Sea Cliff/Glen Head Herald 10-06-2022

A place for the

A new home for S.C. arts council

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

It was all art, smiles and music at the ribbon-cutting for the new Sea Cliff Council for the Arts building.

Residents, artists, lovers of the arts and local politicians gathered on Sept. 30 to celebrate the organization’s first home.

The Arts Council, a nonprofit, was founded in 1999 by then Mayor Claudia Moyne, who was on hand to celebrate the culmi nation of the group’s 23 years of work. The council’s goal is to support and promote the arts in the community by ensuring

American Legion ready to tackle membership decline

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

Legionnaires from numer ous Nassau County American Legion posts gathered in Glen wood Landing Post 336’s meet ing room on Sept. 29 to discuss declining membership and to exchange financial tips to help keep Legion posts open.

Representatives of the Glen wood Landing, Sea Cliff, Glen Cove, Oyster Bay, Locust Valley, Carle Place and Manhasset posts addressed those key issues and helped answer legionnaires’ questions.

One pressing issue facing the posts is their inability to fill

leadership and chaplaincy roles due to the deaths of officers and low membership among younger generations. This has led to the problem of not hav ing legionnaires available to attend a fellow veteran’s funer al, normally one of the most solemn duties of the American Legion.

Ralph Casey, third vice com mander of the Nassau County American Legion and former chaplain of Post 336, empha sized that not having American Legion members and chaplains for legionnaires’ funerals is unacceptable.

Casey proposed that posts

RALPH CASEY

Third vice commander, Nassau County American Legion

work together to communalize their chaplains so that no mat ter the post, every legionnaire can be laid to rest with the knowledge that his or her brothers and sisters-in-arms will be there to remember them and honor their service.

“It hit me really hard when I found out that a post had two deaths and nobody from the post attended the funeral,” Casey said. “That’s what’s owed to all veterans, and that will never, ever happen again, even if I have to go myself. We’ll never leave a veteran to die alone.”

Casey also suggested that

posts and their commanders work together to begin succes sion training so that younger legionnaires can assume com mand positions in the event of officers’ retirements or deaths. This way, Casey said, the posts will have officers ready to take on the mantle of leadership, rather than leaving positions

Courtesy Heidi Hunt

ribbon-cutting

Cliff

the Arts

We’ll never leave a veteran to die alone.

Roksana Amid/Herald

Regency raises Alzheimer awareness in style

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

Ared carpet, purple balloons and high-end fash ion isn’t a combination most people would expect for an event about Alzheimer’s aware ness. But that’s what visitors found at the Regency at Glen Cove on Sept. 21 at the “A Day Never to Forget Fashion Show,” held to highlight the need for research for the disease nicknamed the silent killer.

But as long as they’re happy in the moment doing an activity with a big smile on their faces, that’s what we look forward to.

STELLA SHANK executive director, Regency

The Regency’s Safe Har bor residence is for people who have Alzheimer’s and dementia. To keep the resi dents engaged with the com munity they modeled at the fashion show. They wore high-end clothing donated by Glen Cove resident and Worth Repeating owner Betsy Gibs, that included designer names like Chanel and Prada. But the most noticeable accessories worn on the runway were wide smiles.

While the event raised awareness for the disease, it was also a time to celebrate being with friends and family. “We should do more events like this,” Chippy Kirshner, a Safe Harbor resident said.

The fashion show served as a precursor to the Regen cy’s participation in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s event at Eisenhower Park on Oct 2. The world’s largest event to raise funding and awareness to the disease, they’ve has currently raised $150,253 of their $288,500 goal.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that begins with mild memory loss which often leads to an inability to

carry on conversations and respond to the environment. Changes in the brain can begin years before the first symptoms appear, with symptoms of the disease often appearing after age 60.

“Sometimes people with dementia and Alzheimer’s might not recall what they did 15 minutes or an hour ago, or even yesterday,” said Stella Shank, executive director of the Regency. “But as long as they’re happy in the moment doing an activity with a big smile on

their face, that’s what we look forward to.”

Engaging with other people in social situations helps those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Erica Ferrara, Safe Harbor’s director said that events like the fashion show are important to residents. And it’s the responsibility of the Regency to give residents a forum showing that they can still be part of the Glen Cove community, she said.

BEST FRIENDS SONJA Coven and Anna Vaccaro, who met at the Regency, walked the runaway together, with Vaccaro wearing a purple faux mink coat.

STEPHANIE CRAWFORD, ACCOMPANIED by her aid Maritza Rose modeled in the fashion show by wearing a plaid Dolce and Gabbana shirt from Worth Repeating.

ERNST AND BRIDGET Santangelo celebrated 63 years of marriage over the summer and say they enjoy spending as much time together as they can.

CHIPPY KIRSHNER STOLE the show with her twirls down the runway wearing a velvet jumpsuit.

Sea Cliff Arts Council finally has a home of its own

the art pieces, and nearly all the pieces had a bid by the end of the evening.

their prominence and vital presence in the village.

In a speech at the ribbon-cutting, Kat DiResta, chairwoman of the Arts Council, reflected on how surreal it felt to finally have their own space, and highlighted the important contributions of the village and its residents in making the Arts Council what it is today.

“This is beyond our dreams,” DiResta said. “I’ve never been part of a sports team, but this is the closest I’ve gotten. And (the community) is part of the team now, so thank you, thank you, thank you.”

During the event, residents enjoyed appetizers along with wines and cham pagne. Music was played throughout the evening, provided by local musician Frank Ferrara and others.

Several paintings and drawings by local artists filled the walls, giving the space a taste of art shows and galleries to come. Attendees were even able to bid on

The focus is not on any one form of art. The organization has supported everything from music to painting to cul tural programs. One of the Arts Council’s well-known artistic promotions is its monthly exhibits featuring the works of Sea Cliff and north shore artists at the Sea Cliff Village Library.

The new building, at 86 Roslyn Avenue, welcomed more than 60 people who filed in and out through the course of the eve ning. The building will allow the Arts Council to expand its range of operations, with several rooms available for students and residents to receive musical tutoring and training.

Having a location and base of opera tions for the Arts Council, its leadership believes that they will be able to reach peo ple in the community through more artis tic exhibits and events. It will allow the Arts Council to support local businesses,

by holding events catered or sponsored by local restaurants, which they said was an integral aspect of the relationship between the arts and the community.

“Art might make you smile, it might make you cry, it might make you laugh, but at the end of the day, it lets you feel that you’ve experienced something real and something important,” Mark Sobel, one of the heads of the Arts Council, said during a speech at the ribbon cutting. “One of the things that we wanted to do was to help the businesses out, as the arts should.”

Several local and state government officials celebrated the evening’s event, including Mayor Elena Villafane and sev eral members of the village government, as well as Nassau County Legislator Delia

DeRiggi-Whitton and Assemblyman Chuck Lavine.

The public officials each praised the Arts Council, its new building and the unique village that enabled such an orga nization to flourish, with both DeRiggiWhitton and Lavine awarding the Arts Council public citations.

“The arts have been a part of Sea Cliff for as long as I could remember, but they’ve sort of wandered through the community; they now have a home,” Vil lafane said. “And with a home, it will allow them to grow and to reach out to the community.”

“This is just exactly what Sea Cliff is,” DeRiggi-Whitton added. “It’s love and it’s community and it’s art, and this is a per fect home for it.”

sea cliff/glen head

Courtesy Bill Hunt

MEMBERS OF THE Arts Council and government officials helped cut the ribbon before opening the doors of the new building.

CONTINUED

Will Sheeline/Herald ARTS COUNCIL MEMBERS had wine and hors d’oeuvres ready for attendees, some of whom gathered in the building’s new garden.

Fewer veterans can mean funerals with no chaplains

unfilled, as has happened in numerous posts on Long Island.

Another important aspect of the dis cussion was finances, as Legions, who often own their bulding, have to sell their hall due to an inability to pay the taxes. This problem was badly exacer bated by the Covid-19 pandemic, as tra ditionally posts tended to make most of their money by renting out their legion hall or holding charity events there.

Legionnaires from the different posts exchanged ideas on potential ways to make more money or to save what they already had. Several members of Glen wood Landing Post 336 highlighted the recent Oktoberfest event they had orga nized, which they said made the post roughly $4,000, a minimal cost and effort to them.

Anthony Paternostro, treasurer for the Nassau County American Legion, answered questions and gave advice to attending legionnaires. Paternostro offered information about selling a post, saving money throughout the year, and other concerns legionnaires had. He also emphasized the importance of abid ing by American Legion and state guide lines about spending.

“The biggest thing if you’re going to make donations outside of the legion, is make sure it’s to a 501(c)(3) or (19) non-prof it organization,” Paternostro said. “You’re not supposed to be making any donations

to anybody that’s not a non-profit.”

Assemblyman Edward Ra offered support for the attending legions and promised that he and other elected offi cials would do what they could to con

tinue to support veterans of the Ameri can Legion.

“We went for years during Covid with people being unable to rent out posts, with posts closing down,” Ra

said.

“It’s a community gathering place, and obviously it’s a place to serve you veterans.”

Will Sheeline/Herald

JAMES RANDALL, FAR left, Ralph Casey, Joseph Scarola and Anthony Paternostro led the discussion and answered legionnaires’ ques tions at Glenwood Landing Post 336 on Sept. 29.

ERASE

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

ERASE Racism, a leading regional organization that promotes racial equity on Long Island, has a new face. Laura Harding became the group’s president on Sept. 19, replacing its founder and leader for 21 years, Elaine Gross.

The search for a new pres ident began in April, when Gross announced her depar ture. Gross created the orga nization in 2001, and led it to prominence by heightening public understanding of structural racism.

Harding, 48, was born in Barbados and grew up in Brooklyn. She earned an undergraduate degree from Adelphi University, a master’s in social service administration from the Univer sity of Chicago and a law degree from Howard University.

A public advocate and attorney with extensive experience in promoting racial justice, equity and inclusion, Harding said that she didn’t initially seek out a role at ERASE Racism. She was working as a co-chair of the Racial Justice &

Equity Team in the office of the Deputy Mayor for Education in Washington, D.C.

“I was doing some really incredible work and getting ready to expand my portfolio in D.C.,” Harding explained. “A recruiter approached me, and they were like, ‘Hey, we’re looking for the next lead er of ERASE Racism, and your name came up.’”

One thing led to another, Harding said, and she agreed to an interview. “Once I did my research and talked to a couple of people who worked with ERASE Racism,” she said, “I was extremely excit ed about being considered as a possibility for the posi tion.”

When she left her job in Washington, Harding said, she took time off to prepare to build on the foundation Gross had established.

“My first few days have been spent just really reaching out to different board members and arranging meetings to introduce myself,” she said on Sept. 20.

“It’s been exciting to relearn Long Island, and understand who the people are, who the communities are, and who I need to meet.”

Assisted Living at Atria Glen Cove… Look Who’s

MEET JOHN D. PHILLIPS

A multi sport athlete in high school, John first encountered Lacrosse as a freshman at Navy and it marked the beginning of a lifelong involvement with the sport. First as a player, and on to coaching and managing, his teams have won local, national, and inter national championships. He has been a leader in the International Lacrosse Federation. Having worked tirelessly in the development of the sport, in 2006 he was inducted into the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

As an engineer in the 1950s, John was involved in evaluating structures that were part of the nascent Interstate Highway System. Later at IBM he developed practical applications for the use of computers in business, in particular for organized shipping, similar to the methods used by Amazon today.

Whether

• Social Life: Enjoy social, cultural and educational events every day with

• Transportation: No worries about getting to where you need to go.

• Dining:

healthy

provide

delicious

• Housekeeping:

staff takes care

• Medical Assistance:

• Exercise/Fitness:

Harding said she wanted to take the time to get to know the group’s stake holders — people directly impacted by its work. “I think when you are an organiza tion like ERASE, a lot of our time is spent among professionals — the elected officials, the community-based organiza tions, and subject-matter experts,” she explained. “I want to be mindful that I also have access to the voices of the people who we are work ing for.”

Harding said she finds all of ERASE Racism’s work to be important, but the two things she’s most interested in developing are its advoca cy and community education branches. “It allows us to develop and build capacity in students and regular commu nity members to advocate for themselves and their needs,” she said, “to ensure they’re being serviced and supported in an equitable way.”

Gross said that Harding’s extensive resume made her the right choice to suc ceed her. “It is thrilling for me to see a new president with a breadth of experi ence appointed to ERASE Racism,” Gross said. “I am delighted that (she) will

be succeeding me, and that she will be setting the course for ERASE Racism going forward.”

Edward Pichardo, co-chair of the organization’s board of directors, agreed. “ERASE Racism is fortunate to have someone with her depth of skills come into the lead[???] this illustrious organization,” Pichardo stated in a press release last week.

ERASE has done tremen dous work, Harding said, but a lot still needs to be accom plished. “If you look at what’s happening, certainly in New York state, on Long Island and across the nation, there clearly is still a lot of work to be done,” she said. “I think there’s a place for the organization — a place to contribute to ensuring that Long Island remains a beautiful, inclusive and equi table place to live.

“I’m excited to be here,” Harding added, “and I’m excited to lead ERASE Racism’s work, and I look forward to con necting with our various communities and stakeholders to hear their thoughts, and hopefully advocate for them in a way that’s powerful.”

Laura Harding Elaine Gross

Libraries commit to giving back to their communities

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

Libraries across the New York state and Nassau Coun ty are getting ready for another year of the Great Give Back, a community service initiative in which Long Island libraries raise and donate to assist those in need everything from school supplies and socks to dog food. This initiative, which began in 2017, gives libraries the opportunity to make a difference in their community, and ensures they serve not just as repositories for knowledge, but also as community centers.

The Great Give Back was first created by the Suffolk County Public Library Directors Association and the Suffolk Cooperative Library System, in conjunc tion with the Nassau Library System. Its mission is to provide a day of opportuni ties for the patrons of New York state’s public libraries to participate in serviceoriented experiences.

These experiences vary from library to library, with the north shore’s public libraries each coming up with their own cause to try and donate on behalf of the Great Give Back. Some, like the Bayville Free Library, partner with local charities and nonprofit organizations like the Long Island Cares Harry Chapin Food Bank.

Today, libraries in over 50 New York state counties participate in the Great Give Back. Some libraries, like the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Public Library, have been participating since the event was founded in 2017, according to head librarian Stacie Hammond.

“Libraries, we talk to each other, you know. We share ideas and information all the time, and when we got fly

ers from the Nassau Library System, and we thought, hey, we might want to get on board with this,” Hammond said. “So, every year we come up with some way to con tribute, something that will help.”

The types of projects that different libraries can work on is extensive, and libraries do their best to not repeat projects over the years. Some, such as the Sea Cliff Vil lage Library and Bayville Free Library, collect canned and other non-perishable foods to donate to community food banks, while others, like the Gold Coast Public Library, are planning on decorating pumpkins to add fall decora tions for residents of the Regency Assisted Living Facility in Glen Cove.

According to Phyllis Grazios, one of the librarians at Glen Cove Public Library, some libraries will have a specific event on Oct. 15, the official date of the Great Give Back, while others collect donations throughout the entire month. Some, like Glen Cove’s library, which is gathering donated winter clothing for local families in need, will do a little bit of both, collect ing throughout October while also holding a small event.

“During the whole month of October, we have two huge boxes in the library, which the kids are going to dec orate on Thursday night,” Grazios said. “The donations are going to go on through the whole month of October, and then also the kids will earn extra community service as they bring in new donations.”

All in all, the Great Give Back presents Long Island libraries, library-goers and children with an opportunity to come together and make a difference in their commu nity. Camille Purcell, Director of the Sea Cliff Village Library, explained how this yearly event is both to the

Participating libraries

Bayville Free Library

Harvest festival and food drive

Oct. 22, 10 a.m. to noon

Glen Cove Public Library

Get kids ready for winter Oct. 1-31

Gold Coast Public Library

Pumpkin decorating Oct. 15, 11 a.m. to noon (grades 6-12)

Locust Valley Library Beach clean up Oct. 2, 10 a.m. to noon

Oyster Bay-East Norwich Public Library

Socks for veterans Oct. 9-15

libraries and those in need.

“We’re always trying to be a part of the community,” Purcell said. “It’s great when we can do something like this to show that we’re more than just books and stuff like that.”

W e’re always trying to be a part of the community.

CAMILLE PURCELL director, Sea Cliff Village Library

The kind of ‘funny money’ that helps … charity

Recorded comedy show, Helping Thru Humor, comes to Molloy University

By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com

Laughter is the best medicine. It can also be a great way to help raise money for charity.

Helping Thru Humor, a non-profit fundrais ing platform, is recording a live comedy special at Molloy University’s Madison Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 15, which will be broadcast online to help raise money for special needs charities all over the state.

This one-of-a-kind performance was the brainchild of Jason Plawner, who traces the concept’s origins back to his youth. He was a trumpet player in his high school’s competitive marching band, and later transferred that tal ent to a drum corps.

Pursuing such a path was a very expensive undertak ing, Plawner said, which was commonly financed through grants, donations, sales and membership dues.

“It was getting so expensive to take part,” Plawner said. “At one point, it was reaching close to $6,000 a year.”

Looking to not only raise money for one drum corps — but all of them — Plawner created Helping Thru Humor. And instead of limiting such fundraising to just the audi ence that could physically show up, Plawner teamed up with Michelle Ciardulli — co-chair of the Long Island Motion Picture Arts Center and Museum, and a Molloy graduate — to assemble the charity event, and broadcast it across the state.

“I’m looking forward to putting on a wonderful show,” Plawner said, “and that all of the charities participating will come out raising more money than they ever thought possible.”

The performance will feature the brother-sister duo Derrick and Julie Tennant and comedian Bobby Collins,

who will take the stage to help raise money for charities including 14 Sleeves, A Chance to Dance and The Forum School.

Collins is a renowned New York stand-up comic with 40 years of experience under his belt. He has opened for icon ic entertainers like Frank Sinatra, Cher and Dolly Parton, as well as Jerry Seinfeld, Ray Romano and Chris Rock.

Collins is dedicated to the cause as one of the charities the event it supporting, Zeno Mountain Farm, is a non

profit camp in Vermont where his daughter Madison has trekked to for more than a decade. It’s intended as a place where everyone can enjoy the camp experience, even if they live with disabilities.

Derrick and Julie Tennant, otherwise known as the Love Chromosome, combine their own inspirational sto ries about overcoming adversity with comedy and an inspirational message.

Julie was born with Down syndrome, which is a condi tion that can create cognitive disabilities, developmental delays or physical challenges caused by an extra chromo some. Julie’s grandpa used to tell her that the chromo some in question wasn’t “extra,” but instead was missing in everyone else.

It’s where the nickname comes from, “the love chromo some.”

Derrick was a gifted athlete on his way to really mak ing a career in sports. But one night, he laid down, and didn’t wake up for three days. Doctors said he suffered from “random bleeding,” which paralyzed him after brain surgery, making him unable to move his left side.

Thanks to years of therapy, hard work, and love from his family and friends, Derrick found a way to effectively manage and live with it, reshaping his obstacles into opportunities. Together with his sister, they travel all across the country to share inspirational words of wis dom with others.

The event begins at 8 p.m., at the Madison Theatre at Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave.

Tickets are $45 to attend in-person, and are available online at MadisonTheatreNY.org.

Can’t make it in-person? There will be a chance to watch — and give — online by visiting HelpingThruHu mor.org.

Courtesy the Love Chromosome DERRIck AND JuLIE Tennant are a brother-sister duo who travel the country to share inspirational and meaningful stories. They perform at Molloy University on Oct. 15.

FREE

HEALTH

SERIES

SELF

Advance registration is required.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2022 6-7PM

October is National Hearing Awareness Month HEALTH: Protect Your Hearing

Everything from loud concerts and sports stadium crowds to chemicals in cigarette smoke and cleaning agents can kill the thousands of tiny hair cells in your inner ear. Learn how to protect your hearing and understand what are the 10 signs of hearing loss you should not ignore.

REGISTER at www.LIHERALD.com/health

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2022 6-7PM

October is National Financial Planning Month WEALTH: Protect Your Money

Plan now for your future. Being financially secure in retirement is not just about money. It requires planning and a realistic understanding of your needs and wants.

REGISTER at www.LIHERALD.com/wealth

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2022

6-7PM

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month

SELF: Protect Yourself Against Cybercrime

Cybersecurity is in the news every day – data breaches, identity theft, and social media scams. You’ll learn how to be more online savvy and how to keep personal information on your smartphone, tablet and computer safe.

REGISTER at www.LIHERALD.com/self

• OCTOBER 29 • 10AM - 12PM

Clinton G. Martin Park

New Hyde Park Rd & Marcus Ave, New Hyde Park, NY 11042

REGISTER at events.aarp.org/freeshred1022

Ester Fogel, Au.D Doctor of Audiology

Audiology

Bernard Macias

State DirectorLong Island

New York

Edgar Montenegro, MBA, CFBS

Management Adviser

Dr. Lawrence Cardano, Au.D., FAAA Doctor of Audiology Hearing Center of Long Island

13

Michael

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Michael

Donna M. Stefans, Esq.,

& Lead Attorney Stefans

ELLA MALDONADO

Calhoun Senior Volleyball

COMMITTED TO PLAY D-1 volleyball at Binghamton, Maldonado will look to close her high school career by helping Calhoun make anothe deep run in the Nassau Class A playoffs after it reached the finals last season. She’s a two-time All-County libero who’s led the county in digs in back-to-back seasons, including 435 as a junior. She made the AllTournament team last fall and was the Colts’ MVP as a sophomore.

GAMES TO WATCH

Thursday, Oct. 6

Boys Soccer: South Side at Lynbrook 4:30 p.m.

Boys Soccer: V.S. Central at Freeport 5 p.m.

Boys Soccer: Lawrence at Calhoun 5 p.m.

Girls Soccer: South Side at Mepham 5 p.m.

Boys Soccer: Elmont at Carey 6 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 7

Boys Soccer: East Meadow at Oceanside 6 p.m.

Football: MacArthur at South Side 6 p.m.

Football: Freeport at Farmingdale 6:30 p.m.

Football: Kennedy at Long Beach 7 p.m.

Football: V.S. South at Malverne 7 p.m.

Football: Wantagh at Carey 7 p.m.

Football: Seaford at C.S. Harbor 7 p.m.

Girls Soccer: V.S. North at Hewlett 7:15 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 8

Girls Soccer: Baldwin at East Meadow 12:30 p.m.

Football: Mepham at Garden City 2 p.m.

Football: Carle Place at Lawrence 2 p.m.

Football: Port Washington at Baldwin 2 p.m.

Football: Clarke at North Shore 2 p.m.

Football: Oceanside at Massapequa 2 p.m.

Football: Calhoun at Sewanhaka 2 p.m.

Football: Hewlett at V.S. North 2 p.m.

Shoot-out

knee

North Shore peaking at right time

By MARC BERMAN sports@liherald.com

North Shore’s boys’ soccer team has lifted its fortunes recently, though Thursday’s Oct. 6 match against Glen Cove was to be a litmus test.

After winning the confer ence title last season, posting an 11-1 record, the Vikings were hurt by graduation loss es and began the 2022 season anemically.

But matters have turned as North Shore has recorded a 2-0-1 clip in its last three con tests, including a rugged tie against powerhouse Jericho. That big effort came after wins over Bethpage and Division.

“We’ve turned it around,’’ Vikings coach Mike Bishop said. “Defense is our strength but we’re starting to click offensively.’’

Much of its goal-scoring left the Glen Head campus for college pastures. North Shore’s three 2021 stars are playing soccer on the next level — Devon Seneca (Molloy College), Matteo Kanakaris (Iona) Nick Suraci (University of Scranton).

Those three soccer studs led the 2021 Vikings to an 11-0 start – even if the soccer team’s success was overshad owed by the historic champi onship ride of the North Shore football team.

The slow beginning to 2022 was partly a result of division realignment. North Shore is in the Eastern Conference of A1. “It’s a geography alignment so we’re playing in a tougher con ference, playing much bigger schools,’’ Bishop said.

Two brothers who play striker are keying North Shore’s surge. Senior co-cap tain Dario Leighton and soph

omore sibling, Lino Leighton, have five goals and four goals, respectively.

“They’re starting to really click the last few games,’’ Bishop said.

Defense, however, is what carries the maroon squad. Senior center back Matt Cian ciulli is North Shore’s rock. “He plays on a good club team and is a very smart, technical defender,’’ Bishop said.

Another pair of brothers are keeping opponent offenses at bay. Senior defender, captain Dean Mallen and his younger brother, sophomore Thomas Mallen, are having notable seasons. According to Bishop, the Mallen brothers are very supportive of each other and each are “tough, physical defenders.’’ Dean Mallen is also an honors student while Thomas is a very rare sopho more varsity starter.

The midfield has potential, too, in senior Yousef Helo and sophomore Griffin Pinter.

North Shore is strong in goal with Matthew Nochowitz, a baseball star who sat out the 2021 campaign to focus on his college-playing aspirations.

North Shore has run into some hard luck with one loss being no fault of the goalie. A 0-0 game with nearby Friends Academy ended with a North Shore player accidently putting the ball into his own net. And a sure victory over Kennedy ended in a tie when North Shore gave up a goal off a cor ner kick with 27 seconds left.

Last season, North Shore lost its final regular season game, then got dropped by Glen Cove in the opening round of the Nassau Class A playoffs, 4-1. Thursday’s rematch will be telling.

“We’ve got a couple of

tough games ahead but winna ble games ahead,’’ Bishop said. “Glen Cove is a tough game. I still think we definite ly could be playoff-bound.’’

After facing Glen Cove, the Vikings close the regular sea

son with three games next week: home against Wantagh at 10 a.m. Monday, home against Mepham Oct. 12 at 5 p.m., and a trip to Island Trees two days later for another 5 p.m. start.

Donovan Berthoud/Herald NORTH SHORE’S DARIO Leighton, right, and MacArthur’s Kieran Weber battled for control of the ball during a confer ence matchup Sept. 23.

STEPPING OUT

Perspectives Personal

Local artists on view at Heckscher’s Biennial

By Karen Bloom

eckscher Museum of Art has opened its exhibit space to Long Island’s top artists as the Long Island Biennial exhibition gets underway.

The latest edition of the juried exhibition — which features varied works from contemporary artists across Nassau and Suffolk counties — opened last week, offering a unique and exciting snapshot of what is happening artistically here on Long Island.

“The Long Island Biennial always strives to highlight the depth and breadth of contemporary artists working on Long Island,” says curator Karli Wurzelbacher. “This Biennial is one of the most inclusive the museum has presented. Women make up over half of the 57 featured artists. They are also racially and ethnically diverse, and some of them draw upon their heritage in their work.”

More than 445 artists have participated in the exhibit since the Biennial’s opening installation in 2010. This year, the museum received a whopping 732 entries. Interest in this showcase reflects the diversity and enthusiasm of the local creative community.

WHERE WHEN

• Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington. (631) 351-3250 or Heckscher.org

• Now, through Jan. 22

The 95 works on view present a lively cross-section of current artistic practice, encompassing a range of media, with styles spanning abstraction to hyper-realism.

“I am especially impressed by the ways in which many of the artists engaged with the concerns of our time, from social justice, to health, to ecology,” Wurzelbacher says, “and appreciate those who brought new approaches to traditional materials and techniques.”

Artists of note include Lynbrook’s Keith Gamache, who submitted a pandemic-inspired piece.“Drawing inspiration from folk art traditions from Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs to the Modernist grid and the contemporary use of text as

image, I have used Masonite pegboard as a painting surface on and off for nearly 30 years,” he explains. “Most recently,

together, resulting in my most complex pegboard paintings that combine emblem-like cell structures of the Covid-19 virus with words and phrases related to our collective experience

throughout the pandemic.”

Jason AurelioThomas, of Oyster Bay, contributed a mixed media of steel wire, plaster, plaster cloth, resin, acrylic paint piece called “And How Does That Make You Feel?” (steel wire, plaster, plaster cloth, resin, acrylic paint).

“My creative work is an attempt to evoke an inner curiosity that urges the viewer to come in close and have a sensory experience with the texture and colors,” he notes. “The desire to explore the shadows and textures of something is so primal, sensual and very inspiring to me.”

Wantagh’s Kayla Moz is represented by her sculpture, “The One I Lost, The One I Hold.”

“As an artist, I have the luxury of processing my world through my art,” she shares. “Self-portraiture is a tool to access my inner life and document my experiences. Pregnancy has impacted every aspect of my life. Who I am and how I am perceived is developing and growing with my baby. To make artwork about pregnancy is to discover this evolving version of myself.”

As always, the exhibit experience is enhanced by related programming, featuring participating artists. Upcoming events include sessions to meet the artists in the galleries, select Sundays, through Dec. 11.

Top: Jason Aurelio Thomas is inspired by the world around him, resulting in a mixed media work.

Middle: Keith Gamache used a folk art style in his pandemic creation, ‘Covid-19 Vol. 1: Social Distancing.’

Bottom: Kayla Moz’s sculpture references her inner self.

’33 (a kabarett)

Inspired by the true story of the fallen Eldorado Club in Berlin, during the rise of the Nazis, ’33 (a kabarett) speaks to the past and present as it recreates the cabaret’s final night in 1933. Performed and written by Bremner Duthie, the darkly humorous monodrama is based directly on texts of survivors and oppressors from the 1930s, and also on texts from periods of cultural repression up to the present day. ’33 offers a hopeful and realistic insight into the struggle against censorship and repression. It speaks to the challenge of honoring the memory of the disappeared. It says we must grieve in sorrow, but we can choose to fight back with energy, humor, laughter, and life.

Saturday, Oct. 8, 8 p.m. $35, $30, $25. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. (516) 767-6444 or LandmarkOnMainStreet.org.

Give Our Regards To Broadway

The hit series returns to the Madison stage with a salute to the great Stephen Sondheim. Featuring Broadway stars and Molloy University’s CAP21 Studio Company, the entertaining revue puts a new spin on those great hits from beloved awardwinning musicals including ‘Into the Woods,’ ‘West Side Story’ and more. With narration by Madison Theatre artistic director Angelo Fraboni, the fast-paced show guides the audience through the musical explosions of Sondheim with anecdotes on how these great musicals made it to the forefront of our popular culture, interspersed throughout.

Sunday, Oct. 9, 3 p.m. Madison Theatre, Molloy University campus, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. (516) 3234444 or MadisonTheatreNY.org.

SCENE

Veterans Meeting

The Gus Scutari Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3694,20 Queens Street, Syosset, invites all eligible veterans to their monthly meeting, Wednesday Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m. For info, call (516) 921-7956.

Oct. 7

Reckoning

Head over to Still Partners, at 225 Sea Cliff Ave., in Sea Cliff, for a night of Grateful Dead throwbacks played by Reckoning, Friday, Oct. 7, 8 to 11 p.m. Enjoy as the seven piece ensemble band performs acoustic Grateful Dead hits. For any questions call Still Partners at (516) 200-9229.

Glen Cove Hospital

5k run/walk

Masters of Illusion

Enter the magical world of illusion at NYCB Theatre at Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury, with the Masters of Illusion, Sunday, Oct. 9, 8 p.m. This 21st century magic show is unlike anything you have seen before. Watch closely as you experience things that just can’t be done … or can they? Cutting-edge illusionists Dan Sperry, Michael Turco and Naathan Phan perform sleight-of-hand, perplexing interactive mind magic, hilarious comedy, dangerous escapes and large scale illusions that baffle and astound their audience. For information/tickets, visit TheTheatreAtWestbury.com or LiveNation.com or call (516) 247-5200.

Celebrating 100 years of service to the community, Glen Cove Hospital will hold a 5k run/walk at 9 a.m. at Glen Cove High School, located at 150 Dosoris Lane in Glen Cove. Whether people want to run, walk or cheer on others, everyone is encouraged to join their friends, families, neighbors and hospital staff members in marking Glen Cove Hospital’s 100th birthday. All proceeds are designated to the hospital’s frontline worker wellness programs, and the event is open to all ages. Early packet pickup will take place at Glen Cove Hospital, located at 101 Saint Andrews Lane in Glen Cove on October 7 from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Packets can also be picked up the morning of the race at Glen Cove High School from 7:30 a.m. until 8:45 a.m.

Oct. 19

Reception at La Selva

Visit an Olmsted Brothersdesigned private estate near Planting Fields Arboretum, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 5-8 p.m. for a special reception,in celebration of Planting Fields Foundation’s Olmsted 200.

The event kicks off a twoday symposium featuring a keynote presentation by John Dixon Hunt, Professor Emeritus of Landscape Architecture at University of Pennsylvania. Register at PlantingFields.org.

Art talk

Fall Plant Sale

Head over to the Village Church of Bayville for their Fall Plant Sale, Saturday, Oct. 8, 10 a.m. for 3 p.m., 9 Mountain Ave., Bayville. Sponsored by the Missions Committee, an assortment of beautiful fall plants including mums, decorative cabbages and kale will be for sale. For more information, call (516) 628-2737.

Mill Neck Apple Festival

Oct. 8

Oct. 13

Grab your lunch and join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent Riva Ettus for her popular “Brown Bag Lecture” live, via Zoom, Thursday, Oct. 13, 1 p.m. She’ll discuss the current exhibition, “Other Worlds than This: The Supernatural in Art.” 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. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Having an event?

Items

Open House

Join Friends of the Glen Cove Library for their open house, Thursday, Oct. 20, 4-8 p.m., 4 Glen Cove Ave. Learn about Friends mission, with refreshments, a slide-show of Glen Cove history, tours of the Library’s History Room; also a ‘Meet the Author” event featuring Glen Cove author Belinda Celis Basaca, who will discuss her book, “Mom, I Wanna Be a Fighter.”

Archaeology of pumpkin spice

Zoom in to Bayville Free Library’s program, Tuesday Oct. 11. Learn about history of spices with archaeologist Patty Hamrick. talk Discuss the importance of cloves in Ancient China, how nutmeg was used to buy the island of Manhattan, and more; also the evolutioFreelLibrary.org. For any questions contact Kristy Fumante at (516) 628-2765.

The Mill Neck Family of Organizations will be holding its annual Apple Festival, Saturday, Oct. 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m, at the Mill Neck Manor, 40 Frost Mill Rd. in Mill Neck. Visitors will have the chance to buy local produce and home-made dishes, including apples of course, triple crown jelly, apple and pumpkin butter, honey, apple fritters and cider donuts.

‘Guys and Dolls’

PlazaTheatrical’s fall season offers Broadway at its show-stopping best, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 8, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 9, 2:30 p.mHailed by many as the perfect musical comedy, this Tony-winning favorite follows a rowdy bunch of gamblers, gangsters, and sassy showgirls in a wild game of chance in bustling 1950s Manhattan, performed at Plaza’s stage at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $49, $45 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Home sales fall, but prices tick up

Higher mortgage interest rates appear to be cutting into home sales in August across the state, but closing prices contin ue to rise.

Closed sales fell 11 percent year over year to 13,740 units, according to the New York State Association of Realtors, while new listings dropped more than 15 per cent. Yet, median sales prices climbed nearly 4 percent to $405,000 — the 28th consecutive month to see a median sales price rise.

New listings were also down more than 15 percent in Nassau County, while closed sales totaled just under 1,400 — a 16 per cent decline from 2021. The median sales price, however, grew 5 percent to $701,250.

Real estate professionals are working with less than three months of housing supply, which continues to decline. Experts call a six-month supply to be a sign of a balanced market.

McGuinness new Ocean Financial chair

Ocean Financial Federal Credit Union didn’t have to look too far for its new board of directors chair, appointing Lisa McGuinness of Oceanside as the first woman to hold that position.

McGuinness has been on the board for seven years, first as a supervisory com mittee volunteer, before becoming a director in 2019.

She graduated from Sacred Heart Academy, and earned her bachelor’s degree at SUNY Geneseo. McGuinness started at Dime Savings Bank, helping to program the first ATMs. She was later an executive for companies like Estée Lauder, Avon and

McGuinness has been recognized as a leader in the information technology industry for more than two decades.

She is a long-time Oceanside resident, raising her family there with her hus band. She is a member of St. Anthony’s parish, volunteering on several commit tees. McGuinness also is a past president of the Ladies Auxiliary at the Fr. Joseph O’Connell Knights of Columbus Council

In fact, it was members of that particu lar KofC that founded Ocean Financial back in 1969, as a way to provide financial services to the families of members like them. Today, Ocean Financial has more than $380 million in assets, serving mem bers of the Knights of Columbus, the Dio ceses of Rockville Centre, and the at-large Catholic community.

Taylor part of diversity, inclusion conference Marie Taylor just returned from St. Louis, one of more than 300 people quali fying for the Edward Jones Diversity,

Equity and Inclusion Conference.

The conference included interactive panel discussions, presentations, workshops and networking ses sions, with a chance to gain insights, tools and resources to strengthen diversi ty, equity and inclusion acumen.

Taylor is a financial advisor for the Edward Jones office in West Hempstead.

Minority Enterprise Development Week

The inaugural Minority Enterprise Development Week on Long Island kicks off with a ceremony in Hempstead on Thursday, Oct. 13.

Hosted by the African American Small Business Foundation and the Long Island African American Chamber of Com merce, the ceremony begins at 9 a.m., at the Nathan L.H. Bennett Pavilion, 1 Wash ington St.

RSVP is required. For more informa tion, email info@liaacc.org.

Lindsay becomes VP at Northwell

She was one of the first Americans to be vaccinated against the virus that causes Covid-19, and even received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

But now Sandra Lindsay has a new role — vice president of public health advocacy for Northwell Health.

Lindsay spent 29 years in nursing, most recently as director of nursing and critical care at the Long Island Jew ish Medical Center in New Hyde Park. She also led the front lines during the pandemic, not just during the first wave begin ning in March 2020, but by also volunteering to be the first in-line to get the Pfizer vac cine on Dec. 14, 2020.

As a woman of color — and a proud Jamaican immigrant — Lindsay inspired communities of color and those in the Caribbean community to trust the vac cine. Her ID badge and scrubs now reside at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

Lindsay immigrated in 1986, and grad uated from Manhattan Community Col lege in 1993 as valedictorian of her nurs ing program. She later earned her bache lor’s from St. Joseph’s University in Patchogue, a master’s degree from Lehm an College in the Bronx, and an MBA from Hofstra University.

Lindsay joined Lenox Hill Hospital soon after as an oncology nurse, before moving to LIJ.

New hire? Promotion? Something

Lisa McGuinness

Marie Taylor

Sandra Lindsay

Gallery 22, a comfort zone for the neurodiverse

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

Gallery 22, a learning and enrich ment center in Bayville, is committed to working with the neurodiverse com munity — those with autism spectrum disorder or other neurological or developmental conditions — as well as the general public. The facility, on Bay ville Avenue, hosted an open house of sorts on Sept. 17, offering visitors more than just a tour. Classes were also available, including yoga, cooking and crafts.

When visitors first walked in, they found two plush chairs decorated with Beanie Babies, and a spacious creative art space filled with brightly colored artwork, decorations and paper crafts. The art was created by students who take classes at Gallery 22, with the help of its founder, Elizabeth Jordan, who once worked with fashion design er Donna Karen.

“I like to say we’re the SoHo House of the neurodiverse community,” Jor dan joked.

She and Julie Corzo opened Gallery 22 in May. They met 10 years ago, when Jordan, who has been an artist for many years, was working on a mas ter’s degree in behavior analysis. Corzo and her then 16-year-old daugh ter, Eva, who is developmentally delayed, were guest speakers in an eth ics class that Jordan was taking.

Soon Eva began taking art classes from Jordan, and they bonded. A mother of five children herself, one of whom is developmentally delayed, Jor dan empathized with Corzo and the struggles she experienced with her daughter.

“I realized how unprepared the world was to deal with people of differ ent abilities,” Jordan said.

Jordan and Corzo decided to build a space in which people could connect and enrich themselves through art, music, yoga, dance and technology, and founded Gallery 22.

All of the classes the facility offers are modified to help the neurodiverse, although people of all abilities are encouraged to join. The gallery is divided into four separate spaces, each

offering unique learning experiences.

■ Shop 22 is a vintage thrift boutique, where students are taught life skills such as sorting clothes by size and color, researching prices on eBay, greeting customers, managing a pointof-sale system and other aspects of retail.

■ Live 22 offers classes such as sew ing, game strategy, computer and graphic design, and movie apprecia tion.

■ Art 22 is a multimedia art studio with classes in painting, drawing, sculpting and beading.

■ Fit 22 offers yoga, dance, karaoke and cooking.

Since the gallery’s opening, Joey Ceriello, 18, of Glen Cove, has looked forward to a Saturday class in which he cooks his favorite meals, like pasta with meatballs and nachos. His dream, he said, is to be on a cooking segment on “Today With Hoda & Jenna.”

Ceriello was diagnosed with Fragile X syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects childhood development, learn ing and social skills. Outside the gal lery, he said, he is self-conscious around other people his age because, as he put it, he thinks differently than they do. But inside Gallery 22, he can be as loud and carefree as he wants.

Suzanne Ceriello, Joey’s mother, heard about the facility from a friend. Saturdays can’t come fast enough for her son, she said, and she is grateful that Joey found a place to socialize and be himself, because he normally doesn’t have those opportunities. And he takes what he learns home, wheth er it’s art or cooking.

“I think the experiences and things they offer these kids are amazing,” Suzanne said. “I definitely feel like this program is a blessing for him because he’s so happy.”

Although the gallery typically charges $50 an hour for classes, many students make use of government funding. And for those who pay out-ofpocket, there are other sources of funds available through the gallery itself, including grants and scholar ships.

THE GREAT BOOK GURU

A very long weekend

LEGAL NOTICE

OF ADOPTION

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

that the Board of Trustees of the Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff, Nassau County, New York, at a regular meeting held the 3rd day of October 2022, adopted the following local law: LOCAL LAW NO. 3, YEAR

2022 A local law to amend Chapter 138 of the Code of the Village of Sea Cliff, to provide for the prohibition of certain types of businesses in the Village.

Dated: October 3,, 2022 Marianne Lennon Sea Cliff, NY Village Clerk 134577

LEGAL NOTICE

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a public hearing will be held as to the following matter:

Agency:Zoning Board of Appeals, Village of Sea Cliff

Date: October 18, 2022

Time:7:00 pm

Place:Village Hall, 300 Sea Cliff Avenue, Sea Cliff, New York

Subject:Application of Timothy Clark, 51 Carpenter Avenue, Sea Cliff, New York, to construct a new garage, which construction requires variances of the following Village Code sections: (a) 138-414.1, in that the floor area will be 4,025 square feet, where a maximum of 3,913.4 square feet is permitted, (b) 138-516(D), in that the garage will be 899 square feet, where a maximum of 500 square feet is permitted, and (c) 138-516(E), in that the garage will have a height of 19.5 feet, where a maximum of 15 feet is permitted. Premises are designated as Section 21,

Block 117, Lot 107 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.

Application of Irvart Asset Management LLC, 5 Bender Court, Dix Hills, New York, to relocate and rebuild a garage, at 252-260 Sea Cliff Avenue, which construction requires a variance of Village Code §138-815, in that the garage is in a front yard, where no such accessory structure is permitted. Premises are designated as Section 21, Block 131, Lot 1370 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.

Application of Martin and Rosemary Foley, 278 Glen Avenue, Sea Cliff, New York, to use a garage as an office and study, which use is not permitted under Village Code §138-401 or any other Village Code section. Premises are designated as Section 21, Block 165, Lot 87 on the

Nassau County Land and Tax Map.

At the said time and place, all interested persons may be heard with respect to the foregoing matters. All relevant documents may be inspected at the office of the Village Clerk, Village Hall, 300 Sea Cliff Avenue, Sea Cliff, New York, during regular business hours.

Any person having a disability which would inhibit attendance at, or participation in, the hearing should notify the Village Clerk at least three business days prior to the hearing, so that reasonable efforts may be made to facilitate such attendance and participation.

Dated: October 3, 2022

BY ORDER OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS 134578

Dear Great Book Guru,

My book club friends and I are looking for a book set in the 1960s, and preferably with a New York, maybe Brooklyn venue. Any thoughts?

–Nostalgic Book Clubbers

Dear Nostalgic Book Clubbers,

Our book group just read a classic 1960s novel by Paula Fox: “Desperate Characters.” She is best known for her young adult novels and memoirs, and this is a startling aberration.

feels hostile and ignored by Otto and has become obsessed with a stray neighborhood cat. When she is bitten by the cat, she refus es medical attention. Her wound festers over the weekend and becomes life threatening.

ANN DIPIETRO

Set in Brooklyn in the late 1960s, the novel is basically the story of one couple — Sophia and Otto and one very long weekend. Otto is a highly suc cessful attorney who is in the midst of a career catastrophe; he and his longtime friend and law partner have had an explo sive breakup. Sophia, a part-time translator,

We soon see that the cat bite is symbolic of her deteriorating marriage. These domestic dra mas work themselves out against a background of emerging gen trification, racial profiling, and economic inequality. Told from the perspective of Sophia, the book questions whether she is a reliable narrator and we too are left to wonder, can we trust her?

Highly recommended!

Would you like to ask the Great Book Guru for a book suggestion? Contact her at annmdipietro@gmail.com.

Roksana Amid/Herald

MEMBERS OF GALLERY 22 spent a recent Saturday with friends, working on arts and crafts projects, which is a favorite activity at the center.

One kind of identity politics is no longer a winner

There are all kinds of people who seek public office. Some are for mer government officials hoping to work their way up the political ladder. Others are businesspeople look ing to transfer their skills from their world into the political world. A third class of candidates is the progressives who’ve never met a payroll and often don’t match the public’s percep tion of what a can didate should look and act like.

The fourth variety of office seeker is the celeb rity candidate who would like to parlay his or her name recognition into elective office. There’s a long his tory of celebrity candidates who’ve looked to turn fame into a different kind of power. Some of them have been sports heroes. The earli est one I could find was Walter Johnson, who pitched for the Washington Senators for almost 25 years and then, after he retired, ran for county commissioner in Montgomery County, Maryland. He suc ceeded in winning a term and then ran unsuccessfully for Congress.

The list of more recent sports figures who took the plunge into politics is head

ed by former New York Knicks star Bill Bradley. Bradley was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served three terms. In 2000 he decided to run for president, and his loss in the Democratic primary ended his political career.

Ben Knighthorse Camp bell went from competing in judo in the 1964 Olympic Games to representing Col orado in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Professional wres tler Jessie Ventura became governor of Minnesota, star pitcher Jim Bunning served in both the House and the Senate, and there were many more.

California is known for producing movie and televi sion star candidates. The first one was George Murphy, a leading man of Holly wood musicals in the 1930s and ’40s who became a U.S. Senator. We all know the biggest success story of all, that of B movie actor Ronald Reagan, and then there was Arnold Schwarzenegger, who turned his bodybuilder persona into that of a successful actor as well, and then California’s governor.

The list of celebrities, some better known than others, who went into poli tics during or after film or television careers includes Shirley Temple Black, Cynthia Nixon, Sonny Bono, Clint East

wood, Sean Duffy, Clay Aiken, Fred Grandy, George Takei, Melissa Gilbert and John David Lodge. The current ros ter of former media stars is headed by Donald Trump, whose show “The Apprentice” gave him access to millions of viewers who became enthusiastic supporters.

The tendency of wellknown personalities to become candidates contin ues with the upcoming November election. In Pennsylvania, Mehmet Oz is seeking to become a U.S. Senator. Oz gained televi sion fame thanks to Oprah Winfrey, who made him a guest expert on her show. Dr. Oz, as he’s called, had his own show for 10 years, which has given him widespread name recognition.

His Democratic opponent, John Fet terman, lacks a show business back ground, but has attracted attention for his blue-collar-style campaign.

Other well-known names are seeking key positions in several states. Former Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walk er is a Republican Senate candidate in Georgia, opposing Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, and television politi cal commentator Tudor Dixon is the Republican candidate for governor in Michigan, challenging incumbent

Gretchen Whitmer. Both Walker and Dixon have Trump’s endorsement, which may or not be a blessing.

Some prominent figures are not seek ing elective office, but instead will be playing active roles in many contests over the next month. Don’t be surprised if some of the candidates trot out celeb rities as their endorsers. But history has shown that endorsements by big names usually don’t produce votes, and bigname endorsers often loses public sup port for their next movie or television show.

The next 30 days will determine whether any of the latest crop of celebri ties can translate their prominence into winning campaigns.

These days, voters have become more sophisticated when it comes to endorse ments, and if a candidate has taken unpopular positions, no celebrity will make a difference.

This year, issues like abortion, infla tion, crime, education and the fragility of democracy itself are more important than candidates with recognizable names.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strate gies, a business development and legisla tive strategy firm. Comments about this column? JKremer@liherald.com.

Don’t we all live in the cone of uncertainty?

By the time you read this, all that will be left of Hurricane Ian will be wreckage, loss and grief.

I was floating in the Gulf of Mexico, in a good way, two weeks ago. We have a place there, on the beach, on a bar rier island, at latitude 27.36798 degrees N, longitude -82.62578 degrees W. We were just beginning to hear about a new tropi cal depression that eventually became Ian, a meteorologi cal thresher that shredded the southwest coast of Florida just days later. It made land fall near Fort Myers, an hour south of us, at lati tude 26.64227 degrees N, longi tude -81.86910 degrees W.

When you live on a barrier island in Florida you trade days in paradise for the knowledge that your home and your life are subject to rising tides and increasing ly fierce storms. We all know that no one should ever have built on the barrier islands, but my hunch is, people will rebuild, and developers will put up everlarger hotels and condos on the shoreline.

All the forecasts on Sept. 25 predicted that Tampa, up north, would be ground zero, but by the following day, we were the red-hot bulls-eye of the target zone. Our town issued a mandatory evacuation order and turned off all power and water to the island. We left our place a day before the storm hit, and drove to family in Fort Lauderdale. We’ve done this dance before. Dur ing Hurricane Katrina we were in Fort Lauderdale and had to evacuate to the west coast. Hurricane Sandy scattered us all over.

Early word is that our place on the beach is OK. The small shift in landfall saved us, but doomed our neighbors to the south. Our island still has no power or water. A sad note: The magical island of Captiva is flattened. The bridge from Fort Myers is in the Gulf.

ing. The day we left our beach, it was like that. The humidity saturated the air. A dome of heat pressed down. The birds were gone.

I can only feel lucky. Many thousands of people have no place to sleep. Their belongings, their memories and their jobs have been blown away. Businesses just beginning to recover from Covid-19 losses are in ruins. I know it will get better, and people will rally, but we need to give ourselves a moment. This is yet another once-in-a-lifetime event, another “unprecedented” disaster.

The small shift in Ian’s landfall saved us, but doomed our neighbors to the south.

I’ve been thinking about the 1948 movie “Key Largo,” with Humphrey Bog art and Lauren Bacall. They are stranded in the Keys as a hurricane slams onshore. What I remember is the sense of menace, the thrum in the air as barometric pres sure falls, the seas turn an ominous shade of green and the birds stop sing

It’s nice that the political players are grinding their teeth and trying to take the high ground, but don’t be fooled; politics rides these waves. Storms can be survived. More frightening is our current political cyclone. The stanchions of our democracy are also disappearing into deep troughs, and who knows if they can rise again?

Hurricane emergencies remind us that steady minds and steady hands at the wheel can help steer us through.

The supersized storms are increasing proof of the environmental crisis. How

many 500-year storms do we need to sur vive before the anti-science refuseniks realize it may still be within our power to curb the emissions and toxins that affect our climate?

The hurricanes, the wildfires, our political divisions, the QAnon crazies and other GOP extremists all seem pulled into a tightening vortex, playing out here and now. A hurricane is an apt metaphor for the forces eroding our democracy. The cleanup effort on the ground in Florida will be monumental. I don’t know what it will take to right this listing ship of state.

For a weekly newspaper columnist, I have been in the right/wrong place many times in my career, able to offer firsthand observations. I was on a beach in New York watching the towers burn on 9/11. I was on a ship in the Arabian Sea on May 2, 2011, the night our military slid Osama bin Laden’s corpse into the water. I was out West last summer amid the wildfires and, two days ago, I was an hour away from ground zero of the storm of the cen tury in Florida.

We all live in the cone of uncertainty. Today, we’re standing. We can offer a hand to those knocked down by the storm.

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

H

istory has shown that endorsements by big names usually don’t produce votes.

You have just two minutes to escape a fire

This Sunday is the beginning of National Fire Prevention Week, a century-old public health obser vance created by the National Fire Protection Association that was first offi cially recognized by President Calvin Coolidge in 1925. And it’s no coincidence that you’ll find this week in October, since it commemorates the Great Chica go Fire, which burned more than 17,400 structures beginning on Oct. 8, 1871.

While that certainly sounds like a lot of buildings, the association now esti mates that there are as many as 347,000 house fires in the United States each year. That means that somewhere in America, a home is catching fire every other min ute. Those blazes account for more than $7 billion in property damage, and worse, kill more than 2,600 people and injure over 11,000 more.

And that’s just on the civilian side. Nearly 65,000 firefighters were injured battling blazes in 2020, according to the association, while federal officials report that more than 100 were killed. Firefight ing is clearly one of the most dangerous jobs in America. Yet here on Long Island, nearly all of the 181 fire departments are volunteer.

That’s right. If you ever find yourself calling for help from the fire department, the men and women who show up at your

door are almost certainly first respond ers who get nothing in return for their service except the satisfaction of know ing they can help.

That’s the purest definition of a hero.

It’s also a noble pursuit that has evolved from rather ignoble beginnings. In ancient Rome, a wealthy businessman said to be instrumental in the creation of what would become the Roman Empire — Marcus Licinius Crassus — put togeth er a brigade of 500 slaves tasked with fighting blazes in the city. When smoke hit the sky, these slaves were there.

But with a catch. Crassus would nego tiate with the building owner to buy it for what today would be pennies on the dol lar — while it burned. If the owner sold, Crassus would instruct the slaves to extinguish the flames. If they didn’t sell, Crassus let it burn to the ground.

It would take Roman emperor Nero, in the first century, to build the first true fire brigade — one not seeking to profit from the misery of others — that most credit as the true beginning of one of society’s most essential services.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week cam paign is “Fire won’t wait, plan your escape.” Homes burn faster today than ever before, according to the fire protec tion association. If your home catches fire and you’re inside, you could have less

LETTERS

Randi fooled me — almost

To the Editor:

The title of Randi Kreiss’s column in the Sept. 15-21 issue, “From the queen to the U.S. jester-in-chief,” at long last, I thought, indicated she’d turned her sights from her obsessive hatred of Donald Trump to the realities of President Joe Biden’s makeAmerica-worse-again actions and propos als. Surely “jester-in-chief” referred to the current resident of the White House, and his ongoing hypocrisies and misguided decisions that jeopardize the safety and security of this country, things like redefin ing a student loan to mean a gift, and the continuing denial of the crisis at the south ern border.

But I was wrong. I found this was just another expression of Randi’s continuing obsessive hatred of Trump as the prime evil-doer of all time, mindless of Biden’s ongoing absurdities and self-created crises that have superseded in significance what ever failures Trump may have been respon sible for earlier (and forget his achieve ments).

When Biden took office, Randi decried how she wouldn’t have Trump to push around any more. But old habits die hard.

than two minutes to escape from the moment a smoke alarm sounds.

That means that having a plan in advance is more important than ever. And because every home is different, so will every plan be. The association rec ommends developing individual plans for everyone in a home — children, older adults, people with disabilities.

It’s also imperative to make sure there are smoke alarms in every bedroom, out side every sleeping area — like hallways — and on every level, including the base ment. In fact, the only place you shouldn’t put alarms, the association says, is in your kitchen and bathrooms.

And if you can, hire an electrician to help you link all the alarms — including those for carbon monoxide — together. That way, if there is smoke in one part of the house, it will alert everyone, every where.

We all hope we can live a lifetime never having to call the fire department. Even if we were to be so fortunate, we can sleep soundly at night knowing that those heroes are out there, ready to save us if we are threatened. But we can help keep them safe, too, by making sure we’re ready if we aren’t so fortunate.

So if you see a firefighter this week, say thank you — both in words and by doing your part to stay safe.

She will continue to dismiss Biden’s growing list of failures, intent on pursuing her first love — her hatred of and assault on Trump — even with the crises of crime, recession, inva sion from abroad, and Biden’s lies as to how

well America is doing with him in charge. As jester-in-chief, Randi is beginning to rival Biden himself.

ROBERT

OPINIONS A 54-year-old movie’s warning to Putin

ussian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine hasn’t gone the way he planned. And he doesn’t seem too happy about it.

R

know what it’s like to live in a world where nuclear war could be looming.

Given all the other problems we face today, it’s not something we think about often.

But nuclear war was prevalent in peo ple’s minds not too long ago. The way warnings of the dangers of technology, mental health struggles and other, newer issues per meate today’s entertain ment, nuclear war did so at the height of the Cold War.

humans down with a passion, and Taylor is confused about why. One of the orang utan superiors, Dr. Zaius, played by Mau rice Evans, pursues Taylor with reli gious zeal when Taylor, unlike all the other humans, speaks. Zaius interro gates him about where he came from, and repeatedly implies that he knows something more than the other apes do about humans.

the ocean’s waves crashing into her. He has been on Earth the whole time, where humanity had destroyed itself in a nucle ar war.

Taylor falls to his knees, condemning humanity as maniacs who have “finally gone and done it.” The film ends with Taylor collapsed in the surf, doomed to live the rest of his life on a post-apocalyp tic Earth.

MICHAEL MALASZCZYK

I suppose you wouldn’t be happy, either, if you spent nearly a decade pumping your people full of lies to pre pare them for this invasion. After all, Putin has dedicat ed a ton of resources to mak ing sure his peo ple believe that Ukraine belongs to them, that Ukrainians are actually just con fused Russians or Poles, and that Ukraine is ruled by Nazis.

First, Russia was going to take Ukraine in a week. Then maybe a month. That didn’t happen. Many months later, we are seeing Ukraine making consider able gains in Russian-occupied territory. And, unable to cope with this, Putin has gone to a new threat: nuclear war. West ern leaders have met him stride for stride, and warned of counterattacks if he tries it.

This is something of a throwback threat. Many young people today don’t

Remember “Planet of the Apes”? No, not those movies that came out in the 2010s. Those, ironically told the tale of how humanity destroyed itself when faced with a global pandemic. But much like they addressed the prob lems of today, the original addressed the problems of its day.

Released in 1968, at the height of the Cold War and not long after a nuclear confrontation nearly happened during the Cuban missile crisis, “Planet of the Apes” follows Charlton Heston’s charac ter, George Taylor, a space explorer who crash-lands on a mysterious planet.

Taylor encounters humans, but they are mute and animalistic, and the society is ruled by apes that have evolved into something human-like. They keep the

When Taylor and Zaius discover evidence of an old civilization on the planet that was ruled by humans, Zaius confesses to Taylor that he has “always known about man” and, though he acknowledges that man’s civilization was once great, he adds that “his wisdom must walk hand in hand with his idiocy.” The sacred scrolls of the apes tell them to “beware the beast man, for he is the dev il’s pawn” and that man would murder his own brother to possess his land.

This explains what drives the apes to oppress humans, but Taylor still doesn’t understand how they’ve come to believe this. Then, in a lifeless coastal desert known as the Forbidden Zone, once a lush paradise that was ruined by man, Taylor sees the Statue of Liberty, scorched, buried up to her chest in sand,

Putin’s threat has made this film, and the 1968 zeitgeist, relevant again today. Are we going to finally go and do it?

It’s easy to watch “Planet of the Apes” and think of the apes as the bad guys, brutes who are treating humans like ani mals. But at the end of the film, Zaius is proven right about humanity. In that world, we indeed were the devil’s pawn.

And as Putin threatens to use nuclear war to take Ukraine, the idea that man would kill his brother to possess his land seems to ring true. Perhaps those of us who would dismiss his threat — or worse, dare him to follow through on it so we can retaliate — should give this classic film a watch. It provides a stark warning not only to Putin, but to anyone who thinks nuclear war is a feasible solu tion to the world’s problems.

Michael Malaszczyk is a Herald reporter covering Wantagh and Seaford. Com ments about this column? mmalaszczyk@ liherald.com.

FRAMEWORK by Tim Baker

Governor, please sign the crypto mining moratorium

To the Editor:

Gov. Kathy Hochul must sign legisla tion establishing a moratorium on cryp tocurrency mining powered by burning fracked gas. This kind of mining, used to make Bitcoin, known as “proof of work,” is extremely energy-intensive, consum ing more energy than some entire nations.

The Greenidge Generating Station in the Finger Lakes highlights the threat to our beautiful state. This facility, a for merly shuttered coal plant, is now con tinuously burning fracked gas for Bit coin mining. There are dozens of such plants across New York state that could be fired up again, polluting our air and water, promoting fracking and endanger ing our climate. Governor, please take

immediate action to prevent more such travesties.

Establishing an immediate moratori um on cryptocurrency mining powered by fossil fuels, while completing a com prehensive study of its impacts on the climate and the environment more broadly, is a prudent and necessary action. The Legislature passed bills sev eral months ago, and we are counting on the governor to sign them. The White House has also validated our concerns on cryptocurrency mining and the envi ronment, which is more evidence of why we need this moratorium and more study.

I urge the governor, please do not delay. We’re counting on her to be an environmental leader of our state and an example for the nation. I urge her to sign this bill into law now.

JOSEPH M. VARON West Hempstead

I n ‘Planet of the Apes,’ we eventually discover what men have done to our planet.

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