Charles Troici, one of the longest serving employees in the Village of Rockville Centre, is retiring after 44 years of service with the Department of Public Works. In recognition of his dedication and unwavering positivity, Village Trustee Emilio Grillo, left, Deputy Mayor Kathy Baxley, Mayor Francis Murray, Village Trustee Katie Conlon and Village Trustee Gregory Shaughnessy presented him with a plaque during the village meeting on March 4.
Twenty-one Rockville Centre students have qualified for the DECA International Career Development Conference at Disneyland in Anaheim, next month, following their recent performance at the state competition.
The Distributive Education Clubs of America, or DECA, is an internationally recognized organization with more than 200,000 members around the world dedicated to preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management.
Peter English, a business department facilitator and instructor at South Side High School, played a pivotal role in the school’s DECA program when he started teaching there eight years
ago. He had been involved in the organization for several years at his former school in New Jersey, which motivated him to revitalize the DECA Club charter at the high school.
Since then, English watched his vision grow to where it is now. DECA is currently the schools largest club, with a roster of more than 130 members who compete in a series of business-related challenges, testing their understanding of business concepts and creativity.
This year, there were 97 students in the International Baccalaureate Business Management program at South Side High School selected to attend the New York State Career Development Conference in Rochester on March 6-8, based on their performance in the regional competition at Plainview-Old Bethpage High School in Decem -
Rabbi Emeritus Barry Dov Schwartz, of Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David, recently spent a week in Israel, near the Gaza border, as part of a goodwill mission sponsored by the Israel Law Center.
“It was exhausting, sad and exhilarating,” Schwartz told the Herald. “It will take me weeks to process and absorb everything I experienced.”
Schwartz, 83, led the Rockville Centre synagogue for 37 years before retiring in 2010. He published a memoir, “A Man of Spirit,” in 2022, based on his experiences working alongside a Nazi hunter, marching for civil rights in Washington and serving as a chaplain during the Vietnam War.
On his trip, he visited several places that were attacked by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7.
“They had planned this for years, to attack and infiltrate the kibbutzim,” Schwartz said.
“When you see it and witness it, it’s altogether different.”
He visited four communities — Sderot, Be’eri, Kfar Aza and Nirim — that were targeted by Hamas during the early-morning attacks.
“We saw what they did,” Schwartz said. “How they ransacked and bombed our homes.”
The attacks claimed the lives of at least 1,200 people, who were massacred in their homes, on the streets and at the Nova Music Festival. The attacks, which included numerous missile strikes, were a coordinated assault that took place during Simchat Torah — an annual Jewish holiday following the festival of Sukkot, which marks the beginning of a new cycle of Torah readings — and resulted in the capture of more than 250 hostages.
During his week-long mission, Schwartz saw the impact of the attacks up close. He visited the kibbutzim where Hamas
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Charles “Charley” E. Krahm died on February 26, 2024, just weeks away from his 65th birthday. He was laid to rest on March 4, accompanied by honors from family, friends and firefighters during a funeral Mass at St. Agnes Cathedral.
Father Michael Duffy, the rector of St. Agnes Cathedral, celebrated his life, his spirit and his enthusiasm. “Thanks be to God for the gift of a good man,” Duffy said, urging everyone in attendance, “Let’s take inspiration from Charley and make our village and our world a better place.
Volunteer firefighters from Rockville Centre, Lynbrook, Malverne, East Rockaway, Lakeview as well as other departments came dressed in uniform to pay their respects.
He leaves behind his adored wife, Barbara, whom he referred to frequently as “The Love of My Life,” and his son, Andrew, an accomplished young man and fellow firefighter, who was the pride of his loving father’s life.
Among the bereaved is his lifelong friend and fellow Rockville Centre firefighter, James “Jimmy” Avondet, a member of the RVCFD Defenders Hose Company and the immediate Ex-Chief of the Department, who served as one of the pallbearers.
Krahm’s cousin, Tim Rooney, spoke lovingly of Charley’s special relationship with his son, Peter, who is on the autism spectrum. From a very young age, Peter took to Charley, who put him at ease with his sensitivity and warm personality. Their families spent many pleasant, recreational times together, from sharing a summerhouse on eastern Long Island to their travels across the western United States on their numerous ski trips.
Rooney said, “He just got him,” when asked what it was about Charley that drew his son to form an attachment with his older cousin.
John Murphy, another of Krahm’s cousins, remembered Charley’s concerns about the rampant loneliness during the Covid lockdowns. He came up with a salve for their situation, creating a Zoom cocktail hour and issuing invitations.
Murphy said it was “classic Charley Krahm,” acting in his typical, caring and problem-solving fashion—noticing people were in a lonely, dark place and inventing a creative remedy for their isolation.
Honorary Chief Krahm joined the Rockville Centre Fire Department’s Defender Hose Company No. 1 in September 1977. He was one of the most active members of the company and the department during his 47 years of service as a volunteer first responder.
Defender Company was much more than a firehouse to him. It was another home. Its members were his family, and he dedicated himself to making the company the best it could be.
There was scarcely a component of the functioning and success of a fire
company or department that went unimproved or untouched by his efforts and dedication. He served in many different capacities with the company. He was a member of the Tournament Team committee, the Annual Dinner committee, Chairman of the Canteen multiple times and was elected the Department’s entertainment delegate.
He spearheaded the company’s fundraising, and the recruitment committee, driving its new website, video and annual RecruitNY event. As the chairman of the event committee, he organized the 125th Anniversary events and related efforts including the company’s new standard.
Krahm served as Captain of the Defender Company from 2015 to 2018. He was also a pivotal member of two campaign committees, and placed the new 2015 Spartan Engine into service as the new “445.”
Charley was not only a vital contributor to his company, but Department-wide. Without his initiative and dedication, it is possible that RVCFD wouldn’t have its Junior Firefighters program.
He formed the original committee in 2009, and after some extensive research, held the first Junior Firefighters meeting in 2011, where was a charter advisor and proudly served as co-chairman. The Junior FD were very near and dear to Charley’s heart.
Hearing about Charley, a letter was sent to family and friends from a longtime colleague with UPS, where he worked for 36 years. It reads, “Charley was loved and admired by everyone he worked with. You didn’t have to work with or for Charley to know him. He was a pure gem, a gentleman and a role model. Such a wonderful soul.”
Richard DePalma, 48, was recently named acting police commissioner of the Long Beach Police Department. He grew up in Rockville Centre, where he graduated from South Side High School. He later went on to earn a degree in history, philosophy, politics and law from Binghamton University.
“I always had respect for cops growing up,” he said. “It was always something I aspired to do, although I don’t think I saw myself sitting in an office, which is ironic. When I was a young man, I wanted to be out in the world helping, contributing and making a good contribution to society. I thought being a police officer would be a good way to do it, working with the community and doing what we can to serve.”
DePalma moved to Long Beach in 1997, and joined the New York City Police Department as a patrolman with the 6th Precinct in Greenwich Village. He was there for five years before being hired by the Long Beach Police Department in 2002. He now resides in Lido Beach.
During his 22 years with the department, DePalma worked on a variety of assignments. He served as a member of the plainclothes street crime unit for a total of four years. He was later promoted to sergeant in 2008, and patrolled in uniform before becoming sergeant of the
street crime unit.
He returned to patrol in 2012, and seven years later was promoted to lieutenant, before eventually moving up to deputy inspector and then inspector. He also served as executive officer twice.
“I was the executive officer initially under Commissioner (Phil) Ragona,” DePalma said, “and then I continued to be the executive officer under Commis-
sioner Walsh.”
Walsh took over two months after Ragona resigned in 2020. In the interim, DePalma was temporarily promoted to acting police commissioner for the first time.
“I’ve had some great bosses, and I’ve taken a little bit away from each of them,” he said. “I’ve always described it as a bag,” he added of his career. “I take
a little bit from one boss and throw it in my bag, and a little from that boss and throw it in my bag. I try to take a little bit of something from everybody to help me do my job better and learn, because I’ve had a lot of great teachers.”
One of the first challenges he will tackle, he said, is the full implementation of the department’s body camera program. About half of the officers on patrol have been outfitted with body cameras since December, and the rest should have them by next month.
In a related move, DePalma and the department are also working toward improving their management of the video they collect. DePalma said this is the “bigger and harder” aspect of their work with body cameras. The department is also still adjusting to longer shifts, expanded from 10 hours to 12.
The department tries to develop, and maintain, good relationships with community members of all ages.
DePalma said he understands that he’s the top man in the department now, but reiterated that he can’t do the job alone.
“I’m the guy sitting in this chair right now, but this department has over 100 employees, sworn and un-sworn, and it’s a team effort,” he said. “No one can do this job alone … Not only do I work here to serve, but living here gives me perspective of what the residents want as well.”
Bruce Blakeman wants to ban transgender athletes who identify as female from participating in women sports on Nassau County playing fields. But Letitia James says he can’t do that.
So, the Nassau County executive is joining Mark Mullen — the father of a female athlete he says is protected by such a ban — to file a federal lawsuit contesting the state attorney general’s ceaseand-desist order halting Blakeman’s efforts to restrict who can be on a sports team.
“What the attorney general was asking us to do was a violation of federal Constitutional law and federal statutory law,” Blakeman told reporters in Mineola last week. “Our response was to file a lawsuit, for a declaratory judgment, requiring the attorney general to come before a federal judge and explain why this cease-and-desist order has been issued and the threat of sanctions and litigations against the county, when we in Nassau County are protecting women and girls, who are a protected class under the constitution, and under federal law.”
James sent her cease-and-desist letter to Blakeman on March 1, demanding he rescind his executive order banning transgender athletes identifying as female from participating in women’s
sports in county facilities. She called the executive order was transphobic and illegal under the state’s human rights and civil rights laws.
With the cease-and-desist, James ordered the county to rescind the executive order or face potential legal action.
“Not only will the order impact a wide array of Nassau-based teams and leagues, it will undoubtedly deter inclusive teams and transgender women and girls who participate in women’s and girls’ sports from other parts of the state who want to participate in sporting events and competitions in Nassau County,” James wrote.
A spokesperson from the attorney
general’s office reiterated that after Blakeman’s news conference, saying the laws protecting people from discrimination are not “up for debate.”
“The executive order is illegal,” the spokesperson said, “and it will not stand in New York.”
Blakeman cited the New York City Marathon as an example where males and females compete exclusively in their own classified groups.
“There is a reason for those classifications,” he said. “Males are bigger, stronger and faster. And it wouldn’t be a fair competition with females.”
The county’s action is consistent with the Constitution, Blakeman added, treat-
ing women and girls as a protected class under federal law.
“Transgender women who are biological males are not a protected class under federal law,” he said.
And because of that, Blakeman believes his order is not transphobic.
“Transgender athletes can compete freely here in Nassau County, and we welcome it,” Blakeman said. “If you’re a biological male and you identify yourself as a female, you can play against other biological males. Or, you can play in a co-ed league.”
Blakeman posed an idea with reporters of starting a transgender league, something he said his parks commissioner, Darcy Belyea, is open to.
Blakeman issued his executive order last month with County Legislator Samantha Goetz and sports activist Kimberly Ross standing by his side.
The executive order demands sports, leagues, organizations, teams, programs or sport entities operating in county facilities to first designate themselves based on gender makeup, and then only accept athletes who meet that criteria according to what was originally listed on their birth certificate.
While those born male would not be allowed to participate in female teams, the order does not ban someone born female from joining a male team, or for anyone who is transgender from participating on a co-ed team.
Parker Schug/Herald
Judy Griffin is hoping to reclaim the 21st Assembly District seat this November. The former Assemblywoman from Rockville Centre announced her candidacy last week, expressing a renewed commitment to provide representation and results for communities in the district.
“After much consideration, I am excited to launch my campaign to take back New York’s 21st Assembly District,” Griffin declared in a statement. “Our current representative has been ineffective in securing the needed resources for our district. We deserve so much more. That’s why I am running again.”
Griffin lost the seat to the incumbent, Assemblyman Brian Curran, in 2022, after an incredibly close election that was determined by only 138 votes.
However, this was not the first time these two candidates went head-to-head in the political arena. Griffin initially beat Curran in 2018 to win the seat, which he had held since 2010. It was the first time that a woman was elected in the district, and the first time a Democrat had held the seat in 42 years.
Currently, the district encompasses Lynbrook and Rockville Centre, along with parts of Baldwin, East Rockaway, Freeport, Hewlett, Malverne, Oceanside, South Hempstead and West Hempstead.
Griffin said that during her four years in office, from 2019 to 2022, she secured more than $8 million from the state to help provide funding for local police and fire departments, schools, libraries, veteran halls and valued non-profit organizations.
“I also championed essential services for seniors, veterans and our most vulnerable community resi-
dents,” she said in her statement. “After building consensus on key issues, I passed common-sense gun legislation, protected women’s rights, funded UPK in suburban schools, capped property taxes, and brought resources and strategies to the opioid epidemic. But there is so much more to do.”
She said that she intends to run as a “commonsense voice in the majority” to help deliver results for the community.
“With so much dysfunction in politics right now, we need proven fighters,” Griffin said. “We need representatives who will put Long Island families first over extremist politicians who weaponize issues rather than working collaboratively to solve them. And we need to advocate for a cleaner, safer, kinder and more affordable Long Island.”
Before her foray into politics, Griffin worked in the financial industry, and later worked as a lifestyle coach and corporate wellness educator. In 2014, she authored a self-help book, “Flourish Beyond 50: Your Path to Vibrant Living,” with the intent of encouraging women to make healthier choices for themselves. Two years later, she went on to work as the director of community outreach for State Sen. Todd Kaminsky.
Griffin has lived in Rockville Centre for more than 30 years with her husband Michael. Together they have four children, now full-grown adults—Kayla, Erin Conor and Sean.
Curran previously served as the deputy county attorney with the Nassau County Attorney’s Office from 1996 to 2001. He later went into private practice as an associate trial attorney and was the assistant village prosecutor in Lynbrook until 2007, when he was elected Mayor, a position he would hold for three years before running for Assembly in 2010.
He currently resides in Lynbrook with his wife, Rosemarie, and their four children—Isabella, Jake, Riley and Logan.
The general election is set to take place on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Tim Baker/Herald
After just missing out on reaching its postseason conference tournament for a second straight year, the Hofstra men’s lacrosse team is sharply focused on extending its 2024 season into the month of May.
The Pride entered the final season game against Stony Brook in a win or go home scenario and fell 11-10 to its Long Island rivals and missed out on a tiebreaker for the final spot in the fourteam league tournament to compete for an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament. The Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) preseason coaches poll projects Hofstra to finish fifth in the eight-team conference, which would leave Hofstra just shy once again of the postseason.
“After losing the tiebreaker two years in a row it doesn’t sit well with us,” said longtime Hofstra head coach Seth Tierney.
Hofstra enters the start of CAA play this weekend at 3-4 following a 21-9 loss to 18th-ranked North Carolina at home last Saturday in the program’s first meeting with the ACC power since 2018.
Junior attackman John Madsen (21 goals) and redshirt junior midfielder Rory Jones (16 goals) have paced the offense so far this season. Madsen, a Locust Valley High School graduate, tallied 27 points as a junior, while Jones neatly set a program record for goals in a game with eight in a season-opening 21-9 win against Wagner.
Madsen and Jones lead a deep Hofstra offense featuring multiple scoring options including Colton Rudd, Griffin Turner and Justin Sykes.
A key part of assuring Hofstra is in the offensive end of the field for much
of the game is the play of graduate student faceoff specialist Chase Patterson, who earned preseason All-CAA honors. Patterson led the CAA in faceoff win -
ning percentage at 59.5 percent last year and is at 60 percent through seven games this season.
“He’s been very self motivated and won some big face offs for us,” said Tierney of Patterson. “He very much thinks like a coach as even after a successful game he finds the negatives, he finds the ones that he missed and he continues to work each week to miss less and less.”
The defense is led by redshirt sophomore goalie Sean Henderson, who recorded 19 saves in a 17-13 victory against St. John’s on Feb. 13. Graduate student goalie Max May, a Hewlett High School product who previously played goalie at Muhlenberg College, serves as a solid backup behind Henderson and tallied three saves at the end of the Wagner game.
“They push each other every day in practice and no one can take a day off,”: said Tierney of his two top goalies. “Right now we are staying with what we’re staying with, but Max is right there ready to go to help the team when necessary.”
The starting defense in front of Hen-
derson features Henry Troy, Will Delaney and Blake Cooling. Graduate student long stick defensive midfielder is also a key component of the defense and earned All-CAA preseason accolades after playing 14 games at North Carolina last season.
The Hofstra defensive unit also features two local players in redshirt sophomore Ryan Kiernan, a Rockville Centre native and Chaminade graduate, along with junior short-stick defensive midfielder Chris Barry, an East Meadow High School alum.
The CAA season kicks off Saturday at Fairfield followed by a March 23 road trip to two-time defending champion Delaware. The conference home opener is set for March 30 against Monmouth at 1 p.m.
Hofstra’s late season schedule also includes an April 16 non-league game against Yale at 7 p.m., which will mark the program’s first meeting with the Ivy League school since 1995.
“They are a tremendous team with a lot of talent,” said Tierney of Yale. “It is another opportunity to sharpen our swords against a quality opponent.”
Members of Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David invited Rockville Centre police officers and elected officials — including Village Trustee Katie Conlon, Rockville Centre Mayor Francis Murray, U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, Assemblyman Brian Curran and Hempstead Town Councilwoman Laura Ryder — to join them outside the synagogue on Sunday to in participating in the ‘Break the Hate’ campaign.
Nearly 100 people in the Rockville Centre community gathered on the front steps of Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David on Sunday afternoon to film a short video condemning antisemitism and all forms of hate.
“Break the Hate” is part of a global social media campaign that was created by Aliza Licht and a group of like-minded individuals, to encourage people to unite and stand up against bigotry and hate on the internet.
The idea for the “Break the Hate” campaign originated following the October 7th attacks, and the reaction from people in protest of Israel, which has led to an increase in antisemitic hate speech across the world.
Inspired by this message, the synagogue rallied together with members of the Rockville Centre Police Department and elected officials to create a short video with a powerful message—that hate is not welcome in this village.
The concept was simple. Each participant was given a sheet of paper with the word, “HATE,” written across it. One at a time, each person tore their paper in half, symbolically breaking the chain of hatred from spreading.
Nancy Hochhauser, president of the temple, said she was motivated to organize the event due to the the alarming number of antisemtic incidents taking place around the world.
“It was important that our Congregation, along with our Rockville Centre friends, officials, and politicians, denounce antisemitism and all forms of hate as a community,” Hochhauser said. “My hope is that other synagogues and religious organizations do a similar video and the campaign goes viral.”
U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito also said he recogniz-
My hope is that other synagogues and religious organizations do a similar video and the campaign goes viral
NANCy HOCHHAusER
President, Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David
es that there has been a rampant increase in the number of hate crimes and antisemitic attacks across the country.
“I think this video is a good way for local communities and stakeholders to gather together and really send the message that we are not going to tolerate that,” D’Esposito said. “I think that hate is a word that is used across this country too often and I think that now, more than ever, when our communities are dividing, we need to break this hate.”
Rabbi David Lerner said that the overall message of the “Break the Hate” campaign seamlessly aligns with the values and mission of the synagogue as a whole. “Our temple’s major mission is community relations and finding solutions to issues plaguing our society.”
Lerner expressed how social media tends to promote more negativity, suggesting that the best way to combat this is to use the platform to help spread positivity and unity online.
“There is so much negative content out there on social media,” Lerner said. “The more you put positive content out there, you’re sort of adding to the algorithm to get more positive messages out there too.”
He also indicated that social media could be a great tool to try and spread this message to other communities in the surrounding area, and encourage them to
join as well.
In recent years, Rockville Centre has taken a much more proactive approach to try and address issues relating to discrimination and hate. In September 2022, the village officially passed a resolution pledging to combat antisemitism and educate residents on ways to identify and report such acts when they occur.
“Since even before October 7, there was an increase in the uptick of antisemitism,” Lerner said. “But we’ve had great support from the community.”
Efforts to implement a policy began following a spree of antisemitic incidents, culminating with reports of hateful literature being spread across the south shore. Prior to that the village was host to two rallies organized by the far-right, neo-fascist militant group, known as the Proud Boys. There was also one instance where a resident made national headlines after sharing antisemitic remarks about her neighbors.
Ever since then, the village has been working hard to maintain a zero tolerance policy against any form of antisemitism or hate speech.
This call to action, however, extends far beyond the confines of just one event. Hochhauser encourages those individuals who were not able to attend, contribute by sharing their own “Break the Hate” videos. She also encouraged people to wear blue square pins as part of the Robert Kraft “Stand Up to Jewish Hate” campaign as well.
Hochhauser also emphasized the work of the temple’s Never Again committee, a group of congregants dedicated to combating antisemitism through education, advocacy and partnerships.
While the world grapples with rising tensions and divisions, the actions of the Rockville Centre community serve as a beacon of hope and resilience. Through the unity and solidarity of residents, they are breaking down barriers and paving a way for a future free from bigotry.
Continuing a series exploring the impact pollution from air, noise and light has on our communities and way of life. Thoughts? Questions? Ideas? Email us at execeditor@liherald.com.
How can local representatives protect people from an invisible, ever-present hazard? That’s the question small governments across Nassau County have been trying to answer when it comes to noise pollution — all to varying degrees of success.
“Inevitably, you might be creating a standard that is unfair, that is inequitable,” said Kevin Walsh, an attorney who’s helped draft noise ordinances for municipalities like Malverne and Farmingdale. “Not because it isn’t applied equally, but because it hurts people that don’t have a problem with it.”
Noise pollution — excessive or frequent noise — is said to come with health risks like increased stress, hypertension and sleep disruption, according to the World Health Organization. But for some communities, dealing with excessive noise is nothing new.
Glen Cove’s noise ordinance, for example, has been largely unchanged since 1997, limiting noise that is “clearly audible at 50 feet.” Village ordinances for Sea Cliff — dating back to 1995 with updates more than a decade ago — define unreasonable noise as any constant, continuous or repetitive loud sound which “annoys” or “disturbs” the peace and comfort of neighboring residents.
But — despite what neighbors of barking dogs or chronic partiers may
wish — there is no legal definition of “annoying.” Noise ordinances often use subjective language, because noise pollution is a subjective experience, Walsh said. Sound that irks one neighbor may be hardly noticeable by another.
Finding a way to differentiate
“It’s difficult because it’s trying to regulate human behavior,” he said. “When you try to regulate people’s enjoyment of their existence like this, on relatively subjective degrees, it’s a problem.”
When someone wants to play music while their neighbor wants their child to go to sleep, where does law enforcement draw the line? The incongruous — yet equally defensible — interests are “making it more and more difficult to get a balance between what is acceptable noise and what is not,” Walsh said.
So, the question becomes, what is a fair standard to regulate noise? Do municipalities put the noise limit at the lower end to shield more sensitive people, and risk discouraging others from enjoying time outside?
Or do municipalities create more lenient ordinances that allow more noise, and risk leaving sensitive people unprotected?
“It’s a no-win situation, because, inevitably, you make one person happy. You’re making one person sad.”
Managing these conflicting expectations can result in local officials walking a tightrope. But Elena Villafane, Sea Cliff’s mayor, says that is an inherent part of serving the community.
“So, as with every local government, where you are managing how people reside in a community together, you’re always balancing a variety of interests.” she said. “Right now, we seem to be at a happy equilibrium.”
It’s a balancing act Glen Cove has had to grapple with.
“It is a very subjective criteria when one person’s noise pollution is another person’s ‘fun time,’ so to speak,” said Christopher Ortiz, deputy chief of the Glen Cove Police Department. “So, in that sense, it is difficult trying to precisely determine what is an excessive amount of noise, and it becomes kind of a gray area.”
And that “fun time” is on the rise, especially since Covid-19. People these days are spending more time in their backyards since the pandemic, Walsh said.
Malverne mayor Tim Sullivan noticed that trend as well.
“What we found is, during Covid, a lot of homeowners invested in their backyards,” Sullivan said. “Whether pools, or outdoor bars and kitchens and sound systems. The backyard has become a renewed entertainment focus of the home.”
Sound-measuring technology,
though, has dramatically improved in the decades since those original laws were passed, Walsh said — another reason why more governments across the county are passing updated noise ordinances.
Malverne’s noise ordinance, passed in December, limits outdoor music to 80 decibels — about the noise level of a vacuum cleaner — measured at the property line. Glen Cove considers 65 decibels — about the noise level of a conversation — “disturbing,” but also allows for subjectivity by employing a standard of whether the noise is “clearly audible” at 50 feet.
Too many variables?
But even something seemingly objective — such as a measurable standard like decibel level — presents new obstacles. A noise level that constitutes a nuisance to one neighbor may not bother another.
Sometimes, Walsh said, police will visit a property that is technically violating the noise ordinance, but the officer will personally find that the sound level or quality shouldn’t break the law.
So even with a measurable standard, enforcement is subjective.
And the actual sound level isn’t the only thing that matters — the source does, too.
Things like fire whistles and barking dogs polarize neighbors, Villafane said. Gas-powered leaf blowers are another malefactor that often earn their own section of noise ordinances.
The city ordinances also differentiate between how much noise various types of properties can make at different
times. For example, a private residence can be penalized for making 50 decibels or more of noise after 10 p.m., and before 7 a.m., while a commercial property operating at the same time would need to reach 70 decibels before neighbors can make a complaint.
These different standards for businesses and private residences can sometimes boil over in communities. Because Long Island is very much suburbia, Walsh said, the interests of commercial and residential parts of towns often conflict — commercial districts often create more noise, which is at odds with the interests of residential communities that typically neighbor them.
But the arguably biggest culprits of excessive noise may also be the hardest to manage. The constant drone of airplanes flying overhead is seemingly ever-present, but comes with its own challenges.
With John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports right next door, neighbors across the county are dealing with the near-constant drone of planes flying overhead.
The Town of Hempstead created the Town-Village Aircraft Safety and Noise Abatement Committee to deal specifically with this nuisance. But try as they might, local government has no sway over the conduct of airplanes — that’s all the Federal Aviation Administration.
“Everyone wants airlines to be safe,” said James Vilardi, the noise abatment committee’s executive director. “But is there a way to maintain the highest levels of airplane safety, and to accom-
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modate the residents on the ground that are dealing with the airplane influence? We maintain that there is.”
The committee’s primary goal right now is to get accurate, specific decibel readings from FAA monitors.
The problem, Vilardi said, is the information the FAA provides right now is warped because the decibel readings are averaged out among neighborhoods.
But if the committee gets the raw data and finds that the decibels violate municipal or federal code, they can appeal to the FAA to make changes.
The FAA, however, is largely unwilling to even acknowledge the noise abatement committee.
“It’s difficult to make changes in their policy without them being willing to talk to us,” Vilardi said. “We’re pushing as hard as we can to get this data so we can have a real conversation with them.
“Unfortunately, it’s a problem that our residents face, that our local elected officials do not have the power to directly impact. “There’s no way that the supervisor — or the county executive, or even a congressman — can say ‘OK, stop flying over Franklin Square.’ Or ‘fly 20 feet higher.’
“They just don’t have the jurisdiction to do it.”
The timeline for progress is in the air, so to speak, until the federal agency finally has a dialogue with the town.
In the meantime, local governments are still striving for progress in the fight against noise pollution using new and updated noise ordinances. Although noise is largely inescapable, its excess can be mitigated when we focus on what we can control, experts say — local government’s responsibility to us, and our responsibility to each other.
As the population aged, life expectancies increased, and the cost of care skyrocketed, the field of elder law emerged in the late 1980’s to help people protect assets from the cost of long-term care by using Medicaid asset protection strategies.
We have been practicing “elder law estate planning” together for over thirty years to address these needs:
• Getting your assets to your heirs, with the least amount of court costs, taxes and legal fees possible.
• Keeping your assets in the bloodline for your grandchildren and protecting those assets from your children’s divorces, lawsuits and creditors.
• Protecting your assets from the costs of long-term care and qualifying you for government benefits to pay for your home care or facility care.
• Avoiding guardianship proceedings if you become disabled and probate court proceedings on death.
The Town of Hempstead is gearing up once again to a job fair — this one scheduled for Thursday, March 21 at the Freeport Recreation Center.
Appointments are already filling up for the event, set to run between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., at the center, located at 130 E. Merrick Road — all aimed to connect job seekers with prospective employers.
HempsteadWorks — a branch of the town’s occupational services department — has hosted the fair since 2021. Established more than 40 years ago, HempsteadWorks serves as a career center for not only the town, but also for Long Beach. Its primary mission is to provide access to training, develop skills, and share job opportunities across various industries, including health care, construction and manufacturing.
“Our primary goal is to help people within our township to better themselves, promote , careers that are up and coming, provide them access to training and skills,” said Nene Alameda, a business representative who works for the town.
“And if they don’t have those skills, we we give them access to occupational skills training.”
More than 85 such companies already
have registered to participate in the Freeport job fair, That includes prominent entities like the U.S. Postal Service, the New York Police Department, Mount Sinai Hospital, Brookhaven National Lab, Amazon, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
“We have the job fair to make sure that companies who are looking for people are partnered with people who are looking for jobs,” Alameda said.
The fair is experiencing radical growth in every iteration, Alameda adds, growing from fewer than 1,000 attendees in 2021, to more than 2,100 in its most recent outing. For next week’s event, more than 1,100 job seekers have
already signed up.
This rapid growth has produced long lines. To make everything more convenient, HempsteadWorks has instituted a time slot-based registration system, which job seekers can sign up for at HempsteadWorks.com/jobfair.
This registration system already was in effect last year, Alameda said, cutting down the wait from two hours to almost nothing.
The first hour of the fair, beginning at 9:30, is dedicated to veterans and people with disabilities. But no matter what time you sign up, attendees are advised to bring several copies of their resume.
Caroline Coyne, a 22-year-old Maris College graduate, says her current job hunt “has been pretty terrible.”
“It seems like there’s an oversaturation of applications because so many people are getting laid off and so many people didn’t get jobs during Covid when they were graduating,” she said. “So now, along with the 2022 graduates, you have the 2023 and the upcoming 2024. And everybody’s just trying to find their way at the same time.”
But, Alameda said, it’s important to remain optimistic and not despair.
“For every job seeker that’s out there, there (are) two positions,” she said. “Employers are in dire need of workers.”
In fact, the HempsteadWorks job fairs have likely helped at least 500 people find jobs directly in recent years. The end of pandemic-era benefits may also play a role in the sudden increase of people looking for work, as those bonuses and extra money are no longer available.
“As the largest and most diverse township in America, the Town of Hempstead is dedicated to leading the way in job creation and economic growth throughout the community,” said Town Supervisor Don Clavin, in a release.
“With dozens of employers participating in this year’s HempsteadWorks Job Fair, we encourage all job-seekers to come on down to the Freeport Recreation Center on March 21.”
Some major changes are underway in the Rockville Centre business community.
The George Martin Burger Bar has officially closed after 11 years at its N. Long Beach Road location, making way for an entirely new dining experience from the George Martin Group.
“We had a great run,” George Korten, owner and restaurateur, said. “It was time for a change. Collectively we decided to go in a new direction.”
Korten, president of the George Martin Group, currently owns and operates six restaurants across Long Island, including George Martin The Original, a staple in the community since it opened in 1989.
“Covid hit and we kind of got a little stale and flat,” Korten explained. “Then inflation hit and we were diluted by many burger concepts (that came in) after us.”
Like many restaurants, the pandemic and rising cost of inflation were an issue. During the time many businesses relied on takeout service, due to restrictions requiring businesses to limit capacity to 50 percent.
This, along with the addition of new burger franchises, created new challenges for the establishment.
“As areas change, the need for certain types of restaurants change,” Korten said. “We want to welcome a lot of people back who miss the burger bar and attract a lot of new people to the area from out of town.”
His new restaurant, simply named, “The George,” appeals to a much larger audience, with it’s a la carte style menu and more comfortable, yet clubby aesthetic which Korten said is a tip of the hat to the classic English and Irish pubs mixed with the appeal of a historic
American roadhouse.
“The atmosphere is both casual and informal as well as mature,” Korten said. “It is the place for great comfort food with a twist, a lively tavern crowd, and a great evening. It will quickly become your favorite place to regularly meet up with friends or to share special occasions.”
The menu includes a variety of pub style favorites with a more eclectic twist, such as the buffalo deviled eggs, wagyu pigs in a blanket, and sheperd’s pie potato skins to name a few.
“The food is unique because of the pricing,” Korten said. “Half of the entrees are served a la carte and you can pick from a variety of different side dishes.”
While it is more affordable than a restaurant like George Martin The Original, which is a more sophisticated and expensive fine dining experience, it maintains the same quality of cuisine, only presented in a more different ambiance.
Reservations can be made over the phone at (516)208-6100 or online via OpenTable. For more information visit GeorgeMartinGroup.com.
Courtesy George Martin Group
Continued from page 1
ber.
“This is the biggest group South Side has taken to the state competition and is also now the most accomplished,” English said. “Just a wonderful job by the students. Their dedication to business studies has certainly paid off.”
Over the course of the three-day competition, nearly 2,400 students from 90 schools across the state took part in a series of business-related, role-playing scenarios and case study events.
“Events ranged from case study presentations to project management projects that had students work in and around our community,” English said. “For many, their work started this past May, when last year’s national competition ended. They put together plans, executed and evaluated their work. Their business classes provide the content knowledge and they amazingly put it into action in real life or simulated business situations.”
The competition began with a 100-question multiple-choice career cluster exam, followed by scenarios in which students are given 10 minutes to respond and 10 minutes to present their answers to a judge who scores them. The students are judged based on the creativity of their pitch, their ability to apply business terminology and content knowledge to case studies, and their public speaking skills.
Students who qualified for the international competition in April, include: Ella Burbige, Cate Cammalleri, Nicole Carlin, Sean Clairine, Emma Conlon, Lauren Ferazani, Maeve Ferrick, Anna Finora, Katherine Graci, Owen Greene, Kate Gupta, Lana Jewett, Molly McKeough, Caitlin Mullen, Michael Muscarella, Nicholas Papadopulos, Noelle Prince, Lucy Reardon, Kelsie Reinholdt, Molly
More than 10,000 DECA members from all over the country will compete at the ICDC competition, from April 27-30,
To learn more about South Side’s
Dozens of daring individuals eager to shave their heads and cut off their ponytails to support childhood cancer research will join the annual St. Baldrick’s Foundation event on March 23, following the 2024 St. Patrick’s Day parade.
$500,000 in a single day. Last year’s event generated over $368,000 to aid in finding cures and enhancing treatments for pediatric cancer.
This year’s event is sponsored by RJ Daniels, Riverstone Resources, and Rockville Risk Management Associates. Apart from head-shaving and ponytailcutting, attendees can enjoy inspirational speeches, food trucks, raffles, a bake sale, merchandise, a cash bar, live music you are interested in registering, visit
their hair to HairWeShare.org, which creates wigs for medical hair loss
rick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 23,
In celebration of Dominican Independence Day, Assemblyman Brian Curran and the Long Island Dominican Chamber of Commerce recognized Dominican leaders within the Rockville Centre community.
Rosanna Cabrera immigrated to the United States in 1983 and has lived in Rockville Centre for more than 40 years. She graduated from SUNY Old Westbury and works to help the Latino community in any way she can. She is currently an assistant manager at Fast Quotes Insurance.
Milagros Rodriguez has been working at the Hispanic Counseling Center for 11 years, advocating for families and children with special needs, and has worked as a counselor at the Family’s Wellness Center. She immigrated to the U.S. in 1978. She is married to her husband, Nicolas, and has three children.
Melissa Beltre began working in the auto industry in 2004, as a clerk for the Baron Auto Group. She is currently the comptroller for two used car stores. Beltre immigrated to the U.S. in 1998. She lives in Rockville Centre and has three children, and is a leader in her church.
Carlos Fonte moved to the U.S. in 1972, when he was only 9. From a young age, he was taught to have a strong work ethic that helped him achieve “The American Dream.” He began working for the Town of Hempstead in the traffic control division, and is now a well-
respected traffic control crew chief. He is also active in the community, where he helped start the Hispanic Republican Alliance.
“I was so proud to honor these amazing individuals and the Dominican com-
munity as a whole throughout the 21st Assembly District. They truly do make this the best community in the state,” Curran said. “I want to thank the Long Island Dominican Chamber of Commerce, which as always was an
amazing partner and does a tremendous job throughout Long Island. I look forward to hosting this event again next year.”
–Daniel Offner
Assemblyman Brian Curran, fourth from left, joins Hempstead Town Councilwoman Laura Ryder, right, and members of the Long Island Dominican Chamber of Commerce to recognize Rosanna Cabrera of Rockville Centre for her contributions to the community.
Continued from page 1
terrorists killed dozens of people. He walked through one of the tunnels used to infiltrate border cities. He saw a police station near the border that was destroyed by terrorists intent on disabling efforts by law enforcement to respond.
Schwartz said that after seeing the impact of the attacks up close, he could not believe that there are so many people in the United States protesting against the victims.
“Many want to reward the enemy for what they did,” Schwartz said. “I know how Israelis feel. They feel alone. They feel isolated. I wanted to show them there are people who care.”
He explained that since there are so many men and women serving in the Israel Defense Forces, there have been shortages in the workforce. That’s why Schwartz and others volunteered to spend an entire afternoon in the fields, picking avocados and Clementine oranges.
“All the time we heard bombings,” he said. “When the red siren went off, you only had 15 seconds to get into a safe area.”
Months after the attacks, Schwartz said, the Israeli people are simply trying to get back to life as usual. Stores are beginning to open again and people are going back to work once more.
“Some might think that the Israelis are angry,” he said. “They’re not. They just want to live their lives. If anything, they’re angry at themselves for not being more vigilant.”
Throughout his mission, Schwartz carried a bag filled with more than 200 letters, written by Rockville Centre children and adults, which he gave to Israeli soldiers and citizens.
“They asked me if I would distribute them,” he said. “You never thought a letter from a stranger would be received so enthusiastically.”
One soldier, he recounted, was so taken with the gesture
that he affixed his letter to his tank. Schwartz took the letters everywhere he went, even to a hospital where he visited wounded IDF soldiers.
The mission was organized by the Israel Law Center, an organization that fights terrorism in the courts by bringing lawsuits against those who support violent acts and warfare. The group comprises Jews and non-Jews across the United States, some of whom made the trip to show their support.
At each stop, they heard from a number of people about the attacks, and each night, at their hotel in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, they took part in panel discussions with lawyers, journalists and other experts.
“It was very emotionally straining,” Schwartz said. “At the same time, it was beautiful to see the Israeli people united and full of love.”
During one presentation, he recalled, a woman described how her son was killed by friendly fire. She said that she had no hatred in her heart, and that there are friendly-fire incidents in every war. Instead, she suggested that people embrace one another and respond with more love.
“The main concern of every Israeli, no matter what the political nuances,” Schwartz said, “is to get those hostages home.”
He said that in Tel Aviv, people have set up a long table with place settings for the roughly 130 hostages still being held in Gaza, in the hope that they will soon come home and eat with their families once more.
Despite the sadness of his trip, Schwartz said, it was important for him to bear witness to what was happening in Israel, and to show support and goodwill.
“I really don’t know what the solution is,” he said. “The world has to remember we didn’t start the war … because right now there is too much going against the victims and not against the perpetrators.”
Spring is in our sights and we’re sure ready for its embrace. The arrival of St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday always is a welcome harbinger of the season. Enjoy some of the lively parades nearby, even a concert, and certainly bring St. Patrick’s Day into your home with some tasty Irish cuisine. Favorites include corned beef and cabbage, and, of course, soda bread.
Among these quintessential Irish foods, Irish Soda Bread is a tempting quick bread that everyone enjoys and is quite easy to make. It gets its name from the baking soda used as a leavener, instead of yeast. While the traditional version is made with only flour, buttermilk, salt and baking soda, consider adding a modern version to your repertoire.
• 3 cups pastry flour blend or unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• Heaping 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup currants or raisins
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds, optional
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Topping:
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon coarse white sparkling sugar
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the pastry blend or flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, currants, and caraway seeds.
In a separate bowl, or in a measuring cup, whisk together the egg and buttermilk (or milk and yogurt).
Quickly and gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir in the melted butter.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Draw your finger around the edge of the pan to create a “moat.” Drizzle the bread with the 1 tablespoon of milk; the moat will help prevent the milk from running down the sides of the loaf. Sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
Bake the bread for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean; the interior of the bread will measure 200°F to 210°F on a thermometer.
Remove the bread from the oven, loosen its edges, and after five minutes turn it out onto a rack to cool. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap airtight and store at room temperature.
Serve with hot tea and organic jam, Irish stew, traditional Irish cabbage dishes, or enjoy on its own!
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons caraway seed
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper, ground
• 1/2 cup shredded Irish Cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and seasonings in large bowl. Stir in cheese. Set aside. Mix eggs and buttermilk in medium bowl. Add to dry ingredients; stir until well blended. Spread in lightly grease 9-inch round cake pan.
Bake 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
Tip: Make muffins instead of bread. Prepare dough as directed and divide among 12 greased muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups currants (first choice) or raisins
• 1/2 to 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, to taste
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted; or 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• sparkling white sugar, for topping
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin pan; or line with papers, and grease the papers.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, currants or raisins, and caraway seeds.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk (or equivalent) and melted butter (or equivalent).
Quickly and gently combine the dry and wet ingredients; honestly, this won’t take more than a few stirs with a bowl scraper or large spoon. As soon as everything is evenly moistened, quit; further stirring will cause the muffins to be tough.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, filling the cups about 3/4 full; the stiff batter will look mounded in the cups. Top with sparkling white sugar, if desired.
Bake the muffins for 20 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove them from the oven. Tip the muffins in the pan, so their bottoms don’t get soggy. Wait five minutes, then transfer the muffins to a rack to cool. Serve them plain, or with butter and/or jam.
When virtuoso Irish playing jumps the pond running through the wide open fields of bluegrass and Americana, JigJam is born. This Offaly- and Tipperary-born band has started the Irish invasion of Americana with an injection of the magic of Scottish folk music. The lads — described as ‘The best Irish band in bluegrass’ and ‘sparkling, infectious’ — bring their footstomping vibe to Long Island for a lively St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Founding members from Offaly Jamie McKeogh (lead singer and guitar) and Daithi Melia (five-string banjo and Dobro) were joined by Tipperary-born Gavin Strappe (mandolin and tenor banjo) in 2016. They’ve since added Glasgow native Danny Hunter (fiddle) to make up this iGrass (Irish Bluegrass) quartet. With a sounded rooted in Irish music and Irish immigration, the Irish have found their prodigal son in JigJam.
Saturday, March 16, 8 p.m.
$38.14-$49.48. Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at LandmarkOnMainStreet.org or (516) 767-6444.
The colorful YouTube sensation known as Blippi is ready to delight preschoolers when The Wonderful World tour visits Tilles Center. Families will dance, sing and learn with Blippi and special guest, Meekah, as everyone discovers how different cities are unique and special. Will there be monster trucks, excavators, and garbage trucks galore? You bet! So get ready to shake those wiggles out and O.J. Twist your way through this musical party. The lively show expands upon creator Stevin John’s engaging world that inspires curiosity in young families. Clad in his iconic blue and orange outfit, Blippi — along with best friend Meekah — clearly excites preschoolers with experiences that are relatable and accessible and make learning fun. Kids 4 and younger quickly respond to Blippi’s endearing personality as they explore the world around them through adventures that relate to everyday life, involving fire trucks, zoos, animals, and so much more.
Tuesday, March 19, 6 p.m. Tickets start at $32. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.
The Ivy League of Comedy is the premier group of stand-up comedians touring America. Known for their elite brand of clever comedy, you’ve heard their brilliant comedic voices on latenight TV and Comedy Central. Now come see them live when Carmen Lynch, Ryan Reiss and Shaun Eli bring their act to the Madison Theatre, Saturday, March 23 , 8 p.m. Lynch, who made it to the semi-finals of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” is known for her deadpan delivery and riffs on life. A rising star from a bi-lingual family, who lived in Spain as a child, she’s appeared on a string of late night TV shows. Shes’s also appeared “Inside Amy Schumer,” “That Damn Michael Che,” “Life & Beth,” and the documentary “Hysterical.” Funnyman Reis, also a writer-actor, began his career while attending NYU, and quickly became a favorite act on the scene. He made his network TV debut on “Late Night With Seth Meyers.” His quit wit, instant likeability and unique way of engaging any audience have made him one of the most sought-after comics on the club circuit and a favorite audience warm up performer. Eli has rightfully been called one of America’s smartest comics. Whether it’s a story about dining with a vegetarian or successfully fighting a parking ticket in criminal court, master storyteller Eli shows you that there’s hilarity in the ordinary if you approach life with a comedic warp. Even job interviews. For just about anything he’s experienced he has hilarious stories at the ready. $45-$50. Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at MadisonTheatreNY.org or (516) 323-4444.
Inspired by L. Frank Baum’s stories, this clever adaptation puts the audience front and center, literally, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday, March 15, 10:15 a.m., noon, 6:15 p.m. (sensoryfriendly performance); Saturday, March 16, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, March 20-21,10:15 a.m. and noon. Kids become cast members, singing dancing, and acting on stage alongside the professional cast. One of the museum’s most interactive shows, it received rave reviews in its prior run. Going beyond the traditional telling of the Oz stories, the performance uses personal journal entries and historic newspaper headlines to bring the history of L. Frank Baum and illustrator W.W. Denslow to life. Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion take the audience with them on this lively, playful trip down the yellow brick road. $10 with museum admission ($8 members), $14 theater only. Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.
On exhibit
Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “Urban Art Evolution,” is a comprehensive exhibit featuring a diverse range of compositions from the 1980s through the present by creators who were based in the rough and tumble downtown area of New York City known as Loisaida/LES (Lower East Side/East Village) and close surrounding neighborhoods.
Artists pushed the boundaries of what was considered “art” with a primary focus on street/graffiti art.
The exhibit’s scope, guest curated by art collector/gallerist Christopher Pusey, offers an even broader view from other creative residents, who worked inside their studios but still contributed to the rich fabric of the downtown art scene from different vantage points and aesthetics.
Works include sculpture, paintings, photography, music, and ephemera from many noted and influential artists.
Opens March 23, on view through July 7. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
Poet-essayist Elizabeth Schmermund, who is an assistant professor of English at SUNY Old Westbury, reads from her works, as part of Hofstra University’s Great Writers Great Readings series, Wednesday, March 27, 4:30 p.m.
Her work has appeared in The Independent, Mantis, and Gyroscope Review, among other venues. Her first poetry chapbook, “Alexander the Great,” is published by Finishing Line Press. Free and open to the public. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus, Hempstead. Register in advance at events.hofstra. edu or call the Hofstra Cultural Center at (516) 463-5669 for more information.
Chelsea Takami
Rock out with Chelsea Takami, Thursday, March 14, 8 p.m., as she performs live at Tap Room 47-51 N. Village Ave.
All District Orchestra Concert
The annual All-District Orchestra Concert is held, on Thursday, March 14, at 7 p.m., in the South Side Middle School Auditorium. 74 Hillside Ave.
Join the congregants of Central Synagogue-Beth Emeth on Friday, March 15, for a special Shabbat service to swear in Rabbi Michael G. Cohen and Cantor Eryka Velazquez. Due to the pandemic, the synagogue was unable to celebrate when Rabbi Cohen and Cantor Velazquez joined in the summer of 2020. Following the services, a gala will follow on Saturday, March 16. 430 DeMott Ave. For more information, visit CSBELI.org or call (516) 766-4300.
Shamrock Stroll
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Rockville Centre’s annual bar crawl, Saturday, March 16, at 1 p.m. Tickets are $17 and are available via PubCrawls. com. Must be 21 and over to participate.
Play mah jongg and canasta with the Sisterhood of Congregation B’nai SholomBeth David at their weekly game night, every Tuesday, 7:30-9:30 p.m., in the synagogue lobby. All are welcome at all skill levels. 100 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Visit CBSBDRVC.org for more.
Hempstead Town Supervisor Donald Clavin, Councilwoman Laura Ryder in coordination with the Rockville Centre Lions Club hosts a Narcan training session, Thursday, March 14, at 7 p.m., at Rockville Centre Public Library. Narcan trainer U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito will teach residents how to identify an overdose victim and how to administer the noloxone nasal spray. Attendees will receive certification to administer Narcan and a kit. 221 N. Village Ave. Visit RVCLibrary. org for information.
Items on The Scene page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to thescene@liherald.com.
Plaza Theatrical welcomes spring with a lively tribute to The Temptations, Saturday, March 23, 7:30 p.m. Groove along with The Fellas, in their concert “Just My Imagination,” a powerful salute to the Motown icons. Enjoy all those great tunes, including “Just My Imagination,” “My Girl,” “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and more. See the concert at Plaza’s stage at the Elmont Library Theatre. 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $40, $35 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.
See some birds with the South Shore Audubon Society. All are welcome to join members for the next in its series of bird walks, at Mill Pond Park in Wantagh, Sunday, March 17, starting at 9 a.m. The Park is on the north side of Merrick Road, four blocks west of the Wantagh State Parkway. Meet at the gazebo. Walk leaders, other birders and nature enthusiasts are happy to share their knowledge and experience with you. Bring binoculars. The group will meet at the gazebo. To register, text your name and contact information to (516) 467-9498. No walk if rain or snow. Text regarding questionable weather. For more information, visit SSAudubon.org.
All District Band Concert
The annual All-District Band Concert will take place on Monday, March 18, at 7 p.m., in the South Side Middle School Auditorium. 74 Hillside Ave.
Join film historian John Kenrick for “’The Quiet Man’: Hollywood’s Valentine to Ireland,”at Rockville Centre Public Library, Wednesday, March 20, 2-3:30 p.m. Director John Ford spent two decades trying to make his 1952 romantic comedy-drama film, ‘The Quiet Man.’ At the time, every major motion picture studio thought the subject of the film was ‘too Irish’ and a waste of money. But the film ended up making a mint and earned Ford an Academy Award. Kenrick offers a look at how this classic reached the big screen. 221 N. Village Ave. Visit RVCLibrary.org for information.
ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE’S FINANCIAL REALTY
MORTGAGE SECURITIES
Hempstead, County Of Nassau And State Of New York.
Section 38 Block 114 Lot 905, 906, And 907. The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $557,690.22 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 15-010953
If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine.
Janine Lynam, Esq., Referee.
MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573
Dated: 1/9/2024
File
Number: 15-315268 CA 145016
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKCOUNTY OF NASSAU
HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE’S FINANCIAL REALTY
MORTGAGE SECURITIES
TRUST, SERIES 2006-1, V. FRANCISCO M.
RODRIGUEZ, ET AL.
NOTICE OF SALE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated October 12, 2023, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, wherein HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL
TRUST, SERIES 2006-1 is the Plaintiff and FRANCISCO M. RODRIGUEZ, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on April 9, 2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 394 PINEBROOK AVE, ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY 11570: Section 35, Block 415, Lot 895: ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE COUNTY OF NASSAU, STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 011891/2008. Mark Ricciardi, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.
145321
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF MEETING OF BOARD OF REVIEW; Continuation of the meeting of the Board of Review
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE
that
The undersigned Board of Assessment Review will meet at Village Hall, One College Place, Rockville Centre, New York on March 18, 2024, at 6:00 pm to finalize complaints in relation to assessments.
All changes in the tentative assessment roll made as a result of said Board of Review hearing of such complaints will be entered on such roll on or before the date when the final assessment roll is to be completed.
Francis X. Murray, Mayor
Kathleen Baxley, Deputy Mayor
Emilio Grillo, Trustee
Katie Conlon, Trustee
Gregory P. Shaughnessy, Trustee
Thomas Domanico, Assessor
Dated: March 7, 2024
145459
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
LOCAL LAW NO. 13-2024
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 February 27th, 2024, by the Town Board of the Town of Hempstead on the proposed adoption of Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 13-2024, and following the close of the hearing the Town Board duly adopted Town of Hempstead Local Law No. 13-2024, amending Section 202-1 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, to include and repeal “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at various locations.
Dated: February 27, 2024
Hempstead, New York
BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor
KATE MURRAY
Town Clerk 145415
LEGAL NOTICE
Public Notice to Bidders
Sealed Bids will be received by the Purchasing Department of the Village of Rockville Centre, One College Place, Rockville Centre, New York for the matter stated below until 11:00 am prevailing time on MARCH 28, 2024 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. The contract will be awarded as soon thereafter as practicable for:
FRONT STREET AND SOUTH STATION PLAZA
ELECTRIC / LIGHTING INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES
Bid No. 2403E2(1107)
The contract documents, specifications and plans can be examined on the Village’s website at www.rvcny.gov. Follow the link to the Purchasing Department. Each bid must be accompanied by a certified check, bank check or bid bond payable to the Incorporated Village of Rockville Centre in the amount of five (5%) percent of the gross amount of the bid. All questions should be directed to the Purchasing Department. Please contact Lisa Strazzeri via email only at Lstrazzeri@rvcny.us. Questions must be submitted no later than March 21, 2024.
Award of Contract will be made to the lowest responsible bidder in accordance with applicable provisions of the law. The Village reserves the right to reject all bids or make such determination as in the best interests of the Village, as provided by law.
Purchasing Department
Lisa Strazzeri
Purchasing Agent 516-678-9213 145460
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, D/B/A CHRISTIANA TRUST, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT AS TRUSTEE FOR PRETIUM MORTGAGE ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff AGAINST ARTHUR EDWARDS, ELIZABETH EDWARDS AKA ELIZABETH MC ARDLE, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered December 16, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 16, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 259 LINCOLN AVENUE, ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY 11570. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Rockville Centre, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 38, Block 347, Lot 380 & 381. Approximate amount of judgment $723,702.12 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #609188/2019. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Karen C. Grant, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775
Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 18-009233 79665 145406
Stephen Monty’s heart was at the right place at the right time.
Monty, 61, director of security at Catholic Health’s Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre and St. Joseph Hospital in Bethpage, signed up for a coronary calcium score screening last summer.
He didn’t have a history of heart disease. He was physically active. He showed zero symptoms, but he did meet some of the criteria for the scan, which are available to people with diabetes or anyone between 40- and 70-years-old. He signed up for the scan after a friend of his persuaded him to do it.
Coronary calcium screenings take 15 to 20 minutes to do and are essentially like a mammogram for the heart to spot possible blockages. The scan does not require an IV or an Oral CT contrast. It is a simple, non-invasive test that can indicate coronary artery disease before the onset of symptoms or heart attacks. The scan allows doctors to use a calculated formula to place a patient in four classifications of risk— low, borderline, intermediate and high.
Monty’s results were alarming. His calcium score revealed that his risk level was high, meaning that he was in danger
of having a heart attack. After a visit to his cardiologist, he ultimately had triple bypass surgery at St. Francis Hospital and Heart Center, followed by cardiac rehab at The DeMatteis Center for Cardiac Research and Education.
Grateful for what his friend did to help prevent further risk to his health, Monty wanted to pay the favor forward by encouraging all that qualify to sign up for a coronary calcium score screening.
Other criteria for the coronary calcium screening include a history of smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure (even if controlled), overweight with a BMI greater than 25 and a family history of heart disease.
Ultimately, the coronary calcium screening is what saved Monty’s life.
Monty said he is thankful to his friend who pushed him to sign up for the scan at Mercy Hospital, to the team of cardiologists at St. Francis Hospital and Heart Center and his post-surgery team.
Today, he does not miss a beat. Monty is back to work, working out, playing golf and traveling.
For more information about cardiac imaging, visit CatholicHealthLI.org/Cardiac-Imaging.
Help Wanted
Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. 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. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com
Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
Inside Sales
Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $33,280 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com
Call 516-569-4000 X286
OUTSIDE SALES
Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $33,280 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off.
Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250
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Q. I’m planning to redo my whole backyard, and I live on a waterway. I plan to have a swimming pool, open bar, cabana with a shower room at the back of it, running water, outdoor kitchen and a fire pit. The yard is sloping to the water, so the seawall (bulkhead) will have backfill and then a concrete patio with stone paving on top. The question came up, and I’m wondering, can I rest the concrete patio on top of my seawall, or should the patio be built separately and have a separate foundation? I’ve seen where some bulkheads were damaged in a previous storm, so I’m wondering, before I spend all this money, which way to go?
A. I recently returned from an ocean voyage that included South America and Antarctica. During the trip, we were detoured away from ports that had been damaged by storms, and after seeing the aftermath of seawall damage, as far as a mile upriver from a port entrance, I have a profound respect for what Mother Nature can do to bulkheads, no matter where they are.
Your bulkhead is intended to take average to extreme horizontal loads from a body of water impacting it. Just remember, though, that just like bridges and skyscrapers being designed to work with the extreme impact of forces from wind and water, with built-in expansion joints and the ability to rock back and forth, so too is your bulkhead moving much of the time. Because you plan to put a rigid construction made of concrete and pavers next to that seawall, you’ll need to realize and work with the dynamic movement, and concrete isn’t flexible. It may be strong, but it has very little ability to resist being twisted, lifted and shifted.
You’re better off considering the bulkhead as a buffer that can lessen the impacts of water and wind and build your concrete structure separately, with its own supports and with engineered reinforcement to work with the natural movement. This means more foundation support, expansion joints, and internal reinforcement. Not working with nature will mean working through experimentation and, ultimately, failure.
Another alternative is to build with wood materials and no backfill, since wood has greater flexibility. The problem is that wood — even chemically treated wood — tends to deteriorate, so if you’re going for a look of stone or concrete, you need to work with professionals who may cost more than just guessing, but the whole idea is to develop a better structure that won’t need rebuilding, at a much higher cost, than a well-designed construction. Without placing the correctly coated steel reinforcement in the proper strength concrete on the correctly located underground supports, you’re just guessing, and either overbuilding at greater cost or under-building, at even greater cost. You’ll save money resting the concrete on the new bulkhead, and then spend the money to do it all over again. Good luck!
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St. Patrick’s Day is in reality no longer a one-day festive occasion celebrated on March 17, but an almost three-week-long celebration full of parades, luncheons, dinners and parties.
On Long Island alone there will be more than two dozen parades and hundreds of events this month at Hibernian halls, bars, restaurants and community centers from western Nassau County to eastern Suffolk.
pETER KinGAnd, of course, New York City’s parade up Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, drawing a crowd of more than 500,000 and lasting more than seven hours, is the largest Irish celebration in the world.
As a proud Irish-American, I have marched in many St. Patrick’s Day parades over the years, including the
city’s, where I was grand marshal 39 years ago, and Huntington’s, last Sunday, where I was privileged to march with the grand marshal, a longtime family friend, Monsignor Steve Camp.
I remember around the time I was grand marshal in New York’s parade, there was discussion about whether, going forward, younger generations would continue to support it. The answer is a definite yes. Attendance is growing every year, and new parades are actually forming elsewhere. The Wantagh parade, for instance, which only began in 2019, draws overflow throngs all along the parade route, up and down both sides of Wantagh Avenue.
One beautiful pane in the stained-glass window that is America.
This increased interest and enthusiasm is a welcome development at a time when everyday life has become so frenetic and fast-paced, and institutions and traditions are under siege from some and ignored by others. Perhaps it is this societal turbulence that
moves good people to reach out for something that gives them and their families and friends a sense of stability and permanence. And I apply this to all ethnic groups and religions. While America is generally described as a melting pot, I prefer the late New York Gov. Mario Cuomo’s description of our magnificent country as a beautiful mosaic where each group maintains its uniqueness in the large stained-glass window that is America.
Parades are an expression of that uniqueness, and the mosaic. Whether it’s the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, Italians on Columbus Day, Germans on Steuben Day, Poles on Pulaski Day, Jews on Israel’s Day of Independence, Greeks on Greek Independence Day, Puerto Ricans on Puerto Rican Day or any of the many newer people in our country celebrating their heritage, these parades honor the traditions that combine to make America
such a shining city on a hill.
They also recall the travails and adversities each group had to overcome to become part of the American dream. For instance, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade represents so much more than the trivial stereotypes of green beer and leprechauns. The parade is always led up Fifth Avenue by the 69th Infantry Regiment (in which I proudly served), in recognition of this Army unit’s predominantly Irish membership protecting parade marchers from being attacked and St. Patrick’s Cathedral from being burned down by antiCatholic nativists in the 1860s.
All races, ethnic groups and religions can point to what they have achieved and what they have overcome in their American experience. That is why celebrating our heritage is celebrating America, which has made it all possible. Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and God bless America.
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
As a lawyer, I have the greatest respect for the American court system. Our country is one of the few in the world whose courts are not used for political vendettas, as is the case in Russia. That system is manipulated by one man, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and there are countless cases in which he has punished his political enemies by using the judicial system.
JERRY KREMER
There is no question that some judges appointed to our courts have philosophical or personal views that color their decisions. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who is hearing the case involving former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents, has appeared to favor him on a number of occasions. Some judicial observers believe Cannon will find ways to stop Trump from being brought to justice before November’s election.
Many judges, including those appointed during Trump’s tenure, have
shut down multiple attempts to throw out the 2020 election results. Upward of 60 judges have overseen election fraud suits, and all of them have ruled against the team headed by former New York City Mayor Rudy Guliani. That gives me, and countless others, a degree of comfort.
Will it prevent any prosecution of Donald Trump before the election?
Regrettably, that doesn’t apply to members of the U.S. Supreme Court, which of late has been dominated by a majority that is willing to bend its decisions to fit its philosophy. Our country has had some Supreme Court majorities that have approached most of their big cases with strong personal views, but in the end have chosen more moderate positions.
During my lifetime, different Supreme Courts have been known as the Warren Court, the Burger Court, the Rehnquist Court. They get those label based on who the chief justice is, and whether the court is in fact guided by him. In the case of the current court, Chief Justice John Roberts has been unable, in most big cases, to steer the court to positions that fit his philosophy.
Because this court is so strongly
guided by its five ultra-conservative members, there is no doubt that the decisions it will make in some pending cases may have a strong impact on the November election. There are at least six cases yet to be decided that fit into that category. One, which will stir up the pro-choice movement, involves the legality of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion drug mifepristone. Considering that more than half of the women in America who have abortions use pills, if that legalization is overturned, it will likely lead to nationwide protests.
Another case in that arena involves the legality of restraining orders that prohibit granting gun permits to people with a history of domestic violence. It is universally agreed that spouses should be protected from a spouse with a history of violent conduct. But this court is so wedded to protecting the Second Amendment that it’s likely that it could rule in favor of gun owners.
Another case involving guns is the challenge to an executive order by then President Trump that makes it illegal to add a “bump stock” to a gun that
turns it into a machine gun. That order came about as the result of a mass killing at a Las Vegas concert. If you took a national poll on this issue, an overwhelmingly majority would express their opposition to the use of bump stocks. But this is another case in which the court could side with gun rights.
One of the biggest cases the Supremes will soon decide is whether a former president is immune from prosecution for an alleged crime he committed when he was in office. A federal court has written a lengthy opinion denying such immunity, but the Supreme Court has taken the case to put its own imprint on this issue. Some court followers have conjectured that it did so to prevent any prosecution of Trump before the election.
People unfamiliar with the courts often aren’t aware of how much mischief a court can create. But sadly, the current highest court in the land has shown that it is anything but a “supreme” court.
Jerry Kremer was an Assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? jkremer@liherald.com.
nowledge will forever govern ignorance,” President James Madison once said.
“And a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”
Madison may not be the most wellknown of the Founding Fathers — not even getting the most prominent of roles in the hit musical “Hamilton” — but it’s hard to imagine an America without him. Not only was he an early advocate of the U.S. Constitution, but Madison is also credited as the author of the Bill of Rights — the first 10 amendments to the Constitution that address, among other things, the freedom of the press — and, by extension, the ability to arm ourselves with the very knowledge he championed.
So it’s fitting that Sunshine Week — this week, when we promote open government and the freedom of information — happens to include Madison’s birthday, March 16. But sadly, more than two centuries later, we still have a long way to go to ensure the transparency in government that the founders promised us.
Established by the American Society of News Editors nearly 20 years ago, Sunshine Week is an important reminder of the vital role transparency plays in a democratic society. It’s vital we protect the public’s right to know.
While New York might lead the nation in many different categories, one area in which the state is not a pioneer is government transparency. In fact, four states have the right to open government spelled out in their state constitutions,
according to the New York Coalition for Open Government, but none of them are New York.
A bill offered by Assemblyman Phil Steck and state Sen. Rachel May would fix that by enshrining access to public information as a fundamental right in the state constitution, because it’s a “necessary and vital part of democracy and public deliberation.”
“The right of the people to inspect and/or copy records of government, and to be provided notice of and attend public meetings of government, shall not be unreasonably restricted,” according to the legislation.
Yet even if that constitutional amendment passed, enforcement would be nearly impossible. Right now, the only way any of us can ensure that government is transparent is by taking it to court. But even if we win, courts are not required to also award attorneys’ fees unless someone “substantially prevails” in such a case — something that is quite subjective and hard to prove.
With that, governments can simply run up legal costs until someone exhausts their financial resources. And if there were a violation of open-government laws, it would never reach a judge.
Instead, the open-government coalition is pushing a bill from Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal that would create a hearing-officer system to adjudicate those issues and impose penalties.
It’s certainly not a new approach. The open-government coalition points out the small-claims assessment reviews for property tax assessment disputes, in which homeowners complete a simple
To the Editor:
I write to underscore the critical situation facing the Nassau University Medical Center, as reported in the Herald in recent weeks. Without restoration of state funding that was drastically cut from the hospital in 2020, this vital community resource could be lost.
NUMC stands as a cornerstone of our community, providing vital health care services to hundreds of thousands of patients annually, with a significant portion relying on Medicare or Medicaid. Reductions in state aid — not current leadership — have endangered the hospital’s ability to provide care for Long Island’s most vulnerable populations.
Despite these challenges, NUMC’s team has forged ahead, with those we serve remaining our top priority. Hospital leadership has initiated comprehensive reforms to improve financial health. These reforms are already demonstrating the hospital’s commitment to financial sustainability.
Unfortunately, NUMC, as a safety-net hospital, cannot overcome these challenges alone. It’s paramount for lead-
application, pay a filing fee, and then have their case decided by a hearing officer. More than 100,000 such complaints made their way through the system in 2020, costing just over $100 each. The same system is needed for disputes over government records, and Rosenthal is pushing just that. But she has yet to get any support from anyone in the state Senate.
The coronavirus pandemic introduced many of us to livestreaming online — especially when it came to government meetings. Now that we are on the other side of the pandemic, those online streams are not as common. Yet a bill from Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and state Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. would require all public bodies to not only broadcast their meetings, but record them, and leave them online for five years.
Even more important is a chance for members of the public to comment at meetings — something that is not guaranteed by the state’s open meetings law, and which a number of organizations don’t make time for. Unfortunately, there’s nothing in front of lawmakers yet to make this happen — but it’s needed. Sunshine Week is important to remind us that we have some work ahead of us as citizens, but it’s also good to remind government officials that they need to prioritize transparency and accountability as well. It’s vital that we stay informed and engaged, and reach out to our lawmakers so that these bills — and others designed to make our government more open — will indeed see the light of day.
It’s a common refrain your wellmeaning, often younger friend or coworker might tell you to dampen your fears of getting older: “Age is just a number.”
Of course, to our inner cynics, these are just pretty words. But it’s true, isn’t it? Judging oneself based purely on one’s time spent on earth can lead to false conclusions. And if we struggle to extend this generous thinking to ourselves, imagine how hard it’s been for voters to extend it to this year’s presidential candidates. Fate is pointing toward a rematch between President Biden and former president Donald Trump, the two oldest nominees in history — as they were when they faced off four years ago. Their age has given voters plenty to talk about.
In fact, age — and its toll on the physical and mental fitness of the candidates — has become a leading issue in the campaign.
Trump would be 82 at the end of a second term. Biden, who is already the oldest president in history, would be 86.
If current polls are correct, most Americans are less than thrilled about another four years of a geriatric presidency.
The endless media clips of incoherent garble, memory slips and puzzling public performances by both candidates have done little to quell fears. Instead, they’ve served as endless fodder for speculation and rumor, with words like “dementia,” “senile” and “incompetent” dripping from commentators’ lips.
Much of the panic is over-hyped, medical experts say. Forgetting things and stumbling over words are not, by themselves, telltale symptoms of cognitive decline, they explain — rather, symptoms of just being human.
they’re in a cohort all their own. They are “super seniors,” pushing the limits of an average lifespan while competing for the hardest job in the world.
It’s one thing not to judge people by their age, but quite another to ask the American public to ignore the effects of aging on these two people.
a merica today isn’t the America in which Biden and Trump came of age.
Age is a factor for the average senior managing the strains and pressures of a normal life, to say nothing of one who’s dealing with the unthinkable pressures of leading the free world. Can either Trump or Biden do it? Sure they can. But if the past few months are any indication of the next four years, it won’t be pretty.
ing to Pew Research. For a senator, it’s 65.
Is it any wonder that young people feel they have been shut out of a place at the decision-making table, and that their concerns don’t rank high among their representatives’ priorities?
Young people’s alienation from and skepticism about politics have created a vacuum of engagement that older politicians have exploited in their own interests, as evidenced by the culture war focusing on gender in universities and school board meetings — and by extension against young people, who are by and large more open than past generations to redefining such concepts.
They remind us that no president under 24-hour media scrutiny has been spared cringe-worthy moments. Who can forget the gaffes of President George W. Bush, a spring chicken compared with Biden and Trump?
Nonetheless, I think Americans do have a right to be worried.
The fact that we must consider the possibility that either man could die in office of natural causes should give us pause. Doctors tell us that both are exceptionally healthy for their age, but
ers in Albany to restore the funding in this year’s state budget. Without this essential aid, NUMC’s capacity to fulfill its mission will be in jeopardy.
I implore our governor, legislative leaders and local state legislators to prioritize our community’s health and well-being by reinstating funding for NUMC and ensuring its long-term sustainability.
CARMINe CARMONe Director of environmental services, NUMC LevittownTo the editor:
I am one of the growing number of American voters who are politically unaffiliated. I have no allegiance to either party or personality cult.
I believe that we have to have a functioning border system. There’s a difference between who I believe, and who former Congressman
Peter King believes, is to blame for the border crisis (“Reflections on the special election,” Feb. 29-March 6).
The Republicans have historically scuttled any attempts to resolve this issue. There really are many instances of this, but I’ll just list a few. In 2013, then House Speaker John Boehner refused to allow a comprehensive reform bill to come to the floor of the House. Recently, a bipartisan bill that had been worked on for months was voted down in the Senate by Republicans, after House Speaker Mike Johnson had numerous discussions with former President Donald Trump and said that it would be “dead on arrival” in the House.
During the Trump administration, one of the most disgraceful border policies separated minor children from their parents and put them in chain-link enclosures to provide photo opportunities for the Republicans. Now Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has spent more than $150 million to send migrants to socalled sanctuary cities so that other Republican officials can share in the fun. Perhaps that money would be better spent on helping the victims of the recent
The problem is bigger than just Trump and Biden — it’s a sign of deeper trouble with our politics. We complain about our leaders being too old, but we’ve paid too little attention to the other side of that coin: Where are our young leaders?
Socially and technologically, America today is not the America in which Biden and Trump came of age. Yet those in their 40s and younger are still passed up and overlooked for positions of power. The median age of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives is 58, accord-
Those generational differences are also evident in the sluggish pace with which the government has mobilized technology and legislation to combat climate change, despite the urgent cries of young people demanding change now.
And those differences are brutally obvious in the lack of progress toward rethinking the cost of education and housing, for which young people stand most to lose.
Our present discontent toward our aging leaders is neither inevitable nor forever. It’s something we’ve chosen by refusing to let our young people take the lead and have a say in their future.
Juan Lasso is editor of the Valley Stream Herald, Comments? jlasso@liherald.com.
wildfires in Abbott’s home state.
So, Mr. King, I don’t believe Republicans want to solve this problem, because they want to use it for political gains. What have you done to encourage your fellow Republi-
cans to solve it? Did you ever work on a bipartisan solution? Just asking.
