Rockville Centre Herald 12-15-2022

Remembering Pearl Harbor Veterans pay tribute to infamous 1941 attack

By DANIEl oFFNER doffner@liherald.com

More than 2,400 Americans lost their lives and nearly 1,200 more were wounded on Dec. 7, 1941, when Japanese fighter pilots launched a surprise attack on U.S. Naval Station Pearl Harbor.

The tragic events of that day will forever “live in infamy,” thanks to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s iconic speech, a declaration of war against Japan that began America’s involvement in World War II.

In honor of those who lost their lives 81 years ago, and all of the men and women who subsequently fought and served in World War II, veterans in Rockville Centre and the surrounding

School officials discuss results of district opinion survey

By DANIEl oFFNER doffner@liherald.com

Rockville Centre School District officials commissioned a data company to conduct what they described as a “climate survey” in October, to better gauge the perception of students, teachers and parents of the performance of the district’s schools.

The results were mostly positive, with more than 85 percent of the 3,935 participants responding that the school climate was “excellent” or “good,” but the survey revealed a few discrepancies that admin-

istrators said they hoped to address.

“I wanted to understand what the community felt about our school district,” Superintendent Matt Gaven said during a presentation to the Board of Education on Dec. 7. “It was really important to me. I wanted to know where we are right now so we can craft a vision for going forward.”

The survey asked a variety of questions, which were broken down into categories based on family involvement, safety and behavior, student support, school leadership, and academic support.

Gaven said that district officials identi-

fied differences of opinion about several key areas of district operations. Some of the largest gaps among parents, students, and staff were in their perceptions of academic support and preparation.

Some 83 percent of campus-based staff said they felt that they successfully show students how lessons relate to life outside school. However, that number dropped to 53 percent for parents and 41 percent for secondary students.

“So there is a perception gap there,” Gaven acknowledged. “That means we have to be more explicit in how we’re connecting what students are learning every-

day to life outside of school.”

Two other differences in perception that the survey identified are to what extent students, parents, and staff believe that students receive the necessary support to prepare them for the next grade, and whether that support addresses their individual needs.

The data also reflected discrepancies in respondents’ opinions on access to tutors, family involvement, bullying and discipline, and whether students know to reach out to principals with concerns.

The survey also asked whether respon-

Daniel Offner/Herald

NASSAu CouNtY AMERICAN Legion Commander Joe Scarola and Rockville Centre Mayor Francis Murray tossed a wreath into Mill River in honor of those who died in the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Summit Health opens new location in RVC

Summit Health continues its Long Island expansion with the opening of its new multispecialty facility along Merrick Road in Rockville Centre. Located in the downtown area, the new 7,428 square-foot facility includes 15 exam rooms and offers a wide variety of health services.

“The Rockville Centre hub brings together trusted local experts to deliver high-quality accessible health care,” Dr. Dan Frogel, chief medical officer of the New York region at Summit Health, said in a release. “With this latest hub, we also continue to enhance clinical services available to our CityMD urgent care patients by leveraging skilled local providers of primary and specialty care. We are building a simplified health care experience that seeks to treat patients on every corner and in every community.”

With a team of highly experienced physicians and providers, the new Rockville Centre hub will offer primary care, in addition to allergy/ immunology, cardiology, dermatology, internal medicine, orthopedics, and sports medicine services.

courtesy Summit Health

Summit HealtH’S HigHly experienced primary and specialty care professionals cater to a variety of different health care needs.

Over the past year, Summit Health has expanded into Long Island with the addition of eight new health care practices including Long Island Allergies, Medical Associates, Central Nassau Pediatrics,

Suffolk Orthopedic Associates, North Shore Cardiac Imaging Family Medical Health, and Family Practitioner Dr. Adrian Lombardi, Cardiologist Dr. Salvatore Trazzera, and Neurologist Dr. Ellen Braunstein.

Summit HealtH HaS opened its new location on Merrick Road in Rockville Centre.

itS new multiSpecialty care facility in Rockville Centre includes 15 exam rooms and provides a comfortable waiting environment.

Submitted by Stanton PR

Photos

Families enjoy a breakfast with Santa

Santa Claus made his annual trip to Rockville Centre on Sunday, Dec. 11, alongside his wife, Mrs. Claus, and his pals Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and many of his helper elves for the annual Breakfast with Santa event hosted by the John A. Anderson Recreation Center.

All three sittings were sold out weeks in advance, as kids all over the community were busy with anticipation for the

opportunity to enjoy a pancake breakfast with Kris Kringle himself.

The annual Breakfast with Santa event typically draws a large crowd each year. Dozens of families gathered for the opportunity to take a picture with Santa, share Christmas letters, enjoy in fun activities, and receive a personalized Christmas ornament to place on their tree.

lindSey CaStRo and her daughter, Ellie, 2, are all smiles over their pancake breakfast.

maxwell mCavey, 2, and his big sister, Emerson, 3, are both happy to receive their personalized Christmas ornaments.

Sue Grieco/Herald photos

Ruby Smith, 3, gives Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer a hug.

Santa and mRS. Claus pose with Alison Flores and threeyear old Jackson.

–Daniel Offner

tRoy haSSleR and Jim Higgins man the pancake grill.

Recalling a ‘date which will live in infamy’

communities gathered along Mill River on Dec. 7 for a solemn ceremony.

“The attack on Pearl Harbor was intended to bring an end to America as a major power,” Frank Colón, commander of American Legion Post No. 303, said during the ceremony. “Instead it was the awakening of a sleeping giant.”

After the attack, Colón said, hundreds of thousands of Americans lined up outside military recruiters’ offices across the country, looking to enlist. It was the first time since the War of 1812, almost 130 years earlier, that such an attack had taken place on American soil.

Eight battleships in Pearl Harbor were damaged, and four of them sank, including the USS Arizona, which remains underwater, a memorial to the 1,177 officers and crew who were killed that day.

In the aftermath, 15 U.S. Navy sailors were presented with the Medal of Honor for their bravery in fighting off the Japanese attack. Among the other awards given to American servicemen who distinguished themselves in combat at Pearl Harbor were 51 Naval Crosses, 53 Silver Stars, four Navy and Marine Corps medals and three Bronze Stars.

Colón said that even today, the U.S. military’s Defense POW-MIA Accounting Agency continues to identify the remains of those who died there.

“It’s remembered as a day of infamy, but it should also be recalled as a day of bravery,” he said. “There were many other heroic acts not recognized with medals. We must remember it was an ordinary Sunday morning, in which unsuspecting American Legion servicemen played extraordinary heroism. We still remember them. Forgetting their heroism would be an additional act of infamy.”

Rockville Centre Mayor Francis Murray joined the

veterans in paying tribute, and spoke about the swift response to Roosevelt’s call to action and the heroism of those who served in the war that followed.

“Our president acted with resilience and brought our country together,” Murray said. “And everyone knows what happened after that. The Coral Sea. Midway. We sunk every one of their aircraft carriers and, soon after, in 1945, we ended that war.”

Murray thanked all those who marched into battle, those who served in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, and all those who gave their lives or were wounded to protect the nation from Axis forces.

After he spoke, Murray joined Nassau County American Legion Commander Joe Scarola in tossing a wreath into the river, which was followed by taps and “God Bless America” to conclude the ceremony.

Pearl Harbor Day is not a national holiday, but it is recognized across the country by those who fly the American flag at half-staff until sunset.

To learn more about Pearl Harbor, World War II and the memorials dedicated to the USS Arizona, the USS Oklahoma and the USS Utah, visit the National Park Service website, NPS.gov, or the national World War II Museum, NationalWW2Museum.org.

Daniel Offner/Herald

Nassau CouNty ameriCaN Legion Commander Joe Scarola led the Pledge of Allegiance during the ceremony in memory of those who died on Dec. 7, 1941.

A few words about the Hanukkah holidays

I must admit, right up front that of all the seasons, winter is my least favorite. And despite my southern Florida roots, the cold is not what gets to me, it is the shortness of the days. When the sun begins to fade into the horizon at 4 p.m., and darkness sets in, it often takes much energy and drive for my body not to just call it a day right there and then. And I’m not even a farmer. I sit at a desk. How much more difficult for a person employed in a profession which definitively depends on the light of day for productivity? And while the dark days of winter pose challenges in the modern era, could you imagine how people felt before electricity? Or in more ancient times when darkness was a substantially greater threat to one’s safety?

There is a 2,000-year-old Jewish legend about Adam — the first fully cognizant human — witnessing the daily increase in darkness between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice. He could not understand what was happening, and it evoked in him a great fear. He said, “Woe is me! Perhaps the world is reverting back to chaos and disorder, and this is the end.” He was terrified. However, instead of succumbing to his fear and resigning himself to his perceived fate, Adam was empowered to figure out a way to reverse the trend. Adam thought to himself, “did my actions in some way play a part in bringing about this darkness? Was it the perhaps the sin that I committed in the garden?” He immediately acted. He meditated and prayed for eight days. Then, amazingly, he saw the days beginning to get longer, and in great joy, he called for an eight-day long holiday around the time of the Winter Solstice to celebrate light returning to the world.

So began the annual Hanukkah festival. Even before the Maccabees, and the oil, and the miracles, humans celebrated nature and began to define their role in bringing light into the world. Many religions adopted festive occasions during this time of year all with similar messages of hope, faith, and empowerment in dark times. And while we now know that the shortening of days is merely a natural cycle that will inevitably reverse, the metaphor of the ancient message still resonates.

Like Adam, we can perceive increasing darkness in this world that can cause us a degree of disillusionment. There is a growing divisiveness and harshness present in society, and we can’t ignore the attempted mainstreaming of hate and intolerance. But also, like Adam, we must not resign ourselves to feeling powerless in the face of this creeping shadow. The message of the holidays is that we have the power, and the responsibility, to stand tall with our individual and communal light in an effort to counter the trend.

We understand that a little bit of light dispels much darkness. When confronted with hate, we are empowered this holiday season to push back with the light of love, tolerance, and civility. When we look out of our windows and see our neighbors’ shining bulbs and dancing flames, may it inspire us to give a little more of our own light, alongside our brothers and sisters of good will, toward a better society and a brighter world.

With all this in mind, maybe winter isn’t so bad after all. May the joy and hope of the holidays be upon us all.

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas!

Rabbi David Lerner, Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David.

Rabbi DaviD LeRneR

Guest Column

Herald file photo

In CelebratIon of Hanukkah, Rabbi David Lerner of Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth David, located at 100 Hempstead Ave. in Rockville Centre, shares a few words on the meaning of the Jewish holiday.

United Church hosts White

United Church of Rockville Centre, located at 430 Morris Ave., celebrated its 89th White Gift Pageant on Sunday, Dec. 11. During the event, Pastor Scott Ressman shared the story of the First Christmas with those in attendance acting out the parts. Gifts wrapped in white paper were presented for distribution to the people at New Ground, an organization that assists homeless Veterans and their families. Congregants also helped provide gifts for the residents of Momma’s House, a program that provides housing and support for young mothers and their children.

Following the service, attendees gathered for fellowship by a tree decorated with donated hats, gloves, and scarves for those in need. Christmas carols were performed, while everyone decorated delicious homemade cookies to enjoy.

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Photos courtesy United Church of Rockville Centre Those aTTending The White Gift Pageant on Sunday, became part of the story of the First Christmas.

Middle School student wins in essay contest

Earlier this year, Optimum teamed up with TelevisaUnivision to host an essay contest in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Students from the 21 different states that the company serves were invited to compete for a chance to win a Grand Prize scholarship.

Contestants were asked to describe a person or group in the community in 500 words or less that have helped keep their community connected to their culture.

Giana C., a seventh-grade student at South Side Middle School was selected as one of the four grand prize winners of the contest for her essay on the Hispanic Brotherhood.

“I was in shock,” she told the Herald. “I didn’t really believe it at first.”

She said that her guidance counselor helped motivate her to enter with an essay about how the Hispanic Brotherhood has helped provide after-school programs for kids and services for senior citizens.

The not-for-profit organization was established in 1984 by a small group of Hispanic residents in Rockville Centre to assist with the fast-growing population of immigrants from different Spanish language cultures. Since then, the organization’s outreach has grown to include four of the surrounding communities, including Freeport, Oceanside, Lynbrook, and Baldwin.

Giana said that her topic was a “no brainer” as members of the Hispanic

Brotherhood had previously helped specific members of her family in years past. She said that the essay took her about a month to write, and that while she is surprised to have won, is most gratified knowing that her hard work had paid off.

“Optimum is proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month through our annual student essay contest, which gives students the opportunity to share a personal story of the impact of Hispanic heritage on the communities where our customers and employees live and work,” Jen Ostrager, Optimum’s senior vice president of community affairs said in a statement.

“We appreciate TelevisaUnivision’s partnership in this contest, the educators who encouraged and sponsored the student submissions, and most importantly, the students for their thoughtful and inspiring entries. Congratulations to our four grand prize winners and finalists.”

Educators who sponsored the highest number of essay submissions from their students were also presented with a special gift from Optimum and TelevisaUnivision,

The winning entrants and runners up will be recognized during a live virtual event on Thursday, Dec. 15, after press time, celebrating the diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of generations of Hispanic Americans across the country.

–Daniel Offner

Students put a new twist on Broadway classic

South Side Middle School students were invited to the stage on Dec. 7, to per form their rendition of the song “Kids” from the hit 1960 Broadway musical “Bye Bye Birdie.”

“One of the great things about the Broadway revue, which is a tradition at Southside Middle School is that it gives our students the opportunity to shine in a more particular way than when we do the spring musical,” Arts Director Brian Zuar said.

He said that unlike an ordinary stage production, the Broadway revue provides students with the opportunity to shine by

South Side Middle Quinn Galvin, Jimmy Gillen, Matthew Lindsay, Lena Miller, Grace Morovich, and Cameron Rhodes, perform the song “Kids” from the hit Broadway musical “Bye Bye Birdie.”

sports

Hofstra seeks CAA championship run

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

The Hofstra men’s basketball team is poised for another high finish in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) and hopes it can carry over regular season success into the postseason.

The Pride won eight of nine games last year to end the CAA schedule, but was quickly bounced in the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament by College of Charleston as the third seed.

“The goal is always to win a championship,” said head coach and former Pride star Speedy Claxton, who guided Hofstra to a conference title and NCAA Tournament as a star point guard in 2000. “We put together a tough non-conference schedule to prepare us for the physical teams we will face in conference play.”

Hofstra returned redshirt senior guard Aaron Estrada, the reigning CAA Player of the Year who Claxton says has a potential to become an NBA player. Estrada, who transferred to Hofstra from Oregon last year, scored 33 points in the Pride’s 85-80 home win against George Washington on Nov. 14.

“He is our hardest worker,” Claxton said of Estrada. “He is our best player for a reason because he is always in the gym working on his game.”

Estrada was sidelined by an ankle injury for the Pride’s Dec. 7 road trip to fourth-ranked Purdue and in his absence saw the emergence of red-shirt freshman guard Amar’e Marshall, who scored 24 against the Big Ten power.

Hofstra (6-4) opened the season with an 83-77 come-frombehind win at Princeton on Nov. 7 in which Estrada scored 27 points and the Pride ended the

game on a 10-1 run. The game also saw an emergence of sophomore guard Jaquan Carlos, who hit the eventual game-winning three pointer, the first of many clutch baskets he has made this season.

Sophomore Darlistone Dubar, a second-year Hofstra player after transferring from Iowa State, is making strides early this season averaging 10.9 points through the first 12 games. Redshirt senior guard Tyler Thomas, a Sacred Heart University transfer, has also provided an offensive spark, averaging 12 points a game including 26 in an 83-78 win against Iowa at home on Veterans Day.

Hofstra was picked second in the CAA preseason coaches poll behind Towson. The Pride’s CAA home opener is slated for New Year’s Eve at 1 p.m. against league newcomer North Carolina A&T. The Pride’s home conference schedule is highlighted by a Feb. 4 matchup against Long Island rival and CAA newcomer Stony Brook for a 4 p.m. tipoff.

pride women off to promising start

The Hofstra women’s basketball team is making strides early on in the new season after an 8-20 record in the 2021-22 campaign.

The Pride already achieved half of last year’s win total with a 56-53 home win against Army West Point on Dec. 7 that put the team at 4-4. It nearly got win number five last Saturday, but dropped a 62-61 overtime heartbreaker at Loyola (Md).

“I’m excited for what this season is going to hold,” said fourthyear head coach Danielle Santos Atkinson. “I truly believe we have a team that wants it and they’re willing to work for it.”

Hofstra returned six from last year’s team that reached the

CAA quarterfinals including AllCAA Defensive team selection Rosi Nicholson, who also displayed her offensive ability with 16 points in a season-opening 73-68 loss to Big Ten foe Rutgers. Senior Sorelle Ineza is also back after starting 11 games as a junior.

Baldwin native Brandy Thomas, a graduate student who transferred from nearby Long Island University (LIU), has become the team’s leading scorer early on averaging 13.3 points per game including 22 in a 76-68 loss at Wagner on Nov. 26.

“She’s very competitive and pushes everyone else to be competitive as well,” said Santos Atkinson of Thomas, Junior 6-3 center Zyheima Swint is the third leading scorer early in the season and gives the Pride a strong inside presence to complement its perimeter game.

The Pride’s roster features seven newcomers including Zaniyyah Ross-Barnes, a Stony Brook transfer who is the team’s fourth leading scorer. Junior guard Ally Knights, an Australia native who transferred from North Florida, is a key rebounder and defender also capable of hitting big jump shots.

New additions to the team this season also includes freshman Emma Von Essen of Rockville Centre, who shined as a four-year member at Long Island Lutheran. Von Essen is quickly gaining minutes and got her first start in a 74-71 victory against LIU on Dec. 3 in a game where she netted season-high 17 points.

Hofstra was picked to finish last in the 13-team CAA and will look to prove the doubters wrong starting with its league opener at Delaware on Dec. 30. The Pride’s CAA home opener is scheduled for New Year’s Day against Stony Brook at 2 p.m.

Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletics Communications PRiDE REDshiRt sENiOR guard Aaron Estrada, right, is the reigning CAA Player of the Year.

hOfstRA’s WOmEN’s tEAm is making early strides and aims

prove the preseason rankings wrong.

HempsteadWorks one-stop shop for job seekers

By MARK NOLAN mnolan@liherald.com

Searching for a new job at any stage can be daunting. Among myriad challenges are cold calls, maintaining contact lists, constantly updating social media profiles and customizing resumes, and recruiting references.

It’s enough to give even the most stalwart job hunter a feeling of timidity.

But there are resources available: HempsteadWorks. A joint effort between the Town of Hempstead’s occupational resources department and Long Beach’s city workforce development board, HempsteadWorks is intended to provide assistance at all phases of hunting for that next position.

Those services can include everything from workshops on how to create resumes and write cover letters, how to best approach a job interview, ways to utilize social media sites like LinkedIn, and even training and certification programs.

All for free to anyone living in the town or in Long Beach.

“If someone doesn’t have computer skills, we help them,” said Mary Drangel, a business services representative for HempsteadWorks. “Some don’t have a computer at home, so they can come in and use the computer resource room and work on their resume.”

HempsteadWorks, Drangel said, offers services for a wide range of professions — from truck driving to engineering.

“They are matched with a career counselor,” she said, “and we find out what their needs are and what career path they want to take. From there we have all of the services that they might need.”

While unemployment rates nationally and locally remain near record lows, there are still plenty of people in need of jobs, or even a new job. HempsteadWorks helps not just the unemployed, but the underemployed as well.

“For the adults, we have training and workshops so they can get a certificate or credential in any field,” Drangel said.

HempsteadWorks is especially skilled at helping young

and at-risk job seekers, Drangel said — even those with criminal records. The youth services program is currently helping nearly 150 Hempstead teens and young adults with job training, transportation and child care.

It’s a comprehensive program designed to eliminate potential barriers to getting hired.

“We want them to be self-sufficient,” said Nene Alameda, a co-worker of Drangel. “Some of the youth we work with have been involved with the justice system. We find companies that are willing to give them a second chance. We try to identify barriers and mitigate them. We want to help them find a sustainable wage to live on Long Island.”

The youth services program helps job seekers between 18 and 24 who dropped out of high school, have a criminal record, are homeless, pregnant, or economically disadvantaged. HempsteadWorks also has a program designed to help those trying to escape from the influence of gangs.

“We have a pro bono attorney to help them clean up their rap sheet,” Drangel said.

There are also services for those with physical and learning disabilities, as well as English language learners. Job seekers must, of course, have a legal right to work in the United States.

Job searches would be fruitless without jobs. Drangel and Alameda said that HempsteadWorks develops great relationships with businesses to meet their needs, and not just the needs of those looking for jobs.

A recent job fair in Freeport, for example, attracted 1,500 job seekers and 70 companies.

“I always feel like we’re a bit of a professional matchmaker,” Alameda said. “We work with companies to understand their needs, but we’re also working with participants who have workforce needs. How do we find that perfect fit?”

Drangel changes leadership, not her priorities

By MARK NOLAN mnolan@liherald.com

One of Hempstead’s most influential employment recruiters will soon find herself out of a job.

But on her terms.

Mary Drangel will retire from HempsteadWorks as a career center representative on Jan. 31, after 14 years of service.

But the Oceanside resident has a much longer resume with the Town of Hempstead, with jobs that include purchasing and procurement, the tax receiver’s office, and real estate. Drangel’s passion has been helping people find a job, and she exudes excitement when talking about helping them overcome the hurdles.

“It has been challenging, but also rewarding at the same time,” Drangel said. “I have to say, I feel proud of what I’ve done here.”

Drangel is getting ready for warmer temperatures with plans to move to Florida with her husband, Scott. He recently retired from the New York City’s environmental protection department. Their son, Michael, is a Rockville Centre resident, and Mary’s mother and two sisters live locally, so the couple plan to spend plenty

of time visiting back home.

Drangel plans to continue her passions for nature photography and hiking.

Drangel’s replacement, Nene Alameda, has been a part of HempsteadWorks since

June, and is intimately aware of all the programs and resources the office provides. Still, she is only grudgingly celebrating Drangel’s retirement. “When they invent the machine for

downloading of brains, I want to connect to Mary and keep downloading everything she knows,” Alameda joked. “Everything she touches turns to gold.”

Alameda has been largely responsible for HempsteadWorks’ social media campaign designed to attract younger job seekers.

She also added QR codes — two-dimensional bar codes people can scan with their smartphones taking them to specific websites.

“Our flyers are very dynamic,” Drangel said. “When you look at them, you’re attracted right to them. Nene is phenomenal at creating flyers.”

While Drangel has had good things to say about her successor, Alameda credits Drangel for much of HempsteadWorks’ success — especially after Covid-19.

“I said, ‘Why don’t we just think out-ofthe-box and do a job fair on Zoom?’” Drangel said. When asked how she was going to do that, Drangel had a simple answer.

“I said, ‘I don’t know. I’ll figure it out’” she said. “And it turned out that it really took off.”

“Who would have thought that a job fair online right after the pandemic started would take off,” Alameda said. “I don’t want her to leave.”

Mark Nolan/Herald

NENE ALAMEDA, LEFT, and Mary Drangel reviewed plans for upcoming job fairs offered by the Town of Hempstead’s occupational resources department through its HempsteadWorks Career Center.

Mark Nolan/Herald

HEMPSTEADWORKS CAREER CENTER employees Lily Dou, far left, Tamia Anderson, Maria Reed, Kurt Rockensies, Eric Mallette, Mary Drangel, Nene Alameda, Christopher DeRita and Jeanie Robano-Stocker provide comprehensive career services for Hempstead town residents.

Turning up the lights, extra bright this holiday

Rockville Centre homeowners are competing for bragging rights, by showing off their holiday spirit with lavish displays of lights and decorations. For the past three years, the RVC Holiday Lights contest has challenged residents throughout the community to register and compete for the chance to be one of the five winning houses selected.

Participating homes were divided up into five groups, based on the maps provided by the village, which are available online for anyone looking to see these wonderful holiday displays.

Voting began on Dec. 9 and will be open through Dec. 14 at midnight. The winning homes will be selected based on five different categories.

Clark Griswold is the name awarded to the home with the most over-the-top lighting and decorations. The second, Martha Stewart, is given to the home that features design elements that would make even Martha jealous. Party of Lights is the

award presented to the home that can best be seen from outer space. And Family Friendly is the award for the home that best engages the village’s youngest residents.

The final category, Best Block, is presented to an entire street that went all out with its decorations this holiday season.

Once the voting is closed, the Village of Rockville Centre will share the winning homes online and via social media on Dec. 16. For more information about the contest, visit RVCNY.gov.

–Daniel Offner

Daniel Offner/Herald photos

DogwooD Lane shines brightly as one of the block contestants entered in the Village of Rockville Centre’s annual Holiday Lights competition.

The vinTage hoLiDay lights at 21 Hamilton Street went well with the sound of Frank Sinatra singing his Christmastime classics.

sanTa anD his pals from the North Pole plan for a Christmas convoy in front of this home on Cleveland Avenue.

Legislature approves secretive cyber contract

By MARK NOLAN mnolan@liherald.com

A cybersecurity services contract unanimously approved by the Nassau County Legislature’s rules committee on Dec. 5 has raised the eyebrows of an open government expert since this approval came in secret.

Yet, such discretion is necessary, county officials, said, since they believe not giving away the game plan is the best way to protect sensitive data from hackers.

At issue is a contract for Nassau County’s massive computer network. But it’s not just how the vendor will operate that remains cloaked, but also how much it will cost — and who the vendor is. All of this, according to the expert, is standard information courts have ruled the public has a right to.

The crippling malware attack on Suffolk County’s network on Sept. 8 sent shockwaves through government offices nationwide charged with protecting computer systems. Nassau officials immediately urged the legislature to act, which is exactly what its rules committee did a few months later.

A full vote of the legislature is not required under county law for contracts.

But why a secret? It’s simple, rules committee vice chair Howard Kopel said: ransomware.

“The vendor suggested (secrecy) would be a very important thing,” the legislator said. “We don’t want the crooks to know who (the vendor is) and what their methods of operation are.”

Ransomware is when someone remotely locks up a computer network or servers, releasing them only after the owners of those networks pays a monetary ransom.

Yet, is computer security enough to keep the details of a taxpayer-funded project secret? Shoshanah Bewlay, executive director of the state’s Committee on Open Govern-

ment, disagrees. If the contract has been finalized and signed, Bewlay said, there is no reason not to disclose who the vendor is and how much taxpayer money is being paid.

“I can’t imagine what FOIL exemption would apply to permit the county to withhold the name of the vendor and value of the contract,” Bewlay said, referring to the Freedom of Information Law. “‘Cybersecurity’ isn’t on the list of exemptions to FOIL disclosure.”

Kopel said legislators were advised by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s staff it could be against the

law to provide more details about the contract.

They “told us not only is it unwise to release this information, but it’s potentially improper — potentially even illegal,” Kopel said. “We questioned the administration very closely for well over an hour, which is very unusual for a contract. We did vet this as closely as we could. We’re satisfied they did follow procedures properly.”

Blakeman spokesman Christopher Boyle defended the secrecy.

“This contract pertains to the cybersecurity of the county, and has been vetted by a committee composed of representatives from the office of the inspector general, county attorney, district attorney and police department to ensure its effectiveness and integrity,” Boyle said, in an email statement.

Public scrutiny of government contracts is a vital part of maintaining open government, Bewlay said. With the Nassau cybersecurity contract, the public does not know who the vendor is or how much they are being paid, or if the vendor is reputable or insured.

“Nobody wants hackers to compromise anybody’s systems,” she said. “But again, it is difficult to imagine how disclosing the name of a vendor — and the value of the contract for the vendor’s services — reveals the county’s critical infrastructure information such that it would be exempt from FOIL disclosure.”

Kopel agreed government needs better defenses against hackers, but also believes the public should trust the county that it is taking steps to protect the computer systems at the expense of details.

“What the public should know is that this is a huge problem,” Kopel said. “It is an ongoing, ever-present problem. Crooks will typically look for the easiest opportunity, the fastest buck.

“If we make it really, really hard, maybe they will go somewhere else.”

Tim Baker/Herald NAssAu COuNty LegisLAtuRe’s rules committee approved a new cybersecurity contract to protect government computers and servers. But who is servicing that contract — and how much of taxpayer dollars they’re being paid — is a secret.

School survey identifies gaps in perception

dents felt that students are treated fairly based on their race, culture, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, political affiliation, physical appearance or disability. The 77 parents, 21 teachers and 260 secondary students who said no were asked to choose the most prevalent factors. Overall, 67 percent of students, 61 percent of parents and 95 percent of teachers listed race or ethnicity.

“This is not a shocking number, but it is a number that causes concern,” Gaven said. “It’s something that we have to have a conversation about with our principals. We have to talk about it with our faculty, guidance counselors, social workers, and think about systemic ways to address it.”

This was the first time that district officials had collected responses from the elementary schools, which they found helpful in identifying how the youngest stakeholders felt about their education. In total, 89 percent of elementary students said their teachers do an excellent job of making sure kids know that those teachers want them to do their best.

For parents, the district ranked highest overall when it came to safety and respect, but fell short when they were asked whether students are being challenged academically. The district staff gave the schools the best rankings for its academic and individual student support, but acknowledged that they can do more to promote opportunities for families to volunteer. Secondary students, meanwhile, ranked the schools highest for its supportive staff, its variety of extracurricular activities, and the awareness of safety procedures, although more than half said that their lessons do not connect to life outside of the classroom.

“Thank you for this amazing treasure trove of information,” School board Vice

President Donna Downing told Gaven. “It’s a starting point from which we can go in so many different directions. And I thank you, and I think it was a great idea that you brought to this board to hire this external data company to do this in a professional and organized fashion that gives us all of these points to which we can drill into a little bit more deeply.”

The district is continuously looking for ways to improve, Downing said, and it is vital that administrators do so strategically and carefully in order to make positive changes. She added that while the study provides a snapshot of where the district is currently, it also reflects of where it has been during the pandemic and amid a turnover in administration.

“Thank you for listening,” Trustee Christine Ferazani told Gaven after the presentation. “Communication was one of the biggest things that we were seeking in the new superintendent, and you heard us.”

Trustee Erica Messier said she was pleased by the positive feedback they received from the community, but was a bit surprised by the fact that only 63 percent of secondary students felt their individual needs are being met.

“I think that’s something that’s really important to take a look at, is that we’re seeing kids as individuals,” Messier said.

“We know who kids are, what their needs are, what their wants are, and we’re doing our best to try to meet those needs. We obviously can’t be everything for everyone in every moment, but that feels like a large amount of kids who may be falling through cracks.”

Based on the survey information, school board members said, they hope to address some of the highlighted gaps by working collaboratively with teachers and administrators to better shape their goals for the years ahead.

Daniel Offner/Herald

Rockville centRe schools Superintendent Matt Gaven presented a breakdown of the results of the district’s survey to the Board of Education and the public.

i wanted to understand what the community felt about our school district.

Matt Gaven Rockville Centre Superintendent

STEPPING OUT

Toss off those shoes and skate away

By Karen Bloom

f you’ve never tried “sock skating” you’re definitely missing out. Yes, there’s plenty to enjoy about putting on skates and zipping along the ice, but sometimes the effort of dealing with the cold feet, etc., may seem a bit much for a family outing.

Long Island Children’s Museum’s indoor version enables everyone to stay warm and content while experiencing plenty of skating fun. The museum’s “ice rink,” which first made a brief appearance in Summer 2021, is back for the holiday season in a big way, through Jan. 8.

“This idea grew out of the many (post-pandemic) requests we received for physical activity for the kids,” says Maureen Mangan, the museum’s communications director. “There is a need to get kids off their screens and into some physical play. This is a great way to burn off energy and an opportunity to have a winter experience inside — warm and cozy.”

In fact, it’s been so well-received that the museum plans to make this an annual event during the holiday season.

The 800-square-foot indoor Snowflake Sock Skating rink (the equivalent size of a four-car garage) opened in mid-November to the delight of the museum’s young visitors — and their adult companions, who are just as keen to be in on the action.

“The kids are eager to get on the ‘ice,’ Mangan says. “And the parents are, too. They go out with them. You’ll see them twirling and spinning.”

WHERE WHEN

• Now through Jan. 8, Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• $15 admission

• View the LICM events calendar at LICM.org for additional information, or call (516) 224-5800.

•

The rink is made from a high-tech synthetic polymer surface that lets everyone slide around without blades, ringed by candy cane-striped posts topped with a “snowball.” Right outside, blue-hued bean bag chairs of various sizes have been placed so the “skaters” can take a break as needed.

Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City.

“We frequently see kids fling themselves on the chairs for a quick rest before jumping back on the ‘ice,’” Mangan notes.

Off the “ice” a Snowflake Village beckons.

“We expanded on the concept to include plenty of experiential activities,” Mangan says. Kids can become a “baker” in the holiday sweet shop, step inside a giant (nine-foot) snowman and serve up some hot cocoa, take a turn in the rink’s “ticket booth” and “warm up” around the rink-side virtual “fire pit” where the entire family can relax, sit on a “tree stump” share stories and make some “s’mores.”

Adds education director Aimee Terzulli: “Kids use their imaginations as they take on roles associated with these familiar winter activities.”

Winter at its best — without the chill and the need to bundle up.

Photos courtesy Long Island Children’s Museum

Families can slip on sock skates”’ and take a spin — whatever the weather — on the museum’s seasonal skating rink, with plenty of activities to occupy their ‘off-ice”’ time.

Buddy is back!

Step into the world of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole, in this special production of the holiday musical. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy’s enormous size and poor toymaking abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New Yorkers remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Directed by Madison Theatre artistic director Angelo Fraboni — a Broadway veteran — the charming show features a versatile cast of Broadway professionals and Molloy University CAP21 Theatre Arts students, with Matteo Mennella, of Rockville Centre, and Malverne’s Brady Schumacher sharing the role of young Michael Hobbs.

Saturday, Dec. 17, 3 and 8 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 18, 2 and 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Dec. 20, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2 and 7 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, Dec. 22-23, 7 p.m. Madison Theatre, Molloy University campus, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. (516) 323-4444, or MadisonTheatreNY.org.

Eileen Ivers

The Grammy-winning fiddler and her band return to the Adelphi University Performing Arts Center stage for a lively holiday show, ‘Eileen Ivers: A Joyful Christmas.’ Ivers captures her Irish and American roots in a concert that blends traditional, story-filled, ageold Wren Day songs, poems, foot stomping, and hollerin’ roots music. Ivers and the ensemble combine their numerous instruments and voices in what surely is a soulful celebration capturing the true spirit and joy of the season. She continues to push the fiddling tradition boundaries from folk music staples to a fiercely fresh, powerfully beautiful, intense world stage experience, celebrating the glorious story of Christmas with unbridled joy.

Sunday, Dec. 18, 4 p.m. Tickets start at $50, with discounts available to seniors, students, alumni and employees. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 8774000 or Aupac.Adelphi.edu.

Photo:

THE SCENE

Fresh food at the farmers market

Visit the Rockville Centre Farmers Market each Sunday, through Dec. 18, from 7 a.m. to noon, in the parking lot across from Bigelow’s Clam Bar on Sunrise Highway and Long Beach Road. Operated by the Long Island Growers Market, vendors include Norman’s Best Pickles, Orwashers Baked Goods, Natural Hounds Wet Dog Food, and Lithology Brewing Co. For more information, call (631) 323-3653.

Art talk

Baby Shark Live: The Christmas Show!

Splash along with Baby Shark and Pinkfong, on the Tilles Center stage, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 6 p.m., as they journey into the sea for the holidays to sing and dance through some of your favorite songs. This immersive experience, on the LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville, specially appealing to ages 2-6, will have families dancing in the aisles. Join Baby Shark and friends for exciting adventures into the jungle and under the sea to explore shapes, colors, numbers and more. Enjoy hit songs in this dazzling kids spectacular, including “Baby Shark,” “Five Little Monkeys,” “Wheels On The Bus,” and “Monkey Banana Dance,” as well as holiday classics such as “Jingle Bells.” Tickets are $69.50, $59.50, $49.50, $39.50; available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Sing your heart out

It’s karaoke night in Rockville Centre. Show your stuff at the Taqueria and Tequila Bar, 19 N. Park Ave., every Wednesday, 7 p.m.-11 p.m. featuring Dave G.

Join Nassau County Museum Director Charles A. Riley II, PhD, for a Director’s Seminar, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 4 p.m. He’ll discuss “Photography: Beauty and Truth,” in a session that is keyed to the photojournalism of Robert Capa and the Magnum group as well as the pioneering work of Walker Evans and Lewis Hine. He’ll compare their approach with the digital manipulation of images (including video) in the media of our time and consider the relationship between the photographer as documentarian and as artist who holds the mirror up to nature. Participation is limited; registration required. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Dec. 15

Holiday fun

Visit the streets of 19th century London during the darkest days of the year, in this adaption of “A Christmas Carol,” with the Experiential Theater Company, Thursday and Friday, Dec. 15-16, 10:15 a.m. and noon; Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 17-18, 2 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 21-22, 10:15 a.m. and noon,on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage. Meet the Cratchit family, Mr. Scrooge, and the ghosts of past, present and future in this interactive show that weaves together music, humor, puppetry and collaboration. Celebrate the change of seasons with this beloved tale.

Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

Holiday Open House

Visit the Phillips House Museum for a special open house event, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2:30-4:30 p.m. It’s at 28 Hempstead Ave. in Rockville Centre.

Dec. 15

Riverside Winter Concert

Students at the Riverside Elementary

School will host their holiday concert inside the school auditorium, at 110 Riverside Dr., Thursday, Dec. 15, 7 p.m. For more information contact the school at 516-255-8902.

Hanukkah Fun

The National Council of Jewish Women hosts its annual community celebration, Monday, Dec. 19, 4:15-5:30 p.m., at the Recreation Center, 111 N. Oceanside Road. With menorah lighting, potato latkes, and more. Bring a new unwrapped toy to donate to local charities. Visit RVCNY.gov for information.

Holiday Wrestling Tournament

The Boys’ Varsity Wrestling team will host its annual holiday tournament, Saturday, Dec. 17, in the South Side High School gymnasium, at 140 Shepherd St., beginning at 9 a.m.

On exhibit

Photography’s ascent in the art world is an international phenomenon. Nassau County Museum of Art’s star-studded exhibition spans the historical roots of the medium. View works by Ansel Adams and his generation and the thrilling, large-format color works of such contemporary masters as Cindy Sherman, Thomas Struth, James Casebere and Gregory Crewdson, among others. From the documentary to the painterly, images bear witness to the times. On view through March 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Las Posadas

Poinsettias

Celebrate Las Posadas, the popular Latin American tradition, at Long Island Children’s Museum, Saturday, Dec. 17, 1-3 p.m. Learn about the story of La flor de Nochebuena and the significance of poinsettias during this holiday, at the drop-in program. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM. org.

Having an event?

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.

Matinee time

Join crafty Jack Frost on a magical, musical winter adventure, in Plaza Theatrical’s production of “Jack Frost,” Saturday, Dec. 17, 11 a.m. The story, narrated by the groundhog Pardon-Me-Pete, tells about the immortal winter sprite, who falls in love with a human girl named Elisa after rescuing her. Tickets are $15. Bring the kids to the Plaza stage at the Elmont Public Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Grand Central Madison deadline looms large

By JUAN LASSO jlasso@liherald.com

Only a few months ago, all signs were pointing to the imminent opening of Grand Central Madison — Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s new, fully operational terminal in Manhattan’s East Side meant to redefine the way commuters get around by putting the Long Island Railroad to full use with a new terminal station.

The MTA has conducted a number of public meetings explaining new commuting patterns in the wake of updated train schedules. Top MTA and LIRR executives hosted private leadership events enlisting the help of business leaders and local leaders to hammer home the message: Grand Central Madison is coming by the end of this year, so get ready.

Passengers might have been ready, but the MTA apparently may not. Yet, the state organization has not veered from its message — the latest flurry of public advertisements relaying the sweeping words “All aboard for Grand Central!”

With the end-of-the-year deadline looming and still no official word about when Grand Central Madison might open, some observers have begun to question whether commuters will have to reset expectations about what they’re getting. At least while the calendar still reads 2022.

One thing is certain: it has been a complicated final stretch of construction for

the $11.6 billion mega-project.

The MTA cleared a regulatory hurdle last month that would have otherwise derailed any hopes of opening train service thanks to a federal waiver that pushed the deadline for engineers to install new federally mandated safety technology meant to prevent Amtrak trains from entering East River tunnels until February.

MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan says passengers should be rest-assured technology is already in place that helps prevent trains from speeding, colliding or derailing. In the meantime, the MTA will have to submit weekly safety reports to the Federal Railroad Administration, and conduct tests before the terminal goes online.

Then came a project update that parts of the LIRR’s concourse and facilities at Grand Central won’t be completed until February. That, at least, according to a capital program committee meeting report from last month citing the need for additional time.

“Opening a facility this size is an enormous task,” said Jamie Torres-Springer, president of MTA Construction & Development, during that meeting. “It is a 700,000-square-foot terminal station with three-and-a-half tunnels to Queens attached to it. It’s like laying the Chrysler Building on its side to get a sense of the complexity of the systems that need to operate to make this concourse, terminal and platforms function.”

Torres-Springer is, nevertheless, hold-

ing fast to the MTA’s promise that passenger trains will run at Grand Central by the deadline.

“I want to emphasize that the terminal is complete in every visible and functional way,” he said. “The escalators and elevators are running, and the fire alarm is installed. So the project is looking great, and we’re confident about opening service this year.”

Torres-Springer noted, however, that while systems are installed, they are currently undergoing testing and commissioning to ensure the project meets safety and operational standards. A major challenge currently at play is finalizing the test of the terminal’s airflow system.

“This is to confirm that we can move air quickly throughout the platform and the concourse in the event of a smoke condition,” he said. Testing “becomes very complex, and there’s a lot of (professionals) involved to make sure the system is safe.

“Obviously we won’t open our facilities before we are signed off on the safety of the system.”

Over the weekend, LIRR took over operational control of Grand Central Madison, making the terminal and tunnels federally regulated railroad territory. MTA officials described that as a significant step to getting the station up and running before the end of the year.

The MeTrOpOLiTAN TrANSpOrTATiON Authority is entering the final hours before opening passenger train service from Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central Terminal ahead of its endof-year deadline despite hurdles and concerns over its completion.

Courtesy Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Girl Scouts with Service Unit Troop No. 2238 in Oceanside are giving back to those less fortunate this holiday season.

Working in collaboration with Frank Colón, a member of the Rockville Centre Volunteer Fire Department and the commander of American Legion Post No. 303, the Oceanside scouts helped collect and donate toy items for Toys for Tots.

Danielle Davoli and Alyssa Dube, coleaders of Troop 2238, said that since the girls are starting to grow up and become teenagers, they wanted to give them the opportunity to choose a community service project.

“We were trying to think of something fun to do for the holidays to get the girls involved so they can actually see and talk to someone and understand why its important to do it,” Davoli said.

Toys for Tots is a program that was founded by members of the US Marine Corps Reserve in 1947 to help distribute donated toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them during the holidays. To learn more about the program and ways to donate, visit toysfortots.org.

–Daniel Offner

Daniel Offner/Herald

Oceanside service Unit Girl Scouts Samantha, Rachel, Lauren, Adele, and Kaitlyn with Troop No. 2238 join co-leaders Alyssa Dube, Danielle Davoli, and Commander Frank Colón of American Legion Post No. 303 in Rockville Centre to donate Toys for Tots.

Lions Club hosts Holiday Party

News brief

Basketball player revived by coaches

A Chaminade varsity basketball player is lucky to be alive, thanks to the quick thinking of two school officials. PJ Kellachan, 17, a Rockville Centre native with plans of playing at the University of Scranton, collapsed to the floor during practice on Tuesday, Dec. 6, after suffering from a seizure that caused his heart to stop.

Assistant coach Bob Paul and Athletic trainer Jorge Vargas swiftly rushed to his aid, fearing that his life was on the line. Several attempts to revive him with an automated external defibrillator were unsuccessful, so they began administering CPR. It took approximately 10 minutes of compression for them to revive Kellachan, who was transported to Winthrop Hospital for observation.

As all of this was unfolding, head coach Dan Feeny called the paramedics. Once they arrived at the school, teammates helped guide the first responders to the gym while they waited and prayed for his survival.

“It was amazing. They saved

his life,” his father, Patrick Kellachan, told News12. “These are very precious moments. One or two minutes later and this could be a much different story. So, as a parent, we’re very fortunate.”

Kellechan returned to school on Friday, following the incident, to thank his coaches for their efforts to save his life. He later shared a message along with a photo of himself with the members of the school’s athletics department who helped save his life.

“Thank you to the amazing athletic and training staff at Chaminade who saved my life after sizing and losing a heartbeat. Unequivocally something I will never be able to repay them for,’ he shared in a tweet. “If I didn’t have the right people around me I wouldn’t be alive right now. Everything in my life is gravy and I have infinite gratitude for everyone involved from coaches to trainers, to parents, to doctors, to teachers, to friends.”

–Daniel Offner

Courtesy of Rockville Centre Lions Club

The Rockville Centre Lions Club held its annual Holiday Party at Chat Noir. Members Yvette Wilmer and Cynthia Metzger, pictured, got in the holiday spirit by creating a unique gingerbread house using only materials provided by the committee.

WINNER:

BEST BOUTIQUE

Artisan Jules Gifts and Goodness

215 Glen Cove Ave, Sea Cliff, NY 11579 (516) 240-1894 www.artisanjules.com

FINALISTS: Madison’s Niche Multiple Locations (516) 246-9964 www.madisonsniche.com

Hummingbird Boutique 321 Sea Cliff Ave, Sea Cliff, NY 11579 (516) 671-2281 www.welovehummingbird.com

BEST GIFT SHOP

THE L.I. GUIDE TO:

HOLIDAY SHOPPING

BEST LOCAL WOMEN’S CLOTHING

WINNER: Ruby and Jenna 433 Glen Cove Rd, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 (516) 801-3444 www.rubyandjenna.com

FINALISTS: Rose and Eye 893 W Beech St, Long Beach, NY 11561 (516) 544-4477

Temptations for Her 3175 Long Beach Rd, Oceanside, NY 11572 (516) 678-1150 www.temptationsforher.com

WINNER:

Artisan Jules Gifts and Goodness

215 Glen Cove Ave, Sea Cliff, NY 11579 (516) 240-1894 www.artisanjules.com

FINALISTS:

Dolce Confections 1319 Broadway, Hewlett, NY 11557 (516) 347-1940 www.dolceconfections.com

White House Home 288 Hempstead Ave, Malverne, NY 11565 (516) 887-1288 www.white-house-home.business.site

BEST LOCAL JEWELRY STORE

WINNER:

Ritz Jewelry 3574 Long Beach Rd, Oceanside, NY 11572 (516) 255-0465 www.ritzjewelryinc.com

FINALISTS:

Hewlett Jewelers 1344 Broadway #6, Hewlett, NY 11577 (516) 374-3950 www.hewlettjewelersny.com

Matthew James Jewelers 76 Rockaway Ave, Valley Stream, NY 11580 (516) 561-3080

BEST LOCAL MEN’S CLOTHING

WINNER: Mur-Lees Men’s & Boy’s Shop 24 Atlantic Ave, Lynbrook, NY 11563 (516) 599-7777 www.murleesclothing.com

FINALISTS: Bertalia 15 N Park Ave, Rockville Centre 11570 (516) 536-3100 www.bertalia.net

MyTuxes at Ginos Galleria Tuxedos 234 NY-109, Farmingdale, NY 11735 (631) 753-4466 www.tuxes.business.site

BEST LOCAL CHILDREN’S CLOTHING

WINNER: Denny’s Fashion. Style. For All. 343B S Oyster Bay Rd, Plainview, NY 11803 (516) 681-4490 www.shopdennys.com

FINALISTS:

Morton’s Official Camp Outfitter 533 Central Ave, Cedarhurst (516) 347-1940 www.dolceconfections.com

Cathy’s Touch 67 Merrick Ave N, Merrick, NY 11566 (516) 377-1127 www.cathystouch.com

BEST LOCAL SHOE STORE

WINNER: Hummingbird 321 Sea Cliff Ave, Sea Cliff, NY 11579 (516) 671-2281 www.welovehummingbird.com

FINALISTS:

Eric’s Comfort Shoes 426 Hillside Ave, Williston Park, NY 11596 (516) 877-2002 www.ericshoes.com

Halperin Comfort Footwear and Orthotics 1 N Village Ave, Rockville Centre, NY, 11570 (516) 766-9220 www.halperinfootwear.com

BEST CONSIGNMENT/THRIFT STORE

WINNER: LuxeSwap 21 Berry Hill Rd, Oyster Bay, NY 11771 (516) 226-1055 www.luxeswap.com

FINALISTS: National Council of Jewish Women Thrift Shop 342 Central Ave (516) 569-0510 www.longislandthriftncjw.com

Lucky Finds Boutique

7A N Park Ave, Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 442-4600 www.luckyfindsboutique.com

Sc H ool S

South Side students make first quarter honor roll

10th Grade High Honor Roll (cont.)

Kelly, Mia C

Kennedy, Christian A

Kozlik, Joseph R

Kufta, John A

Leszczynski-Suero, Sofia

Levine, Max T

Lin, Kevin

Loud, James D

Magness, Abigail B

Maina, Maximilian

Martorana, Lindsey M

Mateo, Alexander M

McAteer, Caleb N

McCormack, Bridget K

McCormack, Keely R

McDaid, Kailey E

McLaughlin, Amelie P

Metzler, Alexander Charles

Mingorance, Elena M

Moore, Zoe G

Morris, Macallister H

Mullen, Cooper J

Mullen, Meghan E

Murphy, Rebecca Daniela

O’Hare, Michael S

Palya, Kate M

Perez, Deborah

Perna, Riley N

Piccola, Charlotte

Pottanat, Anna E

Pottinger, Robert J

Rathjen, Charlotte C

Ray, Spencer M

Reilly, Connor E

Reilly, Hannah Grace

Riomao, Michael D

Rivara, Margaux

Roberts, Julianna G

Rodriguez, Andrea Roeder, Kyle R

Roesch, Jack C

Russo, Franklin J

Salouros, Jenna N

Schaefer, Sarah M

Schieck, Molly K

Schiefelbein, Cole V

Schmidt, John E

Scottodiclemente, Dean Michael Seulal, Sadie

Sheehan, Conor J

Siegel, Ryan James

Steele, Ava M

Tarulli, Luca D

Thangavelu, Anna E

Thorne, Lilah R

Tollefsen, Rosemary Claire

Tomossonie, Jonathan M

Vanefsky, Daniel William

Vitelli, Alanna S

Walter, Emma Grace

Weisenburger, Aaron J

Whalen, Marcella B

Zangari, Grace

11th

Grade Honor Roll

Aiello, Michael T

Andorfer, Kenneth R

Anselm, Nicolette C

Aristy, Sofia P

Barrett, William Joseph Callahan, Aidan J

Clairine, Sean C Cohen, Mason J Diaks Jr, John C Georgilis, Panagiotis E Hernandez, Nicholas M

Iannone, Thomas J Jovel, Matthew A Lennon, Owen A Lyons, Andrew W Martineau, Olivier G Medeiros, Aidan F Mohammed, Amaya H Murray, Juliana M

O’Toole, William Joseph Parker, Madison L

Petrone, Ronald John Pickett, Charles A Regis, Jaylah N

Roach-Fleming, Pierce M Rodriguez, Christopher Romero, Casey N

Sanpedro, Ernesto A Schultz, Kyle D Sepe, James M Silkiss, Dasan G Vergara, Nicolas Viscovich, Jack R Walsh, Ryan T

11th Grade High Honor Roll

Adal, Paul A

Adia, Aidan M Ahern, Katherine G Albarano, Nicolas J

Alcock, Jack P Allison, Ife E Ali, Sana Almendarez, Valerie I Arnott, Matthew R Basile, Nora E

Beatty, James T Bella, Andrew G Bingham, Keira S Birk, Keira J Blanco, Joseph G Bodkin, John E Bohan, Claire N Bracco, Sophia C Bradley, Cate Margaret Breen, Meghan P Brull, Abigail R Buglione, Matthew F Burns-Sharoff, Natasha R Campoverde, Steve Nelson Casale, Valentina G

Cashman, Owen James Cavallo, Samantha R Ceraso, Lucas E Chen, Justin Chesterton, Kate E Clancy, Katherine H Clancy, Maureen H Clarke, Kirsten D

Clodfelter, Elizabeth Katherine Cody, Kerry K Coico, Ryan P

Condon, Jude C Conlon, Emma Rose

Connolly, Gabrielle R Conroy, Eamon F Costello, Patrick T Cuevas, Heather J

Curran, James F Curtis, Ryan S Cutrone, Gianna E DellUnto, Julia N DeSena, Matthew L DeSena, Michael Christopher Diez, Christopher J DiPietro, Cole J Dolan, Catherine G Dolan, Jillian C Doreste, Charley C Erickson, Timothy J Evans, Dakota King Fay, Megan E

Feigenbaum, Noah M

Ferrick, Maeve K

Finora, Anna C Fiore, Gianluca

Flaherty, Erica D

Flores Castro, Mariana I Ford, Catherine E Fox, Laney E

Frazier, John S Fresco, Dominick Quin

See more from the South Side High School High Honor Roll next week.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS-SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NASSAU-AMERICAN ADVISORS GROUP., Plaintiff, -againstTIMOTHY MARTIN FANNON, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MARGARET FANNON, DECEASED; ROBERT FANNON JR, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MARGARET FANNON, DECEASED, if he be living and if he be dead, the respective heirs-at-law, next-of-kin, distributes, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or inheritance, lien or otherwise any right, title or interest in or to the real property described in the complaint; MAUREEN EMILIO AKA MAUREEN MCCARTHY FANNON, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MARGARET FANNON, DECEASED; DONNA FRICKE AKA DONNA FANNON, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MARGARET FANNON, DECEASED; ANY AND ALL KNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, AND ALL OTHER PARTIES CLAIMING AN INTEREST BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST THE ESTATE OF MARGARET FANNON, DECEASED; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #10,” said names being fictitious and

unknown to plaintiff, intended to be, possible tenants or occupants of the premises, or corporations, persons, or other entities having or claiming a lien upon the mortgaged premises; Defendants - Index No. 600649/2022 Plaintiff Designates Nassau County as the Place of Trial. The Basis of Venue is that the subject action is situated in Nassau County. To the above named Defendants-YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff’s Attorney(s) within 20 days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. That this Supplemental Summons is being filed pursuant to an order of the court dated November 1, 2022. NOTICE-YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME - If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will

not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (AMERICAN ADVISORS GROUP) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Honorable David P. Sullivan J.S.C. Dated: November 1, 2022. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage and covering the premises known as 82 Tarence Street, Rockville Centre, NY 11570. Dated: November 10, 2022 Filed: November 15, 2022 Greenspoon Marder LLP., Attorney for Plaintiff, By: Meir Weiss, Esq., 590 Madison Avenue, Suite 1800, New York, NY 10022 P: (212) 524-5000 F: (212) 524-5050 (No Service by fax) Please respond to Cypress Creek Office: Trade Centre South, 100 W. Cypress Creek Road, Suite 700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 P: (888) 491-1120 F: (954) 343-6982 135691

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE UNDER SECURITIZATION

SERVICING AGREEMENT DATED AS OF AUGUST 1, 2005 STRUCTRED ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATION, STRUCTURED ASSET INVESTMENT LOAN TRUST MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-HE3

Plaintiff, Against FOLMAREMI ABIOLA, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 2/1/2018, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction,

on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501. This Auction will be held rain or shine on 1/19/2023 at 2:30 PM, premises known as 1288 Dekoven Street, Rockville Centre, NY 11570, and described as follows:

ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Rockville Centre, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 38 Block 114 Lot 905, 906 & 907. The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $557,690.22 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 15-010953

Janine Lynam, Esq., Referee.

McCabe, Weisberg & Conway, LLC, Suite 205, 10 Midland Ave, Port Chester, NY 10573 Dated: 11/3/2022 File Number: 15-315268 PCO 135939

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: Zephyr Tax and Advisory LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 11/28/22. NY Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to: 95 Lakeview Ave, Rockville Centre, NY 11570.

Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity 135987

EMPLOYMENT

Help Wanted

ADMINISTRATIVE

Richner Communications - a rapidly growing multimedia company and publishers of the Herald newspaper grouphas several administrative job openings: Receptionist (P/T), Accounts Receivable/Billing Collections Clerk

Multi-Media Coordinator (Hours Flexible)

Qualified candidates are fast learners with good organizational and people skills - entry level ok.

Role requires working knowledge of Microsoft Office and ability to learn custom software programs.

If you would like to join a communitydriven, fast-paced environment, please send your resume to: careers@liherald.com.

American Software Resources Inc. is seeking 1 FT professional (40 HW) for the position of Data Engineer II at 4 Brower Ave, Ste # 4, Woodmere, NY 11598 for competitive salary. Data Engineer II: Analyze, Design, Develop & Test general computer applications software using Power BI, Tableau, Alteryx, Microsoft Project/Excel/Access/Visio, SQL Server, Power Apps, Sharepoint, SQL, Snowflake, Microsoft Analysis Services, Database Management, Spend Analytics, Supply Chain & Logistics Management, Accounts Receivable/Payable, Project Costing, Asset Management, Billing, Purchasing, Supplier Relationship Management, Root Cause Analysis, Lean Six Sigma. Educational & Exp Requirements: Masters in Comp Sci or Tech Mgt in Engg Tech or Info Tech + 12 months of experience as Comp Software Professional. We offer comprehensive benefits. Travel within the USA is required for the position. To apply send your resume to the above address.

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

Full Time and Part Time

Positions Available!

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

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

HIRING MAIL SORTERS $16.00-$17.00, Pickers/ Packers Springfield Gardens, $17.00. Mystery Shoppers Ages 21-25 $20.00. 860 Long Island Ave., Deer Park NY 631-586-4699

OFFICE MANAGER/ RECEPTIONIST: Private Dental Practice Far Rockaway/ Lawrence. Insurance Experience Necessary. Great Salary/ Benefits. jonfriedmandds@gmail.com 917-435-7138

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Salary, Commission, Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Will Consider Part Time. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X286

PRESS-ROOM/WAREHOUSE HELP

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

RECEPTIONIST EXPERIENCED P/T Seasonal. Jan- Mid April. Franklin Square. CALL: 516-358-9455. FAX RESUME: 516-358-9483. E MAIL: ed@loturco.com.

Bsmt. 2 Car Att Gar. MUST SEE!! SD#20 $1,599,000

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

1534 Broadway #205, BA, Extra Large 2000 Sq Ft, 2 Bedrooms (Originally 3 BR), 2 Bath Condo in Prestigious Jonathan Hall with Doorman & Elevator. Updtd Wood/Quartz Kit, LR & DR. Washer/ Dryer in Unit. Underground Pkg. Loads of Closets. Terrace Faces Back. Easy Ranch Style Living BIG REDUCTION!! $699,000

E a ST ROCK aWay

8 Acorn Rd, 2-3:30, 5 BR, 3 Bth Front to Back Split on Beautiful Quiet St in Lynbrook SD#20. Fin Bsmt, Att Gar. CAC, Gas Ht, HW Flr. REDUCED! $749,000 8 Howland Rd, BA, 4 BR, 2.5 Bth Exp Ranch on Beautiful Tree Lined St in SD#20. LR, DR, EIK, Den & Enclosed Porch. Full Fin Bsmt., 1 Car Gar. CAC, Gas Ht, HW Flrs. Update to Your Taste! $699,000 Fa R ROCK aWay 33-47 Bay Ct., BA, Enjoy The Waterviews in This Bayswater 4 BR, 1.5 Bth Split Tucked Away in Cul de Sac. Fin Bsmt. Att Gar. O/S Resortlike Yard on the Bay. Opportunity to Make This Your Dream Home! REDUCED $675,000

Apartments For Rent

Cemetery Plots

Shemtov

Home Sales

A sampling of recent sales in the area

Baldwin $580,000 Edwards Street. Cape. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Updated eat-in kitchen with stainless steel appliances. First floor bedroom. 2 car garage. Central location near all.

Taxes: $15,290.84

Bellmore $695,000 Oak Street. Colonial. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. New eat-in kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Spacious living room. Formal dining room. Many updates. Taxes: $11,737.22

Cedarhurst $940,000 Harbor Drive. Hi Ranch. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen. Den/family room. Deck and enlarged driveway. Security system.

Taxes: $8,470

East Meadow $580,000 Harton Avenue. Cape. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. New eatin kitchen with quartz countertops. Open floor plan. Formal dining room. Den/family room and exercise room. Many updates, including whole house water filtration. Oversized property. Convenient location near LIRR and park.

Taxes: $8656.81

East Rockaway $599,000 Thixton Avenue. Contemporary. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Updated eat-in kitchen with quartz countertops and ample storage. L-shaped dining room. Den/family room and home office. 2 gas fireplaces and cathedral ceiling. Screened Trex deck.

Taxes: $14,931.77

Franklin Square $729,000 Craft Avenue Colonial. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Finished basement. Eat-in chef’s kitchen with cherry cabinets, granite countertops and high-end appliances. Open floor plan. Living room with vaulted ceiling. Large master bedroom. Den/family room.

Taxes: $15,077

Freeport $566,500 Maryland Avenue. Colonial. 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms. Finished basement. Updated eat in kitchen with granite countertops. Living room with fireplace. Formal dining rom. Large bedrooms. Oversized property with patio and Trex deck. Second deck over 2 car garage.

Taxes: $11,596.47

Long Beach $620,000 W. Hudson Street. Colonial. Westholme neighborhood. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Formal dining room. Covered front porch. Spacious yard with fire pit. Central air conditioning. Parking for 5+ cars. Convenient location near LIRR, restaurants, shopping.

Taxes: $9,499.90

Oceanside $615,000

Davis Street. Ranch. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. L-shaped dining room. Den/family room.

Taxes: $13,090.82

Source: The Multiple Listing Service of Long Island Inc,, a computerized network of real estate offices serving Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and Brooklyn.

Are you raising a grandchild, young relative or child of a family friend in the absence of the biological parents?

Are you raising a grandchild, young relative or child of a family friend in the absence of the biological parents?

Costs in the postpandemic world

Q. We are concerned we may have waited too long because of inflation. It seems nearly impossible to afford our renovation. We got “ballpark” estimates, and just look at each other in wonder when we think about how things changed from before the pandemic. Do you see prices coming down? Should we wait, rethink or do the repairs to our roof that led to doing the bigger job and just live with it? Are some cost increases real or made up?

Ask The Architect

Then you’re a Kinship Caregiver!

Are you raising a grandchild, young relative or child of a family friend in the absence of the biological parents?

Then you’re a Kinship Caregiver!

Want to keep your family healthy and safe?

NYS Kinship Navigator provides information, referral and assistance with financial needs, legal options, school enrollment, kinship law and other resources.

A. Your decision will be made based on what you’re willing to pay, not on what you can afford. Some prices are dropping, slightly, but as a window representative said recently, if you were a trucker being paid more to haul perishable groceries than windows, which would you choose? Across the board, as the pandemic waned and people went back to work who were being paid not to work, they had to be enticed with higher wages at the same time that the world economy shifted due to war and sanctions. Who could have guessed that the U.S. would become the largest oil producer in the world?

Want to keep your family healthy and safe?

Help is just a phone call away. 877-454-6463

NYS Kinship Navigator provides information, referral and assistance with financial needs, legal options, school enrollment, kinship law and other resources. Help is just a phone call away. 877-454-6463

NYS Kinship Navigator can help. nysnavigator.org

TTY: NY Relay 711 or 1-800-421-1220 nysnavigator.org

TTY: NY Relay 711 or 1-800-421-1220

NYS Kinship Navigator provides information, referral and assistance with financial needs, legal options, school enrollment, kinship law and other resources. Help is just a phone call away. 877-454-6463

TTY: NY Relay 711 or 1-800-421-1220

NYS Kinship Navigator can help. nysnavigator.org 1194471

People often look back in their lives and ask themselves, “How did we do it?” when pondering some of the most seemingly unmanageable situations. This is not to suggest that you gamble, but you must project the terms: whether you will need to earn more, and how, borrow more and work longer to pay, settle for a little less, change or abandon the goal.

The cost of any project is the number one question I get, and the most unpredictable, since, even before the life-changing pandemic, construction bids were generally all over the place. It isn’t uncommon to get an extremely low bid against an extremely high one and wonder why. The four primary factors in a contractor’s bid are overhead, labor, material cost and profit. Labor, and the choice of how much to add in for profit, would seem to be the most controllable, while overhead costs and material prices are often not controllable.

As I go about the everyday tasks of building design and construction, I speak with a whole range of people, from real estate salespeople to bankers, developers, contractors and tradespeople to lawyers, material representatives and the end users. The whole picture of where costs are going is influenced by many factors, and trying to pinpoint the cause of fluctuations is based more on people trying to simplify something extremely complex than on looking at a much broader picture.

Energy production dropped and costs increased. Fewer people were driving or working, so debt and prices increased. Add to this a world in conflict and the huge debt of war, and you begin to see that the project you want to do is affected by issues that are far beyond your control. Design can reduce some costs, finish material choices can save money, but only you can determine your willingness to “settle” or go for it. Good luck!

Monte Leeper

KING

SYL-LEE

CHRISTMAS

DOLLS, DOLL HOUSE MINIATURES & ACCESSORIES. Under $99.00. Call Joy Evenings, 917-743-7695 Leave Message

EARLY AMERICAN COFFEE Table: 48"x28", Shelf on bottom of table, Nutmeg Finish, $55.00. 516-781-1520

GIRLS CLOTHES SIZES 5 & 8: New with tags. Tops, Jeans. $8 each. 917-420-5814

GOLDTONE LIGHTER BY Colibri, Brand new with butane refill, vintage $20,00 take all (516)579-9089

HENRI BENDEL BACKPACK & Wallet. Maroon, B/W Stripe. Ltmd edition, Brand New. $99 516-320-1906

HUMMEL : LOST sheep $45, the brother $40. Mint condition 646.206.4610

HUMMELS: CELLIST, THINKER, each $50. mint condition 646.206.460

MANY NEW CHRISTMAS items, vases, musical statues, much more, everything under $10.00 (516)579-9089

WICKER COFFEE TABLE: 30"Wx18"Dx18"H, Brown Wicker Table, $25.00. Ginny 516-781-1520

Finds $100-$350

BODY CRAFT ROWING MACHINE: Folds For Storage, Original Over $1000. New Condition. $350. bbj1407@aol.com 516-889-3042

KITCHEN

Neg. 516.668. 8877

Finds $100-$350

MASSAGE TABLE: BRAND New. Still In Box. Asking $165.00. Call Anthony 516-872-8486

TREADMILL GYM SIZE Great Condition. $300 516 668 8877

SERVICES

Electricians

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

Handyman

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

Heating

AROUND THE CLOCK REFRIGERATION INC. Specializing In Gas Furnaces/ Ductless Heat Pump Installations/ Repairs. $99 Annual Gas Furnace Maintenance/ Inspection. FREE Estimates. Gregory 516-214-0178 gregory@clockhvac.com

Home Improvement

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 866-393-3636

CARPENTRY & PAINTING: Residential/ Commercial. All Phases. Licensed/Insured. FREE ESTIMATES! Anthony & J Home Improvements 516-678-6641

DON'T PAY FOR Covered Home Repairs Again! American Residential Warranty covers ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. 30 DAY RISK FREE/ $100 OFF POPULAR PLANS. 833-398-0526

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

WIREMAN/CABLEMAN FLAT TVs mounted, Phone, TVs&Computer wiring installed & serviced, camera &stereos , HDTV – Antennas- FREE TV www.davewireman.com Call Dave 516-433-WIRE (9473) 631-667-WIRE (9473) or Text 516-353-1118

Miscellaneous

BEST SATELLITE

Plumbing

PLUMBER!

AUTOMOBILE & MARINE

Autos For Sale

ACURA 2003, 3.2 CLS, 2 door, Silver, Black Interior, 160K Plus. Needs Battery. $2100 516-668-8877

VOLKSWAGON 2012 BEETLE, Red Black Interior, 98K, Excellent Condition, Original Owner. $8000 516-302-7745

Autos Wanted

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DRIVE OUT BREAST Cancer: Donate a car today! The benefits of donating your car or boat: Fast Free Pickup - 24hr Response Tax Deduction - Easy To Do! Call 24/7: 855-905-4755

Autos Wanted

WHEELS FOR WISHES benefiting MakeA-Wish® Northeast New York. Your Car Donations Matter NOW More Than Ever! Free Vehicle Pick Up ANYWHERE. We Accept Most Vehicles Running or Not. 100% Tax Deductible. Minimal To No Human Contact. Call: (877) 798-9474. Car Donation Foundation d/b/a Wheels For Wishes. www.wheelsforwishes.org.

Cars Wanted

TILE

Tile

Satellite/TV Equipment

DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/23. 1-866-595-6967

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Education

Call 855-543-6440. (M-F 8am-6pm ET). Computer with internet is required

Health & Fitness

ATTENTION VIAGRA USERS: Generic 100mg blue pills or generic 20mg yellow pills. Get 45 plus 5 free $99 + S/H. Call Today. 877-707-5523

Beware the lure of DeSantis

Former President Donald Trump has been hit with a barrage of bad news in the past few weeks. It’s also clear that his popularity is taking a hit due to the failure of his anointed candidates to win a number of contests around the country last month. With each passing day, more Republican voices are raising their fears of a potential wipeout in 2024, and are promoting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a possible presidential candidate. Having closely followed the actions of DeSantis, my advice to the party is to be careful what you wish for.

him. Some call him “tough” and others describe him as “forceful,” but none of his admirers are able to articulate what makes him so great.

issue, and cruise ship owners were forced to shut down for months.

may be forced to hire people who are unlicensed and have no formal training.

JERRY KREMER

There is no question that DeSantis is a true conservative, and that he is outspoken on many issues. My friends who spend their winters in Florida rave about him. A number of them have chosen to become permanent residents, primarily to avoid New York state taxes. But I have yet to find one fan of DeSantis who can spell out specifically what they like about

There is no question that he comes off as a bold leader of his state. He embraces issues that he thinks will eventually make him popular beyond Florida, but he has been careful not to announce any presidential ambitions. If you take a close look at his record, you will find him to be anti-business, and reckless in his views on public education. One good example of his antibusiness attitude is the way he has treated Florida’s two biggest money generators.

At the height of the Covid scare, DeSantis decided that it was good politics to be anti-mask and impose no government health restrictions. Florida residents liked the idea that there should be no mandates, but many tourist industry leaders felt differently. The heads of the three biggest cruise lines insisted that their passengers wear masks when they were in public areas of the ships. DeSantis made numerous threats over this

The Walt Disney Company fiasco is another example of DeSantis’s poor judgment. Disney is the largest taxpaying business in the state, and its top attraction. The former Disney chief executive Bob Chapek criticized DeSantis for his position on gay education restrictions. DeSantis decided that Disney had no right to speak out and had the company’s special legislative status revoked. In the end, it isn’t Disney that will suffer as much as the communities that surround the park, which will be forced to pay for costly fire, police and health facilities in 2023.

DeSantis has decided that his administration must be the only voice on the education of Florida’s students. His education commissioner has recommended all types of restrictions that have frightened teachers around the state. Numerous teachers have left the Florida system for fear that they might be punished for teaching subjects that are not stateapproved. Next year, Florida will have a shortage of thousands of teachers, and

And, of course, DeSantis was anxious to get in on the program of sending immigrants to liberal northern cities as a protest against the Biden administration. In September he approved a plan to fly 50 immigrants who were detained in Texas to Martha’s Vineyard. They were not on Florida soil, and DeSantis used unauthorized federal funds for the trip. Even Maryland’s Republican Gov. Larry Hogan called the stunt a “terrible idea.” There are countless other DeSantis actions that merit some daylight, but it’s fair to say that most people outside Florida have no clue as to how reckless he is. You can bet that the national press corps will have a field day when he throws his hat into the ring of the presidential campaign sometime next year. For now, his is just a name being used by the “anyone but Trump” faction of the party, but if he’s the ultimate choice to run, the DeSantis story will not be a pretty one.

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.

Yes,

Standing in the doorway of 2023, with the holidays ahead, I want to focus on the ways we Americans connect and love one another. This is a challenge during our great political divide, but my hope is that we can disagree peacefully, argue with civility, and celebrate our common appreciation for millions of things, from the majesty of our Rocky Mountains to same-day delivery by Amazon.

the problem. They feel loyal to the former administration.

The former president, now a 2024 presidential candidate, spoke last week about dissolving the Constitution. He hosted a dinner two weeks ago at Mar-a-Lago at which two guests felt empowered to indulge in antisemitic slurs. Perhaps we are reaching a tipping point. We need room for people to re-evaluate their loyalties and reconsider their alliances with people like the men and women who participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

stand why many people are reactive to our brave new world and want to go back to simpler times. Life has been unfair to large swaths of people across America. I understand it, but the “simpler times” refer to a whiter, male-dominated heterosexual culture with little room for people who were different. Our world has changed, not fast enough for some people and too fast for others.

keep our elders safe through the holidays.

Across America, people of every stripe and every polka dot and from every corner of every small town, east, west, north and south, will be traveling, feeling the love of family, and sharing food at common tables.

There will be the inside family jokes and the debate over eggnog and the best recipes for chocolate chip cookies.

There has always been open and lively conflict across America, but we are witnesses, today, to disturbing political and cultural warfare, real threats to democracy. This time around could be the last time around if we don’t figure out a way forward.

RANDI KREISS

That said, I own every single word I have written about former President Donald Trump and his extremist followers. I believe with all my heart that his MAGA movement has already compromised our democracy, but not irreparably. I acknowledge — and I have the letters to prove it — that many readers see things differently. They see President Biden as

I have not yet heard any Trump loyalist defend his comments about the Constitution. The principles of this document are our reason for being as a democratic country. The words matter. How does anyone reconcile his verbal attack on the Constitution?

I believe in the possibility of change. As voters and our law enforcement agencies move toward holding the former president accountable, we will have time and space to find the best in one another again. May the accountability unfold with dignity and gravitas.

Looking at the rapid shifts in our society and culture, it is possible to under-

We can likely agree that political sideshows on all sides are unproductive and self-serving. We need to get behind quality candidates who can check off the basic boxes: Honest? Skilled? Work well with others? See themselves as public servants?

Let’s take a breather over the holidays.

Hanukkah is coming up, with remembrances of hope and heroism going back to ancient times. Jewish people and their friends will light the candles and eat the latkes and give their children food and goodies over the eight days.

Christmas and Kwanzaa approach with people feeling more comfortable gathering with family, especially with vaccines and healthy protocols in place. Some of us will mask up, not as a political statement, but as a sensible way to

This is the season of miracles. It shouldn’t take one to bring together a people who settled a new country, fought wars for freedom together, laughed at the same movies, cried together on 9/11 and suffered together during the terrible years of the pandemic. We should be able to get it together, literally and figuratively.

After the holiday parties, we have work to do. We have children way behind in their academic studies; teenagers psychologically traumatized by lockdowns; people, including hurricane survivors and immigrants, who need safe places to live and jobs and acceptance. If we are pulling in different directions, it will be challenging to move forward.

Two things can be true at once. We are divided, and we share values and traditions. We can try to stand in one another’s shoes instead of stepping on one another’s toes.

Copyright 2022 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

left and right, we are more alike than not

This is the season of miracles. It shouldn’t take one to bring us together.

Most people outside Florida have no clue how reckless the governor is.

Fusion can augment clean-energy creation

it existed for just five seconds — but it was enough to power a home for an entire day.

It was a result of nuclear fusion, taking place last February in Culham, England, a village of barely 500 people not far from the University of Oxford. A machine there called a tokamak created heat measuring upward of 270 million degrees Fahrenheit — 10 times hotter than the core of the sun — and used a series of high-powered magnets to contain it.

It produced 59 megajoules of energy, but like many experiments before it, it used more energy than it ultimately yielded.

All of that changed on Dec. 6, when U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm revealed that scientists working at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California had accomplished what no others had done before: created a fusion reaction that resulted in a net energy gain.

All of this might not seem substantial, but the breakthrough is extraordinary. Especially in a world where new, cleanenergy sources are crucial for breaking our dependence on fossil fuels, which is rapidly destroying our environment.

Fusion would be just that: clean energy. When we hear about anything nuclear, we think either weapons, or dangerous — and highly wasteful — ways of generating power. Today’s nuclear power plants depend on a process that harnesses energy from splitting the atom, a highly radioactive process that just isn’t sustainable long-term.

But fusion is different. Instead of splitting atoms, scientists smash them togeth-

er. Unlike fission, we wouldn’t need uranium. Instead, fusion depends on isotopes of hydrogen like deuterium and tritium — both naturally available in seawater.

Of the two, tritium is radioactive. But the amount of fuel needed to create fusion is so small that very little waste is generated. Even better, fusion doesn’t produce carbon dioxide — the primary contributor to our planet’s so-called greenhouse effect — meaning that instituting technology like this could be the very means needed to reduce global warming.

Yet as much as all of this is being hailed as a breakthrough, don’t start planning for your fusion-powered car or home anytime soon. We are still years, if not decades, away from putting fusion to practical use. The Culham experiment lasted only five seconds, because that’s how long the magnets could withstand the heat. The Livermore experiments had better results, but it’s still only the beginning. Creating something that can become a regular part of our lives still requires far more research and development.

And the Earth might not have that long. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says we have to move out society to a “net-zero” carbon emission system in a little more than 25 years. To even have a shot at reversing the climate change damage, we need to cut our current greenhouse emissions in half before this decade ends.

Fusion might not be here yet, but alternative energy sources are — like wind and solar. Our focus on electric vehicles is also a significant step, but not if we have to use

coal or other fossil fuels to generate the electricity to power them in the first place.

New York enacted the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act in 2019, requiring 70 percent of electricity consumed in the state to come from renewable sources by 2030, with the hope of being completely carbon-neutral by 2040.

It’s one of the most aggressive laws in the country, and one that PSEG Long Island — through the Long Island Power Authority — has been working around the clock to achieve. A number of projects are also well underway, including wind farms planned for 15 miles or so off the coast of Long Island.

Projects like that are certainly not without controversy. Fishermen fear that the wind farms will disrupt their livelihood and affect natural habitats. Closer to home, some Island Park residents have challenged plans of the Norwegian energy company Equinor to build a substation for wind energy in their neighborhood, rather than up the road a bit at the E.F. Barrett Power Station.

Achieving our renewable-energy goals will take a lot of work, as well as give and take, from both sides. And no matter what, we can’t lose focus on the end goal: To leave a beautiful planet for our children and grandchildren. The same beautiful planet we enjoy now.

But it will only stay beautiful if we make changes now. Otherwise, by the time we can turn five seconds of fusion power into something sustainable, there might not be a planet left to benefit from it.

letters Should government manage electricity?

To the Editor:

Thank you for publishing the opinion piece by Ronald J. Rosenberg (“Energy efficient may become a contradiction in terms,” Dec. 1-8). Rosenberg clearly explained the importance of our upcoming decision regarding whether to name LIPA to oversee PSEG.

The public continues to see increases in rates and lower service. Management of both LIPA and PSEG give themselves large pay increases. Will the government do a better job at managing our electricity? The correct direction for the immediate future is unclear to me. I hope Albany will handle this situation wisely. The future will tell if we selected the correct direction for the public interests.

opinions

It’s a strange time to be a Jew, but when isn’t it?

igrew up in a non-religious family, but it was always important to my parents that we knew we were Jews, and my family followed certain traditional rituals. My father went to work on Saturdays, and the only religious holidays on which he shut his luncheonette were Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. My younger brother and I were bar mitzvahed, and attended youth services on Saturdays and holidays. The rule in our family was, no synagogue Saturday morning, no ball playing that afternoon; no synagogue on Jewish holidays, then you go to school.

aLan sinGer

My wife and I used to celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas with our children, who are grown now and have kids of their own. For Hanukkah, we invited the staff and families from her day care center for a latkes festival in our apartment, where I turned 20 pounds of potatoes and four pounds of onions into potato pancakes and told the story of the Maccabees as a freedom struggle. After Hanukkah, we set up a Christmas tree with a giant origami peace crane as its crown and pres-

ents underneath, to be opened on Christmas morning.

As an adult, I’m a confirmed atheist. I joke that I’m an evangelical atheist because I recruit. I can’t support Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands on the West Bank of the Jordan River, and its treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and Israel proper. I believe Israel has the right to exist, but not as a religious state, and not as an occupying power, and I won’t visit the country while these policies are in place. But I always identify as a Jew — a secular Jew, a Jew by birth, a Jew by history, and a Jew by tradition. I call myself a Jew, not Jewish, because I know that in many households in this country, the word Jew is still used as a curse.

Today there is a lot of antisemitism in the air in the U.S., and I feel that it’s important to publicly be a Jew. The losing gubernatorial candidate in Pennsylvania, Republican Doug Mastriano, said he wanted America to be a Christian nation, and attacked his opponent, Democrat Josh Shapiro, who won, as an “elitist,” but we knew he meant Jew. In the past, attacks on the “Rothschilds” for supposedly controlling global banking were really claims that Jews somehow

Letters

She’ll take O’Connell’s agenda

To the Editor:

Excellent column by John O’Connell (“I’ll take the GOP agenda — without Trump — any day,” Nov. 24-30). The headline was deadon, and very refreshing. (The Herald’s liberal slant is relentlessly consistent, and regularly has me gnashing my teeth.)

The Republicans have to move on from Donald Trump, and they need to do it decisively and quickly. If Trump would put the country above his ego, he would step into a background role and let new leaders take the reins and reassert many of the policies his administration instituted. That would win the next election.

I fear we’ll have him as a Republican nominee or a third-party candidate, and either scenario is a loser. I Hope I’m wrong, but we’re running out of time to get our country back on track.

LINDSAY ANDERSON Glen Cove

Modernize the ‘Bottle Bill’

To the Editor:

Concerned citizens across the state are pushing for a modernization of New York state’s 40-year-old bottle deposit law. The proposal would increase the deposit from a nick-

secretly ran the world. Few people remember the Rothschilds, so now the antisemites blame George Soros, another Jew, and claim he is the evil puppet master conspiring with his co-religionists.

Kanye West has declared that he was “going death con 3 on Jewish people,” and basketball player Kyrie Irving tweeted a link to a book and movie that denies that Jews are really Jews. These claims echo positions taken by a small group that calls itself the Black Hebrew Israelites. West and Irving may be nuts, but it’s dangerous to dismiss deep antipathy toward Jews as the work of cranks.

Former President Donald Trump has been very cozy with antisemitic groups, and we know what happened in Europe in the 1930s.

Recently I attended a play about the Holocaust, and I suspect that very few non-Jews were in the audience. It was a one-actor show about the life of Jan Karski, a Polish Christian who put his life at risk to help European Jews, and it was excellent. As a teacher, as I sat there with tears in my eyes, I wondered how relevant the Holocaust and the murder of European Jews is to American students today who aren’t Jewish. The Holocaust

happened over 75 years ago, and for students, that’s ancient history. Since then there have been so many other horrific events — genocides in Bosnia, Rwanda, Cambodia and the Congo and wars and the forced displacement of populations all over the world — that the near-extermination of European Jewry no longer stands out, at least for me, as a topic that deserves a special place in the school curriculum.

Politically, I’m on the left. I can’t support the Israeli occupation, and I don’t agree with expanding Holocaust education. But I am a Jew, and I know that if antisemites take power, my family and I will be threatened. I am a Jew, which is why I am compelled to fight for rights for all people — for sexual, ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities, and for immigrants and refugees, no matter their legal status. I fight for their rights as the best way to protect my own and my family’s. Shalom.

Dr. Alan Singer is a professor of teaching, learning and technology and the director of social studies education programs at Hofstra University. He is a former New York City high school social studies teacher and editor of Social Science Docket, a joint publication of the New York and New Jersey Councils for the Social Studies. Follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/ AlanJSinger1.

Framework by Tim Baker

el to a dime and would expand the types of containers recycled to include sports drinks, iced teas, juices, wine and liquor. Dairy products and infant formulas containers would be exempt.

Enacted in 1982, the New York State Returnable Container Act, commonly known as the “Bottle Bill,” has been extremely successful in boosting the state’s recycling rates, and has reduced litter. But expansion of the types of bottles recycled would bring immediate and long-lasting financial and environmental benefits to solid-waste programs. It is essential that New York City’s Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management support efforts to improve the Bottle Bill and call on our elected officials in Albany to act now.

As it stands, the bill requires a 5-cent refundable deposit to be placed on eligible beverage containers. When it was passed, the law covered only beer and soda bottles, but it was subsequently expanded to cover wine coolers and water bottles. It requires retailers who sell covered beverages to accept returns of empty containers for the products they sell and to refund the deposits. It also requires beverage distributors to compensate retailers for the cost of collecting and recycling empty containers by paying them a small handling fee per container.

JOSEPH M. VARON West Hempstead

Varon is a volunteer with the Long Island Chapter of Food & Water Watch and a member of the Jewish Climate Action Network.

Horse and carriage rides at the Christmas tree lighting — Bellmore

m y wife and I used to celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas with our children.

Buy a Brick

Celebrate or honor your loved ones this holiday season and give the gift of a lasting legacy in the Mount Sinai South Nassau garden, located at the corner of Oswald Court and One Healthy Way. Purchase an engraved brick, tree, or garden bench, or name the entire plaza and garden space that thousands of patients, visitors, and employees will see every year as they enter and exit the hospital’s front entrance

Honor a loved one or someone who made a di erence in your life. Remember a special person or celebrate a special occasion. Support Mount Sinai South Nassau’s mission and vision for a healthier tomorrow.