is lacing up her Rockville Centre and within running shoes to help raise the special needs community,” money for a cause. The South Brull said. “I hope to spread Side High School senior will that message and hope to influcompete in the 2024 United Air- ence others to spread the meslines New York City Half Mara- sage.” Autism Speaks is committed thon in March to suppor t to advancing soluAutism Speaks, an tions for individuals organization close with autism specto her heart. trum disorder and B r u l l , a n av i d their families runner and Girls’ through advocacy, varsity soccer playsupport, research, er, raised more than understanding and $1,500 in donations a c c e p t a n c e. T h e surpassing her fundNational Institute of raising goal. Mental Health “Running is a big defines autism as a par t of my life,” ABBEY BRUll “neurological and Brull expressed, developmental dis“and I love the idea order that affects of raising money to promote inclusivity in the special needs how people interact with others, communicate, learn and community.” Her involvement extends behave.” For Brull, participating in beyond running. She is actively engaged in various clubs and the upcoming half marathon is organizations in the communi- more than just a personal chalty dedicated to supporting indi- lenge — it’s her platform to viduals with special needs and advocate for inclusivity within individuals on the autism spec- the special needs community trum, including her school’s and the acceptance of individuBest Buddies program, the als on the spectrum. Her journey to the starting Backyard Players and Friends and Camp Anchor. Continued on page 20
By DANIEl oFFNER
doffner@liherald.com
Daniel Offner/Herald
South Side student gives back South Side High School junior Ella Burbige, center, was presented with a citation from Rockville Centre Mayor Francis Murray during the village board meeting on Feb. 5 for generously donating an automated external defibrillator device to the village. Joining them are Rockville Centre Village Trustee Emilio Grillo, Village Trustee Katie Conlon, Deputy Mayor Kathy Baxley and Village Trustee Gregory Shaughnessy.
Wilson Elementary wins the district’s first-ever Hackathon By DANIEl oFFNER doffner@liherald.com
Teams of fourth- and fifth-grade students from all five elementary schools in Rockville Centre, and their principals, gathered in the Francis F. Wilson Elementary School gym on Jan. 26 for the first-ever KidOYO Hackathon. The competition — similar to the board game Risk — was a series of coding challenges that teams completed in order to claim territory on a map. Teams of eight to 10 students from each school were given 90 minutes to try to conquer as much territory as they could, while their competitors tried to wrest claimed territory away by
offering better solutions to the challenges. Computer programmers from KidOYO, a Long Island-based nonprofit that partners with schools to create coding-based curriculums, judged the students’ solutions to determine the winners of each challenge. The team that conquered the most territory was the winner. “Our students did a great job, not only coding, but determining the actual strategy of the game,” district Superintendent Matthew Gaven said at the Board of Education meeting on Feb. 1. “So we had a lot of high drama and excitement, and I want to thank all of our elementary Hackathon mentors for taking the ‘risk’ of trying Continued on page 12
February 15, 2024 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
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Basketball game raises $1,200 for a cause By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com
The Kellenberg Memorial High School Firebirds and Sacred Heart Academy Lady Spartans teamed up with the Mary Ruchalski Foundation for a second consecutive year to host its charity basketball game between the two Catholic high school teams. Brie Eliwood and Tricia Kiernan, two Sacred Heart Academy parents, organized this year’s event, which helped raise $1,200 for the Mary Ruchalski Foundation. “The Play 4 Mary game between Sacred Heart Academy and Kellenberg varsity girls’ basketball teams has become a special tradition for our community,” Eliwood said. The Mary Ruchalski Foundation was created in 2019, in memory of Mary Ruchalski, a talented multisport athlete and 12-year-old student at St. Agnes Cathedral School in Rockville Centre, who died in March 2018 of rhabdomyosarcoma. “It was a special night honoring one of my daughter’s childhood friends, who unfortunately lost her battle with cancer,” Kiernan said, “and helped raise money for the wonderful foundation that her family created.” Thanks to the foundation, more than a half-a-million dollars have been raised for cancer research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory toward developing a new drug to help fight this rare form of pediatric cancer. Play 4 Mary is a growing movement where younger athletes can get involved by hosting charity events and clinics involving sports that Mary had participated in — including basketball, lacrosse, softball, soccer and swimming — with the goal of raising awareness and funds for pediatric cancer. “I’m so pleased with the way Play 4 Mary has taken off,” Mary’s mother, Carol Ruchalski, said. “The kids are really the ones initiating it.” During the game, students from both Sacred Heart and Kellenberg hosted a bake sale to help raise money for the Mary Ruchalski Foundation, and at halftime, the two teams recognized Mary by inviting the kids with the fourth- and fifth-grade St. Agnes CYO basketball team onto the court for a friendly exhibition. “It was a great way to connect the younger generation with the current generation of high school players,” Eliwood said. “A lot of the girls on both teams played for St. Agnes CYO and knew of Mary Ruchalski.” The two teams put up a valiant effort, but in the end it was the Sacred Heart Academy Lady Spartans that went on to win the game 49 – 38 over Kellenberg. “Thank you to everyone involved in making our Play 4 Mary game another incredible evening,” Sacred Heart Academy Head Coach Bob Speck said in an email. “Her beautiful, caring and
Tim Baker/Herald photos
Players with the Sacred Heart Academy Lady Spartans, the Kellenberg Memorial Firebirds and the St. Agnes fourth- and fifthgrade CYO basketball team come together to help raise money for the Mary Ruchalski Foundation.
Bake sale volunteers Bella Russa, Olivia Didora, Gianna Fiore and Kara Flannery show their support for the Mary Ruchalski Foundation. endearing spirit is memorialized by your selfless devotion of time and commitment to planning such a special event, and our team and the SHA Community are forever grateful.” The Play 4 Mary campaign will return in the summer with a lacrosse clinic for boys and girls expected sometime in June. For more information on the foundation and future events, visit TheMaryRuchalskiFoundation.org.
Sacred Heart Academy Head Coach Bob Speck calls a play during the game against Kellenberg on Feb. 9.
Molly Bagatta of Rockville Centre and Kaitlyn Cole of Garden City enjoy a sweet treat during the bake sale.
ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — February 15, 2024
Sacred Heart Academy and Kellenberg Memorial H.S. play for Mary Ruchalski
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Communication Devices for Older Adults While studying the topic of dementia, your writer was surprised to learn that the single most effective preventative measure would be for more of the hard-of-hearing to wear hearing aids. Studies show that only one in six persons who needs a hearing aid actually uses one and the average person waits ten years before seeking treatment for hearing loss. As discussed previously in this column, social engagement is the number one factor in maintaining one’s mental faculties as we age. It makes sense then, that age-related hearing loss, also known as presbycusis, would diminish social engagement leading to social isolation, cognitive decline and anxiety. Quality hearing aids today may be obtained over-the-counter without a prescription. Check your hearing online by googling “free on-line hearing screening”, downloading the app Mimi, or visiting hearingnumber.org, sponsored by Johns Hopkins. A visit to an audiologist (covered by Medicare) is recommended, however, to
rule out any physical causes. Another communication device widely available today, video calling, gives you the benefit of seeing the speaker’s facial expressions and lip movements, helping listeners better understand what they’re hearing. On video you can watch the same show or movies together, even adding other parties. You can also virtually “attend” an event that you cannot make it to in-person. Social media is a communication device that allows for social engagement through meeting new people, participating in virtual activities and strengthening current relationships. Research finds that older adults using social media feel less lonely, less depressed and experience a boost in working memory performances. For older adults, visit stitch.net. For more information, and to find additional tools for the visually impaired and mobility impaired, visit the National Council on Aging website, ncoa.org.
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A fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon at K&K Auto and Tire Center on N. Long Beach Road in Rockville Centre, according to eyewitnesses, who say they saw the smoke billowing from the auto shop over the local business district. The Rockville Centre Fire Department was notified of the fire around 1 p.m. and responded to the scene in just under five minutes. Scott Mohr, chief of the department, said the auto body was fully involved upon arrival and a second alarm was sent out for a heavy fire. Courtesy Aiden Healy Fire departments in the surrounding area including Oceanside, Local firefighters had the blaze under control Malver ne and Lynbrook also by 1:30 p.m. The structure of the auto body, responded to help combat the blaze, however, was severely damaged as a result. while East Rockaway and Baldwin rently investigating into the cause. were kept on standby to assist in the event of any additional alarms in the Thanks to the swift response from firevillage. About 100 to 120 fire personnel fighters, along with assistance from were involved in the effort to extinguish Rockville Centre police, public works, the flames. electric and building department employMohr said that the fire was knocked ees, the fire was kept under control with down around 1:30 p.m. “All units no reports of injuries. remained on the scene for Nassau County Firefighters were able to keep the fire Hazmat and Fire Marshals to arrive,” he contained to the building, without said. spreading to any of the neighboring busiThe fire is believed to have started nesses or adjacent homes. after a truck was brought in for service. Nassau County Fire Marshals are cur–Daniel Offner _____________
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■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: Ext. 205 E-mail: rvceditor@liherald.com ■ SUBSCRIPTIONS: Press ”7” E-mail: circ@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ ClASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Ext. 286 E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com Fax: (516) 622-7460 ■ DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: rglickman@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643 The Rockville Centre Herald USPS 74660, is published every Thursday by Richner Communications, Inc., 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Periodicals postage paid at Garden City, NY 11530 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to Rockville Centre Herald, 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Newsstand Price: $1. Subscription rates: $60 for 1 year. Annual Subscription Rates, $9.75 per quarter auto-pay or $50 one-time payment within Nassau County or $60 outside of Nassau County. Copyright © 2024 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
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What’s neWs in and out of the classroom
Holocaust Survivor and renowned author Marion Blumenthal Lazan recently paid a visit to the Rockville Centre School District, where she spoke to fifth-grade students at Covert, Hewitt and Riverside elementary schools about her memoir, “Four Perfect Pebbles: A Holocaust Story.” During her presentation in January, she spoke with students about her courageous story and the devastating experiences during the Holocaust that shaped her childhood. Her family fled Nazi-occupied Germany, following Hitler’s rise to power, and managed to escape as antisemitism ran rampant across several European nations. Eventually they would make it to the Netherlands, but it wasn’t long before it too was occupied by the Nazi regime. The Blumenthal’s were forced to live in refugee camps, including Westerbork in Holland, and were later sent to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany. While her family all survived the camps, her father, Walter, died of typhus shortly after they were liberated. Following the war, her family contin-
Courtesy Rockville Centre School District
Marion Blumenthal Lazan joins students and faculty in the Covert auditorium for a special presentation about her memoir. ued to struggle for three years as they waited to obtain the necessary paperwork to leave the country, and boarded a ship headed for the United States. After sharing her story with students, she implored students to share
her courageous story with others and to learn to be good and kind to each other. “I do realize the importance of sharing that period of our history with you,” she told the students, “simply because in a few short years, (survivors) will not
be here any longer to give a firsthand account. You are the very last generation that will hear these stories firsthand. I therefore ask you to please share my store or any of the Holocaust stories that you read about.”
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South Side’s Daniel clears hurdle By GARRETT D. URIBE sports@liherald.com
MAKAYLA DAUBE Mepham Junior Basketball TO SAY DAUBE dominated in the paint in the Pirates’ 56-35 victory at Long Beach Feb. 7 would be a major understatement. The junior center, who is seeking a second straight AllCounty award, ripped down 28 rebounds and also added 21 points. Posting a double-double is nothing new for Daube, who ranks among Nassau County’s leading rebounders at 17.8 per game. She’s scoring at a 15.8 points per game clip for playoff-bound Mepham.
BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS All Games at Farmingdale State College Wednesday, February 21 Nassau Class B girls semifinals ......................6 and 8 p.m.
Friday, February 23 Nassau Class B boys semifinals ..........6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 25 Nassau Class AAA girls semifinals ................12 and 2 p.m. Nassau Class AAA boys semifinals ........... 4 and 6:15 p.m.
Monday, February 26 Nassau Class AA girls semifinals ....................5 and 7 p.m.
Tuesday, February 27 Nassau Class AA boys semifinals....................6 and 8 p.m.
Wednesday, February 28 Nassau Class A boys semifinals......................6 and 8 p.m.
Thursday, February 29 Nassau Class A girls semifinals.......................5 and 7 p.m.
Friday, March 1 Nassau Class B girls championship game ................ 6 p.m. Nassau Class B boys championship game ............... 8 p.m.
Saturday, March 2 Nassau Class AAA girls championship game ..........11 a.m. Nassau Class A boys championship game ..........1:15 p.m. Nassau Class AA boys championship game ........3:30 p.m. Nassau Class AAA boys championship game ......5:45 p.m.
Monday, March 4 Nassau Class AA girls championship game .............. 5 p.m. Nassau Class A girls championship game ................ 7 p.m.
Victoria Daniel’s performance last week might have rung down the curtain on her stint as a long sprinter. The South Side junior - in historic fashion - showed she’s far too valuable as a hurdler. Edging Valley Stream North’s Alyanna Nadal by two one hundredths of a second, Daniel set a school winter record in the girls’ 55-meter hurdles winning in 8.88 seconds Feb. 6 at the Nassau Class B track and field championships at St. Anthony’s. The photo finish gave Daniel, fresh off a pair of Conference 4 championships in the 55 hurdles and 55 dash, her first county title, as the Cyclones speedster – formerly a regular entrant in the 300 dash – led the South Side girls’ track and field team to fourth place finish at county. “I joke that she went and got good at hurdles so she wouldn’t have to run the 300 anymore,” South Side coach Chris Webster said of Daniel, who also earned All-County honors in the 55 dash (third place) and 4x200-meter relay (runner-up). “The whole team was holding its breath waiting to see if Victoria won,” Webster said. “Winning the county championship was a big moment in her life, and all our lives. She’s a role model who has set the standard.” Defending county champion Claire Bohan came within 4.85 seconds of earning a repeat indoor title in the 3000 meters for South Side, finishing second in 10 minutes, 59.85 seconds. The senior middle-distance mainstay – who also took All-County honors finishing third in the 1500 meters – employed a stalking strategy, letting Great Neck South’s Isabella Spagnoli set the pace, but was unable to match the Rebel junior’s kick at the 3000 finish. “Claire knew she had her work cut out for her and ran a smart race,” Webster said of Bohan, Conference 4’s indoor champ in the 3000 meters. “The race kind of went the way we’d figured and planned, but with 400 meters left the
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Junior Victoria Daniel captured the Nassau Class B championship in an exciting 55-meter hurdles final, setting a South Side indoor record in the process. other girl really took off. Claire still ran one of her best races of the year.” Bohan – who upon graduation is set to run track and cross country at George Washington University – looks ahead to spring when she’ll defend county titles in the 3000 and 1500 meters. Daniel came close to a second surmounting of the podium at county as anchor on the Cyclones 4x200-meter relay. The Conference 4 champion Cyclones crew was blocked, however, by an official – literally. Despite second leg Ashely Mata colliding mid-race with a wandering official, third leg Hannah Porter and Daniel – in
particular – recovered enough lost ground to finish four seconds back of winner Valley Stream North, placing second in 1:54.74. Kasey McCrae led off the race for South Side. “A bit frustrating,” Webster said. “And there’s nothing we can do about it. The girls ran a great race. Victoria made up lots of time; she really put her heart into it.” “Honestly,” Webster added, “our four by two was a nice surprise this winter. I knew we’d be decent but not this good. When they won the conference championship, I started realizing we could do some damage.”
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The hidden danger of noise and light By Will Sheeline, Nicole Formisano & Angelina Zingariello First part in a series Long Island faces a growing crisis as noise and light pollution become more troublesome. Noise pollution — characterized by unwanted and harmful sounds — and light pollution — stemming from excessive artificial lights — are pressing issues impacting not just all of us who live here, but also the environment. The World Health Organization defines noise pollution as disruptive sounds harmful to human health, while the International Dark-Sky Association — a nonprofit that fights to return the stars to our skies — warns that light pollution not only affects the natural night sky, but it also disrupts wildlife and interferes with astronomical observations. The consistent noise from traffic, airplanes, construction and urban development disrupts daily lives and sleep patterns. Simultaneously, the widespread artificial light from streetlights, billboards, and other sources diminishes the natural darkness at night, impacting stargazing and unsettling nocturnal wildlife. As Long Island tackles these escalating issues, local authorities are actively working to enforce noise regulations and promote responsible outdoor lighting practices, such as the Dark Skies Protection Act, put forth by the Assembly last year. The aim is to strike a balance between the imperatives of urban progress and the preservation of Long Island’s unique environment. Addressing noise and light pollution is vital for protecting human health, according to the WHO, as well as maintaining the integrity of natural ecosystems. Additionally, research shows the detrimental effects of noise pollution — including more stress, hypertension, and even cognitive impairment in both adults and children. Similarly, excessive exposure to artificial light at night contributes to lower quality sleep and insomnia, and even mood disorders. These environmental stressors also affects local wildlife populations by altering migration, nesting and foraging patterns, and even disrupting reproductive hormones and behaviors. Fireflies, for example, can no longer can find mates in an artificially lit night sky. “Almost every form of wildlife uses the night for either navigation or mating, or for many ways of regenerating the species,” said Susan Serven, a DarkSky spokeswoman. “So if you don’t have a deep dark night, you have this artificial daylight. It can confuse them, and it
Courtesy Junj Stare, LightPollutionMap.info
Using NASA’s Black Marble light product, observers can get a sense how bright different parts of the world really are. While it’s no surprise that New York City is one of the brightest spots in the region, it’s also clear that light pollution spreads well across Long Island — especially in Nassau County. can affect their physiology as well.” While it might not get the same attention as other forms of pollution — like air and water — community organizations are teaming up with environmental advocates and researchers to raise awareness and devise strategies against noise and light pollution on Long Island. The Town of Oyster Bay, for example, mandates that any outdoor light is properly shielded to ensure light is only cast on necessary areas rather than, really, all over the place. They must also be placed on a timer to turn on and off at appropriate times to save energy. The Village of Malverne passed a noise ordinance last December intended to limit the unnecessary sound neighbors say they experience at all hours of the day. “Sleep is the biggest factor in all of this,” Malverne mayor Tim Sullivan said. “Residents are trying to find peace at night. And if that’s disturbed, it has a negative effect on your mental wellbeing and your physical functionality, which could negatively impact your earnings potential, your family, your home life, and how you generally interact with people on a daily basis. “My biggest concern, as a father, is when I have a plane flying over my house in the middle of the day, that’s excessive. It has woken my daughter up from her nap, and that (nap is) important to her well-being and development.”
Battling light pollution Once the heart of aviation attracting
the likes of Charles Lindbergh and Wiley Post, Long Island is now a hot spot for the biggest threat to our sky: light pollution. South Shore neighbors, for example, are all too familiar with the incessant, 24-hour glow to the west that is New York City. But light pollution atlases maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences reveal Nassau County is not without its own blame. Light pollution is “the human-made alteration of outdoor light levels from those occurring naturally,” according to Dark-Sky. And for more than 20 years, Long Island has produced light pollution on par with one of the world’s biggest cities: its neighbor, New York. “We’ve been losing our night sky for decades,” Serven said, adding that more than 90 percent of people throughout the country can no longer see the Milky Way — or even many stars, for that matter — from their backyards. “We’re really the first generation who has lost the night sky.” Some of our biggest contributors, according to Dark-Sky, are streetlights, electronic advertising, and even parking lots — and it’s getting worse. Light pollution has risen by nearly 10 percent every year, and is projected to double over the next decade, Serven said. That over-lighting comes at a cost. Every year, millions of sea turtles that call Long Island home are killed because they mistake endless streetlights and billboards for a glowing ocean horizon with a brightness that rivals the moon. The fireflies that marked summer nights on Long Island now face total extinction, and studies have shown light pollution is largely at fault. Humans are not exempt from the effects of light pollution. Our circadian
rhythm — or sleep-wake cycle — relies on light cues from our natural world. But in an environment full of blue light from cellphone and laptop screens, our natural clocks are ticking out of sync. This circadian disruption, studies show, is linked to mood disorders, reproductive problems, cancers and more. It also has drastic effects on our ability to produce melatonin, meaning more people are lying awake at night, often not realizing that the brightness that surrounds them throughout the evening is to blame. The cost of light pollution is literal, too. Dark-Sky estimates 30 percent of all outdoor lighting in the United States is misdirected — meaning shone on areas that don’t require light, often even up into the night sky itself — adding up to $3.3 billion wasted every year. The energy it takes to sustain those unnecessary lights creates 21 million tons of carbon dioxide every year, which is among the leading contributors to climate change. And light isn’t the only invisible menace draining your health.
Taking on noise pollution Noise pollution, is characterized by sounds that reach above the human decibel threshold, the level of sound it takes to cause auditory damage, and has far-reaching effects on our well-being. Various sources contribute to noise pollution, with cities like Glen Cove and Long Beach bearing the brunt of its impact. Traffic noise — including the incessant honking of horns and the roar of engines — dominates streets, reaching levels as high as 100 decibels — equivalent to a hair dryer or a blender — according to the Hearing Center of Excellence, a program created by the U.S. Defense Department to study and reduce hearing loss among veterans. CoNtINUed oN NeXt pAge
Remember when you could see stars in the sky? Similarly, air traffic noise, construction sites, and bustling nightlife establishments all contribute to the cacophony of urban-like life. Lawnmowers and leaf blowers long have been a point of contention between business owners and local governments, such as in the Village of Sea Cliff, which has discussed numerous complaints by both residents and businesses regarding their use in the last two years. Following nearly two years of research, village officials passed an ordinance in 2022 restricting the days leaf blowers can be used while promoting the use of electric leaf blowers as opposed to louder, diesel versions. “We needed to balance the public’s right to live in a quiet, bucolic setting versus other residents who hire landscapers to do their work,” Sea Cliff mayor Elena Villafane said. “So, we restricted the gas leaf blowers by prohibition during the spring and summer, and then we’ve limited the hours of electric leaf blowers during the same period to weekdays, business hours. And then, in the fall and winter, you can use both.” The effects of noise pollution extend beyond mere annoyance, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency and similar organizations. Prolonged exposure to loud noises can lead to a range of health issues, including hearing loss, high blood pressure and
Will Sheeline/Herald
even sounds as innocuous as a car muffler can cause long-term auditory damage, especially compounded by the number of cars on the road in cities like glen Cove and Long Beach. heart disease. Moreover, noise pollution disrupts sleep patterns, increases stress levels, and impairs cognitive function, particularly in children according to Matthew Mannis, a noise consultant for AKRF Inc. “Whether it’s construction noise outside or aircraft flyovers — or even the most mundane things that we take for granted — these everyday noises can be disturbing,” Mannis said. “We are learning that higher degrees or levels of noise for extended periods
of time can raise anxiety and blood pressure levels.” For wildlife, noise pollution presents its own set of challenges. Marine mammals such as whales and dolphins — which have been spotted more often around the Long Island Sound as water temperatures have risen — rely on echolocation for communication and navigation, according to National Geographic. However, the underwater cacophony created by ships, sonar devices and seismic surveys interferes with their ability to perceive their surroundings, leading
to mass stranding and altered behavior. Awareness and education are essential tools in combating noise and light pollution. “Light pollution is actually the easiest form of pollution to fix,” Serven said. “Simply turn off any lights that aren’t needed at night. That’s the simplest thing you can do.” Dark-Sky also recommends neighbors swap unprotected outdoor lights for ones that are shielded or on timers to limit unnecessary light and energy drainage. Plus, more and more regions — including New York — are participating in “Lights Out,” a movement to shut off nonessential outdoor light between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., during bird migration periods to help lessen light pollution’s effects on wildlife. Investment in noise-reducing technologies — such as sound barriers and quieter asphalt for roads — can mitigate the impact of noise pollution in urban areas, according to the European Environment Agency, an organization in the European Union that studies data to support Europe’s environment and climate goals. Moreover, fostering a culture of environmental stewardship and responsible noise management is crucial for safeguarding our health and the well-being of wildlife. “Learn as much as you can, and tell others,” Serve said. “Because it’s critically important. And, the issue is getting worse.”
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February 15, 2024 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
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B’nai Sholom hosts Super Bowl-A-Thon By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com
In recognition of Super Bowl LVIII, members of Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David celebrated with its 5th annual Super Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser at Maple Lanes RVC. More than 60 congregants gathered at the bowling alley on Sunday afternoon to participate and cheer each other on. Much like the big game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, a lot was riding on the event. Rabbi David Lerner was there to try and defend his title as “highest scorer,” a title he has maintained for the last two years. “Strikes, spares, gutterballs, field goals and smiles,” Bonnie Friedman, copresident of the Sisterhood of Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David, said. “For the fifth year in a row, our bowling event was a triumphant roll down the lane of success.” This year’s event featured a number of fresh faces, including Dave Kaufman, Ber nie Genzer, Howard and Marcy Colton, and Shira Yaron who was filling in for Rabbi Howard Diamond. Returning this year were also Barry Silverman, Bonnie Friedman, Nancy Hochhauser, Jonathan Winder man, Ashley Presser, Cantor Alexandra Weiser, Brandon Melendez, Nina Pasternack, Sha Batzby and Amy and Bart Slavin. Even the kids joined in on the fun this year, by participating in their own game, while their parents competed to determine who would take home the prize for the highest and lowest scores and the most money raised. The winners of the competition will be announced during the Shabbat Across America Dinner on March 1. During the competition, bowlers also took a quick “time-out” to enjoy some kosher pizza, salad and refreshments that were provided courtesy of Larry and Lisa Mack.
Amy Slavin, a member of the Rockville Centre Jewish community, came to support Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David’s Super Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser.
Courtesy B’nai Sholom-Beth David
Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David celebrates its 5th annual Super Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser at Maple Lanes on Sunday. “It was a ton of fun and a great way to get the temple community together to raise money,” Temple President Nancy Hochhauser said. Barbara Kaplan, a member of the s y n a g o g u e ’s b o a r d o f t r u s t e e s , expressed her thanks to Matas Skolnick, Smantha Berman-Melendez, Jill Lander, Connie Salwen, Judy Greenberg and Nancy Hochhauser for helping organize this year’s competition. She also expressed that the 2024 Super Bowl-A-Thon would not have been such a tremendous success if not for the generosity of Jill Kaplan, who donated the prizes for this year’s winners; Jeff Greeenfield, who helped cover the cost of the lanes; and Lisa Mack, who provided note cards and envelopes for members of the congregation to write personal greetings to IDF soldiers stationed in Gaza, which Rabbi Emeritus Barry Dov Schwartz will personally bring with him to Israel during his visit later this month.
Marianne P. Stone/Herald photos
JLC Chair Brandon Melendez, left, Shira Yaron, JLC Principal Nina Pasternack and JLC Teacher Sha Batzby enjoy the Super Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser on Sunday.
Jonathan Winderman of Island Park bowls for a spare during B’nai Sholom-Beth David’s Bowl-AThon fundraiser at Maple Lanes on Feb. 11.
Rabbi David Lerner and President Nancy Hochhauser of Congregation B’nai SholomBeth David in Rockville Centre participate in the Super Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser on Sunday.
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ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — February 15, 2024
“The Vacant Space Revival Program qualified us for on-bill credits that really help me manage costs.” —George Karatzas, James Cress Florist, Smithtown Unoccupied business spaces are an opportunity to help bring vitality to downtown areas. For George Karatzas, owner of James Cress Florist, staying downtown was a priority, but costs were prohibitive. Then George applied for our Vacant Space Revival Program, which has provided $2,462 in bill credits to help offset his overhead.* And Smithtown continues to have a business that brings warmth and charm to the area. It’s a beautiful thing to see come together—just like George’s floral arrangements.
*Incentives, grants, and savings will vary with every project.
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Tech-savvy students excel in Hackathon the Wilson Wizards completed 10 coding challenges to claim first place in the rockville Centre school district’s firstever Hackathon on Jan. 26.
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something new.” The goal of the event was to encourage student programmers, designers and tech enthusiasts to collaborate, using KidOYO programming software, to solve problems and create new applications. Wilson Principal James Duffy, who served as emcee, said that the event was a friendly, upbeat competition among the elementary schools that was organized by teachers in the district’s Success in Technolog y, Enrichment, Literacy, Library and Research, or STELLAR, program. “I thought it was fantastic,” Duffy said. “The students were all very excited for it.” He explained that they practiced with their STELLAR teachers in the mornings before class and during their lunch periods to prepare for the competition. Duffy added that what he liked most about the Hackathon was that it gave students who might not typically be as involved, academically or athletically, a chance to shine by showcasing their coding talents. Students at Wilson, Covert, Hewitt, Riverside and Watson Elementary worked with teammates in a race against the clock to try and complete as many challenges as they could. In the end, the team from Wilson — the Wizards — took first place, winning 10 of the team challenges and capturing
Photos courtesy Rockville Centre school district
most of the territory on the board. Duffy and the winners were invited to attend the next school board meeting, on Thursday, after the Herald went to press, where they were to be presented with a trophy by Gaven for their computer-coding prowess. “We’re hoping to start a new tradition here in the district,” Duffy said. To help do so, the winning team will have the honor of housing the trophy for the next year, and the chance to host the
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next elementary school Hackathon. “I think it really worked out well for our students,” Gaven said, “and I’m excited to see what our students do with more practice.” At the meeting on Feb. 1, school board members acknowledged the faculty and staff who were instrumental in organizing the event. Trustee Erica Messier said that in the photos she saw on social media, the student participants “looked so engaged and enthusiastic.” Tara Hackett, a fellow trustee, said she was proud of all of the Covert elementary students on the inCodeables kids who took part. “Thank you to team using KidoYo coding software in the firstMr. Duffy for hosting the event,” ever elementary school Hackathon. Hackett said. “And congratulafrom other districts across Nassau and tions to the Wilson team for taking Suffolk counties. home the prize.” The KidOYO educational platform In addition to celebrating the success of the elementary school hackers, dis- was integrated into the elementary trict administrators said they planned to school STELLAR program last year, as bring all of the excitement of the compe- part of the district’s effort to give stutition to South Side Middle School in the dents more opportunities in coding, future. They are also considering send- research, robotics, computer science and ing the winning team to take part in the engineering. KidOYO prioritizes compuLong Island Inter-District Hackathon tational literacy, and is currently partLeague, in which students at the high nered with more than 100 schools across school, middle school and upper elemen- the state. For more information, visit tary school levels compete against teams KidOYO.com.
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KIDS, CAMp and SCHOOL — with a focus on prOgrAMS AnD ACtIvItIeS a time before they need to move on to another activity or take a break. Teens and tweens can likely study for longer periods of time, from 30 to 40 minutes, before they need to get up and stretch or rest their eyes. Remember: You’re paying a certified educator for their expertise in subject matter, as well as their knowledge about what makes a successful learning environment. Work collaboratively with your tutor to establish boundaries and rewards that feel appropriate for your student’s needs, your comfort level as a parent, and the tutor’s needs as an educator. For most tutors — and students — it’s also best if parents make themselves scarce during tutoring sessions. If you hang around during a session, it could make it more difficult for your student to focus — even if they’re on break. Encourage your student to follow the rules and have a good time — then make your exit!
Help your student achieve tutoring success It’s a whirlwind for your family after school: Your kids need to have a snack, keep up with their activities, complete their homework — on and on it goes. All the while academics are the priority. So how do you fit tutoring into a busy household without distracting your struggling student, or making them feel left out of all the fun? Even when tutoring is necessary, learning sessions can be a tall order for kids who are already over-programmed and overtired. Building Skills One of the biggest benefits of at-home tutoring is giving your student a chance to interact one-on-one with a certified educator. Even young children who need more practice developing basic skills, like problem-solving, vocabulary, and working with numbers, may benefit from working with a tutor. Of course, hiring a tutor isn’t always about helping your child get ahead. Tutoring also provides students with the extra help they need to complete schoolwork, address a learning disorder, or master content they struggle with. Depending on your child’s learning style, your tutor might use visual aids, audio clips, or art projects. They’ll need enough room — and enough supplies — to teach effectively. During the hiring process, talk with your tutor about their plans for your child’s tutoring sessions. What kind of space do they need? Together, pick a quiet area in your home that you can dedicate solely to tutoring sessions. This could be the kitchen table, a study desk, or an out-of-the-way corner — wherever there’s enough room with limited distractions. When your child and their tutor have a place that’s all their own to sit down and get to work, it provides the structure and
Institute Quiet Hours Have other children? Make sure they understand that the tutor and your student need time and space to work on their own. Establish this boundary early, so your kids all understand that tutoring time is important work time. Tutoring time can also be good “quiet time” for the rest of your household. If true “quiet time” is a no-go at your house, try sending your other children outside or to a different part of the house to play.
Emphasize Family Time Even though tutoring can be fun and engaging, it’s still extra work for your young student. That can make kids feel left out, especially when their brothers and sisters get to spend the time playing, attending after-school clubs, or hanging out with friends. In order to make your tutored child feel included, make sure to emphasize family time after the tutoring session is over. Whether you all sit down to dinner together, watch a movie, or take a walk around the block before it gets dark, family time helps your student transition from a long workday back into being a kid. Every family member has individual responsibilities, interests, hobbies, and activities they do on their own. Helping your child see that tutoring is just one of the things they do makes it less isolating and more independent and confidence-building..
Coordinate Breaks And Boundaries Most young children can only study for 20 to 30 minutes at
Photo: Children can benefit from having someone focused on them who can support and help them to understand and accept their own learning styles
stability for good learning. This routine carries over to every session and makes it easier for your tutor to develop a rapport with your student, so they can accomplish even more together.
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ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — February 15, 2024
Extra help
Planning begins to upgrade electrical grid By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com
With a $3.26 billion investment, New York Transco and the New York Power Authority unveiled details of its Propel NY Energy project, aimed to fortify Long Island’s power grid by potentially bringing new underground electrical transmission and substations to Nassau County. The Long Island Association’s offshore wind committee hosted a discussion last week in Melville, with topics ranging from electrical grid reliability improvements to potential traffic disruptions caused by the work to make it happen. Propel NY represents a step toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for Nassau County and the wider region. After last year’s competitive bid process in 2023, the New York Independent System Operator — which monitors the reliability of the state’s power system — threw its support behind Propel NY, which is now entering the permitting process. Regulated by Article VII of the New York Public Service Law, the regulatory framework emphasizes environmental impacts, ensuring community involvement. “We want to make sure that we’re all working together … to make sure that effective outreach and communication is happening throughout the process,” said Carrie Gallagher, the Long Island office director for the state’s public service department. That means bringing together not only the Long Island Power Authority and PSEG Long Island, but also the public service department, Transco, and the power authority. Propel NY aims to bolster the reliability and resiliency of the Long Island power grid, according to officials. That means adding what they are calling bi-
Courtesy Propel NY
Propel NY Energy — which plans to invest billions in a project burying 90 miles of electrical transmission lines — will discuss exactly where those lines will go in detail with affected communities, residents and businesses. directional power flows from Long Island into the statewide grid through 90 miles of new transmission pathways. The goal is to transmit up to 3,000 megawatts of energy from offshore wind projects that could power hundreds, if not thousands, of homes. An estimated 66 miles of the new underground distribution lines will run across Nassau County, with less than two miles planned for Suffolk. That includes several separate high-voltage cables from Melville, Island Park, Syosset, Uniondale and Glenwood Landing in Oyster Bay that then would
extend under the East River to the Bronx and the Long Island Sound toward Westchester. The bidirectional line — meaning power will flow in both directions — will help accommodate the influx of renewable energy from offshore wind farms, officials said, with construction expected to begin in 2026, continue on until mid-2030. Residents, according to power authority vice president Girish Behal, will be “impacted the most by traffic and all the construction that happens. But, in addition to that, it’s also the local government and community groups that have an impact on the project.” Propel NY got the go-ahead to begin groundwork needed for construction this past June. The state’s Public Service Commission approved Transco’s plan to borrow as much as $1.4 billion to build power lines. Propel NY looks to harness various clean energy sources — particularly offshore wind — reducing reliance on fossil fuels and promoting sustainability, officials said. A key purpose of the project., they add, is the need for upgrades to accommodate renewable energy sources like offshore wind, while discussing the current sources of electricity on Long Island and the transition toward offshore wind as a significant clean energy source. “By 2030, 50 percent of our power will come from one source: offshore wind,” said Tom Falcone, the Long Island Power Authority’s chief executive. “Right now, it’s practically zero.” Half of the 10 turbines already built are now operating, he said, with two more expected be added to the overall total by March. At that time, “the first offshore wind project in federal waters will be operational,” Falcone said, “but it’s the first of thousands. And it’s coming very soon.”
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OBITUARIES June Carstens Kane, 95, Kane continuously volunteered at Mount Sinai South died on Dec. 25, 2023 in LittleNassau hospital in Oceanston, Colorado after a short ide for 50 years. illness. She had recently She was a devoted mother moved to Colorado to be closa n d i s s u r v ive d by h e r er to family. beloved children, Sheila PodKane was born and raised gurski, Stephen Kane and in Rockville Centre. She marBrian Kane; six grandchilried the late Charles J. Kane, dren and two great-grandon June 11, 1948, and raised her three children in the June Carstens children. Kane is remembered as a community. Kane strong loving mother and an She was a 1946 graduate avid lover of the ocean, havof South Side High School, where she was an acrobatic cheerleader. ing spent many hours at Jones Beach She continued to work with the Alumni through the years. She will be interred Association by assisting with the many next to her husband at the Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale. Class of 1946 reunions.
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Church on Feb. 20 at 11 a.m., followed by burial at the South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth. A Celebration of Life will take place in Rockville Centre at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Treasure Coast Hospice in his memory.
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Anthony Papalia, 90, volunteer firefighter
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PLANNING TECHNIQUES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CURRENT FEDERAL EXEMPTIONS BEFORE THEY DECREASE IN 2026: PART II
BEFORE
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Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts: Individuals who want to use their remaining exemptions but who are concerned about losing access to gifted assets should consider a Spousal Lifetime Access Trust (SLAT). SLATs allow one spouse to make a gift in trust for the benefit of the other spouse and their family. The gift to the SLAT uses the donor-spouse’s exemption, but the donor-spouse retains indirect access to the trust assets through their spouse (who is a beneficiary of the trust).
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This approach has many advantages. Trusts can protect assets from a beneficiary’s creditors, shelter assets from estate tax upon a beneficiary’s death, and prevent imprudent use of assets by a spendthrift beneficiary, while still providing flexible distribution provisions that can address the beneficiary’s current and future needs.
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Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts: For individuals who have used some of their exemption or who are looking to preserve their exemption for other gifts, an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) may be a good option. The purpose of an ILIT is to remove life insurance proceeds from the insured’s estate.
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C. Make Gifts in Trust Generally speaking, gifts in trust (rather than gifts made outright to an individual) are preferred because they promote flexibility, protect gifted assets, and leverage the use of your exemption. Some possible planning techniques include the following.
G
Anthony Papalia, 90, passed away peacefully on Jan. 29, 2024, in Port Saint Lucie, Florida. He was born on Aug. 26, 1933, in Rockville Centre, New York, and would later attend the St. Agnes Elementary School and South Side High School, where he was a standout wrestler and violinist. He went on to attend Farmingdale Agricultural College and was a proud Korean War veteran, having served his country from 1950 to 1953. He was a volunteer firefighter for ove r 7 0 ye a r s, anthony PaPalia serving as Captain of Reliance Hose Company No. 3. He was also an Honorary Fire Chief with the Rockville Centre Fire Department. He was also the proud owner of Rockville Lawns, a well-known landscaping company, for more than 40 years. He and his family spent most summer weekends at their lakeside cabin in Deposit, New York. He loved taking long walks, fishing, gardening, relaxing and spending time with his family. Papalia and Marylou, his wife of 65 years, retired to Port Saint Lucie in 2003, where they built another large group of friends. He was very active in his retirement years as well, and served as president of the Savannah Club Men’s Club from 2009 to 2011. He was also awarded “Man of the Year” in 2010. He and Marylou have four children, Frank (Linda Muller) Papalia, Laura Papalia, Diana (John) Terry, and Catherine (Ted) Boyle. They were blessed with six grandchildren, Anthony, Frankie, Cassidy, Erica, Michael and Laura; and three great-grandchildren, Gianna, Bella and Roman. They also have two stepgrandchildren, Erin and Kerri, and two step-great-grandchildren, Elise and Henry, who will all miss him dearly. Viewing is scheduled at Yates Funeral Home on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. Funeral services will be held at St. Lucie Catholic
ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — February 15, 2024
June Kane, 95, volunteer and loving mother
Holistic healing delivered to Long Islanders By MICHAEL DeMARCO Special to the Herald
Equipped with bare hands and a mobile massage table, 32-year-old reiki practitioner Nicholas Ryerson delivers the holistic art of energy healing to Long Island homes. Based in his hometown of Rockville Centre, Ryerson’s budding business, Nassau Reiki, aims to keep up with skyrocketing consumer obsessions for personal wellness with a vital touch. Grand View Research valued the U.S. complementary and alternative medicine market to increase 23 percent from 2024 to 2030, and valued at $22 billion in 2022. Ryerson’s business dedication, however, leans less towards dollars and more towards divinity, providing personalized at-home reiki sessions to restore the internal energy of his clients. “Reiki rests on the idea that energy imbalance is the root cause of most ailments and addresses it at its core,” Ryerson said. Reiki practitioners balance the energy of others with light hand-to-body contact, or by hovering their hands in close body proximity. Contact is made over areas of the body where a client experiences pain, illness, or discomfort, providing supplemental relief to aid one’s healing process. However, issuing reiki only accounts for half of the work. The rest of the job comes from within the receiver. “A reiki practitioner doesn’t heal,” Ryerson added. “They channel universal energy, so the patient is able to rebalance their own energy. The work being done is by the patient themself.” Long Island is growing as a hub for alternative wellness and medicine with more than 20 different businesses offering reiki sessions. Ryerson attributes the growing
desire for alternative medicine to lingering dissatisfaction with traditional healthcare systems. “Modern medicine very often offers ineffective treatment causing patients to look elsewhere for help,” Ryerson said. “Reiki can treat things modern medicine fails to or struggles with.” A 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer Report found that 65 percent of people in the U.S. trust “the healthcare sector as a whole”. This outlying sector is fueling the alternative healthcare business, encouraging individuals to seek out holistic forms of supplementary treatment like reiki. Ryerson’s practice means more to him, however, than the shifting market and brings him an inner sense of peace. “The experience of reiki is the experience of love as a state of being,” he said. “Channeling the energy of the universe to relieve the suffering of others brings me closer to my divine state of being, which is love.” He currently dedicates himself to helping others, but Ryerson describes himself as a “wounded healer.” The routes of his mission began with a personal expedition for self-wellness, overcoming addiction, and mental health setbacks that paralyzed his youth. “It’s the whole reason I’m doing reiki in the first place,” Ryerson said. “I went through a period of intense suffering, so I can understand and treat the suffering of others.” Ryerson earned his certification for reiki in the second degree from Reiki Healing Brooklyn under the “Usui Tibetan” reiki lineage founded by senior reiki master, William Lee Rand. Michael DeMarco is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.
Courtesy Michael DeMarco
Rockville Centre resident Nicholas Ryerson aims to help others relieve stress through his Nassau Reiki business.
Al Kanfei Nisharim (AKN) is a registered 501c3 organization that supports Single Mothers. These women can rely on Al Kanfei Nisharim to provide support, resources and guidance to help them achieve independent financial stability.
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February 15, 2024 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
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STEPPING OUT
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Dinos come to life at
By Danielle Schwab Walk among the prehistoric giants at Jurassic Quest, where everyone can roam about and glimpse what Earth was like more than 165 million years ago. Jurassic Quest — that traveling dinosaur experience combining archaeology with the latest tech — returns with its herd to Nassau Coliseum this weekend. This immersive spectacle features a bevy of lifelike dinosaurs — of all shapes and sizes — that are an impressive lot. They transform the arena environment back to the time when dinosaurs roamed, so that visitors can get up-close and personal with the creatures. The three days of prehistoric adventuring — Saturday through Monday — includes visiting with the lifelike dinos, who’ll glare and move about as folks pass by, along with all sorts of related activities. Plus, the playful dino “babies” — Tyson the T-Rex, Trixie the Triceratops and Cammie, the Camarasaurus — always delight visitors. You’ll find exciting curiosities at every turn. Rideable dinos, dinosaur shows, and interactive science and art stations — including a fossil dig • Feb. 17-18, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; — are all part of the experience. Feb. 19, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The littlest explorers will also enjoy • Tickets $32.50-$52.05 (Use a “Triceratots” soft play area, code FOSSIL for 10 percent bounce houses and inflatables. off admission price); It’s all self-guided, so everyone available at JurassicQuest. can go through the activities at com or NassauColiseum.com their own speed. But it’s suggested • Nassau Coliseum, carving out at least two to three 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, hours to get the most out of the Uniondale experience. It all began 10 years ago, created by Texas-based Jurassic Quest, which consults with paleontologists to make the creatures as realistic as possible, and reflect current thinking about how the giant creatures looked and acted. “Dinosaurs are sort of universal to all people,” says Nick Schaefer (aka Prehistoric Nick), one of the expert “dino trainers” and fossil experts, who’s been with Jurassic Quest since 2016. “When guests walk into our pillars, the first thing we have is our exhibit where we have dinosaurs from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. We have over 165 million years worth of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures.” One of the more popular components allows kids to become dino-trainers. “We have the raptor training experience, where we have one of our trainers come out and interact with our guests to help train our full-sized Utahraptor (one of the newest additions to the animatronic pack),” Nick says. “Our guests will give central commands and try to make it listen.” Ever wonder what it’s like to ride a dinosaur? Climb
Friends of the Brothers Friends of the Brothers returns with their dynamic tribute to the Allman Brothers. Their powerful celebration of the Allman Brothers, featuring musician closely associated with the original band, continues the brotherhood with passion, committed to the ideals of every night being special and unique. Guitarist/singer Junior Mack has fronted Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band for 12 years, and starred in the acclaimed Broadway show ‘Lackawanna Blues.’ Guitarist Andy Aledort played with Dickey Betts for 12 years, has recorded with Double Trouble and Band of Gypsys, and toured with Experience Hendrix. Their firsthand 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. They perform songs from every stage of the Allman Brothers Band’s career, backed by a band of inspirational, veteran players. Friday, Feb. 16, 8 p.m. $33, $28. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444, or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.
It’s estimated that a new species of dinosaur is named every two weeks. Photos courtesy Jurassic Quest
Trainer Prehistoric Nick knows his way around a dinosaur skull. aboard one — such as the mighty T-Rex — and find out. Kids also eagerly make their way to the fossil dig, where they can channel their inner paleontologist and study replicated and real fossils like T-Rex teeth, a triceratops horn, and life-size dino skull. Much like the dinos, Jurassic Quest continues to evolve (without heading to extinction). “The Quest” — a self-guided dinosaur scavenger hunt and expanded excavation station — add to this year’s experience. Visitors can also try to lasso escaped dinos in Rope-a-Raptor, assisting the experienced “Broncobusters” round up the creatures and bring them back to their pens. Also you might want to face off with a notoriously fast Utahraptor in a “Raptor Run” race. Each dinosaur is painstakingly replicated, from coloration to teeth size, to textured skin, fur or feathers, drawing on the latest research about how we understand dinosaurs and ancient giants of the sea looked and moved. Plant settings, sound effects, lighting and electronics add to the authenticity of the setting. “We actually have modified a few of the dinosaurs to stay as up to date as we can with the information,” Prehistoric Nick says. “One of our dinosaurs, the Spinosaurus, paleontologists are still learning about, and every couple of years, a new paper will come out and change the way it looks. So, we do our best to keep updating it.” Aspects like its snout, posture, and even the tail have been readjusted. These dino trainers really know their stuff. Prehistoric Nick, who studied archeology in college, shares the team’s passion for dinosaurs. He’s been involved in excavations, and has participated in paleontological digs in Canada. “Dinos are often the introductory science for younger kids,” Nick says. “I think it’s really important to bring a sense of wonder about dinosaurs to the public. Studies have shown that kids who have sustained interest — like a fascination of dinosaurs — have a tendency to do better in STEM fields. So fostering a love of dinosaurs and science and engineering is really beneficial.” Even more that that there’s magic in science. “When guests first come through for the first time, there’s this jaw-dropping awe,” Nick says. “When they see these full-sized dinosaurs, it blows their mind.”
Modi Get to know Modi when he visits Long Island with his highly anticipated comedy tour, Know Your Audience. Voted ‘One of the Top 10 comedians in New York City’ by The Hollywood Reporter, and ‘The Next Jackie Mason’ by The New York Times, he’s now one of the circuit’s most sought-after performers. Modi has received rave reviews for his charisma and positive message, relatable to both Jewish and nonJewish audiences. He and his family immigrated to the United States from Israel (at 7), and was raised on Long Island. After graduating from Boston University, he worked as an investment banker until his first open-mic night, where he knew stand-up was his true calling. Equipped with a sharp wit, Modi has become a successful fixture on the comedy scene. Sunday, Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m. $144.50, $69.50, $59.50, $49.50, $39.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington.Tickets available atTicketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.
ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — February 15, 2024
Watch them roar
Your Neighborhood
Feb.
THE
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‘Parallel Perspectives’
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Camellias and more
Flogging Molly Celtic-punk rockers Flogging Molly have hit the road with their “Road to Rebellion” tour, sure to rouse audiences with their anthemic odes to the Emerald Isle, on the Paramount stage, Sunday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m. Formed in L.A. in 1997 by Irish expat Dave King, the band got its start (and its name) from local Hollywood bar Molly Malone’s, where each week the band performed, grew their following and laid down the blueprint for eventual success. Their infectious Celtic-tinged reels are perfect for dancing along to, for those who love their Irish heritage and those who just want a Expect an elective mix of old favorites, sing-a-longs, rare acoustic numbers and new material strung together by King’s cheeky tales and jokes and first-rate musicianship from the legendary seven-piece group. Building a loyal following through endless touring, Flogging Molly has become a staple in the punk scene over the past 20-plus years, kicking off with its riotous debut, “Swagger,” and continuing through their additional studio albums. With numerous late-night TV appearances under their belt, a sold-out Salty Dog Cruise through the Caribbean, and a yearly St. Patrick’s Day Festival in L.A., the band’s juggernaut continues. $79.50, $49.50, $39.50 . The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.
Shake off the winter blues at Planting Fields Arboretum State Park’s annual two-day Camellia Festival, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 17-18, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Enjoy light music and be amazed by the variety of colors and gorgeous blooms of these glorious camellias. Coe Hall is the center of activity throughout the festival, with music, watercolor painting crafts, activities, a typewriter poet, tea tastings, learning experiences for all ages, shopping, self-guided tours of the historic mansion and more. Learn about Planting Fields rare and extensive collection of hundreds of camellia trees. Both historic and modern plants native to Japan, Korea and China display a wide variety of spectacular flowers including red, pink, white, bicolor and even yellow. $15, $10 seniors. 1395 Planting Fields Road, Oyster Bay. Visit PlantingFields.org or call (516) 922-8600 for more.
View Molloy University Art Gallery’s current exhibition, a duo exhibit displaying artwork of noted Long Island artists Holly Gordon and Ward Hooper. Various complementary paintings and prints are on view. Upon meeting, it became obvious that both Gordon and Hooper were deeply inspired by Long Island’s fascinating environment and natural beauty. Together, they toured the island and captured the same places, each interpreting the scenes in front of them through their distinctive artistic styles. Their creations not only influence one another but also blend unique aesthetics in their collaborative artistic journey. Gordon and Hooper’s partnership yielded numerous accomplishments, one of which was the publication of their book “Parallel Perspectives: The Brush/Lens Collaboration.” Through Feb. 16. Kellenberg Gallery, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Call (516) 323-3196 or email artgallery@molloy.edu for more.
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February 15, 2024 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
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On exhibit
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Art talk Join Scott Defrin, owner of European Decorative Arts in Greenvale for Nassau County Museum of Art’s exhibit related program “Collecting Decorative Arts During the Gilded Age; Connoisseurship vs. Decoration,” Sunday, Feb. 25, 3 p.m. New York was the center for collecting during the Gilded Age. More money was spent on fine art, decorative art and interior decoration than at any time in American history. From Carnegie to Frick, and Morgan to Vanderbilt, Defrin discusses the different approaches to collecting among these magnates and how their fortunes helped establish the permanent collections of today’s museums. Limited seating with registration required.1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
Having an event?
Play mah jongg and canasta with the Sisterhood of Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David at their weekly game night, every Tuuesday, 7:30-9:30 p.m., in the synagogue lobby. All are welcome at all skill levels. 100 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Visit CBSBDRVC.org for more.
Tax Grievance Day The Rockville Centre Board of Assessment Review will be held at Village Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 4-8 p.m., for residents seeking to file tax grievances with their assessed property value. 1 College Place.
Keeping up with the Lion’s Club The next meeting of the Rockville Centre Lion’s Club will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m., on the lower level of the Rockville Centre Library. 221 N. Village Ave.
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.
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On stage Princesses and other enchanting heroes and heroines take to the stage, when Plaza Theatricals presents its Winter Princess concert, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23-24, 11 a.m. Take part in an interactive sing-a-long featuring an array of everyone’s favorite winter characters. $15. See it at The Showplace at Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Ave., Bellmore (Friday) or at Elmont Memorial Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont (Saturday). For tickets, visit PlazaTheatrical.com or call (516) 599-6870.
Bowling for Kitties fundraiser Help some felines. The Long Beach Humane Society at Kitty Cove hosts host its annual fundraiser at Maple Lanes RVC, Sunday, Feb. 25, 5-8 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person in advance or $40 at the door. The event will also feature raffle baskets, a 50/50 raffle and a silent auction. All proceeds will go to benefit Kitty Cove. 100 Maple Ave.
Mr. Mek’s Circus Night Covert Elementary School students will showcase a variety of tricks and skills during its annual Circus Night event at the South Side Middle School auditorium, Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 6 p.m. 67 Hillside Ave.
Catch up on the school budget The next Rockville Centre Board of Education public workshop on the 2024-2025 budget is held on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m., in the Commons Room at South Side High School. 14 Shepherd St.
Speed dating singles Take a chance at finding your future mate at Cabo RVC, Saturday, Feb. 17, at 3:30 p.m. Singles between the ages of 50 to 65 are invited to register for this fun and exciting chance to meet new people in real life. Cost is $45 to sign-up and includes one free drink and brunch appetizers. To register or for more information, contact Gail with 7 in Heaven Singles at (631)-592-9804. 3A N. Park Ave.
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ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — February 15, 2024
Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “Our Gilded Age,” examines the appearances and the realities of an era that mirrors our own in many ways. Like the nation’s economy, American art and literature flourished during the Gilded Age. The art of John Singer Sargent, Childe Hassam, Louis Comfort Tiffany and others adorned palatial residences designed by Stanford White and Ogden Codman Jr., architect of the museum’s own quintessential Gilded Age mansion. Drawing heavily upon the local literary history of Long Island, including William Cullen Bryant, Mark Twain (who named the Gilded Age), Walt Whitman, Edith Wharton and others, the exhibition will include paintings, fashion, decorative arts including period silver and china, photographs, manuscripts, first editions and other historic memorabilia. The “Upstairs, Downstairs” approach to the life of a country house brings to life not only the storied conspicuous consumption for which the Gilded Age was infamous, but also the real lives of these many individuals who maintained the palatial estates where that lifestyle was enjoyed. On view through March 10. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
Game night at Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David
Public Notices
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LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Mortgage Assets Management, LLC, Plaintiff AGAINST Nassau County Public Administrator, as Limited Administrator of the Estate of Yolande E. Bayard-Gaston a/k/a Yolande Gaston; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered October 17, 2023 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 13, 2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 1180 Woodfield Road, Rockville Centre, NY 11570. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York, Section 38 Block 105 Lot 153. Approximate amount of judgment $506,388.47 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 607221/2017. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the Tenth Judicial District. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.” Peter Kramer, Esq., Referee (516)510-4020 LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: January 9, 2024 144730 LEGAL NOTICE Public Notice to Bidders Sealed Bids will be received by the Purchasing Department of the Village of Rockville Centre, One College Place, Rockville Centre, New York for the matter stated below until 11:00 am prevailing time on FEBRUARY 29, 2024 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. The contract will be awarded as soon thereafter as practicable for: PARKING FIELD #4 LIGHTING INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES 2024 www.liherald.com
February 15, 2024 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
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Bid No. 2402E3(1105) The contract documents, specifications and plans can be examined on the Village’s website at www.rvcny.gov. Follow the link to the Purchasing Department. Each bid must be accompanied by a certified check, bank check or bid bond payable to the Incorporated Village of Rockville Centre in the amount of five (5%) percent of the gross amount of the bid. All questions should be directed to the Purchasing Department. Please contact Lisa Strazzeri via email only at L s t r a z z e r i @ r v c n y. u s. Questions must be submitted no later than February 22, 2024. Award of Contract will be made to the lowest responsible bidder in accordance with applicable provisions of the law. The Village reserves the right to reject all bids or make such determination as in the best interests of the Village, as provided by law. Purchasing Department Lisa Strazzeri Purchasing Agent 516-678-9213 144896 LEGAL NOTICE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Rockville Centre (Village) will hold a public hearing with respect to the following proposed local laws: Bill RVC 2024B. A local law authorizing a property tax levy in excess of the limit established in General Municipal Law §3-c Time and Place of Hearing: Eugene J. Murray Village Hall, Second Floor One College Place, Rockville Centre, New York Date of Hearing: March 4, 2024 Time of Hearing: 7:00 pm The proposed local law is available for public inspection at the Village Clerk’s office at One College Place, Rockville Centre, New York, between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday, except legal holidays. All interested persons will have an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. 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: February 5, 2024 BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE 144909
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ELECTION PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that at the general village election to be held in the Village of Rockville Centre on June 18, 2024, the following offices are to be filled for the terms indicated: One (1) Village Justice, for a term of one (1) year Eligible persons wishing to vote in the said election must be registered with the Nassau County Board of Elections at least ten days prior to the said election. Nancy Howard, Village A d m i n i s t r a t o r / Vi l l a g e Clerk Anuncio de Elección Favor de tomar nota que la elección general de la Villa de Rockville Centre se efectuará el día 18 de junio del 2024, y el siguiente cargo debe de ser cubierto por el término indicado: Un (1) Juez de Aldea, por el término de un (1) año Las personas elegibles que deseen votar en estas elecciones deben de estar registrados con la Junta Electoral del Condado de Nassau por lo menos diez (10) días antes de esta elección. Nancy Howard Administradora de la Villa/Oficinista de la Villa 144880 LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 27th day of February, 2024, at 7:00 o’clock in the evening of that day to consider the enactment of a local law to amend Section 202-1 of the code of the Town of Hempstead to INCLUDE “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at the following locations: EAST MEADOW ROSALIE DRIVE (TH 4/24) West Side NO PARKING ANYTIME starting at a point 41 feet south of the south curbline of Bard Lane,
south for a distance of 25 feet. FRANKLIN SQUARE ARLINGTON AVENUE (TH 8/24) South Side NO PARKING ANYTIME starting at a point 235 feet east of the east curbline of Doris Avenue, then east for a distance of 47 feet. (NR)ROCKVILLE CENTRE LANGDON BOULEVARD (TH 35/24) East Side NO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the south curbline of Clinton Avenue, south for a distance of 30 feet. LANGDON BOULEVARD (TH 35/24) East Side NO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER - starting from the north curbline of Clinton Avenue, north for a distance of 30 feet. OCEANSIDE MERLE AVENUE (TH 20/24) North Side NO STOPPING ANYTIME starting at a point 20 feet west of the west curbline of Oceanside Road, west for a distance of 50 feet. LONG BEACH ROAD (TH 28/24) East Side NO STOPPING ANYTIME starting at a point 15 feet south of the south curbline of Bellevue Avenue, then south for a distance of 50 feet. OAKVIEW AVENUE (TH 596(B)/23) North Side NO PARKING ANYTIME starting from the east curbline of Brower Avenue, then east for 116 feet. (NR) VALLEY STREAM HEWLETT DRIVE (TH 32/24) East Side NO STOPPING HERE TO CORNER starting from the south curbline of Rosedale Road, south for a distance of 40 feet. ALSO, to REPEAL from Section 202-1 “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” from the following locations: OCEANSIDE MERLE AVENUE - North Side - NO STOPPING starting from the west curbline of Oceanside Road, west for a distance of 50 feet. (Adopted 11/18/58) OAKVIEW AVENUE (TH 124/84) North Side -NO PARKING ANYTIME starting at the east curbline of Brower Avenue, east for 85 feet. (Adopted 4/16/85) ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid. Dated: February 13, 2024 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor KATE MURRAY 144884
Legal Notices are everyone’s business
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Courtesy Martin Brull
South Side High School’s abbey Brull will run in the 2024 united airlines new York City Half marathon on march 17, in support of autism Speaks.
Brull helped raise over $1,500 for her cause Her participation in the upcoming line is marked by dedication and perse- half marathon not only reflects her perverance. Since late November, she has sonal aspirations, but also her unwaveradhered to a rigorous 15-week training ing dedication to a cause larger than herregimen, consisting of both short- and self. As she prepares to cross the finish long-distance runs, which line, each stride will bring she has committed to doing her closer to her goal of cre5-to-6 days a week leading up ating a community united in to the March 17 race. acceptance and inclusivity. “Running has always “I just can’t wait to do it,” been something that relaxes she exclaimed, “and to just A bb e y a n d b r i n g s h e r be in the environment alongpeace,” her mother, Shara side others with the same Brull, said. “She has also motivation.” been very dedicated to helpUnified under a common ing people with disabilities goal, r unners with the and is looking to pursue a Autism Speaks team exemcareer in this field. I am so plify the power of individuproud that she set this goal als coming together to try and brought together two and make a difference in the things that are so important lives of others. to her.” T h e Au t i s m S p e a k s Abbey brull Looking ahead, Abbey senior, TeamUp program, through Brull plans to attend college South Side which Brull will be particiin the fall with plans of pur- High School pating, requires that particisuing a career as a special pants raise a minimum of education teacher or a $1,500 for guaranteed, nonspeech pathologist. complementary entry to the event and She also hopes to someday participate other team benefits. Those who already in the larger New York City Marathon have entry can also join the team with no after her first year of college. But, for fundraising commitment. now, she says she is happy and excited to As the race approaches, Brull encourget to join the Autism Speaks team for ages others to support Autism Speaks this 13.1-mile run that will take her and its mission. For more information through Brooklyn, across the Manhattan about the organization, the TeamUp proBridge, towards FDR Drive, through gram, and donations visit AutismSpeaks. Times Square and Central Park. org. Continued from page 1
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just can’t wait to do it and to just be in the environment alongside others with the same motivation.
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HEWLETT-WOODMERE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Be A Part Of A Growing Multi Media Company Based in Garden City
NOW HIRING:
SALES/MULTI MEDIA CONSULTANTS – INSIDE & OUTSIDE* FT/PT
Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools is seeking an Administrator/Supervisor for the District’s Summer Playschool Program. The program runs July 1, 2024 August 9, 2024, Monday - Friday from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm (closed July 4). Campers range in age from Pre-K-grade 9. Staff orientation will be held on June 28, 2024. The administrator in charge of the program will be responsible for hiring and overseeing camp staff, group scheduling, vendor contracts, field trip planning, etc.
Help Wanted
Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. H i s t o r i c a l l y, r e p o r t e r s w h o h ave launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com
Call Nancy For More Details Serious Inquiries Only
516-426-2427
DRIVERS WANTED
Full Time and Part Time Positions Available! Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239
DRIVING INSTRUCTORS WANTED Will Certify And Train HS Diploma
NYS License Clean 3 Years $20 - $25/ Hour
Call 516-731-3000
DRIVERS FT/PT (Salary Range $17 per hour to $21 per hour)
Eldercare Offered
or Call
516-569-4000
*Outside Sales must have car One phone call, one order, one heck of a good price to run your ad in any state, or across the country. Call the USA Classified Network today!
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EDITOR/REPORTER
LOGISTICS ANALYST: ALPI USA Inc. seeks a Logistics Analyst in Valley Stream, Nassau County, New York. Bachelor's degree in International Business or Operations and Supply Chain Management required. Knowledge and Proficiency in Cargo Wise, Microsoft Office (Access, Word, Excel, and Power Point), Trade Map, SAP Business and Management software. Qualified applicants may submit resume directly to Michael Laurence Carkin, Chief Operating Officer, via email to michael.carkin@alpiusa.com
ext 200
Help Wanted MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT Inside Sales Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $33,280 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286
1234932
Careers@liherald.com
Help Wanted
Fun, Energetic, Reliable $16.00/ Hour
MAILROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP FT/PT (Salary Range $16 per hour to $17 per hour)
Email Your Resumes to
EMPLOYMENT
DAY CARE ASSISTANT Full Time Needed
CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE FT/PT (Salary Range $16 per hour to $23 per hour)
(Salary Range $20 per hour to $30 per hour)
1247796
Equal Opportunity Employer
REPORTER/EDITOR FT/PT (Salary Range $20,000 to $45,000)
PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS FT/PT
Interested candidates must have NYS SBL certification. Interested candidates must apply on-line at www.hewlett-woodmere.net click on career opportunities
Salary Range $33,280 to $100,000 including Commissions & Bonuses
OUTSIDE SALES
Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $33,280 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250
PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $20 per hour to $30 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
Project Managers, Westbury, NY: Coordinate jobs start to finish, plans, permits, scheduling & updating statuses; Review scope of work to see if matches contract; Prep necessary materials & attend weekly project meeting & manage project field m a n p ow e r. S a l a r y $ 1 0 2 , 0 0 0 $121,597/year. Send res to: Cardoza Plumbing Corp, Janet@cardozaplumbing.com.
SANTA CRUZ SERAG Caregivers Provide The Best Male/ Female Caregivers In America. Certified HHA's, Professional. Experts In Dementia, Alzheimers, Parkinsons Cases. Live-in/Out. Gertrude 347-444-0960
Helping you find a HOME or sell a HOME … a place to call your own. Suburb or country, house, condo, townhouse or apartment, our Classifieds can help you find a HOME that fits your style, your budget and Real Estate needs... it’s a MUST SEE!
Call us today!
Your Hometown Newspaper
To Place an Ad Call: 516-569-4000 • Press 5
HERALD
Homes
To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5
REAL ESTATE Open Houses EAST ROCKAWAY 2/18,12-1:30, 62 Bulaire Rd, NEW TO MARKET! Move Right Into This 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Ranch in Waverly Park Area of SD#20(Lynbrook). Open Floor Plan. LR w/Fpl, DR, Gran/Wood EIK Plus Family Rm w/ Vaulted Ceiling. Upper Level Has Huge Skylit Recreation Rm, BR, Bth & W/D. Beautifully Lanscaped Oversized Prop W/ Trex Deck for Enter taining. Multi Car Drvewy...$899,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-429
HEWLETT BA, 1534 Broadway #213,.! Move Right Into This 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Spacious Corner Unit. Updtd Gran/Wood Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Garage Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living. Convenient to Shops, LIRR & Houses of Worship....$649,000 R o n n i e G e r b e r, D o u g l a s E l l i m a n 516-238-4299
Rent Your Apartment through the Herald and PrimeTime Classified section. Call us for our great *specials. 516-5694000, press 5 for Classified Dept. *(private party only)
Open Houses HEWLETT: 1267 Peninsula Blvd, Open House By Appt, NEW! 5 BR, 2 Bath Exp Cape in SD#14(Hewlett Woodmere)Living Room, FDR & Updtd Gran/Wood EIK w/ Vaulted Ceiling. 2 Main Flr BRs & Updtd Bth. Upper Level 3 BRs & Updtd Bth. 1.5 Car Det Gar Plus 4/5 Car Drivewy. Priv Yd w/ Deck.HW Flrs, Gas Ht. Near Shops, L I R R , Tr a n s & H o u s e s o f W o r ship...$599,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299 HEWLETT: 1267 Peninsula Blvd, Open House By Appt, NEW! 5 BR, 2 Bath Exp Cape in SD#14(Hewlett Woodmere)Living Room, FDR & Updtd Gran/Wood EIK w/ Vaulted Ceiling. 2 Main Flr BRs & Updtd Bth. Upper Level 3 BRs & Updtd Bth. 1.5 Car Det Gar Plus 4/5 Car Drivewy. Priv Yd w/ Deck.HW Flrs, Gas Ht. Near Shops, L I R R , Tr a n s & H o u s e s o f W o r ship...$599,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299 H EW L ET T 1 53 4 B ROA DWAY # 213 , OPEN HOUSE By Appt, FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Move Right Into This 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Spacious Corner Unit. Updtd Gran/Wood Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit. Garage Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living. Convenient to Shops, LIRR & Houses of Worship....$649,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299
HERALD — February 15, 2024
HERALD
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Merrick Woods
HOME Of tHE WEEK February 15, 2024 — HERALD
One Of A Kind!
T
his turnkey, truly unique, one of a kind Ranger Ranch, boasts 5 bedrooms including 2 primary suites, 3 full baths, extended eat in kitchen, extended great room, and dedicated laundry room on main level. This incredible home has too many amenities to list. Nestled in the heart of Merrick Woods, within minutes to all, this 1/4+ acre property has a resort style heated saltwater pool/ waterfall and landscaping for spectacular privacy and beauty that is second to none. For those with a discriminating taste, this home is a must see both inside and out. $1,349,999 Call for a private showing
Q. I have been looking for houses with my daughter and son-in law. We finally found one; unfortunately, everything we’ve seen needs some kind of work, and this one is no exception. It has cracks in the foundation that we were told could be a structural problem. We got three people to look at the foundation, and one, a contractor with a lot of experience in the area, told us that the whole foundation should be replaced, that it’s a “structural mess.” An engineer told us about a horizontal crack that’s only on the outside and not on the inside, saying it needs filling with a kind of cement that would repair the problem. The third person, a mason contractor, also told us that the crack is a sign that the whole section on that side of the house is dropping and would need to be cut out and replaced. We don’t know which way to go. The wall looks straight, even though the mason said it’s already almost an inch out of vertical and could continue to tilt. What would you do if these were your children and such an expensive repair?
OPEN HOUSES SUNDAY, 2/18/24 EAST ROCKAWAY 62 Bulaire Rd, 12-1:30, NEW TO MARKET! Move Right Into This 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Ranch in Waverly Park Area of SD#20 (Lynbrook). Open Floor Plan. LR w/Fpl, DR, Gran/Wood EIK Plus Family Rm w/ Vaulted Ceiling. Upper Level Has Huge Skylit Recreation Rm, BR, Bth & W/D. Beautifully Lanscaped Oversized Prop W/ Trex Deck for Entertaining. Multi Car Drvewy ............................................................................................ $899,000
HEWLETT BAY PARK 190 Meadowview Ave, BA, Ever Dream of Living in A Castle? This 8000 Sq Ft Mansion is Full of Character. Amazing Architectural Details, Soaring Ceilings, Stained Glass Windows. 5 BR, 6.55 Bths. Sprawling 1.3 Acre Prop with IG Gunite Pool. SD#14. Near All. Must See This Unique Home!.........................................................................REDUCED $2,700,000
This Robin won’t rest until you are in your new NEST! How’s the market?? Please contact me for your free market report and personalized service!
“Leading Edge Award Winner” Robin Reiss
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Cell: 516.510.6484 Office: 516.623.4500 Robin.Reiss@elliman.com
Results that Move You
HEWLETT 1267 Peninsula Blvd, 2-3:30, 5 BR, 2 Bath Exp Cape in SD#14 (Hewlett Woodmere) Living Room, FDR & Updtd Gran/Wood EIK w/ Vaulted Ceiling. 2 Main Flr BRs & Updtd Bth. Upper Level 3 BRs & Updtd Bth. 1.5 Car Det Gar Plus 4/5 Car Drivewy. Priv Yd w/ Deck. HW Flrs, Gas Ht. Near Shops, LIRR, Trans & Houses of Worship .................................................. $599,000
A BETTER WAY TO BUY AND SELL REAL ESTATE! “Call A Realtor With Proven Experience!” Rob Kolb Licensed Real Estate Salesperson Tripodi Shemtov Team
Douglas Elliman Real Estate
30 West Park Ave | Long Beach, NY 11561 Cell: 516-314-1728 • Office: 516-432-3400 Rob.Kolb@elliman.com • Elliman.com/RobKolb
1554 Moffitt Ave, BA, WHOLE HOUSE RENTAL! Updtd 4 BR Col w/ 2 New Bths. LR/Fpl, FDR, Den & Kit. Main Flr BR/Off. Newer W/D, Ductless AC Units, Gas Ht. 2 Car Det Gar. Enclosed Yard. SD#14 (Hewlett-Wood). Great Location Near Schools, Park, LIRR & Houses of Worship. $4500 per month
Houses For Rent HEWLET BA 1554 Moffitt Ave, OPEN , WHOLE HOUSE RENTAL! Updtd 4 BR Col w/ 2 New Bths. LR/Fpl,FDR, Den & Kit. Main Flr BR/Off. Newer W/D, Ductless AC Units, Gas Ht. 2 Car Det Gar. Enclosed Yard. SD#14(Hewlett-Wood). Great Location Near Schools, Park, LIRR & Houses of Worship...$4500 per month Ronnie Gerber. Douglas Elliman 516-238-429hewlett
Apartments Wanted SOUTH SHORE VICINITY: Nice, Responsible Person Seeking Studio/ 1 BR/ Share. Lower Level Okay. 516-569-5054
Rooms Wanted RESPONSIBLE PERSON LOOKING for Room to Rent in either Uniondale, Freeport, Hempstead or Baldwin. Non-Smoker, Reliable, Quiet and Very Nice . Please Call/ Text 929-620-9363
3487 5th Street, Oceanside
Instagram: @aigamazz
Listing Agent : AigA MAzzAnobile Cell: 516-425-2068 “Taking The Mystery Out Of Real Estate Since 1983”
Apartments For Rent
Furnished Rooms/Apts.
CEDARHURST NO FEE Pr ivate Entrance, Modern 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, CAC, W/D, Storage, Wall To Wall Carpeting, Indoor Parking Space. Starting At $1450 For O n e B e d r o o m W h e n Ava i l a bl e. (516)860-6889/ (516)852-5135/ (516)582-9978
RESPONSIBLE PERSON LOOKING For a Room to Rent or Apartment to Share in either Hempstead, Uniondale, Freeport, or Baldwin Vicinity. Non-Smoker, Reliable, Quiet and Very Nice. Call/ Text 929-620-9363
ELMONT: 1 BR, Upper Level, All New, All Included, Near All, No Pets. $2,000. 516-547-8015
Sold Price! S $ 687,000 O L 4 Bedroom / 3 Bath Expanded Cape D
1245284
1390 Broadway #117, BA, NEW TO MARKET! Move Right Into This Beautiful JR 4 Coop Apt in Luxurious Hewlett Townhouse. Huge LR & DR, Ren Kit w/ Wood Cab/Quartz Counters/ Stainless St Appl. Encl Terrace Overlooking Garden can Be Rm. Spac BR w/ En Suite Bath. W/D in Apt. 24 Hr Drmn, Elevator, Valet Pkg, Priv Storage. Redone IG Comm Pool. Gar Pkg. Near Shops, LIRR & Houses of Worship ................................ $359,000
1247545
1247963
1534 Broadway #213, BA, FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Move Right Into This 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Spacious Corner Unit. Updtd Gran/Wood Kit, LR & DR. Washer/ Dryer in Unit. Gar Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living. Convenient to Shops, LIRR & Houses of Worship .... $649,000
Call the One phone call, one order, one heck of a good price USA Classified Network to run your ad in any state, today! or across the country. 1-800-231-6152
A. The question really is, who do you trust, and how much really needs to be done? Do you accept the engineer’s opinion? Are they really a licensed engineer or a home inspector? It does matter, because there is a level of responsibility that goes with truly professional advisement versus the opinion of experienced trades-people. onte eeper Basically, it always comes down to one thing: In a court of law, whose testimony and credentials will be acceptable to the judge. Will the contractor or mason be able to demonstrate to a court that they have the training, license(s) or credentials to be recognized as the final word? A concrete wall out of vertical alignment after many years of service can be concerning, but consider that if the wall is still supporting, the one inch is one-eighth (approximately) of the width of the wall, which is still attached to the rest of the construction and is not severed away. I would doubt that the wall is as great a concern as you have been led to believe. It is certainly worth monitoring. When I approach such a condition, which happens several times a year, I look at the much greater surroundings to try to evaluate causes. Is the foundation subject to ground vibration from traffic, underground tidal activity, surface drainage that hasn’t been sloped away from the building, poor soil conditions? There can be many different reasons for the separation. Sometimes it’s just a bad construction job, where the second pour on top of the first was delayed too long, and the horizontal crack is due to what is referred to as a “cold joint,” where the concrete didn’t set up together to begin with. It doesn’t mean the foundation wall will fail. Stick with impartial advice from qualified licensed professionals to make your decision. Good luck!
Ask The Architect
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1246682
Jane Clifford Signature Premier Properties 516.359.2060 Cell JCliff1743@aol.com Lic Real Estate Salesperson Lic # 10391201876 324 Merrick Avenue Merrick, NY 11566
Ronnie Gerber 516-238-4299
‘Everything we’ve seen needs some kind of work’
M
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Apts./House To Share HEMPSTEAD, UNIONDALE, FREEPORT, BALDWIN OR VICINITY: Responsible Person Looking to Share a 2 Bedroom Apartment or House. Non-Smoker, Quiet, Very Easy Going. Willing to Split All Expenses. Please Call/ Text 929-620-9363 If No Answer, Leave Message
© 2024 Monte Leeper Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
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Market Place • •
To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5
To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5
ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — February 15, 2024
HERALD
To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5
CALL FOR YOUR
ANNUAL TUNE UP
Offers Valid Valid Through Offers Through12/23/23 3/15/24
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JOBS, MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... JOBS, MERCHANDISE, It’s in the Herald Classifieds... REAL ESTATE & MORE... Call 516-569-4000 JOBS,To Advertise MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... JOBS, MERCHANDISE, REAL ESTATE & MORE... press 5
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Stuff
To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 Cemetery Plots BETH DAVID CEMETERY: Elmont, NY. 3 Plots. Separate Or All Together. Graves 18, 25, and 32. Purchase Separate $5000; Purchase Together $14000. Negotiable. Call 845-641-7316
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H4 02/15
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FINDS UNDER $100 Finds Under $100 AUDIOVOX PLAYER D1998 with two earphones, battery charger, in black carry bag, $15. 516-884-9994
CLUTTER
driving you
• To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 • To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 Finds Under $100
CRYSTAL STEMWARE: WATER, Wine, Champagne. 6 of each, Brand New in Original Boxes. $99, 516-225-9191 DELTA KITCHEN FAUCET, single hand pull down,silver chrome, $55. 516-884-9994 HEAVY DUTY CAR Ramps $50 Firm. 516-486-7941. IRON BOARD: Full Size With Iron. Very Good Condition. $50. Valley Stream Area. 516-384-3832, Leave Message
SERVICES
Electricians E-Z ELECTRIC SERVICES, INC. All Types Residential/Commercial Wiring, Generators, Telephone/Data, Home Entertainment, Service Upgrades, Pools, Spas. Services/Repairs. Violations Removed. Free Estimates Low Rates. 516-785-0646 Lic/Ins.
Handyman
PROFORM 235CSX RECUMBENT Bike N e w, M o d e l - P F E X 5 2 7 1 5 . 0 $ 9 5 516-386-3844
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Home Improvement
OAK MEDIA STORAGE Cabinets (2): for CD's, DVD's, etc. IKEA Unassembled, New, $50 each. 516-486-7941
CRAZY?
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HErald
Crossword Puzzle
1243304
February 15, 2024 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
24
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AUTOMOBILE & MARINE Autos Wanted ***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS $Highest$ Ca$h Paid$. All Years/ Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct + Ca$h. DMV ID#1303199. Call LUKE 516-VAN-CARS. 516-297-2277
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Answers to todAy’s puzzle
25
opinions
ong Island lost an American icon with the passing of Baldwin resident Bob Beckwith last week. The image of Beckwith standing with President George W. Bush amid the ruins of the World Trade Center days after the Sept. 11 attacks will forever personify America’s unyielding courage and quiet determination in the face of horrific tragedy and massive challenge. In the aftermath of 9/11, the deadliest attack ever on American soil, the country was shattered. I pETER traveled to New York from WashKinG ington on Friday, Sept. 14. Bush was on Air Force One, and I was on an accompanying Air Force jet with other members of Congress from New York. Riding in a government vehicle from LaGuardia Airport to Lower Manhattan, I was struck by how quickly New York had become a ghost town. There was virtually no traffic on its usually congested streets, and just handfuls of pedestrians on otherwise busy sidewalks. We were driven to a corner adjacent to the wreck-
age of the twin towers. Though I had worked in an office building on Vesey Street years before, when the towers were being constructed, I had difficulty getting my bearings amid all the destruction. We were told that the president was several blocks away, and would be making his way toward us, when we heard a loud roar and cheers of “USA!” This was before the age of social media, so it wasn’t until I got home that I saw the video on television of Bush standing atop a damaged vehicle, shouting into a bullhorn that “the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!’’ His left arm was wrapped around the shoulder of a strong-faced, quietly confident, veteran New York City firefighter. This image resonated with me like the iconic photo of the Marines raising the Stars and Stripes at Iwo Jima inspired a previous generation of Americans. At that moment, on Sept. 14, 2001, Americans knew we would not be vanquished. We would fight back with American spirit, determination and courage. Overnight, photos of the scene flew around the world, including to the cover of Time magazine. In the subsequent days I would talk
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with firefighter friends who had worked with Bob Beckwith over the years. Everything they said about him was positive. The most common descriptions of him included “solid,” “regular guy,” “loyal” and “very patriotic.” Sure enough, when I got to know Bob and his wife, Barbara, I saw that he was all that and more. He gave no indication that his image had been seen by tens of millions of people around the world, or that he had visited Bush in the White House and maintained a friendship with him. He was a thoroughly decent man who was proud to have been a firefighter, and considered himself no more important than other firefighters. Often I would be invited to join retired firefighters at monthly breakfasts at a Lindenhurst diner. I was always struck by how Beckwith, an internationally known symbol of 9/11, mingled and sat so unassumingly as just one of the guys, expecting no recognition or special acknowledgment. Rosemary and I became friendly with Bob and Barbara. We visited their home and invited them to ours for Christmas parties. Bob campaigned for me, handing out flyers at shopping centers, appearing at fundrais-
e’d be the last to tell you that his image had been seen by millions around the world.
ing events and attending swearing-in ceremonies in Washington. In November, Rosemary and I visited him when we heard his health had taken a turn for the worse. It was a heartwarming visit. Bob was as sharp as ever, talking with us about his friendship with Bush and how he used his fame to focus public attention on the need to help burned and injured firefighters. He also reminisced about his 30 years of service in the FDNY, without ever making himself the center of the story. Though he was using a walker that day, he got around easily, using it more as a safeguard than a necessity. As always, Barbara not only joined in the conversation, but had coffee and pastries for us as we sat around the dining room table. Bob wasn’t kidding himself. He knew his cancer had spread, and he would be undergoing immunotherapy. But he was both hopeful and fatalistic, hoping it would work while knowing it might not. Bob Beckwith fought hard to the end and died as he lived, with courage and class. It was my privilege to be able to call him my friend. Bob Beckwith and 9/11. The right man for a historic moment. R.I.P. Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
Stop playing petty political games with county resources
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or Nassau County, 2024 is a year of new beginnings — a fact that is evidenced by the ascension of two new legislative caucus leaders and five new legislators. I was looking forward to a fresh start and greater bipartisan cooperation as we confront the county’s most important issues. Unfortunately, our first meeting did not go as I hoped. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government allotted funding to help local communities weather the crisis and recover from the many challenges it created. The county received roughly DELiA $385 million in DeRiGGi-WHiTTon American Rescue Plan Act funds, and, as of Jan. 22, still had around $299 million left to allocate. By law, ARPA funding must be allocated by the end of this year and spent by the end of 2026. Otherwise it will be clawed back by the federal government. Some municipalities have used the money for tax rebates for residents, to launch medical bill forgiveness programs or to establish other initiatives that directly aid small businesses and non-
profit organizations. On the other hand, County Executive Bruce Blakeman has recently stressed two ideas — moving more than $222 million into the county’s operating budget, and using $10 million to help stage and promote a series of galas and other celebrations of the county’s 125th anniversary. By comparison, Blakeman proposed setting aside a relatively small portion of the funding — $15 million — to support various nonprofits and special districts that deliver ARPA-approved services. Initially, the minority caucus advocated for the inclusion of roughly $12 million for worthwhile agencies in our seven districts. When presented with the $15 million number for the entire county, our hope was to reach a compromise that increased the total to $19 million, with an agreement to divide the funds equally, with $1 million for each of the 19 districts. That would have allowed each legislator to help arrange for the distribution of resources to the most severely impacted programs and initiatives to help communities fully rebound from the pandemic. Ultimately, the majority would not commit to an equitable distribution approach, or even a small increase of the
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allocation. Naturally, this was a disappointing outcome. And recent events have made the absence of an equity agreement a real concern. For the past several years, applications for grant funding in my district — for fire departments, public libraries, and more — seem to have been stonewalled by the Blakeman administration. During our ARPA negotiations, implications were made that the funding was indeed being held up. The reason? The administration didn’t approve of my comments in a recent column, urging it to expedite the delivery of opioid settlement funds to agencies that deliver life-saving prevention, treatment and recovery services. Specifically, when I argued that the administration’s approach is “badly out of touch with the needs of our constituents,” it was alleged that I engaged in “personal attacks.” By fast-tracking approval of $10 million in funding for 125th-anniversary celebrations while opioid funding continued to languish on our ledger books, the administration made its priorities clear. Pointing that out is a policy critique, and I stand by my statement today. I am still dismayed that the county held back hundreds of
e need to make better use of federal funding left over from the pandemic.
millions of dollars in remaining ARPA and opioid settlement funds for as long as it did to bolster its reserves for the sake of impressing rating agencies and potentially generating interest on the funds. In my opinion, by acquiescing to the administration’s wishes, the Legislature’s presiding officer, Howard Kopel, missed a relatively easy opportunity to start off his tenure in a good-faith, bipartisan manner. Even after hearing directly from dozens of organizations that would have put those resources to such good use, the majority rubber-stamped the administration’s plan and gave every indication that the county executive’s office will have the final say on where this $15 million will be spent. While I hope the office will be responsive to the will of the people and each district will receive a fair share, that outcome is now out of the control of the members of the minority caucus. Yes, this was an incredibly disappointing start to the year, but it’s just that — the start. I’m still optimistic that we will do a better job for the people of Nassau County in the months ahead, and that the county will use this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to give worthwhile organizations that serve our communities the resources they deserve. Delia DeRiggi-Whitton is the County Legislature’s new minority leader, and represents the 11th District.
ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — February 15, 2024
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I’ll never forget Bob Beckwith
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February 15, 2024 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
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Saying goodbye to a true American hero
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hen the terrorists attacked, Bob suited up. And, like so many brave first responders, raced toward the danger to save and search for others.” Those were the words former President George W. Bush shared in a statement last week about Bob Beckwith, a Queens firefighter from Baldwin who had indeed raced to the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, and ultimately stood with the president a few days later as he gave a rousing speech to the first responders with nothing but a bullhorn in that iconic moment. Except that Beckwith — who died on Feb. 4, at 91 — wasn’t on active duty in 2001. He was 69, and had been retired from the New York City Fire Department since the mid-1990s, following a stellar 30-year career. But it was in his blood to rush and help, and that was the only thing on his mind as he raced to the scene in search of survivors, donning his old firefighter helmet from Ladder Co. 164. It was by pure chance that the president spotted him that day. But once he did, Bush wanted nothing more than to have Beckwith at his side while he sought to build optimism during one of the country’s darkest periods. “I want you to know that America today is on bended knee in prayer for the people whose lives we lost here,” Bush told the first responders that day, his left arm draped around Beckwith. “For the workers who work here. For the families
who mourn. This nation stands with the good people of New York City, and New Jersey and Connecticut, as we mourn the loss of thousands of our citizens.” “We can’t hear you,” someone shouted from the crowd. Without missing a beat, the president yelled back into the bullhorn: “I can hear you!” earning cheers from those gathered around him. “I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!” Afterward, Bush extended his hand to Beckwith, who shook it proudly before stepping off the rubble so he could get back to work. Beckwith wasn’t introduced that day, but that didn’t keep the world from knowing who he was. From multiple news reports in the months that followed to the cover of Time magazine, the image of Bush standing with Beckwith demonstrated the resolve of the American people, helping to begin the healing process. Yet those days were very difficult for Beckwith. Of the 2,977 people who died that day, 343 were FDNY members who had raced into the twin towers as others desperately tried to find their way out. Another 71 were law enforcement officers — primarily from the New York City Police Department — while 55 others were military personnel, most of them killed in the attack on the Pentagon in Washington. After it seemed the initial danger had passed, another remained hidden among
the rubble, and it attacked every one of those brave men and women who sifted through the debris that day and in the weeks and months that followed. Cancers believed to have developed after exposure to the toxic debris sickened many of them in the years afterward, and claimed many lives. Last September, after the death of former EMT Hilda Vannata and retired firefighter Robert Fulco, the number of FDNY members killed in the aftermath by those diseases equaled the total who died on Sept. 11 itself. And that number, horrifically, will only grow. The first responders and their families will continue to need our help. And it’s imperative that our leaders at both the state and federal level continue to ensure that funding is in place to make that happen. Bob Beckwith lived to 91, capping an extraordinary life. But even his was cut short by a 9/11-related illness. Something he never would have developed if he had just stayed home that day. But that wasn’t Bob Beckwith. And it certainly wasn’t who President Bush saw that day at ground zero. Beckwith was a man who raced toward danger while others ran from it. And retired or not, it wasn’t going to stop him. “I was proud to have Bob by my side at ground zero days later,” Bush said after learning of Beckwith’s death. “And privileged to stay in touch with this patriot over the years.” Rest in peace, Bob Beckwith. You truly do define what it means to be an American.
Letters Too many Long Island teens are driving distracted, and dying To the Editor: Recently, a fatal issue has been making headlines on Long Island. While motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15- to 18-year-olds in the U.S., Nassau and Suffolk are two of the deadliest counties for traffic fatalities in New York. According to the Institute for Traffic Safety and Management, Long Island averages 18.2 roadway deaths per month. That number skyrocketed to 31 in August 2023. Crashes claimed 243 lives in 2022, 29 percent more than in 2019. On Jan. 2 of this year, on the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway in North Massapequa, while returning to school after the holidays, Dylan Nuccio went off the road at Exit 5’s northbound ramp, hit a tree, and flipped the car, a crash that took his life. We at EAC Network, a nonprofit comprising 114 social service programs helping New Yorkers in need, can educate more teen drivers and their parents to decrease these numbers and save lives. Rachel Lugo, EAC’s division director and the force behind our Driving Equation program, partnered with community agencies and Long Island high schools to promote safe driving
and reduce distractions behind the wheel through free educational programs including Second Chances in Occupant Protection for Everyone, or SCOPE, and Teen Driving Equation.
Lugo also oversees Safe Start, a program promoting child passenger safety by educating parents and child care providers. According to Lisa Mirabile, an
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opinions
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n influx of refugees from Latin America, U.S. political wars, and the 2024 presidential campaign has fueled anti-immigrant campaigns in the United States. In statements echoing Adolf Hitler and Nazi ideology, former President Donald Trump promised, if he is elected again, to keep out refugees he believes are poisoning the “blood of America.” Governors of states along the southern border have been busing migrants to northern cities, straining municipal budgets and threatening to increase homelessness. This kind of hostility to immigrants isn’t new. aLan At the nation’s sinGer founding, Black immigration was banned. Starting in the 1880s, the United States limited Asian immigration. In 1924, advocates for immigration quotas that would restrict southern and Eastern Europeans, specifically Italians and Jews, argued that they would be too difficult to Americanize. Thomas Aldrich published a poem in the Atlantic Monthly, “The Unguarded Gates,” in 1892, in which he warned, “Wide open and unguarded stand our gates, and through them presses a wild motley throng” with “accents of men-
ace alien to our air.” Aldrich begged Lady Liberty, the “white Goddess,” to reconsidered whether it was wise “to leave the gates unguarded.” During a congressional debate in 1924, Robert L. Bacon, a Republican who represented Suffolk County, argued, “We have work to do in assimilating and Americanizing those we already have living under our flag without lifting the floodgates and permitting an inundation to come rushing through … We cannot do this work if we spend all of our time at Ellis Island welcoming the millions who would like to come from other and more unfortunate lands … It must be admitted that the nationals of some countries assimilate easier and become Americanized quicker than the nationals of other countries.” The House of Representatives passed an immigration restriction law by a vote of 308-58; the vote in the Senate was 69-9. A new study by the Immigration Research Initiative shines a different light on recent immigration. Focusing on Long Island, it argues that an influx of immigrants gives local economies a boost. About 20 percent of Long Island’s population is immigrants, and with their American-born children, their families make up a significantly larger portion of the population.
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The study found that “New immigrants arriving to Long Island can expect to earn a median wage of about $27,000 per year. If there are two wage earners in a family, as is likely the case for most of the immigrants coming to New York, their combined income would be about $54,000” — well above the 2021 federal poverty level of $12,880 for individuals and $26,500 for a family of four. The study also found that after five years, the annual wage was closer to $35,000, bringing a two-income family’s earnings to about $70,000. The study’s authors calculated that the wages paid to every 1,000 newly arrived immigrant workers contributed $27 million to the local economy, and increased state and local tax revenues by about $3 million. After five years, the local benefit for each 1,000 workers is $35 million annually, and tax revenues increase to $4 million. New immigrants also fill vital jobs, especially as caregivers for children, the elderly and the chronically ill, and in medical facilities. According to Anthony Capote, a senior policy analyst at the Immigration Research Initiative and one of the study’s authors, initially “there’s a net cost” as migrants integrate into new communities, “But in the long run, there’s a net benefit.” Nationally, immigrants pay almost $26
here may be a cost when they arrive, but in the long run, there’s a net benefit.
Letters involved parent, an EAC defensive driving program participant, an EAC Network Board member and the president and CEO of Vertigo Media Group, “The EAC program is invaluable. When a young person receives their license, they don’t realize they’re driving a weapon. EAC’s defensive driving program showed my son — through live examples and testimony from EMTs, police officers and victims — what it’s like to live in the aftermath of catastrophic accidents. The instructor revealed how he lost his own son. It brought my son to tears — he even hugged me. It scared him straight. This saves lives and should be taught in every high school. I’m so grateful that we had this experience. It made my son a respectful driver with no accidents to date.” As Long Island mourns, swift results are essential. The community must unite, support partners like EAC, and emphasize driver responsibility. It’s time to act. Any Long Island high school interested in free educational driving programs for parents, caregivers and students can contact the EAC Network’s Second Chances in Occupant Protection for Everyone at (631) 6487100, ext. 210. Together we can reverse the devastating statistics. GILLIAN HANNA Public Relations, EAC Network
billion annually in income, Social Security and Medicare taxes. They also pay local sales and property taxes. New York state collects $1.1 billion in taxes from immigrant families, and that number would increase by $250 million if the federal government passed legislation creating a path to legal status for undocumented workers. A number of countries now have aging or declining populations, including Japan, Italy, Finland, Portugal and Greece. In Japan, 28 percent of the population is 65 or older. In the United States the 65-and-older cohort is 16 percent. Seven European countries have populations declining at rates of over 18 percent. Japan’s rate is 16 percent, and its population is expected to drop by over 20 million by 2050. China reported a decline of almost 1 million in 2022, the first population decline there since famine in the 1950s and ’60s. Aging and declining populations put a two-way strain on national social services. Older people need more health care and receive government pensions, and a higher ratio of retirees to workers means that a smaller percentage of workers are contributing to national budgets. The United States has largely avoided this problem because of the influx of younger immigrants into the workforce. Dr. Alan Singer is a professor of teaching, learning and technology and the director of social studies education programs at Hofstra University.
Framework by Tim Baker
Do you transfer from the LIRR to the subway? To the Editor: Thousands of LIRR commuters who transfer to the New York City subways should be concerned that neither Gov. Kathy Hochul, MTA Chairman Janno Lieber nor NYC Transit President Richard Davey told the whole story at a ceremony when they boarded the new R211 train beginning passenger service on the C local subway line. These new cars are unable to be safely operated on the A line express tracks. A series of Federal Transit Administration grants to the MTA, over several years, paid for most of the base bid of $1.44 billion awarded to Kawasaki to purchase 535 new state-of-the-art R211 subway cars. They will primarily replace a similar number of cars currently operating on the A and C lines, along with the Staten Island Railway, that have reached the end of their useful lives. Delivery of all 535 cars is anticipated to be completed before the end of 2024. This assumes there are no additional project delays. Davey said that NYC Transit is being overly cautious by keeping the subway cars on local subway routes. What they all did not share with com-
Celebrating 60 years since the Beatles first landed — TWA Hotel at Kennedy Airport
muters, taxpayers, elected officials, the MTA board and transit advocates is that the design of the gangway on the new cars makes it impossible for train operators to safely perform a required inspection following the activation of the emergency brakes. Not a day goes by in which someone doesn’t pull an emergency brake, which results in major service disruptions. Will Hochul, Lieber and Davey hold those responsible for the design, engineering, procurement, inspection and acceptance of these new subway cars
accountable for this major error? Never in the history of the MTA have new subway cars not been able to be safely operated on both local and express tracks. Whoever is responsible for this disaster should be fired. LARRY PENNER Great Neck Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer and a former director of the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.
ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — February 15, 2024
Immigrants are crucial contributors to our economy
February 15, 2024 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
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