Rockville Centre Herald 04-20-2023

Long Island Choice Awards Winners

District seeks to hire director of school security

By DANIEL oFFNER doffner@liherald.com

Rockville Centre school administrators continue to discuss ways to enhance school security in the wake of the shooting at a parochial school in Nashville, Tennessee, late last month.

This can save a life

U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, a former NYPD detective, collaborated with Assemblyman Brian Curran, Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin and the Rockville Centre Youth Coalition to facilitate free training on the proper use of the potentially life-saving drug Narcan, the leading brand of the opioid-overdose-reversing drug naloxone, on April 13.

“Once again we find ourselves grieving for the needless loss of life as a result of the tragic events in Nashville,” Superintendent Matt Gaven said at a Board of Education meeting on April 3.

Concern for student safety remains a top priority for the district, which has been exploring ways to update and modernize its

facilities so it is prepared for an active shooter emergency.

“Targeting children and those that serve them is evil. There is no other way to describe it,” Gaven said. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Nashville community, and we are so grateful for the heroic efforts of law enforcement for their actions to stop the shooter.”

John Murphy, the district’s assistant superintendent for human resources, gave a presentation in January in which he detailed a variety of upgrades being made in the schools,

Continued on page 16

Village offers $53.4M spending plan for fiscal year 2024

By DANIEL oFFNER doffner@liherald.com

The Village of Rockville Centre is considering a $53.4 million budget for the 2024 fiscal year. At a public hearing on April 3, village Comptroller Dennis Morgan shared a brief overview of the proposed spending plan for the coming year, detailing some of the major assumptions driving up costs.

“The budget for fiscal 2024 was a challenging one to prepare due to the cost increases that are being felt nationwide,” Morgan said. “We have labored to find a

balance between tax increases and the use of fund balance reserves to mitigate the tax burden on our residents.”

As a result of the rising costs of state health insurance, contractual salary increases for unionized employees, worker’s compensation insurance increases, and inflation, Morgan said, it would be “financially responsible” for the village to pierce the 2 percent tax cap mandated by the state by an additional 2.9 percent. “All of these factors have placed significant financial pressure on the village,” he added.

In total, the tax levy proposed for the

2024 fiscal year is just over $36 million, a 4.9 percent increase over the current year. The increase was calculated using the formula required by the state, and includes tax base growth factor and the change in payments in lieu of taxes.

This is not the first time the village has exceeded the cap in recent years. The 2022 budget increased the levy by 3.9 percent, as a result of lower revenues due to the coronavirus pandemic and increased employee benefits.

Morgan said that taxes are expected to increase for the average taxpayer by roughly $320 for the year — about $26

more per month.

Revenues are also expected to increase in the next fiscal year, based on real property taxes, departmental income, use of money and property, licenses, permits, fines, forfeitures, state and federal aid, intergovernmental charges, and the sale of property.

“We’re very happy that they’re back to pre-Covid levels,” Morgan told the Herald after the meeting, referring to the various categories of revenue.

Due to the anticipated substantial increase in health insurance costs, work-

Continued on page 8

Tim Baker/Herald

Helping families and kids who need it most

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

It’s been a few years since SIBS Place, a nonprofit based in Rockville Centre, has been able to host a benefit concert, due to the coronavirus pandemic. But this weekend, that all changes, as the concert returns in full blast on April 21, at the Bellmore Playhouse.

SIBS Place, an affiliate of Mount Sinai South Nassau, has one mission: To provide support to children with traumatically ill siblings or parents. Founded in 2000, by a group of 10 families, SIBS Place Board President Lowell Frye said the organization has grown drastically and expanded tremendously to offer a wide breadth of services to the families that need it most.

The nonprofit offers everything from therapy to bereavement services, for children ages 5 through 17, and their families. Joanna Formont, the executive director of SIBS Place, whose been involved with the organization since 2004, said she’s really seen it become a second family for the children and families it treats.

“It’s really a lifelong connection, because they feel understood,” she said. “When their friends at school are complaining about whatever their problems are, you know, they’ll say, ‘Well it’s not like my problems.’ No one really gets that, other than the other children coping with an illness.”

Frye is an amateur guitarist, who plays in local bands, and came up with the idea of a benefit concert, as a way to have another major fundraiser during the year. SIBS Place also has a gala and annual auction, that are large sources of funding.

This is the first time the benefit concert will take place at the Bellmore Playhouse, that’s recently been completely renovated and customized specifically for concerts.

“I think it’s exciting, that you know, we started doing (the benefit concerts) kind of wherever we could,” For-

mont said. “And now we have this beautiful venue, the Bellmore Playhouse, so it’ll really be like a concert type atmosphere.

“It’s always good to raise awareness about the program and try to, you know, find a new audience and let people know about our services because they’re free to families coping with an illness or loss,” she went on. “Because we are a small not for profit, wherever we can raise funds is vital, especially post-Covid. We’re excited to be back live and in-person for this.”

Despite being an affiliate of Mount Sinai, the services are open to any child or family, no matter where their relative is being treated. Therapy and counseling can take place virtually now too, making it easy for therapists to connect with families near and far.

Tickets for the benefit concert are $50, and it includes food and two performances. The first act will be the band, Trainwreck, which Frye plays in, followed by another

A Rockville Centre based nonprofit that supports children with traumatically ill siblings or parents, is hosting a benefit concert this weekend at the Bellmore Playhouse.

local band, Live Vinyl. The show runs from 7 to 10 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at EventBrite.com or by calling (516) 374-3000.

The Bellmore Playhouse is located at 525 Bedford Ave., Bellmore.

Lowell said while one goal of the concert is to raise money, SIBS Place is also really trying to raise awareness for the services offered.

“When families are going through a tough time with sick children or parents, there’s people there to help them,” he said. “There are services like this that are available. People don’t always know where to look, so we want to build awareness.”

“We’re just super excited to do this event,” Formont added. “We have one major gala each year, but we’re really supportive to all these little specific fundraisers. The fact that our board president is out there support this and advocating for it is great, and we just hope people join us.”

Courtesy SIBS Place

Appraisal Day at the Phillips House Museum

People bring their artwork, collectables and generational belongings to get appraised

By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com

You never know how much different antiques or collectables may be worth. What may seem like your average household knick-knack might actually be worth a small fortune.

Once a year, the Rockville Centre Historical Society invites members of the community and surrounding areas to bring their collectibles and generational belongings the Phillips House Museum, to be appraised, with the hope that it may be more valuable than it appears.

People bring out artwork, stamps, coins, and all kinds of collectables to determine how much they are really worth, which can vary depending on authenticity, damage, and completeness.

But this is not a task for just anyone. In order for the event to take place, they need the help of an expert.

For almost two decades, Philip Weiss, an Antiques Roadshow appraiser and owner of Weiss Auctions in Lynbrook, has offered his more than 40 years of experience with collectables and antiques, to help raise money for the Phillips House Museum.

“There’s plenty of great stuff out there,” Weiss said. “The good thing is you get to let people know what its worth.”

Each individual appraisal costs $10, or 3 for $25, and includes membership with the museum. All of the proceeds raised go to benefit the Phillips House Museum, a historic Victorian homestead that was originally built in 1880, and later restored as a museum dedicated to the history of the Village of Rockville Centre. It houses over 1,000 collectible pieces of houseware, tools, memorabilia, clothing, furniture, accessories, and more.

Ellen Grossman, the treasurer of the RVC Historical Society, said that Weiss has been volunteering his services to help the museum for almost two decades. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the event did not take place in 2020 and 2021, and has seen smaller crowds of people lining up since.

“Generally, people are bringing in things that mean something to them,” Grossman said. “Most just want to know what things are and how much they’re valued.”

Grossman said the event last Sunday, started strong with a painting that Weiss estimated to be worth close to $10,000.

Throughout the day, more people began to show, bringing all sorts of different tchotchkes found around their homes.

Weiss said that some of the most valuable items he appraised happened during one of the first years of the annual appraisal day.

“The first person came to the table with two volumes of stamps. It was a German stamp collector. They came in a week later and we auctioned it for $11,000,” Weiss said. “The next person had four porcelain ballet sculptures. I forgot who made them, but we auctioned those for $25,000.”

He said that the third person brought him a cigar box and shook it up. He was

curious of what was inside it.

“I said, ‘well they were nice baseball cards until you dented the corners,’” Weiss said. “It was a ’52 Topps set with a Mantle rookie card in it that sold for about $55,000.”

Many items can be appraised on site, but the museum requests attendees do not bring jewelry or large pieces of furniture. However, Weiss was happy enough to refer those who did to other auctioneers who specialize in those fields.

To find out more about the Phillips House Museum and the Rockville Centre Historical Society, visit RVCHS.org or call (516)-764-7459.

Sue Grieco/Herald photos

PhILIP WEIss APPRAIsEs Rita Cavanagh and Violet Cochrane’s early 1900s rocking chair while Rockville Centre Mayor Francis Murray and Historical Society Trustees Tom Hodge and Ellen Grossman look on.

suzANNE COyLE shOWs her Haywood Hardy painting to Philip Weiss.

ELLEN hILLmAN AND her husband, James, bring in a Pearsall family heirloom porcelain pitcher for Philip Weiss’s appraisal.

Protecting Your Future with

Michael and Suzanne Ettinger Attorneys-at-Law

If You Don’t Understand the Plan, You Don’t Have a Plan

So many people who come in to see us do not understand the estate plan they have or do not know what is in their current plan. Some of the reasons for this are (1) time has inevitably blurred their memories, (2) the plan may be written in legalese and was never properly explained to them, (3) they may have misconceptions and misunderstandings of what their plan is; and (4) their lawyer may have lacked the knowledge required to find the right solution for their family in the event of death and disability. To this we say, “if you don’t understand the plan, you don’t have a plan.”

Ettinger Law Firm developed a process, in use for over thirty years, to avoid these problems. First, we offer a free initial consultation to go over the pros and cons of having a will or a trust and the differences between revocable and irrevocable trusts. So many people have misconceptions about trusts based on what friends have said or what they have read on the internet. For example, many clients are afraid to create an irrevocable trust because they think they will lose control. We explain why that is incorrect and how you can still

change the trustee, change who you leave it to, take money out and even how you can revoke an irrevocable trust!

After the overview provided in the initial consultation, we give you a copy of our plain English book, “Elder Law Estate Planning”, and advise which chapters apply to your situation -maybe an hour or so of reading. We also invite you to watch the thirty minute estate planning video at trustlaw.com.

We arrange for you to come in about two weeks later for a second free consultation to have any remaining questions answered, draft an estate plan together with the new “knowledgeable” you and give you a written proposal. Once you accept, we arrange for the signing and completion of your estate plan two or three weeks later. From start to finish the process usually takes about eight weeks.

Finally, we call you in for a free review every three years to review your plan, refresh your recollection and update where necessary so your estate plan works when you need it.

ETTINGER LAW FIRM

Trusts & Estates • Wills & Probate • Medicaid FREE CONSULTATION: 516-327-8880 x117 or email info@trustlaw.com

Larceny

■ A Canterbury Road resident reported on April 10, her vehicle was stolen after it was left unlocked in her driveway. The vehicle was located and recovered a short time later, parked and unoccupied, in Long Beach.

■ An employee of Home Goods reported on April 12, two subjects stole merchandise from the store.

■ A West Hempstead resident reported on April 13 that someone stolen his bicycle from the LIRR Rockville Centre station.

■ A Banks Avenue resident reported on April 15, his vehicle was stolen after it was left unlocked with the keys inside.

Harassment

■ An employee of the New York Blood Center reported on April 10, that a coworker scratched her face during an altercation inside the building.

■ A Virginia Avenue resident reported on April 13 that someone sent him threatening messages through his social media account.

■ A Birch Lane resident reported on April 16, that he was punched while playing basketball at South Side High School.

Property Damage

■ A motorist reported on April 10, that her vehicle was damaged by unknown means while it was parked in the parking lot at 77 S. Park Ave.

Unusual Incident

■ A Warwick Road resident reported on April 12, that someone opened a bank account using her name and personally identifying information.

Arrests

■ Carlos Delacruz, 48, of Jefferson Avenue in Rockville Centre was arrested on April 12. He was charged with Criminal Mischief during an investigation on Jefferson Avenue.

■ Alexis Hernandez-Licona, 20, of Washington Court in Hempstead was arrested on April 13. She was charged with Burglary during an investigation on Atkinson Road.

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

■

SpOTLIghT AThLETE

South Side turns up the heat

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

Summer-like heat dominated spring break week and so did South Side’s softball pitching duo of juniors Emily Koluch and Lily McGrath.

Koluch tossed a no-hitter against Jericho with 11 strikeouts April 12 and McGrath followed that performance with a four-hit, 9-0 shutout win and 15 strikeouts against defending Nassau Class B champion East Rockaway last Friday.

pETEr ThOMANN

Calhoun Senior Lacrosse

A LONg STIck midfielder who helped the Colts reach the Nassau Class B championship game last spring, Thomann leads Calhoun’s defensive effort and was Honorable Mention AllAmerican in 2022. The two-time AllCounty selection is headed to play at the University of North Carolina. “Peter is the heart and soul of the squad,” coach Jim Femminella said. “He has size, skill, speed and strength, and plays with an edge.”

gAMES TO wATch

Thursday, April 20

Baseball: Island Trees at Wantagh 4:45 p.m.

Baseball: Oceanside at Baldwin 5 p.m.

Baseball: V.S. South at Malverne 5 p.m.

Baseball: Long Beach at Mepham 5 p.m.

Baseball: South Side at Sewanhaka 5 p.m.

Girls Flag Football: Roslyn at Bellmore-Merrick 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Hicksville at Freeport 5 p.m.

Softball: Kennedy at Oceanside 5 p.m.

Softball: Calhoun at East Meadow 5 p.m.

Boys Tennis: Wantagh at Oceanside 5 p.m.

Girls Flag Football: Valley Stream at MacArthur 7 p.m.

Friday, April 21

Girls Flag Football: Westbury at Freeport 4:30 p.m.

Baseball: Floral Park at Hewlett 5 p.m.

Baseball: V.S. Central at West Hempstead 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Garden City at Calhoun 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Baldwin at East Meadow 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Oceanside at Mepham 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Seaford at Carey 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Elmont at Clarke 5 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: South Side at Wantagh 5 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse: Bethpage at Lynbrook 5 p.m.

Boys Tennis: Massapequa at South Side 5 p.m.

“We needed these games and it’s definitely a momentum-builder,” coach Nicole Tufano said after the Cyclones improved to 3-2 in Conference III. “Emily and Lily give us a chance to win every game,” she said. “They’re unique but both throw hard and are able to mix in other pitchers to keep hitters off-balance.”

East Rockaway, which remains in search of its first conference win, managed two hits against McGrath in the top of the fourth inning and loaded the bases with one out but failed to score. The Rocks, who returned only two starters including junior pitcher/center fielder Sofia Ramirez, also managed two hits in the sixth.

“We’re a young team with only two seniors,” East Rockaway coach Joe Lores said. “We’re facing some tough pitching in this conference but that should only help us come playoff time.”

The Rocks remain the highest-rated Class B team in the county and can’t face any of their conference rivals in the postseason. Lores considers Oyster Bay, last year’s Class B runner-up, as the potential biggest challenge for his team come May.

The Baymen are unbeaten in Conference V.

South Side’s road to the playoffs is a difficult one. Any team in Conference III not named East Rockaway must win a minimum of 75 percent of its games (12 of 16) to qualify for the Class A tournament.

“One game at a time,” Tufano said.

The offense provided McGrath with all the run support she needed in the bottom of the third. Senior table-setters Jacquelyn Bee and Alice Araneo were the catalysts once again and helped South Side build a

3-0 lead. Bee walked and scored on Araneo’s double. McGrath singled home Araneo, and senior catcher Ashley Sewell scored the third run on an error.

Both Bee and Araneo, coming off Honorable Mention All-County 2022 campaigns, reached base and scored again in the fourth inning as the lead increased to 6-0. Senior Charlotte Schmidt had a sac fly and McGrath drew a bases-loaded walk.

Araneo, who along with senior Olivia Scalere starred at the plate in the 16-0 win over Jericho, drove in Bee in the sixth with

a double off the fence in left.

“Jackie and Alice are tone-setters at the top of the lineup,” Tufano said. “Alice hit .500 last year and Jackie batted over .400. We can always count on them to get things moving for us.”

East Rockaway, which hosts the rematch May 5, has a freshman (shortstop Charlotte Webster) and two sophomores (outfielder Sophia Tizio and pitcher Isabella DeCunzo) among its key contributors.

“We’re still finding our way,” Lores said.

Tony Bellissimo/Herald photo S ENIO r A LI c E Ar ANEO batted .500 last spring and remains a catalyst at the top of South Side’s lineup, which plated 25 runs in two wins last week.

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Village set to pierce state tax cap in fiscal year 2024

er’s compensation, and interest from borrowing, however, expenses are expected to produce a net deficit of almost $1.7 million in the coming fiscal year.

In order to help mitigate a potentially larger tax increase for residents, the village plans to offset the deficit by allocating $1.7 million from the village fund balance.

“We will continue to look for ways to reduce costs and bring in additional rev-

enue to the village,” Mayor Francis Murray said in a statement, “including being aggressive in pursuing grant money, private/public partnerships, and gifts to make improvements at little expense to our residents.”

The public hearing was scheduled to continue at the mid-monthly meeting on Thursday, at 6 p.m., at Village Hall. Those interested in viewing the proposed spending plan can access it online at RVCNY.gov.

News brief

Spring hydrant flushing schedule

The Rockville Centre Water Department has started its routine hydrant flushing for spring 2023. It began on Wednesday, April 19 and will continue to Tuesday, April 25. Hydrant flushing is vital for the general maintenance of the village’s water services and is performed twice a year to ensure performance of fire hydrants for firefighting purposes and quality water for residents and businesses. While the flushing program is underway, customers may experience a slight drop in water pressure or temporary water discoloration. The water is perfectly safe to drink, but it may stain laundry. If tap water is discolored, it is recommended to run cold water for a short period of time until it’s clear.

Spring hydrant flushing will continue on Thursday, April 20, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the area between Lakeview Avenue and DeMott Avenue, east of Long Beach Road. On Friday, April 21, hydrant flushing will take place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. between Sunrise Highway and DeMott Avenue, east of Long Beach Road.

Flushing will resume Sunday, April 23 to Monday, April 24, between 12 a.m. and 8 a.m. between Lakeview Avenue and Merrick Road, and it will end on Tuesday, April 25, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the rest of the village south of Merrick Road. For more information on the spring hydrant flushing schedule, visit RVCNY.gov.

continued from front page

Herald file photo

Rockville centRe village trustees are planning to adopt a $53.4 million budget for the 2024 fiscal year. A public hearing was scheduled for Thursday.

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be focused Consider strategies success. home by assignments, for that study haphazard ners books up don’t space a set tines. regular breaks). play, and what’s end-of-school be ners

Spring Open House

Saturday, April 29th OR Thursday, May

10am-12pm 6pm-8pm

Academically Rigorous: College

Preparatory

All-Girls: A Lifetime of Sisterhood

Catholic High School Matters

360-Degree Support: In and Out of the Classroom

Leadership and Confidence Grow Here

6th, 7th and 8th Grade Girls and their parents choose from 15-minute workshops on topics such as:

Why Catholic HS Makes a Difference College Prep Starts Now

5 Reasons All-Girls Schools Lead Choosing an Academically-Rigorous Path

D’Esposito introduces cops ‘bill of rights’

By KARINA KOVAC kkovac@liherald.com

He’s calling it the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights, a direct jab at what he calls the “defund the police” movement. And as a former cop himself, U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito says his new legislation introduced on Capitol Hill last week is exactly what police departments need to move forward in a new world.

The Republican lawmaker surrounded himself with officials from the local Police Benevolent Association union at their Mineola headquarters to share details of H.R. 285, which has already attracted a dozen GOP cosponsors — including U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino.

The bill, if passed, is intended to give privileges and securities to officers not offered before, D’Esposito says, such as the right to self-defense against physical threats and legal recourse if a civilian attempts to assault them. The congressman hopes other lawmakers will follow suit on the state level to create similar bills.

“It condemns calls to defund, disband, dismantle or abolish any police agency,” D’Esposito said. “It encourages dialogue between law enforcement and their communities to improve public safety, and engage all of the society’s stakeholders. And lastly, it respects the rights of police officers to carry out their duties, to protect our communities with integrity, and have essential protec tions during investigations.”

D’Esposito quoted a statistic from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund that found 224 law enforcement officers died in 2022. He also claimed many more are at risk of being hurt because of the “defund the police movement” in minority communities, where officers keep seeing “body bag after body bag removed.”

The most recent significant calls for police reform emerged following the death of George Floyd while being arrested by Minneapolis police officers in May

2020. One of the police officers was later found guilty of murder and manslaughter, and sentenced to more than 22 years in prison.

The number of officer fatalities in 2022 has remained slightly above levels in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s save the early 2020s, which included a large number of deaths related to Covid-19.

Thomas Shevlin, president of the Nassau County PBA, said it’s time to “get back to common sense.” He also called on politicians from both sides of the political

Brian Sullivan, the president of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association, said that for years he and other law enforcement and court officers have been sounding the alarm about the harm of bail reform, discovery reform, and the implications of the reforms endangering not only officers, but society. He said the issue shouldn’t be seen as law enforcement against liberals, and that what matters is helping the general public

who is suffering because of previous litigation.

“We have a very low headcount,” Sullivan told the crowd that gathered for the news conference about the population behind bars. “What does that tell you? You see it in that the proof is in the pudding, the criminals are in the streets. We need to mobilize the base of the citizenry to support their law enforcement and realize what’s going on behind the scenes here.”

Sullivan cited the “insanity” of bail reform by offering an example he saw in the news recently where a Bronx judge, Naita Semaj, let the accused killer of a teenaged boy go free on his own recognizance without bail.

“The judge in the Bronx, because of what’s going on in this state, disregarded the cries and the pleas of not only the prosecutors,” Sullivan said, “but of the boy’s mother to hold this guy in jail.”

The bill was officially introduced April 10, and was immediately referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

Karina Kovac/Herald

U.S. Rep. ANthONy D’Esposito introduces his Law Enforcement Bill of Rights legislation alongside local police and correction officer benevolent associations at the Police Benevolent Association headquarters in Mineola last week.

Atwell family honors officer Daniel Golden

By STACEY TAYLOR Special to the Herald

Rockville Centre hosts one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day festivities on all of Long Island, and this year was no different. Despite the wind and rain, hundreds of people gathered on March 25 to celebrate Irish heritage and culture while promoting community pride, family values, and supporting charities.

In the spirit of the festivities, retired FDNY firefighter, John Atwell, and his wife Ellen, started an annual fundraiser in 2008, known as St. Atty’s Day, to help give back to the Lead the Way Foundation for the U.S. Army Rangers and The Navy Seal Foundation.

Inspired by the efforts of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a charitable organization that they have been involved with for many years, they decided to host their own event paying respect to the military with marathon challenges and mountain climbing events.

This year, however, at the request of their son Liam, they instead chose to honor Chicago police officer and U.S. Army veteran Daniel Golden, who was paralyzed after being shot in the back while trying to break up a fight.

The Atwell’s said that Liam’s encounter with Golden’s brother during his time in boot camp was not an accident, but a divine connection between the two families who are both part of the military and first responder communities.

Liam said that he knew his parents would one day arrange a fundraiser for Golden, but he was not aware that they were planning to honor him while he was busy spending five weeks training with the U.S. Army rangers.

Thanks to the help of local friends and law enforcement agencies, Golden was given a hero’s welcome from

Port Authority Police, FDNY, NYPD, and the Atwell family when he arrived at LaGuardia Airport for the event. He was also presented with an American flag for his service and was given a full NYPD escort to the parade.

Golden and six other members of the Chicago Police Department marched alongside the Malverne police department, during the RVC St. Patrick’s Day Parade, right behind musicians with FDNY Emerald Pipes and Drum.

More than 800 people attended the fundraiser at the Atwell’s home. Following a performance of “God Bless America,” and an inspirational speech from Navy Seal Rob O’Neill, everyone celebrated with a special performance by musical talent, Jerry and The Newcomers.

During the fundraiser on March 25, John Atwell arranged a meeting between Golden and NYPD Police officer Steven McDonald’s son, Conor.

McDonald, a former Navy Hospital Corpsman and third generation NYPD police officer was shot in the line of duty in 1986, leaving him a quadriplegic. Following the incident he promoted a message of forgiveness, and founded the Breaking the Cycle program, to promote nonviolent conflict resolution. He died on Jan. 10, 2017 at the age of 59. He has been memorialized with a street renaming in 2014, at the corner of Maple Avenue and Madison Avenue in Rockville Centre, where the former police station was located. His legacy has also been carried on by the New York Rangers hockey club, which has presented the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award each year since the 1987 – 1988 hockey season.

Atwell said he was grateful for the big turnout because it was a very rainy day. He added, despite the weather people wanted to support the efforts to help Golden.

Proceeds raised will go to benefit the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, which is an organization that helps build homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders like Golden.

Retired FDNY firefighter John Sheehan, who worked with Atwell in Brooklyn, said he refers to the annual fundraiser as “Heroes Helping Heroes,” which was a phrase created by his wife to sum up the Atwells’ dedication to all military and first responders.

Sheehan, who assisted families by providing transportation, said that John Atwell’s coordination of the annual fundraiser makes him a hero. He adds, that it is a testament to the power of community and the strength of the human spirit.

Courtesy John Atwell

ChRiSTiAn ATwELL, LEfT, Mike Fenton, friend and business owner, and John Atwell enjoy the annual St. Atty’s Day festivities in honor of Chicago police officer and U.S. Army veteran Daniel Golden.

One of the best. Once again. Right here in Oceanside.

High Performing in Nine Areas of Care

STEPPING OUT

home of

As seen through the artists’ eyes

By Karen Bloom

Our spaces have taken on a new importance in recent years. “Home,” in all its variations, has inspired us — and renewed us. Heckscher Museum of Art explores the spaces we inhabit in its latest offering, “Raise the Roof: The Home in Art,” on view through March 2024.

Asbury Short Film Concert

The latest edition of the short film showcase has made its way back to Long Island. With a lineup of classic shorts from Asbury’s past combined with film festival winners currently on the circuit — and in many cases, featuring up-and-coming filmmakers — audiences can get a peek at these “smaller” films that don’t often get a big-screen showing. The eclectic mix of films offers a look at the best in short film comedy, drama and animation, highlighting emerging filmmakers along with seasoned directors. The fast-paced evening includes such stand-outs as ‘The Waiting Room,’ produced, directed and written by former Nassau County film commissioner Debra Markowitz. The multiple festival award-winning 12- minute dramatic comedy reunites a woman and her exhusband in heaven.

Friday, April 21, 7:30 p.m. $15. Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. (516) 323-4444 or MadisonTheatreNY.org.

STEPPING OUT

Home.

personalities and the values of the people who lived there.

Creative advocacy

“It’s a life-size piece that takes up an entire wall,” Bennett says. “It makes you feel immediately at home. “Everyone responds to it. They recognize the scenes and tell us it reminds them of their own house.”

The exhibit — featuring more than 50 works — reflects the many meanings of home, as it delves into how artists creatively define life at home.

“This exhibit came out of the pandemic,” says Justyce Bennett, the museum’s curatorial assistant. “The idea of home really shifted. It became our office space, our leisure place, our everything. The same thing happened with artists, it became their studios. Over the past four years, we’ve deepened our understanding of what home looks like.”

From that shift in how we live, an exhibit evolved.

“The majority of the artworks on view were created before the pandemic, demonstrating the central role that our homes have always played in our lives and in art,” says curator Karli Wurzelbacher. “In light of the recent pandemic, home continues to evolve. And we connect to this artwork with new eyes.”

The exhibit includes what Bennett describes as “old favorites” with never-before-seen works. “This show combines the tried-and-true with new art — the classics and recent additions to our collections”

Raise the Roof debuts significant works by contemporary artists such as Courtney M. Leonard, Kenji Nakahashi and Stella Waitzkin. Never-beforeexhibited photographs by Larry Fink, prints by Robert Dash, along with works by Romare Bearden, Salvador Dali, Olafur Eliasson, Miriam Schapiro, and Esphyr Slobodkina are also featured.

“She also remembered the artwork her grandparents had in that house, so it represents art in art — in a really cool way.”

Englishtown Project

By Karen Bloom

Centerport-based Pat Ralph, an artist with a longtime connection to the museum as a trustee collections committee member, is represented with “The Visit Home.” Bennett describes the piece, which shows a man reclining in his childhood home, as”bright and dreamy.”

Also of note is Robert Carter’s mixed media painting “Mama Taught Me Piano and Much More.” It’s a powerful maternal work that pays tribute to the role of mothers.

Can art change the world? It’s a question that’s been at the focus of our collective culture for centuries. Now as society navigates the complexities of modern life, art as a path for social change is at the forefront of artistic expression.

“Robert also has a long history with the museum and this is only the second time it’s been on view,” Bennett says.

“We’re so happy to show his piece. It’s my personal favorite in the show.”

WHERE WHEN

• Now through March 2024

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

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

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

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

• Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington (631) 380-3230, or Heckscher.org

“When We All Stand,” Hofstra University Museum of Art’s new exhibition, examines the collective power of the arts in society.

Curated by Alexandra Giordano — the museum’s assistant director of exhibition and collection — the exhibit underscores artists’ civic responsibility and influence.

Visitors are immediately drawn to the exhibit’s anchor, Becky Suss’s large-scale painting “Living Room,” a recent acquisition (actually six paintings) that is based on Suss’s memories of her grandparents’ house in Great Neck. The array of artwork and objects she depicts captures the

“It highlights the vital role that artists have in activating democratic values that promise equality and freedom, encouraging civic engagement, and cultivating unity,” Giordano says. “Artists often lead the charge and expose truths that may otherwise be ignored. The artists in this exhibition take a stand and call out injustices through their art and activism on issues such as immigration, gender, reproductive rights, mass incarceration, voting rights, racial bias, gun violence, and promises unfulfilled. They all combine the making

Englishtown Project visits the Landmark stage with their dynamic tribute to a classic unforgettable concert. This all-star jam band commemorates one special concert. The group — featuring members of New Riders of the Purple Sage, Zen Tricksters, and Max Creek, recreates the legendary Sept. 3, 1977, show in Englishtown, New Jersey, which was headlined by the Grateful Dead, who had just completed its legendary Spring/Summer 1977 tour featuring a batch of new material from ‘Terrapin Station.’ They were joined by the Dead family’s New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the good-time, southern rock Marshall Tucker Band. This tribute extravaganza includes healthy ‘doses’ of selections from each band’s sets that day in a relaxed, festival-style program.

Saturday, April 22, 8 p.m. $35, $30. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444, or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

Courtesy Heckscher Museum of Art

• Top left: Becky Suss, Living Room from the Collection of Ninah and Michael Lynne.

• Top right: Pat Ralph, The Visit Home, 1983.

• Bottom right: Robert Carter, Mama Taught Me Piano and Much More, 2007.

It’s where the heart is, where our lives unfold — and where imagination takes flight.

THE SCENE

May 7

Itzhak Perlman

The reigning virtuoso of the violin makes his long-awaited return, appearing on the Tilles Center stage. Sunday, May 7, 4 p.m. Experience his impeccable musicianship as never before. The intimate performance gives Perlman fans a deeply personal glimpse into his boyhood in Tel Aviv and New York, and the earliest years of his long and celebrated career. Enjoy an afternoon of music and storytelling as Perlman presents rarely seen archival photos and videos and shares memories, stories, and musical selections that you won’t hear anywhere else. On stage and performing with Perlman for this unforgettable afternoon is his longtime collaborator, pianist Rohan DeSilva, who’s been a constant presence by his side over the years. Tickets are $150, $100, $75: available at TillesCenter. org or (516) 299-3100. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville.

April 20

Breastfeeding Support Group

On exhibit

Nassau County Museum of Art’s new exhibition, “Eye And Mind: The Shin Collection,” highlights the extraordinary collection masterworks assembled by 31-year-old connoisseur Hong Gyu Shin, an internationally recognized figure in the global art world. He shares his treasures, including works by Whistler, Lautrec, Boucher, Daumier, Delacroix, Klimt, Schiele, Balthus, Warhol, de Kooning, Gorky and many other important names from art history provocatively juxtaposed with the painting and sculpture of our own time from both Asia and the West. On view through July 9. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

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 (newborn to 1 year) to the informal group setting. All new moms welcome, regardless of delivering hospital. Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 7052434 to secure a spot. Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.

Sisterhood Game Night

Play mah jongg and canasta with the Sisterhood of Congregation B’nai SholomBeth David at their weekly game night, Tuesday, April 25, 7:30-9:30 p.m., in the synagogue lobby, 100 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre.

Soul 2 Soul Brunch

Enjoy a special upscale brunch featuring DJ Polish, Sunday, April 23, 5-10 p.m., at The New Vibe Lounge. 60 N. Park Ave., in Rockville Centre. Cost is $50 via Eventbrite.com.

Craft Beer, Cocktails, Wine & Spirits. Lunch & Dinner Menu, Sushi and Brunch with Weekly Specials!

Trivia Tuesday Nights & Taco Tuesday Specials. Happy Hour ½ off Apps 4-6pm Weekdays. Inquire for Your Next Private Event on our Website. Tasting Room & Dining Room with dock & dine access. Visit Us on Open Table to make a reservation. Taproom Hours: Mon-Thurs: 2pm-9pm | Friday-Saturday: 12pm -11pm | Sunday: 12pm-9pm

Little League Opening Day Parade and Induction Ceremony

Rockville Centre Little League celebrates its 72nd year with opening day festivities, starting with a parade on Saturday, April 22, at 10 a.m., kicking off from South Side Middle School, 67 Hillside Ave., which will proceed down Maple Avenue toward Hickey Field, followed by an induction ceremony for the 1978 Eastern Regional Champions — the first Long Island team to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The ceremony will recognizes the entire ’78 team, including pitcher Bill Carey and catcher Chris Carter, coaches Charlie Jansen and Bob Glover, administrator Bob Klein, and founders William Seward and John Nofi, on the team’s 45th anniversary of this accomplishment. The opening day game will be held a few hours later, after teams have the opportunity to warm up.

Keeping up with the village

The next meeting of the Village of Rockville Centre Board of Trustees will take place at Village Hall, 1 College Place in Rockville Centre, on Monday, May 1, at 7 p.m.

April 24

Post-prom PTA golf outing

South Side High School PTA hosts their annual post prom golf outing at the Rockville Links Club, Monday, April 24

The event begins at noon with a barbecue lunch, followed by a shotgun start at 1 p.m., and a dinner reception, with raffle prizes, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Cost is $285 for golf and dinner or $125 for dinner only. For more information, call John DiSarlo at (917)-572-6147.

Shred-A-Thon

Bring your old documents and unwanted papers to Signature Premier Properties, Sunday, April 30, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for this annual spring Shred-AThon event. All documents will be shredded in a professional mobile shredding truck while you watch. No need to remove staples or paper clips.75 Seaman Ave., Rockville Centre

Having an event?

Passion for Pride

Support PFY, a division of Long Island Crisis Center, at a 30th Anniversary Benefit celebration, Tuesday, June 13, 6-10 p.m. With drag bingo and performances by Ivy Stalls and Syn; also special guest honoree actor-author-activist Maulik Pancholy. The event, honoring PFY’s 30 years serving Long Island/Queens’ LGBTQ+ communities, is at Westbury Manor, 1100 Jericho Turnpike, Westbury. For more information and tickets, go to tinyurl.com/ pfyevent2023.

Blood Drive

Give the gift of life by donating blood, Wednesday, April, 26, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at South Side High School. In the auditorium, 50 Sheppard St., Rockville Centre.

Items on The Scene page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to thescene@liherald.com.

On stage

Back by popular demand, families will enjoy a musical adventure, ripped from the pages of Mo Willems’ beloved children’s books, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday, April 21, 10:15 a.m. and noon; Sunday, April 23, 2 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, April 26-27, 10:15 a.m. and noon. Elephant and Piggie storm the stage in a rollicking musical romp filled with plenty of pachydermal peril and swiney suspense perfect for young audiences. Cautious Gerald and playful Piggie share a day where anything is possible in an imaginative exploration of of friendship. Together with nutty backup singers, The Squirrelles, the comedic duo even gets the audience involved in the action. $9 with museum admission ($7 members), $12 theater only. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

Dancing into spring

Adelphi Department of Dance students present their semi-annual dance showcase on the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center stage, Wednesday through Friday, April 26-27, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 29, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 30, 2 p.m. Dancers are working with guest artist Alberto “Tito” del Saz, artistic director of The Nikolais/Louis Foundation for Dance, to present “Four Brubeck Pieces,” featuring music from Dave Brubeck’s classic album “Time Out.” The performance also features choreography by dance faculty members Frank Augustyn, Orion Duckstein, Adelheid B. Strelick, and adjunct faculty Bivi Kimura. The show will be also livestreamed during the Saturday matinee and evening performances. Tickets are $30, with discounts available to seniors, students, Adelphi alumni and employees. Livestream access is $20. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 877-4000 or Adelphi.edu/pac.

April 26-27

School board discusses hiring law enforcement

including the implementation of the Rave Mobile Security app, which he said helped make the facilities safer than they were even two years ago.

The app received a glowing endorsement from Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder last September, for its tools that help law enforcement prevent and respond to threats at schools.

Serving as a panic button of sorts, the

app alerts police in the area, who are able to respond to a school significantly faster than after a typical 911 call. Since Rave’s implementation in Rockville Centre schools, many other districts and colleges on Long Island, including Molloy University, have implemented similar systems.

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

At the school board meeting earlier this month, Gaven said he had spoken with U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito about efforts to secure additional federal funding for school districts and local governments to enhance cybersecurity and school safety.

MaTT Gaven Superintendent

With more attention than ever focused on school safety, the administration tried to find ways to reallocate money in the 2023-24 school budget proposal for some common-sense security upgrades.

Robert Bartels, assistant superintendent of finance and operations, said the district anticipated spending $100,000 more than initially planned on legal fees, which they can instead to provide additional funding for security with no change in the budget.

Initially, administrators were considering spending the recouped funds on improved security hardware, but in discussions with the school board, it was suggested that the money would be put to better use by hiring a director of security with a law enforcement background.

“This might be better to coordinate the security districtwide,” Bartels said. “We’ve had issues with substitutes. This person would be able to easily take care of that, as well as issues around school buildings on nights and weekends and over the summer. That’s always a concern we have.”

The proposed spending plan also includes funding for additional shifts for school security guards at South Side Middle School and all five elementary schools.

“Typically we have a security guard at each elementary school,” Bartels explained. “When they finish at the end of the day, that’s usually it. We wanted to make sure there was additional funding for them to have additional security after school and into evening programs as well.”

He added that while South Side High School already has security on duty all night, the plan is to do the same at the middle school when it is used by outside programs.

The preliminary budget hearing was scheduled for Tuesday night, after the Herald went to press, at South Side High. The final budget vote and Board of Education elections will take place on May 16 at the high school.

Targeting children and those that serve them is evil.

Ben Fiebert/Herald Rockville cenTRe school board members are proposing the addition of a lawenforcement professional to help improve school safety in the district.

Capstone puts Molloy students to the test

The Capstone course is offered to undergraduate business students at Molloy University during the final semester of their senior year. The program challenges students put their skills and expertise to work not-for-profit or governmental entities by solving a problem by providing a turnkey solution with continuing value.

Brittany Donnelly, a student CEO of the Capstone project, discussed how her team was able to create a plan for Long Island school districts to help support students, families and faculty members facing bereavement issues by working with hospice care and educational leadership.

Designed to draw upon everything students have learned over the course of four years, the Captsone project allows students to engage in real business experience by working with organizations. Some previous groups who have worked with the Capstone course include Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, the Backyard Players and Friends, Canine Companions, COPE Foundation, EAC Network, Island Harvest, Limb Kind Foundation, Nassau County Bar Association, Paths of Hope, The INN, The Mary Ruchalski Foundation, The Tommy Brull Foundation, and the Village of Freeport, among others.

The project was carried out in the fall semester at the request of Northwell Health’s Hospice Care Network, which submitted a proposal asking the Capstone students to consider three challenges it faced.

The first two requested help fundrais-

ing on college campuses, and a desire for improved visibility through social and traditional media, while the third was to offer a “train the trainers” program connecting the Hospice Care Network’s children and family bereavement services with school districts or mental health agencies.

Mary Gravina, the associate vice president of Hospice Care Network, said such a program can “teach the support staff in the school districts how they can offer and lead programs to support grieving children.”

With Donnelly’s supervision, adherence to deadlines and efforts to ensure team members were working on tasks aligned with their interests, she enabled the groups to become a cohesive unit.

“I had to be on top of everything,” Donnelly said. “We all grew so close because we were spending so much time working on the project and connecting with each other.”

She would graduate from Molloy in December with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and is now a merchandizing intern at Publishers Clearing House in Jericho.

Dawn DiStefano, associate dean of Molloy Unviersity and director of undergraduate programs at the School of Business, has taught the course since 2015. She said that the students’ work draws on information they learned in finance, economics,

marketing, management and accounting courses.

Classes are typically comprised of 15 to 18 students who are divided into three groups to answer the charges raised by the client. In the first half of the semester, students work on tasks in the three groups before uniting in the final six weeks to create one program for the final presentation. Clients can also be approved for a Phase II project in a subsequent semester. Between DiStefano, whose background in nonprofit management, provides referrals from businesses in that sector, and a working arrangement with the University’s Office of Advancement, there is now a waiting list of prospective businesses seeking to participate.

Gravina said the Molloy students were “incredibly energetic and very determined” in the initial meeting. Still, the complexities of hospice care, especially relating to child and family bereavement wasn’t something they knew from the start.

“It took them a little while to understand who we were and what we needed,” Gravina said. “It was brand new to them.”

Getting assistance to forge such connections is a necessity because Gravina’s unit does not have sufficient staffing to accomplish the task itself. This required students’ work for six or seven hours each day

in order to help out.

For her task, Donnelly went straight to the top of the Merrick school district, reaching out to Superintendent Dominick Palma, who is also president of the Nassau County council of school superintendents.

Donnelly emphasized the mission of the children’s bereavement program at Hospice Care Network and how it could help students deal with “the emotional aspect” of suffering a loss in their families or community.

“We want to help the children and spread this to other schools and children in general across Nassau County,” Donnelly said. “I put the emphasis on how the children getting the help they need would not only benefit them, but it would also benefit their way of communicating with their friends and their schoolwork.”

The importance of Capstone students’ efforts was made more evident when a Seaford High School student in Nassau County died in a car accident in January, as the district was in need of support and sensitivity to better support the children with bereavement.

“My job is transforming students to be the sought-out leaders of tomorrow,” DiStefano said. “Not just because they have qualifying skills, but because they have the right disposition to do so. They can be the ones to create the corporate culture that is so needed today.”

For more information on the program visit Molloy.edu and search “Capstone course.”

I had to be on top of everything.

It was enough fentanyl to kill 2 million people

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

Three kilograms of pure fentanyl might not seem like a lot. But as a powerful synthetic opioid that is at least 50 times more potent than morphine — that much fentanyl can kill. A lot.

That’s likely why the Nassau County Police Department and county officials are calling the arrest of Juan Cruz, who they say was holding all three kilos, a “historic seizure of pure fentanyl.”

“This is a story about triumph and tragedy,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said. Tragedy that young people are unwitting victims to peddled pills. Triumph in the form of stopping those pills from hitting the street.

The 50-year-old Cruz lives in the Bronx, but is said to be a citizen of the Dominican Republic. Police reportedly stopped him after Second Squad detectives received a tip that he was bringing the drug into the county last week, police commissioner Patrick Ryder said.

A single kilo of fentanyl has the potential to kill up to 500,000 people, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Three times that could kill the entire population of Nassau County, with

enough fentanyl left over to kill 100,000 more.

“Fentanyl is cheap,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said. “It’s plentiful. And it’s coming into the county in droves.”

Cruz pleaded not guilty to felony counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a narcotic drug, as well as a traffic infraction for operating an unregistered vehicle. He is being held behind bars without bail.

Cruz was not known to Nassau detectives before his arrest Wednesday, Ryder said, but they now believe he is a “major dealer” operating in the county.

The drugs reportedly come from Mexico and South America — something Blakeman says supports his position of stopping immigration.

“It’s going to be a continuing problem unless we close our borders,” Blakeman said. “We have crime rings that are operating here from south of the border. They’re stealing cars. They are stealing catalytic converters. They’re doing organized burglaries. And of course, they are dealing in very, very, very dangerous drugs.”

Cruz reportedly made it harder for

police to identify him because he had burned his fingertips, they said, mutilating his fingerprints. Doing that was a way Cruz had hoped not to be deported again something officials last did in 2012. Because it’s an active investigation,

Donnelly said she was “extremely limited” on what she could comment on.

“What I will tell you is this,” she said. “Defendants like Juan Cruz are peddling this poison in our neighborhoods to our children.”

Roksana Amid/Herald NASSAu COuNty ExECutIvE Bruce Blakeman, far left, joined Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly, Nassau County Legislator Tom McKevitt, Nassau County Police Department commissioner Patrick Ryder, and county legislator Rose Walker to share news of what they described as a historic seizure of fentanyl.

Juan Cruz

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

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

WATCH THE

RECORDING

at www.LIHERALD.com/identity

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

• 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

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT: NASSAU COUNTY. L&L ASSOCIATES HOLDING CORP., Pltf. vs. JOHN RUGGIERI , if he be living, if he be dead, his respective heirs-at-law, next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors, and successor in interest, and generally all persons having or claiming under, by, or through JOHN RUGGIERI, if he be dead, whether by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, including any right, title or interest in and to the real property described in the complaint herein, all of who and whose names and places of residence are unknown to the plaintiffs, et al Defts. Index #613354/2020.

Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered March 14, 2023, I will sell at public auction on the north side front steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on May 17, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. prem. k/a Section 36, Block 187, Lot(s) 271-274. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale and the right of the United States of America to redeem within 120 days from the date of sale as provided by law. Foreclosure auction will be held “rain or shine.” If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the auction.

PETER KRAMER, Referee., LEVY & LEVY, Attys. for Pltf., 12 Tulip Dr., Great Neck, NY. #100281 138768

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, New York 11570 for the matter stated below until 11:00 am prevailing time on MAY 18, 2023 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. The contract will be awarded as soon thereafter as practicable for:

2023 DISTRIBUTION

TRANSFORMERS

Bid No. 2305E3(1072)

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. 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 May 11, 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

138914

LEGAL NOTICE

Public Notice to Bidders

Sealed Bids will be received by the Purchasing Department of the Village of Rockville Centre, One College Place, Rockville Centre, New York for the matter stated below until 11:00 am prevailing time on MAY 4, 2023 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. The contract will be awarded as soon thereafter as practicable for:

VETERAN’S PARK LIGHTING INFRASTRUCTURE

UPGRADES 2023 Bid No. 2305E4(1074)

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 April 27, 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 138915

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, New York 11570 for the matter stated below until 11:00 am prevailing time on MAY 4, 2023 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. The contract will be awarded as soon thereafter as practicable for:

VEHICLE COLLISON

REPAIR

Bid No. 2305DPW1(1073)

The bid specifications can be obtained/examined on the Village’s website at www.rvcny.gov. Follow the link to the Purchasing Department. 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 APRIL 27, 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 138916

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, New York 11570 for the matter stated below until 11:00 am prevailing time on MAY 18, 2023 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud.

The contract will be awarded as soon thereafter as practicable for:

2023 WIRE AND CABLE Bid No. 2305E2(1071)

The bid specifications can be obtained/examined on the Village’s website at www.rvcny.gov. Follow the link to the Purchasing Department. 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 MAY 11, 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 138913

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, New York 11570 for the matter stated below until 11:30 am prevailing time on MAY 11, 2023 at which time they will be publicly

opened and read aloud. The contract will be awarded as soon thereafter as practicable for:

MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS 2023/24

Bid No. 2305E1(1070)

The bid specifications can be obtained/examined on the Village’s website at www.rvcny.gov. Follow the link to the Purchasing Department. 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 May 4, 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 138911

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 MAY 11, 2023 at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. The contract will be awarded as soon thereafter as practicable for:

CLEANING & PORTER SERVICE FOR BUILDINGS & PARKS IN THE VILLAGE OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE FOR THE YEARS 2023-2026 Bid No. 2304G1(1067)

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.

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 May 4, 2023. A site walk through can be arranged upon request please contact Lstrazzeri@rvcny.us to schedule.

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

Family & Children’s Association hosted its second annual Long Island Women in Philanthropy breakfast and fashion show during Women’s History Month. More than $60,000 was raised at the event, which was led by FCA president and chief executive Jeffrey Reynolds, left, and attended by former New York governor David Paterson.

Courtesy Family & Children’s Association

Fashion show event raises $60,000 for FCA

More than 200 people showed up recently to not only celebrate Women’s History Month, but to support a charity as well, raising more than $60,000 for Family & Children’s Association.

It was all part of FCA’s second annual Long Island Women in Philanthropy breakfast and fashion show that honored present-day philanthropist and social activist Leah Fisher. She is senior vice president of special projects at the Uniondale-based Arbor Realty Trust Inc.

Fisher is a heroine and champion of women in her own right as a founding member of “Conversations For Change,” a podcast exploring social activism through challenging conversations. Topics are selected based on overt areas of strife and inequity, current events, and what women experience in everyday life.

“FCA was founded on the ideas and ideals of philanthropic-minded women nearly 140 years ago,” said Jeffrey Reynolds, FCA’s president and chief executive, told attendees, which included former New York governor David Paterson. “Today, women continue to play an important role in FCA’s leadership, staff, volun-

teers and donors. Together they work to help and strengthen individuals, communities and each other to fulfill their potential, and give back.”

FCA’s original orphanage, the Temporary Home for Friendless Children, was spearheaded in 1984 by Louisa Lee Schuyler — a great-granddaughter of Alexander Hamilton — and a group of like-minded women committed to the welfare of vulnerable children.

Today, FCA has six predominantly women-led divisions ranging from addition prevention and recovery, to children’s mental health and wellness, to family support. Each of the divisions were represented in the fashion show by client and volunteer models whose lives were positively impacted by FCA programs.

Altar’d State, which operates out of Roosevelt Field Mall, provided the fashion, while Sewanhaka High School’s cosmetology department provided hair and makeup.

For more information on how to support FCA programs, reach out to Paige O’Brien at (516) 746-0350, Ext. 4320, or at pobrien@fcali.org.

516-678-9213 138912

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, D/B/A CHRISTIANA TRUST, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT AS TRUSTEE FOR PRETIUM MORTGAGE ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff AGAINST ARTHUR EDWARDS, ELIZABETH EDWARDS AKA ELIZABETH MC ARDLE, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of

Foreclosure and Sale duly entered December 16, 2022, I, the undersigned

Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on May 24, 2023 at 2:00PM, premises known as 259 LINCOLN AVENUE, ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY 11570. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Rockville Centre, County of Nassau

time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will

be held “Rain or Shine”. Karen C. Grant, Esq., Referee Gross

LROC1 0420 To Place A Notice Call 516-569-4000 x232 To Place A Notice Call 516-569-4000 x232 Search for notices online at: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES To place a notice here call us us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com April 20, 2023 — ROCKVILLE CENTRE HERALD 20 News brief

Help Wanted

RECEPTIONIST - FULL TIME

Receptionist (full-time) needed for Publisher and Self-Storage Facility located in Garden City. The ideal candidate should have excellent communications and customer service skills, be professional, dependable and have reliable transportation. Candidate should have computer knowledge and working knowledge of MS Office. Candidate MUST be reliable, punctual and be able to work a CON-

SISTENT schedule:

Monday and Wednesday 8am to 4pm

Tuesday and Thursday 8am to 6pm Friday 8am to 5pm

Job Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Answering phones and greeting customers, assisting new customers by showing storage facility options and pricing, collecting payments from customers, contacting customers for late payments, applying payments and updating the customer files /data base and other general administrative responsibilities on an as needed basis. Hourly pay, plus eligible for Holiday Pay, PTO, Medical, Dental, 401k with company matching, plus other benefits. Qualified candidates should email their resume, cover letter and salary requirements. No phone calls please. Job Type: Full-time.

Salary: $15.00 /hour Email your resume to: careers@liherald.com

Eldercare Offered

LOVING PERSON TO Care For Your Loved One. Own Car. Live-out. References. Novelette 347-285-5053 Or Antoinette 347-653-3980

EMPLOYMENT

Help Wanted

Administrative Assistant

Various Office Duties

Must Be Proficient In Word And Outlook

Monday, Wednesday 12-6

Tuesday,Thursday, Friday 9:30-3:30 Will Train Right Candidate Email Resume To: jwpersonal@ wilsoncollegeconsulting.com

No Phone Calls Or In-Person Inquiries

AUTO TECHNICIAN FT

4 Day Work Week

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

CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE

Full Time/Part Time Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department.

Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc.

STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multitask, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines.

For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com

DRIVERS WANTED

LIBRARY CIRCULATION CLERK P/T,

Up to 17 hours per week at the Baldwin Public Library, depending on Library’s needs. May include mornings, afternoons; includes at least 1 evening per week, rotating Saturdays. This is a non-competitive Civil Service position. $15.50 / hour.

Please send resume to: dkelly@baldwinpl.org, by August 5.

DRIVING INSTRUCTORS

OUTSIDE SALES

REAL ESTATE

MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

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

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

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

Open Houses

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

Open Houses

HEWLETT BA, 1599 Lakeview Dr, NEW! 4 BR, 3 Bth Exp Ranch on Tree Lined St in SD#14. Spacious LR, DR & Family Rm, EIK & Fin Bsmt. Att Garage. HW Flrs. Near Park, Trans, Shops & Houses of Worship...$829,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

HEWLETT BA 257 WILLARD Spacious 5 BR, 3, 4/2, 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 516-238-4299

HEWLETTE 1608 RIDGEWAY Dr, BA, Drastic Reduction! Motivated Seller!Move Right Into This Completely Gut Renovated 4 BR, 3.5 Bth Col on 1/4 Acre Prop. New Kosher EIK, FDR, LR w/ Fpl, Den & Enclosed Porch. Radiant Htd Flrs. Full Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Att Gar. MUST SEE!!

SD#20...$1,399,000 ALSO AVAILABLE FOR RENT $6,500 per month Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-238-4299

LYNBROOK 4/23, 12-1:30, 125 Sherman St, FIRST TIME ON MARKET! Immaculate, Well Maintained 3 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Cape in the Heart of Lynbrook.Spacious Entry Foyer Leads to LR w/ Fpl, Formal DR & Updtd Gran/Wood Kit w/ Stainless Steel Appl. 2 Main Flr BR & Upper Level Primary Ste/Full Bth/WIC.Full Fin Bsmt. 2 Car Det Gar. Manicured Yard w/ Brick Patio.

SD#20 (Lynbrook)...$629,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman RE 516-238-429

ROCKVILLE CENTRE 4/23, 2-3:30, 55 Lenox Rd, # 2J, FIRST SHOW! Spacious 2 Bedroom Coop in Prestigious Bldg in the Heart of RVC. Corner Unit Features Large Entry Foyer, Living Rm/Dining Rm & EIK. Loads of Closet Space. HW Flrs. Assigned Pkg. New Elevator.. Close to Shops, Restaurants, LIRR.RVC School District. Won't Last!...$359,000 Ronnie Gerber, Douglas Elliman 516-

House For Sale

POINT LOOKOUT: WATERFRONTLargest Selection of Beach Homes, Sale/ Rent. Our Home Listings Sell FA$T! VIDEOS. HUG R.E. 516-431-8000 www.hugrealestate.com

Houses For Rent

FRANKLIN SQUARE COMPLETLY RENOVATED Cape 4bds, 1.5bths,

To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 • To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5

Hewlett Bay Park

New Modern Colonial

New and fully renovated 8,919 square foot home, including basement, beautiful amenities, and convenience. This home is located on a large .78 acre lot. You couldn’t ask for more! A stunning seven bedroom, seven and a half bath modern Colonial that features many upgrades and luxury finishes; creating the perfect combination of opulence and livability. Top-quality porcelain radiant flooring flows from one impressive room to another, highlighted by the abundance of natural light pouring in through the high end windows. The quiet cul-de-sac neighborhood is located minutes from top-performing schools and shopping, The Seawane Club, Atlantic Beach clubs, and area businesses allow entertainment and work to be convenient but far enough away to enjoy your privacy.

Sara Abikzer

Signature Premier Properties

Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Cell-516-984-6798

Office-516-741-4333 info@saraabikzer.com @SaraSellsLI

Are windowstriple-pane worth it?

Q. We’re planning to replace our old windows, and are doing research online to make sure we make the right decision. I saw that there’s an option for “triple pane” windows instead of double panes. It appears to be much more money, but the writer of one article says it’s well worth it. Are you familiar with triple panes, do we need permits to change our windows and is it worth the expense? We’ve lived in our current home for five years and plan to be here for the rest of our lives, hopefully a long time, while we raise our family. What do you think?

A. I could simply say that you get what you pay for, but I’m certain you need more of an explanation, since you’ve taken the time to investigate and educate yourself. In your investigation, I’m sure you saw engineering data, lots of comparative numbers and U-values, the rating acronym for glass unit values. The lower the U-value, the better the insulating value of the glass.

Because the majority of heat or cool transmission or loss of energy is through the windows, while the walls, floor and roof are more insulated, it’s most important to do something to prevent losing all that energy you’re paying to create. Whether it’s your air conditioning or your heat, the outside of your house, referred to simply as the “envelope,” is of critical importance to insulate, especially with ever-rising energy prices. While most building departments don’t require a permit for changing out the windows “in kind,” meaning in the same size and location, some will require a permit for any little thing, like sanding your floors or adding closets, and I’m not kidding, so it’s best to check their rules online, or call your local building department directly.

Another thing to be aware of is that changing windows can trigger fire safety escape rules, referred to as egress windows, and most up-anddown, or double-hung colonial windows don’t meet the requirement if you don’t have at least one window in every habitable room with a size of 5.7 square feet. The window must have a clear escape opening of 20 inches in width and a minimum height of clear opening of 24 inches. Remember that a large fire rescuer must be able to save you.

Triple pane is a great value, because you’re always losing costly energy, so the return on investment, especially if this is your long-term home, makes it well worth it. Windows lose the most energy at the edges, so the type of gasket joining the windows to the frame is critical. The most effective frames have insulation blocking, not just a thermal break in the frame. A thermal break is usually a thin gasket between the outside and inside frames. Adding insulation, instead of leaving open air spaces in the frame, saves more energy, so it’s important to look for.

with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

Monte Leeper

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Garage Sales MERRICK APRIL 29th, APRIL 30th 1548 Little Whaleneck Road. 10am-4pm. PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT CHILDHOOD CANCER.

MERCHANDISE MART

Antiques/Collectibles

We Buy Antiques, Fine Art & Jewelry Same Day Service, Free In-Home Evaluations, 45 Year Family Business. Licensed and Bonded, Immediate Cash Paid. SYL-LEE ANTIQUES www.syl-leeantiques.com 516-671-6464

FINDS UNDER $100

Finds $100-$350

SERVICES

Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry

JB MASONRY : Driveways, Patios, Stoops, Sidewalks, Retaining Walls, Pool Areas, Stucco, Cultured Stone, Brick Work, All Types Pavers, All Concrete Slabs Restorations. FREE Estimates. 516-428-6388

Brick/Block/Concrete/Masonry

*MICHAEL LO BAIDO CONSTRUCTION*

Cement Specialist, Brickwork, Interlock Bricks, Belgium Blocks, Stoops, Patios, Driveways, Sidewalks, Basement Entrances, Pavers, Waterproofing. Quality Work, Lic./ Ins. Owner Always Onsite Free Estimates

516-354-5578

Decks

DECKS DECKS Our Only Business COMPOSITES/WOOD Excellent References & Many Photos Lic./Ins. Free Estimates C & S DECKS 516-729-5859

Electricians

E-Z ELECTRIC SERVICES, INC. All Types Residential/Commercial Wiring, Generators, Telephone/Data, Home Entertainment, Service Upgrades, Pools, Spas. Services/Repairs. Violations Removed. Free Estimates Low Rates. 516-785-0646 Lic/Ins.

Handyman

HANDYMAN: All Kinds OF Interior Repairs. Baths, Kitchens, Tiles, Plumbing, Sheetrock, Painting, Carpentry. Licensed And Insured. Emergency Work. 516-810-0067 l handynyman.com

HANDYMAN

Repairs and Installations for the Household. Careful and Reliable and Vaccinated. Licensed and Insured. 30-Year Nassau County Resident. Friendly Frank Phone/Text 516-238-2112

E-mail-Frankcav@optonline.net

Home Improvement

HANDY DANDY HOME IMPROVEMENTS

* Full Or Partial Kitchens/ Baths *Painting *Sheetrock *Taping/ Spackling *Installations Ceramic/ Vinyl Tile *Carpentry *Alterations *Repairs/ More. FREE ESTIMATES. Dan 516-342-0761

LITO CONSTRUCTION

Home Improvement/ Construction 10% OFF ANY JOB OVER $2,000 Masonry, Brick Work, Stone Decor, Pointing, Tile, Driveways, Sidewalks, Steps, Framing, Foundations, Remodel Interiors, Extensions, Bathrooms, Basements.

Licensed/ Insured. Free Estimates. 516-564-8315, 516-376-9365

Sprinkler Syst./Irrig.Wells

AUTOMOBILE & MARINE

Autos For Sale

ACURA

Home Improvement

ROOFING GREAT PRICES ! NEW ROOF SPECIALS SIDING- Best Prices

RENOVATIONS & ALL REPAIRS

SUPER COMPETITIVE PRICES!

Licensed / Insured. Free Estimates

Nassau License. # H-0102710000 Call John - 516-852-9830

Power Washing

POWERWASHING ALL SURFACES: Houses, Fences, Concrete/ Brick, Decks/Sealing. . ANTHONY & J HOME IMPROVEMENT, INC. 516-678-6641

Tree Services

T&M GREENCARE TREE SERVICE

*Tree Removal *Stump Grinding *Pruning *Roof Line Clearing. Residential and Commercial. "We Beat All Competitors' Rates." Lowest Rates. *Senior Discount. Free Estimates. *516-223-4525, 631-586-3800 www.tmgreencare.com

‘The Things They Carried,’ and the lessons they taught

I’m known as a surly crank. I’m blunt but honest, satirical yet sympathetic. I can be both acerbic and considerate.

In my 20s, I was called “curt and condescending” in an employee evaluation. My parents laughed. I wore it like a medal.

Time hasn’t tempered my temper.

So when Vietnam War veteran Carl Johnson of West Hempstead told me that an Army lieutenant — a “real schmuck” — was the reason why it has been hard for him, as a civilian, to go along to get along, I knew I had met a fellow crank.

Johnson said the lieutenant’s ineptitude resulted in the deaths of Johnson’s three best friends in combat one day in 1970. “That lieutenant really screwed me up mentally,” Johnson recalled, “with the ability to tell the difference immediately whether somebody was really sharp, and someone I wanted to work for, or not.”

On April 27, 1970, while Johnson was on jungle patrol, one of the soldiers near him was shot. Johnson was the

radio operator, and he asked the lieutenant for orders to radio the captain. “He’s frozen,” Johnson said of the lieutenant. “We’re laying on the ground and he can’t talk because he’s so shaken.”

When Johnson had time to reflect on the battle, he realized his platoon shouldn’t have been on point that day. But because the lieutenant was what the soldiers called “shake ’n bake” — a noncommissioned officer who wore his lieutenant bar visibly despite the danger of being identified by snipers — he put the platoon in danger.

“He was a jerk, to put it mildly,” Johnson said. “He’s the reason my three buddies got killed.”

When he came home, there were no parades or bands greeting him at the airport. Johnson earned a degree from Adelphi University, and shifted jobs over the years. “Sometimes I would get in trouble,” he said. “My wife says it’s hard for me to take orders.”

Johnson got married, raised children, and learned how to cope with his grief. He became active in veterans organizations, and continues to help his fellow veterans — even those he meets by chance. He has spent decades volunteering with veterans groups. He initiat-

ed and researched a Vietnam War Memorial at Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park, his alma mater, to honor nine of its graduates who were killed in Vietnam.

He talks about his war experience as a cathartic and therapeutic way of coping.

A few years ago, Johnson was asked by a Sewanhaka student to speak to her AP literature class. The class was reading the Vietnam War novel “The Things They Carried,” by Tim O’Brien — a book about the possessions soldiers kept with them and the emotions they grappled with.

Johnson agreed, of course, to help teach the students about the meaning of service to country.

Johnson prayed in Vietnam, and carried a Bible he passed on to his grandson, who is now enrolled in the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He said the war made him a flag-waver. He tears up when he sees the flag.

As I sat in the dining room of the Johnsons’ home, I heard earnest concern in Carl’s voice as he talked about the country he defended with literal blood, sweat and tears. He spoke of fractured friendships because of his political beliefs. One friend got up and walked

away after Johnson made a political comment.

Carl and I talked about how the Pledge of Allegiance isn’t required in school, and how kids don’t salute the flag. We agreed on the meaning of the quote often attributed to Voltaire — “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” — even though we realized we aren’t cut from the same political cloth.

We agreed that the pervasive divisiveness in the country is dangerous, though we likely disagree on the causes of that divisiveness.

Carl and I share an inability to suffer fools and a love of country. We agreed that if there is a way to repair the deep divide between Americans, it begins with being able to find things that we have in common.

At a time when every comment is scrutinized through a political prism, it was refreshing to be able to have an honest and respectful conversation with someone with different views.

Carl defended my right to disagree with him. I do so with profound respect, and an inability to ever repay his debt of service.

Mark Nolan, the editor of the Lynbrook/ East Rockaway Herald and Malverne/ West Hempstead Heralds. He taught high school English for 11 years. Comments? mnolan@liherald.com.

Living the life between alone and lonely

Last week, a woman described as an “extreme athlete” emerged from a cave in Spain after 500 days in total isolation. A human being — in this case, Beatriz Flamini, a 50-year-old woman — had voluntarily descended into a 70-meter-deep cave when she was 48 and popped out a year and a half later.

RANDI KREISS

She had spoken to no one, had no showers, heard no other human voices (aside from auditory hallucinations), and spent her time reading, knitting and exercising. She said she lost track of time after two months. That was 16 months ago!

According to the BBC, she was monitored by researchers, but no one made contact.

What if everyone on earth had been wiped out by a virus or an asteroid while she was underground? But that’s a different movie, I guess.

Was this purely an endurance challenge, pushing the boundaries of experience to an extreme? Or did it also suit her on some level to disappear and be alone,

buried away from the world?

We’ve heard cave survival stories before. In 2010, 33 miners spent 69 days trapped underground before being rescued from a copper and gold mine in Chile. In 2018 the whole world witnessed the rescue of an entire team of teenage Thai soccer players trapped in a flooded mine. The thing is: These people all wanted to get out. Their entrapment was horrific. The Spanish spelunker shut the door on the world.

Some of us want to turn down the noise and enjoy being alone. But 500 days in a cave?

What would make a person choose this challenge? I can only recall the time my kids were 6 and 4, and they were both heaving with a nasty stomach virus and my husband was on a business trip and it was snowing and the dog came back from the groomer with fleas. No question, I would have dived into the cave thing. In a heartbeat I would have been underground, knitting sweet little nothings and reading books.

Sometimes I want to escape a large gathering where there’s just too much noise and chatter signifying nothing. But a cave? For 500 days? One hopes this extraordinary feat may yield good data. When it comes to isolation, I see people

divided into camps, determined most probably by genetics. My husband, for example, does not like being alone. As soon as he finds himself in a room with no possibility of immediate plans, he turns on the TV, cranks up the iPhone and flips open the computer, preferably all at once. Lots of noise. Chatter to the level of chaos.

My hunch is that people who need people all the time and in big numbers often partner up with people who get easily overwhelmed by too much talk and socializing. I don’t know why.

But caves are a unique challenge.

Fifteen years ago, we were on a driving trip in the Lascaux area of France. I persuaded my husband, who is awfully good-natured about these things, to join me on a tour of one of the caves that have prehistoric drawings. One problem was that the tour was in German, but I thought, how difficult can that be? Lots of German words are similar to English. I told my husband I thought I could translate.

We were a group of about 20 (18 Germans, two Americans). We descended 40 steps into a dark, narrow passage. I heard

the sound of the massive wooden doors slamming shut at the top of the stairs.

“I’m out of here,” I said to my husband.

“You can’t leave,” he said. “I can’t speak German.”

But I was on automatic pilot, in the grip of a panic attack. I ran up the stairs and banged on the door until someone opened the vault. My husband was stuck on the tour, and got to see the petroglyphs, but the spiel? Nein!

The cave woman in Spain said her experience was “excellent” as she stepped into the light. I want to hear more of her story, to know what it was like without having to do it myself.

Apparently, some of us just want to mix it up, go out to a bar, invite 20 people for dinner, and some of us want to turn down the noise and enjoy being alone.

But a cave for 500 days? Nein.

Much has been written about loneliness and isolation, and its effects on teenagers and older people locked down by the pandemic. Perhaps the significant factor is choice. What feels like loneliness to many is the peace of aloneness to others.

Thoreau had his cabin in the woods, and he said that nothing was as companionable as solitude.

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

Carl Johnson prayed in Vietnam, and carried a Bible he passed on to his grandson.

Lithium-ion batteries pose a real threat

Buyer beware. Many of today’s most popular electronics — including Tesla cars, e-scooters and smartphones — are powered by lithium-ion batteries, due to their ability to store large quantities of energy in a small space.

If used correctly, these products are harmless. Many are laboratory tested to be safe, and have functions that can detect when they have received enough juice to hold a charge.

It’s a modern marvel to use the internet from almost anywhere in the world using a portable device and the push of a button, or travel to work without the impact of harmful carbon emissions. But no product is without its faults. As more and more of us come to rely on these batteries for energy, the potential for fires — and in some instances, even explosions — increases.

The growing popularity of micromobility products like electric scooters and bikes has created some concern, particularly in New York City, where, in the past year, more than 200 fires were started by lithium-ion batteries, killing six people and injuring nearly 150 others. But the trend extends beyond the boroughs.

Last September, a woman died in Hempstead in a fire caused by a lithiumion battery. Another home burst into flames in Rockville Centre in January.

“It has absolutely been a problem here on Long Island,” James Hickman, Nassau County’s assistant chief fire marshal, said. “With lithium-ion batteries,

letters

Randi goes to Mars!

To the Editor:

What a cruel joke Randi Kreiss played on me (I cannot speak for others) as I read her op-ed, “It’s a go for the voyage of a lifetime” in the March 30-April 5 issue.

I was filled with glee as she announced that her chances of going to Mars were excellent. I was almost weightless as I read that she made it through psychological and psychiatric screenings at the space center last spring. I grabbed a table to hold myself down and read on.

Food allergies? Gastrointestinal disorders? I knew Randi would soar over those obstacles. Have you read any of her recipes?

I smiled as I read that she’d received permission to go public with the information about her trip to outer space. I wondered how many hundreds, or thousands, of Herald readers would have highly recommended that she be taken on this Mars mission. Or to the moon.

I thought of Randi putting together green salads as she discovered lichens on the Martian sur-

when they fail, they burn very quickly, and very hot . . . and will ignite nearby combustibles.”

The biggest concern about the batteries, according to fire officials, is the use of after-market batteries and chargers. They are typically not manufactured to the same safety standards as name-brand products.

In order to prevent such fires from occurring, Nassau County firefighters recommend purchasing batteries and chargers from reputable companies, and always following their safety instructions. If they need to be repaired, make sure they are returned to the manufacturer, and only use the battery designed for the device.

It is important not to store electronics near anything that could catch fire or help a fire spread. This includes leaving laptops or other electronic devices on a bed. Even under the best circumstances, these products will get warmer, because the heat from the battery doesn’t have a chance to dissipate. That’s why, in the event that something goes wrong, it’s safer to keep them away from household items that are easily combustible.

And with summer approaching, it is highly recommended not to store any electronics in direct sunlight. Not only can this damage a device and cause it to fail, but it can trigger a chemical reaction known as a “thermal runway,” where the temperature of the battery increases faster and faster until it catches fire.

Another safety tip is to make sure not to charge electronics near your front

door. This could cut off an entrance and exit in the event of an emergency.

Damaged lithium batteries are extremely volatile. They emit harmful gases that can speed up the spread of a fire, and in some cases even reignite one, making it challenging to extinguish.

“Sometimes we’re our own worst enemies,” Hickman said. “We have to charge everything these days.”

While the batteries themselves can be a fire hazard, plugging in too many devices at once — overloading the power supply — can exacerbate the danger. Surge protectors can be helpful in keeping this from happening, but they, too, can be ineffective if they’re off-brand or counterfeit. Plugging in certain electronics — particularly portable space heaters — is a leading cause of fires nationwide.

The National Fire Prevention Association recommends that you stop using a battery at the first sign of odor, change in color, overheating, change in shape, leaking or odd noises. If it is safe to do so, move the device away from anything that can catch fire and call 911.

To properly dispose of a lithium battery, do not put it in the trash. Take it to a battery recycling location, or contact community officials for proper e-waste disposal instructions. A number of retailers also accept these batteries for disposal, like select Home Depot, Walmart and Macy’s stores, according to state officials. Visit Call2Recycle.org/locator for more.

For more safety tips on lithium ion batteries, visit NFPA.org, or contact your local fire department.

Time to give the Five Towns some respect

Long Island is made up of hundreds of communities that proudly proclaim their famous past and any special historical facts that would attract new homeowners. The Five Towns has always stood out as an affluent and well-respected region in southwestern Nassau County. But its political status has been overlooked.

According to Wikipedia, the informal grouping of Cedarhurst, Hewlett, Inwood, Lawrence and Woodmere has been called the Five Towns since 1931. The name was born when Community Chest groups, organized for charitable giving, banded together to form the Five Towns Community Chest. Over the years, all manner of organizations have embraced the Five Towns designation. Many other local communities have, too, including Hewlett Bay Park, Hewlett Harbor, Hewlett Neck and Woodsburgh. Ask any residents of North Woodmere what geographic conglomerate they’re part of, and they’ll

claim the name Five Towns as well. There is lots of fascinating history associated with the area. Many buildings there date their origins to the early 1920s, when developers built summer homes in Hewlett. Alexander Cartwright, a Woodsburgh resident, published the first rules of baseball in 1845 for the New York Knickerbockers. Mobster Arnold Rothstein opened a casino in Hewlett Harbor in 1916. Between 1937 and 1941, the Five Towns hosted the professional Negro league baseball teams the Black Yankees and the Brooklyn Royal Giants.

Some real estate brokers eager to associate themselves with the Five Towns named their enclave West Lawrence, as distinct from Far Rockaway. Over the past 20-plus years, a large number of Orthodox families have been attracted to the Five Towns, which has caused a major jump in real estate values. Anyone who has followed the history of the area can attest to the fact that “Back Lawrence,” as it was once called, has been home to many wealthy bankers and developers.

Every decade, based on the latest U.S.

Letters

face, and mixing them in white plastic trays filled with NASA-green pasty spacecraft foods as her fellow astronauts looked like they’d just bitten into lemons. Remember guys: In space, no one can hear you scream.

Other pleasurable visions came to mind, but they all crashed to earth when I read, “Happy April Fools’ Day.” Randi, you had me over the moon for you. I have to thank you for that.

JOHN SCHULTz Oceanside

Every vehicular mistake, caught on camera

To the Editor:

I thought now would be a good time to update you on the latest and greatest in regard to Nassau County’s ongoing venture into dystopia. A few years back, I was advocating against red-light and speed cameras. Let’s repeat upfront: Nobody is advocating for lawlessness. That’s why we have police officers. I said good luck regaining a right you’ve given up, so let’s fight for it.

The silence was deafening.

So what do you say we update where our local surveillance state is today? I do so hope you’re enjoying those $150 redlight tickets. The actual fine is $50, but ya

gotta love those added fees. It seems that in 2015 and 2016 (the only years I could find numbers for; I didn’t do a deep dive), Nassau pulled in, get ready for it, $82.2 million of our money. Were you then surprised to see that that time you didn’t make a complete stop on red before turning at 3 a.m. on a completely empty road got you another $150 bill? Fun stuff.

We’re getting our pockets picked for millions. But did you really think that was going to be the end of it once the powers that be saw the money they were raking in? You’re better off trying to take blood away from a vampire.

So, to update, have you checked out a school bus lately? That’s right, they now have cameras on the sides, and should you pass one with its stop signs deployed, wait by your mailbox for the $288 bill.

But wait, there’s more. Now there are proposals for not only speed cameras, but license plate-reading cameras on the Southern State Parkway as well. And you wonder why our children can’t move away from here fast enough?

Heck, the absolute least they could do would be to install countdowns clocks underneath every traffic light where there’s a camera, to give us half a chance of avoiding a ticket — and getting rearended!

I don’t want to be an I-told-you-so, but who are we kidding? I told you so.

FRED GEFEN Woodmere

census figures, the legislative district lines of the Five Towns have been redrawn, and elections for the Assembly, State Senate and Nassau County Legislature have been dramatically impacted. Once upon a time, the Five Towns was treated with the greatest respect by government mapmakers. Sadly, however, it has been carved into many pieces, and it no longer has the political clout that it once claimed.

power base. The Herald Community Newspapers, now read across Nassau County and beyond, were born in the Five Towns.

state

I recall many political names that were connected to the Five Towns. Presiding Supervisor Palmer D. Farrington, along with U.S. Rep. Herbert Tenzer, Town Councilman Eugene Weisbein, State Sen. Karen Burstein and Assemblyman Eli Wager were among its prominent elected officials. In the mid-1960s, Barbara Boxer deserted the Five Towns for California and eventually became a U.S. senator.

From 1972 to 1989, I had the honor of representing the Five Towns in the State Assembly. I knocked on hundreds of doors as a candidate, and attended dozens of events sponsored by the Community Chest and other worthy charities. I viewed the Five Towns as an important

The reason for this walk down memory lane is to lodge an informal protest that no current local elected official has ever aggressively fought to keep the Five Towns as one political unit. The Assembly and Senate district lines, as well as the County Legislature, have been crafted with no respect for the historical identity of these very closely knit communities. This isn’t some form of snobbism; just a commentary on why people who want your vote don’t speak out at the time when new voting districts are created.

We should hope that in 2030, when the next federal census takes place, some dynamic local official will take up the cause of once again making the Five Towns into one united political region. Its great history deserves some extra respect.

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

Framework by Tim Baker

A momentary pose in Arthur J. Hendrickson Park — Valley Stream

County and

district lines have divided these closely knit communities.

JerrY kremer

Meet Roxanne Rizzi.

PARENT. EDUCATOR. ADVOCATE.

I AM RUNNING FOR THE RVC SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION ON MAY 16TH AND SEEKING YOUR VOTE.

I live in Rockville Centre along with my husband Frank, and son Pasquale and have been a member of the RVC community since 2012. I am a NYC public school teacher with a BA in Child Study, and a Master of Science in Literacy. As a NYC Public School teacher, I have 20 years of classroom experience, which includes ICT/Integrated Collaborative Teaching, Testing Coordinator, SEL Lead (Social Emotional Learning Team), Technology Coordinator (SPOC), and have been nominated twice for the NYC Big Apple Teacher Award. When I’m not in Queens teaching my students, I love tutoring children who want to achieve “Mathemagician” status. In addition to, enjoying my volunteer work as a Religious Educator for the Diocese of Rockville Centre.

WHAT DO I STAND FOR?

My belief is that every child deserves a stellar education that is

. NOT A “ONE SIZE FITS ALL.”

. EVERY CHILD SHOULD FEEL VALUED.

. EVERY CHILD’S JOURNEY IS UNIQUE.

As both an educator and parent, I know that all students have strengths and weaknesses that need attention and cultivation. Serving on the School Board would give me the opportunity to utilize my skills as a veteran educator who can and will support for both students and families. Let me advocate for you.