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Gearing up for St. Patty’s parade
Longtime RVC rabbi writes book
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VOL. 33 NO. 11
MARCH 10 - 16, 2022
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RVC project facing PILOT problems rect assumptions.” Philips International Holding Corp., a Great Neck-based real The Town of Hempstead estate company, is planning to Industrial Development Agency transform the property into has delayed a vote on a payment- 60,000 square feet of office space, in-lieu-of-taxes — or PILOT — as part of a $19 million project. proposal for the upcoming proj- But in addition to the issues with ect at the former Diothe PILOT assesscese of Rockville ment, Levin said, the Centre headquarvilla g e has also ters, after Village heard from “various Attorney Tom Levin sources” that Philips pointed out inconsisintends to build tencies with the prosome medical officposal at a Feb. 22 es, which would hearing. technically make the Levin told the project a retail propIDA board that there erty that would not were issues with the qualify for IDA benep ro p o s e d P I L O T fits. And the area is plan. When the dionot zoned for medic e s e ow n e d t h e cal offices, Levin building, it was tax- TOM LEVIN added. exempt because it The addition of Village attorney was a nonprofit. The medical offices building was sold a would create parkyear ago, however, and should ing issues as well, because they have been returned to the tax require one space for every 150 r o l l s , b u t w a s n ’ t , L e v i n square feet of office space, which explained, so the PILOT proposal the property does not have, while was assessed based on the prop- standard offices require one spot erty’s paying no taxes. for every 200 square feet, accord“The proposal is for a 20-year ing to village code. PILOT, which is standard,” Levin Under the proposal, Philips told the Herald after the hearing. would have paid about $300,000 in “The whole formula was wrong the first year and more than because they started with incorCONTINUED ON PAGE 16
By MIKE SMOLLINS msmollins@liherald.com
Christina Daly/Herald
BLUE TEAM MEMBERS celebrated when they were announced the winners of the 106th Red & Blue meet at South Side High School last Saturday.
Blue wins battle of the colors 106th event draws enthusiastic audience tor of physical activity, announced the points awarded for costumes, skits, props After three nights of com- and more, and with the score petition in the South Side 48-42 in favor of Blue, it all High School gym, the girls of came down to sportsmanship. WHO'S WHO IN the Red and Blue teams gath- When Roseto announced that REAL ESTATE ered anxiously at midcourt each team had received 5 l a s t S a t u r d ay f o r t h e points in that category, giving announcement of the results the Blue team a 53-47 victory, in each category in the 106th the Blue side of the gym Red & Blue competition. exploded in jubilation for the Carol Roseto, the Rockville third straight year. Unlike last Centre School District’s direc- year, when pandemic restric-
By TOM CARROZZA tcarrozza@liherald.com
March 10, 2022
tions were in place, the competitors were joined by a crowd of parents. After more than a month of practicing skits, routines and songs, the girls congratulated one another, with many embracing emotionally after the celebration died down. This year’s Red & Blue returned to full capacity without masks, giving parents an opportunity to watch their CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
Real Estate Movers & Shakers Inside MEET THE REAL DEAL IN THE LOCAL MARKETPLACE
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he whole formula was wrong because they started with incorrect assumptions.
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March 10, 2022 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
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Taste of RVC prepares for St. Patty’s Day
ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — March 10, 2022
By TOM CARROZZA tcarrozza@liherald.com
The Rockville Centre St. Patrick’s Parade Committee held its annual Taste of Rockville Centre event at the St. Agnes Parish Center last Friday as an opportunity for local businesses to show off their wares and donate money to charities. More than 20 vendors provided wine tastings, microbrewing samples, dessert and coffee as local band Jerry & the Newcomers played. The program celebrated this year’s parade Grand Marshall and co-founder of The Backyard Players & Friends, Ellen White, and raised funds for three charities. The proceeds went to the RVC Breast Cancer Coalition, the Army Ranger Lead the Way Fund, and the Holy Family School for the Deaf.
Photos by Joe Abate/Herald
TASTE OF RVC attendees purchased raffle tickets, the proceeds of which went to the RVC Breast Cancer Coalition, the Army Ranger Lead the Way Fund, and the Holy Family School for the Deaf. This year’s St. Patrick’s Parade is set for March 19.
Nassau DA investigating Diocese of RVC pastor
THE TASTE OF RVC honored the late Andrew Healey, an influential figure in Rockville Centre and it’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, who died on Jan. 1. RVC CHAMBER OF Commerce President and Polka Dot Pound Cake bakery owner Lisa Umansky provided pastries for residents to sample.
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The Nassau County District Attorney’s office is investigating an associate pastor at a Levittown church for possible possession of child pornography. The church is under the umbrella of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. The Rev. Joseph Nohs is being probed and is not permitted to serve as a priest at St. Ber nard’s Church in Levittown until the outcome of the investigation is complete. Requests for comment from the diocese was not returned at press time. Anyone with information concerning the abuse of a minor can contact law enforcement and the Diocesan Office for the Protection of Children and Young People at (516) 594-9063. —Mike Smollins
THE NASSAU COUNTY District Attorney is investigating St. Bernard’s Church Rev. Joseph Nohs for possible possession of child pornography.
Herald file photo
Longtime RVC rabbi authors new book msmollins@liherald.com
Former Rockville Centre Rabbi Dr. Barry Dov Schwartz worked alongside a Nazi hunter. He marched for Civil Rights in Washington, D.C. He served as a chaplain during the Vietnam War. These stories and many more of his exciting adventures and experiences are chronicled in his new book, “A Man of Spirit: A Rabbi Navigates a Half-Century of Sweeping Change,” which was released on Jan. 25. “I said to myself, it’s a good time now that I’m retired that I just try to put something together of all the adventurous things that I experienced during my lifetime,” Schwartz said, “especially my years during Vietnam and 37 years in one congregation on Long Island, and that was the motive.” Those 37 years were spent at Temple B’nai Shalom, now Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David, in Rockville Centre. Schwartz, 81, who now lives in North Woodmere, grew up in Boston and went on to study at Boston Latin School, Boston University, Columbia University, Hebrew Teachers College, Hebrew University and the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. When he was a student in Boston, he
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through the years after being emotionally impacted by the Holocaust. He learned that many Nazis were not brought to justice, and so he began working closely with famed Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal, who was living in Vienna, in the 1960s. The two worked together for a number of years, and eventually, Schwartz said, he worked with the government and went under cover as a Neo-Nazi, attending their meetings at homes on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, where he would gather intel on them. “I wanted to do some work in apprehending Nazis and bringing them to justice,” Schwartz said. “Not just out of revenge, but for justice.” He added that he was unable to eat at the meetings because the spreads were not kosher. He also noted that Wiesenthal asked him to write the foreword for his book, “The Sunflower,” and he happily obliged. From 1965 to 1967, Schwartz served as the chaplain for the U.S. Air Force, working his way up to chaplain lieutenant colonel, and helped soldiers in need of spiritual guidance.
New infections as of March 1
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traveled to Washington, D.C. to join the march for civil rights on Aug, 28, 1963, at the urging of his mother, and he said his parents instilled in him the importance of acceptance. “Both my parents were lovers of all people, all colors,” he said. “My father, in Boston, worked with people of color and I was engrained since my youth to love all peoples and to not be silent when they were facing troubles. It’s something I always wanted to do and be, not a bystander. And that was a major lesson my parents taught me is to be an activist.” He carried that sense of acceptance and tolerance with him into his professional life, frequently emphasizing the importance of interfaith services. He also served on the boards at Mercy and St. Francis hospitals, is still active in Friends of Mercy Hospital and has a close association with the Catholic community to this day. Schwartz will also mark his 25th year serving as chaplain of the Nassau County Police Department this year, and will be recognized sometime in the spring. In keeping with tolerance, Schwartz has frequently written about World War II
Total infections to date 11,888
PETITIONS FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND LIBRARY BOARD TRUSTEES The Annual Election and Budget Vote for the Rockville Centre Public Schools and the Rockville Centre Public Library is scheduled for Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
Residents will elect one person to fill a three-year term on the Board of Education, commencing July 1, 2022, to succeed the incumbent John O’Shea whose term expires June 30, 2022.
“My role was to service all faiths and give support to those who are concerned about going to battle and worried for their families,” Schwartz said, “and I was someone they could call anytime, day or night, when they were frightened or anxious about their assignments.” After he finished his time in Vietnam, Schwartz moved on to a congregation in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, for six years and then joined the Rockville Centre synagogue in 1973, where he remained for nearly four decades until his retirement in 2010. He was succeeded by Rabbi Howard Diamond and then David Lerner, who is the current spiritual leader there. Schwartz and his wife, Sonia, a retired teacher, built a life in Rockville Centre. They had three children, Javi, Jonathan and Tamar, and they now have five grandchildren, Binyamin, Hannah, Noah and twins Alex and Jesse. Schwartz said he hoped that his book would provide readers with a solid understanding of the inner- and outer-workings of a rabbi, or any religious leader, and that people would enjoy reading about his experiences. He will host a book launching event at the Rockville Centre synagogue on May 15 and at the synagogue he now attends, Young Israel of North Woodmere, on May 22. Proceeds will be donated to each synagogue. Reflecting on his time in Rockville Centre, Schwartz said, he quickly grew to enjoy the people he went on to serve for 37 years. “In my case, the congregation was very kind and patient and permitted me to stay that long,” he said. “It was a wonderful congregation involved in many aspects of Jewish life, and many people came to the synagogue for prayer and study, and I loved serving them.” “A Man of Spirit” is available now on Amazon.com.
Residents will elect two persons to fill two, three-year terms on the Library Board, commencing July 1, 2022, to succeed incumbents Michael Ludwig and Susanne Morahan whose terms expire June 30, 2022. The last day for filing a petition to be a candidate for the School Board and the Library Board is Monday, April 18, 2022 at 5:00 PM.
Petitions are available through the District Clerk’s Office at: The William H. Johnson Administration Office Rockville Centre UFSD 128 Shepherd Street, Rockville Centre, NY
(516) 255-8921
1165801
By MIKE SMOllINS
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March 10, 2022 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
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MAIN PHONE: (516) 569-4000 ■ WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/rockvillecentre ■ E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: rvceditor@liherald.com ■ 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 © 2022 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
“A MAN OF Spirit” is available now on Amazon.com. It was written by Rabbi Dr. Barry Dov Schwartz.
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March 10, 2022 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
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EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Thursday, Mar. 10
what is in the latest news cycle. A lively, moderated discussion of hot topics. Register online at the RVC Public Library website. Starts at 10:30 a.m.
Simply Creative Chef Rob Chef Rob shares how to prepare slow cooker corned beef and cabbage soup with carrots and potatoes. Download the recipe, view the video on the Rockville Centre Library YouTube page and then cook along with Chef Rob on your schedule. Video goes live at 10 a.m.
Upcoming
Monday, Mar. 21 Blood Drive
Come to the RVC Library to play mahjong, canasta, bridge, and more. Bring whatever games you want to the small room. Starts at 7 p.m.
The Rockville Centre Fire Department hosts a blood drive in the council room at 103 Maple Ave. from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Go to nybc.org/save1feed1 or call 516-478-5023 to schedule your appointment.
Friday, Mar. 11
Tuesday, April 12
Film Fan Friday (Virtual)
Rockville Centre School District Preliminary Budget Hearing
Game Night (In-person)
Film historian Max Alvarez leads this reading of A History of Movie Stunts through the Rockville Centre Library. Register online at the library website. Starts at 2 p.m.
South Side High School hosts this preliminary budget meeting at 7:30 p.m.
Christina Daly/Herald
Monday, Mar. 14
106th Red & Blue ends in Blue victory
Exploring the Night Sky
The Blue team finished its “Night at the BLUEseum” skit on Saturday night at South Side High School.
Come to the Rockville Centre Library for a night of star gazing. Register at the library website. Starts at 7 p.m.
Evening Yoga with MaryClare Yoga and meditation instructor MaryClare Chiofalo leads this traditional format yoga class. Register online at the RVC Library website. Starts at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Mar. 15 Tax Preparation at the RVC Library The Rockville Centre Library hosts this appointment only tax preparation meetings. Call the adult refernce number at 516-766-6257 x5 to schedule your appointment. Free to seniors and low-income families ($60,000 per year). Bring last year’s return, W-2’s, investment info, Social Security card of everyone listed on the form and a form of ID to your appointment. Starts at 10:15 a.m.
l l l l l
Chi Gong with Marianna Farina (Virtual) Farina returns to the Rockville Centre library with her virtual exercise class. Register at the library website for the session that runs from Sept. 7 to Nov. 9. Starts at 10:30 a.m.
Tuesday Yoga with Joe (Virtual) Certified yoga instructor Joe Climi leads the class designed to accommodate the needs of people who may have difficulty with more traditional appraoches. Register online at the RVC library website. Starts at 12 p.m.
NAMI Family Support Group Session (Virtual) The National Alliance on Mental Health comes to the RVC Library for family support group sessions. Sessions will meet the second and fourth Tuesday of
each month. Each session starts 7 p.m. For more info, contact dsills@ namiqn.org.
What to Watch? (Hybrid) Join moderator Michael Matuszewski and Rockville Centre Library staffer Rob Siegel to discuss the shows everyone is watching and talking about. Register online at the library website. Starts at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Mar. 16 Simply Stronger with Marilyn Bunger (Virtual) Certified instructor Marilyn Bunger leads this exercise class to enhance strength and flexibility. Starts at 9:30 a.m.
Bible Study at St. Agnes Join Fr. Bright and other members of the study group each Wednesday morning either in-person or virtually at 9:45 a.m. The program meets in the second floor of the ministry building in the youth ministry room. Email Irene Vastola at iavastola@gmail.com for Zoom link.
Mothers’ Center Circle The Rockville Centre Library hosts this Zoom event for mothers to connect. At each event, facilitators help us connect on the joys and challenges of motherhood and support each other through their own journey. Register online at the library website. Starts at 10 a.m.
Current Events with Richard Skolnik (Zoom) Richard Skolnik leads a discussion of
Come to Village Hall for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade tree lighting on March 10. Maple Lanes hosts Atta Pepper Bowling Fundraiser on March 12 at 11 a.m. The RVC St. Patrick’s Parade returns on March 19 with Grand Marshall Ellen White. St. Baldrick’s returns to St. Agnes on March 19 at 1 p.m. RVC Restaurant Week 2022 runs from April 6 to 14.
Wednesday, May 4 Rockville Centre School District Budget Hearing South Side High School hosts this budget hearing at 7:30 p.m.
HAVING AN EVENT? Items on the Community Update pages 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 tcarrozza@liherald.com
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ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — March 10, 2022
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OBITUARY
Rockville Centre resident Betty Yoelson dies at 106 Betty Yoelson died on Feb. 18 at her Rockville Centre apartment. She was 106. Yoelson lived for 106 years, four months and 11 days, and it was a life well lived. She was born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan on Oct. 7, 1915, to Louis and Rivkah Epstein. She lived through two world wars and two global pandemics. She embraced change and fought tirelessly to help others during the civil rights and labor union movements. Yoelson remained active right up until the last few years of her life, proudly extolling the benefits of yoga and dance for the well-being of body and mind. For all who knew her, she was the poster child for longevity and a cheerleader for all forms of physical activity. Yoelson’s family could not afford to send her to college, so after graduating high
school with honors, she had to enter the house in suburban Baldwin and made her workforce. Since employment prospects final move to an apartment in Rockville Centre in 2005, where she were bleak in the 1930s, she remained until her death. worked in several factories that Yoelson often stressed the she described as having “terriimportance of community. She ble working conditions” and enjoyed her contact with the “unfair labor practices.” This Sandel Senior Center commuled to her involvement in the nity in Rockville Centre. early years of the union move“We do not have to be alone; ment, during which time she I depend on you and you fought to help improve factory depend on me,” she told her working conditions and gain friends there. Yoelson was also equitable pay for employees. part of a folk dance communiOver the course of her Betty Yoelson ty on Long Island, forming “upwardly mobile” life, as she friendships there that endured called it, she moved to Brookuntil her last days. lyn, where there were trees, In addition to working as a school secreand married her beloved husband, Sanford “Sandy” Yoelson, who died in 1989. She tary and raising her daughters, Martha then migrated to Queens, graduated to a and Rebekah, Yoelson spent a great deal of
time volunteering throughout the years, serving as the program director for a Parkinson’s support group and volunteering as a reading helper in local elementary schools. She also made it a point to stay active throughout her life: she began teaching yoga in 1969 (when it was “exotic”) and discovered a love for folk dancing in 1951, which she also taught for a number of years. She was an avid reader and said her philosophy is to “use body and mind to devote yourself to something beyond yourself.” On top of that, she was a self-proclaimed world class Scrabble champion. In addition to her daughters, Yoelson is survived by four grandchildren, two greatgrandchildren, and many more in-laws, extended family and close friends who will miss her dearly and continue to quote her.
South Side celebrates academic excellence
Courtesy Rockville Centre Schools
South Side High School’s Academic Excellence Scholarship 2022 winners were, from second from left, Gabrielle Fine, Ian Moran, Nicole Gabriel, Matthew Ricchiuti, Sadie Dowden, Leo Valenti, Isabelle Lu They were flanked by Principal John Murphy and Kelly Ramsey.
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March 10, 2022 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
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Rockville Centre Office | 314 Sunrise Highway, Rockville Centre NY 11570 | 516.536.8100
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NEIGHBORS IN THE NEWS Members of the Rockville Centre Police and Fire departments were recognized along with members of the Nassau County Fire Marshal’s office on Feb. 28 for their efforts in response to the tanker crash in Rockville Centre on Feb. 16. Members of the Nassau County Legislature and Mayor Francis X. Murray honored the first responders for their emergency response to the incident. “We want to thank everyone for working so closely together and for working with such professionalism,” Legislator Debra Mulé said. “We know what you are trained to do, but to see it happen in such a way under horrific circumstances was truly remarkable. We are so proud of you, and it is an honor to represent you.” The gasoline tanker was headed east on Sunrise Highway at about 1:11 a.m. on Feb. 16 when it struck the vacant La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries store, which had been closed for months. The crash sparked a massive fireball as some of the tanker’s 9,200 gallons of fuel spilled from the truck, and part of the building collapsed. Black smoke billowed into the air as the fire spread to the sewers beneath the street. The driver, identified as Emanuel Thornton, of Bay Shore, told police that the accident happened after he swerved to avoid a car. Some 25 fire departments from sur-
ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — March 10, 2022
First responders honored for efforts after tanker crash
Courtesy Peter M. Budraitis
MEMBERS OF THE Rockville Centre Police and Fire departments were recognized along with members of the Nassau County Fire Marshal’s office by the Nassau County Legislature on Feb. 28 for their emergency response to a tanker crash in Rockville Centre last month. rounding communities rushed to the scene, along with the village Fire Department, Police Department, Department of Public Works and Office of Emergency Management. The state Environmental Conservation and Transportation departments and the Coast Guard were also on
the scene. The crash led to power outages and lane closures on Sunrise Highway, and the DEC spent more than a week remediating the site and excavating contaminated soil. “I heard that it looked like a scene from ‘Die Hard,’” Legislator Siela Bynoe said to
the honorees. “It looked like a movie scene, but what was real is your bravery and your ability to coordinate and work together to make sure everyone was safe. I thank you for everything you do day in and day out — may God keep you and bless you.”
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WHAT’S NEWS IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM
HERALD SCHOOLS Lichter Scholarship awarded to two SSMS students
Courtesy Rockville Centre Schools
2022 LICHTER SCHOLARSHIP winner Edward Graci, third from left, with his family and the Lichter family.
RecRuiting a great team is Really simple.
Parent & Teen Safety on St. Patrick's Day rvccoalitionforyouth.org
We HiRe tHe Best
2 Out Of 5 Car Accident Fatalities Over St. Patrick's Day Involve Drunk Driving
multi media sales associates RepoRteRs / editoRs Receptionist dRiveRs pRessman / pRess HelpeR Human ResouRce diRectoR to join our team, please email your resume to careers@liherald.com or call 516-569-4000 ext #235
RichneR communication in GaRden city is hiRinG
It is ILLEGAL: To Provide Alcohol To A Person Under 21 & For A Minor To Use A Fake ID
savinglives5townscoalition.org
Please Do Not Serve Alcohol to Youth Under 21
NY Law Determines A Driver Is Significantly Intoxicated To The Point Of Committing A Criminal Offense If Their BAC Is Measured At 0.08% Or Higher.
Know Some Of The Signs of Alcohol Poisoning Irregular Breathing Confusion Seizures Pale Blue or Clammy Skin Vomiting and/or Passed Out/ Unconscious
Wishing You A Happy & Safe St. Patrick's Day!
Set clear expectations about avoiding alcohol Remind them of the risks and consequences of underage drinking Appeal to their selfworth by letting them know that they have a lot going for them and don’t need alcohol to have a good time
Immediately Call 911!
Mazer Family Fund
Celebrate safely with family by watching parades making green pancakes and smoothies or listening to traditional Irish music
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On March 2, South Side Middle School hosted a ceremony to honor the 2021 and 2022 recipients of the annual Stefan B. Lichter Memorial Scholarship. The 2021 recipient was South Side Middle School eighth-grader Macallister Morris. Affectionately known as “Mickey” to his friends, Morris was a member of both the jazz and wind ensemble for two years. He played the drums in jazz band and percussion in the wind ensemble, and also plays the piano. South Side Middle School eighth-grader Edward Graci was awarded with the 2022 Lichter Scholarship at the ceremony. Graci plays the trombone and violin and has been in the middle school jazz band since sixth grade. The scholarship has been awarded for the past 26 years by Aaron and Carolyn Lichter to commemorate their son Stefan, who was an avid jazz musician at both South Side Middle School and South Side High School. Each year, the scholarship is given to one of the Rockville Centre school district’s jazz ensembles to help them pay for lessons, a summer music program or the purchase of an instrument. For his work on the violin for the SSMS orchestra, Graci was selected to the Long Island String Festival. He has also selected to the all-county jazz band this year. To donate to the Stefan B. Lichter Memorial Fund, mail a check to the Lichters at 52 Doral Lane, Bayshore, NY, 11706.
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ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — March 10, 2022
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Michael Hinman becomes Heralds’ executive editor Michael Hinman is the new executive editor of Although he was born and raised in rural Pennthe Herald Community Newspapers. Stuart Richner, sylvania, Hinman spent most of his adult life in centhe CEO of Richner Communications Inc., and pub- tral Florida. His work ranged from neighborhood lisher of the newspaper group, made the announce- newspapers like the Zephyrhills News and The ment last week. Hinman succeeds Scott Brinton, Laker, to the larger Sunbelt Newspaper division of The Tampa Tribune. He also spent years as a real who had led the editorial department since 2016. Herald Community Newspapers include nearly estate reporter for the Tampa Bay Business Journal, two dozen publications and more than 20 reporters as well as the Sarasota-based Business Observer. During his time with the Business Journal, Hinand editors. Hinman will also oversee The Riverdale man won a top business reporting Press, the Bronx paper he joined as ediaward from the Society of Professional tor in 2017, helping the publication win Journalists for his series of stories 29 state awards during that time, includfocused on the failed Trump Tower ing the New York Press Association’s top Tampa project. honor last year, recognizing general “Our communities are filled with stoexcellence. ries just waiting to be told,” Hinman Joining Hinman’s leadership team is said. “This is why neighborhood newslongtime Nassau Herald editor Jeff Bespapers like the Heralds are so vital. We sen, who becomes the Heralds’ new depare renewing our mission to find those uty editor. stories and share them — to inform you, “I’m excited to see two longtime to help you, and hopefully even make members of the Richner CommunicaJeff Bessen you smile from time to time.” tions family take on expanded roles,” Before his tenure covering the Five Stuart Richner said. “For the past five years, Michael has been a steadfast steward of The Towns, Bessen was editor of the Islip Bulletin and Riverdale Press’ legacy of excellence. Now he brings Suffolk County News, which covered several commuhis hard-nosed journalism and innovative storytell- nities on Suffolk County’s South Shore. Bessen has won a number of awards from the ing to the Herald newsroom. “Jeff has been a leading voice in the Herald news- New York Press Association and the Press Club of room for more than a decade,” Richner added. “In Long Island over the years, most recently as the the newly created deputy editor role, Jeff will fur- Press Club’s runner-up for non-local news and feather infuse his dogged reporting into our 20-plus edi- tures in 2021, and for narrative in-depth reporting/ series in 2020. tions of the Herald. “The Heralds have always had the community in “I know that under Mike and Jeff ’s leadership, our newsroom will continue to be the premier mind when producing their award-winning stories,” source of local news for Long Islanders. I look for- Bessen said. “We aim to deepen that commitment ward to seeing how our award-winning team finds with a stronger focus on the broader issues — such as politics — that impact our readers.” new ways to serve our communities.”
Christina Daly/Herald
MICHAEL HINMAN, WHO spent the past five years as editor of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Riverdale Press, is the new executive editor of the Herald Community Newspapers. Nassau Herald Senior Editor Jeff Bessen has become the Heralds’ new deputy editor.
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ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — March 10, 2022
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March 10, 2022 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
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Diocese PILOT plan needs to be reassessed CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE $800,000 by Year 20. Rock 50 LLC, an affiliate of Philips International, was granted preliminary approval by the IDA for more than $2.6 million in tax benefits in January, but they will not be formally authorized until the review is complete, and they were granted before the issues with the proposal surfaced. As part of that, Rock 50 was slated to receive more than $2.1 million in property tax discounts over 20 years, and nearly $500,000 in other tax exemptions. “We made two points at the hearing,” Levin said. “One was that it was unclear from the proposals what the intended use of the building was going to be, and the PILOT was proposed based on the county’s assessed value of the properties, but not the village’s.” But Fred Parola, the IDA’s executive director, said he had been told that Philips did not plan to build medical offices at the site, and noted that the IDA was looking into the issues with the PILOT assessment. “We’re looking into it because we were told the taxes were zero because it was a not-for-profit,” Parola said. “However, we learned at the hearing that the property was sold a year ago, so it means it should be on the tax rolls, so the existing PILOT may very well not stand.” Parola did not have a timeline for when a new PILOT proposal might be presented or when a vote would be held. He added
Herald file photo
ISSUES HAVE ARISEN over the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes proposal a developer submitted to the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency for the former Diocese of Rockville Centre headquarters, which has delayed an IDA vote. that another hearing might be necessary if there were radical changes to the proposal. He also could not say how much the property would generate in taxes if a PILOT were not granted, because it would have to be reassessed. The building, at 50 N. Park Ave., was used as the diocese’s Pastoral Center, or chancery, and was sold by the diocese after
it filed for bankruptcy amid more than 200 lawsuits from victims of alleged sexual abuse. Synergy Holding Partners LLC purchased it during the bankruptcy proceedings. Rock 50 bought the building for $9.5 million. The acquisition included the five-story office building at the corner of North Park and Sunrise Highway and the adjacent
parking lot, which holds about 58 cars. A bankruptcy court approved the sale of the center, and all proceeds are to be used by the diocese to compensate creditors. Calls to Philips International requesting comment had not been returned at press time. The diocese began offering the Pastoral Center for sale in 2018, after determining that the property was no longer cost-effective. At the time of the sale, the diocese was not using all of the building’s available space. Philips, a developer and landlord that manages more than 250 buildings across the country, plans to renovate the building before businesses move in, but does not yet have tenants. The lobby, lower level and five upper floors will be renovated, and some of the building’s systems will be replaced. With the proposal in limbo, it is uncertain how much money the village and school district would collect if a PILOT were approved. Board of Education President John O’Shea told the Herald last month that the PILOT would not benefit the district as much as having a developer paying taxes would, but it would be more lucrative for the district than the previous use. “It was a non-taxable property,” O’Shea said, “so although we could benefit, with a non-tax-based property, now that it becomes tax-based, we’re getting much less than we should be entitled to — but it’s more than we would have had before.”
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The Premiere HERALD 2022 Excellence in Healthcare Awards will recognize and honor deserving individuals whose dedication and commitment has made a difference in the health and well-being of others.
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ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — March 10, 2022
DREAMING OF MOVING SOUTH? Join Us At Noon For A Lunch & Learn Find Out How To Make The Move To South Carolina PANELISTS
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United Church gives curbside ashes United Church of Rockville Centre’s Pastor Scott Ressman gave ashes to 108 church members for Ash Wednesday last week.
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MEET THE 2022 AWARD WINNERS* ACCOUNTING
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MICHELE LINDNER, CPA, CCIFP
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TESSA HULTZ, RCE, CAE CEO Long Island Board of REALTORS
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ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — March 10, 2022
MARCH 23 6:00-9:00PM
March 10, 2022 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
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Photos by Christina Daly/Herald
THE RED TUMBLING team perform an acrobatic routine.
Public Notices
LROC1 0310
LEGAL NOTICE Notice is hereby given that an on-premise liquor license, Serial #TBA has been applied for by 195 South Corp d/b/a Emelia to sell beer, wine, cider and liquor at retail in an on-premise restaurant. For on premises consumption under the ABC Law at 195 Brower Avenue Rockville Centre NY 11570 129837
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD LOCAL LAW NO. 17-2022 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing was duly called and held March 1, 2022, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 17-2022, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 17-2022, amending Section 202-1 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include and repeal “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at various locations. Dated: March 1, 2022 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 129915 LEGAL NOTICE STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU ___________________ THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF THE CWABS, INC., ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-I3, Plaintiff, vs. Any unknown heirs to the Estate of SHARON
SUSSMAN A/K/A SHARON M. SUSSMAN, next of kin, devisees, legatees, distributees, grantees, assignees, creditors, lienors, trustees, executors, administrators or successors in interest, as well as the respective heirs at law, next of kin, devisees, legatees, distributees, grantees, assignees, lienors, trustees, executors, administrators or successors in interest of the aforesaid classes of persons, if they or any of them be dead, all of whom and whose names and places of residence are unknown to the plaintiff; ERIC SUSSMAN; ADAM SUSSMAN; LAUREN SUSSMAN; ZACHARY SUSSMAN; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA O/B/O INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; and “JOHN DOE” and “MARY DOE,” (Said names being fictitious, it being the intention of plaintiff to designate any and all occupants, tenants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises being foreclosed herein), Defendants. Filed: 4/17/2019 Index No.: 605283/2019 SUMMONS AND NOTICE Mortgaged Premises: 25 Dartmouth St Rockville Centre, NY 11570 Mortgage Servicer: Specialized Loan Servicing LLC Mortgage Servicer Phone #: 1-800-306-6062 TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty
(30) days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a Defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service hereof. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is for the foreclosure of: Mortgage bearing the date of May 5, 2006, executed by Sharon M. Sussman, a married woman to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., acting solely as nomine for Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. to secure the sum of $200,000.00, and interest, and recorded in the Office of the Clerk of Nassau County on May 24, 2006 in Book 30534 Page 483 Instrument No. 2006052401798. That Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nomine for Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. duly assigned said Note and Mortgage to The Bank of New York Mellon fka The Bank of New York, as trustee for the Certificateholders of the CWABS, Inc., AssetBacked Certificates, Series 2006-I3 by Assignment dated April 27, 2012 and recorded on June 19, 2012 in the Office of the Clerk of Nassau County in Book 37363 Page 497 Instrument No. 2012061901836. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the Mortgaged Premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. Plaintiff designates Nassau County as the place of trial. The basis of venue is the County in which the Mortgaged Premises is situated.
Section: 38. Block: 214 Lot: 29, 30 DATED: 4/2/2019 Rochester, New York NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the Mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your Mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. SCHEDULE A LEGAL DESCRIPTION ALL that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Village of Rockville Centre, Nassau County, New York known and described as lots numbers 29 and 30 in block 3 on a certain map entitled “Map of Hillside Park Additional No. 1, Rockville Centre, Nassau County, New York, Surveyed August 25, 1920, Edward S. Voorhis, C.E., Rockville Centre” and duly filed in Nassau County Clerk’s Office on February 22, 1924 as filed no. 539. 129714
Place a notice by phone at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com
THE BLUE TEAM stage a “Night at the BLUEseum” skit.
Students, parents enjoy a ‘normal’ Red & Blue CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE daughters — and for some, their sons — show their full faces as they competed in the historic village event. Each team entered in white dresses for the Revue night on Thursday, performing marching songs, toasting the opposing team and presenting posters and emblems for each event. On Friday and Saturday, the team captains and their red and blue boys teammates acted out their original skits, “Night at the BLUEseum” and “REDmazing just the way you are,” as their teammates, clad in theme costumes, performed fully choreographed aerobics, jazz, disco and tap dances. The Blue team had the winning skit, earning 7 points, but the Red captains, seniors Noelle Cairnie and Haley Zelles, said they were proud of their effort, which they said was their favorite part of the event. “It really hurts, but we’re very, very proud of what we made, and what all the girls on the team did throughout the whole season,” Cairnie said. “Every single girl on the Red team — we couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls,” Zelles said, “and they just continued to impress us every day at practice.” The Red coordinators, Rockville Centre native Megan Lawless and her friend Stephanie Smith, said they couldn’t be more proud of the girls for their leadership and effort during the intensive practices over the past month. “We can’t say enough good things about them,” Lawless said. “We’re so proud of how hard they worked and how organized they were throughout this entire experience.” “Haley and Noelle set the bar high from practice one,” Smith added, “and made us and the girls feel welcomed.” This was the first experience as coordinators for both Smith and Lawless, who oversaw practices and helped create rou-
tines. In addition to the skits, the girls competed in tumbling, relay races, floor hockey, volleyball and the highly anticipated tug-of-war. Both teams showed their school spirit with chants and cheers that filled the gym during the competition. Blue captain Sophie Greenberg, a senior, spoke about the tight bond the Red and Blue captains maintained while competing. “Haley and Noelle are the best, and we could tell nothing changed after they announced who won,” Greenberg said. “We all found each other and were hugging each other.” Senior Blue co-captain Alexandra Kearns said her favorite part of the Red & Blue experience was seeing the girls take center stage in what turned into a traditional, pre-pandemic version of the storied program. Blue coordinators Caitlin Nelson and Corey Carson, also taking part for the first time, said they were blown away by the experience. “We knew it would be intense,” Carson said, “but watching it play out was definitely a lot more than I originally thought.” Nelson said her favorite part of the weekend was the skits. “Alex and Sophie worked so hard on it,” she said, “and so seeing it all come together live and finally playing out perfectly was my favorite part.” Roseto, overseeing her 13th battle of the colors, got to enjoy the event after months of fielding the concerns of many parents who wanted a maskless Red & Blue and rolling with changing state guidelines. “The adaptability of the girls has amazed me,” she said. “It’s a hard event in general in the organizational part of it, but to have restrictions and everything made it especially hard.” The Blue team now leads the all-time series 50-43-11. There was no event in 1921, and there is no record of the 1968 winner.
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IVERS BUS DR TED WAN DoN’T MISS The Bus!
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1128595 Richner Communications - a rapidly growing multimedia company and publishers of the Herald newspaper group has several administrative job openings: Receptionist (F/T), Accounts Receivable/Billing Collections Clerk Multi-Media Coordinator (Hours Flexible) Qualified candidates are fast learners with good organizational and people skills - entry level ok. Role requires working knowledge of Microsoft Office and ability to learn custom software programs. If you would like to join a communitydriven, fast-paced environment, please send your resume to: careers@liherald.com.
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$26.18/hr.
Full Time and Part Time Positions Available! Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to ehecker@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239
The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@riverdalepress.com
LIFEGUARDS WANTED
LAUREL HOLLOW BEACH. Must be 17 or older, have Grade II Certification, CPR. www.laurelhollow.org (516) 692-8826 A.D.A. E.O.E.
Help Wanted
Help Wanted
RECEPTIONIST - FULL TIME
RECEPTIONISTS NEEDED
Receptionist (full-time) needed for Publisher and Self-Storage Facility located in Garden City. The ideal candidate should have excellent communications and customer service skills, be professional, dependable and have reliable transportation. Candidate should have computer knowledge and working knowledge of MS Office. Candidate MUST be reliable, punctual and be able to work a CONSISTENT schedule: Monday and Wednesday 8am to 4pm Tuesday and Thursday 8am to 6pm Friday 8am to 5pm Job Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Answering phones and greeting customers, assisting new customers by showing storage facility options and pricing, collecting payments from customers, contacting customers for late payments, applying payments and updating the customer files /data base and other general administrative responsibilities on an as needed basis. Hourly pay, plus eligible for Holiday Pay, PTO, Medical, Dental, 401k with company matching, plus other benefits. Qualified candidates should email their resume, cover letter and salary requirements. No phone calls please. Job Type: Full-time. Salary: $15.00 /hour Email your resume to: careers@liherald.com
Email: TFcsm601@gmail.com SALES PERSONS: F/T And P/T Positions Available. Flexible Schedule. Temptations For Her. Call 516-678-3838
Health Care/Opportunities
WE HAVE THE HELP YOU NEED!!!
HHA's, LPN's, Nurse's Aides Childcare. Housekeeping Day Workers No Fee To Employers
Evon's Svces: 516-505-5510 Situations Wanted ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Looking For A Job Part Time Starting Immediately. Experienced. Rockville Centre. Jacqueline 516-536-6994
Eldercare Offered RECEPTIONIST/ P/T: SEASONAL, Warm, Friendly, Excellent People Skills, Office Work/ Customer Service, Beach Club. 516-239-2150
LINE COOK/PREP COOK WANTED Seeking entry level cooks for seasonal positions. Flexible hours and work schedule. No experience necessary, will train. Ideal candidate will have a love for cooking and food and a commitment to excellence. Great summertime job for student. Employee housing is available. Must be able to work nights, weekends, holidays. $17-$22/hour based on experience. Email letter of interest to: humanresources@creek.net
For Doctors Office In Far Rockaway FT and PT
LOOKING FOR POSITION To Work As Companion For Your Elderly Loved Ones. 14Yrs. Experience. References. AM Or PM Hours. Joyce 718-598-8377
HERALD
Homes
To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5
FULL CHARGE BOOKKEEPER: Proficiency Quickbooks, 2/ 3 Days/ Week, Flexible. Send resume: Catalina Beach Club, 2045 Ocean Blvd. Atlantic Beach, NY 11509; Call 201-417-9940
HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR Richner Communications is looking for a hands-on Human Resources professional to oversee all HR functions on a strategic and tactical level. Exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and expanding Garden City, Long Island media company. This position has a flexible schedule, part-time job share would be considered. Responsibilities: Talent acquisition: Source, screen, and interview potential candidates and manage new employee onboarding Benefits administration: Liaise with brokers, providers and facilitate enrollment and updating of coverage. Manage annual open enrollment and employee benefits review. Administration of 401(k) plan. Employee relations: Provide day- today support and problem resolution in regards to employee concerns, questions and policy issues. Performance management: Coach, counsel and recommend disciplinary actions Compliance: Maintain indepth knowledge of legal requirements related to day-to-day management of employees, reducing legal risk and ensuring regulatory compliance Payroll: Process biweekly payroll through payroll vendor for population of 150 employees Requirements: Bachelor's degree, preferably in business or HR, or equivalent experience Minimum 5 years HR generalist experience Knowledge of Federal, State & Local regulations governing employment Experience with payroll processing Self-motivated, ability to prioritize and work well under pressure Customer-focused attitude, with high level of professionalism and discretion Excellent oral and written communication and quantitative skills Proficiency with Microsoft Office Qualified candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to: careers@liherald.com.
M A H - J O N G G P L AY E R S WA N T E D : Wednesday Afternoons East Meadow Public Library. Text suzkaplan@gmail.com Or Call 516-710-3283
OUTSIDE SALES
Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Salary, Commission, Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Will Consider Part Time. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X286
PRESS-ROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME Pressroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for a motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
Real estate
IN BRIEF Coach Realtors Welcomes Wendy Hausman-Jupiter
Her Name Means a Great Deal! Wendy holds extensive knowledge of all neighborhoods in the Five Towns area, with over 25 years of experience with sellers and buyers in all types of residential transactions. Determined, communicative, and an effective listener and negotiator, this licensed real estate salesperson looks forward to assisting you in your next move! Contact her today at (516) 316-4693! Realtors are encouraged to send briefs and photographs to: Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd.., Garden City, NY 11530.
ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — March 10, 2022
HERALD
Homes
To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5
HOME OF THE WEEK
• To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 • To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 Ronnie Gerber 516-238-4299
Long Beach
New To Market
1165548
HERALD
OPEN HOUSES SUNday, 3/13/22 WOOdMERE 20 Brower Ave, BA, Renovated 3/4 BR, 3.5 Bth Victorian Style with Porch in Old Woodmere. Huge Updtd Gran/Wood Kosher EIk, LR, DR & Den. All Updated Baths. O/S Yard with Pavered Patio. 2 Car Det Gar. SD#14 ................................. REDUCED! $1,025,000 238 Mosher Ave, BA, 4 BR, 3 Bth Colonial with Fin Bsmt. LR/Fpl, FDR, Sun Room & EIK. Main Flr Bedroom. 2 Car Det Gar. Endless Possibilities! Convenient to LIRR, Shops, Trans & Houses of Worship. SD#14 ................................................................ $799,000 16 Prospect Ave, BA, 6 BR, 3.5 Bth Colonial on O/S Property in SD#15 (Tree Streets). LR/Fpl, FDR, Den & Large Kosher Kit. 2 Car Det Gar............................................... REDUCED $1,499,000
HEWLETT 156 E Rockaway Rd, BA,Rental of a Renovated 2 Bedroom, 1.5 Bth Apt with Spacious Gourmet Kitchen Use of Patio & Outdoor Space ...................................................................... $3,200
ROCKVILLE CENTRE 299 Princeton Rd, BA, Move Right Into This 3 BR, 2.5 Bth Colonial on Lovely Street. LR w/ Fpl, FDR, Sun Room & Updated Gran/Wood EIK. Master Ste Has Updtd Bth. Walk Up Attic with Cedar Closet. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Det Gar. Rockville Centre SD ...................................................... REDUCED! $849,000
ISLaNd PaRK 100 Baker Ct #91, BA, NEW WATERFRONT Unit at Yacht Club! Enjoy Easy Living in This Gated Community. Spacious Townhouse with 2/3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bth, Breathtaking Views From all Rooms. Updtd Gran/Wood EIK. Main Floor Master Suite. 1 Car Att Garage. Community Pool, Tennis. BBktball & Playground. Minutes to Restaurants, Shops & Trans............................................. $880,000
Y
ou can live right near the beach in this beautiful Colonial home with a contemporary flare. This home features 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, living room, dining room, eat-in-kitchen, and a large den with fireplace. The primary bedroom has a cozy fireplace for warm winter nights. There is an attached garage for easy access from the house. Live and feel like you are on vacation all year round. MUST SEE! Asking $939,000
Bette Richman Lic. Assoc. RE Broker Cell: (516) 902-3770 Office: (516) 889-6677 bette@topperrealty.com www.topperrealty.com
84 E. Park Avenue, Long Beach, NY 11561
Apartments For Rent
Karen Elefante
HERALD
MarketPlace To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5
HEWLETT 156 E Rockaway Rd, BA, Apartment Rental. Renovated 2 Bedroom, 1.5 Bth Apt with Spacious Gourmet Kitche n U s e o f Pa t i o & O u t d o o r S p a c e SD#14...$3,200 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299
Your successful local trusted real estate expert.
OCEANSIDE: STUDIO, SUITABLE For One Person. $1200 Covers All. No Smoking/ Pets. 516-763-3154 Leave Message
Vacation Rentals/Prop.
Rhonda Healy
WOODMERE BA, 20 Brower Ave, NEW!! Renovated 3/4 BR, 3.5 Bth Victorian Style with Porch in Old Woodmere. Huge Updtd Gran/Wood Kosher EIk, LR, DR & Den.All Updated Baths. O/S Yard with Pavered Patio. 2 Car Det Gar. SD#14...$1,025,000
M: (516) 236-7269
Real Estate Salesperson, abR, SRS E: Rhonda.Healy.VW@gmail.com Verdeschi & Walsh Realty 1025 W. Beech St. | Long Beach, NY
OneKey Multiple Listing Service
REAL ESTATE Open Houses ROCKVILLE CENTRE BA, 299 Princeton Rd, FIRST SHOW! Move Right Into This 3 BR, 2.5 Bth Colonial on Lovely Street. LR w/ Fpl, FDR,Sun Room & Updated Gran/Wood EIK. Master Ste Has Updtd Bth. Walk Up Attic with Cedar Closet. Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Det Gar. Rockville Centre SD...$879,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299
Open Houses
Open Houses
Real Estate Wanted CO-OP STUDIO WANTED To Buy In 5 Town Area. Any Condition. Call Sam. 516-770-1270
Apartments For Rent WO O D M E R E 1 6 P RO S P E C T AV E , OPEN HOUSE BY APPT, REDUCED! 6 BR, 3.5 Bth Colonial on O/S Property in SD#15(Tree Streets). LR/Fpl, FDR,Den & Large Kosher Kit. 2 Car Det Gar....$1,499,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299
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
DELRAY BEACH, FL: For Sale, opportunity before it hits the market! Single Story Ranch Condo. Beautifully appointed in desirable Emerald Pointe gated community, Approx 1800 SqFt. Furnished, All Appliances, 2 Bed / 2 Bath, Eat-In Kitchen, Walk-In Closets, Great Interior Storage and Exterior Storage Room, Screened-In Porch with Dual Interior Access, New Rheem HVAC Jan 2019, Ceiling fans throughout, 4 Private Parking Spots, Clubhouse with Auditorium, Pool, Gym, Tennis, Pickleball (TBD), Game and Card Rms, Interior Walking-Paths, Pet Friendly, 55+ Community, Easy access to Palm Beach International and Ft Lauderdale Airports. Exciting Downtown Delray offers beautiful Beaches, Shopping, Restaurants, and Nightlife. Asking $359,000. Call David at 516-313-1550 SWCGRPMI@gmail.com
MoneyTo Lend ARE YOU BEHIND $10k OR MORE ON YOUR TAXES? Stop wage & bank levies, liens & audits, unfiled tax returns, payroll issues, & resolve tax debt FAST. Call 888-869-5361 (Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-5pm PST)
1165879
“Going Above & Beyond to find your Dream Home”
Florida Real Estate
1161112
Karen Elefante is a real estate agent affiliated with Compass. Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by equal housing opportunity laws.
OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND. Best selection of full/partial week rentals. FREE Color Brochure. Holiday Real Estate, Inc: 1-800-638-2102 Online reser vations: www.holidayoc.com. $75 discount - new rentals. Code: “ToTheOcean2022” (Expires 05-01-2022) 1165512
Karen Elefante Licensed RE Salesperson M: 516.398.5055 | O: 516.703.3378 karen.elefante@compass.com
1164412
March 10, 2022 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
22
23
Q. We found a home after searching for months,
AIR CONDITIONING SERVICE 1146803
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE service@manzoplumbing.com • www.manzoplumbing.com
OWA_STREAMLINE_BW_Bold Sunday, August 02, 2020 11:07:23 AM
TREE SERVICE
WINTER SPECIAL 10% OFF $500 MINIMUM
Ask The Architect
© 2022 Monte Leeper Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.
OWNER OPERATED • RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL
#1165954
1162396
TREE REMOVAL • LAND CLEARING • PRUNING STUMP GRINDING • ELEVATING • STORM PREVENTION WE CARE More Than The REST for LESS
516-216-2617
WWW.WECARETREESERVICE.COM
Nass. Lic# H2904450000
Suff. Lic# HI-65621
If Your Plumbing STInkS
Call The WenkS! 516-889-3200
1163755
Oil to Gas Conversions • Hot Water Heaters Boilers • Radiant Heat • Whole House Water Filters All Plumbing & Heating Work • Lic. /Ins. FREE ESTIMATES • 24/7 Emergency Service Available wenkpipingandheating.com
Wenk
PIPING & HEATING CORP. $
25 OFF Any Service Call For New Customers
1164817
Exp. 5/6/22
NO MORE DIRTY CANS
Dave marlOWe Plumbing, inC.
Please call 516-778-3724 for details and pricing
Over 100 Years Of familY Plumbing Oil to Gas • Toilets • Faucets • Repairs & Replacements Waste Piping • Water Piping
STOP BUYING NEW CANS Keep your can clean all year round. Providing a monthly service. We will rid your can of all that unwanted grime, dirt and loose trash. 1163166
Mention this ad and get
10% Off
ALFREDO’S CONSTRUCTION
Se Habla Español
Licensed & insured
the
in
BLACKTOP
BeSt priceS in town
Call For Winter Specials
senior Citizen Discounts
• ConCrete • BriCk Patios • stooPs • stuCCo • Belgium BloCks • sidewalks • drainage ProBlems • Cellar entranCe • waterProofing • driveway sealing demolition • dumPster serviCe • Powerwashing • handyman rePairs
516-424-3598 516-807-3852
on labor only
Free estimates
Carpentry & Painting Specialist
Residential and Commercial - All Phases
“Anthony & J Home Improvement, Inc.” Also specializes in ★ Kitchens ★ Bathrooms ★ Finished Basements ★ Flooring ★ Repairs ★ Woodwork/mouldings ★ Siding ★ Gutters
516-678-6641– Licensed & Insured FREE ESTImATES...call Anthony Romeo
1162079
• Permits & Legalizations • Certified NYS Backflows • Licensed Master Plumber • Insured • FREE Estimates
OffiCe: 516-766-4583 Call/TeXT: 516-840-9432 Home Improvement Corp. 1153496
Specializing
at
Free estImates • Licensed & Insured
Masonry • Steps • Driveways Water Proofing • Pointing • Siding Kitchen Remodeling • Roofing Basements • Windows • Sheetrock & More
CALL FOR winter SPeCiALS
631-532-5617 • Cell: 516-996-3036
LIC: #42194-H
www.tikalhomeimprovement.com
(516) 766-1666 (631) 225-2600
FREE • Chimneys Repaired, Rebuilt & Tuckpointing ESTIMATES • Stainless Steel Liners Installed Fully licensed and insured Nassau • Suffolk • NYC
LIC: #H3711000000
HEATING OIL
Chimney King, Ent. Inc. Chimney Cleaning & Masonry Services Done By Firefighters That Care chimneykinginc.com
1164477
Ask for MAtthew
DBA BOB PHILLIPS PLUMBING
HOME • COMMERCIAL
RELIABLE • 24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE FAMILY OWNED FOR OVER 65 YEARS
CALL NOW FOR LOWEST PRICE
(516) 379-2727
ALL CLEAR DRAIN & SEWER SERVICE
(516)409-9696 • (631)422-9696 Sinks • Tubs • Toilets • Sewer Lines
DEMOLITION & CONSTRUCTION INC
CALL FOR MORE INFO No service in Long Beach
1160163
L
Our Estimates Won't STUMP You! CERTIFIED ARBORIST ON STAFF
1163647
M
COUPON MUST BE PRESENTED AT TIME OF ESTIMATE
1165552
impressed that your lawyer is concerned that the issues you described are complicated. I’m used to everyone who doesn’t regularly address plans and applications having a simplistic view of the process. It isn’t uncommon for owners asking building departments or their lawyers about what is needed and then telling onte eeper me they only need a “sketch” to make an application. The word sketch makes the whole issue sound simpler, faster and cheaper, but is far from the reality. If a sketch were provided, it would only be for something like a fence permit, where some building departments let the owner write on their property survey. What the building department forgets to tell you is that surveys are legal documents that usually have a statement on them that it’s illegal to alter them. I’m sure surveyors wouldn’t include that statement if they didn’t mean it, but that statement is all too often completely ignored. Your attorney is correct that even moving a fence so the survey shows the fence on the property line is complicated. I rarely hear of neighbors volunteering to move a fence that has been there for many years. It usually sets up a bad relationship when new neighbors move in and start asking to up-heave their neighbor’s lives. Finished basements are no less of a dilemma, since your municipality, like most, won’t allow bedrooms or kitchens in basements. Many people put these rooms in, waiting to see if anyone ever says a word, which is why I have to tell people their neighbors up and down the street may have a kitchen and bedrooms in the basement, but none of them are actually legal. I know that isn’t what you wanted to hear, especially since you felt the pressure to go into a contract for the house. I’ve often said to people buying a house that I wish it was part of the transaction, as common as a home inspection, often called an “engineer’s report” (even though most people inspecting the house aren’t engineers), that someone with code and zoning knowledge should examine the premises and survey to address potential problems before you go into contract. Good luck!
FREE ESTIMATES
INTERIOR EXTERIOR REMODELING HOMES GARAGES SHEDS
CONCRETE • MASONRY • BACKYARD REMODELING SPECIALIST • LANDSCAPING GARBAGE REMOVAL • CLEANUP • BOBCAT • EXCAVATOR SERVICES Mike Klimovich • 516-785-0310 • DirtyMikesDandC@gmail.com 1164343
LICENSED AND INSURED
1163004
A. First, I’m
Licensed & Insured
1163632
and it has a lot of violations. The owner says it’s “as is” and will not take care of the violations before we take the house. One of the violations is for a finished basement we would like to put two bedrooms in, and a kitchen for when we entertain. Another is for a fence that our new survey says is 1½ feet into the property, which our attorney says is complicated because the neighbor, whom we have never met, might not be so responsive to giving back the property. We really have no choice, since we’re already in contract, but does this sound like the big problem our lawyer says it is?
516-783-0490
“Your Satisfaction is Our #1 Priority”
ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — March 10, 2022
Dealing with a home’s violations
Stuff
• To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 • To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Finds Under $100
Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry
Handyman
Novena
COMMUNION DRESS, SIZE 7, beautiful condition. $50. 516-792-3602
*MICHAEL LO BAIDO CONSTRUCTION*
HANDYMAN Repairs and Installations for the Household. Careful and Reliable and Vaccinated. Licensed and Insured. 30-Year Nassau County Resident. Friendly Frank Phone/Text 516-238-2112 eMail-Frankcav@optonline.net
MERCHANDISE MART Antiques/Collectibles We Buy Antiques, Fine Art & Jewelry Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluations, 45 Year Family Business. Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid. SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464
Miscellaneous For Sale
FITNESS REALITY INVERSION table with lumbar pillow. Barely used. $85.00 or best offer. (516) 462-2656 FLEXIBLE FLYER SLED, steel rails, w o o d t o p, s t e e r i n g l eve r, $ 1 0 . (516) 546-2644 IRONING BOARD: 48X15" Adjustable 38" high, Separate Iron Restspot, Nonskid. Steel mesh top. $65 516-320-1906 MULTIPLE BIRD FEEDERS, bird baths, s h e p h a r d h o o k s. $ 6 5 . 0 0 t a ke s a l l . (516) 965-0982
HAPPY JACK® SKIn Balm provides relief for dogs & cats from hot spots, flea bites, and food allergies without steroids. At Tractor Supply® (www.fleabeacon.com)
NIKON DX SINGLE lens camera, Model 3000, Lens ED 18-55 mm, Charge, case, instructions. $60 516-796-9267
FINDS UNDER $100
SKIIS:160 LENGTH TECHNO Skiis, Carry Accessories Included. Great Condition. $99.00 / 516.353.8280
Finds Under $100 1970 RIVERSIDE GOLDEN oak server. 48" by 36". $85.00. (516) 965-0983 2 RED FLYER Sleds: 1 Child Size, 1 Adult Size. Great Condition $99.00 516.353.8280 BRASS LAMP, ONION shape, black shade, 36 inches tall. $50. (516) 965-0983
Wanted To Buy
SUEDE JACKET, MENS lg, like New, brown bomber style, 6 pockets, $59. call 516-798-2098. WO M E N S W I N T E R P E AC OAT, B e n Sherman, Black wool, $35. Ivory Raincoat, Banana Republic, $29. Medium. 516-320-1906
SERVICES
I BUY GOLD COINS... CALL ME TODAY!
516-383-2751
Cement Specialist, Brickwork, Interlock Bricks, Belgium Blocks, Stoops, Patios, Basement Entrances, Pavers, Waterproofing. Quality Work, Lic./ Ins. Owner Always Onsite Free Estimates 516-354-5578
Decks DECKS DECKS Our Only Business COMPOSITES/WOOD Excellent References & Many Photos Lic./Ins. Free Estimates C & S DECKS 516-729-5859
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.
Exterminating
STEVE'S WILDLIFE Humane Nuisance Animal Removal And Property Exclusion 646-604-4001 nycwildlifecontrol.com Handyman ALL HOUSEHOLD REPAIRS Interior and Exterior Services Painting, Plumbing, Carpentry, Electrical, Tile work, Pressure Washing, Flat Screen TV Installation Others Services Available Call 516 578 6980
HERALD
Crossword Puzzle
Home Improvement A R B O RV I TA E P R I VAC Y H E D G E , Spring Sale! 6-foot Arborvitae, regularly $199; order early, $95 each! Beautiful & bushy with free delivery, free installation. Larger sizes available! 518-536-1367 Lowcosttreefarm.com BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 866-393-3636 CARPENTRY & PAINTING: Residential/ Commercial. All Phases. Licensed/Insured. FREE ESTIMATES! Anthony & J Home Improvements 516-678-6641 ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debrisblocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off and 0% financing for those who qualify. PLUS Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-877-763-2379 NEVER PAY FOR Covered Home Repairs Again! Complete Care Home Warranty COVERS ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. 30 DAY RISK FREE. $200.00 OFF + 2 FREE Months! 866-440-6501
NEW ROOF SPECIALS SIDING- Best Prices RENOVATIONS & ALL REPAIRS Lic/ Ins. Free Estimates Nassau Lic. # H-0102710000 Call John - 516-852-9830 THE GENERAC PWRcell, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing Option. Request a FREE, no obligation, quote today. Call 1-888-871-0194 W I R E M A N / C A B L E M A N F L AT T V s mounted, Phone, TVs&Computer wiring installed & serviced, camera &stereos , HDTV – Antennas- FREE TV www.davewireman.com Call Dave 516-433-WIRE (9473) 631-667-WIRE (9473) or Text 516-353-1118
Tree Services
Autos Wanted
T&M GREENCARE TREE SERVICE *Tree Removal *Stump Grinding *Pruning *Roof Line Clearing. Residential and Commercial. "We Beat All Competitors' Rates." Lowest Rates. *Senior Discount. Free Estimates. *516-223-4525, 631-586-3800 www.tmgreencare.com
***AAA*** AUTO BUYERS $Highest$ Ca$h Paid$. All Years/ Conditions! WE VISIT YOU! Or Donate, Tax Deduct + Ca$h. DMV ID#1303199. Call LUKE 516VAN-CARS. 516-297-2277
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
DRIVE OUT BREAST Cancer: Donate a car today! The benefits of donating your car or boat: Fast Free Pickup - 24hr Response Tax Deduction - Easy To Do! Call 24/7: 855-905-4755
Junk Cars Wanted
Education COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! (844) 947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET) TRAIN AT HOME TO DO MEDICAL BILLING! Become a Medical Office Professional online at CTI! Get Trained, Certified & ready to work in months! Call 855-543-6440. The Mission, Program Information and Tuition is located at CareerTechnical.edu/consumer-information. (M-F 8am-6pm ET)
Health & Fitness VIAGRA & CIALIS! 60 pills for $99. 100 pills for $150. FREE shipping. Money back guaranteed! 1-855-579-8907 WE HAVE THE HELP YOU NEED HHA, LPN, Nurse's Aide, Childcare, Housekeeping & Day Workers. No Fees to Employers. Call Evons Ser vices 516-505-5510
HIGHEST CA$H PAID All Cars Bought 24/7 FREE Pickup
Serving Nassau County 41 Years No Title, No Keys=No Problem ID Required. CALL US LAST!
Call us at 516-766-0000
Check out our Service Directory for all your repair, decorating, party planning, cleaning or moving needs, and much more!
AUTOMOBILE & MARINE
Miscellaneous BEST SATELLITE TV with 2 Year Price Guarantee! $59.99/mo with 190 channels and 3 months free premium movie channels! Free next day installation! Call 888-508-5313 DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/22. 1-888-609-9405
Plumbing PLUMBER! PLUMBER! PLUMBER! FREE ESTIMATES! Heating, Repairs, Installations. $25 OFF New Customers. 24 Hour Emergency Response. 516-599-1011
Answers
Sprinkler Syst./Irrig.Wells
• System Turn-Ons
• Installations/Renovations Service • Repairs Certified Backflow Tester Free Estimates Licensed and Insured
Joe Barbato 516-826-7700
WWW.LIHERALD.COM
1166268
THANK YOU ST. JUDE For Answering My Prayers Regarding My Procedures. P.A.R.
1161148
To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5
1160883
HERALD
1162572
March 10, 2022 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
24
to todAy’s puzzle
25
OPINIONS
W
e live in a world where sports matchups of almost any kind are totally unpredictable. Whether it’s football, baseball, basketball or hockey, a game is frequently decided in the final minutes or seconds. In the legal world, many cases can go either way as well, depending on the law or the facts. But there’s one place where, it’s safe to say, in many key cases, the score will be 6-3. I refer to the United States Supreme Court. In the next four JERRY months, the court will be making KREMER decisions on such topics as abortion, affirmative action, immigration, gun rights and congressional redistricting. You don’t need a scorecard to figure out what the results are likely to be, because several of the nine justices have telegraphed their views to the outside world long before the cases will be argued in front of them. A look back at history shows that this isn’t the first court majority whose legal
views were well known to the outside world. From 1953 to 1969, the court was led by Chief Justice Earl Warren. Unlike any before it, the Warren Court dramatically expanded civil rights, civil liberties and the powers of the court itself. It ended racial segregation and state-sanctioned prayer in public schools, ensured equal representation in state legislatures and paved the way for the legalization of abortion. The Warren Court was one of the more liberal courts in judicial history. In contrast, the court led by Chief Justice William Rehnquist, from 1986 to 2005, moved to the right, giving states more power, striking down provisions of the Violence Against Women Act and, in 2000, famously ruling that George W. Bush had been elected president. To the surprise of many, the Rehnquist Court upheld Roe v. Wade, which granted women the right to have an abortion. Given the fact that this court had among its members Antonin Scalia, Sandra Day O’Connor, Clarence Thomas and Anthony Kennedy, it’s no wonder that it was unpredictable when it handed down rulings on cases with strong nationwide
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interest. The current court is headed by Chief Justice John Roberts, but it is dominated by five justices who have already made clear where they stand on cases already argued and yet to come. Last September, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, speaking at the University of Louisiana, said that the court is “not a bunch of partisan hacks.” She warned that “justices must be hyper-vigilant to make sure that they are not letting their personal biases creep into their decisions.” She made that speech after voting to uphold a Texas law that bars abortions after six weeks. Anyone who believes that Justices Barrett and Thomas are independent thinkers is mistaken. In 2006, Barrett, then a law professor at Notre Dame, signed a full-page ad in the South Bend (Ind.) Tribune by St. Joseph County Right to Life, stating that it was “time to put an end to the barbaric legacy of Roe v. Wade and restore laws that protect the lives of unborn children.” At her congressional confirmation hearing, she waffled, saying only that Roe v. Wade had been affirmed many times. This spring, when the court rules on a
ver the next four months, the justices are set to make some huge decisions.
Mississippi law prohibiting abortions after 15 weeks, you don’t have to guess where Barrett will stand. The court’s longest-serving justice is Clarence Thomas. According to The New Yorker, Thomas’s wife, Virginia, is involved with a number of organizations that file briefs before the court opposing affirmative action and abortion, favoring gun rights and offering strong opinions on many other current cases. One of the cases now before the court is a suit by the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association to overturn a New York City law that places limits on carrying guns outside the home. Thomas’s expected opinion, to throw out the law, won’t help Mayor Eric Adams in his efforts to curb gun violence. During my career as an attorney, I have always had the greatest respect for our judiciary and the court system in general. But it saddens me to think that some of the most consequential cases in our lifetime are destined to be decided by that 6-3 margin. Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? JKremer@liherald.com.
As the pandemic pushes past two years, where are we?
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othing like the threat of World War III, and a red-hot nuclear reactor, to focus one’s attention. After more than two years of obsessively parsing the news about the global pandemic ravaging the world, we now have an escalating war in Eastern Europe to distract us. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has eclipsed the grim coverage of people sick and dying of a runaway virus. Now we have 24/7 coverage of people fleeing and dying in a firestorm let loose RANDI by a runaway KREISS Vladimir Putin. Irony abounds. We were blindsided by Covid and blindsided by Russia, although there was plenty of evidence in both cases that something bad was coming down. In this moment, the two global events are creating a kind of whipsaw effect, with our battered psyches in the middle. In the past few weeks, as Covid restrictions loosened, I wasn’t ready to join the party. It seems that very young
children and older people are still vulnerable to getting sick, possibly very sick. The difficult piece of this is that the protocol for any one individual is, well, individual. Americans aren’t good at nuance, but that’s what we need for now. How much risk do I take, and when and why? When will it be safe to go to a wedding or a funeral? Many of us have stopped thinking at all about the coronavirus, because we’re creatures of the news cycle, and the news has moved on to Ukraine. It creates our reality: what we think about, what we talk about and what we worry about. For many of us, the constant stream of “breaking news,” whether it was about the pandemic for the past two years, or now, the Russian invasion, is a nonstop anxiety machine. The day 24/7 news became a thing was the day we enslaved ourselves and our sense of well-being to an outside force. Sometimes the coverage feeds on itself, reporters interviewing other reporters, and anchors hosting the same military talking heads all day and all night long, the same “news” repeated again and again.
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I am rarely in a situation these days, whether out with a friend or gathering with family, that someone isn’t beeped and dinged with “breaking news.” This is the pandemic that will do us in. In just these two weeks, we have traded our addiction to Covid news for minute-to-minute coverage of one country blowing another country to bits. Wherever I look, people are staring, transfixed, at their phones, like players in a dystopian science fiction story come true. As we move into the third year of the pandemic (which clearly is not over and the first weeks of the Russian onslaught, we need to ground ourselves. That means time away from the news. As we move toward spring and the hope of warmer weather, we need to get up and out again, walking or biking or driving to someplace with open spaces. The signs of spring are always life-affirming, but you won’t find them on Fox or CNN. Get to the beach or walk around the block, and before you do, leave your buddy at home. That would be the phone, which can survive very nicely on its own while you live for a while in your own
here will never be a new normal. It will be something else, but what?
head. Refreshed, we can carry on through this rough patch as we figure out how to stay safe and how to think about this war in Eastern Europe. We do not travel light. We carry the memory of nearly one million Americans who died of Covid. We ventured out the other evening to sit in an outside tented area of a restaurant. It wasn’t perfect. It felt strange to wait for food, and I was impatient. This isn’t a new normal, I realize. There will never be a new normal. It will be something else, and we aren’t there yet. As we begin Year Three of the pandemic and continue Month One of the Ukraine invasion, we must turn off the noise and find some quiet space to think. Many of us need to restore our faith in the future. I grew up just expecting everything to be fine, and then there were the assassinations and the Vietnam War. Today teenagers are worrying about a draft or another pandemic. Comfort does not come from the media or any outside source. It comes from within, in its own time, when we find reason to believe again in the possibility of a peaceful future in a healthy world. Copyright 2022 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.
ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — March 10, 2022
The score will too often be 6-3 in the Supreme Court
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HERALD EDITORIAL
Rockville centRe
March 10, 2022 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD
HERALD
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Sunshine Week is all about open government
W
hen James Madison assembled fellow members of his Virginia delegation in 1787, few of them knew what was up his sleeve. What they did know was that the Articles of Confederation — the law of the land since 1781 — simply wasn’t working. Madison surprised all of them, revealing that they weren’t fixing the Articles, but replacing them. The Virginia Plan, as it was called, would become the blueprint for what followed, earning Madison the moniker “Father of the Constitution.” But the man who would become the fourth president of the United States is actually responsible for something far greater: the Bill of Rights, the 10 constitutional amendments that guarantee a number of freedoms like that of religion, assembly — and the press. That’s why journalists celebrate Madison’s birthday — March 16 — as part of “Sunshine Week,” a national initiative created by the American Society of News Editors to educate all of us about the importance of open government, and how dangerous excessive and unnecessary secrecy from our leaders can be. It serves as a reminder that government agencies should be accessible and accountable to their constituents, and should encourage input from that very public. The First Amendment protects journalistic freedom, but we have had to depend on other laws — like President Lyndon B.
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LETTERS Let’s listen to other ‘suburban voices’ To the Editor: I am writing in response to last week’s guest column by Mayor Francis Murray, “Suburban voices were heard in Albany.” Murray’s extended beating of the accessory-dwelling-units dead horse acknowledges the corpse, but provides no alternative ride. Further, the blows delivered seem to generalize beyond the ADU issue. ADUs exist in many Nassau County localities — zoned and otherwise — because they provide a solution to a problem some “suburban voices” have, with parents or children who are unable to find, or afford, housing on Long Island, or pressed for extra income to remain in their own homes. All parties agree that the ADU is a flawed solution, born of desperation, like using dynamite to break up a logjam. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s explosive is a reminder that some other “suburban voices” have
Johnson’s Freedom of Information Act — to ensure that government truly is transparent by guaranteeing access to government documents. More often than not, we hear about media organizations — like the Heralds — lifting these veils of secrecy. But this isn’t a privilege of a select few; open records are a right for everyone. Sunshine Week is recognized each year by open-government advocates, local libraries, schools and other civic-minded organizations, which discuss government accessibility through news stories, opinion columns, blogs, web pages, seminars, editorial cartoons and even paid advertisements. Without open government, much of what you see in these pages simply wouldn’t be possible. Crime reporting? No. In-depth investigative pieces? Not a chance. Court proceedings? Legislative sessions? City council hearings? Board of education meetings? Only what leaders would choose to share. Laws mandating open meetings and open records give all of us the right to delve deeply into the activities of local, county, state and federal officials, and to draw our own conclusions about whether the people we vote into office are truly doing their jobs representing us. Despite all this progress toward transparency, there are constant efforts by the very officials mandated to provide this access to instead pull it back into darkness. Florida journalists created what grew into Sunshine Week two decades
ago, when the legislature there looked to pass hundreds of laws that would curtail such transparency. And there’s still much work to be done closer to home. New York agencies that don’t provide access to information and documents face the threat of lawsuits, but rarely actually suffer through them since few individuals or organization that would file them have the resources to go to court. Other states have created affordable (or even free) arbitration resolution methods. New York isn’t one of them. But things are changing. Last December, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law a measure requiring public hearings on issues in front of select state departments like Education and Environmental Conservation whenever 125 or more people petition state lawmakers for them. It also requires those hearings be held in the evenings and on weekends, allowing more people to attend. The meetings must also be broadcast, and teleconferencing must be an option. The law goes a long way in implementing new opportunities for meaningful public participation in governmental decision-making. It will do nothing less than help shift the balance of power from the government to the people. But it’s only a start. There is no such thing as too much transparency when it comes to government. A true democracy is leadership by the people, not a select few. And it’s the people that must continue to hold those who represent us accountable.
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OPINIONS
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he unfolding situation in Ukraine and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package. These seemingly unrelated topics help frame the realtime battle between authoritarianism and democracy that is boiling up in the pot of world debate. If we are going to reduce crime, cut taxes and help our troubled schools, we have a lot of work to do to make sure that democracy wins. Last fall, President Biden told members of Congress that both Russian President Vladimir Putin TOM and Chinese leader Xi Jinping had SUOZZI told him that they “don’t think democracy can accomplish big things in this world of social media and the 24-hour news cycle.” Russia and China believe that America, and democracies generally, are too divided. They don’t think we can accomplish
big things anymore, and that they can. Today’s division in Washington, Albany and governments across the country is hurting us. Elected officials pander to their base. The battles waged on Twitter and Facebook seep out into every part of our lives. Cable news talking heads pit Americans against one another, finding wedge issues that make us believe there’s more that divides us than unites us. Even more concerning are the efforts by our foreign adversaries to sow disinformation and civil unrest using the very platforms that they curtail in their own countries. Can we still do big things with so much dissent? A few months ago, we passed the largest ever investment in infrastructure in history — $1.2 trillion — and it was bipartisan. As vice chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, I helped negotiate this oncein-a-generation infrastructure package. We overcame all of the rancor and division to pass a bill that will send billions
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he record investment in infrastructure was bipartisan, and should be a model to follow.
LETTERS supervisor, Laura Gillen, in the 4th Congressional District to succeed U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice, who is stepping down. Along with her considerable experience, Gillen brings a welcoming, inclusive style to governing, fully aware that politics is an honorable calling, not an exclusive opportunity to reward supporters and punish critics. Her formal nomination in a winning primary battle will advance her candidacy to the finals, Election Day on Nov. 8. Let’s send someone to Washington who will support our new, better President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda.
BRIAN KELLY Rockville Centre
To the Editor: For mer Gov. Andrew Cuomo has begun using part of his leftover $16 million re-election fund to pay for commercials. He now claims that he has been exonerated of charges that he sexually harassed a number of women. Andrew and his brother Chris might be better off if they listened to Kenny Rogers’s song “The Gambler.” Rogers sings, “You’ve gotta know … when to fold ’em, know when to walk away …” It is wishful thinking on Andrew Cuomo’s part that he can resume his political career with a simple media blitz. Both he and Chris should look for honest work. Why not follow in their
To the Editor: As a moderate-progressive-liberal Republican, a rare breed in today’s extremist constellation of cultists tethered to the chicanery and shenanigans of our discredited, thoroughly unfit 45th president, I am delighted to cross the partisan Rubicon to endorse the candidacy of our former Town of Hempstead
to go viral or get booked on cable news shows won’t solve problems or improve people’s lives. This type of good I speak of is still possible. Working across party lines, Democrats and Republicans, progressives and moderates need to put the good of the people first. We are at a turning point. Americans — and New Yorkers — are sick and tired of the finger-pointing, the pandering and the division. Our government can do big, important things, and help solve problems to reduce crime, cut taxes, and help transform our troubled schools. But to do that, we must root out those who seek to divide us — those in public office, on social media, on cable news, as well as foreign adversaries who oppose our democracy and wish to sow civil unrest and do us harm. With our eyes wide open, we can and will succeed, because most of us want the same things: to help people and make the world better. U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi represents New York’s 3rd Congressional District.Comments? OConnell11001@yahoo.com.
FRAMEWORK by Christina Daly
not been discussing our housing problem. This blockage prolongs the pain. Rather, we are offered diversionary claims that Rockville Centre “homeowners would have to foot the bill to address the influx of students” and “to pay an incremental amount for … village services,” which implies that new residents are a burden. That’s a policy of stagnation. Will there really be so great a horde? Will they all have school-aged children? Will they not pay taxes? I suggest that our Industrial Development Agency’s tax abatement gifts to speculators — like the Rockville Centre Diocese sale — produce the greater “incremental amount” for which residents are repeatedly asked to “foot the bill.” What is needed are more thoughtful “suburban voices” to discuss “better than ADU” plans, and a mayor ready to listen.
Gillen would be best Rice replacement
of dollars to New York — with the state set to receive $13 billion in funding for roads and bridges; $24 billion for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, including the Long Island Rail Road and New York City’s subways; over $1.4 billion for water and sewer system upgrades; and almost a billion more for much-needed airport upgrades and climate resiliency. The bipartisan infrastructure bill is real-life stuff that will rebuild our state and put millions of people to work. When it passed, however, it only received news coverage for a week, at most. It wasn’t one of the most highly viewed posts on social media, and no videos of Biden signing the legislation went viral. But if you ask everyday New Yorkers what they want from their elected officials, they will typically say they “want to see results.” Pandering to the base, Twitter likes, sound bites and saying outrageous things
ASHER MATAHIAS Woodmere
Career advice for the Cuomos
Looking to the west, off Green Island — Wantagh Parkway
grandparents’ footsteps and open another family grocery store in Queens? (Chris, who loves working out, could open a gym upstairs.) The brothers have a long history of selling baloney. That
makes them perfectly suited for this new occupation. LARRY PENNER Great Neck
ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD — March 10, 2022
We can still do big things, but we must do them together
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