Sea Cliff/Glen Head Herald 02-02-2023

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Vol. 32 No. 6

FEBRUARY 2 - 8, 2023

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Sailing around the world

DEADLINE MARCH 1ST

Sea Cliff heads back to the 1980s ers, including a Zoom trivia night in 2020 and a Zoom musical performance featuring local The Love Your Neighbor Proj- musicians including Roger ect is taking Sea Cliff back to the Street Friedman and Frank Ferr1980s with its upcoming ’80s ara in 2021. Jaime Teich, chief Prom Night fundraiser. neighbor of the project, The event marks the project’s explained that the goal of the third All You Need Is Love fund- ’80s Prom Night event is to raiser and the first strengthen the in-person event to bonds of the comgive residents of munity and raise Sea Clif f, Glen money to help othHead and Gleners down the road. wood Landing the “We just want to opportunity to have fun and bring relive the magic of people together,” prom while raising Teich said. “The money to help the evening is all about North Shore comloving others, JAImE TEICH munity. accepting everyThe Love Your Chief neighbor, Love body, and that’s Neighbor Project is Your Neighbor Project wh at we ’ re a l l a nonprofit charity about.” group based in Sea The name of the Cliff, which since May 2020 has fundraisers comes from the clasworked to promote community sic Beatles song, which was the growth and support neighbors in theme song for the 2020 trivia need. In the nearly three years night. Teich said that early on, since its founding, a variety of the song struck the right chord local people and organizations for the organization, helping it have helped community mem- establish what its goals would be. bers struggling with everything The prom night will be held from lack of access to medical on Feb. 11 at the Parish and Commasks to assisting people fleeing munity Hall at St. Luke’s Episcothe Russian invasion of Ukraine. pal Church, in Sea Cliff. The Rev. The project has held several All You Need Is Love fundraisContinued on page 4

By WIll SHEElINE wsheeline@liherald.com

W

Tim Baker/Herald

Celebrating the year of the rabbit Fiona Ni, 4, was among the many dancers in the Town of Oyster Bay’s celebration of the Lunar New Year on Jan. 25 at Town Hall. More photos, Page 12.

Lafazan says GOP constituents want George Santos gone By lAURA lANE llane@liherald.com

Josh Laf azan’s winning streak began in the first grade when he was elected student representative at Walt Whitman Elementary School.

He was senior class president at Syosset High School the same year he secured a seat on the district’s school board. Then, at 23, he became the youngest-ever

elected member of the Nassau County Legislature, where he still sits today, now serving his third term representing parts of the North Shore.

“I fell in love with public service when on the student council,” Lafazan said. “I love representative government. From my very first day on the school board, I loved public service, making a difference for others.

Never did it cross my mind that I

would pursue anything else.”

But Lafazan’s winning streak came to an end last August when Robert Zimmerman defeated him in the Democratic primary for congress — a seat ultimately won by Republican George Santos. That loss was surreal for Lafazan. And it hurt.

Losing the primary was tough. But seeing George Santos ultimately victorious was even Continued on page 15

e just want to have fun and bring people together.

February 2, 2023 — SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD

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Peter King debuts new opinion column Former congressman has no intention of slowing down in retirement

By MICHAEL HINMAN mhinman@liherald.com

Not even retirement can slow down Peter King. After 28 years in the U.S. House — including a two-year stint as chair of the House Homeland Security Committee — as well as more than two decades serving on both the Hempstead town council and as Nassau County comptroller, King finds himself busier than ever.

He’s working with a Washington law firm, and does consulting work for Northwell Health. He makes regular appearances on the Newsmax cable channel, as well as John Catsimatidis’s 77WABC radio station.

But now King is adding one more job to that list as a new regular columnist for Herald Community Newspapers. The former congressman’s first official piece appears in this week’s Opinions pages.

“It’s not like I have to catch a plane to get to Washington, or I’m at the whim of what’s the last vote going to be on Thursday night or Friday night,” King said. “I pretty much plan my own schedule. And the best feeling I had — and it took me about a month to get used to — is waking up in the morning and knowing I can go back to sleep if I want to.”

These days, King finds himself solely

Jack Healy/Herald file

FORMER U.S. REP. Peter King has kept himself busy since retiring from Congress in 2021, from his regular appearance on 77WABC radio, to now becoming a regular opinion columnist for Herald Community Newspapers. His first official piece — singing the praises of freshman U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito — can be found in this week’s Opinions section. focused on life here at home. But for nearly three decades, the congressman was caught between the two worlds of Washington and his district back in New York.

The trick in the beginning was making

sure he never lost sight of why he was on the House floor in the first place.

“When you’re in Washington, you’re still responsible for a lot of local issues, because the local mayors and supervisors

and town boards — they’re going to be calling you and reaching out for help,” King said. “I think with a number of members of Congress, they’re so concerned with the international and national aspects of it, they forget the guy living down the block.

“The guy that lives in Highland Park.

The guy that lives in Seaford. That’s where you base comes from. So, really, the challenge is to keep all of those things in your mind, and be able to sort through them all.”

King has made no secret about his support of U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, whose congressional district covers much of what King’s did back in the day. In fact, his first column focuses on the high hopes King has of his protégé, and how the sky’s the limit for the former town councilman.

“I mean, Anthony, we talk several times a week,” King said. “I don’t want to sound like I am telling him what to do, or giving him some great advice. But maybe one thing I can be most helpful on is telling him early on which members of Congress you can pay attention to, and which others to just ignore.

“Some of them you try to take seriously, but then you realize after a month or two that these guys are cranks, and nobody else is listening to them, except you.”

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Erhlich sails around the world, Sea Cliff calls him home

SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD — February 2, 2023

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

Circumnavigation, the act of sailing around the earth, has been a hallmark of adventure in human societies, from Ferdinand Magellan sailing to discover new lands for Spain to Francesco Carletti voyaging to satisfy his curiosity of what the world had to offer. Now Rob Ehrlich of Sea Cliff has joined the ranks of those and other explorers who have completely sailed around the earth, although he is likely the first to do so flying the flag of the Sea Cliff Yacht Club.

Ehrlich is a life-long sailor, growing up sailing in Manhasset Bay with his family since he was five. His first few nautical adventures were short ones, mainly to nearby harbors in and around the Long Island Sound.

“For me, it was always a big deal just to go overnight to Cold Spring Harbor,” Ehrlich explained. “Those used to be big trips for me, and we would anchor out and just enjoy being away from land.”

Ehrlich began his voyage in November of 2021 aboard a vessel he had bought in France and sailed across the Atlantic the year before, a 51-foot long catamaran named Holiday. From there Ehrlich would spend 332 days at sea, although the trip itself went much longer as they would stay in different ports around the world for up to three weeks at a time.

Ehrlich also said that a main motivation for making this trip was to encourage THE HOLIDAY, EHRLICH’S boat, was made in others to push their limits and pursue their dreams. their vessel shut down. As Ehrlich and “The point of this whole thing is to the crew struggled to maintain control of inspire people that you can do anything the ship, he had an intense divine experiand that you should just do it now. Do not ence. wait,” Ehrlich continued. “I hope that I “I immediately jumped onto the wheel can inspire someone to do something in my t-shirt and shorts, no shoes, and it extraordinary in life.” was 40 degrees and Ehrlich and his with the wind and the crew, which he gathwaves whipping in ered from sailing my face I believe I websites such as Find saw God,” Ehrlich a Crew, sailed across said. “I felt as though the Atlantic through there was a presence, the Panama Canal, and in that moment I hopped around dozjust felt, ‘I’m ready. If ens of islands and you want to take me countries around the now’s the time.’”

P a c i f i c , vo y a g e d Dawn Reilly, the around the Cape of executive director of Good Hope and from Oakcliff Sailing and a there sailed through former circumnavigathe Caribbean back tor herself, explained up to Long Island that attempting a cironly two weeks ago. cumnavigation is an Although there were incredibly serious never more than four endeavor. While her other crewmembers experience was in the at a g ive n t i m e, Ocean Race, a sailing throughout the voyEHRLICH AND HIS crew spent several competition around age Ehrlich said he the world, she said had as many as 47 dif- weeks at many ports and islands they a nyo n e t r y i n g t o ferent crewmembers stopped at, taking advantage of the achieve such a feat is from different com- trip to enjoy a wide range of cultures akin to climbing Mt. munities and walks and landscapes.

Everest or a similar of life. physical and psychoOne of the most logical challenge. memorable moments of the journey for “It’s really an adventure,” Reilly conhim came when the ship was 150 miles cluded. “It gets to the point that when you south of Cape Town in South Africa as go back to shore, things seem extra noisy Ehrlich and his crew were sailing and chaotic, and you want to go right through a storm when the autopilot on back to sea.”

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Courtesy Rob Ehrlich

France and had previously carried him in a transatlantic voyage back in 2020.

DURING THE CIRCUMNAVIGATION Ehrlich and his crew stopped at many scenic locations around the world, from French Polynesia to Fiji to Cape Town.

’80s Prom Night is right around the corner bor Project’s) message of promoting Jesse Lebus, of St. Luke’s, spoke about social goodness, helping bring neighbors how he and the church have been keenly together and addressing community,” Deegan said. “We like to interested in the work done help out whenever they by the project since 2020. need us, and especially help“Jaime’s got a real idea ing to get their overall mesab o u t d r aw i n g p e o p l e sage out.” together to build communiThe evening will feature ty, so if our space can be a local disc jockey, DJ McLohelpful we’re happy to do vin, whose name was so in it,” Lebus said. “For us it’s a line with the project that matter of community buildTeich described it as “kising and supporting nonprofmet,” spinning the greatest it work in our area.” hits from the ‘80’s and 90’s.

The evening is sponsored There will be hors

by Branch Real Estate d’oeuvres provided by local Group of Sea Cliff. The comvendors and unlike most pany worked closely with proms today, this one will the project since the non- REV. JESSE LEBUS also serve beer and wine profit’s founding, according Pastor, St. Luke’s provided by Still Partners to owner and broker Molly Episcopal Church included in the price of the Deegan. ticket.

Dee g an said Branch No one will be crowned Prom King or believes very strongly in giving back to the community, and works with five other Queen, but several attendees will have the local charity groups in addition to the opportunity to be made members of the project. She added that Branch also gives “Prom Court,” which will be determined 2 percent of its gross annual sales com- based on certain categories, such as “Best missions to charitable donations, and Dressed.” believes events like these can help encourVisit lynp.org for more information age others to give back. and to purchase a ticket until Feb. 10.

“We really just love (Love Your NeighCONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

F

or us it’s a matter of community building and supporting nonprofit work in our area.

NEWS BRIEFS

New karaoke program for seniors

Seniors will get the chance to sing and dance with the new Senior Karaoke Program at the Glen Head Community Center. Town of Oyster Bay residents over the age of 60 are invited to show off their vocal talents during weekly karaoke sessions on Wednesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m., beginning on Feb. 8.

“Our new karaoke program will give you the opportunity to perform your favorite songs, from the tunes of Sinatra and Greatest Hits of the ‘80’s to Today’s Top Songs, all in a social, welcoming environment,” Town Councilman Louis Imbroto said. “Join us to make new friends and perhaps even discover a new favorite song.”

Great singing skills aren’t necessary to participate, and residents are welcome to attend without performing. No registration is required and a karaoke machine, song list and light refreshments will be provided at the Glen Head Community Center, at 200 Glen Head Road, in Glen Head.

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share of their estate may go to the special needs brother or sister by law. The Special Needs Trust must be carefully drafted so that it only allows payments for any benefits over and above what the government provides.

There are two kinds of Special Needs Trusts – first party and third party. The first party trust is set up by a parent, grandparent, legal guardian or court using the child’s own money, either through earnings, an inheritance that was left directly to them or, perhaps, a personal injury award. Recent changes in the law allow the special needs child to establish their own first party Special Needs Trust if they are legally competent to engage in contractual matters. These first party trusts require a “payback” provision, meaning that on the death of the child beneficiary, the trust must pay back the state for any government benefits received.

A third party trust is usually set up by a parent or grandparent, using their own money. Here, no “payback” provision is required because it was not the child’s own money that funded the trust and the parent or grandparent had no obligation to leave any assets to the child. On the death of the child beneficiary, the balance of the trust is paid out to named beneficiaries.

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Parents or grandparents of a disabled child should leave assets in a Special Needs Trust, to avoid the child being disqualified from government benefits, such as SSI and Medicaid.

The reasoning behind these Special Needs Trusts is simple — prior to the protection now afforded by these trusts, parents would simply disinherit their disabled children rather than see them lose their benefits. Since the state wasn’t getting the inheritance monies anyway, why not allow it to go to the disabled child for his or her extra needs, above and beyond what the state supplies.

These trusts, however, offer traps for the unwary. Since payments to the child will generally reduce their SSI payments dollar for dollar, trustees of such trusts should be advised to make payments directly to the providers of goods and services. Preserving SSI benefits is crucial since eligibility for SSI determines eligibility for Medicaid.

In other words, if SSI is lost the recipient also loses their Medicaid benefits. In addition, any benefits previously paid by Medicaid may be recovered. As such, one also has to be mindful of bequests from well-meaning grandparents.

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have officially been awarded to local businesses and non-profits. The program offers up to $5,000 to small businesses and nonprofits financially impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, with a total of $4.5 million available.

“After a year-plus long pandemic and now facing an economic recession, small businesses need help and we’re pleased to offer these federal funds to boost small business owners and not for profits,” Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said. “There is still funding available, and we encourage all business owners and non-profits apply for funding to help them recover losses from the pandemic and keep their operations moving forward in the Town of Oyster Bay.” The grant can be used for a variety of purposes, including expenses that helped mitigate hardships caused by the pandemic, the purchase of inventory and supplies, rent payments, utilities, property taxes, lease or purchase of equipment, as well as operating and emergency maintenance.

Applications are processed through the National Development Council, which was retained by the Town to administer the Oyster Bay Forward Grant Program. Additional eligibility criteria, including required documents, as well as applications, are available on TOBForward.com.

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llane@liherald.com

U.S. Rep. George Santos recused himself on Tuesday from the House Science, Space and Technology and Small Business committees in the midst of continuing public interest in his questionable past, as well as ongoing investigations about how he financed his successful November campaign.

The embattled Republican — who represents a district that includes the North Shore — confirmed in a statement he notified House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of his decision the day before.

“Without the ongoing attention surrounding both my personal and campaign financial investigations, I have submitted a request to Speaker McCarthy that I be temporarily recused from my committee assignments until I am cleared,” Santos said. “This was a decision that I take very seriously. The business of the 118th Congress must continue without media fanfare. It is important that I primarily focus on serving the constituents of New York’s 3rd Congressional District, and providing federal level representation without distraction.”

What Santos is giving up is significant, according to state Sen. Jack Martins, because those responsibilities in commit-

Receiving one’s fair share from the fedtees are significant. It’s where the work is done, where members debate and advance eral government is paramount.

“But you also need to be involved in bills, and review legislation pertaining to what may be crafted for consideration by other matters beyond your community jurisdiction to influence policy and affect the full House. change and vote on legisla“It’s equivalent to cuttion,” Suozzi said. “Based ting school and showing up upon this recent action and for graduation,” said Marreports about failure to tins, who has joined other deliver constituent servicRepublicans in demanding es and lack of personal Santos resign. “You have to relationships with colput your time in in the comleagues, it seems as if Sanmittees where you actually tos is confining himself to do work. Santos wants to only one of the roles — to collect the pay and be a vote on legislation.” member of Congress, but Robert Zimmerman, the not work. He’s not doing his Democrat who ran unsucjob.” cessfully against Santos in Former U.S. Rep. Tom November, said not workSuozzi, who defeated San- JOSH LAFAZAN ing on committees makes tos in the 2020 election, said Nassau County the congressman unfit to there are several responsiserve. bilities entrusted to mem- legislator “His district office is bers of Congress. They need to work on their assigned committee not functioning,” Zimmerman said. “Citito become experts so they can draft legis- zens are not receiving services. He lation. They are obligated to hold hear- should be expelled. Republican leaderings, and they need to dive deeply into spe- ship in Congress and the members there cific areas. They also must be a conduit to who refuse to expel him are accomplices the various needs of their constituents — to his crimes.”

Santos’s problems began last Decemwhether they be individuals, businesses or local government — to navigate the fed- ber before he was sworn into office when The New York Times published an expoeral bureaucracy and obtain resources.

T

he fact that he is a pariah among his own caucus shows his days are numbered.

sé detailing inaccuracies about the then congressman-elect’s education, work experience and personal past. A week later, Santos admitted to “embellishing” aspects of his education and work experience.

Josh Lafazan, who lost in the August Democratic primary race for the seat to Zimmerman, says he believes the decision to vacate his committees was not one left to Santos.

“It was probably McCarthy who told him to,” the Nassau County legislator said. “The fact that he is a pariah among his own caucus shows his days are numbered. This is the beginning of the end.”

Santos did not belong on the Small Business Committee, Lafazan said. His district has many small businesses — many which need federal assistance — something the lawmakers says Santos would not have been able to deliver.

“George Santos serving on the committee was a slap in the face to those who need representation,” Lafazan said.

“It was an abomination he was placed on that committee in the first place.”

Santos won’t get a pass for leaving the committees, Martins said.

“This is what the other fictionalized character was elected for. That he walks away is an indication of who George Santos is.”

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By LAURA LANE

SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD — February 2, 2023

Santos gives himself more free time on our dime

BRINGING LOCAL SPORTS HOME EVERY WEEK

HERALD SPORTS North Shore gymnastics back on map

By MARC BERMAN sports@liherald.com

After a two-year hiatus, North Shore’s girls’ gymnastic team is back - and with a standout male competitor to add to the flying fun.

Two years ago, its gymnastic season was wiped out by Covid-19. Last year, only four Vikings’ gymnasts came out and their star competitor Rebecca Grossman needed shoulder surgery before training camp.

In addition, Marco Giannola, part of the original four, wouldn’t have his scores count in competitions. Hence, North Shore scrapped its season.

With an influx of freshmen, North Shore, coached by 1999 graduate Melissa Vassallo, has a team of seven. Grossman, now a junior, has recovered from her shoulder ailment and is performing with gusto.

“I’m very thankful there’s a team again,’’ Grossman said. “The last time I was on the team was as a freshman. Growing up doing gymnastics I always loved being part of a team. This team holds a special place in my heart. It’s made me very happy.’’

Having been soaring in gyms since age 6, she’s achieved a mighty goal - qualifying for the Nassau County individual championships (Feb. 14 at Carle Place) in the floor exercise.

“It’s her work ethic,’’ said Vassallo, a Sea Cliff native and Vikings gymnast in the late 1990’s. “The year off, since being a ninth-grader. both mentally and physically she’s matured a lot, gained a lot of strength. She also used to have a fear and she’s not letting fear get in the way anymore and thus is improving more quickly.

When you start flipping, gymnastics can be scary.”

Giannola, a sophomore, has never showed any fear, becoming the highestscoring gymnast on the team. However, his scores are just for show. As such, North Shore has won just one meet this season.

“He’s consistently scoring in the 9’s,’’ Vassallo said. “He’s a perfectionist. He’s beautiful to watch. He floats. literally floats.’’

Giannola’s presence has been met

Photos by Neil Miller

JUNIOR REBECCA GROSSMAN’S floor exercise will be on display at the Nassau individual championships, while sophomore Marco Giannola, right, leads the Vikings in overall scoring. warmly by the girls. It’s a very rare occurrence for a boy to be part of the gymnastics squad.

“It’s definitely different,’’ Grossman said. “But he adds a lot in terms of energy and skills.’’

“They love him,’’ Vassallo added. “He’s our movie star. He’s very funny. (Marco and Rebecca) both have such a great work ethic that they’re great role models. As soon as we start practice, they are working 110 percent.’’

The rest of the squad is relatively new to the sport but showing improvement.

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They are all freshmen - Deanna Fromigia, Joshlynn Wang, Abigail Neice, Danielle DeMillio and Ariana Giannola, Marco’s sister.

Key for development is Vassallo having assistant Cassandra Amaya on her staff.

Amaya is a 2005 graduate who also is a former Vikings gymnast. They are still trying to build a full-blown roster.

“It’s a building year, a building program,’’ Vassallo said. “We’re trying to create awareness there is a team. It begins in middle school - which a lot of students don’t know.’’

For now, it’s the individual showings of the two G’s Grossman and Giannola.

Grossman’s floor exercise has been everyone in maroon proud.

The 5-4 Grossman, who has a thirddegree black belt in Taw Kwan Do, talks about the “first tumbling pass’ as her best move – a front aerial that blends into a side aerial (cartwheel with no hands).

“I love being able to show off my floor skills and my personality in my dance movements,’’ Grossman said. “There’s a lot of emotion in my dancing. I love performing.’’

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February 2, 2023 — SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD

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All aboard for Grand Central Madison Limited — and temporary —Long Island Rail Road shuttle service from Jamaica opens

By JUAN LASSO jlasso@liherald.com

To the casual observer, it was just any other day at Jamaica’s Long Island Rail Road station.

But just after 10 a.m., commuters rushed aboard a shuttle train destined for Manhattan, the familiar busy choreography of squeezing through, wedging past, running in to nab a seat.

Families holding their kids in tow.

Couples and solo riders clutching their baggage. All of them packed into train cars, filling the aisle seats within minutes. Other late arrivals stood standing.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

But the air — even for a late-morning train ride — was unusually abuzz with chatter. Some kept conversation below a whisper. Others, not so much. But everyone was alive with a quiet knowing that this was no ordinary train ride. Instead, taking place, was a moment in history.

A history that was finally connecting Long island with Manhattan’s East Side.

For the better part of a century, for as long as anyone can remember, LIRR commuters relied on Penn Station to get them into the heart of New York City. So long in fact, it seemed the day for an alternative would never come.

But within the span of 22 minutes, that would all become history.

As the train came to its final stop 150 feet below ground in the bedrock of Midtown Manhattan, the low rattling of the train cars stopped, followed by silence.

No one dared to move. Breaking the stillness was the sound of the cheery conductor’s voice coming over the loudspeaker whose five words said it all: “Welcome to Grand Central Madison” Applause erupted from the train cars.

It was a watershed moment for the MTA as passengers set foot for the very first time on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Manhattan East Side station. A moment that encapsulated six decades of planning, nearly 20 years of construction, and roughly $11.6 billion.

The opening came after a month of delays caused by a faulty ventilation fan.

Yet, despite the acknowledged roadblocks, delays and missteps along the way, Grand Central Madison is finally here.

“Grand Central will dramatically change the transpor tation of the region,” said Janno Lieber, the MTA’s chair and chief executive. “It’s going to benefit Long Islanders with shorter commutes, 40 percent more service, and help Long Island business recruit people from the city with reverse commuting.”

And for Niurka Maldonado of Queens —riding with daughters Nora and Paulina — the prospect of having faster access to Manhattan’s East Side is nothing short of exciting.

“We have several friends that work in that area, and I love some of the restaurants in there,” she said. “So, we’re going to definitely be doing more trips to Grand Central and everything around there.”

Grand Central Madison direct LIRR schedule For roughly three weeks, shuttle service trains between Jamaica and Grand Central Madison are running every 30 minutes during off-peak hours and on weekends, and once per hour during peak times.

Service runs between 6:15 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays, and between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. on weekends.

Long Island Rail Road riders looking to Grand Central Madison can use their Penn Station tickets, which are the same price.

Juan Lasso/Herald photos

COMMUTERS, ENVELOPED UNDER a glass ceiling, take the roughly 3,000-foot escalator between the Long Island Rail Road concourse and the mezzanine at Grand Central Madison station on opening day of service that will eventually create a direct link between Manhattan’s East Side and Long Island.

COMMUTERS FROM JAMAICA station boarded the first passenger Long Island Rail Road train to Grand Central Madison — inaugurating the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s long-awaited East Side access that will soon provide LIRR service out of Grand Central Terminal.

Phyllis Levine, pounced on the chance to hop on the shuttle train to Grand Central if it meant saving time getting to her pharmacology appointment.

“I’m not a subway person, and I gen-

erally like to drive everywhere,” the Queens resident said. “But the easiest way to get to Manhattan from Queens is the express bus or the Long Island Rail Road. So, I figured I should try the ride to Grand Central. See how it goes.”

It will likely be a month before full service comes online, replacing the simple commuter trains. For now, riders looking for a fast way between Jamaica and Manhattan’s East Side can find trains every 30 minutes during off-peak hours, and every 60 during peak times.

“I just want to see if it saves me time going to my office on the East Side,” said Francesco Giovannetti of Glen Head.

“I’m hoping to save about 20 to 30 minutes being two blocks away from Grand Central. I want to get acclimated to the station.”

Then there was Ruthanne Terrero of Malverne, sitting placidly with her tote bag in hand, taking in the significance of the moment of new train service to Manhattan.

“It’s just really glorious to see that we have something really beautiful,” Terrero said. “I think a lot of people work on the East Side, and I think it’s also really important that people see that New York is progressing.”

And more progress is still to come.

Whether this project was worth its price tag, worth the commuting disruption, and worth the extended wait will be up to the riders themselves. Some have already taken to social media to point out certain mishaps like escalators shutting down midway, and some finding trouble making their way into the LIRR concourse at Grand Central.

It is no doubt looking to be a work in progress.

But Mitchell Schwartz and brother Steven — two young MTA train enthusiasts from Roslyn — wouldn’t have wanted this once-in-a-lifetime moment any other way.

“Just try wrapping your head around the fact that we are the first of millions to ride a train toward something that has been proposed for over half a century,” Mitchell said. “It’s just an amazing occasion.”

Additional reporting by Andre Silva.

STEPPING OUT on

Score big on Super Sunday

By Karen Bloom

It’s the biggest sports day of the year. Classic commercials, historic plays and friends are all quintessential elements of the perfect game-day get-together.

Whether your gang includes football fanatics or just a few fans, the big game — on Feb. 12 — is a great excuse for casual winter entertaining.

And while there may be a game on the big screen, a lot of the action takes place around the table — keeping everyone well-fed is a sport in itself!

• 1/4 tsp. onion powder • 1 tsp. smoked paprika • 1 cup hummus Whisk first seven ingredients together (vinegar through paprika).

Add hummus and combine thoroughly.

Be creative with your dipping options. Potato and tortilla chips go hand-in-hand with tailgating festivities, but beyond these standards is a whole world of other dipping options. For a Mediterranean touch, go with flatbread, pita bread or pita chips. Or opt for more texture with multi-grain crackers that include raw flax, chia or sesame seeds. Or go for double the Buffalo wing flavor by dipping your wing, instead of the traditional blue cheese.

Darlene Love Darlene Love is always a welcome stage presence. For more than 50 years, she’s been making rock and roll’s world go ‘round. Since the early ‘60s, as part of Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound hit factory, this songstress has done it all — from movies like the ‘Lethal Weapon’ series to Broadway hits like ‘Hairspray’ and ‘Grease.’ She even starred as herself in ‘Leader of the Pack,’ credited as Broadway’s first ‘jukebox musical.’ Love’s career and legacy reached new heights, as a result of being featured in 2013’s acclaimed documentary ‘20 Feet from Stardom,’ when she became the best known ‘unknown”’ in rock history. She continues to captivate audiences with her warm, gracious persona and dynamic performances. Her timeless, soaring voice remains as powerful as ever. Rolling Stone magazine has proclaimed Love to be ‘one of the greatest singers of all time,’ and that certainly rings true, but perhaps Paul Shaffer says it even more concisely: ‘Darlene Love is rock and roll!”

Friday, Feb. 10, 8 p.m. $88, $78, $68. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

Cajun Buffalo Chicken Wings Here’s a zesty take on the football-watching favorite.

• 2-1/2 pounds chicken wing pieces • 1/2 cup any flavor Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce • 1/3 cup ketchup • 2 tsp. Cajun seasoned spice blend Bake wings in foil-lined pan at 500° F on lowest oven rack for 20 to 25 minutes until crispy, turning once.

Mix buffalo wings sauce, ketchup and spice blend.

Toss wings in sauce to coat.

Tip: You may substitute 1/2 cup red hot sauce mixed with 1/3 cup melted butter for the Wings Sauce.

Alternate cooking directions: Deep-fry at 375° F for 10 minutes, or broil 6 inches from heat 15 to 20 minutes turning once.

Hummus Buffalo Wing Dip A warm batch of Buffalo wings pairs well with this smoky and spicy dip.

• 1 tsp. red wine vinegar • 1 tsp. olive oil • 1 tbsp. tomato paste • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Lviv National Philharmonic Touchdown Italian Sausage Chili

• 1 package (19.76 ounces) Italian sausage links • 1 cup onion, chopped • 3 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces • 1 large sweet red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces • 1 tbsp. garlic, minced • 3 tbsp. olive oil • 1 large yellow pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces • 1 large green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces • 3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian recipe stewed tomatoes • 1 can (16 ounces) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained • 1 can (15 ounces) butter beans, rinsed and drained • 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste • 3/4 cup black olives, sliced • 1/4 cup cream sherry (optional) • 1 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped • 1 1/2 tsp. baking cocoa • 1/2 to 1 tsp. pepper Cook sausage according to package directions; cut into half moon slices and set aside.

In soup kettle, saute onion, celery, sweet pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Add sausage and remaining ingredients; bring to boil.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until flavors are blended.

Sprinkle chili with grated asiago, romano, parmesan cheese — or any cheese of your choice — before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

The National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine was established in Lviv in1902, a city known as one of the great cultural centers of eastern Europe, The orchestra has evolved over the years to become one of that nation’s largest and most internationally known ensembles, now under the baton of principal guest conductor Theodore Kuchar.

It reminds us of how music can bridge cultures and bring people together. Their 2023 American tour is a testament to the power of music to overcome adversity. Their program for this powerful concert includes: Ukrainian composer Yevhen Stankovych’s Chamber Symphony No. 3 for Flute and String Orchestra; Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16; and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92. Pianist Oksana Rapita is the featured soloist.

Saturday, Feb. 16, 8 p.m.; with 6:45 p.m. Arts Insider preperformance preview. $79, $59, $44. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville.

(516) 299-3100 or TillesCenter. org..

SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD — February 2, 2023

Get your

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Your Neighborhood

THE

February 2, 2023 — SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD

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SCENE

Feb. 23 Art talk Grab your lunch and join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent Riva Ettus for her popular “Brown Bag Lecture” live, via Zoom, Thursday, Feb. 23, 1 p.m. She’ll discuss the current exhibition, “The Big Picture: Photography Now.” Participants are invited to ask questions at the end of the program. Register at least 24 hours in advance to receive the program Zoom link. Also Feb. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

A Donde Llega el Silencio

Feb. 17

Zoë Keating

Cellist and composer Zoë Keating visits the Landmark stage, Friday, Feb. 17, 8 p.m. Considered a “one woman” orchestra, she uses a cello and a foot-controlled laptop to loop layer upon layer of cello, creating intricate, haunting, and compelling music; Keating has spent the last 20 years exploring the landscape of sounds a string instrument can make.

She coaxes sounds out of the very edges of her cello, adeptly layering them into “swoon inducing” (San Francisco Weekly) music that is unclassifiable yet “a distinctive mix of old and new” (National Public Radio). She is known for her use of technology — which she uses to record and sample her cello onstage and in the studio – and for her DIY approach — composing, recording and producing her works on her own terms, without the help of a record label. $41, $35, $27. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

Visit Planting Fields Arboretum, 1395 Planting Fields Road in Oyster Bay, for a performance by Argentinian musician Jacinta Clusellas, Saturday, Feb. 18, 6-8 p.m. Hear tunes from her second EP, “A Donde Llega el Silencio,” with a wine and cheese reception following.

For more information, call (516) 922-9210 or email info@ plantingfields.org.

Platanos Y Collard Greens See the romantic comedy about what happens when an African American and a Latina college student fall in love, presented by Nassau Community College Theater and Dance Department and the Africana Studies Department, Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 7-11, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 12, 2 p.m.

Also Feb. 16-19, with talkback session with playwright David Lamb, immediately following final performance. Threaded by the culture of hip-hop, the lovers defend their relationship, as friends and family learn that this “food fight” calls for fusion instead of feud.

Nassau Community College’s Mainstage Theatre, Garden City. Tickets $10; NCC students free with valid ID; $8 veterans, alumni, seniors 60+, students and NCC employees. For tickets/information, visit NCC. edu or call (516) 572-7676.

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In perfect harmony The SingStrong A Cappella Festival returns to the New York area, hosted by Adelphi University, Friday through Sunday, Feb. 3-5. Professional a cappella groups perform along with collegiate and high school ensembles. A variety of musical genres are represented, including re-imaginings of barbershop, pop, R&B, jazz, and more. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 8774000 or Adelphi.edu/pac.

Meet the Presidents Join Glen Cove Public Library for a Zoom presentation on the evolution of the presidency and executive branch, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2-3 p.m. Learn about how presidents have interpreted and fulfilled their leadership role. For more information contact adultprograms@ glencovelibrary.org or call (516) 676-2130.

Having an event?

Enjoy visiting friends, with a delicious lunch and chair yoga, at the popular senior program hosted by Mutual Concerns, every Tuesday, at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church, at 253 Glen Ave., in Sea Clifff. Those iinterested in joining the lunch program can call Peggie Como at (516) 675-7239.

On exhibit

Deep Roots Indoor Winter Market Shop for all sorts of enticing items, Saturday, Feb. 4, 10 a.m.2 p.m. The market, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 28 Highland Road, Glen Cove, offers locally grown vegetables, eggs, meat and dairy, as well as fresh baked goods, artisan cheeses, honey and more. For more information contact Amy Peters at amy@ deeprootsfarmersmarket.com or call (516) 318-5487.

On stage Mo Willems’ popular Pigeon comes alive on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Saturday, Feb. 11, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Sunday, Feb.12, 2 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday, Feb. 15-17, noon. LICM, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

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.

11

Watercolor Workshop Head to Planting Fields Arboretum, located at 1395 Planting Fields Road in Oyster Bay, for a watercolor painting workshop on Saturday, Feb. 11, noon to 2:30 p.m. Artist Victoria Beckert teaches the basic techniques of watercolor painting and guides attendees through painting a landscape photograph of Planting Fields on their own. For more information contact info@plantingfields.org or (516) 922-9210.

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.

Pat McGann Pat McGann, quickly rising as one of the sharpest stand-ups on the comedy scene, appears at The Paramount, Saturday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. A relative latecomer to comedy, he began doing standup at age 31 after realizing he was not very good at selling packaging. He hustled his way to become the house emcee at Zanies Chicago, where he distinguished himself as especially adept at working the crowd.

A husband and father of three young children, his appeal stems from his quick wit and relatable take on family life and marriage.

In 2017, McGann began touring as the opening act for Sebastian Maniscalco, moving with him from clubs to theater, to arenas, including four sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden. $40, $35, $30, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

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(From left to right) Jodi Turk, event, marketing and brand strategist, and Amy Amato, executive director of corporate relations and events, visited the Barasch & McGarry office to deliver a check to John Feal, founder and president of the FealGood Foundation, and Sara Director, partner at Barasch & McGarry who handles 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) claims and a Top Lawyer Honoree. RichnerLIVE donated a portion of ticket proceeds from the Herald Top Lawyers of Long Island Awards Gala to the foundation.

The FealGood Foundation protects and assists all emergency personnel injured on the job or in their personal lives through offering financial aid, basic home utilities, medicine and more. On Sept. 12, 2001, Feal was called to assist in the cleanup of ground zero when his foot was crushed and forced to be amputated. After dealing with the hurdles that came with the accident, he decided that no one should struggle after helping with ground zero.

Visit www.FealGoodFoundation.com for more information on the organization and how you can help.

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SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD — February 2, 2023

Feb. 3

Senior Lunch Program

12

WHAT’S UP NEXT DOOR AND AROUND THE CORNER

February 2, 2023 — SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD

HERALD NEIGHBORS

Tim Baker/Herald

THE YOUNGER STUDENTS from the Yes I Can Performing Arts Center dressed as bunnies to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit.

A big celebration of Lunar New Year at Town Hall

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

T

o celebrate the Lunar New Year, the Town of Oyster Bay hosted a celebration at Town Hall North in partnership with numerous ChineseAmerican community groups. The event featured traditional performances from Sitan Tai Chi and Martial Arts, the Long Island Music Conservancy, Yes I Can Performing Arts Center and The Rabbit Dance Team.

In addition, there was a presentation honoring the Chinese Association of Jericho, Chinese American Association of Syosset, Chinese American Association of Plainview and Long Island Chinese American Asso-

ciation. Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino thanked these organizations for their tremendous contributions in preserving the Chinese heritage in our community and emphasized the importance of celebrating the Lunar New Year, a time of unifying celebration for millions around the world that recognizes the diversity, history and richness of East Asian culture.

Lunar New Year is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of the new year, and is widely celebrated in China, South Korea, Vietnam, and countries with a significant East Asian population. 2023 marks the Year of the Rabbit, the fourth of the 12 animals that make up the Chinese zodiac, which is a symbol of longevity, peace and prosperity in Chinese culture.

MEMBERS OF YES I Can Performing Arts Center, a dance conservatory in Syosset, performed a dance.

SHUO YANG WAS one of many local dancers who joined in the dancing celebrations of the Lunar New Year.

New questions raised about donors for Santos

13

By MICHAEL MALASZCZYK

SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD — February 2, 2023

mmalaszczyk@liherald.com

New questions are being raised about just how George Santos raised money for his congressional campaign — not just last November, but in 2020 as well.

Standing outside of the congressman’s office in the Queens neighborhood of Douglaston, Nassau County Legislator Josh Lafazan — who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for the seat ultimately won by Santos — accused the Republican of outright fraud in his campaigns against then-incumbent Tom Suozzi in 2020, and then against Robert Zimmerman in 2022.

“Not only did George Santos defraud the voters in 2022, but George Santos lied to the voters in 2020,” Lafazan said. “Just because he lost that election doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be held accountable. In 2020.

George Santos attributed at least $30,000 of donations to individuals who do not exist, and to addresses that do not exist.”

Lafazan has shared these claims in a letter to Dana Lindenbaum, who chairs the Federal Election Commission. Lafazan demands a federal investigation into these donations from two years ago, specifically: ■ Rafael Da Silva, whose name is synonymous with a Brazilian soccer player.

■ Steven Caruso, whose address was listed on “West Fingerboard Road” in Manhattan — a street that’s actually on Staten Island.

Michael Malaszczyk/Herald photos

U.S. REP. GEORGE Santos has taken over office space in the Queens neighborhood of Douglaston, but the location still bears the name of his predecessor, Tom Suozzi. Legislator Joshua Lafazan is raising questions about Santos’ campaign donations in last year’s election.

■ Carlos Suarez, listed as living in Flushing, but never lived in that ZIP code.

■ Lesley Goodman, for whom there are no public records of living in New York.

Lafazan referred to these specific individuals as “ghost donors.”

“We started these press conferences in December outside his fake Whitestone address in the time since we’ve traversed this district, and the storytelling we’re doing is working,” Lafazan said. “Not only do Democrats want George Santos gone,

but Republicans want him gone. And as a legislator representing individuals in this district, it’s my job to form a bipartisan coalition to hold him accountable.”

Lafazan stood in front of Santos’s district office on Northern Boulevard in Douglaston — a building that still bears the name of the congressman’s predecessor, Tom Suozzi. Inside, reporters could see only one person working. The door was locked, and the man refused to talk to reporters.

Someone who answered the listed office phone number said they had no comment

BREAKING DOWN BOUNDARIES WITH CANCER BREAKTHROUGHS

on the conference held outside, and added this particular number was used strictly for constituent services.

This past week, Santos told Republicans he would step down from the two committees House Speaker Kevin McCarthy assigned him to, citing the distraction caused by the intense public interest in what he’s described as an “embellished” personal, educational and work history.

Law enforcement investigators from local to federal also said they are taking a hard look at where Santos found the money to fund his 2022 campaign.

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February 2, 2023 — SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD

14

Tim Baker/Herald photos

MEMBERS OF THE Nassau Community College Federation of Teachers, an educators union supporting the school’s full-time faculty, gathered at the Nassau County Legislature to demand fair contracts after learning their health care insurance premiums were going up.

NCC union rallies after health care costs rise ing the board to charge faculty members working under an expired contract with increased health insurance premiums.

Demanding fair contracts with afford- The insurance increases, Siminioff said, able health care costs, dozens of Nassau could cost faculty members between Community College faculty members ral- $2,500 and $5,000 — effectively acting like lied outside of the county legislature last a pay cut. week.

“So, we’re not getting we’re not getting They were part of a broader protest a wage increase. Our promotions have all from the Nassau Community been frozen. We’re not getCollege Federation of Teachting our sabbaticals. We’re ers, an educators union reprenot getting anything. But senting NCC’s full-time faculthey’re imposing this on us,” ty, speaking out against highSiminioff said. “I think this er health care insurance preprovision has been there for mium costs. They gathered on 30 years and they have never the steps of the county legisinvoked it. They want to punlature carrying signs like ish the faculty and force us “We’d rather be teaching through economic strongright now,” demanding better arming.” wages and fair contracts, tarJohn Gross, an Ingerman geting both the Nassau ComSmith attorney representing munity College Board of Nassau Community College, Trustees and the county itself. said the New York State They weren’t out on the FAREN Health Insurance Plan — steps long before some of the which provides insurance to union members were ushered SIMINIOFF all college employees — inside the Mineola building president, raised premiums on Jan. 1 by with a chance to state their Nassau Community 15 percent for family covercase with county legislators. age. That’s about $5,000 each College Federation The educators union and year. Individual coverage trustees board have been of Teachers rose more than 12 percent, negotiating full-time faculty which could cost upward of contracts since last July, hoping to work $4,000 over the next 12 months. out a deal before their contracts expired A provision in NCC’s full-time faculty in August. The union has rallied multiple labor contract states if the cost of health times since then, expressing frustration insurance premiums increases after a with the negotiation process. contract expires, Gross said, it’s up to the As recently as Dec. 13, Siminioff and individual employees to shoulder those the union asked the trustees to include costs through payroll deductions. salary increases to keep up with rising “The union knew it was in the labor inflation, as well as include paid sabbati- contract because one of the proposals in cals. But then, last week, health insurance our current negotiations is to remove the premium costs jumped for full-time facul- clause,” Gross said. “The board didn’t ty at NCC. wake up one day and said, ‘You know The increase came about thanks to the what? We’re going to impose these trustees enacting an old clause in their increases on the union.’” contracts — written decades ago — allowSiminioff said many faculty members

By ANDRE SILVA asilva@liherald.com

T

hey want to punish the faculty and force us through economic strong-arming.

FAREN SIMINIOFF, PRESIDENT of the Nassau Community College Federation of Teachers union, gathered protesters outside the Nassau County Legislature, demanding better wages and fair contracts from the Nassau Community College board and the county. feel the college has strained them to their limits, and has not properly supported them financially. Aside from the imposed health insurance premiums, NCC’s faculty has experienced an average wage increase just over 1 percent in the past decade.

“The starting salary for an instructional faculty member is approximately $60,800, and the starting salary for a noninstructional faculty member is $55,900,” Siminioff said. “According to the MIT wage calculator, a middle-class family of three needs about $96,000 to be middle class in Nassau County.”

Faculty members are teaching more students in larger classes over the past few years, Siminioff said. When she first

started teaching at NCC some 25 years ago, she taught an average of 110 students each semester. Now, professors are being asked to educate an average of 160 students each semester — which Siminioff feels is unfair.

Aside from low starting wages, it typically takes 15 to 18 years for someone on the faculty to start earning $100,000, Siminioff said. Anyone hired now would earn $55,000, taking 15 years to climb to $100,000.

“By the time you get 15 years of employment, it’s still not enough to live middle class in Nassau County,” Siminioff said. “So, they’re condemning college faculty to never being middle class.

That’s the bottom line.”

Republicans ask Lafazan for help in unseating Santos

SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD — February 2, 2023

CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE harder.

“I was outraged when I heard he won,” Lafazan said. “When I ran as a teenager, I had to have every ‘I’ dotted. There was such level of scrutiny. He’s the long lost brother of Anna Delvey,” referring to the Russian-born German con artist who posed as a wealthy heiress.

Election aftermath

When it was clear he would lose the primary, Lafazan’s first order of business was to contact his more than 200 teenaged interns. Likening them to “little brothers and sisters,” Lafazan wanted them to know they did a remarkable job working on his campaign, and how proud he was of them.

But most of all, he wanted to teach them how to lose.

“They needed to see how we handle loss gracefully,” Lafazan said. “I taught them that when you lose, you hold your head up high. You show grace in defeat, and concede. I think that was the most important lesson these kids learned that night.”

As for how he felt, Lafazan said the evening remains a blur. He does remember going to a diner with his campaign workers at midnight to commiserate. No one could understand how he lost since they were up in their internal polling the day before the election.

The next morning, Lafazan awoke early, calling everyone who contributed to his campaign — from those who donated, to the people who put out lawn signs. There were hundreds of calls to make, he said, ultimately taking a week to complete.

In between, Lafazan had to answer calls from media, his friends and family.

It was great to have the support, he said, but telling the same story over and over again — and expressing the same gratitude — was emotionally taxing.

“I was personally exhausted by Labor Day,” he said. “That’s when I realized it was over. It was like going from 100 mph to zero.”

The day after the election, Lafazan went back to work in Mineola, showing his constituents that although he lost one office, it didn’t mean he wasn’t grateful for the other one he already had.

One of the best kept secrets in running for office is what has to be done when the campaign is over, and the candidate has lost. The following week, Lafazan spent his time preparing to move out of his Plainview campaign office. His staff had all either gone back to college or left for other jobs.

He only had his campaign manager, Chase Serota, to help move everything out.

“There were so many volunteers, so there were so many tables, desks, posters, beanbag chairs,” Lafazan said.

“Chase and I put all of it in a massive U-Haul. Then, as we were driving down Jericho Turnpike, the door came open.”

He also contacted Zimmerman, committing to host a fundraiser on his behalf.

Lafazan prefers to be busy. Hectic-

15

Tim Baker/Herald

NASSAU COUNTY LEGISLATOR Josh Lafazan said he learned how to show grace in defeat last August, when he lost the Democratic primary to Robert Zimmerman for the congressional seat that Republican George Santos ultimately won. ness and the business of the day is a distraction for him. So, he set his mind to doing all of the things he was unable to do while campaigning.

He read historical literature — one of his passions. He went running and exercised every day. And he learned transcendental meditation.

People have asked Lafazan if he’s ever considered getting out of politics.

His answer? No.

Santos elected

Learning about Santos winning the congressional seat he had campaigned for was a mixture of frustration and anger for Lafazan. But he wasn’t surprised.

Democrats across the island didn’t effectively message on public safety, crime and the economy. As a Democrat in a district populated mainly with Republicans, Lafazan heard often that his constituents wanted a plan. And Democrats weren’t providing one, or for the most part even acknowledging the problems existed.

Although he did not know much about Santos, Lafazan knew he did not like him.

“This was someone who, on the record, had likened abortion to slavery,” Lafazan said. “Who had bragged about being at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Who had made incredibly inflammatory statements about multiple groups.

“That this person with this background was our congressman-elect, it didn’t sit well with me.”

His anger at his party’s loss turned to outrage when he read The New York

Times story claiming Santos had fabricated many aspects of his life — from his education, to his work history, even his family. Lafazan hosted his first news conference about Santos the next day, and has had 10 more since — his most recent one on Tuesday.

“I never thought I’d be still having

them, but this has gotten so morally depraved,” Lafazan said. “My constituents keep calling my office and they are Republicans. They want me to speak up.

They want him held accountable. The Republicans who voted for him are angry, and really hurt by what he’s done.”

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17

OPINIONS

’ll bet very few readers remember television shows like “Dr. Kildare” and “Marcus Welby.” Those popular shows featured physicians who made house calls and performed miracles of all kinds. There may be a few of these doctors left, but it’s only a matter of time until such dedicated physicians are no longer in existence. Like it or not, the business of medicine is changing rapidly, and not for the benefit of the average patient.

I recently experienced this sea change in medicine, when two of JERRY my doctors announced their KREMER retirement. One was my internal medicine doctor, who served me faithfully for 32 years, and the other was a neurologist who had monitored me for about five years. It was obvious from our parting conversations that they were exhausted and tired of the day-to-day stresses of serving patients.

If you visit almost any doctor’s office, you’ll notice that there are walls and

walls of files on display. They may signify how many patients your doctor serves, but they are also evidence of the amount of paperwork the average doctor must do to get paid by an insurance company.

Once upon a time, insurance companies gave doctors an appropriate amount of money for the services they performed, but not anymore.

If you’re a doctor in New York City, you may get $1,000 for a medical procedure. But if you practice in, say, Smithtown, you may get paid $180, if you’re lucky. Geography makes a difference in reimbursement, and no rational observer of medicine will defend such an abominable system. These days, doctors need experienced staff members who have to deal with endless piles of documents, many of which are for small reimbursements.

The daily practice of medicine isn’t a 9-to-5 operation. Many doctors take their charts home, to review medical histories and also to protect themselves from malpractice litigation. The business of suing doctors is a major enterprise, and the volume of litigation forces doctors to pay

I

outrageous fees for malpractice coverage. I’ve heard quite a few stories about doctors who quit the practice because they simply couldn’t afford the high premiums.

One way that a doctor can avoid some of these headaches is to become an employee of a hospital. That spares you the high insurance premiums, but life isn’t a bowl of cherries for the employed doctor, either. Large hospitals have rules upon rules, and they can mean plenty of paperwork, and having to handle a much larger caseload of patients then you ever had when you were on your own. One of my longtime, highly respected doctors has taken a leave of absence, because he’s now in his 80s and just can’t handle the caseload he’s been given. But hospitals are businesses, and they have every right to demand a high level of activity of their doctors.

There are many dedicated, newly minted doctors graduating from medical schools, but quite a few of them approach medicine much differently today than their forebears. Many young

t was obvious from chats with my retiring doctors that they were exhausted.

doctors would prefer to work five days a week, with no weekend duty. They are willing to take less compensation and have more time for family, golf and vacations. They may be brilliant practitioners, but they don’t want to be so many Marcus Welbys.

And when we talk about medicine, we can’t forget about nurses. The recent strike at some major city hospitals was no surprise. I was in an ER recently, and found out that my nurse had 15 patients assigned to her. She was on the verge of a physical breakdown, but soldiered on, handling all of them with grace and patience. No doubt, she will get a large pay increase and a smaller patient workload, but it’s only fair to give her those benefits.

Like it or not, medicine is changing dramatically. In the next 10 years, we will see changes that we never dreamt of.

Some will be good, and others bad. Let’s hope there are more good than bad.

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.

Folks scramble as the price of eggs soars nationwide

Y

ou can believe the hype. Last week, a boutique grocery on Manhattan’s Upper East Side was selling eggs for $17.99 a dozen. They weren’t Faberge eggs, dripping in diamonds and gilt. They were ordinary chicken-hatched, single-yolk, large “organic” eggs.

This news flash is courtesy of The Guardian newspaper in England, which loves to point out the crass and the crazy in American culture. It is given to gloating through stiff upper lips. Still, it has a point.

RANDI Egg prices are KREISS heating up due to inflation, a surging avian flu epidemic and, some say, price gouging.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one year ago you could buy a dozen eggs for $1.72. Now, nationwide, the price averages $3.59. In some states like California, the average price is more than $7. Apparently in Manhattan, consumers have jumped from the frying pan into the fire. No more cheap, go-to weekday omelet dinners.

The current epidemic of avian flu is

the worst in history, according to NBC News. More than 53 million birds have died of the virus or been put to death.

As so-far survivors of the coronavirus pandemic, we must wonder how vulnerable we humans are to this flu.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we’re probably safe. That’s not totally reassuring, but the avian flu has jumped to humans in only rare instances, and has passed from an infected person to other people in only extremely rare cases. Those who’ve contracted the flu after working around infected birds generally experienced mild symptoms, but the disease has been serious in a few people.

Somehow, I want to believe human beings should be OK, but after the waves of half-information and misinformation informing our health decisions in the midst of Covid, I want to keep an eye on this H5N1 virus. Even though it might seem cost-effective now to start raising chickens in our backyards, nah, it’s probably not a good idea.

Last week it was widely reported that dealers have been running eggs out

I

of Mexico to the U.S. I don’t know if it’s a Sinaloa cartel operation, but really?

Smugglers in competition with the Easter Bunny?

I take my eggs very seriously.

Omelets are a regular dinner in my home. I eat an egg every single day, over well, yolk broken. Lillybee the dog gets half a yolk.

I had to give up eggs recently and temporarily (for a month) after my friend cracked an egg and discovered a tiny, blackened mini-chicken inside. So gross! I didn’t actually see the monstrosity, but I can’t get the image out of my head. She was so traumatized by the visitation that she gave up eggs forever.

We move on. The most expensive egg product I ever purchased was a painted $25 ostrich eggshell I brought back from South Africa to present to my granddaughter on her 13th birthday. I was feeling quite high-minded about the symbolism of feminism and new beginnings and eternal life. But she sat on it, and that was that.

Two weeks ago, I cracked an egg and discovered it was a double yolker.

According to Cackle Hatchery, double yolks are quite rare. They hardly ever

nflation?

Avian flu?

Price gouging?

No more cheap, go-to weekday omelet dinners.

result in two chickens being born, because the eggshell can’t accommodate twins. Still, they are prized for eating. Some boutique chicken farmers specialize in double yolkers, the source of which is a genetic mutation. You can hold a candle to an egg and see what’s inside if you really need to know. If you really want to know.

Hardboiled eggs are worth a book of their own. I always have a few hardcooked eggs in my fridge, you know, in case of nuclear attack or tornado strike.

I read about an 83-year-old hiker years ago who hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine, eating hardboiled eggs he cooked on a tiny camping stove.

In the 1967 movie “Cool Hand Luke,” an outrageously defiant prisoner played

by Paul Newman choked down 50 hardboiled eggs on a dare. A few people in real life tried to imitate the feat, and one died. But Joey Chestnut, the renowned competitive eater, consumed 141 eggs in eight minutes in a contest.

Miki Sudo broke the women’s world record, eating 104 eggs.

Chestnut, who, remarkably, is still alive — I checked — took home a $1,500 grand prize, which seems not nearly enough.

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

SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD — February 2, 2023

I

The era of ‘Marcus Welby, M.D.’ is over

18

HERALD EDITORIAL

Sea Cliff/Glen Head

February 2, 2023 — SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD

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I

The tricky balance of fear and openness

t was like having security cameras in every room of a house but one. That’s how Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone described to reporters the decentralized, hodgepodge security infrastructure of the county’s computer network, which more than 10,000 government employees, in dozens of departments, depended on.

It was a single unguarded entryway that let hackers in last September, essentially shutting down all operations and reportedly costing Suffolk millions of dollars.

Such an intrusion is enough to scare any business or government entity into fortifying defenses. But is there such a thing as being too scared?

In the days following Suffolk’s revelation that it had been hacked, Bellone’s counterpart, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, bent over backward to ensure that the same thing won’t happen here. Or at least we think he has, given that the details of those efforts are a closely held secret.

What we do know is that the Legislature has hired a cybersecurity consultant.

And that’s about it. Who that consultant is, what they have to offer — and, most important, how much it’s going to cost taxpayers — is information only a very select few know.

Revealing too many details about the new cybersecurity efforts could be troublesome, of course. The more information hackers have, the more likely they can

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LETTERS Offner was on the mark To the Editor: Re Daniel Offner’s column last week, “We must remember — and teach — the Holocaust”: Offner’s description of his grandmother, “When she was liberated by American troops from Dachau in May 1945, she weighed 45 pounds,” brought back an old memory to me. I remember my dad speaking of two cousins, who somehow made it to America after surviving one of those Nazi killing centers in Poland. He described them as two young guys, each over six feet tall and weighing 200 pounds — combined.

They didn’t last much longer than a year here. The Nazis killed them; they just didn’t die immediately.

And now we have Holocaust deniers, in spite of the films, photos and documents that exist, in addition to the survivors, and the living veterans who aided in their liberation and survival. We also have politicians in both parties telling us lies daily. Now we even have to be aware of a “journalist’s” political affiliations, agenda and beliefs.

Sadly, as Offner pointed out, the same goes

find ways to slip past Nassau’s defenses.

Yet county officials refuse to say how revealing simple bits of information — like who the vendor is, and how much they’re charging — would help these cyber menaces. And they aren’t budging.

As well, the Herald learned last week that a closed-doors executive session called by the Legislature produced an emergency cybersecurity declaration — its mere existence classified.

It’s perfectly understandable why county officials are on edge, and they should be commended for acting quickly to build Nassau’s technological defenses. And while many of those details should be kept secret, not all of them should be.

There is a reason why who our government does business with — and at what cost — should be out in the open, for all to see. We bear the financial cost of that business, and have every right to ensure that every dollar is being spent appropriately.

Everything about the county’s contract with this mystery cybersecurity firm could be perfectly fine. And it most likely is. But the taxpayers’ right is absolute assurance, not a preponderance of confidence. We have the right — by law — to make sure the Legislature is doing an arm’s-length deal with the right company for the right price.

How was the firm chosen? How was its compensation negotiated? What is the county getting in return? Even if we can’t have specifics, there’s no reason we can’t be clued in on at least some general

aspects.

Shoshanah Bewlay, executive director of the state-funded Committee on Open Government, shared in an advisory opinion last month that details of the contract — like information technology schematics, blueprints, pricing or systems methodologies, and the types of IT monitoring or remediation — can indeed be kept quiet. “However, in our view,” Bewlay added, “it is not clear how the disclosure of other information contained within the contract — such as the name of the selected vendor, or value of the executed contract — would enable a person to adversely impact an agency’s electronic information or IT systems.”

Don’t get us wrong — we honestly believe there is no ill intention on the county’s part to withhold this information. Officials are scared that revealing any of it — even if it’s deemed safe — could upend all their efforts to protect the network. But they have to lift the cloak just enough to let the taxpayers — their true bosses — get a peek to assure themselves that all of this is on the up-and-up.

Nassau County is letting all of its hard work to build these defenses get obscured by this simple request to know who it is working with, and how much they are being paid for that work. That’s basic information that taxpayers shouldn’t even have to ask for.

But they are asking for it, and the county must do the right thing and provide the answer.

19

OPINIONS

arlier this month I had the privilege of speaking at the ceremonial swearing-in of newly elected U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito.

Sitting on the stage that evening, I thought back to when I was first sworn in 30 years ago, and how different this night was from that one, and how different the world had become.

This ceremonial event was held at the Nassau County police training center, in East Garden City, instead of in Washington, D.C., and the oath was administered by PETER former Senator Al D’Amato instead KING of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

D’Esposito had been officially sworn in by McCarthy the week before, but that was at 2 a.m. on Jan. 7, following over four days and 15 ballots of voting in the most acrimonious contest for speaker since the 1850s, the decade preceding the Civil War. During my 28 years in Congress, I cast 14 ballots for speaker — one every two years.

D’Esposito exceeded that total in his very first week in Congress!

This rancor and chaos is a sign of what Congress has become, and what D’Esposito must work through. Don’t get me wrong — Congress wasn’t all peace, love and harmony when I was elected.

Soon-to-be House Speaker Newt Gingrich and President Bill Clinton were firing political rockets at each other, and fiery cable news shows were emerging. But there wasn’t this level of intra-party disunity.

Nonetheless, D’Esposito’s situation isn’t entirely different from what I faced. We have several things in common. We both won close, hard-fought races. I won by 8,000 votes, a margin of 3 percent; D’Esposito by 10,000, or 3.9 percent. The bulk of my district was in the Town of Hempstead and Long Beach. D’Esposito’s district is entirely within those boundaries. And the challenges he will confront are similar to what I faced during my latter 20 years in Congress: preventing another Sept. 11, and fighting to get New York and Long Island their fair share of revenue. Fortunately, D’Esposito’s committee assignments — Homeland Security and Transportation & Infrastructure — position him well for the struggles

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newcomer to Congress has two solid committee assignments.

LETTERS for our educational institutions.

I was lucky. The U.S. Navy took me to dozens of foreign nations. If you were born here, count your blessings.

There are many tougher places to g row up in. Our most precious resource is America’s children. If we give them our honest best, freedom will reign.

JOHN SCHULTZ Oceanside

It’s Santos, for better or worse To the Editor: At a news event on Jan. 11, a parade of Nassau County Republicans took the extraordinarily courageous step of calling on their colleague, U.S. Rep. George Santos, to resign. They suggested that he was not welcome at either their headquarters or their events.

They indicated that their other congressional representatives would take it upon themselves to provide representation to the people of the 3rd District — the people Santos was elected to represent.

On Jan. 18, I received an email from my old friend Rep. Andrew Garbarino, who represents the 2nd District, in Suffolk County, advising me that I was one of his “new constituents” and assuring me that I could rely on his office’s

ahead.

The Homeland Security Committee was created in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 to coordinate federal, state and local counterterrorism efforts, and to provide necessary funding to areas at highest risk. Every threat analysis showed the New York City-Long Island region as the highestranked terrorist target in the country. Yet we had to fight off other states, which had zero threat levels, for every penny. As a former New York City police detective and Island Park fire chief, D’Esposito has the credentials and the gravitas to win those funding fights, and also to ensure that the committee’s legitimate concern about border control and illegal immigration doesn’t distract attention from the still very serious terrorist threat.

He will have similar struggles on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, to get fair and necessary funding for Long Island’s roads, highways, beaches and waterways.

Over the years, New York has been consistently shortchanged in federal funding, sending far more money to Washington than we get back. My short-

resources. Along with everyone else in northern Nassau and Queens, I live in Santos’s district. I am not officially a constituent of Garbarino’s.

In response, I emailed Andy Garbarino, “While I appreciate you reaching out, you are not my Congressional representative and I am not your ‘new constituent.’ George Santos, with whom and for whom you campaigned, is my Congressional representative. That fact is truly shameful. Thanks again and wishing you well.”

So, to Congressman Garbarino, with whom I worked in the Assembly before he was elected to the House of Representatives, I simply say, “Thanks but no thanks.” For better or worse, Santos is our congressman, and I expect him, perhaps unrealistically, to make some effort to try to live up to his responsibilities.

I am not inclined to reach out to the same Republican politicians who offer assistance but are simply attempting to shield themselves from criticism. As the old saying goes, once bitten, twice shy.

Should Santos be unresponsive to any requests I may have for assistance to the people I represent, I will reach out to Senators Chuck Schumer or Kirsten Gillibrand, or to any number of Democratic congressional representatives.

CHARLES LAVINE Assemblyman, 13th District

hand political analysis for this inequity was that Democrats took New York for granted and Republicans felt they couldn’t win it, so our hard-earned tax dollars were disbursed elsewhere — most notably, and disproportionately, to southern states. This shortfall in turn increased our state and local tax burden, which was exacerbated when a Republican Congress voted to dramatically reduce our SALT income tax deduction.

D’Esposito has pledged to fight hard to restore that deduction.

Besides Homeland Security, infrastructure funding and restoring the SALT deduction, he will have to deal with countless other issues, including senior citizen and veterans benefits, 9/11 health care, tax relief for hardworking middle-income families and supporting law enforcement.

Being a member of Congress, and representing the people of Long Island and addressing their needs and challenges, was the experience of a lifetime for me.

No one is more connected to his constituents than Anthony D’Esposito, and I know he will take their thoughts and concerns to the halls of Congress and get the job done. Good luck, Congressman.

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

FRAMEWORK by Tim Baker

In a normal winter, this would be a skating rink — East Rockaway

SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD HERALD — February 2, 2023

E

D’Esposito will get the job done in Washington

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