Rockville Centre Herald 03-16-2023

Pain management center opens

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Vending machine provides books

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Community unites against Compact Page 13

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side the Thomas A. Glynn and Son Funeral Home on March 8 to give Seaman a proper firefighter’s funeral.

“Ex-Chief Robert ‘Bubba’ Seaman served our village as a volunteer firefighter with courage and bravery,” Mayor Francis Murray said in a statement. “He was a true asset to our community and will be greatly missed. Our prayers and condo-

on several responsibilities as a member of Live Oak, and went on to serve as captain from 1995 to 1997 and again from 1999 to 2001, while also sitting on several department committees. Like many emergency responders at the time, he helped with the rescue and recovery effort at the World Trade Center

chief, he was chief of the department from 2015 to 2017. He remained active throughout his 34 years of service. Whether responding to a call or meeting with committee members, he was always there to help.

“He was a great guy and a good fire-

watering holes — where he would talk about everything from the firehouse to the Mets to any other sports team you could place a bet on.

“He was always there to help everyone out, whether it be at the firehouse, P.C. Richards, or while passing you on the street,” Grandazza wrote in an email.

Robert “Bubba”Seaman

HERALD

Pain management center opens

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Vending machine provides books

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Community unites against Compact Page 13

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Long Island Champions! Long Island Champions!

RVC community remembers Robert ‘Bubba’ Seaman

By DANIEl oFFNER doffner@liherald.com

Robert “Bubba” Seaman, a beloved member of the Rockville Centre community, died of a 9/11-related illness on March 3, at age 57.

Officers and members of the Fire Department joined family members outside the Thomas A. Glynn and Son Funeral Home on March 8 to give Seaman a proper firefighter’s funeral.

“Ex-Chief Robert ‘Bubba’ Seaman served our village as a volunteer firefighter with courage and bravery,” Mayor Francis Murray said in a statement. “He was a true asset to our community and will be greatly missed. Our prayers and condo-

lences go out to his family and his friends as well as his family at the Rockville Centre Fire Department, and especially Rockville Centre Live Oak Engine Company No. 1.”

Seaman joined the department in June 1989. He took on several responsibilities as a member of Live Oak, and went on to serve as captain from 1995 to 1997 and again from 1999 to 2001, while also sitting on several department committees.

Like many emergency responders at the time, he helped with the rescue and recovery effort at the World Trade Center

on and after Sept. 11, 2001, alongside other members of the department.

Seaman is fondly remembered by the department as a natural leader who always made time to mentor young recruits. After serving as second and first assistant chief, he was chief of the department from 2015 to 2017.

He remained active throughout his 34 years of service. Whether responding to a call or meeting with committee members, he was always there to help.

“He was a great guy and a good fire-

man,” Second Assistant Chief Tony Ruggalo said. “He knew everybody, and was always a huge help who never, ever complained about anything.”

Keriann Grandazza, captain of Live Oak Engine No. 1, said Seaman would often be spotted on a Friday night, surrounded by his closest friends at MacArthur Park — one of his favorite local watering holes — where he would talk about everything from the firehouse to the Mets to any other sports team you could place a bet on.

“He was always there to help everyone out, whether it be at the firehouse, P.C. Richards, or while passing you on the street,” Grandazza wrote in an email.

Continued on page 9

Neil Miller/Herald photo

South Side celebrated its first Long Island boys’ basketball title in 45 years last Saturday when it defeated Kings Park, 45-31, in the Class A championship game at Stony Brook University. Story, more photos, Page 10.

Robert “Bubba”Seaman

Leaders: Housing plan undermines neighborhoods

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

Many on Long Island already are having a tough time finding affordable places to live. The elderly are priced out of affordable homes, and younger generations are fleeing to more affordable locales — many times out of state.

Lawmakers have tried a number of ways to keep rents low, but the latest plan offered by Gov. Kathy Hochul to build 800,000 new homes across the state over the next decade isn’t meeting with a lot of support. Especially on Long Island.

“We don’t want Hochul control, we want local control,” Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin told a crowd of local elected leaders at the Port Washington Long Island Rail Road station earlier this month.

Clavin believes the governor’s proposal is a power grab and doesn’t take into consideration the differences between upstate and downstate communities. He worries Hochul’s plans will force Long Island to become the sixth borough of New York City.

While the proposal speaks to creating high-density housing, officials say it doesn’t address upgrading the existing infrastructure to accommodate the population increase — like roads and utilities. There also seems to be little attention from Albany about how such fast growth could impact schools, which might not be able to keep up.

Rents have risen 30 percent since 2015 in New York City, while home prices have grown 50 percent. The situation is even more dire outside the city where rents are up as much as 60 percent, with some existing home sales rising as high as 80 percent over the last eight years.

According to the Population Reference Bureau, more than half of the state’s renters are paying more than 30 percent of their income on rent, the second-highest rate

in the nation.

Hochul wants to battle that through what she’s calling the New York Housing Compact. It’s intended to eliminate many of the barriers stopping development of affordable housing — especially around Metropolitan Transportation Authority rail stations — including plans for the state to step in if local government refuse to act.

But that’s what really have many local leaders like

Clavin fired up. The town supervisor says Hochul’s proposal eliminates the public hearing process, and will allow an “unaccountable, bureaucratic board located hundreds of miles away in Albany to make decisions over what belongs in your neighborhood.”

The governor, however, believes the state’s housing crisis requires bold actions and an all-hands-on-deck approach.

“Every community in New York must do their part to encourage housing growth to move our state forward and keep our economy strong.” Hochul said, according to a release. “The New York Housing Compact is a comprehensive plan to spur the changes needed to create more housing, meet rising demand, and make our state a more equitable, stable and affordable place to live.”

The compact, however, suggests local leaders aren’t doing enough to address the housing crisis. And that’s wrong, said Jennifer DeSena, town supervisor for North Hempstead.

“We have a hearing process,” DeSena said. “There are always projects that are being considered Nassau County is the densest suburban community in the country. We have a lot of housing, and wanting to add an arbitrary number like 3 percent every three years, it’s just not realistic.”

Pamela Panzenbeck said she’s worried about a devastating scenario for the city she leads, Glen Cove, where giving the governor the power to rezone property within a half-mile from a train station to 50 units of housing per acre will hurt more than it will help.

The mayor also believes Long Island towns and cities should be able to decide for themselves what the appropriate land use is.

“Changes such as she suggests would destroy our way of life,” Panzenbeck said, “the historic nature and beauty of Glen Cove, and our Long Island communities.”

Mercy opens pain management center

New facility will help meet increased demand

By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com

Catholic Health’s Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre officially opened its new, state-of-the-art Center for Pain Management on March 7.

The 3,750-square-foot facility’s mission is to effectively manage chronic pain, if not eliminate it, so that patients can return to a more normal life.

The hospital previously offered pain management in a smaller location, but due to an increase in demand, it was expanded to help address the growing need to manage conditions of acute and chronic pain and to decrease the use of opiates by employing minimally invasive and nonnarcotic treatments.

“Pain management is quite unique,” Joseph Manopella, Mercy Hospital’s president, said. “There are several ways to treat pain for a patient. This is really more about chronic pain, whether it’s the spine or other types of pain ailments.”

The new facility adds 3,000 square feet to the existing space, which includes two procedure rooms and 10 beds in its pre- and post-procedure areas. Hospital officials say that doctors will be better able to assess their patients’ pain, discuss the goals of care and make recommendations for cutting-edge treatments.

“We offer up a service that is a substitute in a lot of ways for patients who take opioids,” Manopella explained. “You want to be able to address the pain problem with these types of complex procedures that we do.”

The hospital offers both in-patient and outpatient treatment, which varies based on the complexity of the procedure and whether the patient has underlying comorbidities. Available specialties include trigger-point injection with ultrasound guidance, radio frequency denervation, epidural blocks, management of spinal cord stimulators and narcotic pumps, monitored anesthesia care and nerve blocks.

“This is just one more step towards excellence for this hospital to be the best hospital in Nassau County,” Rockville Centre Mayor Francis Murray said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “Joe (Manopella) is really working hard with all of the staff and all of the dedicated people who work in this hospital.”

In order to complete a project of this magnitude, it

took Mercy years of planning and seeking required approvals from the state to begin the development.

Manopella said that the site is located in an isolated part of the campus that allows for easy, more convenient access, especially for patients with chronic pain.

“It’s a great space for physicians and nurses looking to expand their work at Mercy Hospital,” he said. “It’s important not only in making sure patients are taken care of, but that our staff are, too.”

Claire DeSetto, director of the hospital’s perioperative services and an R.N., has been working with Mercy for the past 50 years. “It’s just beyond my wildest dreams,” DeSetto said in a video from the grand opening. “I just couldn’t be happier to see this unit come to fruition.”

Manopella said that the project is part of the “renaissance” currently taking place at Mercy. “Over the next several years, we are committed to investing in services, as well as upgrading our infrastructure, that will not only make our patients and staff proud, but also the communities we serve proud,” he said in a news release.

In addition to the new Pain Management Center, Mercy is currently in the process of constructing a new 16,000-square-foot medical office facility. Formerly home to a convent for the Sisters of the Congregation of Infant Jesus, the new Ambulatory and Family Care Center is expected to be completed this summer. It will provide additional space to relocate the existing outpatient women’s and children’s medical clinics from the hospital to an outpatient setting.

The new medical office space will also help enhance patient access for underserved populations, while providing new clinical services, including primary care, cardiology, endocrinology and more.

“There will be remarkable change at Mercy,” Manopella said. “We’ve only just begun to rebuild and enhance existing services that the communities we serve can take advantage of.”

The Center for Pain Management is open Monday through Friday, from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For more information, call (516)-705-2525.

Photos courtesy Catholic Health/Joseph Lanzetta Sr.

JOsEph MANOpELLA, pREsIDENt of Mercy Hospital, center, cuts the ceremonial ribbon during the grand opening of its new Center for Pain Management.

stAFF MEMBERs OF Mercy Hospital’s new Center for Pain Management are excited about the new facility.

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Death with Dignity: Hospice Care

Death with Dignity: Hospice Care

The recent announcement by 98 year old Jimmy Carter, our long-lived president, that he was opting for hospice care at home instead of additional medical intervention, is in keeping with the trend towards dying with dignity. Hospice care arises when an illness is either no longer responding to medical treatment, no medical treatment is available, or the patient has decided they want to transition from treatments intended to prolong quantity of life to treatments intended to improve quality of life.

The recent announcement by 98 year old Jimmy Carter, our long-lived president, that he was opting for hospice care at home instead of additional medical intervention, is in keeping with the trend towards dying with dignity. Hospice care arises when an illness is either no longer responding to medical treatment, no medical treatment is available, or the patient has decided they want to transition from treatments intended to prolong quantity of life to treatments intended to improve quality of life.

One of the great misconceptions about hospice care is that it is the cessation of medical care. Dr. Sunita Puri, author of “That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour” defines hospice care as “intensive comfort-focused care, provided with the goal of minimizing the physical, emotional and spiritual suffering that patients and their families experience when somebody has possibly six months or less to live.” While hospice can usually take place at home it can also be in a facility and is paid for by Medicare Hospice Benefit.

One of the great misconceptions about hospice care is that it is the cessation of medical care. Dr. Sunita Puri, author of “That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour” defines hospice care as “intensive comfort-focused care, provided with the goal of minimizing the physical, emotional and spiritual suffering that patients and their families experience when somebody has possibly six months or less to live.” While hospice can usually take place at home it can also be in a facility and is paid for by Medicare Hospice Benefit.

The hospice “team” consists of (1) a nurse

The hospice “team” consists of (1) a nurse

to assess and manage pain and provide handson-care, (2) a social worker, to offer emotional support and help with planning, (3) a physician to interface with the patient’s primary physician and consult on pain and symptom management and make house calls, (4) a hospice aide to help with personal care needs, such as bathing, (5) clergy to offer spiritual support, (6) volunteers to help in a variety of ways, and (7) a bereavement specialist to provide grief and loss counseling.

to assess and manage pain and provide handson-care, (2) a social worker, to offer emotional support and help with planning, (3) a physician to interface with the patient’s primary physician and consult on pain and symptom management and make house calls, (4) a hospice aide to help with personal care needs, such as bathing, (5) clergy to offer spiritual support, (6) volunteers to help in a variety of ways, and (7) a bereavement specialist to provide grief and loss counseling.

Regrettably, hospice care in the US averages only about three weeks, due to the fact that people are reluctant to talk about topics like suffering, quality of life and whether treatments are adding to or detracting from someone’s quality of life. Delaying those conversations leads to very late referrals to hospice.

Regrettably, hospice care in the US averages only about three weeks, due to the fact that people are reluctant to talk about topics like suffering, quality of life and whether treatments are adding to or detracting from someone’s quality of life. Delaying those conversations leads to very late referrals to hospice.

Preparing for the big parade

As Dr. Puri points out, “Hospice is not about giving up...hospice is about acknowledging where your body is at, at a given stage of illness, and honoring that and honoring the person that you are, which is distinct from the illness you are suffering...hospice attempts to maximize dignity and minimize suffering.”

As Dr. Puri points out, “Hospice is not about giving up...hospice is about acknowledging where your body is at, at a given stage of illness, and honoring that and honoring the person that you are, which is distinct from the illness you are suffering...hospice attempts to maximize dignity and minimize suffering.”

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St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshall Tommy McNicholas, center, lights up the tree outside Village Hall on March 1. Due to the pandemic in 2020, the annual tradition was created as an alternative for those wishing to celebrate the Irish holiday. McNicholas was joined by Kevin McDonough, left, Committee president Jackie Kerr, Village Trustee Katie Conlon, Rockville Centre Mayor Fran Murray, Village Trustee Emilio Grillo, and Ann Medford join him.

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Homemakers donate shawls to cancer patients

The Rockville Centre Homemakers made 48 fleece shawls, which were donated to cancer patients at Catholic Health’s Mercy Hospital. The organization has donated shawls for several years as a community service.

Anyone who would like to join this incredible group of ladies can visit the John A. Anderson Recreation Center at 111 N. Oceanside Road in Rockville Centre on Tuesdays at 10 a.m.

■ WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/rockvillecentre

■ E-MAIl:

Courtesy MaryAnn Grandazza RVC HomemakeRs Denise Walsh, left, Karen Alterson, Laura Schuler, MaryAnn Grandazza, Jean Joyce, and Virginia Grandazza donated 48 shawls to Mercy Hospital.

Daniel Offner/Herald

Brand new books at the push of a button

Watson students embrace new vending machine program

By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com

Imagine having access to adventure and excitement in entirely different worlds dispensed at the push of a button.

Thanks to the efforts of a group of fifth-grade students at Watson Elementary School in Rockville Centre, their fellow classmates will soon have the opportunity to do just that.

Funded by a grant provided by the RVC Education Foundation, which helps fund new and innovative tools beyond the scope of normal classroom academia, Watson students were able to acquire a brand-new vending machine for books.

Unlike most vending machines, this one does not accept cash. In order to access it, students must obtain a gold coin, which can be awarded as an incentive for acts of kindness, risk-taking, community building, and literacy.

“We got back from the pandemic and there was this general sense of getting kids back into books,” Melissa Rice, a fifth grade teacher at Watson Elementary, said.

Rice said that after learning about the idea from another school district upstate, she was determined to get one for Watson and approached students with the idea.

She explained the grant proposal process and helped a group of fifth-graders form a committee tasked with writing a proposal explaining how they plan to launch the new vending machine.

“I turned the whole thing over to them,” Rice said. “They planned the rollout. They are the ones pushing it into the classrooms and talking about it with the kids.”

First, in order to encourage other students to participate, each of the 11 students on the committee — Hudson Farish, Lily Twomey, Maggie O’Keefe, Sophia Turk, Emma Ferrari, Henry Larom, Ben Yin, Izzy Fuentes, Abigail Mann, Annie Reilly, and Meghan Walsh — were tasked with speaking to students at different grade levels and presenting them with the concept.

Watson Principal Jennifer Pascarella said that students then spoke before the

entire faculty and staff to present their proposal, which she said was executed “flawlessly.”

“When we chose the vending machine it was very important that we had it be inclusive of all the grade levels,” Pascarella said. “The books are different sizes, so it mattered.”

Each week Rice and two of the committee members open the machine and help replenish it with new books. The books vary in difficulty, with picture books closer to the bottom for the younger kids, and more classic reading material up top for the older students.

“Have any of you walked past a vending machine and even if you don’t like anything in it, just want to touch all of the buttons?” Emma Ferrari asked members of the Education Foundation last Friday. “Even if they don’t like reading, they still want to get the book for doing something out of their comfort zone. It’s

all about taking risks.”

Students can be rewarded for a variety of different reasons, such as trying out something new, stepping outside of their comfort zone, participating in an act of kindness, or just simply working harder at school.

And everyone, not just classroom teachers, can nominate a student to receive a gold coin by filling out a vending machine card and placing it in the basket at the front of the school.

Committee members will pick five names out of the bucket, each Friday, and announce the winners. The more times a name is in the bucket, the greater the chances of being chosen.

Superintendent Matt Gaven said that he loved the fact that Watson students teamed up with the RVC Education Foundation to help create something that will help encourage students for years to come.

“We often talk about how we want to work together with community organizations,” Gaven said. “This is something that has made everyone benefit. I think if you ask the Ed Foundation members, they love this. But if you ask the children, they say this makes things better here, and I think the teachers would agree.”

Members of the Education Foundation said they were so happy to help facilitate the grant for the vending machine because the program encourages young people to read with a fun and exciting concept created by students, for students.

“We know how much you all love reading and how important books are to you, your school, your teachers, because they wrote this grant for that amazing vending machine,” Mayda Kramer, president of the Education Foundation said. “And the best part about it is that you all get to keep the books and get to build your own library of books at home.”

Daniel Offner/Herald photos

FIFth gRADE stuDENts Meghan Walsh, Annie Reilly, Abigail Mann, Izzy Fuentes, Ben Yin, Henry Larom, Emma Ferrari, Sophia Turk, Maggie O’Keefe, and Hudson Farish join RVC school district officials and partners with the RVC Education Foundation to present the new book vending machine, located at the back of the Watson Elementary School library.

New LIRR rollout gets mixed reviews

The good, the bad, and the bumps in-between

By JUAN LASSO & KEPHERD DANIEL of the Herald

For weeks, the ideal stage had been set for the full launch of Grand Central Madison, finally connecting the Long Island Rail Road to the bedrock of Midtown Manhattan. Or so it seemed.

Limited shuttle service between Jamaica station and Grand Central Madison gave commuters roughly four weeks to try out the new travel routes in advance of the big day, warming them to the idea of the $11 billion East Side terminal.

But as the new service rolled out, some reinforced their concerns. While a number of service lines have been expanded, others have been completely rescheduled. And there were those who worried about inadequate direct service to Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal after timed connections would be eliminated at the Queens station, as well as through direct transfers across platforms at stops like Jamaica under the new schedules.

Then, full-service started Feb. 27, and contrary to the MTA’s calculated expectations, the ensuing first days of its historic Midtown terminal turned into the most dizzying and distressful for commuters in recent memory.

Riders — coping with the rush-hour meltdowns at Jamaica station and onboard Penn Station-bound trains — poured their anger and disbelief onto social media. Images and posts showed commuters cramming into train aisles. Others making frantic sprints to catch their connecting lines. And many finding themselves tightly jammed inside an antsy crowd of riders on waiting platforms.

By the end of the first week, MTA officials rushed to provide relief in the form of extra train cars added to roughly 30 of its busiest trains, most of them rush hour excursions on the Penn Station service routes, as well as ramping up the frequency of shuttle service between Brooklyn and Queens.

While the adjustments have managed to ease overcrowding and quell a frantic commuter flow, the fumbled full launch of Grand Central Madison has left some commuters scratching their heads — and shaking their fists — at what went wrong.

The reason, according to Long Island Rail Road interim president Catherine Rinaldi, can be chalked up to a miscalculation on how many commuters would actually shift from Penn Station to Grand Central.

The LIRR’s original service plan was designed to accommodate a “60-40” split of ridership, with most still traveling to Penn Station. So far, however, the split has been more “70-30,” although new ridership figures are still pending.

For all the initial bumps, however, Barry Kleinworm — a diamond inventory manager in Midtown Manhattan — said full service to the East Side was a “home run” decision.

“Grand Central station is only five minutes from my office, so I’m loving it,” the Woodmere commuter said. “Before, I had to walk 20 minutes from Penn Station. So this is a benefit for me for sure.”

It’s something that should have happened 30 years ago, said Jack Halpern, who rides the Far Rockaway branch.

“I’m a lawyer, and my office is in the Grand Central area,” he said. “But of course, I don’t go all the time what with hybrid work. It would have been really helpful to have this service pre-Covid when I was going five days a week.”

Despite the benefits, however, Halpern did note that finding his way in and out of Grand Central has proven difficult.

“When exiting the station, going up the escalators is ridiculous, so I use the elevators. But they’re not all in the same area,” he said. “Entering the station, there is no clear signage on the street level to point you to what looks like a temporary construction elevator that takes you

down into the station, so they have to make the signage a little clearer.”

Melvin Medina says commuting on the Babylon branch is “not so bad,” but feels the benefits tilt toward Grand Central commuters at the expense of everyone else.

“There used to be an express train straight to Penn Station,” the commuter from Bay Shore said. “Now, by around 8 a.m., I have to transfer to Wantagh to get to Penn, and the train stops at every stop.

“At the end of the day, you’ve just got to plan ahead. But I don’t really agree with all the changes made.”

Then there are commuters like Debby Washington who say navigating the new train schedule changes has been nothing but daily stress.

“I hate it. It’s just so much confusion going on,” the Wantagh commuter said. “It’s just not organized right now. The schedule is crazy, and the trains come out of nowhere with no announcements.

“I’m paying a lot of money in taxes, and my service is not that great. In fact, it’s getting worse.”

But a lot of that might simply be a resistance to change, based on long-term familiarity to what’s already been in place — even if what’s there now wasn’t all that great.

“I think people are used to what they had before, and so if you’ve been commuting to Penn Station for decades, it definitely throws a wrench in your regular routine,” said Amy Zervas of Merrick. “I travel to both stations, but I prefer Grand Central because there are fewer people on those trains. Either way, I’ve had no issues.”

While opinions appear sharply divided, Rinaldi reassured commuters that changes are being made as needed.

“We are going to be continuously making adjustments based upon ridership and loading data. We look at it every single day,” she said. “The Long Island Rail Road team is all over the rollout in terms of looking for trends, what ridership is looking like, what trains are popular, and adjusting accordingly.”

What lawmakers have to say

Assemblyman Brian Curran

“Clearly the opening of Grand Central Madison is a benefit, but my office has received numerous complaints regarding schedule changes, specifically additional travel time for our commuters on the West Hempstead line where riders at Malverne and Westwood now experience an approximate hour gap in travel times from the old schedule.

Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and myself were informed that the Long Island Rail Road would reevaluate scheduling times for the West Hempstead line if data was provided regarding commuters’ preferred changes. We decided to hand out voluntary surveys to commuters about the issue.”

Assemblyman Charles Levine

“We have all known for years that the Oyster Bay line is the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s biggest loss leader. With the advent of East Side Access, the MTA has had to reroute and reprogram any number of trains from the Oyster Bay line. The biggest challenge is that the OB line runs on diesel-powered trains that need to stop at Mineola where there is a transfer for riders to get on electric trains to go into the city.

We do not have express trains running directly into Penn Station as we had in the past before the new train schedules. The result is there is less availability for Oyster Bay commuters to travel than there was before, and riders are not pleased — nor should they be pleased. I’m confident, however, that the MTA leadership is aware of this issue and will be addressing it.”

Courtesy Marc A. Hermann/Metropolitan Transportation Authority

MEtROPOLItAN tRANSPORtAtION AUtHORIty chief executive Janno Lieber and Long Island Rail Road interim president Catherine Rinaldi are re-routing four Grand Central Madison trains back to Penn Station after higher-thanexpected ridership on the West Side.

A final farewell for a beloved firefighter

continued from front page

“Everyone knew that he was always a phone call away.”

Seaman was a delegate to the Fourth Battalion Fire District — serving East Rockaway, Lakeview, Lynbrook, Malverne and Rockville Centre — at the time of his death. He was also assistant chief fire inspector, warden of the fire council representing Engine Co. No. 1, and cochair of the New Engine Committee, among other department and company committees.

“He was a true gentleman,” Village Trustee Emilio Grillo said. “He was extremely generous, not only to our Fire Department but to our community at large, and was a tremendous asset who will truly be missed.”

Seaman was a beloved member of the business community and a sales manager at P.C. Richard, where he worked for more than 25 years.

“Not everyone knew, but ex-chief Robert Seaman supported and helped our Wounded Warriors,” Steve Grogan, vice-chairman of the Nassau County Firefighters Operation Wounded Warriors, said. “Anytime we needed any type of appliance for the wounded, we always went to him. And he, with the backing of the company, always came through and helped them.”

Seaman is survived by his fiancée, Patricia Martinez, and his two siblings, Maggie and Jimmy.

After the funeral service on March 8, Seaman’s casket was hoisted onto the back of a 1931 vintage fire apparatus and escorted by members of the department to Greenfield Cemetery in Uniondale, where he was buried.

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Bill Kelly/Herald

Rockville centRe fiRefighteRs gave former Chief Robert Seaman a proper send-off.

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Herald sports

South Side wins first L.I. crown since 1978

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherld.com

South Side seniors Josh Garelle and Rob Pericolosi will be college basketball teammates at SUNY Geneseo next year, but on Saturday the duo made sure their high school career would get extended in historic fashion.

Garelle and Pericolosi each scored 14 points to propel South Side (25-1) to its first Long Island title since the 1977-78 season with a 45-31 win over Kings Park in the Class A championship game at Stony Brook University’s Island Federal Arena. The two book-ended their scoring outputs with Pericolosi registering 12 of his points in the first quarter alone while Garelle closed strong with 10 in the second half.

“Every playoff game when you’re a senior it could potentially be your last so I was trying to go out there and give it all I have every single play,” Garelle said. “Rob had a big first half and I had a mediocre first half so I just wanted to come out in the second half and get to my spots and contribute in any way possible and if it comes from scoring, it comes from scoring and that’s what I did.”

The Long Island crown propels South Side into the state semifinals Friday at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls Friday to face Rochester power Irondequoit. It will mark the program’s first appearance in the states in 35 years when South Side earned a bid to the big stage with a county championship.

Pericolosi’s hot early shooting helped South Side grab a 14-10 lead after the first quarter with Garelle

then opening the second quarter with two straight buckets for an eightpoint lead.

Kings Park stayed in the game thanks to 27 points from Matt Garside, who gave the Kingsmen a brief third-quarter lead at 27-26 with two free throws. South Side responded by scoring the next 10 points and ended the game on a 19-4 run while limiting Garside to only two points the rest of the way.

Senior point guard James Bivona delivered eight points, which included back-to-back three-pointers that capped South Side’s crucial 10- run when it seized control. Patrick Mullin registered six points.

The Cyclones’ leading scorer, James Murphy, was limited to two points, but his one field goal came at clutch moment when he scored in transition off a Bivona steal in the fourth quarter for a 40-31 lead.

“One of our strengths is that we are fairly versatile with our scoring,” 21st-year South Side head coach Jerry D’Angelo said. “James Murphy, who is our leading scorer, did not have one of his better offensive games but he rebounded really well and he was one of the key switch guys on the defensive end to help.”

The Long Island championship marks the first for D’Angelo in his more than two decades at South Side, which included previous county titles in 2004 and 2012. Garelle said the team was well aware of the history at stake Saturday and he is now focused on bringing home another trophy.

“We’re trying to do much more than just the Long Island championship,” Garelle said. “The job is not finished.”

Photos by Neil Miller/Herald

SOuth SiDE’S PAtRiCk Mullin rejected Kings Park’s Matthew Garside.

ROB PERiCOlOSi, ABOVE left, had 14 points as the Cyclones won their 25th consecutive game and their first L.I. title in 45 years.

JAmES BiVONA COulDN’t hide his emotions as the final seconds ticked down in South Side’s Long Island Class A championship game victory.

Beckham, Lloyd share soccer skills in Nassau

They flocked from all over Long Island to learn from one of soccer’s greatest — Carli Lloyd. But the 400 or so young athletes who gathered at the Mitchell Athletic Complex in Uniondale this past Saturday got an added bonus, with a chance to bend it like David Beckham — with David Beckham.

The two soccer stars paid the weekend visit to talk about teamwork, sportsmanship and fitness. And, of course, to show a few moves to the kids, who ranged in age between 9 and 12.

Afterward, they broke into two sessions led by Lloyd and Beckham, teaching some soccer fundamentals and techniques, before posing for pictures with players and teams.

The visit was part of Sands Cares and its Sands Youth Empowerment Initiative — an organization active in communities where facilities owned by the Las Vegas Sands are situated.

The Sands is pursuing a massive redevelopment project at the nearby Nassau Coliseum, where it hopes to transform 80 vacant acres into an entertainment complex. It would include a hotel, restaurants, convention space and performance venues, as well as a casino.

Lloyd is a four-time Olympian, winning gold medals in 2008 and 2012. She has also won two FIFA Women’s World Cups in 2015 and 2019. She retired from the national team in 2021, but not before becoming the oldest player to score a goal for the United States in a 4-0 victory over Jamaica — a month shy of her 39th birthday.

Beckham was a soccer prodigy beginning as a teenager when he played for Manchester United who also appeared in three FIFA World Cups, and was known to be one of soccer’s best-paid players during his career.

Although retired as a player, Beckham is co-owner of Inter Miami CF, which competes in the Major Soccer League.

one might Say David Beckham has learned everything there is to learn about soccer over a long, storied career — but then again, he hasn’t had a chance to interact with some of the future soccer stars from Long Island.

Soccer StarS DaviD Beckham and Carli Lloyd took plenty of time to pose for pictures with the young soccer players and teams that traveled from across Long Island to see them at the Mitchell Athletic Complex on Saturday — but the stars also took a moment to pose with some of the adults there, too. That includes Nassau County’s labor relations director Jose Lopez, far left, and Ted Sempepos from County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s office.

Daniel Tommasino/Herald photos Soccer icon DaviD Beckham snaps a selfie with some of Long Island’s best up-and-coming young soccer players during a surprise visit to the Mitchell Athletic Complex on Saturday, as part of the Sands Youth Power Initiative.

Community stands against Hochul’s plans

Curran and Thomas both want local input

By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com

More than a hundred residents filled the auditorium inside the John A. Anderson Recreation Center in Rockville Centre on March 7, to discuss the looming possibility of a state housing mandate.

The New York Housing Compact, which was included as part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposal calls for the creation of 800,000 new apartment units across the state by 2027. This would require municipalities to adopt land–use regulations on a three-year basis to allow for the development of 50 units per acre.

“Nobody in New York, especially on Long Island is going to take it from (Hochul) and her people,” Mayor Murray said during the meeting. “It’s ridiculous.”

Should the village not meet the requirement, the state could override municipal zoning ordinances, height requirements, parking requirements, and environmental reviews with a fast-track approval process.

According to village officials, this would amount to the construction of 504 new apartment buildings every three years.

To help better gauge what can be done at the state level, village officials invited Assemblyman Brian Curran to discuss methods of stopping the proposal.

“This is not Republican versus Democrat. This is Albany versus Nassau County,” Curran said. “They don’t know what you want and frankly they don’t care.”

Curran said he feels it is a “horrible plan” and that there is no amendment or change that could make it acceptable.

“What I think they might try to do, when they see how many people are against it, they’re going to hold out

money,” Curran said.

Since the plan is included in the budget, Curran and other state lawmakers have said that they fear refusing the proposal will come at a price.

“Remember that they can’t hold this stuff over us because we want to determine what our village is, what our neighborhoods and communities look like,” he said. “We can’t allow that.”

During the special meeting, several residents also indi-

cated that they had reached out to New York state Senator Kevin Thomas for comment on the plan.

“I look forward to working with the Governor to ensure that any final plan maintains local input and control over housing development,” Thomas said in a statement. “Each community in our state is different – and we, as community members – know their needs the most. I look forward to working on this budget and legislative session’s many critical housing issues to ensure we fulfill our important responsibility to help provide a safe and affordable roof over the heads of all New Yorkers.”

Before a budget is adopted, state officials in the Senate and Assembly will each present their one-house proposal before meeting to negotiate the terms of a final spending plan.

Should it still be included, officials say it is likely that there will be legal action to contest it.

Matt Gaven, superintendent of the Rockville Centre school district said that he also met with state officials to discuss the proposal, which he felt was particularly contentious and problematic for all of Long Island, especially Rockville Centre.

“Despite the fact that our student population numbers have remained relatively stable over the last 30 years,” Gaven said during the school board meeting on March 9, “we have struggled with space at three of our elementary schools, and our Pre-K program is currently housed at the Oceanside JCC.”

Kelly Barry, school board president, echoed this sentiment. “We all know the reality of the lack of available existing space in our district, and we will continue to communicate with the village on this matter.”

To learn more about the proposal and additional resources to contact state legislators, visit RVCNY.gov.

Daniel Offner/Herald

OvER A huNDRED Rockville Centre residents attend a special meeting at the Recreation Center on March 7 to discuss Gov. Hochul’s proposed Housing Compact.

Kerri Scanlon is a leader in Long Island medicine

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

Kerri Scanlon knew from a young age that she was destined to be a nurse.

Her mother, Mildred O’Connor, had a successful career in the field. And she convinced her daughter to follow in her footsteps.

“Seeing her love of the career, and then seeing her in action in the facility she worked at,” Scanlon remembered, “she just had this incredible love for what she did.”

Scanlon was fortunate to receive a scholarship that allowed her to study at Columbia University. It was there she earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and then a master’s in advanced practice nursing.

Now the executive director of Glen Cove Hospital, Scanlon celebrates her 30th year as a nurse.

For the last 25, she’s been an integral member of Northwell Health, New York’s largest health care provider that oversees the operations of Glen Cove Hospital. Having worked closely with Northwell’s leaders for years, when Scanlon was offered the opportunity to lead the hospital in 2019, she couldn’t turn it down.

“Glen Cove, at the time, was really a hospital in transition and needed direction,” she said. “I love Glen Cove. I love the community. I love the people. I was welcomed with great arms.”

Just months into her new role, Scanlon — and health care professionals like her around the world — would face a much different problem: the coronavirus pandemic. As early as February 2020, Scanlon told her Glen Cove team to get ready. And expect the worst.

Epidemics were nothing new for Scanlon. Her career included HIV/AIDS as well as the avian flu in the 2000s. But the first wave of Covid-19 was something she’d never seen before. Glen Cove did all it could to offer the best possible care to its patients, collaborating and completing

research with larger hospitals, and opening up an acute rehabilitation facility to treat patients who’d spent months in intensive care.

“It kind of defined us as the little engine that could,” Scanlon said.

The pandemic helped Scanlon identify areas of growth for the hospital, and she says it’s now better fit than ever to advance into the future.

“Is Glen Cove thriving?” she asked. “Is Glen Cove going to be here 10 years from now? Heck yes. We just celebrated our centennial, and the health system is more than ever investing in Glen Cove. We’re budgeted this year to make money, not lose money. And that’s a huge change.”

The 247-bed community hospital offers a lot, including a state-of-the-art brain injury unit, but Scanlon wants people to know the full scope of care Glen Cove provides. It has renowned doctors in the fields of gynecology, endocri-

BREAKING DOWN BOUNDARIES WITH CANCER BREAKTHROUGHS

nology and breast care — areas of the body where typically women encounter conditions.

A geriatric-only facility is opening in Oyster Bay, she added, to offer age-friendly services to older adults.

Employee happiness is key to running a successful hospital.

“We want to continue to focus on our patients, and focus on our customers, and the only way to do that is to focus on our staff,” Scanlon said. “Because if they’re not happy, our patients aren’t going to be happy.”

A mother of two, Scanlon resides in Nissequogue. Her 26-year-old daughter also works in health care, so Scanlon is used to giving advice to young women wishing to advance in the field.

“My greatest advice always is to focus on doing the best that you can do today,” she said. “Everybody is so focused on what’s the next thing — it’s this generation. They’re constantly under so much stress. The opportunities are greater for women, but I think the level of stress is even greater.”

Women have made excellent strides in health care, Scanlon said, but there’s always work to be done.

“There’s not enough women at the table for (health care) decisions across the country,” she said. “I think its constantly focusing on that, and diversity and inclusion — ensuring that it’s all women we’re including at that table.

“Historically, as women, we didn’t pay it forward to other women. I think that’s changed dramatically — I’m so happy to see this. My biggest thing is mentoring other women.”

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

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

Northwell.edu/NoLimits

Courtesy Northwell Health

GLEN COVE HOspitAL executive director Kerri Scanlon, center, addresses a crowd of health care professionals, working in a unit converted to treat coronavirus patients.

A deAd body was found floating in the Rockville Centre section of Hempstead Lake State Park on Friday afternoon, according to local emergency services.

Dead body found in Hempstead Lake Park

A dead body was found floating in the south pond section of Hempstead Lake State Park on Friday afternoon, according to local emergency services.

Rockville Centre Fire Department called it in around 12:05 p.m. on March 10. The body was discovered about 10 to 15 feet off the shores, according to officials with the department.

Rockville Centre, Nassau County, and

Larceny

New York state police departments responded. The investigation has since been taken over by New York state Park Police.

The victim has not yet been identified and there is no indication of the cause of death at this time.

Crime watCh

■ A Citibank customer reported on March 6 that someone stole his bank debit card while being intentionally distracted by another person at its Rockville Centre location.

■ Another Citibank customer reported on March 9 that someone stole his bank debit card and withdrew money from his account at its Rockville Centre location.

Narcotics Destruction

■ Police collected 33 lbs. of pharmaceuticals from the drug take-back box on March 8, which were then transferred to Nassau County Police for destruction.

Unusual Incident

■ A resident of Greystone Road reported on March 6 that someone fraudulently made purchases with her bank debit card.

■ A resident of Banks Avenue reported

on March 6 that she received a notification on her iPhone that her vehicle was being tracked by an Apple air tag device.

■ A Morris Avenue resident reported on March 11 that some fraudulently opened a cell phone account in his name.

Disturbance

■ An employee of Car Nation Auto Buyers reported on March 7 that he had a verbal dispute with a customer.

Leaving the Scene

■ A motorist reported on March 7 that a vehicle struck her car and left the scene while driving on N. Long Beach Road.

■ A motorist reported on March 8 that a vehicle struck his car and left the scene while driving on Sunrise Highway.

■ A motorist reported on March 11 that a vehicle struck his car and left the scene while driving on Sunrise Highway.

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

–Daniel Offner

Courtesy John Scalesi

NCC follows through on insurance increase

By ANDRE SILVA asilva@liherald.com

It had to be done, and they did it. Nassau Community College’s board of trustees made a plan to increase health care premiums for its faculty and staff official — something the employees union that has spent months negotiating a new contract says could effectively reduce salaries by as much as $5,000.

The new insurance premiums begin March 23, and simply reflect a cost increase by their carrier, NCC officials said. They were allowed to pass on the increase despite a lack of a new contract based on a past agreement that allowed the board to make such increases under an expired contract.

The insurance increases, according to union president Faren Siminoff, could effectively act like a pay cut.

“These are the actions of people with no soul,” Siminoff said. “The college was asked by Nassau County if they needed more funding, and the college told them they do not need supplemental income. Instead the college decided to bleed its faculty dry.”

The educators union and trustees board has been negotiating full-time faculty contracts since last July, hoping to work out a deal before their contracts expired a month later. The union has rallied multiple times since then, but there is still no new contract on the table between NCC and its full-time faculty.

NCC attorney John Gross said the imposed health care provisions were not “pulled out of thin air.” In fact, the union knew about the existing contract provision, which was negotiated decades ago.

“The college board is a public agency, and they have a fiduciary responsibility to effectuate what’s in the contract,” Gross said. “If the (college board) said no to this (imposing health care premiums), they would be giving up thousands and thousands of dollars.”

This time around, the union is entertaining a proposal for new employees to pay about 20 percent of health care premiums, and existing staff members are willing to give roughly 2 percent of their salary toward the cost of premiums during their last negotiation sessions.

But the college has known health care premiums were rising since last December, Siminoff said, and that those costs would be passed along to employees. So why did the school wait until after the new year to notify faculty members of the change, during the open enrollment period?

“Usually in November or December, if you have an insurance policy through your job, you’re permitted to change your policy,” Siminoff said. “So, while most of us

NASSAu CommuNIty

CoLLEgE’S board of trustees announced their intention to impose health care premiums on staff members, effectively reducing salaries by $5,000 on average, according to the union representing fulltime faculties, who say it’s a negotiation tactic.

are the college’s plan, there are many faculty members who could be covered under a partner’s plan. In order for them to switch coverage plans, they have to do it during open enrollment.”

Although NCC denies the increase being nothing more than ensuring they’re good stewards of their accounts, Siminoff is convinced the health insurance increase is being used to help with the school’s negotiating position, or at the very least retaliate against and punish the union members.

“It’s really a huge pay cut,” the union president said. “Many faculty members told me, ‘If I had known they would charge us healthcare premiums in December during open enrollment, I would have changed my policy.’”

Tim Baker/Herald file

STEPPING OUT

Patti Lupone

Lay of the land

Eyes on nature

By Karen Bloom

Since the invention of the camera, photographers have been enthralled by interpreting the natural world. We (viewers), in turn, are captivated by what their cameras reveal.

A true Broadway legend returns her Long Island roots, visiting Tilles Center with her acclaimed one-woman show. ‘Don’t Monkey with Broadway’ is a celebration of her life-long love affair with Broadway, as she indelibly interprets classic theatre tunes by the likes of Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Jule Styne, Stephen Schwartz, Charles Strouse, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin. She explores her love affair with Broadway and offers up her opinion and concerns for what the Great White Way is becoming today, in this intimate concert, which includes behind-thescenes anecdotes.

Sunday, March 19, 7 p.m. $110, $75, $55. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. (516) 299-3100 or TillesCenter.org.

STEPPING OUT

As we spring forward, we’re all eager to enjoy the landscape as it emerges from its winter “hibernation.”

It’s the subject of Heckscher Museum of Art’s current exhibition, “Viewfinders: Photographers Frame Nature,” on display through April 16.

Creative advocacy

Viewfinders explores artists’s varied responses to the relationship between nature and humans. These lens-based works reveal the divergent ways in which nature continues to fuel documentation of the human experience and imagination — from images symbolizing the untamed power of nature, to those where the landscape has been abused for human consumption. The exhibit — featuring 64 works from 34 artists — traces the lure of photography through the centuries, culminating in contemporary times where every person with a smartphone has the power to “frame” nature.

Guest Curator Susan Van Scoy, associate professor of art history at St. Joseph’s University, combed through the museum’s permanent collection to explore the myriad ways artists respond to the landscape and how their responses have shaped our perception of nature.

By Karen Bloom

WHERE

WHEN

people shape the future of the environment and change our behaviors.”

Visitors will notice a “local flavor” to the exhibit, such as N. Jay Jaffee’s photo of Lloyd Harbor’s Caumsett Park Preserve.

As Van Scoy explains: “The Olmsted family landscape architectural firm created some of the most famous and unnatural ‘natural’ sites in the world, including New York City’s Central Park and Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve. Yet some visitors view these parks as nature in its untouched state. Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve has been a favorite subject of artists such as Jaffee and Neil Scholl, whose photographs capture the landscape architects’s signature picturesque landscapes in the park.

Willie Nile

• Now through April 16

• Open Thursday through Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

• Saturday and Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

“Visitors just love the Caumsett shot,” she says. “Many people don’t realize its history.”

• $5 suggested admission non-members; members and children younger than 13 free

• Heckscher Museum of Art,

• Emily Lowe Hall Gallery, South Campus, Hempstead. For information and to RSVP, call (516) 463-5672, or visit Hofstra.edu/museum

2 Prime Ave., Huntington (631) 380-3230 or Heckscher.org

Stand,” Hofstra University Museum of Art’s new exhibition, examines power of the arts in society.

Alexandra Giordano — the museum’s assistant director of exhibition and exhibit underscores artists’ civic responsibility and influence. the vital role that artists have in activating democratic values that and freedom, encouraging civic engagement, and cultivating unity,” “Artists often lead the charge and expose truths that may otherwise be artists in this exhibition take a stand and call out injustices through their art issues such as immigration, gender, reproductive rights, mass incarceration, bias, gun violence, and promises unfulfilled. They all combine the making service that has a grassroots approach in the hope of mobilizing their the nation to ignite movement, create awareness, and inspire others to which runs through July 28, is in conjunction with Hofstra’s conference on the Barack Obama presidency coming up in April. interested in the idea that the artist has a civic responsibility,” says Karen

“Landscape and photography have always been closely intertwined. In fact, the world’s first automatic photograph was a landscape and photography was first referred to as ‘sun pictures’ or ‘drawings from nature,’” Van Scoy says. “Artists have long used landscape as a vehicle to explore other issues such as poetry, spirituality, philosophy and environmentalism. The images in are no exception. They are teeming with hidden meaning.“

Legendary American photographers such as Edward Steichen, Larry Fink and Berenice Abbott are represented, as are newly acquired photographs by Kenji Nakahashi and Jeremy Dennis. Van Scoy also selected a substantial number of works by notable Long Island image makers.

Beyond traditional forms of landscape photography, Van Scoy was excited to introduce what she describes as the “contemporary takes,” which explore environmental issues such as climate change and reclaiming the land.

“Everyone enjoys seeing landscape, now it’s being used as a background for protest,” she says. “Artists have an important role to help

Picturesque scenes are just one aspect of what’s on view. From the whimsical — such as Barbara Roux’s mise-en-scènes in wooded areas with frames or mirrors placed against a leafy ground, to natural images that show the power of nature in Kenji Nakahashi’s abstract take on Hurricane Gloria — nature in all its forms is documented.

“I want people to be able to look at these works and relate to them,” she says. “I love when you can relate an image to your everyday life and also learn something new at the same time.”

The takeaway from Van Scoy: “We are reminded that humans are always small in relationship to the power of nature.”

Pat McGann is quickly rising as one of the sharpest stand-ups on the comedy scene. A relative latecomer to comedy, he began doing standup at 31 after realizing he was not very good at selling packaging. He hustled his way to become the house emcee at Zanies Chicago, where he distinguished himself as especially adept at working the crowd. A husband and father of three young children, McGann’s appeal stems from his quick wit and relatable take on family life and marriage. In 2017, McGann began touring as the opening act for Sebastian Maniscalco, moving with him from clubs to theater, to arenas, including four soldout shows at Madison Square Garden. McGann’s relatively short, but impressive resume, includes Montreal’s famed Just For Laughs Festival, Gilda’s LaughFest, The Great American Comedy Festival, and more. McGann still calls Chicago home.

Top left: N. Jay Jaffee’s Long Island Sound from Caumsett (1990) — a gift of Paula W. Hackeling — is an example of landscape photography that follows a formula used in early 17th century paintings.

Saturday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. $40, $35, $30, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

Top right: Barbara Roux’s Night Rises Up (1998) merges the subjective individual with the natural world.

Bottom: Kenji Nakahashi’s Decoration for Hurricane Gloria (1985) reflects nature’s untamed power.

The singer-songwriter comes to the Landmark on Main Street stage for an exciting evening of roots rock, with special guest James Maddock. Nestled somewhere between power-pop and American folk, you will find Willie Nile strumming his guitar. A true believer in rock ‘n’ roll, over the years Nile has made admirers out of such names as Bruce Springsteen and Pete Townshend who personally requested him to tour with The Who, among others who sing his praises. The New York Times called him ‘one of the most gifted singer-songwriters to emerge from the New York scene in years,’ among the many accolades he has received. The timeless qualities of melodic craft, lyrical insight and emotional engagement that have endeared Nile to listeners around the world throughout a three-anda-half-decade recording career continue to be prominent in his live performances.

Saturday, April 1, 8 p.m. $30, $25. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

Pat McGann

change the world? It’s a question

been at the focus of our collective centuries. Now as society the complexities of modern life, path for social change is at the of artistic expression.

Courtesy Heckscher Museum of Art

THE SCENE

March 26

Best of Broadway

Adelphi performing arts students perform their semi-annual Broadway revuew, on Adelphi University Performing Arts Center stage, Sunday, March 26, 4 p.m. Under the direction of KT Thomas and Steven Altinel, this contemporary-themed show will highlight hits from pop/ rock shows, including”Rent,” “We Will Rock You,” “School of Rock,” to songs from contemporary classics like “Wicked,” “Mamma Mia,” “The Prom” and “Next to Normal.” Students perform large group numbers as well as individual solos. Tickets start at $30, with discounts available to seniors, students, Adelphi alumni and employees. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 8774000 or Adelphi.edu/pac.

The Brubeck Brothers

Sisterhood Game Night

Breastfeeding Support Group

Mercy Hospital offers a peer to peer meeting for breastfeeding support and resources, facilitated by a certified breastfeeding counselor, every Thursday, 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Bring your baby (from newborn to 1 year) to the informal group setting. All new moms are welcome, regardless of delivering hospital. Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 705-2434 to secure you and your baby’s spot. Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.

Pre-parade Dinner

Before the St. Patrick’s Day parade, honor Grand Marshal Tommy McNicholas, Thursday, March 23, at the Bridgeview Yacht Club, 80 Waterfront Blvd. in Island Park, at 7 p.m., in For more information visit RVCStPatrick.com.

Speed Dating

April 13

Jazz giant Dave Brubeck’s sons celebrate their dad’s life and career, with “The Brubeck Brothers Quartet Celebrates Dave Brubeck’s Centennial,” on the Tilles Center stage, Thursday, April 13, 7:30 p.m. Chris and Dan Brubeck bring their multimedia show to the LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. To honor Brubeck’s legacy, the Brubecks, who performed and recorded with their father since the 1970s, curate this memorable concert with their own Brubeck Brothers Quartet. Through their stories, with music performed by the quartet, the show invites audiences to travel along the timeline of Brubeck’s extraordinary life and career. Tickets are $52; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Play mah jongg and canasta with the Sisterhood of Congregation B’nai SholomBeth David at their weekly game night, Tuesday, March 21, 7:309:30 p.m., in the synagogue lobby, 100 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre.

Singles ages 25 to 39 are invited to a speed dating event, Thursday, March 16, 7:30.p.m., at Cabo RVC, $40, includesone drink and appetizers. 3A N. Park Ave., Rockville Centre. Info at 7InHeaven.com.

Chef Patrick was influenced as a young man by his Grandmother 's kitchen, and that's where he saw that cooking can feed peoples souls.

Patrick attended and excelled at the culinary schools he attended. His first stop was at Sullivan College. His journey started at the Garden City Hotel, in the La Cote d' dining room with master Chef Patrick Pino, who shaped his philosophy of cooking. Patrick then headed to New York City to expand his culinary repertoire at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. That's where he met Three Star Michelin Chef Gunther Serger Chef Serger instilled in him the elegance of simplicity, artistry of balance and the appreciation of the ingredients. Patrick moved south to Atlanta and worked with renowned chef and author Marcella Hazan who instilled the purity and quality of the products that they used. A short stint with Chef Emeril Lagasse exposed Patrick to southern flares and flavors as well.

Patrick felt he had found his culinary voice and headed home to Long Island. That's when he found local farms and fishermen that worked with sustainable practices. Over the years Patrick has instilled balance in the blends of ingredients in his cuisine, still striving for the fulfillment of his culinary soul. Craft Kitchen & Taphouse are so excited to have Chef Patrick heading to the Lynbrook team. His weekly specials are a "must try" and he will be changing the seasonal menu this May, making it a great Spring or Summer destination whether you dine inside or out at Craft.

On stage

Mo Willems’ popular The Pigeon comes alive on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday March 17, 10:15 a.m. and noon; Sunday, March 19, noon. Pigeon is eager to try anything, with the audience part of the action. $9 with museum admission ($7 members), $12 theater only. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 2245800 or LICM.org.

RVC Homemakers

Learn crafts, cooking, canasta and so much more while doing community service for local hospitals, veterans, women, and children, with RVC Homemakers. These exxceptional women meet every Tuesday, at 10 a.m., at the Recreation Center, 111 North Long Beach Road in Rockville Centre. For more information call Karen Alterson at (516) 318-6771.

March 30

The Manhattan Transfer

The 10-time Grammy winning vocal group celebrates their 50th anniversary, performing at The Space, Thursday, March 30, 8 p.m. The group looks back on a career that has spanned genres from pop to jazz to rock and roll and more, in this special evening that highlights their long and dazzling career with their signature pitchperfect vocals and impeccable style. Tickets are $65-$175; available at Ticketmaster.com or TheSpaceAtWestbury.com. The Space, 250 Post Ave. Westbury.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade Mass

Mass will be held at St. Agnes Cathedral leading up to the big event. The 25th annual Rockville Centre St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Saturday, March 25 at noon. Rain or shine.

Having an event?

Welcome Spring Forest bathing Walk

Relax and unwind with this relaxing walk through Tanglewood Perserve to embrace the early signs of spring, Saturday, March 18. Cost is $20, includes a mindful walk experience and tea ceremony. 1 Tanglewood Road, Rockville Centre. For more information or to register contact Kelsey Grace via email at Its.KelseyGrace@gmail.com.

Grand Marshal’s Dinner

St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshal Tommy McNicholas is honored, Thursday, March 23, at 7 p.m. Bridgeview Yacht Club, 80 Waterfront Blvd., Island Park Visit RVCStPatrick.com for info

Backyard Breakfast

Join the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee and the Backyard Players and Friends for a pancake breakfast, Sunday, March 19, 8 a.m. $15 for adults and $5 for children. 215 N. Long Beach Road.

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.

‘Forever Plaid’

Plaza Theatrical is ready to spring forward with “Forever Plaid,” an affectionate musical homage to the close harmony guy groups that reached the height of their popularity during the ‘50s, Saturday, March 18, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, March 19, 2:30 p.m.; Thursday, March 23, 2 p.m. The show features such hits as “Three Coins in a Fountain,” “Heart and Soul,” “Catch a Falling Star,” and “Love is A Many Splendored Thing.” It’s performed at Plaza’s stage at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $49, $45 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Family theater

Everyone’s favorite cat comes to mischievous life in this theatrical adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic, presented Plaza Theatrical Productions, Sunday, March 19, noon. See what goes on during that rainy day when two siblings are home alone with their pet fish while their parents are out of town, and the tall cat wearing a hat appears. Tickets are $15. Visit the Plaza stage at The Showplace at Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Avenue, Bellmore. For information/tickets, go to PlazaTheatrical.com or call (516) 599-6870.

PRESENTS

FIGHTING AGAINST FRAUD:

Learn the 411 on Recognizing a Scam

Help protect yourself from fraud and scams! This FREE webinar series will cover identity theft, elder fraud abuse and how to recognize the warning signs. Representatives from AARP Long Island and United States Postal Inspectors will also provide information about scams targeting people age 50-plus and their families, tactics fraudsters use, and resources available to help prevent fraud.

Advance registration is required.

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023

12-1PM

IDENTITY THEFT:

Each year thousands of Americans fall victim to Identity (ID) Theft. Consumers reported losing nearly $8.8 Billion to scams in 2022. This webinar will focus on:

• Understanding Personal Identifiable Information (PII)

• Scams that target your PII

• Tips to safeguard your identity

REGISTER at www.LIHERALD.com/identity

THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

12-1PM

ELDER FRAUD ABUSE:

Con artists don’t really care about your age or your needs. Their only goal is to separate you from your hard-earned money. Learn how to recognize scams. We’ll cover:

• Grandparent or Relative in Need scams

• Lottery and Sweepstakes Scams

• Investment Scams

REGISTER at www.LIHERALD.com/elder

FREE AARP LONG ISLAND IN-PERSON SHREDDING EVENTS

Shred your personal and financial documents at a location near you. Register and reserve your spot for a FREE drive-through contactless shredding event. (Limit 3 bags per car)

SATURDAY APRIL 22, 2023

10AM-1PM • IN-PERSON

LOCATION:

Nassau Community College

One Education Drive • Garden City, NY (Entrance to parking lot at Miller Place)

REGISTER at https://bit.ly/ShredGardenCity

SATURDAY MAY 6, 2023 9AM-12PM • IN-PERSON

LOCATION: Michael J Tully Park 1801 Evergreen Avenue • New Hyde Park, NY

REGISTER at https://bit.ly/ShredNewHydePark

SATURDAY MAY 20, 2023

• IN-PERSON

LOCATION: Farmingdale Library 116 Merritts Road • Farmingdale, NY

REGISTER at https://bit.ly/ShredFarmingdale

Michael Hinman Executive Editor Herald Community Newspapers SPEAKERS

Michael V. Del Giudice Postal Inspector Team Leader New York Division

Bernard Macias Associate State DirectorLong Island AARP New York

Donna Harris Public Information Representative United States Postal Inspection Service Headquarters

Strokes, aneurysms, and headaches — oh my!

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

Headaches are the worst. They come at the worst time, but can be treatable with a pop of Tylenol or Advil. But have you ever asked yourself if it could be something more?

If it is, knowing when to seek medical attention is what those who tuned in to the recent Herald Inside LI webinar were looking for as Dr. Kimon Bekelis shared his expertise on the critical differences between a brain aneurysm and a stroke — and how to treat or prevent either one.

A brain aneurysm is a weak spot in the blood vessel in the brain that can burst. An estimated 30,000 people in the United States suffer a brain aneurysm rupture each year, according to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation.

“Because it’s a fairly rare disease,” Bekelis said, “I think it hasn’t been as mainstream.”

Symptoms of a brain aneurysm can be confused with a headache. If it’s allowed to rupture, it could mean everything from brain damage, to coma, or even death.

Bekelis is a certified neurosurgeon with training in invasive endovascular neurosurgery. He is also the chairman of neuro-interventional services for Catholic Health Services of Long Island, and co-director of the Neuro Intensive Care Unit at Good Samaritan Hospital.

He’s also the director of the Stroke & Brain Aneurysm Center of Long Island, located in Babylon. With all that experience, if Bekelis comes across someone with a stiff neck, blurred or double vision and confusion, he knows he needs to take action right away. The feeling of an aneurysm is like someone hitting you with a hammer.

“It is a very severe event when they rupture,” Bekelis

said. “But people do survive.”

Preventing an aneurysm varies from not smoking or using tobacco products, having a healthy diet, and checking your blood pressure and exercising regularly.

But if worrying about aneurysms aren’t enough, Bekelis also warns about strokes. They are caused when blood supply is blocked in part of the brain, or when a blood vessel bursts.

More than 795,000 people in the United States suffer a stroke each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Detecting and identifying a stroke fast is the most

important factor in guaranteeing that somebody is not going to have a deficit,” Bekelis said

The American Heart Association created an acronym it believes will help determine if someone is having a stroke. “FAST” is short for face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty, and time to call 911.

The “deficit” of a stroke can vary from impaired speech, limited physical abilities, weakness or limb paralysis. But just like aneurysms, there are ways to prevent strokes, Bekelis said.

Monitor blood pressure and cholesterol. Cut cigarettes. Monitor weight. And, of course, exercise. And there could also be a “magic” pill that might help, too.

“When it comes to aspirin, it used to be a general recommendation that if you’re over the age of 55, they would put you on a baby aspirin,” Bekelis said. “Nowadays, it’s been modified a little because aspirin has been founded to slightly increase the risk of bleeding if you don’t have any risk factors.”

Thinner blood might be good for strokes, but could be bad for other conditions. So, adding a baby aspirin regimen is something Bekelis says should be monitored by a doctor.

It’s challenging to know what the brain is trying to tell us in a headache. But when you know something doesn’t seem right, Bekelis says it will be hard to miss.

“When it comes to a stroke, the symptoms — you can’t miss them,” the neurologist said. “When it comes to a headache, things are a little bit more murky, and headache is a symptom of aneurysm rupture possibility.

“An aneurysm headache is like the worst headache of your life. If it’s one of those, seek immediate medical attention.”

Courtesy Stroke & Brain Aneurysm Center of Long Island DR. KiMON BEKELiS from the Stroke & Brain Aneurysm Center of Long Island in Babylon, recently discussed the differences between a stroke and brain aneurysm.

Signature Bank closed by New York state regulators

Signature Bank, which has 40 branches across the country including one in Woodmere and one in Rockville Centre, was closed by state regulators as part of the same federal action that closed Silicon Valley Bank in California.

Officials said that depositors of both banks had full access to their money on March 13. Taxpayers will not shoulder the burden for these financials losses, officials added. Signature, founded in 2001, is the third largest failure in U.S. banking history.

“Shareholders and certain unsecured debtholders will not be protected,” federal officials stated in a March 12 news release. “Senior management has also been removed. Any losses to the Deposit Insurance Fund to support uninsured depositors will be recovered by a special assessment on banks as required by law.”

The Federal Reserve Board said it will make additional money available to what the board called “eligible depository institutions” to help ensure that those banks can meet their depositors needs.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said that

she and Adrienne Harris, superintendent of the state’s Department of Financial Services, have been partnering with federal officials to help stabilize the banking sector and protect the money of New Yorkers.

“… I hope that these actions will provide increased confidence in the stability of our banking system,” Hochul said in a statement, adding that she appreciated the actions taken by federal regulators. “Many depositors at these banks are small businesses, including those driving the innovation economy, and their success is key to New York’s robust economy.”

–Jeffrey Bessen

Daniel Offner/Herald

New York state regulators closed Signature Bank, above the Rockville Centre location, as part of the same federal action that shut down Silicon Valley Bank in California.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU DEUTSCHE BANK

NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR LONG BEACH MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST

2006-5, Plaintiff, AGAINST JOYCE A. KRAUSE, et al.

Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale duly entered on June 17, 2014.

I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 28, 2023 at 2:30

PM premises known as 98 Woods Ave, Rockville Centre, NY 11570.

Please take notice that this foreclosure auction shall be conducted in compliance with the Foreclosure Auction Rules for Nassau County and the COVID 19 Health Emergency Rules, including proper use of masks and social distancing.

All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Rockville Center, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 38, Block 396 and Lot 135.

Approximate amount of judgment $443,835.39 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment. Index #004121/2013.

Gorge Esernio, Esq., Referee, Aldridge Pite, LLPAttorneys for Plaintiff - 40 Marcus Drive, Suite 200, Melville, NY 11747

137447

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. RUSSELL S. HARRIS, JR., et al, Defts. Index #609180/2022. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered Jan. 12, 2023, I will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on April 3, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.

Brian Lawless

prem. k/a Section 38, Block 113, Lots 937-938. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the sale. SCOTT SILLER, Referee. LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Dr., Great Neck, NY.

#100127

137683

LEGAL NOTICE

At IAS Part 13 of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, held in and for the County of Nassau, at 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, NY on the 22nd day of February, 2023 SUPREME COURT STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU

P R E S E N T: Hon. Diccia

Pineda-Kirwan

-------------------------------X

Index No: 601629-2023

June Oke Pahk

Petitioner

-againstORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

Why Mortgage

Should Not Be Discharged

Ann M. O’Connell , Respondents Under Real Property Actions and Proceedings

Law

1931 to Discharge a Mortgage from the Record.

-------------------------------X

On reading and filing the petition of June Oke Pahk, verified January 12, 2023 , and the search of the County of Nassau showing all Mortgages and assignments of record and it appearing therefrom that there currently exists a Mortgage made by June Oke Pahk to Ann M. O’Connell which was dated August 19, 1991 and recorded on November 9, 1991 in Liber 14380, Page 447 in the sum of THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($35,000.00) and which provided for interest to accrue on said principal at a rate of Eight Percent per annum (8%) for a period of 5 years, and which last payment became due and payable on August 18, 1996 which Mortgage secured property commonly known as 147 South Forest Avenue, Rockville Centre, in the County of Nassau, State of New

York which property is more particularly described as Nassau County Tax Map designation Section 38, Block 352 and lots 49, 50, 51, 52, 53 and 107 and it appearing to my satisfaction that the mortgage has been paid and that no claim has been made seeking payment thereof and that Ann M. O’Connell had delivered a signed and notarized document dated August 19, 1994, which unfortunately not in recordable form, stating that she has received “full payment and satisfaction” of the Mortgage described.

Now, upon motion of Patrick Di Luccio, Esq., attorney for the petitioner, ORDERED that all persons interested in the said mortgage be and they are hereby ORDERED to show cause at a term of this court appointed to be held at the Supreme Courthouse, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola in the County of Nassau via Microsoft teams on the 11th day of May, 2023, at 10:00 o’clock A.M., or as soon thereafter as counsel can be heard, why said mortgage should not be discharged of record pursuant to RPAPL section 1931 and it is further.

ORDERED that this order shall be published ONCE a week for THREE successive weeks in Rockville Centre Herald, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY (516) 569-9000 a newspaper published in the County of Nassau and by personal service on the County Clerk shall be deemed sufficient no later than (completed by) the 24th day of APRIL, 2023.

Enter.

Hon. Diccia PinedaKirwan

J.S.C. 137863

LEGAL NOTICE

Public Notice to Bidders Sealed Bids will be received by the Purchasing Department of the Village of Rockville Centre One College Place, Room 204, Rockville Centre, NY 11570 for the matter stated below until 11:00 am prevailing time on MARCH 30, 2023 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. The contract will be awarded as soon

thereafter as practicable for:

2023 ROAD PROGRAM Bid No. 2304CP1(1066)

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 23, 2023. 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 137961

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 15, 2023, at 4:30 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

Katie Conlon, Trustee

Emilio Grillo, Trustee

Michael Sepe, Trustee

Thomas Domanico, Assessor

Dated: March 10, 2023

137960

Legal Notices are everyone’s business READ THEM

Brian Lawless, 66, of Rockville Centre died on March 3, 2023.

He was born in Brooklyn on July 13, 1956 to Joseph and Marie Lawless, and was the third of ten children.

He had blonde hair and blue eyes, much like his father, and was empathetic and playful, like his mother. He was also someone who was always self-motivated, driven to succeed, fierce, loyal, and commanded attention.

The family moved to Rockville Centre where he graduated from St. Agnes Cathedral High School in 1974. During his school years, he was affectionately given the nickname “Box” by his many friends.

“Now, nobody has owned up to it, but at some point, somebody observed that the shape of head was somewhat square and started to call him ‘Box’ and the legend was born,” Megan Lawless, his daughter, said. “From as far back as high school, everyone was drawn to Brian. He had a light and warmth that you just had to follow and bask in.”

After high school, he began working as a bartender at several local establishments in the area including McQuade’s, Casablanca, and J Paul’s. His love of storytelling, friendly nature, and quick wit made him a well-known attraction in the community.

He met his wife, Pam, in the ‘80s while they were both working at J Paul’s. After getting married, they moved to Baldwin and had two children.

Lawless had a long and successful career on Wall Street as a government bond broker, working first at RMJ and eventually moving to other companies including Garban. It was there that he found his calling. He would outperform

and outlast others who were younger and more educated just by being himself. He was working at the World Trade Center during the 9/11 terror attacks, but was able to make it out safely.

“I vividly remember my father pulling up in his black Ford truck, wearing his bright yellow polo that was turned black form the smoke and debris,” Megan said. “It wasn’t until later that night that one of his friends rushed through my front door to fully embrace my dad in tears.”

In the days following the tragic events, he volunteered his time to provide medical supplies and aid to help victims and first responders directly affected by the attacks.

Lawless was an avid fisherman, a beach lover, and a sports fanatic. Later in life, he moved down to Palm Beach, Florida, where he resided for the past 12 years.

He is survived by his two children, Megan (Matt Cullen) and Matthew, and the mother of his children, Pam.

He was a brother to nine siblings and an uncle to 32 nieces and nephews, and three godchildren who will always remember his quick wit, his love of the sand and surf, and his enthusiasm for life.

He was loved by everyone that he met and touched the hearts of anyone lucky enough to call him a friend.

Visitation was held on Thursday, March 9 at Macken Mortuary, 52 Clinton Ave. in Rockville Centre, followed by a Funeral Mass on Friday, March 10, at St. Agnes Cathedral, 29 Quealy Pl. in Rockville Centre, and private cremation.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Lawless’ name to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

News BRIef

‘Pickleball Pros’ fundraise for the homeless

Long Island Pickleball Pros hosted their third annual pickleball tournament to fundraise for homeless woman and children living at Bethany House on March 5.

More than 30 Baldwin, Rockville Centre, and neighboring south shore community members raised more than $1500 for Bethany House — a Baldwin-based organization focused on supporting homeless woman and their children — with the Long Island Pickleball Pros — a pickleball clinic founded by Frank Milillo of Rockville Centre — at the Rockville Centre Recreation Center at 111 N. Oceanside Road.

The event started at 10 a.m. and began with opening remarks from Bethany House Board chairwoman Maryanne-

Pedersen, along with Rockville Centre Mayor Fran Murray, and Village Trustee Emilio Grillo.

Milillo said he promoted Long Island Pickleball Pros’ fundraising tournament to his clients and friends on social media. He said pickleball players registered for the casual round-robin styled tournament on their website — LongIslandPickleballPros.com.

“Its really for beginners and casual players, and anyone else trying to get involved in pickleball or fundraising,” said Milillo. “It’s a good opportunity for my people to play in a fun tournament, and raise money for a good cause.”

–Andre

Silva

Brian Lawless

EMPLOYMENT

Help Wanted

ACCOUNTING/BOOKKEEPING, AR/AP

Do you have accounting, bookkeeping, or AR/AP experience? Are you tired of being retired, or need a few days a week to keep your mind occupied? If so, please send us a quick email and we will call you to discuss more details. We are a Customs Broker looking for someone who can support our everyday accounting needs and who doesn’t necessarily need or want to work every day. We look forward to talking with you!!! Email: Jobs@agraservices.com

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FT: RVC. Administrative Work, Answering Phones, Computer Skills – Microsoft, Excel, Outlook, Financial background helpful. No Health Beneifts. 516-763-9700 frances.difede@lpl.com

AUTO TECHNICIAN FT

Experienced And Reliable. NYSI A Plus. Busy Merrick Shop. Call 516-781-5641

AUTO TECHNICIAN WANTED

Gregoris Subaru, Valley Stream Experience Needed, Own Tools NYSI License Necessary

H 516-872-9755 Ext.1 Email Steveh@gregorismotors.com

DRIVERS WANTED

Positions Available! Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239

DRIVING INSTRUCTORS WANTED

Will Certify And Train HS Diploma NYS License Clean 3 Years Call 516-731-3000

Help Wanted INVESTIGATOR

Skip Tracer, Asset Locator. 3Yrs. Experience. Bi-lingual A Plus. Work From Home. mgal2@verizon.net 516-868-9888

Marketing Analyst (Melville, NY):Partner with clients & internal teams to understand business & marketing goals, leveraging analytics to advance these goals; use testing & custom analyses to measure impact of digital media campaign; analyzes complex data sets & extracts key insights using various economic, financial, customer & marketing methodologies; collaborates with the Marketing Analytics team to communicate recommended approaches to senior leaders, & anticipate the future needs of our customers; performs cost-benefit & needs analysis of existing &/or potential customers to meet their needs. Req’s Master’s (or foreign equi. deg.) in Marketing, Business, or related with knowledge of directing & controlling the implementation of airport service standards, policies & procedures; functional activities such as cargo operations, catering & security services, as well as development of marketing force & operational team. Apply HR, Choice Aviation Services, Inc. 786 Walt Whitman Road, Melville, NY-11747.

MOTOR VEHICLE CLERK FT

Valley Stream Subaru Seeking Conscientious, Organized, Computer Literate. Reliable Individual. Will Train If Needed. Family Run Business With Small, Friendly Office Staff. Salary, 401K, Benefits. Ask For Richard Or Therese 516-825-8700

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. We offer salary, commission, bonuses, health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Will consider part time. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286

OFFICE WORK P/T LAWN SPRINK;ER COMPANY. Monday-Friday 10am-2pm.

Small 1 Person Office, Customer Relations, Scheduling Appointments, Light Computer. Lynbrook. 516-561-1981. mkd2@optonline.net

EDITOR/REPORTER

The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com

Help Wanted OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Salary, Commission, Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Will Consider Part Time.

Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

PRESS-ROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME Pressroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for a motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

PROPERTY and OPERATIONS MANAGER WANTED Freeport. Experienced Professional in Property Management, Operations and Maintenance. 4pm-7pm. Saturdays. 646-481-3076 EMAIL eagertoserve@verizon.net https://eagertoserve.site/ RECEPTIONIST/ P/T: SEASONAL, Warm, Friendly, Excellent People Skills, Office Work/ Customer Service, Beach Club. 516-239-2150

SHORT ORDER COOK DELI EXPERIENCE PT 25-40 HOURS A WEEK FLEXIBLE & MORNING HOURS AVAILABLE AT THE GOLF CLUB AT MIDDLE BAY 516-766-1880

TEACHERS B-2 Certified- Preferably Or With B.A. In Early Childhood In A Study Plan. Salaries

Woodmere Park

Stunning Hi-Ranch

Enjoy the finer things with this luxurious 6 bedroom, 4 full bathroom home. Create culinary masterpieces or just relax in style. This home features an eat-in kitchen complete with top-of-the-line appliances and a magnificent backyard oasis where you can soak up the sun or enjoy relaxing in the in-ground pool! Plus, there is a separate master suite upper level and a lower level equipped with its very own sauna. Call today 516.791.1313 to schedule a viewing!

Bad advice from another ‘expert’

Q. We just received a permit for our construction. The contractor asked why we also got a permit for a finished basement, which was there when we bought the house. He told us it’s just a Building Department “money grab,” and could have been avoided. We’re wondering why we had to spend money, and, since the basement was already finished, why we ended up with a second permit we didn’t need. The contractor said people call it “finished storage” all the time, and we’re wasting money to put in an expensive escape well, which we could have avoided, right?

A. It all sounds good, even though it’s not true, but if it sounds too good … You got bad advice from yet another ”expert” who knows just enough to sound confident. Telling you how much should be done should only be from their perspective as a contractor. Advising you to skirt the law (and get the architect to go along with it) is fine for them, since they have no responsibility if something bad happens.

2 Car Att Gar. MUST SEE!! SD#20 DRASTIC REDUCTION! MOTIVATED SELLER! $1,399,000 ALSO FOR RENT $6,500 per month

1267 Peninsula Blvd, BA, NEW TO MARKET! 5 BR, 2 Bth Exp Cape in SD#14 (Hewlett-Woodmere) Living Room, DR & Updtd Gran/Wood EIK & Bths. Det

1.5 Gar & Driveway for 4/5 Cars. HW Floors. Gas Heat. Near LIRR, Shops, Trans & Schools. A Steal! $599,000

257 Willard Dr, BA, Spacious 5 BR, 3 Bth Exp Ranch With Open Layout. Main Floor Mstr Ste Plus Potential Mstr Ste on 2nd Flr.LR/Fpl, FDR,

EIK & Sundrenched Family Rm w/ Doors to Deck. Fin Bsmt. Att Gar.

Loads of Updates!! SD#20 (Lynbrook) No Flood Insurance Req. MUST SEE

THIS! REDUCED!! $1,025,000

1193 E. Broadway # M23, BA, NEW TO MARKET! Move Right Into This

Stunning Gut Renovated 2 BR, 2 Bth Coop in Garden Town. Gourmet Kit W/ Thermdore St Steel Appl Opens Into DR & LR. Primary BR w/Bth Plus Spac 2nd BR. W/D in Unit. New Self Controlled CAC. Oak Flrs, LED Lights. Near LIRR. Parking Avail. SD#14. You Don’t Want to Miss This $379,000

1534 Broadway #103, BA, Magnificent New Renovation! One of a Kind Ranch Style Living in Luxurious Jonathan Hall Condominium with Doorman & Elevator. Just Move into This Gut Rvated, Spacious 2 BR, 2 Bath Apt with Open Layout. Large Designer Eat in Kitchen with Sep Pantry & Laundry Rm. Master BR Boasts Gorgeous Bth & Walk in Closet. Terrace Faces into Courtyard. Garage Parking Incl REDUCED & MOTIVATED!!..$699,000

1534 Broadway #205, BA Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedroom

(Originally 3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/Dryer in Unit.

Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style

Living BIG REDUCTION!! MOTIVATED SELLER! $699,000 CE da RHURST

332B Peninsula Blvd, BA, Move Right Into This Updated 3 Br, 2.5 Bth Coop Townhouse. LR, DR, Gran/Wood Kit w/ Stainless Steel Appl. Trex Deck Off LR. Primary Ste Features Updtd Bth & WIC. Att Gar Plus 1 Pkg Spot incl in Maintenance. W/D. Pull Down Attic.SD#15.

Open Houses

HEWLETT BA, 257 WILLARD Dr RE-

DUCED!! Spacious 5 BR, 3 Bth Exp Ranch With Open Layout.Main Floor Mstr Ste Plus Potential Mstr Ste on 2nd Flr.LR/Fpl, FDR, EIK & Sundrenched Family Rm w/ Doors to Deck. Fin Bsmt. Att Gar. Loads of Updates!! SD#20(Lynbrook)No Flood Insurance Req. MUST SEE THIS!..$1,025,000

Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman

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CEDARHURST

A finished basement without an escape well is considered a potentially dangerous and illegal use. Just like smoke detectors, an escape well is retroactive, required even after a permit has been issued if the use of the basement is “habitable,” such as a recreation room, exercise room, music room, hobby room or any other type of space you can occupy other than a utility room, laundry room or closet. These are rooms where people don’t generally spend a lot of time, unless of course they really like to do laundry, listen to their boiler hum or hide in small dark spaces, but that should be discussed with a different kind of professional.

Think about it. You spend hundreds of dollars a month on home insurance you’ll never see again, in most cases. Add to that the fact that in a disaster, which we collectively experienced during two hurricanes, insurance companies, which charged increasing fees for building values, turned around and then devalued the same buildings when it came time to pay out. Insurance companies don’t just write you a big fat check — maybe a “lowball”-value check, but not the full amount — and will spend money to investigate whether your home, and the way you used it, were legal.

Illegal use is just one of many ways to challenge the payout you thought you’d receive. I wonder if that came up in your conversation about avoiding the escape well. That escape well isn’t just a child’s only way out when the interior stairway is blocked by fire; it’s also the only way into the death trap for a rescuer. Taking the advice you quoted in your question is like going into a hospital and getting your diagnosis at the information desk. If you would take that advice, then this wasn’t the kind of hospital you needed to go to. Be wise and at least ask the professional. Good luck!

© 2022 Monte Leeper

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

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Monte Leeper

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A depressing tale of two fibbers

No one has given me a riddle to consider for a long time. But I can think of one. What’s the difference between U.S. Rep. George Santos and Fox News? The answer is that there is none. Neither can handle the truth.

Santos is two and a half months into his term in Congress, and even though some of his colleagues have condemned him, there seems to be no possibility that he will be removed from public office in the near future, so the lies will continue until the prosecutors call. With Republicans controlling the house by a very slim margin, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is badly in need of every vote. Even if Santos were a real-life Jack the Ripper, no effort would be made to oust him.

Fox’s case is much more serious. It’s one thing for a candidate to lie his way into office. It’s another thing for a network to knowingly distort the news to

millions of Americans and have no one who can discipline it.

The whole world knows what happened on Nov. 6, 2020, and on Jan. 6, 2021. There was a national election, and when the final tallies were in, Joe Biden won the presidency by roughly 7 million votes. The election deniers, led by Fox, ranted and roared, but Congress certified the election. It was done, over. But faced with a potential catastrophic loss of viewers, and profits, the network knowingly and willfully lied about the results, continuing to spread the nonsense that the election had been “fraudulently” conducted.

As if the election denialism wasn’t enough, Fox’s Tucker Carlson, armed with 40,000 hours of security video, now claims that the Jan. 6 insurrection was really a peaceful protest. There are people like former President Donald Trump who want you to believe that, but the footage that Carlson will never show tells the horrible story of the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The next phase of Fox’s big lie was its promotion of the falsehood that Dominion voting machines were manip-

ulated to change votes from Trump to Biden. Fox gave airtime to numerous people who claimed that the voting machines were controlled by the government of Venezuela and other countries, which compounded the notion that the election had been stolen.

Dominion now has a major defamation suit against Fox. The litigation has resulted in the release of hundreds of pages of sworn testimony of Fox chairman Rupert Murdoch, wherein Murdoch states that he knew Fox was falsely claiming that the election had been stolen. Also among the evidence are emails and texts exchanged between Carlson and other Fox voices, admitting they had few doubts about the election results.

It’s one thing for a member of Congress, one of 435, to lie all the way from the campaign to the Capitol. It is a much bigger thing for a federally licensed television network to knowingly spread falsehoods about an election and a subsequent riot to millions of gullible people who are willing to believe those distortions.

It will be extremely difficult, under defamation law, for Dominion to prevail and for Fox to be punished for its deliberate conduct in its zest for profit and viewers. So, when you compare one man’s falsehoods with a television network’s commentators knowingly distorting the truth about issues of worldwide concern, there’s a big difference. Santos will eventually meet his fate, but what will happen to Fox?

Eventually, Murdoch will be forced to write a check for millions of dollars to compensate Dominion for its claimed damages. That will be considered little more than the cost of doing business, and in time the story will fade away.

But, sadly, there is no mechanism to adequately punish a network for its willful neglect of the truth. In the end, the only group that will have any say over Fox’s future is its viewers. If they fail to punish the network, it is a message to all the George Santoses of the world that blatant lying is permissible conduct.

Jerry Kremer was an Assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? jkremer@liherald.com.

The sun shivers and shudders northward

“You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”

–Pablo Neruda

Don’t believe me. Don’t believe the National Weather Service. But come hell or high water (and both are coming!), you better believe the Farmers’ Almanac. Those dudes, with their secret algorithms and witching sticks, are forecasting a challenging spring, followed by a beastly hot summer.

vived, and only sunny days will lie ahead. At least, that’s what the poets say.

Have you seen any of the early signs of spring?

According to the Almanac, worms begin to emerge from the ground this month. Indeed, the March moon is called the full worm moon.

Birds are migrating northward, along the path of the sun. Apparently, the increasing sunlight inspires birdsong.

by Covid isolations. Too many older residents in our communities have been shut in all winter, hindered by the cold and the fear of falling on the ice. People have been afraid to drive. For several weeks, amid successive storms, cabin fever went viral.

RANDI KREISS

Spring will officially arrive next Monday at 5:24 p.m. EDT, when the sun crosses the equator, sailing north. However, the Farmers’ Almanac says cold temperatures, freezing rain and even snow may dot the northern landscape well into April. You were expecting daffodils and lilacs? You know very well that nothing rolls the way it used to, including the weather.

Eventually the lilacs will bloom and our hearts, slowed and steadied by hours and days in sedentary hibernation, will dance to a livelier beat. We will have sur-

Of course, trees, shrubs and flowers are reactive to temperature and sunlight. According to the F.A., since ancient times, people have used flora as indicators of when the time is right to plant. For example, when the crocus blooms, it’s the cue to plant radishes, parsnips and spinach.

The agonizing turn from hard winter to early spring feels hopeful. You don’t have to live on a farm to study the Farmers’ Almanac and appreciate the old-time folk tales and wisdom. Did you know, for example, that you could balance an egg on its end during the vernal equinox? It’s true. You can balance it on other days as well, but it makes a good story.

Many of us have been suffering serious winter fatigue or worse, exacerbated

MI offer an it-can-alwaysbe-worse story. We have kids and grandkids out West in a small High Sierra mountain town you may be reading about. The teenage grandkids have had two days of school in the last two-plus weeks. High walls of snow line the few roads that have been plowed. The interstate that connects them to the rest of the world has been closed on and off for weeks. In the last 10 days, 12 feet of snow fell. That isn’t a typo. And last weekend they were expecting another three feet.

The kids have been entertaining themselves by jumping off the roofs into the snow. They dug a path out of the house for the dog, who would rather stay inside by the fire, thank you. My grandson’s high school closed for a time because the roof was caving in. People who live there to ski can’t ski. No hiking. No biking. No skateboarding. Epic cabin fever abounds.

Even here on Long Island, you can admire the pristine mornings for just so long. Cravings for carbs have driven our meal choices. Our skin is pasty, our muscles like Jell-O. I have faith that any day now, the mercury will start rising and the sun will dry out the soggy flowerbeds where spring flowers are trying to set roots. The season may not have turned yet, but we have reason to hope, and I will predict a balmy end to April.

The Almanac agrees. They say it will be a slow and stormy warmup, but it will come. What will also come is another blast of wicked weather this summer.

According to the F.A., “Another threat of severe weather, this one more widespread, is forecast around the time of the June solstice, as a surge of very warm, humid, and unstable air triggers showers, violent thunderstorms and possibly even a twister or two” in the central and eastern parts of the country.

Let’s ground ourselves in this moment. The rule is: When the sun takes its place over the equator, it is spring in the northern hemisphere. Winter is all memory; summer is just over the horizon. It is inevitable, and it is elemental. As Neruda says, “You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”

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

y teenage grandkids have had two days of school in the last twoplus weeks.

It’s one thing to lie your way into office.

But a network that knowingly distorts news?

JERRY KREMER

HERALD

Trouble waking up? You know who to blame.

Where did our collective societal grudge against mornings come from?

Our fictional universe presents mornings as bright sunlight pouring through our curtains. Birds happily chirping outside our windows. The smell of freshly brewed coffee — and, if we’re lucky, a hearty breakfast of pancakes and eggs.

Reality, however, includes tightly pulled curtains. Birdsong drowned out by the 12 alarms we’ve set on our iPhones. And by the time we get that coffee, we’re already in the car and stuck in the drivethrough.

Yet we as a society don’t truly show how much we dislike mornings until it comes to daylight saving time — when we push our clocks ahead an hour at the start of spring, with the hope of enjoying more sunlight and fewer stars.

In fact, the whole idea of daylight saving is to push more sunlight into the evenings, and less into our mornings. So, if we were hoping for more sunlight to fill our bedrooms as we wake up, we better consider sleeping in.

If your day starts at 6 a.m., then you’re experiencing what it was like at 5 a.m. just a week ago, when standard time was still in effect. And really, it is still 5 a.m. — just not in the reality where the Uniform Time Act of 1966 exists.

Twice a year, we revisit the same argument: Why is moving our clocks backward and forward still a thing? We debate the origins, the supposed environmental benefits, and how all of that applies — or

letters

It’ll take more than novelists and playwrights, Randi

To the Editor:

Re Randi Kreiss’s column last week, “Writers will tell the story of our times”: We don’t have the luxury of time, since we’re off the rails already.

What good will it be if novelists and playwrights find the truth and bring it to us, if fewer and fewer people are reading?

Our media has to step up and present the truth in an unvarnished manner, and let the people be swayed by the facts. Media bias, by holding back on reporting certain stories, is the poison of our time. The media should be questioning everything and holding everyone accountable, regardless of party.

We have been plagued by censorship and the demonization of people who have alternative views. The shouting and screaming at meetings does no one any good. We must step back and put our country and its people first,

doesn’t apply — to today. In general, we come to the same conclusion: We don’t like moving our clocks back and forth twice a year.

Why do we still do it? Blame Congress. And not just for the 1966 bill signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, but for not ending this nonsense once and for all in the decades since then.

We actually came very close to making daylight saving time permanent across the United States with a Senate bill introduced by Marco Rubio. Modeled after a similar bill that had passed in Rubio’s home state of Florida, the Sunshine Protection Act earned support on both sides of the political aisle — from Democrats like Sheldon Whitehouse, of Rhode Island, to Republicans like then President Donald Trump himself.

The bill was actually passed by the Senate last year through unanimous consent, although some senators later complained that they didn’t know the bill was part of a consent package, and that if they had, they would have voted against it.

Yet all the Sunshine Protection Act needed was a thumbs-up from the House, and President Biden’s signature. It got neither, and thus, last weekend, we got to experience once again a shift in time for no other reason than to make evening daylight longer.

Is this all much ado about nothing? No, says neurologist Beth Ann Marlow, who teaches at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. She has studied clock-changing across the country for the past five years,

and found that “the transition to daylight saving time each spring affects health immediately after the clock change, and also for the nearly eight months that Americans remain on daylight saving time.”

Marlow shared these findings with TheConversation.com last year, saying that the question shouldn’t be whether to end clock changes, but whether we should stick with standard time or daylight saving. Her choice? Standard time, which is closer to geological time, when the sun is highest at noon.

While daylight saving might allow for more sports to be played in sunlight after school, it also means that many who wake up before 8 a.m. to catch a bus are doing so in the dark.

Having the sun set earlier — at least according to our clocks — could help with sleep, too. Extended light in the evening delays the brain’s release of melatonin, the hormone that promotes drowsiness. It’s even worse for teenagers in the throes of puberty, Marlow adds, when melatonin already gets a late release, meaning our young minds are getting even less sleep.

Too often, we continue to embrace practices because they’ve always existed — Black Friday, scrambling an egg, making our beds in the morning only to mess them up again at night. But there are some practices that should indeed become a remnant of the past. And changing our clocks twice a year to accommodate daylight saving time can’t be eliminated fast enough.

My mixed memories of leading the parade

st. Patrick’s “Day” is actually several weeks of events commemorating Irish culture and traditions and Irish-America’s contributions to the American mosaic. The highlight event, of course, is the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, on the actual St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. But there are parades throughout the metropolitan area in the weeks leading up to and following the big day.

I can recall marching in numerous parades in communities including Bethpage, Glen Cove, Islip, Mineola, Rockaway, Rockville Centre and Wantagh. These were festive, upbeat events. What drew attention and controversy, however, was when, as Nassau County comptroller, I was elected by parade delegates to be grand marshal of the New

York City parade in 1985. The centuriesold struggle between the Irish and the British, euphemistically called the Troubles, was then in the 17th year of its latest manifestation in Northern Ireland, which included shootings, bombings, mass imprisonments and hunger strikes to the death.

I had visited Northern Ireland numerous times, including a fact-finding trip to Belfast with Senator Al D’Amato in December 1980, just after his election. Then I served as a member of a tribunal in Belfast investigating abuses by the British army and observing trials of accused Irish Republican Army members in non-jury courts. From these visits, where I met with people on all sides, and from my own study and analysis, I concluded that the main cause of the violence in Northern Ireland was British oppression and denial of human rights to the Catholic community. I concluded that the only solution would be all-party talks, which would include

Letters

and not be scared to say that. Too many self-serving agendas must be the next balloon that has to be shot down.

TONY GIAMeTTA Oceanside

Don’t try to pin T.R. down to ‘labels’

To the editor:

Re the editorial in the Feb. 23-March 1 issue, “Teddy Roosevelt: a president who defied labels”: Roosevelt didn’t defy labels; it’s we who seek the simplifying tags.

As the editorial mentions, T.R.’s “American” was an amalgam — not to be qualified by hyphen or purpose.

He also said “This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.”

Roosevelt’s pioneering conservationism was toward that end.

That principle could be a useful guide through the coming year — more useful than simplistic labels like “liber-

al” or “conservative.”

BRIAN KellY Rockville Centre

Long Islanders, support Bigger Better Bottle Bill

To the editor:

New York state is considering the Bigger Better Bottle Bill. led by Sen. Rachel May, it is intended to reduce litter and increase recycling by raising the deposit on returned cans and bottles from 5 to 10 cents.

The deposit has been 5 cents for 40 years. The bill would also expand the types of bottles that are eligible for return to include almost all beverages, including wine and liquor bottles.

Many environmental groups are advocating for the bill.

I urge our readership to contact their state legislators and urge them to support this important piece of legislation.

M.

Member, Food and Water Watch, Long Island chapter, and Beyond Plastics

Sinn Fein, the party representing the IRA and a majority of the Catholic population in Northern Ireland.

Not surprisingly, the British government of Margaret Thatcher denounced my election as grand marshal of the 1985 parade. So, too, did the Irish government, which announced that it would boycott the parade and not allow any Irish official to march or participate in it in any way. Both governments pressured Cardinal John O’Connor to break with tradition and refuse to greet me on the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral on the day of the parade. This led to a one-on-one meeting between the cardinal and me just days before the parade, following which O’Connor agreed to review the parade and recognize me as the duly elected grand marshal.

This incensed British officials, who increased the pressure on O’Connor, which only moved him to support me more strongly and make our public

handshake (labeled by British media as the “handshake of shame”) the centerpiece of parade coverage. A consequence of all this controversy was death threats, which made it necessary for me to wear a bulky bulletproof vest and be escorted by Nassau County Police Department detectives and NYPD undercover officers along the 40-block parade route and then the rest of the day on the reviewing stand.

Fast-forward 13 years. By then a congressman, I had worked closely with President Bill Clinton and British and Irish officials to advance the Irish peace process, culminating in the Good Friday Agreement in April 1998, which brought peace to Ireland for the first time in almost 800 years. Sinn Fein had been a party to the talks, and was a key signatory to the agreement. Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern, the prime ministers of Great Britain and Ireland, the leaders of the countries that years earlier had condemned me as grand marshal, thanked me for my efforts!

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security.

Framework by Tim Baker

In the newsroom, a papier mâché proofreader (and a mouse-sized Herald) — Garden City

JOSePH

VARON

on St. Patrick’s Day in 1985, I needed a police escort and a bulletproof vest.